Coconut Chutney

Coconut chutney is a must have accompaniment with many main dishes like idli, dosa, chapati and more.
This chutney is made every time  we make idli or dosa at my place. This is a every easy recipe, but still i thought i should post it.

Ingredients :
Coconut : 1
Salt as per taste
Coriander leaves : 7-8 sprigs
Tamarind : marble size
Water : 1/4 cup

for seasoning 1 :
Oil : 1 tbsp
Split black gram (urad dal) : 1 tsp
Green chillies: 4-5

for seasoning 2:
Oil : 1 tbsp
Mustard: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves : 1 sprig
Dry red chilli : 1-2

Method:

1. In a pan heat a oil for seasoning add  black gram and green chillies and saute for 2mins
2. Grate the coconut
3. Put the grated coconut, the seasoning, salt, coriander leave,water,
   
   
   tamarind and grind well. 
4. In a pan heat oil and put all the seasoning ingredients and saute till the mustard crackles.
5. Take off the flame and pour it on the ground chutney. 
6. Serve it will idlis, dosas or paddus :)
   

Modak : steamed dumplings stuffed with coconut and jaggery filling

Well when i started making Ganesh chaturthi specials during this week, Modaks were on top of my mind, but i wanted to make them in last, just on eve of chaturthi. And today when i came came back from office i was in pretty messed up mood and also very tired. And I knew only making  modaks can rewind my mind and relax it... and now,  here you are reading my blog that i'm happily typing after i made first batch of Modaks... I pray that this chaturthi all your problems to disappear in a blink as the yummy modaks disappear from the plate...

So here you go with my recipe ...

Ingredients :

• 1 cup rice flour 
• 3/4 cup powdered jaggery 
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 tsp  sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp cardamon powder
• 2tsp ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 pinch salt 

Method : 

For the filling :

1. In a pan melt 1 tsp ghee and roast poppy and sesame a little 
2. To this add grated coconut , jaggery powder and cardamom powder and mix well
3. The cook till all the jaggery melt and bends with the coconut and starts leaving the sides ( do not overcook as the jaggery will harden )
4. remove and keep aside

Modak dough:

1. Boil 1 and 1/2 glass of water with a pinch of salt and 1 tsp ghee in it. 
2. When the water is boiling, remove about a half a cup of water and keep aside 
3. To the remaining boiling water  rice flour and mix well such that their no lumps, add a little boiling water if you desire and cook  ( dont make the dough watery ) 
4. Remove the dough in a plate and knead well
5. Make small balls of the dough 
6. Take a small ball and flatten it on your palm, apply a little hot water to your palms if needed. 
7. Place a small amount of filling on flattened dough and join the edges to form a modak. 
8. Repeat this for all the dough balls
9. And steam the modaks in a steamer for 15 mins

Your modaks are ready... 

Motichur ke ladoo

My love for ladoos started very early in my childhood. I was 4 yrs when i learnt the recipe for boondi ladoo... i shall tell you the story in my blog post on Boondi ladoo which is coming soon... but this post is on Motichur ladoo...

Ladoos are favourite sweets of Ganesha so I thought it would be apt to post the Motichur ladoo recipe, so that my friends can make them for Ganesh chaturthi  to be celebrated this weekend. Motichur ladoos get their name from the small pearl like boondi that made into ladoos. 

Ingredients :

For Boondi Batter :

• Gram flour                             - 1 cup
• Super fine semolina                  - 2 tbsp
• Melted ghee                         - 1 tbsp
• Saffron colour                       - a pinch 
• baking powder                      - a pinch

For Syrup:

• Sugar                                   - 1 cup
• Water                                   -  1 cup
• Saffron strands                    - a few
• Cardamom pwd                    - ½ tsp
• Rose water                          - 1 tsp

other ingredients 

• Sliced almonds                     - 6-7
• Raisins                                  - 1tsp
• Ghee                                    -  to grease hands
• oil to fry

Method : 

1.  Sieve gram flour and semolina, so that there are no lumps and add saffron colour and  baking pwd to it.
   
2. Add melted ghee and mix.
3.  Make a batter by adding water little by little and  making of pouring consistency ( don't make it too water or too thick) and keep aside. 
   
4. Take sugar in  bowl and add equal amount of water
   
5. Once the sugar is dissolved completely, bring it to boil with continuous stirring.
6. Turn the flame to sim till the syrup one string consistency  Turn off the flame and add cardamom powder, saffron strands, 1 pinch of colour,  rose water and mix. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. In a frying pan heat oil and start frying boondis. To fry boondis , hold a slotted spoon a little above the oil and pour a little amount of batter on it and rub the batter with a spoon so that small drops of batter fall in the oil.  
8. Fry boondi on medium flame for 2 -3 mins and remove them while they still soft ( dont let them become dark and hard)
   
   
9. Put the boondi in the sugar syrup
   
   
   
10. Repeat this till all the batter finishes 
11. Add the dry fruits , 3 tbsp of boiling water and mix well 
12. Put in a food processor and pulse once ( don't worry the boondi will not get smashed if pulse for 2 seconds... don't pluse too much)
    
13. Remove in a Plate. 
14. Grease your hands with ghee, take a small portion of the boondi and start making small round ladoos. 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
15. Place the ladoos on small paper cups and garnish with almond slices. 
16. Your bhog for Ganeshji is ready :) 
    

Crispy fried prawns

Crispy Fried Prawns

Crispy fried prawns...today i was getting bored and wanted to cook something to entertain myself and i remembered there were prawns lying in fridge and there was nothing exciting in the dinner, so i decided to add some crunch to my mood and dinner. 

Ingredients

• Prawns- 7-8 pieces medium size prawns
• Cornflour – 1 cup
• Oil– for deep-frying
• Onions-½ finely chopped
• 3tbsp– schezwan sauce
• 1-tsp soya sauce
• 1-tbsp oil
• Salt and pepper as per taste
• Spring onion –to garnish (optional)

Method:

• Remove the shell from the prawns, de-vein and wash and drain them.

• Coat the prawns well with corn flour.

• In pan deep fry the prawns on ( don’t fry  for too long, otherwise they will become chewy)

• In another pan heat 1 tblsp oil, add onion and fry till translucent.
• Add schezwan sauce, soya sauce and stir fast.
• Add the fried prawns, salt and pepper powder and stir well for 2 mins.

• Remove in plate and garnish with spring onions. I garnished with coriander since I didn’t have spring onions.

 

Tip : In case you don’t have schezwan sauce, you can use 1 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 4 buds of finely chopped and 2 tsp tomato ketch-up.

Bhuna Gosht : small meat chunks braised in spices

Bhuna gosht, this recipe gets its name from the way its prepared. Bhuna means roasted, here the meat is roasted in dry heat followed by roasting in moist heat, basically braising. This dish is famous in India as well as Pakistan. In Bangalore this is another popular street road that the seekh vendors sells along with 'Phal' another meat dishes. I will share the 'phal' recipe shortly. Some use tomatoes and make it very gravy like, but i prefer it with little or no gravy ...that's how the street hawkers make.. :)

Ingredients :

•  300 grams Mutton.  You can use beef or chicken. (The traditional recipe is made with beef  )
•  Curds 1/4 cup
• 1 tsp gram masala 
• 2tsp chilli powder ( if you like it more hot add another spoon)
• 1/2 cumin powder 
• 3 tsp Ginger-garlic paste 
• 3 tbsp oil 
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 green chillies 
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 
• 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves 

Method : 

• Wash meat well, drain, and set aside.
• Mix curds, red chilli powder, salt, cumin powder, garam masala, ginger - garlic paste, 1tbsp coriander, 1tbsp mint  and make a paste and apply entire mixture to the meat to well cover all meat. Set aside and let it marinate for atleast 2 hours.
  
• Heat cooking oil in a heavy based pan until well hot. Add onions and fry onions until the turn golden.
  
• Add marinated meat and stir fry for a few minutes.
  
• Add about half a cup of water and stir and let the meat cook
  
• When water comes to a boil, cover pot on low-medium heat and let meat cook. Cook until meat is well done, add more water in between if necessary.
• When meat is well done, fry meat until the water has completely evaporated and oil has separated. Add about half cup water ( or depending on how thin you want the curry.) Cover on very low heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes. ( This is optional , if you prefer the preparation dry then you done have to do it)
  
• Finally remove from heat and garnish with the remaining fresh coriander/cilantro and mint. 
  
• This can be had with hot with Roti or Nan.

Rava Idli : Soft and flavored semolina cakes

I always thought making rava idlis was really tough, I use to always use MTR ready made mix, when i would read ingredients on the pack and thought the ingredients are simple , but never tried making the idlies all by myself. I have this habit of chatting up with cooks at darshini and on one such chats a cook at a darshini explained the recipe to and I tried the recipe at same day and the idlies turned out really soft and yummy and since then I have continued making the rava idlis. These idlis are easier to make the plain rice idlis. There no waiting time involved for the batter to ferment.
 I have tried various varieties of rava idlis be it carrot rava idlis, palak rava idlies,  mixed veg rava idlis and many more. Here you go with recipe for plain rava idlis.

Ingredients for  Batter

• 1 cup semolina
• 3/4 cup curds
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp fruit salt/ Eno
• 1 tbsp grated coconut 
• oil for greasing
• salt to taste

Ingredients for Tempering

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 green chillies , finely  chopped
• 1 tsp urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 tsp chana dal (chick pea)
• 1 tbsp half broken cashewnuts
• 4 to 6 curry leaves
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp ghee

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a wok and roast semolina and let it cool
   
2. Roast cashewnuts and keep aside
   
3. Heat oil and add mustard seeds and let them crackle, chana dal, urad dal and fry till golden brown
4. Add curry leaves, green chilies and  sauté for 1 min, finally add coriander leave mix and remove from flame and keep aside to cool. 
5. Mix  curd, water, roasted semolina,grated  coconut and salt.
   
6. Add tempering and fruit salt and mix well
   
7. Leave it aside for 10 mins
8. In meanwhile grease the idli plates
9. Place  roasted cashewnut on each of the greased idli plates and pour the rava batter over the cashewnut.

1. Steam idlis in a steamer on medium flame for around 15 minutes
2. Serve hot with coconut or peanut chutney