Chakli / Murukku

Chakli / Chakralu / Murukku :

Chakli is all time favourite savoury anyone / everyone will surely love to eat. It is such a tempting snack, I would think before I taste a piece. I am too scared that I cannot stop till they are all done. (Without thinking of the after eating effect )

Stopping here, I would jump to writing the recipe.

Ingredients:
For the Murukku Powder
(You can also use ready mix if available)
Rice : 4 cups
Urad Dal - 1 cup

For making the dough
Butter : 100 grms
Sesame seeds - 3 tspn
Hing : 1/2 tspn
Salt for taste
Water enough to form a dough

For Chakli
Oil for deep frying

Method:
For making Murukku Powder
1) Wash Rice and Urad dal separately, drain water and spread it on a cloth. Let it dry in room temperature for about 30 mins.
2) Now, take small portions of urad dal and dry roast them till they turn light golden brown.
3) Similarly roast the rice, just enough to let go the moisture in it.
4) Now, mix both together and blend them into a fine powder.
For making the dough
5) Take a broad mixing bowl, and spread butter evenly all around the bowl, till you think its melting.
6) Now, add the powder to this and add sesame seeds, Hing and salt and mix all together.
7) Add water little by little and little and make it into a soft dough.
8) Now make equal portions of the dough just nice to fit into the chakli maker

Cylindrical Shapped dough portions. Ready to enter the Muruku/Chakli Maker / Press

9) Now, out of the options you get in the press use the one with single star, and put the dough into the maker and press on small plastic sheets / banana leaves / wax paper. (whichever is available) into spirals as big as you want.

10) In the meanwhile, take a deep frying pan, and heat enough oil.

11) Once hot, slowly drop the pressed chakli into the oil, and deep fry on medium flame till they turn light golden brown.



Murukku / Chakli pressed on small sheets of Plastic paper.

Pressed Chakli ready to be deep fried.

Chakli ready to be tasted.

12) Now, you can store these in air tight containers and best served with a hot cup of coffee / even along with sambar rice or rasam rice. :) Yum..

Note:
1) You need to knead the dough as much as you can. This will prevent the chakli from breaking in between while you are trying to make the spirals.
2) In case the chakli is breaking while pressing, you can use little water and make the dough a little softer (if it turned out to be hard) and knead again and press.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Rava Idli / Steamed Semolina Idli

Rava Idli

One of the best in the menus of Darshani's in Bangalore. Its steamed, healthy and very
tasty. The best part is its instant and no preliminary preparations to it. Here you go with the recipe

Ingredients:
Semolina / Rava - 1 cup
Sour / Fresh Curd - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
Urad dal - 1 tspn
Channa Dal - 1 tspn
Cashews - 1/4 cup (Optional)
Oil for roasting the rava. - 2 tspn
Salt to taste
Grated Carrot - 1/2 cup (Optional)
Peas - 1/2 cup (optional)
Soda - a pinch (optional)

Method:
1) Roast semolina with 1 tspn of oil  till the rava turns light golden brown and transfter into another plate and keep aside.
2) In the same pan, add another tspn of oil and once hot, add mustard seeds, cashews, urad dal and channa dal and
3) once they turn golden brown pour the roasted semolina into the oil and give it a good mix and keep it aside.
4) To this mixture, add 1/4 cup water, salt, curd, coriander leaves and mix well and keep this mixture aside for about 10 mins.
5) Just before steaming the idlis, check the above mixture, it should be idly batter consistency. If not, add the remaining water and now add soda and give it a good mix.
6) Now, take the idli plates, and place 3-4 peas in each part of the plate and place one layer of grated carrot over the peas.
7) On this pour the batter covering the green peas and carrot. Do not pour the batter too full. Just pour 3/4 of the portion, giving the idlis space to get fluffy.
8) Now place the filled plates in the idli cooker or steamer and steam for about 15 - 20 mins.
9) Check if the idlis are cooked by piercing a knife or a tooth pick right in the center. If it comes out neat and clean, then the idlies are cooked.
10) Now scoop the idlis from the stand and place it on the serving plates upside down.
11) The green peas and carrots would look lovely with a grt colour combination and needless to say, the idlis would taste yum. (While I made these, I was in a hurry so, did not put the green peas and carrot at the bottom of the idlis :( )
12) Serve hot with any chutney or sagu of your choice.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Green Peas Dhokla

Dhokla

This is one of my favourite steamed Gujrati snack and I was wondering how do I make it as fluffy as we get in the sweet stalls back in India.

That's when, I got the message that one of my Friend does amazing dhoklas and checked with her on the recipe. This is what my expert friend advised me, and the Dhokla's came out excellent. Thanks a lot Rikta for your valuable input. :)

Here you go with the recipe.

Ingredients
for the batter:
Besan - 1 cup
Semolina - 2 tspn
Salt to taste
Buttermilk - 1.5 cups (Approx)
Eno/Soda - 2 tspn or as desired
Ginger - 1 tspn (Grated)
Green Chillies - 2 (Finely chopped)
Peas - 1/2 cup (Optional)

For the seasoning:
Oil - 1 tspn
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tspn
Sesame seeds - 1/2 tspn
Dry red chilli - 1 no (Broken)
Coconut - 2 tspn
Lemon juice - 2 tspn

Method:
1) In a bowl, mix the dhokla batter with all the ingredients listed under "For batter), except for eno/soda and keep aside.
2) Take a cooker vessel or a plate in which you wish to steam the dhoklas and grease it with some ghee or oil and keep aside.
3) Just before you want to steam heat the water in a cooker.
4) Now, mix eno / soda to the batter mix gentle and pour this mixture in the cooker vessel and place it in the boiling water.
5) Steam it for about 10-15 mins and turn off the stove.
6) Once done, take a pan, add oil, and once hot, add mustard seeds, red chillies and sesame seeds and hing and pour this mixture over the dhokla and using a spoon spread it all over the vessel.
6) Take a knife cut the dhoklas into the pieces of desired shape, and
7) Pour lime juice mixed with sugar and sprinkle some coconut.
8) Dhoklas are ready to be served hot with tamarind chutney and green chutney

Note:
1) The peas can be added after blending it to a smooth paste into the batter and then steam it for better taste and consistancy.
2) Optionally, you can also puree palak, or any vegetable of your choice.

The above updates are after receiving feedback from Rikta. :)

Cheers!
Madhavi

Gobi Paratha

Gobi / Cauliflower Paratha

Ingredients:
For the dough:
Wheat flour : 1 cup (for the dough)
Wheat flour : 1/2 cup (For making parathas)
Salt to taste
Sugar - 1/2 tspn
Water - just enough to make a dough
Oil for making parathas

For the stuffing:
Cauliflower : 1 cup (Finely chopped)
Onion ; 1/2 finely chopped
Chilli powder : 1/2 tspn
Garam masala : 1/4 tspn
Chat masala : 1/4 tspn
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tspn

Method:
1) In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour, salt, sugar and using water as required make a soft dough and keep aside.
2) In a pan, add oil, and once hot, add onions and once they are done add cauliflower and cook well.
3) Now, add chilli powder, garam masala, chat masala and salt to taste and mix well and cook for another minute.
4) Keep the mix aside.

For making the parathas
5) Make a large orange size ball out of the chapati dough and roll into a circle.
6) Take one spoon full of cauliflower and place it in the middle of the small chapati and close all the sides.
7) Pat the stuffed dough with some wheat flour and roll again to form a larger circle.
8) Heat a pan and put the rolled paratha and cook it on both sides and
9) You can use oil / butter to spread over the parathas while they are cooking.
10) Repeat the same for rest of the dough and serve with curds and pickle. You can also eat with your favourite subjis too.

This recipe is going to http://vardhiniskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/12/lgss-stuffed-paratha-event-announcement.html by Vardini



Cheers!
Madhavi

Omelet Chitranna Masala / Omelet Fried Rice

Omelette Chitranna Masala / Omelette Fried Rice

Today was the day when my husband was back home a little earlier than usual for his lunch. And I had to rush to work, so just cooked the basic preparation of rice and dal (this is just nice for my 14 months old uff not old, infant son). Planned to complete cooking when I am back home at noon.

So, my hubby grabbed this opportunity to make one of his delicacies and that's with egg. We are eggetarians and so use egg at times in our cooking. We have seen this kind of dish on the streets of Kuala Lumpur and hence want to call this a Malaysian Cuisine :)

Here is one of the quick and easy and a nutritional lunch which anyone can think of.

Ingredients for this recipe:
Fried Rice (I used Onion Rice) - 1 cup
Egg: 1
Chilli powder - 1 pinch
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tspn

Method:
1) In a bowl, break the egg and beat it well.
2) Now, add salt and chilli powder and mix it well.
3) Take a pan/ tava and pour this mixture to make omelet.
4) Once its cooked, add the Fried rice in the middle and fold it on all 4 sides to form filled omelet square.
5) Its ready to be served with sauce of your choice.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Kajjikai / Stuffed coconut Pastry

Kadubu/ Kajjikai / Stuffed coconut Pastry

Its a festival time and  we are all looking for making lots of sweets, savories and cakes. Here is one of a very tasty savoury, which is one of my all time favorite.

The stuffing to this pastry can be of a lot of varieties, here is my recipe with a dry coconut stuffing/filling. Here you go with the Ingredients,

Ingredients:
For the dough
Maida/All purpose flour - 1/4 cup
Fine Semolina / Chiroti rava - 3/4 cup
Salt to taste
Butter - 1/4 cup or
Hot oil - 1 tbl spn
Water sufficient to mix the dough

For the filling:
Dry coconut - 1 cup (Finely grated)
Sugar - 1 cup
Ghee Roasted Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tspn
and oil for deep frying


Method:

For the dough:
1) In a mixing bowl, add Butter and spread all over the bowl. (if you are using hot oil, you can skip this step and add oil on top of the dry mixture and mix well and continue with step 3.)
2) To this add maida, salt, semolina and salt and mix all the ingredients thoroughly well.
3) To this add water as needed and make it into a dough (Just like how you make for puris) and keep aside.

For the Filling
4) Now, for the filling, add dry coconut, sugar, cardamom powder and cashews mix well and keep aside.

For the Pastry
5) In a frying pan, add enough oil for deep frying and keep the flame low.
6) In the meanwhile, make small lemon sized balls and keep aside.
7) Roll each ball into small puris (Preferably make oval shaped puris) and
8) Add 1 tspn of the filling in the center of the puri and close the puri to make it into a semi - circle leaving the filling locked inside.
9) Now, lock or seal the puri to make sure the filling is secure inside and does not spill out into the oil while deep frying.
10) Repeat this to the rest of the balls. and drop these stuffed puris into the hot oil and deep fry.
11) You will have crispy stuffed coconut pastry ready to be served for any festival or even as a dessert in your parties.

Note:
1) You can store these pastries in air tight container for more than 2 weeks.
2) You can customise the filling to your taste.
      Options for the filling: You can also add semolina, crushed Dalia, Crushed poppy seeds and many more.

Enjoy!
Madhavi

Onion Chilli Uthappam

Onion Chilli Uthappam

A delicate most tasty recipe in dosa corner. I can call it a Indian spicy pizza and its so tasty....

Ingredients

For the batter:

Urad dal - 1 cup

Dosa Rice - 3 cups

Channa Dal - 2 tbl spn

Toor Dal - 2 tbl spn

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbl spn

Beaten rice / poha - 1 handful
Sugar - 1 tbl spn
Salt to taste.

For Toppings
Onion - 1 Large finely chopped
Green chillies - 2 nos finely chopped
Carrot - 1 small grated
Coriander leaves - 2 strands chopped
Curry leaves - Around 15 leaves finely chopped
Tomato - 1/2 coarsely chopped (Optional )
Ground nuts (broken) - 1/2 cup fried
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1) Soak all the above ingredients together for about 8 hours with sufficient water

2) Then, grind the mixture into a fine paste and add salt to this and set aside to ferment for about 8 hours.

(I usually soak the mixture in the morning, grind in the night before going to bed, and let it to ferment through the night)

3) Once the batter is fermented (You will notice a increase in quantity so place the bowl on a big plate or give enough space in the bowl for the mixture to increase) give it another good mix with some sugar and its ready to make dosas.


Making of Uthappam:
1) Take a flat pan, and once it is hot, put 1 tsp oil, mustard, add onion, chillies, green leaves and saute for 30 seconds in medium flame. Transfer the lightly fried mix to another plate.
2) On the same flat pan, once it is hot, take one cup full of dosa batter and pour it in the center of the pan, and spread lightly  in circular motion forming a thick dosa.
3)Evenly spread the onion mix on the batter quickly, sprinkle ground nuts, carrot  and press using spatula so that the mixture settles well with batter.
4) Spread oil around the dosa and allow it to cook/roast well.
5)Take a spatula and try to lift the dosa starting from the edges.
6)Top it up with some butter. and serve with chutney or sambar.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Mallige Idly / Rice Idly

ಮಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಇಡ್ಲಿ

My Mother in law makes the best idlis and we all love to eat them dozens when she makes. We usually will have idlies all day if we have the batter ready at home. We dont get bored to eat them at all. (its healthy and tasty) ;)

Ingredients:

Idly rice - 1 cup

Urad dal (Whole) 1/2 cup

Poha / Beaten Rice - one handful.

Salt - a pinch

Soda - a pinch (Optional)

Ghee - 2  tbl spn

Method:

1) Soak all the three ingredients separately for about 8 hours with sufficient water

2) Then, grind each separately into a fine paste and mix them together with salt and set aside to ferment for about 8 hours.

(I usually soak the mixture in the morning, grind in the night before going to bed, and let it to ferment through the night)

3) Once the batter is fermented (You will notice a increase in quantity so place the bowl on a big plate or give enough space in the bowl for the mixture to increase) give it another good mix, and add soda and beat it well.

4) Now take the Idly plates, slightly grease them with ghee and pour the mixture into the idly plate and steam it for 5 mins. (as shown in the pic)

(You can use the pressure cooker as well, but do not put the weight on it)

5) Once the idlis are steamed scoop them out carefully using a sharp edged spoon.

6) Serve hot with Coconut chutney / Sambar.

Cheers!

Madhavi

Shahi Jeera Pulav

Shahi Jeera Pulav:

This is a most simple and tasty one pot meal. Best recipe when your fridge is running out of vegetables and you are digging in your fridge to find something to make use of :)

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 1 cup (I used normal rice)
Sugar - 1 tspn
Cumin seeds - 1 1/2  tspn
Green chillies - 2 finely chopped
Pudina - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (Finely Chopped)
Onion - 1 finely chopped
Ginger garlic Paste - 1 tspn
Salt to taste
Ghee / butter / oil - 3 tspn
Water: 2 cups

Method:
1) Take a pan, add 1 tsp and add rice and fry for 2 mins and soak in the water for min 30 mins. (If you have a rice cooker, just soak the rice in the same vessel)
2) In the same pan, add remaining ghee and once hot, add jeera, and add sugar and let it melt and turn brown (Caramelise)
3) To this add onions, salt and saute for a minute.
4) Now add ginger garlic paste , green chillies and saute till raw smell leaves.
5) Then add chopped Pudina and Coriander and saute for another 30 secs and pour this mixture into the soaked rice and turn on the rice cooker to cooking.
6) If you are using cooker, then saute the above mixture  and add the soaked rice and let it whistle twice when its done.
7) Shahi Jeera pulav is ready to be served with your favourite raita or any subji of your choice.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Coconut Semolina / Kobbari Uppittu / Upma

Coconut Upma / Coconut Semolina

How many times are you bored to spent hours making dosa in the morning, or making chutney for idly and making it a detailed breakfast.

Today is one of those days, where I ran out of bread and NO Batter in the fridge to make dosas. I was looking to make something quick as I woke up late after a late Sunday night. (I know it is a bad planning) Sometimes its good to get lazy. :)

Yeah, this is a quicky and fortunately one of my husband's favourite breakfast too. So, here you go with this less than 10 min recipe. :)

Ingredients:
Semolina - 1 cup (Pre-roasted)
Ginger - 1 inch Piece finely chopped
Green chillies - 2 nos (Finely chopped)
Coconut - 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Hot Water - 1 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
Channa dal - 1 tspn
Urad dal - 1 tspn
Salt as per your taste.
Ghee for garnishing (Optional)
Oil for tempering - 2 tspn

Method:
1) In a pan, add oil, and once hot, add mustard seeds.
2) Once they splutter, add channa dal and urad dal and fry them till they turn golden brown.
3) To this add Water and Milk together and add salt to taste
4) To this add ginger, coconut and bring it to a boil.
5) Add semolina slowing mixing it into the boiling water making sure there are no lumps formed.
6) Once done, close the lid on the pan and let it cook for 1 minute.
7) Now, open the lid and add ghee and close again and let it cook for another minute and turn off the stove.
8) Serve hot with chutney powder / Pickle / even chutney of your choice.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Cheese and Onion Toast

Cheese and Onion Bread Toast

Bread has become our most common breakfast during working days. And I wonder how anyone can eat slices of bread with Orange marmalade  or Mixed fruit jam (The spread that I have at home) always. :) So, after a leisure reading of my blogger recipes I came up with my own recipe.

This recipe is mostly cooked using a Oven, but I tired without oven and it was excellent. A perfect morning with Bread toast and a glass of Orange Juice.

Enjoy the recipe!

Ingredients:
Bread - 2 slices
Cheese - 1/2 cup (Grated or you can also use Pasta Cheese)
Onion - 1/2 (finely chopped)
Green Chillies - 2 nos or as per your taste
Tomato - 1/2 (finely chopped)
Milk - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Italian herbs - 1 dash
Salt as per taste

Method:
1) Lightly toast the bread and keep aside.
2) Take a pan on medium heat and add cheese, onion, green chillies and tomato and mix well with little salt.
3) Make sure the raw smell of the onion leaves and now, add chilli powder and Italian herbs and give it a mix.
4) To this add milk, (Make sure the mixture is not too dry coz you need to spread it on the bread) and mix it well and cook for another 30 secs and turn off the flame.
5) Now, take this mixture and spread on one side of the bread and toast it on the tava/griddle or even better if you have a oven just grill it in the oven.
6) Now cut the bread diagonally (Or in your own way) and serve with tomato sauce and mayonnaise.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Garlic Spaghetti with Vegetarian Sauce

Garlic Spaghetti with Vegetarian Sauce (Real quick recipe)

Ingredients

Spaghetti
Olive Oil
Ready spaghetti Tomato sauce
Garlic
Italian herbs
Cheese

Steps
1. Slice the garlic in to thin wafers and keep aside.
2. Take a pan, add 5 tbsp of olive oil in to pan, add garlic in to the pan.
3. Turn on the stove and keep flame to low. Let the garlic fry slowly till light golden brown.
4. In parallel, take a deep bottom vessel, add enough water with salt to taste and bring it to boil.
5. Add Spaghetti in to the boiling water,  leave for 10-15 mins till it is cooked, drain, keep aside. (al dente)
6. Once garlic turns brown, add spaghetti sauce, sprinkle Italian herbs and sauté for 2 mins in medium flame.
7. Take a mixing bowl, transfer cooked spaghetti, add 2 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle Italian herbs, add 1 spoon of spaghetti sauce preparation and toss the spaghetti.
8. Serve spaghetti with topping of prepared sauce and garnish with cheese.


Cheers!
Balu

Bajji Masala

Bajji Masala

What a snack on the cool and rainy evening !!! Very simple and tasty. Mirch Bajji is a very famous Indian snack available almost every where. This is also one of very few dishes that men can make. Usually men do this for their cocktail parties. 

Ingredients for making a plateful of Bajji Masala (6 bajjis)

Bajji (Green Pepper, Capsicum)

Onion finely chopped - 1 cup

Carrot grated - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves for garnish - 1/4 cup

Lemon juice (fresh) - 2 tbsp

Meetha - 1/4 cup

Green chuntney - 1/4 cup

Chaat masala - 1 tbsp

Salt for taste

Garam masala - 1 tbsp

Chilli powder - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Prepare bajji's. Refer to bajji preparation section. 

2. Slit the bajji's and place it in the plate. 

3. Sprinkle salt evenly on all the slit bajji's

4. Sprinkle Chilli powder, Garam masala, Chaat masala evenly on all the split bajji's

5. Spread Meetha and Green chutney on all bujji's (use spoon).

6. Garnish chopped onions, carrot and coriander leaves. Squeeze lemon finally. 

7. Enjoy..... A hot tea or a chilled beer makes perfect evening with this snack. 

Cheers!

Balu

Pudina Bath | Pudina Rice

Pudina Bath


This is one of my mom's recipe. The story goes like this, we happened to go to a restaurant (Darshani's in Bangalore) for a quick light lunch and there we were introduced to Pudina Bath. My mom tried this out and prepared it in the morning for our school lunch boxes. Getting nostalgic sometimes missing my mom I end up cooking this dish. :)

Its so easy and tastes really good in packed lunch as well. We loved it and she too loved to make it as its healthy and tasty as well.

Ingredients:
Rice - 2 cups (Preferably Basmati rice)
Fresh Green Peas - 1 hand ful (I used frozen ones)
Green Chillies - 3 chopped lengthwise.
Onions - 2 chopped lengthwise
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tspn
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tspn
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (Finely chopped)
Kasoori methi - 1 hand ful
Coconut milk/Fresh milk - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Whole garam masala - 2 each (Cloves, cardamom, Star aniseed)
Bay leaf - 1
Butter and ghee - 1 tbl spn each
Water : 2 cups
Lemon juice - 2 tbl spn (Optional)


Method:
1) Fry basmati rice with little ghee and soak it in 2 cups of water and coconut milk for at least 30 Min. (if you dont have time to do this step. Do not bother) :) (I soaked it in the vessel of electric cooker itself)
2) In a pan, add butter and ghee, once hot, add all the garam masala and the bay leaf, and fennel seeds.
3) Next, add green chillies, onions and saute till they get slightly transparent, and then add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.
4) Once done, add the mint leaves, coriander leaves and green peas, saute for another minute and add salt to taste.
5) Now add kasoori methi by crushing them between your palms.
6) Put this mixture into the rice where you soaked in the vessel of electric cooker, and turn it on to cook.
7) Once done, it will automatically drop and its ready to serve.
8) Garnish with fried onions/lemon juice. (Optional)
9) Serve with Raita or any subji.
10) Veg Kadai goes well with this.

Note: If you are using pressure cooker, fry the ingredients directly in pressure cooker and pour the soaked rice. let it cook till done. (Around 2 whistles should be good)

I am reposting this entry to send to http://www.kaarasaaram.com/2011/12/announcing-royal-feast-biriyani-and.html

Cheers!
Madhavi

Cucumber and Sesame curry/Gojju

Cucumber and Sesame curry

Ingredients:
Cucumber - 1 (Chopped into 1 inch thin pieces)
Sesame seeds - 4 tsp
Tamarind Juice - 1/2 cup
Grated Jaggery - 1/4 cup
Rasam/Curry Powder - 2 tspn
Oil - 2 tspn
Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
Jeera - 1/2 tspn
Curry Leaves - 2 strands
Green chillies - 2 (Slit lengthwise)
Hing - 1/4 tspn

Method:
1) In a pan, dry roast the sesame seeds till they turn golden brown colour and once they cool to room temperature, blend them into a fine powder and keep aside.
2) In a pan, add oil, once it is hot, add mustard seeds, jeera. Once they splutter add curry leaves and Green chillies and hing.
3)Now add chopped cucumber and saute till cucumber is 3/4 cooked.
4) Then, pour the tamarind juice, add salt, Rasam / curry powder, sesame powder and jaggery and simmer it till all the ingredients mix well.
5) Check the seasoning, if required add some more jaggery or tamarind to adjust.
6) Its now ready to serve with rice/chapathi / ragi mudde, etc.

Reposting the recipe to send to http://ambrotos.blogspot.com/2011/12/veggiefruit-of-month-cucumber.html Veggie/Fruit of the Month-Cucumber



Cheers!
Madhavi

Bendi Masala

Bendi Masala

Ingredients:

Ladies Finger : 1/4 kg (Slit into 4 length wise and then cut into 1 inch pieces)

Onion: 1 no. (Sliced lengthwise)

Tomato : 1 no. (Sliced lengthwise)

Chilli powder : 1 tspn
Coriander powder : 1 tspn
Jeera Powder : 1/2 tspn
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbl spn

Method:
1) In a pan, add oil, once hot, add cut ladies finger and cook till they turn slightly brown.
2) Now, add onions and saute till done,
3) To this add all the masala (Chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, turmeric powder and salt) and mix well.
4) To this add tomatoes and wait till all the masala and ladies finger blends well together.
5) Garnish with coriander leaves and Bendi masala is ready to be served with Chapati / Rice of your choice.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Vegetarian Pasta in white Sauce

Vegetarian Pasta

Ingredients:
Pasta: 1 pack of 100 grms
Peas : 1/2 cup
Carrots : 1/2 cup Cut into cubes
Tomato : 1 no.
Onion : 1 no. (Sliced)
Garlic : 2 cloves
Broccoli : 5 florets
Milk: 100 ml (Qty Varies based on the pasta you are using)
Water: 200 ml (Qty Varies based on the pasta you are using)
Chilly Flakes : 2 tsp
Cheese powder : 3 - 4 tsp (or as per taste)
Parsley - 1/4 cup
Italian herbs seasoning : 2 tsp (or as per taste)


Method:
1) Cook pasta in the mixture of milk and water (for total qty of milk and water please check the instructions on the pasta pack you are using) till Al Dante and keep aside (Retain the sauce which is left over)
2) In a pan, add olive oil and garlic and turn on the stove.
3) Once the garlic turns brown, add onions,salt. chilly flakes and saute till they are done and not turn brown.
4) Now, add the rest of the vegetables and give it a gentle mix, and once they are cooked just nice (Al Dante), add the cooked pasta along with the sauce and give it a good mix.
5) Garnish with cheese and Italian herbs and some parsley.
6) Pasta is ready to be served hot.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Note:

1) I cooked the pasta and reduced the sauce as low as it can be, as my family doesn’t prefer too saucy pasta.

2) You can modify the ingredients as per your taste and add more vegetables like bell peppers, baby peas, etc.

Kodbale

Kodbale/Koloda

 It literally means, "a bangle made out of a mixture". I figured this out during a casual conversation with my in laws and they gave me this explanation.

Anyway, now you know, with in-laws around we have experts/pros on board and am back with an authentic snack recipe.

This is a snack which most of the Kannadigas love to eat and relish. We love to eat these with Hot cup of Filter coffee / Tea during the evenings. Usually, this is a delicacy we enjoy when anyone returns from Bangalore and a must for my MIL to make. (You know why.. its my Hubby's fav snack) :)

Here you go with the detailed recipe and enjoy making it and storing it to relish with a HOT CUP OF COFFEE.. :)

Kodbale, Travelled all the way from Bangalore to Kuala lumpur :)

Ingredients:
Rice Flour - 4 cups (We used Red rice flour/ Kempuakki hittu)
Maida Flour/all purpose flour - 1 cup
Fried Gram dal / Uragadle - 1 cup
Chiroti Rave / Bombay Rava - 1 cup
White sesame / Till - 1/4 cup (around 4 tspn)
Jeera - 4 tspnButter - 1/4 cup (around 50 grms)
Hing - 1 tspn (around 25 grms)
Fresh Coconut - 1 cup grated
Dry coconut - 1 handful (Optional)
Dry Red chillies/Byadige mensinayi - 1/2 cup (or as per your taste)
Oil for deep frying
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Take Maida/all purpose flour and dry roast till good aroma comes out and keep aside.
2) Take Chiroti Rava/Bombay rava and dry roast till good aroma comes out and keep aside.
3) Take Roasted bengal gram/Urgadle and blend it to a fine powder and keep aside.
4) Now take Byadige menasina kai and blend it to a course powder and keep aside. (Make sure it is dry enough if not, you can dry in for 1-2 hours under sunshine on a hot day)
5) Now take fresh coconut and dry coconut and blend it to a fine powder with as little water as possible, and keep aside.
6) Now take a broad basin and spread butter all around the basin till it melts and add Hing to it and mix well.
7) Take another basin, and make a mixture rice flour, maida, chiroti rave, uragadle powder and chilli powder and mix well.
8) Add this mixture to the basin where you have butter and then,
9) add till, salt, jeera, and hot oil (1/4 cup) to this and mix well.
10) Now, add ground coconut and mix well.
11) In another small basin, and keep aside 1/4 portion of the mixture and mix well with enough water to make a hard dough.
12) Now, make small ball from the dough, knead it well and roll it to make a long cylindrical string, and shape it into a bangle as you see in the photo. (make sure the dough is not dry and does not crack.)
13) And now these are ready to deep fry. 14) Repeat step 11 to 13 for the remaining flour.

NOTE:1) Do not make a dough with large quantity of mixture. It will make the kodbale sour and tends to break while kneading / frying.

 2) Deep fry on a medium flame, till they are golden brown.
3) If you are making small quantity, you dont need to split the flour to make a dough.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Channa Masala | Chickpeas Masala | Chole

Chickpeas / Channa Masala

Ingredients:
Chickpeas - 1 cup (soaked overnight or for at least 8 hours)
Onion - 1 no. (Cut into fine pieces)
Green Chillies - 2 nos.
Tomato - 1 nos. (Cut into fine pieces)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tspn
Channa Masala - 2 tspn (You can use any brand you like)
Coriander powder - 1/2 tspn
Kasoori methi - 2 tspn
Turmeric - 1/2 tspn
Salt as per taste
Chilli powder 1/4 tspn (Optional)
Oil/Butter - 2 tspn
Jeera - 1/4 tspn

Method:
1) Pressure cook the soaked Channa for 15 mins or for 4-5 whistles along with salt and keep aside.
2) In a pan, add oil, once hot, add jeera and once they splutter, add onion and saute for a minute.
3) To this add salt, ginger garlic paste green chillies and saute for another 30 secs.
4) Now, add tomato and saute till they are soft and the onions, ginger garlic blends well together.
5) To this add, turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and Channa masala powder and mix well. (If the mixture is turning too dry, you can add 1 tspn of water to avoid burning)
6) Now, add the cooked Channa along with the water if which its cooked and mix well. and bring it to a boil.
7) To this add kasoori methi and cook it with closed lid for 3-4 mins.
8) Check for the salt and add if required.
9) Garnish with Freshly chopped coriander, raw onions or grated ginger (As per your taste). Or you can also top it with 1 tspn of butter, which will add on to the taste and also add extra calories to your diet :)
10) Channa masala is ready to be served with any rotis / batura or even with steamed riced.

Note:
1) While  I wanted to make channa masala, I realised that I was running out of tomatoes at home, and so, I subsituted it with Tomato Sauce and 1 tspn of aamchur and it was tasting excellent.
2) You can also skip Onions and ginger garlic to this recipe, and yet it will taste equally good.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Rice flour flat bread | Akki Rotti

Rice flour flat bread

Ingredients:
Rice Flour - 3 cups
Jeera - 1/4 tspn
Curry Leaves - 6-8 (Finely chopped)
Onion - 2 (Finely Chopped)
Carrot - 1 grated
Coyote squash or seeme badinekayi - 1/2 grated
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup finely chopped
Green chillies - 3 nos (Finely Chopped)Mixed
Salt to taste
Butter - 2 tspn
Oil to toast each roti
Water as required

Method:

1) Take a broad vessel and spread the butter all over the vessel and eventually the butter starts to melt and becomes thin.
2) Now, add onions, grated vegetables, salt, jeera, green chillies, curry leaves, coriander leaves and mix well.
3) To this add the rice flour and mix well. (The water in the vegetables will be 90% sufficient to mix to form a dough) If required add little water to the above mixture and mix it well to form a smooth dough and keep aside.
4) Now divide the dough into big orange size balls and keep aside.
5) Take a flat pan, and grease it with 1 tspn of oil, and take one portion of the dough and spread it flat on the pan, to form a thin bread.
6) Now using your index finger make 4 small holes on the bread. (This will help the oil and heat spread evenly and roast the roti well). Pour 1 tspn of oil around the spread bread and
7) Keep this pan on medium heat and close it with a lid.
8) Once the bread is toasted on one side, turn it around and toast it on the other side too.
9) Now, roti is ready to be served.
10) Garnish akki roti with butter and serve with ground nut chutney.

Cheers,
Madhavi

Vegetarian Pasta - Elbows

Vegetarian Pasta - Elbows

Ingredients:
Pasta - 250 grms (I used San Remo - Elbows)
Green Chillies - 3 nos. (I used the Long ones)
Green Peppers - 1/2 no.
Red Peppers - 1/2 no.
Tomato  - 1 no.
Broccoli - 6-7 florets
Onion - 1 nos. (Chopped length wise)
Garlic cloves - 3 nos. (Crushed and chopped into fine pieces)
Carrots - 1 no.
Baby Peas - 7-8 nos. (Whole peas)
Baby corn - 4 nos.
Cheese - as per taste
Olive oil - 4 tspn
Italian Herbs - 3 tspn or as per taste (I used McCormic Italian herbs)
Salt as per taste

Method:
1) Cook pasta with little salt and olive oil as per the instructions mentioned on the brand you use and keep aside
2) Boil broccoli and carrots till al dente and keep aside.
3) Take a pan, add olive oil, and add garlic and then turn on the stove.
4) Once the garlic is turning golden brown, add chopped onions, small amount of salt and saute it for a minute.
5) To this add baby peas, baby corn and saute till done.
6) Now add the boiled broccoli and carrots and saute for another minute.
7) To this add Italian herbs and give a gentle mix.
8) Then add tomatoes and the cooked pasta and stir carefully.
9) Now, add some salt if required and add grated cheese.
10) Garnish with some Italian herbs and extra cheese as desired and serve hot.

Note:
1) I eventually ended up having less vegetables in my recipe. Its your choice to add more vegetables if desired.
2) Please modify the seasoning as per your taste.

Cheers!
Madhavi