Bhindi Ka Salan @ Ladies Fingers (Okra) Salan

Bhindi Ka Salan || Ladies Fingers (Okra) Salan

What is Salan.  It is a Hyderabadi dish that is typically served with briyanis.  It is a peanut based curry/gravy.  Can be served with rotis, chapatis and nans  Mirchi ka salan or chilly curry is another great salan that you can pair with briyani and breads.

Groundnuts, sesame seeds and coconut gives the rich taste to the salan and balance it with some spicy and tangy from the chillies and tamarind.

Let's look Bhindi ka Salan and how to prepare:

Bhindi Ka Salan

Masala Paste
4tbs of groudnuts
2 tbs of white sesame seed
3 tbs of coconut (fresh or dried ones)
1tbs of kas kas (optional)

10 medium sized okra - washed and halved into
1 big onion - slice finely
1 tsp of ginger garlic paste
2 green chilly- chopped finely
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
a few pieces of fenugreek seeds
1 tsp of red chilly powder
1/2 tsp of coriander powder
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
4 tbs of oil.
1/2 cup of tamarind juice (from a lime sized tamarind soaked into half cup water)
1 sprig of curry leaves.
1 tsp jaggery
some coriander leaves finely chopped


Method

1.  Dry roast groundnuts on medium fire first as they take a little longer to roast.  If using coconut pieces then add them together. Finally the sesame seeds and kas kas if using. Make sure it is not burned.  Set aside and let it cool before grinding into smooth paste.  You may add a little water to grind smooth.

2. Wash and pat dry the lady fingers, cut into half.

3.  Next in a pot heat some oil. Fry the lady fingers to about brown. Set aside.

4.  In the same pot, add in mustard seeds, cumin and fenugreek seeds. Once they start to splutter, saute onions with some salt till soft and brown.

5.  Add in curry leaves and green chillies, fry for a few minutes.

6.  Add in ginger garlic paste, tumeric, coriander and chilly powders - mix till the raw smell is gone and in the grinded masala mix with  a cup of water and saute well into the mixture.

7.  Stir on medium fire and keep stirring to avoid burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan till the oil starts to split.

8.   Once the oil starts to split, add in chopped coriander leaves, tamarind juice, jaggery and salt to taste.

9.  When it starts to boil, add in the lady fingers, stir well and cook for another 5 minutes on slow fire.

Bhindi ka salan ready for action!

Enjoy

Kushka

Kushka ||குஸ்கா

Kushka is a simple yet flavourful rice dish. It's briyani dish without using any meat. and a South Indian speciality.  Within this they are a few variants of cooking, some one with water only, some a combo of coconut milk or milk with water and some with chicken/meat stock.

This is a lunch meal that goes well together with kurma and raita.  For this kushka I paired it with bhindi ka salan and pomegranate raita.

I used basmathi. I also used the rice cooker to the rice instead of a pressure cooker. Lets look at the ingredients.

Note : 1 cup of basmathi rice liquid to be at 1.5 cups.


Kushka

Ingredients

3 cups of basmathi - washed and soaked for 20mins. and drain
4.5 cups of water
2 red onion - slice finely
5-6 green chilly - slit into 2
1 big tomato - chopped finely
2 medium sized bay leave
2 small stick of cinnamon
2 star anise
3 cardamon
3 cloves
1 tsp fennel seeds
1tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 cup of yogurt - whisked
4 tbs of ghee
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1/2 tsp of chilly powder
1/2 tsp of garam masala
a handful of mint leaves
a handful coriander leaves - chopped coarsely

Garnishing - Mint leaves and fried onion.

Method

1.  In a pot heat ghee. Add in bay leave, cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamon, cloves and fennel seeds.  Fry for a few minutes till aromatic.

2.  Add in sliced onions.  Saute with a little salt till soft and brown.  Add in the ginger garlic paste, fry till raw smell is gone.

3.  Add in chilly and all the powders and cook till mix well, stir for a few more minutes.  Add half of the mint and coriander leaves. Mix well and add in tomato.  Cook till the tomato is homogeneous and well mix into a combined paste.

4.  Add in yogurt and mixed well.  Stir in rice, stir well add in water and salt to taste, top up with the balance of coriander leaves and mint leaves and cook till it is done.

Serve with some home made fried onion and mint leaves.  Serve hot.

Kerala Egg Roast

Recipe credit from @www.yummyoyummy.com

This is a Keralite speciality that is best eaten with appam, idiyappam or even ghee rice.  I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil.

Ingredients

5 eggs - boiled, cooled and remove the shells

2 large onions - sliced thinly

1 large tomato - chopped finely

1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste

3 green chillies - 1 slit halved way, 2 sliced thinly

3 red chillies - 2 slit halved way, 1 sliced thinly (this I add to give added heat)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1.5tsp Kashmiri chilly powder - I added another tsp for a little kick

1 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp pepper powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 sprig of curry leaves

1/2tsp of mustard seeds

salt to taste

oil - I used coconut oil

2 tbs chopped coriander leaves - for garnish.  I used some while sauteing onions.

Method

1. Preboiled the eggs, cool down and also remove the shells, half it if your prefer otherwise if whole slit around the eggs so that the spice absorbs into the eggs.
2. Heat coconut oil. Once it is hot, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. (dont let it burnt)  
3. Add onions and toss a little, saute till it turns soft and transparent.  Add half 
4. Add in ginger garlic paste, chillies and curry leaves and stir.
5. Continue till the onions turn golden brown.
6. Add in the powders, stir well a bit, till the raw smell is off and it starts to split oil.
7. Add in the tomato and mix well and salt to taste. Mesh the tomato to let it mix well with the gravy.
8. Cook further it splits oil.  Add this juncture add some water to your preferred consistency. I prefer not too thick neither too thin.
9. Add in carefully the halved eggs, coat well with the gravy. let it simmer for a few more minutes.
10. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.

Enjoy

Egg Roast - Keralite Style

Green Capsicum Masala

Recipe credit : WWW.4Ksrecipe.com

I have always done a simpler version of capsicum masala. This is a rich creamy gravy that goes well with all kinds of bread and even with ghee rice.

Ingredients

Dry Roast Items

15 pieces of cashew (I used almonds)

2tbs of coriander

2 tbs of ground nuts

1tsp cumin seeds

To be grinded

1 whole red onion - chopped

1 large ripe tomato - chopped

1 small piece cinnamon

2 cloves

3 cardamon pods

2 large green capsicum - chopped

1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1tbs fenugreek leaves (I used coriander leaves instead)


Method

• Dry roast almonds, coriander seeds, groundnuts and cumin seeds.
• Blend into fine paste the dry roast items with onions, tomato, cinnamon, cloves and cardamon pods with some water.
• In a pan, heat some oil
• Once hot, saute capsicum till soft but still crunchy. Set aside
• In the same pan, add oil if needed, add bay leave and ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell is done.
• Add in the blended paste and stir well on medium heat.
• Cook till the oil starts to separate
• Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste.
• Mix well and cook for another 3-4minutes.  If you find it is very thick, add a little liquid to your preferred consistency.
• Add the cook capsicum and coriander leaves.  Mix well and let it simmer for a few more minutes and it is ready.
• Serve hot

Egg Gravy Punjabi Style

Egg Gravy Punjabi Style

Another great dish from eggs.  There are many variations or style one can do out of an egg, curries or gravy, omelettes, quiche to name a few.

When you want something quick nothing beats an egg curry or gravy.  This time I tried out Punjabi Style Egg Curry. Mr Hubby likes the egg in a gravy or sambal shallow fry.  Best with chapatis, rotis and rice.

EGG GRAVY PUNJABI STYLE

INGREDIENTS
4 hard boiled eggs
1 big onion
2 green chilly (optional - if you desire heat in your curry)
1tsp ginger garlic paste
2 medium sized tomato
1 green chilly
1 bay leave
1 small cinnamon stick
3 cloves
2 cardamoms
2 tsp chilly powder
1.5 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1- 1.5 cups water (adjust accordingly)
salt to taste
1 tsp kasuri methi (optional- I did not use)

PREPARATION

1. Boil egg with some salt. Remove shell, either prick with fork or make several slits with knife.
2. Heat some oil and shallow fry the eggs till golden brown.
3. Puree onion and tomato separately. If using chilly blend together with onion. Set aside
4. Heat a pot with some oil. Pop in bay leave, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamoms and allow to splutter.
5. Add in pureed onion, saute for a few minutes on medium heat or till onion starts to leave oil. 
6. Add in ginger garlic paste, stir well for several minutes or till the raw smell is gone.
7. Add in tomato puree, mix well with onion and ginger garlic paste, fry till the raw smell is off.
8. Add in garam masala, chilly powder and turmeric.
9. Stir in well together on medium heat, till aromatic and oil starts to separate.
10. Pour in water enough to make a portion of gravy.  Stir well and let it boil to a desired thickness.
11. Salt to season.
12. Add in the eggs, kasuri methi, if using , mix thoroughly. and let it simmer on low heat for  3-4 minutes.
13. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Bon Appetite







 

 

 

Sathiarani 

Omelette Curry

Omelette Curry

Traditionally I am used to making egg curry with hard boiled egg.  For a change I decided to make egg curry with making omelette.  The curry itself has a tangy spicy taste. 

The curry taste after a few hours of making allowing the fully savour the taste.  You can make the curry a day ahead and proceed with the omelette in the morning.

Lets look at Omelette Curry

Ingredients.

Curry Base

1 big sized onion
1 medium sized tomato
thumb sized ginger
2 sprigs of curry leaves
4-5 green chilly
1 tsp of fenugreeks
1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
1/2 tsp of fennel seeds
a small fist size tamarind
750ml of water
1/4 cup of milk
2tbs of chilly powder
2tbs of fish curry powder
1tsp of garam masala
1/2tsp of turmeric powder
5 sprigs of coriander leaves - chopped coarsely
salt to taste


Omelette
3 egg
1 medium sized onion - chopped finely
4-5 chilly - chopped finely, chilly according to your preference
2 tbs of finely chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste

Method

For making curry :

1. Soak tamarind in water so loosen the pulp.  Squeezed the pulp and strained the tamarind.
2. Blend tomato and ginger into a fine paste.
3. Make a paste from all the powders.
4. In a pan, heat fenugreek seeds, fry for a few seconds, and add in cumin seeds and fennel seeds
5. Add in the onions, sauté till soft, add in curry leaves and chilly, fry for a few more seconds.
6. Add in the blended tomato puree, sauté for a few more minutes. 
7. Add in the curry paste, mix well with the tomato puree and onions, fry till you seed the oil starts to split. 
8. Add in tamarind juice, mix well and add salt to taste. 
9. Cover the pot, put fire on high and let it boil till you get the curry reduced to a desired thickness. 
10. Reduced the fire to Add in the milk, let the it boil slowly and add the omelette and let it simmer for a few more minutes.
11. Removed from fire and add in the coriander leaves.

For making omelette:

1. Chopped onions, green chilly and coriander leaves finely.
2. Whish egg well with salt.
3. Heat a pan with some oil and once it is hot, sauté onion and green chilly a few minutes till soft.
4. Pour the sauté onion into the whisked egg, together with the chopped coriander leaves, give a good mix.
5. Divide into portion to make omelette.
6. Cut the omelette into desired size and into the curry.

And your are ready for a nice tangy and spicy omelette curry.  Good for rice and rotis/chapatis.  

Enjoy

**Sathiarani**

Dhall Fry

Dhall fry is so simple to prepare that anyone can do it.  It is best eaten with rice or chapatis/rotis, naans.

Dhall fry best done with tuvar dhall (pigeon pea lentils).  You can also make them with either moong dhall, masoor dhall or chana dhall.  

Mine was a combo of moong dhall and tuvar dhall equal portion. I like to saute with ghee and a cooking ahead atleast an hour or more so as to let the spices absorb well with the dhall gravy.

You can use a pressure cooker or with a laid back fashion as I just did (but beware not to burnt them though)

Ingredients

1 cup of tuvar dhall

1 cup of moong dhall
enough water to pressure cook
1 tsp of turmeric powder

4 tbs of ghee
1 tsp of mustard seeds
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 big onion - chopped

1 tsp ginger garlic
2 red chilies - chopped coarsely
2 sprigs of curry leaves
2 -3 dry chilly
a good dash of asofetida
1 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of red chilly powder

1 medium sized tomato - chopped finely

salt to taste
3-4 tbs of chopped coriander leaves
water to adjust the thickness of dhall
1 tsp of lemon juice. - optional

How to prepare:

1.  Wash and pressure cooker both dhalls with turmeric powder till soft without any grains felt.  It should be kind of creamy and mushy.

2.  In a pan, heat ghee till melted.  Add in mustard seeds and let it splutter

3.  When the mustard seeds starts spluttering, add in onions, fry till soft and translucent, add in ginger garlic paste. Once the rawness of the ginger garlic is disappear, add in the chilies and curry leaves, stir well

4.  Add in the powders, stir and mixed well.

5.  Next goes in the chopped tomatoes, mix well and stir well and cooked till the tomatoes are soft and the oil is separated from the sides.

6.  At this point, season with salt, add in the cooked dhall, mixed well, beware though, the dhall is very thick and they will start to pop.

7.  Add in some water, depending on your required consistency, mixing well with the tempered and dhall.

8.  Once they are well coated, remove from fire, add in the chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice.  Stir well.

If you prefer, you may add in a dash of ghee and chopped coriander leaves while serving.

Enjoy.

Dhall Fry

Dhall Fry and Chapatis

Sathiarani

Sodhi - Thin Coconut Milk Gravy

Whenever I make sodhi it always takes me down memory lane -  The first time I cook this  simple, light and very mild spicy thin coconut gravy was after I got married (before that it was always my mum's - never actually cared to learn much before marriage).

Turmeric gives this nice yellow colour and I keep adding heaps of turmeric powder as it was not turning yellow as yet.  There goes the SOS call to Amma - "Why is my sodhi not turning yellow as it should be?", "Has it started to boil"? "Nope", "Then it will be when it is boiling".  And then I realize that I have this very very yellow colour sodhi.  You just learn from your mistakes don't you...

I normally like to pair them with something spicy and dry like chicken perathal, dry potato masala or even anchovy sambal, even fish fry will be good and some stir fry vegetable. Actually any kind of side dish goes well with this gravy.#

There are others who also some vegetables like cabbage, carrot or some powdered fried dry anchovy -  I personally have

Lets look at the recipe

1/2 of a medium size coconut grated squeeze into 1 cup of thick coconut milk and 2 cups of thin coconut milk
1 mid size tomato - chopped small pieces
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 small size onion - sliced
1 green chilly - half lengthwise
3/4 tsp of turmeric
1 tsp of fenugreek seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves
1-2 tsp of lime juice (optional) - I normally don't use them

How to prepare

1.  Heat oil in a pot. 
2.  When the oil is hot enough, add in fenugreek, let it turn colour slightly though don't burn it
3.  Tip in onion - sauté till it turn pink and soft.  Add a little salt in order to make it soft quick.  Add in curry leaves.
4.  Add in chilly and ginger garlic past and stir for a few more minutes.
5.  Add in tomato and stir till till the tomato turn mushy and really soft. 
6.  Pour in the both thin and thick coconut milk as well as turmeric powder. Add salt to taste and stir well
7.  Let it boil slow for 1 to 2mins.  Once it boils remove from fire. Add in the lime juice, give it a stir and you are ready.

Note : You do not want to over boil as the coconut milk will break into oil.

Aloo Puri - Punjabi Style...

I have been literally in "sabbatical" from blogging for almost a year now. Am simply overwhelmed with so many things and though I still cook almost everyday, I just find blogging a big task and keep pushing it away.

Keep telling myself I should start before I can see cobwebs on my blog and here I am today - hoping to post it before the end of the day.

Its the usual Ladies and Children monthly birthday party - and this month I am suppose to make a side dish that goes well with Puri - Aloo Puri or some called it as Puri Bhaji.

I wanted to make something different with it and look around and found this http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/aloo-poori-punjabi-aloo-poori/#comment-85081  Thanks Dassana for sharing  a wonderful recipe.

What made me to try this recipe is the only use of ajwain and nothing else..Ajwain is something I have only used when making muruku to give the aroma.  I also know every indian household use to have a bottle of omathani - ajwain water for digestion and stomach discomfort.

Believe me frying the ajwain in the hot oil ( I had mine mixed with ghee and oil) just was so brilliant. The whole house was filled up with this nice aroma.

Ajwain = ஓமம் (omam) in tamil
 

Lets look into the recipe. I actually used a kilo of potatoes for this party.

Aloo Sabzi

 

4-5 medium size aloos (potatoes), peeled and diced

1 medium size onion, finely chopped

2-3 garlic, finely chopped (optional)

1 inch ginger, finely chopped

2-3 tomatoes, chopped

1 or 2 green chili, chopped or sliced (optional)

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chili powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp ajwain/carom seeds

a pinch of asafoetida

1 tsp dry mango powder/amchur

3 tbsp oil

2 to 3 cups water

a few coriander leaves for garnishing

 

Method

 

1. Heat oil.
2. Add ajwain and fry them
3. Add onions and fry till it is soft.
4. Add ginger, garlic and chilli till the rawness smell of the ginger/garlic disappear.
5. Add tomato and stir till the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
6. Add the turmeric, red chilli powder and asafoetida, mix well
7. Add potato, mix well
8. Add salt to taste and mix well.
9. Add water to the potato and pressure cook it for about 3-4 whistles till the potatoes are cooked and soft.
10. Remove lid and let it simmer for a few more minutes at the same time with the back of a spoon press a few of the potatoes sort of  to mash it.
11. Once you get the right thickness according to your preference, sprinkle some amchur and garam masala
12. Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves
13. Serve with hot puris

Info on Ajwain - thanks to following

http://www.onlyfoods.net/ajwain.html

http://indianfood.about.com/od/thebasics/p/ajwain.htm
 

Takkali Sambar @ Tomato Sambar

When I first read the title Takkali Sambar, I thought that I will require to boil dhall,, but no..it is not that..Its a gravy with coconut paste, some tomatoes and thats it... anything easy, simple and yet superb tasting.

I got the receipe from http://www.foodbuzz.com/  courtersy of Sashi.. thanks Sashi for sharing. As mentioned by it is definitely a big yes with idli.

oil for tempering
1tsp mustard seed
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 nos cloves
3-4 green chillies
1 sprig of curry leaves
1 onion
2-3 tomatoes (depending on size)
Salt
Coriander leaves - chopped

To grind
5tbs coconut
2tbs roasted chickpeas
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves
1 green chilli

Method

1.  Grind into a fine paste all the "to grind ingredient"
2.  Heat oil, chopped oninos, tomatoes, slit open green chillies.
3.  Once oil hot, add in mustard seeds, once it starts to splutters, add in green chillies, cloves and cinnamon stick and curry leaves.  Add onion and fry till soft and translucent.
4.  Add in the tomatoes, tumeric powder cook till soft ( I cover the pot and let the tomatoes becomes mushy).  Add in the grinded paste, stir in and let it boil for about 10 mins, basically cook till the raw smell of the grinded paste.  ( I added some water and let it simmer for few more minutes so as to have some gravy kind).   Season with salt and add chopped coriander leaves and remove from fire.

Good combo with Idli and Vengayam Chutney.

Fish Curry with Green Mango

My mum's speciality (I cant wait to go home to have a go at my mum's fish curry) and Varsha's favourite.  She just love eating them next day with some instant pratas..

To get the best of this curry is to eat them a day after it has been cooked or atleast a few hours after it is cooked.  You need to let the flavour of the curry to get into the mango.

Ingredients
any type of fish will do  - for this I used kingfish.
1 tomato - sliced/chopped
1 green chilly
1 tbs of ginger garlic paste
1 tsp of mustard seed
5-6tbs of fish curry powder
1 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of fennel powder
a sprig of curry leaves
a small bunch of coriander leaves - chopped finely
1 green mango - do not peel the skin, all sides of the mango, do not discard the seeds
6-8 small okras - washed and cut into two
1 small brinjal - quartered - if you like
2tbs of tamarind paste - mix with warm water 450ml of water

Method

1. Heat oil.
2. Once it is hot, add in mustard seeds
3. When it starts to sizzle, add in onions - fry till soft
4. Stir fry ginger garlic as well.
5. Add in tomato and green chilly.fry for a few more minutes till tomato soft.
6. Add in the fish powder, turmeric and fennel powder, keep stirring making sure not to burn them till the oil starts to separate from the paste.
7. Pour in the tamarind juice, stirring well.
8. Add salt to taste.
9. Add in mango including the seed.
10. Let it boil for few minutes longer.
11. At this stage if using brinjals add in.  You need to let the brinjals cook a little while just before adding in okras. Adding in okras too early will make them soft and mushy.
12. You can add in the okras and the fish (depending on the size of the fish, if it is big you may need to put the fish first before adding the okras.
13. Once the fish is cook, switch the flame of, leaving the pot on the stove.
14. Add in the chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves.
15. Ready to serve.

Takkali Paruppu

While searching for recipes found this recipe, Takkali Parrupu @ Dhall and Tomatoes which I vaguely remember my mum used to make...

What you need..
2 onion - sliced
5 big tomatoes - chopped.
1 cup of toor dhall - boiled (I normally have ready stock)
1 green chilly - deseeded and sliced
1tsp of urad dhall
1tsp of mustard seeds
1tsp cumin seeds
1tsp aniseeds
sprig curry leaves
a pinch of hing
1/2tsp of turmeric
2tsp of dhania powder
1 1/2tsp of garam masala
salt to taste
oil & ghee mixture for frying (I got carried with the nice aroma when making Moor Kozhambhu)

How do you do...

1.  Clean and chopped tomatoes, slice onions, deseed chilies and chopped.

2.  Heat oil/ghee mixture, add in mustard seed, once it starts to splutter, temper urad dhall, cumin seeds, aniseeds, mustard seeds and hing.

3.  Add in the onions, fry till soft and golden, add in chilliy and curry leaves, stir for a few minutes,  add in chopped tomatoes, turmeric and salt to taste, stir well, cover and cook till tomatoe is soft.  Make sure to stir every and now, stir in some water if it becomes too dry.

4. Add in garam masala, dhania powder and toor dhall and mix well and cook for a few more minutes till raw smell of powder is gone.

5. Adjust the thickness of the gravy by adding water.

Suitable for rice and chapatis...

Moor Kozlumbhu/Yogurt Curry

Moor Kozlumbhu (Yogurt Curry) is a yogurt based gravy its kind of creamy and little sourish from the yogurt.  It is very simple and easy to prepare and we had together with Takkali Paruppu and Methi Leaves Curry (or actually it turn out to be dry kind of gravy).

Normally my mor kozlumbhu is a very simple way of preparing, having the yogurt or laban diluted, stir fry some onions, spices and allowing to simmer just when it starts to froth.

Thanks to Shanthi of www.shanthisthaligai.blogspot.com

What you need

2 cups of curd
6 lady fingers - halved
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1tsp of toor dhal
1 tsp of jeera
2 or 3 green chillies
1/2 tsp of raw rice
2tbs of coconut (scrapped)
1/2"piece ginger
1/2tsp mustard seeds
a pinch of hing
curry leaves
2tsp of oil
1tsp of ghee
salt

How to do

1.  Blend curd with a little water.  Mix turmeric powder and salt to curd.  Keep aside.

2.  Soak toor dhall, jeera and rice in water for 15mins.  Grind it with coconut, ginger and green chillies to a fine paste.

3.  Cut lady'sfinger into long pieces.

4.  Heat a pan, add oil and ghee, temper with mustard seeds, hign and curry leaves and saute the lady's finger well along with a pinch of salt.  Now add the ground paste and allow it cook till the raw smell goes.

5.  Pour in the bleded curd and heat till frothy.  Do not bring it to a boil.  When boil it will curdle.

6.  Generally,  ladysfinger and ashgourd is used for this kozhambu.  If using ashgourd, boil it with salt and add to the kozhambu.

Enjoy....

Vegetarian Dalca

another dish for my ladies gathering
Vegetarian Dalca

What you need..

2 cups of toor dhal
2 tbs of ginger garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp of tumeric powder
2 eggplant - quarter
1/2 cup of baby carrots - halved
1 big tomato - quartered
1 big onion - sliced finely
2 sprig of curry leaves
1 green chilly-slit lengthwise
2 tbs of chicken masala powder
1 tbs of sambar powder
*2 cardamon
*1 tsp cumin
*1 tsp fennel
*1 cinnamon
*3-4 cloves
*3-4 aniseed
*1 bay leave
chopped coriander and or mint

p/s : you can add potatoes, carrots, long beans if you wish.

How to do...

• Wash and pressure cooker the dhall with ginger garlic paste and tumeric powder and tomato.
• When the dhall is cooked add in green chilly,carrots, eggplants and any other vegetables that you like.
• Once the vegetables are cooked, add curry powder and sambar powder and salt to taste
• In different wok/pan, heat oil and saute all marked * till aromatic, add in onions and curry leaves, bay leaves. Fry till the onions are soft.
• Pour into the dhall, stir well and let it boil for a few more minutes. Remove from fire and add coarsely chopped mint/coriander.
• Serve with rice, thosei, idli or chapatis/puris.

Divali Day and the Food

Happy (belated) Divali to all my Hindu readers...

The celebration started with the day before, preparing the next days menu...Chicken Dalca, Mutton Perathal, Chicken Masala and Jeera Rice.  Eve of Divali lighted up tea candle lights instead the usual earthen lamp and oil. Needed the use up the tea candle lights (trying to figure up why I got them in the first place...)

The only food that I managed to take pictures was of Idli...Family photographer on school trip...The recipe for Idli is the same as Thosei...It is steamed  with a special mould and steamer, normally for a 15 mins depending on the size of your mould.  Remove the idli from the mould with a spoon and serve.

Dalca is combination of meat and lentils with some vegetables and curry powder with sambar powder.  Tradionally it is cooked with mutton, I changed it to chicken as my hubby and kids are less fond of mutton.   I added drumstick, the fruity part of Muringa Tree and eggplants

Chicken Dalca

What you need..

2 cups of toor dhal
2 tbs of ginger garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp of tumeric powder
2 eggplant - quarter
2 long drumstick - cut into bite size.
1 big tomato - quartered
1 bowl of chicken pieces - preferable the one with bones.
1 big onion - sliced finely
2 sprig of curry leaves
1 green chilly-slit lengthwise
2 tbs of chicken masala powder
1 tbs of sambar powder
*2 cardamon
*1 tsp cumin
*1 tsp fennel
*1 cinnamon
*3-4 cloves
*3-4 aniseed
*1 bay leave
chopped coriander and or mint

p/s : you can add potatoes, carrots, long beans if you wish.

How to do...

• Wash and pressure cooker the dhall with ginger garlic paste and tumeric powder and tomato.
• When the dhall is cooked add in green chilly,eggplants, chicken meat and drumstick and any other vegetables that you like.
• Once the vegetables are cooked, add curry powder and sambar powder and salt to taste
• In different wok/pan, heat oil and saute all marked * till aromatic, add in onions and curry leaves, bay leaves.  Fry till the onions are soft.
• Pour into the dhall, stir well  and let it boil for a few more minutes.  Remove from fire and add coarsely chopped  mint/coriander.
• Serve with rice, thosei, idli or chapatis/puris.

Moong Dhall Curry

Whats for lunch/dinner, a multi dollar question asked everyday....so today while going the pantry, I realized that I have not cooked moong dhall curry for a long long time...so in action today's dinner....  next I have to think a good combination that goes well this curry... thinking hard....and while the moong dhall is in action, being boiled...I am off to the fish market...

What you need....

1 cup of moong dhall
1 tsp of ginger garlic paste
1 tsp of tumeric powder
1 big onion - chopped finely
thumb size ginger - chopped finely
1 medium sized tomato - chopped.
2 small red chillies (green is also ok, Ilike the rainbow effect in my gravy)
1 sprig of curry leaves
1 tsp of mustard seeds
1 tsp of fennel seeds
1 tsp of urad dhall
tumeric
1 tsp of fennel powder
1/2 tsp of cumin powder
 a dash of hing (asofoetida)
salt to taste
ghee for tarka - ghee for the aroma, otherwise vegetable oil will do
chopped coriander for garnishing 

How will you do...

1.  Wash and soak the dhall overnight, and then pressure cook with ginger garlic paste and tumeric powder till soft
2.  Remove from fire and mashed using the back of a spoon. Then return to fire
3.  In a different pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds.
4.  Once it starts to pop, add fennel seeds,urad dhall and hing, fry for a few minutes.
5.  Add in tomato, ginger, garlic, onions, curry leaves and chillies and fry for a few minutes till the onions turn golden brown, keep stirring till the tomatoes are soft.
6.  Add the onion mixture into dhall, fennel powder and cumin powder, season with salt,  keep on low fire and continue to cook till a boil.
7.  If you gravy is too thick you can add a little water or milk.
8.  Garnish with chopped coriander before serving.

Serve hot with rice or chappatis.

Vegetable Kurma

Another dish that I made for our monthly ladies gathering....

source - yours trully...
What you need....

1/2 cup of baby carrots - halved
1/2 cup of cauliflower florets
2 whole potato - quartered
1 whole onion - sliced
1 big tomato- chopped fine
2 small green chillies - cut into two
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp heaps of coriander powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
3 tsp heaps of fennel powder
1 tsp white pepper powder
1 tsp of tumeric powder
1/4 tsp of clove powder
1/4 tsp of cinnamon powder
2 tsp of ghee
2 small bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
3 aniseed
1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
1/2 tsp of fennel seeds
2 cardammon seeds
a handful of almonds - soaked in hot water for half hour and removed skin
a handful of raisins - blend soaked almonds and raisins to a fine paste.
chopped coriander leaves for garnishing.

How to do...
1.  Heat ghee in a pot.
2.  Once hot, add in bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, aniseed, cumin, fennel and cardamon seeds.
3.  Once they start to pop, add sliced onions, fry till they are soft and golden brown.  Add in green chillies
4.  Add in the tomato and mix well well, cook till it is very soft and mushy.
5.  Add in the powders, stir for a few minute, adding about 2 soup bowl of hot water.
6.  Add in the potatoes and let it cook .
7.  Once the potatoes are three quarter done, add in the carrots and cauliflowers and cook till they are tender.
8.  Add in almond/raisins paste to the gravy, put heat on low fire and boil for a few minutes, add in salt to taste.   Add in chopped coriander before serving.

Serve with rice, chappatis and puris.

Orissa Style Fish Curry

I am back after a long summer vacation in Malaysia. accept for a few post, my blog too went hibernation although the cooking, eating were not in hibernation.  Now that we are back to reality (oh is it that I have to do the cooking), have to get myself back on the right track.

A few days ago I tried Orissa style fish curry  - thanks to Sharell of http://www.whiteindianhousewife.com.  Lets indulge on Orissa Style Fish Curry...


Ingredients

Fish - cut small - (I used kingfish medium size)
tumeric powder
salt
1 sprig of curry leaves
1 onion - finely chopped
1 tomato - finely chopped
1 tsp of black mustard seeds
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
3 cups of water
1 - 3 tbs coconut milk powder (I used fresh milk)
a handful of chopped coriander leaves.

Method

1.  Rub tumeric and salt into the fishes and let it sit for a few minutes.
2.  Heat oil and fry the fish lightly.
3.  In a pot, heat oil and add in the mustard seeds. Once it starts to pot, add in the curry leaves and chopped onions, fry till golden brown.
4.  Add in the chopped tomato, ginger garlic paste, chilly powder and garam masala and fry for a few minutes.
5.  Add in the water and coconut milk, cooking for a few more minutes ( the curry is kind of watery and spicy)
6.  Finally add in the fried fish and coriander leaves, salt to taste and cook another five minutes.

p/s - pictures will be uploaded later...

Sothi

Sothi is a simple and easy dish.  I have always used fresh coconut milk, though have known people making them out from instant coconut milks and evaporated milks.

coconut milk from about 1coconut approximately 8 cups- make sure it is not so thick nor so thin.
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 onion - chopped finely
1 red chilly - sliced
1 tsp of ginger garlic paste
sprig of curry leaves
1 tomato - chopped small
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

1.  Heat a pot. once hot, add in fenugreek, when it starts to splutter.
2.  Add in the onions, saute for a few mins till soft.
3.  Add in tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and chilly. Saute further till the tomatoes are soft.
4.  Once the tomatoes are soft, add in coconut milk, add in turmeric powder and salt to taste
5.  On slow fire, let the coconut milk to boil slowly.  
6.  Make sure it does not start to break into oil lumps.  Stir, slowly add in curry leaves and remove from fire.

Egg Tomato Masala

A thick gravy ideal for rice and chapatis and puris, simple and easy to prepare dish.

6 hard boiled eggs, cleaned and pricked.
2 hard boiled potatoes, half or quartered depending on size (removed the skin onced it is boiled)
6-8 medium sized tomatoes - chopped small
1 big onions
1 cm of ginger - peeled
5 cloves of garlic
1 red chily - sliced
1 cup of cold water
1/2 cup of laaban (laaban is diluted yogurt, if not available use 1/2 cup of yogurt with 1/4 cup of water - it should not be too watery neither thick like yogurt)
1tsp of mustard seeds
1tsp of fenugreek seeds
2tsp of garam masala
1 tsp of red chilly powder
1/2 tsp of tumeric
1/2 tsp of white pepper powder

Method
1.  Heat oil
2.  Once hot,add in mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, once it starts to pop (make sure not to burnt them as you will end up with a bitter taste), saute in onions till soft.  Add in chilly, ginger and garlic, stir. 
3.  Add in tomatoes, stir well and cooked cover for a few minutes till the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
4.  Add salt to taste, transfer to a blender with 1 cup of water and puree them (watch out as it can be steaming hot)
5.  Return the gravy back to the pan, add in the eggs and potatoes, add in the curry powders, mix well.
6.  Let it come to 1 boil, put on low fire 5 minutes.  Add chopped coriander leaves.

7.  Off the fire and add in the laaban, stir well and serve HOT