Sambar Rice

Sambar Rice

Serves: 2

You will need

1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon jeera (cumin) seeds
1/2 teaspoon urad dal
1 green chilli, slit lengthwise
6 curry leaves
1 tomato, finely chopped (pick well ripe)
3 teaspoon sambar powder (homemade / 777 brand Madras sambar powder / MTR / Everest / Melam / Eastern)
1/4 teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
2 cups (400 g) cooked and cooled rice
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Method

Dilute sambar powder and hing in 2 tablespoon water and keep aside. Make a smooth solution.

In a wide pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add jeera and urad dal. Stir for 1 minute.

Add slit green chilli and curry leaves. Saute for 2 minutes.

Add finely chopped tomato and mix well. Stir continuously for 2 minutes.

Add diluted sambar powder mix and stir well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 5 - 8 minutes or until the tomato - sambar mix / gravy thickens.

Add cooked and cooled rice and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook again for 8 minutes or until the tomato - sambar mix well mixed with rice and fragrant.

Serve hot with Pickle / Pringles / Potato chips / Curd ...

Red rice Idiyappam (Sevai / String hoppers) Upma / Usli

Red Rice Idiyappam (Sevai / String hoppers) Upma / Usli

A delicious breakfast dish or an evening snack !!!!

Serves: 2

You will need

1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon jeera (cumin) seeds
1/4 teaspoon urad dal
1 onion, finely sliced
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1/2 - inch piece ginger, finely chopped
6 curry leaves
5 French beans, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
10 red rice idiyappam (or normal white rice idiyappam), break into small pieces

Method

Separately boil carrots and French beans (or microwave high for 4 minutes 30 seconds).

Heat oil in a wide pan. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add jeera and urad dal. Saute for 1 minute.

Add sliced onion and fry on a low to medium heat until golden color and crisp.

Add slit green chilli, ginger and curry leaves. Stir well for 2 - 3 minutes until fragrant.

Add boiled vegetables and stir well.

Add idiyappam pieces and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes or until all the ingredients well combined and fragrant. Serve hot.

How to make Star Appam ?

How to make Star Appam ?

Pour sufficient quantity of appam batter into appa kadai or appa chatty. Immediately after pouring the batter and before the batter sets in, pull the batter gently in different directions with the base of the ladle to get the star shape. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium heat until done / edges of the appam leaves from the sides of the appa kadai.

How to make triangle & Layered Parathas ?

How to make Triangular & layered Parathas ?

Roll out each ball into a thick flat round ( approximately 6 inches in diameter ).

Apply little oil / ghee, sprinkle a little flour and fold it into semicircle.

Again apply oil / ghee and flour. Fold this semicircle into half to represent 1/4 of a circle ( the shape will approximately be like a triangle ).

Sprinkle sufficient flour on this and roll it carefully to form a normal size paratha in triangular shape ( Cut and size to form triangle if it is not shaped properly during rolling ).

Heat griddle / frying pan and apply little oil / ghee. Put the paratha on it. Cook by adding oi / ghee around the edges.

Turn and fry the other side by applying oil / ghee ( adjust heat low to medium and do not cook on high heat. Approximate frying time3 - 5 minutes for each paratha ).

When brown patches appear on both sides ( also it will puff slightly ), remove from the griddle and serve hot with any Mughlai / North Indian dishes / Dal etc of your choice.

Fish Balls

Fish Balls

A very tasty deep fried snack !!!

Makes: 5 - 6

You will need

200 g boiled and boneless fish pieces
2 slices of whole wheat / brown bread
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves or curry leaves
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 cup (100 g) bread crumbs
200 ml oil (for frying)

Method

Dip bread slices in 1/2 cup water and squeeze out water immediately.

In a bowl, mix boiled and boneless fish pieces, bread slices, curry leaves / coriander leaves, green chilli, onions, salt and garam masala powder. Mix all the ingredients well and make a soft dough.

Divide the fish - bread mixture into 5 - 6 parts. Make lemon sized balls and roll it over bread crumbs. Bread crumbs should be well coated on each fish ball.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Reduce heat to medium and deep fry fish balls till golden color and crisp on both the sides (4 fish balls at a time) (Do not fry on high heat. It will get dark brown color immediately). Drain out from the oil and place on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Spicy Cabbage Idli

Spicy Cabbage Idli

A tasty dish in Konkani cuisine. Best combination with coconut chutney / green chutney / oil (Cabbejache undiye pittane kelleli cabbage idli) !!!!

You will need

Boiled Rice ( Idli rice ) – 2 cups ( 400 g )

Grated coconut – 1 cup ( 200 g )

Tamarind juice – ½ cup or tamarind paste - 1 tablespoon

Red chilly powder – 2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon

Asafoetida / hing – 1/2 teaspoon

Salt – 1 - 1/4 teaspoon ( or to taste )

Shredded Cabbage – 250 g ( pick tender and remove thick nerves )

Cooking oil- 2 teaspoon

Method

Wash and soak raw rice for 5 - 6 hours ( or overnight ). Grind with grated coconut, tamarind juice, red chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt. (if you add tamarind juice while grinding, then no need to add extra water). Grind until the batter is fine consistency.

Transfer this batter to another container / bowl and mix with asafoetida / hing and finely shredded cabbage. Stir continuously for 5 minutes. Add extra water and salt if required and batter should be just like '' idli batter and pouring consistency.

Grease idli moulds with little oil.

Pour batter in each mould very gently and steam in steamer / National slow cooker / steam in pressure cooker (without weight) for 15 - 18 minutes on a medium heat. Allow it to cool for 10 - 15 minutes and remove carefully from each mould with the help of a greased spoon. Serve with coconut chutney / green chutney / tomato chutney /oil.

My new camera Nikon CoolPix L120

My new camera Nikon CoolPix L120 (Diwali gift from my family !!! )


Trail photos

Pooran Poli / Puran Poli / Holige

Pooran Poli / Puran Poli / Holige (with sugar)

Makes: 5

You will need

For puran (dal mixture):

1 cup (100 g ) chana dal

3 cups water (or 3 - maximum 3 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon ghee ( for dal )

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

For covering:

1 cup (200g ) maida ( plain flour )

3 pinches turmeric powder

50 ml gingelly oil (1 ladleful)

1/2 cup (50 ml) water

2 tablespoons oil ( for making dough )

1/4 (50 g) cup maida + 1/4 cup rice (50 g) flour ( for dusting )

2 tablespoons ghee

Method

For the dal - sugar mixture / puran:

Wash and soak chana dal in 3 cups water in a pressure cooker and cook for 20 minutes (reduce heat to medium after 3rd whistle and cook for 15 minutes or until done and soft). Drain out dal water (stock - it may be 1/4 cup stock).

Transfer the cooked thick dal into a mixer bowl and add 1 1/4 cup sugar. Make a smooth and thick paste in a mixer.

Heat a kadai / frying pan. Add 1 tablespoon ghee. Add sugar and thick chana dal paste and stir on a low to medium heat till the mixture thickens (approximate time 30 minutes on a low heat).

Sprinkle cardamom powder and mix well.

Remove from the heat and cool. Make 5 medium size lemon sized balls.

For the dough:

In a wide bowl, combine maida, turmeric powder and 1 ladleful gingelly oil. Mix with finger tips and keep aside for 10 minutes.

Knead maida mix with and enough water ( approximately 50 ml / 1/4 cup ) to make a smooth chapatti dough. Finally add extra 1 tablespoon oil and make very soft dough. It should slip through your fingers. Keep aside for half an hour (or up to 2 hours) in an airtight container.

Final preparation of Pooran Poli:

Smear the palm of left hand with a little ghee and flatten on it one portion of the dough in the shape of a puri.

Place a lime-sized ball of dal paste in the centre. Gather up the edges of the puri, enclose the dal paste completely and pinch the seams well together.

Dust this ball generously with maida - rice flour mix. Place the dusted ball on a chapatti board and carefully roll it out into a 1/8’’ thick chapatti and place each puran poli carefully on separate plastic paper or grease proof paper.

Heat a non stick frying pan. Reduce heat to medium, place the rolled puran poli carefully on the frying pan from plastic sheet / grease proof paper and fry till golden color on both the sides ( turning it over once or twice carefully; smear little ghee while frying).

Egg Noodles

Egg Noodles

Serves: 2

You will need

1 packet egg noodles
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, finely sliced
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 French beans, cut into cubes
1 carrot, cut into cubes (or desired shape and size)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon tomato chilli sauce
1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

For omelette:

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon milk
2 teaspoon oil

Method

For omelette:

Beat eggs with salt, pepper and milk. Heat oil in omelette pan. Pour the egg mixture evenly and make omelette. Keep aside to cool for 10 minutes and later cut it into 1 - inch strips.

For noodles:

Cook noodles according to the instructions shown on the packet.

Separately boil vegetables and keep aside.

Mix soy sauce, tomato chilli sauce and sweet chilli sauce together and aside (sauce mix).

Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Reduce the heat to medium and fry onion till golden color.

Add chopped garlic and fry for 3 - 4 minutes.

Add boiled carrot and French beans. Mix well.

Add sauce mix and stir well.

Add cooked noodles and omelette strips. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes or until the noodles well blended with sauce mix and omelette strips. Serve hot.

Spring onion, Potato, Low fat cheese & Eggs Frittata

Spring onion, Potato, Eggs & Low fat Cheese Frittata

Serves: 2

You will need

1 tablespoon oil
2 potatoes, boiled and sliced
2 eggs, beaten
4 spring onions, finely sliced
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon low fat cheese , grated

Method

In a small non-stick frying pan, heat oil over a medium heat. Add boiled and sliced potatoes and fry on a low to medium heat for 5 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, spring onions, coriander leaves, salt and pepper.

Heat the grill / pre heat oven at 180 *C.

Tip the eggs into frying pan, mix quickly, lower the heat, then sprinkle over cheese. After about 8 minutes, once the top side has almost set, pop under the grill for 2-3 minutes or until firm and golden or transfer this to a greased baking tray and bake at 200 * C for 15 minutes or until golden color on top. Slide out of the pan. Eat straight away with mayo or ketchup or cool quickly and chill.

Malvani Fish Fry

Malvani Fish Fry

Makes: 6
Serves: 2 - 3

You will need

6 pomfret slices (net weight 250 g)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 cup (100 g) rice flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
200 ml oil for frying

For the marinade (2nd marinade)

1 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon thick tamarind paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons thick ginger - garlic paste (fresh and homemade)

Mix above ingredients together and make a smooth paste.

Method

Wash and clean fish pieces. Drain out water thoroughly. Wipe each fish pieces with a kitchen towel. Apply lemon juice and salt (1 st marinade) and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Apply 2nd marinade evenly on each fish pieces and keep aside for 1 hour.

Mix rice flour with chopped coriander leaves and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Dip each marinated fish pieces over rice flour - coriander mix and coat well evenly. Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Reduce heat to medium and deep fry fish pieces till golden brown color and crisp on both the sides (3 fish pieces at a time).

Drain and place on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil.

Serve with Rice or Green chutney as a snack.

Green Chutney

Serves: 2 - 3

Ingredients

1 cup ( 200 g ) chopped coriander leaves ( or 150 g coriander leaves and 50 g mint leaves - wash mint and coriander leaves and drain out water thoroughly )

1 onion, chopped

2 teaspoon lemon juice

2 green chillies

1/2 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

1/2 teaspoon sugar ( or to taste )

1/2 - inch piece ginger

Method

Make a thick paste of above ingredients in a mixer with very little water. If you need thick chutney, do not add more water during grinding ( or you can adjust the consistency with 2 - 3 tablespoon water ). Serve with  fish fry.

Chicken Soup Curry

Chicken Soup Curry

Best combination Rice / Rotis !!!!

Serves: 3

You will need

1 tablespoon oil
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 cardamoms
1 onion, finely sliced
3/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon (15 ml) ginger - garlic paste
300 g chicken pieces with bone (or leftover chicken pieces)
1 cup (200 ml) water
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder in 2 tablespoon water and keep aside (spice mix).

Wash and clean chicken pieces.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon. Fry on a low heat till fragrant.

Add finely sliced onions and fry till golden color and crisp on a low to medium heat.

Add diluted spice mix. Stir well for 2 - 3 minutes until the raw smell goes and well blended with onions.

Add ginger - garlic paste and mix well for 2 - 3 minutes.

Add chicken pieces, salt to taste and 1 cup (200 ml) water. Mix all the ingredients well.

Close cooker. Bring to full pressure on high heat for 4 whistles. Switch off the heat. Allow the cooker to cool naturally.

Open the cooker. Add chopped coriander leaves. Stir gently. Serve hot with Rice / Rotis.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala

A very popular and very tasty dish !!!! Best combination with Naan / Butter Naan / Garlic Naan !!!

Serves: 3

You will need

For tikka:

500 g boneless chicken (pick tender chicken), cut into 1 - inch pieces
1 teaspoon oil

For the marinade:

2 tablespoon (30 ml) ginger - garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds) powder
3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix all above ingredients together and make a smooth paste. Do not add water.

Method

Wash and clean chicken pieces. Drain out water completely and wipe each piece with a kitchen towel.

Marinate boneless chicken pieces with above marinade (apply evenly) and keep aside in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Take the marinated chicken pieces at least half an hour before baking. So that the chicken pieces can be at the normal temperature by the time we start baking.

Preheat oven (OTG) at 180 * C or 350 *F (moderate).

Grease baking tray with 1 teaspoon oil. Arrange chicken pieces and bake at 180 * C or 350 *F for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden color. Allow to cool for half an hour.

For Chicken tikka masala:

You will need

1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, finely sliced
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 tablespoon ginger - garlic paste
500 g baked or grilled chicken tikka pieces
50 ml water (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoon (30 ml) fresh cream
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder in 2 tablespoon water and keep aside (spice mix).

In a frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon butter on a medium heat. Add finely sliced onions and fry until golden color.

Add diluted spice mix and stir well for 2 - 3 minutes or until the raw smell goes.

Add tomato puree and stir well.

Add ginger - garlic paste and stir well for 2 - 3 minutes.

Add baked or grilled chicken tikka pieces. Mix all the ingredients well. Add 1/4 cup (50 ml) water and salt to taste.

Cover with a tight lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 10 - 12 minutes or until the gravy thickens and red in color. Switch off the heat.

Finally add 2 tablespoon (30 ml) fresh cream. Stir gently.

Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with Naan / Butter Naan / Garlic Naan or any other Indian bread of your choice.

Mango Sheera / Mango Rawa Kesari

Mango Sheera / Mango Rawa Kesari (with mango juice)

A delicious sweet !!!!

Makes: 1 steel thali (7 - inches in diameter)

Serves: 6 - 8

You will need

1 tablespoon ghee
1 cup (100 g) rawa / sooji / semolina
200 ml mango juice (Tropicana / Real / homemade - without sugar)
1 teaspoon raisins (optional)
1 teaspoon chopped cashew nuts (optional)
1 cup ( 85 - 100 g) sugar
2 pinches cardamom powder
Extra 1 teaspoon ghee (to grease thali)

Method

Grease a steel thali with 1/2 teaspoon ghee and keep aside.

Heat ghee in a frying pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add sooji. Stir well continuously on a low to medium heat for 15 minutes or until fragrant and color changes. Maintain low to medium heat.

Add chopped cashew nuts and raisins (optional). Stir well for 5 - 8 minutes.

Add mango juice. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 8 - 10 minutes or until the mixture dries up / leaves from the sides of the pan / form a soft ball.

At this point, add sugar. Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook again for 5 - 8 minutes. Open the lid and stir well continuously for 5 more minutes or until the mixture leaves from the sides of the pan / thickens. Sprinkle cardamom powder.

Pour the rawa mixture on a greased thali and sprinkle remaining 1/2 teaspoon ghee over it and spread it evenly with a flat spatula. Keep aside to cool for half an hour and later cut it into desired shape and sizes.

Milkmaid Condensed Milk Malai Pedas

Milkmaid Condensed Milk Malai Pedas

Makes: 20

You will need

300 ml milkmaid condensed milk
200 ml boiled milk
1/4 teaspoon citric acid or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon corn flour
2 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 tablespoon ghee
Extra 2 teaspoon ghee

Method

Dilute 1 teaspoon corn flour in 2 tablespoon water and keep aside. Make a smooth paste.

Heat ghee in a wide pan. Add milkmaid, milk and citric acid or lemon juice. Continue heating on a medium heat and allow to curdle.

Add corn flour paste after it completely curdles.

Continue cooking on a low to medium heat till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan (approximate time 12 - 15 minutes) and slightly thickens.

Apply ghee on palms and shape into pedas. Decorate with cardamom powder.

Puran Poli / Pooran Poli / Holige (with sugar)

Pooran Poli / Puran Poli / Holige (with sugar) - no food color used

Makes: 5

You will need

For puran (dal mixture):

1 cup (100 g ) chana dal

3 cups water

1 tablespoon ghee ( for dal )

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

For covering:

1 cup (200g - 225 g) maida ( plain flour )

3/4 cup water

2 tablespoons oil ( for making dough )

1/4 (50 g) cup maida + 1/4 cup rice (50 g) flour ( for dusting )

2 tablespoons ghee

Method

For the dal - sugar mixture / puran:

Wash and soak chana dal in 3 cups water in a pressure cooker and cook for 20 minutes (reduce heat to medium after 3rd whistle and cook for 15 minutes or until done and soft). Drain out dal water (stock).

Heat a kadai / frying pan. Add 1 tablespoon ghee. Add sugar and boiled thick chana dal and cook on a low heat till the sugar completely dissolves / dal - sugar mixture thickens (approximate time 12 minutes on a low heat).

Sprinkle cardamom powder and mix well.

Remove from the heat and cool. Then grind it to a soft paste without adding water. Divide into 5 parts and keep aside.

For the dough:

Knead together maida (225 g) and enough water ( approximately 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon ) to make a smooth chapatti dough. Keep on adding oil little by little till you get a very soft dough. It should slip through your fingers. Keep aside for half an hour (or up to 2 hours) in an airtight container.

Final preparation of Pooran Poli:

Smear the palm of left hand with a little ghee and flatten on it one portion of the dough in the shape of a puri.

Place a lime-sized ball of dal paste in the centre. Gather up the edges of the puri, enclose the dal paste completely and pinch the seams well together.

Dust this ball generously with maida - rice flour mix. Place the dusted ball on a chapatti board and carefully roll it out into a 1/8’’ thick chapatti and place each puran poli carefully on separate plastic paper or grease proof paper.

Heat a non stick frying pan. Reduce heat to medium, place the rolled puran poli carefully on the frying pan from plastic sheet / grease proof paper and fry till golden color on both the sides ( turning it over once or twice carefully; smear little ghee while frying).

Pepper Soy Chicken

Pepper Soy Chicken

A very delicious chicken curry, goes well with fried rice, noodles and rotis !!!

Serves: 3

You will need

1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, finely sliced
1 tomato, cut into cubes
500 g chicken, cut into medium pieces
1 cup water (100 ml)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Other ingredients

For the shallot - ginger - garlic paste:

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)
3 green chillies, medium size
1 teaspoon pepper powder
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 - inch ginger piece, chopped
8 shallots / small onions, chopped
1 tablespoon water

Make a smooth paste of above ingredients with 1 tablespoon water in a mixer / blender. Keep aside.

Method

Wash and clean chicken pieces. Drain our water thoroughly.

In a frying pan, heat oil. Add sliced onions and fry till golden color on a low to medium heat.

Add cubed tomato pieces and stir well for 2 - 3 minutes.

Add shallot - garlic - ginger paste. Stir well on a low heat for 3 - 5 minutes or until the raw smell goes.

Add chicken pieces, water and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 25 - 30 minutes or till done / chicken pieces softens and gravy thickens.

Add soy sauce and cook again for 5 minutes.

Add chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Serve hot with Rotis / Fried rice / Noodles.

Mint Cutney

Mint Chutney

Best combination with Tandoori dishes & North Indian snacks !!!!

Makes: 2 1/2 cups
Serves: 6 - 8

You will need

1 cup (100 g) mint leaves, chopped
2 cups (200 g) coriander leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
4 green chilies (medium size), seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons pomegranate seed powder (Anardana)
1/2 cup (50 ml - 3 tablespoons) thick yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lime

Method

Grind all the ingredients except yogurt, salt and lime juice to make a smooth paste. Sprinkle very little water when making paste (2 - 3 teaspoon).Then mix in the yogurt, salt and lime juice (This recipe partially adapted from Moti Mahal).

Bengali style Aloo Dum

Bengali Style Aloo Dum

A spicy potato dish simmered in yogurt flavored with fragrant spices and piquant green chillies.

Serves: 2

You will need

3 tablespoons oil (45 ml)
1 bay leaf
1 stick cinnamon
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
250 g baby potatoes, boiled and peeled
1 tablespoon tomato puree
3 tablespoons (45 ml) thick yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, roasted and powdered
2 teaspoon finely chopped coriander leaves

Method

Mix yogurt with red chilli powder and ginger paste. Make a smooth solution and keep aside.

Heat oil in a wide frying pan. Reduce heat to medium and fry bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms. Saute till they fragrant.

Add boiled and peeled baby potatoes. Fry on a low to medium heat till they turn golden color (approximate frying time 12 minutes).

Add tomato puree. Mix well.

Add yogurt - ginger paste - red chilli mix. Stir well.

Add salt and sugar.

Add finely chopped green chillies. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 10 -12 minutes or until the gravy thickens, well coated on potatoes and red in color.

Sprinkle cumin powder. Decorate with chopped coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with Rotis / Puri / Luchi ...

No Egg French Toast

No Egg French Toast

Serves: 1

You will need

2 slices of brown / whole wheat bread
3/4 cup boiled milk (75 ml)
1 tablespoon custard powder
1 tablespoon sugar (or according to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon butter

Method

In a bowl, mix milk and sugar well.

Stir in custard powder, ensure there are no lumps. Add cinnamon powder and vanilla essence. Mix well and make a smooth solution.

Heat 1/2 teaspoon butter in a non - stick frying on a medium heat. Do not cook on high heat.

Dip each slice of bread into milk - custard solution and shallow fry on a low heat until golden color on both the sides.

Sprinkle remaining butter on other side of the bread slice.

Serve hot with milk or fruit juice.

Maladdu

Maladdu

A very delicious sweet. Rich in taste and high in calories !!!!

Makes: 10

You will need

1 cup (100 g) split roasted gram dal / pottu kadalai/ porikadala
1 cup (100 g) sugar (or 75 g - 90g - medium sweet)
1/2 cup (50 ml) melted hot ghee (or 30 - 40 ml)
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method

Make fine powder of pottukadai and sugar separately.

In a wide bowl, mix powdered sugar, pottukadai and cardamom powder together.

Pour melted hot ghee over it. Mix all the ingredients together.

Roll the mix tightly into laddu / small balls (10 laddus / balls). Size can vary as per preference. Spread them on a tissue paper so that any residual ghee will be removed. Store in an air tight container.

Gulab Jamun (made from MTR Gulab Jamun Mix)

Gujab Jamun (made from MTR Gulab Jamun Mix)

Please use same measuring cup to measure Gulab Jamun Mix, sugar and water.

Makes: 11

Ingredients

1 cup / 200 ml MTR Gulab Jamun Mix (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)
1/4 cup (3 tablespoons) milk
2 teaspoon oil / ghee
225 ml oil for frying
1 cup / 200 ml  sugar (or 1 cup + 2 tablespoons)
1 cup / 200 ml  water (or 1 cup + 2 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method

In a wide bowl, add 1/4 cup milk gradually to 1 cup MTR Gulab Jamun mix and knead gently into smooth dough. Keep aside for 5 minutes.

Apply oil or ghee on both palms, then shape the dough into small balls.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Do not fry on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and deep fry on both the sides until golden brown in batches (5 jamuns at a time). Drain out from the oil and keep aside.

In a wide bowl, boil sugar and water for 10 minutes (until slightly thickens) on a medium heat. Switch off the heat. Sprinkle cardamom powder.

Soak fried gulab jamuns in hot sugar syrup for 20 minutes until they completely absorb the syrup. Serve warm or cold.

Karwari style Spicy Prawns

Karwari style Spicy Prawns

Serves: 3

You will need

2 tablespoon oil (30 ml)
12 curry leaves
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise

For the prawns:

500 g prawns

For the marinade:

1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 teaspoon tamarind paste
1 teaspoon jeera powder (cumin seed powder)
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon ginger paste

In a bowl, mix above ingredients together.

Method

Wash, clean and devein prawns. Drain out water thoroughly and wipe prawns with a kitchen towel. Then mix with marinade ingredients and keep aside for one hour.

In a frying pan, heat oil. Fry curry leaves and slit green chillies till fragrant on a low to medium heat.

Add marinated prawns. Do not add extra water. Mix well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes or until done / gravy thickens. Serve with Rice.

Osaman (Spiced moong dal in Gujarathi cuisine)

Osaman
( Gujarathi style spiced split gram dal (moong dal)

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For Dal:

1 cup (100 g) yellow split gram (moong dal)
4 cups water
1 teaspoon ginger - chilli paste
3 pieces of kokum or 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
2 teaspoon jaggery
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

For the seasoning:

2 teaspoon ghee
1 green chilli , slit
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

Method

For Dal:

Wash and clean dal. Soak in pressure cooker for half an hour with 4 cups of water and pressure cook for 20 minutes (reduce the heat to medium after 3 rd whistle and cook for 15 minutes). Allow the cooker to cool naturally.

When cool, blend well and add ginger - chili paste, kokum / tamarind paste, jaggery, salt to taste and turmeric powder. Boil this on a low to medium heat for 10 -15 minutes.

For the seasoning:

Heat ghee in a small pan. Add fenugreek, mustard and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add asafoetida, curry leaves and chilli. Pour this tempering over osaman. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Garnished with grated coconut (optional)t and green coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice.

Lachko or Kathan Dal

Lachko or Kathan Dal
(Gujarathi style thick yellow split gram dal)

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 cup (100 g) yellow split gram (moong dal)
4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 - inch piece ginger
1 teaspoon ghee
Salt to taste

Method

Wash and clean dal. Soak in pressure cooker with 4 cups water, chopped ginger and turmeric powder. Pressure cook for 20 minutes (reduce the heat to medium after 3 whistles and cook for 15 minutes).

When cool, remove and drain out water from top in another bowl and use it for ‘’ kadhi or osaman ‘’.

Heat ghee in a small pan, add asafoetida and cumin seeds. Saute for 2 -3 minutes until fragrant and light brown color. Pour this over cooked split gram.

Churn the cooked dal to smooth consistency. Return to heat, add salt and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

When it is thick, switch off the gas and serve with rice.