Meal haven

Masala Vadai or Paruppu Vadai

A crispy, spicy tea time snack which is very popular in the Southern part of India. A hot favourite during the monsoons, these crunchy vadas are served with a hot mug of chai or filter coffee.

Ingredients:

Bengal gram dal/Chana dal – 1 cup

Udad dal – 1 tbsp (optional)

Onion – 1

Green chillies – 4

Aniseed – 1 1/2 tsp

Ginger – 1 inch piece

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Coriander leaves – 2 sprigs

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying the vadas

Water – 3 cups (to soak the dal)

Preparation:

Wash and soak the bengal gram dal in water for 2 or 3 hours. After 3 hrs, drain the water through a colander and keep it aside.

Chop onion fine and chop the coriander leaf and curry leaves.

Meanwhile, in a mixie jar, add the aniseed, ginger and green chillies and grind it without adding water. The ground mixture may be slightly coarse which is perfectly fine. Remove the mixture and keep it separately.

Now, in the same jar, add 1/3 of the soaked and drained dal and grind it coarsely without adding water. Remove the ground gram and add the other 1/3 rd of the dal and grind it again very coarsely. Repeat it for a third time and keep the ground dal separately. You may particularly note that the gram should not be ground to a fine paste.

Now add the ground mixture of (green chillie, ginger and aniseed paste) to the dal mixture and add salt. Also, add the chopped onion, coriander leaves and chopped curry leaves. Combine it well. Make balls and slightly flatten them in the middle.

Heat oil in a kadai or a small wok. To check if the oil is at the right temperature, drop a tiny bit of the dal mixture into it. The dal mixture should come up immediately. This indicates the vadas are ready to be fried in the oil.

Gently slide the flattened vadas in it. Keep the flame on medium-low and flip the vadas to the other side when it turns golden. Once both the sides turn golden, remove and drain it in a kitchen tissue and serve it with coconut chutney.

Using Air Fryer to make the vadas:

Place the vadas in the airfryer as mentioned in pic 1. Brush the vadas with oil. Heat the airfryer to 200 degree C for 20 minutes and turn the vadas to the other side. Cook for another 10 minutes. Make sure to check the vadas in between. It should be cooked to light brown and crisp on the outside.

Kandha Batata Poha (Flattened Rice Flakes with Potato)

Breakfast

A popular Maharashtrian dish, it translates to onion, potatoes and rice flakes. It is one of my favourite breakfast options and we cook it often at home. The poha is spiced up with coconut, fried groundnuts, lime juice, coriander leaves and green chillies.

Ingredients:

Flattened Rice Flakes or Poha – 2 1/2 cups or 250 gms

Mustard – 3/4 tsp

Jeera/Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp

Onion – 2 pieces chopped

Potato – 1 boiled

Green peas – 1/4 cup (optional)

Carrot – 1/2 piece chopped

Green chillies – 4 finely chopped

Curry leaves – 1 1/2 sprig

Lime juice – 1 tbsp

Grated coconut – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp

Fried groundnuts – 1 1/2 tbsp

Preparation:

Note: Always choose thick poha as the thin ones tend to get mushy when cooked.

Boil a potato in water. When it is cooked, peel the skin and cut it into small pieces and keep aside.

Wash the poha/rice flakes twice and drain the water completely using a colander. Keep it aside. Do not soak it in water and do not squeeze the water.

Heat a pan. Add oil. When it becomes hot, add mustard, jeera, chopped onions, curry leaves and finely chopped green chillies. Add the grated carrot, turmeric powder, peas (optional) and the boiled potato and saute. Next goes in the poha/rice flakes and salt. Reduce the flame to low. Mix the poha well and sprinkle a little water and close the lid. Let it cook for 3 -4 minutes.

Stir it again and make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Once cooked, remove and add lime juice, coriander leaves, fried groundnuts and grated coconut.

Beetroot Poriyal/Thoran with a twist

Vegetarian

An earthy vegetable, beetroots is the hero of this dish. We call this “Beetroot Puttu”. Roasted gram ground with aniseed and cinnamon gives it a different, yet wonderful flavour and the addition of ginger further enhances the taste.

This dish can be served with rice and curry. Also, it is a perfect accompaniment for curd rice.

You may replace the beetroot with snakegourd or beans or nolkhol and prepare the same way.

Ingredients:

Beetroot – 4 medium

Onion – 1 1/2 big chopped

Turmeric – 1/4 tsp

Ginger – 1/2 inch piece chopped

Green chillie – 4 slit

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 1/2 tsp

Udad dal – 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida/hing – a pinch

Grated coconut – 2 tbsp

For the gram powder:

Roasted Gram – 1 1/2 tbsp

Aniseed/Saunf – 1 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon – 1/2 inch piece

Heat a pan. When it becomes hot, add the cinnamon and the aniseed and saute for a minute. Take it out and add it to a mixie/pulser and grind it alongwith the roasted gram, to a fine powder. You may store this powder in a small bottle, for use later.

Poriyal/Thoran:

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and when it starts to splutter, add udad dal. Then, add the green chillies and curry leaves and saute again. Once it is well sauteed, add the asafoetida, ginger, turmeric and onions and stir fry for 2 minutes till it turns pink in colour.

Add the chopped beetroot and saute well. Sprinkle a little water and close with a lid. Reduce the flame to low and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir it in between so that it does not burn at the bottom.

Add 1 -1 1/2 tbsp of the powdered gram flour and grated coconut, mix well and serve with rice and curry.

Egg Kuthu Parotta/Roti (Shredded Parotta/Roti)

Uncategorized

A popular South Indian street food delicacy, this dish originated in Srilanka, and is prepared by shredding the parotas or rotis into bite size pieces and adding eggs and/or meat and vegetables and stir frying them with some spices.

It is usually prepared by placing the shredded parottas on a greased hot griddle and mixing and pounding it with a heavy iron spatula and then the street vendors craft their kothu parottas. You can also add leftover meat or meat sauce to this but I have prepared without the addition of any gravy or sauce to this.

Even without the sauce, this dish bursts with some awesome flavours which can be enjoyed for breakfast or dinner.

Serves 3.

Eggs/curry leaf/capsicum/cabbage and carrot

Ingredients:

Oil – 2 tbsp

Parotta – 3 or chapathis – 6

Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp

Onion – 1/2 cup chopped

Tomato – 1

Tomato ketchup – 1 tsp (optional)

Carrot – 1/3 cup chopped

Capsicum – 1/3 cup chopped

Cabbage – 1/3 cup chopped

Green chillies – 1 chopped fine

Lemon juice – 1/2 tsp

Paneer – 2 tbsp grated (optional)

Peas – 1 tbsp (optional)

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Eggs – 3

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Red chillie powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt- as required

Garam masala powder – a pinch (optional)

Coriander leaves chopped – 2tbsp

Preparation:

Shred the parotta or the chappathis into bite size pieces as shown in picture above. Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan. On a medium flame, add the chopped green chillies, curry leaves and onions and saute them well. Once they turn golden, add the ginger garlic paste and stir fry for another two minutes. Now add the tomato and the chopped carrots alongwith the turmeric powder, red chillie powder and saute them for a minute. Next, add the peas, cabbage, capsicum and saute again adding ketchup until the raw smell disappears. Adjust the salt. Thereafter, break the eggs and add them making a well in between the vegetables. (Move the vegetables to the side of the pan and break the eggs in between and cook). When they are half cooked, add the shredded parotta or chappathi and combine well.

You may add the grated panner at this stage, if using it.

Add lime and garam masala and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Note: You can also add leftover chicken or meat or gravy of the meat to the parotta at the end and mix well and serve.

Egg Drop Curry with Coconut Milk

Non-Vegetarian

A quick and simple curry with coconut milk and eggs dropped in the curry and simmered and cooked. We usually either hard boil the eggs and add it to the curry or just add the raw eggs into the curry. I prefer the second version as the white of the yolk which cooks in the gravy imparts a more flavorful curry.

Ingredients:

Eggs – 3 or 4

Bay leaf – 2 pieces

Garlic – 8 cloves sliced lengthwise

Tomatoes – 2 medium

Green chillie – 1

Curry leaf – 1/2 sprig

Onion – 1 1/2 chopped

Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp

Coriander Powder – 1 tsp

Red chillie powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Thin coconut milk – 1 1/2 cups

Thick coconut milk – 1 cup

Lime juice – 1/2 tsp (optional)

Oil – 1tbsp

Salt – to taste

Making Coconut Milk

Coarsely grind 2 1/2 cups grated coconut with 1 cup lukewarm water in a mixer. Pass the ground mixture through a strainer and squeeze out the milk. 1 cup thick coconut milk can be extracted from this. Luke warm water helps you to extract coconut milk well.

2. Grind the same 2 1/2 cups coconut with 1 1/2 cup luke warm water. Pass the ground coconut mixture through a strainer and squeeze out the water. One and a half cup thin/medium thick coconut milk can be prepared from this.

3. I have used the coconut milk powder available in the market and mixed it with water for the thick and thin consistency. You would need 3 tbsp of powder for 1 cup of water for thick milk and 2 tbsp of coconut milk powder for 1 1/2 cups of water for think milk consistency).

Preparation:

Heat oil in a pan. When it becomes hot, add the bay leaves and the chopped garlic and onions and let it become slightly golden in colour. Then, add the tomatoes, curry leaves and the green chillie and saute for 2 minutes. Next, begin by adding chillie powder, coriander powder followed by turmeric powder. Sprinkle a little water and saute well until the raw smell goes away. Next add, the thin coconut milk and boil on low flame for 4-5 minutes. Keeping the flame on low, add salt to the curry. Take an egg and break it and drop it into the curry gently. Break the remaining eggs into two and drop all the eggs into the curry gently and do not stir. Close the lid and let it boil.

If you like it fully cooked, close and keep for 3 -4 minutes. If you want it soft boiled, cook it for only a minute.

Lastly, add the thick coconut milk to the curry and gently stir it so as to not break the eggs. Boil it just once and put off the flame. Add coriander leaves and serve. If you wish, you may add a few drops of lime juice at the end.

Soya Kheema (Minced Soya Chunks)

Vegetarian

A perfect mixture of textures and flavours, this vegetarian version of minced meat or kheema, will woo all the vegetarians and meat lovers alike. Soya, being a rich source of protein makes a complete meal with rotis or chapathis.

Ingredients:

Soya chunks – 1/2 cup

Oil – 1 tbsp

Butter – 1 tsp (optional)

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Chopped garlic – 3 tbsp

Ginger juliennes – 2 1/2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp

Green chillies – 3 cut into rounds + 1 cut into rounds

Capsicum – 1/2 cup chopped

Tomatoes – 1/2 cup chopped

Onions chopped – 1 /2 cup chopped

Coriander leaf – 2 tbsp chopped + 1 tsp

Salt – as needed

Turmeric – 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri chillie powder – 1 tsp

Roasted cumin powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp

Chat masala – 1/2 tsp (optional)

Paav bhaji masala – 1 1/4 tsp

Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) – 1/2 tsp

Brown onion paste – 1 onion (see below )

Tomato puree/store bought tomato paste – 1 1/2 tbsp

Water – 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup and 3-4 cups for soaking the soya

Soya Chunks:

Soak soya chunks overnight in medium hot water with little salt. The next day, squeeze out all the water and chop it in a vegetable chopper or pulse it coarsely in a mixer.

For brown onion paste:

Chop 1 onion into slices. Deep fry them in hot oil and keep it aside in a tissue. After some time, pulse it in a mixer to a coarse paste.

Preparation:

Heat oil in a pan or kadai. Add cumin seeds. When it starts to sizzle, add the chopped garlic, 2 1/2 tbsp ginger juliennes, 3 green chillies and saute it for 2 minutes. Then, add the chopped onions and saute again. Next, goes in the capsicum and the 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes and once again, saute for 2 minutes adding the 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Add salt and then the kashmiri red chillie powder, coriander powder, cumin seed powder and the turmeric powder. Saute once again adding the chat masala and the paav bhaji masala making sure that it doesn’t burn. U can sprinkle a little water at this point. Add the kasuri methi, brown onion paste and the tomato puree and combine well. Add 1/2 cup of water and let the masalas cook for some time.

Next, add the soya bean mixture, 1/2 tsp ginger juliennes, 1 green chillie cut into rounds and 1 tsp coriander leaves. Saute well and add 1/2 cup of water. Close and cook for 20 minutes on low flame.

Add 1 tsp butter and serve.

Capsicum/Bell Peppers Sesame Seeds Curry

Vegetarian

The addition of sesame seeds and peanuts to this curry gives it a nutty taste which is wonderful in flavour and texture. You can add green and red/yellow capsicums to this curry.

Can be served as a side dish for chapatis or plain rice or peas/jeera rice.

Ingredients:

Capsicum – 3

Tomatoes – 2 small

Onion – 1 medium

Green chiillies – 2 slit

Curry leaves – 1 1/2 sprig

Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Red chillie powder – 2 tsp

Salt – as needed

White sesame seeds – 1 1/2 tbsp

Roasted Ground nuts – 1 1/2 tbsp

Grated Coconut – 1 1/2 tbsp

Oil – 2 tbsp

Shah jeera – 1/2 tsp

Preparation:

Dice the capsicums into cubes and chop the tomatoes and onion fine. Slit the green chillies vertically.

Soak a very small ball of tamarind in 1/4 cup of water. After 10 minutes, squeeze the tamarind alongwith the water and keep the water separately.

Heat a pan and add the sesame seeds and dry roast it for 1 minute. Do not let the colour change. Take it off and keep aside.

In the same pan, (if you do not have roasted groundnuts in your pantry), add the groundnuts and saute for a minute and take it out. Keep it aside.

Next, in the pan, add the coconut and roast it till it becomes slightly golden in colour. Keep it aside.

Take a mixer/pulser and add the roasted coconut, sesame seeds and ground nuts together to a fine paste. Do not add water to grind. Keep the powder aside.

Heat oil in a pan. When it is hot, add the shah jeera, onion, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute it well for 3 minutes. Then, add the ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder and saute again for 2 -3 minutes. Next, add the diced capsicum and the red chillie powder and mix it well. In goes the tomatoes next and saute again. Add the tamarind water and the ground powder and mix well. Reduce the flame to low and close it with a lid. Let it boil for 3 minutes until the capsicum is cooked. Lastly, add 1/2 tsp garam masala powder and mix well and serve.

You can use any store bought garam masala powder.

Capsicum Roast

Vegetarian

This easy curry is a delightful one which lets you indulge in mildly spicy yet delicious curry, perfect to serve with rice and chappathis.

Ingredients:

Capsicums – 4 medium

Onions – 2 medium

Red chillie powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/ 2 tsp

Garlic – 3 -4 cloves

Cumin seeds/jeera – 1 tsp

Curry leaf – 1 sprig

Fried Ground nuts – 2 tbsp

Roasted gram or pottukadala – 2 tbsp

Preparation:

Powder the roasted gram, groundnuts and garlic coarsely in the mixer. Keep it aside.

Chop onions lengthwise and dice the capsicums.

Heat oil in a pan. Add jeera and when it starts to splutter, add curry leaves and onions and saute for 5 to 6 minutes until the onions turn golden brown. Next add the capsicum and saute. Add the red chillie powder and turmeric powder and saute. Close the lid and let it cook, stirring in between so that it does not burn. You may just sprinkle a liitle water in between, if it is too dry. When it is half cooked, add the gram dal and garlic powder and close and cook until the raw smell goes away. Keep stirring in between.

Serve with a sprinkle of coarsely ground peanuts/groundnuts.

Mango Cheese Cup Cake

Desserts

A no gelatin, no agar-agar and a no-egg cheesecake which is creamy, silky and smooth. This no-bake decadent dessert consists of a base made from crushed digestive biscuits and another layer of cream cheese and mango puree.

Makes 15 cupcakes

Add biscuits and butter base to the cucake liners and press it firmly

Beat the whipping cream until peaks form

Ingredients:

For The cheesecake:

Cream Cheese (full fat) – 300 g (room temperature)

Thick yogurt/Greek yogurt – 1 cup

Powdered sugar – 1/2 cup

Lime juice – 1 tbsp

Mango puree – 1 cup

Whipping cream – 1/2 cup

For the base:

Digestive biscuits – 190 gms

Melted unsalted butter – 1/3 cup

For topping:

Cubed mango – few

Mango puree – 2 – 3 tbsp

Mint leaves – a few

Preparation:

For the base :

In a vessel, place the biscuits and break it into pieces. Transfer them to a pulser and run it once until you get fine crumbs. Transfer it to the vessel again and add the melted butter to it and mix well.

Meanwhile, place the muffin liners in the muffin pans. Transfer the biscuits crumb and butter mix equally among the 15 muffin pans and press it until they are compact.

Mango:

If you are using fresh mangoes, take the flesh off 2 mangoes and puree them in a pulser to a smooth paste. Keep aside 1 cup for the cake and around 3 tbsp for the topping. If you are using a store bought canned mango puree, take 1 cup of it and add lime juice and blend until smooth.

For the Cream cheese:

Place the cream cheese in a bowl. Add powdered sugar to it and yogurt and mix it well using a whisk or an electric hand-held mixer. Then, add the mango puree and mix well again.

For the Whipped Cream:

In another mixing bowl, prepare whipped cream as per the instructions on the packet (I added 1/2 cup of cold milk to one sachet of whip mix powder and beat it well for about 5 minutes until stiff peaks form).

Assembling:

Gently, fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mango mix until it combines well. Do not mix too much.

Fill in the muffin cups with this mixture using a spoon carefully. Smooth out the top using a small spoon/spatula and shake the muffn pan to allow the mixture to settle in. Place it in the freezer for 3 hours or more until they are firm.

Remove the muffin liners and transfer it to a serving plate. You may spoon some mango puree on top of the cupcakes, add 1 or 2 mango cubes on each of the cup cakes and decorate it with a mint leaf. Tastes best when served as it slightly starts to melt. Remove it from freezer and wait for 5 minutes before you serve.

Upside Down Banana Cake

Desserts

These caramelised bananas with luscious gooey caramel sauce with a moist cake will make anyone drool. The best use for your ripe bananas.

Makes 2 cakes in the loaf baking pans.

Ingredients:

For caramelizing the bananas:

Bananas large – 3

Light brown sugar – 1/3 cup

Unsalted butter – 1/4 cup

Salt – 1/4 tsp

For the Cake:

All purpose Flour/Maida – 1 1/2 cups

Salt – 3/4 tsp

Baking powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Sugar – 1 cup

Any vegetable oil – 1/2 cup

Vanilla extract or essence – 2 tsps

Egg – 1 large + 1 yolk

Buttermilk – 1 cup (room temperature)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F or 175 C.

Start by melting the butter in a skillet or kadai on low heat. Add the light brown sugar and salt and stir until it melts. Once it is caramelised, remove from the heat and set aside.

Grease 2 loaf baking pans and pour the caramelised sugar into both the pans equally. Now, place the bananas (as shown in pic) flat side up and round side down.

In another mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a wide bottomed pan, place the sugar, oil and vanilla essence in a bowl. Whisk to combine. You may use an electric hand mixer for the same, if you wish. Then add the egg and the yolk and beat well. Next, add the buttermilk and whisk again.

Now add the flour mix to this wet mixture using a spatula gently. Do not mix it too much.

Pour this batter on top of the bananas and smoothen the top.

Bake for 50-55 minutes until it is cooked. Insert a tooth pick to see if any batter is sticking to it. If it comes out clean, the cake is cooked.

Run a butter knife gently around the pan. Let it sit for around 15 minutes until the caramel settles a bit. Now carefully, invert the cake onto a serving platter.

Serve it with vanilla ice -cream or whipped cream.