Badam Milk

Badam/ Badami / Almonds have very high protein content of all nuts. These are also good source of calcium. Once in a while when we want to drink something different from Coffee or tea, this is very refreshing and nutritious drink to have. Tastes absolutely delicious either hot or cold.
In my home town there is a chaat center which makes the best badam milk that I have ever tasted. Along with Almonds they also use pistachio nuts. Cold badam milk with hot & spicy chaats is a super combination. I have used badam powder that we get in store to make badam milk before, but using whole almonds and making it fresh is the best way to taste almonds.



So here is how I made

Almonds whole about 15(soaked for about 6 hrs or boiled in water for 30 mins)

Along with almonds Pistachios can also be added.

Sugar 3 tsp

Saffron strands few (soaked in milk)

Cardamom seeds of 1 pod (crushed)

Milk 3 cup



Method:

• Peel the skin of almonds. Using motor and pestle or grinder,grind almonds into a smooth paste. Add milk or water little by little to make it to a smooth paste.
• Mean while bring milk to a boil then add almond paste, saffron strands soaked in milk, sugar and cardamom powder.
• Simmer it down for about 5 min.
• Now its ready. Enjoy it when its hot or chill it for few hours and have it.

Over the weekend I had made badam milk and Onion Pakoras to go with it.

Happy Ganesha Chathurthi !

Last year I was in India during Ganesha Festival. Myosre local news paper had an article about the Jackfriut(Halasena hannu) grown in the form of Ganesha at that time. I would like to share this beautiful picture with you all on this special occasion of Ganesha Chathurti.

HAPPY GOWRI AND GANESHA CHATHURTHI !

Wheat-Flour Laadu

Its called as Godihiitina(wheatflour) Unde(balls/laadu) in kannada. Very simple and healthy sweet that I make for my toddler.

Ingredients

Wheat flour 1 cup

Powdered Sugar 1/2 cup

Cardamom 1 seeds crushed

Ghee Melted about 4 tbsp.

Method:

Keep the pan on medium heat. Sift and add wheat flour and roast untill you get a good smell.

Then switch off the heat add powdered sugar and cardomom powder. Mix well

Now add ghee,when its hot make round balls.(If the flour is sticking to hands apply some ghee)

Allow it to cool for a while. Now its ready to be eaten.

Enjoy !

Mixed Vegetables and Moongdal

By the end of the week i'll be having too little of all the veggies in my fridge. Where I can't use any single vegetable to make any dish. So Dal-vegetable combined with some spice  is the one dish I make at least once a week. This is one way to finish off all the veggies and go shopping for fresh vegetables.

I usually add split moong dal with veggies, reason being its cooks faster and my toddler can digest well. Once in a while I use Channa dal for this dish. Dal- veggi curry with wheat-flour Chapathi is nutritious and complete satisfying meal.

So here is the recipe.

• Veggies I used are carrot, capsicum/green bell pepper,zucchini, green beans, tomato, onion,peas and potato(All together it was about 2 cups of veggies).
• I used 1 cup of split moong dal with this veggies.

Spices I used

Red chilli powder 1tsp

Corriender powder 1tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Tamarind 1/2 tsp

Jaggery 1tsp.

* Can add garam masal . I usually add jaggery where ever I use Tamarind it balances the tangyness .



Also need 2 tsp of oil and mustard seed for seasoning.

Method:

• Heat oil on medium heat, when hot add mustard seed .
• Once mustard starts to pop add all the veggies. Wash moongdal in water and add this to veggies.
• Add little salt mix well cover and cook untill veggies are half done.
• Now add all the spices mix well add enough water to get medium consistancy.
• Cover and cook for another 10min or untill veggies and dal is cooked .
• Adjust salt per taste.

Now its ready enjoy !

Rice - Almond Pudding

Rice pudding is the simple and easy dessert that I know to make. I make this as often as possible for my 16 month old daughter.

Ingredients I used.

Cooked Rice 1/2 cup

Whole milk 1 cup

Almonds Powdered (using 4-5 whole almonds)

Saffron few strands (for colour and flavour)

Jaggery 1tbsp (Sugar can also be added)

Method:

• Bring milk to boil then add cooked rice, jaggery, almond powder. Stir will.



• Soak strands of saffron in few tsp of milk. Then add this to the rice-milk mixture.



• Then simmer it down for about 10 mins. Stiring in between.



• Now its ready to be served. Hot or chilled.

Variation: Adding dry fruits like chopped dates and raisins makes it much more flavourful.

With a leftover cooked rice and few other ingredients on hand. This pudding will be ready under 15 mins. Enjoy!

Mysore Masale Dose-Independence day Special

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY !



Mysore is a City of palaces. This city is also know for its famous Dasahara Festival which is nine day festival during navarathri. Many foods which originated from Mysore has taken its name like Mysore pak, Mysore rasam, Mysore bonda and my favorite Mysore masala dosa.

I'll be representing my home town Mysore, Karnataka with the entry 'Mysore Masala Dosa' in the Grand Independence day Food Parade hosted by Indira of Mahanandi. Thanks Indira for this special event.

Recipe for Dosa batter.

• Urad dal 1 cup
• Long grainRice 1 cup
• Paraboiled rice 1 cup
• Moongdal&Channadal 1/2 cup
• Methi seeds 1tsp

Soak the above dals together for about 4-6 hrs and grind them into smooth batter of medium consistancy. Keep it overnight or about 8hrs for fermentation . Add little salt. Now batter is ready to make dosas.

Masala dosas are usually served with a spread of red garlic chutney and aloo/potato palya inside the dosa and coconut chutney on the side.



Recipes for Red/garlic chutney

• Garlic 3-4 cloves
• Onion 1 small (cut into big chunks)
• Red chilli Powder 1tsp
• Tamarind 1/4 tea spoon
• Salt to taste.

Aloo Palya/ Potato dry curry

• Potatos 2 large
• Onion 1 large
• Green chillies 2-3
• Salt to taste
• Oil, mustard, turmeric and channa dal for tempering.

Coconut Chutney

• Coconut 1/2 cup
• Cilantro leaves 1/2 cup
• Green chilles 2-3
• Tamrind 1/2 tsp
• salt to taste

Preparation :

Red chutney

Take all the mentioned ingredients for red chutney. With adding little water grind into smooth paste. Keep aside.


Potato palya

Heat oil in a skillet. Add oil, when its hot enough add mustard and channa dal and turmeric. When channa dal starts to change color add chilles and chopped onions and fry for 3-4 mins untill soft and translucent. Now add potatoes and mash well,adjust salt to taste. Keep aside.


Coconut Chutney

Grind the above ingredinets for coconut chutney by adding little water to a smooth paste. Keep aside.( I have added more cilantro to make it green)

Making dosa and serving them.

1. Heat the dosa skillet on medium high heat. When its hot smear some oil or butter(Traditionally masala dosa is done usuing butter).
2. Take two laddle full of dosa batter and spread on the skillet in ciucular motion. Let it cook for 2 min or untill side leaves when lifted using a spatula.
3. Now spread red chutney and aloo palya on dose. Fold over.
4. Serve with cocnut chutney on side. If u prefer butter, a dollop of butter on top.

Enjoy !

Kosambari/ Carrot salad

Kosambari is like a salad,usually made with carrots or cucumbers.I like to call this as 'Indian Salad'. It is served in temples as 'prasada'. At my mom's house during any festival this is a must side dish to go along rice and rasam.

Last year I was In India during 'Shravana Maasa' its the begining of festival season. During this month every tuesday for 5 weeks my mom used to make these kind of kosambari for pooja. So today being one of the tuesday I too made this for lunch.

Here is how I made..

Split moong dal 1/4 (cup soaked in water for 1/2 hour)

Carrot 1 peeled and grated

Coconut fresh 2 tsp (unfortunately I don't get fresh ones, so i used dried)

Cliantro few chopped

Lemon/lime juice 1tsp.

Salt to taste.

For seasoning

Oil, mustard, urad dal and red or green chillies 1.



Method.

• Soak split yellow/moongdal for about half hour. Then drain the water and mix veggies.



• Mix together soaked dal, grated carrot , coconut, cilantro leaves, lime juice.



• Add salt to taste.



• Heat oil, when its hot add mustard seeds,urad dal and chilis to it. When urad dal starts to change colour turn off heat and this seasoning to veggies. Mix well.

Kosambari good to eat as such or as a side dish. For me this is the best salad of all.

Grated Beets with Poppy seeds

I don't get much beetroot in the grocery store where I live. When ever I get it i make two things out with that. One is the dry curry called palya and the other one is bit thin curry to go with chapathis.



So here is the recipe.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Beetroot -1 medium size( grated or finely chopped)

 

For Dry roasting

• Channadal -2 tbsp
• Cumin- 1tsp
• Poppy seeds(khus khus or gasagase)- 2tsp
• Black pepper(menasu) 4-5 peppercorns
• Red chilli 2
• Cinnamon and Clove- 1-2 small pieces

Salt according to taste and  1 tsp of oil and  mustartd for seasoning.

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a skillet, when its hot enough add mustard seeds. Once it starts to pop add grated beets and fry for few minutes.
2. Meanwhile dry roast all the above ingredients and grind to a course powder using coffee grinder(It can also be made by using wet grinder , just add enough water to make to smooth paste).
3. When the Beets are soft enough add the grind powder/paste to the veggie, add salt and water (Add water according to desired consistancy)
4. Simmer it down for 10-15 mins.
5. Serve warm with rice or rotis. 

 We had ours with chapathis. Enjoy!

Nipittu (rice flour snack)

Being health conscious these days I don't make much deep fried foods. But once in a while we have to have some fried snacks to satisfy our carvings. I was very excited to make Nipittu a karnataka speciality and one of my favorite deep fried snack.

This is my first attempt making Nipittu, I have followed my mother's recipe. My mother used to make this during rainy evenings. As soon as coming back from school, we used to change our uniforms quickly and get ready to snack. I remember eating nipittu sitting next to the window and watching those rain drops fall. Ah! those were the days...



So here is what we need.
Rice Flour 1cup
Maida/all purpose flour 1/2 cup
Besan/chickpea flour 1/4 cup
Peanut/ground nut about 1/4 cup
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Curry leaves 2 tsp
Salt as per taste.
Oil for deep frying.

Along with peanuts dalia dal/roasted channadal(hurigadale) can also be added.

* Using this measurement we can make 20 small sized nipittu.

1. In a bowl sieve together all the flour.
2. Mix everything together to a stiff dough by adding water slowly.
3. Take a marble size balls and with finger pat it on a piece of plastic sheet/parchment paper/wax paper to a circular shape. (If the dough is sticking to hand, apply little oil to the fingers and pat.)
4. Meanwhile heat peanut oil on medium high heat.Fry 2-3 at a time, till golden brown on both sides. Drain excess oil (if any) on paper towel.
5. Let it cool a bit and enjoy.

Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee!

* Once completely cooled store in air tight container. Stays fresh for about a week.