December 29, 2012

Methi moong dal sabzi - Methi green gram dal sabzi

Methi moong dal sabzi in a serving bowl
Methi moong dal  sabzi recipe - This is a side dish prepared with  fenugreek leaves and split green grams. This is a very healthy accompaniment for any main meal with the goodness of methi leaves and moong dal. The combination of leafy vegetables and dal create a nutritious side dish. It is mildly spiced with chili powder and flavored with the tempering made with asafoetida, cumin seeds, onion and garlic. Fenugreek leaves are one of the most popular and easily available leafy vegetables in India. They are slightly bitter in taste but the addition of green gram dal reduces the bitterness of fenugreek leaves.

December 28, 2012

Tomato raisin chutney recipe - Chutney for roti and paratha

Tomato raisin chutney in a serving bowl
Tomato raisin chutney recipe - This  is a slightly sweet chutney with ginger and garlic flavor. It is a very simple chutney recipe even a beginner can adapt quickly. It is a side dish option and pairs well with methi thepla and paneer cabbage paratha . I have used raisins in this recipe which gives a unique taste to the chutney. Always I reserve some tomatoes for this chutney preparation. I have already posted mint coriander chutney which also goes well with parathas.

December 23, 2012

Phirni recipe - North Indian rice phirni recipe

Phirni in a serving bowl
Phirni recipe - This is a popular  North Indian dessert  prepared with milk, rice flour and sugar. This is alternative to rice kheer. Usually Phirni is served as a dessert after meals. You can make phirni with different flavours such as mango and almond by mixing mango pulp and almond paste.This is a very easy dessert to prepare and gets ready within few minutes. This recipe is perfect when you are in a hurry and want to finish the cooking very fast with some delicious dessert along with the main meal.

December 22, 2012

Vaali bhaji palya - Basale soppina palya - Malabar spinach sabzi

Basale Soppina Palya in serving bowl
Vaali bhaji or basale soppina palya recipe - Malabar spinach is a leafy vegetable widely used in Coastal part of Karnataka.In this part, every house would normally have a climber plants of malabar spinach in the backyard. It is a creeper or climber and it grows very easily by planting a thick stalk. It is known with many names such as basale soppu in Kannada, mayalu in Marathi and vaali bhaji in Konkani. Malabar spinach has a cooling and refreshing effect, but the effect is less if it is cooked too long. Vaali Bhaji palya is a coconut based thick gravy prepared with malabar spinach, toor dal, fresh coconut and some other spices. 

December 11, 2012

Mint coriander leaves chutney - Pudina kothimbir chutney

Mint coriander leaves chutney recipe - The mint coriander leaves chutney is one of the most popular chutney in India. The combination of  mint and coriander gives a unique flavour and taste to the chutney. Most of all, this chutney can be stored in a dry container in the refrigerator for a week. This is a flavorful accompaniment to a spicy dish like pulao and biryani and dipping sauce to samosas and dhoklas. This can be used in sandwich also. Mint is commonly known as pudina in India. Mint is well known for it's many health benefits. It has a refreshing aroma and mild pungent taste.Coriander leaves are used in almost all dishes. Try this mint coriander chutney and I am sure you will love it.

December 10, 2012

Onion tomato uttapam recipe - Onion tomato uttapa

Onion tomato uttapam or uttapa recipe - This is a very delicious South Indian breakfast dish loved by all Indians. It is soft and consumed with coconut chutney and sambar. Making uttapa is not difficult. You can also make it by using dosa batter. The secret behind the taste of uttapam depends on  the correct combination of its ingredients and the level of fermentation. For soft and aromatic uttapam, medium level of fermentation is required and too much fermentation makes it sour. I love uttapam a lot and make it at least once in a week. So, sharing the recipe with you all.

December 08, 2012

Dodkyachi bhaaji - Heerekayi palya - Ridge gourd curry

Dodkyachi bhaaji recipe - Dodkyachi bhaaji and aamti is one of my favourite combinations. Whenever I go to vegetable market, I make it a point to buy some ridge gourd to make bhaaji, curry or chutney. Today I am sharing a recipe for a  simple side dish made with ridge gourd. The flavour is infused with onion and some spice powder. This bhaaji pairs well with aamti and varan.  It also goes well with rotis. Crispy and yummy pakoda can also be prepared with ridge gourds. Ridge gourd contains enenrgy, moisture, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, calcium, iron and phosphorus.Some ridge gourds are bitter in taste, check it for bitterness before cooking.

Sitaphal rabdi recipe - Custard apple rabdi recipe

Sitaphal rabdi recipe - Custard apple rabdi is a delicious traditional North Indian  dessert prepared with custard apple pulp and milk. The flavour is infused with cardamom and saffron. Once you master the art of removing the seeds and squeezing the pulp out, you can make the rabdi very quickly. Custard apple is a seasonal fruit. When we buy it in bulk, some custard apples over ripe and I don't throw them. I usually make milkshake or rabdi with it. This rabdi is served as a dessert after meal.

Majjige huli recipe - Butter milk curry recipe

Majjige huli recipe - Majjige huli is a popular  authentic curry of  Karnataka prepared with buttermilk, besan and pumpkin. It goes well with hot rice. This is a slightly tangy curry with combined flavour of ginger, asafoetida  and cumin seeds. Addition of pepper and green chilli increases the taste. Friends, try out this majjige huli to have the traditional taste of Karnataka cuisine.

November 23, 2012

Sitaphal milkshake recipe - Custard apple milkshake

Sitaphal milkshake recipe - The winter season is here but the temperatures are still warm. Climate is  warm during days and cool during nights. Here in India, the season for custard apples or  sitaphal starts from mid-July and ends in late-November. I usually buy custard apples whenever I find nice big ones at a good price, but I buy them hard. In our warm weather, they ripen overnight. Then I keep them in the refrigerator. The custard apple season comes just once a year. I store custard apple pulp in the deep freezer when custard apples are in season.

November 12, 2012

Butter chakli recipe - Benne chakli - Butter murukku

Butter chakli or Benne chakli recipe - Butter chakli is a very popular crispy and savoury snack prepared all over India during festival seasons like Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi. It is always fun to make snacks like chakli and shankarpali to treat family and friends.I made this crispy and flavorful chakli by mixing various pulses with rice and I love the combination of these ingredients. The recipe seems to be tedious, but once you master the art of pressing proper shaped chaklis you need not to worry about the other process.

November 01, 2012

Palak dal recipe - Coconut based spinach toor dal recipe

Palak dal recipe - This spinach toor dal curry is just a coconut based curry which you can enjoy with rice or roti. It can be either spicy or bland and you can add any vegetable of your choice.The combination of spinach, toor dal and coconut is too nutritious for all. This healthy curry makes a balanced diet in combination with rice and roti. Palak or spinach is one of the most popular leafy vegetables which is used to make soup, palak paneer, palak paratha, poori, palak rice and palak chole or simple palak onion stir fry. I make this curry often. So, sharing the recipe of palak dal with you all.

October 25, 2012

Dudde sukke recipe - Pumpkin sabzi - Kumbalakayi upkari

Dudde sukke recipe - Red pumpkin sabzi is a very nutritious side dish which is slightly sweet in taste. Pumpkin is widely used in Karnataka cuisine. Among them sambar, palya, sukke, poori, halwa are very popular. This sabzi is very easy to prepare and can be made in a jiffy. This is a very basic sabzi  that is served with chapathi, roti and rice with South Indian curry and pickle. Though recipe seems to be very simple, it is such a delicious sabzi and is a quick cooking side dish. Do try this healthy pumpkin sabzi and enjoy.

October 20, 2012

Potato sambar recipe - Batate sambar - Alugadde sambar

Potato sambar recipe - This sambar recipe is about how to make lip-smacking South Indian style sambar with toor dal and potatoes. In South Inda, sambar is often made in every household for idli, uttappam, dosa   and rice. I really love this sambar and I have made so many times. Every time it comes out tasty. Homemade sambar powder, jeera, methi, hing, ginger, red chillies and curry leaves add flavor to this sambar.

October 18, 2012

Sambar powder with dry coconut recipe

Sambar powder with dry coconut recipe - Today  I am posting a very basic South Indian sambar masala recipe. I am sure beginners will find this recipe very useful. Sambar masala or powder is an essential item in the kitchen. I always use homemade sambar powder. We need sambar for idli, dosa, uttappam and rice. If the sambar masala is readily available at home, sambar can be prepared very quickly. With this powder, you can prepare variety of sambar such as tiffin sambar, drumstick sambar, pumpkin sambar, brinjal sambar etc.