Month: October 2014

ONION TOMATO GOJJU

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Onion Tomato Gojju

Onion Tomato Gojju is a Side Dish that can be used along with Starters as well as Main Course.

 Dish type: Side Dish

Preparation time: 15 min

Cooking time: 15 min

Serves: 4 persons

Ingredients

Onion                          ½ kg (5 nos. medium size)

Tomato                        ½ kg (5 nos. medium size)

Tamarind paste           ½ tsp

Jaggery                        50 gms

Salt to taste                 ½  tsp approx.

Turmeric                     ½  tsp

For frying (with just a drop of ghee)

Methi seeds                25 gms

Bengal gram dhal       50 gms

Jeera seeds                 25 gms

Coriander seeds          25 gms

Red chillies                  10 nos.

Til seeds                      10 gms (white coloured)

For grinding (with the above fried ingredients)

Raw grated coconut    2 tbsp (i.e., 1/4th of a coconut)

For seasoning

Oil                               1 tsp

Mustard seeds            ½ tsp

Bengal gram dhal       1 tsp

Black gram dhal          1 tsp

Curry leaves                1 sprig

For garnishing

Coriander leaves           1 tbsp

Directions

Peel the skin of onions and chop them finely.

Wash tomatoes and chop them into small pieces.

Wash curry leaves, drain the water, separate the leaves from the sprig and keep aside.

Wash coriander leaves, drain the water, chop them finely, keep aside

Heat a medium sized pan or kadai on a gas stove. When hot, put oil followed by Bengal gram dhal, black gram dhal, mustard seeds and curry leaves (in that order).

Now put chopped onions and immediately add turmeric and salt. By doing so, onions get cooked faster. Keep stirring occasionally.

When onions turn transparent, add chopped tomatoes, tamarind paste and jaggery powder. Stir now and then.

At this stage or in the previous stage while onions are getting cooked, heat a small skillet on another burner. Dry fry methi seeds, Bengal gram dhal, Jeera seeds, Coriander seeds, Red chillies and Til seeds (in that order).Whie frying, add a drop of ghee. Let it cool.

Grind the above fried ingredients to a coarse powder. Now add raw coconut and continue grinding till they blend well. No need to add water.

Transfer this powder slowly by spreading all around over the onion tomato mix that is boiling on the kadai. Mix them gently only on the surface so that the powder doesn’t form lumps. Let the powder blend evenly with the vegetables.

After it blends well with the vegetables, stir only occasionally. When you notice the gojju separating from the sides of the kadai, switch off the stove.

Transfer it to a serving bowl. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Onion Tomato Chutney is now ready.

Note:

Dry grated coconut can also be used instead of raw grated coconut. But it has to be dry fried and mixed with other fried ingredients mentioned above to make powder.

If tamarind paste is not available, soak a marble size of tamarind in water for about 10 to 15 min. Squeeze and extract the juice by removing fibre and seeds if any. Use this tamarind juice.

 

PALAK/SPINACH CHUTNEY

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Palak Chutney is a Side Dish that is generally used along with Starters as well as Main Course.

 Dish type: Side DishPalak Chutney

Preparation time: 15 min

Cooking time: 15 min

Serves: 4 persons

Ingredients

Spinach                       2 bunches

Green chillies              2 nos.

Raw grated coconut    2 tbsp

Tamarind paste           ½ tsp

Salt to taste                 ½ tsp approx.

Water                          250 ml.

For seasoning

Ghee/Clarified Butter  1 tsp

Red chilly powder       A pinch

Directions

Separate palak leaves from the sticks. Wash them thoroughly.

Boil water and into the boiling water put palak leaves, green chillies, salt, tamarind paste and sticks of coriander leaves. Cover with a lid and leave it for 5 mts. Switch off the burner. Drain out the water on to another vessel and let the vegetables cool.

(Do not waste the boiled and drained water. It is nutritious and can be reused the same day for cooking soup, rasam, sambar etc)

Grind the boiled vegetables with grated raw coconut and salt. Now transfer this to a bowl.

Heat ghee in a small skillet.Switch off the burner. Immediately put red chilly powder and pour this seasoning on to the bowl.

Palak/Spinach chutney is now ready.

Note:

Tomatoes (2 nos. can be used instead of tamarind paste)

 

While Palak Chutney is getting ready, try this Scrambled Word Game.

Rearrange the letters of the following Jumbled Words to form meaningful words:

A P K L A
W R E T A
R E G N E

Answers to the above are hidden within the recipe!

CHAYOTE CHUTNEY

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Chayote or Chow Chow Chutney (also known as Bees Gojju or Sauce) is a Side Dish that is generally used along with Starters as well as Main Course.

Dish type: Side Dish (South Indian)Chow Chow Chutney 1

Preparation time: 10 min

Cooking time: 10 min

Serves: 4 persons

Ingredients

Chayote                       1 no.

Green chilly                 1 no.

Coriander sticks          Few (for flavour)

Raw grated coconut    ½ cup

Tamarind paste           ½ tsp

Salt to taste                 ½ tsp approx.

Water                          50 ml.

For seasoning

Oil                               1 tsp

Mustard seeds           ½ tsp

Red chilly                    1 no.

Asafoetida                   A pinch

Directions

Wash Chayote. Peel the skin and chop it into pieces.

Boil it for 5 min. along with green chilly, salt, tamarind paste, sticks of coriander leaves and water. Switch off the burner and let it cool.

Grind it with raw grated coconut. Now transfer this to a bowl.

Heat oil in a small skillet. Put mustard seeds. When it crackles, put red chilly pieces and finally a pinch of asafoetidabefore pouring it on to the ground mixture in the bowl.

Chow Chow Gojju is now ready.

BEETROOT SAMBAR

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Beetroot Sambar is typically a staple, delicious South Indian dish and goes beautifully with cooked rice and rotis too due to its gravy consistency.

 

Dish type: South Indian Vegetable Stew

Preparation time: 20mts

Cooking time: 15mts

Serves: 4 persons

 

Ingredients

Beetroot                      1/2 kg (or 4 nos. of medium size)

Ginger                         1/2” piece

Green chillies              3 nos. medium size

Curry leaves                1 sprig

Coriander leaves         1 cup

Medium rava              15 gms.

Raw coconut               1 cup

Tamarind paste           1 tsp

Salt to taste                 1 tsp approx.

Water                          250 ml

For Seasoning

Cooking oil                  1 tsp (preferably coconut or olive oil)

Red chillies                  2 nos.

Mustard seeds            1/2 tsp

Black gram dhal          1 tsp

Asafoetida                   A pinch

Directions

Wash beetroot thoroughly. Peel the skin and grate them.

Wash ginger, peel the skin and grate it.

Soak tamarind in water for about 10 min. Extract the juice to separate it from the fibre and seeds and keep it aside. (This is in case you don’t have tamarind paste ready)

Grate raw coconut. Grind it along with rava (semolina)and transfer it to a small bowl.

(After transferring, add 100 ml. of water to the mixie jar and run it for a few seconds. Pour this water to the same small bowl. By doing this even the remaining contents sticking on to the sides of the jar can be used. No wastage and jar also gets cleaned in the process. Smart cooking!)

Boil the grated beetroot along with 150 ml. water, salt, tamarind paste, grated ginger and slit green chillies for about 10 minutes. Keep stirring gently at intervals.

When cooked, add the ground coconut rava mix.

Let it boil for a few more minutes.

While it is boiling prepare the seasoning.

Heat oil in a small skillet on another burner on low flame. Add black gram dhal followed by mustard seeds. When it crackles, add red chillies, curry leaves.Saute for few seconds and turn off the heat.

Immediately add asafoetida powder and pour this seasoning on to the simmering beetroot sambar. Turn off the flame.

Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Transfer it to a serving bowl.

Beetroot sambar is now ready to be served.

Also view in this blog “Beetroot Chutney“, “Brinjal Sambar“, “Gherkins Sambar“, “Onion Tomato Sambar“, “Ridge Gourd Huli Thovve” and “Khara Kootu“

GULKHAND BUN SANDWICH

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This is a delightfully delicious sandwich that can be done in a jiffy. “Gulkhand” is a rose petal preserve from India, with an earthy sweetness derived by preserving it in sugar and honey. Consuming it has multiple medicinal benefits which will be listed in a separate post.

Dish Type: Quick  Snack

Preparation Time: 5 min

Grill time: 1 min

Serves: 1 person

Ingredients

Bun                              1 no.

Butter                          2 tsp

Gulkhand                     2 tsp

Masala Peanuts          2 tsp

Directions

Slice bun into half horizontally.

Spread butter on to each side.

You can also spread butter mildly on the outer brown side also if you wish to toast it.

If toasted, just a mild gentle toast will do. But toasting is optional.

Now spread gulkhand evenly over the butter. Leave little space from the edges.

Sprinkle Masala Peanuts over one of them above gulkhand. Top it by covering with the other half portion of bun.

Gulkhand sandwich is ready

Note:

Bun can either be sweet or masala type. We prefer masala type since gulkhand by itself is sweet

Masala peanuts are easily and readily available in bakeries and condiment stores. Recipe for this will be posted separately.

Rose petals mixed with Dry Fruits and Cow Ghee is a very tasty and healthy variety of Gulkhand readily available in Organic shops and Supermarkets.

ALOO CUTLET

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This is a very healthy, delicious snack, easily prepared with minimum oil and has a good blend of raw and cooked vegetables. The mix can be prepared and kept in the fridge and used later. Aloo Tikkis can also be used as filling either for sandwiches, burger or Vada Pav

Dish Type: South Indian Snack

Preparation Time: 30 min

Cooking time: 15 min

Serves: 4-5 (3 or 4 cutlets for 1 person)

 

Ingredients

Aloo                             4 nos. (medium size)

Bread slices                 6 nos.

Onion (medium size)  2 nos.

Carrot (medium size)  1 no.

Green peas                  100 gms

Green chillies              6 nos.

Ginger                         1” piece

Curry leaves                1 sprig

Coriander leaves         ½ cup

Turmeric                     A pinch

Chilli powder               1 tsp

Amchur powder          A pinch

Chaat masala pwdr     ¼ tsp

Coriander powder       ¼ tsp

Garam masala pwdr   A pinch

Salt to taste                 (1 tsp approx..)

Directions

Cook Aloo in pressure cooker.

While aloo is being cooked, put peas in a vessel with some water and let it boil for 6 to 8 minutes on low flame. When peas is cooked transfer it to a colander to drain the water and let peas cool.

By now aloo would have been cooked. Remove aloo from the pressure cooker. Drain out the water used for cooking aloo. Let the cooked aloo cool for a while.

While peas and aloo are cooling, get ready with the following and keep transferring them to a big mixing bowl say 10” dia:

Finely chopped onions

Grated carrot and ginger

Coarsely ground green chillies

Finely chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves

All powders mentioned under ingredients and salt

Peel the skin of cooked and cooled aloo. Mash them thoroughly and transfer it to the bowl

Mash peas coarsely and put it into the bowl

Dip one bread slice in a flat bowl half filled with water

Remove it immediately. Squeeze out the water thoroughly by pressing the bread slice between your palms. Any more water can now be squeezed with just one hand. The bread slice would have now turned into a lump. Add this lump to the mixing bowl.

Repeat the procedure for all bread slices.

Now mix all the ingredients you now have in the mixing bowl gently but thoroughly. Make sure all the spices, powders, vegetables and bread lumps are well merged with each other.

Make round balls from this mix. Flatten each round ball between your palms.

Keep a flat medium heavy based pan/tawa on a gas burner and let it get heated on low flame

Smear a drop or two of oil on the heated pan
Keep a few of these flattened balls on the pan and shallow fry them

Flip top side down to shallow fry the other side

When both sides are done, transfer them to a plate

Repeat the process till all the flattened balls are done

Aloo Tikki is now ready

Note:

Green chutney or Tomato sauce/ketchup are recommended side dishes for Aloo Tikki

Jeera, ajwain and/or saumph seeds may be added (optional)

Lime juice can be used instead of Amchur powder

The prepared mix can also be kept in freezer for a couple of hours before shallow frying them However this is optional

A pinch of rock salt and/or jaljeera powder may also be added

Carrot can also be chopped to fine pieces and cooked instead of grating

¼ cup boiled sweet corns can also be added while preparing mix

For a crispy outer finish, roll these flattened ball on all sides  in a plate filled with bread crumbs

Crushed corn flakes or crushed oats are substitutes for bread crumbs

Bread can be of any type plain, sweet or spicy

 

METHI JEERA TAMBULI

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2014-10-15 13.13.30

Tambuli, The Taste of South India and a great good for health side dish is a beaming blend of yoghurt and chutney. Served as a starter along with steamed hot rice before the main course, this is a super cool recipe during sweltering hot summers!

Dish Type: Side Dish (mainly for rice, chapathi)

Preparation Time: 5 min

Cooking time: 5 min

Serves: 5 people

Ingredients

Methi/Fenugreek seeds    1 tsp

Jeera/Cumin seeds            1 tsp

Red chillies                        6 nos.

Salt to taste                       1 tsp (approx)

Freshly grated coconut  – ¼ of a coconut

Ghee                ¼ tspn ( adrop)

Curd               4 – 5 tbsp

Directions

Put a drop of ghee in a kadai and place it on a stove.

Light the burner and on low flame, fry methi, jeera and red chillies.

Stir fry till methi turns slightly brown and jeera splitters.

Switch off the burner and let the contents in the kadai cool.

Now grind these along with grated coconut and salt.

Keep adding curd at intervals.

Texture and consistency of the ground mixture depends on individual’s choice.

Transfer the contents to a bowl. Seasoning is optional.

Methi Jeera Tambuli is now ready.

Also view “Lady’s Finger Saasve” , “Doddapatre Thambuli” in this blog

TRICOLOUR PANEER

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This is a kind of sweet dish that doesn’t need any form of cooking if you already have paneer. So there is no roasting, frying, grinding, pressure cooking etc.

Dish Type: Dessert

Preparation Time: 10 min

Setting Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

Paneer                                 400 gms

Khoa                                    200 gms

Fine sugar                           200 gms

Vanilla essence                  Few drops

Tutti Frutti                           50 gms each of any two colours (Orange/ Green / Yellow)

 

Method of Preparation

Grate paneer and knead with khoa, sugar and essence to make a smooth dough.

Divide into 3 parts and keep aside 1 part.

For 2nd part, add green tutti frutti bits and mix well.

For 3rd part, add orange tutti frutti bits and mix well.

Roll orange part with rolling pin on it.

Keep the 1st part (i.e., the white part) on it and again roll slowly over it.

Now keep the green part on top of the white part and roll it slowly.

Keep it in fridge for 2 hours for setting.

Take out and cut into desired shape before serving.

VANGI BATH POWDER

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This powder is used for preparing Vangi Bath or Eggplant Rice, popular in Karnataka, South India

Dish type: Spice powder

Preparation time: 5 min

Frying time: 10 min

Quantity: 100 gms

Ingredients

Bengal gram dhal             2 tbspns

Urad dhal                         2 tbsns

Coriander seeds              3 tbspns

Cinnamon                        1” piece

Lavang                            2 nos.

Red chillies                     12 nos.

Dry coconut grated         1 cup

Asafoetida                       2 granules (pepper size)

Method of preparation

Roast all the above ingredients separately. Let it cool thoroughly.

Powder them coarsely. Store in an air tight container.

Note:

While preparing any masala powder, It is always advisable to dry fry ingredients separately  due to variance in size, thickness and texture of ingredients.