Sambar Powder

  (Photo credit: Jennifer Kumar)

When it comes to making sambar,I always prefer making home-made sambar powder.Everyone has their own version of making sambar powder.Though you can always find ready-made sambar powders in your local stores but there is definitely a difference in the taste and aroma of both types of sambar powders.
You can make this sambar powder and store in in air-tight containers so that it stays fresh for weeks.

Ingredients:
Coriander seeds-1.5 cups
Dried red chillies-1/2 Cup
Chana dal-1/4 cups
Toor dal-1/4 cups
Cumin seeds-100 grams
Black peppercorns-100 grams
Fenugreek seeds- 150 grams
Asafoetida -2 tablespoons
Curry leaves-10-15
Salt-2 teaspoons

Method:
-Take a pan and dry roast each ingredient except asafoetida and salt seperately on low flame till you get a nice aroma from each ingredient.
-Let it cool completely.
-Put all the roasted  ingredients along with asafoetida and salt in a mixer jar and grind to make a nice powder.
-Take out and immediately store in a dry and air tight container.

Tomato- Dates Chutney

Now that the festivals are around the corner most of us observe vrats and prefer eating food cooked without using garlic or onions or satvik ahaar as we call it.I usually make this chutney during festivals when there is a vrat and we prepare food without garlic and onions.
This sweet and sour chutney is rich in iron that comes from the dates and antioxidants from tomatoes.This is a quick to make chutney and tastes great with plain steamed rice or with chapati and parathas.

Ingredients
Tomatoes-3 medium sized,ripe
Dates-4-5,seedless
Roasted Cumin powder-2 teaspoon
Refined vegetable oil/ghee-2 teaspoons

Dry red chilli-2 

Panchphoran (Saunf, jeera, methi,kalonji seeds) -1teaspoon
Salt -a generous pinch
Sugar or Jaggery powder -2.5 tablespoons
Water-2 tablespoons 

Method

-Wash the tomatoes and dice them into small pieces
-Soak the dates in water for 10-15 minutes.Wash well and cut them into small pieces.
- Take a pan and dry roast the cumin seeds for 3-4 minutes in low flame till they are light brown and a nice aroma comes out.Cool it and crush it roughly using and rolling pin.
-Take a pan and heat oil in it.Add the Panchphoran and the dry red chilli in oil.
-Now add the diced tomatoes and cook them on medium flame.Keep stirring.
-Add the chopped dates and cook for another 2-3 minutes and add water and a generous pinch of salt and sugar or Jaggery powder as per your taste.
-Cook till the tomatoes are done.Do not let the water dry completely.
-Keep mixing and finally add the roasted cumin powder.
-Serve hot with rice,chutney,chapati or puri.

 

store it in a clean glass jar and keep it in the fridge. It stays fresh for 15 days.

Egg Patties

This is yet another egg recipe which is simple and tastes yummy.This makes a good breakfast for a busy morning.Boil the eggs the night before and store them in the fridge and use them to make patties.This saves a lot of time.
You can eat the patties as burger along with some finely shredded fresh and crunchy vegetables or have it as a wrap.To make a wrap spread some healthy hummus on a whole wheat chapati and add some tomatoes,cabbage and the egg patties.

Ingredients
Boiled Eggs-2,hard boiled
Gram flour(Besan)-1.2 cups
Baking Powder-1/4 teaspoon
Spring onions-5 tablespoons
Green chillies-1, finely chopped
Garam masala-1/4 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Water-5-6 tablespoon ,for the batter
Carom seeds-1.5 teaspoons
Oil-2 cups,for frying the pattise

Method
-Hard boil the eggs and take the shells out.Let them cool.
-Take a big vessel and grate the boiled eggs and add all the above ingredients except oil and water.
-Now slowly add water to the mixture and stir well with a spoon.
-Heat a pan and add 2 cups of oil to it.
-Take a small portion of the batter and make medium sized flat rounds on your palm and fry them in batches.

-Take a plate and put a tissue paper and carefully place the fried patties on the plate.

Pizza Dosa

Pizza Dosa is a Uttapam which is very much a dish like dosa with twist.It's healthy as it is made from the fresh batter made at home.You can also use the store brought batter for idli/dosa.I have added all the colorful veggies to make it even more nutritious.Try giving pizza dosa in your kids' lunch box,I'm sure they'll love this recipe.

Ingredients
Batter for Dosa- 2 cups
Onions-1/4,finely chopped
Red bell pepper-2 teaspoons
Yellow bell pepper-2 teaspoons
Green bell pepper-2 teaspoons
Sweet corn-2 teaspoons,boiled
Tomato-1/2 medium size,diced
Processed cheese-3 tablespoon,grated
Salt to taste
Oil/Ghee-2 teaspoon

Method
 -Take 2 cups of the dosa batter and add salt according to our taste and beat the batter well with a spoon.
-Add the chopped onions and diced tomatoes to the batter and mix well again.Set aside for 10 minutes.
-In the mean time,finely chop the bell peppers.
-Heat a flat pan.You can also use a non-stick pan for this purpose.
-Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil to the pan and immediately add the 2 tablespoons of the dosa batter on the pan and spread to make a small pan-cake.Add another 1/2 teaspoon of oil to the edges of the dosa.Cook for 3-4 minutes till one side is done.
-Turn the dosa with a spatula and cook the other side.Take a fork and prick the cooked side of the dosa.
Make sure you do not cook the second side for more than a minute.Turn after a minute and add the chopped bell peppers,boiled corn and sprinkle the grated cheese and immediately turn the dosa again and cook for another 1 minute.Turn again and serve hot with green chutney.

Methi-Ajwain-Kalonji Poori(Diwali Recipe)

Poori is a typical morning snack in India.It can be made with whole wheat(atta),all purpose flour(maida) or a mix of both along with sooji(coarse wheat flour).There are different varieties of pooris and I have tried to used dried methi leaves(fenugreek leaves) or kasuri methi and a little ajwain(carom seeds) and kalonji(onion seeds).Pooris taste great with halwa,potato curry or chick peas curry.
Ingredients
For the Dough
All purpose flour-2 cups
Whole wheat flour-1 cup
Sooji-3 tablespoon
Salt -1/2 teaspoon
Ajwain-1/2 teaspoon
Kalonji-1/2 teaspoon
Kasuri methi-2 teaspoons(crushed with hands)
Water-to make dough
Ghee/Oil-2 teaspoon for the dough
Oil-3 cups for frying the pooris

To Make the Dough
-Take a big container and add all the above ingredients except water and mix well with hand.
-Slowly add little water to make a nice and soft dough.
-The dough should not be hard or watery.
Wrap the dough in a cling wrap or cover it with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

For the Puris
-Divide the dough into small balls.
-Take a rolling pin and and a cup of whole wheat flour and take a small ball of the dough and make small rounds.Dust a little wheat flour if the small round becomes sticky.
-Roll out the small balls to make round and small pooris.
-Heat 3 cups of oil in and pan and ensure that the oil isn't very hot as the pooris will burn while frying.
-Heat the pan on medium flame and add 1 poori at a time and fry it turning both sides in oil.
-Take out and keep on a tissue paper.
-Repeat with the rest of the pooris.
-Serve hot with potato bhajji or any curry or halwa of your choice.

ChickPeas Curry(Chole)-Diwali Recipes

Chickpeas are a great source of protein.This chickpeas(Kabuli chana) curry has been my favorite.You can adjust the water to make a gravy a little thick or thin.Chole can be had with puris,naans or simply with a delicious vegetable or peas pulao.

Ingredients
Chickpeas(Kabuli chana)-2 cups
Tomato-1 large,ripe,diced
Onion-1 medium,finely chopped
Green chilli-1,slit
Bay leaves-2
Cumin seeds-1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder-2 teaspoons
Kasuri methi-1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
Dry ginger powder(saunth)-1 teaspoon
Garam masala-1/4 teaspoon
Vegetable/Olive oil-3 table spoons
Coriander leaves-2 teaspoons,chopped
Water-1.5 cups
salt to taste
Tea leaves-1 teaspoon,to be added while boiling the chickpeas

Method
- Soak the chickpeas in 5-6 cups of water for 8-10 hours or overnight.
-Pressure cook the soaked chickpeas with another 6-7 cups of water,2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of tea leaves.Cook for 2-3 whistles.
-Heat a pan and add oil and cumin seeds.When the cumin seeds begin to splutter,add the bay leaves and the slit green chilli.
-Now add the finely chopped onions and cook till the onions look translucent.
-Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes and add the kasuri methi,coriander powder,dry ginger powder,turmeric powder and salt and cook till you see oil coming out from the paste.
-Now add the cooked chickpeas and mix well with the cooked paste.
-Add 1.5 cups of water and garam masala and let it cook on slow flame for 5-6 minutes.
-Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.


My Notes- You can add finely chopped spinach or fenugreek leaves to this curry to make it even more nutritious.

Sprouts with Spinach & Mushroom

This combination of various sprouts mixed with mushroom and fresh spinach makes the recipe extremely rich in vitamins and protein.It's perfect for kid's lunch box or for dinner.You can have this mix with chapatis or parathas.It's quick and easy to make.You can use the make ahead masala i mentioned in my previous post.
If you cannot make sprouts,simply use chick peas,red kidney beans(rajma),green moong dal or any other beans of your choice and soak them in water for atleast 10 hours or overnight.

Ingredients
Sprouts of green moong dal,horse gram-1/4 cup boiled
Spinach leaves-1 cup
Button Mushroom-6-7
Tomato-1,diced
Onion-1/2 medium size
Ginger-garlic paste-2 table spoon
Kasoori Methi-1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilli powder-1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Coriander powder-1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
Oil-2 teaspoons
Garam masala-1/4 teaspoon

Method 
-Wash the spinach leaves throughly under running water and also clean the dirt and mud from the mushrooms.
-Finely chop the spinach leaves and cut the mushrooms into quaters.
-Chop the onion and dice the tomatoes.
-Boil the sprouts with 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 4-5 cups of water for 4-5 minutes.Make sure you do not over cook the sprouts.
-Take a pan and add oil and let it heat.
-Add the chopped onionsand cook for 3-4 minutes till they turn translucent.
-Now add the diced tomatoes,ginger-garlic paste and saute for another 2-3 minutes and add the coriander powder,turmeric,red chilli,kasoori methi and salt and cook till the masala is done and you can see oil on the sides of the pan.
-Now add the chopped mushrooms,spinach leaves and cook till they are properly done.
-Add the boiled sprouts and the garam masala and cook for another 3-4 minutes on medium flame.
-Serve hot with chapati.