Polished wheat halwa (ಗೋಧಿ ಹುಗ್ಗಿ ) for new year!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Starting my first post in this year with traditional sweet called Godhi Huggi or polished wheet halwa. This is the heaviest sweet which is common in most of the functions in North Karnataka. It is not for weight watchers, as it has lot of dry fruits, jaggery and cups of ghee in to it. And its like, some medicines have instructions written  "not to drive when you take the medicine". You will feel drowsy and lazy after you have this.

Again, one of my favorite sweet.

Here is the recipe,

Polished Wheat : 200gm (Available in Indian store)

Chana dal - 4 tbsp

Jaggery - 200gm, powdered

Cardamom - 4 to 6 crushed

Nutmeg powder - 1 tsp

Poppy seeds - 4 tbsp

Dry desiccated coconut - 1/4 cup

Salt - 1 tsp

Ghee - 1 cup

Water depends on the wheat.

Soak the wheat overnight. In the morning, soak chana dal for an hour or two. Mix wheat and chana dal in a cooker with double the water of soaked wheat. Give 10 to 12 whistles. Yes, wheat takes time to cook. Once cool, open and check the wheat, I mean, take one seed in the hand and press it. If it breaks into pieces then its done. Otherwise you have to grind it to coarse paste.

Once this is done, add powdered jaggery, salt and 1/4 cup ghee and mix well with hand or churner. Keep it on medium heat to boil, keeping in mind to stir in between. once it starts boiling, check the sweetness of the dish and if you feel you need more sweet add some more jaggery(because, it has different taste always, depending upon the sugarcane)

If you feel the sweet is fine, add salt, poppy seeds and coconut. Mix properly and allow it to boil for few more minutes. Now add cardamom powder and nutmeg powder with 1/4 cup ghee. Let it boil for 10 minutes with stirring it often. 

The sweet is ready to eat with more ghee on the top with some spicy chilly and sandige.

Wishing everyone a very happy, prosperous and beautiful new year.

Keep Smiling,

Kurmura masala, Onion bhaji and Tea( (ಚುರುಮರಿ ವಗ್ಗರಣಿ, ಉಳ್ಳಾಗಡ್ಡಿ ಭಜಿ, ಚಹಾ)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

One of the famous street food of North Karnataka, specially from Dharwad and Hubli. It is famous street side food available all the 12 months of the year, and it is more in demand during rainy season, even though its all time favorite of Dharwadians. Even in the houses,  it is a very common evening snack. One more snack prepared with this is Mirchi (spicy chilly pakodas), Here I could not prepare mirchi as I did not get proper long and thick green chilly.

Dharawad means, Pedha and churmari, mirchi and bhaji. We love to have it often(even after knowing the bad effects of Kurmura, we cannot help!!) But, I have reduced it to the extent. I do not allow my children to have kurumara.

Coming to the recipe for Kurmura masala

Kurmura :  4 cups

(It makes for 3 to 4 people)

Oil - 1/4 cup

Mustard seeds - 2 tsp

Jeera - 2 tsp

Curry leaves - 2 lines

Pea nut -  15 to 20

Dalia dal - less than 1/4 cup

Dry red chilly - 4 to 6 (optional, as they do not add in stalls)

Chilly powder - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Sugar - 1 tsp

Haldi - 1 tsp

Dalia powder - 2 tbsp

To make masala

Heat oil in kadai, add mustard seeds, jeera.  Now add pea nuts. When they are fried, add curry leaves, red dry chilly. Fry for 10 seconds. Off the heat. Add salt, haldi and chilly powder. Mix properly and keep aside for 5 minutes or till cold. Add dalia powder to this. Then add kurmura and sugar. Mix properly. Adjust the seasoning, kurmura masala is ready.

When serving, you can add raw onion chopped, fresh coriander, and thick sev.

Coming to Onion bhaji or pakora,

Onion - 4 to 6 big, cut into very thin long slices.(Very important)

Gram flour - 4 to 5 tbsp to sprinkle on onions to cover them

Curry leaves - 1 line chopped finely

Green chilly 2 to 3 chopped finely

Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp

salt to taste

Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp crushed

Ajwain - 1/4 tsp crushed

Haldi - pinch

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Hot oil - 1 tbsp

Oil to fry the pakoras

Mix all the ingradients in a bowl with NO Water at all. Keep aside for half an hour. After some time, the onions are covered with gram flour. If you feel it is not enough, sprinkle some more gram flour to onions and keep for some more time. Then fry the pakoras in hot oil, by taking little onion and dropping it in oil. repeat for rest onion mix.

Pakoras are also ready.

Now for the tea, it is more famous as KT, and always one cup is shared by two.( people order by saying, bring 1 by 2 KT)

Water - 1 cup

Milk - 1 cup

Sugar - 4 tbsp

Tea powder - 1 tbsp

Mix all together and boil at least for 8 to 10 minutes, till the tea becomes thick. (I know it is not good to boil the tea for more than 3 minutes altogether! but helpless, when we get that unique taste in the mouth!!!) Some times it is ok to spoil our self!!

So here comes all together Dharwad famous street food.

Keep smiling,

Black eyed beans masala(ಅಲಸಂದೆ ಕಾಳಿನ ಪಲ್ಲ್ಯೆ )

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

Black eyed beans is very common in our house as it is easy to prepare and takes no time to cook. There is no need to soak it overnight like other beans, so it is instant beans preparation.

In my house, we have different type of beans every alternative day with one more vegetable. And this beans is always at home, stored in large quantity.

We get varieties in this. Big size, small size and brown color. the brown color beans are tastier than the white ones.

I cook it plain, or with brijnal or the one which I like the most with yam(suran). Or, I will just boil it with little salt and have it in the evenings.

The down given recipe is the way my mom prepares. It is simple, easy and quick with available ingredients at home.(Many of our friends in blog world, also prepares the same way!!!)

SO, without much introduction, I will give the recipe,

Black eyed beans - 1 cup (soaked for 15 min)

Onion - 1 medium, chopped

Tomato - 1 medium chopped

Curry leaves - few

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera or cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Sugar - 1 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Fresh coriander - 1 tbsp chopped

Wash the soaked beans and give 3 whistles in a cooker or cook it outside(Takes longer time), when cool, keep it aside.

Heat oil in a kadai, followed by mustard seeds and jeera. When done, add curry leaves and onion. Cook till the onion changes its color. Now add tomato, cook again for a minute. Add all dry powders. Mix it properly, add boiled beans with little water. Cook for a minute again. Adjust the seasoning and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Black eyed bean is ready to eat with chapati, rice or just like that.

I want to send this to  scrumptious's event " Bean & legume recipes you can count on" 

Keep Smiling,

Award and Jowar rotti upma(ಕುಚ್ಚಿದ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ )

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

After long time, I am again with North Karnataka recipe. This was very common in our house during our childhood. Almost twice a week, my mother used to prepare this in the night. As it is very simple and fast, it was easy for her to keep the dinner ready, after coming tired from the office. And we all enjoyed to eat it hot with ghee, pickle and onion. In typical North Karnataka(especially in Hubli-Dharwad language) language, we call it as Rotti oggarane(ರೊಟ್ಟಿ ಒಗ್ಗರಣೆ).

Here is the recipe,
One day old rotti or crispy rotti - 8 to 10
(Click Jowar rotti(Jolada rotti) for recipe)
Onion - 1 big
Curry leaves - few
Chilly powder - 1 tbsp or
Green chilly - 3 chopped
(in this photo I used chilly powder)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Tomato - 1 small
(my mother used to put 1 tbsp tamarind paste, you can choose according to your taste)
Salt to taste
Haldi - 1 pinch
Water - 1 cup apprx.
Break the rotti into pieces and keep aside.
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard when it starts popping up, add jeera and curry leaves. Add onions and saute for a minute.
If you are using green chilly, now only add it with onion.
When the onion changes its color, add tomato mix it properly and wait till the tomato is half cooked. Add salt, haldi and water .

Once the water starts boiling, add the rotti pieces. Mix properly. Take care not to put more water.

Cook for few minute, stirring in between.

Jowar rotti upma is ready to eat with ghee, onion and pickle.

I have received this award from *sangi* 

Thank you so much Sangi.

This award goes with a fun meme which has to be passed onto 6 of ur favorite blogs and which has to be answered with only one word.

Here is the meme part: 

• Where is ur cell phone : Bed
• Ur hair:black
• ur mother: Sarojini
• Ur father: Mohan
• Ur fav food: Raw
• Ur dream last night:Forgets
• Ur fav drink:Carrot Orange Juice
• Ur dream:Live one day at a time
• Wat room u r in:Bedroom
• Ur hobby:Reading
• Ur fear:snakes
• Where do u want to be in 6 yrs:India
• Where r u last night:home
• Where did u grow up:Karnataka
• Last thing u did: watched movie
• Ur t.v:Off
• Ur pets:no
• Ur friends:very few
• Ur life:Simple
• Ur mood:Confused
• Missing some one:My freedom
• Vehicle:yes
• Something u r not wearing: Finger ring
• Ur fav store:Many
• Ur fav color: Green
• When was the last time u laughed:Just now!
• Last time u cried: Forgot
• Ur best friend:Books
• One place I go over and over:Nothing special
• One person who emails me regularly: Bhavana
• Fav place to eat: Dining Table

I would like to share this award with,

Sanghi
PJ 
Srivalli 
shanthi
Padma 
Malar


Keep smiling,

Kaarchi Kai(Mini bitter gourd) Sabji

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I do not know the English name of the vegetable in the photo, but in North Karnataka, we call it "Kaarchi kai"(Kannada). It tastes like bitter gourd. It is available only in the rainy season. It is having crunchy seeds. Its having tails on both the sides, need to be removed before we cook. One more thing to keep in mind is, if it is exposed to direct sun, it will open and split and the seeds will come out. Then you can not cook it.

"IF ANY ONE KNOWS ANY INFORMATION ABOUT IT, PLEASE SHARE WITH ME AND OTHERS, WHO WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS"

Now, here is the recipe,

Kaarchi kai - 250 gms

Onion - 1 big chopped

Curry leaves - few

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Haldi - a pinch

Fresh coconut - 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Lime juice - 1 tbsp

Sugar or jaggery - 1 tbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp to fry

and 1 tbsp to prepare the masala

Wash the kaarchi kai, cut the tails and keep in closed bag, if you are not cooling immidiately. Keep in mind to cook as early as possible and not to expose it to the sun.

Heat oil in the kadai, fry the vegetable till slightly brown. Keep it aside in a plate. In the same kadai, add 1 tbsp oil. Add mustard seeds, jeera, curry leaves and onion. Fry for some time. Add kaarchi kai, salt, chilly powder, haldi, fresh coconut. Mix it properly and Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Off the heat. Add lemon juice and mix properly again. The vegetable is ready to serve.

It tastes good with Jowar rotti.

Keep smiling,

Sesame seeds poli(ಎಳ್ಳಿನ ಹೋಳಿಗೆ)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

Here is the recipe for a sweet, which is common in North Karnataka. It is good in Winter as it is made of Sesame seeds(Til or ಎಳ್ಳು). It can be stored for a week also. I use it often in South Indian curries.

In UAE, we get Tahina (i.e sesame seeds paste) paste in super markets, which is used to make humous. It was regular in my house when I was back in UAE.

Not only are sesame seeds a very good source of manganese and copper, but they are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber.Read more on this, in http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=84

Here goes the recipe,

Sesame seeds - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1 cup(or 3/4 cup, if jaggery is very sweet)

Cardamom - 2

Wheat flour - 3/4 cup

Maida - 1/4 cup

Fine rawa(Suji) - 2 tbsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt a pinch

Mix the Wheat flour, Maida and Fine rawa with 1 tbsp oil, salt and water to make dough. (Little softer than we make for chapati.)

Keep it covered aside for 2 - 3 hours.

Roast the sesame seeds on a very slow flame, till nice aroma comes. After it is cool, grind it with jaggery and cardamom.

Now make small balls of dough(small lemon size). Take one ball, spread on the palm, and fill it with ready powder.

Roll it in to small puri size. Roast like chapati. No need to put oil. Repeat for other balls.

Sesame seeds poli(ಎಳ್ಳಿನ ಹೋಳಿಗೆ) is ready to eat. It tastes very delicious with Ghee spread on it.

I am sending this to

PJ's(seduceurtastebuds@gmail.com)

this month event,

OPEN SESAME!!who signed up with Sunitha .

Keep smiling,

Agasi(Flax seed,ಅಗಸಿ) Chutney powder

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,





Agasi chutney (ಅಗಸಿ) is also one of the common powders in the food in North Karnataka. It is served with curds with rotti or chapattis. The taste is unique.
It is called Flax seed in English.
Here is the link for details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax_seed
It is prepared the same way as we prepare the Shenga (Peanut) chutney.
Here is the recipe,
Agasi(flax seeds) - 1cup
Chilli powder - 1 to 2 tbsp as per your taste
Curry leaves - 2 lines
Tamarind - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 4 to 6 big one(we get in UAE) or full one bulb if it is Indian.
sugar - 1 tsp
Salt to taste Turmeric a pinch
Roast flax seeds till aroma comes out.Let it cool. Mix all the ingredients and put in a mixie and make it to a powder.
The powder is ready and you can store it for 15 days in a dry place.
Enjoy with jowar rotti or chapattis.
Keep smiling,