Tortilla soup

Mexican Tortilla soup coming up soon...

Crispy murukus

Being far away from my land, not having a store than I can quickly run to get something to munch on I settled for making some crispy snacks myself at home, this evening. Going thru' the pantry contents - murukus seemed to be the best option. These are the ingredients and measures I used but did I mention you need a 'sancha' or muruku maker or mould?

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 1 cup
Urad dal (black gram) flour - 1/4 cup
Butter - 2 tbsp (melted at room temperature)
Sesame seeds - 1tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 cups
Muruku maker

Combine all the dry ingredients and mix butter until you notice that small lumps form. Take warm-hot water and mix with the earlier mixture taking care there's not too much liquid in the dough.

In the meanwhile, heat oil in a pan on high. Butter the insides of the mould. Put the aforementioned mixture into muruku maker (sancha/mould) and once the oil is really hot, press the sancha to drop some spirals of dough into the oil. Fry the muruku spirals until they turn lightly golden brown and drain them on a paper towel.

Once all the muruku spirals are cooled down, preserve them in an airtight container.

Besan Omelette without Egg/ Sprouts roll

My desi cooking community brought forth an entry from my dear friend, Chitti. I'm only posting on her behalf. Besan omelette without egg is the title - sounds interesting, doesn't it?

Ingredients:

Besan flour (shanaga pindi)- 2 cups
turmeric (pasupu)- 1/2 tspn
chilli powder- 1 tspn
yogurt (curd)- half quantity of besan
salt(to taste)
water (to thin the consistency)
Green gram sprouts (green pesara sprouts)
onions (finely chopped)- 1/2 cup
lemon juice(1 tbspn)
tomatoes- 1/2 cup finely chopped
oil- 1/2 tspn

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix these ingredients to a fine paste or batter like you'd do for a dosa-----shanaga pindi, salt, turmeric (pasupu), chili powder (mirapa podi), yogurt (curd) and water.

2.Next, in another bowl mix these----Green gram sprouts, salt, onion, lemon juice (nimma rasam), tomato.

3. In a pan, put little oil and make dosa out of the besan batter and make it thin and let it fry on both sides until it becomes crisp.

4. Once you cook it both sides, put the sprouts mix on one side and fold the dosa to contain it and heat for 2 more minutes.

5. Yippee! it's ready to eat.

Thanks Chitti for this quick veggie breakfast dish. Can I call it 'Sprouts roll' for a more healthy appeal? Thanks!

Coconut chutney - the Kerala way...

Ingredients:

Coconut grated - 1cup
1 medium sized onion cut into quarters
Garlic - 2 cloves
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Mint leaves - 10-12 leaves
Curry leaves- 2-3
Green chilies - 3-4
Salt to taste
Lemon - 1 small (squeeze juice)

In a hot pan, with a teaspoon of oil, saute all the ingredients except lemon for 3-5 mins. Then grind all the ingredients except lemon to a fine paste. Mix limejuice to the ground chutney and serve with dosa, idli, vada or any breakfast item.

Coconut Dosas

It's been a long time since I blogged on breakfast items so lemme start that right away.

Ingredients:

Urad dal- 1 cup
Rice - 2 cups
Puffed rice/poha - a handfull
Methi seeds - 1/2 tspn
Finely grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Soak rice, urad dal, puffed rice and methi seeds together for at least 6-7 hrs before you grind them to fine paste/batter. Now, add finely grated coconut and mix it thoroughly with the batter and set it aside for 6-8 hrs to ferment. Keep it in a warm place to allow faster fermentation process. You could add a pinch of baking soda or a 1/2 cup of curd to hasten the process too.

The consistency of the batter should be such that when you dip your finger in it and take it out, the batter should fall off your finger by the time you say aloud 7,77,777 (seven lac seventy seven thousand seven hundred and seventy seven...phew!) However, with experience you'll soon be able to judge the right consistency, don't worry.

Now on a griddle or a non-stick pan, put 3 drops of oil and spread it out evenly. Heat the pan, take a big spoonful of batter and put in the center of the pan, spreading it out evenly until you get the required size of dosa. Sprinkle a teaspoon of oil around the dosa and once it starts turning brown flip it onto the other side. After a minute take it out of pan and serve hot with sambar, tomato chutney or even peanut chutney.

Yummy dosas...ammai more dosai plz... ;)`

Meat ball curry

This curry is so simple if I buy the ready-made meat balls and just mix the curry with it. But, would I or anyone relish just the same as something made authentic with your own portion of ingredients in the warmth of your own kitchen? Debatable!!!

Ingredients:
Minced Meat- 2 lbs
Coconut-1 small
Salt to taste
Ginger- 1 " piece
Green Chillies- 4-5
Onion- 2 medium sized
Vinegar- 2 tbsp

Now, for the Masala:

Dhania/ Coriander Powder- 2 tbsp
Chilly Powder- 1 tspn
Pepper corns- 1 tspn
Clove- 4 - 5
Cinnamon- 2 one-inched pieces
Fennel seeds - just about a pinch
Cumin seeds- 1tspn
Turmeric Powder- a pinch

For meat balls:

Onions chopped finely- 1cup
Egg-1
Green Chillies - 4-5
Ginger- 1" piece
Salt to taste
Bread crumbs (Optional)- 2tbsp

Preparation time: 30 mins Cooking time: 45 mins

Grate coconut and strain its liquid into 3 cups by adding water continuously. Mix well the ingredients to prepare meat balls with the minced meat. Make small meat balls and keep them aside.
Now, grind all the ingredients for the masala finely. Sauté onion, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Add the masala and sauté till oil separates. Add half the coconut liquid. After it boils add vinegar and put the minced meat balls and cook well. Add the rest half of the coconut liquid before removing from fire. Serve hot.

Schezuan chicken

Quick Chicken Recipes is what I would categorize this recipe under. I love to make this dish for dinner when I can actually have time to relish and savor.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp corn oil (Mazola)
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp cornstarch
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned(cut into long thin strips)
1 carrot, julienned
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 bunch spring onions, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
Hot cooked rice

Preparation time: 15 mins

Heat the oils in a wok over high heat. Now, toss the cubed chicken breast in a bowl with the corn starch to coat. Then add the chicken and minced garlic to the wok and stir-fry until the chicken is lightly browned. Take care not to brown the garlic. Add the remaining ingredients except the spring onions. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Next, add the spring onions. Cover and cook for 3 more minutes. Serve with hot, cooked rice or fried rice. Doesn't that taste yum? Uhmmm! of course, it does :)