Chilkadadumpa,Bendakaya Pulusu

SWEET POTATO AND OKRA IN TAMARIND GRAVY

Iam going to start This edition with a simple and healthy dish. Which is a very favorite at home and is a must once in a week day lunch. I usually make this tamarind base gravies with a stir fry like Cabbage or carrot or with beans. This Pulusu is a traditional Andhra recipe which we can make different vegetables. 

INGREDIENTS:---
Chilakada dumpa(sweet potato)  ----  2 medium
Bendakayalu (okra)  ---  10

Tomato --- 1 big chopped

Red chilli powder -- 1 tea sp
Turmeric powder --- 1 tea sp
Salt to taste
Jaggery --- 1 tab sp grated

Tamarind -- 1 big lemon sized(about 5 gms or 1 tab sp Tamarind pulp)

For seasoning:---
Oil --- 2 tab sp
Red chillies -- 2 broken
Mustard seeds -- 1 tea sp
Fenugreek powder -- 1/4 tea sp
Asafoetida -- 1/4 tea sp
A few curry leaves
                                                                               

METHOD:-----
Scrub and wash sweet potato to remove any mud on it and cut in to half inch rounds. Cut okra in to one inch pieces

1. Soak tamarind in water and extract juice with 1 cup water if using tamarind pulp mix with 1tab sp tamarind pulp with 1 cup water.

2. Cook Sweet potato in 1 cup water with salt and turmeric till half cooked.
Heat one tab.sp oil in a pan add okra pieces and fry in a medium heat for few minutes and add okra pieces to sweet potato pieces. 

 3.  Then add tamarind water to the vegetables add red chilli powder mix well and cook till raw smell of the tamarind disappears and gravy becomes thick it will take about 10 - 15 min.

 4. Now add jaggery mix well and cook 5 more min. check and adjust the salt.

If you feel like gravy is not enough thick mix 1 tea sp rice flour in little water and add this to Pulusu in this stage.

Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds let them popup then add fenugreek powder,asafoetida and curry leaves fry for few sec and add this to Pulusu.
Serve hot with steamed rice, muddapappu and any stir fry with few drops of ghee.
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Ugadi Thali (Karnataka) With Holige/ Obbattu Saaru

I am going to start my second week recipes for this month with the theme of Thali's. Today Iam going to showcase a Festival feast from Karnataka. Ugadi is the first day of lunar calender which is celebrated as a New year day in Kannada and Telugu communities. The main dish for this festival is Bevu - Bella(Bevu means neem flowers, Bella means jaggery) which is a paste (pachadi) made with neem flours, jaggery, raw mango pieces and tamarind juice. This is known as Ugadi Pachadi in Telugu community also. After Bevu - Bella Ugadi Habbada Oota( Festival feast) takes main part which includes many delicious dishes from Karnataka cuisine.

  Here what I have served in My Karnataka style Ugadi Thali...

Obbattu/ Holige

Holige saru

Hurlikai Palya (beans stir fry)

Gasagase payasa ( poppy seeds payasam)

Heerekai Tovve - (Ridge gourd dal)

Badanekai palya  --- (Eggplant stir fry)

AAmbode  ---  bengal gram vada

Southekai Kosambari  (moong dal and cucumbar salad)

Kempu chetney - Fresh Red chilli chutney

Tuppa  --- Ghee

Curd

Obbattu saru or Holige saru is a important dish in Ugadi feast for Kannada families. It's a type of thick rasam made with channadal cooked water, tomatoes and masalas. This Holige saaru is served with a palya (stirfry vegetables), tove ( cooked moong dal with ridge gourd) Holige or Obbattu with ghee along with other dishes.

Holige or obbattu is a very popular sweet for almost all festivals. This obbattu is very mush similar to our bobbatlu in Andhra cuisine, Poli in Tamilnadu cuisine, Bhakshaylu in Telangana cuisine and puran poli in Maharastrain cuisine, but with a very little variations . 

Some people use half and half tour and channa dal to make holige poorna  with grated fresh coconut and jaggery and use the same poorna ball to make the obbattu saaru along with channa dal boiled water.So there are few variations in this recipe.  

INGREDIENTS FOR HOLIGE OR OBBATTU SAARU :----

Channa dal  ---  2 tab sp

Channa dal boiled water    --- 1 cup

Jaggery   ----  1 tab sp

Tamarind   ----  1 gooseberry size soaked in luke warm water or about one tab sp of tamarind paste.

Salt to taste

FOR RASAM POWDER:---

Fenugreek seeds  ---  1 tea sp

Coriander seeds  --- 2 tea sp

Cumin seeds  ---  1/2 tea sp

Poppy seeds  --- 1 tea sp

Grated dry coconut  -- 3 tab sp

Dry red chillies  ---  5

If you like to add onion then slice one onion and fry with a few drops of oil and fry till raw smell goes out then add to the rasam powder along with tomato and coriander leaves.

Tomato   ---  2 medium chopped

Coriander leaves ---  1/4 cup chopped

Curry leaves  ---  2 springs

FOR SEASONING:----

Oil  ---  1 tab sp

Mustard seeds  --- 1 tea sp

Asafoetida  ----  one pinch

METHOD:----

1. Heat a fry pan and dry roast all rasam powder ingredients one by one. Remove from pan and let it cool to room temperature  and grind in to fine powder.

2. Now heat little oil in the same pan add tomatoes, curry and coriander leaves (add onion now and fry if you using) fry till raw smell goes,set a side to cool.

3. Add tomatoes to rasam powder, boiled channadal with little water and grind in to a smooth paste.

4. Now boil one cup channa dal boiled water and one cup plain water in a sauce pan, make tamarind juice with one cup water and add it to boiling water bring to a full boil.
5. Now add rasam spice paste, salt to taste, mix well and boil for 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Add jaggery to the rasam mix well and boil for few more mintes.
7. Heat oil in a small pan add mustard seed let them splutter then add asafoetida and add this seasoning to saaru, switch off the heat, sprinkle with some more chopped coriander leaves cover with a lid and let it sit till you serve.
Serve with steamed plain rice, obbattu, tovve and palya...
Enjoy the festival meal.... 
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Chikkudukaya Velluli Karam Kura - Indian Broad Beans Stir Fry With Garlic Flavor

My second recipe under Stir fries for this week is a seasonal vegetable. Which is very much available in winter and very popular in Andhra cuisine. Chikkudu kaya we make a few verities of curries and stir fries with this vegetable.  Usually we make this stir fry with plain rice and dal or sambar.   

Broad beans are rich sources of vitamin A and C it helps in bone development. It helps to maintain the blood presure, and helps to control the cholesterol levels and many more health benefits. 

INGREDIENTS:-----

Chikkudu kayalu  ---  250 gms

Turmeric powder   --- 1/4 tea sp

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder  ----  1 tea sp

For seasoning:-----

Oil  --- 1 tab sp

Mustard seeds  ---  1/2 tea sp

Urad dal   ---  1 tea sp

Cumin seeds  --- 1/2 tea sp

Dry red chillies  -- 2 broken

Garlic --- 12 crushed

Curry leaves one spring

METHOD:---

1. Wash and tare the chikkudu kayalu one in to four pieces.

2. Add salt, turmeric powder and cook till soft remove from heat,drain the water and set a side.

3. Now heat oil in a frying pan add mustard seeds let them splutter then add urad dall, broken red chillies, crushed garlic, cumin seeds, curry leaves fry for a while then add boiled chikkudukayalu stir fry for five minutes.

Serve with plain rice rasam or with rice, dal  as a side dish.

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Dondakaya Ullikaram Kura - Ivy Gourd Stir fry with onion and coconut

This small green lovely vegetable is all time favorite in my home. Recently I came to know that is vegetable is good for diabetic patients. It helps to normalize the blood sugar levels. It prevents kidney stones because this small vegetable is rich in Calcium.   
                       Dondakaya -- Ivy gourd or Gherkins in English, this is a popular vegetable in India. It is eaten as a side dish by stir frying or stuffed it with masala and saute or as a chutney (dipping). this small green colored vegetable is rich in beta-carotene.we make some delicious stir fry dishes with different flavours.This Ivy gourd stir fries are good combination for rice and dal.

INGREDIENTS:---
Ivy gourd -- 1/2 kg(500 gms)
Oil --- 1 tab sp
Garlic cloves --- 5 crushed
Mustard seeds -- 1/2 tea sp
Urad dal --- 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds -- 1/2 teasp
Curry leaves -- 1 spring
Salt -- 1 teasp
Turmeric powder --1/4 tea sp
For Masala:--
Onion  -- 1 big cut in to cubes
Garlic   -- 5 cloves
Dry coconut  --- 1 tab sp
Red chilli powder  --- 1 tea sp
Grind all masala ingredients in to a coarse paste and set a side.
METHOD:---

1.Wash tindora and remove the tip and tail and cut in to length wise peaces,each gourd will cut in to 6 long peaces.

2.Cook them in 1/2cup water and turmeric,salt to taste cook till tender. Strain if any extra water and set a side,

3. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds let them pop up then add cumin seeds,uard dal,curry leaves now add cooked tindora stir for 5 minuites

4. After 5minutes add ground masala stir for 3-4 minutes or fry till aroma comes out.

Serve hot with plain rice and dal.
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Mint And Yogurt Dip

My final recipe for this week is a dip which we can serve any starter. I used green chillis in this dip if you don't like it too spicy you can add pepper powder in the place of green chillis. Use hung curd for this dip hung curd will give a thick and nice texture to the dip. Serve this dip with paneer tikka or any other starter or even with vegetable slices like cucumber, carrot and beetroot. This will be a perfect choice for salad dressing also.

Let's check the recipe...
INGREDIENTS:---
Yogurt   ----  1 cup
Green chillies  --- 3
Mint leaves  ---  1/2 cup
Garlic ---   4 cloves
Salt to taste
METHOD:---
1. Take mint leaves, green chillies, garlic cloves  add two tab sp. of yogurt and grind in to a fine paste.
2. Take out this mint paste in to a bowl add remaining yogurt and salt to taste mix well.
Leave this dip in the fridge at least for one hour to blend the flavors.
Serve with paneer tikka, alu rolls, cutlets, or simply with masala pappad,,, 
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Vankaya Pachadi

My second recipe under chutney's, spreads and dips is again a chutney from Andhra cuisine. Brinjal/ eggplant/ vankaya Pachadi is one of the all time favorites in Andhra homes. Not only as a chutney eggplant is a favorite vegetable at home. I used green small variety eggplants for this chutney you can use any variety eggplants for this chutney. 

Let's check the recipe
INGREDIENTS:---
Eggplants  --- 5 
Green chillies --- 8 or reduce according to your taste
Coriander seeds  --- 1 tab sp
Cumin seeds  ----  2 tea sp
Urad dal  ---  1 tea sp
Tamarind --- 1 inch piece
Garlic  ---  6 cloves
Oil  --- 1 tab sp
Turmeric powder  ---  1/4 tea sp
Salt to taste
METHOD:----
1. Heat few drops of oil in a pan add coriander seeds, urad dal and fry till golden then add cumin seeds and fry for a while remove and set a side.
2. Wash and wipe the eggplants, cut them in to small cubes.
3. Now heat remaining oil in the same pan add green chillies and fry for a while then add eggplant pieces and fry till eggplant pieces are tender, remove and let them cool.
4. soak tamarind in two tab sp of water.
5. First grind coriander seeds, urad dal and cumin seeds in to a fine powder.
6. Then add fried green chillis and eggplant pieces and run the mixe for two seconds.
7. Add tanarind, turmeric powder, garlic cloves, salt to taste and grind in to a coarse paste.
Remove the vankaya pachadi in to a clean and dry bowl and serve with dosa, idli, pongali or with plain rice and few drops of ghee.
Even I like this as a spread on my toast....
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Pandumirapakaya, Tomato Pachadi

My recipe for this week under chutneys, dips and spreads is a chutney recipe from Andhra cuisine.  Pandu mirapakayalu are fresh ripe red chillies we make a pickle with this red chillies every year in season. December and January is the season for this red chillies and tomatoes. We make pickles with these both vegetables saparately and these two pickles will stay for year. 

We mix this red chillies with Gongura that is called pandu mirapakaya - gongura pachadi, Pandu mirapakaya - tomato pachadi. Pandu mirpakaya tomato pachadi will stay for one month out side, after that can store it in the fridge for six months.

For this Pandu mirapakaya - tomato pachadi always use fully ripe tomatoes so that pickle will get a beautiful red color. I used garlic for tadka, you can use asafoetida in the place of garlic. Red chillies what I get here are really very hot, so i used 150 grams. you can increase the red chilli quantity according to your taste. You can add red chilli powder but that gives a normal tomato pickle taste. I have given 1 cup oil that is more then enough. By next morning the oil you added to the pickle should come up on the top. If you didn't see the oil on top you can heat a tab sp oil again and add it on the top of the pachadi.   

So let's check the recipe....
INGREDIENTS:---
Tomato  ---  250 grams
Ripe redchillies  --- 150 grams
Tamarind  ----  25 grams
Turmeric powder  ---  1/2 tea sp
Fenugreek powder ---  1/4 tea sp
Mustard powder  ----  1 tea sp
Salt  ---  2 tea sp
Oil  ----  1 cup
Mustard seeds ---  1/2 tea sp
Dry red chillies  --- 3 broken
Garlic cloves  ---  8 crushed
METHOD:---
1. Wash and wipe red chillies with a clean kitchen towel and set a side to dry totally. Means there should be no moisture in red chillies.
2. Take red chillies with one tea sp salt and grind in to a fine paste. Make sure you should not any water to this red chilli paste.
3. Wash and wipe the tomatoes, cut them in to four pieces add salt and mix well and leave a side for 10 minutes.
4. After 10 minutes you can find some juice from tomatoes,now add this tomato juice to tamarind and soak tamarind.
5. Now heat 1/2 cup oil in a pan add tomato pieces, keep stiring in between and cook till oil comes out from the sides.
6. Switch off the heat and let the tomato cool down to room temperature.
7. Now take tomato, soaked tamarind with little juice(if require you can add more juice but not water)  and red chilli paste in to a mixer jar and grind in to a fine paste.
8. Take out red chilli and tomato paste from mixer jar in to a bowl. Add fenugreek powder, mustard powder, turmeric power mix well to combine every thing.
9. Heat remaining 1/2 cup oil in a pan add mustard seeds let them popup then add dry red chillies and garlic cloves fry for a while and switch off the heat, let it cool down to room temperature.
10. Add tomato and red chilli paste to the seasoning (tadka) and mix well to combine every thing, Check and adjust with salt.
Store in a clean and airtight bottle..
Serve this Pandumirapakaya, tomato pachadi with dosa, idli, vada. or with hot plain rice with a drop of ghee....

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Macaroni With Vegetables

My next recipe for vegetarian dinner recipes is a pasta which is well known as Macaroni. Macaroni and cheese is a very popular dish with this Macaroni, but my recipe is a bit different then macaroni and cheese. 
                                                                    

Let's check the recipe...
INGREDIENTS:----
Macaroni  ----- 1 cup
Onion --- 1 medium cut in to cubes
Carrot  -- 1 small cut in to 1/2 inch pieces
Broccoli  --- 1/2 cup small flowers
Capsicum  ---  1/4 cup 1/2 in cubes
Baby corn --- 1 cut in ti 1/2 inch pieces
Tomato  --- 1 big finely chopped
Hot and sweet tomato sauce  ---  2 tab sp
Garlic   ----  5 cloves crushed
Cheese  ---  1 cube grated
Oil    ---  1 tab sp
Red chilli flakes ---  1/2 tea sp
Italian mixed herbs --- 1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste.
METHOD:----
1. Boil 4 cups water with a few drops of oil in a pan, bring to full boil and add macaroni to the boiling water and cook till done.
2. drain the hot water and pour cold water over macaroni immediately to prevent sticking together.
Spread macaroni in a plate and set a side.
3. Now heat oil in a pan add crushed garlic fry for a while then add onion give a good stir.
4. After a few seconds add tomato, carrot, baby corn and a pinch of salt sprinkle with a tab sp water cover and cook in a low heat for two minutes.
5. After two minutes remove the lid and add broccoli, capsicum mix well and cook in a medium heat for 5 more minutes in a low flame.
6. Now add red chilli flakes, tomato sauce, Italian herbs miix well and add cooked macaroni, now mix well to combine every thing.
7. sprinkle with grated cheese cover and cook in a low heat for five more minutes and switch off the heat.
Serve hot.....  
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Ragi Carrot Idli

Starting this month second week with some easy to make dinner recipes. Usually I prefer my dinner light like idli, roti, dosa, upma but not rice,I will finish my dinner by 7:30 to 8. These ragi carrot idli's are easy to make and perfect for dinner if you serve with a pickle or chutney. Can serve this ragi idli's with sambar but that will become a bit heavy. If you want to pair this idli with sambar then it will be a perfect and healthy breakfast. 

I have added grated carrot now but you can add finely chipped any vegetables. Like finely chopped cabbage, grated beetroot, green peas, finely chopped french beans. Any vegetables like this or you can add mixed vegetables and make this healthy idlis more interesting.

So let's check the recipe...
INGREDIENTS:---
Ragi flour  ---- 1 cup
Semolina(upma rava) --- 1 cup
Grated carrot  ---  1 cup
Ghee  ---  1 tab sp
Yogurt (curd)  --- 1 cip
Water  ---  3/4 cup
Eno (fruit salt)  ---  1/2 tea sp
Cooking soda  ---  a big pinch
Finaly chopped coriander leaves  --- 1 tab sp for garnishing.
METHOD:---
1. Heat ghee in a pan add semolina and roast it for two to three minutes then add ragi flour, give a good stir and switch off the heat.
2. Add cooking soda to curd mix well and add this curd mixture, grated carrot, salt to taste to semolina and ragi flour and leave a side for two minutes.
3. After two minutes add little by little water and mix well to make a idli batter consistency.
4. In the meanwhile grease idl molds with little ghee or oil and place a little chopped coriander leaves in each mold.
5. Add eno to the batter and mix gently to combine every thing well don't over mix.
6. Pour the ragi carrot idli batter in idli molds and steam cook for 8 to 10 minutes
Serve this healthy ragi carrot idli's with any spicy chutney. I served with tomato chutney
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Kalakand

My final recipe for this week under Milk based sweets is Kalakand. Kalakand is a sweet made with paneer and khoya. As you all know paneer is a cheese made with milk and Kohya is a thick milk solids which is made by boiling the full fat milk. 

For Paneer boil one liter whole milk bring to full boil, reduce the heat add little by little 1/2 cup fresh curd keep stirring.
After few seconds milk will curdle switch off the heat and strain the whey water and collect paneer in a cheese cloth, This one liter milk gives you nearly one and half cup paneer. Rinse the paneer in cold water well and set a side, rinsing the paneer in cold water makes paneer little more soft. Now close the cheese cloth from all sides tie a not and tie this on a height for half an hour to remove extra water. we need one cup paneer from this to prepare kalakand.

                                                                          

We need one and half cup kohya (un sweetend kova) for this kalakand recipe. Heat one liter milk in a thick bottom pan bring to full boil and reduce the heat and keep boiling the milk. Boil the milk till it turn in to thick and grainy after one and half hours or two hours the milk turn in to a solid with a grainy texture and starts leaving the sides of the pan. This is kohya which we are going to use for making kalakand.

Always use freshly made paneer and kohya for making Kalakand. This is a milk based sweet so it has a less life time it will stay for two to three days in room temperature. Can store this in fridge for one week.
                                                                             

Now let's check how to make Kalakand...
INGREDIENTS:---
Kohya (un sweetend kova)  ---  1 1/2 cups
Paneer  ---  1 cup
Sugar -- 1/2 cup powdered
Ghee  --- 2 tab sp
Cardamom powder  ----  1/2 tea sp
Finely chopped almonds and pistachios -- 2 tab sp
METHOD:----
1. Crumble the paneer and kova in a nonstick pan and start heating. It will turn soft after few minutes. Keep stirring and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Now add ghee, powdered sugar, cardamom powder mix well to combine every thing. Keep stirring and cook till it leaves the sides of the pan it will take 15 minutes in a medium heat.
3. Finally add one more tab sp ghee and chopped nuts mix well and pour this in to a greased pan.
Flaten the surface with a greased laddle leave a side to cool down to room temperature, it will take one hour time to cool down.
Cut in to squares, you can garnish with chopped nuts and silver vark.
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Basundi

Basundi is a milk based sweet which is very popular in three states, Gujarat, Maharastra and Karnataka.I have always confused with Basundi and rabri . Some people says both are same, some says both are different. After trying these two recipes and a small research I came to know both recipes are almost same with little variations.  

  1. Both rabri  and Basundi are made with full cream milk.

   2. The consistency of rabri is more thicker then Basundi

   3. For rabri you have to keep on scraping the layer which form on the top and sides which is a fat layer this gives the rabri a granules type of texture.

4. Rabri is served with Malpua or jelabi since Basundi is served as it self as a dessert.

                                                   

Make sure to use a thick bottom pan. Once you get a full boil reduce the heat and cook on a low heat and remember to keep scraping the sides of the pan while cooking. This gives the Basundi a creamy and rich texture.
                                                         Basundi will be served as a dessert chilled or warm. Also served with puri and sabji as a part of festival meal specially for Holi, Dessara, uttarayan like festivals. In north Karnataka Basundi is served as side dish with puris.  
                                                                 

 
INGREDIENTS:---
Milk  ---  1 and half lit. full cream milk
Sugar  ---  3/4 cup
Cardamom powder ---  1 tea sp
Almonds  ----  15 finely chopped
Pistachio  --- 15 finely chopped
Saffron  --- few strings
METHOD:---
1. Start boiling one and half lit. full cream milk in a thick bottom pan

2. Bring to a full boil and reduce the heat to low and boil till milk reduced to half it will take approximately one hour or more.

                                                         

3. In between keep stirring and scraping the pan and keep boiling

4. Now add sugar and cook for 20 minutes more to bring the consistency. Because when you add sugar the consistency will turn in to thin.

5. Add cardamom powder and chopped almonds and pistachios and cook for 20 more minutes in a very low heat.

Switch off the heat and garnish with chopped almonds, pistachios and saffron strings and serve warm or chilled

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Semiya Payasam

Starting this New year with a sweet dish. When I made semiya payasam with tomato rice for make a meal theme last month, I realized that I didn't posted a recipe for Semiya payasam till now.How surprising which I make very often that sweet recipe is not in my blog. Then I thought of posting semiya payasam recipe with a small twist.
                                                                  I have added roasted poppy seeds and almond paste and condensed milk to the semiya payasam to make it more flavor full and rich. Actually we don't add this poppy seeds and almond paste to the payasam. We just cook the semiya in milk and add sugar, cashews and raisins. But this poppy seeds and almond paste will give a delicious flavor to the semiya payasam. This Semiya Payasam is for my this month first week theme Milk Based Sweets.
                                                                              

So let's check the recipe....   
INGREDIENTS:----
 Semiya (vermicelli) --- 1/2 cup
Milk  -----  500 ml
Sugar  ---  1/4 cup
Condensed milk  ---  1/4 cup
Cashew nuts  --- 10 broken
Raisins  ---  15
Almonds ---  5 soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
Poppy seeds  ---  1 tea sp
Cardamom powder  ---  1/2 tea sp
Ghee  ---  1 tab sp
                                                                     

METHOD:---
1. Heat a pan and dry road poppy seeds for few seconds remove and set a side.
2. De-skin the soaked almonds add poppy seeds add little water make coarse paste and set a side.
3. Heat ghee in a pan add cashews fry till golden remove, fry raisins in the ghee remove and set a side.
4. Now add semiya to the same ghee fry till light golden, then add milk to the semiya mix well and let it cook till done it will take five minutes.
5. Add poppy seed and almond past, condensed milk mix well cook for two more minutes.
6. Add sugar mix well let it cook for few more minutes and switch off the heat, add fried cashew nuts and raisins mix well
Serve hot or chilled.. 
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Molake Kalu Saru

My final recipe for this week even for this year. I was not much active here this year because of my health and personal issues. Hope fully will be more active next year. So my final recipe is a side dish from Karnataka cuisine. This gravy is a good choice for plain rice and chapati. I made this gravy with black channa sprouts and moong sprouts you can add as many sprouts you like. Like you can make this with mixed sprouts or even with only one variety of sprouts. If you don't have sprouts can make this gravy with soaked pulces.
                                                                         

So lets check the recipe.....  
INGREDIENTS:---
Black channa sprouts --- 1/2 cup
Whole moong sprouts  --- 1/2 cup
Egg plant  --- 3 small cut in to 4
Potato   --- 1 big cut in to cubes
Onion ---  1 medium finely chopped
Oil  ---  2 tab sp
Mustard seeds  --- 1/4 tea sp
Cumin seeds  --- 1/4 tea sp
Red chilli powder  --- 1 tea sp
Turmeric powder  --- 1/4 tea sp
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves  ---  1 tab sp
                                                                          

FOR MASALA:---
Grated fresh coconut  ---  1/2 cup
Ginger  ---  1 inch piece
Garlic  --- 10 cloves
Coriander powder  --- 1/2 tab sp
Cinnamon  ---- 1 inch piece
Cloves ---  4
Onion  ---  1 big cut in slices
Tomato  ---  1 big cut in to cubes
                                                                 

METHOD:---
1. Heat oil in a pan add onion slices till translucent remove from heat add grated coconut and other ingredients given for masala, add little water grind in to a fine paste.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker add mustard seeds let them popup then add cumin seeds fry for a while and add chopped onion fry till onion turn in to pink.
3. Now add sprouts, potato cubes, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ground masala mix wll and cook till oil leaves from the sides.
4. Add eggplant pieces, salt to taste mix well and add two cups of water give a good stir, close the cooker with lid and cook till 4 whistles.
Serve hot with rice or roti...
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Chilli Paneer

My second recipe for Make a meal theme is a side dish. This is a side dish you can serve with rice or noodles. You can make this chilli paneer with gravy or you can make it as a dry dish both will work as a side dish. Is there any original recipe for this chilli paneer I didn't check. But there are many versions for this recipe, I think it's a fusion recipe and I gave few my own touches to the recipe.  I made fried rice with fresh green garlic with this Chilli paneer to make it a meal.

INGREDIENTS:---

Paneer  ---  250 grams

Capsicum  ---  2 big cut in to cubes

Ginger  ---  1 inch piece chopped

Green chillies  ---  5 finely chopped

Spring onion --- 1 cup chopped

Onion  ---  1 big cut in to cubes

Corn flour  ---  1/4 cup

All purpose flour (maida)  ----  2 tab sp

Pepper powder  ---  1/2 tea sp

Ginger and green chilli paste  ---  1 tea sp

Sweet chilli sauce  --- 1 tab sp

Hot and sweet tomato sauce  ---  1 tab sp

Oil for frying paneer pieces

METHOD:----

1. Cut paneer in to one inch long cubes sprinkle pepper powder, a pinch of salt 1/4 tea sp of ginger and green chilli paste mix well to coat the spices.

2. Add corn flour and 1 tab sp all purpose flour sprinkle little water mix well and set a side.

3. Spread remaining all purpose flour in a plate, take paneer pieces and roll them on dry flour and set a side.

4. Heat oil in a deep frying pan and slowly drop paneer pieces in to the hot oil and fry till golden in a medium heat. Don't fry paneer pieces for long time paneer will turn hard. Remove from oil set a side.

5. Heat oil in a pan add chopped ginger and green chilli fry for a while in a high heat.
6. Add onion and capsicum cubes give a good stir, add 1/2 chopped spring onion mix well.
7. Now add ginger and green chilli paste, sweet chilli sauce, hot and sweet tomato sauce quickly give a good stir.
8. Add fried paneer pieces quickly give a good stir, mix well to combine every thing.
Remove from fire sprinkle with remaining chopped spring onion and serve with fried rice or noodles.
If you want to make this with gravy then mix one tea sp corn flour in 1/2 cup water and add this corn flour water at the end mix well and remove from fire.
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Tomato Rice

Tomato rice is one of my all time favorites. I can finish my lunch with tomato rice and a salad or raita,but hubby heats this combination. I have tried  a few varieties of tomato rice, this one is a bit different then those recipes. May be because of that red chilli and coriander powder. This is my first recipe for this week under Make a meal theme. 
                                                                              

In this meal I served tomato rice with
Curd rice,
Semiya payasam,
Beetroot and sprouts stir fry (will post soon)
Vankaya pachadi (will post soon)
Pappad 
You can serve this tomato rice with cucumber raita and simple potatao fry to make the meal even more simple. You can just enjoy tomato rice with raita that's your choice..
My other tomato rice recipe
Tomato Biriyani recipe
                                                                               

Let's check the recipe....
INGREDIENTS:---
Rice  ----  1 cup (basmathi rice)
Tomatoes  --- 2 medium size
Ginger  --- 1/2 inch piece
Garlic  ---  5 cloves
Onion  --- 1 medium finely chopped
Red chillies  --- 3
Coriander seeds  --- 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds  --  1/2 tea sp
Oil  ----  1 tea sp
Butter  --- 2 tea sp
Cinnamon --- 1 inch piece
Cloves  --- 4
Bay leaf  --- 1
Star anise --- 1
Cashew nuts --- 6
Raisins  ---  6
Salt to taste
                                                                              

METHOD:---
1. Add two cups of water, cardamom, cinnamon,cloves, star anise to rice,cook till done and spread on a plate to cool.
2. Chop tomatoes and sprinkle with little salt and cook till soft, set a side to cool.
3. In a pan dry roast red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds till golden, remove and grind in to a coarse powder and set a side.
4. Now add ginger and garlic to the cooked tomatoes and grind in to a smooth paste.
5. Heat oil and butter in a pan add cashews and raisins fry till golden remove and set a side.
6. Now add chopped onion to the same oil, butter mixture fry till golden then add tomato paste and cook till the tomato past become thick and oil comes out from the sides.
7. Add rice to the tomato mixture, sprinkle salt to taste, red chilli coriander and cumin powder and give a good stir .
8. Add golden fried cashews and raisins to the tomato rice mix well to combine everyting
Serve hot with any raita or with curd rice and vegetable stir fry, pappad.
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Tawa Paneer Tikka

Paneer Tikka is a vegetarian alternate to meat tandoor snacks. Tikka is a dish which is cooked on a tandoor, but you can always make a tikka recipe on stove top. I tried to make it in my OTG but some how I felt the paneer was not properly cooked and didn't get that smokey flavor. When I tried it on tawa that taste almost like the tandoori tikka, of course not a perfect tandoor flavor but you can enjoy the paneer tikkas at home.  

I am not a big fan of paneer may be because of it's bland taste. But like this spicy dishes I can enjoy any time. This paneer tikka recipe is a different one then other recipes. I made the marinate according to our taste. I used red chilli, ginger garlic paste, soak dry red chillies and grind with ginger and garlic to give fresh and spicy flavor. If you felt that it will be spicy then avoid dry red chillies and add just ginger garlic paste and a half  tea sp of red chilli powder or you can avoid red chilli powder also and add only ginger garlic paste. Any way we are going to add green chutney, there will be green chillis in green chutney that spice will give a mild spicy flavor to your tikka.

I made a mint raita to go with this tikka, grind 1 cup of mint leaves, 1/4 cup of coriander leaves, few garlic cloves and two green chillis in to a coarse paste add salt to taste and mix with yogurt. this mint raita will be a good combination with any tikka, stuffed parathas, tikkis and you can serve this raita just with a masala papad.

So now lets check the recipe.........

INGREDIENTS:---

Paneer  ---  250 grams

Capsicum  ----  2 big

Tomato  ---  2 big

Onion   ---  1 big

Green chutney  ---  2 tab sp

Ginger, garlic, red chilli paste  ---  1 tab sp

Curd  ---- 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Chat masala  ---  1 tea sp 

METHOD:----

1. Cut paneer in to cubes, cut capsicum, tomato and onion in to cubes.

2. Whisk curd till smooth and add green chutney, ginger, garlic, red chilli paste, chat masala, salt to taste mix well.

3. Add paneer cubes to the curd mixture mix well to marinate the paneer pieces,set a side at least for half an hour (if possible leave this marinated paneer pieces in fridge for over night).

4. Heat a tawa sprinkle little oil, take paneer pieces from the marination and place them on the tawa and roast both side till golden.

5. In the mean while add tomato, capsicum and onion pieces to the left over marination mix well to coat.

6. Place the marinated vegetable pieces on the tawa and roast both sides.

7. Remove the paneer and vegetable pieces from the pan and arrange them on a satay stick and again place them on a hot tawa, sprinkle little oil on top and cook on a medium heat all sides till golden.

Serve with mint raita or green chutney....  

Add paneer cubes to the curd mixture mix well to marinate the paneer pieces,

add tomato, capsicum and onion pieces to the left over marination mix well to coat.

Heat a tawa sprinkle little oil, take paneer pieces from the marination and place them on the tawa and roast both side till golden.

Place the marinated vegetable pieces on the tawa and roast both sides.

Arrange paneer and vegetable pieces one by one on a satay stick and again place them on a hot tawa, sprinkle little oil on top and cook on a medium heat all sides till golden.
Serve with mint raita or green chutney and salad..
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Raw Banana Tawa Fry (Aritikaya chops)

Another edition of Blogging Marathon this is 70th edition. We few bloggers doing this Marathon almost from five year and we reached this mile stone. Now we become like a good family and I am very happy to be in this family. Thanks to Sri Valli for this beautiful family.
                                                                Like every month this month also we have some themes my theme for this week is Tawa fried recipe. Actually I was suppose to start my themes from first week but could't do because of health reasons. So I have started my posts from second week with tawa recipes.
                                                                When I have selected this theme the first recipe came to my mind is this tawa frided vegetables. My mother use to make this chops as a side dish with pappucharu or tomato pappu or dosakaya pappu this is the perfect combination. For today recipe I used raw banana other then this you can make this chops with potato, yam and eggplant, ridge gourd. when you are using eggplant or ridge gourd no need to boil the vegetable before you fry them on tawa
                                                      I used red chilli paste for this recipe for red chilli paste soak few dry red chillies in warm water remove from water add a table spoon water and grind in to a smooth paste. In the place of this red chilli paste you can add red chilli powder that will give a different flavor That's totallr your choice.
                                                                         

So let's check the recipe.....
INGREDIENTS:---
Raw banana ---  1 
Red chilli paste ---  1 tea sp
Ginger garlic paste -- 1 tea sp
Turmeric powder ---  1/4 tea sp
Gram flour ---   1 tab sp
Fine samolina ---  1 tab sp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
                                                                          

METHOD:---
1. Peal and slice raw banana in to thin long pieces. Place them in a pan and cover with water, add a big pinch of salt and a pinch of turmeric powder, cover with a lid and cook till banana pieces are half cooked.
2. Drain the water and spread banana pieces on a kitchen towel to remove the extra moister.
3. Mix red chilli paste, ginger garlic paste, a pinch of turmeric powder, salt, gram flour add a tea sp of water mix well to make a paste.
4. Spread this red chilli paste on boiled banana pieces eveny
5. Roll this spiced banana pieces in fine samolina and set a side.
6. Heat a tawa and sprinkle little oil and place banana pieces on it and fry till golden.
Serve with dal and rice or you can serve this banana chops as a starter.
                                                                          

                                                                       

                                                                            

                                                                           

                                                                  

                                                                             

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