Sunday 29 November 2009

A quick to make Semolina Kheer

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Hello everyone! I am sure every body once in a while faces a problem of unexpected guests and then you have to cook something fervently. And in case your guests have given you sometime to think and cook some dessert this is surely a winner.
This kheer/pudding is very quick to cook and light to the stomach and extremely delicious. I remember the first time I made this Kheer, S was quite  pleasantly surprised. He does not have a sweet tooth but he just loved the Kheer.
Recently I had some guests who had joined us for a lunch on a weekday. As you know morning hours on a normal weekday are quite busy, completing morning chores and then entering the kitchen, but gladly my guests had asked me to to cook simple food. So I decided to make Methi Baingan Bharta, as fresh methi is available abundantly these days. I also made my savior Platform Potato Curry and some Khamang Kakdi which I will surely post some day. For the dessert I made this Kheer which we all loved and cherished.
Ingredients
1.25L milk
5-6 spoons Semolina/Rava/Sooji
1/2 can of condensed milk
5-6 tbsp Doodh masala
a handful of cashewnuts and raisins
a small spoon of clarified butter/ghee
Method
Take a pan/karahi and heat a spoon of clarified butter, put semolina and roast for a few minutes.
Gradually add in the milk stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Add in the milk completely and bring it to a boil. Simmer and cook for 10 mins.
Add the condensed milk gradually, stirring continuously. Keep scraping the bottom to avoid milk sticking to base. One can add more sugar at this step if you like that extra sweetness. Boil for a few more minutes and bring it to room temperature. The condensed milk provides the sweetness and thickness to the kheer.
Add the Doodh masala, cashewnuts and raisins.
Chill the kheer for an hour before serving.

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Tip- Nutmeg adds a beautiful flavour to this kheer.

Tuesday 24 November 2009

Avarekaalu Akki Rotti- Rice pancakes with Avarekaalu beans..and awards too

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Hi! I am posting a recipe again with Avarekalu. In my previous post with these beans I had posted a famous Upma/ Uppittu from Karnataka. In this post I am posting an Akki roti/ Rice roti. I have posted  another version of Akki Roti earlier also which you can check here. Along with S, I have also started enjoying these superb beans.
Normally on a Sunday if we are planning to go out I will indulge into a cooking a heavy breakfast or brunch so that the kids are satiated and do not bother us while we finish our chores. So this time we indulged ourselves into these extremely tasty Akki Rotis. These are to be finished fast after they are cooked as they turn very chewy otherwise, so in a hurry-burry I have managed to click these pics.
This akki roti has a flavor of the beans surely but also of the fresh coconut. It also has additional flavors of curry leaves, cilantro and is spiced with green chilies. To provide additional crispiness I added Semolina/ rava to it.
These taste best when served with butter/ghee.
Ingredients
Serves –4
2-1/2 cups rice flour(akki)
1/2 cup Semolina/ rava
1 to 1-1/2 cup  avarekalu
1 cup freshly grated coconut
8-10 green chilies chopped
2 strings curry leaves chopped
3-4 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tsp cumin seeds
salt to taste
hot water for kneading
Method
Pressure cook the avarekalu and coconut with salt to taste else cook in water till done.
Mix the rice flour, semolina, boiled avarekalu, coconut and add all the remaining ingredients together.P1010541 P1010542 P1010545
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After mixing the ingredients form a well in the centre and put the hot water in it.
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With the help of a spoon start mixing, once the temperature of the mix is tolerable to the fingers start mixing using hands. Keep adding water till every thing gets mixed properly to form a very soft dough which can spread easily.
P1010547Grease a non stick pan properly with oil. Take an orange sized ball of the dough  and put it on the pan. With the help of the fingers press it and then flatten it evenly to form a round shaped roti.The thickness of the roti should be around 5-6mm. If required dip fingers in water while flattening the roti. Make hole in the centre and put a little oil. This prevents sticking of the roti in the centre.
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Now heat the pan first on high flame and once the pan is hot simmer the flame. Spread some oil on the top of the roti and then cover the roti with the lid. Once the base/ bottom part is done flip and cook the other side.
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Once cooked on both the side serve it with some clarified butter/butter.
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Tip- If one likes sour taste can add 3-4 tbsp curds while making the dough.
I am sending this to MLLA-17 hosted by Sra at when my soup came alive and is the brainchild of Susan of The well seasoned cook
to EFM - Variety rice series  conducted by SriLekha

Priya of Priya’s recipes has passed me this and Anncoo has passed me this Thanks a lot both of you, I am truly humbled.

Thursday 19 November 2009

Khandeshi Style Broad Bean Curry

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Hi everyone! Khandesh is a part of  North Maharashtra and comprises of districts like Dhule, Bhusawal, Nasik, Malegaon, Chalisgaon etc. This is largely a farming zone and the preparations made here surely have that rural touch. When I was in the middle school my mom had a  servant maid who was from Khandesh and once in a while when we needed some change of taste, we asked her to make curries. Her curries used to be hot and had that rustic taste. She would make me stand next to her and ask me to watch while she made the masala. At that point of time I always wondered with the same ingredients used how much her curry was different from ours.
When I decided to make these broad beans, I was reminded of how Alka (my mom’s maid) used to make the masala, and  I indulged myself in making a Khandeshi style masala. Since  I had seen a practical demonstration during my childhood, I had a clear idea how to head for it. This version of making the masala for the curry asks to saute all ingredients without oil and then grinding them. Now there’s surely an added flavor when the masala is ground on the stone versus that of an electric grinder. Unfortunately I do not have the stone so used the electric one, but those who have the stone, do use that.
I had sent this curry to my friend G who has been a great help to me during my illness. She is a Konkani and would pamper me with her preparations. She liked the curry a lot and  asked me how I made it and to teach her the method. So G this is for you.
About the broad beans I do not know the other name for it and are not available here, so I pick them every time I visit B’lore. These are quite popular in South and we also make Sambhar with it when these are available fresh in the season. I would be glad if you can provide me with the other names for these beans.
Coming back to the curry, it goes well with both rice and roti. So here goes the Khandeshi  version…
Ingredients
a cup of dry red broad beans
2 large onions finely chopped
4 garlic pods finely chopped
2-3 green chilies chopped
3/4 inch of ginger chopped
2 large tomatoes chopped
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
3 tbsp dry coconut grated
1/2 tsp sugar
salt to taste
oil for cooking
3-4 tbsp chopped cilantro
Spices
2 tsp red chili pwd
3/4 tsp turmeric pwd
1/2 tsp cumin pwd
4 tsp coriander pwd
1 tsp Goda masala (Maharashtrian masala)
3 bay leaves
Method
Wash and soak the beans overnight with sufficient quantity of water. These beans absorb lot of water and expand a lot. Pressure cook them with some salt for about 10 mins on high flame and then 20 mins on low flame.
Meanwhile in a pan saute all ingredients one by one for a few minutes except the mustard, salt,cilantro, sugar and oil. Cool all the sauted ingredients and grind them together.
Heat oil and add the sugar, this gives a nice ‘tavang’. Add the mustard, followed by bay leaves.
Now add the ground paste and saute it for a few more minutes till the oil separates. Add in the spices and saute for a minute or more then add the boiled beans, do not add the water at this point.
Mix the beans and chopped coriander nicely in the masala and then gradually add the water. Bring the curry to a boil and then simmer and cook till done.
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I am sending this curry to MLLA-17 hosted by Sra at when my soup came alive and is the brainchild of Susan of The well seasoned cook

Sunday 15 November 2009

Paneer Dilkhush…a treat for my children

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Hi Every one! Yesterday was Children’s Day and we spent our day with both the kids. We went to ‘Rajdhaani’ and had Gujarati Thali for the lunch and and were fully fed up after the heavy meals that we skipped our dinner very conveniently. We watched Ajab Prem ki…. and the kids enjoyed thoroughly, we also had a few bouts of laughter but overall it’s a movie you need to watch without using your head.
In the name Paneer Dilkhush the word Dilkhush means ‘a happy heart’ or something that will make the heart happy. I had planned to make this paneer for them as my both the kids are complete paneer freaks, but after the heavy meals we had…the plan got postponed. Anyhow, the paneer was made for the lunch the next day and kids enjoyed thoroughly so the paneer came true to it’s name. My younger son approached me and said Mamma you have made very nice paneer it tastes like the one they make in restaurants. I had made pooris to go with it and so they had a heart  and stomach filled lunch…grins.
The paneer is  a very mild tomatolicious  gravy made with boiled ingredients and cashews, read the method to understand the simplicity of the curry and what makes it delectable….
Ingredients
4 onions
3 garlic pods
1/2 inch piece ginger
3 tomatoes
a handful of cashew nuts soaked in water
300 gms paneer (cottage cheese)
oil+clarified butter for cooking
Spices
2 tsp degi mirch
1/2 tsp cumin pwd
3 –4 tsp coriander pwd
1/4 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
Whole spices
8-10 black pepper
1 black cardamom
3 green cardamaom
2 bay leaves
1 small stick cinnamon
a  very small piece javitri (nutmeg flower)

Method
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Boil onion, garlic and ginger together. Cool, remove the water and save for later use and grind the ginger, garlic & onions to a fine paste. Similarly grind cashews and add tomatoes and grind again. Do not make a complete paste of the cashews keep the texture slightly grainy.
Heat oil and clarified butter and put in the whole spices. Add in the boiled onion paste and saute followed by the tomato-cashew paste. Saute till the oil separates. Add in the spices and salt and the water of the boiled onions. Bring the curry to a boil and add in the cubed fresh paneer/cottage cheese. Cook till the paneer absorbs the flavors & the gravy thickens suitably.
Serve hot the delectable preparation  with  Naan/Poori/ Jeera rice.
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Sending this recipe to JFI:Paneer hosted by cardamom and is the brainchild of Indira of Mahanandi.

Thursday 12 November 2009

Dahi Wali Bhindi..Okra Curry in Yogurt

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Hello everyone! As you can notice these days I am more into cooking simple yet tasty food. It suits me fine as I tend to spend less time in the kitchen and yet the  ever demanding palate is satisfied.
Today I am posting a very simple, quick to make yet a very tasty curry. I have used Okra here but it can be made with Cucumber, Tindora and  Potato also. This is quite similar to making a kadhi but this method uses roasted besan (chickpea flour) which imparts a nice texture and flavor to the curry. One can say it’s a spicy version of Kadhi….Tongue out S and kids response was ‘yummy’.
This curry tastes good with roti as well as rice. I personally like it with rice. So here we go….

Ingredients
5oo gms Okra/Lady’s Finger/Bhindi/भिंडी cut into thick  slices
1-1/2 cups yogurt
2-1/2 tbsp chickpea flour/besan roasted
2 tsp red chili pwd
3-4 tsp  coriander pwd
2 tsp cumin pwd
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
salt to taste
3 dry red chilies
1 string curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp chopped coriander
sugar 1/2 tsp
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
oil for cooking

Method
Heat oil and add mustard and cumin seeds. After they splutter add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and dry red chilies. Add turmeric powder and immediately add the okra and mix.  Add salt, red chili, coriander and cumin pwd
Meanwhile roast the besan on low flame till you get a nice aroma. add this to the okra, mix properly and leave it for a few minutes on low flame.

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Mix the curds properly, add 2 cups of water in it and mix again. Remove the pan from fire and pour  the yogurt on it. Mix properly and then put it back on fire. Bring the curry to a boil and add sugar and chopped coriander. Simmer and cook till the okra is done and the curry thickens a little.

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Serve it with hot rice and loads of love.

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Sending this to think spice-think turmeric hosted by Sudeshna of Cook like a bong and is the brain child of Sunita.
Think Spice: Think Turmeric

Sunday 8 November 2009

Methi Bhaath /Fenugreek Rice (Karnataka style)

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Hi Everyone. Today I am posting yet another hit recipe from Karnataka. As you all know I have learnt all Kannadiga recipes from my MIL. In my family every body likes Fenugreek leaves very much and now as we are getting good supply of the same I am indulging myself in cooking S’s all favorites with this leaf.
As I mentioned in my last post too, my blog will see more recipes with greens. This particular recipe is a favorite of S and my elder one. S has become extremely busy in his office and hardly has time for  the family. I with my ongoing health problems feel dejected at times with no one around the whole day…especially S.. But that does not keep me away from cooking his favorites, so whenever strength permits I am in the kitchen cooking for every one. Some times I wonder if I did not had this blog and my blogger friends, life would be so boring  and so monotonous… I know I am sounding very low and sad…which I am!!! But believe me friends this sadness does not affect the taste of the food I cook, so one can surely try my recipes without any fear.Smile
This bhaath asks for cooking the vegetable (palya) separately first with extra oil, masala and salt  and then mixing it with the rice. So now you can understand why I mentioned the extras…
The palya can be made in advance and then mixed with rice at the time of serving. Makes a complete meal in itself. This can be a good preparation when you are expecting guests too as it saves time.
It can be served with curds, a yogurt based raita, chips or just by itself.
Nutritional facts  about  Fenugreek
The active constituents of fenugreek seed include iron, Vit. A, B1, C,phosphates, flavonoids, steroidal saponins (diosgenin, yamogenin, tigogenin, and neotigogenin), trigonelline, and other alkaloids.
Sapogenins found in fenugreek also lower serum triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Diosgenin and tigogenin (saponins) are chemically similar to estrogen and steroidal harmones. These help balance female hormone levels and perhaps help compensate for the lack of them after menopause. Soluble fiber helps control blood sugar levels, making it useful for diabetics

Ingredients
Serves -4
a bunch of fenugreek leaves chopped
3-4 potatoes cut into small cubes
1 cup of peas
4-5 tbsp Palya pudi (this is a regular kannadiga subzi masala)
3-4 green chilies chopped
2 tbsp mix of urad-chana dal
1 tsp mustard seeds
3/4 tsp turmeric pwd
extra oil for cooking
extra salt
cooked rice ( I used 1-1/2 cup raw rice)

For Palya Pudi or Check here

Bedagi chili- 1 cup
coriander seeds – 1/4 cup
Chana dal and Urad dal - 1/4 cup each
Cloves-2
Cinnamon-2 big sticks
dry coconut- 1/2 cup
Roast all the ingredients in a tea spoon oil and then grind together to a powder.

Method
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Keep all the vegetables ready.
P1010440 Heat extra quantity of oil add the mustard followed by urad-chana dal, once it turns golden brown add the green chilies.
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Add in the potatoes and turmeric pwd, saute .
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Add the peas and mix properly.
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Add in the fenugreek leaves and salt.
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Throw in the palya masala (read above for the recipe).
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Mix in properly and cook covered till done. One has to ensure that the salt, oil, masala are added in extra quantity so when the Subzi (palya) is mixed with rice, the flavors are adequate.
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Mix the palya with rice and serve. How much Palya one wants to mix is his/ her personal choice and as per taste, but at the same time one has to check that the rice does not feel dry and  taste bland.
Serve hot with a dollop of ghee/ clarified butter.
Sending this to think spice-think turmeric hosted by Sudeshna of Cook like a bong and is the brain child of Sunita.
Think Spice: Think Turmeric
I am also sending this curry to MLLA-17 hosted by Sra at when my soup came alive and is the brainchild of Susan of The well seasoned cook,
to EFM - Variety rice series  conducted by SriLekha

Wednesday 4 November 2009

Smoky Spinach-Potato Curry

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With the onset of winter the markets are getting flooded with fresh greens. I love the color green, makes me feel cool, refreshed and happy inside. My blog is surely going to get flooded with more of greens, so wait and watch out for more recipes….
I had picked a  big bunch of spinach greedily, the resultant was a spinach pulao and this curry. The pulao I will post later but this curry is worth trying as the smoky flavor which I imparted to this curry, makes it  very exquisite. The smoky flavor is provided by the roasted tomatoes and the onions browned  in oil, the details are provided in the method..
Nutritional facts about Spinach-
It  is an excellent source of antioxidants and dietary fiber. It is a rich source of  Minerals Iron, Calcium and Magnesium, Vitamin A, C, E, K and Folic acid.
The larger portion of dietary iron (non heme) is absorbed slowly in spinach. This absorption may vary widely depending on the presence of binders such as fiber or enhancers, such as vitamin C. Therefore, the body's absorption of non-heme iron can be improved by consuming foods that are rich in vitamin C.
Ingredients
a small bunch of spinach leaves blanched and pureed
3-4 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
2 medium sized onions chopped
2 medium tomatoes roasted
3 large garlic pods crushed
1/2 inch ginger piece crushed
2-3 tsp coriander pwd
1-1/2 tsp red chili pwd
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
salt to taste
oil for cooking
a small pinch of garam masala (optional)

Method
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Roast the tomatoes directly on the burner on low flame, cool, remove the peel and chop them finely.

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Heat oil and add the crushed ginger and garlic. Let them change to a brown color.
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Add the chopped onion and saute tell it’s dark brown in color, do not let the onions burn.
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Add the tomatoes, spices (except garam masala) and salt. Cook till the oil separates.
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Add the potatoes, mix properly and cook them covered till done.
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Add in the pureed spinach, mix and cook for another minute. If required add a little water. Finally add the garam masala and mix .
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Serve hot with rice/ Paratha/ Naan.
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Sending this to think spice-think turmeric hosted by Sudeshna of Cook like a bong and is the brain child of Sunita.
Think Spice: Think Turmeric
to FOOD for 7 stages of life Kids special event hosted by Sudeshna of Cook like a Bong and Radhika Vasanth of Saurashtra Kitchen.

to CFK-Veggies and Fruits by Sharmi of Naivedyam guest hosted by Laxmi of Kitchen Chronicles

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