Karela / Bitter Gourd Fried Rice

Back to blogging  after a  very long time.

I wanted to do something very easy and very different for lunch, so, i started to google for some karela rice recipes. I came across this wonderful and easy recipe for Karela Fried Rice in a blog and decided to make it. It came out awesome. So i decided to share it with you all.

Ingredients:

• Karela / Bitter Gourd : 3 medium sized (Thinly Sliced)
• Garlic : 3 pods ( Finely Chopped)
• Capsicum : 1  medium sized (Finely Sliced)
• Carrots : 2 (Thinly Sliced)
• Basmati Rice : 2 Cups
• Sugar : 1/4 tsp
• Salt : As required
• Soy Sauce : 1 Tbsp
• Chilli sauce : 1 tsp
• Pepper powder : As required
• Oil : As required

Method:

1. Cook the Basmati rice separately.
2. Heat some oil in a kadai or wok, and fry the chopped garlic. Then throw in the Capsicum and Carrots and fry them a bit.
3. Add the sliced Bitter Gourd and fry them till they are done. ( Close the pan a little while to let the karela cook)
4. Then add salt, sugar, and the sauces and saute for a while.
5. Add the cooked rice and mix them well. Add the Pepper powder and mix well.

Tasty, yummy , Karela fried rice is ready. Garnish with Spring onions. Serve hot.
If  you want add some Hot Sauce before serving.

Easy Gobi Manchurian!!!

Gobi Manchurian is one of my favorite dishes. Manchurian is basically a Chinese dish.
Gobi Manchurian / Cauliflower Manchurian made dry / with gravy, makes a great snack.

This is not the traditional method where you fry the Gobi. I tried it without frying the Gobi and it turned out just fine.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower : 1
• Onion : 1 (medium)
• Garlic : 1 -2 pods
• Ginger : 2" piece
• Green Chili : 2-3
• Capsicum : 1
• Soy sauce : 1 Tbsp
• Chili sauce : 1 Tsp
• Tomato sauce : 1 Tbsp
• Salt : As required
• Sugar : A pinch or two
• Oil : 2 Tbsp
• Corn flour : 1 Tsp
• Spring onions : 2-3 Shallots
• Coriander leaves : For garnishing

Method:

1. Wash and cut the Cauliflower into florets and soak them in water with a pinch of salt.
2. Chop onion, green chili,garlic, ginger . Wash and cut capsicum into small cubes or thin,long slices.
3. In a pan heat oil and add the onions, green chili, garlic and ginger. Saute them until the raw smell goes and the onion turns slightly brown.
4. Add the cauliflower florets and the capsicum, and add a little salt. Cover the pan and stir occasionally.
5. After the Gobi and capsicum are cooked, add the sauces ,salt & sugar, and mix well.
6. Mix the corn flour with a little water and add it to the Gobi mix. 
7. Garnish with Spring onions and Coriander leaves.

Enjoy!!! 

Chick peas Sundal!!

Its Navarathri time!!!!!
Back in India there would be colorful Golus in most houses. Themed Golus have become very common in the recent years.
Navarathri is full of colorful rangolis, serial lights, music, pretty dolls, pavadais, and SUNDALS.
All 9 days of Navarathri there are different sundals for prasadam in almost every household.

Due to the request of a friend, I started to write the recipe for Chick peas/ Chenna/ Kondai kadalai Sundal.

Ingredients:

• Chick peas : 1 Cup (Soaked overnight)
• Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
• Urad Dal : 1 tsp
• Curry leaves : 6-8
• Ginger : 1 inch ( finely chopped)
• Red Chilli : 3-4
• Coconut : 2-3 Tbsp (shredded)
• Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
• Salt : As Required
• Oil : 1 tsp

Method:

1. Pressure cook the soaked chick peas with enough water and salt. Add turmeric powder to get a inviting color.Make sure the chenna is well cooked but not mushy. Drain after it is done.
2. In a pan, heat the oil and add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add urad dal and after it turns brown add red chilli, curry leaves and ginger.  
3. Add the cooked chick peas and saute for a 3 minutes. 
4. Finally add the scrapped coconut and saute for a minute and take it off the heat.

Enjoy the yummy Chick peas sundal. 

Bread Uthappam!!

Bread Uthappam is one of the easiest snack or tiffin that you can make. It is great for a evening snack or morning breakfast.

Ingredients:

• Bread : 4-5 slices
• Rava / Sooji : 1/2 cup
• Yogurt / Curd : 1/2 Cup
• Onion : 1/2 (finely chopped)
• Capsicum : 1/4 (finely chopped)
• Green Chilli : 2-3 ( or as per taste)
• Salt : As required
• Oil / Ghee : To toast

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients together ( except bread and oil) and stir it into a thick dosai batter. Add little water if necessary and keep it aside for 10 mins.
2. Spread a spoonful of  batter ,nice and even, on one side of the bread. 
3. Heat a tava and place the bread, batter side up, on it. Spread a liitle oil / ghee on the sides of the bread, like you would for a dosai.
4. When the plain side is toasted, carefully flip the bread. 
5. When the batter is cooked and turn slightly brown. take the bread out. Repeat for the other slices too.

Your bread uthappam is ready. You can serve it with tomato sauce or green chutney.

Instant Kunuku!!!

Kunuku is a yummy snack, common in Tamilnadu. It is generally made of left-over adai maavu ( Dal Dosai Batter). It's a great snack for a rainy day.

But, this is a recipe for INSTANT KUNUKU, as we dont always have left-over adai maavu handy.
You can prepare this kunuku within minutes.

Ingredients:

• Rice Flour : 1 cup
• Besan/ Gram Flour : 1 cup
• Sooji / Rava : 1/2 cup
• Yogurt / Sour Curd : 1/4 Cup
• Onion : 1 (Chopped)
• Green chillies : 4-5  Chopped (adjust according to your spice level)
• Chilli powder : 1/2 Tsp
• Salt : As required
• Oil : For Frying

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredinets together ,except oil, with water and make it into a thick batter. ( Not as thick as pakoda batter, but a bit thicker than Bhajji batter).
2. Heat oil in a kadai on medium flame. Drop a dollop of batter in the oil and fry them. Fry 5-6 Kunukus at a time.
3. Take them out when are crispy and golden brown.

Kunuku is best had with tomato sauce or even with coconut chutney.

Enjoy!!!!

Eggless Banana Almond Cake

Cakes.. Who doesn't like cakes, especially when they are so easy to make @ home.
Initially my Mom-in-law taught me to bake cakes and i  started to try out different combinations on my own.

When it comes to cakes, Banana is one of the common flavors (next to vanilla and chocolate!!!).

Ingredients:

• Maida / All purpose flour : 2 cups
• Sugar (Powdered) : 1 cup ( You can also sugarfree. If so, use 3/4 cup)
• Baking powder : 2 Tsp
• Baking soda : 1/2 tsp
• Banana : 2
• Cardamom powder : 1/2 tsp
• Almonds : 10 
• Vanilla essence : 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Refined Oil/ Vegetable oil : 3/4 cup ( I used Almond oil for the extra taste!!!)
• Milk : 1 cup

Method:

1. Soak the almonds in water for a few mins and peel the skin off. Chop them into little pieces or halves, if you want bite size almonds in your cake.
2. Mash the bananas well. I grind them to make a paste.
3. Sift the Flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar together using a sieve. 
4. Add cardamom powder,vanilla essence and almonds to the flour and mix well.
5. Now add mashed banana, oil and milk and mix well.
6. Preheat oven to 345 F or 180 C.
7. Grease a cake pan with butter and pour the cake mix into the pan.
8. Bake for 20-30 mins. Check the cake using a clean toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, then your cake is ready. If not, bake it for a few more mins. 

 Decorate your cake with icing of your choice. 

Enjoy!!!

Green and heavy!!

Dark Green Stones with 3 Antiqued silver balls.