vermicelli Idli Recipe

Idlis is one of the lightest and tasty food that we all love to eat. We all have eaten idlis made from rice and dal but have you ever tried Vermicelli Idlis? I was surprised when my friend told me about this recipe. I tried making it the same night and it was an instant hit with my family. Yes, the texture was different and taste too but it was nonetheless delicious and a healthy choice. So if you too want to experiment making this idli, here is the recipe:

Serves - 20 idlis (6-8 people)

Ingredients: (online grocery store to purchase Ingredients)

1 cup urad dal, soaked for 2 hours
1 cup suji, soaked for 20 mins
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
2 cups Vermicelli, soaked for 20 mins
Salt to taste

Preparation:

Drain the split back gram and grind it to a fine paste by adding little water
drain Suji and grind with fenugreek seeds
Mix the 2 pastes together, add the drained vermicelli and add salt to taste
Take idli moulds and add the batter to each mould.
Steam for 15-20 mins on medium flame
Serve hot with  tomato chutney, coconut chutney and sambar

Kanji (Rice Soup with coconut milk)

Yesterday one of my friend called me saying that her daughter is suffering from stomach infection. Although she is on antibiotics but she is unable to eat anything. She was upset and didn't know what to do. I quickly went through my hand written recipe book and came across rice soup. I remembered how having rice soup helped calm my stomach few  months back. I gave her the recipe. She called me today morning to say her daughter is feeling much better and was able to digest the rice soup well. Therefore, I thought of sharing the recipe with you all too.

Kanji

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

• 250 gm Broken rice, washed and drained
• 1 lt water
• 150ml Coconut milk
• salt to taste

Preparation:

• Take a pot and cook the broken rice into it water. When the rice becomes soft, keep it aside
• Pour in the coconut milk and check for seasoning
• Serve hot

Tomato Chutney Recipe

Last week I discussed about Chutneys of South India. And I shared the recipe of coconut chutney with you all. Today, I will be sharing another favorite chutney of mine; Tomato Chutney. I enjoy having tomato chutney with idli, vada and even with chapatti. Its nutritious and delicious. Do you want to make this chutney too? Here is the recipe

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients:

• 2 kg tomatoes, washed and cut in quarters
• 1 kg onion peeled and cut in quarters
• 200 ml oil
• 15 whole red chillies
• 5 gm mustard seeds
• 20gm urad dal
• curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a kadhai
• add the onions and fry till they are golden brown
• add whole red chillies and tomatoes
• Let it cook for 20 mins
• Remove from the flame.
• when the mixture cools, grind it into fine paste
• take a new kadhai and heat oil in it
• add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves
• Saute for a few minutes
• Add this to the tomato paste
• Check seasoning
• Serve with idli, dosa or chapati

 

Coconut Chutney Recipe

One thing that Hyderabad is known for besides Biryani is its spices and chutneys. The reason why Chutney's restaurant is my favorite eatery place is because I get to devour on various types of chutneys. But, being a health conscious person, I can't keep going back to restaurants to eat right? So, I learnt to make my chutneys at home. Here is the recipe for coconut chutney

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:

5 Grated coconuts
1 inch ginger
6 green chilies chopped and deseeded
50 gms roasted chana dal
15 ml oil
5gm mustard seeds
15gm moong dal
6 whole red chillies
curry leaves

Fresh Ingredients available at this online grocery store

Preparation:

Grind the coconut with little water, ginger and green chillies to make a smooth paste.
Add the chana dal to the paste
Heat oil in a wok (kadhai) and add mustard seeds
When the seeds start to crackle add the moong dal and fry till it is golden brown
Add the whole red chillies and curry leaves
Pour the fried moong dal in the coconut paste and check for seasoning
Serve the chutney with idli, dosa, etc.

Tasty Lauki and Tomato Soup

Yesterday I was wondering what type of soup should I make. I was bored of making and having the same packet soups. So I thought why not make my own soup. It would be healthy, nutritious and my body with thank me..:) I went through all my cook books and landed on Lauki and Tomato soup recipe. First I thought who has lauki for a soup. I mean Lauki as a cooked vegetable is fine but in a soup? Hmmm. Anyways I reluctantly did give it a try and you know what, this was one of the best soups that I ever had. Yup, lauki and tomato soup a recipe by Nita Mehta is one of the tastiest soups ever. And it is extremely easy to make. So guys, here is the recipe for you.

Serves: 4
Difficult Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 1/2 Kg Tomatoes - Roughly Chopped
• 1 small lauki (bottle gourd) - Peeled and chopped
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger
• 6-8 whole black pepper
• 1 onion - chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper crushed
• pinch of sugar
• coriander to garnish

Grocery shop Online for Ingredients

Method

• In a pressure cooker, boil the tomatoes, lauki, ginger, whole black pepper and onion with 4 cups of water. Give it 1 whistle. keep on low lame for 4-5 mins and then remove it from fire.
• Cool and puree the mixture in a blender. Strain the puree.
• Take a pan and add the soup. Bring it to a boil. Add salt, sugar and crushed black pepper.
• Add coriander. Simmer for few minutes and serve hot. 

Simple and Delicious Malai Korma Recipe

Few days ago as I was telling my friend how much I enjoy malai kofta, she asked me whether I had tried Malai korma.  Umm, ok so I hadn’t and now I was very keen to try it. So I ordered one from a nearest restaurant and I simply loved it. I loved its creamy texture, rich taste and all the spices. I normally don’t eat much but I literally finished the entire dish. And being me, I had to learn to make this dish at home. So guys, here is the recipe that I use to make this dish and believe me it turned out delicious!!!

Difficulty Level - Easy

Ingredients

• 2 cups Malai (thick top cream of milk)
• 2 Onions (finely cut into pieces)
• 1 Tomato (finely cut into pieces)
• 10 flakes Garlic
• 1" piece Ginger (peeled)
• 5 green Chilies
• 1 tbsp Coriander leaves (finely cut into pieces)
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 10-12 Cashew nuts (broken into pieces)
• 3 tsp Ghee
• Salt to taste

Grocery shop online for the ingredients

Method

• Make ginger and garlic paste.
• chop cashew nuts into small pieces
• Heat ghee in a pan, fry cashew nuts, take it out and keep aside.
• Add onions to the same hot ghee and fry it for 2 minutes.
• Now add the paste of ginger and garlic, green chilies, turmeric powder and salt.
• Add tomatoes and fry till oil separates from gravy.
• Now add cream, stir and cook on low flame for two minutes.
• Garnish the dish with coriander leaves and chopped cashew nuts
• Serve Malai korma with jeera rice or chapatis

Original Hyderabadi Khatti Dal Recipe

Lentils are full of protein and there are various ways of making it. Indians love their dal but khatti dal (sour lentils) is a dish which everyone craves for. In fact it is Zeenat Aman’s (Indian actress) favourite recipe and one of my go tocomfort food as well..:) You can enjoy this dish as a soup or have it with chapattis and rice. Now the recipe I am going to share with you is brought to you from the book (101 Easy to Cook Hyderabadi Recipes by Geeta Devi).

Prep Time – 20-25 minutes

Cook time – 20-25 minutes

Serve – 3

Ingredients

First you need to pressure cook the dal and the ingredients for that are:

• 1 cup toor dal/ split pigeon pea lentils
• 2.5 cups water for pressure cooking the lentils
• 1 medium tomato
• ½ inch ginger, finely chopped or grated
• 2 garlic, grated or crushed
•  Pinch of turmeric powder

Other Ingredients

• 1 tbsp seedless tamarind soaked in ½ cup warm water for 30 mins
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped or slit - add as required
• 1 tsp coriander powder/dhania powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• ½ tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder
• Coriander leaves
• 1 cup water if required
• salt to taste

Ingredients to add in tadka

• 3 to 4 tbsp oil or ghee
• 2-3 dry red chilies, kept whole or broken
• 6-8 garlic, finely chopped
• 12-15 curry leaves/kadi patta
• ½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera
• Pinch of asafoetida/hing

Method

cooking the lentils/dal:

Rinse the dal well. pressure cook the dal with the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and a pinch of turmeric powder. Add 2.5 cups water for 7-8 whistles or more till the lentils are cooked and mushy.

Squeeze the pulp from the tamarind directly into its bowl of water. when the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid.

Mash the dal with a wooden spoon or hand blender till smooth.

Strain the tamarind pulp and add to the dal.

Also add the green chilies, turmeric, red chili and coriander powder. Stir in the ¾ or 1 cup water along with salt.

Keep the dal on a low flame and simmer for 8-10 minutes till the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away and the all the flavors have blended well and the dal has reached a medium consistency.

Cover and keep the cooked dal aside.

How to prepare for the tadka:

Heat oil in a small frying pan. crackle the cumin seeds first.

Then add the garlic and fry for 4-5 seconds. Add the dry red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida./hing

Fry till the red chilies change their color and the curry leaves become crisp.

Pour this tempering in the dal and stir.

Cover and keep aside the khatti dal for 5-6 minutes for the flavors to mingle.

You can add coriander leaves for garnish

Serve the dal with steamed basmati rice or chapati.

Keema Samosa Recipe

I am a big samosa fan. Especially when paired with chai, it is a treat for the day. However, while growing up I had always known and eaten samosas with spiced potato filling. So, when I tried keema samosa at a friend’s place, it was a complete delight for me. Why hadn’t I ever tried this before? It was just yummy!!! And I had to at any cost learn to make this at home. So guys, here is the Sanjeev Kapoor recipe that I use to make this delicious snack at home for friends and family.

Prep Time - 45-50 minutes

Cook time - 10-15 minutes

Serve – 4

Ingredients

FOR COVERING

Refined flour (maida) 2 cups

butter 2 tablespoons

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

FOR STUFFING

Mutton mince (keema) 250 grams

Oil 2 tablespoons

Onions finely chopped 2 medium

Ginger finely chopped 1 inch pieces

Garlic finely chopped 4-5 cloves

Green chillies finely chopped 2

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon

Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon

This is where you can grocery shop online to purchase the ingredients

Method

• Sieve refined flour with salt. Cut margarine into the sieved flour and rub in lightly with fingertips.
• Add sufficient water and knead into stiff dough. Keep covered with a damp cloth for half an hour. Wash mutton mince under running water for two minutes. Drain, squeeze dry using your hands and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add onions and sauté on medium heat for two to three minutes or till light pink. Add chopped ginger and garlic and green chillies and continue to sauté for half a minute.

• Add mutton mince and salt and sauté for two minutes. Add red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Sprinkle a little water and cover and cook on low heat till the mince is cooked and the mixture is completely dry. Add garam masala powder and remove from heat.
• When cool, add spring onion greens and mix well.
• To make samosas, divide dough into sixteen equal portions and roll out into oval shapes. Cut into half and shape into a cone. Fill with mutton mince stuffing and seal the edges. Refrigerate for about half an hour.
• Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and fry samosas till golden crisp. Drain onto an absorbent paper. Serve hot with mint chutney, yogurt or tomato ketchup.

Dum Pukht Biryani Recipe

When I came down to the city of Nawabs, the first thing I wanted to try was Hyderabadi Biryani....the famous Hyderabadi Biryani from Paradise!!! But then a friend of mine asked if I had ever tried Dum Pukht. She said, if I enjoy chicken Biryani, then I am going to fall in love with Dum Pukht. Initially, I was confused and did not know what kind of dish is it. But, when she made me try it, I just could not have enough of it . It has become one of my favorite dishes of all time. Mmmm, just thinking of it now and my mouth is watering!! Well, now once a week at least I make this dish at home. So, here is the Shireen Anwar recipe for you guys which I use to cook the dish.

Prep Time - 10-15 mins
Cooking Time - 60 mins
Serves - 4

Ingredients:

Chicken boneless cubes ½ kg
Rice 1 kg (boiled)
Tomatoes 4 (blended)
Oil ¼ cup
onion ½ cup
Poppy seeds 1 tbsp (ground)
Coconut 1 tbsp (ground)
Mace ¼ tsp (ground)
Nutmeg ¼ tsp (ground)
Saffron ¼ tsp (soaked in ¼ cup milk)
Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp
Cashew nut 2 tbsp (ground)
Salt to taste

For Marinating:
Yogurt 1 cup
Green chilies 4 (chopped)
Salt to taste
All spice 1 tsp
Turmeric ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp (chopped)
Chili powder 1 ½ tsp

How to Prepare:

1. Cut chicken into 2 inch cubes.


2. Marinate chicken with yogurt, chopped green chilies, coriander leaves, salt, chili powder, all spice and turmeric.


3. Heat oil, add ginger garlic paste with ground cashew nut, poppy seeds and coconut, stir well.


4. Add blended tomatoes, also fry well.


5. Add marinated chicken, cover and cook till chicken is done.


6. Arrange half the boiled rice in a pan.


7. Top with chicken mixture sprinkle with mace and nutmeg.


8. Cover with remaining rice topped with saffron and milk mixture.


9. Also spread brown onion on top cover pan.


10. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes till done.


11. Serve with Salan or kachumbari salad