Groundnut / Peanut Sundal for Navrathri

It's Navrathri and I am sure almost every household, specially in south India is searching for Sundal Recipes online. Sundal is nothing but seasoned legumes that are specially done as prasad during the Navrathri. 

We have a tradition of keeping Golu or sometimes called Kolu. It's the placing of dolls in steps and worshipping them for nine days. The main deity in the doll step is the Marapaachi bommai. A couple made of wood carving. A fruit especially pomegranate is placed in the front of the bommai and daily pooja is done morning and evening and Sundal is offered as prasad. During these nine days, generally girls/ladies are invited and are showered with  return gifts or goodies that includes sweet, sundal, bangles, bindhi and other items generally used by the ladies/girls. Goddess Durga, Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswathi are worshipped during Navrathri.

I have made an attempt to do nine varieties sundal this year for the nine days of this festival. I have already posted channa sundal. Here is the recipe for groundnut or peanut sundal. 

Ingredients:

Raw shelled Groundnut / Peanut - 1 cup heaped

Oil for tempering - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 2 springs

Green chilli - 1 - vertically slit - adjust heat as per taste

Salt as required

Dessicated coconut or fresh grated coconut - 1 tablespoon

Water to boil the groundnut.

Method:

Raw shelled peanuts are used in this recipe. Wash the peanuts and soak for 10 to 15 mintes.

Heat a pot of water and add salt - atleast 3 teapsoons.

When it comes to a boil, add the peanuts and cook.

Alternatively, the peanuts can be pressure cooked in salted water for 5 to 6 whistles.

Drain water and keep the cooked peanuts aside.

Now heat oil in a small kadai. Temper the mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and green chilli.

Fry for few seconds and add peanuts. Sprinkle salt as the peanuts are already cooked in salted water.

Garnish with dessicated coconut or fresh grated coconut.

Stir well and its ready to serve.

It makes a very good evening after school snack as peanuts are loaded with nutrition for children.

Note: 

If whole peanuts that are not shelled are used, wash the peanuts and pressure cook them in salted water and then shell them. That way its easy to take the peanuts out. Then, follow the same recipe. When pressure cooking, use a little more salt than specified in the recipe.

Vegetable Burger with Potato Patty Indian style

Who doesn't love potatoes?? In this recipe, aloo/potato has taken a shape of a patty. Just one full burger with this patty is good enough to fill your stomach. We had tomato soup to go with this burger for lunch and it became a wholesome meal and for at least the next 3 full hours, we din't feel a bit hungry. 

There are many versions of vegetable burger depending upon the fresh vegetables used and the type of patty used which can be either a mixed vegetable patty, aloo tikki, simple potato hash browns or a even a simple aloo patty that is lightly spiced. 

Coming to the recipe, for this vegetarian burger, I have prepared a potato patty that is mildly spiced with Indian flavours. Its quite simple and tasty too. These patties are a great party starters that can be served hot with ketcup. 

If you have the boiled potatoes ready, the total time to make the patty and assemble the burger ingredients and build the burger tower just takes around 20 to maximum 30 minutes. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients for potato patty:

Boiled and peeled Potatoes - 4 medium sized

Red onions - 2 medium sized - finely chopped

Fresh ginger - finely cut - 2 tablespoons

Cooked peas - 1 handful (optional)

Oil to fry onions - 1 tablespoon

Oil for shallow frying the patties

Salt as required

Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon

Green chilli - 1 finely minced

Coriander leaves - handful - finely cut

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Chaat masala powder - 1 teaspoon

Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - one pinch

Bread crumbs - 4 to 5 tablespoons

Ingredients for Burger:

Burger buns - 4

Butter to toast the burger buns (optional)

Mayonnaise

(I used store bought eggless mayonnaise)

Tomato ketchup

Sliced Tomatoes

Sliced Cucumbers

Onion cut into rings (optional)

Green lettuce or Red lettuce

(I used red lettuce)

Cheese slice (optional)

Method:

Prepare the aloo patties:

Grate the boiled potatoes and transfer to a mixing bowl. 

Add salt, pepper powder, finely minced green chillies and finely cut coriander leaves.

Mix well using a fork. Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Temper cumin seeds. Add the finely cut onions and ginger.

Fry for a minute and add turmeric powder, salt, chaat masala powder, and garam masala powder.

Note: If onions are not used, then, all of the ingredients that are added to the onions (except oil) can be directly added to the potato mixture.

Turn off heat and add it to the potato mixture.

Add a tablespoon of bread crumbs and mix well.

Take a handful of this potato mixture and make a ball. Press on top to shape it like a patty.

Dip in a plate of bread crumbs generously both sides and arrange them in a plate.

Heat at least 4 tablespoons of oil in a wide bottomed non stick fry pan.

Place the patty and cook on both sides until its browned. 

Make sure the patties are handled carefully as it can break apart.

Carefully arrange the cooked patties in a plate and cool them.

Build the burger tower:

Toasting the burger bun is optional.

Place the bottom side of the burger.

Apply mayonnaise. Place the lettuce.

Place one big aloo patty. 

Top it with cheese slice (if using), sliced tomatoes and cucumbers and onions too.

squeeze some tomato ketchup and close the burger tower with the top side of the burger bun.

Serve it with french fries and/or soup and/or salad. 

Tri colour gravy - Easy mixed vegetable kurma using readymade coconut milk

I wish all my blog readers advance Independence day wishes. Jai Hind !!

Every Independence day, I try exhibit my patriotism by cooking something that is tri colour - saffron, white and green. I would like to share one of those recipes to all my patriotic readers. I am posting this recipe a couple of days before the Independence day, as you can buy the necessary ingredients in advance if you are going to try this recipe.

This is a simple, quick and delicious kurma that's totally vegan. This is a very versatile gravy, so, depending upon the quantity of kurma needed, you can adjust the quantity and choice of vegetables as per your taste. 

Ingredients:

Coconut milk - 200 ml

(I used  one 200 ml carton - Dabur coconut milk)

Mixed vegetables - 2 to 2 and half cups

---saffron colour - diced Carrots

---white colour - diced Potatoes and/or Cauliflower florets

---green colour - Green peas and/or chopped Green beans

Medium red onion - 2 chopped (optional)

ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon (optional)

Ripe red tomatoes - 2 medium chopped (optional)

Oil for seasoning - 1 tablespoon refined oil

Spices - 1 bay leaf, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, seeds from 2 green 

cardamom

Green chillies - 2 if it is too spicy - vertically slit

adjust spice level as per your taste

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Salt as required

Water as required

Coriander leaves chopped - for garnish

Method:

1. Wash the cauliflower florets and add them in boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes and turn off heat. drain water and keep it separately.

2. Heat oil in a non stick kadai. Temper the cumin seeds and add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom seeds, cloves, green chillies and fry for a minute.

3. Add onions and fry till its translucent and add tomato and cook for a couple of minutes. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Skip onion or tomato or ginger garlic paste if you are not using. 

4. Now add the mixed vegetables except cauliflower florets and fill with water to just cover the vegetables and add required amount of salt and cook closed until the vegetables are tender.

5. Just when the vegetables are cooked, toss in the cauliflower florets and give a quick stir.

6. Now stir in the coconut milk and wait till one boil and turn off heat. Garnish with coriander leaves.

7. Serve hot with Appam / Roti / Phulka / Chapathi / Parotta / Set dosa or Basmathi rice that's cooked in coconut milk.

Alternative method:

Cashewnut paste can be added to the gravy for a rich flavour. Grind a handful of cashewnuts to a smooth paste using little water and add to the gravy just when the vegetables are well cooked. Then, pour the coconut milk. Cashewnut paste and Coconut milk reduces the spice level. So, adjust the green chillies accordingly. 

The other tri colour recipe in this blog is Capsicum Paneer Tikka

Tri color Bell Pepper and Paneer Burji Grilled Sandwich

When it comes to comfort food, sandwiches are the best. Few slices of bread, a couple of vegetables that can be roasted and some seasoning will do. In just few minutes, you can cook up a sandwich that is healthy, tasty, colorful and wholesome. 

There are days when I don't feel like having regular rice for lunch. Those days, I would keep my lunch simple. Just a one pot meal like vegetable pulao, a sandwich or a soup will do. I pair my sandwich with soup when I use raw vegetables for my sandwich. This tri color capsicum/bell pepper and paneer burji that I used as a stuffing for my sandwich  is well cooked and can be paired with raw vegetables like sliced onions, chopped cucumber and sliced tomatoes. 

Few people have a flair for Ketchup. They have the habit of squeezing a dollop of ketchup on any bread based food like pizza, sandwich etc. This sandwich can also be served with ketchup. I have tossed in some crumbled paneer to the roasted vegetables for an extra protein kick, so that will keep me full for a long time.

There is no onion and garlic in the recipe. Adding them is optional. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

Green capsicum/bell pepper - 1

Yellow capsicum/bell pepper - 1

Red capsicum/bell pepper - 1

Roma tomatoes/ B'lore variety Tomatoes - 2

Crumbled paneer - half cup - (preferably homemade, I just squeezed 1 lemon in boiling half liter milk to make paneer)

for seasoning,

Jeera / cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Finely chopped green chilles  - half tablespoon

Red chilli powder - half teaspoon

Granulated white sugar - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - half teaspoon

Salt to taste

Oil for seasoning

Chopped coriander leaves - handful (optional)

for sandwich,

Ghee / clarified butter - 2 tablespoons

White bread slices - 4

Sandwich maker

Method:

Dice the tomatoes and the bell peppers/capsicum and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add Jeera and finely minced green chillies. 

Add tomatoes and fry until it becomes mushy and water is almost absorbed.

Add the capsicum/bell pepper and fry for a minute.

Add turmeric powder, salt, sugar, red chilli powder and saute the capsicum for a couple of minutes. Do not overcook the capsicum.

Turn off heat and mix in the crumbled paneer and coriander leaves.

This burji can be used as a side for rotis and also as a stuffing for parathas. I have used it as a stuffing for my sandwiches.

For making sandwich, 

allow the content to cool. Heat up a sandwich maker. Preferably a grill sandwich maker.

Alternatively, you can use a grill tawa or even ordinary tawa to toast the bread.

When the sandwich maker is preheated, place a slice of bread.

Spoon in some burji and spread it across evenly.

Lay another bread slice on top and drizzle a spoon of ghee.

Close the lid and toast for a couple of minutes, until the bread slices are toasted golden.

Turn off heat and transfer it to a plate.

Using scissors/kitchen shears half the sandwich.

Serve it hot with ketchup and some chopped onions, cucumber etc.

Sandwich ideas:

1. Use your favorite vegetables. Thinly sliced capsicum, onion and even eggplant will be fantastic.

2. Place a cheese slice and let it melt with the vegetables when pressing the sandwich.

3. Use masala powder like paav bhaaji masala or kitchen king masala or any masala powder of your choice for seasoning instead of red chillie powder and green chillis.

4. Use brown bread if you are diet conscious, but white bread tastes best.

Capsicum Pachadi / Bell pepper Raitha

Capsicum raitha is nothing but sautéed diced capsicum mixed with yogurt/curd seasoned with mustard seeds. A qucik fix as an accompaniment for any spicy (rice) dish. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

Capsicum - green - 1

Oil for tempering

Mustard seeds - half teaspoon

Urud dal - 1 teaspoon (optional)

Asafoetida powder -a pinch (optional)

Salt to taste

Thick curds - 1 to 2 cups (plain yogurt)

Method:

Dice the capsicum (bell pepper).

Heat oil in a kadai and temper the mustard seeds. When it pops, add the asafoetida powder and urud dal if adding and add the diced capsicum. 

Fry the capsicum for a couple of minutes and add salt. Sprinkle water and fry the capsicum until it turns light brown. 

Turn off heat and allow it to cool completely.

Now, add the curds and mix well.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Curry leaves can be added while frying the capsicum for more flavor. Spice lovers can slit a green chilli and add it to the seasoning. 

Capsicum raitha is ready to be served. 

Paruppu Usili / Bele Palya

wow! a long break really. Motherhood being my highest priority, I just had to shutdown my blogging for sometime and that sometime became a year. Now, I feel, it is time for me to get started. Planning to post at least one or two recipes a week. Let's see how it goes. Please wish me good luck. 

First of all, a big hello to all the regular visitors of this site. To start with, here is the recipe for Paruppu usili. It is called Bele palya in Kannada. A recipe cannot be more easier than this one. In a nutshell, bele palya is nothing but roasted spicy ground dal that is mixed with either cooked chopped beans or cooked plantain flower/vaazhaippoo or chopped methi leaves. Here, I have used the green beans. To be exact, the cluster beans. Its other names are  Gavar/Guar/Guwar/Guvar bean. The hero of the dish is of course the Bele or Paruppu or Dal. I have used Toor Dal or Thuvaram Paruppu. Here is the list of ingredients.

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 1 and half cups

Dry red chillies - 5 to 6

Salt - as required

Refined oil - 5 tablespoons

Cluster beans - handful - finely chopped and cooked well with enough salt 

(either Vaazhai poo - plantain flowers or Methi leaves can be substituted)

Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoons

Asafoetida powder - Hing powder - 1 teaspoon

Method:

Wash well and soak the toor dal for one or two hours.

Meanwhile chop the beans and cook with little salt and keep it aside.

Now, drain the water from the dal and grind with salt and dry red chillies using very very little water. (For chillies and salt to mix well with the dal, grind a handful of dal with the chillies and salt first and then add remaining dal and grind all together). Keep it aside.

Take a NON STICK kadai and pour the oil. Always keep in medium heat. 

Temper the mustard seeds. As it pops, add the asafoetida powder and immediately add the ground dal.

Keep stirring until all the oil is absorbed.

Then, stir every one or two minutes. The dal changes color to bright yellow and gets roasted.

In 10 to 15 minutes, you will notice the dal becoming a crumbled mixture. 

At this point in time, add the chopped cooked beans and stir well.

Turn off heat after a couple of minutes.

Serve with Rasam saadam or curd rice or just enjoy it as it is. 

Its a very easy dish. Specially a spicy No onion No garlic dish.

I have also used very very basic ingredients  Using turmeric powder, curry leaves and urud dal is opitonal. Cook this dish and let me know the feedback.

Bottle gourd Raitha

Raitha is an accompaniment usually served with any spicy dish. Raithas like cucumber raitha or onion raitha go well with dishes like biryani, parathas, or any rice variety. I prepared this raitha to go along with the huli kootu. A very easy reicpe where the bottle gourd/sorrakkai is diced and cooked and later seasoned. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Bottle gourd - medium size - 1

Salt - half teaspoon

Water - half cup

Oil for seasoning - approx. 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - half teaspoon

Urud dal - 1 teaspoon

Coriander leaves/cilantro - handful - chopped finely

Thick curd/ yogurt - 1 to 2 cups (I used 1 cup of low fat yogurt)

Method:

Peel the bottle gourd skin and dice the vegetable. Grated bottle gourd can also be used for this recipe.

Heat half a cup water in a kadai and add the vegetable, mix salt and cook in medium heat. Very less water is added as the vegetable by itself will leave water when cooked.

When the bottle gourd is completely cooked, turn off heat and allow the content to cool for about 15 minutes.

Mix in the yogurt/curd.

Heat oil and add mustard seeds, when it pops, add the urud dal. When urud dal turns golden color, add the seasoning to the raitha. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Adding slit dry red chillies to the seasoning is optional.

Serve this raitha for any sambar rice or huli kootu rice as an accompaniment.

Huli Kootu with green beans and peanuts

Huli, Saaru, Kootu are names of various south Indian delicacies that are enjoyed with white rice. Though the ingredients for spice mixture for all of them are more or less similar, there is a vast difference in the proportion of each ingredient that makes it unique. Kootu can be either huli kootu or sihi kootu. Tamarind is used in huli kootu and not sihi/seeh kootu. For Saaru (rasam), and Huli (sambar), it's okay to use premade spice powder but huli kootu tastes best if the spice mixture is made fresh. Adding fresh coconut definitely adds flavor to this dish, but even with no coconut, the huli kootu is just absolutey delicious. Different vegetables or a combination of vegetables can be used to prepare this dish. The popular ones are winter melon (white pumpkin), beans, brinjal, plantain etc. My mom usually adds peanuts when she prepares kootu with green beans. This gives an extra protein boost to the dish. Here is the recipe for huli kootu with green beans and peanuts.

Ingredients:

Cooked toor dal - 2 cups

Tamarind - 1 lemon sized. soak in water and squeeze out the pulp.

(if using concentrate use 1 tsp for dark brown concentrate or 3 tsps for light brown concentrate. I used Lakshmi brand natural tamarind concentrate which is light brown concentrate)

Fresh green beans - chopped to half inch length - 1 and half cups

Dry peanuts - skinned - half cup

Oil for seasoning

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Urud dal - 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 2 springs

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder - half teaspoon

Asafoetida powder - quarter teaspoon

Roast and grind the following:

1 table spoon - channa dal

1 table spoon - urud dal

1 teaspoon - black peppercorn

5 - dry red chillis

2 teaspoon - dhania (optional)

Fresh coconut - half cup (optional)

Roast all in a teaspoon of oil except coconut and grind it well with coconut and little water.

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds, when it pops, add urud dal and peanuts. Fry until the dal and peanuts become light brown. Add curry leaves and 2 to 3 cups water. Add the tamarind concentrate and allow the content to boil.

When the content heats up, add green beans, turmeric powder, asafoetida powder and salt and allow the content to boil until the vegetable is well cooked.

Pour in the prepared spice mixture and mix well.

Now, gently add the cooked toor dal and mix well.

bring to a boil and turn off heat.

Serve this with white rice and a dash of ghee or oil. Side with raitha or palya (cooked dry vegetable) or pappad (appala).

I am sending this dish to various events taking place in the food blogsphere. Thank you friends for hosting the events.

1. Drive me nuts in taste junction

2. Dish name starts with H in Akila's kitchen

  

3. Cooking with whole foods - Toor dal in Veggie platter

Coconut chutney for Iddli and dosa varieties

There cannot be a simpler recipe than the fresh coconut chutney. No cooking involved except the seasoning. It's a typical south Indian condiment for all iddli and dosa varieties. When I googled for coconut chutney, I saw innumerable ways to prepare. I was surprised to see few recipes with dhahi/curd or even lime juice. A variation like this or even adding onions is good for a change, but nothing can beat the real taste of the typical south Indian coconut chutney. Here is a simple recipe that my mom used to do. I, hailing from south (TN), as far as I know, this is the only recipe that my family, friends and relatives in my place do. Try it and you will love it.

Ingredients:

Shredded fresh coconut - 2 cups

Note: I used 1 packet of frozen shredded coconut which is 12 oz. I thawed it for 3 hrs, until it reached the room temperature

Roasted gram or pottu kadala - 2 tablespoons

Fresh ginger - 1 inch - minced

Green chillis - 3 number

Salt as required - approx. 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida powder - half teaspoon

Oil for seasoning - approx. 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Urud dal - 1 teaspoon

Fresh curry leaves - 1 sprig - chopped

Red chillis - 1

Method:

Grind the following together:

Roasted gram, green chillis and ginger.

Now, add fresh coconut, asafoetida powder, salt and three fourth cup water and grind it to a thick consistancy. You may add or reduce the amout of water as per the consistency you desire.

Transfer the content to a bowl.

For seasoning, heat a teaspoon of oil. Add mustard seeds, when it pops, add the urud dal, when it turns light brown, add the slit red chilli and the chopped curry leaves. 

Now, add this sesoning to the coconut chutney. Mix well.

Serve for any iddli or dosa variety.

You can adjust the spice and as well as the consistency as per your taste. Adding roasted gram is optional. Also, grinding the curry leaves with the chutney is a good idea.

Sepan kizhangu curry / Tarro root roasted curry

Roasting the tarro root (or sepan kizhangu in tamil) has become easy. Yes, it's unbelievably deep roasted and unbeatably tasty with just three teaspoons oil. Here is the recipe. Just follow the recipe word to word and you will avoid mushy or over cooked sepan kizhangu roast. 

Ingredients:

Tarro root / Sepan kizhangu - 8 to 10 

Oil - 3 teaspoons

Turmeric powder - half teaspoon

Chilli powder - half teaspoon

Salt - half teaspoon

Asafoetida powder - a pinch (optional)

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Method:

Wash the vegetable, cut each tarro into half and pressure cook it for 10 minutes with just half or 1 cup water. Do not overcook the tarros. You can check if it is cooked enough by piercing a knife into it. It should slide in smoothly. Peel off the skin and keep it aside.

Take a ziplock cover. Add turmeric, salt, red chilli powder and 2 teaspoon oil and mix well inside the ziplock.

Add the cooked and peeled vegetable and seal the cover. gently mix in the vegetable with the mixture in the cover until it is evenly coated. In case you don't have a ziplock, just use a bowl and toss the vegetable until evenly coated.

Take a oven safe tray and line it with aluminum foil. Spead the coated vegetable and keep it in oven under broil.

Let it broil for about 25 to 30 minutes, tossing the vegetable every 10 minutes. Broil until the vegetable is golden brown with a crispy lining.

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a large kadai. Add mustard seeds, when it pops, add the asafoetida powder if you are using and then, add the golden roasted vegetable. Toss a couple of minutes in heat and turn off the heat.

The low fat deep roasted sepan kizhangu is ready. Serve immediately with any rice like sambar rice, rasam rice or even curd rice. The taste is very very delicious.