Vatha Kuzhambu Recipe

I like Vatha Kuzhambu or Vatha Kulambu as I call it but these days I almost stop cooking these things thanks to DH dislikes for tamarind :( and one thing I wanted to try for long was Vatha Kuzhambu recipe, I always thought it's a complicated process until I tried it.  Thanks to Prema for giving me a vathal packet to try, I followed her recipe exactly just add little jaggery to enhance & balance sharp tamarind taste and simply loved the kulambu, boy it was just too good and from there I made it multiple times just for myself.  

This is one of the most easy way of making kuzhambu - no onion, no garlic & no tomato ie nothing to chop, what a relief.  Have it with steamed rice and papad or vathal.  I also made potato fry only to realize later it's actually not needed at all, the kulambu is just good enough by itself.  

Ingredients for Vatha Kuzhambu [Serves 2-3] 

Recipe Source - Prema's Culinary

Dry Mixed Vathal - 1/2 Cup
Tamarind - A small lemon size ball
Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp [I used Saffola]
Asafetida/Hing - A pinch
Mustard Seeds - 1/2
Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek/Methi Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar Powder - 1 tbsp
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp [optional]
Salt - To Taste

Method

1. Soak tamarind in 1/2 to 3/4 cup water for 10-15 minutes and extract thick pulp.  Below is also picture of dried vathal for those whom doesn't know about vathal.

2. Heat oil in a wok, add asafetida/hing, mustard seeds, methi seeds, urad dal and allow mustard to splutter.  Add vathal and fry them till golden brown.

3. Add tamarind extract, turmeric & sambar powders, salt.  Give a good Stir.

4. Bring it to boil, add jaggery (if using) and cook until kuzhambu/kulambu becomes thick, off flame.

Serve with rice, potato fry, fryums and enjoy the meal.

Have a nice day ~~

Green Bean Sprouts | Moong Dal Sprouts

Green Bean or Moong Dal Sprouts are one of the easy thing to prepare and very healthy.  As my this year plan is to start posting reader request this is one of those requested recipe.  I not really a big sprouts fan other than for moong dal, any other sprout I can easily give a miss.   I used to sprout a lot and then in between I totally stopped doing it for no reason what so ever.  For past few weeks I again started to sprouts moong bean and guess what I doing this every alternative days now.

As most of the recipes even moong dal sprouts are made in few ways but I always follow the below method and satisfied with result.  The best way and to absorb all the nutrition from sprouts is to eat it raw but I know that's not everyone's cup of tea so for a start you can try making this simple khichdi with sprouts.  And as you have guessed I will post some sprouts recipes soon.

Ingredients [ Yields 2 Cups of Sprouts]

Green Bean | Hara Moong Dal - 1/2 Cup
Water - To Soak

Method:

1. Wash and Soak green bean (moong dal) 6 hours or over night.

2. Rinse again soaked bean and transfer to a wet muslin cloth.  You can also use clean cotton cloth.

3.  Take a corner of cloth and roll it to loosely tie and secure green beans as shown below and then tie it on a top or anywhere you wish.   You can also keep the beans in a large bowl and cover it and keep in dark place.

4. Leave it over night to sprouts or you can let it sprouts for 12 hours to 24 hours too.  Don't go beyond 24 hours.   And our beautiful sprouts are ready to use.

Notes ~
~ Refrigerate sprouted beans if you are not using it same day otherwise it start to taste little bitter.
~ Try to finish sprouted moong with-in 2 days

Broken Wheat Vegetable Upma | Oil Free Cooking

As I mention in my broken wheat pongal post I am working on reader request for healthy recipes so one more on the series is this broken wheat upma and guess what it's Oil Free.  Don't worry you will not miss oil a bit, it very filling and taste delicious.  Along with cracked wheat goodness we have lots of vegetables and also moong dal to increase our humble upma's nutrition value.

The recipes seems long cause I tried to take each step picture but it's actually quite a easy recipe to treasure.  Perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner or lunch box, the choice is yours.  For all the weight watchers I guess you  going to love this one.  Did I mention this upma doesn't get sticky even without oil? So let's not waste any more time and check out the recipe.

Ingredients for Broken Wheat Upma [Serves 3-4]

Broken Wheat - 1 Cup
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Green Chilli - 3
Minced Ginger - 1 tsp
Grated Carrot - 1 cup
Chopped beans - 1/2 cup
Chopped capsicum - 1/4 cup
Peanuts - 1tbsp
Urad & Channa Dal - 1 tbsp
Yellow Moong Dal - 1/4 cup
Curry Leaves - few
Coriander Leaves - 2 tbsp
Water - 4 cups
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Slice onion, chill and dice tomato.
2. In a pan roast wheat until light brown and aromatic.

3. Now roast moong dal until light brown and keep aside.

4. Roast peanuts and keep aside, you can remove peanut skin if wish.

5. In same pan add channa & uard dal and roast until light brown, add onion, green chilli, ginger.

6. And saute until onion becomes soft around 2 minutes in medium flame. Add beans and saute for 2 minutes.

7. Add tomato, capsicum mix well, cover pan & cook until tomato gets mashed.

8. Now add grated carrot, peanuts, roasted moong dal, curry leaves ( I didn't use curry leaves) and  mix well.

9. Add roasted cracked wheat and stir well.

10. Add 4 cups of water, salt, bring it to boil.
11. Cover and cook for 20 minutes in medium flame or until wheat is cooked well.
~ You may cook little less or more than 20 minutes depending on your flame level, so keep a eye after 15 minutes.

12. Off flame, Add cilantro & stir to mix everything.  Cover pan again and leave it for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve warm with with curd, any chutney or curry, I had it with curd and peanut chutney.

Have a nice day ~~

Soya Chunks Pulao

This Soya Chunks or Mealmaker Pulao is somewhere near to the Soya Chunks Biryani I posted, but this recipe takes less time and can be done in jiffy if we have cooked rice in hand, also a very good way to use leftover rice.  I was getting bored of same soya chunks biryani so one day I tried this recipe and now I make this often.  Perfect for lunch box or even for a party, pair up with a simple raita and that’s all it makes a delicious meal. 

You can also add any other vegetable of you choice like peas, carrot, potato, capsicum etc to make this simple pulao even more interesting.  I missed to take step-vise pictures, I will try to update it again sometime.

Ingredients for Soya Chunks Pulao [Serves 2]

Cooked Rice -  2 Cups [ I used basmati rice]
Soya Chunks - 3/4 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cashews - 7-8
Sliced Onion - 1
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - To Taste
Chopped Cilantro - 2 tbsp
To Grind
Green Chilies - 3
Ginger - 1/2” Pieces
Garlic - 1 pod [2 if using small]
Cilantro -1/4 cup

Method:

1. Cook and spread rice in plate to cool down.  Pressure cook soya chunks for 2 whistles or microwave for 4 minutes or cook in boiling water for 6-7 with little salt, squeeze excess water and keep side.
2. Grind all the ingredients in smooth paste, use 1-2 tbsp of water only if required.
3. In a pan or wok heat oil add cumin, fennel seeds and allow to splutter, add cashews and fry until light brown.
4. Add onion and sauté until translucent,  add grinded paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes until raw smells goes.
5. Add soya and mix well, now add chili, turmeric and salt and mix well sauté for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add rice, garam masala and mix everything well, garnish with cilantro and off flame. 
~ If using leftover rice then mix rice and sauté for 4-5 minutes.

Serve warm with your choice of raita.

Have a nice day ~~

Eggplant Curry Sandwich | Leftover Magic

Remember my Eggplant and Tomato Curry Recipe?  With the leftover curry I got this idea of making sandwich for breakfast and it was just too good, DH simply loved it.   It’s so simple, easy to do and takes less than 10 minutes with just 3 ingredients, it doesn't really get better than this.  No one can make out the stuffing is eggplant, if you have anyone doesn't like brinjal then this is a good way to add brinjal in their diet.  A great way to use your leftover curry in a form of new dish, perfect for breakfast, snack or even for lunch box.  You can use any other leftover curry of your choice just make sure you are not selecting something which has lot of gravy, a semi-dry curry works best here and get’s dry faster when cooked.  I usually make sandwich in my sandwich maker but for blog post had to toast the bread in tawa so you can see the step vise pictures.  If you want just spread chutney, curry over bread and toast in your sandwich maker. 

Ingredients for Eggplant Curry Sandwich [Serves 2]

Eggplant Tomato Curry - 1 Cup
Bread Slice - 4 [ I used white bread]
Green Chutney - 2-3 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat a wok/pan and add leftover eggplant tomato curry, cook in medium flame until it becomes dry and mash eggplant pieces with back of ladle, stir in intervals. 

2. Heat a pan/tawa and toast bread pieces both side.

3. To Assemble, apply green chutney on one side of bread and then spread generous amount of curry, top it up with another pieces of toasted bread, cut and serve.

That’s all our super easy and delicious sandwich is ready in less than 10 minutes.  Have it with tea/coffee for a filling and yummy breakfast or evening snack.

Variations ~
~ You can use brown or multi-grain bread
~ Spread butter before chutney if preferred.

Have a nice day ~~

Olive & Herbs Focaccia Bread

Baking own bread is always pleasure, I wanted to try focaccia for a very long time and finally I baked this focaccia with olive and herbs along with Plum Streusel Muffins.  Focaccia (pronounced as Fo-Ka-Cha) is Italian flat bread with topping of any choice.  Perfect to have it as it is or when focaccia is warm try it dipped in olive oil it taste fabulous, or use this bread to make any sandwich of your choice for a mostly tasty sandwich or a side for soup.

Broken Wheat Pongal

Other then broken wheat halwa aka Lapi I also use broken/cracked wheat for pongal some times.  It’s very filling to eat and easy to prepare, a perfect weekday dinner recipe for me or a perfect breakfast for a healthy start of day.  I had last year resolution to post reader’s request recipes but I was not doing that seriously so this year again I made this resolution and will try to post requested recipes.  I have quite a few requests to post healthy/diet friendly recipes and now I guess I should start doing something about it, so starting the series with this delicious, filling, healthy and quick cracked wheat pongal.  If you are on diet then skip ghee and have it with some good side dish which has lots of vegetables.  And if you don’t like usual boring, dull dalia then try this pongal you will sure love it.
 

Ingredients for Broken/Cracked Wheat Pongal [Serves 2-3]

Broken Wheat/Dalia - 1 Cup
Yello Moong Dal/Split  - 1/2 Cup
Water - 2 Cups + as needed
Salt - To Taste
Peppercorns - 1 tsp
Oil/Ghee - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - a sprig [ I ran out of it so didn't use]
Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp

To Grind
Ginger - 1” pieces
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Peppercorns - 1 tsp

Method:
1. Rinse broken wheat/dalia and moong dal 5-6 times.

2. Add water, salt, peppercorns and pressure cook for 3 whistles.  Once pressure released, slightly mash it.

3. Grind coarsely all the items listed under “to grind” without water.

4. Heat oil/ghee in a pan add grind-ed masala, curry leaves, cashews and saute until golden brown.

5. Now add cooked pongal and mix well.  Add water depending on the consistency you like for pongal, adjust salt if required.  Bring it to a boil and off flame.

Serve warm with a gallop of ghee if preferred.  Have it with chutney, sambar or any side dish of your choice.

Note ~
~ If you eat this pongal after a while it will become thick, add some hot water, simmer for 2 minutes and serve.
~ Don't skip ginger, that's add the flavor.

Have a nice day ~~