Carrot chutney

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

2 carrots - roughly chopped
1/2 onion - roughly chopped
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 cm ginger
1 green chili
1 tbsp chana dal + urad dal (optional)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp nigella (kalonji) seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 pepper corns
2 dry red chili
1/4 tsp tamarind concentrate
Salt
Water
Oil

Method:

1. Take a tbsp oil in a pan. Add chana and urad dal and fry until it changes colour. 
2. Add onion, coriander seeds, green chili, ginger, pepper corns and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add carrot and fry for 3 minutes. Take it off the heat. Cover and allow it to cool
4. Once cool, grind to a fine paste with turmeric powder and tamarind concentrate. Check for salt
5. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet. Add mustard seeds and wait for it to splutter. Add dry red chili, nigella seeds. Put the tadka on the chutney and mix

DONE!!!

Gobi Masala Dosa

Ingredients (Gobi Masala):

2 cups cauliflower florets
1 onion - finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp carom seeds
1 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2-1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2-3 green chili - finely chopped
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp sugar
Water
Oil
Salt

Method:
1) Boil cauliflower florets in water, along with 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Cook until cauliflower is tender. Drain and keep aside.
2) In a skillet, heat 2 tbsp oil and add cumin seeds, carom seeds and fennel seeds. Once it starts to splutter, add ginger, green chili and fry for 10 seconds. Add onion and fry until it starts to turn brown.
3) Add tomato and fry for 3-4 minutes.
4) Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, cauliflower florets and mix. If its too dry, add 1/4 cup water. Add sugar and check for salt. Note: If this is not dry, the dosa will become soggy.
5) Cover and cook for another 4-5 minutes until it is done.


Ingredients (Red garlic chutney):
1 garlic pod
4 tbsp dry grated coconut
Water
Salt

Method:
1) Grind all the ingredients with 1/4 cup water and 1/4 tsp salt.


The final ensemble:
See dosa recipe here.
1) Heat a pan on medium, once done sprinkle some water and check that it sizzles. Take a ladleful of dosa batter and spread it evenly into a circle on the pan. Sprinkle oil/ghee, cover and cook for 10-15 seconds.
2) Take a tsp of red garlic chutney and spread it into a circle halfway from the centre. Cover and cook for 5-10 seconds.
3) Place gobi masala in the centre. Tease the dosa out from the sides and fold it such that it forms a semi circle. Remove from pan.

DONE!!!

Tip: If too lazy to make the red garlic chutney - add garlic to gobi masala. But its so worth to go that extra mile :)

Tomato onion chutney

Ingredients:
1 Tomato - coarsely chopped
1 onion - coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp peanuts
1 garlic pod - coarsely chopped
3 green chilli
1/2 tsp jaggery powder
4-5 pepper corns
1/2 cm ginger
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 dry red chilli
9-10 curry leaves
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 cup water
Salt

Method:
1) Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a frying pan. Fry garlic pod, ginger, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, pepper corns, green chilli and peanuts for a minute.
2) Add onion and fry for a minute. Add tomato and fry for 3-4 mins. Allow it to cool.
3) Grind it into a fine paste with jaggery. Add water if you want to water it down. Check for salt.
4) Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet. Add mustard seeds - wait for it to splutter. Add red chilli, cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. Mix with chutney.
DONE!!!

Tip: I like this chutney lil more spicy than usual - so I use 3 green chillis. If you like it a lil bit mild, use 2 instead.
This chutney goes well with dosa, chapati, rotti.. but I feel it goes best with ragi dosa and ragi rotti :)

Pani puri

Bought the puris off-the-shelf ;) So this is pretty much the rest thats required and is fairly simple :)

Tamarind chutney:
1/2 cup tamarind

1 cup pitted dates
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp rock salt
1 tsp chat masala powder

1) Take tamarind in a cup and soak it in hot water filled to the brim. Wait for 2-3 minutes. Squeeze the pulp. Strain it into a container. Repeat the process thrice.
2) Take the dates in a bowl, add about 1 cup of hot water and let it stand for 30 mins. Blend it into a fine paste.
3) Mix tamarind juice, date paste and powders mentioned in the chutney ingredients. Microwave for a minute or two.
DONE!!

Pani:
2 Tbsp of tamarind concentrate
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 cup coriander leaves
1 Tbsp chat masala powder
3-4 green chilli
1 Tbsp rock salt
1 tsp salt
6-8 cups water (adjust to taste)

1) Blend everything mentioned in the Pani ingredient list (except water) into a fine paste.
2) Add 6-8 cups of water and refrigerate.
3) While serving, add boondi to the pani (else it gets soggy)
DONE!!!


Stuffing:
4 medium sized potatoes - boiled and mashed
1 Tbsp green chutney (strained from the pani)
1 tsp tamarind chutney
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt

1) Mix all the ingredients for the stuffing,
DONE!!!

Garnishing:1 medium sized onion - finely diced
4-5 sprigs of coriander - finely diced

Stuff the puri with potato stuffing, finely chopped onions. Garnish with coriander leaves. Finally fill with paani and enjoy! :)

Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa:

Method:
1) Heat a nonstick pan on high. Wait for 3-4 minutes for the first dosa. Take a ladle-full of dosa batter and spread evenly into a circular shape.
2) Add 2-3 drops of oil on the dosa.
3) After 2-3 minutes flip the dosa over to the other side and roast it for a minute
4) Transfer the dosa to a plate. Spread 1 tsp of chilli-garlic chutney, place potato palya at the centre and close the dosa.
DONE!!
Serve with coriander-mint chutney
Recipe for coriander-mint chutney, potato palya, chilli-garlic chutney and dosa below.


Coriander mint chutney:
Ingredients (Serves 4)

For coriander-mint chutney:
1 Tbsp roasted chanadal (puttani)
1 Tbsp grated coconut
3-4 green chilli
1 Tbsp coriander
1/2 Tbsp mint
1 cup water
1/2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 sprigs of curry leaves
1/2 tsp asofoetida
1 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Grind roasted chana dal finely. Add grated coconut, chilli, coriander leaves, mint and grind.
2) Add water and blend. Add salt to suit taste.
3) Heat oil, add mustard seeds. Wait for it to splutter. Add asofoetida, curry leaves and cumin seeds. Add this to the chutney and mix!


Red chilli garlic chutney:
Ingredients:
1/4 tsp warm water
6 dried red chilli
1 garlic pod - sliced

Method:
1) Soak chilli in warm water for 20 mins.
2) Grind red chilli, garlic, water
DONE!!!

Potato palya (Courtesy: Sujay :-)):
5 medium sized potato - boiled and mashed
1/2 cup peas
1 onion - sliced
1/2 large lemon juice
2 fresh red chillies - diced
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2-3 sprigs of curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Heat oil in a deep bottomed frying pan. Add mustard seeds - once they start spluttering- add curry leaves, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, onion.
2) Once the onion start to turn translucent, add peas, turmeric powder, chilli, garam masala powder. Fry for half a minute
3) Add mashed potato, water and mix well. Cover and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
4) Add salt and lemon juice. Mix well and cover.
DONE!!!

For Dosa:
1 1/2 cup rice
1/2 cup urad dal
1 Tbsp thick rice flakes
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
Water
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Soak the above ingredients for 5-6 hours. Grind into fine paste adding sufficient water to get the dosa like consistency. Add salt to taste.
2) Let it ferment overnight

Green Masala for idli

On our recent trip to India, we tried the green masala idli at New Krishna Bhavan, Malleswaram, Bangalore.. It was unlike anything that i've ever had!!! And this coming from someone who would sprint a mile away at the sight of idlis... :) Here's an attempt to recreate that magical green sauce/chutney/curry!! :)

Ingredients (Serves 6):
1/2 bunch spinach
4-5 mint sprigs
9-10 coriander sprigs
1 green capsicum (Finely dice 1/4 of this, coarsely dice the remaining)
1 onion (Finely dice 1/4 of this, coarsely dice the remaining)
1/2 cup frozen peas
5-6 green chilli (add to suit your taste)
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water if needed

Method:
1) Heat 1/2 Tbsp oil in the frying pan. Add mustard seeds and wait for it to splutter
2) Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, green chilli and coarsely chopped onion
3) Once onion begins to turn brown - Add chilli powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, asafoetida.
4) Add coarsely chopped capsicum and peas - wait for 2-3 minutes.
5) Add spinach and mint leaves. Stir until it wilts.
6) Turn off the heat and add coriander leaves
7) Wait for it to cool - before grinding it into a smooth paste
8) Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan. Add the finely diced onion and capsicum. Fry for a minute.
9) Add the paste. Add water to get the desired consistency. (I added 1/2 a cup of water)
10) Add salt to suit your taste. Heat for a minute or two.
DONE!!!! :)

Goes well with idli, dosa, dhokla. :)