Showing posts with label AROMA HUT - RECIPES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AROMA HUT - RECIPES. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Andhra Style Pappu Kura - Tomato Dal

The beauty of Indian cooking is that even the vegetarian dishes from each region has a unique and addictive taste.I am and have always been a great fan of Andhra Style Dal. I remember when we used to go to Telugu Restaurants in Jacksonville, Dal was always a separate part of the buffet lunch or dinner.Typically the dal is eaten with rice and a crunchy snack like pakoras. Since then, I became a seasoned cook and tried many recipes, but the perfect tasting Dal which I ate at those restaurants always eluded me.After many years of trial, I have got the secret recipe to make this amazing finger licking Dal. I will give to you the most simple and tastiest Tomato Dal recipe I  have ever tried.Thanks to my close friend Sireesha Bangalore for generously sharing the recipe with the exact measures of ingredients.Whenever I make this Dal, I feel grateful for our friendship and remember Sireesha.

This is very easy and fast.It does not require any special preparations and always yields fantastic results.It can be made in a jiffy if you have the Hawkins or a similar pressure cooker.I have the Hawkins small pressure cooker which I always use to make this dish.




Ingredients:

Toor Dal: 1 cup
Water: 2 cups
Tomatoes: 2-3 big
Onion: 1 Medium sized
Garlic: 3 cloves
Fenugreek Seeds( Methi) - 1 Teaspoon
Chilli Powder: 1 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder: A pinch
Tamarind: a small cherry sized piece
Green chillies - 1-2 ( Optional)
Salt: 1 Teaspoon or per taste
Coriander Leaves - A small bunch finely chopped for garnishing



Seasoning:
Ghee: 1-2 Teaspoon
Mustard: 1 Teaspoon
Red Chilli: 1 (Optional)
Jeera: 1 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves: 1 Sprig

Method: 

1.Soak the Toor Dal for 1 hour.
2.Finely chop the onion,tomatoes,garlic.Slit the green chillies.
3.In a Pressure pan or cooker, add the soaked toor dal, onion tomatoes,garlic, salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder, fenugreek seeds, green chillies and the tamarind piece
4.Add enough water so that all the ingredients are immersed.2 to 2.5 cups water is usually enough.

5. Pressure cook for 2 to 4 whistles until the dal is fully cooked.If using Hawkins small cooker, cook for 8 or more whistles to ensure Dal is full cooked.(The whistles come very fast)
6.Once the cooker is opened, mash the cooked Dal mixture to a fine paste using a ladle or blender.
7.Adjust by adding some water if too thick and keep in to boil for a few minutes
8.In the meantime, add the ingredients for seasoning to the ghee and add it to the boiling Dal. Switch off the stove.
9.Garnish with Coriander leaves.Tasty Dal is ready to serve with rice.

Notes:
1. Soaking Toor Dal is optional.This is just to ensure that the Toor Dal cooks fast.
2.I usually make the above recipe with 3/4 cup of Dal and it tastes just as good.The Dal in the recipe can be a little less than a cup.
3.A handful of Masoor Dal can also be added.This is however optional.
4.The green chillies are optional.This makes the dal extra hot.
5.Do not forget to add the fenugreek seeds.They are responsible for the yummy taste. Actually the Dal does not taste bitter at all.And it is very cooling and good for the health.You can add 1 to 2 teaspoons.
6.Add the tamarind on top of all the ingredients in the cooker.Do not extract it using water and add. Dal does not cook if you add tamarind water to it Just add a small piece in its raw form.It gives a tangy taste to the dal.
7.Since this is Tomato Dal, be generous  with the tomatoes for the authentic taste.
8.Seasoning with ghee gives it additional taste.If ghee is not available, oil can be substituted.
9.Use the buttermilk churner called as matthu for mashing the dal. Alternately, you can use a ladle or even a blender.
10.This Dal is best served hot with rice and papad.

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Tried and Tested Recipes

In this era of technology where most of us learn cooking from recipes and videos that we find online, I wanted to share some links of  various websites where I found good recipes and the final version also came out very well.I personally do not stand to gain anything from providing these links and am doing this as a basic guide to people starting out on cooking.
This might be time saving for many of us, because while there are many links to the same items, some give really excellent results when compared to many others.This is in no way saying that the other versions are bad. Rather these are fail proof ones which are guaranteed to give good results.I will also add anything which I learned from these recipes as well as tips and tricks to get them well.

Gulab Jamuns: Well, for me the ready made Gulab Jamun mix never did yield good results and thus began my search all over the web for a recipe guaranteed to give good end results.I found the one recipe here

This one gives perfect gulab jamuns each and every time. Just be sure to follow the instructions exactly and the measures as well.Now thanks to Bhajias Cooking, Gulab Jamuns are a breeze for me.

Chettinad Tomato Chutney: There are many versions of tomato chutney.This one came out really very well in my trial today and they tasted yummy with the dosas. I really loved this chettinad version and the idea of adding coconut milk instead of coconut was a bit novel for me.You can find the chutney recipe here.

Tiffin Sambar/Moong Dal Sambar: We love the slightly watery sambar which we used to taste in the roadside eat outs in Chennai with the hot steaming idlis and dosas.On the search for the perfect recipe for this sambar. I found this recipe here , which yields the most yummy sambar each and every time.I have tried this four to five times and every time, the end result has been nothing but lip licking delicious  tiffin sambar, which we can drink out of a bowl.Give it a try and you won't be dissapointed.Be sure to check it out here

Dal Tadka: Anyone ever wondered how the simple yellow great tasting dal at the restaurant gets made.I did and a search on the net and further trial and error of various recipes led me to the ultimate one.I must say I was very impressed with this recipe that I do make a habit of checking this website for other recipes as well.Kudos to Dassana Amit for her wonderful recipes. Check out the recipe for Moong Dal Tadka here

 Vegetable Pulav: The recipe for the tastiest pulav after looking at many websites and the feedback, I rather stumbled upon this wonderful website.It kind of gives an intro to chettinad cooking.What I really love about Solai's Chettinad Kitchen  is that the recipes have the exact measures.This is very important when you are starting out new and have no idea what makes what.This wonderful recipe for vegetable pulav is one of my all time favorites and has never failed to give me excellent results time and again.The idea of adding coconut milk is also new.If using instant coconut milk, try adding a little less than 1 cup to 2 cups water as given in the recipe.It makes the rice very filling and heavy.No potatoes in this one.....Check it out here and enjoy.Also check out Solai's Kitchen for many other wonderful recipes.

Methi Paratha Punjabi Style: I have always been reluctant to try these parathas because the measures of spices to be used always to be very tricky.I however found out this video where the measures and instructions worked for methi paratha.I loved that the dhania or corriander seeds are added in theink whole form rather than as a powder.It gave an amazing taste to these parathas.Check out this youtube video for the tastiest methi parathas here

Sunday, January 19, 2014

The Perfect Appam - To Tickle Your Taste Buds

In every woman's life, there are recipes which are passed from mother to daughter and those passed as part of the extended family through in laws.This appam recipe is one of the tasty ones which I learned from my mother in law.I remember writing down the exact measurements and procedure from her after marriage and this recipe has always delivered the most wonderful, heavenly tasting appams.
Here in Sydney, I have found two places recently, where you can find delicious appams.The first place is the famous Sydney Murugan Temple, where appam is available by the name of String Hoppers on Friday and Saturday.This appam is relatively small, has coconut cream in the center with something brown and sweet.I love it, though its taste is a bit different from what we make at home.Similar appam is available in an Indian and Srilankan Take Away shop located in Wentworthville, on the road from the station to Udaya Stores, the one place where you can find stuff for all your South Indian kitchen requirements.

My mother-in-law says that the appams she tasted in Malaysia were the best ones to date.The appams which I am talking about is a staple food of Kerala and pronounced aa-pams.They can be served with coconut milk, veg stew or a similar non-veg gravy.

Ingredients:
Avil/Poha - 1 Cup
Pachai Arisi/Raw rice - 3 Cups
Urad Dhal  - 3 Spoons
Salt - To taste
Cooking Soda - A pinch
Coconut Water - 1 Cup( if available)
Yeast - 1/2 tsp or very little for fermentation(Optional)

Important: Appa Chatti is required for perfect appams.

Procedure:
1.Soak the poha, rice and urad dhal separately for 2 hours
2.First grind the poha and Urad dhal together  to a fine paste and keep the batter separately.Then grind the    rice separately to a very fine paste and mix it well with the other paste.
3.Add the required salt, and the pinch of soda
4.Keep for fermentation.It usually takes about 10-12 hours for it to be fully fermented.
5.The fermented batter can be kept in the refrigerator and freshly used.
6.1 cup of coconut milk or coconut water may be added to the fermented batter for extra taste just before use.
Making Appams:Place the appa chatti in the stove and wait till it is properly heated.Coat the chatti with a spoon of oil using a tissue paper, before making appam, i.e., pouring the batter. Pour a ladle of batter into the appa chatti and give in a swirl, so that the batter gets evenly coated.The batter is thinner in the sides and more in the middle.The appa chatti is a concave shaped vessel, and hence helps in achieving its shape.Close the appa chatti and wait for a minute or two till the appam is well cooked, before taking it off with the suitable ladle provided with the chatti.
Some Tips and Tricks
Over the years, these are the small things I have found regarding appams.
  • Many people use cooked rice instead of poha.It is said to give very soft appams.I have personally never tried it.
  • If you want to make appams tomorrow, it is best to prepare the batter fresh sometime today.
  • If you live in a cold place, place the batter in a pre-heated oven to help in the fermentation.Fully fermented batter is very important to make appams.Without  proper fermentation, appams will not be fluffy or taste good.
  • Using yeast : I use dry yeast and do not add the cooking soda.Add 1/2 spoon of dry yeast to a little of warm water with a bit of sugar.Add the dissolved yeast water to the batter before keeping for fermentation.
  •  When you take batter from the vessel, it is best to use it up fully.So I usually take the batter in a small bowl and use it up fully.Never mix the used batter back to the unused one.Else it will become watery.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Five Minute Wonders - Tasty Soy Nuggets Side

This is a five minute life saver during times of emergency, especially if you have some soy nuggets boiled in and left over for later use.I made this during one of those times when I was tired and got up a bit late to do preparations to cook a main dish and a side for lunchbox purposes.I had boiled these Soy Chunks the previous day with the intention of using them in a gravy for Chappathis and since I thought so much was not required, I drained them and squeezed the water out and stored them in an air tight contained for later use.
The preparation for this recipe is very easy and can be done in a jiffy.
Tangy Steaming Soy Side


Ingredients:

Soy Nuggets: 1 Cup
Onion: 1 Medium chopped finely
Carrot - 1 Medium peeled and grated
Sweet Corn Kernels - 1 Small cup or a  handful( frozen may be used)
Salt - 1 Tsp ( Adjust according to taste)
Chilli Powder - 1 Tsp
Jeera Powder - 1/4 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp
Mustard - 1 Tsp
Jeera - 1/2 Tsp (Optional)
Green Chilli - 1 Small (Optional)
Coriander Leaves - A Small Bunch finely chopped
Oil- 1- 2 Tbsp
Lime - 1/2 (Adjust to taste)
Ingredients


Method:
1.Keep a vessel of water to boil with some salt and soak the soy nuggets in boiling water for some time.The nuggets will become soft and increase in size.Drain the water and add some cold water, so that it is easy to handle.Squeeze the nuggets well so that the absorbed water is well drained.You don't want this side to turn out soggy.
Add salt to boiling water
Adding Soy Nuggets in
Draining The Water Out

Squeezing Out Water From The Soy
Soy Nuggets Ready For Use
2.In a heated Kadai, pour oil and add the mustard seeds and Jeera.Once they splutter, add the onions, green chilli and corn.Stir for a while until the onions are well cooked.

Add Mustard And Jeera To The Oil
Adding In Onions, Corn & Green Chilli


 3.Add in the salt, Chilli Powder, Jeera powder and Turmeric powder and stir well.
Adding The Powders

4.Add in the grated carrot as well and stir well.

Adding In The  Grated Carrot

5.Add the Soya Nuggets in and give them a toss so that the spices are evenly coated over the nuggets.
Adding In The Soya Nuggets

6.Leave in low flame on the stove for 2- 3 minutes.
7.Remove from the stove and add in the Lime juice.
Adding In The Lime Juice

8.Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
The Final Touch - Garnish With Coriander Leaves

9.This is a good side dish for Kootu, Sambar etc.
10 The light hot and tangy taste will be enticing and refreshing.
11.It can also be eaten as a light finger food for evening snacks for the kids.

Some Tips and Time Savers:
  • For 5 minute preparations, you need to have the  boiled and squeezed Soy Nuggets in hand.Since the first step can be done ahead, you can do it the previous day or before to save you time
  • Lime Juice in the end gives a tangy flavor to the dish.This is very important for the right taste.However, you may try using amchur powder if Lime is not available in hand.
  • Coriander leaves add the final touch of beautiful specks of green  with the brown, orange and yellow colors of the dish as well as brings in its own flavor to the dish.You do not want to omit them.
  • The oil may be adjusted.The suggested amount ensures that there is enough oil for the Soy Nuggets to get a thorough coating of the spices.
  • Boiling the Soy nuggets with  some salt helps the nuggets to absorb some salt so they do not taste bland.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Making Some Anjappar Style Egg Biriyani

It is funny how life gives us the chance to create so many wonderful memories.We moved to Sydney back in May 2013 and so much time has passed by.It only feels like yesterday that we came here.When you are not in India, the fondest memories are always of good food served in famous restaurants.Fortunately, in Parramatta Sydney, there is a newly started Anjappar Restaurant to cater to the South Indian palette.It is not everyday that one is able to go to the Anjappar Restaurant to savor their delicious  Dum Biriyani.

Delicious Steaming Home Made Anjappar Style Biriyani
For the many Indians abroad, who do not have good Indian Restaurants nearby, everyday is spent looking for good food.How nice it would be, if you could conjure up some delicious Biriyani in your own kitchen.Just recently, I got a delicious recipe from my neighbor and friend Surya, who is very well versed in Chettinad specials.The best thing which I like about this recipe is its simplicity and guaranteed great taste.While Surya tried her Biriyani with chicken, I tried it with eggs since I do not eat meat.

Without further ado,I present to you my tested version of Anjappar Style Egg Biriyani.

Serves: 2 People

Ingredients:

Eggs - 2-3
Basmati Rice - 1.5 cups
Water -  3 cups( Ratio 1:2)
Onion - 1(Medium/Big) finely chopped
Tomato - 1 Big
Ginger-garlic Paste - 2 Tsp
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Dhania Powder - A little
Fennel Seed Powder( saunf powder) - A little
Jeera Powder - A little
Curd - 1/2 Cup
Salt -  1.5 tsp Adjust as per taste.
Mint Leaves - 1 Small Cup finely chopped
Corriander Leaves - A Small Bunch finely chopped
Basmati Rice 1.5 Cups
Onion and Tomato Chopped fine
Mint and Coriander Finely Chopped

 For Seasoning:

 Ghee - 2 Tsp
 Oil - 2 Tsp
 Bay Leaf - 1
 Clove- 1
 Saunf - 1 Tsp
 Elaichi - 1
 Kalpaasi - Little
 Cinnamon - 1 Inch piece
 Green Chillies - 2-3( For Mild)

Spices To Season

Method:

1.Soak the Basmati Rice in water for 1/2 hour.Drain and roast well in Ghee and keep aside in a bowl.


Basmati Rice Soaked In Water
Basmati Rice Roasted in Ghee
                                                        
Roasted Rice In A Bowl

2.Boil the eggs in a vessel with a bit of salt for 5-7 minutes and keep aside.You can remove the egg shell later and keep.

Keeping The Eggs to Boil with Salt
Boiled eggs With Shells Removed



3.In a kadai or pressure cooker, add the ghee and oil and all the ingredients for seasoning

Heat Oil And Ghee In A Kadai
Add The Seasonings












4.Next add the ginger garlic paste and finely chopped onion and saute well.



5.Add the finely chopped tomato and cover with a lid for 2 minutes for it to be well cooked and mashed
Adding Tomatoes
Cover With Lid


 









6.Add the Mint, coriander leaves, the salt ,chilli powder, dhania powder, fennel and cumin powder as well.Add in the curd as well.Saute for 2 minutes for the flavors to get absorbed.


8.Add in the water and allow to come to a boil.


9.Next add in the Basmati rice and stir for 2 minutes.Add a small dollop of ghee in the end.



10.Transfer to pressure cooker, if using a vessel and pressure cook for 3 whistles and 3-4 minutes in sim( low flame) after that.


11.Once the gas is switched off, open the cooker after ten minutes and add the boiled eggs.Your delicious Egg Biriyani is ready.

Notes:
  • The measurement of the water to rice depends on the Basmati rice used.Some require only 1.5 cup water for 1 cup of rice.If you would like your grains of rice to be a bit moist, use a bit more water.I personally use 2 and a quarter cup water for 1 cup of rice as my husband prefers it a bit overcooked.This part requires a bit of experimentation for you to find your own perfect way with the water and rice.
  • Soaking the rice in water and draining and roasting it in ghee ensures that the strands of rice stay apart and fluffy.
  • Adding a bit of salt when boiling eggs help in easy removal of the shell, while keeping the boiled egg intact.
  • Good Biriyani requires a generous dose of oil and ghee.While using the said measurements will give satisfactory results.Just a bit more will ensure the delicious taste.
  • Adding Mint and coriander leaves are very important.It is one of the main ingredients for the authentic taste of the biriyani.
  • Ginger and garlic freshly pounded, gives a fresher taste.You can use the ginger garlic paste available from stores as well.
  • 2-3 chillies is for mild.If you would like very spicy Biriyani, the amount can be increased between 4-5 and a bit more of chilli powder can be added.
  • Too much masala spoils the taste.So be cautious.
  • I have not tried this Biriyani in the usual rice cooker.I find that Pressure cooker works best. 
  • Actually , now I make the whole biriyani process in the Hawkins pressure cooker and cook it direct.This avoids the need to transfer from a vessel to the cooker.
Please feel free to write in your comments and suggestions.