Banana Stem Specials

        The Banana tree is a wonder in itself. Not only are its different parts edible and used in different culinary preparations, they also have amazing healing properties.
The banana(plantain) leaf is rich in chlorophyll and it has been an age old tradition in many parts of the world to serve food on Banana leaves. The leaf is also used as a wrap in many steamed dishes which lends a unique and extremely healthy flavour and quality to the preparation.
The use of the banana flower and stem have amazing healing properties where the overall digestive system is concerned. The stem especially is known to be so effective that it is believed to help clear Kidney stones!!!
Recently I had a completely detoxifying meal at Sanjeevanam, the Kerala Veg restaurant, where none of the curries are cooked in oil. One of them was steamed banana stem curry which was simply too good.
I list here few simple recipes using the banana stem that can only do good, and taste excellent as well.

Tip : Ask the vegetable vendor to help you select as tender a stem as possible. The best method to cut it right for any dish is :
- Peel the outer layers till you are left with a slender pearl white tube that looks like it cannot be peeled further
- Cut into discs, you might encounter thick fibre on the surface, simply wrap them around your index finger and continue slicing
- Once you have sliced the stem tube, stack them a few at a time and chop them into 1 cm long pieces. For salads, use the discs as a whole.
- Soak them in diluted sour buttermilk till ready to be used in the preparation. This prevents them from changing colour, i,e, darkening.
                                                             BANANA STEM SALAD
Ingredients :
Tender Banana Stem - 1 (sliced into discs)
Green chili - 1 long
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
Method :
1. Add the sliced banana stem into a salad bowl.
2. Add the lemon juice, sliced green chili and salt to taste. Mix well. Let rest for 10-12 minutes.
3. Serve.
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                                                               BANANA STEM CURRY
Ingredients :
Banana stem - 1 (Sliced and chopped)
Salt to taste
Dessicated coconut - 2 tbsps
Curry leaves
Tempering :
Oil - 1 tbsp
Rai - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chili - 1
1. Soak the chopped stem in sour buttermilk till ready to use. Strain and cook with water and salt to taste till well done. Strain the water and keep the stem aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, let crackle. Add the Urad dal and red chili and saute for a bit.
3. Add the cooked banana stem pieces and stir well. Check for salt and adjust accordingly if needed. Add the dessicated coconut and curry leaves and mix well. Cook for 2 minutes and remove.
Serve hot.
                                                              -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
                                             BANANA STEM STEW (MOR KOOTTU)

Ingredients :
Tender Banana Stem - 1 (Sliced and chopped)
Slightly sour whisked curds - 1 cup
Haldi - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - a few
To grind to a paste :
Jeera - 1 tsp
Grated coconut - 3 tbsps
Dry Red Chilies - 2
Tempering :
Oil - 1 tsp
Rai - 1 tsp
Method :
1. As mentioned above, soak the chopped banana stem in buttermilk till ready to use. Strain and cook in water along with haldi and salt till well done. Drain the water and keep the cooked stem aside.
2. Soak the jeera, red chilies and coconut in a little water to soften. Grind them to a paste in a mixer.
3. In a saucepan, add the whisked sour curds and add the ground paste. Stir and cook on a low flame to avoid curdling.
4. Add the cooked stem and curry leaves as well and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Check for salt and adjust if required. If the stew is a bit runny, mix 1 tsp rice flour in 1 tbsp water and add to the pan.
5. For the tempering, heat oil and add the rai. Once it splutters add to the stew. Serve hot.

Stuffed Kuzhi Paniyaaram (Appams)

A variation of the plain Kuzhi Paniyaaram , stuffed with left-over vegetables...

Stuffed Kuzhi Paniyaarams (Appams)

Ingredients : 

Thick leftover Dosa batter (sour the better) - 1 cup
Chopped Green chilies - 2
Salt to taste
Chopped ginger - 1 tsp
Peppercorns - 1 tsp (whole or slightly crushed)
Hing - a pinch
Chopped curry leaves
Oil to fry

Filling :
Any leftover subzi (vegetables)

Method :

1. Heat an Appam stand on medium flame and pour a little oil in all the holes.

2. In a bowl, mix together the dosa batter along with chopped green chilies, peppercorns, hing, curry leaves, salt to taste and chopped ginger. Do not add any water as we need a thick consistency. If the dosa batter is slightly runny, add enough rice flour to thicken it. If you have done this, check for salt again.

3. Carefully pour a bit of the batter first using a small ladle or tablespoon into each of the holes, drop a few pieces of the vegetables and top off with some more batter covering up to 3/4th of the appam cup.
Lower the flame at this point if you feel the oil is too agitated. Cooking this on a high flame right away will cause the appams to become brown quickly without the insides actually getting cooked.

4. Using a clean knife or fork, carefully turn over the appam to let the other side cook. Once both sides are golden brown, remove and drain excess oil.

Serve hot with ketchup or spicy green chutney.

Quick Fix Pasta in White Sauce

A quick fix Pasta in White Sauce with ingredients mostly available at home...became an instant hit with my niece and nephew!!! As a plus I used up the leftover Broccoli-peas curry from the morning as well!


                                                       PASTA IN WHITE SAUCE

Ingredients : 

Boiled pasta (Penne or Farfalle works best) - 2 cups
Cold Milk - 1 1/2 cups
Cheese slices - 2
Maida - 2 tbsps
Whole wheat flour - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Olive oil / Butter - 1 tbsp
Garlic powder - 1 tsp
Crushed Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Oregano / Mixed herbs (I used the small packs that usually get left-over each time one orders pizza!!)
Chilli flakes (optional)
Spicy tomato sauce for the garnish

Method : 

1. Heat oil / butter in a pan. Add in the vegetables as desired. For this recipe I used leftover Broccoli-Peas curry from the morning, so I added them along with the pasta, since they didnt need extra cooking!

2. In a bowl, whisk together milk, Maida + Wheat flour and salt leaving no lumps. Pour the milk mixture into the pan stirring all the while.

3. When it starts to thicken add the garlic powder and let simmer. Don't forget to keep stirring. Check for salt and add the pepper powder as well.

4. Drop in the 2 cheese slices and keep stirring till the cheese melts and mixes well with the milk. Let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the chili flakes if you need it extra spicy.

5. Now add in the boiled pasta and stir. [I added the leftover curry at this point.] Cover and let simmer for about 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in between and let cook for a minute more so the sauce coats the pasta well.
Tip : If pasta has cooled down and sticking together, drop it for a split second in hot water and take out immediately, This will shock the pasta and make it easier to mix in with the sauce.

6. Finally sprinkle the oregano and stir once. Remove and serve hot with lightly toasted brown bread.
Optional to half-cook this on flame and bake it with more cheese and tomato sauce(till cheese melts and forms golden brown spots) on top as I have done.
This is the basic sauce. One can also add in chopped and blanched spinach, capsicum, zucchini and so on for the vegetable touch.

Methi Sambhar

The versatility of methi...
Methi or fenugreek leaves are known to have quite a few health benefits. They are said to be a rich source of Vitamins E & K along with minerals such as iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium and many more.

Consider keeping a stock of lightly roasted and powdered methi at home.  Having a quarter teaspoon of this mixed in half a glass lukewarm water first thing in the morning is said to regulate blood sugar levels, neutralise acidity, is an excellent source of fibre and controls body heat.

 Soak a teaspoonful of methi seeds in a quarter cup water overnight. Drain and drink up the water on an empty stomach the next morning and grind the soaked methi seeds to a paste. Apply this on the scalp, leave for about 20 minutes and rinse off. Follow it up with a mild shampoo +conditioner wash. This will not only help control hair-loss due to body heat but also helps nourish the hair roots.

The methi leaves when used either in their natural or dried form transform the aroma and taste of any dish amazingly. Though ready made Kasuri methi is available in the market we can make it quite easily at home too.
Sort out the good leaves from the stems, wash and pat dry. Spread out on a plate or newspaper and leave out in the sun to dry naturally for minimum 2 weeks till it completely dries up.
Alternately you can use the microwave method, spread the washed and pat-dried leaves on a micro-proof dish and run on 60% power for about 5 minutes,  remove and lightly shuffle the leaves,  increase the power to 80% and micro for 2 minutes more. Remove and let dry for about 10 minutes till it cools to room temperature. Store in an air-tight container for future use.
The next time you want to give the boring rotis a skip, try adding a bit of kasuri methi to the atta. Add a generous spoonful to any bland curry to instantly spice it up.

An interesting dish that my mum prepares is methi sambhar that tastes simply divine with just about anything.

                                                             METHI SAMBHAR

Ingredients :
Methi leaves - 1 bunch (leaves separated)
Toor dal ( Split pigeon peas) - 1 cup
Imli - 1/2 lemon size
Sambhar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Haldi - 1/2 tsp
Chopped dhaniya
Curry leaves
For tempering :
Oil
Rai - 1/2 tsp
Hing - 1/2 tsp

Method :
1. Wash and pat dry methi leaves. Chop roughly. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and lightly fry the leaves for about 2 minutes. This helps reduce the bitterness of the leaves.

2. Cook the methi leaves till tender. Mash lightly. Wash and pressure-cook the toor dal with haldi till well done.

3. Extract tamarind juice and add to a thick bottomed vessel.

4. Add salt to taste, curry leaves and mashed methi leaves, let simmer on low flame till raw aroma leaves the imli juice.

5. Add the sambhar powder and stir. Simmer for 5 minutes more. Mash the cooked toor dal and add to the vessel. Stir and continue to simmer.

6. Now add the chopped dhaniya and check for salt. If the sambhar is a little runny, dissolve 1 tsp rice flour in 2 tbsps water and add to the vessel. Let cook for 5-7 minutes more.

7. Prepare tempering by heating oil and adding hing, followed by rai. Once it splutters add it to the sambhar.
Serve hot.
Note : Another variation to try, grind together some shallots, unroasted coriander seeds and coriander leaves and add that to get a 'Hotel Sambhar'-like feel !!!

Beans with Dal curry (Paruppu Usuli/Usili)

Paruppu (Dal/Lentils) Usuli or Paruppu Puttu as it's commonly known in South India is a curry that is made with lentils blended with spices and cooked along with vegetables of choice.
This is one of my many favourites from the repertoire of my mother's cooking and when served along with South Indian kadhi and Pepper rasam, the deliciousness (and balancing factor) of the dish simply sky-rockets!!!
I have mentioned here the recipe for using French beans with the dal, however this curry can be prepared using any vegetable imaginable - carrots, banana flower, cauliflower, raw banana, cluster beans...or even Broccoli !!

BEANS PARUPPU USULI

 Ingredients :
French Beans - 250 gms (chopped)
Toor Dal (split pigeon peas) - 1 cup
Chana Dal (Bengal gram) - 1 tbsp
Dry red chilies - 2
Hing (Asafoetida) powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 4 to 5 tbsps
Rai (Mustard seeds) - 1 tsp
Urad dal (split black gram)  - 1 tsp

Method : 
1. Wash and soak the Toor dal and Chana dal for about 30 minutes. Drain and leave in a colander or sieve.

2. In a mixer, blend the drained dals, red chilies, salt and hing. Use very little water, say about 1-2 tbsps and grind to a coarse paste (fine semolina/rawa consistency)

3. Spread this mixture on a steamer/Idli plate and steam cook for about 15-20 minutes

4. Meanwhile, cook the chopped beans (or vegetable of your choice) with a pinch of turmeric till tender. Drain and keep aside.

5. Remove the cooked dal and spread it on to a wide plate and let cool. Once down to room temperature, lightly crumble using hands to prevent any lump formation. A neat trick is to give it a very quick run in the mixer, just 2 quick turns, which will help break down the dal clusters formed during the steaming.

6. Heat oil in a pan and add the urad dal, followed by rai. Once rai splutters, add the cooked dal and mix well to let the oil coat the lentils all through and cook evenly, for 5 to 7 minutes. Again, make sure no lumps are visible.

7. Now add the cooked vegetables and mix well. Check for salt, and let cook for about 4 to 5 minutes more. Optional to garnish with curry leaves.
Remove and serve hot.

Pepper Rasam

Pepper rasam is a perfect home-made medicine for any weather. It is a natural decongestant, aids digestion and improves appetite. It is an excellent accompaniment for rice, and can even be had as a soup.
When I was in school, I 'inaugurated' my very first recipe diary with this recipe. After all, good things need to go in first isnt't it !!!
Humble though it may be, the taste and resulting benefits of this simple rasam are almost incomparable.

                                                                PEPPER RASAM

Ingredients :

Sabut Kali Mirch (Black peppercorns) - 1 1/2 tsps
Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1/2 tsp
Dry Red chili - 1
Curry leaves - a few
Toor dal - 1 tsp
Tamarind - a lemon sized portion
Salt to taste
Tempering :
Ghee - 1 tsp
Rai - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few

Method :

1. Soak tamarind in warm water for about 10 minutes and extract as much juice from it as possible using enough water to make 2 cups.

2. Soak jeera and toor dal in a little water for about 5 minutes. This will make them tender and easy to grind.Then blend in a mixer along with the pepper corns and curry leaves using a little water to make a fine paste.

3. Cook the tamarind extract on a low flame and add salt to taste. Once the raw aroma leaves the juice (roughly after 10 minutes), add the ground paste and stir well.

4. Now add water to adjust consistency and the spiciness as desired. Take care not to add too much water so as to take away the natural spiciness factor. Remember, we need this rasam to be a decongestant and not a bland soup!!!  Let cook for 5 more minutes. Check for salt and remove from the fire.

5. Prepare tempering by heating the ghee. Add rai and once it splutters toss in the curry leaves. Fry for a bit and pour over the rasam.
Serve as desired.

Neer Dosa

On a trip to Mangalore, the chef at the hotel where we stayed recommended the Mangalore-special Neer dosa for breakfast. I admit we had never heard of that preparation before and were more than willing to give it a try.
'Neer' means water, and adds as an adjective to this dish due to the thin water-like batter that is used.
When it arrived, it looked quite humble, much like a well-washed and crisp folded white kerchief. Delicate to the touch, it tasted like a million bucks with the distinctly flavoured Udupi sambar.
Though the original recipe only calls for raw rice and grated coconut, we discovered that adding some cooked rice improves the texture of the batter. Sorry Purists, but this works for us :) !!!

                                                                     NEER DOSA

Ingredients : 

Raw Rice - 1 cup
Cooked Rice - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Method : 

1. Wash and soak raw rice for about 30 minutes. Drain but do not discard the water.

2. Blend the drained rice first in a mixer. Now add the cooked rice, coconut and salt and a little water to blend well to a fine paste.

3. Transfer to a bowl and let rest for minimum 6 to 8 hours. So if you intend to have this for breakfast, prepare and rest the batter overnight.

4. Before use, check for salt and dilute the batter with the drained rice water to get a dripping consistency. Always best to add water gradually and it's good practice to prepare a mini tester dosa to check the texture and binding.

5. Heat a pan on medium heat, drop a ladle of batter and spread it as thin as possible. Since the batter is based purely on rice, it cooks fast and you can turn it over once bubbles start forming. No need to make it crisp like the normal dosas. We need the white colour as well as softness retained.

6. Serve hot with coconut chutney and Udupi Sambar.

Udupi Sambar

Udupi sambar differs quite minutely from the traditional Sambar of Tamil Nadu. The use of Urad Dal, Jeera, Byadagi chilies (famous in Karnataka) and coconut oil seem to stand out as some of the points that set its taste apart.

                                                                UDUPI SAMBAR

Ingredients : 
Toor dal (Split pigeon peas) - 1/2 cup
Imli (Tamarind) - 1 lemon size ball, juice extracted
Haldi (Turmeric powder) - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Vegetables of choice - Drumsticks, Brinjal, shallot onions, etc
Curry leaves - a few
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp (optional)

To be roast and ground :
Dhaniya (Coriander) seeds - 2 tbsps
Urad Dal (Split Black gram) - 2 tbsps
Chana Dal (Bengal gram) - 1 tbsp
Jeera (cumin seeds) - 4 tsps
Methi (Fenugreek) seeds - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilies - 4 to 6
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Tempering :
Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
Dry Red Chili - 1/2 or 1 medium
Hing (asafoetida powder) - 1/2 tsp
Rai (Mustard seeds) - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few

Method :
Note : Blanch the vegetables till 3/4th done. If using shallot onions, fry them in a little oil till tender and use as below.

1. Wash and pressure cook the toor dal with twice the amount of water and haldi. When done, whisk till smooth.

2. Heat a small pan and dry roast all the ingredients for Sambar masala except the coconut for about 2 minutes. Then add the coconut and fry for a minute more till lightly brown. Cool and grind to a paste using a little water.

3. In a thick-bottomed pan, add the tamarind extract and salt and add the semi-cooked veggies / fried onions and cook on a low to medium flame till the tamarind leaves its raw aroma (roughly 8 to 10 minutes).

4. Add the toor dal and let simmer for 5 minutes more on low to medium flame. Add water if too thick. On the other hand, if the sambar seems too runny, dissolve 1 tsp rice flour (or cornstarch) to 2 tsps water and add to the pan.

5. Now add the ground masala paste and continue to cook for 7 to 8 minutes more, i.e till the aroma of the ground paste becomes absorbed in the lentils as well as the vegetables. It's optional to add the jaggery for the typical Udupi touch.

6. To prepare the tempering, heat coconut oil and add the red chili and hing. Now add the rai and let splutter. Finally add the curry leaves and pour over the sambar. Give it a stir, check for taste and remove. Serve hot.

Crispy Dal Vadas

Two types of vadas are pretty common in South Indian households, the popular 'Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside' Urad dal one, and the crispy dal vada. Both are prepared on festivals and enjoyed with equal fervour....

                                                           CRISPY DAL VADA

Ingredients (Makes 25 medium-sized vadas) :

Toor dal (Split pigeon peas) - 1/2 cup

Chana dal (Bengal gram) - 1/2 cup

Moong dal (Green gram) - 1/2 cup

Urad dal (split black gram) - 1 tbsp

Green Chili - 1

Dry Red Chili - 1

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

Chopped Dhaniya - 2 tbsps

Method : 

1. Wash and soak all the lentils for about an hour. Drain the water (preserve the water) and keep aside.

2. In a mixer jar, blend the green and red chilies along with ginger.

3. Now add the soaked lentils and grind coarsely so that the dals remain partially visible. Add hing and salt to taste and run the mixer one more time.

4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the chopped coriander and mix well.

5. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Using the drained water that we preserved, wet your hands lightly and scoop out a small portion of the batter. Flatten and drop into the oil. Remember to keep the oil on medium heat as we want the dals to be cooked from the inside as well and which will result in crispy vadas.

Remove and drain excess oil. Serve hot.

Optional : If preparing as a snack, you can experiment with the batter by adding chopped onions, chopped spinach, raw banana flower and so on.

South Indian Patra

Stuffed, rolled and fried colocasia leaves are a delicacy popular in most parts of India, especially the Western belt, ranging from Gujarat, Maharastra, as also in Tamil Nadu. Different cuisines make use of different stuffings for the leaves, but the end result is always the same - uniquely delicious!!!
The plants are pretty easy to grow at home and quite maintenance free. Every time we get arbi, we plant a couple in a vacant flower pot. That gives us an almost continuous supply of good quality leaves round the year !!!
The South Indian variation makes use of toor dal (Yellow pigeon peas) ground along with spices and applied to the leaves. Let's take a look.....

SOUTH INDIAN PATRA 

(STUFFED & FRIED ARBI LEAVES)

Ingredients :

Arbi (Colocasia) leaves - 8 medium (or 4 large)
Toor Dal (Split yellow pigeon peas) - 1 1/2 cups
Urad Dal (split black gram) - 1 tsp
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Dry Red Chilies - 2 to 3
Method : 
1. Wash and soak the toor dal and urad dal for an hour. Drain the water.

2. Gently wash the arbi leaves and place face down on a counter. Carefully slice off the thick spine without tearing the leaf, so as to make the it less stiff and easily fold-able.

3. Add the dals, hing, red chilies and salt to a blender. Grind to a fine paste using very little water.

4. Now spread an arbi leaf face down and apply a generous ladle-ful of the paste over it. Cover with another leaf and repeat the process. If the leaves are quite large, 2 should suffice, else 4 medium. Once the leaves are stacked and well-smeared with the stuffing, roll them into a tight cylindrical shape.

5. Prepare a steamer bowl and place the rolled leaves on a steamer plate. Let cook for about 30 minutes.
Remove and let cool.

6. Cut the rolled leaves into 1/2 inch thick slices and shallow fry till crisp, just before serving.

In most South Indian house-holds, this is served typically with spicy Pepper rasam and South Indian kadhi

Sweet and Spicy Golgappas

A twist in the tale for the versatile and ubiquitous Golgappas.....

                                                       SWEET AND SPICY GOLGAPPAS

Ingredients :

Pani Puris :
Maida (Refined Flour) - 1/2 Cup
Rawa (Semolina) - 1/2 Cup
Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Oil - For Frying

Filling :
Soaked and sprouted green gram - as required
Sweet Potato - 1
Salt to taste
Chili powder - 1/4 tsp

The "Pani":
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Water - 2 cups
Tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp
Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
Chili powder - 1/4 tsp (can be substituted with black pepper powder)
Dry ginger powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - a pinch

Method : 

1. For making the puris, combine the rawa, maida, baking powder and a pinch salt in a bowl. Add water little by little and make a soft dough. Cover with a muslin cloth and keep aside.

2. To prepare the filling, boil and dice the sweet potato. Add to a bowl. Sprinkle a little salt and chili powder and toss lightly. Keep aside.

3. For the "Pani", dissolve the jaggery in 2 cups water. Strain to remove any impurities. Now add the tamarind paste and mix well.

4. Flavour with a pinch of salt, jeera powder and chili or black pepper powder.

5. For the puris, divide the dough into small portions and roll out into a roti. Using a small round cutter, cut out mini puris and fry them in medium hot oil. Drain excess oil.

6. To serve, make small cracks in the puris, fill in the green gram sprouts, sweet potato and arrange on a plate. Pour the sweet and spicy 'Pani' into a glass and serve along with the puris.

Spicy Chana (Navrathra special)

This spicy chana recipe is my personal favourite. Also commonly known as 'Sundal', it's mostly served as 'prasad' during the Navrathras. There are quite a few variations to the recipe and one gets to taste them in different households during the 9-days festival. But I'd like to be biased towards my mother's formula :)

                                                            SPICY CHANA (Sundal)

Ingredients :

White Chick peas - 250gms  (Soaked overnight)
Coconut bits - 1/4 cup (Or grated)
Salt to taste

To be roasted & ground :
Oil - 1 tsp
Dhaniya seeds - 1 tbsp
Dry Red Chili - 1
Hing - 1/4 tsp

For Tempering
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Dry Red Chili - 1
Hing - a pinch
Curry leaves - a few

Method : 

1. Pressure cook the chana (chick peas) along with salt to taste, till soft.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add dhaniya seeds, red chili and hing and fry for a minute. Remove and cool. Dry grind this to a powder.

3. Strain the cooked chana in a large colander and keep aside.

4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a larger pan, add mustard seeds and let crackle. Add red chili and hing and fry for a bit. Add the curry leaves followed by the chana and mix well.

5. Add the coconut (bits or grated) and the powdered spice to the pan and mix again. Check for salt, remove from the flame and serve.

Quick Chickpea Salad

Here's a simple and refreshing salad with a desi tadka (Tempering)!!!

                                                        QUICK CHICKPEA SALAD

Ingredients :

Dark Brown/White Chick Peas, or combination of the two - 1/2 cup (Soaked overnite)
Boiled Green Peas - 1/4 cup
Boiled and diced potatoes - 1/4 cup
Chopped Capsicum - 1/4 cup
Chopped coriander
Lemon Juice - 1/4 tsp
Tempering :
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hing (Asafoetida) powder - 1/4 tsp

Method :

1. In a salad bowl, toss together the chick peas, potatoes, peas and capsicum.

2. Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and adding mustard seeds, let crackle, then add the hing.

3. Add to the salad and mix well.

4. Just before serving, add lemon juice, mix well. Serve garnished with fresh chopped coriander.

Variations : One can also add chopped onion, chopped tomato, or even substitute the normal potatoes with sweet potatoes.

Baked Beans Samosa

A can of baked beans in the larder is always a source of comfort and inspiration alike.
Had a spark today. ..how about a samosa :-)
#WorldSamosaDay

BAKED BEANS SAMOSA

Ingredients : (Makes 14 medium-sized samosas)

Filling :
Baked beans - 1 can
Potatoes - 3 (medium)
Jeera powder - 1 tsp
Chili flakes - 1 tbsp
Green peas - 1/4 cups
Roasted & crushed coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander
Olive oil - 2 tbsps

Dough :
Maida (refined flour) - 2 1/2 cups
Ghee (clarified butter) - 4 tbsps
Ajwain (carom seeds) - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method :

1. Boil, peel and mash the potatoes.

2. Mix together maida, salt and ajwain. Add ghee and prepare a soft (but not stretchy) dough using a little water.  Cover with a wet muslin cloth and let rest for 15 minutes.

3. For the filling,  heat oil in a pan. Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Strain the beans to separate the tomato sauce using a wide-eyed strainer. Add the beans alone to the pan.

5. Add salt to taste,  jeera powder, chili flakes and mix well. Add the mashed potatoes and mix again. Stir well to let the moisture evaporate.

6. Now add the crushed coriander seeds and chopped coriander leaves. Mix and let cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the flame and cool to room temperature.

7. Divide the dough into 7 equal rounds and the filling into 14 portions. Roll out one dough portion into a chapati and cut in half. Wet the edges with a little water. Fold into a cone and fill the stuffing. Make a small fold in the side facing the joint. This 'spinal bend' is very crucial for a healthy samosa !!!

8. Heat oil for frying. Deep fry the samosas in medium hot oil. Drain excess oil and serve hot.
Oh...and I didn't waste the strained tomato sauce :-). Added some salt, jeera powder, chili powder and a 1 tbsp tomato ketchup. Et alors ! A dip was ready......

Gawar Phali Dal

A South Indian take on dal using Gawar Phali or Cluster beans.

  CLUSTER BEANS (GAWAR PHALI)  DAL

Ingredients :

Tender Cluster Beans - 250 gms (Cut into 1/2 inch long pieces)
Arahar Dal (Split pigeon peas) - 1/4 cup
Chana Dal - 1/4 cup
Tamarind - pea-size (Juice extracted)
Salt to taste

To roast and grind :
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Dhaniya seeds - 2 tsps
Dry Red chilies - 2
Chana Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 3/4 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp

Tempering :
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves

Method : 

1. To prepare the masala, heat 1/2 tsp oil in a pan and add red chilies, followed by dhaniya seeds. Saute for a bit. Now add the rest of the ingredients and fry for about a minute. Cool and grind to a paste (using little water) in a mixer.

2. Pressure cook Arahar dal till soft. Pressure cook chana dal separately up to 1 whistle. The reason being, we want the chana dal to be only partially cooked.

3. Heat 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and add the cluster beans. Cook till tender. Preserve the water.

4. Add the tamarind extract and salt to the beans, cook till it comes to a boil.

5. Now add the ground masala paste and mix well. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.

6. Add the arahar dal and stir well so it becomes a homogeneous mixture. Finally add the chana dal and mix lightly. Let cook for 5 minutes and remove.

7. Prepare the tempering by heating 1/2 tsp oil, adding the mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. Pour over the dal. Serve hot with rice or chapatis.

Mini Kozhukattais (Steamed Rice Balls)

Kozhukattais or steamed Rice dumplings are a festival favourite, especially in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The mini kozhukattais here however, are not the stuffed variety, these are quick to make and disappear even faster!!!

                                            MINI KOZHUKATTAIS (Steamed Rice Balls)

Ingredients : 

Rice Flour (Processed preferred) - 1 cup
Water - 1cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsps
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal (Split Black gram) - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Chopped Green chilies - 2
Grated coconut - 2 tbsps

Method :

1. Heat water in a wide pan or kadhai and add 1 tbsp oil and salt into it.

2. When it reaches boiling point, carefully and slowly add the rice flour while stirring simultaneously.

3. Keep stirring till all the water has been absorbed and a thick mixture is formed and starts leaving the sides.

4. Remove and transfer to a bowl or plate and cover with a wet muslin cloth. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

5. Once slightly cooled, but still warm, apply oil to hands and take a portion of the dough. (Note: If it cools down too much the dough will become lumpy)
Roll it on an oiled surface into a thin long cylinder. Cut small pieces and roll them into pea-sized balls. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Steam cook for about 10 minutes.

6. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to crackle, add urad dal, green chilies and curry leaves. Once the dal becomes golden brown, add the rice balls and saute for a minute.

7. Finally add the grated coconut and mix lightly. Remove and serve warm.

Easy Green Chili Pickle

This Green chili pickle is very easy to make and requires a minimum storage time of only 3-4 days.                  

             

                                                    EASY GREEN CHILI PICKLE

Ingredients :

Green Chilies - 1/4 kg
Lemon Juice - 1 cup
Salt - 3/4 cup
Mustard Powder - 1/4 cup

Method :

1. Wash and pat dry the green chilies.

2. Cut them into 1/2 inch long pieces and add to a bowl.

3. Add the lemon juice, salt and mustard powder and mix with a wooden ladle.

4. Transfer to a dry bottle and leave outside for a day. Shake well and refrigerate from the next day.
Shake the contents every other day and start consuming from the 3rd or 4th day itself, depending on how crunchy you prefer the chilies :) The idea is for them to absorb the spices well enough.

Turai (Ridge Gourd) Chutney

Turai or Ridge gourd chutney is an excellent combination for almost any dish...especially Dosas, Idlis and Rotis.
Here's how to make it....

 TURAI CHUTNEY

Ingredients :
Turai or Ridge Gourd - 1 medium
Dry Red Chilies - 2
Urad Dal (split black gram) - 1 tbsp
Tamarind - 1 small piece, about pea-sized
Salt to taste
Hing (Asafoetida powder) - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsps

Method : 
1. Peel the thorny skin of the ridge gourd but do not remove the peel completely. Wash and chop into small pieces, keep aside.

2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add red chilies and fry for a minute. Now add the split black gram or urad dal and fry till it turns golden brown. Remove the dal and chilies from the oil and keep aside.

3. Add 1 tsp oil more to the pan and cook the chopped Turai or ridge gourd till they become tender. Remove and cool to room temperature.

4. Blend together the black gram, red chilies, cooked Turai and the tamarind in a mixer till it is a fine paste.
Add salt to taste and mix well.
Serve as desired.

Okra (Bhindi) Raita

If you've some unused Okra or ladies fingers in the fridge..or a few from the batch went soggy, no problem. Use them in this refreshing and very simple raita recipe.

                                                           LADIES FINGER RAITA

Ingredients :

Ladies Fingers - 5 to 6
Salt to taste
Beaten curds - 1 cup
Oil for frying
For Tempering :
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dry Red Chili - 1 small

Chopped coriander for garnish

Method : 

1. Wash and dry the ladies fingers till max moisture is taken out. Cut them into thin slices.

2. Heat oil for frying and reduce to medium heat.

3. Deep fry the ladies fingers slices till crispy, but not over-fried. Drain the excess oil.

4. In a serving bowl, add the beaten curds and salt to taste. Add the fried bhindi to it and mix gently.

5. Prepare tempering by heating the 1 tbsp oil, add mustard seeds and let crackle. Now add the red chili and fry for a minute. Pour over the raita and mix again.
Garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve with any dish.

Eggless Sponge Cake

The good ol' Eggless sponge cake based on condensed milk that I tried yesterday with minor variations. The original recipe that I jotted down ages ago called for the use of water, I twisted it with a dash of cream...result, a very soft and aromatic cake....

                                                     EGGLESS SPONGE CAKE

Ingredients :

Self raising flour - 125 gms
Note : If using refined flour or maida, use baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Baking powder - 1 1/2 tsps
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Condensed Milk - 3/4th cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Cream - 25 ml
Water - 30 ml
Melted butter - 75 gms

Optional - if you want a chocolate cake
Cocoa powder - 1 tsp
OR Melted Dark chocolate - 1/4 cup (In this case, reduce the quantity of water to 20 ml , the idea is to maintain the batter consistency)

Method : 

1. Grease a baking tin and preheat oven @ 180 deg C.

2. Blend together melted butter, sugar, condensed milk and vanilla essence till soft peaks form and sugar dissolves completely.

3. Gradually add cream and half the quantity of water and blend again.

4. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Gently fold this into the blended mix, taking care to leave no lumps. Add remaining water if batter is too thick.
(A famous chef once pointed out that it's always recommended to add dry flours to a liquid mixture than the other way round. This minimises chances of lumps formation)

5. Once a smooth batter is formed, pour into the baking mould and bake for 10-12 minutes.
(As I was using a microwave oven, the technique I tried this time was to not leave the cake for the full prescribed 15 minutes, but take it out 5 minutes earlier even if it was a bit moist, but as long as the knife came out clean)

6. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Best served immediately after it's cooled down to room temperature.

Kebab Shahenshahi

Found this recipe in my very first recipe diary, written quite some years back. Decided to try it out last evening...True to its name, royally delicious...

                                                                     KEBAB SHAHENSHAHI 

Ingredients :

Black chick peas (Kala Chana) - 1 cup
Corn starch - 1 tsp
Chopped Onions - 1/2 cup cup
Chopped ginger - 2 tsps
Chopped garlic - 2 tsps
Salt to taste
Cardamom (Elaichi) powder - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
Chopped green chilies - 2 tsps
Bay leaf - 1
Dry Mango powder (Amchur) - 1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves
Filling :
Chopped mint leaves - 1/2 cup
Chopped cashew nuts - 3 to 4
Green chili - 1
Salt to taste

Method : 

1. Soak the chick peas overnight or for 6 to 8 hours. Drain the water and wash once.

2. In a pressure cooker, add the chick peas, half the chopped onions, ginger, garlic and dry spices - Cardamom powder, cinnamon powder, Bay leaf and Amchur. Mix well and add 1/2 cup water. Pressure cook till the chick peas are tender.

3. Once the pressure has reduced naturally, open the cooker and drain the water completely. Let cool.

4. Grind the chick pea mixture to a semi-fine paste. Transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining onions, green chilies, coriander leaves and corn starch. Mix well and rest aside for 5 to 7 minutes.

5. Prepare the filling by blending together mint leaves, green chili and a bit of salt. Transfer to a separate bowl. Add the chopped cashew nuts and mix well.

6. Take a small portion of the chick peas mixture and make a small indent in the centre. Place a teaspoonful of the filling and seal well. Shape into a round or cylindrical kebab. Prepare the remaining kebabs similarly.

7. Shallow fry in sufficient oil till golden brown on both sides. Serve hot with crisp raw onion salad and chutney.

Rajma

Rajma is an Indian name for Kidney beans. But that one word is also enough to make people drool in memory of the typical Punjabi dish, which is kidney beans in rich gravy. Rajma-chaawal is a staple food in most North Indian households.
This recipe is from my mother's diary.....

                                                                        RAJMA

Ingredients :

Rajma (kidney beans) - 200 gms
Tomatoes - 2 large
Onions - 2 large
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Haldi (turmeric powder) - 1/2 tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Tamarind - 1/2 inch piece
Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Chopped dhaniya (coriander)
Anardana(dried pomegranate seeds) - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1/2" piece
Cardamom pod - 1

Method :

1. Wash and soak beans overnight or for 6-8 hours.

2. Grind onions along with cloves, cinnamon and cardamom.  Blanch and grind tomatoes separately.

3. Pressure cook rajma till well done.

4. Heat oil in a pan, add jeera and let crackle. Now add the ginger paste, fry for about 2 minutes.

5. Add the onion mix and fry till it leaves its raw aroma. Now add tomato puree. Cook for a good 5 to 7 minutes. You will see the gravy gradually separating itself from the oil.

6. Finally add garam masala, mix well and pour this gravy over the cooked rajma in the cooker. Pressure cook up to 1-2 whistles.

7. Serve hot as desired.

Eggless Brownies

An Eggless brownie recipe that's best served with Vanilla ice cream....yummm
Typically brownies use dark chocolate, but the Morde brand of compound dark chocolate was a bit too...um..dark for my taste. So I've used milk chocolate as well to balance the bitterness.

                       EGGLESS BROWNIE

Ingredients :

Refined flour (Maida) - 1 cup
Softened butter - 1/2 cup
Chopped Dark Chocolate - 1 1/2 cups
Chopped Milk Chocolate - 1/2 cup
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Castor sugar - 1/4 cup
Beaten curds - 1/4 cup
Salt - a pinch
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Chopped walnuts - 2 tbsps

Method :

1. Melt dark and milk chocolate over a double boiler.  Pre-heat oven @ 180 deg C

2. Sift together flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl.

3. In another bowl,  cream castor sugar and butter till sugar is well dissolved.

4. Add melted chocolate and mix lightly.  Add the curds, vanilla essence walnuts and mix again. Now gradually fold in the flours and make a smooth batter.

5. Pour the batter into a greased baking dish and bake for 10 - 15 minutes...check if done by inserting a toothpick and seeing if it comes out clean.
If you want it a bit soft, take it out a little earlier.
Remove and let cool slightly.  Before serving,  warm a slice of brownie,  place it on the serving dish. Add a dollop of ice cream and slurp away :-)

Quick Rice Kheer

Pressed for time, and thinking of a nice kheer to prepare? Here's one of my mother's favourite quick fix kheer recipe....

                                                              QUICK RICE KHEER

Ingredients :

Cooked Rice - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Mashed ripe banana - 1
Elaichi (Cardamom) powder - 1/2 tsp
Gud (Jaggery) - 1 cup
Shredded coconut or readymade coconut milk powder - 1/4 cup (optional)
Water - 1/2 cup
Chopped Dry fruits - optional

Method :

1. Mash the rice well in a saucepan. Chop the bananas, keep aside.

2. Add 1/2 cup water to the rice along with the jaggery. Cook on a low flame and allow the jaggery to melt. Keep stirring to prevent lumps.

3. When the jaggery is well mixed with the rice and the mixture thickens a bit, add the banana pieces and shredded coconut. Mix well and let cook for just a minute more.

4. Remove from the flame, add cardamom powder and add milk as required, i.e depending on how thick you like your kheer. Garnish with desired dry fruits.

Serve warm or cold.

Idli Upma

Idli upma, i.e, upma made with crumbled leftover idlis are quite common in most South Indian households.  It's very easy to prepare and equally tasty..

IDLI UPMA

Ingredients :

Crumbled leftover Idlis - 1 cup
Chopped green chili - 1 tsp
Chopped ginger - 1 tsp
Chana dal (Split Bengal gram) - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal (Split Black gram) - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Chopped onion - 2 tbsp (optional )
Sesame oil - 2 tsps

Method :

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let crackle.

2. Add chopped green chili, ginger and curry leaves. Fry for 2 minutes. Add the urad and chana dal and fry till golden brown.

3. Now add the chopped onions and fry till translucent and golden brown.

4. Now add the crumbled idli and quickly mix with the onion mixture. If you feel the upma is a bit dry, add a teaspoonful of oil more and cook on a low flame for 4 to 5 minutes more. Check for salt and add only a little bit as the idli would have some salt and sourness in it already.

5. Remove and serve hot.

Kuzhi Paniyaaram (Appam)

Kuzhi Appams or kuzhi Paniyaarams as they are called, are typically fried dumplings popular as a snack dish in most of South India. They are not to be confused with the Aappam, which are popular in Kerala and look like an upturned Dosa.
The appams come in both spicy and sweet varieties and are prepared in a special stand that has 5 to 7 holes. Nowadays we get the non-stick variety in the market which consumes less oil, but my mother prefers to use her heirloom Appam stand made of Bell metal !!!

Non-stick Paniyaaram Stand

KUZHI PANIYAARAM (APPAM)

These are pretty easy to make and needless to say, disappear without a trace!!
Following are the usual methods for preparing the Kuzhi Appam or Paniyaarams.

Spicy Take - 

Ingredients : 

Thick leftover Dosa batter (sour the better) - 1 cup
Chopped Green chilies - 2
Salt to taste
Chopped ginger - 1 tsp
Peppercorns - 1 tsp (or slightly crushed)
Hing - a pinch
Chopped curry leaves
Oil to fry

Method :

1. Heat an Appam stand on medium flame and pour a little oil in all the holes.

2. In a bowl, add the dosa batter and the remaining ingredients. Do not add any water as we need a thick consistency. If the dosa batter was already slightly runny, add enough rice flour to thicken it. Check for salt, and we are good to go!

3. Carefully pour a bit of the batter using a small ladle into each of the holes, taking care not to splash any oil around. Lower the flame at this point if you feel the oil is too agitated. Cooking this on a high flame right away will cause the appams to become brown quickly without the insides actually getting cooked.

4. Using a clean knife (We use an old bent sweater needle :D ) carefully turn over the appam to let the other side cook. Once both sides are golden brown, remove and drain excess oil.
Serve hot with ketchup or spicy green chutney.

Sweet variety - is on this page

Mixed Red Chutney

This morning Mum opened the fridge, found a quarter red pumpkin, half a red capsicum, 1 carrot that had very cleverly escaped its family and lodged itself at the bottom of the vegetable tray. Sound familiar? Well...fret not, let's turn all these into an interesting accompaniment that goes well with most dishes. Yup, a chutney.
My mother added a twist to it as well...some watermelon rinds. This is the greenish-white portion in between the outer peel and inner red pulp.
The ingredients used for this are common to most spicy chutneys, we are just using them to our advantage here (and clean the fridge too!!!)

                                                       MIXED RED CHUTNEY

Ingredients :

Chopped Red Pumpkin - 1/2 cup
Diced Capsicum - 1/4 cup
Carrot - 1 (chopped)
Chopped Watermelon rinds - 1/2 cup
(Note :  The above are optional, i.e, it is not mandatory to have all four to prepare this chutney)
Spices :
Split Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
Dry Red Chili - 1 large
Hing (Asafoetida) - a pinch
Imli (Tamarind) - size of a half a lemon
Salt to taste

Method :

1. Heat 1/4 tsp oil in a pan. Add the urad dal and red chili to it. Fry for about 2 minutes, taking care not to let it blacken. Remove and add the hing. Mix lightly. Let cool.

2. Heat another 2 tbsps oil to the same pan, add the chopped pumpkin, watermelon rinds, carrot and capsicum and saute. Sprinkle a little salt and cover cook on a low flame till the veggies become slightly soft.
Remove and cool.

3. In a mixer jar, add the urad dal, red chili mixture and grind well to a fine powder. Now add the vegetables along with the tamarind piece and salt to taste. Grind to a fine paste without adding any water.
Transfer to a bowl and serve as desired. This can be stored for up to a week when refrigerated.

Spongy Dosas and Idlis

Idlis and dosas are staple foods of South India, with not just the states but even districts having their own version and variation for the same.
Getting the batter right is crucial for both, which involves - correct proportioning of the ingredients, soaking them for just the right amount of time, grinding them to the correct texture, and then letting the batter rest to ferment.

I list below the typical ingredients and methods we follow for spongy dosas and soft idlis. Drool away!!! [ Click here for Dosa recipe...]

                                                                           IDLI

(Makes roughly 15-20 idlis)
Ingredients :

Idli or boiled rice - 2 cups
Whole, washed Urad dal - 1/2 cup (Mum finds Tata I-shakti dal best for this purpose)
Flat poha or flattened rice - 2 tbsps
Sabudana (Sago) - 2 tbsps
Methi (Fenugreek) seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method : 

1. Wash and soak the rice separately for 2 hours

2. Fifteen minutes before you wish to begin grinding the batter, wash the urad dal only once, and soak in 1 1/2 cups of water, along with lightly washed and cleaned flattened rice, methi seeds and sago.

Note : The traditional wet grinder works best for preparing batter in bigger proportions, also because urad dal needs to be ground to a fine paste and can heat up a standard mixer if run for long. But of course, one can make do with a mixer if grinder isn't available.

3. Grind the ural dal, flattened rice, sago and methi seeds first, gradually adding the entire 1 1/2 cups water used for soaking them. The batter should have a spongy consistency and should increase in volume as you keep up the grinding process.
Once done, transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl or vessel.

4. Now grind the rice, this batter can be slightly grainy, only up to a fine semolina texture. Once this is done too, add to the urad dal batter. Mix the two well together. Leave aside till the dough rises, then refrigerate.
It's recommended not to add salt right away, instead add it just before preparing the idlis. This will prevent the batter from becoming sour soon.
To prepare idlis, grease the idli plates lightly with oil, pour a ladle-ful of the batter in each slot and steam cook for about 15 minutes on a medium flame. Then reduce the flame and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove the idli plates, let cool a bit, then sprinkle water around the idlis to help remove them easily. Serve hot with chutney :)


                                         *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

                                                               

South Indian Kadhi

South Indian Kadhi or "Mor Kuzhambu"  as we call it in Tamil Nadu, literally translates into 'buttermilk stew'. It is an interesting preparation made with lightly cooked beaten curds or buttermilk, and tempered with spices and vegetables or urad dal vadis.
Here are two methods we generally follow, the ingredients bit different for both, and the resultant tastes, just as interesting!!

                                                SOUTH INDIAN KADHI (MORKUZHAMBU)

Type A
Ingredients :

Beaten sour curds - 1 cup
Green chilies - 1 long
Grated or chopped coconut - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Arahar dal - 1/2 tbsp
Chana dal - 1/2 tbsp
Curry Leaves - a few
Salt to taste
Haldi - a pinch
For Tempering :
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek (Methi) seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method :

1. Soak coconut, the dals and jeera in a little water to make grinding them a bit easier.

2. Blend them well, along with the green chili in a mixer.

3. Meanwhile add the curds to a thick-bottomed saucepan, add a pinch of haldi, curry leaves and salt to taste and mix well.

4. Add the ground mix to the curds and mix again. Cook on a low flame for about 5 mins, take care not to let the mixture curdle. Remove from fire.

5. Prepare a tempering by heating 1 tsp oil, preferably sesame, add mustard seeds and let crackle. Add the methi seeds and fry for just a few seconds. Do not let the methi seeds become too brown else they'll lend a dour taste to the kadhi. Pour over the kadhi mixture, and serve.
If available, you can add the urad dal vadis to the tempering before adding methi seeds, let them roast well and then add to the kadhi.
If using vegetables, such as Knol Khol, carrots, pre-cook the vegetables and add to the curd mix and cook along with the ground coconut mixture. Ladies finger or Okra tastes excellent with this kadhi as well, you will need to fry this in a little oil and a pinch of salt and add it to the kadhi along with the ground mixture.

Note  : If using buttermilk and you find the consistency a bit thin, make a paste of 1 tbsp rice flour and water and add to the kadhi, this will thicken it up.
                                        *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Type B
Ingredients :

Beaten curds - 1 cup
Oil - 1 tsp
Dry Red chilies - 1 long
Urad dal (Split black gram) - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Grated or chopped coconut - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - a few
Salt to taste
Haldi - a pinch
For Tempering :
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method :

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add the red chili and urad dal and roast till the dals become golden brown. Add the methi seeds and fry for just a few seconds. Do not let the methi seeds become too brown.
Let cool, then grind them along with the grated/chopped coconut to a smooth paste.

2. Mix together curds, salt, haldi and curry leaves (plus vegetables as mentioned above - optional) in a saucepan. Cook on a low flame.

3. Add the ground masalas and mix well. Continue stirring on a slow flame for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from fire. Prepare tempering by heating 1 tsp oil, add mustard seeds and let crackle. Pour over the kadhi and serve warm.

Pudina Naan

Naan is an Indian flat-bread belonging to the category of leavened, baked preparations. In India, it is typically prepared in a clay oven or tandoor, but can also be made using inverted kadhai, cookers and simply by baking in an oven.
Here's a no-soda, no-yeast recipe for Naan. I tried it plain and with mint and coriander leaves. You can try your own variations too.
                                                                   PUDINA NAAN

Ingredients :

Refined flour (Maida) - 2 cups
Curd - 8 tbsps
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 3/4th cup
Baking powder - 2 tsps
Melted Butter - 2 tbsps
Chopped Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
Pinch of sugar
Butter for cooking

Method : 

1. Sift together the refined flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl.

2. Add the 2 tbsps butter and mix with hands so that it gets well incorporated with the flour.

3. Make a well in the centre and gradually add the curd, mixing it with the flour simultaneously. Add the milk and mint leaves now and knead into a soft dough. Use water if required. Apply a little ghee (Clarified butter) and gently knead again. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and leave aside for 3 to 4 hours

4. Punch the dough with light hands. Divide into equal portions. Roll it out maintaining the thickness of a pizza, or flatten with greased hands. Apply butter on the naan.

5. Place the naan in a greased baking tray and bake @ 250deg C for 15-20 mins. Alternately, wet the top of the naan generously, instead of applying butter, and stick the wet side firmly on the base of a wide bottomed kadhai or pressure cooker. Place it inverted over the gas flame for about 5-7 mins and check if done.
Serve hot with desired accompaniment.

Paneer - Baked Beans Lasagne

Baked beans is a breakfast favourite the world over. Actually they are not baked, but stewed!! Made typically with Haricot beans or other popular white beans such as Cannellini and served with tomato sauce and a dash of salt and crushed pepper, for me, it gets as close to heaven as I can imagine..
 I recall with fondness my visits to the UK where I would make a beeline to the Baked beans counter at breakfast !!! It's one preparation that I can never tire of (I know, I know, never say never..but I'll make an exception with the BB :) )
Having bought a Heinz 6-pack, I decided to use them with different variations each weekend. First one, as a Lasagne .......No photograph, sorry :( The dish looked so sumptuous that we dug in right away!!! Just adding one I took of the baked beans instead, LOL..

                                                   PANEER - BAKED BEANS LASAGNA

Ingredients :

Baked beans -1 can
Chopped capsicum - 1 cup
Blanched and chopped spinach - 1/2 cup
Crumbled Paneer (Indian cheese)  - 1 cup
Grated Cheese - as required
Lasagna sheets  -5 to 6
Olive Oil - 2 tbsps
Salt, pepper to taste
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Roasted cumin seeds powder - 1 tsp
Garlic powder or crushed garlic - 1 tsp

Method : 

1. Soak the lasagna sheets in plain water. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the garlic powder or crushed garlic and saute.

2. Now add the capsicum and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. Take care to leave them a bit crunchy.

3. Tip in the baked beans and stir well. Add salt to taste, crushed black pepper, chili powder, cumin seeds powder and mix well. Cover and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Add the spinach and stir again. Check for taste and cook uncovered, stirring in between, till the mixture is quite dry. Once done, remove from fire.
Tip : If the beans mixture is allowed to cook till 3/4th dry, you'll find that the final baked dish holds together quite well and would not at all be squishy.

5. In a greased baking tray, spread soaked lasagna sheets as the first layer. Pour half the baked beans mixture and sprinkle some of the paneer.
Layer some more lasagna sheets and pour in the remaining beans mix, top off with the balance paneer and grated cheese.

6. Bake in an oven @ 200deg C for about 15-20 minutes, or till cheese starts bubbling and browning. Remove and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve.