Shahi Methi-Matar

 

This is a wonderful recipe to impress your guests at a dinner, but that does not mean that you cannot include it in your normal weekend meals.Every region you go has their own interpretation of a popular recipe. Take methi matar malai, for example – depending on where you go, you’ll find several versions, ranging from simple onion or  cashew -based gravy to a rich and exotic Mughlai-style curry made with cashew and cream.

 

 Ingredients

1. 2 cups fresh Green peas
2. 1/2 bunch or 2 cups of fresh fenugreek/ methi leaves washed and drained and chopped finely.
3. 1/4 tsp turmeric (Haldi)
4. 2 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
5. 1 tsp Garam Masala
6. 1tsp white pepper powder
7. 1 tsp cumin seeds
8. 1/2 cup fresh cream (malai)
9. 1tsp sugar
10. 1 cup full fat milk
11. Cooking Oil
12. Salt

For the paste:

1. 10 cashewnuts
2. 1 large or 2 small onions – chopped fine
3. 1″ long piece ginger
4. 4 – 5 cloves garlic
5. 4 green cardamom
6. 4 green chilies
7. 2 tsp poppy seeds

Instructions

1. Mix some salt in chopped Fenugreek leaves and keep them aside for 10 minutes.
2. Boil green peas in 4 cups of water till soft and drain.
3. Take onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic, cashewnuts, poppy seeds and green cardamom, grind them all into a fine paste using little water. Consistency of masala should be fine.
4. After 10 minutes, squeeze the excess water out from fenugreek leaves. This helps to reduce the bitterness of fenugreek.
5. Heat 2tsp of ghee in a pan. Add fenugreek leaves and fry for a few minutes.
6. Keep the cooked fenugreek leaves aside. 
7. Same pan add 2 tbsp oil to it. Add cumin seeds, let it splutter. when cumin seeds gets roasted, add white paste, turmeric (Haldi) and salt, cook for 2 minute.
8. After White Masala gets roasted add garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves, sugar, green peas, cooked fenugreek leaves , cream, milk and salt.
9. Mix all the ingredients well and cook them for 6-7minutes.
10. Methi Matar Malai is ready to be served
11. Enjoy this delicious preparation with pooris or rotis.

Subz ki Tehri

The Uttar Pradesh is just as diverse as its geography. Ranging from simple everyday fare to rich, elaborate banquets, the cuisine of Uttar Pradesh has absorbed and adapted a variety of cuisines to create and entire smorgasbord of wonderful dishes.. Many of the hindu communities  are staunch vegetarians and they have created a vast variety of vegetarian dishes ranging from the all time favourite puri-aloo ,  adn to savouries and different types of biryani...
Subz/vegetableTehri, a delicious one pot rice meal which originated in Uttar Pradesh.Its aromatic,filled with varied Masalas and lots of vegetables especially cauliflower and potatoes.

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Ingredients:

1. Potato: 1, cubed.
2. Carrot: 1, cubed.
3. Frozen or Fresh Peas: One handful.
4. Cauliflower: 3 or 4 florets.
5. Beans: 1 handful, chopped (optional).
6. Onion-1
7. Ginger: 1 inch, finely chopped.
8. Garlic: 6 cloves, chopped.
9. Kashmiri Chilli Powder: 1 tsp.
10. Coriander Powder: 1 tsp.
11. Turmeric Powder: 3/4 tsp 
12. Garam Masala: 3/4 tsp.
13. Basmati Rice: 2 cups (200 ml cup)
14. Hot Water: 5 cups
15. Juice of 1 Lemon
16. Salt: 1 1/2 tsp or as needed.
17. Ghee-1 cup
18. Jeera: 1/2 tsp
19. Cardaomom-4-5,crushed 
20. Saunf: 1/2 tsp (optional)
21. Mint Leaves To Garnish,Fried onion

METHOD:

• Wash and clean rice and keep it on a strainer. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add in jeera ,saunf and cardamom
• Add in the chopped onion, ginger and garlic, allow it to turn light brown.
• Add in the cubed vegetables ,cauliflower,carrot, peas, beans, and potato. Let them fry in the oil for 3 minutes on medium flame.
•  At this point keep water to boil in a separate saucepan.
• Now add in dry powders: Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric, and garam masala powder to the fried veggies.Saute for couple of minutes,on low flame.
• Add the rice and mix well again on low flame for 3-4 mins.
• Add in the boiled hot water, salt, juice of one lime and mix well.
• Cover the cooker with its lid and take 2 whistle.
• Open cooker after 15 minutes, fluff the rice with a fork.
• Garnish with chopped mint leaves,fried onion and some roasted cashewnuts
•  Serve hot with plain curd or boondi raitha.

Soya chunks-Peas Kurma... a pressure cooker recipe

Soya chunks Kurma

I'm a foodie and  busy mom of 3. I am constantly whipping up healthy and delicious meals in my kitchen for the people I love the most. Meatless dinners are my personal favorite night (or nights) of the week. Truth be told, if my husband and kids weren’t such meat lovers, I would gladly revert back to my vegetarian days! Because they love chicken and mutton, I do my best to make any meatless meal incredibly tasty. This one was a big hit last week, even if not everyone in the family are big fans of soya chunks. The trick to this meal was mini soya chunks and peas, and give it plenty of flavour with a lovely gravy. Another perk of this meal, was dinner was done in less than 30 minutes in a pressure cooker.

Ingredients

• Mini Soya Chunks– 3 cups
• Fresh or dried Green peas (if you are using dried one,then soak overnight)
• Meat Masala – 3 tbsp
• Red chilly powder – 1 tsp 
• Onion (sliced) – 1 large
• Tomato (sliced) – 2 large
• Green Chillies (slit) – 2
• Curry Leaves – A sprig
• Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Pepper Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Ginger Paste -2 tsp
• Garlic Paste – 2 tsp
• Tomato Sauce – 1 tbsp (optional)
• 2 cups milk
• Coriander leaves/Cilantro – A few
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Salt – As required
• Water – As required

Preparation Method

• Soak the Soya chunks in hot water for around 15 minutes. Squeeze out the water and clean the soya chunks and drain out excess water if any. 
• Marinate the soya pieces with  ginger garlic paste,salt and meat masala powder for 5-6 minutes..
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker ,add sliced onions and saute till the onions are translucent.
• Add slit green chillies, chopped tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes are cooked properly.
• Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp chilly powder, 1 tsp coriander powder,1/2 tsp pepper powder  and stir fry for a few minutes.
• Add the marinated soya chunks along with soaked or fresh peas, 1 tbsp tomato sauce and some salt if required . Add some water (around 1/4 cup) so that the gravy has some water content.
• Sprinkle 1/2 of the chopped cilantro leaves and mix well.
• Cover and pressure cook  for another 15-20 minutes or take two whistle , till the gravy is fully coated on the soya pieces.
• After few minutes open the lid and add milk to the gravy and cook again for 2-3 minutes.
• Garnish with remaining coriander leaves.
• Serve along with rice or chapathi.
  
  
  
  

Restaurant style Matar mushroom Masala....

Who does not love Matar mushroom? Especially in winter season.But the problem is that our regular matar mushroom preparation does not go well with our party menu.

Presenting the restaurant  style matar/peas mushroom for coming new year party or any other special occasion.

Ingredients
 (Serves five):

1. Fresh button Mushroom- 15 
2. Green peas-2 cups
3. Green chillies (slit) 2
4. Cumin seeds 1 tsp
5. Kashmiri Red chilli powder 2 tsp
6. Coriander  powder 2 tsp
7. Garam masala 1 tsp
8. Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
9. Salt to taste
10. Onions (finely chopped) 2
11. Oil 3 tbsp, 
12. Tomato puree 1 cup
13. Ginger garlic paste 2 tsp
14. Sugar 1 tsp
15. Kasoori methi 2tsp
16. Fresh cream1/4 cup
17. Fresh coriander leaves for garnish.

 

Ground to paste:

Cashew nut 15

Poppy seeds 1 tbsp 

Soak together in 1/2 cup of warm water for 10 minutes and grind it to smooth paste.

 Method: 

• Boil peas in 4 cups of water for about 15 minutes,drain the excess water  and keep aside. you can also add little salt while cooking.
• Heat 1tbsp of butter in a pan and add mushroom and blanched peas and saute for 2-3 minutes on high heat and keep a side.
• Heat oil in a sauce pan,add cumin seeds and wait till its crackles,add chopped  onions and saute till it changes to light pink colour
• Now add ginger garlic paste, green chillies, tomato puree, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala kasoori methi,salt and sugar. Fry well till the oil comes on top.
•  Add the sauteed mushroom and peas with one cup of water. Cook for a while. Add the ground paste of cashewnut and poppy seed and cook for some more time. If the curry becomes thick, add little water or some milk accordingly. 
• Lastly Add fresh cream and mix it well and take it off the flame.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and Serve hot with roti or jeera rice. 

Note
During off season you can use frozen peas in this recipe.Just saute the peas with mushrooms instead of blanching as mentioned in the recipe that's all.

 

Brahmin style vegetable Kurma (no onion- no garlic)

vegetable kurma

This Shravan try this amazing veg gravy recipe from south India without Onion and Garlic!!!

Among Hindus many people discourage eating onion and garlic along with non-vegetarian food during festivals or Hindu holy months of Shrawan.As a true GSB i too avoid cooking food with garlic or onion during our festivals like Sutta punnav,krishna ashtami and gouri-ganesha.

Ingredients:

1 Potato diced

1/2 cup Green beans sliced

1/2 Cup Green Peas

1/2 Cup Carrots cut into 1'pieces

1tsp Mustard seeds

2 spring curry leaves

1/2" Cinnamon

3 Cloves

Salt to taste

2 Tsp ghee

Grind to Paste*:

1. 1/4 Cup Coriander Leaves
2. 1/2 Cup grated Coconut
3. 4-5 Green chillies
4. 1/4 Tsp Jeera
5. 1/4 Tsp Saunf/Fennel Seeds
6. 1 Tbsp Roasted Channa Dhal/Putane/hurigadale
7. 1/8th Tsp Turmeric Powder
8. 1 small piece of Ginger
9. 1 marble sized tamarind ball

No onion-no garlic veg kurma

Preparation:

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add mustar,curry leaves cinnamon, cloves, and fry for a couple of seconds.

Now add chopped vegetables and fry for a minutes,add salt and 2 cups of water and cook till done/pressure cook on high for 2 whistle.

Grind all the Ingredients under Grind to Paste* with little water.

Now open the cooker when all the pressure/steam has subsided and the pressure cools down.

Add the ground paste and salt if needed,mix it well.You can add water if needed to adjust the gravy according to your requirement .

Cook on a low flame for about 10-15 minutes or till done.

Serve hot with roti or puri

Gawar( cluster beans) ki subzi

These cluster bean recipes are healthy and easy. Known as known as gawar in marati and hindi,mitki in konkani goru chikkudu, or kothavara in various Indian languages, cluster beans are a type of green beans grown in India, especially in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra and north Karnataka  They are a flatter, smaller version of the regular green (French or string) beans. These beans stay fresh for a couple of weeks when wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator. Cluster beans are very healthy as they are are full of protein and fibre. Unlike the regular green beans, cluster beans have a slightly bitter taste. To tone down the bitterness, i use lots of onion or freshly grated coconut and also use tamarind or tomatoes to cut down the bitterness...this is my kids favourite dish,i often prepare for their tiffin box along with chapati ( Indian flat bread)

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 20-15 minutes
Ingredients

• 250 grams Gawar/cluster beans
• 3 Onions ( sliced)
• 3tsp Red chilly powder
• 10-12 Garlic cloves ( chopped)
• 2 Tomatoes ( chopped)
• 1tsp Garam masala or kanda lasun masala
• 1/2tsp Turmeric powder
• 1tbsp Oil

Cooking Directions

1. Before cooking the beans, you need to be string them, i.e., remove the fibre from the sides of the bean.
2. Once you are done, then wash it and chop into 2 inch long pieces.
3. Now heat oil in a pan ,add onion and chopped garlic and saute till onion turns to light pink colour.
4. Add chilly powder,turmeric powder and salt and saute again for few seconds.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and garam masala or kanda lasun masala ( this is special maharashtrian masala used in dals and vegetables).Mix it well.
6. Now add chopped gawar and stir it well,let the masala coat the beans.Fry for 2-3 minutes.Add a cup of water,cover it with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes on low flame or till its done.
7. Serve hot with roti or chapati

Kadai Vegetables

Kadai vegetable is a very popular north Indian dish served in every  Indian restaurants around the world . This recipe instruction is taken from sanjeev kapoor's cook book "Khazana of Indian Recipes".This dish is one of my favourite, which is easy to make at home using different types of vegetable and ingredients like i have added some cottage cheese,which really make this dish more interesting and yummy!

Ingredients

• 10-12 French Beans
• 2 Carrots
• 2 Capsicum
• 2cups Cauliflower florets
• 1/4 cup Green peas
• 1/4 cup Coriander leaves
• 1 cup Paneer/cottage cheese,cubed
• 3 Large tomato
• 1/2tsp Turmeric powder/haldi
• 1tbsp Coriander powder
• 1tsp Kashmiri red chilly powder
• 2tsp Garam masala
• 4tbsp Oil

For masala powder ( grind it coarsely)

• 1tbsp Coriander seeds
• 4-5 Dried red chillies
• 1tsp cumin seeds

For masala paste:

• 12-15 cloves Garlic
• 3-4 Green chillies
• 1 Ginger ( 2 inch piece)

Cooking Directions

1. String the beans and peel the carrots.Halve the capsicums and remove the seeds.
2. Cut all the vegetables into 1/4 inch cubes.
3. Wash tomatoes and chop them roughly.Peel onions and slice them.Peel and wash ginger.
4. Grind coriander and cumin seeds and Red chillies coarsely.
5. Grind garlic ,half of the ginger and green chillies to a paste.
6. Make julienne of the rest of the ginger.Finely chop the coriander leaves.
7. Heat oil in a pan.Add the coarsely ground masala and saute for a second.
8. Add the sliced onions and saute till golden brown.
9. Add ginger-garlic-Green chilly paste and saute for a minute.
10. Now add all the vegetables except capsicum ( as it cooks faster) and stir.Cook covered on low heat till carrots are almost done.Sprinkle a little water if necessary.
11. Add turmeric powder,coriander powder and red chilly powder and stir continuously .
12. Add Tomatoes,salt and half cup of water and cook till the vegetables are cooked and the water has dried up.
13. Now it time to add our capsicum and salt.Cook again for 6-7 minutes on low flame.Sprinkle garam masala powder,mix it well and cook for a minute and switch off the gas.
14. Garnish it with some paneer cubes ( if you want can fry it in little ghee),ginger julienne and chopped coriander leaves.

It is usually served with boiled rice, roti or bread.

Pulikoddel

Pulikoddel is a typical GSB konkani dish served in temples and marriages,its Delicious. All the flavours work perfectly together and  there's a nice hint of jaggery and tamarind and the nuttiness of coconut and sesame is absolutely amazing !

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg / 4-5 cups Ashgourd cubes (11/2 inch)

ashgourd pieces

For the masala paste

malasala ingredients

• 2 cups freshly grated coconut
• 1tbsp Coriander seeds
• 2tsp Black thil/sesame seeds
• 2tsp Chana dal/ split bengal gram
• 7-8 Dreid Whole Guntur chillies/hot chillies
• 6-7 Pepper corns
• 6-7 Methi seeds
• 1tsp Rice
• 1/4tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 Marble sized ball of tamarind
• 2tsp Jaggery
• 1/2tsp Mustard
• 1spring Curry leaves
• 1tbsp Coconut oil

Cooking Directions

1. Pressure cook or boil ashgourd pieces in 2 cups of water till soft but not mushy.
2. Wash rice and thil separably and dry .
3. Now fry all the masala ingredients separately with a little oil to a light brown.
4. Be careful while frying grated coconut as it should be roasted on low flame,stirring all the time to get that nice golden brown colour.
5. Once you are done with your roasting, grind all the roasted ingredients together with tamarind and little water to slightly coarse paste ( not too coarse),do not add too much of water,the paste should be thick.
6. Once the ash gourd pieces are boiled and cooked well,add salt and jaggery and bring it to a boil,then add the ground masala paste and boil again till the gravy thickens.
7. Now prepare the tempering.Heat remaining coconut oil in a small pan,add mustard and let it crackle,followed by curry leaves and pour over the gravy and serve hot with rice.

Variation: You can prepare this pulikoddel with cucumber/Madras cucumber or bottle gourd

Ashgourd curry

ivy gourd sukka/Palya ... Kannada brahmin style

This is typical kannada Brahmin style dish served during their wedding and other functions.I just love the flavour and the aroma of their dishes which mainly comes from coriander,jeera and the generous dash of hingu/asafoetida. I got this recipe from my classmate who used bring variety of brahmin dishes in her lunch box .This masala goes well with any other gourds or any type of beans.

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg Tender ivy gourd/tendli/Gherkins
• 1tsp Coriander seeds
• 1/4tsp Jeera
• 4-5 Methi/ Fenugreek seeds
• 1/4tsp Asafoetida /Hing powder
• 4-5 Whole dried red chillies
• 1/2 Marble sized ball of tamarind
• 2 cups Grated coconut
• 1/2tsp Jaggery
• 3tsp Oil
• 1/2tsp Mustard seeds
• Few curry leaves

Cooking Directions

1. Wash ivy gourd, pat dry and cut into long pieces.
2. Dry roast coriander seeds,jeera,red chillies and methi on low flame till coriander changes to light brown.
3. Now grind the roasted ingredients along with grated coconut and tamarind to coarse paste without adding any water.
4. Heat oil in a kadai/shallow pan add some mustard followed by curry leaves and hing/asafotida,stir for a second and then add ivy gourd pieces,jaggery and salt to taste. Saute for 3-4 mins then add a cup of water,cover and let it cook .
5. Once it is cooked,add the coconut paste and saute till the dish is almost dry.
6. Serve hot as a side dish along with rice and dal.

Kerala style Potato ishtew/stew

This is typical kerala style potato stew which i grew up eating as my mom is from kerala., it's one of my mother's best dishes.As children, we used to spend our summer vacations in one of my uncle's place in calicut,Kerala and it was so fun.My aunty used to cook this authentic kerala style dishes specially same style lamb stew, which is very famous in kerala and served in almost all the wedding receptions along with apams.

Ingredients

• 4 Potatoes (cut into 1 cm square pieces)
• 2 onion ( cut into 1 cm square)
• 5-6 Green chillies( slit)
• 6-7 Cloves
• 2( 1 inch pieces) Cinnamom
• 1/2tsp Fennel /saunf
• 1tsp Ginger chopped
• 3 cups Fresh Coconut ,grated
• 1tbsp Maida/cornflour
• 2tsp Ghee or coconut oil
• 1 spring Curry leaves

Cooking Directions

1. Pressure cook potatoes pieces,chopped onion,slit green chillies ,giner , cinnamon, cloves , fennel and salt in 3 cups of water.Take 2 whistle and switch off the flame.Let the cooker cool down naturally until the pressure is released
2. In the meantime grind coconut to smooth paste adding 2 cups of water and strain all the milk.Now add 1 cup of water to the residue and again grind to smooth paste and strain and mix both the milk together and keep aside.
3. After 20 mins open pressure cooker and transfer the cooked potatoes into a big sauce pan and boil it again.
4. Mix maida with coconut milk and slowly add this to sauce pan and stir it well to avoid any lump and to smoothen the gravy.When the gravy is slightly thick add chopped curry leaves and ghee or coconut oil ( i prefer ghee,as it gives rich flavour and aroma ) and mix it well,check for seasoning and switch off the gas.
5. Serve hot with kerala parotta or apam.It also goes well with puri or any coconut based rice dises like Paan polo(neer dosey in kannada,adsara in kerala,Oondi(steamed rice balls)  or rice rotti

Green peas-chow chow Kurma

12-12-12 Its the centurys last sequential date. For some, it represents luck. For others, its a day of romance. For most of us, its just another Wednesday. Regardless of your beliefs, 12/12/12 comes along with some rather amusing facts and superstitions.On this special day thought of cooking something special for my family.                      

 Today I've prepared 2 dishes using Chow chow(kannada -seemay badane) which grew in my kitchen garden.This vegetable i a delectable pleasantly coloured and easy to cook vegetable.It can be easily grown by planting a mature sprout got from the market ( which can not be used for cooking) and trailed over a pandal or in your balcony or compound wall.to enjoy a basketful of harvest. You can make so many yummy dishes from this humble vegetable. I've exactly used 12 ingredients in this dish just to make the day more memorable 

Cook time: 55-60 mins
Ingredients

• 3 cups Green peas
• 1 cup Chow chow ( diced)
• 1/2 Copra/dry coconut,grated
• 1tbsp Kashmiri chilly powder
• 3 Tomatoes
• 3 Onion
• 8-10 Garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup Coriander leaves
• 5 Cardamom pods
• 2tsp Garam masala powder
• 1tbsp Ghee/oil
• salt to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Pressure cook both peas and chow chow with little salt till 20-25 Mins or take 2 whistle.
2. Grind grated copra/dry coconut,cardamom,tomatoes,garlic and 1/2 of the coriander leaves to smooth paste
3. Fry onion till golden brown in ghee or oil ,drain and ground to paste.
4. In the same pan add onion paste, chilly powder and salt to taste ( do not add too much as we have already added while cooking the vegetable)stir for a minute on low flame.
5. Now add ground masla paste and stir till oil comes on top.
6. Add cooked peas and chow chow and boil again for 15-20 mins until the gravy becomes thick.
7. Garnish with remaining coriander leaves and serve hot with Jeera rice or roti

Stuffed ridge gourd/gutti beerakaya kura

Recipe by Preethi baliga

This is the most hot favourite recipe of andhra pradesh...Gutti beerakaya kura /stuffed ridge gourd masala has got rich flavour of peanut and sesame seed and perfect blend of spices.Believe me its very tempting and mouthwatering dish goes well with plain hot rice and dal.

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 15-20 mins
Total time: 40 mins
Ingredients

• 3 Medium sized ridge gourd
• 1tsp Cumin seed/jeera
• 1tsp Black gram dal
• 3tsp tamarind pulp
• 1tsp Mustard seeds
• 2tbsp Peanut oil/any other veg oil
• 1/2tsp Asafoetida/hing
• 1 spring Curry leaves
• 2tbsp grated coconut
• 4-5 red chillies
• 1tbsp Peanuts
• 2-3 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1tbsp sesame seeds( white)
• 2tsp sambar powder
• 1/2tsp turmeric powder

Cooking Directions

• Peel the ridgegourd and cut into 21/2 inch pieces.
• Now take each pieces and 2 slits in the middle leaving i centimetre from the bottom.

 

• Dry roast all the stuffing ingredients till coconut changes to light brown colour.Let it cool for a while then grind it to smooth paste without adding much water

Now stuff all the pieces with this paste.

 

Take a shallow frying pan add oil in and heat.In that add mustard,fenugreek,black gram dal and asafoetida and saute for a second,Then add curry leaves.

 

Now its time to add our stuffed ridge gourd pieces.close it with a lid and cook on low flame for 5-6mins.
After 5-6 minutes,uncover the lid and turn the pieces so that they cook all over.

Now add the tamarind pulp and sprinkle some water if the masala is too dry and cook further 4-5 mins till masala is well roasted.
Serve hot with rice or roti ( i prefer it with jowar rotti/bhakri )

Mochar ghonto/banana flower dry dish..Popular begali dish

Bengalis love their food so much so that they just don't waste any part of the vegetable like us .We konkanis too prepare so many dishes from banana plant.I got one nice banana flower from our garden and wanted to try something other than konkani dish because i have tried two dishes before with this flower.So when i was searching some recipes relating to banana flower i got this beautiful dish which i really liked a lot.Though i have not followed the exact recipe because i always try to cook according to my hubby and kids taste in mind before trying something new dishes.So i always advice  never blindly follow any recipe unless you are 100% confident about the taste.You can do some changes here and there according to your taste.

  Ghanta means finely chopped veggies or minced veggies dry dish.You can prepare this with any of the veggies or with some mixed vegetables too.

Ingredients:
Banana flower-1
Potato-1
Cumin seeds-1/2tsp
Red chilly-2
Crushed ginger-1tsp
Turmeric powder-12/tsp
Cardamom-2
Cinnamon-1"piece
Clove-2
Coconut -1/4 cup(grated)
Salt and sugar to taste
Mustard oil-2tsp

Method

First remove outer dark coloured leaves ,at least 3-4 layers of leaves you have to remove to reach the heart of the flower.

Inside every layer you will get these tiny flowers which need to use that florets also so keep all the florets and  clean and finely chop them along with the main flower.Before handling the banana flower apply some coconut or mustard oil to your hands to protect your hands from that sticky juice.Once you are done with the chopping soak it in the water for a while.

• Powder cardamom,cinnamon and cloves to get fine garam masala powder and keep aside.
• Now heat oil in pan add cumin and Red chillies and saute for a second.
• Add crushed ginger followed by diced potato.Stir fry potatoes till it cooks to light brown.
• Now its time to add chopped banana flowers.Before using the flowers do not forget to squeeze all the water out.
• Saute for a minute then add turmeric ,sugar and salt and mix it well.
• Cover it with a lid for 5-7 mins or until the dish is almost dry over a low flame.
• Then add powdered spices and grated coconut,mix it well and switch off the gas.
• Serve hot with steaming hot rice and dal.

Patholi/patholeo/steamed sweet rice dumpling in turmeric leaf

Happy Nagpanchami to all my readers!!

   We celebrate Nagpanchami during the month of Shravan.It is a festival of snakes celebrated on the 5th day of shravan month one of the auspicious month for hindus.we celebrate so many festivals during this month like Nagapachami,rakhsha bandan,Narali purnima,sutta punnav / pavitraropana, gokulashtami / krishnashtami,Mosaru kudikey/dahi handi and so many other small puja's and rituals.

  We konkanis prepare lots of sweets and savouries by using seasonal veggies. Today i have prepared some steamed  sweet rice dumpling in turmeric leaf  .We call it patholi or kadubu(kannada) which is quite popular in south india and some parts of west bengal..In goa people call it patholeo.They use dark goan jaggery which tastes superb and gives rich brown colour. We prepare this specially for this day along with some other sweets too.But this  sweet dumpling is a must on this day.when i was a kid i just used to wait for this day to relish this divine dish!

Turmeric leaves are very aromatic and has got very unique flavour.This leaf is very useful in cooking as it is medicinally very good for health because of its antiseptic property.

Ingredients:

For the rice covering:

Raw rice-11/2cups

Beaten rice-1cup

Turmeric leaves-20 (medium size)

Salt -1tsp

For stuffing:

Coconut -2cups(grated)

Jaggery-1cup

Soak rice and beaten rice for 2 hours.Drain the water from rice and grind both the ingredients to smooth paste without adding too much of water.I have added only 11/2cup of water to the batter while grinding.If you feel the batter is little watery then add some rice flour to adjust the consistency.The batter should be thicker than Dosa/ pancake batter.

Now prepare the stuffing with grated coconut and jaggery.Heat  a pan /wok add jaggery and 1/2 cup of water and let it dissolve completely.Now add grated coconut  and mix it well.Cook till it becomes dry and all the moisture evaporates.If  you prepare the stuffing like this then you can keep the patholis for couple of days without refrigeration.One short cut  method is just add grated jaggery and mix it well with the coconut and your filling is ready.But i always prefer 1st method.

 

• Clean all the leaves in under running water,wipe them with kitchen towel and now its ready for stuffing.

 

• Now boil some water in the idli steamer

• Now arrange all the leaves in a row and start spreading the batter.
•  Spread a table spoon of batter in each leaves as shown in the picture.You have to spread the batter evenly for the better results.

• Now take some stuffing and nicely spread it in a single line.The stuffing should be in the centre.If you want more sweet then you can add little more stuffing.

• Proceed the same with all the leaves.Once done its ready for steaming.

• Now keep all the patholis in a steamer and close the lid.Let it steam for about 15mins or till done.
• Serve hot with ghee.

Note: Its better to trim the leaves on both the ends and if your leaves are too big then its better to make it half so you can arrange the patholis easily inside the steamer.One more important tip is always arrange the patholis in such a way the steam passes through each and every patholi while cooking.