We are in the process of moving back home, so I'll be taking break from blogging until end of May.
Until then, Good bye from USA...
Happy Blogging, everyone.
.....meaning Taste.
I have had couple bunches of carrots, laying in my fridge for over a week now. So for tonights dinner I made a quick and simple stir-fry with carrots, using very few basic ingredients. This tastes good with Indian rotis or as a side dish with rice and Dal's.
Here is my recipe for simple carrot stir-fry.
I have eaten Kachoris a few times before, since it was very new type of snack for me to try, I was very happy to see the spicy snack as this months recipe. I have made Samosas(triangular shaped deep fried snacks with potato fillings) many times, so kachoris is like a close cousin to it, with lentil fillings and circular in shape.
Srivalli who have chosen, Khasta Katchoris a North India Snack/Chaat as the recipe for ICC (January) event. She has given 3 different recipes for fillings, I choose the moongdal filling and followed the recipe exactly as mentioned by her.
End result was very satisfying with crunchy outer layer,with warm and spicy filling inside. Since it was made in batches of 2-3 at a time, we just enjoyed them hot as it was out of the oil with some Maggie hot & sweet sauce by the side, and i just made sure to save a few, to click them.
Kachoris - Adapated from Medhaa's Aunty and Tarla Dalal.
Resting Time for the Dough is app 1/2 hr - 1 hr
Frying time for the Kachoris - 20 mins for each batch app.
Soaking Time for the Filling is app. 1 hr
Cooking Time for the Filling is app 15 mins
Yields - 15
For Filling
Khasta Kachori - Moong Dal Kachori
Ingredients Needed:
Method
Special Tips / Notes for the filling:
The fillings have to be really dry if not when rolling they will ooze out when rolling.
Adjust the masalas according to your taste. What is given in this recipe is spicy to the extent one can still enjoy.
For Dough and Stuffing
For the Dough
Ingredients Needed:
Method
Special Tips / Notes for the dough:
Keep the dough covered at all times, if not it will dry up and not puff up when frying. If the dough is made right wet cloth can be used if not just a towel.
The dough could spring back for many reasons:Dough is too cold (If wet cloth is used)
Dough is not soft enough.Not kneaded for enough time.Oil is less.Not rested enough.
For Frying
Special Tips / Notes for making the Kachoris:
You can fry 3 kachori's at a time. The oil should be at a heat when you drop some dough it should come up slowly, if the dough comes up too fast the oil is too hot, if it does not come up then the oil is cold. It will not be crisp if the oil is too hot. Fry the kachori's on medium low to get a crisp outer layer, that is the key. For people using electric stove, the numbers can be going from 6 to 4.
I am sending this to Srivalli's ICC (January).
Chapatis(wheat-flour flat bread) are very staple at my home. We have them on daily basis. Once in a while I like to add grated or mashed vegetable to make Chapatis bit more tastier.
I use Potatoes (aloo) mainly, while making the mashed veggie Chapatis. Adding potatoes makes the Chapatis very soft and this will be good for lunch boxes, since it stays soft for longer hours.
Ingredients :
Potatoes (Aloo/Alugadde)- 2 medium size (boiled, peeled and mashed)
(Substitute potatoes with mashed lentils or beans for more wholesome and nutritious Chapatis)
Whole wheat flour (godi hittu) - about 2 cups (use Chapatis atta instead)
Spices : Black pepper powder (menasu), red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt - about 1/2 to 1 tsp.
*Above measurement makes about 10-12 medium size Chapatis.
Once ready, enjoy them warm with a some spicy pickle and curds on side.
Avocado's also known as butter pear, alligator pear and sometimes as butter fruit. Avocados are most widely used in Mexican cuisine's and Guacamole is one of the famous dip/dish made with this fruit.
We are very fond of spicy Mexican dips, I regularly make authentic Mexican Guacamole to go with some corn chips. Sometimes I do the Indian version of Guacamole in place of chutneys by doing the tempering with mustard seeds, hing and urad dal . Just adding the seasoning/tempering to the avocados, gives a very different taste to it. This will be good as side-dish with Indian kind rotis.
So here is how I make it.
Ingredients :
For Tempering:
Quick and healthy side dish/dip/chutney is ready to be served. We usually eat this with Chapatis. Enjoy !
I am sending this to Siri's new event Healing Foods - Avocado.
For Indian Cooking Challenge (ICC)-December, Srivalli has chosen Moongdal Halwa. When I saw the announcement I was very excited. Since I hadn't made any North-Indian style halwa's before, so I couldn't wait to try it.
I have followed Recipe # 2, for me it took about 50 mins to get to the Halwa stage. I had fun making them and enjoyed them warm, with lots of nuts and raisins.Thanks Srivalli, Simran and Lata ji for the recipe and trying it out for us.
Moongdal halwa was very apt for the occasion as well, made this for Sankranthi y'day in place for our regular Sweet pongal. We all enjoyed it very much.
Notes :
* Halwa looks bit green in color, since I have used the moongdal with husk which gives this color.
Off this goes to Indian Cooking Challenge( ICC) challenge, hosted by Srivalli.
Have a Good Weekend, Everyone!
Wishing you all a very Happy Sankranthi/Pongal, with a bowl full of Ellu-Bella.
Every year during Sankranthi/Pongal , a mixture of Jaggery, Dried coconut, Dalia Dal, Peanuts/groundnuts and Sesame seeds(roasted) known as Ellu- Bella are mixed together and shared with families, neighbors and friends. Along with this mixture seasonal fruits like sugarcane and oranges are also given to mark the harvest season and sweet beginnings.
Toast all the above ingredients, let it cool and mix them all together and enjoy !
Will send this to Priya's Cooking with Seeds event.
Ingredients :
Vegetables I have used : Onion, tomato, Potato and Bell peppers (capsicum) - 1 each chopped into bit size pieces.
Lightly toast and grind :
Others : Oil - 2 tsp, turmeric - 1/2 tsp and salt to taste.
Serve warm with Rotis or rice. Enjoy !
Sending this to Priya's Cooking with the Seeds event.
Day 7 of 7 days of Recipe Marathon.
Closing the week long recipe marathon (in my case its Roti Marathon) with our beloved bread, Poori. This is puffy bread, deep fried in oil. We like having them with vegetable Sagu, or most times with Aloo palya and Coconut chutney.
I made this Pooris using my Mom's recipe. Its a very simple recipe, dough should be kneaded to soft but stiff and should rest for not more that 10-15(otherwise this will absorb lots of oil), and dough needs to be fried at the medium-high temperature, in order for the pooris to puff up.
Method :
3. Roll the dough to about palm size and bit thicker than regular rotis.
4. When oil is hot, drop the rolled dough, through the edge of the wok(just one at a time).
5. In a few seconds, the dough will puff up (if not press gently with back of the ladle).
6. Turn/ flip gently and let it fry for few more seconds on the other side,. Take it out with a stainer, drain, any excess oil on paper towel.
* Frying temperature is the main thing while making Pooris, make sure to maintain med-high temperature.
Recipe Marathon : Day 1- Chapatis , Day 2- Jodala Rotti , Day 3- Homemade Bread, Day 4- Naan , Day 5- Aloo paratha , Day 6- Phulkas .
I very much enjoyed cooking for this Week long Recipe Marathon. Thanks Nupur for this lovely event to end 2009.