Back to blogging after a break

             I took a long break from blogging, but I am glad to be back.

               I am happy to share a great news with my readers that we were blessed with our second baby boy in December 2015. That is the reason why I was away from the blog from past few months. Life is very busy with a 6 year old boy Ishaan and 8 months old baby Vihaan at home. But I will try my best to post new recipes as and when I get time.

Methi Sanna Polo (Savory Fenugreek Leaves Dosa)

        Methi sanna polo is one of the easiest and most nutritious recipes. It uses very basic ingredients and gets ready in no time.
        This is one of the very first recipes that I learnt. I got this recipe from my sister's mother in law.

Ingredients:

2 med. bunches of fenugreek leaves
1 med. onion
2 med. tomatoes
2 tbsp. besan/chickpea flour
2 tbsp. cream of wheat/sooji/upma rava
1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust according to taste)
Salt to taste
Oil for frying the dosa

Directions:

Wash Methi Leaves.
Finely chop the methi leaves, onions and tomatoes.Put it in a mixing bowl. Add besan, sooji, red chilli powder and salt to taste.
Squeeze it and mix it well using your hands. Do not add any water.
Cover it and keep it aside for 15-20 minutes.Heat a pan and drizzle some oil. Take a handful of methi leaves batter and spread it into small circles patting using your fingers. You can put 2-3 dosas at once. Drizzle some more oil and allow the dosa to cook.

Carefully flip it over and cook on the other side as well. (Dosas tend to break as it is very delicate).
Serve hot with rice and dal or any other curry.

Kanda poha / kande pohe

           Kanda poha / kande pohe is a popular dish from Maharashtra, served as breakfast or tea time snack. Kanda means onions in Marathi and poha means flattened rice. It's another variation of the poha usli recipe that I had blogged earlier.
           There are 2 kinds of poha available in the market. Thick poha and thin poha. This recipe is made using thick poha.

 

 

 

Ingredients

1 cup thick poha
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Pinch of hing/asafetida
1 spring curry leaves
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise (adjust according to taste)
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 handful roasted peanuts
Chopped coriander springs

Directions:

Wash poha 2-3 times in cold water. Drain all the excess water. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of water and keep it aside for 5 minutes. (If you feel the poha has not softened, you can sprinkle some more water).
Add salt and mix gently. Keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add cumin seeds, asafetida, curry leaves, green chillies and chopped onions. Cook until the onions become soft. Add turmeric powder and mix well.
Add softened poha and mix it gently. Cover the pan and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until the poha gets cooked. Add chopped coriander and roasted peanuts and mix well. Steaming hot poha is ready to serve.


Kaarate Kismuri (Bitter gourd dry side dish)

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 med. sized bitter gourd
3/4 to1 tsp salt
Oil for shallow frying
1 cup fresh/frozen grated coconut
2-3 dry red chillies, roasted
1 tsp coriander seeds
Tamarind pulp, to taste
2 green chillies, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped

Directions:

Wash and slice bitter gourd. Remove the seeds and chop in to small pieces. Apply salt and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan. Squeeze out all the moisture from the bitter gourd pieces and fry until crispy. Take out on to a paper towel to drain excess oil.
Grind coconut, dry red chillies, coriander seeds and tamarind pulp to a coarse paste by adding couple of spoons of water.
Take out the paste in a bowl. Add fried bitter gourd pieces, chopped green chillies and chopped onions. Mix it really well. Adjust the salt.
Serve on the side with some rice and any curry.

Egg Bhurji (masala scrambled eggs)

Egg bhurji is a flavorful, easy and quick to make dish. You can serve it along with pav or bread for breakfast or as an evening snack. It can also be served on the side with some rotis for a quick and simple weekday meal.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 onion, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1-2 green chillies, chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
2 tomatoes, chopped
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
Pinch kasoori methi
1 tbsp chopped coriander springs

Directions:

Beat eggs in a bowl and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onions and green chillis, saute till onions turn translucent..
Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and mix well. Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and cook till they turn mushy and most of the moisture dries out.
Add garam masala powder and kasoori methi, mix well.
Add beaten eggs and stir constantly and cook till the eggs dry up to the desired consistency. Put chopped coriander springs and mix well.
Serve hot.

Ivy gourd/tindora stir fry (tendle upkari)

This ivy gourd/tindora stir fry is a simple mangalorean style stir fry dish. It goes really well with some dal and rice or on the side with some chapatis for a healthy and comforting week day meal.
I got this recipe from a malayalam video clip on you tube. When I prepared it for the first time for my family, we absolutely loved this dish. Little bit of heat from the green chillies, tang from the lemon juice and slight sweetness from the use of pinch of sugar makes this dish different from the regular stir fry that we usually make at home.

Ingredients:

500 grams tindora/tendle/ivy gourd
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4 cloves of garlic, slightly crushed
1 tbsp chana dal
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 medium potato, cut in to strips (optional)
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup fresh/frozen grated coconut
1/4 tsp sugar (optional)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Directions:

Wash the ivy gourd, cut the ends and slit into 4-6 pieces. Discard the ivy gourd if it is ripe and has turned red inside. Add the ivy gourd into a vessel and add some salt and water. Cover and cook until just done. Drain the excess water if any. (If you want to cook it in the pressure cooker, pressure cook by adding 1/4 cup water and salt to taste. Pressure cook for 1 whistle. Immediately release the pressure by lifting the weight slightly with the help of a spoon. Once the pressure goes off, remove the lid and keep the cooked ivy gourd aside)
Heat oil in a wok/kadai. Add mustard seeds, when they start to pop, add crushed garlic and chana dal. Cook until chana dal turns golden brown. Add chopped onions and green chillies and cook until onions turn translucent. Add turmeric powder and mix well. Add potatoes, if using and stir it for 2-3 minutes. Cover the pan cook until tender. Add tomatoes and cook until soft.
Add cooked ivy gourd and mix it well. Simmer and cover for 2-3 minutes until everything comes together.
Add grated coconut, sugar and lemon juice and give the pan a good mix. Finish it off with some chopped coriander and serve.

Masala Khichdi (spicy rice,lentils and vegetables)

          Masala khichdi is a variation of simple khichdi with the additions of spices and vegetables. Each family in India has their own version of the khichdi. It's a healthy, comforting meal in one pot.
          I used brown rice for making this recipe and served it with some lemon pickle on the side.

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup moong dal
1/2 cup rice
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1" piece ginger, grated
2 large cloves of garlic, grated
1 spring curry leaves
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 carrots, diced
1 cup fresh/frozen green peas
8-10 green beans
4 cloves
1" cinnamon stick
1/2-1 tsp peppercorns
1 tbsp oil and/or ghee
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp chopped coriander

 

 

Directions:

Wash and soak rice and moong dal for 30 mins.
Put green chilles, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and tomato in a small bowl and keep aside.
Using a pestle and mortar, crush cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns into a fine powder.
Heat oil, add bay leaves and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add cumin seeds and the first bowl ingredients ( green chillies, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and tomatoes) and mix well. Cook until the tomato becomes soft.
Add crushed spices and turmeric powder and mix well.
Add soaked dal and rice and mix well. Add vegetables and salt along with 3 cups water. (31/2 cups if using brown rice)
Pressure cook for 3 whistles in medium flame. (4 whistles if using brown rice)
Allow the pressure to go. Remove the lid and add in the chopped coriander leaves.
Mix well and serve.