Beetroot Paratha

Healthy, nutritious and wholesome dish. This can be the best description for Beetroot Paratha. The colour itself is so radiant that you can enjoy it all by itself.

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1 med
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Make dough with the flour with little salt and a tsp of oil. Knead it well and keep aside.

Peel the beetroot and grate it finely. Squeeze it to remove excess water since it becomes difficult to roll the dough.

Add garam masala, jeera powder, salt and sugar to the beetroot and mix well.

For each paratha take two small sized dough and roll them about the size of poori.

On one of the rolled dough, spread a little bit of beetroot mix. Place the other rolled dough over it and seal the ends. Now roll them again and make paratha.

Roast it on the tava on both sides with little oil. Serve hot with raitha and tomato ketchup.

Note:

The juice squeezed out from the beetroot can be added to the raitha, or you can simply add little salt and pepper and have a superb drink.

Enjoy Cooking.. :)

Moong dal with Capsicum

This is a very simple recipe and easy to make. A recipe which can be prepared when you get bored of cooking with toor dal everyday.

Ingredients:

Moong dal - 1 bowl
Capsicum - 1 large
Green chillies - 3 to 4
Onion - 1 med
Tomato - 1 med
Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Coriander (chopped) - 2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the moong dal thoroughly. Cut the Capsicum into small pieces and add it to the moong dal.

Add two cups of water to it and pressure cook it for up to two whistles.

Chop the onions and tomatoes finely. Take a pan and heat two tsp oil in it. 

Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and ginger garlic paste. Next add the onions and shallow fry till the onions are translucent. Now add chopped tomatoes and turmeric to it.

Saute for few seconds till the tomatoes turn soft. Slit the green chillies and add it to the pan. 

Now add the cooked dal and capsicum to it. Add little water if required. 

Add the rest of the ingredients like coriander powder, garam masala and salt and mix well. Add the lemon juice.

Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with rice and sliced onions.

Happy Cooking... :)

Bendekayi Gojju

Bendekayi Gojju is a traditional Karnataka cuisine which is a very important side dish prepared during festivals. It is made with Lady's finger (bendekayi). This is a very easy dish that tastes best with rice or chapathi.

Gojju can also be prepared with many vegetables like onion, bitterguard, raw mangoes, chillies etc.

Ingredients:

Lady's Finger (okra) - 10 to 15
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp
Jaggery (mashed) - 3 tsp
Curry Powder - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Bengal gram - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 5 to 6
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Rice flour / Corn flour - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Chop the okra into small pieces and keep aside. 

Soak the jaggery in the tamarind paste. Add little water if required.

Heat one tsp oil in a pan and shallow fry the okra till they are cooked properly. Remove them and keep aside.

Add one tsp oil to the same pan. Add mustard seeds to it. Once they start to splutter, add bengal gram, urad dal, turmeric and asafoetida. Also add curry leaves. 

Mix rice flour with tamarind paste and see that no lumps are formed. Add this paste to the pan.

Add little water about half a cup. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. It starts to thicken due to rice flour. Now add the okra to the pan. 

Add salt, chilli powder and curry powder and mix well. Let it simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes on low flame. Once the dish reaches sugar syrup consistency, remove it from the heat since it thickens little more after some time.

Serve hot with rice and ghee.

Note:

1. If you are using readily available tamarind paste, use only one tsp. Here I have used soaked tamarind paste. 

2. Okra become very light when shallow fried. This is the indication that they are done.

Enjoy Cooking.. :)

Ghee Rice

This is the best dish to be prepared on lazy days, when you are in no mood to do some serious cooking.. It can be prepared within no time and tastes best with coconut chutney.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice (cooked) - 2 cups
Onion - 1 large
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Green chillies - 3 to 4
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashewnuts - 10
Salt to taste

Method:

Chop the onions and slit the green chillies lengthwise.

Add the ghee in a pan, and add jeera (cumin seeds) when it is hot. Then add cashews, onions and green chillies and fry till the onions become soft and translucent. 

Now add the rice, salt and pepper powder and mix well.

Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Kesari bhath / Sheera

Kesari bhath is a simple sweet dish originated in Karnataka. It is made of sooji (semolina) with very less ingredients. The best combination for kesari bhath is uppittu (khara bhath) and is very famous in Karnataka restaurants.

Kesari bhath is also famous as sheera and sooji halva in North India.

Ingredients:

Sooji (semolina) - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 1/2 cup
Milk - 2 cups
Water - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 3 tsp
Cashewnuts - 10
Saffron threads - 1 pinch

 Method:

Soak the saffron threads in two tsp milk and keep aside.

Dry roast the semolina on medium flame till they turn slightly brown. Also roast the cashews in one tsp ghee till they are golden brown.

Mix water and milk in a thick bottom pan and heat it. Once the milk starts to boil, add semolina to it while stirring continuously. 

Once the semolina start to thicken, add the sugar and ghee and mix well. Also add the saffron infused milk. Cook on low flame for another five minutes or till the semolina thickens completely. 

Add the roasted cashews to it. Enjoy a super delicious sweet dish.

Note:

1. You can vary the proportions of milk and water depending on the percentage of fat in the milk. I have used milk with 3% fat.

2. You can also add sugar to milk before adding semolina, but adding sugar later gives a shine/ glaze to the dish.

Aloo Paratha

A wholesome dish which can be eaten any time of the day..This dish tastes best with raitha, pickle or tomato ketchup.

Ingredients:

Potatoes (mashed) - 3 med
Coriander (chopped) - 2 tbsp
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Carom seeds powder (Ajwain) - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Oil / Butter - 3 to 4 tsp
Salt to taste 

Method:

Take wheat flour in a bowl. Add a tsp of oil and salt to it. Make soft dough using water and keep aside.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the mashed potatoes and mix well. This is the filling to be used inside the dough.

Take a small amount of dough and roll it a little. Now place a small amount of filling in side the dough and close it. Take care so that the entire filling is covered with dough.

Now once again roll the dough carefully. Paratha should be little thicker than the usual chapathi.

Roast on the tava on both sides. You can apply oil or butter to it. Serve hot with raitha..

Enjoy Cooking.. :)

Gobi Paneer Rice

This is a simple Lunch box recipe. Adding paneer gives it a mild flavour and taste too.

Ingredients:

Paneer (small cubes) - 1 cup
Cauliflower (Gobi) florets - 1 cup
Potato - 1 med
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Coriander chopped - 2 tsp
Chilli flakes - 2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Peel the potato and chop it about the same size as gobi florets. 

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds (jeera). Now add potato and cauliflower florets. Just sprinkle little water and cook it on medium flame with lid closed. Keep mixing in-between and check whether the potato is cooked. 

Once the vegetables are cooked, add salt, cumin powder and garam masala. Add paneer cubes, chilli flakes and coriander. Mix well and serve.

Ganesh Chaturthi Special - Kadubu

The months between july and october is full of festivals.. These festivals bring so much joy and happiness and you also get to learn many traditional recipes. One such festival is Ganesh Chaturthi.. when we bring home Lord Ganesha and pray for happiness and peace.

One of the most important recipe that is prepared on this auspicious festival is Kadubu - a sweet dish. There are many variations of this dish, but here I present the one made with lentils.

Ingredients:

For the filling:

Toor dal (split pigeon peas) - 1 cup
Jaggery (mashed) - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Chopped cashew - 1/2 cup

For the outer covering:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Chiroti Rava(semolina) - 1 cup
Water for kneading
Salt - a pinch
Oil for frying.

Method:

For the outer covering take wheat flour, semolina and salt in a bowl. Add little water and make dough. Leave the dough to rest for some time.

Cook the toor dal on medium flame with 1 cup of water. When the dal is cooked properly, add mashed jaggery, cardamon powder and chopped cashews.

Mix well and cook for 5 more mins on high flame. Keep mixing so that the dal doesnt get burnt. Once it thickens remove it from flame and allow it to cool down.

Now take little dough and roll it about the size of a poori.

Take a small amount of filling and form an oval shape. Place it on the rolled dough in the centre. Fould the rolled dough into half so as to form a semi circle. Seal the ends with little water. Start forming small pleates on the sealed part overlapping one another.

Make the kadubu in the same way with rest of the dough and filling. Once they are ready heat oil in a pan.

Once the oil is hot, drop them in it and fry till they are golden brown in colour.

Kadubu is ready to be served along with the other special recipes made on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.. :) They taste best when they are served with ghee or clarified butter.

Note:
1. You can also add other dry fruits like almond flakes to the filling.
2. Chiroti Rava is a kind of semolina. It has very fine structure. If it is not available you can make the dough with only wheat flour.

Happy Cooking.. :)

Tava Pulao

    The one very famous street food and personally my favourite... The best Tava Pulao that I have tasted till date is the one from Shiv Sagar, Transit in Forum Mall, Bangalore. Love the flavours of it. Do try it out on your next visit.

The method is very simple and you can make this recipe in few minutes.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice cooked - 2 cups
Tomato - 1 large
Onion - 1 med
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Boiled Peas - 1/2 cup
Carrot - 1 chopped
Capsicum - 1 chopped
Green chillies - 3 to 4
Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1 tsp
Pav Bhaji Masala - 2 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Butter - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Chop all the vegetables finely and keep aside. Mash the peas slightly so as to break them.

Also slit the green chillies lengthwise.

Heat a pan and add butter to it. Add jeera when the butter starts to melt.

Now add the chopped onions and green chillies and fry them till onions turn translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste and the tomatoes. Cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes till the tomatoes become soft.

Now add the mashed peas, chopped carrots and capsicum. Mix well and add little water enough for the veggies to get cooked. Close the lid of the pan and let it cook on med flame for around 5 mins. 

After 5 mins, check if the carrots are done. After the carrots are cooked nicely, add the salt and pav bhaji masala. Mix well and cook till there is no water left. Now add rice and gently mix. Cook on a high flame for another 2 mins. 

Remove it from flame and add lemon juice and mix well.

Serve hot with Roasted Papad.

Note: 

1. If you cut the vegetables bigger, pre boil them for around five minutes else the carrots remain raw.

2. This pulao also tastes very good with left over rice. 

3. If you do not wish to use butter, you can either use ghee or oil.

Enjoy Cooking.. :)