Kerala Kadala curry / Kadala curry

There are a few dishes which are etched in my mind mainly because those dishes frequented our dinner tables quite often when I was a kid. We are not from Kerala but the influence of Kerala is a bit more in my place. We cook a lot with coconut oil and kappa puzhukku with meen kuzhambu is still my favorite. And then there is kadala curry and puttu, an all time favorite. Though I don't make the duo a lot, I make kadala curry often to go with our chapathis.

~*What U Need*~ Black chenna/Chickpeas - 3/4 cup, soaked overnight For grinding: Coconut - 1/2 cup Water - 1/4 cup to grind to a smooth paste For the masala: Onions - 1, medium chopped Tomato - 1/2 medium, chopped Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp Green chilli - 1 Curry leaves - 1 sprig Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder - 1 tsp Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp Corinder powder - 1 tsp Coconut oil - 2 tbsp Water, salt How I Made it: Grind the coconut to a smooth paste and set aside. Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a pan. Temper with mustard seeds and half the amount of curry leaves. Add the chilli and saute for a min. Add the onions and saute till golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell leaves. Add the tomatoes and saute till soft. Add the soaked chenna, enough water and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or till soft. Once done. Add the spice powders and mix and cook for 3-4 mins. Add the ground coconut paste. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes on a low flame. Add enough water to bring to the desired consistency. Season with salt. Let the curry come to a boil and you see oil separate from the curry. Add the curry leaves and remove from the flame.

Serve kadala curry hot with puttu or appam or steamed rice or rotis.
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Mediterranean Quinoa Salad | Quinoa Recipes | Healthy foods

Quinoa is one among the world's healthiest food. It was one among the many to-try things that I had wanted to try when I moved to the US. But its taken me time and that too a long one but as they say better late than never. I gave in last week and bought a packet of qunioa from my local grocery store. I love the Mediterranean flavors a lot and I thought of making a simple salad to start with it. I served it with some Jamaican Jerk spiced roasted chicken and it was a filling meal on the whole.

~*What U Need*~ Quinoa - 1/2 cup Water - 1 cup Red onion - 2 tbsp, chopped Lemon - 1/2, juiced Olives - 1/8 cup, chopped Red and yellow peppers - 1/4 cup, chopped Extra virgin olive oil - 1 tbsp Cucumber - 1 cup, peeled and diced Tomatoes - 1/2 cup, deseeded and cubed Feta cheese - 1/3 cup, crumbled Chickpeas / Garbanzo - 1/2 cup, cooked till soft Salt and pepper - to season Avocado slices and spur cream - to serve How I Made it: Rinse quinoa and cook as per package instructions with salt. Then fluff with a fork and set aside in a large mixing bowl to cool. Prep the vegetables. Add everything to the quinoa, season with salt and toss. Add the olive oil and feta cheese and toss gently. Adjust seasoning as you taste.

Top with avocado slices and sour cream and serve!!!

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Channa Biryani / Chickpea Biryani

Did you know that my facebook id got hacked? Like really. Yes it actually got hacked and it was one hell of a day for me when I had to reply to all the messages asking if it really was me, changing my privacy settings to make it all the more private and breaking my head over how it actually happened. So let me warn you that if you are connected with me via FB and you get a second friend request from me, then DONOT accept or give your personal information at any cost. And many thanks to all my dear friends who stood by me and who felt sorry for me and who helped me in blocking that *!&*T@$%&.

Moving on to the recipe, its been a long time that I have posted a biryani recipe here or to be more specific a vegetarian biryani recipe. I like to take a break from chicken biryanis at times. And when I seek that break and something different I make this channa biryani most of the time. Completely nutritious and tummy filling this is best served with some raitha. I had to make something non-veg for the huss and so made some chicken liver fry for the side. Recipe for the same coming soon.

~*What U Need*~ Serves - 2 Basmati Rice - 1 1/4 cup Water - 1 3/4 cups Onions - 2, chopped Tomato - 1, chopped Green chilli - 1 Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp Channa/Chickpea - 1 1/2 cup, ur choice, soaked overnight Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Coriander powder - 2 tsp Garam masala - 1/2 tsp Biryani masala - 1 tsp, optional Curd - 1/4 cup Cinnamon - 1" Cloves - 2 Cardamom - 2 Coriander leaves - a handful, chopped Mint leaves - a handful, chopped Salt, oil How I Made it: Clean and soak the rice. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and fry. Throw in the onions and when brown add the slit green chilli, ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell leaves. Add the tomatoes and fry well. Add the spice powders and when oil starts to separate, add the curd and mix well. Add the chickpeas and saute for 2 mins. Add chopped coriander and mint leaves and then water and rice. Stir well without breaking the rice. Cover and cook for 2 whistles. After the pressure has completely released, uncover and fluff with fork.

Serve hot with raitha or any side dish of choice...

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Falafel & Pita Sandwich

I am part of this cooking challenge, "Ssshhhh Cooking secretly" which was started by Priya akka of Priya's versatile recipes. Every month, we are paired with a different blogger and two ingredients are shared secretly between them. You could chose either one or cook with both the ingredients. The final recipes are revealed on 16th - 18th of every month. I was interested in the challenge because this way I could get to know and interact with new bloggers and so I was in. This month I was paired with Janani of Redchillycurry and she gave me two options ~ sweet potato and chickpeas. I immediately knew what I would be picking and what I would make with the same.

Falafel has been in my to-do list for a really long time. To those who don't know what falafel is here is what wiki says "Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern food, usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread known as lafa; "falafel" also frequently refers to a wrapped sandwich that is prepared in this way". When I was in the Gulf, this was a staple at home and a favorite too. I totally loved recreating those memories at home. I got the pita breads from the store but I will be trying them soon at home and ofcourse sharing it here too...

~*What U Need*~ Chickpeas - 1 cup, soaked overnight Spring onions - 3 Coriander leaves - 1 handful Garlic cloves - 2 Green chilli - 1 Coriander powder - 1 tsp Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp Salt - to taste Pita breads - 5 Sliced onions, cabbage, tomato Hummus or mayo How I Made it: Soak chickpeas overnight. Drain and pat dry. In a blender, add the chickpeas and the rest of ingredients and blend to a coarse paste. Form balls and deep fry in hot oil till evenly brown. Or you could shallow fry with little oil in a paniyaaram pan. To serve slightly warm the pita breads, stuff with veggies and the falafel, top with hummus or mayo.

Serve warm!!!

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Chole Bhature

This weekend is gonna be fun. Prediction is that the temperature is gonna be in the 40s (C). And so we have planned for loads of shopping. Then there is gonna be baking, red velvet cupcakes to be precise. Its gonna be real fun and I am looking forward to the weekend which I haven't been doing for sometime now. Added to that its been nearly two weeks since I have gone out. Grocery shopping or anything shopping has been taken care by the huss and so "I am looking forward to this weekend".

Let's talk chole bhature. To those who are new to the name, Chole bhature is a popular Punjabi cuisine which is a combination of chole (spicy chick peas) and deep fried bread called bhatoora. I totally love this dish and whenever I visit a vegetarian restaurant back in INDIA, this would be one among the few that I would order. It is one awesome combo. Usually the poori is made very big, big as in the size of a regular dosa but since I didn't have a big wok, I stuck to the regular poori size. Also I was frightened that the poori would not puff up properly if I rolled it too big. And then there was the fear of spluttering hot oil. First timers, I would advice you to go with the regular poori size.

~*What U Need*~ For the Chole: Onion - 1, big Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp Tomato - 1, pureed Channa masala - 1 tbsp Red chilli powder - 1 tsp Oil - 3 tbsp Salt Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, chopped Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp Bay leaf - 1 Cinnamon - 1" stick Chickpeas - 1 cup, soaked overnight For the bhature: Maida / All purpose flour - 2 cups Semolina/Rava/Sooji - 1/4 cup Baking powder - 1/4 tsp Sugar - 1/2 tsp Curd - 1/2 cup Salt - to taste How I Made it: Soak the chickpeas overnight and pressure cook for 5 whistles till soft or you could use a can of garbanzo drained off the liquid. Heat oil in a pan, add the bay leaf, cinnamon and once fried, add the cumin seeds. Once brown add the onions and saute till golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and mix well. Fry till the raw smell goes off. Add the tomatoes and fry. Once the oil separates, add the red chilli powder and channa masala and saute. After 3 mins, add the peas and mix well. Add enough water and allow to boil in medium heat till the oil separates. Add chopped coriander leaves, season with salt and remove from flame. To make the bhatures, in a mixing bowl, add maida, sooji, baking powder, sugar and salt and mix well. Add yogurt and mix well. Knead to a smooth dough. Cover it with damp cloth and allow to rest for 3 to 4 hrs. After 4 hrs, knead the dough well and divide into equal balls. Roll it to pooris and fry in hot oil till puffed & crisp on both sides.

Serve warm!!!

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Karuppu Kondakadalai Sundal / Black Channa Sundal | Festival Recipes

I am making some kind of sundal for our evenings these days. A bowl of warm sundal with a cup of hot cardamom tea is becoming a perfect tea-time for the dipping temperatures here. Moreover amma has asked me to give some boiled legumes to the kid on a daily basis and so its becoming a regular atleast for his sake. I already have a healthy collection of sundal recipes in the blog and found it to be missing this basic kondakadalai sundal.

Amma says that the black version of the chickpeas are best when compared to the white version and so I usually make this sundal. This is a diabetic friendly dish and if you are giving it to elders then ignore the tempering and just stick to plain boiled chickpeas. Makes it all the more healthy. But if its for the kids, the tempering is necessary as it adds flavor.

~*What U Need*~ Karuppu Kondakadalai / Black Channa - 1 cup Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp Salt - as needed To Temper: Oil - 1 tsp Mustard - 3/4 tsp Red chilli - 2 Asafoetida - 1 pinch Curry leaves - 1 sprig How I Made it: Soak channa overnight and pressure cook it with salt and water for 4 whistles or till soft. Drain water and set aside. Heat oil in a kadai and temper with mustard, red chilli, hing and curry leaves. Add the grated coconut and fry till lightly browned. Add the cooked channa and stir fry till dry. Transfer to serving bowl.

Serve hot!!! Healthy guilt free snack ready.

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(Amma Cooks) White Channa Sundal | Kondakadalai Sundal | Vinayagar Chathurthi Recipes

When I moved to the U.S. one thing that I missed other than family, relatives and native food, was my amma's food. I miss her biryani, her nei choru, her nilgris chops and everything cooked by her. I miss her a lot. Its not that I don't like this place, I do like it, its neat, its lavish and moreover it completes my dream. But end of the day when you sit back, you don't have anyone around to have some coffee talk. A steaming hot cup of coffee, some murukku, 7.30 serial in Sun TV with your family is what I am talking about. I deeply miss it.

I was so disappointed on thinking that I would have to stop the Amma Cooks series which has been going on for a while in my blog. But thanks to my amma, I asked her to send me the clicks of the dishes that she makes so that I can get them published here and she wholeheartedly obliged. So you are gonna see some easy and yummy recipes from her. There is not gonna be any pictures with greatly styled food(...okay mine are not great too), just a single image that was taken using a P&S, but its "hers"... So lets start off with a simple sundal recipe for Vinayagar Chathurthi...

~*What U Need*~ White Channa/Kondakadalai - 1/2 cup Coconut - 2 tbsp Salt - to taste To temper: Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Urad dal - 1/4 tsp Red Chillies - 2 Curry leaves - few How I Made it: Soak channa overnight and pressure cook until soft (4-5 whistles). Heat oil in a pan, and temper with mustard seeds, urad dhal, red chilli and curry leaves. Add a dash of hing powder. Add the cooked channa and mix well. Add coconut, stir well and remove from flame. Serve warm!!!

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Day 7#: Masala Channa Sundal / Masala Kondakadalai Sundal | Navarathiri Recipes

For day 7, I made this masala channa sundal for neivedhiyam. I had seen this in Sharmi's blog and had bookmarked it immediately. Adding the homemade spice powder gives a unique taste when compared to the regular tempered sundals that I make. You can add the spice powder for any type of sundal varieties but I think it goes best with channa sundal. Again this also makes an easy stir fry which could be used as a side dish or could be packed off for lunchboxes.

~*What U Need*~ Kondakadalai/Chickpeas - 3/4 cup Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp Oil - 1 tsp Salt - to taste To roast and grind: Urad Dhal - 1 tsp Channa Dal - 1/2 tsp Red Chilli - 1 To temper: Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp Red Chilli - 1 Curry Leaves - 1 sprig Hing - a pinch

How I made it:
Dry roast the ingredients given under 'roast and grind' and grind it to a coarse powder. Set aside.

Soak channa in water overnight. Pressure cook for 3 whistles till soft. Drain and set aside. In a pan, heat oil add mustard seeds, urad dhal allow it to crackle. Add hing, curry leaves and split red chilli and saute.

Add the cooked channa and mix well. Add the dry roasted powder, coconut and salt and mix well. Cook for 1 min and remove from flame.

Serve hot as evening snack!!!

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