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.