Month: April 2017

CHOLE POWDER

| neeluskitchen

img_4961.jpgThis recipe is handed down by my aunt Mrs. Lakshmi

INGREDIENTS 

Coriander seeds – 1 cup

Cumin seeds – 1/4 cup

Cloves – 2 tbsp

Cardamom – 2 tbsp

Cinnamon – a little less than – 1/4 cup

Black pepper corns – 1 1/2 tbsp

Broken red chilli pieces – 1 1/2 cup

METHOD

  1. Dry roast all the ingredients on medium flame for two minutes.

2.   Cool it and grind into a fine powder.

SUGGESTIONS

To be used in chole curry. Quantity can be adjusted according to your spice level.

PRECAUTIONS

Do not over fry.

CAPSICUM RICE

| neeluskitchen

IMG_1774INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice – 1cup cooked with 1 1/2 cup of water

Sliced onions – 2

Sliced red capsicum – 1/2 cup

Sliced green capsicum – 1/2 cup

Oil – 1tbsp

Ghee – 1tbsp

Bay leaves – 1

Shajeera  – 1/8 tsp

Cloves – 4

Cardamon – 2

Cinnamon – 2

Red chilli powder – 1/4 tsp

Everest kitchen king masala – 1tsp

Salt – 1tsp

Ginger garlic paste – 1tsp

METHOD

  1. Cook rice with 1 1/2 cups of water in such a way that the grains are separated. Cool it. keep it aside.
  2. Heat oil and ghee in a pan. Fry shahjeera, cloves, cinnamon, cardamon and bay leaves for half a minute.
  3. Add finely sliced onions and saute till it turns transparent.
  4. Now add the sliced green capsicum, red capsicum and ginger garlic paste.
  5. Saute on high flame till the capsicums are slightly cooked and raw smell goes off.
  6. Do not over cook as the capsicums should be crispy and not soggy. Add Everest kitchen king masala, red chilli powder and mix well.
  7.  Now add cooked rice to the capsicum masala, mix well and serve hot.

SUGGESTIONS

Don’t over cook the capsicums, let the capsicums retain their crunchy texture.

SPICY BUTTER MILK

| neeluskitchen

IMG_1807INGREDIENTS 

Curd – 1/2 cup

Water – 3/4 cup

Finely chopped onions – 1/2 tbsp

Finely chopped green chillies – 1/2 tsp

Sugar – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 2 or 3

Lemon juice – 1tsp

Chopped coriander leaves – 1tsp

Cumin powder – 1/8 tsp

Chopped ginger – 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

FOR GARNISHING

Cumin powder

Curry leaves

Lemon pieces

METHOD

  1. In a blender, add 1/2 cup of curd and all the other ingredients except water. Blend it very well.
  2. Now add chilled water and blend again.
  3. Pour  into a glass and sprinkle cumin powder. Garnish with curry leaves and lemon pieces.

SUGGESTIONS

Spice level can be adjusted according to your taste.

You can also use a grinder.

 

MANGO COCONUT ROTI PACHADI

| neeluskitchen

imageINGREDIENTS 

Grated Coconut – 1 cup

Grated raw mango – 1/2cup

Finely chopped tindora(Dondakaya) – 1/3 cup

Garlic Pods without skin – 6

Cumin seeds – 1/2

Leaves – 1 spring

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder – 2tbsp

Finely chopped coriander leaves – 1tbsp

FOR TEMPERING

Oil – 1 1/2 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Urad dal 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Garlic pods(mashed) – 4

Broken red chillie pieces — 8

Curry leaves – 1 Spring

Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp

METHOD

  1. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin and mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add rest of the ingredients one by one.
  2. Transfer the grounded paste to a bowl and add salt, red chilli powder, tindoora pieces and mix well. Adjust seasoning according to the taste.
  3. Mash into a coarse paste. Make sure you don’t mash it to a fine paste.
  4. Then mash coriander leaves and grated raw mango to a coarse paste for a minute. Also add grated coconut.
  5.  Mash 1/2tsp of cumin, garlic and curry leaves to a coarse paste in a mortar and pestle.
  6. Fry for half a minute. Switch off the flame. Add it to the coconut mixture and mix well.

SUGGESTION
Serve with hot rice and ghee.

RAW MANGO PACHADI

| neeluskitchen

imageINGREDIENTS 

Raw mango medium size -1 (peeled and cut into small chunks)

Garlic pods – 6 with out skin

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Cumin seeds -1 tsp

Red chilli powder -1 tbsp

Cumin seeds powder – 1tsp

Fenugreek powder -1 tsp

Salt -1/2 tbsp

FOR TEMPERING

Oil – 1/3 cup

Cumin seeds -1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds -1/3 tsp

Garlic pods – 4 ( mashed with skin)

Broken red chilles- 8 pieces

Curry leaves- 2 springs

Asofotida- 4 tsp

METHOD

  1. Wash the mango well and cut into small pieces with out skin. Keep it aside.
  2. Mash 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 6 garlic pods and curry leaves into a coarse paste in a motar and pestle.
  3. Then add mango pieces and mash it into a coarse paste. Keep it aside.
  4. Add red chilli powder, salt, cumin powder and fenugreek powder to the coarse paste. Mix well and keep it aside.
  5. Take a small kadai. Heat oil in it. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.
  6. When it starts spluttering, add mashed garlic, broken red chilles and curry leaves. Fry for a second.
  7. Add asafoetida and mix well and pour it on the mixed mango masala. Mix well and adjust salt.

SUGGESTION
If  you want to make this chutney using a grinder, first grind cumin seeds, garlic and curry leaves into a coarse paste.
Then add mango pieces and grind again. The remaining procedure is the same.

UTHAPPAM

| neeluskitchen

 

imageINGREDIENTS

Raw white rice  -1 cup

Urad dal (black gram dal,minapappu) -1 cup

Poha(beaten rice ,atukulu) -1 cup

Channa dal -1 1/2 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds -1 tsp

Salt to taste

FOR TOPPINGS

Finely chopped onions -1/3 cup

Finely chopped green chilles -2 tbsp

Karam podi for sprinkling

Oil -3 tbsp

METHOD

  1. Wash white rice, urad dal, channa dal and fenugreek seeds four times in water.
  2. Wask poha separately two times in water.
  3. Soak rice urad dal, channa dal and fenugreek seeds for 5-6 hours in a bowl. Also soak poha separately for 5 hours in another bowl.
  4. In a wet grinder or a large jar, add soaked dal, rice, channa dal, fenugreek seeds and add 1 cup of water then grind for a minute.
  5. Now add soaked poha and half cup of water and grind until the batter is smooth.
  6. Transfer the batter into a large container and cover to ferment it for 8hours or overnight.
  7. Just before preparing uthappams add salt and mix well.
  8.  Ensure that the consistency of the batter be like dosa batter that makes uthappam fluffy and crispy.
  9. Preheat a non stick tawa or griddle and spread a tea spoon of oil over it.
  10. Pour a laddle full of batter and spread it thicker than a dosa. Also keep the flame in medium heat so that it’s well cooked inside.
  11. Sprinkle chopped onions, green chillies, gun powder evenly over the surface of the batter.
  12. Pour a spoon full of oil around the uthappam and cover with lid.
  13. Let it cook for a minute. Don’t flip the uthappam, it gets ready once it turns golden brown.

Remove and serve hot with chutney and sambar.

Suggestions

We can add grated carrot, chopped tomatoes, chopped coriander leaves as topping.

Add sufficient water to the batter according to the required consistency.

LEMON DAL

| neeluskitchen

imageINGREDIENTS

Moong dal- 1/2 cup

Asafoetida- 1/4 tsp

Green chillies- 3 cut into half

Water- 2 1/2 cups

Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp

Red chilli powder- 1/3 tsp

Lemon juice- 1tbsp

Salt to taste

FOR TEMPERING

Ghee- 1tsp

Oil- 1 tsp

Finely chopped garlic- 1 tsp

Finely chopped onions-  1 1/2 tbsp

Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds- 1/3 tsp

Mustard seeds- 1/3 tsp

Red chillies- 3 cut into pieces

Curry leaves- 2 springs

METHOD

  1. Soak moong dal in water for half an hour. Wash soaked dal and add asafoetida, green chillies, turmeric powder and 2.5 cups of water.
  2. Pressure cook for 3 whistles and switch off the flame.
  3. When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid and check the dal.
  4. The lentils should be cooked well and softened. Lightly mash the lentils and keep aside.
  5. Dal should be semi thick. Adjust water.
  6. For tempering, take a kadai and heat ghee and oil. Add finely chopped garlic. Fry for 30 seconds. Add onions and fry for one minute.
  7. Add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and saute them until they become fragrant.
  8. Add red chilles and curry leaves. Fry for a minute and add the boiled dal to the tempering .
  9. Add 1/4 cup of water and lime juice. Boil the dal on low flame till it thickens a bit. Keep on stirring the dal at regular intervals so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
  10. Sprinkle red chilli powder before serving.
  11. Goes well with rice and dal .