SOUTHEKAYI HASI GOJJU

 SOUTHEKAYI HASI GOJJU 

Today's recipe is from my Home State of Karnataka. It is for a dish made with Cucumber -which is called "Southekayi" in Kannada. Cucumber is called Kakdi in Marathi and Taushe in my mother tongue, Konkani. 

There are many health benefits attributed to adding cucumbers in our diets. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will recipes for dishes made with cucumber, such as:-

• Khamang Kakdi
• Southekayi Tambuli 
• Southekayi Dosa
• Cucumber Pachadi

In Kannada, "Hasi Gojju" is a dish where the ground paste is added to the vegetable - cucumber in this case- without any cooking/boiling. This dish is a Satvik dish - so this is often made on days when you want to avoid using onion/garlic. 

I have adapted this from Southekayi Hasi Gojju from the YouTube video in Kannada by Veg Recipes of Karnataka.

It was delicious and I am sure you will enjoy this too! 

Ingredients:-

• Cucumber, medium-sized, 1
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 2
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste

For Seasoning:-

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp 
• Red Chilli, 1, broken into halves
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Coconut Oil, 2 tsp

Method:-

Wash the cucumber and snip off both the ends 

Peel and grate the cucumber

In a mixer jar grind together the fresh coconut gratings, red chilli and mustard seeds to a smooth paste adding water as required

Next add the grated cucumber to the ground paste and just pulse once

Transfer this to a bowl, add salt to taste and mix well

Heat oil in a small seasoning pan, add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the red chili and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds

Switch off the gas 

Pour this seasoning on to the Southekayi Hasi Gojju 

Serve as an accompaniment to the main meal

EGG MASALA CURRY

 

EGG MASALA CURRY

In my house, I make sure we have dishes using eggs from time to time as they have numerous health benefits. Eggs are really versatile -we use them for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner! In India, you will find many different types of Egg Curries made for lunch or dinner. For breakfast and brunch, we have scrambled eggs, fried eggs, boiled eggs, omelettes of different types, egg sandwiches etc. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find some recipes of dishes made with eggs, such as:-

• Egg Curry, the first non-vegetarian dish I learnt to make- after my marriage!
• Herbed Baked Eggs- one of the most delicious of egg recipes that I have tasted
• Mangalorean Egg Curry 

Today's recipe is for Egg Masala Curry. In this we first boil the eggs and then fry them which gives them a special taste of their own. I have adapted this from the YouTube video for Egg Masala Curry by Mangalore Recipes. 

We tried this out recently and loved it! 

Ingredients:-

• Eggs, 6
• Large sized Onion, 1
• Garlic Cloves, 5
• Ginger, 1 " piece
• Tomato, 1
• Cinnamon, 1 " stick
• Cloves, 2-3
• Cardamom, 1
• Fennel Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
• Pepper Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Chicken Masala Powder, 1 tsp
• Coriander Leaves, for garnish
• Kasuri Methi, 1 tsp 
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tbsp 

Method:-

Boil the eggs in adequate water for 8-10 minutes

Once they are boiled allow them to cool and peel them. Pierce the boiled eggs with a fork so that they can better absorb the masala. Keep aside. 

Chop the onion, tomato and coriander leaves

In a small mixer jar, grind together the onion, garlic cloves and ginger to a paste adding as little water as possible. Keep aside

Next, grind the tomato to a paste and keep aside.

Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and on medium heat add the boiled eggs.  Sprinkle a little salt and turmeric powder on the eggs. Fry them till they get blistered and turn a golden brown in colour. Keep aside.

In the same kadhai, add to the heated oil, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and fennel seeds and fry till they give off a good aroma

Add the prepared paste of onion and ginger garlic and fry till the raw smell goes

To this add the tomato paste, mix well and saute

Now add the spice powders: turmeric powder, chilli powder, pepper powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and chicken masala powder. Mix well. 

Add salt to taste and enough water to give the curry a gravy-like consistency and bring this to a boil

Add the boiled eggs

Rub the kasuri methi in your palms and add this to the Egg Masala Curry

Cook for 2 minutes, adding water if required. 

Bring it to a boil 

Switch off the gas and garnish with chopped coriander leaves

Transfer to a serving bowl

Serve the Egg Masala Curry with rotis or hot steamed rice 

OUR DINING EXPERIENCE: THE LEELA PALACE, BENGALURU

 OUR DINING EXPERIENCE: THE LEELA PALACE, BENGALURU

There is something about luxury hotels that draw you like a magnet. It is probably a combination of grace, style, and customer service- apart from the gourmet food of course. One such hotel that comes readily to mind for us in Bengaluru has to be The Leela Palace on the Old Airport Road.  As you wander around the plush interiors, you are reminded of the Founder of the Leela Group, Capt C P Krishnan Nair. The connect was that much stronger since my husband Prem recently wrote a review of a book on Capt Krishnan Nair authored by Bachi Karkaria. 

We started the evening by heading to the cool confines of the brilliantly appointed Library Bar. As the name suggests, it had an old world charm you would associate with the libraries of Clubs and stately houses of yore.  You can't miss the leather and dark wood that give it a distinctly stately ambience. We enjoyed our drinks in the quiet confines of the Library Bar: conversations went on as waitresses efficiently got you short eats to go with your drinks. 

The drinks menu itself needs to be seen to be believed. They have every conceivable top brand on offer.

The table we had reserved was ready for us at the Jamavar -the Indian fine dining restaurant. Jamavar is named after the intricate brocades of Kashmir. However we found the a la carte menu had dishes from different parts of India. This was not just for Kashmiri cuisine as one might imagine. To go with our food, we chose Jal Jeera and Masala Chaas (Buttermilk with roasted cumin and fresh coriander). 

We skipped the soup and dug into the starters. From what we had, top marks go to the Meen Varuval - in which Seer Fish darnes were served excellently marinated with lemon, chilli, and curry leaves. 

We also relished the succulent Tandoori Murgh ( chicken kebabs) - the vegetarian touch was provided by the Palak Benazeer- these were spinach and corn kernel patties served with a delicious roasted tomato chutney. All the dishes were superb! 

For the main course, reflecting our love for seafood, we had Kadhai Tossed Lobster, ( cubes of lobster cooked with onions, tomatoes and roasted coriander seeds) and Malabar Prawn Curry ( prawns simmered in a tangy curry , tempered with shallots and curry leaves). The spice levels were perfect and they went so well with the thin Roomali Rotis, baked on a glowing wok bottom. 

After a sumptuous dinner, we took a stroll in the lovely grounds- enjoying the cool night air.

All said and done, our dining experience at The Leela Palace Bengaluru was a memorable one.

SPANISH DELIGHT CAKE- GUEST POST BY MANJU G RAO

 SPANISH DELIGHT CAKE- GUEST POST BY MANJU G RAO

Here's wishing you and your families a Merry Christmas! For most of us Christmas time is Cake time!! 

You may remember we had a Guest Post for Plum Cake ( Christmas Fruit Cake) in this blog by my friend, Manju G. Rao. She is an accomplished baker who has developed her passion for baking to a home business called "The Cakery by Manju" which is doing exceedingly well. 

Last year she shared her recipe for Eggless Choco Butterscotch Cake  which was very well received.

I am happy that this year too she gladly accepted my invitation to contribute a Guest Post in the festive season. I am sure you will enjoy making her Spanish Delight Cake to add to the Christmas gaiety for your family and friends!! 

Thanks for this Guest Post, Manju.... and over to you!!!! 

From Ms. Manju G Rao of "The Cakery" :

Dear Friends, 

Wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year!

I am so delighted and proud to present my cake recipe in Shobana Akka's popular blog,  "Cooking With Shobana" for the third consecutive year. Thanks, Akka. I am honoured.

Spanish Delight Cake as the name suggests is truly a delight, so yummy and "melt in the mouth", chocolaty and crunchy! This cake is on my best seller list and I am so happy to share the recipe with you. 

Ingredients ( For a 1 Kg Spanish Delight Cake)

 To Bake The Sponge:

• All Purpose Flour (Maida), 3/4 cup
• Cocoa Powder, 1/4 cup
• Sugar Powder, 3/4 cup
• Eggs, 4
• Vanilla Essence, 1 tbsp
• Baking Powder, 1 tsp
• Baking Soda, 1/4 tsp
• Sunflower Oil, 1/4 cup
• Milk, 2 tbsp

Mix the maida, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda well. Sieve it in a strainer 2-3 times and keep aside.

Grease a 7" aluminium cake tin with oil and butter paper, preheat the oven  for 10 minutes

In the mean time, crack the four eggs in a dry bowl , add vanilla essence and start beating the eggs with an electric beater at low speed

Then start adding the sugar powder little by little and continue beating the eggs till they become foamy and pale white

Add oil and mix once. Then add the maida and mix three or four times very gently so that the egg mix should not lose its foamy texture

Add a little milk and mix if the batter is too thick then pour the batter in the greased tin and bake for 35 to 40 minutes @ 160 degrees Celsius

After 35 minutes, insert a toothpick and check whether the cake is done, if not bake again for 5 more minutes then let it cool.

Mean while boil 1 and 1/2 glass water with 1/2 cup sugar in it  for 2 minutes and let it cool. This is the sugar syrup to soak the cake

Nesxt step is to make the caramel sauce. Take 1/2 cup sugar in a thick bottomed pan, keep in low flame until it melts, when it turns light brown add 2 tbsp of butter  and 1/2 cup fresh cream  or whipping cream, stir continuously for 3-4 minutes, switch off when the sauce starts to thicken.

For crunchiness, take some almonds and cashew, dry roast them, crush them lightly ( but do not powder) and keep aside

Finally to prepare the cream to frost the cake:-

Take 2 cups of chilled non-dairy whipping cream, start to beat the cream in low speed and increase the speed slowly, within 7 minutes the cream gets ready for frosting. Add the prepared caramel sauce, 1 tsp instant coffee powder and 1 tbsp Boost powder to the cream. Beat again until the cream gets well incorporated  with the sauce and powders. The special cream is ready for frosting

Divide the cake sponge in 3 equal layers, in a turn table keep the cake board, keep the first cake layer, soak it with the prepared sugar syrup, spread the cream, add the roasted nuts and keep second layer repeat the process and cover the cake with cream and gently finish the frosting. (Frequent practice needed for perfect frosting)

You can decorate the cake as per your choice- with chocolates or with flowers or with nozzle decorations

Cakes will be more moist and tasty if refrigerated for 7-8 hours before they are cut

Try this out , dear friends, and enjoy Spanish Delight Cake this Christmas with your family and friends!! 

NELLIKAI SAARU

 NELLIKAI SAARU

The other day at the dept store I came across some fresh gooseberries and was tempted to buy some.  These are commonly available during winter. Gooseberries are called Nellikai in Kannada, Amla in Hindi and Avalo in my mother tongue, Konkani. 

Traditionally, gooseberries have been valued in Indian cooking. This article explains the numerous benefits gooseberries have for our health.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with gooseberries, such as:-

• Nellikai Thuviyal 
• Nellikai Rasam 
• Nellikayi Chitranna

Today's recipe is for Nellikai Saaru which I have adapted from Nellikai Saaru in Santrupti Kitchen.

We had this with hot steamed rice for lunch recently and it tasted awesome!! 

Ingredients:-

• Nellikai (Gooseberries), 3
• Bengal Gram Dal (Channa Dal), 1 tsp
• Coriander Seeds, 1 tsp
• Black Pepper, 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Green Chillies, 2
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 to 3/4  tsp
• Ginger, 1/2 " piece
• Curry Leaves,  a sprig
• Tomatoes, 2
• Jaggery, grated, 1 tsp
• Coriander Leaves, chopped, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Ghee, 1 tsp

For Seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida, 1/8 tsp
• Byadgi Red Chilli, broken into halves, 1 
• Ghee, 1 tsp

Method:-

Wash the gooseberries, take out the seeds and discard them. Chop the gooseberries into pieces 

Chop the tomatoes and the coriander leaves

In a small pan, heat 1 tsp of ghee and on medium heat add the channa dal, coriander seeds, black pepper and green chillies. Saute till the dal changes colour and it goes off a good aroma

Next add and saute the chopped ginger, and curry leaves. Then add the chopped gooseberries and tomatoes. Saute for a 1- 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow this to cool.

Transfer the above to a mixer jar and grind to a smooth paste adding the required amount of water

Next transfer the ground paste to a vessel, add the water from the mixer jar and adjust the consistency by adding more water as required to get a saaru-like consistency

Add turmeric powder and salt to taste, grated jaggery, mix well and bring to a boil, stirring from time to time. 

To this add the chopped coriander leaves and a few torn curry leaves and switch off the gas. 

In a seasoning pan, heat 1 tsp of ghee and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

When they splutter add the asafoetida and the broken red chilli and saute for a few seconds

Pour this seasoning to the Nellikai Saaru

Serve with hot steamed rice 

RIDGE GOURD SAMBAR

 RIDGE GOURD SAMBAR

Ridge Gourd is commonly available in most parts of India. It is called Turai in Hindi, Heerekayi in Kannada, Jhinge in Bengali, and Gossale in my mother tongue, Konkani.

This article in the Times of India gives details of the many benefits of using ridge gourd in our cooking. 

We make dishes from ridge gourd quite often, and it may interest you to know that we even making chutney out of the ridge gourd peel. 

Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for dishes made with ridge gourd such as :-

• Ridge Gourd Peel Chutney, 
• Ridge Gourd Dosa, 
• Ridge Gourd Pepper Kootu.

In making sambar, we can either prepare the masala by freshly grinding the ingredients or we can use sambar powder- often store bought. I prefer to use freshly ground masala. 

Today's recipe is for South Indian style Ridge Gourd Sambar which goes great with hot steamed rice and pappadams.

Ingredients:-

• Ridge Gourd, medium-sized, 2
• Tomatoes, medium-sized, 2 
• Cooked Tur Dal, 1 cup
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind, size of a marble 
• Jaggery, grated, 1 tsp 
• Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, 1 tbsp
• Salt, to taste

For the Ground Masala:

• Bengal Gram ( Chana Dal), 1 tsp
• Black Gram Dal ( Urad Dal), 1 tsp
• Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds, 1/4 tsp
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 5-7
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/4 cup
• Oil, 1 tsp- for roasting the ingredients

For the Seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Asafoetida, 1/8 tsp 
• Red Chillies, 2 broken into halves 
• Curry Leaves, a sprig 
• Oil, 1 and 1/2  tsp

Method:-

Wash and peel the ridge gourd after snipping off both the ends

Cut the ridge gourd into roundels 

Chop the tomatoes

Finely chop the coriander leaves

In a kadhai, heat 1 tsp of oil and on medium heat add the chana dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies and fenugreek seeds . Fry till the dals change colour and the chillies become crisp. Next add the fresh coconut gratings and fry for 1-2 minutes.  

Transfer the roasted ingredients to a mixer jar, add tamarind and water as required and grind to a fine paste. Keep aside. 

In the same kadhai, add the ridge gourd pieces, tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder and 1 cup of water and cook till the ridge gourd gets done. Take care that they don't get overcooked as they get cooked very fast.

To this add the cooked tur dal, the freshly ground masala, and jaggery and mix well

Adjust the consistency by adding water if required and bring to a boil

Now lower the heat and cook covered on medium heat for 5-7 minutes

Add the coriander leaves and mix well 

Switch off the gas

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a seasoning pan, add mustard seeds and when they splutter add the asafoetida, broken red chillies and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds. Pour this seasoning on to the sambar.

Transfer to a serving bowl and serve the Ridge Gourd Sambar with hot steamed rice. 

OUR DINING EXPERIENCE: CCDD, BENGALURU

OUR DINING EXPERIENCE: CCDD, BENGALURU

Seeing the title of this post, you could well ask, "What is CCDD? It sounds almost like a Government Department". But you have to be a Bangalorean Foodie to know this one. We know that MTR is Mavalli Tiffin Room, CTR is Central Tiffin Room, TRC is The Rameswaram Cafe and so on,..... CCDD stands for Chulha Chauki Da Dhaba! You will find CCDD - a chain of Punjabi- dhaba style restaurants - in as many as seven locations in Namma Bengaluru. We went to the one in Rajajinagar, situated bang opposite the Orion Mall, for lunch the other day.

Pro tip: There is no system of reservations here! It's FCFS or First Come....First Served. If there is a crowd, as there will be -especially on weekends- you need to give your name to a guy who notes it down in a register. When a table is free, he calls out your name and that's it! 

The seating is designed to give a rustic charm to the restaurant as it serves dhaba style food. For the uninitiated, the "dhaba" traditionally is a restaurant on the highways where hungry truckers would stop to grab a bite and some rest.  Today, dhabas are as much frequented  by city folk who drive long distances to eat there. Hence at CCDD we sit on moodahs ( low bamboo stools) or charpoys (low slung cots with interlocking ropes) and the food is served on low bamboo based tables.

From the wide varieties of starters, we began with Babycorn Manchurian. The portion served was quite generous. We found the babycorn to be crunchy, spicy and totally delicious! We loved it!   

After that we went for a dish which was highly recommended: the CCDD Special Chicken Kabab. The chicken kababs were luscious and very well marinated. They were served with a salad of onions and a green chutney. This dish can easily be described: lip smacking.!

For the main course, we opted for the Chicken Lahsuniya which we enjoyed with hot Garlic Butter Naans. As the name suggests, this medium-spiced dish of chicken had a flavour of garlic. We deliberately chose to have a milder dish after the fiery starters we had.  

By now we were feeling too full! So the Kadhai Paneer that we had ordered  was packed for us to take away. We enjoyed this for dinner. It tasted just great with succulent pieces of paneer ( Indian cottage cheese)  well blended with the coarse masala that characterises Kadhai Paneer. 

And yes, I must mention that as we enjoyed our lunch we sipped at our tall glasses of Sweet Lassi. This  provided an ideal foil to the spicy food and was delicious in itself.

Being a Saturday afternoon, the restaurant was full. There were no vacant tables to be seen. Yet we could enjoy a leisurely meal. We found the service to be excellent. There wasn't much of a delay in getting one dish after the other. We weren't rushed either!

Overall, if you like  high quality Punjabi food, CCDD should fit your bill ( no pun intended).  The awards CCDD have won and proudly displayed speak volumes of the quality of this restaurant.