Bitter Gourd (Karela) Chutney

          All Bitter Gourd lovers will simply love this amazing chutney. It was my first try and I really fell in love with this side dish. A very easy recipe, it simply tastes yummy with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some extra ghee. It is lip smacking with all the flavours in it - spicy, tangy, sweet and a slight hint of bitterness. You may also relish it with chapati, curd rice, idli or dosa. It is definitely a must try recipe.

• 4 long bitter gourd, seeds discarded & sliced
• 8-10 dry red chilies 
• 1 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp. split black gram (urad dal)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1-2 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp. jaggery / sugar to taste
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1-2 sprigs curry leaves

          Add some salt and turmeric powder to the sliced bitter gourd and leave aside for 30 minutes. Then rinse well and squeeze properly. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and fry the bitter gourd, turmeric powder and salt to taste on a low flame till golden brown in colour. Keep aside to cool.

          Heat remaining oil and fry the other ingredients starting from - dry red chilies to black gram. Keep aside to cool.

          Dry roast the coconut till golden in colour and set aside to cool.

          Grind into a paste all the stir fried ingredients along with tamarind, jaggery, salt to taste and required quantity of water.

         Heat ghee in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and asafoetida. 

          Sauté for a few seconds and switch off the flame. Pour this tempering over the chutney and relish with plain steamed rice or chapatti. 

Chicken Sausage Stir Fry

          
          This is a yummy and chatpata side dish made with some homemade chicken sausages. You can add any veggies of your choice to make it more wholesome. It takes very less time to dish out and goes well with either plain pulao, plain biryani, jeera rice rice or any Indian bread. 

• 3-4 chicken sausages, sliced & shallow fried 
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1-2 fresh red / green chilies, chopped
• 1/4 cup coriander roots, chopped
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and chilies. Stir fry till light brown.

          Add the tomato paste, followed by the sausages and all the dry spices. Sauté till well combined and stir fry for 1-2 minutes on a medium flame. 

          Switch off the flame and add the lime juice and coriander leaves. Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

 
                                 Slice the sausages.

                   Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds & asafoetida. Then add onion, ginger, 
                   garlic & chilies. Stir fry till light brown.

                                 Add the tomato paste, 

                             followed by sausages & all dry spices. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes.  

                                 Switch off flame & add lime juice & coriander leaves. 

                               Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

Chatpata Tindora Ka Salan - Hyderabadi Style

          This recipe is almost similar to Mirchi Ka Salan and Bagara Baingan, two other Hyderabadi delicacies which has almost the same spices. The dominant ones are coconut, sesame seeds and peanuts. The gravy is extremely delicious and has a spicy and tangy flavour. 

          It is very much relished with plain biryani, pulao and jeera rice. In fact they go extremely well with any form of rice and Indian bread. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this recipe.

          I came across this recipe from one of the TV cookery shows and thought of giving it a try. I had no idea that you can dish out so many varieties of recipes with it. 

         After the stuffed version and stir fry, here is the Hyderabadi style salan gravy which surprisingly turned out very chatpata and delectable. 

         I enjoyed it very much with hot steamed rice. So do go ahead and prepare this dish for your family and friends.

• 250-300 gms. 
• Tindora (Ivy Gourd)

Dry roast & grind -

• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp. urad dal (split black gram lentil)
• 2 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp. roasted chana dal (Bengal Gram lentil)
• 5-6 dry red chilies, broken
• 1 tsp. lime juice

Gravy -

• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 1 sugar cube / 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1 cup water
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Make 2 slits lengthwise to all the Ivy gourds but it should remain intact at the bottom. Keep them aside.

          Dry roast all the ingredients under 'dry roast & grind', except lime juice. Set aside to cool down. Then grind into a paste by adding some water. Add lime juice and mix well. Keep aside.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the slit tindora till light brown. Drain and keep them aside. Heat remaining oil and temper with mustard seeds. 

          After it stops spluttering, add the onion and curry leaves. Fry till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and turmeric powder mixed with a little water. Fry on a medium flame till the oil separates.

         Now add the ground paste and fry for a minute. Then add the tamarind water and salt. (Add more water according to the consistency required).

         Bring it to a boil and add the fried tindora and sugar. Cover and simmer on a medium flame till the veggies are soft and the oil separates. 

          Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve as a side dish with plain rice, pulao, jeera rice, roti, paratha or any Indian bread.

                  Make 2 slits lengthwise to the Ivy gourds, but it should remain intact at 
                  the bottom. Keep them aside.

                    Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry slit tindora till light brown. Drain & keep them aside. 

                   Heat remaining oil & temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering,
                   add onion & curry leaves. Fry till light brown. 

                  Add ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste & turmeric powder mixed with some
                  water. Fry on a medium flame till oil separates.

                               Now add ground paste & fry for a minute.

                               Add tamarind water & salt.

                               Bring to a boil & add fried tindoras & sugar. 

                    Cover & simmer on med. flame till the veggies are soft and oil separates. 

 Switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with plai

rice, pulao, jeera rice, roti, paratha or any Indian bread.

Chatpata Gnocchi Masala (Indo - Italian Fusion Style)

          Here is an amazing side dish of Gnocchi in an Indo Italian Fusion. They are small dumplings made of potato and refined flour that is had as a pasta based dish. But in this recipe, I gave a new twist and made into an Indian style chatpata - spicy and tangy side dish that goes very well with our very own chapattis or rice.  

          For a healthier version, I went in for sweet potatoes and whole wheat flour. You can make them in lots and freeze them to be used later. Do try this amazing dish and present something new on your dining table. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Gnocchi-

• 2 medium size sweet potato, boiled & mashed (approx. 2 cups mashed)
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp; kasoori methi. crushed
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2-3/4 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
• some rice flour to be dusted

Stir Fry-

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1 fresh red chili, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander stems, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp; garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• few sliced onion to garnish

             In a bowl mix together the mashed sweet potato, pinch of salt, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, garam masala powder, crushed kasoori methi, red chili powder and the egg yolk.

          Add the whole wheat flour and knead into a soft dough. Cover and keep aside for 15-20 minutes. On a floured surface divide the dough into several small portions and roll each portion lengthwise like long snakes.

          Cut them into 1" pieces. Press a fork over each of them to leave an impression. Transfer to a plate that has been dusted with some rice flour. Meanwhile bring sufficient water to boil along with few drops of oil. 

          Drop the prepared gnocchi pieces in it, few at a time, till they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Keep aside.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the Gnocchi pieces till light brown. Drain and keep aside. Heat remaining oil and temper with cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion, ginger, garlic, chili, coriander stem, onion and asafoetida. Fry till light brown. Add the fried Gnocchi pieces, salt, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, tomato paste.

           Combine everything well and sauté for a minute or two. Then add the red chili powder, and stir to combine well. When done, add the the lime juice and coriander leaves. Serve, garnished as a side dish with onion slices.

                                  Boil the sweet potatoes.

                          Mash them with egg yolk, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, 
                          kasoori methi & coriander-cumin powder.

                                 The mashed sweet potato mix.

                                 Add flour to it & knead into a dough.

                                 Shape dough into a log.

                                 Cut into equal portions.

                           Roll each portion lengthwise & further cut them into small pieces.

                         Press each of the pieces with a fork to leave an impression on them.

                                 All the beautiful Gnocchi pieces.

                                 Transfer to a plate that has been dusted with rice flour.

                              In hot boiling water, drop the pieces few at a time and simmer.

                                 Till they rise to the top.

                                  Remove them with a slotted spoon.

                                  Transfer to a plate.

                                  Heat 1 tbsp. oil & sauté gnocchi pieces till light brown.

                                  Keep them aside.

                                   Heat remaining oil & temper with cumin seeds.

                          
                 Add onion, coriander stems, ginger, garlic, chili, curry leaves & asafoetida. 
                 Sauté till light brown.

                    Add salt, Gnocchi pieces, turmeric powder, garam masala powder & tomato
                     paste. Sauté.

                                 Add chili powder. Mix everything well.

                                  Finish it off with lime juice & coriander leaves.

                                  Serve, garnished with sliced onion as a side dish.