Chana Masala (No added onion and garlic, made of dry roasted coconut paste)

Chana Masala (No added onion and garlic, made of dry roasted coconut paste. Best with batura / poori / chapatti … My amma’s recipe !!

Serves: 4

For the dry roasted coconut paste:

Ingredients

1/2 coconut, grated  

6 dried red chillies (medium size) or 8 dried red chillies (small size)

1 tablespoon (15 g) coriander seeds (kothamberi)

1/2 teaspoon peppercorns

½ teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

½ teaspoon perunjeerakam (saunf)

2 cardamoms

2 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

Method

Heat an iron kadai. Dry roast grated coconut for 15 - 17 minutes on a low to medium heat or until the moisture completely dries up from the grated coconut and also started getting light brown color.

At this point, add dried red chillies , coriander seeds, jeera, perumjeerakam, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom and  cinnamon. Dry roast on a low to medium heat for another 15 minutes or till golden color. Switch off the heat. One can notice a color change in red chillies, grated coconut and also a nice aroma. Add turmeric powder and stir well. Keep aside to cool for 20 minutes.

 Transfer the dry roasted  coconut mixture into a  small mixer bowl and make a paste. Sprinkle 2 – 3 tablespoon of water if required to make a smooth paste.

For chole (channa):

1 cup (200 ml / 8 oz – Indian standard measuring cup) chole (white chick peas)

2 ½ cups water (500 ml)

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon salt

Method

Wash and soak Kabuli channa / white channa for 6-8 hours (or overnight) in 2 1/2 cups water (500 ml). Add salt and turmeric powder and pressure cook (pressure cook along with soaked water – Final water level should be 1 – inch above chole / channa / chickpeas) for 30 minutes ( reduce heat from high to medium after 3rd whistle and cook for 25 minutes ). Allow to cool naturally. Open the lid , keep aside to cool for 15 – 20 minutes. Reserve 1/4 - ½ cup (50 - 75 ml) stock for later use.

Final preparation:

In a bowl or pressure cooker itself (without pressure cooker lid), mix boiled chana (along with stock) with 3 tablespoon (or to taste) dry roasted coconut paste. Add extra ½ cup water (water level should be ½ - inch above chana and coconut masala) if required. Adjust salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a normal lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 – 12 minutes until chana combined with coconut paste / fragrant. Serve with batura / poori / chapatti / phulkas ..

Ganga Jamuna Dosa (no added urad dal)

Ganga  Jamuna Dosa  (no added urad dal) – Tasty dosas, best with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, pickle , sambar ..

Makes: 6 dosas

Ingredients

Please use same measuring cup to measure whole wheat, rice flour, curd and water. Here I used Indian standard measuring cup of 100 ml / 8 pz capacity.

1 cup whole wheat (gehum ka atta)

1 cup rice flour

1 cup curd

1 ½ cup + ¼ cup water

½ teaspoon salt

Method

In a bowl, mix whole wheat, rice flour, curd and  1 ½ cups of water. Mix well and make a batter of pouring consistency and without any lumps / smooth batter (like dosa batter). Add ¼ cup extra water if required. Cover and keep aside for 4 hours.

For the seasoning:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a pan on a medium heat.  Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add jeera  and sauté on a low heat for 1 minute. Add thinly sliced onion and fry till golden color. Switch off the heat. Finally mix with chopped coriander leaves. Pour this seasoning over dosa batter.

Preparation of Dosa:

Heat  a  dosa tawa / griddle  on a medium heat.  Sprinkle little oil.  Pour a ladleful ( approximately 120 ml ) of the batter into it. Spread it  evenly by  2- 3 circular rotations using the base of the ladle, starting from the centre and progressing outwards. Close with a lid.

Allow to cook for about 1 minute and then turn the other side and cook again for 30 – 40 seconds until done / golden color.  Carefully remove it with a flat spatula and serve hot  with chutney / pickle / sambar.

Coriander Leaves Chutney (with garlic, onion and tomato)

Coriander Leaves Chutney (with onion, garlic and tomato) - A delicious chutney, goes well with idli, dosa, vada, pakoda ... This type of Malli  chutney is popular in several restaurants in Chennai.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 onions, roughly chopped

10 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tomato, finely chopped

1/2 bunch (1 cup ) coriander leaves , wash & roughly chopped ( including stem )

1/2 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

Method

Heat oil in a pan on a medium heat. Add chopped onions and fry till light golden in color.

Add chopped garlic and fry light golden in color.

Reduce the heat to low and add red chilli powder and turmeric powder.  Gently sauté on a low heat for 1 minute until the raw smell goes.

Add chopped tomatoes, chopped coriander and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well ( do not add water ).

Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes ( till tomato - onion - coriander mixture thickens ).

Allow the mixture to cool naturally and make a smooth paste in a mixture ( Do not add water ).

Serve with Dosa / Idli / Medu Vada / Pakoda / Bonda ..

Masala Dosa

Here's the recipe link of Masala Dosa