Coconut-Curd Chutney | Chutney For Idli /Dosa

If I learnt many kinds of stuffed parathas during my stay in North India, I am learning yet more varieties of chutneys now a days in South India as well because whenever we go out for breakfast I come across a new kind. This is  super easy chutney which can be made in less than 4-5 minutes. I don't like the scrapping part of coconut but no one at home comes forward to do so. I have been thinking to ask this question "What is the best way to take out the meat of coconut?" How do you do it? Any suggestions are most welcome...

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Coconut
1/3 cup Curd /Yogurt
3 tbsp of Roasted Chickpeas
3 tbsp Peanuts 
2-3 Dry whole Red chilllies 
2 sprigs of fresh curry leaves
1/2 inch of ginger
2 tsp Water
1/4 tsp Salt

For Tempering:
5-6 Curry leaves
Pinch of Hing / Asafoetida 
1-2 Dry red chillies
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 tsp Oil

Method: 

In a griddle dry roast chickpeas first till they are light brown( takes about a minute or two). Keep aside. Now in the same griddle add peanuts and roast them till you get nice aroma. Let it cool down and then remove the skin of peanuts. Keep aside. Now grind coconut, curry leaves, roasted chickpeas, peanuts and ginger with 2 tsp water until the mixture is pureed. Then add salt, curd and dry red chillies till you get desired consistency. 

Heat oil in a small pan and fry mustard seeds until they begin to crackle, add dry chillies, hing and curry leave. Pour into the chutney. Serve the Coconut-Curd chutney with Dosa, Idli, Vada, Uttapam. 

Tips:

• Try to have it on the same day itself or keep in the refrigerator and next day. Aviod keeping it outside as it has coconut and curd in it.
• For better flavour use peanut oil for tempering.
• Chutney is tasty even without any tempering.

read more.. "Coconut-Curd Chutney | Chutney For Idli /Dosa"

Chocolate Chip & Cinnamon Cookies

Hi friends !! Easter greetings to all of my readers. Blogging has suddenly taken back seat as the days are getting hectic in terms of my commercial homebaking business. Back to back bulk orders were fun but kept me on toes. With your good wishes and blessings from the Almighty I recently received my largest order (quite literally) of a 7 kg plum cake. However, I am open to more challenging baking assignments as well as Indian snacks preparation of all over the country.

Just checking if I am successful in teasing you with this close shot :-)

This means that the above recipe I got it from the Baking Bible which is very simple to prepare and most likely be fancied by children of all ages and  is liked by my child who insists that I give him this school break regularly.

Recipe followed from Baking Bible
Ingredients:
1 cup Butter, unsalted and softened
2 cups + 2 tbsp plain Flour
1/2 cup Caster sugar
1 Egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tsp Orange extract
Pinch of slat
1/2 cup plain Chocolate Chips

Cinnamon Coating:
1 1/2 tbsp Caster Sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon

Method:
 Pre heat the Oven to 190 Degree Celsius and line the baking sheet with baking paper. Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon, then beat in the egg yolk and orange extract.

Sift together the flour and a pinch of salt into the mixture, add the chocolate chips and stir until thoroughly combined.

 Let this sit for 10-15 minutes. For the cinnamon coating, mix together the caster sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish.

Scoop out tablespoon of the cookie dough, roll them into balls, then roll them in the cinnamon mixture to coat. Put them on the prepared baking sheets spaced well apart.

Bake in the pre heated Oven for 12-15 minutes (Different Oven size varies baking time). Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes. Then using a palette knife, carefully transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

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Kumro Fali Bhaja | Crispy Fried Pumpkin Slices | Bengali Cuisine

Sometimes a simple telephonic conversation between my mother and me can leave a mark behind for the whole day. Somedays back I was talking to my Ma over phone and were discussing some very basic questions like :- Ma ki banacho? "What are you cooking Mom?" 

Ma: Ja gorom poreche kichu rich banate icche korchena. "It is so hot that we don't feel like having anything very rich." Tai just Mosurir Dal-bhaat ar Kumro Bhaja. "So have made Masoor Dal-Rice and crispy slices of Pumpkin."

Me: Bah !!! Amio khete chai ! "Wow!!! I too want to eat the same"

So immediately searched for pumpkin in my fridge and made the same menu. It felt great to think that we two are living in different cities still through same menu we are somehow connected.

Well these are very simple yet utter delicious sliced pumpkin fries. And guess what these can be had as a stand alone tea-time snacks well ! All it needs is little bit of Chat Masala on top and your super easy crunchy snack is ready. 

Ingredients:
10 Thinly sliced Pumpkin 
1/4 cup Gram flour (besan)
4 tbsp Cornflour
1/4 cup Rice flour
2 tsp Poppy seeds
Pinch of turmeric powder
Pinch of Baking soda
Small pinch of Kalo zeera / Nigella seeds
Salt to taste
Chilled water  
Refind oil for deep frying

Method:
Clean the pumpkin and cut into thin slices (the slimmer they are the crispy they will turn out). 

In a bowl mix cornflour, nigella seeds, gram flour, poppy seeds, soda, turmeric and salt. 

Add 1/4 chilled water ( I use ice cubes sometimes along with little water) and make homogeneous batter. Heat oil in a deep frying pan and dip one slice at a time in the gram flour batter.

 Deep fry for couple of minutes on low flame until light golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and place the fried pumpkin slices on tissue paper to soak extra oil. Serve immediately with steamed rice-dal combination. I had saved 2 pieces of these for some hot rice and the oil in which it was fried along with a green chilli. 

Sending super easy fritters recipe to Kolkata Food Bloggers's Page where they are celebrating online event "Poila Boishakh with Veg Bengali Dishes".

read more.. "Kumro Fali Bhaja | Crispy Fried Pumpkin Slices | Bengali Cuisine "

Sea Fish Fry | South Indian Style

I got introduced to this variety of fish by quite accident. Actually I was at my friend's place and one of her neighbor came with a bowl of these fish fries. We liked it very much and asked her about the marination. Next day hunting down for this variety in the fish market was my agenda. Was successful and made in 2 batches. Perfect for plain Dal-Chawal accompaniment or even for cocktail parties.

Ingredients:
20-22 pieces, cleaned 
Oil for deep frying
1 tsp Red Chilly powder
2.5 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1 tsp Coriander powder
4 tbsp Cornflour
1 tsp Turmeric powder
60-70 gm Tamarind, soaked and pulp extracted
Salt to taste

Method:
I generally ask them to clean the fish for me for an additional Rs.20. But you need to clean the fish pieces under tap water as it has tons of sand. Keep aside for 10 minutes and let the excess water drained out. 

Make a slurry-like marinade of the ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, tamarind pulp and salt. Now sprinkle some cornflour and coat well. Marinate the fish in this paste for 15-20 minutes.. Heat oil and deep fry till golden fry. Serve these tasty fish fry with fried onion rings. 

read more.. "Sea Fish Fry | South Indian Style"

Fresh Black Grape Juice Recipe | Refreshing Summer Drinks

Summer has surely set in India, particularly in Chennai. Once I look outside the windows even the birds have started to avoid flying in the heat in the scorching sun. It looks so intriguing that they open their beaks and pant like humans do after a short flight from one branch to another. I sometimes offer them fruits outside the house which they are glad to peck. However I have another grounded birdie in my house who is none other than my son who is very fussy while having fruits. 

Of late I am giving him grapes juice. I reckon it’s healthier and tastier than aerated water. The only care you need to take is to wash them thoroughly to clear them of any impurities. Since I don’t have a juice maker, so I blend them and then use a strainer to take out the juice. I think my child developed a taste of it and hope you and your friends and family enjoy this drink as well. Also it looks  tempting as well. So friends now you know how I am planning to face Chennai's heat ;-)

Some Refreshing drinks from past:

• Strawberry Milkshake Recipe
• Papaya Orange Juice
• Banana-Oats Smoothie
• Oreo Milkshake

Ingredients:
500 gms Black Grapes
Sugar as required
6-7 drops of Lemon juice 
2 big pinches of Black salt
Ice cubes

Method:
These are seedless grapes so just remove the stems from the grapes and take a colander for rinsing the grapes. Discard any old shriveled grapes. Drain out the excess water and place them in a blender. Blend till smooth and later strain the juice with a strainer. Add lemon juice, sugar if required. Mix in some black slat and stir well. Add lots of ice cubes and serve immediately chilled juice.

read more.. "Fresh Black Grape Juice Recipe | Refreshing Summer Drinks"