Carrot Stir Fry

      If you are looking to prepare a healthy and a simple side dish with carrots, then here is a very easy homemade style carrot stir fry. It has minimum of spices and can be made in a jiffy. This delicious stir fry goes very well with roti, chapatti, paratha or rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.    

• 2-3 carrots, grated
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1-2 bay leaves
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds and bay leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. Then add the grated carrot, salt, turmeric powder and cumin powder.

          Mix well and fry on a medium flame for 5-7 minutes or till there is no moisture left. Add the coriander leaves and switch off the flame. Give it a stir and serve as a side dish with rice or chapattis.

                      Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds & bay leaves. Sauté few seconds. 

                 Add grated carrot, salt, turmeric powder & cumin powder.  Mix & fry on a
                 medium flame for 5-7 minutes or till there is no moisture left. 

                                 Add coriander leaves & switch off flame. 

                  
                                  Stir & serve with rice or chapattis.

Idli Upma

          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. Why not try making upma out of it? It tastes simply awesome and will disappear in no time. 

          Enjoy it with some spicy chili garlic sauce instead of coconut chutney and see the difference. It tastes so delicious. Enjoy it for breakfast, snack or lunch box meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 4-5 idlis, crumbled
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1-2 whole dry chilies, broken
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 tsp. rice
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the cumin seeds, dry chilies, green chilies, curry leaves, urad dal and rice.

          Sauté for a few seconds and add the crumbled idli, salt, pepper powder and peanuts. Stir fry on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes. 

          Switch off the flame and add the coriander leaves. Toss well and serve along with coconut chutney for a simple and sumptuous breakfast.

                Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. Then add cumin seeds, dry chilies,
                green chilies, curry leaves, urad dal & rice.

                  Sauté few seconds & add crumbled idli, salt, pepper powder & peanuts. Stir 
                  fry on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes. 

                 Switch off flame & add coriander leaves. Toss & serve with coconut chutney.

Masala Idli Muffins - Fusion Style

          
          Idli, a South Indian delicacy is a healthy breakfast option relished with coconut chutney and sambar. Make them more interesting and appealing by baking them in a muffin pan for some visual appeal a la fusion style. You can have them as an evening tea-time snack too or can be a good lunch box meal. So check out a simple step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2 cups idli batter
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1-2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1/2 tsp. eno fruit salt
• oil to grease
• coconut-coriander chutney to serve
• sambar to serve

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

          Saute for a few seconds and switch off the flame. Pour this tempering over the idli batter along with coriander leaves, chili flakes and coconut. Mix well.

          Just before baking, add the eno fruit salt and give it a stir. Pour into greased muffin cups and see to it that it is 3/4 filled.

          Bake in a preheated microwave oven at 200 degrees C for 15-18 minutes. Insert a toothpick to check if it is done. Set aside to cool down. Demould it and serve them with chutney and sambar.

                        Pour tempering over idli batter. Add coriander leaves, chili flakes &
                        coconut. Mix well.

                                Add eno fruit salt & give it a stir.

                                Pour into greased muffin cups.

                               Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C for 15-18 minutes.

                                Serve them with chutney & sambar.

Thalapakatti Mutton Biryani

          This happens to be my 1001th post and I thought a better way to start the second innings of my culinary journey is with this traditional South Indian style biryani from the state of Tamilnadu. It is also called Dindigul Thalapakatti Biryani. 

          The secret to this type of Biryani lies in the special aromatic biryani masala that is freshly ground. A small grain variety of rice called seeraga samba is generally used to prepare this delicacy. This is a Perfect party dish or a sunday lunch menu for your family and friends. So go ahead and try this yummy Biryani by following an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          I had the opportunity of relishing this delicious Biryani innumerable times during my stay in Chennai. But this is the first time I'm giving it a try. I should confess that it turned out very tasty. 

          It is very simple to prepare and I tried the easy way - the pressure cooker method. As I had no seeraga samba rice, I used basmati. Next time I gonna try with the special variety of rice.

• 1 & 1/2 cups short grained rice (preferably seeraga samba variety), soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 700-800 gms. mutton with bones
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 2 tbsp. biryani masala
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. pepper powder or to taste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• handful of coriander & mint leaves, chopped

Biryani masala - 

• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 4-5 cardamoms
• 7-8 cloves
• 1 piece stone flower (dagad phool)
• 1 mace
• 1 star anise

          Pressure cook the mutton in 2 cups water for 15-20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

          Separate the mutton from the stock and keep aside. Grind all the spices for the biryani masala powder and keep aside.

          Heat oil and ghee in a pan and temper with bay leaves and cinnamon. Add the onion and green chilies. Fry till light brown.

          Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw smell is gone. Now add the tomatoes and continue to sauté till it is mashed. 

          Add the biryani masala powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and pepper powder. Combine everything well and sauté for a minute.

          Add the yoghurt and mix well. Fry till the oil separates. Then add the strained mutton pieces and sauté for 2 minutes.

          Add the drained rice and sauté for 2 minutes more. Add 2 cups of the stock, coriander-mint leaves and salt. 

          Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. Once it cools down, open the lid and then fluff it up with a fork. Serve with raita and salad.

                               Grind all spices for the garam masala powder & keep aside.

                             Heat oil & ghee in a pan. Temper with bay leaves & cinnamon. 

                                Add onion and green chilies. Fry till light brown.

                               Add ginger-garlic paste & fry till the raw smell is gone. 

                                Add tomatoes & continue to sauté till it is mashed. 

                 Add garam masala powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder & pepper 
                 powder. Combine everything well and saute for a minute.

                               Add the yoghurt and mix well. Fry till the oil separates. 

                                Add strained mutton pieces and saute for 2 minutes.

                                Add the drained rice and sauté for 2 minutes more. 

                   Add 2 cups of stock+water, coriander-mint leaves & salt. Pressure 
                   cook for 2-3 whistles. 

                                Serve with raita and salad.

Spinach Masala Bread Rolls

        Wow!! Guess what? This is my 1000th post. What an amazing journey it was since I started blogging from August 2014. I take this opportunity to thank my family, friends and each and everyone of you all for being there with me in this culinary journey of mine. Thanks again for all the support in helping me reach this milestone, without which it would not have been possible.  

          Now coming to the recipe. This is just a simple homemade freshly baked Masala Bread Rolls with some spinach puree (that was leftover from making spinach naan the other day). Relish this as an evening tea-time snack. You can also have these bread rolls with soup, with some cheese in between, as a vada pav or burger. So check out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          I must confess that this blogging journey was simply awesome. It was sometimes hectic and time consuming, but nevertheless, I enjoyed every bit of it. Absolutely no regrets and I kept learning on the way. Am still learning something new every other day and trying to improve in every sense possible. 

          The most challenging part was in the presentation. I try to give an artistic touch to the dish and make it more appealing as well as appetizing. I promise to keep this flow of easy, simple and interesting (healthy too) recipes coming your way. Hoping to have your support in my future endeavors in the blogging world.

• 2 cups plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp. yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2-3 tbsp. spinach puree
• 1 tsp. butter (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp. melted ghee to brush
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds & nigella seeds

          In a small bowl, add the yeast, sugar and water. Mix and cover. Keep aside for 10-15 minutes. By then it will froth up and it is ready to be used.

          In a large bowl, add the flour and all the dry spices. Mix well and add the spinach puree along with the yeast mix.

          Combine well and knead for 2-3 minutes into a very soft dough . Add more lukewarm if required. Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.

          Add the butter and again knead for 2-3 minutes. Cover and keep aside for a further 30 minutes.

          Punch back the dough and divide into equal round balls. Place them on a baking sheet, cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for an hour.

          Brush with melted butter and sprinkle some sesame seeds & nigella seeds. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C. for 22-25 minutes. 

          Cool on a wire rack and relish as an evening tea-time snack. You can also have these masala bread rolls with soup, with some cheese in between, as a vada pav or burger.

                                  In a large bowl, add the flour and all the dry spices. 

                                  Mix well and add the spinach puree, 

                                  and add the yeast mix.

                      Mix well & knead for 2-3 minutes into a very soft dough. Cover with
                      a wet cloth & keep aside for 30 minutes.

                   Add butter & again knead for 2-3 minutes. Cover & keep aside for 30 min.

                                   After 30 minutes.

                                 Punch back the dough and divide into equal round balls. 

                     Place on a baking sheet, cover with wet cloth & keep aside for an hour.

                                   After an hour.

                     Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle some sesame seeds & nigella seeds. 

                               Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C. for 22-25 minutes. 

                                  Freshly baked rolls just out of the oven.

                       Cool on a wire rack. Relish as a teatime snack, with soup, with some cheese

                       in between as a vada pav or burger.