Sambhar

After staying for almost 8 years in Bangalore, one recipe that I have mastered from here is that of the delicious Sambhar.
If you happen to visit South India, you cannot miss out on the mouthwatering Idli Sambhar.

Sambhar is prepared by cooking the arhar dal with all the veggies and hence it is high in nutrition as well as proteins. Also it is a very easy way to introduce the veggies to your kids. In short, it is a healthpacked food. Having Idli Sambhar or Plain Dosa Sambhar is a good healthy start for your busy day.

Ingriedients:
Arhar dal\ Tur dal - 4 tablespoon
3 Sambhar onions or 1 normal onion - medium chopped
1 Tomato - finely chopped
2 Red chillies
2 small Brinjal - medium chopped
2 Drumsticks
1 Carrot - medium chopped
1 Cup Pumpkin cubes
Turmeric powder - half teaspoon
Chilli powder - half teaspoon
Sambhar Masala - 1 teaspoon (I generally use Everest Sambhar Masala)
Mustard seeds - half teaspoon
Jeera\ Cumin seeds - half teaspoon
Karipatta - 5-6 leaves
Asoefatida\ Hing
Cilantro\ Coraiander leaves - finely chopped
Salt
Water
Oil

Procedure:
1. Pre soak the arhar dal for about an hour. Also wash the drumsticks and chop it. Boil it with a pinch of salt for around 5 minutes. Keep this aside.

2. Take a steel pressure cooker, and add 2 tablespoon oil. Next add mustard. Once the mustard splutters, add the jeera.
3. Next add Hing, Karipatta and red chillies
4. Add the chopped onions with a pinch of salt.
5. Once the onion turns golden brown, add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and sambhar powder and let it cook for a minute.
6. Next add the chopped tomatoes and let it cook for another minute.
7. Finally add the chopped veggies. I have used brinjal, pumpkin and carrot. You can use any veggies of your choice.

8. Fry the veggies nicely with the masala. Next add the soaked dal.
9. Add 4 cups of water and necessary salt.
10. Let it pressure cook for 4 whistles.
11. Once the pressure cooker cools down, add the boiled drumsticks and mix well.
12. Then transfer the contents in a serving bowl and garnish with chopped corainder leaves.

The delicious sambhar is ready.
Serve it hot with Idlis and Dosas.

Notes:
1. Pre soaking the Arhar dal in water for 2-3 hours gives a very good consistency to Sambhar.
2. You can add any veggies of your choice like pumpkin, raddish, brinjal, carrot, Bhindi, etc.
3. You can also prepare sambhar by cooking the dal and the veggies togather(do not add Okra) in pressure cooker and adding the seasoning(tadka) later. In this case, add the okra after the tadka and let it cook for some time and then add the boiled veggies and dal.
4. Another way of preparing sambhar is to cook all the veggies and dal togather with onion in pressure cooker and then prepare the seasconing and pour it in the cooked dal and veggies.

Chole Pattice\ Aloo Tikki Chat\ Chole Tikki

Chole Pattice or Aloo Tikki Chaat is a slight variation of Aloo Tikki with the addition of Chole. As the name sounds, it is really delicious and tempting and everyone in your family would just love it.
If you would like to satiate everyone's taste buds at home, then this is a must try.

Ingredients:
Aloo Tikki
Chole Masala
Tamarind Chutney
Chat masala
Curd
Sev or Farsan
Lemon
Chopped coriander leaves

Procedure:

Preparing the Aloo Tikki:
Ingredients:
3 Potatoes - boiled
Bread crumbs (1 cup) or bread slices (3-4 slices)
Chaat Masala
Corn flour
Salt
Oil

Procedure:
1. To make the bread crumbs, take 3-4 bread slices and grind it in the mixer. If you already have bread crumbs , then great!
2. Grate the boiled potatoes or mash it with your hand.
3. Take a mixing bowl, and add the bread crumbs, mashed potatoes, half teaspoon salt and half teaspoon Chat Masala and mix well. Adjust the salt as per your taste.
4. Prepare small round balls and pat it to form a cutlet.
5. Take a pan and drizzle some oil
6. Take the corn flour in a small plate and dip the cutlet into the corn flour such that it is applied evenly on all sides and then place it on the pan
6. Add around 2 tablespoon oil from the sides of the pan and let the tikki cook on a low flame for around 10 mins.
7. Turn it to the other side and cook again for another 5 minutes.
8. Aloo Tikki is ready

Preparing the Tamarind Chutney:
Check the below link for Tamarind chutney preparation
Tamarind Chutney

Preparing the Chole Masala:
Check the below link for Chole Masala preparation
Chole Masala

Preparing the Chole Pattice:
1. Take a plate and place one Aloo Tikki.
2. Next pour the Chole Masala on the tikki such that it is completely dipped onto it.
3. Next put 1 tablespoon curd (Optional) and sprinkle a pinch of chat masala.
4. Next sprinkle 1 teaspoon Tamarind Chutney
5. Next sprinkle a pinch of lemon juice
6. Top it with Sev or Farsan
7. Finally add the chopped coriander leaves.

The delicious tempting Chole Pattice is ready to serve your taste buds.

Bhopli Mirchichi Peeth Perun Bhaji/ Capsicum Sabzi with Besan

Bhopli mirchichi peeth perun bhaji is a typical maharastrian style of preparing the capcicum with besan. Capsicum does not have its own taste or flavor. But when it is cooked with besan it gives an amazing taste. In marathi, Bhopli mirchi stands for capcicum and peeth is usually referred for besan.

Ingriedients:
Capcicum - 3 medium sized
Hing/ Asoefatida
Ajwain/ carom seeds - half teaspoon
Mustard seeds - half teaspoon
Jeera/ Cumin seeds - half teaspoon
Turmeric powder - half teaspoon
Jaggery - 1 tablespoon
Besan/ chickpeas flour - 2 tablespoon
Corainder leaves - for garnishing
Salt

Procedure:
1. Wash and chop the capcicum finely.
2. Take a vok and add 2 tablespoon oil.
3. Add the mustard seeds. Once they start to splutter, add the cumin seeds, ajwain and hing.
4. Finally add the turmeric powder followed by the chopped capcicum and jaggery.
5. Add Salt and let it cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Once the capcicum is half cooked, add the besan and mix well.
7. Let it cook another 5 minutes. Make sure that the besan is completely cooked.
8. Garnish it with chopped corainder leaves.

The delicious capcicum sabji is ready to serve
Serve it with Rotis or Fulkas.

Moong Dal Khichdi

If you are falling short of time or falling short of veggies in your pantry and would still like to prepare something nutricious and healthy, then Moong Dal Khichdi is a quick option. It can be prepared in a few minutes. It is also very good for infants and also for sick people as it is very easy to digest and also very healthy.

I introduced this for my baby at the age of one year - but a milder version with no ginger and no chilli powder. Now at the age of two, she still loves it, but a little spicy version :-)

Ingriedients:
Rice - half cup
Green split moong dal - little less than half cup
Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon (Optional)
Garlic - 4-5 petals
Mustard seeds - half teaspoon
Jeera/ Cumin seeds - half teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Chilli powder - half teaspoon
Karipatta - 4-5 leaves
Hing/ Asoefatida
Oil - 2 tablespoon
Salt
Water

Procedure:
1. In a mixing bowl, add the rice and dal. Wash it and keep aside.
2. Take a pressure cooker, add 2 tablespoon oil. Add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add jeera, Karipatta and hing.
3. Next mash the garlic with your hand and add it to the cooker and fry it for a minute.
4. Next add the ginger paste. This is an optional.
5. Next add the turmeric powder and the chilli powder.
6. Finally add the washed rice and dal and mix well for about 2-3 minutes so that rice absorbs the masala. Also add a pinch of salt and mix well.
7. Next add 3-4 cups water and add necessary salt.
8. Pressure cook it for 7-8 whistles.

The delicious Khichdi is ready.
Serve it with Kadi, Papad and pickle.
While serving, add 1 tablespoon ghee over the hot khichdi.

Notes:
1. Adjust the amount of water added depending on your desired consistency. My family likes it more watery, hence I add more water.
2. Toor dal Khichdi can also be prepared in a similar way by adding toor dal (Arhar dal) instead of moong dal. Even a combination of both these dals can be added. Below is the pucture of Tur Dal Khichdi

3. While introducing it to your baby, do not make it spicy. Do not add chilli powder or ginger. Prepare it very mild and watery as infants like it that way. Also if your baby does not like garlic, you can skip it.
4. Veggies like carrots, green peas can also be added to make it more delicious and healthy.