WOYP Day # 62 Paneer Lauki (Sorekaayi) Kofta Curry

I often buy Bottle gourd (Sorekaayi in Kannada /Lauki in Hindi) whenever I'm at the Farmers Market or the Indian store. I usually make Bottle Gourd Peas Saagu or Bottle gourd Dal. I add it to Vegetable Sambar too at times. Wanted to try something different this time, so made these Paneer Lauki koftas. I remembered reading about Lauki koftas very long back, but hadn't tried making them. I was skeptical if the family would like bottle gourd this way, so I added Paneer for good measure. They turned out perfect and everyone loved them!

Paneer Lauki Kofta Curry: 

You will need:

For the Koftas:

1 cup grated Sorekaayi (Bottle Gourd/Lauki)
1 cup grated Paneer
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Garam masala
2 tsp Red chili powder (adjust to taste)
1/3 cup Besan (chickpea flour)

Oil for frying

For the Gravy:

2 tbsp Oil
1 large onion chopped
3 tomatoes chopped
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
2 Green chilies, chopped
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
6-8 whole Cashews

2 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Red chili powder
2 tsp Kasuthi Methi
2 tbsp Heavy whipping cream
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Chopped cilantro

Prepare the Koftas:

Peel the bottle gourd, remove the skin and spongy part on the inside. Grate into a large bowl. Place the grated bottle gourd in a clean thin kitchen towel and squeeze out the liquid. Grate the Paneer. 

Combine the grated bottle gourd, paneer, salt, garam masala, red chili powder and besan. This will make a soft dough. Make smalls koftas. These can be shallow fried or deep fried. I deep fried them. Set the oil to heat and fry the Koftas on medium heat. Make sure the oil is not too hot, this will make the koftas brown very quickly without cooking the inside. Fry all the koftas and remove to a paper lined towel. Set aside while you prepare the gravy. 

Prepare the Gravy:

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cashews and once they turn light brown, add the onions. Sauté until done, then add the ginger garlic paste and sauté until fragrant. Add the green chilies, turmeric powder and tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are soft. Turn off heat and cool the mixture. Grind to a smooth paste using a blender.

Heat butter in the same pan. Add cumin seeds and saute for a few seconds. Now add the prepared paste and saute for a minute. Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, salt to taste and red chili powder. Combine well. Add 1/2 cup water and mix well. Cover and bring to a simmering boil, about 6-8 minutes. Add crushed kasuthi methi and cream. Combine and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat.

To serve: Place kofta in a bowl or plate, pour the hot gravy over the koftas. Top with chopped cilantro. Serve with Chapatis, Phulkas or Naan. 

WOYP Day #42 Thai Green Curry

Thai food is something we all enjoy in our family since its one of the cuisines  which has both rice and spice, very akin to our South Indian food :) When we are on the road we either look for a Mexican restaurant or a Thai place, we get our fill of rice in either place and continue on our journey. 

Thai curries are coconut milk based and a blend of various ingredients and aromatics, combined with a good load of vegetables - that’s about as hearty as it can get. Pair it with steamed rice and its one amazing meal. 

If you don’t have the patience to make the green curry paste, you can always use store bought which does the job for a quick dinner but the real deal is making the paste at home. You control what goes into it and the best part is it tastes much better than the store bought paste. I also use Thai Green chilies to pack in the heat, adjust the quantity to your taste. You can also use Serrano chilies or Jalapenos.

Thai Green Curry:
You will need:

1 (8oz) can Coconut Milk
1 cup Carrot, cut at an angle
1 cup Green beans, cut into 1” pieces (tips removed)
1/2 cup Cauliflower florets (bite-sized)
1 Green Bell pepper, cubed
1 Onion, cubed
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil
2 tsp Brown Sugar
A small handful Thai Basil leaves

Curry Paste:
2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
6-8 Thai Green chillies (adjust to taste)
1/2 cup chopped Scallions
1” piece Galangal (substitute with Ginger)
4 pods Garlic
2 tbsp chopped Onion
1/2 Cilantro with stalks
1 tbsp Lime juice

Steam the sliced carrots, beans and cauliflower for 5 minutes. They will be cooked again in the curry so don’t over steam them.

In a blender, make a paste of all the Curry paste ingredients. Use little water as needed to make it smooth. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cubed onions and bell pepper. Sauté for a few minutes until 3/4th done. Add the prepared paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Now add the steamed vegetables, salt and brown sugar. The brown sugar adds a very mild sweet undertone which is typical of Thai curries and it also helps cut some of the heat. Stir in the can of coconut milk. Bring to a simmering boil. Add water only if the curry seems too thick. Remember the curry thickens more once it cools so adjust consistency as needed. Lastly stir in the Basil leaves and turn off heat. 

Serve hot with steamed rice of your choice. 

More Thai cuisine to tickle your taste buds -

Thai Red Curry 

Panang Curry 

Spicy Basil Fried Rice

WOYP Day #40 Tomato Poori with Bottle Gourd and Peas Saagu

Poori and Vegetable Saagu is a standard combination in Karnataka. The usual combination of veggies are potatoes, peas, green beans and carrots. I wanted to try a different combination this time and used Bottle Gourd and Green Peas. Bottle Gourd is a fairly versatile vegetable and takes on flavors well. Almost like Chayote Squash or White Pumpkin. It turned out good and we didn’t quite miss the other veggies :D 

Tomato Poori
You will need:

2 cups Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Tomato chopped & pureéd
2 tsp Kashmiri Red chili powder
1 tsp Garam masala
1/2 tsp Kasuthi Methi
2 tbsp Olive oil (or vegetable oil)
Salt to taste
Warm water as required

Oil for frying

Combine wheat flour, salt, chili powder and garam masala in a medium bowl. Lightly crush the Kasuthi methi in your palms and add it to the flour. Also add the oil and the prepared tomato puree. Add warm water little at a time to make a soft dough. The dough should not be sticky. I needed about 1 1/4 cups water. Cover the dough and set aside for 20 minutes.

After the dough has rested, knead the dough well until its smooth. Divide the dough into small balls. Using little flour as needed, roll into round discs, about 3”-4” wide. 

Heat oil for frying in a large deep pan. Set on medium heat. Drop a tiny dot sized piece of dough into the hot oil. If it rises to the surface immediately, the oil is ready. If it rises slowly, heat the oil a little longer and check again. Once the oil is ready, slide the rolled dough into the oil. Press lightly with a spatula to allow the poori to puff up. Flip and cook the other side for a few seconds. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Serve hot with Saagu. 

Bottle Gourd and Peas Saagu:

 You will need:
1 large Bottle Gourd
1 cup Green peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup chopped Onion
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Few curry leaves
Salt to taste

To grind to a paste:

3 tbsp Dalia (Hurgadale)
6 Green chilies
4 pods Garlic
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
6-8 fresh Mint leaves
1/3 cup fresh grated Coconut
1 tsp Garam masala
Water as needed

Wash the bottle gourd. Trim the ends and peel the skin. Slice in half and then into quarters. Remove the seeds and spongy white part on the inside. Cut the remaining into cubes.

Prepare paste using water as needed. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the onions and sauté until soft. Now add the cubed bottle gourd and peas. Stir and cook for a minute. 

 Add the prepared paste and saute for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the garam masala. Season with salt and add 1.5-2 cups of water, enough to immerse the veggies. Stir to combine. Close the lid and turn heat to high. Place weight on cooker lid and cook for 4 whistles.

Turn off heat and allow cooker to cool for 10-15 minutes before opening the lid. Stir well and serve hot with the Tomato Pooris.

WOYP Day #34 Phulkas & Palak Chole

Phulkas are similar to Rotis/Chapatis made with a whole-wheat flour dough but using a different method. They are cooked partially on a pan and partially on a direct flame. This imparts a smoky flavor to the Phulkas. It also makes them light. 

Phulkas can be paired with any curry. We had ours with a creamed Spinach & Chickpea curry a.k.a Palak Chole. Palak translates to Spinach in Hindi and Chole is Chickpeas. 

Phulkas:

You will need:

1 cup Whole wheat flour plus more for rolling
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Oil
1/2- 3/4 cup Warm water 

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt & oil. Add the warm water as needed to make a soft dough. Knead into a ball. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.

Knead well and divide into small balls. Dip each ball in wheat flour and roll into a 4” thin disc. Heat a pan on medium and on another burner, a roti griddle on medium heat.

Place the rolled phulka on the hot pan and cook for 20 seconds. When you see bubbles appear flip to the other side. Cook for another 15 seconds and move it to the Roti Griddle (like shown in the picture below) Watch as the Phulka slowly puffs up. My boys were fascinated looking at it balloon up and my younger one thought it was floating on the griddle :D Flip and cook the other side briefly, remove to a plate. Immediately apply ghee and serve hot. 

Repeat with the remaining dough making sure to apply ghee while still hot. 

Palak Chole: 

 
You will need:

1 8oz can Chickpeas (or 1 cup dried chickpeas soaked overnight)
1 large bunch Spinach
1/2 cup Cilantro
3 green chilies
2 tbsp Oil
1 Onion finely chopped
1 Tomato finely chopped
1 tbsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Red chili powder
1 tsp Anardana powder (from dried Pomegranate seeds)
1/2 tsp Garam masala
Salt to taste

 

If using canned chickpeas, bring contents of the can to a boil in a pan. Drain and set aside. If using soaked chickpeas, pressure cook chickpeas with water and little salt. Drain and set aside until ready to use. 

Wash spinach and blanch in hot water for 5 minutes. Remove immediately and run under cold water. Grind to a smooth paste with cilantro and green chillies.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions and sauté until soft. Add the ginger garlic paste, cook until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, coriander powder, red chili powder and anardana powder. Season with salt. Combine and cook for 4-5 minutes until tomatoes are soft and spices lose the raw smell.

Now stir in the chickpeas and prepared Spinach paste. Combine well and cook on medium heat. Add Garam masala. Bring to a simmering boil and adjust salt if needed.

Serve hot with Phulkas.

WOYP Day #27 Ujju Rotti and Eggplant curry

Ujju Rotti is made with very fine semolina. It is cooked in water to make a soft pliable dough and then rolled into thin flat discs and cooked on a hot tava (pan)It is important to use fine semolina so that it cooks well in the water and makes a smooth dough.

These rottis pair best with a bold, flavorful curry since the rotti itself isn’t spiced. I made a Mint cilantro eggplant curry to go with it and it was a perfect match! 

Ujju Rotti: 

 

You will need: 

2 cups Fine semolina (fine sooji)
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Oil
2.5 cups Water

Bring water to a rolling boil. Add the salt and oil. Turn down heat to low and add the semolina in a slow stream while continuously stirring. The semolina will absorb the water almost immediately. Turn off heat. Set aside for 3-4 minutes and knead while still hot. Its a little tricky but wet your hands if needed to handle the hot dough. If its not kneaded while still hot, the rottis will break while rolling. If you have a stand mixer, dump the dough in the bowl, using the dough hook knead for 2-3 minutes. Remove from bowl, knead and set aside for 15 minutes.

Once cooled, divide dough into equal sized balls. Dip each ball in rice flour and using a rolling pin, roll into a thin disc about 9" in diametre. Once cooked they shrink slightly so if you start with a very small circle, the rotti once cooked will be fairly small. 

Heat a pan on medium high. Once hot, roast the rotti. Cook on one side for 25 seconds until you see bubbles rise. Drizzle little oil and flip the rotti. Cook until done. Remove to plate and keep covered until ready to serve.

Mint Cilantro Eggplant curry:

You can use baby eggplants to make this curry, but I used long eggplants since I had these on hand and stuffed them same way I would with baby eggplants. 

You will need:

4 long purple Eggplants or 6-7 small eggplants, washed and patted dry
4 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
8-10 curry leaves
1 large onion thinly sliced
Salt to taste
2 tsp Tamarind concentrate (or 1/4 cup fresh tamarind pulp)
1 tbsp Jaggery, powdered

To dry roast:
2 tbsp White sesame seeds
2 tbsp Peanuts

To grind to a paste:
2 tbsp Dalia (Hurgadale)
8 large Mint leaves
1/4 cup packed fresh Cilantro
6 cloves Garlic
8-10 Green chillies (adjust to taste)
1/2 cup grated fresh coconut

Dry roast the sesame seeds and peanuts until lightly brown. Cool and grind with mint, cilantro, garlic, green chillies, fresh coconut, water as needed and little salt. Cut the eggplants into 3” long pieces and slit the pieces into 4 leaving the bottom of each pieceintact. Fill a teaspoon or two of ground paste into each eggplant piece. Set aside the remaining paste. 

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the mustard seeds and when it begins to splutter add the curry leaves. Add the sliced onions and sauté until done. Now add the leftover ground paste and fry until fragrant, for 30 seconds or so. Add the tamarind pulp, jaggery and salt as needed. Cook for a minute. Now add the stuffed eggplants and 1-1.5 cups of water enough to submerge the eggplants. 

Combine well and close pressure cooker lid. Allow the pressure to rise. Now place the weight on the lid and turn heat to low. Cook for 9 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for a few minutes before opening the lid. 

Serve hot with Ujju Rottis.

What's on Your Plate? Day #17 - Black Eyed Peas & Spinach curry

I’ve went MIA for a few days there..got busy baking but didn’t stop cooking though, just didn’t get a chance to sit down and update it here :) Made this hearty Black eyed peas and Spinach curry, its a one pot dish and comes together fairly quickly. I’ve used frozen black eyed peas since I can never remember to soak beans ahead of time, but if you have dried beans on hand, soak them for 6-7 hours or overnight and proceed with the recipe.

You will need:

2 cups frozen Black eyed peas, rinsed
1 large bunch spinach, rinsed and cut
1 onion, thinly sliced
1.5 cups Tomato puree (from fresh tomatoes)
2 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala
2 tbsp Heavy cream (optional)
Salt to taste

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When it splutters add the sliced onions and sauté until soft and translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute until fragrant. Now add the chopped spinach and saute for a few seconds. Add the tomato puree next and the coriander powder, cumin powder & red chili powder. Combine and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Now add the frozen black eyed peas, garam masala and salt to taste. Add 2 cups water and stir to combine. Place cooker lid and place weight. Turn heat to high and cook for 3-4 whistles. 

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can cook the beans separately and follow the recipe as is.Cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. We had this curry with Chapatis, the kids enjoyed it, thankfully! Got Spinach and Beans into them successfully, that’s a score! :D

 

What's on Your Plate? Day #9 Ghee Rice and Korma

This is something I make at least once a month (sometimes twice) as its a family favorite :) As the name suggests Ghee Rice does have a substantial amount of ghee in it, but that can easily be substituted with oil. But Ghee is what lends this dish it’s authentic taste so try not to substitute if possible. Korma is a combination of veggies cooked in a spicy flavorful gravy.

There are several ways to make Ghee Rice & Korma, since it is a fairy popular dish in Karnataka. This is one of the versions. 

Ghee Rice:

You will need:

1 cup Basmati rice, washed and soaked in water for 20 minutes
1/4 cup Ghee
2 Cloves
1” piece Cinnamon
2 Cardamom pods
1 Bay leaf
 1 onion, thinly sliced
3 green chilies slit
1/2 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1/2 cup Green peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup small cubed Potato (peeled)
1 cup Water
3/4 cup Milk
Salt to taste 

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf. Sautés for 30 seconds. Add the green chilies and sliced onions. Sautés until onions are translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute until fragrant. Now add the green peas and potato. Also add the drained rice. Mix well and add the water, milk and salt. Combine well and close the lid and turn heat to high. Allow the steam to rise, place the cooker weight and turn heat to low. Cook for 9 minutes and turn off heat. Cool for 10-12 minutes, stir the rice and then serve.

Korma:

You will need:

To grind:
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Poppy seeds
3 cloves
1” piece Cinnamon
6 dry red chilies
6 pods Garlic
2 tomatoes, cubed
1/4 cup Cilantro
1/4 cup fresh Coconut, grated

Grind the above ingredients to a smooth paste. Set aside. 

2 cups veggies - Cauliflower florets, cubed potato, green peas
3 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
6 Curry leaves
1 onion, thinly sliced
Salt to taste
2.5-3 cups water

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add mustard seeds and when it begins to splutter add the curry leaves. Add the sliced onions and saute until done. Add the prepared paste and saute for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Now add the veggies and the water.Season with salt and combine well. Place lid with cooker weight and turn heat to high.  Cook for 2-3 whistles. Turn off heat and cool before opening lid. Serve hot with Ghee rice. This makes a great accompaniment for Jeera Rice or Chapatis too.

What's on Your Plate? Day #6 Kadai Paneer

We’ve had a lot of rain earlier this week and it feels great to have some sunshine! Made Kadai Paneer & rotis for lunch.

Kadai Paneer

You will need:

2 cups Paneer, cubed
2 tbsp Ghee
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 dry red chillies broken into 1” pieces
1 onion, cubed
1 bell pepper, cubed
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
3 tomatoes, chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp Kasuthi methi, crushed
2 tbsp Chopped Cilantro

To roast & powder:
2 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

3 Dry red chilies 

4 Black peppercorns

Dry roast the above ingredients and powder using a blender or spice grinder. Set aside.

Heat oil & ghee in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and chilies. Add the bell pepper and saute for a minute. Now add the onions. Cook for a minute and add the ginger garlic paste. When the bell peppers & onions are 3/4th done, add chopped tomatoes. Season with salt to taste cook until tomatoes are mushy & fully cooked. Now add the prepared powder and the cubed Paneer. Combine well and cook for 4 minutes. 

Add chopped cilantro and turn off heat. Serve hot with rotis/chapatis.

What's On Your Plate? Day #3 - Channa Bathura

There are several ways to make Channa for Channa Bathura. This is using canned chickpeas which is cooked with spices to add flavor. You can easily use soaked chickpeas and follow the same method. In a previous version, my mom uses a tea bag to flavor the gravy. In this method I use tea powder to flavor the chickpeas. 

Ingredients:

Pressure cook:
2 cans Chickpeas,drained(Garbanzo beans) or 2 cups Soaked chickpeas
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cloves
1” piece cinnamon
2 cardamom pods
1 tbsp Tea powder
2 cups water

For the Gravy:

1 large onion, pureed
1 1/2 cups Tomato puree
2 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
3 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Cumin powder
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Red chili powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Kasuri methi
Chopped cilantro

Tie the spices & tea powder in a small piece of muslin cloth or a spice bag. Cook the chickpeas with the bag, onions & garlic for 2 whistles. If using soaked chickpeas, increase water by 2 cups and cook for 3 whistles and for 10 minuets on low heat.

Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan. Add onion puree and sauce until brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauce for a minute. Add the tomato puree, cumin powder, coriander powder and red chili powder. Combine and cook on medium high heat for 4-5 minutes. Remove spice bag from the chickpeas. Add the cooked chickpeas with the water. Combine well, season with salt and add kasuri methi, bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with Bathuras.

Joladha Rotti Oota I Jowar Rotti Thali

If you have ever dined at the Kamath group of hotels in Bangalore, a chain of restaurants famous for their Joladha Rotti oota, this post should bring back memories of their lavish meal. It's been a while since I ate there and have been craving some Joladha rotti. Since the theme for BM#74 is Thalis & Spreads I decided to make a mini Joladha rotti oota thali. In the restaurant the varieties of sides are abundant and served on a banana leaf. I made only 2 of the main side dishes and 2 of the smaller accompaniments. 

Joladha Rotti is a staple of Northern Karnataka. Making it is an art learnt over time. I for one, have not learnt how to make it yet. Jowar flour is gluten free , so there is absolutely no binding in the prepared dough, which makes rolling the rottis near impossible. I stuck to the safe side and cheated a little by adding a little wheat flour to keep the dough together and my sanity intact! 

You will need: 

1.5 cups Jowar flour

1/2 cup Wheat flour

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp salt

Water as required 

Combine ingredients in a bowl and add water little at a time to form a soft cohesive dough. Jowar flour makes a very soft dough. Cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes. 

Break off a small piece of dough and roll into a disc. Preheat a griddle on medium heat. Place rolled Rotti on the hot pan. Dampen a piece of cloth or a paper towel, squeeze out excess water and gently press all over the Rotti. This will help the Rotti puff up a little and cook evenly. Cook for a minute and flip to cook on the other side. If you use only Jowar flour, the Rotti remains almost a pale off white with a few light brown spots. Since I used wheat flour too, it browned further. 

Once done, remove from the pan and apply a generous dollop of butter. Serve while still warm. 

Badnekayi Ennegayi:

This is the most important accompaniment for the Rotti. Baby eggplants are cooked in a flavorful gravy. Ive made this one plenty of times before, follow this link for the recipe. 

Hesarakalu Husli: (Green Gram stir fry)

Husli is a type of stir fry. This one is made with Green Gram and is a very typical side dish in a Joladha Rotti oota. There are many versions to this dish, this is our favorite. You can sprout the gram and use it too. 

You will need:

1 cup Green gram(whole moong)

1 tbsp oil 

1 tsp Mustard seeds 

1/4 tsp Asafoetida ( Hing) 

1 small Onion, finely chopped

1 Tomato, finely chopped

2 Green Chillies, slit

½ tsp Ginger, finely chopped

½ tsp Turmeric Powder

½ tsp Coriander Powder

½ tsp Jeera Powder

½ tsp Red Chilli Powder

1-2 tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped

Wash and soak moong for a hour. Pressure cook for 2 whistles until done. The gram should hold shape. 

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, when it splutters add curry leaves. Add the green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the chopped onions and ginger. Cook until onions are soft, then add the tomato and the spices and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes until tomato has softened a little. Meanwhile drain the moong. Add this and combine well. Season with salt. Cook for a minute or two and turn off heat. Add chopped cilantro. 

Red Garlic Chutney: 

8 Byadige Red chilies (Kashmir red chilies) 

12 Guntur red chilies 

6 pods Garlic 

Salt to taste 

Soak red chilies overnight in hot water or for atleast 6-8 hours. Drain them and blend with the garlic, salt and little water to a smooth paste. Store in an air-tight container and use as needed. Refrigerate leftover chutney. 

Shenga Pudi: Peanut Garlic powder 

2 cups Peanuts

1/2 cup Dalia (Hurgadale) 

15 cloves of Garlic *

12 Guntur dry red chilies 

8 Byadige dry red chilies 

A few curry leaves

Marble size piece of Tamarind 

Salt to taste 

2 tsp Oil 

Dry roast the peanuts in a pan until the skins begin to peel and have brown spots on them. Set aside. Dry roast the Dalia too. 

In the another pan, heat the oil. Add the curry leaves and fry until crisp. Add the dry red chillies and Tamarind. Cook until they are crisp. Then add the garlic and cook for a few minutes. The garlic will remain soft. Add the peanuts and Dalia and give it a quick toss. Cool the mix and then pulse to a coarse powder in a blender. Store in an air tight container and this will last for months. Spicy and garlicky, it's the perfect accompaniment for dosas and idlis too. 

 Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM#74

Mirchi ka Salan - Green Jalapenos Curry

Mirchi ka Salan is a typical dish from Hyderabad traditionally served to be eaten with Biryani. Mirchi translates to Chilli in Hindi and Salan is a gravy so it’s a spicy tangy gravy with chillies in it. This dish can be made with any kind of chilli – hot chillies like the Thai Chilli pepper or Serranos as well as the slightly milder one like the Jalapeno. 

I prefer to use Jalapenos, so that I can make the gravy very spicy and also the Jalapenos hold up well when pressure cooked.

You will need:

10 Green Jalapenos, washed and dried

¼ cup Vegetable Oil

½ cup thinly sliced onions

1 tsp Mustard seeds

Few curry leaves

2 tsp Red chilli powder (optional)

Salt to taste

To dry roast:

2 tbsp Coriander seeds

8 Dried Red chillies (4 Guntur, 4 Byadige)

1 tbsp White Sesame seeds

½ cup raw Peanuts, skinned

Roast each of the ingredients separately until fragrant and slightly brown. Pulverize in a blender to a fine powder. 

To grind to a paste:

½ cup grated fresh coconut

1 tbsp Fried Gram ( Hurgadale)

1 tbsp Tamarind paste (or 1/4 cup Tamarind pulp)

1 tbsp Jaggery (adj. to taste)

Note: You can vary the number of dried red chillies to suit your preference for spicy levels.

Slit the jalapenos in half up to the stem taking care not to cut it completely. Fill each jalapeno with little of the ground powder. Make a paste with the remaining powder and ‘to grind’ ingredients.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the mustard seeds and when it begins to splutter add the curry leaves. Add the sliced onions and sauté until done. Add the prepared paste and sauté for a few minutes. Now add the filled jalapenos, ½ cup water enough to submerge the jalapenos. Season with salt, stir and then close cooker with lid. 

Turn heat to high, when the steam begins to rise, place weight on lid turn heat to low and cook for 8 minutes. Turn off heat, let cooker cool well before removing lid. Stir and serve hot with rotis.