CHANADAAL PANCHAKADAYEE : GUEST POST BY VIDYA NAYAK SHENOY

 CHANADAAL PANCHAKADAYEE: GUEST POST BY VIDYA NAYAK SHENOY

Today's guest post is from my friend, Vidya Nayak Shenoy. Her dish is a sweet made of Bengal gram and jaggery which we usually make for pujas and festive occasions. I am sure you will love this as much as I did.

Ingredients:

• Chana Daal (Bengal Gram), 1 cup
• Jaggery, 250 gms
• Fresh coconut , 1
• Cardamom powder, from out of 4-5 pods
• White til, 50 gms
• Cashewnuts 8-10

Method:
Dry roast the chana daal on low flame till you get a nice aroma. It should take about 15-20 minutes.
Cool it and powder to a rawa consistency in a mixer. Keep aside this coarse powder.
Dry roast the cashewnuts  and keep aside. In the same kadhai, dry roast the white til and keep aside.
Heat the jaggery and make a syrup
To this, add the coconut gratings and let it simmer for some time
Do not make it too dry
Add the channa daal powder to the jaggery mixture and stir 
The channa daal powder absorbs the jaggery syrup
Add cardamom powder to the jaggery mixture and let it cool
Finally, add the roasted cashewnuts and roasted white til and stir well.

Thanks, Vidya for your recipe and the lovely picture.

STRAWBERRY LASSI

STRAWBERRY LASSI

This season we got plenty of strawberries in Bangalore. Most of them seem to come from Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra  which brought back many happy memories of our days in Pune. We used to drive up to Mahabaleshwar and no trip was complete without coming back loaded with strawberries and chikkis!

Starwberry Lassi is very easy to make and tastes great too. It is most reinvigorating as it has the goodness of yogurt and milk with the  taste of the delicious strawberries.

As you know strawberries are a good source of antioxidants so this makes for a healthy drink as well.

Ingredients:

• Strawberries, 8-10
• Full Cream Milk, 1/4 cup
• Sugar, 2 tbsp or as per taste
• Fresh Yogurt, 1 cup

Method
Wash the strawberries and keep 2-3 strawberries aside for the final decoration
Remove the leaves and chop the remaining strawberries
Blend the strawberries with sugar in a blender for half a minute
Add the full cream milk and blend it once more for half a minute
Next add the yogurt and blend for 1 more minute
Pour into tall glasses and serve chilled, decorated with cut strawberries.

GOBHI KA KHEEMA (MINCED CAULIFLOWER)

GOBHI KA KHEEMA (MINCED CAULIFLOWER)

This dish is made of gobhi which is the Hindi word for cauliflower. Normally "kheema" is associated with meat but it means "to mince" and this dish is really a form of cauliflower minced and pan fried with spices. 

Thanks to my friend Gayathri Shashikiran for this recipe. If you, like me, love cauliflower this is a nice dish which goes well with rotis.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower, medium-sized, 1
• Green Peas, 1/2 cup
• Onion, medium-sized, grated/finely chopped, 2
• Tomatoes, blanched and pureed, 2-3
• Ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp
• Bay leaves, 1-2
• Garam Masala Powder, 3/4 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds, 1 tsp
• Asafoetida, a big pinch
• Oil, 2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Coriander leaves, chopped, for garnishing

Method:
Clean the cauliflower and separate into large florets. Grate them coarsely
Next, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan
Add grated cauliflower, saute on medium flame for 8-10 minutes till they start to turn golden brown
Keep aside
Heat another tbsp of oil, add cumin seeds, asafoetida and bay leaves
When cumin starts to sizzle, add onion and ginger-garlic paste
Stir fry till the raw smell goes and onions turn golden brown
Reduce the heat and mix in tomato puree
Add chilli powder, garam masala powder, green peas and salt to taste. Mix well
Let the gravy simmer for 2-3 minutes
Mix in the sauteed cauliflower and adjust the seasoning
Cook for another 5-7 minutes on reduced heat or till the peas are fully cooked
Ensure the cauliflower is coated well with spices
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot

GAJAR KA HALWA

GAJAR KA HALWA

Gajar ka Halwa is a very popular sweet made in most Indian homes though it's origins are from the plains of North India. The name comes from Gajar being the Hindi word for carrots. Halwa is a type of Indian sweet.

There are different methods of making this dish. Today, I share the relatively easy way I have been making this for years! While some add khova/khoya/mawa, I have instead used store bought Nestles Sweetened Condensed Milk which saves so much time and effort!

Ingredients:

• Carrots, 750 gms
• Milk, 750 ml, (3/4 litre)
• Condensed Milk, 1 tin (400 gms)
• Sugar, 2 tbsp, or to taste
• Raisins, 1 tbsp
• Cashewnuts, 1 tbsp
• Ghee, 1 tbsp
• Cardamom Powder (from 4-5 pods)

Method:
Wash the carrots thoroughly and grate them
Heat some ghee in a kadhai and lightly roast the cashewnuts and raisins. Keep aside.
Boil the milk and add the grated carrots. Cook till the carrots become soft, stirring every now and then. This takes about 8-10 minutes.
Add the sweetened condensed milk and sugar
Cook on low flame for about 25-30 minutes stirring from time to time
Add ghee and cook for another 10 minutes or till the halwa leaves the sides of the kadhai
Add the cardamom powder
Garnish with the roasted cashewnuts and raisins
Serve hot. This is often served with vanilla ice cream.

CARROT SOUP

CARROT SOUP

This carrot soup is a healthy soup which can be made anytime of the year as carrots are generally easily available. I have indicated the recipe for two portions but you can increase the proportion as needed. We love the natural sweetness of the carrot in this preparation.

  As you know, carrots have many health benefits.



Ingredients: ( for 2 portions)

• Fresh Carrots, chopped, 1 cup
• Onion , chopped, 1/4 cup
• Yellow Moong Dal, 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Milk, 1/3 cup
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Method:

Wash and chop the carrots
Chop the onion
In a pressure cooker, cook the carrots along with onion and moong dal, adding 1 and 1/4 cups of water
Once it cools, remove the cooked carrots, onion and dal
Blend this in a mixer to a smooth paste, without adding any water
Next, pass the contents through a strainer
Add milk and mix well. Bring this to a boil.
Add salt and pepper as required
Serve hot

SURNALI

SURNALI

This is an old Konkani favourite: a kind of sweet pancake made of rice, beaten rice, jaggery and yogurt. It is soft and porous in texture and is usually eaten with home made butter. I have compromised by using ready made Amul butter.

This recipe comes from my friend, Jayashri Baleri who has contributed a guest post in the past- for some delicious Besan Ladoos.

Ingredients:

• Raw rice, 1 and 1/2 cups
• Fenugreek/Methi Seeds, 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp
• Beaten rice/Poha (Thin Variety), 1 cup
• Yogurt, 1 cup
• Grated Jaggery, 1 cup, or as per taste
• Grated Coconut, 3/4 cup
• Salt, to taste

Method:
Soak the rice and methi for at least 4 hours. Wash and soak poha in a separate container.
Grind all the ingredients except jaggery to a fine paste initially. Try and keep the mixture as dry as possible.
Add the jaggery and grind again till well combined. Add water only if required. Add salt to taste.
The ideal batter should be thick and not runny. Ferment overnight till well risen.
Make dosas on a moderately hot and greased dosa tawa without spreading the batter too much.
These dosas are thick  and cooked only on one side.
Hence covering the dosa tawa with a lid when it is being roasted is very important so that the dosas don't remain uncooked.
Traditionally served with dollops of home made butter.

TOMATO RICE

TOMATO RICE

Today's recipe is for something that can be made for lunch if you wish to have a different type of rice item.  Since it calls for using cooked rice, this can be made quite fast. I make it once in a while for a change as also when I am hard pressed for time.

Ingredients:

• Cooked rice, 4 cups
• Channa dal, 1/2 tsp
• Mustard, 1/4 tsp
• Red Chillies, 2, broken into 4 pieces
• Urad dal, 1/2 tsp
• Green chillies, chopped, 2
• Ginger, 1/2 " piece, grated
• Cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves, 1 sprig
• Garam Masala Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder, 1/2 tsp or to taste
• Ghee/Oil, 1 tbsp
• Asafoetida, 1 pinch
• Onion, chopped, small sized, 1
• Tomatoes, medium sized, chopped, 2-3
• Salt, to taste
• Cashewnuts, roasted, 6-8
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped, 1 tbsp

Method:
In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat oil and when it gets heated add mustard, cumin seeds, asafoetida and red chillies.
When the mustard splutters and the cumin seeds sizzle, add chana dal and urad dal
Fry till the dals change colour
Next add the chopped onions and fry them till they are transparent
Add chopped green chillies, curry leaves, grated ginger, chopped tomatoes and salt, to taste
Stir and cook on medium flame for about 5 minutes till the tomatoes are cooked
Add the chilli powder and garam masala and fry for 1 more minute
Now add the cooked rice and mix thoroughly till the masala is fully blended with the rice
Serve hot after garnishing with chopped coriander leaves and roasted cashewnuts.

RAVA IDLIS

RAVA IDLIS

Here is another popular South Indian breakfast item. Today I am sharing my recipe for rava idlis. The best part of this preparation is that it can be made fast as the batter need not be fermented overnight etc. By the way, two other types of idlis which do not require any soaking of the ingredients or fermentation of the batter are Oats Idli and Vermicelli Idlis.

While some choose to keep the ratio between curds and rava as 1: 1, I prefer to have a ratio of 1: 2, as given below.

Ingredients:

• Medium Rava, (Semolina), 2 cups
• Oil/ghee, (for roasting the rava and cashewnuts), 1 to 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Cashewnuts, ( broken into pieces) 6-8
• Curds, 1 cup
• Water, as required to make the batter
• Green Chillies, chopped, 2
• Coriander Leaves, chopped, 2 tbsp
• Ginger, grated, 1"
• Baking Soda, a large pinch OR Eno Fruit Salt 1 tsp
• Salt, as per taste

For seasoning:

• Oil, 1-2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Chana Dal, 2 tsp
• Curry Leaves, 6-8
• Hing (Asafoetida) , a pinch

Method:

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat oil and when it gets sufficiently heated add the rava.
Stirring continuously roast it on medium flame till you get a good aroma and the rava changes colour.
Keep aside.
Next, fry the cashewnuts and keep aside.
Then do the seasoning by adding mustard seeds, and when they splutter add chana dal, curry leaves and hing. Fry till the dal changes colour.
Add the seasoning to the roasted rava along with the roasted cashewnuts
Now add the curds together with the grated ginger, chopped green chillies, chopped coriander leaves, and salt
Mix well and make a batter by adding water as required, ensuring that the batter is neither too thick or too thin
Cover the batter and keep aside for 20-25 minutes
Add baking soda OR Eno Fruit Salt to the batter and mix well
Lightly grease the idli moulds and pour the batter into them
In a pressure cooker, steam the idlis for 10-12 minutes, without using the weight.
After a few minutes, remove the rava idlis from the moulds
Serve hot with sambar and chutney of your choice.

BAKED CAULIFLOWER WITH CORN: GUEST POST BY SHYAMALA KINI

BAKED CAULIFLOWER WITH CORN: GUEST POST BY SHYAMALA KINI

Here's another in the series of guest posts that I have on this blog. This one comes from my friend, Shyamala Kini, who runs "Konkani Amchi Food", one of the most successful Foodie Groups on Facebook.

Today, Shyamala shares with us her recipe for the delicious Baked Cauliflower with Corn. Try it out for yourself . You will agree this is indeed her signature dish. Thanks so much, Shyamala.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower, medium-sized, 1
• Maida, 2 tbsp.
• Butter
• Milk, 1 glass
• Cream, 1 spoon
• Salt, to taste
• American corn, 1 small cup
• Garlic flakes, 1 tsp
• Chilli flakes, 1 tsp
• Fresh Pepper Powder, a pinch
• Oregano, a pinch
• Grated Cheese, 1 Amul cube
• Bellpepper, cut into rings, 1
• Cheese, 3 slices for topping

Method:

First cut the cauliflower and steam it for 5 minutes

For making the white sauce: take the maida and roast it in butter for about 3-4 minutes and allow it to cool. Next add one glass of milk and keep stirring. Add 1 spoon of butter and 1 spoon of cream, then add salt to taste.

Next, add the steamed cauliflower pieces and American corn and mix well

Add salt to taste, chilli flakes, garlic flakes, oregano, and fresh pepper powder

Mix well

Add 1 cube of Amul cheese and mix well again

Now pour this to a greased vessel and top it with 3 more slices of cheese

Garnish with bellpepper rings

Grill the dish for 15 minutes

Serve with garlic bread.

KOTHIMBIR VADI

KOTHIMBIR VADI

This is a tasty tea time snack from Maharashtra made of coriander leaves and besan. "Kothimbir" is what coriander leaves are called in Marathi and hence the name. We in Konkani call coriander "Kothambari."

It can also serve as an accompaniment with the main meal, if you so prefer. The advantage of this is that it can also be shallow fried for people like us who generally don't deep fry our dishes, primarily to reduce our intake of oil. I must admit though that it probably tastes better when it is deep fried.

Ingredients:

• Coriander Leaves ( Dhania Patti), 2 tightly packed cups
• Besan (Gram flour), 2 cups
• Green chillies,3- 4
• Lehsun (Garlic cloves), 4
• Jeera (Cumin seeds), 1 tsp
• Haldi , (Turmeric powder), 1/4 tsp
• Til, (Sesame seeds), 1 tbsp
• Baking soda, a pinch
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, for frying

Method:
Remove the coriander leaves from their stems
Next, wash the coriander leaves in several changes of water and pat them dry.
Chop the coriander leaves fine once they are fully dried and keep aside
Grind together green chillies, garlic cloves, cumin seeds and salt to a coarse paste. Keep aside.
Add besan, baking soda, the ground chilli paste, turmeric powder and sesame seeds to the chopped coriander leaves. Mix them well.
Add water in small quantities to make this into a soft dough
Now divide the dough into two equal parts and make them into rolls of cylindrical shape
Steam these rolls in a steamer/pressure cooker for about 20 minutes without putting the weight
Remember these rolls will swell to beyond their original size as they get cooked
Check that the rolls have been fully cooked by piercing a toothpick or skewer. It should come out clean when fully cooked.
Remove the rolls and let them cool.
Slice the rolls into 1/4 inch pieces
Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry them.
As an alternative, you can shallow fry them on a tawa as I have done,
Serve hot with ketchup or chutney

MIXED VEGETABLE HULI

MIXED VEGETABLE HULI

Huli, is a South Indian dish made with dal and vegetables. Today's Huli is made in the Honnavar style, Honnavar being a place in Uttar Kannada in the state of Karnataka.

I have adapted this from a recipe shared by my friend Suphala Shenoy, who has made a guest post here in the past of Mangalore Ghee Dosa.

This dish turned out to be delicious when we had it with chappatis. The ingredients do not include onion and garlic so many make this Mixed Vegetable Huli on festival days when they don't use onion and garlic.

I make it often these days and hope you will enjoy it as much as we did.

Ingredients:

• Toor Dal, 1/2 cup
• Green Peas, 1/2 cup
• Carrot, 1
• Cauliflower florets, 1 cup
• Potato, 1
• Tomato, 1
• Turmeric (Haldi) Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Grated Jaggery, 1 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Grated Coconut, 2 tbsp
• Byadgi Red Chillies, roasted, 4
• Tamarind, a small ball
• Coriander seeds, 2 tsp
• Cumin (Jeera) seeds, 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds, 1 tsp
• Fenugreek (Methi) seeds, 1/4 tsp
• Oil, as required 

Method:
You can use any vegetables of your choice. Today I have used fresh green peas, carrot, cauliflower, potato and tomatoes.
Pressure cook 1/2 cup of toor dal and keep aside.
Cook the vegetables and add the turmeric powder, grated jaggery and salt.
In a little oil, fry the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard and methi seeds.
Grind the above along with grated coconut, Byadgi Red Chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste.
Now add the cooked toor dal and the paste to the cooked vegetables and bring it to a boil.

Serve hot with rice or chappatis.