Green Corn Rice

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I am not so good, when it comes to rice preparations. But, now after coming to India, I am trying to do new experiments with rice.

One more reason is, I need to send lunch box to my daughter to the school, as she stays in the school for 6 hours. So rice is the best food to eat faster than chapati. And fast food or junk food is not allowed in her school. Even bread, noodles is not allowed. So in these two months I have

tried almost more than 10 rice varieties and surprised that even I can do it!!!!

Here is the recipe for Green corn rice,

Long grain rice(or normal rice) - 1 cup

Onion - 1 big chopped lengthwise

Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Green chilly - 2 or 3 finely chopped

Methi leaves - 1/4 bunch cleaned and washed(optional)

Tomato - 1 big chopped

Fresh coriander - 1/2 bunch, cleaned and washed

Pudina - 1/4 bunch, cleaned and washed

Fresh, frozen or canned corn - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Wash and soak the rice for 2 minutes. Remove the water and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a cooker. Add onion and fry till golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chilly and tomato. Saute for 2 minutes. Now add chopped green leaves mix properly. Now goes the corn and rice. Fry it for two minutes. Add salt and hot water till the rice is covered. Do not add more water.

Close the lid of the cooker and wait for one whistle. Open the lid, when cooker is ready(When it allows to open!!)

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with raita or papad.

Sending this recipe to

Rice Feast @ Aathidhyam from Chaitra

Keep smiling,

Bhindi(okra) in green masala

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

A very easy and tasty Sindhi vegetable preparation, which goes will both with chapati and rice. My husband loves to eat it any time. But, however I try hard to make it tasty, I can never compete with his sister's taste. He always says, my sister makes it better!!!

Coming to the recipe,

Lady finger or bhindi - 12 to 15

Potato -2 cleaned peeled and cut into thick round pieces.

Tomato - 2 big

Green chilly - 3 to 4

Fresh coriander - 1/2 bunch washed and cleaned

Ginger - 1/2 inch cleaned

Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp and 1 tsp

Wash, clean and pat dry the bhindi. Cut the ends, fry them in 1 tsp oil. Keep it aside.

Grind tomato, green chilly, fresh coriander and ginger into smooth paste.

Heat oil. Add potato and for for 2 minutes. Now add ready paste and let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Now add bhindi, salt, haldi and coriander powder. Cover it with lid till the bhindi is cooked.

Serve hot with chapati or brown rice.

This traditional recipe of North Karnataka is going to

Shanti's

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: STATE SPECIALS

Keep smiling

Mix Veg Poha

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

A very easy, simple and healthy breakfast for a family. I will not go into the detail about this recipe, as it is very common all over India. Only difference is the way we prepare it and using ingredients according to our taste.

But I would like to say about poha or beaten rice or flattened rice. It is very healthy food and can be prepared in many ways. It is used in many other food preparations also. It is famous for Lord Krishna and Sudama's friendship also. It turned Sudama from beggar to the richest person, with Lord Krishna's blessings.(In Bhagvat Purana).

Poha is available in 3 sizes usually. One is Thin poha which is used to make chewda or ghee poha or curd poha. Other is Medium Poha,which is used to make soaked poha like the one I have given or again one can make with curds or cucumber. And the last one is very Thick Poha, which is deep fried in oil to make chewda.

Here is the recipe for Mix veg poha,

Poha (medium) - 2 big cups or 200 gms

Oil - 3 to 5 tbsp

Onion- 1 big, chopped

Green chilly - 4 to 6 according to the taste and how strong the chillies are.

Curry leaves - few

Jeera - 1 tbsp

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Chana dal - 1 tbsp

Peanut - 2 tbsp

Ginger - 1 tbsp chopped finely

Potato - 1 big (peeled and cubed)

Tomato - 1 medium chopped

Capsicum - 1 small chopped

Carrot - 1 medium chopped

Green peas - 1/4 cup(boiled or frozen)

(I did not put as I did not had when I prepared this)

Lime juice - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Haldi -1/2 tsp

Sugar - 1 tbsp

Fresh coriander to garnish

Soak poha in water only for 30 seconds. Be careful to remove it immediately from water, or else the poha will turn into paste. Keep it aside till all the water goes.

Heat oil in kadai, add jeera, curry leaves, urad dal, chana dal and peanut. Let the dals turn into little golden colour. Go on adding, ginger, green chilly, onion, potato and carrot. Saute for 2 minutes. Now add green peas, capsicum. Again saute for 2 minutes. Now goes, tomato and salt.

Mix the masala properly and cook it till the potato is cooked properly. Keep on low flame. Add lime juice, haldi and sugar. Off the heat. Mix the soaked poha in the masala and garnish with fresh coriander. The mix veg poha is ready to serve with papad.

OR

another way is, after you take the soaked poha from water, mix it with salt, sugar and lime juice. Keep it aside for some time. And while preparing masala, drop these ingredients. Then while mixing the poha garnish it with fresh coriander and mix the masala. This is the way I like to do. The taste also is little different.

Try either way!!!

Keep smiling,

Pasta masala, Indian style

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Sometimes, we forget many important tasks to do!!! It shows the poor memory, which I feel I always suffer from. And some times, it is just out of mind. You might be thinking, what I am trying to say about!!! Yes, today when I was checking my blog after one month, I realised that after I posted "Breakfast in Photo"(http://niveditaskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/07/breakfast-in-photo.html#links) for Divya's event, I totally forgot to post the recipes for the same.
I am very sorry and in future, I will make it sure, not to repeat the mistake!

My next three postings will be the recipe for the photos.

Now coming to this one, till I was in India, I never heard of Pasta or Macaroni or even Italian food. As I am from small town, and 12 years back, it was not grown up city, we were restricted to local foods and to the maximum, we used to get North Indian food in hotels. And my mom never liked going out to have food, as she always tried most of the foods at home only. So 12 years back, when I went to UAE(Abu Dhabi), first time I saw the pasta packets. I used to wonder, how they can eat these, as they looked like worms to me. (So ignorant I was!!!! ) (Even though I used to eat noodles, and I had seen the pasta recipe photos in the magazines, but when I saw it physically, these looked different,).

Then one day I bought a packet, and thought of trying it. But as I did not know the Italian way, I thought of trying it Indian way, as how we prepare poha!!! And came out this recipe. As the time went, I started trying in different ways to make pasta and I loved it every time. But as this was my first try, I want to share the same recipe here.

And when I checked for pasta recipes in many blogs(After the blogging is born), I came to know that many, prepare it this way only!! I was little disappointed, as I used to think it is my invention!!! How funny!!!

Coming to the recipe,

Pasta - 100 gms(Take any shape, but smaller the size, easy to cook !!)

Onion - 1 big chopped

Tomato - 1 big chopped or

ready tomato paste - 1/4 cup (Available in supermarket)

curry leaves - few

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Ginger - 1 inch, chopped

Red chilly powder - 2 tbsp

Green chilly - 1 chopped

Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Curry powder - 1 tsp

Dhania Powder - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Fresh coriander to garnish

Boil the pasta as per given instructions on the packet. Always add 1 tsp oil when boiling. Drain it and pour cold water. Keep it aside.

Add oil in thick bottomed kadai. When hot, add mustard seeds, jeera, curry leaves and ginger. Saute for a while. Now add green chilly and onion. Let it cook till transparent. Then goes tomato, and all other dry powders except salt. Let it cook till the raw smell of tomato goes. It takes at least 5 minutes. Keep on stirring. Now add salt and boiled pasta. Sprinkle lime juice and add sugar. Mix it properly. Garnish with fresh coriander. Close with the lid and cook for few minutes.

Pasta masala is ready to serve for breakfast or anytime!!!

Wait for my next post for Mix veg poha!

Keep smiling,

My first award !!!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All

Today I am so happy, becoz, I received my first award(s) that too three at a time!!! Thank you so much PJ of (seduceyourtastebuds.blogspot.com). So sweet of you!!

PJ is my first friend in this blog world, with whom I communicated and she has taught me many things. And now she has passed the award to me! Thanks once again PJ.

The rules are: Respond and rework – answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own. Then tag eight or ten other people.

Now coming to the tag and following the rules,

I am answering the following questions, with full honesty!!!

1. What is your current obsession?

Drawing different plans of my house, as I am renovating the whole house. Thinking 24x7 about the same.
2. What are you wearing today?
As usual blue colour sports pant and brown colour top.
3. What’s for dinner?
I am going to prepare Chinese Fried Rice.
4. What’s the last thing you bought?
Fevicol, chart paper, Acrylic colors for my daughter's project work at school.
5. What are you listening to right now?
Now, nothing, as my lil one is sleeping.
6. What do you think about the person who tagged you?
Ohh, she is a wonderful friend, very helping, and a guide. I think she has lot of patience.
7. If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?

Of course in India, provided it should be surrounded by nature, and I should have lot of time for myself and access to easy availability of books.
8. What are your must-have pieces for summer?

Water, Water melon, any comfortable clothes, and power to run the AC or fan!.

9. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
I would love to go to Switzerland, as it is my dream place.
10. Which language do you want to learn?
I would love to learn French, German and language of a baby!!!
11. Who do you want to meet right now?
No one special, want to be alone.
12. What is your favourite colour?
Green, Green and Green.
13. What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet?

Sarees and blouses designed by me!!!
14. What is your dream job?

To be a Counsellor.
15. What’s your favourite quote?
It is simple to be happy, difficult to be simple.
16. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?
Books!!!!
17. Describe your personal style?
Simple
18. What are you going to do after this?
Help my elder daughter in her studies.
19. What are your favourite movies?
Akheela and the bee, Pursuit of Happyness, Ratatouille. Wednsday, Dil to pagal hai, Tarein zameen par, Chak de .....
20. What inspires you?
Books and water
21. Give us three styling tips that always work for you:
a. Don't use more than three colours in your dressing and accessories.
b. Be simple with less make up
c. Carry yourself with grace and be yourself.
22. Coffee or Tea?
Morning coffee by mom, evening I love to have tea.
23. What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed

I will cry if I am alone or Listen to music or dance with my elder daughter.

24. What is the meaning of your name?
One dedicated to service or (God)
25. Which other blogs you love visiting?

According to the information I want, I visit the blogs. But my regular visit is to all my co bloggers on cooking and Kannada blogs.

26. Favorite Dessert/Sweet?
Any sweet!!!

27. Favourite Food???
Anything in the plate!!! really!!!

28. What do you consider to be unethical in blogging?

Copying and sharing the information from other blog Without giving reference of the original link. am I right?

Now, question from me is

If you are given a chance to restart your life, what you want to change in your life?

Now, I am going to tag following wonderful bloggers.
If you have already recieved the awards, take it as a bonus and congratulations.

Divya Vikram from Dil se..

Shama Nagarajan from EASY2COOK RECIPES

Swetha from Swetha's Fusion

shanthi from shanthi krishnakumar's cook book

LG of Taste of Mysore

Padma from Padma's Recipes

EC from easycrafts

Shilpa from Aayi's Recipes

Mangala Bhat from Welcome to Recipes 24x7

Last but not least(As I am not sure, whether I can pass the award to the person

who has given me the award)

PJ from Seduce Your Tastebuds

Keep smiling,

Jowar flour ball(ಜೋಳದ ಮುದ್ದೆ)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Another typical and traditional food of North Karnataka. My grand mother (Father's mother) used to prepare it often. And there was a typical style of her to prepare this. I always loved her food. My grand mother's house had only two rooms. Her bed was in a corner of the kitchen as the kitchen was big. First she used on the stove and keep the vessel and come back and sit on her bed. Again she will go and put oil and come back. Like this till the water starts boiling she used to walk from her bed to the stove.(At least distance of 9 steps was there :-)) And when it was ready, the whole chawl used to fill with the aroma of the food.(Any food prepared by her! had the same effect)

I used to go for tuition's when I was in the school. And while returning, from the road side only I always came to know, what she had prepared today.

I was reading the recipe from Laxmi of 'Taste of Mysore", on Jowar dosa(Jolada Dose / Sorghum Flour Crepes ~ Gluten Free Recipe) and about the mother who has to prepare gluten free food. I immediately recalled this one and thought of sharing with you all.

Now coming to her recipe,

Jowar Flour - 1 cup

Onion - 1 big chopped

Green chilly - 3 to 4 chopped finely or Chilly paste

Curry leaves - few

Salt to taste

Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Warm water - 2 cups

Heat Oil in a thick kadai. Add mustard seeds, jeera and curry leaves. Add onion and saute it till it is transparent. Now add green chilly, tamarind paste, salt. Mix it and let it cook for 2 minutes. Now add warm water and allow it to boil. When it starts boiling, slowly add jowar flour, stirring continuously all the time. Take care not to turn it in to lumps. Check the taste and adjust the salt. Once it is mixed properly, cook it till it becomes thick. Keep on stirring, otherwise it will stick to the bottom.

Eat it hot with sliced onion and pickle. or wait for 5 minutes to make it in to balls(ಮುದ್ದೆ).

I could not wait, as I wanted to eat it hot hot with a green chilly byte.

This traditional recipe of North Karnataka is going to

Shanti's

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: STATE SPECIALS

Keep smiling,

My experiences in India and poll

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Its three months now, I came back to India. I experienced both, good and bad things in these months. I want to share the same with everyone. I was thinking how to write, whether to write good and bad things separate or together. Then I decided, I will write as the things took place.

First, we reached Pune and were there for 40 days. And without doubt, we had very good time with my brother and bhabhi. We went to water park, where I enjoyed swimming for 3 hours. This was first time after almost 15 years I entered swimming pool. We used to go to beach in UAE for swimming, but to swim in the pool is different. Even my both kids enjoyed a lot. The little one was not ready to come out of the water at all!!! And I did lot of shopping for both the girls. I got very cute dresses for them. I enjoyed the food in many restaurants.

Then came the day to move to my place Hubli, and the problem started here. First thing was about servants. Back in UAE, I used to think that its so nice to be in India as we get many servants!!! But they are more in demand than software techies in US Before starting the work, they keep their demands. And the very second day they will start asking for old things. Still I am in search of good maid, who can do the work neat and clean!

The next but very important thing was to get my Internet broad band connection. I don't want to name it as they say it is India's biggest network, I tried calling them for 10 days continuously!!! but no response from them. They went on giving some other new number when ever I called and registered my name for the connection. So I left that and went for another network, and its really good.

And from the same network, I had my Sim card for my cell which I took last year. Now they have blocked my outgoing call. So I paid extra money to get it done, but till now no action from them. Now also I cannot make any call from that number. I think they don't need any more costumers now!!!! Then I took Sim card from other network, its working fine.

In between, we had two marriages in the house, which we all enjoyed to the maximum. I met many relatives after 10 or 12 years! It was really fun. Hey and I took new bike also.

My daughter got adjusted with the school and new friends. And the little one is enjoying to the maximum getting all the attention and pampering. She is totally spoiled now.

I am little bit freed from the kitchen, as we have one old lady from past 7 years with mom, who helps in the kitchen. She is really caring, loving and helpful.

Now coming to the problems, once in 6 days we get drinking water from corporation. No need to say, even that is not clean water!!!

Then the problem is about the power cut. For three months, there was load shedding for 8 to 10 hours. We could not sleep during the nights. So the round mosquito net were fixed on the beds. Now it is fine, and as it is raining, the power cut is also less.

Finally, we are getting adjusted with the circumstances and started enjoying the life with all the bad things accepting as they are and trying to improvise things where ever we can.

But, with all the negatives, the main thing is I feel secured and so peaceful in India. I feel so happy when I see around. I feel so happy, when I hear the bus and auto rickshaw sound. I feel so happy, when I see my kids playing with other kids in the ground opposite to our house. I feel independent. I feel so happy when I see my mother playing with my daughters and enjoying the fun.

I have many plans in my mind, which I always thought about, when I was in UAE. Hope I will start bringing them in to action.

Now, my question for the poll of this month is for all NRI's (Non Resident Indians) or for those who are away from their native place(I was also for 11 years!):

With all the good and bad things, with less comforts, will you be happy to come back and settle down in India???

I know, this question is not easy to answer, but please think and vote with full honesty.

Go to Poll and vote!!!

Waiting for more responses, as, many of you are living out of India.

Keep smiling,

WaterMelon Watermelon!!!!!!!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

In summer, when you come home after long sunny day, if you see a glass of red color juice topped with ice cubes!!! How will you feel???

That is the wonder of Watermelon. A crunchy and tasty fruit, you will enjoy in any season, either as a bite or a sip.

From the sources(Watermelon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), it is said that, watermelons were being cultivated in China, which is today the world's single largest watermelon producer.

Water Melon is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=31).

It is also in debate that whether watermelon is a fruit or vegetable?? For me it is both, that too after checking the recipe(Taste of NorthIndia) by Sangi of simplydelicious. It is really very innovative recipe.

I love to have it in any form, crunchy bites removed from the fridge, a whole big glass of juice topped with ice cubes and seasoned with salt and pepper, in salad or dosa prepared with its skin. Yes!! dosas prepared using the skin of the watermelon tastes very good. Give it a try. Just add the peeled skin with soaked rice which you make for normal dosas.

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,

Aloo Pattice

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

My father used to love this! He was a great cook, and always tried new recipes in the kitchen. This was one of his favourite, he used to prepare for guests. This is from my mother. It tastes more delicious when she prepares it. A good snack for kids. They will love to eat with sauce or ketchup.

Main ingredient for this is, a green leafy vegetable called Kiraksali in Kannada. It is very common in North Karnataka. We usually just stir fry it with lot of onion and garlic. It tastes great with Jowar rotti.

Please help me to get the English name for this. I did lot of searching, but I could not get the name for this in English.

In Harsha Bennur's blog (http://girmitt.wordpress.com/2008/07/25/roasted-kirkasaali-tandulsa/), he has given the name as Tandulsa, I do not know which language it is.

You can substitute with Rajgiri leaves or methi leaves, but I am not sure about the taste.

Here is the recipe,

Potato -4 big

Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Kiraksali - 3 bunch(Washed, cleaned and finely chopped)

Green Pea(fresh or frozen) - 1/2 cup

Green chilly - 3 small chopped

Curry leaves - few chopped

Raisins - 8 to 10

Cashew nuts - 8 to 10 cut into pieces (optional)

Khus khus(poppy seeds) - 2 tbsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Dalda or Vanaspati - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Rice flour to dust the pattice

Oil to fry the pattice

Boil the potatoes. When cool, mash it. Add little salt (1 tsp) and haldi, mix it properly and keep it aside.

Heat oil and vanaspati in kadai, add curry leaves, peas (if frozen, keep it out of the fridge for 10 minutes before using it), green chilly. Saute it for a minute, now add raisins, cashew nuts and poppy seeds. After a minute add kiraksali. Add salt and haldi. Mix it and let it cook till the green leaves are cooked. Now add lime juice and mix it and keep it aside.

Next step is to make pattice and fry them in oil.

Make equal size(Big lemon size) of mashed potato. Take one, and press it on your palm to make it flat. Stuff it with ready leafy vegetable. Take care to cover full vegetable with potato. Otherwise all the masala will come out while frying. Do for all the potato balls. Dust the ready balls with rice flour.

Now, heat the oil in kadai. When hot, fry the pattice one by one till golden color.

4 to 6 pattice can be prepared with this quantity.

Aloo Pattice is ready to serve with Ketchup or Sauce.
Linking it to
http://sindhirasoi.com/link/potato/

Keep smiling,

Beetroot Salad

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Beet root is very good for health. It is having many health benefits. When I was browsing about the beet root, I came through this web site, which gives detailed benefits (http://www.ayushveda.com/womens-magazine/benefits-of-beet-root/).

My elder daughter loves to eat it with every meal. So I keep on trying to make different recipes with this.

My daughter loves to eat only with salt also.

Here is the recipe, which when I make it vanishes from the plate just like that.

Beet root -2 boiled

Oil -1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing- a pinch

Curry leaves - few

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Chilly powder - 1 tsp(Optional)

Salt to taste

Amchur powder - 1/2 tsp

or

Lime juice - 1/2 tsp

Remove the skin on boiled beet root. Cut in to desired shapes. Thin round pieces will be good, as it is easy to spread other ingredients. Spread the pieces in a plate.

Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds. When they are done, add urad dal. still it till it becomes slightly golden color. Now add all other ingredients. Put evenly on the beetroot plate.

Serve as a salad with your main meals. Or you can serve as a starter.
Sending it to

Priya's Healing Foods - Beetroot Event Guest Hosting
(Linking it to  Siri's Healing foods main page)

Keep smiling,

Wish you all a very HAPPY NAGA PANCHAMI

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

Naga Panchami is a very big festival in North Karnataka specially for women. Main food for this festival is to make varieties of Laddoos (we call "oondi" in Kannada). We prepare laddoos of peanut, sev, til, besan, rava, dalia powder and Jaggery. Enjoy the laddoos in the photo. I am going to have it now!!!!

WISHING ALL OF YOU A VERY HAPPY NAGA PANCHAMI

ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ನಾಗ ಪಂಚಮಿಯ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು

Keep smiling,

Puffed Rice masala(ಚುರುಮರಿ ಸುಸಲಾ )

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

In North Karnataka, Puffed rice or kurmura is very common. One can find it in every one's house. Now also, people with big jute bag come home to sell it. Every week they come shouting "churumarieeeeee", and we will be waiting with the big tin.

It is prepared in many ways and served with evening tea. It is always ready snack in any season. It accompanies many side snacks and sweets. I call it Apathbandhava (as it saves me when I have unexpected guests in the evening). In North Karnataka, we make a dish called Girmitt from this, and it is very famous. You will get it on the road side tea stalls with hot fried Mirchi( Green chilly bhaji). But be careful, if you are eating on the road side, as it is not good for health.

Here is the recipe,

(In Kannada,we call it as Churumari susala(ಚುರುಮರಿ ಸುಸಲಾ )).

Puffed rice(Kurmura) - 1 big bowl

Onion - 1 big chopped

Curry leaves - 1 line

Green chilly - 2 to 3 chopped

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Peanut - 10 to 15(optional)

Oil - 1/4 cup or less if you are health conscious

Lime juice - 1 tbsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Haldi - a pinch

Dalia (coarse) powder(roasted split Channa) - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Fresh coriander chopped - handful

Soak the puffed rice in water for few minutes. Remove it by squeezing the water and transfer in to a plate.

Heat the oil in kadai, add mustard seeds, when they start popping, add jeera and peanuts. When peanuts are little brown add curry leaves, onion and green chilly. Cook it till onion is brown. Off the heat. Add Salt, haldi and sugar. Finally add dalia powder and mix it properly. Wait till it is warm and add soaked puffed rice. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Puffed rice masala is ready to serve with banana, onion pakora, murukku(Chakli), or any dry sweet.

A perfect evening snack with a hot cup of tea.

Keep smiling,