DRY PAAN... best homemade paan/ mouth freshner

Dry Paan 

by Latha Murthy

Festive season is here. I hope you all had a wonderful Dasara. Most of us have experienced that after every festival or function we are left with plenty of betel leaves which is a must in our festivities. People who are preparing themselves for the confinement of their daughter/daughter-in-law.can prepare this which will be very handy specially when you are going abroad to help them out.

This time do not wonder or despair try this simple dry paan which is healthy and tasty. 

Ingredients

1 cup finely chopped Betel leaves 

1/2 cup of Sugar. 

optional to be mixed later : betelnut powder (supari), saunf/Fennel seeds , diamond sugar .

Method.

Wash and dry the betel leaves without traces of water. Remove the nodal part ( thumbo kudi) and chop the leaves into fine bits.

In a kadai, add sugar and leaves together ( please remember absolutely no water). Keep stirring occasionally , the sugar starts to melt. Before it completely melts take it out of the heat and keep stirring. Soon the crispy paan is ready. 

Simple isnt it... The consistency can be mastered in a few trials.

After this cools store in a airtight container for a long time.

For added taste add saunf,diamond sugar and ready supari . It can be used without all these too.

Have a great season . Do let me know how it is . 

KOBRI CHATNIPUDI../SPICY COPRA CHUTNEY POWDER

LATHA'S MAGIC series

Author: Latha Murthy


 I would like to start with a simple and tasty chutney powder recipe. This is a perfect side dish for hot rice, dosa, idli and chapatis...Simple and yummilicious. I give here the measurements for one cup of copra. It can be doubled as per requirement.

      KOBRI CHUTNEYPUDI

Ingredients:
The ingredients are simple and available at home usually.

Grated Copra          -  1 cup

Garlic cloves           -  5 to 6 ( optional)
Red chilli powder   - 1 tsp
( Byadigi red chilli can be used 2 or 3 red chillies in that case)      Tamarind                -  small marble size
Jaggery                  -   1 tsp 
Salt                         - to taste

METHOD

1. Dry roast the grated copra, till the remaining moisture evaporates, Keep aside.
2. Garlic is optional but adds to the taste.
3.  Peel and dry roast the Garlic cloves to take out the slight moisture in it so that the Powder can be stored for long. 
4. Turn the heat off and add the red chilli powder ( dry roast the red chilli if you are using the chillies instead of powder) and salt to the garlic and let it stay for a while. 
5. Dry Grind together Copra, Garlic, salt and chilli powder.
6. Add the jaggery and Tamarind and grind again till it mixes well. 

 Your Kobri Chutney powder is ready.

Enjoy with food of your choice...

Dear Friends,

It has been about 18 months or more since the blog is updated.. A lot has happened hence the delay. My aunt L who is person who cooks so well is going to be the guest author from now on. She is going to make a series of the forgotten recipes of Karnataka cuisine like karesa, vaddamuruka , menthye gojju ,,, yum I am already drooling. Watch out this space regularly from now on for the recipes from her. I also think it should be a good Idea to start a page on FB with the same name? so that its easier to look into.

Regards
Shubha.

Kottambari /Coriander/Cilantro Chutney

The cooking bug has bit me again, this time I am learning from my father. He was brought up in Northern Part of Karnataka known as Bayaluseeme and the dishes are unique and tasty. He has a very healthy meal habit and its usually jolada rotti with various accompaniment dishes.

Today he taught me a very easy coriander chutney which goes very well with Jolada rotti/ dry ones at that.

Here is the recipe

Its one of the most easiest chutneys ever .

Grind together to a fine paste.

Chopped coriander   :  1 cup
Salt                           : to taste
Jaggery                      :  1 Tbsp
Tamarind                   : to taste
Red chillies                 : 4 to 5

Heat 1 tbsp oil . When its hot add mustard seeds ( 1/4 tsp), Jeera (1/4 tsp), curry leaves, bengalgram dhal (1/4 tsp) and a pinch of asafoetida. Add this seasoning to the above chutney and enjoy with chapatis or Jowar rotis.


Try this super easy chutney and let me know. Hoping I will continue with more yummy dishes like agasi pudi, kalu palya and goddu saru too. Onion chutney is already in the blog for you to try. 

Badnekai Palya ( stuffed variation) / Brinjal stuffed curry

I have always like the particular type of Badanekai palya ( Brinjal Curry) serve with Joladarotti/ Jonna rottelu in the town I lived.. Border between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka we have always had the pleasure of enjoying varieties of dishes which have extremely unique flavours. This brinjal curry is one such delicacy

Tumbida Badnekayi/ Gutti Vankaya Koora/Stuffed Brijnal Curry

I had almost forgotten the taste , when recently had the pleasure of having at a friends place. Thanks Shalini for the perfect recipe. I made it and was a instant hit. This is a variation of the famous Andhra Delicacy Gutti Vankaya koora. / tumbu gayi of Karnataka.The crux of it all is Poluru Vankaya or Poluru brinjals which are tiny green brinjals which just melt in the mouth when cooked., and an amazingly tasty dish is ready with the right kind of recipe. It is extremely tasty with Rotti or Chapati , but as tasty with hot rice and some ghee to go with it.

Ingredients:

15  fresh green brinjals 

4 onions ( chopped into long slices)

4 tomatoes (chopped into long slices)

3 tsp Oil

Juice of 1 lime sized tamarind

Salt to taste

Water

The Masala  filling

Dry roast the below ingredients and grind together with a little water. Add a little oil and the filling is ready.

6 to 8 dried red chillies

1 tsp of Dhaniya/coriander seeds

1 cup peanut powder ( Roasted and Ground without peel)

1 cup Til/sesame seeds

1/2 tsp cumin

2 cloves/Lavanga

1 inch Cinnamon stick/dalchini

1 tbsp Turmeric powder

1 inch ginger

6 cloves of garlic

1/4 bunch of coriander leaves

salt to taste

Method.

Wash and dry the green brinjals with the stems on. Cut the brinjals in a Plus shape at the round ends all the way to the down but do not chop them apart.

Fill up all the brinjals with the Masala filling into the brinjals and keep aside 

In a pressure cooker add a 3 spoons oil. When its hot add mustard , let it splutter .To this add cumin and curry leaves. When cumin turns reddish place a layer of onions.. above this place a layer of tomatoes and place the brinjals on top of the tomatoes. Add the water and the left over masala and cook for 15 minutes of three whistles. 

Serve the brinjal carefully with a large sized spoon and enjoy with hot Bhakri/ Jolada Rotti or Chapatis.

BASALE SAARU / Malabar Spinach with lentils.

It has been a long time since I updated my blog. I have been a bit busy with some other creative work ,which I wish to share in my next post. Today's recipe is of Basella Alba.. popularly known as Basale in Kannada.

Basale soppu  is  popularly known as the Malabar Spinach in English. Basale , Bacchali, Pui shak,

As every other leafy vegetable, this is high in Vitamin A, C , iron and calcium. Low in calories and High in protien per calorie. 

This Saaru is a speciality of Malanad, mangalore region of Karnataka. I had tasted this a long time at my friends place. Got the recipe today and this is my lunch with hot rice ,piping hot saaru on a rainy day ... its bliss!!!!

Basale Saaru:

A fairly thick gravy dish, this saaru goes very well with rice or even rotis if you like to eat. This is a typical accompaniment for rice kadubu.

Ingredients

Tuvar/bengal gram  dal – 1 and a 1/2 cup

Tomato -  one ,chopped in 4

Basale soppu – wash, chop to three cups

Turmeric -  1 tsp

Onion sliced - one, chopped in 4 

Salt to taste 

Grind Together for masala.

Jeera – 1 tsp 

Daniya – 1 and ½ tsp

Grated coconut – 1 cup

Onion – one chopped fine

Red chilli powder -  2 tsp /(to taste)

Garlic pods - to taste/( 4)/can avoid too..

Seasoning

Coconut Oil, Mustard seeds, Asafoetida and curry leaves

Method

Pressure cook the Dal  ingredients.

 Slightly saute Jeera, dhaniya, red chilli power , coconut and onion. Let it cool and grind together.

Add the masala to the boiled dal mixture and bring it to a boil

Add salt to 

Seasoning

 Heat  Coconut oil ( for the typical taste/ you can use the usual sunflower oil too), when it is hot add mustard seeds, once it splutters add asafoetida and curry leaves...

Enjoy the hot saaru with rice or roti ...

Nutritious Kala Chana

Last year was a roller coaster year for me and blogging took a back seat. I have been irregular in updating the posts here. It is not only that cooking new dishes has come down but a new interest of making jewellery has taken precedence. Please do find time to visit this link when you have time..

Tinker Belle is my venture into handmade fashion jewellery .

www.tinkerbelle4u.webs.com

The first post of this year is Kala Channa.

Kala Channa is a high protein legume . It has been part of the Indian diet regime from times immemorial. The Punjabi Kala Channa in gravy is extremely tasty and quick to make. Here is the recipe for you..

Kala Chana is a tasty dish to go with Rice, Roti or Bhature.

Ingredients

• Kala Channa or whole black Chick peas 1/4 Kilo or 250 gms.
• Onions  - 2 large ( chopped)
• Tomatoes 2  medium (Chopped)
• Ginger - garlic paste -  1/2 tsp
• Channa Masala or garam masala powder  1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Potato  -  1 small ( chopped)
• Green chillies -  2 ( small )
• Turmeric powder -  1/4 tsp
• Milk  -  2 tbsp
• Jeera (Cumin), cinnamon and bay leaf for seasoning.
• Water as required
• Oil - 1 tbsp 

Method

1. Wash and soak Black Channa ( Black chickpeas) overnight Boil them with salt and a pinch of turmeric in a pressure cooker . Let it cool. Drain the water and save that water..

1. Grind together chopped onions , potatoes, chillies and tomatoes with half the boiled Kala Channa.
2. In a deep bottom pan, add oil, when it heats up add Jeera, Cinnamon and Bay leaf . To this add the Ginger garlic paste , turmeric ,Saute till there is a pleasant aroma.
3. To this add the ground paste and cook till the raw smell of onions and tomatoes is replaced by a delicious aroma
4. Add salt , Garam/Channa masala. 
5. Add milk and the saved water to get the gravy to required consistency.
6. Now pour in the remaining Kala Channa  and let it cook..
7. Now pour this mixture again in pressure cooker , add some salt(remember there is already some amount of salt in chickpeas), garam masala powder, Channa masala(optional) and fry it for 2-3 minutes, or till the oil starts separating out.
8. Add water if the consistency is too thick.  
9. Enjoy with hot Puri/poori or Jeera rice.

MANGALORE BUNS

I did always wonder why these buns were called buns instead of any bajji or bonda...what is in the name.. it is taste which matters was my final decision.. My neighbour S got me into this and this is her recipe which I followed to the z to  get yummy tasting Mangalore buns...All we need is some ripe bananas and maida to make this sinfully tasty dish.

I tried them this evening for snack and had to struggle and wrangle a few for the photograph. 
They are pretty good for the first time. Next time i promised myself i will give the required round shape...

Mangalore Buns

Ingredients:

2 ripe Bananas , medium sized

2 cups of Maida / all purpose flour

salt to taste

1/2 to one spoon of soda

4 tbsp curds 

1 spoon salt and 

Oil for deep frying...

Method:

Mash the bananas completely so that there  no lumps left.. Add sugar, salt soda Mix the maida and curds to a chapati dough. use  yogurt sparingly and jusr right to get the prefect consistancy.. smear oil all over the dough, cover  and let it rest for about 4 to 5 hours.

Heat the oil in a deep bottom pan. On medium heat , make tiny ball of this risen mixture.. with oil smeared hands. It is  tricky but I used oil on a aluminum foil and flattened them out .  Deep fry both sides to a lovely brown colour. The yummy buns are ready to be served.

Enjoy as evening snack with hot tea...

Red Sauce Farfalle Pasta and Garlic Breadf

Red Sauce Pasta is one of the easiest dishes to be made in less than 10 minutes. My daughters favourite , I made it for her Birthday . It is filling and all time favourite for kids .


FARFALLE WITH RED SAUCE:

                                                        Farfalle with Red Sauce

Ingredients:

A quarter  kilo of Farfalle pasta

Two onions, finely chopped

Three or Four garlic cloves, minced

Three tablespoons Butter

One small carton of  tomato puree

Two  medium tomatoes diced

Ten  cherry tomatoes.

salt & pepper, to taste

Italian seasoning.. and

Grated Parmesan cheese



Method

Cook the Farfalle pasta in water with a dash of salt and oil. When it done... drain it under cold water to avoid further cooking.

In a pan add butter , when it heats up add the finely chopped onions and garlic. 

To this add the cherry tomatoes... keep a bit away from it as the tomatoes splutter a bit. then add the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree. 

Add the salt and pepper and the Italian seasoning to taste.

Add the grated Parmesan cheese and let it cook. 

When it sends a delicious aroma add the cooked pasta and mix well , grate some cheese to garnish and serve hot. 

NIPPATTU / NIPPITTU ,

This Snack is popular in Southern part of India. It is made of rice flour and can be stored for days and so it is an easy alternative and comes handy when there are unexpected guests at tea time. 

There are lots of savoury items to go with tea time and Nippattu is one of the best. Be it a rainy day or a warm one this goes perfect in any season. I am making these again after a long time. 

Nippattu/Nippittu

Ingredients

Rice Flour  -  1 large tea cup (heaped)
Roasted gram powder  -  2 tbsp
Roasted gram chunks -   1 tbsp
Roasted peanuts (crushed)  -  two spoons
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric  -  1/2 
Groundnuts  -  2 tbsp
Curry leaves - a sprig, chopped lengthwise
Oil  -  2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Oil to fry

Method:

In a deep bottom pan add the oil to deep fry and get it to heat. Meanwhile roast the groundnuts, de skin and crush them to coarse chunks. 
Mix the Rice flour, Roasted gram powder, Roasted gram chunks, red chilli powder,turmeric, coarse groundnuts, curry leaves , salt .To this add two table spoons of hot oil and mix well adding water till it is a pliable and moist.

Take a small ball of dough . Place it on a plastic sheet  fold the sheet on top of the dough and press with fingers till it gets flattened to a thin round form.

Deep fry in the hot oil till golden brown on both sides. Keep the heat in medium so that the nippattu is cooked uniformly.

Remove on a paper and let it cool. Serve with tea or coffee or just enjoy anytime of the day.

Instant Pongal (Khichdi) Mix

Pongal or khichdi as I had posted earlier is a one pot nutritious meal. My aunts recipe for this is a certain favourite for all my single and working friends now. Here is the recipe for the mix.
INSTANT PONGAL MIX:Though this simple dish is easy to make , this mix makes it easier. literally gets ready in 10 minutes time. 
Ingredients:


2 cups rice
1cup mung dal
1 1/2 cups grated dry copra
5 tbsp ghee ( clarified butter)
1 tsp Chana dal 
1 tsp Urad dal
1/4 cup cashew nuts
1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
1tsp  cumin seeds
1 tsp black pepper 
3 dry red chillies (broken into pieces)
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 cloves 
a sprig of curry leaves 
a tbsp of coriander leaves
a pinch of hing (asafoetida)  and 
Salt to taste

Method :
In a little ghee fry till the mungdal is red and then add rice slowly keep frying till the rice starts turning whitish. keep it aside . In a deep bottom pan pour the rest of the ghee ,Add mustard seeds and let it splutter . Add the cashew nuts and fry till they are golden brown. Slowly add cumin, pepper,chana dal, urad dal, asafoetida (hing), Red chillies, cloves , curry leaves and coriander. Saute till the fresh leaves like coriander dehydrate in the heat 
of the pan and oil. Add salt to taste. Into this pour the above rice and dry copra. Mix well on heat and then let it cool.


Store and use as and when required.

This mixture can be stored in refrigerator for more than 6 months. When you want to use.. Pour one cup of this mixture with 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker and one whistle should be enough to get quick and tasty Pongal.


Yum indeed. 

Uppittu/ Upma and Rava Idli instant Mix.

This week was a bit of work and lot of learning. Aunt L taught me lots which I will share here every week. We made lots of Instant mixes to help save time in the kitchen and great for single people who are finding it touch to cook elaborate meals .


First in the series comes the Uppittu or humble UPMA.. which can be used as Rava Idly mix too with a little variation. Uppitu is a quick yummy breakfast says my husband. I am not a great fan of uppittu /upma but agree that it is the quickest after cornflakes and milk. 

  
This instant mix is a real saver.It turns out exactly like the store bought instant mixes. Here is the recipe for you 


Ingredients:


Bombay rava/ Upma rava  - 1/2 kg
Ghee -  3 tbsp
Mustard seeds -  1 tbsp
Cashew nuts  -  broken in half 2 tbsp
Urad dal  -  1tbsp
Chana dal -  1 tbsp
Green chillies   -  sliced ( sliced into 4 or 6 pieces)
Curry leaves -  two sprigs
Coriander  -  two tbsp
hing/asafoetida - a pinch
Salt to taste.


Method : 


Dry Roast the rava or medium coarse semolina till it gives a delicious aroma and turns brownish. Keep aside

In a deep bottom pan  pour the ghee... add mustard /rai seeds  and let it it splutter. Then add cashew nuts, let it turn golden brown then add the urad and chana daals. When these are crisp add green chilies , curry leaves and grander and let them dehydrate in the ghee. Add a pinch of asafoetida/ hing and salt to taste. 


Mix the roasted Rava to this seasoning and let it cool . Your Uppitu/Upma mix is ready to use. 
This can be stored in the refrigerator for 6 months or more and in the open/ room temperature for about 20 days. 

How to use:


Uppittu/Upma


In a  pan add two cups of water . when the water comes to a boil add one cup of the mixture. Let it cook for about five  minutes.Delicious Uppitu or Upma  is ready..




Rava Idli


In a vessel mix one measure of sour curds to one measure of the above mixture with a pinch of soda. let the rawa soak the sour curds.. If the batter gets too hard add a little more curds to it. Let it rest for about 20 minutes and steam in a Idli stand to get soft fluffy Rava Idli. Serve hot with coconut chutney. 


I will post pictures of the dishes soon .


Ciao for now.. hoping this post was useful. Do let me know. 

Dheeli Khicdi.. a simple healthy porridge.

Dheeli Khichdi is a very tasty, healthy and wholesome one pot meal . The fresh khichdi with a spoon of ghee provides right amounts of macro nutrients... Moong dal ( split mung bean ) is easy to digest and so khichdi is given as a diet for many digestive problems.In Karnataka khicdhi is made as huggi and in Tamil  Cuisine it is known as pongal. The major ingredients are same but the process and consistency are a bit different. I made Gujarathi Dheeli khichdi , a favourite one pot meal at my place for any meal.

Dheeli Khichdi

Gujarathi Dheeli Khichdi:
 An unusally simple and super tasty dish is very easy to make. You can just make it out of few basic ingredients. I have made the simplest version you can try variations by adding vegetables and green chillies to spice it up. Here is the recipe.


INGREDIENTS:


2 small cups moong dal
2  small cups  rice
3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
7-8 whole black pepper-corns
2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)
a pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)
salt - to taste (about 1 1/2-2 tbsp)


METHOD


Soak the Rice and Moong dal for about half hour. In a pressure pan add 3 tbsp of Ghee/Oil. 
When the Ghee/oil heats up add cumin seed, pepper corns , turmeric powder and Asafoetida.  Wait till the cumin seeds go reddish and then add the Rice and Moongdal mixture with  salt to taste.
 Pour in about 10 to 12 small cups of water ( to get the watery consistency, lesser if you want it a  bit dry)and pressure cook for about 10 minutes or 3 whistles. Let the pressure go down.


Serve with a spoon of ghee.Enjoy the watery Dheeli Khichdi with pickle or bhujiya.

Stir Fried Hakka Noodles

 I have always wanted to get Hakka noodles right and Tarla Dalal's recipe came just to my aid this time. I did make a few changes like adding pepper powder instead of red chillies. It turned out a great dish. Here is the recipe for you.

STIR FRIED HAKKA NOODLES

Ingredients


2 tbsp oil
3 tsp chopped garlic pods
2 carrot finely chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup finely sliced capsicum
1/2 cup chopped spring onions whites
1/2 cup peas and corn kernels
3 cups boiled Hakka noodles
2 tsp soy sauce
Pepper powder to taste
salt to taste




To Garnish
1/4 cup shredded cabbage or 
1/4 cup chopped spring onion greens




Method


Boil 6 cups of water with a dash of oil and salt .When the water is boiling add a pack of Hakka noodles , turn the heat off after a minute or so.. close the pan and let the noodles cook .Then drain the water and keep the boiled noodles aside.


Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a high flame.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds.
Add the cabbage, capsicum ,carrot and spring onion whites and stir-fry over a high flame for a few  minutes.


Add peas and corn kernels, add salt and let the vegetables cook.
Add the noodles, soy sauce ,pepper and salt. Mix well and stir-fry for 2 minute.
Serve hot , garnished with spring onion greens.

Tomato Jam

Tomatoes are in bounty in my city this season. It is a colour feast to see the carts in the lovely red. I have tried Jam yesterday , will try sauce , ketchup and chutneys soon.Depending on the success i have with them I will update the recipes too.


Here is the easy recipe of Tomato Jam






Ingredients :
To make about 400 grams of Jam


Tomatoes - Finely chopped 6 cups 


Sugar  -  2 cups 


Apple  -  1


Ginger freshly grated  -  1 tsp


optional additions can be :


cinnamon powder -  1/2 tsp


Cloves ground  -  1/2 tsp

Method 

Peel and remove the seeds in  the apple. Chop into small pieces and blend it along with the tomatoes to a puree. You Can blanch if you prefer..Just wash the tomatoes and drop them into boiling water for 15 to 30 seconds. Put them into cold water again to stop the cooking .the skin will peel off very easily . Lo tomatoes are blanched. I prefer to eat with the skin on .. The chunky bits in the jam are tasty.

Add the puree and and add one and half cups of sugar in a deep and thick bottom pan and place it on the stove on high heat.

When it melts check for the sweetness and add if necessary. Continue cooking till the puree is reduced to one quarter till the required consistency . 

Add lime juice and reduce the heat.  Add grated ginger and the optional powder (to taste).

Let the puree cook until to a consistency of sauce. Then turn the heat off and let it cool. The jam will thicken when it cools. Fill in your jars when its completely cool.

Store in refrigerators as no preservative is added.

Enjoy with Bread or Chapatis.