Horse Gram Chutney

February 2, 2009 · By Deepthi Shankar · Filed Under Dips, Lunch/Dinner · Comment

We South Indians love rice. I cannot even imagine a single day without eating rice. Our love for rice gives way to a lot of experimenting with different kinds of gravies like sambar, kootu, gojju and the likes.

We also like eating steamed rice with different kinds of chutneys. Contrary to the popular belief, South Indian Chutney is not just limited to the green Coconut Chutney, we have hundreds of varieties of chutney than one can ever imagine.

Once such chutney, we make at home is the Horse Gram chutney. This is made particularly when the temprature dips, as Horse Gram is known to increase body temprature & keep one warm.

You Will Need:

1 cup Horse Gram/Hurali Kaalu
1/2 cup grated coconut - fresh/frozen
1 tbsp grated jaggery
5 - 6 red dry red chillies ( I used Byadagi )
A handful of curry leaves
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
salt as per taste

Method:

Dry roast Horse Gram until fragrant & keep aside to cool
Grind the roasted gram to a coarse powder & set aside
Heat a tsp of oil & roast the red chillies, coriander seeds & curry leaves
In a Mixer, blend together grated coconut, jaggery, curry leaves, red chillies, & coriander seeds by adding little water
Add salt, ground horse gram & blend again to combine. Add water if necessary
Temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves & 2 broken red chillies.

Serve with HOT steamed rice & Enjoi !!!

This is a little different from the usual chutneys as the Horse Gram is dry roasted & ground. Spiked with red chillies, jaggery & coriander seeds & just a little hint of asafoetida, this one is a must try.

Hope you enjoy this one as much as we did . .

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Baingan Ka Bharta - Smoked Eggplant Curry

December 12, 2008 · By Deepthi Shankar · Filed Under Dips, Lunch/Dinner, Side Dishes · Comment

Punjabi cuisine is wholesome & full of rustic flavors. If you love punjabi food, I bet you will love Baingan Ka Bharta. This simple dish from the land of Punjab, has a very distinct flavor because of the use of mustard oil. Smoked eggplant gives it a very earthy flavor that you will love.

Baingan Ka Bharta is relatively healthier as compared to other punjabi dishes as it does not require liberal use of desi ghee or oil. This is simple enough to be tried by a novice too

Preparation Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
2 red onions - finely chopped
2 tomatoes - chopped
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 cup green peas - fresh/frozen
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 chopped green chilli
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp kitchen king masala
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt as per taste
2 tbsp mustard oil
A handful of chopped cilantro

Method:

Make tiny slits around the eggplant, smear oil & roast it in the oven at 400 degrees till the eggplant gets charred on all the sides. You could even roast the eggplant on the stove top.
Once the eggplant is roasted, allow it to cool. Later, peel off the skin & mash the eggplant with the back of a fork. Add salt & lime juice, mix well & set it aside
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, Add cumin seeds, once the seeds pop & splutter, add green chillies & ginger garlic paste & saute
Add chopped onions & saute until they turn transparent.
Add chopped tomatoes, add red chilli powder & saute till the tomatoes are cooked & oil separates
To this, add mashed eggplant & green peas. Mix well & cook for a while on low heat.
Add salt as per taste. Add garam masala & kitchen king masala, mix well. Garnish with chopped cilantro

Serve HOT with Rotis/Rice. Enjoi !!!

Serve as a dip with pita chips for a change. Iam sure your guests will love this.

NOTE:

You could use vegetable oil/sunflower oil too. But Mustard oil gives it a very different flavor.
DO NOT wash the smoked eggplant in cold water to cool it down. Else, it will lose the smoky flavor.
You can even use charcoal to roast the eggplant, It will taste even better.

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Guacamole

September 22, 2008 · By Deepthi Shankar · Filed Under Dips, Mexican · 47 Comments

I was never really into Mexican Cuisine while growing up. The early memories of Mexican food I have is that of my cousins’ raving about Taco Bell & the famous Bean Burritos. I really had no clue about what Mexican cuisine is all about back then.

The first Mexican dish I ever tried was the Guacamole made out of mashed avocados. I simply fell in love with the taste. I could easily eat a whole bowl of Guacamole . . .

What I really like about Mexican Cuisine is its alikeness with Indian Cuisine & the right usage of spices making every dish delectable.

Guacamole is the simplest of the Mexican dishes. There are various versions to it. You could add just about anything to suit your tastebuds.

Guacamole is a matter of taste & not measurements. Go Ahead & make your own Guacamole now . . .

Here’s my version:

Ingredients:

1 Haas ripe Avocado
1/4 cup Red Bell pepper - Finely chopped
1/4 cup Red Onions - Finely chopped
1 tbsp Lime Juice
2 green chillies - chopped
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp - Black Pepper Powder
Salt as per taste
Cilantro - finely chopped

Method:

Cut the avocado length-wise in halves, De-seed & scoop out avocado from the peel & put in into a mixing bowl.
Mash the avocado using a fork. Make sure to retain a few chunks.
Add 1 tbsp of lemon juice
Add chopped onions, Red Bell Pepper, green chillies, Black pepper powder, cumin powder, salt, cilantro & olive oil
Mix well & cover the bowl to prevent oxidation
Let the mixture sit a few minutes for the flavors to mingle. Hence, refrigerate atleast for 30 mins before serving.

Serve with Tortilla Chips, Toasted Pita Bread, Veggies or add to a wrap, sandwich or anything you can think of .. Enjoi

NOTE: Adding Lemon juice not only enhances the taste of guacamole but also prevents oxidation of guacamole.

Bury the Avocado pit in the Guacamole before refrigerating it. This will prevent Guacamole from turning brown. Do remember to remove the pit before serving