417: Potato Masala/ Poori Bhaji

 Poori Potato Bhaji is a classic south Indian Breakfast combo. This masala is nothing but mashed potato with Indian tadka. This potato masala is one of the easiest masalas that can be made.

Ingredients:

Big Potatoes             -         3 nos.

Turmeric Powder                ¼ Tsp.

Green Chilies                       3 no.

Grated Ginger                     1 Tbsp.

Ground Chutney dal             1 Tbsp. (Pottukadalai)

Water                                  1½  Cups

Salt                                     To Taste

For Seasoning

Oil                                       1 Tsp.
Mustard seeds                  ½ Tsp

Cumin seed                         1/2 Tsp

Fennel seeds                      ½ Tsp.

Curry leaves                        few

Asafetida                             a pinch

For Garnishing

 Chopped Coriander leaves         1 Tbsp.

  

Method

• Boil the potatoes in a cooker. Once cooked remove from heat  and  peel off the skin. Mash it using potato masher or spatula.
• Chop the chilies, curry leaves finely.
• Heat oil in a pan, add all above seasonings and allow to splutter.
• Add the chopped chilies, curry leaves, grated ginger. Sauté well.
• Add the mashed potato and turmeric powder and sauté for a minute.
• Now add the water, chutney dhal powder and salt. Mix well till it blends with the masala.
• Let it boil for 7 minutes in a medium flame.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and transfer to serving bowl.
• Serve hot with Poori.

  

414: Kadappa

Kadappa

This is a special dish around Kumbakonam/Tanjore areas. Potatoes cooked in fennel and coconut gravy. A perfect side dish for idly / Dosa and Idiyappam.

Ingredients

Boiled Big Potatoes                    3 Nos. (Peeled and Crumbled)

Moong dhal                                 ¼ cup

Chopped Green Chilies               2 no.

Chopped Curry leaves               2 Strings

Grated Ginger                           1 Tbsp.

Lemon Juice                              1 Tbsp.

Coriander leaves                       For Garnishing

For Grinding

 Grated Coconut                      1/2 cup

Fried Gram/Pottukadalai        3 Tbsp.

Green chilies                           2 no.            

Fennel seeds                           1 Tbsp.

Poppy seeds                             1 tsp.

For Tadka

 Oil                                           1 Tbsp.

Mustard seeds                        1/4 Tsp.

Bay Leaves                              2 No.

Cinnamon stick                        1 no.

Cloves                                     2 no.

Turmeric powder                   ¼ Tsp.

Preparation

• Boil potato and crumble them well.
• Cook moong dal in a pressure cooker and mash it well. Keep aside.
• Grind all the ingredients mentioned under "to grind" with little water into a smooth coconut paste. Keep it aside
• Heat oil in a kadai, add all tadka items, fry for a minute, add chopped green chilies, grated ginger and curry leaves. Sauté them for a minute.
• Now add the grounded paste and mix well and sauté them until the raw smell goes off, around 5 minutes. Reduce the stove heat.
• Then add the cooked potatoes and dhal and add some water to dilute it and allow simmering for 5 to 7 minutes boil together. 
• Transfer to the serving bowl and garnish it with coriander leaves and squeeze the lemon juice over it.

Kadappa

Akbari Vegetables

This Mughlai delicacy created by jodha Bai for her beloved Akbar.  Indian cheese(Paneer) simmered in a satin smooth creamy tomato sauce. A blend of garden fresh vegetables, tomatoes, and bell-peppers cooked in a tomato based sauce with mixed herbs and spices.

Ingredients:

Paneer                        1/2 pound (250 gms)                    

Fat Free Cream            ¼ tin (optional)

Oil                              for shallow fry paneer

Oil                               2 tsp.

Water                          ½ cup

Salt                              to taste

Sugar                           1  tsp.

Vegetables

Carrot                          1 no. (Cut into small cubes)

Capsicum                     1 no ( Cut into small cubes)

Tomato                        1 no ( Cut into slices)

For Grinding

Grated Ginger                1 tbsp

Tomatoes                      4 no.

Green chilies                  2 no

Cashew nuts                  3 tbsp.

Dry Masalas     

                     

Gram Masala Powder       1 tbsp.

Coriander Powder            1 tbsp.

Fresh Cardamom powder  1 tsp.

Kashmiri chili powder       1 tsp.

Preparation:      

• Wash and cut vegetables into small cubes. Cut the Paneer into big pieces.  Keep aside.
• Shallow fry the Paneer pieces and put in the  warm water  and keep aside.

For Gravy

• Soak the cashew nut in hot water for 30 minutes.
• Grind nicely the Cashew Nuts with chopped tomatoes, grated ginger and green chilies.
• Heat the oil in a pan, add the grounded paste and ½ of the dry masalas, fry for 10 minutes in low flame.
• Add water into it and boil for few minutes.

For vegetables

•  Heat the oil in pan, add the dry masalas and  sliced tomato pieces and fry till the oil separates.
• Now add the chopped vegetables, and fried paneer pieces and again fry for 5 minutes in low flame.
• Now add the above gravy into the vegetables and cook till the vegetables are well cooked.
• Now add the cream and mix well and switch off the stove heat.
• Serve hot with Chapatti , Nan, Rice.

If you found this post useful, I would really love it if you pin it or share it with your Facebook fans or Twitter followers or Google+ circles today. All it takes is a simple click on the “pin it” “like,” “share,” “tweet,” or Google+ buttons below the post. It will keep me motivated. 

White Peas Masala

Dry white peas masala is just like Ragada Patties masala. I had taken this peas masala in Thane , Bombay. I would never forget the taste. This warming vegetarian lentil dish is easy to make and perfect served with chapatti.

Ingredients For boilng Peas

Dry White Peas

Dry white peas                              1 cup

Water                                           2 cup

Soda salt                                       ¼ tsp.

Salt                                                ¼ tsp.

Ingredients for adding after peas are boiled

Ghee                                             1 tbsp.

Chili powder                                    1 tsp.

Coriander powder                            ¾ tsp.

Garam masala powder                     ½ tsp.

Amuchur powder                              ½ tsp.

Chopped Tomatoes                          ¾ cup

Ginger paste                                   1 tbsp.

Green chilies sliced                           2 no.

Curd                                                1 tbsp.

Water                                               1 -1 ½ cup.

Salt                                                  to taste

For Seasoning

Butter                                             1 tsp.

Cummin seeds                                 ½ tsp.

Bay leaves                                         1 no

  

For Garnishing

Finely chopped Cilantro                     few

Wedges of lime                              ½ no.

Tomato slice                                   1 no.

Chopped green chili slices                few

Method:

• Soak peas overnight with 1/8 teaspoon of soda bi carb. Next day drain the soda water and use fresh water and pressure cook the peas after adding little salt.
• Take a heavy bottomed vessel, add butter, splutter all seasonings and stir fry for few seconds.
• Then add chopped tomatoes, ginger paste,green chilies and fry.
• Now add all chili powder, amchur powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder and fry again.
• When masalas are cooked ,add curd and cook till raw smells goes away.
• Add 3 cups of water and let it boil.10. Add the boiled peas when it starts boiling.
• Let it boil for about four to five minutes on low medium flame. Ensure that the curry is thick.
• Turn off the heat and Garnish with all above garnish ingredients.
• Serve hot with chapati, phulka, batura, bread.

Chidambaram Gosthu

Chidambaram is very famous for its own popular dish “Gosthu”.  It is main dish for every marriage takes place in Chidambaram. This Gosthu is a main Prasadam in Chidambaram Nataraja Temple. They serve this Gosthu with Samba Sadam (Rice).

Ingredients

 

Tender small Brinjals        8  no.

Tamarind                        small lemon size

Turmeric powder              ¼ Tsp

Curry leaves                    few

Jaggery                          1 Tbsp.

Oil                                2 Tbsp.

Salt                               to taste.

For  Gosthu Powder

Oil                               1 Tsp.                                         

Grated Coconut              2 Tbsp

Coriander seeds             1 Tsp.

Chenna dal                    1 tsp

Urad dal                       1/2 tsp

Cumin seed                   ½ Tsp.

Red chilies                    3 no. 

Fenugreek seeds            a pinch.

 Asafetida powder            ½ Tsp.

• Heat the pan and Fry the above in little oil till good smell comes cool it and make a powder.

For Seasonings

Ghee                             1 Tsp.

Mustard seeds                ½ Tsp.

Chenna dal                    ½ Tsp.

Urdh dal                         ½ Tsp.

Red chili                        1 no.    

Curry leaves                   few

       

Method

• Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract the pulp.
• Wash and cut the Brinjals into lengthwise. Keep aside.
• Heat a oil in a pan,  add  curry leaves and chopped Brinjals and fry till its shrinks. Pour the tamarind extract and sprinkle 3-4 tsp of Gosthu podi.
• Add salt, turmeric powder, Asafetida powder into it  and boil it till the tamarind raw smell goes away. Gently smash the cooked Brinjals.
• At this stage check the salt and spices, Add more if you need. 
•  Lower the stove heat ,Add jaggery powder  and cook it for few more minutes.
• Cook till oil floating on the top. Turn off the stove .
• Heat a ghee in a pan, add all seasonings and fry it for a minute and pour it into the Gosthu.
• Gosthu is best served with Arisi Upma, Dosa , Samba Rice and Pongal. 

ALOO DUM

Aloo Dum is a mouthwatering vegetable recipe with boiled& fried small potatoes cooked in delicious gravy.
My readers know that there is Kashmiri Aloo Dum here. Now let us see Bengali version of it now.

 Ingredients

Baby or Medium size Potatoes        12 no.

Organic Tomato sauce                   ½-3/4 can

Thick Plain Curd/Yogurt                  ¼ cup

Silted Green chilies                          2 no.

Ginger paste                                  ½ Tsp.

 Sugar                                            1 Tsp.

Salt                                                To Taste.

For Masalas

Red chili Powder                             1 Tsp.

Turmeric Powder                             1/8 Tsp.

Snafu powder                                  ½ Tsp.

Roast and Grind  Coarsely

Cinnamon stick                        1 big

Green Cardamom                     4 no.

Cloves                                     3 no.

Fennel seeds                            1/8 Tsp.

Black Pepper                             ¼ Tsp.

For Seasoning

Mustard oil (Or) /Ghee                 1 Tbsp.

Bay leaves                                  2 no.

For Decoration

Coriander leaves                     few

Method:

• Boil the potatoes and then peel off the skin (make sure that you do not over boil them).
•  Prick the potatoes with a fork to punch some holes all around for even cooking.
• Sprinkle 2 pinches of turmeric powder and ¼ tsp of salt in it and rub it and keep aside for 15 minutes.
• Roast the spice and grind coarsely and keep aside.

•  Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a kadai, and shallow fry the potatoes in golden brown and drain the oil and transfer into paper towel.
• In the same kadai, heat the ghee and add & fry the seasonings.
• Now add the green chili and ginger paste, fry for a second.
• Now simmer the stove heat, add all masala powders and half of the freshly ground gram masala powder and sauté well till the oil separates.
• Now add the tomato sauce, salt and sugar in it and sauté well.
• Once the oil start leaving sides, lower the flame and add curd (yogurt) Sauté well.
•  Now add potatoes. Check for salt and add more according to taste.
• Add 1 glass of water and bring to boil .Simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
• Add rest of the gram masala powder and mix it well.
• Make it semi dry as per your choice.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and slit green chilies. 

 Note: 

• For health reason, I shallow fry the potatoes in little oil. If you want you can deep fry the potatoes in oil.
• You can substitute cooking oil for mustard oil to match with your taste preference.

Pea Malai Kofta

Malai Kofta is  a classic dish of Moghul origin. The pea balls are  fried and then added to the special creamy sauce/curry and served along with rice and rotis/Naans (Indian flat bread).  I have used the Paniyaram pan /skillet here to make the pea balls. This helps to cuts down on the calories.  You need a very little oil to fry the pea balls.

Ingredients

For Kofta

Green peas                           3 cups

Gram flour                            2 tbsp.

Finely chopped green chilies    3 no.

Chopped coriander leaves       2 tbsp.

Cumin seeds                         1 tsp.

Finely chopped ginger             1 tbsp.

Salt                                    to taste

Bread crumbs                       ¼ cup

Oil                                      for fry

For Gravy

Organic Tomato puree         ½ cup

Finely chopped tomato         ½ cup

Water                                1 cup

Ginger Paste                       1 tbsp.

Cumin                               1/3 tsp.

Coriander powder                1 ½ tsp.

Turmeric powder                ½ tsp.

Red chili powder                  1 tsp.

Cloves                              2 no.

Salt                                   to taste.

Oil/ Ghee                           1 tsp.

For Decoration

Cream                                1 tbsp.                    

Method:

• Boil the green peas in salted water till tender. Cool and mash.
• Add cumin seeds, chopped green chilies, ginger, coriander leaves and little salt.
• Take  the gram flour in a heavy pan over the fire. Stir till it turns brownish.
• Add the pea paste. Mix it well till it becomes smooth. Divide into 10- 15  equal pieces. Roll it in breadcrumbs.
• Heat the Paniyaram pan and add little oil in all the groves. When it is medium hot, add the pea balls in the groves.
• Within a minute turn it on all the sides and make sure it browns evenly (This cooks very fast so be careful). Keep aside.

For the Gravy

• Heat the oil and splutter the cumin seeds, and the ginger paste and fry for a minute.
• Add all the powdered spices , cloves, tomatoes, tomato puree  and salt.
• Stir it until leaves the oil. Add water and cook it in low flame.
• Put the gravy in a dish and add the Kofta to it.
• Decorate with cream and serve hot with rotis, Biryani , Pulao

  Note: See my other Malai Kofta Recipe

Paneer Capsicum Fry

Want to eat some light food but want Paneer too…?? Treat your tongue with this Paneer capsicum Masala recipe. I am sure it will tickle your taste bud.

Ingredients:

For Paneer

Paneer                                    1 pound (450 Gms)

Corn flour                                2 tbsp.

Rice flour                                 1 tbsp.

Red chili powder                      ½ tsp.

Salt                                        1 pinch

Red color                                 a pinch.

Sugar                                      ½ tsp.

Water                                      a little

Oil                                           for frying   

Vegetables

Big Red capsicum                     ½ no

Big Green capsicum                   ½ no

Big Orange capsicum                 ½ no

Yellow capsicum                       ½ no

Big tomatoes                           2 no.

Jalapeno                                 1 no.

Grated ginger                        1 tbsp.

Masalas

Kashmir Red chili powder        1 tbsp.

Dhania Powder                      1 tbsp.

Turmeric powder                     ¼ tsp.

For Tempering 

Oil                                        1 tsp.

Cumin seed                           ½ tsp.

Fennel seed                           ½ tsp.

Curry leaves                           few

Method:                               

  

For the Paneer

• Cut the Paneer as medium size cubes.
• Take a big bowl, add Paneer cubes, add corn flour, rice flour, chili powder, red color, a pinch of salt and little water. Mix well.
• Heat oil in a kadai; fry the Paneer cubes in golden color. Keep aside.

For the vegetable masala

• Cut all the capsicums into medium size pieces.
• Chop the tomato into small size pieces.
• Heat the oil in a kadai; add all tempering, fry for a second.
• Now add the grated ginger and jalapenos, fry for a second.
• Then add the chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt and fry for 2 minutes.
• Reduce the stove heat into low.
• Now add all masala powders and fry till the raw smells goes away .
• Then add the chopped all capsicums into it and fry for 5 minutes.
• Now add the fried Paneer cubes into it and mix it well.
• Add salt and sugar in it and fry for few more minutes in low flame.
• Switch off the stove and transfer the Paneer capsicum fries into serving dish.
• Now Paneer capsicum fry is ready to serve.
• Serve hot with Steaming rice, Pulka, Naan, Kashmiri Pulao
•  

Note:

• I like this dish to be very spicy. So adjust the spice level according to your taste.
• If the dish turns out too spicy, add   little lemon juice.
• I compeletely made this into south indian version. If you want to make this like North Indian version, just add garam masala, and cream .

Rawal Pindi Chole

Pindi Chole got its name from the place of its origin in Rawalpindi city , now in  Pakistan .Pindi Chole is very famous main course recipe in Punjabi cuisine which serves with Baturas. This Chole is a dry dish, where the Chole are coated very lightly with the gravy.

Ingredients

For Boiling chickpeas

Dried white Chickpeas/ kabuli chana                1 cup

Tea bags                                                       2 no.

Black cardamoms                                           1 no

Cloves                                                           2 no

Crushed green cardamoms                              1 no

Cinnamon                                                      1 no.

Water                                                            2 cups

Salt                                                               To taste.

For Masalas 

cumin seeds                                                   1 teaspoon

ginger    paste                                                1 tablespoon

Amchur powder (dried mango powder)             1 tsp.          

Red chili powder                                             1 tsp.

Coriander powder                                           1 tsp.
Chenna masala powder                                   1tbsp.                                          

Dried pomegranate seeds                                1 teaspoon

Seasoning 

Oil                                                                 1 Tsp

Bay leaves                                                     1 no.

Grated ginger                                                 1 tsp.

Thinly sliced green chilies                                1 tsp.

Cumin seed                                                    1/4 tsp.

Finely chopped tomato                                     1 no.

For Decoration 

Melted ghee                                                   1 tsp.

Chopped coriander leaves                               1 tbsp.

Method:

• Wash the Kabuli chana and soaked overnight.
• Make a small potli by tying the cardamom, cinnamon and tea leaves in a 2" x 2" piece of muslin cloth.
• Place the chickpeas in the pressure cooker, with the water& masala potli, and cook for 2 whistles.
• Strain the chickpeas and reserve the water after discarding the tea bag and whole spices.
• Heat the oil in a pan, add the all seasoning items, fry for few minutes.
• Now add the dried mango powder (Amchur powder)red chili powder, coriander powder, Chenna masala powder and dried pomegranate seeds and fry for 3 minutes.
• Now add the reserved water and cook till the oil separates from the gravy.
• Add the kabuli chana
• Cook till the chole is completely dry.
• Serve hot and garnished with ghee and coriander leaves.