Cooking With Shobana

MALABAR SPINACH SAMBAR

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 04:57:06 +0200

MALABAR SPINACH SAMBAR

The Malabar Spinach is a climbing vine much akin to the usual spinach. It is also called Vine Spinach. This is called "Basale Soppu" in Kannada and "Vaali" in my mother tongue, Konkani.

This plant has numerous health benefits. I have this growing in pots at home which comes in handy from time to time. You can easily grow them by planting the firm stem in a pot.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with Malabar Spinach such as:-

Today's dish is popular in my Home State of Karnataka where it is usually served with hot steamed rice. This is an easy to make dish which is both tasty and good for health.

I have adapted this from Basale Soppina Sambar from Swayam Paaka.

Do try this out and I am sure you will like this dish.

Ingredients:-

Malabar Spinach (Basale Soppu/Vaali), a big bunch -to yield 3 cups when chopped
Toor Dal, 1/2 cup
Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
Oil, 1/2 tsp
Jaggery, 1-2 tsp
Onion, 1
Tamarind, side of small lemon
Salt, to taste

For The Masala:-

Chana Dal, 1 tbsp
Byadgi Red Chillies, 7
Coriander Seeds, 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds, 1/4 tsp
Oil, 1/4 tsp
Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/4 cup (heaped)

For Seasoning:-

Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing), 1/8 tsp
Broken Red Chilli, 1, broken into half
Oil, 2 tsp

Method:-

Remove the Malabar Spinach/ Basale Soppu from their stems. The tender stems can also be used in this dish.

Wash and chop the leaves and the tender stems

Chop the onion

Soak the tamarind in adequate water and extract the juice

Wash and pressure cook the toor dal in 1 and 1/2 cups of water, adding 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp of oil

Cook for 2 to 3 whistles or till the dal gets done

Once the cooker cools, remove the cooked dal, mash it and keep aside

In a small pan, heat 1/2 tap of oil and on medium heat add the chana dal, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and red chilies and roast till the dal changes colour

To this add the coconut gratings and mix. Switch off the gas.

Allow the roasted ingredients to cool then transfer them to a small mixer jar

Grind to a smooth paste adding the required amount of water. Keep aside

In a vessel, boil 1/2 cup of water and add the chopped Malabar Spinach and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Do remember that this spinach gets cooked quite fast.

To this add the chopped onion, the prepared masala, salt to taste, jaggery and tamarind extract and mix well

Cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes

Now add the cooked and mashed toor dal and enough water to get the required consistency

Let it cook for another 6-8 minutes stirring from time to time

Switch off the gas

In a small pan, heat 2 tsp of oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds. When they splutter add the asafoetida and broken red chilli and saute for a few seconds

Pour this seasoning on to the Malabar Spinach Sambar

Transfer to serving bowl and serve hot with hot steamed rice

CARROT & PEANUT SALAD

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 04:33:44 +0200

CARROT & PEANUT SALAD

Today's recipe is for an easy to make yet tasty salad made with carrots and peanuts. This is a refreshing addition to the lunch menu for a summer day.

Carrots have numerous health benefits including having a wealth of anti-oxidants and being rich in beta-carotene,

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find other recipes made with carrots, such as:-

The addition of peanuts ( commonly called Groundnuts in India) adds to the crunch and the taste of today's salad.

Ingredients:-

Carrots, 3 or about 250 gms
Peanuts, 1/4 cup
Small- sized Onion, 1
Green Chillies, 2
Fresh Coconut Gratings, 2 tbsp
Coriander Leaves, 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon

Method:-

Wash, peel and grate the carrots

Dry roast the peanuts. Allow this to cool then de-skin the peanuts

Chop the onion

Finely chop the green chillies and coriander leaves

In a bowl mix together the finely chopped onions, green chillies, roasted and de-skinned peanuts and a little salt. Mix well.

To this add the grated carrots, fresh coconut gratings, and chopped coriander leaves and mix well

Check for salt and adjust as required

Lastly, sprinkle the juice of half a lemon on the salad

Transfer the Carrot and Peanut Salad to a serving bowl

GULLA PUDDI SAGLE

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 05:01:31 +0200

GULLA PUDDI SAGLE

Today's recipe is from our own GSB Konkani cuisine and is called Gulla Puddi Sagle. It is a side dish generally served with our traditional meal of rice and dal. It also goes well with rotis.

For this dish, I have used Matti Gulla which is a special type of brinjal available in the Udupi area of my Home State of Karnataka. Tradition has it that the first crop of Matti Gulla ( named after a place called Matti, near Udupi) is offered at the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple.

What is called aubergine or eggplant abroad, is more commonly called brinjal in India. Call it what you will, we make much use of it in our Indian cuisine.

Brinjals are strong in antioxidants and Vitamin A and C and have numerous health benefits. They are available in different sizes and forms, ranging from the cute baby brinjal to the voluminous balloon brinjal.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for different dishes made with brinjals, such as:-

Bharli Vaangi : made with baby brinjals
Roasted Brinjal Chutney: made with large balloon brinjals
Kathirikai Rasavangi : made with the regular brinjals
Matti Gula Podi: made with a special type of brinjal available in the Udupi area of Karnataka
Matti Gulla Huli

We love this dish and I hope you will make and enjoy it too!

Ingredients:-

Matti Gullas, 2-3
Medium-sized Onions, 2
Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 cup
Byadgi Red Chillies, 7-8
Tamarind, size of a small marble
Coriander Seeds, 1 and 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds, 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves, a few
Coconut Oil, 2 tbsp
Salt, to taste

Method:-

Wash the gulla, remove the stalk, and cut into bite-size pieces

Keep them immersed in water to avoid discolouration

Peel and chop the onions

Add a little coconut oil in a kadhai and roast the Byadgi Red Chillies till they become crisp and keep aside
Next roast the coriander seeds and the fenugreek seeds till they turn golden. Keep aside.

In a mixer, grind together the fresh coconut gratings along with the roasted ingredients: red chillies, coriander seeds, and fenugreek seeds, and tamarind, to form a coarse paste adding just the required amount of water. Keep aside

Heat oil in the kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds
When they splutter add the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds

To this, add the chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes till they become translucent

Next add the gulla pieces and salt to taste. Mix well

Cover and cook on medium heat till the gullas are almost half cooked

Add the freshly prepared ground paste and mix well

Cook on medium/low flame till the excess water evaporates and the gullas get well blended with the masala

Check for salt and add only if required
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve Gulla Puddi Sagle hot as a side dish with rice and dal

SURMAI TAWA FRY

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 05:25:43 +0200

SURMAI TAWA FRY

Seer Fish, also called King Fish is known as Anjal in Kannada and Visson, in my mother tongue, Konkani.

Seer Fish are strong in Omega 3 fatty acids and are considered very good for overall health. This article in InvestoHealth speaks of the 10 Astonishing Benefits Of Consuming Seer Fish. We like seer fish because it is fleshy and flavourful . Besides, it is easy to handle as it has one single central bone.

We are fond of seafood in my house and from time to time I use fish to make some yummy dishes. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for:-

Today's recipe is for a simple tawa fried Seer Fish. I have adapted this from Surmai Tawa Fry from the YouTube video of Chef Nehal Karkera. I have used rice flour but you can use corn flour instead as an option to make the marinade.

We loved this dish.

Ingredients:-

Surmai/King Fish, 5-6 slices
Coriander Powder, 1 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder, 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala, 1/2 tsp
Rice Flour, 2 to 3 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste, 1 and 1/2 to 2 tbsp
Juice of 1 Lemon,
Crushed Pepper, 1 tsp
Oil, 2 tbsp
Oil, as required for shallow frying
Salt, to taste

Method:-

Wash the Surmai slices and pat them dry.

In a large bowl mix together the coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, rice flour and a little salt

Add the ginger garlic paste, a little lemon juice, crushed black pepper, and 2 tbsp of oil

Mix all this well to form the marinade paste

Apply the marinade generously and evenly on both sides of the fish slices

Marinate for 10-15 minutes

Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadhai. Allow it to become very hot, then reduce the heat and pan fry slices of the fish for 3-4 minutes on medium/low flame

Flip and fry the other side

Lastly, sprinkle juice of lemon on the fried fish slices

Serve with lemon wedges and onion rings

SOUTHEKAYI MOSARU PALYA

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 05:08:40 +0200

SOUTHEKAYI MOSARU PALYA

Today's recipe is for an easy to make yet tasty side dish made with cucumber and curds from my Home State of Karnataka. It gets its name from the two principal ingredients, Cucumber (Southekayi in Kannada) and Curds (Mosaru in Kannada.) Cucumber is called "Taushe" in my mother tongue, Konkani, and "Kakdi" in Marathi.

We welcome cucumber - which is largely made up of water- for its cooling properties during the hot summer months, particularly in combination with curds. Therefore it is commonly used in salads and raita, both in the South and North of India.

Cucumbers also have numerous health benefits.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with Cucumber, such as:-

Tips:-

1. Choose tender cucumber for best results. If they are not so tender, you will have to peel the cucumber.

2. The curds used should be fresh to get a better taste for your dish.

Ingredients:-

Cucumber, medium sized, 1
Fresh Curds, 1/2 cup
Onion, 1
Green Chillies, 2
Asafoetida ,(Hing), 1/8 tsp
Turmeric Powder, 1/8 tsp
Salt, to taste

For Tempering:-

Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal, 1 tsp
Red Chilli, 1, broken into halves
Curry Leaves, a few
Oil, 1 tbsp

Method:-

Wash and chop the cucumber.

Whisk the fresh curds

Chop the onions

In a kadhai, heat the oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle add the urad dal and saute till it changes colour

Next add the broken red chilli and saute for a few seconds

Now add the chopped onion, green chilli, and curry leaves and saute till the onions become translucent

To this add the chopped cucumber and salt to taste

Mix in the asafoetida and turmeric powder

Cook till the cucumber becomes slightly soft. It should be cooked yet remain crunchy.

Switch off the gas and allow it to cool

When it comes to room temperature, add the whisked curds and mix well

Check for salt and add if required

Transfer to a serving bowl

Serve the Southekayi Mosaru Palya as a side dish with the main meal

SPROUTED MOONG CURRY

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 05:52:09 +0200

SPROUTED MOONG CURRY

Today's recipe is an easy to make side dish made with Sprouted Moong (Green Gram Sprouts), a nutritious legume. Whole Green Gram is called Hesarukalu in Kannada, Sabut Moong in Hindi and Moog in my mother tongue, Konkani.

Sprouted Moong Dal has numerous health benefits.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with Spouted Moong, such as:-

The first step is to sprout the moong beans. You do this by soaking moong beans overnight for 7-8 hours. Drain the water the next day and keep the beans in a wet muslin cloth in a cool place for it to germinate. On the third day, you will find that the beans have sprouted. Usually 1 cup of moong beans should give you about 3 cups of sprouted moong. Of course, these days you can use store-bought sprouted moong for convenience.

I happened to have sprouted moong at home so did not have to use the above procedure.

We enjoyed the Sprouted Moong Curry with hot chappatis.

Ingredients:-

Sprouted Moong (Sprouted Green Gram), 2 cups
Medium-sized Onions, 2
Garlic Cloves, 4
Green Chillies, 3
Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
Coriander Leaves, 1/4 cup
Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
Salt, to taste

For Seasoning :--

Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
Urad Dal, (Black Gram Dal), 1 tsp
Curry leaves, a sprig
Oil, 1 tbsp

Method:-

Wash the sprouted moong and discard the excess water

Chop the onions

In a vessel, cover and cook the sprouted moong with adequate water adding a little salt till it gets fully cooked

Take care that the spouted moong does not get overcooked. It should be cooked but remain firm.

In a small mixer jar, grind together green chillies, garlic cloves, coriander leaves, and cumin seeds to a smooth paste adding very little water. Keep aside

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat the oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds. When they splutter add the urad dal and saute till it changes colour. Next add the curry leaves and saute for a few seconds.

To this add the chopped onions and saute till they become translucent.

Now add the freshly ground paste, mix well and saute till the raw smell goes

Next add the cooked sprouted moong, turmeric powder, and salt to taste. (Remember you have added a little salt while cooking the sprouted moong). Mix well.

Cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium flame.

Switch off the gas and transfer the Sprouted Moong Curry to a serving bowl

Serve hot with chapatis, rotis.

PASALAI KEERAI KOOTU

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 04:48:27 +0200

PASALAI KEERAI KOOTU

Today's recipe - Pasalai Keerai Kootu from Tamilnadu -is made with spinach and moong dal. It gets its name from the fact that Spinach is called Pasalai Keerai in Tamil. As you know, spinach is called Palak in Hindi and Palak Soppu in Kannada.

As a kid you may remember stories of Popeye eating vast amounts of Spinach! It has been well- established that Spinach has many health benefits so I often make dishes using spinach.

Elsewhere in this blog you will find dishes as diverse as :-

Many people have ascribed their good health levels to having generous portions of greens in their meals.

Pasalai Keerai Kootu is a delicious accompaniment for both hot steamed rice and for rotis/chapatis. I hope you will try this out and I am sure you will love it as much as we did.

Ingredients:-

Pasalai Keerai (Spinach), a big bunch which yields 3 cups
Pasi Paruppu (Split Green Gram /Moong Dal), 1/2 cup
Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
Salt, to taste

Grind To A Paste :-

Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/3 cup
Byadgi Red Chillies, 3
Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
Peppercorns, 1/2 tsp

For the Seasoning:-

Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Black Gram Dal ( Urad Dal), 1 tsp
Dry Red Chillies, broken into halves, 2
Coconut Oil, 1 tsp

Method:-

Remove the spinach leaves from their stems, wash them in several changes of water then drain away the water

Roughly chop the spinach leaves and keep aside

Wash and soak the moong dal for 15-20 minutes

In a pressure cooker, cook the moong dal along with a little turmeric powder with 1 and 1/2 cups of water for 2 whistles or till the dal gets done. Take care that it does not get overcooked.

Once the cooker cools, remove the cooked dal, mash it and keep aside

In a small mixer jar, grind together the coconut gratings, Byadgi Red chillies, cumin seeds and peppercorns to a smooth paste adding just the required amount of water. Keep aside

Take the chopped spinach leaves in a vessel and add 1 cup of water, a little salt and turmeric powder, and cook till the spinach leaves get fully cooked. Remember that spinach gets cooked in very little time.

To this add the cooked and mashed moong dal, salt to taste and the freshly ground coconut paste

and mix well

Add a little water to get a gravy like consistency and bring to a boil

Lower the flame and let it simmer for a couple of minutes

Heat 1 tsp of coconut oil in a seasoning pan and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the urad dal and saute till the dal changes colour

Add the broken red chillies and saute for a few seconds

Pour the seasoning on to the Pasalai Keerai Kootu

Switch off the gas and transfer the Kootu to a serving bowl

Serve hot with steamed rice or chapatis

__________________________________

UDUPI SAARINA PUDI

Sat, 25 Feb 2023 05:19:27 +0200

UDUPI SAARINA PUDI

(UDUPI RASAM POWDER)

A few days back I had posted the recipe for Udupi Saaru, a delicious accompaniment for hot steamed rice, especially when served with freshly made ghee. In this mention was made of the Udupi Rasam Powder used to make this dish. In Kannada, Rasam Powder is called Saarina Pudi as Saaru is what Rasam is commonly called in Karnataka.

Of course, these days Saarina Pudi is available off the shelf in stores. To save time or for sheer convenience people do buy this from the stores. However, there is nothing to beat the fragrance of the Saarina Pudi when it is made at home with freshly roasted ingredients! That has a charm of its own!!

Today, I am sharing how to make this Saarina Pudi. Have adapted this from Udupi Rasam Powder from the YouTube video in Kannada by Swayampaaka.

The quality of the Saarina Pudi will depend largely on how well the ingredients are roasted. Each of the ingredients has to roasted separately with just the required amount of coconut oil. They should be roasted on medium/low heat so that they are roasted evenly and do not get burnt.

Once made, it can be stored in airtight containers and can be used whenever you make saaru. In my experience, the Saarina Pudi is good to be used for a couple of months. Make sure you use a clean and dry spoon for longer shelf life.

Note: Cup size is 250 ml.

Ingredients:-

Coriander Seeds,(Dhania), 3/4 cup
Cumin Seeds, (Jeera) 1/4 cup
Curry Leaves, 25
Fenugreek Seeds, (Methi), 1 tbsp
Byadgi Red Chillies, 45
Coconut Oil, 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Method:-

In a thick bottomed kadhai, heat 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil and roast the coriander seeds on medium/low heat till they turn slightly golden. Keep aside

In the same kadhai add 1 tsp of coconut oil and roast the cumin seeds and the curry leaves till the curry leaves become crisp. Keep aside.

Next, add 1/4 tsp of coconut oil and roast the methi seeds till they turn golden. Keep aside.

Lastly, add 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil and roast the Byadgi Red Chillies stirring continuously until they become crisp. Keep aside.

Allow the above roasted ingredients to cool to room temperature.

Transfer to a mixer jar and grind to a fine powder

Allow the Saarina Pudi to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container for use as required

UDUPI SAARU

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 05:01:01 +0200

UDUPI SAARU

All over India, if not in many parts of the world, people talk about the Udupi cuisine, a town in my Home State of Karnataka. In most cities, especially in South India we find the ubiquitous vegetarian "Udupi Restaurant "

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes from this area such as:-

Today's recipe is for an aromatic and delicious saaru from Udupi. For those who may not be familiar with the term, a "saaru" in Kannada is a rasam-like accompaniment for hot steamed rice made with thuar dal, tomatoes, and Udupi Rasam Powder/Udupi Saarina Pudi.

I shall share the recipe for Udupi Rasam Powder/Udupi Saarina Pudi in my next post

This recipe has been adapted from Udupi Rasam or Udupi Style Saaru from the Kannada YouTube video from Swayam Paaka.

Tips:-

1. Use sour variety of tomatoes for this dish

2. Use ghee for seasoning for best results

We loved this with hot steamed rice, Beans Palya and happala (rice pappad) and I am sure you will love it too! You can even drink this- and it tastes super!!

Ingredients:

Thuar Dal, 1/4 cup
Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
Oil, 1/2 tsp
Medium-sized Tomatoes, 2
Tamarind, size of a small lemon
Jaggery, grated, 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves, 1 sprig
Udupi Rasam Powder, 1 tbsp
Salt, to taste
Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, 2 tbsp
Water, 3-4 cups or as required

For Seasoning:-

Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds,1/2 tsp
Asafoetida ( Hing), 1/8 tsp
Ghee, 2 tsp

Method:-

Wash the Thuar Dal and pressure cook in 1 cup of water along with tomatoes, turmeric powder, and 1/2 tsp of oil

Allow this to cook for 3 whistles or until the thuar dal gets fully cooked

Once the cooker cools, remove the cooked dal, mash the dal and keep aside

In a mixer jar, make a puree of the cooked tomatoes. Keep aside

Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of lukewarm water for about 10-15 minutes and extract the juice

Heat the tamarind juice, salt, and jaggery in a vessel, adding 1 cup of water and bring to a boil

To this add the cooked and mashed thuar dal and the tomato puree, mix well and bring to a boil

Add the torn curry leaves and 1 tbsp of Udupi Rasam Powder ( Saarina Pudi), mix well

Check for salt and add if required

Bring to a boil adding water as required to get a saaru/rasam like consistency

Next add the finely chopped coriander leaves and switch off the gas

In a small pan, heat ghee and on medium heat add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the cumin seeds

Let them sizzle then add the asafoetida ( Hing) and saute for a few seconds

Pour this seasoning on to the Udupi Saaru

Serve the Udupi Saaru with hot steamed rice and happala

CAULIFLOWER STIR FRY

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 05:15:06 +0200

CAULIFLOWER STIR FRY

In most Indian homes, cauliflower (called Gobhi in Hindi and Hookosu in Kannada) is used quite frequently as it is a fairly versatile vegetable. All over India, you will find many dishes made using cauliflower- either singly or in combination with other vegetables.

Cauliflowers are a good source of antioxidants and have numerous health benefits.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with cauliflower such as :-

Today's recipe is for an easy to make yet yummy stir fry made with cauliflower. The use of Kashmiri Chilli Powder gives the dish a nice, bright colour without making it too spicy.

We enjoyed this with rice and dal.

Ingredients:-

Large-sized Cauliflower, 1
Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
Large-sized Onion, 1
Kashmiri Chilli Powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp or to taste
Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal, 1 tsp
Curry leaves, a sprig
Rice Flour, 1 tbsp
Oil, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Salt, to taste

Method:-

Break the cauliflower into florets to yield about 3 and 1/2 to 4 cups

Place the florets in a vessel of water adding a little turmeric powder and salt. Keep for 10 minutes to get rid of impurities if any

Drain away the water and rinse the florets once again with fresh water

Chop the onion

Boil water in a large vessel and add the cauliflower florets and let it boil for about 5 minutes

Then switch off the gas and let the florets remain in the hot water for about 5 minutes

Rinse the cauliflower florets in fresh water. Keep aside

Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadhai, and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

When they splutter add the urad dal and saute till they turn golden brown

Add the curry leaves and saute for a few seconds

To this add the chopped onion and saute till it becomes translucent

Next add the cauliflower florets, chilli powder and salt and mix so as to blend the chilli powder and salt without breaking the florets

Cook on medium/low flame till the florets get fully cooked. Take care that they don't get overcooked

Add the rice flour and mix gently and cook for a couple of minutes to make the florets crisp

Switch off the gas and transfer to a serving bowl

Serve the Cauliflower Stir Fry with rice and dal

RAVA POMFRET FRY

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 05:11:59 +0200

RAVA POMFRET FRY

Although we are largely vegetarian at home, once in a while we enjoy eating seafood, mainly fish and prawns. In today's dish, I have used black pomfret, which is called Kappu Maanji/Paplet/Halwa.

Apart from being very tasty, one of the biggest benefits of the pomfret is that it is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and has numerous health benefits.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with pomfret, such as:-

Often, I just like to shallow fry the pomfret. Today's recipe is for Rava Pomfret Fry where we apply spices on the pomfret slices and then shallow fry them dipped in a coating of rava/semolina.

This is easy to make and yet the fish tastes amazing!!

Ingredients:-

Black Pomfret, 3-4 pieces about 250-300 grams
Rava/ Semolina, 1/3 cup
Lime Juice, 1 tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste, 1 and 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder, 2 tsp
Garam Masala, 1/4 tsp
Oil, as required to shallow fry
Salt, to taste

Method:-

Wash the pomfret slices thoroughly and drain away the excess water

Apply lime juice to these slices and set aside for a few minutes and then drain away the lime juice

In a bowl, mix together ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala, and salt

Apply this mixture evenly to the pomfret slices on both sides and keep aside for about 10 minutes

Take the rava in a plate and dip the pomfret slices one by one in the rava so that they are evenly coated on both sides

Heat a pan with oil and shallow fry the pomfret on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes

Next, drizzle oil on and around it and flip the pomfret to shallow fry the other side

Switch off the gas and transfer the pomfret to a serving plate

Serve the Rava Pomfret Fry with onion rings and lime wedges

BATANI SAAGU

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 05:28:06 +0200

BATANI SAAGU

The winter months brings out one of our favourite veggies- namely, Green Peas. These are called Matar in Hindi, Pattani in Tamil, and Batani in Kannada and my mother tongue, Konkani. You can use them fresh or even frozen.

Green Peas score well even from the health point of view. They are strong in proteins and Vitamins as described in this article in Healthline.

We use green peas in a wide variety of dishes in our Indian cuisine.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with Green Peas such as:-

Today's recipe is for a side dish that goes great with rotis and chapatis. I have this adapted from Green Peas Saagu /Batani Saagu from the YouTube video in Bhumika's Kitchen.

We tried this out and it tasted great with hot rotis!!

Ingredients:-

Batani (Green Peas), 1 cup
Sugar, 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves, a sprig
Large-sized Onion, 1
Tomato, 1
Salt, to taste
Oil, 1 and 1/2 tbsp

For The Masala:-

Coriander Seeds, 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Peppercorns, 4
Cloves, 2
Cinnamon, 1/2 " piece
Cardamom, 1
Garlic Cloves, 6
Ginger, 1/2 " piece
Green Chillies, 4
Onion, 1/4
Fried Gram, 1 tsp
Poppy Seeds, 1/4 tsp
Fresh Coconut Gratings, 3 tbsp
Coriander Leaves, 2 tbsp

Method:-

Peel and wash the green peas

Chop the onion and keep in two portions: 1/4 for grinding and 3/4 for the dish

Chop the tomato

Chop the coriander leaves

Cook the green peas in a vessel with adequate water adding a little salt and 1/4 tsp of sugar ( the sugar added helps in retaining the colour of the green teas)

Take care that the green peas are fully cooked yet remain firm. Keep aside.

As the first step, in a mixer jar, grind together all the ingredients listed under "For The Masala" to a smooth paste adding just the required amount of water. Keep aside.

In a thick bottomed kadhai, heat oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the curry leaves and 3/4 of the chopped onion and saute till the onion becomes translucent

Next add the chopped tomato, mix well and saute till it becomes soft and mushy

To this add the freshly prepared masala and mix well

Fry on medium flame for 2 minutes or till the raw smell goes

Now add the cooked green peas, salt to taste and mix well

Add water as required to get the desired consistency of the saagu

Bring this to a boil and then lower the flame and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes

Check for salt and add if required

Switch off the gas and transfer to a serving bowl

Serve the Batani Saagu hot with chapatis, puris or rotis

MATTI GULLA HULI

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 04:28:37 +0200

MATTI GULLA HULI

Matti Gulla is a special type of brinjal available in the Udupi area of my Home State of Karnataka. In India, it's commonly called the brinjal, while as abroad it is more usually called the eggplant or the aubergine. Call it what you will, we make much use of it in our Indian cuisine.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for different dishes made with brinjals, such as:-

Bharli Vaangi : made with baby brinjals
Roasted Brinjal Chutney: made with large balloon brinjals
Kathirikai Rasavangi : made with the regular brinjals
Matti Gula Podi: made with a special type of brinjal available in the Udupi area of Karnataka

Tradition has it that the first crop of Matti Gulla ( named after a place called Matti, near Udupi) is offered at the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple.

Today's recipe is for a dish made withe very same Matti Gulla. It is for a Udupi-style Huli/sambar called Matti Gulla Huli. I have adapted this from the YouTube video Udupi Style Gulla Huli of Sudha's Kitchen.

Notes:-

This recipe assumes you have cooked toor dal ready.
We use the long green chillies which are less spicy for this dish.
It is preferable that you use coconut oil for best result, but any other cooking oil will do

We enjoyed this very much for lunch with hot steamed rice.

Ingredients:

Matti Gulla, 2
Tamarind - size of a lemon
Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
Jaggery, a small lemon sized ball
Green Chillies, 4
Coriander Leaves, 2 tbsp
Curry Leaves, a sprig
Asafoetida, 1/8 tsp
Cooked Toor Dal, 1/2 cup
Salt, to taste
Coconut Oil, 1/2 tsp + 1 tbsp

To Be Dry Roasted & Ground To A Powder:-

Urad Dal, 1 tbsp
Coriander Seeds, 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Byadgi Red Chillies, 7-8

For The Seasoning:-

Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
Urad Dal, 1 tsp
Red Chillies broken into halves, 2
Coconut Oil, 2 tsp

Method:-

Wash the gulla and remove the stalk and cut into big pieces. Immerse these pieces in a vessel of water to avoid discolouration

Soak a lemon-sized ball of tamarind in adequate lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes and extract the juice.

Slit the green chillies

Chop the coriander leaves

In a kadhai, dry roast the urad dal on medium heat till it changes colour. Keep aside

Next dry roast the coriander seeds followed by the cumin seeds and fenugreek leaves on medium/low flame till they change colour. Keep aside

Add 1/2 tsp of oil to the kadhai and on medium heat roast the Byadgi Red Chillies till they become crisp

Allow all the above roasted ingredients to cool

Transfer to a small mixer jar and grind to a fine powder. Keep aside

In the same kadhai, heat 2 cups of water then add tamarind extract, turmeric powder, jaggery, slit green chillies and salt and bring to a boil

Next add the gulla pieces, cover and cook on medium heat till they get done but take care that they don't get overcooked

To this add 3 tbsp freshly ground powder and 1 tbsp of coconut oil and mix well

Then add the chopped coriander leaves, curry leaves, asafoetida and the cooked dal

Mix well and let it come to a boil

Lower the heat and let it simmer for a couple of minutes

Switch off the gas

In a small pan, heat 2 tsp of oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add urad dal and fry till the dal changes colour

Add the broken red chillies and saute for a few seconds

Pour this seasoning on to the Matti Gulla Huli

Transfer to a serving bowl

Serve the Matti Gulla Huli with hot steamed rice

MANGALOREAN FISH CURRY

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 06:01:01 +0200

MANGALOREAN FISH CURRY

We have become recent fans of Food Lovers TV the Kripal Amanna show and I wanted to try out one of his demonstrated recipes. By a happy co-incidence, we had got some good seer fish from our usual shop. A quick internet search showed us Kripal demonstrating the making of Mangalorean Fish Curry. The decision was made!!

Though my blog is largely vegetarian I do have some Seafood recipes as my husband and I are very fond of prawns and fish.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for some really yummy dishes such as:-

So, this recipe has been adapted from "Mangalorean Fish Curry" by Kripal Amanna of Food Lovers TV. While he has used a mix of 9 Kashmiri Red Chillies and 6 Gunter Chillies, to suit our spice level, I went in for 9 of our usual Byadgi Red Chillies.

You can make this using different types of fish. We have a distinct preference for pomfret and seer fish so we used seer fish today. Indo Pacific King Mackerel/seer fish/king fish is known as Surmai in Marathi, Anjal in Kannada and Visonu in my mother tongue, Konkani.

I was happy that the dish came out very well. We had this for lunch with hot steamed rice. It was truly delicious.

Ingredients:-

Seer Fish/Anjal/Visonu, 500 gms, cut into fillets
Water, 400 ml or as required
Salt, to taste

To Roast and Grind For The Masala:-

Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
Peppercorns, 10
Mustard Seeds, 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds, 15
Carom Seeds, a pinch
Byadgi Red Chillies, 9
Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp for marination + 1/2 tsp for the masala
Large Onion, roughly chopped, 1
Garlic Cloves, 10
Ginger, 1/2 " piece
Tamarind, lime-sized ball
Fresh Coconut Gratings, 5 tbsp
Coconut Oil, 1 tsp -to roast the chillies

For the Seasoning:-

Small-sized Onion, 1
Curry Leaves, 12-15
Coconut Oil, 2 tsp

Method:

Mix together 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp of salt and apply this to the fish fillets evenly on both sides and marinate them in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.

Roughly chop the ginger

Roughly chop the large-sized onion - for the masala

Finely chop the medium -sized onion - for the seasoning

In a thick-bottomed kadhai , dry roast the spices ( coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, carom seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds) on low/medium heat taking care that they don't get burnt.

Once they give off a good aroma and are roasted, transfer to a plate and allow them to cool.

Add 1 tsp coconut oil to the same kadhai and roast the Byadgi Red Chillies till they become crisp, switch off the flame and allow them to cool

In a mixer jar, grind together the roasted spices, roasted chillies, along with coconut gratings, garlic cloves, chopped ginger and onions, tamarind and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Add water- little by little -and grind to get a smooth masala of thick consistency.

Transfer the ground masala to the kadhai, add water from the mixer jar, to get a curry of thick consistency

To this add salt to taste and mix well

Switch on the gas and bring the masala to a boil

Cover and cook on low flame . Check for salt and add if required.

Now one by one add the marinated fish fillets gently into the masala so that they are fully submerged in the curry

Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes on medium heat till the fish gets cooked

Lastly do the seasoning by heating 2 tsp of coconut oil in a pan, add the finely chopped onions and curry leaves and saute till the onions get browned

Pour this seasoning onto the fish curry

Switch off the gas and transfer to a serving bowl

Serve the Fish Curry with hot steamed rice

GODDU SAARU

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 06:33:43 +0200

GODDU SAARU

Today's recipe is from my Home State of Karnataka. It is for an easy to make yet very tasty sweet and spicy Saaru, which is an accompaniment for hot steamed rice. Saaru is like a rasam for those more familiar with that terminology.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for other dishes from Karnataka such as :-

As you will notice from the recipe, Goddu Saaru is made with tamarind extract and spices without the use of cooked dal. This make it fairly quick to make and is a time saver if you are in a hurry! I have adapted this recipe from the Kannada YouTube video for Goddu Saaru in the popular cookery site, Swayam Paaka.

We enjoyed this very much for lunch with hot steamed rice, cabbage stir fry, happala (pappadam) and lime pickle. Try this out and I hope you will like it too!!

Tips:

In roasting the ingredients for the masala powder, the coriander seeds should be the last to be roasted
Use ghee for the seasoning for a better flavour

Ingredients:-

Tamarind, lime sized ball
Jaggery, 1 tbsp or to taste
Curry Leaves, a few
Salt, to taste
Coconut Milk- extracted from 1/4 cup of Fresh Coconut Gratings
Water, about 5 cups
Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, 2 tbsp

Roast and Grind for the Masala Powder:-

Togari Bele (Toor Dal/ Split Pigeon Peas), 2 tbsp
Byadgi Red Chillies, 6
Curry Leaves, around 10
Black Peppercorns, 10
Menthya, (Fenugreek Seeds), 1/4 tsp
Hing, (Asafoetida), 1/4 tsp
Jeera, (Cumin Seeds), 3/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds, 1/4 tsp
Coriander Seeds, 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
Oil, 1/2 tsp

For the Seasoning:-

Mustard Seeds, 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Hing, (Asafoetida) ,1/8 tsp
Red Chillies, broken into halves, 1
Ghee, 1-2 tsp

Method:-

Soak the tamarind in a cup of lukewarm water for about 10-15 minutes and extract the tamarind juice.

Extract coconut milk: Grind 1/4 cup of fresh coconut gratings in 1/4 cup of water, filter this through the sieve. Repeat this process by grinding this again with more water to get the second coconut milk

Heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a thick-bottomed pan and on low heat add the toor dal and roast for 1/2 minute

Add the Byadgi red chillies, curry leaves and roast for 1 minute.

Next add the peppercorns and fenugreek seeks and roast for about 1/2 a minute

To this add asafoetida, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds and continue to roast on low flame for 1/2 a minute

Once the toor dal becomes golden brown in colour add the coriander seeds and turmeric powder and roast for another 1/2 minute

Transfer the roasted ingredients to a mixer jar

Grind the roasted ingredients to a fine powder. Keep aside.

Heat the tamarind extract in a vessel, add salt, grated jaggery, curry leaves and 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil

Lower the heat and add the freshly prepared masala powder and mix well

To this add the coconut milk and water as required to get the desired saaru consistency

Bring to a boil and let it simmer for a couple of minutes

Switch off the gas and add the finely chopped coriander leaves

In a small pan, heat the ghee and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

Once they splutter, add the cumin seeds, asafoetida and broken red chillies and saute for a few seconds

Pour this seasoning on to the Goddu Saaru

Transfer the Goddu Saaru to a serving bowl

Serve as an accompaniment for hot steamed rice

DRUMSTICK LEAVES KUZHAMBU

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 05:53:46 +0200

DRUMSTICK LEAVES KUZHAMBU

Drumsticks or Moringa as they are also called, have numerous health benefits too. Apart from drumsticks, their leaves ( also known as Moringa Leaves) are considered to be super healthy.

It can do you a lot of good in many ways as detailed in this article from PharmEasy. "Moringa Leaves- 16 Health Benefits You Should Know".

Today's recipe is from Tamilnadu and is for a dish made with Drumstick Leaves called, "Murungai Keerai" in Tamil. Drumstick leaves which are prized for their medicinal properties are called "Nugge Soppu" in Kannada and "Mashinga Palle" in my mother tongue, Konkani.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with drumstick leaves, such as:

I have adapted this from Murungai Keerai Kuzhambu from the YouTube video in Tamil in Subbu's Kitchen.

We very much enjoyed this dish with hot steamed rice and pappadams for lunch.

Ingredients:-

Drumstick Leaves (Murungai Keerai), 2 cups , tightly packed
Tamarind, lemon sized, 1
Toor Dal, 1/3 cup
Shallots ( Small Onions), 1 cup
Turmeric Powder, 1/8 tsp + 1/4 tsp
Salt, to taste

Roast & Grind for the Masala:- -

Byadgi Red Chillies, 8
Fenugreek Seeds, 1/4 tsp
Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/3 cup
Raw Rice, 2 tsp
Oil, 1 tsp

For Seasoning :-

Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
Curry leaves, a few
Coconut Oil, 2 tsp

Method:-

Remove the drumstick leaves from their stems to yield about 2 tightly packed cups

Wash the drumstick leaves thoroughly in several changes of water. Keep aside

Soak the tamarind in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes, then extract the tamarind juice.

Soak 2 tsp raw rice in a little water for about 10 minutes

Peel the shallots

Wash and pressure cook the toor dal with 1 cup of water, adding a little turmeric powder, for 4-5 whistles or till the dal gets full cooked

Once the cooker cools, remove the dal - mash it and keep aside

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and on medium heat roast the Byadgi red chillies and the fenugreek seeds till the fenugreek seeds turn golden and the chillies become crisp

Transfer this to a small mixer jar, add the coconut gratings, and the soaked raw rice and grind to a smooth paste adding water as required. Keep aside

Heat 2 tsp coconut oil in the same kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the curry leaves and saute for a few seconds

To this add the peeled shallots and saute them till they turn translucent

Add the drumstick leaves and saute on high flame for about 2 minutes

Add 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, mix well cook till the drumstick leaves become soft

Now add the tamarind juice and salt to taste and let it boil for 5 minutes till the raw smell of the tamarind goes

Add the mashed toor dal and the freshly ground paste and mix well

Adjust the consistency of the Kuzhambu by adding water, if required

Check for salt and add if required

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 2 minutes

Switch off the gas and transfer to a serving bowl

Serve Drumstick Leaves Kuzhambu with hot steamed rice and pappadam

ALOO MATAR

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 05:46:54 +0200

ALOO MATAR

Every family has its particular liking for one vegetable or another. These feature fairly often in dishes cooked at home. In our case, potatoes and green peas are universally liked by all my family. I therefore use them quite often in my cooking.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with Potatoes, and dishes made with Green Peas, such as:-

Today's recipe is for a dish that is very common all over North India- it is called Aloo Matar after the two main ingredients Potatoes ("Aloo" in Hindi) and Green Peas ("Matar" in Hindi). I have adapted this from the YouTube video by Chef Anupa for "Aloo Matar" in Sanjeev Kapoor Khazana.

This yummy easy to make dish goes great with both rice and rotis!

Ingredients:-

Potatoes (Aloo), 2-3
Green Peas, (Matar), 1/2 cup
Cumin Seeds, (Jeera), 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp + 1/4 tsp
Cloves, (Laung) 2
Green Cardamom, 1
Cinnamon, 1/2 "
Black Peppercorns, 4-5
Onion, medium-sized, 1
Ginger Garlic Paste, 1 tbsp
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder, 1 tsp or to taste
Tomato, medium-sized, 1
Salt, to taste
Oil, 2 tbsp

Method:-

Wash and peel the potatoes and cube them and keep them immersed in water so that they don't get discoloured

Chop the tomato

Finely chop the onion

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai and on medium heat add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and when they sizzle add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder and saute

To this add the cubed potatoes and a little salt and saute

Add water as required and cook covered till the potatoes get done

Heat another pan with 1 tbsp of oil and on medium heat add 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon, and black peppercorns

Saute for a few seconds till the spices become aromatic

Now add the finely chopped onion and saute till they become golden brown in colour

Next add the ginger garlic paste and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, chilli powder, and saute for 1 minute

Add the chopped tomatoes, a little salt and 1/4 cup of water

Mix well

Cover and cook on medium heat till the tomato becomes soft and mushy

Then allow this to cool

Transfer the tomato-onion mixture to a mixer jar and grind to a smooth paste

Add the ground paste and water from the mixer jar to the cooked potatoes

Mix well and bring to a boil

Add the green peas, cover and cook on medium heat stirring from time to time till the green peas are fully cooked

Check for salt and add if requiredTransfer to a serving bowl

Serve hot with rotis or jeera rice

HAYAGREEVA MADDI

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 06:03:10 +0200

HAYAGREEVA MADDI

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes from this area such as:-

My friend from Udupi always spoke of a simple sweet she often made for naivedya called Hayagreeva Maddi or just Hayagreeva. Although I had tasted this several times, I had never tried it out before - so decided to give it a try. The principal ingredients used are channa dal ( called Kadalebele in Kannada and Bengal Gram in English), jaggery, and coconut.

I would like to share my experience in making this dish which came out to be quite delicious.

The channa dal should get fully cooked but not get overcooked. This is a very important aspect in making this dish.
The cooked dal is to be lightly mashed. Usually the channa dal is less mashed but some prefer to have it more mashed.
The colour of the dish will be determined by the colour of the jaggery that you use
The sweetness of the dish depends on the amount of jaggery that you use. If you have a sweet tooth, you can add more jaggery, but at the minimum you should use 1 cup of jaggery for 1 cup of channa dal.

So, the next time you want to make an offering for any puja, you can try and make Hayagreeva, a simple yet delicious sweet from Udupi in my Home State of Karnataka.

Ingredients:-

Kadalebele, (Channa Dal/Bengal Gram), 1 cup
Jaggery, grated/powdered, 1 cup
Gasgase ( Khus Khus/Poppy Seeds), 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Fresh Coconut Gratings, or Copra, 1/2 cup
Almonds, 10
Cashewnuts, 10-12
Raisins, 2 tbsp
Cardamom, 3-4
Water, 2 cups to cook the channa dal
Ghee, 3-4 tbsp

Method:-

Break the almonds and cashew nuts into pieces and keep aside

Dry roast the poppy seeds and keep aside

Powder the cardamom and keep aside

Wash and pressure cook the channa dal with 2 cups of water for 4-5 whistles or till cooked

The channa dal should get fully cooked, yet remain firm as seen in the photo below

Once the cooker cools, remove the cooked dal and strain the water using a sieve

Mash the cooked dal using the back of the ladle keeping some portion of the cooked dal intact

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat 1 tbsp ghee and on medium heat one by one roast the almonds, cashewnuts and raisins till the nuts change colour and the raisins puff up . Keep aside.

To the same kadhai add the grated jaggery and a little water and on medium heat keep stirring till the jaggery melts

Now strain the jaggery to remove impurities, if any, and transfer the strained syrup jaggery back to the kadhai

Bring the jaggery syrup to a boil

Lower the heat and add the fresh coconut gratings, the cooked and mashed dal and 1-2 tbsp of ghee

Mix well and let it cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, add more ghee as required and stir from time to time

Cook till the dal and jaggery are well blended and the Hayagreeva becomes fairly thick

Switch off the gas and mix in the roasted poppy seeds, cardamom powder, fried nuts and raisins

Transfer the Hayagreeva Maddi to a bowl

CABBAGE STIR FRY

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 05:25:14 +0200

CABBAGE STIR FRY

Cabbage is one vegetable that we use often in my house. The cabbage has numerous health benefits as it is rich in Vitamin C and has many antioxidants.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with cabbage such as :-

Cabbage Sukke from our Konkani cuisine,
Spinach & Cabbage Parantha from Punjab,
Cabbage Kheer from West Bengal.

Today's recipe is for an easy to make yet tasty side dish - Cabbage Stir Fry-that goes well with rasam and hot steamed rice. I am sure you will like it when you try it out for yourselves.

Ingredients:-

Cabbage, 500 gms or about 5 cups
Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
Urad Dal, 1 and 1/2 tsp
Chana Dal, 1 and 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida, 1/8 tsp
Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves, a few
Water, 1/4 cup
Salt, to taste
Oil, 1 tbsp

To Be Ground for the Masala:-

Coconut Gratings, 1/4 cup
Byadgi Red Chillies, 3
Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
Jaggery, grated, 1 and 1/2 tsp

Method:-

Wash and chop the cabbage

In a small mixer jar, grind together the coconut gratings, red chillies, cumin seeds and grated jaggery to a coarse paste without adding any water. Keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a thick bottomed kadhai, and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

When they splutter add the urad dal and chana dal. Saute till the dals change colour

Add the asafoetida, turmeric powder and the curry leaves and saute for a few seconds

To this add the finely chopped cabbage and salt to taste. Saute for 1 minute

Add 1/4 cup of water, mix well and cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat stirring from time to time, till the cabbage gets done

Take care not to overcook the cabbage, as it gets cooked fast. It should get cooked yet remain crunchy

Add the prepared masala paste to the cabbage and mix well

Cook for a couple of minutes so that the cabbage gets well blended with the masala

Transfer to a serving bowl

Serve Cabbage Stir Fry as a side dish with hot steamed rice and rasam

GREEN PEAS MASALA

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 06:06:52 +0200

GREEN PEAS MASALA

Fresh Green Peas are generally available during the winter months. I have found that this year's crop has been very good here in Bengaluru. Of course, these days you don't have to wait for the winter months! Thanks to the many supermarkets you get frozen peas all through the year. Many people like to keep a stock of green peas handy as they can be used in a wide variety of dishes and snacks.

In my house, we like green peas very much. Besides, they are high on nutrients and antioxidants. This makes them good for our health as detailed in this article in Healthline.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find many recipes made with green peas such as:-

I have adapted today's recipe -for a yummy Side Dish made with green peas -from the YouTube video Green Peas Masala by Rajshri Foods. We tried this out and loved it.

This goes great with hot rotis and also with hot steamed rice.

Ingredients:-

Green Peas, 1 and 1/2 cups
Tomatoes, 4
Sugar, 1 tsp + 1 tsp
Bay Leaf, 1
Cinnamon Stick, 1 "
Asafoetida (Hing), 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder, 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala, 1 tsp
Hot Water, 1/2 cup
Kasuri Methi, (Dried Fenugreek Leaves) 1/2 to 1 tsp
Salt, to taste
Oil, 2 tbsp

To Grind To A Paste:

Onions, 2
Cashew nuts, 10
Green Chilli, 1
Garlic Cloves, 8

Method:-

Shell the green peas to yield 1 and 1/2 cups. Keep aside

Chop the onions

Roughly chop the tomatoes and grind them in a mixer jar to make tomato puree. Keep aside

Soak the cashew nuts in adequate water for 10-15 minutes. Keep aside

Wash the green peas and blanch them. For blanching, boil adequate water in a vessel, add 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of sugar and the green peas and let it cook for 2 minutes. Drain away the hot water and transfer the peas to a vessel with ice cold water for about 2 minutes. Drain away the cold water and keep aside.

In a small mixer jar, grind together the chopped onion, green chilli, soaked cashew nuts, and garlic cloves to form a smooth paste without adding any water. Keep aside

Heat the oil in a thick bottomed pan and on medium heat add one by one; the bay leaf, cinnamon, asafoetida, cumin seeds, coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder. Saute on low flame for about 10 seconds so that the spices don't get burnt

To this add the freshly ground paste and saute for 2 minutes

Next add the tomato puree and mix well. Cook for 1 minute

Add salt to taste, 1 tsp of sugar and garam masala and mix well

Now add 1/2 cup of water or as much required to get a gravy like consistency

Add the blanched green peas and cover and cook till the peas get done

Crush the kauri methi between the palms of your hand and add this to the Green Peas Masala

Switch off the gas and transfer to a serving bowl

Serve Green Peas Masala with hot rotis, parathas etc