Friday, September 18, 2009

Majjige Huli

Ingredients

5 cups buttermilk
1/2 lb. green beans
7-8 green chillies
1 cup fresh coconut, shredded
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tsp oil for seasoning


Method

Cut the beans into longish pieces.
Boil in a little water till done.
Drain and set aside.
Blend together the coconut and green chillies.
Add this paste to the buttermilk and mix well.
Add the beans and salt to taste.
Dilute with some water if needed.
Bring to a boil on a low flame.
Season with mustard, cumin and curry leaves.
Other vegetables like eggplant,cucumber,cayote
etc can also be used for this preparation.

Pitla

Ingredients

3 tablespoons besan (bengal gram flour)
1/2 tsp hing(asoefetida)
1 medium tomato chopped finely
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
1 sprig curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 tsp roasted cumin-coriander powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice/tamarind juice
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste


Method

Fry the besan in a little oil till it turns light brown.
Set aside.
Heat some oil and add the mustard and curry leaves.
When they crackle, add the onions and fry till they turn brown.
Add the cumin-dhania, red chili and turmeric and fry for a minute.
Now add the besan and keep frying for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and the coriander and some water to get
a liquid consistency.
Add salt to taste.
Now add the lime/tamarind juice and heat through
till it boils.
Add hing and serve hot with chapatis or white rice.

Morkhozumbu

Ingredients

5 cups of buttermilk
4-5 green chillies, slit
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
2-3 tablespoons coconut, shredded
Salt to taste
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves
Oil for seasoning
Water for diluting the buttermilk if needed


Method

Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric to the buttermilk and mix well.
Add water if the buttermilk is too thick.
Add salt and heat on a low flame till the buttermilk
reaches room temperature.
Take it from the fire and set aside.
Roast in a little oil, one by one, the coconut,
the remaining turmeric,jeera, coriander and green chillies.
Blend to a smooth paste.
Add this coconut paste to the warm buttermilk,
put it back on the stove and heat for approximately
4-5 minutes.
Season it with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
Delicious when eaten with hot plain rice.
Cannot be re-heated on direct fire.

Pepper Rasam

Ingredients

1 small tomato, chopped into small cubes
1 1/2 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tsp thick tamarind juice
1/2 tsp sugar or jaggery water
1 tsp chopped coriander leaves
A pinch of hing(asoefetida)
Salt to taste
2 tsp ghee(clarified butter)
6 cups of water


Method

Powder the peppercorns in a peppermill or coffee
grinder to get a very coarse powder.
Mix together the water, tomato, pepper,salt
sugar(jaggery) and tamarind juice.
Bring it to a boil on a low flame.
Season with mustard, hing, curry leaves and cumin
in ghee.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Eat when hot with plain rice.

Tandoori Masala Powder

Ingredients

4 tsp ground coriander
3 tsp ground cummin
4 tsp garlic powder
4 tsp paprika
3 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp mango powder
1 tsp dried mint
3 tsp deep red coloring
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp yellow colouring)


Method

Mix all together and store.
The coriander and cumin powders must be freshly ground.
Use as required.
This will keep for months if stored in an airtight
container.

Garam Masala Powder

Ingredients

4 cloves
4-5 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
7 peppercorns
1 bayleaf
Ghee(clarified butter)


Method

Roast each of the above till they turn aromatic.
Powder to a fine powder using a coffee grinder and
use as required.
This will keep well for months in a airtight
container.
You can make a larger quantity of this by
using the above ingredients in the same ratio.

Rasam Powder

Ingredients

1 tbsp toor dal
5-6 dry red chillies
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp dry curry leaves
Ghee(clarified butter) for roasting


Method
Roast each of the above till they turn aromatic.
Powder to a fine powder using a coffee grinder and
use as required.
This will keep well for months in a airtight
container.
You can make a larger quantity of this by
using the above ingredients in the same ratio.