I have been out of blogging since my little princess arrived.. Srivallis Indian cooking challenge has brought me back again. I really had no time to make changes in the recipe or type a bit about it! just followed the recipe as it was given and it came out yummy with white rice!

here is the recipe i followed blindly!

Source: Simran of Bombay Foodie

Ingredients Needed:

For Pakoras:

Besan / Chickpea Flour – 1/2 cup
Onions – 1 medium
Salt to taste
Red Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Water
Oil for Deep frying

For Kadi

Curds / Yogurt – 1 cup
Besan/ chickpea flour – 1/3 cup
Water – 3 – 4 cups
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds- 1 tsp
Ajwain/ Carom Seeds- 1 tsp
Methi / Fenugreek seeds- 1 tsp
Onion -1 large
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Red Chili powder – 1/2 tsp

Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
Amchur/ Dried Mango powder – 1 tsp

Method to prepare:

For the Pakoras

Slice onions length wise. In a bowl, take the chickpea flour, add salt, red chili powder. Make a batter with water to get a semi thick consistency.

Heat a pan/ kadai with oil. When it is hot, dip onions in the batter and gently drop into the hot oil. Deep fry until crispy.

Drain and keep aside.

For the kadhi

Make a paste with yogurt and besan, then mix with water to make a very thin batter.

Heat a tbsp of oil. Add a tsp each of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, carom seeds and methi. Let splutter for a few seconds.

Add onion slices, fry till they turn light brown.

Pour in the yogurt/besan batter, add turmeric powder, salt and red chilli powder.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for at least half an hour.

Keep stirring occasionally.

When you feel it is pretty thick, add the reserved pakoras, bring to boil. Add garam masala and Amchur powder to the gravy just before removing from stove.

When busy and lazy days are  ahead i just think about recipes with only veggies i mean no onions, tomatoes and ginger garlic!  Here is one of them.

All u need is

2 small potatoes cut into small cubes

1/2 of a cauliflower cut into small pieces

1 small piece of capsicum cut into small pieces

1/4 cup frozen peas

oil for frying 1/4 tsp jeera

jeera powder/ cumin powder 1/2 to 1 tsp or can increase or decrease according to your taste

turmeric powder 1/2 tsp or more

redchilli powder (optional according to your taste)

chaat masala (optional to sprinkle)

how to make:

Heat oil in a skillet and add jeera to it. When its brownish add potatoes and fry till the sides are brown. Add capsicum, cauliflowr, and all masalas to it and little water for the masalas to mix and well coat all the veggies. Close and cook till the veggies are done or till the water drains away. Add the green peas and close again till its soft. Garnish with corriander and mint leaves.

What i usually do with this subzi is roll it inside a roti, sprinkle chaat masala on top of the subzi and have it yummm! Its easy to stuff into hubbys lunch box as well!

i also prepare this during iftaar and saves me from the gastric pains due to the heavy dose of masalas in other curries!

Now to the award from my blogger fried Fajida. Thanks a lot dear!

Im passing this award to my wonderful blogger friends

1. Suhaina

2. Priti

3. Raks

4. Shabs

5.Faiza

6. Priya

7.Nilofer

8.Lissie

9.Umm Mymoonah

10. Deepa

11.Yummy Team

This post also goes to Akilas kitchen’s event DNSW:A and Ayeesha’s iftarmoments:hijri 1431

Till now my attempt to make Sambar has been a vain. It never comes in the right texture or taste. Sometimes it will be watery sometimes sour sometimes thick the list goes on! So today i tried Srivalli’s sambar recipe and it came out perfect. It is so easy to follow and with very less ingredients.You can find more yummy sambar reicpes here in her blog.

here is the recipe. I followed the recipe blindly and made some minor changes

Drumstick Sambar

Preparation Time : 15 mins
Cooking Time : 15 mins

Ingredients Needed

Toor Dal – 1 cup
Drumstick / Munnakaya / Murungakai – 1 or 2 nos (i added a medium sized potato too)
Sambar Onions – 100 gms
Sambar Powder – 1 tsp (i used Eastern so i added more than a tsp till the sambar taste came.)
Tomatoes – 2 medium
Tamarind pulp – small lime size (i used 1 tbsp tamarind pulp)
Coriander Leaves – few chopped
Oil – 1 tbsp (i used coconut oil)
Salt to Taste
Turmeric a pinch

For Seasoning

Mustard Seeds + Urud Dal + Fenugreek – 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves – few
Garlic – 4 pods

Method to Prepare:

Clean Toor Dal and pressure cook it with 2 drops of Oil and turmeric. This makes it cook fast. Keep it for 2 whistle.

Soak tamarind and extract pulp from it.

Chop onions, tomatoes, keep aside. Chop drumstick, the outer skin is also very healthy, so should not be peeled. Chop them into finger length pieces

Boil a cup of water and once it starts boiling, drop in drumstick and potato and cook till its tender. This should not be pressure cooked as it gets over cooked.

To the cooked Dal, add the chopped tomatoes and Sambar powder, salt. Cook for another whistle. Finally add the tamarind pulp along with required water. Bring to boil. simmer it while you temper with seasonings.

Heat oil in a pan, add the seasoning ingredients. Then add chopped onions, Once they are golden in colour, add to the simmering dal along with cooked drumstick pieces.

Cook on high flame for 5 mins, then simmer for 10 mins till its cooked well. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with rice, dosa,idle

3 large potatoes boiled and mashed. Alternatively you can also microwave at high for 4minuts.

green chillies 3 thinly sliced

lime juice 1-2 tbsps (add or reduce according to your taste)

chaat masala 1/2 tsp

2-3 tbsp grated carrots  (optional)

Mix all the above ingredients and make tikkis.

Heat the oven to 220 C. Oil the baking dish. Also spray some oil on top of the tikkis. Bake for 20 mts for crisp tikkis.

**You may also shallow fry the tikkis in a non stick skillet**

Im clearing my drafts now!! It has been loaded with a lot of pictures and recipes and since i was not in a mood from jan onwards because of this pregnancy and my dads death. Now that its a long weekend here i decided why not clear one by one! still digging out the right pictures! This is my first cooked food and it was yummy i guarantee you!!

Thawed Amul Paneer cubes – i used around 30 cubes

For the marinade:

Beans – 250 grms cut into small pieces

jeera/cumin – 1/4 tsp

turmeric – 1/4 tsp

chilli pwdr – 1/4 tsp

curry leaves – 1 spring

salt to taste

Exra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp

In a heaqvy bottom vessel heat olive oil and add cumin. Once it splutters add the dry powders and stir for 2 seconds.. Be careful not to burn the powders. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir for few more mts. If you want to cook the beans close the lid and let it cook for 3-5 mts. Or else keep on stirring for 3-4 mts. Serve with rice or rotis.

im Sending my recipe for Light Meal Event

1. 2 cups of Maida or All purpose flour
2. 1/2 cup cornflour
3. 1/4 cup soya sauce
4. 250 grms of cauliflower
5. 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger and garlic
6. 1/2 of a large capsicum
7. 1 medium spring onion
8. 4-5 tbsp chili sauce
9. coriander leaves to garnish

• First you’ll have to mix maida cornflour salt few drops of soya sauce and water to form a thick batter.
• Dip cauliflower in it and deep fry
• Heat oil in another pan and add the ginger and garlic,onions,capsicum,spring onions and stir.
• when its done add soya sauce and chili sauce and stir
• Add the fried cauliflower to it. Mix without breaking the cauliflower.
• Add more sauce if needed. Garnish with coriander leaves.