Paani Puri

Ingredients:

Cream of wheat (sooji) - 1 cup
Maida - 2 tsp

Procedure:

• In a bowl mix sooji and maida. Add water little bit at a time to make a dough (mix delicately. The consistency should be similar to poori dough.)
• Make the dough into 1/2" balls.
• Using a poori presser or tortilla maker press these balls into 2" circles.
• Add oil to a deep bottomed pan on medium heat for deep frying.
• When the oil is hot deep fry the flattened pooris (5 to 6 at a time) until they turn golden brown on both sides.
• Drain them on paper towel to remove excess oil.

Paani puris are ready to be used. Serve them with the paani (spiced water) and the chutneys.


Source: This recipe is from my good friend Pramila.

Read more...

Paani Puri - Paani and Chutney

Ingredients:

Tamarind - size of a small lemon
Panipuri Masala - 2 tsp
Meethi Chutney - 3 spoons
Green Chutney - 3 tsp
Juice of one lemon (optional)
Salt to taste

Meethi chutney (sweet chutney):

Dates(pitted) - 1/2 cup
Raisins - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Tamarind - half the size of small lemon
Red chili - 2 to 3
Jaggery - size of a small lemon
Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Blend all the ingredients to a smooth paste with little water.

Green chutney:

Cilantro 1 cup
Mint. 1 & 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds. 2 tsp
Green chilies 3 to 4
Juice of one lemon
Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Blend all the ingredients to a smooth paste with little water.

Paani:

• Soak tamarind in hot water for a while.
• Add 3 cups of water and extract the juice. Strain the juice in a bowl.
• Add all the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Click here for the recipe to make the puris.

Read more...

Dates Roll

Ingredients:

Pitted dates - 2 cups
Almonds - 1 cup
Sesame seeds - 2 Tbsp
Poppy seeds - 2 Tbsp
Butter - 1 Tbsp
Milk - 1 Tbsp

Procedure:

• Cut dates into small pieces and coarsely grind almonds and keep them aside.
• Put butter in a thick bottom pan on medium heat.
• When the butter melts add cut dates and milk. Stir occasionally till it becomes soft enough to make a dough.
• Remove from heat make it into a smooth dough.
• Grease a cookie sheet with butter. Spread the dates dough it on a greased sheet to 2 mm thick.
• Spread almond powder on it and roll it into 1 and 1/2 inch diameter log.
• Keep it in the refrigerator for one hour.
• Remove from refrigerator and cut into 1 cm thick rings.
• Sprinkle sesame seeds and poppy seeds on it and serve.

It is a great sugar free desert.

Read more...

Upma

Ingredients:

Cream of wheat (sooji) - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds (Zeera) - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Chana dal - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 6 to 8
Cabbage - small piece
Green chilies (or red chilies) - 1 or 2
Ginger - 1" piece
Curry leaves - 5 to 6
Chopped cilantro - 1/2 cup
Ghee (clarified butter) - 3 Tbsp

Procedure:

• In a thick bottom pan fry sooji till it turns golden brown. Keep it aside.
• In a pan put ghee (could use oil in place of ghee) on medium heat. When its hot add mustard.
• When the mustard splits add cashew nuts, chana dal, urad dal, zeera, green chilis cut into small pieces, cabbage pieces (could use onion in place of cabbage), grated ginger and curry leaves.
• When the urad dal turns light golden brown add 1and a half cup hot water and 1 cup hot milk. When it comes to a boil add salt to taste.
• Next add fried sooji slowly to boiling water while constantly stirring. Mix well and cover.
• Simmer on low to medium heat and let it cook for 5 minutes. Once all the water evaporates it is done. Season with chopped cilantro.

Mix thoroughly and serve with the chutney of your choice.

Read more...

Dahi Vada (Perugu Garelu)

Ingredients:

Urad Dal - 1 cup
Yogurt - 4 cups
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds (Zeera) - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilies - 2
Curry leaves - 8 to 10

Procedure:

• Soak urad dal for 6 hours in water. Grind to a smooth thick paste with very little water. Set it in refrigerator for half an hour.
• Blend yogurt using a hand blender for couple of minutes. Add salt to taste. In a small pan add 2 tsp oil on medium heat. To the hot oil add mustard.
• Once mustard sputters add 1 tsp urad dal, cumin, red chilies and curry leaves. When it turns golden brown add it to yogurt and mix well. Set it aside.
• Take oil in a deep bottomed pan on medium heat for deep frying. Add salt to the urad dal batter and mix well. Make into lemon size balls.
• On wet hand place urad dal batter ball and shape it like a donut. Place it into the hot oil and deep fry it until both sides turn golden brown.
• Take it out and dip it in a bowl of water and right away put it in seasoned yogurt. Let the Vada soak in yogurt for at least half hour.

It is ready to be served.

Read more...

Sambaar Powder

Ingredients:

Chana dal (bengal gram) - 2 cups
Urad dal (black gram) - 1 cup
Tuvar dal - 1 cup
Black pepper - 1/2 cup
Red chili (1"pieces) - 4 cups
Coriander seeds (Dhaniya) - 4 cups
Cumin seeds (Zeera) - 1 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/2 cup
Fenugreek seeds (Methi) - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 1 cup
Cinnamon stick - 8'' piece
Cloves (Lavang) - 16
Cardamom - 4
Asafotida (hing) - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder (Pasupu) - 4 tsp

Procedure:

• Add 1 Tbsp oil to a thick bottomed pan on low heat.
• Roast each ingredient separately and set them aside.
• Ground all the roasted ingredients into a smooth powder.

Store it in a dry glass container. Can be stored up to 1 year in refrigerator.

Read more...

Sambaar

Ingredients:

Tuvar dal - 2 cups
Drumsticks (cut into2''pieces) 2
Indian eggplant - 3
Tomatoes - 4
Squash (cut into 1'' cubes) - 1 cup
White pumpkin (cut into 1'' cubes) 1 cup
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2cup
Cilantro (chopped) - 1 cup
Tamarind - 1 small lemon size
Sambar powder - 2 Tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Red chilies - 2
Curry leaves - 6 to 8
Hing powder (optional) - a pinch

Procedure:

• Pressure cook dal in 5 cups of water. Set it aside.
• Cut all the vegetables into 1" pieces. Set them aside.
• Grind together tamarind, coconut, tomatoes with 2 cups water. Set it aside.
• Add 2 cups of water to a deep bottomed pan and bring it to a boil. To this add the cut vegetables and boil for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Next add the ground paste, cooked dal, cilantro, turmeric, salt to taste and mix well.
• Next add sambar powder mixed in 2 cups of hot water to this. Let it boil on high for 5 minutes. Set it aside.
• In a small pan add 2 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter) on medium heat. To this add mustard seeds.
• Once the mustard sputters add urad dal, cumin seeds, cut red chilies, curry leaves and a pinch of hing powder if desired.
• When the urad dal turns slightly brown add this to sambaar.

Serve it hot with idli, vada or steamed rice.

Read more...

Ginger Chutney (Allam Pacchadi)

Ingredients:

Ginger (grated) - 2 cups
Jaggery (grated) - 1 cup
Curry leaves - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball
Red chilies - 4 to 5
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
Methi (Fenugreek seeds) - 2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Sesame oil - 1 cup

Procedure:

• In a pan add 1/2 cup of oil on medium heat. To this add 1tsp mustard seeds, methi seeds, 4 red chilies and curry leaves (save 4 or 5 leaves for seasoning) and roast for just couple of minutes.
• In a blender grind together ginger, jaggery, tamarind (soaked in a cup of warm water), salt to taste and the above roasted ingredients with 1/4 cup sesame oil. Make it into a smooth paste. Set it aside.
• In a pan add 1/4 cup sesame oil on medium heat. When oil is hot add 1 tsp of mustard seeds and wait until they sputter. Next add urad dal, 1 red chili and curry leaves. When they turn golden brown add this to the ground ginger paste and mix well.

Read more...

Gobi Manchoori (Cauliflower Manchoori)

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1 medium
Rice flour - 2 Tbsp
Cilantro (finely chopped) - 1 cup
Ginger - 1'' pieces
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Olive oil - 1/4 cup

Preparation:

• Cut cauliflowers into medium sized florets. Put these pieces in boiling water with a spoonful of salt. Boil for three minutes.
• Drain the cauliflower pieces and put them in a bowl. Add olive oil, chili powder, cumin powder, grated ginger, rice flour and cilantro. Mix thoroughly.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the cauliflower pieces on a cookie sheet lined with aluminium foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.

It is a great appetizer.

Read more...

Eggplant Fry (Menthi Vankai Vepudu)

Ingredients:

Long egg plant - 5
Chana dal - 2 Tbsp
Urad dal - 2 Tbsp
Red chilies - 2 or 3
Methi (Fenugreek) - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

• In a pan add 1 tsp oil on low heat. Roast chanadal, urad dal, fenugreek seeds and red chilies.
• Once roasted grind them into a smooth powder with coriander powder. Set it aside.
• In a pan heat 1 Tbsp oil on medium heat. Add eggplant (cut into big chunks), turmeric and salt to taste. Mix well and cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• When the eggplant turns golden brown turn them over to the other side. Cover and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Sprinkle the dry roasted powder. Mix gently and let it cook for 2 more minutes. It is ready to be served.

Read more...