Poori Masala Restaurant Style

Poori Masala is an all time favourite. There is no particular time to have poori masala. This is the recipe for the side dish served along with Poori in restaurants.

Method: 

• Heat 4 teaspoon ghee and 2 teaspoon oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, split chickpeas and split black gram. 
• Add chopped onions, tomatoes, green chillies, ginger and stir well. 
• Add turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt. Sauté till oil separates. 
• Add the potato mix into this and add one and a half cup of water. Stir well and cook on low flame. 
• The final product must not be too thick or too watery. 
• Serve hot with pooris. 
• The curry has the tendency to thicken when cold. Use adequate boiling water to get the required consistency before serving. 

Ingredients A : 

Potatoes - 2 large ones boiled and mashed 

Cashew nuts - 10 nos.  Soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes and ground to a paste. 

Chick pea flour (besan) - 3 tablespoons mixed in half cup of water without lumps. 

• Mix all the above ingredients well and set aside for half an hour. 

Ingredients B: 

Onion - 1 big Chopped 

Tomato - 1 big Chopped

Green chilly - 2 or 3  Cut each into 2or 3 pieces

Ginger - 1"piece chopped finely 

Chilly powder - 2 teaspoons

Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon 

Salt

Water - 11/2 - 2 cups

For Seasoning: 

Ghee (clarified butter) - 4 teaspoons 

Oil - 2 teaspoons 

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon 

Split chick pea ( channa dal) - 1 teaspoon 

Split black gram ( urad dal ) - 1 teaspoon

Tawa Mushroom

Mushrooms are a storehouse of essential nutrients. They increase the level of Vitamin D in our body. Mushrooms are low-sodium, low -calorie, cholesterol-free, fat-free and gluten free. They are a good source of protein and dietary fibre. Also provides Vitamin C, folate, iron, zinc etc etc. Contains  potassium. List doesn't end.

Always take care to buy organically grown mushrooms.

Method:

• Heat oil in a tawa. Add cumin seeds. When i starts crackling add ginger-garlic paste, chopped onions. Stir fry for 2 minutes. 
• Add pureed tomatoes to the fried onion and mix well. 
• Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder. Sauté till the raw smell of tomato is no more. 
• Add salt. Continue cooking till the gravy thickens.
• Add mushrooms, stir and cook for 5 minutes, in low flame. Do not overcook.The mushrooms should be crunchy. 
• Add capsicum pieces and toss and cook for a minute. 
• Add the freshly crushed black pepper, kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves ) and coriander (cilantro) leaves. Toss around and remove from fire. 

Ingredients: 

• Mushroom ( Cleaned and each cut into 2 or 3 pieces ) - 2 cups 
• Capsicum ( cut into 1 inch squares ) -1/2 cup 
• Onion chopped - 1/3 cup 
• Tomato pureed 1/2 cup 
• ginger-garlic paste - 1 to 2 tablespoons 
• Red chilly powder - 1 teaspoon 
• Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon 
• Cumin powder (Roasted and crushed) -1/2 teaspoon 
• Black pepper (Freshly crushed ) -1/2 teaspoon 
• Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon 
• Kasuri Methi - 1 teaspoon 
• Coriander leaves chopped - 1 tablespoon 
• Oil - 1 teaspoon (if needed)
• Salt 

To Temper :  

Oil - 11/2 Tablespoon 

Cumin - 1 teaspoon 

Note: I used 200 gram mushroom. 

This is an adaptation of Sharmi's recipe.

Gothsu

Gothsu is a side dish served along with idli. It is popular in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Tamil Nadu. It looks and tastes like sambar. A sambar sans lentil /dal. 


Method

• In a pressure cooker heat oil. Add the cumin seeds and mustard. When it start spluttering, add the chopped onion, tomatoes and the slit green chillys. Sauté well, till oil comes out. 
• Add the sambar powder and stir well. 
• Add tamarind juice. 
• Add the cubed potatoes and tamarind. 
• Add a cup of water. Close the lid and cook. After 5 whistles remove from flame. 
• Wait till all the pressure is released. Open , add salt to taste. Adjust the consistency of Gothsu. If very thick add boiled water to thin.
• Serve hot with idli. 

Ingredients: 

Tomato - 2 big 

Onion - 1 big 

Green chilly - 4 -5  

Brinjal - 2 big 

Potato - 1 medium 
Oil - 1 - 2 table spoons

Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon 

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon 

Sambar Powder - 1 - 11/2 tablespoon 

Tamarind juice ( thick) - 4 teaspoons 
Water 1 - 11/2 cups

Salt to taste 

Okra / Lady's Finger Aviyal

Okra is a popular vegetable rich in dietary fiber. It contains Vitamin A, C, K and antioxidants. It is a good source of folates. It is low in calories. Helps in controlling cholesterol. 

Okra fry / Bhindi fry is a popular side dish. Bhindi raita is also  popular in Kerala. But an Avial made of okra was new to me. It was my friend Mrs. Latha Nair, who introduced me to this dish. As she promised the dish turned out to be very tasty. 

Preparation: 

• Wash and pat dry the okra. Cut off both ends. Cut into one and a half inch pieces. Slice each piece into four, lengthwise. Slice the onion lengthwise and slit the green chilly. 
• Grind coarsely, the grated coconut, garlic, turmeric powder, chilly powder.
• Heat coconut oil. Add the okra and sauté for a minute, then add onion, green chilly and curry leaves. Sauté. Stir continuously on medium flame until the gooeyness of the okra disappears. Do not brown. 
• Add the coconut mix , lower the flame. Add salt . Mix. Cover and cook till the water content disappears. 
• Serve hot with rice. 

Ingredients:

Okra / Lady's finger - 12 - 15 nos. 

Onion - 1/2 of a medium sized one 

Green Chilly - 3 nos. 

Curry leaves - a few 

Coconut oil - 1 - 2 tablespoons 

Coconut grated - 1/2 cup 

Garlic - 2 nos 

Cumin - 1 pinch 

Turmeric powder  -1/4 teaspoon 

Red chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon 

Salt 

Onion Chutney

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan. Add asafeotida, dry red chillies and stir for a minute. Then add ginger, curry leaves and onions. Saute till the onions turn golden brown. Add tamarind. Remove from flame. cool.
• When cool grind into a coarse paste. Do not add water. Add salt to taste. Serve along with idli or dosa, or rice. 

Ingredients:

Onion  - 2 nos. sliced 

Ginger - 1 teaspoon chopped 

Tamarind - 1 small piece 

Dry red chilli - 5 nos 

Asafeotida - 1 pinch 

Curry leaves - 1 sprig 

Oil - 2 tablespoons 

Salt

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Cashew Nut Fudge

Cashew nuts are known as "Caju"in portugese. This nut was spread across the world by the portugese. A handful of cashew nuts a day is beneficial to health. It can prevent heart disease, stroke and cancer. It can improve your lipid profile.

Preparation: 

• Melt sugar adding very little water. Let it get to one string consistency. 
• Add all the other ingredients into the sugar syrup. Mix thoroughly. 
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then roll it out, on a ghee smeared surface, to quarter inch thickness.  Leave it for an hour. Then cut into pieces. 
• Apply edible silver paper on the pieces. 

Ingredients: 

Cashew nuts powdered - 1 kilogram 

Sugar - 400 grams 

Cardamom powder - 1 teaspoon 

Ghee - 2 teaspoon 

Note: Prepare with smaller quantities. For example 200 grams cashew nuts and 80 grams sugar. 

                                                                                                                                       courtesy Vanitha.

Paneer Tikka

Tikka is served as an appetizer. It belongs mainly to the Punjabi Cuisine. 

Preparation: 

• Make a marinade with hung curd / sour cream, turmeric powder, chilly powder, black pepper powder, garam masala powder, chaat masala powder, salt, ajwain, lime juice and oil. 
• Cut the paneer into cubes. Also cut the vegetables into similar sized cubes.
• Add the paneer cubes into the marinade. Carefully mariate all the paneer pieces. Remove the marinated pieces into another vessel. To the remaining marinade add the vegetable pieces and mix well.
• Refrigerate the marinated paneer and vegetable pieces for 2 hours. 
• Take a skewer and thread the vegetables and paneer into it. Do not thread all the pieces into one skewer. Fill only the middle portion of the skewer. 
• Bake at 250 degree centigrade for 15 - 18 minutes or remove immediately when the edges of the paneer pieces starts browning.  OR  Smear a flat tawa with oil, Heat it, place the skewers on the tawa and cook. Rotate it every 30 seconds, until the edges of the paneer pieces start browning. 
• Serve hot garnished with chaat masala and lime juice. 
• Mint chutney can be used as a dip for Paneer Tikka. But not necessary.

Ingredients: 

Cottage cheese / Paneer - 200 grams 

Tomato (deseeded) - 1/2 of a tomato 

Capsicum (deseeded) - 1/2 of a capsicum 

Onion - 1

Hung Curd / Sour Cream - 3 table spoons

Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon 

Chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon 

Fresh Black Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon 

Chaat Masala - 1/2 teaspoon 

Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon 

Ajwain  - 1/4 teaspoon 

Salt to taste 

Lime Juice - 1/2 of a lime 

Oil - 1 table spoon 

Aaloo Bhujia Chaat

Any savory snack can be referred to as chaat. Chaat had its origin in UP, India. Now popular in most South Asian Countries. It is available in road-side stalls / Chaat Bandaars as well as star hotels.

Preparation:

Chop the tomatoes, Onion, green chilly and the cooked potato. Transfer to a bowl. Add chaat masala and toss well. Add a few drops of lime juice and toss once more. Finally add the sev. Throw in a few coriander leaves. Toss and serve immediately. Squeeze in a little more fresh lime juice. Enjoy.

Ingredients: 

Cooked potato - 1/2 medium potato
Tomato - 1/2 big tomato
Onion - 1/2 medium onion
Green chilly - 1/2 of one 
Chaat masala - 1 teaspoon 
Lime juice - 1/2 teaspoon
Aaloo bujia Sev - 1/2 cup
Fresh Coriander leaves - a few

Chocolate Milk Shake

Today i thought of making something cool and easy. A Bournville fruit and nut Chocolate, with 50% cocoa, had been lying in the refrigerator for long. Why don't i make use of it? 

Preparation:

• Broke off a 30 gram piece from the 80 gram chocolate bar. Broke that piece into smaller pieces, and poured hot milk over it. Added some more sugar and stirred until the chocolate and sugar were dissolved. Then passed through the sieve. Removed the fruits and nuts. Left the chocolate milk in the refrigerator for almost an hour. 
• Took out the cooled chocolate milk, whipped it for a minute and poured into a tall glass. topped it with 2 scoops of vanilla ice-cream and garnished with Hershy's syrup.  
• It was so yum. 

Ingredients: 

Milk - 1 1/4 cups

Chocolate - 20 grams 

Sugar - 1/8 cup 

Vanilla ice cream - 2 large scoops 

Hershy's syrup - 1 teaspoon