Aloo pakoda recipe - How to make potato pakoda

Aloo pakoda recipe - Potato pakoda with dosa batter and gram flour is another delicious dish that I make often whenever I have dosa or idli batter in stock in my fridge. The potato pakoda is usually prepared with besan or gram flour. But, this pakoda has a twist with dosa batter and it is more on the softer side rather than crispy as I had used fermented batter. Adding besan is totally optional, but it provides good binding and frying becomes very easy and pakoda doesn't stick in the bottom.

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Cauliflower pakoda recipe - How to make cauliflower pakoda

Cauliflower pakoda recipe - Today  I am sharing with you all a very simple yet delicious cauliflower bajji - pakoda  recipe. Bajji or pakoda is most in demand evening snack in our house during weekend and holidays.  I  make onion bajji, mushroom bajji, cabbage bajji, capsicum bajji, raw banana bajji, brinjal bajji, mix dal bajji, etc.  This is a very simple and hassle free bajji which get ready within few minutes.

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Eggless banana cake recipe - How to make eggless banana cake

Eggless banana cake recipe - This Banana cake is a pleasurable soft cake with ripe banana, milk and butter. Banana in this cake enhances the flavor and addition of  butter adds extra softness and taste.This cake is simply wonderful and above all it is eggless. I like it most due to its texture and taste.

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Maharashtrian dalichi amti recipe - Dal amti recipe

Maharashtrian dalichi amti recipe - Amti is a form of  Maharashtrian dal which can be used along with rice, poli or chapati and can also be consumed as a soup. Tempering with lots of ingredients and addition of kala masala makes this amti very flavorful and tasty.

Every house hold has its own version of making amti but, using kala masala and jaggery in it is common. This amti consistency is little bit thin if compared to the normal dalichi varan. Friends, try out this recipe and enjoy the taste of traditional Maharashtra cuisine.

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Bhajanichi chakli recipe - Maharashtrian chakli recipe

Chakli with bhajani recipe - Chakli is our all time favorite delicious crunchy snack. Few days back, during  Deepawali festival, I had made bhajani  for chakli and posted it in this space. Please check out the bhajani recipe.. Though I made chakli during that time, I could not post it.  I always do chakli in small quantity as and when we feel eating and store the remaining bhajani or chakli flour in an airtight container, wrapping in zip lock plastic bag. 

The word chakli comes from the word chakri, it means wheel. The beginners may find it little difficult to prepare a correct round shaped chakli.  If you find difficult to make it round, just press it in the shape of a long stick and deep fry. No matter whatever the shape it has, the taste remains same. This chakli goes well with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

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Coconut green chilli chutney recipe - Chutney for idli dosa - How to make coconut green chilli chutney

Coconut green chilli chutney recipe - My previous post was neer dosa. I had prepared this chutney to serve with it. Coconut and green chilli chutney is a nice accompaniment for dosa and idlis. Whenever I prepare dosa or idli, most of the time I make this chutney. It has hot, slightly sweet and sour taste. It can be prepared with few ingredients which are easily available in the kitchen shelf and fridge.Friends, try out this tongue tickling chutney for dosa and idli.

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Neer dose recipe - How to make neer dosa

Neer dose recipe - South Indian breakfast dish list is incomplete without dosa.  There are several varieties of dosas you can prepare and one of them is neer dosa /dose.  Neer dosa is a popular and very famous dosa of Karnataka. The batter for this dosa is prepared by grinding rice and coconut. The consistency of the batter is thin, I mean it is watery. Hence the dosa is called neer ( watery) dose.

We always like and never get bored with neer dosa because of its soft texture, taste and coconut flavour. It goes very well with coconut chutney and jaggery syrup ( thili bella). Do try out neer dosa to have an authentic taste of this signature dish. It is very delicious, filling and you'll prepare it again and again once you taste it.

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Ghosale sukke recipe - Heerekayi upkari recipe - Ridge gourd stir fry

Ghosale sukke - As I always buy plenty of ridge gourds from market, I make simple ghossale sukke several times which goes well with rotis. Ridge gourd is a bland vegetable and therefore it is necessary to add flavour and taste to it. When I make this upkari without adding water and cooked it in its own juice, it really turns a tasty side dish.

Here I have flavored the stir fry with tadka, green chilli and freshly grated coconut. Another plus point of this dish is that it can be prepared within few minutes and is very healthy. Whenever I am in a hurry to cook, I make such stir fry and wind up my cooking as fast as I can. Check out another variation of  ridge gourd palya which I had posted earlier.

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Eggless orange cake recipe - How to make eggless orange cake

Eggless orange cake recipe - Today I have orange cake for you all. Oranges are seasonal fruits and it is quite obvious that we prefer to eat fruits in its natural form. But making cake with oranges when they are in peak season is not a bad idea. This orange cake was very soft and  delicious, so I thought to share the recipe with you all. I am not a great fan of cake, but I like oranges a lot. Made this orange cake and we all enjoyed it. If you love orange juice added dishes, try out this delicious cake.

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Ukadiche patholi in turmeric leaf recipe - Rice flour patholi recipe - How to make patholi in turmeric leaf

Ukadiche patholi in turmeric leaf (arishina ele) recipe - Have a look at this traditional elegant sweet. This is patholi prepared using steamed rice flour. Earlier I had posted another version of making patholi. To know exactly what it is, read the following recipe. Check out some other traditional sweets recipes prepared with rice flour, Ukadiche modak using mould, Ukadiche Modak (method 2),  Patholi using turmeric leaf ( metthod 1),  Phirni - Rice flour kheer.

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Pomegranate juice recipe - Dalimbe juice

Pomegranate or  dalimbe juice - What would we prefer to drink in the scorching heat? Fresh fruit juice, right? Here is the pomegranate juice for healthy body and healthy mind. Also check out some other juice, milk shakes  and drinks recipes.  muskmelon juice, orange juice, badam kesar doodh, lemon ginger squash and sharbat, green grape juice , black grape juice, watermelon juice , khajoor milk shake, chickoo milk shake, apple milk shake, custard apple milk shake, strawberry milkshake.

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Apple pineapple jam recipe - Apple ananas jam

Apple pineapple jam recipe - This is a very healthy sweet and sour jam. As the name suggests this jam is prepared with  apples and pineapple. This jam can be used to prepare bread cheese sandwiches and bread butter sandwiches / toast. It can also be served with chapati and pooris. Check out some other dessert / sweet recipes. rasmalai, mix fruits seekarane, chibud rasayana, pumpkin kheer, kharbuja rasayana, phool makhana pudding, rice-chanadal  kheer, moongdal kheer, chana dal kheer, Paneer Kheer, amrakhand, badam kheer, fruit salad, vermicelli kheer, phirni, sitaphal rabdi, white gourd kheer, finger millet halwa, lauki ka halwa, gajar ka halwa

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Dudde kolmbo recipe - Karnataka style pumpkin curry recipe

Dudde or pumpkin kolmbo recipe- This is a sambar prepared by using red pumpkin and can be served with idli, dosa, vada and rice. Check out other dal - curry - sambar recipes.  aloo matar saaru, drumstick thoor dal curry,  kasuri methi dal,  dal curry with white masala, moong dal amti , chilkewali moong dal curry, soya beans white gourd kootu, rajma brinjal kootu, tomato curry, dal tadka, brinjal curry, raw mango curry , katachi aamti,  drumstick sambar, palak dal, Potato sambar,  majjige huli /buttermilk curry , methi thoor dal kadhi.

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Sabudana chivda recipe - Fried sago and ground nut mixture

Sabudana chivda recipe - Category - snacks. Snack prepared with nylon sabudana which is specially meant for chivda, which is usually eaten during fasts. Check out other snacks recipes. Sabudana potato vada, sabudana potato thalipeeth, sabudana khichadi, phool makhana snacks, churmuri chiwda, poha chiwda.

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Heerekayi palya recipe - ghossale randayi - how to make ridge gourd sabzi

Heerekayi or ridge gourd palya recipe - Category - sabzi. Cuisine - Konkan region cuisine. This is a cuisine from konkan region where fresh and fleshy ridge gourds are available in plenty throughout the year. There can be two versions one with minimal spice and the other as spicy one. A spicy version of this dish goes well with roti, chapathi, curd rice and steamed rice.

I have used coarse masala paste prepared with coconut, fried red chillies, fried urad dal and sesame seeds. Small quantity of tamarind is also used to make it slightly sour. Garam masala enhances the taste and flavor. Tempering is a must in this dish as it gives an extra flavor to the dish. I do not add water while cooking ridge gourd palya. It tastes well when cooked in it's own juices.

Ridge gourd is a healthy vegetable which contains vitamin C, iron and dietary fibers. It is low in fat and calories. The dishes made with ridge gourd is light on stomach and easily digestible. So using ridge gourd often in the meal is good for all age people. Ridge gourd is called as heerekayi in kannada, ghossali in konkani, dhodka in marathi, turai or torai in hindi. 

I make few varieties of dishes with ridge gourd and those are palya, sukke, bhajji, bharli dhodka and curry. The curry made in combination with toor dal and ridge gourd is delicious and one of my favorite veg curries. Growing ridge gourd in the back yard is common in coastal konkan region.

Check out some other interesting sabzi recipes in this space hariyali chole masala, karlyachi peeth perun bhaji, kadai gobi and beans,  kadai bhindi,  paneer masala with cashew, matki usal, mushroom munchurian, bharli bhindi,  radish subzi.

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Mushroom korma recipe - How to make mushroom kurma

Mushroom korma or kurma recipe - Yesterday, I made this mushroom korma for chapatis. Here mushrooms are available all around the year, I bring them fresh and make curry or masala or kurma or mushroom rice with different variations. This mushroom kurma masala was delicious and went well with chapatis. So, I thought to share this recipe with you all.

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Besan ladoo recipe - How to make besan laddu

Besan ladoo recipe - This  is  a wonderful traditional sweet,  I adore the whole texture and taste of these ladoos. Keeping in mind the amount of ghee and sugar I use in these ladoos, I prepare it only during festivals and special occasions. I made these ladoos on diwali festival as one of the naivedya dish and I am posting it now. 

Traditionally, the besan ladoo is made with slightly coarse bengal gram flour, but can also be prepared by using fine flour to have some smooth textured ladoo. The method of preparation is very simple and easy, but taste wise this ladoo is really delicious. So, dig into these ladoos and enjoy the traditional taste. Earlier I had posted another  version of  besan ladoo, check out the recipe here. 

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Peda using milk powder and condensed milk recipe

Peda using milk powder and condensed milk recipe -  Wishing you all a very Happy and Prosperous Deepavali. Today I am sharing with you all a very easy to make peda made with milk, milk powder, condensed milk and sugar. These basic ingredients give the peda all the required taste and texture. The cardamom infuses the flavor with all these and the lovely peda was soft and  delicious. The method of making peda with khava is quite different than this method.  Khava peda is one of the common pedas available in sweet shop. But peda prepared with milk powder and condensed milk is unique. It tastes so good and every one in my family liked it. It is always a great treat to eat this tiny sweet with rich taste.

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Bhajani for chakli recipe - Rice flour mix for preparing chakli - how to make bhajani for chakli

Bhajani  for chakli recipe  (flour mix for preparing chakli) - Today I am posting the recipe of traditional bhajani for chakli, which is a traditional savoury of Maharashtra. Chakli is a savoury snack usually prepared during diwali. Every house hold is making chakli or murukku for the festival with their own version. Bhajani in Marathi means roasted flour. This flour is prepared out of rice, roasted chana dal, urad dal and cumin seeds. This flour is  durable and you can store it for a couple of months and can be used as and when required. As a variation for having a different taste, you can add roasted ajwain, chilli powder and sesame seeds to the flour while preparing chakli.

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Khajoor burfi recipe - Dates burfi recipe

Khajoor burfi recipe - Today here is my post on khajoor dry fruits burfi.  Khajoor dry fruits burfi is an excellent healthy sweet for kids and adults. It is made out of pure dry fruits and no sugar is added. So, try out this burfi and treat your family with this guilt free healthy sweet.

In this sweet, I have used poppy seeds which is totally optional. Along with khajoor, you can also use roasted dry coconut and sesame seeds to get a burfi with a different taste and texture. This is a durable sweet that you can store at room temperature for a couple of months. Here is the khajoor dry fruits burfi which is liked not only by me but by all of my family members. This healthy sweet can be prepared in very less time.

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Rasmalai recipe - how to make rasmalai - Diwali sweet recipes - Bengali sweets recipes

Rasmalai recipe - As Diwali or Deepavali is approaching near, every one must be busy with the preparation of sweets and savoury snacks like me. Today I am going to share with you all, the rasmalai recipe which is a traditional Bengali sweet. This rasmalai is made out of home made fresh chena or soft paneer or cottage cheese and it turned so delicious, luscious and perfect.

I really love it's softness and the shape. The milk for rasmali was mildly flavoured with saffron (kesar) and cardamoms. Above all it is very simple and easy recipe that can be enjoyed at festivals and special occasions. Try this very delicious dessert for the coming festival and treat your family, relatives and friends with this special delectable dish.

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Palak soup recipe - Spinach soup recipe

Palak or spinach soup recipe - The recipe I am going to share today is simple soup prepared with spinach.You can just boil and blend the spinach, tomatoes, onions black pepper and ginger. Add the corn flour paste as thickening agent to the simmering soup and your creamy, delicious soup will be ready within few minutes. This is a healthy soup which gives comfort to the throat and soul. Spinach, popularly known as palak is a widely used leafy vegetable available all round the year. So the soup can be made at any season.

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Lauki ka thepla - Dudhi bhoplyachi thepla recipe

Lauki thepla recipe - Today I am going to share lauki thepla recipe which is very tasty and flavourful. To me this is truly an easy recipe. This is a simple version of mixing the ingredients and rolling the thin theplas, then shallow frying on a griddle with very less oil or ghee. It is a healthy dish for those who like to eat rotis for their breakfast or lunch.It goes really well with all varieties of chutney and raita. Above all you can easily pack it in the lunch box.

Most of the time I make thepla for our breakfast.This method is so simple, even novice cook can make it. Whenever I have enough time for kitchen in the evening I knead the thepla dough in advance and store it in the refrigerator to use it in the morning. It saves time and comes handy during the morning rush. Check out other delicious paratha and thepla recipe.

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Mix vegetable korma - How to make vegetable kurma

Vegetable korma recipe - Vegetable korma is a delicious side dish for parathas, theplas, other Indian flat breads, ghee rice and jeera rice, prepared in North India. Being a tempting dish, this is an ideal side dish to prepare for small parties or weekend treat. The procedure I have posted here is very easy to make with easily available ingredients in kitchen.

This korma is prepared using variety of vegetables. So, it is healthy too.I have used onions, tomatoes, cauliflower, baby corn, carrots, potatoes and beans. Along with these vegetables you can also add other soft vegetables like broccoli, green peas, ivy gourd and zucchini. Do try this delectable vegetable korma as side dish for your favorite Indian rotis or pulaos and I am sure you will enjoy it.

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Ground rice patholi recipe - How to make patholi using turmeric leaf - Patholi using arisina ele or haldi paan recipe

Patholi using turmeric leaf recipe - Wishing You All a Very Happy and Prosperous Dussehra. Patholi is a traditional, delicious and flavorful sweet dish made in Konkan region. Patholi is a steamed rice flour dumplings, prepared by spreading the rice flour dough on turmeric leaves and stuffed with coconut jaggery filling. 

The turmeric leaves have an addictive fragrance and it imparts flavour to any dish prepared in it. Patholi is usually prepared during Nag Panchami festival. But I found this rarely available turmeric leaves in the vegetable market and could not stop myself from buying it. Immediately I prepared this patholi when the leaves were fresh and green.

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Mix fruits seekarane recipe

Mix fruits seekarane recipe - I have already prepared mango rasayana, musk melon rasayana and mash melon rasayana with coconut milk and posted them before, but now I prepared the mix fruits seekarane with milk. This mix fruits seekarane is a very delicious and  healthy dessert and it can be served as upawas or fasting dish by replacing the milk with coconut  milk. Seekarane is a popular dessert of South Karnataka. This is a perfect dessert to prepare when guests visit suddenly or kids demand sweet dish, they have no patience to wait and you can prepare seekarane within few minutes with available fruits in the kitchen.

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Kempu harive soppu upkari Recipe - Amaranth leaves stir fry

Kempu harive soppu upkari  recipe -This is a simple stir fry prepared with amaranth leaves in combination with fresh coconut and served as a side dish to chapati and rice with curry. Amaranth leaves are extensively cultivated in all parts of India. This leafy vegetable is also known as kempu harive soppu, tamdi bhajji and lal math.

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Chibud rasayana recipe - Mash melon rasayana recipe

Chibud or mash melon rasayana recipe - Chubud or mashmelon rasayana is a coconut milk based dessert traditionally prepared with mashmelon, coconut milk, beaten rice and jaggery. It is mildly induced with cardamom flavor. Chibud is a fruit belonging to melon family, which is mostly grown in Konkan region. 

Sometimes, these melon fruits may be consumed in the form of  juice, milk shake  or lassi. This rasayana is prepared during navaratri days as fasting dish. If you are making it for fasting, then exclude the poha. During deepavali festival on narak chaturdashi day usually  rasayana prepared with either mesh melon or ripe banana is served in konkan region.

If you eat this delectable dish for fasting, it keeps you energetic for a long period. If you do not find chibud, you can make rasayana by using muskmelon. Check out muskmelon rasayana. These rasayanas are usually served chilled.

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Rava vegetable dhokla recipe

Rava vegetable dhokla recipe - Making breakfast is really a challenging task and every time we need different dishes for breakfast. This dhokla is a Gujarathi speciality prepared with vegetables and yogurt along with rava. This is an alternative to rava vegetable idli. 

This dhokla is delectable with the combination of yogurt and vegetables. To bring out an exotic taste from dhokla, it needs to be served with green chutney prepared with cilantro, mint leaves and other ingredients. This dhokla is not only a breakfast dish but  also it can be packed in the lunch box or served with lunch or dinner.

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Bataate vataane ambat - Potato green peas curry

Bataate vataane ambat  - Today I have come up with one easiest and simplest  ambat recipe of Karnataka, prepared with potato and green peas. It has mildly spiced coconut based gravy which really goes well with hot rice and chapati. There are number of ways by which you can make ambat. But this is the simplest method with very few ingredients. Check out other  dal, sambar, saaru recipes. Curry is called as ambat in konkani language. Curries are staple food in this region. It is usually served with steamed rice. The coconut based masala paste for this curry is made by grinding the coconut and other ingredients to a smooth paste. These types of curries can be made using some other vegetables like brinjal, raw banana, french beans, chickpeas, green peas, black eyed beans etc.

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Rava banana kesari recipe - Rava baale hannina sheera - Sheera recipe

Rava banana sheera or kesari recipe - Today it is Ghatasthapna. On this auspicious day I would like to post a very delicious sweet dish recipe which is commonly made in all parts of India. Rava banana sheera is a very essential naivedya dish prepared during  Satyanarayana Pooja and Durga Pooja. It is also called Mahaprasaad. If it is for naivedya, ghee, sugar and rava is used in equal quantity.

But keeping health point in mind, I have used less ghee in this recipe and added milk to increase the taste. However, you can increase the ghee quantity in this dish.  I have also used less sugar as the banana adds an extra sweet to the sheera.  I also make pineapple rava  sheera, and I'll post that too in due course. Whenever I buy banana, I reserve a banana to make this kesari.

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Dudde poori recipe - Pumpkin poori recipe

Dudde poori recipe - Pumpkin is a healthy yellow vegetable with rich sources of vitamins and minerals. Growing kids must eat them regularly. Usually I make stir fry called dudde sukke with it. But this sukke is not much in demand and nobody likes to eat at home. So I have been making pooris with pumpkin to satisfy the taste bud of my family members. 

Today I am sharing with you all a sweet poori recipe prepared with pumpkin, wheat flour and jaggery. The combination of ingredients are awesome. The pooris are flavorful and loved by all. Pumpkin sweet poori is a teatime snack. It tastes best when served hot and accompanied by savoury snacks. If you have pumpkin in stock, making poori is one of the best ways to use it. It goes exceptionally well with hot tea, coffee or chilled drinks. It doesn't need any side dish. Check out other pumpkin recipes.

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Pav bhaji recipe - Mumbai pav bhaji recipe

Pav bhaji recipe - Pav bhaji is a famous street food of Mumbai or Bombay.  It is a common scene that several carts are serving pav bhaji on streets and beach. Now it is a popular fast food in all parts of India. For the preparation of this bhaji, I have used MTR pav bhaji masala which is readily available in the shop. 

This potato based bhaji has a special taste and texture. Besides potatoes, other vegetables like cauliflower, green peas and capsicums are used to make it more healthier and tasty. This bhaji is usually served with pavs or bread slices. 

Now a days pav bhaji has become staple food of many homes. Making pav bhaji with easily available masala is not a big task. Pavs especially prepared for this pav bhaji is available at any time in bakery shop. It is a full meal itself and you don't even need to prepare any other staple food like chapathi, sabzi, rice etc. 

This is a versatile dish served in parties, breakfast, lunch and dinner. You will get pav bhaji out side of schools, offices and parks. I have used bread slices in the place of pav. To make a use of already available bread slices, I have not bough the pavs. Like pavs, bread slices are also shallow fried in butter. 

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Roasted poha chiwda recipe - Beaten rice chiwda

Roasted poha chiwda recipe - Poha or pohe or beaten rice chivda is the first thing that comes in my mind when I am thinking to make some easy and crispy evening teatime savoury snacks. This chivda is very easy to prepare and can be stored for about a couple of weeks to serve as evening teatime snack. Even you can make this chivda without adding peanuts and putanis. 

If you like a more crunchy stuff, you can add fried cashews and dry coconuts along with putanis and ground nuts. To make this chivda, crispy poha is required. Therefore, roast the poha till crispy. Once you roast the poha perfectly without burning it, your half work is done. 

The basic method is similar to murmura chivda . Earlier, I had posted few savoury snacks recipes. Check out  kharasev, methi nippattu and tikhat shankarpali recipes, which are great teatime snacks. Try this crispy and delectable poha or avalakki chivda to serve as an evening teatime snacks. 

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Besan ladoo recipe

Besan ladoo recipe - Today I am going to share a traditional besan ladoo recipe of Maharashtra. During the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, sumptuous sweet like besan ladoo for prasaad  in naivedya thali definitely would make a traditional delight. During Deepavali festival the aroma of besan ladoo spreads from every homes of Maharashtra.

This fabulous ladoo adds flavor to festivities too. This ladoo is very easy to make and the preparation is flexible. You can adjust the besan, ghee and sugar at any time to bind the ladoos perfectly. To make proper delicious ladoo, gram flour or besan must be fry properly. You need to fry them on low flame till they releases flavor and turn to light golden colour. 

If the besan is raw and not fried well, the ladoo gets spoiled very easily within short period. Otherwise this is a durable ladoo which can be stored for about a fortnight at room temperature and another ten days in the refrigerator. As the name suggests, besan is the basic ingredient of this ladoo which releases an excellent flavor and fabulous taste when fried in ghee. In combination with sugar, it turns into an absolutely beautiful and extremely delicious besan ladoos, perfect for a festive occasion. Check out some other ladoo varieties here.

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Palak pulav recipe - Spinach pulao recipe

Palak pulav recipe -  Today I am going to share with you all a very simplest, easiest and yummy palak pulao recipe. In India varieties of pulao is made using various vegetables and this pulao is one of them.  It is a healthy one pot meal made with well known leafy vegetable spinach in combination with rice. 

It is a perfect dish to make when you are running out of time to prepare so many things on busy days or in the morning rush, or you have unexpected guests .This is an ideal rice dish that you can pack  in the lunch box along with spicy side dish. 

Though its a very simple dish with few basic ingredients, its a complete meal in itself and fills the stomach. You can add other vegetables such as green peas, carrots, ivy gourds, potatoes and  you will get another version of tasty pulao. Check out other pulao and biryani varieties. Try and enjoy this delicious pulao with your favorite side dish.

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Til shenga chutney powder recipe - Peanut sesame seeds chutney powder

Til shenga chutney powder recipe - This til shenga chutney powder is a blend of peanuts, sesame seeds and dry coconut made to serve with parathas, theplas, phulkas, chapatis, rotis and even dosas. The method of preparation  is simple. Just roast and fry few ingredients and blend. An amazing chutney powder will be ready within few minutes.

This til shenga chutney powder contains essential flavors, texture and taste that you like. This chutney powder is definitely  something different than usual wet chutneys and  I really love it. An instant chutney can be made by mixing this powder with yogurt.

The oily chutney can be prepared by adding warm oil to this chutney powder which goes really great with all variety of rotis. You can also serve this til shenga chutney powder  as it is along with Indian flat breads.

The best part is that it is very handy and you can store it in an airtight container for about a month. Paratha, thepla, chapati, phulka, roti, rice items, dosa, idli, uttappa etc. etc. are our staple food. And we need chutneys to go with it. Chutney is my family's favorite side dish. I grind chutneys almost every alternate day to serve with our staple food. So, stock of such chutney powder fulfill my kitchen task and with the help of it, I can handle the chutney situation very easily. Check out some other chutney varieties in this space. Try and taste it. I am sure you will like it.

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Kaddu ka thepla recipe - Pumpkin thepla recipe

Kaddu ka thepla recipe - Today I am sharing with you all one more fairly spicy thepla recipe prepared with pumpkin and wheat flour. This mix and roll procedure is certainly a different method than the double roti style of pumpkin paratha which I had posted earlier. This is one of  our most favorite theplas and goes extremely well with chutneys, chutney powder and curd. 

It has a soft texture and alluring flavor. This is exquisitely fine, subtle and pleasing with a hint of mild spice powder. The perfect blend of yogurt, chilly powder, salt and besan turn the theplas in an array of fabulous dish. 

These theplas are suitable to pack in the lunch box. It is a perfect technique to serve good nutritious theplas with healthy ingredients combined into one  dish. The preparation of theplas doesn't need any great skill and  meticulous technique. Even a novice cook can make these theplas very easily. Do check out other paratha and thepla varieties.

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Tomato soup recipe

Tomato soup recipe - A comforting and soothing healthy drink to sip for all age people in all season. This is a tomato based thick variety soup served hot. This tomato soup is low in calories with full of flavors and taste which satisfy your taste buds.

The fresh pepper powder made by pounding the pepper in a mortar with a pestle adds a hot taste to the soup. Soup is a must liquid food, particularly during the rainy days. There are few specific kind of soups that can be made easily. Do check out some other  soup varieties.  

This hot tomato soup is made  by boiling  ingredients in water  and the flavors are extracted by cooking them soft. There are two types of soups that we can make,  the clear soups  and the thick soups. Thick soups are always my family's favorite, so I made this thick variety of soup by using corn flour as thickening ingredient and served it as a starter for the meal.  You may serve it with toast or toasted bread cubes. Try this soup and take a taste. You will like it.

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Rava dose recipe - Rava dosa recipe - Semolina Dosa

Rava dose recipe - Rava dosa is yet another breakfast dish of  South India. For breakfast we look forward to prepare classic dishes to serve. This rava dosa has a great texture and softness that makes a splendid breakfast dish when accompanied with sambar and chutneys. This is a very simple and easy to prepare dish which is a time saver in the morning rush. 

This is a comfort dish that keeps your stomach full for at least two hours. This is an ideal dish for the beginners that they can prepare it very easily. This dosa  batter doesn't need any fermentation. Once you make the urad dal  paste, the roasted rava can be added to it and you can prepare the dosa immediately. This is an alternative to rice dosa. 

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Baby corn pakoda recipe

Baby corn pakoda or pakora recipe - Today I have come up with a highly irresistible baby corn pakoda, an absolutely perfect evening snack with a hot cup of  tea, coffee, juice or lassi.

I made this zestful pakoda with the batter in combination with  all purpose flour or  maida and corn flour. The pakodas prepared in this batter have a distinct taste and unique texture, since pakodas made using corn flour really become more crispy. Chilli powder and lemon juice is also added and the taste is blend with these in pakodas. 

It is very common that evening tea or coffee is often enjoyed with savoruy snacks or fried pakodas. This baby corn pakoda is an ideal snack to relish after school or office.

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Dudde paays - Kumbalkayi payasa - Pumpkin kheer

Dudde paays or  kumbalkayi payasa recipe - India celebrates 68th Independence day  today.  Each Indian enjoys the happiness of  this day. This is the most memorable day for all of us. Wishing Each Indian A Very Happy and Joyful Independence Day.

Today I made this pumpkin kheer to celebrate the special occasion of Independence day. Pumpkin kheer is a very popular South Indian traditional dessert. An ideal sweet dish to make on some occasions and festivals. Traditionally, pumpkin is cooked in thin coconut milk, simmered with thick coconut milk and jaggery, flavored with cardamoms and textured with semolina. Coconut milk and jaggery together release an excellent flavor  when it is induced with cardamom powder.

I have used semolina or rava in the kheer for my convenience, as I do not like to grind small quantity of rice. However,  you can use rice instead of rava, for that, please read the note given below.  I made this kheer using yellow colour round variety of pumpkin, which has luscious dense orange colour flesh as compared to the oval shaped pumpkin which has dang and thin flesh.

Whenever I bring the pumpkin form vegetable market, I reserve a small piece of it to make this delicious kheer as I am having a strong preference and liking for pumpkin kheer. It needs few ingredients and can be made quickly. You can also make lauki or  white gourd kheer in this way. Pumpkin takes a very few minutes to cook. Therefore take care not to cook it too mushy to avoid the kheer turns into paste. While cooking the pumpkins, you need to check it in regular intervals. It should not be too hard. That may spoil the taste of the kheer.

For the best result, use hard and dense pumpkin that cut into evenly sized cubes. The time required for cooking the pumpkin may vary according to the size and quality of the pumpkin.  Usually this kheer,  is served with meal.

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Kaju makhan masala recipe - How to make cashew nut butter masala

Kaju makhan masala  recipe - Kaju makhan masala is a delicious creamy dish to relish with naan, roti, phulka, chapati, jeera rice and even steamed rice. Kaju Makhan masala is a North India's Punjabi speciality. It has rich gravy of cashews, onions, tomatoes, butter and fresh cream that is flavored with spice powder and the dish is different from the usual  kaju curry.

In fact, the thick gravy tastes better than the thin gravy, so  while making this dish, keep the gravy consistency thick and you'll experience the creamy taste when this dish is taken into the mouth. I also make paneer and  green peas makhan masala, mushroom and green peas makhan masala and mushroom and paneer makhan masala. In fact, kaju makhan masala is bit different than kaju masala. Kaju makhan masala is made by using butter and cream, whereas kaju masla doesn't contain cream or butter.

Usually, for the makhan masala, kajus are shallow fried in butter, but  I have just dry roasted the cashews as I don't like to add much butter or cream in our diet. Makhan  in hindi means butter. Cashews are easily storable at room temperature in all season throughout the year. This kaju makhan masala  can also be made on special occasions like birthday party, kitty party, potluck party, family get together and so on.

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Kharbuja rasayana recipe - Cantaloupe rasayana recipe

Kharbuja  rasayana recipe - Kharbuja rasayana is a delicious all season dessert, commonly made in Karnataka. Muskmelon in combination with  coconut milk make this dish an extremely pleasing dessert when sweetened with jaggery and induced with cardamom flavor. Traditionally, coconut paste is used to make the rasayana. But somehow, we like to have it in coconut milk rather than coconut paste.

Muskmelon, mango, banana and mashmelon (chibud) are most popular fruits to prepare this dessert. Muskmelon and chibud belong to the same melon family. Both have soft flesh with distinctive melon flavor. This kharbuja rasayana is alternative to chibud rasayana. I don't get chibud here. Chibuds are extensively cultivated in coastal parts of India. Both kharbuj and chibud are delicious fruits having a property for keeping the stomach cool.

In this dish, jaggery and coconut milk are team players. They both goes great in combination with muskmelon. The beaten rice ( poha)  is  immersed in the sweetened coconut milk to give a unique taste and texture to the rasayana. Then muskmelon pieces are added and induced with cardamom flavor. Even you can grind half of the muskmelon in a  mixer before adding it to the coconut milk. I make this rasayana specially on warm days.

To prepare a delectable rasayana, make sure to buy an oval shaped luscious muskmelon which has a distinctive  characteristic taste. There are many versions of traditional rasyana. All versions are so tasty. Rasayana prepared in combination with muskmelon and banana, mango and banana, muskmelon and mango are such a great dish to serve.  Serve this delicious rasayana as a dessert. It can be eaten as it is. It also goes well with pooris. Either way, this dish is fantastic.

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Kharbuja juice recipe - Muskmelon juice - Cantaloupe juice

Kharbuja juice  recipe - Chilled  muskmelon juice with a splatter of lime is the perfect refreshing drink to enjoy on a hot summer day. On hot summer days, we generally experience the feeling of dehydration and thirst due to over sweating . Musk melon juice prevents these problems. It cools the stomach and comforts the throat. Though its raining here, the atmosphere is still warm and I felt like having some sumptuous fruit juice. Therefore, I thought of muskmelon which is readily available.

Fruits are an essential part of our daily diet. They are really good to provide the required amount of vitamins and minerals. Muskmelons are low in calories, so weight watchers may eat this fruit regularly. It is  rich sources of dietary fibers and helpful in soothing the acidity and also keeps the stomach cool. Muskmelon has an abundant supply of potassium which helps to control blood pressure. It is a good source of antioxidants. It contains an excellent amount of  beta-carotene, potassium, vitamin A and C.

I have added lemon juice and sugar to the juice. Both are required to add an extra  taste to the juice. Well ripened muskmelon is more sweeter than the unripened melon. When you buy the muskmelon, make sure to buy  the  heavy weighing, oval shaped light golden colour  muskmelon. They have more succulent flesh and sweeter taste as compared to round musk melon which is less sweet. You can also make fresh fruit juice with watermelon, mango, strawberry, litchi, green grapes and black grapes. Besides the juice, muskmelon can be used for the preparation of delicious dessert like rasayana, kheer and payasa.

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Capsicum chutney recipe - Chutney for roti and parathas

Capsicum or bell pepper chutney recipe - Today I am going to share a very simple, easy and quick capsicum chutney recipe that can be prepared with few  basic ingredients. This capsicum chutney  is a great accompaniment to dosas, idlis, theplas and parathas.  Capsicums, green chilly, ginger and garlic are delicately roasted on stove flame and then blend them to a smooth  paste to make the chutney.  This chutney has mild smoky flavor.

Whenever I make dosa, idli, parathas or theplas,  I make chutney and capsicum chutney is one of them. To avoid extra oil in the chutney,  I have not added tempering to it. You can add mustard seeds, broken red chillies and asafoetida tempering to this chutney.  You can serve this capsicum chutney as a side dish to rice and curry. Even this chutney can be used to make bread sandwiches. I served it with the dal dosa that I had posted  the recipe earlier.

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Mix bele dose - Dal dosa recipe - Mix lentils dosa

Bele dose is a guilt free breakfast dish prepared with bengal gram (chana dal ), husked split green gram (moong dal), husked split black gram (urad dal ) and semolina (rava). Yogurt is added just to give a sour taste to the dosa. Urad dal and rice dosa is  a common breakfast dish in South India. But, this mixed lentils dosa is an interesting alternative to usual urad dal and  rice dosa. This is a healthy breakfast dish which provides both proteins and energy. Consuming  2 -3 dosas for breakfast,  provide sufficient energy balance till lunch.

I have used rava ( semolina ) in this dosa for my convenience. You can add soaked and ground rice paste instead of rava. However, the taste will remain same. If you choose to make it with rice paste, make sure to soak the rice for thirty minutes before grinding.

Some kids eat too little dal dishes or proteins rich food. For them this dosa is an ideal dish, since it is a dish in combination with various lentils and lentils are rich sources of proteins. Dosa and chutney are team players. This dosa goes great with capsicum chutney. You can serve it with choice of your chutney. Even chutney powder goes well with it.  If your kids refuse to eat dosa with chutney, you can serve it with fruit jam and honey.

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Matar shimla mirch sabzi recipe - Green peas capsicum sabzi

Matar or green peas and capsicum sabzi recipe - Today I have come up with a simple and easy matar, shimla mirch dry sabzi, which goes well with roti, chapati,  parathas, theplas and even pulao. There are different ways of making stir fry or dry subzis. This North Indian style matar, shimla mirch sabzi tastes well when cooked in its own moisture and oil. But you can add little amount of water, compromising with the taste.

In this subzi, after adding the spice powder, you need to stir it continuously to combine the ingredients in such a way that all the ingredients are evenly dispersed and well coated with the green peas and capsicums.

All the masala powder added in this matar shimla mirch sabzi help in enhancement of flavor of the subzi. Though the subzi prepared is dry, it released the spicy flavor and tasted yummy. You can pack it in the lunch box with the choice of your  Indian flat breads and even pulao.

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Hariyali chole masala recipe

Hariyali chole masala recipe - Today I am going to share a delicious hariyali chole masala recipe which goes great with parathas, theplas, phulka, roti, pulao or even rice.  This is an easy to prepare side dish which I make often and very different from the usual chana masala.

This hariyali chole masala is a delicious combination of  kabuli chana, green corianders and fresh coconut. We enjoyed it with  hot methi theplas along with crisp papads, curd and mango pickle. This recipe is a mix of both South Indian and North Indian style.  The combination of coconut with chickpeas is particularly South  Indian, while the use of coriander leaves  and spice powder is very North Indian. In India, chickpeas are one of the most important and popular legumes used to prepare various dishes like kadbuli chana masala, punjabi chole, chana usal, chana curry, salads and so on.

Chickpeas add unique flavor to the dish and it also contains ample amount of proteins. To add protein in your dish, use kabuli chana or small variety of brown chana in combination with any other legumes and vegetables. Roasted chana is also a healthy snack and kids love it for sure. Previously I had shared kabuli chana masala and chana usal recipes which are great side dish for Indian flat breads.

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Masala roti recipe - Spicy roti recipe

Masala roti recipe - Are you looking for a spicy roti recipe for lunch box, breakfast, lunch or dinner? Here is the masala roti that goes well with any dry subzis, chutneys, chutney powder, curd and raitas. This masala roti is alternative to parathas, theplas and chapati. I have used coriander powder, jeera powder, garam masala, chilli powder,  turmeric powder, besan and curd along with wheat flour. This mildly spiced roti can be roasted till crisp to store for three  to four days.

In case you like cilantro or mint flavor in roti, then add the same to the dough and get a different flavored roti. You can make wonderful masala lachcha paratha with this dough. Even you can dry the mint leaves in the oven and use the powdered mint leaves to sprinkle on the masala lachcha paratha and that also goes well with chutneys, chutney powder, curd, raitas and subzis. I will post that mint masala lachcha paratha recipe in due course.

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