Sundakkai Kuzhambu

Ingredients:
Sundakkai/Turkey berries - 1 cup
Shallots - 10-15 (peeled and sliced)
Garlic - 10-12 cloves (small)
Tamarind - Indian lemon size
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt - to taste
Sesame oil
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

To powder:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.

Method:
Soak tamarind in 2 cups of water.
Crush the berries with mortar and pestle.
Wash the berries 2 to 3 times to remove seeds.
Heat oil and add garlic.
Fry till they turn golden.
Add the shallots and fry till they change color.
Add berries and saute for 3-4 minutes.
Add turmeric, chilli, coriander powder and saute for a minute.
Add the tamarind juice, a cup of water, salt and mix well.
Meanwhile, dry roast the mustard, fenugreek and cumin seeds.
Powder them.
Once the berries are cooked (at this stage the gravy's thickened), add the powder and mix well.
After 2 minutes, remove from heat.
Serve with white rice.

Sent off to "CWS-Cumin Seeds" (hosted by Saraswathi Iyer and started by Priya).

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Bharleli Vangi

Although, I prepared Bharli vangi once, I could not help but try this stuffed eggplants from Pari's Blog. It suited our taste buds and we really enjoyed this dish. Thanks Pari!

Ingredients:
Small eggplants - 300 gm
Onions - 2 (large)
Tomato puree - 1/2 cup
Garlic cloves - 6 to 7
Ginger - 1 1/2 inches
Dry grated coconut - 3 to 4 tbsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder - 2 to 3 tsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp.
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp.
Cumin powder - 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp.
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp.
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil
Salt (to taste)
Jaggery - 1 tsp.
Dry kokam - 2 to 3
Goda masala - 2 tsp.
Coriander leaves

Method:
Grind chopped onion, garlic, ginger, dry coconut and cumin seeds.
Heat oil in a kadai and add the mustard seeds and allow it to crackle.
Add the fenugreek, sesame and poppy seeds.
Add the ground onion mixture and sauté till the raw smell fades and oil separates.
Add tomato puree and mix.
Add the red chili powder, coriander, turmeric, cumin powder, salt, jaggery, goda masala and dry kokam pieces.
(If you have enough time, cool the masalas and stuff them in the brinjals).
After a minute add the Eggpants (with a + cut at the base).
Add 1 1/2 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Now simmer and cover and cook the eggplants.
When the eggplants are done, let the gravy thicken.
Remove from heat and add the chopped coriander leaves.
Enjoy with rice or roti.

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Ridge Gourd/ Peerkangai Chutney

Ingredients:
Ridge gourd - 3 (medium & tender)
Green peppercorn/Pacha kurumulaku - 1 medium spike
Coconut flakes - 1/3 cup
Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch
Tamarind - gooseberry size
Garlic - 8 cloves (small)
Bengal gram - 2 tbsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil

For Tempering:
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Vadagam - 1 1/2 tsp.
Oil


Method:
Peel and discard the sharp edges of ridge gourd skin. Cut the ridge into pieces.
Soak the tamarind in required water.
Heat oil in a kadai and sauté the ridge gourd till it becomes tender. Remove from kadai and keep aside.
In the same kadai add 1/2 tsp. of oil and fry the bengal gram till it turns golden color. Remove and cool.
In a blender add ridge gourd, green peppercorn, coconut flakes, tamarind with water, garlic, bengal gram, chopped coriander leaves, salt and grind them. Add water if required.
Temper the chutney with vadagam and curry leaves.

Enjoy with idlies or dosai.
Note: Use red chilli or green chilli instead of green peppercorn.


Green peppercorn/Pacha Kurumulaku:

I already uploaded another photo like this in Chicken with green peppercorn fry, but I'm showing this up for vegetarians.

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Banana Bundt Cake

Happy Mother's Day!

Here is the original recipe.
Ingredients:
AP Flour - 3 cups
Unsalted butter - 2 sticks (8 ounces at room temperature)
Eggs (large) - 2 (I used 3 Indian eggs)
Sugar - 2 cups
Baking soda - 2 tsp.
Sour cream/plain yogurt - 1 cup (I used plain yogurt)
Bananas (very very ripe) - 4 (mashed)
Vanilla essence - 2 tsp.
Salt - 1/2 tsp.

Method:
Pre-heat the oven at 350°F and butter the 9 to 10 inch bundt pan.
Whisk flour, baking soda and salt.
Beat the butter till creamy.
Add the sugar and beat till fluffy and pale.
Add the vanilla essence and the eggs (one at a time and beating the batter for a minute after each egg).
Then add the bananas and beat at a lower speed.
Mix in the half-dry ingredients. Then add the plain yogurt and add the remaining dry ingredients.
Pour in the batter in the bundt pan and smooth at the top.
Bake for 55-75 minutes or until the tester comes out clean (mine took 55 minutes).
Transfer the cake to a rack and let it rest for 10-20 minutes.
Unmold onto the rack and let it cool at room temperature.


Note:
If the cake browns too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil like a tent.
If you want icing to sweeten up your bites you can sprinkle icing sugar.


Sent off to Jo's "Mother's Day Event".

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Sprouted Green Gram Paniyaram

Ingredients:
Sprouted Green Gram - 1 cup
Wet aval/poha/beaten rice - 1 cup
Sweet corn - 1 cup
Carrot - 1 (grated)
Capsicum - 1 (finely-chopped)
Onion - 1 (finely-chopped)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (chopped)
Garlic - 1 tsp. (chopped)
Ground cumin - 1 tsp.
Ground coriander - 1 tsp.
Coriander leaves - 3 tbsp. (chopped)
Salt
Baking soda - 1 pinch

Method:
Grind green gram, aval, carrot and sweet corn.
Add capsicum, onion, ginger, garlic, ground cumin and coriander, coriander leaves, salt and a pinch of soda.
Mix well. Heat paniyaram griddle and add few drops of oil to each hole of the paniyaram griddle.
Pour the mixture with a spoon. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. Reverse the paniyaram and continue again for 5-6 minutes or until cooked.
When both the sides are crispy remove from vessel and enjoy with green chutney.
Source: Newspaper

Sent off to Susan's "MLLA-23" event.

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Rava Kesari

Ingredients:
Fine rava/sooji/semolina - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Hot water - 2 1/2 cups
Ghee - 2 1/2 tbsp. + 1 1/2 tsp.
Warm milk - 1/4 cup
Saffron strands - a few strands
Cashewnuts - 6
Raisins - 8
Ground green cardamom - 1 tsp.
Saffron food color - 2 to 3 pinches

Method:
Add 3/4 tsp. of ghee in a small kadai and roast the cashewnuts and raisins. Keep aside.
Add the saffron strands in warm milk and keep aside.
Heat 3/4 tsp. of ghee in a non - stick kadai.
Add the rava and start to fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
Dissolve the saffron food color in hot water.
Pour the hot water in the roasted rava and start to mix well and break the lumps if any formed.
Stir and allow the rava to cook.
Now add the sugar and stir well. When the sugar is fully dissolved, add the 2 1/2 tbsp. of ghee and mix well.
Now add the warm milk with saffron strands, ground cardamom, roasted cashew nuts, raisins and mix well.
When the kesari leaves the sides of the kadai, remove from heat.
Have the kesari warm or at room temperature.

Sent off to Priya's "CWS-Cardamom Seeds" event and Jyoti's "Mother's Day Event".

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