Paneer Manchurian

I have been intending on making Paneer Manchurian - My version, for a long time, but sheer laziness & i have been putting it off & landing in good old Mutter paneer,Palak panner & paneer parathas.. Finally the D-day dawned & guess sun rose from the west - that i decided to make the Paneer Manchurian...It came out well & my family enjoyed it, specially the kiddos who ate minus grumbling & had a clean plate at the end of meal, minus screams & warning of "Finish off the Veggis!!"

Ingredients:

Paneer - 1 pac

Onions - 2

Capcicum - 1

Cabbage - a small piece

Soy sauce - 2 tsps

Chillie sauce - acc to your spice level

Tomato sauce - 2 tsps

Thai Sweet Chillie sauce - 2 tsps

Salt - to taste

Oil

Method:

1. Cut the paneer into small cubes & shallow fry them.

2. In a pan, add oil & fry the onions for few mts. Then add the cabbage & capcicum & cook few mts, let the crunchiness of veggis remain. Now add the sauces & salt & mix well.

3. Add the paneer & mix all well together.

Your jhatpat Paneer manchurian is ready to be served either as an appetizer or with your main course!

Janmashtami Special

Wishing You all a very Happy Janmashtami / Gokulashtami.

Today being a special day for Dear Lord Krishna, I made a few of his favourite preparations at home, to be enjoyed by the Lord & us too :-)

Pal Payasam :
This recipe i have posted already & here is the link - Pal Payasam . This is how i normally made my Payasam & its a favourite at home too...

Goddu Phovu (Sweet Aval)



Phovu (Konkani), Aval (Tamil) and Beaten Rice (English) is used in many preparations - From Aval payasama, to Batata Phova to dosas.. its used widely. I used this to make Goddu Phovu. This is a Konkani Preparation made by us for all good occassions. Its easy & tasty to eat too...


Ingredients:
Phovu ( Thick Aval)- 2 cups
Jaggery - 1 cup ( or more acc to your taste)
Coconut - 1 cup
Channa Dhal - 1/4 cup
Til - 2 tsps ( optional)


Method:

1. Mix the Phovu & coconut by hand in a wide mouthed bowl for 10 mts till it becomes little soft.


2. Put the jaggery in a pan & add 1/4 cup water & dissolve it. Then bring it to a boil & 1 string consistency. Let it cool down completely.


3. Dry roast the Channa dhal on a medium flame till it becomes golden brown.. it takes a few minutes. (If you do on a high flame chances of burning the channa dhal are high, so be carefull!!) Powder it coarsely & set aside.


4. If using Till dry roast it for a minute or two.


5. Now add the jaggery syrup to the Phovu & coconut mixture & mix everything well with your hands.


6. Now add the roasted & powder channa dhal & til & mix well...


Godu Phovu is ready to be served!

Back after a long gap & silence!

Dear Friends,

Firstly sincere apologies for dissapearing off the blog world unannounced! I did not mean to take such a long leave of absence without informing, but things just got way out of hand & i think i am finally settled down to get back to bussiness & blogging.

I have been following all blogs as often as i could, ofcourse never left comments anywhere...Now since i am back, will get back to routine again.

Thanks & looking forward to catch up on all your blogs!

Vatha Kolumbu

Vatha Kolumbu is a typical sounth Indian dish. Vathal – stands for sun dried stuff like dried Bhendi, Cluster beans or Marathakali. These sundried products are widely available in all leading grocery stores today. These have a long shelf life & adding these to these Kolumbus makes it really yummy & gives a different flavour.

I love Vatha kolumbu as its simple yet tasty! Just rice, vatha kolumbu & any simple vegetable on side & papad.. Ahh!! What a satisfying meal. They say Vatha kolumbu & Parruppu usali is the best combo & yes, I like it too, but its tastes great with just potato curry too…

So here my version of Vatha kolumbu for u!

Ingredients:

Tamarind – a lime size ball
Onion – 1
Gingelly Oil – 2 tbspns
Channa dhal – 1 tbspn
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Curry leaves – few
Maratha kali Vathal – a handful (store bought)
Sambhar powder – 2 tsps
Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in water & set aside.

2. In a pan add little oil & fry the vathal for few minutes, till they turn slightly brown & puff up a bit. Transfer to a vessel & set aside.

3.In the same pan add remaining oil & mustard seeds, channa dhal & curry leaves.

4.Then add finely chopped onions & fry well till they turn slightly brown.

5.Now add the tamrind water & bring to a boil.

6.Then add the sambhar powder, salt & bring to a good boil, till the raw smell of tamarind goes off & you will see oil coming on top. By now it will have a good thick consistency too.

7.Finally add the fried Vathal & mix well.

Serve with hot rice & some vegetable & papad on the side.

Surna Adigai (Yam Pickle)

Surna Adgai means Suran or yam pickle. This is a konkani instant pickle, quite easy to make and simply delicious!

I had this after long at the “CHUDI” pooja we had here at Konkani Sabha. Chudi or Tulsi Pooja is a festival we have in Shravan month( usually falls in Aug) & we do this every Friday & Sunday through out the month. You basically make a small bouquets of Dirbankur ( Arugampul / Grass that u keep for Ganesh Ji) & 4 other flowers all ties together. Actually there r typical flowers but I make do with what is available! You basically give this to other ladies & if older seek their blessings, if they r younger u get to bless them :-)

So this long forgotten Adgai was there & hence I made it & posting it for my dear blogger friends!

I am also sending this to , as my second entry to RCI - Konkani,hosted by Deepa of Recipes n More.

Ingredients:

Suran / Yam – a small piece
Red Chillies – 5
Tamarind – a small ball
Coconut – 3 tsps (if desired)
Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Take a small piece of suren & cut it into thin strips, about 1/2" long. Apply salt & let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Then squeeze these & deep fry them till nice & crispy.

2. In the same oil deep fry the chillies till they turn slightly brown.

3. Now put the chillies & tamarind in a mixer & grind to a fine paste. Add water as required. Use as less water as possible.

4. At this stage you can add the coconut & grind in too or leave it. It does not matter. Adding coconut means you have to finish of this pickle in a weeks time. Minus the coconut it stays longer. Coconut just brings in a thickness to the pickle. I added some to the one I made.

5. Now transfer the ground paste to a bowl, add required salt & fried suran.If u want u can season with oil & mustard seeds.

Let it stay for a day before u can eat it, as all the chillies & salt will blend well & the suran wil get to soak well in this spicy mixture.

You can have this with idlis & dosas.. Yes, its spicy, add a drop of coconut oil on top & its heavenly!! Or just simply enjoy it with curd rice.. its delicious!!!!!!!!

Soy Bhajili Ghassi

Soy Bhajili Ghassi means literally fried coconut curry. This is a typical dish made more by Konkani speaking people in Kerela & very tasty. This is not very familiarly present in the Mangalore side, though now people are more aware & try different stuff!

So heres my First Entry to RCI - Konkani hosted by Deepa of Recipes n More.

Ingredients:
Black Channa – ½ cup
Raw Banana – 1
Drum stick – 1
Potato – 1
Toor Dhal – ½ cup
Salt - To taste

For Masol or Gravy:

Coconut – 1 cup
Red Chillies – 5
Dhania – 2 tsps
Udad Dhal – 1 tsp
Haldi – ¼ tsp
Tamarind – a small piece

Method:
1. Soak channa over night and pressure cook well.

2. Wash the toor dhal & pressure cook & set it aside.

3. Cut the banana & potato into big cubes & drumstick into 2 inch pieces. Cook these vegetables in a pan with enough water. Add just a little salt.

4. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the pressure cooked channa to it.

5. MASOL : Fry the coconut in a pan till it turns brown. This will take a good 10-15 minutes. Do it on a medium flame as otherwise it will get burnt out. Fry the other ingredients too & grind all these to a fine paste adding very little water. The masol is ready.

6. Add the masol to the veggie & channa & bring to a good boil. Then add the cooked dhal & salt & bring everything to a good boil.

Authentic & delicious Soy Bhajjili Ghjassi is ready.Enjoy it with rice & a simple upkari – Vegetable & pappad on the side!

Sakkarai Pongal

Sakkarai Pongal is a traditional sweet dish of South India. It’s a very delicious sweet & easy to make too. Uses just a few ingredients & you have a yummy dessert ready.Today being India’s Independence day, Tulsi Puja & Varalakshmi Pooja too, I decided to make a sweet dish & ended up making Sakkarai Pongal.

Happy Independence Day dear Friends!

Ingredients:

Raw rice – ¾ cup
Moongh Dhal – ½ cup
Jaggery – 1 cup
Cashews & Raisins – few
Ghee – 3 tbspns

Method:

1. Dry fry the moongh dhal a little. Then add it to the rice & add 4 cups water & pressure cook well.

2. In a Kadai add the jaggery & little water & make it into a syrup & bring to a good boil. Strain it .

3. Now add the syrup & cooked rice & dhal mixture & mix everything well. Keep cooking on a medium high flame. It will all come together . Add ghee little by little & keep on mixing.

4. Roast nuts & raisins in ghee & add to the mixture.

Delicious Sakkarai Pongal is all ready to be enjoyed!