Aloo Methi

Something quick and easy - Aloo Methi. As a kid I used to despise eating Potatoes, and even now I do :); best way for parents to trick kids into eating vegetables is to make the dish more glamorous and appetizing. I recall Mom picking the freshest of Methi leaves (Fenugreek leaves) from the market and picking the tender shoots for curries and gravies. Methi leaves are something I love eating so it was aptly combined with Potatoes. Quite a simple dish.

Preparation time ~ 30 minues

Ingredients:

Potatoes (Boiled and Diced) - 2-3

Onion (chopped) - 1 small

Cumin powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Red Chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - Just a pinch

Asafoetida - Just a pinch

Oil - For frying

Kasuri Methi powder - 3 teaspoons or Methi Leaves (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Method:

Boil and dice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Do not make large pieces as they could be semi-boiled or raw. I do it in pressure cooker as its easier. Heat 2-3 teaspoons of oil in a saucepan. Saute Onions till turn translucent. Add chopped Methi leaves (if using the same) at this stage and allow to wilt. Add all the spice powders. Give a good stir. Simmer for 5 minutes on low flame. Crush Kasuri Methi leaves (if using the same) on the palm and sprinkle. Stir well and turn off the flame. Serve hot with Chapatis or Rotis.

Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa. The name spells everything about Udupi, hot steaming coffee and the famous Udupi Krishna Temple. I have grown on abundant doses of Masala Dosa and even to date love this Dosa. It can be quoted that Masala Dosa is the King of Dosa's. What better way of admonishing this crispy crepe full of spicy potatoes sauted in Onion, than crowning it with the prestigious title of "National Dish of India". Yes, Outlook India had recently surveyed across India and Masala Dosa has emerged as the National Dish of India, close to heels is Rosogulla which is crowned as the National Dessert of India (Thanks ISG of Daily Musings for this news).



Keeping up with the celebration spirit and the double bonanza of Masala Dosa being the chosen one I thought it would be apt to try this Dosa myself. My Ammamma (my maternal Grandmom) makes the most delicious Dosa on the earth. She is very choosy about the ghee used to fry, the foodgrains chosen for the Dosa and the Potatoes, Chillies, Onions and finally Garlic have to be fresh and crisp. No wonder no one in my family can dish out the crispy Dosa as good as her. Mom follows the same recipe so I blindly copied the one which Mom had. I wanted it to be end-to-end Masala Dosa, especially the way they serve it at Bangalore Sagar's and Darshini's. So spruced up my pantry planning and made the Garlic Red Chutney spread alongwith Potato Bhaaji. The final outcome was deliciously well! We both enjoyed our morning breakfast with a hearty Dosa which is our favorite.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Serves: 10-12 Dosa

Ingredients:
Masala Dosa Batter -
Rice (Sona Masoori Rice or Dosa Rice) - 2 cups
Urad Dal - 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds - 1/3 teaspoon
Chana Daal - 2 teaspoon
Salt - As per taste
Oil - For frying

Potato Bhaaji -
Potatoes (Large - Boiled and Chopped/ Mashed) - 2
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Green Chillies - 1-2
Onions (sliced) - 1
Chana Daal - 1/3 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as per taste
Oil - For frying
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida - Just a pinch

Garlic Red Chutney -
Garlic pods - 5-6
Red Chillies - 6-8
Salt - as per taste
Water - for Grinding consistency

Method:
Wash all ingredients throughly and soak for 4-6 hours. Grind to a fine batter which is of a thick consistency and allow to ferment for 4-8 hours. After, 8 hours, add Turmeric powder ( A pinch) and Salt, stir well and get the batter ready.

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a saucepan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chillies. Add onions and saute till they turn translucent. Add mashed potatoes and adjust salt, turmeric powder, etc. Bring to a boil with little water and cook till completely done. Turn off the flame.

On a hot dosa pan, pour a large spoonfull of batter and pour ghee on the sides. Allow to cook. Flip the dosa and once done, smear the red chutney on a side, add Bhaaji and serve by flipping the side of Dosa covered. Serve with Grated Coconut chutney. Some also love it with Mulagapodey Pitti.

Star Fruit Pickle (Karambala Nonchey/ Karamali Loncha)

Nupur's Recipe Marathon - Day 7

Star Fruits are in season now. I made this simple pickle to stock up for summer use and rainy days. In Konkani, Star Fruit is known as Karambola/ Karambal. I made Star Fruit pickle or Karambalaa Nonchey on the last day of New Year. In Konkani, Nonchey stands for pickle, especially the ones made with spice powders dunked in vegetables of choice. A perfect way to end the year on a spicy note.


This recipe is pretty easy. But since water is added as a broth, the pickle needs to be refrigerated. The Star Fruit oozes out tangy and sour liquor in few days, so this makes the pickle very tasty. Give the pickle a good stir once in a week to ensure the juices mix and blend in. Mom's pickle especially the Star Fruit one is the best and I know I am being biased here, but rightly so. Mine came no where close to her, but its a humble trial. I was delighted to see the Star Fruit's at the local grocery; Bought back memories of childhood when Granny used to pack the huge pickle jars known as Bharanee and send batches of freshly made pickles to all her daughters.

Ingredients:
Starfruit (chopped) - 5
Lime Rind - 1 whole Lime (chopped)
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tablespoon
Red Chillies - 15
Mustard seeds - 2 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Asfoetida powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - 1-2 tablespoon
Water - For pickle liquor

Method:
Chop the Starfruit into pieces, de-seed them to ensure seed free pickle. Chop Lime rind into small pieces. I added them because I had them handy. Take your pick accoridngly. Roast on low flame with (1 teaspoon oil) or without oil. This ensures there is no moisture and also improves the absorption capacity of the pieces. Take the fruits off the stove, cut them into quarters and add salt. Give a good stir and keep aside in a mixing bowl covered for 1-4 hours. Give a gentle stir to allow the juices to seep in the fruit.

Get the masalas ready. Dry roast each of the items - Red Chillies, Mustard, Fenugreek seeds. Be careful not to over roast them as this would render a bitter taste and ruin the taste of the pickle. Mix the powder with fruits and stir well. Add enough water to get a good consistency for the pickle. The oil used for frying the spices can be poured on top of the pickle jar once stuffed completely with pickle. This prevents the pickle from any potential bacterial hazards and spoliage.

Store pickle in a moisture free jar and preferably store in a refrigerator. Owing to water which serves as liquor for the pickle, there are chances that it could get spoilt or the fruits/vegetables spoil at room temperature.

Suggestion: 1. Star Fruit has a tendency to ripen and yellow faster than other fruits. The unripe ones are green. Those are ideal for pickling. The yellow ones are ripe and could turn soggy easily so avoid them for pickle. Based on the temperature around, salt the fruit pieces and keep them aside. If its a cold day, maximum keep them salted for 4 hours and add spice powder and refrigerate. Else, if its a hot day wherein the fruits can easily spoil at room temperatue, its best to salt them for 1-2 hours, add spice powder and refrigerate immediately. 2. De-seeding the fruit is required else your pickle will be full of fruits with seeds. 3. I noticed the South American Fruits lack the tang unlike Indian ones which are tangy. So if you are pickling it ourely for tangy-ness in pickle, it will not serve the purpose.

Egg Biryani 1.0 (With Green Gravy)

Too much of cold, lot of chills and first thing on your mind is to eat something warm and delicious. I thought of Mish-Mash's famous Egg Biryani. Her recipe is one of my favorites and a perfect way to pamper the foodie in me & for my hubby who feels Biryani is the ultimate dish on the face of earth.

I bought Mint leaves from store and made use of rest of my pantry ingredients. I am glad I could make use of many of the pantry items and many are almost close to getting over. This dish was longing and waiting to be tried and tested. Hence, I made it on time by posting it just at about 11:45 night. I am delighted that this Marathon gave me all the options to try, test, experiment and LEARN of all!

I also referred to my Mom's Biryani recipe which is one of my favorites. She makes Vegetable Biryani which has Poppy seeds, Mint, Fennel seeds and Caraway. She also separately prepares Green Masala and the Gravy, It helps a lot while planning the dish. I combined the both to create a very similar Biryani which is tasty, easy-to-make and a perfect way to celebrate the second last day of the calendar year. Luckily, I had the Indian spices handy as well. This Biryani is a regular at our place now and we enjoy it over weekends as a one-pot-dish.

Recipe Source: MishMash + My Mom's recipe

Preparation time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Biryani Masala -

Fennel seeds (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Mace - 2

Cinnamon - 1

Cardamom - 2

Caraway seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Cloves - 3-4

Nutmeg (grated) - 1 whole - 1/2 for rice assembly + 1/2 for spice powder

For the Gravy -

Whole spice - Cinnamon - 2 sticks

Whole spice - Cardamom with pods open - 4

Whole spice - Cloves - 4

Poppy seeds (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon

Onions (sliced finely) - 2 large Onions or 4 cups finely chopped

Tomatoes (chopped finely) - 2-3 medium ones or 2 cups finely chopped

For Green Masala -

Coriander leaves - 6-8 sprigs

Mint leaves - 4-5 sprigs

Green Chillies - 2

Ginger - 1 " piece

Garlic - 5-6 pods

Grind all of the above with little water to a fine paste

Other Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 and 1/2 cups

Eggs - 5-7

Ghee - 3-6 tablespoons

Salt - As per taste

Saffron - 5-8 strands

Warm Milk - 1/2 cup

Garam Masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

1. Make the spice powder and keep it aside. For better taste, dry roast the spice a little bit and then grind to a powder. Set aside.

2. Hard boil 4 eggs and set aside. Allow them to cool by running cold water over it and peel, poke holes in them, add some salt and set aside.

3. Boil Rice in water in 1:1 1/2 proportion. Which means for 3 cups of rice, we need 5 1/2 cups of water. Add oil and salt while boiling. Once done and par-cooked, spread on a large plate and allow to dry.

4. Heat 3 tablespoon of Ghee and saute Cinnamon, Poppy seeds, Cloves and Cardamom. Add the Cardamom with the shell partly open. This helps in flavouring the ghee appropriately. Once they are roasted, add onions and tomatoes. Fry well till then reduce in size and wear a wilted look. Add the ground Biryani Masala and Green Gravy and adjust salt. Cut the eggs into halves, retain or discard yolk as per choice. Ensure you turn the egg pieces around and dunk them into the gravy but don't break them up. Make a gravy based curry which will eventually lose moisture and become thick.

5. Crush Saffron in 1/2 cup of milk and set aside.

6. Assembly: Now comes the main part. Take a deep dish thick bottomed vessel. Heat 3-4 tablespoons of Ghee. Allow to heat the pan, Once hot, turn to low flame. Put a layer of cooked rice. Sprinkle Garam Masala powder and grated Nutmeg together. Next, pour the egg curry gravy and then pour rest of the rice on top layer. If desired mix the Egg Gravy curry with Rice if you do not want rice to be white colored. Once done, pour the milk on top layer. Now, while pouring milk cover the maximum surface area of the rice. Saffron gives a red color tinge to the rice. This helps in retaining moisture in the rice and enables slow cooking on dum. Last but not the least, pour 2-3 tablespoon of ghee on top and cover with foil and keep on low flame for 5-7 minutes not more than that (beyond 5 minutes gives a roasted layering to the rice, so do not attempt). Turn off the flame.

7. Mix the Biryani should you want to or serve by scooping sideways; I prefer scooping side ways and serving to ensure a complete serve of all 3 layers. Serve with Mirchi Kaa Saalan on the side.

Key Notes:

1. My learning was that Nutmeg (grated), Caraway seeds and Mace offer the extra zing to the Biryani. Do not compromise on adding these.

2. Saffron Milk is the key to the Biryani flavour and richness. It also adds the rich red color.

3. I used White Onion/ Spanish Onions instead of Red, I found a profound difference in the flavour. Its more advisable to use Red Onions for Biryani.

4. Eggs added loosely on top do not soak the masala as opposed to eggs in gravy. If you like it as toppers, garnish on top else, dunk them in the gravy. Take your pick accordingly. I have toned down the spices to a great extent, increase or decrease as per choice.

Raw Banana Fritters (Kele Phodi/ Kelyachey Kaap)

Nupur's Recipe Marathon - Day 5

The weather is getting colder and chiller with very strong wind chill in the air. I bought a couple of Banana's yesterday. Raw Plantain is a rich source of iron and packs in lot of vital nutrients as well. I thought of making Banana Fritters or Kele Phodi as call it in Konkani.

Chop some Bananas, retain some amount of skin, par boil if required and dredge in a marinade of choice. Pan fry on low flame with a sprinkle of water and once completely cooked, serve hot as a side dish. Phodis are very popular Konkani side dish. I am a big fan of these and in winter I find myself eating quite a lot of them. There are various other vegetables which we use for Phodis - Okra, Potato, Radish, Mushroom. The vegetable bites cook fast and taste delicious. I served them with carrot sticks for lunch. Warm fritters to beat the winter chill.

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Yield: 1 Banana - 9-10 Fritters

Ingredients:

Raw Banana Plantain - 1

Rice Flour - 4-5 tablespoon

Red Chilli powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Garam Masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Pepper - 1/3 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - just a pinch

Salt - As per taste

Oil - For frying

Method:

Chop the bananas into bite sized pieces. Retain some amount of skin on it and only peel the top layer. This ensures that we don't get rid of all of the vital nutritious layers of Banana. Par-boil in water for 10-15 minutes, this will make them soft and tender. Marinate in all the spices, dredge in Rice flour and pan-fry on both the sides. Serve hot as a side dish.

Punjabi Chole

Nupur's Recipe Marathon - Day 4

Its Day 4 and I am elated. I got to know about so many nice blogs, bloggers and food writers on the blog scene. Its going great. Best part was the way bloggers cajole and motivate each other irrespective of timezones, tastes, choice of food. Thanks Nupur for hosting this event!

More often than not, if I go by statistics and patterns, I tend to eat loads of Punjabi Chole during winter. Well, this was just a silly observation. Come winter, its time for cakes and bakes, soups and warm finger food, spicy and chaat items. I had bought a packet of Garbanzo beans or Chickpeas a month back. There were still lying neatly in my Foodgrains rack begging to be used. I am on a pantry cleaning spree, so want to work towards optimising my resources and capitalise on all what I can benefit from (Now that's a little Management style of thought delivery). We both wanted a "proper" dinner. That's the term P uses when he wishes to be adamant about tagdaa khaana. I soaked the Chickpeas in the morning, since time was less vis-a-vis overnight conventional soaking for 10-12 hours I dropped in a pinch of baking soda and soaked in warm water (Mom's valuable tips come handy during such times).

This is the method I adopt to make Chole, the shortcut method with the basic tomato-onion-ginger gravy, a tea bag dipped in Chole for the blackish color and all the masala's required under the sun. This time around, I decided to settle for the authentic brown color and omit tea bag. I had Everest Chole Masala, just a few spoons left. Thought would use them as well. I also liked several versions of Chole, one of Srivalli's and the other of Anita's. Both are nice and quite authentic.

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans - 2 cups

Onions (chopped) - 2 onions (large)

Tomatoes (chopped) - 1-2 tomato (medium)

Ginger (grated or minced) - 1" piece

Oil - For frying

Everest Chole Masala or any other brand - 2 teaspoons

Everest Garam Masala or any other brand - 1/2 teaspooon

Red Chilli powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - Just a pinch

Salt - As per taste

Green Chillies - 2

Baking soda - a pinch

Tea Bag (optional) - 1

Water - For curry consistency

For Garnishing:

Cilantro (chopped) - 6-8 sprigs

Onions (chopped) - 1 small onion or 1/3 cup

Method:

Pre-soak Chickpeas in water for 10-12 hours. If you forgot just the way I did, then plonk a cup of chickpeas in warm water with baking soda and leave for 6-8 hours. Wash the chickpeas thoroughly to eliminate any traces of soda and pressure cook for 20 minutes with salt, tea bag and one teaspoon oil. Once done, smash them lightly and leave aside. The Chickpeas would be salty and blackish at this stage.

Heat oil in a pan. Fry grated ginger and green chillies and thereafter add onions and tomatoes. Fry, fry and keep frying till they wilt, turn more translucent and ooze out oil. Add the masala's and Turmeric powder at this stage and adjust salt and water as per requirement. I like my Chole little thick with no-running gravy on the plate. Bring to boil and simmer on low flame for 5-10 minutes. Turn off flame and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and onions. You could also add the garnish while serving on individual plates. Serve with Rotis or Pooris on side.

Note: Garnishing with Onions renders a unique aroma and taste. Add the tea bag while boiling Chickpeas, you will get restaurant style Chole which is blackish and bit bitter-y. My proportions are very low on spice, increase or decrease proportion as per taste and requirements. Use Indian Red Onions, do not use Spanish Onions or White Onions if you wish for that authentic Punjabi flavour.

Umm Ali: An Egyptian Bread Pudding

Nupur's Recipe Marathon - Day 3

Very recently I began sampling lot of Middle Eastern cuisines. Middle East Cuisines have a fine spread of some tasty dishes which have caught my fascination and next year around I will try to experiment with all of them. My first tryst with Middle East cuisines and their understanding began with Diana Abu Jaber's - The Language of Baklava. Diana, an American-Jordanian residing is US has beautifully explained her experience on her first visit to Jordan and this also binds in various opportunities she got to understand her Arabian roots through the medium of Food. You could read one of her articles here and here where a brief summary of her love for Middle East cuisines is beautifully narrated; Her interview speaks volumes about her attempt to discover her Jordanian roots through food and culture. She says her ability to find the "in-betweenness" is always something she strives for - the line between which she straddles two cultures - that of her American Mother and Jordanian Father.

I first tasted Falafel at The New Yorker in Bangalore. I felt the sandwich was the creamiest with a dash of spice, greens and vegetables. I enjoyed the taste to the fullest. Even to date, I thank my dear friend M who dragged me this place much to my tantrum and hullabaloo for not tasting anything but Indian cuisines. This day opened new vistas to my taste buds and helped me appreciate myriad other cuisines. I wanted to prepare this dessert for a long time and had been delaying. Pantry cleaning and the Marathon gave a perfect opportunity to try out the dish and I am glad I did so.

Middle Eastern cuisines have many a gorgeous dishes - Few which appear in my list are - Fattoosh (a Middle East salad), Baklava (a crusty roll with nutty fillings), Cream Caramel (a classic dessert which you will find in most Middle East restuarants), Tabbouleh (a wheat-y tasty dish), Arabian Lime Ridge filled Dates, Sulaimaani Chai (black tea with a hint of mint), Shish Taoouk (bites of meat kebabs rubbed with spices and grilled to perfection), spice rubs/spices such as Zaatar, Loomi and Sumac; last but not the least one of my favorites - Umm Ali (Ali's Mother - pronounced as Umm Aa-li).

A friend of mine from Middle East told me that it literally means - Ali's Mother. The story that goes behind is this dish is simply fascinating. Apparently, Ali (the great Prophet) came over hungry one day at his house and his Mom had nothing but Rotis, Milk and some Nuts. She concocted all of them together to make this sumptuous dish which is a famous Egyptian Bread Pudding. I tried this from Mercedes's Desert Candy Blog. The taste was simply heavenly! This is my first attempt on Egyptian fare especially the decadent creamy and milky dessert types. This also turns out to be one of Hubby's favorite dessert item. Umm Ali also serves as a great dessert for friends and family get-togethers. The items are relatively easy to find in your own pantry (I bought only 2 items - Puff Pastry sheets and Heavy cream).

Today is also a milestone as this is my 150th post. Congratulations to my dear Konkani Foodie. Here's a sweet fare for the sheer indulgence of the Foodie in me and my family.

Recipe Courtesy: Desert Candy with few changes

Preparation time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

Pastry Puff sheet - 1

Whole Milk - 1 1/2 cup

Butter (Non-salted) - 2-3 teaspoon

Heavy Cream - 1 1/2 cup

Dry Fruits (Mixed and chopped) - Almonds, Walnuts, Apricot, Pine nuts and Raisins

Vanilla Extract - 1/2 teaspoon

Sugar - 1/4 to 1/2 cup

Saffron - few starands (crushed in 1-2 teaspoons of milk)

Coconut powder or sweet flaky coconut (optional) - 2-4 teaspoons

Almonds (halved) or Silvered Almonds - For garnishing

MTR Badam Powder - 1 teaspoon

Essentials: Parchment paper

Contraption: Glass Bakeware preferably one withstanding heavy baking and high temperature

Method:

Thaw the Puff Pastry sheet to room temperature. Pre-heat the oven for 10 minutes. Lightly grease the pastry sheets with Butter (non-salted) or oil, stretch the dough little by a rolling pin's help. Take a baking tray, line up with parchment paper and spread the pastry sheet on it. Bake for 20-25 minutes or till the pastry sheet turns fluffy and crispy.

On the side, heat milk, heavy cream, sugar, coconut, badam powder, saffron and vanilla extract and stir continuously. Take care to avoid lumps and the liquid becomes an even consistency. Bring to a gentle boil (on low to medium flame) and turn off the heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. By then, the pastry sheets would be done. Crumple the sheets to tiny bits and spread on a glass bake ware. Add the mixed fruits and spread on the crumpled sheets. Pour the cooled milk mix on this and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn over to broil thereafter for 3 minutes at 325 degrees for a perfect browning on the crust and the sides.

Check for doneness with the following: upper crust completely golden-to-brown and milk would be cooked to perfection. Serve warm (not too hot nor too cold) by scooping a ladle full of Umm Ali goodness.

Outcome: The pudding was yummy and creamy. Milk cooked and baked well. A very milky dessert and quite easy if you keep a watchful eye on the oven.

Note: 1. Umm Ali, the way I had sampled it, has a broiled look with the perfect browning and crust. So, a little broiling at the end helps to get the right taste.

2. Traditionally, its made with Pine nuts as one of the nuts and sweetened flaky coconut, I decided to omit both because I did not have them stocked.