Tomlime punch!!

Come summer and its time to think of ways to beat the heat.so here is a  superb mocktail to beat the heat.

Serves - 2

Ingredients:-

Lime juice-3tsp

Tomato -1 big ( grated)

Ginger-1 inch piece(shredded)

Sugar-2tbsp

Salt-a pinch

Water-750 ml

Ice cubes - 5-6 

Method:-

• Mix lime juice ,grated tomato,sugar,salt and ginger in a blender.
• Add water and ice cubes and blend it well.
• Strain the juice and serve immediately .

Bread upma!!

Bread upma is our favourite evening snack .So if you bored of eating bread and butter you can try this simple upma .You can pack this for tiffin box too.

Ingredients:-

Bread-10-12 slices

Onion-2 chopped

mustard seeds-1tsp

Green chilly-2-3 chopped

Sugar-1tsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves-6-7

oil-1tbsp

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:-

• Cut the bread slices into small pieces.
• Heat a deep kadai or pan and pour oil. Now add some mustard followed by chopped green chillies,curryleaves.
• Now add chopped onion and Saute for some time then add bread and little sugar and salt.
• Stir it well for 2mins and switch off the gas.
• garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.

Sambar...amchi kolumbo(GSB konkani)

GSB's like sambar a lot.We can have it for breakfast or lunch or for dinner .It tastes superb with rice or south indian idli or dosa.Normally we use ready-made Sambar powder .But for our marriage functions they prefer freshly  ground sambar masala along with little coconut which tastes as well as smells awesome specially when they serve it with rice and papadam.So when ever i have time i prefer freshly ground  sambar.

Ingredients for the masala:-

Coriander seeds-3tsp

Red chilly kashmiri-8-10

Cumin-1/2tsp

Chana dal(Chick peas )-1/2tsp

Coconut-1tbsp(grated)

Asafoetida powder -1tsp

Black sesame seeds-1/2tsp

Methi(fenugreek)-1/4tsp

Pepper corns - 4-5

Turmeric powder-1/2tsp

for the Main dish:-

Mixed veggies(french beans,mangalore cucumber,oniln and potato)

Mixed vegetables(french beans,carrots,potato,brinjal,onion,mangalore cucumber,drumsticks etc any of the these )-3 to 4 cups(cut into cubes)

Turdal(yellow lentil)-1 cup

Tomato-2(chopped)

Salt to taste

For the seasoning:-

Mustard seeds-1tsp

Curry leaves-10-12

Coconut oil or veg oil-2tsp

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Mehtod of making sambar masala:

• Dry roast all the  sambar ingredients except both turmeric and asafoetida powder together till dark brown  or until you get that nice aroma.At last add turmeric and Asafoetida powder and switch off the gas.
• Now grind the roasted ingredients along with a small marble sized ball of tamarind to fine paste and keep aside.

Method :

-

• Pressure cook dal and vegetables in a separate container and if you are using brinjal and drumsticks then you have to boil it separate without pressure cook.
• Take 3 whistle and switch off the gas.
• Once the pressure cooker cools down open the lid and beat the dal nicely and transfer it to a big vessel.Add the mixed cooked  vegetable and bring to boil adding salt to taste.
• now add the ground sambar masala and boil further.Now switch off the gas .
• Now keep the small pan to tempering.Put some oil let it heat now drop some mustard and let it crackle,then add the curry leaves and switch off the gas and pour this over the sambar.
• Now garnish the sambar with fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rice,ghee and with crispy fried papad.

Rice and sambar

      

Rontas ..a kerala delicacy

Ronta's is just like puri but instead of wheat flour we use rice flour.Its kerala delicacy which i have learnt from my kerala friend Geetha Venkites.So thought of trying this Rontas...it was yum .In actual recipe she had used only rice flour but just to make it more interesting i have used little curry leaves and cumin which gives very good flavour and aroma .So you can have it plain without any side dish.

   She served dal along with rontas and this how the real rontas are served in kerala i believe...it is known as Rontas Dal.

Ingredients:-

Rice flour-2 cups

Curry leaves-8-10

Cumin-1tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for frying 

Method:-

• Mix rice flour,curry leaves,cumin and salt.
• Add enough water to rice flour to prepare soft dough like puri dough.
• Make lemon sized balls and keep aside.
• Now take a plastic sheet and take one ball and with the oiled fingers flatten the ball and prepare round thick puri.
• Heat oil for deep frying.now start frying rontas one by one. you no need to fry it till crisp.Because rontas are slightly light is color when it compared to puri and soft too.
• Serve hot with dal or sambar.

crispy fried bombay ducks(bombil)

crispy bombay duck

Ingredients:-
Bombay ducks-1/2kg
Chilly powder-2 heaped tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Ginger-garlic paste-2tsp
Lemon juice-1tsp
Tamarind pulp-1tsp
Rava(wheat semolina)-1tbsp
Maida(all purpose flour)-1tbsp
Egg-2
Salt to taste


Method:-

Bombay ducks

• clean and cut the bombay ducks into half.
• Marinate bombay ducks with lemon juice ,salt ,turmeric powder,chilly powder,ginger -garlic paste and  tamarind pulp for  about 20-30 mins.
• Mix maida and rava and keep aside.
• Beat eggs lightly .
• Now  dip the fish in the beaten eggs and roll it gently in the rava-maida mixture and deep fry turning once till crisp.
• Serve hot with dal and rice or can have it as a appetiser .

Instant Puliyogrey!!

Normally we buy instant puliyogrey mix or we have to prepare our own powder which is a very long process .But  this puliyogrey is  simple easy and quick prepare.All you need is Sambar powder. I think everybody has got Sambar powderso if you feel like having puliyogrey here is the quick way to make it..

              I got this recipe from my co-sister in law.Her mum used to prepare this for her tiffin when she was a kid.So i have also started preparing this  for my kids and now it  is their favourite dish .you can use left over rice too and it takes approximately 10mins. 

Ingredients:-
Cooked rice-2 cups
sambar powder-2tsp
Tamarind pulp-2tsp
Jaggery -2tsp
Mustard-1tsp
Grated dry copra-1tbsp
Ground nuts-1tbsp
Black sesame seed-1tsp
Curry leaves-8-10
Salt to taste


Method:-

• Mix jaggery in tamarind pulp till it dissolves .
• Now heat a kadai or pan put some coconut or ground nut oil or any other veg-oil and then add some ground nuts and fry till they turns to light brown.
• Now add some mustard and let it crackle.Now add sesame seed followed by curry leaves.
• Now its time to add  Sambar powder, saute  till its changes to dark red colour, immediately mix in tamarind pulp and  salt to taste.bring to boil.
• Now add the cooked rice and mix it well.
• Garnish with grated copra and serve hot .

Note: you can use basmathi or any  other local rice for this preparation.

Stir fried bottle gourd peel with potato and chow chow

stir fried bottle gourd with potato and chow chow

We GSB's eat  a lot of different vegetable peels which is tasty  and healthy too.So in my todays dish its not the bottle gourd but its peel is the main ingredient i am using along with some potato and some chow chow(simey badaney in kannada).

My mom used to prepare this dish at that time i remember she used to tell how to choose the gourd It should be  free from blemishes or dark spots and it should look soft and tender with shiny outer cover.So when we cook the peels it should melt in the mouth.

bottle gourd peels

Ingredients:-

bottle gourd peels

Bottle gourd peels-2 cups(cut into long stripes)

Potato-1(cut into long stripes with the peels)

chow chow-1 small(peel off the skin and cut into long stripes)(optional)

Chilly powder-1tsp

Mustard seeds-1tsp

Asafoetida-1tsp

Salt to taste
oil-1tbsp

Method:-

• Heat oil in a kadai add mustard seeds .Let it crackle for some times then add chilly powder followed by asafoetida.
• Now add bottle gourd peels,potato and chow chow and salt to taste.
• Cover and cook on low flame till done.
• Serve hot with rice and dal.

Stir fried bottle gourd peels

Eggless Zebra cake!!

Y'day was my hubby's Birthday so i wanted to bake some special cake for him so thought of this.Actual recipe is with egg but i thought of making it eggless and it really came out fluffy and nice.

       

Eggless zebra cake

Ingredients:-

Maida(all purpose flour)-11/2 cup

Sugar-1 cup(powdered)

Cocoa Powder-1tbsp

Milk-1/2 to 1 cup(as required)

Vanilla essence-2 tsp

Vinegar-2tsp

Baking powder-11/2 tsp

Baking soda-1/2tsp

Cooking oil-3/4 cup

Method:-

• Preheat the oven to 200/400F.Grease the mould  and set aside.
• Now beat the Powdered sugar with oil till it dissolves.You can use blender for mixing the sugar.
• Add vinegar and mix it again.
• Now add baking powder and baking soda and blend it nicely.
• Next add  milk and  the vanilla essence  and blend it again.
• Now its time to add flour.Add little flour at a time and blend.
• If the mixture is too thick then add little milk.
• Now divide the cake batter into 2 equal parts.
• Mix the cocoa powder to one part of the batter gently with a spoon or spatula without any lumps. 

How to proceed:-

before baking

• Now place the greased  mould on a flat surface.
• Now pour a ladle full  plain batter in the middle of the pan.
• Now gently pour the cocoa batter over the 1st batter.
• Repeat with the 2 batters alternately until both the batter used up.
• No need to spead the batter as you put the 2nd batter the 1st will automatically goes sideways.
• Now lower the temperature to 180/350F and bake for 30-35 mins till the toothpick comes out clean.
• Take it out and let it cool for sometime and transfer it to a wire rack for 15-20 mins.
• Now Zebra cake is ready.  

inside view

Hot n tangy Calamari(squid)

Ingredients:-
Squid-1/2 kg
Onion-2 sliced 
Ginger-Garlic paste-2-3tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Green chilly-6-7(roughly chopped)
Red chilly powder-1/2tsp
White vinegar-1tsp
Tamarind juice-1tsp
Lemon juice-1tsp
Green chilly sauce-1/2tsp

How to clean the squid:-
1st step-Remove head from squid body
2nd step-Peel off the skin.
3rd step-pull out the cartilage or thin plasic sort of thing from the inner body.
4th step-cut into rings
5th step-wash and keep aside.


Method:-

• Marinate the rings with vinegar,chilly sauce,turmeric powder,ginger-garlic paste and little salt.
• Heat oil in a pan add chopped onion,green chillies and saute for few mins or till onions turns to light pink color.
• Add the red chilly powder and saute for a second.
• Now add the marinated squids and keep stirring on medium flame.
• Now add the tamarind juice,cover and cook for 5mins or till its cooked.
• Squeeze some lemon juice and serve hot with steamed rice.

Hinga (asafoetida)chutney....

GSB Konkani's want this chutney almost daily.The main flavor comes from asafoetida.This chutney goes well Protein rich (Soya bean and horse gram) dosor any other dosa ,idli or kottey idli..

Asafoetida chutney

Ingredients:-
Coconut-1cup(grated)
Green chilly-2
Red chilly-1
Tamarind-a small marble sized lump
Asafoetida-a small marble sized lump 
         or
Asafoetida powder-1small tsp
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds and curry leaves for tempering.
 Oil-2tsp

 red chilly and green chilly

Method:-

• Fry  chillies and asafoetida  with a tsp of oil as shown in the picture.
• Now grind all the ingredients to smooth paste.
• Now take a small pan add a tsp of oil,heat on medium flame.Now drop some mustard and let it crackle followed by curry leaves and switch off the gas.
• Garnish the chutney with the this seasoning.

French beans kismori......a.konkani dish

french beans kismori

Kismori is typical konkani dish mostly prepared using fried bitter gourd or carrots but just for a change i tried this with  french beans

Ingredietns

French beans-1/4 kg(finely chopped)

Onion-2 finely chopped 

Green chilly-2 chopped 

Coconut-2tbsp(grated)

Ginger-small piece(finely chopped)

Coriander leaves for garnishing 

Lemon juice-1tsp

Salt to taste

chopped french beans

Method:-

• Blanch beans till its soft.
• Now heat a pan add ginger,green chillies followed by blanched beans and salt.Stir for 5mins.Switch off the gas and transfer this to seving bowl .
• Garnish with chopped onion,grated coconut and sprinkle some coriander leaves.
• Add some lemon juice before serving.

Protein rich (Soya bean and horse gram) dosa..Muchkat or doddak in konkani

A healthy protein rich dosa is very good choice for kids and those people who are on protein rich diet,specially  overweight and obese people.This dosa contains horse gram and soya beans,both are rich in protein ,iron and other vitamins which is essential in our daily diet.If you really want to shed those extra pounds then start including horsegram and soyabean in your daily diet. You can prepare so many dishes like horsegram-soya bean usli,idli using soya and urad dal & horsegram. 

         This is my Bapama's(grand mom) recipe with little jo's twist.

 Ingredients:- 
Horse gram-1 cup
Rice(dosa)-2 cups
Soy bean-1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Method:-

• Soak soy bean and Horse gram for  about 6-7 hours.
• Soak rice for about an hour.
• Now grind soy bean and horse gram together to fine paste till  fluffy and keep aside.
• Grind rice to coarse paste  like  semolina/rava with little water.
• Add rice batter to the soya-horse gram batter ,mix it well and keep it overnight  for fermenting .The batter should be little thicker then the usual dosa batter. In summer  i would suggest you to keep only for 3-4 hours for fermenting. 

How to proceed:-

1st method:-

• Heat a thick bottom pan as shown in the picture.
• Add 2tsp of oil put some mustard,let it crackle immediately put a ladle full batter and spread it slowly but it should be thicker then the normal dosa.
• cook on a slow fire covering with a lid.
• Fry on both the sides till brown and crisp. 

2nd method:-

• Heat a non-stick dosa tava or normal iron griddle apply oil and spread the batter like we make normal dosa and fry on both the sides till crispy. Serve hot with Hinga (asafoetida)chutney or  sambar

Rava urad dal idli...satvik food..specially for shivrathri

Today is shivratri festival so we hindu's fast whole day....but according to GSB's fasting means they just avoid rice,garlic and onion.So is quite common to prepare this idli because rava is allowed in our fasting.

 Ingredients:-
Urad dal-1 cup
wheat semolina(rava)-21/2 cups
Salt -2tsp

Method:-

• Soak urad dal for 4-5 hours
• Now grind the dal into smooth paste, the batter should not be too thick as we have to add rava later.

• Now take a clean muslin cloth or any white cloth and put the rava ,tie it and steam it in a double boiler or in a idli steamer as shown in the above picture for about 10-15 mins on a midium flame.Make sure that water won't go inside the rava  so tie the cloth properly.

• Now spread the rava,on a plate to cool a bit.

• After 30 mins mix the rava with the urad dal batter and leave it overnight to ferment and aslo add 2tsp of salt.

• Next day morning,give it a nice beat and add some more water if needed.The batter should be medium thick.
• Now boil the water in a idli steamer and grease the idli cups, fill it and steam idlis for 15 min. 1st 10 mins on high flame then 5 mins on medium flame.
• Now open the lid and take out the idli cups and let it cool a bit.Then scoop idli out of the cup and transfer it to a bowl.
• Serve hot with Ginger chutney or any chutney of your choice.

Note: if you are using wet/electric grinder then add 3 cups of rava instead of 21/2 cup.

Palak paneer( cottage cheese in spinach gravy)

Palak Paneer is a specialty of north India but now it is quite famous in south India too especially vegetarians love this dish.I prefer home made paneer for my dish as it is very creamy and soft.

Palak paneer ,rice,curd ,dal and roti

Ingredients:-
Spinach(palak)-2 bunch
Full cream milk-1ltr(for paneer)
             or
Paneer-250g(cubed)

Palak Paneer

Cream-1/2 cup
Curd-1tbsp
Tomato-1chopped
Onion-2(chopped finely)
Cloves-5-6
Cinnamon-2 (inch pieces)
Cardamom-2
Green chilly-3-4
Ginger-1small piece
Garlic-8-9 cloves
Cumin-1tsp
Chilly powder-1tsp
Sugar-1/2tsp(optional)
Kasoori Methi(dried methi leaves)-1heaped spoon(optional)
Ghee or Oil-1tbsp(for cooking)


Method for making paneer:-

• Heat  milk on a high flame and when it comes to boil add lemon juice or vinegar to curdle.Once the milk curdles discard the water and  collect the cheese and transfer into a muslin cloth and tie it and keep under a weight for an hour .Let all the water to drain.
• After an hour you will get nice soft paneer .now keep this in the refrigerator for about 30 mins-1hour.
• After an hour take it out and cut into cubes and keep aside.

Method:-

• Separate the leaves of spinach from its stem.Now wash it properly and finely chop.
• Heat a pan add 2tsp of oil or ghee in that add cloves, cinnamon,cardamom,ginger,garlic,tomato,  1 choppped onion,Green chilly and little salt(as spinach too contain little salt).Saute till moisture evaporates.
• Now add chopped spinach leaves and fry till its half cooked or changes its color(dark green).
• Let it cool now trasfer this to a blender and make a fine paste.
• Before taking out add 3/4 of the cream and add to the paste and blend it well just for a second.
• Now heat a sauce pan add remaing ghee or oil,add cumin seeds .Let it crackle now add the chilly powder and 1onion chopped and saute till it turns to light pink followed by curd.Fry for few mins till oil comes to top.
• Now add the ground spinach paste and the kasoori methi if you are using
• Bring to boil at this stage add cottage cheese(paneer) pieces and boil again.check for salt and add sugar if you are using.Switch of the gas.
• Before serving add fresh remaining cream and serve with roti. 

Roti Pizza

I  always try to make my kids lunch box more interesting by packing something  new,yummy and tasty.But daily trying new recipe is a big headache so i try something new with the same old dish, In short i give a new look to my simple dish .Here i have tried to give a new look to  my simple roti..........a pizza look.

Ingredients:-

Wheat flour-2 cups

Egg-12

Onion-2 chopped

Capsicum-2 chopped

Green chilly-2 chopped

Mozzarella cheese -200g

Oregano for garnishing

Pepper powder-2tsp

Method:-

• Mix wheat flour,salt,a tsp of oil  and water to make a soft dough and keep it covered  for 30mins.
• In a bowl grate mozzarella cheese and keep aside.
• Now divide the dough into 6 big balls and roll into thick disk.
• In a bowl beat 2 eggs for each roti at a time until light and fluffy.Now add 2tsp of onion,1/4tsp of chilly,2tsp of capsicum,2-3 tsp of grated cheese and salt to taste.Mix it well.
• Heat a non-stick pan and start frying roti in a medium flame.1st fry roti on one side  and then flip it to fry on the other side.At this stage spread the egg mixture and sprinkle oregano and pepper and cover with a lid.now simmer the gas and let it cook.Now open the lid and serve hot with tomato sauce.
• Prepare all the roti in the same way.
• Yummy roti pizza is ready  for kids lunch box.

Note: you can use cheese over the roti instead of mixing with the egg.

Palak Parata(spinach parata)

Ingredients:-

Palak(spinach)-2bunch

Wheat flour-3cups

Green chilly-6-7

Ginger-1 inch piece

Garlic-5-6 cloves

curd-1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Method:-

• Grind palak,green chilly,ginger and garlic to fine paste with very little water.
• Now add this paste to wheat flour and also add some salt 
• Now knead soft dough using curd and little oil or ghee.
• Now make 10-12  big lemon size balls and roll into disk 
• Heate a  griddle or tava and fry on  both the sides using little ghee( clarified butter) or with any vegetable oil.
• Serve hot with butter or curd or  with tomato sauce.

Spicy Prawn Curry...konkani style( sugta hinga udka upkari)

This is my grand mom's recipe and one of my favourite dish.I love this dish because its spicy and slightly different from our typical konkani curry.In this curry we do not use coconut ,only red chillies and tamarind and asafoetida which is cooked in coconut oil for flavor.That is why this dish is called sungta( prawns)hinga udka(asafoetida water) upkari.This special curry  we can  prepare with either prawns ,mussel or shark not with any other fish.It i s very simple and easy curry.So those who love spicy can try this. 

Ingredients:-

Prawns-1kg(shelled and de-veined )

Kashmiri Red chilly-15-20

Tamarind-1 big lemon sized lump

Asafoetida-2tsp (if it is in powder form)or 1marble sized ball

Salt to taste.

Coconut oil-2tbsp

                 

Method:-

• Roast red chillies with a 1tsp of coconut oil on low flame till it changes to dark red.
• Now grind chillies and tamarind to a fine paste and keep aside.
• Heat a sauce pan and add coconut oil.
• In that add ground masala paste and asafoetida powder or asafoetida water and bring to boil.
• Now add the prawns and cook until the gravy thickens.
• Serve hot with rice.

Actually its a dry dish which you can keep for couple of days without refrigerating.All you have to do is heat it twice.The next day it tastes heavenly.I prefer this dish little wet which goes well with my boiled rice.The real taste comes from the coconut oil and the asafoetida.