Gattibajje

 Gattibajje

The other day I was to meet Sharmila Rao as I was to pick up some books from her. Actually I think that books is just an excuse, I like to meet her.

We decided to meet at Carasid, a local joint for yummy food. I still have to get over the omellete pav stuffed with cheese and smoked chicken, not to forget the delicious Alsande Xauti Biryani that Sunil packed for us.

See start talking about food and I digress…

I happened to mention to Sharmila that I wanted a traditional fitter recipe, she is a traditional specialist by the way and  she rattled this yummy recipe off. She mentioned that she was going to pack some of these for her kiddo in the hostel.

Was it yum?  Well try and then you will know.

 Gattibajje

 Gattibajje

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups rice flour
• ½ cup maida
• ½ cup butter
• The oil from pickle (optional)
• Salt to taste
• 1 spring curry leaves
• Oil to fry 

Method:

• While this is mixed heat oil in a kadhai/wok.
• Mix the rice flour, maida, butter, curry leaves and oil from the pickle if using. Check the salt use if needed.
• Knead to a soft dough. Use water only if needed.
• Pinch off small bits of dough in the hot oil.
• Fry till light golden.
• Store in a air tight container.

What else do we have?

Well come back on the 24th to see that…

Meanwhile today you can check my other friends 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 53

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Moong Vada/ Fried Moong Vada

Moong Vada/ Fried Moong Vada

While I am on my memories trip let me share with you what my MIL made many times these vadas and they were something she served with sauce. She also made some with rava but I just cannot remember them.

After a long time, in fact one Hindi movie with Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor reminded me of these vadas. I was on a look out to make them, as I said I could not remember how she made them for I was never in the kitchen when we fried stuff as I would start coughing.

She would fry them when I was away and keep some for me in the casserole. It’s been 18 long years since she has left for her heavenly bode but her memories still linger.

Then I found an old e-cookbook which had the recipe. Of course I have made adjustments in the ingredients to suit our taste. Needless to say these were first to disappear.

Moong Vada

Making time: 20 minutes (excluding soaking time)

Ingredients:

1 cup moong dal

 ½ cup coriander finely chopped

2 cloves garlic

3-4 green chillies finely chopped

Oil to deep fry

Method:

Wash and soak dal for 3-4 hours.

Keep 2 tbsp. dal aside, grind the rest, coarsely.

Mix all other ingredients, including whole dal.

Add 2-3 tbsp. hot oil to the mixture.

Heat oil.

Make small balls   drop carefully into the hot oil.

Fry first one side then the other till golden brown.

Serve hot with green chutney, tamarind chutney, or ketchup.

 What else do we have?

 Well come back tomorrow to see that…

 Meanwhile today you can check my other friends 

  

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 53

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Masala Vada/ Chana Dal Vada/ Chattambade

Masala Vada/ Chana Dal Vada/ Chattambade

Childhood memories are these hot vada and tea and rains! Added to Ajji or Grandmother admonishing us,” enough now! You will get a stomach-ache if you eat any more of these.”  Why she made them as snack when it rained I don’t know...

Else it used to be traditional meal served on the banana leaf when there were too many attractions to concentrate only on these beauties. Either way we hardly ate any...

Coming to Dal or pulses that we eat ...

Dal is a dried pulse (lentil, pea or various types of bean) which has been split.

Dal goes by various names called bele in Kannada and pappu, paripu or paruppu in Telugu and Tamil, daal in Marathi. Dal is a ready source of proteins for a balanced diet containing little or no meat.

To make the dal usually the outer hull is usually stripped off; dal that has not been hulled is described as chilka (skin), e.g. chilka urad dal, mung dal chilka.

The variety of dal we have are numerous we have chana dal, urid dal, toor dal, moong dal, masoor dal to name a few common ones…   

Masala Vada/ Chana Dal Vada/ Chattambade

Making time: 20 minutes (excluding soaking time)

Makes: 15 vadas (approx.)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow gram (chana) dal
•  ½ cup coriander finely chopped
• 1 spring curry leaves
• 3-4 green chillies finely chopped
• Oil to deep fry

Method:

• Wash and soak dal for 3-4 hours.
• Keep 2 tbsp. dal aside, grind the rest, coarsely.
• Mix all other ingredients, including whole dal.
• Add 2-3 tbsp. hot oil to the mixture.
• Heat oil;
• Make small balls and flatten to with moist palm.
• Let carefully into the hot oil.
• Fry first one side then the other till golden brown.
• Serve hot with green chutney, tamarind chutney, or ketchup.

Masala Vada/ Chana Dal Vada/ Chattambade

What else do we have?

Well come back tomorrow to see that…

Meanwhile today you can check my other friends 

  

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 53

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Kashmiri Dum Aloo

Kashmiri Dum Aloo

Potatoes!

The day I make potatoes the girls eat! Really eat well!!

The versatile spud is used in amazingly different ways be it a vegetable or a starter or as a binding agent.

The theme for BM this time was making 3 from one ingredient. I made Country Wedges, Aloo Paratha and now Dum Aloo!

This recipe is from Vaishali’s place the only difference being Vaishali has stuffed the potatoes I have not.

 Also like Vaishali has said this gravy is very rich and creamy. It can be used for any dish that you want to make special. Aloo, paneer, koftas, mix vegetables, anything would taste absolutely rich and delicious.

The girls cleaned the bowl of gravy, cleaned is literally with their roti.

Kashmiri Dum Aloo

Recipe Source: Ribbons and Pasta

Ingredients:

Gravy:

Paste 1:

• 2 onions, boiled and pureed

Paste 2:

• 2 green chillies
• 1’’ piece ginger
• 4 cloves garlic

Paste 3:

• 8-10 cashews, soaked
• 1tbspn melon seeds
• 1tsp poppy seeds

Soak all these for an hour and make a paste.

Roast and grind:

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp shahi jeera
• 1 tblspn black cardamom
• 1tbspn green cardamom
• 2 cloves
• 1 tbspn small piece cinnamon
• 1 tblspn bay leaf
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 whole red chillies
• 1 tsp coriander seeds

Other Ingredients:

• 4 tomatoes, blanched, pureed and strained
• 2tbspn fresh cream
• 1tsp. kasoori methi
• ½ tblspn ghee
• Salt to taste

For the vegetables:

• ½ kg potatoes, pricked
• Oil for frying
• Salt

Method:

• Parboil the pricked potatoes in salted water.
• Drain, dry and deep fry in oil. Set aside.

For the Gravy:

• Heat oil and little ghee.
• Add the onion paste.
• Sauté till pink.
• Add paste 2 and give a good stir.
• Add the pureed tomatoes, cook till dry.
• Add the paste 3 and cook till dry.
• Add the ground spices.
• Mix well.
• Add water to get the desired consistency.
• Cook on slow fire till a little thick.
• Add fresh cream and kasori methi and switch off gas.
• Place the potatoes in the serving bowl, microwave for a few minutes.
• Pour the prepared gravy.
• Serve garnished with roti.

Kashmiri Dum Aloo

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#50

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Falafel Wraps for Lebnon

Falafel Wraps for Lebnon

According to Wikipedia which I am quoting verbatim,

”Lebanese cuisine or "Levantine kitchen" includes an abundance of starches, whole grain, fruits, vegetables, fresh fish and seafood; animal fats are consumed sparingly. Poultry is eaten more often than red meat. When red meat is eaten it is usually lamb on the coast, and goat meat in the mountain regions. It also includes copious amounts of garlic and olive oil, often seasoned by lemon juice. olive oil, herbs, garlic and lemon are typical flavours found in the Lebanese diet.

Most often foods are either grilled, baked or sautéed in olive oil; butter or cream is rarely used other than in a few desserts. Vegetables are often eaten raw or pickled as well as cooked. Herbs and spices are used and the freshness of ingredients is important. Like most Mediterranean countries, much of what the Lebanese eat is dictated by the seasons.

In Lebanon, very rarely are drinks served without being accompanied by food.  Mezze is an array of small dishes placed before the guests creating an array of colours, flavours, textures and aromas. Mezze may be as simple as pickled vegetables or raw vegetables, hummus, baba ghanouj and bread, or it may become an entire meal consisting of grilled marinated seafood, skewered meats, a variety of cooked and raw salads and an arrangement of desserts.

Although simple fresh fruits are often served towards the end of a Lebanese meal, there is also dessert, such as baklava and coffee. Although baklava is the most internationally known dessert, there is a great variety of Lebanese desserts.”

In spite of all kinds of delicacies jumping at me when I was researching for L one thing that kept on attracting me was this video. Finally I decided to make Falafel wraps! So today for the “Around the World in 30 days” let us eat Falafel wraps. A versatile dish where you can eat just the falafels or wrapped them up!! The wraps   can be tortillas or even our plain old chapatti or like me fulkas.

Falafels are Lebanese deep fried balls or patties made from Kabuli Chana/white chick peas and/or fava beans.

Falafel Wraps for Lebnon

Falafel Wraps

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Recipe Source: Veg. Recipes of India ,Taste.com, Utube  

Serves: 6-7

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Kabuli Chana/white chick peas, soaked overnight
• 1 medium sized onion finely chopped or minced
• 2-3 garlic crushed
• 1 tsp dhania/ coriander powder
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder/jeera powder
• ½ tsp kali mirchi/ pepper corns crushed
• 2 tbsp atta /whole wheat flour
• 3 tbsp fresh parsley
•  1 tsp coriander leaves
• Salt as required
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Cook the soaked Kabuli Chana in the pressure cooker with 2 cups of water for 2 whistles. Cool.
• In a mixer/ blender add the drained Chana and mash/ coarse grind.
• Add all the other ingredients except the oil and grind to get a paste.
• Transfer from the mixer to a bowl and mix everything well.
• With your hands form small or medium sized balls or patties.
• Deep fry in hot oil like you would do for pakoras/fritters.
• Flip over to the other side whilst frying to ensure that the falafels are evenly fried.
• Drain falafel on kitchen tissues to remove excess oil.
•  You can serve falafel hot with pita bread or serve as snack/starter with some sauce.
• But I served it like this fulkas, hummus, cheese slice, falafel and pickled cucumber and onion and dhania/ coriander leaves as garnish.
• Very very yum!!!

Falafel Wraps for Lebnon

 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 44

An InLinkz Link-up

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Bajiyos /Djiboutian Fried Vegetables/ Aloo Pakora

 Bajiyos /Djiboutian Fried Vegetables/ Aloo Pakora

 Hi! Joining me again today in my foodie trip around the world in 30 days? 

Today let’s visit Djibouti, officially the Republic of Djibouti, it’s a country located in the Horn of Africa bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the Southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east.

Djibouti is a multi-ethnic nation with a population of over 810,000 inhabitants. The Somali and Afar make up the two largest ethnic groups. Both speak Afro-Asiatic languages, which serve as recognized national languages. Arabic and French constitute the country's two official languages. Islam is a predominant religion in the region.

According to Wikipedia, “Djiboutian cuisine consists of a mixture of Somali, Afar,  Ethiopian,  Yemeni and French cuisine, with some additional Asian influences. Local dishes are commonly prepared using a lot of Middle Eastern spices, ranging from saffron to cinnamon.

Spicy dishes come in many variations, from the traditional Fah-fah or "Soupe Djiboutienne" (spicy boiled beef) to the yetakelt wet (spicy mixed vegetable stew). Xalwo (halva) is a popular confection eaten during festive occasions, such as Eid celebrations or wedding receptions. After meals, homes are traditionally perfumed using incense (cuunsi) or  frankincense (lubaan), which is prepared inside an incense burner referred to as a dabqaad.”What caught my eye here was,

” Sambuusa, the Somali version of the triangular samosa snack, is commonly eaten throughout Djibouti during the afur (iftar). The local variant is spiced with hot green pepper, and the main ingredient is often ground goat meat or fish. Xalwo(pronounced "halwo") or halva is a popular confection served during special occasions, such as Eid celebrations or wedding receptions.

Garoobey is one of the staple dishes of Djibouti. Oats porridge, it is prepared by soaking oats in milk, and is flavoured with cumin or cumin powder. Bajiyos are a regular fixture at the table and in street shops, particularly when it is time to break the fast during Ramadan. They are part of the four essential elements of the Djiboutian afternoon tea. Fruits such as mango, guava (seytuun), banana (moos) are also eaten throughout the day as snacks.”

Sounds familiar does it not?

The variety of ingredients used to make the bajiyos or bhajiyas or pakoras is amazing. I was surprised to hear about making them with cucumber, and butternut squash. That is totally new to me.

I stuck to just potato, I know it’s totally out of character especially with a name like the Mad Scientist but there is limit to my families patience with my experiments!!!  I have been feeding them totally international and….

 Okay this was deep frying I would rather not do it. I kept postponing it till the last possible moment.

Bajiyos/ Djiboutian Fried Vegetables

Cuisine: Djiboutian

Recipe Source: partly from here 

Ingredients:

• 1 medium size potato
• 1 cup besan /gram flour
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• ½ tsp ajwain/ carom seeds
• ¼ tsp red chilli powder
• A pinch of hing/asafoetida
• ⅔ to ¾ cup water
• A pinch of baking soda (optional)
• Salt as needed

Method:

• Slice the potatoes thinly in rounds. Keep them in water till needed.
• Mix well the besan, rice flour, ajwain, red chilli powder, hing and soda  with water. Remember to use little water as more can be added if needed. The batter has to be thick.
• Check the seasoning and add more if required.
• Heat oil for frying in a kadhai/wok .
• Now transfer the potato slices, few at a time to a clean kitchen napkin so that the slices are not damp.
• Dip each potato slice in the batter and place it gently in hot oil.
• Add  5-6 potato slices each time.
• Fry  till golden and crisp.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Repeat with the rest of the slices.
• Serve with chutney or tomato sauce.

An InLinkz Link-up

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 44

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Dhania Puri and Spicy Potato Vegetable ~ Baby Shower for Sapana

Life is meant to be cherished, embraced and enjoyed!  

Who demonstrates the philosophy better than a baby?

Who can resist the wobbly bundle of joy that makes all the household dance?

In fact you are happy that you are dancing to the small bundles tunes. Who cries and cries but coos and smiles the moment his needs are satisfied?

Wondering whets wrong with me?  My friend Sapana is having a baby and this is a virtual baby shower that we at Blogging Marathon group have organised for her.

Enjoy the party and feast on the delicious Dhania Puri and Spicy Potato Bhaji that I have made for the party from Sapana's space!! They were a part of my daughters tiffin .

Have a great time Sapana and share lots and lots of pics of the baby!

Dhania Puri

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup wheat flour
• 1 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala (I did not use)
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tblspn oil
• Water as needed
•  Oil for frying

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, as it started popping add grated ginger and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add chopped chillies and onions and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Now add all spices and salt, mix well.
• Add chopped coriander leaves, cook or 5 minutes and set aside.
• Take wheat flour in a bowl, add coriander masala and knead to a smooth dough by adding   water as needed.
• Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Make 8 small round balls from the dough.
• Apply some oil on chakla belan and roll one ball into the size of Puri.
• Heat oil in a kadhai/wok, slide one Puri at a time carefully and fry from both sides you should get slight brown specks on the puri and you are done.
•  Repeat with remaining balls.
• Serve hot with Spicy potato vegetable.

Ever on look out to reduce time spent in the kitchen? Or you have guests and you need a dish urgently? Then this one is for you!

A simple and delicious potatoes vegetable to enjoy with your lunch or dinner! Potatoes…so it has to taste awesome and it can be put together effortless!!

Sapna has used baby potatoes I used regular ones.

Spicy Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 potatoes
• 1 tsp kasuri methi(dry fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp amchur(dry mango powder )
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 2 tblspn oil

Method:

• Pressure cook the potatoes till cooked well.
• Peel and prick and cut in pieces.
• Heat oil in a kadhai/wok add cumin seeds and kasuri methi.
• As cumin seed crackle, add potatoes and let the cook on both side till a little golden in colour. Flip the potatoes gently to avoid breaking.
• Now add all spices powder and salt, mix gently to evenly coat the spices.
• You can add oil If potatoes start sticking to the pan. (I did not).
• Cook for 4-5 minutes, remove from heat and serve hot with Paratha or chapatti.
• I served it with Dhania/ coriander Puri.

This is a part of the Baby Shower that we at Blogging Marathon are having for Sapana !

An InLinkz Link-up

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Mirchi Bada~Indian State Rajasthan

 Mirchi Bada~Indian State Rajasthan

Today we stop at Rajasthan, a state that I hope to visit soon not just because of the food which is splendid collection of colourful, spicy and unique dishes but because of its inhabitants and their rich culture.

As a child, in my nomadic lifestyle, we were at Akola, Maharashtra. Our neighbours were marwadis, a joint family their lifestyle amazed me. I loved watching how the old lady called dadiji though very old  was very sweet and saw to it that we were invited for every ”Teej Towhar” not only for food but the earlier day to apply mehendi, mehendi being the most important ritual. They used to draw the designs not with the mehendi cone but with matchsticks and the designs were breathtakingly beautiful. Thin lines and weaves it was really magic the way they did the job.

Another strange thing was the vessel were washed suka. That means the vessels were dampened then were scrubbed with ash. With a dry cloth they were wiped clean of all residues. Then one more cloth finished all the rest of the cleaning. This way the water used was minimal.

Food, like I said is delicious Rajasthani cooking was influenced by both the war-like lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this arid region. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred. Because of lack of leafy green vegetables, the use of lentils, pulses, legumes and milk, curd and buttermilk in place of the water in the gravy marks the essentials of Rajasthani cuisine. To decrease the use of water in this desert state they use a lot of milk and milk products to cook.

Originating for the Marwar region of the state is the concept Marwari Bhojnalaya or vegetarian restaurants, today found in many part of India, which offer vegetarian food of the Marwari people.

Rajasthan is known for not only its snacks like Bikaneri Bhujia, Mirchi Bada and Pyaaj Kachori but also for  dishes like Bajre ki roti (millet bread) and Lashun ki chutney (hot garlic paste), Mawa Kachori from Jodhpur, Alwar ka mawa, Malpauas , let’s not forget dal bati churma ………………

The Rajput clan was always known to enjoy a hearty hunt (shikar) and the royal chefs (Khansamas) would delicately cook the day’s capture and incorporate the dish into the night menu. The women of the household never involved themselves in cooking the meat which they considered impure

 Rajasthan Food is an experience to be cherished.

Peanuts and Soybeans Fry~Indian State: Manipur

Peanuts and Soybeans Fry~Indian State: Manipur

To me Manipuri was always a dance form, not for once have I thought before this marathon as Manipuri food! Maybe because I am mesmerised by their dance form!!

Do you know that Manipuri classical form of dance is not only to be one of the chastest, modest, softest and mildest but the most meaningful dances of the world. It’s a treat to see the Raslila in this dance form! 

So what is the cuisine in Manipur like?

Manipuri cuisines are simple, organic and healthy. Dishes are typically spicy foods that use chilli pepper rather than garam masalas hence healthy, simple and organic foods. Most of the cuisine does not use oil as its ingredients.

The staple diet of Manipur consists of rice, large varieties of leafy vegetables (of both aquatic and terrestrial) and fishes.

Manipuris typically raise vegetables in a kitchen garden and rear fishes in small ponds around their house. Since the vegetables are either grown at home or obtained from local markets. The cuisines are very seasonal, each season having its special vegetables and preparations. The taste is very different from mainland Indian cuisines because of the use of various aromatic herbs and roots that are peculiar to the region.

Common foods are Eromba a vegetable, Singju is a salad, Chamthong  or  Kangshoi  is a stew of any seasonal vegetables, Morok metpa is a routine side dish ,it is a coarse paste prepared with green or dry red chilies mixed with chopped onions, coriander leaves and other local herbs for garnishing.

Other dishes include kang-ngou or kaang-hou (various vegetables stir fried with traditional spices), nganam (prepared with fish and maroi on a pan) or paaknam (sort of a pancake prepared with a mixture of pea flour, maroi napaakpi, laphu tharo, awa phadigom, and ngari wrapped in turmeric and banana leaves and baked in a pan or steam it first and then roasted it for sometime), nga-thongba (fish curry), ooti (a typical Manipuri vegetarian dish), pakoura thongba, chagem pomba (made with fermented soya, mustard leaves, roasted or smoked fish and other herbs), keli chana, alu kangmet  (boiled potato mashed with fried red chilli and nakuppi with salt and/or dressed with mustard oil), sana thongba which is prepared with paneer in Manipuri style, a-nganba (steamed vegetables, such as pumpkin, peas, carrots, French beans, etc.).