Sprouted Moong Chutney Powder

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,

"Necessity  is the Mother of Invention"

This holds good in the field of cooking. And if you are a mother of a fussy child who hates eating healthy food, then you have to keep on inventing and reinventing the recipes to feed your child a good food. I come in that category and always think and plan of making new food which includes the best ingredients and which my younger daughter never likes to eat. I have already one Chutney powderr in my blog.

I prepared this chutney powder because my daughter hates to eat sprouted Moong. Last week, when I prepared Moth gravy and tried to feed her, she was so upset and started crying loudly. That was the time, I thought of making this chutney powder(Because of the event going on in my blog, my mind is more  alert for new ideas).

And then again I thought adding few more grains other than only moth.

Tried to take the photo with perfect cube, could not because the chutney powder is very dry :-)

So here comes the tastiest and healthiest chutney powder which goes very well with chapati, dosa, Idly, hot rice, bread and what else!!!

Ingredients :

Mixed moong - (Green moong, Moth, green and brown chana, Soya bean, Cow peas, dry green peas and any grain that can be sprouted) - 250 gm

Curry leaves - 15 to 20 leaves

Garlic - 10 to 15 cloves(if small, 6 to 8 if they are big)

Dry red chilly powder - 1 tsp or

Dry red chilly - 8 to 10

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar 1 tsp

Method :

Soak the grains in the water in a big vessel(it should cover double the grains) for at least 8 to 10 hours.

Drain the water.

Tie in a cloth or the way you keep the moongs to sprout.

I

Sometimes, I tie in the cloth or I keep it in a colander with proper cover.

Allow the grains to get little longer sprouts. It may take only one day in Summer or 2 days in winter. If keeping for two days, keep on mixing the grains every 6 hours. Otherwise it will start stinking.

Once the sprouting is done, keep the grains under the sun to dry. It takes again one more day in summer, and 2 or more days in winter.

You will get nice crispy grains once its fully dried.

Dry roast the grains till you get nice aroma on a low flame, as green moong, or small size moong takes less time to roast and bigger grains take more time.

When cold, add all the other ingredients and grind into a fine powder. 

Adjust the seasoning.

The aroma makes you feel like eating it just like that(I did it :-)  )

Sending this to two events:

One is My event 

Event Announcement "Only Original Recipes" and Giveaway :-)))

A brain child of Pari.

Another is

event from Ammalu's Kitchen

My Legume Love Affair – 33 

which is started by  The well seasoned cook .

Keep Smiling,

Bitter Gourd Chutney Powder(Food Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

This powder has become common in my house and I am totally in love with it.

Any one going for Bitter gourd chutney powder??? I am sure you all will say a big NO!! But try this powder and you also will fall in love with it. Yes!!! 

Its simple, healthy and perfect side dish with hot rice or with chapati. Do you believe I eat it just like that.

Have it to believe it.

And Tons of thanks to Pratibha of THE CHEF and HER KITCHEN for sharing such a wonderful recipe.

Kakarakaya Podi / Bittergourd Powder

I have copied the recipe exactly from her. Even the down written recipe is from her blog(I did not get better words to write it in my own) Visit her for many wonderful recipes and tips.

Ingredients:
Bittergourd - 1/2 kg 
Onions - 4 big,very finely chopped
 Dry coconut - 1 heaped cup grated
Curds - 3 tbps
Red chillies - 15,fiery hot one's
a gooseberry sized tamarind
Regular oil - 1/2 cup apprx.
salt to taste
Method:

• Grate the bitter gourd with a grater.
• Add salt and curds to it and mix well and leave it aside for 1 hour.
• Squeeze the water completely from the bitter gourd and keep it aside.This step is mandatory in order to ease the process of frying the bitter gourd and storing the powder,it will also remove 60-70% of the bitterness.
• Cut the tamarind into small pieces and slightly dry roast the red chillies and tamarind for few seconds.This step is however optional if your red chillies are softer and tamarind is slightly damp.
• Grind the red chillies,tamarind,dry coconut with salt to a slight coarse powder.
• In a thick bottomed kadai heat oil(1/2 cup approximately) add squeezed bitter gourd and fry on a very low flame until it is slight golden in color(75-80% done),it approximately takes 15-20 min.This step is very important and it is to be on very low flame.
• Now add the very finely chopped onions to the bitter gourd and fry on a very low flame until the onions and bitter gourd is deep golden in color.It takes around 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the ground spice mixture to it and mix well and keep stirring on low flame for 3-4 min and remove it from the stove.
• Cool the powder completely and store it in air tight container.You can store it for 2 weeks also.
• When you taste it, you will start thinking where the bitter gourd has disappeared!!!!
  

 I am sure all of you will enjoy this and you are going to try this at home, (if not  tried before), for those, who  have already tried this, they know the taste.

Keep Smiling,

Idly, Sambhar and Chutney

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

When I started my blog, I thought of starting with basic and simple foods. But some how I went on postponing it. 

Thanks to Mahimaa for organizing a event of basic recipes that made me to post idly, sambhar and chutney.

They say that South Indians never leave their home without having at least one idly for breakfast! But, now a days it has reached all over the world. And most of the people all around the world loves this food because of many reasons. Easy to make with readily available atta in the shops and ready to make products and if you have time you can prepare the batter at home easily. Because of its health benefits as it is steamed food, very good for the stomach. Especially when one is on travelling idly is the best food to eat, taking care not to eat the sambhar or chutney! It is Doctor's delight, best diet  food to advise for patients.

These idly s are kid's favorite. You can add vegetables into it to make it healthier. My younger daughter calls it "adalilil"

I think (failed) introduction to the food is sufficient as it is the most popular breakfast.

Here the measurement is to prepare for 3 to 4 people.

First recipe is for Idly,

Normally the Idly s are prepared with Raw rice, Urad dal and Methi seeds or prepared with Urad dal and Idly rawa.

You will get 14 varieties of idly s  in EC's Simple Indian Food- An Easy Cooking Blog.

Here I am giving the recipe for Idly is prepared with Urad dal and Idly rawa. Idly rawa is available in shops. Its easy to make as there is no need to soak the rice and grind it with Urad dal. 

Urad dal - 1 cup

Idly rawa - 2 1/2 cup

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Soak the urad dal and methi seeds in water for 4 to 6 hours. The water should be more than double of dal.

(After some time, urad dal increase in size and the water will be less.)

Wash the idly rawa with good water and put it in a vessel in which you want to keep the batter to ferment. 

Grind it into fine paste. Mix it properly with rawa and salt. Keep it to ferment in a warm place for at least 8 hours. During cold weather, the batter takes more time to ferment. Check the batter after 8 hours. If it is not doubled in size, keep it for some more time. (usually I do not keep it more, as no patience to wait for more time. :-) ) 

Mix it properly and keep it ready. 

  

Keep water till one inch height in a cooker or if you have Idly cooker. Keep it on heat. Till it starts boiling, apply oil and pour the batter in to all the plates. Keep it in the cooker without weight on the top. Steam it for 10 minutes on high flame and 5 minutes of low flame. Allow it to cool. Idly s are ready to serve. 

Coming to the next recipe i.e  chutney,

Easy and fast to prepare if you have Mixer or grinder.

Fresh coconut - 1 cup, grated or cut into pieces

Green chilly - 2

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

or lime juice - 1 tsp

Ginger - very small piece, chopped

Sugar - 1 tsp

Fresh dalia - 2 tbsp(optional)

Salt to taste

Curry Leaves - few

Water to help in grinding in to fine paste.

Add everything in a grinder and make into fine or coarse paste(as you like). My mom likes the coarse chutney as she loves to feel the coconut in the mouth. But for me, I like it fine paste!! 

For tempering,

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Hing - pinch

Heat oil in a small kadai, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Remove it from heat. After a minute add hing. Allow it to cool and add it to the chutney.

The last recipe is  Sambhar,

Preparing sambhar is totally your choice. As there are 1000 ways to cook delicious sambhar. Here I am giving a simple sambhar or you can say instant sambhar! without any vegetables. In future, hope fully I will try to post the veg. sambhar that goes well with Idly.

Toor dal - 1 cup (You can use other dal also, put Toor dal is the best for this type of sambhar)

Hing - pinch

Onion - 1 small, chopped into long slices

Tomato - 2 big, chopped

Curry leaves - few

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera or cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp

Ready sambhar masala - 2 tbsp ( I use MTR SAMBHAR POWDER)

(If not available do not worry, I will give the masala recipe)

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp or 1 1/2 as per your taste

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Water to make required consistency

Wash and soak the toor dal for 15 to 30 minutes. Cook it with hing. It should be fully cooked. keep it aside.

To prepare the sambhar :

Heat oil in kadai, add mustard and cumin seeds. when mustard seeds splutter add onion and curry leaves. Cook for a minute. Then goes tomato and tamarind paste, cook it till tomato starts leaving oil. Now add MTR POWDER, red chilly powder, salt, jaggery and turmeric powder. Mix it and allow it to cook for few seconds. Add cooked dal, mix it with the masala, close the lid and cook for 2 minutes. Open the lid add water. Again boil it for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and cook for some more time. Sambhar is ready.

Now, if you do not have ready sambhar masala, 

This is my mother's way :

Fry 

 few pieces of fresh or dry coconut, 

1 tsp jeera, 

1 tbsp dry coriander seeds

1 Dry red chilly 

!/2 tsp methi seeds. 

grind these ingredients into a fine paste.

And the same procedure follows only to add the homemade powder instead of MTR powder.

(Sorry for not taking the separate photo of sambhar!)

I want to send this to  "Cooking Basics Event" held by Mahimaa of  Indian Vegetarian Kitchen.

But not sure about its getting entrance to the event as there is already a post for Idly and chutney. No worry, if it is not accepted.  I will post something else for the event.

Keep Smiling,

Hottt chilly chutneys

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

North Karnataka is famous for spicy food. We like to eat plain green chilly with Jowar rotti and onion. The side dishes that goes very well with chapati, roti and rice are always spicy. At least 2 types of dry chutney powder and one chilly chutney is always there in the house.

In my house, the GREEN CHUTNEY is always there, as we add it for few preparations where green chilly is required. It can be stored in fridge for a week.

Another is called RANJAKA, which has very few ingredients and can be stored for months, if preserved properly. People who likes lemon and chilly taste, will enjoy this.

               Green chutney

 

                                         Ranjaka                  Kempu Chutney

The third one is KEMPU CHUTNEY(RED CHUTNEY, ಕೆಂಪ ಚಟ್ನಿ ), made with more ingredients and can be stored in fridge for maximum 15 days. It has sweet and tamarind taste.

I tried my poor photo or camera skills on these poor chillies and chutneys!!! I think the chillies and chutney bowls might be laughing for my try!!! 

Here comes the recipes,

1)GREEN CHUTNEY : This chutney is favorite of our ajji(who stays with us). She always keep it ready, as it is easy for her to prepare food.

Green chilly - 15 to 20, washed and wiped and cut into pieces

Fresh coconut - 4 to 6 tbsp

Garlic - 10 to 12 flakes

Curry leaves - 12  to 15 leaves

Fresh coriander - little

Salt - 2 tbsp(As we add salt to the vegetable or any preparation)

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Mix all the ingredients and prepare the chutney with very little water.

This chutney can be used while making, any moong , brinjal , ridge gourd preperations. Or as per the ingredients you can use it.OR  simply have it with hot jowar rotti and oil. Believe me it tastes very nice.

2)RANJAKA: This is my mother's favorite chutney! Usually, we bring the readymade one from shop!!, but my mother likes to make at home, when ever the fresh red chillies are available(there is a particular season to get these fresh red chillies! and now the season is going on!! So the one in the photo is prepared by mom at home!!)

Recipe for the chutney:

Fresh red chillies - 250 gm, wash, wipe,cut  and keep aside.

Methi (fenugreek) seeds - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Lemon juice-of 3 to 4 lemons

Hing   - 1 tsp

Add all and make a paste WITHOUT ADDING A DROP OF WATER ALSO!

Store in a dry jar.

You can have it chapati, dosa, idli , bread or anything you like!!

3)KEMPU CHUTNEY(RED CHUTNEY, ಕೆಂಪ ಚಟ್ನಿ ): This is my favorite in the house. The specialty of this chutney is it becomes sweeter as the days go! The ingredients are almost same as the green chutney.

Fresh red chillies - 200 gm, wash, wipe, cut and ROAST WITH LITTLE OIL till the chillies changes the colour

Garlic - 1 big bulb, peeled 

Curry leaves - 18 to 20 

Salt to taste

Jaggery - 1/4 cup

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Tamarind - 1 medium lemon size

Oil -2 tbsp

Mix all the ingredients and paste it in to chutney. Adjust the taste.

It goes well with almost all Indian foods and even with bread and burgers!! 

You can use it in any gravy preparations also.

Try it only for you, not for kids!!!!

Hope all of you will enjoy my hottttttt chutney recipes.

And these chutneys are going to make every one dance in Ammu's   My First Event " Spicy Fiery Chutneys "

Can I say  "Keep Smiling", after you taste these chutneys!!!! 

Keep Smiling,

Green moong chutney

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

Here is the recipe from my cousin Veena, who got married and settled in Sagar. Sagar comes in Shimoga district. The world famous Jog Falls is also in Sagar.

After she got married and went to inlaw's house, she learnt all the customs, the traditional food of Sagar.

It is almost 10 years we did not get time to sit with each other and chat for at least 10 minutes(We were always together before her marriage) and we met only twice in these 10 years!!

Now I do call her once a week and talk. She has promised me, that she will give me recipes of Sagar. So whenever she gives me the recipe I will make at home, and post it here.

Now is the time for this chutney, which is very easy and tasty.

Here is the recipe,

Whole green gram or split green gram - 1 cup

(she told me to use whole green gram, but I used the split one.)

You can use brown chana or kala chana also to make this chutney.

Fresh coconut - 1/4 cup or lesser

Green chilly - 3 to 4

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Tamarind - 1 tbsp

Garlic - 1 bulb(Small)

Salt to taste

Water to make chutney

(Optional

Curds - as per requirement

Onion - as per taste)

Roast the moong till nice aroma comes, stirring all the time. Let it be cool.

Mix all the ingredients and grind it coarse paste or fine paste.

If you are using whole moong, then grind the roasted moong first 2 rounds, then add other ingredients to it and make it chutney.

The chutney is ready to serve with Akki roti(rice flour rotti),Thali peeth, chapati or dosa or rice.

If you like you can add little curds and chopped onion. It tastes good with akki roti and thali peeth.

I am sending this recipe to

Priya's Spill the beans - Sunday snacks

And my one more dish also is prepared with 14 pulses which is perfect for her event.(http://niveditaskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/06/14-mixed-pulses-gravy.html#links)

Hope you all enjoy the chutney!!

Keep smiling,

Peanut chutney powder(Shenga Chutney)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi all



I am from North Karnataka, and there different types of chutneys are always at home, and served everyday with meals. These powders really make the food more tasty. I will try to post other types of chutney powder in future.
Here is the recipe:
Peanut - 1cup
Dalia ("Puthani" in Kannada) - 1/2 cup
Chilly 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 peanuts and remove skin. Mix all the ingredients and put in a mixer and make it coarse powder.
Chutney(ಶೇಂಗ ಪುಡಿ)is ready. Eat with chapatis and curds or hot rice and ghee.
But I always liked it with crispy jowar rotti(katak Jolada rotti) and curds.

This chutney powder is going to participate in

Pavani's Announcing JFI - August ’09: Peanuts,

and the (JFI) WAS STARTED BY Indira (@ Mahanandi)

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,

Gurellu Chutney(Niger seeds,ಗುರೆಳ್ಳು) powder

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi all,

Gurellu chutney(ಗುರೆಳ್ಳು) is very common in North Karnataka kitchen shelf. Actually it is an essential ingredient used in so many recipes. And one can eat just like that with curds and chapatti or Jowar rotti. I tried to search in the web for its English name. Here is the link for the same.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niger_seed
but to be sure it is NOT “black sesame seeds”, as I read in few blogs. It is called as Niger seeds in English.
Here is the recipe
Gurellu – 1 cup
Curly leaves – 2 lines
Salt – 1 tsp (don’t use more, as it is used in making so many recipes, and we also put salt in those recipes.)
Red chilly powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Roast the Gurellu in a thick bottomed pan on medium heat. Keep on stirring till you get nice aroma. If you leave in the middle, it will be burnt.
After its cold, add other ingredients and grind into powder and store in a jar. You can keep for 15 days, if stored in dry place.

It is used in brinjal, green moong, capsicum, cucumber and so many other preparations.
Or can have it with curds and Jowar rotti.
Keep smiling,

Simple, tasty Chapati Rolls with guessing game

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

(The chapati I have decorated here is only for photo purpose as I wanted to show the spreads altogether)
A very simple, tasty and easy rolls for kids. I like too. These rolls were, our (my brother Avinash and mine) favourites during school time. It was easy for my mother also.

Now I give to my daughter, but with little guessing game, and she loves to play it.



Chapatis - 6

sugar - 3 tbsp

Jaggery powdered - 3 tbsp

Peanut and dalia chutney powder -3 tbsp(Recipe in my chutney label)(If you don't have, no problem. You can use MTR READY CHUTNEY POWDER).

Ghee to apply for above.

Any jam - 3 tbsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Chocolate spread - 3 tbsp(I use Nutella)

Cheese spread - 3 tbsp(I use Knorr cheese spread)

Take 3 chapatis on the plate.

Apply 2 tbsp ghee on each chapati.

Spread sugar on one chapati, jaggery powdered on another and chutney powder on the third.

Roll and keep ready.

These 3 rolls we used to have in childhood.

Next rolls I have added according to today's kids world.

Take 3 more chapatis on plate.

Apply butter on one chapati, and then spread jam. Spread Chocolate spread on other and cheese spread on the third one.

Roll and keep ready.

Now keep all the rolls on a big plate.

Here the guessing game starts. If you have more than one kid, its more interesting. Even your kid's friends can join.

Call the children and ask them to guess in which roll what is there. Whoever guesses correct, they will get reward.

What I do with my daughter is,
I take any three rolls, keeping in mind to make one chocolate roll in that.

I tell her to take two rolls, and if the chocolate roll is not there in that, as she loves to eat chocolate roll, all the three chapatis will disapear in to her stomach in no time. My purpose to give her chapatis without fuss is served.

I AM SENDING THIS RECIPE TO PJ'S Tasty Bites For Toddlers.

Keep smiling,