Tuesday 29 September 2015

PATHOLI

One more post from Prathima Bhat Acharya. Patholi is prepared mainly at the time of festivals, in GSB households. The main two festivals are Naga Panchami and Ganesh Chathrti. Here the patholi recipe goes like this.....
YUMMY PATHOLIS!

WHAT YOU NEED:

Turmeric leaves - about 15 

Rice -1 cup

Phova - 3/4 cup

Grated coconut -1/4 cup

Jaggery - a small piece

Salt - to taste

FOR CHURNA:

Coconut gratings - of 1 coconut (3/4 cup)

Jaggery - 1/2 cup (8-10 cubes)

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
TURMERIC LEAVES PATHOLI

SERVE PATHOLIS WITH FRESH GHEE!


HOW TO MAKE:

Wash rice and soak for 1hour.  Drain.

Now grind rice,coconut, washed phova, a small piece of jaggery and little salt along with a little water to a fine paste.

The paste should be thick.

Now heat a half cup of water along with jaggery.

When jaggery melts completely strain through a strainer.

Transfer the liquid back in the cleaned vessel and heat it again till it gets sticky. 

Add coconut gratings, stir till all the liquid evaporates.

Finally add cardamom powder. Mix well.

Now wash turmeric leaves very well, cut both the ends.

Spread on the kitchen slab.

Put a spoon of rice paste on the leaves and spread the paste evenly. Take a spoon of churna and put in a center of the leaves, lengthwise. 

Fold the leaves.

Heat a steamer / cooker/ pedavan with enough water in it.

When it boils places folded filled turmeric leaves Patholi in the steamer.

Steam the patholi for 15 minutes.

Serve Patholis with fresh ghee.


Sunday 27 September 2015

TOUSHE SWEET IDLI WITH THE FLAVOUR OF TURMERIC LEAVES

This guest post is from my dear sister Prathima Bhat Acharya who works as a Lecturer in Mangalore; so she rarely gets time to cook and doesn't get an opportunity to cook as her mother-in-law who is a great cook. Even now she does all the cooking.  I still remember her tasty dishes which I had a few years ago. Whenever she goes to visit her daughter then my sister occupies the kitchen. Yesterday she had sent me the picture via WhatsApp of those idlis which were mouth watering. I remember those days when we were small... We used to come from school and were really hungry to eat the dishes made my our mom !! The evening snack was along with blob of butter or a tsp of ghee. The taste is still lingering in my mouth that I had it in ages.  Here's Prathima's recipe.
CUCUMBER/ TOUSHE IDLI

WHAT YOU NEED:

Rice Rava - 2 cups

Grated Cucumber/ Toushe - 2 cups

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Jaggery powder - 1/2 cup, or to taste

Turmeric leaves - 2, tearing in to pieces

Salt - to taste
TOUSHE IDLI

HOW TO MAKE:

Grind coconut gratings in a mixer.

In a mixing vessel mix rice rava, grated cucumber, ground coconut, salt and jaggery powder along with very little water.

Cucumber contains lots of water so check while adding water.

Now grease the idli bowls with oil.

Fill the bowls with mixture, spread few pieces of turmeric leaves on the top.

Place them in the cooker/pedavan and steam for 15-20 minutes.

Serve warm Toushe Idli with a blob of butter or a tsp of ghee.

Saturday 26 September 2015

DATES SYRUP


DATES SYRUP

A few dates packets were lying in my fridge for long. My cousin brought some packets from the Dates land, Abudhabi, my friend had brought some dates from muscat, some we bought from our Indian stores. I used dates in many GSB currys, I substituted it for jaggery. I thought of making sweet dates pickle for my daughter's lunch box. But I was not sure that she would love this with chappati, as she loves spicy curry with chappati. So I dropped my idea of making pickle.
DATES

BOILING DATES IN WATER


After searching some recipes of dates online, I made up my mind of making Dates Syrup. It can be used as sweetener.

Here I used 3-4 cups of dates and also I added same quantity of water.  I washed dates on running water first to remove its dirt. Then I put all the dates in a vessel and water, then I heated it. Allowed to cook it till it became soft. When it was soft I could remove its seeds easily. I put the seeds in a small bowl and poured some boiled water, then removed a little pulp, which were stuck with seeds. Added this water to dates. When it was cool I ground it to a fine paste.

Then I strained the paste through a muslin cloth to get some thin syrup. Again I added some boiled water to the paste and again stained through the cloth. So I got 2 cups thin syrup.

I heated again that thin syrup to make a thick honey like syrup. No need of continuous stirring. But do not burn it. 

I have kept the dates waste in the fridge to make some dish. I found it still sweet, and can be used it again.

When the syrup is cooled down store it in a glass jar and refrigerate it.


STRAINED SYRUP 

READY TO CONSUME...

WHAT YOU NEED:

Dates - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash dates on running water.

Boil dates and water till they are soft.

Remove the seeds, add some boiled water to seeds and remove its pulp, which were stuck to the seeds. Put this water to dates.

Now ground to a fine paste, sieve or strain through a muslin cloth to get a thin syrup.

Heat the syrup to make thick honey like syrup.

When cool, transfer it to a jar and store it in the fridge.

Serve Dates Syrup as sweetener. It can be added to milk. It can be used while making cakes. You can serve with ice creams.




Saturday 19 September 2015

BISCUIT AMBODO



BISCUIT AMBODO WITH COCONUT CHUTNEY

WHAT YOU NEED:

Udad dal - 1 cup

Green chilly - 2-3, chopped

Ginger - 1 inch piece, chopped

Pepper corns - 15

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs, chopped

Salt - to taste

Oil - for deep frying



HOW TO MAKE:

Soak Udad dal for 3-4 hours. Drain.

Grind udad dal with very little water to a fine paste.

Add chopped green chilly, ginger, curry leaves and pepper corns to the paste.

Mix well.

Heat enough oil in kadahi.

Take a lemon size paste with your wet hand and slid in hot oil.

Fry in batches till they are golden and crisp.

Serve Biscuit ambodo with Coconut chutney as a snack.











BADGAPULI PICKLE / MALTA LEMON




MALTA LEMON LICKLE
WHAT YOU NEED:


Malta lemon - 1

Crystal Salt - 1 medium handful

Chilli powder - 5 tsp

Mustard seeds - 2 tsp + 1 1/2 tsp, roughly powdered 

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - size of a kabuli chana

Mustard oil - 1/2 cup
BADGAPULI PICKLE

MALTA LEMON PICKLE

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash the Malta lemon and cut in small pieces.

Add 1 handful crystal salt to it. Mix well.

Place under the sun for 2 days. Salt will melt under the sun and Lemon pieces will become soft.

I have kept chilli powder, methi seeds and mustard seeds also for 2 hours.

Dry roast methi seeds asafoetida and 2 tsp mustard seeds. When cool powder it. 

Now mix ground powder, red chilli powder and sun dried Malta lemon pieces.

Transfer this mixture in a jar.

Then add mustard oil and rough powder of mustard. Mix thoroughly.








Wednesday 16 September 2015

MODAK

This is God Ganesh's one of the fav sweets. I remember Modak a lot when Ganesh Chaturti is nearing. My mother-in-law used to make Modak at the time of Ganesh festival, with rice and also sometime with maida.  Being Ganesh chaturti tomorrow I ve to prepare other dishes too, so prepared Modak Today. This is my dear friend Rani's recipe. I must thank her for this recipe.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Rice / Rice powder - 1 cup

Salt - a pinch

Coconut gratings - 1 cup

Jaggery - 4-5 cubes

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
SWEET CHOORNA

HOW TO MAKE:


Heat half cup of water, add broken jaggery pieces. When it melts strain through a strainer to discard impurities from the jaggery.

Transfer the jaggery syrup back to vessel and heat. 

When it starts boiling and forms one thread consistency then add coconut gratings. Keep stirring till all the water diminishes. 

Add cardamom powder. Mix well. This is Choorna, for stuffing the Modakas. 
RICE DOUGH



READY TO STEAM

AFTER STEAMING, MODAKS!

FOR THE OUTER COVER :

If you are using rice soak in enough water for an hour. Then drain.

Grind soaked rice along with salt to a fine paste, adding very little water.

Transfer the paste in kadahi, then heat adding little water to it.

Stir continuously till it becomes thick.

If you are using rice powder: Mix rice powder and salt in kadahi, then add little water.

Heat the kadahi, stir, add little water again, stir till it becomes thick.

Then Knead well so that no lumps be inside. keep covered for an hour. This process makes the dough soft and can make modaks easily without any breaks.

Take the dough out and again knead. Make small gooseberry sized balls.

Rub oil in your hands, keep a ball in between your palms and press to make a small poori.

Put 1 tsp of choorna in the center of the poori, then close the ends on the top to make Modak.

Now steam the Modaks in Cooker for 12 minutes.









IDLI FINGERS

IDLI FINGERS



WHAT YOU NEED:

Left over Idlis - 4-5

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp / to taste
MADE FROM LEFTOVER IDLI 

IDLI FINGERS

HOW TO MAKE:

Cut the idlis lengthwise with knife. ( about 4-5 fingers from one idli)

In a mixing bowl add red chilli powder and salt. Mix well.

Now add Idli fingers in the bowl and mix well. Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Heat Dosa pan, when hot place the idli fingers on the pan and fry adding enough oil over the fingers, over a moderate heat till crisp. 

You can even deep fry them till they are golden and crisp.

Flip the idli fingers, fry crisp.

Serve Idli Fingers with Tomato ketchup as a snack.

Monday 14 September 2015

VAALI PAPAYA AMBAT/ INDIAN SPINACH WITH PAPAYA

VAALI PAPAYA AMBAT


WHAT YOU NEED:

Vaali - 3 feet along with leaves

Papaya - 1 small, raw or ripe, peeled, deseeded and cut in cubes

Coconut gratings - 1/2 cup

Red chilli, dried - 4-5 roasted in little oil

Tamarind - size of a small gooseberry

Onion - 1 , finely chopped

Jaggery - to taste ( a small piece) 

Salt to taste
PRESSURE COOKED VAALI AND PAPAYA CUBES

GROUND MASALA

VAALI /INDIAN SPINACH WITH PAPAYA

HOW TO MAKE :

Wash vaali well and chop. Cut the stems in 3 inches long.

Now pressure cook vaali and raw papaya cubes. Normally raw papaya is used in the curry, here I used ripe papaya so I did not pressure cook ripe papaya. I added papaya along with masala and did not add jaagery too because papaya is already sweet.

Grind coconut, red chilly and tamarind to a fine paste.

Add ground paste to the cooked Vaali and raw papaya. Add jaggery and some water and boil for few minutes.

Heat 2-3 tsp of coconut oil. Add onion and fry till they are golden brown.

Add this seasoning over the Vaali Papaya Ambat.

Serve Vaali Papaya Ambat as a side dish.



Saturday 12 September 2015

LADY'S FINGER FRY/ BHINDI PAKODA

LADY'S FINGER FRY


WHAT YOU NEED-

Chopped bhindi- 1 cup

Onion- 1 small chopped

Gram flour- 3tbsps

Rice powder- 3tbsps

Green chilies- 3 finely chopped

Curry leaves- 1 sprig finely chopped

Coriander leaves- 1tbsp- finely chopped

Mint leaves - 1tbsp finely chopped

Salt- to taste
BHINDI PAKODA!


HOW TO MAKE

In a mixing bowl, mix all the above ingredients adding little water.

Heat enough oil in kadahi.

When hot, take some mixture and; make it round and flat then slid in oil.

Fry on batches on medium heat till it becomes brown and a bit crispy.

Serve with tomato ketchup.

BHINDI PAKODA..

Wednesday 9 September 2015

MINT CORIANDER PULAV


MINT CORIANDER PULAV

WHAT YOU NEED :

Basumati rice - 2 cups

Mint leaves - half cup, chopped

Coriander leaves - 3/4 cup, finely chopped

Onions - 2, finely chopped

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon stick - a small piece

Cardamom pod - 2

Chopped garlic - 2 tsp

Chopped ginger - 2 tsp

Pepper corns - 15

Green chilly - 4

Chopped vegetables - 1 1/2 cups ( carrot, cauliflower, beans, cabbage, capsicum)

Salt - to taste

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Veg oil - 7-8 tbsp
MINT CORIANDER PULAV


HOW TO MAKE :

Wash and soak basumati rice for 15 to 20 minutes, Then strain and keep aside.

Heat oil in kadahi.

Add spices like cloves, cinnamon, slightly opened cardamom pods and pepper corns. Fry for few seconds.

Then add chopped ginger, garlic,onion, slit green chilly and stir till the aroma comes out.

Now add mint and coriander leaves, stir well.

Add vegetables and saute again till water contents go.

Then add drained rice and stir fry for few minutes.

Now add 4 cups of water, salt and ghee. Mix well. 

When it starts bubbling reduce the heat to minimum. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes.

Stir occasionally.

Serve Mint Coriander Pulav with Raita.






Tuesday 8 September 2015

AVRE GHASHI / WHITE BEAN GHASHI

AVRO/ WHITE BEAN

WHITE BEAN AND TENDER BAMBOO GHASHI


WHAT YOU NEED:

Avro / Bean - 1/2 cup

Tender Bamboo - 1/2 cup, cubed

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Bilimbis - 4-5

Tamarind - a small piece

Dried red chilly - 7-8 , roasted in little oil

Salt - to taste

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig
AVRO ANI KEERLU GHASHI

HOW TO MAKE :

Soak Avro/ white bean over night.

Pressure cook avro/ white bean along with tender bamboo cubes for 12-15 minutes.

Cut bilimbis in round shape.

Grind coconut gratings, roasted red chilly and tamarind along with little water to a fine paste.

Now transfer the masala in a vessel. Add cooked avro and bamboo and rounded bilimbis in it, and allow to cook the masala for few minutes. Add some water to make gravy.

Add salt and stir. Allow to boil.

Then heat a tsp oil in a small pan. 

Splutter mustard seeds, then add curry leaves.

Pour this seasoning over Avre ghashi.

Serve hot Avre ghashi with staming rice.






FRUIT SAMOSA

The recipe is simple. Children will love this fruit samosa, which is not that spicy. You can prepare this on your kid's b'day parties. The recipe goes like this...
FRUIT SAMOSA

WHAT YOU NEED:

Wheat flour - 3/4 cup

Semolina - 1/4 cup

Ghee - 2-3 tsp

Salt - to taste
FRUIT SAMOSA


FOR THE FILLING:

Apple - 2, cut in small cubes

Dates - 10- 12 , cut in cubes

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves - a small bunch, finely chopped

Salt - to taste

HOW TO MAKE:

In a mixing bowl mix wheat flour, semolina, salt along with little water. Knead the mixture.

Add ghee and knead again. Keep covered for 2 hours.

Now mix apple cubes, dates, salt, chilli powder, garam masala and coriander leaves well. Divide in 12 parts.

Now divide the dough in to 6 parts. Make balls. Roll each ball in the size of chappati. 

Cut the chappati in half with knife. Make a cone, fill one part of fruit mixture. Fold the ends. Repeat with all the balls.

Heat enough oil in kadahi. When hot slid few samosas and fry on medium heat.

Serve Fruit Samosa with tomato ketchup as snacks.