Thotakura stir-fry(Amaranth leaves stir-fry)

In Andhra,Amaranth leaves/thotakura is used in making dal's and palya's like thotakura pesarapappu podi kura and simple stir-fry.Amaranth leaves are considered to have more iron content than spinach and so I try include these greens in my regular diet.I like the crunchiness of onions in this stir fry as the greens are prior cooked and are mixed with the fried onions and tadka which makes a very nice combination with rice.Here comes the simple recipe of thotakura stir fry.

Ingredients:

1 big bunch of amaranth leaves(Thotakura/chauli)
1 big Onion,sliced
2 tbsp chana dal,soaked in water for 1/2 hr
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
a pinch of haldi
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp jeera
1 tsp split urad dal
1 red chili,broken
2 garlic pods,sliced and crushed slightly
a sprig of curry leaves
salt to taste
oil


Method:

• Clean the amarnath leaves and wash them properly and soak it in salted water for 8-10 mins.Remove and drain to remove excess water(reserve this water for making dal).Chop the leaves finely along with tender stalks.
• In a vessel take 1 cup of water and boil it and add chana dal and cook for 5-6mins until soft.
• Add chopped amarnath leaves to it and continue cooking for 4-5 mins.Add a tsp of sugar while cooking greens which helps in retaining the color.Do not even cover it with lid,keep it open while cooking.Strain and squeeze the greens to remove excess water.
• Heat oil in a kadai crackle mustard seeds,jeera and fry urad dal,red chili,crushed garlic pods,curry leaves and then add onions and fry for few mins until onions turn pink and crisp(add a pinch of sugar while frying onions).
• Now add haldi,chana dal to it and fry for a minute.Add strained amarnath leaves to it and fry for a couple of mins.
• Add red chilli powder,coriander powder and enough salt to it and mix properly.cook for a couple of mins and remove from flame.

Serve it with hot steaming rice,dal/rasam and papad.

Our blogger friends padma,sushma and shubha have generously showered me some awards.That is so nice of you guys to think about me and pass them onto me.Thanks a lot.

Medu wada / Uddina Vade....Savory Doughnuts in Indian syle

This is a most common breakfast item you will find in any hotel menu or on a street vendor's cart in south India.And in some hotel's they are even paired with Idly as "Idly-vada" combo with sambar and chutney which is my first preference to order in hotel's.
I rarely prepare this at home as we strictly avoid eating deep fried stuff at home.But we can excuse ourselves for special occasions and festivals right??And if a special occasion and festival are on the same day,then are there any rules and regulations to control us??NO..na??

So this Uddina vade was prepared during one of the days of this Navratri and the special occasion I was talking about is "Its been 3 years that I met V".So thought of making sweet and hot, and finally made uddina vade,mosaru/perugu vade and gulab jamun to celebrate that special day with all the family members.

Ingredients:

1 Cup whole Urad dal(white)
2 tbsp finely chopped coconut pieces
1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 tsp jeera
1 tsp slightly crushed pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped curry leaves
salt to taste
Oil to deep fry


Method:

• Soak urad dal overnight or atleast for 1 hr.Use the round white variety urad dal for this.
  
• Strain the soaked urad dal and grind it to a fluffy mixture in the grinder(even a mixie also does the same job,but in grinder you get more fluffy batter which is apt for making vada's).Add water only if needed,do not add much water while grinding this.Try to beat this mixture with hands for two mins continuously which helps in yielding fluffier vada's.
• Now add chopped coconut pieces,green chillies,ginger,coriander leaves,curry leaves,jeera,crushed pepper,salt to it and mix well.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed kadai on medium heat and mean while grease your left palm(or wet your hands) and place little vada mixture and flatten it and make a hole in it and slowly transfer to the right hand and slip it to the hot oil carefully.(You can do this with right hand if you are expertized in it or you can even try patting it on a greased banana leaf or greased milk cover)
• Repeat the same process for the remaining mixture.Drop 4-5 at a time,do not drop in more or else they will stick to each other.
• Let them fry on medium flame until crisp and deep golden brown in color on both sides and drain them on a tissue paper to remove excess oil.

Serve them hot with Steaming Sambar /Coconut chutney/Allam pacchadi.



Note:

1. You can even add finely chopped onions to the mixture.
2. If you want to make dahi vada,drop them immediatly to the beaten curd mixture so that the vada can absorb the dahi properly.

Simple Cauliflower(Gobi) Curry

Sometimes a simple meal is more satisfying than an elaborate one.Atleast twice a week I like to have a very simple meal in order to ease my work and enjoy that simple and satisfying meal.This cauliflower curry comes in that category as it is not only simple to make but also forms a complete satisfying meal when served with rasam and papad with hot steaming rice or with roti and kadhi as I did.
Ingredients:
1 medium cauliflower,cut into florets
1 big onion,roughly chopped
1 big tomato,finely chopped
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp chana dal
1 tsp urad dal
5-6 curry leaves,chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander
salt to taste
oil
Method:

• Drop the cauliflower florets in salted warm water and add haldi to it and keep it for 8-10 mins.
• Heat oil in a kadai,crackle mustard seeds and add chana dal,urad dal and fry until red in color.Add chopped curry leaves and sliced onions and cook until the onions are translucent.
• Now add cauliflower florets and fry for 2-3 mins.Cover the kadai with a deep bottomed plate and pour water over it.Let it steam cook on a low flame for 10-12 mins by stirring it in between until the florets are soft and tender.
• Add chopped tomatoes and salt to it and again steam cook for 4-5 mins until the tomatoes are mashed.
• Add coriander powder and chili powder and give a proper stir.Add coriander to it just before removing from the fire and mix.

Serve it hot with rice,rasam,pickle and papad or serve it with chapathy/roti and simple dal.

Variations:

• You can even add sambar powder instead of red chilli powder in the recipe for a variation.
• You can add peas or potatoes along with gobi in the recipe.
• Add Garam masala for different flavor.

Spicy Corn Pulav

This is a pulav which I tried from her book sometime back and it was quite good to give a try again and I am sure it is definitely a party kind of dish.Still it is taking time for me to settle down in the new house and as my inlaws are here with us now, I am not much into blogging and even my posting is also slowed down.As I do not want to extend my break I am posting this yummy pulav which is sitting in my drafts and waiting for its turn to get posted.


Ingredients:

1 Cup Basmati rice
3/4 cup American corn(frozen)
2 medium Onions sliced
1 Biriyani leaf
1" Cinnamon
2 black cardamoms
3 laung
10 cashewnuts
1 pinch saffron
1 tbsp warm milk
1 tsp chopped coriander
1 tbsp ghee
salt to taste

To grind:
1 onion,chopped
4 pods of garlic
1/2 " ginger,chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp red chilli powder


Method:

• Wash rice and soak it for 10 minutes.
• Grind all the ingredients mentioned under To grind to a fine mixture.
• Mix saffron with milk and keep it aside for 10 mins.
• Heat a tsp of ghee in a kadai fry drained rice and fry until the water is evaporated,approx for 2 mins and remove it aside.
• In the pressure cooker heat a tbsp of ghee again add laung,cardamom,biriyani leaf,cinnamon to it and fry for a minute.
• Add sliced onions to it and fry until it turns brown in color.Adding a pinch of sugar/salt during this process will quickly fry the onions to brown color.
• Add the ground mixture to it and fry until ghee separates from the mixture.Add corn to it and fry for another couple of minutes.
• Add slightly roasted rice to it and give a nice stir and pour water in the ratio of 1:2(1-rice:2-water) and add enough salt to it and mix and cover it with the lid and pressure cook for 1 whistle and simmer the flame for 8-10 mins.
• After the pressure is released open the lid add the soaked saffron to it and add chopped coriander,cashewnuts(fried in ghee ) to it and stir.

Serve it hot with raitha and papad.I served mine with kala chana masala and onion raitha.

Dal Makhani

Gals,I am back to blogging.Last week was quite hectic in settling down in the new house and we got the internet finally yesterday after chasing the MTNL guys for one week.Now,I am back to my regular daily routine and so will be blogging and visit your spaces regularly.I am posting the king of dals "Dal Makhani " which is favourite for everyone.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole Black urad dal
3 tbsp rajma
2 medium onion chopped
3 medium tomatoes finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
8-10 cashewnuts
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Dhaniya powder
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Amchur powder
2 tbsp chopped corriander leaves
1/2 cup cream
1/2 " cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 green chilli
1 pinch hing
4 tsp oil
1/2 lemon squeezed
salt


Method:

• Soak urad dal and rajma overnight in water with some salt .Add a pinch of garam masala to it and pressure cook on high for 2 whistles and simmer and the flame and cook for 25-30 mins.
• In a pan take oil,add chopped onions and fry till its done,add ginger-garlic paste and fry.cool the mixture and grind the mixture along with cashewnuts into a very smooth paste.
• In the same pan take some more oil add cinnamon stick,bay leaf,green chili and fry,add hing and pinch of garam masala powder and fry a bit.
• Add onion paste and fry for 3- 4 mins,now add tomato and fry until it starts leaving the edges,add all the dry masala's,salt,cooked dal and mix everything and cover it and cook on a low flame for 8-10 mins.
• Add cream and mix and cook for a minute and turn off the flame.
• Add coriander leaves and lemon juice and give a stir.

Serve with roti/chapathy/ paratha.I am sending this entry for "Garnish the Dish"-the first event hosted by these super SIL's Pavithra and Nithya.