Senagapappu vada / Chana daal vada

Usually the vada process is bit lengthy, but this chanadaal vada is bit quick as we just need to soak the daal for just 1 hour and the texture is not sticky when compared to urad daal, so it is easy to blend it. The flavour is irresistible.

Ingredients:

Chana daal - 1 cup

Salt

Ginger & Green Chilli paste - 1 tbsp

Onion - 1 chopped into small pieces

Chopped Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Method:

Soak the chana dal for not more than 80 minutes. Drain and blend coarsely.

Transfer the mixture into a bowl, add the green chillies, ginger, onion, coriander and salt and mix well.

Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape each portion into 1/2" thick small round flat balls.

Heat the oil in a kadhai and deep fry them till crisp and golden colour.

Serve hot with chutney

Daalcha

This is a vegetarian version of Daalcha which brings a completely new scrumptious flavour in lentils. Lentils are cooked along with egg plant and tomato and sauted in cashew nuts masala. You can substitute vegetables with meet as well.

Daalcha

I learned this recipe from my sister-in-law during my last visit to India.

Ingredients:

Toor daal – 1 cup
Brinjal / egg plant – small variety – 4
Milk – ¼ cup
Cashew nuts – 4-5
Tomato – 2
Onion – 2 (Cut 1 into chunks and 1 into thin slices)
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Chilli powder – 2 tsp
Green chilli – 3 slit length wise
Garam masala – ½ tsp
Tamarind – ½ lemon size

Method:

Wash and soak toor daal in 2 cups of water
Cut 1 tomato and egg plants into large chunks and add to the daal.
Add ¼ tsp of turmeric and boil them till soft.

Daal, Egg plant and tomato

Heat a pan. Add milk, cashews, onion and tomato chunks and cook until the milk gets evaporated.

Grind everything into smooth paste.

Heat apan, add 2 tbsp of oil. Add thinly sliced onion, green chilli and ginger garlic paste. Fry
everything. Add coriander powder, chilli powder and garam masala. To this add the ground paste
and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the mixture to the cooked daal. Add tamarind water and bring it to boil.

A nice companion for pilau rice.

Glades

A nice and warm peach coloured glades occupied a cosy corner in my hall...

Pav Bhaji

The most simple recipe to make the full meals with packed nutrients. A famous North Indian street food which tickles our taste buds with the mouth watering ingredients.

For the Pav

12 pieces of Pav bread

For the Bhaji

Ingredients:

Mixed vegetables (Potato. Cauliflower, Green pea, Carrot, capsicum etc) chopped – 4 – 5 cups

Onion – 1 large, chopped into small pieces

Tomatoes – 3 large chopped

Kaala namak (black salt) – ½ tsp

Pav Bhaji masala – 1 tbsp

Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

Salt

Butter – 2 tbsp

Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

Boil all the vegetables till they are soft. Drain out and preserve the excess water.

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the onion softens.

Add the tomatoes and simmer till the oil separates.

Add the chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, black salt and salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the boiled vegetables

Mash them thoroughly using a masher and add ½ cup of water or the preserved vegetable stock and cook until the moisture is well absorbed.

For the pav

Slice each pav, apply a little butter to each side.

Heat a large tava and cook the pav on both sides till the pieces are lightly browned.

Serve the hot bhaji on individual plates and top with the onion and coriander.

Serve with the hot pav and lemon wedges.

Tip:

You can sprinkle the pav bhaji masala or any chat masala on top of the bread and then fry them till crisp. This  intensifies the flavour.

Methi Paratha

This is a delicious spiced chapathi from Gujarat where they serve it with meals, and also as a snack. You can substitute the fresh ones with the dried leaves as they are more easily available and make a lovely aromatic alternative.

Ingredients:

Wholemeal flour – 500 gms

Fresh Fenugreek leaves – 1 bunch finely chopped

Chili Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp

Oil – 5-6 tbsp

Garlic – 3-4 pods grated

Salt

Method:

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add all the ingredients except oil.

Mix the ingredients thoroughly with your fingertips

Now rub in 2 tbsp of oil and make crumbles.

Gradually add enough water while continuing to mix.

Knead the dough until it is soft and pliable.

Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and cut 4 equal portions from each.

Form them into smooth balls and flatten each one. Now dust each piece lightly in flour and roll it out to 6-7 inch circle.

Pre-heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat and place a parata on it.

Cook for 30-35 seconds and turn it over.  Spread some oil over the surface of the cooked side and turn it over again.

Let it cook until the brown patches have appeared. Spread some oil on the second side , turn it over and cook until brown patches appear.

Repeat the same for all the paratas. You can keep them warm by wrapping it in foil lined with absorbant paper.

Serve the parata on its own or with any vegetable curry or just with plain yogurt.

Methi Parata

Goruchikkudu kaaram / Cluster beans curry

I learnt this from my co-sister when I visited her in India. So simple to make and with less oil. I call it as double dhamaaka as it is a mixer of two proteins, cluster bean and peanuts and both belongs to legume family. I have added a bit more chilli in order to suppress the sweetness of the peanuts.

Goruchikkudu kaaram

Ingredients:

Cluster bean - 300 gms - tear them into 2 inch bits

Chilli - handful (Depending on your taste)

Tomato - 2

Onion - 1 thinly sliced

Salt

Oil - 2 tbsp

Cluster bean, Green chilli, sliced onion and tomato

Method:

Coarsely grind the raw peanuts

Coarsely ground peanuts

Coarsely grind green chilli and cluster beans by adding salt.

Heat a pan with oil. When it is hot enough, add sliced onion and fry for a minute. Now add chopped tomato and toss it once. After a minute add the ground chilli and cluster bean.

Mix everything and cook for 2 minutes by covering with lid.

Now add the ground peanuts, mix it and cook for 2 more minutes

Now add about 1 1/2 - 2 cups of water and cook until the cluster beans are well cooked.

You can have it with rice or roti. My choice is rice.

Diwali - 2012

Another wonderful year has passed away. Let us celebrate another Diwali by lighting the candles and sharing the sweets,,,,,

I have taken the below pictures at my friend's place. She has placed the glass bowls on both the sides with the floating candles in them.

In full view

Stream of candles ...

in different angle...

Happy Diwali.....