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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

KHADA PAV BHAJI


Khada pav bhaji is a variation of pav bhaji in which the vegetables are not mashed. The picture shows a khada bhaji sans onion and garlic, but I have posted the recipe with onion and garlic. I felt the  "Sans onion and garlic" version also tasted equally good. However, there are many variations in Pav Bhaji, a famous Mumbai street food. Jains do not eat root vegetables and they prohibit potatoes, ginger, onion and garlic. Instead they substitute raw bananas for potatoes. The variations in pav bhaji are as  follows: 

PAV BHAJI - THE REGULAR ONE - CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK

JAIN PAV BHAJI - SANS POTATOES, GINGER, GARLIC,AND ONION. RAW BANANAS USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR POTATOES.

KHADA PAV BHAJI -  THE VEGETABLES ARE NOT MASHED. 

PEAS PAV BHAJI - HARA VATANA (DRIED GREEN PEAS) SOAKED OVERNIGHT  AND TOMATOES.

CHEESE PAV BHAJI  - REGULAR ONE WITH TOPPED CHEESE.



PANEER PAV BHAJI - REGULAR ONE ALONGWITH GRATED PANEER.
AND SO ON.

INGREDIENTS:

Pav bun - 2 packets

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Tomato - 1
Onion - 2 ( 1 for  bhaji) and (1 for  topping)
Potato - 100 gms
Cauliflower -100 gms
Capsicum -1
Carrot - 1
Peas(shelled)-1 cup
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp.

Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp. 
Pav bhaji masala- 2 tsp.
Butter -1 ladle
Salt - as  per taste
Lime - 1
Coriander leaves - few

METHOD:

For Bhaji:

Clean, peel the potatoes and chop all the vegetables into small pieces.

Boil all the vegetables (except capsicum) alongwith salt till soft and keep aside.

Heat butter in a pan, add cumin seeds and when it sizzles, add onions and ginger-garlic paste. Saute till transparent. Then add capsicum and fry for a while till the colour changes. Add tomatoes, little salt and saute  for a while. Now add all the boiled vegetables, chilli powder and saute well. Add little water to get the desired consistency and allow it to a boil.  Finally, add pav bhaji masala, and cook till the spices are infused and everything is mixed well. 
Garnish with coriander leaves.

For Pav:

Slit pav buns into two. Heat a pan, put a spoon of butter in it and quickly toast the pav buns on both sides, so that the butter is coated on all sides.

Cut a lime into four. Chop onions finely and place the cut lime pieces on top.


Serve hot with bhaji and onions. 

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

SURAN KI SABZI


INGREDIENTS :

Suran (Elephant yam) - 1/2 kg.
Fresh curd - 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Garam masala - 1 tsp.
Green chilli - 1
Cashews - 8
Hing - a pinch
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 3 tsp.
Coriander leaves ( for garnishing)

METHOD:

Peel and chop yam into finger long pieces. Boil yam alongwith turmeric powder and salt till soft. Drain water completely. Also take a fistful of boiled yam and mash it coarsely. Keep aside.

Soak cashews in warm water for 10 minutes, grind alongwith green chillies to a fine paste.

Whisk the curd smoothly.

Heat oil, add cumin seeds, when they sizzle add boiled yam, mashed yam, chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix well and saute for a minute. Check for salt. Add half a cup of water and the ground paste. Add in the whisked curd and garam masala.  Simmer the stove and allow it to boil till it reaches a gravy consistency. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rotis.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Sadasadayam/Chadachadayam


This is a kerala special payasam pronounced as sadasadayam and chadachadayam. This is a unique and tasty offering or prasadam made in Kerala. Coimbatoreans, would have surely tasted this in a Sastha Preethi. OK..... What is the celebration behind this payasam? My blog has completed 3 years and is stepping into the 4th year. A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL MY CO-BLOGGERS, READERS, VISITORS AND TO THE TRIED & TASTED, FOR ENCOURAGING ME TO REACH THIS MILESTONE.

INGREDIENTS:

Rice - 1/3 cup
Coconut - 1 big
Crushed jaggery - 1 cup
Cardamom - 4
Cashews - 8
Ghee - 2 tablespoons

METHOD :

Scrap the coconut and soak in 1 cup of hot water for 10 minutes. Grind it in a mixie. Squeeze firmly using your hand and strain it in a clean muslin cloth or a strainer with two fine layers. This is the first extract of coconut milk, which will be thick. Keep aside. Repeat the procedure two more times. Keep the second extract in a separate vessel and third extract separately in another vessel.

Crush the jaggery and dissolve in a ladle of water. Strain the mud, dust and impurities. Allow it to boil till the raw smell is diffused.

Pressure cook rice.(Rice : water ratio = 1 : 3). Mash well. Keep aside.


Fry the cashews in a teaspoon of ghee. Powder the cardamoms. Keep aside.

In a heavy bottomed kadai or uruli, pour the 3rd coconut milk extract and add the mashed rice, mix well without any lumps, add the jaggery solution and allow it to boil till everything is blended well. Now add the 2nd extract and allow it to boil for 3 more minutes. Add the cardamom powder and ghee-fried cashews. SWITCH OFF THE STOVE, REMOVE FROM FIRE. Add the 1st thick extract. Stir well. Add the remaining ghee. Serve warm or bearable hot. Kerala special sadasadayam is ready.

Monday, February 6, 2012

KOTHAMALLI PODI / CORIANDER LEAVES POWDER - VERSION 2


INGREDIENTS:

Coriander leaves - 1 bunch

Tamarind - lemon size
Urad dhal - 3 tablespoons
Dry red chillies - 4 or 5

Dry coconut (kopparai) -  1/2 cup (OPTIONAL)
Salt - as per taste - (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
Hing - 1/8 tsp.
Oil - 2 tsp.

METHOD:

Discard the roots and wash the coriander leaves well. Dry the leaves overnight on a clean towel. Chop the leaves roughly.

In a pan, heat oil and fry chillies and urad dhal to golden brown colour. Transfer to a vessel.  In the same pan,  fry chopped coriander leaves in a spoon of oil, till it wilts and you get a nice aroma. Keep aside, 
saute the tamarind for a minute, set aside.   Now saute the dry coconut for half a minute, keep aside. Reserve some  urad dhal for tempering finally.  Blend all these in a mixie to a coarse powder. This goes well with idli, dosas, arisi upma and curd rice. Tastes good with or without  dry coconut. This can also be mixed with hot rice and ghee.

NOTE: Stays good for a week and stays for 15 days when refrigerated. 

KOTHAMALLI PODI / CORIANDER LEAVES POWDER - VERSION 1

INGREDIENTS:

Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
Toor dhal - 3 tablespoons
Gram dhal - 3 tablespoons
Urad dhal - 3 tablespoons
Dry red chillies - 4 or 5
Salt - as per taste - (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
Hing - 1/8 tsp.
Oil - 2 tsp.

METHOD:

Discard the roots and wash the coriander leaves well. Dry the leaves overnight on a clean towel. Chop the leaves roughly.

In a pan, heat oil and fry all the ingredients (except coriander leaves ) to golden brown colour. Transfer to a vessel. In the same pan, fry the chopped coriander leaves till it wilts and you get a nice aroma. Blend all these in a mixie to a coarse powder. This goes well with idli, dosas, arisi upma and curd rice.

NOTE: Stays good for a week when refrigerated.