Sabakki Sandige | Sabunada Papad | Tapioca Fritters

If you know anything about making papads, appalams or any type of sandige then you must be wondering how in the world I managed to make them when Bangalore just faced the wrath of Cyclone Nilam (Those of you in Chennai and surrounding areas, I hope you are fine after the havoc). 

Now, back to the crunchy side dish that will perk up every meal. One of my mother-in-law's friend was nice enough to lend us her expertise to make these for us. All we did was follow her instructions.

We made this  way back in Summer. I just did not find the time to post it. But hey, you have enough time to read and memorize this recipe until next summer. And, try it!! Just make sure you're up early in the morning so you're not working on your roof-top in the hot mid-day heat of Summer.

These fritters are more than just a side dish. They stay fresh in an air-tight container forever! All you need is to cook up a good South Indian meal (Think drumstick sambar, rice and a dry vegetable on the side) and deep fry these babies to perfection. Yum-O!

Ingredients

1.5 kg Sabudana/Sabakki/Tapioca pearls, soaked for about 6 hours
12-15 Green chillies, very very finely chopped (add more if you desire)
3-4 tbsp Jeera/Cumin seeds
2 small Onions, finely chopped (Optional)
A large sheet of plastic to dry the papads
And, some salt to taste!

Method

This is probably my first step-wise pictorial recipe description. So just go with the flow and drop me a line if you think I've missed something out.

Making this is no rocket science. Just needs a LOT of patience and an equal amount of sunshine!!

STEP 1 - Soak the sabudana for about 6 hours

STEP 2 - Place the soaked sabudana on a stove, over medium flame, continuously stirring, allowing the little pearls to cook.

STEP 3 - Add the chopped green chillies, jeera, onions and salt to the hot sabudana mix and stir to mix. Add more water if you find the mixture becoming too thick. Sabudana has a tendency to absorb water and thicken. Transfer it into a dish with a handle. Yup, we used a bucket!

STEP 4 - Haul your dish to your roof-top terrace. Don't forget a spoon. Lay a mat/bedspread on the floor. Place a large plastic sheet of paper over this and fastened on the ends with something heavy. The sabudana mixture has to be hot while you're at this step. DO NOT DELAY!

STEP 5 - Spoon little circles of the sabudana mixture onto the plastic sheet. Now, the waiting game begins! Allow the sun to do his job and let the papads-in-the-making get bone dry.

STEP 6 - As the papads dry, they tend to peel of become transparent, bubbly and fragile to touch. When they peel off easily from the plastic sheet (takes a whole day), pick up a cut of tea and a air-tight container and hit your terrace again.Sip tea as you peel away the papads and store them into your air-tight container.
Ensure that they are completely dry. If they're not, you might want to lay them out in the sun again the next day.

Once completely dry, the papads are ready to be deep-fried. Make that scrumptious meal and get chomping away. Now! 

Grilled Shrimp Kababs

We're really not big seafood eaters. But, when it comes to shrimp we'd go the extra mile to make it. Not the curried/gravied (if there's a word like that) ones. We don't go there. We like oil, really. Ahem! Shrimp. Even if it comes deep-fried, packed with calories and bread crumbs alike. Now, like many other things that change, this frenzy of fried shrimp changed too - Ever since we bought our indoor grill! I've made grilled chicken cutlets and veggie seekh kababs, to name a few things I've thrown over the fancy gadget. I really want to use it a lot more. So, keep your eyes hooked on to SSTT.

But, for now let me serve you some Grilled Shrimp Kababs. Succulent, spicy and just made for those lazy weekend lunches when you want to do less in the kitchen and catch up with you favorite shows on TV.

You can make this using the regular conventional oven, too. I've explained that process in the recipe as well. 

This one is so easy to put together, you'd be running to buy shrimp the moment you're done reading this super-short reicpe.

Ingredients

50-60 Shrimp (tail-off), peeled, de-veined, washed

Vegetables (I've used Tomato, Onion and Green Pepper) cut into 1 inch squares

For the marinade

1 tsp Turmeric powder

3-4 tsp Chillie powder (or per taste)

2 tsp Coriander/Dhania powder

1 tsp Garam Masala powder

1 tbsp Ginger paste

1 tbsp Garlic paste

1/4 Cup Yogurt/curd

2 tbsp Lemon juice

And, of course, some salt to taste!

Other stuff you'll need

Grill/Conventional oven

5-6 bamboo skewers soaked in water

Method

- Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a zip-top bag and shake until well mixed

- Toss in the shrimp, vegetables and give another good shake to coat everything inside

- Marinate for a good 4-6 hours, or even longer if you have the time

- Preheat grill/oven. If using oven, preheat to 400F

- Thread marinated shrimp and vegetables over skewers in any pattern you wish and place on hot grill. In the oven place them over baking sheet lined with tin foil

- DO NOT throw away remaining marinade

- Keep flipping and basting the shrimp with leftover marinade and grill/bake until done

- Serve hot with a tall glass of fizzy raspberry lemon cooler

Makes about 5-6 skewers with around 10 shrimp on each

Paneer Butter Masala

Siri Pulipaka decided this months theme for us, Free-Spirit Bloggers. To say she took us down memory lane is one thing, but here's what she did. She left us there to wander about all those memories and the restaurants we'd visit as children. And, the most important thing she made us do: Re-live the moments in that restaurant eating the one dish that always made its way to the waiter's order note-pad. 

For me it's always been Paneer Butter Masala. The moment we'd grab our seats in any restaurant, the one thing we knew we were going to order was this. Everything else did not even matter. I still remember us driving up to the Karnataka State Billiards Association (KSBA) on weekends for Bingo Nights. I was very young to understand the game. So I'd sit there munching on appetizers, trying to understand the game, telling Dad and Mom  I see the number on their sheets, knowing well what followed for dinner.

While I spent all of my childhood and teenage years, gorging down this North Indian delicacy, things changed after I stepped into wed-lock. Once I learnt the basics around the kitchen, I wanted to, for certain, learn to make this favourite. I still remember the very first time I made it (a pretty home-y version sans cashews and cream) and was super excited. Almost as if I had created a new being or something. Then on, I explored various ways of making paneer butter masala - From recipe books, magazines and the internet. I've come down to one recipe, a combination of a little bit of everything I've read. And, this one works every time and gets me the results I'm looking for.

Mildly spiced, creamy cashew sauce with succulent paneer cubes. What wouldn't go with it? Roti - Yes! Naan - Yes! Kulcha - Yes! Plain white/brown bread - Yes! Rice - Yes. In fact, I could down bowls of Paneer Butter Masala all by itself!!

Grilled Veggie Seekh Kabab

Summer's here. Almost synonymous with blazin' hot grills, chilled soda, sun-hats, flip-flops and most certainly a whole lot of fun. The mention of the grill would've probably had you thinking of charcoal burning and meat sizzling away on the heat. But, no. This summer, how about going green? All of us could do with an extra serving of veggies. And, what better way to get them in than make vegetarian versions of popular non-vegetarian dishes? That's what we Free-Spirit Bloggers have in store for you this month. 

All of us have in store veggie versions of recipes that normally are made using meat, poultry and/or seafood - all of which also look non-veggie, too. Hmm! Now, that's reason enough to skim through all our blogs, eh? I'll give you just the place where you can get all of this, so you can take a look at what the other Free-Spirit Bloggers are upto, but before that take a peek at what I have in store for you. I decided to take this month's theme a notch further and do away with much of the oil/grease that normally accompanies non-vegetarian dishes. So, the gill was the answer! Whatcha waitin' for? Better not be Christmas - It's way too far to have your mouth drooling the way it is! Go and turn on your grill and gorge on some grilled veggie seekh kababs.

Potato Mozzarella Baskets

There are moments in life when you tend to do the most ridiculously stupid things. And, as I type this post, I am doing just that. You're thinking I am out of my mind saying something so absurd? Oh, well...no, I've not yet got myself that insane. 

But, you would sure consider it insane for a person to sit at half past twelve in the wee hours of the night and start writing a post on her blog, wouldn't you? Why? She wanted to watch the clock step forward by an hour. Who? ME! Yeah, daylight saving starts tomorrow and I wanted to see when exactly this happens. My little boy and the big man of the house counted their sheep and are fast asleep in their beds and here I am having a ball watching the clock. The cable-box clock (which I'm staring at) and all those other automatic clocks in this part of the world would go one hour ahead at a certain point in time tonight... So, I hear myself croon the old Spice Girls number (with a twist in lyrics, though)...."Tonight is the night...When two become(s)...three!" Okay, I really am going bonkers out here. I should probably get to writing what I'm here for.

These little baskets get their inspiration from Nita Mehta's Mushroom and Olive Baskets, which is a recipe I found in one of her books on Baking. They're super easy and fun to entertain kids (and adults, alike). What's the best part? You can get your children to help in making this (and theory has it that they enjoy eating their food once they know they made it). I  can almost hear you saying "Oh we know 'theories' don't we? But...but...but this certainly works. My son enjoyed peeling the potatoes, placing those little coriander pieces to garnish. And yes, he gobbled these down once they were out of the oven. So, get hold of your toddler and get into the kitchen to share some fun times.

Saucy Indo-Chinese Coriander Garlic Chicken

There's definitely something about the fusion of Indian ingredients with Chinese delicacies. Something that makes one wants to go back for more than one serving. And, that's exactly what happened to me when I ate this dish at an Indo-Chinese restaurant. The combination of a garlic-y sauce with lots of fresh corainder all done up into a gulp-me-down chicken gravy cannot be resisted by a die-hard Indo-Chinese food fanatic like me!

A few days after we devoured this, I began getting haunted by the flavours - almost as if they continued to linger over my tastebuds, daunting me. I simply had to try making my version of the same at home - and soon! So, I did and here it is, just for you!

So, quickly prepare yourself some fried rice to go with this and lay the table for a hearty meal!

Black Forest Cupcakes

What's better than good food and great company? Well, it is pretty simple - Good food, great company and LOTS of chocolate. And, what makes all this even better? Serving all this to a bunch of wide-eyed toddlers eagerly waiting at the door as you walk in with a box of freshly baked and frosted Black Forest Cupcakes. Pure joy, I say! That is precisely what I did for my little sonny S, when he moved from his playschool to prep-school early this September. I know, I know it is over a month now - How in the blue blazes did I not post it so long? Oh well, better late than never, eh?

The kids (and the class teachers) enjoyed this treat. I sure wish you would, too. Go on and make them. These gorgeous babies are only a whisk away!

Kiddie Fruit and Veggie Raita

They say parenting is all about being selfless and getting priceless rewards. In the process of being an incarnation of all these qualities, we end up emptying gallon after gallon of patience. I might sound like a horrible mother saying so, but I would say you must be blessed and lucky if your toddler gobbles down everything you stash on her plate - Veggies and fruit, included!

My sonny boy S is not a fussy eater really (knock on wood!), but just like all you mom's out there I like to go an extra step to make sure he gets his daily dose of fruit and veggies. So, to balance out the patience and nutrition equation I decided why not throw in almost everything I had on hand into his snack bowl with some whole milk yogurt and some chaat masala? Makes for a great side at lunch/dinner time or wonderful simply as a snack! (Talk about getting in that much needed calcium)The crispy texture of the fruit and veggies combined with the smooth notes rendered by the yogurt can tickle even the picky-est of tastebuds for sure.

Make this once and do NOT lie to me about the number of spoons you shoved down your throat before you passed the bowl over to your little one!

Strawberry Shrikhand

This summer saw a lot of mangoes enter our home. Crate after crate, one after the other! And, there's almost no guessing who downed a major portion of the fruit. I ate mangoes as a part of breakfast, lunch, at snack-time, dinner, dessert, cooked, in-the-raw...and just every time I caught the tantalizing aroma of them ripening on my countertop. So, quite obviously bidding adieu to the king of fruit was'nt an easy task.

The one dish that we prepare at home without amiss every summer is Mango Shrikhand or Aamrakhand. This is a wonderful combination of mango puree and sweetened hung yogurt, blended with aromatic spices, saffron and pistachio. It find's its roots in the Indian state of Maharashtra, where this mouth-watering sweet treat is served mostly with puris (puffed-up, deep fried whole wheat dough circles).

As mangoes seem to be slowly vanishing from market stands, I decided to twist things up a bit and make the same dish using the fruit that was still in season - Strawberries! Of course, I skipped the spices and other additions because the berries and their seeds passed on enough flavouring and texture to the hung yogurt all by themselves. Try it out and you will know what I mean.

Oh and yes, I decided to take this to a whole new level with a simple change in the basic recipe. Read up to know more!

Chicken Manchurian

I have'nt till date met a person who despises Manchurian - chicken or otherwise. It's no surprise that this dish has found its way to the streets of India. And, as always, we Indians manage to add our 'tadka' to everything that hits our shore - be it food or anything else! Indo-Chinese cuisine is one such product. Like Chinese food itself was'nt hearty and filling, we jazz it up to suit our tastebuds and churn out plate after plate on every other street/restaurant.

I can still feel the heat from the chillies in the Cauliflower Manchurian and Vegetable Noodles I used to eat at least twice a week at the street-food vendor back in my college days. Some metabolism I had, eh?! Oh, that feels like ages ago and I am beginning to feel old saying all this. So , before I get way too nostalgic, let me get down to sharing this scrummy recipe with you!

Ingredients

2 lb Chicken breasts (You can use bone-in or boneless) - Washed and cut into bite sized pieces

1/4th Cup Cornflour dissolved in 3/4 cup of water
5 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2inch stick of Ginger, grated
1 Cup Onions, julienned
3/4 Cup Chopped Scallions (Green Onions)
3 Green Chillies, chopped
1/4 Cup Fresh Coriander sprigs, chopped
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
2-3 tbsp Chilie sauce
1/2 tsp Red Chillie powder
1/2 tsp Ajinomoto (I just use very little to give the dish some authentic Chinese flavour. This is optional. You can use only regular salt, too, if you're not feeling that indulgent)
Oil
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Heat oil in a wok/kadai
- Stir the cornflour in the water to form a thin batter. Add some salt and the red chillie powder to this to give it some flavour
- Dip the chicken pieces in this batter and deep fry. Place fried chicken pieces on paper towel drain any excess oil. Oh, yeah let's try to get a wee bit close to being healthy at least at one step ;)
- Now in a shallow saucepan, heat about 2 tbsp. of oil and add the green chillies, garlic, ginger and onions and stir until the onions are transparent
- Add the coriander and stir further
- Lower the flame and pour in the sauces
- Now add ajonomoto and some more salt and fry for a good minute on a medium flame
- Toss in half the scallions and fry for about 30 seconds
- Add fried chicken pieces and fry until well coated with sauce mixture
- Sprinkle left over scallions and serve hot

SERVES 2-3

Green Beans and Egg Burji

It's the beginning of the week (yet again!) and you're oh-so-bored already. The last thing on your mind would be to slave in the kitchen to fix yourself a meal. Yet, you don't (and cannot if you have kids, especially!) want to sacrifice on healthy food. Green Beans and Egg Burji should be the answer to all these questions. Healthy, hearthy and filling it is! I am sure you thought I was talking about two different dishes. Well well.. this is just a new take on the plain old scrambled egg. And what's more, this little side dish provides you with your daily dose of protein and fiber. With a few chapathis or phulkas to accompany this burji you have a great dinner, ready in less time than you think!

Ingredients

1.5 cups Chopped green beans

2 Eggs, beaten lightly

3 Green Chillies, slit  (Add more if you desire!)

1/2 Cup Onion, chopped

1 tsp Jeera

1 tsp Mustard Seeds

1 tbsp Urad Dal

1/2 tsp Ground pepper

Oil

And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method

- Boil/Microwave green beans until cooked and set aside

- In a non-stick saucepan, heat oil  and add the mustard seeds

- Once, they splutter add jeera and urad dal and fry for a few seconds
- Throw in the green chillies and fry them for a couple

- Add onions and stir until translucent

- Toss in the beans, add salt and stir for about 30 seconds

- Now, lower the flame, add some salt and the ground pepper to the beaten egg and stir it into the beans mixture in the saucepan

- Increase the flame to medium and continuously stir as the egg begins to cook, so as to scramble it along with the beans

- Continue doing so until all of the egg is completely cooked

- Adjust salt and pepper as desired and serve hot with chapathis/phulkas

SERVES 2

Veggie Thai Curry - Customized!

Thai cuisine was as new to me as the country itself. Not that I have ever been there, but coming to the US sure did give me scope enough to hog on different types of cuisines. I heard that making Thai food at home was pretty easy. Besides, considering preparing our Indian food itself is so elaborate, I knew it could not get anything more detailed. So, I called up my friend Sathya who happens to love to explore new dishes and has loads of cook books and recipes (Sath, you really should start blogging!) and borrowed this recipe from her. Thai food, just like Indian, has many flavours working simultaneously - making eating a feast in itself!

Although the orginal version called for a lot of peanuts, I slightly customized this recipe as per my family's needs since my hubby is not too fond of these. I have mentioned where exactly you toss those nuts in, so that you wont be missing out on a single thing!

 

Ingredients
Choice of vegetables - Washed and chopped/julienned (I have used brocolli, carrots, cauliflower. You could add tofu as well. I did not have it on hand so I went ahead without it)
1/2 Onion (Medium sized) - Julienned
1 Cup/8 fl. oz - Coconut Milk
2-3 Whole dried red chillies (Use more if you want to increase the spice quotient)
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 inch stub of Ginger
6 Cloves of garlic
1 tbsp peanuts, skin-off (I have not used this)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Oil
And, of course, some salt to taste!!

Method
- Steam your veggies until soft. I had to fully cook mine to make sure my little son was able to eat! You could even opt to microwaving or boiling the veggies depending on how well cooked you want them to be.
- Grind together, in a blender, the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, ginger, garlic, red chillies, onion and peanuts into a fine paste using minimum water
- With your blender running, slowly pour in coconut milk to make a smooth gravy like fluid
- In a non-stick sauce pan, heat oil and pour the gravy
- Allow it to reach a  rapid boil and then simmer for a few seconds
- Toss in the cooked veggies and salt. You could also add raw veggies at this point instead of cooking them beforehand and allow them to cook in the gravy itself
- Add the lemon juice
- Serve hot with a fresh tub of steamed white rice or try it along-side Asian Style Fried Rice, like I did.
Heaven on your plate!

SERVES 2-3

Kheema Balls And Coconut Gravy

This happens to be one of my husband's favourite dishes. Sadly, for him I do not make it too often. Not because I do not want to..but simply because it carries with it way too many calories, which he too agrees is not good for us. But, whenever we make it, the fried kheema (minced meat) balls find their way into our tummies before even taking the plunge into the gravy. So, basically this is like a two in one preparation. You can serve the fried kheema balls as an appetizer and dunk some of them (if they escape everyones hands!) into the gravy.

This is my mother-in-law's all time hit recipe and holds a special place in my heart. During my newly-wed days (and even now!) I remember, she would undoubtedly make this for us whenever she would get her hands on kheema in the market ....even after a long, tiring day at work! I would stand there looking at her work her magic in the kitchen...at the most helping with peeling garlic cloves. Shame! With no prior cooking know-how, the making of this specific dish seemed far too complicated for me to even think of trying on my own. Ingredients all over the kitchen...some being blended, some chopped. I was simply dumbfounded, for all I knew back then was to fix a cup of tea for myself. But, she made it all seem so simple and always told me, "Cooking is no rocket science. Just keep trying and you will learn it all". And thanks to her support, I've finally - finally - mastered this preparation! Here it is for you all to try and enjoy.

Before you start, let me give you a heads-up on the basic method employed to make this. You make two separate fine ground masalas - One for the gravy and one to add to the kheema/minced meat to flavour the balls.

Also, if you intend making only the fried kheema balls as an appetizer then you can skip reading the coconut gravy part of this recipe.

But, if you plan to make the gravy and add the kheema balls in it then make sure you first semi-fry some kheema balls (for curry) and then deep fry rest. By semi-fry, I mean, fry for about a minute on low flame just to allow the outsides of the kheema balls to turn light brown (and to bind the kheema ball together) and set aside.

That being said I will take you through the recipe now.

Ingredients for the Kheema Balls Masala
1/4 Cup Coconut, grated(I use thawed frozen coconut flakes)
2 tbsp Garlic, grated
1 tbsp Ginger, grated
1" stick Cinnamon
4-5 Cloves
1 Cup Fresh Coriander
1/2 Cup Chana Dalia (Putane)
1.5 tsp Turmeric powder
1.5 tbsp Dhaniya powder/Coriander seed powder
1.5 tbsp Red Chilli powder (adjust to suit your taste)
2lb/1kg Kheema/minced meat(mutton/goat/lamb)- Washed
And, of course, some salt to taste!

If kheema is not very fine then you can add it in the mixer too along with masala and grind it more. You might have to do this in batches to ensure that the entire bulk of kheema is well mixed with the masala.

Method
- Add all the ingredients (except kheema) in the mixer/blender and make a fine paste with minimal use of water
- Add this to the kheema and mix thoroughly
- Make balls (about 1" in diameter) and deep fry (Semi-fry a couple, if you intend to make the gravy, and set them aside right now...else they will be eaten up. Just a word of caution!)


Ingredients for the Coconut Gravy Masala
1/2 Cup Coconut, grated(I use thawed frozen coconut flakes)
1/2 Cup Onion, diced
1/2 Cup Tomato, diced
2 tbsp Garlic, grated
1 tbsp Ginger, grated
1/2 cup Fresh coriander leaves
1" Cinnamon stick
4-5 Cloves
1 tbsp Dhaniya powder
1 tbsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Add all these ingredients in the mixer/blender to make a fine masala using minimum water
- In a pan/cooker, heat oil and add the ground masala and stir
- Add turmeric and salt and bring to a boil
- Once the raw smell goes, simmer add the half fried kheema balls
- Cover and simmer, stirring occassionally, allowing the semi-fried kheema balls to absorb the masala flavour and get cooked through (remember they were only half done when they were fried!)
- Serve hot with either plain white or Ghee rice

NOTEWORTHY NOTES
1. You can add mutton pieces/bones, if you have any left from the kheema to this gravy, but ensure you cook them well before you add the semi-fried kheema balls.
2. The gravy thickens with time, so if you plan on making it before-hand you might want to add more water and heat it just before you serve

SERVES 4-5

Sour Cream And Veggie Dip

The last time I had friends over, I wanted to have a simple dish as a starter because I had some planned up some really heavy items for the main course. I had just about 15 minutes left before my guests would arrive...and that seemed more than enough to put together this refreshing dip. It paired perfectly well with the White Zin we had on hand. The sweet taste of the blush wine complimented the sour dip... and what more can I say, we had a fabulous time devouring it!

I know the pictures do not do much justice...but I was on the run as I mentioned earlier.

Ingredients
1.5 Cups Sour Cream
2 tbsp each - Finely chopped red onions, bell peppers (red/green), tomatoes and parsley/coriander
2 tbsp Lemon zest
1/2 tsp Ground pepper
1 tsp Chilie powder (adjust to suit your need)
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- In a large bowl toss in all the ingredients and blend
- Serve with baked pita chips

TIP - If you are planning on making the dip ahead of time, then add salt and stir just before serving

SERVES 8-10 people, depending on how deep you dip your chip ;)

Maratha Style Ambat Kadan (Sour and Spicy Gravy)

Just a word of caution before you start reading this introduction to the recipe...I am going to delve into a little bit of history. Yes! So, if you are interested ONLY in the recipe I would suggest that you jump to it right now. But if you want to know a little more about how this dish came into existence, continue reading up.

India is well known for its variety of foods which is the outcome of the diverse regions with their varied terrains, food habits and customs. Some of them are very well known and very distinctly identified, but there are loads of them that are existing as overlapping layers between two states or regions. Marathas too, are one such group of people. Here, I share my two cents on Marathas.

We Marathas are a set of people who speak Marathi but do not reside in Maharashtra. This spread of Marathi speaking people, mostly into South India, happened under the reign of Chatrapati Shivaji Bhosle, who fought for the independence of Marathas from the Mughal Empire and then became the King of the Maratha Empire. We mostly comprise of Kshatriyas (Warriors) and Rajputs who share surnames that are very Maharastrian sounding ones. My surname for instance is Pawar. My maternal surname was Moray. And then we have Bhosle, Jhadav, Chauhan, Kadam, Rao, Mohite, Ghatge, Ghorpade to name a few.

All of these Marathas speak different accents of Marathi, which in most cases is a mix of the local regional language in which the Marathas reside. For instance, (as in my case) a Maratha in Karnataka would speak Marathi with Kannada intonations and words. So, when we Maratha's meet people we end up telling this whole story which can be extremely confusing for people who have one sturdy foundation/background from which they hail.

So, now why did I get into all this? Because the point that I wanted to drive here is that since there is so much of a mix up of cultures that happend over the generations, it is most evident that even our cuisines got fused. Here, what I term as Ambat Kadan is made on the similar lines of Bas Saaru which is a dish from Karnataka. You first make the side dish called Shepu Chi Bhaji using this recipe and then proceed to making the gravy and finally devour the entire thing with steaming hot white rice. How yum is that?

Phew, that was one exhaustive intro!



Ingredients
1/2 Cup Coconut - Flakes/Grated (I have used frozen coconut flakes)
3/4 Medium Tomato, Cubed
1/2 Medium Onion, Diced
1 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
1.5 tsp Sambar Powder (I use what we make at home. You can use store bought powder, too)
4-5 Garlic pods, slit
1 tsp Jeera (Cumin seeds)
Water left from making Shepu Chi Bhaji
1 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
3-4 Curry Leaves
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Dry roast the jeera, garlic, onions and coconut until fragrant
- Once cool, toss the roasted ingredients into the mixer/blender
- Add the tomatoes, tamarind pulp and sambar powder and grind to a smooth paste (masala) and set aside
- Now heat oil in a saucepan
- Once hot, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter
- Add curry leaves and stir about 30 seconds
- Lower the flame, pour the ground masala and stir
- Now add salt and pour the water that was left from making the shepu bhaji
- Allow to boil for about 2 minutes or until the raw masala smell goes away
- Add more water if you think the gravy is still too thick. It should be of sambar like consistency and not too thick or too watery
- Slightly cover and simmer for another 1 minute
- Serve hot with white rice and shepu bhaji

SERVES 4-5

Panchratna Daal

Looking for a way to spruce up your daily daal? Look no further! Eat just one spoonful with a bite of a hot roti and you will find yourself reaching for second and third servings of this slurpy gravy. It is packed with proteins due to the five types of daals (from where it gets its name) and is high on taste. So, what is your excuse? Hit the kitchen now!

Ingredients
3 tbsp each of Toor, Urad, Moong, Matki Masoor and Split Channa Daal - Washed and soaked in water for about 2 hours
1 Cup Tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup Onions, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Fresh Coriander leaves, chopped
1 tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi)
1 tsp Coriander powder (Dhania powder)
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Sabji Masala (Optional - I used Everest brand)
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
A pinch of hing/asafoetida
Oil
And, of course, some salt to taste!!

Method
- Pressure cook all the daals with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder, half a cup of tomatoes, cumin seeds, a few drops of oil and the hing/asafoetida
- Once the daals are done, pour any excess water left over the cooked daals in a separate bowl and set aside
- Mash the cooked daals to a thick, paste like consistency
- In a large non-stick saucepan, heat oil
- Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter
- Add the chopped onions and fry until translucent
- Add the chopped coriander leaves and fry until they wilt
- Now toss in the remaining half cup of tomatoes and fry until soft
- Add each dry/powdered ingredient one by one and give a stir after each addition(Turmeric, Coriander, Garam Masala, Sabji Masala)
- Pour the water that was obtained on cooking the daals
- Add salt
- Allow to boil
- Now slowly stir in the cooked daals, cover and simmer
- Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rotis or jeera rice

SERVES 4

Neer Dose and Vegetable Saagu

Making dosas was once a very skillful task for me. Soaking various dals and rice in the right proportions. Then, grinding it to a fine mixture and then allowing the concoction to ferment to the right level. And as the grand finale, pouring the perfect dosa on the griddle - All seemed like a humongous task. Not that I am an expert now, but I have learnt the simple tricks of the trade to end up with some lip-smacking ones. In fact, it has been only about two years now since I have started making idli and dosa batter at home. Among the umpteen number of dosa recipes I have seen/eaten I think my personal favourite is the Neer Dosa, which if I am not wrong is an authentic Mangalorean dish. Back in India, I had a friend from Mangalore who lived in the same apartment building as us, where I used to eat this dosa very often. It pairs amazingly well with non-vegetarian and vegetarian gravies alike. I had almost forgotten this childhood favourite of mine...but Madhuri posted a different version of the same on her blog, which refreshed my memory. In this post, I've whipped up vegetable saagu that is normally served along with puris in South Indian hotels as the famous Puri-Saagu combo. The crispy yet soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture of the Neer Dosa beautifully compliments the entire experience of eating this side dish.

Ingredients for Neer Doses
1 Cup Rice, soaked for one hour (I have used Soona Masoori. You can even use Basmati)
2 tbsp. grated coconut
A pinch of baking soda
Water
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste in the blender/mixer
- Add about 2 glasses (16oz) more water to the ground paste to make the batter watery
- On a hot griddle/tawa, first sprinkle water to cool off temporarily
- Once the water evaoprated, on a high flame, spread oil and pour the batter in a sprinkling action to form a complete circle
- Turn the flame to medium, hold on to your patience and wait for the dosa to cook. It will slowly form the net a net-like texture and come off from the sides indicating that it has cooked on the lower side
- Flip and fry the other side
- For every subsequent dosa, repeat by cooling off the griddle/tawa by sprinkling water and then spreading oil before you pour (sprinkle) the dosas
- Serve hot with vegetable saagu or any spicy gravy/chutney


Now that we've mastered the Neer Dose, let's discover the Vegetable Saagu recipe.

Ingredients for Vegetable Saagu
For the Masala
1/2 Cup Coconut (I used frozen coconut slices)
1/2 Cup Channa Dalia (Phutane)
2 Green chillies
2 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste (You can substitute for fresh grated ginger and garlic)
3/4 Cup Coriander/Parsley
1 tsp Jeera

For the Gravy
2 Cups choice of vegetables - Boiled (I have used potatoes, carrots, green beans and peas)
1 Cup Tomato - Finely chopped
1 Cup Onion - Finely chopped
2 tsp Tamarind pulp
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Asafoetida/Hing
6-8 Curry leaves
Oil
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Grind all the Masala ingredients to a smooth paste
- In a deep saucepan, heat oil
- Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter
- Toss in the asafoetida and the curry leaves and stir a few seconds
- Add the onions and fry until translucent
- Add the chopped tomatoes and stir until done
- Pour the ground masala and stir well
- Cook for about a minute, stirring occasionally
- Add the chopped vegetables (along with the water in which you boiled it to retain the goodness) and salt and cook another 3 minutes (keep an eye and stir, as it may boil and fly all over your stove)
- Pour the tamarind pulp and simmer for about a minute
- Stir again and if needed, add water to adjust the consistency of the saagu if it is to thick (It should not be too runny, too)
- Garnish with fresh coriander sprigs and serve hot

SERVES 4 (Makes a good 15-20 dosas. You can comfortably tuck in about 4 dosas for breakfast!)

Spicy Tawa Tofu

Personally, I think the use of tofu in dishes begins and ends with it being a super-protein source. I'm not a big tofu fan and I only buy it to render some soft texture to stir-fries or side dishes. But after this experiment, my opinion changed. You can cheat anyone with this, saying its paneer! This one is pretty much on the lines of my Paneer Tikka, so if you have tried that, this will not be unfamiliar...but, either ways, the name says it all! Yes, I have used the tawa/griddle instead of the oven for this, to keep things simple and quick. And, since its tofu it is healthy too!

Ingredients
Tofu - Cut into cubes (I have used about 1.5 cups of extra-firm tofu cut into rectangular pieces)
1 Cup - Yogurt, whipped to a smooth texture
2 tbsp - Red Chillie Powder (You can substitute with Cayenne/Paprika powder)
1/2 tsp - Coriander Powder (Dhania Powder)
1/2 tbsp - Chaat Masala
1 tsp - Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp - Ginger Garlic paste
Oil
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Mix the yogurt, red chillie powder, coriander powder, chaat masala, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and salt to make a smooth paste
- Toss in the tofu cubes in it and marinade for about 3-4 hours
- After the tofu is marinated, on a hot tawa/griddle pour a few drops of oil and spread it around
- Once the oil is hot, place the marinated tofu pieces and fry
- Keep flipping the pieces every few minutes
- Fry until they turn a beautiful golden shade on either side and are firm to touch
- Serve hot with freshly chopped salad

SERVES 2

Asian Style Griddle Fried Chicken with Stir-fry Veggies and Salad

Ok. That's one helluva long name, but the dish is pretty darn simple...and you'd take lesser time making it than you would reading this recipe! The only hitch is waiting for the chicken to get marinated, but you could use that time to do your cutting/chopping for the stir fried veggies! So, if you are one of those people who longs to eat chicken but aren't in the mood to make elaborate curries or gravies then this one is for you. It's got just the right amount of spices in the marinade to give your palate a wake-up-call around lunch time. The stir fried veggies and salad side compliment the chicken to make it a 'I-want-more' dish among kids (My son loves this, so I know!). Throw in one or two slices of whole wheat bread to get your carbs if you want to, but I'd say this is as good as a hearty meal on its own.

Ingredients for Griddle Fried Chicken
1 Chicken Breast - Thinly Sliced (Thaw if frozen), Cleaned & Washed
1 tsp Oil

Ingredients for Marinade
2 tbsp Yogurt/Curd
1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1 tsp Red Chillie Powder/Paprika
1 tsp Coriander Powder (Dhania Powder)
1 tsp Garam Masala
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Ingredients for Stir Fried Veggies and Salad
1 Cup Your choice of vegetables - Washed and Julienned/Chopped (I've used carrots, green beans, red bell pepper, broccoli, white onion and cabbage)
You could opt to steaming the veggies that do not cook fast, but I prefer my stir fried veggies a bit crunchy so I do not steam them.
1 tsp Red Chillie Powder
1/2 tsp Soy sauce (optional)
1 tsp Oil
1/2 Cup Iceberg Lettuce - Julienned
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinade and stir to a smooth consistency.
- Drop the chicken breast into the marinade and coat it well. Set aside for about 2 hours
- In the meanwhile, chop/julienne all your veggies
- Heat a teaspoon of oil in a wok/kadai and toss in your chopped veggies one by one -starting from the ones that take a long time to cook
- After about a minute after you have added all veggies add the red chillie powder, soy sauce and salt and stir fry further until it reaches the level of crunch that you like and set aside
- Now, in a shallow non-stick griddle/tawa, pour a very thin film of oil (about 1 tsp) and set it to heat on a low flame
- Place the marinated chicken breast on the griddle and fry on either side until fully cooked. Be sure to watch this and flip sides often, lest you burn it (especially since it is thinly sliced chicken). You could add more oil if you feel the need, but I'd not recommend it. Once fried, place on a kitchen towel to drain off excess oil
- Once ready, place fried chicken, stir fried veggies and salad on a plate and serve hot

SERVES 1

Bread Salad in Mustard Dressing

There comes a point in every kitchen where you have just about all sorts of vegetables stocked up in your fridge, leaving you wondering what to make...you want to eat something beyond the regular stir fry or vegetable curry, but cannot seem to figure out what! Well, I woke up on one such situation one morning and I called my close buddy, Sathya, who is always full of ideas when it comes to cooking with what you have. She was a saviour through my pregnancy craving for Chinese food! Do you remember Sathya?? Anyway. let me not digress and go straight to the recipe of this wholesome salad... oh, and yes, you must have some bread stashed somewhere behind all those veggies, don't ya?

Ingredients
Bread - 2 Slices, cut into 1 inch squares (I have used brown bread to keep things healthy)
Choice of fresh or frozen vegetables - Chopped (I have used iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli florets, green peas, corn kernels, sun-dried tomatoes and red onions)
2 tbsp Mustard (sauce form)
5tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Lemon juice
A pinch of red chilly powder (You can opt to use pepper)
And, of course, some salt to taste!!

Method
- Preheat oven to 250F. Place the bread pieces on an oven-safe tray/dish and drizzle a little olive oil (about 1 tbsp). Sprinkle salt and pepper and place in oven to toast the bread.
- Steam your veggies (other than the cucumber and lettuce if you are using them) until crisp/tender (based on how well-cooked you like it) with some salt.
- In a bowl prepare the mustard dressing by mixing together the mustard sauce, remaining olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper/chilly powder.
- Once the bread is toasty and the veggies are perfectly steamed, toss them together in your salad bowl and pour the mustard dressing over it.
- Stir gently and serve fresh

SERVES 1

NOTEWORTHY NOTES
1. You could try to rub a clove of chopped garlic on to the bread before you toast it to give the entire salad an exotic taste
2. You can use a regular bread toaster if you do not have an oven (although the oven makes it a lot more tastier!)but make sure you have evenly toasted bread pieces.