Medu Vada/ Urad Dal Vada/ Lentil Fritters.

Medu Vada is a urad dal based fried snack, a delightful dish from the South Indian cuisine... When I was in India this use to be our breakfast on every Saturday, because there were so many South Indian restaurant near our house and I use to never feel like cooking on weekends, all you have do just get up from the bed go to have hot hot breakfast and then do what ever you want whole day.. After coming to UK my life has changed completely. On weekends we are stuck with bread omelette or cornflakes, if we want to eat something else then cook and eat. I really miss India and I keep asking my husband when are we going back? and he reply's - very soon. I have no idea when that very soon will come :)

Ingredient's.

100 gram urad dal

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2tsp cumin seeds

1/2tsp black pepper (coarsely ground)

1tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Pinch of Hing 

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying.

Cooking Method.

Wash urad dal several times until the water appears clear and soak it over night or atleast 5 to 6 hours.

Drain the water and blend dal to coarsely texture. Just using enough water as needed to blend. 

Then add onion, cumin, black pepper, coriander, hing and salt. Whip dal batter using a spoon in a circular motion for about two to three minutes until batter become light and fluffy.

In a deep frying pan add oil and allow oil to become hot on medium flame. To check if oil is ready put a little batter into the oil, oil will sizzle and batter should start expending upwards slowly without changing color.

Then place a plastic sheet on to a flat surface and apply little water, then put 2tbsp batter on to plastic sheet and slowly flatten the vada and make a small hole in a centre. Take the plastic sheet slowly up and leave the vada into hot oil for frying. Fry until they are golden brown..

Serve hot with Coconut Chutney and Sambar.

Mushroom Pasta With Mint And Tomato Sauce.

Mushroom Pasta With Mint And Tomato Sauce. This is my new innovation to pasta. Pasta is something like can be cooked with any kind of sauce and with almost any ingredients, that is the most important thing I like while cooking pasta, the more you play with ingredients the tastier the pasta is. It has happened with me many time that I plan to cook some other recipe and I end up cooking something else and I don't know how it turns out to be the best dish, specially in Italian food.

Yesterday I had a plan to cook just plain tomato sauce paste, but I added mint and mushroom to and it was quite a delicious pasta, with fresh mint flavour in it.. I have just added the mint leaves, if you want to grind the mint leaves with tomato go head and try and do let me know the taste... You don't need any side dish for this, it has everything in it. So cook and enjoy.

Ingredient's.

1 cup paste (any shape pasta)

3 button mushroom (roughly chopped)

1 medium onion (roughly chopped)

1 cup tomato puree

2 green chilli

1tsp cruched ginger and garlic

Hand full of fresh mint leaves

Pinch of black pepper

Pinch of red chilli flakes

1/4tsp mixed herbs or Oregano

1tbsp butter

Salt to taste.

Cooking Method.

Boil the pasta as per the instruction on the pack and keep it aside.

In a wok, add butter, when butter melts, add crushed ginger and garlic, sautee to light brown, add onion and green chilli, sautee for a minutes. Then add mushroom and mint leaves, fry for another 2 minutes, add tomato puree, black pepper powder, mixed herbs, chilli flakes and salt, cook till the tomato has changed color to red, that will take about 2 to 3 minutes.

Now add boiled paste and mix everything nicely and sautee for another 2 to 3 minutes.. Then sprinkle some more mint leaves on top.

Serve hot hot...

Meethi Chicken. (Fenugreek Leaves And Chicken Curry)

Meethi Chicken has become now common dish in India, before very few people were aware of this dish. Now there are so many different version to cook this curry, I think every one like to cook in there own way and that becomes one new and different dish... I use to cook this meethi chicken then I stopped from a very long time. Then again I tried this 2 weeks back when we had our friends over and they like it so much, My friend told me why don't I put this recipe on my blog.. To be honest when ever I use to cook, it use to get over and I never got a change to take the pictures, it happened the same when I cooked this curry on that day. But I had in my mind that I should cook this soon and post it or else the day is never going to come.. Keeping that in my mind I cooked this Meethi Chicken curry yesterday and took the pictures also.. ufff so relieved.. This is my own recipe simple and delicious... Serve with Naan, Roti or even Rice...

Ingredient's.

1/2 kg chicken (cut into medium pieces)

1 medium onion (thinly sliced)

1 bunch of meethi leaves (Fenugreek leaves)

1cup chopped coriander

6 green chilis

10 to 15 curry leafs

2tsp black pepper corn

1tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 medium tomato

3tbsp Oil

Salt to taste.

Cooking Method.

Wash and drain the water of chicken and set it aside. Clean and wash the meethi leaves and set it aside.

In a non-stick deep frying pan, add oil and onion, fry the onion for minute or 2. Then add chicken, meethi leaves and salt, mix them and allow the chicken water to evaporate.

In a mean time add all the rest of the ingredients into a mixer jar and make a smooth paste by adding little water.

Now add the grounded masala to chicken, give a good mix and check for the salt. Then close the lid and cook for 10 to 15 minutes on a low flame (keep stirring in between)

Then open the lid and stirfry till all the masala has coated well to chicken and there is no water..

Serve hot with Naan, Kerala Poratha or Roti's.

Omelette And Cheese Sandwich..

Omelette & Cheese Sandwich.. From past 2 to 3days I'm only having omelette and cheese sandwich for the breakfast.. Actually this is routine in my house that we eat bread and omelette atleast 3 to 4 times in a week, sometime I feel bore and try new recipe in the same ingredients... This is one of the best recipe of normal bread and omelette to cheese and omelette sandwich. To cook this sandwich you don't need and fancy ingredients or appliances, you can cook just with few ingredients like (eggs, bread, cheese and onion) and it taste great with juice or a cup of hot tea... It can be served as a snacks too..

Ingredient's.

2 eggs

4 slices of bread

2tbsp cheese (you can use how much you want)

1 medium onion, 1 green chili (finely chopped)

Pinch of black pepper powder

1tsp oil

1tsp butter

Salt to taste.

Cooking Method.

In a large mixing bowl. add eggs, onion, green chili, black pepper and salt, mix them all together, and make omelette by using 1tsp oil.

In a mean time apply butter on to the bread slices and set it aside.

Once the omelette is cooked, take out on to a plate. Then on the same pan place the bread slices and sprinkle the cheese on top, now place half omelette on top of the bread and sprinkle some more cheese on top and cover it with another bread, and fry both the side until golden brown on a slow flame..

Repeat the same process for rest of the bread..

Serve hot with Juice or Tea.

Mutton And Potato Curry (Oil-Less)

Mutton and Potato Curry (Oil-Less). To cook this mutton curry I have not used a single drop of oil. It is cooked in it's own fat. When ever we think of non-veg dishes we always think spicy and rich. But I'm assuring you after cooking this curry you'll forget the other curries.. The most important ingredients in this is the meat, if you have not got right meat then the curry will not be tasty. You just need to asked the butcher to give the meat which has fat and bones...

This is a very good curry to cook for the people who don't like to eat oily and spicy.. I cook this mutton curry when I'm on diet and still want to eat mutton and this curry gets cooked in no time. But this time I have added more green chillies because I wanted to eat something spicy but not oily.. You can adjust the ingredients according to your taste..

Ingredient's

1/2kg mutton

2 large potato, cut into big chunks (optional)

1cup chopped coriander

8 green chillies

1tbsp ginger garlic paste

1tsp black peppercorn

15 curry leafs

1 medium tomato

Salt to taste.

Cooking Method

Soak and wash the mutton for 15 minutes.

Grind all the above ingredients (except potato) to a smooth paste and set it aside.

In a pressure cooker add the mutton and cook till the water is evaporated and keep stirring in between to avoid sticking at the bottom of the cooker.

Now add the grounded masala, potato and salt, give a nice mix and add 1cup water and cook till the meat is tender. That will take about 3 to 4 whistle. Depending upon the meat.. Then allow the pressure to go before opening the pressure cooker.

Serve hot with Rice or Roti.

Baby Corn Pizza.. (Home-made Pizza)

Baby Corn Pizza.. I had made this pizza for my friends on Monday, they liked it so much and we finished the large pizza in just 5 to 10 minutes. We three were eating like as if we have not eaten pizza for ages. The best part was, one of my friend was not at all allowing me to take the pictures also. I have hardly taken 4 to 5 pictures only. The moment I finished taking pics, she was the first one to jump on it and by seeing her I din't even bother to look at the pics and started eating... Some how the pizza also had come out very very tasty and awesome looking... Making pizza at home is so easy if you have pizza sauce ready and I always make pizza sauce and keep it. So when ever we feel like eating then I just make it. Making pizza at home is healthier then store bought... I want to suggest everyone start baking pizza at home and you'll really enjoy..

Ingredients For The Pizza Base

Makes 1 Large Pizza Base

1/2 cup warm water (100 degrees to 110 degrees)

3tbsp warm milk

1/4 tsp sugar 

1+1/8 tsp active dry yeast

1+1/2cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/4 tsp salt

2tbsp oil, plus more for bowl.

Ingredient's For The Topping.

Pizza Sauce ( recipe follows)

10 black olives (cut into circles)

1/2cup baby corn, 1 large tomato, 1 medium onion, (thinly sliced)

12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, (grated).

Ingredients For The Pizza Sauce

Make For 2 Large Pizza

2 tsp oil 

6 large tomato's

3tbsp tomato puree

1tbsp chopped ginger and garlic

3/4 tsp Italian seasoning

3/4 tsp dried oregano 

1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Directions For The Pizza Base

Pour warm water and milk into a small bowl. Add sugar, and sprinkle in yeast. Using a fork, stir the mixture until yeast is dissolved and water has turned a tan color. Let yeast stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, add flour and salt. Then add yeast mixture and oil. Mix until the dough comes together, adding more flour as needed until dough is smooth, not tacky, when squeezed. Transfer to clean surface; knead for 5 to 10 minutes.

Brush the inside of a medium bowl with oil, and place the dough in the bowl, smooth side up. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1hour. Remove plastic wrap, and press your fist into the center of the dough to punch it down. Fold the dough back onto itself four or five times. Turn dough over, folded-side down, cover with plastic wrap, and return to the warm spot to rise again until the dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Punch down the dough, and transfer to a clean surface. Knead the dough four or five turns into a ball. Lightly flour a clean surface, place the dough pat into a flattened circle, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let rest 5 minutes. Using your fingers, begin to flatten and push the dough evenly out from the center until it measures about 7 to 8 inches in diameter. Do not press the dough all the way to the edges. Leave a slightly raised border, about a half-inch wide, around entire circumference of pizza dough.

In a mean time pre-heat the oven for 20 minutes at 250c. 

Arrange the pizza dough into a circle on top of the baking flat tray. Leaving the raised edge uncovered, pour 8 to 9 tsp of the pizza sauce onto the dough. Using the back of a tablespoon, evenly spread the sauce leaving a half-inch border of dough uncovered. Arrange half of the mozzarella slices on top of the sauce and arrange all the veggie's on top, then cover with left over mozzarella slices.

Bake until the crust is golden brown and crisp on the edges and the bottom, 7 to 8 minutes, turning the pizza halfway through baking. Using a pizza wheel, slice the pizza into eight pieces, and serve immediately.

Directions For The Pizza Sauce

Pour oil into a large skillet, and place over medium heat. Using your hands, squeeze tomatoes to crush them. Add to the warm oil, along with the remaining ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat, breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until the sauce is thick, 40 to 50 minutes. Allow it to cool and grind it to a smooth paste...

Sauce is ready to use, after using the sauce to pizza you can store the remaining sauce in a fridge for the next time use..

Coriander Chicken Gravy.. (Hariyali Murgh Masala)

Coriander Chicken Gravy!!! This chicken gravy can be cooked in many ways and it can be dry or gravy. Even I try different version while cooking this gravy, sometime I make it dry or gravy.. Usually this is cooked in a rainy season, because this spicy gravy suits to the weather with hot hot roti's. You can change the ingredients according to your taste, but in my family we prefer hot and spicy. It is very easy to cook with simple ingredients and delicious chicken gravy will be ready with in 10 to 15 minutes...

Ingredient's

1/2 kg chicken (cut into medium pieces)

1 medium onion (thinly sliced)

1cup chopped coriander

5 to 6 green chilis

8 to 10 curry leafs

2tsp black pepper corn

1tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 medium tomato

3tbsp Oil

Salt to taste.

Cooking Method.

Wash and drain the water of chicken and set it aside. In a pressure cooker, add oil and onion, fry the onion for minute or 2. Then add chicken and salt, mix them and allow the chicken water to evaporate.

In a mean time add all the rest of the ingredients into a mixer jar and make a smooth paste by adding little water.

Now add the grounded masala to chicken and 1/4cup of water, give a good mix and check for the salt. Then close the lid of pressure cooker and cook for (2 whistle on a medium to low heat) then allow the pressure to go before opening the pressure cooker. 

Serve hot with Naan, Kerala Poratha or Roti's.

Bassaru's (Vegetbales Stirfry) Lentil Cabbage And Beans Stirfry..

Lentil Cabbage And Beans Stirfry... As i have mentioned in my last post that i have made this Authentic Bassaru recipe into 2 part so that it is easy for my readers to understand in a better way.. So here come the vegetables recipe of Bassaru... To know Bassaru (Rasam) recipe click here..

Ingredient's.

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

5 green chilies, 10 dry red chilies

10 curry leaves, 6 garlic cloves

1/2tbsp black peppercorn, 2tbsp chopped coriander leaves

2tbsp oil

Salt as per taste.

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.

Now drain the water from a boiled dal and veggies, keep the water aside (you can make a Rasam out of this water. To know the recipe for the rasam click on the above link)..

In a deep kadai, add oil, when the oil is hot, add grated coconut and grounded paste and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the boiled veggie's and season with salt (if required) and mix them gently and cook for another 1minute..The authentic Bassaru (Vegetable Stirfry) is ready to serve.

Serve hot with Rice and Ragi Ball along with Rasam..

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..

Black Pepper And Egg Spicy Curry..

Black Pepper And Egg Spicy Curry!!! This is one of the very spicy curry and it goes very well with hot Rice... I wanted to eat this curry from last month, due to not having mixer grinder i use to postpond it. Last Saturday we order the mixer, after the mixer arrived, the first thing which i grinded was the Black Pepper Curry Masala and i was in so hurry to cook i dint even realize how much red chilli powder i have added. It was quite spicy but i really really enjoyed eating it and felt so satisfied... You don't have to make it spicy, this curry can be enjoyed less spicy too. Because i like spicy food so i always tried to cook this curry little spicy and tangy...

 

 

 

Ingredient's
3 large eggs
1 medium onion
2 green chili
2 large tomato
2tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1tbsp black peppercorns
1tsp ginger garlic paste
1tsp tamarind paste
1tsp red chili powder, 1/2tsp turmeric, 1/2tsp coriander powder
2 cup water
Salt to taste.

 

 

For Tempering.
3 dry red chili
8 curry leaves
1/4tsp mustard seeds
2tbsp oil.

 

 

 

Cooking Method
In a mixer jar, add tomato, onion, green chili, coriander leaves, black peppercorns, tamarind and ginger garlic paste. Grind it to smooth paste and set it aside.
In a deep fry pan, add oil, when oil is hot, add mustard seeds, dry red chili and curry leafs, when they splutter, add the ground masala and fry for 1 to 2minutes. Then add the red chili powder, turmeric and coriander powder, again fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add water and salt, give a quick stir and simmer the curry for 1 to 2 minutes on a high flame.
Now lower the flame and allow the curry to sit on flame for few second, then crack the 1egg at a time into a small bowl and slowly drop it to the curry side by side. Cover the lid and cook the curry for 2minutes on a low flame..
Serve hot with Plain Rice and Papad.

Pepper Chicken!!!

Pepper Chicken.. This is my all time favorite chicken, it goes well with ghee rice and this is like the combination made in heaven.. When ever I'm down, this chicken works like a battery for me and i can finish the plate in a minute. This recipe has come from my granny's home and my mom use to make it quite often, i still cant forget that taste what my mom use to make, i can say even i make good but not as her... Anyways my husband says i'm the best cook :) thats more then enough for me..

 

 

 

Ingredient's
1/2kg chicken
1 onion, 2 tomato, 3 green chilli's
1/2cup coriander leafs (Freshly chopped)
1tsp black peppercorn
1tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/2tsp turmeric, 1/2tsp coriander powder, 1/2tsp red chilly powder
2tbsp oil
Salt as per taste.

 

 

Cooking Method
Marinate the chicken with ginger garlic paste, turmeric, coriander powder, red chilly powder and salt, set it aside for 30minutes.
In a grinding jar add tomato, onion, green chilli's, coriander, peppercorn and make a smooth paste.

 

 

In a deep frying pan, add oil, when the oil is hot add the marinated chicken and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the masala paste and fry till the oil separates. Now add 1/2cup of water and adjust the salt, close the lid and cook till the water is observed and chicken is coated with masala well..
Serve with Roti or Ghee Rice..