Amiri Khaman | Sev Khamani

This month's theme for our Shhh Secret challenge group on Facebook is Steamed Foods which was suggested by  Annu Kollon who has amazing and healthy recipes on her blog "Entethattukada" .I for one , fell for this name she has given to her blog , it is so catchy and attractive and will make everyone want to visit her blog . Among the many healthy recipes, what I loved the most was her No Milk , No sugar , No cornflour Banana and Almond flavor icecream . I have bookmarked it for trying and I would suggest you all to try it as well . An Icecream yet so healthy !! Bumper Bonus isn't it?? 

When myself and my partner for this month ,Sujata were discussing about the secret ingredients we must share with one another , this recipe struck to me instantly and I decided to go about with this for the theme.. Sujata ji  blogs at " Batter up with Sujata" and her blog is a buffet of various recipes and a nice melange of vegetarian , non vegetarian cuisines , Eggless bakes , authentic Bengali recipes and yummy cookies and healthy salads .All which have been explained in simple and easy way . I have book marked some of her recipes to try. Hope to do at earliest.  The first thing I plan to try is her yummy melt in mouth Gulab Jamuns. You must check her recipe and it will get you drooling right away .

Secret ingredients that we exchanged ;ginger & hing/Asafoetida is what she gave me and I gave her poppy seeds and curd . Check back this space to know more about a lip smacking recipe dished out by Sujata ji  and as usual  she has prepared an authentic Bengali recipe Channar Patauri which looks absolutely delectable and yummy. 

What is Amiri Khaman?
 Amiri khaman is a very unique way to use up left over dhoklas and it serves as a perfect tea time snack or even a breakfast .

The khaman is crumbled and sautéed with some spices and pomegranate pearls ,fine sev are garnished over this amiri khaman which give a nice crunch.  I was out of Pomegranate so have skipped using them here. 

Does this recipe taste good only with left over khaman?

There is no hard and fast rule that only left over khaman needs to be used, freshly prepared ones can also be used.  This time I exclusively made khaman to try out this recipe. 

How to prepare khaman/yellow dhokla?

You can look up the detailed recipe here 

Preparation Time - 5 mins 

**if khaman is ready 

Cooking Time - 7 to 8 mins

Serves - 2 to 3 

Complexity- simple

Ingredients 

10 to 15 khaman pieces 

(Khaman recipe. - click here )

1 tsp ginger finely chopped

2 to 3 green chillies finely chopped

1/2 tsp jeera/cumin

1/2 tsp mustard /rai

8 to 10 fresh curry leaves 

2 tbsp fresh grated coconut 

1/2 tsp sugar

pinch of asafoetida 

Salt if required 

Handful of fine sev

Handful of Pomegranate pearls

Finely chopped coriander. 

**note - for this month's theme as it is "steamed foods" I specially made khaman for trying out Amiri Khaman and have not used left over dhoklas . I let them rest for about  1 hr so it is easy to crumble without the moisture .

Method 

Khaman (dhoklaa) freshly prepared and left for cooling before it can be crumbled. 

Crumble the khaman well until it appears grainy. 

Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard followed by jeera then curry leaves,green chillies and ginger . Lastly add hing and give it a quick stir.

Now add the crumbled khaman, little salt , sugar, pinch of haldi and mix it nicely. Sprinkle some water and cook covered for 2 to 3 mins.

Open the lid, add freshly grated coconut, chopped corriander .

Serve hot with a fresh garnish of sev and pomegranate pearls. I dint have pomegranate handy so haven't used it here. 

Linking this to our facebook group's secret challenge event for month of July 2020 - steamed foods 

 

Mysore Masala Dosa

Does dosa really need any introduction?? In the earlier days , dosas were an important part of breakfast menu in Southern India but slowly and steadily this delicious recipe found a place on the Global menu map and there will be hardly anyone who would hate dosas . 

The thin crunchy crepes drizzled with right amount of oil and cooked to a perfect golden brown color is a heavenly treat to our taste buds and is  generally  served with variety of chutney , sambar and Molagapudi (gun powder) mixed in gingelly oil .

We are more of dosa loving family than idlis .Though I grind batter for idli , I end up making dosas most of the time.  We love it with mildly spiced  Coconut Chutney  and spicy tomato Chutney more than sambar . Molgapudi of course always has a special place without a mention.

This week's Foodie Monday Bloghop theme was a choice between dosa varieties and fusion cooking.  Needless to say Dosa emerged victorious and here we are enjoying week #257 DosaDen as suggested by Priya Iyer . Priya has yummy recipes on her blog "the world through my eyes" and her latest recipe is my favorite  melt in mouth home made Chocolate Truffles

When it comes to making dosas , main thing that is required is the perfect Dosa batter , which is the key ingredient .  One  can either use dosa batter made at home or the store bought ones that are readily available these days . Ensure that the batter is not sour . Do check the FAQs regarding the batter and grinding techniques at the end of this post.

Coming to today's recipe, as the name suggests mysore masala dosa has it roots in the city of Mysore . What makes it different from the regular masala dosa is a spicy red chutney that is smeared on the dosa before placing the aloo masala inside the dosa .

Mysore masala dosa involves 3 components.

• The dosa 
• Aloo masala 
• Fiery red chutney

Please excuse  me for the not very great presentation as we all like to eat our dosas piping hot and continuing a prolonged photosoot would make the dosa soggy and lose the crunch :-( 

You can serve this with sambar and chutney but I like mine with molgapudi and coconut chutney , so that is what you are seeing in the picture. 

Preparation time - 45mins 

**considering dosa batter is ready on hand

Cooking Time - 30 mins

**inclusive of preparing the aloo masala 

Complexity - medium 

Serves - 3 to 4 

Ingredients

Aloo Masala 

4 to 5 medium sized potatoes

1 medium onion chopped 

1 tsp finely chopped ginger 

2 green chillies finely chopped 

1 tsp mustard seeds 

1 tsp channa dal

1 tsp udad dhall

1/2 tsp turmeric 

Asafoetida as needed

Salt as needed 

Freshly chopped corriander 

Red chutney

8 to 10 byadgi chillies 

Small piece of tamarind 

2 tsp chutney dhall 

Salt as needed

1 tsp jaggery 

Dosa 

Dosa batter as needed 

Oil to make dosas 

Method 

Red chutney

• Soak the red chillies and tamarind in warm water for about 20 mins.
• Slightly squeeze out the water and blend the chillies , tamarind, chutney dal(fried gram) , salt and jaggery to a fine paste .
• Donot add too much water while grinding as the chutney  has to be of flowing consistency so as to spread easily on the dosa .
• Those who like garlic can add one or two cloves of garlic while grinding. 
• Keep this chutney aside or refrigerate it incase you are going to prepare the dosas later during the day.

Aloo Masala / Aloo gadde palya

• Wash the potatoes nicely, cut them into half and pressure cook with enough water .
• Cool the potatoes ,peel and crumble it roughly.
• In a pan , heat some oil and crackle mustard seeds followed by channa dhall and udad dhall until they turn golden brown. 
• Fry the green chillies and ginger with asafoetida .
• If using onions, saute them until they turn pink else skip this step. 
• Add turmeric, salt and the crumbled potatoes and mix it well .
• Add about 2 tbsp of water , pinch of sugar and cook for another 3 to 4 mins . 
• Garnish with coriander leaves and keep it ready .

Preparation of Mysore Masala dosa

Heat a tawa and spread the dosa batter on it such a way that the center is slightly thick .

Drizzle some oil around the dosa and let it cook for a minute. 

Now smear the chutney over the dosa as much as you like.

Place some aloo masala in the center and spread it slightly. By now, the dosa would have cooked nice and crisp from the underside . It is now time to roll the dosa and serve hot .

Using a spatula , run it around the edges of the dosa and lightly lift it. 

With the help of your hands and spatula for support,start rolling the dosa from one end and proceed till the end .

Serve it hot with chutney, sambar , molagapudi and a dollop of butter if you want to have butter mysore masala dosa. 

FAQs on Dosa batter 

Can we use idli batter to make dosa?

Yes ..no problem . I generally grind a common batter and use it for both idli and dosa .

Can dosa be made from freshly ground batter ?

You can prepare, but the taste will  differ when the batter is fermented well . The mild sourness after fermentation will make the dosa taste yummy and also come out crunchy and crisp. 

How to prepare Dosa Batter at home ?

You can grind the batter either in the Mixer/Mixi/blender or using the wet grinder. There is a mild difference in the proportion of ingredients used when you are using the mixie to grind the batter as against the wet grinder.  When the batter is ground in a wet grinder, the udad dhall gets ground very well to a bouncy texture and yields a good amount where as when we grind it in a mixie the udad dhall tends to yield a lesser quantity as the mixie tends to get heated up due to heat.

How to grind batter in mixie ?

You can refer to this recipe of mine which is a tried and tested recipe and gives soft idlis, crispy dosas and fluffy paniyarams.

 Recipe here

How to grind batter in a wet grinder ?

Different tried and tested proportions for getting a perfect idli/dosa batter

Proportion 1 

2.5 cups idli rice

1.5 cups regular rice (except  basmati)

1 cup whole udad dhall (udad dhall gota)

1 tsp methi seeds 

 

Proportion 2 

3 cups idli rice

1 cup regular rice (except basmati)

1 cup whole udad dhall (udad dhall gota)

1 tsp methi seeds 

Proportion 3 

3 cups idli rice 

1 cup udad dhall (udad dhall gota)

1 tsp methi seeds .

Video recipe to grind in a wet grinder.

** If you don't find full udad dhall , you can use split udad dhall . 

** Proportion to use 1 cup and  a handful of split udad dhall.

** if idli rice is not available you can use idli rava in the same Proportion. 

**never use basmati rixe or any rice that has a natural fragrance as it will spoil the taste of the dosa or idli 

Accompaniments for the dosa. 

Coconut chutney    

Tomato Chutney  

Idli Molagapudi

 

Masala Khichiya Papad - Satvik & Vegan

Masala papad needs absolutely no special introduction as it is now one of the most ordered starter or rather filler at any Indian restaurant.  

Today , we shall see a different variant of Masala papad using khichiya papad . This papad is a speciality of Gujarat region and Masala Khichiya papad has gained popularity as a delectable street food .

What is Khichiya Papad ?

Papads made out of rice flour as main ingredient is known as Khichiya in gujarati . Papad khar a special type of salt is used in the making of these papads ..papad khar has salt and some amount of soda bi carb and baking soda which help in making of papads.

These papads are rolled into medium thick rotis and dried under the sun until crisp and moisture free.They are then stored in airtight containers 

How is khichiya papad made?

Traditionally, rice flour along with salt and spices is slowly added to boiling water and using a ladle it is mixed well without lumps till it comes together like a dough.

The dough is kneaded further with hands and then steamed in a steamer for 12 to 15 mins.

Once it is bearable to touch , small balls are pinched out of this dough and the rolled into medium thick rotis and sun dried until crisp.

Do we have different flavors in Khichiya papad? 

There are many variants . Some of which I  have tasted are listed below.

Saadha (plain) Khichiya papad

No extra added flavors except salt .

Spicy khichiya 

 It is spiced up using red chili powder or green chillies .  The red chilli variants looks slightly reddish in color due to the chilli powder being added where as the green chilli variant has just a paste of green chillies added to the basic dough before rolling it out .

 Pudina khichiya 

 Paste of mint leaves and green chillies is added to the dough while kneading and then rolled out. This variety will have a mild greenish color after frying.

Garlic khichiya

Flavored with some garlic paste to the dough .

Jeera / Ajwain khichiya

Either jeera (cumin) or ajwain(carom) seeds are added to the dough as flavoring agents or at times a combination of both are added. 

How to eat khichiya papad ?

The sundried papads are either roasted on open flame or deep fried and served as a snack or an accompaniment with lunch or dinner .

Traditionally they were roasted on burning charcoal and topped with some ghee and red chilli powder .

Today's recipe is all about how to make a tasty , crunchy and lipsmacking masala khichiya papad at home just like the ones served at the street food carts. This can serve as a perfect tea time snack or small hunger pangs for the kids who are now attending online classes from home .

I have used store bought sun dried khichiya papads and today we shall see how to make masala papad using fried khichiya papad.

Preparation Time : 10 mins

Frying time : 30 sec per papad

Serves -1 papad per person

Complexity: simple

Ingredients

Khichiya papad as much as needed 

Finely chopped cucumber 

Finely chopped tomatoes

Finely chopped onions (optional) 

Sev as needed 

Fried channa dhall 

Finely chopped corriander 

Green chutney as needed 

Some chat masala

Some red chilli powder .

Method

• Fry or roast the khichiya papads and keep ready.
• Take one papad , place it on a plate .
• Spread some tomatoes, cucumber, sev , fried channa dhall. 
• Drizzle some green chutney all over . Don't spread too much chutney as you will lose the crunch quickly .
• Sprinkle chat masala , red chilli powder and garnish with finely chopped corriander and serve immediately. 
• You can drizzle some dates tamarind (meetha) chutney if you like .

Linking this to Valli's Kids' Delight event hosted by Kalyani this month for Monsoon Special.

Basic Kadai/Kadhai Gravy| कड़ाही मसाला - Vegan

Kadhai Paneer , Mix Veg Kadhai , Kadhai Mattar , Kadhai Mushroom ..... aren't these some of the delicious gravies that are on your order list during luncheons or Dineins at your favorite restaurant? 

 I know I am must have gotten you all salivating as you read this and most of you may be rebuking me for reminding you off these yummy items when we cannot even think of going out to dine considering the present scenario...

Well, don't fret ..what if I told you that you  can make these tasty gravies at home and enjoy with your family ?

All you have to do is prepare the base gravy and keep it ready .Now, to it you can add your favorite veggies or sautéed mushrooms, boiled peas or sautéed paneer and capsicums and viola your favorite kadai gravy is ready. 

I must thank Preethi of Preethi's cuisine who came up with this idea of blogging Basic Curry /gravy recipes used in Indian Cuisine for our Foodie Monday Bloghop this week . Preethi has some amazing recipes on her blog and if you are a beetroot lover you must visit  her blog to see the varieties she tries  with beetroot.  What fascinated me the most,is her Jujubees made using Dragon Fruit. The color is simply stunning and I could keep looking at it rather than pop into my mouth.

How did I think of Kadhai/Kadai gravy ?

Theme for week 256 was finalized as "Desi Base Curries" and soon I started racking my brains and started looking up cook books  and some age old hand written recipes written by Amma and while doing so I suddenly recollected a recipe which Amma had told me verbally.  I had a fair idea of all the ingredients and masala that go into it ,but little did I know that it was the basic Kadhai masala until I saw a few Kadhai recipes in my fav Tarla Dalal's cook book and concluded that mom's recipe is perfect for this theme.  It is always the Mom who comes to the rescue ..don't you all agree ?

You can make this gravy in advance and freeze it for future use .

You may also want to try my basic gravy for making Veg Makhanwala , Mutter Paneer , Kosta curry etc which are mildly spiced and slightly sweet as it makes use of Tomatoes and cashews in the making of the curry .

How to use the frozen Masala gravy ? 

• Bring down the container to the refrigerator section from the freezer  atleast 2 to 3 hrs before use, then remove the desired quantity and let it thaw while you can refreeze the balance.  
• However try to utilize it quickly as thawing and freezing time and again isn't good .
• The other option is pack them into 2 or 3 separate containers wherein the contents of 1 container can be used for single time 

What did I make using this Kadhai Masala?

I prepared a lip-smacking Kadhai Mutter (peas) gravy and paired it with hot phulkas for dinner.

Next time I plan to make hubby's fav Kadhai paneer with tri colored bell peppers .

Preparation Time : 10 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Complexity: medium

Serves : 3 to 4

Ingredients 

4 medium sized tomatoes 

2 tsp finely chopped garlic (optional)

7 to 8 kahsmiri chillies or byadgi  chillies 

1 tbsp dhaniya /coriander seeds 

1 tsp jeera /cumin

1 tsp kasuri methi 

1/2 tsp haldi 

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

2 tablespoon oil 

Salt as needed 

2 to 3 green chillies 

Method

Dry roast the chillies , dhaniya and jeera in a hot pan and blend it to a fine powder after cooling the roasted ingredients. 

Blend 2 tomatoes into a fine puree in a blender and the other 2 tomatoes needs to be chopped finely . Chop the green chillies as well. Adjust the quantity of green chillies to suit your spice level.

Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped tomatoes and chillies along with haldi powder , red chilli powder and garam masala.Let it cook until mushy . If you plan to freeze this gravy for future use , then add some extra oil which will act as preservative .

Note : If  using garlic, then fry the garlic in oil first and then add the chopped tomatoes 

Never use onion in the base gravy if you are going to freeze it .The onions tend to spoil the gravy or give a foul smell after a few days .

Once ,the tomatoes turn mushy and soft, add in the tomato puree and continue cooking till the raw flavor of the tomato is lost .Add 3 tsps of  freshly ground masala powder , kasuri methi and salt and continue cooking till the oil separates from the gravy and forms a nice layer .

Keep stirring in between to prevent the gravy from sticking to the pan and cook on medium flame .

Now , your basic gravy is ready . It is best when consumed fresh, but incase you plan to freeze it, then let it cool completely, use a dry and clean spoon to pack into a food grade container and then freeze it .

How to make Kadhai Mutter/कड़ाही मटर?

• Boil about 1.5 cups or 100gms of frozen peas or fresh peas and add it to this gravy .
• Let it simmer for 5 to 6 minutes until the peas absorbs the flavors of the masala.
• Transfer it to a serving bowl, garnish with fresh corriander and serve it hot with rice or rotis.
• You can heat a little oil , saute the onions until pink and add it to the gravy along with the boiled peas . 

Linking this to week #256 - Desi Base curries 

Rajma Masala - Vegan,Saatvik Version

Indian cuisines make use of legumes and beans in a wide range .Each region has their own special recipe of incorporating beans/legumes as part of daily diet .

The soaked beans are packed with a lot of nutrients and are a very rich source of protein.These come really handy when we are out of veggies or during the rainy season when we are unable to go out and buy fresh vegetables for our daily cooking. 

Why do we have to soak the beans? 

• Soaking of beans for min 8 hrs or overnight ensures that the complex sugars present in them are broken down and it makes it easy to digest .
• Soaking also ensures quick cooking and less time and fuel spent in kitchen. 

How to soak the beans ?

• Take the beans in a colander and remove any visible pebbles or any other debris.
• Rinse it well under running water and transfer to a wide bowl and fill it with clean water .The beans must be immersed completely in water and ensure there is atleast 2inches water above the beans.
• The beans  will swell up nicely after getting soaked overnight , so make sure the soaking bowl is wide enough. 
• Before cooking, discard the soaked water , rinse it once again in fresh water and the beans are ready to be cooked.  
• These soaked beans can be packed in ziploc bags or freezer safe containers and stored in the freezer for future use .
• Soaked beans stay well for 45 days in the freezer .

Today's recipe is a Vegan-No Onion No garlic version which can be prepared on the days of special pooja or vrat when one is forbidden from partaking onion and garlic. 

If you are a rajma lover like me , do try the Rajma Pulao and Rajma Masala (with O n G) featured on my blog. For an International experience, try the yummy and cheesy Bean Corn Quessedila 

Today , since it is all about how to prepare Rajma Masala , I will give you the details on how to cook the rajma beans perfectly . Each bean has a different texture and the time taken to cook depends on how hard the bean is .

Which variety of Rajma to use ?

• There are various varieties of rajma available in the market but I prefer to buy the small sized rajma which is dark in color and is a produce of Jammu . It is called as Jammu Rajma having a very nice taste and flavor . This variety gets cooked well too.
• You can use the variety that you are comfortable with and is available in your region.

How to cook Rajma ?

• Soaking rajma for minimum 8 to 10 hrs is a must.  This definitely helps in easy cooking and also makes it easy to digest .
• Discard the soaked water , rinse it once again in clean water and pressure cook with enough water for 8 to 10 whistles.  
• You can turn off the cooker after 8 whistles and check if it is done else cook for another 2 or 3 whistles if you feel it is underdone.

Soaking Time - 8 to 10hrs

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Complexity - medium

Serves - 2 to 3 

Ingredients 

150 gms rajma 

2 tomatoes pureed 

Small piece ginger (skip for jain version)

Salt as needed 

1 tsp red chilli powder 

1/2 tsp haldi powder

2 tbsp oil

To roast and grind

1tbsp dhaniya 

7 to 8 dried kashmiri red chilli /byadgi chilli 

1 tsp jeera or cumin 

2 to 3bay leaves/tejpatta

2 to 3 cloves/lavang

1 small green cardamom /elaichi

Small stick cinnamon/dalchini 

Method 

Soak the rajma for minimum 8hrs and pressure cook until soft . Puree the tomatoes with the ginger and keep ready .

Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned under "roast and grind" and blend it into a fine powder in a blender. 

In a kadai heat some oil , pour the tomato puree , add the haldi powder and red chilli powder and let the mixture cook till the oil begins to separate from the gravy .

At this stage , add the freshly ground masala powder and salt and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Lastly add the boiled rajma beans to this gravy , mix well and let it simmer for another 3 to 4 mins. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with rotis or jeera rice.

Note:

Add the spice powder depending on how spicy you would like your gravy to be. The remaining spice powder can be stored for future use .

Pin it up for future

Pudina Chaas | Mint Buttermilk

The bacterial fermentation of milk using a starter culture is what gives us Yogurt or what we call as Curd/Dahi in India . This bacteria  present in the culture acts on the lactose in the milk during the process of fermentation and that is how Dahi is formed. This video on my YouTube channel demonstrates how to set thick Yogurt /Dahi at home. 

It is only in India where we use the term Curd for  home made yogurt while Curd actually refers to the part left after the curdling of the milk by adding an external substance like vinegar or lime or citric acid . Paneer or Chenna is the product that is got after the milk undergoes coagulation or curdling. 

 An Indian meal is never complete without the Dahi component in some form or the other . South Indians love to end their meal with some yummy curd rice with pickle while the North Indians love to end their meal with some chilled Chaas or sweet lassi . 

If you all are wondering why so much detailing about Curd/Dahi , it is because this week in our Foodie Monday Bloghop group, the theme is Curd or Dahi . We were given a choice by Poonam  to select between Tomato based or curd based recipes and needless to say Curd won the votes hands down and we named this week as Dahi Delights .. Poonam who blogs at Annapurna has some amazing recipes on her blog which you must definitely check but as it is curd based theme , do try her Curd Quinoa which is inspired from the famous curd rice /thayir saadham.  A fantastic twist using Quinoa . 

Use of Dahi in Indian Cuisine

Apart from lassi or chaas , Dahi is used in a lot of main stream dishes in both South as well as north Indian cuisine . There are many such lip-smacking famous recipes on my blog and I shall share the links in this post which you must try if you are  a dahi lover like me . 

Kerala special

Aviyal 

Kaalan

Mambazha (Mango) Mor kootan 

Tamilnadu Special

Morekuzhambu 

Irupuli Kuzhambu 

Mor Rasam 

Curd Rice/Thayir Saadham

Gujurat Special

Gujarati Kadhi 

Fajeto (Aam  Kadhi)

Karnataka Special

Udupi Majjige Huli 

Raita Varieties 

Mix veg raita 

Kumaoni Raita 

Sweet potato pachadi /raita

What is chaas/buttermilk?

Chaas is whisked yogurt that is diluted with some water  and seasoned with salt and some mild spices like cumin powder, asafoetida , jaljeera etc .Neer mor is the south Indian version of chaas and has ginger , curry leaves, green chillies as flavoring agent

Today's recipe is nothing complicated or fancy but a very flavorful Pudina or Mint flavored buttermilk which is very very refreshing on a hot summer afternoon. Mint as we know has a lot of health  benefits especially related to aiding digestion and preventing stomach disorders. Summers are time when we need to keep our body and stomach cool , which is why this pudina chaas is all the more recommended. 

Buttermilk Variations

Neer mor ,

Vazhaithandu Mor (Banana Stem BM)

Masala Chaas 

Preparation Time - 5 mins 

Cooking Time - Nil 

Complexity easy 

Makes - 500 to 600ml.

Ingredients 

10 to 12 fresh mint leaves 

1 small green chilly

Small piece of ginger 

200 ml or 2 cups thick curd /dahi 

400 ml chilled water 

Salt as needed 

Pinch of black salt 

Method 

• Blend the mint leaves , chilly,ginger and salt with little water into a fine paste and set aside 
• Whisk the curd using an electric beater or manual whisk till it appears creamy.  
• Add the ground mint paste, salt , black salt and chilled water and whisk it again until it appears nice and frothy. Adjust salt based on your need.
• Pour into glasses and enjoy with your meal or keep it refrigerated until your lunch time.

Note

1. Don't use sour curd as it will change the taste of the buttermilk .
2. Preferably use freshly set curd and make sure you whisk it properly so that the cream blends with the curd and doesn't float on top .
3. You can also add some coriander while grinding the paste for added flavor .

linking this to foodie Monday bloghop week #255 - Dahi Delights 

Masala Puri | Masal Puri - Karnataka Spl Street Food

Masal Puri as it is coloquially called is a street food which originated in Karnataka and famous across the southern states of Tamil Nadu,Kerala , Andhra and slowly gaining popularity with street food Lovers . Masala Puri can be called as a close cousin of Ragda Puri which is another popular street snack served in Bombay where the ragda is prepared using Yellow dried peas. 

The speciality of Masal Puri is the tasty Masala which is prepared  by soaking the dry green peas and the cooking it with a blend of spices.  This piping hot spicy masala is poured over crushed puris and garnished with some sweet and spicy chutneys along with chopped onions , tomatoes, grates carrots and finally and handful of crunchy mixture /farsan is spread over the chaat and served.  

The melange of flavors and the warm masala over the crunchy puris which have become partly soggy is a feast to the taste buds and you must eat it atleast once to know what it feels like .

Doesn't all this description get you drooling and make you want to have a bite right away ?

Well, worry not with a little pre preparation you can prepare this lip-smacking Masal Puri at home and enjoy with your family and friends. 

Some of the famous lip-smacking street food recipes on my blog which you would love to try 

Masala Papad 

Frankie / Aloo Roll 

Bhelpuri - Mumbai Style 

Cheese Grill Sandwich 

Pani Puri 

Pav Bhaji 

What are the main elements that go into Masal Puri ? 

• Masala made using soaked green peas . There can be many ways to do this, but I will share the recipe which we all like at home and is closest to what we have had food joints . You can make your permutations and combinations by adjusting the spice levels or even use mixed sprouts instead of just soaked green peas .
• Pani Puris to be crushed and use while preparing Masal Puri.
• Chutneys  - Green chutney and Sweet Chutney 
• Finely chopped onions, tomatoes ,cucumbers and some grated carrots .Skip onion for the satvik version
• Handful of spicy mixture of farsan and some roasted groundnuts 

Soaking Time - 8 to 10 hrs 

Preparation Time - 20 mins 

Cooking Time - 40 mins

Complexity -  Simple 

Ingredients 

100 gms soaked dry green peas

1 medium size potato  boiled and peeled

2 medium tomatoes chopped 

1 small cucumber chopped 

1 small carrot peeled and grated 

1 medium onion finely chopped (optional)

1 cup spicy mixture or farsan

10 to 15 fried pani puris (or as much as you need)

2 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder 

1 tsp dhaniya powder

Salt as needed

Finely chopped coriander

2 tsp oil 

1/2 tsp jeera 

2 green chillies finely chopped 

Finely chopped ginger 

Method 

How to prepare the Masala ?

• Pressure cook the soaked green peas with some salt until it is soft and slightly mushy.
• In a pan , heat oil splutter the jeera and fry the green chillies and ginger . 
• To this add the dry masalas (garam masala, red chilli powder, dhaniya powder) and fry on low heat for 30 seconds taking care not to burn it.
• Pour the boiled peas along with the water to this spice mixture along with potato crumbled and mix it well.
• Add about 2 cups of water and adjust salt if needed and bring it to a nice boil. The masala should have pouring consistency.  
• Garnish with coriander and keep aside. 

Preparation of Chutneys 

Meetha /Dates Tamarind chutney
8-10 dates - remove the seed or use seedless

lemon sized tamarind
2-3 tablespoon powdered jaggery
1-2 tsp roasted jeera powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
pinch of salt.

Method

• In a big vessel, add the dates and tamarind with 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil for 5 mins. Let it cool well.
• Put them in a blender and grind it well and sieve it through a strainer.
• To this thick extract, add the jaggery , red chilli powder,salt,jeera powder and about  1 cup water and bring it to a slight boil .
• Once it cools down, you can refrigerate this chutney.

Theekha (Spicy Green) Chutney 

half a bunch fresh corriander / cilantro
1/4 bunch of pudina / mint
Few cashew nuts or raw peanuts
3-4 green chillies
1 tbsp lime juice
salt as per taste
pinch of  black salt
Pinch of sugar

Method

• Blend all the ingredients except salt and black salt in a blender / mixie with minimal water only if needed.The lime juice does the needful.
• Finally add the black salt and normal salt and mix well.
• Store and refrigerate in a dry air tight container and use a dry spoon for prolonged shelf life.

How to assemble the Masalpuri /Masala Puri?

• Crush about 6 or 7 pani puris on a plate. 
• Pour about 2 to 3 ladles of the warm green peas masala over it and a few spoonful of sweet and spicy chutney.
• Spread the chopped tomatoes, onions , cucumber, grated carrot and spicy mixture. 
• Lastly garnish with fresh coriander and roasted peanuts for extra crunch.
• Enjoy it warm with a cup of Masala Tea .

Sabudana (साबूदाना) Vada | Sago Fritters| Jawwarsi Vadai

Sabudana Vada is a famous and traditional deep fried snack of Maharashtra which is served hot along with green chutney and sweetened curd .These Vadas taste good when eaten hot ;crispy on the outside and soft from inside . 

In other parts of India ,especially Northern India , sabudana or sago is consumed as a part of their fasting meal or vrat menu . Various items are prepared using Sabudana like sabudana kheer, sabudana khichdi , sabudana farali mixture.  Hindu month of Shravan/Aashada  , Navratri , Janmashtami , Ekadasi are some events when people fast and perform special poojas and partake this divine meal after offering to the Lord. 

What is Faraal ? 

Faraal /Faral generally refers to snacks but most commonly this term is used for menu prepared during the days of Vrat or fasting . 

On these special days , devout Hindus abstain from eating onion , garlic , rice and many more items depending on the cultural  and regional background. 

In northern India  ; sago /sabudana, potatoes , buckwheat/amaranth/rajgira flour, arrowroot, peanuts , varai thandool (barnyard millet) , sweet potatoes,yam are permitted as part of the fasting menu while in southern India people abstain from eating rice, onion, garlic and try to have something prepared out of rava /semolina or wheat .Basically a satvik meal is partaken. 

In addition, some people avoid sugar and table salt and prefer to use jaggery and rock salt /shendha namak/व्रत  (vrat) ka namak while preparing the menu for fasting . 

As I said , potatoes and sabudana are widely used in preparation of Faraal . 2 famous faraali items from gujarati/maharashtrian cuisine featured on my blog are very commonly prepared for the vrat .

Faraali Pattice 

Sabudana Chiwda / Faraali Chiwda

This Monday's theme for our Foodie Monday Bloghop is Faraali Farmaish suggested by our co blogger Kalyani of Sizzling Tastebuds. Do try her recipe on Faraali Dosa which is really tempting and on my bookmark list. 

Now , without further delay , let us get on to the recipe of how to prepare sabudana vada .

How to soak the sabudana/tapioca/jawwarsi perfectly?

• Take the sabudana in a wide mouthed vessel and rinse it once or twice under running water .
• Pour water such that the sabudana gets immersed well and there is about 1/2 inch water above it .
• After about 6 hrs you can see the pearls have absorbed the water and swollen up beautifully. 
• If you press one pearl between your fingers it should be soft and easily mashable. This is the perfectly soaked sabudana.

Preparation Time - 6 to 7 hrs 

Cooking Time - 20 mins

Makes - 10 to 12 vadas

Complexity - simple 

Ingredients 

100 gms sabudana /sago/tapioca pearls

2 small potatoes boiled 

2 tbsp roasted and crushed peanuts

3 to 4 green chillies finely chopped

Handful of coriander finely chopped

Rock salt/vrat ka namak/regular salt

1 tsp sugar 

2 tsp lime juice 

Method 

• Soak the sabudana for about 6 hours or until they are soft but firm . It should not become soggy . 
• Peel the potatoes and crumble it roughly with your hands .
• In a mixing bowl, take the soaked sabudana, crumbled potatoes , crushed peanuts, chopped chillies , salt,sugar, lemon juice , coriander and mix it well such that all the ingredients are mixed well.  
• Don't make it like a dough because we want the pearls to be intact while frying . That is the beauty of these vadas.
• Keep this mixture in the fridge for about 30 to 40 mins . This step will help in shaping the patty well and oil absorption will also be less. 
• Take it out of the fridge, grease your palm and take a little mixture and flatten it like a patty or you can also fry them as balls . 
• If frying as balls, frying time will be more because the inside will take more time to cook hence always the patty form is preferred. 
• Heat the oil well and drop in the vadas one by one carefully in the hot oil. 
• Initially keep the flame on high, then slowly reduce to medium and fry by flipping both sides until crisp and golden brown.
• Serve it hot with sweetened curd if you are preparing for vrat /उपवास/upwas  or with green chutney or sauce on normal days. 

Linking it to Foodie Monday Bloghop week #254 - Farali Farmaish