Bele Saru | Toor Dal/Pegion Peas Rasam | Udupi Saru

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Food is all about memories. It has a way of transporting us back to the past. I have so many fond memories that revolve around food. The moment I smell a good tomato saru (rasam) or think about it, I will be transported back to my mother's kitchen as a little girl impatiently looking at a pot of boiling saru. Bele saru as we call it at home is a simple toor dal tomato rasam, it holds a special place in my heart. Although there are quite a few dishes that take me down memory lane, this is no doubt my comfort food. Served with hot steaming rice, a dollop of ghee and mango pickle, I could eat it anytime of the day.

The saru (rasam) my mother made was so good that whenever I made it, it was always compared with hers. My brother always used to tell me that the taste was almost there. Then it took me many unsuccessful trials to match the taste. Now I can comfortably say I make equally good bele saru :) 

The trick was in the freshly pound rasam powder, my mother used to pack me a big box of it everytime I visited her. Now I have learnt to make this goodie myself.  Learn how to make udupi style bele saru aka rasam..


Ingredients: 
Togari bele/ Toor Dal/Yellow pegion peas : 1/2 cup
Ripe Tomatoes : 2
Green chillies: 2-3
Tamarind juice : 1/2 cup
Jaggery : 1/2 tbsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Coriander leaves for garnish
Coconut oil : 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Asafoetida/Hing: 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Sarina pudi /Rasam powder: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash split pigeon peas and soak in enough water for 15 mins, add a pinch of turmeric and few drops of oil and pressure cook it until done. Soak Tamarind in warm water for 10 mins, squeeze the juice. Keep it aside.

2. Heat oil in a pot and add mustard and cumin seeds, when it splutters add hing and mix.

3. Mix in curry leaves and slit green chillies and saute for 30 seconds.

4. Add chopped tomatoes and cook it for 2 minutes.

5. Now add rasam powder, salt, jaggery and tamarind water and cook it until the tomatoes are pulpy.

6. Now add the cooked dal and enough water and bring to boil. Leave it on for 5 minutes.

7. Adjust the seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn of the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

8. Serve hot with steaming rice, ghee, pickle and papad.  


Learn how to make rasam powder at home ---> Home made rasam powder /Sarina pudi Recipe

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Creamy Mushrooms | Mushrooms cooked in Spicy and creamy gravy

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Button Mushrooms are one of our family favorites. Mushrooms are not just delicious but also very rich in nutrients. It's cholesterol free and low in fat, also rich in Vitamin D and B-complex. All the more it's antioxidant property is going to keep you in good health with good immune. Need I say more?


I make Mushroom Omelette, Mushroom Biriyani and sometimes I mix it with other veggies. I tried making something different with it this time. Inspired by Hamlyn's 200 curries cook book I made these spicy creamy mushrooms with some variations. It was an instant hit with my family. Here is the recipe for you to try. I hope you like it as much as we did.

 

Ingredients:

White button mushrooms : 500 gms

Onion: 2
Garlic: 4-5 cloves
Ginger: 1/2 " piece
Peppercorns: 1/2 tsp
Tomato paste:2 tbsp
Cooking Cream: 100 ml
Butter: 2 tbsp (to saute mushrooms)
Oil: 1 tbsp
Cinnamon stick: 1 piece
Cloves : 2-3
Cardamom: 2
Green chillies: 2
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder: 1 tbsp
Cumin powder: 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish

Method: 

1. Put Onion, Garlic, ginger and pepper corns in a blender and grind to a smooth paste, keep it aside.

2. Wash the mushrooms and pat dry. Slice or quarter the mushrooms.

3. Heat butter in a wok and saute the mushrooms until they turn golden in color. takes about 4-5 mins on high flame. Remove and keep aside.

4. In the same pan heat oil and add whole spices (Cardamom, clove and cinnamon). Saute for 30 seconds or until the oil is fragrant.

5. Add onion paste and saute until the raw smell disappears - for about 1-2 mins.

6. Add tomato paste and all the spice powders - turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder. Add salt and mix well and cook until the oil separates.

7. Add cooking cream and mix it will, bring to boil and reduce the flame. Add sauteed mushrooms and mix everything well.

8. Cook for 2 more minutes and turn off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with any indian flat breads.






 

 

Notes:

1. You can add more cream if you like more gravy.

2.  You can substitute cream with curd - Add a little milk to the curd and whisk it to bring to the cream consistency.

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Gobi Missi Roti | Cauliflower flat bread with Potato Mint Raita

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My little one is growing up fast and her eating habits have gone from bad to worse. She refuses to eat any vegetable or meat, all that she wants to eat is plain rice with ghee or plain chapathi. It takes a lot of effort to feed her even fruits. As always I try to outsmart her by adding veggies in her food that she cant pick and throw. Recently when I was flipping the channels on TV I stopped to watch the recipe of missi roti on some healthy cooking show and it sounded quite nice. I adapted the recipe from there and made this cauliflower missi roti by combining wheat flour, gram flour and grated cauliflower. I then added small quantities of palak (Indian Spinach) , Methi (Fresh fenugreek leaves) and coriander leaves to make it more healthy. It was so delicious and polished off quickly.

Cauliflower contains a lot of vitamin C and when cooked with wheat flour and gram flour it makes a complete and healthy dish. It's an ideal dish to serve kids who are picky eaters. If you are looking for recipes with cauliflower, it's a go to recipe thats so delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients:

Grated cauliflower: 1 cup
Fine chopped Onion: 1 cup 

Whole Wheat flour: 1 cup

Gram flour: 1/2 cup
Fine chopped Green chillies: 2
Red Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida /Hing: 1 big pinch
Chopped Coriander leaves/Methi leaves/Palak leaves: 2 tbsp each
Salt to taste

Method:
 1. Add grated cauliflower, finely chopped onion, green chillies, red chilli powder, cumin powder, salt and hing in a bowl and mix well.

2. Add chopped green leaves and wheat flour and gram flour and make a stiff dough by adding little water at a time. Cover and keep it aside for 15 mins.

3. Knead the dough well, make equal portions and roll into a flat rotis.

4. Put it on a hot skillet, apply oil and flip it and cook on both sides until the roti is golden brown in color.

5. Serve it with chilled Potato Mint Raita.

Potato - Mint Raita:
Boiled peeled and cubed  Potato- 1
Chopped Mint Leaves: 2 tbsp
Low fat Curd/Yogurt : 2 cups
Salt to taste
Chopped Green chilly: 1 (Optional)

1. Mix yogurt, salt, chillies if using and mix well, add mint leaves and potato cubes and combine everything. Serve it chilled.

2. You can also sprinkle red chilli powder, cumin powder and chat masala on top.

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Methi Dal | fresh fenugreek leaves cooked with pigeon peas

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Methi Dal

Dec is always the season of celebration. It starts a bit early for me as its also my bday in Dec:) As you can imagine I ate out a lot of times, ate in excess and a lot of sugary stuff. Now its time to work it off with some healthy and comfort food. After all homemade food is the best, here is the recipe for a very tasty and healthy dish - methi dal. Fresh fenugreek leaves are cooked along with split yellow pigeon peas. It tastes heavenly when served with  steaming rice and a spoonful of ghee.

Ingredients:

Yellow pigeon peas/ Toor dal : 1 cup
Fresh fenugreek leaves: 2 cups
Sliced Onion: 1/2 cup
Green chilies:6-7
Chopped Garlic : 1 tbsp
Chopped ginger: 1 tbsp
Clarified butter/ghee :1 tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida: 1 big pinch

Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
Cumin powder: 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala powder : 1/4 tsp (Optional)
Lemon juice : 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak toor dal in enough water for 15 mins and pressure cook with a pinch of turmeric powder and a drop of oil.

2. Clean and wash the methi leaves, roughly chop and sprinkle a little salt and keep for 10 mins. Squeeze and remove the excess water from leaves.

3. Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds, when it splutters add asafoetida/hing and stir. Add in chopped ginger and garlic and sauté until the raw smell disappears

4. Mix in sliced onion and green chilies and cook until the onions are translucent.

5. Quickly mix the spices - turmeric powder, coriander and cumin powder and stir it.

6. Add the methi leaves and cook until the leaves wilt - about 2-3 mins.

7. Add cooked dal and salt and bring to boil. Continue to boil for 5-7 minutes .

8. Add garam a Masala powder if using and mix well. Finally add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and turn off the flame.

9. Keep covered for 5-10 mins so that all the flavors blend well. Serve it hot with steaming rice and a dollop of ghee.

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Cream of Broccoli Soup

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Most of the food bloggers I follow on social media have been posting warm winter recipes and Xmas goodies these days. I am drooling over the pics and missing the Bangalore winter. While I cant bring the weather here I can always make the food memories alive again. Inspired by the soup recipes on insta I made this delicious broccoli soup along with some potato. It was so so good and none of us could wait until I finished clicking pics. I promise to add better pics next time :)  Try this warm and healthy soup this winter, here is the recipe.


 

Ingredients:

Broccoli florets : 2 big cups

Diced Onion : 1

Chopped garlic: 2 tbsp

Diced potato: 1 

Veg stock: 1 litre 

Butter: 1 tbsp

Bay leaf: 1

Cinnamon stick : 1 inch

Salt to taste

Pepper powder: 1 tsp

Cream: 2 tbsp (optional)

 

 

Method:

1. Clean and wash broccoli florets 2-3 times, chop onion, garlic and dice potato and keep aside.

2. Heat butter in a soup pan add bay leaf and cinnamon stick and sauté for a minute.

3. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, add onion and fry until translucent.

4. Add diced potato and broccoli florets and sauté for a minute.

5. Add salt, pepper and stock and boil it for 20 minutes on low flame.

6. Remove bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Grind the cooked veggies to a smooth paste using a handheld blender or in the mixer (drain the water from veggies and cool it before grinding in the mixer)

7. Adjust the seasoning, garnish the fresh cream on top and serve hot.

Notes:

1. If you want to grind it in the mixer, strain the stock and let the veggies cool down a bit and grind it into a smooth purée, add back to the stock and bring to boil before serving.

2. If you want some chunks of veggies, if you can grind only half of it  and add back to the rest - this gives a chunky soup.

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Bendekayi -Amtekai Palya | Okra cooked with Indian Hogplum

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I am missing all the pampering and nice dishes that my mom served when I was home last month. Coastal style traditional vegetarian dishes were my favorite in childhood. Bendekayi Amatekai palya i.e., Okra cooked with hogplum was one of those dishes I liked. The hogplaums are crushed in a stone pestle and added to Okra masala. The most cherished part was the crushed hogplum that was cooked in all the masalas and Okra. That was oh so delicious! Here is my mother's recipe. It's a very traditional no fancy recipe. I also didn't get much time to click better pictures. Since one of my friends asked me for the recipe I am sharing with not so great looking pictures. But who cares when taste is the king 😊

 
Ingredients:
Bendekayi /Okra : 500 gms
Onion: 2 medium
Garlic: 3-4 cloves
Amatekai/Indian Hogplum: 4-5
Coconut Oil: 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves: 1 sprig.
Jaggery: 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder:  1 tsp
Grated Coconut: 3-4 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves: for Garnish

Method:

1. Wash and dry okra completely, chop into 1 inch pieces and keep aside. Wash the hogplums and crush them in a mortar pestle and keep aside until needed.

2. Heat oil in a deep wok and add mustard seeds, when it splutters add curry leaves and crushed garlic and saute for a min

3. Add finely chopped onion and saute until golden in color.

4. Add okra and fry for 2 mins, add the crushed hogplums and saute for 5-6 minutes.

5. Add salt, jaggery, chilli powder and grated coconut and mix well and cook until the okra is done.

6. Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with rice and rasam/sambar:)

Notes:
1. I usually make it with kundapur masala powder instead of plain red chilli powder and skip garlic in the tempering. If you have the powder handy you could use the same, it brings out the authentic coastal taste. Click here for : Kundapur Masala powder recipe.


2. These hogplums are too sour in taste and adding jaggery will cut the sourness. Adjust the amount jaggery according to your taste.

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Chicken Masala

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Here I am back wearing my cooking and clicking hat after a month long stay at home in India. I traveled alone with my hyperactive toddler and I didnt want the world to know how stressed I was about this whole thing. Managing a toddler alone in the airport and safely reaching home was a task for me:) It didn't stop at that as I had to remotely work from India for almost all the days. Did I enjoy the trip? I guess so when I saw my little one enjoying her time with her grand parents and cousins. It was a joy trip for her. I think it was worth it:) I missed my kitchen and cooking a bit specially during deepawali but I totally relished all the special dishes that my mom and mom in law made for me.

When I returned to SG my better half was starving for home made food ;-) So I made this quick chicken dish that doesn't need any marination or extra effort. Put all the basic masalas from ur spice box and you will have this finger licking good chicken ready in 30 minutes. It goes so well with hot roti/chapathi. You can also cook it a little longer to dry it and serve it as a starter. 

Ingredients:

Chicken : 500 gms

Onion: 2

Tomato: 2

Green chillies: 2

Ginger:1 inch

Garlic: 5-6 cloves

Red chili powder: 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder: 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tbsp

Cumin powder: 1 tsp

Garam masala powder: 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves : 2 tbsp

Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

Oil: 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method: 

1. Wash and clean chicken and cut into medium size pieces and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a deep pan and finely chopped garlic and ginger and sauté, add finely chopped onion and sauté until it turns into golden brown color.

3. Add slit green chillies and red chilli powder, pepper powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt to taste and mix well, sauté on low flame for 30 seconds.

4. Add in chicken pieces and mix well. Cover and cook for 10-15mins or until the chicken is almost cooked. Add a little water if it's too dry.

5. Add finely chopped tomatoes and cover and cook for another 2 minutes.

6. Add garam masala powder and chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

7. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice and turn off the flame. Keep it covered for 5 minutes so that all the flavors blend well.

8. Serve it as a starter or a side dish with rotis.

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