Masaala Bread Toast

Bread/Buns have become favourite and handy food for most of the people. Bread/Buns goes well as breakfast/snack or even dinner. I have just tried some thing very easy and loved by all the age group and the whole family can njoy.

Just prepared some dry curry and stuffed that inside the buns. You can do this with bread also. I have chosen buns since you can stuff the curry easily.
Lets see the recipe.
Ingredients:
Bread: 5 to 6 Slices.
Butter: 4to 6 Table spoon.
Tomatoes: 1
Carrots: 2
Capsicum: 1
Onions: 2 (Large)
Green Chillies: 2
Cummin seeds: 1/2 Tea spoon
Oil: 1 Tea spoon.
Chilli powder: 1/4 Tea spoon.
Salt: to taste.
Coriander leaves: 2 to 3 sticks

Method:
1. Wash and cut onions, tomatoes, green chillies, capsicum and coriander leaves in to small pieces.
2. Grate carrots and keep it aside.
3. Keep a frying pan on the fire. Put oil to the pan. Add cummin seeds after 10 seconds.
4. Add green chillies and onions and fry for 2 minutes, add capsicum and carrots
5. Fry for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and salt. Mix well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add chilli powder and coriander leaves, mix well and put of the fire.
7. Keep the vegetable mixture aside.
8. Apply butter to each bread slice and keep it ready for toasting.
9. Keep a pan and heat for 1 minute.Keep two bread/bun slices and roast them slightly brown.

10. Put 1 to 2 table spoons of vegetable masala and spread on the toast.

11. Just keep it on the hot tava for 10 seconds on each side.

12. Bread/Bun Masala toast is ready to serve.

Please Note.

You can put grated cheese on top of masaala if you like. You can eat with tomato sauce too.
Time : 20 Minutes. I have added some green channa along with masala. You can stuff some boiled/cooked peas if you want. (Optional).
Serves : 3 to 4.  

Moong Daal Kichdi

Moong Daal Kichidi is a a healthy dish. It is a complete meal and we can prepare this with rice, wheat, rava, Avalakki/Poha/ Flattened rice. We can have Moong Daal Kichdi for breakfast or lunch or dinner.

Lets see some benefits of using Moong Daal in our diet. 
Moong Daal has loads of nutrients and minerals.They are packed with proteins and it is very low in carbohydrates. They are very easy to digest and have high in proteins. It helps to maintain the blood pressure and lower the cholesterol. It contain good source of Iron.
This Moong Daal Kichidi do not contain any onion or garlic.
It is mild spicy and good for all age group. You can have them any time of the day and enjoy your meal.

Ingredients,

Raw Rice: 1 cup
Moong Dal: 1/2 cup
Grren chilli : 2
Black Pepper seeds: 1/4 teaspoon.
Cummin seeds: 1/2 Tea spoon
Ghee : 2 Table Spoon.
Curry Leaves: 6 to 8
Coriander leaves: 4 to 5 Sticks.
Asafoetida/ Ingh : a little
Salt to taste.
Ginger: a small piece.
Turmeric powder: a pinch

Method,

1. Wash and cook rice and dal in a pressure cooker and leave it for cooling.
2. Wash and grate ginger, cut green chilly and coriander leaves.
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Crush pepper pods.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add a spoon of ghee and add jeera and crushed pepper pods.
5. Add cut green chilly and curry leaves. Fry for 5 seconds. Add ingh.
6. Now add cooked rice, moong dal and grated ginger. Add required water and mix it well.
7. Add turmeric powder, required salt. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Stir in between.

8. Shift the ready kichidi to a serving dish and add cut coriander leaves.
9. Add remaining ghee and serve kichidi with papad and pickle.

Note :

Adding onions and garlic is optional. You can add little more ghee. It adds to the taste. Adding more/less chilly is optional.
Add consistency of kichidi should be bit liquid.  You can add some vegetables and prepare vegetable kichidi. Vegetables like beans, carrots, bottle gourd can be added.
Time : 30 minutes.
Serves :  3 to  4.

Aaloo Tikki - Kabooli Channa Chat.

Who doesn't like chats? Chats have become very famous now a days. Children or elders long to have some thing or the other spicy chat. But all should remember that eating chats many a times leads to acidity because of consuming more spice than the requirements. It is always healthy to have home made eatables. It is not only good for the body, it is good for your pocket (Money) too.

I do like chats and prepare according my taste and share with you, so that you can also try at home and satisfy your tummy.

Its a bit lengthy process. 
1. First you have to soak Kabooli Channa in water at least for 5 to 6 hours, then cook it till they are soft. Then prepare a curry using some tomatoes and spices.
2. You should boil one or two potatoes and remove its skin once it is cool. Soak a bowl of  (3 to 4 tablespoons full) flattened rice for at least 5 minutes. Mix it with bread (I have used brown bread) and spices, coriander leaves, green chilly etc.
3. You need to prepare Tikki on the tava. Shallow fry also will do.
4. Cut some onions/carrots to top up the tikki.
5. Preparing green and sweet chutney.
Should prepare : 
Wash and soak Channa for 3 to 4 hours and cook for at least 10 to 12 minutes. 
Wash and boil potatoes and remove the skin when they are cool. Keep it aside.
Lets straight get into the recipe :
Preparing Channa Curry:
Things Needed :
Cooked Channa (Kabooli Channa will suits the chat) :  1 Cup
Onion : 1
Green chilly : 2
Ginger : A small piece
Tomatoes : 2 to 3 Small ones
Garam Masala powder: 1/2 Tea spoon.
Jeera Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Red chilly Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt to taste.
Coriander leaves: 4 to 6 sticks.
Ginger: A small piece.
Oil : 2 Teaspoons
Butter : 1 Tablespoon

Method : 

1. Wash and cut onions, tomatoes, green chilly and coriander leaves.

2. Grate ginger and keep it aside.
3. Now keep a pan and put oil. Heat and put jeera and let it fry for 30 seconds.
4. Add green chilly, onions and fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and fry till they turn soft.

5. Add jeera powder, red chilly powder, garam masala powder and stir.
6. Add turmeric powder a little and salt. Mix it well.

7. Now add cooked Kabooli channa and mix it well. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Remove from the pan and shift it to the serving dish.
9. Add cut coriander leaves and butter. Keep it aside.

Now preparing Tikki (Patties).
Things Needed : 
Avalakki/Flattened rice : 1 Cup ( 4 to 5 tablespoons)
Bread slices :  5 to 6 slices.
Potatoes : 2 (Small ones)
Green chilly : 1
Garam Masala : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 tablespoons
Salt : Required
Oil : 4 to 5 Tablespoons
Method 
1. Wash and soak thick Avalakki with 1/4 cup of water for at least 5 minutes.

2. Powder the bread in the hand or by mixi and keep it aside.
3. Take a big bowl and put boiled potatoes, soaked avalakki/flattened rice. powdered bread, cut green chilly, jeera powder, garam masala powder and coriander leaves. Add salt.

4. Mix all these ingredients nicely and prepare dough. Divide the dough into small ball size.

5. Now keep a tava on the fire and heat. Sprinkle oil.
6. Give a desired shape to the tikky dough and place on the hot tava. Put oil around the tikki and cook on medium and low flame. ( First low and then medium flame).

7. Cook on both sides and remove from the tava. (At time 4 to 5 tikki can be roasted or shallow fried)
8. Repeat the same and cook all the tikky and keep it aside.

Serving :
1. Wash and cut an onion into thin pieces and keep it aside.
2. Keep the green chutney and sweet chutney ready.

3.Take a plate : Put a ladle full of channa, Keep two patties,
4. Put sweet chutney and green chutney on the top of patties. (Each 1/4 teaspoon).
5. Top up with cut onions and Serve

6. You can also add some curd and Serve as " Dahi Aloo Channa Chat".

Note : 
Channa can be boiled/cooked without soaking. But it takes long time. It is better to soak channa and then cook. It should be cooked till soft. Use of spice can be optional. You can use channa masala of any brand. (I have used garam masala and jeera powder). Use of garlic is also optional.
Patties : You can use more potatoes instead of flattened rice. (Avalakki). Use of spice is optional.
Do not boil the potatoes too much.
Adding Dahi and preparing Dahi Aloo Chat is also optional.
You can also use carrots gratings instead of onions to top up the patties. (optional).
Preparing curry : 10 minutes.
Preparing Tikky : 10 Minutes
Whole cooking time : 30 to 40 minutes.
Soaking Channa : 5 to 6 Hours
Cooking Channa : 20 minutes.

Moong -Bisi Bele Baat

 Bisi Bele Baath is normally a rice dish. Now a days people try using broken wheat, oats, flatten rice (Avalakki), and the healthy grains like Navane (Pearl millet) and little millet (Saame).

Bisi belebaath is a mixture of dals, vegetables and Rice. We can say this rice dish is loaded with lots of vegetables and it can be enjoyed during lunch hours or for dinner. People who prefer rice dish in the mornings can have it for breakfast. (Some used to have rice dish for breakfast and light dish for lunch).
I have used beans, carrot, seeme badane kai (Chayote), Moong dal and rice with some spices.
Lets see some benefits of having Seeme BadaneKai (Chayote) in our diet.
Seeme badanekai/Chayote belongs to gourd family. It is very low in calories. It has no saturated fats or cholesterol. They are rich source of dietary fiber, anti oxidants, minerals and vitamins. They also contain good amount of potassium. They are good for diet control and weight reduce.
Now lets see the recipe :

Ingredients :

To cook 
Raw rice : ( any variety) : 1 Cup
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
Carrot : 1
Beans : 10
Capsicum : 1
Peas : 1/2 Cup
Seeme badanekai/Chayote) : 1
To spice up : (to dry roast)
Channa dal : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Cumin/Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Red chilly : 5 to 6
Fenugrik : 1/4 Teaspoon
Cloves : 4 to 5
Cinnamon : small piece
Ingh : Asfatoetida : a pinch
Cardamom : 1 Seed
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
For grinding :
Coconut : 2 Tablespoon or 1/4 Cup
Tamarind : a small marble size
Dry roasted spices
For Seasoning:
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves :  5 to 6
Cashew nuts : 5 to 6
Asafoetida/Ingh : a pinch
Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons
To Add 
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
Turmeric powder : a little
Salt : As required

Method:
1. Wash and cook rice and moong dal separately. (Pressure cook for 6 to 8 minutes). Let it cool
2. Wash and cut vegetables and cook till they turn tender.
3. Keep a small pan on the fire and dry roast, methi, channa dal, urid dal, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, red chilly and jeera one by one. Add curry leaves to the roasted mixture.
4. Grate coconut and grind along with roasted spices and tamarind.
5. Now keep a big pan on the fire. Put cooked rice, dal, vegetables and salt. Add turmeric powder.
6. Mix it well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between so that does not get burnt.
7. Add ground coconut and spice mixture and mix it nicely. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes
8. Keep a small pan and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds, urid dal. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add cashew nuts, fry for 10 seconds, add curry leaves and ingh.
9. Shift the ready Moong bisibele baath to a serving dish and add seasoning and ghee.
10. Mix it well and serve with chips and curd.

Note :
It is always better to use home made masala powder. Though it looks lengthy it is healthy and you know what you have used also the quality of the spice does matter. Anyways you can use any brand of Bisi bele baath powder like MTR, Mayyas etc.....(Short cut as my son Ravi says).
Moong dal is a healthy dal and it is always better to use instead of toor dal. (optional). Adding more vegetables is optional. Adding onions also optional. Adding more oil or ghee is also optional. Always it is better to serve Bisibele baath when it is hot.
Bisi means hot, bele is dal and baat is a rice dish.
Time : 40 minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Mangolore Bonda ( Ambode )

Mangalore Bonda /Uddina Ambode is one of the famous fried dish from Dakshina Kannada. 

South Canara people used to grow lots of urid and other pulsed after the paddy harvest. There used to be urid grains stored in each home and used to prepare many dishes using home grown urid.
Here is such one recipe which is very famous in South Canara and it is called Ambode, uddina ambode/Bonda.
Bonda is a round fried savoury dish prepared using Urid dal. It is very nice to have with coffee/tea as snack in the evenings. During the rainy season its fun to have all these fried dishes watching the heavy rains pouring from the sky and making the whole world around dark.
I have used urid dal, green chilly, coriander leaves, ginger and ingh as main ingredients.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients.

Urid Dal : 2 Cups
Rice Flour : 1 Tablespoon
Green chilly : 2
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Salt : As required
Ginger : An Inch
Oil : To Fry : 1Cup or little more

Method.

1. Soak urid dal for 2 hours and grind it with very little water. It should be thick. ( Divide soaked urid dal in to two parts and then grind it )
2. Wash green chilly, curry leaves, coriander leaves and cut into small pieces.
3. Wash ginger and remove the outer layer of it. Wash it again and grate it.
4. Take a big bowl, add ground urid dal, rice flour, cut coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chilly.
5. Add ingh and required salt. Mix it well and keep it aside.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil and let it get hot.
7. Take a handful of bonda batter and squeeze it as lemon size batter through your fingers.
8. Let it fry till it turn golden brown. Turn all the bondas to the other side and fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
9. Remove it from the oil and put it on a kitchen tissue.

10 Repeat the same and prepare rest of the bondas.
11. Serve Hot Mangalore Bonda with coconut chutney/Soup bonda oo as you like it.
12. Bonda Soup are very famous dish and you can try and njoy bonda soup.

Note : 

Do not soak urid dal for more than 2 hours. It might absorb more oil while you fry bondas.
Do not keep the batter (after grinding) for a long time because it starts to ferment and turn savoury.
Use of rice flour is optional. Strictly do not add more water while grinding urid dal. You will not be able to prepare bonda and it absorbs so much oil while frying them. It does not taste good either. Not good for health also. Adding more /less chilly is optional.  Be careful while frying bonda because some time green chilly seeds might burst while frying bonda.
 Adding onions or garlic is optional. Usually we do not add onions or garlic to these Mangole Bonda. (Ambode). You can dip these Urid bonda in thick curd and prepare Mosaru Vada/Thair Vada.
Time : Soaking urid dal in water : 2 Hours, Grinding : 5 Minutes + preparing 30 Minutes.
Serves : 5 to 6.

Rava (Semolina) Rotti

Rave or Rava is also known as Semolina. We get rava from durum wheat. We get rava in different sizes. They also called as bansi rava, chiroti rava and the normal upma rava.
Rava/Semolina/Suji as it is called in different parts of India. We do use rava and cook many dishes. It is loaded with healthy sources.

Lets see some benefits of having Rava/ Semolina in our diet.
Rava is digested slowly and is ideal for people who wish to reduce their weight. It is good for people who suffer from blood sugar problems. Rava is low in fat and high in carbohydrates and it helps to boost energy. It is low in sodium and cholesterol and high fiber content. It is considered as a balanced diet. It contain less saturated fats and zero trans fatty acid. It has a rich source of Vitamin B complex and Vitamin E. It contain minerals like potassium, phosphorus and magnesium helps us for good functions of kidney and heart functions., body metabolize energy and for good healthy muscles, nerves and bones. It has calcium and it helps to keep strong bones, and zinc helps us in our immune system.
I have used medium size rava, onions, curry leaves, coriander leaves and little Mangalore Cucumber/Sambar cucumber.

Ingredients.\

Samolina: 2 cups
Yogurt/Curd/ Dahi : 2 to 3 Tablespoons.
Onions : 2 to 3
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Mangalore Cucumber : 1 small cup (grated)
Green chilly : 2
Curry leaves : Handful
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Water : Required
Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and cut coriander leaves, curry leaves,onions and gree chilly.
2  Wash and remove the outer skin of Mangalore Southe kai and grate it nicely.  Grate coconut and keep it aside.

3. Take a big bowl and add Rava, grated cucumber, coconut, cut green chilly, curry leaves,  onions and coriander leaves.

 4. Add salt. Add 1/2 cup of curd/dahi and required water. Mix it nicely and leave it for 10 minutes. ( little thicker than idli dough).

5  Now keep a dosa pan on the fire. Heat and sprinkle oil.
6. Take a handful of prepared dough and spread it evenly on the dosa pan. Add little oil.

 

7. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on low and medium flame. Turn the other side of rotti and cook for another 2 minutes.

8. Remove from the pan and serve hot rotti with ghee and the side dish you have prepared.

Note :

The dough should be thicker than idli dough. You should be able to take handful of dough.  It should not be watery either. Adding more oil is optional. You can use chiroti rava instead of medium size rava. Adding more chilly is also optional.
Time : 20 to 30 minutes
Serves : 2 to 3

Toor Dal Rasam ( Udupi Special)

 Udupi Saaru/Rasam is very famous. We kannadigas love to have this tomato saaru with plain rice. 

Ready to serve Toor Dal Rasam

Rasam is cooked using toor dal, tomatoes and spices. Udupi Saaru has special aroma in it. We do use toor dal and it binds the spice and all ingredients nicely and the "Saaru" (that is what we call it). Rasam means the juice of particular content. Here it does mean the aromatic juicy, spicy bit watery content.
Toor dal Rasam of Udupi is very famous and aromatic side dish. Toor Dal, tomato and some spices used to prepare this Rasam. We call this as Saaru ( bit watery ). Having Toor - Tomato Saru with Hot rice and a spoon of ghee makes you happy person. You can also serve this Rasam as a welcome drink or soup.
Udupi Saaru has a special aroma because we have a practice of using the fresh masala. The spices are nicely roasted/fried and then dry ground to get the fresh saaru (rasam) powder. Adding ghee/coconut oil is another step to make the saaru more tasty.
This is purely Udupi style rasam and I have used Ingh/Asafoetida which brought from my home town.
Lets see some benefits of having Toor dal in our diet.
Toor Dal is also referred as lentils or split pigeon peas. Toor dal is an excellent source of carbohydrates. It provides many of the nutrients to our body. Toor dal contain protein, fat, fiber. It contain minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium.B Vitamins and Iron. It is high in dietary fibre , low in saturated fat and and cholesterol free. It contain folic acid which is necessary for women. (Especially during pregnancy).Here is a recipe of Toor Dal Rasam and I am sure every one in the family will surely love this Rasam.

Things Needed :

Toor Dal : 1/2  Cup
Tomatoes : 2
Tamarind : a small lemon size ( 2 Table spoons of tamarind pulp).
Salt : to Taste
Rasam Powder : 2 Table spoons.
Asafoetida : a pinch
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Urid dal :  1/2 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 table spoons ( or handful)
For Rasam powder :
Coriander seeds : 2 Table spoons
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Methi : 1/4 tea spoon
Red chilly : 5 to 6
Curry leaves : 5 to 6

Method : 

1. Wash and cook Toor dal in a pressure cooker and leave it for cooling.
2. Wash and soak tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp and keep it aside.

3. Wash curry and coriander leaves. Wash tomatoes and cut it in to small pieces. ( Dee seed the tomatoes and then cut).
4. Dry roast methi, coriander seeds , red chillies, cumin seeds one by one and add ingh and curry leaves.
5. Dry grind the roasted spices when it is cool and keep it aside.
6. Keep a big pan on the fire and heat. Add boiled toor dal. Smash it nicely and then add.

7. Add tamarind pulp, turmeric powder, cut tomatoes and salt. Let it boil nicely for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups of water.

8. Now add powdered spice ( rasam powder) and mix it well. Let it boil nicely for 2 to 3 minutes.

9. Keep a small pan on the fire and put oil and heat. Add urid dal and mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds splutter.
10. Add little ingh and curry leaves and put this splutter to cooked Rasam.

11. Now shift the saaru to a serving bowl. Add coriander leaves.

12. Add a Table spoon of ghee and serve with rice or serve as a soup.

Note : 

Toor dal should be cooked well. Adding little jaggery to rasam is optional. Adding more or less water is optional. You can add coconut oil instead of Ghee.You can also use MTR or Maiyya's Rasam Powder. But remember fresh Home Made Rasam Powder gives a classic touch, means fresh and yummy. I have used home made rasam powder. I have also used 1 Green chilly since it adds to the taste.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5.

AALU (POTATO) MOSARU BAJJI

Potato (aloo) mosaru bajji/pachadi or Potato in curd/yogurt/ is a side dish and it can be served as one of the side dish in the festival or feast.

Lets see some benefits of Potatoes.
A baked potato is an exceptionally healthy, it is low in calorie and high in fiber food. Potatoes are good source of vitamin B6, potassium, copper, vitamin C, manganese, phosphorus and dietary fiber. It is also contain good antioxidant properties.
This Potato mosaru bajji goes well with almost all   main dishes including masala (spicy) rice. As I said it is very easy to prepare and all you need is boiled potato, green chilly and curd.
No Onion or No Garlic is used here in this food.

Ingredients.

Potato : 2 medium sized
Green chilly : 2
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tea spoon
Oil: 1 Tea spoon
Urd Dal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Ingh (Asafetida : a pinch
Salt : required.

 Method:
1. Wash and Boil potato with skin and leave it for cooling. Remove the outer skin.

2.Cut green chillies, coriander leaves into small pieces.

3.Now smash potato and put it in a bowl. Add salt, cut green chilly, curd and coriander leaves. Mix it well .

4. Keep a pan on the fire. Put 1 tea spoon of oil and heat. Put mustard seeds and urd dal.
5. Let the mustard seeds spurt. Add ingh, curry leaves to the mustard mix. Put off the gas.

6. Now add this mixture to the potato curd mixture. Mix it nicely and serve with hot rice or chapati as one of the side dish.

Note :

 You should boil the potato nicely (With its skin). Sour curd taste better. You can add the cut onions to this mixture before serving. You can cook potato in this way :  pressure cook or cut it in to pieces and cook in a pan.You can also use more chilly if you like spicy taste. Adding onions or garlic is optional.
10 minutes : to prepare.
Boiling time : Extra ( 10 minutes).
Serves : 2 to 3