One more award!

I have one more award to my credit. Thanks to Babli for passing it to me. I shall share this award with all my followers without whom this blog would not have been  interesting. Sure enough i am going to be coming out with a lot of dishes and my experience with them. See you all soon with another dish!

China gourd and channa dhal curry

This was absolutely a new veggie for me. But definitely wanted  to try my hand at that. The method i devised to make this curry is a safe one which can be applied pretty much for any vegetable of the same kind. A safe way to handle our  not so familiar ones. I should say it was very good and  was almost like ridge gourd. Hubby was skeptical about it first but polished off his plate later and wanted more too. Thanks to my enthusiasm to try using newer veggies available here in US that i end up incorporating them in to our traditional menus. The results and responses have been good so far!

Ingredients

4 tablespoons channa dhal
3 green chillies
2 gourds chopped
1 teaspoon sambar powder
1 tomato chopped
2 teaspoons oil
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon urad dhal
1 teaspoon jeera
1/2 teaspoon hing
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
salt to taste

Method

Soak the channa dhal in the water for an hour and then cook in the microwave along with water for 8 minutes high. If you don't want to use the microwave just cook it in an open kettle along with water till it is 3/4th cooked and keep aside. Now in a skillet heat up the oil and add the mustard, urad, jeera , and turmeric. Once they start splattering add the chiilies and the tomatoes. Saute it for 3 minutes and then add the chopped gourd and the channa dhal along with a little water and add the sambar powder and salt and cook till done.Doesn't take very long for the gourd to get cooked. Serve it with rice or rotis.

Orange rasam

 
The clementine oranges which were too sour were put to best use here.An avid lover of lemon rasam, thought i would give it a try and also finally get rid of the nerve pulling sensations this fruit gave me ,every time i had one plus encountered a taste which i simply relished. The taste was fabulous and it is going to be a regular on my table no doubt. The only thing to be noted about it is; it should be eaten fresh and not chilled and heated up. The taste changes when you do that. It is light and flavorful enough to substitute a soup. Vadams are a good combination with this rasam. The method to go about is pretty much the same as the regular rasam but at the end you need to add this generous amount of orange juice to make it a real orange rasam (not colour). And yeah the oranges really need to be sour!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons mashed thurdhal(cooked)
1 tomato(pulped)
1and 1/2 tsp rasam powder(acc to spice level )
juice of 2 oranges
Ghee 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon jeera
1/2teaspoon hing
1 tbl spoon cilantro chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
salt to taste

Method

Mix about 4 cups of water with the tomato pulp and mashed dhal, adding the turmeric powder boil it till raw smell goes and then add the rasam powder and once it boils add salt and season it with ghee,mustard, jeera and hing .Add the orange juice and garnish with cilantro.

Spinach pokodas

 The perfect companion on a rainy day. When its cold and rainy you tend to turn to food for comfort. That was exactly how i  fitted this in to my calorie consious menu plans. Accidents preceeded by temptations do happen to me. Otherwise how would one describe a scene where the end of a gym session is marked by gobbling away a plate of hot and spicy spinach pokoda(e), drowning it with cardamon and ginger infused tea. Felt so satisfied and a tiny guilt which cropped up also was silenced by the resolution to not indulge in these anymore and do a 15 minute extra at the gym. Now another big thing while i write this post is ,if i should be calling it pakoda or pakodae. I have come to a conclusion that these two names have a singular-plural connection. So considering the numbers i have eaten, i want to call it pakodae!

Ingredients

1 cup chopped spinach
1 cup sliced onions
2 cups besan
1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
salt to taste
oil to deep fry
a pinch of baking soda(optional)

Method

Mix all the ingredients in to a batter (spooning consistency). Heat the oil in  a deep pan and spoon the batter and deep fry it brown and crisp. Drain the excess oil on a kitchen towel and serve it hot with tea or coffee.

Gujrathi dhal

 
Dhals are a integral part of my everyday meal. Dhals i consider to be a vital source of protien for vegetarians. So i try and collect different recipes for dhals, so that Mr C and my son don't have those grumpy faces while they eat. Variety is the key to appreciation here. This dhal recipe was a speaciality of a gujrathi friend of mine at college. Those were the days when we used to pounce on her lunch box. Being a hostalite,we used to relish what other friends used to get from their homes. This dhal stayed my favourite then and now. The only difference being that i used to eat it with rotis then but now made it more versatile eating with rice. I normally season it with some curd chillies(mor milagai). But today since i did not have any i seasoned with only green chiillies.

Ingredients

1 cup moog dhal
1/2 cup onion chopped
1/4 cup tomatoes
3 green chiilies
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chooped ginger
1/2 teaspoon dhaniya powder
1/2 teaspoon jeera powder
turmeric a pinch
amchur a pinch
salt to taste
2 teaspoons ghee
1 teaspoon jeera
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon jaggery

Method

In a pressure cooker or pan heat up the oil and season it with jeera and mustard. Now add the turmeric,chillies,garlic,ginger,and onions. Saute them well and add the tomatoes and after they are a litlle done add the jeera powder and dhaniya powder .Now add the dhal and add some water,amchur and salt. Consistency is your choice. Cook up to one whistle. After its done season it with curd chillies if you have. Add the jaggery. Serve with rice or rotis.

Karam pori/spiced murmura

 
I would rather call this indian substitute to popcorn. Not that popcorn is not available in india but this dish i am talking about is more popular in the remotest of the indian villages.Very easily available and very cost wise too compared to the flashy popcorns in india. This particular recipe is a  favorite in our homes and its made in lots and gets over in no time too. Personally it is my companion when i start counting my calories. A total guilt free food that you can hog and hog on....And great tasting too! I love to eat this with some raw onions and lemon juice added to it!


Ingredients

4 cups pori/murmura
6 garlic cloves coarsely crushed
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon hing
1 teaspoon dhaniya powder
1 teaspoon jeera powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 Red chillies broken
1 cup peanut and chutney dhal (both mixed)
Salt
Curry leaves a few

1 tablespoon ghee and oil mixed


Method


In a deep thick  bottomed pan add the oil and ghee. Now add the mustard, hing, chillies, turmeric powder,garlic, curry leaves, chutney dhal and peanut,  and then add the dhaniya powder and jeera powder with salt . Now add the pori /murmura and give it a quick toss and put off the stove. Serve it right away or store it in an air tight container to relish later.


Tailpiece:

The recipe as such is very simple a typical mix and eat kinds. But the taste lies in the order of  the ingredients in to the pan. I urge you to follow the same order and to quickly to add the ingredients one after the other because they get burnt easily. Enjoy and yeah guilt free!

Raw banana podimas

I always associate this curry with our tradition. It generally is served in the traditional menus. A curry that you are bound to get addicted too. Rasam and this curry is a combination that takes you to the 7th heaven. Not really a tedious job making this curry. But the raw banana that is available in the US have a slight sweetness to them which does not compliment the curry so well. It was still the creepy craving in me, for this curry made me do it  Don't we all eat apple chuntneys and curd rice mixed with fruits? So ......it's ok to do the best with whatever you. are vested with. Nothing is right or wrong in a culinary experiment. We are all learners all through our journey of life. I am sure most of you would agree with me!

Ingredients

2 Raw bananas
2 red chillies
1 teaspoons mustard
1 teaspoons urad dhal
1 channa dhal
1 teaspoon hing

turmeric powder a pinch
salt to taste
2 teaspoons lemon juice
oil

Method

Steam the bananas after de-skining them. Once done cool them and crumble them. In a skillet add some oil and add the mustard, urad, channa dhal, chillies,turmeric and hing.When it spaltters add the crumble, and saute it till it gets slightly roated.Add salt and switch off the stove.Add lemon juice and serve with rice and rasam.

Mushroom and peppers in cilantro sauce.

This is another good way to consume the nutritious mushroom. Always liked capsicum with mushrooms. This dish is done in a jiffy.The ingredients used are very basic and available anytime in your pantry. The colours attract any one's attention. A very successful pot luck dish. The crunch in the peppers is sure a contrast to the softer mushroom. This qualifies as a bachelor's cooking dish too. Easy to manage and the end  product a tasty green sauce with mushrooms and colourful peppers. I vote it as one of the great tasting mushroom dishes!

Ingredients                                                      For Seasoning

1 pound button mushrooms                                 1 tablespoon butter
2 cups peppers chopped(all colours)                   2 pods elaichi
1 big onion chopped                                           1/2"cinnamon
1 toamato chopped
2 green chillies
2 red chillies
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
6 cloves garlic
1'' ginger
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon coconut
1 bunch cilantro chopped

Method

First grind the ginger, garlic ,chillies and the onions in to a paste. Then grind the coconut, tomato and cilantro in to another paste and keep aside. Now heat the skillet and add the butter and once its melted, add elaichi and cinnamon . Then add the mushrooms and saute them for 2 minutes and then mix in the ginger,garlic,chilli and onion paste. Cook it well till the aroma  emerges. Now add the peppers and give it a good mix and stir in the coconut ,cilantro and tomato paste and add salt and garam masala with it.Cook till done.Keep the crunch in peppers.Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Palak koora pappu-An andhra heartthrob!

 

This dish is one of those many dishes that came along with me from hyderabad. This dish in particular was a speaciality of my maid Sunita. My god how i miss her here in US. This can be done with amaranth leaves too. It is such a comfort food. My artist friend Vijay who is a typical hyderabadi has these kinds of dhals everyday. He is a die-hard fan of Andhra pappu and pachadi. Probably i got this pappu fever from him and rank it top among my fav foods. My son follows suit. A very simple no fuss recipe with a heavenly taste. One of the reasons that i don't miss hyderabad very much is because i do all the dishes that i learnt from there in my everyday cooking. I am always exicted about meeting somebody who is from hyderabad.My affair with hyderabad started 9 years back and is still going strong and anyday i would be glad to settle down there.My hyderabad rambles would go on and on...so getting in to the recipe...

Ingredients

1 cup cooked thur dhar mashed
1 cup Spinach chopped
1/4 cup tomato chopped
2 tablespoons onions chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
4 green chillies spilt

for seasoning

2 teaspoons oil
1/2 teaspoon jeera
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1 red chiili broken

Method

Heat the skillet and add the oil and season it. Now add the onions, garlic and green chillies and saute them till they get soft. Add the tomato and after a while add the spinach. After its cooked add the mashed thur dhal and salt and give it a good mix and switch off the stove.Serve it with hot rice and ghee.Great with rotis too.

Awards and aval payasam

 

  

I would like to pass on these awards to padhu of welcome to padhuskitchen,Ammu of ammaji recipes and sandhya of sandhya's kitchen.

 

Excitement overtook me when i collected the awards from Babli's blog. Thank her absolutely for passing it on to me .My first ever bunch of awards. Excitement justified,  i want this post to be a sweet and tasty one, lingering for ever , encouraging me in all my blog endeavors. Blogging has opened up the window of creativity and imagination in the culinary arena for me. With your support and encouraging words i plan to go a long way in this route.
Today's post aval payasam is a favarite of mine. It had appreciation from almost all the people who tried it at my place. A very simple recipe with the basic everyday ingredients is the essence of this dessert.
This cup of aval payasam goes to you babli for passing on the awards to me.

Ingredients

1 cup poha(thick)
12 cups milk
1 and 1/2 cups sugar (as per taste)
1 tablespoon almonds(powdered)
1 tablespoon cashew(powdered)
4 elaichi pods crushed
saffron a pinch
1 tablespoon ghee

Method

Reduce milk in a thick bottomed pan till its reaches 1/3rd of its volume. Meanwhile wash the poha and add the ghee and lightly fry it till they seperate. Grind the almonds and cashew in to a powder and keep aside. Now once the milk reaches the required point add the poha and the powder and allow it to cook .You may add more milk if required. Once cooked add the sugar and saffron (mixed in warm milk) along with the elaichi. Your bowl of goodness is ready. Serve it warm or cold.

Apple chutney

This chutney is a pure delight. When one thinks of a fruit chutney the taste that comes to your mind is something sweet or tangy. But this chutney differs by all means.You can never make out that, apples are the hero here. I am not against apples definitely. This chutney is fiery and as spicy as any chutney you relish. The magnificent colour makes you drool at sight.I served this chutney with dosas no one even guessed it was apple chutney. Served me great as sandwich spread and  on chappati rolls too.

Ingredients

2 medium sized apples chopped
1 teaspoon urad dhal
1 teaspoon channa dhal
1 teaspoon dhaniya seeds
1 teaspoon jeera
4 red chillies
salt to taste
oil 2 teaspoons

For seasoning

1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon hing

Method

Heat a skillet and add the oil. Once it is heated up add the channa dhal,urad dhal,dhaniya seeds,jeera and red chillies and slightly roast them and when done take them out and add the apples and saute them in the same pan for about 3 minutes. Cool everything and grind it in your mixer and season it with mustard and hing.

Murukkus

Murukkus are my all time munchie buddies. But this is the first time i tried making this crackling snack.The recipe i adopted was from the internet i don't remember the exact site from where i got. But there are so many blogger friends of mine who have good recipes of murukku. I made slight alternations to the recipe to suit my taste. Murukkus fresh-homemade and a cup of hot filter kaapi are a much sought after luxuary these days. My murukkus turned out very good. Gave me the confidence to venture out more in to the arena. Hubby loved it and Son loved it too. What else can mark more success and satisfaction for me? At this juncture a little about me :I always love feeding people. My Husband does so too. During the early days of our life we always had people over for lunch or dinner. After coming to US that's something i absolutely miss out on. Good bye to flash backs now getting down to the recipe...

Ingredients

1 measure parboiled rice
3/4 measure chutney dhal powder
2 tablespoons butter
salt
seasame seeds a little
jeera seeds a little
chilli powder as per taste
oil for deep fry

method

Soak the rice for about 3 hours and grind it without adding water.You may add a little water if needed.Add the chutney dhal powder and all the ingredients except oil and mix it in to a dough.Grease your murukku maker and with the star disc on , start showing your creativity and talent. Do tthe sprials directly in the oil or can make it in a flat laddle and then transfer it in to the oil. Flip sides and fry till done.This murukku is very light in its colour so don't wait for it to turn dark shade of brown,you may burn it.Enjoy!

Beans-The oil- free way.

This green slender veggie friend of mine struck his head out every time i opened the refrigerator. Not able to contain it any longer, decided to deal with them. Not wanting to make  the normal curry, was raking my brains for something which would support me in my diet menu. Eureka!and i landed up doing this. Absolutely no oil. To be more descriptive, it is crunchy, spicy, and full of flavor. At one point i realized that you don't really need to cook or fry the vegetable till you kill them of their natural form, colour, and taste.Gentle cooking methods bring the best out of them.This dish exactly is made with that strategy in mind.The best part is you don't need a tava at all. Easy to rustle up dish and taste guaranteed in every bite.

Ingredients

2 cups beans chopped
2 tablespoons peanut(roasted)
3 red chiilies(dry roasted)
salt to taste
1 teaspoon soy sauce(optional)

Method

Microwave the beans till just done. Take away any remaining water. Pound the peanuts and the chillies in a mixer. Now mix in the salt,soy sauce and the peanut and chilli powder. Wasn't that a breeze?

Lemon Rice-A slight variation.

One would definitely wonder why i should be writing about this dish namely -The lemon rice.But its been my friends forever during my childhood days and been to high school with me, graduated with me,stood out during my disastrous cooking days,travelled places with me and  has never let me down so far.My son calls it tangy-tangy rice.I do it in a way Meenakshi Ammal- the culnary expect says in her book.I powder methi seeds and red chillies and add it at the end when the rice is ready.It pumps up the taste of the dish.

ingredients

2 cups cooked rice(cooled and grains separated)
juice of one lemon
turmeric powder one pinch
3 green chillies
1 tablespoon peanuts
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon urad dhal
1/2 teaspoon hing
1/2 teaspoon channa dhal
curry leaves a few
salt to taste
oil for seasoning

To be powdered

1/2 teaspoon methi seeds
2 red chillies(can be adjusted according to taste)

Method

Heat the skillet and pour in the oil and temper with mustard, urad dhal,  channa dhal, peanuts, hing, curry leaves and turmeric powder.Add the green chillies slit and pour in the lemon juice and add salt.Switch off the stove and add the rice and mix it in taking care not to mash .Once mixed well sprinkle the methi and chilli powder and mix it in.Garnish with coriander or cashews and enjoy!

Potato kaara kari

Potato is universally the most voted vegetable .A very versatile vegetable which tastes good in any form. But i am not an avid potato lover .But kaara kari with potato is something i would relish among all potato dishes. I would call this dish a layman's dish for its simplicity and character. One can simply do it without going wrong as it is a straight forward dish. Normally one would make in a well seasoned or a non stick kadai to get the desired crunch but i chose my humble and best friend-the oven.

ingredients

1/2 pound Potatoes cubed
1 teaspoon chiili powder
1/2 teaspoon dhaniya powder
1/2 teaspoon jeera powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons oil
1/4 teaspoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon urad dhal
1/4 teaspoon jeera
1/4 teaspoon hing
sal to taste

method

Microwave the potatoes for about 3 minutes high. Season in the kadai the mustard ,urad, hing and jeera with the oil. Turn in the potatoes without the water and saute it for a minute or two and then add the powders one by one salt included. Mix it well and turn off the stove. Put the potatoes in to a greased baking sheet and shove it in to the oven.375 degrees F for 10 minutes and in the broil mode for another 7 minutes to make it extra crisp. Take it out and serve immedietly to get that crisp and extra crunch.

Keerai Mola(gu) Kootal

A great way to consume greens is my idea behind this dish. Ideal for kids and age old too. A very easy yet nutritious one. I mostly make this dish with palak/spinach here but back home when i make,  i have more options.Though this is a common dish at my place, i learnt this version from my music teacher.She was a palakad iyer and  she was such a taste churner. Her name is Mrs Janaki. Blogging has really opened up my thinking channel, where i get the opportunity to link back to my memories which were long forgotten, thanks to our busy everydays! I got introduced to a lot of palakad cooking with her the authentic way. As i write i can't help but remember the day when she was expecting guests for dinner, she was chopping up veggies for her famous avial. It was very hot that evening not able to bear the heat in her kitchen, she went in to her bedroom which had an AC unit and got her pounds and pounds of veggies chopped up. Quite an anecdote to me. That was her dedication to cooking and everything she did. Glad that i am able to appreciate her through my blog.

Ingredients

1 cup spinach chopped
1/4 cup moong dhal
2 green chillies
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon jeera
1 table spoon coconut

For seasoning
1 teaspoon ghee
1/4teaspoon jeera
1/4 teaspoon hing

Method

Pressure cook the dhal and spinach. Grind coconut, chillies, pepper, jeera. Mix the ground paste in the dhal and spinach, add salt and season it with jeera and hing. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Arachivitta rasam

This is a very simple everyday rasam which can be done in a jiffy. It has its best effects when done in a pressure cooker but i do it in a open pan all the time. The best part of it is,  it tastes very rich despite not adding any dhal. I was thinking about it when my friend sujatha wanted some everyday recipes without much dhal. This would be a good choice. The absence of other key ingredient namely the tamarind hardly is noticable. This is one rasam you can make it" just like that" and still reap the benefits of the traditional parrupu rasam. Good as a soup too. Full of flavor and freshness in every sip you take. Try it and you will agree.

Ingredient

To be roasted in a teaspoon of ghee and powdered

3/4 teaspoon thur dhal
3/4 teaspoon urad dhal
1 and 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 red chiilies
1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon coconut

other ingredients

2 cups tomatoes chopped
3 cups water
curry leaves
a pinch of turmeric powder
salt to taste

To season;

1/4 teaspoon jeera
1/4 teaspoon hing

Method

Crush the tomatoes in the water add the turmeric and bring it to a boil and when the raw smell goes add the powder and salt and switch off the stove.Season it with ghee, jeera and hing when you are about  to serve.

Pressure cooker method

Mix all the ingredients in your pressure cooker and cook it for one whistle and season it the same way . Now how easy is that!

Apple gojju

Gojju is a typical karnataka version of  vatral kulambu. Gojju has been an all time favarite for our family. I learned this art of making gojjus from my mother in law whose narthankai gojju is the ultimate. She makes the powder fresh everytime and that's the kick to it. The gojju to be descriptive, has all the tastes a tongue can distinguish, married well in the tamarind sauce. The jaggery added balances the flavours. Gojjus are pretty much made with any vegetable but i preffer the less privileged ones like bitter guard, narthankai, manathakkli vatral, lemon etc. It tastes exotic when you make it with fruits like apple. Though i made it with apple for the first time it had a grand welcome.

Ingredients

1 cup apples chopped
1 big lemon sized tamarind juiced
2 teaspoons urad dhal
5 redchillies
1/4 teaspoon jeera
less than 1/4 teaspoon pepper
less than 1/4 teaspoon methi seeds
jaggery 1 teaspoon heaped
oil
salt to taste
a pinch of turmeric

Method

Dry roast the urad, chillies, methi, pepper and jeera in to a coarse powder. Heat the oil in the pan and temper it mustard and hing. Then add the apple pieces and the turmeric powder and saute them till the apple turns glossy. Pour in the tamarind juice and cook the apples in that for a while or till raw smell goes away from the tamarind. Add as much as water you may want along with the tamirind juice itself. Once the mixture starts boiling add the ground powder and salt and switch off the stove after it comes to a boil.Add the jaggery. It's ready to serve.