Radish Curd Medley / Mooli Raita

               This is the perfect dish when you have a Radish pleading to be used in ur Pantry. Easy to prepare and amazing to taste. Perfect for those lazy weekends, when ur body seems heavier than a ton and you can't drag urself to prepare anything elaborate yet taste buds demand for tasty food. Easy Breezy dish... I got ma hands on this recipe from MonsoonSpice Sia. Tastes as wonderful as it looks. Goes well with rice. But ma fav is with Indian flat bread - Chapathi.


Ingredients: 

> Radish / Mooli - peeled and grated - 2 cups       

> Onion - 1 small chopped finely                                  
> Green Chilly - 2, finely chopped
> Yogurt - 2 - 3 cups beaten
> Coriander / Cilantro - 2 tbsp - finely chopped



Tempering:
> Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
> Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
> Urad Dal - 1 tsp
> Red Chilly - broken - 2
> Curry Leaves - 7-8 chopped finely
> Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
> Oil - a tsp

• Heat oil in a pan. Add Mustard and Jeera. Wait till they splutter and add Urad Dal and Hing. Cook till the Dal turns light brown. Add Red Chilly and Curry leaves.
• Add chopped Green Chilly and saute for a minute and add Onion. Saute till they are translucent.
• Add grated Radish to Pan and saute for couple of minutes till the raw smell disappears.
• Let it cool and add beaten yogurt and salt. Enjoy with Rice or Flat Indian Breads.

Bitter Gourd Stir Fry / Kakarakaya Fry

           Bitter Melon, the bitter enemy of many!!!!! We were not allowed to skip the bitter melon in our food. Instead mom used to prepare them with Jaggery, so that it would be bearable. And for Dad, without the jaggery, as Bitter Melon is said to help Diabetes patients. Nature seems to have gifted the vegetables and fruits that we hate, with the most useful properties of all!! This Bitter Gourd fry, involves removing most of the bitterness. Then you might ask, what is the whole point. Well, I said most of its bitterness, not all. Something is better than nothing, esp. if you have bitter memories of bitter gourd. If you happen to love Bitter melon, then skip Step 1, and also skip the sugar in the recipe. This recipe balances out the bitterness due to the sweetness of onion, sugar, and dry Coconut. And will not be despised by kids as much. Thanks a lot Vahchef for such a wonderful and easy recipe. This is a regular at our home. :)

Ingredients: 

> Bitter Gourd - 6                                    
> Onion - 1 big, sliced thinly lengthwise
> Urad Dal - 3 tsp
> Curry Leaves - 7 - 8
> Turmeric - 1 tsp
> Dhania / Coriander seed Powder - 1 tsp
> Chilli Powder - 2 tsp, adjust according to taste
> Green Chilly - 2, slit length wise, medium spicy
> Coconut Powder - 1.5 tsp
> Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
> Coriander / Cilantro - 1/2 cup, chopped
> Salt - 4 tsp, adjust according to taste
> Oil - 4 tsp

• Cut Bitter Melon into thin circles / chakras. Sprinkle 2 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Turmeric and mix well. Leave aside for 10 - 15 mins. Now squeeze the Bitter Gourd using your hands and separate it from its juice and place in another vessel. Do not throw the seeds away that come out as they cook crisp and are very tasty. (An optional step after squeezing, would be to wash the Bitter Gourd and squeeze again and separate from juice. This reduces the bitterness almost completely).
• Heat 3 tsp of Oil in a Pan. Add Urad Dal and cook till light brown. Add split green chillies, Curry Leaves and Onion and fry well. 
• Add a pinch of Turmeric to the Pan. Add Ginger Garlic Paste and fry well till the raw smell disappears
• Add the squeezed Bitter Melon to Pan, Salt and Dhania Powder and fry well for 2 minutes. Check Salt and add Chilly Powder. Cover and cook for on medium flame for 10 minutes till Bitter Gourd is browned, mixing between regular intervals.
• Add Coconut Powder, Sugar and mix well and cook covered on high flame for 5 - 10 minutes, mixing it in regular intervals.
• Add chopped Coriander and fry for couple of minutes.  Switch off flame. If you want Bitter Gourd to be more browned, add another tsp of oil and continue frying on high flame, without the cover, mixing in regular intervals. 
• This dish goes well with rice, serves 3. 

Mirchi Bajji / Menasina Kayi Bajji

      Hmmmm...... :) Mirchi Bajji for the Soul.
When its raining outside, and the climate's so sexy, what do u need? - Mirchi Bajji!!!!!
When your taste buds so desperately miss the spicy flavor, of Indian cuisine, what do u need? - Mirchi Bajji!!!!!
When you need a perfect accompaniment with Tea time, what do u need? Mirchi Bajji!!!!!
Alright, that sounded crazy, but thats how you'll feel when u miss Mirchi bajji!!!! Oki no more of that Jayagosh. Simple dish will blow you away. The only disadvantage here is that its deep fried. Thats the price we have to pay for this dish from heaven. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.,

Ingredients: 

> Besan Flour / Chick pea Flour - 5 tbsp        

> Rice Flour - 1.5 tbsp
> Water - 1 cup.
> Chilli Powder - 1.5 tbsp
> Salt - 2 tsp
> Bajji Chillies - 5-6
> Onion - 1 medium - finely chopped
> lime - 1- 2
> Cooking Soda powder - a pinch

• Mix The Besan flour, Rice flour, Chilli powder, Salt and Soda together. Add warm water little by little and mix he batter well till its of Idli Batter consistency.
• Wash the chillies and cut each chilly into 4 parts each. If the Chilly is small, just halve them.
• Heat oil in a Pan for frying. Dip each chilly into the batter, coat it well on all sides and fry them in the heated oil till they turn golden brown and cooked.
• Once you remove the Bajji's, place them on a tissue to absorb the excess oil. Using a knife, split the Bajji vertically so as to make a cavity and retaining the base. Fill this cavity with chopped Onion. Sprinkle little salt and chilli powder on the onion and add Lime juice on top.
• Enjoy when the Bajji's hot with a cup of Tea.

Note: Heat the oil well before frying. Add just a drop of batter to the oil to see if it is heated.
          You can add 1 tsp of Vaamu / Ajwain / Carom seeds or Jeera / Cumin seeds to the batter.
          The Salt and Chilli Powder in the Batter reduces a little after frying.
          Adding more Cooking soda, will cause the Bajji's to absorb more oil.
          Fry just 2 - 3 Chillies, at a time on high flame. As overcrowding will cause the heat to lower
           and absorb more oil.
          For more crispiness, increase quantity of Rice Flour to batter.

Dal Powder / Pappulu Podi

      Ma used to prepare Chutney Powder at home of 2 to 3 varieties. They were delicious, mixed with Ghee, went very well with Chapathi or Roti. But this is not the best combi with rice. The best Dal Powder I've had with Rice is from Andhra Cuisine. Pappulu Podi is a part of their daily food, a must have. Once u taste it, ur addicted for life. A very well blended mixture of spice and Dals. Yet again simple food rules the roost. A quickie, yummy delight.

Ingredients: 

> Channa Dal / Bengal Gram - 4 fistfuls
> Dry Red Chillies - 10 - 15, adjust according to taste
> Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp
> Garlic cloves - 2 - 3 / 2 tsp
> Dry Coconut Powder / Dry Coconut grated - 3 tsp
> Aam Chur Powder / Dry mango powder  - 1 tsp
> Salt - 1 tsp, adjust according to taste

• Dry roast each ingredient separately in a Pan, except Aam Chur Powder and Salt.
• Add the dry roasted ingredients in a Blender. Add Salt and Aam Chur to the Blender and blend to a coarse powder.
• Mix Pappulu Podi with Rice and then add Ghee to the Rice and mix well and Enjoy.
• This dish does not require more salt, hence advise caution. This powder can be stored in an air tight container for at least a month and need not be refrigerated.  

Lemon Poha / Avalakki Chitranna

      In Bangalore, or at least among us and ma Relatives and frnz, we always make Lemon rice with Onions in them. Since Hubby does not eat Rice in the morning, Lemon Rice was ruled out in the mornings. And I was not really comfortable having it for Lunch. And Dinner's mostly comprised of Chapathis. So that's how Lemon Rice got extinct in our house!!! Desire got the better of me and I decided to try it in Poha. Hubby happys, me happys.... In fact Hubby credited me with one of the best Poha's he had eaten. Simple and yummy, here goes......

Ingredients: 

> Poha (Thick) / Rice Flakes (Thick) - 2 cups
> Peanuts - 1 tbsp, Raw
> Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
> Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
> Red Chilly - 1 - 2
> Curry Leaves - 8 - 9, chopped coarsely
> Urad Dal / Split Black gram - 2 tsp
> Channa Dal / Bengal gram - 2 tsp
> Onion - 1 medium, chopped coarsely
> Green Chillies - 2, each cut into 2 parts
> Turmeric - a Pinch
> Lemon - 1
> Oil - 1 tbsp
> Water - 4 cups
> Coriander / Cilantro - 2 tbsp, chopped finely

*tsp - tea spoon
*tbsp - table spoon

• Add Oil to the Pan and heat it. Add Peanuts and fry till they turn slightly Brown.
• Add Mustard and Cumin seeds, wait till they splutter and add Dals. Fry them till the Dals turn golden. Add Curry Leaves and Red Chilly broken.
• Add chopped Onion and Green Chilly to the Pan.  Saute till the Onions sweat well. Add Turmeric. Saute for another minute.
• Add the Lemon juice and Salt and mix well. This does not require more lemon and Salt, hence advise caution.
• Take a bowl filled with water. Add Poha to the water, and let it soak for 45 secs - 1 min. Then squeeze the Poha so that maximum water absorbed is lost and add to the Pan.
• Mix the contents of the Pan well, so that the Poha is coated well with the Onion mixture. Add 2 tsp of water if Poha seems very dry. Check for Salt and Lemon and Switch off the flame. 
• Garnish with Coriander and enjoy. This recipe serves two.

Beans Curry

       Fresh Green Beans are said to be low in calories (31 kcal per 100 g of raw beans) and contain no saturated fat. They are a very good source of vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers and plant derived micro nutrients. It is best recommended to have Beans in your diet at least once a week. But, it kinda gets boring, as there are not many versatile things that can be done with Beans. I stumbled upon this recipe by chance, when I decided to use the excess Red Chilly Chutney in the fridge. It turned out real good.

Ingredients:     

> Red Chillies - 3 - 4
> Jeera - 1 tsp
> Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
> Channa Dal / Bengal Gram - 1 tsp
> Urad Dal / Split Black Gram - 1 tsp
> Curry Leaves - 7-8
> Turmeric - a pinch
> Onion - 1 medium, chopped finely
> Ginger Garlic Paste - 1.5 tsp
> Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
> Beans - 2 cups (chopped)
> Oil - 1 tbsp


For Grinding:
> Red Chillies - 3 - 4, dry fried
> Fresh Coconut grated - 2 tbsp
> Pepper - 1/2 tsp
> Coriander - 1 tbsp
> Tamarind - 1 tsp

*tsp - tea spoon
*tbsp - table spoon

• Dry fry the Red Chillies and add to a mixer. Add rest ingredients mentioned under Grinding to the mixer and grind well.
• Dry fry Red Chillies and Jeera (Mentioned under Ingredients), and Grind them coarsely with a Mortar and Pestle.
• Add Oil in a Pan and let it Heat. Add Mustard Seeds and let them splutter. Add Channa Dal, Urad Dal. Once the Dal starts turning Brown, add the coarsely ground Red Chillies and Jeera to the Pan. Add Curry Leaves and Turmeric and saute for 30 seconds.
• Add Onions to the Pan and fry till the Onions sweat / turn translucent. Sprinkle little salt on Onions to make them cook faster.
• Add the mixer ground mixture to the pan and saute well for a minute. Add the ginger Garlic mixture to the Pan and saute well for couple of minutes.
• Add the chopped Beans, Dhania powder and Salt and saute for 2 more minutes. Adjust Salt accordingly, and add 3 tbsp (a little less than 1/4th cup) of water and cook covered on low to medium flame for 20 minutes, with stirring in intervals.
• Check if Beans are cooked and turn off the stove. Enjoy Beans Fry / Beans Curry with Rice.

Note: Any kind of Beans can be used in this recipe.
          Add Chilly Powder if spice levels are not sufficient.
          Add very less water to the beans, as they get cooked well in steam.

Broken Wheat Upma

    Upma is known by many names across India. But the most common name given to it, popular among students is CONCRETE!!!!! he he :) Not really sure about the origins of this mysterious name, but concrete was widely hated and despised upon during my college days. But moms seem to have a magic wand, and can make any food delicious. Mommy darling used to prepare this with vegetable aka Masala Upma and it was a huge hit. Esp during cloudy rainy evenings, there's nothing like ma's upma to warm ur soul. The only other Upma that's impressed me so much is by my Hubby dear. Superb, just melts away in the mouth. Can't get enough of it. The only side effect is that I have lost interest in preparing it coz its no match to Hubby's Upma, so he ends up cooking even on busy weekdays!!! Hope u enjoy the recipe as much as I did.


Ingredients:      

> Broken Roasted Wheat Rava - 1 Cup                
> Water - 3.25 cups
> Green Chillies - 2, slit length wise
> Onion - 1 large, thinly sliced length wise
> Ginger - 2 tsp
> Red Chillies - 3 Broken
> Split Black Gram / Urad Dal - 2 tsp
> Bengal Gram / Channa Dal - 2 tsp
> Raw Peanuts - 1 tbsp
>  Curry Leaves - 6-7
> Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
> Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
> Turmeric - a pinch
> Salt - 2 tsp
> Oil - 2 tsp
> Ghee - 1 tsp

*tsp - tea spoon
*tbsp - table spoon

•  Heat a pan with oil. When the oil is hot enough add Peanuts and allow to cook for couple of minutes. Add Channa Dal, Urad Dal. When Dals start turning light brown, add Mustard and Cumin Seeds, Curry leaves, Ginger and Turmeric to pan. Stir for a minute and add Red Chillies in the end as they turn brown fast.
• Add chopped onion and green chillies to pan. Sprinkle little salt on Onions, this helps them cook faster. Cook till the Onions sweat / turn translucent.
• Add water to pan. Let it boil and add salt and adjust accordingly. 
• Add Rava little by little using one hand, while simultaneously stirring the contents of pan with your other hand, so not to form lumps. Reduce the flame to low and once the concoction slightly thickens, allow it to cook covered for 8-10 minutes with stirring in intervals.
• Cook till all the Rava granules have reached their maximum size. (If necessary add, another 1/4 th glass water.) Wheat rava consumes more water than the usual semolina rava. 
• Add Ghee, and mix well and switch off the stove.
• Garnish with Coriander leaves and enjoy. Upma also goes well with Chutneys, Chutney Powders and Pickles (esp. Tomato Pickle).

Note:   For crispier Peanuts, fry peanuts well in oil before adding Dals and remove. Add roasted Peanuts, towards the
            end, when the Upma is almost done.
           Can add vegetables of your choice like Tomato, Beans, Peas, Potato and Carrot.
           Can add pinch of Garam Masala, towards the end of the dish.

Ragi Rotti

       I first had Plain Ragi Rotti in my grand ma's place. Was not really a big fan of it, until my Mom mixed it up with Onions, Coriander Green Chillies to spice it up. It tasted amazing. And had great health benefits too. Mainly no major addition to my Calories!!!! I learnt that Ragi was the secret behind the strength of our farmers, who have it in the form of Ragi Balls, which doesn't digest as early as Rice but gives strength and cools your body.

Ingredients:                                                          

 > Ragi Flour - 4 tbsp
> Jowar Flour - 2 tbsp (Optional)
> Rice Flour - 1 tbsp
> Onion - 1 medium finely chopped
> Coriander / Cilantro - 1 cup (chopped) loosely packed
> Green Chillies - 2 mildly spicy and chopped finely
> Water - 1.5 cups
> Salt - 2 tsp

• Mix all the a fore mentioned  Flours in a Bowl. Add salt and adjust according to taste.
• Add chopped Onion, Coriander and Green Chillies to the bowl and mix well.
• Add water little by little and mix well either with hand or ladle till the batter is of pouring consistency. The batter should not be as dry as Chapathi atta or as loose as Dosa batter. The batter should be of a thick corn soup consistency.
• Heat Tava / Pan. If nonstick no necessity of oil. If not nonstick, pour few drops of oil on the pan and use tissue paper to spread it across the pan so that the Rotti will come off the pan easily.
• Keep a bowl full of water at hand. Pour a ladle of batter on the tava. Dip your fingers at regular intervals in water and spread the batter using your fingers on the tava. Else use the back of the ladle to spread the Batter.
• Cook uncovered for 3 minutes. Smear water using a spoon on the upper side of the Rotti. This will help the Rotti in cooking better and also prevents it from becoming dry. Reverse the Rotti and cook for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Enjoy Rotti with Coconut Chutney or Peanut Chutney.  

 

Buttermilk & Beans Ridgegourd Gravy / Majjige Huli

         The time was already 1 p.m.. Was starting to feel hungry.... Dragged myself to the kitchen, only to find that I have no more Onions or Tomatoes in Pantry!!! Very few recipes I know, do not use Onion or Tomato. Aaaahhh... Such a fix.... I could try Majjige Huli / Buttermilk Coconut gravy. But I didn't have the regular or Yellow (Mangalore) Cucumber, one of the main ingredient to prepare it. Never the less I decided to try the combination of Long Yard Beans and Ridge Gourd combo in Buttermilk Coconut gravy. Why Long Yard Beans and Ridge Gourd veggies you ask, that's coz they were the only veggies sitting in the fridge!!!! But the end result was so real yummy, that I don't think I'll wait for Cucumber to prepare this dish again...

Ingredients:

                                                                             
> Long Yard Beans - 1 cup                                  
>  Ridge Gourd - 1 cup
> Coconut grated - 3/4th cup
> Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
> Green Chillies - 2 (Mildly spicy)
> Butter Milk - 2 cups
> Tamarind Paste - 1 tsp
> Water - 1/2 cup

Tempering:
> Mustard - 1 tsp
> Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
> Hing / Asafoetida  - a pinch
> Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 th tsp
> Red Chillies - 2 Broken
> Curry Leaves - 10 - 12
> Channa Dal - 1 tsp
> Urad Dal - 1 tsp
> Ghee - 2 tsp

• Chop Beans to 1 inch pieces and boil them in a thick bottomed pan, with just enough water and salt. Let it boil for about 4-5 mins on medium flame. Taste Beans and water to see if bitter. If Bitter then strain the water and add new water and boil.
• When Beans are half cooked, add Ridge Gourd, and cook covered for 4 minutes. Add extra water if necessary.
• Grind Coconut, Turmeric and Green Chilli to a smooth paste with very less water. 
• Add Tamarind Paste and the ground mixture to pan and saute well. Cook for 3 minutes till bubbles appear.
• Add Buttermilk and cook for couple of minutes more on medium flame. Adjust Salt and turn off flame. Over cooking, after adding Buttermilk can curdle it. 
• Heat Ghee, and add Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds and Fenugreek seeds. Let them splutter and add Hing (Asafoetida), Dals, Red Chillies and Curry Leaves. Cook till Dals turn brown and transfer to Buttermilk Coconut gravy Pan. 
• Relish with hot Rice.

Note:  Don't add more water to boil Beans. Just add enough water.
          Can use Curd instead of Buttermilk. Take 3 spoonfuls of curd and beat it well in a cup and
          add 2 cups of water to it, and mix well. Use in place of Buttermilk.
          Substitute Ridge Gourd with Cucumber if available. Peel and Cube Cucumber after removing
          seeds,  and boil along with Beans.

Onion Chutney

Hi,
    Hope u all doin great. We over slept and woke up to a cloudy morning at 8. May be its not our fault, coz climate still looks like 6.30. :) Well late or not running outta time to prepare chutney for Dosa. Tomato Till chutney, hmmmm he loves it a lot but short on time. Peanut chutney, hmmm just had yesterday. I know, Coconut chutney!! Hmmm no coconut at home!!! Aaaaaaaahhhhhh...... I am doomed. Wait.... I can still prepare Onion Chutney, with very few things in pantry, less time consumption, and real yum... We don't really prepare Onion chutney often at home, in Bangalore, but I took a liking to it when in Hyderabad. Was a perfect compliment with hot Dosas, in those chilled evenings, on our walk to the near by Bandi. Gosh, the one thing U.S. needs most is road side Bandis, with Indian chats and fast foods... Miss em a lot...:)

Ingredients:

> Onion - 1 big                                
> Urad Dal - 1 tsp
> Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
> Red Chillies - 5-6
> Salt - 1 tsp
> Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
> Tamarind pulp - 1 tsp
> Oil - 2 tsp

Tempering:
> Oil - 1 tsp
> Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
> Curry Leaves - 5-6 chopped

• Heat 1 tsp of oil in pan, add Cumin Seeds. After they splutter, add Urad Dal and Dry Red Chillies. Fry till the dal turns brown and transfer to a grinder and grind coarsely.
• Heat 1 tsp of oil in the same pan, add sliced onions and cook till they start turning translucent. Transfer to grinder.
• Add Jaggery, Tamarind pulp, and Salt to Grinder and grind the mixture well.
• Temper the chutney with Mustard Seeds, and Curry leaves and relish. 

Note: Don't add any water while grinding preferably. Otherwise, add about a spoon of water to the grinder.

Raw Mango Stew / Maavina Kayi Huli

Hi All,
    Hope u all doin fine. The following recipe uses raw mango, for all those who are bored of Mango Dal / Pappu and wanted to try something different, this is it. Pretty simple and delightful on taste buds. Perfect with hot rice and Pappad.

Ingredients:

> 1/2 Mango (Raw), skin peeled and cubed
> Long Yard Beans - 1/4 cup

> medium sized Onion, finely chopped - 1            
> Green Chillies mildly spicy - 3
> Tamarind - 2 Tsp
> Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
> Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
> Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
> Coriander finely chopped - 1 tbsp
> Salt - 2 tsp
> Water - 2 cups
> Oil - 1 tsp

Tempering:                                                       
> Ghee - 2 tsp
> Hing - 1/4 tsp
> Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
> Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp                                        
> Urad Dal - 1tsp
> Channa Dal - 1 tsp
> Curry Leaves - 6-7
> Garlic cut into small pieces - 2
> Red Chilly - 3

• Heat oil in a pan. Add finely chopped onion and fry till translucent. Add green chilly, Long Yard Beans and Mango to pan and fry for couple of minutes. 
• Add Chilly powder and turmeric to pan. Mix ingredients and add 1 cup water and salt to pan.
•  Add the Tamarind pulp and Jaggery to boiling mixture. Check for salt and cover and cook until Mango is cooked. 
• Once Mango is well cooked, smash Mango using back of the cooking ladle, and add another cup of water and adjust the water consistency to ur taste. Let it boil for couple of minutes more.
• Add coriander and switch off flame.
• Do tempering with the tempering ingredients listed above, and add to the boiled mixture. Cover the pan and let the flavors settle for couple of minutes.
• Your Mango Huli is ready. Eat with rice and papad.