Sambar

Ingredients:

1 cup Toor Dal

1 cup Vegetables( Drumstick, french beans, brinjal, radish, carrot, yellow pumpkin, Okra) u can add or relace any veg.

2 sliced onions thickly sliced
2-3 tomatoes thickly sliced

1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds

3 Red chillies

2 Green chillies

2 tsp Sambhar powder

Curry leaves

a pinch Hing

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Mustard

1/4 tsp Tamarind paste
1tblsp jaggery

2 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp of red chilly powder
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1tsp grated ginger

Method:

Wash and dice all the vegetables.

Boil water and pressure cook the dal with turmeric and salt. Give 2-3 whistles till the dals become tender.

Then take a another vessel ,add the vegetables , onions, haldi, salt & tomatoes. After the veggies are  70% cooked, add 1tsp shambar powder, some curry leaves tamarind paste & jaggery.  Mix well & let them boil. When veggeis are done add the boiled dal & mix properly.

Heat  oil in a pan, splutter mustard & fenugreek seeds. Add red chillies, green chillies, curry leaves, hing & chopped garlics & ginger. Fry for some time and then add sambhar powder and 1/4 tsp of red chilly powder. keep frying for a few sec.  

Add the tadka to the sambar. Mix well. Sprinkle some corianders.

Serve with Dosa/ appam/ idlis.

Methi Khakra

Yumm.....i just love methi Khakra...It is a favorite , terrific tea time  gujarati snack made from wheat flour & methi leaves. It is very versatile and can be eaten as snacks or you can also take it with evening Tea . It's very simple to make! So lets start the recipe...

Ingredients

2 cups wheat flour

1/2 cup finely chopped fenugreek leaves or you can add the dried fenugreek leaves

1 tsp ajwain

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

2 tsp oil

Method

Mix all the ingredients and knead by adding little water at a time, till it becomes stiff dough. Keep aside covered for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 15 portions and roll out each portion into very thin rounds with help of a little flour.

Heat the Tawa in medium high heat. Add one rolled out portion of the dough, add 1 teaspoon of oil and keep pressing  (The pressing can be done with a wooden press or a cotton cloth or something else in your kitchen that will work as a press) and turning it on the griddle not allowing it to puff.

Continue this pressing and turning for a few minutes. Turnover and continue the press and turn method on medium heat until the rounds become crisp. Now the crisp rounds called khakra’s are ready. Store in an air-tight jar.

sending this to SYF&HWS - Fenugreek Seeds : hoasted by vardhiniskitchen.blogspot.com

Milky Paneer with fried Cashews:

It is a another recipe which I just love to have with chapati. When I am lazy to cook on an curry  for my family, it is one of the first dish which comes to mind. It is very easy to cook & the taste is also superb.so friends here is the recipe....

Paneer 200 gm

Curry leaves

Milk  1 cup

Kaju 10-15

Salt as per the taste

Sugar ½ tsp

Cumin seeds- ½ tsp

Red chilly powder- ¼ tsp

Oil 2tblsp

1tsp cornflr

Method:

Heat 1 tblsp oil in a kadai. Fry the panner & keep aside.

Add remaining oil in that kadai. Splutter cumin seeds. Add curry leaves & kaju. Fry for some time. Then add red chilly powder to the oil. Add milk. Let the milk boil for 1-2 min.
Take a bowl. add 3tblsp water & add 1tsp cornflr to it. Mix well & add in the boiled milk. Let it boil for another 1-2 min. Whne the gravy becomes ltl. bit thick then add the  fried panners. Adjust salt & sugar as per your taste. When the gravy becomes little bit thick then swich off the flame. Serve with roti/naan/paratha.

Sending this to  Ammaji Recipes: Cooking "Without Onion & Garlic" event

Crispy methi puri

Ingredients

1 cup chopped  fresh fenugreek (methi) leaves

1 cup maida

3 tbsp wheat flour

2 tbsp thick curds

1 tsp ginger paste

½ tsp green chilli paste

1 tsp oil

salt to taste

Combine the fenugreek & salt and allow to rest for 10 minutes till the liquid is released. Use this liquid to bind the puri dough.

Take a bowl . Add chopped methi leaves. Add  maida, atta, curd, ginger ,green chilly paste, salt  and knead into soft dough, using a little water if required. Divide the dough into 15 equal portions. Roll out each portion into a thin circle of about ½" diameter.

Heat  a kadai. Add sufficient oil.Fry  till the puris are golden brown. Cool it & Store in an airtight container. Serve as a snacks.

Rava upma

Ingredients:

Rava 1 Cup

Ginger 1 “length (grated)

Chana dal 1 Teaspoon

Pea Nuts 1 handful

grated coconuts 2 tblsp

Curry leaves

½ tsp mustard-cumin seeds

Salt  as per the taste

Oil 2 tblsp

Cooking Method:

 Heat a kadai. Roast the Rawa for 2-3 min till you get the aroma of Rawa & the rawa turns to slightly brownish. Keep the roasted rawa aside.

 Heat oil on a pan and add mustard-cumin seeds. When they pop add chana dhal . When they turns  to golden brown, add curry laves. sauté for a min,add the grated ginger. When the onion turns golden brown, add the  peanuts.Fry till the peanuts are cooked properly.

Add  1cup of water. When water starts boiling add the roasted rawa, salt & grated coconuts & Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes and turn off the gas. Let it cool on the remaining heat. Ready to serve with guguni (yellow mutter curry) or dalma or sambar.

Gulgula:ଗୁଲୁଗୁଲା

Gulgula is a popular sweet local snacks of Odisha, made from wheat flour, rawa and jaggery or sugar syrup. The ingredients used in gulugula are very basic pantry staples. So, you can make it whenever you want .I tried  it @ home and everyone liked it & I thought of sharing this recipe . It goes well when served with yellow mutter curry...yummm...muuunh mein pani agaya.........so friends here it is.....

Ingredients:

1 cup rawa

1 ½  cup sugar syrup ( You can also add Jaggery as per your taste to the gulugula instead of using sugar)

3tblsp wheat flour (used to bind the gulugula properly)

1 tblsp  Fennel seeds

Refined oil for frying

Baking powder ½ tsp

Aleicha ( Big Cardamom) - 2pcs

Salt ½ tsp

Water as required

Method:

Take a deep bowl, add  Suji, wheatflour, sugar syrup,fennel seeds, cardamom, baking powder and salt and mix it well.Keep the batter aside for at least 2 hour. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai for deep frying the gulgulas. Make pingpong size  balls from the batter by using your hands and Put one by one to the hot oil. Fry the gulugulas in the medium flame  til they are crisp golden brown.switch off the flame. Serve hot with guguni ( Yellow mutter curry).

Kaju Paneer (Paneer in rich Kaju Gravy)

Ingredients:

200gm  Paneer, cut into 1 inch cubes

2large tomatoes( grind it & make puree)

2 large onions  chopped

1 cup of cashew nuts  (grind it to a fine powder)

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 tbsp coriander powder

1 tbsp cumin powder

1tsp kashmiri red chili powder

1 tsp turmeric

½ tsp Cumin Seeds

1 inch Cinnamon

3 Cloves

1 Bay Leaf

1 tsp Sugar

1 Tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves

2 Tbsp Oil

1 tsp butter

Milk 1cup

Salt to taste

1tsp garam masala

Chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai.Fry the paneer pieces & keep them aside.

Heat Oil in a pan, add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf. Then add cumin seeds. when the jeera splutters add  chopped onions & saute till golden brown. Add  chili pwd , haldi , fenugreek leaves and combine. Then add ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes till raw smell disappears from masala. Add tomato puree and saute it for a min, Now add coriander -cumin pwd and salt. Now add cashew nuts powder & mix properly. Add 1/2 cups of water & sauté for 2-3 min.

Slowly add milk and let it cook for some time.Add the paneer  pieces and cook for 2 minutes in a low flame  till the gravy becomes thick.Now add 1tsp butter & garam masala  to the gravy. Mix well & turn off the gas & Garnish with coriander leaves.Goes well with roti/Puris/ naan/ paratha .

Atta chakuli (instant wheat flour dosa)

This is the another version of  my mom’s  recipe .My mom used to make this when i was a child & i just loved it. It does not require fermentation & also the ingredients are very basic pantry staples. So, you can make it just whenever you want .

Ingredients:

Wheat flour 1 cup

Rice flour 2 tablespoons

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

1 large Green Chilly finely chopped

1 large onion chopped

Salt to taste

Oil for making dosas

Method:

Mix the flours and salt in a bowl. Add water  & make a thin batter.. Add water to this mixture slowly and mix it well till it gets consistency of dosa batter. Ensure no lumps when forming the batter.

In a teaspoon of oil, temper the cumin seeds (jeera). When they start popping, add the chopped green chillies , chopped onions and roast well to bring out the flavors better.Then add this tempering to the batter. Mix well through the batter.

Heat a non-stick  tawa. Apply few drops of oil.When the tava is hot, Pour a ladle-full of batter and spread like a dosa from a height of about 5 inches.Cook it in a medium flame. Grease the uncooked side and the edges with a few drops of oil.Allow to cook for a couple of minutes on each side while turning over. The dosa is ready when browned on both sides. Serve hot with any curry, bhaja, santula or chutney.

Appam:

Appam is one of the famous  south Indian dish.. It is a small round shaped rice cake made out of rice,urad dal & oil. I tasted this for the 1^st time @ my friend’s place. It was so soft & smooth that when I placed in my mouth It melted & the taste was awesome with coconut chutney . Looking at the dish when it was served gave a sense of peace in mind as both appam & chutney were white – the colour of purity.. I tried  it @ home and everyone liked it & I thought of sharing this recipe .....so friends here it is.....

Ingredients:

1/2 cup urad dal

2 cup rice

Oil for frying

salt

Method:

Soak rice and dal  for 3-4 hours.Grind them & make  a smooth paste. Put it in a bowl & allow it to ferment for 8-10 hours.

Now take the batter ,add salt and mix well.

 Heat appam pan and add some oil to all the moulds. Now fill the moulds with batter and prepare appam .Cook on both sides. 

Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambar. The taste will be doubled when the recipe is served in a banana leaf.

Sev

Ingredients:

Besan 2  cups

Red chilly powder ½ tsp

½ tsp ajwain

Oil for frying

Salt as per taste

Turmeric powder ½ tsp

water

Mix the besan, salt , ajwain, red chilly powder 1tsp oil & turmeric powder in a bowl. Add  water. Make a thick paste, It should be mashed potatoes texture.

Now place this dough in the Sev machine; use a thick-holed mould as the base. Close the lid tightly from the top.

Heat the oil in a kadhai .Holding the utensil over the hot oil, force the mixture through the holes by turning the handle. As soon as noodles fall, slowly move the machine in a circular motion so that they do not stick together. As you press the dough into the hot oil, you will find the oil froths up in bubbles which will eventually subside as the sev turns to a golden shade. The frying has to be done on medium flame to achieve that golden color and crispness.

When the sev turns a golden color, turn over to the other side and let it also cook to a golden brown. Use a slotted ladle to remove onto an absorbent paper and cool. Repeat the same process till the rest of the dough is done..Cool and break into uniform pieces & store in an air tight container.

Mitha Atta chakuli (Instant sweet Wheat Flour Dosa)

This is the another version of  my mom’s  quick and easy recipe .My mom used to make this when i was a child & i just loved it. It does not require fermentation & also the ingredients are very basic pantry staples. So, you can make it just whenever you want . The dosa is a really soft, melt-in-the-mouth variety  ….

Ingredients

1 cup wheat flour

1/2 cup water

2 tblsp sugar/ Jaggery ( ucan add as per your taste)

salt  a pinch

butter/ Oil  1tblsp

Method

Take wheat flour into a bowl, put sugar and salt in it. Ensure no lumps when forming the batter.The consistency of the batter should be thinner than the normal dosa batter.

Heat tawa. When it becomes hot , pour a spoon of this batter and spread it.Put oil around the dosa. When it turns golden brown on the bottom, turn it the other side and remove it when both side are done.

Gulab Jamun

Gulab jamuns are staple in most parts of India, Served as a dessert. This is a traditional Indian dessert. Spongy milky balls soaked in sugar syrup. Frying  gulab jamuns is an art in itself. The flame has to be sufficiently low so that the gulab jamuns get cooked till the inside... So friends without much ado lets strat the recipe.

Ingredients:

Khoya (mawa) 1 cup (grated)

Chenna-  ½ cup (mashed)

refined flour (Maida ) 2tblsp

soda bicarbonate ½ tsp

cardamom powder- 1tsp

Sugar 1 ½ cup

Oil for deep frying

a few saffron (kesar) strands (optional)

Method

Mix the mawa and chenna properly  & add soda , maida and a little water. Make a soft dough.

Divide into equal portions and shape into balls. These should have no cracks on the surface as otherwise the gulab jamuns will crack while frying.

In a large pan, dissolve the sugar in 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Simmer over a slow flame till the syrup is of 1 string consistency.

Remove any impurtiies which float on top of the syrup using a slotted spoon.

Add the saffron  , cardamom powder and keep the syrup warm.

 Heat ghee/oil in a kadai. Add the balls.




Deep fry on low heat till golden in colour. 

Drain and immerse in the warm sugar syrup. Soak for 30 minutes. 



Goes well  with Ravdi, rice kheer,Kulfi, ice cream etc.

Kancha Kadali besarabhaja (Raw bananna sukhi bhaji with mustard paste)

Ingredients

4 Raw Bananas

5-6 Garlic cloves

2 tbsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp jeera powder

2 red Chillies

Haldi 1 tsp

Mustard Oil

1 tsp cumin-mustard seeds

Salt

Method

Grind the mustard seeds , cumin seeds , red chilly & garlic cloves & make a fine paste .

Peel  the skin of the bananas and cut in round shapes & wash them in water.

Heat Oil in a kadai and add cumin –mustard seeds.Let it splutter. Add haldi to oil. Saute & then add mustard paste .Stir for 5 sec. Then add ½ cup water to it. When water starts boiling add the bananas & mix well. Cover the lid.Let it Cook in low flame  till the bananas are 90%  cooked. When the water evapourates from the bhaja ,remove the lid. Then  fry the bananas till they turns to golden brown. Serve with hot steamed Rice.

Badam Pakudi (masala peanuts)

1 cup  peanuts

½ cup beasn

1 tsp chilly powder

2tsp fennel powder

Garlic paste-1 tblsp

1tsp ajwain & nigella seeds each

A pinch haldi

Salt as per the taste

1/4 tsp black salt

2-3 tblsp of water

Oil for frying

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl ensuring the batter coats the peanuts evenly.

Heat oil in a kadai. Drop each coated peanuts separately & fry till they turns crispy & light brownish in colour.Remove & cool. Store in air tight container.

Paneer bhurji on toast:

1cup Paneer (mashed)

2 onions chopped

½ cup capcicum chopped

2 tomatoes chopped

1tblsp ginger-garlic chopped

1 green chilly chopped

Haldi a pinch

½ tsp chilly powder

Chopped coriander leaves

Oil 2tblsp

Ghee/ butter  2tblsp

Salt

5 bread slices

Method:

For Bhurji:

Heat oil in apan. Add onions & sauté for 1-2 min. add  ginger garlic, green chilly,haldi,chilly powder,tomatoes & sauté for 2-3 min. Add capcicum & salt & sauté for 2 min. add the paneer & mix well.Devide the mixture in to 5 equal parts.

For the toasts:

Heat a tawa. Add butter or ghee. Place the bread slices & toast for 2-3 min, till they are crisp & lightly browned.

Top the paneer bhurjis on the bread toasts & garnish with coriander & serve immediately.

Veg makahanwala:

1 cup French beans/ carrots cut into 1” pieces

Green peas ½ cup

1patato cut into 1” pieces

1 capcicum cut into 1” pieces

Baby corn ¼ cup sliced

½ cup cauliflower florests

Mushroom- ½ cup cut in to pieces

Fried panner- 1 cup

½ cup chopped onion

1” long ginger

Garlic cloves-8-10

1tsp chilly powder

1tsp cumin seeds

1tsp garam masala

4tblsp cream

½ tsp kastoori methi dried

2tsp sugar

1tblsp butter

Salt

Chopped coriander

In a pan heat Oil. Add onions , ginger garlic, tomatoes, haldi & chillypowder. Sauté for 2-3 min. Switch off the flame. Keep aside & cool completely.. Blend this in a mixer.

Add 2tsp butter in a pan. Add mushroom,French beans, carrots, green peas, baby corn & cauliflower, stir continuously & cover with a lid for 2-3 min.

In a another pan heat remaining butter, Add cumin seeds. Let it crackle. Add the blended puree, stir for 1-2 min . Add vegetables, garam masala, cream, kasturi methi powder, sugar & salt & mix well. Cover the lid & let it cook for another 4-5 min till the veggies are done. Add fried paneer pieces & Serve hot with chopped coriander & butter.

Fish Cutlets:

Ingredients:

250gm Surmai fish fillets (boiled with salt)

1tsp green chillies chopped

2tblsp coriander leaves chopped

1tsp ginger & garlic paste

½ tsp cumin powder

½ cup fresh bread crumbs

1 egg whisked

2tbspn oil

Salt

MethoD:

Mash the fish in to a coarse paste using a back of a spoon. Add green chillies, coriander, ginger & garlic paste, cumin powdr, bread crumbs, egg & salt. Mix well.

Devide the mixture into 8 equal portions & shape each portion in to flat cutlet (You can give any shape i.e flat, oval, circular, square you want)

Heat a tawa. Add oil. Place the fish cutlets & shallow fry both side  for 4-5 mins till done.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Puran Poli:

Puran Poli is a Marathi dish. It is so delicious & easy to make also.So friends here it is:)

Ingredients:

For the filling:

1 ½  cups chana dal, soaked in water for 4 hours

1 cup jaggery (adjust for sweetness)

 1 tsp cardamom powder

1/4th tsp nutmeg powder

For the dough:

2 cups refined flour

3 tbsp oil

Salt

3/4 tsp turmeric powder

Method:

Wash and pressure cook the dal in 1 1/2 cups of water.Drain  excess water and keep aside. Then mash the chnna dal into a soft paste.

Heat the ghee in a pan, add the mashed channa dal and jaggery  and cook till the mixture thickens, stirring continuously.Add cardamom powder, saffron, and freshly grated nutmeg powder and mix well. Form 20 balls of equal size and put it aside.

Mix refined flour, oil, water and turmeric powder. Make very soft, sticky dough. Knead very well. Use oil to knead. Divide into 20 equal portions.

With greased palms, take one portion of dough and flatten it into a disc of the size of the palm. Roll out one portion of the dough into a 75 mm. (3") diameter circle.Place a portion of the filling mixture and fold the edges of the dough over the filling.Pinch the edges together to seal the filling in.Flatten the dough and roll again into a 100 mm. (4") diameter circle.Cook on a tava over a medium flame till golden brown in colour on both sides.Repeat for the remaining dough and filling.Smear with ghee and serve .


Sending this to Deepthi's  Event Announcement- Healthy Snacks

& also the event  Vrat ka khana
http://itsnotmadrasi.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-event-announcement-foods-for.html

Hi friends I have a good news with you all...That is about my 1st award...

I am honored to say that I have been awarded by Deepthi’s kitchen http://www.deepthidigvijay.blogspot.com/ for my Puran Poli Recipe. Thank you so much dear for selecting my recipe. And I accept these wonderful award with the greatest honor and appreciation........

Thanks again to all of you who stop by my kitchen!!!!

Sweet corn chaat:

Sweet corn 200g

Onion- 1 no

Tomato - 1 no

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Red chilly powder-1/4tsp

Chat masala -1tsp

Black Pepper powder – 1 tsp

Sev- 1tblsp

Moong sprouts- 2tblsp (Optional)

Raw mango grated- 1tblsp

Butter-1tblsp

Salt - as reqd

Chopped coriander leaves- 1tblsp

Method:

Heat 1tsp butter in a pan add the sweet corns & sauté for 1-2 min till it gets soft. Remove from flame. Now mix the sweet corn along with chopped onion and tomato.Add salt, pepper, moong sprouts and lemon juice to it. Add red chilli powder, chaat masala and salt to taste.sprinkle some sev & chopped coriander leaves to it & mix well & serve.

sending this recipe to the EVENT - WWC - "Cornmeal For Breakfast" - September  of  Anu's helathy kitchen "Lite Bite"