Monday, 26 October 2009

MLLA-15th Helping Round-up & The Winner is...

Nobody there is that doesn't love a bean.
If not the royal Navy bean, then the wax bean,
the soybean, the green bean, the black bean—the
pot is large, it contains multitudes—white bean,
pink bean, small red bean, the lowly pinto, the
lovely lentil—let the lamp affix its bean—or
the walnut-shaped garbanzo, large lima bean, baby lima,
(A reunion of the Bean families is here assembled),
the cranberry bean, white kidney bean, northern bean,
or their ed cousins: green split pea, yellow
split pea, and ol' blackeye. A lineup
of likely legumes. Gather ye bean-pods
while ye may. Go and catch a falling bean
and if you catch one, let me know.
A man and a woman are one. A man and a woman
and a bean are one, or two, or three.

The beans I mean, no one has seen them made
or heard them made, but at supper-time
we find them there. Come live with me,
and eat some beans and we will love
within our means. One could do worse
than be an eater of beans.

Shall I compare thee to a summer's bean?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Had we but world enough, and time,
this coyness, Lady, were no crime.
But, at my back, I always hear
a pot of beans bubbling near.

Mark but this bean, and mark in this,
how little that which thou deny'st me is.
An aged bean is but a paltry thing.
I must lie down where all ladders start,
in the foul rag-and-bean shop of the heart.
O my love is like a red, red bean,
that's newly picked in June:
O my love is like a pinto bean,
that's truly cooked at noon.

So much depends upon a red kidney
bean. You might ask, Do I dare
to eat a bean? Dry beans can harm no one.
They remind us of home sweet home,
home on the range,
home where the heart is.
Without expecting anything in return,
they give us protein, zip, and gas.
Add what you will—onion, tomatoes, red
pepper, chili powder, juice of lemon,
salt & pepper to taste. Add ham
hocks, bring to a boil, simmer slowly.
Call your friends, serve with
panache, ers, and green salad.

How do I cook them? Let me count the ways—
boiling, steaming, frying, baking.
And if these verses may thee move,
Sweet Lady, come live with me
and be my love. And if this fare
you disapprove, come live with me
and please be my cook.

(Source: Bean Soup, Or A Legume Miscellany by Philip Paradis)

Yes, legumes remind us of home sweet home… a bowl of comfort food which takes us down the memory lane! And 65 plus blogger friends with more than 70 recipes have shared their Legume Love Affair. Thank you one and all for participating in MLLA, 15th Helping and a big thank you to dear Susan for giving me this wonderful opportunity to host one of my very favourite food blog event and giving me ample time to post this round-up. Friends, please accept my sincere apologies for delay in putting up this round-up. Without much delay, presenting you all the grand round-up of My Legume Love Affair, 15th Helping. Don't forget to scroll down to see the winner of this edition.

Salads & Soups

Preeti Kashyap from Relishing Recipes: Black Eyes Peas Salad on a Crispy Spinach Spoon
SE from Denufood: Chane/Harbare/Chole Koshimbir(Chikpea Salad)
Sailaja from Sailaja’s Kitchen: Lettuce & Moong Dal Poriyal
Nisha Mudliar from Nisha’s Kitchen: Kalachanna & Aloo Salad
Graziana from Erbe in Cucina: White Bean Soup
Soma from eCurry: Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup
Allison from Spice and More: Fenugreek Srouts
Astra Libris from Food for Laughter: Warm Black-Eyed Pea and Feta Salad
Lisa from Lisa's Kitchen: Mung Bean and Vegetable Soup
Supriya from Queen of My Kitchen: Beans Salad

Spice Powder & Chutney:

Lata Raja from Flavours and Tastes: Gujarathi Milgai Podi

Appetizers, Tiffins & Snacks

Kalva from Curry in Kadai: Pappu Upma (Moong Dal Upma)
Supriya from Celebrating Little Things In Life: Handvo
Priya Suresh from Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes: Horsegram Masala Vadai
Shaista Tabrez from Mixcalculations: Fried Black Chickpeas
Srivalli from Cooking 4 all Seasons: Kadambam Dosa (Mixed Lentil Crape)
Mints from Vadani Kaval Gheta: Ragada Patties
Faiza from Faiza Ali's Kitchen: Falafel
Lata Raja from Flavours and Tastes: Muthusarai/Magizhampoo Thaenkuzhal
EC from Simple Indian Food: Rajma Cutlet
PJ from Seduce Your Tastebuds: Peanut Sundal
Gethan from My Tasty Recipes: Green Gram & Oats Dosa
Smitha from Kannada Cuisine: Nucchina Unde
My Experiments & Food: Moong Dal Cheela
Smitha from Kannada Cuisine: Kadalekai Usli
Deepika from My Life and Spice: Zhatpat Chatpat Matar Chaat
Sarah Jayne from Weekend Carnivore: Baked Bean and Veggie Burger
Radhika Vasanth from Food for 7 Stages of Life: Mangodae (Mung Bean Fritters)
Kanchan from Kitchen Gossip: Mung/Moong Pakode (Mung Dal Fritters)
Esaiselvi from My Kitchen: Sprouted Moong Sundal
Shoba Shrinivasan from Anubhavati - Tastes from my Kitchen: Sweet Green Gram Dhal Sundal
Indu Subramanian from Kaipakkuvam- Indu Subramanian's Blog: Sundal Varieties
Saritha from My Kitchen's Aroma: Black Eyed Beans Masala Vada
Susan from The Well Seasoned Cook: Spicy Vegetable Fritters

Side Dish

Pari Vasisht from Foodelicious: Chana Masala
Mrs. RV Singh from Melting Pot: Chana Masala
Lata Raja from Flavours and Tastes: Varuththu Araitha
Johanna from Green Gourmet Giraffe: Smoky Baked Beans
Kamala Bhoopathy from Cook @ Ease: Moong Dal Tadka
Purva Desai from Purva’s Daawat: Chowli (Black Eyed Beans) Curry
Priya Suresh from Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes: Amarnath Leaves Kootu
Sandhya Hariharan from Sandhya’s Kitchen: Chole puri with Cucumber-Onion Raitha
Jaya Wagle from Jaya Space: Green Beans & Moong Dal Sabzi
Rupali from Chakh...Le...Re!: Mixed Beans Curry
Suma Gandlur from Veggie Platter: Mamidikaya Pappu / Mango Dal
PJ from Seduce Your Tastebuds: Pachai Payaru Kadaiyal (Green Gram Gravy)
Pari Vasisht from Foodelicious: Paneer, Peas & Potato Curry
Shalini Venkatesh from Sizzling Spices: Mixed Dal
Pavitra from Dishes from My kitchen: Unta Majiga Pulusu(Lentill Balls in Yoghurt Sauce) & Chaaru
Renu from Renu’s Kitchen: Lobia Curry
Siddhi Sheth from Cooking Vegetarian: Mesir Wat
Shri from Tasty Touch: Channa Masala
Priti Nilesh from Khaugiri: Shepu Dal
Sweatha from Tasty Curry Leaf: Tofu Bhurji
Jisha from Kerala Recipes: Snow Peas Thoran
Satya from Satya's Cooking Experiments: Cluster Beans Curry
Nalini Mehta from Route to India: Dal Dhokli
Sheetal from Life is Beautiful: Chi-Stew
Ramki from One Page Cookbooks: Tamil Paruppu
Shwetha Thammaiah from Cookie Shutter: Urad Sabat
Rachana Shakyawar from Humming Today: Indian Broad Beans with Baby Potato Curry
Melanie Crasta from Thondore: Moong Curry
Anu Ramesh from Anuz Cookbook: Kabuli Chana Masala
Sia from Monsoon Spice: Badanekayi-Erulli Huli

Main Dish

Sheba from Art, Food and Travel Chronicles: Lentil Shepherds Pie
Gethan from My Tasty Recipes: Red Chilli, Green Gram Rice
Vaishal from Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes: Trinidadian Rotis Stuffed with Split Peas
Sushma from Savi-Ruchi: Black Eyed Peas 'N' Pasta
Preeti Kashyap from Relishing Recipes: Dhuli Moong Dal Paratha

And the winner of MLLA, 15th Helping is..... ~Drums roll~

MLLA-winner


Congratulations Soma :) Please mail me your contact details at sia[at]monsoonspice[dot]com ASAP.

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Thursday, 22 October 2009

Curry Leaves Chutney Powder: An Aromatic Affair!

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Curry Leaves Chutney Powder


“What are they?” asked British lady standing right next to me in Asian grocery store.
“Its curry leaves”, I replied.
“Oh! So curry powder is made from these leaves then?”

I just met another person who thinks curry powder is made from curry leaves or some part of its tree and I am sure that there are many more like her who thinks the same! I, along with my friends here in BC and many other food bloggers, have been stressing that there is nothing called “Curry Powder” in Indian cuisine. Now that I have told that curry leaves are not used in making curry powder, shall we go one step ahead and explore the fragrant routine of discovering how curry leaves are used in Indian cuisine?

The Curry Tree or Karivepallai or Kadipatta (Scientific name: Murraya koenigii) is a tropical to sub-tropical tree in the family Rutaceae, which is native to India. It produces the leaves known as Curry leaves or Sweet Neem leaves.

The small and narrow leaves somewhat resemble the leaves of the Neem tree; therefore they are also referred to as Karuveppilai (translated to Black Neem leaf) in Tamil and Malayalam, Karu/Kari meaning black, ilai meaning leaves and veppilai meaning Neem leaf. In the Kannada language it is known as Kari BEvu and Karivepaku in Telugu, again translating to the same meaning Black Neem leaf. Other names include Kari Patta (Hindi), which probably is a corrupt translation of Karuveppilai, noroxingha (Assamese), Bhursunga Patra (Oriya), Kadhi Patta (Marathi), Mithho Limdo (Gujarati) and Karapincha (Sinhalese).

(Source: Wiki)

Curry leaves are aromatic and hence used as one of the main ingredients in tadka/tempering for most of South Indian and Sri Lankan cuisines. Although it is a most loved ingredient for seasonings in the south Indian culinary world, its use doesn’t limit to this. The fresh aromatic leaves are used to make wet chutney, chutney powders, spice blends etc. They are also used for many medicinal purposes as an antidiabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anti-hypercholesterolemic etc. My grandmother never got tired of saying how good these leaves are for lustrous and glossy hair when consumed in fresh/raw form! And trust me when I say that our Grandmothers never lie when it comes to curry leaves!

Many good Asian grocery shops sell good bunch of fresh curry leaves and some also sell them as frozen or in dried form. Although you can use these frozen or dry curry leaves, their aroma and flavour is much mellow when compared to the heady aroma of fresh curry leaves. When these curry leaves are added to hot oil, along with other seasonings ingredients, the heady aroma of released from these leaves is something that you need to experience on your own as it is way too difficult to express in few words! These leaves infuse their flavour to any dish they touch and make their presence felt.

Today’s recipe features Curry Leaves in lead role and not just as a cameo! This recipe of Curry Leaves Chutney Powder is made from one of my favourite cookbooks: Cooking at Home with Pedatha. In South India, any traditional meal is incomplete without Pickles and/or Chutney Podi. For all who are short of time, pickles and podis are nothing short of saviours! For a quick fix meal, all that is needed is some steamed rice, ghee (Indian clarified butter), some papads and pickle or podi of your choice and voila, you have one delicious meal to savour!

This Curry Leaves Chutney Powder is one of my favourite condiments to have with some crisp Dosa or fluffy and spongy Idli or simple steam cooked rice and chilled curds/yogurt. The recipe is simple and straight forward! All you need is a bunch of curry leaves, few lentils and whole spices. Roast them all in few teaspoons of oil and grind them to coarse powder along with tamarind for that tangy flavour. And in few minutes you have this aromatic, spicy, tangy, protein rich Podi that could be simply stored for a month or two!!! As and when needed, take one or two spoonfuls of this powder and mix them with a bowl of hot/warm rice, papad, ghee or a bowl of yogurt and you have this delicious meal ready in a jiffy. Life can’t get much simpler than this!


curry-leaves-chutney-powder
Roasted Ingredients for Curry Leaves Chutney Powder


Curry Leaves Chutney Powder (Spicy, tangy & aromatic blend of Curry Leaves, Lentils, Spices & Tamarind)
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 10-15 mins
Makes: Around 1 cup of Chutney Powder
Shelf Life: 2-3 months when refrigerated
Recipe Level: Basic/Beginner
Recipe Source: Cooking at Home with Pedatha

Ingredients:
2 cups Fresh Curry Leaves, loosely packed
8-10 Dry Red Chillies, about 3 inch long and stalks removed
1 small Lime sized Tamarind Pulp
1 tsp powdered Hing/Asafoetida
2 tsp Urad Dal/Split Black Lentils
2 tsp Channa Dal/Split Chickpeas
1 tsp Jaggery/Sugar (Optional)
2-4 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

curry-leaves-chutney-powder1
Curry Leaves Chutney Powder

Method:
Remove curry leaves from its stalk and rinse them clean. Wipe them dry using kitchen towel and keep them aside till needed.
Heat a wide pan on medium flame and dry roast urad dal and channa dal, separately, till they turn golden brown and keep them aside.
In a same pan, add hing and roast on low heat for half a minute and keep it aside along roasted lentils.
Add about 2-3 tbsp of oil in a pan and when it is heated add curry leaves. Roast these curry leaves on medium heat till they turn crisp but retain that lovely green colour, about 3-5 mins. Keep it aside.
In a same pan, add dried red chillies and roast for around half a minute to minute. Make sure that you don’t roast the chillies too much and turn black. Keep it aside along with other ingredients.
Next add tamarind pulp in a pan and roast for around 45 seconds. Keep it aside to cool.
Once all the ingredients have cooled enough, transfer them into dry mixer or food processor jar and grind to fine or coarse powder according to your preference.
Transfer ground powder into dry and clean jar. Pop it in refrigerator for longer shelf life. You can serve this delicious Curry Leaves Chutney Podi/Powder with Dosa, Idli or steamed rice and enjoy.

Serving Suggestion:
Take a teaspoon or two of Curry Leaves Chutney Powder and mix them with a bowl of steam cooked rice, topped with ghee and some Papads. Or mix this Chutney powder with a bowl of rice and yogurt.
You can also serve it as a side dish with Dosa or Idli, topped with a dollop of Ghee or oil.


Special Notes/Tips:
Make sure that the curry leaves are washed, rinsed and dried thoroughly before frying them as the moisture will reduce the shelf life of this chutney powder.
(This post is reproduced from Beyond Curries. While you are enjoying this Curry Leaves Chutney Pwder, don't forget to take a quick peek at my Diwali post on Beyond Curries where something sweet is waiting for you. Yes, you heard me right. We are having Sabudana Payasa/Kheer for dessert.)

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Wednesday, 14 October 2009

RCI: Udupi & Mangalorean Cuisine Round-up

From simple stir fries to complex curries, from aromatic rice dishes to delicious desserts, from sinful appetizers to refreshing drinks, from delightful sea foods to tantalising pickles…we have it all!!!

A warm welcome to tantalising round-up of RCI: Udupi & Mangalorean Cuisine.

I know I am quite late in posting this round-up. The house moving stress along with mountain load of work at office kept me away from blogging and my other loved hobbies. Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay and a big thank you for all my dear blogger friedns for participating. I hope you enjoy this flavourful journey of delicious food cooked by over 55 bloggers around the world. So are you ready to taste test over 90 delicious meals of beautiful temple city Udupi and coastal city of Mangalore?

RCI-Udupi & Mangalore


Appetizers and Snacks

Keerthana from Kitchen Vibes : Chakkuli
Archy From Archy's Recipe Book: Golibaje
Pavithra Kodical from Pakashale: Jackfruit Appa
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Phodis
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Boiled Banana
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Kele Phodi
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Surna Phodi
Lata Raja from Flavours & Tastes: Goli Baje
Sumana from Sum’s Cuisine: Halasina Mulka
Sumana from Sum’s Cuisine: Goli Baje
Jyoti V from Panch Pakwan: Goli/Mangalore Baje
Nupur from One Hot Stove: Medu Vada

Refreshing Drinks

Jaya Wagle from Jaya’s Space: Sol Kadhi
Deesha from Vegetable Platter: Kokum Tambli

Breakfast & Tiffin

EC from Simple Indian Food : Haalubai
Pavithra Kodical from Pakashale: Patrode
Meera from Enjoy Indian Food : Nanchanya Khadi
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Udidh Rulava Polo
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Bachanga Polo
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Masala Dosa & Potato Bhaji
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Sheeth ani Mooga Bette
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Pan Polo with Red Chutney
Meera from Enjoy Indian Food: Patrode
Varsha Prabhu from Vegan Treats: Sanna Polo (Spicy Yam Dosa)
Jyoti V from Panch Pakwan: Rava/Manipal Idli
Meera from Enjoy Indian Food: Dhoddak
Sumana from Sum’s Cuisine: Neer Dose
Arch from The Yum Factor: Paan Pole
Vani from Mysoorean: Taushe Doddak
Lata Raja from Flavours & Tastes: Neer Dosa
Shri from Tasty Touch: Neer Dosa
Keerthana from Kitchen Vibes: Soutekai Dosa
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Patholi
Vanita from Nan Prapancha: Kendadadya
Prathibha from The Chef and Her Kitchen: Mysore Masala Dosa
Lata Raja from Flavours and Tastes: Shavige
Ramya from Shadruchi: Masala Dosa
Sushma from Savi-Ruchi: Heerekayi Dose
Pratibha Rao from The Indian Food Court: Jackfruit Idlies
Asha Latha from Oceanic Hope: Halasina Hannu Hittu
Asha Latha from Oceanic Hope: Halasina Hannina Dose
Asha Latha from Oceanic Hope: Mangalore Idli
Archana from Paaka Shastra: Arasina Ele Kadubu

Vegetarian Side Dish

Miri from Peppermill: Udupi Sambar
Ramki from One Page Cookbooks: 10 Simple Udupi Curries
Rekha from Plaintain Leaf: Daali Thoy
Rekha from Plaintain Leaf: Sorekai Bolu Kodhel
Sushma from Savi-Ruchi: from : Sevu Bajji(Kesuvina Gojju)
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Ambe Sasam
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Ambuli Chutney
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Keerlu ani Valache Ghashi
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Chane Gashi
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Ambe Upkari
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Kosambari
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Keerla Neeli Sukke
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Kadgi Chakko
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Batato Alambe Song
Arch from The Yum Factor: Tomato Saar
Pavithra Kodical from Pakashale: Balekayi Ale Bajji
Sushma from Savi-Richi: Punarpuli Saaru
Ashwini from Konkani Foodie: Dhavve Adsaaney aani Magge Koddel
Ashwini from Konkani Foodie: Alsandey Upkari
Yasmeen from Heath Nut: Kosambari
Jaya Wagle from Jaya’s Space: Sol Kadhi
Pari Vasisht from Foodelicious: Sour & Spicy Bendekayi Gojju
Deesha from Vegetable Platter: Kokum Tambli
Preeti Nilesh from Khaugiri: Udupi Saaru
Smitha from Kannada Cuisine: Spinach Tambli
PJ from Seduce Your Tastebuds: Keerla Sukke
Pavitra from Pakashale: Gulla Kodhel
Deepika from Less Sugar, Please: Virsa
Abhirami from Soulful Creations: Udupi Sambar
Nags from Edible Garden: Mixed Vegetable Saagu
Jayasree from Kailas Kitchen: Bittergourd Palya
Lata Raja from Flavours and Tastes: Udupi Sambar
Pratibha Rao from The Indian Food Court: Ivy Gourd Gojju
Pratibha Rao from The Indian Food Court: Sprouted Moong Usli
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Gajbaje

Non-Vegetarian Side Dish

Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Raja Phanna Upkari
Arch from The Yum Factor: Mangalorean Style Fish Curry (Surmai Amshe Tikshe)
Shama Nagarajan from Easy 2 Cook Recipes: Egg Curry-Mangalorean Style
Veena from Mangalorean Cuisine: Chicken Ghassi

Sweets & Desserts

EC from Simple Indian Food: Haalubai
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Madgane
Mrs. RV Singh from Kriatv Vasari: Kashi Halwa
Jayasree from Kailas Kitchen: Keera Halwa
Preeti Nilesh from Khaugiri: Hayagreeva
Ashwini from Pakashastra: Kai/Coconut Holige

Spice Powders

Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Sara Pitti/Rasam Powder

Pickles & Chutney

Aarthi from Aarthi’s Kitchen: Mango Pickle
Aparna Prabhu from Aps Kitchen: Red Chutney
Deepika from Less Sugar, Please: Cumin-flavoured Coconut Chutney
Divya Kudua from Easycooking: Loshney Pitti Chutney/Garlic Dry Chutney


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Friday, 2 October 2009

Happy 3rd B'day, My Bloggy Baby!

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Belated b'day wishes to my one and only bloggy baby...
May you live all the days of your life ;)

Your ever loving Momma,
Sia :)
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Friday, 25 September 2009

Badanekayi-Eerulli Huli: This is My Legume Affair

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Badanekayi-Eerulli Huli

Wow! I can’t believe I am actually sitting here in my office and blogging!!! But after months of stress, running around and sleepless nights, I wanted to do something else to charge my batteries and obviously blogging is the first thing that came to my mind. I may still be stressed, worried sick, and running around flapping my feathers like freaking chicken but I have decided to come back and blog as it is the only creative outlet I have at a moment. And what the hell? There is nothing more relaxing at the moment than rant, ramble and vent out in my own small space in this virtual world which calms my jumpy nerves.

First of all, thanks to everyone who wished smooth house move. It indeed went smoothly and we are having lots of fun rearranging and decorating every room in our new home. Although it was bit saddening to leave our first home where we started our life together, our new house felt like home from day one we moved. It’s beyond words to describe the feeling of saying good bye to my first kitchen where I learnt to cook all by myself and where I actually did my first blog post. But at the same time, I love each and every minute of cooking in my brand new spunky kitchen that is equipped with top-end appliances. Slowly but steadily I have started cooking regularly but still haven’t had time to cook something exclusively for blog and take photos. I am sure everything will fall into old routine in few weeks time. I can go on and on rambling about our move but I will leave it for next few posts because there is so much to share!

Next I want to apologise for not posting the round-up for RCI! I know I should have done it 3 weeks back but moving houses have taken major chunk of our time and rest was spent in office trying to finish my project before deadline. Since we still have no TV, internet and phone connection at home, I am slowly putting things together during my lunch break in office. I am hoping to post RCI round-up by next weekend and I hope I’ll be able to stick to my promise this time. It sucks when I can’t fulfil my promise and trust me I am not enjoying it. So friends, give me couple of weeks to wrap up major works at home and office.

Another thing I wanted to mention is about the lovely entries I am receiving for MLLA-15th Helping. Thank you one and all. I will try to reply to all your emails ASAP. Please note that there are only few days left to send in all your entries to win these fabulous prizes sponsored by lovely Susan. So if you have already made the post but haven’t mailed, make it a point to send in all the details before 30th September, 2009.

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Badanekayi-Eerulli Huli

So what have we got today? Of course, a delicious legume recipe for MLLA-15th Helping, brainchild of Susan. The day I saw this recipe of Badanekayi Eerulli Huli posted by my good friend Vani of Mysoorean in our group blog Beyond Curries, I wanted to try it ASAP.

In Vani’s own words,
Huli is a form of dal made mainly in the Mysore/Bangalore regions of Karnataka. It is a thicker version of sambar but made with a different masala and is usually very vegetable-heavy.

During my post graduation days in beloved Bengaluru, this Badanekayi Eerulli Huli was regular dish on our Sunday lunch menu. Served with fried Papads, Majjige Menasu or some potato chips, this was a comfort food i always looked forward to enjoy on lazy Sunday afternoons. So it was inevitable that I try this recipe and re-live the hostel days… Thanks to Vani, I tried this recipe following Vani’s instructions to T. It not only takes me down the happy memory lanes but also tastes so much better than the one I remember. So without much delay let’s make some delicious Badanekayi-Eerulli Huli.

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Roasted Spices for Badanekayi-Eerulli Huli


Badanekai Eerulli Huli (Thick Lentil Stew with Eggplants and Onions)
Prep Time: 5-10 mins
Cooking Time: 30 minutes (20 minutes to cook lentils & vegetables and 10 minutes to prepare the stew)
Serves: 4-5
Spice Level: Medium
Cooking Level: Intermediate
Recipe Source: Beyond Curries
Serving Suggestions: With Rice & Papads/Chips

Ingredients:
1 medium Onion, chopped into ½ inch squares
1 medium sized Eggplant, chopped into 1 inch cubes
1½ cups cooked Toor Dal
3 tbsp fresh/frozen grated Coconut/desiccated unsweetened Coconut/Coconut Powder
¾ tsp Tamarind Paste (Adjust acc to taste)
2 tsp Jaggery or Brown Sugar (Adjust acc to taste)
Salt to taste

For Huli Masala Powder:
2 inch Cinnamon
1 tbsp Chana Dal/Split Bengal Gram
2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
4-6 Dry Red Chillies (Adjust acc to taste)
A small pinch of Hing/Asafoetida
1 tsp Oil

For Tadka/Tempering:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
A spring of fresh Curry Leaves
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
A pinch of Hing/Asafoetida
1 tbsp Oil

badanekai-erulli-huli1
Badanekayi-Eerulli Huli

Method:
Heat a tsp of Oil in a pan and add all the ingredients listed under Huli Masala Powder. Fry it on low to medium flame until fragnant, about 2 mins. Let them cool before you grind them to fine powder.
Now add grated coconut to this masala powder and grind to smooth paste adding very little water. Keep it aside till needed.
Heat oil in a deep pan and add mustard seeds. When mustard starts to pop and splutter, add hing, turmeric powder and curry leaves.
Immediately add onions, eggplants, and about 1½ cups of water.Cover the pan with lid and cook until eggplants are tender, about 7-8 mins, on medium flame.
Next add the coconut paste, cooked toor dal and salt to taste and bring the whole mixture to gentle boil.
Add tamarind paste, jaggery and adjust the seasonsings. And cook for 2-3 minutes for all the flavours to blend well.
Serve this delicious Badanekayi-Eerulli Huli with rice, papad/chips and a dollop of Ghee and enjoy.


Notes:
The consistency of Huli is very thick as compared to Samabr. So make sure that you drain the water from dal before adding with the vegetables. Also, make sure that you use very little water when grinding the coconut paste.
Vani suggests that you can also use the combinations of other vegetables like onion and potato, chayote and balck eyed beans, green leafy vegetables, cabbage and beans.

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Monday, 7 September 2009

Sayonara...

(Img Source: ecobox)

.... for now as we are moving to no phone, no internet area (read new home!) this week, all by ourselves, I won’t be able to answer to any of your emails for next 2 weeks till we get time to breath easily :) Please keep sending your MLLA entries and I will reply to all your emails/questions/queries as soon as we get broadband connection and settle down in our new home. Till then, Happy cooking and blogging!
hugs
Sia

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Wednesday, 2 September 2009

Announcing My Legume Love Affair, Fifteenth Helping

Please Note: We are moving to no phone, no internet area (read new home!) this week, all by ourselves, I won’t be able to answer to any of your emails for next 2 weeks till we get time to breath easily :) Please keep sending your MLLA entries and I will reply to all your emails/questions/queries as soon as we get broadband connection and settle down in our new home. Till then, Happy cooking and blogging!
hugs
Sia
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Regular visitors of my blog know my ever going, never ending love affair with legumes. So when Susan, a lovely blogger and splendid photographer behind the delightful blog called The Well Seasoned Cook, invited fellow bloggers to host her monthly event My Legume Love Affair sometime last year I jumped at the opportunity to host it. So here I am, inviting all dear bloggers and non-bloggers to participate in this month’s edition of My Love affair with Legumes-Fifteenth Helping.

A legume is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or a fruit of these specific plants. A 'legume' fruit is a simple dry fruit that develops from a simple carpel and usually dehisces (opens along a seam) on two sides. A common name for this type of fruit is a "pod", although pod is also applied to a few other fruit types, such as vanilla. Well-known legumes include alfalfa, clover, peas, beans, lentils, lupins, mesquite, carob, soy, and peanuts.
(Source: Wiki)

So for this event we are concentrating on pods like the ones listed in this page and not the plant. Please make sure that you follow the guideline listed below in order to be eligible for the lovely prizes. Yes, there will be not just one or two but three fabulous prizes. One lucky winner will receive two fabulous books specially selected by Susan and a gift from Hurst Bean. The first book is Remembrance of Things Paris: Sixty Years of Writing from Gourmet (Modern Library Food) by Gourmet Magazine Editors and Ruth Reichl and the second one is Gourmet Indian In Minutes: Over 140 Inspirational Recipes by Monisha Bharadwaj and they will be shipped worldwide. The third prize is a case of six bags of your choice of Hurst Bean products, suitable for every diet, generously provided by Hurst Bean. Due to shipping restrictions, this prize can only be awarded if the winner is a U.S. resident.

So what are you waiting for? Show me how much you love your legumes. I am looking forward to my mail inbox getting flooded with delicious legume entries all this month. Let the love affair begin…

Guidelines for participation:
  1. Prepare any vegetarian/vegan recipe with legumes as the star ingredient. Any cuisine, any course is acceptable as long as it features legumes. For this time I am restricting the entries to only vegetarian and vegan recipes but recipes with eggs are allowed.
  2. Multiple entries are welcome (entries in English only please) although only one submission will be counted towards the random drawing.
  3. Dedline for the event is 30th September ’09 and please note that late entries will not be included in the round-up. Please provide a link to this announcement page and to Susan’s event page.
  4. Send a mail with MLLA in the subject line to sia[at]monsoonspice[dot]com with the following details.
    • Your name
    • Location (Optional)
    • Your blog name
    • Name of the entry/recipe
    • URL of your post
    • An optional photograph of the final dish that is resized to 400 X 300 (in pixels) or 300 X 400 (in pixels) depending on orientation.
  5. If you don’t have a blog but would like to participate, send an email with the recipe and the above-mentioned details and your entry will be included in the prize draw.
  6. Recipes submitted to other events are also permitted.
  7. Recipes from archives or older posts are accepted only if they are re-posted with a link to this announcement page and Susan’s event page.
  8. Use of logo is optional.

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Friday, 14 August 2009

Aloo Lobia & A Quick Note on RCI

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Aloo Lobia

No rants, no ramblings, and none of my usual long posts today. All I want to share today is a quick recipe I created over the weekend.

Before I do that there is one more thing I want to mention quickly. It’s regarding RCI round-up. My initial plan was to post the round-up in first week of August. But due to heavy workload and some personal workload I haven’t had any time to sit and work on it. So my sincere apologies for the delay and I am hoping to post the round up in a week or two. Please bear with me this time! With over 80 entries, this edition of RCI-Udupi & Mangalore is going to be one bumper bonanza and I want to do full justice to it.

And now coming back to today’s recipe of Aloo Lobia, this recipe is something I came up during one busy weekend (yeah, even weekends are busy these days). I wanted to cook something good and comfort food as I was craving for some carbs by the end of the day after working non-stop. At that same time I didn’t want to spend more than 5 mins in front of a stove. One quick thinking and pairing black eyed peas and potato seemed like a good combination. And voila, it was better than good! An aromatic Tadka of cumin and curry leaves followed by cooking sweet onions and then a can of chopped tomatoes didn’t take more than few mins. By the time the ground spices were added and cooked along tomatoes, I was ready with cubed potatoes and rinsed black eyed peas. I literally dumped everything in a pressure cooker and left it cook on medium flame. While I stretched my feet with my favourite novel, the aroma of Aloo Lobia curry tickled my nose and then my stomach was giving all the signals for a delicious meal to look forward to. And it indeed turned out to be one delicious meal where I enjoyed this creamy Aloo Lobia with frozen chapattis and Krish enjoyed with Jeera Rice.

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Black Eyed Peas, Potatoes & Tomatoes for Aloo Lobia


Aloo Lobia (Spicy Potatoes and Black Eyed Peas Curry)
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins
Serves: 4-6
Recipe Level: Easy/Beginner
Spice Level: Medium
Serving Suggestion: With any Indian flat breads or flavoured/steam cooked rice

Ingredients:
3 medium Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
¾-1 cup Lobia/Black Eyed Peas/Alasande KaLu, washed and soaked in water till needed
1 large Onion, finely chopped
3 large/1 can Tomato, chopped
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1-2 Green Chillies, slit
1 tsp Tamarind Paste
½-1 tbsp Jaggery/Palm Sugar (Adjust acc to taste)
Salt to taste

Spices Used:
1 tbsp Sambar/Rasam Powder or use 1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp each Coriander & Cumin Powders
½ tsp Haldi/Turmeric Powder

For Tadka/Tempering:
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
2 springs Curry Leaves
A big pinch of Hing/Asafoetida
1 tbsp Oil

Special Utensils:
A Pressure Cooker

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Aloo Lobia

Method:
Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. When cumin starts to sizzle and turn golden red, add hing and curry leaves. Sauté it for few seconds.
Add finely chopped onions and cook till they turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and fry for a minute.
Mix in chopped tomatoes or canned tomatoes and cook till they are pulpy and release their juice, about 3 minutes.
Add all the spice powders (sambar/rasam powder, coriander and cumin powder and turmeric powder) along with tamarind paste, jaggery and salt to taste and mix well. Cook on medium heat for a minute.
Now add 3-4 cups of boiling water and bring the whole mixture to gentle boil, about 3 minutes.
Mix in cubed potatoes and soaked black eyed peas and cover the lid. Place the weight on lid and cook for 2-3 whistles or 12-15 minutes on medium flame. Let the pressure be released completely before opening the lid.
Serve this delicious Aloo Lobia with any Indian flat bread or flavoured/steam cooked rice and enjoy!

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Thursday, 6 August 2009

Quick Onion & Capsicum/Pepper Subji: Quick, Simple, Delicious & Healthy too!!!

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Quick Onion & Capsicum Subji

Quick – tick.
Simple – tick.
Delicious – tick.
Healthy – tick.

Wondering what am I talking about?

Recipe, of course! These days whenever I cook I go through these four pointers. I am looking for the recipes which quick to cook so that it saves lot of my time in doing rather something more important. And it should also be rather simple as I am trying to use very little ingredients so that the taste of main ingredient or the star ingredient is not chocked to death by hundreds of other ingredients and spices. Since I believe you can cook tasty and delicious food in spite of the recipe being quick and simple one I look out for those recipes that sound promising to produce the same result. Last but not the least, the health factor and I am, well, very conscious about it and try to make sure that the ingredients retains its nutrition and are not overly cooked all the time.

So when my dear friend Alka posted recipe of Quick Onion & Capsicum Subji on our group blog Beyond Curries, I knew I had to cook and taste!!! This recipe of Quick Onion & Capsicum Subji uses few ingredients and could be prepared in flat 15 minutes time. And it’s not only delicious but also healthy as it is a quick stir fry and not overly cooked for hours making it loose all its nutrition. And the bonus is its pretty to look at :) Who in their right mind can ignore this blissful delight! Well, not me ;) So dear readers please give this quick stir fry a try and let me know if you think the same. While you are enjoying this quick capsicum recipe, take a look at my post on pearly delight of Sagu/Sabudana Kichidi at Beyond Curries :)

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Coloured Bell Peppers for Quick Onion & Capsicum Subji


Quick Onion & Capsicum Subji (Quick stir fry of Bell Peppers and Onion)
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 10-12 mins
Serves: 4-5
Recipe Level: Easy/Beginner
Spice Level: Low to Medium
Serving Suggestion: With Chapatti or Rice and Dal
Recipe Inspiration: Beyond Curries

Ingredients:
3 Capsicums/Bell Peppers, cut into 1 inch squares
1 large Onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 medium Tomatoes, finely chopped
2 Green Chillies, slit
½-1 tsp Garam Masala/Kitchen King Masala
1 tsp Coriander Powder
A pinch of Haldi/Turmeric Powder
A pinch of Sugar
Salt to taste

For Tadka:
1 tsp Jeera
½ tbsp Oil

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Quick Onion & Capsicum Subji

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds to it. When cumin sizzles and turns golden red in colour.
Mix in chopped onions and green chillies and sauté till onion turn light golden in colour.
Add chopped tomatoes, coriander powder, turmeric, sugar and garam masala/kitchen king masala and cook for 3-5 minutes till tomatoes are cooked through.
Add chopped capsicums/bell peppers and sauté for 4-6 minutes so that it is lightly cooked yet retains its crunch.
Switch off the gas and mix in finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve this Quick Onion & Capsicum Subji with Chapatti or rice and enjoy!

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