Bitter gourd majjige huli

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd - 4 medium sized
Oil- 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Jeera -  - 1/4 tbsp
Chana dal -  - 1/4 tbsp
Hing -  - 1/4 tbsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tbsp
Red Chillies - 2
Green chillies - 4
Curry leaves - few
Ginger - 1/4 inch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Thick Curd - 2 cups / as required
Salt - as required
Sugar / Jaggery powder - 2 tbsp
Coconut - 1/2 cup

Method:

1) Chop bitter gourd into thin slices and soak it in water adding some salt to it for over 2 -3 hrs.
2) Now grind red chillies, green chillies , ginger and coconut, jaggery powder into fine paste.
3)  In a pan, add oil, mustard, jeera, urad dal, chana dal, hing and curry leaves.
4) Once they are fried into golden brown, add the grinded mixture and fry well.
5) Now add turmeric powder and salt. Turn off the stove and add curd.
6) In another pan, add the soaked bitter gourd pieces and fry for long time till well done (until brown, but take care it does not burn). you can also add sugar / jaggery powder while frying.
7) Add the curds masala to this bitter gourd before serving. Add salt if required.

Note:

1) Bitter gourd chips can also be added instead of fresh bitter gourd. (Refer:  http://princessncooking.blogspot.ca/2016/02/bitter-gourd-chips.html)
2) Since the bitter gourd pieces absorb the curds ,a little more of it than what is mentioned in the ingredients may be needed.

Makhana Processing

Most of you use makhana / Phool makhani as a snack or in curries or eat directly.

Here is a video which shows where and how it is obtained and  processed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gaeLG2Swbw

Gasa gase payasa

Ingredients:

Poppy seeds - 4 tsp 
Rice, uncooked - 1 tsp
Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen - 1 cup 
Desiccated coconut/Copra/Kobbari - 1 cup 
Jaggery / sugar - 3-4 tbsp 
Milk - 1/4 cup 
Elaichi / cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp 
Saffron (optional) - 4-5 strands
Cashews/Almonds (optional) - 8-10  

Method:

1) Dry roast poppy seeds and rice until they turn crisp and lightly change color.
2) Finely powder the roasted poppy seeds and rice in a blender without adding any water.
3) Add  grated coconut, desiccated coconut, some water and grind to a  smooth paste.
4) Add half a cup of water and strain the paste through a finely perforated strainer; Retain the liquid - this will  make the payasam later.
5) Transfer the coarse residue into a blender; Add some more water and grind again to a smooth paste. Repeat steps 4 and 5 about 3-4 times.
6) Add jaggery to the strained liquid and boil on low-medium heat until all the jaggery dissolves; Remove from stove.
7) Meanwhile dissolve saffron strands in 1/4 cup of warn milk and set aside for 5-10 mins.
8) Now add powdered elaichi,warm milk with saffron and mix well.

Hot hot gasa gase payasa is ready to be served.

Note:

1) You can just grind coconut, poppy seeds, rice and add jaggery, milk to boil them together, instead of straining.

Homemade Dosa / Dose Batter - Version 1

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Urad dal - 3 tbsp
Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp
Salt - as required
Baking soda -  A Pinch

Method:

1) Soak rice, urad dal, fenugreek seeds in enough water for around 2-3 hours or overnight.
2) Once soaked, grind them into fine paste.
3) Keep this mixture overnight for fermentation.
4) Once its fermented, add salt and baking soda with enough water . Mix well to get the batter consistency.
5) Spread this batter into to yummy dosa and roast until golden brown.

Dosa's are ready to be served with chutney.

mavinakayi huli / Mango sambhar

Ingredients:

Mango -  1 medium (chopped length wise)
Tamarind pulp - 1/4 cup (Optional)
Salt - as required
Oil / Ghee - 4 tsp
kanda byalu / lentils - 1 1/2 cup
Chopped coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Turmeric - 1/4 tbsp
Sambhar powder - 2 tbsp (as per taste)
Chillies -  as required (Optional)
Sugar / Jaggery - 1/4 tsp (Optional)
Mustard - 1/4 tbsp
Cumin - 1/4 tbsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tbsp
Chana dal - 1/4 tbsp
Curry leaves - 6
Hing - 1/4 tbsp
Coconut - 1/4 cup


Method:

1) In a cooker,  add lentils with turmeric. Cook well and keep it aside.
2) Grind coconut, chillies, sambhar powder in to fine paste.
3) Take a pan, add oil / Ghee. Add mustard, jeera, chana dal, urad dal, hing, and curry leaves. Once it splutters, add cooked dal, bhendi, tamarind pulp and grinded paste one by one. Mix well.
4) Add salt , jaggery and boil the mixture for around 5-6 mins.
5) Now add chopped mango pieces and boil until the skin turns into light green and the pulp is well cooked. It may take around 4 more mins to get the consistency.
6) Top it with coriander leaves and serve.

Note:

1) Do not over cook the mango as it would disintegrate.
2) Thotapuri mavinakayi (Parrot nose mango) would be the best for the recipe.
3) Mango can also be replaced with drumstick.

Hunase chigali

Ingredients: 

Tamarind - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1/4 cup
Garlic - 2 pods (Optional)
Red chilly powder - 2tsp
Jeera powder = 1tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

1) In a traditional stone mortar grind all the ingredients together to form a single mass
2) Divide into small balls and press on a lollipop stick or the back of a steel spoon.
3) lick and enjoy to your content. :-)

Ladies finger / Bhendi sambhar

Ingredients:

Ladies finger / Bhendi -  2 cups (chopped 1 inch pieces)
Tamarind pulp - 1/4 cup
Salt - as required
Oil / Ghee - 4 tsp
kanda byalu / lentils - 1 1/2 cup
Chopped coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Turmeric - 1/4 tbsp
Sambhar powder - 2 tbsp (as per taste)
Chillies -  as required
Sugar / Jaggery - 1/4 tsp (Optional)
Mustard - 1/4 tbsp
Cumin - 1/4 tbsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tbsp
Chana dal - 1/4 tbsp
Curry leaves - 6
Hing - 1/4 tbsp
Coconut - 1/4 cup


Method:

1) In a pan, add 2 tbsp of oil / Ghee and then add chopped bhendi and fry until its fried well or the stickiness of the bhendi is gone.
2) Now in a cooker, add lentils and fried bhendi with turmeric and cook well and keep it aside.
3) Grind coconut, chillies, sambhar powder in to fine paste.
4) Take a pan, add remaining oil / Ghee. Add mustard, jeera, chana dal, urad dal, hing, and curry leaves. Once it splutters, add cooked dal, bhendi, tamarind pulp and grinded paste one by one. Mix well.
5) Add salt , jaggery and boil the mixture for around 5-6 mins.
6) Top it with coriander leaves and serve.

Note:

1) Fried Bhendi can also be added when dal , grinded paste, tamarind pulp is cooking along with the seasoning and boil it until the bhendi becomes soft and absorbs the masala.
2) Bhendi can be replaced with any other vegetables.