Moong bean curry (Whole Green Gram) - Crock pot style

Yet another recipe for those evenings when you get back home from work and smell the sweet fragrance of 'no cooking tonight..dinner is ready'!!

Ingredients:

• Moong - 3 cups (dry)
• Onion - 1 medium sliced
• Garlic  - 3 pods crushed
• Ginger paste - 1 table spoon
• Jeera (Cumin seeds) - 1 tea spoon
• Garam Masala powder (Curry powder) - 1 table spoon
• Tomatoes - 2 medium coarsely chopped
• Salt - 1.5 table spoons (add per taste)
• Red Chilli Powder - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
• Water - 7-8 cups
• Kasoori Methi - 2 table spoons
• Cilantro - 2 table spoons

Method:

To a Crock pot, add all the above ingredients and turn it on slow cook for 8-9 hours.  Hot Moong bean curry is ready to eat. This goes really well with chapati, roti or just plain rice or Fragrant Ghee Rice.

Note: 

1. For a non-spicy version, take some aside before adding chili powder. Continue cooking for 30 more minutes to get the raw smell of the Chili powder.
2. You can find Sambar Powder in most of the Indian Grocers.  Every brand makes it a different way.  For this recipe, you can use any brand.
3. When using Sambar Powder make sure that you compensate for the chili powder used in it.  Some brands add chili powder to the Garam masala.

Onion Bhaji

Onion bhaji reminds me of those monsoon nights back home.  When it is pouring and cold outside, we would all cuddle up and eat those hot onion bhajis mom made.  I can almost smell them!!

Ingredients:

• Besan (chickpea flour) - 1 cup
• Rice flour - 1/4th of a cup
• Baking soda - 1/2 tea spoon
• Red chili powder - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)
• Green chilies (optional) - 2-4 finely chopped
• Cilantro - 2 table spoons
• Onion - 2 cups - sliced long and thin (I used the red onions)
• Peanuts (shh...this is my secret ingredient) - 2 table spoons
• Jeera (Cumin seeds0 - 1 tea spoon
• Salt - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• Water - about 1-2 cups .  Adjust per consistency. The consistency should be that of a pancake batter.
• Oil to fry - about 2 cups (I used Canola and Olive oil is a little difficult to fry with)

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients to form a batter of pancake consistency.  Heat oil in a deep frying pan.  You can check if the oil is ready to fry by dropping a few drops of the batter in it. If the batter rises up, the oil is ready for frying.  With a table spoon, scoop the batter and drop it in the oil slowly without splattering.  Turn the heat to medium.  Fry the bhajis till golden brown.  This takes about 3-5 minutes.

Serve it hot with hot and sour sauce or tomato ketchup.

Zucchini Chutney

This is one of the recipes I came up with when I was out of coconut :) I raided the fridge to find a substitute and man..did I find it!! Healthy, refreshing and pretty close to the original with coconut.

Ingredients:

Zucchini - 2 medium sized chopped blender size

Chana dal /Split yellow gram- 2 table spoons - roasted till golden brown

Garlic - 2 medium sized pods
Coriander  - 1 cup washed and coarsely chopped

Green Chilies - 6-7 (add per taste)

Salt - 1 table spoon (add per taste)

Tamarind paste - 1 tea spoon

Water - 1 cup (adjust per thickness)

For seasoning:

Olive oil - 1 table spoon
Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon
Curry leaves - 10-12

Method:

Add all the ingredients in the 'Ingredients' section except Green chilies to a blender and grind it till the chutney mixture is almost fine.  Take some aside for the non spicy version.  Add the Green chilies and blend it till the Green chilies are mixed well.  Dish out the chutney into a serving bowl. To season it, to a small sauce pan on medium heat, add the Olive oil.  Once the oil is heated, add the mustard seeds, let them splutter. Add the curry leaves and take it off the heat.  Add this seasoning to the chutney.  Zucchini chutney is ready to be served!!  It goes really well with any kind of dosa, roti, chapati, etc.  I served it with Ragi (finger millet) dosa that day.

Note: Due to Chana dal, the chutney thickens when you leave it for a few minutes.  Adjust the water per thickness needed.

Garlicky Cornish Hen

Hello All, sorry for such a long silence.  Life has been a little bit crazy.  Well, no complaints though.  This recipe for Cornish Hen is very simple and easy and takes less than 30 minutes to make.  I like the Cornish Hen with skin on.  You can remove it if you do not like it.  I personally think that the skin adds amazing flavor!

 

Ingredients:

Cornish Hens - 2 (each cut into 4-5 pieces)

Garlic paste - 3 table spoons

Salt - 2 table spoons

Black Pepper - 2 table spoons (crushed)

Turmeric - 1 tea spoon

Amchur (dry mango powder) - 1 tea spoon

Cumin powder - 2 tea spoons

All spice - 1 tea spoon

Olive oil - 2 table spoons

Water - 1 cup

Method:

To a non-stick pan on medium heat, add the Olive oil.  Once the oil is heated, add the Cornish hens, Salt, Turmeric, Garlic and water.  Let it cook covered on low heat for about 20 minutes till the chicken is fully cooked.  Open the lid, add all the remaining ingredients and mix in well.  Add a little more water if necessary.  Stir fry it till all the water is evaporated and the chicken is fried till slightly brown.

Note: You can substitute Cornish Hen for Chicken.

Raw Mango Moong Dal

This is one of the dals I tried recently.  Both my daughter and I love anything that is sour!!  So, when I saw raw Mangoes in frozen section of Indian grocers, I bought it not knowing what exactly I was going to make out of it.  Then, thought of trying this.  We loved it!! It was a little sour for my parents-in-law.  When I was cutting Raw Mangoes to make this dal, I remembered college days when we used to buy raw Totapuri Mango cut and spiced with salt and chili powder outside college and eat it during language class.  My mouth waters even thinking of it.

Ingredients:

• Moong dal (split yellow gram) - 2 cups
• Raw Manago - 1 cup cut bite size (I used the frozen. Do adjust this quantity per sourness of the Mango)
• Onion - 1 medium sliced long
• Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1 table spoon
• Garlic pods - 2-3 chopped fine
• Water - 6 cups
• Curry Leaves - 10-12
• Mustard seeds - 1 table spoon
• Olive oil - 2 table spoons
• Salt - 2 table spoons (add per taste)
• Green Chilies - 8-10 split into half (add per taste)

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive Oil.  Let it heat.  Add Mustard seeds and let them splutter.  Add Cumin seeds and Curry leaves.  Add the dal.  Saute it till slightly golden.  Add the rest of the ingredients and bring it to a boil.  Cover and cook until the dal is cooked thoroughly.  This takes about 20-25 minutes.  Serve it hot with rice, roti, chapati, etc.  Add a few drops of Ghee to dal before serving.  It smells heavenly!!

Slow cooker / Crockpot Sambar (lentil curry)

This is one of those recipes which you can assemble (for a lack of better work) in the crock pot in the morning before leaving to work and when you come back home, is ready to be seasoned and served!!

Ingredients:

• Toor dal - 2 cups
• Onion - 1 medium sliced thin
• Vegetable - 2-3 cups (I used Lauki. Also called bottle gourd) chopped bite size
• Tomatoes - 2 chopped fine
• Tamarind paste - 1 table spoon (optional. Tomatoes give sourness)
• Cilantro leaves - 1/4th cup finely chopped
• Salt - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• Chili powder - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• Sambar powder (curry powder) - 1 table spoon
• Coriander powder - 1 table spoon
• Water - 6 cups

For seasoning:

• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Curry leaves - 10 to 12
• Olive oil - 1 table spoon

Method:

To the slow cooker / crock pot, add all the above ingredients (do not add the 'for seasoning').  Put it on slow for 6-8 hours.  After 6-8 hours, heat a small pan on medium heat.  Put Olive oil and let it heat.  Add Mustard seeds and let it splutter.  Add curry leaves.  Add this to the Sambar and it is ready to be served! It tastes wonderful with rice, roti, chapati, etc.

Note:

Adjust the Chili powder quantity if your Sambar powder has chili powder add to it already.

Chili Garlic Shrimp

Today is my daughter's first day of Kindergarten...my little baby is all grown up to a sweet little girl.  

My daughter loves Shrimp!  She usually does not eat spicy food but, she loves this one even though it is a little spicy for her palette. This recipe takes about 10-15 minutes to make and just 6 ingredients!

Ingredients:

Uncooked Shrimp - 2 pounds (cleaned and de-vained. I used tails on)

Red Chili Paste - 1 table spoon (add per taste)

Turmeric - 1 tea spoon

Garlic paste - 1 table spoon

Salt - 2 tea spoons (add per taste)

Olive oil - 1 table spoon

Method:

To a non stick pan on high heat, add the uncooked Shrimp and cover the lid.  Cook until the Shrimp turns pink.  This will take about 3-4 minutes.  Drain the extra water.  To this, add all the other ingredients and saute it till dry and slightly crispy.  The Chili Garlic Shrimp is ready to be served.

Quick and easy Flat Noodle stirfry

I visit some blogs for the recipes and some blogs just to read the stories that accompany the recipes.  I don't know how people write so beautifully...they capture your interest in what they are saying in just the first sentence.  I can talk to people, but, cannot come up with stories to tell.  Well...I have to go ahead with the assumption that I am not a good story teller.  Hopefully, people do visit my blog for my recipes :)

Looks like off lately I am making a lot of one pot meals.  Noodles never get boring!!  This takes less than 30 minutes to make and tastes delicious!!

 

Ingredients:

• Flat Rice noodles cooked and drained in cold water - about 3 cups.
• Mixed vegetables - 2 cups - I used the frozen mixed vegetables (it had beans, carrots and peas)
• Eggs (optional) - 2 medium sized
• Olive Oil - 2 table spoons
• Vinegar - 2 table spoons
• Soy sauce - 2 table spoons
• Salt - 1 tea spoon (add per taste). Do remember that Soy sauce has salt in it.
• Ginger Paste - 1 table spoon
• Garlic Paste - 1 table spoon
• Hot sauce - 1 table spoon (I used Siracha)

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add 1/2 table spoon Olive oil.  Break the eggs and scramble until almost done (Skip this step if you are not adding eggs). Add the remaining oil.   Add the mixed vegetables, Ginger paste, Garlic Paste and Salt.  Saute for 2 minutes.  Now add the cooked noodles, Soy sauce, amd Vinegar.  Mix it well.  Now, turn the heat to high and stir fry it until all the ingredients are well mixed and dry.  Take some aside for the non-spicy version.  Now, add the hot sauce and mix well.  Serve it hot with a couple of egg/spring rolls or potstickers.

Super quick Lemony Vermicelli

I love making one pot meals and also love to have breakfast for dinner!!  This is one such simple recipes which takes less than 20 minutes to make.

Ingredients:

• Vermicelli - 4 cups (dry roasted)
• Peas - 1 cup
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Curry leaves - 10-12
• Olive Oil - 2 table spoons
• Red chili flakes - 1 tea spoon
• Lemon juice - 2 table spoons
• Cilantro - 2 table spoons chopped fine
• Water - 1 1/2 cups

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add the Olive oil.  Let it heat.  Now, add the Mustard seeds and let them splutter.  Add the Curry leaves and the Peas.  Saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add the Vermicelli and Saute for 3 more minutes.  Now, add the water to the Vermicelli and close mix it well but, gently.  turn the heat to low and close the lid of the pan for about 4-5 minutes till the Vermicelli is translucent.  Now, add the Lemon and Cilantro.  Mix gently well (I think I just made up a new phrase) and take some aside for the non-spicy version.  Now add the Red Chili flakes and mix gently well.  Delicious Lemony Vermicelli is ready to be served!!

Chili Chicken Wings - Quick and Easy

Since my childhood, I look forward to Friday evenings, not only because it is the beginning of the weekend but, also because we make something nice to eat in the evening to start the weekend off.  I have carried this tradition on and hopefully, my daughter will look forward to Friday evenings too!  Spicy, Yummy, Chili Chicken Wings was our Friday evening indulgence past week...It is very simple to make and does not require any oil as the wings are fatty by themselves.

Ingredients:

• Chicken Wings - 2-3 pounds cleaned and cut into sections
• Green Chilies - 8-10 slit in the center (add per taste)
• Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
• Coriander Powder - 1 tea spoon
• Ginger Paste - 1 table spoon
• Garlic Paste - 1 table spoon
• Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tea spoon
• Clove Powder - 1/2 tea spoon
• Onion Powder - 1 tea spoon
• Lemon Juice - 2 table spoons
• Salt - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• Water - 1 cup

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add the chicken wings, Salt, Turmeric and water.  Let it cook with closed lid for about 15 minutes (or until the wings are cooked completely).  Now, open the lid and add all the other ingredients.  Saute it until dry and all the ingredients are well mixed with the Chicken.  Now, turn the heat to high and roast the wings until the skin is a little brown and crispy.  Spicy hot chicken wings are ready to be served.  I love to eat it by itself.  It can also be served with white rice, Fragrant Ghee Rice or roti/chapati.

Simple Stuffed Anaheim Chilies

Hope you all had a wonderful long weekend (It was the Independence day weekend here in USA).  We went to San Diego, CA to cool off from Arizona heat.  Had a wonderful time with family and got to meet a sweet little 4 day old angel of a dear friend.  When you can carry that small bundle of joy, you realise how soon your angel grew up!! I miss being able to carry her and walk around...

I need to get back to blogging regularly. Will start with this simple recipe for stuffed Anaheim chilies.

Ingredients:

• Anaheim Chilies - about 8-10 medium sized.  You can substitute this with any other kind of chilies that can be stuffed.
• Besan (Chick pea flour) - 1 cup
• Sambar/Curry Powder - 1 table spoon
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tea spoon
• Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon
• Salt - 1 table spoon
• Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
• Amchur/Raw Mango powder - 1 table spoon
• Olive oil - 2-3 table spoons

Method:

Slit the Chilies and remove seeds using a small spoon.  Mix all the above ingredients (except Chilies) in a small bowl.  Stuff the Chilies with this mixture (it takes about 1 table spoon each).  Now to a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Place these stuffed chilies in the pan.  Now, add about a table spoon of water to each Chilies in the slit.  Cover the pan and let the Chilies cook on low heat for about 15 minutes until they are a little softer but still has a little crunch.  Now, open the pan and turn the heat to medium and let the Chilies brown a little.  Take the pan aside and the stuffed chilies are ready to be served.  This can be served with rice and dal, Chapati, Roti, etc.  My husband loves it with Pav (kind of Indian bread) in Vada pav style.

Khus Khus Puliyogare - Semi home made

This is one of my favorites!! I have still not learnt to make puliyogare mix from scratch. Of lately, you get such good pre-made powders; you actually don’t need to put in that effort J

Ingredients:

• Whole Wheat Khus Khus – 3 cups cooked (follow directions on the package)
• Olive oil – 2 table spoons
• Mustard seeds – 1 table spoon
• Curry leaves – 10-12 leaves
• Peanuts – about a handful
• Puliyogare mix powder – 3 table spoons (I used the Iyengar brand pre-made powder)

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add the Olive oil.  Let it heat and then add mustard seeds.  Once this starts spluttering, add the curry leaves and Peanuts.  Turn off the heat and add the Puliyogare mix and Khus Khus to this.  Mix well.  Khus Khus Puliyogare is ready to eat!!  It tastes very good with some yogurt or chips.

Fragrant, Quick and Easy Chicken Biryani

A very happy belated father’s day to all!! 

It has been very busy couple of weeks. Learning new things and getting adjusted to my new job, out of town for training, etc.  Right now my life feels so unsettled. My husband is on his sabbatical but, studying for his PhD.  He has been great help with dropping my daughter to her summer camp, taking care of her when I was on a week long training, doing laundry, etc.   My parents-in-law are currently visiting us which has been great help. Specially, my MIL who pretty much cooks every day,  takes care of my daughter when she comes home early, feeds my hubby :) and man….no complaints.  I feel so guilty :(

This is a very simple biryani I make which everyone love.  I start it off in a pan to saute ingredients and finish it off in the rice cooker.

 

Ingredients:

• Bay leaves – 4-5 leaves
• Saunph  /Fennel seeds – 1 table spoon
• Cardamon powder - 1/2 tea spoon
• Mint leaves – about ¼ cup - chopped coarsely
• Green chilies – 5-6 (add per taste)- slit into half
• Black pepper- 1 table spoon -  crushed
• Onion – 1 medium sized – chopped long and thin
• Tomatoes – 2 medium sized - chopped fine
• Yogurt – 1/4^th cup
• Coriander powder – 1 table spoon
• Cumin powder – 1 tea spoon
• Ginger paste – 1 table spoon
• Garlic paste – 1 table spoon
• Cinnamon powder – 1 tea spoon
• Clove powder – 1 tea spoon
• Olive oil – ¼ cup
• Butter – 1 table spoon – unsalted
• Salt – 2 table spoons (add per taste)
• Chicken – 1 pound (I used boneless skinless chicken thighs)
• Basmati rice – 2 cups
• Eggs – 2 (optional)
• Water – 3.5 cups

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Let it heat and then add the Saunph, Bay leaves, Ginger paste, Garlic paste, Cinnamon powder and Clove powder.  Add the Onions and saute until translucent.  Add Tomatoes and saute until they get soft.  Add all other ingredients except Butter, Chicken, Rice, Water and mix well.  Now, add the Chicken and Rice and saute it for about 5 minutes till you can see a little oil separating from the pan.  Now, pour the water and mix well.  Put this mixture in the rice cooker and cook until ready.  Finish it off with the Butter.  I put a few eggs with the biryani while it is cooking.  Fragrant chicken biryani is ready to be served.  It can be served by itself or with some salad or raita.

 

Crockpot - Dalia Bisibele bhath

Hi All,  I’m back  from my vacation to reality L Started my new job this week and loving it so far.

Loved the two weeks I spent in Bangalore with my mom and my daughter…weather was perfect!!  I ate like I have never seen food before and Mangoes.. :)  Can’t believe how good they taste!!   My daughter loved the Mangoes and Jackfruit but Jamoon…not so much..my husband was disappointed :(

Bangalore is like a food Mecca..truly a melting pot…the variety, the cuisine, it’s just amazing!!

Here is a simple recipe for Dalia Bisibele bhath in a crock pot.  You can dump all the ingredients in the crock pot before you leave to work and when you return, home smells like heaven!!

Ingredients:

·         Dalia / Broken or Cracked whole wheat – 1 cups

·         Toor dal / Split yellow gram – 2 cups

·         Frozen mixed vegetables – 2 cups

·         Salt – 1 ½ table spoons (add per taste)

·         Tamarind Paste – 1 ½ table spoons (add per taste)

·         Turmeric – 1 tea spoon

·         Cumin powder – 1 tea spoon

·         Coriander powder – 2 table spoons

·         Garam masala powder – 1 table spoon

·         Chili powder – 1 tea spoon (add per taste)

·         Olive oil – 1 table spoon

·         Mustard seeds – 1 tea spoon

·         Curry leaves – 5-8 number

·         Whole red chilies (optional) – 4-5 number

·         Water – 8 cups

Method:

In a crock pot, mix all the above ingredients except Mustard seeds, Curry leaves, Olive oil and Whole red chilies.  Turn the crock pot to low heat and cover it.  Once you get home in about 8-10 hours, season the bisibele bhath.  To a small sauce pan on medium heat,  add the Olive oil.  Let it heat.  Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.  Add the Curry leaves and Whole green chilies.  Turn off the heat and add this to the bisibele bhath!!  Mix it well and turn off the crock pot.  It tastes great with some Boondi or Chivda.

Note:  If you need a non-spicy version, add the red chili powder at the end instead of at the beginning.



Khus Khus (Poppy seeds) Onion Toast - for MAITRI

I am very excited to be a part of MAITRI a wonderful event created for bloggers in USA by Priya and Reshmi. I am paired with Priya who not only sent me Khus Khus as the secret ingredient but also the Crochet Doily made by one of her teenage patients who sells them in the local farmers market. You can see the Doily in the picture under the coffee mug. Thank you Priya for this and do let the girl know that it is amazing. My 5 year old now wants to learn how to make them too :) Isn't that inspiring?

As part of MAITRI, I get to create a dish which should include the secret ingredient.

Personally, I love Khus Khus (poppy seeds) for its nutty flavor. I use it in a lot of curries instead of Coconut. When I came to know what my secret ingredient is, my mind went wild with all these ideas and then I decided that in what ever I create, Khus Khus has to be the STAR ingredient. Following with my theme of simple, quick and easy to make, the first thing that came to my mind is, Khus Khus- Onion toast. My favourite bakery snack from Bangalore, India :) Just the smell of this makes me feel all nostalgic. So nostalgic, that I am leaving to India with my daughter tomorrow. Really...I'm not kidding!!

Ingredients:

• Olive oil - 2 table spoons
• Khus Khus (Poppy seeds) - 2 tea spoons
• Onion - 1 medium chopped fine
• Tomato - 1 small chopped fine
• Turmeric powder - 1 tea spoon
• Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon
• Chili powder - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)
• Salt - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)
• Cilantro - 2 table spoons chopped fine
• Bread - 6 medium size slices toasted

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add the oil and let it heat.  Then, add the Khus Khus and let it splutter.  Add Onions and saute until translucent.  Add tomatoes and saute for 3-4 minutes until it softens.  Add all the other ingredients except Chili powder and mix well.  Saute for 3-4 minutes.  Take some aside for the non spicy version.  Add Chili powder and mix in well. Take the pan off the heat.  You can put some of this amazingly fragrant and tasty mixture to the toast.  You can have it for breakfast or as a snack with your evening tea.