Onion Chutney

This chutney is one of the chutneys I make when there are no more veggies left out for me to make any curry or sambar.                 The ingredients required are very less in number and commonly available in our kitchen counters and the best part is you can have this with dosa, idli, chapati or even Toasted bread. Onion chutney is my DH's all time favourite and mine too.

All you need is

Ingredients

Onion 2 (medium) cubed

Red chillies 3-4 broken

Salt as required

Tamarind 1 small marble sized

Turmeric 1 Tsp

Oil 2 Tbsp

To Temper

Oil 1 Tsp

mustard 1/2 Tsp 

Black Gram Dhall/urad dhall 1 Tsp

Curry leaves few

Method

Heat 2 Tbsp oil add Red chillies and saute for 30 sec on a medium flame

Add Onions, salt, tamarind and saute till onions change colour to pink

Add turmeric and turn off the flame

Once it comes to room temperature grind it in a mixie and Transfer it to serving bowl.

Heat oil and add all to temper items one by one.

Note

You can use ghee also for tempering.

2 cloves of garlic can also be added.

CARROT JUICE

Ingredients

Carrot 2(small) chopped

Water  as required

Ginger 1/2"

Honey 2 Tbsp

Black Salt a Pinch

Lemon 1 Tbsp

Recipe Source: Carrot Juice from RaksKitchen

Method

In a Juicer jar add carrot pieces, ginger and water.

Grind until there are no big chunks of carrot to be found.

Strain and add rest of the ingredients. Stir once and serve.

Note: 

Ginger and honey quantity can be varied

I added Black salt but the original recipe has salt. You can use either one.

Easy Channa Masala

Come new year every one has a set of new year resolution..Yes I too have few things planned One among the resolution is to plan my food menu for whole week. I had planned for chapati and Channa masala for today's dinner. 

So I was searching for a Channa masala recipe and to my surprise I bumped into a very easy recipe in Indusladies website today(here is the original link "easy Channa masala")

I made slight variations to suit my taste buds but came out very well.

Every one should try this.

Easy Channa masala recipe

Ingredients

White Channa (Chick Peas) - 1 cup

Fresh coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Oil plus Ghee - 2 tbsp.

Fresh cream

Thinly sliced onions 1/2 cup

To Grind

Big Onion - 2 (cubed)

Tomatoes - 2 (cubed)

Garlic - 10 cloves

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

Garam masala powder- 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Sugar - a pinch

Cardamom - one

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

PREPARATION 

Soak the chick peas for 5-7 hours

Wash the chick peas and pressure cook till it becomes soft.

In a mixer jar grind all the ingredients mentioned in "to Grind" and keep it aside.

TO PROCEED

Heat oil plus ghee in a pan, put the thinly sliced onion and saute for 3-5 Min's

Now pour the ground mixture and saute well.

Add the boiled chick pea along with the water in which it was cooked and saute for a few minutes.

Boil for 10 to 12 Min's or till the gravy thickens.

Turn off the flame and add some fresh cream(2-3 Tbsp)

Transfer it to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and fresh cream.

Can be served with any Indian bread/poori

Sweet Corn Kurma

Sweet Corn Kurma

Sweet corn being one of my favourite, I have tried  n number of recipes using sweet corn ....like sweet corn salad, soup, paratha, upma pulao and the list goes on. Thanks to the super markets and sometimes road side vendors who sell the whole corn cob for just rupees 12-15. So lets make a spicy kurma with a sweet ingredient.

Serves: 8-12 chapati/Poori

Ingredient

Boiled Sweet corn kernels 1 Cup

Finely chopped Onion 1 cup

Finely chopped Capsicum 1/2 Cup

Ginger Garlic Paste 1 Tbsp

Oil 2 Tbsp

Salt as per taste

Water as required

Coriander leaves(for Garnishing)

Spice powders

Red chilli powder 1Tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 Tsp

Garam masala Powder 1 Tsp

To Grind

Fennel seed 1/2 Tsp

Cinnamon 1 small stick

cloves 2-3 

Tomato cubes 1 cup

Green chillies 2

Poppy seed(Soaked in water for 30 Min's)

Dry roasted grated coconut 1/2 cup

For Tempering

Cumin seeds 1 Tsp

Method 

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan and add all ingredients in To grind(Till dry roasted coconut) one by one in the order mentioned.

Turn off the flame and add Dry roasted coconut, Once it becomes cool, grind it in to  fine paste and keep aside.

Take another pan Add the remaining oil, once it becomes hot add cumin seeds, Onion, capsicum, ginger garlic paste and sweet corn kernels. saute for 3-5 min's(don't over cook capsicum). 

Now add the ground paste along with some water and spice powders.

Add salt and let the gravy boil for 2-3 Min's so that all the raw smell of spice powder goes off completely.

Remove from flame ,Transfer it to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with any Indian Bread/poori of your choice.

Note

Sweet corn kernels can be either precooked in cooker or can be added after onions since it does not take much time to cook.

Spiciness of the whole gravy should be taken care of since we are adding green chilli, red chilli powder and also ginger.(Adjust as per your taste)

If you want a thick or dry gravy just sprinkle some water.

Corn Flour Halwa

I know I know its been since ages i updated my blog regularly(almost a year) :(
So with the start of new year planning to update my food blog regularly without fail... have set a target So i will work towards that
Please wish me luck with that.

Coming to the post lets start with a sweet dish
The recipe for corn flour halwa it is also known as Karachi halwa or Bombay halwa.
The WWW is flooded with recipes of this particular sweet however all are same with the ingredients and the measurement.
Don't do any mistakes in measuring the ingredients and I am sure you will get a delicious halwa in 20 Min's flat.

Makes 15-20 pieces of 1-2" cubes

Ingredients

Corn flour 1/2 Cup  
Sugar 1 1/2 cup
Water 1 cup(for sugar syrup)
Water 1 1/2 cups(to be mixed with corn flour)
Ghee 2 tbsp
Cashew nuts 1/4 cups, chopped finely
food colour of your choice(I used turmeric powder) 1/2 tsp

Method

Mix cornflour along with 1 and 1/2 cups of water in a mixing bowl(add the water slowly at regular intervals to avoid lumps).Then add food colour and mix well.Keep aside.

             

                                   

Fry the cashew nuts until golden brown and keep aside.

                                    

In a pan take sugar and add 1 cup of water. Let the sugar dissolve completely and become slightly thick.

When the syrup starts boiling vigorously,  pour the corn flour liquid(keep stirring on a low flame)

Keep on stirring the liquid at the beginning you will notice small lumps here and there but within a few minute(2-3 min) the whole liquid becomes gooey and glossy in no tome.

               

At this stage you can add ghee and fried cashew nuts.

Keep stirring for 10 Min's or until it becomes a whole mass and starts leaving the sides of pan.

Turn off the heat and transfer it to a greased plate

Let it rest for 1 hour

cut in to desired shape and serve

Note:

DON'T alter the quantity of ingredients as it may result unexpected results

I used turmeric powder since i dint have any food colour you can use any food colour available(using turmeric powder does not result in any variation in taste)
The shelf life 2-3 days under refrigeration

At Last HAPPY NEW YEAR :D Have a great 2015

Beetroot Kabuli Channa Kurma

Beetroot Kabuli channa Kurma is a a typical south Indian style of kurma made using coconut.
The sweetness of beetroot adds a different taste to the kurma.

Makes: 6-8 Servings
Ingredients

2 Medium sized Beetroot(Peeled and chopped)
1 cup Kabuli channa
1 Medium sized Onion thinly sliced juliennes
2 small Tomatoes finely chopped
1/2 Tablespoon Saunf/Fennel seed
1 Table spoon Red chillie powder
1/2 Tablespoon Garam masala powder
Salt as per Taste

Grind in to a wet Paste
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup Fried Gram/Pottu Kadalai
A small piece of Ginger
10-12 Garlic Pod

For Garnishing
Finely chopped Coriander Leaves

Method
Soak Kabuli channa overnight
Pressure cook Kabuli channa and Beetroot with 1 cup of water and little salt.
Heat oil in a Kadai add saunf, Onion and fry for 2-4 minutes.
Add Tomatoes and fry for another 2-4 minutes.
Now add Kabuli channa and beetroot(along with the water in which its been cooked)
Now add the ground masala, red chillie powder, garam masala powder, salt and boil for 5-10 minutes(if the kurma becomes too thick another cup of water can be added)
Switch off the flame transfer to serving bowl.
Garnish with coriander and serve with chapati/Poori.

Pidhukumparuppu Sambar/Avarekaalu Sambar

Avarekalu is also known as "Hyacinth Bean" in English. A very popular curry down south. We make this curry when this is in season... but its available all round the year nowadays. The recipe featured here is the one which is made in my in laws place. A very unusual and elaborate curry with Hidhikinabele or Pidhukumparuppu cooked along with dry roasted masala of red chillies, Coriander Seeds, Pepper, Jeera, Coconut, Poppyseeds. Potatoes and Brinjal can also be added to this curry for added taste.This curry tastes best when its Very spicy but the taste palate can be adjusted as per ones families Taste. The best thing about this curry is the taste of soft beans after its been cooked with all the spices.

   De Skinned Hyacinth Bean                                       

    

Makes:6-7 Servings

Ingredients

½ Kilo Grams Peeled and De skinned Pidhukum Paruppu/Bean

½ Kilo Grams Brinjal and Potato Cut into 1 inch Cubes

1 tablespoon thick tamarind paste (or 1/4 cup freshly squeezed tamarind juice)

Salt to Taste

½ Table Spoon Turmeric Powder

Ingredients for Wet Masala 

1 Tea Spoon Oil

1 Medium Sized Onion Finely Chopped

1 Medium Sized Tomato Finely Chopped

3-4 Table Spoon Fried Gram

Ingredients for Dry Masala

4 Long Red Chillies

1 Table Spoon Poppy Seeds

1 Table Spoon Coriander Seeds

1 inch Square Coconut Piece(Can take a Bigger piece also)

1 Table Spoon Jeera

1 Table spoon Peeper

Ingredients For Seasoning

Oil 

1 tea spoon Mustard

2 Teaspoon Jeera

1 Onion, Finely chopped

10-15 Curry Leaves

Ingredients For Garnishing

few Coriander Leaves

Method

Take a deep Frying Pan heat 1 Liter of Water to this add pidhukumparuppu, Potato and Brinjal and Turmeric Powder. Cook in a Medium flame until everything is cooked to about 75% and Keep Aside.

For the Wet Masala 

Heat Oil in a Pan and add onion, Tomato and a Pinch of salt, Saute till the Tomatoes become Mushy. Once it gets Cooled Grind it along   with Fried Gram and keep aside.

For the Dry Masala

Heat a pan and Dry Roast all the ingredients mentioned in Dry Masala and grind it adding very little water.

How to Proceed

Add the Wet Masala and Dry Masala to the Beans and Vegetable mixture, Boil till everything Mixes well and Nice flavour comes out.

Add salt and Tamarind extract, and Boil for 5 more minutes.

Heat oil and Temper mustard, Jeera, Onion and Curry leaves.Garnish with Coriander and serve with Mudde/Rice/Idli/Dosa.

Note:
Pidhukumparuppu/Beans need to be peeled and soaked in water for 3-4 Hours and later should be DE skinned using the thumb and index finger.

DON'T Pressure cook the Beans which will make it very mushy remember we need Soft yet Firm beans.

As the Curry has Red chillies as well as pepper take care Not to over use both as it will result in a very spicy curry.

Small onion also known as madras onions can be used for grinding which further enhances the taste. Tempering can be done using ghee which enhances the taste of the curry.

Sending this to entry to  Walk Through Memory Lane Event, walk-through-memory-lane-october and My Legume Love Affair - MLLA 64