Raw Jackfruit (Kathal) Pakora

 

             Tea time without some fried snacks is just meaningless. One can't resist the temptation of deep fried pakoras. A bowl of hot and crispy pakoras is anytime welcome. So here are some easy to make yummy raw jackfruit pakoras / fritters. 

             These crispy treats are just perfect with your evening cuppa. You can also serve them as appetizers, with chutney, sauce, labneh, hummus or cheese spread. They are absolutely easy to prepare as it requires only few basic ingredients. I made them both spicy and tangy. However, it can be adjusted accordingly. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

          If it happens to be a rainy day or a cold winter night, then the excitement of having these pakoras reaches to another level. These amazing pakoras are also great as an accompaniment to dal chawal or curd rice. 

          Any leftover pakoras can be made into Kadhi Pakora the next day and enjoyed with hot steamed rice / jeera rice for a great comfort meal. You can also dish out pakora chaat for a light dinner.

• 1 small raw jackfruit, peeled & cubed
• 3 tbsp. chickpea flour
• 2 tbsp. semolina
• 2 tbsp. rice flour
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. amchur
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1  tbsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. carom seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. hot oil
• oil to deep fry

          Pressure cook the raw jackfruit for one whistle. Set aside to cool down. Then mash / shred them.

          In a large bowl, combine all the mentioned ingredients (except oil to deep fry) into a thick batter. Add water only if needed.

          Heat oil in a pan / kadai and drop spoonful of the mix. Deep fry on a low to medium flame on all sides till crisp and brown. Drain on a tissue paper.

          Serve as an appetizer / tea time snack with any chutney of your choice, sliced onion, green chilies and lemon wedges.

                     Pressure cook the raw jackfruit for one whistle. Set aside to

                     cool down. Then mash / shred them.

                      In a large bowl, add all the ingredients (except oil to deep fry)

                               Mix well into a thick batter. Add water only if needed.

                    Heat oil & drop spoonful of the mix. Deep fry till crisp & brown. 

Drain on a tissue paper.

                     Serve as an appetizer / tea time snack with any chutney of

                     your choice, sliced onion, green chilies and lemon wedges.

Mithai Shrikhand

 

               Shrikhand is a traditional Maharashtrian dessert prepared from hung yoghurt and flavored with saffron and cardamom powder.  So here is my version of this amazing chilled dessert prepared with some leftover modak. In this way, you can make good use of them and come up with this amazing fusion type of Shrikhand.

               In this recipe, I made use of  kesar modak. You can use any other leftover sweets. So a great combination of some leftover sweets and yoghurt makes for this yummy Shrikhand. Garnish with a pinch of saffron, some crushed sweets, chopped nuts, dry rose petals, saffron and a sprig of mint and you are ready to savour it. 

             Do try this absolutely simple, easy and a yummy dessert with just two main ingredients - hung yoghurt and few leftover sweets. The end result is this creamy dessert that is best relished, chilled. I have not added any sugar. You may if you wish. I flavored it with cardamom powder and rose water. You can try with any other flavour of your choice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this chilled homemade delicacy in a fusion style.

• 500 gms. yoghurt
• 4-5 mango & kesar modak, mashed
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. rose water
• a pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp. water / milk
• some crushed sweets, chopped mixed nuts, saffron, dry rose petals & mint

          Pour the yoghurt in a cheese cloth and place on a strainer. Keep this on a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The thick hung yoghurt is used for the recipe. 

          In a bowl, whisk together hung yoghurt and the leftover mashed modak. Pass it through a strainer to remove any granules. 

          Now add the cardamom powder, saffron water and rose water. Mix well and refrigerate for some time.

          Serve this amazing Shrikhand, garnished with chopped nuts, dried rose petals, saffron, crushed modak and mint.

                        Pour the yoghurt in a cheese cloth & place on a strainer. Keep this

                        on a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. 

                               In a bowl, whisk together hung yoghurt & the mashed modak.

                                 Pass it through a strainer to remove any granules. 

                           Add cardamom powder, saffron water & rose water. Mix well & 

                           refrigerate for some time.

                         Serve this amazing Shrikhand, garnished with chopped nuts, dried 

                         rose petals, saffron, crushed modak and mint.

Keema Bagara Baingan

 

              Bagara Baingan  is a signature dish of Hyderabad and is generally served with Dum Biryani. It also goes well with bagara rice, jeera rice, naan or tandoori roti. So check out my version of bagara baingan cooked with mutton keema to come up with this fusion combo. The end result was a super yummy, spicy and a tangy curry. Just perfect for a weekend lunch. It is also a great party recipe and just the right one for any Eid festival. So do give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup mutton keema / mince
• 3-4 tbsp. oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 2 tbsp. peanuts
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1-2 sprig curry leaves
• 6 baby eggplants, washed, drained & slit
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Dry roast the coconut, sesame seeds and peanuts till golden in colour. Keep aside to cool. Then grind and keep aside. 

          In a small bowl, mix together ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder and salt with some water. Keep aside.

 

          Wipe the eggplants well and keep aside. Heat 1 tbsp. oil and fry them till light brown. Drain and keep aside.

          Heat remaining oil and sauté the onion till light brown. 

          Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the oil separates.

          Now add the ground coconut and fry on a low flame till well combined.

          Add the mutton keema and curry leaves. Sauté till the oil separates. 

          Then add 1 & 1/2 cups water and the fried eggplants. Cover and simmer on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes or till the eggplants are tender and the gravy is thick to a desired consistency.  

                 
          Add the tamarind water and simmer further for 2 minutes. 

          When done, switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves. Enjoy with biryani, jeera rice, pulao, naan or tandoori roti.

                            Dry roast the coconut, sesame seeds & peanuts till golden in colour. 

                            Keep aside to cool. Then grind and keep aside. 

                       In a small bowl, mix ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric 

                       powder, coriander-cumin powder & salt with some water. Keep aside.

                                   Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry them till light brown. Keep aside.

                                  Heat remaining oil & sauté the onion till light brown. 

                                 Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the oil separates.

                            Add the ground coconut & fry on a low flame till well combined.

                         Add the mutton keema & curry leaves. Sauté till the oil separates. 

                                  Then add 1 & 1/2 cups water.....

                         and the fried eggplants. Cover & simmer for 4-5 minutes or till the 

                         eggplants are tender & the gravy is thick to a desired consistency.  

 

                                  Add tamarind water & simmer further for 2 minutes. 

                                  When done, garnish with coriander leaves. 

                                Enjoy with biryani, jeera rice, pulao, naan or tandoori roti.

Kanda Poha (Flattened Rice Pulao / Pilaf - Maharashtrian Breakfast Recipe)

 

            Poha is a traditional Maharashtrian breakfast, very common in almost every household. Very light and nutritious, it can be relished as an evening tea-time snack or as a lunch box meal. It tastes awesome with a drizzle of some pickle oil or green chutney as an accompaniment.

          It is also a very easy and a quick recipe. For a more healthier version, red poha or brown poha are recommended. So check out this easy and simple step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish.

• 2 cups brown / white poha, washed and drained
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

              Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida.  After it stops spluttering, add the onion, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, salt and turmeric powder. Sauté till the onions turns light brown.

             Now add the poha and roasted peanuts. Sprinkle some water and sauté for 2-3  minutes on a low to medium flame. 

             When done, add chopped coriander leaves and lime juice. Give it a toss and serve as a wholesome and a healthy breakfast.

                                  Washed & drained poha.

                   Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds & asafoetida. 

                            Then add onion, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, salt 

                           turmeric powder. Sauté till the onions turns light brown.

                     Now add the poha &roasted peanuts. Sprinkle some water &

                     sauté for 2-3  minutes on a low to medium flame. 

                       When done, add coriander leaves & lime juice. Give it a toss.

                               Serve as a wholesome and a healthy breakfast.

Oats Thatte Idli Upma

 

            Check out this Upma recipe made from some leftover Oats Thatte idli. As any leftover idlis are a great headache and not knowing what to do, we end up reheating the same and having it again the same boring way. So try making upma out of it. Tastes simply awesome and will disappear in no time. Enjoy it with coconut chutney and sambar. It tastes yummy. Serve it for breakfast, snack or as a lunch box meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this fusion recipe.

          Thatte Idlis are traditional Karnataka breakfast, which literally translates to plate idli as they are steamed in a plate. However, I steamed in a greased steel tiffin box. They can also be steamed in dhokla plates. 

          They are a speciality from Tumkur region in Karnataka and is a very popular breakfast in and around Karnataka. You can enjoy these Thatte Idlis with sambar and chutney. 

         I came across this type of Idli in one of the eateries here and I simply loved its amazing shape. So thought of giving it a try, but with a slight twist. 

          Instead of the usual rice and urad dal, I made these idlis with powdered oats and semolina with a tempering.

          This is an instant version as there is no fermenting required. So there is a lot of time saving. It is a great evening snack and a lunch box meal too. 

Oats Thatte Idli - 

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 cup semolina
• salt to taste
• buttermilk as required
• 1 tsp. eno fruit salt 

Upma with leftover idli - 

• 2 cups of Thatte idli, crumbled
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 dry chili, broken
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice 

 

          Oats Thatte Idli - 

          Dry roast the oats for a few seconds. When cool, grind into a fine powder and keep aside. 

         Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chilies.

          After it stops spluttering, add the semolina and fry till light brown. Add the powdered oats, salt and enough buttermilk to make into a batter like consistency.

         Just before steaming, add the eno fruit salt and a little water over it and mix well.

         Pour the batter into a greased steel tiffin box with a lid. Steam for 15 minutes and set aside to cool. Then demould them. 

Idli Upma - 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chili, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the urad dal and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the onion, ginger, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. Now add the crumbled idli, salt to taste and roasted peanuts. Stir fry for 2 minutes. 

          When done, switch off the flame and add lime juice and coriander leaves. Serve with coconut chutney and sambar. 

                                   The steamed Oats Thatte idli.

                                  Crumble them and keep aside.

  

                         Heat oil & temper with dry red chili, mustard seeds & cumin seeds. 

                           After it stops spluttering, add urad dal & asafoetida. Sauté for a

                           few seconds. 

                      Add onion, ginger, green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. 

                        Add the crumbled idli, salt & roasted peanuts. Stir fry for 2 minutes. 

                          When done, switch off the flame. Add lime juice & coriander leaves. 

                                 Serve with coconut chutney and sambar.