CurryIndian.Com

Green Coriander Chutney /Hari chutney

2015-03-24T15:07:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

Fresh Coriander : 1/2 bunch washed and chopped roughly
Green chills : 2 chopped into pieces
Coconut : fresh grated coconut (you can take dry grated coconut also )
Dahi (Yogurt) : 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds : 1/4 tsp
Sugar : a pinch
Salt : to taste

For Tempering : (Optional)

Oil : 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
Hing (Asafoetida): a pinch
Turmeric powder : a pinch

Recipe :

In a mixer grinder take chopped coriander .
To it add green chills, freshly grated coconut and dahi.
Also add cumin seeds, a pinch of sugar and salt according to taste.
Close the jar and grind it to a paste .If required add few tbsp of water and then grind.
Once done transfer the chutney to the serving bowl.
Now heat a pan on medium flame. Add 1 tbsp of oil and let it heat.
Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
Add a pinch of hing (asafoetida) and a pinch of turmeric powder and turn off the gas.
Add this tempering to the prepared chutney.

Tips:

Adding tempering is completely optional .You can enjoy the chutney without tempering also.
If you love the tangy taste more you can also add a tbsp of lemon juice as required according to your taste.

Tamarind Chutney / Imli Chutney

2015-03-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

Imli (Tamarind ) : 1 inch cube or around 1/4 cup soaked in warm water for minimum 30 minutes or you can use tamarind concentrate directly

Jaggery : 1/2 cup grated

Salt : to taste

Roasted cumin powder : 1 tsp

Red chili powder : 1 tsp

Coriander powder : 1 tsp

Recipe :

Take tamarind and soak it in warm water for minimum 30 minutes or you can directly use tamarind concentrate.
Rub the soaked imli properly so that all the imli pulp is out.Strain the pulp and transfer it into a pan.
To the pulp add jaggery , salt , roasted cumin powder, coriander powder and red chili powder and stir well.
Heat it till the sauce is thickened and thick consistency chutney is prepared.
Once prepared let the chutney cool down.

Dahi Vada /Dahi Bhalle Recipe - Holi special

2015-03-11T15:32:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

Urad Dal : 1-1/2 cup soaked in water overnight
Jeera (Cumin Seeds) : 1 tsp
Dahi (Yogurt) : 2 cups
Oil : for deep frying
Salt : to taste
Sugar : 2 tbsp
Roasted cumin powder : for garnishing
Red chili powder : for garnishing
Chat masala : for garnishing

For Red Imli(Tamarind) Chutney :

Imli (Tamarind ) : 1 inch cube or around 1/4 cup soaked in warm water for minimum 30 minutes or you can use tamarind concentrate directly
Jaggery : 1/2 cup grated
Salt : to taste
Roasted cumin powder : 1 tsp
Red chili powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp

Recipe :

For Vadas:

Wash 1-1/2 cups of urad dal in running water and soak it in water overnight or minimum 4-6 hours .
Drain all the water from urad dal and grind the dal in grinder . If required use minimum water to grind the dal.
To the grinned dal add a tsp of cumin seeds and salt to taste and mix very well.
Parallely in a wok or pan pour some oil and let it heat .To check the temperature of oil drop a little ball of dal into the oil .The ball should make the oil sizzle and slowly comes up to the top level of oil then your oil is ready for frying.
Now take a ziplock bag .On top of the bag apply some water as shown in picture.Now with wet hands take a ball of grinned dal and put on the wet surface of the bag.Urad dal is little sticky in texture so a little water hand can make it easy to handle.
Dip your four fingers into water and try to spread the dal ball on the bag and give the shape of vada.
As shown in picture gently remove the vada from the ziplock bag and drop them into hot oil carefully .Remember that due to water usage hot oil will splutter more so be careful while you drop the vada in hot oil.
Fry vadas on medium flame nicely from both sides till they are brown and crisp from outside and fully cooked from inside.
Drain the vadas on absorbent paper and make rest of the vadas and keep them aside.
Heat some water in a big sized pan till it is little hot but not boiling.
Drop all the prepared vadas into the hot water .Make sure they are dipped completely in the water.Cover with lid and leave the vadas into water for around 2 hours.Mean while prepare imli chutney and dahi .

For Imli(Tamarind) Chutney :

Take tamarind and soak it in warm water for minimum 30 minutes or you can directly use tamarind concentrate.
Rub the soaked imli properly so that all the imli pulp is out.Strain the pulp and transfer it into a pan.
To the pulp add jaggery , salt , roasted cumin powder, coriander powder and red chili powder and stir well.
Heat it till the sauce is thickened and thick consistency chutney is prepared.
Once prepared let the chutney cool down.

For Dahi :

In a bowl take dahi add little water and whisk it properly so a smooth consistent thick liquid is ready. Add salt to taste and little sugar to it .Mix well and keep it in refrigerator to chill down a little bit.

Serving Dahi Vada :

Keep each vada between your 2 palms and press with your palms and remove all the water from the vada .Repeat same for all the vadas.
Into the serving plate arrange 2-3 vadas .Then drizzle chilled prepared dahi on it.
On top of it sprinkle the tamarind chutney.
On top sprinkle a pinch of roasted cumin powder,red chili powder and chat masala .
Dahi vadas are ready to serve.

Tips :

Urad dal is little sticky dal so with the water hand you can handle it easily.
Tamarind chutney you can prepare and store in air tight container in refrigerator for around a month and use whenever required.

Crispy Palak (Spinach) Bhajji /Spinach Dumpling/ Palak Pakoda/Palak Bhajiya

2014-07-09T14:33:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

Besan (Gram Flour) : 1 cup
Rava (Sooji ) : 2 tbsp
Palak (Spinach ) Leaves : washed and each leaf separated 15-20 counts
Red chili powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp
Carom seeds : 1/2 tsp
Chat masala : to sprinkle on top
Water : 3/4 cup
Salt : to taste
Oil : for deep frying

Recipe :

In a bowl take besan (gram flour) .To it add 2 tbsp of rava (sooji ) .
Mix both together and add red chili powder , turmeric powder ,coriander powder and carom seeds and salt.
Now add water little by little whisking it continuously or mixing it with hands and make a smooth paste as shown in picture.Make sure there are no lumps in the paste .
Keep it aside for 10 minutes.
Wash spinach leaves and spread each leaf on a plate .If the leaves are too big in size you can cut them in halves.
In a wok or pan heat oil for deep frying .
Once the oil is hot dip each spinach leaf in the besan mixture and coat it well with the besan paste from both side and immediately put it in the hot oil for deep frying .Do not coat it with very thick layer then the bhajiya won't be very crispy.That's why make sure the besan paste is not too thick or too thin.
Flip it in the oil so both side are equally crisp .Repeat the same with all the leaves.
Drain it on absorbent paper .Sprinkle chat masala on top while the bhajyas are hot .
Enjoy with chutney , ketchup and a cup of tea or coffee.

Tips :

Do not make the besan paste to thin or thick other wise the bhajiyas won't be very crispy.
Sprinkle chat masala when the bhajiyas are hot it sticks more properly to the bhajiyas.

Kadhi Gole Recipe /Maharastrian Kadhi with Chana Dal Balls

2014-06-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

Kadhi Gole is a typical Maharashtrian recipe .Kadhi is a very comman and popular dish in whole north of India . Its is specially eaten with rice and so called "Kadhi Chaval" .There are different varieties of kadhi such as gujrati kadhi,mahrashtrian kadhi ,rajasthani kadhi ,punjabi kadhi etc according to the region. All kadhis are made out of yogurt and besan with dumpling into it.Kadhi gole is also one kind of maharashtrian kadhi but the special thing in it which makes it special from all other kadhis is the GOLE -i.e chana dal balls yes you heard it right but not the dumplings.I have eaten this kadhi a lot in my child hood as my mom use to prepare it and we all use to love it a lot .

As I am the host of the South Vs North Challenge for this month I couldn't find anything else better than this recipe from my region and its also perfectly suitable with the theme of kadhis /dals.The concept of this event is that the members of the group are divided into 2 teams Southern Team (those who have there origin in Southern part of India) and Northern Team (those who have there origin in Northern part of India).Every 1 st of the month 1 member from Northern team will challenge one recipe to all the members of Southern team and visa versa .The members of the opposite team have to cook that recipe and post on there respective blogs.This challenge is owned by Divya Pramil of "you too can cook" .I would like to thank her for giving me this opportunity and would also like to thank Manjula Bharath of "Desi Fiesta" .I hope you all will like this recipe .This is a very simple yet little tricky recipe to make .So all the very best to all.

Ingredients:

Chana Dal (Gram Dal) : 3/4 cup soaked overnight or 5-6 hours in water
Dahi (Yogurt) : 1-1/2 to 2 cups
Besan (Gram Flour ) : 3 tbsp
Green Chili : 2 counts
Ginger : 1/2 inch for dal and 1/2 inch grated for kadhi
Garlic : 3 cloves
Kadi Patta (Curry Leaves) : 6-7 counts broken in halves
Oil : 2-3 tbsp for tempering
Ghee : 2-3 tbsp for tempering
Red Chili Powder : 4-5 tsp
Coriander Powder : 3-4 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 3-4 tsp
Mustard Seeds : 2 tsp
Asafoetida : a pinch
Jeera (Cumin Seeds) : 1 tsp
Sugar : 2-3 tbsp
Salt : according to taste.

Recipe :

Take 3/4 cup of chana dal .Wash it and soak it overnight for say at least for 5-6 hours in water.
In the morning it will be fluffy.Now drain all the water from chana dal and transfer it to the mixer or grinder.
To the chana dal add 1 green chili , 1/2 inch ginger and 3 garlic cloves.
Put the lid and coarsely grind the chana dal .Do not add any water while grinding ,if needed add only few drops of water.
Once done take it out in a bowl and add salt according to taste to it . If you want to add some extra chili powder you can add other wise its ok.
Mix it well and keep aside.
Mean while in a thick bottom deep pan .Over here i would recommend taking thick bottom pan only and make sure the pan is deep enough too .Take 2 cups of yogurt .
To it add 2 medium sized glass of water,whisk it and make a very thin consistency buttermilk.
Add 2 tbsp of sugar and a tbsp of salt too as per your taste and mix everything well.
Now add 3 tbsp of besan (gram flour ) and whisk it so well or you can do it with your hands too and make sure there are no lumps in the prepared liquid mixture.
Once done turn on the stove and transfer the pan to a low medium flame .Let it heat and cook .Keep on stirring occasionally .
Once the steam starts coming out of it ,after that only add 1/2 inch grated ginger to the kadhi and keep the kadhi boiling.If you add early the yogurt will spoil.
Now you can increase the flame to medium high and let the kadhi cook stirring in between.
Once the kadhi starts boiling that means it starts bubbling and rising up thats the time you have to put the chana dal gole into it .Remember here the timing is very important only in the boiling stage you can put the gole into kadhi other wise they tend to break .
Now from the grinned chana dal make a medium (ladoo sized)sized ball .Keep it ready in your hand and when the kadhi is rising up on medium high flame gently drop the ball into the boiling kadhi.
Now wait for 5-8 minutes and let the first ball cook a little bit .After that only drop the second one and that too apart from (or at a little distance ) from where you dropped the first ball.Again wait for 5-8 minutes let it cook then drop the third ball and soo on drop all the balls repeating the same process.
Do not touch the balls or kadhi with spatula or soon at any time .Once the balls are cooked they will start rising up at the upper layer of kadhi .
Let them cook into the kadhi for 15- 20 minutes then only gently you can stir but with very light hands ,other wise the gole will break.Also make sure that they dont stick to the bottom of the pan otherwise they may burn slightly from bottom.
Once gole are cooked lower the flame .Now in a separate pan take ghee and let it melt on low flame.You can use oil too here ,but the typical maharashtrian kadhi is with ghee tempering.
Now to the ghee add 1 tsp mustard seed .Let them crackle and add one roughly chopped green chili and curry leaves. To it add 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder , 1 tsp coriander powder and a pinch of hing (asafoetida) and turn off the gas.
Now add this tempering to the prepared kadhi and mix well.
Now for the gole you have to prepare one more tempering .
For that in a pan heat 2-3 tbsp of oil .Once hot 1/2 tsp add mustard seeds and 1/2 jeera and let them splutter .Then to it add 1 tsp of red chili powder,1 tsp of turmeric powder and 1 tsp of coriander powder .Turn off the gas and keep this tempering aside.
Now our kadhi and tempering for gole are ready to serve.
You can serve with kadhi with hot chapati or rice .
While eating you have to separate the gole into another plate ,break them with hands or spoon add the prepared tempering on it mix and then eat .You can eat them alone or with chapati choice is yours.

Tips :

Use a thick bottomed and deep pan for this kadhi so that the gole don't stick to the bottom of the pan and there is some space for kadhi to rise.
Remember the timing is very important for dropping the chana dal balls into kadhi .only in the boiling stage you can put the gole into kadhi other wise they tend to break and dissolve in the kadhi.
Remember to take a pause of 5-8 minutes after dropping every ball.
while stirring the kadhi do it very gently so the gole wont break .

An InLinkz Link-up

Palak Sev /Spinach Sev /Spinach Bhujia

2014-06-11T07:08:00.004-07:00

Ingredients :

Palak (Spinach) :500 grams blanched and pureed
Besan /Gram Flour : 4 cups
Hot Oil : 8-9 tbsp
Red Chili powder : 2 tbsp
Ajwain (Carom Seeds) : 1 tbsp roasted and grinned
Cumin seeds :1 tbsp roasted and grinned
Salt : 2&1/2 to 3 tbsp (or to taste)
Water : 2 cups warm to make dough
Oil : for deep frying

Recipe :

In a big bowl heat water .Once its hot add the spinach to it .Let it cook for 5 minutes till the spinach changes its color .Once done drain all the hot water and transfer spinach into iced water.Now puree this spinach and keep it aside.
In a large bowl or a plate take besan .Sieve red chili powder and salt in separate bowl and add it to the besan .
On a skillet or pan roast ajwain (carom seeds) and cumin seeds on low flame .Let it cool down a little bit and then grind it to a fine powder through grinder. Sieve it into a bowl and add to the besan.
In a pan heat around 8-9 tbsp of oil.Let it cool down a little bit and add this oil to the besan.
Also add the prepared spinach puree to the besan.
Mix everything well with your hands so there are no lumps .
Now in a pan or bowl heat some water. Let it cool down a little bit .Add this water little by little at times and make the dough.
Cover and let the dough rest for around 2 hours.
After 2 hours take a small portion of dough . Add little water as required and knead the portion of dough very well to make a soft , smooth dough.
Fill the Sev "press" or machine with the prepared dough using small/large hole disc/plate .I have used here the little larger one as i like little thick sev more
Press it in hot oil in large circle (don't overlap). Deep fry in medium low flames both sides till bubble ceases.
Drain on paper towl and repeat the same steps for rest of the dough.Let it cool down completely and then you can break in small pieces if desired.
You can store Sev in airtight container .They can last for around a month.

Tips :

Sieve roasted cumin, carom seeds powder and red chili powder first and then use it other wise it will stuck in the holes of the disc /plate of the machine and can create a problem in making of Sev.
You can use thin as well as thin holes plate for making Sev.
While deep frying fry on medium low flame so the sev will be cooked from inside too.

Avocado Paratha /Indian Flat Bread using Avocado

2014-05-27T17:39:00.001-07:00

Ingredients :

Avocados : 3 ripe
Fresh Coriander (Cilantro): 1/4 cup chopped
Green chilis : 2 finely chopped
Garlic : 3-4 cloves chopped
Garlic : 1/2 inch cube chopped
Wheat Flour : 2 cups
Red chili powder : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder :1/2 tsp
Coriander powder : 1/2 tsp
Sesame seed : 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice : 1 tsp
Roasted jeera (cumin seeds) : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 1 tsp
Extra oil : for cooking of parathas
Water : as required to knead the dough
Salt :to taste

Recipe :

Cut the avocados into two parts .Remove the seed and using a spoon scoop out the flesh of avocados.
Transfer the avocado flesh into mixer or grinder.To it add chopped ginger ,chopped garlic ,green chilis ,lemon juice and fresh coriander (cilantro).
To it add few drops of water and grind it into a paste.Keep the paste aside.
In a bowl or big plate take 2 cups of wheat flour.
To it add this prepared paste.
Also add turmeric powder,red chili powder,coriander powder,roasted jeera(cumin seeds),sesame seeds,oil and salt according to taste.
Mix every thing well with hands .Add water little by little as required and knead a dough not too stiff as required for regular parathas.
Divide the dough into equal sized balls.
Take one ball and roll a small disc from it.Apply some oil on top part of the disc and fold the disc from middle and form a semi circle.
Again fold the semi circle from middle joining the edges together and form a triangle.
Now roll this triangle and form a triangular paratha. Use extra dry flour if required for rolling.
Meanwhile heat a skillet on low flame.Once hot place the paratha on hot skillet.
Let it cook from one side and flip it .Apply some oil on top and flip other side.Again apply oil .
Roast the paratha till little crisp and golden brown from both side.
Apply same procedure for remaining balls and make remaining parathas.
Serve with raita ,some curry or subzi.

Tips :

Do not make the avocado mixture too early and keep it for long time make it fresh and use if you keep for long time it will become dark.

Besan Ladoo Recipe/Gram Flour Ladoo /Besan Ladu Indian Desserts Recipe

2014-05-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

Besan : 2 cups
Ghee : 1/2 to 1 cup
Sugar : 1 cup powdered preferably bura sugar (dry grainy powdered sugar).
Cardamon powder : 1/2 tsp
Almond halves : for garnishing (you can use any other nuts of your choice

Recipe :

In a kadhai or a flat pan dry roast 2 cups of besan on very low flame.
Stir it continuously so its not burnt and evenly brown.Roast it very nicely till 10-12 minutes till it changes color to slightly golden brown and starts releasing nutty aroma.Roast it properly otherwise the raw flavor of besan will be coming in ladoos,and remember not to over roast it.
Melt the ghee and now add ghee to it .Mix it very well stirring it for 6-7 minutes.
Add cardamon powder and mix .
After 2-3 more minutes the besan will start to get together and will start releasing ghee from it .You will be getting nutty strong nutty aroma by this time.
Turn off the heat and keep the kadhai off the gas and then add sugar to it and mix well. Do not add sugar while the heat is on.
This time the mixture would be too hot to bind balls so let it cool down a little bit .
Once little cool bind small equal sized balls or ladoos out of the mixture.
Press one almond half on top of each ladoo and decorate them. You can use any nuts of your choice.
Once completely cooled down you can store them in air tight container at room temperature.

Tips:

While dry roasting the besan roast it on very low heat and keep on stirring continuously so the besan is not burnt and roasted evenly.Make sure its roasted properly otherwise the raw taste will come in ladoos.
After adding ghee keep on stirring till the ghee starts releasing other wise the raw taste of besan will come in the ladoos.
Do not over roast the besan like very dark brown in color ,if done so a little burnt flavor would be there in ladoos.
Besan ladoo will generally need a lot amount of ghee so never reduce the quantity it will be tough to bind and flavor will not be good.

Restaurant Style Butter Chicken Recipe /Indian Butter Chicken Recipe/Chicken (Murgh) Makhani

2014-05-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

For Marination :

Chicken breast/boneless chicken : 1-1/2 lbs chicken or (around 500 grams)
Yogurt/Curd (Dahi ) : 1 cup
Red chili powder : 1 tsp (Use Kashmiri Chili Powder also known as Degi Mirch which is less hot and gives red color to the gravy ,I coldn't get it at my place so i used regular chili powder here )
Coriander Powder : 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder : 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala : 1/2 tsp
Salt : 1 tsp according to taste

For Gravy :

Butter : 3-4 tbsp
Bay Leaf : 1-2 counts
Onion : 2 -1/2 medium size chopped
Tomatoes : 4 medium sized chopped
Garlic : 4-5 cloves grounded into paste
Ginger : 1/2 inch cube grounded into paste
Green chili : 1 chopped
Red chili powder :1/4 tsp if required
Coriander powder : 1/4 tsp
Cashew paste : 7-8 cashews soaked in water for minimum of 30 minutes
Garam masala : 1/4 tsp
Cream : 3-4 tbsp
Salt : if required according to taste
Sugar /Honey : 1 tsp
Kasuri Methi : 1 tbsp crushed
Fresh Coriander leaves /Cilantro : for garnishing
Ginger julienne : for garnishing

Recipe:

In a big bowl take chicken pieces .Add yogurt , red chili powder,coriander powder,cumin powder,garam masala and salt to it.
Mix everything very well and let this marinate or rest aside for 30 to 60 minutes.
Meanwhile in a pan on medium heat add a tbsp of butter . Let it melt and add bay leaf to it .
Add chopped onions and saute them for a while till translucent.
Add ginger paste and garlic paste .Saute till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away.
Add green chilis and saute.
Now add chopped tomatoes and cook them till the tomatoes are soft and mushy.then turn off the heat and let it cool down a bit.
Once cool remove the bay leaf and grind the mixture through a grinder into a fine paste . Add little water if needed for grinding.
Strain this gravy paste through a sieve to get a smooth texture of gravy. Keep aside this strained gravy paste.
Meanwhile in a pan take around 2 big tbsp of butter and let it heat on medium flame.
Add the marinated chicken to the butter and cook for a while till all the water of the chicken evaporates and the chicken becomes dry completely.
Once this is done then add the prepared gravy paste to the cooked chicken and cook the gravy with the chicken till the gravy is cooked properly and its becomes little dry and oil starts separating from it. This will take a couple of minutes so keep on stirring occasionally.
Add cashew paste and mix well.
Add little more red chili powder,coriander powder,garam masala and salt if required.
Add kasuri methi and sugar and mix well.
Add cream ,mix well and turn off the gas. You can also add little water to liquid the consistency of gravy a little bit.
Transfer into serving plate and garnish with some fresh cilantro and ginger julienne.
Serve hot with naan , paratha , roti or plain rice or jeera rice.

Tips:

While cooking the marinated chicken in butter the water should be dried up completely otherwise till then the chicken is not cooked properly.
After adding cream do not cook much just turn off the gas.
Use kashmiri red chili powder instead of normal chili powder it will give nice red color to the gravy .

Chole (ChickPeas) with Coconut Gravy - South Indian Style /Chana Masala with Coconut Gravy

2014-04-25T11:49:00.000-07:00

Chole is one of my favorite dishes .In my house we always use to cook chole the punjabi style. Few years back I was invited to one of my south Indian friends house for dinner and there I ate chole with coconut gravy for the first time and since then I was in love with the coconut gravy. I always wanted to learn how to make chole south indian style .So here I want to thank one of my dear friend who inspired me and taught me this wonderful recipe with completely different style . So this post is dedicated to her and I am sure you and your family is definitely gonna love and enjoy this super delicious and wonderful recipe.

Ingredients:

Chole (Chick Peas)/Kabuli Chane : 1- 1/2 cups washed and soaked in water overnight.
Onion : 1 big size finely chopped
Ginger : 1/2 inch cube chopped
Garlic : 3-4 cloves chopped
Tomato : 1 medium sized chopped
Coriander Leaves (Cilantro ) : 1/2 a bunch finely chopped around 1/2 a cup
Coconut : 1/2 cup grated/grinned fresh or dried ( I have used dried grated here but if you can get fresh one will add more flavor to the curry )
Khas Khas (Poopy Seeds) : 1 tsp
Soanf (Funnel Seeds) : 1 tsp
Bay Leaf : 1-2 counts
Cloves : 2-3 counts
Cinnamon sticks : 1-2 counts
Whole black pepper : 1-2 counts
Star Anise : 1 count
Red Chili : 1-2 counts
Oil : 5-6 tbsp
Red Chili Powder : 1/2 tsp
Corainder Powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
Salt : to taste
Coriander Leaves (Cilantro ) : for garnishing

Recipe:

Wash and soak chole (chickpeas) overnight and keep them aside.
In a pan heat 2-3 tbsp of oil .Let it heat and add freshly chopped onions to it .
Saute them till tender then add chopped ginger and garlic to it .
Saute it for a while so the raw aroma goes away .
To this add cinnamon stick ,cloves and whole black pepper.
Then add poppy seeds and funnel seeds.
Saute everything very well for a while and then turn off the heat.
Let this mixture cool down a little bit and then transfer it to a grinder or a mixer jar to convert it to a paste.
While making the paste add half a bunch of freshly chopped green coriander (cilantro) and grind everything to a fine paste .Keep this paste aside.
In a pressure cooker heat 3-4 tbsp of oil.
Let it heat and add bay leaf ,star anise and red chili to it .
Let them splutter and add the prepared masala paste to it .
Cook the masala properly stirring it continuously on medium heat so its cooked properly.
Then add grated or grinned coconut to the masala ,give a stir and let it cook for some more minutes.
Lastly add the chopped tomatoes and cook everything very well till the masala starts realizing oil from it .
Now add dry spices red chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder and mix well.
Drain water from the chickpeas and now add the chickpeas to the masala.
Add 2 to 2-1/2 cups of water and mix well.
Lastly add salt according to taste and cover the lid with the whistle on of the pressure cooker.
Let the chickpeas cook for 5-6 whistles till they are cooked properly and then turn off the heat.
Transfer into serving plate and garnish with some freshly chopped coriander leaves (Cilantro) on top .Enjoy with plain rice , jeera rice , roti , naan , poori or bhature.

Tips:

If you don't have pressure cooker in that case boil the chickpeas separately in water in a pan and keep them aside .Add a pinch of salt while boiling . Once your masala is ready and cooked add the boiled chole directly in the end.

Fruit Custard /Fruit Salad

2014-03-17T15:23:00.002-07:00

Ingredients:

Milk : 7-8 cups
Sugar : 1 cup or less according to taste and remember that the fruits will add natural sweetness to custard too.
Custard Powder : 4-5 tbsp I have used mango flavor here you can use any flavor of your choice.
Almonds : 8-10 counts chopped
Cashews : 8-10 counts chopped
Apple : 1 count finely chopped
Banana : 1 count finely chopped
Strawberries : 4-5 counts chopped
Kiwi fruit : 1 count finely chopped
Pear : 1 count finely chopped
Pomegranate seeds : if available (will give more color to fruit custard)
Grapes : cut into half or use them full but add them only if they are not sour or add at the end while serving.
Oranges : add only if they are not sour or add at the end while serving .

Recipe:

In a thick bottomed pan on low heat start boiling milk.
Boil it for more than half an hour on low heat stirring occasionally so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and reduces in quantity.
Now in a small bowl take around 5 tbsp of custard powder.
To the custard powder add few tbsp of boiled milk and mix it very well so there are no lumps .
Now slowly add this custard liquid to the boiled milk little by little stirring the milk continuously so there are no lumps into the milk too.
Let it cook for 10 more minutes so the custard powder is cooked properly and there is no raw taste.
Add chopped almonds and cashews and mix well.
Lastly add sugar and cook for few for minutes and turn off the flame .
Let this cool down completely .Mean while chop all the fruits and keep them aside.
Once cooled completely add all the fruits to the custard mix well and refrigerate for minimum an hour.
After few hours remove the custard and serve it cool into serving dishes and enjoy.

Tips:

Be careful while adding sour fruits like grapes ,oranges ,mangoes etc. taste them first ,avoid adding them if too sour or add them whole just before serving.
Keep on stirring continuously while adding custard to the milk so that there are no lumps.

Linking this recipe to Full Scoops Event - Summer Recipes

Capsicum Chili Toast /Healthy Breakfast Recipe

2014-03-07T13:56:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Capsicum : 2 counts finely chopped
Onion : 1 medium sized finely chopped
Green chilies : 3 counts chopped
Red chili : if required
Chat masala : 1/4 tsp
Salt : according to taste
Whole wheat bread /White bread: 7 slices
Cheese : grated cheese

Recipe:

In a bowl mix chopped capsicum , chopped onions and chopped green chilies.
Add salt according to taste and red chili powder if required.
Add little chat masala and mix well and keep it aside.
Preheat oven at 350 F .
Meanwhile arrange the bread slices on a baking tray.
With the spoon scoop some capsicum mixture and put on each bread and spread it evenly.
Sprinkle a handful of shredded cheese on top of each bread .I have used less cheese here as I like it this way you can use more as the toasts will taste more tasty with more cheese.
Transfer the tray into oven once preheated.
Bake them for 8-10 minutes keeping eye on them and till the bread is crunchy and crispy.
Once done remove them from oven and serve hot with some tomato ketchup or chutney.

Tips:

While baking don't over cook the bread other wise they will taste a little bitter.
You can also apply some butter on bread before putting the filling on top to make it more tasty .I have not used here as this a healthy version.

Kondakadalai & Senai Kizhangu Kara Kuzhambu / ChickPeas and Elephant Foot Yam (Suran) Curry

2014-02-19T12:14:00.000-08:00

I always wanted to participate in South Vs North Challenge (SNC) since I started blogging and finally the day has arrived. I am so excited and happy to be part of this wonderful event started by Divya Pramil. Every first of the month, one member from south team, challenges the other team with their traditional recipes and likewise the north team does. The interesting part of this event is not only learning other regional cuisines but also gaining lovely n friendly relationship with the other bloggers.

This month I was challenged by Priya Sateesh of Priyasmenu food lovers to prepare and post this wonderful recipe. I loved cooking this special recipe and me and my family enjoyed the recipe very much . So for the food lovers recipe is as follows .

Recipe by : Priyasmenu food lovers

Ingredients:

Chickpeas (Kabuli chana/Chole) : 1 cup soaked overnight in water
Senai Kizhangu (Elephant foot Yam/Suran): around 1 lbs (i used elephant foot yam as i can get only this here)
Onion : 1 big size finely chopped
Tomatoes : 2 medium sized pureed
Tamarind extract : 1/2 cup
Red Chili powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Garam masala : 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Methi dana (Fenugreek Seeds) : 1/2 tsp
Kasuri Methi (Dry Fenugreek Leaves) : 1/2 tsp
Oil : 5-6 tbsp
Salt : to taste.
Coriander Leaves(Cilantro) : for garnishing

Recipe:

Soak 1 cup of chickpeas in water overnight or for 6-8 hours. In the morning transfer them in pressure cooker and cook them till 5-6 whistle .Add a pinch of salt while pressure cooking the chickpeas and keep them aside.
Take elephant yam clean it in running water and pressure cook it till 3-4 whistle till the yam is cooked. Do not over cook it .
Once cooked remove the outer layer and cut into 1/2 inch cubes .
In a pan heat 2-3 tbsp of oil and shallow fry the cubes till little crisp from their surfaces. Drain them on absorbent paper and keep aside. This step is optional I have done here but not done in the traditional recipe posted by priya.
In a non stick pan heat 2-3 tbsp of oil .Once hot add cumin seeds and let them crackle .
Then add methi dana (fenugreek seeds) and saute a bit.
Add chopped onions and saute them till translucent.
Add tomato puree and cook for around 5-8 minutes till they are cooked properly.
Add red chili powder,coriander powder , turmeric powder and garam masala and mix well.
Add little water and tamarind extract to get the gravy consistency .
Add salt according to taste and dry fenugreek leaves /Karuri methi on top .
Add the shallow fried yam cubes and boiled chickpeas and mix well.
Let it cook for 2 more minutes and turn off the stove.
Garnish with some freshly chopped coriander leaves(cilantro) and serve hot with roti,rice or paratha.

Tips:

Do not over cook the yam otherwise the cubes will dissolve in gravy.
You can also substitute tamarind with lemon juice or amchur powder.

Valentine Day Special - Strawberry Cake Recipe /Cake using fresh Strawberries

2014-02-12T14:33:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

All purpose flour : 1-1/4 cup
Baking Soda : 1 tsp
Baking Powder : 1/2 tsp
Butter :1/2 cup
White Sugar :1 cup
Eggs : 2 counts
Vanilla Extract : 1 tsp
Fresh strawberries pulp : 1 cup
Food color : pink 8 drops

Recipe:

Wash fresh strawberries in running water thoroughly and chop them in halves.
Transfer them in grinder and grind them into pulp . Keep this aside.
In a bowl combine all dry ingredients all purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder and keep it aside.
Now in big bowl take butter and melt it on room temperature.
To it add sugar and whisk it and mix well.
Now add eggs mixing continuously with the whisk one after the other.
Add vanilla extract and mix well.You can also use a hand blander or electric beater to mix the ingredients.
Now start adding the dry ingredients little by little whisking continuously in same direction.
Now add the fresh grind strawberry pulp to the mixture and beat so well that there are no lumps in the mixture and a smooth consistent paste is formed.
Lastly add drops of pink food color and mix well.
Preheat oven on 350 F.
Grease a 9 inch round cake pan very nicely with butter from bottom and sides of the pan.
Pour the cake batter into the pan evenly .
Place the cake pan into the oven once the oven is preheated and bake the cake for around 40-45 minutes.
Once done take a toothpick and poke into the middle of the cake .If it comes out clean then the cake is done .
Remove the cake pan out of the oven and let it cool down completely.
Once cooled scratch the edges of the cake using a knife .
Flip the cake pan on to a plate ,tap the bottom of the pan from top and slowly lift the pan .Keep the cake on cooling racks and further cool down.
Decorate the cake with fresh strawberries or frosting of your choice and enjoy the cake.

Tips:

Before pouring the cake batter into cake pan grease it very nicely so it come out nicely.
You can also sprinkle some dry flour or use butter paper to avoid cake from sticking.
After flipping if the cake doesn't come out just tap the bottom of the pan around the edges and slowly try to lift the pan so the cake doesn't brake.

LIEBSTER AWARD - BLOG AWARD !!!

2014-02-10T14:49:00.001-08:00

Liebster Award -

LIEBSTER - is the word that I have never heard before i was nominated twice for this award. Liebster is a german word which means "dearest" or "beloved" and this award is given from the bloggers to their co-bloggers.

I want to thank two lovely ladies Aara Sheikh of Sweets and Spices and Shwetha Suresh of Shwetha's Yummy Kitchen for nominating me . I am so glad and happy to accept this award. Its so encouraging and full of motivation .

There are some rules for this award.
1) This is an award passed on to bloggers who have less than 200 followers. A means to identify new blogs and create more friends.
2) Thank the blogger who have passed on this award to you.
3) Answer the questions that the blogger has posted for you.
4) Identify some other new bloggers to whom you would like to pass on this award.
5) Identify some questions that you would like your fellow bloggers to answer.

Here are the answers of questions asked by Shwetha :

1)How young you were when u made your first dish and what was the dish(provide the recipe)?
Ans : I was around 14 years old when I made made my first dish which was Matar Pohe which is still one of my favorite dishes

2)What is your dream travel destination?
Ans : Hawaii

3)What is your favourite cookery show?
Ans : Sanjeev Kapoor's Khana Khazana

4)What do you prefer,money or fame?
Ans : fame gives you money ..
money gives you fame..
either ways works for me..

5)Name a appetizer in your blog which your family loves to eat(provide the link)
Ans : Healthy Hara Bhara Kabab

6)Name 2 recipes in my blog which u like(provide the links)
Ans : Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala
Whole Moong Dal Toast

7)Which is that toughest veg recipe u are hesitant to cook?
Ans : Handvi

8)What is average time/day you spend on internet?
Ans : 2-3 hours daily

9)Name the favourite local restaurant u visit when you are bored of cooking and what is your favourite veg dish in that restaurant.

Ans : Chipotle and Veg Burrito Bowl

Here are answers of questions asked by Aara :

1) What did u understand with the concept of blogging?
Ans : Blogging is a form of social networking service .Bloggers not only produce content to share on there blog , but also build a social reltionship with there readers or co blogger.

2) What are the things that changed after you started blogging?
Ans :Came to know more about other cusines ,other regional food and kitchen tips and tricks.

3) If you are a food blogger do ur family and friends support your efforts?
Ans : 100 %

4) How is your blog different from other blogs you came across?
Ans: I have step - by step presentation of all recips with photographcally presented every step.

5) Do you have virtual friends? How does it feel when u interact with them?
Ans : Yes so many and it feels so glad to interect with them never felt they are virtual .

6) What is your new year resolutions and why?
Ans : To eat healthy ,cook healthy and do regular exercise.

7) One thing you can change about yourself?
Ans: My photography

8) One thing you always fantasy about u can have?
Ans :Porshe

9) 5 things you love the most.
Ans : Cooking ,watching movies,listening to good movies,explore different places and to spend time with my family.

10) Blogging is a different World!! What if u were not a blogger? and what if u have to quit blogging anytime???
Ans : I was a Software developer before I started blogging . Now i am so much involved into blogging and love it so much that I cannot think about my world without blogging

11) Who inspire and motivate u to cook :)

Ans : My 3 year old daughter and my dear hubby.

My nominees for the award are :

Haffa Bexi from Haffa's Kitchen Adventure
Ruxana from From My Own kitchen
Dr. Sindhoora Adyanthaya from Sindhoora's Kitchen
Smitha Kalluraya from Cook with Smile
Divya Shivraman from Dishing with Divya
Gouri from the cuisine art
Eliza Lincy from Lincy's Cook Art
Suganthi Thangaraju from Amma's Kitchen
Preetha Soumyan from A bowl Of Curry
Jaleela Banu from Cook Book Jaleela
Asiya Omar from My Healthy Happy Kitchen
Briju Parthasarthy from Partha's Rhapsody
Asha from Chikkus Kitchen

My questions for the nominees are :

What do you understand by the concept of blogging ?
How did you get introduced to blogging?
What is your favorite cookery show?
Give one word that would best describe you?
Which is your favorite dish from your blog?
Any dish you didn't prepare yet ,but love to prepare?
How to make kitchen fresh and neat ?
Who inspires you and motivates to cook?
Food items that you always have in your pantry?
One thing you cannot live without?

I would like to once again thanks Aara and Shwetha for nominating me and Congratulations to the nominees and keep up the good work.

Thanks,

Prerana Khanwalkar.

Spinach Khichdi /Healthy Palak Khichdi /Palak Rice

2014-01-24T16:12:00.001-08:00

Ingredients:

Palak (Spinach) : 1 bunch blanched and pureed
Rice : 1-1/2 cup cooked (I have used brown rice here for healthier version you can use plain white rice if you want)
Onion : 1 chopped
Tomato : 1 chopped
Garlic: 3-4 chopped
Red chili dry : 2 counts
Red Chili Powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder :1 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Oil :2 tbsp
Salt : to taste
Ghee (clarified butter) :1/4 tsp

Recipe:

Take 1-1/2 cup of rice and cook them in rice cooker or pressure cooker.
Meanwhile wash spinach thoroughly in running water and put them in hot water in a pan Cover and let them cook till the color slightly changes. Turn off the heat ,drain all the water and transfer the spinach into iced water and cool completely.
Drain the water and puree the spinach through blender.Set this puree aside.
In a pan heat oil on medium heat.
Add onions and saute till translucent.
Add garlic and saute and cook.
Add tomatoes and cook till they are soft and tender.
Add dry red chilies,red chili powder,turmeric powder and coriander powder.
Mix well and add cooked rice .
Lastly add cooked rice and mix everything well.
Add salt to taste and cook for 5 more minutes stirring occasionally .
Transfer in serving bowl and add little ghee on top.Serve with papad or dahi (yogurt)

Tips:

You can use brown rice instead of white rice to make healthier version.

Linking this recipe to Simply Tadka's 2nd Blog Anniversary Event

Linking this recipe to Cook with Green Vegetable event

Healthy Dal /Oil Free Dal

2014-01-24T16:09:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Masoor Dal : 1/2 cup soaked for 4-5 hours
Toor Dal : 1/2 cup soaked for 4-5 hours
Rajma (Kidney Beans) :1/4 cup soaked for 4-5 hours
Doodhi (Bottle Gourd) : 1/4 cup chopped in cubes
Carrot : 1 chopped
Red Chili powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Garam masala : a pinch
Coriander Leaves (Cilantro) : chopped for garnishing
Salt : to taste

Recipe:

Wash and soak masoor dal , toor dal and rajma in water for 4-5 hours.
Drain all water and in pressure cooker mix all three dals .
Add bottle gourd cubes and carrot to it .
Add 2 cups of water or if required more ,put the lid and pressure cook the dal till 4-5 whistle on medium heat.
Once cooked let it cool down a little then open the lid and add red chili powder,turmeric powder,coriander powder and garam masala to the dal.
Mix well and boil the dal on low heat for 5 minutes.
Add salt according to taste.
Transfer in serving bowl and garnish with freshly chopped coriander on top.
Enjoy dal with roti , indian bread or rice.

Tips:

You can add little ghee on top of dal ,but as this is oil free version i have not added.
You can also add any other veggies that you have at home in the dal will taste good.

Linking this recipe to Simply Tadka's 2nd Blog Anniversary event

Green Gram Toast /Whole Moong Toast /Healthy Mung Toast

2014-01-22T20:12:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Whole Moong : 1 cup soaked overnight or 6-8 hours
Bread : you can use any bread slices I have used whole wheat bread here.
Coconut : grated 1/2 cup
Coriander Leaves (Cilantro) : 1/4 cup finely chopped
Funnel seeds (Saunf) : 1 tbsp
Ginger : 1/4 inch chopped
Garlic : 2 cloves chopped
Green Chilies : 2 counts
Red chilies dry : 2 counts
Chat masala : 1 tbsp
Salt : to taste
Oil/Butter : for pan roasting

Recipe:

Soak whole moong dal overnight .Drain all water and set aside.
In a blender or grinder take this soaked moong dal ,coconut,coriander leaves,ginger,garlic,green chilies,red chilies and grind it into a paste.
Add few drops of water if required for grinding.
In this paste add salt and chat masala and mix well.
Take bread slices and spread a spoonful of dal mixture on top of each bread.
On a heavy bottomed flat pan grease some oil or butter on low heat
Put this bread slices on top .Apply some oil or butter on top and flip it other side.
Cook nicely from both side till they are slightly golden in color .
Toast are ready to eat and can be served with tomato ketchup or any chatni.

Tips:

While pan frying slightly press the toast with spectula so they get evently toasted from everywhere.

Linking this recipe to Simply Tadka's 2nd Blog Anniversary event

Healthy Sandwich /Vegetable Sandwich

2014-01-22T19:55:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Bread : 4 slices
Potato : 2 boiled and peeled
Capsicum : few slices
Onion : few slices
Cucumber : few slices
Green Mint chatni : 2 tbsp
Red chili powder : 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder : 1/4 tsp
Chat masala : 1/4 tsp
Salt : to taste

Recipe:

In a bowl mash the boiled potatoes .
To it add red chili powder,cumin powder , chat masala and salt.
Mix well and keep aside.
On bread slices apply chatni on fully.
On it keep some cucumber and onion slices.
Put the potato mixture on top.
On top of it put capsicum slices.
Put the other bread slice on top.
Put the sandwich in toaster of toasting.
Once done remove the sandwich and cut into triangular pieces.
Enjoy healthy sandwich with tomato ketchup or chatni.

Tips:

You can also use other veggies like tomato, spinach ,carrots of your choice or even put a cheese slice in between to make the sandwich more tasty.

Linking this recipe to Simply Tadka's 2nd Blog Anniversary event

Bharma Shimla Mirch /Stuffed Capsicum

2014-01-22T19:38:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Capsicum : 3 medium sized
Potato : 4 counts boiled,peeled and mashed
Red Chili Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder :1 tsp
Turmeric Powder :1 tsp
Dry Mango Powder : 1 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
Oil : 4-5 tbsp

Recipe:

Boil potatoes ,peel them and mash them with fingers.
In a pan heat 2 tbsp of oil on medium flame and add 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds and let them crackle.
Add red chili powder,turmeric powder and coriander powder and mix well.
Add mashed potatoes mix well .
Sprinkle dry mango powder and salt and mix well.
Set this filling aside and let it cool down completely.
Meanwhile with the knife remove the head of the capsicum and also remove the seeds inside it.
After removing the head put a cross on each capsicum .
Now fill in the potato mixture into the capsicum.
In a pan or wok pour 2 tbsp of oil on medium heat.
Put the stuffed capsicum into the wok and cover with lid.
Let the capsicum cook completely by flipping them occasionally using tongs.
Once the capsicum are cooked remove the lid and sprinkle some salt and red chili powder on each capsicum .
After 2 minutes of more cooking turn off the heat.
Arrange the capsicum on serving plate and enjoy with roti ,paratha or any other indian bread.

Tips:

Instead of cooking in pan or wok you can simply grease the stuffed capsicum with oil and arrange them on baking tray and bake them .Will also taste equally good.

Linking this recipe to Simply Tadka's 2nd Blog Anniversary event

Linking this recipe to Let's Cook with Green Vegetable Event

Masala Baingan /Eggplant Masala/Brinjal Masala

2014-01-22T17:53:00.004-08:00

Ingredients:

Baingan (EggPlant) : small sized 8-9 counts
Onions : 2 large size or 3 medium sized grated
Red chili powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder :1 tsp
Turmeric powder :1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Oil : 6-7 tbsp
Salt : to taste
Freshly chopped Coriander Leaves(Cilantro) : for garnishing

Recipe:

Wash thoroughly the eggplants in running water.Rinse them and cut into halves as shown in picture.
On a nonstick pan on medium heat sprinkle around 2 tbsp of oil on medium heat . Once hot add the eggplant and shallow fry them nicely .
Drain them on absorbent paper so the excess oil gets absorbed.Set it aside.
Now grate the onions .In the same pan add 3 tbsp of oil and let it heat.
Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
Now add the grated onions and mix well.
Roast the onions stirring them occasionally and cook it till the oil starts separating from onions.This would take around 15-20 minutes on medium heat
Once the oil starts separating add coriander powder,turmeric powder and red chili powder and mix well.
Let it cook for 2 more minutes stirring in between and then add the shallow fried eggplant to it.
Sprinkle salt according to taste and turn off the heat.
Transfer into serving plate and sprinkle some freshly chopped coriander on top.
Serve hot with roti,paratha or any other indian bread.

Tips:

Instead of cutting into half you can just put a cross on bottom part of each eggplant and fill in the masala into it and then make the curry.
Other option is you can add little water and also make liquid gravy will also taste good.

Linking this recipe to Simply Tadka's 2nd Blog Anniversary event

Masala Doodh (Milk with dry fruits)

2014-01-21T16:30:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Milk : 5 cups
Kesar (saffron): a pinch
Almonds :1/4 cup coarsely grounded
Cashews :1/4 cup coarsely grounded
Pistachios : 1/4 cup coarsely grounded
Cardamom powder : 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg powder : a pinch.
Sugar :10 -12 tbsp

Recipe:

In a deep pan on medium heat milk .Keep stirring continuously so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Heat till the milk reduces and thickens slightly.
Add saffron,cardamon powder and nutmeg powder.Mix well and then add almonds,pistachios and cashews.
Keep stirring and then add sugar.Let it cook for some time so the sugar dissolves properly.
Garnish with some saffron on top and serve hot or cold.

Tips:

You can also add other dry fruits also to masala milk.

Linking this recipe to Simply Tadka's 2nd Blog Anniversary event

Quick Dhokla /Khaman Dhokla /Besan Dhokla

2014-01-21T16:00:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Besan (Gram Flour) : 2 cups
Sugar : 1 tsp
Lemon juice : 1 lime
Salt : to taste
Freshly chopped coriander : for garnishing
Freshly grated coconut : for garnishing
ENO fruit salt /soda-bi-carb/eating soda : 1 tsp
Water : as required

For Seasoning:

Oil : 3-4 tbsp
Sesame seeds : 1 tbsp
Curry leaves :4-5 counts
Green chill's chopped : 1 count
Mustard seeds : 1 tbsp
Chili powder : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp

Recipe:

In a bowl take besan (gram flour) and to it add little sugar and salt according to taste . Then add some lime juice to it and mix everything well.
Slowly add water to the mixture and whisk it properly so that there are no lumps in the mixture and a smooth consistency paste is formed.
Grease the dhokla plate with some oil and keep it aside and parallely turn on the heat and add some water to the steamer , close the lid and let the water come to a boil.
To the dhokla batter add some ENO fruit salt /soda-bi-carb/eating soda whisk it properly and quickly pour the mixture in the dhokla plates and let it cook in steamer for 20-25 min on medium flame.
Remove the dhokla plates and let them cool down completely. Grease the knife and with the knife scratch throughout the edge of the plate.
Take one plate and flip the dhokla plate on it and slowly pull up the dhokla plate from top.
Cut the dhoklas evenly into cubes and sprinkle some fresh grated coconut and some freshly chopped coriander.
Prepare seasoning with some oil in a wok on medium heat. In that add some mustard seeds and let them crackle. To it add some fresh curry leaves , some green chill's and some sesame seeds.Then add some red chili powder and turmeric powder. Sprinkle this seasoning on top of dhokla cubes through out.
Enjoy delicious instant dhoklas with green or red chatni.
You can also sprinkle some sugar syrup (Water + sugar) on dhokla that can increase moisture in dhoklas and reduce some dryness.

Tips:

If u don't have steamer at home then u can also steam dhoklas in pressure cooker without using whistle on it.
Even if you keep the mixture for long without cooking after putting eno salt then Dhokla will not be puffy.
Do not cook dhokla on low flame ,they will not become puffy.

Linking this recipe to Cook with Comfort

Linking this recipe to Simply Tadka's 2nd Blog Anniversary event

Punjabi Chole (Chick Peas curry) / Chana Masala /Kabuli chana curry

2014-01-21T15:30:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Chole (Chick Peas) : 2 cups washed and soaked in water overnight for 6-8 hours
Potato : 1 small peeled and chopped in big cubes
Onions : 2 small size finely chopped
Tomatoes : 2 small finely chopped
Oil : 3-4 tbsp
Red chili powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder :1 tsp
Amchurpowder/Dry mango powder :a pinch
Cumin seeds : 2 tsp
Chole Masala : 1 tbsp
Ginger : minced 1 tbsp
Carom Seeds : a pinch
Bay Leaf :1-2 counts
Ghee(Clarified butter):1 tbsp
Soda-bi-carb /ENO fruit salt : a pinch(optional)
Salt : to taste
1 tea bag/or in a small piece of cloth put some tea leaves and make a swag and add for pressure cooking or boil tea leaves with water for 10-15 minutes sieve it and add the water directly to the boiled chick peas.

Recipe:

Pressure cook chick peas which are soaked in water overnight with 3 cups of water and add a pinch of salt , a tea bag and chopped potato to it .Also add a pinch of ENO and pressure cook till 5-6 whistles.
In a wok or deep pan heat some oil on a medium flame and add cumin seeds .Let them cook till fragrant and add bay leaf to it.Stirring occasionally add onions and let them cook till slight tender .Add finely chopped tomatoes and let them cook till moist.
Add turmeric powder,red chili powder,coriander powder .
Add pressure cooked chick peas with the the tea bag removed .Mix everything well and add chole masala , salt and a pinch of dry mango powder .
Cover and let it cook for 8-10 minutes.
In a small separate pan or wok on a medium flame heat some ghee or clarified butter .Add a pinch of Carom seeds and let them cook .Add minced garlic and turn off the flame.
Once the Chole are cooked add ghee tadka/seasoning on top .Cover it for 5 minutes so the aroma goes in the Chole completely.Delicious Chole are ready to serve.
Chole goes very well with puri, roti,bhaturas and equally well with plain rice or jeera rice.

Tips :

Instead of tea bag/u can also put some tea leaves in a small piece of cloth and make a swag or home made tea bag and add for pressure cooking .Otherwise u can simply boil tea leaves with water for 10-15 minutes sieve it and add the water directly to the boiled chick peas.This process enhances the color of Chole masala.

Linking this recipe to Cooking with SJ
Linking this recipe to Cook with comfort
Linking this recipe to Simply Tadka's 2nd Blog Anniversary event

Vegetable Pulao (Vegetable Rice)

2014-01-21T15:00:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Basmati rice : 1 cup washed in running water
Carrot : 1/2 carrot evenly cut in medium cubes
Green Peas : 1/4 cup washed
1/2 Onion : sliced
Cumin seeds : 1 tbsp
Ghee (clarified butter) : 2-3 tbsp
Cloves : 3-4 counts
Bay leaf : 1 count
Red chili powder : 1 tsp
Garam masala : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1tsp
Cashew nuts : 8-9 counts cut into half
Salt : to taste
Water : 2 cups
Freshly chopped coriander(Cilantro) Leaves : for garnishing.

Recipe:

In pressure cooker on a medium flame heat some ghee and add cumin seeds to it.
Let it heat and add cloves and bay leaf .
Now add sliced onions and let them get golden brown in color. Add all vegetables i.e carrots,green peas .Keep on stirring and let them cook for a while.
Add cashew nuts and rice to it and continuously keep on stirring everything for a while.
Add red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala to the rice.
Add water double to the quantity of the rice.
Close the lid and let it pressure cook till 1 whistle on medium flame.
Turn off the heat and let it cool down.
Garnish with some freshly chopped coriander leave and serve hot with some yogurt raita or butter milk.

Tips :

You can also add other vegetables like beans , cauliflower florets , capsicum etc or some paneer cubes to make this pulao/rice more tasty .
You can also add some chopped tomates to have a slightly tangy touch to the pulao/rice.

Linking this recipe to Cooking with Comfort

Linking this recipe to Simply Tadka's 2nd Blog Anniversary event

Linking this recipe to In my veg box- carrots

CurryIndian.Com

Green Coriander Chutney /Hari chutney

Ingredients:

For Tempering : (Optional)

Recipe :

Tips:

Tamarind Chutney / Imli Chutney

Ingredients :

Imli (Tamarind ) : 1 inch cube or around 1/4 cup soaked in warm water for minimum 30 minutes or you can use tamarind concentrate directly Jaggery : 1/2 cup grated Salt : to taste Roasted cumin powder : 1 tsp Red chili powder : 1 tsp Coriander powder : 1 tsp

Recipe :

Dahi Vada /Dahi Bhalle Recipe - Holi special

Ingredients :

For Red Imli(Tamarind) Chutney :

Recipe :

For Vadas:

For Imli(Tamarind) Chutney :

For Dahi :

Serving Dahi Vada :

Tips :

Crispy Palak (Spinach) Bhajji /Spinach Dumpling/ Palak Pakoda/Palak Bhajiya

Ingredients :

Recipe :

Tips :

Kadhi Gole Recipe /Maharastrian Kadhi with Chana Dal Balls

Ingredients:

Recipe :

Tips :

Palak Sev /Spinach Sev /Spinach Bhujia

Ingredients :

Recipe :

Tips :

Avocado Paratha /Indian Flat Bread using Avocado

Ingredients :

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Besan Ladoo Recipe/Gram Flour Ladoo /Besan Ladu Indian Desserts Recipe

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Restaurant Style Butter Chicken Recipe /Indian Butter Chicken Recipe/Chicken (Murgh) Makhani

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Chole (ChickPeas) with Coconut Gravy - South Indian Style /Chana Masala with Coconut Gravy

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Fruit Custard /Fruit Salad

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Capsicum Chili Toast /Healthy Breakfast Recipe

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Kondakadalai & Senai Kizhangu Kara Kuzhambu / ChickPeas and Elephant Foot Yam (Suran) Curry

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Valentine Day Special - Strawberry Cake Recipe /Cake using fresh Strawberries

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LIEBSTER AWARD - BLOG AWARD !!!

Spinach Khichdi /Healthy Palak Khichdi /Palak Rice

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Healthy Dal /Oil Free Dal

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Green Gram Toast /Whole Moong Toast /Healthy Mung Toast

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Healthy Sandwich /Vegetable Sandwich

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Imli (Tamarind ) : 1 inch cube or around 1/4 cup soaked in warm water for minimum 30 minutes or you can use tamarind concentrate directly

Jaggery : 1/2 cup grated

Salt : to taste

Roasted cumin powder : 1 tsp

Red chili powder : 1 tsp

Coriander powder : 1 tsp