Alasande kalu palya (lobia/cow peas curry)

Alasande Kalu Palya

Hi there everyone, hope all of you who visit my blog are doing well. I have been away from blogging a very long time and after being nudged by a few friends to write more, I am back again. I had a perfect excuse for my laziness all these days, "My comp is not working"... it was not. We got it fixed a few weeks ago, however I was feeling so comfortably lethargic not do anything. After mentally posting quite a few recipes, I am now making an attempt to put my thoughts into actions (hopefully). It is like me against my lethargy... let me see who wins. 

This recipe of alasande, lobia, in Hindi and cow peas, in English, is fairly simple to make, not to mention very nutritious and exceptionally tasty. It is a good match with chapati and rice. Make a paste of this and you can spread it on bread and also use as a dip for your chips. A very versatile thick curry not only to satisfy your sense of smell, it will keep your body happy. Very high in protein, low in carbs and fat. 

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins (if using ready cooked alasande or about 45 mins)

Servings: About 3

Ingredients:

1. Alasande Kaalu/ lobia / cow peas - 1 cup soaked over night and cooked well. (use the small red variety if you can find, that gives the best taste)
2. Salt - to taste
3. Coriander/Cilantro - finely chopped

For tempering:

1. Oil - 2 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Turmeric - a pinch
4. Asafoetida - 2 pinches
5. Curry leaves - 1/2 the string 

For Masala:

1. Green Chilies - 3 to 5 (depending on your taste)
2. Whole pepper corns - 5 
3. Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
4. Fresh/ Frozen Coconut - 1/2 cup (grated or pieces) 
5. Ginger - 1 inch piece or 1 tsp paste

Method:

• To cook the cow peas/lobia/alasande, soak it over night and pressure cook it with a little salt till it is well done but not mushy. If you do not have a pressure cooker, take a lot of water in a big pot, add the cow peas and enough salt and cook for about an hour or till well done on the stove top. After it is done, drain the peas and set aside. Keep a cups' worth water to dilute the curry as and when required otherwise we will not be using the water in this recipe. Please check the tips part of this recipe for suggestions on using the drained water.
• Grind all the ingredients of masala and set aside.
• Make the tempering in a pot or pan which can fit all the ingredients by heating oil on medium. Add mustard seeds and wait for it to splutter. Add turmeric, asafoetida. Add the cooked and drained alasande/cow peas/ lobia and saute for a few minutes. Add the curry leaves and a little water, close the lid and let it cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the ground masala and salt as required to the cooking alasande/cow peas/lobia and mix well. Add a little water from the drained beans if it is getting too thick too soon. Cover the pot/pan and cook for a 2 to 4 minutes.
• Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and serve with steaming hot rice or chapati. Or let it cool and then grind it in to a fine paste to use as a dip.

Tips:

You can make Saru/Rasam from the drained water or use the water in making soups. Just store it in the refrigerator, it will keep upto seven days.

Aloo Parantha [Stuffed Indian Flat bread with spicy potatoes and herbs]

Aloo Parantha is one of the most filling and tasty breads I have every eaten. There are a gazillion ways to make it and every north Indian household will have a special family recipe of their own. I think I learnt to make it from my friend Bhavna's mom, I do not know the exact recipe as I am used to the one of my own. I have to say what ever my friends' mom made was like heaven... I still remember, whenever i fell sick, she would take me to her place ask her mom to make some thing tangy and spicy. It is a privilege and good luck to have a friend like Bhavs... love ya!! and thanks for all the yummy food... It makes a very heavy breakfast and good lunch and dinner item.. If your kids are a lot into sports, this may be one item which will provide them with whole lot of carbs.

Prep time: 40 mins [including the potato cook time]

Cook time: 7 mins each parantha, approx

Servings: 4 or 8 pieces

Ingredients:

For spicy Potatoes:

1. Potatoes - Medium sized, 4 boiled and mashed
2. Onion - 1 medium sized, finely chopped or made into a paste
3. Coriander/cilantro - a handful, finely chopped
4. Green chilly - 4 finely chopped
5. Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Cumin powder - 1 tsp
7. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
8. Amchur [dry mango powder] - 2 to 3 tsp [substitute with 2 tsp lime juice, depends on how tangy you like it]
9. Turmeric - a pinch
10. Ajwain [celery seeds] - 1 tsp
11. Kalanamak/black slat - 1 tsp
12. Salt - to taste
13. Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp [optional, I have not added it in this recipe]

To make bread crust:

1. Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
2. Maida/all purpose flour - 1 cup
3. Salt - 1/2 tsp
4. Water - enough to make dough 
5. Oil - to roast paranthas, about 1/4 cup

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients for the spicy potatoes together and keep aside.
• Mix the ingredients for the bread crust. the consistency of the dough has to be like the bread dough. not too soggy, not too dry. The idea behind mixing both whole wheat and all purpose flours is to give enough elasticity to the the dough as just the whole wheat makes the crust pretty thick as it does not stretch like all purpose flour and just all purpose flour would make the dough very elastic and chewy. Mixing these two will give the dough the right amount of elasticity.
• Take dough out and make a tangerine sized ball and roll it out as shown in the video below:

   

• Heat a pan on medium high place the rolled out parantha on it. let it roast for a minute turn it over, add a tsp full of oil all around the top of the parantha and spread. Flip to the other side and repeat the same. Let both the sides roast to a nice golden brown colour and till you know it is well cooked. Aloo parantha is read to eat, Enjoy!

Serving suggestion:

Goes well with a wide array of sides like baingan bartha and etc. Also can be served just some lime pickle and yogurt... yumm!! Parantha has a lot of flavour by itself, so it can just be had as it is.

Onion tomato Upittu/Upma

Uppittu in Karnataka and upma for the rest of India is a healthy breakfast/snack item. It is easy to make and very filling. There are a thousand ways one can make upma in... I will try to give a few variation here, you can add or delete a few ingredients and make an upma that you love... I must say this is one of the most versatile items you will ever learn to make. Can be a good snack for kids after school or sports.

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Servings: about 3

Ingredients:

1. Semolina - 1 cup, dry roasted
2. Onion - 1 medium, diced
3. Tomato - 1 medium, diced
4. Green chillies - 4 to 5 (add according to taste), finely chopped
5. Curry Leaves - 1 String, finely chopped
6. Coriander/Cilantro - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
7. Chana Dal (split chick pea) - 2 tsp
8. Urad Dal (split black gram) - 2 tsp
9. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
10. Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
11. Oil - 2 tbsp
12. Salt - to taste
13. Turmeric - a pinch
14. Water - 1 1/2 to 2 cups
15. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece grated or 1/2 tsp paste

Method:

• To dry roast semolina, heat a pan [which can hold all the upma ingredients] on medium heat, pour semolina into it and keep sauteing continuously till it get fragrant and slightly brown, remove from pan and set it aside for later use. You can also buy pre-roasted semolina in the market, then you can skip this step.
• In the same pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add cumin and let it splutter. Add both urad dal and chana dal and roast till they get red. Add green chillies, curry leaves and ginger and saute for a few seconds.
• Add Onions and saute till the get slightly transparent. Now add turmeric and saute for a few more seconds.
• Add tomatoes and enough salt for the entire dish and saute for a few seconds.
• Add water, put a lid on the pan and let the water boil.
• Now slowly stir the water in the pan in a circular motion, once it starts going round slowly and steadily add roasted semolina into the water. Once all of it is added, simmer the stove, put a lid on the pan and let it cook well about 5 minutes. You will know when all the semolina has turned transparent, if semolina is not cooked and all the water has evaporated, add a little more water and close the lid for 3 more minutes. Check if it is done, put the lid back on and let it sit for 5 more minutes.
• Now add cilantro and mix well serve...

Variation 1: [Follow the same cooking method for all variation, just substitute ingredients]

Instead of tomatoes, add surati papdi lilva and also add some crushed black pepper.. this is called kaal uppittu. Very tasty. You can also eliminate onion and add 1/4 cup grated coconut.. even tastier.

Variation 2:

Use Brinjal/Indian eggplant instead of tomatoes and add 1 tbsp vangibath powder it makes yummier upma..

Serving suggestion:

Goes well with any chutney or pickle.

Tips:

If you want to use coconut, don't use onion and vice-verse.. somehow spoils the taste.

Just before you serve, a squeeze of lime gives it more taste and a dash of sugar makes it much more better.

Saaru/Rasam

As per request of dear Dhan uncle i am posting the recipe of Saaru. Called saaru in Karnataka and rasam for the rest of India is a thin broth which is mixed with rice. Like spaghetti and meat balls are comfort food for many people, saaru anna (rice and rasam) is comfort food for may south Indians. What makes saaru or rasam tasty is the masala powder, I will give the recipe to make it. You can also cut it short and use store bought rasam powder...it is totally upto you. I will give a few variations of rasam here today, however, the masala powder remains the same. Make and enjoy!

Ingredients:

1. Toor dal [split lentils] - 1 cup, cooked well
2. Rasam Powder - 1 1/2 tsp, [recipe follows]
3. Tamarind - 1 tsp
4. Tomato - 1 cooked with toor dal
5. Jaggery - 1 small block
6. Salt - to taste
7. Coriander - finely chopped
8. Grated fresh coconut - 2 tbsp [optional]

For tempering:

1. Oil - 2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. Asafoetida  - a pinch
5. Turmeric - a pinch
6. Curry leaves - 1 string

Ramsam Powder:

Ingredients:

1. Coriander seeds - 1/2 cup
2. Cumin seeds -  2  tbsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
4. Whole black pepper - 2 tsp
5. Red chilly - 1/2 cup [use according to taste]
6. Dry coconut - 1/4 cup [grated or cut into strips]

Method:

• Dry roast all the above given Ingredients one after the other till the raw smell goes away and they start smelling fragrant. Let it cool completely make a powder and use it as and when required.

Method to make rasam:

• Heat oil in a vessel to make tempering. add mustard seeds, let them splutter. Add cumin and let them splutter. add the rest of the tempering ingredients and saute for 2 seconds.
• Now add the water from the cooked lentils. Mash the lentils and tomato to a paste and add them to the vessel. Thin it out further if it seems thick. The consistency should be of butter milk.
• Add tamarind, rasam powder, salt and jaggery and let it boil for 10 minutes.
• Add coriander and coconut, cook for 2 more minutes and rasam is ready to eat.

Variation 2

• Follow the above method. except for cooking lentils. This is plain tomato rasam.
• Make the tempering, add 2 finely chopped tomatoes, saute for a few seconds.
• Add salt and let them cook well. 
• Add enough water and the rest of the ingredients and cook the same way as above... this cooks in 10 minutes and is a quick fix when u need dinner fast.

Variation 3

• Instead of cooking tomato with the lentils, grind tomato, rasam powder, coconut and salt and add them to tempering... cook for 2 minutes to get the rawness out add lentils and rest of the ingredients and boil till done.

Serving suggestions:

Goes best with steaming hot rice, clarified butter [ghee] and tempered green beans.

Tips:

For just the tomato rasam, you can choose to add a pod of crushed garlic, it makes it much more tastier.

Gulpapte - a fast dessert

One of the Karnataka sweets, so easy to make and tasty to eat. It is made with two kinds of flour, ragi or whole wheat. Since whole wheat is more accessible I am posting it's recipe. Same proportions apply to ragi flour as well. Making Gulpapte with ragi flour make it a gluten free dessert. This brings back memories of my childhood at my granny's place. She used to make it and ask all of her grand kids to eat.. I never ate coz I did not like sweets as a kid. Gran used get angry on me for not tasting... :D... Me is what me is, never listened to her. Now when I have to make it to eat, I realize the value of what she used to do. Miss you gran :(... I made Gulpapte last year for the first time and never in my life I imagined liking gulpapte so much that I would repeatedly make them. My mom's favorite and dear husband loves it too so it is a double bonus... It does not have the gran's touch however has her recipe...very simple to make and will get ready in 30 minutes max!!

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Pieces: About 8

Ingredients:

1. Wheat flour - 1 cup
2. Jaggery - 3/4 cup, grated
3. clarified butter/ghee - 2 tbsp[can be substituted with 1 tbsp of unsalted butter or very mild flavoured oil]
4. Water - enough to cover jaggery about 1/2 to 3/4 cup
5. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup [optional]
6. Cardamom - 2 crushed or 2 pinches of powder

Method:

• In a small pot take jaggery and water and heat till all of the jaggery dissolves.
• In another pan, heat clarified butter, add cardamom and flour. Roast till all rawness goes away. You will know when your kitchen starts smelling very fragrant.
• Now add coconut and roast for a couple of minutes.
• Add the water jaggery mixture little by little and keep mixing so that it does not form lumps. Keep doing this till all the jaggery gets well incorporated into the flour.
• Cook till the mixture leaves the pan and forms a ball when you are stirring.
• Turn the stove of, set the pan aside and let it cool to touch.
• Oil your palms lightly and roll them into lime sized balls to enjoy!

Tips:

• If you want to make it richer, add finely chopped nuts and/or raisins.
• If you want to store them for longer time, do not add coconut since it will start spoiling faster.

Set Dose, [Pressed rice pan cakes]

How can I describe the joy it gives me when I put this dose along with sagu in my mouth? The experience is much more than words. Love this soft and sweet dose. An excellent breakfast or snack. Must say, one of the best contributions of Karnataka to the cuisine world.

Prep time: 14 Hours (Includes soak and ferment time)

Cook time: about 3 minutes for each dose

Servings: upto 15 pan cakes

Ingredients:

1. Raw rice - 2 cups
2. Poha (pressed rice) - 1 cup
3. Urad dal (Split black gram) - 1 cup
4. Fenugreek  seeds - 1 tsp
5. Salt - to taste
6. Oil - enough to make the pan cakes
7. Garnish - grated carrots, finely chopped cilantro and 1 green chilly.  About half a cup.

Method:

• Wash rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds and poha and soak them for at least 5 hours.
• Make a smooth batter in the blender, mix salt and let it ferment overnight. Consistency of the batter has to be like pan cake batter. When you dip the ladle in the batter, it must cover it fairly thickly and evenly... not too runny and not too pasty.
• Heat a tawa or a pan well and ladle out some batter, pour on the pan, slightly spread it in a circular motion and pour a few drops of oil along the sides of the dose. You will see a lot of tiny bubbles form and pop, that is a good sign and let it get brown. sprinkle grated carrots, coriander and green chillies. Flip the pan cake and roast for a few seconds. Set dose is ready to be served.

Serving suggestions:

Goes well with Sagu and kobri chutney.

Tips:

If the pan cakes keep breaking, don't worry, just sprinkle 2 tsp of rice flour in the batter and mix well, this should do the trick.

Use non-stick tawa/pan to use less oil.

Bread Masala Toast

It is simply called toast in Bangalore bakeries. I remember just getting overjoyed whenever someone got us these super hot toasts to eat. I still remember we had to split one single toast between 4 kids and we fought on who got the bigger piece. It was a serious fight back then but now they are all sweet memories. Sad part of it is, now I can buy or make and eat as much as i want to, but it is not as much fun :(... miss my bro and cousins :D. Sorry for getting nostalgic and emotional, let me talk about the toast a bit more. It is good as a snack for kids and adults, good for breakfast too... add some cheese for a little extra flavour. If you are planning a tea party or just an informal get together, this will be a hit with your friends. If you want them to be of  bite size pieces, just cut them after they bake.

Prep time: 20 mins

Bake time: 15 min

Pieces: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1. Grated carrots: 3 cups
2. Onion - 1 medium sized, finely chopped
3. Ginger - 1 inch piece grated or 1 tsp paste
4. Garlic - 2 pods grated or 1 tsp paste (optional)
5. Tomato - 1 medium sized, finely chopped
6. Green chillies - 5 to 7 finely chopped (use according to how hot you want the toast)
7. Garam masala - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp (use on how spicy you want it to be)
8. Cheese - about 1/2 cup, grated (optional). If you have slices, use them 1 per each slice of bread.
9. Bread - 6 to 8 slice. (any bread of your choice, I used whole wheat.)
10. Coriander/Cilantro - a handful, finely chopped.
11. Curry leaves - 4, finely chopped.
12. Oil - 2 tsp
13. Salt - to taste

Method:

• Heat oil on medium heat in a pan and curry leaves.
• Add onions and a pinch of salt and saute till it gets slightly transparent.
• Add ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute till the raw smell goes away.
• Add carrots and saute till well cooked.
• Add tomatoes and saute till well cooked.
• Turn the stove off, add coriander and mix well.
• Preheat the oven at 350F and on a baking sheet arrange the bread slices and sprinkle cheese on top of them. 
• Spread the curry you just made and bake them in the oven for 15 minutes. [check after 10 mins, bake time may vary depending on the oven]
• If you do not have an oven, toast the bread on a pan over the stove top.  Flip the slice and sprinkle with cheese while the other side gets toasted. Then spread the curry.
• If you toast bread in a toaster, sprinkle cheese when the toast is hot and spread the curry, toast is ready to eat.. Enjoy!

Egg Masala Curry/Boiled eggs in a savory tomato gravy

I made this exclusively for my husband's friend who was visiting us. He is a non-vegetarian and since we don't cook any sort of meat at home, I made this instead. He said he was happy that we made eggs for him... This dish can be a sort of a bridge between both vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisines. If you are making a lot of NV dishes and would like to have something of a bridge which will appeal to many at a party, you can choose to make this. This is a very good side for pulao/pilaf and Biriyani. Goes well with Jeera rice and plain rice and roti [Indian flat bread]. I used the recipe from my friend's blog. She is an amazing cook... I am posting the same link below. Make and enjoy.

http://sruthiskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/10/egg-curry.html

Paneer Butter Masala [PBM]/ Indian cottage cheese in spicy tomato gravy

Here is the queen of all dishes according to me. I have always loved it with naan in dhabas and restaurants. I bet nothing can beat a road side dhaba in it's taste. As the name suggests, it is a high fat side... however, in my kitchen, most of the high fat recipes shape up to medium to low fat.  Excellent for parties and to take to lunch. Goes well with roti, chapati and naan. My guess is it will also go well as a dip for pita bread and usual bread... try it, who knows, you may discover a new way to eat this dish. Here goes the recipe.

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1. Indian cottage cheeses/Paneer - 80oz/250 grams (chopped into small cubes and fried)
2. Onion - 1 medium sized, roughly chopped
3. Garlic - 2 pods or 1 tsp paste
4. Ginger - 1 inch roughly chopped piece or 1 tsp paste
5. Cashew - 4 to 5 pods
6. Tomato paste - 2  tbsp (6 oz can), 1/2 to 1 cup puree or 3 to 4 whole tomatoes
7. Garam masala powder- 1 to 2 tsp (depending on the spiciness you desire)
8. Coriander powder - 2 tsp
9. Cuminn powder - 1 tsp
10. Chilli powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp (according to taste)
11. Dry fenugreek leaves / Kasuri methi - 1 tsp
    
12. Salt - to taste
13. Milk - 3 to 4 tbsp
14. Butter - 2 tsp
15. Oil - 2 tbsp
16. Water - enough to make a runny paste of masala and to thin out the gravy to desired consistency
    
17. Fresh coriander leaves - 1 tbsp for garnish

Method:

• In a blender jar, make a paste of onions, gineger, garlic and cashew by adding very little water.
• Heat oil in a nonstick pot on medium heat and add the onion paste plus a pinch of salt and let it get slightly brown.
• in a bowl, take tomato paste and thin it out to consistency slightly watery than puree. If you use puree skip this process. If you use whole tomatoes, blend them in the blender without using water or as little water as possible and set aside.
• When the onion paste seems to get slightly brown, add the tomato puree and let it cook for a minute. 
• While the tomato puree is cooking, in a bowl, add garam masala, coriander, chilli, cumin powders, dry fenugreek leaves and add water to make a runny paste. Add this paste to the tomato cooking tomato puree and let it cook for 2 minutes or till it starts smelling aromatic.  If you think the mixture is getting too thick, add water to thin it down as much as you desire. Keep in mind, the gravy should not go thinner than tomato puree consistency.
• Add desired amount of salt at this point, stir in to mix all the ingredients. 
• Add fried paneer cubes to the gravy and cook for 5 minutes or till the paneer pieces absorb the gravy.
• Add milk and stir in to mix it. Adding milk gives a creamy texture without adding too much butter. 
• Now add butter and stir it in. You can save a small piece of butter and let it afloat when you serve.
• Transfer it into a serving container, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot bread.
  

Serving Suggestions:

Along with any kind of bread, serve a few lime wedges and sliced onion...Let your guests squeeze the lime to their PBM and after they put the roti and PBM in their mouth let them take a bite of an onion slice... you will see how much they will love it. Some serve very mild green chillies too... yummm.

Tips:

You can make this ahead of time for parties and heat it up the next day. If you refrigerate, it will absorb more Flavour.

To fry paneer cubes, Heat 2 tbsp oil in a big skillet, add these paneer pieces and saute them till they become golden brown on two sides atleast. You can also rub 1 tbsp oil on them and arrange them on a cookie sheet and bake the at 350F for 15 minutes on each side or till they become brown on both sides. 

Quick Chawal ka Kheer [Sweetened rice]

Traditionally this recipe takes quite sometime to cook. Since I am not known for my patience, I always try to find out ways to reduce cook and prep time. This sweet cooks faster if you already have cooked rice on hand. Wonderful sweet for festivals, guests or any special occasion. A good thing about this sweet is you can flavour it with almost any fruit or nut essences. If at all you flavour, I recommend you use finely chopped nuts and pureed fruit... yummm!

Prep time: 15 mins (includes rice cooking)

Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

1. Rice - 1/4 cup cooked
2. Dry fruits and Nuts - such as raisins, almonds, cashew, pistachio finely chopped, 2 tbsp [all or any.. whatever you have on hand]
3. Condensed milk - 14 oz can
4. Saffron : a pinch soaked in a tbsp of milk for 30 mins (optional)
5. Cardamom: 2 pods crushed
6. Clarified Butter - 2 tsp 
7. Milk - about 1/4 cup (only if needed)

Method:

• Heat a pot big enough to hold all the ingredients on medium flame.
• Add clarified butter and give it a few seconds to heat up.
• Add cardamom and all the dry fruits and nut you want. Saute for a few seconds.
• Add cooked rice and mix in withe rest of the ingredients.
• Add condensed milk and saffron and let it cook for 7 to 8 minutes.
• If you think the sweet is getting very thick you may add milk to thin it.
• Please refer to tips if you wish to use fruit in the sweet.

Serving Suggestion:

Serve it chilled in the refrigerator, It tastes almost like an ice cream if you have used any fruit essence or fresh fruit. You can also garnish it with freshly chopped fruit like mango, banana and etc.

Tips:

1. You may you fruits like mango, pineapple, banana and strawberry.. go ahead and experiment with the fruits you want to try. However, remember that highly citric fruits may curdle the milk in the dish.

2. If you decide to use fruit in the sweet. Take 1/4 cup of the fruit's pulp and add it while you are adding condensed milk and let it cook. If you also want to add essence, make sure you use 1/2 tsp of the same fruit's essence or use vanilla essence, it enhances almost any flavour.

Baingan ka Bharta / roasted spicy eggplant [Brinjal]

This curry is sure to get you to want more. Simple to make and very delicious. An excellent companion with roti, the Indian bread, or just any bread Be it stuffed Indian bread or just plain, it makes a good side.

Prep Time: 30 to 45 mins [includes roast time]

Cook Time: 15 mins

Servings: upto 4

Ingredients:

1. Big eggplant - roasted.

2. Onion- 1 medium, finely chopped

3. Tomato - 2 medium, finely chopped

4. Green chillies - 2,  finely chopped [optional]

5. Ginger - 1 tsp, grated/paste

6. Garlic - 1 tsp, grated/paste

7. Coriander powder - 2 tsp

8. Cumin Powder - 1 tsp

9. Chille/cayenne/ paprika powder - 1 tsp

10. Garam masala - 1 tsp

11. Oil - 2 tsp + 1 tsp [to rub on eggplant]

12. Water - enough to make the masala paste

13. Salt - to taste

14. Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

15. Cilantro - a handful, finely chopped

Method:

1. To roast the eggplant you can follow any of the two methods:

• Rub oil on the eggplant and roast it on the stove top till it gets well roasted.
• Preheat oven to 450F, take a cookie sheet, line it with foil.  Rub oil on the eggplant and place it in the cookie sheet and bake it for 30 to 45 minutes, till well done. Before you put it in the oven, poke a few holes around the eggplant with a fork. You will know it is done when you poke it with a fork and it gives in very easily. Peel the skin and dice for the curry.

2. In a pan which can hold all the ingredients, heat oil on medium heat, add ginger, garlic, chillies and onions and a pinch of salt, saute for a minute and let it get golden brown.

3. Add tomatoes, saute for a few seconds, close the lid on the pan and let it cook. 

4. In the mean while in a bowl, take, coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala,  chille, salt and water, mix well to make a runny paste.

5. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the masala mix and cook till oil starts floating on the top and starts smelling fragrant.

6. Add the eggplant now, mix well and let it cook for 2 more minutes. Add chopped cilantro mix and It is ready to be served.

Tips:

For easy peeling of eggplant. Put it in a box and close the lid for 15 minutes. In the mean while, you can make the gravy for the curry. Take the lid off and eggplant will peel very easily. Dice it and add. Use the liquid into the curry which oozes out of the eggplant after being roasted and peeled.

Rave Idly

Soft and almost instant idlies, they can be good for a breakfast, snack ,lunch or dinner. These are made out of semolina and are ready too cook after 1/2 of soaking. 

Prep Time: 45 mins [includes soaking]

Cook Time : 15 - 20 mins

Pieces - 16 - 20, depending on the stand size.

Ingredients:

1. Semolina - 1 1/2 cup, dry roasted

2. Ginger Root - 1/2 inch grated, or 1/2 tsp paste

3. Cilantro - A handful, finely chopped.

4. Green Chillies - 2 to 4, finely chopped

5. Carrots - 2 tbsp, grated [optional]

6. Plain Yogurt - upto 2 to 2 1/2 cups. Enough to make a batter.

7. Water - 2 to 3 tbsp to dilute.

8. Slat - to taste

9. Roasted broken cashew - 2 tsp [optional]

For tempering:

1. Oil - 2 tsp

2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

3. Chana dal - 1/2 tsp

4. Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

5. Curry leaves - 5 to 6, finely chopped

6. Asafoetida - a pinch.

Method:

1. In a big bowl which can hold all the ingredients, mix  all the ingredients except tempering and water.

2. To prepare tempering. Heat oil in a small pan. add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add chana dal and urad dal, saute them till they turn red.

3. Add curry leaves and asafoetida and turn the stove off. Pour the tempering to the idly mixture in the bowl.

4. Let it sit for half an hour.

5. After half an hour, add sufficient water to make the batter. Keep in mind it should not be too runny or too thick. To check the right consistency , dip a spoon into the batter take it out and hold it pointing downwards, if the batter coats the spoon evenly and fairly thickly and if it is not dripping too much like water, you have the right consistency.

6. Oil the idly rack and pour the mixture into it. Steam for about 20 minutes, turn the stove off and cool for 5 minutes. Rave idly is ready to be served.

Serving suggestions:

Goes excellent with Sagu and kobri Chutney. 

Tips:

To roast semolina, heat a pan, add semolina into it. Keep gently sauteing till it turns slightly brown and starts smelling fragrant. Remove from heat.

If you want it more flavorful and make it ahead, make this batter atleast 7 to 8 hours before you will cook it. Keep it refrigerated and steam.The soaking makes them more tasty.

Jeera Rice / Rice tempered with cumin

This is a mildly tempered rice which goes well with many spicy Indian curries and plain raita as well. This rice is a twist to plain rice. Gives a little more flavour with the sides. Very easy to make and will certainly please the people who eat it. 

Perp time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 15 to 20 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

1. Raw White rice [preferably basmati. If not on hand use any very low starch rice like sona masoori] - 1 cup

2. Oil or clarified butter - 2 tsp

3. Clove and cardamom - 1 each

4. Cinnamon - a small piece or a pinch of powder.

5. Cumin Seeds - 1 flat tsp

6. Salt - to taste

7. Water - 2 + 1/2 cups [1/2 cup for evaporation] or the amount required to cook rice completely as given on the bag or box.

8 Bay leaf - 1 small

Method:

1. Wash rice and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a vessel which can hold the cooked rice. Add bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon and clove and let them saute for a few seconds.

3. Add cumin and let it splutter.

4. Add rice and saute coating all the grains thoroughly with oil.

5. Add water and salt stir well. Simmer the stove and close the lid on the vessel half way through to let the steam pass. Check after 15 minutes. Rice should be done, if not, cover the lid and cook for a couple of minutes more. Turn the stove off and let it rest for 5 more minutes before you enjoy the rice. Pull out bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon and clove from the rice before you serve.

Serving Suggestion:

Goes well with almost any kind of Indian Curry.

Tips:

The above method is too cook rice in any pot on the stove top. If you cook in a rice cooker or a pressure cooker, please eliminate the extra half cup of water.

Marwari Aloo

This Potato gravy is so simple to make and very tasty at the same time. I watched it on a TV show while I was in India, "Rhodes Across India".  I have modified the recipe to the ingredients i had on hand. Marwari cooking does not involve onion and garlic in any of the recipes. Originates from Rajasthan, meaning Land of kings. The cuisine is fire, tart and sweet at the same time. Aroma is also unforgettable. They use very hot chillies and both red and green, so you can imagine the amount of heat The recipe packs. However, you can alter the amount of heat you want to add. here goes the recipe.

Prep time: 40 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Servings: 6 approx

Ingredients:

1. Golden potatoes - 4 to 5 medium, boiled and cut into cubes

2. Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp

3. Red chillies - 2 

4. Green Chillies - 2

5. Coriander powder - 2 tsp

6. Cumin powder - 1 tsp

7. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

8. Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

9. Kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves) - 1 tsp crushed

10. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

11. Kalaunji (nigella seeds) - 1 tsp

12. Asafoetida - 2 pinches

13. Oil - 1 tbsp

14. Amchur (Dry mango powder) - 2 to 3 tsp

15. Plain yogurt - 1 cup

16. Water - Enough to make a runny mixture of masala

17. Salt - to taste
16. Ginger - 1 tsp minced

Method:

1. In a cup, mix, coriander, cumin and chilly powders with water till it is slightly thin and set aside. This process is called making "Ghol" means, dissolving masala into water or making a thin paste.

2. Heat oil in a vessel which can hold all the ingredients, add fenugreek, kalaunji and cumin seeds, let them splutter. Now add turmeric and asafoetida and saute for 3 seconds.

3. Add both red and green chillies and ginger let them splutter.

4. Add the thin masala paste you made earlier and cook for a few seconds till the raw smell is out.

5. Add sufficient salt and the boiled cubed potatoes, toss and mix to get all the pieces well coated with the masala. Take the green chillies out and throw them away, they have done their job by now.

6. Mix kasoori methi and amchur powder into the yogurt, add this to potatoes and mix well. Cook for a few more seconds. If you think it is very thick add a little water for your desired consistency. Marwari aloo is ready to eat.

Serving Suggestion:

Goes well with any kind of Indian flat bread. Best with Phulka, dry bread without any oil. Good with slightly spiced rices like, Jeera rice and Ghee rice.

Tips:

If the gravy gets too runny, sprinkle 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of chickpea flour and mix well, it must thicken it up.

Banana Dosa/Balehannu Dose

I first ate this at my friend Nivedita's house on my previous visit to India. Must say, her mom cooks such amazing food, I used to travel around  15 km one way, just to eat what she cooked when i was back in college. So, this time around her mom made these scrumptious doasas for me. They were sweet, but not annoyingly sweet and that caramelized banana flavour... umm!! Takes me to a different plane. Her mom gave me this recipe, which i tried after a long time. This dosa is eaten with jaggery, before it is solidified. In the sense, jaggery in it's natural state is a semi liquid, it is processed further to solidify. Or you can have it with a sweet date chutney, coconut chutney, honey, ketchup or anything you may please. If you top it with some roasted nuts and honey, it makes an excellent dessert. I made sorakaya Pachadi to go along with this dosa, recipe for which i will update in coming days. Here goes the recipe for the versatile banana dosa.

Prep time: 15 minutes (excluding soaking and fermenting)

Cook time: 2 to 4 minutes, each dosa

servings: About 10 dosas

Ingredients:

1. Large ripe bananas - 2

2. raw rice - 1 cup

3. Salt - to taste

4. Jaggery - 1/2 cup to 1 1/2 cups or more depending on how sweet you want it. Grated.

5. Water - required amount to thin the batter.
6. Fenugreek Seeds- 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Soak rice and fenugreek seeds together for atleast 5 hours.

2. Grind soaked rice and banana to a smooth batter, it's consistency should be like dosa or pan cake batter.

3. Add salt and jaggery, let it ferment overnight or atleast 8 hours. 

4. To make pan cakes or dosa, heat a tava or a skillet, pour a ladle full of this batter in the middle of the skillet. Press down the ladle gently on the batter in the center of the batter and in a circular motion, spread it around the pan slightly.. not too much.

5. Pour oil around the batter and let it turn brown, flip and cook for 30 more seconds. Dosa is ready to be served. Be careful when you flip the dosa, it is very delicate so handle it with care.

Serving suggestions:

This particular dosa can be eaten as breakfast or dessert. If serving as break fast, use some savory sides like chutney, ketchup or pudi. If serving as a dessert, use honey, maple syrup, jaggery paste, date chutney. Also drizzle some chopped nut on top for more jazz.

Tips:

1. If bananas are rotting away, you know what breakfast to make the next day, ;) wink.

2. Very good carbs, so it is an excellent breakfast when you need all the energy.

3. Use more jaggery into batter if you are planning to make dessert, than breakfast.
4. Heat of the skillet should be monitored, since this dosa has a lot of sugar, it will burn faster and will not cook through. Heat the skillet on medium heat, not high.

Puliogare [Tamarind Rice]

Here is a favorite recipe of so many Indians I know. Mention this rice dish and everyone goes wow!!...This recipe is typical Iyengari signature, which all most all south Indians have adapted to their taste. I love it when this is offered as prasadam [offering to god which is distributed later] at temples. I may not go to a temple to see god, if they are giving puliogare, you can bet I will be in line, LOL!! A sweet, sour and hot treat, which will surely make you go uuummm!!

Prep time: 45 mins

Cook time: 30 mis

Servings: upto 4

Ingredients:

1. Raw rice - 2 cups, cooked with 1/2 tsp salt. (use the variety with as less starch as possible, sona masoori)

For dry roasting: [Makes for more than 2 uses]

1. Cumin seeds - 1/2 cup

2. Fenugreek Seeds - 3 tsp

3. Sesame Seeds - 1/2 cup

4. Coriander seeds - 3/4 cup

5. Urad dal [split black gram]- 2 tsp

6. Chana dal [split chickpeas] - 2 tsp

7. Whole black pepper - 3 tsp

8. Dry red chillies -10 to 12 [alter according to taste]

9. Dry coconut - 1/2 cup, grated\powder\flakes\slices

For tempering and making a paste:

1. Oil - 1/2 cup

2. Chana dal [split chickpeas] - 2 tsp

3. Urad dal [split black gram] - 2 tsp

4. Peanut - a handful

5. Mustard seeds - 2 tsp

6. Cumin seeds - 2 tsp

7. Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

8. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

9. Curry leaves - 1 string

10. sesame seeds - 1 tsp [optional]

11. Tamarind - 1/2 cup pulp or paste

12. Jaggery - 3/4  cups grated or powder

13. salt - to taste

14. Dry red Chilly - 2 to 3 broken into half

Method:

1. Cook plain white rice with salt and set aside.

2. Dry roast all the ingredients given in the list for dry roasting one after the other, roasting coconut in the end. You will know you have roasted each ingredient well, when the start to give out fragrance and turn slightly brown. Let it cool to touch, make a powder of it. If you do not have an Indian mixi, you can make powders in a blender jar, provided your mixi speed is 12 and above. you the crush ice option, you can make a coarse workable powder, that is what I do.

3. In a big wok. Heat oil on medium heat, add mustard seeds, let them splutter. Add cumin, chana dal, urad dal and fry them till they get red. Do not forget to keep stirring constantly, this helps in getting an even colour all over the dals.

4. Add peanuts and fry till slightly brown.

5. Add asfoetida, turmeric and curry leaves. 

6. Add tamarind pulp and jaggery and a 1/2 a cup of water and let it cook till jaggery dissolves. 

7. Add the dry roasted masala about 2 to 3 tbsp and stir in to mix well. Add salt to your taste. I would add 2 to 3 tsp

8. Cook till it gets slightly thick consistency. Something like ketchup. Not too thick and not too runny. 

9. On rice, drizzle some oil, 1 tsp of masala powder and 1/2 tsp salt and about 3 tbsp of prepared paste and mix them well together. Puliogare is ready to serve. Give it a taste, if you think you need more paste, add it till it tastes right for you, the key is to use less and add more if needed.

Serving suggestions:

This goes famously with yogurt rice or mosaranna. Their combination is like made for each other. :D

Tip:

1. You can make a puliogare powder and store it in freezer. Only one addition to dry roasting is of tamarind. Dry roast about 1/2 cup of tamarind along with masala and make a powder of it. While mixing with rice, you can grate jaggery on hot rice with tempering.

2. Use black sesame seeds if possible, it has the best taste for this dish. Nothing can make it more tasty than black sesame seeds.
3. Make the dry roast masala, store it in freezer. You can fix puliogare in 10 minutes for guests or a quick lunch by just adding tempering, jaggery and tamarind to cooked rice. it is that simple.

Hasi Majjige [Raw masala in yogurt]

 

This is what I would eat for the rest of my life without complaining. Cucumbers, yogurt and masala mix to make a delicious treat. My mouth is watering as am writing about it. It is also called raita by many people, however, It is not the usual raita which is made as a side for flavoured or spiced rice items. I learnt this recipe from my maternal aunt, a great cook.A great karnataka recipe to try. So here goes the recipe for the most simple yet amazing Hasi = raw, majjige = butter milk.

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 3 mins

servings: up to 6

Ingredients:

For grinding:

1. Roasted Peanuts\ground nuts - 1 cup

2. Frozen\fresh shredded coconut - 1/2 cup

3. Cilantro - a handful

4. mustard seeds - 1 tsp

5. Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp, or 1/4 tsp powder

6. Green Chillies - 7 to 9 [use according to your taste]

7. Yogurt - 2 to 3 cups

8. Salt - to taste

9. Asafoetida - 2 pinches

10. Cucumber - skinned and finely chopped. you will need upto 2 cucumbers.

For tempering:

1. Oil - 1 tsp

2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

3. Curry leaves - 1 string

Method:

1. If you are using whole fenugreek seeds, dry roast them and grind all the items except cucumber to a smooth paste. Make thick paste as thick as possible.

2. In a small wok, heat oil, add mustard seedes and let it splutter. Then add curry leaves. If you are using fenugreek powder instead of whole fenugreek, this will be the time to add it.

3. In a big bowl which can hold all the ingredients. Combine them and it is ready to eat.

Serving suggestions:

Goes best with steaming hot plain white rice. It can also be served with ragi mudde, shall update the recipe soon.

Tips:

1. You can substitute peanuts with dhalia [raost split chana dal]. Add 1/2 cup for these proportions.

2. On tips to roast peanuts, please check out my other post, kadilebeejada gojju.