THE CHEF and HER KITCHEN

Avarekalu Pulao | Hyacinth Beans Pulav | Avarekalu Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:45:00 +0000

Pulao features at least once in a week at my place. My mom used to make this for breakfast and pack the same dish for lunch.Now many of you might be wondering - pulao for breakfast??. My kannadiga friends would however not find it unusual given that in Karnataka Bhat/Bath - a rice variety like Vangi bath, Batani bath, Bisi Bele Bath, Chitranna(Lemon rice), Tomato bath, Veg Pulao, Capsicum bath, Puliyogre etc are usually prepared for breakfast. These varieties are easily available for breakfast and lunch in Darshinis and other hotels in Bangalore.My mom used to make various bath varieties as it is a single pot meal which is quiet convenient to prepare for those busy morning hours and since we used to leave quite early in the day during our school and college days we also used to get the same, packed for our lunch.

At my MIL's place, the concept of eating rice variety for breakfast is something new and hence TH was never fond of it.After my marriage I rarely prepared these bath varieties for breakfast except on the festival days.Now all these kind of bath varieties and pulaos mostly appear on our weekend lunch as I do not like to slog in the kitchen on weekends and hence look for these kind of simple one pot meals which I can finish preparing in flat half an hour.

Today I am posting a simple Avarekalu Pulao which is again a delicacy from Bangalore.Though it is not a very traditional dish,it has been becoming popular these days in many wedding and function menus.If you are a avarekalu lover you should try this simple yet delicious pulao as avarekalu adds a nice flavor to it.

Also check out other Avarekalu recipes in my blog here.

Avarekalu Pulav Recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice or Jeeraga Samba or regular Rice

1 3/4 cup water

1 cup tender Avarekalu(Hyacinth beans)

8-10 Cashew nuts,split into halves

1 big Onion,sliced

1 Bay leaf

1" Cinnamon

2 Cloves

2 Marathi Moggu

1 green Cardamom

Salt to taste

1 1/2 tbsp Ghee

1 1/2 tbsp Oil

to grind:

3/4" Ginger

4-5 Garlic pods

3-4 Green chillies

1/3 cup grated Fresh Coconut

1/4 cup Coriander leaves

1/2" Cinnamon

2 Marathi Moggu

1-2 Cloves

Method:

Wash and soak basmati rice(or other rice what you are using) for 10 mins.
Grind all the ingredients under the section 'to grind' to a fine paste by adding little water.
Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker and add Biriyani leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, marathi moggu and cloves and fry them for a minute.
Add sliced onions and fry until they turn translucent and then add the tender avarekalu and fry them nicely for 2 mins.
Add ground masala and fry the mixture until the raw smell disappears.
Add washed basmati rice and fry the rice for 2 minutes.Stir it gently.
Add the water (1 3/4 cups) and also salt and let it come to a boil.If you are using sona masuri or equivalent increase the water quantity to 2 cups.
Pressure cook for 1 whistle and reduce the flame and cook for 8-10 mins.
Heat ghee or oil in a small kadai and add cashew nuts and fry them and garnish the pulao with the fried cashew nuts.

Serve the pulao hot with Onion-tomato raita or Boondi raita.

Notes:

If you cannot find Marathi Moggu you can ignore using it but it lends a nice flavor to the pulao.
Use fresh and tender Avarekalu for the pulao.If you do not get hold of fresh ones,you can use frozen ones as well.
If using Basamati rice, for 1 cup rice you can use 1 3/4 -2 cups of water and if you are using any other rice use 2 - 2 1/4 cups of water for 1 cup of rice.

Check out various Bath and Rice varieties which are ideal for lunch box in my blog here:

Kanchipuram Idli | Kanchi Idli Recipe | Idli Varieties

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Mon, 20 May 2013 02:41:00 +0000

Its been a long time since I posted any variety of idli in my blog.When I prepare Idli batter, it usually lasts for 3-4 days and we usually have plain idli with Sambar or Chutney or prepare this Kanchi Idli,Stuffed Idli and if the batter turns sour, I usually make other varieties like Spicy Onion Idli, Dibba Rotti etc.

Kanchi Idli (it is also called as Kanjeevaram Idli or Kanchipuram Idli) is another version of Idli which is loaded with peppercorns and other spices like Ginger powder(or ginger),cumin seeds and curry leaves which makes the Idli taste unique and delicious. It originated from the town 'Kanchipuram' in Tamilnadu and hence the name. It is also served as the prashad in Varadaraja perumal temple in Kanchi. Definitely do give it a try in case you have not made it earlier.

Also check out other Idli varieties in my blog.

Kanchipuram Idli Recipe:
(makes around 7-8 big round 6" idlis)

Ingredients:

2 cups Raw Rice/Idli Rice (or Idli Rava)

1 cup white whole Urad dal

2 tbsp Chana dal or chopped Cashew nuts

1/2 cup fresh thick Curd

a sprig of Curry leaves,roughly chopped

1 tsp dry Ginger powder or 1 tsp chopped fresh Ginger

2 tsp whole Black Pepper corns

2 tsp Cumin seeds

2 tbsp melted hot Ghee

2 tbsp Oil

1/4 tsp Cooking Soda(optional)

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak rice and urad dal separately for 3-4 hrs.If you are using Idli rava soak it for just 1 hr before grinding.
Wash the urad dal and grind to a fine batter in the wet grinder/mixie and remove it and keep it aside.
Now grind the idli rice to a slight coarse batter,the consistency of batter should be like slight rawa textured batter.If you are using idli rawa,squeeze the idli rava and add it to the ground urad dal and grind for 5 minutes.Keep the batter thick and do not add much water while grinding.
Add this to ground urad dal batter and mix well and add enough salt and let it ferment for 12-14 hrs.
Soak chana dal for 2 hrs and drain them and keep them ready.
Add beaten curds,cumin seeds,pepper corns,dry ginger powder(or chopped fresh ginger),torn curry leaves and chana dal(or cashew nuts) to the batter and mix well.
Add hot ghee,oil and cooking soda to the batter and mix well.
Grease a flat deep container or idli plates (I use thatte idli stand) with ghee or oil and pour batter up to 3/4th of its depth and steam it for 15-20 mins.You can even pour the batter into small cups or tumblers and steam them.This idli takes bit longer to steam compared to regular idlis.If you are using cooker to steam idlis,do not forget to remove the whistle.
Leave the plates in the steamer/cooker for 5 mins before you unmold the idli.Run a sharp knife around the edges and try to unmold the idli carefully and cut it it into wedges.

Serve the idli hot with Coconut Chutney and Milagai Podi.

Notes:

You can even use Raw rice(regular rice) instead of idli rice or 1 cup of each - 1 cup Idli rice and 1 cup Raw rice in the recipe.
Regular Idli batter(prepared with Idli rava) can also be used to make Kanchi Idlis.
You can add all the ingredients like cumin seeds,pepper corns,ginger powder,curry leaves and soaked chana dal(or cashewnuts) to the batter before fermenting and add the curds,oil and hot ghee on the following day(after fermentation) just before making idlis.

Chikoo Milkshake | Sapota Milkshake

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Fri, 17 May 2013 02:30:00 +0000

Chikoo milkshake and Mango Milkshake are my most favorite among all varieties of milkshakes and would love to have it anytime especially during summers.I prefer to make milkshake with chikoo rather than eating the whole fruit.Now off to this simple and refreshing milkshake recipe.

Check out various milkshake/smoothie recipes which I have blogged earlier.

Chikoo Milkshake Recipe:
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:
2 big ripen Chikoo/Sapota

3-4 tbsp Sugar
2 cups cold Milk

2 scoops of Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Method:

Remove the skin and cut the chikoo into pieces.
In a mixer/blender add chikoo pieces, sugar and 1/2 cup of milk and blend into a smooth puree.Check the sweetness and if needed add extra sugar.
Add remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk and vanilla ice cream and run again to the desired consistency.Add more milk if you need a thin milkshake and also adjust the sugar accordingly.

Serve the chilled Chikoo milk shake immediately.

Notes:

Add more sugar if required while blending the mixture.
You can substitute chikoo with mango or banana or apple.
Milk also is to be adjusted according to your desired thickness.
Addition of ice cream is entirely optional,it adds a nice creamy touch to milkshake.

Red Cabbage Stir fry with Peanuts | Red Cabbage Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

When I am lazy to cook anything I usually prepare some quick Stir fry and Rasam for lunch and I would say it is my most comforting food.Usually it does not take more than half an hour to cook this meal with rice,stir-fry and rasam and hence it is apt for a quick meal.I like this particular combination of cabbage with peanuts,the addition of peanuts not only adds taste but also the crunch to the stir fry.You can serve this as a salad or a side dish for rotis and rice,it goes very well.

Red(Purple) Cabbage Stir fry with Peanuts:

(Serves 2-3)

Ingredients:

1 small Red or Purple cabbage,finely shredded

1/2 cup roasted Groundnuts,skinned and halved

4-5 Red chillies,broken

a sprig of Curry leaves

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Oil

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai and crackle mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
Add broken red chillies and curry leaves and saute again for a minute until they turn slightly crisp.
Add shredded cabbage and fry on medium-high flame for 2-3 minutes and cover it and reduce the flame and cook for another 3-4 mins.Now the cabbage would start slightly change the color and is 3/4th cooked,it should be crunchy and not become soggy.
Slightly crush half the peanuts in a mortar and pestle or do it using a rolling pin.
Add salt and crushed peanuts and halved peanuts and stir fry on high flame for 2 minutes.

Serve it hot immediately with Roti/Rice.You can have this as a salad as well,it tastes nice too.

Notes:

Always add peanuts at the end otherwise they will loose their crunch and it does not taste that good.
In case you are preparing this stir fry ahead of time do not add peanuts in it,add the peanuts jsut before serving and give a quick stir on high flame.
You can replace red chillies with green chillies in the recipe.
Regular cabbage can be used instead of red cabbage and follow the same recipe.
Grated carrots can also be added along with carrots in the recipe.

BHURJI PAV RECIPE | PANEER BHURJI PAO

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Mon, 13 May 2013 02:30:00 +0000

Mumbai - the city that never sleeps...!!

This city is filled with lot of energy and you can see large crowds even at odd times in the night.Many food joints and street hawkers open until late nights. While we are not one of those who love to venture late nights, there are a few times when we go for a party or a late night movie. Many hawkers open their Anda Bhurji stalls and make the sizzling Anda bhurji in their heavy bottomed hot tawas and is usually served with pav. I have not tasted this anytime, as I do not eat eggs (use them in cakes though). I usually prepare Egg Bhurji (Anda Bhurji) for TH sometimes and try to make something else for me.

Paneer Bhurji is a good alternative for those like me who do not eat eggs. We both love it very much and so several of my weekend breakfast or dinner would feature this simple Paneer bhurji paired with butter laden roasted pav.I would say that it is a simple yet delicious food which you can prepare as breakfast/lunch/dinner.

Paneer Bhurji Pav Recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 cup crumbled/grated fresh Paneer(Cottage Cheese)

1 medium Onion,finely chopped

2 Green chillies,finely chopped

1/2" Ginger,finely chopped

1 Tomato,finely chopped

1 small Capsicum,finely chopped

1 tsp Ginger Garlic paste

1/2 tsp Red chilli powder

1/4 tsp Garam masala

1 tsp Pav Bhaji masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tbsp Lemon juice

2 tbsp Coriander,chopped

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Oil

2 tbsp Butter

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai/pan and add finely chopped onions and green chillies and fry until the onions turn pink.
Add ginger-garlic paste and fry well.
Now add finely chopped capsicum and fry for a minute and then add chopped tomatoes and saute until it becomes slightly mushy.
Now add garam masala,pav bhaji masala,red chilli powder and turmeric powder and fry for a minute.
Add crumbled paneer and salt and give a good mix and saute for a couple of minutes.The mixture should be moist and not dry,add a tbsp of water if required and cook for a minute.
Add the butter at the end and mix it properly.
Switch off the flame and add lemon juice,chopped coriander and chopped ginger and mix it.

Serve it hot with roasted butter ladened pav with some sliced onions and lemon wedges.

Notes:

It can be placed in a chapati and make it into a roll and serve for kids.
This can be used as a filling for parathas,Samosa,Bread rolls.
You can add colored bell peppers along with capsicum in the recipe.
Instead of Pav bhaji masala you can even add Kitchen king masala in the recipe.
Replace Paneer with 2-3 eggs in the recipe to make the famous 'Anda Bhurji'.Just break the eggs and add them instead of paneer and let them sit for a minute and then run your spatula to scramble them and follow the same process.You can avoid lemon juice for Anda bhurji.

Aloo Gobi Matar Recipe | Easy Side Dishes for Roti

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Thu, 09 May 2013 02:30:00 +0000

Roti with some vegetable sabzi and dal is a routine for my weekday dinners.I do not plan much for weekday cooking and usually decide based on the availability of vegetables in my refrigerator at that time.Sometimes we would be left with less quantity of various vegetables and the resultant curry would be usually a combination of such vegetables.Few vegetables pair up beautifully and aloo is one such versatile vegetable which pairs nicely with almost everything.Today, I am posting a very simple but classic recipe of Aloo Gobi Matar(Dry) sabzi which is a great combination with rice and rotis.

Aloo Gobi Matar Dry Sabzi Recipe:

(serves 3-4)

Ingredients:
2 large Potatoes,peeled and cut into 1" thin pieces
1 small Cauliflower,cut into thin florets
1/2 cup fresh/frozen Green peas
1 big Onion,roughly chopped
2 Tomatoes,finely chopped
2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

2 tsp fresh Coriander leaves ,chopped

1 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp roasted Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Amchur powder or juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1/2 tsp Kitchen king masala(optional)
1/4 tsp Kasuri methi,slightly crushed
a pinch of Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2-3 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Blanch the cauliflower florets and green peas separately in salted hot water for few minutes until they are tender and remove them and keep them aside.Do not over cook them.
Heat oil in a thick kadai and crackle cumin seeds and add sliced onions and ginger garlic paste and fry for sometime until the onions turn pink in color.
Add the potatoes and fry them for 2-3 mins and add blanched gobi florets and green peas to it and fry them again for another 2-3 mins.
Add finely chopped tomatoes to it and mix well.
Cover it with lid and reduce the flame and cook for 8-10 mins until they are soft and tender.You should take care that they would not become mushy.You can sprinkle some water on top of the vegetables for faster cooking.
Add all the masala powders,turmeric powder and fry for some time.
Now add slightly crushed kasuri methi and mix well and cover it and cook for 2-3 mins until all the masalas are incorporated.
Add finely chopped coriander and remove it from stove.If you are using lemon juice add it now.

Serve it hot with Roti/Chapthi/Rice/Jeera rice.

Notes:

You can try various combinations like Aloo Gobi,Gobi Matar,Aloo Matar or plain Aloo,plain Gobi sabzi following the same process.Add the vegetable quantities accordingly.
You can skip kasuri methi and kitchen king masala if you do not have.But I prefer to add them as they adds a nice flavor to the curry.

Check out other Dry Vegetable curries with aloo and gobi here.

Broccoli Tikkis(Cutlets) | Broccoli Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Mon, 06 May 2013 03:43:00 +0000

Broccoli is one of those pretty vegetables which is not only colorful but is also a very healthy and tasty vegetable.I know many would not prefer broccoli but thankfully me and TH both love it absolutely and we usually prefer it having in all forms.I add the broccoli florets in salads, stir fries, pasta, soup, parathas and few snack varieties like these tikkis.The recipe for this tikki is similar to any other tikki recipe. I used potato and roasted chickpea flour for binding and spiced it up minimally. Ever since I tried peanuts in Bengali style Vegetable Chops I am hooked to the taste of a bite of crunchy peanuts in the tikkis I started adding it to even my regular vegetable cutlets.It tastes very good , so do give a try!!

You can check out other Cutlets/Tikkis recipes in my blog.

Broccoli Tikkis | Broccoli Cutlets Recipe:

makes around 12-14 cutlets

Ingredients:

1 small Broccoli head

1 large(or 2 medium) Potato,boiled

2 tbsp Besan/Chickpea flour (or 2 Bread slices)

2-3 tbsp roughly crushed roasted Peanuts or Cashew nuts

1 tbsp Raisins

1 small Onion,finely chopped

3-4 Green chillies,finely chopped

1 tsp finely chopped Ginger

1/2 tsp Amchur powder or juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt to taste

Chat masala,to sprinkle

Oil,to shallow fry

Method:

Cut broccoli into florets and wash them nicely and blanch them in hot water for 1-2 mins.Drain and pour cold water on them and keep them aside.
Grate the boiled and peeled potato and keep it ready.
Grate the broccoli florets or pulse them in food processor/mixer a couple of time to get the grated broccoli.Do not run in mixer for long as we need just the small bits of it.
Dry roast the besan until you get the nice aroma for a couple of minutes.Cool it.
Heat a tsp of oil and add finely chopped onions and fry until they turn translucent.Add raisins and fry until they bulge and then add chopped green chillies and ginger and give a stir quickly and switch off the flame.Cool the mixture.
In a bowl mix the grated potatoes,broccoli,onion mixture,crushed peanuts(or cashew nuts), roasted besan(or bread) and mix well.
Add enough salt and lemon juice(or amchur powder) to it and mix well.
Start making round tikkis of 2 " wide and 3/4 " thickness with the mixture.You will get around 12-14 tikkis with this mixture.Arrange them in a single layer on a plate and cover it with a cling film and refrigerate for half an hour.You can avoid refrigerating if pressed for time.
Apply few tbsp of oil on a thick hot tawa and arrange the cutlets in a single layer and roast them on both sides until golden and crisp.You can even shallow fry them in a flat pan with 1/2" depth oil until crisp.Drain the tiikis on a kitchen napkin.
Sprinkle chat masala on top of hot tikkis.

Serve them hot with Green Chutney and Meeta Chutney.

Notes:

If your cutlet is not holding its shape while making you can add another bread slice (run in the mixer to powder) to it and mix and start making cutlets.
You can even dip the tikkis in corn starch slurry and coating them with bread crumbs.This gives a thick and crispy crust to the cutlet,it is optional.
You can add few cooked and slightly mashed green peas to the mixture.
The addition of peanuts/cashew nuts adds a nice crunch to the tikkis,hence I recommend you to add them.If you keep the cutlets longer the peanuts will become soft,so its better you consume them immediately after you prepare them.

Also check out other Broccoli recipes in my blog here.

Instant Oats Paniyaram | Indian Oats Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:21:00 +0000

'Paniyaram' which is also called as 'Paddu' or 'Gunta Ponganalu' is a very common breakfast variety at my place. I usually make it at least once when I prepare dosa batter. When the dosa batter turns sour, it is ideal to use it to make paniyaram.Today, I am posting a variation of Paniyaram which is an instant variety using Oats which makes it healthy too.Oats can be used in most south Indian varieties. I have already posted recipes such as Instant Oats Idli,Instant Oats Uthappam and Instant Oats Dosa.Try this healthy and instant Oats Paniyaram recipe. It is very delicious. Would highly recommend it.

Check out other versions of paniyaram here.

Instant Oats Paniyaram | Oats Paddu Recipe:

(Serves 3-4)

Ingredients:

1 cup Quick cooking Oats(Quaker/Saffola)

1 cup Sooji/Rava

1 cup sour Curd

3 tbsp Chana dal

1 big Onion,finely chopped

3 tbsp chopped Coriander

2-3 tbsp chopped Curry leaves

1 tbsp Green Chili paste

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Eno/Fruit salt

1/4 tsp Cooking Soda

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak chana dal in water for 1-2 hrs. Drain them.
Dry roast oats and sooji separately until they start changing their color.Do not roast much.Cool them and grind them together in a mixer to a coarse powder.
Beat curd well and add it to a big bowl add ground oats and sooji and mix well.Add enough water to it to get the consistency of dosa batter.
Add salt and cooking soda to the mixed batter and leave it aside for 1 hr.You should leave it at least for 20 mins aside.

Add finely chopped onions, coriander, curry leaves along with green chilli paste,cumin seeds, soaked chana dal and mix well.

Check the consistency of batter,it might become thick as the sooji absorbs water when it is soaked.Add extra required water to it to get the dosa batter consistency.
Just before making paniyaram add eno to the batter and mix well.
Heat the paniyaram/gunta panganalu pan/Aebliskever pan and add 1/2 tsp of oil in each impression.When it is piping hot keep the flame on LOW and pour the batter using a table spoon until it covers 3/4 th and pour some more oil over it and cover it with a lid.Let it roast on low-medium flame until golden brown in color.

When you see the edges turning golden in color use a sharp knife and run it around the edges of each paniyaram and turn them to the other side and roast until golden brown on both the sides.

Serve it hot with Coconut chutney or Mint-coriander chutney or peanut chutney.

Notes:

You can add grated carrots or blanched corn to the batter and make paniyaram.
Make sure that you use sour curd to make this.
You can refrigerate the batter and use it on next day as well.Add eno to the batter before using it.
If you do not have eno you can use only cooking soda in the recipe.

If you are interested check out other Oats recipes here:

Spicy Oven Roasted Chickpeas Recipe | Low Calorie Snacks

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:30:00 +0000

The morning time on a week day would be busy in packing breakfast, fruits and snack box for TH as he leaves quite early in the morning. I usually pack the breakfast for him and most of the times it would be Muesli,Cereals,Sandwich,Burger and sometimes south Indian breakfast items.As he works for long hours, apart from the breakfast, I also pack fruits and a few snacks.Both of us usually prefer to take small meals through the day rather than having a three meal day.

I am always on the look out for healthy and low fat snacks.While I do prepare various instant varieties like salads,sundal etc, I always look for snacks which could be prepared ahead and stored for a few days.This oven roasted chickpeas is one such recipe, which I prepare very frequently as both of us love chickpeas in all forms. This is definitely a protein packed and low fat snack which is perfect to munch with your evening cuppa.I am posting the chatpata Indian style roasted chickpeas. The flavors are very versatile and one can be creative in the use of flavors.

You can check out few low fat snack recipes in my blog.I would add few more snacks soon.

Spicy Oven Roasted Chickpeas Recipe:

shelf life: stays crisp for 2 days,but can be stored up to a week

Ingredients:

2 cups white Chickpeas / Kabuli Chana(or Kala chana)

1 Bay leaf

1/4 tsp strong home made Garam masala or 1/2 tsp ready made garam masala

to marinate:

1 tbsp Olive oil

1 tsp Red chili powder

1 tsp Chaat masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Amchur powder

1/4 tsp Pepper powder

1 tsp Salt(or to taste)

Method:

Wash and soak chickpeas for 7-8 hours or overnight.Pressure cook chickpeas with a bay leaf and garam masala for 2 whistles and reduce the flame and keep it for 5-6 mins.Switch it off. Once the pressure drops drain the chickpeas and spread them as a thin layer on a kitchen towel and let the moisture dries up.

In a bowl add olive oil, red chili powder, pepper powder, chaat masala, turmeric powder, amchur powder and salt and whisk well.

Add the drained and dried chickpeas to the mixture and mix it nicely and let it marinate for half an hour.

Line a baking tray with a silver foil and spread the marinated chickpeas in a single layer.

Bake it in the oven at 160 degrees for 30-35 mins until they turn crisp.Try to mix them in between once or twice.Keep an eye after half an hour,they might get burnt.Every oven differs in time and temperature,so judge them accordingly.When you touch them after they are done they would be slightly soft and they would become crisp once they are cooled down completely.

Store them in air tight container.They stay crisp for 2-3 days.

Notes:

I make it in small quantities and finish them in 2-3 days.I think you can keep the roasted chickpeas up to a week.
You can play with the flavors for chickpeas.You can experiment with garlic,pepper powder and salt or adjust the spices according to your wish.
Every oven differs in time and temperature,so judge them accordingly.
You can use kala chana(black chickpeas) instead of white chickpeas in the recipe.

Challa Mirapakayalu | Curd Chillies | Dahi Mirchi | Sundried Items

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:50:00 +0000

I am a big fan of accompaniments for any dish as they elevate the taste of the original dish and one such example of this is, "Challa Mirapakayalu".If it is paired with Andhra style Pappu (dal) or rasam or any simple curry or even with plain curd rice it tastes extremely delicious.

We usually pick light colored green chillies which are less spicy, to make these curd chillies.These green chillies are marinated in sour buttermilk for a couple of days and are dried in the sun.Though the process is very simple,it is time consuming.The whole process takes some 10-12 days as they are supposed to be marinated in the buttermilk mixture for half a day , dried and then marinated again and then dried . This process is to be continued for a couple of days. I have explained the process in detail,so please go through the recipe thoroughly before you attempt it.

Challa Mirapakayalu | Dahi Mirchi Recipe:

(stores up to an year)

Ingredients:

1/2 kg Green chillies (light or dark colored variety)

1 liter slightly sour Buttermilk (neither thin nor thick)

Salt to taste

Method:

Select the green chillies which are slightly plumpy.You can use the light colored or dark colored variety according to your wish.Light colored ones are less spicy where as the dark colored ones are very spicy.
Wash the green chillies and dry them on a kitchen napkin for 1-2 hrs or you can use them immediately.
Slit them vertically keeping the ends intact and also retain the stalks of green chillies.If you are using light colored green chillies you can keep the seeds and for dark colored ones you can remove the seeds slightly as they are spicy.
Add salt to buttermilk and beat nicely,the consistency of buttermilk should neither be very thin nor thick.
Add the green chillies to the buttermilk mixture and make sure they are well immersed in the buttermilk.
Cover it and soak it for 3 days and leave it aside.They will slightly change in color after 3 days.
After 3 days squeeze them(keep the buttermilk mixture) slightly with hands and arrange them in a single layer on a plastic sheet and dry them under sun until evening.In the evening again add them to the left over buttermilk mixture and let it sit in the buttermilk mixture overnight.
Next day morning squeeze them again and dry them until evening and follow the same process for the chillies until all the buttermilk mixture is finished.It might take few days 5-6 days.
After the buttermilk mixture is finished you can dry them in sun for another few days until they are completely dried.The whole process takes 10-12 days in total for marinating,drying and remarinating and complete drying process.So be patient while doing this.
Store them in an air tight container.It stays for more than a year.

Deep fry them in oil when required until they turn brown and become crisp.Serve them as an accompaniment with Dal/ Sambar/ Rasam/ Curd and Rice and also Curd rice.

Notes:

I suggest to use the light green colored green chillies for this as they are less spicy.
Few make a stuffing with cumin powder and some spices and stuff it in the chillies, I would post that version sometime later.

Bharli Vangi | Maharastrian style Stuffed Brinjals

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 14:05:00 +0000

A few food combos such as 'Rajma-Chawal', 'Jolada Rotti-Ennegayi', 'Chapati-Usli', 'Jhunka-Bhakri', 'Avakay-Steamed Rice','Khichdi- Kadhi', 'Kadhi-Chawal' feature in my menu quite often as I love to indulge in them once in a while. A few of these combos are regularly made at my place , but some of them are prepared less often - more due to my laziness in preparing them. Jolada rotti - Ennegayi is infact one such combination.

I have already posted a version of stuffed eggplants - 'Bagara Baingan' in my blog which is a typical Hyderabadi style dish. Today, I am posting a Maharasthrian version of stuffed eggplants called "Bharli Vangi".Both the recipes are similar but they differ in their taste and texture. Bharli Vangi pairs well with Jowar bhakri or Rice flour Bhakri or Chapati.

This recipe needs a bit more oil which makes it delicious and am sure the pictures explain that.You can see a layer of oil floating on the top.Though I do not prefer using a lot of oil in cooking,it was an exception that day. I have also mentioned the preparation of a version with less quantity of oil, in my notes.

Bharli Vangi | Maharashtrian style Stuffed Eggplants Recipe:

(Serves 3-4)

Ingredients:

10-12 small Eggplants

1/2 cup Ground nuts,dry roasted and skinned

2 tbsp roasted Sesame seeds

2 tbsp Coriander powder

2 tsp Red chili powder

1 tsp Cumin powder

1 tsp Garam masala or Goda masala

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

a small gooseberry sized Tamarind,extract to pulp

1 tbsp grated Jaggery(optional)

Salt to taste

2-3 tbsp Oil

Method:

Remove the stems of eggplants and slit the eggplant into four by keeping the top portion intact.Drop them in salted water for 10 mins.
Grind roasted and skinned groundnuts and sesame seeds to a coarse powder.
In a wide bowl add groundnuts and sesame seeds powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, garam masala(goda masala), turmeric powder, salt and mix well.
Add tamarind pulp and grated jaggery to the above mix and mix well.Sprinkle some water to the mix so that the mixture becomes little wet and would be easy to stuff the eggplants.You should not mix it to a paste,you should add only enough water to bind the masalas together.
Stuff all the eggplants with this masala mixture and keep them aside.
Heat oil in a big thick bottomed kadai and arrange the stuffed eggplants side by side and let them fry for 2-3 mins.Add the remaining masala over them.
Cover it and reduce the flame and cook on low-medium flame for 20-25 mins.Flip the eggplants carefully a couple of times in between so that they would roast evenly on all sides.Check the top portion of eggplant is cooked or not by inserting the knife.
Pour half to one cup of water depending on the consistency you need and cover it and let them cook again for 7-8 mins until the oil floats on top.

Serve it hot with Chapati/Jowar Bhakri/Roti/Rice or any other Bhakri.

Notes:

You can add finely chopped sauteed onions to the masala mix before stuffing the eggplants.
Eggplants can be replaced by potatoes and follow the same recipe.
You can even mix both the eggplants and potatoes and prepare the same recipe.
This recipe needs a bit more quantity of oil than usual as the stuffed eggplants cook faster in oil.If we add water to them initially they would take longer time.
You can even cover the kadai with a deep bottomed plated filled with water while cooking.It ensures that the eggplants are cooked evenly and also you can use less oil.

Also check out another similar version of Stuffed Eggplants -" Bagara Baingan" recipe in my blog.

Red Coconut Chutney | Side dish for Idli/Dosa

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 01:47:00 +0000

What to prepare as a Side dish for Idli/Dosa is always a confusion and since I get bored eating the same side dish again, I usually change the flavor and color of the chutney which makes it taste different every time.I have posted a version of Coconut chutney earlier, which is the usual way I prepare.I make various variations of this such as Red Coconut chutney and Green coconut chutney The addition of raw onion and garlic adds a nice flavor to the chutney and the addition of red chillies and byadige red chillies adds a bright red color to the chutney.

You can check out other chutney varieties for Idli/Dosa here:

Red Coconut Chutney Recipe:

(serves 2-3)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup grated fresh Coconut

1 small Onion,chopped

2-3 dry Red Chillies

2-3 Byadige Red Chillies

2 small Garlic pods

2 tbsp Chana dal

1 1/2 tsp Tamarind pulp

Salt to taste

to temper:

2 tsp Ghee/Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Urad dal

a sprig of Curry leaves

a pinch of Asafoetida

Method:

Heat 1 tsp Oil and add chana dal and fry until they turn red in color and add red chillies and byadige red chillies until they are crisp and keep them aside.
Grind grated fresh coconut with onion, garlic pods, roasted chana dal and dry red chillies, tamarind pulp and salt to a paste.
Heat ghee/oil in a small tempering pan and crackle mustard seeds and add urad dal and fry until it turns red in color.Add curry leaves and asafoetida and fry it.
Add the tempering to the chutney and mix well.

Serve it with Idli/Dosa/Paniyaram.

Notes:

Instead of chana dal you can add 3-4 tbsp fried gram(roasted gram) in the recipe.
Adjust the red chillies according to your spice level.The addition of byadige red chillies gives a nice red color to the chutney,so do not miss adding them.

You can check the regular Coconut Chutney recipe here.

Cauliflower Stir fry | Aromatic Gobi Curry Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:27:00 +0000

Cauliflower is one of those veggies which features regularly in my kitchen and Ajwani Aloo Gobi with mustard flavor is one of my most favorite preparations with it. It serves as a nice combination with rotis. I usually prepare this Cauliflower curry or this simple aromatic Gobi stir fry which tastes well even with rice.

This recipe is quite simple to make and is very aromatic because of the addition of coriander and garlic while pounding the coconut masala.You can adapt this recipe to various vegetables like Potatoes, Ladies finger, Tindora, Clusterbeans, French beans, Long beans, Brinjal and Cabbage and follow the same process but adjust the cooking time accordingly. While a few vegetables like potatoes needs to be cooked first others such as cluster beans, french beans, long beans are to be steamed , the rest of the veggies listed above should be sauteed in oil until they are done.Now let's see how this simple and versatile recipe is prepared.

Cauliflower Stir Fry | Aromatic Gobi Curry Recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 small Cauliflower,cut into small florets

1 Onion,finely chopped

juice of 1/2 Lemon

a sprig of Curry leaves

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tbsp Chana dal

1 tsp Urad dal

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

2 tbsp Oil

to grind:

1/4 cup grated fresh Coconut

3-4 Green chillies

3-4 Garlic cloves

2-3 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Method:

Clean and check the cauliflower florets and add them to the boiling water with salt and turmeric powder and switch off the flame and leave them aside for 2-3 mins.Drain and keep them aside.
Heat oil in a kadai/pan and crackle mustard seeds and add chana dal and urad dal and fry until they become golden in color.
Add curry leaves and finely chopped onion and fry well until they turn pink in color.
Now add drained cauliflower florets and fry for 2 mins.
Add 2-3 tbsp of water and cover it and cook it on low flame for 7-8 mins until the cauliflower is cooked.Take care that it should not become mushy,it should be cooked and firm to touch.
Meanwhile grind grated coconut with green chillies,garlic cloves,coriander leaves and salt to a coarse paste.Do not add water while grinding it.
Add the ground masala to the cooked cauliflower and fry it for some time and cover it and cook for 2 mins.

Serve it hot with Roti/Rice/Chapati.

Notes:

You can skip onion and garlic in the recipe if you are preparing on festivals.
Soaking the cauliflower florets in salted water will remove if there are any insects in cauliflower.I always do this even after checking the florets to make sure for myself.

Also check out other cauliflower recipes in my blog:

Lemon Pickle | Nimboo ka Achar Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:54:00 +0000

I have posted many mango pickle recipes last year in my blog which were sourced from my MIL. The lemon pickle recipe which I am posting today is also sourced from her during her recent visit.Apart from the lemon pickle she brought various other pickles and powders. We also prepared a few varieties of pickles together and you might have already seen a few of them on my blog. I intend to post a few more shortly.

Lemon pickle pairs really well with Curd rice.If you get fresh lemons you must try this lemon pickle as it is not only delicious to eat but also keeps your body cool in the summers.

Lemon Pickle Recipe:

shelf life: up to 1 year

Ingredients:

30-35 big sized Lemons

1 cup Salt

1 cup Red chili powder

2 tbsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Fenugreek powder

1 cup Sesame oil

1 tbsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

Method:

Wash and wipe the lemons with a clean cloth.Cut them into 8 pieces lengthwise or quarter them into 8 pieces.
Mix the lemons with 3/4 cup of Salt and turmeric powder until they are mixed nicely.
Put this mixed lemons in a clean and sterilized glass bottle and close it with lid and leave it aside for 10 days.You can mix it once in a while in 3 days.By this time the lemons would leave water.
After 10 days add red chili powder,fenugreek powder and 1/4 cup salt to the lemon mixture.You should not remove any water which oozes from the lemons.
Heat sesame oil and crackle mustard seeds and asafoetida and cool the oil completely.
Add the oil(which is cooled down) to the lemon pickle and mix well.
Leave it for 10-15 days to get marinated.

Serve it with Curd rice or you can even serve it with any Upma variety,it tastes nice.

Notes:

After 10 days when lemon is mixed with salt and turmeric powder,check the salt and increase the salt amount accordingly from 1/4 cup if needed.
Few squeeze the lemons slightly and remove the seeds and mix the lemons with lemon juice and follow the same procedure.You can follow this method too if you want.Do not squeeze the lemons hardly as it will make the pickle bitter.
You can also store just the marinated lemons with salt and turmeric powder through out the year.When needed you can take out some portion and add red chili powder according and temper it with sesame oil,mustard seeds and asafoetida.You can even avoid the tempering with oil and add just the red chili powder to it.

Check out the recipes for various Andhra style Mango Pickles and North Indian Achar here.

Minapa Vadiyalu | Urad dal Fryums | Sun-dried Fryums

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 01:11:00 +0000

During Summer season, preparation of "Pickles" and "Fryums" is a major activity in many house holds in the South. My mom used to make large batches of various varieties of fryums in the summers and we used to store them for the rest of the year.Apart from these fryums, my mom used to prepare few special varieties of papads, which she stopped making now. The fryums, which my mom used to prepare were rice and sago based. Today, I am posting a different variety of fryums that is prepared using urad dal.I was introduced to these fryums by my husband who is a big fan of these Minapa Vadiyalu which his mom sources for him every year.

These fryums can be prepared using whole white urad or black urad. We prefer black urad as it is not only tasty but it is also very healthy. If you use the whiter variety they will be in white color but as we used the black urad you can see the black skin of urad in the fryums.These fryums are extremely easy to make,all you need is good sunlight. If you are living in a tropical climate, you must try making them.

Minapa Vadiyalu | Urad dal Fryums Recipe:

(stores upto an year)

Ingredients:

1/2 kg whole black Urad or whole white Urad

1 tbsp Cumin seeds

10-12 Green chillies (optional)

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak whole urad for 6-7 hours or overnight.If you are using white urad you can soak it for just 3-4 hrs,the whole black urad takes longer to get soaked.
Drain the urad and grind it with cumin seeds,green chillies and salt to a thick smooth paste like the medu wada batter in the wet grinder.Add enough water to grind it,do not add more water which makes the fryums soak lot of oil when fried,So make the dough to a thick smooth paste.
In a open space under sun,spread a clean plastic sheet and place heavy weights in the four corners so that the sheet does not fly.
Take a spoonful of batter and drop them like how we do for fryums leaving some space in between.
Dry them under sun for 2-3 days until they are completely dried.
Store them in an air tight container.They stay good for an year.

Deep fry them in oil until brown when required and serve as an accompaniment with South Indian meal.

Notes:

You can use whole white urad or a mix of white urad with the skin of whole black urad to make these fryums.As the whole urad with skin is good I prefer using it.
Green chillies and cumin seeds can be avoided completely in the recipe.It adds flavor and spicyness to the fryums.

Semiya Payasam | Vermicelli Kheer Recipe| Ugadi Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 01:19:00 +0000

I would like to wish all my readers and friends ' HAPPY UGADI '. Ugadi is on the 11th of April.

Today, I am posting a simple Vermicelli kheer recipe to celebrate the festival.The process of preparation of this kheer is no different from any other kheer. This kheer is usually prepared during festivals. If you havent planned anything yet with regards to what to make during Ugadi , then you should check out my Ugadi menu planner here.This should help you to plan a simple menu for the festival.

Check out other Kheer recipes in my blog here.

Semiya Payasam | Vermicelli Kheer Recipe:

(serves 3-4)

Ingredients:

1 cup Vermicelli

3/4 cup Sugar

3/4 liter full cream Milk

10-12 Cashew nuts

2 tbsp Raisins

a pinch of Cardamom powder

2 tbsp Ghee

Method:

Boil milk and simmer it for 12-15 mins until it reduced to 3/4th of the quantity.
Meanwhile heat ghee in a kadai and fry cashew nuts and fry them until golden in color and remove them and keep aside.
In the same kadai add raisins and fry them until they fluff up and remove and keep them aside too.
Now add vermicelli to the remaining ghee and fry for 1-2 mins.
Add boiling milk and reduce the flame and cook till the vermicelli becomes soft.
Add sugar and mix gently till it dissolves and let it continue cooking over low flame.Always cook over low flame otherwise the milk might curdle.
Add ghee roasted cashew nuts and raisins and cardamom powder to the kheer and mix and switch off the flame.

Serve it hot/warm/cold or at room temperature.

Notes:

You can add a pinch of saffron to the kheer while it is boiling.Rub it in a tbsp of milk before adding to milk for better color and flavor.
I sometimes add condensed milk to the kheer ,so I usually reduce the quantity of sugar in the recipe.This makes the kheer more tastier,creamier and rich.

Rava Pulihora | Nimmakaya Rava Pulihora | Pulihora Pindi

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 02:31:00 +0000

The word 'Pulihora' makes my mouth water. I like Chintapandu Pulihora (Puliyogre) or Lemon Rice(Nimmakaya Pulihora) for its tangy taste.I prepare some variety of Pulihora during festivals and also when I run out of time for a simple lunch along with Curd rice.

Today, I am posting another Andhra special Pulihora which is made up of Rava and is usually prepared using lemons.It is also called Pulihora Pindi in coastal region of Andhra and is a specialty in that region.It is a very simple recipe and do definitely give it a try as it hardly takes any time to make .As this does not have any onion or garlic in the recipe, you can prepare this even during festivals instead of preparing a rice variety. Try it for Ugadi . You can include this as a lunch or breakfast item during Ugadi. Check out my Ugadi menu planner here.

Nimmakaya Rava Pulihora | Pulihora Pindi Recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 cup Rice Rava(see notes)

5-6 light colored Green chillies,slit

1/4 cup Groundnuts

12-15 Curry leaves

juice of 1 1/2 lemons

1-2 Red chilies(optional)

2 tbsp Chana dal

1 tbsp Urad dal

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

2-3 tbsp Oil

Method:

Boil 2 cups water with little salt,turmeric powder.Once it comes to a boil add rice rava and stir it well and let it cook for sometime until done.It takes 4-5 mins.Once it is done spread the cooked rice rava mixture on a wide plate until it is cooled down.
Meanwhile heat oil in a pan and crackle mustard and cumin seeds.
Add groundnuts and fry them until they turn crisp and slightly red in color.
Add chana dal and urad dal and fry them until they turn slightly red in color.
Add slit green chillies and fry them until they wilt.
Add curry leaves,red chillies and fry them for few seconds.
Cool the tempering mixture for some time and add this to the cooled rava mixture.
Mix the required amount of salt to lemon juice and keep it ready.We have already added some salt to the rava mixture while cooking,so do add the salt quantity accordingly.
Mix everything with hands as it ensures even mixing.Check for the taste of salt and lemon juice and add more if required.Let it sit for 1-2 hrs so that the flavors to blend well.

Serve it at room temperature with some fryums/chips/sliced cucumber.

Notes:

Adjust the amount of chillies,salt and lemon juice as per your taste buds.
I personally prefer it slightly on the sour side,hence I add more lemon juice.
To prepare Rice rawa: Clean and Soak the rice for some time and drain it completely and spread over a cloth so that it will drain off excess water.Coarsely grind the pound mixture in a mixer and then sieve it(do it in whipper mode).Use the rawa which is in sieve and the flour that it is sieved can be used for dosas or regular rice flour.

Ugadi Recipes | Ugadi Menu

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 04:55:00 +0000

Ugadi festival is on the 11th of April. Ugadi is a major festival in Andhra and Karnataka as it is considered as the start of a new year.On Ugadi day, we prepare 'Ugadi Pacchadi' which is a mix of all the basic tastes 'shadruchulu'. It is a mix of tamarind juice, salt, chopped raw mango, jaggery and neem flowers and is adjusted according to our taste buds.

We usually prepare either 'Holige (Obattu)' or 'Boorelu (Poornalu)' or 'Bele Kadubu' for Ugadi as the main sweet along with some kheer/payasam and other festival delicacies.At our place,the usual Ugadi menu comprises of Maavinkayi Chitranna ( Raw mango rice) ,stir fry, vada, sundal, Holige Saaru, Holige, Payasam and Rice.

I am trying to give various options for Ugadi menu in every category to make your planning easy.So please go through it and celebrate the festival with more fun and food.

Check here to find out how to make Ugadi Pacchadi for Ugadi.

Traditional Sweet Varieties:

Sundal & Stir fry varieties:

Vada/Snack varieties:

Dal/Stew/Rasam Varieties(All Varieties-ONE each):

Kheer/Payasam Varieties:

Rice Varieties:

Pandu Mirapakaya Niluva Pacchadi | Andhra Red Chili Chutney

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:51:00 +0000

Andhra is known for its spicy pickles - Avakaya,Gongura and Pandumirapakaya(Red chili) Pacchadi being the most famous.During the season we get fresh red chillies in the market,it is usually ground with tamarind and salt and is stored in clean air-tight bottles for over an year.When we need to serve it with rice,scoop out a small portion of the pacchadi and temper it with mustard seeds and asafoetida in generous amount of oil.It is really a fiery chutney and if you are not used to spice, it can even bring tears in your eyes.We usually mix it with hot steamed rice and dal powder or kandi podi and a big dollop of ghee.It mellows down the spiciness to an extent and makes it very tasty too.

Pandumirchi Niluva Pacchadi | Red Chili Chutney Recipe:

shelf life: upto one year

Ingredients:

1 kg Fresh Red chillies

250 gms Tamarind

1 tsp Turmeric powder

250 gms Salt

Method:

Wash and wipe the fresh red chillies,remove the stalks and dry them on a kitchen napkin for 3-4 hrs until the moisture on top of red chillies is dried up completely.
Clean the tamarind and remove the fibres and keep it ready.
Grind red chillies with tamarind,salt and turmeric powder to a coarse paste.DO NOT add water while grinding.

Store it in air tight glass bottles.They stay good for several months to an year.

Pandu mirapakaya Pacchadi for Rice:

Ingredients:

2-3 tbsp Pandumirchi Niluva Pacchadi(as prepared above)

1 tbsp Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

a pinch of Asafoetida

Method:

Grind pandumirchi niluva pacchadi with few tbsp of water to a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a small pan and crackle mustard seeds and asafoetida and add this to pandumirchi pacchadi and mix well.

Serve it with hot steamed rice,dal powder/Kandi Podi and ghee.You can serve chopped raw onions along with it.

Notes:

This Niluva Pacchadi would be very spicy initially and it reduces its spiciness over a period of time.
You can use any variety of spicy red chillies to make this pacchadi.
Pandumirchi Niluva pacchadi can be stored for long,when you need to serve all you need to do is to add a tempering of mustard seeds and asafoetida and add it to the pacchadi and mix.

Chettinad Cauliflower Masala Dosa Recipe | Dosa Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 03:00:00 +0000

After a long time I am posting a DOSA recipe in my blog.Many of you know my love for Dosa as I have mentioned in many posts about my views/tips on preparing a wonderful Dosa .Hence I would not get into the technical details of Dosa again and bore you guys.

Coming to today's Dosa recipe, I have never tried Cauliflower dosa in any restaurant and also I am also not aware of any particular Chettinad style preparation for this dosa. A few recipes that catch my attention haunt me until I try it. This is one such recipe, which I saw at Anu's space and I had the huge urge for few months to prepare and finally prepared it a few months back and loved it too.This time I wanted to share it with my readers and hence I made it again to share it in my space.

This dosa tastes different and is a good change from the regular Masala Dosa because of its spicy cauliflower filling.What attracted me the most was the mashed version of cauliflower in the filling.Though I am not sure of the authenticity of the chettinadu style preparation, I have adapted the filling recipe from her blog and modified it to as per my requirements.The batter which I am mentioning here can be used to make any dosa like plain dosa, utappam or Masala dosa,it works wonders!!
Check out other must try Dosa recipes in my blog.

Chettinadu style Cauliflower Masala Dosa:

Ingredients:

for Batter:

2 cups Raw rice

2 cups Idli Rice or Par boiled rice

1 cup whole white Urad dal

1/4 cup Toor dal

1/4 cup Chana dal

1/4 cup Flattened rice(Poha)

1 tsp Fenugreek seeds

Salt to taste

Oil/Ghee, to roast dosas

to mix in batter before making dosas:

2 tbsp chiroti Rava

1 tbsp Sugar

a pinch of Cooking Soda

for Cauliflower Masala:

2 cups Cauliflower florets

1 big Onion,finely chopped

1 big Tomato,chopped

5-6 Garlic pods,peeled

1/2" Ginger,finely chopped

1 Green chilli,finely chopped

2 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves

1/2 tsp Rasam powder

1/2 tsp Sambar powder

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

a sprig of Curry leaves

2 Red chillies,broken

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

Salt to taste

to grind:

2 tbsp fresh grated Coconut

2 tsp Poppy seeds,soaked in water

1/2 tsp Saunf

5-6 Pepper corns

Method:

to make dosa batter:

Wash and soak raw rice,idli rice(or par boiled rice), urad dal, toor dal, chana dal, fenugreek seeds together in water for 4-5 hrs.

Soak flattened rice(poha) for 1/2 hr.

Grind all the ingredients in the wet grinder to a fine batter by adding water at regular intervals.

Add required amount of salt at the end of grinding and mix well.

Allow the batter to ferment for 12-14 hrs.

On the day of preparing dosa take out the required amount of dosa batter into a vessel and add chiroti rava and sugar to it and mix well and let it keep for an hour.

to make Cauliflower masala:

Clean and wash the cauliflower florets and soak them in salted hot water for 10-15 mins.Drain them and chop them finely.
Heat oil in a kadai/pan and crackle mustard seeds and add broken red chillies and curry leaves fry until they wilt.
Add garlic pods,chopped ginger and green chili and fry for a minute.Now add finely chopped onions and fry until they become translucent.
Add chopped cauliflower florets and fry well for 2-3 mins and add chopped tomatoes to it and fry for 3-4 mins.Cover it and cook until the tomatoes turns mushy and cauliflower is cooked.
Grind grated coconut with poppy seeds,pepper corns and saunf to a fine paste.Add little water if required for grinding.
Add rasam powder,sambar powder,red chili powder,turmeric powder and salt to the cauliflower mixture and mash it nicely with a masher.It is your choice to keep the texture how ever you want.I mashed it completely like a spread,if you want you keep it chunky too.
Add the ground coconut mixture to it and let it cook for 3-4 mins until the raw smell disappears.You should keep the consistency of this very thick as we will apply this inside the dosa.
Switch it off and let it come to room temperature.Add chopped coriander leaves to it and mix and keep it ready.

to make Cauliflower Masala Dosa:

Make the tawa ready for making dosa,keep the stove on medium flame and pour a ladle full of batter in the middle of the pan and spread in a circular motion to form a 9 " dosa and pour some oil/ghee (1 tbsp roughly) all over the edges and in the center cover it with a lid.
After it is roasted for a minute remove the lid and smear the cauliflower mixture(approx 3-4 tbsp) all over the dosa.
Keep the flame on HIGH and let it roast for another minute until it turns golden brown and crispy.
Fold it into half and serve.

Serve it with Coconut chutney and Sambar. Check out other side dishes for Idli/dosa here.

Tips:

The addition of sugar to the batter makes the dosas crisp and also gives a thick golden crust to dosas.
If your dosas did not turn out good,do not panic.Add 1/4 tsp cooking soda to a ladle and mix with 2 tbsp water well and that to the dosa batter and mix well and start making dosas.This will make the interior of dosa fluffy.
If you want you can avoid mashing the cauliflower florets and keep them as they are and follow the same process for the filling.I personally liked the idea of mashing it.
The dosa batter can be used to make any dosa like plain dosa, Utappam or Masala dosa.

If you are interested in other dosa recipes,check out more varieties here.

Palak Aloo Paratha Recipe | Stuffed Paratha Recipes | Paratha Fillings

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 02:10:00 +0000

Stuffed Parathas are always a favorite at my place as its a complete meal when paired with pickle and curd.I had posted Palak Paneer Paratha recently where I used usual Paneer stuffing in a palak based atta dough.Today's recipe is very similar and is prepared in a same manner just that I used the regular Aloo stuffing which we make for Aloo parathas.

Aloo paratha is the most common favorite paratha for everyone,the addition of palak in the dough adds a healthy touch and a nice variation to the usual Aloo paratha.I have given a detailed tutorial to make a perfect paratha,so go through the recipe and the step by step pics to make a perfect paratha.

Palak Aloo Paratha Recipe:

(makes 6 parathas)

Ingredients:

for dough:

1 1/2 cups Wheat flour

2 cups Spinach

1/2" Ginger

2-3 Green chillies

Salt to taste

2 tsp Oil

Water,to mix

for filling:

2 big Potatoes,boiled and peeled
1 medium Onion,finely chopped(optional)

2-3 Green chillies,finely chopped

1 tsp grated Ginger

2 tbsp chopped Coriander

1 tsp Amchur(dried mango) powder

1 tsp roasted Cumin powder

Salt to taste

Wheat flour,for rolling

Ghee and Oil,to roast parathas

Method:

to make dough:

Bring water to a boil in a big vessel and add salt to it.
Add spinach,green chillies and blanch the greens for 2 minutes.Strain the spinach and run cold water over it.Cool it completely.
Grind spinach with green chillies,ginger to a fine paste.
Add the ground spinach mixture to the wheat flour and add required salt and 1 tsp oil and mix well.
Add little water(if needed) and knead it into a smooth and soft dough.The dough should be slightly softer than the regular chapati dough for parathas as it will not only make easy to stuff the filling it will help in easy and even rolling of parathas.
Apply oil on top of the dough and cover it and keep it aside for at least half an hour.

to make filling:

Grate the boiled potatoes and put it in to the bowl.
Add finely chopped green chillies,onion,grated ginger,chopped coriander and mix well.
Add amchur powder,salt and cumin powder and mix well and keep it ready.

to make paratha:

Pinch the dough and take a big size lemon sized dough and place the dough in your left hand palm.
Dip your right hand fingers in the flour and try to make a cup shape(which can hold 3-4 tbsp filling) out of the dough by moving your fingers pressing with the thumb in the center.Take care that the edges should be slightly thinner and in the center it should be thick.

Fill the cup with 3-4 tbsp filling and seal the two sides of the dough(it would look like Karanji now) and gently press the corners to get a big round ball out of it.See the pictures for better idea.

If you stuff the filling in the dough in this way you will get evenly filled paratha and it also forms like pocket.If you find all the above process bit difficult,you can easily roll a 3" circle out of the dough and place the filling in the center and pleat the dough and seal it by gathering the dough around the edges.

Slightly flatten the dough(stuffed with filling) with hands and dip it in the wheat flour and gently roll it to a 6" disc of 1/2" thickness.You should not apply more pressure while rolling,so roll it gently.If you apply pressure the stuffing would come out.

Flip it on to a hot tawa and fry it until you see bubbles.
Turn it and apply oil/ghee and fry and then turn and apply oil/ghee on the other side.

Fry the parathas on both sides until you get crisp brown patches on both sides.

Serve them piping hot with Aam ka Achar/Mirch ka Achaar,curd/masala dahi and sliced onions.

Notes:

You can skip spinach puree while making dough and make it plain as Aloo Paratha.
You can even mix various greens along with palak like methi,dill along with palak while making puree for the dough in the recipe
Paneer can also be stuffed instead of Aloo in the dough to make Palak Paneer Paratha,it tastes nice too.

The above pic shows you how the filling is spread across paratha evenly which makes the paratha tastes delicious in each and every bite.

Check out other Stuffed Parathas recipes:

Rasam Powder Recipe | Andhra Style Rasam Powder

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 04:50:00 +0000

I have posted Andhra style Sambar Powder recipe recently and today I am posting Andhra style Rasam powder recipe which I got from my MIL.The addition of liberal quantity of cumin seeds, pepper corns and coriander seeds makes the rasam flavorful and spicy.A small quantity of toor dal is added to the powder which helps in thickening the rasam.It is a very simple and basic recipe which might help many who are new to kitchen.

Andhra Style Rasam Powder Recipe:

(stores upto a month)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Coriander seeds

1/3 cup Toor dal(split Pigeon peas)

2 tbsp Cumin seeds

3 tbsp black Peppercorns

Method:

In a thick kadai dry roast coriander seeds until they turn slight brown in color and keep them aside.
In the same kadai dry roast toor dal until red in color and keep them aside.
Add cumin seeds and peppercorns and fry them separately and keep them aside.
Once they cool down grind them to a fine powder.
Store it in an air tight container.

Add a couple of tsps of rasam powder while making rasam.

Notes:

You can dry roast and add 10-12 red chillies while making the rasam powder.

You can use this Rasam powder in the following rasams:

Beetroot Spicy Curry | Beetroot Stir fry Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 05:20:00 +0000

Simple stir fries and curries are a part of our daily meal.They are not only quick to make but also makes a healthy side dish for rice and rotis.I am posting a spicy version of Beetroot stir fry which I absolutely love and the recipe is so versatile and can be adapted for many vegetables,do check the notes for more variations of this recipe.If you are bored of usual simple stir fries you should try this spicy version of stir fry which is really delicious.You can check out another version of simple Beetroot stir fry here.

Beetroot Spicy Curry Recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 medium Beetroots

1 tbsp Vangibath powder

1 tbsp roasted(fried) Gram powder(chutney dalia)

2 Red chillies,broken

a sprig of Curry leaves

2 tsp Chana dal

1 tsp Urad dal

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1-2 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

Method:

Wash,peel and cut the beetroot into tiny cubes or small pieces or cut into thin lengthy pieces.
Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai/pan and crackle mustard seeds.
Add Chana dal and urad dal and fry until they turn in red color.
Add broken red chillies and curry leaves and fry them until they turn crisp.
Now add chopped beetroot pieces and fry or 2 mins.
Add 2-3 tbsp of water and cover it and cook for 7-8 mins until the beetroot is soft and cooked.If it is not cooked cook for another few mins,add few tbsp of water if required
Remove the lid and increase the flame and cook until the moisture is evaporated.
Add salt,vangibath powder and mix well and cook for another 2 mins on low flame.
Now add roasted gram powder to it and give a nice stir and remove it from flame immediately.

Serve it hot with Rice/Roti/Chapati.

Notes:

You can follow the same process for vegetables like Carrots, Broadbeans(chikkudukaya), French beans, Long beans, Cluster beans, Potatoes etc.You need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
If you do not have Vangibath powder,you can add normal chili powder along with roasted gram powder in the recipe.
Beetroot pieces can be steamed ahead and add to the tempering and add the powders at the end.
You can add 1 tbsp of dry coconut powder at the end,as my vangibath powder has that I did not add it extra.But even if you add extra it adds a nice taste to the curry.

You can check out another version of Simple Beetroot stir fry recipe here.

Mixed Vegetable Pickle | Mixed Vegetable Achar - spicy version

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:08:00 +0000

Before I get to the post ,I wish all my readers and friends a very HAPPY HOLI !!

I have posted Mixed Vegetable Achar recipe some time back but that was not a spicy version so today, I am posting a spicy version of Mixed Vegetable. The preparation is similar to Mixed Veg Achar which I posted earlier -just a few minor tweaks though.

Personally, I prefer the non spicy version due to its appetizing green color and because it goes very well with Parathas.However, when my MIL makes the non spicy Mixed Vegetable Pickle she also prepares a small portion of Spicy version along with it.The recipe for both is similar but the addition of red chili powder plays a key role in changing the taste of the pickle.My MIL says that the addition of Saunf(fennel seed) powder to the spicy version of Mixed Veg pickle is optional but I do recommend to add that, as it gives a nice flavor to the pickle.

Spicy Mixed Vegetable Pickle Recipe:

shelf life: upto 1 year

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Nigella Seeds(Kalonji)

3 tbsp Vinegar

1/2 liter Mustard Oil

Vegetables (8 cups of cut vegetables):

2-3 Carrots,peeled and cut into 1" thin long pieces

1 small Cauliflower,separate and cut into small florets

2 Radish,peeled and cut into 1" thin long pieces

1 Raw mango,cut into 1" thin long pieces

15-20 French Beans,remove the strings and cut into 1" thin long pieces

5-6 Lemons,cut into 8 pieces length wise

8-10 Gooseberry,cut into 6-8 pieces length wise(remove the seeds)

100 gms light colored Green chillies,cut into 2 pieces

1 whole Garlic pods,separate into pods and remove the skin

100 gms Ginger or Mango Ginger,peeled and cut into 1" thin strips

Powders:

2 cups Red chili powder

2 cups Mustard powder

1 3/4 cups Salt

1 tbsp Fenugreek powder

50 gms Amchur(Dried mango) powder

50 gms Fennel seeds(Saunf) powder,ground to a very coarse powder

2 tbsp Turmeric powder

Method:

Cleaning,Cutting and drying the Vegetables:

Wash and wipe all the vegetables with a dry cloth.Cut various vegetables as per the instructions I mentioned above.Take care that you cut all the vegetables into a similar length and sized pieces.
Spread them over a dry cloth in sun and let them dry completely.You should take care that the vegetables are dry with out any moisture content in it.If you have really good sun it should take half day otherwise you can keep it in shade up to a day.

for making pickle:

Keep ready the sterilized and sun dried jars ready before you start pickling.
Grind fenugreek seeds to a fine powder.
Grind saunf in whipper mode until coarse powder.Do not run it for long time just run it for 2-3 times until you get coarse powder.
Now take a big bowl and mix the saunf and fenugreek powder,red chili powder,mustard powder,salt,kalonji seeds,mustard tukda and turmeric powder until everything is mixed well.
Now take another wide small bowl and take 1 cup of mixed powders and add sufficient mustard oil until the mixture is wet completely and mix with hands.
Take 2 cups of vegetable pieces at a time and apply the mixture all over the mixed vegetable pieces with your hands.Using your hands for this step is better than mixing it up with ladle.
Put the masala coated vegetable pieces in a big bowl and repeat the process of coating the vegetable pieces in small portions and put them in a big bowl.
Once all the vegetable pieces are mixed,add vinegar and remaining pickle masala and mix well again.
Carefully fill the sterilized jars with the vegetable pieces and pour the remaining oil over it.
Cover the jar with lid and keep it aside for 3 days.
On day-1 check it some oil might have started floating over the pickle.Do not panic if the oil does not float on day-1,if not on day-1 you will see oil floating on day-2.
Mix with a clean and dry ladle all over and repeat the same process on day-3.
Now taste the masala mixture in the pickle,it should be perfect and slightly salty as the pickle has to be yet marinated for atleast one week before its usage.But if you feel the salt is less add a tsp or 2tsps of salt to it and mix well.I don't think it would be necessary if you follow the measurements accurate.
On the day-3 if you see the oil is floating on the pickle up to an 1/2" height then it is perfect.Otherwise add extra mustard oil over the top until the oil floats on top.
Store it in air-tight tupper ware container or glass bottles.This way your pickle stores for long with freshness in it and even the vegetable pieces do not get soft.

Serve it with piping hot Parathas/Theplas or it can be served with Rotis/Naans/Kulchas/Pulavs.

Other Vegetable Options:

Shalgum(Turnip) and Lotus Stem(Kamal Kakdi/Bhein) can also be added to the pickle according to the availability of them.

Notes:

Always transfer a small portion of pickle into a small jar and use a clean and dry spoon.
Increase the amount of mustard oil as required in the recipe.The basic thumb rule is to make the oil float over the pickle after 3 days.So feel free to add extra mustard oil.
Do not replace or remove any of the ingredients in the recipe,all the ingredients are must to get a tasty Vegetable achaar in North Indian style.
This pickle stays good for an year.It might turn slightly sour after 5-6 months but it is good to eat with hot hot parathas and curd.
You can easily halve the recipe,the basic rule is to use 4 cups of vegetable pieces with 1 cup(slightly less than 1 cup) of salt,1 cup red chili powder and 1 cup mustard powder.

Summers are here and Mangoes are in season ,do not miss out to check various authentic Andhra Mango pickles and also the famous Punjabi Aam ka Achar recipe here.

Baby Corn Pakora | Babycorn Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (prathibha Garre) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 03:00:00 +0000

Last week, I purchased a large quantity of my my favourite veggie, "babycorn" and used them in two dishes which I prepared, Babycorn Bell peppers Stir fry and Babycorn Capcium Gravy . I though saved a few, for making my favorite babycorn fritters (not the usual besan based pakoras) over the weekend.

I dream about food at times and in one of those dreams , I had a mental note that I would have my sunday evening tea with those babycorn fritters.When I started blanching the babycorns and started preparing the batter, I realized that I have run out of maida (all purpose flour) which is essential for preparing these yummy fritters. I had to hence change my plans and converted them into these beautiful pakoras.These Pakoras look deceptive and look very much like our Mirch Bajjis becauss of their shape.Though I could not make what I wanted, we enjoyed these golden crisps with our cup of tea.I though plan to post those delicious Babycorn Fritters next time I prepare it.

Also check out other Babycorn recipes in my blog.

Babycorn Pakora Recipe:
(Serves 2-3)

Ingredients:
12-15 tender Baby corns
Oil,to deep fry

for Batter:
1 cup Besan/Chickpea flour
1/4 cup Rice flour
1 tsp Red chilli powder
a pinch of Turmeric powder
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1/4 tsp Garam masala (optional)
a pinch of Asafoetida or 1/2 tsp Carom seeds
1/4 tsp Baking soda
2 tsp hot Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Cut baby corns into 2 pieces lengthwise and par boil them in hot water with salt for 1-2 minutes.Do not boil for long.You can even add a pinch of turmeric powder while boiling them.Drain them and keep them aside.

Mix all the items(mentioned under 'for Batter') well and make it into a smooth paste by adding enough water.Add the water slowly and use a wire whisk and whisk to the consistency of thick idly batter consistency and make sure you don't add too much water at once.The more you beat the mixture the better and fluffy the pakoras would be.You should ideally beat the batter for 3-4 mins.

Mean while heat oil for deep frying.
Hold the tips of baby corns and dip each of them in batter and individually and drop them slowly into hot oil and deep fry them till it becomes golden brown in color on medium flame.

Drain them on to a kitchen towel to remove excess oil.

Serve them hot with Imli Chutney/Green Chutney/Tomato Sauce.

Notes:

You can use the same process for making pakoras like Cauliflower,Broccoli and Poblano peppers(remove the seeds) by blanching them in hot water initially and follow the same process.
You can use the same batter as base for all pakora varieties like Potato(cut into thin slices),Brinjal(cut into thin slices),Onion(thin round slices as well as lengthwise) and Capsicum rings.
The addition of garam masala is completely optional,as babycorn is a bland vegetable I added it to spice up the batter.
The addition of rice flour makes the pakoras crisp.
I like to add hot oil to the batter mixture as it will make the pakoras crisp and also makes them consume less oil.Make sure you beat the batter which will makes the pakoras more fluffy.

You can try this for HOLI Snack,also check out other HOLI recipes here . If you have not decided your menu for Holi,go through my list and I hope it will help you in fixing your menu. I also recommend you try the famous Delhi style Matar Kachori and Alu ki Sabzi and pair it with Shahi Tukra which is ideal for HOLI breakfast/brunch and make it more special.

I could not stop myself from posting another pic for you all....