Fresh chana green rice(ಕಡಲೆ ಕಾಳು ಅನ್ನ )

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

One more interesting and very tasty rice which I love the most and the whole year I wait for this, as I have to prepare this only during November till January end.

We get this only from November till January. I love to eat this just like that. (We call it Kadli geeda in Kannada). Great time pass when chatting with your friends! But I take care not to spread all the skin and leaves on the ground and my environment dirty.

When I was browsing the net for this, I got these links, which explains in detail about this. (http://mathildasanthropologyblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/the-turkish-domestication-of-the-chickpea/)

and (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cicer_arietinum_HabitusFruits_BotGardBln0906a.jpg)

And the rice prepared using these chana really has different taste! NO other dry chana can replace this taste as each chana has its own taste. After Avare kalu I love this one very much. But we make lot of dishes with Avare kalu, and this girly chana (What!???!? Now a days, without my knowledge,  I am getting funny words for my kitchen things, girly because of its beautiful fresh curves on its body!!!) is used to make very few dishes.

Here is the recipe,

Long grain or normal rice - 1 cup(soak in a water for a minute and keep it to dry at least for 15 minutes.

Fresh chana(ಕಡಲೆ ಕಾಳು) - 1 cup

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Fry and paste the below ingradients:

(Go on adding one by one after each minute in a tbsp oil and fry till nice aroma comes)

Onion - 1 big, (this needs 2 minutes to fry). After the onion is fried go on adding others.

Fresh coconut -1/4 cup

Ginger - 1/2"

Green chilly - 2 to 3

Cardamom - 1

Cinnamon - 1"

Tomato - 1 small

Pudina (Mint leaves) - 1 bunch

When cool, make into a fine paste and keep aside

Lime juice - 1 tbsp

Heat oil in a cooker. Add the ready paste and fry till it starts leaving oil on the side. Now add fresh chana and salt. Cook it for a minute and add rice. Mix properly and fry for a minute or so. Add hot or warm water, according to how much the rice needs water. (usually what I do is, I do not measure the water for rice, but pour the water till the rice is just covered, but each rice has its own quality. So be sure about the water intake of the rice or else it will turn into kichadi!!)

Cover the cooker with lid and give two whistle. When done, add lime juice before transferring into serving bowl.

Fresh chana green rice is ready to serve. Enjoy each bite of chana!

Keep smiling,

One day like this!!!!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

A Day like this came after many years. Yesterday was a total disaster!(Can I say disaster!) I do not think it that worst also! When you go through my post, you only decide was it  so bad or it was just to test my patience. (After staying abroad for 11 years, this was first time to face these problems!)

First thing was, I was waiting for a plumber to fix a pipe to wash the dishes in the back yard. The water was standing past 2 days and it was stinking like hell, I was more worried about kid's health, as it is not good to keep dirty standing water, The plumber did not came. I called one more plumber. He promised he will be coming in the evening, but did not!!! He called and told he will come in the morning.

Second thing was, our gas cylinder(Both the cylinders)  got over. It is very difficult in our place to get one more easily. We need to go through a process, which needs us to wait for 21 days to book for another. And after booking they need another 15 to 20 days to deliver the cylinder. Monopoly!!! No Government can change the rules. We called the agency they told it is not possible for today, but will try to send next day. We have only 2 neighbors and no one likes to share their cylinder even for a day!

So I  decided to cook rice and sambhar in microwave oven! Thank God I have at least something to survive(is it so big problem, compared to many poor who never gets one full meal for few days or flood victims!! noo!) But main problem here was power. Here the power goes when ever it wants. From morning 7 to 9, then 12 to 1. After noon 3 to 4 then 6 to 7. This schedule is fixed. Other than these timings, sometimes, again it goes at 10 to 11!! Sometimes, they will inform through news papers that the power will not be there from 10am to 6 pm. Yesterday, Some how I managed to prepare rice and sambhar. But my younger daughter wants rice and dal (Malt) everyday, I could not prepare it in oven. She had to be on Rice only! ( Thats fine. She will learn to adjust)
Third thing was, how come I forgot to post about servants. From two days, servants did not come! So that work also was on us. Mom helped to clean the house. Other things I managed to do with ajji. 
Fourth thing was, my daughter's exams are going on. So need to give time to her also!!
And the Morning came without Tea, Coffee for us  and Milk for kids. Our Ajji went to neighbor's house with milk, tea powder, coffee powder to make tea and coffee. Now, for the breakfast, I went to near by Darshini and brought idli plates. My elder daughter ate and took the same for her lunch box.

Against my wishes, I went in search of cylinder in black marketing,(Yes!! that also runs here!!!), but decided to wait for one more day! and came back.

We called the agency to check, again they told we will try!!

So again, I prepared rice and sambhar in oven. I did not wanted to bring outside food, as my both kids had Vomiting last week and both are still on medicine.

And in between this all, Plumber came and checked the problem. He first told it is not possible to do anything. 

Then I stood with him, showed few ways and discussed the alternatives with him, And we came to conclusion.I went with him, to buy cement and sand. One problem was fixed. 

After mom called the agency, 10 times, we got the cylinder. This problem was also fixed.

And Power!! I can not help in this, no one actually!!!

But to my surprise, I did not loose my patience anywhere. I was cool. (if this was the case before few years, I would have yelled at others, would have blamed the system and what all, I do not know!!!)

I just thought, what should be the next step and what are the alternatives for these problems.

Thanks to my patience and everyone who read my day with patience!

Moral of the story is :

Never loose patience and hope!! Face everything with smile!!

Keep smiling,

Avare kalu sambhar(Surti papdi sambhar) and Counting game!!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

Every time I feel funny or odd to write that this is my favorite recipe!! Because I just love everything eatable in this world. So one more my favorite food to you all !!! he he he!!! 

I thought of taking the photo after I finish eating but before our lunch was over, Avare kalu sambhar got over. Thats why I could not take separate photo of Avare kalu sambhar.

First comes the game:

"Can you count and tell me how many times I have typed "Avare kalu" in this post!!!! It is just for fun. No prizes! 3 claps to everyone who counts correctly!"

Avare kalu is very common and mostly everyone's favorite because of its unity in diversity!! What is this I have written!! Let me think, why it came from my ink (oops from my key board). May be because of its taste. Avare kalu tastes different with every way it is cooked, and each food has its unique taste. Nothing can compete with avare kalu(As per me!)  So three cheers to Avare kalu!

Have I gone mad to write so funny! But Avare kalu makes me mad. Once I start eating Avare kalu sambhar, some one has to snatch the plate from me!! .

Many of my blogging  friends have posted the recipe for this sambhar and many other preparation with Avarekalu.

Here goes my version, (almost same as other's, can't help it!)

Avare kalu - 1 cup

Boil it with 1/2 tsp of salt till Avare kalu is tender.

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 line

Hing - a pinch

Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Dalia powder - 2 tbsp

(this is must for my version)

To make paste:

Tomato - 1 big

Tamarind - 1 tbsp

Red dry chilly - 2 to 3

Jaggery - 2 tbsp

Sambhar powder - 2 tbsp(any mild brand)

Curry leaves - 1 line

Salt to taste

Mix and make it into a fine taste.

Heat oil in a vessel. Add mustard seeds, jeera and curry leaves. Add ready paste and cook it for few minutes.

Add chilly powder and haldi. Add 1 1/2 cup of water and cook till it starts boiling. Add boiled Avare kalu and dalia powder. Adjust the seasoning. Cook for few more minutes. And check the taste one more time. Add fresh coriander and serve with hot rice.

I am sending this Avare kalu sambhar recipe to Srivalli's event,  Announcing My Legume Love Affair, Eighteenth Helpi...

And here is the link as well as a link to Susan's host line-up, as  per Srivalli's instructions.

Keep smiling,

Dal E Dinner from Srivalli!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

It is so easy to prepare food, when some one is guiding you!! That's why I enjoy very much when ever I follow other blog and cook any dish. And I post it in 'Food Remake' label, as it is very common in Indian film industry to remake the movies from one language to the other. So even my food here is the remake one!!!

I always loved  Srivalli's  recipes. This dal is from one of her recipe. When she posted this, she was not sure about the name of this dish. As per her explanation in the post (Yet another dal), I told her to give the name as "Dal-E-Dinner". Go through her post for details. 

(I tried to take the photo as she has taken!, Pakka remake!! )

Enjoy this quick and tasty dal with hot rice or Chapati!

Keep smiling,