Besan Bataka Nu Shak - आलु बेसन की सब्जी (Potato in Gram Flour Gravy) for May Blog Hop

Hello Friends,


After a long time, I am almost on schedule (just a day behind) for MayBlog Hop. This month, I am paired with Pallavi of Cook-Eat-Burp blog. She has this amazing collection (still growing by leaps and bounds). 


I wanted to try something simple due to my busy schedule. My older one who loves Alu (Potato), always wants in the same way, cubed and made it dry curry, which he loves with poori. This time I thought of giving him this variety. I made it and probably the only other alu curry, he said he liked and would want me to prepare again. Pallavi, you are my savior here. Love you for that. So, here it is, from now a regular in my house :)


This is a simple Gujju recipe and I am sure you will all like to make it. If you ask me what I loved about it other than simplicity, is the smell and taste or carom seeds :)

  Print this recipe

Besan Bataka Nu Shak - आलु बेसन की सब्जी (Potato in Gram Flour Gravy)

Ingredients

Potatoes - 2 medium to large sized

Green Chilies - 2, slit

Besan (Gram Flour) - 2 tbsp, make it into a paste with little water

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Carom Seeds - 1 tsp

Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - per taste

Preparation

• Wash, peel and cube potatoes (in same size).
• Take a pan and add oil to it
• Once oil is hot, add both the seeds
• When they crackle, add green chilies to it.
• Fry for about a minute, add potatoes, salt and turmeric powder.
• Mix and fry for a min. and add about 1 cup water (till potatoes are merged in water).
• Cover and cook till potatoes are cooked.
• Remove the cover and add besan paste with red chili powder and mix well.
• Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Keep mixing and add water if needed because as soon as you add besan, it will start thickening.
• Switch off gas and it is ready to be served.

Serving

Serve it with roti (bread) or rice. We had it with our rotis and savored every bite of this warm gooey curry.

Do check what other blog hoppers made for MayBlog Hop.

That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Cabbage Roll Manchurian

Hello Friends,


This is one of my favorite Indo-Chinese cuisine that I love to eat. But, this is the second time, I tried to make.  The first time was when I was in college and again now. I used this wonderful recipe from Sukanya.

It came out wonderfully. As I am submitting this for my "Bookmarked Recipes" event, I am not going to re-write the recipe and request you to click the link Cabbage Roll Manchurian and check out her blog for recipe and process. Thanks Sukanya for this delicious recipe. A keeper for sure :)


The only change I made in the recipe was to make manchurian balls using Paniyaram pan than deep fry them just to ease the guilt a bit.

This goes to Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday (Volume 70) event hosted by Aipi and I




That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Shimla Mirch Ka Salan - शिमला मिर्च का सालन (Capsicums in Spicy Peanut Gravy)

Hello Friends,


Another week and another wonderful Blog Hop, brainchild of Radhika. 


This week, I was paired with a wonderful fellow blogger Veena. She had just too many delicious South Indian recipes, of course along with other delicacies. I was browsing her blog to chose my recipe and guess what I saw Mirch ka Salan. First, I thought, great, mirch ka salan and then I saw that she actually used shimla m,irch (capsicum) instead of hari mirch (jalapeno), which intrigued me even more and there I had my candidate for the blog hop.


So, further ado, here is the recipe for you.


Shimla Mirch Ka Salan - शिमला मिर्च का सालन (Capsicums in Spicy Peanut Gravy)

Ingredients
Shimla Mirch (Capsicum) - 3 big ones, cut into big cubes or long strips, whichever you like
Peanuts - 1/4 cup
White Sesame - 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp
Oil - 1 tsbp (to saute capsicum)
Salt - as per taste
For Ground Paste
Onion - 1 big one
Tomato - 3 medium ones
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 3-4 big cloves
Coconut - 2 tbsp
For Dry Masala
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp (increase or decrease based on your taste)
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
For Tadka
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Methi dana (Fenugreek Seeds) - 1/2 tsp
Kalunji (Nigella Seeds) - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsbp
Preparation

• Firstly, soak tamarind in warm/hot water about 1/4 cup for 10-15 min and then get the pulp out of it (about 2-3 tbsp)
• Then, dry roast peanuts, sesame and cumin (not the tadka one) and grind them to coarse powder when cooled down a bit.
• Now, grind everything under masala paste section with no added water.
• Take a non-stick pan (deep one as the gravy on cooking tends to splatter).
• Take 1 tbsp of oil in it and when it is hot, add mustard, fenugreek and cumin seeds.
• Once they start spluttering, add ground paste to it and cook till all rawness is gone and nice aroma comes from it.
• While that is cooking, take another non-stick pan and add oil to it.
• Add capsicum and sprinkle little salt and saute  them for 3-4 minutes. Keep it aside.
• Once gravy is cooked, add ground masala mix (peanut, sesame and cumin) along with other dry masalas and salt.
• Let it cook for another 2 min.
• Now, add tamarind pulp along with 1 cup water.
• Cook the gravy covered (as it will splatter) for about 5 min. on medium heat.
• Add sauteed capsicum and cook another 3 min. or till gravy thickens a little.

Serving
I served it both with warm rice and rotis. It was equally good. You could taste of course all the spice, but especially the peanutty goodiness, which I love in my curries :)


Please do check what other blog hoppers are cooking.

That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Nariyal aur Kaju ki Aloo Sabzi (Coconut Potato Curry with Cashews)

Hello Friends,


In my search for making something special for my Veggie/Fruit A Month - Coconut event, I search through my blogger friends' blogs as I wanted to try something different than usual coconut recipes. When I came across this, I thought I hit a jackpot. It was a nice and mild curry, fit for a potluck, which is where it was first presented and I was really happy with the results.


I grabbed this from my fellow blogger Meeta's blog What's For Lunch Honey? I don't think she even needs an introduction. Go check out her blog !!! :)


This is a wonderful curry for people who cannot or do not eat onion/garlic as this has none. And the nice, rich creamy texture blows your mind off with that amazing taste of coconut milk. If you are a fan of potato and coconut milk, this is your curry.


Now, without further ado, here is the recipe


Nariyal aur Kaju ki Aloo Sabzi (Coconut Potato Curry with Cashews)

Ingredients

Potatoes - 7-8 russet potatoes (I made it for a party so so many, but for a family of 4, 3 potatoes should be enough), peal, cube and steam them for 10-15 min. Feel free to use baby potatoes as well.
Coconut Milk - 2 cups
Cashews - 1/2 cup, soaked for 10-15 minutes and then chop them
Tomato Paste  - 1/4 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1-2 tsps, depending on your preference
Coriander Powder  - 1-2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsps
Salt - as per taste
Coriander - for garnishing

Preparation

• Heat a non-stick pan and add oil to it.
• Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
• Add cashews to it and roast them till golden color comes.
• Add steamed potato cubes and coat them well with oil and cumin/cashew.
• Add 1 cup of water mixed with tomato paste and mix it well to coat potato with it.
• Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes.
• Add all the spice powders and let it cook again for about 3 minutes.
• Now, add coconut milk and let it simmer till gravy thickens.
• Take it off the heat and garnish with cilantro.

Serving
We enjoyed them with naans and rice. It was a mild curry when made with this recipe. But, feel free to up the heat level as you need.


If you haven't sent out your entries for this event, please hurry.



That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Bridal Shower for Nithya: Gobhi Manchurian - गोभी मंचूरियन (Sweet/Spicy/Sour Cauliflower)

Hello Friends,

There are very few moments as cherished, as beautiful as the day you embark the new journey of life. Holding someone's hand, with dreams in heart and sparkle in the eyes. The day she started dreaming for, even before she knew its’ meaning. The day she has visualized so many times, that by now every detail is clearly itched in her mind. Yes the day a girl becomes a bride, is like no other.

Very soon one of our friends, a great blogger and a gifted photographer, is going to live her dream. And since I'm sure you read the header before reading this, you all know who am I talking about...Yes Nithya of 4thsensecooking is getting married this November.

Thanks to the world of connectivity, distances have become a lesser shortcoming. Though nothing can reclaim the joy of celebration in person. Yet in absence of actually being with her during her most joyous period..here we are all, united, to wish her all the best. So today we are throwing this virtual bridal shower for Nithya to express our happiness and celebrate with her.

And what could be a better way to celebrate than with food, the subject, the emotion that binds us all...So we decided to cook it up, literally and that too Nithya's own dishes from her own blog - 4thsensecooking. Hope she likes the recreation of her own favouite dishes and gets a taste of it through the world wide wide.

Cheers...This is for you Nithya and for all those visiting this virtual bridal shower!!

Gobhi Manchurian - गोभी मंचूरियन (Sweet/Spicy/Sour Cauliflower)

Recipe Courtesy: Nithya

Ingredients

Gobhi (Cauliflower) - 1 small one cut in small florets. (about 2 cups florets)
Onion - 1 cup, chopped in squares/cubes
Capsicum - 1 cup, chopped in small squares
Ginger/Garlic - 1 tbsp, finely minced or paste, per your liking
Corn Flour - 1/2 cup and 2 tsps
All Purpose Flour - 1/2 cup
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Tomato Ketchup - 2 tbsps
Soy Sauce - 2 tbsps
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - per taste
Oil - for deep frying

Preparation

• Cut cauliflower in florets and dunk them in boiling water (water should be off heat) for about 10-15  minutes and drain them.
• Make a thick paste of corn flour (1/4 cup only), all purpose flour, chili powder and salt with little water. The paste should be just enough to coat all the florets, no more thinning.
• Heat oil for deep frying. 
• Add all florets to this batter and coat the florets all the way and deep fry them till golden brown. Drain them on paper.
• Now, let's prepare the sauce.
• Take a non stick pan (preferable a wide pan for better sauteing and working with this.
• Add1 tbsp oil and let it heat.
• Add ginger-garlic and let it fry till nice aroma comes.
• Add onion and capsicum and let them saute nicely till they start to brown.
• Add all sauces, sugar and salt and mix well. Adjust sauces per your taste and liking.
• Now, add 2 tsp corn flour mixed in water (about 1/4 cup) and add it to the sauce mix above.
• Mix well and cook till the sauce thickens.
• Add fried cauliflower florets, mix well and take it off heat.

Serving

Serve it with your favorite kind of bread - Roti/Paratha/Naan or even Rice,. If you do not make it too runny, this can also be served as an appetizer.

Party also being hosted at:

Anamika Arun - Taste Junction

Archana

Krithi - Krithi's Kitchen

Priya Mitharwal -  Mharo Rajasthan Recipes

Priya Mahadeven - Priyas Now Serving
Priya Suresh - Priya easy n tasty recipes
Priya Sreeram - Bon Appetit
Radhika - Tickling Palates
Revathy - Kaarasaaram
Sanjeeta - Different Strokes
Vardhini - Zesty Palette
Rupali - RecipeGrabBag

That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Lauki Kofta - लौकी कोफ्ता (Bottle Gourd Balls in Tomato Gravy) for Blog Hop

Hello Friends,


Another week of Blog Hop, love it, get to try different blogs and different recipes. Please check out what all this is about.


This got I am paried with Santosh of Santosh's Kitchen. She has an amazing blog and on top of it, she has very helpful things like Glossary, Tips etc. for all of us. Please visit her blog and enjoy more of her recipes.

When I visit blogs for blog hop, I try to make dishes that I have not tried before and I always wanted to. This is one such. First time I ever ate Lauki Kofta - लौकी कोफ्ता  (Bottle Gourd Balls in Tomato Gravy) was when I was in my 10th grade, my mausi (mom's sister) got married and she had tried it learning from a friend. I still remember that taste (20 years ago, good memory right). i have never eaten it since then, but always wanted to try it out. When I saw this recipe on her blog, I jumped right on it and made it.

My hubby loved the kofta themselves and ate some. So, that tells me that we can serve koftas too as a snack or appetizer with some ketchup. Now, let's get on to the recipe.


Update: Someone requested me to post the pic of Bottle Gourd, so here it is, courtesy (Nandyala.org). Hope that helps.

Lauki Kofta - लौकी कोफ्ता  (Bottle Gourd Balls in Tomato Gravy)

Ingredients
For Kofta
Lauki (Bottle Gourd) - 1 medium one (after grating, I got about 2.5 cups)
Sooji (Semolina) - 1/2 cup
Besan (Gram Flour) - 1/4 cup
Green Chilies - 2 finely chopped or more per your taste
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - per your taste
Cilantro - 1/4 cup, finely chopped
For Gravy
Onion - 2 medium ones, roughly sliced
Tomato - 3 medium ones, roughly sliced
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Salt - just for the gravy
Oil - 1 tsp
Preparation

• Wash, peel and grate lauki.
• Squeeze the grated mixture well with hand and remove all excess water (save the water for gravy)
• Add everything under "For Kofta" in a bowl and make balls of desired shape and deep fry them till golden brown. Drain them on paper, till the gravy is ready.
• Meanwhile, take oil in a pan and add onion to it.
• Fry till onion is translucent and add ginger-garlic paste to it and fry for a  min.
• Add rest of the ingredients under "For Gravy" and fry till onion is cooked and tomatoes are mushy.
• Grind this mixture to smooth or coarse paste (as per your liking).
• Pour the ground mix in the pan again and add upto 2 cups of water.
• Cook this gravy for about 5-10 min.
• Switch off the heat and dunk the koftas in it for about 5 min. (no need to cook them) before serving.

Serving
Serve it with roti/paratha or naan.

Please do check what other blog hoppers are cooking.

That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Oven Baked Cauliflower Curry - Cooking by hubby

Hello Friends,


It happens only once in a blue moon that hubby cooks. So, few days ago was one such day. I was out taking my older one for class and running errands and requested hubby to make something. I had the recipe in my bookmarks list. So, asked him to get that one.


Got to say, impressive. He did a great job. The recipe was a hit and he probably ate 1/4 of the curry while he left it to cool off a bit before serving... lol


Thanks Denny for such a wonderful recipe. It is Oven Baked Cauliflower. A real simple recipe. My husband followed the recipe as it is and we all loved it. It was amazing. I mean we loved it as a snack as we kept eating even before the rotis were done. Please follow the link for details and beautiful pictures. Very simple to make and delicious to eat.

This goes to Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday (Volume 63)event hosted by Aipi and me.






That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Beans Paruppu Usili (Green Beans and Chana Dal Curry) - for Blog Hop

Hello Friends,


Another week of Blog Hop, love it, get to try different blogs and different recipes. Please check out what all this is about.


This got I am paried with wonderful Laxmi of Samyal Diary. A great blog and wonderful collection of recipes. I want to try many, but I wanted to go authentic and so opted for this delicacy, which I had eaten, but never prepared at home. This is the famous dish of Tamil Cuisine called Beans Paruppu Usili.


When I was browsing through her recipes, I knew right away that this is what I wanted to try. A very easy to make recipe and tastes wonderful. I loved the ground dal and beans combination very much.


Beans Paruppu Usili (Green Beans and Chana Dal Curry)

Ingredients
Green Beans - 2 cups, chopped to desired shapre, smaller the better
Onion - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
Chana Dal (Split Chickpea Bean) - 1/4 cup
Dry Red Chilies - 3-4 (depending on your preference of heat)
Cumin - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - a few leaves
Oil - 1 tsp
Preparation

• Wash, chop and prepare green beans.
• Wash and soak chana dal for 1 hour.
• After an hour, grind drained chana dal with dry red chili and cumin to a coarse paste by adding very little water.
• Take a non stick pan and add oil.
• Once oil is hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves and let seeds splutter.
• Add onion and let them fry till light brown.
• Add ground paste and fry for about 2 min.
• Add green beans and salt and mix well.
• Cover and cook till beans are done.

Serving
Serve it with roti, like I did or the traditional side of rice.

Please do check what other blog hoppers are cooking.

That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Chettinad Aloo Bhujiya - चेत्तीनाद आलू भुजिया (Chettinad Style Potato Fry) for Blog Hop

Hello Friends,

Today is the 2nd week of Blog Hop Wednesdays, an effort started by Radhika. It encourages us to blog hop and try our fellow blogger's recipes. Please check out what all this is about.

This week, I was paired with Vardhini. She has such an amazing blog. I already got so many of her recipes bookmarked. I actually had one recipe selected for today but then I ran out of ingredients and then she posted this one. Chettinad Aloo Bhujiya - चेत्तीनाद आलू भुजिया (Chettinad Style Potato Fry) caught my attention right away and I had to give it a try. Being a potato lover, we all loved it. 

I tried the recipe exactly how she mentioned, so please hop over to her recipe link and check out the recipe with mouth watering pics.

And, what more, my husband actually prepared aloo paratha with this masala for my sons in my absence :)

Please do check what other blog hoppers are cooking.

That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Palak Gobhi Masala - पालक गोभी मसाला (Spinach Cauliflower Masala Curry)

Hello Friends,


I read somewhere that "Necessity is the mother of all inventions". How true. This is one such curry came out of a Rajasthani Kitchen where there was some cauliflower and spinach ready to be used or go in the trash situation.


It came out well, the combination was appreciated, so now it is a keeper :)


Palak Gobhi Masala - पालक गोभी मसाला (Spinach Cauliflower Masala Curry)

Ingredients
Cauliflower - 1 medium sized (about 2-3 cups)
Spinach - 2 cups (chopped or use baby spinach)
Onion - 1 cup, finely chopped
Tomato - 1 cup, finely chopped
Ginger - 1 tbsp, finely chopped or minced, as you prefer
Garlic - 1 tbsp, finely chopped or minced, as you prefer
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp (feel free to substitute it with chopped green chilies)
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Amchur Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Salt per taste
Oil - 2 tsps
Preparation

• Boil water in a pot.
• Add cauliflower and little salt and turmeric (a pinch) and let it boil for about 10 min. (par boil). Drain and keep aside.
• Heat a non stick pan and add oil to it.
• Once oil is hot, add cumin and mustard seeds.
• When they start spluttering, add onion and ginger/garlic to it.
• Fry till onion is translucent.
• Add tomato, spinach and dry spice powders (except garam masala) to it along with salt and cook till spinach is all wilted.
• At this point, if you do not like the spinach texture and feel like it, go for pureeing the entire contents of your pan (after it is cooled down a bit).
• If pureeing, pour the pureed spinach and spices back in the pan.
• Whether pureed or not, add boiled cauliflower to it, add about 1/4 cup water, add garam masala, cover and cook for another 10 min.
• If you think there is more water than you would want, remove the cover and let the water evaporate.
• Please adjust any spices mentioned above to your taste.
• Pureeing the gravy in a prior step will give your curry a nice smooth and green color.

Serving
Serve it warm with paratha/roti or hot rice.


That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Jaisalmeri Chane - जैसलमेरी चने (Black Chick Peas in Yogurt Gravy - A Delicacy from Jaisalmer) - BM # 5

Hello Friends,


Here is the third day of blogging Marathon # 5 which was started by Srivalli.


Jaisalmer is the largest district district in both Rajasthan and India. It is one of the places of Rajasthan which has International border. It is a dessert area and has some of the best food you can get :) 

Jaisalmeri Chane - जैसलमेरी चने (Black Chick Peas in Yogurt Gravy - A Delicacy from Jaisalmer)

Recipe Source
Ingredients
Dried Black Chickpeas - 1/2 cup, washed and soaked overnight
Yogurt - 1 1/2 cups, make sure it is not too sour
Besan (Gram flour) - 4 tsp

Green Chillies - 2-3, inely chopped

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Dry Masalas
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Amchoor (dry mango) powder - 2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Chat Masala - 2 tsp
Tempering
Cloves - 1-2
Black Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon - 2 inch peice
Jeera (Cumin) seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 2-3 tbsp
Garnishing
Cilantro
Sliced Onions
Preparation

• Pressure cook soaked black chickpeas till they are soft (but not mushy).
• While chickpeas are cooking, mix yogurt, gram flour and all dry masalas with about 1 cup of water making sure there are no lumps and keep it aside.
• Take a heavy bottomed and deep pan and add oil for tempering and once it is hot, add everything under "tempering" in it and fry till nice aroma comes.
• Now, add chopped green chilies and asafoetida and let it cook for 1 min or so.
• Add the yogurt gravy and let it come to a boil stirring continuously (otherwise the yogurt will be all curdled).
• Once it starts boiling (I am sure by now your chickpeas are cooked as well), add chickpeas to the pan and let it boil for another 4-5 min. and then simmer and let it reach your desired consistency (if you need, feel free to add more water at any stage).
• Garnish it with chopped cilantro and sliced onions

Serving
Serve it warm with roti or paratha or naan.


That's all for now. Till next post, take care.

Check out the Blogging Marathoners doing BM#5 along with me.
Curry in a hurry under 30 min: Cool Lassi(e), Harini, Kalyani, Priya Mahadevan, Suma
Seven Days of Colorful Dishes Kid's Special: Priya Suresh, Veena,
Seven Days of Indian Sweets: Shylaja, Srivalli
Seven Days of Regional Specials: Priya Yallapantula
Under 15 mins Quick Breakfast:Aarthi, Vaishali