Chole Masala

Hello everyone,

Chole tastes great with chana masala powder. Chana masala is available in  all the indian grocery store but it enhances the taste when we use freshly ground powder.  

I used to make chole with just regular spices(chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder). These days I make it with homemade masala powder. 

Ingredients:

Dried red chili - 7 (I used byadige chili)

Coriander seeds  - 3 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp

Cardamom - 6

Black pepper corns - 2 tsp 

Cloves - 5-6

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Amchur powder - 3 tbsp

Hing - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. In a pan, add all the ingredients except turmeric powder, amchur powder and hing. Dry roast on a low flame until it turns aromatic and the red chili is crunchy.

2. Turn off the heat and transfer it to a blender or mixer. Allow it to cool down.

3. Add turmeric powder, amchur powder and hing. Grind it to a fine powder. 

4. Store it in an air tight container and use it while preparing chana masala.

Mambazha Pulissery

Hello everyone,

Mambazha pulissery or mambazha mor kuzhambu is a delicious mango curry made with mangoes, yogurt, coconut and spices. This authentic kerala dish has sweet and sour taste. It is served as part of onam sadhya.

 

I tasted mambazha pulissery for the first time in thalathoor heritage resort, Kazargod. Resort's owner aunty prepared this authentic curry with whole mangoes for our lunch. It was amazing. We don’t get small mangoes here in US so I chopped the mango to prepare this curry. Here you go, below is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Ripe Mango - 1 big or 2 small

Water -  1/2 cup

Curd or Yogurt -  2 1/2 cup

Turmeric Powder -

Jaggery - 1 or 2 tsp as per mango taste(optional)

Salt to taste

To grind:

Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

Green chili - 1

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

To Temper:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Red chili - 1 split into 2 halves

Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Peel the skin of mango and chop it into rough pieces. 

2. In a pan, add chopped mangoes, 1/2 cup water, pinch of salt, jaggery(optional). Cook them in medium heat for 3-4 mins. Switch off the heat. Allow the mangoes to cool down.

4.Meanwhile, grind the ingredients under 'To grind' section with little water to smooth paste.

5. Take curd in a vessel or bowl, add ground coconut paste, salt, turmeric powder. Mix well. 

6. Add the curd coconut mix to the mango. Stir well so that curd is mixed well with mango.

7. Turn on the stove, cook the curd mango mix for 2 mins in low flame. Switch off the heat.

8. Heat coconut oil in small skillet, add mustard seeds, red chili and curry leaves. Once it splutters add it to the cooked curry.

9. Serve with hot steamed rice and any choice of kaara kari.

Notes:

1. Always use ripe mango. 

2. Add jaggery if the mango is sour. 

3. Cook the curry in low heat to avoid curdling.

4.I always use less spice. Add an extra chili as per taste.

Mango Rice

Hello everyone,

Mango rice or manga saadham is very delicious rice which is similar to lemon rice with tangy taste. My mom used to make this but I was not fond of it. My MIL makes when its mango season. I like to take it for lunchbox.

 

This is the season for mangoes. My husband went to Indian store and bought raw mango. Its been long time since I made rice with mango. Hence, I decided to make it for lunch. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Grated Raw Mango - 1 cup

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Cooked Rice - 2 cups

Salt as per taste

Coriander leaves - few for garnishing

 

To Temper:

Oil - 1tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1tsp

Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsp

Chana dal - 2 tsp

Hing a pinch

Green chili -  1 slit

Curry leaves - few

Peanuts - 1/4 cup

 

Method

1. Dry roast the peanuts and keep it aside. Make sure not to burn the peanuts.
2. Heat oil in a kadai, add the ingredients under 'To Temper' section except curry leaves, green chili and roasted peanuts.
3. When the mustard seeds splutters and the dal turns brown, add curry leaves, green chili and peanuts.
4. Add turmeric powder, grated mango. Mix well.
5. Sauté for 2-3 mins or until the grated mango shrinks.
6. Take cooked rice in a large bowl, add the mango mix, salt, grated coconut and coriander leaves. Mix well without breaking the rice.
7.  Mango rice is ready to serve with appalam or any vadaam.

 

Notes:

1. Rice has to be cooked in such a way that it is not sticky and the grain are separate.
2. Rice has to be cooled.
3. I always use less spice so that my son can eat. If you want the rice to be more spicy, add 1-2 red or greed chili.
4. Skip step 1 if you have roasted peanuts.

Broccoli Parupu Usili

Hello everyone,

 

Parupu Usili is a very popular TamBrahm dish. Usually this is prepared with beans, cluster beans, cabbage and plantain flower. I came across broccoli version of this dish in instagram. Tried making the same very next day. It was very tasty. Broccoli is rich in vitamins, fiber and potassium. I love broccoli and use it at least twice in a week.

Parupu usili goes well as a side with mor kuzhambu or vatha kuzhambu.

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

Broccoli - 2 crowns

Water - 3 cups

Toor dal - 1/4 cup

Chana dal - 1/4 cup

Red chili - 2

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

Salt as per taste

Hing a pinch

 

For Seasoning:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Uad dal - 1tsp

Curry leaves - 4-5nos

Method:

1. Pluck the broccoli florets into small pieces. Boil the water in a vessel with salt. Cook the florets for 5-6 mins until stem turns soft.
   
2. Strain the water in a colander and keep the florets aside.
3.  Wash and soak the dals in water for about two hours. Drain the water and transfer it to a mixer.
4. Add red chili, jeera, hing, salt and grind it coarsely without adding water.
   
5. Steam the idli plate or steaming basket with oil and steam the ground dal mix for 6-7 mins. Crumble it and keep it aside.
   
6. Heat oil in a kadai, temper with mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. Add crumbled dal and fry for a minute. Then add cooked broccoli florets and mix well.
   
7. Stir it for 2 mins and switch off the heat.
   
   
   

 

Notes:

Do not over cook broccoli otherwise color if it will be changed. It has to be nice green color.