Eggplant / Brijal / Vangi Raita

This is one the most loved raita at my home. It take little work but at the end it so delicious. This is inspired by one of our routine side dish kaap. (fried eggplant).

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Brinjals (used small purple colored)
• 2 cups Curds (well beaten )
• Oil for deep frying
• Few pinch of Red chili powder
• Few pinch of Cumin powder
• Few coriander leaves (chopped)
• Salt to taste.

Method:

      Beat the curd well and keep it a side. Heat the oil for deep frying. Cut the brinjal into thin circles and  deep fry them till they turn light brwon color. Let them sit for while on paper towel.

Add these fried brijal to beaten curd. Sprinkle red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander leaves. Add salt and mix everything well .

Serve with Gobi ke Parate.

Notes:

• Before frying brijal, place them on  paper towel and press them from both the side so the water from brijal will be absorbed.
• Keep Brijal @ room temperature before frying.

Lima Bean Salad

Its summer and everyone want to eat light meal..This salad is filling and healthy too.

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup Lima/ Fava Beans (used baby lima beans)
• 1/4 cup Cahewnuts
• 1/4 cup Mint leaves (chopped)
• 1/4 cup Spinach leaves(chopped)
• 1 tsp Cumin seed
• 2-3 Garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• Black pepper & Salt as per taste.

Method:

In a mixie add mint, cashew nuts, garlic, mint, spinach leaves, salt and pepper, olive oil , cumin seeds and make fine paste. In a blow take lima beans, add above made paste and mix it well. Drizzle some olive oil before serving...


Serve immediately.

Note:

• Used frozen / ready to use baby Lima beans (@ room temperature). Can cook these for 5-8 minutes or as per instruction on the packet. 
• If using dried beans , soak and cook them till they are tender but not too mushy.
• If they are cooked then cool them completely.
• While grinding, if the paste is  dry then add olive oil. Do not add water.

Lima Bean Salad goes to Preeti's Green Gourmet Event.

Happy Ugadi & Ramnavmi

Wish you a very happy Ugadi and Ramvanmi..I want to post Ugadi dishes  long back but some how couldn't post it. Ugadi dishes includes Shevgi Payasa (vermicelli sweet), Manvinkai Anna (Mango Rice), Koshmbri (salad).

Here I am writing the very famous salad that is koshmbri. Mango rice you can find here.
Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup Moong dal (soaked for 5-6 hrs)
• 1 Carrot (shredded)
• 1 Onion (chopped)
• 1-2 green Chilies (chopped)
• Few Coriander leaves (chopped)
• Lemon and Salt as per taste.

Mix all the above ingredients and give tempering with following ingredients.
 For Tempering / Tadaka:

• Oil,
• Mustard seeds, 
• Hing.

Ramnavami dishes are very simple they are Chow- Chow Bath ..means Upama & Sheera (sooji halwa)

 Sooji Halwa/ Sheera
Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rava/ Sooji
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Cardamom (powder)
• Few Raisins
• 1/4 cup Milk (hot)
• 2-3 Tbsp Ghee
• Water as required (hot)

Method:
       In non stick pan pour ghee and roast rava on medium heat till you get nice aroma. Add sugar and mix for few minutes. Add hot milk and water, raisin and stir it well. (no lumps) Cook for few minutes and turn off the heat cover it and let it cook its steam.

Serve hot...

Upama/ Upittu
Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rava
• 1Onion (chopped)
• 2-3 green Chilies (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp Urad Dal
• 1/4 tsp Split chickpeas
• A pinch Hing
• 1/4 Sugar (optional)
• Few Curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Method:
       Roast the rava with little oil till nice aroma and keep it a side. Heat the pan with oil add mustard , cumin seeds, hing, curry leaves, urad dal, split chickpeas and allow them to splutter. Add onion and fry till they get tender. Add water (as required), add sugar, salt and bring to boil. Once water is boiling add roasted rava and stir contentiously to avoid lumps. Once it starts thicken then turn off the heat.

Serve hot.

Tomato Raita

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Curd/ Yogurt
• 2 Tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 Onion (chopped)
• 1-2 Green chilies (chopped)
• ¼ cup Coriander leaves
• ½ tsp Cumin powder
• ½ tsp Coriander powder
• ¼ tsp Chat masala (optional)
• Salt t taste.

Method: In a bowl first beat the yogurt well (can add little water if yogurt is thick).Add chopped tomatoes, onion, green chilies, coriander leaves, cumin powder, coriander powder, chat masala and mix it well. Add salt before serving.

Serve with Spinach Rice.

Radish salad

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Radish (muli) (cut into bite size)
• 1 cup Radish Leaves (leaves attached to radish)
• ½ cup Onion (chopped)
• 1 Tomato ( chopped)
• ½ tsp Red chili powder
• Salt to taste.

Method: In a bowl add all the ingredients and mix it well.

Serve cold with Rotti/ Chapati

Bundi Raita

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Bundi (store bought)



• 1 1/2 cup Yogurt



• 1/2 tsp Red Chili powder



• 1/2 Cumin powder



• Salt to taste



• Coriander leaves (chopped)

Method:

Soak the dry bundi into a luke warm water for 10-12 minutes (or till tey get soft). Beat the yogurt in the bowl. Add soaked bundi , chili powder, cumin powder,salt and mix it well. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve cold with Parata / Chapati.