Free Spirit Cooking: Mysore Bajji / Mysore Bonda

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You all must have read this post sometime last month. It was Mads who was introducing to the world about we, the *free-spirit-bloggers*...

..."Free-spirit Bloggers (FSB) is a closed-group of 8 bloggers. (Mads, Anu, DK, Nags, Lataji, Deepti, Mittu and myself) Every month, the FSB group will pick a theme and share eight appropriate tongue-ticking recipes with you by the month-end. Be it dishes/bakes, we’re all going to be sharing different recipes each but we will still be sticking to the central premise of the theme that month. Let me give you examples of the kind of exciting themes you can look forward to in the coming months – We each pick a personal favourite Chef and cook a signature dish of his/her’s. We each share a family heirloom recipe. We each choose a personal vice and create a dish/bake based on it (How about a slow-cooker dish from the lazy-bum? Or an eye-popping chocolate treat from the sinner?!!). You get the drift? It IS different. The themes chosen will just act as a guide and not suffocate those creative juices. It also gives each blogger the flexibility to cook/bake according to their personal choice, style and palette so every month, we churn out a potpourri of veritable recipes for you guys to devour from......" 

I had to miss the first edition of FSB as were in amidst of moving countries and as of today, still settling in Bangalore, what we call our new home. :-). I couldn't afford to miss the second one which was chosen by dear Nags.

Here is the challenge, in brief in her own words -

- I want us all to cook (or bake) up *savory* appetizers.
- The appetizer should be easy to make in bulk (think party for 50 people)
- Mark the preparation and cooking time separately in your post if you don't already
- You can make the preps over a day or more, but cooking or baking on final day should be relatively quick.
- It can be baked, deep fried, pan fried, steamed, all up to you.

Only two conditions is that it should be savory, an appetizer, and fit for a party.

Mysore Bajji [Mysore Bonda]

Now, that is an interesting one. Isn't it as we all are in constant look out for such recipes whenever we have to cook for a (potluck) party. Though I don't have yet, a kitchen which I can say as my own, I borrowed my mom's kitchen for couple of hours to make this appetizer. She always whips up this absolutely delicious bajji/bonda every time we ask for. It is deep-fried. It is savory. It is very easy to make in bulk - a perfect fit for any occasion. that said - it meets both the conditions of Nags challenge. :-)

Let's dig in then....shall we....

Mysore Bajji [Mysore Bonda]

Mysore bonda or Mysore bajji, as it is popularly known is one of the favorite snacks from Mysore cuisine. These are usually made for breakfast/brunch, so does my mom since we were little. It tastes the best when it is served with coconut chutney that is normally accompanied with idlis or dosas.

Recipe Adapted from my mom.

Ingredients:

2 cups of all purpose flour (maida)

1/4 cup yogurt (perugu)

1/2 cup shredded coconut (fresh or frozen) (kobbari turumu)

1/2 tsp baking soda (soda uppu)

2-3 green chillies (pachi mirapakayalu)

1 inch ginger (allam)

salt - to taste (uppu)

neutral tasting oil such as canola - to deep fry (noone)

Preparation:

1. The night before you wish to make these bajjis - Soak flour, yogurt and add about 3/4 cup of water little by little and mix. Note: Donot add the water all-together. Make sure the consistency is like a loose (chapati) dough not like idli or dosa batter. You should be able to make a small ball out of it. Keep covered.

2. The next day, coarsely grind - 1/2 c shreded coconut with green chillies and ginger. 

3. In a medium-sized bowl mix well (without any lumps) - flour-yogurt mixture with coconut-green chilli-ginger paste, baking soda and salt.

4. Heat oil in a wok. To test if it is ready, make a very tiny ball of dough and drop it. it should fluff up and rise to the top.

5. Lightly water your hands and make small lemon sized balls out of the dough. Drop them into the oil, carefully. Fry them until golden brown. Put them on paper towels so that the excess oil is drained off. Serve with any chutney or just as-is.

This is how the mysore bajji looks, when split open - 

These can be made anytime of the day. All that needs to be done is soak the flour a night before. If you are short of time, use self raising flour to make the dough instead of the normal all purpose flour. No need to ferment then in yogurt and alternatively water can be used, though I would recommend yogurt for that slight tanginess.

Now, who wants to grab these little beauties right out of the screen and pop them into their mouths..I sure want to.

Don't forget to check out which of the tasty appetizers did the other FSB members make for you all - 

Mads 

Anu 

DK 

Nags 

Lataji 

Deepti 

Mittu

Enjoy..

cya all next time,
Siri

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Black-eyed peas (Bobbarlu) Kootu

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Eat poor that day, eat rich the rest of the year.
Rice for riches and peas for peace.
~ a Southern saying on eating a dish of Hoppin' John on New Year's Day.

I'll be honest with you guys. I heard, for the first time only about a week ago - about the Hoppin' John & the tradition of serving black-eyed peas for New Year...and the legend of the Hoppin' John dish goes something like this -

"It was the custom for children to gather in the dining room as the dish was brought forth and h op around the table before sitting down to eat.  A man named John came "a-hoppin" when his wife took the dish from the stove. An obscure South Carolina custom was inviting a guest to eat by saying, "Hop in, John". The dish goes back at least as far as 1841, when, according to tradition, it was hawked in the streets of Charleston, South Carolina by a crippled black man who was know as Hoppin' John."

Picking up the fact that the black-eyed-peas especially when served on New Year bring good luck, I made a very delightful black eyed peas kootu.

Well, following the tradition, I made sure this year we had black eyed peas & rice on the table. I hope this would bring us truck loads of luck and good health. :-)

Kootu/Koottu is typically a South-Indian delicacy. Usually made with shredded coconut, lentils and/or vegetables with an array of aromatic spices, it is a delight to eat it for lunch or dinner. This dish makes use of a kootu podi (Step 2) which is very versatile and can be used with other vegetable curries like potato, eggplant etc. I saw this dish made on a TV show featuring some kannadiga recipes. Served with rice, rotis or even dosas, it tastes delicious and very nutritious too.

Black-eyed peas (Bobbarlu) Kootu

Preparation:

Step 1: Grind to paste: (1 onion, chopped + 3-4 red chillies + 1 cup shredded coconut).

Step 2: Dry roast and Grind to a powder - ( 1 tbsp poppy seeds + 1 tsp fenugreek seeds + 1 tbsp urad dal + 1 tbsp chana dal + 1 tbsp sesame seeds + 1 tbsp coriander seeds + 2 tbsp peanuts)

Step 3: Boil 1 cup of black-eyed peas with 3-4 cups of water until tender. If using canned beans, drain & rinse.

Step 4: In a small bowl, take 4-5 tablespoons of kootu podi prepared in Step 2 with 1/2 cup of tamarind water. Make sure there are no lumps. Keep aside.

Step 5: Heat 1 tsp of oil in a wide skillet and add in 1 tsp of mustard seeds, until they start to crackle. Stir in 1 tsp of ginger-garlic paste and onion-coconut paste that we prepared in Step 1. Cover and cook for 2-3 mins on medium heat. Then add the (kootu podi + tamarind water) mixture. Mix the contents well. Add little water if desired. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Step 6: Season with salt, turmeric and finally add the boiled black-eyed peas. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occassionally. Add 1/2 tsp of ghee and Serve hot with roti or rice.

[Edited February 2nd 2011] - My entry won a cookbook and a case of six bags of the winner's choice of Hurst Bean products in the random draw for this event. Looks like my Hoppin'n John turned out to be truly lucky. Thanks Simona and Susan. 

I am sending this off as an entry to MLLA 31, this month guest hosted by Simona & originally started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

Note: This month the theme for Healing Foods event is our beloved "Eggplant" and is being graciously guest hosted by Kavita. Click here for more participation details.

until next time,
Siri

Brown Rice Bisibelebath

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There are some recipes which sound just flawless, like this luscious, creamy lentil dish. When best of the two worlds meet and make love, this is what we get (to eat): (Brown Rice + Bisibelebath). I recommend to make this ultra simple bisibelebath powder at home instead of getting some store-bought brand. Go for the latter, only if you fall short of time. I have tried to make this recipe with both and the difference is very evident. Replace the *white glucose coated rice* with such healthy whole-grains as much as you can. Trust me, you will do better, you will feel better & you will automatically eat just right!

The Making of Brown Rice Bisibelebath 

This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite bloggers - Madhuram of Eggless Cooking. In my quest to find wholesome recipes using brown rice, I found this and loved it. The rice and dal proportions are just perfect and once fully cooked, there is no so chewy, gummy texture to the brown rice. All we taste is how smooth and silky the cooked dal coats the rice & with 4 full servings of veggies, this is a one-pot meal in itself.

creamy, delicious, silky textured bisibelebath..

Serves 4 -6

Preparation:

Wash and Soak 1.5 cup of brown rice with 1 cup of toor dal in 7 cups of warm water for atleast 20 minutes. Tranfer the same into a pressure cooker , on medium heat and cook until 5 whistles. Take off from burner and set aside until pressure completely dies down.

Bisibelebath powder: Meanwhile, in a small pan, heat 2 teaspoon of ghee, and roast one-by-one : 2 tbsp of chana dal, 1 tbsp of urad dal, 2 tbsp of coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds, 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns, 4 to 5 cloves, 2 inch broken cinnamon stick, 4 red chillies and 2 tbsp of grated coconut. Cool a bit and grind into a fine powder. We will not use all-of-it for this recipe. I had to use about half of it and saved the rest in a air tight container.

In a wide pan, heat 2 tsp of oil, add 2 tsp of mustard seeds, until they start to crackle. Then drop curry leaves, 2 cloves of minced garlic and 1 medium onion, thinly sliced. Saute for 4-5 mins until they become a bit translucent and then add all the veggies you want. - I used carrots, green beans, drumsticks, tomatoes, yam, cucumber, snake gourd and mango pieces, about 4 cups. Cook for 5-6 mins.

Then add 3 tbsp of tamarind juice (or more depending on your tanginess you want). Cook for couple of minutes more. Add about 3-4 tbsp of bisibelebath masala powder. (recipe above). Mix well and add 1 cup of water if desired. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Finally add the rice & dal mixture and season with salt. Add 1 tsp of sugar (optional). On low flame, let it simmer for 3-4 mins more (make sure the bottom is not burnt). Serve as-is or with yogurt and/or appadams on the side, like we did.

Notes: Make the bisibelebath powder, in advance and store it in a air tight container in fridge, for it to stay fresh. 

Hope you have a fun-filled week ahead.

[Update] - sending this the event I am guest hosting "WWC: Brown Rice" originally conceptualized by Sanjeeta .

until next time,
Siri

Hesaru Bele Tovve : RCI Karnataka

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To be honest: "I knew nothing about the Karnataka cuisine untill couple of days. I knew just the names of the recipes.." ..:D
But, now .....with so many Karnataka recipes flying over the blogosphere, I am well versed with both the names and preparation of most of the recipes of Kannadiga cuisine. Thanks to RCI and Aashaji for hosting such wonderful event.



Here is my entry to RCI: Karnataka Event : Hesaru Bele Tovve. (had to refer : Glossary)




Ingredients:

Hesaru bele(Moong dal) split - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 2-3
Ginger - a small piece
Salt - to taste
Turmeric -1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Curry Leaves - few

For Tempering: Oil, Mustard seeds, Urad seeds, Cumin seeds, Red Chillies and Hing.

Preparation:

1. Cook hesaru bele (moong dal) and grind it along with ginger, green chilles and grated coconut.
2. In a pan, Heat the dal mixture and add salt, turmeric and chilli powder. Cook it for few minutes. Then add curry leaves.
3. Now, heat the tempering ingredients in a small pan and let them splutter.
4. Finally add this tempering to dal . Tastes awesome with hot rice, any pickle and papad.

Another look of Hesaru Bele Tovve..

My Favorite Snack: Bajji Platter

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Bajji / Bhajiya was, is and will be THE all-time favorite snack. On a gloomy - rainy - chilly day, the aroma of these hot hot bajjis is exhilarating and eye-popping...:)

So, when Hima asked "Whats Your Favortie Snack" ..... I screamed, You screamed, We all screamed for Bhajiyas..:D
Also sending the same for Ashaji's RCI Karnataka Event. Bajji is a favorite snack in Karnataka cuisine.

We can use almost all vegetables worth their flesh to make Bajjis out of them. My Bajji Platter has - Paneer, Aloo, Gobi (Cauliflower), Brinjal, Brocolli, Onion, Capsicum and Bread Bhajiyas. Ya Ya, I know, that I missed out Mirchi and Plaintains. But, I didn't have any..:(.



Ingredients:

Veggies, Paneer - as listed above.
Bread slices - 2
ChickPea flour - 2 cups
All Purpose Flour - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Turmeric - 1/4 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Chopped Garlic - for flavor (optional)
Chopped Green Chillies - 1/2 tbsp
Oil - for frying



Method:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients listed and make a fine batter by adding water.
2. Add the veggies, paneer and bread pieces one by one into the batter.
3. Deep fry these in hot oil untill golden brown. Drain the excess oil on a paper towel.
4. Serve hot with chilly sauce or any kind of chutney ... Sit back and enjoii ..:D

Cabbage Usili

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Cabbage Usili is a very simple and healthy dish with lots of proteins and fibre content. I got to know about this dish from Srivalli's Blog - "Cooking 4 all seasons".

You can find the original recipe here.

and Its my pleasure to send this recipe to Ashaji's RCI: Karnataka Event.



I added few more ingredients but tried to keep the original taste of the recipe. Instead of 5:1 ratio of cabbage and moong dal, I made with 5:2 ratio as I like the taste of moong dal.

Ingredients:

Cabbage - 500gms
Moong dal - 200gms
Salt - to taste
Turmeric - 1/4 tbsp
Green Chillies - 2 to 3
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp

For Tadka:

Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Urad seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Hing - 1/8 tbsp
Cumin (Jeera) - 1/2 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Boil chopped cabbage and moong dal separately and keep aside.
2. Grind the grated coconut and green chillies till fine paste.
3. In a pan, put some oil and add the ingredients listed for tadka above. When the mustard seeds starts spluttering, add ground coconut paste and then after few minutes add the boiled cabbage and moong dal.
4. I served it with chapathis. But, this would taste good with hot rice and ghee too.

Enjoy folks..:D