Dalia upma(cracked wheat)- one pot wonder

I make this dish for lunch box. Just like sambhar, you can add a lots of veggies to make it more nutritious, not to mention it is naturally high in fibers.

Ingredients:

1 cup of dalia/cracked wheat

1/4 cup of diced onion

2 chili, chopped

1 cup of diced vegetables like carrot, peas, green beans, etc.

1 tbsp of peanuts

1/2 tbsp of urad dal (split and polished black gram)

1 tsp of cumin seeds

1 tsp of mustard seeds

3-4 curry leaves

1/4 tsp of turmeric powder

2-3 tbsp of oil for seasoning

salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and splutter mustard and cumin seeds. You may also use a regular pan

2. Add curry leaves, onion and chili. Saute until onion is translucent

3. Add peanuts and urad dal and saute for few seconds

4. Add dalia, turmeric powder and salt. Saute for a minute

5. Now add the veggies with 3 cups of water

6. Cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles. If using a regular pan, cook covered until soft

Serve with pickle and ghee.

Spicy anda curry (Egg curry)

I can never go wrong with this recipe that I learnt from my mother-in-law.
Every time, it turns out more and more delicious.

Ingredients:
4 hard boiled eggs
1 small onion, coarsely sliced
3-4 garlic cloves, coarsely sliced
3-4 stems of fresh cilantro
1 tbsp of grated dry coconut
1 tbsp of sesame seeds
3-4 whole black pepper
3-4 cloves
2 bay leaves
red chili powder to taste
salt to taste
oil for shallow frying and seasoning

Method:
1. Heat a shallow pan and roast sesame seeds and coconut, until coconut turns light brown. Keep the roasted mixture aside
2. In the same pan, roast onion and garlic, until they turn light brown

3. While the roasted mixture is cooling off, poke the eggs with a fork and shallow fry them in a skillet

4. Grind all the roasted ingredients, first sesame seeds and coconut, then onion and garlic with cilantro and little bit of water to a smooth paste
5. Heat a skillet with oil for seasoning. You can use the same oil used for frying eggs. Splutter cloves and pepper, then add bay leaves
6. Add the paste to oil and suate for 4-5 minutes until the raw smell of onion is gone
7. Now add 2 and half cups of water, chili powder and salt and bring it to a boil or two. You might add more water if you want a thinner gravy
8. Add the eggs, cover and cook for 5 mins on a medium flame

Serve hot with roti or rice.

Hot & tangy jhunka/pitla (Quick & easy)

A very simplistic and easy to make recipe. I usually make this when I am running out of groceries :p

Ingredients:
1 cup of besan (chickpeas flour)
4 tbsp oil for seasoning
soak lemon sized tamarind in 1 and 1/2 cup of water for at least 15 mins.
1 medium sized onion, sliced lengthwise
3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
3-4 curry leaves
2 tbsp red chili powder, or according to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste


Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard and cumin seeds
2. Add curry leaves, garlic and onion and fry until onion is translucent
3. Squeeze the soaked tamarind pulp and throw away the pulp.Use all the water used for soaking to make the tamarind paste/juice.
4. Add red chili powder to the oil and stir to prevent it from burning
5. Add the tamarind juice, turmeric powder and salt to the seasoning
6. When the mixture comes to a boil, turn the flame to low and add besan slowly, stirring continuously with other hand. Stir thoroughly until the besan is mixed without any dry remains
7. Cover the pan and cook on low flame, stirring occasionally for 7-8 minutes

Serve hot with rotis.

Hot & spicy baked tofu

Tried this appetizer last night with few alterations. Doesn't it look yummy?

Ingredients:
1 pack(16 oz.) of extra firm tofu
1/2 cup of medium hot buffalo wings sauce
2 tbsp of soy sauce
2 tbsp ground red chili sauce
1 tbsp of Shan's tandoori chicken masala (optional)
1 tbsp of tomato ketchup

Method:
1. Drain the tofu by pressing it wrapped in a paper towel
2. Cut tofu into medium sized cubes
3. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except tofu
If you think any of the flavor is too much to handle, add a little water to even it out.
4. Now add the tofu cubes to the sauce and gently mix it without breaking the tofu
5. Cover and keep it aside anywhere from 10 minutes to 4 hours
6. Preheat oven at 375 F for 15 minutes
7. Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil and arrange the marinated tofu cubes in a single layer
8. Bake it for about 15 mins and turn the cubes to bake the other side for another 15 minutes
Note: You can bake it for some more time if you want the cubes to be crispier

Serve it hot as an appetizer.

Matkichi rassa bhaaji (Moth beans sprout curry)

My Legume Love Affair


Legume love interests: 
http://foodandspice.blogspot.com/p/mlla.html
http://thewellseasonedcook.blogspot.com/




There are few dishes that go against the convention of healthy food isn't tasty.
This is one of them.

Preparation:
Soak matki (see image below) overnight. Drain the water in the morning, cover and keep at room temperature for 5-6 hours to get sprouts.

Ingredients:
2 cups sprouted matki/moth beans
1 cup finely diced onion
3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 and half tbsp of red chili powder or per your taste
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
2 tsp goda masala
3 tbsp oil for seasoning
salt to taste
chopped cilantro leaves for garnishing

Method:
1. Microwave sprouts along with little salt, turmeric powder, little red chili powder and 3 cups of water for 5 minutes or until they are half tender
2. Heat oil in a skillet
3. Splutter cumin and mustard seeds
4. Add curry leaves, garlic and onion. Fry till onion is translucent
5. Add the remaining red chili powder to the seasoning and stir. I prefer to add chili powder to the oil to get a nice red gravy
6. Immediately add the microwaved sprout mixture
7. Add goda masala
8. Add salt if necessary
9. Add a of cup water. I usually prefer a thin gravy, but not too runny. Cover and boil for 8-10 minutes.
Even though the sprouts are cooked in the microwave, allowing it to boil for a while gives you a good blend.
10. Garnish with cilantro

Serve with roti or rice. This curry goes well with brown rice too.

Soy chunk curry

This is one of my fav curry, since it is easier to make and has a high amount of protein in it.

Ingredients:
1 cup of soy chunks soaked for at least 20 mins
1/2 cup of diced onions
1/2 cup of diced red tomatoes
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
4-5 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp red chili powder, or according to your need
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
oil for seasoning
chopped cilantro leaves for garnishing

Method:
1. Drain the water from soy chunks
2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter cumin and mustard seeds
3. Add curry leaves, garlic and onion. Fry until onion is translucent
4. Add tomatoes and fry until they are tender
5. Add chili powder, salt and turmeric powder and stir
6. Now add the soy chunks and mix thoroughly
You may add little bit of water if you need a liquid gravy
7. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
8. Garnish with cilantro

Serve with rice or roti.

Green 'brown' rice- Lunch box idea

This recipe contains good amount of fibers and nutritional value. Nonetheless, it is easy to make!

Ingredients:

1 cup of brown rice

1 big green pepper, diced

12-15 florets of broccoli

1/4 cup of diced onion

2-3 green Thai pepper, chopped (or according to your need)

salt to taste

olive oil for seasoning

Preparation: Cook rice with 3 cups of water

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan

2. Add onion chops and fry until they are translucent

3. Add the Thai peppers and fry for a minute

4. Add bell pepper, broccoli and cook until they are half cooked. I don't prefer my veggies to be completely cooked, just to retain some amount of fibers in them

5. Add salt and mix

6. Now add the cooked brown rice and gently mix together. Cover the pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes

Varan phal/Bele kadabu- one pot wonder

Varanphal with spinach

This dish is one of my favorite one pot wonders. It is simple and easy to make but has a lot of room for adding your own veggies to make it more nutritious!

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour (atta)
1/2 cup of cooked toor dal
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
4-5 curry leaves
2 leaves of tamarind soaked in water to make a paste (optional)
2 tbsp red chilli powder or according to your need
1 tsp of mustard seeds
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
salt to taste
oil for seasoning

If you have more time and to make it more nutritious, add the below
1 cup of chopped fresh spinach
7-8 florets of cauliflower
1/2 cup of frozen French cut beans
(You can add almost anything)

Method:
1. Knead the atta with water into a chapati/roti dough and keep it aside.
2. Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a deep pan (or kadai)
3. Splutter mustard and cumin seeds
4. Add garlic and curry leaves and fry until garlic turns brownish in color
5. If using veggies which is optional, add them now and fry for 2-3 minutes
6. Add red chilli powder and make sure it doesn't burn by adding the cooked dal immediately to the pan
7. Fry for a minute on low flame
8. Now add turmeric powder, salt and tamarind paste
9. Add around 4-5 cups of water, cover and cook until the veggies are half done
The gravy should not be thick, it should be runny but still you should feel the presence of dal
10. Meanwhile, make medium sized balls out of the dough
11. Take one ball and roll it into a circle like roti. Don't make it too thin, because we are going to cut it into diamond shapes
12. Using a knife, first make 1/2 inch wide vertical cuts from end to end. Next make 1/2 inch wide horizontal intersecting cuts from end to end. This gives you diamond shapes
13. Add the shapes to the boiling gravy
Remember, keep the gravy on a low heat until you are done with shaping and adding all the dough, so that the dough added earlier wont get overcooked
14. Now repeat steps 12 and 13 for the remaining dough
Keep stirring gently as the dough might stick to the bottom of pan
15. Cover and cook until the dough is soft enough and doesn't carry a raw taste
16. Garnish with chopped cilantro

Serve with ghee and udid papad.

Bharli vangi/Tumb badnikayi (stuffed eggplant curry)

This is a fusion of North Karnataka and Maharashtra stuffed eggplant recipes.
Ingredients:
1. 8 Indian eggplants washed, but don't chop off the stems
2. 1/2 cup of roasted peanut powder

3. 1/2 cup of roasted karellu/gurellu powder (Niger seeds). If you don't have it, just use more peanut powder for now. See the image below

4. 3-4 leaves of tamarind soaked in water to get a paste
5. 1/2 tbsp of Goda masala (optional, it adds the sweet and spicy taste). You can also use kare khara
6. 2 tbsp Red chilli powder or depending upon you desired level of hotness
7. Salt to taste
8. 2 tbsp oil for seasoning
9. 1 tsp cumin seeds
10. 4-5 curry leaves
11. 3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
12. Fresh cilantro for garnishing

Method:
1. In a bowl, mix the peanut and karellu powder, salt, chili powder and just little water to make a thick paste for stuffing. Make sure the paste is not too runny to stuff.

2. Give two intersecting slits to the eggplants from the end opposite of the stem , towards the stem. Stop just above the stem. Make sure you don't cut the eggplant to slices, so that you have good pocket to stuff the paste
3. Now fill each eggplant with the paste we made in step# 1

4. Heat a pan with oil, and splutter cumin seeds
5. Add curry leaves and garlic paste, fry until garlic turns brownish
6. Now add the stuffed eggplants, fry for a minute
7. Stir them so the other side of the eggplants are cooked too
8. Now add tamarind paste and goda masala and stir
9. Add around a 1/2 cup of water. After a boil, taste the gravy and add salt and chili powder accordingly
10. Cover and cook the eggplants stirring occasionally, until the eggplants are soft enough.
    Make sure you don't mash the eggplants while stirring.
11. Remove from heat and garnish with chopped cilantro

Serve with roti or rice.

Akki rotti (rice flour bread)

Growing up in southern India, I came across many unique recipes. One of them is akki rotti.
Akki rotti with coconut chutney makes a yummy brunch!

Ingredients:
1. 2 cups of rice flour, and some for dusting
2. 1/4 cup of roasted peanut powder
3. 3-4 green chillies, finely chopped
4. 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion
5. 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh cilantro
6. Salt to taste
7. Oil for smearing

Method:
1. Heat 2-3 cups of water
2. In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients
3. Use the hot water to make a soft dough. Note: amount of water is according to your need
4. Make small balls out of the dough
5. Keep tawa/griddle on a medium flame
6. Use a parchment/cookie sheet or thick plain plastic paper for rolling the rotis
7. Smear the cookie sheet with some oil and with wet palms flatten the ball on the sheet to a flat roti
8. Dribble some oil on the griddle
9. Put the rolled dough on the griddle slowly removing from the cookie sheet
10. Cook it on a high flame for about 2-3 minutes or until the side is baked
11. Now cook the reverse side of the roti until it is baked well
12. Remove the roti and store it wrapped in a cheese cloth in a airtight container

Serve with chutney of your taste. I usually make coconut chutney to go with it.