French Beans Fry - Andhra Style#Alphabet Challenge

This is a tasty, which is every easy and delicious to make, is a delicious Andhra Style french beans cooked in mildly spiced masala called Pappula Podi. Healthy, hearty and flavorful Andhra style beans fry goes well with rice and sambar or with rotis. You can add a bit of fresh coconut as a final garnish.

Ingredients
250 Grams French Beans
Salt To Taste
1 Tablespoon Oil
2 Tablespoons Pappula Podi Masala
1 Tablespoon Fresh Coconut - grated
For The Pappula Podi Masala
2 Dry Red Chillies
¼ Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Tablespoon Dry coconut - grated
1 Tablespoon Split Roasted Gram /Phutane/Chutney Channa
2 Cloves Garlic
A pinch of Salt
For The Tempering
½ Teaspoon Mustard seeds
A Sprig Curry Leaves
2 Dry Red Chilies - de-seed and cut into two
2 Cloves Garlic - crushed (I used garlic)
OR
¼ Teaspoon Asafoetida

Method
To Make Pappula Podi Masala

Dry roast dry red chilies and cumin seeds for a minute. Add grated dry coconut and roast for half a minute. 

Cool and grind to a fine powder along with garlic, split roasted gram (phutane/chutney channa) and salt. 

Wash, stringed and chop the French beans into small pieces. Then boil it with salt, turmeric and water enough to cook the beans till done, ( make sure that there is at-least 3 tablespoons stock in the beans). 

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them splutter, add curry leaves, crushed garlic clove and dry chillies and sauté for few seconds. Add the french beans, salt, pappula podi masala and mix well, then add the stock and place lid let it simmer for about 3 minutes. Turn off heat, add fresh grated coconut. Serve with rice and any curry of your choice. We had with simple dal and steamed rice and enjoyed this spicy French Bean fry.

Labels: Alphabet Challenge, Vegetarian, Healthy, Andhra Pradesh, Indian, Sabzi, Side Dish

• Sneha’s Recipe: French Beans Fry - Andhra Style 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Chicken Fajita Bowl 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Fruity Baked Oatmeal 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Turkish Fig Pudding 
• Blogghetti: Homemade Fajita Seasoning 
• Palatable Pastime: Fake Fatty Pastrami 
• Food Lust People Love: Baked Chicken and Feta Meatballs 
• Magical Ingredients: Fava Fennel Paratha 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Butternut Squash Soup with French Herbes

Beetroot Mezhukkupuratti#Alphabet Challenge

In Kerala vegetables are prepared two ways one is with grated coconut which is called Thoran and the other without coconut is called Mezhukkupuratti or stir fry.
In this recipe the beetroot is peeled, then cut into into strips or cubed, then cooked with onion, green chillies. This is a simple and delicious sabzi, do try this!

Ingredients
3 - 4 Medium Beetroot - peeled & cut into strips
1 Medium Onion - chopped finely
2 Green chillies - slit
A Sprig Curry leaves
Salt to taste
For The Tadka
½ Teaspoon Mustard seeds
A Sprig Curry leaves
3 Shallots/Sambar Onions- sliced
2 Tablespoons Oil

Method

In a pan add the beetroot, green chillies, onion with a cup of water. Place this on high flame and bring this to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce the flame to low. Cook till the beetroot is done.

In a another pan heat oil when the oil is hot then add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the curry leaves and shallots, fry till the shallots starts to changes color. Now add the cooked beetroot, give it good mix, Cover & cook on low flame for 7-10 minutes, stirring in between. After 10 minutes switch of the flame. Serve hot... enjoy!!

My Notes
You can use pepper powder instead of green chilly.

Labels: Beetroot, Kerala, Alphabet Challenge, Sabzi, Vegetarian, Side Dish, Vegan, Gluten free

Palatable Pastime: Blueberry Biscuits 

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Bisque of Lobster 

Blogghetti: 20 Minute Bean and Beef Tostadas 

Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Bagel Chips from Leftover Bagels 

Sneha’s Recipe: Beetroot Mezhukkupuratti 

Food Lust People Love:: Spicy Braised Ginger Pork Belly 

Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Spicy Barbecue Seasoned Rice Chex Mix 

Culinary Cam: Börek with a California Twist 

Mayuri’s Jikoni: Beetroot Tomato Soup 

Magical Ingredients Beet Fennel Paratha 

Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Brooklyn Blackout Cake 

Sizzling Tastebuds: Barley Karamani Adai (Barley Cowpea Savoury Pancake)

Keto Chilled Cucumber & Avocado Soup#SundayFunday

This Keto chilled soup is very refreshing with fresh cucumber and creamy avocados.

Serves 2
Ingredients
1 Cucumber - peeled, seeded and diced
1 Avocado
½ Cup Plain Whole Milk Yogurt - mine is homemade
1 Tablespoon Cup Fresh Parsley / Coriander Leaves
1 Tablespoon Fresh Dill
1 Scallion - green only - chopped
1 Lime - zest and juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Method 

Add the cucumber, avocado, yogurt, parsley, dill, and green onion to the blender. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Blend the mixture until it is smooth.

Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Info : Per Serving - Total Carbs - 12
Labels: Keto, Cold Soup, Cucumber, Avocado, Healthy, Vegetarian, Sunday Funday, Yogurt, Gluten free

• Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Crockpot Mexican Butternut Squash Soup from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Fresh Fig Salad from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Golden Moon Milk from Culinary Cam
• Instant Pot Pumpkin Sambar from Cook with Renu
• Keto Chilled Cucumber & Avocado Soup from Sneha's Recipe
• Smashed Potatoes from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Warm Root Vegetable Salad with Pomegranate Molasses Dressing from Food Lust People Love

Stuffed Potato Masala Idli With Pumpkin Sambar#SundayFunday

Stuffed Potato Masala Idli is so soft and make a perfect filling brunch. These are filled healthy are more healthier than the normal idlis with delicious pumpkin sambar, and, I am sure all idli fans would love to have this. Check here how to grind idli batter.  

Ingredients
3 Medium Potatoes - boiled, peeled and mashed
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 Teaspoon Split Urad Dal
1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
1 Medium Tomato - finely chopped
2 Green chillies - finely chopped
⅓ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 Tablespoons Coriander leaves - finely chopped
Salt To Taste
Homemade Idli Batter - As needed
For The Pumpkin Sambar
½ Cup Tuvar Dal
2 Cups Water
½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
For The Pumpkin Sambar
1 Medium Lauki - can use Red Pumpkin - cut into cubes
1 Onion - sliced
2 Green chillies
2 Teaspoons Homemade Sambhar Powder or to taste
Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon Jaggery
2 Teaspoons Tamarind Paste or to taste
Water as needed
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
¼  Teaspoon Asafoetida
A sprig Curry Leaves - a sprig

2 Dried Red Chillies 

Method

For The Potato Masala

Heat a kadai with oil, add the mustard seeds and spilt urad dal, when the dal changes color. Add in the finely chopped onions, green chillies, fry till onion turns transparent.
Add the tomatoes and potatoes fry for a minute in medium flame. Add turmeric and salt to taste. Cover and cook on low flame for 2 -3 minutes. Sprinkle water if its too dry and mash them lightly so that all the flavors blend well. Add coriander leaves. Switch off the flame and let it cool.

Once cooled make small balls and lightly flatten it to fill in the idli, keep aside.
Let's Make The Pumpkin Sambar

Wash and soak the dal for at least an hour.
Take dal, water and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker. Cover and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Turn off the cooker and let the cooker cool completely. Open and mash the dal well add the pumpkin and take one more whistle on high flame. Let the cooker cool completely. 

Heat oil in a pot/kadai. Add in mustard seeds when they crackle add in curry leaves, dried red chillies and asafoetida. Sauté for a minute. Reserve some for pouring on top. Add in onions, Sauté this for a minute or till translucent. Add in the sambar powder and mix well. Add in cooked dal and pumpkin, tamarind pulp and water to make  the sambar. Mix well. Add in salt to taste and jaggery. Mix well, bring this to boil, let it simmer on low flame for 5 to 8 minutes stirring in between. Switch off the flame. Pumpkin Sambar is ready to serve.

To Make The Stuffed Idli

Grease the idli plate and then pour a half ladle of batter and spread evenly. 

Now place the ball of the potato ball in the center and again pour the idly batter to cover it.
Steam the idli for 12 - 15 minutes. 

Cool and with a knife or spoons remove the idli's from the mold. 

Serve hot with Pumpkin Sambar, Enjoy!! 

Labels: Sambar, Sambar powder, Pumpkin, Idli, Stuffed, Potato, Main course, Brunch, Homemade, Vegan, Gluten free, Healthy, South Indian, Sunday Funday

Sunday FunDay - 23 April 2023 - Spring Brunch   

• Baked Garlic Cheese Grits from Palatable Pastime
• Breakfast Tarts from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Lobster Bruschetta from Food Lust People Love
• Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Stuffed Potato Masala Idli with Pumpkin Sambar from Sneha's Recipe
• Torijas with Honey Orange Syrup from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Drumstick Curry In Coconut Sauce - No Onion No Garlic#Sunday Funday

Sudha Menon is known for her books which explore the ambitions, achievements and accomplishments of people from various walks of life through stories narrated by them.

In one of her interviews she talks about her memories of her mother and aunts preparing sumptuous meals using fresh, seasonal produce from their farm, plucking drumsticks from the tree to make sambar and plantains to make a quick ‘thoran’ when unexpected guests dropped in.

Taking inspiration from this, made a  very delicious and yummy drumstick curry in coconut sauce.

Ingredients
250 Gram(4) Drumsticks - cut into 2" pieces
½ Cup Packed Freshly Grated Coconut
4 Green Chillies - chopped or as per your spice level
½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
2 Teaspoons Rice or Rice Flour
Salt to taste
For Gravy
3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
A Sprig Curry Leaves
A Pinch Of Asafoetida
A Marble Size Tamarind
1 Teaspoon Palm Sugar

Method 
Soak the tamarind in warm water. 

In a small blender jar add the coconut, green chillies, mustard seeds and rice flour, grind to a very fine paste using little water. Keep aside. 

In a large pot/kadai, heat coconut oil, add the cumin seeds, when they splutter add the curry leaves and asafoetida. Add the drumstick pieces and fry on high flame for 2 minutes, then add the ground paste and mix well. Wash the blender jar with water and add that to the pot, give it a good stir, add salt to taste, cover and cook till the drumstick are cooked. Add hot water to make a thick gravy if necessary.  

Add the tamarind juice and give it good stir, let this come to a rolling boil, add the jaggery and stir. When the jaggery melts, switch off the flame. Drizzle a little coconut oil on top. 

Serve with rice or rotis. Enjoy this delicious curry!! 
Labels: No Onion No Garlic, Drumstick, Vegan, Gluten free, Main course, Vegetarian Curry, Indian

• Basil-Dressed Chicken Salad with Tomatoes from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Drumstick Curry in Coconut Sauce - No Onion No Garlic from Sneha’s Recipe
• Irio, Kenyan Style from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Philly Cheesesteak from Amy’s Cooking Adventures 
• Rosalynn Carter’s Baked Cheese Grits from Food Lust People Love

Ragi Idli With Drumstick Sambar/Murungakkai Sambar#SundayFunday

Ragi idli are steamed cakes made with Ragi/Finger millets & urad dal. Traditionally idli recipe is made with urad dal and idli rice. Ragi Idli are so soft and spongy, nutritious millet it's also vegan, gluten free and a gut friendly breakfast , meal or snack.

Ragi is also know as Finger Millet which along with other millet varieties are a fine choice for people living with diabetes, as it's higher in fiber, minerals, and amino acids than white rice. Ragi has also the highest plant-based calcium, minerals, protein and dietary fibers.

Ingredients
1 Cup Ragi
1 Cup Idli Rice
¾ Cup Urad dal
¼ Teaspoon Methi/ Fenugreek seeds
1 Teaspoon Oil
Salt as required

Method
Soak Idli rice for 4-5 hours in a bowl.

Soak Urad dal & methi seeds in another bowl for 4-5 hours.
Drain the water.

Grind all the ingredients to very smooth batter by adding as little as water as possible to a paste.

Pour the batter in the large pot/vessel & mix it thoroughly with your hands for about 3 - 4 minutes so that it get fluffy and this also helps in good fermentation of the batter.
Keep this batter overnight for fermentation.
Next day add salt as per taste & mix batter gently. Grease the idli mold & pour a ladle full of batter into each slot. 

Steam the idlis for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Drumstick Sambar Recipe / Murungakkai Sambar

A delicious Sambar plays a important roll in South Indian lunch menu. No festival or marriage function meal is complete without it. Each region in South India has its own way of making it. I have posted quite a lot of sambar variation on blog, you can check them out.

This is a different sambar recipe which is made with drumstick and three different dals. So it is really healthy one. The drumstick added in this gives a very unique taste to the sambar and flavors the sambar a lot. I used my homemade sambar powder for this, that too enhanced the taste a lot. So try this out and let me know how it turned out for you.

Serves 5 to 6
Ingredients
¼ Cup Tur Dal
¼ Cup Masoor Dal
¼ Cup Moong Dal
6 to 7 Shallots / Sambar Onion - peeled
3 -4 Drumsticks - cut into pieces
2 Tablespoon Tamarind Pulp
Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon Jaggery
3 to 4 Tablespoons Homemade Sambar Powder
For Tadka / Tempering
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Asafoetida

Method 

Wash all the dals well. Add it to a pot along with shallots. Cover with water. Bring it to boil, cover and simmer until the dal is 80% cooked. Now add in drumstick, salt, jaggery, tamarind pulp, sambar powder and mix well. Bring this to boil and simmer again for 20 mins till everything is cooked.

Now make make the tadka by heating oil and crackling mustard and cumin. Add in asafoetida and mix well.

Pour this over the sambar and mix well.

Enjoy these Ragi Idli's with Drumstick Sambar Recipe / Murungakkai Sambar and Thakkali Chammanthi / Tomato Chutney,

Labels: Sambar, Drumsticks, South Indian, Ragi, Idli, Main course, Breakfast, Snack, Millets, Sunday Funday, Vegan, Gluten free, Healthy

For Sunday Funday we are sharing Millet recipes.

• Buttery Herb Millet by Food Lust People Love
• Puffed Millet Granola by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Ragi Idli With Drumstick Sambar/Murungakkai Sambar by Sneha's Recipes
• Ragi Rotti by Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Porso Millet Idli by Cook with Renu

Thakkali Chammanthi / Tomato Chutney

Tomato Chutney is a tangy and tasty South Indian chutney made from tomatoes, herbs and spices, there is no onion no garlic or coconut in it. There are many variations of making Tomato chutney / Thakkali Chammanthi. 

Ingredients
3 Rip Tomatoes - diced
3 Dried Red Chillies
1 Tablespoon Split Urad Dal
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon Oil or as required
1 Teaspoon Finely Chopped Ginger
1 Whole Clove
For The Tadka
A Sprig Curry Leaves
½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
A Pinch Asafoetida
1 Tablespoon Oil

Method

Heat oil in the pan and add in the urad dal first. On low heat allow it to turn light golden. Now add in the ginger , red chillies (break them into pieces) and the clove. Sauté for a minute till the red chilly changes color. Now add in the chopped tomatoes and salt. Cook the tomatoes till they are soft and mushy.

Take off heat and allow this mix to cool. Now grind this mixture to a fine paste and keep aside. While grinding, you can add 2-4 tablespoons of water to get the desired consistency of the chutney.

For The Tadka

Heat oil in a small tadka pan add the mustard seeds when they splutter, add the asafoetida and curry leaves give this a good mix. Add in the ground tomato chutney, taste for salt, add if needed. Cook for 2 minutes till all comes together. Take it off heat and enjoy this yum..mm chutney!

This Tomato Chutney taste good and is a perfect accompaniment to enjoy with Idli, Dosa, Vada, Uttapam or even rice and dal. 

We enjoyed this with Ragi Idli and Drumstick Sambar | Murungakkai Sambar... a perfect combo!! 

Labels: Vegan, No Onion No Garlic, Chutney, Tomato, Gluten free, Appetizer, South Indian

Sambrasam#SoupSwappers

This is a fusion of sambar & rasam, really so very de ..ee ..licious, it has a tangy, peppery garlic flavor. It so simple to make and once you taste it, your addict to it and will have more servings. 

A super delicious, lip-smacking meal, that goes perfectly well with rice, idli or dosa . In this recipe the use of turmeric is more, so do use it as given in the ingredients list.

Ingredients
1/3 Cup Tur dal - wash and soaked for an hour
1 Cup Tamarind juice

Coarsely Grind
1 Teaspoon Black Peppercorns
6 Big Cloves Garlic
½ Teaspoon Cumin seeds

Other Ingredients
2 Medium Tomato -chopped
3 Dried Red Chillies
2 Tablespoons Turmeric powder
1 Tablespoon Heaped Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
A Bundle Coriander with stalks
3 -4 Sprig Curry leaves with stalks

1 Green Chilly
Salt to taste
½ Teaspoon Asafoetida 
Method

Soak a lemon size ball of tamarind in 250ml warm water and squeeze out the juice as much as you can.

Take a pressure cooker add washed tur dal and sufficient water. Cover with the lid and cook till on medium high flame for 3 whistles. Let the cooker cool completely.

In the meantime heat oil, in a large pot/kadai, add mustard seeds, turmeric powder, dry chillies, sauté for a minute. Add tomatoes, salt and cover simmer on low flame till soft and mushy. 

Once the tomatoes are softly mashed

add the tamarind juice

bundle of curry leaves, coriander stalks, the ground garlic, cumin, pepper, salt to taste

cooked dal, give it a good mix and bring it to a boil. 

Then add 2 cups water let is simmer for 5 - 6 minutes over on medium low flame, stirring after every 2 minutes.

Now add the asafoetida and green chilly let it simmer for 2 minutes, that's it. Switch off the flame. Drizzle a teaspoon of lemon juice this is optional, but it does give a tangy flavor.

Sambrasam is ready. It is very good to drink as a hot soup, taste delicious, serve with hot steamed rice.

It's so yummilicious and delightful, you will love it we had this as our soup with steamed rice.
Labels: Sambar, Rasam, South Indian, Soup, Soup Swappers, Main course, Spicy  

Soup Swappers - September 2021

 Spicy Soups

• Fire Roasted Hatch Chili and Corn Soup by Magical Ingredients
• Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Make-Ahead Spicy Oktoberfest Meatball Stew by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Sambrasam by Sneha's Recipe
• Sausage, Vegetable, and Bean Soup by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Cajun Gumbo with Chicken, Andouille, and Shrimp + 2018 Maricool Muscadet by Culinary Adventures with Camilla