Channa Ki Kadhi.. (Potato & Black Chickpeas Cooked In Tangy Tamarind Curry)

Channa Ki Kadhi... Chickpeas are a source of zinc, foliate and protein. Chickpeas are low in fat and most of this is polyunsaturated. Nutrient profile of desi channa (the smaller variety) is different, especially the fibre content which is much higher than the light coloured variety. One hundred grams of mature boiled chickpeas contains 164 calories, 2.6 grams of fat (of which only 0.27 grams is saturated), 7.6 grams of dietary fibre and 8.9 grams of protein. Chickpeas also provide dietary phosphorus (168 mg/100 g), which is higher than the amount found in a 100-gram serving of whole milk. Source from Wikipedia...

Ingredient's.

250gm black channa

2 medium potato, 2 brinjal (cut into big chunks)

1/2cup coconut paste

1/4tsp cumin seeds

1 medium onion, 2 tomato, hand ful of coriander leaves

1tsp red chilli powder, 1/2tsp turmeric, 1tsp coriander

1tbsp ginger garlic

2tbsp tamarind paste

Oil and Salt to taste.

For Tempering.

10 to 15 curry leaves

1/4tsp mustard seeds

1tsp Oil.

Cooking Method.

Soak the chickpeas (channa) over night. and boil them using pressure cooker for 10 to 15 minutes on low flame..

Grind the onion, coriander leafs and cumin to a smooth paste, then grind the tomato's to a smooth paste separately. In a pressure cooker add oil, when it is hot, add the onion and coriander paste, fry for 2 minutes, then add all the masala powder, ginger garlic paste, tamarind paste and coconut paste, fry for another 2 to 3 minutes, then add the tomato paste and fry till the oil separates, add the boiled channa, potato and salt, mix it well. Close the lid and cook for 2 whistle. In a mean time prepare the tempering by adding all the tempering ingredients .

Then open the lid and add the brijal, tempering and 2 to 3 cup of water and mix it well and add salt if needed and cook for another 1 whistle in medium flame.

Serve hot with Rice, Roti or even with Ragi Balls.

Choba Ki Poori..(Diwali Snacks)

Choba Ki Poori.. You can call them as a (Big Gujia). choba ki poori method is same as gujia but without khova and they are big in size. This is muslim family recipe, they cook this on special occasions like marriage. From a bride side they have to cook this and send it to the grooms house before the day of marriage.. There are many other occasions we cook this if I start then I don't think one post will be enough to tell every thing.

This is my Husband's first Diwali away from home and I don't want him to miss anything because of that only I'm trying my best to make him not to miss anything. I cook gujia very often as he loves to eat them , but this time I wanted to try out something new for him so I thought of this recipe and it turn out to be tasty and he loved it. This is not the only thing, I have lots of plans and many dishes to cook. Hoping for the best :-)

Happy Diwali to my all blog readers and to my friends. May god bless you all with lots of happiness and many more years like this with your family and friends :-)

Ingredient's For Filling.

100gm dry coconut

1+1/2 sugar

1/4cup dry fruits (almonds, raisin, pistachio and cashew)

Ingredient's For Poori.

2 cups of maida

2tbsp ghee/oil

Water (to make a dough)

Oil for deep frying.

Cooking Method For Filling.

Grate the dry coconut.

Chop the almonds, cashew and pistachio into vertical small pieces.

In a vessel, add sugar, grated coconut and all the dry fruits. Give them a nice mix and set it aside. 

Filling is ready.

Cooking Method For Poori's.

Mix maida and ghee. 

Now add water and make dough.

Take small amount of dough and make a small chapatti, put the filling, apply water to the corners of chapatti and fold it giving a semi- circular shape. Press the corners of the puri with your nails.

In a deep frying pan heat oil, and deep fry the pooris to golden brown. Take out on to a paper towel.

Choba Poori is ready to serve.

Store them into Airtight container for more then a week..

Tomato Bhat.. Street Style. (Tomato Rice)

Tomato Bhat.. (Tomato Rice) There are many recipes for tomato rice and every person cooks in different way. Even I cook tomato rice in many ways, when I have more time I cook in pressure cooker and when i'm in hurry I cook with left over rice. Specially this recipe saves lot of time and the taste is also very good.. This is the quick street style recipe with my touch.. The ingredients are very simple and can be cooked with left over rice and serve with boiled eggs and papad...

Ingredient's.

2 cup cooked rice

2 large tomato, 1 medium onion, 1 green chili ( finely chopped)

1tsp red chilli powder, 1/4tsp turmeric, 1/2tsp coriander powder

1/4tsp mustard seeds

5 to 6 curry leaves

2 dry red chilli

1/4tsp channa dal, 1/4tsp urad dal

3tbsp Oil

Salt to taste.

Cooking Method.

In a deep frying pan, add oil, when oil is hot, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chilli, channa dal and urad dal, when they start spluttering. Add chopped onion and green chilly, fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

Then add chopped tomato, red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder and salt, fry till the oil start separating.

Now add the cooked rice and give a good mix. Then add the boiled eggs to the rice and lower the flame and let it cook for another 5 minutes, keep stirring in between..

Serve hot with Boiled Eggs and Papad.

Instant Wheat Dosa..

Instant Wheat Dosa.. This is a very easy and healthy dosa prepared with just few ingredients (wheat flour, rice flour, curd and salt) and this is one of the healthy way to start your day or even when you have very less time to cook something healthy and delicious, then this is the best option.. There are many ways you can cook this wheat flour dosa, but I like this one because it looks neat like a normal dosa. or else wheat flour dosa usually looks very messy. This dosa batter is bit thick compare to the usual wheat dosa batter and it works very well on pan and keeps the kitchen clean. That is the most important thing I want in my kitchen.. Can change or add more ingredients according to your taste...

Ingredient's.

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup rice flour

1/2 cup curd or butter milk

1tbsp butter

1 cup water to make a dosa batter (you can even add more water if needed)

Salt to taste

Oil for applying on pan.

Cooking Method.

In a large mixing bowl, add both the flour and butter, mix it nicely.

Then add curd, salt and water, make a batter( batter should be the same consistency like normal dosa batter) and keep it aside for 2 to 3 minutes.

Now heat a tawa, once the tawa is heated, reduce the heat to medium, pour a ladle of batter and make round shape dosa and pour little oil from top and cook till crispy on the edges.. Repeat the same process for rest of the batter.

Serve immediately with Coconut or Peanuts chutney..

Masala Dosa..

Masala Dosa.. From past few weeks I was craving for Masala Dosa and Medu Vada very badly. I was not at all getting sleep in the night because I use to get dreams of Masala Dosa. Was feeling very lazy to go out and eat. For me it is bit difficult to eat all this stuff out side, because they use lot of oil and it becomes taste less when you tell them to cook oil-less, for that reason only I was stopping myself to eat out. Though my hubby kept telling me lets go and eat out..

Yesterday morning I though it was a high time now I should cook dosa at home only. The first thing I did in the morning was I soaked rice and dal to make the batter for dosa and vada. Then finished all the other activities like making red chutney, coconut chutney and potato paliya.. Then finally I cooked the dosa and vada for the dinner and ate peacefully.. It was tasting awesome and I was feeling like top of the world and so satisfying.. I din't even bother to take the pictures but some how I told myself to wait and clicked few picture just to post it.. Thought the pictures are not up to the mark but it is fine, will change the pictures later...

Ingredient's For Red Chutney (to apply on dosa)

6 dry red chillis

10 curry leaves

Small pieces of ginger

3 garlic cloves

1/4tsp cumin seeds

1tsp lemon juice

Salt to taste.

Ingredient's For Potato Paliya.

4 medium potatoes (Boiled and peeled)

1 onion, 2 green chilies, (finely chopped)

Hand full of chopped coriander leaves

10 curry leaves

1tsp mustard seeds

1/2tsp turmeric powder

2tbsp Oil

Salt to taste.

Ingredient's For Dosa Batter.

3/4 cup raw rice

1/4 cup urad dal (split black lentils)

2 tbsp cooked rice

2 tbsp poha (beaten rice)

1/4tsp fenugreek seeds

Oil for frying

salt to taste.

Cooking Method For Red Chutney.

Dry roast all the red chutney ingredients (except the lemon juice and salt) then grind them into fine paste by adding lemon juice, salt and water. and set it aside.

Cooking Method For Potato Paliya.

Mash the boiled potatoes and keep it aside

Heat Oil in a broad pan, and add Mustard Seeds and when they start to splutter, add Turmeric Powder, Green Chilies, Curry Leaves and Onion. Fry until the Onions turn translucent

Add mashed Potatoes, Salt, Coriander and mix it together gently. Switch off the flame and allow it cool.

Cooking Method For Masala Dosa.

Wash the urad dal, raw rice and methi seeds. Soak in a little water along with the poha and cooked rice for at least 3 to 4 hours.

Grind to a smooth paste with a little water. Cover and keep aside for at least 4 hours. Add salt and mix well.

Heat a non-stick tava and grease lightly with oil. when hot, sprinkle a little water, pour a ladle of batter, spread it around, into a thin crepe , then apply the red chutney and keep the potato paliya into one corner of dosa and cook.

Pour a little oil along the edges while cooking. When crispy, fold and serve hot with Sambar and Chutney.

Repeat the same process for the remaining batter.

Egg & Potato Masala Moong Dal.. (Pressure Cooker Version)

Egg & Potato Masala Moong Dal.. From past few weeks I'm feeling like to cook only that food which I use to eat before my marriage.. After my marriage my eating habit and food has changed completely. I use to be hardcore non-vegetarian I change my self to be just non-vegetarian.. I changed my cooking and eating habit just because of my hubby, because he don't prefer to eat non-veg that much and I don't wanted to eat alone. So instead of eating every day I made it to twice a month or sometime once in a week... Me being south Indian I love north Indian food from the beginning , I think for that only god gave me a my Husband :) I have just started cooking some selective food slowly and he is also eating. I'm sure if I cook south Indian food at least once in a week it is good for him to try out new dishes.. It is not like he don't eat completely, he eats some foods which favourite of all (Dosa, Idli, Sambar, Rasam etc) now enough of my story. Let me come to the recipe..

This masala moong dal with potato and egg is my family curry, we use to eat this most of the time for breakfast with hot roti's but I prefer with rice. So I use to save my dal for the lunch and then eat with rice.. Do try this unique combination to serve a different dish to your family member..

Ingredient's.

4 hard boiled eggs

2 medium potato (cut into big chunks)

1 cup split moong dal

1 medium onion, 2 green chilli, 1 large tomato (finely chopped)

1/2tsp turmeric, 1/2tsp coriander powder

1tsp ginger garlic paste

Hand full of chopped coriander leaves

Salt to taste.

For Tempering.

1/4tsp mustard seeds

10 curry leaves

3tbsp oil.

Cooking Method.

In a pressure cooker, add oil when it hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves, when they splutter, add chopped onion and green chilli and fry them to golden brown.

Then add turmeric, coriander powder, ginger garlic paste and tomato, fry till oil start separating.

Now add moong dal. potato, coriander leaves and salt, give them good mix and add 2 cups of water, boiled eggs, again mix them and close the lid and cook for 2 whistle and allow them pressure to go completely before opening the pressure cooker..

Serve hot with Roti or Rice..

Ragi Malt.. (Finger Millet Porridge With Yoghurt)

Ragi Malt.. Drinking or eating Ragi is very good for the health and Ragi also know as finger millet is a rich source of calcium, protein, fiber, iron and other minerals. I really want to bring back these old and forgotten recipe to our modern life style.. This recipe looks very simple but very very healthy, this porridge is still daily drink in many houses of Karnataka.. Ragi can be used in many ways, you can even make Ragi balls, Roti's, Dosas, Idlis etc...

During Ramzan my mom use to cook this in a bulk and make all of us to drink everyday, sometime I use to just drink this porridge and keep the fast, though I don't like it.. But slowly I started liking this porridge and I cook this atleast once in a month.. I know I know it is not sufficient but still in my opinion having something is better than having nothing... Here come's the healthiest porridge recipe which you can add in you everyday diet...

Ingredient's

1cup Ragi flour (finger millet)

2 1/2cup water

1cup yoghurt

1 medium onion, 1 green chilli (finely chopped)

Handful of chopped coriander

Salt to taste.

Cooking Method.

In mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup water and ragi flour, mix it nicely and set it aside.

In a deep pan, add rest of the water and salt, bring it to a bowl.

Then slowly add the ragi flour mixture and keep stirring to avoid any lumps and sticking to the bottom of the pan. cook till the raw smell goes for about 4 to 5 minutes..(keep stirring).

Allow the ragi mixture to cool down a bit, then add yoghurt, onion, green chili and coriander, mix them nicely and Serve warm or cold..

Bassaru Authentic Karanataka Dish..(Lentil Cabbage Dill Leaves and Beans Rasam)

Bassaru (Rasam).. This is an Authentic Karnataka dish usually made with a variety of lentils Green leaves and Veggies. Bassaru means rasam, made of water which is used for a cooking the lentils, leaves and vegetables. You can cook this rasma with many kinds of lentils and leaves.. I have used toor dal, Cabbage, beans with dill Leaves, as you all know i love cabbage and i think this is the best combination of all and they tastes great. The dish sounds a bit difficult for the beginner but it is easy when you get to use of preparing it and the taste makes it worth the job done. This can be served with hot Rice or Ragi Balls..

 

Actually this Curry is combo of boiled and stirfry vegetables with Rasam while eating... But i have made this as a two recipes, so that it is very easy for my readers to understand in a better way... I'm a huge fan of this Rasam and it makes it even more tastier because i'm cooking this Rasam in UK.:) Every body has there own way of preparing this Rasam, I have learnt like this from my mom and i like this way better...

 

 

Ingredient's
For Rasam
1 bunch of dill leaves finely chopped
1/2cup toor dal
2cups roughly chopped cabbage
15 beans roughly chopped
1 lagre onion roughly chopped
2tbsp grated coconut
2 medium tomato
5 green chilies, 10 dry red chilies
10 curry leaves, 6 garlic cloves
1/2tbsp black peppercorn, 2tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2tbsp tamarind paste
3cup water
Salt as per taste.

 

 

For Tempering
8 to 10 curry leaves
1/4tsp mustard seeds
2 dry red chilies
2tbsp oil.

 

 

Cooking Method
In a deep kadai or a pan.. add toor dal and 2cup of water boil for 10 minutes.. Then in a same toor dal, add cabbage, beans, dill leaves, onion, salt and 1 more cup of water and boil for another 10 to 15minutes.
In a mean time, dry roast the red chillies, curry leaves, garlic, black peppercorn and green chilies. Put it in a mixer jar along with the coriander leaves and grind to smooth paste, and set it aside.
Again dry roast the tomato and grated coconut, till you get the slightly burning smell.. and grind it to smooth paste and set it aside.
Now drain the water from a boiled dal and veggies, keep the veggies aside (i will tell what to do with this boiled veggies in my next post).. Then add the grounded masala paste and tamrind paste to the boiled water and season with salt..
In a small pan add all the tempering ingredients, when they start spluttering, add it to the Rasam and simmer the rasam on a high flame for 5 to 7 minutes..
The authentic Bassaru (Rasam) is ready to serve.
Serve hot with Rice and Ragi Ball..

Idli Sambar and Chutney!!!

Idli Sambar and Chutney. Very often i cook idli for our breakfast, because i feel it is the best food to start our day. I have been thinking to take pic for a very long time, but i use to always feel very lazy and hungry after seeing hot idli and always use to postponed it to next time. On last Saturday i was very much prepared to take a pictures. So as soon as i cooked idli i took the pictures and later i served to everybody. The idli was very soft and it was going very well with spicy chutney and vegetable sambar..

Ingredients

1cup raw rice

1/2cup urad dal

1/2tsp fenugreek seeds

Salt to taste

1tbsp Oil for greasing

Water to mix

A pinch of Baking Soda (optional)

How to make Idli

Soak urad dal, fenugreek seeds and rice separately in water, for over night or about 5 hours.

After due time, grind the soaked ingredients in a mixer to make a smooth paste.

Now leave the paste aside, for about 8 hours.

Afterward add salt and baking soda to the paste. Mix well.

Pour the mixture gradually into the greased cavities of an Idli Stand.

Keep the Idli Stand in a idli cooker to steam for a 5 to 8 minutes.

Then, carefully take out the stand and remove the the idlis, using a spoon.

Repeat the procedure for the remaining mixture.

Serve them hot with chutney and sambhar.

Moong Dal Dosa (Split Lentil Dosa)

Split Moong Dal Dosa. This time to make this dosa i have used the split moong dal, but the other ingredients and procedure are the same, what i had used for the whole moong dal dosa. Also this taste was different from the whole moong dal dosa. I felt that i have cook moong dal dosa very often because it is healhty and tasty too.  In this photo i have made two different types of dosa, 1 is very crispy and the other 1 is non crispy. So you decide what type of dosa you prefer. I served this dosa with Coconut and Mint chutney...

Ingredient's

1/4cup split moong dal

1/4cup rice

2tbsp urad dal

2 green chilli, 1tsp ginger garlic paste

Salt to taste

Water as requires.

Cooking Method

Soak the split moong dal, urad dal and rice in water overnight. Next day drain the water and grind the dal and rice along with green chilies, ginger garlic paste and salt to make a fine paste of medium consistency. Remove the batter and mix it thoroughly adjusting the salt.

These dosas need no fermentation and you can make dosas immediately.

Apply little oil on a non stick pan. Make sure that the pan is hot by sprinkling some water. Pour one ladle full of batter into the center of pan and spread it around in a circular fashion shaping the batter into a thin round. 

Then sprinkle some more oil around the edges of the batter. Wait for few minutes until the bottom turns golden brown and then reverse it. Cook the other side now for few seconds.

Remove from the pan and serve hot with Chutney.

And repeat the same processes for the rest of the batter.

Iam sending this recipe to Jaruti's of Cooking Odyssey.Celebrate MakarSankranti and Republic Day of India.