Platform Potato Curry(Batata Rassa) and a few more awards….

This is one of the most hit recipes made by Mom. I have mentioned earlier also in my posts that she is an excellent, speedy cook. She can cook for a big batch of people in a very short interval of time - an art I am yet to expertise! In my childhood, my father would get guests unannounced for lunch or dinner and she inspite of all her illness would feed people gladly and very efficiently. Who ever has visited us has always praised my Moms cooking skills.

This is a very simple curry which can be made in a matter of minutes. It's been a favorite dish amongst all of us at my Moms family. Then when I got married and 'S' tasted it at my moms place he liked it too! His verdict was that it tastes like the subzi served on the platform and ever since then we all call it the "platform curry". Whenever my brother visits my Mom he has to have this 'Rassa'. In Marathi a gravy dish is called 'Rassa'. Now it's a favorite in my family too and I make it when there are unexpected guests or when there are no veggies in the fridge or when I am in a hurry or when I do not find any other reason! LOL.. It tastes best when served with Poori /Jeera Rice/Chapati. Jain people can also enjoy this gravy dish .

Ingredients
6-7 Boiled Potatoes ( roughly broken using hand)
2-3 Green Chillies (broken into pieces)
3 medium tomatoes ( chopped)
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 inch ginger (grated)
2 tsp red chili powder
2 tbsp coriander powder
Freshly chopped coriander to garnish
salt to taste
oil for cooking
mustard seeds




Method

• Heat oil and add mustard seeds followed by green chilli pieces.
• Add tomatoes , salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder and saute.
• Cook tomatoes till the oil separates and add ginger and cook for few seconds.
• Add the potatoes and mix properly but gently , taking care that potatoes are not mashed further.
• Add water to make a gravy and bring it to a boil .
• Boil on low gas for a few minutes.
• Adjust the salt if required , garnish with coriander and serve hot.

And now coming to the awards… This month is really a blessed month as I am getting showered by awards from my blogger friends. My blogger friend Sireesha of Mom’s kitchen has sent me these awards

and Priyaraj Of EnSamaiyal has sent me an additional

Thanks Sireesha and Priya, these awards mean a lot to me.
I have already done the tags which you can check here and here.
I am  sending this as my entry to the event Side dish for Chapthi hosted by Vicky Xavier at Viki’s Kitchen

Wish you all a happy Vinayaka Chaturthi.

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Mysore Masala Dosa For Father’s 60th Birthday

 

 

I was fortunate enough that my parents and my Grand mom were here incidentally on my father’s 60th Birthday. We had not made any plans regarding the celebrations as my father is quite against it..I had ordered a cake as my kitchen was quite busy with the guests at home. People might find it surprising that I am posting a non sweet recipe for a celebratory post. What to do…When I asked my Dad, what special he wants to eat on his birthday, he said Masala Dosa…

So, I started all the preparations a day before..i.e, boiling the potatoes, soaking the rice and the lentils, grinding, mixing and leaving it for fermenting. On the D day we all, except my dad woke up around 6’oclock, that’s the time when my kids have to get up to get ready for school, so you all can understand why we did not wish him at midnight. S had got a nice Mud Cake with coconut layers the previous night. I arranged the cake and the candle on the table, then the kids went to wake up their grandfather. And, here the Grandfather was ready to cut the cake at 6:45 am. After the cake cutting, the kids were off to school and I started preparing for my Masala Dosa.

I had to make the potato ki subzi, the coconut chutney, the red chutney and finally the Dosa. S, offered to make the Dosas as he is passionate about making the Dosas. I had all the reasons to be happy when someone’s ready to serve me 'Hot Dosas' right into my plate..LOL

So, here I go with the list of Ingredients..

 

Ingredients for the Coconut Chutney
To Grind-

1 cup freshly scraped coconut
4-5 green chilies
1/4 inch piece ginger
2tbsp coriander
2 –3tbsp mint leaves
2-3tbsp roasted chana dal/ bengal gram
salt to taste
1 thread curry leaves
a small piece of tamarind (optional)

For the tempering

2tsp oil
a tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp a mix of urad and chana dal
2 bori red chilies

Method for Coconut Chutney

Grind together all the ingredients with a little water. For the tempering, heat the oil, add the mustard followed by the dals. Once the dals are golden brown add the chilies and pour it over the chutney.

 

For the Red chutney

Grind together 2 small onions, 3 tsp red chili pwd, salt to taste, 5-6 garlic pods, 1 1/2 inch ginger , 3-4 tbsp tamarind extract.

 

Ingredients for Potato Subzi

6-7 boiled potatoes (medium sized)

2-3 onions chopped/sliced

1/2 cup of fresh/frozen peas

5-6 green chilies finely chopped

an inch of ginger finely chopped

chopped coriander

oil to cook

a spoon of mustard seeds

2 tbsp of chana-urad dal mix

2 threads of curry leaves chopped roughly

1/2 tsp turmeric

salt to taste

2 tsp lemon juice

 

 

Method For the Subzi

Heat oil , add mustard followed by the dals, when the dals are golden brown add green chilies, ginger and curry leaves. Add the salt and turmeric, followed by the peas and roughly mashed peeled potatoes. Pour 1/2 cup of water to make it a little mushy and squeeze in some lime juice at the end and mix. Garnish with cilantro/coriander.

 

For The Dosa Batter

4 cups rice

1 cup urad dal

1/2 cup beaten rice

1 tbsp fenugreek seeds

 

Method

Soak the rice, fenugreek and the dal separately for 4-5 hrs.

Soak the beaten rice for 15mins before the grinding.

Grind together the rice and fenugreek to a fine paste. Also grind the dal and beaten rice together to a fine paste. Mix the rice and the dal and let it ferment over night.

Before making the Dosa, add water to the batter to bring it to a pouring consistency. Add salt and mix.

 

Heat the Non Stick Pan and take a laddle full of batter and spread it in circles, this has to be done quickly. It is a skill which comes with practice. Put a little oil around the edges. Roast the dosa on medium flame and then reduce the heat. Let the lower crust turn golden brown in color and then flip the dosa and cook it for a minute and then flip it back.

 

Spread the red chutney on the top surface and then adjust the subzi in the centre and fold. Serve the dosa with the coconut chutney and freshly made butter.

Sending this to WYF: Breakfast hosted by EC at Simple Indian Food

 

I am posting this as my entry to http://aathidhyam.blogspot.com/2009/08/rice-feast-aathidhyam.html

Sending this as my entry for Cooking for Kids- evening snacks hosted by Divya of Dil Se and is the brain child of Sharmi of Naivedyam.

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Bharleli Vaangi,(Stuffed Eggplant) Version II

At my moms place, the traditional Maharashtrian food was cooked only on occasions. She would cook veggies in different styles, as we grew up in a very multi regional atmosphere. We had neighbors from all parts of the country, so my mom would make Andhra style pickles as well as North Indian style food with equal ease. Getting an exposure to food from different regions at such an early age of my life pampered my palette but at the same time it also encouraged me to experiment with the spices.

When Ashwini’s Spicy Cuisine announced the FIC- Zodiac, the first thought that came to my mind for cooking was the Brinjal as they are Purple and that’s the colour I have to cook for my Zodiac sign. I decided making a stuffed eggplant as my elder one loves eating them in any version. Food in colour is an event started by Sunshine mom of Tongue ticklers

I make stuffed eggplant in various versions ( the other recipe that I posted earlier can be checked here). As a matter of fact, eggplant is one vegetable which can be really experimented with various flavors. This particular version is a Maharashtrian version. Maharashtrians largely use coconut, sesame, poppy and Goda Masala in their cooking. The blend of all these with the normal onion, garlic and ginger makes an amazing finger licking gravy. My Mavshi V has been kind enough to lend me some Goda masala. This masala was made in all marathi homes earlier but it’s readily available in the market now.

I was glad that my parents and my grand mom were there to taste it and they all loved it. My grand mom kept asking me.. what’s the secret ingredient that you have added ? It’s too delicious! I kept repeating that I have made the usual way, but she refused to believe ….So, try it out and let me know what’s the secret ingredient! LOL.

Ingredients

300 gms small eggplants

2 large onions/3 medium

6-7 garlic pods

1 1/2 inch ginger

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 cup tomato puree

3-4 tbsp grated coconut (dry)

1 tsp each of poppy & sesame seeds

oil for cooking

1 tsp each mustard and fenugreek seeds

1 –2 tsp Goda masala

1 tsp jaggery (optional)

a pinch of asafoetida

2 tbsp coriander pwd

1-2 tsp cumin pwd

2-3 tsp red chili pwd

1 tsp turmeric pwd

2-3 kokam (aamsul)

salt to taste

Method

Grind together onion, garlic, ginger, cumin and coconut together. Heat oil and let the mustard splutter then add fenugreek, poppy and sesame followed by the ground onion paste. Saute on low flame till it’s cooked and the oil leaves the edges.

Add the tomato puree and mix properly.

Add coriander, turmeric, chili, cumin pwds. Also add salt, jaggery, Goda masala and 2-3 dry Kokam pieces, these impart a very different flavor of tanginess.

Once the masala is nicely roasted and you can smell the aroma of the spices, add the eggplants with a + cut at the base.

This + cut helps the masala to get nicely absorbed in the vegetable. Alternately, let the masala cool and then fill it in the cut eggplants and then cook them. I avoid doing that as it consumes a lot of time but I love to do it when I have leisure hours in hand.

Add about a cup and a half of water and bring the curry to a boil, then cover, simmer and cook till the eggplants are nicely cooked and the gravy thickened.

Garnish with coriander. Serve it hot with Rice or Roti.

I am also sending this as my entry to the event Side dish for Chapthi hosted by Vicky Xavier at Viki’s Kitchen

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Mixed Vegetable Akki Rotti, Step By Step

 

 

I am posting yet another recipe very close to my heart which I learnt from my MIL. In fact the first time I visited S,  my MIL had made these and I got stuck in something when she had already finished making these for me. So when I ate them, it was cold and dry and I had a real time finishing it. S was all praises for it and I was wondering, how could he like this!!!

After I got married, MIL made them again and I was genuinely tensed, how would I finish them again.. you can understand a newly wed’s plight…but..God was kind and I was lucky enough to eat it hot this time, and as you would guess correctly…I loved it. Ever since then, these rotis are a regular in my kitchen.

Akki Roti is a popular dish in all Kannadiga homes. Akki means rice, so akki roti means a roti made out of rice flour. I find this an extremely healthy breakfast/ lunch box/ evening snack item. One can introduce as many veggies, greens as one wants. This time when I made, I made these on S’s demand, as I had not made them in quite some time. It tastes absolutely divine  when served hot, smeared with ghee or butter. My FIL loves eating like that.

 

Ingredients
2- 2 1/2 cups rice flour
5-6tbsp chopped cabbage
5-6tbsp grated carrots
5-6 green chilies finely chopped ( adjust as per taste)
8-10 French beans finely chopped
1 small onion chopped
3tbsp semolina (rava)
hot water for kneading
2tbsp curds
few curry leaves chopped
a small sprig of coriander chopped
salt to taste
1tsp cumin seeds

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and a make a soft dough using hot water.

Take a Non-Stick pan and grease it will a spoon of oil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With wet hands take an orange size ball of the dough and pat it thin with the help of water. Make hole/holes in the center and put oil and cook it first on high and then on low flame till they are crisp on one side. Flip and cook the other side using a little more oil.

They can also be patted on banana leaves and then transferred to the pan, but getting the leaves  is not easy here, so I pat them directly on the Tava.

These taste good when cooked with a little excess oil but one can always avoid adding more.

 
Serve them hot with a dollop of butter/ghee.The semolina makes the roti more crispier, and the curds add a nice gentle sourness.
Note- When made for lunch box, make them a little soft and with proper oil, else it will become dry.
Preferably serve them only hot.
I am posting this as my entry to http://aathidhyam.blogspot.com/2009/08/rice-feast-aathidhyam.html


Sending this as my entry for Cooking for Kids- evening snacks hosted by Divya of Dil Se and is the brain child of Sharmi of Naivedyam.

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Vu dans la presse

LÈGE-CAP-FERRET.
Un cadre de vie à préserver

Michel Sammarcelli a annoncé le lancement d'une opération afin de donner un pin à chaque enfant. (photo archives « sud ouest »)
Michel Sammarcelli a annoncé le lancement d'une opération afin de donner un pin à chaque enfant. (photo archives « sud ouest »)

Beaucoup, beaucoup de monde, mercredi, en fin d'après-midi dans la salle de la Forestière au Cap- Ferret.

À l'invitation de Jean Mazodier, président de l'Association de protection et aménagement de Lège-Cap-Ferret, de nombreux Ferretcapiens avaient répondu présent, de même que les invités, à commencer par Michel Sammarcelli, maire de la commune, Bruno Lafon, président de la Coban, François Bonnet, directeur Landes et Gironde de l'Office national des forêts (ONF), Olivier Laban, président des ostréiculteurs, mais aussi des présidents d'associations amies, protectrices de l'environnement...

Sur tous les fronts

L'occasion pour le président de rappeler tout le travail de l'association au cours de l'année.

On sait que Jean Mazodier se bat depuis toujours pour le respect de l'esprit ferretcapien d'une part, des enjeux écologiques du bassin d'Arcachon d'autre part. Et l'association ne faiblit pas dans sa volonté de conserver à la presqu'île son âme, au-delà de l'image « people » trop souvent véhiculée. Il l'a redit mercredi, avec force.

Une activité qui ne faiblit pas non plus, l'association participant à l'élaboration du Plan local d'urbanisme (le nouveau PLU est prévu pour le printemps), du Programme d'aménagement de développement durable (Padd), suivi des permis de construire, Schéma de cohérence territoriale (Scot), patrimoine, etc.

« Il faut replanter »

Au cours des débats, très denses, plusieurs sujets ont été évoqués. Olivier Laban est intervenu, expliquant une nouvelle fois les « inconséquences du test souris », mais aussi répondant aux questions sur l'occupation du Banc d'Arguin ou le nettoyage des parcs ostréicoles.

Mais c'est certainement la forêt, et les conséquences de la tempête Klaus qui ont été au centre des discussions. Faut-il continuer le déboisement pour protéger les biens et les personnes lors des tempêtes à venir ? Telle était la question.

François Bonnet a longuement évoqué les problématiques de la forêt ferretcapienne, du reboisement, Michel Sammarcelli se félicitant de la volonté de collaboration de l'ONF.

Mais tous l'ont dit et redit, Michel Sammarcelli le lançant : « Il faut reboiser. Lège-Cap-Ferret est une ville sous la forêt, mais le littoral se déplume. Nous allons lancer une opération afin de donner un pin à chaque enfant. Nous devons replanter tous ensemble. »
Auteur : Chantal Roman

SUD OUEST 14 Aout 2009

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Mango Hearts and Mango Muffins for the Anniversary

This anniversary I wanted to make something with Mango for S. I was not sure what to make and I was generally looking into my kitchen accessories which I was yet to use, and I landed upon this hearts plate which I had picked during my trip to Nepal. I was genuinely happy looking at those hearts and thought ‘nothing can be better than giving a heart shaped cake’.

S had gone out for an hour and with the kids in school I had an hour in hand. I picked up a simple recipe which I had noted down from recipezaar sometime back. I made the cake batter ready in a jiffy and put it in my “Hearts’ and realized I was left with a lot more batter…panic …panic. As it is I was short of time and now this problem, somehow my brain worked and I picked up the muffin cups and poured the batter in them. And boy, I was grinning at myself, now I had hearts and muffins to offer (blessing in disguise). I patted myself on the shoulder and pushed the moulds in the oven and then waited impatiently for my Hearts to get baked. The smell of mangoes was getting filled in my kitchen and I was admiring the hearts ‘swelling up’ in the oven …as if they were getting filled with all my love!

After baking and cooling the Hearts I dusted them with some icing sugar and they just looked lovely on the dish, ready to be gifted, just before S was back home.

Ingredients for the Cake

1/2 cup mango pureed

1 cup milk

1 cup sugar

1 egg/ 1 tsp egg replacer mixed in 3tbsp water

1/4 cup oil

1 tsp mango essence

2 cups APF

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Method

Sift the flour with baking pwd and salt.

Grind the sugar.

Beat together all liquids- oil, egg/ egg replacer,essence and the milk.

Fold in the dry ingredients gradually and then mix in with light hands the mango puree.

Grease the moulds and bake the cake at 190 C for 25 mins and the muffins at 180 C for an hour.

Insert a tooth pick, and if it comes out clean the cake is done. But, I have observed in all fruit cakes involving purees, a light moistness of the puree will come on the tooth pick even after the cake’s done. Only after cooling it does not stick.

Bake the cake and muffins till you get a nice golden brown colour.

Cool the cake and then unmould after running a knife through the edges. Dust with icing sugar and serve with ‘loads of love’.

The cake turned out very soft and moist. It simply melted in the mouth. It was worth all the stress and panic that I went through in that hour.

Sending this as my entry for Cooking for Kids- evening snacks hosted by Divya of Dil Se and is the brain child of Sharmi of Naivedyam. These muffins are very healthy as they are made with fresh fruits and filling too.

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Urid Maida Polo with Potato-Onion Bhaaji and another award …

I have recently developed a liking for the Mangalorean/Konkani veg cuisine. Of the few recipes of this cuisine that I have tried in recent days, I have adored the simplicity and the flavors of this cuisine. I have loved the richness of spices blended in the flavor of fresh coconut. So all the bloggers into Mangalorean cuisine, I am surely gonna raid on your recipes and try them soon.

One such recipe that I tried on this weekend was Polo with Potato-Onion Bhaaji. This recipe I had read at Aayi’s Recipes long time back and had written then (I could not find the link on her site). I am glad I wrote it and made it, as it was so simple to make and full of flavors, they make an excellent combo. I liked the texture of the Polo(a kind of Dosa), very crisp outside and melting soft inside. The curry can also be had with hot Paratha, which we all eventually did. In fact my MIL had called after we had finished eating, and I was all praises for this recipe, that she had to ask me how it was made. And me like a dutiful, obedient DIL immediately passed on the recipe to her. I know for sure that it is going to be a frequent in my kitchen. Thanks a ton Shilpa for sharing such a wonderful recipe.

Bergamont of Cooking Escapades has very kindly passed on a Kreativ Blogger award to me about 3 days back.

The Kreative Blogger Award comes with some rules:-
You must thank the person who has given you the award.
Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
Link the person who has nominated you for the award.
Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
Nominate 7 other Kreativ bloggers.
Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
Leave a comment on each of the blogs to let them know they have been nominated.

I have already nominated bloggers for the award, pls check here.

As this award comes with rules and in this one, I am expected to write 7 things about myself that people might find interesting. I really kept thinking hard about myself. I find it extremely difficult to write about me (check my Profile). With a lot of brain storming and pestering S to tell me something about me, I have come up with these 7 things…

1. I am a cleanliness freak, in spite of suffering with an undiagnosed fever for past 4 months, I try to keep my house very clean.

2. I am a Pharmacist by profession and have done research for a while, but now I teach, an adjustment made for kids.

3. I am an extremely good teacher ( I have been told that by many) but it is not what I enjoy doing the most.

4. I try hard to lose weight, but all are futile attempts.

5. I have a melodious voice and my school Principal used to call me Lata Mangeshkar of the school (I believe to keep my morale high) and have won many medals at the school and college level, but I am a very moody singer. One has to coax me really hard to sing.

6. I make beautiful scenes using Rangoli, an art I picked up from my mom.

7. I am very bad at understanding the technical aspects of web pages. I learnt a bit of it after I started blogging but I am still very pathetic and yet trying to learn.

Ingredients for Polo
Makes 16
1 cup Urad dal soaked for half an hour or more
3 cups Maida
salt to taste
water
Method for making Polo

Grind the urad dal to a fine paste. Mix the refined flour(maida) with water and make a lumpless paste and mix it with the dal paste properly. Adjust the consistency of the mix by adding water (dropping consistency). Add the salt and mix again.

Heat a griddle and smear it properly with oil and then wipe it with a tissue.

Take a ladle full of batter and spread the Dosa in concentric circles. These are not very thin. Spread it on low flame and then increase the heat. Once the Dosa starts leaving the edges put in the oil around the edges and flip the dosa to the other side and cook for a few a seconds more.

Serve it hot with chutney or Bhaaji.

Ingredients for Potato-Onion Bhaaji

Serves 4

2 medium Potatoes cut into small cubes

3 onions chopped

salt to taste

For The Masala

1 cup grated fresh coconut

4-5 Bedagi chilies

6-7 cloves

1/2 tsp pepper corns

2 tbsp coriander seeds

a small piece tamarind

For the baghar/tadka (can be omitted)

2-3 tsp oil

few curry leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

Method for the Bhaaji

In a vessel mix the potato and onion pieces, add some salt and water and cook it well till the vegetables are soft.
In a pan take a little oil and fry the cloves, pepper, coriander and red chilies one by one in an order on a small flame.
Grind all the masala items together to match the consistency of a chutney.
Add this chutney to the boiled potato/onion mixture, add salt to taste and let it boil well. Simmer for a few minutes.

Heat oil and add the mustard and curry leaves. Put this Baghar on the bhaaji. Serve it hot with polo or a paratha.

This can be a good breakfast as well as a lunch item.

Sending this combo to WYF: Breakfast hosted by EC at Simple Indian Food

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