Choley- Bhature

Ingredients required for preparing the Choley: · White/Kabuli chana - 500 gm · Tea powder -2 tsp · Medium sized onions -2 (sliced) · Tomatoes-3(sliced) · Ginger paste – 2 tsp (garlic also can be used , but I didn’t use) · Green chillies -3 · Dhania-jeera  powder- 3 tbsps · Garam masala – 1 tbsp · Jeera- 2 tsp · Amchur powder (dried mango powder)-2 tsps · Dalchina /cinnamon – 1 stick (grounded) · Salt to taste · Red chilli powder – 1 tsp · Oil – 3 tbsp  Ingredients required for preparing the Bhature : · Maida/All Purpose Flour –2 cups · Salt to taste · Ajwain/vamu – 1 tbsp · Baking powder- ½ tsp · Baking soda- ½ tsp · Yogurt (sour one could be better) – 2 cups · Oil for Deep Frying.

Method for preparing the Bhature Dough : · Mix all the ingredients of bhature. Make dough with the help of water. It should not be very tight or very soft. Leave it outside for 5 hrs cover with a lid. Method for preparing the Choley : · Soak the Kabuli chana over night (or) for 5 hrs. · Boil Kabuli chana with water, salt and tea powder. (Tea powder is added to get the colour of brown). · Take a  pan and heat oil  add jeera, dalchini and onions, fry it till onions get light brown and then add ginger  paste,  and let it  cook for 2- 3mts, then add sliced tomatoes. Cook them till the oil separates. · Add dhania-jeera powder, garam masala, amchur powder, red chilli powder, salt and boiled chana with small amount of water. Cover them and cook it for 5- 10 minutes. · You can also add tomato puree if the tomatoes are not sour. Choley is ready to be served. Method for preparing the Bhature: · Make small balls from the dough and roll them like chapathi’s. · Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel for deep frying and fry the rolled out balls in oil and serve with hot choley.

Cabbage Kobbari kura

Ingredients:

· Cabbage - 1 medium size (finely chopped)

· Grated Coconut - 1 cup

· Green chillies – 3

· Water – 2 cups

· Ginger – ½ inch

· Salt - as per taste.

· Frozen peas – ½ cup 

For Tempering/seasoning: 

· Urad dal /mina pappu – 1 tsp

· Chana dal – 1tsp

· Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

· Dry Red Chillies – 1

· Hing / asafoetida – a pinch

· Curry leaves – few

· Oil – as required

Method:

· Boil the cabbage with required amount of water and salt by covering it with a lid.

· Once boiled the drain the water from the cabbage and let it cool.

· Take a pan and pour some oil and let it heat on a medium pace. Once heat now add urad dal, chana dal, cumin seeds, mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter add the red chillies, hing, curry leaves and grated coconut to it.

· When the coconut changes its colour to light brown colour adds the boiled cabbage and frozen peas  .cook for 3 -4 minutes in a low flame till all the water gets evaporated.

· Grind the green chillies and ginger into a paste and this to this cabbage mixture and mix well.

· Cook on low flame for another 3- 4 minutes and switch off the heat.

· Serve with hot rice or with roti.

Guacamole

This popular Mexican dip can be served with tortilla chips, or used as a dip with fresh vegetables.

Ingredients:

· Large avocados – 3 ripened

· Spring onions / normal medium size onions -3

· Garlic clove (crushed) -1 (optional)

· Olive oil – 1 tbsp

· Salt as per taste

· Fresh lemon juice – 2 tbsp

· Pepper -1/2 tsp

· Green chillies -2 (optional) [deseeded and cut length wise].

Method:

· Halve the avocados and remove the stones. Peel the halves. Put the avocados flesh in a large bowl.

· With a fork/spoon mash the avocado flesh coarsely. [I have mashed in a mixer].  

· Add the Spring onions /onions (grated), garlic (if used), olive oil, salt and lemon juice, green chillies.

· Mash until well blended, but do not over cook the mixture. Small chunks of avocados should still remain.

· Adjust the seasoning, if necessary, with salt or lemon or lime juice. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl.

· Serve the dip immediately, sprinkled with the pepper and tortilla chips.

Note: Guacamole doesn’t keep well. But, if necessary, it can be stored in refrigerator for few hours. Cover the surface with clear film to prevent discolouring.

Chegodilu

This is one of the most delicious and mouth watering snack .This is one of my all time favourite snacks. . Once you eat this snack u will not leave this. It’s so crunchy and tasty. Let us look at the recipe:   

Ingredients:                                              

· Rice Flour – 1 cup

· Yellow moong dal/ pesara pappu – ¼ tbsp

· Cumin seeds – 2 tsp

· Red Chilli powder – 1tsp

· Water – 1 cup

· Oil – 1/2 tbsp

· Salt to taste

· Oil for deep frying

Method:

· Take a small cup and soak the moong dal for 5 -10 mts .

· Take a vessel and boil the water, add salt to it and add the soaked moong dal to it.

· Add the rice flour slowly and combine it with water by stirring it and ensure that there are no lumps formed in it.

· Turn off the heat immediately, cover it with lid and keep it a side, let it cool.

· Once the mixture is cool, now add red chilli powder, cumin seeds and combine with the rice flour.

· Knead the dough till it is soft.

· By applying little bit of oil to hands and fingers knead once again the dough and make into small lemon size balls.

· Now roll each ball like a rope of approximately 4 inches in length and now form that rope like a ring.

· Press the edges firmly to form a ring/ chegodi shape. Prepare all the other balls also like this.

· Now, heat a heavy bottomed vessel with oil sufficient enough for deep frying. Once the oil is heat enough for frying, place the chegodis slowly into the oil. Don’t overlap the chegodis.

· Let the chegodis fry under a medium flame till you get the golden brown colour shade.

· When they turn golden brown shade slowly turn them over and cook them once again.

· Finally, remove them onto a paper towel/ tissue paper to absorb the oil.

· Let them cool for 10 min. and place them in an air tight container to remain that crunchiness.

· Serve them as snacks in the afternoon / eve / at any time.

Tomato Nilva Pachadi

Now days in market we are getting Roma Tomatoes cheaper in the market. So when I went to market last week end I got 3 lbs of roma tomatoes for $1. But then few of them are much ripened so I called up my mother in law to ask how to prepare the instant tomato pickle. She gave me a very simple yet delicious recipe. After completing that recipe I really felt it is so yummy, mouth-watering smell and a super taste that any one can just eat without having any thing along with it. This pachadi goes well with Hot Rice, Dosa and Idli’s.

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes - 2 lbs. (I used roma tomatoes), (wash them and let them dry completely.)
• Tamarind – large gooseberry sized. (Use them if the tomatoes are not too sour)
• Salt – as per taste
• Methi powder –3 tsp
• Rai powder – 3 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder – 3 tsp
• Oil – 1tbsp

Tempering/ Tadka/popu:

• Mustard Seeds – 1tsp
• Red chillies – 2 
• Hing /Asafoetida – 1 tsp
• Oil – ½ tbsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add the sliced tomatoes and cook on high heat for 5 mts.

• Reduce heat to medium high and continue to cook till the oil separates and the tomatoes turn little bit soft.

•  Add the tamarind and place lid. Cook the tomatoes along with tamarind for about ½ hr. and check whether the tomatoes are cooked well .Once done, remove from heat and Cool completely.
• Once cool, add salt and grind the cooked tomatoes along with tamarind to a paste. Remove onto a vessel.

• Add chilli powder, methi powder and rai powder. Combine. Thoroughly mix all the powders. 

•  In a pan, add 2 tbsps oil, add mustards seeds, hing and dry red chillies fry till the mustard splutters   once cool, and add this tempering along with oil to the tomato paste. Combine well. Cool and store in an airtight bottle.

Raita

Raita:

• Take 3 cups of yogurt and beat it slightly without adding too much water and maintaining that consistency.
• Grate 1 carrot after peeling it and add it to the curd.
• Take 2 medium sized onions and cut them into small pieces and add them to the curd.
• Take 2 green chillies and cut them in round shape and add it to the yogurt /curd.
• Finally add some salt and sprinkle some coriander leaves

Pesarapappu Kattu

Ingredients:

• Split moong dal (pesara pappu) - cup
• Cumin seeds – 1tsp
• Green chilli slit length wise - 2
• Dry red chillies – 2 (remove the seeds and  tear into pieces)
• Ginger – 1 tsp(grated)
• Curry leaves –handful 
• Turmeric  pwd -1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida (hing) – 1 big pinch 
• salt to taste
• ghee/oil – 2 tsp
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method: 

• Pressure Cook the moong dal with 3 cups of water and after cooked mash the dal little bit.
• Heat 1 tbsp ghee/oil in a vessel. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle and brown.
• Now add red chillies, green chillies, curry leaves, ginger and fry for a few seconds.
• Now add the asafoetida and turmeric and immediately add the cooked dal along with the excess boiled dal water. Add salt.
• Let the dal simmer for 8-10 mts.Turn off heat.
• Just before serving add little bit of lime and serve hot with steamed rice /rotis.
• Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Gobi Manchurian

Gobi Manchuria, the name itself is so tempting. Every time I go to a restaurant in India my first appetizer would be either Tomato soup (or) Gobi Manchuria. I like both the versions of this Manchuria: dry as well as gravy one. After I came to US, I very rarely find this dish in Indian restaurants in my place. So the other day when I went to market I got Gobi (cauliflower) for very less price, So I got 2 big flowers and then I t stroked to my mind about preparing Gobi Manchurian and so I immediately started and it came out very well. The whole bowl was completed within 15 min. I was so happy to eat that after a long time. Basically this is a Chinese dish but became very popular in India also. After the dish is completed we can use the toothpicks to pick each floret and taste it. Hope you all also try this recipe and enjoy the taste: 

Ingredients:

· Cauliflower -1 medium size, cut into florets, placed in salted hot water for some time and let the water get drained.

· Maida/All-purpose flour – 2 tbsps

· Corn flour – 2  tbsps

· Warm water -1/2 cup

· Salt to taste

· Ginger/Chilli paste(garlic can be added) – 2 tsp

For sauce:

· Onions -1/4 cup, finely chopped (spring onions are best)

· Ginger – 1tsp, sliced and finely chopped

· Finely chopped green chillies -2

· Red chilli pwd -1 tsp

· Soya sauce- 2 tsp

· Chilli sauce- 1tsp

· Vinegar-2 tsp

· Tomato sauce -2 tsp

· Salt as required

· Coriander leaves – 1 tsp (finely chopped)

· Oil – 2 tsp

Method: 

· Heat oil in a pan for deep frying, Take a bowl, and combine Maida, corn flour, salt, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and water to make a thick paste. Dip the washed and drained florets into the batter such that it’s well coated. Place each floret that is well coated with the batter into the hot oil.

· Reduce flame and deep fry till the Gobi is almost cooked. Increase the flame towards the end of the cooking process and fry the Gobi till it turns golden brown. Remove onto absorbent paper and keep aside.

· Take another pan and heat the oil then add the chopped green chillies and ginger and stir fry on high for a few seconds.

· Add the onions and stir fry on high for 3-4 mts, constantly tossing them.

· Reduce to medium heat and add the soya sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and vinegar. Combine well and cook for 2 mts. Add 3-4 tbsps of water and cook for 2 mts.

· Add the deep fried Gobi and combine. Toss on high flame for 1-2 mts. Turn off heat. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.