Celebrating a Fantastic First Year!

Om Ganeshaya Namaha
Om Annapoorna Devi Namaha

We pray to Ganapati Bappa, the food loving God, and to the Goddess of food Annapoorna Devi for providing food to every living being in the world.

It has been a year since we started chopping, cooking, clicking, writing and posting; a year in which the blog has traveled quite a few miles and has earned loads of smiles.

From being the most networked Indian blog, to the third best vegetarian blog, to having close to 240 followers on facebook alone, to having a minimum of 30 visits per day, our blog is really going “places”.

We specially thank Pavan, Usha and Mr. Shastry for being our backbone and foundation.

We also thank Nirmala Gurazada, Parul Kohli Shekhar, Reena Sharma, Kamala Aunty, Shraddha Siroya, Shaifali Kewalramani, Pallavi, Jayalakshmi Aunty, Nanditha Reddy, Vijaylakshmi Aunty, Adithya Reddy, Sunil Kumar and of course Ravi Teja Tetali for their valuable contributions to the blog. We look forward to publish more of their yummy recipes.

We are glad and excited to thank Team Cervello (thecervello.com) for launching the food recipes service for BSNL customers in select cities across India, supporting our blog. Please SMS FOOD to 58877 and have thrilling treats on your mobile.

We would most importantly thank you for the ever positive support, encouragement and qualitative feedback. We shall together continue to celebrate “food” and shall feed our art, your heart and energize every thought with sumptuous delicacies.

Ringing the bell for year two,

Cheers

Menthipindi Gojju/Menthyadahittina Gojju

Menthipindi Gojju is an instant and quick to make recipe. An apt one when you have unexpected guests and need an extra dish to complete the menu. Gojju is sweetened chutney. The sweetest thing about this chutney is that it is nutritious too. Another completely south Indian recipe.

Thank you Vijaya Aunty for the recipe.

Preparation time: 10 – 15 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Black Gram (Urad dal/minapappu) 1 cup (100 g)
Bengal Gram (Chana dal/Senagabedalu) 1 cup (100 g)
Pigeon peas (Toor dal/Kandipappu) 1 cup (100 g)
Green Gram (Moong Dal/Pesara Pappu) 1 1/4cup (125 g)
Coriander seeds (dhania/dhanialu) 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds (Methi/Menthulu) 1 tsp
Red Chillies 5
Curry leaves 10
Tamarind (Imli/Chinthapandu) 1 blob
Jaggery 1 medium sized cube
Refined Oil 2 tsps
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Finely chopped onion 1 (optional)
Pinch of asafetida (hing/inguva)
Salt to taste
Fresh and chopped coriander to garnish

Method:

Soak together a medium sized ball of tamarind and equal proportion of jaggery for 10 mins.

Dry roast black gram, Bengal gram, pigeon peas, green gram, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and 2 – 3 red chillies, each separately and set aside.

Grind into a fine powder black gram, Bengal gram, green gram and pigeon peas.

Add the roasted coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chillies, a pinch of asafetida, 4-5 curry leaves and grind again to make a fine powder.

To the soaked tamarind water add the powder till the mixture becomes thick and consistent. Add salt to taste and mix well (salt can either be added at this stage or can also be added while making the powder).

Heat 2 tsps oil in a kadai/pan (bandli/mukudu). Once hot, add 1 tsp mustard seeds, and once they splutter add 2 red chillies, 1 tsp black gram, 5 - 6 curry leaves and little bit of chopped coriander.

Season the thick gojju with the above tempering. Garnish with coriander and finely chopped and roasted onions (optional, generally elderly people dont prefer onions while the young love it).

Menthipindi gojju is ready to serve. The powder can be made and stored in an air tight container in a dry place for 2 months. If the powder is ready it hardly takes 5 – 10 mins to make the gojju.

Menthipindi gojju is traditionally a rice supplement but tastes heavenly with ghee smeared phulkas or rotis.

Cabbage Pakoras

Another snack for the winter season, cabbage pakoras are quick, hot and easy to make.

Preparation time: 15 - 20 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Grated cabbage/finely chopped cabbage 1 cup
Finely chopped onion 1
Chick pea flour (Besan/senaga pindi) 2 cups
Curry leaves 4-5
Red chilli powder 1tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Refined cooking oil 1 cup
Salt to taste




Method:

Mix to make thick batter: Grated cabbage, onion, chick pea flour, curry leaves, red chilli powder, cumin powder and salt to taste. Both onions and cabbage are watery veggies and will ooze water when squeezed while mixing. Mix first and then add water as required.

In a kadai/pan, heat oil. Make small balls of the dough and deep fry in the oil.

Remove and serve hot with tomato sauce or any of the chutneys and hot chai to sip along. Shall not say more as the pakoras speak for themselves.

Aava bettina Panasakaya Kura/ Raw Jackfruit Curry/ Sasivegai Halasinakaya Palya

Jackfruits are mostly available in the rainy season. Generally we purchase ripened jackfruits and peel out the outer layers and have the yellow fruit inside. But for this curry we specifically need a tender and unripe jackfruit.

Preparation time: 25-30 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 small raw jack fruit (panasakaya/ Halasinakay) 500gms

Fresh and grated coconut 150-200 gms (1 cup)

Red chillies 6

Mustard seeds 2tsp

Refined cooking oil 2 tbsp

Black gram (urad dal/uddipappu/udin bele) 1tsp

Curry leaves 5

Pinch of Asafoetida(Hing)

Salt to taste

Method:

Use a raw jackfruit that is not ripened.It should be totally raw and tender.

Peel the thick outer layer of the jackfruit and chop the raw jackfruit finely. While chopping the raw jackfruit, grease palms and the knife with oil so that it doesn’t become sticky.

In a kadai/pan(bandli/mookukdu) add 2 tbsp oil. Once hot add black gram, 1 tsp mustard seeds, curry leaves, 2 red chillies and a pinch of asafetida and sauté till the mustard seeds splutter. To this add finely chopped jackfruit and mix. Add salt to taste and cover with a lid. Allow to cook for 8-10 minutes.

Grind into a fine paste: fresh and grated coconut, 4 red chillies, 1 tsp mustard seeds and a pinch of salt.

Once the jackfruit is cooked, add the above ground paste and mix well. Leave to cook for 5 mins. Jackfruit curry is done.

Raw jackfruit curry is a rice supplement. The best way to have it is to mix the raw jackfruit curry with hot steaming rice and a tsp of ghee.

Bisi Bele Bath

We wish all our blog visitors, well wishers and every food lover in the world a Very Happy 2010.May the year bring excellent moments that shall remain sweet memories for the years to come.

Bisi bele bath is one of the well known Karnataka recipes called bisi bele huli anna in Kannada.Bisi means hot, bele means pulses and bath is rice in kannada, and what more could one ask for on a cold winter afternoon?

Thank you Jaya aunty for expert inputs relating to this recipe. The recipe we are presenting is the most authentic way of making Bisi bele huli anna.

Preparation time: 45-60 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Pigeon peas (toor dal/kandipappu/togri bele) ¼ cup

Raw rice (Chawal/biyyam/akki) 1 1/4 cup

Tamarind (imli/chintapandu/hunsehannu) 1blob

Refined cooking oil 1tsp

Ghee 2tsp

Mustard seeds 2tsp

Cashews 10-15

Curry leaves 10-15

For the powder:

Coriander seeds ( dhania/dhaniyalu/kotamri beeja) 2tsp

Red chillies 4-5

Cinnamon stick ( dalchini/ dalchin chakka/chakke) 1

Bengal gram(chana dal/senagapappu/kadle bele) 2tsp

Black gram (urad dal/uddipappu/udin bele) 2tsp

Dry and grated coconut (endu kobbari/vana kobbri) 2tsp

Fresh and grated coconut (pachi kobbari/hasi kobbri)2tsp

Vegetables of choice (Commonly used vegetables: French beans, cluster beans, carrot, potatoes (aloo), green peas (batani) and similar veggies. Brinjal, capsicum and watery veggies including tomato are generally not used)

Method:

Soak a blob of tamarind in a small cup of water for around 10 minutes.

Grind together 2 tsp coriander seeds, 4-5 red chillies, 1 cinnamon stick, 2tsp Bengal gram, 2 tsp black gram, 2tsp dry and grated coconut and 2 tsp fresh and grated coconut to make a dry powder to be used as masala for preparing the Bisi bele bath. Since fresh coconut is being used, the powder is not storable and has to be used as it is made and thus it is advisable to make small quantities. If required for storage, do not add fresh coconut. This way the powder can be made in reasonable quantities and stored for a month.

In a vessel/ pressure cooker add ¼ cup of pigeon peas, ½ cup water and boil till the pigeon peas are half cooked. (If using a microwave oven, then microwave for 15 minutes on medium)

Add the vegetables, the tamarind juice and half of the above ground powder and allow to boil till all the vegetables are well cooked and the pigeon peas is completely cooked to make a thick Sambar ala a thick gravy. (If using a microwave, add the vegetables and more water and microwave for 15 minutes for the peas to cook plus the normal time required for the vegetables used i.e. around 20 minutes approximately.)

Wash & add 1 and quarter cups raw rice, 1 cup of water to the above cooked thick sambar and leave to cook till the rice is done i.e. if using a pressure cooker, pressure cook for upto 2 whistles and if it’s a normal vessel, leave to cook for 20-25 mins (If using a microwave, it is advisable to cook rice separately and mix to the sambar)

Once done, add the remaining ground powder and mix well.

In a Pan/kadai, add 1 tsp oil and 2 tsps ghee. Once hot add mustard seeds and as they splutter add the cashews and curry leaves. Season the bisi bele bath with the above tempering. (If using a microwave, add all ingredients and microwave on medium for 3 minutes)

Bisi bele huli anna or bisi bele bath is ready. As the name suggests, it is best when had piping hot with crispy chips and any yummy raitha or thick and plain yoghurt. High in protein content and other nutrients available in the vegetables used, this is a very healthy recipe with minimum frying and more of boiling. Bisi bele bath itself is very filling and good to have as it is. So here’s another hot lunch for the rather cold winter the world is facing.