South Indian vada curry

Ingredients:

For the vada
Chana dal/Bengal gram -1 cup, soaked for 4 hours
Whole red chillies - 2, soaked with the dal
Coriander leaves - 3-4 tbsp, finely chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Onion finely chopped - 1/2 cup
Oil for deep frying
Oil - 2 tbsp, for tadka
Bay leaf - 2-3, for tadka
Jeera - 2 tsp, for tadka

For the  gravy
Onion -3/4 cup (finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 cups (finely chopped)
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Coconut milk - 1 cup, diluted with another half cup water to a total of 1 1/2 cups

For the masala mix
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
Green chilli  - 3-4, can be adjusted to desired spice level, but it tastes best on the slightly spicier side
Fennel seeds/saunf- 1-1 1/2 tsp. I like to use more as it give amazing flavour
Cloves - 4-5
Green cardamom - 2-3
Grind the above together to a paste with little water

Method:

1. Drain the water from the dal and rinse it well. Grind the dal+red chillies with salt,  turmeric powder with as little water as possible. 
2. Mix chopped onions and coriander leaves with the vada batter.
3. Heat oil in a kadai, drop tbsp full of batter and deep fry on medium heat till golden brown. Once cool enough to touch, break the vadas into 4-5 pieces and set aside.
4. For the gravy - Take a couple of tbsp of the hot oil in another kadai or pan, add bay leaf and jeera and saute for few seconds, then add onions and saute until golden brown. 
5. Then add salt and the ground masala and saute for a few more minutes. Then add the chopped tomatoes, and turmeric powder. Cook on medium-high flame till oil separates.
6. Then add the coconut milk, adjust salt and bring it to boil. Let the raw smell of coconut dissipate, there will be a hefty aroma of the spices and the coconut that will occur in a couple of mins.
7. Add the vadas and simmer for five minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot either alone as a snack or with south Indian 'parotta' (you can find frozen variety at the grocery store or make your own - which is a lengthy process on its own), or puri.

Portobello Taquito

I know its been a long time since I posted a recipe to this blog, but I've been held up with tons of things happening, including a move from India to the US. One thing that I am certainly enjoying here is the massive variety of fruits and vegetables that are available year round :-). I have been letting the cook inside have a lot of fun, experimenting with different cuisines, making my own salad dressings and pasta sauces et al. Here is my version of a Portobello Taquito.

Ingredients:
3  large portobello mushrooms, chopped coarsely
1 small onion chopped finely
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp jalapeno in brine
1/4 tsp cumin/jeera powder
1/2 cup crumbled paneer (can be replaced with mozzarella cheese if you want it to be richer)
salt and red chilli powder to taste
5 tbsp olive oil
leftover phulkas or tortillas

Method:
* Pre-heat oven to 425F alternately
1. Heat a kadhai, add 3 tbsp olive oil.
2. Add minced garlic and fry for a few mins, then add chopped onions and cook till onions start turning golden.
3. Add jeera powder, jalapenos, mushrooms, salt and red chilli powder. Cook till all the water from the mushrooms evaporates.
4. Add the paneer and cook for about 2 more mins.
5. Put a generous helping of the mushrooms on a phulka or tortilla and roll it up. Brush the outside with olive oil and bake in preheated oven for about 12 mins till outer shell turns crispy. Serve with salsa and a salad on the side.

Note: If you do not have an oven, you can apply oil to the roti and roast it on a tawa till it turns golden and crispy. Then add the stuffing and roll it up before serving. Traditional taquitos require that the roti or tortilla be deep fried, but I like to avoid anything deep fried, so roasting makes good sense :-)

GopalKala (Janmastami Special)

Lord Krisna took all the lunchboxs of his friends and mix them together to make this Prasada called 'GopalKala'.

All the Gops (Krishna/Kanha's friends were called Gops) were shy share their food with Kanha. Some one got just beaten rice, some body just curd, everyone some thing which was available at home and packed by their mother. Kanha, the beloved son of Yashoda use to get nice food every day. Kanha noticed that his friends never share or show what they get in lunch, so one day he insisted them to show what they got. With lot of hesitation finally Gops show him what they got with them. Kanha took every thing and mixed together. He equally divided it among all and made this wonderful meal called "Gopal kala". This story of Lord Krishna emulates  - sharing, caring and bonding among friends.

GapalKala

Ingredients
Beaten Rice (Poha/Avalaki) - 1 cup
Puffed Rice (Murmure) - 1 cup
Curd - 1 1/2 cup
Finely chopped Cucumber - 1 medium size
Finely chopped Coriander - 1/2 cup
Freshly Grated coconut - 1 cup
Soaked Gram Dal (Channa dal) - 1 cup)
Salt - 1/2 spoon
Sugar - 1-2 spoon ( asper  your taste)
Green chillies - 1-2
Ginger
Ghee - 1 spoon
Jeera - 1 spoon

Method
1. Soak Beaten rice  for some time and drain the water.
2. Mix Beaten rice, puffed rice, curd, cucumber, chopped corriender, soaked channa dal, grated coconut, salt, sugar in a bowl.
3. Heat ghee in a pan, give takda  of jeera and grated ginger and green chillies.
4. Mix this takda in the bowl.
5. Its ready to serve.

Pav-bhaji

This is a favorite snack for when friends come over in the evening, or just to have on a Friday/Saturday night. also works for when you are out of vegetables towards the end of the week ;-)

Ingredients:
1 large potato
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
1 capsicum
2 carrots
4-5 medium tomatoes, pureed
4-5 medium onions, chopped finely
1 bunch coriander leaves, chopped finely
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
10 gms butter
6 tbsps of oil
Salt to taste
2 green chillies slit down the middle
1 bay leaf
3 tsps pav-bhaji masala
6 Pav (bread)

Method:
1. Chop all the vegetables into 1" pieces, except for the tomatoes and onions
2. In a cooker/pressure pan, add the oil and when it heats add the bay leaf. Fry for a few seconds and add 3/4th of the onions and fry till they turn golden
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and fry for a few moments. Add the tomato puree and salt and cook till oil separates
4. Add the chopped vegetables, half of the pav-bhaji masala and 2 cups of water. Cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles
5. When the cooker cools, mash all the vegetables. Set it back on low heat, add the lemon juice, rest of the pav-bhaji masala, and butter. Stir well for a few mins
6. Garnish with chopped onions and coriander leaves and serve hot with toasted pav

You can use vegetables of your choice. However, the potatoes, onions and tomatoes are necessary :-)