Bon Vivant

Spicy Pavakka Podi

2006-08-07T17:44:00.000-07:00

This is a spicy blend of Pavakka/Karela/Kakarakaya. I personally have immense dislike to the bitter , bitter gourd.I eat it only when it is made this way, where you dont get to taste the bitternes of this vegetable.Mom used to make & store this and use it as a "emergency curry".
I made this podi for lunch on sunday.Was hoping on storing it for a couple of days , but S liked it so much that he finished it in one day !!

Ingredients for the Spice blend

* Bengal gram - 1tbsp
* Urad Dal - 1/2tbsp
* Coriander seeds - 2tsp
* Cumin seeds - 1tsp
* Dry red chillies - 10 nos
* Tamarind - nutmeg sized ball
* Garlic Cloves - 4
* Ginger piece- 1 inch , grated
* Oil - 1/2tsp
* Salt - acc to your taste

The Main Ingredients
* Bitter gourd - 4
* Onion - 1 small, choped
* Salt - a pinch
* Oil - 2 tsp
* Cumin & mustard seeds, curry leaves - for popu(tadka)

Heat oil in a pan.
Add all of the spice ingredients to the pan except for tamarind and salt.
Fry until the seeds start turning slightly brown. Then grind it along with tamarind and salt into a coarse powder.

Chop the bitter gourd into small pieces, add salt to these pieces and let them sit for atleast 30 mins. Then squeeze the bitter gourd pieces and discard juice. If you like the bitter gourd bitter, then skip the soaking in salt and squeezing part.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin & mustard seeds to the pan when they start sputtering add the curry leaves in. Now add the onion and then the bitter gourd pieces.
Fry the onions and the bitter gourd until it is of a dry consistency.
Now add the spice blend prepared above to this, fry for a minute or two and turn off the heat.

This powder goes well with plain rice and ghee.

2006-05-08T12:33:00.000-07:00

Are you a Good Cook ?

2006-04-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

You Are a Learning Cook

You've got the makings of an excellent cook, and the desire to be one.
But right now, you're just lacking the experience. You couldn't be a top chef yet, but you could be an apprentice.

Are You A Good Cook?

What Kind of Food Are You?

2006-04-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

You Are Chinese Food

Exotic yet ordinary.
People think they've had enough of you, but they're back for more in an hour.

What Kind of Food Are You?

Priya's Pesarlu Plus Palak

2006-04-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

Tried out this last weekend, and it was delicious ! I with my limited knowledge of cooking, thought that we can make only pesarattu out of pesarlu. And other than that, it can be added to salads in the form of sprouts.

Thanks to Priya for introducing me to this wonderful recipe of pesarlu and spinach !!

Mango and Coconut Chutney

2006-04-19T12:57:00.000-07:00

Was in a mood for some experimentation and tried this mango+ coconut chutney , instead of the traditional mango chutney.And then hurray!!!, it came out so well...S just loved it ! He used so many exquisite words of appreciation while eating it, that I just blushed away to glory and put on 2 more kgs with pride :)

Here goes the Recipe...

Ingredients:

1 cup of fresh Coconut cut into small pieces
1 raw mango - grated
3 green chilies
4 dry red chilies
2 to 3 sliced garlic cloves
1/2 tea spoon of split urad dal
1/4 tea spoon cumin seeds/jeera
1/4 tea spoon mustard seeds /rai
1 tea spoon salt or as desired
2 table spoons of oil

Cooking Process:
Step 1: Take a clean non-stick pan and add the 2 table spoons of oil to the pan and let the oil heat up
Step 2: Add the urad dal,cumin seeds and mustard seeds,once the seeds begin to splutter.Add the garlic,green chilies and red chilies .Saute for a minute
Step 3: Add the grated mango and Saute for two minutes till the raw flavour of mango is gone.
Step 4: Add the coconut pieces, salt and Saute for another two minutes.
Step 5: Once it cools down,grind all the ingredients together.

The chutney is ready !

Eating Process:You can eat it with idli,any type of dosa or even with pesarattu.!You can also mix it with hot boiled white rice and Eat.

Acknowledgments : Self :)

Quick Cabbage Curry

2006-04-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

After much experimentation , discovered that this is the fastest and 'easy-est' way of making edible cabbage curry.S does not like cabbage much because of its bland taste, but has developed a liking to this particular curry because of the coocnut in it.It is a best dish on a hurried
work day morning.

Ingredients:

1 cup of Sliced Cabbage
1/2 cup of grated coconut(do not use dry coconut)
3 to 4 slit green chilies
2 to 3 sliced garlic cloves(Optional)
1/2 tea spoon of split urad dal
1/2 tea spoon cumin seeds/jeera
1/2 tea spoon mustard seeds /rai
pinch of hing/asafoetidaa
few curry leaves
1/4 tea spoon turmeric
1 tea spoon salt or as desired
2 table spoons of oil

Cooking Process:
Step 1: Take a clean non-stick pan and add the 2 table spoons of oil to the pan and let the oil heat up
Step 2: Add the urad dal,cumin seeds and mustard seeds,once the seeds begin to splutter.Add the garlic,green chilies and curry leaves .Saute for a minute
Step 3: Add the sliced cabbage, hing,turmeric and salt.
Step 4: Sprinkle a handful of water into the pan and close it with a lid.
Step 5: Once the cabbage is half-cooked , add the grated coconut and saute for a few minutes.

And there, cabbage curry is ready in quick 5 steps

Eating Process:Mix the curry with hot boiled white rice and Eat!.Can also be had as a side with Roti,Chapati or Parathas.

Acknowledgments : Mom

Pesara Pappu Pachadi

2006-04-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

I discovered about the existence of this kind of pachadi only after my wedding.This was first prepared by my MIL for KrishnaAstami.Instantly loved this pachadi for its part-spicy, part tangy taste !

Ingredients

1 cup pesara pappu/split yellow moong dal
6/8 dry red chilies (throw in a couple of more if you like it spicy!)
4/5 garlic cloves
1 tea spoon dry coriander seeds/coriander powder
1/2 tea spoon cumin seeds/jeera
1/2 tea spoon mustard seeds /rai
a pinch of hing/asafoetida
a few curry leaves
1/4 tea spoon turmeric
1 tea spoon salt/as desired
1 table spoon oil (the chutney tastes best when peanut oil is used)

Cooking Process:

Step 1: Take a clean non-stick pan.
Step 2: Ignite the Stove and Place the pan on it and let the pan get heated. Let all the water in the pan evaporate.
Step 3: Add the pesara pappu to the pan and fry it till the dal changes color to brown. Keep turning the dal around in the pan with the spatula so that all the seeds are fried evenly.Pesara Pappu has a distinct odor which it lets out during frying. Once you start getting the odor that means it is fried to the right consistency.
Step 4: Remove the fried dal into any plate.
Step 5: Replace the pan onto the stove and add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to it.
Step 6: Once the oil is heated, add coriander seeds, red chilies and garlic. Let it fry for a minute and remove the contents of the pan to the same plate in which you placed the fried dal.
Step 7: Empty the contents of the above plate into a mixie jar, add salt and grind to a fine paste.
Step 8: Replace the pan onto the stove and add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to it.
Step 9: Once the oil is heated, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, a pinch of hing and turmeric powder. Let it fry for a minute and add this to the chutney.
Step 10: You can add a tangy flavour to the chutney by adding lime juice to it.

Eating Process:
Mix the chutney with hot boiled white rice and Eat!

Acknowledgments : Mother-In -Law

Food Blog

2006-04-12T17:20:00.000-07:00

This blog is devoted to the gourmandizer in me. Here in I am planning to post my experiences with Food.