Vermicelli kitchadi

Ingredients:

1. Roasted vermicelli -2cups
2. Carrot -1
3. Capsicum -1/2
4. Green peas -1/2cup
5. Tomato -2
6. Onion -1
7. Turmeric powder -1/2tsp
8. Curry powder -2tsp
9. Chilly flakes -1tsp
10. sugar -1tsp
11. Water -4cups
12. Chopped coriander leaves -1tsp
13. Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the capsicum and carrot into strips.
Puree the tomato.
Cut the onions finely and fry in a frying pan. Add the tomato puree, turmeric powder, curry powder, sugar and salt. Saute till everything is blended well. Add the carrots, green peas and water. When the water begins to boil, add the vermicelli and cook till done. Garnish with capsicum, chilly flakes and coriander leaves.

Sulaimani Tea

Sulaimani tea is a black tea with a dash lemon. This drink is famous in the Malabar regions of Kerala. This is taken after a heavy meal of briyani. I got to taste this drink during my visit to Tellicherry.

Here the recipe.

Water -2 cups

Tea leaves -1/2tsp

Lemon juice -1tsp

Sugar to taste

 

Method:

Brew the tea leaves by steeping it in boiled water for five minutes. Strain it. Add the lemon juice and sugar. Serve hot.

Different moods of the Asian Koel

This collage was created with pictures taken from my balcony.

Potato vada

Potato vada is known as batata vada in Mumbai. In chennai, it is known as potato bonda. The covering is same, but the filling is little different in the two.

Batata vada has garlic sans onion, while potato bonda has onion and sans garlic.

However, I make it as a fusion of both.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Boiled potatoes - 200gms
Onions - 2(chopped finely)
Garlic -few pods
Green chillies - 5
Ginger piece - about 2cm size
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Aniseed - 1tsp
Chick pea flour (besan) - 4cups
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

Method:

Grind the green chillies, ginger and coriander into a smooth paste. Mix it with the boiled potatoes. Keep it aside.
Next, take a frying pan and fry the aniseed with some oil. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté it well.
Then add the potato mixer. Stir well and check for salt. Cool it and make equal size balls. Keep it aside.
Add water to the chickpea flour and make dough of pouring consistency.
In a frying pan heat some oil for deep frying. Then coat the potato balls one by one in the chick pea batter and dump it in the frying pan. Remove from oil when the coating turns slightly brown.

 

Morning meeting

 

River terns cooling by the water. Oil on paper. 

My first cookbook

This book available in kindle version. And if you want to buy it in India and pay in rupees...here you go..
http://www.amazon.in/.../dp/B00EXHYS6S

Onion Capsicum crispy

Ingredients:

1. Onion -2
2. Capsicum -1
3. Green chillies -3 (chopped finely)
4. Chickpea flour (besan)- 2cups
5. Chilli flakes -1tsp
6. Salt to taste
7. Oil for frying

Method:

Cut the onion and capsicum into long strips. Rub salt in them till water oozes out. Then add the green chillies and chickpea flour. Knead well till the dough becomes sticky. (do not add water at any stage).
Pour sufficient oil for frying in a frying pan and heat it. When it reaches smoking point, drop small spoonfuls of the vegetable mixer into the oil. Fry till it changes colour and turns crispy. Remove in an absorbent paper and serve garnished with chilli flakes.