Mooli Raitha

I'm always on a hunt to find some healthy food for the mid - day hunger pangs ;) . Cucumber slices dusted with chutney podi or pudina podi or any other podi on hand , is my regular solution.
But having run out of this regular fix , I found mooli instead .
So be it ! Necessity is the mother of all inventions , it is said. I conjured up this raitha with the mooli & trust me , it was quite satisfying & tasty too !
I have to mention that I used low fat curds & olive oil for tempering.
I guess , a similar preparation with grated carrot or cucumber would be good as well.
Any other quick - fix solutions for this condition are most welcome !

Ingredients

White radish - 1, grated
Curds - 4 tbsps, whipped lightly
Green chillies - 2 , finely chopped
Salt
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
For the tempering -
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard, Jeera , curry leaves
Coriander - 1 tsp , for garnishing.

Method

Mix the grated radish with all the ingredients .
Temper the raitha & garnish with coriander .
Serve with paratas, Rotis etc.

This is participating in the 'no cook ' event at seduce your taste buds

Paneer Capsicum Gravy

This recipe is from Nita Mehta's cook book. Of course , with a few changes to suit our palate. It is a gravy for the paneer lovers . It is not only loaded with paneer cubes but the gravy is also thickened with crushed paneer. So it is paneer all the way ! The spice powders pack in a punch & the coconut milk softens the spicy gravy & lends a rich flavor to the dish.

Ingredients

Paneer - 150 gms, cubed
Capsicum - 1 No. , diced
Jeera - 1 tsp
Garlic - 4 pods , crushed
Kasuri Methi - 1 tsp
Tomato sauce- 1 tsp
Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Dhaniya Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Salt - as needed
Amchur powder - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Oil , Ghee - 2 tbsps, 1 tbsp
Coconut milk / Milk / Cream - 2 tbsps
Grind :
Tomato - 2 No.s, chopped
Green chilly - 3 No.s
Ginger - 1/2 ''

Method

Cube paneer & crush some paneer, say 2 tbsps & reserve it.
Mix the ghee with the oil & fry paneer cubes till brown. Immerse these in hot water till needed.
In the same oil, splutter jeera & brown the crushed garlic.
Stir in the capsicum & saute for 2 minutes.
Pour in the tomato mixture & stir till the oil separates.
Add all the other ingredients from kasuri methi to sugar & stir for 1 minute.
Pour some water to the required consistency, put the crushed paneer & bring to a boil.
Slip in the paneer cubes & add the coconut milk. Cook for two minutes.
Dig into it with roti of choice.
Bon appetite.



Sending to the Create & carve Event.

Rice Rava Roti

I have , in the past, made futile attempts with Rava Roti. The texture was not being right & hence not accepted by my fastidious family. But browsing thro' this site, I came across a promising recipe & I knew this time round , it would work. And WORK it did ! It lived up to the promise !
Whoever thought of adding cooked rice to this roti is a genius ! The jury proclaims it to be a truly delicious & healthy breakfast .
My input is limited to a few minor additions. A must -try recipe.



Ingredients

Fine Rava - 2 cups
Rice flour- 1/4 cup
Cooked Rice - a handful, make paste in the blender
Jeera - 1 tbsp
Oil - 3 tsps
Onion - 4 med size, finely chopped
Coriander - 2 tbsps
Salt - to taste
Curds - 3 tbsps
Chilly paste - 3 tsps
Curry leaves - 1 tbsp , chopped
Carrots - 1 cup , grated

Method

Mix all the dry ingredients first. Mix in the other items.
Add the cooked rice paste & curds & mix into a loose dough with water.
Smear oil on a heat resistant paper . Take some dough on to the paper & pat it into a thin roti.
Put the roti side down on to a hot griddle & cook it both sides using a tsp of oil .
Serve hot with chutney of choice.

Suggestion

Could use methi greens / Chopped cabbage / other vegetables , finely grated to make a more healthy roti.

Vadappi

This is basically a poori made from mixed flours, but jowar flour is predominant. It is nice & crisp on the outside with a subtle onion flavor coming through & the occasional nutty crunch from the sesame seeds.
This is a much loved dish by my family & quite addictive too. The only problem being that you cannot, however hard you try , can't stop at ONE !
Anyone game for this challenge ? Lemme know.....
ALL IS WELL ......Take care.


Ingredients

Jowar flour ( Sorghum Flour ) - 2 & 1/2 cups
Rice flour - 1 cup
Wheat flour - 1/2 cup
Besan flour - 1/2 cup
Roasted gram ( chutney dal ) - 1/2 cup , finely powdered
Oil - 6 tsps
Salt
Green chilly paste - 5 tsps
Sesame seeds - 3 tbsps
Coriander - 3 tbsps , chopped
Onion - 5 medium sized, grated
Curds - 2 cups , approx.

Method

Mix all the flours. Add to it all the other ingredients & make a tight dough with the required amount of curds.
Pinch a small portion ( enough to make a poori ), & pat it on a greased plastic paper like the size of poori & deep fry till brown spots appear on the poori.
Drain out the oil & take it on to a absorbent paper.
Serve hot with any chutney or tomato sauce.

Suggestion

Pressing the poori between 2 plastic sheets is quicker for me .


Sending this to Priya's Event

Peanuts chutney

This chutney is from my mother's repertoire of recipes & hence special to me.
Peanuts have a nutty but pleasantly sweet taste & roasting enhances their taste . Combine them with some simple ingredients to get a spicy chutney with the crunch of raw onions.




Ingredients

Peanuts - 1/2 cup , roasted & cooled
Red chilly - 9 No.s , ( byadagi & guntur , mixed )
Copra - 2 Tbsps , grated
Tamarind - 1 tbsp , soaked
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Onion - 1 , finely chopped
Tempering :
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard, jeera , curry leaves, hing

Method

Roast the peanuts till raw smell goes , slip in the chillies & turn off the gas. Let it cool.
In a blender ,whizz the dry ingredients first. Add the tamarind & grind again with a little water, to get chutney consistency.
Transfer to a serving bowl & mix with the onions.
Temper the oil & pour over the chutney.
Goes well with hot rice & also good as a accompaniment with rotis.

Capsicum Gojju

This is yet another traditional gojju from karnataka, which is very simple to prepare with minimum pantry staples. I have used potato , but it can be made with just the capsicum & onion. This is one of those everyday recipes that surfaces on our lunch menu ever so often & well liked by all.




Ingredients

Capsicum - 2 large, diced
Potato - 1 large , diced
Onion - 1 large - diced
Oil - 2 tbsps
Tempering :
Mustard, jeera, curry leaves, hing
To Grind :
Coconut - tbsps, scraped
Rasam powder / sambar powder - 3 tsps
Roasted gram dal/ chutney dal - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind - 1 tbsp , soaked
Jaggery - 2 tsps
Salt - to taste

Method

• Heat the oil & do the tempering.
• Toss in the vegetables & stir cook till just done, if required with some water.
• Blend the masala with some water into a paste along with the tamarind , jaggery & salt.
• Further cook the vegetables with this masala , adjusting the consistency to requirement & bring to a simmer.
• Serve with hot rice or rotis.
  

Cabbage Huli

Huli is like a sambar & is prepared with any given vegetable or a combination of vegetables & pulses. As the lentils are combined with the veggies & had with rice, this One - Dish Meal , encompasses all the food groups.
This versatile Huli is a simple every day dish which is healthy, filling & wholesome.



Ingredients

Thoor dal - 1/3 cup
Cabbage - 2 cups , shredded
Onion - 1 medium , chopped
Tamarind - 1 tbsp , soaked
Jaggery - 3/4 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Grind :
poppy seeds - 1 tbsp , lightly toasted
Coconut - 3 tbsps, scraped
copra - 1 tbsp, scraped
rice - 1 tsp
onion - 1 small, chopped roughly
Rasam powder/ sambar powder - 4 tsps
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Temper :
Oil - 4 tsps
mustard, jeera. curry leaves, hing

Method

• Pressure cook the dal & cabbage with some water.
• In another pan, temper the oil & lightly saute the onions. Add the masala paste & stir till the color changes & it starts to leave the sides of the pan.
• Combine this masala with the cooked dal, tamarind extract, jaggery & salt & adjust the consistency to resemble sambar.
• Bring it to a simmer.
• Serve hot with rice.