Blogging Marathon is such an addiction, after regular posting suddenly with problems I was unable to post for 3 days, but this is such an addiction which you don't want to leave and Valli our hostess is such a gem of a person who is been kind enough to understand and allow me to do it with leisure after my problems get solved, but I couldn't stop myself from doing so. As this is a commitment which I have agreed and I need to do this as quickly as possible. As of today my Group 2 is going to start with my first post today :), so I have planned to do it by tonight, so this will be my 2nd post of the day and stay tuned in for 2 more posts!!.
In India you can different varities of Green leaves which are nutritious and used for its so many medicinal values, as India is famous for its Ayurvedic medicine, The root of Ayurvedic medicine is using natural ingredients found in the Nature, as the trees, leaves, fruits, nuts, roots, bark etc.., totally everything is used from lot of things found naturally by our mother earth.
In olden days our ancestors always had a very particular method of eating food, which I think most of the Indians that too specially our bloggers who love food, basically who try to cook and bake good food healthy and nutritious food understand the importance our ancestors applied in their food habits in everyday cooking.., One such recipe is Agathi Keerai/ also called Aathi keerai is called Humming bird tree in English, The Botanical name for this tree is Sesbania Grandiflora tree, check out wiki for more information.
This tree has got a number of medicinal properties which is used in our traditional ayurvedic and other traditional medicines.
This Dry curry is usually made on Dhuvadeshi day that is after the Ekadasi day which is an auspicious day dedicated to Lord Vishnu on the eleventh day of Lunar fortnight. The Dhuvadeshi day which falls on the 12th day that is the next day after Ekadasi, in the month of Marghzi month according to tamil calender.
The devotees who absorb Ekadasi by fasting the whole day, will prepare a very tailored food the next day, This is one such recipe prepared on that day, we usually make..
Mor kohambu, Agathi keerai poriyal, Poricha sathamadhu, Nelli kaayi pachadi, Rice, Paruppu, Moong dal payasam, etc..,
This Keerai/green leaves is a bitter to taste, but it is very good for health.

Check out this website which tells you more about these Leaves, http://www.indusladies.com/forums/indian-diet-and-nutrition/29499-agathi-keerai-and-its-benefits.html, tells you more about it benefits.

courtesy Google

AGATHI KEERAI PORIYAL/ AGASE SOPPU PALYA
INGREDIENTS:
1 Bunch of Agathi soppu/keerai
1/2 cup Tuvar Dal
1/4 cup fresh coconut
salt to taste
A pinch of Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Turmeric

Seasoning:
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Urad dal
1 tsp Channa dal
4 Red chilies
1 tbsp curry leaves ( 1 stalk)

METHOD:
Pick out the leaves, wash and keep aside.
In a low flame, cook Tuvar dal in a pressure cooker,  with 1 cup of water. Don't over cook it, it should not become mushy, this should be done as if you can break it into 4 pieces.
Chop the leaves and keep aside.
In a pan heat tbsp of oil, once it is hot reduce the flame add mustard seeds once they splutter add channa dal, urad dal, chilies and curry leaves (chop it finely so kids will never know and eat it too!).
Add chopped Agathi leaves sprinkle water and cook it well until cooked, sprinkling water now and then.
Dissolve Asafoetida in a tbsp of water and sprinkle it.
Once they are well cooked and cooked Tuvar dal, mix well, add salt as required.
The curry should become dry, add freshly grated coconut mix well.
Serve it with Mor kolumbu or with poricha santhambdhu.

I would love to send this to
WTML of Gayatri's hosted by Rasi of Vegetarian food and me.
MLLA # 46, started and hosted by The well seasoned cook - Susan
Chef mirelle's Coconut event
sara's event started by kalyani - Kitchen chronicles - Heirloom recipes
Healthy diet - side dishes by vardhini of Cook's joy

This is 6th day post for Blogging marathon... c u soon with an other recipe....
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#15

The post Agathi Keerai poriyal/ Agase soppu Palya with Toor dal (Tuvar Dal) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

MASALA SPIRAL BREAD

Made two loaves

PREFERMENT DOUGH:
I have been making a sour dough starter and the dough which needs to be discarded and we have to use fresh flours to incorporate in it, I did not want to throw it so I took the dough (200 gms ), This dough has both APS and Rye Flour in it, to this I added 1/2 tsp of yeast  and an other 50gms  and a little extra of APS flour mixed  to make it into a dough and left it in the fridge to rise, This dough also I have used to bake this bread.
This Bread can be baked without the Preferment dough too.. Just using the Ingredients for the dough.

INGREDIENTS:
Ingredients for the dough Flour:
4 cups of Strong Bread Flour (or APS/Maida flour if bread flour not available)
250 gms of Preferment dough (optional)
1 and 1/2 tsp Yeast
3/4 th to 1 cup warm water
10gms  Sugar
1 and 1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp of Coriander powder
1 tsp of Cumin powder
1 tsp of Pepper powder
1/4 Oil ( I used sunflower oil)

Ingredients for the Masala:
1 Medium sized Onion
6 to 7 Sprigs of Dill leaves
6 to 7 Sprigs of Coriander leaves
4 Green chillies
1'' Ginger
3 Garlic Pods(optional)
1/2 tsp of salt

METHOD:

Take Instant yeast in a large bowl, add 2 to 3 tbsp of warm water (not hot), just warm water, and sugar as said above, mix well and leave it in a warm place to raise, once you see bubbles raising up, that means your Yeast is still active.

Now take this bowl, add all the dry masala Ingredients under Ingredients for the flour, combine them well together now add the flour, mix well again.
Now start adding water until it forms a soft nice dough.
As each flour differs, be careful when adding water, no need to panic if the water is excess add flour and make it into a dough, so it is better to add water carefully and make a lovely nice soft dough.
Once you have made the dough, start kneading, at least for 10 minutes, keep the dough near you, push the dough to stretch upwards by your end of the palm, keep pulling and stretching all the flour, I have got a photo of that I will search for it and post it next time. The more pull and stretch the flour, the gluten in the flour starts to expand, no need to do it too much, and spoil the texture, good exercise too :)).
you can check if you have kneaded well by a window pane method hold a bit of the dough using both your hands between your thumbs, forefingers and middle fingers and stretch if it stretch well and looks very transparent not breaking anywhere, that's it you have done well, there are loads of videos on Google explaining this method to you. check it out.
Oil the dough and put it in a bowl and cover it with a cling film or with a wet tea towel, and allow it to raise, here it is important that the raising period depends totally  to the place where you live. My raise usually takes quite a long time some 2 to 3 hours, I always leave it to raise with its own time, Allow it double in volume, Once it is doubled (that is when you press your finger into it, it should stay put like that for some time), take it out.
Meanwhile when it is raising, chop all the Ingredients under Masala heading and keep them ready until required.
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7
Take the raised dough and punch it in the middle to let the air loose out, now knead it again, but this time not as you did for the first time, handle the dough carefully like a flower, fold from all the sides and do it two to three times, that's enough now spread the dough to a rectangle.
To the spread Rectangle  add the chopped and thoroughly mixed Masala and spread it on the rectangle, and start rolling from the longer side.
I cut them into two and made two loves as my tin is quite small.
when rolling tuck everything nice and proper so they don't come out, once it is completely rolled see to it that they are sealed properly.
oil the tin a little bit and put some flour on to the shake it and then slide this roll into the loaf tin with the tucked in side going below, oil the surface and cover it with a cling film again or with a tea towel in a warm place for the second rise.
After 1 to 1 and 1/2 hour, the dough is ready to go into the oven.
Little Tips I do before baking a bread :
I put a bowl of water under the rack of the oven and spray water all over the oven, carefully not on my Gas kind of incorporating steam technique inside the oven ( it kind of cools the oven) and when I slide the dough to bake, it slowly rises and the bread bakes very well.

So the first few minutes the bread bakes because of steaming and takes around 1/2 an hour to 45 minutes once the bread is completely done.

This bread had a lovely crust, and easy to slice like a normal sandwich bread, and of course it was very delicious,

Only thing was I forgot about the bread in the oven so it was little brown in the top on one side :)), remembered later on I was baking a bread and ran to check it out, It was already baked.

Thank God I removed on time.

Oh! yes look at it one more time, isn't it lovely!, absolutely delicious...

Sending this to Champa's Bake of event and BBD # 37, and Pari's only Breads event. and of course it is yeast spotted.
I am also sending this to Sara' Ginger and Garlic - Healing foods started by Siri - Cooking with siri As it turned golden browned on the top I can also send this to Food palette series-Brown event by Torview

The post Iyengar Bakery Masala Bun turned into Masala Spiral Bread appeared first on My Veg Fare.

METHI, SPINACH AND PANEER GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:

1 Bunch Fenugreek (Methi) Leaves

300 gms Spinach

200 gms Paneer cubes (shop bought)

1 Large Onion

1 tsp Garam Masala powder

5 to 6 stalks of Coriander leaves

6 tbsp of Oil

Salt as required

FOR THE GRAVY

8 Medium Sized Tomatoes

2 Garlic pods

1'' Ginger

1/2 tbsp Red chilli powder

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Amla Powder

MARINATING PANEER CUBES

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Chilli powder

1/4 tsp Salt

METHOD:

On the stove top as you can see in the picture, Roast the Tomatoes, peel off the skin, puree them with garlic pods and keep it aside.

Meanwhile when the tomatoes are roasting on the stove top, Cut the paneer into cubes and marinate them with the above said Ingredients.

Do not chop the Fenugreek leaves, not until the time you use. Just wash and pluck the leaves with thin tender stems, do not use the thick stalks as they don't cook very well, and might get stuck when eating. I used ready to use Packed Spinach from the supermarket, I just decided I will chop both of them when I use them.

Take a Large wok, heat 3 tbsp of Oil, add chopped onions, grated ginger and fry until it becomes soft and transparent, Meanwhile simultaneously when it is cooking, chop the Greens otherwise, if it is not possible, just lower the flame of the frying onions and then chop the greens.

Add these chopped greens to the wok and fry them till they become soft.

Meanwhile in an other wok add an other 3 tbsp of oil, when it is hot add the pureed Tomato paste and fry until oil separates out then add all the masala powders under the gravy heading and fry for few more minutes, it might become kind of dry when you add the masalas not to worry, just sprinkle a little bit of water, If you don't mind oil you can add another 2 tbsp of oil, then add the Marinated paneer and fry very carefully so they don't break apart. so, the paneer is well coated with Tomato paste and paneer absorbs the masala in it.

Add this Paneer gravy to the cooking Greens mix well until well combined, then add the Garam Masala powder and chopped fresh coriander leaves mix well, close the lid for an other 5 minutes in a medium flame, Now the Spinach, Methi and paneer gravy is ready to go with pulkas, chapatis or Nans.

REMEMBER : Add the masala powders to your tastes as everybody's taste differs, I might not make it too spicy and my chilli powder might be different than yours :))

Cut a slice of Lime/Lemon and squeeze it before you serve or just leave it on the plate with few chopped Onions to go with it. Yum yum...

This is a click of Fenugreek Leaves and I have given a link to the wikipedia to tell you lot about Fenugreek leaves, It is a very healthy Green leaves... check out...

This is an other click of my Garvy...

Sending this to Torviewtoronto's -Food Palette Green, Hope she likes it....

The post Methi (Fenugreek) Leaves, Spinach and Paneer Gravy appeared first on My Veg Fare.

SPINACH SAMBHAR WITH SWEET CABBAGE STIR-FRY

INGREDIENTS:
2 Bunches of Spinach
3/4th Cup of Tuvar Dal
1 Tomato
5-10 Small Onions/Shallots
Tamarind Gooseberry size
Salt as required
A Pinch of Asafoetida
Few curry leaves

Grind together:
3 to 4 tbsp of Sambhar Powder
1 tbsp of Rasam powder
3 tbsp of Coconut
cooked Tomato

Seasoning:
2 tsp of Oil
1 tsp of Mustard seeds

METHOD:
Wash and cook finely chopped Spinach, Tomato (chopped into two halves)  and Toor Dal together with a pinch of Turmeric powder in a pressure cooker up to 3 whistles.
Meanwhile chop the small onions finely and keep aside until needed.
Meanwhile when it is cooking, soak Tamarind in 1/2 cup of water and microwave for 1 minute, do not try to squeeze tamarind extract immediately you can add another 1/4 cup of water and squeeze the tamarind juice, if you can handle the hot water or leave it a few minutes, until you are comfortable with the water and squeeze the juice out of it.
Take a broad vessel heat a cup of water, Once it starts boiling, add the tamarind extract allow it boil for few more minutes (10-12 minutes) until the raw smell disappears in a medium flame, be careful otherwise it darkens the vessel ! around the sides. keep an eye on it.
By that time if the cooker has cooled down,  remove the tomato and keep it aside but for the spinach-Toordal mixture , with a masher give a light mash, so both of them combine together very well then add this to the cooking vessel, Immerse a ladle in it, so when it is boiling it won't spill out, still keep it a very medium flame and keep stirring now and then so it wont' get stuck to the bottom, because it might start to thicken.
Now Grind everything under the Grind together heading, with the cooked Tomato into a smooth paste with the help of 1/2 cup of water dissolve it well and add it to the cooking greens, mix well and let it boil, add required quantity of salt and asafoetida.
Now take a wok heat oil, add mustard seeds once they crackle up add the chopped onions and curry leaves and fry for few minutes until they are transparent add this to the cooking greens and dal mix well, and Now your sambhar is ready to be served with papad or dry curry of your choice.
I served it with Sweet cabbage dry curry.... recipe follows....

SWEET - CABBAGE STIR FRY:
INGREDIENTS:
1 Whole sweet cabbage
curry leaves a few
salt as required
few fresh Coriander leaves
A pinch of Asafoetida
1/4 cup Grated fresh Coconut

For Tempering:
1 tbsp Channa dal
1 tbsp Urad dal
1 tsp Mustard seeds
4 to 5 Dry Red chillies
1 tbsp of oil

METHOD:
Take a bowl with water, chop the cabbage finely and put it into the water, give one wash and drain all the water and keep aside.
In a wok heat oil, add mustard seeds once they crackle add everything under Tempering and saute for a minute the colour of the dals change, or you smell a nice aroma, Now add the chopped cabbage and curry leaves and mix well.
In a low flame cook the cabbage without any water, if you find it too dry sprinkle just a fistful of water.
I usually keep them immersed in water, until I need them. Once the seasoning is done, I dip my palm take a fistful of the cabbage try to drain by giving it a little shake and then add it directly to the wok or you can do as I said earlier.
Keep it covered and just few minutes once stir them all once and leave it again within 15- 20 minutes it gets cooked and just keep an eye that they don't get stuck to the wok, as we all know that cabbage gives water on its own, it is better not to add too much water.
Add salt mix well leave it for few more minutes
Then add freshly grated coconut mix well and serve.
This even goes well with Rasam, Chapatis etc..,,

I am also sending this to '' Only Greens event'' started by Pari  of Food delicious and guest hosted by Sara's Corner.

The post Spinach Sambhar with sweet cabbage Stir-fry appeared first on My Veg Fare.

GREEN BATAKI

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CURRY:
1 bunch of Mustard leaves  (around 250 to 300 gms) (Recipe called for spinach)
1/4 Kg Potatoes (5 to 6 Medium sized)
3 to 4 pods of Garlic
2 small Onions (45 to 50 gms)
2 Small Tomatoes (45 to 50 gms)
3 to 4 Green chillies

Ground to Paste:
6 to 7 Cashew nuts
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tbsp Anardana seeds ( Recipe called for Magastari seeds)

METHOD:

First of all peel the Potatoes and cook them on a stove top with enough water until it is 3/4th done. (Actually the recipe calls for peeling and cutting and half cook the potatoes into Small cubes and deep fry them in Ghee until they are good), I did not deep fry but once it was nearly done I cut them into cubes and with a bit of more oil say around 4 to 5 tbsp of oil I roasted them nicely and kept it aside.
Then I cooked the Mustard Greens in 1 and 1/2 cups of water, drained the water into a bowl (do not throw away the water) and kept aside.
when the Greens were cooking I grounded everything in the Ground to paste heading to a smooth paste.
In a wok heat a tsp of oil add Green chillies and Onions saute then until they turn transparent then add Tomatoes and saute them again, until well cooked, allow them to cool.
Grind the spinach and the sauteed vegetables into a smooth puree and keep aside.
Next take a wok heat oil and cumin seeds, when they splutter add the Roasted potatoes then add the pureed Green paste and the Cashew paste to it with the reserved drained water and allow it to boil to this add Red chilli powder, Garam masala powder and salt as required with an other cup of oil as it starts thickening you can adjust by adding  more water as needed to make it into a nice Gravy.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve it with any roti, pulka or Nans.
I would like to send this to Pari's Flavours of Punjab  event started by Nayana of simply food and to Anardana event hosted by me, started by Priya.

Hope she accepts my entry :)........

The post Green Bataki (Mustard Green leaves and Potato Gravy) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

I would like to add this as to tell you that the Tomato and the Green Vadams I made it with eye measurements, because I increased the 1 cup of sago to more which I did not measure,  when I used Tomatoes and the green leaves.  When you are using the tomatoes and green leaves with the below said measurements reduce the ingredients when doing for a cup.

SABBAKKI SANDIGE/JAVARASI VADAM/SAGO PAPADS

I made these vadams in three different flavours so I am posting all of them in one go!
Here is the recipe the basic recipe which you can alter by changing the flavours...

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup of Sago
4 to 5 Cups of water
1 Cup Yogurt
fist full Green Chilies
salt as required
1/4 bunch of Coriander leaves

METHOD:
Soak sago in the night itself, when you soak it let the water be just 2 inch above the sago. In the morning grind other ingredients in a mixie, and keep it aside, In a large (I usually use my cooker) broad vessel, pour around 4 cups of water and the sago and allow it cook, you have to cook just like the sago paayasam, where the sago looks like a transparent bubble then add the ground ingredients and salt as required, and cook it well.
Then once it cooks well, keep it aside with a lid closed to it.
Spread a plastic sheet or a dhoti spread it in the sun and take a spoonful of small rounds on them, and sun dry it well, once they are quite dry store it in a dry container and fry them in oil and use it whenever you want.
I love this vadam with Curd rice!!.
I need to thank my Mum as she was the one who taught me lot of these sun dried vadams/vada/papads.
The only thing is the sun at the right time, when I need it! :))

TOAMATO SAGO VADAM/VATRAL

 

The post Sabbakki Sandige/Javarasi vadam- vatral/Sago Papads appeared first on My Veg Fare.

GARLIC AND CORIANDER NAN WITH RAJMA AND  SARSON KA MASALA

• 2 cups All-purpose flour
• 3/4th cup lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp oil
• 4 tbsp yoghurt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp yeast
• Ghee or butter melted for brushing on naan
• Minced garlic and coriander chopped for topping

1. Mix Sugar, yeast and water in a large mixing bowl
2. Add all the other ingredients except for ghee and the toppings
3. Knead it into the dough, cover this bowl with a cling film or a wet tea towel and leave it in a warm place and let it rise for 2 to 3 hours or until doubled in size.
4. Once it is raised make it into balls and flatten them with the help of rolling pin in a kind of triangular shape and pull the tapering end a little bit, now it just looks like a Nan
5. let it 1/2 '' thick do not make it too thin
6. Now top it with the mixture of garlic and coriander leaves and press it on them lightly.  You can also sprinkle some sesame seeds and roll it with a pin or press it on to the dough and place 2 of them on a baking sheet and bake it for 10 to 15 minutes you can see those red speck marks on them and just like a chapati bloating up here and there! That means your nan is done
7. Now you can take them out and brush them with butter or ghee and serve them hot with whatever side dish you like
8. I started with the oven but ended up making them on the stove top, they were very soft and nice, children did enjoy it.
9. On the stove top, what you have to do is place your Tawa / pan / girdle when it is warm enough, sprinkle water on to it, place your nan on to it, The dough gets stuck to it, cook it with a lid on top for just 2 minutes remove the lid you can see the top puffing up here and there.
10. Now turn the pan/Tawa with the help of a handle or with tongs directly on to the fire hold it a bit above the fire so that you don't want it to get burnt right,
11. The top gets cooked with a lot of brown and black spots on them, turn it back again and cook again underneath placing the tawa back on the stove.
12. This way it is evenly cooked both the sides and your Nan stays nice and soft for a long period of time, then brush it the same way and serve hot with choice of your gravy.
13. Remember when cooking on the stove top, the stickiness of the dough should not come out when you turn it over, so do it when it is still stuck and cooking it when turning it over it might fall off so be careful about it, you don't want a burnt Nan.
14. Once you know how to do and the process just takes 3 to 4 minutes it is easy and the end product is much soft and fluffy than baked ones.

• 1 Cup of Rajma or Red Kidney beans
• 1 bunch of Sarson or Mustard leaves
• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 large onion
• 4 pods of garlic
• 1'' ginger
• 5 to 6 sprigs of chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• marble sized Tamarind or 2 to 3 tbsp of Thick Tamarind extract
• 1tsp of Coriander powder
• 1 tsp of cumin powder
• 1 and 1/2 tbsp of Chilli powder
• 1 small sized cooked potato
• 4 to 5 tbsp of oil

1. Soak the Red Kidney beans or Rajma on the previous night with a pinch of baking soda, this helps in softening the beans, next day wash it well with clean water and cook it till soft
2. soak the tamarind in water and squeeze out the juice and keep aside
3. wash the mustard leaves well and chop them into fine pieces or else you can cook and make it into a puree or just cook it and keep aside until needed
4. Grind onion, garlic pods and ginger into a smooth paste.
5. Take a wok, heat oil and add mustard seeds, once they splutter and the ground paste and fry them until they turn golden in colour
6. Then add the chopped tomatoes and fry them until the water gets evaporated and oil separates out.
7. Then add all the spices and fry them
8. Now add the tamarind juice extracted and allow it boil for few minutes until the raw smell seizes, If you are using tamarind extract add 1/2 cup of water and allow it boil
9. Now add the mustard leaves and  rajma, mix well and allow it to boil for few more minutes
10. So that the masalas are absorbed by both,
11. peel  and  mash the potato and mix it in the gravy, this helps the gravy to thicken
12. add required quantity of salt and chopped coriander leaves mix well and in simmer allow it cook for another few minutes
13. Now the Rajma mustard leaves gravy is ready to be served with rice, paratha, naan, chapati or roti.

The post Garlic & Coriander Nan with Rajma & sarson ka masala appeared first on My Veg Fare.