Saturday, November 5, 2016

Mosaru kodubale / Curd spicy rings


Ingredients: 

 Rice flour - 
1/2 cup
Curd or yoghurt (little sour) - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Green chilies -  4
Cumin seeds or jeera - 1 tsp 
Moong dal or green gram dal or hesarubele - 2 tsp  (Optional)
Finely chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp 
Finely chopped curry leaves - 1 tbsp 
Asafoetida or hing - a Pinch
Salt - As required
Oil - For deep frying

Method:



1) In a broad vessel, take all the ingredients except rice flour (1/2 cup curd, 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp curry leaves, 1 tbsp coriander leaves, salt, asafoetida and 1 tsp oil). Mix everything well.
2) Let it boil for 1 minute.
3) Now add in rice flour all at once. Mix well and switch off the stove. 
4) Close the lid and keep it aside.
5) Once it is warm, Knead it very well such that you get a soft, lump free dough.
6) Now take a small gooseberry sized dough and make a stick by rolling it in between the palms.
7) Now join the ends to make a ring.
8) Heat the oil in a wide frying pan. Drop the kodubale's or rings into the hot oil. Fry under medium flame.
9) Fry them only for sometime. Do not make them brown. The color of mosaru kodubale should be whitish and it will not be very crispy. 

Mosaru kodubale is ready to enjoy it with tea or along with breakfast.

Note:

1) Finely chopped onion can also be added at the curd boiling stage.


Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Gorikayi chutney / Gojju


Ingredients:

Cluster beans / Gorikayi - 250gm 
Onion - 1 Medium
Tomato - 2 medium
Green chilies - 4
Garlic - 2 cloves
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp chopped (optional)
Salt - as required
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Jeera or cumin seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 1/4 tbsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Hing - 1/4 tbsp
Chana dal - 1/4 tbsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tbsp


Method:

1) Roughly chop cluster beans into pieces. Also chop onion and tomatoes.
2) Pressure cook gorikayi, tomato, onion, green chilies, 2 cloves of garlic, turmeric powder and salt. Allow it to cool down.
3) Once cooled down, transfer it to a mixie jar. To this add grated coconut, Ginger.
4) Grind until smooth.
5) In a pan add oil, mustard, cumin seeds, curry leaves, hing, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves.
6) Add the gorikayi paste to the seasoning.
7) Bring it to boil. Add in coriander leaves. Adjust the salt. Mix well and turn off the stove.

Note:

1) 3-4 doddapatre or ajwain leaves can also be added.
2) Jaggery or sugar can also be added to adjust the bitterness of the vegetable only if needed.


Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Rava Laddu - Version 1


Ingredients:

Rava / Semolina - 1 1/4 cup
coconut - 1/4 cup 
Powdered Sugar - 1/3 cup
Cardamom powder / Elaichi powder - 1/2 tbsp
Ghee - 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp
Cashew, raisins - as needed

Method:

1) Roast rava until it starts to smell nice. set aside to cool.
2) Dry roast coconut as well until aromatic or golden brown.
3) In a bowl, add rava, powdered  sugar, elaichi powder, dry coconut.
4) Fry nuts in hot ghee.
5) Add them  to the bowl. Add more ghee if needed and mix well.
6) Take small portions and roll them into small balls.

Note:

1) Rava and coconut together should be 1 1/2 cup. Adjust the ratio as per your taste.
2) Condensed milk can also be used instead of ghee and sugar.

Kodubale / Chrispy spicy rings / Chrispy earrings (Version 2)


Ingredients:


Maida - 1 cup

Rice flour - 1/2 cup
chiroti rave - 1/4 cup
Oil - for frying
Red chillies - 4
Hing - 1/4 tbsp
Om kalu / Ajwain - 1/2 tbsp

Method:


1) Fry red chillies in 1/2 tbsp of oil and grind it into powder.

2) Now mix all the ingredients using hot oil and water.
3) Roll them into cylindrical shape and join the ends to form the round shape.
4) Fry all the kodubale into golden brown.

Kodubale is ready to be served with coconut chutney or Tomato sauce or Chilly sauce.




Strawberry icecream


Ingredients:

Frozen Strawberries - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Milk cream - 2 cups

Method:

1) Blend frozen strawberries, milk cream and sugar together.
2) Freeze this mixture for more than 4 hours.

Strawberry ice cream is ready to be served .

Note:

1) Milk cream and sugar can be replaced with condensed milk .

Homemade Dosa Batter - Version 2


Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Urad dal - 3 tbsp
Poha - 1 tbsp
Methi - 1 tbsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tbsp

Method:

1) Soak Rice and poha together for 3 hrs or overnight.
2) Soak Urad dal and Methi seeds together for 3 hrs or overnight.
3) Grind the batter and mix the baking soda and keep it aside overnight.

Dosa batter is ready to spread on tava next day.

Note:

1) Batter can be left overnight of depend on the rising of the batter.
2) If living in low temperatures area, then keep the batter in Oven with light turned on for over 1 hour and then turn off the light and keep it inside overnight.
3) Add 2 tbsp of oil to the batter and spread dosa. No need to add oil to tava, if following this tip.
4) Baking soda can also be added once batter has risen.
5) Add enough water to adjust the batter to make dosa, add salt too before making dosas.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Capsicum / Green bell pepper pudi palya


Ingredients:

Capsicum - 2 medium
Roasted gram dal - 4 tbsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Green chillies - 4 
Coconut - 1/4 cup
Salt - as required
Mustard - 1/4 tbsp
Jeera - 1/4 tbsp
Chana dal - 1/4 tbsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tbsp
Hing - 1/4 tbsp
Curry leaves - 6 
Oil  - 1 tbsp

Method:

1) Grind Roasted gram dal, coconut, chillies, ginger and salt into fine powder and keep it aside.
2) In a kadai, add oil, mustard, jeera, chana dal, urad dal, hing and curry leaves.
3) Add finely chopped capsicum until soft.
4) Add the powder to the cooked capsicum and mix well. Turn off the heat.

Capsicum pudi palya is ready to be served.

Note:

1) Capsicum can be replaced with cooked raw banana, gori kayi, potato too.


Strawberry milkshake ( Version 2)


Ingredients:

Frozen Strawberry - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup (Optional)
Milk - 1/2 cup


Method:

1) Mix all the ingredients and blend it to enjoy delicious strawberry milkshake.

Mango Seekarani


Ingredients:

Ripened Mango - 1 medium
Sugar - 6 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tbsp
Mixed nuts - 1/4 cup
Milk - 2 cups

Method:

1) Chop mango into fine pieces or mash the mango in to fine paste.
2) Mix All the ingredients together.

Mango seekarani is ready to be served.

Note:

1) It can be served as quick dessert.
2) Pic shows instant dosa being served with mashed potato and seekarani.
3) Recipe for instant dosa: http://princessncooking.blogspot.ca/2016/06/instant-dosa.html

Monday, August 15, 2016

Sprouting fenugreek


Ingredients:

Fenugreek seeds - 1 cup
Water 

Method:

1) Wash the dry fenugreek seeds.
2) Fill the water just above the fenugreek seeds and soak them overnight.
3) Rinse well and keep it in a air tight container with its lid 3/4 covered for over 2 days.
4) You can also keep the seeds in a damp cloth.

Tasty sprouted fenugreek seeds ready to eat directly or as salad or add them in curries.

Thai dessert - fried banana


Ingredients:


Rice flour - 3/4 cup
Sugar - 
1/4 cup

Salt - a Pinch
Baking powder - a Pinch
Shredded coconut - 
1/4 cup 

Sesame seeds - 1tbsp toasted  (optional)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Water - 3/4 cup

Method:


1) Mix all the ingredients with water to form a batter. 

2) Add few drops of oil/ ghee onTo the pan.
3) Spoon slices of banana dipped in the batter onto the pan and allow it to roast on both sides.

Fried banana can be served as snack, dessert, or with icecream.


Note:

1) Appe pan can also be used.
2) It can also be deep fried.

Pineapple Kesaribath


Ingredients : 

Medium Rava/ Semolina / Sooji - 1 cup
Water - 3 cups
Sugar - 1.5 cup or little more ( your pref)
Ghee - little less than 1/2 cup
Pineapple - 1 cup; finely chopped
Cashews - as required finely chopped 
Raisins - as required
Cardamom / elaichi -2-3 no; powder
Pineapple essence (Optional) - 2 drops
Yellow food color - just a tiny pinch (Optional)
Salt - a pinch
Cloves - 1

Method :


1) De skin and finely chop pineapple
2) Heat 1-2 tsp of ghee in a thick bottom kadai / pan and saute raisins & cashews  in it ,one by one.When they turn golden brown remove and keep aside.
3) In a same kadai  with leftover ghee,  roast rava over medium flame for 3 minutes or until it turns slightly golden brown. Make sure it doesn’t get burnt and keep it aside.
4) Now in a kadai, add ghee, clove, and then add water. Boil water. 
5) Once its well boiled, add finely chopped pineapple pieces and mix well . 
6) Close a lid and allow it to cook for 3-4 mins . 
7) Add the roasted rava slowly and carefully mix to make sure no knots are formed. 
8) Add sugar,salt and ghee.Mix everything . Keep mixing until the kesari starts leaving its sides .
9) Finally , add cardamom powder, pineapple essence ( if adding ) and nuts. Give a gentle mix and switch off .

Now Pineapple kesari bath is ready to serve . Serve hot or warm . 

Note:


1) Adding as much as ghee gives good flavour.
2) Pineapple essence can also be added.
3) I wanted thee natural color to the kesari, so i have not added the color to it.

Bombay saagu


Ingredients:

Mustard - 1/4 tbsp
Jeera - 1/4 tbsp
Chana dal - 1/4 tbsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tbsp
Hing - 1/4 tbsp
Curry leaves - 6
Gram flour / Besan - 5 tbsp
Salt - as required
Chayote/seema vankaya - 2 medium
Turmeric - 1/4 tbsp
Tomato paste - 1 tbsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Green chillies - 4
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Water - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Method:

1) In a kadai, add oil. Once oil is heated, add mustard, jeera, chana dal, urad dal, hing, curry leaves.
2) Add Green chillies, ginger and fry well.
3) Add tomato paste / chopped tomatoes, turmeric and fry until soft.
4) Add gram flour and mix well. Now add water and bring to a boil.
5) Meanwhile pressure cook vegetables .
6) Add the cooked vegetables to the boiling mixture.
7) Add salt and boil until saagu is neither thick nor thin.
8) Garnish the saagu with coriander leaves.

Bombay saagu is ready to be served.

Note:

1) Any vegetable can be used. Even onions can be used.
2) I have used the water used for boiling vegetables.
3) This tastes good with poori , chapathi, rava idli.
4) Chopped Onion can be added along with cooked vegetables.


Vegetable saagu


Ingredients:

Green beans ( 15 to 20) - 1/2 cup 
Carrots( around 2 )  - 1/2 cup 
Potato - 1/2 cup ( keep the cut potatoes in water ( 1 small medium size))
Onion (1 small onion) - 3/4 cup 
Fresh / soaked peas - 1/2 cup 
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Few curry leaves
Oil - 2 tbsp
Hing - 1/4 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Fresh/frozen coconut - 1/2 cup
fried gram dal/hurigadale/pottu kadalai - 1 1/2 tbsp
Poppy seeds /khus khus/gasagase - 2 tbsp
Green chillies - 4
Cilantro/coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
Water - 4 cups


Method:

1) Boil 2 cups of water.
2) Add all the chopped vegetables to the boiling water. Then add salt, turmeric powder, and curry leaves, and mix well.
3) Let it boil on medium heat for 10 minutes or until the peas and beans become tender.
4) Grind coconut, fried gram dal, poppy seeds, green chillies, coriander leaves and a little bit of onion into a fine paste. Add enough water to grind.
5) Add this paste to the partially cooked vegetables.
6) Let it cook for another 8 to 10 minutes on medium low heat. Keep stirring constantly.
7) In another pan, add 2 tsp oil in ladle on medium heat.
8) Once it is hot enough, add hing and mustard seeds,  curry leaves. 
9) Add this to thee boiling saagu and turn off the heat.

Pour it on the saagu.

Note:

1) Soak ¼ cup dried peas 3 to 4 hours,which yields 1/2 cup soaked peas.
2) Vegetables can be more or less than 1/2 cup.

Moong dal halwa


Ingredients:

Moong dal - 1 cup
Milk - 3 cups
Ghee/ Clarified butter - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Elaichi (Cardamom) Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Badam (Almonds) - 3 tbsp
Kishmish (Raisins) - 3 tbsp
Pista chopped - 3 tbsp

Method:

1) Clean and soak the moong dal for 2 hours, drain and grind to a coarse paste.
2) Fry the dal paste in ghee, till it turns golden brown.
3) Add the milk and cook on low flame, stirring continuously, till milk dries up.
4) Add sugar and cook, stirring continuously, till desired consistency is reached. 
5) Add Cardamom powder before turning off the stove.
6) Mix well and transfer to a bowl. 

Garnish with the almonds. raisins and pistachio.


Strawberry lemonade


Ingredients:

Strawberry - 2 cups (Fresh)
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Lemon juice - 3/4 cup
Chilled water - as required
Lemon - 1 (Thinely sliced)

Method:

1) Slice tops from strawberries, discard.
2) Add strawberries, sugar, lemon juice to a blender and pulse until strawberries are liquid.
3) Strain juice through a sieve, if you prefer most of the pulp be removed.
4) Pour juice into 1/2 gallon pitcher, add slices of lemon, fill with chilled water.
5) Don't over fill pitcher with water, add just enough to make 1/2 gallon Pour over ice and enjoy.
6) Garnish sides of glasses with lemon slice and half of strawberry.

Note:

1) Sugar can be replaced with agave or maple or honey.


Thursday, June 16, 2016

Instant dosa


Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 cup
Urad dal powder - 1/4 cup
Baking soda - 1/4 tbsp
Salt - as required
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Water - 1 cup
Oil - for making dosas

Method:

1) Mix all the ingredients except oil and mix until batter consistency.
2) Keep this batter aside for 10 mins.
3) Spread the batter into dosa on a pan. roast until golden brown.

Instant dosa's are ready to be served.

Note:

1) Check http://princessncooking.blogspot.ca/2016/06/urad-dal-powder.html  to make urad dal powder.
2) Pic shows instant dosa, mashed potato, and Mango seekarani.: http://princessncooking.blogspot.ca/2016/08/mango-seekarani.html




Urad dal powder


Ingredients:

Urad dal - 1 cup

Method:

1) Dry roast urad dal in a pan into golden brown.
2) When its chilled down, grind into fine powder.

Urad dal powder is ready to be used for different dishes.

Note:

1) Urad dal can also be powdered without roasting.

Monday, June 13, 2016

Banana Rotti


Ingredients:

Wheat Rawa/ Semolina  -1 cup
Fully Ripened bananas - 2
Green Chilles - 4  or according to the taste
Grated Coconut- 1/2 cup
Water- only if required
Sugar- 1tsp (Optional)
Salt -as required

Method:

1) Grind the bananas , green chilles and sugar to a smooth paste .
2) In a bowl , add semolina, salt , grated coconut n ground paste. Add water only if required. Keep this aside for about 20 minutes . ( The consistency of the batter should be thick and same like akki rotti).
3) Heat a tawa , smear little oil , take a ball lemon sized  thick batter n place it on the tawa n pat with fingers  (dip fingers in water) n spread as thin as possible.
4) On a medium flame n roast on both sides adding little oil to the edges .

Serve Hot with butter/ Ghee or chutney.



Friday, June 3, 2016

Tomato gojju


Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 4 medium
Onion - 1 Small
Green chillies - 4
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
salt - as required
Sambhar powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tbsp
Mustard - 1/4 tbsp
Jeera - 1/4 tbsp
Hing - 1/4 tbsp
Curry leaves - 6
Chana dal - 1/4 tbsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tbsp
Tomato paste - 1/2 tbsp
Mint powder - 1/4 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1) In a pan, add oil, mustard, jeera, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves, hing followed by onions.
2) Once onions turn golden brown, add ginger garlic paste and add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste.
3) Cook until tomatoes are soft.
4) Add turmeric, sambhar powder, salt and mix well.
5) Garnish with coriander leaves and mint powder.

Note:

1) Check my recipe on how to make mint powder: 
http://princessncooking.blogspot.ca/2016/05/mint-flakes.html
2) Add Lemon juice to adjust the tangyness if needed.


Uddina Vade / Savoury Donuts


Ingredients:


Urad dal - 1 cup + 1tbsp

Rice - 1 tbsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp (coarsely ground)
Curry leaves -  2 strings (washed & chopped)
Ginger - 1/2 inch ( grated or finely chopped)
Green chilli - 2 nos (finely chopped)
Salt - As per taste
Coriander leaves - 1tbsp (chopped, optional)
Coconut - 1 tbsp(use finely chopped fresh coconut, optional)
Oil - For deep frying

Method:


1) Dry roast 1 tbsp urad dal and 1 tbsp rice into golden brown n powder it in mixer
2) Soak the urad dal in water for 2-3 hours.Wash the dal thoroughly & prepare a smooth paste out of it. Add 1-2 tbsp of water to prepare the paste (avoid as much water as you can).
3) Scoop out the paste, add all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil of course). Mix it gently.
4) Mix the powder to the urad dal mixture.
5) Heat the oil in a broad pan.
6) Make a small lemon sized ball of the paste. Apply water to your left palm & gently pat the ball. Make a hole in the middle of the patted ball. Dip your right hand fingers in water & gently remove the vada from the left palm & drop it in oil. The oil might sizzle as your hands are wet.
7) Repeat the process with the remaining batter.
8) Deep fry on a medium flame until golden brown.

Serve it hot with sambar, chutney of your choice.

Note:


1) Some people keep the urad dal batter for fermentation. But, it can be prepared as soon as it is scooped out from the grinder/mixer. This helps in preparing soft vada.
2) Rice flour can be substited with urad dal and rice powder.
3) Chiroti rava or fine semolina could be substituted with rice flour. Addition of either rice flour or chiroti rawa helps to obtain a crisp outer layer.
4) Some people even prepare the vada on a plastic sheet & then transfer it to oil.
5) Feel free to add onions, if your family prefers it.
6) I have made like bondas, usually its with the hole at the centre.

Mango coconut jelly


Ingredients:

Mango Layer

250 g mango flesh (for purée), roughly cubed (from about 1 ½ – 2 mangoes, scant 2 cups)
Flesh of 1 mango (for adding in), 1-cm cubes
½ cup orange juice
1 ¼ cups water
2 tsp agar agar powder
⅓ cup sugar
Lime juice, to taste
15 small mint leaves, optional

Coconut Layer

⅔ cup water
1 tsp agar agar powder
4 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
⅔ cup coconut milk

Method:

For the mango layer:

In a blender, blend the mango cubes (for purée) and orange juice until smooth. In a small pot, add water and agar agar powder and stir to distribute the powder. Bring to a full boil, stirring frequently, making sure that all the agar agar powder has dissolved. Add sugar and mango purée and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and taste, adding more sugar and/or lime juice as needed.

Pour the mango mixture into a mould. You can use whatever mould you like; I used a square pan, but you can also make individual ones using cups, glasses, etc. Add the 1-cm mango cubes into the mango base, distributing the cubes evenly throughout, and pushing them down to make sure they are submerged. If desired, you can add mint leaves all throughout, pushing them into the mango base. Note: Agar agar jelly sets at room temperature, so work quickly especially if you are making small ones.

Refrigerate or leave at room temperature until the surface is set and no longer moves when you jiggle the mould.

For the coconut layer:

In a small pot, combine water and agar agar powder and stir to distribute the powder. Bring to a full boil, stirring frequently, making sure that all the agar agar powder has dissolved. Add sugar, salt, and stir until dissolved. Add coconut milk, stir to mix and remove from heat. You can use this immediately if the mango layer has set, if the mango layer has not set, keep this mixture hot, covered, over the lowest heat setting on the stove to prevent it from setting and becoming clumpy.

Once the surface of the mango layer has set, gently pour the coconut layer over the back of a spoon on to the mango base (if you pour too hard it might break or cause dents in the mango layer). Refrigerate for a few hours until cold.

When cold, cut into cubes with a sharp knife and enjoy!

Note:

A few people have told me that their coconut layer is not sticking to the mango layer and it slides off when cut. This happens because the coconut mixture is not hot enough when you pour it on to the mango layer. The heat from the coconut mixture dissolves the surface of the mango layer, and the two layers will be fused together when set, so make sure your coconut mixture is steaming hot when you pour it on. It’ll also help if your mango layer isn’t too cold.