Saturday, May 24, 2008

Lauki ki Sabzi

It's been a long time since I prepared Lauki ki subzi. In the Chinese store, got some laukis. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lauki chopped
3 medium tomatoes (chopped)
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 tbsps ginger
1 clove garlic
3 tbsps khuskhus
2 tbsps oil
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp jeera
salt to taste


Method:
  1. Heat 1 tsp oil and saute chopped onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, khus khus and jeera. Once the mixture cools down add garam masala and grind to a paste, adding very little or no water.
  2. Heat 1 tsp oil, and saute the lauki pieces. After the lauki pieces are half baked, add the gravy and salt.
  3. Cook till lauki is completely done. Serve hot with Chapatis or Parathas.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Coconut Chutney

Here is one great accompaniment with Dosa, Idli and Gundapangala.

Ingredients:

1 cup grated coconut
3 green chilies
1 tbsp ginger
1 clove garlic(optional)
2 tbsp raw onion (optional)
2 tsps tamrind
1 tbsp dalia or dry roasted gram dal
2 tbsps finely chopped coriander (optional)
salt to taste
water for consistency needed

Method:
  1. Grind all the ingredients together. Garnish with vaggarane.
Note: Use either garlic or raw onion for the chutney, to avoid the strong smell.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Sambar

The best combination for Idli, Dosas and Appes is Sambar and Coconut Chutney.


Ingredients:

2 cups toor dal
1/4 cup cubed (medium) mooli
1 medium sized tomato (chopped)
1 medium onion (chopped - optional)
8 drumsticks (6 inch length)
1/4 cup coconut
2-3 red chillies
small lemon size tamarind
4 tbsps jaggery (optional)
4 tbsps finely chopped cilantro leaves
Sambar powder
Salt to taste
Vaggarane

Method:
  1. Pressure cook toor dal, mooli, tomatoes, onions and drumsticks with 4-5 cups of water. Soak tamrind in little water, mash it, and seperate the water.
  2. Grind coconut, red chilies and sambar powder with tamrind water.
  3. Heat the kadhai, pour the boiled dal and ther ingredients. Bring to a boil. Add the coconut mixture, jaggery and salt. Add the cilantro leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Garnish with vaggarane. Serve hot with Idli, Dosa, Appes and Rice.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Palak (Spinach) Paratha

Since my 7 year old is a picky eater, all the vegetables hide in Parathas and they are in demand in my house. Last week I got some spinach, and hence prepared the Spinach Parathas.



Ingredients:

1 bunch spinach leaves
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp red chilli powder(optional)
2 tsps cumin seeds
1 tsp grated ginger
1 clove garlic (Optional)
salt to taste
Oil - 4 tsps
Water

Method:
  1. Wash the leaves well. Grind the leaves with garlic and ginger, using very less water.
  2. add garam masala, salt, cumin seeds and mix whole wheat flour. Make a medium thickness dough (add water if needed).
  3. Keep aside for 30 minutes. Heat the tawa.
  4. Make medium atta balls and roll and bake like chapati, putting little oil on each side.
  5. Server with Chutney or butter.

Tondekai Chutney

I have always loved Tondekai dry palya. Couple of weeks ago, I tried making chutney out of Tondekai (tindora). My husband, who loves to try my new experiments and is a very good critic too, loved the new taste. Since then, its been quite a good hit item at home.


Ingredients:

1 cup tondekai (chopped)
1/4 cup grated coconut
3 green chilies (cut in half)
2 tbsp tamarind
2 tbsp jaggery (optional)
1 tsp oil
salt to taste
vaggarane

Method:
  1. Heat the oil in the pan. Add the green chilies and tondekai.
  2. After the tondekai is half cooked, add coconut, salt and tamarind. Cook till tondekai is completely cooked. Add jaggery. Let it cool.
  3. Grind all the items together, and garnish with Vaggarane.
  4. Serve with Parathas and Chapatis.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Vaggarane (Tadka)

Tadka or Vaggarane is the process for flavoring the dishes. It is used in almost all the dishes in South India.

Ingredients:

1 tsp oil
2 pinches of mustard seeds
1 pinch of cumin seeds
1 pinch of turmeric
1 pinch of hing
5 leaves of kadhi patta (karibevu)
2 cloves of garlic (optional)
(Since garlic gives a very pungent smell, many do not prefer it for the mild dishes)

Method:
  1. Heat the oil in a small pan.
  2. Add mustard seeds, let it splutter. Add cumin seeds, turmeric, hing and kadhi patta. If adding garlic, saute it for 30 seconds or so.
  3. Pour the tadka on the dish.

Green Tomato Chutney

In order to have an organic vegetable/flower garden, I buried the kitchen waste below almost every plant. And a month later, we have tomato plants all over the garden. I have always been a fan of chutneys (thanks to my grandmother), and with all the raw tomatoes hanging in the plants, I decided to make the 'Green tomato chutney'. And yes, everyone loved the fresh chutney with the chapati.

Ingredients:

3 medium sized green tomatoes
1/4 cup coconut (grated)
1 tbsp white til
3 green chillies
small lemon size tamarind
3 tbsp jaggery
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp tadka (Vaggarane)

Method:
  1. Chop the tomatoes and green chilies.
  2. Heat the pan, with one tsp oil, put green chilies and til, fry till til turns golden yellow. Add tomatoes and keep stirring. After they are half cooked, add tamarind. Add very little water if necessary.
  3. Once tomatoes are fully cooked, add salt, coconut and jaggery. Saute till the jaggery is completely dissolved. Let it cool.
  4. Grind to a smooth paste, adding no or very little water. Garnish with vaggarane. Serve with Chapati or Rice.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Dal Fry

I am pretty bored with the stuff I eat everyday. Since I came home a bit early today, I planned to make 'Dal fry' which I haven't prepared in a while. And yes, it was a hit. Here is how to make an excellent dal fry:

Ingredients:

2 cups toor dal
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup tomato (chopped)
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp grated garlic
2 tbsp cilantro leaves (chopped finely)
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp butter
1/2 tsp oil
salt to taste

Method:
  1. Boil toor dal in a pressure cooker.
  2. Heat oil in a pan, fry onion, tomato, ginger and garlic till mushy. Let cool.
  3. Grind the onion-tomato mixture till smooth, add water if required.
  4. Heat the butter in the pan, and fry the paste till the butter and the gravy separate.
  5. Mash the boiled dal, and pour in the gravy.
  6. Add salt, garam masala and red chili powder. Simmer for 3 minutes.
  7. Garnish with coriander leaves, serve hot.