Malai Kofta (vegetable dumpling in spicy gravy)

Malai kofta is a rich spicy gravy made with fresh cream, paneer...not so good for health conscious people...Once in a while its good to let go yourself and plunge into great Indian delicacy...I learnt this recipe from Vah chef..Absolutely love it. Consumes lots of time if ur making for a group. I made this for new year's eve potluck... Man I was so tired after doing this for 15 people. U need to make koftas at least two for a person..It came out very well though!!!!

Ingredients:
Kofta:

1 cup boil grated vegetables(Carrot, peas, beans)
1 cup grated paneer
1 cup boiled grated potato
3 chopped greenchillies
1 tsp coriander powder
1tsp cumin powder
1 tsp redchilli powder
chopped nuts
chopped coriander
salt to taste
2 tbsp all purpose flour (APF)
oil to deep fry

Malai sauce:

1 onion chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
4 tbsp cashew nut powder ( dry grind the cashewnut to caorse powder)
1/2 cup cream
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp redchilli powder
1 tsp shahi jeera
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
Chopped corriander leaves
salt to taste
oil
2 tsbp grated paneer


Preparation:

Kofta:

steam cook the veggies and potato. Remove any extra moisture from them by squeezing them in a thin white cloth. There should be no moisture, otherwise the kofta will break.

Mix all the ingredients except all purpose flour in bowl. don't add water. Moisture in the veggies would be enough to bind them. Make small balls or any shape u like. Finally roll them in APF and deep fry till golden brown.

Malai Sauce:

Heat oil in pan. Add onion and a pinch of salt and fry till translucent.Add ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder. Fry for a minute. Add chopped tomatoes and fry till mushy. Add redchilli, cumin and coriander powder.Add water if it gets too dry. cover and cook till oil separates. Remove from heat. Let it cool down. Grind to a fine paste.

Heat oil in a pan, add shahi jeera. Add blended paste when the cumin crackles.Bring to boil. Add cream. Bring to boil. Add cashew nut powder. Finally add koftas to the gravy and switch of the heat. Sprinkle garam masala over it and garnish with coriander leavesand paneer.

Serve hot with naan.

Tomato Uthapam

Tomato Uthappam is my Hubby's Favourite!!! He always praises Uthappam from Annapoorna (Coimbatore).He has tried Uthappam everywhere in Houston..Nothing compared to Annapoorna Uthapam..Close winner was Madras Pavilion Tomato Uthapam. Here's my version of tomato Uthappam!!!Ingredients:

2 cups Idli rice

1 cup Urad dal

Handful of poha/aval

1 tomato

1 onion

2 greenchillies

1 tsp pepper powder

Preparation:

Soak the Idli rice and Urad dhal overnight and grind them to a thick batter. Add poha to rice while soaking...Leave it to ferment overnight..

Heat Dosa tava, pour the batter over the tava lik dosa (thick ones). Garnish with tomato, onion and green chillies... Sprinkle pepper powder which add unique flavour to tomato!!!

Serve hot with Onion chutney!!!!

Ginger Chicken

Ginger chicken reminds me of my college days. I usually take college bus everyday. During our final year we get off in afternoon...We used to take private bus and get off at a stop called Hopes college (Coimbatore)Its like a student hub. U can see students wandering all around the place...Restaurants, copiers, Internet cafe what not... When we felt hungry, me and my friends used to go to a restaurant. I don't remember the name. I love ginger chicken and chickoo ice cream served at this restaurant... I could never find the same taste in any restaurant. I tried to reproduce the same taste but could only reach halfway!!!!
Enough of story...Lets look at the ingredients..

Ingredients:
Chicken - 2 lbs
Ginger - 21/2 " piece
Onion - 2
Tomato - 3
Green chillies - 8
Jeera - 2tsp
Red chillipowder - 3 tsp
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Cardamom - 4
Cinnamon - 2
Cloves - 4
Curry leaves,coriander leaves
Lemon - 1 tbsp
Oil- 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Preparation:

Clean and Cut the chicken to bite size pieces. Marinate the chicken pieces with 1 tbsp lemon juice and salt for 1 hr. Fry sliced onion in 1 tbsp of oil until translucent and grind it with green chillies, ginger and Jeera . In a heavy bottomed pan, heat 3 tsp of oil, fry bay leaf,cloves,cardamom cinnamon and then add grounded onion mixture..Add salt and fry till oil separates.Now add turmeric,red chilli and coriander powders to this mix and fry for few more minutes.Finally add chopped tomatoes.Once tomatoes are well cooked ad the marinated chicken pieces and mix very well.Cover and cook it under medium heat. Don't add water.After chicken is well cooked, add the chopped coriander and curry leaves .

Potato Appalam Poriyal

Potato appalam poriyal is one of our household recipe...I donno if this recipe is followed anywhere else. My mother used do it all the time coz this is one of my favourite..Uralakizhango appalam (Tamil Version) is a good combo with rasam and curd rice...When I went to India for my marriage, I learnt this recipe and I wanna share this with everyone!!!!

Ingredients:

2 Potatoes Boiled

1 cup Channa dhal

1 onion

1 tomato

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

5 fried appalams

salt to taste

Seasoning: Oil, Mustard seeds, Curry leaves, Hing (perungayam)

Preparation:

As usual start with seasoning...Add the ingredients in order specified.. Add onions fry till translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry couple of minutes. Add chopped tomato and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook till they become mushy...Add turmeric, red chilli and curry powder.

In the meanwhile, boil channa dhal with 3 cups of water. Boil till the dhal becomes soft.. Strain the water and keep aside. Fry appalam and keep aside.

To the fried mixture add boiled, chopped potato and strained channa dhal. Adjust salt. Cover and cook for 10 mts...After the flavours are mixed together. Smash the appalam over the potato chana dhal mixture and remove from heat.

Serve hot with Rasam!!!!

This is my contribution to LENTILS MELA...

Carrot Curd Rice

Curd rice with a twist... I was bored making usual curd rice.. I had leftover carrot for longtime in my fridge..Idea....Carrot in curd rice.. nice addition + healthy food...I gave it a try..It tasted so good...


Ingredients:


1 cup rice
1 cup milk
3 cup yogurt
2 tbsp butter
salt to taste



Seasoning:


2 tbsp oil
3 green chillies or red chillies
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad and chana dhal
curry leaves
1 pinch asofoetida/Hing (perungayam)
2 carrots grated


Preparation:

In pressure cooker, add washes rice, 1 cup milk and 3 cups of water. The reason for adding more water is to get mushy rice. Add salt in the rice. Cover and cook for two whistles. Remove from heat..Keep the cooker under cold tap water to release the pressure immediately. Make sure all the pressure is released... Remove the whistle to see if the pressure is fully released. Open the cooker and transfer the contents to serving bowl. Add butter to it and mix well. Add yogurt(if u like sour taste add Indian home made yogurt) and mix well. Adjust salt.

Heat oil in a pan and do the seasoning. Add chopped redchillies and hing. Fry for few minutes. Add grated carrot and fry for 5 mts. Don't over cook carrot. It has to be crunchy... Remove from heat, add to the yogurt rice... Serve hot or cold with pickle...Yum Yum..

Once again, Thanks akal for passing me the award "U R A SWEET"....

Bagara Rice (Flavoured Rice)

Bagara rice is flavoured rice...I learnt this recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor's Khanna Kazana...Wonderful party food...Ingredients:

2 cups raw rice

1 onion sliced lengthwise

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

3 greenchillies

1 cup vegetables(carrot, beans, corn) anything of ur choice

2 tbsp ghee

salt to taste

1 tsp cumin seeds

Spice in a bag:

1 bay leaf

1 tsp saunf / fennel seeds

1" cinnamon stick

3 cloves

1 cardamom

Preparation:

I always use frozen mixed vegetables..which is easy to use and readily available..

Heat ghee in a rice cooker (if u don have one use nonstick sauce pan). Add cumin seeds. Once aroma oozes out..Add onions and green chillies... fry till translucent. Add ginger garlic paste. Fry for 3 mts. Add the mixed vegetable and saute for few minutes. Add rice and 3.5 cups of water. Add salt.

Interesting part is, u gather these spices and tie it in a muslin cloth/ thin white cloth. Tie the knot tightly....Drop this bag in the water and close the cooker lid. Leave it for one whistle. Switch off the heat, let the cooker sit till its fully cooled down. Before serving, remove the spice bag..

Serve hot with vegetable kurma, chicken gravy or Bagara Baingan....

Chayote (chow-chow) Curry

I love chayote dishes.. No specific reason..It has good nutritional value.. Moreover it tastes good. Its very bland but when spices are added to it...awsome taste...I was looking for new recipes using chow-chow... Found one in Mahanandhi's Website....Chilli sauce and Chow-chow is a ultimate combination...Me and hubby loved it...so spicy.. good for chappathi...

Ingredients:

1 chayote cubed

1 Onion

Chilli sauce:

5 dried red chillies

2 tablespoons - dalia (POTTU KADALAI)

1 tablespoon - grated coconut (fresh or dried)

1 tablespoon each - powdered jaggery and tamarind juice

1 teaspoon - mustard seeds

½ teaspoon - cumin

¼ teaspoon each - salt and turmeric

Read More................

Mahanandhi's Nandhayala website is vegetarian recipe heaven....U can totally depend on her... each and every recipe will amaze u...

Vegetable Fried Rice

Vegetable Fried rice is road side comfort food... U can get these in kaiyendhi bavan..Its very easy ..if u have left over rice this is best recipe...

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice

1 cup vegetables ( carrot, beans, corn, bell pepper)

1 onion

3 green chillies

8 garlic cloves

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp pepper powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

salt to taste

Preparation:

Heat oil in a pan, Add chopped garlic..fry till aroma oozes out. Add chopped onion and saute for few minutes. Add cooked vegetables and fry for another 5 minutes. Add pepper and garam masala powder...Add cooked rice and mix well. Add salt, tomato ketchup and soy sauce. Mix well..Add soy sauce according to ur taste. Cook for another 5 minutes..so that flavours mix together...Remove from heat... serve hot !!!!

Note: U can add egg before adding veggies...good alteration for non- vegetarian...

Onion Chutney

I should first Thank Akal for passing me "Good Chat Blog award". This is my first award and I am excited about it.....THANK YOU AKAL....

Onion chutney is the best combination for dosa, uttappam and Kuzhi paniyaram...These are my coming soon recipe.... Now lets focus on onion chutney...

Ingredients:

2 large onion
1 small tomato
1 tsp redchilli powder
1 tsp tamarind paste (adjust to taste)
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Seasoning: Oil, Mustard seeds, channa and urad dhal, curry leaves...

Preparation:

Heat oil, add onion and tomato..Fry for few minutes. Add salt, redchilli powder and tamarind paste. Adjust to ur taste.. Don't add more, it will make in sour... Fry till the raw small vanishes.. Remove from heat cool down. Grind to a smooth paste...

Do the seasoning, add to chutney. Don't reheat it or add chutney directly to the heated pan!!!

Onion chutney is ready!!!!

Peerkangai Muttai poriyal(Rigde gourd & egg)

Ridge gourd is known as peerkangai in Tamil. My mother used to make chutney with peerkangai skin and i always have aversion towards these veggies... When i saw this ridge gourd in the shop..i thought lets give it a try.. I bought it. I was looking for some recipes... I got chutney recipe from my mother..but i wanted to try something different.

When my hubbies neighbour relocated to india, they gave us so many good things..which included a recipe diary..Aunty's diary has so many recipes... when i was looking for something new..I found this recipe using peerkangai and egg. I tried it, it came out very well. It tasted different but yummy!!!!

Ingredients:

2 Ridge gourd
3 Eggs
2 cloves
1" cinnamon sticks
3 garlic cloves
1" ginger
1 tsp redchilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 cup grated coconut
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste.



Preparation:

Grind all ingredients from cloves to grated coconut to a smooth paste.

Remove the skin of ridge gourd and cut into small bite size pieces.

Heat oil in pan, add ground paste and fry for few minutes. Once the aroma oozes out, add ridge gourd and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook till ridge gourd becomes tender. Add salt. Finally, break the egg into the mixture and mix well and let it cook. After the egg is cooked..Remove from heat...Serve hot!!!!

Onion Bajji

Bajji is a famous snack in India. Vazhakkai (plaintain) Bajji is well known street side food whereas onion bajji is usually made in household... as Sunday tea time snack while watching a movie in Doordarshan (DD).Good old days!!!!

When unexpected guest comes to our house during tea time, onion bajji is the life saver!!!. Everyone if us will always have onions and besan in pantry.. U can make bajji in 10 minutes...

Ingredients:

1 big onion

1/2 cup besan (kadalai maavu)

3 tbsp rice flour

1 tbsp redchilli powder

1 tbsp ghee

1/2 tsp garam masala

salt to taste

oil for deep frying

Preparation:

Cut onion in round shape. Carefully place them in chopping board...don't break into layers..

Mix besan, rice flour, ghee, salt, redchilli and garam masala. Add water slowly, and mixing the ingredients simultaneouly. The batter should be like dosa batter consistency. Immerse onion slices in batter one by one and deep fry them in the oil.. Remove from heat and place it in a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Serve hot with tomato Ketchup!!!

Note: Just replace onion with Plaintain, Vazhakkai Bajii is ready!!

Announcing Event--"Lentils Mela"

Lentils Mela......Starting now......

After participating in few event, I got an urge to announce an event in my blog. I solely depend my fellow blogger and visitors to make this event a great success..

I was thinking about the event, I had many ideas but u know what...its already been announced by other blogger. Finally I decided on Lentils Mela huhhhhh huge sigh of relief....

The reason to select lentils..... They are very nutritious and has more health benefits... I was attracted to a quote by Laurie Colwin


“Lentils are friendly—the Miss Congeniality of the bean world.”

Facts about Lentils....

Lentils are shaped like a lens. In fact, lens is the Latin word for lentil. The size and appearance of lentils varies depending on the variety.

According to the Bible, Esau was tricked into selling his birthright for a pottage of lentils. (Genesis 25:34)

Lentils have been found in Egyptian tombs that date from 2400 BC. It may have been used as an aphrodisiac. They also thought that the lentil enlightened the minds of children, making them more cheerful and studious.

ANCIENT LENTILS
The Egyptians are also thought to have introduced the lentil to the Greeks and Romans. In Ancient Greece, Hippocrates prescribed lentils and slices of dog for liver ailments.
Lentils were probably cultivated in the gardens of Babylon in 800 BC.

EASTERN WASHINGTON The lentil is a cousin of the bean, and both are a part of the legume family. All legumes are seeds that grow within pods. (source)


Types of Dals (Lentils)

Chana dal--The words "chana dal" mean "split chickpeas." (Chana gram is a whole chickpea). Chana dal are baby chickpeas that have been split and polished. They look and taste like small kernels of sweet corn and work well in soups, salads, and rice dishes.The most popular legume in India. Chana dal is a very versatile dried split yellow lentil with a slightly sweet taste, nutty flavor. It is used in variety of vegetable dishes. It can be cooked until soft for the dish called simply dal (yellow dal), or as in southern India it can be used as a spice.


Tur dal/Toor Dal/Tuvardal/Toovhar dalToor ---Dal is a glassy dark yellow split pea (pigeon pea), similar to chana dal. Toovar da exhibits a thick gelatinous/meaty consistency. They take a little longer to cook than moong or masoor dal/dahl. These yellow split peas can be made into dal which is served with side dish of vegetables, rice or flat breads.The South Indian delicacy, sambhar which is an accompaniment for dosa, idli or even rice is cooked with toordal.


Urad Dal (whole and Split)Also called Black Beluga Lentils. Whole Urad dal/dahl is used more like a chili or stew than a soup or dal/dahl. These lentil-like beans have black skins covering creamy white interiors. Whole urad dal/dahl derive their strong, rich, earthy flavor from the black skins and have an uncanny ability to absorb flavors. Split and without the skin Urad dal is a white lentil used along with rice to make dosas, the crisp pancakes of southern India and other Rice preparations. In South India, Urad dal is used as a seasoning with mustard seeds for curries.


Mung dal/Moong Dal (whole and split)Whole moong is actually a bean or pulse and is known as 'sabat moong' . They are small green beans fairly used in India, China, Thailand and Japan. Sprouted they are used in salads or stir fries with lemon juice or vinaigrette. In India Moong dal is used, which is split moong beans with the skin left (green skin yellow lentil) on or without the skin(yellow lentil). It is used to make delicious dals and curries. Moong lentils in particular is very easy to digest and take on seasonings and spices very well.


Masoor DalWhile whole, this bean is greenish-brown, even though they can be prepared whole (masoor beans) Indian recipes often call for the skinned and split masoor, which is called masoor dal. Skinned split Masoor beans are actually called red lentils (orange in color). They have a dark, earthy flavor and a creamy texture. These lentils pair well with tomatoes and kheema/mince meats, sausages, and may be served on their own as a side dish, or incorporated into soups, stews, salads and Indian dal.



Checkout the nutrition and Benefit details here.....



The Rules is very simple....



1. Prepare a recipe using Lentils as the dominating ingredient and post about it on your blog.


2. Non-veg/Veg recipes are allowed.It may be a starter, breakfast, dinner, dessert.. anything that's innovative.


3.While doing the post, make sure to link back to this event announcement. Use of Logo would be appreciated..


4.Mail the following details to ashwinispicycuisine(at)gmail(dot)com with the subject line reading "Lentils Mela"

Your name

Your blog name

Name of the entry URL of your post

A photo


4. Not owning a blog isn't an excuse for you not sending in entries. You can always mail me the above-said details and they will be included in the roundup!!!!


5. Older posts with Lentils can be included if it is republished as a new post.


6. The last date for sending in entries is March 15 2009...

There is no limit for entries...Get set Go....Start cooking!!!!!