Dondakaaya Pachadi

One of my favourite chutneys, this goes well with Roti, Rice, Millets, Idly, Dosa and even as a dip to Nachos..🤩🤩🤩


Ingredients

Ivy Gourd - 10 to 12
Tamarind - 1 gooseberry size (soaked in water)
Dried Red chilli - 2
Urad Dal - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - one generous pinch
Garlic cloves (optional) - 2 to 3
Green Chillies - 2 
Gingelly Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat one tsp of oil in Kadai, roast Mustard seeds, urad dal and dry chilli. Roast till urad dal turns golden and remove from fire
2. In the same Kadai, heat the balance oil, add Chopped Ivy Gourd, garlic, green chillies and turmeric powder.
3. Occasionally stir till Ivy Gourd is cooked.
4. Turn off the heat and add curry leaves and coriander leaves.
5. In a mixie, add roasted urad dal & Mustard, cooked Ivy Gourd, soaked tamarind and salt to taste
6. Grind it into coarse paste as shown in the image below..
7. Serve with hot rice..😛😛😋

BEANS PORICHA KOOTU

It's yet again a south indian cuisine..  One of the best things I like about south indian cooking is that all the masalas are freshly made which enhances the taste and flavour of the dish..
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Beans Poricha Kootu is a very tasty dish which goes well with Rice.. It is a complete dish as it has proteins from Moong Dal and Vitamins from vegetables along with the flavours from spices like pepper, Jeera and red chilli..
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During these 15 days of Mahalaya (time of Shraddh), we generally do not use Onions and Garlic for cooking.. this recipe holds good during this time..
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Ingredients

To roast and grind

Channa Dal- 1tsp
Urad Dal - 1tsp
Jeera - 1tsp
Pepper corns - 1tsp
Coconut (shredded) - 1tbsp
Coconut oil - 1tsp

To pressure cook

Beans - 1/2 cup (chopped)
Moong Dal - 1/2 cup

For tempering

Coconut oil - 2tsp
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Channa Dal - 1tsp
Urad Dal - 1tsp
Curry leaves - 1sprig
Asafoetida - a generous pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
Salt to taste

Method

1. Roast and grind the ingredients given the section "To roast and grind" to a smooth paste
2. Pressure cook the Dal and beans
3. Heat coconut oil in a Kadai, add Mustard seeds, curry leaves, Channa Dal, urad Dal, stir for 2 mins till dal turns golden.
4. Add turmeric powder and asafoetida. 
5. Add cooked dal and beans along with paste
6. Add salt to taste and adjust the consistency with water.
7. Boil for 2 mins and serve hot with Rice

Tips
- Adding 1 tsp of Tamarind paste will make the Kootu bit Tangy
- Cooking with coconut oil will enhance the flavour of the Kootu

PANEER BUTTER MASALA

As an ardent lover of Paneer.. This is one dish which I do not get bored of.. 
This dish will be my 1st thing to order any north indian restaurants for Mains 😜😜

Below recipe holds good for 4 people

Ingredients

Paneer - 200 gms
Tomato medium sized - 2 (roughly chopped)
Onions medium sized -  3 (roughly chopped)
Cashews - 7 to 10
Garlic - 2 to 3 pods
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Salt to taste
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder
Dhania powder - 1tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Kasuri Methi - Generous pinch (crushed)
Butter (homemade)/oil - 2 tbsp
Water as required
Coriander leaves for garnish

Method

1. Heat Kadai with 2 tsp of Butter or oil, add ginger, garlic, tomato, onion and cashews.
2. Add turmeric powder, Red chilli powder, garam masala, salt to taste and keep stirring till everything is cooked well and leaves oil
3. Cool the mix and Grind it to a smooth paste
4. Heat butter in same kadai, add the paste, and cut paneer
5. Add sugar and adjust water as per the gravy consistency
6. Garnish with coriander leaves.Serve hot phulkas, naan or rice

Mor Kozhambhu and Paruppu Osili

Here's to the lunch menu..

I made Mor Kozhambhu and Paruppu Osili.. Only with 1 Potato and 3 Onions.

Paruppu Osili

Ingredients
3 Medium Onions - finely chopped
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 generous pinch
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

To soak (1 hr) and grind
Channa Dal - 1/2 cup
Dry red chilli - 2

Method:
1. Coarsely Grind the ingredients given in "To soak and grind" with salt to taste
2. Heat Kadai with Oil, add Mustard seeds, Curry Leaves and asafoetida. 
4. Stir for 2 mins, add the coarsely ground mix leaving just 1 tbsp behind.
5. Add turmeric powder and keep stirring till the mix cooks well and water is absorbed
6. Add Onions and keep sauteing till onions are cooked well

Potato Mor Kozhambhu

Ingredients
1 Potato - cut into cubes
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 generous pinch
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water as required

To Grind
Coarsely Ground mix of Channa - 1 tbsp (from above recipe)
Fresh coconut - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 2 small ones
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Sour Curd - 3 tbsp

Method
1. Heat oil in Kadai, Add Mustard seeds, Jeera, asafoetida and Curry Leaves. 
2.  Now add diced potatoes and turmeric powder, cover it and cook till potatoes soften
3. Grind finely all the ingredients given under "To Grind"
4. Add salt to taste and then add the ground mix to the Kadai
5. Add water as needed. Let it simmer and cook for 5 mins
6. Serve with Hot rice and Parrupu Osili😋😋

Spicy Matri

This is one of my favorite Matris I have learnt & make it quite often.. It is vey east & tasty snack...

Ingredients:

Maida - 2 cups
Ghee - 4 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Carom Seeds (Ajwain/Omam) - 1/2 tsp
Amchur Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder -1 tsp
Channa Masala - 1 tsp (I used Everest brand!)
Dhania Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil for frying & tempering

Method:

1. Knead maida, ghee, some salt, carom seeds to a soft dough and allow it to rest for 15 to 20 mins
2. Make 8, 1/4 inch height chapati and cut into diamond shapes around 1 inch
3. Deep fry them till they turn golden brown
4. Now heat a small tempering kadai, add 4 to 5 tbsp heated oil, add salt, red chilli powder, Amchur powder, dhania powder, turmeric powder & turn off the heat
5. Quickly add it to the fried Matris and mix well.
6. Allow it to cool & store in air-tight container.

 

Mysore Pak

This one I totally dedicate this post to my Chachi (Chitti) who told me the exact recipe of how it is made.

Mysore Pak is one my favorites to make during festivals.

Ingredients:

Good Quality Besan/Chana Dal flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 1/4 cup + Garnish
Ghee - 2 1/4 cup
Water - 1 cup
Milk - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Grease a steel tray with Ghee
2. Heat a Kadai and dry roast Besan till its raw aroma goes
3. Sieve the roasted Besan for no lumps
4. Take a small kadai & keep on heating the Ghee on low flame
5. Take a Heavy Bottom Kadai (not a non-stick), add Sugar and water till it boils.
6. Add milk & allow it to boil & remove the dirt of sugar which forms on the corner.
7. Heat till you have 1/ 1.5 string consistency of sugar syrup.
8. Slowly add the Besan to sugar syrup with no lumps
9. Add heated ghee to the Besan Sugar mix, one ladle at a time, mix the ghee & then add another ladle till the ghee is finished and the mix starts leaving sides
10. Just before the entire mix starts frothing, add one last ladle of ghee & slightly mix
11. Immediately pour the mix on the greased tray. DO NOT TAP the tray. Just move it. Sprinkle sugar on it.
12. Cut into pieces when it is slightly cooled off. Store it in an air tight container when it is completely cooled.

Tips:

• The Measurement is very important.
• Quality of Ghee & Besan will surely affect the taste of Mysore Pak
• String 1.5 in Sugar syrup means there will be one string & another string will  not be a complete on when you press & open your index finger & thumb with Sugar syrup

 

Pista Kalakand

I made lot of variety sweets & savories this Diwali.. My daughter also loved all the snacks..
 
This one I made as instant Pista Kalakand which you can make in a jiffy..

 

Ingredients:
 
Khoya/Mawa - 200 gms
Paneer - 200 gms
Powdered Sugar - 200 gms
Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp
Pista - 2 tbsp. (powdered) & some for garnish
Ghee - 2 tbsp. + greasing
 
Method:
 

1. Heat Ghee in a Kadai, add crumbled Khoya and let it sauté till the raw smell goes off. But you need not change its color
2. Add crumbled Paneer to it and again sauté till they are well combined and do not change color.
3. Add Cardamom Powder & Pista Powder & stir for two mins.Turn of the heat & allow it to cool
4. Grease a plate & keep it ready.
5. You need to add powdered sugar when the Kadai is slightly above room temperature but the mixture of Khoya-Paneer is still warn & you can touch with hands
6. Mix the sugar well & pour the mix on the greased plate. Garnish the mix with pista & slightly press.
7. Refrigerate the plate for 2 to 3 hrs
8. Warm the base of the plate by immersing in warm water & cut it into pieces. Store in Box in fridge.

 Tips:

• Step 5 is very important as it will determine if your Kalakand has come out well or not.
• Allow the mix to cool in natural way to the right temperature
• You can add Saffron-Milk, Almonds, Cocoa Powder etc. to enhance taste & create different versions of Kalakand
• This will last for a week if refrigerated.