{Simple and Easy} Chana Dal and Coconut Stir Fry Recipe (Senagapappu Kobbari Koora)

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Yay! It's Friday today. After a busy week both at work and personal fronts, here I am sitting on my office  desk during lunch time, thinking about what prologue to write for this post. Sigh! sometimes when you are drained, writing is always the hard part. Nothing's is coming to me. All my thoughts are wandering back to the task list in my "Reminders" app on my Iphone 4S. To make up for the sad state of my mind, I thought of sharing few pictures which I have photographed for this year's Project 365 so far. That's an easy task. Isn't it? Just choose my favorites and jump right into today's recipe. Yep, I chose the easiest way out. :-)

Here we go -

My favorite time of the day is when I am sitting in our balcony with a cup of tea. I make it a point not to have any news paper or my phone or my laptop around to distract the mind. Just me and my cup of ginger tea contemplating on the things to do on that day!

“In joy or sadness flowers are our constant friends.” ~ Kakuzō Okakura, The Book Of Tea

I  am in love with the bright, summer mornings we are bestowed with these days and strolling around in our roof top garden before it gets too hot.

Babies, they are adorable. Aren't they? This is one my favorite shot of my sister's niece who is already almost an year now. How time flies!

My favorite muse is of course photographing food and there are no surprises there. ;-) and sometimes they are slowly creep into my photo blog too. 

These are my favorite few shots from Project 365 so far. There are many more that I wish I could share. But, that would make the post too long. To follow my photo journey, do subscribe to - 365 days of Siri. Now, let's talk about today's recipe. Shall we? - a combination of curry my mom makes where are literally nothing in the fridge. The Chana Dal and Coconut Stir Fry is a simple to make curry that goes well with both rice and rotis.

Enjoy!

{Recipe} Chana Dal and Coconut Stir Fry

Adapted from Amma.

Suggested accompaniments - Onion Bhakra | Palak Khasta Roti | Perfectly Baked Brown rice

Ingredients:

1 cup chana dal (senaga pappu)
2-3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1 tbsp oil
1/4 cup shredded fresh coconut
salt - to taste

For Tadka - 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp split gram dal, few fresh curry leaves, hing

Preparation:

1. Add enough water to chana dal so that its completely immersed and pressure cook until 2 whistles. Let the pressure be released naturally. The dal must be soft, not mushy. Drain water, cover and keep aside.

2. In a kadai, heat oil and add all the ingredients listed for "Tadka" one by one. Let them splutter a bit. Then add slit green chilies and cooked dal. Gently mix everything. Season with salt. Saute for 5 to 6 mins. Then sprinkle fresh coconut over the top. Stir fry for 5 mins again.

Serve as side dish with hot rice or rotis.

More dal-based recipes -

Broccoli Paruppu Usili - a Step by Step Recipe
Chana Dal Wadi ki Kadhi (Lentil Dumplings in Yogurt Gravy)
Pearl Millet and Brown Rice Khichdi
Moong Dal Shorba (Yellow Mung Dal Soup)
Kerala Style Arhar (Toor) Dal
Nimbu Masoor Dal
Dal Pakwaan
Urad Dal with Tomatoes

Sending this vegan recipe to Healthy Vegan Fridays and The Wellness Weekend. 

This is Recipe 20 of  The 100 Recipe Challenge for the year 2013. Check out other recipes posted so far.

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until next recipe,

Simplicity at its Best - {Recipe} Roasted Cauliflower with Whole Cumin Seeds

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Each one of us has a favorite vegetable. Ofcourse they change over time and as we get introduced to new textures & flavors. But, for me it was always - Cauliflower, my first love which am sure will be likewise in future as well. I usually make a tomato + cauliflower dry curry with minimal spices at every opportunity. Since we had some sporadic gloomy days some time ago, I wanted to a pretext to turn on my oven so that its heat can cheer me up a bit.

Other recipes using Cauliflower - Vegetarian Rogan Josh (with Cauliflower & Tofu), Cauliflower (Gobi) Paratha, Vegan Christmas Tree Pie, Fried Cauliflower

Roasted Cauliflower with Whole Cumin Seeds

I also was not in a mood to whip, cream and bake something elaborate like cookies or cakes. A sudden whim and I remembered reading about this recipe on Melissa Clark's blog (one of my favorite food writers). A simple toss with olive oil and cumin seeds, roast until crispy and there you have a delicious bowl of roasted cauliflower which is so darn addictive that it took exactly 3 minutes, literally for me and my sister to finish it off in entirety. :-)

{Recipe} Roasted Cauliflower with Whole Cumin Seeds

Recipe idea from Melissa Clark

It is versatile enough to be great as a side dish or just as a snack with an unbeatable combo of flavor and texture. Add whatever you have in hand.  I am planning to add herbs and nuts next time around. For an indianized version, sprinkle some chat masala once out of the oven. For some cheesy goodness, one can also sprinkle grated cheese in last few minutes of roasting.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized cauliflower, cut into florets
olive oil (about 1/2 cup)
generous pinch of cumin seeds (jeera)
salt & pepper


Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425F or 220 C.

2. In a mixing bowl, add lots of olive oil with cumin seeds. Toss the cauliflower florets until evenly coated. Sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Spread the florets on a baking sheet evenly and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice for even toasting and caramelization.

Cauliflower florets

Just out of the oven..

Serve with hot sauce like I did or toss/sprinkle cool yogurt/curd with herbs on the top.

I could just manage to save this little bunch for the picture. Rest was all gone by then! :-)

For more such simple yet delicious recipes, Check out the Recipe Index featuring more than 200 posts .

until next time,

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Kolhapuri Teekha Aloo (Spicy Potatoes With Kolhapuri Spice paste) #FoodieExchange

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Potatoes cooked with Kolhapuri Thecha [chilli-garlic spice paste]

I love surprises, especially when it involves 'food'.

Last month, a "FoodieExchange" was organised by Charis of Culinary Storm where each of the participating bloggers from different parts of India are paired together and send each other a goodie bag filled with little surprises.

...and here what I received from "the moody foodie" (jeetendra), a blogger from Maharashtra.

[L-R] - Kolhapuri Thecha, Sindhi papad, Kutti (a maharashtrian sweet made with wheat flour, ghee, sugar & nuts)

I quite liked the taste of "kolhapuri thecha" and today's recipe is the simplest way to make use of it - with potatoes and spring onions added for a herby feel. This paste so versatile that am sure it can be used in every and anything. - even in these, to add a spicy, indianized note. I can't wait to try. :-)

"the thecha".

..devoured on it - one bite at a time!..

 Below are the bloggers who participated in this round of "Foodie Exchange" -

Deeps of Naughty Curry
Madhuri of Cook Curry Nook
Sarita of The Clean Toothpick
Pratiksha of Honeyed Pandemonium
Jeetendra of Moody Foodie
Apeksha of Veggie Wiz
Poorna of Presented by P
Ameya of Kitty in the Kitchen
Sid of Chef at Large
Ruchira of The Great Cookaroo
Geetha of Fragrant Kitchen
Renuka of Pinch of Salt
Marsha of The Harried Cook
Sangeeta of Health Food Desi Videshi
Rekha of My Tasty Curry
Nikhil of Nonchalant Gourmand

It was so good that me and my laws polished it off and had to make again for Mr.Husband's dinner.

{Recipe} Spicy Potatoes With Kolhapuri Spice paste

Ingredients:

4 medium sized potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed.
3 bunches of spring onion, trimmed to remove roots (if any) and finely chopped leaves & white bulb as well.
(1 tbsp of kolhapuri thecha masala + 2 tbsp of olive oil) --> Mix well. Note: Reduce or increase the amount based on the spice level you can handle. I would recommend add little by little.
1 tsp olive oil
salt - to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a flat, shallow pan and add potato cubes. Cover and cook until half done.

2. Add chopped spring onion leaves and bulb (the white part). Mix and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium-low heat.

3. Now, add the (thecha + oil) mixture and season with salt. Gently toss until potatoes are coated. Cook until done.

4. Serve with rice or roti. Tastes best when eaten hot.

until next time,

Amma's Recipes: Bhindi Fry, Roasted Eggplant Pachadi and Raw Mango Dal

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I said in my last post that we were in amidst of moving continents, I meant - "We were moving back to India, for good".. now that is a one bold move, Isn't it? Yes, indeed it is and after a week, we both still think - *the move* was one of the best things happened to us. For one real reason, we are close to the family & the freedom to do/start whatever we want. :-). But, I think if you really wanna come back like us, you should have a proper plan about how & what your are gonna do here. Or else all you will end up having is the regret that you have missed on a golden opportunity to settle in the supposed land of dreams - The USA.

One other added bonus staying back home is that - I can eat my mom's food whenever I want, whatever I want. No need to wait for one whole year, to eagerly wait to come back home and no more secretly praying for the dreadful *day-of-return-to-US* not to arrive. :-)

Now, isn't it natural that I would feature some of my mom's classic recipes here on my blog, after all the main purpose of maintaining a blog is to chronicle the recipes that actually work. Trust me, many a times, I myself check out my recipe index for recipe ideas. Hence this section - "Amma's Recipes", so that you and I both can  savor and also have all her recipes written down somewhere.

P.S - All of these are/will be made my mother and I am playing the role of mere photographer here. No props, No artificial lighting, Photos taken, straight from the utensils in which my mom serves us dinner. I hope you all will love these as much I do and did from past many many years. If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment, I will clarify with my mom and answer at the earliest.

Today's dinner thali - Bhindi Fry, Raw Mango dal. Roasted Eggplant Pachadi with steamed rice, ghee, oora mirapakayalu (sun dried green chillies) and yogurt.

It looks something like this....

Enjoy....

1. Bhindi (Okra) Fry

Preparation:

1. Wash and dry about bhindis. Cut them lengthwise, into 1-2 inch pieces (as shown in the pic above).

2. Heat enough oil and deep fry the cut bhindis. Using a slotted spoon, put them on paper towels, so that the excess oil is drained off. Keep aside.

3. Heat 1/2 tsp oil and add 1 tsp of each -  urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds with 2-3 slit green chillies, few curry leaves, 1/4 cup peanuts, a whole garlic clove which is pressed down with knife (no need to mince), deep fried bhindi, 1/8 tsp of turmeric, salt to taste and 1/2 tsp or more of red chilli powder. Saute for no more than a minute. Mix well.

4. Finally, add 1 cup of shredded coconut and immediately turn off the heat. Mix well once again and after couple of minutes, it is ready to Serve. 

2. Roasted Eggplant Pachadi

Preparation:

1. Oil 2 big eggplants and roast them on a medium flame until it becomes a bit mush. Cool a bit. Drop them in cold water and then remove outer charred (almost black) skin. Make sure there are clean (with no worms) inside out.

2. Coarsely grind -- (5 green chillies + 1 tsp cumin seeds + salt to taste + 1/4 tsp of turmeric) 

3. Add in the eggplant with the (green chilli + cumin) mixture. Mix well. Keep aside.

4.  Heat 1/2 tsp oil and add 1 tsp of each -  urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds with few curry leaves and 1-2 red chillies. Add this poppu to the eggplant mixture. Mix and Serve. 

3. Raw Mango Dal

Preparation:

1. Peel and cut a fresh raw mango into pieces. Make sure you discard the seed in the middle. Boil the mango pieces with about 1/2 cup water until its completely cooked. Using a spoon, mash into a pulp.

2. Pressure cook 1 cup of toor dal until 3 or 4 whistles. Once the pressure is off, slightly churn the dal.

3. On a low flame, mix churned dal with mashed mango pulp with 2-3 slit green chillies, few curry leaves, 1/4 tsp turmeric, salt to taste and 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder.

4. Heat 1 tsp of oil and add 1 tsp of each - urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds with 2 red chillies and a whole garlic clove, pressed down once with side of the knife. (no need to mince). Add in the dal and mix everything. Serve with steamed rice and ooru merapakayalu (sun dried green chillies).

Bon Appetit everybody..

until next time,
Siri

Roasted Fennel

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Inspired by Sra's post, I am happy to let you all know that I joined 'The Great Vega'N Vegetarian Project', a brainchild of dear Cynthia. Check out my first post about 'Roasted Fennel' on the blog.

Also below are the links for the entries I received until now for JFI & Healing Foods. :)

JFI: Fennel Roundup

Healing Foods: Avocado Roundup

Last date for both the events: Feb 28th 2010, midnight.

Hope you all have a wonderful week ahead,

Bell Pepper stuffed with Black eye bean filling

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The soul of typical Mexican cooking lies with the infinite number of *peppers* they have. Sweet or spicy, they are as brilliant as glistening jewels when fresh, but turn darkly mysterious, hinting at complexity and nuance when dried...:D

So, when Dhivs of Culinary Bazaar announced her A.W.E.D event with a Mexican theme, I knew whats my first entry would be - PEPPERS!!
Off I went for pepper-hunting last weekend. My initial idea was to get some Poblano peppers, but I ended up with some gorgeous looking - Green Bell Peppers.

...in Mexican cuisine, I love Grilled Stuffed Chili Rellenos and this was a perfect opportunity to try them out (for the first time.. yipeee) in my kitchen and of course to impress some souls around.. hehhee..:D


I made few variations from the original recipe, made it more spicy (hey! we all love spicy food, don't we..:D ). The recipe called for some baked beans, instead I used some black eye beans (my favorite of all beans) with shredded potato!!! The taste was absolutely divine and I am so sure that I would end up making this dish again and again! All thanks to Dhivya's Worldly Delight, I have got to try something new and delish!!!

Adapted from here

Ingredients:

2 Green Bell Peppers
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 cup fat-free shredded Cheddar Cheese

For the bean filling:

1 can Black eye beans
2 jalapeño peppers
1/4 cup chopped Onion
2 cloves of Garlic (grated)
3 tbsp crushed Tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded Potatoes (boiled and peeled)
1 tbsp Red Paprika
Salt to taste
Fresh Cilantro

Preparation:

Cut the bell peppers into two halves, remove the seeds. Preheat the oven for 300 deg.
Rub some olive oil on the peppers and bake them for 8-10 minutes.

To prepare the filling, in a wok, heat oil, add garlic, chopped jalapeño peppers and onions. Saute until brown. Now add in crushed tomatoes and shredded potatoes. Mix well and cook for couple of minutes.
Finally add the cilantro, beans and season with salt and red paprika. Cook for 4-5 minutes until done. Turn off the heat and mix 1/2 the cheese into the mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the baked peppers.



Sprinkle the left over cheese on the stuffed bell peppers.



Preheat the oven fro 375 deg and bake these for about 10-15 mins until the cheese melts.



To make it a sumptuous dinner bit, I served these with some Coriander flavored rice - Just dropped in few fresh Cilantro leaves with a tsp of oil and some salt while cooking up rice.


Stuffed Peppers served with Coriander flavored Rice
Hope you have a great week ahead!!

- Siri