POORI MASALA RECIPE-POTATO MASALA FOR PURI

Nothing can beat the combination of potato masala/Aloo masala for poori.Last year i posted onion masala for poori without potato which is my mom’s special.But poori tastes the best only with potato masala or potato kurma as served in restaurants/Hotels.In Tamil we say this as “Poori Kizhangu” & in Hindi it is called as bhaji.I made puri and this south Indian style potato masala for our breakfast yesterday as my birthday special recipe.Some people use this potato masala for stuffing masala dosa too.But i make that masala slightly different.Soon i will post it here.U can do so many variations in this recipe by adding tomatoes,carrots,peas & making it without onion,besan flour etc.I have listed them in “Note” section.It tastes good in all the ways.Here is our method of making this yummy side dish for poori .Lets see how to make it.

Poori masala recipe

Poori masala - Best side dish for poori using potatoes

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sidedish

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 15 Minutes

Cook time: 15 Minutes

Total time: 25Minutes

INGREDIENTS

To Pressure cook Potato - 3 nos Big onion - 2 nos Green chillies - 3 nos Ginger – 1 inch piece Hing - 1/8 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Besan flour – 2 tsp Salt & water - as needed To temper Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Urad dal - 1 tsp Chana dal - 1 tbsp Curry leaves - few

METHOD

Wash and cut the potatoes into 3-4 pieces.Pressure cook them adding a pinch of turmeric powder for 4-5 whistles in high flame.Remove and peel the skin.Mash it roughly into big pieces.Dilute the besan flour adding 1/4 cup of water and set aside. Slice onions,chop ginger,Green chillies and curry leaves.Set aside. In a wide kadai,heat oil and do the seasoning part as given above.Then add onions,finely chopped green chillies ,ginger bits & curry leaves. Saute till onion turns transparent.Now add 1 cup of water,turmeric powder,salt and hing.Allow it to boil.Meanwhile add the roughly chopped potatoes and diluted besan flour.(I transferred everything to a small cooker and cooked for one whistle in high flame for quick cooking of onions.Its optional.U can do it in kadai too.) Boil well for few minutes till onion gets cooked well & masala reaches semi solid consistency.Switch off the flame.Add some coriander leaves if necessary. Potato masala is ready to serve with hot puffy puri ! NOTE For variations,u can add finely chopped carrots and a handful of peas while sauting onions.U can also add half of a finely chopped tomato. U can add besan flour or skip it if u don’t like tat flavour.But i add it to give the restaurant touch as well as to give a creamy texture. This masala thickens when it cools.So make it slightly watery before switching off the flame. Adjust the quantity of chillies as per ur taste.I don’t chop the chillies finely for my daughter’s sake.So i slit and add.But in hotels they do add them finely chopped. To make this as kurma,add some finely chopped garlic cloves and 1/2 tsp of garam masala powder.

Puffy poori with this potato masala tastes like heaven for morning breakfast.Do try & feel it !!

Don't forget to check out my puffy poori/Puri recipe with tips n tricks !

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Gingered Mung Beans

Legumes are a vegetarian's meat. Generally speaking, legumes in some shape or form appear on my menu everyday. They provide a multitude of health benefits, are inexpensive, and for the most part are easy to prepare. In addition to all of those benefits, think of the vast array of legumes at our fingertips and the endless ways to incorporate them into your diet — it follows that meals are never boring, but are instead an exciting taste experience.

Craving mung beans and not wanting to fuss too much in the kitchen, I came up with a simple curry with lots of ginger for a zingy dish. Mung beans have a distinct sweet and earthy taste and occupy a prominent role in the dishes they appear in, including spicy curries. They take very little time to cook, with minimal soaking beforehand — split mung cooks even faster, with no soaking time, but I generally prefer the slightly plumper whole mung for more texture.

To keep the meal easy, but well-balanced and satisfying, serve with a bed of hot basmati rice and perhaps some rotis and a side salad or vegetable dish.

Gingered Mung Beans

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on July 23, 2014 Simple, creamy and flavorful mung bean curry seasoned with Indian spices and plenty of fresh ginger Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried mung beans 3 1/4 cups water 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced 2 to 3 fresh green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into thin strips 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon garam masala 1 large tomato, diced 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste Instructions: Rinse the mung beans well and soak for at least 6 hours or overnight in enough cold water to cover. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan. Add the water, turmeric and red pepper flakes, half of the minced ginger and half of the chilies. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender but not falling apart — about 40 minutes. Remove from heat, leave covered, and set aside. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the thin strips of ginger and fry, stirring often, until the ginger is golden brown. Add the cumin seeds and continue to stir for a minute until the seeds darken a few shades. Add the onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Toss in the remaining minced ginger and chilies and cook, stirring, for another few minutes. Toss in the spices and stir for a minute or two until fragrant. Now stir in the tomato and cook, stirring often, until thickened — about 5 minutes. Pour the cooked mung beans with their remaining cooking liquid into the pan and add the sea salt. Stir well and simmer for another 5 minutes or until your desired consistency is reached, adding more water as desired. Serve hot with rice, vegetables dishes and your favorite flatbreads if desired. Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is my contribution to My Legume Love Affair, a monthly event started by lovely Susan of the The Well Seasoned Cook and now administered by me. Radhika is kindly hosting this month. There is still time to send in your submission. Three lovely prizes are offered this time around.

More mung creations you are sure to enjoy:
Creamy Mung Beans with Coconut Milk
Indian Sour Mung Bean Soup
Mung Bean and Tamarind Dal
Mung Beans, Toor Dal, Green Beans and Fresh Dill Palya

On the top of the reading stack: Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

Audio Accompaniment: Ooze

VAZHAIPOO VADAI RECIPE/BANANA FLOWER VADA–BANANA FLOWER RECIPES

 

As i mentioned in my Vazhaipoo kuzhambu post,i made vazhipoo vadai for the first time with the tender banana flowers.It was so nice and crispy.Basically we love anything when deep fried .So when i made this Vazhaipoo vadai,Sendhil & Raksha were double happy to have a healthy deep fried snack for their tea time.It was a good change for me from the usual vazhaipoo usili or poriyal & i am happy that i’ve  got yet another yummy banana flower recipe in my list.I got this recipe from my MIL.I made few changes to make it in an easier way & prepared this vada.Ok,lets see how to make this vazhaipoo vadai easily.

Vazhaipoo vadai recipe

Vazhaipoo vadai - Healthy,yummy snack recipe using Banana flowers 

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Snacks

Serves: Yields 8nos

Prep time: 3 Hours

Cook time: 15 Minutes

Total time: 3H 15M

INGREDIENTS

Banana flower/Vazhaipoo – Two handful (approx 40nos)  Chana dal – 1/2 cup Toor dal – 1 tbsp (optional) Red chillies – 3-4 nos Ginger – 1 inch piece Hing/Asafetida – 1/4 tsp Water – As needed Fennel seeds – 1/4 tsp Small onions/Big onion – 20 nos / 1 no Curry leaves - few Cooking oil – to deep fry

METHOD

Wash and soak chana dal & toor dal for 3 hours. Wash and clean Vazhaipoo.Remove the stamen part in the flower and keep the flowers immersed in buttermilk till use. No need to chop them. First coarsely grind the banana flowers along with pinched red chillies,hing,ginger ,fennel seeds and salt. Drain the water in the soaked chana dal and grind it without adding water.The water content in vazhaipoo itself is enough to grind. Take the vada batter in a wide bowl.Finely chop onions,curry leaves & add to the batter.Mix well.Take a lemon sized ball and pat it to make masala vada shape Heat oil to deep fry.Add a pinch of batter.If it rises immediately,oil is ready.Now drop the vada and deep fry both sides till the onions turn golden brown. Remove and serve with sauce or coconut chutney ! NOTE Do not add water while grinding.Soak chana dal for minimum two hours. Adjust the quantity of chillies based on ur taste.U can also use green chillies in place of red chillies. Adding soambu/Fennel gives a nice flavor to the vada.U can also skip it if u don’t like. No need to chop the banana flowers as we are grinding it coarsely. The color of vada is generally black. I will make a detailed post on “How to clean Vazhaipoo” with stepwise pictures soon.

Enjoy this crispy vazhaipoo vadai with Ginger Tea or Coffee ! Tastes yum !

Also check out my other vadai recipes

• Masala vada/Paruppu vadai
• Mixed vegetable vadai
• Keerai vadai
• Urad dal vada

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Very good recipes Tags: Banana flower recipes, Vazhaipoo vadai, Indian Vazhaipoo vadai, Snacks, Healthy snacks

Avocado Mango Salad with Cilantro and Roasted Cashews

This is certainly on the list of the most refreshing and vibrant salads I have ever enjoyed. Colorful chunks of sweet mango and creamy avocado are dressed up with a bold and tangy lime dressing that embraces the herbs and fruit for a extra boost to the palate without overpowering the balance of flavors throughout. I've added jalapeño here for a bit of a kick and stove-top toasted cashews for some nuttiness and texture. There's a lot going on here, but it all comes together texturally and textually for a stunning taste experience. Despite the complexity of flavors, putting this salad together takes very little time at all and should be considered an ideal summer meal accompaniment or light lunch.

In addition to serving as a side salad, consider the various roles this dish can play at the table and serve it up much like you would your favorite condiments, such as a chunky chutney.

Avocado Mango Salad with Cilantro and Roasted Cashews

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Vegan Eats World: 300 International Recipes for Savoring the Planet Published on July 21, 2014 Beautiful summer salad of chunks of creamy avocado and sweet mango tossed in a zesty lime dressing and tossed with fresh mint and toasted cashews Print this recipe Dressing: juice from 1 lime (2 tablespoons) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar or 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon coconut sugar 1/2 teaspoon sea salt fresh cracked black pepper to taste sprinkle of dried red pepper flakes (optional) Salad: 1/3 cup raw cashews, halved or chopped 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into cubes 1 ripe red mango, pitted, peeled and cut into cubes 1 small red onion, cut into thin slices 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped 1 jalapeño, cut into rings and seeded unsweetened dried grated coconut for garnish Instructions: Toast the cashews in a dry unoiled skillet over medium-low heat, tossing or stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside. To make the dressing, whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, pour the dressing over the avocado and gently toss. Add the mango to the bowl, along with the red onion, cilantro, mint, jalapeño and half of the cashews. Gently toss to coat. Serve at room temperature or cold, garnished with the remaining cashews and some grated coconut. Makes about 3 to 4 cups or 2 to 3 servings

Other salads you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Avocado Greek Salad
Red Kidney Bean Summer Salad
Potato and Green Bean Chaat Salad
Chickpea and Lentil Salad with Zucchini and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

On the top of the reading stack: Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

Audio Accompaniment: Marsen Jules

MILLET LADDU RECIPE/MILLET LADOO-MILLETS RECIPES

I am happy to share my first post on millet recipes/Siruthaniya unavugal(in Tamil) .As i wanted to start with a easy sweet recipe,i tried this mixed millets laddu adding jaggery.It came out very well.Sendhil loved it a lot.I have seen millet laddu recipes using Ragi or thinai/Foxtail millet.For a change,i used all the millets like thinai,kambu,kuthiravali,Saamai,Varagu,ragi and in addition i used yellow moong dal and barley to make it like sathumaavu urundai/Health mix powder balls.I made this laddu keeping Diabetic patients in mind.So i skipped sugar & used jaggery as i din’t have karuppatti/Palm jaggery in hand.U can give this ladoo to ur kids too if they like jaggery flavour.Else make it with powdered sugar.U can store this laddu for weeks and give ur kids one laddu a day.I am sure they will get all the nutrients required for them.Try this power packed easy millet laddu recipe for ur family and enjoy the health benefits of all the millets in one go !

Do check out my detailed post on Millets varieties,how to identify them and where to buy it .

Mixed Millets laddu recipe

Mixed Millets laddu recipe with jaggery – Healthy snacks recipes !

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sweets

Serves: Yields 15nos

Prep time: 15 Minutes

Cook time: 10 Minutes

Total time: 25 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Thinai /Foxtail millet– 3 tbsp Kambu /Pearl millet– 3 tbsp Ragi /Finger millet– 3 tbsp Kuthiravali /Barnyard millet– 3 tbsp Varagu / Kodo millet– 3 tbsp Saamai /Little millet– 3 tbsp Moong dal – 2 tbsp Barley – 1 tbsp Grated jaggery – 3/4 –1 cup Cardamom seeds– 4 nos Melted Ghee – 6 tbsp (adjust)

METHOD

In a wide kadai,take all the millets,moong dal,barley and cardamom seeds.Dry roast it in medium flame till u get a nice roasted aroma.Roasting takes 10 minutes based on the flame u keep.Make sure u don’t burn the millets while roasting.(If u want,u can roast  the millets one by one) Allow it to cool.In the mean time,grated the jaggery and melt the ghee & roast the cashews.Now grind the roasted millets to a fine powder.Sieve if necessary. After its ground smooth,add the grated jaggery and again grind it to a fine powder.Check for sweetness.Add more jaggery if u need. Now take the ground mixture in a wide bowl.Make a dent in the center.Add the melted ghee and roasted cashews.Mix well with the ladle as the ghee is hot. Once the mixture is warm,mix well with ur hands and make balls.Add more ghee if needed OR u can also add few drops of milk or water if u want to reduce the quantity of ghee.But the shelf life of laddu will be reduced if u add milk.So use it accordingly. Make all ladoos and store in an air tight box.Enjoy.It stays good for weeks.

Note

Adjust the quantity of grated jaggery as per ur sweet buds. If u add less jaggery,u may need to add more ghee. Sieving the ground flour is completely optional.If u don’t sieve,u may get some crunchy taste while eating not very smooth. U can also add a handful of fried gram dal while roasting millets.It gives a nice flavour and an added benefit for kids. U can also replace jaggery with sugar if u want to make it for kids.

Make this easy and healthy millet laddu,enjoy eating and reap its health benefits !

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MIXED VEGETABLE CHUTNEY RECIPE-SIDE DISH FOR IDLI,DOSA

Basically i love to prepare varieties of chutney recipes for breakfast.So i keep searching and trying them.Vegetable chutney recipe was in my to-do list for long time.I referred Mrs.Mallika badrinath’s chutney varieties book for this recipe & I prepared this chutney using cabbage,cauliflower,chayote & carrot. U can also add few pieces of Zucchini,Capsicum & brinjal to make it more healthy.Myself and Sendhil had a satisfaction of eating a healthy side dish for idli ,dosa.It tasted great.I am sure this chutney would be a healthy n yummy replacement for our usual coconut chutney & tomato chutney recipes .Ok,Lets see how to make this mixed veg chutney for idli,dosa.Procedure & ingredients list may seem lengthy.But its really worthy to try!

Mixed vegetable chutney recipe

Mixed vegetable chutney recipe for idli,dosa!

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Chutney

Serves: Serves 2

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 15 Minutes

Total time: 25 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

To saute & cook Carrot - 1 no Chayote/chow-chow –1/2 no (small) Cauliflower – 1 big floret Cabbage – few leaves  Cooking oil – 1 tbsp Salt & water – as needed To roast & saute Oil – 1 tbsp Red chillies – 6-7 nos Chana dal – 2 tbsp Hing/Asafetida – 2 pinches Tomato – 2 nos Big onion – 1 no To temper Cooking oil – 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Urad dal – 1/2tsp To grind raw Grated coconut – 2 tbsp Coriander leaves – 2 stalk Curry leaves – 8 nos Tamarind - a small pinch Salt - as needed

METHOD

Wash and chop the vegetables,onion & tomato.In a kadai heat oil and roast the ingredients given under “to roast n saute”.After roasting dal,chillies & hing , add the chopped tomatoes & onion pieces.Add little salt for quick sautéing.Remove and set aside. Again heat 1-2 tbsp of oil in the kadai and saute all the chopped vegetables.Saute for 5 minutes in medium flame till the vegetables change in color.Add some salt for quick cooking.Add 1/2 cup of water and cover cook the vegetables till it turns soft. Once the veggies are cooked,remove & set aside to cool. In the mean time,grind the dal,chillies,tomato & onion mixture without adding water.To this add the sauteed veggies,grated coconut,coriander leaves & curry leaves. Grind it to a thick paste adding little water.Check for salt and taste.Add a pinch of tamarind & grind again if u feel the chutney is too spicy. Temper the chutney with mustard seeds and urad dal. Serve with idli,dosa adding few tsp of gingely oil/Sesame oil. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of red chillies based on the spiciness of chillies. I used Byadgi chilli variety which is less spicy.U can use 4-5 nos if the chillies are spicy.  U can use any vegetables of ur choice.

Enjoy this mixed vegetable chutney with idli,dosa.It tastes yum !

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