Carrot Spring Onion Ji Bhaaji

I got this simple and delicious recipe from Bhawana. This is easy to make and goes well with any dal, sambhar or rasam. Or just have it plain with phulka/chapati/roti and curds.

Ingredients

4 carrots, sliced into rounds
1 large onion, chopped
4 spring onions, chopped
1 green chili, chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp kitchen king masala (adjust to taste) [Bhawana uses garam masala]
pinch turmeric powder
salt to taste

Method

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.
   
2. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
   
3. Add the onions and green chilies once the seeds splutter. Cook on medium till transluscent.
   
4. Add the turmeric powder and Kitchen king masala. Cook till oil seperates.
   
5. Add carrots and salt. Mix.
   
6. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low, or till the carrots are nearly cooked.
   
7. Add 3/4 off the spring onions. Mix well.
   
8. Cook for another 5 minutes.
   
9. Garnish with rest of the spring onions.
   
10. Serve.
    

Seyal Bread - Bread Upma in Tomato

Seyal Bread - Bread Upma, is the best way to use up old bread, this is also a quick and easy breakfast, its better eaten as soon as it is off the gas, sincethe bread soaks up the gravy and turns soggy really fast, if you are like me then you like it that way, but if you are like my hubby then you like a dry version where the bread holds its shape. He then eats it with tons of ketchup, he cannot eat anything much without ketchup, its like what pickle would be to many of us, he has even eaten rice with ketchup.

Ingredients

8 slices of bread, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup onion, sliced
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 green chili (or to taste)
1/4 inch ginger
2 garlic pods
1/4 cup corriander leaves
2-3 mint leaves (pudina) - Optional
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
few curry leaves
1/4 tsp red chili powder
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp ketchup or maggie chili garlic sauce - Optional
salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method

1. Grind the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chilies, corriander leaves and mint together.
   
2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds.
   
3. Once they splutter add the curry leaves.
   
4. Add the onion, and cook till they turn transluscent.
   
5. Add the red chili powder, cook for a minute.
   
6. Add the ground tomatoe, cook till oil seperates.
   
7. Add ketchup.
   
8. Add the water, salt and bring to a boil. Simmer till a thick gravy is formed
   
9. Add the bread pieces.
   
10. Mix well.
    
11. Once the bread is heated through, garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
    

Paneer Mushroom Capsicum Curry

My husband has this habit off telling me 1 hour before that he is getting a friend for lunch. So this dish was made with the few ingredients I had in the fridge, I did not have enough paneer, nor mushrooms so the combo. the gravy is the usual sindhi style onion tomato gravy, I just added some cashews this time.

1/2 cup paneer, cut in cubes
1 cup muchrooms, quartered
1 capsicum, cut in cubes
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
2 green chilies
1 inch ginger
3-4 garlic pods
1 tbsp chopped cashews, soaked in milk for 1 hour
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp kissan tandoori masala (optional)
pinch turmeric powder
1-2 cups Milk
salt to taste
fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.
   
2. Add the onions and fry them till they turn light brown.
   
3. Then add the tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chilies and cook till the oil separates.
   
4. Remove from heat and cool.
   
5. Grind the onion tomato mixture, with the cashews to a smooth paste.
   
6. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.
   
7. Add the mushrooms, cook till the water evaporates. Cook on a high flame.
   
8. Reduce the flame to medium high, add the capsicum and fry for another 5 minutes.
   
9. Add the coriander powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder. Cook for a minute.
   
10. Add the ground masala and cook till the oil separates.
    
11. Add milk, tandoori masala and salt.
    
12. Add the paneer pieces.
    
13. Bring to a boil.
    
14. Garnish with coriander leaves.
    
15. Serve immediately with rotis/parathas.
    

Daring Cooks - September 2009 - Indian Dosas

September's Daring Cook was hosted by Debyi of The Healthy Vegan Kitchen! She decided on Indian Dosas from the refresh cookbook by Ruth Tal. It had to be completely vegan, I followed the recipe, made all the parts. But I like my dosas plain with chutney and no fillings. So I just kept them on the side and made some coconut chutney along with it. I loved the Spelt Dosa's, did not expect it to taste this good. I also sprinkled some onions on one, like we do for Onion Uttapam.

Dosa Pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup (120gm/8oz) spelt flour (or all-purpose, gluten free flour)
½ tsp (2½ gm) salt
½ tsp (2½ gm) baking powder
½ tsp (2½ gm) curry powder
½ cup (125ml/4oz) almond milk (or soy, or rice, etc.)
¾ cup (175ml/6oz) water
cooking spray, if needed
Method

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, slowly adding the almond milk and water, whisking until smooth.
   
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray your pan with a thin layer of cooking spray, if needed.
   
3. Ladle 2 tablespoons of batter into the center of your pan in a circular motion until it is a thin, round pancake. When bubbles appear on the surface and it no longer looks wet, flip it over and cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat and repeat with remaining batter. Makes 8 pancakes.
   

Curried Garbanzo Filling
This filling works great as a rice bowl topping or as a wrap too, so don't be afraid to make a full batch.
Ingredients
5 cloves garlic
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced (red, yellow or orange are fine too)
2 medium hot banana chilies, minced
2 TBSP (16gm) cumin, ground
1 TBSP (8gm) oregano
1 TBSP (8gm) sea salt (coarse)
1 TBSP (8gm) turmeric
4 cups (850gm/30oz) cooked or canned chick peas (about 2 cans)
½ cup (125gm/4oz) tomato paste
Method

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium to low heat. Add the garlic, veggies, and spices, cooking until soft, stirring occasionally.
   
2. Mash the chickpeas by hand, or in a food processor. Add the chickpeas and tomato paste to the saucepan, stirring until heated through.
   

Coconut Curry Sauce
This makes a great sauce to just pour over rice as well. This does freeze well, but the texture will be a little different. The flavor is still the same though. My picture of this sauce is one that I had made, had to freeze, then thaw to use. It tastes great, but the texture is a little runnier, not quite as thick as it was before freezing.
Ingredients
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic
½ (2½ gm) tsp cumin, ground
¾ (3¾ gm) tsp sea salt (coarse)
3 TBSP (30gm) curry powder
3 TBSP (30gm) spelt flour (or all-purpose GF flour)
3 cups (750ml/24oz) vegetable broth
2 cups (500ml/24oz) coconut milk
3 large tomatoes, diced
Method

1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, cooking for 5 minutes, or until soft.
   
2. Add the spices, cooking for 1 minutes more. Add the flour and cook for 1 additional minute.
   
3. Gradually stir in the vegetable broth to prevent lumps. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the coconut milk and tomatoes, stirring occasionally.
   
4. Let it simmer for half an hour.
   

Egg Masala

I really admire the people who can write what they feel. I have so many things I would like to share but just cant. I was never good at writing down my thoughts, I would dread the essay writing in school, I would have like 5 to 6 sentences and then keep repeating them again and again and a big F in the side. I would always make up in the literature part, I loved Shakespeare and would do well in that so overall I would be ok.

Here I am sitting ok what can I write about Egg Masala, I know there are many things to share but just don't know how to put it to words. I actually do not speak much too, I take really long to get used to a person and by then every one things I am a big snob. I usually keep my thoughts and opinions to myself unless the opposite person is someone close or family. I treasure the few friends I have more than any other materialistic things I have. Sometime I wonder why is it so difficult for people to understand me, or people like me and except people for who they are, God made all off us different if we all were the same wouldn't this world be a boring place to be in. I respect everyone until I know a certain person is really evil and rude and then I just keep my distance, that person may have his/her reasons. Once we stop reacting to that person maybe they will stop.

This the most I have written in the past few months in my blog. I will get to the recipe now which both DH and me love.

Ingredients
4 hard boiled eggs, cut in half
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
2 green chilies
1 inch ginger
3-4 garlic pods
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp kissan tandoori masala (optional)
pinch turmeric powder
1-2 cups Milk
salt to taste
fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.
   
2. Add the onions and fry them till they turn light brown.
   
3. Then add the tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chilies and cook till the oil separates.
   
4. Remove from heat and cool.
   
5. Grind the onion tomato mixture to a smooth paste.
   
6. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.
   
7. Fry the coriander powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder.
   
8. Add the ground masala and cook till the oil separates.
   
9. Add milk, tandoori masala and salt.
   
10. Bring to a boil.
    
11. Add the boiled eggs.
    
12. Garnish with coriander leaves.
    
13. Serve immediately with rotis/parathas.
    

ICC Aug 2009 - Churma Ladoo & Modak

This month was a festival special, we had many recipes to chose from and had to make 2 off them, something that you have not cooked before. I chose churma ladoo and Modak from Mints. I made these for Ganesh Chaturti.

Churma Ladoo by Tarla Dalal (Shared by Lata)
These were super easy to make and we loved them b ut the next time I would just decrease the amount of seasame seed, I am not a big fan of them. Other than that this is a ladoo which I will make more often now.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (200 grams) whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta), coarsely ground
1/4 cup grated dry coconut (copra)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (til)
3/4 cup (150 grams) jaggery , grated
2 tablespoons ghee

Other ingredients
ghee for deep frying
poppy seeds (khus khus) for coating the laddus

Method

1. Make a stiff dough of the whole wheat flour using 1/2 cup of water. Knead very well.
   
2. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
   
3. Shape the portions into the shape of your fist and press with your fingers in the centre of each portion to make an indentation.
   
4. Heat ghee in a large kadhai and deep fry the dough portions on a very slow flame for approximately 25 to 30 minutes until they are golden brown in colour.
   
5. Drain on absorbent paper and allow them to cool.
   
6. Pound in a mortar and pestle to coarse pieces. Grind the pieces further in a food processor to get a fine powder (churma).
   
7. Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pan, add the grated coconut and sesame seeds and saute for about 2 minutes. Remove and keep aside.
   
8. Heat the jaggery with the remaining tablespoon of ghee and 1 tablespoon of water on a medium flame till the jaggery dissolves. Cool slightly.
   
9. Mix the ground churma, coconut and sesame seeds with the melted jaggery.
   
10. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
    
11. Divide into 10 portions and shape into rounds. Roll each laddu in poppy seeds.
    
12. Store the laddus in an air-tight container.
    

Modak by Mints



We usually make the fried version of Modak, so I tried this one. Anything fried is always tastier, though this one was healtier we enjoy the fried one. I had to finish these myself, DH would not eat them he just took one as prasad. I think I did not do it right too, the outer layer was thick. I just would heat it in the microwave for 30 minutes with some ghee and then it would taste better.

Ingredients
Stuffing
2 cups freshly grated coconut (can use frozen unsweetened coconut)
1 cup jaggery (grated)
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp cardamom powder
one pinch nutmeg (optional)
2 tbsp water (mom uses milk)

Cover
1 cup rice flour
1.25 cup water
pinch of salt
1 tbsp oil

Method
Stuffing

1. Roast poppy seeds in a small skillet and let it cool down. Grind it coarsely and keep it aside.
   
2. In a heavy bottom kadhai mix all the ingredients for stuffing except poppy seed powder and let it sit for 15 min. Now start heating the mixture over medium heat. In about 10-12 minutes, the mixture starts boiling and stuffing will turn yellowish brown and will be sticky. Take the kadhai off the heat, add poppy seeds powder and mix well. Set it aside to cool down.
   

The Cover

1. Take vessel that has tight fitting cover. Start boiling water in that vessel, add salt and oil.
   
2. When water starts boiling, lower the heat and slowely add rice flour. Please do now dump everything at once.
   
3. Start mixing vigourously with a heavy spoon.
   
4. Now close the lid and take the pot off the heat. Let the covered pot cool down for 15 minutes or so.
   
5. Then with wet hands, mix the dough properly. It will warm so be careful and use cold water to keep your hands from burning but do not use too much water.
   
6. If you think the dough is little sticky, I will suggest add 1-2 tbsp maida to it and make the dough.
   

Making Modak (Final Product)

1. Start boiling water in a large vessel that can fit a steamer. I use a stainless steel steamer that fits on a pressure cooker and water doesnt touch the steamer and use stainless steel plate to cover it.
   
2. Oil the steamer and set it aside.
   
3. Make about 20 balls of the dough and 20 parts of the stuffing.
   
4. Start making small puri with the dough ball on a oiled paper/aluminum foil.
   
5. Keep one part of stuffing in the middle of the puri and gather the puri gently to make shape like modak. You can see the picture here.
   
6. You will have to handle the dough very gently. Follow the step to make remaining modaks.
   
7. Now dip each modak in cold water and put it in the steamer.
   
8. Put the steamer on boiling water and cover it. Let the modaks steam for 20 minutes on medium to high heat.
   
9. Take the steamer off the vessel and let it sit for 5 minutes before removing moodakd from steamer.
   
10. Traditionally, modaks are served with ghee but it can be served with coconut milk.
    

Instant Onion Sambhar

We usually make this in the morning for breakfast with idli or Dosa, at home we prefer the dalless version in the morning since it is light and you dont keep burping the whole day long. And also since it is so easy to make. Dont worry if you do not have few ingredients, if you have sambhar powder then the rest is all upto you. Sometimes I add some vegetables, like carrots, beans, eggplant and at time I just add baby onions. If you dont have baby onions regular onions work perfectly fine too. The amount of tomatoes you use is upto you, how tangy do you like your sambhar, my husband loves it really tangy, spicy and a little sweet (khatta meetha).

Ingredients
1/2 cup small onions / regular onions sliced
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp chana dal
1/4 tsp urad dal
few curry leaves
1.5 tbsp sambhar powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp tamarind paste(adjust to taste)
salt to taste
fresh coriander leaves

For the Ground Masala
1/2 cup onions, sliced (regular)
1/2 cup vegetables of your choice(optional)
1.5 cup tomatoes, cut into quarters (you can adjust this to your taste)
4-5 pepper corns
1/4 inch cinamom stick
2 - cardamoms
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp garlic
2 green chilies
1 tbsp grated coconut (optional, can add more if you want)

Method
The Ground Masala

1. Heat 1 tsp oil.
   
2. Add the peppercorns, cinamom stick and cardamom.
   
3. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes.
   
4. Add the ginger, garlic and green chilies.
   
5. Cook till the onions and transparent.
   
6. Add the tomatoes.
   
7. Cook till oil seperates and the tomatoes are cooked well.
   
8. Add the coconut.
   
9. Remove from heat and cool completely.
   
10. Grind to a smooth paste.
    

The Sambhar

1. Heat 1 tsp oil.
   
2. Add the mustard seeds, channa dal and urad dal.
   
3. Once they splutter add the curry leaves.
   
4. Add the onions.
   
5. Add the sambhar powder. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuosly.
   
6. Add the ground masala. Cook will oil seperates.
   
7. Add salt and 2 cups water. If using vegetables add them at this point.
   
8. Bring to a boil.
   
9. Lower the heat and simmer till the onion and vegetables (is using) are cooked.
   
10. Add sugar. Add more water to get the right consistency.
    
11. Mix the tamarind paste in 1/4 cup of water.
    
12. Add the tamarind water. (taste before adding)
    
13. Adjust seasonings.
    
14. Bring to a boil.
    
15. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.