May 20, 2020

Pudina Chutney




Ingredients
2 tsp Oil
5 cloves of Garlic (roughly chopped)
4 Green Chilies (roughly chopped)
1 inch piece of Tamarind
1/2 cup Coconut 
1 large bunch or 2 handful of Mint
1/2 tsp Salt
For seasoning
   1 tsp Oil
    1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
   1 Red chili 

Method
  • Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic and green chilies. Saute until garlic starts to turn light brown.
  • Add tamarind, saute for just few seconds
  • Then add mint. Saute until mint starts to wilt
  • Add coconut. Saute until coconut starts to turn light brown color
  • Remove off from heat and cool 
  • Add salt and 1/2 cup of water. Grind the ingredients into a smooth paste
  • As an optional step, add seasoning. Add 1 tsp of oil, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds and 1 Whole re chili. When it starts to splutter, pour it over chutney
  • Serve it with Indian breakfasts, breads, sandwich and tacos

May 18, 2020

Veg Egg Bhurjji





Ingredients
2 tsp Green Chilies (finely chopped)
2 tsp Garlic (finely chopped)
1 large Onion (finely chopped)
1 cup of Cabbage (finely chopped)
1 cup of Carrots (finely chopped)
3 cups of Spinach (finely chopped)
2 cups of Mushrooms (diced)
6 Eggs
Dry spice powders
   1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
   1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
   3/4 tsp Coriander powder
   1 tsp Chili powder
   1 tsp Store bought Mutton masala powder
Salt per taste
3 tsp oil

Method
  • Heat oil in a skillet. Add garlic and chilis. Saute for 30 sec
  • Then add onions. Saute until onions are wilted
  • Then add cabbage and carrot. Cook for 2 minutes
  • Then add spinach and mushrooms. Saute for 2 minutes
  • Then add dry spices powders - garam masala powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, chili powder and mutton masala powder. Mix well util well combined
  • Add salt per taste. Mix well
  • Add eggs. Stir until until eggs starts to thicken and no liquid eggs remain. 
  • Serve with steamed rice and Indian bread

Veg Coconut Kurma









Ingredients

1 large or 1 cup of Carrots (diced)
2 small or 2 cups of Potatoes (diced)
1 cup of Green beans
1/2 Onion (finely chopped)
1 tsp Coconut oil
2 tsp Crushed Garlic
5 Green chilies (cut lengthwise)
1 can or 14 oz or 3 cups of Coconut Milk 
Whole dry spices
   1 Bay leaf
   1 inch stick of Cinnamon
   3 Cardamom (crushed)
   5 Cloves
Dry spice powders
   1 tsp Red Chili powder
   1/2 tsp Coriander powder
   1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Rice flour
1 1/2 tsp Salt
3 cups of water

Method
  • Cook carrots, potatoes and beans in a pressure cooker with 1 cup of water for upto 1 whistle. Set aside and allow pressure cooker to cool
  • Heat coconut oil in a heavy bottomed skillet. As oil turns to smoky hot, add whole dry spices- bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Wait until it starts to splutter
  • Then add garlic and green chilies. Saute until garlic starts to turn golden brown
  • Then add onions. Satue until onions start to wilt
  • In the mean time, mix rice flour with 1/2 cup of water without ay lumps. Set aside
  • When onions have wilted, add dry spice powders  - red chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Saute for just 10-15 sec so that the flavors from dry spice powders are infused in oil
  • Add coconut milk to the skillet. Add 1/2 cup of water to scrape any ingredients inside the can.
  • Also add rice flour water + salt and mix well
  • Also add cooked veggies with vegetable stock
  • Add remaining water and bring kurma to boil until oil starts to float on top
  • Serve with south Indian breakfast like idli, dosa, appam, chapati, rice varieties like ghee rice, pulav and many more

May 15, 2020

Sponge Idli | Made from Idli Rava








Ingredients
3 cups Idli Rava
3/4 cup Urad Dal
1/4 cup Poha
3 tsp Sabudana (tapioca pearls)

To steam Idli
    Salt per taste
    1 tsp Eno

Method
  • Wash all the above ingredients mentioned above with water separately. 
  • Soak Idli rava, Urad dal, poha and sabudhana in separately in water  4-6 hours. Again wash each ingredient separately in water atleast twice until water is not cloudy at all. 
  • After idli rava is washed, squeeze or drain all the water. Use hand or a cheese cloth per your convenience.
  • Use a wet stone grinder to make the batter. First grind Urad dal. Add 1/2 cup of water. grind for 15 -20 minutes until the batter is fluffy and velvety. The quantity if urad dal batter will triple or quadruple when it starts to get fluffy. 
  • Remove the batter from the grinder and set aside. 
  • Next grind poha and sabudhana. Grind for 2 minutes.
  • Add Idli rava and grind fro 5 minutes until it is coarsely ground. There is no need to add water as idli rava has already retained water from soaking. 
  • Remove the batter from the grinder. 
  • Now, mix together all the batter until well combined. 
  • Transfer it to a box or a container which has a lid. Ferment over night. (You can see bubbles and idli batter will rise after fermentation)
  • You can refrigerate up to 7-10 days 
To make idli-
  • Add salt and eno to the fermented idli batter. Mix well at room temperature. 
  • Heat water 2-3 inches deep in idli cooker.
  • Pour batter in idli moulds or idli plate
  • Steam in cooker for 12 minutes. Remove from the cooker
  • Allow idli to rest for 2-3 minutes
  • Dip a flat spatula in water and remove the idli's formt the mould
  • Serve hot

May 5, 2020

Pav Bhaji











Ingredients

For making Bhaji
      3 tsp Butter
      2 Potatoes
      2 Carrots
      2 Tomatoes (puree)
      1 Onion (finely chopped)
      1 tsp Garlic paste
      Dry spice powders
            2 tsp Pav bhaji masala (store bought)
            1 tsp Coriander powder
            1 tsp Red chili powder
            1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
            1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
            Salt per taste

For the side & toppings
      1 large Onions (finely chopped)
      Lemon wedges
      Small bunch of Cilantro (finely chopped)
      Butter cubes

For Pav (Indian Bread)
      1 pack of  Hawaiian Rolls or Hot dog buns or Brioche Buns
      Butter for toasting

Method

Making bhaji

  • Cook potatoes, carrots and pinch of turmeric powder along with 3-4 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles. Reserve the water.
  • Heat butter on a skillet. Add garlic and onions. Satue until it is golden brown.
  • Add tomato puree. Cook for 2-2 minutes
  • Add all the dry spice powders - pav bhaji masala, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt per taste. Mix well
  • Add boiled vegetables - potato and carrot. Use a potato masher to mash all the ingredients. Add 2-3 cups of reserved water from boiled vegetables. Continue to mash all the ingredients until they are well combined. Turn heat to low and cook for 5-10 minutes.
  • Top it with 1 tsp butter 
Making Pav
  • Heat 1/2 tsp of butter on a flat pan. Toast buns inside and out until it is golden brown
For Plating
  • Traditionally in fast foods or street foos use a steel plate which has compartments to serve this dish.
  • Arrange toasted pav, bhaji, onions, cilantro, lemon wedges and butter in separate containers.
  • Serve bhaji on a plate. Top it with lemon juice, onions, cilantro and a small cube of butter. Dip buns in bhaji and relish it



Mint Tilapia Tawa Fish Fry



Ingredients

500gms Tilapia fillets
Oil for pan fry

For Fish Masala
    1 small bunch Mint
    4 cloves Garlic
    1/2 inch Ginger
    3 Green Chilies
    2 tsp Lime Juice
    1/2 Pepper powder
    1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
    1 tsp Salt
    1 tsp Oil

Method


  • Grind all the ingredients listed under fish masala - mint, garlic, ginger, green chilies, lime juice, pepper powder, turmeric powder, salt and oil
  • Marinade fish with masala paste. And refrigerate for 20 minutes
  • Heat pan, add 2 tsp oil. Gently place fish fillets on the pan. Fry on each side for 2-3 minutes until fish is cooked fork tender
  • Serve hot.





May 1, 2020

Crispy n Spicy Potato Fries


Ingredients

250 gms Potatoes (cut into sticks)
oil for deep frying

For dry ingredients
   1/2 cup corn flour
   2 tsp Corn starch
   1 tsp Red chili powder
   1 tsp salt
   pinch of Baking soda

Method


  • Whisk all the dry ingredients in a large bowl until well combined
  • Add potatoes and toss well. Rest for 10 minutes
  • Heat oil for deep frying
  • Add potatoes in small batches . Fry until it turns golden brown and crunchy
  • Remove from oil. use an absorbent paper to drain excess oil
  • Serve hot with your favorite sauce