green tomato chutny

Green tomato chutny

no onion,garlic,coconut,ginger, n no dals!!

This is a super tasty,sweet n sour chutny.This is my grand mother's recipe.So I am the third generation preparing this chutny.I used to help my grandmother grind this chutny in the black coloured,stone 'khalbatta' (mortor n pestel)that is still there.That way I remember the ingredients that were put in the chutney.
My grand mother's food always tasted the best  as she used to cook her everyday food on 'sigdi'.And I must say,there is some X factor adds to the taste of hand ground chutny. 
The unique thing about this chutny is that there is no ginger,garlic,coconut. even the udad dal or channa dal are not added to it.That gives a different taste to this chutny recipe!
This tastes best with hot rice and ghee,jowar roti,hot chapati.

The ingredients are:

1. green tomatoes 3.med. sized
2. green chilies,6-7
3. roasted groundnuts,a handful
4. roasted til or sesame seeds, 1-2 tbsp
5. jaggery 2-3 tbsp
6. salt as per taste
7. oil 1 tbsp

Ingredients for tempering:

1. 2 tsp cooking oil,
2. 1 tsp mustard seeds,
3. hing (asafoetida)1/4 tsp
4. turmeric 1/4 tsp

Method:

• wash and wipe clean the green tomatoes  and green chilies
• cut the tomatoes lengthwise
• heat a small kadhai
• add 1 tbsp oil
• add the chopped tomatoes and green chilies.
• saute till soft.At this stage it will be a very pungent aroma of green chilies all around. so to avoid it you can saute it covered.
• once the tomatoes n chilies are soft,switch off the flame and let cool.
• add the cooled stuff,groundnuts,til,jaggery and,salt  to a mixer jar and grind .some like the texture of the chutny bit coarse,some smooth. so grind as you like.

For tempering:

• heat oil in a tadka pan.
• add mustard seeds.let crackle.
• switch off the flame.Add hing(asafoetida) and turmeric powder.
• Add to the ground chutny.

In this chutny the dominating flavours are sweetness of jaggery,sourness of tomatoes and the aromatic hing!!
Try this and let me know how you liked it!

Bhindi fry/okra fry

Bhindi fry/ okra fry

This bhindi fry curry is very easy to make. As always I keep my cooking simple and the ingredients are few. Kids will love this.

So here are the ingredients required for making the simple bhindi fry.

1. bhindi/okra/bendekayi 250 gms(thoroughly washed and dried before chopping.discard both the ends. )
2. red chili powder (byadgi variety) 1/2 tsp
3. oil 1 tbsp
4. mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
5. turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
6. hing or asafoetida a pinch
7. sugar 1/2 tsp
8. salt as per taste.

Method:

1.Heat oil in a kadhai.

2.Add mustard seeds to splutter, then add turmeric powder,hing.

3.Add the chopped bhindi/okra/bendekayi

this pic taken after 2 mins

4.saute on a medium flame for about 6 minutes.

5.Add red chili powder,salt,sugar.

this pic taken after 6 mins

6. saute for 2-3 minutes more and remove to a serving bowl.

The simplest bhindi fry in the world is ready!

You can add lime juice to enhance the taste in the step no. 6.If added later the curry becomes gooey.

This side dish goes well with chapati,phulka,jowar roti,curd rice.

Can be rolled in a chapati to make the tastiest bhindi Roll for the lunch box.

Note:This curry has to be prepared uncovered.Or else it becomes gooey.

Rasam Powder

Bala's Rasam Powder ( ಬಾಲಾ ಹೇಳಿದ ಸಾರಿನ ಪುಡಿ)

when I stayed in New Jersey I was very lucky to have Bala as my neighbour downstairs.We used to exchange our dishes and I got to learn a lot from her.I always admire her. she is really very knowledgeable and helpful to everyone and have some great favours done to me and our family which we can never ever thank enough. every time I make this wonderful rasam I thank her for sharing this recipe with me.So I call this Bala's rasam.here is the recipe for

the rasam powder

1. 2 cups Dhaniya(coriander seeds)
2. 1 cup red chilies(less pungent)
3. 3/4 cup jeera
4. 3/4 cup black pepper
5. 1/2 cup tur Dal
6. 1 tbsp methi seeds
7. curry leaves 1 string
8. haldi( 1 -2" root) or 2 tsp haldi powder

• in a kadhai dry roast all the ingredients separately till they get nice golden color
• let cool and grind to from fine powder
• store in a airtight jar

please see the recipe to prepare the rasam using this powder to enjoy this wonderful rasam.

ridge gourd curry

ridge gourd curry(ಹಿರೆಕಾಯಿ ಪಲ್ಯ )

ingredients:

1. skinned and diced ridge gourd 2 1/2 cups
2. soaked moong dal 1/3 cup
3. peanut powder 2 tbsp
4. oil 1 tbsp
5. mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
6. jeera 1/4 tsp
7. curry leaves 4-5
8. red chili powder 1/4 tsp or as per taste
9. gud 1/4 tsp
10. salt to taste
11. goda masala (kaala masala) 1/4 tsp optional

• heat oil in a pan add mustard and jeera let splutter and add curry leaves and hing
• add soaked moong dal and cover to cook for some time
• add the diced ridge gourd and mix well. cover and let cook for some time
• add red chili powder, masala powder(optional),gud,salt, peanut powder and some water to cook. cook till the ridge gourd is just soft enough.