Bindi Masala

I made this yesterday...haven't made this for more than a year now. This is one of H's favorites. I generally make dry veggie with okra but this time I had reserved it for making Gujrati Bindi kadhi. I am not a big fan of kadhi though....but changed the plan of making kadhi at the last minute and resorted to Bindi Masala. It is pretty simple and easy to make and enjoyed it. Will make Bindi Kadhi some other day...

Method:

1/2 Pound Okra (ladies finger) Cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 Big Onion
1 Medium Size Tomato
1 Tsp Coriander Powder
1 Tsp Jeera Powder
1 Aniseed
1 Tsp Jeera
10 Whole Cashew
1/2 Tsp Garam Masala Powder
1/2 Tsp Red Chilly Powder
1 Green Chilly
Turmeric a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Take oil in a pan and fry the okra. It need not become too crunchy. Let it retain the color do not over fry it.
Dry roast cashews. Fry the onions till they become translucent.
Grind them together.
Take oil in a pan. Add the aniseed and jeera. Add the green chilly and the tomatoes and fry them well.
Add the grinded mixture to it and boil for few minutes.
Now add the cumin powder, coriander powder, chilly powder, salt and bring it to a boil.
Finally add the okra and boil for few more minutes. Yummy Bindi masala is ready to be served with pulka, roti or even rice .....Enjoy!

Besan Burfi (Kadalai Mavu Burfi)

I had been contemplating on making some sweet for the past few weeks but never actually ventured in making it ....though I wanted to eat it ,,felt too lazy to make it. We were having our cousins over and wanted to make it when they came....but that did not happen too since I was too tired last week. At long last found time to do it couple of days ago. I had something similar at one of friend's daughter's dance arangetram and loved it. It was simple and easy to make...it is similar to mohandhal but yet different...you can even give it as a close call to our "Mysore Pak" but I added milk powder to it so simply calling it besan burfi.

Now coming to the recipe for making it -

Ingredients:

1 Cup Besan Flour sifted (kadalai mavu)
1 Cup Milk Powder
1 1/2 to 1 3/4th Cup Sugar (depending upon your taste)
1/2 Cup Refined Oil or Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Ghee
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Water
Chopped Almonds

As I always say, first start by preparing the plate where you are going to pour the sweet by spreading ghee liberally on it.
Take a heavy bottom pan and take few tsp's of ghee. When the ghee gets heated add the chopped almonds.
Keep it aside.
Take few teaspoon's of ghee and fry the flour until it gives a nice aroma. Do it in a medium flame and make sure it does not turn brown. Transfer it into a different plate and mix the milk powder.
Using the same pan dissolve the sugar in water and bring it to two string consistency (that means when the sugar starts boiling and if you take the sugar in between two fingers you must see 2 strings). Now add the flour and milk powder slowly without forming lumps. If you feel the sugar syrup is not enough to mix the entire flour milk powder add milk to it.
Add the oil and the ghee. Alternatively you may use ghee fully too...you do not have to worry no one will guess that you have used oil to make this sweet.
Keep stirring it till it start leaving the sides.
Pour it on to the greasy plate. Sprinkle the almonds. Cut them to your desired shape....yummy!! Enjoy!
It takes about half an hour and you can savor it for couple of weeks!

Peas Masala

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Last weekend was loaded with parties and Sunday morning was the only time I had to cook....and the rest of the weekend was spent attending birthday parties and get together. So I planned to make something simple and easy for Sunday lunch....and also we had our Tamil Get Together (Potluck) that evening and we were in for a sumptuous meal. I kept it simple to enjoy the food prepared by my friends that evening. Hence decided to make peas masala and roti.

I have made peas masala on different occasions but this time it came out very well. I have tried different versions of it but this was the best. I have always used frozen peas in previous occasions but this time I used dried peas soaked in water over night. I stopped buying frozen stuff after so many recalls associated with the frozen stuff. I found that using dried peas made it even better and gave more volume to it.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Dried Peas Soaked Overnight
1/2 Medium Sized Onion chopped + 1/2 Cup onion finely chopped
4 Tomatoes chopped
1 Inch Ginger Finely Chopped
1 Green Chilly Finely Chopped
1 Tsp Red Chilly Powder
1 Tsp Coriander Powder
1 Tsp Jeera Powder
3/4th Tsp Garam masala powder
1 Tsp Jeera
Oil
3 Tsp's Butter (unsalted)
Salt to taste

I tried this using the dried peas you may follow the same using the frozen peas too. Pressure cook the peas up to four whistles. It must be well cooked but not get too mashed up that one cannot see the peas in it.
Take little oil in a pan. When the oil gets heated add the onions. Saute the onions till they start turning pink. Add little salt that will help in cooking the onions easily. Now add the tomatoes and let it cook well.
Once they are done, take it out of the pan and allow it to cool. Grind it into a smooth paste.

Take the butter and melt it. Add the Jeera and let it splutter. Add the green chillies, ginger and onion. When the onions turns slightly pink add the puree and cook it for sometime. Add the red chilly powder, coriander powder, jeera powder and garam masala powder. Now add the boiled peas. Boil it untill the peas get blended well in the gravy. Garnish it with cilantro. You can serve it with rotis or even plain rice too. Enjoy!