Aubergines and canellini beans Gravy

Hi all, Few days back, I had said I will post recipes everyday, and tried my best to do it too.., But alas!!, I was no Julia, the only common I have with her is our names starting with ''J'' :), well, everything would be smooth in life, isn't it?, Hubby away for few days, children falling sick one by one!!, work, work, and toggle around everything!!, Oops! I am quite tired, and I wanted to participate in everything!!, I keep making things but they never seem to reach the post!!,  I still haven't made my DB Challenge!!, My husband completely and conveniently forgot all my ingredients list. So, I have to shop tomorrow and start it and I am so very interested in doing it, well, coming back to the recipe I made this for two events. One for JFI-Fennel and The Combo event.

AUBERGINE AND CANELLINI BEANS GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:

1 Large Aubergine

200 gms Soaked cooked Canellini Beans

1/2 cup Soaked cooked and mashed Red Kidney Beans

2 medium sized tomatoes (100 gms)

1 Large onion

2 cloves of Garlic

4 to 5 sprigs of Coriander leaves

Salt as required

2 to  3 tbsp of Chilli powder

1 tbsp of Amchoor powder

SEASONING:

3 tbsp of Oil

1 tsp of cumin seeds

MASALA POWDER

2 tbsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tbsp fenugreek seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp Nigella seeds

METHOD:

Soak both the beans overnight, with a bit of Baking Soda, then wash it well, and cook it until soft, Actually they do not become too soft as the Green grams.

I had these large Aubergines, you can also use any other Aubergines/Brinjals available, cut them into small pieces (not too small, they become too soft otherwise and become mushy)

Chop Onions, Tomatoes, mince garlic, and keep aside.

Take a wok heat oil, add cumin seeds once they splutter and chopped onions and garlic, saute then add the chopped tomatoes and saute few more minutes until they get cooked.

Then add the chopped Aubergines and saute for few more minutes, until they are cooked soft.

Meanwhile Grind Red kidney beans into a paste ( smooth or coarse however you wish), I grinded it into a coarse paste.

Add the cooked canellini beans with water and the ground Red kidney paste and add 1/2 cup of water.

Then add 2 to 3 tbsp of the Masala powder, and 2 to 3 tbsp of chilli powder and Amchoor powder (use chilli powder as much as you like your dish to be spicy)  well, and allow it boil and add salt as required.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

The Masala Powder gave the Gravy a different taste to the dish, well, it was well taken with the kids and we all liked it.

I am sending this to The Combo Event, JFI-Fennel started by Indira hosted by Siri , Sunita's Think Spice- Think Spice Amchoor hosted by Bhagyashri of taste buds , Pari's , EFM Parathas and Gravies, Vegetable Marathon, Family's Favourite food, Radhika and Sudeshna's Food for 7 stages of Life, and Priya's and Dhenu's Cooking with seeds- Fenugreek Seeds, MLLA's 20th helping started by Susan hosted by Rachel

Lima Beans Gravy/Avarekaalu subzi

Of course, I really don't get Avarekkai here, When it was season for Avarekkai, I used to hate it, MIL and  FIL loved it so much, I mean I too love it, but, not every day, it was like madness, so many Kgs of avarekkai, keep on removing the skins and piling up Avarekaalu!! OH! my God!, Do I miss it now !?, Absolutely, now I wish I could get a few times at least, just to satisfy my tounge tickling every time I dream and think of the flavour and all the recipes I could muster up with that sogadina Avarekaalu I do miss it!!

This is a simple Lima Beans curry, which I learnt first from my friend R some 20 years back, but I always loved it.

As I was still not allowed to use Garlic in the house!!, Daddy was not always happy when I used Garlic !!, Those days I used to buy this ready made Ginger-Garlic paste!! and use it when ever I needed them, now if you see in my kitchen I have a stock of  3 to 4 bulbs of Garlic, When my FIL visited me, I had virtually stopped using them,  even my Parents-in-law don't like the smell.  I use them a lot because of its Medicinal value, This remind of an incident very long back when I was in my 10th standard my daddy was diagonised that he had  peptic ulcer and he was advised by doctors that he should eat Garlic for at least a month, which would cure his problem soon, That one month I still remember my Dad was acting so stupidly, he used to be always screaming at all of us, we were scared to talk to him, only my youngest sis had the guts to shout back at him and make him eat that!!, now when we remind him of those days we all have a hearty laugh.

My mom used to take rice in a bowl and peel exactly 5 garlic pearls peel the skin and put them in it and cook, you must be wondering why 5, My dad was so adamant that he made a rule that if we wanted him to eat it, we also had to eat it!!, howzit ? He used to pick the pod with a morsel of rice, and just used to swallow it !!, God!!, he was acting so funnily !!,

Coming back to my recipe, as I do not get fresh field beans, I buy these frozen or dried ones and enjoy it, It  gives at least a smell close to the fresh Avarekaalu smell and  taste to the recipe.

LIMA BEANS/AVAREKAALU CURRY

 Ingredients:

•  500 gms Averekkai / Lima Beans
• 1 tsp Garam Masala powder
• 1 tsp of chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Garlic - Ginger paste
• 6 to 7 Green chillies
• 2 medium sized Onions chopped
• 2 to 3 medium sized tomatoes
• 3 - 4 tbsp of oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt to taste
• 2 to 3 tbsp of fresh chopped coriander leaves

METHOD:

1. First of all If you are using fresh field beans/Lima beans cook them soft with enough water, If you are using like me dried ones, soak them overnight with a pinch of Baking soda.
2. In the morning wash the soaked beans thoroughly with water at least 3 to 4 times, and pressure cook till soft.
3. Heat oil in a kadai, add the ginger- garlic paste and fry well, it becomes brownish, then add the chopped onions and fry till brown.
4. Add the masala powders, and fry it futher few more minutes,
5. Then add the chopped tomatoes, fry for further few more minutes until it is well done,
6. Then add the cooked Lima beans/ Averekkai and the slit chillies, sugar and salt to taste, with enough water making it into a gravy consistency. (If it is too watery add a tbsp of corn flour dissolved in 2 tbsp of water and add it to the gravy)
7. Garnish with chopped cilantro or coriander leaves fresh!! for further few minutes.

Chocolate Babka Bread

This was the most delicious bread I tasted after my Milk bread, I am not a chocolatey person, people don't believe and my kids think I am weird because I don't get tempted by chocolates!!, The only time I get tempted for eating something sweet when I get my sweet cravings!!, The sweet I get here to eat immediately is chocolate and the only chocolate I feel like eating is snickers, as it has got some nuts in it!!, As I am  nuts over all the nuts in the world!!, I love nuts in Ice creams, cakes, sweets, chocolates etc., etc.,.

Coming back to the recipe and stopping me, talking nuts!!, This Bread I got it from collection of books, but their was no recipe in it!!, howzthat?, I was quite upset, I wanted to try this out and wanted to send it Jamie's  Bread and chocolate event, for her Monthly mingle started by Meeta, of what's for Lunch Honey. i started Googling for this recipe, I went through so many recipes but I got attracted to this when I stumbled into this blog, Two Fat Alas, started by Alana and Alex!!, they have a lovely blog, must see space!!,  Of course needless to say, the recipe I just adopted from their blog, was really good and girls we all loved it!!, many thanks to the recipe.
Babka, is said to be basically a sweet yeast bread (cake ?), I just couldn't understand, but this yeast bread is said to be from the border of Russia, somewhere from poland (minsk) I think, but, from where ever its origin is, it is absolutely a wonderful bread.
Alanna, says that when she had this bread first time, she got sick, then she says, it might be something else too!!, Because she says when she tried it again she was fine, when I was reading it, I thought she might have had felt might be because of too much of cinnamon powder in it, As we all Indians know when we use cinnamon we use it in very little quantities, for a lovely aroma, and a taste to the dish, So, thinking about this the only change I made to this recipe was I used just 2 tbsps, that is 1 tbsp for each loaf of Bread, That smell of cinnamon was completely filled the house, and I should say, even though I am not a bread person, I couldn't resist and kept eating it, and my kids loved it!!.
As always I couldn't  get a good photo of this bread, My kids clicked the one whole loaf and the other sliced!!

CHOCOLATE BABKA BREAD

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 th Cup Warm Milk

1/2 Cup sugar + 2 extra tsp

3 tsp active dried yeast

3 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour

2 Eggs

1 Egg yolk

1 tsp Vanilla

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 sticks Unsalted butter

FILLING:

5 tbsp Unsalted butter

8 oz bitter sweet chocolate chopped

1/4 Cup sugar

1/4 Cup Cinnamon

EGG WASH

1 Tbsp milk

1 Egg yolk

METHOD:

Stir together warm milk and 2 tsps of Sugar in a large bowl.  Sprinkle yeast over the mixture and let it stand until foamy, it took around 1/2 an hour for me, Add 1/2 cup flour and beat together until combined.

Then Add whole eggs, yolk, vanilla, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue to mix together well combined, Adding little by little flour, Then mix the softened butter, little by little and continue to mix well, until the dough is shiny and soft.The dough will be very soft and sticky, and very soft to handle, I kept dipping my hand into the flour to rally handle the dough, Then put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover it with a plastic wrap, and allow it to rise until doubled in size.

This is where my patience works, when I wrote about my Milk bread, I just left it in a warm place may be 6 to 7 hours I think, until it was really double in size, One thing I have learnt in Baking breads is never mess with the process if you want it, how you want it to be!!.

Meanwhile I lined two loaf pans wtih parchment papers, I took the well rised dough and gave a punch, then divide it in half, Rolled out one piece into an 18x10 -inch rectangle, with the longer edge nearest you, like shown in the picture below. Spread butter on the dough, leaving 1/2 -inch border all around. Sprinkle chocolate over the buttered dough, I used chocolate chips, then sprinkled with half of sugar and cinnamon. Starting with long side farthest from you, roll dough into a snug log, pinching to seal.  Twist entire ring twice to form a double figure 8 and fit into one of lined loaf pans.  Repeat with remaining dough, chill egg wash and loosely cover pans.

Allow the dough rise again, until it is above the loaf pans, then bake in an oven preheated to 350 for about 40 minutes, until the tops are a Golden brown, Allow it cool for 5 minutes in the pans, then remove when they are cool. 

Alanna used egg wash around the dough to seal the bread, and she asks to pinch the end, I mean to seal it well, so the fillings won't ooze out, check out the above link for the recipe and her write up and explanation too..

This bread goes to Jamie's Monthly Mingle event, Chocolate and Bread, started by Meeta of what's for lunch honey, and this is yeast spotted too...,I wonder if i am allowed in this mingle, as the rules says I have to post this with 2 other events, which I have not done!!, anyways I loved this bread and enjoyed and it is to you jamie.

First time I have successfully tried to put this logo too  :)

Kasta Kachori FOR ICC CHALLENGE

Kachori was first eaten in college days, That was when I was crazy about North Indian delicasies, That was when I got obssessed with Pulavs until now!!!, Chats, Tandooris, rotis, pulkas, koftas.... God!!, that is going to be a big list, Let me stop, When Srivalli of Cooking 4 all Seasons asked us to make Kachoris I was quite amazed, because I had a recipe with me from my recipe book, which I wanted to try out!!, but then it is still going to be their some more time I think !! as I tried these kachoris and was quite a hit, I should say the moong dal wasn't a big hit, but the peas one was a great hit, and I just made only so much which you can see in the plate, but the other lot I made was moongdal ones!!, I must say kudos to Medha and her aunty who gave this wonderful recipe.., we all loved it thanks to both of you dears..

KASTA KACHORI WITH SWEET CHUTNEY

  

DOUGH FOR THE KACHORIS:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 and 1/2 cups All purpose Flour/Maida
• 1/4 Cup Ghee
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• water fro kneading

METHOD:

Mix Maida, ghee and sallt together into a crumble then add water slowly and knead into a dough to a soft dough and leave it to rest for 1/2 to 1 hour, covered with a wet cloth, don't make the dough dry.

TO MAKE THE KACHORIS:

There were 3 options, I made two out of them, but I will give the recipe for all the three...

MOONGDAL KACHORIS

• 1/2 Cup Moong dal
• 1 tsp Cumin
• A Pinch of Asafoetida
• 1 tsp  Fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Amchur powderaste
• 1 tsp Ginger paste
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp Green chilli paste
• 2 tsp cuury leaves
• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder

METHOD

Wash and soak dal for an 1 hour, then drain all the water I even dried it with a kitchen towel, then grind it into a coarse powder (Idli thari), Take oil in a wok, once it is hot add cumin seeds, when they splutter, add the chopped curry leaves then the moong dal mix well, and fry until it dries out and turns slightly bownish, add all the other spices mix well, and leave it for some time so the masala gets well absorbed and the aroma spreads around the kitchen.

MUTTER KI KACHORI (PEAS KACHORI) FROM TARALA DALAL

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Cups Green peas
• 1 tsp Green chillies
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp Nigella seeds
• 2 tsp Fennel seeds
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 4 tsp Coriander chopped
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

METHOD

Grind Green peas, chillies and ginger into a smooth paste without adding water, then In a wok heat oil add nigella seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves and the ground mixture mix all the ingredients until well cooked, and dry. Discard the bay leaves and now the filling is ready

PYAAZ KI KACHORI

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Cups of onion chopped
• 2 tsp Fennel seeds
• 1 tsp Nigella seeds
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 and 1/2 tsp Green chillies
• 2 tbsp Bengal Gram flour
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp Chilli powder
• 1 tsp Garam Masala powder
• 3 tsp Coriander leaves chopped
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

METHOD

Take a wok, heat oil, add nigella seeds, Fennel seeds and green chilllies and add the chopped onions and saute until they are transluscent, then add all the ingredients and saute until a nice aroma comes out and dry it .

Just remember keep all the filling ingredients quite dry otherwise it might ooze out!!

METHOD TO MAKE THE KACHORIS

Make small balls, and make it into small rounds just like you make for Kozhukottais, or shall I say like small pooris, do it with your hand or with a rolling pin, If you use your finger tips it is much better keep turning it around your fingers like small bowl shape then fill in the filling any of your choice and seal the tips pinch of if it is excess, and oiling your palm press them or flatten them carefully that the filling doesn't come out, make them and fry them in batches, till golden in colour.

and serve it with anything of your choice, sauce, ketchup, Sweet chutney, green chutney.

Hope you all would make this and enjoy like we all did making it..., check on this link step by step preparation by valli and others from the other ICC bloggers

Broccoli, Beansprouts and Parsley Stir-fry

Hi, I don't need to say much about what I have done of course as the name itself says, It was just a flash to combine all this, I had this broccoli and parsley, which I thought would get wasted away if I don't use them and I had a packet of Beansprouts, which I had bought yesterday, thinking I will make noodles, I knew that it was quite more for what I was planning to do!!, So, that's it, you must have known by now that I just combine lot of odd veggies together and cook!!, That's how the Beansprouts landed into this Dry curry!!, but the results were amazing, I was kind of worried, my kids don't fancy those sprouts much, but have to eat them when its mixed with something and can't really take it out!!, and of course parsley, as it has a sharp flavour, but I gaurentee, that you could never get any of that except for the broccoli!! which of course we love, and that's my favourite too..

BROCCOLI, BEANSPROUTS AND PARSLEY DRY CURRY 

INGREDIENTS:

450 gms of Broccoli

150 gms of Beansprouts

1 Bunch of Parsley

1 Large Onion

2 tbsp of Chilli Powder

1 sprig of curry leaves

1 tsp of Mustard Leaves

2 tbsp of Oil

3 to 4 tbsp of Fresh grated Coconut

salt as required

FRY AND GRIND MASALA

1 Fist ful of Raw peanuts

1 tbsp of Sesame seeds (white)

1 tbsp of poppy seeds

1 tbsp of Dessicated coconut or Dry copra

METHOD

1. Cut the Broccoli into florets, give it a run through in a sieve in the running water and set it aside.
2. Wash Beansprouts drain and keep it aside
3. Clean Parsley and chop it finely and keep it aside
4. Take a wok dry Roast Red skinned peanuts and keep it aside, Once it is cool remove the skins or which I always do is use Dry Roasted salted peanuts which is readily available in the supermarkets.
5. Dry Roast sesame and poppy seeds and keep it aside and allow it cool
6. Once all the three ingredients are cool, Dry grind it with tbsp of Dessicated coconut and keep it aside, until futher needed
7. Take a Big wok, heat oil, once it is hot add mustard seeds and curry leaves, as it splutters add the veggies (Broccoli, Parsley and Beansprouts) and sprinkle water, now and then until they are well cooked, by closing a lid to the wok, careful with water, if it becomes too much you will see lot of water underneath the veggies, if you happen to have too much water, in the end just pull the vegetables around the wok and give a nice wide gap in the middle so the water settles down in the bottom, do not close the lid and allow the water to evaporate or just take the water and add it to your Rasam or Sambhar or if making chapatis add this water to it, do not throw it away or you will loose lot of nutrients, so be careful with water sprinkling and allow the veggies to cook in a low flame, with sprinkling water now and then to avoide the burning of the veggies!!, hope you understood what I was trying to explaining with so many words!! forgive me!!
8. Once all the vegetables are well cooked , and there is no water!!, add the chilli powder, salt and the Ground Powder, mix well and allow it cook further 5 minutes by closing a lid.

Take the lid mix well again carefully, as broccoli easily becomes mushy and looses its floret shape!! and add freshly grated coconut and leave it for another 2 minutes and now it is ready to Serve

Hear take a another peak at my lovely stir-fry and serve it with chapatis, Rasam, Dosas, Pulkas or Sambhars, or however you wish, can also be served with just cooked noodles and it really goes well, as my daughter like it that way!!, Hope you enjoy, see you all again tomorrow!!, take care...

Long Green Chilli Rice

Hai, Back again, but a little late, I have been all day, thought I need to post soon before the closing time, I made this sometime back, but never made it to post, because I had completely forgotten about it, I thought I will choose from my Rice Varities and re-post them!!, but then I changed my mind, when I saw this in my draft, I decided I will post this!!.

Today was my twins, parent's meeting in the school  for choosing their GCSE's subjects, So, came home late and had to cook something up and had food, Everyday I try to make something new,  and  I have so many drafts piled up!!, They must be wondering when will we ever see the world!!, poor little sweet, sour, savoury, baked, cooked, steamed etc., Ooops !!, I thought i will better stop, it went on in my mind like Railway Bhogis (carriages) !!, sorry if you  know me personally or chatted with me like my friends and family they would tell me how I mix tamil, telegu, kannada when I am talking I mix everything like a chitra anna!! :), I spoke to Raji once, she must have been very amused the way I spoke!!.

Coming back to recipe..., R wanted to eat chilli bajjis/bondas, so when he went to London he got these Long Green chillies, quite a few of them, so, I made some bajjis, but still there were so many of them, and as I had to cook something to eat, It just crossed my mind why not use these Long green chillies than veggies again for making a Rice bath, so that's how this chilli Rice came into my kitchen's joining my Rice Varities.

LONG GREEN CHILLI RICE

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Cups of Rice
• 5 and 1/2 or 6 cups of water (It totally depends on the Rice you use)
• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves of Garlic
• 6 to 8 Long Green Chillies (They were quite very long!!)
• 6 to 7 sprigs of coriander leaves
• 4 to 5 tbsp Oil

MASALA FOR RICE

• 2 tbsp of Coriander seeds
• 1 tsp Nigella seeds
• 1 tsp Fennel/saunf seeds
• 1/4 tsp Red Chilli powder
• fist ful of Ground nuts roasted (I used salted peanuts)
• 1 tbsp of dessicated coconut (dry copra)

SEASONING:

• 4 to 5 tbsp of oil
• 1 tsp of Mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp Chenna dal
• 1 tbsp Urad dal
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp of Turmeric powder

METHOD:

1. Take a wok, fry with a 1/4tsp of oil, the coriander seeds, nigella seeds, fennel seeds, and Ground nuts, but I always use, Dry Roasted salted peanuts, which I get here easily, which saves me from roasting them!!
2. If you are using dried Ground nuts for roasting, once they are rosted take the skin out and then use it.
3. Once when everything is cool, put everything together and grind them into a powder and keep it aside
4. Cook Rice as you always do, add a tbsp of oil, which helps the rice grains saperated when cooked, spread it out and leave it till needed
5. Take a large wok, heat oil and add all the seasonings one by one when they change colour, add the chopped onions and garlic, fry them until they are translucent
6. Then add the chopped Long green chillies fry for few minutes say around 5 to 10 minutes in a medium flame.
7. Add the chopped coriander leaves
8. Then add the masala powder mix well add salt and the Rice,
9. Mix all of them well together and it is now ready to serve
10. Optional : These chillies were not very spicy even then I did not add extra chillies, they were quite perfect, If you want you can add green chillies
11. You can even add a dash of Lime juice if you feel like it.

Enjoy this rice, and this rice is going to Anita's -APS Rice.
I also wish to send this to JFI - Fennel event hosted by Siri of Siri's Corner started by Indira of Mahanandi.

Dill Leaves Upma with Home made pickle

This is my hubby's favourite tiffin, This is most easiest and quickest, breakfast you can muster up within minutes!!, I love this with lot vegetables, nice and hot and with cup of curds, pickle, mm.., love it!, But !? before marriage I hated it so much and we all still call it concrete, and even BBB (bisi bele bath) is called as concrete in our house!!, It just doesn't make you hungry for long time, When I make it my hubby never forgets to box it and keep it in the fridge so he can take it to office next day!!, Mum always made with upma rava, but when I got married my MIL always made upma with Bansi Rava, I sometimes don't even fry it before making upma, and it still does come out very well, A little and a great tip my uncle gave me before making upma is to fry the rawa with a tbsp of Ghee, and fry it very well, so the rawa gives a nice aroma, which is now is perfect for making upma. Now this way upma will not be sticky, I have always made upma with lot of variations:
Tomato and Onion or both saperately
Lot of vegetables (peas, beans, carrots etc.,)
Mum made upma with Chow-chow (Seeme badanekaayi) I love it, it gives a sweetness to the upma!!
With Capsicums
And this one of R's friend one day invited us to Tea, and his wife made upma with Dill Leaves!!, I had never thought about this!, it was great!!, R loved it, so now & then I make with dill leaves.

DILL LEAVES UPMA 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Cup of Rawa (Upma Rawa or Bansi Rawa)
• salt as required
• 1/2 bunch of Dill leaves
• 1/2 cup of peas
• 6 to 7 Coriander leaves to garnish (optional)
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 2 and a 1/2 cup of water

SEASONINGS:

• 1 tbsp Chenna dal
• 1 tbsp Urad dal
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 to 3 Green chillies
• 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
• 4 to 5 tbsp of oil

METHOD:

1. Take a wok heat a tbsp of Ghee and fry Rawa nicely until it turns slighlty golden in colour keep the stove in a low flame, until a nice aroma comes out of the kitchen!!
2. Once the Rawa is roasted well take it out and put in a plate, and put the wok back on to the stove and heat oil, once it is hot add mustard seeds, Green chillies, chenna dal,urad dal and curry leaves until they change colour.
3. Clean Dill Leaves, and chop them finely, keep it aside.
4. Then add water and allow it to boil with the chopped Dill leaves and add salt, and pinch of asafoetida, Once the water starts boiling add Rawa slowly stirring all the way through.
5. Once all the Rawa has been added, mix well and close the lid for 15 to 20 minutes in a low flame, then well, it is done, and is ready to serve with a dollop of Ghee, pickle, curds, sugar, or chutney pudi, or what ever you like eating it with!!

METHOD 2:

Once the seasonings are done you can add rawa with out roasting it first and roast it now, all together, but if you are adding vegetables, Tomatoes or Onions you fry them first immediately after the seasonings and then add the rawa and roast it all together, even dill leaves you add rawa first and dill leaves with it and roast them together, Before starting to Roast, In a vessel Boil the required quantity of water, once it is well roasted add salt, mix well and add required quantity of water and mix well again, and close the lid for 15 to 20 minutes, and then it is ready to serve.

You can also add 1/2 a cup of fresh grated coconut and a squeeze of 2 to 3 tbsps of Lime/Lemon Juice (according to your taste), mix well and serve.
Mmm.., you will love it, even though my click is nothing to fall for, Well, You all know how to make a upma, but I thought as this is a food blog, and thinking someday it will useful to somebody (my Kids too!!), I thought of posting this recipe.
Even though we all follow the same method, I have always felt that each one of us make this defintely with our unique taste, like my mom, MIL, Sisters, Mannis, Maamis and me we all have different tastes to our upma !! how funny is that right !?..

Aloo (Potato) Spicy Masala Rice Bath

When I was checking on Events and roundups, I saw this APS- Rice event in Anita's Kitchen, So, here I am with a Rice Bath, Actually everyday my kids ask what are you preparing for dinner, I will say if you keep the house clean I will prepare something nice, if not I will make Rasam or sambhar!! they make all kind of faces, then some grunts, mumblings, etc., !!, I won't budge, you know what I am branded as a very bad mother, a cleaning freak, something is wrong with mummy.., she goes all crazy..., well, I think I actually I am, right now I am happily sitting writing this if I turn around I might start screaming, everything everywhere, I need to sort out everything and to their places. I get so tired and never am able to do anything as per planned!!, mm.., let me stop, I think I can go on and on about this subject, coming back to the recipe, I think it's not only the kids who love to eat different things than the usual Rasam and sambhar but I too love eating variety of dishes, I think that is what makes me cook different kind of food everyday.., try to change and try out new dishes, and Rice is something such a versatile food!!, and I love it in different varities.., Here is one such I dished out and it came out very well..

ALOO (POTATO) SPICY MASALA RICE BATH

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups of Rice

6 TO 7 Medium sized potatoes

1 Red pepper

8 to 10 sprigs of coriander leaves

2 sprigs of curry leaves

MASALA TO GRIND

1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
5-6 Green Chillies
2 tbsp of Coriander seeds
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
2 tbsp White Til seeds/sesame seeds
3 Flakes of Tamarind
pinch of Asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp Jeera/Cumin seeds
1 tsp Mustard seeds

SEASONINGS

1 tbsp of Chenna dal
1 tbsp of Urad dal
1 tsp mustard seeds
fistful of Black Channa/Kadale Kaalu
fistful of Peanuts
4 to 5 tbsp of oil



METHOD:

1. First of all peel the skin of potatoes and cut them into thick cubes (select potatoes which don't get mashed up while cooking but stay intact I used King Edward potatoes).
2. Cut Red peppers as thick strips, so they don't get mushed up!!
3. Soak Black Channa in water for some time until needed
4. Cook Rice ( I have used Sona Masoori) with a tsp of oil so the grains are distinguishable!, Once the cooker cools down spread the Rice in a plate and saperate the grains.
5. Meanwhile Take a large wok, fry sesame seeds and Fenugreek seeds without oil, until their colour change, take them out and allow it to cool
6. In a mixie Grind coconut, green chillies, cumin, coriander, tamarind flakes, and roasted fenugreek and sesame seeds without using water, and keep aside.
7. In a large wok, heat 4 to 5 tbsp of oil, add mustard seeds, once it starts to splutter, add chenna dal and urad dal once they change colour, add the cut cubed potatoes and capsicum and curry leaves, roast them until they are well cooked and done in a low flame.
8. Once they are cooked add salt and the ground mixture and fry them for further few more minutes, Once a nice aroma comes out of it, put it off.
9. Meanwhile In an other wok take another 2 tbsp of oil and allow it to get warmed up, by that time take the Black channa out of the water and pat them dry using a towel of a kitchen towel and keep aside.
10. Once the oil is hot add Black Channa and peanuts and fry them until they start spluttering put of the stove add finely chopped coriander leaves, just saute once and add this to the well prepared Potato mixture.
11. Mix them all well, add required amount of salt, but remember that you have added some salt while cooking the potatoes, so check and  salt accordingly to it,
12. Add Rice and mix them well with the spiced up Aloo mixture completely and it is now ready to serve with, papads, or raithas, or whatever you like to eat it with like me eating with Red Onions!!.

I am sending this of to Anita's kitchen for her APS---Rice.

Spicy Aubergine-Tindora-Runner beans masala with sesame seeds

I had planned to post this yesterday itself, but when I came home I was so tired, and I was not able to make any pulkas, I had an eye on priya of easy and  tasty who had announced Sesame Seeds for her own event which she has started as Cooking with seeds check out her blog all the ongoing events from this month everymonth, cooking with some seed.

Last time when priya hoted coriander seeds, I made my own coriander powder, which some of friends said was very good, thanks to them who tried out the recipe powder, as i have always said I love preparing new masala powders and tasting & trying new powders in my cooking which I think gives a change to the dish, here I came with an other one which was quite nice, hope you all enjoy this recipe too.., I am sending this entry to priya 's cooking with seeds.

SPICY AUBERGINE-TINDORA-RUNNER BEANS MASALA WITH SESAME SEEDS

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 Small Aubergines/brinjals
• 250gms Tindora
• 250gms Runner-beans
• 2 Medium sized onions
• 2 Medium sized Tomatoes
• 3 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 tsp of fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup Fresh coconut
• 2 tbsps of Sesame Seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 6 to 7 sprigs of Coriander leaves fresh
• 1 or 2 sprig of curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbsps oil

MASALA FOR THE CURRY

• 1 tbsp of Chenna dal
• 1 tbsp of Urad dal
• 1tbsp Coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp Sesame seeds
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 3 to 4 Red chillies (spiciness as per taste)
• 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds/ Methi seeds

METHOD:

1. First of all lets make the powder, Take a wok, heat a tsp of oil, add fenugreek seeds, allow it to change colour, then add the dals, coriander seeds, fry until they change colour, then add the poppy seeds, sesame seeds and Fennel seeds fry for 2 to 3 more minutes, so they change to a golden colour, take them out and leave them to cool down.
2. Once they are cool grind them to a coarse powder and keep aside.
3. Meanwhile wash the small Brinjals and prick the brinjals all around and leave it in water until needed
4. Wash Tindora and Runner Beans and slice them into long lengths (3''), cut the Tindoras into 4 pieces lengthwise, and Runner Beans lengthwise. Cook them in a pressure cooker just one whistle, they usually do not become too mushy. They will be perfectly cooked, Drain water completely.  If you do not want to cook it this way you can directly cook the veggies directly in the wok with sprinkling little water time to time until they are well done.
5. Take a Wok, pour 1 tbsp oil, season it with mustard seeds, then add sliced onions and chopped garlic cloves and fry until they turn transparent, then add chopped Tomates and  cooked Tindoras and Runner Beans, add curry leaves, then add the brinjals to it, mix well and cover it with a lid and alllow it cook , It will cook very quickly.
6. Then add salt and the ground masala powder mix well, and leave it for 15 to 20 minutes in a low flame mixing now and then allowing the vegetables to absorb the masala powder.
7. Meanwhile when the curry is cooking, Toast 2 tbsps of Sesame seeds till slightly turns golden in colour and keep it aside
8. Once the whole curry dries out, Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and fresh grated coconut, mix well and serve it with hot lovely pulkas or chapatis.

My verdict: Always use chillies to your own taste and use the masala powders accordingly to your choice.

Here take an other at my lovely dry curry...

Au Gratin Potatoes and Swede Tweeked

Hi all, Sitting late night and trying post one recipe everyday is becoming too much to me, I do not know how long I will do this, but kind of enjoying it, of course I am not Julie or Julia Child !!.

I sit on the computer watching some CSI, poirot, Medical detectives etc., I think they are the ones which make me sit and post my recipes!!!

I know lot my friends keep writing about everyday Breakfast problems, The other day valli was saying in face book that she has posted around 600 recipes but everyday she wonders what to cook!!, When I was in India I used to have Breakfast problems!!, I used to wonder every night & morning what I do for breakfast, I used to make different types of rice the whole week or different types of Dosa for the whole week!! and I remember my MIL telling me '' Rice Bath vaaram (week), Dosa vaaram (week) apruma yenna vaaram!!'' you must have heard this kind of vaaram in SUN TV!!, Rajani Vaaram, Kamal Vaaram , adapting that she used to rag me!! Bless her!! we all used to laugh so much!!

But, coming here every evening I wonder what shall I do for the kids when they come home hungry!?, As mornings are quite nice, bowl of milk and Kellogs, Bread Toast, and lunch Bread again with cheese and veggies or jam or nutella or anything they find interesting, like they took my french rolls which I baked 3 days back!!,

So yesterday evening I made this I thought it was quite quick to muster up, and they loved it... they asked for a second helping but I had cut it into 4 portions exactly three kids and to one to my big kid!!, who loves potatoes next to his mother!! here goes my recipe..

Oh! the best part I forgot to tell you all is, today when I sat to type it down I did not know what to call it, I was thinking what shall I call it and then when I was googling this name caught my attention and thought this might be somewhere near it so I called it Au gratin tweeked!! here goes my recipe....

AU GRATIN POTATOES AND SWEDE SPICY

INGREDIENTS:

• 5-6 medium sized potatoes
• 150 g swede (approximately)
• 1 big onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 Red pepper
• 1 Tomato
• 1 Egg (optional)
• 1 and 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• Salt as required
• 1 tbsp of mixed Italian herbs
• 1 Carbonara sweet and sour Sauce packet (optional)
• 25 gms of salted butter
• 300 gms cheese Mild cheddar cheese (v)

METHOD:

1. Chop the onions finely, chop the peppers horizontally about 2'' in length, chop garlic and keep them aside
2. Meanwhile pressure cook the potatoes and swede and allow it to cool.
3. Grate the swede, Mash the potatoes with butter and keep it aside adjust salt if necessary.
4. Take a wok pour 2 tbsp of oil, once when it is hot add the chopped onions and garlic and saute for a while until it changes colour, then add chopped Tomato and saute until the water evaporates, at this time the wok becomes kind of sticky because of the Tomato, Then add the peppers and saute in a little bit high flame continuously until it is quite done.
5. Then lower the flame, add salt and pepper and mix well and then add the grated swede on top of it like spreading it uniformly then sprinkle the Italian herbs on it, then break open the Egg, whisk it well and spread it on top of this, once it is do, cover it with a lid and leave it for few minutes, by that time the eggs get cooked, turn off the stove.
6. Meanwhile in an other stove, open the carbanora packet mix it with water and cook over a low flame (as instructed by the packet) until the sauce becomes thick, and keep it aside
7. Now Carefully try to pick them up in portions and arrage in a gratin dish or what ever you have like mine then spread the mashed butter & potato on top of it,( if you are not able to pick them in the way the layers were arranged it is alright just pick them up and place them on a dish).
8. On the top of this carefully spread the sauce which you have already prepared evenly through out the potato mash.
9. Grate the cheese which ever you desire completely on the dish and bake in the over at Gas Mark 6, for 20 -25 minutes or until they turn golden in colour.
10. serve it with Tomato ketchup or however they choose to eat!!

Take a peek at my Au Gratin Potatoes and Swede from my daughter's plate, and Guess today morning again my hubby dear was asking me what was the name for it, said it was too Good!!, But I am a Good I am, did not touch it, as it had egg and too much of cheese and butter, not good for my age, cholesterol levels either!!

If you like this try out and as I always say masala's are your choice, or omitting them is also of your choice.

Thanks all!! for all the lovely comments I get everyday in  my mail, I am trying to write to you all one by one.. Hope you will all like it and enjoy trying it out!!

Aloo saag or Potato saagu & know about Green potatoes

Potatoes are the most delicious, delectable, adorable, mouthwatering, etc., that's what my Kids and hubby say!!, Yes, Ok, I know, So everybody in this world say!!, comming to UK I saw that people love Potatoes so much it's just like us eating Rice/chapatis!!, I also discovered so many different potatoes with different names & Bishop, King Edward, Maris piper, New potatoes, Red Rooster, Russet, etc., I never knew there are 15 to 20+ varities of potatoes.., Well, I have experienced that some potoates when cooked become so mashed up, some are kind of stay intact and lovely for roasting,
My father always told us not to use green potatoes, If we asked him about it, he used to say it is poisonous, well, back then we never had a computer and did not know much about Googling to find out what it was, don't we all follow lot of things being told by our elders blankly not questioning them!!, when we start thinking about it, I feel now a days I get more answers to their logic and wonder how did they know about it !!, In India, long back I was seeing a TV documentary about vegetables and how it should be grown, In this lovely programme I came to know something very important and I would like to share this with you all, may be you must be knowing about it too.., I know I have posted so many potato recipes and you would be wondering why I have not told you about this all these days, well, as usual I keep forgetting lot of things.., ok let me come to the point, the person in the programme told the viewers not to consume potatoes which are turning green, as they have a solanine in them which is not good for health, click on the above link and check more detatils about this subject.
Green in potatoes indicates the presence of a rather harmful toxin, Glycoalkoloid poisoining called Solanine, When you see patches of green in your potatoes, I prefer not to use them or you can cut the green parts entirely and discard them.  So, what is this green colour in potatoes, they are nothing but actually cholorophyll which is harmless but, it is said that the cholorophyll indicates that the potato has been exposed to sunlight & the toxin which is normally present in the potato (solanine) becomes concentrated at harmful levels.  Always store potatoes in cool and dark place.
If your potato is damaged or bruised discard it and potatoes with sproouts should also not be consumed as they also have concentrated solanine.
Check out these web sites for more information on potatoes:

potato plant poisoning- green tubers & sprouts

Green Potatoes

Are green bits in potatoes bad for you ?

and the first link is from wikipedia from our lovely Google, as my daughter says google and wikipedia are her best friends for her school work!!, Google and you get all the answers!!.

Sorry friends for such a big lecture, I thought it might be useful for at least some of my readers.

Let me get back to the recipe...

ALOO SAAGU OR POTATO SAAG

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Kg New potoatoes
• 2 Onions medium sized
• Coriander leaves to garnish
• salt as required
• oil for tempering and roasting the masala
• 1/2 Cup milk

FOR THE MASALA

• 1 medium sized onions
• 2 cloves of Garlic
• 1 tomato
• 2 tbsp of Coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp Dharia dal/Hurigadale/chutney dal
• 2 tbsp of poppy seeds
• 4 to 5 green chillies
• 2 tbsp of fresh coconut
• 1'' cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 1 Marati moggu
• 1' Ginger

SEASONING:

• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp chenna dal
• 1 tbsp urad dal
• few curry leaves
• 1/4tsp turmeric powder
• oil for tempering and roasting

METHOD:

1. Presure cook the potatoes, once cooled peel of the skin and cut them into four's are mash them a little bit,
2. Meanwhile, In a wok, with a tbsp of oil, fry cinnamon, cloves, marati moggu and two chopped onions fry well till they become transparent, then add tomatoes and fry them too, until the water is absorbed, take out and allow them to cool.
3. Once they are cool grind them with all the remaining spices from the 'for the masala' ingredients and grind them into a fine paste, add water to make it into a dosa consistency, so that they do not form lumps when you add them into the potatoes.
4. In the same wok, add 2 to 3 tbsp of oil, season with mustard seeds, followed by the dals once they change the colour, add the other two finely chopped onions and roast them until they become transparent.
5. Then add the lightly mashed potatoes and the masala gravy and with enough water so they the potatoes are immersed in the liquid, add the required quantity of salt, allow it to boil for some time, keeping an eye on it, as it starts thickening,
6. Once it starts turning into a gravy, add the 1/2 cup milk and coriander chopped finely to garnish and allow it simmer for further 5 more minutes, just be careful so that the milk doesn't get curdled up.
7. Mix everything well and serve it hot with anything of your choice, but it is usually served with set dosas

Note: Do please use the chillies as per your choice, as chillies vary in their taste, and masala ingredients too., according to your choice.