Kerala Parotta and Veg Kurma

When we want to make something different and yet you know it is time consuming, you make your mind to try this. Kerala Parotta with Vegetable Kurma is a common combination starting from local mess to the decent hotels in most of South India.

Kerala Parotta

Ingredients

• Maida - 2 cups
• Salt - for taste
• Vegetable Oil - 1 tbsp
• Water - 2 cups - Luke warm  

1. Mix the above ingredients and start kneading well into a dough by adding warm water little by little and make it feel soft and elastic.
2. You should continuously and vigorously knead the dough for 10 minutes so that the parotta will come out well.
3. Cover it with a wet cloth and keep aside for one hour.
4. Divide them into equal sizes of balls, around 5-6 nos will come in a small 2 cup maida.
5. Take one of them and apply some oil and use a rolling pin and make it flat as big and thin as possible.
6. Then roll it from one side and make it resemble a pipe and start rolling the pipe from one side to make it coil. I was so involved in trying and did not take any pictures but I shall post then as soon as I try it again. Apply oil when ever it become to roll.
7.  Once the coil shaped dough is done, make them flat that resembles a layered parotha.
8. Cook it on a tawa with some oil and serve.

Vegetable Kurma

Ingredients 

• Onion - 1 no 
• Tomato - 1 no
• Green chilly - 3-4 nos(Some substitute chilly powder instead - 1 tsp)
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Cardamom - 2 nos
• Cloves - 2-3nos
• Cinnamom -2nos
• Poppy seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Coconut - 1/2 cup

Grind the above all into a fine paste.

• Vegetables like Peas, potato, carrot, beans - Cut into small cubes
• Oil
• Jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves to garnish

1. Add oil in a cooker and after it turns hot add some jeera. After the jeera spurts, add the ground paste into it and mix well
2. Let the mixture cook till the oil starts to leave.
3. Then add the vegetables and stir well and add 1-2 cups of water and salt.
4.  Close the pressure cooker and let it cook till 2-3 whistles.
5. After cooker is cool, open and stir well and add coriander on top to garnish and kurma is ready to serve. 

This is the easiest way to make kurma which my mom makes and it is easy and really quick. And since I had only Peas and potato, I have added only them.

Kozhakattai - All time favourite

Everyday we start to think what we will make today and the thought haunts every housewife. Especially when you are bored of the routine. Thats when my mom's yummy Kozhakattai came to my mind and I always wanted to make it like her at least once taste wise as texture always appears good. This time I almost got it just that the salt was bit less and my hubby was so happy that he posted it on FB.

Easy way to make Kozhukattai

• Idli Rice - 2 cups 
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Chana Dal - 1tsp
• Urud Dal(split) - 1tsp
• Dry Red Chilly - 2 nos
• Green Chillies - 2-3 nos
• Coconut shredded - 1 cup
• Curry leaves
• Salt to taste

1. Wash and soak the idli rice for about 2-3 hours.
2. Grind coarsely in such a way that it is not smooth as we grind for idli.
3. Add oil to the pan and add the mustard and let it pop out.
4. Once the mustard has popped out add all the other spices and fry well till they are light brown in color.
5. Then add the coconut and fry well for 1 min in medium heat.
6. Finally add the ground batter and salt and stir well till it becomes soft and starts to solidify.  Stir well until it is soft enough to make some balls  round or oval in size. Remove from heat.
7. Make small balls out of this and steam well in a idli cooker.
8. Now Kozhakattai is ready for eating with nice onion chutney.

My first dish from Sri's Kitchen - Spicy Bean Stuffed Peppers

It so happened that this recipe stuck my mind when I was wondering what to do with the whole packet of peppers (10-12nos) which I bought this week end from Produce Junction (our veges store in Philly). Thanks to my hubby who also suggested the same and gave me a go-ahead to start my experiment.

So I decided to try out this dish but with some desi touch. Anyhow the dish came out very well finally so thought will start my blog with this.

Ingredigents

2 peppers- any kind you’d like

1/2 medium sized onion, diced

1' ginger, minced

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp Garlic/Ginger Paste

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1, 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup water

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam masala 

1/2 cup of cooked Rice

Cheese shredded

Start Cooking:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut a slit through the top of each of your peppers and remove the seeds.
2. Heat oil in a small saucepan set over medium heat and add some cumin and let it pop out. Add your onion and saute for 3 minutes, until beginning to soften and turn translucent.
3. Add garlic/ginger paste and the minced ginger and stir constantly for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
4. Add the tomato puree and let it mix thoroughly until oil leaves the mixture
5. Stir in your black beans along with the water.
6. Add your spices mentioned above. Stir, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer the beans for at least 15 minutes, or till cooked well and becomes a thick curry with less water.
7. Divide the cooked rice and bean mixture evenly among the two peppers after adding some cooked rice first and finally top up with cheese.
8. Bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
9. Serve with garlic bread or some sour cream