Red Chutney.

We have many options for side dishes to go with Idly/ Dosa, especially the chutneys.
Red chutney is very tasty and goes well with Idly. I use it to spread inside the masala dosa too.

This is my version of the chutney, do try.

Ingredients:

Red onion: 1 medium size.
Tomatoes:  2 medium size.
Dry red chili: 6-8 numbers.(use as per taste)
Kashmiri Red chili: 4-5 numbers.
Chana Dhal: 1 tablespoon.
Urd dhal: 1 teaspoon.
Oil: 2-3 tablespoons.
Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon.
Tamarind pulp-1/4 teaspoon.
Mustards seeds: 1 teaspoon.
Curry leaves: Few.
Salt.

Method:
Start by Chopping onion into thin slices and tomatoes into small cubes.
In a heavy pan heat oil, and add chana dhal and urd dhal.
Fry them till they turn slightly golden. Then add onion slices and continue frying till they are translucent.
Add tomatoes and fry till they turn mushy. To this mixture add turmeric and tamarind pulp.
Fry for 1-2 minutes.
Let the mixture cool. Grind the mixture using little water and salt as per taste.
Finally give the tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves in oil.
 Red chutney is ready to serve

Note:
I have not used garlic , you can use garlic too.
Adjust the chili as per taste.
Instead of red onion you can use shallots too.

Mangalore Cucumber Pickle!

Pickles are important condiments of Indian meals. There are a variety of pickles made throughout India and the world.

Making pickles seem to be a difficult task until I learned this recipe from a friend. I tried it, a simple method, with very few ingredients.

 Best of all, we can control the quality of ingredients in it; unlike the store bought pickles which may have preservatives in them. Try it and I am sure you will love it too.

Ingredients:

Mangalore Cucumber-3 small size ones.

Red chili powder-3 table spoon.

Ground black mustard seeds- 2-3 tablespoon.

Salt-As per taste (I used 2-3 table spoon). 

Groundnut/peanut oil- as required.

Method:

Start the process by washing the cucumbers and drying them completely.

Cut the tips of the cucumber, de-seed them and chop them into cubes, leave the skins on.

Add salt, then the chili powder.

Grind the mustard seeds into powder. Add the ground mustard seed powder, followed by oil.

Oil should cover the whole mixture and see them on the sides.

Leave them to marinate for a day or two, but you can start using them after a couple of hours, it gets better as it sits.

Eat with plain rice or with curd rice, it is delicious!

Note:

The quantity of ingredients vary according to taste.

Since it has no preservatives make it in small quantities and use it.

Eggless Pancakes and Waffles!!

It's pancake for one and waffles for the other!!!! Too much work..., or did you think so???
This recipe has a double duty and can be made as pancakes or waffles.

Ingredients:
All purpose flour : 1 cup.
Sugar: 1 tbsp (as per taste)
Cinnamon powder: 1/4 tsp.
Vanilla extract.
Melted Butter: 2 tbsp.
Baking soda: 1/2 tsp.
Orange juice- 1/2 orange.
Whole milk: 1/2 cup / as needed to make up to thick batter consistency.
Apple cider vinegar: 1tbsp.
Salt: a small pinch.

Method:
In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients well.
To this mixture, add melted butter, orange juice, cider vinegar. At last, add milk to adjust the consistency of the batter.( about the consistency of idli batter)
Using  a wisk mix the ingredients into a smooth batter, if there are few lumps do not worry!

To make pancakes:
Heat a non stick pan, spread some butter and pour a ladle of batter into round pancakes, allow them to turn golden brown, flip and cook the other side, pancakes are ready.
Serve them with maple syrup and enjoy.


To make waffles:
Take the same batter and spread it on a waffle maker, in no time you will have golden waffles, which can also be relished with Maple syrup.


NOTE:
Add blue berries/ strawberries to the same batter to make blue berry pancakes/ straw berries
 pancakes.

Malai paneer curry.

One awesome side dish to suffice your craving of Paneer!!! It is a rich, delicious gravy sauce, apt to be used as a side dish with roti/chapati.
It was a busy weeknight and was trying to prepare a side dish, which would be easy and at the same time rich and delicious, giving the feel of restaurant style dinner, at home on a weeknight! Hope you too can use this method to get a quick weeknight dinner!!

Ingredients:
Paneer- 1 cup.
Green peas- 1 small cup.
Tomatoes- 2 large.
Onion- 1 small.
Ginger n garlic paste-1 tsp / 1inch n 1clove to grind.
Cashews- 4/5.
Cinnamon- 3-4 pieces.
Clove- 4/5.
Poppy seeds- 1/4 tsp.
Cardamom- 2 pods.
Green chili- 1
Chilli powder- 1 tsp.
Garam masla powder- 1 tsp.
Coriander powder- 1 tsp.
Cumin- 1 tsp.
Whole milk/ cream- 1/2 cup.
Oil.
Salt.

Method:
Start off by chopping onions and cutting paneer into cubes.

To grind:
Tomato cubes, soaked cashews, poppy seeds, ginger, garlic, green chili.
Grind into smooth paste.

In a heavy pan, heat oil. To the hot oil, add cumin, cinnamon, clove, cardamom followed by onion.
Fry onions until they turn pink, then add garam masala, red chilly powder followed by fresh coriander/ dhania powder. Fry till the mixture loses raw smell, take care not to burn the mixture. Add paneer cubes and peas; mix well till coated by masala.
Add the ground paste and cook for 4-5 minutes. The gravy becomes tick, now add whole milk/ cream and continue to cook for few more minutes. The whole dish become thick and rich. Add salt and garnish will coriander leaves.
Malai paneer gravy is ready to serve.

Eggplant (brinjal) curry.

North Karnataka is famous for its stuffed brinjal curry. I have tried to make my version of this curry. It tastes really good. Can be used as a side dish with chapathi or have it with rice. It gets better with time.

Ingredients:

Round small brinjal/egg plant - 5.

Onion-1 large.

Grated fresh coconut- 2 Tbsp.

Peanuts- 2 Tbsp.

Coriander seeds- 1Tbsp. 

Chana dhal- 1-Tbsp.

Urd dhal-1/4 tsp.

Cumin-1/4 tsp.

Sesame seeds-1 tsp.

Dry red chilies -5/6.

Cinnamon-1/4 inch piece.

Clove-2.

Turmeric-1 tsp.

Garlic- 1 clove.

Tamarind- small piece.

Oil- 2-3 Tbsp.

Salt.

Method:

To begin, wash and prep the eggplants. Cut the eggplants vertically into four halves without removing the Stalk.

Chop onions into small pieces.

To Grind the Masala:

In a heavy bottom pan, 

Take Chana dhal, Urd dhal, peanuts, coriander seeds, sesame seeds, cumin, chilies, cinnamon, clove and garlic and fry till they give a nice aroma for few minutes. Add tamarind, finally add freshly grated coconut and continue to fry for 2 more minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool, grind the mixture to a smooth paste with little water.

In another heavy bottom pan-

Take oil, once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds followed by chopped onion. Fry the onion until they are translucent. Add turmeric powder and eggplants. Fry the egg plants for 5-6 minutes let them soften.  

Preferably use non stick pan as it will not burn at the base. Once the eggplants have started to soften, add the ground masala and cook for 6-8 minutes on medium flame. Oil starts to separate from the sides; this indicates that the curry is done. Add salt to taste.

Serve with chapathi or have it with rice. Enjoy it the next day, it really tastes better as it sits!!!

Usal Pav!

It's November, and the weather is getting cooler each day....and craving for something warm, hummmm....chats are the best comfort foods for this season. One such chat which is relatively easy to make and healthy too is Usal Pav.

Ingredients:
Sprouted Moong dhal- 1 cup.
Onion-2 Medium.
Tomatoes-2 Medium.
Ginger-1 small piece.
Garlic 1 small clove.
Green chili-1
Dry Coconut 1 tbsp
Coriander powder1 tsp.
Chili powder -1 tsp.
Garam masala powder- 1 tsp.
Poppy seeds- 1/4 tsp.
Salt.

To Garnish:
Finely chopped onion,
Tomatoes, and coriander leaves.
Sev/Mixture.

Method:
Soak the mong Dhal to sprout or use the sprouted Moong dhal if readily available.
Cook the dhal in the pressure cooker for one whistle with adequate water.
In heavy bottom pan/ wok lightly fry 1sliced onion with oil. To this add ginger, garlic, poppy seeds and dry coconut, fry till they change color lightly.

Allow this mixture to cool and grind to a smooth paste.
In another pan, add oil, add cumin seeds, and fry chopped onion.
Once the onion is slightly pink, add all the dry powders and fry for a minute.
Later, add chopped tomatoes and cook for few minutes.
Finally add the cooked dhal and simmer for 5-8 minutes, adjust the consistency by adding water.
Add salt to taste.
Once cooked this is a thick gravy.

Take the gravy into a bowl, add chopped onion, tomatoes and coriander.
Then sprinkle mixture and sev on top.
Enjoy the gravy as is or serve with pav buns!!

Usal Pav!

It's November, and the weather is getting cooler each day....and craving for something warm, hummmm....chats are the best comfort foods for this season. One such chat which is relatively easy to make and healthy too is Usal Pav.

Ingredients:
Sprouted Mong dhal- 1 cup.
Onion-2 Medium.
Tomatoes-2 Medium.
Ginger-1 small piece.
Garlic 1 small clove.
Green chili-1
Dry Coconut 1 tbsp
Coriander powder1 tsp.
Chili powder -1 tsp.
Garam masala powder- 1 tsp.
Poppy seeds- 1/4 tsp.

To Garnish:
Finely chopped onion,
Tomatoes, and coriander leaves.
Sev/Mixture.

Method:
Soak the mong Dhal to sprout or use the sprouted Mong dhal if readily available.
Cook the dhal in the pressure cooker for one whistle with adequate water.
In heavy bottom pan/ wok lightly fry 1 sliced onion, with oil, to this add ginger, garlic, poppy seeds and dry coconut, fry till they change color lightly.

Allow this mixture to cool and grind to a smooth paste.
In another pan add oil, add cumin seeds, and chopped onion.
Once the onion is slightly pink, add all the dry powders and fry for a minute.
Later, add chopped tomatoes and cook for few minutes.
Finally add the cooked dhal and simmer for 5-8 minutes, adjust the consistency by adding water.
Once cooked this is a thick gravy.

Take the gravy into a bowl, add chopped onion, tomatoes and coriander.
Then sprinkle mixture and sev on top.
Enjoy the gravy as is or serve with pav buns!!