Allam Pachadi - Ginger Chutney

Allam or ginger is widely used as a spice. Dry ginger powder is used as a flavoring for recipes such as ginger bread, cookies and crackers and cakes. Fresh ginger is used in Indian cooking for making thick gravies, many side dishes and soups. Ginger also has a important role in Ayurvedic medicine. If you like the flavor of ginger, then you must try this recipe. Ginger is the main ingredient in this recipe however its flavor is not overpowering because of the equal balance of sweetness from jaggery and tanginess from tamarind. This pachadi makes a great accomplishment for Vada, Idly, Dosa, Pongal or simply with hot white rice.

Soaking time - 1 hour

Preparation time -  10 minutes

Serving - 8-10

Ingredients

1 cup ginger peeled and cut in to pieces
2 cups thick tamarind pulp
2 cups grated jaggery
1 Tbsp red chilli powder

Salt 1 Tsp

2 Tbsp Oil

For seasoning or popu

1 Tsp mustard seeds
1 Tbsp urad dal
1/4 Tsp methi seeds
hing or inguva (optional)
Salt 11/2 Tsp 

2 Tbsp Oil

Procedure

1. Wash and peel the ginger and cut in to small pieces
2. Take a big goose berry sized ball of tamarind and soak in water for about an hour or microwave on high for 30 seconds
3. Extract  juice out of the tamarind to get a thick pulp. You should have about 2 cups of tamarind pulp.
4. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a pan on medium 
5. Add methi seeds, urad dal, mustard seeds and fry until the dal turns red and mustard seeds crackle
6. Add the hing and switch of the stove,  transfer everything to a bowl and cool this mixture
7. In the same pan heat 1 Tbsp oil on medium low flame
8. Add the red chilli powder and fry on low for 1 minute and keep aside 
9. In a mixer first add the fried seasoning that we have from step 6 and ginger, grind until smooth
10. Now add the tamarind pulp, jaggery, salt and grind to a fine paste
11. Transfer to a dish and add the fried red chilli powder and mix well

If you like you can season again with 1 tsp of oil, add mustard seeds and urad dal fry till mustard seeds crackle and pour this over the chutney. You can increase or decrease the red chili powder depending on you spice levels. The measures used  in the recipe is for medium spice.

Enjoy!!

Butternut squash and roasted red pepper soup

I am very excited about how this soup turned out and can't wait to share the recipe. My kitchen smelled so good this afternoon from the earthy aromas of the roasted red peppers, ginger and garlic mixed with butternut squash. This vegan soup is full of flavors and is very colorful.

Preparation time: 1 hour

Serving : 6-8 people

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 large butternut squash (about 2 lbs peeled, de-seeded and cubed)
1 large onion diced
1 carrot peeled and diced
2 celery stalks diced
1 inch piece ginger
4 garlic cloves minced
2 roasted red peppers diced (I roasted mine on the stove top)
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
8 cups of water

Procedure

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot on medium high
2. Add the onions, celery, ginger, garlic and sautee for 2 minutes
3. Add the butternut squash, carrots, roasted red pepper, salt, oregano, cayenne pepper and water
4. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the squash is soft.
5. Cool this and puree in a blender (I used Blendtec blender) or food processor till smooth.
6. Return the puree to the pot and thin the soup if its too thick with some more water and heat.
7. Ladle soup in to bowl top it off with croutons and black pepper

I roasted the red pepper on the stove top and removed the skin and diced it. This website has different ways to roast red pepper. I did not use any cream but feel free to top it of with some cream if you like. You can use vegetable broth instead of water.

Happy Ugadi

Ugadi signifies the beginning of the year - of life, of Spring, of all tastes that life has to offer. I wish you and your family a happy new year.

Recipes coming soon..

Quinoa Upma

Quinoa is rich source of protein, dietary fiber, several B vitamins and minerals. I like its crunchy taste . Even though it is a seed we can use it as a grain and eat it as a substitute for rice. At home we eat quinoa instead of rice with sambar and dal. You should try my quinoa with Black bean chili that is one of my favorite combinations. Quinoa upma is very easy to make like any other upma.

Preparation time: 30 min

Serving : 2 people

Ingredients

1 cups dry quinoa
2 cups water
1 small onion
1 cup mixed vegetables (I used carrot, green beans and cauliflower)
2 green chillies
I sprig curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp channa dal
1/4 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp oil

Procedure

1. Wash the quinoa and keep it aside
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan or Kadhai
3. Add the channa dal and mustard seeds, when the mustard cracks add the urad dal and fry until they turn golden
4. Add the onion and green chillies and saute for a minute
5. Add the curry leaves and the mixed vegetables and fry for 2-3 minutes
6. Add the garam masala,salt, water and quinoa 
7. Turn the heat to high cover with a lid and cook until the water starts to boil
8. Now reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook until the vegetables and quinoa are well done. This takes about 15-18 minutes.
9. Turn of the stove and mix in the lemon juice

This is very healthy and high in protein and can be enjoyed at anytime of the day. I usually make this for lunch as it has all the vegetables and protein.

Enjoy!!

Mung sprouts usal (Molaka Pesalu)

Sprouts are very good source  of vitamins, protein, minerals and dietary fiber. It is best to consume sprouts raw to get the maximum benefits. Its good to eat a hand full of sprouts every day to increase digestion, boost your metabolism, weight loss, cancer prevention, immunity booster to name a few of the many benefits.  I made this for lunch last week and it was very filling and delicious. It is a good snack for kids after school, add some chaat masala and enjoy. Usal is a Maharashtrian dish made with matki or moth beans. You can use any sprouted beans to make this dish. I used mung sprouts. Here is the recipe

Soaking time: 6-8 hours
Sprouting time: 2 days
Preparation time: 30 min
Serving : 4 people

Ingredients

1 cups dry mung beans( after sprouting yields about 2 1/2 cups)
1 small onion
1 medium tomato chopped
2 green chillies
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp coriender/cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 amchur powder
1/2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
Salt to taste
1 tsp oil


Procedure

How to make the sprouts:

1. Wash and soak the mung beans in a cup with enough water for 6-8 hours. I usually' soak it over night.
2. Drain the water completely and transfer the beans to a cheese cloth/muslin cloth tie a knot and keep it in a dish bigger than required and cover and keep it in dry and warm place. I usually keep it in my oven undisturbed
3. After a day open and check for sprouts and sprinkle just a hand full of water on the mung sprouts and tie the cloth, put it back in the dish, cover and let it sit for one more day.
4. Open the knot and you will see long sprouts ready to eat.

How to make Usal:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or Kadhai
2. Add the mustard seeds and when it cracks add the cumin seeds
3. Add the onion and green chillies and saute for a minute
4. Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, coriander/cumin powder, amchur powder, salt and cook until the tomatoes are done but not mushy
5. Add the sprouted mung and mix well
6. Add a little water so it does not stick to the saucepan, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes at medium flame.
7. Stir every few minutes and if needed sprinkle some water to prevent sticking.
8. Add grated carrot on the top and cook for 5 minutes.
9. Add the garam masala and coriander leaves and mix well.
10. Turn of the stove and add the lemon juice.
11. Serve hot.

You can also pressure cook the mung sprouts for 3 whistles and then add it to the gravy, this will reduce your cooking time. Just have to mix everything together and cook for 5 minutes and serve. I like mine a little crunchy and prefer doing it on the stove top.

Add chaat masala instead of amchur powder if you like.
My sprouts look so long as I also had some store bought sprouted mung which are super crunchy and long as you can see in the picture.

Enjoy!!

Majjiga Pulusu (More Kozhambu) - Vegetables cooked in buttermilk

There are many versions of majjiga pulusu (Telugu: మజ్జిగ పులుసు, Tamil: மோர் கோழம்ப்), which is a buttermilk based stew. The way that we make it in our home is different from a few of my friends and family as well. My dad and my father-in-law like it and moms make it quite often. The combination for this is just plain dal or kandhi pachadi. So here you go the way majjiga pulusu is made in our home or I should say Andhra style.

Soaking time: 1 hour
Preparation time: 25 min
Serving : 4 people

Ingredients

2 cups vegetables ( bottle gourd, okra, drumsticks, winter melon)
2 cups thick sour curd or Yogurt
1 cup water
salt to taste ( I used 1 tsp)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder


Ingredients for soaking

1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp channa dal or senaga pappu
2 Green chillies
1/2 inch piece ginger
1/8 cup freshly grated coconut


Ingredients for seasoning/ popu

1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp methi seeds
1 dry red chilli tear to 3 or 4 pieces
pinch of hing/ asafoetida (optional)
4-5 curry leaves
coriander leaves
2 tsp oil

Procedure

1. Make a smooth paste with the ingredients in the soaking list. Add some water if requited and make a smooth paste.
2. Take the sour curd/yogurt in a sauce pan and beat together with 1 cup water, turmeric powder and salt
3. Add the paste that we ground to the curd and mix well and keep aside
4. Add enough water to the vegetables and cook them till their half done. Cool it and add to the curd mix.
5. Heat this mix on medium - low flame and bring it to boil. This takes about 7-8 minutes, keep stirring the mix or it will curdle.
6. In a small pan heat oil, add the mustard seeds once they pop add cumin seeds, dry red chilli, methi seeds let them brown a little and add the curry leaves and asofoetida
7. Add this to the curd mix and cook for another 3-4 minutes
8. Garnish with coriander leaves, cover with lid and let it sit for a few minutes
9. The vegetables will absorb the taste of the gravy and will taste delicious with white rice

Use slightly sour curd or yogurt to make this to get a nice tangy taste.
I like to use only one of the vegetables and mostly use bottle gourd or ash gourd to make this.
You can also use carrots, beans and other vegetables of choice.
Don't heat it on high flame this will curdle the yogurt, that means you can see the water and the milk solids separated.

Punjabi Chole - Channa Masala

Chole is a popular North Indian vegetarian curry made of Garbanzo beans, cooked with onions and tomatoes. Its usually served with white rice, roti, puri, naan or bhatura Its a good source of protein. I can just eat the chole by itself, very chatpata and yummy.

Soaking time: 8 hrs
Preparation time: 40 min
Serving : 4 people

Ingredients for pressure cooking

1 cup Garbanzo Beans or white chickpeas or kabuli channa or chole
3 cups of water
1/2 tsp salt

Ingredients for gravy

2 medium size Tomato cut to small pieces
1 medium onions finely chopped
¼ Tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 inch piece ginger
3 garlic pods
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Jeera powder
1/2 Tbsp dry mango powder or amchur powder (optional)
1 Tbsp Chole or channa masala ( I used Everest brand)
1/2 Tbsp salt (or to taste)
½ Tbsp mustard seeds

1 1/2 Tbs Oil
coriander leaves to garnish

Procedure

1. Rinse and soak the garbanzo beans for 8-9 hours or overnight
2. Wash the soaked beans and pressure cook for 7-8 whistles on high
3. Heat a pan on medium high and add 1 Tbs oil
4. Add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the onions and saute till transparent
5. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for a minute
6. Add the tomatoes, coriander powder, jeera powder and cook till the tomatoes are soft and all mussy about 5-8 minutes
7. Let this mixture cool down and blend into a smooth paste
8. In a pan add heat 1/2 Tsp oil, add the mustard seeds when they splutter mix the tomato onion paste
9. Now add the pressure cooked beans and also add some of the water they were cooked into the gravy
10. Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes on low flame
11. Add the chole masala mix together
12. Garnish with coriander leaves
13. Serve hot with a side of onions and lemon

You can use canned grabanzo beans, they also work good and it is easy on a busy day when we do not have time to soak and pressure cook. ( one 16 oz can for the above recipe)

Mighty Joe - Green Juice

This recipe is my tribute to Joe Cross who inspired me to start juicing, get healthy and lose weight. I drank this at least twice a day during My 60 days juice fast. This has become such a important part of my diet that I miss it on the days I skip this juice. It is unbelievable how much produce you can get from one serving of juice.This is a great juice to boost your immune system and improve your health. So here you go - my weight loss juice recipe that I promised to share.

Preparation time - 10 minutes

Serving - 2 

Ingredients

2 cucumbers
3 celery stalks
3 carrots

1 Green apple (deseed) - not shown in photo
4 kale leaves with stalk
5 oz of spinach leaves
1/4  lemon
1 inch piece of ginger

Procedure

1. Wash all the produce
2. Cut them into pieces to fit in your juicer
3. Add all ingredients through juicer and enjoy 

When I buy spinach and kale I try to use it with in 2-3 days. 

I buy boxed baby kale and spinach sometimes to save time as they are usually triple washed.

You can increase the amount of celery if you like. I am not a big fan of celery, but I am beginning to like it now.  

Try it and post your reviews on my blog.

Chilli Kothu Parotta

Kothu Parotta is a spicy street food from Tamil Nadu. During my college days, I used to go to a fast food joint called Butt's in Tambaram (Chennai) where they made awesome chaat and other street foods. Just thinking of it makes me drool and miss my college days and fun with friends. Luckily my friend Ramya made this once, and now I know how to make it myself. I made this as a starter when I had some friends over for dinner yesterday. It is very easy to make and definitely a crowd pleaser. A word of caution: this is definitely not a very healthy snack. I think its OK to indulge once in a while, right?

Preparation time -  40 minutes

Serving - 4

Ingredients

4 Frozen Parotta's ( Plain Kawan Paratha)
2 medium Tomatoes finely chopped
1 large onion finely chopped
2 Red peppers cut on to small cubes
2 Green peppers cut in to cubes
4 Green chillies finelly chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric Powder
 Salt - to taste
2 Tbsp Oil
Cilantro to garnish

Masala

1/4 tsp red chilli powder or to taste
1/2 tsp Kitchen King Masala
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/4 Amchur Powder or Dry mango powder
1 tsp sriracha sauce

Procedure

1. Toast the frozen paratha's on a tawa according to the packaging instruction. Make them nice and crispy and keep them separately without sticking to each other.
2. Cut the paratha's with a kitchen scissors in to 1-2 inch squares
3. In a non- stick pan heat oil on medium high and saute the onions and chillies till translucent
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric and salt and saute until the tomatoes are well cooked
5. Add the peppers and fry till they are cooked but still crunchy
6. Add all the ingredients in the masala list to the gravy
7. Finally add the paratha pieces and mix together
8. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot

You can exclude the sriracha sauce and reduce the amount of chillies and red chilli powder according to you taste. The amounts mentioned her are for a spicy version.

We can make the gravy and cut the paratha's to pieces and keep it ready. Heat the gravy and mix them together just before serving if you making this for a party.

Its best to serve it immediately or the paratha pieces become very soggy and that does not taste so good. Enjoy and please post your comments.

Grated Carrot and Beetroot Salad

A simple salad that can be eaten by itself or as a side with any meal. Beets have many health benefits some of which include anti -inflammatory, detox, anti - oxidant properties. You can add any vegetables of your choice and enjoy it. This salad also works as a filling in wraps or like I eat today in the evening as a snack with papadum.

Preparation time - 10 minutes

Serving - 4

Ingredients

1 medium size beetroot grated
4-5 carrots grated

1 cucumber cut in to small pieces
1 Green pepper cut in to small pieces
1 Red pepper cut in to small pieces
1 medium avocado cut in to medium size cubes
1/2 cup red kidney beans
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey (exclude this if you want to make it vegan)
1/4 tsp Black pepper powder
pinch of salt

Procedure

1. In a large bowl  grate carrots and beetroot 
2. Mix in all the cut vegetables and beans
3. Add the lemon juice, black pepper, honey and salt
4. Toss everything together and serve.
5. You can also refrigerate and serve as a cold salad.

Enjoy!!