Instant Bisibelebath (Moongdal version)

Think of Karnataka cuisine the first thing which pops into our mind is most delicious and authentic dish Bisibelebath.The name itself suggests that it's a combination of rice ,lentils and spicy powder.There are varaties of Bisibelebath you can make,for example Oats Bisibelebath,Avalakki Bisibelebath,Cracked Wheat Bisibelebath and so on.This time I gave a try to Bisibelebath with moongdal (hesarubele).

Ingredients:

1 Cup Sona Masoori Rice

1/2 Cup Moong Dal

1 Carrot ( chopped lengthwise)

1/4 cup Lima Beans ( I used frozen)

1 Tbsp of peanuts

1  1/2 tsp of Garam Masala

1 tsp Red Chillie & Turmeric powder

Cashews & Cilantro to garnish

3/4 tsp of tamarind paste

Coconut powder as desired

Salt to taste

5 to 6 cups of water

For Seasoning;

Oil and 1 tbsp each

Mustard seeds,asafeotida & curry leaves

Procedure :

Cook rice,vegetables and moongdal together with measured water in a pressure cooker and bring them to 5 whistles.

In a sauce pan heat oil,add mustard seeds,asafeotida,curry leaves,salt.Sim the heat add garam masala,cashews,red chillie and turmeric powder.Saute them for less then a minute.Finally add tamarind paste...

Mix the above with cooked rice.Add hot water to the rice if needed.

Garnish them cashews and cilantro.

Rice Specialities

Mango Shrikhand

Mango Shrikhand is traditional sweet dish from Maharashtra and Gujrathi cuisine.A dessert made from strained yogurt,is very tasty,healthy and easy to make.Since mine was a thick consistency yogurt never strained it.One of the best served dish  made during all festive season.

All you need is:

Fully riped mangoes- 2

Yogurt - 3 cups 

Sugar - 7 to 8 tsp ( may increase as per taste )

Cardamom powder - 1/8 tsp

A Few Saffron strands

How to make it :

1. Chop the mangoes into pieces and remove the skin.Squeeze them into a fine purée.

2. Blend the mango purée with yogurt,sugar,cardamom powder & saffron until   smooth texture.Transfer them into a serving bowl.Refrigerate the smoothie for about two hours.Serve chill.

3. A good combination for poori's and chapathi.

Happy Cooking !!

Chocolate Coffee Shake

Mixture of chocolate and instant coffee powder.Perfect drink for a hot summer day.

Ingredients :    

2 Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream ( I used fat-free ice cream )

2 Cups Cold Milk ( low-fat )

3/4 tsp of Instant Coffee Powder

2 to 3 Tbsps of Whipped Cream

2 to 3 Chocolate Chunks ( I used Hershey Bars)

Sugar & Cardamom powder to increase as per taste.

Servings : 2

Preparation :

Blend all above ingredients together.Bring them to pulse for a while.

Serve cold.

Whole Grain White Chillie Bread

The speciality of this dish is tomato chillie sauce mixed with bread which gives the spicy taste.Made with fewer components which is apparently available in your kitchen.

Ingredients :

Whole Wheat White Bread - 6 slices
Onion - 1 ( cut lengthwise )
Tomato - 1 ( chopped )
Mashed ginger and garlic - 1/4 tsp each
Green chillies  - 2 ( cut lengthwise )
Tomato Chilli Sauce - 2 tbsps
Chillie powder - 1/4 tsp
Sprinkle salt,sugar,turmeric powder according to taste
Mustard seeds -  1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 to 3 tbsps
Chopped cilantro to garnish

Procedure:
1. Set the flame to medium heat.On a non stick pan,toast the whole grain white bread to crispy golden brown on both sides without using oil.You can also try with white bread.Allow it cool.Cut the bread into square pieces ( I preferred using the scissor as it gives a precise shape ).

2. Heat a skillet,add oil,allow mustard seeds to splutter.Later add chopped onions,ginger,garlic and tomatoes.Fry them for few minutes till they are soft.
Season them with tomato chillie sauce ,salt,turmeric,sugar as per taste.stir it well.

3. Finally add the bread pieces and mix it with the above.Toss them upside down in a slow process.Since the bread is tender soft,remove from heat quickly.Enhance the taste with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

HAPPY COOKING !!

Vegetable Puffs

My memories of the Crispy Crust veggie puff with soft stuffed spiced onions goes back to the days when I came to US more than a decade ago.Never had a thought that these puffs can be done at home!One of the best served tea time snack especially during winter season.

Ingredients:

1 sheet Puff Pastry

For Stuffing:

Onion - 1/2 ( chopped )

Mustard & cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp each

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Chopped coriander

Green chillies - 2 or red chillie powder (   1/4 tsp)

Garlic to taste is optional

Oil - 2 tbsps

Salt to taste.

You can even add mixed vegetables for stuffing.

Method :

1. The first thing you have to do is thaw the pastry sheets for about 10 minutes.

Later cut the desired shapes. Usually cut them into square.

2. Meanwhile on the other side, in a heated sauce pan add oil with mustard,cumin seeds.After they splutter,add onions,turmeric powder & green chillies

3. Sauté them for about 5 minutes.

4. Mix well,adjust salt to taste.Turn off the heat and let it cool down.

5.By this time the sheets should be soft enough to stuff .With the help of a spoon spread the spiced onion curry above the sheet.gently seal them on the sides

6.Preheat the oven for 400 deg.Put them on a greased baking sheet and place it in the oven.Bake them for about 10 to 15 minutes or till crispy golden brown.Serve with tomato ketchup.

HAPPY COOKING !!

Simple Lemon & Mint Rice

Simple Lemon & Mint Rice

A combination of lemon juice and mint leaves with fewer items yields a zesty taste. 

Ingredients:

Basmati - 1 cup

Onion - 1/4 size

Mint leaves - 4 to 5

Green chillies - 4

Mustard & cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp each

Coconut powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder just a pinch

Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tsp

Oil and ghee - 1 tablespoon each.

Salt to taste

Water - 1  1/2 cup

Lemon - 1

Method :

1. Cook the rice in a pressure cooker with 1 1/2 cups of water.

2. Grind the mint leaves,chillies,coconut powder,coriander leaves to a fine paste.

3. Heat a pan, add oil and ghee with mustard & cumin seeds.add onions after spluttering is done.Saute the onions till they turn soft.

4 . Now add with the grinded paste with turmeric powder & salt.

5 . Next mix well the cooked rice and squeeze the lemon accordingly.

6. Enhance the taste the fresh chopped coriander leaves.

HAPPY COOKING !!

Creamy Carrot Soup Recipe

A Healthy Soup,rich in color,aromatic,tasty as well.

All you need is :

Carrots - 4 ( peel & cut them into slices.pressure cook for 2 whistles with 1  1/2 cups of water )

1 tbsp of butter

Onion - 1 tsp ( chopped )

Grated coriander just about a 1 tsp

Garlic clove -  just a small one for taste

Ground black pepper - 1/4 tsp

1 tbsp of half and half cream

Salt to taste

How to prepare the soup :

 Melt the butter in a pan and cook onion,garlic till soft.

Sprinkle salt as they cook. Blend pressure cooked carrots,onions,garlic until smooth by adding little water.

Now pour the blended carrots etc into the sauce pan,add the half and half cream with black pepper.Allow them to sizzle in the pan for about 2 minutes.

Garnish with coriander strings if desired.

Serves about 2 cups.

Homemade Garlic Bread

One of the well-liked appetizer by everyone. Smells so good when it's baking.

I always prefer to do it on Friday evening as tea time snack.

Ingredients:

1 french bread loaf( I used 1/2 pound)

salt & 2 to 3 pinches of herbs or oregano

For Butter spread:

3tbsp Butter( I used the light butter since this was my first time try)

1 tbsp Olive oil

5  to 6 cloves of garlic, minced

Method:

1) Preheat the oven at 400 F.

2) Cut the bread loaf horizontally into two halves.

3) To make garlic butter spread, Heata small saucepan, add olive oil and make it warm. Turn off the heat. Add butter and minced garlic and mix well.

4) Spread the garlic butter on the inside the bread.Sprinkle the oregano all over it. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until the edges get lightly brown. Add salt to taste.

Cut the baked bread with knife buttered side down and slice it.Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Pudhina Avarekaalu Saagu (Lima Beans/Butter Beans & Mint Curry)

Saagu is an traditional karnataka dish.Mixed vegetable curry blended with additional flavor of Lima beans and mint..But this time I tried with mint and butter beans.Usually accompanied with poori,chapathi etc.

Ingredients:

Lima Beans/avarekaalu - 1/2 cup

Tomato (chopped) -1

Onion (chopped) -1

Carrot (chopped) - 1

Potato (chopped) -1

Mint leaves - 8 to 10

Green chillies -4

Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves just about an handful

Curry leaves 5 to 6

Cumin seeds -1/4 tsp

Coconut powder -1/2 cup

Cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala -1/2 tsp

Ginger- 1/4 inch( grated)

Dhalia -1 tbsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Sugar(optional) -  1 tsp

Water - 1 to 1 1/2 cups

Method:

Pressure cook all the vegetables for about 2 whistles.Or you can microwave them high for 10 minutes.

Grind the mint leaves,coriander,curry leaves,green chillies,coconut powder,cinnamon and dhalia into fine paste.

Heat the heavy bottomed pan with oil and add mustard seeds,after splattering add the cooked veggies,sauté for couple of minutes.

Finally add the grinded paste,mix well with water.Season them with salt and turmeric powder.

Serve them with poori,chapathi,Roti etc.

Coconut Tambuli

Tambuli is one of the effortless,as simple as ABC and good for health side dish. It is basically made out of Coconut and yogurt.

Ingredients:

Grated Coconut- 1 cup

Ginger(grated) - less than 1/4 tsp

Green chillies - 3 to 4

Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad dal - 1/4 tsp

Cilantro -  4 to 6 strands 

Curry leaves - 5 to 6

Oil - 1 tsp

Asafeotida to taste

Salt to taste.

Method:

Grind the green chillies,ginger,cilantro,curry leaves,cumin seeds and coconut to a fine paste.

Heat a pan,add oil with mustard and cumin seeds.Allow them to splutter and later add urad dal with asafeotida and curry leaves as well.

Transfer them to a serving bowl with above grinded paste.

Finally add the yogurt and salt.It really goes well with rice.

Mango & Pineapple Pudding

Here comes an other easier dessert recipe.

Ingredients:

Fine sooji or semolina - 1 cup

Sugar - 3/4 cup

Mango chunks(riped)- 1/4 cup or 4 to  5 pieces

Pineapple - less than 1/4 cup( I used the frozen chunks)

Milk just about 1/2 a cup

Cardomom powder about a pinch

Few roasted cashews & raisins(roasted)

1/2 cup of ghee

Few saffron strands(4 to 5 soaked in warm milk for about 15 minutes)

Water - 2 to 2 1/2 cup for smooth texture.

Method:

In a thick bottomed pan heat ghee and roast sooji.

Boil water in a separate vessel.

Crush the mango & pineapple into the blender till a fine paste.

Add the cashews and raisins, sugar,cardomom powder,the crushed fruit paste with water and soaked saffron strands and milk.

Keep stirring well to avoid the lumps.

Let it be cooked for couple of minutes.

Serve hot.

Happy Cooking !!!

Methi Poori

Just tried methi poori for the first time,was tasty.A quick and simple snack time recipe.

Ingredients:

Methi leaves chopped- 1/2 cup

Atta-2 cups

Besan-1 cup

Rice flour-1/2 cup

Oil-1 tbsp

Jeera-1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Tindora pulao/Ivy Gourd pulao

This recipe is originally from my mother who is a great cook.She keeps trying new recipes all the time.I kind of inherited the hobby from her.this recipe is perfect to try on the weekends.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice-1 Cup(1 1/2 cups of water)
Onion-1
Tindora (sliced or chopped)-1/2 cup
Green chillies-3 to 4
Ginger & garlic 1/2 tsp finely grated(I always use the fresh raw ginger and garlic....I never like the ginger,garlic paste which is available in the grocery store)
Garam masala-1/2 tsp
Cinnamon powder-1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder-1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
 Oil and ghee- 1 tbsp each
Salt to taste
Jeera- 1/4 tsp
Cloves(optional)
Bay leaf
Cilantro to garnish(chopped)

Method:

1. Soak the Basmati Rice in water for about 30 minutes prior to cook.
2.Now chop all the vegetables including chillies.Heat a pan and add oil and ghee together as mentioned above.
3. Add jeera,chopped vegetables with minced ginger and garlic.
4.Let them to sizzle till they turn to soft and transparent.
5.Add salt,turmeric,cinnamon,garam masala,red chillie powder.
6.Now add the cooked rice and mix well with the above and garnish them with cilantro.
7.Any kind of raitha...goes well with the rice.

HAPPY COOKING !!!