Its been a little over a year since my Appa passed away and it has been very difficult to deal with the loss a lot more after a year tha...
Kathirika Vathal Vatha Kozhambu / Dried Eggplant Pieces In Tamarind Sauce
Its been a little over a year since my Appa passed away and it has been very difficult to deal with the loss a lot more after a year than when it all actually happened for me. Blogging and most things took a back seat for me the last month. This Saturday, I got some eggplant and made vathal with it. It was my Appa's favorite vathal to use in vatha kozhambu. He used to constantly ask for vathal to be made at home. It took me only 3 days for the vathal to be made. Thanks to the 100 degree weather that we have been having, though I wished it was cooler it helped in the process of making vathal. I made the kozhambu and it turned out delicious. I had it with sutta aplam ( toasted papad) and thought of my Appa.
Gadgets:
Cutting Board
Knife
Wok
Bowl
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Spatula
Ingredients:
For Vathal:
Eggplant/ Kathirika ( I used Italian kind) - 4 ( makes about 1 1/2 cups)
( Cut the eggplant into half, and then cut into 3/4 inch cubes making sure each piece has skin in one side)
Vathal Kozhambu:
Sesame Oil - 1/3 cup
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida piece - small marble size bit
Dry Red Chilies - 3
Udad Dal - 1 tbsp
Channa Dal - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - a few
Sambar Powder - 2 1/2 tsp
Salt
Tamarind - 1 lemon size
Warm Water - 3 cups
Kathrika Vathal - 1 1/2 cups
Rice Flour - 2 tsp
Preparation:
Making Vathal:
Spread the kathrika pieces on a plate and allow to dry out in direct sun. It will take about 3 days if the weather is really hot. Remove and store in the bottle.
Making Vathal Kozhambu:
1. Soak the tamarind in water and set aside for 10 minutes. Using your fingers squeeze the juice out of the tamarind pulp and set aside.
2. Heat the wok with oil. Fry the asafoetida piece in oil and then add mustard seeds. Allow for the seeds to pop.
3. Add chilies, udad and channa dal and fry into the dal starts to golden brown.
4. Add the vathal and fry them in oil. Add sambar powder and give it a mix for a few seconds.
5 Add curry leaves and mix before add the tamarind water. Add salt and allow for the liquid to come to a boil. Allow it to reduce in quantity. To make make quantity, add some rice flour and mix with 2 tsp of water to form a paste and add to the kozhambu and allow it to come to a boil and thicken.
6. Serve with hot rice, toasted papad and potato curry or kootu.
I hope all of you have been having fun blogging and creating awesome recipes. I took a break from blogging just to clear my mind and take ...
Ricotta Cheese Sun Dried Tomato And Basil Paratha: An Indian Italian Fusion
I hope all of you have been having fun blogging and creating awesome recipes. I took a break from blogging just to clear my mind and take care of things. Varalakshmi nombu, Krishna Jayanthi and Back to school had kept me very busy. For months I have been thinking of making this recipe which actually was very fun to make and delicious to eat. An awesome fusion recipe to try on your kids. They might like to try this because it is Indian-Italian Fusion. My daughter thought it was awesome and ate an extra paratha.
Gadgets:
Cutting Board
Rolling Pin
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Tava
Spatula
Bowl
Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Chapathi Dough - 4 golf size balls
Whole Wheat Flour - 1/4 cup
Filling:
Ricotta Cheese - 1 cup ( extra liquid drained)
Sun Dried Tomatoes ( dry or strain and use the oil soaked ones) - 1/3 cup finely chopped
Fresh Basil - 10 Leaves finely shredded
Salt
Black Pepper
Garlic Powder - 1/2 tsp
Crushed Chili Pepper - a dash.
Preparation:
1. Add all the ingredients used for filling to a bowl. Mix well, make into 4 equal balls and set aside.
2. Roll out the chapathi dough into 5 inch circle. Place one filling ball in the center and cover it with the dough.
3. Roll it out into a nine inch circle. Use the extra whole wheat flour to roll easily.
4. Heat the griddle/ tava on medium high and place the paratha on it.
5. Cook the paratha on both sides. Serve them hot with ketchup or sour cream.
I could not resist what I tasted at the farmers market last week. I always buy produce from a set of farmers and by now, they know what I...
Cantaloupe Salsa
I could not resist what I tasted at the farmers market last week. I always buy produce from a set of farmers and by now, they know what I would like to buy from them and even offer some recipes or pick the best produce for me. In that order, there is this place that sells salsa of all types. He had a new one to his collection and it was the cantaloupe salsa and the farmer suggested that I try it. It was so delicious and had great flavors from the chillies, red onions, cilantro and sweetness of the cantaloupe all coming together with a crunchy tortilla chips. As I was exiting the farmers market, there is this melon stall where mostly college and high school kids from a family sell fruits. They always convince me to buy more than what. I intend to. Today, I adding cantaloupes into my basket. I decided to try recreating a salsa with it. Here is the recipe that I came up with.
Gadgets:
Cutting board
Knife
Bowl
Ingredients:
Cantaloupe -1/2 a melon diced
Red Onion - 1/2 diced finely
Cilantro - 2 tbsp finely minced
Lime Juice - 1/2 lime
Jalapeno - 1 descended and diced finely
Salt
Preparation:
1.Toss all the ingredients into a bowl. Mix and serve it with chips.
Yesterday, I had such an awesome time shopping for produce at the local farmers market after a couple of weeks. I really missed not visiti...
Multi Colored Bell Pepper Pachadi
Yesterday, I had such an awesome time shopping for produce at the local farmers market after a couple of weeks. I really missed not visiting the market since I had been shopping at the local stores. It also made me realize that most people think farmers market prices are very high compared to the store bought produce but, I think they have great taste and are better than what the local stores charge for produce. Peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and okra are in season. You see them everywhere and I was very intrigued by the purple bell pepper that was available. I wondered if they would taste different from the regular peppers or keep their purple color when cooked. When I cut into it and found that though they were purple on the outside they were light green on the inside. When I cooked them for the raita and served it to my family some of them suggested that it has an eggplant like flavor and the purple color did not stay.
Gadgets:
Frying Pan
Spatula
Vegetable Cutter with Mini Cube Attachment
Cutting Board
Knife
Measuring Spoons
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Green Chilies - 1/2 seeds removed
Purple, Red pepper, Orange and Yellow Bell Peppers- One of each
Yogurt - 1 Cup
Salt
Asafoetida Powder - 1/4 tsp
Preparation:
1. Heat the frying pan on high. Add oil, mustard seeds, chillies and allow for the seeds to splatter. Add asafoetida powder, give it a mix. Add the bell peppers and saute them on high so that they would stay crunchy.
2. Remove as soon as they appear cooked. Cool and add the yogurt and mix. If need be add some water to make it into a raita or pachadi constancy. Garnish with cilantro and serve them on the side with rice or roti.
Its been in the back of my mind to make mango salsa and I had an opportunity to make them yesterday. Its the best part of summer when I ge...
Mango Salsa
Its been in the back of my mind to make mango salsa and I had an opportunity to make them yesterday. Its the best part of summer when I get to spoil my nephews and nieces by cooking and baking for them. They expect a lot of fun, unexpected gourmet food, mind blowing desserts and very comforting breakfast. In that order, we had Mexican food and I made mango salsa as one of the sides to go with chips. My nephew loved this salsa and enjoyed it a lot. I thought I would blog after I managed to take a few photos of the salsa. It looked very colorful and went perfect with the tortilla chips. I will have to get more mangoes from sprouts and make this salsa for him before he heads back home.
Gadgets:
Cutting Board
Knife
Peeler
Bowl
Measuring Spoons
Ingredients:
Mango - 1 that is firm to touch and beginning to ripe
Jalapeno - 1 finely diced
Cilantro - 1 tbsp finely minced
Salt to taste
Crushed Red Peppers - a dash or two
Lime Juice - 1/2 a lime
Preparation:
1. Peal the mango and dice it into small pieces. Add the rest of the ingredients and give it a mix. Serve it with chips.
A quick and easy way to fix for breakfast, lunch, tiffin or dinner is rava pongal. It gets done very fast and is delicious too. It has the...
Rava Ven Pongal / Pepper Flavored Cream Of Wheat With Lentils
A quick and easy way to fix for breakfast, lunch, tiffin or dinner is rava pongal. It gets done very fast and is delicious too. It has the same flavor and taste of rice ven pongal. The texture is very important in rava pongal. It has to be soft and fluffy like upma. Roasting the rava or not toasting does not create any difference in texture according to me. It helps in not allowing clumps to form while cooking the rava. There are many ways of preparing this recipe. Here is my version of making it. I served it with pottukadalai chutney.
Gadgets:
Frying Pan With Lid
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Spatula
Seasoning ladle
Ingredients:
Rava/ Cream Of Wheat - 1 cup
Water - 3 cups
Moong Dal - 1/2 cup cooked with turmeric powder
Green Chillies - 1
Ginger - 1 tbsp grated
Cumin Seeds - Freshly crushed 3/4 tsp
Pepper - Freshly crushed 3/4 tsp
Whole Peppers - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Curry Leaves - a few
Salt to taste
Preparation:
1. Heat 2 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp ghee in the pan. Add curry leaves, green chillies, pepper and cumin freshly crush and ginger. Give it a good mix. Add water, salt and moong dal and bring to a boil after giving it a good stir.
2. Add Rava slowing into the boiling liquid while stirring continuously and avoiding lumps. Lower the heat to low, mix and cover with lid. In a minute or two the rava pongal will be well cooked.
3. Heat 1 tbsp on ghee in the seasoning ladle, add the cashew nuts, pepper and cumin seeds and toast them until the pepper pops and cashews gets golden brown. Add it to the pongal and serve it hot with chutney and sambar or gothsu.
Cooking couscous based dishes is one of my favorites. I love their texture and they seem to absorb the flavors that you add to them easily...
Saffron Pistachios And Cranberry In Israeli Couscous
Cooking couscous based dishes is one of my favorites. I love their texture and they seem to absorb the flavors that you add to them easily. I wanted to try them with saffron and pistachios this time. I also cooked them differently from the
pulao and
salad recipes that I have posted earlier. I learnt that this method of cooking the couscous creates the best texture. I loved the nutty flavors they emit from roasting. I just could eat them just as is, because it was very delicious. If you ever want to enjoy some delicious couscous give this a try.
Gadgets:
Frying Pan and Lid
Spatula
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Cutting Board
Knife
Ingredients:
Israeli Couscous - 1 1/2 cups
Water - 1 3/4 cups
Salt to taste
Butter - 1 tbsp
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 1 tbsp minced
Ginger - 1 tbsp grated
Red Onions - 1 medium
Crushed Red Peppers - 1/4 tsp ( I used the Trader Joe's brand which has a lot of spice)
Saffron - a pinch
Pistachios - 1/2 cup toasted
Cranberries - 1/2 cup
Chives - 1 tbsp
Preparation:
1. Heat the frying pan with some butter. Add the couscous and roast it till it turns lightly golden. Add water, salt and saffron and cook until the water starts to boil. Allow for the water to reduce and turn the heat to low, cover and cook until they get fluffy. Remove and place in a bowl.
2. Heat the pan with oil. Add garlic, ginger and onions with some salt and crushed peppers. Cook until the onions are half cooked, add in the nuts and cranberries. Mix the couscous, garnish with chives and serve them warm.
This is a recipe from my childhood. My sister used to make it for us. I have made it often and it works best with this veggie combination....
Brinjal Bhindi Potato Fry/ Eggplant Okra Potato Fry
This is a recipe from my childhood. My sister used to make it for us. I have made it often and it works best with this veggie combination. If you are making a small portion of the vegetable then it gets done faster and the need to individually cook each veggie is avoided. What is so special about this vegetable? It has great texture, taste and flavors from the three different types of spices used.The eggplant gets a little mushy and coats itself over the okra and potatoes which are roasted. It has pepper, chili powder and red chilies for the heat. This is a very interesting side dish that pleases everyone as there is something in it for all.
Frying Pan
Cutting Board
Knife
Measuring Spoon
Spatula
Bowl
Ingredients:
Potato - 2 pounds cut into little fingers
Eggplant / Brinjal - 2 pounds cut into little fingers
Okra/ Bhindi - 2 pounds cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
Oil - 3 tbsp
Asafoetida Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Freshly Crushed Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Dry Red Chilies - 2
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cilantro and Curry Leaves - a few for garnish
Preparation:
1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil add okra and roast it. Add salt and chili powder. Remove and place in a bowl.
2. Add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan and then add potatoes, mix cover and cook on medium high, until all sides gets roasted. Add salt and crushed peppers. Remove and add it to the bowl with okra.
3. Add 1 tbsp of oil, asafoetida, red chillies and mustard. When mustard starts to splatter add eggplant and salt. Cook the eggplant.
4. When the eggplant is done add the other 2 vegetables, mix well cover and allow to cook on medium for 4 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and curry leaves and serve with rice or roti on the side.
Note: If you are making small portions. Cook the okra first, add potatoes and then the eggplant. Also add the spices in each step. It creates layers or flavors.
Getting back to routine especially if you had been on vacation could be very boring. I have been feeling very lazy and not in my element y...
Black Bean Hummus
Getting back to routine especially if you had been on vacation could be very boring. I have been feeling very lazy and not in my element yet to start doing the daily chores around the house. Food is something we cannot put away, as we feel hungry every three hours. To make life simple and provide a healthy meal for my family, I made this black bean hummus. This was an important ingredient for my pita wrap and making it was a breeze. I was so excited to use the cilantro that has been growing in my back yard. The flavors from the freshly picked herbs was worth all the effort in growing them at home. I loved this Mexican fusion dip.
Gadgets:
Food Processor
Measuring Spoon
Ingredients:
Black Beans - 1 can washed and rinsed
Garlic - 1 clove
Cilantro - a few strands
Salt to taste
Tahini Paste - 2 heaped tbsp
Cumin Powder - 1/4 tsp
Crushed Peppers - 1/4 tsp
Lemon Juice - a drizzle
Preparation:
1. Add all the above ingredients in the food processor and make into a paste with a little texture. Serve it with chips, pita, in a wrap, vegetables etc.
I love eggplant based dishes and one that is really our favorite is the baingan bartha. It is a very simple and delicious side dish or an ...
Baingan Bartha
I love eggplant based dishes and one that is really our favorite is the baingan bartha. It is a very simple and delicious side dish or an d'oeuvres that goes well with naan, roti, pita or rice. The whole thing lies in how they treat the eggplant. It is best when grilled over an open fire or a tandoor. Last week using the barbecue grill we roasted some eggplants and for dinner we enjoyed baingan bartha. It tasted a lot better than the oven baked version, because of the smokey flavors from the grill. Next time you heat up your grill throw in a few eggplants and you will soon be enjoying delicious baingan bartha.
Gadgets:
Grill or Oven or Gas Stove
Foil
Frying Pan
Spatula
Cutting Board
Knife
Grater
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients:
Big Eggplant - 1 grilled with skin over fire or baked in oven
Onions - 1
Tomato - 1 wine tomato
Roasted Garlic - 5 cloves ( dry roast the garlic or roast like the eggplant in a grill)
Ginger - 2 inches grated
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
Sugar - a pinch
Water - 1 cup
Oil - 2 tbsp
Butter - 1 tsp
Cilantro - 1/2 cup minced
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Preparation:
1. If you have a barbecue grill apply oil on the eggplant, cover with foil and grill the eggplant until it is all mushy, else broil the eggplant over the gas stove, or turn the oven on high to 450 degrees F and bake the eggplant for an hour. Once cooked, allow the eggplant to cool and remove the outer skin of the eggplant. Cut the pulp into chunks. Set it aside.
2. Heat the pan with oil and butter. Add the onions, roasted garlic and salt and cook until the onions are well done. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes get well cooked.
3. Add all the spices and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and cover and cook until the water starts to disappear. Add the eggplant and mix well. Cover and cook on medium low until the eggplant blends with the onion tomato mix for 5 minutes.
4. Squeeze a tsp of lemon juice, add a pinch of sugar and grate the ginger over the eggplant. Add the cilantro, give it a mix and serve them hot with rotis, naan or pita bread. This can also be served as an appetizer.
For dinner I made a simple no fuss vegetable rice. It was so flavorful and delicious without any masala added to it. A rice that was creat...
Simple Mixed Vegetable Rice
For dinner I made a simple no fuss vegetable rice. It was so flavorful and delicious without any masala added to it. A rice that was created with the left over vegetables. Growing up in India, my grandmother used to always advice us to not use up all the vegetables to prepare a dish. She would remove a potato, eggplant, carrot, bell pepper and suggest that we use them to make mixed vegetable sambar or some side dish for another day or meal. It is so ingrained in me that I follow her advice to this date. Here is how I prepared a very simple rice.
Gadgets:
Cutting Board
Knife
Heavy Pan
Sauce Pan with lid
Spatula
Bowl
Measuring Spoons and cups
Cabbage - 2 cups shredded
Cauliflower - 1 cup of small flowers
Carrot - 2 diced
Onion- 1 diced
Garlic - 3 cloves pan roasted with skin
peas - 1/2 cup
Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp
Udad Dal - 2 tbsp
Asafoetida Powder - 1/4 tsp
Dry Red Chilies - 2 to 3
Cilantro - 1/4 cup for garnish
Basmati Rice - 1 cup cleaned, washed and soaked in water for 20 minutes
Water - 2 1/2 cups
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Preparation:
1. Once the rice is soaked and the vegetables are cut, heat the frying pan with oil and ghee and add water to a sauce pan. Add asafoetida, mustard seeds and allow for the seeds to pop. Add the udad dhal and dry chilies in. When the dal turns golden brown add onions and garlic and cook on medium high until they are well done.
2. Add the carrots and peas and cook along with the onions for 4 minutes. Add the cauliflower, and cabbage. Mix well and cook for 4 minutes or until the cabbage and cauliflower are well cooked. Add turmeric powder and salt mix well. Add cilantro and remove from
heat.
3. Add in the rice and when the water begins to boil add some salt to it. Cook the rice on medium high until all the water starts to disappear. Cover with lid and set the heat to low and cook the rice until it expands and looks fluffy.
4. Add the rice to the vegetables and give it a mix lightly so that rice does not get mushed. Serve it hot with raita.
Today is Guru Purnima which is a very auspicious day. A Guru is a person who removes darkness (ignorance), holds our hand and shows us the...
Basundi : For Guru Purnima
Today is Guru Purnima which is a very auspicious day. A Guru is a person who removes darkness (ignorance), holds our hand and shows us the light (knowledge) at the end of the tunnel. It is a blessing to get the grace of a guru, who guides us through the ups and downs in life. I am grateful to all our guru's that we have been blessed with, I pray for their well being and long life. On this auspicious day to celebrate our Guru, I made Basundi. It is a very delicious milk based dessert very popular in the north of India and is the closest cousin to condensed milk. Very rich and flavorful with the addition of elegant spices like saffron and cardamom. It will take you about an hour, but the end product would be something worth the effort.
Gadgets:
Wide Mouth Pan
Spatula
Measuring Cup
Bowl
Ingredients:
Whole Milk or 2% - 3 liters or 3/4 of a gallon
Sugar - 3/4 to 1 cup sugar ( add more if you like it sweeter)
Saffron - a few threads
Cardamom - 5 pods powdered finely
Cashew nut or Pistachios or Almonds - a few sliced
Preparation:
1. Place the wide mouth pan on medium high. Add the milk and allow it to come to a boil. Turn to low and allow for the cream layer ( pal aadai) to form. When it starts to form remove it and place in a bowl. Remember to stir so that the milk does not scotch. Keep adding more of the cream to the bowl and soon the bowl will be filled with thick cream.
2. The milk would have reduced, thickened and the color of the thickened milk will appear to be an ivory color with a pinkish ting.
3. Then add the collected cream to the reduced milk. Add sugar, cardamom and saffron. Garnish with nuts of your choice. Allow to cool, place in the fridge until it is chilled and serve it cold on a hot summers day.
The best way to come up with some recipe ideas is to keep your pantry free of snacks. Then out of need we can make something to munch away...
Microwaved Kara Pori/ Spiced Mamra / Puffed Rice Under 5 Minutes
The best way to come up with some recipe ideas is to keep your pantry free of snacks. Then out of need we can make something to munch away. A few days ago, I was up until midnight, watching a live web cast of a wedding happening in Chennai. It was amazing to look at people in live time and experience such happiness many miles away. I was kind of looking for some munchies and found some puffed rice/pori. Immediately, I wanted to have some kara/ spiced pori. Soon, I got the bowl out and made myself some delicious and crunchy pori in minutes. This one is for all those who love to have a late night snack and mix them up in minutes.
Gadgets:
Bowls
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients:
Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
Puffed Rice/ Pori / Mumra - 2 cups
Roasted Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Roasted Channa Dal - 1/4 cup
Salt
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp ( please adjust the spice as per taste)
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida Powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - a few
Mango Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chaat Masala - a pinch or two ( optional)
Preparation:
1. In a microwave safe bowl add some oil. Add the spices along with salt to the oil and mix well. Place in the microwave and heat for about 45 seconds.
2. Add the peanuts, roasted channa dal and pori to the oil. Mix well and coat the oil with spices ( please use your hands to spread them well, makes all the difference). Warm again in the microwave for 1minute and 20 seconds.
Note: Please note that each microwave works differently, so adjust accordingly.
3. Remove and serve immediately or cool and store in Air tight container.
Seriously, if only you guys can taste the hash brown paratha on my plate, you would be as delighted as I am. This morning, I skipped my br...
Potato Hash Brown Stuffed Paratha : A Fusion Breakfast Paratha
Seriously, if only you guys can taste the hash brown paratha on my plate, you would be as delighted as I am. This morning, I skipped my breakfast and I was going about doing my chores. It was lunch time and I was very hungry. It was one of those moments with no leftovers and my fridge being practically empty, I was looking for some food. With the intention of making paratha's for dinner tonight, I had made the dough and it was resting in my fridge. Decided to use the dough but I need a stuffing or veggie to go with it. I found a box of hash browns patties looking at me in my freezer bin. I had an idea to use the hash browns for the filling and make myself a paratha. In minutes I got everything ready and I am so glad that I tried my crazy ideas and made what I now will be making often. Please do try you will be delighted and the kids would love the fusion hash brown paratha soon.
Gadgets:
Plate
Paper Towel
Tava
Spatula
Cutting Board
Rolling Pin
Ingredients:
Makes 2 Paratha's
Hash Brown Patties - 2
Whole Wheat Paratha dough - 2 portions small orange size
Salt to taste
Freshly Crushed Black Pepper - 1/8 tsp or Roasted Green Chillies 505 - 1 tbsp
Whole Wheat Flour - extra for making paratha
Preparation:
1. Place the 2 hash brown on a plate and microwave for 1 minute and
20 minutes.
2. Using a paper towel remove the excess oil from the patties.
3. Make a 4 inch circle with the dough and fill one hash brown patties roughly chopped and mixed with pepper and salt or roasted green chillies. Cover the filling up and roll out into a paratha.
4. Heat the tava on medium high heat cook the paratha on both sides. If you desire drizzle some ghee or oil and cook them. Serve with ketchup.
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