POHA CHIVDA

During nippy weather,I always crave for crispy,crunchy and deep fried snacks.I rummaged through my kitchen cupboard to find store bought or ready-to-eat snacks,but couldn't fine one. I decide to pull off with my go-to staple-  Flattened rice /poha. Poha chivda is a crispy evening time healthy snack,as it doesn't require much oil. This snack remains fresh for a week,when stocked in air tight and dry container.

 

 

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INGREDIENTS :

 

POHA / FLATTENED RICE ( Thin variant) - 2 CUPS

ROASTED GRAM DAL- 1/2 CUP

GROUNDNUTS- 3/4 CUP

CASHEW NUTS- 10-12 NOS

DRY MANGO POWDER- 1/2 TSP

GARAM MASALA POWDER- 3/4 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER- 1/2 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

POWDERED SUGAR- 1 TSP

 

 FOR  TEMPERING :

 

OIL-  2 TSP

CUMIN SEEDS- 1 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 2 SPRIGS

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

ASAFOETIDA- 1/4 TSP

PROCEDURE :

1. Dry roast flattened rice / poha and keep it aside.

2. Dry roast gram dal and ground nuts till crisp and keep it aside.

3. In a pan add oil and splutter cumin seeds,curry leaves and cashewnuts. Add asafoetida, turmeric powder,garam masala in oil and mix well and switch off.

4. Add all the roasted ingredients over the seasoning and toss well after adding salt and powdered .

5.At last sprinkle aamchur powder over it and mix well.

6. Store the contents in a dry,air-tight container.

 

ROSE PETALS HALWA

Rose flower exudes a mild and pleasant fragrance. I had stocked abundant rose flowers for the festival. A particular variant of rose called paneer rose is used in numerous dishes : kulfi.peda.gulkand,jam,katli and the list goes on. The botanical name of this flower - Edward rose or Rosa Damascena . I decided to prepare halwa by incorporating paneer rose petals with corn flour. I was running out of rose food colour,hence decided to do without it

 

 

 

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 INGREDIENTS :

CORN FLOUR- 1 CUP

SUGAR- 3 CUPS

WATER- 2 CUPS

ROSE PETALS- 1/4 CUP

ROSE ESSENCE- 1 TSP

CHOPPED NUTS- 1/4 CUP 

GHEE-  1/4 CUP

PROCEDURE :

1. Mix 1 cup corn flour in 3 cups of water and keep it aside.

2. Dissolve 3 cups of sugar in two cups of water. Place the dissolved sugar on the stove and heat it. Add the rose petals after cleaning.     Check for the sticky consistency and switch off.

3. Now gently add the cornflour mixture over the sugar syrup and simmer in mild heat. Cornflour    mixture will slightly start to thicken.

4. Now add a portion of ghee and keep stirring. To check the right consistency,drop a small portion of the halwa on a plate. If you are able to roll it into ball, then the halwa has reached the right consistency.

 

5. Otherwise keep stirring and adding ghee in between.  Add in the rose essence and mix well.

6.  Transfer the cooked halwa to a greased plate and add chopped nuts over it.

 

7.Allow it to rest for an hour and slice it to equal squares. 

AVALAKKI MENUSU UPPITTU

When running out of breakfast ideas,I always resort to my go-to staple - Avalakki,poha,aval or flattened rice. I have tried numerous recipes involving poha. Watch out for more exciting recipes to follow on this space ! Last week,I tried this simple yet tasty upma for breakfast. If you have curry leaves powder on hand,then you can readily use it in this uppittu or upma. Avalakki is Kannada word for flattened rice and menusu is peppercorns.

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS :

FLATTENED RICE-  1 1/2 CUPS

COCONUT GRATINGS-  1 1/2 CUPS

SALT TO TASTE

 

FOR THE POWDER :

 

PEPPERCORNS- 3/4 TSP

CUMIN SEEDS- 1 TSP

CURRY LEAVES-  1/2 CUP

 

FOR THE SEASONING :

 

OIL-  6 TSP

MUSTARD- 1 TSP

URAD DAL- 1 TSP

ASAFOETIDA- 3/4 TSP 

CURRY LEAVES- 2 SPRIGS

PROCEDURE :

1. Wash and rinse flattened rice thoroughly to remove impurities. Drain the water and little water to soak the rice. Too much of water will turn the rice mushy. Soak it for 20 minutes.

2. In a pan dry roast peppercorns,cumin seeds and curry leaves till nice aroma emanates. Switch off the stove and allow the ingredients to cool and grind it in a mixer jar. Add salt to the ground powder and mix well.

 

3. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds,urad dal. Throw curry leaves and asafoetida.

 

4. Now transfer the softened rice over the seasoning and mix well. Sprinkle the powder it and mix well.

 

5. At last add coconut gratings and simmer in mild heat for a minute and switch off the heat.

GREEN TOMATO KOOTU

 

 

 I have prepared kootu or lentil based gravy involving different veggies : Cabbage,pumpkin,ash gourd,cucumber,chow chow,beetroot. But this particular kootu,piques my appetite. The subtle tangy flavour of green tomatoes enriches the flavour profile of this dish. This gravy,pairs well with chapati,phulka ,rice and naan. I always prefer it with plain rice with a dollop of ghee.

 

INGREDIENTS :

GREEN TOMATOES- 6-7 NOS 

STEAMED TOOR DAL- 1 CUP

SALT TO TASTE

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

FOR THE PASTE :

COCONUT GRATINGS- 1/2 CUP

GREEN CHILLIES- 2 NOS

SHALLOTS- 5-6 NOS

CUMIN SEEDS- 3/4 TSP

FOR TEMPERING :

OIL- 4 TSP

MUSTARD- 3/4 TSP

ASAFOETIDA- 1/2 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 2 SPRIGS

PROCEDURE :

1. Wash and chop green tomatoes and keep it aside.

2. In a pressure cooker,heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Throw curry leaves and asafoetida. Now transfer the chopped veggies over this after adding salt.

3. Close the lid and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. Don't add water,the water content in the tomatoes is enough for steaming.

4. After the tomatoes gets cooked,slowly remove the lid and add the steamed toor dal over it.Add turmeric powder.

 

5. Add the coconut paste too over the lentil and cooked tomato mixture  and simmer in mild heat till the raw smell of the paste evades completely.

6. Switch off the heat and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.

TAMARIND UPMA

Are you bored of eating the usual upma? Then,you can try this yummy tangy tamarind or puli upma. Puli translates to tamarind in Tamil. Puli upma is an authentic dish from the Tamil brahmin cuisine.With rice flour in hand,you can readily prepare this dish with other staple ingredients. 

 

 

 INGREDIENTS :

RICE FLOUR-  1 CUP

WATER- 1 1/2  CUPS

TAMARIND SYRUP- 1/2 CUP

TURMERIC POWDER-1/4 TSP

ASAFOETIDA-1/4 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

FOR SEASONING

 

SESAME OIL- 1 TBSP

MUSTARD- 1 TP

URAD DAL-1 TSP

GRAM DAL-1 TSP

RED CHILLIES- 3 NOS

CURRY LEAVES- 3 SPRIGS

CHOPPED ONIONS- 2 NOS

 

PROCEDURE :

1. In a wide bowl,take rice flour,water,turmeric powder salt and asafetida and whisk it to smooth consistency.

 

2. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract syrup. Add this syrup to rice flour mixture and once again whisk it .The consistency should be that of thick idli batter.

3. Heat sesame oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds,gram dal.urad dal,curry leaves, broken red chillies and curry leaves.

 

4. Throw in chopped onions over the seasoned ingredients and fry till it turns translucent.

 

5. Now gently add the rice flour mixture over the sauteed ingredients and keep stirring in mild heat it till it reaches crumble consistency. If you are preparing the upma in non-stick cookware,then you can keep it covered in sim for five minutes.

 

 

KADALA CURRY : A KERALA DELICACY

Kadala curry,is an authentic curry prepared from black chickpeas popular in Kerala. It is often paired with puttu or steamed rice cake. Generous amount of coconut imparts an nice flavour to this curry. Since,I'm not adept at making puttu,I always pair this flavoursome curry with rice and chapati.

 

 INGREDIENTS TO GRIND

 

COCONUT GRATINGS- 2 1/2  TBSP

 ROASTED GRAM DAL (Potukadalai)- 3 TSP

OTHER INGREDIENTS

BLACK CHICKPEAS- 1 1/2 CUPS

ONION- 3 NOS

GREEN CHILLIES-2

GINGER GARLIC CRUSHED- 1 TSP

CHILLI POWDER- 3/4 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER- 1 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER-1/4 TSP

COCONUT OIL- 1 1/2 TBSP

CINNAMON-1

CLOVES- 3 NOS

BAY LEAF- 1

MUSTARD- 3/4 TSP

CRUSHED GARLIC- 4 NOS

TOMATOES- 2 NOS 

CURRY LEAVES- 2 SPRIGS

CORIANDER LEAVES CHOPPED- 1/4 CUP

PROCEDURE

1. Soak chickpeas for 6-7 hours . After it softens,transfer it to a pressure cooker along with chopped onions,crushed ginger garlic,green chillies,salt.

2. Close the pressure cooker lid and cook for 7-8 whistles.

 

3. Add oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds,cinnamon,cloves and bay leaves. Add chopped onions,salt,curry leaves and fry till it turns translucent.

4. Add crushed garlic,chopped tomatoes and fry till the tomatoes turn mushy.

5.Now add in the coconut paste,chilli powder,turmeric powder and coriander powder and saute till the raw flavour evades completely.

6. Add some water to the paste. Boil for a couple of minutes.

7. Now transfer the steamed contents to the paste and simmer in mild heat till the gravy thickens.

8. Switch off the stove and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.