Kurkure Bhindi

Ingredients :

• Ladies finger [ bhindi ] - 1/4 kg [ even size cut into thin lengthy pieces ]
• Besan - 2 tbsp
• Ajven [ omam ] - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Roasted jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
• Amchur powder [ Mango powder ] - 1 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Chat masala - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - little [ for garnishing ]
• Oil - enough for frying

Method :

First take one bowl. Mix all the ingredients together. Add cut bhindi to that and mix well [See the 3rd picture]. All masalas should be coated to the bhindi. Keep aside for 10 minutes. Meantime, keep oil in a kadai. When the oil becomes hot, add the bhindi to that fry until it becomes crispy. Remove from the oil and serve hot. Serve with roti and rasam rise. Same oil fry the curry leaves and garnish bhindi.

Baingan Green Masala

Ingredients :

• Small baingan [ brinjal ] - 1/4 kg [cut into four from bottom side, not near stem]
• Grated fresh coconut - 1/4 cup
• Onion (small) - 5 to 6 [ peeled and slit like brinjal ]
• Garlic flakes - 3 to 4 [ you can add more, if needed ]
• Ginger - 1 small piece
• Green chilli - 3 to 4
• Cashewnuts - 4 to 5
• Salt - as required
• Tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp
• Jaggery - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves - 1/4 bundle [ cleaned and chopped ]
• Oil - enough for frying

For grinding :


Grind coconut, green chillies, ginger, garlic, tamarind paste, cashewnuts and fresh coriander leaves in a mixer to a smooth paste and keep aside.


Method :

Select tender even sized brinjals. Remove stem, cut into four from bottom side but not near stem half way through so that brinjals remain whole. Mix all the masalas into ground masala and stuff the same into brinjals. [ If you are having oven, keep brinjal, onion in that without water for 5 minutes and remove from the oven. This helps less oil for the subji ].

Then keep 3 table spoon of  oil in a deep frying pan and arrange the brinjals, onions in such a way that stem portion faces down and stuffed portion faces upwards. If any masalas are remaining after stuffing inside, put it on top and then add 1/2 glass of water, jaggery and then close with a lid. Cook in low flame till the brinjals becomes soft and moisture is absorbed completely. When the subji gets ready, remove from the gas and garnish with coriander leaves and tomato. Serve with rotis and steamed rice. 

Coconut Milk Masala

Ingredients :

• Any mix vegetable* - 2 cups [ chopped into cubes ]
• Coconut milk - 2 cups [ you can use ready made milk also ]
• Salt - as required
• Sugar - little

 * Here I have taken chow-chow, red pumpkin, potato & beans. But you can use flower, carrot, potato, beans, peas etc.


For grinding :

• Aniseed - 1/2 tsp
• Chutney dal [ pottu kadalai ] - 1 tsp
• Cashewnuts - 4 to 5
• Cinnamon - small piece
• Cloves - 2
• Kas-kas - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
• Green chilli - 4 to 5 [ according to your taste ]

 Grind these 8 ingredients above into a smooth paste.


Method :

Take one small cooker, add chopped vegetables, salt, half cup coconut milk, ground masala along with little water. Close the cooker and allow to cook till 2 whistles to come. After the pressure leaves, open the lid and add the remaining coconut milk & sugar to that. When it starts boiling slightly, remove from the gas.

Serve hot with kesar pulav, papad & pickle.

Kesar [ saforn ] Pulav

Ingredients :

• Basmathi rice - 1 glass [ soaked in water for 20 minutes ]
• Onion - 2 [ peeled and cut into lenthly pieces ]
• Cashewnuts - 8 to 10
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
• Cloves - 2
• Cardamom - 2
•  Bay leaves - 1
• Salt - as required
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp 
• Kesar - 1/4 tsp [ soaked in 2 tbsp of  warm milk ]
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Ghee or butter - 2 tsp

Method :

First take one pressure pan, add oil and ghee. When it become hot, add spices to that . Wait for a second and then add sliced onion. When the onion  changed in to light brown colour, add rice to that. Mix well. Add salt, sugar and  required  hot  water. Close the lid and wait for 3 whistle to come. When the pressure goes open the lid and add  soaked   kesar with the  milk. Mix well your yummy easy and tasty kesar pulav is ready to serve.  Serve hot with any liqid subji.

Soft Rawa Idli [ Karnataka Type ]

Ingredients :

• Roasted rawa - 1 cup
• Thick fresh curd - 2 1/2 cup
• Salt - as required
• Cooking soda - a pinch
• Carrot - 1 [ grated ]
• Cashewnuts - 10 [ broken into very small pieces ]
• Oil - as required  [ Seasame oil ]

Method:

First mix rawa, salt, cooking soda along with beaten curd and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Meantime, mix carrot and cashewnuts together and keep aside. Then keep the idli vessel on the gas. Grease each idli mould with gingelly oil [ nalannai ]. Spread little carrot, cashew mix on the mould and then pour one ladle of the batter in each mould and steam for 10 minutes in high flame and 5 minutes in low flame. Then remove from the gas and allow to cool.

Serve hot with onion chutney or molagai podi. [ Mix molaga podi with little sugar oil or ghee ].

P.S. I learnt this recipe from a TV programme which comes in Vijay TV conducted by Chef Venkatesh Bhat. It came out very well, nice and soft.

Naytheram Pazham Bajji

Ingredients :

• Kerala banana - 2 [ not fully riped (peeled and cut in to thin 2 inch pieces) ]
• Maida - 1 cup
• Rice flour - 1/4 cup
• Salt - as required
• Cooking soda - a pinch
• Sugar - little
• Milk - 1 cup
• Water - as required
• Oil - enough for frying

Method :

First make batter with all ingredients like a dosa batter. In the meantime, keep oil in kadai. When oil becomes hot, dip the banana piece in the batter [ batter should be coated completely on banana piece ], put in the hot oil and fry till the bajji gets completely done [ golden in colour ]. Remove from the oil and serve with tomato sauce.

Chilli Paneer [ Chinese Type ]

 Ingredients :

• Paneer - 1/4 kg [ cut into cubes ]
• Maida - 2 tbsp
• Cornflour - 2 tbsp
• Salt - as required
• Red chilli paste - 1 tbsp
• Capsicum [ all 3 colours ] - 3  [ cut into cubes ] 
• Spring onion - 1 small bundle [ onion cut into cubes and leaves chopped ]
• Soya sauce - 3 to 4 drops
• Tomato ketchup - 3 tbsp
• Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
• Ginger - 1/2 inch [ chopped ]
• Garlic flakes - 3 to 4 [ chopped ]
• Oil - enough for frying
• Sugar - a pinch

Method :

First mix maida, conflour, salt, little water into a small bowl. [ like dosa batter (see the 2nd image) ] Then put the paneer cubes in that and keep aside for 5 minutes. Then take one deep kadai & add enough oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the soaked paneer one by one till it becomes golden brown in colour. Fry all the paneer cubes and keep separately on a tissue.

In the remaining oil, add ginger, garlic [ chopped ], till it changes into light brown in colour. Then add chilli paste to that & mix well. Then add chopped onion and capsicum [ all three colours ], stir fry for 5 minutes in high flame till the vegetables gets cooked [ not over cooked, capsicum should remain crunchy ]. Then add pepper powder, salt, sugar, fried paneer and tomato ketchup. Add chopped onion leaves to that. When the sabhji is completely mix well, remove from the gas. Again garnish with chopped onion leaves. Serve like starter or side dish for paratha.

Note :  For red chilli paste get some kashmiri dry chillies, remove the seeds and soak in hot water for 1 hour. Then add a pinch of salt to that and grind in mixer to a smooth paste. You can keep this paste in freezer for a period of 15 days.