Vegetable Kootu

"Vegetable Kootu" is type of Sambar with different spices. The kootu has lots of vegetables which are healthy and nutritious. Vegetable kootu is served in lunches at marriages and is also served at Raghavendra swamy mutts. It's delicious when mixed with rice.

This is an easier and faster version of the recipe:

Ingredients:
2 cups of mixed vegetables
(Beans,carrot,potato with skin,peas,peanuts,bell peppers,Tomato,Yam etc)
1 cup cooked toordal
2 tbsp of Sambar powder
1 tsp of  roasted urad dal powder
1 tsp of roasted black pepper
3 tbsp of grated fresh coconut
Jaggery - 1 inch piece
Tamarind juice- 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Seasoning:
Peanut oil- 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Red chilli- 1-2
Curry leaves- 3-4
Turmeric- 1 tsp
Hing- a pinch
Coriander leaves chopped- 1 tsp

Method:
Cook Toor dal along with peanuts in the pressure cooker. Cook each vegetable until tender separately and then combine all in a vessel/pan. Grind coconut,sambar powder,urad dal powder and black pepper powder in a mixie with little water. Add the cooked dal with peanuts,tamarind juice and the spicy ground paste. Add jaggery and salt.  Let it boil. Add the seasoning. Serve with rice and some happala and sandige. Enjoy.

Ragi Rotti

'Ragi Rotti' is a popular and nutritious breakfast item of South Karnataka. Ragi Rotti is usually eaten with uchellu chutney, but it goes well with any type of chutney or chutney pudis.

Ingredients:
Ragi Flour: 1 cup
Red onion(finely chopped)-1 small
Green chilli-2 nos
Curry leaves-3-4
Cilantro leaves(chopped)-1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coconut gratings-1 tbsp
Olive oil- 1 tbsp
Curd(optional)- 1 tbsp
Jeera- 1 tsp

Method:
In a bowl mix ragi flour, chopped red onions, green chili, curry leaves, cilantro leaves, coconut gratings, jeera and salt. Add water and mix well to form a dough.
Grease the tava. Take a small ball of dough and pat it evenly on the tava. Make a few holes and pour oil in the holes so that the rotti gets cooked well.
Keep the tava on medium flame and turn the tava every minute or so to get the ragi rotti cooked evenly. When it becomes brownish, flip the rotti and leave it on the tava for a minute.
Serve with a dollop of butter or ghee with your favorite chutney.

P.S. If you want the rotti to be soft (usually elderly people like it soft), add 1 tsp of yogurt to the batter.

Baingan Bhartha

"Baingan Bharatha" is a popular Punjabi curry made of roasted egg plant and served with Indian breads.
I tried this curry as a spread on toasted bread and it tasted very good.


Ingredients:
Egg Plant-1
Onion-1medium
Tomatoes- 2
Ginger grated-1/2 tsp
Green Chillies-2
Chopped cilantro- 2 tsp
Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Vegetable oil- 2 tbsp
Sugar- 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice-2 tbsp

Masala powders:
Red chillipowder-2 tsp
Coriander powder-1 tsp
Cumin powder-1 tsp
Garam masala- 1 tsp
Turmeric- 1tsp

Method:
Wash the eggplant and smear vegetable oil.Now roast the eggplant on a gas stove.Turn over and make sure the wholeeggplant is roasted nicely and the skin is charred and the inside of the eggplant looks soft and cooked.
Allow it to cool.Remove the skin and mash the eggplant.
Take a pan.Add oil.Add cumin seeds and let it splutter.Add slit green chillies,ginger paste/grate,onion and saute.Add tomatoes.Let it cook for 5 minutes.Now add all the masala powder.Stir well.Now add the mashed eggplant,salt,sugar.Mix well.Allow to cook for 5-10 mins.Add lemon juice and garnish with cilantro.
Serve hot with Indian breads.

Panchmel Dal

"Panchmel Dal" is a Rajasthani delicacy of five dals cooked together with spices. I first tasted this authentic dal at a restaurant in Bangalore and developed the urge to try this recipe at home.

I have adapted this recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor's website

Ingredients:
Chana dal-1/4 cup
Moong dal- 1/4 cup
Urad dal-1/4 cup
Toor dal-1/4 cup
Masoor dal-1/4 cup
Tomatoes-2
Cilantro chopped- 3tsp
Salt to taste

For seasoning:
Oil- 3 tbsp
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Cloves-2-3
Red chillies-2-3
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Hing-a pinch
Ginger-gren chilli paste- 1tsp
Cumin powder-1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Red chilli powder-1 tsp
Garam masala powder-1tsp

Method:
Soak dals in water for 2-3 hours.Pressure cook(2 whistles) with turmeric.
Take a pan.Heat oil.Add cumin seeds,cloves,red chillies and hing.Now add ginger-green chilli paste and saute for a minute.Add cumin,coriander and red chilli powder.Add tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes become soft and oil surfaces.Add cooked dal,water and salt.Bring it to boil.Add garam masala and garnish with cilantro.
Serve with Chapati/Rice.You can add lemon juice if you want the dal a little sour.

Menthya Hittu

"Menthya Hittu" is a spice powder to be eaten with hot rice and ghee.This spice powder is especially good when you have cold/cough and during winters.

Ingredients:
Chana dal- 1/2 cup
Urad dal-1/2 cup
Moong dal- 1 cup
Toor dal-1/2 cup
Wheat(Godhi)/Uppit rava-1/2 cup
Rice-1/2 cup
Jeera-1/4 cup
Pepper-1/4 cup
Ginger powder-3 tbsp
Red chilli powder-/Red chillies-1/4 cup/12-15nos
Cloves-5-6
Turmeric powder-2 tbsp
Dhania-1/4 cup
Curry leaf-1/4 cup or handful
Methi seeds-2 tsp
Hing-1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Dry roast all the ingredients on low flame until golden brown.Let it cool.Grind all the dals first and later the spices.Add salt and Mix well.Store in an airtight container.

Khara Bhat

'Khara Bhat' and 'Kesari Bhat' together on a plate is called as 'Chow Chow Bhat' in the darshinis and restaurants in Bangalore. I especially love the Chow Chow Bhat in MTR restuarant.
Khara bhat is upma with combination of vegetables and bhat powder (palyada pudi).


Ingredients:
Upma Rava/Semolina- 1 cup
Bhat powder- 2 tsp
Brinjals (cut )-1/2 cup
Coconut gratings-3tbsp
Coriander leaves chopped-2tbsp
Water- 21/2 cups
Lemon juice-1 tbsp

For Seasoning:
Oil- 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Urad dal- 1/2 tsp
Red chillies-2
Green chilies(Slit)-2-3
Curry leaves-4-5
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Hing- a pinch
Salt to taste
Sugar-1/2 tsp
Cashews-5-6

Method:
Fry the rava with little ghee until you get the aroma.Keep it aside.
In a pan/wok add oil.Add all the seasoning ingredients one by one.Now add chopped brinjals and fry until tender.Add boiled water or add water and bring it to boil.Add coconut gratings,bhat powder, sugar and salt.Slowly add the fried rava to the boiling water and stir it continuously to avoid lumps.Close the lid allow it to cook(10-15 mins).Add lemon juice,coriander leaves and mix well.Serve hot with coconut chutney/pickles.

P.S.You can also use other vegetables such as beans,carrots,peas,bell pepper,tomatoes,avarekai(surti papdi lilva),togarikai etc...

Spicy Hummus

'Hummus' is a popular dip that originated in Middle East. It's easy to make and is a great appetizer. Hummus is usually served with pita bread/ chips. You can also use hummus as a spread on toast.

Ingredients:
Boiled chickpeas/canned - 1 cup
Tahini-2 tbsp
Garlic cloves-1-2
Lemon juice-3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Olive oil- 2 tbsp
Cayanne pepper-1/4 tsp
Parsley- 1/2 tsp

How to make Tahini:
Sesame seeds- 5tbsp
olive oil-2 tbsp
Toast/roast  the sesame seeds in a pan.
After it cools,blend in a food processor with oil.
The consistency should be thick/viscous.

Method:
Blend all the above ingredients in a blender for 2-4 mins.
Serve warm.
Hummus can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.