Spicy Tomato Rice!

Tomato rice was the only dish I could cook well when I came to this country. Every other day it was tomato rice for lunch. I realized after I started getting better at cooking I never made this rice since the year 2007.. I decided to retry it again today and see how it tasted after some years of cooking experience. And yes , it tasted a lot better than what it used to three years back. :)

You will need:

2 cups cooked white rice
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped onions
3 dry red chillies
1 tsp mustard and cumin for tampering
1 tsp chana dal and urad dal
1 chopped green chilli
1 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp grated ginger
salt to taste

Method:

First cook the rice in rice cooker and keep it aside for it to cool.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pot and add the red chillies and then add mustard and cumin . Allow it to splutter then add the chana dal and urad dal and stir till they turn brownish in colour. To this add chopped ginger, chopped green chilli and chopped onions , salt and cook till the onions get transparent. Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook it till it is half done , then add the garam masala powder and mix well. Finally mix in the cooked rice . Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Spicy tomato rice is ready to be relished!!! It can be eaten as it is or can be eaten with raita or yogurt!

Capsicum sabzi with gram flour!!!!

This is supposed to a very famous mangalore dish. I tried it at one of my Konkani friend's house. I had invited a friend over last Sunday for lunch when I decided to try making this. I was nervous as I was making it for the first time and I was cooking for someone other than for myself and my husband. But it came out real good, my friend loved it !!!

You will need:
4 Capsicums ( bell peppers- mix the different colored peppers)
3/4 cup gram flour( basan)
2 green chillies
Mustard and jeera for tampering
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
Salt to taste
1 tsp
Red chilli powder if you prefer more spice

Method:
Chop the capsicum into small pieces and keep it aside.
In a pan , heat one tsp oil and add mustard and jeera( cumin) . When they start to splutter add the chopped onions and cook till it gets transparent. To this add the chopped capsicum and cook till about half done. ( cook at low flame for 5 minutes. ) once it is half cooked add the gram flour and mix it well so that all the capsicum pieces get coated well. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes till the flour gets cooked.

Capsicum sabzi is ready to be relished!!!! Goes best with rotis..

Potato and peas curry!!!

This is a delicious dish that my aunt used to cook back home. I thought of trying it out. She gave me the recipe over phone. It was very easy and took merely half hour to prepare it.

You will need:
4 medium sized potatoes
2 cups fresh green peas
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 medium sized tomatoes chopped
1 cup grated coconut
2 small tamarind pieces
4 -6 red chillies
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 cardomoms
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Method:
First boil and peel the potatoes and chop it into small pieces . Keep it aside.
Make a paste by grinding grated coconut, red chillies,tamarind ,turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and salt

Heat one tsp oil in a pan.. Sauté the chopped onions until transparent and add the chopped tomatoes and cook well. To this add the ground paste and add 2 cups water and cook for about 5 min . To this add the fresh green peas and cook for another 5 minutes.once the green peas get cooked add the boiled potatoes and cook for another 2 minutes. Add cilantro and stir well. Add salt if required.

Potato peas curry is ready to be relished!!!it goes best with white rice or even can be eaten with rotis.

Egg rolls!!!

Although it is a deep fried dish I have a weakness for spring rolls and egg rolls! I think it is fine to eat it occasionally to treat yourself. So this thanksgiving as we were at home all by ourselves, I decided to try making these egg rolls. Very simple recipe and comes out delicious .

You will need:
Egg roll wraps( store bought) / you could use spring roll wraps instead too!
Oil for frying

For the filling:

1 pack extra firm tofu cut into very small cubes
1 cup grated cabbage
1 cup jullian cut carrots
1 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp salt
(you could add any finely chopped veggies)

Method:

In a pan stir fry the tofu untild it turns slightly golden brown, then add all the grated veggies along with some pepper and salt and cook well. Keep it aside.


Now take one egg roll wrap and place the filling as in the pic diagonally. Fold the wrap and seal the ends by brushing little water to the edges.

Deep fry this wraps in oil till they turn golden brown all over.
Remove and place then on a tissue to soak excess oil.

Relish the egg rolls along with tomato ketchup or any hot suace!!!!

Pumpkin pie with rasberry toppings!!!

This thanksgiving we were at home relaxing , so I decided to bake a pumpkin pie with the pumpkin I picked from the cardigan farm during Halloween. It was as fresh as it was then , hard and sturdy!! I got the recipe from a friend of mine. The grocery stores were all closed for me to buy the crust mix, so I decided to make my own crust as I had my friend's recipe! So there it was after about an hour and half , the yummy pumpkin pie !! My husband and I ate the whole pie that evening:-)

You will need:

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 unsalted butter sticks(chilled)
3/4 cup ice cold water
1 tsp salt
2 cups fresh pumpkin puree( or cannned)
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp nutmeg powder



Method:

Make 1/4 inch pieces of the chilled butter sticks and add it to the all purpose flour in a large bowl and mix well. To this add ice cold water and kneed it well adding salt. Cover it with a plastic cover and refregerate it for 20 minutes.

In a large bowl beat 2 eggs and to this add the pumpkin puree ( recipe below), and the remaining spices and brown sugar and mix well.

Preheat the oven to 450F
Take the dough out of the refregerator and on lightly floured surface roll it out into a large disc of 1/2 inch thickness . Place this disc in a pie making dish press the edges along the dish. Into this pour the pumpkin puree mixture. Place it in the oven and bake it at 450F for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350F and bake it for another 45 minutes. Top it with any frah fruits you may have while baking.


Pumpkin pie is ready to relish!!!!

Making fresh pumpkin puree:
Cut out the pumpin into two halfs. Preheat the oven to 425 F and bake the pumpkins for 30 minutes. Then peel the skin out and make the puree using the blender.

Home made pizza !!! from scratch!!!

What better than having a pizza for dinner. Home made pizzas have their own delicacy attached to them because you made them and also that you could top it off with all the ingredients of your chioce. The best part of making my very own pizza is controlling the amount and kind of cheese I use.


You will need:

For the dough:

1.5 cups warm water
1 package of active dry yeast
3.5 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

For the toppings:

Tomato sauce
Chopped red onions
sliced tomoatoes, jalapenos
grated mozzarella, parmesan cheese
sliced black olives.


Method:

In a bowl take the warm water and add the yeast and allow it to sit for 5 minutes until it is dissolved.
Now mix this into a large bowl containing mixture of olive oil, all pupose flour, salt and sugar and kneed the dough well until everything comes together.Coat the dough with little olive oil and cover it with a plastic wrap and allow it to sit for 1.5 hours till it doubles up!
Take this and punch it out to remove the air if any and divide into 2 parts.

Take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Allow it to relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired size. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker.
Brush the surface with olive oil and allow it to rest for another 5 minutes.

For the toppings:

First cover the pizza with any tamato sauce and then cover it with grated cheese. Add the rest of the toppings like chopped onions, black olives, Sliced tomatoes, Sliced jalapenos, chopped green pepper. Sprinkle oregano on top.

Bake the pizza in the oven at 450 F for about 20 minutes.

Home made pizza is ready to be relished!!!

Pumpkin Pound cake!

One october weekend we visited a pumpkin patch where my husband and I picked up two huge pumpkins. There are vary many dishes one could make out of the pumpkins. This halloween I made this yummy pumpkin cake. I found the recipe on one of the websites. It was very easy to make and it turned out delicious.We finished eating it almost all at one time!!!!

You will need:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound freshly cut pumpkin
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries

Method:
In a large mixing bowl beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, shortening, and eggs with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. In a another mixing bowl stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
Puree the pumpkins in a blender without adding water.

Add flour mixture and pumpkin alternately to shortening mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until combined. Stir in raisins and the cranberries.

Put the cake mixture into a greased baking pan.Preheat the oven at 350 F and bake it for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool it and then sprinkle sugar on top if needed.

Enjoy the pumpkin pound cake!!!!

PS .Making fresh pumpkin puree:
Cut out the pumpin into two halfs. Preheat the oven to 425 F and bake the pumpkins for 30 minutes. Then peel the skin out and make the puree using the blender

Egg Plant fry!

This is the most delicious and simple egg plant recipe. It takes just minutes to prepare this. Egg plant fry has been my all time favorite since childhood.

You will need:

One large egg plant
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
salt to taste
Samolina for coating

Method:

Make slices about 2 cm thickness from the egg plant .
In a bowl , mix chilli powder, turmeric powder, tamarind paste and salt together. Apply this mixture to the egg plant slices separately and keep it aside for 10 minutes.

Heat 1 tsp on oil in a pan. Coat each of the slices with samolina on both sides and shallow fry them in the pan. Add oil if required. Keep turning them for equal cooking on both sides of the slices. Cook for about 5 minutes.

The egg plant fry is ready to be relished!! It goes best with yogurt and rice. It also goes well as a side dish with dal rice!

shrimp and scrambled egg combo!!!

Sea food lovers would really appreciate the taste of this dish.Last night I decided to make a simple shrimp stir fry using tomato sauce. An idea struck my mind as to why not combine shrimp with eggs and see how it tastes. And for sure it tasted heavenly. It took about 15 minutes to make this dish.

You will need:

1 lb cooked shrimps
2 eggs
1 cup chopped onions
1/4 tsp chopped green chillies
1/4 tsp pepper powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 chopped cilantro
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup texas pete sauce(or any hot sauce)
1/4 tsp soya sauce
salt to taste

Method:

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and shallow fry the cooked shrimps on high heat for about 2 minutes. To this add the two raw eggs and stir it well till they nicely coat the shrips. Remove and keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil in the same pan. To this add chopped onions and ginder garlic paste ,cook it till the onions turn golden brown color. Then add green chilli ,turmeric powder, coriander powder ,pepper powder and cook for 2 minutes. To this add the cooked shrimps coated with egg and mix well.Finally add the three sauces and stir well. Add salt to taste .Stir until all the shrimps get coated with the onion mixture and the sauce.

Shrimp scrambled egg combo is ready to be relished!!! Goes best as a side dish with rice.

Spicy rice noodles!

This is a simple and easy dish to make. It is a very famous delicacy in my native Mangalore. It actually tastes really good when the rice noodles are made from scratch but it is very labourous process. I used the store bought rice noodles to make this dish.

You will need:

Rice noodles ( store bought, 1 packet)
1 cup grated coconut
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 to 3 dried red chillies
1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeers)
1/2 cup peanuts
A few curry leaves
1/4 tsp chana dal
salt taste

Method:

Fisrt boil about 4 cups water in a pot and then cook the rice noodles in it for about 3 to 4 minutes and drain the water and keep it aside .

Grind the grated coconut, turmeric, red chillies, mustard seeds in a blender into a fine paste and keep it aside.

Take a pan, heat 1 tsp oil in it. To this add the cumin seeds,chana dal, peanuts and curry leaves and saute it till the peanuts get roasted. Then add the ground mixture and close the lid and cook it well till a nice aroma comes out of it. Add salt to taste. Then mix the cooked rice noodles into it till all the noodles get coated well.

Spicy rice noodles are ready to be served. It can be served for breakfast or as an evening snack.

Patoli!!!

This is a famous Mangalore delicacy. I used to relish this sweet dish especially made during festivals in India. It is a very tedious ,time consuming dish but the end product is all worth the pains. I never relised the amount of work that goes into making this dish until I made it for Ganesha Chaturthi this year(2010).

You will need:

About 8 turmeric leaves( I used banana leaves instead since I didn't find turmeric leaves here in the US)
1 cup rice
11/2 cup grated coconut
1 cup jaggery
1 tsp cardomom powder


Method:

Soak the rice with 1/2 cup grated coconut for 3 hours. Grind this into a fine paste by adding water.

Take a pot and heat it. Add the rice paste into the pot and cook it by stirring it regularly. You will see that rice paste starts getting thicker and thicker. Once all the rice gets cooked it will all come together. Allow it to cool down and then kneed it just like you kneed the chapati dough. Make small balls out of it.

For the filling:
Take a pan and melt the jaggery into it. To this add 1 cup grated coconut and cardomom powder and stir it well and keep aside.

Take a turmeric leaf( or small square cut banana leaf) and spread a small ball of the rice dough onto it using water occasionally to wet the finger while spreading. Once this is done ,fill it with a spoon of jaggery,coconut filling and close the leaf and seal it well. Repeat this with other leaves.

Steam this in a steamer /idly maker for about 10 minutes.

Once it is steamed you can remove it by opening the leaf and you will get a nice aroma of the turmeric leaf or banana leaf into the sweet.

Patoli is ready to be relished!!!!!

Vegetable Lasagna!!!

VEGETABLE LASAGNA!

I don't generally get a chance to order lasagna at any food joints in here becasue most of the traditional lasagna have meat in it in the sauce that I generally don't prefer. The only delicious vegetable lasagna I ate was on my birthday in 2007 on Catabwa Queen Cruise on Lake Norman here in Charlotte. I loved it. I decided to try making vegetable lasagna at home. It took a hell lot of time for the final product to be ready but it was all worth it at the end.

You will need:

Lasagna (about 8 strips)
For the sauce:
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
2 cups pizza sauce(store bought)
1 cup broccoli florets (made into small pieces)
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/4 tsp pepper powder
salt to taste

For the cheese mixture:
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves.

Method:

First cook the pasta in boiling water for about 12 minutes. Drain it and keep it aside.

Take a pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and add the onions and cook till it gets transparent. Then add the other veggies and stir fry them for about 5 minutes. Then add the pizza sauce ,papper powder and salt and cook for another 5 minutes adding water if required. Allow the sauce to get a little thicker and turn off the flame.

In a bowl mix all the differnt cheeses and oregano and keep it aside.

In a baking container arrange the lasagna strips one over the other filling in the sauce and the cheese mixture on alternate layers . Cover the final layer with the cheese mixture , and sprincle the chooped basil leaves and cover the container and bake it for 30 minutes at 350F. Then bake it agian uncovered for about 10 min.

Vegetable lasagna is ready to be relished!!!!

Obattu/Holige/Puran poli!!!!!

Wow!!! so many names for a single dish!! Puran poli is what I am used to calling it. It is very famous sweet dish in south India and is made during festivals. I tried this for the first time for Nagarpanchami this year(2010). With the help of my aunty's guidance over the phone I was able to make this delicious delight!!!

You will need:

1 cup chana dal
1 cup jaggery
1 tsp cardomom powder
1 1/2 cups maida/all purpose flour
a pinch turmeric
1/4 cup samolina
Salt to taste

Method:

First pressure cook the chana dal and drain all the water and keep it aside.

Then cook the chana dal mixed with jaggery in a pan for about 10 minutes.Add cardomom powder to this and grind the mixture without adding water.This mixture wiil be used as the filling.

Now mix the all pupose flour ,samolina,turmeric ,salt to taste and water and kneed the dough well and keep it covered for an hour.

Make small balls out the all purpose flour dough and flatten each ball with the palm of your hand. Fill each one with the small ball of chana dal mixture(filling )and seal the entire filling by pulling the dough across it on the top.

Apply oil to a plastic paper, keep the dough with the filling on it and roll it to a samll thin disc.Fry this on a hot pan till it becomes slightly golden brown in colour on both sides.

Puran poli is ready to be relished!!!!!

Stuffed capsicum(bell pepper)!!!!

STUFFED CAPSICUM!!!

This is my grandmother's recipe. We used to relish this stuffed capsicum she made for us then.She used to steam them after stuffing the peppers with the mixtures but I tried baking them in the oven. It took about 30 minutes to cook at 425F.

You will need:

Two medium sized green bell peppers(capsicum)
1 cup gram flour
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1tsp red chilli powder
1tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup water.
salt to taste

Method:

Take a pot and mix the gram flour ,chopped onions,red chilli powder,turmeric powder, salt,water and make it into think paste.Keep it aside.
Make two longitudinal slits (perpendicular to eachother)on the bell peppers so that it nicely opens like a flower.
Fill the peppers with the stuffing mixture and bake them in the oven at 425F for about 30 minutes.

The stuffed capsicum is ready !!! It can be relished as it as or can be served as side dish with rice !

Thai Fried Rice!!!

VEGETABLE THAI FRIED RICE!

This is my all time favorite of the Thai cuisine. I just don't seem to get enough of eating vegetable thai fried rice at a food joint close to my place. I tried making my own thai fried rice last week and surprisingly it came out pretty decent.

You will need:

1 cup jasmine rice
1 cup tofu (I used firm tofu ,cut in shape you prefer)
1/4 cup chopped garlic
1/2 cup brocolli frorets
1/2 cup snow peas
1/2 cup julienne-cut carrots(or diced carrots)
1/2 cup sliced onions
1 tbsp pepper powder
1 tsp fish sauce(optional)
3 tsp soya sauce
salt to taste.

Method:

First cook the jasmine rice and keep it aside.

Take a pan and heat 1 tbsp on oil in it. Shallow fry the tofu till they become reddish brown in color.Take it out and keep aside. Into the same pan add 1 tsp of oil and add the chopped garlic and saute it. Now add the onions and saute till till it becomes transparent.Then add carrots and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes and then add brocolli and snow peas. Cook it for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fried tofu to this and mix well.

To this add the cooked rice and mix well. Add the soya sauce,fish sauce and pepper powder,salt and mix well. Add more soya sauce if required.

The vegetable thai fried rice is ready to be relished!!

Thai Red Curry!!!

THAI RED CURRY!!

I just love Thai cuisine for their delicious curry and jasmine rice!AH .. heaven!
I found this thai red curry mix at a grocery store and decided to make my customized thai red curry. It sure did turn out very delicious and was quite simple to prepare and quick too!

You will need:

Thai red curry paste
1/4 cup chopped garlic
1 cup sliced onions
1/2 cup julienne-cut carrots
1/2 cup brocolli florets
1 cup snow peas
1/2 thai curry mix
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp sugar
salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in pan and add onions and saute till they get transparent.Now add the thai curry paste( can be purchased in any grocery store), garlic and cook for about 2 to 3minutes till you get a nice aroma.To this add the coconut milk ,sugar and salt, then bring to the boil. Finally add the veggies(brocolli, snow peas,carrots and close the lid.Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes.

Thai red curry is ready to relish!!!! It is best served with jasmine rice.

Guacamole with oven fried potato chips!!!

Guacamole with oven fried potato chips!!!

I never knew that guacamole which we so often see in the menu at any mexican restaurants was made from avacodos until I tried it at one of my friend's place. It is very simple and qucik to make and serves best as an appitizer with tortilla chips!

You will need:

2 medium slightly ripe avacados
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 medium tomato finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 tsp lemon juice
1 jelepeno pepper finely chopped
1/4 tsp pepper powder
salt to taste

Method:

At first choose slightly ripe avacados meaning the fruit should just about give way when you press it. Remove the skin of the avacados and discard the pit. Keep the pulp in a container.
To this add the chopped onions, jelepeno pepper,chopped cilantro, chopped tomato,pepper powder ,lemon juice, salt to taste and mash this mixture well until everything comes together in the form a nice paste.

Guacamole is ready to be relished!!! I ate it with freshly made oven fried potato chips since I didn't want to loose its healthy nature by eating it with tortilla chips!!!:)

Asian Sweet Potato fry!!!

This was a very common dish at my grandmother's place while we were young. I loved these sweet potato fries. I was actually missing eating them after I came to US ,as the sweet potatoes that American grocery store have is way too differnt from Asian sweet potatoes. These sweet potatoes have an orange colour and way too sweeter than the ones we get back home. I got hold of the Asian sweet potato last week at an Asian market. I decided to try the fries I loved since childhood. It did come out really good and tasted heavenly !!!

You will need:

1 large Asian sweet potato( color of its skin looks pinkish red)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste

First peel the skin of the sweet potato and slice it into pieces. Into a bowl mix chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt . To this add the sweet potato slices and coat each slice well with the mixture. Keep it aside for 10 minutes.

Now take a pan and heat 1 tbsp of oil . Place the sweet potatoes one by one and shallow fry them until they turn orange red colour. Fry both sides properly.Add more oil while frying if needed.

The sweet potato fries are ready to be relished!!! They go best with curd rice!!!

Rava Idly!!!!

This is a very famous south Indian dish. It can be a best breakfast or an evening snack. I learnt to make rava idlis from one of my friends. It is very easy and comes out really delicious!!!

You will need:

1 cup Rava/samolina
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp grated ginger
3 finely chopped green chilies
1 tsp chana dal
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cashew nuts
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 tbsp grated coconut
1 cup yogurt
salt to taste

Method:

Fisrt roast the rava in apan with 1/2 tsp of oil till a nice aroma comes out from it.
Keep it aside.

Then heat 1 tsp oil in a pan add mustard.Then add ginger,chopped green chilies, chana dal and saute it. Turn the gas off and immedietly add the roated rava to this and mix well. Now add salt, baking soda,cashew nuts ,chopped cilantro,grated coconut,yogurt and mix well. Keep it aside for half an hour to 45 minutes .

Grease the idli stand with little oil. Pour the idli batter into the idli maker and steam them for 15 minutes.

Rava idly is ready to be served. It is best relished with coconut chutney !!!!

Baigan (Egg Plant) Bharta!!

BAIGAN BHARTA!

Egg plant( baigan) is my favorite vegetable. There are a variety of dishes you could make out of this. I leanrt making this bharta from a friend of mine. This is the first time I tried making baigan bharta and it tasted real good.

You will need:

1 large egg plant(baigan)

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp jeera(cumin)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
salt to taste

Method:

First cook the whole egg plants (baigan) in the microwave for 8 minutes. Once it gets cooled down slowly peel off the skin and cut it into small cubes. Keep it aside.

Take a pan and heat 1 tbsp oil in it. To this add jeera and allow it to splutter. Then add the chopped tomatoes,ginger ,red chilli powder, turmeric powder and cook it till the tomatoes become soft . Then add coriander powder and garam masala powder and mix well. To this add the cooked egg plant (baigan) pieces and mix it well. Mash the egg plant well with a spatula and keep doing it for about 5 minutes on a low flame. Add salt to taste.Finally add cilantro and mix well.

The baigan(egg plant ) bharta is ready to be served. It goes best with roti or chapatis!!!

Dry Poha!

POHA !!

This is just a fantastic breakfast food or can be an evening snack too. It's ready in just minutes!I learnt this recipe from my aunty(mom's sister).

You will need:

3 cups thin poha

1/2 cup chopped onions

3 dried red chillis

1/2 cup grated coconut

Mustard and jeera for tampering

1/4 cup groundnuts

1tsp chana dal

salt to taste

Method:

Take 2tsp oil in a pan and heat it. To this add mustard, jeera,chana dal,groundnuts, red chillis and fry them. Then add the chopped oinions and saute it till turns to golden brown colour.

Allow this mixture to cool for a while. After that, using your hand crush the fried red chillis and mix it well into the fried mixture. Add salt to taste. Now add the grated coconut and poha and mix it well using your hand.

Dry Poha is ready to be served!!!

Dry Bhindi(okra) Sabzi!!

BHINDI SABZI!

This is my all time favorite dish. It takes time to prepare this especially the shallow frying of the bhindi(okra) takes a long time. I make it only when I have lots of time to cook,mostly on the weekends. But the end result is a delicious dish which is all worth the time spent.

You will need:

1/2 lb cut bhindi(okra)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 cup chopped onions
Mustard and cumin(jeera) for tampering
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Method:

Take a pan and heat 3 tbsp of oil in it. Add the cut bhindi( okra) and fry it on a low flame. Make sure to add the lemon juice to the bhindi(okra) while frying to rid of the gluey thing. You can even add tamarind juice too.Something sour being added makes the bhindi( okra) pieces nicely fry without sticking to each other.Fry it till the bhindis(okra) become dark coloured.Take care not to burn it. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes for this.Keep it aside.

Now in the same pan add 1/2 tsp oil and heat it.Add mustard and cumin . Then add the chopped onions and fry it till it becomes golden brown colour. To this add the chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well.Add the chopped tomatoes and salt to taste and mix it well.Finally add the fried bhindi and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes .

Dry Bhindi sabzi is ready to be relished..It goes best with chapatis or rotis!!!!

Spinach Dal!!

SPINACH DAL!

This is a very easy recipe. I really didn't know what to make from the spinach I bought and my aunty (mom's sister) taught me this simple delicious recipe.

You will need:

1 bunch spinach leaves

2.5 cups toor dal

1 cup chopped tomato

1 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup chopped garlic

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

Method:

First cook the toor dal in a pressure cooker adding 1 tsp salt and turmeric powder.

Chop the spinach leaves and keep it aside.

Transfer the dal into a pot and add the chopped onions. chopped garlic, chilli powder, chopped tomato and cook for about 5 minutes. Finally add the chopped spinach leaves to this and cook for 3 to 4 minutes till the spinach gets cooked. Add salt to taste.

The Spinach dal is ready to be relished.It goes very well with white rice!!

Customized Bhel Puri!!

BHEL PURI!
This is my grandmom's recipe. She used to make very tasty bhel puri at home . All of us loved this evening snack of hers. This is not the traditional bhel puri where the differnt chutneys are used. It is more the dry type but it tastes yummy.

You will need:

4 cups puffed rice
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup grated coconut
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 small pieces of fresh tamarind
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt to taste

Method:

First soak the tamarind pieces into 1/4 cup water and squeeze it to get the juice out of it. Throw the remaining tamarind out.Into this add the grated coconut, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice,salt and mix well with your hands. To this add the pufffed rice and mix till all the grains get coated well . Then add the grated carrots , chopped tomatoes and mix well. Finally garnish it with chopped cilantro.

The custamized bhel puri is ready to be served. It can be topped with some chick pea mixture( sev) and would be a wonderful snack to relish!!!

Vegetable Fried Rice!

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE!
This is my all time favorite dish. I can practically live on it.:) Very simple and quick to make and tastes yummy.

You will need:

2 cups rice
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup green peas
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped spring oinions
1/4 cup soya sauce
salt to taste

Method:

First cook the rice in a rice cooker. Then spread it out in a container and allow it to cool down so that the rice grains don't stick to each other.

Take a pan and heat one spoon of oil in it . Add the chopped onions , chopped carrots and green peas into it and saute it . Close the lid and cook it till the veggies become soft.
To this add the spring oinions and mix it well. Then add the cooked rice and soya sauce and mix it. Add salt if required .

The vegetable fried rice is ready to be served and relished!!!

Shrimp Biryani!!

SHRIMP BIRYANI!
This is a delicious main course for sea food lovers. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare if you already have cooked rice ready . If not,then another extra 20 minutes for cooking the rice. Mostly traditional biryani is made my cooking the rice to about 70 percent done and then slow cooking it after adding it to the meat.But I prefer using a properly done, well cooked rice so that you don't have to go through the hassel of the food getting burnt at the bottom of the utensil while slow cooking it on a low gas flame.

You will need:

1 lb large raw shrimps

3 cups of rice

2 cloves

1 big cinnamon stick

2 whole cardamom

1 tsp jeera(cumin)

1/2 cup fried onions

1/4 cup chooped mint leaves

1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves

1/2 cup yogurt

For marination(shrimp):

Salt to taste

1tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp coriander powder

Method:

Cook 3 cups of rice in a rice cooker.

Clean the raw shrimps and marinate them in a bowl with salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder,ginger garlic paste and coriander powder. Keep it aside for 5 minutes.

Take a pot and heat 3 tbsp of oil in it. Put the marinated shrimp into this pot and shallow fry it .Take the fried shrimps out and keep it aside.

Now into the same pot add cloves, cinnamon,cardamom,jeera(cumin) and yogurt and stir it well. To this add mint leaves, coriander leaves and fried onions. Then add the fried shrimps and mix well. Finally add the cooked rice and mix it .

Relish the yummy shrimp biryani!!!

Yummy Gobi(cauliflower) manchurian!

GOBI MANCHURIAN!
This is a famous starter dish. It takes a while to make this dish , most of the time is taken for frying the gobi(cauliflower) . But once it is done it's heavenly taste makes you forget the time you spent in preparing it. I learnt this from my friend who makes delicious gobi manchrian!

You will need:

1lb gobi florets
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup corn flour
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1.5 cups water
Oil for frying


For the sauce:
1/4 cup finely chopped garlic
1 cup finely chopped onions
Mustard and jeera(cumin) for tampering
1/2 cup tomato ketchup(store baught)
3tbsp texas pete sauce(store baught)
2 small chopped green chillis
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Method:

Take a container and mix the rice flour and corn flour with water. Now add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste and mix well and make it into a consistency like a batter.
Dip the gobi(cauliflower) florets into this and mix well.

Take a pan and heat oil to smoking hot. When the oil gets hot fry the dipped gobi(cauliflower) florets till they become golden brown colour. Then take it out of the oil and keep them on a tissue paper to soak the extra oil off from it.

To prepare the sauce, take a spoon of oil in pan and heat it. To this add mustard , jeera, chopped garlic, chopped grren chillis, chooped onions and saute till the onions turn golden brown colour. Then add the tomoto ketchup and texas pete sauce and mix well . Now add the chopped coriander and salt to taste.
Finally into this sauce add the fried gobi(cauliflower) and mix well .

The yummy gobi manchurian is ready to be served and relished!!!

Aloo (potato) tikki(small cutlet or croquette)!!!

ALOO TIKKI!
This is a delicious evening snack although it can be served as an appetizer too. Simple and quick to make and your guests would love it!!!

You will need:

3 medium boiled potatoes
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp pepper powder
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
1 small green chilli chopped
salt to taste

Method:

Mash the boiled potatoes and mix in the grated ginger , pepper powder , chopped green chilli,chopped coriander leaves and salt to taste. Mix it well and make small tikkis( cutlets) out of it and keep aside.
Take a pan with 2 tbsp oil and heat it. Shallow fry the tikkis(cutlets) well on both sides till the colour changes to slightly orange red.

Take it out of the pan and relish it when hot with tomato sauce or green chutney !!!!

Black Chana(chickpea) Usli!!

BLACK CHANA USLI!
My aunty(mom's sister) used to make this black chana usli every Sankasta Chaturti day as offering to Lord Ganesha. This is a famous prasad we get at most of our Hindu temples. I made this chana usli for Ganesh festival last yesr(2009).

You will need:

2 cups of black chana(chickpeas)
1/4 cup grated coconut
Mustard and cumin (jeera) for tampering
A few curry leaves
3 chopped small green chillis
Salt to taste.

Method:

Soak the black chana(chickpeas) overnight. Then pressure cook it and keep aside.
Take a pan and heat one spoon of oil in it. Add mustard, jeera, chopped green chillis and curry leaves and saute it. To this mix the cooked black chana (chickpeas). Add salt to taste. Finally add the grated coconut and mix thoroughly.

Black chana usli is ready to relish. It can be eaten just like that ,served with chapatis or even as a dry side dish with rice!!!

Pasta With Broccoli!

PASTA WITH BROCCOLI!

Pasta, a simple easy dish which is quite filling when made for lunch or for dinner.This recipe is my simple experiment using Indian spices which suits our taste buds. It takes just about 30 minutes to prepare this pasta.

You will need:

1/2 packet fuscilli pasta( or any kind of pasta you prefer)
1/2 cup chopped onions
4 pods garlic finely chopped
1 cup pasta sauce(store baught)
1 chopped green chilli
10 boiled broccoli heads
1/4 tsp oregano powder
Salt to taste

Method:

Cook the fuscilli pasta in boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes. Then drain it and keep it aside.
Take a spoon of oil in a pan and heat it.Add the chopped garlic , chopped green chillis and chopped onions and saute it till the onions become golden brown colour. Then add the boiled broccoli heads and mix well. Add the pasta sauce to this and saute it. On this sprinkle some oregano powder . Finally add the cooked fuscilli pasta and stir it for 2 minutes . Add salt to taste.

The pasta with broccoli is ready to be served! Enjoy and relish!!!

Bharvan ( stuffed ) Bhindi( okra)!!

STUFFED BHINDI!
This is a very tasty dish that I learnt from my neighbour friend . Very easy to make and we don't have to deal with the bhindi getting gluey while cooking.:) It takes about 45 minutes to cook this dish including the preparation time.

You will need:
1 lb whole bhindi( okra)

For stuffing:

2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp fennel powder
1/2 tbsp mango powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste


Method:

Wash and dry the bhindi(okra) well. Slowly and carefully make a small lenthwise slit on each of the bhindi(okra) with a knife so that it opens up well.

Mix all the above ingredients listed under the stuffing . Slowly fill each of the slit bhindi(okra) with the stuffing mixture and keep aside.

Now heat about 2tbsp of oil in a pan. Then one by one place the stuffed bhindi(okra) into the pan and shallow fry it by adding little more oil if you need. Close the lid and allow it to cook for 2 to 3 min. Then slowly turn each bhindi(okra) and see to it that it is cooked on all sides properly. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes for all of it to get cooked.

Transfer it from the pan into a serving dish and relish it with either chapatis or as a side dish with rice.

Ginger Broccoli Stir Fry!!

GINGER BROCCOLI STIR FRY!

Broccoli .. one of my favorite vegetables. I just tried this simple recipe yesterday night which preserves the broccoli taste yet giving it simple flavours of ginger and other ingredients. It takes just less than 10 minutes to prepare this dish. I am sure the young and the old equally will enjoy the dish!!

You will need:

1 lb of broccoli heads
1/4 cup grated ginger
3 tbsp soya sauce
salt to taste
1/4 tsp sesame seeds
oil

Method:

Cut out the broccoli heads neatly and slit the remaining stems into half. In a container bring the water to boil.. into this add the broccoli and cook for just 2 min. Take it out and drain it under cold water so that it doesn't cook any longer. Keep it aside.

Take a stir fry pan and heat a spoon of oil in it. Once it's heated add the grated ginger and saute it well. To this mix the boiled broccoli and stir fry it. Add the soya sauce and very little salt as soya sauce itself has adequate quantity of sodium in it. Finally add sesame seeds and stir fry the mixture just till it starts to give out a nice aroma.You could add sesame oil instead and it gives a nice asian flavour.No need to cook it for long as the broccoli is already cooked.

Pour it on to serving dish and relish the yummy broccoli stir fry !!!!

Tindora Stir Fry!!!

TINDORA STIR FRY!

Tindora stir fry is a very easy dry side dish.I learnt it from my aunty(mom's sister). It comes out very tasty and delicious . It takes a little bit of time especially to slice each tindora .With a little bit of patience to prepare this dish it can be enjoyed and relsihed!!!

You will need:

1 lb tindora

Mustard and jeera(cumin) for tampering

1/4 tsp chana dal

1/4 tsp urad dal

4 dried red chillis

A few curry leaves

3/4 cup coconut powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

A pinch of asafoetida(hing)

salt to taste

Method:

First slice each tindora lenghwise into four parts. Then bake it in the oven at 415 F for 10 minutes. Some people deep fry the tindora but I prefer to bake them.

Then take a spoon of oil in a pan and heat it. To this add the dried red chillis,mustard , jeera , chana dal ,urad dal and a pinch of hing. Then add turmeric powder and curry leaves and suate it. Now add the coconut powder and stir it till it becomes reddish colour and crispy. Finally add the baked tindora and mix it well. Add salt to taste and stir fry it well.

Serve the tindora stir fry as a side dish with rice. Enjoy and RELISH!!!

Methi(fenugreek) Sabzi!!!

METHI SABZI!
This methi sabzi recipe is very famous among us konkanis. It is made by using methi(fenugreek) leaves and toor dal. The bitterness of methi leaves is to some extent balanced and lessened by adding toor dal. I learnt this recipe from my co-sister. It's a very simple,quick and tasty side dish the whole family will enjoy!

You will need:

2 bunches of methi(fenugreek) leaves
1/2 cup toor dal
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
Mustard and cumin (jeera) for tampering
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
A small piece of jaggery
Salt to taste

Method:

Pinch out the methi(fenugreek) leaves from the bunch and wash it thoroughly and keep aside.
Then pressure cook the toor dal. It should be cooked in such a way that it doesn't get mashed up.Keep it aside.

Take a spoon of oil in pan and heat it. Now add mustard , cumin(jeera) turmeric powder and red chilli powder . Add the chooped onions and saute it till it becomes golden brown colour.To this add the cooked dal and mix well. Then add the piece of jaggery and stir it well till it melts away. Finally add the methi ( fenugreek leaves) and stir it well. Add salt to taste and close the lid of pan and allow it to cook on a slow flame. Keep stiring it once in a while. It would take about 10 minutes to cook well.The sabzi is cooked when the colour the methi leaves turn slightly dark.

The methi sabzi is ready to be savoured! .. It can be relished with chapati or bread!!

Spicy Bread Pakoras!!!

BREAD PAKORA!

Pakora is an all time favorite dish of Indians. I tried making this bread pakora from the recipe given by a friend of mine.It's a very delicious evening snack and very easy to make with the ingredients that you would have at home most of the times.

You will need:

6-7 slices of bread( I prefer white bread)
Oil for frying
1 cup water to soak the bread

For filling :
2 medium sized potatoes
1/4 cup green peas
A pinch of mustard and jeera(cumin)
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
A pinch of garam masala powder
Salt to taste

Method:

First boil and peel the potatoes. Then grate the potatoes and keep it aside.
Take a spoon of oil in pan and heat it. Once the oil is hot add mustard , jeera, ginger garlic paste, turmeric and red chilli powder and saute it. Now add the green peas and saute it till they become soft.To this add the grated potatoes and mix it well. Add a pinch of garam masala powder, salt and mix it well. Keep this filling aside.

Remove the brown side portions of the bread and use only the while part. Soak each slice of bread in a cup of water and squeeze the water out. Then flatten the slice of bread and fill it with the potato filling ( about 1 tsp of fillling in each slice). Fold the bread and seal the edges properly by pressing hard along the edges.

Heat the oil in a pan . Once it's adequately heated deep fry the bread pieces separately one at a time till they become slightly reddish brown on both sides. Take it out of the oil and keep it on a tissue paper to drain the excess of oil.

RELISH the bread pakoras when they are hot with tomato sauce or green chutney!!!

Yummy Potato Chips!

POTATO CHIPS!

Potato chips ... a nice passtime munching food. Very easy to make and comes out delicious! It takes a little while but at the end when it's done you will definitely be satisfied !!!

You will need:

2 large potatoes

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

salt to taste

oil to fry

Method:

Peel the potatoes and slice them using a slicer. As you are slicing, keep transferring them to a container with water. This prevents them from getting oxidized and changing colour. Once you are done slicing all of them , spread the sliced potatoes onto a large tissue paper and allow it to dry for a while( about half an hour). Once they are dry , fry them well in oil.

Transfer the fried potato chips into a container and mix with chilli powder and salt.

Enjoy the chips and RELISH!!!

Oven Potato Fries !!

OVEN POTATO FRIES!

We all know how much we love french fries. But for the peole who are calorie conscious and those who stay away from deep fried foods , here's a very simple recipe to make potato fries in the oven. It comes out very tasty and can be done in 15 to 20 minutes.

You will need:

3 large potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Method:

Peel the potatoes and slice them to the desired shape with a knife. If you have a slicer you can use that. Then mix the sliced potatoes with oilve oil, chilli powder , turmeric powder and salt .
Pre heat the oven to 425 F. Then bake the potatoes in the oven for about 10 minutes ,until it becomes slightly light golden brown. After it is baked transfer the fries to a bowl and enjoy it with whatever sauce you prefer.

And now you can relish the oven potato fries with any of your favorite sauces!!!!!

Potato Chakkuli!!

POTATO CHAKKULI!

I am sure everyone loves to munch chakkulis. Usually they use different flours to make chakkuli and it's a very tiring process.Here's a simple Chakkuli recipe from my mother in law using potatoes. It tastes like french fries but definitely a better version.

You will need:

2 large bolied potaoes( Boil them really well so they mash up really good)

3 cups rice flour

50 gm melted butter or ghee

1/2 tsp sesame seeds

1/2 tsp jeera

salt to taste

Method:

Mash the boiled potatoes really well in a container.To this add the rice flour and kneed the dough. Now add the butter or ghee to this and kneed the dough very well. To this add very little sesame seeds, jeera and salt. If you want you can add chilli powder too. Now using the chakulli maker make chakkuli of your desired shape and size and fry it in the oil.

Potato chips are ready to be served and relished!!!!

Coconut Rava(samolina) Laddus!

RAVA LADDUS!

This is a very very delicious Indian sweet. This was my first try ever at making sweets. We were invited over for Ganesh pooja at my husband's brother's house and thats when I prepared these and took it to their place. Everyone out there loved it.Thanks to my aunty for providing me with an easy recipe.

You will need:

1 cup rava/samolina
1 cup powdered sugar
Few raisins
2 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 cup ghee
25 g grated cocunut(dried)
25 ml milk

Method:

Heat the ghee in a pan till smoking hot. To this add the rava , sugar and grated cocunut and keep stiring till the rava turns to golden brown colour. Then add the cardomom powder and mix well . Switch off the gas flame and transfer small quantities of this mixture into a bowl and add litttle milk to the mixture and make small balls from it. Milk is added to help the contents come together. Then decorate each laddu with raisins.

The coconut rava laddus are ready to be relished!!!

Basan(gram flour) Laddus

BASAN LADDUS

This is a famous indian sweet made during various festivals . It was a Diwali delicacy back home. My mom made delicious basan laddus, I still can remember the taste of the her laddus.I tried this simple recipe at home and it came out wonderful.

You will need:

100 gm ghee

250 gm gram flour(basan)

250 gm powdered sugar

Few roasted almonds

Method:

Heat the ghee in a pan till it becomes smoking hot. Once it gets hot, lower the gas flame and add the gram flour into pan and keep stiring well till you get a nice aroma and the mixture turns slightly light golden brown . Now switch off the gas flame and add the powdered sugar and mix well. Make small balls( laddus) when the mixture is hot . Decorate each laddu with a roasted almond.

Relish the yummy basan laddus and enjoy!!

Sweet Mangalore Delicacy!

MANDO /CHOWDA
This sweet is our famous konkani delicacy. It's called Mando by Mangaloreans and Chowda by Karwar konkanis. My grandmother used to make this during Diwali festival and we kids used to relish this yummy sweet! I prepared it on diwali festival last year (2009) with the recipe from my aunty( mom's sister ) over the phone!

You will need:
2 cups of all purpose flour( maida)
1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 cup water

For the filling:
1/2 cup Powdered sugar
2 tsp Cardomom powder
2 tsp Grated copra( dried coconut)

Oil for frying.

Method:
Add a pinch of salt to the all purpose flour and kneed it slowly by adding water carefully. Keep the dough aside.
Make the filling by mixing powdered sugar , powdered cardomom and grated copra together in a small container and keep it aside.

You need to make small balls( approximately table-tennis size balls) from the dough you had kept aside.Take one ball and roll it into a smooth round ball with the palm of your hands.Then press it flat.Roll it out with a rolling pin to form an even round discs. Make about 20 round discs and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pan. Wait till the oil heats up well.
Now fry the round discs one by one. The method of frying is such that you put in the disc in the oil and turn it around and take it out of the oil . Keep it on a tissue paper and immedietly when hot put the powdered filling on it and fold it .( first make a small fold on the top and then fold it across to get the shape as shown in the picture) Here again you have to be quick in filling and folding the fried disc when it is hot esle it becomes hard and difficult to fold once it cools down..


And the sweet is ready to RELISH!!!!

Sweet treat! Til Laddus.

TIL LADDUS!
This was my first try at making til laddus on Makara Sankranti (14th January 2010).
Making til laddus is easy but you have to be very quick especially to make laddus when the mixture is still hot in the pan. Your palms really burn while making the small balls but once they are done ,they are delicious!!!!

You will need:
1 cup til
2 cups jaggery
1/2 cup peanut
1/2 cup water

Method:

First dry roast both til (to golden brown colour) and the peanuts in a pan.

Remove the roasted til and the peanuts and keep aside.

Into the same pan add water and boil it and add the jaggery and mix it till it melts .

To this add the roasted til and peanuts. Mix properly.

From here on it's a very tricky situation. Make small balls(laddus) from the mixture immedietly when it is hot . You can use some ghee or oil to grease your palm. If the mixture cools you won't be able to make the balls as the incredients wont come together or stick.

And the til laddus are ready to RELISH!!!!

For those of you reading this blog , this is my first experience writing a blog. I have created this blog to share my experiments in kitchen. I have been cooking since about 3 years now and have tried all kinds of dishes which you will be seeing posted in this blog.
I am thankful to my aunty ( mom's sister) and my mother in law who have guided me over the telephone with many dishes.

Hopefully all of you will enjoy the blog and try out my recipes.

Cheers.