SPICY CRISPY CAULIFLOWER SABZI (a quick recipe)

Got bored with same old recipes to make cauliflower sabzi. I tried gobi manchurian type masala. Turned out to be quite easy and tasty. It is very quick also.

I used:

Cauliflower                                            1 kg.
Garlic                                                     7-8 cloves, finely cut
Green chilies                                         3-4, finely chopped
Coriander leaves                                   about 1/2 cup finely chopped
Salt                                                        1/4 teaspoon
Tomato ketchup                                     1 cup
Oil                                                          1 tablespoon

Method:

Wash and cut cauliflower into small florets. Sprinkle salt and microwave for 2-3 minutes till half cooked, tossing once or twice in between.

Heat oil in a pan.  Add cut garlic and fry till brown. Now add cut chilies, stir and after about 10 seconds and tomato ketchup. Once it starts boiling add florets of cauliflower, mix well and cover with a lid.  After one minute add chopped coriander leaves, turn the contents again, cover with lid and turn off the stove. After about five minutes turn the contents again. The sabzi is ready.  The florets are still crispy and ready to serve.

HALASANDE KAALU and SOPPU `MUDHPALYA'

Protein packed dish which goes well both with rice and chapatis. Very easy to make. Got bored of usual stuff and tried this and came out well.

You need:

Halsande kaaLu(bharbhati/lobia)                1/2 cup
Togari beLe (Tuvar)                                    1/4 cup (mainly to get thick palya)
DanTu/Chakota/Palak                                  3 cups (finely chopped)
Salt                                                              1 teaspoon
Tamarind extract                                          1/2 spoon if thick
HuLi puDi(sambar powder)                        1 teaspoon
Grated coconut                                             1/2 cup
Oil                                                                1 teaspoon
Ingu (hing)                                                     1 pinch
Turmeric                                                        1 pinch
Curry leaves                                                  about 10
Jaggery                                                          1 teaspoon (optional)

How to make:

Soak halsande kaaLu and togari beLe for 2-3 hours.  Pressure cook till soft.
Cook greens.
Take oil in a kaDai, heat it. When hot add mustard. When it sputters, add ingu, curry leaves, turmeric and then add the cooked kaaLu and beLe, cooked greens, salt, tamarind juice, huLi puDi, jaggery and grated coconut.  Mix well and bring to boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes and turn off the stove.  Mudpalya is ready to serve or to eat :)

I enjoyed this with hot rice. Why don`t you try soon and let me know it came out?

PS: You can use other pulses like hesaru kaLu (whole green moong)

RAVE UNDE / RAVA LADDOO

As you know, this is actually an ancient dish! I vaguely remember  that my ajji, i.e.your thatha's mother, used to make tiny unDes specially for me and place one in each of my three year old  tiny hands, since  they say I used to ask for two pieces every time!

The procedure is very simple and  the ingredients are almost always readily available on the South Indian kitchen shelves. That is the reason the ladies those days prepared this in no time if the guests were to arrive within a short notice.

So, here are the ingredients:

Chiroti Rava                               1 cup
Sugar                                          1/2 cup
Grated coconut                           1/2 cup
Ghee                                           2-3 table spoons
Water                                          Enough to cover sugar in the kaDai
Cardamom powder                    1/4 teaspoon
Cashew nut pieces                     1-2 tablespoons
Raisins                                        1-2 tablespoons

Optional:


How to proceed:

Take about a teaspoon of ghee in the kaDai and fry cashew nuts till golden brown and raisins till they bloat. Transfer them to a small bowl.

Take  the remaining ghee in the kaDai and when it melts add both the rava and grated coconut and roast till the rava turns golden brown and the rava together with coconut give a pleasant aroma. Transfer the contents to the same bowl.

Next take sugar in the kaDai, add water just enough to cover it, and bring to boil till you notice foaming of the syrrup. Turn off the burner. Add cardamom powder, mix well and then transfer the contents of the bowl to the kaDai and mix well.  When the mixture is cool enough for you to handle, take small portions and make balls. Store in an airtight container. Can stay fresh for about a week.

From this amount you can make about 10 balls.  Enjoy!