Beetroot Vadai/Vada

Ingredients:
Arhar dal/Tuvar dal - 1/2 cup
Chana dal - 1/2 cup
Beetroot (medium) - 1 (grated)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Red chillies - 3 (or as per taste)
Curry leaves - few (chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
Soak arhar dal and chana dal for 1 1/2 hours.
Discard the water and grind the dals ( sprinkling little water) along with red chillies and fennel seeds  in a food processor.
Add the remaining ingredients except oil and mix well.
Shape the batter into small patties and deep fry them in medium-hot oil till golden brown.
Place them on an absorbent paper.
Serve and enjoy!!

Sent off to CBB Series#2-Chettinad Special.

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Jhal Muri

Jhal Muri is a West Bengal version of Bhel Puri.  Jhal in Bengai language means 'spicy' and muri, of course puffed rice.

Ingredients:
Puffed rice/pori/murmura - 2.5 cups
Onion (medium size) - 1 (chopped)
Tomatoes (small and deseeded) - 1 (chopped)
Cucumber (large size) - 1/4 chopped
Green chilli - 1 (chopped)
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Peanuts (roasted, unsalted and skinned) - 2 tbsp.
Sprouted whole kala chana (brown chickpeas) - 1/4 cup.
Pickle oil -2 tbsp (taken from a pickle containing mustard oil)
Jhal Muri masala - 2 tbsp.
Fresh coconut - to garnish (diced)

Method:
If you don't have pickles containing mustard oil, heat 2 tbsp. of mustard oil in a pan to smoking point.
Remove from heat.
Carefully add 1/2 tsp. of mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp. of fenugreek seeds and 1/4 tsp. of fennel seeds.
Then add 1/4 tsp. red chilli powder (kashmiri) and a small pinch of asafoetida powder.
Let it sit for an hour, strain and keep aside the oil.
For jhal muri masala:
Mix together 1 tbsp. of roasted  cumin powder, 1/4 tsp. of red chilli powder (Kashmiri), 1 tsp. of chaat masala,a small pinch of  white pepper powder and black salt. Keep aside.
In a large bowl, combine onions, sprouted black chana, cucumber, tomatoes, green chillies, peanuts and coriander leaves and toss.
Add the mustard oil and jhal muri masala and toss.
Finally mix the puffed rice.
Garnish with chopped coconut.
Serve and consume immediately.
Recipe Source: Sanjeev Kapoor
Sent off to "Flavours of Bengal" hosted by Priya and started by Nayna.

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Erra Kaaram Dosa

When Pratibha published this recipe a week ago, I had the burning desire to try it out. The photos also made my interest grow. I tried this recipe last weekend. Everybody in my home liked it. We had this for breakfast for two days.

Dosa:
Ingredients:
Sona Masoori Rice - 4 cups
Urad dal - 1 cup
Poha - 1 cup
Moong dal, Tuvar dal, chana dal - 1 cup (each 1/3 cup)
Fenugreek/Methi seeds - 1 tsp.
Salt (to taste)

Erra kaaram chutney (red chutney):
Ingredients:
Onions - 2 (diced)
Garlic - 2 big pods
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp (I used Kashmiri) or 3-4 red chillies
Tamarind pulp - 1.5 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Sesame oil/ghee - 1 tbsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.

Chutney dal powder:
Ingredients:
Pottukadalai/chutney dal - 1/3 cup
Garlic - 1 big pod
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Wash and soak dals, rice and methi seeds for 8 hours. Soak poha before 1 hour of grinding.
Grind into a smooth batter in a wet grinder.
Mix salt and ferment overnight or for 8 hours.

For erra kaaram chutney:
Grind onions, garlic, red chilli powder, tamarind pulp and salt into a smooth paste. If you don't like the raw smell of this chutney, saute all the given ingredients for chutney in oil and grind. Temper the mustard seeds and mix with chutney.

For chutney dal powder/podi:
In a dry jar add dal, garlic & salt and powder them.

For dosa:
Take a ladleful of batter and spread on a medium-hot tawa and sprinkle oil on the sides. Cook on both sides. Place the dosa on the plate and spread the red chutney all over the dosa and sprinkle chutney dal powder, ghee (optional). Serve immediately with chutney or without chutney.
Continue this process with the remaining batter.

Sent off to "Bookmarked Recipes-Every Tuesday" event.

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Spinach Stir-Fry

Ingredients:
Spinach (medium size) - 1 (chopped with stems)
Onions (small) - 2 (chopped)
Garlic - 8 pods
Dry red chillies - 2 (broken into half)
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Chana dal - 2 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil (as required)

Method:
Heat oil and add mustard,cumin seeds and dals and temper them. Add onion, garlic and dry red chillies and saute till the onions turn translucent.
Add chopped spinach and continue to saute.
While sauting, the spinach will wilt and release its juice. Continue the process till the stems are well cooked.
Now sprinkle required salt and saute, followed by sprinkling grated coconut and till dry.
Enjoy as a side dish with rice or chapathi.

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VICTORY YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!! INDIA WON THE ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2011 AFTER 28 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are the pictures which I captured from TV. Indian team bagging The World Cup. We are proud of you Guys!

 Captain Dhoni getting ready to hit a six for VICTORY!

Note:
Again, All photos are taken from television with my camera.

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Egg Fried Rice & Gobhi/Cauliflower Manchurian

I had some capsicums left in the refrigerator and I just wanted to get rid of them by throwing them in some dish. I also remembered that my kids asked me to make a manchurian dish for a long time. Then I raided the fridge to find out if there were required ingredients. Fortunately there were some and I was too lazy to make vegetable stock for gobhi manchurian and instead I used water. As a surprise, I made these two dishes and served them as today's lunch.

Egg fried rice
Ingredients:
Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Eggs - 3
Spring onions (big white bulbs) - 2 (chopped)
Carrot - 1/3 cup (finely chopped)
Beans - 1/3 cup (very finely chopped)
Cabbage - 1/3 cup (shredded)
Capsicum (tri-color) - 1/3 cup (finely chopped)
Ginger - 1/4 inch (grated)
Garlic - 1 big pod (grated)
White pepper powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Sesame oil - as required
Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp.
Sweet red chilli sauce - 2 tbsp.
Soy sauce - 2 1/2  tbsp.
Spring onions (green part) - chopped (to garnish)

Method:
Cook rice till 75% and keep aside. Grains should be separate.
Beat the egg and warm a tawa. Pour the beaten eggs into a thin omelette. Chop them into pieces and keep aside.
Heat the oil in a wide pan or wok and add white bulb, ginger and garlic in high flame. Saute till the raw smell fades away.
Now add the veggies and saute for a few minutes.
Add the chopped eggs and saute. Now add the sauces, ketchup and mix.
Add the cooked rice, white pepper powder, required salt and toss or mix.
Garnish with spring onion and enjoy hot.

Note:
Instead of making omelette, you use scrambled eggs and continue the process.
I have used uzhakku for measuring rice.
Spoons & cups are US measurements except for rice.


Gobhi/Cauliflower Manchurian

Ingredients:
Cauliflower florets (medium size) - 3 cups
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Cornflour/cornstarch  - 1/3 cup
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp.
(Kashmiri) Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
Drop the florets in hot water and let it sit for 10 minutes. Strain and keep aside.
Mix all the ingredients into a smooth paste/batter except cauliflower and oil.
Dip the florets in batter and drop in the hot oil.
Deep fry till golden brown.
Place them on an absorbent paper and keep aside.

For sauce:
Ingredients:
Spring onions (big white bulbs) - 4 (chopped)
Bell pepper/capsicum (red and green) - few (cubed)
Green chillies - 2 (chopped)
Garlic-ginger paste - 2 tsp.
Vinegar - 2 tsp.
Soy sauce - 4 tbsp.
Water - 2 1/2 cups.
Salt (as per taste)
Cornflour/cornstarch - 1/4 cup
Sweet red chilli sauce - 1 tsp.
Tomato ketchup or sauce - 1/4 tsp.
Spring onions (chopped) - to garnish
Sesame oil

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add onions, green chillies, bell peppers, ginger-garlic paste. Saute till the raw smell fades completely.
Add the sauces and salt to taste and mix
Add 1.5 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
Mix 1/4 cup of cornflour with 1 cup of water without any lumps.
Add the cornflour water to the boiling mixture.
When the sauce starts to thicken, immediately drop all the fried cauliflower, vinegar and mix fast.
Garnish with spring onions.
Enjoy hot with fried rice.

Note:
Sauces already contain salt, so add the salt according to taste.
If dark soy sauce is used adjust the quantity.
Spoons and cups used are US measurements.
No added MSG (Aji-no-moto).

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