Recipe Index

Bitter Gourd Curry

April 3, 2012 By anusha 8 Comments

Before i talk about Bitter Gourd Curry that i made from Sukham Ayu, i really want to dwell on the past week.It s been a hectic week or rather weekend for me. Or shall i say sleepless? Mr.P has fallen in love. No.. not in that sense. But he has fallen for a huge compressor which failed on a friday night. Now this is what i ll call perfect sense of timing. And thats one more reason i dont believe that machines dont have a mind of their own. They have a mind that works like a charm. The only catch being they choose to work and not work at very inconvenient times just like last friday.

So while Mr.P romanced with his new found love and complimented her on its bearings and couplings, i was at home, feeling miserable and jobless. Seriously, even the pigeons outside were telling me that i must snap out of it. I was so miserable i landed up watching Chronicles of Narnia Part 1. Even my farthest neighbour back home knows that i ve watched the movie 11 times. So last saturday was the 12th time. I sat through the entire movie with a big tub of pop corn. And some chips. Not the multigrain or diet ones. Mind you! The real deep fried ones. I was binge eating at this point. That s how far i had gotten to. At one point, i even started feeling jealous about the compressor which was getting to spend my treasured sundays with my very treasured Mr.P.

Anyway, you must be glad to know that the affair has ended. And i ve Mr. P back to me. So while misery washed away, guilt consuming the 3 bags of cheese and onion chips crept in. Like a panther about to pounce on its prey. My.. the feeling is creepy. Believe me. So, this morning, i woke up feeling so guilty that it would have made Voldermort look good. Thus my day began. Well it also began with 2 other revelations.

1. Today is the first tuesday – Time for cook book reviews

2. I was not in a great mood to cook.

While the first one was a truly fantastic feeling, i must admit that while the second one sinked in, the first one dint look very appealing or amusing either.
But like i said, everyone had finished telling me that i must snap out of the utopian world where there are only lazy people like me. And so, i did venture out of that wonderful wonderful world and boy! i m glad that i did. Only when i stepped into my kitchen, did i realise that life for me, cannot exist without those beautiful aromas and vibrant colors from the kitchen.

After frantic searching for a cook book to cook from, i decided on the Sukham Ayu by Jigyasa and Prathiba. This book is very close to my heart as it was a giveaway that i won.

If you ask me to summarise the book in a single line, i ll tell you that the book is simply splendid. It has every aspect of the ayurveda ways of eating covered. Atleast what a lay man must know on food. And i must say the authoresses have done a brilliant job in telling the whole world that Indian Cuisine is the most balanced way of eating a lot and still remaining healthy.

The book has sections of the classification of body types into vata, kapa etc. And it goes on to suggest meals for every body type along with an explanation as to why we should eat that way. Honestly, this is what makes the book stand out in that aisle of cook books in a book store.

Recipes featured are completely indian and can all be made with regular ingredients that we have at hand. The book has a comprehensive list of recipes and include indianised soups, simple and healthy pulaos and rice recipes, some amazing lentil stews and scrumptious accompaniments and vegetable medleys.

The dessert section is also very intriguing with choices of carrot kheer and dates kheer. I would love to try the dates kheer soon. Tagged by me are recipes for cabbage kofta, tangy amti and masala poori. I actually thought that its the street food masala poori that they have, when i was glancing through the recipe index. But i was in for a surprise. It s the usual filling lunch pooris with a twist. And that will soon be tried. When Mr. P s strictly no deep fried regime ends, that is. The brahmi chutney was another rare one in the book. In short i can say, that it s a book which has been written thoughtfully. And it will definitely make you drool. No doubt on that. The authoresses only prove with this book that tasty food doesnt always mean unhealthy food.

I tried the cabbage kofta and the tangy bitter gourd curry from the book. It shall be the bitter gourd s day today. Thanks to hunger pangs and impatience on the day the cabbage kofta was conjured up.

Recipe For Bitter Gourd Curry
( You can substitute the gourds with raw plantains or lady s finger.Cook the plantains for about 3 to 4 mins before you add them. In case you are using lady s fingers, then dont add any water. The jaggery can be avoided in case of plantain or okra. But you must add jaggery in case of bitter gourds. The peanuts are a lovely addition and add some more in case you like the crunch. But make sure you add them just before you serve or they go soggy.)

Ingredients

Bitter gourds thickly sliced and seeds removed 1 cup
Onions 2 medium thinly sliced
Oil 3 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Hing a large
Peanuts roasted and crushed 2 tbsp
Jaggery grated 2 to 3 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Chickpea flour/kadala maavu/besan 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Spice Powders:

Coriander cumin powder 1 tsp
Chili powder 1 tsp
Aamchur powder 1/2 tsp

Garnish:

Cilantro leaves chopped finely 3 tbsp

How to make it?

Heat the oil in a kadai.
Add the cumin seeds. Once they splutter add the onions and saute till they are pink.
Next toss in the bitter gourd slices, combine and saute for 3 mins.
Now, add the spice powders and saute again for 30 secs on low flame. Add the chickpea flour. Combine.
Sprinkle about 2 tbsp of water and cook covered for 10 mins on low flame.
Now, add the grated jaggery and combine well.
Add salt and mix well.
Add the peanuts and cilantro just before serving.

Serve this delicious Bitter Gourd Curry with rotis or parathas or rice and dhal.

Chocolate Cornets ~ Eggless

March 31, 2012 By anusha 9 Comments

I remember a quote by Mark Twain; ” My mother had a great deal of trouble with me. I think she enjoyed it.”
This applies without a second thought to my mom too. I troubled her way too much. I was a brat, a spoilt one at that. Combine that with mischievous, picky and cranky. How does that mix work for you?? Gives nightmares right?? So imagine my mom who had to deal with me. She did and she loved the whole modus operandi. But in my opinion, what gave my mother the scariest nightmare when i m concerned?? That s the lazy bug in me. I remember my aunt calling me ” Vazhaipazha Somberi” which literally translates to ” The Banana Lazy Gal” No.. its got nothing to do with this recipe. The term only means that i m so lazy that i dont even peel my own bananas if i have to eat them.
There were so many days when mom used to ask me to up and about by 7 in the morning. I used to nod my head with vigour the previous night. But come morning, dawn never came until 10 o clock. I remember days when i used to have a bath at 5 in the evening. Skip lunch. And then feel hungry all again in the evening. Ransack the fridge and if i find nothing in there, then bang went the fridge door with a loud thump. I must give due credits to my lil cousin who taught me to do this anyway. And mom put up with all this. Of course all moms do. But only and only when you tie the knot, do you realise that it was a life of opulence before. I realised that very quickly. Let s say as quick as you can down a glass of water. And i changed too. But that lazy bug? No.. i mean how can that change! Isnt it sinful to be not lazy. I say they must make it illegal. Especially the waking up early in the morning part. Sigh.. Cos i cant do that, i ve stopped seeing any point in me being jurisprudent. Anyway, any guesses why i m writing a micro mini autobiography? Because when i had to make these chocolate cornets, i was lazy. Believe me, Gayathri announced the challenge for april, it was still the first week of March. I had 23 days precisely to make these cornets. But no.. i chose to while away my time. Watched lots of T.V. , read about 3 books in a row and slept like a fat sow. But chocolate cornets. Nope. I did watch the video though. Too many times. So many times that i knew the recipe by heart. Somehow, i couldnt summon up the energy to make those cones and knead the dough. Finally, the time did come for me to wake up and look at the march calendar. 30 days whizzed by and no cornets yet. Heck.. nothing is going as planned. Not that i had a great plan. What mattered was i hadnt made the cornets yet. So this morning, i woke up with a flourish. I set foot in the kitchen armed with the imperative bowl and the ladle. And finally made these cornets. I must say the experience was very rewarding. I enjoyed the concentration and the focus that the cornets demanded. I loved every single minute of making them. Without much further ado, let me introduce you to these magnificently tiny yet yummy in the tummy cornets.

Prep Time: 15 mins for kneading the dough
1 hour for the dough to raise the first time
20 mins for the second raise
20 mins to shape the dough
10 mins to make the custard
2 hours refrigeration time for the custard
Under 20 mins to do the filling
Cook Time: Under 20 mins for the cornets
Under 20 mins for the custard
Yields 10 to 11 cornets

( This is an elaborate recipe. You can also use any other filling instead of the chocolate custard. Maybe some strawberry jam or even some hummus. I wonder how that would taste. Will try and let you all know. If you are an egg lover, then add 2 tbsp of beaten egg to the flour instead of the oil for the dough. And use an egg wash instead of a milk wash.)

What You Need?

For The Dough:

Flour 300 g
Active dry yeast 1 and 1/2 tsp
Warm water 140 ml
Sugar 1 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Dry milk powder 1 tbsp
Butter 30 g or 2 tbsp softened
Baking powder 1/4 tsp
Vegetable oil 3 to 4 tbsp

For The Custard:

Vanilla custard powder 3 heaped tbsp
Milk 300 ml
Sugar 1/2 cup – 1 tbsp
Flour 1 tbsp
Cream 3 tbsp
Cocoa powder 3 tbsp
Butter 1 tbsp
Chocolate chips 3 to 4 tbsp

For The Dusting:

Bread Flour

For The Wash:

Milk 1/4 cup

For The Cone Moulds:

Any thick paper or chart paper 12X12 squares about 6
Aluminium foil
Staplers

How To Make it?

Before you begin the whole process, you have to make your moulds if you dont have them at home.
Take a square sheet of paper which is 12X12 cms. Now, draw a diagnol on the paper.
Start rolling the paper into a cone shape.
Staple the overlapping corners.
Now, take the tin foil and wrap it around the cone.
Fold the protruded edge of the cone on the top and staple. Pinch the edges on the sides.
Grease the molds with oil generously and set aside.

That s it. Repeat the process for all the six sheets of paper and then you are ready to roll.
Lets make the custard now.
In a pan, mix all the ingredients except the chocolate chips, butter and cream. Combine well and strain to avoid any lumps.
Heat the mixture on medium flame, stirring continuously
After about 3 mins, add the cream and incorporate well.
Now, stir again without stopping until the mixture forms a lump.
Remove from heat and add butter. Mix well.
Let it cool.
Transfer to a bowl and cover with a cling film in such a way that the cling film touches the custard. Refrigerate.

Now let s make the dough.

Combine the milk powder, sugar and yeast with the warm water. Mix well.

Set aside until the mixture froths up. Takes about 8 to 10 mins.

Now, in a large mixing add the flour, salt, baking powder and combine well until well incorporated. Now, make a well in the middle of the flour, add the yeast mixture and oil.

Mix this with a spatula until combined.

Grease your hands with a lil oil and start kneading the dough until you get a smooth elastic dough. You will have to knead for 5 mins to get this consistency.

Now, fold in the butter to the dough and start kneading. You will have a messy sticky mass once you begin but after you knead for about 6 to 7 mins, then the dough would have absorbed all the butter and you will have a smooth supple dough again.

Cover this with a clean moist kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place. Allow it to rise until doubles. Takes 1 hour. Poke a finger into the dough. If the dough rises up fast from the groove, then it means it has to rise some more.

After the dough has doubled, knock the air out and knead for about 40 secs.
Now, divide the dough into 10 equal parts and shape them into balls. Line a baking tray with tin foil and grease the foil.
Stretch each ball into a long rope and pinch the ends.
Preheat the oven at 180 C.
Roll the rope of dough on the cone mould starting from the bottom pointed edge.
Place this on the tray. Now repeat the same process for the rest of the dough. You will have 4 parts of the dough. Refrigerate this and use it up once the first batch is done.
Now, do a milk wash with a pastry brush and allow to rise for another 20 mins.
Bake for 13 to 14 mins until you get a golden crust on the top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Gently take them out from the moulds.
Fill a zip loc pouch with the custard and seal it into a bundle with a rubber band.
Cut a small hole at one corner at the bottom of the bag.
Place this inside the cornets and pipe in the custard.
Repeat for all the cornets.

That s it… We are done and we have with us beautiful lovelies of chocolate fillings!!
Sending this toBake Fest hosted by Kalyani

Tomato Bread

March 30, 2012 By anusha 10 Comments

I do not how to begin this post. I have been tongue tied ever since Kalyani asked me to do a guest post for her. Knowing that i m still at the bottom of the rung when it comes to blogging and cooking, someone asking you to do a guest post can leave you speechless. Kalyani and i share something of a sisters’ chemistry. I adore the way she writes. Between myriad conversations about the lost charm of Bangalore and the wonder factor of Madhwa cuisine, we both have evolved from being co bloggers to great friends. I am so glad that i struck up the conversation with her that fateful afternoon.

If you ask me how i happened to blog, i will tell point at Mr. P, my hubby. For the life of me, i cant imagine writing stuff for everyone to read . I was very happy cooking, cleaning and reading. Blogging or rather typing up stuff was not a penchant. It was P who gently coaxed me into writing. He even offered to write up posts for me. But once you begin writing or blogging, then there s no stopping i guess. You want to improve on your cooking, you want to explore new ways of cooking and you want to venture out into unfamiliar territories of cooking. That s just what happened to me. I transformed into a maniacal foodie once i began my blog. I threw quite a few people off balance when i became this maniac. Ever since i ve started writing, i ve changed as a person completely. I ve learnt to appreciate nuances of food and i ve also made some great friends. In short, i can tell blogging is therapy to me. I cant imagine a life without my blog. The eager beaver blogger in me has definitely scored some brownie points in my life.

Baking and blogging go hand in hand for me. I began experimenting with baking and it is only this interest which perked up my courage to be more experimental in cooking. I started with a humble eggless chocolate cake. It was a run of the mill attempt but that did not discourage me. Ever since that paltry cake that i baked, i ve read up so much on baking that i sometimes feel if you put me in the oven, i ll come out as one pretty nice cake. All that reading has rewarded me with some piece de resistance over these one and half years of cooking.

Whenever i buy a bunch of cilantro, i wonder how God made such beautiful flavors. It is complete bliss to stay in a kitchen surrounded by aromas like that of cilantro, cumin or freshly baked bread. Really. I love baking bread from the scratch. And i do it on days when i feel really old. When i say old, i mean very old. I even peep into the mirror to check if my hair has grayed. I got hooked on to baking when i began watching Nigella and Rachel on TV. I used to be so absorbed, my dad used to pretend that he s swatting flies away from my mouth. Somehow, watching Nigella and Rachel always left me open mouthed and tongue tied. I used to watch one recipe, admire her totally and then used to imagine myself making that recipe. But i couldnt have been so wrong. Cos, baking comes with some strings attached. You cant bake a perfect cake or a springy bread until you ve mastered some techniques. You need plenty of patience, a lot of research on baking and the ability to handle heartbreak. For me, if a bread or a cake fails, its as good as the end of a love affair. I ll weep, cry and throw a big tantrum. I can be quite difficult at times. Especially when a bread fails me. I ve made this delicious earthy bread twice now and it s not yet failed me. Tastes heavenly with some soup and pasta. Ha… what bliss it was to sift, combine, mix and knead. Kneading the dough is therapy for me. I love the way in which a totally disoriented mass of flour comes into shape beautifully under your hands. The experience is enchanting. And to wait for the dough to rise is like watching a thriller movie. Edge of the seat experience. But do try this bread and you wont be disappointed at all. The flavors are so homely and warm, you will only want to bake it again.

Recipe For Tomato Bread

Prep Time: Under 20 mins to proof the yeast and knead the dough

45 mins to 1 hour for the first rise

40 mins to 50 mins for the second rise

Cook Time: 30 mins
Yields one 9 inch long loaf
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

(It was such a titillating experience baking this bread for me. You can customise it according to your palates. Say you can add cheese, reduce the paprika or even use green chilies instead. I m yet to bake this with cheese though. You can use butter instead of olive oil. I just used olive oil as i wanted a vegan version but in the end, landed up glazing the loaf with butter. Keep an eye on the salt as the ketchup has salt added to it. You might want to add about 1/4 cup of gouda or parmesan cheese if you decide to go with it. In that case, you will require just about 1/2 tsp of salt. You can also roast fresh tomatoes and garlic in the oven, make paste and add it to the dough instead of adding pureed tomatoes. I used dabur home made tomato puree and it worked like a charm. I was being a mere lazy goose here. Feel free to make your own puree. Nothing like home made. Dont knead the dough for more than 6 mins the first time and 1 min after the second rise. The bread tends to become dense if you over knead the dough. And use a 9*5 inch loaf pan for this. Remember, the right size of loaf pan matters cos the loaf might tend to undercook if you use a smaller pan. Substitute sesame seeds with poppy seeds for another flavor totally. You can even add cumin seeds and cilantro to the dough if you want intense flavors. The rising of the dough totally depends on the weather. If its hot, then the rising will be quick. If its cold, it takes time. Alternatively, you can preheat your oven at 180 C for 5 mins. Then cover the dough with a sheet of tin foil and let it rise inside the oven. Dont forget to switch off the oven though.)

What you need?

All purpose flour 3 cups
Tomato puree 1/3 cup
Tomato Ketchup 2 tbsp
Warm water 2/3 cup
Yeast 2 and 1/4 tsp
Sugar 1 tbsp
Salt 3/4 tsp
Red paprika 1 tsp
Oregano 1 tsp
Mixed herbs seasoning 1/2 tsp
Garlic or onion flakes 1 tbsp ( optional)
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Flour for dusting 1 tbsp

For The Topping:
Sesame seeds 2 tbsp

Milk at room temperature for glazing the dough about 1 tbsp

How to make it?

Mix the yeast, sugar and the warm water in a bowl and set aside for 10 mins.
In the meanwhile, place the flour, salt and the spices in a large mixing bowl and combine well.
Make a well in the center and add the pureed tomato, olive oil and tomato ketchup. By now, the yeast should have proofed with a nice frothy layer on the top. Add the yeast mixture in the center.
Start combining the dough slowly until it all comes together in one mass.
Now, transfer the dough to a floured surface and start kneading the dough with your hands for about 5 to 6 mins until you get a soft elastic dough just like that of chapathi dough. Do the whole process of kneading with the heel of your palm, alternating between folding the dough and kneading. (refer notes above).
Once you get a supple and soft dough, transfer this to a bowl greased with oil and cover with a kitchen towel.
Let it rest in a warm place till the dough doubles. Mine took exactly 45 mins.
Once the dough has doubled, knock it down and knead for another min.
Grease a loaf pan generously with oil.
Shape the dough into a loaf and place it in the loaf pan.
Set aside covering with a kitchen towel again in a warm place.
Wait till the dough doubles. Takes another 40 to 50 mins again.

Towards the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 190 C.
Once the dough doubles, glaze with milk, add the toppings that you desire and place in the oven and bake at 190 c for 20 mins.
After 20 mins, reduce the temperature to 160 C and bake for another 10 mins.
Remove from the oven and let the loaf stay in the pan for 10 mins.
Glaze the loaf with melted butter.
Now, invert onto a cooling rack and let it cool.
Once cooled, cut into slices with a serrated knife.

Enjoy with your favorite soup and a bowl of pasta.

Moong Dal Khichdi

March 27, 2012 By anusha 5 Comments

Being a south indian, my perception of kichdi was different until i came to Baroda. Kichdi, back at home, is a form of upma with some turmeric powder and cashews added to it. Some vermicelli at times. And lots of vegetables. But Kichdi, the northie style is a complete contrast. Can i say, that both the versions are like chalk and cheese. While kichadi back home is considered a breakfast option, here, the gooey medley loaded with oodles of ghee ( in most of the cases, that is ) is eaten as a light dinner meal or sometimes even for lunch. Like we did today. Nevertheless, the kichdi duos are my favorites and i can eat them anytime. While i devour my south rendered kichdi with a bowl of yoghurt, i eat this rice and lentil melange with lots and lots of Kadhi and pickles.

I first fell in love with this light as a feather delicacy in a famous food chain. The foodie that i am, i got tempted to have three helpings. The food chain offers unlimited food. Eat as much as you want and whatever you want. And yes, they are one of my favorite eat outs. I do not know whether its the oodles of ghee or the aromas that accompanied the kichdi or the sweet wait person who served us. But by the time i finished the kichdi, i was enchanted. And i m still enchanted whenever i eat kichdi. There is no other delicacy in the world which can give me that sense of calm but for this rice and dal duet.

Recipe For Moong Dal Khichdi

( Learn how to make Mung Dal Kichdi, a simple homestyle lentil and rice kedgeree)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2
Allergy Info: Vegetarian, Nut free, Soy free
Course: Main
Cuisine: Indian ( Gujarati)
Serving Suggestions: Punjabi Kadhi Pakodi and papad

Ingredients

Rice 1/2 cup
Mung Dal 1/4 cup
Ginger grated 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

For Tempering:

Ghee 2 tbsp
Pepper corns 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Hing a large pinch

Directions

Pick a vessel that is deep and that fits into a pressure cooker.
Clean the rice and dal well.
Add to the vessel along with turmeric powder, ginger and salt.
Add 4 cups of water and mix well.
Pressure cook for 6 to 7 whistles or until you get a loose, soft and gooey mixture. Remove from the cooker and set aside.
Heat a wok with the ghee.
Add the cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the hing and then the pepper corns.
Be careful with the pepper corns as they tend to burst out. Yours truly got her palms blistered this morning. Thank you Pepper Corns. 🙂

Now, add this to the rice and mix well.
Serve hot with suggested serving.

Instant Mango Pickle Recipe

March 26, 2012 By anusha 11 Comments

There are too many summers when i have had my share of mangoes. When i say mangoes, i dont mean the fruit. I hate the fruits. They are way too messy, sticky and yellowy for me. I hate yellow and i hate sweet and yellow. So mango love is not my thing. But the raw ones are a different story altogether. Spring is not very popular in India. Maybe because that transition period when nature changes its moods from cool to angry is very short here. In my opinion, only february and march are spring months here. Even though i wish we had spring year round. Now that i m in Baroda, where the sun can be so cruel that you wouldnt need a stove to make dosas, i feel springs are a double whammy. We have spring in February, March and a teeny weeny bit of spring shows up again in August and September. But both the springs are characteristically different. So what is the moral of the story? Oh mother Nature! Can we have some more spring please?I mean, I m a spring person totally. Back in Coimbatore, spring meant cropping up of watermelon stalls around the city and loads and loads of mangoes or should i say parrot beaked mangoes… And they make a brilliant sight at all those roadside vendors’ abodes. Beautifully cut up in symmetries and seasoned with chili powder and masalas. Absolute spring delight. If these mangoes make an appearance on the vegetable markets, then they were sure to find their way onto our tables. But i lost out on the pleasures of eating raw mangoes that way when i entered college and later got married. But this year turns out to be a different story altogether. We have parrot beaked mangoes here in Baroda. And i bought them yesterday, like any self respecting Coimbatorean should. And made my mom s super smashing hit pickle out of it. By the way, this is truly on the go. Only thing is you need to chop the mango up. It makes a great pickle for those days when you are going away on a picnic or you just want to eat a simple meal of some curd rice and pickle. So go on and buy the mangoes and pickle them.

Recipe For Instant Mango Pickle

( Learn to make mango pickle instantly with minimal ingredients)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 2 mins
Serves 2 to 3
Allergy Info: Vegan, Nut and Soy Free
Course: Accompaniment
Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients

Mangoes the parrot beaked ones 2 medium cubed
Red chili powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

To Temper:

Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Hing a large pinch
Sesame oil 2 tsp

Directions

In a mixing bowl, add the cubed mangoes, red chili powder, salt and turmeric powder and combine well. Toss them together to make sure they are mixed well.
Heat sesame oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
Once they splutter, add the hing and temper the pickle.

Serve with curd rice on a hot day to show the weather who s boss!!

P.S There are too many pics cos i felt all of them were too lovely.

Paruppu Vadai Or Amai Vadai ~ Ugadhi Treat

March 23, 2012 By anusha 3 Comments

Memories of amma preparing delicious food on festivals came back flooding to me this morning. Ugadhi is very close to my heart. I look forward to Ugadhi with childish fervor. As a kid, i knew that there were no festivals for a long time after Ugadhi. And that meant, no new clothes and no treats from the kitchen. In that sense, Ugadhi meant loads of unadulterated fun. The neem flower pachadi, some almost gossamer obattus, new clothes are all symbolic of the pleasures of ushering in a new year.
However, amma cooking for festivals is a memoir not only of ugadhi, but on so many other occasions. Lets just say, i was almost in tears this morning thinking of her. There is some profound happiness in eating a meal your mother made. You may not appreciate it fully. Or rather i had not appreciated it completely. Until i got married. Only when one begins cooking, the craving for the luxury of eating some one else s meal dawns bright. This post is dedicated only to my mother. For bringing me up the way she did. For making me see the sunny side of life, for introducing me to wonderful books, for teaching me to accept, let go and fight back. Oh! the list is endless. But that s how a mother is i guess. I dont think any one else can teach you to do all three; accept, let go and fight better than a mom. This is for her for loving me so much so unconditionally. Now, i know what you are thinking. If you are going to tell me that you have had enough of this melodrama, then i ll stop right here. And maybe go on to a more delightful memory that i have, of my childhood.
As an only child, i got all my demands fulfilled. Reasonable or not. That did not give me the privilege of not being told off or spanked though. Mom was a lesser martinet. And hence. So, the question of sharing or waiting for someone else to begin a meal or even share a toy never arose. On almost all the festival days, amma used to make this particular paruppu vadai or amai vadai meaning tortoise vadai. More on that later. She used to soak the dal, grind it to a coarse paste, season it and then drop those rounded discs into a pot full of hot oil. And then after a few minutes, she used to drain them beauties on to a kitchen towel. As a child, watching all this was like magic to me. I was often left wondering how some yellowish looking dough turned so beautifully golden brown and crispy. Well, the real fun part came after she removed them. I used to gobble them before she could bring another batch. I remember so many days when dad wanting to taste one would look in the bowl, and would find it, much to his chagrin, without a trace of those fritters. My dad still recounts this. But now, the charm of eating them has gone. Maybe the prospect of making them holds a greater charm.
Coming back to the tortoise. In the initial days of my marriage, just when life was blooming for me in the kitchen, my MIL lived with us for over a month. She is a versatile woman, in the sense, her exposure is limited but her creativity and versatility go very far. When she was here, she used to make some special tidbit on sundays for Mr. P and me to nibble. One sunday afternoon, she told me she was going to make thavalai vadai. Which translates to frog fritters. The moment she uttered the word frog, i was alarmed. Seeing me bewildered, she asked me if i like thavalai vadai or aamai vadai. Now, i was truly scared stiff. All i could think was, that we were such strait laced vegetarians and that my parents had married me off to people who ate meat. And that too frogs and tortoises. I was nearly into tears. For, my love for tortoises is greater than my love for fritters. It was only after i explained my confusion to her that she explained that those were all names given to the many dal fritters that she made. And only then did i heave a sigh and tell her that i was a gargantuan addict to paruppu vadai. I even used aamai vadai when i told her that . To this date, my MIL and i burst into laughter when we recount that fateful day when we talked of tortoises and frogs.

Prep Time: 2 hours for soaking the dal
Under 30 mins for all else
Cook Time: Under 15 mins for a batch of 4 to 5 fritters
Yields 12 to 15 fritters

What you need?

Bengal gram or channa dal 1 cup
Dry red long chilies 10
Hing a large pinch
Onions 2 medium chopped finely
Saunf or fennel seeds 1/2 tsp
Cilantro chopped finely 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

( I make these in too many ways. What i ve given above is the basic structure. Here are some alternatives.Sometimes, i add a tbsp of rice to the dal while i soak it. This is to get extra extra crispy fritters. You can try if you want to. I also soak 2 tbsp dal extra and set aside. I add these in the end after i ve ground the dal. The little bits of crispy fried whole chana dal tastes heavenly when you bite into them. If you are using the round red chilies, reduce them a little as they are spicier. You can even try green chilies and red chilies in an equal ratio for a change.You can even add coconut to these. And if you want a different flavour, try and add shallots instead of the regular onions. If you are making these on a festival, then feel free to omit the onions and fennel seeds. If you are not a big fan of fennel seeds, then skip them completely.Chop the onions just before you are ready to add them to the batter as they tend to turn bitter if chopped previously. You can refrigerate the batter for 20 mins before frying to avoid more absorption of oil. Gee.. i sound like a health food fanatic Duh!!)

How to make it?

Soak the dal for 2 hours in about 2 cups of water.

Once done, drain them completely. Just let it sit in a colander for about 10 mins and then you should be good to go.

Now, add the dry red chilies, salt and hing to the dal and grind to a coarse paste without adding any water. Do this in a blender and make sure you give a stir to the paste every few grinds.

Once done, add the chopped onions, coriander and check for seasoning.

Mix well.

Heat oil in a kadai. While the oil is heating up, divide the batter into equal portions of 12 and make small round discs of them. Keep them ready on a plate.

When the oil becomes hot, gently drop three to four discs one by one along the sides of the kadai into the oil.

Exercise some caution here and make sure your hands are dry and you dont drop them quickly or else the oil splatters and you will be left with nasty blisters on your hands. Try and learn from my mistakes 🙂

Turn down the flame to the lowest and fry the discs till golden brown on both sides.

They float up to the top when they are done but you may have to fry them for a little more time to get that golden brown.

Remove from the oil and drain on a kitchen towel.

Repeat the process with all the other discs.

Enjoy with a festive lunch or make them when you feel bored of the regular stir fries and curries and have them with rasam and rice. Or better yet, have them with your evening tea.

Sending these to My Legume Love Affair guest hosted by Girlichef for Susan, Hot and Spicy treats Festive Food, For U Mum

Kashmiri Dum Aloo Recipe

March 20, 2012 By anusha 8 Comments

How To Make Kashmiri Dum Aloo?

Kashmiri Dum Aloo- Baby potatoes cooked in a creamy nutty curry sauce. Side Dish For Rotis. GF. Paleo.

Kashmiri Dum Aloo is a rich creamy nutty gravy that hails from the Kashmir regions of India. True to its heritage and like all Kashmiri dishes, this kashmiri dum aloo uses nuts, yogurt and freshly roasted and ground spices for the curry sauce. I am probably the only person on the universe who is not fond of potatoes. Yes. You read right. I am not in that clique of people who start ogling at roasted potatoes. Or worse yet, people who start drooling the moment you say french fries. Potatoes simply dont turn me on. On the contrary, whenever i see a pile of potatoes, all i can do is count the calories i shall ingest, in the eventuality that i eat it. If you are wondering if i ve been this way throughout my life, no… of course not. I was a very normal kid who preferred potatoes to greens. If you asked me why i changed, honestly, i dont know. And i ll tell you what. I hate those old potatoes which have a hint of green in them and taste slightly sweet when cooked. Jeezz…. it s such a put off to any meal, may it be a banquet or a simple dal chawal. But.. but before you start wondering if i m paranoid, let me tell you. I love baby potatoes. The more tender they are, the more floored i am. When it stops raining like an ocean has been sent up above and november comes with its slightly cool breeze, i start looking forward to baby potatoes like a child who looks forward to vacations. And then, my courtship with these itsy bitsy darlings begin. Rest assured. The fling goes on till mid march. Until i manage to grab a full good bag of these babies and until i m tired of wolfing them down in the form of Baby potato fry, roasted potato pulao or kashmiri dum aloo.I am not a person who cooks a fanfare with baby potatoes. My repertoire is limited but nevertheless yummy. The last week when i bought a pack of baby potatoes home, they met the fate of kashmiri dum aloo. Shall we now check the step by step tutorial to make kashmiri dum aloo?

Step By Step Instructions To Make Kashmiri Dum Aloo

Dry roast the spices on a pan. Let cool and grind to a powder in a blender. I used my coffee grinder for this. In the same blender, grind the pistachios to a fine paste using 2 tbsp water. Sorry, i forgot to take a picture of this step.

Pressure cook the potatoes until tender. Drain them and peel the potatoes. Heat a pan with 1/4 c of oil and deep fry the potatoes in batches until golden on the outside. Drain on a kitchen towel.

Remove the excess oil from the pan. Make sure there is about 1.5 tbsp oil left in the pan. To this, add ginger garlic paste and saute for 30 secs. Tip in the onions next and fry till light brown. Add the spice powders next and cook for 1 min on medium flame.

Now, add the ground pistachio paste and mix well. Switch off the flame and add whisked yogurt to this. Mix well. Add 1/2 c of water and salt to the gravy now. Mix again.

Switch on the flame now and the fried potatoes and mix well. Let simmer for 1 min on medium flame.

Once done, remove from flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Your Kashmiri dum aloo is ready

Recipe For Kashmiri Dum Aloo

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Kashmiri Dum Aloo Recipe

Kashmiri Dum Aloo- Baby potatoes cooked in a nutty creamy yogurt sauce. Goes well with rice and rotis

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Accompaniment

Cuisine: Kashmiri

Servings:

Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

Baby Potatoes 6 to 7
Onions 2 medium chopped finely
Ginger Garlic paste 2 tsp
Pistachios blanched and ground to a fine paste 1 tbsp
Thick fresh curd 3/4 cup
Salt to taste
Oil 1/4 c
Coriander leaves for garnish
Spice Powders:
Red chili powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Whole Spices To Be Dry Roasted and Ground:
Cloves 2
Cinnamon 1/2" piece
Pepper Corns 5
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp
Cardamom 2

Instructions

Heat a pan and dry roast the spices under the list of whole spices to be roasted and ground. Let cool and grind to a powder in a blender.
Place pistachios and 2 tbsp water in the same blender and blend to a smooth paste.
Boil the potatoes until cooked but firm.
Peel and keep aside.
Heat a kadai with 1/4 c of oil and add the potatoes in batches.
Fry the potatoes till they have a golden crust .
Now, remove the potatoes and drain them on a kitchen towel.
Add the onions to the kadai and saute till they are light brown.
Now, add the ginger garlic paste and saute for another 30 secs.
At this stage, add the spice powders and the ground whole spice powder.
Combine well and saute for another 1 min.
Now, add the ground pistachio paste and combine well.
Now, turn switch off the flame to the lowest heat possible and stir in the yoghurt to the mixture slowly and mix well.
Add salt and potatoes and cook closed for another 7 to 8 mins on low medium flame.
Garnish with cilantro.
Serve hot with rotis or rice.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Vengaya Chutney Recipe For Idli And Dosa

March 18, 2012 By anusha 7 Comments

How To Make Vengaya Chutney?

Vengaya Chutney or Chinna Vengaya Chutney is a spicy chutney that goes well with idli, dosa and aapam. This keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and also makes it ideal for travel times.

Vengaya Chutney or Chinna Vengaya chutney as they call it at my In- Laws’, is a delicious and spicy chutney made with pearl onions or shallots. I learned how to make this chinna vengaya chutney from my Mother In Law during the first few months of my marriage. My maternal home does not have the tradition of having a big sit down breakfast. We are the cereal and toast kinds on weekdays and weekends are always meant for poori and kizhangu or poori and kuruma. But Mr.P’s folks are big breakfast eaters and go to all extents to eat a fantastic spread in the morning. Needless to say, this kind of stumped me in the beginning. I simply could not adjust to the idea of eating ghee laced crispy dosas along with an array of colorful chutneys as early as 8 in the morning. You get the drift here, right? Right. So when the MIL came to stay with us for a few months when we were newly weds, she used to make different chutneys and this one was a keeper. So i learnt to make this vengaya chutney and have been making it ever since.

For me, finding a bag of pearl onions here in Gujarat is like going to pixie land and coming back. I love the flavor pearl onions give to anything in which they feature.I top my Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu with pearl onions fried in sesame oil sometimes. Duh!! i feel like eating that kuzhambu right away. I love my pearl onions in Kathirikai kara kuzhambu ~ a tangy eggplant gravy with which i devour steamed rice and ghee. Heck.. i love them in anything. Lets just say i am always falling in love with pearl onions. Not so much of a chemistry with the normal red onions though. 🙂 I recently chanced upon pearl onions in a small store here. I bought them without a second thought. And then, as usual, forgot about them. Until, my maid pointed out to the basket of pearl onions and asked me, ” what are you going to do with those?” and rolled her eyes at me. Thus the pearl onions got chutnied. And boy, they tasted simply scrumptious.

Recipe For Vengaya Chutney

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5 from 2 votes

Vengaya Chutney Recipe For Idli And Dosa

Vengaya chutney is a spicy and tangy dip made with pearl onions. Tastes great with idli, dosa, aapam and poori

Prep Time15

Cook Time12

Total Time27

Course: Accompaniment

Cuisine: South Indian

Servings:

Author: Anusha Praveen