Hi everybody, this is third day post for BM #15, I had to post this yesterday, could not do it for uncalled circumstances, any ways better late than never.
Bitter Gourd is one of my favourite vegetables, I know you would think I am totally crazy, It's just that I think I like Tangy, bittery and spicy  than eating sweet food.
Bitter Gourd is filled with Medicinal Qualities, they belong to the family of Cucurbitaceae. They are 3 varieties, the chinese variety is not as much as the Indian ones.  If you have never eaten this vegetable before and want to try it out, you must be quite daring try them in very small quantity, My eldest, My Husband and me are the only ones who eat this vegetable, My twins hate them, But I always insist that they should at least eat a spoonful to try and get used to the veggie, they hate me so much when I serve it :), Nevertheless, they have no choice, sorry went way out of the topic., Coming back to its Medicinal properties, it is Antiviral, Antithelmintic, Antimalarial, Cardioprotective, and mainly and widely used for Diabetes.
The Juice of the Bitter Gourd, which is full of goodness, so try not to throw it away while cooking this veggie. This is so delicious you won't find it too bitter. try it out and tell me if you like it.

BITTER GOURD CURRY

INGREDIENTS:
1 Bitter Gourd
1 Onion
2 tbsp oil
1 stalk of curry leaves

For Grinding:
1/4 bunch (say around 12 stalk) of coriander leaves with the stalk
2 fist full (say around 1/4 cup) Roasted peanuts*
8 Byadgi and Guntur chilies
1 and 1/2 tbsp Coriander seeds
3 to 4  flakes  (around 10 grams) of Tamarind
1/4 cup pressed or 50 grams Copra/Dry coconut

Seasoning:
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp Channa dal
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

METHOD:
Cut Bitter gourd into half and cut it horizontally again, remove all the seeds and cut them into thin slices as shown in the picture.
(If you want to remove the Juice : Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of salt and turmeric and leave it for an hour, then squeeze the juice out of it and wash it and squeeze the juice again).
Cut onions into thin slices and keep aside.
In a pan heat a tsp of oil, fry coriander seeds and chilies until a nice aroma comes out and the coriander seeds change colour to golden brown. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
Fry Tamarind flakes and keep aside.
*Roast Peanuts or as use roasted peanuts which is readily available in shops, I get roasted peanuts with salt and spice here so, if you are using ready made ones, just remember to use salt as required as the peanuts have already got salt in it.
Wash and dry Coriander leaves, chop them with the stalk and fry them in the same pan until they wilt 3/4th.
keep aside.
In the same pan heat around 1 and 1/2 tbsp of oil, when it hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, and channa dal, fry them until they change colour to golden brown.
Then add the chopped vegetables and curry leaves and fry them until they are well cooked.
While it is cooking, Grind the ingredients under for grinding except Copra, when it is powdered coarsely and Copra and grind once more, keep aside.
Once the veggies are done, add this powdered mixture to it, and saute well, until well combined, adjust salt and use the rest of oil remaining and close the lid and leave it in the low flame for at least 5 to 10 minutes.
Now your Dry curry is ready to be served.
This curry stays for 2 days at least.

When I am making any Bitter gourd recipe, I never squeeze and throw the juice out. so if you like to do so, please check above for that method.
Another thing is at the end of the grinding after the copra has been added you can  add a tbsp of grated jaggery and give a whisk and then add it to the curry. The sweetness, spicyness and the tangyness makes the curry less bitter.

Check out the other bloggers who are running the BM with me here.....
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#15

The post Bitter Gourd ( Kakarkaayi / Haagalkaayi / Paavakka) Dry Curry - 1 appeared first on My Veg Fare.

KOLLAPURI CHUTNEY/MASALA

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Red Chilli Powder (I used whole chillies 7-7 Badgi and Guntur)
1 Cup Coriander seeds
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1/2 Copra (dry coconut)
1 tbsp Sesame seeds (white til seeds)
1/2 tbsp Black pepper corns
1/2 '' Cinnamon stick
1/2 tbsp Cloves
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1/2 Cup Onion
8 - 10 Garlic
1 Cup Cilantro
2 tbsp Oil

WHAT IT I DO ?
I made half of the recipe, I substituted Red chilli powder with 7-7 whole red chillies (Guntur-Badgi), and halved the recipe where ever possible, I used 6 Cloves, 4 Garlic, so that's it and proceeded as indicated in her blog.

METHOD:
A very simple recipe, Toast all the spices on a dry pan or skillet, except for Red chilli powder if you are using powder, as I used whole red chillies I roasted them as well with oil and keep them aside, when I was frying I used 1/2 tbsp with all the dry spices, and with the other half oil I fried Onions until well browned (do not fry it to dark) and cilantro and few minutes with Garlic.
When all is well done, leave it aside to cool and then grind them into a nice powder and store it in a airtight container for future use.

That's it well done, look for more recipe Ideas with these powders check her blog.
c u soon with an other recipe........

sending this to Flavours of Maharashtra strated by Naina, hosted by PJ

The post Kolhaphuri Chutney / Masala Powder appeared first on My Veg Fare.

BLACK GRAPES PULIYODHARAI / BLACK GRAPES IN TANGY SPICY SAUCE RICE



INGREDIENTS FOR PREPARING THE PULIKAACHAL
Black Grapes 400 to 450 gms (1and 3/4th Cup Juice)
3 tbsp of  Thick Tamarind Juice ( from 15 gms of Tamarind)
3 tbsp Salt
80 gms Jaggery
60 gms Rasam Powder (Molagapudi)
1 tsp of Asafoetida
1/2 tsp of Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds/Menthya/Methi seeds
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1/2 tsp of Pepper corns
SEASONING:
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
few curry leaves
METHOD:
First of all pluck the grapes from their stalks, Immerse them in salted water for at least half an hour, clean the water and use fresh water and rinse them again, this is the way I always use my Grapes just to make sure that  If it is been treated with Insecticides or pesticides are removed for good.
Microwave Tamarind  for a minute with 1/2 cup of water and allow it to cool .
Meanwhile try to find seedless Grapes, which makes your job much easier, other wise find some body to help you with removing the seeds, mine had single seeds, some were seedless too, so it was quick for my family to remove the seeds. (Just be cautious like me, that they slice one and eat the next one in the process! even then I lost few grapes :)).
Once the Grapes are done, run them in a mixie, and make juice, filter it and you would be left with pith, using some of the juice with the pith again blend it well into a smooth puree. I got exactly 1 and 3/4th cup of Juice, If you have more juice either you drink it or you can use it to make the Pulikaachal only adjust the Ingredients by tasting it now and then :)).

Then take a big pan/wok, heat oil, once it is hot add the sesonings in the list above, once the mustard seeds spluttter, Add the Grape juice and allow it boil, for few minutes until it reduces a little bit, now add the Tamarind juice and allow it boil, once it starts boiling vigorously, be carefully as it starts splattering every where, so I always reduce to a medium flame, and keep stirring around very often which reduces the splattering,
Meanwhile in a pan heat 1/4 tsp of oil and  fry fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds and pepper corns, then grind it into a fine powder and keep aside.
When the Juices are boiling add the Rasam powder and the powdered Masala to it and salt and keep boiling for few more minutes, then add Jaggery and now it starts thickening very soon, so be careful keep stirring and it starts to thicken and becomes like a Gojju or should I say kind of lehya (sauce).

Once the Gojju or Pulikaachal is ready as you can see above it was quite tasty.

TO PREPARE BLACK GRAPES PULIKAACHAL/TANGY SAUCE RICE


INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Rice
5 to 6 Cups of Water (use it according to your Rice )
Salt as per taste
SEASONINGS:
3 to 4 tbsp of Oil
2 to 3 Red Chillies
1 tsp Mustard seeds
few curry leaves
one fist ful of groundnuts/Peanuts
1 tbsp channa dal
1 tbsp Urad dal
1/2 tsp of Asafoetida
EXTRA SEASONING FOR THE RICE
3 to 4 tbsp of Til seeds
1/2 cup of Dry Copra/Dry coconut

METHOD:
Now go ahead and prepare the Rice,
First of all Prepare the Rice, Make rice like you make for Chitranna/ or for any Rice bath, allow it cool and separate the grains.
Take a pan and dry fry the Til seeds once they start to splutter, switch off the stove and keep aside when it is cool, Mix it with Grated Dry copra and make it into a powder, this powder will be little moist, no need to panic it is how it is meant to be, Because Till seeds and Dry Copra release their oils when grinding :), Keep this powder ready to use later.
Take a big pan or wok heat oil then add mustard seeds once they splutter add the Ground nuts and fry for few minutes, keep the flame low the peanuts start breaking up or making noises,add the Red chillies, now add the dhals and curry leaves once they change colour put of the stove, I usually add the Pulikaachal to this and loosen it, so it is easy for me to mix it with rice, My mom she spreads the rice on a large plate, top it with the required quantity of pulikaachal/Tangy Sauce needed to the amount of rice we are using and  pour this hot Seasoning on to it. Either way it doesn't make any difference, I prefer to do it like this.
To this Seasoned Pulikaachal add Til and Copra powdered and required amount of salt, then mix it with rice throughly well incorporated.
Once it is well and evenly covered with the Tangy Sauce leave it at least for an hour before serving, this way the rice absorbs the Flavours well and will taste very well.
Serve it with popadoms or Cucumber Raitha or as I love to eat it with Carrot Kosumbari.
Here is an other click of Grapes Rice.

MY VERDICT: When I made it, I asked my Hubby to taste it, he said it has come out very well, only my friend knew I had used Grapes instead of Tamarind, I saw my H raising his eyebrows and said it was really good, My girls were very happy that their favourite puliyogarai still tastes like puliyogarai :)!, and My Son who love and can live on puliyogarai everyday said - Wow mum, an amazing creation, our favourite dish made with healthy Ingredients, He only came to know when I asked him to put the left over pulikaachal into a box and keep in the fridge.
NOTES: Pulikaachal made with tamarind usually stays up to 6 months to an year. I don't know how long this one stays, This kind of Rice, tastes better the next day!, Use pulikaachal to your taste and to the amount of rice you are using.

I like to thanks Satya, for hosting this event Twist the traditional - Puliyogarai, otherwise I would have never thought of trying this out!, Many many thanks to you Satya, this is for your event, I am also sending this to Nivedita's Original Recipes only started by Pari of Food delicious.

C u soon with a new recipe , take care , bye...

The post Black Grapes Puliyodharai / Black Grapes in Tangy Spicy sauce Rice appeared first on My Veg Fare.

BABY POTATOES IN RED CORIANDER SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:
1 Kg of Baby Potatoes
3 tbsp of Tamarind extract
400 gms Tomatoes (I used tinned)
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
2 sprigs of Curry leaves
Salt as per taste ( I used 1 and 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp Sugar
3 tbsp Oil
6 to 7 sprigs of Coriander leaves

GRIND TO PASTE:
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tbsp of Cumin seeds
4 Garlic Cloves
1 Medium sized Onion
3 - 4 (Guntur and Byadagi chillies fried with little oil)/
Or Substitute with 1/2 tbsp of Red Chilli powder.

METHOD:
Cook the Baby potatoes in a pressure cooker with enough water for just 2 whistles (do not over cook it, so check out with your pressure cooker and reduce it to one or two whistles), drain the water, pour some cold water on top of it and allow it cool it in a colander so it cools quicker.
Next Grind everything under Grind to paste and keep it aside.
Peel the skin of the Baby potatoes prick them with a fork lightly on two or three sides
Take a large pan, heat oil when it is hot add the ground paste, Pureed Tomatoes, curry leaves, turmeric powder, Tamarind extract and allow it cook until oil starts separating out.
Now add required quantity of salt and sugar, mix well then add the potatoes mix well, add a 1/4 cup of water, cover it with a lid and allow it cook for few more minutes in a very low to medium flame.
Just keep an eye that they didn't get stuck to the bottom of the pan (that too like mine which has lost its Teflon coating in one place!).
Once it is well cooked and the potatoes have absorbed the masala well, Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve it with pulkas, chapatis or may be with rice.
Or how ever you want to eat it!, absolutely gorgeous with the coriander flavour in both the forms.
A big thanks to Nags and Mridula for this lovely recipe
Am I going to make this recipe definitely a YES.
Take an one more look at this gorgeous gravy....

C U Soon with few more recipes from Nags kitchen and my own creations....
take care.....
Hey just a minute I just now saw there is an Event - AWED Indian Cuisine- from taste of the pearl city started by DK. I am sending this to her event hope she likes it.

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SAMBHAR - ARICHUVITTA SAMBHAR

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Thuvar Dal
small Tamarind
10-12 Small Onions
3 Nos Green chillies
1 Tomato
curry leaves
small Marble sized Tamarind
1 and 1/2 cup of Chopped Vegetables (I used carrot, beans, potatoes)
Salt as required

ROAST AND GRIND
1 tbsp Channa dal
1 tsp Urad dal
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
5-6 Red chillies
1 and 1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Jeera /cumin seeds
1 tsp Oil

TO TEMPER
1 tsp Mustard seeds
3/4 th tsp Fenugreek seeds
Asafoetida/Hing
1 tsp Jeera
1 tsp of Oil

METHOD:

Heat a tsp of oil and fry all the Ingredients under Roast and grind and when cool make it into a smooth powder.
In a pressure cooker, cook the dal with a bit of turmeric and 1 and 1/2 cup of water until soft.
Now heat a tbsp of Oil, put in all the Ingredients under the temper heading and roast it until they all change colour, now add the chopped pearl onions fry until they turn transparent and now add chopped tomato and green chillies, curry leaves, cook them until they are soft.
Microwave tamarind in a cup of water, they would have become soft now keep it aside for few minutes until they are enough to handle to your hand, add a bit of cold water which makes it cool sooner.
Squeeze out the water, take the filtered juice add it to the cooking onions and tomatoes.
Now add the chopped vegetables until they are well cooked.
Now add the mashed and well cooked dal to it and cook all of them well together.
Now add the powdered sambhar powder to it and boil it for a few more minutes.
Now the Sambhar is ready to go, Enjoy it with warm rice and a dollop of Ghee.

This recipe goes to my Event Bloggers Marathon 

The post Sambhar-ArIchuvitta Sambhar II appeared first on My Veg Fare.

POTATO CURRY


INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Kg Potatoes
2 to 3 Onions
2 to 3 tbsp of Coconut Oil
curry leaves
salt as required
water as required

TO TEMPER:
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal
2 tsp oil

TO ROAST AND GRIND:
1tbsp Coriander seeds
4 tbsp Coconut fresh
6 to 7 Red chillies
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin
1/2 tsp Pepper corns

METHOD:
Chop the potatoes into cubes and chop the onions keep it ready.
With a tsp of oil roast all the Ingredients under roast and grind to a powder and keep it ready.
Heat oil in a wok, add everything under temper, when they change colour add chopped Onions and fry them till transparent, then add the cubed potatoes into it mix well.
Now add the roasted powder and sufficient water, bring the stove to a medium flame, close it with a lid and cook until the potatoes get cooked as required amount of salt.
Keep stirring now and then so the curry don't get burned.
Once they are well cooked, allow all the water to evaporate, Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve it with nice warm Rice or may be chappati.

The post Potato curry appeared first on My Veg Fare.

STUFFED SMALL BRINJALS / THUMBIDA BADANEKAAYI / BARWA BAINGAN

INGREDIENTS:
For the Curry:
16 Small Brinjals
Few Curry Leaves (2 to 3 sprigs)
1/4 Cup or 5 tbsp of Oil
1 tsp of Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp of Turmeric powder
Marble size Jaggery (optional)
20 gms/size of Marble/ 5 to 6 Flakes of Tamarind
Few Coriander Leaves to Garnish (5 to 6 stalks)
2 Medium sized Onions
4 to 5 Garlic Pods
Salt as Required

For the Masala Powder :
1 Cup Coriander seeds
1 tbsp Urad dal
1-1/2 tsp Bengal gram Dal
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1-1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Poppy seeds
1/2 tsp Pepper corns
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
2 Sticks (1'' Pieces) Cinnamon sticks
4 Cloves
3 to 4 Marati Moggu
1/4 tsp Asafoetida/Hing
1-1/2 tbsp of White Till seeds
1-1/2 tbsp of Uchellu / niger seeds
60 gms / more than 1/4 cup of Dry Copra
1/4 Cup Peanuts/Ground nuts
6 - 5 Guntur -Badgi Dry Red Chillies

METHOD:
First of all soak around 20gms/size of marble/5 to 6 Flakes of Tamarind in 1 cup of hot water
In a tsp of oil add Fenugreek first, when it turns golden brown in colour, add cinnamon sticks, Marati Moggu, cloves and fry for a minute, then add Mustard seeds, pepper corns, Dry Red Chillies and cumin fry for a minute when they smell very nice, and the cumin turns golden in colour, then take all of them out in a plate, now add Channa dal fry with a drop of oil until it changes colour take it out, then another tiny bit of oil and fry Urad dal until it changes colour take it out, then add another tiny bit of oil add Coriander seeds and fry until they change colour to golden colour, Leave them on the plate until they cool down. (you can also fry the dals and coriander seeds together with the other ingredients one by  one)
In the same wok fry ground nuts nicely until it changes colour, may be 5 minutes to 7 minutes, the skin starts peeling off, take it out and allow it cool.
Then fry both the Till seeds  separately (White and Niger seeds) until they start popping or spluttering out, take these out on to a plate to cool
Grate the Dry Copra/ Coconut fry just for a minute and keep it aside to cool.
Rubbing in both palms remove the skin and the small nodes in the Ground nuts and Grind just the two parts of the nuts and powder and keep aside.
Once they are all cool Grind the dals first into a smooth powder then to this add the Till seeds and the Dry Coconut/Copra and make the powder.
Now your Masala powder is ready. This powder can be stored in an Air tight container. when ever you want to make this gravy, Vegetable bath, or any dry curry with any other vegetables which might go well with the masala, Gojjus or you can even use it for sambhar (omitting adding of til seeds).

Once the Masala is ready now the process is easy.
Here I did a little variation, actually I did not grinded both the coconuts into a smooth paste rather than using the Dry copra to make the masala powder as I intended to use all the powder immediately and I did not keep it for any storing.
Take the 2 Onions and Garlic pods and grind them into a smooth paste.
In a bowl take the Masala powder, Ground nut powder, Onion - Garlic paste, and Coconut paste mix all this together with 1 tbsp of salt.
Slit open the Brinjals as shown and fill up them with masala powder and keep it ready. you will be left with some masala powder paste as well.

Take a large pan/ wok heat 1/4 cup of oil to this add mustard seeds, when they splutter add turmeric powder and slide in the filled Brinjals and curry leaves into the pan and saute them carefully for 2 minutes until all the brinjals are coated with oil.
You will be left with some masala powder paste, to this add nicely squeezed Tamarind water to this remaining paste, mix well together  add this to the Pan as shown in the picture add another 2 to 3 cups of water depending on how gravy you want your subzi to be and also adjust the salt, remember you have already added some to the powder paste while filling the Brinjals, Cover and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes in a low flame, just check now and then and turn them around slowly, so that they don't get squished and dry up, if it dries up add a bit of water.

But, usually it cooks well in that flame and the gravy thickens too, chop few fresh coriander leaves and Garnish and serve hot with Roti, Naan, pulkas or chapatis.
Here is an other click of my Badanekaayi Yennagai..

will write about Jolada rotti soon....

Variation: If you cannot get Tamarind you can substitute it with 2 small Tomatoes.
Do not forget to adjust salt and Red chillies to your taste, as chillies usually differ.

I am sending this to Kavita's Healing food - Egg plant event , started by Siri.
Hope you enjoy making it as we did.. Have a good day... take care... bye..... c u soon.....

The post Stuffed Small Brinjals North Karnataka Style/ Thumbida Badanekaayi/ Barwa Baingan appeared first on My Veg Fare.

KUMBAKONAM KADAPPA

The post Kumbakonam kadappa (Potato Gravy from the city of Kumbakonam) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

QUINOA AND POPPY SEEDS POWDER

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp Poppy Seeds
2 tbsp Quinoa
2 tbsp Coriander seeds
2 tsp Channa Dal
1 tsp Urad Dal
Salt as Required

METHOD:
Dry Roast Poppy seeds and Quinoa until they change colour, and nice aroma comes out keep it is aside.
Again in the same wok with a tsp of oil fry the other ingredients with out salt and fry it well until they change colour.
Once they are cool grind them into a coarse powder in an air tight container.
You can use this stir-fry or dry curry recipes. It's a really good one and a keeper
This goes to Tried and Tasted event from Priya'seasyntasty reicpes hosted by PJ of seduce your taste buds, started by Zlamushka and is now taken care of by Lakshmi of Kitchen Chronicles.

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CARROT AND FENUGREEK STIR FRY

This carrot curry Participates in Healing food carrot an on going event in Suma's blog started by Siri

The Dhaniyaalu podi recipe I have already posted.

The post Carrot & Fenugreek leaves (Methi) Stir fry with Andhra style Dhaniyalu Podi (Coriander Powder) appeared first on My Veg Fare.