Beetroot Huli ( Beetroot curry)

Huli is a speciality from Karnataka. You might find preparations little similar to Sambar. Huli has its unique, awesome taste. Beetroot adds high nutrition value to this curry. Another wonderful thing about this recipe is; it does not require ghee or oil. So this is surely one tasty and healthy recipe. I normally make dry cabbage sabji along with this curry. Hot beetroot huli, rice and cabbage sabji forms a fantastic combination.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup toor dal

2 beetroots peeled and cut into cubes

1 tomato finely chopped

8-9 red chillies
1/2 cup grated coconut

1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp tamarind extract
8-10 curry leaves
2 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
1/4 tsp hing/asafoetida
1/4 tsp methi seeds/fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric

Method:

1. Pressure cook toor dal with chopped tomato and beetroot.
2. Mash cooked toor dal.
3. Dry roast coriander seeds,cloves,cumin seeds, methi seeds.
4. Grind these roasted ingredients along with red chillies, tamarind pulp, hing, turmeric and grated coconut. Make a smooth paste.
5. Boil cooked mixture of toor dal, beatroot and tomato adding curry leaves.
6. When it starts boiling add masala paste formed earlier and salt.
7. Let it simmer for few minutes.

Serve hot with rice.

Preparation time : 40 minutes

Happy Holidays!!

Merry Chirstmas everybody!! May 2010 bring all of you much more happiness and prosperity. On this special occasion I would like to share this lovely gift from Asha. Thanks a bunch Asha. Your gift has made my new year celebrations more special!!!



Also I am reposting Spicy Puri for EC's tea time snack event.

Mint/Pudina Pulao

Mint or Pudina surely has a special place in all the herbs. it has a unique refreshing smell. With its fresh green color it is soothing to eyes. It tastes great. Small amount of mint adds tons of flavor to any dish.
This mint pulao is one of the regular dish in my kitchen. I make it quite frequently and we enjoy it equally every time!!

Ingredients:

1 cup rice

12-13 mint leaves

1/2 cup coriander leaves

4 garlic cloves

1 potato peeled and cut into small cubes

1/2 cup peas

1 onion sliced

4-5 green chillies

2 cloves

1 inch cinamon

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp ghee

4 tsp oil

1/2 tsp shahjeera

1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric

salt

Method:

1. Wash rice and drain water. Spread rice on plate. Let it rest for 1 hour.
2. Heat ghee in deep pan. Add cloves and bay leaf. Add rice.Fry for 5-7 minutes till nice aroma comes out and rice granules are separated.
3. Grind mint leaves,coriander leaves,garlic colves, 1-2 green chillies by adding little bit of water to make  smooth paste.
4. Heat oil in pressure cooker.
5. Add shahjeera, cinamon and haldi.
6. Add green chillies and onion. Fry till onion turns golden.
7. Add mint-coriander leaves paste prepared earlier. Add potato and peas. Fry for few minutes.
8. Add rice and mix well. Add water and salt. Close lid of pressure cooker. Bring one whistle.

Serve hot with raita.

Preparation time: 30 minutes.

Chavli amti (Alsande/Black eyed beans curry)

I am a big fan of all legume dishes. You will always find different beans such as mung, masoor, watana in our pantry. They are very nutritious and make healthy meal.

My mom makes this delicious curry of black eyed beans. We call it chavlichi amti in marathi. It tastes great with rice as well as fulka.

Ingredients:
1 cup chavli/black eyed beans soaked for 5-6 hours
1 big onion pureed
1 tomato pureed
3 cloves of garlic chopped
2 tbsp grated coconut
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 cloves
1/2 inch cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp goda masala
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
1/2 tsp turmeric/hadi
4 tsp oil
salt

Method:

1. Cook soaked black eyed beans in pressure cooker. I normally do not soak these beans. In such case, pressure cook it for 3 whistles. Let cooker rest till it cools down. This way beans get cooked nicely under pressure.
2. Dry roast coriander seeds,cloves,cinnamon. Grind this along with grated coconut to a smooth paste adding little water.
3. Heat oil in kadhai. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter add jeera,haldi. Add finely chopped garlic and onion.
4. Fry onion till its raw smell goes off. Add tomato puree and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Add masala paste prepared earlier. Fry for few minutes.
6. Add red chilli powder,goda masala and cooked beans. Mix nicely.
7. After frying for 3-4 minutes add hot water to get nice curry consistency.
8. Add salt and let this simmer for 5 minutes.
9. Serve hot with rice.

Preparation time : 20 minutes.

Batata Song ( Potatoes in coconut gravy)

Batata song is a delicious konkani dish. My mother in law gave me this recipe. Batata song has a tasty gravy of coconut, red chillies and tamarind. Heat from red chillies and sourness of tamarind form very tasty combination. This tastes great with rice as well as chapati.

Ingredients:
5-6 medium sized potatoes
2 medium sized onions finely chopped
8-9 red chillies
3/4 cup grated coconut
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp tamarind pulp
3-4 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric
1/2 tsp hing
salt

Method:

1. Boil and peel potatoes. Cut them into small cubes.
2. Dry roast red chillies and coriander seeds for a minute.
3. Grind red chillies,  coriander seeds, tamarind pulp and grated coconut to a smooth paste adding little water.
4. Heat oil in kadhai. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter add haldi,onion and hing.
5. Fry onion till it turns translucent.
6. Add masala paste which we prepared earlier.
7. Add a cup of water. Let this simmer for 2 minutes. Add salt.
8. Add potato cubes and mix well.
9. Keep on medium heat for few minutes till thick gravy consistency is formed.

Preparation time : 30 minutes

Rava/sooji Idli

Rava idli is simple,easy to make and delicious version of idli. No need to soak,grind and plan in advance. As idli this is specially popular as breakfast item. But sometimes I make it for dinner too. It makes a feeling, healthy with little effort.

Ingredients:

1 cup rava/sooji/semolina

1 1/2 cup curd

1/4 cup grated coconut

1 tbsp urad dal

3 green chillies finely chopped

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

1 tomato sliced

1 tbsp cashews

1 tsp grated ginger

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp soda

4-5 tsp oil

salt

Method:

1. Heat oil in kadhai. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter add ginger, green chillies, urad dal. Fry for a minute.
2. Add rava and fry till it turns light brown.
3. Switch off the heat.
4. Let this mixture cool down.
5. Add curd, grated coconut, soda, coriander leaves and salt. Mix nicely. Consistency of batter should be like normal idli batter. If required add little bit of water.
6. Let this batter sit for half an hour. 
7. Grease idli stand with oil. Place tomato slice and cashew in the bottom and then put idli batter on the top in idli plates. This way when idli is removed tomato slices come on the top.
8. Steam for 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot with chutney and sambar.

Preparation time : 30 minutes.

Dal fry & Jeera rice

My Bhabhi ( Brother in law's wife) is a fantastic cook.  She makes both north and south indian dishes with perfection. She gave me this recipe of dal fry. It is very easy to make dish. Dal fry tastes great with fulka/roti. But the best combination is jeera rice and dal fry.

Ingredients for Dal Fry:
1/2 cup toor dal
1 big onion finely chopped
1 big tomato finely chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp jeera powder
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
1 tsp dhania powder
coriander leaves finely chopped
3-4 tsp ghee
Salt

Method:

1. Pressure cook toor dal with turmeric. Beat cooked dal. Dal should not be too much watery to get nice thick consistency.
2. Heat 3 tsp ghee in kadhai. Add half of jeera.
3. When jeera splutters add onion and ginger garlic paste.
4. Fry till onion turns golden than add tomato.
5. When tomato becomes soft add jeera powder,dhania powder, red chilli powder, salt.
6. Fry for a minute. Remove this mixture in separate bowl.
7. In the same kadhai add 1 tsp ghee. Add remaining half of jeera.
8. Add little red chilli powder just for the color.
9. Add tomato-onion masala separated earlier.
10. Add dal and let it simmer for few minutes.
11. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Ingredients for jeera rice:
1 cup rice
2 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
2 tsp ghee
salt

Method:

1. Soak rice in water for half an hour.
2. Heat ghee in cooker.
3. Add cloves,bay leaf and jeera.
4. When jeera splutters add rice. Fry for a minute then add water and salt.
5. Pressure cook rice for one whistle.

This is my entry to Variety Rice Recipes event.



Preparation time : 30 minutes

Shengdana/Groundnut Chutney

In my home meal is never complete without chutney. My mom makes different types of dry chutneys from sesame seeds, garlic-coconut, groundnut, just to name a few.  These chutneys make very tasty side item in meal. Groundnut chutney has always been on the top of this list. I love to eat it with curd. Hot fulka with this chutney makes a great combination.

Ingredients:
1 cup groundnuts
2 tsp red chilli powder ( adjust this according to your taste)
1 tsp cumin seeds
salt

Method:

1. Dry roast groundnuts. Remove skin of groundnuts and blow out the skin.
2. Dry roast cumin seeds.
3. Mix all the ingredients and grind it in mixer/food processor. While grinding make sure you do not make a fine powder. If chutney is of coarse consistency, it tastes great.

Tip: If you like garlic flavor, you can also add 2 cloves of garlic.

Preparation time : 15 minutes.

Tikhat Mithachi Puri ( Spicy Puri)

Tikhat mithachi Puri (called in Marathi) is a spicy version of our favorite Puris. This is my father's favorite breakfast. He just loves how my mom makes this puri. Tikhat mithachi puri can also be a great tea time snack. I hope you also enjoy this dish as much as my family.

Ingredients:
2 cups wheat flour
1 tsp red chilli powder
3-4 green chillies
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric
Oil for frying
Salt

Method:

1. Grind green chillies and cumin seeds together.
2. Mix following ingredients :                                                           Wheat flour, red chilli powder, green chillies- cumin seeds paste, haldi/turmeric, Salt 
3. Heat 2 tsp oil and add hot oil to above mixture.
4. Add water and knead hard dough.
5. Keep this dough covered for 20-25 minutes.
6. Make lemon sized balls of this dough. Roll them into small puris.
7. Heat oil in deep kadhai.
8. Deep fry puris when oil is hot. When puri puffs up on one side; flip puri to fry on other side. For puris to puff, tap it softly with spatula.

Serve hot with any chutney or pickle. Check out my post for shengdana/groundnut chutney. This chutney and puri makes a fantastic combination.

I am sending this to EC's Tea Time Snack Event.

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Tawa Pulao

Tawa Pulao is one of the famous street foods of Maharashtra. You will find it on many Pav Bhaji stalls in Pune,Mumbai. It is very tasty rice dish.On pav bhaji stalls it is done on same tawa of pav bhaji. Hence tha name 'Tawa Pulao'. If you seek something spicy, this is definitely the dish for you.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice

1 1/2 cup chopped mixed vegetables ( any combination of Capsicum, green peas, carrot, cauliflower)

3-4 green chillies ( You can also substitute chillies with 1 tsp red chilli powder)

1 onion finely chopped

1 tomato finely chopped

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp Pav bhaji masala

1/2 tsp garam masala

3 tsp butter

1 tsp jeera/ Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp finely chopped Coriander leaves

salt

oil

Method:

1. Cook rice with 1/2 tsp of oil. Adding oil makes rice granules separate. Spread cooked rice on a plate separating granules.
2. Heat non stick pan and add butter.
3. When butter melts add cumin seeds.
4. Add green chillies and finely chopped onion. Fry till it turns golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
5. Add finely chopped tomato and fry till it becomes soft. Add turmeric.
6. Add all the mixed vegetables. Fry for a minute and cover the lid. Let this cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add Pav bhaji masala, garam masala. If you are using red chilli powder insted of green chillies, add red chilli powder. Add salt and fry for another 2 minutes.
8. Add cooked rice and mix well.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon juice.

This is my entry to Variety Rice Recipes event.

Preparation time : 15 minutes.

Tapioca/Sabudana thalipeeth

Sabudana thalipeeth is one of the most favorite dishes in Maharashtra. It makes a great, tasty breakfast. It is usually made during fasting (Upwas).  I remember in my childhood days I used to wait for Ekadashi ( festival on which we fast) so that I get to eat this tasty dish. :)

Sabudana khichdi is one more dish which you can make using same ingredients. Once I had bought sabudana of some new brand. I soaked it for making khichdi. But it became little bit sticky. If sabudana becomes more soft; its khichadi does not come out right. In such situation Thalipeeth is a perfect solution. I made its thalipeeth and it came out wonderful. :) This is one of many recipes which my mom taught me.

Ingredients:
1 cup sabudana
1 big potato peeled and grated
3-4 chillies
1/4 cup groundnut powder
1 tsp cummin seeds
oil
salt

Method:

1. Soak sabudana for 4-5 hours. You can also keep it overnight if you want to make this for breakfast. Add enough water to cover the sabudana. 
2. Make a paste of green chillies and cummin seeds.
3. Mix all the ingredients except oil. If mixture is dry, add little bit of water to make it moist. This way you will be able to pat it easily.
4. Take 2 tsp oil on tava/griddle. Make handful ball of the mixture. Pat it on tava. Make holes in it and put little bit of oil in holes.
5. Heat tava. Cover lid and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and flip to bake other side. Roast on both sides till it becomes golden and crispy.

Serve hot with ghee.

Preparation time : 20 minutes.

Aloo Chana Chat

Street food is one of the important things I miss in US!!! I am a big fan of all the mouth watering chat dishes.Whenever I walk by any chat stall, I can hardly resist the temptation. Aloo Chana Chat is one such tasty,tangy and easy to make dish.

Ingredients:

1 cup kabuli chana soaked for 5-6 hours

4 medium sized potatoes boiled

1 onion finely chopped

1 tomato finely chopped

coriander leaves finely chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 green chilly finely chopped

1 tsp chat masala

1 tsp red chilli powder

salt

Method:

1. Peel boiled potatoes and cut into small cubes.
2. Pressure cook kabuli chana.
3. When kabuli chana is hot add all the ingredients and mix well. It is this simple :)

Tip : You can also add mint/pudina chutney.

Preparation time : 15 minutes.

Cabbage Paratha

Cabbage is one of the least preferred vegetables for most of us. Many people avoid eating cabbage sabji for its smell. If you are not  a big fan of any vegetable the best solution is making Paratha :) Cabbage paratha tastes great and its very easy to roll. When I first started making parathas, rolling it was a challenge. But cabbage paratha is the most easy one.

Ingredients:
1 small cabbage grated
3 cups of what flour
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp dhania powder
1 tsp jeera powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
Oil/Butter/Ghee for frying
Salt

Method:

1. Mix salt and wheat flour. Knead the dough by adding water little by little. Make non sticky soft dough. Keep this dough covered for 20-25 minutes.
2. Add cabbage to heated pan. Fry for a minute.
3. Add chilli powder, dhania powder, jeera powder, garam masala and salt to cabbage. Mix well and fry for 4-5 minutes. Fry till this filling becomes dry.
4. Make sure filling is not mushy so that we can roll parathas easily. Let filling cool down for few minutes.
5. Take a handful of dough and roll it into a thick small roti.
6. Put some filling in the center. Bring all the edges of roti together so that it forms a flattened ball shape with all the filling covered properly.
7. Roll it into a round paratha applying flour as required.
8. Place paratha on heated griddle/tava. Apply oil/butter as per your choice. Cook on both the sides.

Preparation time : 30minutes

Dum Aloo ( Baby Potatoes in gravy)

Last weekend during our weekly grocery shopping, I spotted baby potatoes. These small potatoes are so inviting, I do not miss opportunity to buy them. Baby potatoes immediately remind me of 'Dum Aloo'. It makes a pretty heavy lunch. Traditionally in this recipe, potatoes are cooked under pressure ( Dum in hindi)  so the name 'Dum Aloo'. I do not cook in the traditional way but this simple recipe tastes great.

Ingredients:
6-7 baby potatoes
1 big onion finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic
1/2 inch ginger
1/4 cup grated coconut
6-7 cashews
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 cloves
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp curd
1 tbsp milk
Oil
salt

Method:    

1. Boil baby potatoes in cooker. Peel them. 
2. Fry potatoes in 2-3 tsp hot oil till they turn golden. This gives them nice crispy structure. Prick potatoes with fork so that they can absorb gravy.
3. For Making Gravy-
   
   
   
   • Fry cumin seeds,coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamom stick till nice aroma comes out.
   • Fry cashews and coconut for 2-3 minutes.
   • Heat 2-3 tsp oil in kadhai. Fry onion till it turns golden brown. Add garlic,ginger and tomato. Fry till tomato turns soft.
   • Grind all these ingredients adding red chilli powder, salt and water.
   
   
4. Heat 3-4 tsp oil in deep kadhai. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter add curry leaves and turmeric.
5. Add gravy which we have prepared earlier. Fry for a minute.
6. Add 1 cup water. Add potatoes..
7. Blend curd in milk and add it
8. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes so that potatoes absorb gravy nicely.

Serve with fulka/chapati.

Preparation time : 30 minutes.

Kandyachya patichi bhaji (Green onion/ Spring onion vegetable)

Green onion ( Kandyachi pat called in marathi) is famous for its use in most of the Chinese dishes. It adds a great flavor to any salad. Apart from its use in such dishes, it can be cooked in a really tasty vegetable. I learnt this recipe from my mom. It comes very handy when I want to make something real fast. Green onion does not take much time to cook or cut. So its my go to vegetable when I am in hurry.

In this recipe I use 'Goda Masala'. Goda Masala plays a big role in Maharashtrian cooking. It looks similar to Garam Masala and adds wonderful taste and aroma to curries and dals. You can easily get it in grocery stores across Maharashtra and north Karnataka. I was very happy to see it in Indian store here in US. If you can't find it you can use Garam Masala as a substitute in this recipe. The taste will be little different but it will be equally delicious.

Ingredients:

2 bunch of green onion

4-5 tbsp besan (bengal gran flour)
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp goda masala ( or 1/2 tsp Garam Masala)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp jeera
1/2 tsp turmeric
4-5 tsp oil

Method:

1. Wash green onions properly and cut it's green leaves into 1/2 inch pieces. ( Do not use onions at the root in this recipe.)
2. Heat oil in kadhai. ( Preferably take non stick kadhai). Add mustard seeds. When they start spluttering add jeera , turmeric. 
3. Add green onion and fry for a minute.
4. Add 1/4 cup of water. Let green onions cook for 4-5 minutes.
5. When all the water evaporates, turn the heat low. Add besan, sprinkling it over green onions little by little. While sprinkling take care that besan does not form lumps.
6. Add red chilli powder, goda masala and salt.
7. Stir properly. If all green onions are not covered with besan, add some more besan. Mix besan and green onions properly.
8. Once everything is mixed properly, let besan cook for another 5 minutes till its raw smell goes away. While it is cooking, keep stirring in between so that besan does not stick to the kadhai.

Enjoy with fulka/chapati.

Preparation time : 20-25 mins.

Dali Saar (Dal)

Dali saar is one of the most favorite dal in all Konkani homes. I like it for its simplicity. It is easy to cook and full of flavor. Its a recipe which even a new bee in cooking can do comfortably. Dali Saar with rice and any dry sabji or pickle is very satisfying meal with minimal effort!!

Like other dals, basic ingredient in this dish is toor dal. It is little watery hence the name 'Saar'.So if you are big fan of rasam, you will enjoy this dish equally.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup toor dal
1 big tomato chopped
4 green chillies cut lengthwise
5-6 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp chopped coriander
6-7 curry leaves
1 pinch of hing
1 tea spoon jeera powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp jeera
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp ghee
Salt

Method:

1. Pressure cook toor dal with 1 1/2 cups of water,chopped tomato,green chillies,turmeric and hing.
2. Once cooked, beat dal properly.
3. Add another 1/2 cup water to get little watery consistency.
4. Heat this adding jeera powder,salt and chopped coriander leaves.
5. Let this simmer for 5-6 minutes. Bring it to boil. 
6. For making tadka, heat ghee in small kadhai. Add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add jeera, curry leaves, garlic.
7. When garlic turns brown, add this tempering to dal. 

Serve hot with rice.

Preparation time: 20 mins

Aloo Palak (Potato in spinach gravy)

  Palak (Spinach) is one of my favorite vegetables. It is one of the most versatile vegetable. You can use it in soup, rice, dal, pakode and everything will come out delicious. Aloo Palak is no exception.

Ingredients:
3 medium sized potatoes
1 big bunch of Spinach finely chopped
1 big onion finely chopped
1 big tomato finely chopped
 3 tbsp ghee
1/2 inch ginger
2 green chillies
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp dhania powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp jeera
1/2 tsp turmeric

Method:

1. Cook finely chopped spinach, adding 1/2 cup of water for 5-10 minutes.
2. Grind together ginger, cooked spinach and green chillies.
3. Boil Potatoes in pressure cooker and peel them. Cut them into small pieces.
4. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in kadhai and fry potato pieces for 4-5 minutes till it turns slightly golden brown. Keep these pieces separately.
5. Heat remaining ghee in the same kadhai. Add mustard seeds.
6. When mustard seeds splutter add jeera and chopped onion.
7. Fry onion till it turns golden brown. Then add chopped tomato and fry for 3-4 minutes.
8. Add haldi, dhania powder, red chilli powder, garam masala. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
9. Add spinach and fried potato pieces. Add little bit of water.
10. Let this simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Enjoy hot aloo palak with rotis.

Preparation time : 45 mins
Serves : 2

Chana saar upkari ( Black chikpeas curry)

Winter is around the corner. We all get craving for something hot when temerature starts dropping. Today's recipe is ideal for such situation.Chana saar upkari is a Konkani dish. Hot chana saar upkari along with rice is comfort food for all the konkanis around the world!! It is an awesome combination of soup like curry and  side dish made of black cheakpeas.

Ingredients:
1 cup black chana
3-4 green chillies
9-10 curry leaves
pinch of hing (asafoetida)
6-7 red chillies
1/4 cup of grated coconut
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp tamarind extract
4 tsp oil
1 tbsp ghee

Method:

1. Soak black chana overnight in water.
2. Add 4 cups of water in soaked chana and pressure cook them.
3. Retain the water used to cook chana. We are going to use this water to make saar. Take this water in vessel.
4. Grind together 5-6 red chillies, coriander seeds, 3 tbsp grated coconut, 2 tbsp cooked chana, tamarind extract by adding little water.
5. Add this masala in the water we have separated. Heat this till it boils. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add salt to taste.
7. For seasoning, heat ghee in kadhai. When it is hot add 5-6 curry leaves and hing.
8. Add this seasoning to saar.

     For upkari:

1. Heat oil in kadhai. Add mustard seeds.
2. When mustard seeds spluter add green chillies, 1-2 red chillies.
3. Add curry leaves and hing. Fry for a minute.
4. Add cooked chana.
5. Add 2 tbsp grated coconut and salt to taste.
6. Add half cup of water and let upkari simmer for 5-10 minutes.
7. Switch of the heat when all water is evaporated.

Enjoy hot saar and upkari along with rice

Preparation time : 45 minutes

Masale Bhat (Spicy rice)

Masale Bhat is very popular Maharashtrian dish. It is one thing which you will always find on menu in any Maharashtrian wedding. Whenever we have family function my mom is always requested to make Masale Bhat. So this is my mom's version of Masale Bhat. I hope you also enjoy this dish as much as I do!!

Ingredients:

1 cup rice

1 Potato diced

1/2 cup green peas

1 Onion sliced

6-7 curry leaves

4-5 green chillies

4-5 tbsp oil

2 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1tsp cumin seeds

2 cloves

2 dry red chillies

1 inch cinamon stick

Chopped coriander

lemon pieces

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1/4 cup dry shredded coconut

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp ghee

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for half an hour.
2. Fry the following ingredients in small kadhai:
   
   
   
   sesame seeds
   
   coriander seeds
   
   cumin seeds
   cloves
   dry red chillies
   cinnamon stick
   dry shredded coconut
   
   
   
3. Grind all the above ingredients to dry masala powder without adding any water.
4. Heat oil in cooker. Add mustard seeds. When they start spluttering add green chillies and onion.
5. Add curry leaves. Fry till onion turns golden brown.
6. Add ginger garlic paste and masala powder done in second step. Fry for a minute.
7. Add vegetables and fry for 2 mins.
8. Add rice and stir nicely.
9. Add 3 cups of water and salt to taste.
10. Add ghee. Stir properly.
11. Close the lid of pressure cooker and bring 1 whistle.
12. Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon.

Preparation time : 40 mins

Serves : 2

Tip : You can also add brinjal, tendli, carrot as per your choice.

This is my entry to event WYF Specialty food.

Rava Masala Dosa

When you say breakfast, Dosa is one thing which is everybody's favourite!! But to make it you need to prepare one day in advance. Today's recipe of Rava dosa is an exception to this. It is the easiest dosa to prepare. No need to soak and grind anything. So this instant dosa recipe is surely worth a try!!

Ingredients:

1 cup Rava

1 cup rice floor

1/2 cup maida

1 Onion

Salt

For Masala (Potato Bhaji) :

4 medium sized potatoes

1 big onion

4 cut green chillies

1 tbsp urad dal

5-6 Curry leaves

1/2 inch ginger

1/2 tea spoon Mustard

1/2 tea spoon Turmeric

1/2 tea spoon jeera

Oil 2 tea spoon

Salt

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients for dosa and add water. The consistency of batter should be as of buttermilk.
2. Apply oil to tava (griddle) .
3. For any dosa we normally pour batter on griddle and spread it with ladle. But this batter is thin so make dosa by sprinkling the batter on griddle. Make dosa by taking little by little batter in hand and sprinkling on griddle. This way dosa will have a nice net like structure.
4. Take dosa off the heat when it turns nice golden brown.

For making Potato bhaji:

1. Boil potatoes in pressure cooker. Peel potatoes and mash them.
2. Heat oil. Add mustard seeds.
3. When mustard seeds splutter add jeera, turmeric, green chillies, chopped onion, urad dal.
4. Fry till onion turns golden brown. Then add potatoes and salt. Mix together properly and take it off the heat after 2-3 minutes.

You can also serve this instant dosa with coconut chutney. I hope you will enjoy this quick version of rava masala dosa.

Preparation time : 30 minutes

Serves : 4

Mooga ghashi (Moong Curry)

This is a classic Konkani dish. I learnt it after my marriage because this is one of my husband's all time favorite!! Like all other Konkani recipes, coconut is the main ingredient here. So if you love coconut this is a treat for you.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup moong beans

1-1/4 cup grated coconut

8-9 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp coriander seeds

7-8 red chillies

2 cloves

1/2 tsp shahjjeera

1 tsp tamarind extract

1 tbsp ghee

Method:

1. Pressure cook moong beans so that they are cooked properly.

2. On little bit of oil roast red chillies, coriander seeds,cloves,shahjeera.

3. Grind together this roasted masala with coconut,tamarind extract, 1 tbsp cooked moong, 3-4 cloves of garlic and water. Add enough water to form a smooth paste.

4. In kadhai add cooked beans and masala paste from the grinder. Add enough water to make the consistency of curry. Heat this till it boils. After it starts boiling, add salt and let it simmer for few minutes.

5.Let the curry boil for 3-4 minutes till it gets mixed up nicely.

6. In the separate kadhai make a seasoning by adding ghee and remaining cloves of garlic. Fry garlic till it turns little bit of brown.

7. Switch off the heat of curry and add this tadka to it.

Mooga ghashi is ready. Serve hot with rice.

Preparation time : 40 minutes

Serves 4

Spicy Shankarpali

The festival of lights Diwali is just over. Diwali means firecrackers, lamps, rangoli and lots of sweets and snacks. For all the Maharashtrians most enjoyable part of Diwali is Faral!!! This year for the first time I tried doing Faral dishes on my own and to my surprise I enjoyed it alot :) Spicy shankarpali was the first dish which I tried and it came out very well in the first try itself!!

Ingredients:

2 cup Maida

2 tsp Rice floor

1 tsp crushed jeera

2 tsp hot oil plus oil for frying

1-2 tsp chilly powder (as required)

Salt as per taste

Method:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients.

2. Put 2 tsp hot oil on it and spread so that it covers all the maida.

3. Add water little by little and knead dough. Make sure that you make tight dough with minimum quantity of water.

4. Keep the dough for 30 mins.

5. Roll the dough in the shape of chapati and cut in the shape of rhombus. If you are in India you can easily get cutter for this or you can use Pizza cutter also.

6. Heat oil in kadhai for frying. When the oil is hot fry shankarpali on low to medium heat till they turn golden brown.

Enjoy this wonderful snack with hot tea in evening :)