Dal makhni May 19, 2009

This is a simple dish and is full of proteins. I make it often to go with chapatis and bhagra rice.Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Black eyed beans/ Bobbarllu – 1 cup soaked and boiled thoroughly.

2. Onions – 1 finely chopped

3. Tomatoes – 2  pureed.

4. Paneer – grated 1 tbs

5.  Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbs

6. Coriander – to garnish

7.  Salt  – to taste

8.  Curd – 1 tbs

9.  Turmeric – 1 pinch

10.  Oil – 1 tbs

11.  Red chilli -  According to taste.

Method:

1. In a pan add 1 tbs oil, onions and let then fry for 2 minutes. Now add the ginger garlic paste and fry until the onions turn transparent.

2. Now add the tomato puree, turmeric and the boiled beans. Cover with a lid and cook for about 3 minutes.

3.   Now add grated paneer, coriander, salt, red chilli powder and Finally curd and switch of the stove.

4. Granish with coriander and serve with hot rotis.

Dondakaya pachadi May 19, 2009

Donadakaya/ tindora  is another vegetable with which we can make varieties of recipes. Just like brinjal we can make Guthi dondakaya, Dondakaya uli karam, donakaya fry, dondakaya masala and so on and so forth..For today I tried Donakaya Pachadi..

Ingredients:

1. Dondakaya/ tindora – 15 ( Wash and cut into small round pieces).

2.  Green chillies -  4 – 7 ( according to spice level)

3. Garlic clove – 1

4. Jeera – 1 tbs

5. Oil – 2 tbs

6. Salt – according to taste

7. Tamrind/ imli – an inch piece. ( wash and keep aside)

8. Coriander – to garnish.

For poppu/ Tadka:

1. Mustard seeds :

2. Curry leaves – 4

3. Red chilli – 1

4.  sanaga pappu / chana dal – 1 tbs

5. minapappu / Urad dal – 1 tbs

6. Hing- a big  pinch

7. Turmeric – a pinch

Method:

1. In a shallow pan add 1 tbs oil,  finely chopped donakaya/tindora and  green chillies let them fry for a while on medium high. ( Cover the pan with a lid and don’t burn the bottom it will spoil the taste )

2. When the donakaya/tindora is 90% done ( prick to see if its done) add the tamrind/ imli  turnoff the stove and keep it aside to cool for 5 minutes with lid.

3. Now take a mixie/blender add the donakaya/ tindora , 1 tbs jeera, 1 garlic clove , salt  and grind. (don’t grind too much it will become a paste. Grind just for few seconds, don’t worry if u have some dondakaya/ tindora pieces un mashed).

4. Now empty the jar into a serving bowl and keep it aside.

5. In a poppu/tadka pan add 1tbs oil  add Sanagapappu, mina pappu, and let them turn golden brown. Now add a mustard seeds, hing, jeera and let them splutter. Finally add the curry leaves and immediately add this to the pachadi/ chutney.

6.  Garnish with corinader and serve with hot rice.

Califlower Manchurian February 6, 2009

I bet this dish needs no introduction. It is a famous,delicious, and easy dish. So I will not rant further but just leave you with the recipe.

Ingredients:

1.  Califlower – 1

2. onions – 1

3. capsicum – 1

4. scallions/ spring onions – 1

5. Oil – 3 cups

6. food color – a pinch ( optional)

7. corn flour – 2 spoons

8. maida – 2 spoons

9. rice flour – 1 spoon (adjust accordingly)

10. Ginger – 2 cloves (finely chopped)

11. Ginger – 1/2 inch. (finely chopped)

12. Chili powder – 1 tbs ( adjust according to taste)

13. Soy sauce -  2 tbs

14. lemon juice -1 tbs

Method:

1. Cut the cauliflower into florets,wash and microwave for about 5 minutes and dry  and set it aside.

2.  In a large pan heat oil for about 3 cups  on a med-high flame.

3.  Now add all the flours together, add salt, food color, chilli powder and prepare the batter.

4. Now dip the florets into the batter and put them slowly into the oil.

5. Let them fry until they are golden yellow or orange and then set them aside in a bowel.

6.  Now repeat them till all the florets are done.

7. Now in a different pan heat some  1/2 tbs oil in a pan, add onions, capsicum,spring onions and add 2 tbs soy sauce and add all the fried florets into that and toss.

8. Garnish them with lemon juice if required.

Shahi Tukda February 6, 2009

Shahi tukda sounds like authentic royal moughal dish right, Ofcourse it is.  I made this for the first time and touch wood It came out delicious. Believe me it was totally finished in a day. It ’s neither simple or complex, takes a little patience and the result of the wait some mouth smacking dish.

Ingredients:

Bread (you can take anything like whole bread milk bread) – 1 whole packet ( 20-25 slices)

Milk – 1/2 litre (1/2 milk can)

nuts – cashew nuts, pista, badam, walnuts (other nuts of your choice)

sugar – 1 – 2 cups (adjust according to taste)

ghee – 1/2 tbs

vanilla essence – 1 tbs

condensed milk -  3-5 tbs (adjust according to taste).

Method:

1. In a large sauce pan (should n’t be too shallow)  add the milk and let it boil for about 45 minutes to 1 hour on a low-medium heat. ( stir occasionally)(The milk should should form like ribbons when toss, kind of semi solid texture which some thickness)

(add sugar ,vanilla essence and condensed milk after 30 minutes  before you turn of the stove)

2. Cut the bread into large or small triangles without the edges.

3. Now fry the bread both the sides occasionally using some ghee.

4. After the milk is totally boiled and done set it aside for awhile.

5. Now on a large tray place the breads one on one as layers of 2-3 and spread the milk over it.

6. Now sprinkle all the nuts and refrigerate for about 1 hour and serve.

Dondakaya kurra.. December 23, 2008

Donakaya or Ivy gaurd can alomstbe cooked like brinjal in so manydifferent ways. Just the cutting part will take us  a bit if its a fry. I make lot of varities with donakaya donkaya pachadi, donakaya fry, donakaya ulli karram to name a few.

Ingredients:

1. Donakaya/tindora – 15-20

2. Onions – 2

3. Green chillies – 3

4. Ginger garlic paste – 1tbs

5. Jeera – 1tbs

6. Groundnuts/peanuts /palli – 3 tbs

7 .  Chilli podwer – required

Seasoning:

1. Mustard seeds – 1tbs

2. Curry leaves – 5

3. Cinnamon- small piece (optional)

4. Urad dal/ sanaga pappu – 1tbs

5. Turmeric – a pinch

Method:

1. Slit the dondakaya and keep them aside.

2. Finley chop the onions, green chillies.

3. In a pan put 1 tbs oil and fry onions, green chillies,jeera and peanuts until they just turn soft and then grind them into a paste. Add 1 tbs salt after grinding .

4. Now stuff the paste into the dondakaya.

5. In the same pan again add 1/2 tbs oil and add mustard seeds,curry leaves, cinnamon stick,urad dal/ sanaga pappu, Turmeric and ginger garlic paste and let them splutter.

6. Now add the stuffed dondakaya into the pan and cover with lid and cook on medium low fame for about 20 minutes. (Turn occasionally).

7. If you have the paste still remaining after the filling then add that extra paste too.

8. Serve with hot rice.

Cabbage Carrot curry December 23, 2008

This is the regular cabbage carrot peas curry but with a little different variation.

Ingredients:

1. Cabbage – grated-  2 cups

2. Carrot – grated – 1 cup

3. Peas – 1 cup

4.  ginger garlic paste – 1 tbs- optional.

5. Basil powder – 1/3 tbs.

6. Turmeric – a pinch.

Seasoning:

1. Mustard seeds – 1tbs.

2. Curry leaves – 5

Method:

1. In a large pan add 1 tbs oil and add mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, ginger garlic paste and let them splutter for few seconds.

2. Now add all the grated vegetables and mix well.

3. Cover with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes. (Stirring often).

4. Now add salt and cok for about 5 minutes.

5. Is now ready to serve with hot rice or rotis.

Palli Chutney December 23, 2008

I just love chutneys/pickles.  If I have hot rice or idli’s / dosas to go with them. I am sure its  heaven for me.

Ingredients:

1. Palli/ground nuts – 1 cup

2. Green chillies – 3

3. Tamarind – 1 small piece(wash and dry)

Seasoning:

1.  Mustard seeds – 1tbs

2. Urad dal – 1 tbs

3. Jeera – 1 tbs

4.  Red chillies -1

5. Hing – 1 pinch

Method:

1. In a pan add the ground nuts, chillies and tamarind and fry for about 5 minutes.

2.  let them cool for about 10 minutes, grind and add salt.( add a pinch of sugar and water to make it smooth )

3. In the same pan add 1 tbs oil, hing, mustard seeds ,urad dal, jeera , red chillies.

4.   Garnish with corinader if  needed.

5. serve with hot Idlis, Dosas, upma and even katte pongali.

Kobbari Annam December 21, 2008

Rotini Pasta… December 15, 2008

I have a little saga to tell you for this dish..When I first came to US my dear husband who was trying hard to make me taste different cuisines.One  day he took me to a fine Italian restaurant.  We had our seats, ordered some xyz pasta ( I don’t remember the name ),  dear husband was busy explaining me delicious  the dish is and  I just couldn’t wait to get that dish into my mouth. As soon as our order was at out table my eyes grew bigger in anticipation..The dish looked ( just looks) great . I took a fork and put a piece in my mouth and lo..all the anticipation, drooling came to a simple end. My husband asked how it taste I simply did not say anything instead I made faces..which he could understand how good the dish is..I didn’t like it ( he explained me his similar first time experiences with pasta) . It was completely bland no sign a pinch of spice. Somehow it tasted weird to me. Soon after that incident one weekend my husband made the same dish at our home with a touch of spices to it and then to my surprise it was so tasty that I had a bowl full. The next time we went to the same restaurant  and ordered the dish. But this time we customized according to the taste I liked at the home and believe me I just started liking the Pasta..

But now pasta is something which we make almost couple of times a month..Here is the recipe

Ingredients:

1. 1 box whole wheat rotini pasta ( serves 4 )

2.  Capsicum – 1 cut into cubes

3.  Onion – 1 big  finely chopped

4. Garlic -  1 clove – crushed finely

5.  Carrots – 1 cut into rounds

6. Tomato – 1 chopped

7. Broccoli – 8 pieces

8.  Parmesan cheese – to garnish

9. Marinara sauce – I use  tomato basil  combination. (There are many a varieties )

10. Crushed red chilli seeds

11. olive oil – 2 tbs

12. Water -  3 cups

13. Salt – adjust according to taste

Method:

1. In a large deep pan add 3 cups water and let it boil for about 5-7 minutes.

2. Add 4 drops of olive oil to the water  and add the whole wheat pasta. Let it boil till the pasta is thoroughly cooked. (U can prick with a forck to see if its cooked)

3.  Now in a  deep pan add 2 tbs olive oil, crushed garlic, onion and saute for 1 minutes. Now add tomatoes,  capsicum, carrots and broccoli and sprinkle a big pinch of salt and cover them with a lid ( Don’t burn the bottom)

4. Once the vegetables are 90 5 done add the boiled  pasta  to it. Immediately add the marinara sauce to it and mix well.

5.  Now according to taste add the crushed red chillies and empty the pasta into a serving bowl.

6. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Pallakurra Kurra! December 15, 2008

Pallakurra Kurra.. My mother always used to make different dishes with pallak and made us to eat them with a dallop of ghee..(as it a vegetable rich in iron and calcium). And it aswell tastes great. So here it is one of my mothers recipe of pallak.

Ingredients:

1. Pallak – 1 packet or 1 bunch ( I prefer bunch to the packet as it is easy to cut and as well it is more fresh)

2. Onions – 1

3. Tomatoes – 1 (optional)

4. Green chillies

For seasoning:

1. Mustard seeds – 1 tbs

2. Jeera – 1 tbs

3. Hing – a pinch

4. Minnapappu/ Moong dal -  1 tbs

5. Sanaga Pappu / Chana dal – 1tbs

6. Red chillies – 1

7. Turmeric – a pinch

Method:

1. Wash and chop pallak, onions,tomatoes and green chillies.

2. In a pan put 1 tbs oil, mustard seeds, jeera, Hing, Minnapappu/ Moong dal, Sanaga Pappu / Chana dal, Red chillies,Turmeric . (Let them splutter)

3. Now add the chopped onions and tomatoes and fry for about 2 mins and then add green chillies and pallak.

4. Let it fry for about 10 minutes.

5. Finally add 1/2 tbs  salt and serve with Roti/ rice.