Murg Hara-Bhara Kebab

I have been planning to make a chicken appetizer for office lunch quiet sometime. When I opened refrigerator, I saw 2 bunches of coriander leaves and some green chilies, hence stuck with HARA-BHARA Kebab. This recipe is a party appetizer and cooks really fast; and off course it is also an outdoor recipe.

                           

Ingredients

200 gms Chicken Breasts, cubed 1 inch

1 bunch Coriander leaves

3 green chilies

1/2 tsp Pepper powder

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

1/4 tsp Cumin powder

3 Garlic cloves

1/2 cup white Vinegar

salt

3-4 tsp oil for smearing

skewers

1 red onion, cubed,  1 inch

Method

1. Make a smooth paste of cilantro, green chilies, pepper powder, fennel seeds, cumin powder, garlic, vinegar and salt
2. Marinade chicken with this paste for 1 hours
3. Soak skewers in water for 45 minutes
4. Thread marinated chicken pieces and red onions alternatively
5. Place skewers on a preheated griddle or on a grill. Cook evenly on medium heat about 15 to 20 minutes. Smear oil if need. Sprinkle chat masala before serving

                                         

        6. Serve hot

Kara Kozhukattai | Pidi Kozhukattai | Pich Kudumulu

Pidi Kozhukattai is steamed rice dumpling from South Indian Cuisine. This Kozhukattai is made specially for Ganesha Chathurthi. It is also served for breakfast. It is primarily made with rice and seasoned with different condiments. This dumpling is a healthy recipe for evening snack or breakfast. You can replace it with ragi to make Ragi Kozhukattai.

Ingredients

1 cup Raw rice, soak in water for 5 hours

For seasoning

1 tsp Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Bengal gram

1 sprig curry leaves

4 green chilies, finely chopped

3 tsp Fresh Coconut, finely chopped

Salt

Method

1. Grind rice finely with little water
2. In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, when it splutters add bengal gram, curry leaves and green chilies. 
3. Now add ground rice and adjust salt as per taste. Start stirring in one direction until it forms thick dough
4. After the above mixture cools, divide the dough in to equal portions about 1 1/2 inch. Take a portion of dough, roll it into oval shape and press it between fingers
5. Place these Kozhukattai in idli vessel and steam for 10 to 12 minutes
6. Serve hot

Karjikai| Karjikayi | Kajjikai | Kajjikayalu

Karjikai is a traditional stuffed pastry from  India specially made for Diwali and Ganesha Chathurthi.  Karjikai is the main dish prepared for Lord Ganesha apart from modak or kudumbulu. The stuffing is made from copra, granulated sugar, cardamom and cashew nuts. Sometimes stuffing also contains sesame seeds and other dried fruits and nuts.

Before I got married, I used to help my mom in making Karjikai for every Ganesha festival. At home we make this sweet once or twice a year. Also, this sweet has shelf life up to 15 days when store in a cool place in air tight container.  

Ingredients

For the dough

1 cup Maida

3/4 cup water

pinch of salt

1 tsp ghee or oil

For stuffing

3 cups Copra (dried coconut), shredded

1 1/2 cup Sugar

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

1/4 cup Cashew nuts

Method

• Mix maida, salt and water in a mixing bowl to make dough. Cover the dough and leave it for 1 hour

• In another mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients for stuffing

• Now divide the dough into equal portions about 1/4th inch and roll it into balls
• Take a ball of dough and roll it very thin. Use maida for dusting 
• Place a tsp of stuffing on the center of rolled maida, fold it in half and seal the edges
• Starting on the left corner, star pinching on the edge of the dough and swirl inwards until you reach the other edge

• Heat the oil in heavy bottomed vessel for deep frying
• Slowing drop the Karjikai in oil for deep frying. Fry evenly on both the sides in medium-low heat until it turns golden brown. Use absorbent paper to drain excess oil

• After it has cooled completely, store it in an air tight container

Heerekai Bhajji

Heerekai Bhajji is a traditional deep-fried savory snack from Mysoorean cuisine. Its is made with heerekai (Chinese okra or ridge gourd) dipped in a mildly spicy chick pea batter. 

Often when I pay a visit to my aunts place, I demand to make heerekai bhajji which is treat for all my family members. My aunt taught me how to make this deep-fried snack which is extremely crisp on outside; soft, juicy and tender on inside. 

Ingredients

1 Heerekai ( Chinese okra or Ridge gourd), circular and thinly sliced

1 cup gram flour (chick pea flour)

1/2 tsp Cyan e pepper

3/4 cup water

1/4 Asafoetida

Salt

Oil for deep frying

Method

• In a large mixing bowl; mix gram flour, cayane pepper, asafoetida, water and salt.  Mix well without lumps 

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed dish for deep frying

• Dip heerekai in chick pea batter and gently leave it in hot oil

• Fry evenly in medium heat until it turns brown and crisp
• Use an absorbent paper to drain excess oil

• Serve hot with green chutney or coconut chutney

Heerekai Thove (Ridge gourd -Lentils Curry)

Heerekai Thove is a popular recipe southern part Karnataka. Often my mom makes this recipe for chapathi and rice. 

Thove (or tovve) is a very light lentil based curry with no masala. There are different variations in thovve which is made with or without adding vegetables.  It is a simple dal to make especially when you don't have spices at home.

Ingredients

1 cup Toor Dal

1 kg Heerekai (chinese okra or ridge gourd), cubed

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

1 Onion, diced

1 Tomato, diced

4 Green Chilies, cut lengthwise

1 sprig of curry leaves

1/4 tsp pepper powder

Salt

2 tsp Oil

Method

1. Cook toor dal with 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes
2. Heat oil in a pan, when it is smoky; add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilies and curry leave. Saute for few seconds and then add heerekai, onions and tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes. Transfer these ingredients to pressure cooker.
3. Add pepper and adjust salt as per taste . Again cook in pressure cooker for 1 whistle
4. Serve hot with rice or chapathi

Rava Ladoo

Rava Ladoo is a sweet ball made from semolina (rava or sooji) made during festive occasions. This dessert recipe is extremely easy and come in very handy for last minute preparations during festivals. 

 This year for Janmashtami, I had been planning to make easy sweet. Just a couple of weeks ago, I made Kesari Bath for Varamahalakshmi festival. I decided to make rava ladoo for Krishna Jayanthi and  made this ladoo for the first time on Janmashtami. 

The ingredients for this recipe is easily available in your kitchen pantry and steps for this recipe is very simple.

Ingredients

1 cup Semolina (rava)

3/4 cup Sugar

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

1/4 cup Cashew nuts

1/2 cup Ghee

1/4 cup Milk

Method

• Roast rava in a pan with 1 tsp of ghee. Saute in low heat for 5-8 minutes until ghee is completely absorbed by rava

• Add sugar and fry for a minute. Also add ghee and cardamom powder. Transfer the contents to a plate or mixing bowl

• In the same pan, heat 1 tsp of ghee and roast cashew nuts until it turns golden brown

• Now, add cashew nuts  to roasted rava-sugar mixture. Add another 2 tsp of ghee and mix well
• Add 1 tsp of milk to small portion of rava-sugar mixture. Mix well and roll it into 1 inch ball

• Repeat above step to roll remaining balls. Add milk as required

• Store it in cool and dry place in an air tight container

Note: 

• Don't add excess milk. Use it in small portions while rolling ladoo's individually
• I used only 4 tsp of ghee, you can add more ghee to add richness to ladoo
• Freshly grated coconut can also be added.

Uppu Seedai

Uppu Seedai (crispy rice balls)is a festive savory snack made exclusively for Gokulashtami. It is made with rice flour, urad dal flour along with special condiments. Seedai (crispy rice balls) comes both in sweet and savory versions. This recipe is the  savory version.

I made this snack for the first time for specially for Krishna Janmashtami. I learnt this recipe from fellow bloggers and that's how I got introduced to this recipe. It is a deep-fried snack and highly addictive. It looks like rice stones and texture wise- it is very crunchy. In this recipe, I have added cumin seeds and red chili powder. Traditionally, these two ingredients are not added. 

Ingredients

1 cup Rice flour

1 1/2 tsp Urad Dal flour

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

1/2 tsp Sesame seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp Ghee or butter (at room temperature)

water

Oil  for deep frying

Method

• Mix rice flour, urad dal flour, asafoetida, red chili powder, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, ghee and salt

• Add about 3/4 cup - 1 cup of  water to knead the dough. It should be soft and pliable

• Now roll the dough into small balls. Approximately 1 cm or 2 cm.
                             
• Spread the rolled balls on a absorbent paper for 5 to 10 minutes and leave it for air dry
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel for deep frying. Drop handful of  balls to the oil and fry in medium flame until it turns brown color

• Use absorbent paper to drain excess oil

• After it has completely cooled store it in a air tight container