Sunday, November 21, 2010

Gopi manchurian






















Ingredients
For marinating
Cauliflower florets – 3cups
All purpose flour – ¾ -1 cup
Gram flour/ Besan – 2tsp
Rice flour – 2tsp
Ginger-garlic paste – 1tsp
Chilly powder – 1 ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¾ tsp
Salt to taste
Water for making thick gravy
Oil – 5-6tsp for frying

For gravy
Finely chopped onion – 2 ½ cup
Sliced garlic – 2 ½ tsp
Chopped spring onion – 1bunch
Red chilly sauce – 3tsp
Tomato ketchup – 4tsp
Soya sauce – 1 ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Chilly powder – ½ tsp
Oil -2tsp
Salt to taste

For garnishing
Chopped spring onion


How to prepare
=►In a bowl mix all marinating ingredients (except florets)along with enough water and salt
=►It should be a thick gravy and dip all cauliflower florets. Keep it aside for 10min.
=►Heat 6 tsp of oil in a non stick pan, fry cauliflower till it turns golden yellow color.

=►Heat 2tsp of oil in a wide pan, add sliced garlic, onion, spring onion and little bit salt.
=►Saute it well till the onion turns slight brown color.
=►Add turmeric, chilly powder, soya sauce, tomato ketchup and red chilly sauce nto it.
=►Mix it well for 2-3min and add fried cauliflower into it.
=►Mix everything properly and cook it for 2-3 min on medium flame.
=►Garnish with chopped spring onion and serve it hot with plain rice, fried rice etc.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Mango bread pudding

















This is very simple bread pudding very easy to make and is made with readily available materials. The taste becomes very good once the bread absorbs the mango syrup nicely. So have some patience and wait for some time for serving.

Ingredients
Bread – 5-6nos ( i used wheat bread)
Mango Jam- 4-5tsp (you can use any fruit jam)
Mango puree – 3tsp

For syrup
Mango puree – ½ cup
Heavy whipping cream – ½ cup
Condensed milk – ½ cup
Boiled & cooled milk – ¼ cup (optional-If u want more syrup)

How to prepare
=►Remove all brown sides of bread and cut it diagonally.
=►Now we can get 2triangle pieces. Again cut it to half (total u get 4pieces out of one bread).
=►Spread mango jam on both sides of bread piece.
=►Take a bowl pour heavy cream and whip it well.
=►Then add mango puree, condensed milk and milk and mix it well (pouring syrup).
=►Take glassware, pour 3tsp of mango puree and
spread it throughout the container.
=►Then place the bread pieces evenly and pour syrup.
=►Keep it in refrigerator for 30-45min or place it in freezer for 10-15min.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Ragi vermicelli upma / Finger millet upma




















I have been taking ragi vermicelli upma as a snack after comming from school from my childhood days. I somehow did not notice it after comming to US. It was during this Deepavalli shopping that I came upon this and picked it up and made it immediatley after going home. Believe me it is very tasty and healthy and you will definitley like it. You can see other Ragi recipes like Ragiupma, Ragi puttu also.

Ingredients
Ragi Vermicelli - 1 1/2cup
Finely chopped onion / Shallots - 1/2 cup
Green chilies - 2nos
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Coconut oil - 1tsp
Dry red chilies - 2nos
Grated coconut - 4tsp
Water - 2cups
Salt - 1tsp

How to prepare
=►Soak 11/2cup of vermicelli in 2cups of water and salt.
=►Drain water complteley and place it in an idly cooker.
=►Staem it for 10-12min on medium flame.
=►Cool it for 3-4min. Heat 1tsp of oil in a pan.
=►Put mustard seeds, when it cracks add dry red chilies and curry leaves.
=►Add sliced onion or shallotts into it and saute it for 3-4min.
=►Then add steamed ragi vermicelli and grated coconut into it.
=►Stir it for 1-2min on medium flame.
=►Take this as a tea time snack. It can be also a healthy breakfast.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Meen Pathiri / Steamed Fish Pathiri




















This is my husband's favorite snack. This is a traditional malabar snack which finds a prominent place in Ifthar parties. This can be called as rice pancake stuffed with fish and then steamed. Any fish can be used for making the fillings. Fish masala can be used according to once wish.

Ingredients
For marinating
Fish – 6-8 medium slices ( I used tilapia fillets)
Kashmiri chilly powder – 2 ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Ginger – Garlic paste – 2tsp
Salt – 1tsp
Water – 1-2tsp
Oil – 6-8tsp for shallow frying


For the masala
Fennel seeds – ½ tsp
Finely chopped onion – 1 medium size
Sliced ginger – 1tsp
Sliced garlic – 1tsp
Chopped Curry leaves – 2-3tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder – 1 ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Meat masala powder/ Garam masala – ½ tsp
Water – 2-3tsp
Oil – 3-4tsp
Salt – ½ -1tsp


For making pathiri
Rice flour – 1cup
Water – 1cup
Fennel seeds – ½ tsp (optional)
Salt –as reqd























How to prepare
Frying fish
=►Mix all marinating ingredients together (except oil) and marinate fish pieces well.
=►Leave it for 30-45min and heat 6tsp of oil in a pan and fry fish pieces till it turns light brown color. Mash it nicely with hands.

Fish masala
=►Heat 3tsp oil in a pan, put ½ tsp of fennel seeds.
=►When it cracks add sliced ginger, garlic and curry leaves into it.
=►Saute it well till the raw smell of garlic goes off.
=►Next add chopped onion and salt into it and fry it well .
=►When the onion turns golden brown add turmeric, chilly and meat masala powder into it.
=►Saute it some more minute (1-2min) add 2tsp of water along with mashed fried fish into it
=►Mix it well for 2-3 min on medium flame and switch off the flame .Keep it aside.





For pathiri
=►Make pathiri dough as explained in Malabar rice pathiri. Add little bit feenel seeds in to that.
=►Take samall dough balls press it untill it get round shape.
=► Cut corect round shape(like poori) using round cutter or lid (like horlicks lid..etc)
=►Place fish masala mixture on one pathiri.
=►Spread evenly and cover it with another pathiri. Press edges well with fork carefuly.
=►Steam each fish pathiri for 10-12min on medium flame (Use idly cooker).
=►Remove from the vessel and serve hot.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Raw Bitter gourd pickle / Pavakka achar



















I have already published fried bitter gourd pickle. In this I used raw bitter gourd and its taste is slightly different from the fried pickle.

Ingredients
Bitter gourd – 1nos
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chilly powder – 1 ½ tsp
Sliced shallots – ¼ cup
Sliced ginger – 1 ½ tsp
Sliced garlic – 1 ½ tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp
Hing / kayam – ½ tsp
Dry red chilies – 2nos
Coconut oil – 3tsp
Vinegar – ¼ cup



How to prepare
=►Clean and cut bitter gourd into small pieces.
=►Heat 3tsp of oil in a pan, put mustard seeds and allow it to crack.
=►When it cracks add dry red chilies, fenugreek seeds, sliced shallots, ginger, garlic, curry leaves into it.
=►Saute it well till the raw smell of garlic goes off.
=►Then add bitter gourd pieces, turmeric, chilly powder and mix it well.
=►Saute it everything well and cook it for 5-6min and add ¼ cup of vinegar into it.
=►Allow it to cook for 2-3min and switch off the flame.
=►Add ½ tsp of hing on over this pickle and serve it after 2-3 day.




This participates in Vegetable Marathon - Bitter Gourd, hosted by Nithu and started by Silpa










Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Fried Bitter gourd pickle / Pavakka kondattam achar




















People who are found of pickle will surely like this. Even I was reluctant first to make a pickle with bitter gourd but found this very interesting and tasty once I had it from a friends place.


Ingredients

Fried bitter gourd – 1cup
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chilly powder – 1 ½ tsp
Hing / Kaayam – ½ tsp
Sliced ginger – 1 ½ tsp
Sliced garlic – 1 ½ tsp
Sliced shallots / small onion – 4tsp
Green chilies – 2nos (optional)
Dry red chilly – 2nos
Curry leaves – a few
Vinegar – ¼ cup (more sure taste increase the quantity)
Coconut oil – 3tsp


How to prepare
=►I have already published how to make fried bitter gourd (pavakka kondattam).
=►Take 1cup of fried bitter gourd and mash it into pieces.
=►Heat 3tsp of oil in a pan, put mustard seeds and allow it to crack.
=►When it cracks well add dry red chilies, fenugreek seeds, sliced shallots, ginger, garlic, curry leaves into it.
=►Saute it well till the raw smell of garlic goes off.
=►Then put turmeric, chilly powder and mix it well.
=►Add ¼ cup of vinegar and when it boils well add mashed bitter gourd pieces.
=►Saute it well and cook it for 1-3min and switch off the flame.
=►Add ½ tsp of hing on over this pickle and mix well.
=►Serve it hot as a side with plain rice, chapatti etc.

This participates in Vegetable Marathon - Bitter Gourd, hosted by Nithu and started by Silpa










Pavakka kondattam / Dried Bitter gourd fries




















Ingredients
Bitter gourd – 2 large
Turmeric – 2tsp
Salt – 3tsp
Water – 2cups
Oil for deep frying


How to prepare
=►Cut bitter gourd into thin round rings (with seeds).
=►Boil 2cups of water. Add turmeric and salt into it.
=►When it boils well, add bitter gourd rings.
=►Allow it to cook for 3-5min and switch off the flame.
=►Drain water and spread the bitter gourd rings in a sheet.
=►Allow it to get sundried for 3-4 days until the bittergourd dries out completely.
=►Heat oil in a pan and fry bitter gourd rings very well.
=►It goes well with plain rice.

Note – Some people dip the bitter gourd rings in curd to get a different taste.


This participates in Vegetable Marathon - Bitter Gourd, hosted by Nithu and started by Silpa










Bitter gourd juice / Pavakka juice
























Ingredients
Bitter gourd – 1
Lemon juice – 1tsp (You can increase as per the taste reqd)
Water – ½ cup
Pepper – ¼ tsp
Salt – a pinch (optional)

How to prepare
=►Remove the seeds and cut bitter gourd in to small pieces.
=►Put it into a blender along with ½ cup of water.
=►Blend it well and sieve it nicely.
=►Add lemon juice, pepper and salt (optional)into the juice.
=►This is very good for diabetic patients.


This participates in Vegetable Marathon - Bitter Gourd, hosted by Nithu and started by Silpa











Sunday, November 7, 2010

Coconut chuttni / Thengha chuttni



















Ingredients
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Dry red chilies - 6nos
Cumin seeds/ jeerakam - 1/2 tsp
Sliced ginger - 1tsp (optional)
Water - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

For sesoning
Oil - 1tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Dry red chilly - 1no

How to prepare
=►Grind together all ingredients with 1/4 cup of water and salt.
=►Pour grinded paste into a bowl and heat 1tsp of oil in a pan.
=►Put mustard, fenugreek, dry red chilly and curry leaves and pour this mixture into above grinded paste.

Note: If u want it more liquid add more water.

Malabar Rice Pathiri






















This is a Norhtern Kerala dish specially more popular among muslims. It is a pancake made of rice flour. This is a very tasty and easy to make receipe which is usually taken with coconut chicken curry. Pathiri is regularly served during Iftar in the muslim fasting month of Ramdaan. I have already given the recipe of Roti Pathiri which can be found here.


















Ingredients
Rice flour – 1cup
Water – 1cup
Salt – to taste

How to prepare
=►Boil one cup of water with enough salt.
=►When it boils well, slowly add rice flour little by little.
=►Stir it continuously and switch off the flame.
=►Close tightly with a lid and leave it for 10 min.
=►Pour the mixture into a big vessel for kneading.
=►Knead it(atleast 5min) and make a soft dough.
=►Taste and puffness of pathiri depends on how soft is the dough.
=►Make small balls and press it on wooden board.
=►Put little bit rice flour on wooden board for avoid sticking.
=►Press it until you get thin round pathiri (no need to use oil).
=►If u want correct round shape use round cutter or lid.
=►Heat tawa or non stick pan on medium flame and place pathiri on that.
=►Cook both sides well. Pathiri is ready to be served with chicken curry. It goes well with fish curry and egg curry.