Wild Apple / Crab Apple Pickle/ಬೆಟ್ಟದ ಸೇಬು ಉಪ್ಪಿನಕಾಯಿ

As we all love to try different pickles, including our 7 year old, I keep making Lemon pickles with different spices though I bring lots of tender mango pickle from India. This is one of the out comes of my interest in making pickles. A must try recipe if you get wild Apples.

When we were out for camping last year (end of August), we happened to see a wild apple tree with tons of mini apples on a hiking trail. We tasted them and they were little sour and tart.  We picked some thinking we can try something out of it. I made kadigaayi(something which is cut into pieces) pickle and instant pickle out of them. Both tasted amazing though I had to use lemon juice for the sourness as apples were little ripe. It was so exiting that I made about 2 kgs of pickle again and took it to India as a surprise for those who love pickle. They just liked it.

We managed to find whole lot of wild apples last weekend. Last week of July is the best time pick them for pickling. They are very sour, crunchy and perfect for pickling.  I made instant, kadigaayi pickle and thokku. It is very easy to make but little time consuming. I swear you don't regret it. If you are living in North America you can definitely find them. If not, try with granny smith (green)apples. Here I am sharing Karnataka style, especially Malenaadu/Havika style of making kadigaayi recipe. 
OK, now lets see what are the requirements and how to make cut apple pickle. These are the measurements I used to make a lot of pickle. You can reduce the quantity of spices as per the quantity of apple you are using. Do not change the ratio.

Important
All utensils, blender jars, cutting board, knifes  should be completely dried. If there is any water remaining on utensils and storage bottles, pickle will spoil in a week or two.  I washed and completely dried apples prior to the preparation.

Preparation time 1.5 hrs
Serving : approximately 3kg

Cups size: 250 ml water holding capacity

Ingredients:

• Large Bowl
• 12 cups chopped wild apple
• 3 cups salt(1cup+2 cups)
• 1 cup oil(divided into 1/4 cup and 3/4 cup)
• 3/4 cup Mustard seeds
• 1/2 cup cumin/Jeera
• 1 tbsp Fenugreek seed/ Methi
• 1 tbsp Pepper corns
• 3 cups red Chilli powder ( I used 2 cups kashmiri chili powder and 1 cup extra hot)

For tempering

• 1/2 cup Mustard seed
• 3/4 cup Oil (I used sunflower oil)
• 3/4 tbsp hing/ Asafoeitida
• 1/2 tsp whole Fenugreek seed/ Methi

Method:

• Heat a kadai/ pan, dry roast Mustard seeds until you hear spluttering. Keep aside.
• Dry roast Cumin seeds until its light brown or nice aroma.
• Dry roast Methi and Pepper corn togather untill light brown. 
• Allow them to completely cool.
• Once the ingredients are cool, put them in a blender togther and make fine powder.
• In the mean while, chop apples. When you are chopping keep a large bowl beside you with 1 cup of salt and 1/4 cup oil mixed togather. As you chop put the chopping in the bowl and mix. It helps in avoiding blackening of the apple.
•  When you are done with the chopping, add two cups of remaining salt, chilli powder and spice powder. Put salt as needed. I have mentioned minimum required salt. 
• Mix everything well. Everything has to come together nicely. It looks dry, but dont worry, it will ooze out water from the apple. 
• Lastly, important put the tempering.  Heat 3/4 cup oil in a pan, Add mustard, once splutter add fenugreek seeds and hing. Let fenugreek seed turn light brown. Pour on to the pickle. mix well. Store in a dry, airtight container. 
• Let it sit for 4 to 5 days. Keep tilting the jar for proper mixing every day for 4 to 5 days. Its ready. 

Soya Chunk Manchurian

Helloooooo, I m back with a delicious manchurian recipe. I don't think much needed about this dish. It is little time consuming recipe but you will not regret later. You can serve this as a started or with plain steamed rice or fried rice. Give it a try. Lets us quickly see what are the ingredients and steps to follow.

Preparation time : 1hr
Serving : 4 generous

Ingredients:

• 200 gm Soya chunk
• 3 tbsp Corn flour
• 1 tbsp rice flour
• 1 tsp red chilli powder(to taste)
• 1 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp crushed pepper corn
  
• salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying

For the Masala

• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp ginger finely chopped/ paste
• 1 cup Onion chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped spring Onion
• 1 medium size chopped Capsicum/bell pepper
• 1 cup sliced / shredded cabbage
• 1 cup snow peas ( optional)
• 1 tsp chopped green chili/ chili paste/ green chili sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp crushed pepper corn
  
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• salt to taste

 

Method;

• Boil 2 litres of water in a pan, add 1 tsp salt and soya chunk. Cook until soya chunks are soft ( 5 min)
• Once the soya chunks are soft drain the water. squeeze excess water and keep aside.
• Take corn flour, rice flour, salt(as required), red chili powder, crushed pepper corn and ginger garlic paste in a vessel, mix well. Then pour the cooked soya chunk and mix very well. If you feel its very dry, you can add a tbsp of water and mix well. Make sure soya chucks are well coated.
• Deep fry in medium flame until outer coating of the soya chunk is crisp and light brown. Keep it aside.
• Now take corn flour in a bowl, add 1/4 cup of water. mix well. Keep aside.
•  Take a big pan, heat a table spoon of oil. Add garlic and ginger. saute  for a  30 to 40 secs until garlic is light brown.
• Add chopped onion, and chopped green chilies and little salt to taste, then saute for a min on high flame.
• Now add chopped bell pepper, snow peas and 1/4 cup chopped spring onion,  saute for 2 min.
• Now add Tomato ketchup, soya sauce,crushed pepper corn and vinegar. Mix well.
• Now add Corn flour mixture to the the above vegetable mixture and cook for a min until mixture becomes thick.
• Now add the fried soya chunk mix well on a high flame for a min. Make sure chunks are very well coated. 
• Add shredded cabbage and 1/4 cup spring onion. Toss well for few seconds.
• Serve as a starter/ snack or with steamed rice or fried rice.

Jackfruit Paayasa(kheer)/ಹಲಸಿನ ಹಣ್ಣಿನ ಪಾಯಸ

This is one of the most famous and common dish during the Jackfruit season at almost every havyaka house hold. Eating uddina dose (blackgram dal crepe) with Jack fruit paayasa is heaven. We managed to get atleast one whole jackfruit during the season. Some times the count goes up to 5 depending on the availability of the fruit. Eating Jackfruit is like a feast for us. We never missed it here in Toronto. Only thing I miss a lot is raw/tender Jackfruit. We can make several dishes from the Jackfruit .
Well, as you already know, I used fresh Jackfruit here. You can use tin Jack fruit if you do not get fresh ones.   It is very easy to make. Give it a try.

Preparation time: 20 min
Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients 

• 4 cups chopped Jackfruit flesh/ Sole/Thole
• 1 1/2 cups Jaggery/brown suger
• 4 cups grated coconut or 4 cups of coconut milk ( i used fresh grates of 1 big coconut)
• 7 to 8 Cardamom/Elachi
• 2 tbsp soaked rice/ rice flour/ or Suji/Rava
• Pinch of salt. 
• Water as required

Method:

• Cook the Jackfruit with Jaggery in 2 cups of water until it becomes soft.
• In the mean while grind the Coconut with Cardamom and soaked rice/ rice flour/ or Suji/Rava   in 2 cups of water. Grind into smooth fine paste.
• Strain the ground mixture in a strainer or muslin cloth. 
• Grind again with 2 cups of water, strain again. Squeeze out all the milk.
• Now pour the Coconut milk into cooked mixture. Boil for 5 to 6 min  until it becomes thick and cooked well with occasional stirring. 
• Serve hot with Dosa or you can have it as a dessert. 

Turmeric Root Gojju/ ಅರಿಶಿನ ಗೊಜ್ಜು/Sweet and Sour Turmeric Root and Coconut sauce

Turmeric Root gojju / ಅರಿಶಿನ ಗೊಜ್ಜು is one of the famous havyaka delicacies. This delicacy is usually made during the winter and rainy season.Whenever we are bored of eating same sambar, rasam etc we can make gojju and enjoy. It is very easy to make and healthy. It can be stored for a week without any refrigerator provided we boil it twice/thrice a day.  Good when you have cold. Give it a try.

Preparation Time: 30 min
Servings 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp Cooking oil
• 3 inches Fresh Turmeric root chopped
• 2 tbsp Coriander seeds
• 1 tsp Jeera/Cumin
• 1/4 tsp Methi/Menthe/Fenugreek
• 1/4 tsp Hing/Asofoetida
• 8-10 Red chillies (to taste)
• 1 small lemon size Tamarind
• 2 cups grated Coconut
• 2 tbsp Jaggery (to taste, I personally like little sweet) 
• 1 medium Onion sliced (optional)
• few curry leaves
• Salt to taste 

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan, Add sliced Turmeric root, Coriander seeds, Jeera, Methi, Hing and Red chillies for 1 min.

• Grind the roasted ingredients with grated Coconut, Tamarind and little water into fine paste. 
• Add 2 cups of water ( not too thin or thick). Add salt to taste, Jaggery, Curry leaves and Onion. 
• Boil in low to medium flame for 20 min.
• Serve hot with hot Rice.Enjoy

Turmeric Tambli(Turmeric in Coconut and yougurt sauce)/ಅರಿಶಿನ ತ೦ಬ್ಳಿ

This is one of my favourite, healthy,  dish which goes super duper with hot steamed rice.You can even have it as a drink.  I learnt this recipe from my aunt Sowmya Bhat. In this recipe, we are using fresh Turmeric tuber. As we all know, Turmeric has its own medicinal values. I recently came to know by a eldery person that we have to have this dish at the begging of the meal. As I said, it has its own medicinal value and is more effective when our stomach is empty. Give it a try this super easy dish.

Preparation time: 10 min
Serving: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 inch freshTurmeric /root tuber sliced
• 1/2 tsp Jeera/ Cumin
• 5 to 6 Pepper corns
• 2 tbsp grated Coconut
• 4 cups of Butter milk
• 2 tsp Ghee/clarified butter or cooking Oil
• Salt to taste
• Jaggary to taste ( you can skip if you dont like sweetness

For tempring:

• 1 tsp Ghee or Oil
• 1/2 tsp Jeera/Cumin
• 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 red Chili broken into pieces

Method:

• Heat 1tsp Ghee/Oil in a pan. Add sliced Turmeric, Pepper corns and Jeera. fry for a 40 sec to 1 min. DO not burn.

• Grind the above mixture with grated Coconut and little water into fine paste.

• Add Buttermilk, salt and Jaggery to taste. I personally like it little sweet.
• Temper with Mustard, Cumin and red chili. ( heat Ghee/Oil in a pan add Mustard seeds, once they splutter, add Jeera and brokern chili. Pour on to the ground mixture)
• Tada!! its ready. Isn't is so easy? 
• Serve with hot steamed rice :). 

Sprout Chat / ಮೊಳಕೆ ಕಾಳಿನ ಚಾಟ್

I am writing this recipe inspired by a uncle and aunty who have a chat shop near Girinagara circle. When I was studying in Bangalore, 12 year back,  I used to enjoy this snack once in a while,  His small chat shop used to be always filled up with people. As I remember, Nippattu masala and Molike kaalu chats were famous. I learned from my sister that his shop is still running with same number of people in lined up. As I remember, this chat used have Moong sprouts, Tomato, Onion, fine sev and cilantro (coriander leaves) in it, I m not sure wha else he used to put. I just gave it a try, it turned out really good. My husband and my 2 little kids liked that too. Whenever we crave for some chats, I make this healthy chat.
We are eating more than what we usually used to eat beofore this COVID-19 pandemic. We crave for chats, snacks and what  not. Its also important to eat healthy as much as possible. This is a very easy recipe, does not need any fancy or special ingredients.I m sure everyone know how to make sprouted moong. if not click here. Give it a try and let me know how you liked it.

Preparation time: 15 min
Serving : 3
Ingredients:

• 2 cups Moong sprouts
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Onion 
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Tomato
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice ( to taste)
• 2 finely chopped Green chilies (to taste)
• Salt to taste
• Generous amount of Sev/ potato chips / crunchy poories
• Cilantro / Coriander leaves to taste

Method:

• Take Sprouts with chopped Onion, Tomato, Green chillies, Lemon juice and salt in a large bowl. Mix well.
• Dispense required amount of the above mixture and sprinkle generous amount of sev or crushed Potato chips or crunchy Pani puri Puries and chopped Cillantro.
• I mostly use either sev or chips.  
• You can alter the recipe however you like, you can add chat masala, green chutney, sweet chutney. I like as in first picture, without chat masala and chutneys.

• Isn't it simple and easy.  

How to make good Sprouted Moong

Green Moong is a healthy pulse/grain loaded with nutrients. It is rich in protein, vitamins and fibres. It is good for weight loss if you in corporate in daily menu in right amount. You can make lots of dishes using soaked or sprouted moong like Salads, Pesarattu (kind of crepe) and many sweets.
Here I am sharing how to get good sprouted moong at home.

Ingredients:
2 cups whole Green Moong
8 cups Water
Clean muslin or cotton cloth

Method:
Wash the  Moong thoroughly, Add 8 cups of water and soak for over night (8 to 10 hrs)
Once moong is nicely soaked drain the water
Transfere the moong into Muslin cloth, wrap it and keep it in warm place for 10 hours. If you like longer sprouts keep for 2 to 3 hours more.

Super Soft Idlies

This is one of the most popular, old,  breakfast dishes of South India. It is a very healthy, super tasty and protein rich dish,  and the number  of calories are relatively low as it is steamed, there is no oil,  butter or any other fat added. Good for weight loss if you eat right quantity.
It is always hard to make soft and spongy Idlies. I learn it after few years of trial and error. Even though we know the ratio of dal and rice, we fail as we do not pay attention on amount of water we use. Just use what is required for grinding. add little by little water. After few trials you will know how much water we can add. Give it a try. Let me know how it went through.  Enjoy.

 

Cooking time:15 min 
Servings: approximately 70 medium size Idlies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Urad Dall (blanched black gram lentil)
• 4 cup Idli Rava (coarsely cracked Idli rice)
• 1/2cup Poha (flattened rice)
• Salt to taste
• Oil for greasing

Method:

• Soak the Urad dal for 3 to 4 hours. Soak Poha for 10 min.
• Grind the Urad dal and Poha into fine paste. Do not add lots of water, add minimum required water for grinding.(Grinding in wet grinder gives the best of best results. I used mixer grinder)
• Wash the Idli rava and drain off the water. Make sure there is no access water to avoid thin batter.

• Now mix the Urad dal paste and Idli Rava well
  
  
  .
• Keep the batter in a warm place. Allow it to ferment for 8 to 10 hours. (I usually keep it in the oven with the lights on as I live in cold place).
• Add salt and mix well.
• Grease the Idli mould with oil. Pour the required amount of batter and steam for 15 mins. allow it to cook.
• Take Idlies off the mould with a spoon and serve hot with Chutney and Sambar.

 

Herbal Milk/ ಕಷಾಯ

When we say kashaya/ಕಷಾಯ, people think its some kind of a syrup with bitter taste. Trust me its not. It is a tasty, healthy immune boosting drink. It is keeps you away from gas, acidity ,cold and caugh (ವಾತ, ಪಿತ್ತ, ಕಫ) if you have it at least once or twice a week. It has all the anti septic, anti viral adn anti bacterial ingredients.I used all fresh and raw ingredients. you can keep the kashaya in fridge for 2 days without adding milk.  Give it a try, keep yourself warm and healthy and safe. Enjoy.

Preparation time: 35 min
Servings : 5 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Coriander
• 1 tbsp Jeera/Cumin
• 1 tsp Pepper corn (can adjust the quantity according to your taste)
• 4 cloves
• 4 Cardamim/Elachi
• 1/4 th piece of Nutmeg
• 4 inch Ginger
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 2 tbsp Jaggery/brown sugar/ Sugar to taste
•  1.5 lt water
• 1 cup Milk

Method:

• Blend all the ingredients except Turmeric, Jaggery milk and water. Make fine to coarse powder.
• Mix the powder with water, and Turmeric powder. Boil for 30 min. Add Jaggery to taste  and mix well
• Add milk and Serve hot. You can strain the kashaaya before serving if you like.

 

Egg less Orange Cake / Bread/ಕಿತ್ತಳೆ ಹಣ್ಣಿನ ಕೇಕ್

Hellooooo, I am back after a very long time, hope I will be on track here after!!!
Lock down, lock down and lock down everywhere!!!. Yes this is one of the lock down recipes which I made with my two little daughters!!. They love to have cook something special everyday. I m pretty sure you are all busy with trying new recipes. Here is my version. This is the first time I used whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour. I just loved the texture and taste. Give it a try. Say bye bye to all purpose flour. Eat healthy, stay healthy. You can call it either Orange cake or Bread. Give it a try, let me know how you liked it.

Preparation time: 15 min plus baking time
Servings: 4

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups of Whole wheat flour/ Godi hittu 
• 5 medium size peeled and deseeded oranges
• 1 tsp Orange zest
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup brown sugar/ sugar( I used brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup warm Milk
• Pinch of Salt

Method:

• Pre-heat the oven at 350F for 15 min.
• Blend Oranges, Suger, Oil in a blender for 1 min.
• Sieve the wheat flour, baking soda and baking powder and pinch of salt together in a bowl. 
• Mix the sieved flour  and Orange blend. Add the warm milk and Orange zest, mix well. Make sure no lumps.
• Line a baking pan or oven friendly bowl with parchment paper. Pour the batter. 
• Preheat the oven at 350F for 15 min. Keep the  pan in  middle of the upper rack. 
• Bake for 50 min at 350F. Insert a knife or fork through to check if its evenly baked. If the batter still sticks to the knife, bake again for 3-4 mins. 
• Allow to cool completely
• Serve (with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for kids).