Bisi bele bhath|authentic bisibelebhat karnataka style in pressure cooker

Bisi bele bhath (Kannada: ಬಿಸಿ ಬೇಳೆ ಭಾತ್ bisi bēle bhāt) is a rice-based dish with its origins in the state of Karnataka, India. 

Bisi-bele-bhaath translates to hot lentil rice in the Kannada language. It is also known as Bisi bele huliyanna (Kannada: ಬಿಸಿ ಬೇಳೆ ಹುಳಿ ಅನ್ನ), which means "hot lentil sour rice". 

The traditional preparation of this dish is quite elaborate and involves the use of spicy masala, toor dal (a type of lentil) and vegetables. Spices like nutmeg and asafoetida, curry leaves and tamarind pulp used in its preparation contribute to the unique flavour and taste of this dish. It is served hot and sometimes eaten along with salad, papad or potato chips. 



This dish is commonly found in restaurants that serve the Udupi cuisine. The masala used for the dish is available off the shelf.
This medley of rice and lentils is considered to be one of the most nourishing one pot meals in India.

My verdict after tasting it was nutritious and buzzing with flavours

Ingredients:

1 cup White rice
1 cup Toor dal(pigeon peas)
1 cup grated coconut
1 tsp Oil

veggies
1 Onion medium sized
1 cup Peas and carrots, chopped
1 green capsicum, diced
1/2 cup Beans, chopped
1 Potato, medium sized
2 small tomato chopped
1 tbsp Tamarind paste


Seasoning/tadka

1-2 red chilli broken
1 tsp Mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
2 tsp Cashews
2 tbsp Ghee
A pinch of hing
Salt as per taste

For the Masala:
4-5 Dry red chillies, low to medium spiced
3 tsp Coriander seeds
4-5 Cloves
4"-5" Cinnamon/Chakke/Dalchini
1 tablespoon channa dal
1 tablespoon urad dal
1/4 cup of freshly grated coconut
1.5 tsp poppy seeds
Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Fenugreek seeds- ¼tsp

Garnishing

A small bunch coriander leaves
fried boondi 






METHOD:

1.Pressure cook rice, dal ,Veggies with lots turmeric of water ( 6 cups of water ) Make sure that the dal and rice is well cooked.Traditionally, rice, lentils and vegetables are cooked separately and then mixed together

2.Meanwhile, dry roast red chillies, cinnamon, coriander seeds and cloves until you smell the fresh aroma of masalas.grind the masala in a blender without adding any water.



3.add  the grind masala with the cooked rice-dal-veggie mixture.add little water to  the mixture on medium flame and bring to boil. Stir regularly.Add tamarind paste,jaggery and salt; Mix well and bring to boil again.

4.Heat a small pan on medium heat. Add in a tablespoon of ghee and allow it to melt. Add in the mustard seeds, the cumin seeds. Allow it to crackle. Then add in the red chilli, curry leaves,cashews and roast them until the red chillies are browned lightly. Stir to roast the ingredients well.

5.Mix tadka well with Bisi Bele Bhaat and serve hot garnished with fried boondi with raita/potato chips/mixture!

Surmai cha hirwa hirwe kalvan |kingfish green rassa malvani curry

We bring fish once in a blue moon perhaps thats the reason you will not find fish dishes appearing often in my blog
So whenever its a fish day i try to make some thing different.

One such dish was this kingfish GREEN CURRY which is known in marathi as Surmai cha hirwa hirwe kalvan .




This tasty gravy differs from normal red fish curries with respect to the green colour & its unique taste.
This malvani dish has a beautiful greenish colour.

Same  recipe can be used to make green pomfret curry known as paplet che hirwe kalvan 

Ingredients:

6 pieces of Surmai / king mackeral fish /seer fish
4-5 garlic clove smashed
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 onion chopped
1 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
1 tsp garam masala
water as rquired
2 tbsp oil 
salt as needed

For ginger garlic chilli paste 
 2-3 big garlic cloves
1 inch piece ginger
1-2 small green chilies


Masala (vatan) to grind

1 cup Wet coconut (ola khobra)
3-4 green chillies (add more if you like spicy)
1 cup chopped coriander (You can even add few palak (spinach leaves)
1 inch cinamom stick ( dalchini)
1 clove (lavang)
2-3 pepper (miri)
1 inch ginger
5-6 garlic cloves
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp jeera
5-6 curry leaves


Method:

1. marinate cleaned surmai pieces with turmeric,salt,1 tsp tamarind paste ,salt and ginger garlic chilli paste .Grind ingredients listed under :Masala (vatan) to grind" to fine paste adding little water.




2.Next heat oil add  chopped onion ,curry leaves & smashed garlic.once onion is cooked add masala vatan paste & mix well .add marinated surmai pieces.







3. Add salt ,tamarind paste,garam masala,red chilli powder  .add  little or more water depending on the consistency (thick or thin) of fish curry .Give one boil.





4.simmer for 5 minutes & switch off gas .




5. Garnish with red chilli & Serve with chapati & rice .

Tips

1. can use above recipe to make green pomfret curry 
2. Instead of adding chopped onion in step 1 in tadka ,can add onion during grinding the masala vatan
3. can add 1 tsp red chilli powder to above recipe

Andhra style Prawns Fry |Andhra royyala Vepudu

Last sunday was a fish day in my house wherein hubby had got prawns and surmai (seer fish)

since i wanted to try something different I decided  to make an Andhra style prawn fry and goan surmai kalvan (fish curry ) along with multigrain bhakri and steam rice



Andhra royyalu (prawn) vepudu (fry), a lip smacking sea food dish made with onions and Indian spices, always proves to be a good hit during parties. A simple and easy dish to prepare.

After googling few recipes i tried this prawn fry which was superb .

If you are prawn lover you can check below prawn recipes

Alibag style kolambi fry

Goan style prawn fry masala

alibag style kolambi masala

kolambi kalvan (prawn curry malvani style)

Kolambi bhat/kolambi khichdi

Ingredients

Prawns - 250 gms
onions - 2 big(finely chopped)
green chillies - 4-5
ginger - 1 inch piece
garlic - 3-4 cloves
water - 2 cups
curry leaves - 2 sprigs 
turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
red chilli powder - 3 tbsps 
salt to taste.
oil - 3 tbsps





Method:

1.Wash prawns thoroughly and de-vein the prawns.

2.Marinate the prawns in ginger green chili paste, 3/4 tsp chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, lemon juice and salt for 10 mts.



3.Add 1/4 cup of water to the marinated prawns and bring to a boil, reduce to medium flame cook for 6-8 mts. Turn off heat and drain the excess water, if any.

4.Take another pan ( ideally a non-stick) pour 3 tbsp of oil.Add finely minced garlic,onions ,curry leaves, green chillies. Fry onions until they turn brown in color.Add 1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste and fry till the raw flavor is out.





5.Now add cooked prawns, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt, garma masala,red chilli powder.Add little water and close the lid. Let it cook in a low flame until all the water evaporates.




6.Fry all these for few minutes, swith off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.





Tips

can add 2 tbsp grated coconut,1 tbsp cornflour  or 1 chopped tomato in above recipe or few chopped mint leaves

Bajra methi thepla |methi thepla with bajra flour

Bajra methi na thepla is a great variation from the wheat flour theplas.You can call it as a low calorie version of methi na dhebra which is a poori made using bajra flour,methi ,curd,sesame seeds and spices

An iron and fibre-rich snack made with fenugreek leaves and bajra flour, methi na dhebra is so scrumptious that the plate will be empty in no time—so, take my advice and make more than you think is needed! served with curds, this makes an ideal afternoon snack.

 i must admit that the deep-fried version (methi dhebra ) tastes even better but if you are diet conscious than go for methi bajra thepla which is a tava recipe.




This is a Gujarathi recipe made using bajra flour or with combination of wheat flour and chickpea flour. Fresh methi and sesame seeds are the main ingredients of this recipe. 
 thepla is made in paratha style  means add spoonful of oil and cook it both side 

Ingredients :

 Bajra flour- (2 cup)
 wheat flour - ( 1/4 cup)
 Green Methi  leaves - 2 cup
  1 tbsp besan (gram flour)
 Til(sesame seeds) - 1 tbsp
 Jeera(cumin) - 1/2 tsp
 Sour curd - 200 grams (1 cup)
 Gur(jaggery)/sugar - 1 tsp
 Salt - add to taste (1 tsp)
 Green chilli - 4
 garlic - 4-5 cloves
 Ginger- 1 inch long piece
 Red chilli powder - less than 1/4 tsp
 Turmeric powder - less than 1/4 tsp
 Oil - to fry Dhebra

Method: 

1.make  a paste of chilli,garlic & ginger .Filter Bajra flour, wheat flour, and keep it aside in a utensil.

2.Wash Methi leaves and chop them finely after removing water.. Mix Gur in curd and blend well.

 

3.Make a hole in the middle of the flour, put Gur mixed with curd, 1 tbsp oil and all the spices. Mix all the ingredients properly and with the help of water knead a dough similar to that of a puri. Cover the dough and leave it aside for half an hour.

4 After half  hour press the dough well and make a good dough. Now  make lemon sized pieces from the dough and keep aside.

 


5.Roll balls with dry flour and roll it again into a parantha 6-7 inches in diameter using rolling pin.be careful while rolling  parantha as it should not tear while rolling. 



6.Place it on a hot tava (griddle). Put rolled parantha on hot  tawa, apply oil/ghee  on both sides, turn over time to time and cook till both sides turn brown.


7. Serve Dhebra with pickle or Chutney