Thursday, November 30, 2006

Puran Poli (South Indian Style)
Traditional Indian Sweet made with Jaggery and Dal.
Each states has its own version of making this Poli.
The below features the version of Tamil Nadu.

Ingredients Needed For Base
1. Maida 3/4 cup
2. Salt (pinch)
3. Turmeric Powder or Food Colour (2 pinches)
4. Sesame Oil 3 tablespoons.
5. Water to knead the dough

Items Needed For Pooranam (Filling):
1. Channa dal 1 Cup
2. Jaggery 3/4 Cup to 1 Cup (according to taste)
3. Grated Coconut 2 table spoons.
4. Elaichi Powder
5. Ghee 1/2 tsp

Make Base:
1. In a bowl add Maida, Food colour/Turmeric, Salt and knead it to a soft dough using water.
2. Pour Oil on top of dough and keep it aside for 30 to 40 minutes.

Making of Pooranam:
1. Fry Channa dal till good smell comes.
2. Cook this dal in (just enough) water. (not too Mushy)
3. Drain out all water and add Jaggery and Coconut.
4. Grind this into a fine paste.
5. Heat a kadai add this paste and saute till water evoparates.6. Mix Elaichi powder and keep it aside

Making of Poli.
1. Take a tender Banana leaf or thick plastic sheet. Apply little oil.
2. Take some amount of Maida dough and spread with hands.
3. Keep the Coconut filling (Pooranam) inside and cover with maida.
4. Make it into a ball, spread with hands.
5. Fry both sides on a tawa applying little Ghee unti Poli is done.
Delicious, Healthy Poli is ready.Serve Hot with a little Ghee on top of it.Can store upto 3 days.

This is My Submission for JFI#8 (Jaggery) hosted by Kay towards better tomorrow

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Baingan Masala (Brinjal Masala)

A North/South Medley Dish.
Tangy Flavoured Brinjal Dish.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Brinjal
2. Tamarind small gooseberry size
3. Salt to taste
4. Onion finely chopped 1
5. Tomato finely chopped 1
6. Curry leaves and coriander leaves
7. Turmeric Powder
8. Water

Ingredients for Paste
1. Grated Coconut 2 tablespoons
2. Dhania seeds (coriander Seeds ) 3 tablespoons
3. Til (Sesame seeds) 1 tbsp
4. Dry Red Chilli 7 to 8 (according to taste)
5. Groundnuts 3 tablespoons
Fry the above ingredients separately without adding water and grind into fine paste.

Ingredients for Tempering/Tadka
1. Oil 2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds
3. Cumin seeds

Method:
1. Slit Brinjal into 4 or 6 pieces and keep immersed in water till use. (To avoid blackening)
2. Heat Oil in a pan, add Mustard and Cumin seeds.
3. Fry Onion till brown and add tomatoes and fry till cooked.
4. Now goes the main ingredient Brinjal, fry well and add grinded masala paste.
5. Add Turmeric, Salt and Mix well, pour 3/4 cup of water and cook till done.

-:> Serve Baingan Masala with Hot Rice or Roti. <:-

Brinjal Masala (Masala Baingan)


Note:
1. Ginger and garlic can be added while grinding.
2. You can stuff this masala in Brinjal and make it as a Curry.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Baked Vegetables

Baked vegetables

Mixed Vegetables in White Sauce and baked with Grated Cheese.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Mixed Vegetables Each 1/2 cup (Beans, Carrot, Potato, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Baby Corn, Peas) - Cut into cubes.
2. Small Shallots - 2, stuck 2 to 3 cloves in each shallots
3. Maida - 2 tablespoons
4. Milk - 2 cups
5. Black Pepper powder
6. Salt - to taste
7. Grated Cheese - 1/2 cup
8. Butter - 2 tsp

Preparation of White sauce:
1. Heat butter in a kadai/saucepan, fry Shallots, Maida in slow flame and gradually add
Milk, mix well without forming lumps. Make the sauce in thick consistency.
Add Pepper powder and keep it aside.
2. Steam the vegetables and mix white sauce. Check for salt.
3. Cover these vegetables with grated cheese and bake it till brown or Cheese melts.

Serve with Toasted Bread or Focaccia Bread. Nutritious breakfast. Suggest you to skip lunch that day. ;-)

This is my submission for WBB#7 by Nandita of Saffron Trail

Baked Vegetables Garnished with Capsicum

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Idli Sandwich/ Sandwich idli

Sandwich Idli

A hot item for parties.
Easy to prepare.

For idli batter see my earlier post.
For Mint chutney see my earlier post.

Method:
1. Grease Idli plates with little Oil and pour 1/2 ladle of batter and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Apply Mint chutney (spread it)
3. Pour again 1/2 laddle of batter and steam it.

Kids who hate Idlis can be attracted with this.

Note: In the Mint Chutney you may also reduce the Coconut and add more Coriander leaves.
Another colourful version of this Sandwish can be made with Onion Tomato Chutney and for more varieties see here.



Sandwich idly

Monday, November 06, 2006

Mint Coconut Chutney
* Healthy Chutney.
* Bread Spread for Sandwiches.
* Easy to prepare.

Mint-coconut chutney

Ingredients Needed:
1. Mint Leaves (washed and cleaned) - 3 cups
2. Grated Coconut - 3 tablespoons
3. Salt - to taste
4. Tamarind - small marble size
5. Channa dal 2 tsp
6. Urad dal 3 tsp
7. Few peppercorns
8. Ginger small piece
9. Garlic pod -1 to 2 (optional)
10. Oil for frying and tempering - 2 tsp
11. Mustard seeds
12. Dry Red Chillies according to taste.

Method:
1. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a kadai fry Channadal, Urad dal, Tamarind, Ginger, Garlic, Dried Red chillies and Pepper till golden colour and keep it aside.
2. Fry Mint leaves till it shrinks.
3. Grind the above items with salt and grated coconut.
4. Temper with Mustard seeds.

(-> Serve with Idlis, Dosas or Parathas.
<-)



Mint Coconut chutney served with idli

Friday, November 03, 2006

Aloo Capsicum (Aloo Simla Mirch)

Potatoes and Capsicums (Bell Pepper) cooked in Tangy Gravy.
Easy to make Party recipe
.

Aloo Simla Mirch

Ingredients Needed:
1. Potates 2 (Boiled and cubed)
2. Capsicum 1 (de seeded and Cubed)
3. Onion 2 Finely chopped
4. Salt to taste
5. Oil 2 table spoons.
6. Sugar 1/4 tsp

For Grinding:

1. Green Chilli - 1
2. Chilli Powder - 1 tsp (according to Taste)
3. Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
4. Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
5. Ginger one small piece
6. Garlic 2 pods
7. Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
8. Chutney Dal - 1 tsp
9.Tamarind Small marble size or pulp 1/2 tspGrind everything by adding little water.


Aloo Simla Mirch with Paratha

Method:
1. Heat oil in the kadai, add Capsicum pieces and fry for a few minutes and keep it aside.
2. In same oil add finely chopped Onion and cook till it becomes brown on slow fire. Only browned onions gives a good taste.
3. Add Sugar, Grinded paste and fry for a minute.
4. Pour one cup water and cook till oil floats on top.
5. Now add cubed Potatoes, Capsicum pieces, salt .
6. Cover and Cook in slow fire for 10 minutes,
7. Garnish with Coriander and sliced Ginger Pieces.

Serve with Roti, Naan, Rice


Note:If the Gravy is too watery, mash 1 or 2 more pieces of potatoes.