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Kondakadalai Pirattal | Spicy Garbanzo beans stir fry

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HOW TO MAKE KONDAKADALAI PIRATTAL?

Kondakadalai Pirattal- A spicy garbanzo bean stir fry made with a Chettinad style spice mix.

I usually spend a huge chunk of my time reading through my cookbooks. I dont make everything in a cook book. But there are some simple recipe booklets on my bookshelf that call out to me every time i pass through. One such book is this small treasure trove of recipes titled “Dhinapadi Samayal” by Menu Rani Chellam. Almost all her recipes are easy to make and call for simple ingredients that one almost always has at home. This pirattal is adapted from her book and i must say, it made a delicious lunch along with cucumber gojju and hot rice.

I had some garbanzo left after i tossed the cucumber chickpea salad. I dint want to make anything usual with it and so kept thinking of something. I almost made falafels when i spotted this pirattal recipe in the book. The original recipe calls for plantains too but as i couldnt find them, i just added garbanzo. Makes a fabulously spicy side.

Recipe For Kondakadalai Pirattal

kondakalai pirattal served in a white ramekin
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Kondakadalai Pirattal

Kondakadalai Pirattal- a spicy stir fry made with hydrated garbanzo beans. Vegan.
Prep Time8 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Accompaniment
Cuisine: Indian- South
Servings: 3

Ingredients

  • Garbanzo beans 1 c soaked overnight
  • Shallots 10 chopped finely
  • Garlic cloves 3 to 4 minced
  • Ginger 1 tsp grated
  • Tomato puree 2 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
  • Oil 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Urad dal 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves a sprig
  • Salt to taste

To Roast And Grind

  • Coriander seeds 1 tsp
  • Cinnamon stick 1/2"
  • Cardamom 1s
  • Fennel seeds 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
  • Dry red chilies 2
  • Coconut 2 tbsp

Instructions

  • Pressure cook garbanzo until tender. Takes about 3 to 4 whistles. Drain water and set aside.
  • In a pan, dry roast all ingredients to roast and grind except the coconut.
  • Let cool.
  • Once cool, combine the roasted ingredients with the coconut and grind to a coarse powder without adding any water. Set aside.
  • Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil.
  • Pop the mustard and add urad dal, curry leaves next and saute till dal turns a light brown.
  • Now add the chopped shallots and garlic and saute till golden.
  • Add turmeric now.
  • Follow with the tomato puree next.
  • Simmer the mixture till the raw smell of the tomato leaves and oil begins to separate.
  • At this stage, add the cooked beans and mix well.
  • Add salt and the ground powder and combine.
  • Cook on a low medium flame for further 3 to 4 mins.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Serve hot with rice and any kuzhambu of your choice.

Tofu Tikka Recipe| Starter Recipes

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Mr. P and i love paneer. And we also happen to be lovers of tofu. We dont get much good tofu near where i live. The store where i buy tofu is an hour s drive away. So, whenever i pass by, i pick up a good block of tofu and try something new with it. This time, i made tofu tikka that s an easy starter that you can make in large batches. It makes a great party recipe too. You can dunk the tofu in marinade a day ahead and grill it up the next day. I would say its a must do recipe for all tandoori lovers.


Recipe For Tofu Tikka
( Tofu marinated and grilled)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Standing Time: 6 hours to overnight
Cook Time: 10 to 20 mins
Serves 2 generously 

Ingredients

Extra firm tofu 100 g cubed
Capsicum 2  medium chopped into bite sized pieces
Tomato 1 large chopped into bite sized pieces
Onion 1 large chopped into bite sized pieces

For The Marinade

Thick fresh curd 1/2 c
Red chili powder 1 tsp
Tandoori masala 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Garam masala a pinch
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Kasuri methi 1 tsp crushed
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Directions

In a big bowl, whisk the curd well.
Add all the other ingredients for marinade to the curd and whisk till smooth.
Now add the tofu, tomatoes, onion and capsicum to this.
Gently mix using a spatula making sure that the yogurt coats the tofu well.
Let it stand for six hours or overnight.
The next day, bring out the mixture just before you begin broiling.
Preheat your oven at 180 for 10 mins
Line a baking tray with tin foil and brush lightly with oil.
Now place all the pieces of tofu and veggies on the tray making sure that they are evenly spread.
Broil in the oven until veggies and tofu starts turning a little black at the sides.
This took about 12 mins for me.

Serve hot with mint chutney

P.S The tofu may be replaced with paneer or any other veggies of your choice like cauliflowers.
You can also make this on a tawa. Place the veggies and tofu cubes on a heated tawa, drizzle a little oil around the sides and cook till they brown. Flip and repeat

Eggless Savory Kugelhopf Recipe| Yeast Bread Recipes| We Knead To Bake #7

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HOW TO MAKE EGGLESS SAVORY KUGELHOPF?

Eggless Savory Kugelhopf- Kugelhopf is traditionally a sweet bread. But this recipe uses spicy flavors and is an eggless version of this classic.

I cant believe half a year has already flown by. It seems only like yesterday when Aparna announced her baking group concept and we all baked our first bread with fervor. The group has not stopped since then and we ve all been baking steady for the last six months. This is our seventh month and the chosen bread for this month is Kugelhopf which is also known as Gugelhopf. 

Now, Kugelhopf has some interesting history, both recipe wise and trivia wise. It s basically a sweet yeasted cake that s famous in Switzerland and France. As to its creation, it s rumored that Marie Antoinette brought it all the way from Austria to France. You all know Marie Antoniette, dont you? Now, enough of this history. I can almost hear you all say.
I said, Kugelhopf is a sweet cake, remember? But, hey hold on! There s no golden rule that it has to be sweet. Cos our version s a savory one rich with cheese and vegetables. Sure, i m giving out sticky dough warnings but then, a little stickiness cant hurt if you are going to have a gorgeous loaf for dinner, can it?


Recipe For Kugelhopf
( A savory yeasted bake with veggies and cheese)

Prep Time: 25 mins for the dough
                 10 mins for the filling
                 1.5 hours to 2 hours for the first rise
                  30 mins for the second rise
Bake Time: 30 mins
Bake Temp: 200 C ( 400 F)
Serves 6 generously
Allergy Info: Eggless, Nut free

HOW TO MAKE EGGLESS KUGELHOPF STEP BY STEP?

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 c of flour, salt, sugar and  yeast. Mix well using a hand whisk.

Now, add the butter and slowly rub it into the flour until the flour is crumbly.

Add the curd next and work it into the mixture. The mixture will be crumbly at this point.

Now, add warm milk to this and mix well. The dough will be very sticky.

Add the remaining 1/2 c of flour to this and start kneading until you get a smooth elastic dough that s just short of sticky. Takes about 5 to 6 mins when done by hand.

Once done, transfer to a well oiled bowl, close with a clean damp kitchen towel and let rise until double in volume. This takes anywhere between 1.5 hrs to 2.5 hrs depending upon the weather. Mine took 1 hour and 45 mins precisely.

Once the dough has risen, prepare the filling.
Heat a pan with 1 tsp oil.
Saute the onions until translucent and transfer to a bowl.
Now, add the bell peppers and tomatoes and saute till the raw smell disappears but they are still crunchy.
Once done, add them to the onions and mix well.
Add chili flakes to this mixture and mix.
On a clean work surface, transfer the risen dough, deflate it and using a rolling pin, roll it into a 10″ by 10″ square. No need to worry about the measurements. All we need is a square.

On this square, place the cheese cubes and the veggie mixture.

Sprinkle with italian seasoning.
And roll this rectangle into a log.

Now, bring together the log from the ends and you will have a mass of dough that s slightly torn. Not to worry. What we are doing is working the filling evenly into the dough.
Now, start kneading the dough so that the filling gets worked into it. The dough is going to be very very sticky.So arm yourself with a scrapper but do not add more flour at all, no matter how tempted you are.
Once you are done doing this, shape the dough into a longish log.

Grease a bundt pan with oil generously.
Place the log into the pan by carefully lifting it up with your hands. Pinch the ends of the log together.

Now close with a clean damp kitchen towel and let rise until the dough just reaches the rim of the tin.
Takes about 30 mins. Mine took 25 mins.
Towards the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 200 c.
Once the dough has risen, brush the top with milk and bake for 30 mins or until the top has browned and the tin sounds hollow when tapped.
Once done, brush with butter.
Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Slice and serve with hot soup.

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Eggless Savory Kugelhopf

Eggless Savory Kugelhopf- an egg free spicy take on the classic Kugelhopf bread.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Rising Time2 hours
Course: Breads
Cuisine: Austrian
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Bundt pan

Ingredients

  • All purpose flour 1.5 c
  • Instant yeast 1 tsp
  • Warm Milk 6 tbsp
  • Curd 2 tbsp whisked and at room temp
  • Unsalted Butter softened 37.5 g
  • Oil 1 tbsp
  • Sugar 1 tbsp
  • Salt 1/2 tsp
  • For The Filling
  • Cheddar cheese 50 g chopped into small cubes
  • Onion 1 med chopped finely
  • Tomato 1 med depulped and deseeded chopped finely
  • Bell pepper 2 med chopped finely
  • Chili flakes 1 tbsp
  • Italian seasoning 1.5 tsp
  • Oil 1tsp

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, combine 1 c of flour, salt, sugar and  yeast. Mix well using a hand whisk.
  • Now, add the butter and slowly rub it into the flour until the flour is crumbly.
  • Add the curd next and work it into the mixture. The mixture will be crumbly at this point.
  • Now, add warm milk to this and mix well. The dough will be very sticky.
  • Add the remaining 1/2 c of flour to this and start kneading until you get a smooth elastic dough that s just short of sticky. Takes about 5 to 6 mins when done by hand.
  • Once done, transfer to a well oiled bowl, close with a clean damp kitchen towel and let rise until double in volume. This takes anywhere between 1.5 hrs to 2.5 hrs depending upon the weather. Mine took 1 hour and 45 mins precisely.
  • Once the dough has risen, prepare the filling.
  • Heat a pan with 1 tsp oil.
  • Saute the onions until translucent and transfer to a bowl.
  • Now, add the bell peppers and tomatoes and saute till the raw smell disappears but they are still crunchy.
  • Once done, add them to the onions and mix well.
  • Add chili flakes to this mixture and mix.
  • On a clean work surface, transfer the risen dough, deflate it and using a rolling pin, roll it into a 10" by 10" square. No need to worry about the measurements. All we need is a square.
  • On this square, place the cheese cubes and the veggie mixture.
  • Sprinkle with italian seasoning.
  • And roll this rectangle into a log.
  • Now, bring together the log from the ends and you will have a mass of dough that s slightly torn. Not to worry. What we are doing is working the filling evenly into the dough.
  • Now, start kneading the dough so that the filling gets worked into it. The dough is going to be very very sticky.So arm yourself with a scrapper but do not add more flour at all, no matter how tempted you are.
  • Once you are done doing this, shape the dough into a longish log.
  • Grease a bundt pan with oil generously.
  • Place the log into the pan by carefully lifting it up with your hands. Pinch the ends of the log together.
  • Now close with a clean damp kitchen towel and let rise until the dough just reaches the rim of the tin.
  • Takes about 30 mins. Mine took 25 mins.
  • Towards the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 200 c.
  • Once the dough has risen, brush the top with milk and bake for 30 mins or until the top has browned and the tin sounds hollow when tapped.
  • Once done, brush with butter.
  • Let cool completely on a wire rack.
  • Slice and serve with hot soup.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

P.S A kugelhopf is traditionally baked in a tube pan. You can alternatively bake this bread in a loaf pan or even in a brioche tin.
This bread is being yeast spotted and is also baked with love.

Sprouts Salad Recipe| No Cook Raw Recipes

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Off late, i m making sure that we get our share of proteins every week. We are not meat eaters and hence the concern. I decided to throw in a salad with sprouts this week. And as usual, i did what came to my mind. Surprisingly, the outcome was very good that i sat and ate a whole bowl to myself. Had to make another for Mr.P. This also makes a good breakfast option for all those calorie counters


Recipe For Sprouts Salad
( Sprouts and veggies in a orange dressing)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Serves 2 generously 
Allergy Info: Vegan, Gluten free

Ingredients

Mixed sprouts 1 c ( I bought readily available sprouts from the local farmer s market)
Carrot 1 small peeled and grated
Raw mango grated 1/2 c
Pomegranate pearls 1/4 c
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely

For The Dressing 

Freshly squeezed orange juice 1/3 c
Black salt 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala 1/4 tsp
White pepper powder 1/2 tsp
Caster sugar 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Directions

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and mix well until all the ingredients are dissolved
In another mixing bowl, combine the sprouts, carrot, mango, pomegranate, coriander and mix well.
Add the dressing and toss well.

Top with roasted peanuts just before serving.
This is Salad 2 for this month s Palooza. Check out Salad 1-  Cucumber Chickpeas Salad and also find out what salads my friends radhika and roshni are whipping up. 

Cucumber Gojju Recipe| A Vegan Raw Recipe

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We eat raw food often here at my place. And i m yet to post some of those. While we are it, i thought i must share with you all this gojju recipe. Gojju is nothing but sauce in kannada and its a staple in most homes. While this is not something amma makes, it s something that Suma aunty of the spring onion rice fame, makes very well. I have probably had one too many sleepovers at her place but i have never bothered to ask her for the recipe. Nope. Every time, i do make a mental note that i have to. Why, the last time, i even set a reminder on my phone. But to no avail. So i actually decided to take the plunge and make my own version. It almost came close to that and Mr.P loved it so much that i made it twice in a row.

Recipe For Raw Cucumber Gojju
( A no cook sauce with cucumbers)
 
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Serves 2 generously 
Allergy Info: Vegan, Nut free
 
Ingredients
Cucumber 1 peeled and cubed
Freshly grated coconut 3 tbsp
Roasted gram dal ( pottu kadalai) 1 tbsp
Green chilies 3
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Tamarind a small marble size
Salt to taste
To Temper
Oil 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Dry red chili 1
Directions
In a blender, place coconut, roasted gram dal, green chilies, tamarind and cumin seeds with 1/4 cup of water and grind to a smooth paste.
In a mixing bowl, place the cucumber, salt and add the ground paste. Mix well.
Add a little more water if the consistency is too thick.
Heat a pan with oil and pop the mustard.
Follow with curry leaves and dry red chili.
Add to the mixture.
Mix well.
Serve with hot rice, ghee and some chips.

Vermicelli Pakoda Recipe| Easy Snack Recipes

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Everyone enjoys a crunchy snack once in a while. But somehow, i dont make many deep fried foods mainly because of health reasons. And even on those rare occasions when i do make up my mind to fry a bonda or two, its in the evening when the sun has already sunk in and i will have already lost the chance to click away.
But a few days back, i made these crunchy pakodas for lunch. I wanted something crunchy that day and i also wanted it to complement well with the menu which was dal, rasam and rice. So i picked this recipe from a Menu Rani Chellam s cookbook. I tweaked it a little to my taste and i must say, even though, i was a bit doubtful about it hitting off well with Mr.P, it was received very well. The empty plate bore testimony for that.

Recipe For Vermicelli Pakoda
( Vermicelli and other ingredients combined and deep fried as fritters)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins to cook Vermicelli and potato
                   30 mins to fry the fritters 
Makes about 15 to 20 fritters
Allergy Info: Vegan, Nut free

Ingredients

Roasted vermicelli 1/2 c
Potato 1 large
Mint leaves 10 chopped finely
Onion 1 medium chopped finely
Red chili powder 1.5 tsp
Gram flour ( besan) 1/3 c
Rice flour 1 tbsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

Directions

Pressure cook the potato for 2 whistles. Peel and set aside
In the meanwhile, bring a cup of water to a boil and cook the vermicelli until just done. Dont overcook it. We dont want a mush.
Drain the vermicelli and wash under running cold water. Let drain completely.
In a mixing bowl, combine potato, onions, rice flour, gram flour, red chili powder, mint, salt, oil and the cooked vermicelli.
Knead to a dough without adding any water.
You must have a shaggy and sticky lump after kneading.
Check for seasoning at this point and adjust.
Now, heat oil for deep frying.
Pinch off small portions of dough and deep fry 4 to 5 at a time on medium low flame until golden brown.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Serve hot with ketchup.

P.S I used roasted vermicelli. I always buy that. You can also use the regular vermicelli but make sure you roast it before you cook it.

Easy Garlic Bread Recipe| Quick Snack Recipes

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Who doesnt love biting into a crunchy garlic bread? I mean, its probably the best thing that happened to garlic and bread. I sometimes find the idea of buying a few slices of greasy garlic bread from outside, ludicrous. It can be so easily made and yet, we buy it. Yes, that includes me too. Every time its pizza night, garlic bread has to be ordered. And then, a while back, i began making my own garlic bread. I experimented with different combinations, starting with good old butter and garlic. I then went on to add cheese, sometimes basil and other times, any herb that i can lay my hands on. I found my go to garlic bread in this recipe. Its wholesome, yummy and has the goodness of butter and mozarella in it. Nothing can go wrong with butter, garlic and mozarella, believe me.

Recipe For Easy Garlic Bread
( Make your own garlic bread at home in 20 mins flat)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Makes 4 slices
Allergy Info: Nut free

Ingredients

French loaf or baguette 1 medium cut into thick slices diagonally
Unsalted butter 4 tbsp softened ( dont melt the butter!)
Garlic cloves 4 to 5 grated
Italian seasoning 1 tsp or any dried herbs of your choice
Chili flakes 1 tsp
Mozarella cheese 4 tbsp grated
Olives 4 pitted and chopped
Jalapenos 4 chopped
Salt to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 C.
Line a baking tray with tin foil and lightly grease it.
Slightly butter one side of the bread slices and place them on the tray.
In a bowl, combine butter, garlic, herbs, chili flakes and salt and mix well. Go easy on the salt for the cheese also has some in it.
Spread a tbsp of butter on the top side of the slice evenly.
Now sprinkle grated cheese and top with olives and jalapenos.
Repeat for all the remaining slices.
Bake for 5 to 8 mins or until the sides have turned golden. Dont let it sit there for long or you may land up with garlic rusk.
Once done, serve hot with ketchup on the side.

This is my dish that begins with G for week 2 for The Avant Garde Cookies
P.S Please use fresh garlic and nothing else for this. No garlic paste. No!! dont even think of it.
In case you dont have an oven, feel free to toast the slices on a tawa but make sure not to flip over to the cheesy side.
You may use any bread of your choice but the texture will vary slightly.
Dont attempt this in a microwave or you  may end up with something close to rubber.

Kashmiri Gobhi Aloo Subji Recipe| Kashmiri Recipes| Easy Side Dishes for Roti

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Its quite hard to believe its the last week of the month almost. This month has been a whirlwind of sorts. Among almost accepting a job as an English teacher, struggling to fix the ignition in the stove and trying to get the bike up and running, i also managed to bake some chocolate doughnuts and get in my hands into a delicious pie. I also managed to kick start a baking class and read up on a few favorite recipes. And that s where this Kashmiri Gobi Aloo figures.
The Avant Garde Cookies chose Kashmiri cuisine as the theme for week 3. And i m kicking off the week with this delicious and ridiculously simple recipe. Believe me, its so simple yet so rewarding that it will put a few family favorites like shahi paneer to shame. After my tryst with the malai kofta, which is the most demanded recipe in the neighborhood when i cook, i had a thoroughly awesome time making this curry. It calls for very few ingredients and is amazingly flavor loaded. So, try it when you are short on time and yet you want that one dish that will make your table glow.

Recipe For Kashmiri Gobhi Aloo Subji
( Simple curry with potatoes and cauliflower)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 generously 
Source: Adapted from here
Allergy Info: Vegan, Gluten free and Grain free

Ingredients

Potatoes 2 medium peeled and quartered
Cauliflower florets 3/4 c
Onion 1 medium chopped
Tomato 1 medium chopped
Garlic cloves 4
Ginger 1/4″ bit
Bay leaves 2
Chili powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Oil 2 tbsp divided
Salt to taste
Sugar 1/2 tsp

To Garnish

Cashews 4 to 5 broken
Raisins 1 tbsp
Oil 1 tsp

Directions

Steam the potatoes for 10 mins until tender. I used my pressure cooker for this. I peeled and quartered them, placed them in a bowl and pressure cooked for 10 mins. I dint add any water to the bowl of potatoes.
In the meanwhile, heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil.
Shallow fry the cauliflower until golden.Takes 5 mins on medium flame.
Drain and set aside.
Grind onion, tomato, ginger and garlic to a fine paste without adding any water in a blender.
Once the potatoes are done, heat the same pan with the remaining oil.
Now, add the bay leaves and follow with the ground paste.
Let it cook till oil separates.
Add chili powder, garam masala and turmeric powder and cook for 30 secs.
Now , toss in the potatoes and cauliflower.
Add salt and mix well.
Sprinkle sugar and cook covered for 5 mins on medium low flame.
Once done, heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan.
Add the broken cashews and roast till light brown.
Quickly toss in the raisins and immediately transfer to the curry.
Mix well.

Serve hot with rotis.

Brinjal Kara Kuzhambu | Kathirikai Kara Kuzhambu

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HOW TO MAKE BRINJAL KARA KUZHAMBU?

Brinjal Kara Kuzhambu is a lip smacking tangy gravy made with tender eggplants. 

Chettinad recipes create a whir in the tongue. They are spicy, tangy and yummy. It’s not for the faint hearted or rather the faint tongued! Its for people who like it when they like tears coming down their eyes when they eat. And i belong to that kind. Yes. I love spicy food. I love biting into tempered chilies.

But hey, i m not that Ripleys Believe It Or Not person. If you ask me if i can eat whole chilies, of course, I cant. And I dont cook that spicy too. I make normal food that everyone can devour, the faint and the strong-hearted alike. But every now and then, i enjoy some super spicy food. And when i crave for that kind of spicy food, i know i have to cook something chettinad!

This kara kuzhambu is quick to make if you have some coconut on hand. I already have another kara kuzhambu recipe here and that involves stuffing the eggplants and cooking them. But this version is super easy to make and is super delicious too.

Which Brinjals are best for Kara Kuzhambu?

Tender purple Brinjals work best for this recipe. These cook fast and have a soft buttery texture after cooking. That makes it perfect for this tangy kuzhambu.

More Kuzhambu Recipes

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In case you have any questions regarding this recipe, leave a comment and I’ll respond at the earliest possible. If you tried this recipe and enjoyed it, click a picture and share it on Instagram by tagging us @tomatoblues.

Recipe for Kathirikai Kara Kuzhambu

brinjal kara kuzhambu served with fryums at the backdrop
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Brinjal Kara Kuzhambu- Kathirikai Kara Kuzhambu

A classic kuzhambu made with tender eggplants. Tangy and piquant. Pairs well with hot rice.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Vegetables
Cuisine: South Indian, South Indian- Chettinad
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • Eggplants 2 to 3 sliced thickly
  • Shallots 10 peeled and chopped
  • Garlic 6 cloves chopped finely
  • Tomato 1 big chopped finely
  • Tamarind extract 3/4 c
  • Spice Powders
  • Coriander powder 1 tsp
  • Chili powder 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder
  • Sesame oil or vegetable oil 2 tbsp
  • Curry leaves a sprig
  • Jaggery or molasses 1 tbsp
  • To roast
  • Fennel seeds 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds 1 tsp
  • Poppy seeds 1 tsp
  • To grind to a paste
  • The roasted ingredients
  • Grated coconut 3 to 4 tbsp preferrably fresh
  • To temper
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Fenugreek seeds 1 tsp
  • Coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions

  • Soak tamarind in a cup of water for 10 mins. Strain the pulp and discard the tamarind.
  • Dry roast fennel, cumin and poppy seeds. Add this along with the coconut to a blender, add about 1/4 c water and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
  • Heat a pan with oil.
  • Pop the mustard and add the fenugreek seeds. Add the curry leaves next.
  • Now, add shallots and garlic and saute till light brown.
  • Follow with the coriander powder, chili powder and turmeric.
  • Now, add the tomatoes and cook till oil separates from the mixture.
  • At this stage, add the ground paste.
  • Mix well. Cook for 30 secs.
  • Now, add the chopped eggplants and mix well.
  • Add the tamarind extract , salt, jaggery and 3/4 c of water and mix well.
  • Bring the flame to the lowest.
  • Close and cook till eggplants are fork tender.
  • Once done, adjust seasoning and garnish with coriander leaves.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Cucumber Chickpeas Salad Recipe | Easy Salad Recipes

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We decided to make salads this month for our palooza this month. Four salads. Healthy ( ahem) and at the same time, delicious, is what we aim for this month. I wanted this salad to happen the last month when our theme was legumes. But it dint happen because of various reasons, the primary one being that i m a lazy goose.
I made it a point to soak my garbanzo this time. I also remembered to buy mint and lemon. So, the salad was almost done, atleast in my case, where i forget to buy five things out of ten in a grocer s list. So it was not such a mess this time to whip up this salad. And i must say, apart from being healthy and yummy, its also filling. Its the perfect answer to that 11’o clock pangs in the tummy.

Recipe For Cucumber Chickpeas Salad
( Cucumber and chickpeas in a tahini dressing)

Prep Time: Overnight for soaking the chickpeas
                 10 mins for the rest
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 generously
Allergy Info: Vegan, Grain free, Gluten free and Eggless

Ingredients

For The Salad

Cucumber 1 small peeled and cubed
Chickpeas 1/2 c soaked overnight and pressure cooked till tender**
Mint leaves a handful chopped finely
Garlic 1 clove grated
Juice of a lemon
Pepper 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

For The Tahini Paste

Sesame seeds 2 tbsp
Olive oil 1 tbsp
Garlic cloves 1
Salt to taste

For The Dressing

Tahini paste 1 tbsp
Honey 1/2 tbsp
Olive oil 1 tbsp

Directions

To make the tahini, dry roast the sesame seeds and cool.
Blend to a smooth paste in a blender. Add more olive oil if necessary. Or a tsp of water.
This makes about 1.5 to 2 tbsp of tahini.
Pressure cook the chickpeas and drain all water completely.
In a bowl, combine chickpeas,garlic, cucumber, mint leaves, lemon juice, pepper and salt.
In another small bowl, whisk together honey, tahini and olive oil until smooth and emulsified.
Add this dressing to the chickpea mixture and toss well.

Garnish with a few mint leaves and serve.
This is recipe 1 of this month s Palooza!!

No Bake Banoffee Pie Recipe| Easy No Bake Desserts

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I m a fanatic. About bananas. Having said that, its a shame that i dint eat a banoffee until i was in 3rd year college. So shameful for a banana lover. I must probably wish that the earth opens up and swallows me. Dont mind the drama, ok? For, i really am crazy about bananas and anything that has a banana in it.
I quite dint bother much about banoffee or much rather making it until last year. You know, how it is here in the blogging circuit, dont you? One person spots something utterly delicious and that instantly becomes viral. Well, i dint hop on the bandwagon of people who were whipping up banoffees. But i did crave making one.
Some how, every time i decide i would definitely make one, i would run out of one thing or the other, either the bananas or dulce de leche or whipped cream!

Coming to dulce de leche, i should probably bang my head thrice on the nearest wall. I had such clean pictures of it and then i go and bin them! Before that, if you all are wondering what dulce de leche is, its nothing but some heavenly caramel sauce that can be materialised with a tin of condensed milk. Accident, of course. But still, no dulce de leche pictures. You will have to wait for that recipe. But you can always make this with store bought dulce de leche. Or simply add some caramel sauce. No one is going to know!
The fabulous part about a banoffee is that the crust is no bake and no cook. You simply buy a packet of biscuits, crush them, mix them with butter and you almost have a crust. Only a step left and you will have that crust! So it s pie that simply justifies ” as easy as a pie”. Its also a pie that you can make at short notice or make ahead for a party. It can easily be doubled and tripled. So, there! I m giving you all one helluva dessert recipe. Smile for me, please.

Recipe For Banoffee Pie
( An easy no cook no bake dessert made with bananas, cream and dulce de leche)

Prep Time: 10 mins for the crust to set
                  1 hour for the rest
Cook Time: Nil
Makes one 5″ pie
Allergy Info: Eggless

Ingredients

For The No Bake Crust

Oreo biscuits 1 packet
Unsalted butter 1/4 c melted

For The Pie

No bake pie crust 1 recipe
Dulce de leche 3 tbsp
Ripe bananas 2 sliced
Whipped cream 1/3 c

Directions

Oreo comes with cream in the centre. So, remove the cream from the biscuits. And dont forget to lick them all up in the process.
Now, place the biscuits in a zip loc bag and using a rolling pin, crumble them into a slightly coarse powder.I find this step a very relaxing thing to do especially if you are angry or annoyed. Just take it all out on the Ziploc.
Once you are done, transfer the powder to a bowl.
Add the melted butter to this and using a whisk, mix well.
Grease a 5″ pie dish well with butter. I used a springform pie dish. I recommend this because it makes taking out the pie later much easier.
Scoop all the biscuit mixture into the pie dish and using your finger tips spread them evenly on the base first and going around the sides eventually. Make sure you spread it evenly or your pie may crumble at a later stage.
Now, leave this crust in the fridge for 10 mins to set.
Once set, bring it out and smear the dulce de leche on the base evenly.
Now reserve a few slices of the banana and place the rest on the dulce de leche layer evenly.
Scoop all the whipped cream on the top of the bananas and using a spatula, even it out.
Arrange the remaining banana slices on the top of the cream layer in any way you fancy.
Leave it to set in the fridge for an hour.
Gently coax the base out of the mould to unmould the pie.
Slice and serve immediately.

This is my pie for Avant Garde Cookies Week 1 this month. Check out some piey adventures at  Radhika, Jayanthi ,Kavi, Priya, Priya Mahadevan and Roshni space too!!
PS. It is important that you grease the pie dish generously or your pie wont budge. There s also a risk of crumbling the crust when you dont grease well.
You can use any thing as a topping other than bananas. Chocolate chips or sprinkles, maybe? But no other fruit.
You may also use digestive biscuits instead of Oreo.
For the whipped cream, i use Blue Bird Whipping Cream powder. 

Bindi Besan Recipe| Easy Side Dishes For Rotis

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Now, dont raise your eyebrows after you read the title. I usually sit with a cookbook whenever i wait. May it be in a queue or the railway station or at my doctor’s. I carry a cookbook with me and browse in leisure heartily. I also bookmark a few recipes while i m doing that. This dish is one such bookmarked beauty. Yesterday, when i dint have a tomato or a potato or any vegetable other than okra for that matter, i decided to make this stuffed okra side that pairs beautifully with some rotis and kichdi. Mr.P, who usually detests okra loved it to bits. Ah!! my battle won. It s really simple, doesnt involve any chopping or grinding and delicious without all the sliminess.

Recipe For Bindi Besan
( A stuffed okra dry curry with gram flour and spice filling)

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 generously
Allergy Info: Vegan, gluten free and Nut free

Ingredients

Okra 25 medium ones
Oil 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp

For The Filling

Gram flour ( Besan) 1/3 cup
Red chili powder 1.5 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste

To Serve

Lemon juice 1 tsp

Directions

Heat a pan and roast the gram flour until slightly brown and aromatic. Takes about 3 to 4 mins on medium low flame. Dont crank up the heat or you will have dark brown besan.
Once done, immediately transfer to a bowl. Let it cool a bit.
In the meanwhile, remove the stalks in the okra and make a vertical slit on one side making sure not to slice it through completely. Set aside.
Now, combine coriander powder, chili powder, salt and gram flour.
Add about a tbsp of water and mix to make a slightly crumbly mixture. Dont be tempted to add more than 1.5 tbsp of water.
Once the mixture is ready, stuff a little of it into each okra. Make sure you dont overstuff them or they wont cook  well.
Heat a pan with oil and crackle the cumin once the okra is stuffed.
Now, drop the stuffed okra into the pan. Dont overcrowd the pan at this point.
Now, bring down the heat to the lowest and close the pan with a little gap to allow the steam out.
Keep turning the okra now and then.
Once the okra has slightly browned and is fork tender, crank up the heat and cook for 30 secs.
Once done, remove from heat.

Let cool a wee bit, drizzle some lemon juice and serve hot with rotis.

Bread Baking Day 61- Stuffed Breads- Event Announcement

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Not very long ago, i discovered that yeast and flour are my best friends in the kitchen. I love baking bread. For, there is nothing like a brown fluffy loaf of homemade bread. Its tough to stuff up on store bought loaves once you have begun baking bread from the scratch. I might just brag a wee bit here and tell you all that my blog has about 15 bread recipes, all from the scratch!! ( ahem.. )  Along those lines, i m always looking for newer platforms to learn more bread recipes and techniques. Zorra s Bread Baking Day is one such platform where bread baking lovers across the globe come up with new enticing loaves every month. I m only too happy to say that Zorra has very kindly given me the opportunity to host Bread Baking Day Edition 61. I m very excited to guest host this lovely event and i m sure i will be flooded with breads from all you wonderful folks! So, get ready, perk the yeast guy and bake up some bread.

For your bread to be a part of Bread Baking Day, you need to

1. Bake a stuffed yeasted bread basically! Yes, the theme for this month is STUFFED BREADS. Stuff anything, savory or sweet. No meat allowed though. An egg or two is acceptable.
2. You got to bake the bread and post about it on any day between July 6th, 2013 and August 5th, 2013.
3. Link back your post to this post and to Zorra s page.
4. Recipes must be written in English
5. Two good loaves from one person and no archived entries please.
6. Once you are done with all that, shoot an email to anusapraj@gmail.com with the following details

Name of the recipe:
Name of your blog:
Post URL:
A picture of the beautiful loaf that you baked!

The roundup of Bread Baking Day 61 will be live on August 7th, 2013. Awaiting all your fragrant luscious breads!

Peach Lemonade Recipe| Easy Drink Recipes

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My husband sees the maniac in me when he takes me fruit and vegetable shopping. According to him, i behave like a 5 year old who has just been given her favorite candy, the moment i enter the market. I desperately wish i could contradict him with equal gumption. But sadly, what he says is the truth. Fresh fruits and veggies give me a high. But seasonal fruits and veggies take me to newer heights.
When peaches and plums hit the market, this stone fruit season, i gallivanted about the markets, in a typical 5 year old s fashion. Needless to say, i was reprimanded promptly and was told to buy the fruits rather than stomp down the market like a wild female elephant. ( I still wonder why it was an elephant and why it cant have been a frog or a beetle) Anyway, i bought about a kilo of peaches and dint much like the plums. Here, i must brag that i ve eaten some of the best handpicked plums by the baskets as a child and so, no ordinary plum lives up to my expectation. Coming back to the peaches, nearly half of them were wolfed down by me greedily. Mr.P was offered a few slices, if only out of pity rather than wifely love. And then, the remaining became peach lemonade.

This month, we gourmets are trying to quench thirst by juicing up on lovely beverages from food gawker. We decided to make beverages that are not milk or yogurt based. And i simply knew what i had to make from the beginning. What?- Peach Lemonade!

Recipe For Peach Lemonade
( A classic stone fruit lemonade affair)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 3 to 4 mins
Makes 7 tall glasses
Source:  Adapted from here
Allergy Info: Vegan, Gluten free

Ingredients

Peaches 3 large peeled and stoned
Sugar 3/4 c
Water 3/4 c
Rosemary 2 sprigs
Basil leaves 2 to 3 torn
Lemon juice 2 tbsp

To Serve

Soda or chilled water
Ice cubes

Directions

In a pan combine sugar, water, rosemary and basil and stir well.
Let the mixture simmer for 2 to 3 mins.
Let the mixture cool completely.
Strain and set aside.
In a blender, add the stoned peaches and blend to a smooth puree.
Mix the peach puree and lemon juice with the sugar syrup.
Chill.
To make a glass of peach lemonade, combine three parts of water or soda with one part of the peach puree mixture.
Top with ice cubes.

Serve cold.

P.S. I ve added very little lemon juice cos i wanted the peach to shine through. You may add more if you like extra tang.
Pep this lemonade up by adding a few peach slices while serving.
We found the sugar level just right for us when the lemonade was made in the ratio 3:1. Adjust according to your sweet tooth craving!

Onion Thokku Recipe| Easy Side Dishes For Idly and Dosa

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No matter what you do, your hunt for the side dish for idly and dosa is perpetual.I typically go hunting for such recipes every week. In spite of knowing about 20 chutney recipes, i still keep searching for something new to eat with dosa and idly. This thokku actually happened by chance. I make tomato thokku this way but since i dint have many tomatoes that fateful day, i decided to throw in a handful of onions and garlic. I must say, its a keeper! Won hands down with Mr. P s palate. While this goes very well with crispy dosas, i must say it pairs up well with curd rice too.


Recipe for Onion Thokku
( Relish made with onions and garlic)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Makes 1 cup
Allergy Info: Vegan, grain free

Ingredients

Onions 2 large chopped finely
Garlic 4 to 5 cloves chopped finely
Thick tamarind extract 1/4 c from a marble size tamarind
Jaggery 1 tbsp powdered
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Oil 2 to 3 tbsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Salt to taste

To Dry Roast And Grind:

Dry red chilies 3 to 4
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Directions

In a pan dry roast fenugreek, chilies and  mustard and let cool. Grind to a fine powder and set aside.
Heat a pan with oil.
Pop the mustard and add curry leaves next.
Now, add the chopped garlic and fry till golden brown.
Next add the chopped onion and fry till light brown.
At this stage, add turmeric powder and tamarind extract.
Add jaggery, salt and the ground powder next and mix well.
Let it simmer on medium flame till oil separates.
Once done, transfer to a dry air tight container and refrigerate.

Works like a charm with dosas, idlies and curd rice.

Keerai Masiyal Recipe| Easy South Indian Lunch Recipes

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Did i tell you all how we decided to eat greens every day? I guess i did. I ve been making dishes that involve greens more frequently these days and i am enjoying it even though there s a lot of mess and cleaning involved. Let s not forget that the monsoon has begun! But it is sheer joy to clean, chop and cook these green leafy goodness. I make it a point to try something new along with all those authentic recipes that i make very often.
This masiyal or mash is an authentic recipe that s made in most South Indian households and its very healthy. No, i m not here to preach but i must tell that the combination of mung and spinach in this mash is such a natural healer. It cools down the body, cleanses your system and helps in reliving acidity. Cant have a better way to detox, can we?


Recipe for Keerai Masiyal
( Spinach and mung lentils tempered with spices)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Serves 2 
Allergy Info: Vegan, grain free

Ingredients

Mung dal 2 tbsp
Spinach 2 cups chopped finely
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

To Temper

Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp
Hing a small pinch
Dry red chilies 2 torn
Oil 2 tsp

Directions

Pressure cook the mung dal with 1/2 cup water until tender. Preferably one whistle.
Steam the spinach for about 5 mins.
Once done, mash the spinach and mung dal together until well incorporated.
Add salt and mix well.
Heat a pan with oil and pop the mustard.
Add fenugreek seeds, dry red chilies and hing next.
Now, add the mashed spinach mixture to this and mix.
Simmer for 2 mins.

Serve hot with rice and sambar 
This is Recipe 4 for Palooza In Pan.
Recipe 1- Punjabi Rajma Masala
Recipe 2- Pineapple Rasam

Avocado Yogurt Dip Recipe| Easy Dip Recipes

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I ve been a terrific fan of avocado right from the beginning. Why I love Avocado in a yogurt dip is another story which i ll share some other time. But the. Dont ask me why i love avocado either. Lets just say that chunky things fancy me. I was first introduced to this gorgeous buttery fruit in Bangalore by a dear friend in the form of thick creamy milkshake. I got over my initial apprehensions about the pastel green in the tall glass, i took a sip and i knew i had discovered my nirvana milkshake. My order for a milkshake has always been the same ever since then. With the exception of a Vanilla milkshake, no one can convince me into any other flavor.
Its only after i began blogging that i knew an avocado can be used for many more things other than a milkshake. My first tryst with this nutrient loaded goodness was in the form of some guacomole. And then there was no looking back. Until i decided the other day to use it in a dip. And should i even mention how the dip bowl was licked clean!


Recipe for Avocado Yogurt Dip
(An easy yogurt based dip that pairs up as a salad dressing too)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Serves 2 
Allergy Info: Gluten free, grain free, nut free 

Ingredients

Avocado 1 large scooped
Thick set yogurt 1 c
Cumin 1/2 tsp
Green chili 1
Mint leaves 4
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped
Garlic 1 clove
Salt to taste
Lemon juice 1 tbsp

Directions

In a small blender, blend mint, coriander, garlic, green chili and cumin adding little water to a fine paste.
In a bowl, whisk the curd along with the salt.
Mash the avocado with a spoon into a smooth puree.
Now, add avocado, ground paste to the yogurt.
Mix well.
Chill for an hour.
Add lemon juice before serving.

Serve this creamy Avocado Yogurt Dip  with carrot sticks or pita chips or even some parathas

Sri Lankan Flavored Rice Recipe| Easy Rice Recipes

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We chose Sri Lankan Cuisine for week 3 in our Cookies clique. Honestly, i m not a person who explores cuisines much. That is, i hate the research that comes along with it. And that s probably why i need to be a part of such amazing groups. They inspire me so much that i actually dust my lazy behind and start working.
When i began researching on Sri Lankan cuisine, i was amazed by the simplicity of their meals. While most recipes call for some addition of fish, the sambols, identical to our chutneys are simple yet flavorful. The coconut sambol and the mint sambol have already been added to my bucket list. And yes, please look forward to these in the future. I was surprised to find that our aapam is very famous in Sri Lanka and so is the parotta and the kothu parotta which is called kottu roti. Basically, Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine are quite similar but what makes Sri Lankan recipes stand apart, is the addition of coconut milk and cinnamon. I did zero in on quite a number of dishes but decided on this flavored rice finally, for its sheer simplicity.

The fact that my post was not ready yesterday was not very unexpected. I am never prepared before hand. I always do it in the last minute ( call me a rusher) but i somehow, puff, pant and meet the deadline on time. I m all set to go home tomorrow. It would surprise you all if i said that i am actually visiting my parents’ home after a year. But then i dint want to miss this post. Nevertheless, this wonderful Sri Lankan Flavored Rice. That i found here. Now, this is what i would call a fuss free and finger licking meal. No grinding involved. And a list of spices that s as long as a mile is not even heard of, in this recipe. I made some slight changes to the original recipe. It was a meal that was punctuated with too many satisfied burps. So, needless to say, i m a big fan of Sri Lankan cuisine now. For two reasons, one, this gorgeous flavored rice and two, the ease with which a Sri Lankan meal can be whipped up.

Recipe For Sri Lankan Flavored Rice
( Long grain rice flavored with cinnamon and cardamom and topped with deep fried cashews, raisins and onions)

Prep Time: 1 hour for soaking the rice
                  10 mins for the rest
Cook Time: 20 mins
Source: Adapted from here
Serves 2 heartily
Allergy Info: Gluten free

Ingredients

Long grain rice 3/4 c ( preferably Basmati)
Thick coconut milk 1/2 c
Water 1.25 c
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Cinnamon stick 1″
Cardamom pods 2 crushed
Onion 1 chopped finely
Butter 1 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp or more per preference

For Garnish

Onion 1 half moon sliced
Cashews 2 tbsp broken
Raisins 2 tbsp
Butter 1 tbsp

Directions

I made this rice in my electric rice cooker. In case you dont have one, make it in a pressure cooker but cook the rice for only one whistle.
Wash the rice thoroughly and soak in 2 cups of water for an hour.
Drain the water completely and set the rice aside.
Heat a pan with  1 tbsp butter.
Once the butter browns, add cinnamon, cardamom, curry leaves and onions and saute till the onions turn a light brown.
Now add this to the drained rice.
Mix the water and coconut milk together well. I used canned coconut milk, but if you have fresh milk, that will be great. Make sure you use the first press.
Now, transfer the rice to the rice cooker with 1 tsp of salt. Add the coconut milk mixture, mix well and cook till rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed.
Once done, fluff gently with a fork.
Heat a pan with the remaining butter and let it brown.
Now add the onions and let it cook till light brown.
Add the cashews next and wait for it to turn a golden brown. At this stage, the onions must also be brown.
Now, throw in the raisins and wait for them to fluff up.
Add this mixture to the rice and mix gently, taking care not to break the rice grains.
Serve hot with shahi paneer or the kadala curry, whose recipe is coming your way tomorrow.

So long till then!
Do check the other cookies, Radhika, Jayanthi ,Kavi, Priya, Priya Mahadevan and Roshni and their Sri Lankan experiments.

P.S. If you are thinking of swapping the butter with oil or ghee, please stop. This rice is gorgeous with all that butter and buttah once in a while is just fine!!
You may use fresh coconut milk made at home but make sure you use the first pressed thick milk.

Eggless Mango Bundt Cake Recipe| Easy Cake Recipes

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Technically, this cake was supposed to happen on blog s anniversary but it dint. My blog anniversary felt and went away just like any other average hair splitting day when i forgot a million things including combing my hair. Yes, dont raise your eyebrow yet. That s what happens if you write a blog, cook, click and teach all at the same time. Yes, you do forget to comb your hair. Yes, you skip a visit to the hair salon. But hey!! its all worth it. Its so gratifying to see people gorging on all that food you made. So, please bring down that raised eyebrow. Anyway, coming back to the cake. Like i said, it dint happen when it was supposed to. But that s no reason not to make it happen when it wasnt supposed to, right?
That s why, i went to town to make this lusciously gorgeous mango bundt cake. This cake is quite unlike your regular cakes. It s a little dense and syrupy thanks to all that lemon glaze. But boy!! you will love every bit of it. Doesn’t matter if you are a mango hater. You will love it anyway. Oh, did i mention the cardamom and the ginger that goes into it? Well, it may seem like a weird thing to throw in cardamom and ginger with mango, but please believe me when cardamom and ginger are like cheese and ketchup to sammiches.


Recipe For Eggless Mango Bundt Cake
( Eggless cake with mango puree, cardamom and ginger flavors glazed with lemon syrup.)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Bake Time: 20 mins
Bake Temp: 180 C
Source: Adapted from here
Level: Easy Baker
Allergy Info: Egg free

Ingredients

All purpose flour 1.5 c or 192 g
Oil 1 c ( any neutral oil)
Yogurt 6 tbsp whisked thoroughly
Mango puree 1 c ( recipe follows)
Dry ground ginger 1 tbsp
Baking powder 1/2 tsp
Baking soda 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Vanilla 1 tsp

For The Mango Puree

Sugar 1 c powdered
Mango 1 large
Cardamom 5 to 6 pods

For The Glaze

Confectioner s sugar 1/3 c
Lemon juice 2 tbsp

Directions

Peel the mango and cube it.
Place in a blender along with sugar and cardamom and give it a nice whir until pureed smoothly. You will get a little more than 1 cup of puree from this depending upon the size of your mango. Measure 1 cup of it and reserve the rest to dunk your flatbreads into.
Preheat oven to 180 C for 10 mins.
Grease a 10″ bundt pan generously and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients together.

Wondering what the light brown thing in the pic is? Its dry ground ginger.
Now here s the picture tutorial for the rest of the cake!

In another bowl, whisk together curd and oil until emulsified.
Now, add the mango puree  and vanilla to this and whisk again.
To this add the dry mixture and gently fold in  using a spatula until well combined.
Pour into the greased mould.
Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 mins until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 20 mins before inverting.
Invert once cool.
Prepare the glaze.
Mix together lemon juice, lemon zest and confectioner s sugar until well combined.
Spoon over the cake once cooled completely.

Slice and serve as it is or with some ice cream. Either way, its one helluva dessert!

Cucumber Labneh Wrap Recipe| Easy Breakfast Wrap Recipes

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I told you all about this amazing thing called labneh, a while back. Like how its actually a cheese and its so easy to make. I also promised a recipe that uses labneh. Well, as promised. Here i am. With a ridiculously easy recipe that you can make for breakfast. It s healthy, delish and can be put together in a matter of minutes. Plus, it uses fresh veggies. And i consider anything that has fresh veggies is a brilliant breakfast. Its also light and works very well for all those people who are counting their calories.


Recipe For Cucumber Labneh Wrap
( Easy wrap made with whole wheat tortillas and labneh spread)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: Nil 
Level: Easy
Allergy Info: Nut free

Ingredients

Chapathis or any whole wheat flatbread of your choice 2
Persian cucumber 1 peeled and cut lengthwise into strips
Tomato 1 large chopped into 8 wedges
Paprika 1 tsp
Mint leaves 4 to 5 chopped finely
Labneh 1/2 c
Salt to taste

Directions

Mix the paprika with the labneh lightly.
On a chapathi, spread 1/4 cup of the labneh evenly.
Sprinkle 1/2 of the mint leaves evenly.
Now, place 4 strips of the cucumber and 4 wedges of the cucumber on one end of the chapathi.
Sprinkle some salt over this.
Roll up from the end tightly to make a roll.
Repeat the same thing for the remaining chapathi and other ingredients.

Eat immediately.

Chenai Vazhai Erissery Recipe| Easy South Indian Lunch Recipes

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I m terribly late in writing this post. I should have technically posted this recipe on the 13th but it so happened that i had too much on my plate and my H was on a diet regimen. I wasnt actually cooking much. Let along doing all the grinding and grating. But when H finished his crazy diet idea on Friday, my hands were already beginning to itch to make this creamy nutty goodness.

This month, my turn to blog hop for the cookies group was Priya s blog. True to her blog s name, you will have a fine appetite kicking in when you visit her space. I have a list of recipes as long as my arm, bookmarked from her space. I loved her take on food with a global perspective. My favorites from her space, in no particular order,are

  • oatmeal nutella whoopie pies
  • olive rosemary foccacia
  • 7 up pulao
  • butter beans pulao
  • chenai vazhai erisery
As much as i was intrigued by the 7 up pulao, i decided to make the erissery as my H is a fan of Kerala cuisine and anything that s made with coconut oil strikes a chord with his tummy. I must say, it was a fantastic lunch that we devoured along with crispy poppadoms, tomato rasam and rice.
Recipe For Chenai Vazhai Erissery
( A creamy vegan coconutty gravy with yam and plantains)
 
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Level: Easy
Source: Priya s space
Allergy Info: Gluten Free, Vegan 
 
Ingredients
Elephant yam 1 c chopped
Plantain 1 medium peeled and cubed
Coconut oil 1 tbsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
To Grind To A Paste
Freshly grated coconut 1/2 c
Pepper corns 1/2 tbsp
Dry red chili 1
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Tempering
Coconut oil 1 tbsp
Freshly grated coconut 2 tbsp
Shallots 10 chopped finely
Curry leaves a sprig
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Hing small pinch
Directions
Pressure cook the yam and plantain with 3 cups of water and turmeric for 2 whistles.
Dry roast the pepper corns and dry red chili until aromatic. Set aside to cool.
Once cool, blend pepper corns, red chili, coconut and cumin with 1/4 tsp turmeric to a smooth paste by adding water as required.
Once the yam and plantain is cooked, drain the water and reserve.
Heat a pan with 1 tbsp coconut oil.
Add the cooked yam and plantain and saute for 2 mins.
Now, add the ground paste and salt to the yam mixture and mix well.
Add 1/2 c of the reserved water to this and mix.
Let it simmer for 5 mins on medium flame.
Once done, switch off the flame.
In another pan, heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil.
Pop the mustard and add the urad dal. Saute till it turns light brown.
Now, add the hing, curry leaves and shallots and saute till they turn a light golden brown.
Add the coconut next and saute till golden.
Add this mixture to the erissery and mix well.
Serve hot with rice and poppadom.
This is my contribution to week of the cookies group this month. Do check out Radhika, Jayanthi ,Kavi, Priya, Priya Mahadevan and Roshni 

Labneh | How To Make Labneh & Greek Yogurt Demystified

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Not long ago, i discovered to my delight, that there are some species across the globe just like us South Indians, who love their yogurt. While Americans and Europeans eat flavored yogurt or fruit and yogurt, the middle eastern folks indulge themselves in plain old fashioned yogurt. As my steps into the gastronomical world became stronger and surer, i also chanced upon something called greek yogurt.

Now, the moment i read greek yogurt, what came to my mind was, Yogurt is yogurt. How can they nationalize something like that? On googling further, as i always do, when in doubt, i read so many amazing things about yogurt and greek yogurt. 
For starters, greek yogurt is nothing but strained yogurt. Its a form of yogurt that is strained for a period of time over layers of cheesecloth. But the process of making the yogurt before straining it involves boiling off water content from the milk and sometimes adding powdered milk to the milk. Greek yogurt hangs somewhere between cheese and yogurt and is used widely by Greeks in Tzatziki dips, recipe for which will come in due time.
Now, this labneh that i m talking about is nothing but yogurt cheese that s made in a similar way to Greek Yogurt. Only, labneh comes from Lebanon. Plus, its a cheese that s easy as pie to make and embarrassingly inexpensive. So the next time, you come across labneh or greek yogurt, dont be either intrigued or alarmed. Its just good old yogurt, strained, remember??
Now, lets get to work in making labneh, shall we? In order to make labneh, you will need thick yogurt, sea salt and a strainer with the finest mesh possible.

Recipe For Labneh
( How to make labneh at home? I ve used Amul set curd here. Its thick and makes fantastic labneh. Dont bother to go to the trouble of making yogurt with milk powder for labneh. It s really not worth it. Just buy some Amul yogurt. And Amul people are not paying me to tell this!!)

Prep Time: 24 hours
Cook Time: Nil
Yields 350g
Level: Ridiculously Easy
Allergy Info: Nut free, gluten free

Ingredients

Amul set curd  400g
Salt 1 tsp
A strainer with a fine mesh

Directions

If you were alarmed after reading the prep time, dont be. Cos it really takes that long to make some good labneh.
Choose a strainer that has a fine mesh and that s big enough to hold all that 400 g of yogurt goodness.
Any strainer that you will find on the platforms is good enough. Only, keep in mind the size. You dont have a strainer? Use 3 layers of cheesecloth or muslin cloth.
Now, place the strainer over a medium sized bowl.
Scoop out the yogurt and place in the strainer.
Now at this point, if you decide you want a flavored labneh, add your seasonings to the yogurt and mix lightly. You can use mint, cumin, oregano, za’taar, sumac or anything that strikes your fancy. I wanted plain labneh. So i left it as such.
Loosely cover with a lid.
Stick it in the fridge for 24 hours.
And then, you will have some creamy fresh labneh that s ready to go on a piece of garlic naan or on toasts or any flatbreads. Recipe using labneh coming soon.

Labneh keeps well in the fridge for 2 to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.

Punjabi Rajma Masala Recipe| Kidney Bean Masala Recipes| Side Dish For Rotis

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Now, if you have ever been to an authentic Punjabi household, you would not have made an exit without gorging on two things – Lassi and Rajma masala. All Punjabi folks love rajma and the rajma takes an elevated spot if it has been whipped up by a mom or grandmom. Doubtlessly, the Punjabis make the best rajma masala. Mr. P and i love rajma. Especially when  we get bored of eating the same old veggies or during the summers when not many veggies are around. I make it a point to eat legumes like rajma atleast once a month to make up for the protein requirements in our meals. I have two versions of making this. The first one involves a wee bit of grinding and pounding. But this version is not that demanding. Its quite forgiving and you can just about add anything you feel will give the rajma a nice kick.
Coming to things other than rajma, radhika, roshni and i have decided to have some palooza in our pans every month, starting this week. Wondering what the palooza is all about? Well, we ve decided to hone our culinary skills a tad bit more and add to our repertoire by posting 4 different dishes based on a single theme in no particular order. To kick start the palooza, we picked legumes. So you can expect 3 more recipes along with this rajma masala in our pans this month.

Recipe For Punjabi Rajma Masala
( Easy stew with kidney beans, tomatoes and onions.)

Prep Time: Overnight for soaking the beans
                  10 mins for the rest
Cook Time: 20 mins to pressure cook the beans
                   20 mins for the rest
Serves 3 to 4 generously
Level: Intermediate
Allergy Info: Gluten free, Vegan, Nut Free

Ingredients

Pinkish brown kidney beans 1 cup
Water 4 cups
Tomatoes 2 large pureed or 1/2 c tomato puree
Oil 3 tbsp
Bay leaf 1
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For The Onion Paste

Onion 1 large
Garlic 4 cloves
Ginger 1″ chopped coarsely
Green chilies 2

Spice Powders:

Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Chili powder 1.5 tbsp ( I used kashmiri and hence this much)
Punjabi garam masala 2 tsp

For The Garnish

Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely

Directions

Wash the beans thoroughly. I have particularly mentioned pinkish brown beans because the dark brown ones dont cook quickly even after soaking. In case you want some color, remove 2 tbsp of these beans and add 2 tbsp of dark brown kidney beans.
Soak the beans in 4 cups of water overnight.
The next morning, pressure cook the beans with some salt and the same water in which they have been soaked, for about 6 to 7 whistles or until cooked thoroughly.
Once done, drain the water and reserve. Remove a handful of the cooked beans and mash thoroughly. Set aside.
Grind onions, green chilies, garlic and ginger to a fine paste without adding any water.
Heat a pan with oil.
Crackle the cumin seeds and add the bay leaf.
Now, add the ground onion paste and saute till light brown. Make sure you do this on low medium flame and that you keep stirring the mixture in between. You will know its done when you see oil leaving the sides.
Now, add all the spice powders and mix well.
Saute for 30 secs.
Next add the tomato puree and mix well. Cook till oil leaves the sides.
Now, add the cooked beans and the mashed beans and salt. Combine gently taking care not to mash the beans too much.
Now, add 1 cup of the reserved water and mix well.
Let it simmer for 5 mins on medium flame.
If you find the mixture thickening too much, add a little more of the reserved water.
Once done, garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with steamed rice or rotis. We enjoyed it with jeera rice( recipe coming soon) and boondi raita

Ridge Gourd Curry Recipe | Easy South Indian Curry Recipes

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If you all are wondering where i had scampered off to, all these days, then wonder no more. For i m here and i m here to tell you that my plate was overflowing this time with so many odd things to do that i simply dint have the time to either write a post or click a picture.
Lets talk about the bright side of life, shall we? Like say, fresh veggies? My last trip to the farmer s market compelled me to pick up over half a kg of fleshy plump ridge gourds, beautiful in their dull pastel greens. Like i have said before, my love for ridge gourd is immeasurable and i visibly do a cartwheels when i find them in the market. Which was the scene at the farmers market last week. Well i usually make a thogayal or a dal whenever i buy these gourds. So, this time, i wanted to do something different with it. I went ahead and made some poriyal or curry as we call it. I was a wee bit inhibited in the beginning to make a curry because a ridge gourd releases a lot of water but all my worries were futile, for the curry was a total sell out.

Recipe For Ridge Gourd Curry
( A vegetable curry made with ridge gourd, carrot, peas and potatoes)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 generously
Level: easy
Allergy Info: Vegan, gluten free, nut free

Ingredients

Ridge gourd 1 large peeled and chopped into cubes
Potato 1 medium peeled and chopped into small cubes
Carrot 1 small peeled and cubed
Fresh green peas 1/4 c
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Salt to taste

For The Dry Paste:

Coconut grated 2 tbsp
Green chilies 4
Corinader leaves 2 tbsp chopped
Ginger 1 tsp grated
Garlic 1 clove

Directions

Par boil the carrots, peas and potatoes until firm but cooked. I microwaved them together on high for 7 mins.
Once done, drain the water from them completely and let cool a bit.
Now, add the ingredients for the paste in a blender and grind coarsely without adding any water.
Heat oil in a pan.
Pop the mustard and follow with urad dal, hing and curry leaves. Wait till the dal browns a bit.
Now, add the ridge gourd and parboiled veggies and turmeric and mix well.
Cook until the ridge gourd wilts. The mixture will be a little watery but that wont affect the taste a wee bit.
Add the ground paste next and mix well.
Now cook until the mixture becomes a little dry.
Add salt next and combine well.
Cook further for a min.
Switch off flame and transfer to a bowl immediately.

Serve hot with curry leaves kuzhambu and steamed rice.

Raw Mango Dal Recipe | Easy Dal Recipes

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There are days when all one wants to do is seek out comfort. Mainly in food. Food without all the fuss and fancy. Food that is wholesome and yet delicious enough to make one doze off. The past few weeks, my life saw so many such days. And obviously, it also saw so many such recipes that will make one go,mmmmmmmmm in the mouth and then take a nap. Plus, the mango season arrived. I mean, how can one not find comfort in licking and sucking away on a mango stone. Seriously, that joy. That joy is indescribable.
I m a greater fan of the vibrant green raw mangoes than the canary yellow ripe ones. The yellow ones make me very feel very cheerful and i m not yet that mature to handle so much cheer. ( You can call me Meredith Grey or Christina Yang but sadly that s how i feel about cheer. And i dont do holidays well either). But comfort, and that too comfort in food is my forte. And i did find solace in this tangy mango dal more than once the last few days.
It s really a fuss free recipe that involves none of the cumbersome sauteeing, roasting and grinding. And yet, it will make you feel like you ve found manna. Especially on a day when things get a bit lousier than usual. So, here s my recipe for mango dal.


Recipe For  Raw Mango Dal
( Lentil Stew with raw mangoes)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Serves 2 
Level: Easy
Allergy Info: Nut, soy and gluten free. 

Ingredients

Super sour raw mango 1 medium chopped into pieces
Toor dal 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Chili powder 1 tsp
Ghee 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp
Hing a small pinch
Curry leaves a sprig
Salt to taste

Directions

Pressure cook toor dal with 2 cups water and turmeric until mushy.
Remove, mash thoroughly, water and all and set aside.
Heat a pan with 1 tbsp ghee and add the mangoes.
Saute till mushy. Mangoes cook fast. So dont add any water.
Now, add the chili powder and mix well.
Add dal and salt next and mix.
Simmer for about 5 mins.
In a pan, heat the remaining ghee and pop the mustard.
Add the fenugreek seeds, hing, curry leaves next.
Add this to the prepared dal.

Serve hot with steamed rice and papad.

Banana Gulkhand Milkshake Recipe| Easy Summer Drinks Recipe

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The kathiri veyil or the agni natchatram, the peak of an Indian summer comes to an end today. You have no idea how many times i thanked Lord Almighty for that. But still the news dint help much. For it was hot as before. Just like yesterday, the day before yesterday and all the blessed days of this month.
It shines as though there s no tomorrow right from seven in the morning. Bang on. Why, imagine, i found birds chirping away at 3 AM in the morning only the other day, to my horror. I couldnt believe that the day had already begun. Thanks to Summer. And because it s that blistering hot ever since the morning, we ve been gulping down tall glasses of smoothies or shakes for breakfast. One morning, ( you see, history repeats itself too often than not in my household), as usual i found myself staring at an overripe banana and i simply whipped it up into this easy cooling milk shake. It was gone in a trice.

Recipe For Banana Gulkhand Milkshake
( Easy to make shake with ripe bananas)

Prep Time: 2 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Serves 2
Level: Easy

Ingredients

Banana 2 ripe peeled
Gulkand or rose petal preserve 2 tbsp
Sugar 1 tbsp
Cold Milk 1.5 c
Ice cubes 4 to 5
Walnuts to top

Directions

In a blender, puree banana, gulkand, ice cubes and sugar.
Now, add the milk and blend well again.
Pour into tall glasses and serve topped with walnuts.

Can breakfast get better than this? Not to mention, easier?

English Muffin Toasting Bread Recipe| No Knead Bread Recipes

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I am a voracious reader. I ve been known to devour books at an alarming speed. Why, some even say, i donned the blinkers early because of my appetite for books. A few others opine that my puniness is an aftermath of the aforementioned statements.Well, it is true to a certain extent. There are days when i ve read with such a zeal that i ve skipped a meal or two many a times.
Like every zealot of a reader, i too have my favorites. And among the so many wonderful books that i ve read, the books writted by Enid Blyton continues to thrill me even today. I must say, i have a quite a thing for the author s imagination prowess. Her books were written during the war and nevertheless, she uses such a picturesque way to describe all that sumptuous food in The Secret Seven Series, The Five Find Outers and  The Malory Towers series. The Famous Five is also a favorite and the food that appears in the books make me very hungry. When the Avant Garde Cookies picked week 3 s theme as cooking from your favorite story book, i did a somersault in the air. I instantly knew what to make. And i felt like making so many things. I did make a few things before making this muffin bread. I made a cucumber sandwich first, then some lemonade and both somehow dint win me over. I mean, it dint make enough justice to the theme. And i was sure that a loaf of fresh home made bread will do more than enough justice.

Recipe For English Muffin Toasting Bread
( A soft fluffy muffin bread that makes the best french toasts and grilled cheese sandwiches)

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Source: Adapted from Tracey s Culinary Adventures
Level: Easy Baker
Yields one 8″ X 5″ inch loaf

Ingredients

All purpose flour 3 c
Milk 1 c ( I used full fat)
Water 1/4 c ( warm enough so that you can dunk your fingers in and keep it in there for 10 secs)
Instant Yeast 1 tbsp
Sugar 2 tbsp
Salt 1 1/2 tsp salt
Baking soda 1/4 tsp
Vegetable Oil 2 tbsp

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, soda and yeast and thoroughly whisk.
Microwave milk, water and oil on high for about 40 secs. It should be warm enough that you can dunk in your finger for 10 secs and keep it in there.
Now, pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and mix until it all comes together in a mass. Dont knead the mixture too much. You just have to mix it until it is incorporated well. The dough will be sticky but that s absolutely fine.
Now let it rise until double. Takes anywhere between 45 mins to 1 hour depending on the weather.
Once done, grease a 8″ by 5″ loaf pan generously with oil.
Preheat oven to 200 C.
Pour the batter into the pan and gently even out the mixture with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 20 to 22 mins until the crust is golden.
Let cool in the pan for 10 mins before inverting.
Cool completely before slicing.

Use as you desire for french toasts or sandwiches.
This also goes to Baked With Love at Roxana s Home Baking and its being yeastspotted

Potato Podi Curry Recipe | Easy Side Dishes

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Whoever tires of baby potatoes? Do you? Then, gosh, you are being unfair to life s goodness. Ok, so i ll make you a convert. Try this awesome potato podi curry and i guarantee that you will be a convert in no less that ten minutes of shoving the first cute baby potato into your mouth. Well, so what happens if you are a baby potato fanatic like me? Then, you will fall in love once again with all the goodness and deliciousness that a baby potato and only a baby potato can offer. I know i m rambling a bit. But i guess i m entitled to some rambling pleasures because its a baby potato recipe today.


Recipe For Potato Podi Curry
( Baby potatoes with a fresh spice mix- Vegan And Gluten Free)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Level: Easy
Serves 2 

Ingredients

For The Spice Powder

Coriander seeds 1 tbsp
Channa dal 1 tbsp
Dry red chilies 4
Sesame seeds 1/2 tsp
Dried coconut/ Kopra 2 tsp
Hing a small pinch
Salt 1 tsp
Oil 1/2 tsp

For The Potato Podi Curry

Baby potatoes 250 g
Spice powder 1 recipe
Oil 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Salt to taste

Directions

Pressure cook the baby potatoes till fork tender.
In the meanwhile, heat a pan with 1/2 tsp oil and roast all the ingredients for the spice powder except the coconut until light brown and aromatic. Let cool.
Blend to a coarse powder along with dry coconut. Set aside.
Once the potatoes are done, peel and let it cool a bit.
Heat a pan with 3 tbsp of oil.
Pop the mustard and add the curry leaves next.
Add the baby potatoes and combine gently.
Now, on a low flame, let the baby potatoes cook till a light golden brown. Takes somewhere between 10 to 12 mins.
At this stage, add the spice powder and a little salt to taste. Be warned while you add the salt as there s salt in the spice mix too.
Mix well.
Cook further for about 5 mins.
Once done, take off flame immediately and let cool down a bit.

Serve hot with this tangy raw mango rice or ennai kathrikai kuzhambu

Palakottai Sambar Recipe| Jackfruit Seed Sambar | South Indian Recipes

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I wanted to scream out aloud this recipe before the Jack fruits disappear from the markets, only to make a comeback next summer. While so many seasonal fruits which were once seasonal have become quite unseasonal, making their appearances tad bit sooner in the markets, one never finds Jackfruit before the onset of the blessed Summer. One can hope to chance upon a plump watermelon or a bunch of lusciously green grapes around any time of the year but Jackfruit- no. There s not even a slight chance. In fact, there s every chance that you may get scorned at for going around looking for it. Such is the majesty of the Jack Fruit.
Now, i m a Jackfruit addict in and out. You wont find me saying no to the fruit anytime ever even if i m stuffed. I like it raw, i like it ripe and i like the seed. Now, i dont know if i m biologically correct when i call its seed the seed, but you see, i know it as the seed or the palakottai as it s called in Tamil and i like to keep it that way. Every year, when it s that time of the year to gorge on Jack fruit, its also time to relish some sambar with its seeds. And how can i not tell you all about the sambar, that makes me reach out to ladle after ladles of it.

Recipe For Palakottai Sambar
( Lentil stew with Jack Fruit Seeds- Vegan and Gluten Free)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Level: Easy
Serves 3 to 4 generously

Ingredients

Jackfruit Seeds 10 to 12 pressure cooked till  fork tender and peeled.
Shallots 10 chopped finely
Toor dal ( arhar dal/ split pigeon pea) 1/2 c pressure cooked till tender.
Tamarind extract from a gooseberry size ball of tamarind 1/2 c
sambar powder 2 tbsp heaped
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Sesame oil 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Hing a small pinch

Directions

Pressure cook the seeds with enough water till fork tender. Takes 2 to 3 whistles but make sure not to overcook the dal.
Pressure cook 1/2 c dal with 1.5 cups of water and turmeric till mushy and overcooked. Once done, drain any water and mash well. Reserve the water.
Heat a pan with a tbsp of oil.
Add the shallots and saute till golden brown.
Add the jackfruit seeds and tamarind extract next.
Add salt and let it simmer till raw smell leaves of the tamarind leaves.
Now,add the sambar powder and mix well making sure there are no lumps. Add some of the drained dal water.
At this stage, add salt and cooked dal and mix thoroughly.
Let it simmer for 5 mins on medium flame.
Take off flame once the stew thickens a little bit.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan.
Pop the mustard seeds and add curry leaves and hing next. Add this mixture to the stew and mix well.

Serve hot with steamed rice and simple yellow squash stir fry

Thakkali Kuzhambu Recipe | Side Dish For Idli Dosa

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I really dont know if this version of tomato kuzhmabu is authentic chettinad. But what i do know is that, whenever i make this kuzhmabu, Mr.P and i fight for it till the last tiny spoon tooth and nail. In fact, there are times when the kuzhmabu has spilled over midst all the pulling and shoving. And then both of us put up sorry faces and vow never again to fight for the kuzhambu, only to fight for it again the next time, this is made.a-bowl-of-delicious-kongunadu-style-thakkali-kuzhambu

This is not made in both my marital and maternal households. In fact, i made it a point to share this kuzhambu recipe with both amma and athai once i discovered how enchanting this can be. Sorry, i cant find a more befitting word than enchanting for this kuzhambu. And i m wondering, as i type, as to why i dint bother sharing the recipe with you all. All good things come in time. And this applies to the tomato kuzhambu too.

Recipe For Tomato Kuzhambu
( A tangy stew made with tomatoes and poppy seeds. Tastes best when made with country tomatoes)

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Serves 2
Level: Easy

Ingredients

Country tomatoes 4 to 5 large ripe ones chopped into bite sized pieces
Tamarind pulp from a marble s size soaked in 1/4 water for 10 mins or Tamarind paste 1 tsp
Shallots 5 chopped finely
Oil 2  tbsp divided
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Salt to taste

To Be Ground To A Paste:

Shallots 5
Garlic 2 cloves
Freshly grated coconut 3 tbsp
Poppy seeds 1 tsp
Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp
Chili powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Oil 1 tsp to fry shallots and garlic

Coriander leaves for garnish

Directions

In a pan, heat 1 tsp of oil and fry the 5 shallots and garlic till light brown. Let cool completely.
Add this to the grated coconut, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, chili powder and turmeric powder and grind to a smooth paste adding little water. Set aside.
In the same pan, heat oil and fry the tomatoes till mushy.
Let cool and grind again to a smooth paste. Add little water if required.
Now, heat the remaining oil in a pan. Use a fresh pan preferrably.
Pop the mustard seeds and add the fennel, fenugreek and curry leaves next.
Now, add the shallots and fry till light brown.
Add the tomato paste and the tamarind pulp and mix well.
Let it simmer for 3 to 4 mins.
Once it thickens and oil starts to leave its sides, add the ground coconut paste and mix well.
Add salt and 1 cup of water and let it simmer for 5 mins on medium flame.
Once done, garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with idlies or sponge dosa

Bread Kofta Curry Recipe | Easy Curry Recipes | Side Dishes For Rotis

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There are some days when my pantry has a little of everything and not a lot of something. Say i may have one carrot and 2 to 3 beans sitting idly in the bottom of the veggie drawer. And there are some days when i have a loaf of bread whiling away its time in a mighty jolly way in the pantry. And that s exactly when i make bread kofta curry.

What s brilliant about this kofta recipe is that its not deep fried and it s also very kid friendly. You can even nibble on it as a snack during the evenings. And it can be made a few hours ahead and stored in the fridge. You can just whip up the gravy later and dunk the koftas in! Its a no fail recipe that s never let me down when there s a party to throw. And its a fabulous way to spring clean your vegetable drawers in the fridge. So, shall we chow down?

Recipe For Bread Kofta Curry
( Shallow fried koftas in a rich gravy)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Serves 3 generously
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

For The Kofta:

Bread slices 3 crust and all
Potato 1 small boiled and peeled
Carrots,peas, cabbage, cauliflower and beetroot 1 c boiled till tender yet firm
Garam masala 1 tsp
Red chili powder 1.5 tsp
Roasted cashews 1 tbsp
Cilantro 2 tbsp chopped finely
Corn flour 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil to shallow fry

For The Gravy:

Onion 2 medium chopped finely
Tomato 2 medium chopped finely
Ginger 1/2″ bit
Garlic 3 cloves
Cashews 6
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder 1 tsp

Kitchen king masala 1/4 tsp
Any biriyani masala 1/4 tsp ( optional)
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Milk 1/2 c
Oil 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cilantro for Garnish

Directions

Lets prep the gravy first.
In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil.
Saute onions till translucent and tip in the garlic and ginger next.
Now, add all the spice powders and saute for 30 secs.
Next add the tomatoes and cook till mushy.
Throw in the cashews next and cook for a min.
Let cool completely.
Transfer to a blender and grind to a smooth paste without adding any water.
Now, in the same pan where you fried the onions etc, heat the remaining oil and crackle the cumin seeds.
Transfer the ground paste to this and stir well.
Cook on low flame for 2 mins.
Add salt and milk and mix well. You can alternatively use cream too.
Set aside.

Lets get going with the koftas.
I used a abelskeiver pan to shallow fry my koftas. You can use a paniyaram pan too.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the koftas except the oil.
Knead to get a smooth dough like mixture.
Check for seasoning, adjust if required and shape into balls.
Heat the paniyaram pan with about 1 tsp oil in each groove.
Place the koftas gently in the grooves and cook on medium flame until golden brown all over. Keep turning the koftas now and then to ensure even browning.
Remove and drain on kitchen towel.

Dunk the koftas in the gravy only minutes before you serve. Garnish with cilantro and serve alongside phulkas or butter naan. Goes well with  vegetable pulao too.

Raw Mango Rice Recipe| Maavinkai Chitranna Recipe

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Mangoes. They are everywhere and anywhere in the vicinity. Situation at hand. 
So, what did the poor food blogger who cant resist anything seasonal( read me) do?

Ahem….. she made the mango salsa Then she made some panna cotta with mango gelee ………..And then she even made mango pickle ( which she never does even if you put her at gunpoint). She even ate some of the mangoes, raw , ripe flesh, stone et al. And then she was still left with one small mango. A raw mango that was so sour that it will make a tamarind tree cringe. What became of that mango? That mango. That lone teeny weeny fella became raw mango rice. And let me tell you, this raw mango rice is nothing but sheer delight.

Raw Mango Rice
( Raw mangoes and coconut stir fried along with cooked rice)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Serves 2 generously
Level: Intermediate Cooks

Ingredients

For The Mango Paste:

Sour raw mango 1 small chopped finely or grated
Fresh grated coconut 1/4 cup
Green chilies 8 to 9 ( i like my raw mango rice really hot. Reduce the number if you cant handle the heat)
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

For The Rice:

Cooked rice 2 c ( i used sona masoori)
Oil 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Channa dal 1 tsp
Peanuts 3 tbsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Dry red chilies 2
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Hing a small pinch

Directions

Grind together the ingredients required for the paste along with very little water to a paste. The paste must not be too coarse or too smooth.
Heat a pan with oil and pop the mustard.
Add the urad dal, channa dal, peanuts, dry red chilies, curry leaves and hing next.
Saute till the peanuts turn brown. Add the turmeric next and mix well.
Now,add the ground paste to this, mix vigorously and cook on medium flame until almost dry, stirring in intervals. Takes about 4 mins for the mixture to become dry.
Now, add the cooked rice and salt and mix thoroughly.

Serve hot with fryums or any roasted veggies.

One Bowl Triple Chocolate Coffee Brownie Recipe | Easy Eggless Brownie Recipes

By 4 Comments

This space doesnt have the classic brownie recipe. You know, the ones loaded with chocolate and vanilla kicking you in the shins ( ahem.. the tongue i mean.) It has a blondie though. And i thought it was time i did justice to the brownie void on the blog. After all, if one loves baking, then one must also love brownies. That is the unwritten rule here at tomato blues.

So, when i actually raided Foodomania, whose author is Kavi, a vivacious young thing who comes out of everything in flying colors, i was starstruck with this Brownie. I immediately knew this was the one brownie that s going to be akin to my comfort food brownie sorts. You know, those are hard to come by. This will be the brownie that i ll bake when Mr.P gets promoted. Or like i did yesterday for Amma as a mother s day treat. This will be it when i write my cookbook. ( yes, i intend to do that) Its definitely conclusively that brownie recipe that i ll turn to for all good things in my life. And its also that recipe that i ll turn to when i m in need of some chocolate to lift my spirits. Here s to brownies. And here s an even bigger one to brownies with coffee in them. I made some slight changes to the brownie recipe and it was perfect. I  mean like the perfect perfect.  And its a brownie recipe that you cant mess.

Recipe For Triple Chocolate Coffee Brownies
( Easy eggless brownies with chocolate and coffee goodness)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Level: For Beginner Bakers
Bake Temp: 35 mins
Yields 16 squares
Ingredients
All purpose flour 1 cup
Unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup
Castor sugar 1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp
Baking powder 1 tsp
Baking soda 1/4 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
White chocolate 90 g chopped into pieces
Dark chocolate 90 g chopped into pieces
Instant coffee powder 1 tbsp ( i used sunrise)
 Warm Milk 1/3 cup
Curd 1/2 cup whisked finely 
Canola oil 1/4 cup
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Parchment paper to line the tray 
8″X 8 ”  deep square baking pan

Directions
Preheat oven to 150 C.
Dissolve the instant coffee powder in 1/3 cup of milk. Stir well. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients except the chocolate and using a whisk, mix thoroughly to make sure that its well incorporated.
Line your tray with the parchment paper in such a way that the paper s a little extra on two sides so that you easily lift the brownie out. Never never make a brownie in a pan that s not lined. I ve had too many brownie disasters when i did that and disaster wisdom is always wise.
Now, make a well in the center of the dry mixture.
Add the coffee, curd, vanilla and oil.
Using a hand whisk, gently mix the ingredients until well combined. Make sure the wet ingredients are incorporated into the dry ingredients. Dont worry about the denseness of the brownie. A brownie is dense but hey! we like density. ( In physics and in brownies)
Now, pour half of the batter into the lined tray and evenly spread it out using a spatula making sure that it covers the whole pan.
Gently tap the pan onto the counter.
Now, sprinkle the white chocolate bits over the batter evenly. Dont do it like i did. In a fashion that s typical of squirrels eating fruit. 
Now, add the dark chocolate bits to the remaining batter and pour over the remaining batter.
Gently even the batter using a spatula.
Now tap the tray on the counter again gently.
Pop the tray into the oven, sit back and relax. I made my dosa maavu while i waited for the brownie to bake and the aroma that filled the house more than took away the stress and strain of the monotonous cleaning process of the wet grinder.
After about 30 mins, insert a toothpick to check if its done. If not bake further for 5 mins. 
If the toothpick comes out clean, then the brownie s ready to come out.
Once done, remove from the oven and let cool for an hour before you take it out of the pan.
After it cools down, slice up into squares and start gobbling.

This goes to this month s Baked With Love and my entry for this month s blog hop week with Avant Garde Cookies Radhika, Jayanthi ,Kavi, Priya, Priya Mahadevan and Roshni

baked with love roxanashomebaking

Masala Couscous Recipe | Couscous Recipes

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Couscous was something that i learnt about after i began my blog. No. Wait. Not even then. It was only last year that i learnt about its health benefits, of which i m not entirely sure. What i m actually sure of is that i love couscous. Its filling and its easy to make. You can add just about anything to it and it instantly transforms into something delicious. I call that embarrassingly effortless. But, hey! that s ok once in a while. This s my first couscous recipe on the blog. And rest assured, you can look forward to some more!

Recipe For Masala Couscous
( Couscous flavored with garam masala and veggies)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 generously
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

Couscous 1/2 c
Water 1 c
Onion 1 med chopped finely
Tomato 1 med chopped finely
Capsicum 1 medium chopped finely
Soya chunks 5 to 6 (optional)
Mushrooms 5 to 6 chopped finely
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder 1/2 tsp
Cumin coriander powder 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cilantro for garnish
Lemon wedges to serve.

Directions

Cook the soya chunks as per package instructions. Squeeze water and set aside.
Bring water to a boil.
Once done, place the couscous in a bowl and pour the boiling water over it and cover. Set aside.
In a pan, heat oil and add the cumin.
Once it crackles, add the onions and saute till light brown.
Add ginger garlic paste next and saute for 30 secs.
Add all the spice powders and the turmeric next. Saute for 30 secs more.
Now, add the capsicum and saute for a min.
Tip in the tomatoes next.
Cook the tomatoes till mushy on a low flame. Add mushrooms next and continue to saute on medium low flame.
While you do this, check on the couscous. The couscous would have absorbed the water and become fluffy and light. Gently fluff with a fork.
Once the tomatoes are done, add the soya chunks if using.
Saute for a min more.
Now, add the couscous and salt and mix well.
Cook on medium flame until the mixture loses some more of its moisture. It shouldnt be too dry nor too wet. Something like poha.
Once done, garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with lemon wedges.

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Watermelon Orange Salad Recipe | Easy Summer Salad Recipes

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We are watermelon maniacs in this house. Had i a garden, i m sure i would have grown big gargantuan watermelons all through the year. We never tire of the fruit. Watermelons are rich in iron, high in water content and less in calories. So, come summer, we are either downing tall glasses of watermelon coolers or eating chunks of it as we open the fridge for a drink of water. I also experiment with the watermelon now and then. This watermelon salsa is a fabulous result of some of those experiments.

Today was one more such experiment. To be rather precise, i wanted a meal. And i wanted a quick one at that. And i wanted to eat fruits. I dint want anything that will put me off to sleep in a flat minute. Oh! and did i mention how horrid the weather is. I fret everytime i go into the kitchen to roll out some phulkas. So even they were a no no. And i opened the fridge to snoop around. I came up with 2 oranges, a big slice of watermelon and some herbs. I set to work immediately. I did what came to my mind. And i must say, it was mighty pleasing.


Recipe For Watermelon Orange Salad
( No cook salad with watermelon and orange chunks)

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Serves 1 
Level: easy

Ingredients

Watermelon 1 c cut into bite sized pieces
Orange 2 small ones pith and seeds removed
Basil leaves 5
Mint leaves 5
Freshly squeezed orange juice 3 tbsp
Sugar 1/2 tsp
Honey 1/2 tsp

Directions

In a bowl, combine the orange chunks along with watermelon, sugar and honey.Toss once and set aside.
Now, in a blender, blend orange juice, mint leaves and basil leaves to a puree. The puree need not be smooth. This step is to infuse flavors in to the fruit. So its ok if the leaves arent finely ground.
Now,add this blended puree to the fruit and toss well.
Chill for 10 mins before serving.


Garnish with some mint leaves before serving.

Keerai Poriyal- Amaranth Stir Fry

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Mr.P came up with a new diet regimen a few days back. Yes, he did. Dont raise that eyebrow or give me that “Not again” look. It s only ironic if he doesnt come up with a new diet plan every fortnight. Only this time, it involved eating something regularly and not abstaining from it. He suggested that we eat greens every day along with our regular sides. It seemed a swell idea and also a great way to get the dose of nutrients naturally. So i readily gave in to his request and for a while now, we ve been eating amaranth and spinach as a routine. This stir fry is something that i whipped up during the “greens” regime. And it is simple yet scrumptious.

South Indian style Keerai Poriyal served in a white bowl
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Keerai Poriyal

Keerai Poriyal is a simple dish in which green leafy vegetables like Amaranth are stir fried with onions and coconut. This easy South Indian staple is healthy and budget friendly.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course, Vegetables
Cuisine: Indian- South, Tamil
Servings: 3
Calories: 160kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Frying Pan
  • 1 set of mixing bowls
  • 1 Colander
  • 1 Blender

Ingredients

  • 500 grams Amaranth leaves
  • 10 Shallots peeled and chopped finely
  • 2 tbsp Freshly grated coconut thawed frozen coconut works well
  • 2 Dry red chilies
  • 1 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp Urad dal
  • 2 tsp Oil
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Pick the leaves from the stalks and set aside. You can use the tender stalks for this stir fry too for a nice crunch.
  • Once done, chop the leaves and stalks finely and wash with plenty of water.
  • Add 1/2 tsp sugar to the leaves, sprinkle 1 tbsp of water and steam the leaves for about 10 mins.
  • Once done, remove and drain any water.
  • Heat oil in a pan.
  • Pop the mustard seeds and add the urad dal next.
  • Once the urad dal turns a light brown, add the dry red chilies and the shallots.
  • Fry the shallots till light brown.
  • Add the cooked amaranth next along with salt.
  • Mix well.
  • Let cook for 2 mins to remove any remaining moisture.
  • Add the grated coconut and mix well.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 797mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 19404IU | Vitamin C: 107mg | Calcium: 352mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

 

 

Directions

Pick the leaves from the stalks and set aside. You can use the tender stalks for this stir fry too for a nice crunch.
Once done, chop the leaves and stalks finely and wash with plenty of water.
Add 1/2 tsp sugar to the leaves, sprinkle 1 tbsp of water and steam the leaves for about 10 mins.
Once done, remove and drain any water.
Heat oil in a pan.
Pop the mustard seeds and add the urad dal next.
Once the urad dal turns a light brown, add the dry red chilies and the shallots.
Fry the shallots till light brown.
Add the cooked amaranth next along with salt.
Mix well.
Let cook for 2 mins to remove any remaining moisture.
Add the grated coconut and mix well.

 

Serve hot with sambar and hot steamed rice drizzled with ghee.

Pizza Cup Recipe | After School Snack recipes

By 4 Comments

Ok. So, this sunday, i was in a terrible terrible mood. You know one of those days, when you want to bite off every single person s head. One of those days when you aimlessly rumage about in the fridge and you find nothing worthwhile and hence you become mad. I hope i ve driven home my point.
Towards the evening, this sulky phase of mine reached its saturation. And i knew. I just knew i had to turn my oven on or i would scream like an opera singer and possibly break age old glass panes that abound the township. When you face that kind of a risk, you would obviously turn the oven on, right? Right.

But wait. The worst is yet to come. I went about to forage for some butter in the fridge, which i dint have. Enough for some coconut bread that is. And then i looked about for some milk, which was only a few dregs in the bottom. That drove me up the wall even more. And then i made my peace when i saw my loaf of bread. And that instant, i knew, i had to make something with that loaf. Some more foraging in the vegetable drawer produced some bell peppers. And there, i had it. I made these pizza cups then. They were really delish and sorta cute. You can make them as appetisers for a party too. For a kids party, works swell.

Recipe For Bread Pizza Cups
( Pizza flavors in bread cups)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 to 12 mins
Yields 6
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

Sandwich bread slices 6
Bell pepper 1 sliced thinly
Onion 1 chopped finely
Chili garlic sauce 2 tbsp
Tomato ketchup 2 tbsp
Paneer 2 tbsp crumbled
Pizza cheese 3 tbsp grated
Pickled jalapenos 6
Oil 1 tbsp
Muffin pan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180 C.
In a mixing bowl, combine the onion, bell pepper, paneer and mix well.
Use a big round cookie cutter and press down on the middle of a bread slice. Remove and you will have a round bread disc. Repeat for the other slices.
Grease the muffin cups with oil generously.
Now, place the bread disc in the muffin cup and press down gently.
Fill the bread cups with 1 tbsp of the filling. Add the jalapeno.
Sprinkle grated cheese on the top.
Bake in a preheated oven for 10 mins or until bread has become a golden brown.
Let cool for 10 mins.
Unmould from cups.

Serve with ketchup or even some mint chutney.

Mango Salsa Recipe| Easy Dips Recipes | Mexican Recipes

By 5 Comments

When i first began blogging, i was just an unseasoned eager beaver, wanting to tell the world about some good Indian food. Not that i dint enjoy other cuisines. But there s something so ethereal about some curd rice and pickle that i can simply not live on other cuisines. While the curd rice is ubiquitous at all meals, other dishes from around the world sneak into my dinner table every now and then.

The more i read, the more i got hooked onto new cuisines and new ways of eating a fruit or vegetable. As much as i like masaledar curries and piping hot steamed rice, i am also a big sucker for fresh vegetables and fruits in the form of a smoothie or salad. And my new found love, salsa. Not so long ago, salsa was either swaying your hips to a peppy number or some tomatoes and peppers in a tangy dressing. And then salsa too evolved. It evolved so much that it was at once, fashionable to make a stone fruit salsa. I call it the food in vogue syndrome. Well.Gladly, salsa dint consume me even then, Actually, salsa became an obsession only now. Like in the past few weeks. First, i made this watermelon salsa. And now, i found my soul salsa in this mango salsa. And no, i have not made tomato salsa. Not yet. Maybe its too soon for that. (wink wink)

Recipe For Mango Salsa
( easy salsa with fresh ripe mangoes)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: Nil
Source: My kitchen notes
Serves 2
Level: Easy

Ingredients

Mango 1 large ripe and firm, peeled and cubed
Onion 1 small chopped finely
Green bell pepper 1 small chopped finely
Serrano chili 1 minced
Cilantro 2 tbsp chopped finely
Juice of 1 small lemon ( 2 tsp lemon juice)
Salt to taste

Directions

In a mixing bowl, place all the ingredients and toss well.
Chill for an hour.
Serve along side some tacos or quesadillas.

One such recipe coming soon! In the meanwhile, enjoy making this salsa and lick that bowl clean!

Cardamom Panna Cotta With Peach And Mango Gelee Recipe | Easy No Bake Dessert Recipes

By 7 Comments

I ve always fancied dishes with fancy names. And i ve eaten more than one dish that s not as fancy as it sounds. Ever happened to you? Panna cotta however is different. The truth is i dint eat it until i made it. And when i made it, i knew i had found my ultimate soul dessert. I ve fancied making panna cotta. In fact i ve fantasised so much about panna cotta that i have dreamt about it in a zillion flavors. Reminds me of Bertie s every flavor in Harry Potter series. No hold on! i dint dream of ash flavors or bogey flavors. Dreamt of all the nice ones- pears, jasmine, lemons and oranges. I remember only so many.

Coming back to the panna cotta, mine dint set so well the first time i made it.  I guess it was gloomy gelatin day or something like that. The thing wouldn’t budge. Oh i m sorry, wouldn’t set. No matter what. And from then on, as much as i ve fancied making my perfectly luscious panna cotta, i ve also dreaded. Dreaded the impending disaster if the gelatin doesnt cheer up that day, that fateful day.
And then the panna cotta happened in our Gourmet Group. We all voted for panna cotta and thats just the kind of inspiration that i needed. I should probably use a stronger word than inspiration. Anyways!! i m proud of myself. I made my panna cotta and got it right too!!! Yipee!! Want to see? Come along.

Recipe For Cardamom Panna Cotta With Peach And Mango Gelee
( An italian no bake dessert with cream and milk.)

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Setting Time: 4 hours
Source:  Loosely adapted from here
Makes 2 small jars

Ingredients

For The Cardamom Panna Cotta:

Cream 200 ml ( You can use pretty much any cream. I used Amul.)
Full fat milk 200 ml
Sugar 1/3 cup
Vanilla 1/2 tsp
Green cardamom pods 2
Gelatin 2 tsp or Agar Agar powder 2.5 tsp
Cold water 2 tbsp

For The Peach Gelee:

Canned peach halves 2 drained
Gelatin 1/4 tsp
Sugar 1 tbsp

For The Mango Gelee:

Mango puree 1/2 c
Sugar 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder a pinch
Gelatin 1/4 tsp

Directions

Lets make the panna cotta first, shall we? Well, you see you first got to set your panna cotta and then make your gelee and pour for assembly. So, panna cotta, here we come.
In a small bowl, place the gelatin and pour the water over it. Let rest for about 20 mins. The gelatin will turn into jelly like mixture.
Scrape the cardamom pod and powder the caviar ( that s the seeds). Add this to the milk and mix.
In a pan, combine cream and milk and bring to a rolling boil, stirring in between. Do this on a medium flame.
Once it starts boiling over, add the vanilla and sugar and milk again.
Once done, take about 2 tbsp of this mixture and add to the gelatin and mix well. When i say, i mean really well.
Add this immediately to the hot milk mixture and combine well using a balloon whisk.
Let it cool down a bit. In the meanwhile, grease the dishes in which you want  to serve the panna cotta with a little oil. I used small glass jars, one for mango gelee and one for the peach,  to serve mine and as i dint plan to unmould, i just used them as it is.
Once it cools down bit, pour the mixture into your dishes about 2/3 full.
Let it set in the fridge for about 2 hours.
Towards the end of 2 hours, get started on your gelee. But before you begin, make sure the panna cotta is firm to touch on the surface. Or set a little further.
For the peach gelee, blend the peach halves with sugar to a smooth puree in a blender.
Add the gelatin to this and mix well. Take out your panna cotta dishes from the fridge.
Pour this mixture into one jar until almost full. Make sure you leave some space on the top. Return the jar to the fridge and be happy.
Now, combine the cardamom powder, mango puree and sugar until well incorporated.
Add the gelatin to this and mix well.
Take the other jar out of the fridge and pour in until almost full just like how you did with peach gelee.
Return to the fridge to set for 2 hours more or until you serve.
Top with fresh fruits before you serve.

Serve cold.
Us Gourmets are making panna cotta for the month of May. Check out all our evilly luscious panna cottas below! Interested to join us? Shoot me an email at anusapraj@gmail.com.

Broccoli Kootu Recipe | Lentil Recipes | Dal Recipes

By 5 Comments

Some years back, i dint know a broccoli from a zucchini. I had only seen such vegetables. Even though Coimbatore had a generous supply of such veggies because of its proximity to Ooty, these veggies were not very common in my house. I used to remember brussel sprouts being there every now and then on the table and i used to think they are baby cabbages.All this happened when i was 14 or 15. So, excusable right? Right!
Anyway, things changed when i went to college. They changed even more when i got myself a husband. A husband who ate anything given to him without any inhibitions. And that s how i began incorporating these vegetables in our daily meal. One such meal was this delish Broccoli stew. The bowl was licked clean. So it was a super duper success.

Recipe For Broccoli Stew
( Broccoli cooked with lentils)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Source: My kitchen notes
Level: Easy
Serves 2

Ingredients

For Stew:

  1. Broccoli 1 medium head cut and florets separated
  2. Pigeon peas/ toor dal 1/2
  3. Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
  4. Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  5. Urad 1 tsp
  6. Curry leaves a sprig
  7. Dried red chili 1 
  8. Oil 1 tbsp
  9. Oil for tempering 1 tsp
  10. Salt to taste
For Paste:
  1. Coconut gratings 1/4 c
  2. Shallots 4 peeled
  3. Green chilies 3 to 4 
  4. Cumin seeds 1/ 2 tsp
  5. Pepper corns 2 
  6. Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp
  7. Oil 1/2 tsp
Directions:
Pressure cook the toor dal along with the turmeric in 1.5 cups of water till mushy.
In the meanwhile, microwave the broccoli on high for 5 to 6 mins.
Once the dal is done, drain excess water and set aside. Dont mash the dal.
In a pan, all 1./2 tsp oil and saute green chilies  until lightly white.
Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and pepper corns and saute for 30 secs.
Once done, transfer to a blender, let cool.
Add coconut and shallots to the mixture and grind to a smooth paste without adding any water. In case the paste doesnt blend, add about 1/2 tsp of water.
Once done, heat the same pan with the remaining oil.
Add the broccoli and saute for about 2 mins.
Add the ground paste next and saute till the raw smell leaves. May be for about 2 mins again on medium flame. Take care not to cook this on high flame as the mixture burns quickly.
Now, add the  cooked dal to the mixture along with the salt.
Mix well.
Simmer for about 3 mins. In case the mixture is too thick, add about 1/4 c of water and mix well.
Heat a pan with 1 tsp of oil.
Pop the mustard seeds.
Add the urad dal, dry red chili and curry leaves next. Wait for the urad dal to turn brown.
Add asafoetida in the end.
Now, pour this mixture in the stew.
Mix well.
Serve hot with rice, poppadoms and rasam. Yumm. Tongue tickling is all i can say!