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..

Okra In Coconut And Tamarind Curry. (Bhindi Ka Khatta Salan)

Okra In Coconut & Tamarind Curry.. This curry is even known as (Bhindi Ka Khatta Salan) in south muslim families.. I had totally forgot about this curry after my marriage. I need to thanks one of my fellow blogger Priya Ranji to remind me about this curry. May be 2 weeks back she had posted this curry on her blog and as usual I was checking out the blog's in the morning and this okra curry catch to my eyes and all the old memories came back... After seeing her post I ran to my kitchen to see whether I have all the ingredients what I need. By luck all the ingredients were there and without wasting time I started cooking..

This use to be one of my favourite curry, I use to take out all the okra from curry and eat it without rice and then lick the curry.. Not to mention I did the same thing even today after I finished cooking...The curry had turn out exactly the way how my mom cooks it tangy and delicious...

Ingredient's.

250gram fresh okra (cut into small pieces)

1/2 cup fresh chopped coconut

2 large tomato, 1 large onion, hand full of chopped coriander leaves

2 cloves, 1/2tsp cumin

2tsp ginger garlic paste

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

1/2 cup tamarind extract (you can use less or more according to your taste)

3tbsp Oil

Salt to taste.

For Tempering.

1/2tsp mustard seeds

10 to 12 curry leaves.

Cooking Method.

In the mixer jar, add the coconut, tomato, onion, coriander leaves, cloves, ginger garlic and cumin, grind it to a smooth paste.

In a deep frying pan, add 2tbsp oil when oil is hot, add the cut okra and fry them till the stickiness is gone. and take out on to the plate and set it aside.

In the same pan, add the left over oil, mustard seeds and curry leaves, when they start spluttering, add the ground masala and red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, and salt, fry them for minute or 2. Then add tamarind extract and fried okra. Give them gentle mix and add 2 cups of water and bring it to boil. Then lower the flame and cook the curry till okra is tender...

Serve hot with Plain Rice or Ragi Ball..

Potato & Ajwain Stuffed Paratha.. (Potato & Carom Seeds Stuffed Indian Flat-Bread)

Potato & Ajwain Stuffed Paratha.. Parathas are whole-wheat Indian flatbread. This can be made plain or stuffed with many different fillings.. Potato is one of the commonly used ingredients and cooked very often in every Indian house.. Even I cook stuffed parartha 4 to 5 times in a month by using different filling. Stuffed paratha in it self is the full meal, just have to serve with curd and pickle..

Ingredient's

2 cup whole wheat flour

2 potato boiled and smash

1tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

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

1 green chilli (finely chopped)

5 to 6 curry leaves (finely chopped)

Salt to taste.

Cooking Method.

Prepare the dough using wheat flour and set it aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add all the above ingredients and mix them nicely and make a small lemon size balls and set it aside. Make 1 small size of roti and fill the stuffing and close it gently.

Roll it over on to a flat surface to make a round shape paratha, by using little dry flour. 

Put paratha on to a pre heated tava and cook both the side using oil. Potato and Ajwain stuffed paratha is read to eat.

Serve hot with curd and pickle..

Pav Bhaji (Mumbai Street Food)

Pav Bhaji.. Yet another Mumbai's famous street food. As I have mentioned in my last post that what ever the street food we want to eat here. I have to cook at home only.. So I have been trying out many recipes on every weekends so that we don't forget the Indian famous street food. When I had been to Mumbai for the first time may be in 1998, there one of my friend had taken me to have Pav Bhaji. Belive me I din't like it at all and she felt bad. To keep her heart I had just eaten few bites.. The main reason was I use to think alot that whether he has washed his hands or not and he is looking clean or not.. That's where I use to stop myself to eat anything on streets. Then again I had gone to Mumbai form my office work and everybody forced me to have Pav Bhaji and I really don't belive myself I ate the full plate, it was so tasty. After that when ever I go to Mumbai I always eat Pav Bhaji everyday. Nowadays I don't think that much, but still I see people around and my H keeps telling me just eat don't look around..

Nowadays everything has become so easy to cook at home, so only we don't prefer to go out and eat specially street food. I keep trying many street food recipes which my H will miss because of me.. Never mind it is always good at home rather then eating out... Though this dish takes a little time and effort but it is worth waiting and I don't have pav buns in my picture but we had it with pav only. Because the pav was vanished while I was taking pictures.. Do try this dish and enjoy :)

Ingredient's

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cups chopped cauliflower, 1/2 cup chopped green beans

1/2 cup peas, 1/2 cup chopped carrots, 1/2cup chopped cabbage

2 green chilies chopped

2tbsp ginger garlic paste

3 medium tomatoes, 1 large onion (finely chopped)

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

1tbsp pav bhaji masala

1 tablespoon fennel seed powder (saunf)

1tsp dry mango powder

1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves

2tbsp butter, 2tbsp oil

Salt to taste

6 pav buns.

For Garnish:

1 medium chopped onion

few chopped coriander leaves

Few pieces of thinly sliced lemon

2tsp butter.

Cooking Method:

Boil all the vegetables with 1½ cup of water in a pressure cooker for 2 to 3 whistle. Don’t add too much water, just enough to cook.

After the vegetables are soft and tender, drain the excess water and mash them coarsely with a fork or potato masher.

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. then add tomatoes, green chilies, coriander, and ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes until they are soft.

Next add the red chili powder, fennel powder, turmeric, coriander powder and pav bhaji masala, mix them well and cook till the raw smell goes. Now add mashed vegetables. By using you wooden spoon, simultaneously mash and stir all the vegetables for 5 minutes. Add salt and stir-fry for another minute. Add about ¼ cup of water or as needed, and let it cook for a minute.

Turn off the heat. and add dry mango powder, mix it well

Toast the pav bun on tava using butter over medium heat until buns are golden brown from both sides.

Serve hot toasted buns with bhaji, garnish with chopped onion, coriander leaves, butter and sliced lemon.