Gunpowder

This is a South Indian dry chutney. Enjoy with a dollop of ghee. Eat with idli, masala dosa, rice, or really anything.

Ingredients:

1/2 c white sesame seeds, dry roasted
1/2 c urad dal, dry roasted
1/2 c chana dal, dry roasted
1/4 c dry coconut powder, dry roasted
(optional) handful Kashmiri chilies, dry roasted
salt (to taste)
pinch hing
handful curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red pepper powder (optional – use instead of chilies for a milder gunpowder)

Directions:

1. Dry roast items above separately.
2. Combine.
3. Blend.
4. Enjoy!

Andhra Spinach

From Saveur and Madhur Jaffrey

SERVES 2-4

Ingredients

1⁄4 cup oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1⁄4 tsp. fenugreek seeds (methi)
12 fresh or frozen curry leaves (limdo)
9 cloves garlic, 3 halved lengthwise, 6 minced
1 yellow onion, minced
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. red chile powder, such as cayenne
1⁄2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 (2″) piece ginger, peeled and grated
Kosher salt, to taste
3 lb. baby spinach

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a 12″ nonstick skillet over medium-high.
2. Cook cumin seeds until they pop, 1–2 minutes.
3. Add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, and halved garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add onion; cook until golden, 10–12 minutes.
5. Add minced garlic, the coriander, chile powder, turmeric, ginger, and salt; cook until garlic is golden, 2–3 minutes.
6. Stir in spinach; cook until wilted and slightly dry, 6–8 minutes.

NOTE: This was terrific. Even the spinach haters in my family loved it. Five stars!!

Iyengar Karnataka Eggplant

Ingredients:

2 long eggplants, cut into 1 inch lengths (then I cut each 1 inch cylinder into six long pieces)

1/3 tsp tamarind paste diluted in 1/2 c warm water
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp coconut powder

Spice Powder

2 tbsp urad dal
2 tbsp chana dal
1/3 tsp paprika
3 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 ” cinnamon stick
1 clove

Tempering

enough oil to cover bottom of heavy bottomed wide pot (I use a sesame oil and peanut oil combination)(make sure you have a lid for this pot)

1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp urad dal
1 tbsp chana dal
4-5 curry leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine spice powder ingredients in pan on stove. Dry roast until fragrant. Dals will be golden. Taste the dals to make sure they are cooked. When done, let cool and then grind in grinder until fine powder. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in heavy pot over medium heat. Add tempering ingredients in order given. Add eggplant. Sautee. Add tamarind water. Add turmeric. Add salt. Mix well. Cover with lid. Let cook over medium low heat until eggplant is tender and liquid is absorbed.
3. Remove from heat. Add spice powder and coconut powder. Mix well.
4. Enjoy!

Recipe is adapted from Simply Southern by Chandra Padmanabhan. Buy this book, you won’t regret it. There are a lot of really great South Indian recipes in it, which you won’t get at any restaurant. And as far as spiciness is concerned — do what I did, and omit the red chilies and replace with a minute amount of paprika powder.

Shredded Sweet Potato Fritters

Note: These also make terrific veggie burger patties.
One bowl recipe.
Adapted from Simply South.

Ingredients:

400 g peeled shredded sweet potato (about 4)(about 1 3/4 c)
1/2 ground dry roasted peanuts (or honey roasted peanuts)
1 c unsweetened ground coconut
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or paprika
1/4 c gram flour
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
1 tsp salt
oil for deep frying

Directions:

1. Mix well.
2. Roll into balls, 1.5 in diameter.
3. Deep fry for around a minute. Will brown.
4. Take out and drain on dish with paper towel on it.
5. Enjoy!

South Indian Breakfast Rice Noodles

From here. Rice noodles from scratch here.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups lightly crushed idiyappam or sevai / rice noodles
1 tsp tamarind soaked in ½ cup warm water (or a pea sized amount of tamarind paste)(or a can of tamarind juice)
2 tsp oil (corn, sesame, coconut, canola)
¼ tsp black mustard seeds
¼ tsp split urad dal (skinned black gram)
2 tbsp broken cashew nuts or peanuts
½ cup finely chopped onions
A few curry leaves
3-4 dry red chillies, torn into halves (or to taste)
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
½ tsp brown sugar or jaggery
Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Soak the tamarind in warm water. Extract the juice and discard pulp and seeds.
2. Heat oil and add the black mustard seeds. When they pop, add the urad dal.
3. When the dal turns golden brown, add the cashew nuts or peanuts.
4. Roast until golden brown.
5. Then add the onions, curry leaves, red chillies, and hing.
6. Mix well and saute until the onions turn translucent.
7. Now add the tamarind water.
8. Also add the brown sugar and jaggery at this time.
9. Cook on low flame until the mixture thickens, about 4-5 mins.
10. Then add the rice noodles and salt.
11. Mix well and cook for another minute until the moisture is absorbed almost entirely.
12. Serve hot as is or with red coconut chutney.

Manjula’s Kitchen

This is the best Indian blogger I know.

She has a website: http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/, a youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb75CvYbm5BXpbEkGqFKABw and now (!) a Kindle ebook: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GNXIVX6

Make your life better and look up her videos and recipes.

I don’t know her, I don’t get anything for sharing her links or anything like that. I just enjoy her recipes and her cooking.

Think of her as the Indian Auntie you wish you had around to teach you to cook. That’s her.  You’re welcome 😉

Stuffed Eggplant Poriyal

This is a South Indian style stuffed roasted eggplant adapted from the book “Dakshin”.

Stuffing:

VAGHAR:

1 tsp oil
1 tbsp coriander seeds
3/4 tbsp black gram dal OR  urad dal, picked over and rinsed
3/4 tbsp bengal gram dal OR yellow split peas OR chana dal, picked over and rinsed
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp hing
1/2 dried red chili

ADD:

1/2 c flaked coconut (or 1/2 fresh coconut, grated), dry roasted till brown
salt to taste
a spoonful of tamarind concentrate
a little water

THEN:

Blend it all together into a thick paste.

STUFF paste into 2-3 baby eggplants.

Eggplants should be slit into quarters lengthwise, and not cut through entirely.

Fill the eggplant slits with stuffing and set aside.

NOTE: Slit eggplants only AFTER stuffing is ready, or eggplants will become discolored.

THEN:

VAGHAR:

3 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp black gram dal OR urad dal, picked over and rinsed
1 tsp bengal gram dal OR yellow split peas OR chana dal, picked over and rinsed
1 red chili, halved
a few curry leaves

ADD:

Stuffed eggplants, salt to taste, and a little water.

Sprinkle leftover stuffing over eggplants.

Cover and simmer over low heat until eggplants are tender.

Remove lid and saute for a few more minutes, without stirring too much. Take care not to break the eggplant.

Serve hot with rice.

OPTION1: Can stuff green peppers instead of eggplant if you want.

OPTION2: ALTERNATE (EASY PEASY) PASTE:

3/4 c roasted peanuts
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt to taste

Add 2 medium sized chopped tomatoes after eggplant is tender.

NOTE1: Eggplant did not cook when I made it as above because I used a big baby eggplant instead of those really small baseball sized eggplant.

NOTE2: If using a big eggplant, it is advisable to slit, stuff, and wrap in aluminum foil and let cook at 400 F for 30 min or so, then proceed with VAGHAR above.

NOTE3: Next time, do not add the extra masala to the pot as the same time as the eggplant; it burns. Add it after the eggplant has cooked, and then let it simmer for five minutes or so.

 

Jaggery Dosa

Aka: Ghol Dosa
From: Dakshin
This recipe is EXCELLENT for breakfast.
Think of it as a sweet breakfast crepe.

Ingredients:

1 c powdered jaggery
2 c boiling water
2 c wheat flour
1 c rice flour
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted (optional)
oil for shallow frying

Directions:

1. Heat jaggery and water over low heat. Simmer until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat. Let cool.
2. Sift together rice and wheat flour.
3. Make a well in the center and add jaggery syrup..
4. Combine to a thin pouring consistency. You may need to add water. Think – think pancake batter.
5. Let sit overnight at room temperature.
6. Next day, make for breakfast – cook like you would a pancake. Serve hot with butter or ghee on top.
7. Enjoy!

Ginger Rasam

Rasam is a spicy broth. It’s a South Indian specialty, and both delicious and healthy. This recipe is adapted from Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan. I HIGHLY recommend this book for the best in South Indian Vegetarian recipes. Photos of each recipe are included as well 🙂

BLEND:

3 tbsp red gram dal (or pigeon peas, or toor dal)[masoor], soaked in 1 c water for 30 min
3-4 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
3 green chilies [I used 1/2 jalapeno]
2-3 pieces of fresh ginger (each piece 1 in)[I used a 1×1 cube of ginger]
3 tsp grated coconut
1 tbsp powdered jaggery
1.5 c water

VAGHAR in 2 tsp ghee:

1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder (hing)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 red chili pepper, halved [I used 1/2 dried red pepper]
a few curry leaves

Add salt to taste.

Add water as necessary (consistency is of a broth, not a soup).

Add a spoonful of tamarind concentrate.

Let simmer over low heat for as long as you can (1 hour or so).

Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!