White Kadala Curry/ Chickpeas Curry - Kerala Style

This is a delicious curry, it brings fond memories of my friend Mariam who use to bring this curry with puttu for lunch. 

Ingredients 

1.1/2 Cups Chickpeas / Kabuli Chana - boiled

1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste
1 Medium  Onion - finely chopped
1 Medium Tomato - finely chopped
1 Green Chillies - finely chopped
3 Tablespoons Oil
A Sprig Curry leaves
1/2 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
2 Teaspoons Meat Masala powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chilly powder
1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder

2 Tablespoon Coriander leaves -  chopped

Salt to taste

Method

Soak chickpeas in water  overnight or -  minimum 5 hours in warm water.
Drain the soaked water, wash, add water ( a cup over the chickpeas), cook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker with 1/4 teaspoon salt .

In a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds when they crackle add the curry leaves.  Add sliced onion and sauté till it becomes translucent.  Add  the turmeric powder, green chillies, ginger-garlic paste , tomatoes and sauté till oil separates.  Add all the powders , salt to taste and  1/4 cup water,  fry for 2 minutes.  Add chickpeas saute for a minute then add the  water  in  which the chickpeas were cooked to make a thick gravy. 

Close and cook for 15 minutes on slow flame till oil separates.  Garnish with coriander  and serve hot.   

This dish is traditionally served with Appam, Idiappam  or Puttu.  We enjoyed it with chappati. 

I am sending this to My Legume Love Affair  host of the month Kalyani - Sizzling Tastebuds

Labels: Chickpeas, Kerala, Vegetables, Lentils

FLYING SAUCER - TOASTER SANDWICH / JAFFLE

I call this sandwich a Flying saucer because it looks like a disc-shaped flying craft. You give this to a child with this name, he or she will happily enjoy it. This how I use to give this to my daughter when she a little girl and very often she would say Ma make for me flying saucer.   If you have leftover potato sabzi then this is even quicker, I  make  this sandwich with whenever there is leftover potato sabzi. These are also know as jaffle in Australia.

Ingredients

6 Slices White bread
1 Cup Potato Sabzi
100 Grams Butter
Tomato Ketchup to serve

Method

Spread butter on all the sides of bread, spread the potato sabzi on one slice.

Cover with second slice, place it in the toaster place, put over medium flame, turning occasionally on both side until done ( see pic).

 Serve with ketchup.

Labels : Potato, Sandwiches, Vegetarian, Kids delight, Jaffle , Australia

CHICKEN AND CHEESE BOX PATTIES

These were made for our family gathering and were loved by all.  They vanished in a jiffy.

Ingredients
1 Cup Chicken - boiled and shredded
1/3 Teaspoon Black Pepper powder
3 Green Chilies - finely chopped
1/3 Cup Packed Coriander leaves - finely chopped
1 Spring Onion - finely chopped

For the Sauce
2 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons All PurposeFlour
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Mustard paste
1/3 Cup Cheddar Cheese
1/3 Cup Sweet Corn - boiled and lightly crushed or chopped

Samosa Patti or Spring Roll strips

To seal the Patties

3 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour
A pinch of Salt
Water as required to make a thick paste

Method
To make the filling
In a sauce pan melt the butter add the flour and stir it for 2 minutes, then add the milk, continue to whisk till well blended and smooth, cook till the sauce it thick. Take off flame add the chicken, coriander leaves, green chilies, spring onion, cheese and sweet corn, mix well. Make small equal size ball and keep aside

To make the Box Patties
Take one strip vertical and place another one horizontal (ie it should be a cross see pic), apply a drop of paste in  the center then place the other strip.

Place the ball of filling in the center

Then fold (see pic)

Trim the strip if it's extra and apply paste on the fold on the side 

Continue with the folding and applying the paste on each fold

Here is a perfect box... make all the patties and keep aside

Deep fry them in hot oil on medium flame till nice and golden. Remove on an absorbent paper.

Serve them with any chutney or ketchup. 

Actually the dips are not necessary for these as they are crispy , cheesy and melt in the mouth. 

Sending these to Tea Time Treats ~ A Monthly Tea Party challenge Hosted by Karen and Jane

My Notes :

You can fry these in advance and keep them in the oven on warm mode... serve when required.  This is what I did.

If you do  not get strips , then cut the spring roll sheets into strips.  The trimmings you can fry and keep them to garnish your soups or salads.

Labels : Snacks, Chicken, Cheese, Kids delight, Tea Time Treats

Dal Makhani

This a Punjabi Cuisine dal, which is really yummy, creamy and delicious you will love it.

Ingredients 

3/4 Cup Sabut Urad
1/4 Cup Rajma / Red Kidney Beans
1 Big Onion  - finely  chopped
2 Tomatoes - finely  chopped 

2 Green Chillies  -finely  chopped
2 Inch Piece Ginger - finely  chopped  

6 Cloves Garlic - finely  chopped
1 Big Bay leaf
2 Black Cardamons
2 Cinnamon Sticks
3 Cloves
2.1/2 Tablespoons Coriander powder
1 Teaspoon Heaped Red Chilli powder
1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
Salt To Taste
4 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Ghee
100 ML Fresh Cream
1/3 Cup Milk

Method
Soak black urad dal and rajma overnight.  Next day wash it fresh water.

Boil with half inch ginger, cardamoms, cloves and  water till level of it .  Close the cooker and take a whistle on  high  flame then reduce the flame and keep it for 10 - 15 minutes or till the rajma and urad dal are soft.

Heat butter, ghee in a  pan, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon,  green chillies, ginger, garlic and  onions.  Fry till the onions are light golden.  Then  add chopped tomatoes, coriander powder, Chilli powder.   Fry till the  tomatoes are soft and mushy .  Then add the dal and rajma , without  water and mash while mixing so that dal and rajma are mixed with masala well.  Add  water and let it cook on low flame for 10 minutes or till oil surfaces.  If the dal is thick add water to adjust the consistency bring it to a rolling boil.  Then add garam masala, fresh cream, milk give it a quick stir .  Take off flame garnish it coriander leaves and fresh cream,  serve hot with Jeera Rice  or Steamed Rice.

Labels : Lentils, Punjab, Vegetables

Tilache Ladoo

A Makar Sankranti special and popular Maharashtrian recipe Tilache Ladoo also known as Tilgul.    For this you have to use the chikki jaggery.  For jaggery in Marathi we say Gul and sesame seeds Til.  These are crisp and delicious, you will not be able to stop eating at one, that's for sure.......  so here I say  "Til gul ghya ani god god bola ".

Ingredients
250 Grams Jaggery  - Chikki Jaggery
250 Grams  Sesame Seeds (Til)
1 Tablespoon Desi Ghee
4 Tablespoons  Groundnuts - roasted , skinned and crushed
8 - 10 Cashew nuts - chopped
15  Raisins
1/2 Cup  Dry Coconut -  grated and roasted 
1 Teaspoon  Cardamom powder

Method

Take a bowl, add til (sesame seeds), crushed groundnut, chopped cashews, raisins & grated coconut. Mix all the ingredients, keep aside.

Heat a kadai, add jaggery and ghee let it melt completely.   Keep stirring the mixture till the jaggery  melts completely.  Will start to  change colour, ( to check whether it's ready take a bowl of water, add  a drop of jaggery, if it forms a ball ) remove it from the flame.  Add elaichi powder and mix well.  Add the til mixture and mix well. Apply some ghee  to your hand and immediatley start making ladoos.  Serve these to your family and friends......  "Til gul ghya ani god god bola "

Labels : Festival Sweets, Ladoo, Sesame seeds, Jaggery, Maharashtra