Pepper Fried Potato

My father had a perception of recognising the ingredients in any unusual snack or curry that he relished at an outside place, whether a restaurant or at any household. Though he never cooked anything in his lifetime, he used to tell mother to prepare the dish according to his concept and in most of the cases, the dish used to turn out perfect!

He was a journalist and he used to attend Rotary Club meetings every week at Hotel Moti Mahal. There he had the chance of tasting many snacks and dishes and these fried potatoes with a dash of freshly ground pepper was his favourite. Probably he tried French Fries at Moti Mahal and thinking my mother may not be able to make them at home, he came out with this version that is simple to make and tasty to bite.

Give this a try and your kids will go on eating them. This can be prepared quickly when you have unexpected guests. We prepare this for lunch or dinner but this can be had as a starter snack with tea or drinks. This is a good accompaniment with fried fish. You can prepare them by deep frying or shallow frying. We prefer the latter style which is good for health but turns out slightly less crispy than the deep fried ones.

Ingredients:
Potato - 1 big(150Gms)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Rice flour - 1/2 Cup
Oil - For frying

Method:
Wash peel and slice potatoes into 4mm thin slices.
Apply salt and keep for 10 mins.
Heat oil in a kadai.
Roll the salted potato slices in rice flour to coat them evenly and drop them in hot oil.
Fry on both sides on medium flame till crisp and golden.
Drain excess oil and sprinkle freshly ground pepper.
You can also shallow fry them on the tawa with little oil.
Serve with tomato ketchup as a snack or straight for lunch or dinner as a side dish.

Ubbati/Pooran Poli/Kadle Bele Holige by Nisha Baliga Shenoy

Wishing the readers of Garam Tawa, "Happy Holi!"

Holi the festival of colours is never complete without the sweet snack Pooran Poli. This is the Maharastrian tradition but many follow this all over the South today. We GSBs call this Ubbati and some may call this Sweet Chapathi. We make ubbati with cooked mashed channa dal and jaggery/sugar for the stuffing. This ubbati is very tasty and should be made fresh, consumed hot with melting ghee.

Making ubbati is an art but is not that complicated as many may assume. I am showing you step by step how to make ubbati. The embedded video by Anuradha and Maya from Faltu Productions in Konkani with subtitles in English should guide the readers and also keep them amused.

Holi hai!

Thanks to: Anuradha and Maya showing
'How to make Pooran Poli/Ubbati'

Ingredients: 

1/2 kg Maida 

1/2 kg Jaggery/Sugar

1/2 kg Channa daal
 A pinch of turmeric powder
 Salt to taste
 1 tsp cardamom powder
 1 cup oil
 Ghee to relish

Method:
Cook Channa daal in pressure for 1 whistle, then simmer it for 15 minutes and turn off the flame.
If you find impurities in the jaggery, make a syrup of the jaggery by boiling the jaggery in 1/2 cup of water and when it is cool, pass it through a sieve.
When the pressure cooker is cool, take the cooked chana daal out and grind it in a mixie to a smooth paste.
Transfer the Chana daal paste in thick bottom kadai, add the jaggery syrup/sugar (You can add less or more acc to your taste ) and keep on stirring the contents till you get a thick lump enough to form a ball.
Add cardamom powder and combine.
In a big bowl add some water, pinch of turmeric powder, salt and mix.
Add the maida flour and mix well.
You can add little water and maida and knead into a very soft dough .
Then add some oil and knead till the dough is soft and elastic but not watery.
Smear little oil on the dough and keep aside covered for 2 hours.

How to make Ubbati:
Make big lemon size balls of the Chana dal stuffing and keep aside.
After standing for 2 hours, the Maida dough should be of smooth texture.
It must stretch like chewing gum when pulled.
Take a small lemon size ball of the Maida dough, apply some oil on your palms and spread this dough evenly on your palms.
Place the ball of stuffing in the and bring all the ends together to fuse and roll with your palms into a firm ball.
Dust with maida/rice flour and roll out the Ubbati, preferably placing the ball between two plastic sheets.
Roast this on hot chapathi tawa on both sides .
Ubbati must puff like phulka if the formula is right.
Relish the hot ubbatis with fresh Ghee.

Kaalle Phovu(Phova Bakala Bhaat)

This is a real summer cooler and I am sure, this will be a frequent breakfast or tea time snack for many after going through the easy recipe. Kaalle phovu is a GSB dish similar to Bakala Bhaat of Andhra Pradesh. We make kaalle phovu on Krishna Janmastami specially but my father used to ask my mother to make 'Kaalle Undo', with the kaalle phovu.

This dish is made with spiced curd mixed in with  raw phova and eaten fast so that phova remains soft but not dry. Better to prepare the spiced curd before hand, keep it in the fridge to chill and add phova just before serving.

Ingredients:
Thin Phova(Beaten Rice) - 2 cups
Plain curd - 300-400Ml
Salt - To taste
Grated coconut - A handful
Ginger - 1/2" piece finely chopped
Green Chillies - 2 finely chopped
Coriander leaves - 2 sprigs chopped
Asafotoeda - A pinch dissolved in a spoonful of water
Oil - 1 Tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 Tsp
Curry leaves - 4-6 chopped

Method:
Add the chopped ginger, green chillies, grated coconut and salt to the curd.
Prepare a seasoning with mustard seeds, curry leaves  and asafotoeda solution in hot oil.
Allow the seasoning to cool down and then pour over the curd.
Mix well and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Mix a handful of phova with 4-5 tbsp of the spiced curd to prepare kaalle phovu.

Aloo Paratha - Version 2

My mother used to make what she called Batate Parota. She made a simple stuffing with boiled mashed potatoes like we GSBs make for Batate Ambado, fill that into chapathi batter and roll out tasty parathas that she used to feed us with coconut green chutney.

Here is the simple version of Aloo Parathas with a slight South Indian touch for the readers. I am sure, this will be a superhit.

Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Flour - 2 Cups
Salt  - To taste
Water - QS
Potatoes - 4 boiled, peeled and mashed
Green chillies - 3 chopped
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 Tsp
Curry leaves - 4-6  chopped
Coriander leaves - A handful chopped
Lemon - 1/2
Asafotoeda - A pinch
Ghee or oil  - For roasting

Method:
Mix wheat flour with salt to taste and sufficient water and knead a stiff firm dough. Cover and keep aside for 30mins.
Heat oil in a pan. add mustard seeds. Allow them to splutter. Add chopped curry leaves and chopped green chillies.
Finally add asafotoeda mixed with little water.
Mix this seasoning with the mashed potatoes, salt to taste and chopped coriander leaves. Squeeze lemon and mix well.
Make slightly bigger than lemon sized balls with the paratha dough.
Roll out a thick poori. Place lemon sized ball of the potato stuffing in the centre and wrap the poori around the stuffing to make a firm ball,
Dust the rolling board and roll out parathas, taking care not to break them.
Heat chapathi tawa and roast the parathas with oil or ghee drizzled on both the sides.
Serve with any chutney or pickle of your choice.

Also see: Aloo Paratha - Version1

Gharen Karo/Ponsa Balka(Jackfruit Chips)

This is the season for Jackfruit. Local market has abundant stock of raw and ripe jackfruit. Trees also look well loaded with yield. Tender raw jackfruit is used in curries and fritters. Well grown but unripe Barke raw jackfruit with thick segments are used for making chips and happalam. Making Gharen Karo is an art mastered by experts in Undivided Dakshina Kannada, Uttar Kannada and Shimoga Districts of Karnataka and most of the regions in Kerala.

The process involves cleaning the jackfruit and jackfruit has loads of gum in it which makes the job sticky and irritating. Hence, many people avoid making this at home and buy ready made stuff from sweet shops/bakeries. Certainly home made chips are much much better than the ones available commercially. At hoe we can be assured about the consistency of the jackfruit, quality of the oil we use for frying and zero adulteration.

Gharen Karo is a favourite tea time fried snack and is also a good starter snack with drinks. On a lazy rainy day a bowlful of crispy Gharen Karo and a cup of hot tea makes my day

Ingredients:
Barke raw Jackfruit segments - 1Kg(Approximately)
Salt - 50Gm(Approximately)
Water - QS
Coconut Oil - 500Ml(Or for deep frying)

Method:
Prepare a concentrated salt solution in water.
Cut the jackfruit segments into thin finger chips.
Heat oil in a kadai.
When the oil starts fuming, reduce the heat to medium.
Drop the jackfruit fingers in hot oil as much as possible and keep mixing them with the perforated frying spatula to ensure even frying.
When the chips turn into light golden colour, pour a spoonful of the salt solution into the oil, taking care not to look straight into the kadai at close range. The oil tends to spurt.
Quickly mix the sizzling chips with the salt solution and as soon as the sizzling stops, remove the chips and drain on kitchen paper to get rid of excess oil.
When the chips cool down, store in air tight container.
These last for at least 2-3 weeks without any change in smell.

Mixed Vegetable Aambat

Aambat in original Konkani/Marati spells tangy curry. But we GSBs make a bland coconut based curry with a seasoning of chopped onions perfectly browned. The gravy can be made thick by adding Tuvar daal or potatoes. If you use any beans like fresh or soaked Peas, Avare Kaalu, sprouted Bagdo or even Alaambe(Laamb or Thunder Mushrooms), you need not add daal.

Here is the recipe for Mixed Vegetable Aambat that we prepare round the year. You may choose vegetables that don't have pungent taste or flavour. A well balanced preparation may suggest use of Potatoes, Brinjal, Cauliflower, String Beans, French beans, Ridge gourd, Gherkins and Tender cashews.

What I have shown here has only cauliflower and green peas, because we ran out of potatoes.

Ingredients:
Mixed veggies - 2 Cups(diced)
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Tamarind - Size of its seed
Red Chillies - 4
Tuvar Daal - A handful
Onions - 2 chopped
Salt - To taste
Oil(Preferably coconut oil) - 1 Tsp

Method:
Boil the vegetables along with 3/4 of the chopped onions adding little salt till just cooked.
Pressure cook the daal with a cup of water till well cooked.
Roast the red chillies with little oil and grind along with grated coconut and tamarind to a fine paste.
Combine the ground masala with the cooked daal and bring that to a boil in a thick bottomed vessel.
Add the cooked vegetables along with the broth and simmer for 5 mins.
Check for salt and add if necessary.
Heat oil in a small wok and add the 1/4 chopped onion.
Fry till golden.
Pour the seasoning over the curry and serve with rice.

You may make the aambat thick if you are serving it as a side dish with rice and daalitoi, chapathis, dosas or idlis.

Aambuli Pachchodi - Type2

The scorching summer heat calls for some cool stuff. My personal preference is white rice with curd, some salad and pickle. This summer thaali shown here, has rice, curd, mango pickle with roast masala and Aambuli(Raw Mango) Pachchodi.

Some days ago I had posted the recipe for aambuli pachchodi, which is slightly different from this one. This one is made with green chillies as the spice and a seasoning of mustard seeds adds to the taste.

Clockwise from bottom left: Curd, Aambuli Pachchodi, Mango pickle, Rice

Ingredients:
1. Raw Mango - 1 big(Around 300Gms)
2. Green Chillies - 2
3. Grated coconut - A handful
4. Salt - to taste
5. Asafotoeda - A pinch
6. Mustard seeds - 1/2 Tsp
7. Coconut oil - 1 Tsp

Method:
Wash, wipe and peel/shave the skin off the raw mango with the help of a peeler or knife.
Chop the mango into tiny bits.
Chop the green chillies and grind along with grated coconut to a coarse chutney.
Mix the chopped mango along with this chutney and salt to taste.
Dissolve asafotoeda in a spoonful of water.
Heat oil in a small wok.
Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
Add the asafotoeda solution, taking care not to stand too close to the wok.
Pour the seasoning over the pachchodi and mix.

Egg Methi Pulao

This pulao is Meena's own creation. She had some methi leaves and green peas left over. Formulated a bland recipe to come out with a complete meal to suit the summer heat. You may relish this wih raita, daal fry or any north Indian curry of your choice.

Vegetarians may substitute egg with shallow fried paneer cubes.

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Water - 3 1/2 cups
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 4
Methi leaves - A handful chopped
Boiled green peas - A handful(Optional)
Onion - 1 chopped
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 3 sliced
Shahjeera - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 4
Green Cardamoms - 4
Cinnamon - 1/2 " stick
Biryani masala powder - 1/2 tsp(Optional)
Salt - To taste
OIl or ghee - 2 tsp

Method:
Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 15-20 mins.
Boil, peel and cut the eggs into halves.
Heat oil/ghee in a thick bottomed pan.
Fry shahjeera, cloves, cinamon and cardamom.
Fry the chopped onion till transparent.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till oil leaves the sides.
Fry the green chillies till they turn whitish.
Add the chopped methi leaves and green peas and fry for 2 mins.
Now add biryani masala, salt to taste and 2 cups water.
Bring to a boil.
Drain the soaked rice and add to the boiling water, followed by coconut milk.
Cover and simmer.
Cook for 15-20 mins or till the water has been absorbed by the rice and the rice is cooked.
Serve with onion raita or with any curry.

Whole Wheat Flour Buns

These whole wheat flour buns are tastier and healthier than their counterparts Mangalore buns. You can have them as it is or with chutney, sambar, daalithoi or some curry. If the recipe is followed properly, these buns bounce from the pan into your plate!

Ingredients:
1. Whole Wheat Flour - 3 cups
1. Maida - 1 cup
2. Buttermilk - 1/2 Cup
3. Cooking Soda - 1 Tsp
4. Salt - 1 Tsp
5. Sugar - 8 Tsp
6. Mysore(Salem) or Yelakki Banana - 2-3 small
7. Butter - 2 Tsp

Method:
Dissolve cooking soda, salt and sugar in buttermilk. Add wheat flour, maida and mashed bananas. Fold in to make a sticky and soft dough. Add little water if necessary. Add butter and mix well. Don't knead hard like poori or chapathi dough. This dough should not be too watery or too dry. Must be like chewing gum and should be easily rolled with minimum pressure of the rolling pin. Cover the dough in a moist cloth and allow to raise for 6-8 hours at warm room temperature.

Make big lemon sized balls and roll out thick pooris with enough maida to dust the pooris. Deep fry in hot ghee or oil till fluffy and golden brown.

Methi Theplas

The Gujarati snack Thepla is a type of chapathi spiced up with chilli powder and asafotoeda. Added methi leaves also add to the flavour and nutritional content. Theplas can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Gujaratis eat this with plain yoghurt, chutney or with mango chunda. I prefer this with dry garlic chutney or the Jain pickle Menasina Gatti. More on Menasina Gatti soon.

Theplas

Here's Meena's improved recipe for making soft and nice methi theplas.

Ingredients:
Whole Wheat flour - 2 cups
Fresh Methi leaves - 1 bunch(100Gms)
Plain curd or buttermilk - 1 cup(Or QS)
Salt - To taste
Red chilli powder - 2 Tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp
Cumin powder - 1 Tsp
Asafotoeda - A pinch
Oil/Ghee - QS

Make lemon sized balls

Roll out thin chapathis

Roast on both sides

Apply little oil/ghee on both sides

Store in hot case

Method:
Clean wash and chop the methi leaves.
Make a stiff but soft dough with wheat flour mixed in with curd tempered with salt to taste, red chilli powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and asafotoeda.
Add the chopped methi leaves, knead well and keep covered with a moist cloth for 30 Mins.
Heat the chapathi pan.
Make lemon sized balls with the tepla dough, dust the rolling board and roll thin chapathis.
Roast this on the hot pan, applying little oil/ghee on both sides.
Serve hot with curd, garlic chutney, chunda or any chutney of your choice.
Can also be eaten with any kind of daal or vegetarian curry.

Theplas with garlic chutney

Note:
1. You can substitute methi leaves and use a small bunch of mint leaves to make Pudina Teplas.
2. You can also make variations and add ajwain, ginger garlic, crushed green chillies, coriander leaves etc.
3. You can make the dough with only water. In that case, you may mix in a teaspoonful of oil or ghee to the dough.
4. Adjust the quantity of chilli powder according to your taste. We like them little more spicy, hence we add 2 tsp.

Veg Fried Rice with Capsicum Chicken

One of the easiest and unusual gravy dishes that I came across while browsing for Chinese recipes in vahrevah.com three years ago. Capsicum Chicken with Chinese Sauce is really tasty and my nephew loved it. We changed the style a bit and added a slice of chopped pineapple. Why not try this combo and see smiles on the faces of your kids?

You can find the recipe for Vegetable Fried Rice here.

Capsicum Chicken
Recipe courtesy: vahrevah.com

Ingredients:
Capsicum - 1 Big, sliced thin  
Boneless Chicken - 15-20 chunks
Pineapple - 1 slice chopped(Optional)
Garlic - 2-3 cloves chopped
Red chilli sauce - 1 Tsp
Soy sauce - 2 Tsp
Tomato ketchup - 3-4 Tbsp  
Turmeric powder - A pinch
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 Tsp

Method:
Heat oil in a wok and add chopped garlic.
When the raw smell disappears, add capsicum, optional pineapple pieces and chicken pieces.
Add very little turmeric and let it cook till chicken oozes out it's own juices.
Now add Soy Sauce, red chilli sauce and tomato ketchup and let it sizzle for few more minutes.
Check for salt. Normally it is not necessary to add salt, as the sauces contain salt.
Serve with fried rice or noodles.

Drumstick Leaves Sannan by Uma Shenoi

Drumstick leaves are available round the year. GSBs prepare curries, vadas and sannan with drumstick leaves. I have tasted sannan at many places but the one made by Uma is too good. It needs some magical touch and lots of love that makes a dish perfect. Uma has a passion for cooking and she cooks any dish with love.

Here is Mashinga paalle sannan or drumstick leaves sannan for you. Relish this with white rice and daalithoi. You won't ask for anything else!

Ingredients:
Rice rava - 2 Cups
Grated coconut - 1/2
Red chillies - 10-14 roasted with little oil
Tamarind - Marble sized ball
Asafotoeda - A generous pinch
Salt - To taste
Drumstick Leaves - 2 cups cleaned and chopped
Coconut Oil - QS

Method:
Wash and soak rice rava in water for 10mins.
Grind rosted chillies, tamarind and asafotoeda along with grated coconut to a fine paste.
Add the soaked rice rava.
Add the chopped drumstick leaves and salt to taste. Mix well.
Let the batter be as thick as Idli batter.
Grease idli moulds with little coconut oil and pour one handful of batter in each mould and steam for 15-20mins or till well cooked and soft.
Serve with fresh coconut oil drizzled on the sannans.

Also try: Cabbage Carrot Sannan