Dates and Sesame Poornalu | Poornam Boorelu | Sukhiyan Recipe

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May Lord Ganesha shower his blessings and fulfill all our wishes. :-)

As promised in my yesterday's post, here I am with recipe of Dates and Sesame Poornalu. The traditional stuffing for such poornam boorelu is - (pressure cooked + mashed bengal gram (chana dal), jaggery, shredded coconut with a hint of cardamom powder). These are very commonly made in Andhra households during almost all festivals. The twist of (dates with sesame seed combo) is just as delicious as our classic version and will be a crowd pleaser. Do give them a try.

Be My Guest and {Recipe} for Soya Sesame Khakhras

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It is always touching when a fellow blogger wants to know more about you and wish to feature you on their blogs. Many months ago, Nupur of UK Rasoi asked if I wish to Be Her Guest,.

I said, Why not? :-)

I also made some easy, oil free Soya Sesame Khakhras for her.. Get the recipe here.  

Thanks Nupur for having me as your guest.

Amma's Recipes: Cut Mirchi Bhajji (Double Fried Cut Chilli Fritters)

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Those of you all celebrating, Wishing you a very Happy Sankranthi. Also known as Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Lohri in Punjab, Bihu in Assam, traditionally this is one of the harvest seasons in many parts of India. Hope this festival brings loads of happiness, prosperity and joy into your homes. :-)

Cut Mirchi Bhajji, best served hot

...there are many recipes are a must-to-make on this day - various kinds of pongals, desserts and appetizers for potlucks are just to name a few.

Mirchi Bhajji, as-is is the best snack ever..

To add to the list is today's recipe - Cut Mirchi Bhajji a.k.a Double Fried Cut Chilli Fritters which are just perfect for any occasion, not just festivals.

Choosing the right kind of peppers is important for bhajji to come perfect!

..a few hours with my mom today and we conjured up one of her recipes which she has learnt from a street vendor, literally speaking. Since then, she is so popular with her bhajjis that our friends, family and even my extended family members drop by for a serving of these deep-fried goodies. Trust me, they are that popular. :-)

 

{Recipe} Cut Mirchi Bhajji (Double Fried Cut Chilli Fritters)

Ingredients:

2 cups besan/chickpea flour
2 tbsp rice flour/beyyappindi
1 tsp red chilli powder
salt - taste
1/2 tsp eating soda/soda bi carb
10 long green peppers
oil for deep frying
1/2 onion, chopped + cut lemon slices + cilantro, for garnish

**Optional stuffing for peppers - 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 1 tsp amchur powder, little salt, 1/2 tsp ajwain: Grind to fine paste with little water

Preparation:

1. Wash and pat dry peppers. Make a vertical slit to the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes.

2. Fill peppers with little stuffing**.

3. Heat sufficient oil in a wok for deep-frying on medium-low heat. While it gets heated up, lets prepare the besan coating.

4. In a bowl, mix besan, rice flour, chilli powder, salt and eating soda. Add water little by little (without any lumps). Note: To a consistency where it doesn't drip easily and coats the peppers completely.

5. Once the oil is heated (Make sure the oil is NOT smoking hot.), dip each of the peppers into the besan paste. With one finger slide off the paste on one side of the mirchi, so that it cooks completely. (one nifty trick my mom learnt from a street vendor ;-) ).

6. Deep fry the peppers to a golden brown color. Drain them on to paper towel so that excess oil is drained off. Cool to room temperature. stop your urge to polish them off, we have just one more step to go ;-).

7. Cut each of fried peppers into 1 inch long pieces. Deep fry them again in medium hot oil until they turn crispy which will take only a minute. Drain them again on paper towels.

8. Serve with finely chopped onion, cilantro and lemon slices.

Lets Paint It 'Green': Mint Peanut Chutney {Pudina Chutney}

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No, it is not St. Patrick's Day yet. I will be 'going green' with my recipes, all of this week for an another reason. (Click here to know why) To know what it is, you gotta wait till December 31st 2011. :-).

On an another note, I can't believe that the last week of the year 2011 has already started and I have to post only 6 photographs more to finish my Project 365. Trust me, posting a photograph every day of the year has not been easy. Especially when we had to pack our bags and move back to India in April, I thought of just giving up. But, my love for photography was at its peak then, so couldn't let it go, just like that...and I am so glad I stuck with my decision. Or else, how else would I have captured my little sister's wedding (or) found out my new passion for Black and White photography...

Mint leaves are available in abundance in the markets. Go grab some and make this chutney..

For me, a piquant chutney is what completes a meal. I, sometimes just spread some on a piece of toasted bread and enjoy it as-is. Today's recipe -  Mint Peanut Chutney is one such combination which tastes delicious with everything and anything. It is incredibly easy to make and last for a good whole week when refrigerated. Enjoy!

Cook mint leaves and green chillies until wilted.

Grind the chutney to a consistency of  jam..

 Mint Peanut Chutney {Pudina Chutney}

Mint Peanut Chutney {Pudina Chutney}

Ingredients:

pudina/mint leaves, 1 big bunch (3 tightly-packed cups)
green chillies, 8-10 , halved
sesame seeds, 4 tbsp
peanuts, 4 tbsp
oil, 2 tsp
tamarind extract, 1 tbsp

Tadka -

oil, 1 tsp
urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds - 1 tsp of each
red chilli, 1
hing (asafoetida), pinch

Preparation:

1. In a pan, dry roast peanuts and sesame seeds. Keep aside.

2. Heat oil on a medium-low heat. Add mint leaves and green chillies. Cook for few minutes, until wilted. Season with salt and turmeric. Finally add tamarind extract. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Allow it to cool a bit.

3. Grind together - mint leaves mixture with dry roasted peanuts & sesame seeds. Adjust salt if needed.

4. In a small pan, heat oil and add all ingredients listed under 'Tadka', until slightly brown.

5. Add tadka to pudina chuntey and Serve with hot rice or with dosa or idli. Store the rest of it in an air-tight container & refrigerate until next use.

Here is what other FSB members have posted until now -

Mittu - Blueberry and Lavender Cream Pie [Violet]
Nags - Easy Basic Cake Pops [Blue]
DK - Risotto Alla Milanese [Yellow]
Deepti - Citrus Golden Sangria [Orange]
Lata - White and kidney beans falafels and spicy hot vandikkaran chutney, Filled and Grilled Red Peppers, Jam and Fruit Tart [Red]


****************************************************************************************************************************************

Give Away: 

It is Holiday Season and best time to spread some happy cheer all around. Its time to give-away something special to my readers who supported me all along the way. Check out these two give-aways - One for peeps in India and other for US residents and enter today, if you haven't already. Last Date - December 31st 2011.

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until next time,

Vegan-A-Day: Pan Fried Tofu Triangles with Soy-Sesame-Ginger Sauce

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'Now I can look at you in peace; I don’t eat you anymore.' ~ Franz Kafka, while admiring fish in an aquarium

Almost every cuisine in the world boasts of many dishes that revel in their beautiful flavours of various veggies, fruits, seeds, beans and aromatic oils. Indian cuisine is no different, where for every 3 people, 1 is vegetarian. For ages, eating a satisfying plant cuisine is strongly imbibed into our traditional, every day food along with complex spice combinations.

Now, being a vegan is like taking a step further - living without meat or any kind of animal products. It is often a misconception that Veganism is like depriving yourself from what you love to eat. I think, all it needs is a little creativity to think beyond a plate of calorie-rich proteins.

When Harini threw the 'One Day Vegan' challenge at us, I wondered  What it’d be like to be a vegan, just for a day?. I was curious to know how does it feel like to live without eating any animal products (in my case, it is just milk with cereal for breakfast & yogurt/buttermilk at the end of every meal)? - A challenge that would put all my ideas to test and it really did!

I asked TH to do this challenge along with me, but let me tell you upfront: He is a die-hard-yogurt fan. With a lot of convincing, he agreed to this Vegan challenge with me. Our breakfast and lunch went well, just as planned, but by dinner time, he just couldn't stop himself from having that one glass of buttermilk! While, I went on to successfully complete my challenge. Yay! :-)

Here is our menu for the day:

Breakfast: Wholegrain Idlis with Sambar (Click here for the recipe)

Lunch: Pan fried Tofu Triangles with Soy-Sesame-Ginger-Sauce and rice (recipe follows)

Dinner: Roti and Nimbu Masoor Dal (made with Olive oil) (Click here for the recipe)

As a part of this challenge, Harini is also having a giveaway by collaborating with folks from Krya, whose main motive is to - "create natural, environmentally sustainable products that one can use around the home." Read more about them here, who they are and what they do. :-)

 Recipe: Pan Fried Tofu Triangles with Soy-Sesame-Ginger Sauce

Ingredients:

200 gms of tofu (I got mine from M K Ahmed, Bangalore - Ka Kim's variety)
2 tbsp canola oil
salt and pepper
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

For Soy-Sesame-Ginger Sauce -

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp chilli sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Preparation:

1. Place the tofu on a cutting board and a bowl with filled water on it (for 10-15 mins). Make sure the pressure is not too much which can crumble the tofu. Pat it dry with a paper towel. Cut into triangles.

2. Season the tofu triangles on both sides with salt and pepper and then spread each side with some garlic.  Lightly coat the slices with the flour.

3. Heat oil in a skillet and add these flour coated tofu pieces. Cook on both sides, until slightly crisp golden brown. Set them on paper towels, to drain off the excess oil.

4. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients listed for Soy-Sesame-Ginger sauce. Make sure you have a balance of flavours and neither of them is too over-powering.

5. Drizzle some sauce on the tofu triangles and Serve with rice on the side. Yum!

Verdict: One thing I realised is that, it is not that hard to be a vegan, especially for we, Indians. It is a way of life, once has chosen to live and I commend them for that choice. Truth to be told, I really really missed my tangy buttermilk with ginger & coriander, which I am so used to having at the end my dinner. Time to get inspired from Lataji and make her 'Vegan Moarkuzhambu' I guess. :-). Thanks Harini for this challenge, now I know, how & what it feels like to be You, even though it was just for a day! Kudos.

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until next time,

Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan, demystified

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My mouth is watering at the very mention of this dish. Juicy, tender baby eggplants stuffed & dunked in a rich nutty-onion-ey gravy. What not to love in this very-popular-hyderabadi-dish. The only down-side is - its preparation and cooking time. But, for that too I have a trick for you. This recipe is a bit different than others. It makes use of a masala powder which can be ground ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Whenever you want to have some of this rich, decadent dish - pop out the masala powder, add some fried onions, turmeric & salt. Stuff the mixture into the eggplants and once they are cooked, sprinkle the rest (with some water) over them. 

D.O.N.E. 

Yes, it is as simple as that. Feel free to adjust the ingredients used for the masala powder - but the ones that are a must are - peanuts, sesame seeds & coconut.

It was late in the night and I was too tired to even click any pictures. Hence there are no step-by-step pictures this time. and You know what, I have a feeling there is no need of them. Have a look at the recipe & you will know why. - Just gather all the ingredients and jump right in.


If you are a hyderabadi like me, hope this dish will bring you back some of your memories from - back home. :-)

Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan

Save this recipe for those special parties where you are determined to get some Umph's and Wow's from your friends. (or) even better - treat yourself and/or your family with this decadent dish, especially when you want to buy something expensive. I am sure, after tasting this, anybody would say 'Yes' to anything you ask for. ;-)

Simplified & Adapted from my mommy's recipe. Mom, you are THE best.


Step 1 - Dry roast each of the following ingredients separately and cool them on a shallow plate. Then grind them into a fine powder (in a coffee grinder, if you have one like I did). 


1/4 cup peanuts***
2 tbsp sesame seeds***
2 tsp poppy seeds**
1 tsp coriander seeds**
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp dried coconut*** (if using frozen shredded coconut, plan to use the whole thing in one-go. It not good for refrigeration.)
1 inch cinnamon stick**
5-6 black cloves
1 tsp black peppercorns


The ones which have 3 stars (***) are a must-haves & with 2 stars (**) are good-to-have ingredients.

Store this powder in an air tight container & refrigerate. It will stay good for several weeks. Remember to use dried coconut if you want to use it later.

Now that we have our masala powder ready to go, the process is much more simple than you think.

Step 2. Wash and pat dry about 10 tender baby eggplants. Don't make slits as of now.

Step 3. Heat a tsp of oil and add 2 cups of finely chopped onions & little salt. Saute for about 8 mins on medium-low flame until golden brown. Add 1 tsp of ginger-garlic paste. Cook for 2 more mins. Remove from heat and cool down a bit.

Step 4. In a mixing bowl, add the fried onions, about 6-7 tbsp of the above masala powder, little salt, 2 tsp of tamarind pulp, 1/2 tsp of turmeric. Mix well.

Step 5. Slit the eggplants into fours. keep the stem in tact. Stuff half of the above onion-masala mixture.

Step 6. Heat a tsp of oil in a wide, shallow pan and add these stuffed eggplants. Make sure the pan is wide-enough to fit all of the eggplants in one single layer. Rotate and shake the pan occasionally so that the eggplants cook evenly, until tender - on medium flame. Cover. Let it take as long as it takes for the eggplants to cook completely. It took me about 15-20 mins. 

Step 7. Turn the flame to LOW and add the rest of the masala paste with 1.5 cups of water. Check for salt one last time. Donot use any spatula, just shake so that the eggplants are coated well. Cook on low heat until the oil start to separate at the edges. 

Ready to serve for anything - from biryani to rotis. :-)

Patience is virtue for this recipe to come out well and trust me, the end result is worth waiting for. I am sure my friends at work who got to taste it can vouch for that ;-).

Off this goes to Healing Foods: Eggplant, originally started by me & this month graciously guest hosted by dear Kavita. Hurry in your entries by Jan 31st and have a chance to win one of the two giveaways. :-)

As I said before, there are many variations of the same recipe. and the difference is mainly in the ingredients for the masala powder, in Step 1. See how Nags has prepared the same recipe, in her own ishtyle. :-)

take care and until next time,
Siri

Black-eyed peas (Bobbarlu) Kootu

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Eat poor that day, eat rich the rest of the year.
Rice for riches and peas for peace.
~ a Southern saying on eating a dish of Hoppin' John on New Year's Day.

I'll be honest with you guys. I heard, for the first time only about a week ago - about the Hoppin' John & the tradition of serving black-eyed peas for New Year...and the legend of the Hoppin' John dish goes something like this -

"It was the custom for children to gather in the dining room as the dish was brought forth and h op around the table before sitting down to eat.  A man named John came "a-hoppin" when his wife took the dish from the stove. An obscure South Carolina custom was inviting a guest to eat by saying, "Hop in, John". The dish goes back at least as far as 1841, when, according to tradition, it was hawked in the streets of Charleston, South Carolina by a crippled black man who was know as Hoppin' John."

Picking up the fact that the black-eyed-peas especially when served on New Year bring good luck, I made a very delightful black eyed peas kootu.

Well, following the tradition, I made sure this year we had black eyed peas & rice on the table. I hope this would bring us truck loads of luck and good health. :-)

Kootu/Koottu is typically a South-Indian delicacy. Usually made with shredded coconut, lentils and/or vegetables with an array of aromatic spices, it is a delight to eat it for lunch or dinner. This dish makes use of a kootu podi (Step 2) which is very versatile and can be used with other vegetable curries like potato, eggplant etc. I saw this dish made on a TV show featuring some kannadiga recipes. Served with rice, rotis or even dosas, it tastes delicious and very nutritious too.

Black-eyed peas (Bobbarlu) Kootu

Preparation:

Step 1: Grind to paste: (1 onion, chopped + 3-4 red chillies + 1 cup shredded coconut).

Step 2: Dry roast and Grind to a powder - ( 1 tbsp poppy seeds + 1 tsp fenugreek seeds + 1 tbsp urad dal + 1 tbsp chana dal + 1 tbsp sesame seeds + 1 tbsp coriander seeds + 2 tbsp peanuts)

Step 3: Boil 1 cup of black-eyed peas with 3-4 cups of water until tender. If using canned beans, drain & rinse.

Step 4: In a small bowl, take 4-5 tablespoons of kootu podi prepared in Step 2 with 1/2 cup of tamarind water. Make sure there are no lumps. Keep aside.

Step 5: Heat 1 tsp of oil in a wide skillet and add in 1 tsp of mustard seeds, until they start to crackle. Stir in 1 tsp of ginger-garlic paste and onion-coconut paste that we prepared in Step 1. Cover and cook for 2-3 mins on medium heat. Then add the (kootu podi + tamarind water) mixture. Mix the contents well. Add little water if desired. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Step 6: Season with salt, turmeric and finally add the boiled black-eyed peas. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occassionally. Add 1/2 tsp of ghee and Serve hot with roti or rice.

[Edited February 2nd 2011] - My entry won a cookbook and a case of six bags of the winner's choice of Hurst Bean products in the random draw for this event. Looks like my Hoppin'n John turned out to be truly lucky. Thanks Simona and Susan. 

I am sending this off as an entry to MLLA 31, this month guest hosted by Simona & originally started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

Note: This month the theme for Healing Foods event is our beloved "Eggplant" and is being graciously guest hosted by Kavita. Click here for more participation details.

until next time,
Siri

Potato-Bell pepper Korma, with some *essential ingredients*

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There are some times when you start reading a book, you are transported to a different world altogether and once it is done you sigh with utmost satisfaction and at the same time wish the story would continue for ever and ever. The School Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister is one such delicious read. It is a story about a chef, a restaurenter, Lillian who teaches cooking classes every Monday, each month. A disparate group of people assemble together for one such cooking class (for various different reasons) and they are all connected by one common thing - their immense Love for Food. Each chapter tracks back and forth into each of their lives, their circumstances, their happiness, their sadness, their loss. As you read more & more eventually, you become one of them, you feel for them. Your taste buds dance and  tickle every time Lillian describes why & how a recipe is made. The adjectives with which each smell, each feeling, each gesture is described is just spell-bounding. .You will see the world and the food you make in whole new way after reading this book.

Have you read such a book that you wish to share about? please leave a comment and I would love to know about all of them. :-)

..now talking about today's recipe -

One of most popular posts (as per Blogger Stats) here on my blog is - my Mama's Vegetable Biryani and Aloo Korma (from way back in 2008). Today, I am posting a modified version of the same recipe which I made for the Diwali and Halloween potluck party at work, along with the Eggless Blueberry Coffee Cake.

Enjoy!

Potato Bellpepper Korma

A rich, dense, nutty gravy is what is needed as a base for a 'Korma", though I used it very loosely in this case as, as per wikipedia, it can be made with yogurt, cream, nut and seed pastes or coconut milk . From vegetables to eggs to even meat, anything & everything can be added to it. This korma recipe is from my mom who still cooks this up in the most delicious way. Don't be surprised when you see that the recipe asks for only 2 tablespoons of peanuts or 1 tbsp of poppy seeds. Everything get adds up and it serves atleast 3-4 servings. Tastes best when served with my mama's Vegetable Biryani.

Preparation -

Peel and cut 2 potatoes into cubes and boil them, until a bit firm.

Dry roast the following separately:

2 tbsp peanuts
2 tbsp cashew nuts
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 cup coconut (frozen or dry flakes)

Grind all of the above with 2 tbsp of tamarind pulp and 1/2 cup of water.

Heat oil (about 1 teaspoon) and saute 1 chopped onion, until golden brown. Add 1 chopped tomato pieces. Cook until mush. Cool down a bit and grind with little water. Keep aside.

Heat about 2-3 teaspoons of oil, add chopped bell peppers with little salt. Cook them for about 6-7 mins. then add onion paste and masala paste from Step 1. Cook on medium low flame, until oil starts to separate.

Season with salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and garama masala, as per taste. Add the boiled potato pieces. Cook for 2-3 mins.

Finally add 1/3 cup of beaten yogurt. Mix well and cook for 4-5 mins.

Variation: Any veggie can be substituted with bell peppers and potato. I made the same with boiled eggs and it tasted equally yummy. 

Serve hot with rice or rotis.

until next time,
Siri

..showcasing H.I.S cooking talent..

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It is always better (and handy) to have a husband who cooks. Isn't it? It was one of those lazy weekends where I was absolutely in no mood to enter the kitchen. that's when S volunteered to make his ever-famous stuffed mirchi. Oh ya, he just loves to stuff the vegetables with some sort of filling.

His previous version is a bit different from what he did today. The former one had a pasty stuffing, but this one has a dry one. though they both have besan (i.e chickpea flour) in common, the taste is completely different. :). Do give it a try, I am sure you will love it as much as we did.

P.S: S says that this dish of his is very famous among his office colleagues and the first time he took for lunch they were floored and couldn't believe that S made it. :) ...

..Y.E.S, that's why I said before - it is always handy to have a husband who cooks. ;) ;)

*expert hands at work*

Anaheim Peppers with Besan (Chickpea flour) stuffing

Ingredients:

3-4 Anaheim Peppers, slit lengthwise, remove seeds (or any kind of peppers will do)
1 cup Besan/Chickpea flour
Salt to taste
2 tsp of Sesame powder
1/8 tsp of Turmeric
Chilli powder - as per taste
Oil
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

Preparation:

Lightly dry roast besan for couple of minutes and cool it down.

In a mixing bowl, add besan, salt, turmeric, sesame powder and chilli powder and combine well. [Don't add any water]

Fill the anaheim peppers with the besan stuffing. It is ok to have some extra left out, we are gonna sprinkle some at the end.

Heat some oil in a wide-bottom pan, add cumin seeds. then add the stuffed anaheim peppers. Cover and on a low flame (to prevent burning), cook the peppers until all sides are equally charred. Keep turning couple of times in the middle.

If you have any extra filling left out, sprinkle over the peppers, just 5 minutes before turning off.

Serve with rice.

Sending this to Priti's Festive Food: HIS cooking event, a one-of-a-kind event to showcase our men's cooking talent to the world. ;)

[Update]: Siri's Corner has a got a place on FaceBook now. Wanna join? Here is the link.

On an ending note, I think it is our moral and social responsibility to help the needy and do our best to uplift them. Rang De is doing exactly the same . It facilitates small loans (microcredit) for Indians who do not have access to credit. You can lend from Rs. 100 onwards on RangDe.Org to micro-entrepreneurs identified by our partners across India. Please visit their website for more details and do the best you can!

Chao for now,

..goodbye 2009..with spicy Mirchi Ka Salan

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2009 is done..and so is the fun-filled recipe marathon we all participated from Dec 25th to Dec 31st 2009.. a unique & delicious way to bid adieu to our beloved 2009..(Thanks Nupur for organizing such an awesome pot-luck party)....:)

..I still have the malware problem in my laptop... so I will be quick & concise today....will leave you here..with a spicy curry.. a famous hyderbadi dish - 'Mirchi Ka Salan'...:) Enjoy!!

Mirchi Ka Salan (Peppers in Peanut gravy)

Ingredients:

6 (anaheim) mexican peppers (or any long peppers will do)
1 tsp oil
2 tsp amchur powder

For Salan:

1/4 cup peanuts
3 tbsp cup sesame seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup onions, chopped
5-6 dried red chillies
3-4 tbsp shredded coconut
5-6 tbsp tamarind juice
salt- to taste
water - as per consistency

1/8 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chilli powder (optional)
2 tbsp oil

Preparation:

1. Slit the peppers and remove the seeds. the anaheim peppers, I used were very long..so I cut them into half. Soak them in warm water for couple of minutes and wipe them dry. Pat a little oil on the outer sides on the peppers & rub some amchur powder in the insides..:)

2. Heat a tsp of oil in a pan and sear the peppers into a light charred skin color. Keep aside.

3. In a separate pan, roast peanuts. remove their skin. then roast sesame seeds, cumin seeds and dried red chillies.
Heat little oil and saute the onions for 3-4 minutes until lightly caramelized.

4. Grind together - roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, caramelized onions, shredded coconut with tamarind juice and water for a paste light consistency.

5. Heat a tbsp of oil and add the salan paste to it. Season with salt, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir in the seared peppers, cover & cook for about 15-20 mins on medium-low heat, stirring couple of times in-between until the sauce thickens. Serve with rice (or) rotis..:)

...more Mirchi Ka Salan: @ Mahanandi ; @ Ruchikacooks ; @ Vindu

Wishing you all a very Happy and Joyous 2010. May all your dreams come true and God Bless us all!!

Chao,
Siri

Stuffed Bell peppers

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Today's recipe is very dear to me.. why you ask? - it was made not by me.. but by 'S' (Are you listening?)....:)) Ok, here is what happened yesterday.

I love surprises...truly lady-like.. (jaise filmo me hota hai) I expect 'S' to surprise me ..not everyday..but atleast for special occasions...and as it always happens - 'one always finds their opposites in life'..'S' doesn't believe in the concept of 'surprising'..of any sort - his philosophy about this: "What if the person doesn't like whatever he got? waste of effort, time and money. Right?. Instead take the person to the store and ask him/her to choose whatever (s)he wants..I will pay the bill.;) Done-done!"..I mean.. 'surprises' do not work that way right?.. I have been struggling to explain this to him for such a long time.. that now I gave up..:)..

..but this christmas..(which was yesterday)..he did the 'unexpected'..where he volunteered to make 'lunch' for both of us..to be really honest I didn't know what to expect.. he said absolutely nothing about what he was gonna make.. though it took him quite a long time to come out of the kitchen.. the end-result was heavenly, I must say. I never thought of adding yogurt to any kind of stuffing.. he did.. today's recipe - 'Stuffed Bell peppers' is all-his and when served with hot rice.. I can't express in words how tasty it was....he indeed made my day..:)))

Stuffed Bell peppers

Ingredients:

5 medium-sized bell peppers
3 tbsp olive oil
salt - to taste

For stuffing:

1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp yogurt
2 tbsp roasted peanut powder
2 tbsp roasted sesame seed powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
fresh corainder, finely chopped
2 tsp chilli powder
salt - to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 cup water

Preparation:

1. To make stuffing: Heat oil in pan, add cumin seeds,garlic and onion - fry till golden brown. Then add besan and saute till light brown. Season with salt, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir in yogurt and mix well. Finally add roasted peanut powder and sesame powder. For a paste-like consistency, add a cup of water. Towards the end, add freshly chopped coriander and mix well. the stuffing is ready!!

2. Cut the top part of bell peppers, remove the stem & seeds. Fill the hollow peppers with the stuffing. Lightly rub the outer skin of the peppers with (oil + little salt) mixture.

3. In a pan, heat a few teaspoons of oil and drop the stuff peppers. Cover the pan and cook on medium heat, flipping each side occasionally..to get the charred skin taste of the peppers. Serve hot with rice. :)

This is my recipe for Day Two of recipe countdown to New Year, 2010. scroll down the right sidebar of the blog, to see what other marathoners are upto..

Hope you all had a joyful Christmas,

until tomorrow,

Garlic, Chickpea, Spinach Soup

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Before the Spinach and E.Coli outbreak , which created a havoc here in US, resulting in recall of tonnes of fresh spinach from the grocery stores could be soon forgotten, our 'Love Apples' a.k.a Tomatoes are bitten by the bacteria bug!

As The New York Times reports - Fresh Tomatoes have been pulled off from stores like Mc Donalds, Wal-Mart, Burger King and many other popular food joints due to a bacteria called Amid Salmonella.

Some notes about Salmonella:

Salmonella is a bacteria that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and other animals. The bacteria are usually transmitted to humans by eating foods contaminated with animal feces.
Most infected people suffer fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps starting 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness tends to last four to seven days.

I strongly feel, its always better be safe than sorry. Be careful while consuming 'uncooked tomatoes' for a while, atleast till the FDA determines whats the cause for this outbreak!

Now coming to today's recipe - its a combo of garlic, pureed chickpeas and spinach with some seasoning... what else can we ask for in a soup....:)


Garlic,Chickpea,Spinach Soup
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Ingredients

1 can Chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 medium Onion, chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Olive Oil
4 cups Vegetable stock
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Cornflour
1 tsp Sesame paste (optional)
1 medium Potato, cubed
1 cup Spinach, blanched
Salt & Pepper - to season

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and onion. Saute for 5 mins until golden brown. Add cumin powder and coriander powder. Cook for 1 more minute.

2. Add vegetable stock and chopped potatoes. Boil and simmer for 10mins. Add chickpeas and Cook until tender.

3. Mix in cornflour(with little water, make sure there are no lumps!) , sesame paste, seasoning. Cook for 2 minutes and blend together.

4. Add to soup with spinach. Bring to boil for couple of minutes. Season with salt & pepper.

5. Serve hot!


Off this warm soup goes to Lisa's No Croutons Required event, this month's theme is soups or salads featuring legumes.

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Pallavi of 'All thingz yummy' has tagged me for '10 things I hate' Meme: here goes the list...

1. I hate waking up early in the morning.. I am an owl - a night person!

2. I hate people who offer their unsolicited advices. typically I stay away from them, as I easily get influenced by other's remarks!

3. I hate being Lazy, but at times (or should I say most of the times!) I AM LAZY, even - to pick up a glass of water!

4. I don't like people who break their promises, unless they have a genuine reason. If u can't do it, then why create hope in others?.. Don't u see a point??

5. Smoking - this is one habit which gets onto my nerves.

6. I hate Indian Politics - I strongly feel, its a garbage full of leaders who are good for nothing, corrupted people!

7. Loud Music - I can't take music that too loud, esp the gaana-bajaana during marriages until early mornings!!

.. I guess, am done...can't think of any others right now!

By rule, I have to tag just 4, but am gonna tag all my fellow recipe marathon runners - Laks, Anu, Raaga, Dhivi, Ranji, Swati, Divya, Valli and Bhags for this Meme!

If any of you guys has already done this..give me the link ok.. I wanna know what u ppl hate the most!!! *wink*

Enjoi!!

Coming up next - Palak Khasta Roti for Valli's Roti Mela!

Siri

Spicy Stuffed Baigan ka Bhartha

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"Aaha yemi ruchi, anara maimarachi
Roju tinnamare mojee teeranidi
Taaja kooralalo raaja yevarandi
Inka cheppala Vankayenandi....."
These are the lyrics of a famous telugu song which states -
"The Raaja of all vegetables is none other than our legendary " Brinjal/Egg Plant/Vankaya"...Indeed its the favorite of all..:D...



I made tons of Sarina Pudi for Ashaji Event and Suganya made me think about recipes to use up the pudi. and here it is "Spicy Stuffed Baigan ka Bhartha" which I by the way baked and steamed, so its tasty, less calories and absolutely delish..:D

Ingredients:

(small) Brinjals/Eggplants - 6
Sarina Pudi - 3 tbsp
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Salt- to taste
Turmetic - 1/4 tbsp
Tamarind Jucie - 2tbsp
Peanuts - 2 tbsp
Green Chillies - 2
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Poppy seeds - 2 tbsp
Sambhar powder - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tbsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp
Chopped Onion - 4 tbsp

How to prepare:

1. Grind all the above mentioned ingredients except Brinjals into a thick paste adding very little water.
2. Slit the Brinjals into 4 parts and stuff them with the ground paste.
3. Keep aside the left over ground masala.
4. Bake the stuffed eggplants for 15 mins at 400 deg in the oven.
5. Now, In a pan, cook the left over masala for few minutes adding little water so that it becomes a gravy.
6. Add the baked eggplants to the pan and Cook for 15 minutes on low heat.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves. It tastes good with hot rice or Roti.

I served with white rice and Theplas. Here is the entire spread...:D