Coriander Leaves Chutney

Coriander leaves/kottumbari soppu/ chutney is a spicy chutney which is used as substitute for pickle. This chutney has its own place in South Canara (D. K) people's Kitchen. It is one of the Authentic Chutney I can say. It can stay for long, goes well with almost all dishes.

We prepare and use pickle in larger quantity. Even now my younger sister does it every year mango pickling in traditional way. Pickles are done during the mango season. Varieties of pickles are prepared during summer season and kept in big Pots during those days. Now preparing pickle at home has become very rare and only some still do it and sell it too. Once the pickle gets over they need  to have some thing spicy which can substitute for pickle. So this way coriander chutney has derived I feel.
In villages this chutney is ground in grinding stone. It should be done without using much water, with little or without coconut.
Coriander Leaves Chutney has coriander leaves, green chilly, salt and ing. I have used mustard seasoning. But normally seasoning is not used since the oil might turn or leave bad smell.

Lets see some benefits of  "Coriander Leaves ".

Coriander leaves are good for skin inflammation. They are good for Skin disorders. They contain the property of disinfectant, detoxifying, antiseptic, antifugal and antioxidant. They good for clearing fungal infections. Coriander leaves contain Vitamin C and other acids and are good for reducing cholesterol level in the blood. They also help to reduce the level of bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol. They are good for digestion of the food, well functioning of the liver and good bowel movements. Coriander leaves are good for mouth ulcers, anemia and blood sugar disoreders. Eating coriander leaves are very good for eye care.( Not the spicy chutney of course )
Lets see the recipe.

Things Needed :

To Grind :
Coriander Leaves : 3 Bundles.
Green chilly : 10 to 12
 Dry Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Salt : 1 To 1 1/2 Tablespoon
Tamarind : 1 Small ball size
Ingh/Asafoetida : a littel
To seasoning :
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Ingh : a pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 leaves
Oil : 1 Teaspoon

Method :

1. Wash and dry coriander leaves and green chilly. Let all the moisture disappear.

2. Now cut green chilly and coriander leaves into small. Grate or cut coconut in to pieces.
3, Grind coriander leaves, green chilly, coconut, tamarind, ingh and salt. Try to dry grind. (Or use very little water to grind). (Grind little quantity at time)

4. Remove from mixi jar and put it in a big bowl. It should be thick.

5. Add mustard seasoning and mix it well.

6. Fill ready "Coriander Leaves Chutney" in a glass bottle once it is cooled.
Serve with curd rice and any other dishes (little quantity) like pickle.

Note :

Adjust the salt quantity according the quantity of the coriander leaves you take. Wash and dry coriander leaves under a fan. Spread it on a plate or tray. (Do not use news papers to dry the leaves. News papers might leave the ink used for printing). Adding green chilly according to your wish. More/less. Adding oil seasoning is also optional. Adding copra/dry coconut helps the chutney tos tay long. Use of coconut also optional. Keep the coriander chutney in the refrigerator. It helps the chutney stay long. You can use boiled salt water to grind chutney. Boil water and add salt. Let it boil and the water reduce to half. Use this water to grind chutney.
Time : 3o minutes
Serving : As you use. 

Maida Dosa

Maida /All purpose flour dosa is a breakfast dish. When you are in a hurry or hungry you can think of preparing this dosa.

Normally we will have maida at home. So it is very easy to prepare. It does not have to ferment either. Just mix maida and milk. This combination of milk and maida turns out to be aromatic yummy dosa. We all know Maida/ All purpose flour is not that good for our body. But we are using milk in it. So it helps to digest the food easily. As I said dosa turns very soft. You must have heard of pan cake. Pan cake is nothing but mixture of milk, maida and eggs. Instead of eggs I have added rice flour which helps to bond the milk and maida and gives crispy to dosa.
I have used maida, milk and little amount of rice flour which gives crisp to dosa. It is very easy, quick and simple.
Now lets see the recipe.:

Ingredients :

Maida / All purpose flour : 2 Cups
Boiled  and cooled Milk : 1 Cup
Rice flour : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : To taste.
Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
Required water : 11/2 to 2 cups

Method :

1. Take a big bowl. Add milk and Maida to the bowl. Add salt.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of rice flour and mix it well. Let maida mixes well.
3. Let the dough be like dosa dough. ( You can add little more water).

4. Give a churn in the liquidizer. Remove from the mixi jar and let it set for 10 minutes.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Sprinkle little oil on the tava.
6. Take a ladle full of dough and spread it in a circle shape.

7. Add a spoon of oil on the top and cover the lid and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on medium flame.
8. Turn the dosa  other side and cook for 1 minute.

9. Maida dosa is ready to serve. Serve with the side dish you have prepared.
10. You can also spread honey on the top and roll the dosa and serve.

Note : 

The batter should be mixed well to get the good dosa. You can add jaggery and coconut mixture on the top and roll the dosa to give a Indian pan cake touch. Adding honey on the top of dosa is also optional. You can grate carrots, ginger and top up the dosa. (Spicy dosa ). Add sufficient water. The consistency should be little more watery than the normal dosa. Adding little cooking soda is optional. (I have not added. adding an egg is also optional. ( I have not added)
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 

Avare Kai Usli / Palya

Avarekai/Field beans Palya/Usuli/Sundal is an excellent side dish and every one will surely enjoy eating this Usli.

Usuli or Usli is prepared using any legumes/pulses/beans, like whole moong, whole channa (black/Kabooli), or cow pea and even peas.(Dry/fresh). These legumes are cooked and seasoned with coconut. It is also used as prasadam in pooja occasions.
This recipe is inspired by "Renuka Manjunath", who had put up her traditionally cooked Sogadu avare Benne Usli In "Pakashale", Avarekai is cooked traditionally and just beautiful. Pakashale is one of my favourite group page. I do learn a lot by reading posts in it.
Coming back to Avare Kai/field beans, I have modified and cooked the curry in simple and quick method, because every one has their own busy  (bit lazy ? I hope at least some agree) schedule. I have cooked avarekai in quick method using pressure cooker. And one more thing to mention is, the bean I have used might not be so fresh. Sogadu means the aroma contained beans which is so fresh. I have seen that fresh beans and enjoyed eating them in those days. These aromatic field beans one can get them in and around the villages. These Avarekai is seasonal beans, the early crops do have rich aroma (sogadu) in them.
Fresh Avare Kai, onions are used and prepared this Usli, It goes well with almost all the main dishes. Dosa, rotti, roti, chapati, poori and even plain rice are very good combinations.
Lets see the recipe now:

Things Needed : 

Avarekai/Field Beans : 2 Cups
Onions : 2 to 3 or more (Medium sized).
Green Chilly : 2 to 3
Ginger : An inch
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Jeera : 1 spoon + 1/2 Spoon
Salt : Required
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Turmeric Powder : a little
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Remove the pods from Avare kai and wash it once. Keep it aside.
2. Remove the outer layer of onions wash it and cut into small.
3. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and grate it.
4. Wash green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves, cut into small.

5. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
6. Dry roast 1 Teaspoon of jeera and powder it .
7. Now keep a pan/pressure cooker on the fire. Add 1 table spoon of ghee and heat.
8. Add 1/2 teaspoon of geera and fry for 30 seconds. Add curry leaves, green chilly.
9. Add cut onions and fry for 1 to 2 minutes. (No need to be brown, Let it be transparent).

10. Add Avare kai/field beans and mix it well. Add turmeric powder, salt and mix it again.
11. Add  1/2 cup of water and close the lid. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes. (2 to 3 whistles).

12. Open the lid when the pressure cooker cools down.
13. Keep this again on the fire. Let it be low flame. Mix it well.
14. Add roasted jeera powder and cook on low flame.

15.Let all the water dry out. Now add grated coconut and remaining ghee, mix it again.

16. Shift ready to serve Avare Kai Usli to a serving dish and serve with the main dish.

Note : 

You can use butter instead of ghee. Adding more spice is optional. You can also add pepper pods if you wish. Using pressure cooker helps to cook avare kai faster. (Optional). You can cook Avarekai in an big bowl or pan. Using any brand of ready to use jeera powder is optional. I have used fresh jeera. Check green chilly if it is hot use only 2. ( According to your taste).
Serves : 4 to 5 
Time : 30 minutes.  

Chocolate -Banana Cake

This Chocolate Cake is very special. I baked this cake for my son Ravikanth on his birthday. It came out yummy and just beautiful. I am Happy for that we had good time spent with Ravi during his lunch hours.

It is an eggless cake with minimum sugar, dates and dark chocolate. You can use more sugar if you love to have little more sweet. I have used curd, milk, cinnamon and cooking oil. 

Lets see the recipe now:

Things needed :

Maida /All purpose flour : 2 Cups

Sugar : 3/4 Cup

cooking Oil : (any) : 3/4 cup

Cinnamon : An inch

Chocolate : 2 to 3 Tablespoons ( any chocolate)

Dates : 8 to 10

Banana (ripe) : 2 

Salt : a pinch

Curd : 1/2 Cup

Milk : 1/4 Cup

Baking Powder : 1 Teaspoon (Heaped)

Cooking Soda : 1/4 Teaspoon

Method : 

1.Sieve maida , baking powder and cooking soda and keep it aside. 

2. Grind sugar, dates, cinnamon into powder.
3. Add oil and grind nicely till sugar is melted.

4. Add curd and grind. Add chocolate pieces and grind again. Add banana and grind till it mixes.

5. Add milk at the end and grind for a minute. Let the mixture be soft and fluffy. 

6. Add a pinch of salt and give a churn at the end.
7. Remove the ground mixture to a big bowl.

8. Mix maida baking powder, cooking soda mixture slowly. Let it mix well. 

9. Apply little oil on the tray. Pour the cake mixture to the tray.

10. Preheat the oven for 5 minutes.

11. Now keep cake try inside the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes on 180 dc. Take it out from the oven and allow the cake to cool down, 

12 Insert a knife or spoon edge to check the cake. If it sticks to the spoon end then bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Note : 

Using ghee or butter instead of oil is optional. Using fresh ghee is also optional. ( I have used 1 Tablespoon of ghee along with oil. It adds to the flavour). Adding any flavour is optional. Example , venila essence or cardamom or clove. Use of more sugar is also optional. Banana adds to the sweet and softens the cake. 

Time : Preparation : 5 minutes : Baking time 30 minutes : Total time : 35 Minutes.
Serving : According to the serving.

Bindi Pakoda (Lady's finger Pakoda)

Bindi Pakoda/Fritter is a fried dish and we can munch them any time of the day. I love fried dishes as one of the side dish during lunch time. It is good to munch some thing spicy along with rice and rasam or curd. It adds taste to the food that we eat. I know eating oily food is  not good for health. I feel it is ok once in a while. (Not always).

Bindi/Lady's finger/Bendekai fry goes well with curd rice, during lunch or as starter also I have tried this bindi fry with very little quantity. It was just enough for two.
It is easy, simple and yummy. You can try and enjoy the dish.

Things Needed :

Lady's Finger/bendekai/bindi : 5 to 6
Channa Flour/Besan : 2 Tablespoons
Red chilly Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : as required
Oil : 1 Small cup (to fry)

Method : 

1. Wash and remove the moisture from bindi. (Use a clean towel or kitchen tissue to wipe out the moisture).
2. Cut them in to small circle.
3. Take a plate or bowl. Add cut lady's finger and channa/besan flour, salt, chilly powder and jeera.
4. Mix it well by hand. Sprinkle little water and mix again.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil. Heat it.
6. Just drop lady's finger mixture in hot oil. (little by little).
7. Fry them till they turn slightly golden brown.

8. Remove from oil and put it on a kitchen tissue.

9. Repeat the same with rest of the mixture.
10. Serve hot fried bendi as starter, as one of the side dish or with curd rice.

Note : 

Wipe out the moisture completely. You can cut them according to your wish. (Long or short).
Do not add much water while mixing. Adding garlic cuts is optional.(I have not added). Adding cooking soda is also optional. (I did not add). Better to eat immediately, when it is hot.
Adding more spice is also optional. You can use curry leaves and coriander leaves. (But it softens the fry).
Time : 15 minutes.
Serves :2