Mutton gravy with Ragi Ball

South Indian specialty Spicy Mutton gravy served with Ragi (Finger Millet)Ball(Mudde)

Ragi(Finger millet)/Nachni and Rice are the most important staple grains of South India. Jowar and bajra are also cultivated and consumed in the drier parts of the region. Regular meals consists of Ragi mudde or steamed dumpling made from ragi flour, a curry to roll bits of the dumpling often called Saaru, Rice and Yogurt.  Among the Non vegetarian meal Ragi ball with Mutton gravy is very popular 

Ingredients:
Mutton(lamb): 500 grms
Oil: 3-4 sps
Turmeric:1pinch

To grind
Onion: 3
Tomato: 1
Ginger garlic paste: 2sps
Green chilies: 5-6
Coriender leaves: 1cup
Coriender powder: 2sps
Cloves: 4
Cinamon; 1 inch
Coconut: grated 1/2 cup

Method of preparation:

Wash the Mutton 2-3 times thoroughly
In a blender add all ingredients under to grind add water 1 cup & blend to a fine paste

I have used pressure cooker to cook the meat
Keep the cooker on heat add oil then add the Mutton & fry it
Add Turmeric & fry till it leaves water
Then add the ground paste(Masala) & fry nicely till it leaves sides
Add salt to taste & check the taste if you want more spicy add redchili powder
Add 2 cups water & close cook for 5-6 vissels till the mutton is soft cooked

For the Ragi Mudde:

Take 4 cups water in a Aluminium pot add 2 sps cooked rice bring to boil
Then add 1 1/2 cups Ragi flour turn down the heat let it bubble up
Then mix everything using wooden spoon( can use chapati belan as well)
Mix well making round circles so that if any lumps will go...
If its too watery add litlle more flour & mix close
Cook for 2-3 min with lid then mix well making round circles....
Switch off  heat & cool for a min
Pour little water on a plate so that it doesnt stick...
Take a small portion of hot ragi on this plate( it must be little hot) dont cool it completely
Then knead the Ragi balls to round shapes on the plate...
Keep this in a Hot box & Repeat the process for rest Ragi portions

Serve hot  Mutton gravy with Ragi ball & Rice

Udupi Style Pumpkin Sambar

Pumpkin Sambar is very famous stew prepared with lentils & pumpkins from the region of Udupi, In udupi Various types of Pumpkin gravies are prepared, even in the Temples they serve a thin Pumpkin sambar which is very traditional & tasty

Sambar is a lentil-based vegetable stew or chowder based on a broth made with tamarind popular in South Indian.  A pumpkin is a cultivar of a squash plant, Previously I have shared the recipe of Spice mix for this pumpkin gravy " Pumpkin sambar spice mix", Today I will share the process of making Pumpkin sambar, 

Udupi cuisine comprises dishes made primarily from grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits. The variety and range of dishes is wide, and a hallmark of the cuisine involves the use of locally available ingredients.

It adheres strictly to the Satvik tradition of Indian vegetarian cuisine, using no onions or garlic,  Pumpkins and gourds are the main ingredients in sambar, a stew prepared with lentils

Ingredients Needed:

1/2 Pumpkin: Cubed

Lentils( Toor daal): 2 cups

Tomatoes: 2 chopped

Tamarind: 2sps

Jaggery: 1sp

Sambar powder: 3 sps

For tempering:

Oil: 3sps

Mustard seeds: 1sp

Curry leaves: 5-6

Procedure of preparation: 

Wash the daal & soak it in water for 15-20 min

This way the daals will get cooked easily

Wash the pumpkin & cut it to half then peel the Outer skin

Cut it to get cube size pieces

Pressure cook the lentils(Daal) along with the chopped(cubed) pumpkin

In a deep dish, Add Oil heat it then add mustard seeds

Once it splatters add curry leaves &  chopped Tomatoes

Fry the tomatoes till mushy, add salt to taste, this way tomatoes will soften fast

Add little water & cook the tomatoes, then add the cooked lentils with pumkin

Add 2 cups water (Depending on the consistency you need) add the sambar powder 

Bring it to boil, the gravy will thicken, now add Tamarind paste & jaggery & mix

Add more water if the gravy is still very thick,check the taste,(if you want it move spicy you can add chili powder)

Sprinkle coriender leaves, Enjoy spicy tangy UDUPI STYLE PUMPKIN GRAVY, Serve with Rice.

Spice Mix for Pumpkin gravy (Sambar powder)

Spice Mix for Pumpkin gravy, Every gravy we need a different combination of spices, which suits the vegetable, for Pumpkin gravy this spice mix(Sambar powder) is Ideal as this has perfect blend of spices which goes well with sweetness of pumpkin & even gives thickness to the gravy

This spice mix is used for very famous South Indian gravy "Udupi Style Sambar"

Ingredients needed:
Black gram(Udal daal): 2Tbsps
Bengal gram(Chana daal): 4 tbsps
Red chilies(Byadgi/Kashmiri): 6-7
Coriender powder: 2Teaspoon
Jeera: 1 teaspoon
Methi(Fenugreek seeds): 1Tsp

Method to prepare this spice Mix powder:

In a pan dry roast chana daal & urad daal till it slightly changes color & remove
Similarly dry roast the red chilies
Then lastly roast Jeera(cumin) & methi & coriender just for a min & remove
Let the spices Cool down then transfer to a dry blender & make a fine powder

Store in an airtight container, Use this spice mix for Udupi Style Sambar, which I will post recipe soon

Creamy Paneer Side dish

Creamy Paneer side dish for Indian flat breads(Roti) or Rice/ Biryani

Paneer cooked in creamy sauce is one of the best paneer dishes which is very popular, to add to the taste & make this gravy rich Cashew paste is added

You can even add Milk/ cream instead of Cashew paste, Lets begin to cook this creamy Paneer gravy

Ingredients Needed:

Paneer: 200grms

Gravy Ingredients
Oil: 2-3 sps
Cloves:4-5
Cinnamon: 1inch1 cup onion(paste) pureed
1 cup of tomatoes chopped (pureed)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp basic garam masala
Cashew paste (kaju paste)
salt to taste

Method:

For the gravy:

• Make paste of cashew with little water in a blender and make a smooth puree, Set this aside
• Keep the Paneer cubes in hot water untill use
• This way they will be soft when cooked
• Heat oil in a pan, Add Cloves & Cinnamon 
• Add ginger garlic paste, sauté till it gets fragrant
• Add Onion paste , fry till leaves sides

• Add the tomato puree, red chili powder and fry for about 5 mins or till you see the oil begins to separate.
• Add ¼ to ½ cup water , add garam masala powder & salt to taste

                                  

• Bring it to a boil and cook till you see a thick gravy for about 3 to 5 minutes on a medium flame
• Add paneer  and cook for 4-5 mins on a medium heat, dont overcooking 
• Add the cashew paste mix and switch off the heat
• Creamy Paneer is Ready to Serve

Note: Instead of Cashew paste an even use Cream 2-4 sps

         

Egg less Orange Cake

Lets start this new year with Soft Egg-less Orange cake with whipped cream, fit for any occasion you can bake this soft cake easily & decorate it as you like

All you need are these Ingredients:

All Purpose flour( Maida): 1 cup
Butter(unsalted): 100gms
Baking powder : 1 tsp
Baking soda: 1tsp

Curd: 3/4th cup
Sugar:Measure 1cup (then powder it)
Orange juice: 1/2 cup



For Marmalade spread
Orange Marmalade:5-6 sps
Sugar: 2-3 sps

For Garnishing
Whipped cream
Orange segments

Note: I have measured flour in large cup(250ml), so I could make 2 cake base, If you are using small cup(150ml) use double the quantity of flour curd & orange juice...Rest same

Method:

• Preheat Oven @ 150*
• Sieve All purpose Flour (maida) baking powder & Baking soda together. set aside
• In food processor  With whisker attachment -whisk Curd for 2min, add powdered sugar whisk more. 
• Add butter & whisk all together for 2-3 min
• Add Orange juice & mix 
• Slowly add Flour mixture & whisk for a minute till all combines
• Grease cake tin with butter & dust flour to make a thin layer remove excess
• Pour cake batter & pat so it settles down. 
• Bake for 40 min @ 150*........
• Check in between if cooked by piercing a spaghetti/sate stick / fork if it comes out clean its cooked

Note: Temperature of Oven May Vary for OTG & Microwave so check Your Instruction Pamphlet of Oven for Baking

Once the cake cools down then only proceed for garnishing

For Marmalade spread
In a saucepan add Orange Marmalade jam & sugar & heat it up
Once it starts cooking keep stirring it will thicken cook 2 min
Switch off when its gooey & evenly forms  syrup consistency
Let it cool down & come to room temperature

Meanwhile whip double cream / whipping cream by whisk on medium speed till it forms light peaks


Now your cake must have cooled down
If you want to layer it cut from between to form layer or you can make 2 same size cakes( if you want it big size)
Spread 2-3 sps Marmalade spread in between & spread whipped cream on it

Place the other cake layer on top now again spread remaining whipped cream & keep in fridge for 15 min
Then again cover the cake by coating sides & top with whipped cream
Place Orange segments
Soft Eggless Orange Cake with cream is ready to indulge, Enjoy New year

 

Chats special Sevpuri

Evening Snacks chats are the best option for evening snacks try these easy snacks for your new year party....Easy To Make Sev poori, Last month had shared making of Spicy tangy Pani poori

You can make these Crispy little Papadi/ Puri in small quantities for your party, instead of getting the large packets of poori

Ingredients needed:

For Papadi/Poori:

All purpose flour:1/2 cup

Wheat flour: 1/2 cup

Rava(Semolina): 1cup

Water: 2cups

Oil for deep frying

For the chats:

Boiled Peas: 4sps,

Boiled Potato: 4sps

Chopped onion: 1

Chopped tomatoe:1

Pav bhaji masala/ chat masala : little 

tamrind paste:2sps

Jaggery: little

salt to taste
Sev for garnishing

Recipe for the papadi/ poori

Soak 1cup rava with 2 cups water for 1/2 hr

To this add maida & wheatflour & little oil to make thick dough. 

Make  thin chapati & cut to small poori sizes...

For papadi prik holes with fork(Flat pooris to Used for Sev Poori)

Deep fry in Oil till crisp....

Similarly for some poori dont prik with holes it will puff up (puffed poori for Pani poori)

Deep fry in Hot oil

For chats assembly sev poori : 

Mix boiled Peas, boiled Potato with Chopped onion, chopped tomatoes,Pav bhaji masala,chat masala & little salt, tamrind paste, Jaggery mix like a salad. 

Place flat poori in plate, on each poori place salad then put lots of sev on top.

Enjoy Pani Poori Recipe

Masala Upma with veggies

Breakfast is the first thing we eat in morning, so eating healthy breakfast with vegetables which is filling is Ideal, Masala Upma with vegies is a light breakfast which can be eaten in morning & keeps you full

Upma  or Uppittu is a common South Indian breakfast dish, cooked as a thick porridge from dry roasted semolina or coarse rice flour. Various seasonings and/or vegetables are often added during the cooking, depending on individual preferences.

Upma is usually made with Semolina(Rava) or Broken wheat(Lapsi)

Ingredients
Thick Semolina (Bansi Rava) (1 cup)
Cooking oil (3-4 tbsp)
Mustard seeds (1/2 tsp)
Ginger root (1/2 tsp, grated)
Green chillies (3 med, chopped)
Chopped onions (1 med, chopped)
Chopped Tomato: 1
Garam masala:1 tbsp

Ghee: 2sps
Salt to taste
Vegetables of choice: Peas, carrots, beans,capsicum, etc.
Lemon juice (2 tsp, optional)

Method of preparation

Dry-roast Semolina (rava) until it just begins to turn brown, then keep aside.
In a large saucepan/wok, heat the cooking oil.
Add mustard seeds and wait for them to sputter. 
Then add ginger, green chillies and chopped onions and fry until onions caramelize.
Add tomato fry then add Roasted semolina
Add vegetables, salt and 2 cups of boiling water mix quickly to avoid lumps forming
And cook turning down the heat, lastly add Ghee
The upma is done when all the water is absorbed by the rava.

Garnish with  chopped cilantro leaves and lemon juice. Serve with Sev Mixture on top