Avial Recipe

Avial is a South Indian recipe. Served as a main course dish with rice.

Ingredients
Yam - 150gms
Ash gourd - 150gms
Raw bananas/Plantain - 2nos
Drumsticks - 1
Potatoes - 1
Sour yoghurt - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste.

PASTE :
Coconut - 1/2
Green chillies - 6-7 nos.
Cummin seeds - 1 tsp.

Method:

1. Grind together the grated coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds to make a fine paste, adding very little water.
2. Peel and chop all the vegetables into 1 inch length.
3. Cook the vegetables separately with very little water in a pressure cooker.
4. Mix all the cooked vegetables together with salt and turmeric powder.
5. In a pan, add coconut oil, Cumin Seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, cooked vegetables and mix well.
6. Add ground paste and mix well, so that the paste mixes with the vegetables.
7. Finally add curd before serving.
8. Serve hot with rice.

* Can use Coconut milk powder also. Mix the powder with water, making a fine paste.

Getzu Potatoes

Getzu Potatoes is a side dish recipe, I have tasted in some hotel last week. It was a Veg Dish that I saw in the menu card. I liked this side dish very much. Hope, you will also like it. You can have with sambhar, rasam and any rice varieties and it is a great combination with all breads... like Khuboos, pita bread etc.

Here is the Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 2 Medium Sized (serves 2)
2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 2 Tbsp.
3. Butter - 1 Tbsp.
4. Dried Celery Leaves - 1 Tbsp.
5. Thyme (optional).
6. Paprika - 1 Tbsp.
7. Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp.
8. Lime Juice - 1 1/2 tbsp.
9. Salt to taste.
10. Coriander Leaves.

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes seperately and peel off the skin.
2. Cut the potatoes into medium sized cubes.
3. In a bowl, add Extra Virgin Olive oil, Paprika, Turmeric powder, salt to the boiled potatoes, toss it well.
4. Keep the pan on the stove, add butter, potatoes which are mixed well.
5. Let it cook for few mins, till they are slightly crisp, as the potatoes are already cooked.
6. Once the potatoes are crisp, you can switch off the stove.
7. Now, garnish with Celery leaves,Coriander Leaves, and add lime juice and mix gently.

KFC - Karthik's Fried Cauliflower

KFC (Karthik's Fried Cauliflower)...!

This recipe is also known as Dry Gobi manchurian. This is an all time favourite for my husband. He makes nice fried cauliflower. I make this atleast twice a week. You can ask whats there in this simple recipe. But the recipe is so crisp and you can see the florets nicely outside. Its not like bajji or bonda... Usually we make batter of it and dip the cauliflowers and fry it.. But this recipe is something different...

Here are the Ingredients:

Medium sized Cauliflower - 1 floret.
Besan flour - 1/2 Cup
Rice flour - 1 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Paprika (optional)
salt to taste.

Method:

1. Cut the cauliflower into small florets, let it boil in lukewarm water with a pinch of salt for few mins.
2. Drain the cauliflower florets and keep aside.
3. Take a bowl and mix all the ingredients given above.
4. Sprinkle this mixture on the cauliflower, such that the flour mix coats the cauliflower nicely.
5. Slightly sprinkle some few drops of water, and toss it well.
6. Heat oil in a pan, fry the cauliflower in a low flame.

Crispy Cauliflower fry is ready to serve!
Serve with tomato ketchup or any sauce.

KHEEMA IDLY

Ingredients:
For making Kheema Idlies, you need to have Cooked Idlies first...
Cooked Idlies - 4-6 medium sized, serves 2 persons.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 strip
Hing or Asafoetida
Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 2 Medium
Garlic - 3 or 4 Cloves
Ginger - Small Piece
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste.

Method:

Cut the cooked idly’s into small cubes and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add Mustard seeds, after it splitters, add urad dhal and curry leaves and Asafoetida.
Now add Ginger, Garlic, Chopped Onions, and tomatoes. Let it cook for few mins, till the oil comes out of it.
Add Coriander Powder, Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, and salt to it.
Finally add the idly pieces and mix it gently in low flame for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Garnish it with coriander leaves.
Now Kheema Idly is ready to serve...!

HUMMUS

Hummus is a fantastic Dip, served with Pita bread, chips, potato fritters or vegetables.


Ingredients:

1 cup of Chickpeas or Channa
3-5 tbsp lemon juice (depending on taste)
1 1/2 tbsp tahini (Sesame Seed Sauce)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil.

Method:

Soak the chickpeas overnight.
Drain chickpeas and set aside.
Combine remaining ingredients in Mixer or food processor.
Blend it to a nice, creamy smooth paste.
Place in serving bowl.
Add a small amount of olive oil on the top.
Garnish with parsley (optional).

Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread.

Note: You can keep in some container and store it inside the refrigerator for 3 days.

ZATAR RECIPE

Zatar is a Middle Eastern Dish and is mainly consists of Roasted Sesame Seeds, Oregano, Sumac, dried parsley and Thyme. These are all mixed in equal proportion and kept in airtight container.

Zatar is basically a breakfast dish. It is used as a condiments with Bread or Pita bread or parathas, and even we can apply that on the top of chapathis and then it is toasted. It is used as a medicinal purpose. Lebanons is having a belief that, it energizes your mind,and makes the mind alert and keeps your body fresh and active. You can make this zatar sandwiches and give it to the childrens before they go for the examinations.

Ingredients:
1. Zatar - 2 tbsp
2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 2 tbsp.

Method:

Mix Zatar and Extra virgin Olive Oil in a cup.
*Spread this paste on the top of the bread, flattend chapathis, parathas and you can toast it.
Serve hot with Tahini sauce or any kind of sauce or chutneys or Dips.

FALAFEL RECIPE

Here is the New Recipe, which I have tried after coming to Doha, Qatar. Basically this is a Mediterranean Dish or Snack item, which is stuffed inside the Pita Bread with some vegetables and chillies... Mostly, this dish is available in all Middle Eastern Countries... Tastes yummy too... If you have one Falafel, you will feel energetic and tummy full... Its a very nutritious meal too...

Ingredients:

1 cup of chickpeas, soaked and drained
1 tbsp Green chillies
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp Besan Flour
oil for frying

Method:

Combine chickpeas, chopped fresh parsley, chopped coriander leaves, salt in medium bowl.
Add besan flour and combine well.
Mash chickpeas, ensuring to mix ingredients together.
You can also combine ingredients in a food processor or in a mixer.
See to that, it should be like coarse paste.
Form the mixture into small balls, and slightly flatten it and fry it on the low flame.
Serve falafel by itself, or with hot pita bread with veggies, hummus, or tahini sauce.
Tahini sauce is nothing but made out of sesame seeds.