During our last India trip, my sister had packed some home made Sandige Menasu (Buttermilk chillies) for us. These chillies, once fried in oil, turn out so delicious! My kids wanted to give them a try and both started liking them. We get a spicific variety of green chillies called Gokarna Menasu in our native place. The name is because of the place where they will be grown. These chillies are very mild in taste and are perfect for making Curd chillies. 
Few days back, we had got a big bunch of fresh green chillies from the farmers market. I checked with my sister for the recipe and tried my hands on making Curd chillies. They were a bit spicy than what my sister gave to us, but there was no compromise in taste.
Here comes the recipe of Sandige Menasu or Curd Chillies which I learnt from my sister:


Time required: 45 minutes
Sun drying time: 1 week approx.
Difficulty level: difficult 

Ingredients:
  • Green chillies - 1/2 kg (mild ones are better)
  • Salt - to taste
  • Thick curd or thick buttermilk - 2 cups (approx)
  • Urid dal - 2 tsp
  • Methi seeds - 4 or 5 seeds
  • Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Asafoetida / hing - 1/4 tsp
  • Lime squeeze - for taste (use it if the curd is not sour)
  • Water - as needed

Method:
  • Wash the green chillies in water thoroughly.
  • Make a slit in the chillies lengthwise, but don't separate into parts. Slit helps to absorb the curd easily.
  • Heat enough water to cover the chillies. 
  • Once the water starts boiling, transfer the slit chillies into the boiling water and after half a minute, take all the chillies out and drain them on a cotton cloth or thick paper towel for 15 minutes. 
  • Spread the chillies on a wide plate and cover the plate with a thin cloth. Sun dry these chillies for two days. Then, dip them in curd mixture. 

How to prepare Buttermilk mixture: Prepare the curd mixture on the second day by following the below steps:
Dry roast urid dal, methi seeds, asafoetida / hing and cumin seeds till aromatic and make a fine powder.
Take the thick curd and add the spice powder you made. Blend it in mixie for 2 minutes to make a fine mix.
Add salt according to taste. If the curd is not sour, add some lime squeeze.
  • After sun drying for 2 days, immerse the chillies in the curd mixture overnight.
  • Next morning, take out the chillies from the curd mixture and spread them on the plate, cover with a thin cloth and sundry them. Keep the remaining buttermilk mixture as it is.
  • Put the chillies back into the curd mixture in the evening, take out and sundry them next day. Repeat it till the curd mixture gets over.
  • Sun dry the chillies till they are nicely crisp and there's no water content left in them.
  • Store these dried chillies in an airtight container for upto a year. 

How to fry Curd chillies:
  • Heat 3 - 4 tsp oil in a wok. Add 5 - 6 chillies and fry them on low flame till they turn a bit brownish. 
  • Turn off the flame and enjoy these fried chillies along with rice and curd. 


We had a nice veggie garden during summer this year. Our little backyard was filled with many veggie crops for last couple of months. Radish or Moolangi was one of them, which we had a good crop. By the time COVID lockdown started, our veggies were ready for harvest. Prices of fruits and vegetables have risen drastically these days. Our home grown veggies have reduced the grocery bills to some extent. Now, its time to wind up the veggie garden as the winter is approaching. 
Here is one of my favourite recipe, Radish leaves thepla or Mooli leaves paratha..


Preparation time: 25 - 30 minutes
Difficulty level: Medium
Yield: 10 - 11 Theplas

Ingredients:
  • Radish leaves - 1 small bunch
  • Whole wheat flour / Atta - 2 1/4 cup
  • Besan flour - 2 tbsp
  • Oil - for cooking
  • Cumin coriander powder - 1 tsp
  • Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
  • Chilli flakes (optional) - 1/2 tsp
  • Salt - to taste
  • Sugar - 1 1/2 tsp
  • Amchur powder - 1/3 tsp
  • Warm water - 1 cup


Method:
  • Wash the radish leaves thoroughly in clean water. Chop them finely. If you have a pull chopper, it will ease the process.
  • Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add finely chopped radish leaves and cook it till the leaves change the color. It may take 5 - 8 minutes.
  • Switch off the flame and add cumin - coriander powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and chilli flakes. Mix it once.
  • Then, add wheat flour, besan flour, sugar, amchur powder and salt to taste. 
  • Add water little by little and prepare smooth, non - sticky dough. 
  • Make a big ball of dough, apply little oil and keep it covered for about 5 minutes. If you are in a hurry, just skip this step and proceed further. 
  • Take out the dough, and make equal sized 10 or 11 balls from the dough. 
  • Take one ball at a time, dip in dry flour and roll it into thin circle. Repeat the same with all the dough balls. 
  • Cook the rolled circles on the hot tawa on both the sides. Drizzle a few drops of oil or ghee (clarified butter) while cooking.
  • Serve hot Thepla along with your favourite side dish. 
  • Radish leaves thepla or parathas are perfect for breakfast, lunch box and dinner. 
'Katne' - is a unique curry from my native in Southern India. Its prepared using some wild leaves called 'Kannekudi' leaves which are available there. This curry is preferred during rainy season when people can't get much vegetables. Also, it helps to keep the body warmer during times of cold and fever. 
We can't get Kannekudi leaves here in Australia, but I prepare this curry by substituting Spinach leaves. Below is the recipe of Spinach leaves Katne.


Preparation time: 20 - 25 minutes
Difficulty level: Medium 
Serves: 5

Ingredients: 

  • Spinach / Palak leaves - 1 bunch
  • Pepper corns - 10 to 12 (adjust according to spiciness needed)
  • Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
  • Grated coconut - 1 cup
  • Amchut powder - 3/4 tsp
  • Salt - to taste
  • Lime squeeze - for taste (see tips)
  • Oil - fr seasoning
  • Crushed garlic - 1 1/2 tsp
  • Water 

Method:

  • Wash the spinach leaves in water and chop them roughly. 
  • Heat 1 1/2 tsp of oil in a pan, add pepper corns and roast them till they start crackling. 
  • Then, add cumin seeds followed by chopped spinach leaves. 
  • Cook it till spinach leaves change color and turn off the flame. Don't add any water for cooking at this stage. 
  • Grind the cooked mixture along with grated coconut and archur powder into fine paste. Add water as required. 
  • Transfer the spinach paste to a pan. Add water as needed to adjust the consistency. I prefer it to be a bit watery like Rasam. Also add salt and lime juice as per taste. 
  • Boil this curry nicely for 5 minutes. 
  • Heat 1 1/2 tsp of oil in a small wok or pan. Add crushed garlic and sauté till it turns into lite brown color. Add this seasoning to the prepared curry.
  • Enjoy this delicious Katne (curry) along with rice!

Tips:

  • If not using lime juice, use more amchur powder and adjust the taste.
  • Having this curry during post partum time is good for health. Only change needed is to replace lime juice with amchur powder completely. 


As everyone is restricted from going outside due to COVID - 19, its a bit hard to manage the kids at home all day. And, more household work like cooking, cleaning vessels, cleaning and the like. I am trying to involve kids in doing the household chores a bit. Here is a recipe which can be done involving the kids. Potato Podi or shallow fried potato slices are always on demand in our home. 


Preparation time: 20 -25 minutes
Difficulty level: Medium
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
  • Potato (big ones) - 2
  • Sooji rava (Course Semolina) - 3 tbsp
  • Salt - to taste
  • Red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp or to taste
  • Oil - for cooking

Method:
  • Peel off the skin of potatoes and cut them into thin slices.
  • Mix together sooji rava, salt and red chilli powder in a small bowl. 
  • Coat the potato slices with the rava mixture by dipping them in the mixture.
  • Cook them on the hot tawa by drizzling a few drops of oil. Flip them a few times to ensure even cooking.

How to cook in the oven:
  • Pre-heat the oven to 175C.
  • Line the baking tray with baking sheet and arrange the semolina coated potato slices side by side. 
  • Drizzle 4 - 5 drops of oil on each potato slice.
  • Cook them in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes or till done. 
  • Take out the tray after 5 minutes and serve the hot Potato Podi as snacks or as a side dish with lunch or dinner.


Doddapatre is a common herb which is generously used in many Indian households for cooking and home medications. This plant won't need much care and can be easily grown in a pot. We use this herb mainly to get rid of cold and cough. Having access to herbs like Ajawain, tulsi, ginger, etc. will definitely cut down frequent visits to the doctor for some common sickness. Apart from its medicinal values, Ajwain leaves are equally good for preparation of a few yummy dishes. Here is one such side dish, Doddapatre / Ajwain leaves Gojju..


Preparation time:15 minutes
Difficulty leves: Medium
Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients:
  • Doddapatre / Ajwain leaves - 7 or 8
  • Split bengal gram - 2 tbsp
  • Dry red chillies - 2
  • Urid dal - 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Hing / asafoetida - a pinch
  • Coriander seeds - 3/4 tsp
  • Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
  • Till seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Salt - to taste
  • Tamarind - 1 1/2 tbsp or to taste
  • Jaggery / sugar -  3 tbsp or to taste
  • Grated coconut - 1 cup
  • Oil - 1 1/2 tsp
- For seasoning:
  • Urid dal - 1/2 tsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Oil - 1 tsp

Method:
  • Wash the Doddapatre leaves in clean water and keep aside.
  • Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add split bengal gram and sauté for a minute on medium or low flame.
  • Then, add urid dal, red chilli pieces followed by coriander seeds, cumin seeds, till seeds and hing. 
  • Once the mustard seeds start spluttering, add turmeric powder and doddapatre leaves. 
  • Continue cooking till the leaves change color and then turn off the flame.
  • Grind the cooked mixture along with grated coconut and tamarind and make a course paste. Let it be thick, not too watery; add little water as required.
  • In a pan, do the seasoning with oil. urid dal and mustard seeds. Add the grind mixture, salt and jaggery / sugar to taste. 
  • Allow the mixture to heat up nicely. Once the bubbles start coming, turn off the flame. 
  • This Gojju or gravy tastes well when served with rice.



As you all know, Corona virus is spreading quickly everywhere and its at all recommended to go out in most of the places. Curfew, home isolation these are the situation everywhere. This virus is spreading in our area also. Kids are homeschooling, husband is working from these days due to safety reasons. We are completely restricting ourselves from going out except fortnight grocery shopping. Hope some solution will be found out soon and I wish for everyone's safety and good health.
Coming back to the recipe part, here is and easy Chutney recipe which I learnt from my sister. This goes well with rice and Idlis. This Chutney can be made with commonly available ingredients from the kitchen pantry and hence, I thought this might be of help especially when you can't go out for much grocery shopping. Below is the recipe of Kadlebele Chutney or Kadle Kaalina Gojju..


Preparation time: 10 - 12 minutes
Difficulty level: Medium
Serves - 4

Ingredients:
  • Kadlebele (Split bengal gram) - 2 tbsp
  • Dry red chillies - 1 or 2 (adjust according to spiciness)
  • Urid dal - 1 tsp
  • Hing / asafoetida - generous pinch
  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp + 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Green chilli (optional) - 1
  • Tamarind - 1 1/2 tbsp or to taste
  • Salt - to taste
  • Sugar - 1/4 tsp
  • Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
  • Curry leaves (optional) - 4 leaves
  • Oil - 1 1/2 tsp + 1 tsp


Method:
  • Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a wok or heavy bottom pan. Add split bengal gram dal and roast it for 1 - 2 minutes.
  • To this, add urid dal, red chilli pieces, mustard seeds and hing. Once the mustard seeds start spluttering, add turmeric powder, green chilli pieces and curry leaves. Sauté for a minute and turn off the flame.
  • Grind the roasted lentil mixture along with fresh grated coconut, tamarind, salt and sugar. Add little water as required and make a thick, coarse paste. 
  • Heat the oil in a wok. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and a pinch of hing. Once mustard seeds splutter, add this seasoning to the prepared Chutney. 
  • Serve this Chutney along with rice or Idlis.


Tips:
  • If you don't like to add green chillies, add more red chillies according to taste.


Genasale is an authentic South Indian dumpling. This sweet dish is prepared using jaggery and coconut as main stuffing, covered with a layer of dough and is put inside the half folded bay leaf for cooking. They taste awesome with the unique flavour of bay leaves. 
One of our neighbours had offered us plenty of fresh bay leaves a few days back. I thought to make Genasale, as we rarely get the fresh bay leaves here. They turned out delicious and we enjoyed eating them. Kiddos told me to make them again coz they're so tasty!
Do try these sweet dumplings when you get some fresh bay leaves next time. Here is the recipe of Genasale (Indian sweet dumplings) for you.


Preparation time: 45 minutes
Difficulty level: Difficult
Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:
  • medium sized bay leaves - 15 to 20

- For covering:
  • Sooji rava (semolina) - 3/4 cup
  • Salt - 1/3 tsp
  • Jaggery - 1 1/2 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Water - as required

- For stuffing:
  • Fresh (or frozen) grated coconut - 1/2 cup (tightly packed) 
  • Jaggery 1/3 cup of to taste
  • Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Water - 1 tbsp (See tips)


Method:
  • Wash the bay leaves in water and keep aside.
  • Transfer the grated coconut into the mixie jar and run the mixie for half minute. 
  • In a heavy bottom pan, mix the grated coconut, jaggery and 1-2 tbsp of water if using the powdered jaggery. Cook it on medium flame and keep stirring regularly to avoid burning. 
  • After 10 - 12 minutes of cooking, coconut mixture starts thickening. Turn off the flame, mix in the cardamom powder and allow it to cool.
  • Take around 3/4 cup of sooji rava in a bowl and add enough water to soak it. Stir it well and allow 5 minutes to get soaked.
  • Take out the excess water after 5 minutes, but do not squeeze.  
  • Grind the soaked semolina in mixie for a minute. Add little water if needed. Ideally, it should come to dosa batter consistency.
  • Transfer the ground batter into a heavy bottom pan. Add salt, jaggery and turmeric powder and keep mixing it on low or medium flame till the batter changes the color and looks like dough. Allow it to cool down a bit and mix it nicely using your palms.
  • Take a bowl, add 3-4 cups of water and 1/4 tsp of oil. Applying this water to the leaves will avoid dumplings sticking to the leaves after cooking.  
  • Take a bay leaf, apply oily water on its upper surface. Take a small portion of semolina dough, pat it thinly on the upper surface of the leaf. Put around 1 tsp (or more) of the coconut mixture on top of it.
  • Fold the leaf into half so that the stuffing remains inside. Cover the edges nicely and transfer it to the steamer plate. 
  • Follow the same procedure and make as many dumplings as required. Arrange them on the steamer plate and cook for 5 minutes. If using pressure cooker, take off the whistle and close the lid just like that.
  • Remove the bay leaves after cooking and serve the delicious dumplings along with ghee (clarified butter). 


Tips:
  • Since I have used the powdered jaggery, I have added 1 tbsp of water while making the stuffing. If adding liquid jaggery, no need to add any water.
  • Bay leaves can be replaced with turmeric leaves for this recipe.
  • If you find it hard to make the Genasale (dumplings) on the leaves, make them in the same way without using the leaves. While steam cooking, cover top it with bay leaves to add the flavour. 

Honeydew melon is a variety of melon, which belongs to the family of musk melon. Its a family favourite fruit at our place because of its sweet taste. We normally would cut the fruit and eat it as it is. But there will be times the half finished fruit sits in the fridge for a few days and nobody wants to eat it. Something innovative has to be prepared during such times to make it interesting. Here is one such recipe..Muskmelon Cooler! It can be served as a refreshing drink or as a dessert. 


Time required: 15 - 20 minutes
Difficulty level: Medium
Serves - 3

Ingredients:
  • Honeydew Melon - 1/4th of a whole fruit (or even less)
  • Milk (preferably full fat) - 1 cup 
  • For sweetness - jaggery, sugar or maple syrup - according to taste (I have added 6 tbsp of jaggery)
  • Salt - a pinch
  • Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:
  • Cut the melon into big pieces and separate the seed part. Grate the flesh using a grater and discard the rind part. 
  • 1.5 cups of grated flesh plus the liquid therefrom will be enough for the above said measurements.
  • Transfer the grated fruit flesh plus liquid into a mixing bowl. Add pinch of salt and sweetener (jaggery, sugar or maple syrup) according to taste and mix everything well. 
  • Add milk and cardamom powder and give it a good mix.
  • Keep it in the fridge for cooling before you serve.
  • While serving, mix it well and scoop both juice and the fruit gratings into the serving bowl.  


Tips: 
  • For a quick serving, use cold milk and refrigerated fruit for this recipe.
I rarely prepare deep fried items at home. Dishes like Poori, Bajji, Bonda are always tempting. But as far as possible, we want to avoid eating food thats too oily. But I can't avoid making Chaklis when there's huge demand from my daughter!
Months back, I had eaten Chakli at one of my Aunt's home. They were so tasty and I was surprised to hear that she had used Curd for making those Chaklis! Then one fine day, again on daughter's demand, I tried Chaklis using my own selection of ingredients along with curd. They turned out so crunchy and yum! This recipe looks very handy and easy for me now. Here is my easy peasy Chakli recipe for you all.. 


Preparation time: 2 hours
Difficulty level: Medium
Yield: 60 challis (varies depending on the size)

Ingredients:
  • Rice flour - 4 cups
  • Roasted bengal gram dal / Pottu Kadalai - 1/2 cup
  • Butter - lemon size
  • Salt - for taste
  • Sugar - 1 1/2 tsp
  • Red chilli powder - 2 tsp or to taste
  • Carom seeds / Ajwain - 1 tsp
  • Till seeds - 1 tbsp
  • Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
  • Curd - 1/2 cup
  • Water (approx) - 2 1/4 cup


Method:
  • Combine roasted bengal gram dal, carom seeds, till seeds and cumin seeds and make a fine powder.
  • Mix it with rice flour, salt, sugar and red chilli powder in a large bowl.
  • Add heated butter to the flour mixture and mix it well with your hands.
  • To this, add 1/2 cup of curd and mix well.
  • Add water little by little and make a soft, non sticky dough like chapathi dough.
  • Fill the prepared dough in Chakli Press (Chakli Maker). Press the dough and make them into spiral shapes.
  • Heat the oil in a wide pan and deep fry these spirals till they turn crispy.
  • Enjoy crispy, delicious Chaklis anytime!

When it comes to the habit of healthy eating, eating more vegetables is always recommended. Being born and brought up in South India, we prefer Rice for our lunch and dinner most of the time. So, I try to include salads, veg stir fries, lentil based curries and yogurt in our daily food to make sure we won't miss the required nutrients. 
I try to mix and match the vegetables for my curries and stir fries just to make it attractive for my daughter to eat! Beans is one of those vegetables which goes well with most other vegetables to make delicious dishes. I am sharing with you all a healthy and delicious stir fry using Beans and Lilva Beans. For this recipe, you can use either fresh or frozen Lilva Beans. I have used the frozen ones here..


Preparation time: 20 - 25 minutes
Serves - 3
Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients:
  • Fresh beans - 200 gm
  • Silva Beans / Hitikida Avarekalu (Fresh or frozen) - 1/2 cup (can add more if you like)    
  • Salt to taste
  • Amchur powder - 2/3 tsp or to taste
  • Grated coconut (optional) - 2 tbsp)

          For Seasoning:
  • Cooking oil - 2 tbsp
  • Dry red chilli - quarter piece
  • Urid dal - 1 tsp
  • Asafoetida / Hing - a big pinch
  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Green chilli - 1 (according to spiciness needed)
  • Curry leaves - 8 to 10 leaves


Method:
  • Wash the beans thoroughly in water, remove the stem and fibre, if any. Chop the beans into as thin roundels as possible.
  • Heat oil in a heavy pan. Add red chilli piece, urid dal, asafoetida and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds start crackling, add turmeric powder, slit green chilli and curry leaves. Saute for a minute.
  • Add the chopped beans to the seasoning and mix it well. Close the lid tightly and cook it for 5 - 6 minutes. Sauté it once in between to ensure even cooking.
  • Mix in the Lilva Beans along with the half cooked beans and cook for 5 more minutes.
  • Add grated coconut, salt and amchur powder for taste. Mix everything well and cook for 5 minutes or till done. 
  • Serve this delicious stir fry as a side dish with rice.


Tips:
  • Don't add any water while cooking. Water content in the beans will be sufficient for cooking them.  

Eggplant is used in preparing wide variety of Indian dishes. We too love this vegetable in our cooking. Varieties of side dishes and stir fries can be made using this vegetable. Today, I am sharing a unique Stir fry (Palya) recipe from my native place. 
As per my observation, most of the eggplant recipes tastes good only when onion or garlic is added. But this Stir fry tastes delicious without adding garlic and onion. Try this simple yet delicious Stir Fry and let me know your feedback!


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Soaking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients: 

  • Eggplant (Finely chopped) - 1 large 
  • Oil - 5 to 6 tbsp
  • Dry red chilli (optional) - 1 small piece
  • Urid dal - 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  • Asafoetida / Hing - big pinch
  • Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Green chillies - 2 (add according to spiciness needed)
  • Curry leaves - 1 strand
  • Salt to taste
  • Amchur powder - 1 1/2 tsp or to taste
  • Grated coconut - 4 tbsp


Method:

  • Take the finely chopped eggplant in a bowl. Add 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp amchur powder. Mix it well and leave it for 15 minutes.
  • Squeeze off the water content from the eggplant mixture and discard the water.
  • Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add red chilli, urid dal, mustard seeds, hing and turmeric. 
  • Once the mustard seeds start crackling, add slit green chillies and curry leaves. Saute the mixture for a minute.
  • Add the squeezed eggplant chunks to the seasoning and mix it once. Check the taste and add salt and amchur powder accordingly. 
  • Cook this mixture on low flame without closing the lid for 8 - 10 minutes or till done. 
  • When its cooked half-way, add the grated coconut. Stir the mixture frequently to ensure even cooking.
  • Turn off the flame when the eggplant chunks become soft and cooked nicely. 
  • Serve this delicious stir fry as a side dish along with rice. 
  • If cooked nicely, this stir fry stays good for 2 - 3 days at room temperature.


Tips:

  • If you would like to add onion, add chopped onion while adding the grated coconut.
  • This stir fry tastes better when eggplant is chopped very finely.
ಕನ್ನಡ ಆವೃತ್ತಿ  
My school going daughter has recently developed a great craving for snacks. Everyday after coming from the school, she asks for some snacks thats crunchy. I rarely entertain store bought snacks at home and also, she loves homemade food. So, I always keep a stock of 2-3 varieties of homemade snacks for her. One among those is Spiced Phool Makhana. These crunchy balls are very addictive and they are a good source of protein and Vitamin B too!
Puffed Phool Makhana is available in most of the Indian grocery stores here. With this, one can easily prepare this delicious snack anytime. So, here is the recipe of Spiced Phool Makhana or Lotus Seed Snacks..


Preparation time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8 - 10
Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients:
  • Phool Makhana (Lotus seeds) - 100 gm
  • Cooking oil - 4 1/2 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Red chilli powder - 1 tsp or to taste
  • Chaat masala - 1 1/2 tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Sugar powder (optional) - 1 1/2 tsp


Method:
  • Take a wide bottom pan, add Lotus seeds and toast them on low or medium flame for 8 - 10 minutes or till they turn crispy. 
  • Heat oil in the same pan; Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and turn off the flame. Take care not to burn the spice powders. To this, add salt, sugar powder and chat masala powder. Mix it well.
  • Add the roasted Lotus seeds / Phool makhana to the seasoning and toss it nicely to ensure even coating of spices. 
  • Serve this delicious snack along with a cuppa Tea!


Tips:
  • Chat masala can be replaced with amchur powder. 
  • Use your hands for easy and even mixing.
Rainy season has started in various parts of India now. In my native, its the time to enjoy different seasonal fruits like mangoes, jackfruit, pineapple and so on. They are good to eat just like that. Also, varieties of sweets, jams and side dishes can be prepared using them. I have shared some of those recipes already. Please click on the recipe names below to check them.
Coming back to today's recipe, we all know that pineapple can be used to prepare Jam, Pastry, Kesari (Shira), etc. sweet dishes. I am sharing with you all the recipe of a delicious yogurt based gravy using pineapple. Its one of the authentic Havyaka recipe and we call it as Pineapple Saasive. Try this sweet gravy with hot rice and let me know how you liked it!


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4 - 5
Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients:
  • Pineapple chunks - 1 1/4 cup
  • Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
  • Till seeds - 1 1/4 tsp
  • Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp
  • Dry red chilli or fresh green chilli - 1 small piece
  • Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste
  • Jaggery / sugar - 4 tbsp or to taste
  • Water - 1/2 cup
  • Yogurt / Curd - 1/2 cup
For Seasoning: Oil (preferably coconut oil) - 1 tsp, Mustard seeds - 1 tsp


Method:
  • Combine pineapple chunks along with salt, jaggery / sugar and water in a vessel and bring to boil. Turn off the flame after it is boiled for 5 minutes and allow to cool. 
  • Separate the liquid from the cooked pineapple chunks and keep aside.
  • Grind the cooled pineapple chunks along with grated coconut, till seeds, mustard seeds, chilli piece and turmeric powder into fine paste. Use the liquid you saved before, while grinding. 
  • Add half a cup of curd to the ground mixture. Check the taste and add salt or jaggery if needed.
  • If the mixture is too thick, you can add a little water. But don't make it too watery. 
  • Heat oil in a small wok. Add mustard seeds and when it crackles, add this seasoning to the Saasive. 
  • Serve this Saasive as a side dish with rice. 
 
Here is a simple stir fry recipe from my kitchen. It can be prepared quickly using the common ingredients in the pantry. We
Many people dislike okra because of its slime. But you won't feel it when its cooked with proper care. Okra is a good source of fibre which is needed for our body.
Try this Okra Stir Fry and I hope you like it!


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients:

  • Medium size Okra - 15 nos
  • Amchur powder - 3/4 tsp or for taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh grated coconut - 2 to 3 tbsp
  • For seasoning: 
         Oil - 2 tbsp,
         Dry red chilli - half piece,
         Urid dal - 1 tsp,
         Mustard seeds - 1 tsp,
        Asafoetida / Hing - a pinch,
        Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp,
        Curry leaves - 7 or 8 leaves,
        Green chilli - 1 (adjust according to spiciness)

Method:

  • Wash the Okra in water and drain the water using a cotton cloth or paper towel. Slice them into very thin rounds.
  • Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add dry red chilli, urid dal followed by mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter, add pinch of hing, turmeric powder, slit green chilli and curry leaves. Saute them for a minute. 
  • Add the Okra slices to the seasoning and mix it once. Add salt and Amchur powder for taste. 
  • Cook the mixture without putting the lid and give it a stir regularly to avoid burning. It won't take much time to cook since we have sliced the Okra very thinly. 
  • Once the mixture is almost cooked, add the fresh grated coconut and cook it till done. 
  • Serve this delicious Stir Fry / Palya along with rice or chapathi. 



Tips:

  • This Stir Fry tastes really good when Okra is slices into very thin roundels. 
  • Do not over mix the stir fry while cooking, otherwise it becomes mushy. 
  • Adding onion will give a different taste for this recipe. Chopped onion can be added along with grated coconut. 


ಕನ್ನಡ ಆವೃತ್ತಿ 

Most of you are familiar with the famous Indian sweets Kaju Katli and Badam (Almond) Katli. These sweets taste heavenly and were mostly store bought when I was a kid. These days, many of us are able to prepare these famous sweets at the convenience of our homes. 
OPOS (One Pot One Shot) is an innovative or rather I can say, more simplified way of cooking which is becoming famous these days. I was introduced to OPOS cooking few months back by one of my friends. Many thanks to Rama Krishnan Sir for making cooking so simple through OPOS.
Basically, OPOS cooking needs a 2 litre pressure cooker which I didn't have. But I was eager to try OPOS cooking and hence, started experimenting my dishes using my 3 litre pressure cooker. Luckily, my experiments went well and I'm preparing most of my side dishes in OPOS way now a days. 
After seeing the OPOS Kaju Katli recipe, I thought to prepare Katli using groundnuts. My Mom makes Groundnut Burfi, which takes a lot of time stirring the mixture on the stovetop. I just modified my Mom's Groundnut Burfi recipe to suit the OPOS way. Groundnut Katli turned out very well and tasted amazing! My daughter loved them a lot and I ended up preparing one more batch of Groundnut Katli the very next day. Believe me, they are really addictive!


Preparation time: 7 - 8 minutes
Time to set: 20 minutes
Difficulty level: Easy
Yield: 35 pieces

Ingredients:
  • Sugar - 1 cup minus 1 tbsp (1 cup = 200 gm)
  • Milk - 1/2 cup
  • Groundnut powder (Roast, remove the skin and make fine powder) - 1 cup 
  • Ghee / Clarified butter - 1 tbsp (for greasing)
  • Pressure cooker - 2 litre or 3 litre (I have used 3 litre pressure cooker)

Method:
  • Combine milk and sugar in the pressure cooker and give it a stir. If the sugar crystals are bigger, stir the mixture nicely till sugar dissolves. 
  • Close the lid and cook on high till 6 whistles. Make sure to wipe off the sugar water which comes out with every whistle; else, it won't whistle properly.
  • Turn off the flame and release all the pressure using a spoon. 
  • Take the lid out and fold in the groundnut powder. Mix it quickly without lumps and close the lid again. Allow it to set for 20 minutes.
  • Open the cooker lid after 20 minutes and by that time, the mixture will become like a thick dough. Grease your palms with ghee and mix the dough once. Transfer the dough onto a greased plate and pat it thinly. 
  • Cut them into desired shapes and enjoy the delicious Groundnut Katli!


Tips:
  • Since the cooking needs to be done on high flame, you have to use either induction or gas stove. 
  • While preparing groundnut powder, don't run the mixie / blender continuously; instead, try to whip and powder. 
Hi everybody,
I am here with a new recipe after long time. Life has made me busy with the arrival of our second baby. Taking care of two naughty kids is not an easy task. But I'm not exhausted, I'm enjoying this phase of life with them :)
Well, this is the recipe of Chakli which my Mom prepared during her stay with us. My daughter is a big fan of Chakli and this was made on her demand. Try this melt in mouth Chakli and I'm sure you will love it!


Preparation time: 2 hours
Soaking time: 2 - 3 hours
Difficulty level: Difficult
Yield: 60 Chaklis (depending on the size)

Ingredients:

  • Rice - 1 big cup full (1 cup = 175 gms)
  • Roasted rice flour - 3 1/2 cup (approx)
  • Till seeds - 4 tsp
  • Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
  • Carom seeds - 2 tbsp
  • Butter - lemon size
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for deep frying
  • Water for grinding


Method:

  • Wash the rice 2 times and soak it in water for 2-3 hours. 
  • Drain the soaked rice and grind it along with till seeds, cumin seeds and carom seeds into fine paste. Add water as required. Consistency should be like the Dosa batter.
  • Add 2 1/2 tsp salt and 2 cups of water to the prepared batter and mix well. 
  • Transfer the batter to a thick bottomed vessel and keep stirring on medium flame for few minutes. Add lemon size butter while heating up the batter.
  • When the batter thickens, add around 3 1/2 cups (or as needed) of roasted rice flour and mix it when its still hot.
  • Knead the dough well and prepare a soft, non sticky dough ball. Keep the dough covered with a wet cloth and take out small portions as needed.
  • Fill the dough in a Chakli press and make them into spirals. 
  • Deep fry in hot oil and crispy Chaklis are ready to eat!
Strawberry is one of my kiddo's favourite fruits. She demands for it everytime when we go for buying  fruits. Strawberries are tend to spoil very quickly, even when we refrigerate them. So whenever we buy 2-3 boxes of strawberries, I will end up preparing some milkshake, jam or ice-cream. Home made ones are free from artificial colors, flavours and preservatives and delicious too! 
Here is my simple recipe of Strawberry Ice-cream..


Preparation time: 25 minutes
Refrigeration time: 5 - 6 hours
Serves - 7 to 8

Ingredients:
  • Strawberries - 250 gm
  • Thick cream - 250 gm
  • Sugar - 2 tbsp or to taste

Method:
  • Wash and clean the strawberries, remove the stems. Chop them into small / medium chunks.
  • Combine them with thick cream and sugar and blend smoothly using a mixer or blender. 
  • Transfer the blended mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 - 3 hours or till it becomes hard.
  • Take out the ice-cream mixture and blend it for 4 - 5 minutes or till smooth and keep it back into the freezer. Repeat this step 2 - 3 times to get a smooth textured ice-cream.
  • Scoop the ice-cream and serve it!


Tips:
  • If you want some strawberry chunks in the ice-cream, add 4 - 5 tsp of finely chopped strawberries after blending the mixture for the final time. Mix it well and refrigerate.
Bottle Gourd is one of those vegetables which are available throughout the year. Here in Australia, it is commonly available not only in Indian grocery stores, but also in most of the Asian grocery stores. Bottle gourd is a good of vitamins and minerals and hence, regular consumption of this veggie is good for our health.
In our home, we would prefer typical Indian style food most of the time. We buy bottle gourd more frequently to prepare different Indian dishes. I have shared the recipe of Bottle Gourd Palya / Spiced Bottle Gourd long back. Here is one more delicacy made with Bottle Gourd. Do try this Bottle Gourd Payasa when you buy bottle gourd next time and let me hear your feedback! 😊


Time required: 35 - 40 minutes
Serves - 3
Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients:

  • Sugar - 3/4 cup (1 cup = 
  • Bottle gourd peeled, seeded and chopped into small or medium pieces - 2 cups
  • Semolina (medium) - 1/3 cup
  • Jaggery - 2 tbsp (see Tips)
  • Salt - big pinch 
  • Ghee / clarified butter - 1 tsp
  • Milk - 2 1/2 cup
  • Water - 2 1/2 cup
  • Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
  • Saffron strands - 8 to 10 (optional)


Method:

  • Heat the water in a pan. Once it becomes nicely hot, add a teaspoon of ghee and chopped bottle gourd. Continue cooking till bottle gourd pieces become soft.
  • In the meanwhile, wash the semolina by adding some water and drain it off.
  • Add this semolina to the cooked mixture and mix it continuously for 2 - 3 minutes to avoid lumps.
  • Add sugar, salt, jaggery (optional), milk and saffron strands. Allow the Payasa to boil for 8 - 10 minutes. 
  • Add cardamom powder before switching off the flame.
  • Serve this delicious Payasa hot or cold. This Payasa goes well with Poori, if you are a sweet lover.



Tips:




  • If you don't like jaggery, you can replace it with sugar. If you like to use jaggery, use more jaggery and reduce the quantity of sugar accordingly. If using more jaggery, no need to add saffron as the flavour will be dominated by jaggery. 
Christmas is already round the corner. Joy of the festival is visible everywhere in the form of lights, decorations and of course, shopping! We just roamed everywhere and did enough shopping. Actually speaking, we won't celebrate Christmas in our home. But we are very much fond of Christmas Fruit Cake / Plum Cake. So, all the preparations are done to prepare the Fruit Cake!
Candied Peel is one of the key ingredients for Christmas Fruit Cake. Peel of citrus fruits such as orange, lemon are taken out in order to make the candied peel. Fruit peel will be chopped, boiled, drained and then cooked in sugar syrup to make it delicious. Candied peel and candied fruits are easily available in the market especially during the Christmas time, but I always prefer making them at home. 
Here is the easy recipe of making Candied orange peel. Thanks to Suma of Cakes And More for this wonderful recipe! 


Preparation time: 1 1/4 hour
Cooling time: 1 hour
Yield: 30 - 32 pieces of peel
Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients:
  • 2 medium sized navel oranges
  • Sugar - 1/2 cup
  • Water - 1/2 cup + more water to cook the peel


Method:
  • Cut the oranges into 4 equal halves and take out the peel carefully.
  • Slit the peels into equal size pieces to ensure even cooking.
  • Take about 2 cups of water in a vessel and bring to boil. Add the orange peel and cook it for 4 - 5 minutes. Now, drain all the water from the peel and run the peels through cold water.
  • In order to remove the bitterness from the orange peel, I have repeated the above step two times.
  • Combine 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water in a vessel and heat it on the stovetop. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the orange peels and simmer the flame.
  • Cook the peels for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or till the all sugar syrup is absorbed.
  • Switch off the flame and leave the orange peels on a wire rack for an hour for cooling.
  • Thats it, homemade orange peels are ready to use!



Tips:
  • You can prepare Candied lemon peel using the above method.  
Dry Fruits Ladoo is a very common sweet which is found in most of the sweet stalls in Karnataka. These ladoos are made of all healthy ingredients like almonds, cashews, poppy seeds, raisins, dates, etc. and taste divine! These yummy ladoos are good for people of all ages.
At home, we all love munching dry fruits and nuts. But what happens normally is, one day we tend to eat more of them and the next day, we forget to eat them. If Dry Fruit Ladoos are there at home, we won't forget to eat them daily! Thats the reason I keep making these ladoos at home regularly. 
Here is my version of Dry Fruit Ladoo..


Preparation time: 40 minutes
Yield: 30 ladoos (depending on the size)
Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients:
  • Dates (De-seeded and roughly chopped) - 2 cups (1 cup=
  • Chopped almonds - 1/2 cup
  • Broken cashews - 1/2 cup
  • Raisins - 1/2 cup
  • Shredded coconut - 1/2 cup
  • Poppy seeds - 1/4 cup
  • Ghee / Clarified butter - 4 tbsp



Method:
  • Heat a heavy bottom pan. Toast the chopped almonds, broken cashews and poppy seeds separately. 
  • Then, Melt the ghee in the same pan. Add the chopped dates and raisins. Keep mixing the mixture for 4 - 5 minutes or till it becomes like a dough.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients to the dates mixture and mix them well.
  • Make equal sized balls from the mixture and store them in an airtight container. 

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