Egg Biryani

Egg is my family's all-time favorite. Although, according to my husband, biryani is not Biryani until it has meat in it...but, everytime I make this, I don't need to endorse my cooking to bring him to the table.....biryani does the trick!

Ingredients
6 eggs

2 large onion
6 green chilies
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp dhaniya jeera powder

coriander leaves and mint leaves, finely chopped
few strands of saffron, soaked in 1/4 cup of warm milk

3 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Basmati rice 2 cups
water to cook rice 3 cups
ghee 3 tbsp
bay leaves 2
cinnamon 1" pc
elaichi 2
cloves 2
salt

cashew nuts and raisins

Method
. cook eggs for exact 6 mins from boiling point. This ensures that the yolks are cooked but are still bright yellow.
.Cook rice with 3 cups of water,ghee, bay leaf, cinnamon, alaichi, clove and salt. This should cook the rice halfway through which is perfect for biryani.
.In a kadai, heat oil and fry the onions to golden brown, remove half of the onions and reserve for garnishing.In the same kadai, add cashew nuts, raisins,ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and masala powders and saute till the rawness of masala is cooked. Add salt, . Remove half of the mixture and set aside.
. Now layer half of the cooked rice , then layer the reserved masala mixture on top of the rice, chopped cilantro and mint leaves and sliced eggs. Do the same order for the remaining rice and sliced eggs. Garnish the top with the reserved fried onions and pour saffron milk by the spoonful in different corners and cover with aluminium foil and place it in a 300F oven for 25-30 mins.

After the biryani has been layered and set in the oven, it is best if left undisturbed until it is time to be served since the rice and eggs are cooked to perfection and overturning the dish may ruin its effect...take it from a foodie...u cant go wrong here!

tendle thalasani

Every amchigele knows what a thalasani is - garlic seasoned vegetable. My choice of vegetable today is thendle/thindora/thonde kai/gherkin.
Ingredients
2 lb of gherkins, crushed
3-5 red chillies, broken
5-6 cloves of garlic, lightly crushed
3 tbsp cooking oil
Salt to taste

Method
Crush each gherkins which a pestle,
Heat oil in a khadai, add garlic and red chillies
When garlic turns light brown add gherkins and saute. cover with the lid and cook the gherkin in medium heat.Occasionally, keep stirring the gherkin for even browning of the vegetable and add salt and stir-fry till completely cooked.

Rulao Bhakri/ Dhodak

Ingredients
Rava 1 cup
coconut 4 tbsp
Green chilies 4
Water as required
Coriander leaves, few stems,finely chopped
Sugar – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method
Mix together all of the above and make thin roti's and roast till edges crisps.

Back home, this is first smeared on a plantain leaf and then patted on the pan, which tastes awesome due to the taste of plantain leaf....well. I was too busy relishing this bhakri that I forgot to take pics.

Batata Saung

My Big Bro's authentic amchi signature dish!

3 potatoes, boiled and cubed
3 medium size onion, chopped
6-8 dry red chillies
2 tbsp coconut
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp tamarind paste
mustard seeds
curry leaves
oil

Roast chillies in a little oil, then grind it with coconut,coriander seeds and tamarind into a paste with a little water.

Heat oil in a pan and season with mustard seeds,onion and curry leaves. Saute to soften the onions.

Add ground paste, potato cubes and salt. Cook on low heat till the curry thickens.
It is said to be the best accompaniment with pan polo.

Paneer pasanda

A rich (cashew nut,tomato and malai) gravy based paneer dish.

Ingredients
paneer 400 gm (1 slab)
Cashew nuts 20
Onions 2
Coconut 2 tbsp
Ginger 1" piece
Garlic 2-3 cloves
coriander leaves- few sprigs
red chillies 6-8
Poppy seed (khuskhus)1 tbs
jeera 1 tsp
dhaniya 1 tsp
Cloves 2
Cinnamon 1"stick
Oil 3 tablespoons
Tomato puree 1 cup
Salt to taste
Fresh cream 1/2 cup
coriander leaves for garnishing

Method

Pan fry the paneer cubes till you get golden edges. Drain and set aside.
Soak cashew nuts for 20 mins in warm water.
Dry roast red chillies along with poppy seeds, jeera, dhaniya, cloves and cinnamon.
Combine onion, coconut, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves , soaked cashewnuts and roasted ingredients and grind to a paste using a little water.
Heat three tablespoons of oil in a kadai, add the ground paste and fry for 5 mins till oil leaves the masala.
Add tomato puree, salt and half cup of water and continue to simmer on low heat for fifteen minutes or till gravy thickens.
Add the fried paneer. cook to a good boil and take the dish off of heat and gently stir in the fresh cream and serve hot.

Dal Fry

ingredients
1 Cup Toor dal
1 tsp Oil

Salt to taste

For the Masala :-
1 inch Ginger
2 - 3 Cloves Garlic
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves
1 big Tomato, Chopped
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Jeera
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 medium sized Onion sliced
4 Green Chilies
Salt
oil

Method:
Pressure cook Toor Dal. chop finely- Ginger, Garlic, Green Chilies, Tomatoes, Coriander leaves and Onions .
Heat Oil in a kadai,add Mustard seeds, Jeera and Turmeric powder. Add the chopped ingredients fry until the moisture evaporates. Add the cooked Toor Dal and Salt to the masala and cook to a good boil. If it is very thick add a cup of water and stir.

Green Tomato Chutney

With summers bounty and abundance of tomatoes, what better way to use the green tomatoes?


Ingredients:
•3 green Tomato
•1 Onion
•3-4 Garlic cloves
•1 tsp Mustard seeds
•Curry leaves
•3 Dried Red chillies
•½ tsp Sugar
•4 tbsp Oil
•½ tsp Hing
•Salt to taste

.In a kadai heat 1 tbsp oil add garlic, onions and red chillies .Saute till onion turns translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes become soft. let the mixture cool down.
.Blend them to make a smooth paste.
.In a pan take 2 tbsp oil and season with mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves.
.Now add the ground tomato paste and salt. cook for 5 mins. Serve with idlis or dosas

Bhindi masala

Bhindi masala aka okra/lay's finger stir-fry desi style!

.1 lb Bhindi
•3-4 Onions
•2 Tomatoes
.1 Tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
•1 Tsp Dhania Powder
•1 Tsp Red Chili Powder
•1 Tsp amchur powder
•1 Tsp Garam Masala Powder
•5-6 Tbsp Oil
•Chopped Coriander leaves
•Salt to taste

In the kadai, heat oil and fry onions. when the onions turn translucent add bhindi and saute till soft( about10 mins), add ginger-garlic paste and mix well. Add all powders and salt.
Add tomato and cook till masala leaves the edges of the pan. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Kadgi Chakko

Ingredients
2 cans jack fruit
1 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 Tbsp tamarind paste
6 red chillies
salt
grind the above to a paste
Seasoning
Mustard seeds
hing
3 red chilies
Curry leaves
Urad daal
oil

Method
Cook jackfruit untill soft but still in peices.
Heat oil, season with mustard seeds,urad dal,red chillies,hing and curry leaves. Add cooked jackfruit peices and ground masala. Cook till most of the moisture is evaporated and the chakko looks like a sukka curry.

Puliyogare

This recipe is passed on by my Tamilian friend who always has this chutney, refrigerated, ready to mix up make Puliyogare in a jiffy. This chutney is good for 3 months under good regrigeration.

Ingredients for the chutney:
1 cup thick tamarind pulp
1 cup peanuts
4 red chillies
3 green chillies cut into small pieces
Mustard seeds
hing
1 Tbsp Sesame seeds
1 Tbsp Urad daal
Curry leaves
Jaggery
Salt

Cooked rice

In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil on medium heat. Add mustard seeds until it crackles.
Next add the curry leaves, hing,red chillies,green chillies,peanuts, urad daal and mix until the peanuts and urad daal gets roasted.
Add the tamarind pulp. Mix well and allow to boil.
After it thickens add salt and jaggery and continue to cook. Keep aside.
To make the rice, add required quantity to the rice and enjoy. Little chutney goes a long way.

Ambuli udid methi

A sweet and tangy coconut based mango curry perfect for ppl who love chatpata delicacies. The masala is my MIL's recipe which she used to make curry out of eggplant and drumstick also.
G's Note: there is no use of tamarind since raw mangoes chunks were used. If using ripe mango or bitter gourd as a substitute, 1/4 tsp tamarind paste is recommended.

Ingredients:
raw mango pieces, about 2 cups

Masala ingredients:
1/2 tsp methi seeds
2 tsp urad daal
1 cup shredded coconut
4-6 red chillies
Jaggery


Seasoning:
mustard seeds
2 red chillies , broken
Curry leaves

Salt

Method:
Cook mango pieces in just enough water till soft.

Heat 1 tsp of oil and roast the urad daal and methi seeds and roast red chillies. Cool. Grind the roasted red chillies along with urad daal, methi, coconut and water, to a smooth paste.

Add coconut masala to cooked mango. Add salt and little jaggery for taste and cook to a good boil for a few minutes, reduce the liquid to a semi-solid consistency.

Season with mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chillies, and add it to the curry.
Serve with rice as a side.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
6 oz. Chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until creamy. Add chips and dry ingredients; mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

These cookies were not only super easy to make, but they came out perfectly. I've always had issues with my cookie edges being crisp and centre under done.
My oldest son used the last 4 cookies to make us some ice cream sandwich's with vanilla ice cream and they were delicious. I need to put up the pics from the cookie session soon to go with the awesome review.

Idli

This is another variation...recipe courtesy of Shaila kalakonnavar, an awesome cook in my eyes.

Sona masuri rice 4 cups
Urad dal 1 cup
moong dal 1/2 cup
Fenugreek seeds/ Methi 2 tsp
Salt

Method:
Soak rice in the water for about 4-6 hrs.
Soak urad dal,moong dal and fenugreek seeds together in the water for the same time as rice.
Grind urad dal and methi to a smooth paste and grind rice until it becomes a thick batter. Let it sit undisturbed to ferment.

After fermentation,add salt and mix the batter well.
Grease the idli plated/ mould/cups with oil or use cooking oilspray and pour batter half full in the mould.
Steam in the cooker for 15 mins.
Serve with sambar and chutney.

Ganache

Ganache is made when hot cream is poured over chopped chocolate and the mixture is stirred until chocolate is melted and is velvety smooth. The proportions of chocolate to cream can vary depending on its use, and you can use dark, milk, or white chocolate and add different flavorings such as liqueurs and extracts to make Ganache variations.

This ganache can be used as a filling in between cake layers, as a sauce to sindaes,as a glaze to cakes, as truffles with chopped nuts and to use as a fondue to coat fruits. Here, I have used it to coat strawberry which serves as dessert for tonights party! Can't wait to get these plump goodness!

Ingredients
Makes about 1&1/2 cup of ganache

8 ounces semisweet chocolate - shredded into pieces
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp liqueur (optional, like grand marnier, kahlua, etc)

Method
Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
Heat the cream and butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a warm but not boil (making sure to not over-heat).
Now pour the cream into the chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add the liqueur to flavor the ganache.

Fruit cake

Recipe coutsey of 'womens era' magazine where someone sends recipe entry from theier collection.
Ingredients
All purpose Flour – 2 cups
Baking Powder – 1/2 tsp
Eggs - 4
Dry Fruits – 1 1/2 cup assorted ...chopped cherriess, plums,figs, apricots, dates, raisins, currants ),
Candied Peel of lemon, orange, ginger slices – 1/4 cup
Tutti Fruity mix – 1 cup
Mixed Nuts – 1/2 cup mixed ...Walnuts, Cashews, Almonds
Dark Rum – 1 cup
Light Brown Sugar – 1 cup
butter – 1/2 cup
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon sticks - 1

For Caramel
Sugar – 1/2 cup
Boiling Hot Water – 1/2 cup


Method

Soak the dry fruits, candied peel, tutti fruiti, cinnamon sticks and cloves in rum for 1-4 weeks. Remove the candied fruits and peels from rum and save the rum for later. Remove cloves and cinnamon sticks, discard after soaking is done.

In a heavy bottomed pan, on low heat, warm regular sugar till it melts and caramelizes. Add hot water and mix to one good boil.cool.


Sift the flour along with the baking powder. In a mixing bowl, add the butter, eggs and brown sugar and whisk till frothy. Add the flour mixture, the fruits, nuts and cramel and mix well. This turns into a very thick batter so a wooden spoon is recommended for mixing.

Grease with butter, 3 loaf tins. Preheat oven to 350F and bake for 50 mins to 1 hr.

Kubbe sukke

This dish is mostly eaten with pan polo or with undi by the amchigele's that I know.
Maybe we adapted the undi part as a side dish from the Bunts since it is one of their delicacy to have pundi with marwai aajadina/ kori aajadina ( clam sukka/ chicken sukka). Whoever came up with this combo must be a great foodie, since it now ours us to keep....graciously appreciating the Bunts for discovering this!

Ingredients

Clams/kubbe/marwai- about 50

For Masala
1 cup coconut
10 red chillies
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 flakes garlic
1/4 tsp tamarind paste
Salt to taste

For seasoning
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, finely chopped


Method
Wash the kubbo and steam for 5 mins( do not cook too long) which helps open up the shells. Wash the steamed kubbo to remove sand grains trapped in it. This takes a lot of rinsing but is worth it. Remove one of the shell that is not attached to the meat. All the shells can be removed too but I save some just for the fun of eating the clams.

Roast the red chillies, coriander seeds, and garlic with a little oil. Then grind all the ingredients with tamarind to a fine paste with as little water required for grinding as possible.
Heat oil to temper and add chopped onion fry add the masala and the cleaned kubbo, cover the dish, simmer and cook till the kubbo is cooked completely.
Let the dish reduce its liquid on the smallest flame so the masala sticks to the shells and is a semi dry dish.

Masala bhindi

Ingredients
2 lbs bhindi,slit into 2 lengthwise
1/2 tsp dhaniya-jeera
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon chilli powder
2 teaspoons chaat masala
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tbsp oil

Mix all the ingredients along with bhindi to coat all the bhindi.
Cover a cookie sheet with aluminium foil and spay with a cooking spray or grease the botton with oil with a paper towel. Preheat oven to 350F.
Roast for 20 mins. Stir to turn over the bhindi and broil for 5-8 mins on high. Serve as starter.

Sungta hinga udda

Ingredients
Shrimp 2 lbs
Coconut 1 cup
red chillies 10-12
tamarind paste 1/2 tsp
Coconut oil 4 tbsp
hing 1 tsp

Make a paste out of coconut, tamarind, salt and red chillies. Cook shrimp on a simmered heat along with the ground masala till shrimps are completely cooked. Remove off of heat and add hing and coconut oil and cover the pot with lid for 5 mins.
Serve hot with rice.

Piyave thamboli

This is a gravy that does not require any cooking. It is served cold with hot rice. The masala is made like a chutney and finely chopped onions are added just before serving.

Ingredients for the chutney
1 cup coconut
4 roasted red chillies
1/4 tsp tamarind paste
salt

onion 1
oil 1tsp

Make a fine paste out the above ingredients(except oil and onion)and add oil and chopped onions. Since this is uncooked gravy, keep it refrigerated.
Serve it with rice.

Happy halloween!

Chakkuli

Ingredients
Rice powder - 3 cups
Urad dal 1 cup
Butter 1 stick
salt
Cumin seeds 2 tsp

Oil for deep frying

Method:
dry roast the urad Dal until it turnslight brown.cool and powder.

In a mixing bowl add powdered urad dal,salt,cumin seeds,rice powder and melted butter. Prepare a soft dough adding enough water. The dough should be bound together and not crumbly.

Now fill it into the chakkuli press and make chakkulies over wax paper .

Heat oil and when the temperature is appropriate drop the chakkuli and fry till they turn brown and crisp.

Note: Typically, this Rao family strongly disagrees storing of awesomely made crisp fried snacks and I never had to worry about storing since they are finished off on the same day....but, Chakkuli can be stored in an airtight container for a couple weeks.

Valval / Avial

Ingredients:
Sour curds 1/2 cup
Curry leaves 1 sprigs
3 tbsp Coconut Oil
Salt

for the masala:
1 cup cup of dessicated Coconut
5-6 Green chillies
1 tsp Cummin seeds

Mixed vegetables : Ashgourd,drumsticks,potato,carrots, beans, yam, plantain,etc.

Method:
Grind together the ingredients to make a fine paste, adding very little water.
Cook all the vegetables with salt and 2 slit green chillies.When cooked, add the masala and boil. Add curds and stir, take off heat.
Temper with mustard seeds, green chillies and curry leaves and mix well. Do not heat.
Serve hot with rice.

Happy Diwali 09!

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khoya and Almond burfi

12 0z Khoya
(comes in a 12 oz slab)
1 cup grated coconut ( 1/2 a packet)
1 cup powdered almonds
1/4 cup rava
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 tbsp ghee

For syrup:
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water

1/2 cup almonds, crushed
( also,about 25 whole almonds for garnish)
10 cashew, crushed


Mix grated khoya, coconut, almond powder, rava, cardamom and fry them lightly with ghee on a low heat untill u smell the aroma and get close to the color of almond skin.

Separately, prepare one-string syrup by dissolving sugar in the water.

Now stir the coconut mixture into the syrup. keep stirring till the mixture binds into a ball and most of the liquid is evaporated.( took me abt 10 Min's)

Grease the plate with ghee, transfer the prepared mixture and pat evenly (use ghee smeared spatula to deal with the stickiness).

While still warm (not hot) cut it in diamond shape. Place a whole almond for the garnish.

Ekpanne thamboli

Its the 2nd year anniversary to my blog! Yay!
Surprisingly I don't have a sweet dish to put up but I do have a nutritious, memory booster, tastiest thamboli among my favourites.
Ekpanne a k a one leaf , vandelega in kannada, Brahmi in Sanskrit and Thimare in tulu.... tastes very good for health and taste in chutney form and as thamboli ...but we completely disregard the health benifts and eat it just for its taste....just like any other amchi family. I haven't tried it any other way other than chutney or thamboli and I believe these are the only ways of consumption common to everyone back home. I miss this here in the U.S and should remember to have this during my visit to IND in summer, when it grows like crazy in our farm.
This is an uncooked gravy. Refrigerate to preserve the flavor.
Ingredients:
Ekpanne leaves about 1 cup
green chilles 6
Coconut 1/2 cup
cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
ghee
tamarind paste 1/2 tsp

Method:
Heat ghee and fry the jera with ekpanne leaves till they wilt, roast coconut.Grind it with all the above ingredients.
Serve with rice.

Aloo Gobhi

Ingredients
Cauliflower, about 1 lbs
potato 2 large, boiled, cubed
green chillies 5, finely chopped
ginger-garlic paste 2 tsp
garam masala 1tsp
dhaniya powder 1/2 tsp
jeera 1/2 tsp crushed
chili powder 1 tsp
bay leaves 3
hing and salt to taste
coriander leaves for garnish

Heat oil and season with crushed jeera, hing, ginger garlic paste and turmeric, add cauliflower and saute till it softens without adding any water. when cooked halfway, add rest of the ingredients, salt and potatoes. cook on low flame, stirring it often so as to prevent it from sticking. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Varan

A very simple seasonless dal.

Ingredients
1 cup toor dal
turmeric powder
salt
hing
1teaspoon ghee

Method

Pressure cook toor dal & mash and add the required quantity of water to desired consistency..
Add ghee, turmeric powder and hing to the dal and boil well.
Serve with white rice and vaingan-batata bhaji.

Gajar halwa

Ingredients
Carrots 2lbs
Milk 2 cups
Raisins 10
Condensed milk 1 cup
Sugar,according to sweetness you
Almond- 2 tbsp
cashew nuts- 2 tbsp
pistachio-1 tbsp
Ghee- 2tsp

Method
Grate the carrots. Add the grated carrots in a kadai with the milk. Keep stirring till the carrots cook well and the milk is totally absorbed. Then add the condensed milk and keep stirring till you get a thick consistency. Add sugar only if necessary , considering the amount of condensed milk in it. keep stirring till the halwa starts to leave the sides of the pan, add ghee and garnish with pistachio, cashew nuts, crushed almonds and raisins.

Udid Methi

Yes, this dish is named after just these two ingredients even though it has more than 10. This one is among my favourite dish that is prepared by my M I L, who happens to be a great cook according to me, my hubby and my cousins( other delicious preparations are sungat pannaupkari, visonu fry,varan,surnoli and pulao).

Ingredients:
Coconut 1/2 cup
brinjal 4
drumsticks pcs about 1cup
methi seeds 1/4 tsp
Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp
Urad dal 1/2 tsp
Jaggery 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Red chillis 5-6
Curry leaves 4-5
Oil 1 tsp
Salt

Method:
Heat oil and fry coriander seeds, Urad dal, methi seeds, red chillies. Grind with jaggrey, tamarind and coconut to a fine paste.
Heat oil and season with mustard seeds, when they splutter add curry leaves and 2 broken red chillies add vegetables and 1/2 cup water, cook for 10 mins. Add ground masala, salt and Cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve hot with rice.

Bharli Mirchi

Ingredients
2 large onions sliced
3 potatoes-peeled & mashed
1 / 2 cup green peas
1 cup paneer, crumbled
1 tomato, finely chopped
1/ 4 tsp jeera
1 /2 tsp chili powder
1/ 2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 pinch turmeric powder
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Cut the tops off of capsicum.
Heat oil in a pan add jeera and the onions and some salt and fry 2 mins.
Add the potatoes, paneer and peas, salt ,chili,coriander and turmeric powder, garam masala. when the mixture is well blended, add tomatoes and Mix well, sauteing on medium heat and add coriander leaves. keep aside.
Stuff the mixture into the capsicum.

Heat oil in a saute pan and place all the stuffed capsicum in a single layer.The purpose is to brown the outside of the capsicum to caramalize the skin for a smoky flavor.when the outsides have browned evenly, bharli mirch is done.