Smoked Khichdi wit Butter Garlic Prawns!

Smoked Khichdi wit Butter Garlic Prawns!

(Though this dish was made by me totally by following my instincts, and yes like

 my blog suggests was dreaming of the recipe ;) but a friend mentioned this is 

similar to a dish named Prawns n Grit in america)

Always loved having khichdi, but usually had it with veggies or plain or with mirch

 ka tadka but this time I thought of giving a twist to Khichdi, n believe me the flavor 

& combo was Beautifullll !


Ingredients for Butter Garlic Prawns:

10 medium sized prawns
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tsp crushed pepper
Butter +1 tsp oil
salt
curry leaves
lemon juice
2 green chillies chopped

Method:

Marinate the prawns with lemon juice,salt n pepper n keep aside for 1/2 hour.

Heat the butter + oil in a pan,Splutter the curry leaves n green chillies. Add the

 ginger n garlic n saute till golden brown.Now add the parwns n cook for 5 minutes

 on high heat till well done.Take off heat n Garnish with more lemon juice !

Ingredients for Khichdi !

1/2 cup yellow spilt dal (moong dhuli dal)
1/2 cup red split lentils (masoor dhuli dal)
1 cup rice
1/2 tsp ajwain (carom)
1 tsp chopped ginger
salt
haldi (turmeric)
1 tbsp Ghee/Butter
water

Method for khichdi:

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pressure cooker ,add in the the ginger n ajwain.Put in the dal,

rice, haldi ,salt n water (water good enough to cover the dal n rice).Close lid n 

pressurize with 2 whistles.Open after 15 minutes n now get ready as its Smokin Time

To smoke the khichdi:

Place a katori (steel bowl)on the khichdi, Burn a piece of coal ,place it in a katori n immediately 

put some ghee n close the lid.Allow it to smoke for 10 minutes till its lends beautiful 

flavor to the khichdi.Take the katori out n top the khichdi wit Hot Butter Garlic prawns.

The best combo i could Think of n have...Yummm

Khatti-Meethi Tamatar Kalonji ki Sabzi !

This is a super simple dish that goes very well with chilli

 parathas n uttapams.Mom serves it with stuffed matar parathas.

The reason why I call it a sabzi n not a chutney is coz u end up

eating a bowl full of this finger licking dish.

Ingredients:

5 ripe tomatoes (chopped in big chunks)
1tsp kalonji (onion seeds)
A small piece of jaggery(say an inch)
1 1/2 tbsp oil
Pinch of hing (asoefatida)
Salt

Method:

Heat some oil in a pan, add the hing n kalonji( do not roast

the kalonji to much).Add in the tomatoes n cook on high heat for

5minutes, put in the salt n jaggery n cook on medium flame till

tomatoes get mushy (press the tomatoes a bit while cooking).

Take off heat once tomatoes are well done n garnish with coriander

 leaves.Enjoy!

Note: There is no need to add in any chillies at it tends to overpower the taste of 

this beautiful dish.

Method:
Peel the tinda's n make two slits diagonally. Fill them with the dry masalas(keep aside the left over masala).Heat oil in a kali kadai, add the tindas n cover with lid.After 5 minutes, turn the tindas , add the sugar n left over masala n saute for 5minutes.Now add a lil water (2-3 tbsp).Cover n cook till the tinda's are well done n liptoed with the masala.Enjoy with hot chapatis!!

Method:

In a blender put in the oreo biscuits (full biscuits wit cream) n milk.Give it a gud blend.Grease a borosil bowl with olive oil or butter n keep aside.Now mix the Eno in the chocolate mix n immediately pour the batter in the bowl.Put it in the Microwave on simple microwave mode for 5 minutes.Take it out n let it rest for 15 minutes .Once done enjoy wit ice cream or fresh cherries!

Desi Punjabi Karele ! (Bitter gourd)

Desi Punjabi Karele ! (Bitter gourd)

A favourite from Mom's recipes.
Simple n yummy made in kali (iron) kadai!

Ingredients:
250 gms karela (bitter gourd)
3 potatoes (peeled n sliced)
4 medium size onions ( each cut in 4pieces)
5 tbsp mustard oil
2tbsp milk

Masala: (mix all together)
1tbsp dhania powder (coriander powder)
1tsp amchoor powder (raw mango powder)
2tsp red chilly powder
1tsp haldi (Turmeric)
Salt as per taste

Ps: masala is used in 3lots

Method:

Peel n Slit the karelas , apply salt in the centre.Keep for 1hour n wash it wit water to remove sourness.Squeeze the karelas properly n stuff it with half of the dry masala.
Heat mustard oil in a Kali Kadai till smoking point , shallow fry the karelas stirring only twice so tht it turns brown both sides.Once done,remove the karelas n keep aside.In the same oil put in the potatoes n cook till well done, pour in half the masala n mix.Once done remove potatoes n keep aside.Now the last stage, put in the onions in the same oil n saute till transluscent.Add in the little masala left, the potatoes n karelas.Add 2 tbsp of milk to it n give it a nice mix, cover n take off heat.Enjoy spicy karele.

Avial

Avial

Enjoy this Simple, Light & Yummy Dish!! A very popular dish in south india.

Avial  is supposed to have been invented by Bhima (one of the Pandava brothers)

 during their exile. According to the legend, when Bhima assumed his duties as the

 cook in the kitchen of Virata, he did not know how to cook. One of the first things 

he did was to chop up many different vegetables, boil them together and top the 

dish with grated coconut. Bhima is said to have prepared Avial, when there were 

unexpected guests for King Virata ,when there was no sufficient vegetables to cook

 any single recipe for side dish, so Bheema used whatever available vegetables to 

make a new dish, which came to know as Avial.Vegetables commonly used in avial 

are elephant yam, plantain, pumpkin, carrots, beans, Brinjal,cucumber, drum 

sticks, snake gourd , Carrots, beans etc.While the north Keralan Avial includes bitter

 gourd also. Some people prefer to skip curd or substitute it with raw mango or 

tamarind pulp. This dish can be made into a gravy or be made into a semi-solid side

 dish. It is generally eaten with rice. The word "avial" is also used to denote 'boiled' 

or 'cooked in water' —this sense being derived from the way the dish is made.

Recipe Courtesy: My friend ,Swathi Rao

Ingredients:

Chopped Carrots, lauki, kundru (u can add in ur choice of veggies)

1 cup fresh coconut

1tsp jeera,pinch of hing, 1tsp mustard seeds,kadi patta

3 green chillies+ Dry  4 red chillies

2 cups of curd mixed wit a little water n salt (I used packed nestle curd)

2 tbsp oil (coconut oil is preffered here, but I used normal oil)

Method:

In a pan of hot water, Boil all the vegetables together till soft. Remove n strain the

 water & keep veggies aside.Grind  together Coconut pieces+ jeera+ chillies to a 

paste(without water).Heat oil in a pan temper with mustard seeds,kadi patta n hing

 & add the coconut paste . Saute for 3-5 minutes constantly stirring till u get a nice

 aroma of the paste.Now add in the boiled vegetables n mix well. Stir in the curd 

mixture slowly n cook for 5-7 minutes more.And ur yummy dish is ready. Serve 

with steamed rice!!     

Malvani Chicken

Malvani Chicken

I learnt this beautiful dish a few years back from my cook in mumbai .
Malvani chicken is a very popular coastal region recipe in Maharashtra. It's 

prepared using lots of fresh coconut.The main flavour comes out with its dry 

roasted spices n the use of dagad phool (an amazing spice used in the
 Maharashtra region. A must try recipe!!!

Ingredients:
1 kg chicken
Pinch of asafoetida
2 onions sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
Salt
Oil

Coconut Paste
.......................
200gms freshly grated coconut
3 green chillies
5 cloves of garlic
1 inch piece of ginger

Malwani Masala
..........................
7 dried red chillies
1 tsp dagad phool (Pathar phool,if not available never mind)
½ tsp black peppercorns
1tbsp coriander seeds
1 star anise
3 cloves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 piece cinnamon stick
2 green cardamoms
½ tsp cumin seeds
1tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp nutmeg powder ( I skipped this)
½ tsp turmeric powder

Method:

Step 1:

To make the Malwani Masala,roast all the ingredients in a dry frying pan

 but not the nutmeg & turmeric powder. Cool the roasted spices and grind

 in a grinder to a fine powder. Mix in the nutmeg & turmeric. This powdered

 mix can be stored in an air tight container for a few months n can be used for 

other dishes too.

Step 2:

To make the coconut paste,grind all the ingredients in a blender with a few

 tablespoons of water until you get a paste.

Step 3:

Heat the oil and splutter the asafoetida,add the sliced onions.Cook on a medium

 heat stirring occasionally until softened and light brown for about 2-3minutes. 

Now add the coconut paste. Stir well and cook for 5-7 minutes.Make sure the 

coconut changes colour slightly to pale brown .Fry the mix and stir occasionally

 to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.At this stage add 3-4
 heaped teaspoons of the Malwani masala along with the chicken & salt.Stir 
and coat all thechicken pieces with the coconut and spices. Let the chicken seal
 on high flame and cook in its juices for 2 minutes. Now add the water and mix.
 Bring the curry to a boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes until the chicken is
 cooked through,depending on ur choice you can have this as a curry or semi dry.
 Season with the lemon juice and fresh coriander.