Spicy Kolhapuri Soya Thamda rassa

Vegans forgo the consumption of meat and meat derivatives, which leaves them looking for alternatives to meet their nutritional needs. Soya chunks are made from soy beans and they work well as meat substitutes. These come in the form of regular chunks, mini chunks and granules, and can be used in many ways. The nutritional value is similar to meat in some areas and different in others.Soya chunks are dry when you purchase them. They need to be reconstituted in water, which causes them to become spongy. Plain soya chunks do not have much flavor at all, but they absorb sauces, spices and flavorings well. 

Try this spicy kolhapuri style Red curry /Thamda rassa with a aromatic kolhapuri masla. I am sure you and your family gonna love it :)

Ingredients

• 3 cups Soya chunks
• 4 Tomatoes chopped
• 4 onion,sliced
• 1tsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1tbsp oil

Dry Roast separately and grind (masala paste)

• 1 cup Dry copra/ coconut,grated
• 2 pieces Cinnamon sticks
• 4-5 Cloves
• 1/4tsp Pepper corns
• 10 spicy dried red chillies
• 1tbsp Coriander seeds
• 2tsp Cumin/jeera
• 1/2tsp  Dagad phool
• 1/2 Mace/javethri
• 1 tsp White thil
• 1 small piece Nutmeg/jaiphal
• 1tsp poppy seed

Cooking Directions

1. Soak soya chunks in hot water for 30 minutes.
2. After 30 minutes Squeeze out all the water from soya and drain it well.
3. Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry soya chunks till they tuns to nice golden brown colour and take out on a kitchen towel or paper to drain out the excess oil
4. In the same pan and fry onion slices till golden brown and let it cool completely before grinding it to smooth paste and our brown onion paste is ready.
5. Meanwhile dry roast all the masala ingredients till brown and grind it to smooth paste with 2 cups of water.
6. In a seperate kadai /sauce pan heat some oil and saute remaining 1 sliced onion till translucent.Now add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes.
7. Add in chopped tomatoes and saute further till oil separates.
8. Now its time add in brown onion paste,Roasted masala paste along with fried soya chunks.Give it a nice stir and add 3 cups of water.cover and cook on low heat .
9. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti.

Upavasache idli /sagoo-jungle rice idli

Normally on Ekadasi or sankashti day we hindus avoid eating grains and beans, anything made from them or anything that has them in it. This means avoiding bread, pasta, lentils, rice, as well as beans and preparations made from bean flour. Most of the people in Maharashtra have sabudana and wari tangul /jungle rice during fasting.

Usually i make sabudana khichidi or sabudana kheer or rava idli during fasting but this time i have tried something new using sabudana and vari thandul .Vari Tandul in marati is the seed of a grass ( Echinochloa Colonum) which frequently grows amongst the rice paddy as it requires damp, or even waterlogged, soil. Instead of removing it with weedkiller, farmers harvest it. When cooked, it makes a tasty and filling meal. Tandul means rice and though vari is not a grain it provides the nourishment and energy that rice does. In the west it is called 'Samo' or 'jungle rice'.Varicha Tandul is quite delicious, and the following recipe will prove it. Don't fast - just feast!

Ingredients

• 2 cups vari/varai/jungle rice/
• 1 cup sagoo/ tapioca pearls/sabudana
• 2tsp Baking powder
• 1tsp Sugar

Cooking Directions

1. Wash and Soak sagoo and vari together in 5-6 cups of water for 4-5 hours.
2. Now grind both to smooth paste using same water in which we have soaked sagoo and vari. The consistency of the batter should be thick like idli batter.
3. Let it ferment overnight or at least 6-7 hours.
4. Next day morning add salt and sugar, mix it well. you can add little water if the batter is too thick.
5. Boil water in a idli steamer and grease the idli stand or ramekins .
6. Lastly add the baking powder to the batter.Blend it well and then fill the moulds with this batter and steam for about 12-15 minutes..First 10 minutes on high and then lower the flame and steam again for 3-4 minutes till done.
7. Serve hot with peanut chutney or sambar.

Methi Malai Matar.

Today i'll take you the gastronomic journey of Punjab with Mouth watering, aromatic and delicious Punjabi delicacy. Methi Malai Matar is a typical dish which Punjabis make for their parties and very popular in dabhas. I absolutely love this dish! It reminds me of fresh methi that used to grow by my mom as methi was not very easily available in those days in mangalore! The aroma of this dish makes me nostalgic and homesick!! I enjoy it with with fresh rotis or pulkas.

Ingredients for the main dish

• 2 cups Fresh Green Peas
• 2 bunches Methi/Fenugreek leaves
• 1 onion chopped
• 1Tomato,pureed
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2-3 tsp Ghee or oil
• 1 tsp Crushed Dry fenugreek leaves/kasoori methi
• 1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
• 1 cup Milk
• 2tbsp Fresh cream
• 1/4tsp Turmeric powder

For masala paste:

• 1 onion
• 3 Green chillies
• 6-7 Cashew nuts
• 1 tsp Coriander seeds
• 1 tsp Poppy seeds/Khus khus
• 5-6 Cloves/lavang
• 2 ( 1 inch) Cinnamon/dalchini
• 10 Pepper corns
• 4-5 Cardamoms
• 1 tsp Cumin/jeera
• 2 tbsp Thick curd
• 2 tsp Ginger chopped
• 10 Garlic cloves

Cooking Directions

1. Wash and clean Fenugreek leaves and drain it well.
2. Roast cloves,cinnamon,Pepper corns,jeera,coriander and cardamom for 2-3 minutes till it changes to light brown colour and keep aside.
3. Grind roasted ingredients along with cashew nut,onion,poppy seed and green chillies,ginger and garlic using curd to smooth paste.
4. In a shallow pan or kadai, heat ghee and butter,over medium heat. Add jeera. When it crackles, add onion and haldi and saute till the onion changes to light brown colour. Add in methi leaves and saute for 5-6 minutes on high flame till all the water evaporates,now add peas and saute for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add in chilly powder,salt and ground masala paste and mix it well.
6. Add Tomato puree and 1 cup water to the above, cover with a lid and let it simmer for 10 mins.
7. Lastly add milk ,cream and kasoori methi and give it a nice mix.Cook again for 5-6 minutes on low flame till the gravy is semi dry ( you can add more milk if the gravy is too thick) and oil comes on top.
8. You can serve it with jeera./Ghee rice or rotis.

Cabbage kofta

As the raindrops keep falling, enjoy a plate of crispy koftas with a cup of tea.I love koftas in general. This makes a wonderful snack to munch,while it was pouring outside. Koftas are made with different vegetables, which are blended in a besan (gram flour) and other flours and deep-fried. You can use almost any vegetable when making these koftas. From cauliflower, eggplant, bell pepper, onion, potato,the choice is wide and varied. Paneer koftas and egg koftas can also tickle your taste bud. Of course, if you are calorie-conscious then koftas are not for you. But how about giving calorie thoughts a miss once in a while?

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups cabbage ,Grated
• 2tbsp Ginger garlic paste
• 2 Green chillies
• 1 1/2 cup Besan/ gram flour
• 1tsp Coriander powder
• 1tsp Chilly powder
• 3tbsp Fresh coriander,chopped
• 1/4 cup Corn flour
• 1/4 cup Rice flour
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of Baking soda
• Oil for deep frying

Cooking Directions

1. In a large bowl add grated cabbage and salt and mix it well.Keep aside for 10-15 minutes.
2. After 15 minutes add ginger garlic paste,Chopped green chillies,coriander powder,chilly powder and Coriander chopped.Blend all the ingredients with a spoon.
3. sieve togther, besan,rice flour,cornflour and soda and add this to cabbage mixture.
4. Mix all the ingredients to soft dough,enough to form balls for koftas.
5. Now take deep frying pan,heat 2 cups of oil.
6. In the meantime, start making koftas.
7. Take a small lump of cabbage mixture and make small lemon sized balls and keep aside.
8. Now drop 7-8 balls at time in hot oil and fry till crisp and golden,drain over a kitchen paper.
9. Serve hot with tomato sauce or vegetable salad/laccha.
10. Notes: You can add any vegetables of your choice and some grated cheese while making the koftas
11. you can prepare the koftas in advance and keep it refrigerated for some time before frying