Saturday 15 May 2010

Bonda with mashed potato

Ingredients:

1 medium Onion
2 cups Potato buds
1 1/2 cup Peas and carrots
2 big ones Green chilies
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
1 cup Gram flour
1/2 tsp Mustard seed
pinch Turmeric
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/4" piece Ginger
1 small bunch Coriander leaves
2 tsp Salt
Oil

Method:

The filling is prepared as follows:

Mix potato buds and 1/2 teaspoon of salt with 1 cup of hot water.
Finely chop ginger, chilies, coriander leaves, and onion.
Heat oil (about 5 Tbsp) and add mustard seeds.
Add chopped Ingredients and fry until onions are brown.
Add carrots, peas, turmeric and 1 tsp of salt and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes.
Add potato (now mashed) and fry for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, add lemon juice and let cool.

The batter is prepared as follows:

Combine gram flour, 3 Tbsp of oil, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 tsp salt, the baking powder and mix thoroughly.
After the batter is prepared, make small balls out of the filling and roll them in the batter.
Next fry it in hot oil.
You will get about 20-30 small bondas.

Bittergourd Gojju

Ingredients
2 medium sized bittergourds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 onion, minced
3-4 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp dhania powder
2 tsp sambhar powder
2 tsp shredded coconut
1 tsp methi(fenugreek) seeds, roasted and powdered
2 tsps white sesame seeds, roasted and powdered
2 tablespoon jagggery melted or 2 tsp sugar
Juice of a small ball of tamarind
A pinch of hing
Salt to taste

Method
Scrape the skin of the gourds till smooth and wash them.
Cut lengthwise and remove the seeds.
Cut them into large half-rounds.
Smear salt on them and place a heavy weight on them.
This Method is used to reduce the bitterness of the vegetable.
Set aside for 1/2 hr.
Fry in 3 tsp oil till well browned.
Drain and set aside.
Heat about 3 tsp oil and add the mustard and curry leaves.
When the mustard crackles, add the minced onion and garlic.
Fry till done.
Now add all the raw dry powders and fry for 2 minutes.
Now add the shrdded coconut and keep frying for 2 more minutes.
Add the fenugreek and sesame powders and mix well.
Add the fried gourd, jaggery and tamarind.
Add salt to taste and enough water to cover the vegetable.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
Cook till the gavy thickens and you get a gojju consistency.
Remove from heat and add the hing.
Mix well and serve like a chutney with plain rice/dosa/chapati.

Bisi Bela Huli Anna Powder

Ingredients
6 red chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp methi(fenugreek) seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 tsp coriander seeds
4 cloves
2 pieces cinammon
2 tsp urad dal
1 tsp channa dal
1/2 tsp peppercorns
1/2 cup coconut gratings
Oil/ghee(clarified butter) for roasting

Method
Roast all the above Ingredients one by one in a little oil or ghee and powder to a coarse powder in a coffee grinder.
Store in a airtight container.
Use as required for Bisi Bele Huli Anna(See "Rice Preparations" section)

Bisi Bela Huli Anna

Ingredients
1/2 cup toor dal
1 cups rice
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1/2 cup thick tamarind juice
5 tsp Bisi Bhele Huli Anna powder(See "Pickles and Spice
Mixes" section)
2 cups chopped vegetables(carrots, green beans, potatoes,etc)
4 green chillies, chopped
3 tbsp ghee(clarified butter)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp cashewnuts, chopped
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp channa dal
1 tsp urad dal
Salt to taste

Method
Wash the rice and toor dal together and cook under pressure with the chopped vegetables till completely done.
Add the tamarind juice to the above rice/dal/vegetables and mix well.
Mix in the bisi bhele huli anna powder.
Set aside.
Heat the ghee and add the mustard, green chillies,curry leaves, cashewnuts, urad dal and channa dal.
When the seasoning is ready,add it to the rice mixture and add salt to taste.

Bhonda

Ingredients:

Urad dal 2 cups
Pepper 1 t.spoon
Green chillies 2
Coconut 2 t.spoon finely chopped
Curry leaves a few
Hing a small pinch
Salt 3/4 t.spoon
Cooking Oil for frying

Method
Soak urad dal in water for half an hour.
Wet grind urad dal,green chilles, and salt finely.
Add pepper, hing,coconut, and curry leaves to this.
Make small balls and deep fry in oil.

Bhindi Masala

Ingredients:

1 pound (1/2 kg) okra (small)
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup oil
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon amchoor powder (or substitute fresh lemon juice)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

1. Wash okra under running water and slice off the ends. Cut each in half. Set aside. Prepare onions and tomatoes. Set
aside.
2. In a wok or heavy skillet heat the oil and sauté onions until translucent.
3. Add all spices except the garam masala and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bhoona * 1 minute. Add the okra
and stir-fry 2 minutes. Cover and steam over medium heat until tender, about 12-15 minutes.
4. Spoon the okra onto a warm serving plate and sprinkle with the garam masala. Garnish with the coriander and serve while
hot.

* Bhoona is a technique that is essential to Indian cooking. The bhoona technique means that the mixture is cooked over
medium-high heat, with constant stirring to avoid scorching, until all liquids are reduced and the spices coat the meat like a
paste. About 1/2 cup of water can then be added, the dish covered, and a gravy created as the dish becomes liquified
again. Serves 4-6 people.

Bhindi Gojju

Ingredients
1 lb bhendi (okra), cut into thin rounds.
3 cups of buttermilk(or diluted yoghurt)
1 tsp mustard seeds
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A small piece of ginger, crushed finely(optional)
3-4 green chillies chopped finely
1 sprig curry leaves
A pinch of hing
Salt to taste

Method
Apply salt to the bhendi and deep fry in hot oil till dark brown and set aside.
Heat 2 tsp oil and add the mustard seeds, ginger, green chilles, curry leaves and the hing.
Fry till the mustard starts crackling.
Add the fried bhendi and stir for 2 minutes.
Take it from the fire.
Add the buttermilk and salt to taste(remember that the okra is already salted).Mix well.
Add some water if the gojju is too thick.
Eat with plain rice and dal.