Beetroot Pachadi

March 18, 2014

Pachadi is a traditional South Indian side-dish similar to North Indian Raita made of fresh vegetables, curd, coconut, green or red chillies and tempered with oil, mustard seedsand curry leaves. It is usually served as an accompaniment for rice, snacks like idli, dosa etc. Pachadi can be prepared with many type of vegetables. This is a recipe for preparation of Beetroot Pachadi. Today, I am going to share with you this simple and tasty Beetroot Pachadi.

Ingredients
2 Beetroots
2 tablespoons grated coconut

1 Green chilly
1/2 teaspoom Cumin seeds
1 cup thick curd

Salt to taste

Fresh coriander leaves chopped

Tempering
1 teaspoon Oil
1/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds
Curry leaves

Method
Wash, cook, peel the skin of beetroot and chop finely.
Add coconut, green chilly and cumin seeds to the blender and grind it to coarse paste.In a serving bowl add thick curd(reserve some for garnishing), ground paste and beetroot and mix well.

Heat oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds, and curry leaves. Pour this tempering on top of the beetroot pachadi. Add beaten curds over it and garnish with chopped coriander, serve cold.

Labels: Salads, Main course, Vegan, Healthy, Beetroot

You might want to look at   Beetroot Sabzi 

Stuffed Cabbages (Dolmas)

March 3, 2014

The term dolma covers a variety of stuffed vegetable dishes, widespread in the Middle East and Mediterranean area. Dolma is a family of stuffed vegetable dishes common in the Mediterranean Basin and Middle East, as well surrounding regions including theBalkans, Armenia, Iran, and Central Asia. Common vegetables to stuff include tomato, pepper, onion, zucchini, eggplant, and garlic. Grape or cabbage leaves wrapped around a filling are called 'sarma', but are also often called 'dolma' or 'yaprak dolma' (Долма:Russian Translation) The stuffing may or may not include meat. Meat dolmas are generally served warm, often with egg-lemon or garlic yogurt sauce; meatless ones are generally served cold. The filling generally consists of rice, minced meat or grains. In either case, the filling includes onion, herbs like dill, mint or parsley and spices. Meatless fillings are cooked with olive oil and include raisins or currants, onion, nuts or pulses. Here I, am sharing with you Dolams made of leftover Nasi Goreng. I had prepared Nasi Goreng yestarday and had some leftover, so I prepared this Dolmas. H and I had it cold. Added cheese for him, for me cheeseless. But they tasted very lovely. Lets go to the recipe.

Ingredients
8 Nos Cabbage leaves
1 Cup Nasi Goreng
3 Tablespoons cheese grated

Cut the stem of the cabbage and separate the leaves. Put them in Boiling water for 2 minutes till the slightly soft. I put them in the cabbage leaves in a microwave. Take a proof bag and put the washed cabbage leave and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Drain the cabbage leaves and prepare to wrap everything up.
Mix the cheese and Nasi Goreng togather . Wrapping is very simple. Take a leaf and put two tablespoons of stuffing in the middle. Fold over the top of the leaf onto the stuffing, then fold over the two sides onto the middle, and then roll it all up. Tie the wraps with onion leaks and keep aside. The Dolmas are ready to serve. They are very tasty. If you want you can add more cheese to make it cheesey.

Labels: Vegetables, Salads, Healthy, Main course, Vegan, Continental Cuisine, Cabbage

Today's Simple Lunch Menu, Jeera Rice,Tadka Dal, Salad

February 9, 2012

  

Had to go out shopping  with  hubby dear. Went to look out for a laptop and camera for me. Using my hubby's laptop which I, can use only after he returns from office. Using my friends camera since the camera that I have the resolution is not good.  Pictures are dull and grainy effect. So, hubby dear decided for buy a laptop and camera for me since I have now developed this blogging craze. After all one and only Biwi,  uske iccha puri karni hai!. Then  shopped for trousers and shirts for hubby dear, came home late so this simply yet yummy lunch menu.

Tadkewali Dal, Coriander Jeera Rice and Fruit Farsan Yogurt Salad. So lets get to the recipe.

Tadkewali Dal

Tur Dal                        1 cup
Asafoetida/Hing       1/4 teaspoon
Saffron powder         1/2 teaspoon
Oil                                 1 teaspoon
Salt                               1/2 teaspoon

For the Tadka

Garlic                              4  flakes (lightly crushed)
Fresh Red Chilly          2 nos (cut in big bits)
Jeera/Cumin seeds     1/2 teaspoon
Rye                                   1/2 teaspoon
Ghee/Oil                        2 tablespoons  (I used pure ghee)
Curry Leaves                 1 sprig
Maggi Magic Masala   1 Teaspoon
Coriander Leaves         1 Tablespoon (Finely chopped)

Method 

Wash the dal. Cook the dal in a pressure cooker with hinge, oil, salt and 2 cups of water take 4 whistles. When the cooker cools down open it. Your dal is cooked.

In a pan  heat ghee add the rye, jeera and when it splutters add the garlic and saute for a minute. Add the curry leaves and red chilly saute again for a minute. Add coriander , dal and maggi magic masala. Add water to adjust the consistency you require and let it boil for 8 - 10 mins on slow flame.   Garnish with coriander. Ready to serve.     

Coriander Jeera Rice

Rice                           2 cups ( I used Surti Kolam)
Shah Jeera              1 teaspoon
Jeera                         1 teaspoon
Sugar                        1 teaspoon
Salt                            1 teaspoon or to your taste.
Water                       3 cups. 
Ghee /Oil               1.1/2 tablespoon (I used pure ghee)
Coriander               1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Bay leaf                   1 no
Curds/Lime juice 1 teaspoon

Wash the rice, drain and keep aside. In a pressure pan heat ghee add shahjeera, jeera & bay leaf . When the jeera splutters add the coriander and immediately add the water, curds/lime juice, salt and sugar. When water starts bubbling add the rice and bring it to boiling point. Cover with the cooker lid and take 3 whistles on high flame. Cool the cooker. Garnish it chopped coriander and serve hot. 

You must be wondering,  why curds or lime juice and sugar in the rice?   Sugar gives a good taste to the jeera rice. Use it and see the difference.

I use curds, for the rice to be pearly white .  The rice also comes out grainy when you add curds or lime juice ( This a tip to get grainy rice).

 Fruit Farsan Yogurt Salad

 Small Green Grapes                    15 nos
Small Strawberries                       5 nos          
Fried channa dal                           1 tablespoons
Mixed Farsan                                 3 tablespoons
Fine Nylon Sev                               1 tablespoons
Finely Chopped Onions               2 tablespoons
Rock Salt                                         A pinch
Chat Masala                                   1/4 teaspoon
Chilly powder                                1/4 teaspoon
Coriander finely chopped          1 tablespoon
Yogurt                                             1 cup beaten well

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and  mix. The salad is ready to serve. This salad is really yummy. Try this unique salad. I am sure you will love it.

We were famished since it was past lunch time. We enjoyed our lunch.

Labels : Lentils, Rice, Salads, Vegetables