Okra and Coconut

      Have you ever tried this combination. I was also a little doubtful about it. I tried it once and turned out to be very good. The best part is this even tastes best with both rice and chapathi.

Ingredients:

Ladies finger (chopped) - 1 bowl

Oil - 4 tsp

Channa dal - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds to it. Once they splutter, add channa and urad dal. Also add turmeric.

Add the chopped ladies finger to it. Shallow fry them till they are cooked. You can sprinkle little water to it to avoid the okra from becoming very crisp. 

Once they are cooked, add coconut to it and mix well. Add enough salt and mix. Serve hot with rice or chapathi..

Enjoy Cooking.. :)

Penne Arrabiata

             PASTA.... The one word which I used to hate. I tried it in many places but always ended up hating it. Even when I travelled to Italy, I didnt like it. Then realised that I can make some changes to this recipe to make it taste good for our Indian palate. Finally I was able to make pasta that I would like. I am sure everyone would like it too..

            On the days when you are really bored of eating rice and chapathi... this is the best meal.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 4 med size

Onion - 2 med size

Garlic - 5 to 6 pods

Pizza seasoning - 3 tsp

Basil leaves - 5 to 6

Tomato ketchup - 3 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Shredded cheese - 4 tsp

Salt to taste

Olive oil - 4 tsp

Method:

Make small slits on the tomatoes and boil them in water for few minutes. Then peel the skin and grind them coarsely with garlic and onions. You can even chop the onions finely, but I prefer them to be grinded.

Boil pasta along with oil and little salt in water for around 10 to 12 minutes. Pasta usually takes 10 minutes to cook. Once it is done, strain  them and put them in cold water to stop cooking.

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the ground paste to it. Cook on medium flame. Add little water if needed. After 2 to 3 minutes, add chilli powder and Italian seasoning. I usually use the seasoning packets that I get from Dominos and Pizza hut.. :P 

Also add the tomato ketchup to it. Mix well and allow it to cook for few more minutes. Add enough salt to it as you have already added it when boiling pasta.

When it starts to thicken, chop the basil leaves finely and add it to the pan. Add the boiled pasta to it and mix well. Close the lid and cook on low flame for few more minutes. Garnish it with shredded cheese and serve hot.

Note:

1. I have used approx.. 180 gms of pasta. Use can use upto 200 gms for two people.

2. Italian seasoning is also available in the market.

Corn and Cucumber Salad

        A healthy snack and a tasty salad. It is very easy to make with all the fresh ingredients and flavours.

Ingredients:

Sweet Corn (boiled) - 1 cup

Cucumber (chopped) - 1 cup

Tomato - 1

Coconut (grated) - 1/2 cup

Coriander chopped - 2 tbsp

Pepper powder - 1 tsp

Lemon juice - 2 tsp

Olive oil - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

For the dressing, take lemon juice in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper powder to it. Also add olive oil and coriander to it and mix.

In a separate bowl, add boiled sweet corn, cucumber and chopped tomato. Add grated coconut to it and mix well. 

Pour in the dressing and mix all the ingredients together. Serve fresh. 

Enjoy Cooking.. :)

Bisi Bele Bhath

      The flagship recipe of Karnataka cuisine and one of my favourite... Bisi Bele Bhath.
   
      As the name itself suggests, this recipe is made with lentils and rice and served hot. There is a special masala that is prepared for this recipe. Though nowadays you can buy readily available masala from the market like MTR's but the authentic taste is obtained only with homemade masala since the masala ingredients vary a little in different regions.
   
      In this post I have also given the recipe for masala. So enjoy a wholesome meal with all the feel good factors of Indian kitchen like lentils, vegetables and masala together. So it is very nutritious too. 

Ingredients:

For the masala:

Coriander seeds - 1 cup
Channa dal - 1/4 cup
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Dry coconut (dessicated) - 1/2 cup
Dry red chillies - 2 cups
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 cup (or little less than channa dal)
Moggu - 7 to 8 (I use the small variety of this which is similar to clove. If you are using marathi moggu, use only 4 to 5)
Hoovu (Stone fungus) - small lemon size

For Bisi Bele Bhath:

Rice - 2 cup
Toor dal - 1 cup
Potato - 1 med size
Carrot - 1 med size
Capsicum - 1 small
Boiled peas - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 1 med size
Beans - 8 to 10
Bisi Bele Bhath Masala - 4 tsp
Tamarind juice - 1/4 cup
Jaggery - 1 small lemon size
Salt to taste
Oil - 4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 4 to 5
Curry Leaves - 10
Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Method:

Wash together rice and toor dal and pressure cook it with little extra water than usual.

Chop all the vegetables in big pieces and boil them. You can remove the pulp of tomato and chop it.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a large pan. Once hot add tamarind juice, jaggery, salt, masala and vegetables to it and mix well. Allow it to simmer for few minutes so that the vegetales soak in all the flavours. Now add the cooked rice and dal to it and mix well. Add little water if needed to get the consistency. The bhath should be little watery since it thickens up after some time. Cook on low flame for five to ten minutes so that all the flavours come together.

Heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, channa and urad dal. Also add curry leaves, turmeric, red chillies and asafoetida. Add this to the bhath.

Serve hot with ghee on top and some fried papad or Boondi.

Gongura Thokku

            Gongura or Pundipalya is an Indian leafy vegetable widely used in Andhra Cuisine. It is rich in antioxidants, iron and fibre... It can be cooked in variety of ways and one among this is Thokku... Thokku has consistency of dry chutney but is tangy in taste...

              The below recipe is very easy to make and can be stored for about a month in the refrigerator. 

Ingredients:

Gongura - 1 cup

Green chillies - 4 to 5

Salt to taste

Oil - 3 tsp

Mustard seeds - 2 tsp

Method:

Take the gongura leaves, wash thoroughly and pat dry to remove the excess water.

Dry it in the sun for around 4 to 5 hrs. The leaves change colour and become dry.

Now grind it with chillies and salt as finely as possible. Do not add water.

Leave it aside for the entire day. Gongura soaks up the salt and chillies flavour.

Next day heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, allow it to cool. After the oil is cooled completely, add it to the thokku. 

Mix well and refrigerate it. Enjoy it with hot rice and ghee on a lazy day when you are bored of cooking...

Happy Cooking.. :)

Tomato Rasam / Tili Saaru

      Rasam or Tili saaru is a dish prepared without using any lentils. It is generally very lite in texture and is a superb drink especially when you are down with cold.. You can compare it with clear soup.. :) 

     In other south indian states, this is called rasam... but in typical Karnataka cuisine, this is called Saaru. Saaru is usually cooked with toor dal.. but in tili saaru no lentil is used. 

      Rasam powder is made in all South Indian homes and is used on a daily basis. Our lunch and dinners are incomplete without Rasam. It tastes great with rice and papad... 

      There are many variations of rasam powder, but the recipe which I have given below is made in Brahmin households in my native Bellary...

For the rasam powder / saarina pudi

Coriander seeds - 1 cup

Cumin seeds - 1/4 cup

Peppercorns - 1/4 cup

Red Chillies - 3 cups

Fenugreek seeds - 3 tbsp

For the saaru...

Tomatoes - 2 

Coriander chopped - 3 tsp

Curry leaves - 8 to 10

Rasam powder - 2 tsp

Jaggery - 2 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Asafoeida - 1 pinch

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Rock salt to taste

Method:

Dry roast all the ingredients for the rasam powder.. Grind them to smooth powder. 

Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped tomatoes to it. When they turn soft, add curry leaves, rasam powder, jaggery and salt and mix well. Add two cups of water to it. Mix and allow it to cook on medium flame for around 10 mins.. If required add more water. Add chopped coriander to it. 

Heat a tsp of oil in a different pan and temper it with mustard seeds, asafoetida and turmeric. Add this to the rasam. 

Enjoy this with hot rice, ghee and papad.. :)

Note:

I have used dried red chillies that are medium hot. If you are using very hot red chillies, use only 2 cups..

Tender Mango Pickle / Midi Uppinakayi

      I know I am little late in posting this recipe as the season for tender mangoes is almost over. Nevertheless, there is always a next year to try the recipe. If you are lucky enough you might find them in the market.

      This is absolutely an easy recipe with very less oil and is tasty enough to tickle your tastebuds... :)

Ingredients:

Tender mangoes - 50

Rock Salt - 1 bowl

Red Chillies - 25

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 4 tbsp

Asafoetida (hing) - 1tsp

Turmeric powder - 2 tbsp

Method:

Wash the mangoes and dry them on a cloth. After they are dried completely, take a knife and make small slits on the mangoes. This helps the mangoes to soak in the juices..

Mix the mangoes with salt and store it in a glass jar for a week. Mix it once in a while with a dry spoon. After one week there is lot of juice/ salt water collected in the jar.

Remove the salt water collected in a bowl. Soak rest of the ingredients in it for about an hour. Grind the ingredients into a smooth paste. 

Add this paste back to the jar and mix well. Close the jar and leave it for around 15 days. The pickle would be ready to eat. 

When serving the pickle, temper it with oil and mustard seeds. Serve it with hot rice and ghee..

Note: 

1. I have used byadgi red chillies.. They are less spicy and give very good colour. If you are using other red chillies, use only 20 of them.

2. Use the ladle/ spoon with absolutely no water when mixing the pickle.. Otherwise it would get spoilt.

Enjoy Cooking.. :)

Fried Bhindi (Okra)

     Updating my blog after a very long time with this simple yet tasty recipe.. Ladies finger always tastes good in any dish. Here is the simple recipe..

Ingredients:

Ladies finger - 15 to 20

Gram Flour - 1 cup

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Cumin Powder - 1 tsp

Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Method:

Take gram flour in a bowl. Add Coriander, cumin, chilli powder and salt to it. Mix well.

Heat two tsp of oil and add it to the mix. Add water and make batter. Slit the ladies finger lengthwise and dip it into the batter. The batter needs to be coated very thin.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the ladies finger (bhindi) till golden brown. Enjoy with coffee/tea.

Note: Choose small size ladies finger as they are convenient to fry.

Enjoy Cooking... :) 

Carrot Halwa

             Carrot Halwa or Gajar ka halwa whatever you call it, it just melts in your mouth. This is one such dessert that requires very less ingredients but some effort.

               

Ingredients:

Carrot - 3 to 4 approx

Milk - 2 cups

Sugar - 1 1/2 cup

Ghee(clarified butter) - 2 tbsp

Cardamom - 2

Method:

Peel the carrots and grate them. You need two cups of grated carrot. So choose them accordingly.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan, and add 1 tsp ghee to it. Add the carrot to it and mix well.

Pour in two cups of milk into pan. Mix well and allow it to cook on medium flame.

Keep stirring regularly. This requires around 15 mins approx. Once the carrots are cooked just enough, add sugar and mix. 

Cook on low heat for another 5 mins. Crush the cardamom and add it to the pan. Also add the rest of the ghee to it. 

Once it cools down, refrigerate it and serve it with Vanilla Icecream.

Note:

1. Once the sugar is mixed well it leaves some amount of water. Hence add it when the carrots are just cooked. 

2. You can also cook the carrots in water and add milk later. But halwa tastes best when cooked in milk.

Happy Cooking... :)

Veggie Pan Pizza

What can be better than to make your own pizza right from the scratch... It will be healthy and also nutritious.... :)

Ingredients:

For the base:

Wheat Flour - 2 cups

Yeast - 2 tsp

Sugar- 1 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

For the sauce:

Tomato - 1 

Onion - 1 

Garlic pod - 2 

Sugar - 1 tsp

Salt to taste 

Coriander - 2 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

For the topping:

Capsicum
Onion
Cheese grated

Method:

Mix sugar, salt and yeast in luke warm water. Cover it and keep it aside for 5 mins till the yeast foams up.

Add this to the flour. Also add the oil and mix well. Add enough water and make a soft dough. Cover it with a wet cloth and leave aside for 1 hour. The dough doubles up in size.

Heat a pan and add oil to it. Add roughly chopped onion, tomato and garlic to it. Add salt, sugar and coriander and saute it till the tomatoes are cooked properly. Cool this mix and grind it to smooth paste.

Now knead the dough well with your fist till the dough becomes smooth. Add little dry flour while kneading.

Take enough amount of the dough and roll it till it is about half a centimetre thickness.

Place the rolled dough on a pan. Spread the sauce on it properly. Cut the capsicum and onion into small pieces and place them on the pizza base. 

Now spread lots of cheese on it as per your taste. 

Heat a flat tava preferably dosa one and place the pan with pizza on the flat tava. Cover it with a lid and cook on low flame till the base is cooked properly and the cheese melts.

Serve hot with Italian seasoning and ketchup.

Note:

1. Don't place the pan directly on flame. This can burn the pizza base. 

2. You can add more toppings on the pizza or simply spread only the cheese and still have a great taste.
3. You can roll the dough based on the thickness that you need for your pizza.
4. I have used wheat flour, you can also use maida or all purpose flour. That would taste great too.

Enjoy cooking :)

Hirekayi Bajji / Ridge gourd Fries

      This dish needs no introduction. It is simple and very easy to prepare and is best to be eaten on a rainy evening... 

Ingredients:

Ridge gourd - 1
Gram Flour - 1/2 cup
Rice Flour / Corn Flour - 1/2 cup
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method:

Peel the skin slightly and cut the ridge gourd into thin slices. Mix gram flour and rice flour together.

Add the cumin, coriander and chilli powder to it. Also add salt and mix well. Add enough water and make a semi thick batter.

Heat oil in a pan for frying. Once it it hot, add one tsp of hot oil to the batter and mix.

Dip the ridge gourd slices in the batter and fry on medium flame till they are golden brown. 

Serve hot with tomato ketchup :)

Note:

1. You can replace corn flour for rice flour since I have only added them to make the bajji's crispy.

2. You can avoid using soda by adding a tsp of hot oil to the batter. 

Majjige Palda / Majjige Huli

        This is a traditional recipe made in South Indian homes. It is called with different names in different states. Kadhi is also a similar dish. You can use various vegetables in this and can even use garlic in it. But I have prepared without garlic.

Ingredients:

Ash gourd (wintermelon) - 1/2 kg
Curd - 2 cups
Gram flour - 2 tsp
Green chillies -  3
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Ginger - 1" piece
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 8 to 10
Coriander - for garnishing
Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the ash gourd into medium size pieces. Pressure cook them for one whistle.

Grind green chillies, ginger, cumin and coriander powder and grated coconut in a grinder.

Add two cups of water to the curd. Add gram flour and turmeric to it and beat well so that no lumps are formed. Add more water if required.

Heat oil in a thick bottomed vessel. Add mustard seeds, channa dal and urad dal to it. 

Now add curry leaves to it. Add the beaten curd to it. Drop in the ash gourd.  

Once it starts to boil, add the grounded paste to it. Mix well. Let it cook for another two minutes. Add salt to it. Remove from flame and garnish it with coriander. Serve hot with rice.

Note:

1. You can cook the ash gourd openly with enough water. But it takes longer.

2. Do not over boil it, as it thickens soon due to gram flour.

3. You can also use, Lady's finger or Chayote Squash in this recipe.

4. Ash gourd is called Boodu Kumbalekayi in Kannada.

New Year Special - Eggless Orange Cake

      Wishing all the people who have given me so much encouragement for this blog a very happy and prosperous new year. What can be better option than to welcome the new year with a beautiful cake. Hence here I am posting Eggless Orange Cake recipe.

Ingredients:

Maida (All purpose flour) - 1 cup
Butter - 1/4 cup
Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup
Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Orange Juice - 3/4 cup
Orange zest - 1 tsp
Orange Essence - 1/2 tsp
Tutti frutti - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1 pinch
Corn flour - 1 tsp

For Icing:

Cream Powder - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Orange food colour - 1 pinch
Chocolate powder - 2 tsp

Method:

Pre heat the oven or microwave to 180 degrees centigrade.

Sieve all the dry ingredients together like Maida, baking powder and soda and cornflour.

Beat the butter and sugar together. Add the orange juice and essence and mix well. Now add the dry ingredients, orange zest and salt and mix well. Also add the tutti frutti to it.

Add little water to get it to the cake batter consistency. 

Bake in the oven for around 15 mins approx. This might vary with your microwave settings.

Insert a knife and check if it comes out clean. Remove the cake and allow it to cool down.

For the icing, mix cream powder and water together and whisk till it becomes fluffy. Keep aside a small quantity of the cream. Add chocolate powder to it and mix well. This is to get the brown colour. 

For the rest of the cream, add the orange food colour. I have used to colour shades for this.

Decorate the cake the way you like it. Enjoy baking.. :)