Ma recipes

Mushroom Mutter Masala

2011-03-20T15:59:00.000-07:00

10-15 Mushrooms sliced
1/2 cup Green peas
1 Onion finely chopped
2 Tomatoes finely chopped
1/4 cup Cashew
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup tomato ketchup
1" inch cinnamon
3 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 garlic chopped
1 " inch ginger chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin-coriender powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder
salt to taste

In a pestle & motor make a ginger-garlic paste set aside.
Blend the cashews with little water and make a fine paste.

Heat a oil in a heavy sauce pan, add cinnamon, cloves and cumin seeds. when cumin sluptters add chopped onions, saute it until light golden
Add turmeric, and masala powders mix well and let it blend for 2 mins.
Add tomatoes salt to taste cover it and cook for 2-3 mins ocassionally saute it.
Now add the cashew paste and water( make sure not to add too much as we need to add milk later) cook for 4-5 mins or until thoroughly blend.
Add peas and mushrooms, tomato ketchup, cover it and cook for about 7-10mins on medium-low flame.
Lower the flame and add milk and mix well
Lastly, garnish chopped cilantro

Serve with any Indian bread.

Shallots Sambar

2011-03-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

Well, Lots of changes going around, we moved an hour forward and a major devasting change is shift in the earth axis caused by the quake in Japan it's such a horrified disaster. my prayers for the people of japan.

Back to ma recipes, here is a quick recipe on shallots.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Red gram dal
1/2 pound shallots
lemon sized tamarind, soaked in water and extract the paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp jaggery
salt

Masala Paste
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tbsp coriender seeds
1 tbsp bengal gram
4 red chilies
1 tbsp poppy seeds
3-4 tbsp coconut shredded
oil

Tempering
1 Mustard seeds
1 black gram dal
1 red chili
and few curry leaves

Pressure cook the red gram dal and set aside
Heat a small pan, add oil add red chilies, fenugreekseeds, cumin seeds, coriender seeds, bengal gram and poppyseeds and saute for 2-3 mins. Blend all to fine paste with coconut and 4 shallots.
Now, In a heavy sauce pan heat a oil add 1tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp black gram, one red chilies and few curry leaves. When mustard seeds sluptters add tamarind paste, salt to taste, jaggery, turmeric and rest of shallots . Close the lid of the pan and cook until the raw smells of tamarind disppears.
Add cooked dal and masala paste and cook until thoroughly combine.
Lastly, garnish with cilantro.

A recipe from Cookbook "Dakshin"

Ginger Rasam

2011-02-05T14:30:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
2 tbsp toor dal/ pigeon peas
2 1/2 inch ginger
2 green chilies
3 tbsp shredded coconut
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp peppercorns
3 tsp jaggery
salt to taste

Tempering
1tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumins seeds
1-2 red chilies
few curry leaves
hing / asafedita powder

Soak the pigeon peas/toor dal for 30 mins and keep aside.
In a blender, add coconut, ginger, green chilies, cumin and peppercorns and coaked dal. make a fine paste.
In a heavy pan, boil 2 cups of water with salt and turmeric powder, add the paste, simmer the flame and boil until the raw flavour goes or until you dont see the foam standing.
Lastly, In a small pan heat 3 tsp oil, add mustard seeds when it sluptters, add cumin, red chilies, curry leaves and hing.
Mix it with rasam.
Serve with white rice.

Pav Bhaji

2010-12-26T13:34:00.000-08:00

Hope all you out there having a nice, fun-filled holidays. For us it's being a relaxed holiday, not much cooking, lot more shopping. Here is my quick last post for this year :) See you all next year.
Wishing all a peaceful new year 2011.

Ingredients:
1 big onion finely chopped
3 tomatoes
1/2 cauliflower
1 big green pepper
1 carrot
2 small potatoes
3 green chilies
1 tbsp ginger-garlic (homemade)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriender powder
1 1/2 tsp pav bhaji masala
Cilantro chopped for garnish

Pressure cook all the veggies except onion & tomatoes for 7-10 mins and let it cool.
Smashed the veggies and keep aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat 2-3 tbsp of oil(mix of butter and oil), add chopped onions and fry until golden brown, add ginger-garlic paste & saute for 1 min.
Add all the powders, mix well and add tomatoes cover & cook until the tomatoes are smashed in medium flame.
Now add the 1/2 tsp pav bhaji masala and mix well. cook for 2-3 mins until the masala blend with onion & tomatoes.
Add smashed veggies and 1 tsp pav bhaji masala and salt for taste and cook for 5 - 10 mins in the medium flame,stir occasionally.
Turn off the flame and garnish with cilantro.
Serve the bhaji with chopped onion & slice of lemon and Pav.

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

2010-11-24T11:00:00.000-08:00

A blasting news in Seattle right now is "Cold"... we having a super super icy weather from Sunday night.. It snowed just 1-2 inches and outcome was terrible... for about 50000 people no power from past 48 hours or so , you can imagine how we all dependent on the power. Hoping for a better temperature for the long weekend.

It's been a month I haven't bake...got some baking cookbooks from a book fair and indulge to this recipe..A morning cuppa coffee and a choco biscotti on a freezing cold....

Ingredients:
1 cup hazelnuts
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 granulated sugar
1 tsp coarse salt
3 large eggs
1 handful of bittersweet chocolate chips
1 large egg white for brushing
coarse sanding sugar

Set the oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven at 350F. Line a baking sheet and set aside.
In a small baking tray, place the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until they are lightly colored and the skins are blistered and cracking, 5 to 10 mins. Wrap in a kitchen towel and let steam for 1 min. Rub the nuts in the towel as many of the skins as possible, set aside to cool completely. Coarsely chop the hazelnuts.
In a medium bowl,whisk together flour, cocoa powder and baking powder, set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter,sugar and salt to medium speed until light fluffy 2-3 mins, scraping down the sides of the bowl, Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until blended.
With the mixer on low speed,add the dry ingredients and beat until the flour is absorbed. Fold in the chocolate and the chopped hazelnuts.
On a lightly floured work surface, gently roll with lightly floured hands make a 17 inches long and 11/2 inches wide. Carefully, transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake for 20 mins.
Remove the logs from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 10 mins, Using the knife, cut the logs on the diagonal into slices about 3/4 inch thick. Return the slices to the baking sheet, laying each one on its side, and bake until the biscotti are completely fried and crisp, about 10-15 mins.
Cool the biscotti for 10 mins on the baking sheet on a wire rack. The n transfer them to the rack with a metal spatula and let cool completely.

Store in a covered container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Rose Jam Bars

2010-11-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

Last week while shopping groceries at international market I came across something that I was wanting for longtime "Rose Jam" and wanted to make use of it in a different way instead of just spreading on the bread, did some reaserch on web, found something similar recipe "starberry jam bar", subsituted "rose" instead of strawberries and I should admit 'The Bars' came out pretty well.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Butter
3/4 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 tbsp Honey
1-1/4 cup of All purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon, nutmeg
2/3 cup of Rose Jam
1/4 cup of Almonds chopped

Preheat the oven at 350 F
In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and honey.Combine the flour,baking powder, ground spices.
Gradually add to the butter mixture.
Divide the dough in half, spread one portion into a lightly greased 9 inch sqaure baking pan.Spread with jam.
Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over jam, Sprinkle the chopped almonds.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Note: You can store the cut bars in a airtight container for a week.

Pumpkin Spice Short Cakes

2010-10-31T16:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween to all out there who celebrating. Seattle is looking so gorgerous and splashed with colors like oranges, red and green.. maples leaves, apples, pumpkins.Well, I am not a big fan of pumpkin but since it's season to celebrate thought will bake some....

1/2 cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree (I prepared it at home you can also use canned)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground nutmeg

Prepare cake pans: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat cake pans with softened butter and set aside.

Make the batter: Cream butter until smooth in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed. Add the sugars and mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Set aside. Combine the pumpkin purée, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside. In thirds, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition until smooth.

Bake the cake: Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean -- 35 to 40 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pan on wire racks for 30 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and return to the wire racks until completely cool.

Aloo Palak ~ Potato Spinach Curry

2010-10-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

A big thanks to Manju @ Mirch Masala for introducing me to "Full Circle Farm". I'm glad that I found this service. A box of fresh Vegetables and fruits on every wednesday morning at doorstep oh! no grocery shopping.. ~~I'm~~ we are loving it. This week delivery included fresh Spinach, Idaho potatoes and I can't think of any other recipe than "aloo palak" which is quick and simple to go with chapathis, pulkas or even with plain white rice.

Ingredients:
1 Bunch of Palak/Spinach
1 big Potato cut into cubes
1 big Onion chopped
2 Tomato chopped
3 Green chilies
Fresh ginger slice(Crush & paste using pestle mortor)
2 Garlic cloves(Crush & paste using pestle mortor)
1/2 tsp Coriender powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
1/2 tsp Red chili powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
Whole masala( 2 Cloves, 3-4 Peppercorns,1" cinnamon, 1 small cardamom, 1 tsp cumin seeds)

Boil water and cook palak and green chilies until the leaves are soft and tender. Let it cool
In a heavy pan heat 3 tbsp oil add whole masalas and cuminseeds. when seeds starts splutters add chopped onions and saute for a min.
Once the onions are golden add ginger-garlic paste and saute.
Now add all the powders and mix well.Let the masala and onions combine well.
Add potatoes,tomatoes mix well add salt and reduce the heat, cover and cook until the potato soft(occasionally saute)
Meanwhile, Grind the palak and greenchilies to fine paste.
Once the tomatoes and potatoes are well combine finally add the ground palak-paste (add water depending on how thin the curry you want)and cook for 5-10 mins in low flame
Serve with hot pulkas, rotis,chapathis.

Fall and Upside-down Apple Cake

2010-10-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

Halo! how are you all doing? last month on been busy..got a new job and life has become routine but I'm loving it. My favourite season is approaching and thought of baking a season's apple cake.
This recipe is from the Cookbook"Food and Wine".

Ingredients

Apples
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
2 Golden Delicious apples-peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
Glaze
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk

1.PREPARE THE APPLES: Preheat the oven to 350° and line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, blend the butter with the brown sugar and salt. Spread the mixture evenly in the lined cake pan. Arrange the apples wedges in the pan in 2 concentric circles.

2.MAKE THE CAKE: In the same bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, mix the eggs with the milk and vanilla. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients along with the melted butter and whisk until smooth. Scrape the batter over the apples and spread evenly. Bake the cake in the lower third of the oven until golden and springy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
3.Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Run the tip of a knife around the inside rim of the pan. Center a serving plate over the cake; carefully invert the the cake and plate. Remove the pan and peel off the parchment paper. Let the cake cool completely.
4.MAKE THE GLAZE: In a small bowl, stir the confectioners' sugar with the milk and drizzle it over the cake. Cut into wedges and serve.

Homemade Raspberry Jam

2010-09-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

Last weekend been to Pikemarket(One of famous public market in Seattle) and got some fresh berries. Since, longtime I wanted to make homemade jam and found simple jam recipe on http://www.epicurious.com/

Ingredients:
• 2 cups Sugar

• 2 cups Raspberries

In a ovensafe pan add sugar, warm the sugar at 250°F for 15 minutes. (Warm sugar dissolves better.)
In the stainless steel saucepan, add the raspberries and mash it with a potato masher as they heat. Bring it to boil, stirring constantly.
Add warm sugar, return to a boil, and boil until mixture will form a gel about 5 minutes.
Once the jam cools down pour it to glass container and preserve for a week.

Aloo Sabji - Rajasthani Style

2010-08-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

One of the easiest sidedish to make is aloo subji/potato stir fry and it is prepared in several ways in different parts of India. In southern part, it's stir fried and blended with coconut and in north it'xs sprinkled with garam masalas.
This time I tried a authentic rajasthani style aloo sabji with yogurt and gram flour. It tastes bit sour because of yogurt.

Ingredients:
2 big Potatoes/Aloo (peeled, boiled and cut into cubes)
1 cup Yogurt beaten
1 tsp Besan/Gram flour
1 tsp roasted Coriender-Cumin powder
1 1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Tempering:
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1/2 tsp Kalonji/ Onion seeds
2 Cloves
1 inch Cinnamon stick
1 Bay leaf
Oil
1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder

In a bowl mix gram flour and yogurt.keep aside
Heat a 2 tbsp of oil in heavy saucepan, Add mustard seeds, when it splutters add cumin, fennel, kalonji, cloves, cinnamon , bay leaf and asatoetida powder and saute for few seconds.
Add gramflour-yogurt mixture and bring to boil.
Now, add the cut potatoes/aloo and salt mix well and add 1/2 cup water, cover and cook in a low flame for 5-10 mins or until it's combine
It's ideal for rotis and chapathis

Tindoora in Coconut gravy - South-Indian style

2010-08-24T20:43:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
20-25 Tindoora
small lemon size Tamarind
1 tsp Jaggery
Salt to taste
1 tsp Turmeric powder
Gravy:
1 1/2 tsp Coriender seeds
1tsp Black gram
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tsp Seasme seeds
4-5 Red chilies
1/2 cup coconut grated
1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder

Tempering:
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Black gram
2 Red chilies
Few curry leaves

In a pestle and mortor punch the tindooras
Boil the water in a heavy pot, add turmeric powder, few curry leaves(keep half aside for garnishing) and tindooras, cover and cook in low flame until the tindooras are soft and tender.
Meanwhile, dry roast the ingredients from gravy list except coconut. Grind with coconut by adding water to fine paste.
Once the tindoora are cooked add tamarind paste, salt to taste, jaggery and ground paste. Mix well and cook in low flame for 15-20 mins or until combine.
Laslty, heat a small pan add 2 tsp oil, mustard seeds, black gram, chilies and asafoetida powder, when mustard seeds splutters mix it with gravy.
Garnish with leftover curry leaves.
Serve with hot white rice.

Mushroom Biryani

2010-08-22T19:10:00.000-07:00

Off lately, biryani is becoming a sunday treat for us. After trying out various method, I'm stick to the traditional way of cooking in low flame with tight sealed for about 60-90 minutes gives biryani a nice aromatic flavour.

Ingredients:
8-9 Mushrooms cut into slices
2 cups Basmati Rice
1 Onion sliced
2 Tomato finely chopped
2 Bay leaf
1 cup Coconut milk
1 tsp Sindhi biryani masala
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
Ghee or Oil
2 tsp Lemon juice
Salt - to taste
few Coriander leaves finely chopped
few Mint leaves finely chopped
7-8 paneer cubes
2 bread cut into cubes

Paste :
1 tsp Fennel seeds
2 inch Cinnamon stick
4 Cloves
4-5 Green chilies
1 inch Ginger
2 Garlic

Sealing:
wheat flour dough(Wheat flour depends on the size of pan I used 2 cups of wheat flour and water to make a dough)

Soak the rice in water for 30 mins. Grind the ginger, garlic, green chilies, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds to fine paste by adding little water.
Heat ghee or Oil in a heavy saucepan. Add bay leaf and fry for a minute. Add sliced onion and fry till it turns into golden brown in color.
Add ground paste, biryani masala, turmeric and fry till raw smell goes off.
Add chopped tomatoes and salt cover and cook for 2-3 mins or until the tomatoes are smashed Stir occasionally.
Add Mushroom pieces and fry until it becomes soft Add Chopped Coriander and Mint leaves and cook until it is combine.
Then add soaked basmati rice and fry for 2 to 3 minutes or till the water evaporates from the rice.
Add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of coconut milk(for biryani water measurement is 1 cup rice =1 1/2 cups of water)salt and lemon juice.
Cover the lid and seal the dough thoroughly around the pan and cook in low medium flame for 60-90mins.
Meanwhile, shallow fry the bread cubes and paneer cubes.Once the biryani is cooked granish it with paneer and bread cubes.

Serve with raita.

Cucumber Chutney

2010-08-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from cookbook "Cooking at home with Pedatha. An authentic recipe of Andhra. The blend of tamarind, flavour of sesame seeds powder with cucumber gives a petulant taste. It goes well with chapathis.rotis and dosas.

Ingredients:

2 Cucumber peeled and chopped in 1inch long and 1/2 inch cube
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Sambar powder
1 1/2 tsp Sesame seeds
1 tbsp Jaggery
3 tbspTamarind pulp
Oil
Salt to taste
Coriender leaves for garnish

Tempering:

1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp black gram
2 red chilies
1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder
few curry leaves

Dry roast the sesame seeds and grind to fine powder. keep aside
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a medium saucepan, add mustard seeds when it splutters add black gram,curry leaves, red chilies and asafortida powder.
Add chopped cucumber and saute for min, add turmeric, tamarind, sambar powder, sesame seeds powder, jaggery. Cover and cook in a low flame until the cucumber are tender.
Laslty, add the salt, mix well and granish with finely chopped coriender leaves.

Kiwifruit Pistacho Bread

2010-08-13T07:09:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for Kiwifruit recipes on web and found this one interesting and simple. I made this with little of variation by adding nutty kutty pistachos and a desi touch by adding cardamom powder. It tastes bit sour-sweet with wonderful caradamom aroma.

5-6 med. ripe kiwi fruits
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped pistachos
1/4 tsp cardamom powder

Wash and peel the fruit. Chop finely to make 1 1/2 cups.
Heat a pan add chopped fruit and sugar.
Bring to a boil, stirring until fruit loses some of its color. Allow to cool.
Beat eggs and oil well.
Blend together flour, baking powder and salt.
Add the baking soda to cooked kiwi mixture. Stir until bubbles form.
Add this to the egg mixture and then add flour mixture, Pistachos and cardamom powder to it.
Stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour the mixture into a well greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees about 55 minutes.
Cool in pan 10 minutes and turn out onto wire rack.

Enjoy when its warm or at room temperature.

Bitter Gourd fry

2010-08-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

Because of it's bitterness, for some it's a favourite and for some it's not.
From Health standpoint, consuming of cooked bittermelon reduces risk of diabetics, bloodpressure and diffferent kinds of cancer.

Ingredients:
4 Bitter Gourd
1 Onion sliced
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder or depending on your taste
1 tbsp coriender powder
2 tbsp fennel seeds crushed
oil to fry
Salt

Peel the bittergourd and wash thoroughly. Cut in to round thin slices and add salt, mix and keep aside for about 3 hours.
Wash out thoroughly again and squeeze out excess water.
Heat the oil and fry the bittergourd unitl golden.
In a medium saucepan heat 2 tbsp oil add sliced onions and saute it until golden. Now, mix all the masala and salt as required and saute for a min.
Lastly, add fried bittergourd mix well, cover and cook for 4-5 mins in low flame.

It goes well with curd rice.

Sarson ka saag - Mustard leaves curry

2010-07-29T11:37:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 bunch of Mustard leaves
1 bunch of Spinach leaves
1 big Onion
2 Garlic
1 inch Ginger
3-4 Green chilies
2 tbsp Corn starch
Salt
oil
1 tsp Garam masala
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Wash the leaves and chopped roughly. Chop onion, garlic, ginger and green chilies.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy saucepan, add chopped onion, galric, ginger, greenchilies and leaves saute for a min and add salt, cover it and cook until the leaves are done. Stir occasionally.

Once the leaves are cooked, wait until they cool down. Now, blend coarsely.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in same pan, add the grind paste and bring it to boil.

Serve with any rotis, or chapathis.

Mango Rasayana

2010-07-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
3 Mango(Peeled and smashed, disgard the seed)
3 tbsp Jaggery powdered.
1/4 tsp cardamom powdered
pinch of salt
1 cup grated coconut
Water

Blend the grated coconut and extract milk. In a serving bowl, add jaggery, cardamom, smashed mangoes, salt and coconut milk and mix well. If required add water/ milk and serve.

Cantaloupe Drink

2010-07-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

Hope you all having wonderful summer! Had a amazing and refreshing vacation at Alaska. Weather in Alaska was moderate and when I landed here in seattle it was 90 F.So to beat the heat here is a refreshing drink.

Ingredients:
2 cups Cantaloupe(Peeled and cut into cubes)
3 tbsp Jaggery
1/4 tsp Cardamom powered
Water

Blend Cantaloupe and Jaggery and water( as required) add cardamom.
Transfer to serving glass and Enjoy outdoor!

Poppy seeds and Cashewnuts Halwa!

2010-06-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

The dessert was long time pending. Even this recipe is from south karnataka, India. It is rich and calorie-packed with cashews and flavourful poppy seeds,coconut milk and clarified butter/Ghee. You can use oil to make it less- fat but adding ghee gives halwa wonderful taste.

I will be offline for next one week as me and him going on vacation to Glaciers and will miss all your interesting recipes. See you soon..

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Cashewnuts
1/2 cup Poppy seeds(soak for 15-20 mins)
1 cup Coconut milk
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Milk
1 tsp Cardamom powder
1/4 cup Ghee(clarified butter)

Grind cashwenuts,soaked poppy seeds with the coconut milk to fine paste.
Heat a heavy saucepan, add milk, sugar and ground paste.
Keep adding ghee in regular intervals and stirring continuously.
Add cardamom powder, mix well. when the mixture becomes thick and you can see ghee on the surface. remove from heat.
Transfer to serve bowl and garnish with safforn strings and cashewnuts.

Sending off to the event"Sizzling Summer Contest" hosted by SpicyTatsy.

Split Pigeon Peas Chutney ~ (Toor Dal, Thogari bele chutney)

2010-06-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

The Slipt pigeon peas chutney is very famous in southern part of India especially south - north Karnataka. This chutney goes well with hot rice, chapati, idlis with a slice of onion. The aroma/flavour of the chutney is divine.
When I'm out of veggies will prepare this chutney ;)

Ingredients-
2 tbsp Split Pigeon Peas
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
small piece of tamarind(if you use taste take 1/2 tsp)
salt to taste
asafoetida powder
4-5 Red chilies
few fresh curry leaves
Tempering
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 Red chili
few curry leaves
1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder
Oil

Dry roast the Split Pigeon Peas, red chilies, asafoetida powder,3-4 curry leaves.
Grind the roasted peas together with coconut, tamarind, salt by adding little water(as required) and transfer it to serving bowl.
Lastly, heat a 1 tbsp oil add mustard seeds, when it starts splutter add red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida powder. Mix it with chutney and serve.

Watermelon punch with dash of Orange and Sweet lemon- Non Alcoholic!

2010-06-24T06:35:00.000-07:00

As the temperture rises in seattle you see people with glass of colorful refreshing drink. Here comes one of the simple yet colorful refreshing punch to beat the heat.

2 cups Watermelon cubes
4 tbsp fresh Orange juice
2 tsp fresh sweet Lemon
3 tsp Sugar
Ice cubes
pinch of salt

Blend the Watermelon cubes and strain it.
In a glass pitcher add orange and lemon juice with salt and sugar,some lemon slices and ice cubes.
Dress the glass with slice lemon and mint leaves and serve.

Sending off to event "Sizzling Summer Contest" hosted by Spciy Tasty's.

Gram Dal - Rajasthani Style

2010-06-23T07:05:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 cup Black gram split
1/2 cup Bengal gram
1 big Onion sliced
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp green chilies chopped
2 red chilies
2 cloves
1 small inch cinnamon
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
Oil
Salt to taste
Water

Wash the grams and pressure cook with turmeric powder and 3 cups of water.
Heat a medium saucepan, add 2 tbsp oil add the whole masala(cloves,cinnamon and red chilies) add sliced onions and deep fry until they turn golden.
Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilies saute for few minutes. Add redchili powder and garam masala mix well.
Now, add cooked grams, salt and water(if required) cooked for 4-5 miuntes and turn off the heat.
Garnish with chopped cilantro or sliced ginger- chilies.
Relish the Rajasthani style dal with rice or any roti/ chapathi and onion slices.

One of Tarla dalal recipes.

Curry Leaves Dosa\Crepes

2010-05-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

Curry leaves are mostly consumed in south Asia and you can see that effect of it,many people will have long lenghty hairs. Yes, its good for hair.
Found this breakfast recipe on web search. It looks similar to green-gram dosa(pesarttu) but tastes different.

Ingredients
1 cup Par-boiled rice
2 cups Regular Idli/ dosa rice
5 tsp Pigeon peas(toor dal)
5 tsp Black gram (urad dal)
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1-1/12 cup Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Water

Soak all the ingredients except curry leaves for 4 to 5 hours
Grind the soaked grains with curry leaves.
Allow it to ferment overnight.
Heat the griddle and pour the batter, spread and cook both sides.
Serve with coconut chutney.

Poori and Vegetable Korma

2010-05-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

It's been long time I haven't made this. Just because I don't want to make whole house frying oil smell. But, from past 2 days weather was so gloomy our food sense was craving for home fried food.
It's a famous recipe in Bangalore restaurants they either serve with the aloo masala or korma

Vegetable Korma
Ingredients
1 cup mix vegetables of your choice(I used carrots, turnips, potato)
1/3 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Lemon juice
Cilantro for garnish

Paste
1 garlic clove
1'' inch ginger
3-4 green chilies(If you want to have red color korma, go with red chilies)
1 tsp poppy seeds
5-6 black peppercorns
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp roasted Bengal gram
4 tbsp coconut grated

Boil 1 cup water add turmeric and vegetables cover and cook until the vegetables are soft and tender.
Mean while, grind all the ingredients from paste list to fine. keep aside.
Once the vegetables are cooked add salt and ground paste. cook for 5-10 mins.
Lastly add lemon juice and garnish with cilantro. Korma is ready!

Poori
Ingredients
1 cup wheat flour
water
Oil for frying

In a mix bowl, Mix wheat flour and water as required and make a dough and knead well. Keep aside for 30 mins.
Again knead well and make small balls and roll out with help of oil and Fry.

Note: The Poori dough should be little harder than chapati in that way it won't take much oil while frying.

Green Gram and Mix Vegetables Curry - South Indian Style

2010-05-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Green gram
1 Cup mix vegetables chopped(Carrots, String Beans,Potatoes) You can add green peas or anyother less watery vegetables.
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Oil

1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Black peppercorns
1/2 tsp Poppy seeds
2 red chilies
4 tbsp grated coconut
Tempering:
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Bengal gram
1 Red chili
Few curry Leaves

Pressure cook the green gram and drain the excess water and keep aside
In a medium sauce pan, heat 1 tsp oil add cumin seeds, black peppercorns, red chilies and poppy seeds. fry for 2-3 mins or until it turns light golden and grind with coconut and little to fine paste.
In a heavy saucepan, add 2 cups of water(depending on the quantity of vegetables) bring to boil, add vegetables, tumeric powder and cook until the vegetables are tender and soft.
Add cooked green gram and cook for 3-4 mins. Now, add the ground paste and salt and cook until combine thoroughly. Lastly, Heat oil in a small sacuce pan, add mustard seeds, bengal gram , red chilies and asafoetida powder and curry leaves when mustard seeds splutters mix it with the curry.
Serve with hot rice or even goes well with chapathis, rotis.

Toor Dal Idlis(Pigeon peas Steamcakes)

2010-05-11T07:17:00.000-07:00

This is one of regular breakfast of Malnad(Southern part of India).Most of idlis are prepared using the banana leaf or jack fruit leaves called Kotte and steamed in a heavy copper untensils which tastes delicious.

Ingredients
1 cup Parboiled rice
1 cup Toor dal /pigeon peas
Salt
1/4 tsp Baking soda

Soak parboiled rice and toor dal for 4 hours separately and grind the dal finely and rice to coarse.
Add salt and baking soda, mix evenly and allow for frementation for 8 hours.
Heat the steamer and grease the ildi moulds(I used Stainsteel glasses and the steaming time would be 20mins) pour the batter and steam for 20 mins(If you use the regular ildi moulds- steam it for 10 mins)
Serve with any chutney.

Note: You can add some chopped cilantro, curry leaves and ginger to batter.

Apple Raisins Bread

2010-05-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

Hope you all had a wonderful mother's day. Last four days was sun feast here in seattle. I was out all days to enjoy sunny weather and did little of weekend baking and manage to click one photo.

Ingredients
1 big Apple
11/4 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
2 large Eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 cups All-purpose flour
1 tsp ground Cinnamon
3/4 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Raisins

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees and grease the loaf pan with oil or butter
Peel and finely chop apples. Set aside.
In a big bowl ,stir flour,baking soda,cinnamon and salt.
In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla extract. transfer sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until blended(batter will be stiff) Fold in finely chopped apples and raisins(keep few for topping)
Divide batter evenly between to the greased loaf pans.
Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.

Sauted Corn Salad

2010-05-06T07:23:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
3 Medium fresh corn(scarp off the kernels)
1/3 cup roughly chopped green beans
1 ripe medium tomato
1/4 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2 green chilies
ginger-garlic paste of about 1 tbsp
2 tbsp oil
Cilantro chopped

Heat oil in a heavy sauce pan, add ginger-garlic paste saute for 30 seconds. Add green chilies, corn kernels, beans and salt saute for 1-2 mins.Now, add tomato and sugar saute for 1 min and lastly add cilantro
Believe me it take so good.

Hara Chana masala/Green Chickpeas Curry

2010-05-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 pack frozen green chickpeas (if you find fresh add about 2 cups)
1 big onion
3 small tomatoes
2 green chilies chopped
1/2 tsp ginger paste(I used fresh 1 inch ginger, made a paste using pestle and mortor)
1/2 tsp garlic paste(used 2 small garliccloves, made a paste using pestle and mortor)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriender powder
1 tsp Channa masala powder(I used MDH brand)
oil
water
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
Cilantro for garnish

In a bowl of hot water soak the unpack frozen chickpeas for 30 mins.
Finely chopthe 1/2 onions and other half make a smooth paste of it, finely chop tomatoes and keep aside
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy sauce pan, sprinkle asafoetida powder,add the chopped onions saute it for a min. Add ginger-garlic paste, chopped green chilies and onion paste saute it for 2-3 mins.
Now, add turmeric, cumin, coriender and channa masala powder, mix well and cook for a min.
Add chopped tomatoes and salt, cover it. let it cook until tomatoes are smashed. stir occasionally.
Lastly, add the drain chickpeas and cover it. cook until masala well blend with chickpeas.
Garnish with chopped clinatro.
Serve with hot chapathis, rotis or basmati rice.

String Bean Masala/String beans Stir fry with Coconut and Spices

2010-05-03T07:14:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 cups of String beans chopped
Sal to taste
For Masala:
3 tbsp Bengal gram
1 tbsp Black gram
2 tbsp Coriender seeds
4 red chilies
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
4 tbsp fresh coconut grated
a lemon sized Tamarind pulp
Tempering:
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Bengal gram
1 tsp Black gram
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 red chili
few curry leaves
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder

Heat 1 tsp oil in a medium pan, add all the ingredients from Masala list except coconut saute for 2-3 mins or until it turns light golden and grind to fine paste with coconut by adding little water and keep aside.
In a heavy sauce pan, heat a 3 tbsp oil add mustard seeds,cumin seeds, bengal and black grams, red chili and curry leaves when mustard seeds splutters add asafoetida powder and chopped long beans saute for a min. Add turmeric powder and 1 to 11/2 cups of water mix well and cover the lid. Let the beans cook.
Meanwhile, In a medium pan add 2 tsp oil add ground masala paste and cook for 5-7 mins or until the paste is dry and crisp.
Lastly, add the masala to cooked beans and cook for few more mins until masala blends well with beans.
Serve with hot rice.

Happy 101 Award!!!

2010-04-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

Today I am very excited, overwhelmed and happy to receive "Happy 101 Award" from Spicie Foodie
Her blog is full of wonderful,delicious international recipes. I love most of her mexican and thai recipes, especially thai green curry paste and her food photography are just amazing and fantabulous. Thanks for passing me Happy award.

After receving this award, I can't list all 101things that makes me happy and don't want to make anyone bored here but to keep up the rule will list 10 things that makes me happy and pass the award on to 10 bloggers that makes me happy.
1. My family
2. My new Canon camera/Photography
3. Cooking
4. Food obviously why I am here now.
5. Shopping eco-friendly home decors
6. Sweets/ chocolates/Ice cream
7. Candle lights
8. Reading interiors magazines(mostly photographs)
9. Flowers all around me
10. Travelling (going on Vacation)

Now comes my fellow happy bloggers:

You all have a great weekend ahead!

Fruits Salad (Fruits in Mango Pulp and Condensed milk)

2010-04-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

A weekend treat simple and quick dessert Fruit salad. There are various method of doing it based on one's preference and taste. You can make as simple as by adding honey to the chopped fruits,If you aren't calories conscious add powdered sugar or may be with scoop of ice cream. Here is my way of doing quick and simple salad.

Ingredients:
2 cups of your favourite fruits chopped
4 tbsp condensed milk
5 tbsp Sugar
1/2 cup mango pulp
few saffron strings
few raisins
few Cashew nuts
few Hazelnuts

In a bowl,mix mango pulp, condensed milk and sugar.
Add fruits, nuts and saffron strings. Mix well and keep in refrigerator for an hour and serve cold.

Sending off to 'Serve me Some…Salads’ event hosted by Madhuri from Cook-curry Nook.

Rajma in Tomato Gravy

2010-04-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 cup Rajma soaked for 8 hours
1 big Onion finely chopped
2 Tomatoes finely chopped
2 medium size Garlic cloves(make a paste)
1 small inch Ginger (make a paste)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 Green chilies chopped
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Coriender powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 Garam masala powder
Red chili powder(depending on your taste)
Salt to taste
1 tsp Sugar
Cilantro for garnish

Wash the rajma and pressure cook. Drain the excess water and keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in heavy saucepan, add onions and saute it. when onions turns light golden add ginger-garlic paste, green chilies and saute for a min.
Add all the powders, and saute well for min or two.Now, add chopped tomatoes,salt and sugar mix well and cover the lid of the pan. When toamtoes are well cooked add tomato paste and cooked rajma.
Combine well and cook for 3-4 mins or until done.

Almond Banana Smoothie

2010-04-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!

Ingredients:
½ cup Yogurt
1 banana, peeled and sliced
½ cup milk
1 tbsp ground almonds
½ tsp almond extract
1 tsp sugar

Place all ingredients in blender and blend on medium speed until well combined. Garnish it with finely chopped almonds on top.
Serve immediately.

Bitter Gourd Pitlay

2010-04-15T08:23:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Toor dal
Lemon sized Tamarind pulp
3-4 Bittergourds chopped
1 big Tomato chopped
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Sambar powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Jaggery
7-8 Cashewnuts
Paste:
Oil
6 Red chilies
1 tbsp Coriender seeds
1/2 tsp Black peppercorns
1 tsp Bengal gram
1 tsp Black gram
1/2 tsp Asafoetida powder
1/2 cup Fresh coconut grated
Tempering:
2 tsp oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Few curry leaves

Pressure cook the dal with water and add 1 tsp oil. Meanwhile, In a medium pan, roast all ingredients from the Paste list above and grind to fine paste by adding water and keep aside.
(To remove the bitterness of bittergourd,add salt to chopped bittergourd and keep it for 30 mins and squeeze the juice out of it and then use it)
Soak the tamrind for 15 mins and extract the juice.
Heat a heavy sauce pan, add the tamrind juice,salt, jaggery,turmeric,sambar powder and finely chopped bitter gourd. On a medium flame cook the bittergourd.
Once the bittergourd is well cooked, add chopped tomato cooked dal and ground paste. lower the flame and bring it to boil(add water if required)
Lastly, Heat a 2 tsp oil add, mustard seeds and chopped cashews, when it splutters add curryleaves saute it and mix it to pitlay.
Relish it with white rice.

Happy New Year and Happy Baisakhi!

2010-04-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

Ma recipes wishes all, A very Happy New year and Happy Baisakhi! May peace and happiness fill all around.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

2010-04-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

Other day I was watching Paula deen's 'Honey it's ready' episode on Food network and episode is all about the honey. She shared this breakfast-snack recipe 'Sweet Potato Biscuits'.
This was my first time baking biscuits from scratch and was bit worrried but believe me it tasted so nice sweet and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 heaping tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter
2 to 4 tablespoons milk (depending on the moisture of the potatoes)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large bowl, Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a another medium bowl, mix the sweet potatoes and butter.
Add the flour mixture to the potato mixture and mix to make a soft dough. (If required add tablespoon of milk).
Turn the dough out onto a floured board and toss lightly until the outside of the dough looks smooth. Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter.
Place the biscuits on a greased pan and coat tops with melted butter. Bake for about 15 minutes. (Watch your oven: If the biscuits are browning too fast, lower the temperature)

Avacado-Onion Paratha

2010-04-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
Filing:
2 Avocado smashed
1 small Onion finely chopped
small piece Ginger (make paste)
1/4 Red chili powder
1/4 Garam masala powder
1/2 Cumin powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Dough:
1 1/2 Cup wheat flour
Water
Oil

In a mix bowl, add wheat flour and make a dough by adding water as required and knead well, apply oil and keep aside.
In another bowl, mix avacado, onion,ginger paste, salt, red chili powder,cumin,garam masala powder and lemon juice.
Divide dough and avacado and onion mixture into portions. Using a little dry flour, roll out the dough ball into a small portion

Place one portion of the avacado mixture in the middle of the dough.
Pull up sides of the dough around the mixture. Pinch the dough at the top to seal the ball. Flatten the stuffed dough and dip into dry flour to coat all sides
Roll out into a larger disc - continuing to dip into dry flour to prevent sticking. Place paratha on a hot tava/skillet and cook until both sides turns light golden. Serve with yogurt and pickle.

Beetroot Basmati Rice

2010-04-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup Basmati rice
2 Beetroots Chopped Long slice
1 Onion Chopped
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
2-3 Green chilies
small inch of Cinnamon
3-4 Cloves
2 Green Cardamom
4-5 Black peppercorns
1/4 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp Black Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Cumin-Coriender powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder
1/4 tsp Red chili powder
Salt to taste
Oil

Heat a 4-5 tbsp oil in a pressure pan, add whole cinnamom,cardamom,cloves,black cumin seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns and saute it.
Add Onions,green chilies and ginger-garlic paste saute it until golden. Now, add turmeric, red chili,cumin-coriender, garam masala powder and mix well. let masala blend together. Add beetroot,rice and water(For 2 1/2 cups of rice to 4 1/2 cups of water) bring it to boil on medium-high flame for 5 mins and close the lid of pressure pan and cook for 7-10 mins in low flame.
Serve with any raita/yogurt.

Besan Bhindi /Okra Stir Fry with gram flour

2010-04-07T06:47:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 pound small Okra/Ladies finger
1/4 cup Gram flour (besan)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Garam masala powder
1 1/2 tsp Roasted cumin powder
1 tsp Amchur powder
1 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds (saunf), crushed
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tbsp Coriander powder
Oil
1/2 tsp Onion seeds (kalonji)
8- 10 Shallots

Cut the Okras/lady fingers top and bottom and make a slit on one side without cutting through.
In a bowl, mix salt, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, roasted cumin powder, amchur, fennel seeds, red chilli powder and coriander powder.
Fill this mixture into the slits. Sprinkle the remaining mixture (if any) over the okras/lady fingers and add a tablespoon of oil.
Heat the remaining oil in a sauce pan, add onion seeds and sauté it. Add shallots and sauté for one minute. Add gram flour and sauté for a couple more minutes. Add the stuffed Okras/lady fingers and mix, cover the lid and cook in a low flame,stirring occasionally, till the okras/lady fingers get cooked and turn crisp.
Serve with chapathis

Taro Root Kootu

2010-04-05T18:16:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
4 tbsp Toor dal
4 tbsp Bengal gram
lemon sized Tamarind soaked and extract juice
4-5 Taroroot peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Paste:
1 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns
2 tsp Blackgram dal
1 tbsp Bengal gram
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
1 tbsp coriender seeds
1 red chili
4 tbsp coconut grated

Tempering
Oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp peanuts
1 red chili
few curry leaves

Pressure cook the lentils/dals and keep aside.
Heat a oil in pan, add all ingredients from paste list and roast except coconut until light golden and grind along with coconut to fine paste.
In a heavy saucepan. add mustard seeds, rew peanuts,red chili and few curry leaves.When mustard seeds splutters add chopped taro root, salt,turmeric powder and tamarind juice. Cook until the taroroot is tender.
Now, add the cooked lentils/dals cook for 2-3 mins until it's thoroughly blend. Lastly, add the ground paste and cook for a few more mins.
Serve with rice.

Set of Awards!

2010-04-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

I am really overwhelmed with the set of awards I have been receiving from past 2 weeks.It's truly encouraging! Here are the 2 awards!
I would like to thank Aruna for passing me her favourite picture under the "TAG Award".Blissed to see the Innocence of child's sleep.

The Rule of Tag award is
1)I should post a favourite picture/pictures
2)I should pass it on to 7 friends.
Here comes my favourite picture of recent. Relaxing Bench under the Tree and like to pass this to

Taken @ Washington Arboretum

Padma
Namitha and Sunitha
Priya
Padhu
Pedhakka
Sarah Naveen
?
Lastly, long pending thanks to Jyothi for sharing a Sunshine Award.

Yellow Dal/Lentils Curry

2010-04-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

A simple dal/curry is a must in Indian food platter without which meal is not complete. This curry can be served with hot rice, chapathis.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Green gram
1/4 cup Toor dal
1 onion chopped
2 Tomatoes chopped
2-3 green chilies
1 small piece of ginger - make a paste
1 garlic cloves - make a paste
small or1 inch cinnamon
3-4 cloves
2-3 peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Jaggery/Sugar
Salt to taste
Oil
Cilantro for granish.

Dal Curry powder:
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriender seeds
3-4 red chilies
3-4 black pepper
1 brown cardamom
2 green cardamom
Few dried Dill leaves
Roast above ingredients expect dried dill leaves and grind to fine powder.

Pressure cook the lentils and keep aside.
In a heavy sauce pan, Heat a 2 tbsp oil add cinnamon,cloves, peppercorns and cumin seeds when splutters add ginger-garlic paste,chopped green chilies,onions and suate it for a min.
When onions turns light golden, add turmeric powder and dal curry powder and saute for 1 min.
Add chopped tomatoes, jaggery/sugar and salt mix it well and close the lid and cook until the tomatoes are cooked and smashed.
Now, add the cooked lentils, mix well and bring it to boil. Lastly granish with Chopped cilantro.

Mango Sweet Curry

2010-04-01T07:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 Green Mango peeled and Cut into cubes
4 tbsp Jaggery
Salt to taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
Dry Powder:
1 1/2 tbsp Black gram
1 tsp seseame seeds
Masala paste:
1 tbsp coriender seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp Bengal gram
1 tsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp raw white rice
5-6 red chilies
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
5 tbsp grated fresh coconut
Note: If you want to store for more days add dry coconut instead of fresh one.
Tempering:
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 red chilies
few curry leaves

In a Medium pan, Boil 1 cup of water add the turmeric and cut mango cubes. Let it cook in medium flame until mangoes are soft.
Meanwhile, Heat a small pan and roast the black gram and sesame seeds to light golden and grind to fine powder(no water).keep aside.
In a same small pan, roast all ingredients from masala paste except fresh coconut. let it cool and grind along with coconut to fine paste by adding water.Keep aside.
Once the mangoes are cooked, add jaggery and salt bring to boil.
Add Masala paste and mix well. cook for 4-5 mins or until the raw smell goes.Now, add the dry powder make sure there is no lumps mix well. In low flame cook for 2-3 mins.
Lastly, Heat a 2 tbsp oil add mustard seeds when splutters add red chilies and curry leaves saute it and mix it with mango curry.
serve with hot white rice.

Hurrah First Awards!!

2010-03-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks a lot Sathya for passing me prestigious "Loving Blogger" and "Honest scrap" award. Overwhelmed!!!
Hurrah!!!

I would like to pass it on to blogger friends:
? from Tiffin Carrier Antic/que's!
Pedhakka from Recipes by Pedhakka
Aruna Manikandan from Veggie Paradise
Nandini from Nandini's Food page

Navil Kosu Idli / German Turnip steam cakes

2010-03-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup coarse semolina
1 cup mix of sour yogurt and buttermilk
1 German turnip/ Navil kos grated
salt to taste
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp bengal gram
2-3 green chilies
few currry leaves chopped
cilantro chopped

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and bengal gram. when mustard seeds starts splutters add semolina and fry for 2-3 mins on medium flame. Keep aside for cooling.
Now, add grated turnip, chopped green chilies,curry leaves, cilantro, salt and yogurt. Mix well and keep aise for 10 -15 mins.
Add baking soda, if batter is too thick add buttermilk as required.mix well.
Heat the steamer, grease the idli plates and pour the batter to the plate moulds and steam in high for 10 mins. Let it cool and serve with any chutney.

Green bean curry/ Moong dal curry

2010-03-22T07:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 cups Green garm lentils soaked overnight
1 big onion chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
2-3 green chilies chopped
1 inch of ginger paste
1 garlic clove paste
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste
Cilantro for garnish
2-3 cloves
small inch of cinnamon
3-4 peppercorns
1 cardamom
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 coriender-cumin powder
1/4 red chili powder
Oil

Wash the soaked green gram and pressure cook with weight on it for one whistle.Let it cool and drain the excess water. Keep that water to add it in mixture.
In a large sauce pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil add cumin seeds, cardamom,cloves,peppercorns and cinnamon.when cumin seeds starts splutters add onions,green chilies and ginger-garlic paste saute until onion turns light golden.
Now, add turmeric, red chili, coriender-cumin and garam masala powders and saute it until the powders are mixed well. Add tomatoes, salt and sugar mix well and cover it. Let it cook for 4-5 mins or until the tomatoes are smashed. Now, add tomato paste and drained water(as per your requirement) mix well.
Add the cooked green gram lentils mix altogether and cook for 3-4 mins.Lastly, garnish it with chopped cilantro.
Serve with hot chapathi, rotis or rice.

Mango Shake

2010-03-20T06:18:00.000-07:00

Here is everyone's favourite fruit Mango and everyone's favourite drink or say never ignored drink Mango shake. To make it rich I added a scoop of vanilla icecream.

Ingredients:
2 cup Mango pulp
2 tbsp Sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
1 cardamom
4 strings of safforn for garnish(optional)

Peel the cardamom and make a powder.
Blend all the ingredients for about 2-3 mins.
Refridgerate the mango shake and before serving garnish it with safforn string and enjoy the sunny weather!

Have a great weekend!

Herb Bread/Masala Bread

2010-03-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for the recipe Bread with herbs since long time.Most of the herb bread made here in US consists of rosemary which I personally don't like.It has a very strong aroma. Finally, I found Indian version - Sanjeev's Kapoor Masala Bread.

Ingredients:
4 Cups All pupose flour
1 tbsp Yeast
4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Black pepper powder
Few fresh coriander chopped
Few fresh mint leaves chopped
3-4 Green chillies chopped
1 inch Ginger finely chopped
4-5 cloves Garlic finely chopped
2 Eggs
3 tbsp Oil
2 tbsp Sesame seeds

In a Large bowl,mix flour, yeast, salt, sugar, butter and pepper powder.
Add ginger, half of the coriander leaves, mint leaves garlic and egg to the mixture and knead to a soft dough using water as required and knead well. Add 2 tbsp of oil and continue to knead.
Spread some flour on a flat surface, place the dough on it and knead till the dough is absolutely soft.
Put dough back into a bowl, grease some oil and cover with a damp cloth and leave it to rise for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Divide the dough into smaller portions depending on the shapes required. Spread some sesame seeds on a flat surface and roll one portion over it so that the entire portion is covered with the seeds. Beat an egg yolk with a little water and brush the dough balls.
Lastly,add the remaining chopped coriander leaves,mint leaves and chopped garlic.
Leave it covered for another 15-20 minutes to rise more.
Bake in the preheated oven at 400 F for 20-30 minutes.
Let it cool before you serve or cut into pieces.

Palak Chutney/ Spinach dip

2010-03-18T07:19:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 bunches of Spinach/Palak Chopped
2 tbsp Tamarind pulp
2 tsp Sesame seeds
1 tbsp Balck gram Split
2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeda
4-5 Red chilies
2-3 Green Chilies
Few Curry Leaves
1/4 tsp Asafortida powder
Oil
Salt to taste
Tempering
1tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Black gram seeds

Heat a 1 tsp oil in medium sauce pan, add the Spinach and saute it and cover the lid. Let it cook until leaves are soft.
Meanwhile, heat a pan and dry roast the black gram until it turns light golden add mustard seeds, and then fenugreek seeds. Switch off the heat and add red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida powder and saute it.Let it cool.
Now, Dry roast the sesame seeds on low heat until golden and grind to coarse powder.
Grind all along with tamarind pulp and salt to taste.(Add water only if required. The chutney should be thick in consistency).
Lastly temper it. heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds and black gram when it splutters mix it with the ground paste.
Serve with white rice, Dosas/crepes, Idlis.

This is off to "Healing Foods Event-Spinach" (hosted by Divya).

Brinjal Raita / Eggplant in Yogurt

2010-03-17T07:21:00.000-07:00

Hope all had a wonderful new year/ugadi. Hoping this year bring the world peace. Well, here is my entry with smoky brinjalin yogurt. Normally, In mangalore brinjals are burnt on fire, peel the brunt skin and innerpart is mix with yogurt.I made variation by just stir frying it.

Ingredients:
2-3 Small Eggplants/brinjals
1 Small Onion
1 cup yogurt
Salt to taste
2-3 Green chilies
Cilantro for garnish
Tempering:
1tsp mustard seeds
1 red chili
Oil

Heat 3 tsp oil in a medium pan, add mustard seeds when it splutters, add red chilies and eggplants saute in low -medium heat until golden and soft. Let it cool
In a medium bowl mix yogurt,chopped onion,green chilies and salt.
Once the fried eggplants cool down, mix it with yogurt and lastly garnish it with cilantro.

Holige/Obbattu/Puranpoli

2010-03-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

Wishing all Ma recipes readers Happy Ugadi and Gudi Padwa.

Ingredients:
1 cup Maida\All purpose flour
2 tbsp Wheat Flour
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 pinch Salt
Water to make dough
6 tbsp Oil
Oil
Inner Filling
1 cup Jaggery
1 cup Bengal Gram Dal
1/2 cup Toor Dal
1/4 tsp Cardamom Powder

In a bowl, mix flour,turmeric,salt with water and a dough. knead well and apply oil and keep aside for 2 hours.
Pressure cook the dal and starin excess water and grind to fine paste.
Heat a pan melt the jaggery and add dal paste and mix well until it's one ball like.
Make small balls of the filling. Divide the dough into small balls and flatten them. Place one ball of filling on the dough and cover and seal up the filling.
On a plastic sheet apply oil and place the dough filled on the sheet and gently roll out.
Heat a griddle/tawa grease oil and place the dough.Cook on both sides until golden.
Holige/Obbattu/Puran Poli is ready to be served.

Pineapple Cake

2010-03-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

I am one of those people who likes to bake especially saturday afternoon. We love the plain flavour moist cake.

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
4 extra-large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp pineapple extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour pan.
Cream the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl by an electric mixer for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, pineapple and vanilla extracts.
Combine flour,butter,eggs and buttermilk mixtures and mix well with help of electric mixer for a min.
Pour the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 35-45minutes, until a cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let it cool for 10 minutes. Take them out of the pans, place them on a baking rack and allow them to cool completely.

Winter Melon Dosa/Crepe

2010-03-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
2 cups Winter melon(peeled, deseeded & chopped )
2 cups RawIdli rice
1/3 cup Black gram (urad dal)
1 tsp Methi seeds

Soak the rice,methi seeds and lentils separately for 4-5 hours.
Wash and grind the lentils by adding little water to smooth first and transfer it to mixing bowl.
Now, grind the rice,methi seeds and wintermelon together with little water(melon contains water in it)
mix altogether add salt and keep aside for frementation for 8-10 hours or till the batter is double.
Heat the griddle and grease 1/2 tsp of oil and pour the batter,spread the batter in round and cook both sides.
Serve with coconut chutney.

Carrot Shake

2010-03-11T10:36:00.000-08:00

Today's morning dose of Vitamins:

Ingredients
1/2 cup baby carrots chopped
2 cups milk
2 tbsp sugar

Cook the chopped carrots in the milk on a medium heat for 30 mins. Let it cool and blend the milk and carrots. Add Sugar and mix well. Cool it in the refrigerator for 6 hours and serve cold.

Blueberry Pancakes

2010-03-10T07:56:00.000-08:00

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp white sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.
In medium bowl, beat together egg and milk. Add this beaten eggs and milk to flour mixture. Mix in the butter and fold in the blueberries. Let it set for 45-60 mins.
Heat griddle or frying pan over medium heat and grease oil. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot with butter and maple syrup.

Sending these Pancakes to Priya's Pancakes Event

Palak Paneer - Spinach and Indian Cheese with Indian Spices

2010-03-08T08:06:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a good weekend.. I got some fresh palak from one of international market and made this famous north indian recipe. The smooth and creamy paneer cubes and the greens gives delicious and sweet flavour.

Ingredients:
1 Large bunch Spinach
1/2 pack Paneer Cut into cubes
1 Small Onion finely chopped
2 small tomatoes
2-3 Green chilies
2 Garlic Cloves(make a paste)
Small piece of Ginger (make a paste)
1 tsp roasted coriender and cumin powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
Salt to taste
Oil
1 tbsp Heavy cream(optional)

Heat a 1 tsp in medium sauce pan, add green chilies and spinach and saute it until leaves are soft and wilted. Let it cool and grind it to fine paste.
Boil the tomatoes and remove the skin and smashed it.
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a heavy sauce pan, add cumin seeds and onions saute it until onions are light golden.
Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for a min. Now, add Coriander and cumin powder, Garam masala mix well and add tomato puree,salt to tatse saute for 2-3 mins.
Add spinach paste and heavy cream (water if required) mix well cover it and cook for 5-10 mins in medium heat. Just before turning off the heat add the paneer cubes and mix.
Serve it with hot chapathis or rotis.

Peach Smoothie

2010-03-06T06:39:00.000-08:00

As summer is around the corner or may be started off :).It's the time to fill fresh water to ice cubes and having chilled drinks and here comes one.

Ingredients:
2 large fresh peach, skinned and sliced
1/2 cup of yogurt or peach flavour yogurt(to get more flavour)
1/2 cup of whole milk
6 ice cubes

Blend the peach slices with the ice cubes and milk slurry misxture.
Now,add the yogurt and blend for another minute and serve chill.

Masala Baath - A Maharashtrian rice

2010-03-05T06:16:00.000-08:00

Masala baath is similar to Vangi baath made but little variation without adding tamarind.

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups Basmati rice
2-3 Long purple Brinjals
Salt to taste
5-6 Whole dry red chillies
2 tsp Coriander seeds
1/2 cup grated Dry coconut
1 tsp Cumin seeds
4 tbsp Oil
5-6 Cloves
2-3 Green cardamoms
2 Bay leaves
1 tsp Turmeric powder
10-12 roasted Cashewnuts

Wash and soak rice in water for 30 mins. Drain and keep aside.
Soak the brinjal cubes in water with which a pinch of salt and piece of tamarind pulp has been added.
Roast whole red chillies, coriander seeds, grated dry coconut and cumin seeds and then grind into a fine paste by adding little water.
Heat oil in a Sauce pan. Add cloves, cardamom, bay leaves and stir-fry for a few seconds. Add ground masala, cook for 2-3 mins on medium heat, stirring continuously.
Add Chopped brinjal and turmeric powder, cook further for 4-5mins.
Add rice and mix gently. Add 3 cups of boiling water and add salt.
Cook on high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low flame and cover the lid and cook until rice is done and all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and serve hot with any raita.

Tri-lentils Khichdi with Bell Pepper Raita

2010-03-04T07:43:00.000-08:00

Khichdi
Ingredients:
2 cups rice (Basmati or sona masuri)
1/3 cup bengal gram
1/3 cup split green gram
1/3 cup split pigeon peas
2-3 cardamoms
4 cloves
5-6 peppercorns
1 small onion finely chopped
1" ginger finely chopped

3-4 green chilies slit
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
cilantro for garnish
Tempering:
Oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Few curry leaves

Soak the rice and lentils in water for 15 mins and wash and strain the water and keep aside.Crush the cardamoms, peppercorns and cloves and keep aside.
Heat 4 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker.Add mustard seeds when it splutter add cumin seeds and curry leaves. add chopped onion and saute for a min. add green chilies and ginger saute until the onion turn to light golden.
Now, add the crushed spices and turmeric powder and saute it for a min.
Add rice and 6-7 cups of water (depending upon how mashy and soft you want) and season with salt.
Cover the pressure cooker lid and put its weight and cook in medium flame for 10-12 mins or until its done.

Bell Pepper Raita
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups yogurt beaten
2 small green bell pepper finely chopped
salt to taste
Cilantro for garnish
Tempering:
2 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp mustard
1 red chilies
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder

In a bowl beat the yogurt add salt and temper it and keep aside.
Heat a oil in a small sauce pan and fry the bell pepper until light golden and soft. Let it cool before adding to yogurt mix. lastly garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Black gram dal rice

2010-03-02T07:32:00.000-08:00

One more recipe from the cookbook Dakshin.Normally, Black gram is used for tempering or making idlis when I read this sounded unique but it is easy,simple and tasty recipe. This rice recipe goes well with Mango Raita

Ingredients:
2 cup Soan masoori rice
2 tbsp cashewnuts
2 green chilies
salt to taste
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp black gram
1 tsp bengal gram
2 red chilies
few curry leaves
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
Masala
2 tbsp Black gram
1 1/2 tspblack peppercorns
2 tbsp white sesame seeds
2 tbsp copra grated

In a pan roast all the ingredients from masala list and grind to fine powder. keep aside
Now, heat a oil in saucepan add mustard seeds,when it splutters add black gram, bengal gram,cashewnuts, green chilies, red chilies, curry leaves and saute for a min. Add rice, salt and ground masala powder. Mix well and serve hot.

Besi Bele Bath

2010-03-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

One of the famous dish that every South Indian will have. Besibelebath is mix of rice and lentils with hot spices. Poha/Thick rice flakes can be added instead of rice.

Ingredients:
2 cup Sona Masoori rice
1 cup Toor dal
Lemon sized piece of Tamarind pulp
1 small Onion chopped
1 Red/Green pepper chopped
1 cup mixed Beans and Carrot chopped
3 baby pototoes or 1big regular potato chopped
1/2 cup green peas(optional)
1/2 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
Oil
Paste:
3 tbsp Coriender seeds
3 tsp Bengal gram
1'' inch long Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp Poppy seeds
4 Cloves
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1/3 cup Coconut grated
7-8 Red chilies
1/2 tsp Asafoetida powder
Masala:
3 tbsp Fried gram dal
3 tsp uncooked rice
1 1/2 tsp Poppy seeds
Tempering:
4 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp Bengal gram
1 1/2 tsp Balck gram
2 Red chilies
Few Curry leaves

Pressure cook toor dal and rice with water.soak the tamarind pulp in water for 20 mins and starin the juice.
In a sauce pan roast all the Paste ingredients except coconut and grind to fine paste
In a heavy sauce pan, dry roast the ingredients from masala and grind to powder. keep aside
Heat the oil in a hevay sauce pan. add mustard seeds when it splutters add cumin,begal gram, black gram, red chilies, and curry leaves and saute for a min. Add onions and saute until it is light golden. Now add chopped bell pepper,beans, carrots, potato and green peas and saute it. when vegetables are partly cooked add tamarind juice, salt to taste and turmeric, mix well and cover the lid and cook in a medium flame for 4 mins.
Once vegetables are soft add ground paste and cook for few mins. Now simmer on a low heat add cooked rice-dal mix well make sure no lumps form. Cook until well blended. Lastly, add the dry masala mix well remove from heat. Serve with Bhondi or Chips.

Happy Holi

2010-02-28T09:13:00.000-08:00

Ma recipes wishes all the readers Happy Holi.

Mango in yogurt(South indian style)

2010-02-27T11:05:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1 small green Mango skinned and chopped
2 tbsp grated coconut
2 green chilies
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cups plain yogurt
salt to taste

Tempering
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 red chilies
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
few curry leaves

Grind the mango,grated coconut,green chilies and cumin seeds to fine paste.
In a bowl, mix the yogurt,ground paste and salt to taste.
Heat a 2 tsp oil in small sauce pan add mustard seeds, when it splutters add red chilies and asafoetida powder.
Mix it with Mango-yogurt mixture and serve with any rice recipes.

Garlic Rasam

2010-02-26T07:16:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
15-20 Garlic cloves
lemon sized tamarind soaked in water and strain the juice.
salt to taste
few curry leaves
Oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 red chilies\
1 tsp jaggery

Paste
5 Red chilies
1/2 tsp peppercorns
2 tsp coriender seeds
1 tsp bengal gram
1 tsp cumin seeds
curry leaves

Heat a oil in pan and roast all the ingredients from paste expect cumin seeds and curry leaves. Cool it and grind to fine powder.
In a saucepan add 2-3 cups water with tamarind juice,salt to taste and little jaggery.
Meanwhile,In a small pan saute garlics with 2 tsp oil until golden brown.
Add to boiling tamarind juice with powder. Simmer until it's well blended.
Lastly temper it with mustard seeds and red chilies.

Taro Leaves Chutney

2010-02-25T08:37:00.000-08:00

Taro is one rare vegaetable used in every country and all parts of the plant - stem, leaves roots are used in cooking. Taro leaves must thoroughly cooked as the leaves and stems contain crystals of calcium oxalate that react on the mouth, tongue and throat when not completely cooked.
In Mangalore the most popular dish made by taro leaves is Patrode

Ingredients:
5-6 Taro Leaves chopped
1 tbsp coriender seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
5 Red chilies
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
small garlic size tamarind
Salt to taste
2 Garlic cloves chopped
Few curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds

Boil 1 cup water add taro leaves, tamarind and cook until the leaves are soft and let it cool.
Meanwhile, heat a pan and roast the coriender seeds, cumin seeds, red chilies until golden.
Grind the roasted coriender,cumin seeds, rechilies,coconu, salt to taste and cooked taro leaves along with tamarind juice to paste.
Lastly, heat 2 tsp oil in a pan, add mustard seeds when it splutters add red chilies, curry leaves and garlic saute till garlic turn light golden brown. Mix it with the paste.

Homemade Vanilla Ice cream with Fruits and Nuts

2010-02-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

Here in Seattle for last couple days we had a grogerous sunshine and thought let me try homemade vanilla ice cream. For dressing added some starwberries,pears,organes and nuts with chocolate syrup which looks similar to Mangalore Gadbag ice cream.

Ingredients:
2 cups half-and-half milk
5 large egg yolks
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Half and Half cream is a mixture of cream and whole milk.

In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring the half-and-half and the vanilla bean to the boiling (the milk begins to foam up). Remove from heat, take out the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds from the bean with the back of a knife, and mix the seeds back into the half-and-half.

Meanwhile in a stainless steel bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar until fluffy.Gradually pour the scalding half-and-half into the whipped egg yolk mixture, keep whisking constantly so eggs yolks don't curdle. If any lumps do form, strain the mixture first before heating.
Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook until the custard thickens enough that it coats the back of a spoon.
Immediately remove the custard from the heat and continue to stir the custard for a few minutes so it does not overcook.Cover and let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate the custard until it is completely cold preferably overnight.

Transfer the cold custard to the chilled container of your ice cream machine or blend it for a min and transfer the ice cream to a chilled container and store in the freezer for 24 hours.

Okra Sambar (Mangalore style)

2010-02-23T22:19:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups okra (cut to 1" inch long)
lemon size tamarind soaked and extract the juice
salt to taste
2 tsp Jaggery
1 tsp turmeric

Paste
1 tbsp coriender seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp bengal gram
1 tsp black gram
1 tsp raw white rice
5-6 Red chilies
few curry leaves
1/2 tsp asafioetida powder

Heat a pan and roast the ingredients listed above and grind by adding little water to fine paste.Keep aside
In a saucepan with medium heat add 2 cups of water, tamarind juice,turmeric, jaggery and salt to taste.
In a pan fry the okra until it turns light golden and add to the tamarind water and cook until the okra becomes soft. Now, add the paste and cook for 5 mins or till it is well blended.
Serve with white rice.

Bell Pepper with Gram Flour Stir fry/Jhunka

2010-02-21T21:03:00.000-08:00

Jhunka is a Maharastrian and North karnataka's recipes. It is very easy and quick recipe and taste very delicious with indian bread-chapathis. It can be prepared with any veggies and I used bellpepper to make it bit hot.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup gram flour
1 green Bellpepper chopped
1 red Bellpepper chopped
1 big onion chopped
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
pinch of asafetida
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp sugar
oil

Heat a oil in a pan add gram flour roast until it turns light golden brown color and keep aside.
Now, In a medium saucepan heat oil add mustard seeds& asafetida.When mustard seeds slputters add onions saute until it turns light brown.
Add bellpeppers,turmeric powder and sugar.Cook uncovered until the bellpeppers becomes soft.Lastly,
add the roasted gram flour and red chili powder mix well and cook for 2-3 mins and take off from heat.
Serve with hot chaptathis or rotis.

Kachipuram Idlis

2010-02-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

Kanchipuram Idli's are traditional tamilnadu recipe and perfect for winters with a flavour of peppercorn-ginger-cumin. I made a slight variation by adding mix of idli rice and rosematta rice (Red parboiled rice) to get the light reddish color. Another recipe from the below book Dakshin.
Kanchipuram Idli:

Ingredients:
1 cup Black gram (urad dal)
2 cups Idli rice white.
1 cup rosematta rice
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
1 tsp peppercorn crashed
1 1/2 ginger grated
1 tsp cumin seeds
salt to taste
few curry leaves
Oil

Soak the black gram and rice separately for 5 hours. Wash and grind black gram to fine paste and rice with little coarsely by adding little water.The batter should be thick.
Mix the batter with asafoetida powder, crashed peppercorns, grated ginger,cumin seeds and salt to tasteby hand. Allow to frement for 10 hours or until the batter turn sour.
Just before making idlis, heat a pna add oil and saute curry leaves add it to batter and mix well.
Grease the idli plates with little oil and pour the batter. In pressure cooker, steam it for 15 mins.
Serve with below coconut chuteny recipe.

Coconut Chutney:
5 tbsp grated coconut
2 tbsp roasted channa dal
2 green chilies
small piece of tamarind (a pinch)
salt to taste
cliantro 4-5 leaves
Grind all the above ingredients to fine paste by adding little water.
Temper : Heat oil in a small pan add 1tsp mustard seeds,1 tsp urad dal and 1 red chili add to chutney.

This and That Fruits - Kiwi and Pistachios

2010-02-19T08:04:00.000-08:00

Soft and Fibours Vs Hard and Mauvish

Have a good weekend!

Mustard seeds rice with Onion-tomato in yogurt

2010-02-18T09:54:00.000-08:00

I recently bought the Cookbook "Dakshin" Vegetarian cuisine from south by Chandra Padmanabhan. A authentic south Indian recipes rasam, kuzhambu,kootu,rice dishes with colorful and appealing photographs added in our little library.The book is well written with easy to follow and incredibly delicious taste. I would recommend this book for all those south indian recipe lovers.Here is one of the recipe I tried out.

Ingredients:
2 cup sona masoori rice
3 tbsp peanuts
salt to taste
Paste
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1/2 cup grated coconut
6 red chilies
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp asafoetida
a small lemon size tamarind pulp
water to grind
Tempering
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 1/2 tsp black gram dal
1 1/2 tsp bengal gram dal
2 red chilies
curry leaves

Cook rice and keep aside
Paste: blend all the ingedients to fine paste
Heat 6-7 tsp of oil in a pan add mustard seeds, when it splutter add black gram dal, bengal gram dal, red chilies and curry leaves peanuts. saute it for 2 mins. Now add the ground paste. saute unitl the raw smell disappears. Lastly, add the cooked rice and salt to taste. mix well.

Onion- Tomato in Yogurt:
1 Small chopped Onion
1 Chopped tomato
2 green chilies
cilantro for granishing
1 1/2 cup mix of buttermilk and yogurt
Tempering
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 red chillies
few curry leaves

In a bowl mix the onion, tomato, green chilies and yogurt. add salt to taste and temper it.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Spicy cookies - Khara biscuits

2010-02-17T13:37:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup melted Butter
1/4 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
5 Green chilies
2 tbsp Curry leaves chopped
2 tbsp Yogurt
1 tsp Ajwain seeds
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tbsp dried Mint leaves
1 tsp Cumin powder

Method:
Preheat oven at 350 F.
Sieve the all purpose flour, baking powder and sugar. In a Medium bowl, mix the melted butter, green chilies, mint leaves, cumin powder, ajwain seeds, curry leaves, yogurt.
Slowly add the all purpose flour mixture till everything mix together. Knead the dough to a smooth ball. Roll out dough till it’s a ¼ of an inch thick. Use the biscuit cutter to cut the dough and repeat the same with remaining dough. Place it on the baking plate and bake for about 15-20 mins till it turns light golden brown on edges.

Zucchini Bread

2010-02-16T11:03:00.000-08:00

Nowadays, my hands are on baking. Baking is altogether a new experience for me, the smell makes so appetizing.
whenever I shop for groceries get confused with Zucchini and cucumber unless I see the name. But, you can't replace one with the other. Zucchini is rough, dry and little bitter.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup walnuts(toasted and chopped)
1 cup grated raw zucchini (1-2 zucchini)
1/2 cup peeled and grated raw apple
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the loaf with canola oil and keep aside.
Grate the zucchini with medium size, and then peel and grate the apple.
In a Medium bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg.
In the Large bowl beat the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until well blended for about 2 min. Beat in the grated zucchini and apple. Add the flour mixture, beat until combined. Then fold in the nuts. Transfer the batter into the greased loaf and bake until the bread has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Place the bread on wire rack to cool down.

Fried Okra in yogurt/ Okra raita

2010-02-15T10:38:00.000-08:00

I always wonder why in India it's called as Ladies finger. Anyways, I like this veggie,when it is cooked in ground coconut,roasted coriender-cumin seeds, red chilies.It's an south kendra recipe(south of mangalore).I will post this dish soon on Ma recipes.
Here is the simple and quick recipe made out of Okra.

Ingredients:
1 lb Okra thinly sliced
1 big Red Onion thinly sliced
1 cup yogurt
1 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 tsp red chili powder
salt to taste
Cilantro for garnishing

Heat a saucepan add 4-5 tsp oil and fry the Okra until soft and light golden brown and let it cool before adding to below mixture.
In a bowl, mix sliced onions, yogurt, garam masala, red chilies and salt. lastly, add fried okra to mixture and garnish with chopped cliantro.
It goes well with any rice items and Parathas.

Happy Valentine's Day - Colors of Love

2010-02-14T13:09:00.000-08:00

Here Ma recipes wishing you all Happy Valentine's Day.

Colors of Love!

Love can be red, like the intense heat of a passionate kiss
.....the color of sweetness
.....the color of strawberries
Love can be blue, like the comfort we take in a pair of denim jeans
.....the color of strength
.....the color of perfect skies
Love can be yellow, bright and warm like the morning sun
.....like the sounds of laughters of children on the merry-go-round
.....like the sounds of fun from the boys flying kites in the open
fields
Love can be green, peaceful and serene I can hear your heart beats
.....it is the feeling of a loving hand that touch a grieving heart
.....it is the whispering of trusting words to a distressing soul
Love can be orange, the loudness of it can drive you up a wall
.....it can drive you to sing like nobody is listening
.....it can drive you to dance like nobody is watching
Love can be purple, the courage we need to love bravely and unselfishly
.....the moment I first kiss you i know that i am not afraid to risk involvement .....the day the declaration of your love for me was made known to the world

Contributed By Arun Kumar.

Photos taken @ Tulip Fest-2008,Seattle ,Washington .

Banana Walnut Bread

2010-02-14T00:02:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1/2 cup walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup (113 grams) Canola oil/ Melted Unsalted butter.
3 ripe large bananas,mashed well (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease the Bread loaf with oil and flour and keep aside.
In a small pan toast the walnuts until it gets little warm. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nuts. keep aside.
In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick. (Do not over mix the batter it may yield tough,hard,rubbery bread.) Transfer batter into prepared pan.

Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Flat round Idlis

2010-02-13T23:42:00.000-08:00

The Idlis are already made an entry on Ma recipes. The ingredients are same but this time I have used the regular Idli plates.
How to make - http://marecipes.blogspot.com/2009/11/idli-steamed-rice-cakes.html

This and That Fruits

2010-02-11T14:26:00.000-08:00

Break from cutting board,knife and heat. Here is some creative matching stuff from my kitchen.
Oranges and Apricots

Young and Fresh Vs Old and Wrinkly but Unite in color

Pomegranate Juice

2010-02-10T16:37:00.000-08:00

Here comes the fruit Pomegranate. It is a mild astringent and used to treat most of the stomach problems. It is used in skin whitening too.

Ingredients:
2 pomegranates
3 tbsp Sugar
1 cup ice cubes

Cut each pomegranate into 2 pieces, and remove the seeds and wash it.
Blend the pomegranate seeds in a juicer and filter out the unnecessary parts.
Stir in Sugar
cool in the fridge for 1 hour or serve chill with ice cubes.

Coconut Rice

2010-02-09T18:29:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
2 cups Cooked rice
2 cups grated coconut
Salt to taste
Oil
Tempering:
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Urad Dal
1/2 tsp Channa Dal
Small inch Cinnanon
2 Cardamom
3-4 Cloves
4-5 Peppercorns
3-4 Red chilies
2 green chilies
6-7 Curry leaves
5-6 Cashewnuts

Heat a pan add mustard seeds,when it splutters add urad dal, channa dal, cashewnuts,whole masala(cinnamon,cardamom,cloves,peppercorns) red chilies, green chilies slit, curry leaves.
When the Chasewnuts turns light golden brown add grated coconut and saute it till aroma comes.
Now, add salt and rice mix well.

Banana Flower/Blossom Stir fry

2010-02-09T08:33:00.000-08:00

Banana Flower is used in most of Asian countries. It has a nice purplish crimson colored and rich in vitamin A and C, high in fiber.

Ingredients:
1 Banana flower
Small Lemon size Tamarind soaked in water and extract the juice or 1-1/2tsp Thick Tamarind paste.
Salt to taste
1-1/2 tsp Jaggery
5-6 tsp Grated coconut
4-5 Red chilies
1 tsp Turmeric Powder

Remove the outer bracts of Banana flower and wash it. Then take out all the fiber which are in around the florets.Keep the inner fibers(which are white in color) and chopped it.

Take a mix bowl full of water add 1/4 cup of sour buttermilk and soak the chopped banana flower in it for 30mins.
Meanwhile,Grind coconut and red chilies without adding water. It should be dry and keep aside.
Heat a pan with 4 tsp oil, add mustrad seeds when it sluptters, add black lentils slipt,red chilies and curry leaves. Now, add Banana flowers saute it for a min, add tumeric powder, tamarind juice and salt and mix well. add water if required, cover the pan lid and cook till the flower is soft. (may take 20-25mins).
Once the water is full drained and flowers are soft, add ground coconut and red chilies saute it for a min and tranfer it to serving bowl.

Badanekai Ennegayi/Brinjal Stuff curry

2010-02-05T08:11:00.000-08:00

Ennegayi
Ingredients:
5-6 Small bringals (Purple)
1 Onion
2 Tomatoes
Small Lemon size tamarind
Salt to taste

For Stuffing/ masala:
2 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Channa Dal
5-6 peppercorns
1"inch of cinnamon
2 Cardamoms
1 tsp Sesame seeds
2 tsp peanuts
5-6 red chilies
5-6 tsp dry grated coconut
Roast all the ingredients and grind without adding water and keep aside

Heat a pan and fry the onions and grind the Onions and tomatoes. Make the cross cuts on bringals and dont cut the stem/tail.Stuff it with griound masala also keep some masala to add for gravy.
Now,Heat a pan with oil add mustards seeds when it sluptters add ground onions and tomatoes saute it, add turmeric powder, tamarind paste, salt to taste and stuff brinjals and mix well, cover and leave it till the brinjals are well cooked.
Finally, garnish with cilantro

Akki Roti:
Ingredients:
Rice flour – 2 cups
Water – 3 cups
Salt to taste
2 tsp Oil

Boil the 3 cups of water with oil and salt to taste.Add 2 tsp of rice flour to the water mix well .Now, reduce the flame and add remaining flour and mix well using wooden ladle breaking any lumps. Switch off the stove Let it cool and Knead well into one single dumpling.
Take out a handful of dough and make it into ball and using dry flour roll it using rolling pin.
Heat the griddle. Place the rolled dough on griddle. Keep it on high flame. cook the rotis until brown spots appears. Then turn it on the other side cook until done.

Fusilli with tomatoes and mint

2010-02-04T09:09:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
2 cups Whole Wheat Fusilli
3 Tomatoes chopped
1 big Onion chopped
2 Gralic cloves crushed
1 tsp. Sweet Basil, dried
1 tbsp. Mint dried
Hot Pepper and Tomato Sauce, to taste
Salt to taste
Oil

Place the pasta pot on the stove top with water and heat until the water begins to boil,add the fusilli and cook until it is tender, but still chewy.
Heat a Pan with oil and fry the onions and garlics once the onions becomes transparent add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are smashed. Now, add basil, mint, and hot sauce,salt to taste mix well, cover, and cook
Combine the cooked pasta, onions -tomatoes together and mix well

Vegetable Upma

2010-02-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

I always like upma for dinner rather than having it for breakfast. In southern India, It's called as Khara bath. It is usually serve with kesari bath which is sweet so, also named as Chow chow bath.

Ingredients:
2 cups Semolina coarse
4 cups water
1 small Onion chopped
1 tomato chopped
1/4 cup beans and carrot chopped
small piece of ginger grated
4-5 green chilies chopped
1 - 2 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste
4-5 tsp coconut grated
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp channa dal
1 tsp urad dal
5-6 cashewnuts
curry leaves
cilantro for garnish

Heat a pan with 3 tsp of oil/ghee add mustard seeds, when it sluptters add urad dal,channa dal, curry leaves and cashewnuts. Once the nuts turn light golden brown add semolina coarse and roast till it turn golden brown and transfer it to plate.
Meanwhile, add beans and carrot to 4 cups of boiling water.
Heat a pan with 5-6 tsp oil and fry onions, once the onions turn to golden brown add green chilies,ginger and saute it.
Now, add roasted semolina, coconut and salt, mix well. Add boiling water and tomato mix well and close the lid for 3 mins. Once the semolina is well cook add lemon juice and garinsh with cilantro.
Serve with coconut chutney.

Sapota/Sapodilla Milk Shake

2010-02-02T12:44:00.001-08:00

Sapota is a tropical fruit and very rich in Iron. See the nutrition facts in the below link
http://www.infoqueenbee.com/2008/08/you-can-eat-sapota-fruits-or-drink.html

Ingredients:
2 Sapota/Sapodilla
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp sugar
Blend all the ingredients and serve chill.

Dumroot/ Winter Melon Halwa

2010-02-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 pound Winter Melon
1/2 teacup of milk
1 cup Sugar
2 Cardamoms (powdered)
5-6 Safforn Strings
2 tsp Mixed nuts(3 Cashewnuts, Raisins, Almonds)

How to make
Peel the Wintermelon and remove the seeds, grate it
Heat a pan with 2 tsp Ghee/oil add the winter melon and milk and keep stirring ocassionally till it's dry Now, add the sugar and saffron strings (Mixture will be watery after adding sugar) and keep stirring till the water evaporates and comes out as single ball and add cardamom powder mix well.
Roast the nuts and garnish.

Poppy seeds payasam/drink

2010-01-30T23:00:00.000-08:00

Poppy seeds gives a distinct flavor and richness to food. It has a medicinal value. It heals most of ulcers due to excess body heat. Helps in whooping cough and also helps in getting a nice goodnight sleep.
I normally make this drink once a month to keep body cool.

Ingredients:
5-6 tsp poppy seeds soaked for 2 -3 hours
5-6 almonds soaked for 2-3 hours
1 tsp rice soaked for 2-3 hours
5-6 tsp coconut grated
2-3 cardamom
1 big lemon size Jaggery
Cashew nuts & raisins for garnish
Grind poppy seeds, almonds, rice, coconut and cardamom by adding water to fine paste. Meanwhile, boil 2 teacups of water with Jaggery.
Once the Jaggery is melted in water, add the ground paste(add water as required). and boil till the bubble comes. Stir occasionally.
Now, roast the cashew nuts and raisins and garnish.

Potato and Bell pepper stir with Indian spices/ Aloo Mirchi masala

2010-01-29T19:55:00.000-08:00

A quick recipe to go with chapathi. Potato and capsicum is a good combo.

Here is recipe

Ingredients:
1 Capsicum chopped
2 Potato chopped
1 Onion chopped
1 Tomato chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste(made at home)
salt to taste
1 tsp cumin seeds

Heat a pan add cumin seeds when it splutter, add chopped onions, ginger-garlic paste and sauté it.
Now, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder & cumin-coriander powder and mix well leave it for a min.
Add chopped capsicum, potato & tomato mix well. Add salt and close the lid. Let the potato and capsicum cook and lastly garnish with cilantro.
Serve with chapathi

Strawberries and Banana smoothie

2010-01-29T12:23:00.000-08:00

Strawberries and banana smoothie for friday breakfast.

Ingredients:
6-7 Strawberries
1 ripe banana
4 tsp sugar
1/2 glass milk

Blend all the ingredients to fine smooth.You can add crush ice to it.
You all have a great weekend!!!

Sourly Mango rice

2010-01-28T10:29:00.000-08:00

Mango reminds me of my mischievous summer childhood days at grandpa's place. We had a huge mango tree at backyard. When all mangoes are pluck from trees, grandma used to distribute to neighborhood and we cousins were the ones to deliver. It was like any other Indian festive. (Like distributing ellu-bella). Relatives who never showed for year ,were visiting at this time.
This time of the year is also synonymous with pickles. Grandma used to make varieties of recipes out of this mango. There was less usage of tamarind in the kitchen. It was bliss to mix hot white rice and ghee/ coconut oil, a foodie delight.
Here is the recipe, most commonly prepared on Ugadi(South Indian new year) Mango rice.

Ingrdients:
2 cups cooked rice(cook 2 cup of rice with 3 cups of water) cool it.
1 grated mango
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
oil
Cilantro for garnishing

Tempering ingredients :
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp Urad dal
1 tsp channa dal
4-5 curry leaves
2-3 red chilies
3-4 green chilies
1 tsp peanuts
1 tsp cashew nuts

Heat a pan add tempering ingredients as on the list. Once the nuts are golden brown add grated mango sauté it, add turmeric powder and salt mix well and close the lid leave it till the mango are smashed.
Now, add rice and mix well. garnish with cilantro.
You can also make another type. Grind the coconut, red chilies and 1/2 tsp mustard seeds without adding water and mix with mango and rice.

Jeera Saag Palak

2010-01-27T13:08:00.000-08:00

After being moved to US, I learnt lot of North Indian recipes by following food sites and food magazines.
Here comes one.

Ingredients :
2 bunch Spinach
1 small chopped onions
Ginger and Garlic paste
2 tomatoes chopped
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 cup skim milk

Boil Spinach on moderate heat and once it cool down finely chopped it
Heat a pan, sauté the chopped onions, tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste and grind to fine paste.
Now, heat a pan add cumin seeds, ground onion-tomato paste, chopped spinach and turmeric mix well and let it cook for 5mins
Add skim milk, garam masala, red chili powder and salt and stir it and cook for few more mins
Serve warm with roti or rice.

Vegetable Uttapam/Pancakes

2010-01-27T11:08:00.000-08:00

A slight deviation of set dosa is Uttapam and topping fresh veggies comes vegetable Uttapam.
Normally, We (Humans) don't want to see the same type of food every day. Need varieties moreover should look good to our eyes, senses .So, from leftover batter of Set dosa I added vegetable topping and made Uttapam.

Ingredients:
3 cups idly rice
1/2 cup Black lentils(Urad)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds(methi seeds)
1/4 cup beaten rice (Poha)
1/4 cup sour yogurt
Salt to taste
Soak rice, fenugreek seeds separately and black lentils separately for 4-5 hours. Wash the beaten rice and soak in the sour yogurt. Grind all to fine add salt and mix well and keep in warm place for fermentation (8-10 hours)
Toppings:( Depends on how many Uttapam you need to prepare)below measurement is for 8 Uttapam
1 small Onion sliced thinly
1 chopped tomatoes
1/2 carrot grated
2-3 green chilies
Cilantro for garnish
Note: You can add any veggies.

Heat a griddle/tava , put a ladle full of dosa batter on griddle. Do not spread. Add veggies close the lid and leave it for min or so turn other side grease oil on it , transfer to serving plate.
Serve with coconut or mint chutney and enjoy!

Set Dosa/crepe

2010-01-26T08:52:00.000-08:00

Here is another set of dosa called Set dosa. Since childhood I have been fan of Dosas. no matter what dosa it is just want to see my plate with round, well cooked, spongy dosa.

Set dosa is very soft and serve with vegetable kurma/Saagu, coconut chutney.

Ingredients for dosa:
3 cups idly rice
1/2 cup Black lentils(Urad)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds(methi seeds)
1/4 cup beaten rice (Poha)
1/4 cup sour yogurt
Salt to taste
Soak rice, fenugreek seeds separately and black lentils separately for 4-5 hours. Wash the beaten rice and soak in the sour yogurt. Grind all to fine add salt and mix well and keep in warm place for fermentation (8-10 hours)

Ingredients for Vegetable Kurma/Saagu:
1/4 cup chopped beans
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped potato
1/4 cup chopped Kohlrabi( Navil kosu)
handful of peas(optional)
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
1-2 tsp lemon juice
cilantro for garnish

For grinding
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1-2 tsp roasted channa dal
small inch of cinnamon
1 cardamom
2-3 cloves
2-3 peppercorns
1 garlic clove
1 small piece ginger
4-5 red chilies
2 mint leaves
1/2 cup grated coconut
Grind all the ingredients for masala to fine paste.
Firstly, Cook the veggies then add turmeric powder, salt and ground masala paste. Bring it to boil and add lemon juice mix well & garnish with cilantro.
Coconut chutney:
5-6 tsp of grated coconut
3-4 tsp roasted channa dal
3 green chilies
small piece of tamarind
Salt to taste
2-3 leaves of cilantro
Grind all to fine paste and temper it(heat a pan add mustard seeds, one red chili and 2-3 curry leaves)
Making Dosa:
Heat a griddle/tava , put a ladle full of dosa batter on griddle. Do not spread and close the lid and leave it for min or so , transfer to serving plate.
Serve with vegetable kurma and chutney and relish!!

Shahi Vegetable Curry

2010-01-24T17:15:00.000-08:00

This recipe is made by my hubby"V". He usually likes all masala dar in his recipe. Once in a while he puts his cooking skills in kitchen to get his own recipes and this is one of them. I am posting it because it turned out well and would like to share with all.

Ingredients:
1 Onion chopped
1 cup Cauliflower
1/2 beans
1 carrot
1 potato
1 inch cinnamon
3-4 cloves
1 cardamom
1/2 cup grated coconut
cilantro chopped for garnish
Oil
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
salt to taste
For grinding:
1 onion chopped
2 tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
1 small ginger slice
2 green chilies
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black cumin seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp poppy seeds
2-3 peppercorns
1 cardamom
1 tsp coriander seeds

How to make
Heat a pan and roast the spices and keep aside. fry the onions until golden brown. Grind all the roasted spices, onions and tomatoes. Keep aside
Heat 3-4 tsp of oil add spices till it turns brown add chopped onions and sauté it. add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala and sauté it.
Add vegetables and sauté for few mins. add salt to taste and cover the lid and cook the vegetables.
Now, add the ground paste and water as required. once the vegetables are well cooked with spices garnish with freshly grated coconut and cilantro.
Serve with rotis, chapathis or white rice.

Neer Dosa/crepe

2010-01-23T08:41:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
2 cups raw rice soaked
1/2 cup grated coconut(optional, adding coconut gives a flavour)
salt to taste
Oil to grease the tawa

The tawa should be a flat one not caved in the centre and has to have a lid that will close to trap the steam within

How to make
Wash the soaked rice and grind with coconut to fine. Add salt and mix well.
Keep in reserve extra water as you will be adding to the batter some water after pouring each dosa to keep the consistency thin.
Heat the tawa, pour ladle fulls from the edges towards centre or more in a linear motion than circular. You cannot spread from centre with the back of the ladle as with the rice-lentil combined dosas.
Cover with the lid.
Cook dosas for a minute or two before opening the lid.
The edges may have lifted on their own. Carefully prise them out of the tawa and place on the serving plate.
Serve with coconut chutney orJaggery and coconut or pickles or coconut milk (Mix coconut milk with jaggery and 1 pinch cardamon powder).

Paneer Paratha

2010-01-22T18:56:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
For dough
2-3 cup Wheat flour
Oil
Water
Salt to taste

Mix Flour, Salt, Oil. Add warm water and mix into firm dough. Cover and set aside for atleast 15mins.

For the stuffing:
Paneer - 14 oz, grated
Salt - to taste
Chaat Masala - 1/2 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - to taste
Green Chilies - 2, finely chopped
Cilantro/Coriander - 5 sprigs, finely chopped
Oil - for pan frying

To the grated Paneer, add Salt, Chaat Masala, Roasted Cumin Powder, Red Chili Powder, Green Chilies and Cilantro /Coriander. Mix well.

To Make paratha:
Divide dough and paneer mixture into 4 portions. Using a little dry flour, roll out the dough ball into a small portion
Place one portion of the paneer mixture in the middle of the dough.
Pull up sides of the dough around the paneer. Pinch the dough at the top to seal the ball. Flatten the stuffed dough and dip into dry flour to coat all sides
Roll out into a larger disc - continuing to dip into dry flour to prevent sticking. Place paratha on a hot tava/skillet and cook until bubbles start to appear on the top. Flip the paratha over and cook for another minute.

Drizzle a little Oil on both the sides of the paratha and spread to coat evenly. Flip the paratha over and press gently with a spatula on all sides. Cook paratha until the appearance of raw dough is gone.
Remove paratha from the tava and continue with remaining parathas. Serve hot with any raita or with pickle.

Onion Dosa/crepe

2010-01-21T08:36:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 cup black split lentils
3 cup rice
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
salt to taste
2 Onions chopped
1/2 tsp red chilies powder

How to make
Soak black split lentils separately and rice and fenugreek seeds separately.
Wash and grind all the lentils, rice and fenugreek seeds.
Keep aside for fermentation for 8-10 hours
Heat a pan, add oil and fry the onions until it tender soft.
Heat tava / non stick pan, spread the batter in circular motion and spread the onions on one side and turn other side cook it.
Serve with Mint/Pudina chutney.

Hotty Masala Dosa/crepe(Potato Masala, Mint Chutney and Garlic Chutney)

2010-01-20T08:24:00.000-08:00

Well, Masala Dosa name itself says how hottie and spicy. It is rich in carbohydrates and protein.

The recipe includes potato & onion stuff(Aloo palya), green chutney , red chutney and batter.

Dosa/crepe batter:
1 cup black split lentils (urad dal)
3 cups rice
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
2-3 tsp split gram(Channa dal)
2-3 tsp yellow split gram
salt to taste
How to make- soak black split lentil separately and other ingredients listed above for 5-6 hours and wash and grind the black split lentil separately first and grind other ingredients to fine paste add salt and mix it well. keep in warm place for fermentation for about 8-10 hours.

Ingredients for chutneys
Red chutney:
1/2 cup grated coconut
3-4 tsp of roasted split gram(roasted channa dal)
2 garlic cloves
3-4 red chilies
salt to taste
Grind all the ingredients to fine paste.

Green Chutney:
1/2 cup grated coconut
3-4 tsp of roasted split gram(roasted channa dal)
2-3 green chilies
small piece of tamarind
salt to taste
3-4 Mint leaves (pudina)
Grind all the ingredients to fine paste.

Potato and Onion Palya:
2 potato boiled
1 big onion chopped
3-4 green chilies
small piece of ginger chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
chopped cilantro for garnish
oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp black split
1 tsp split gram (channa dal)
3-5 curry leaves

How to make- Heat a pan with 2-3 tsp of oil/ghee add mustard seeds when it splutters add black split, split gram & curry leaves and sauté it. Add chopped onion when it turns golden brown add turmeric powder, green chilies, ginger and boiled potato mix it well and add little water ,add salt and lemon juice and mix well, garnish with cilantro.

Finally, it's time to put them all together to make Masala dosa.

Heat tava / non stick pan, spread the batter in circular motion and cook it both sides and spread the red chutney on white side of dosa, add Potato/onion palya and serve it with green chutney and butter.