Daily Archives: August 25, 2014


Chapati layered casserole

Share Button

image (7)

Preparation Time : 30 minutes

Cooking Time : 50 minutes

Serving : 8 movers

Description

Chappathi layered casserole . A dish I came up with left overs at home . Usually when ever I have my daughter and son – in – law home on a holiday . My refrigerator is over loaded with left overs  mainly because of my flaw of not knowing to cook in limited addition . I can’t be blamed right away as when I was a beginner and learnt cooking from my mother – in – law , always had to cook in large because of the joint family system and number of members at home . ( Back to the dish please …. Oops … )one morning having no place to keep milk in the fridge , got wild and took out all the left overs and made up my mind to use everything and make a dish out of it . A sure fire solution for my left over problem . Had chapattis , chicken korma , ( previous day dinner left overs ) salsa , sweet corn and kidney beans ( left overs of the previous days taco Bar for breakfast  )all in one dish .. Umm … My mind just strait away went into a layered one pot casserole dish . The salsa had oozed out its juices from the mixed veggies , wanting to make it a thick spread . Thought of mixing curd but it will surely get more watery . So hung the curd and mixed with the salsa to get a creamy semi thick spread . Shredded the chicken from the bones in the korma and went ahead with my inner instincts and jazzed it up with cheese . Baked it and wolla  … A new dish that’s sure a crowd pleasure to suit every occasion with a mildly crisp exterior and a yielding inside was created .  My job done , I fed  every one at home with this left over dish with nothing being wasted with a twist of rich textural variation and flavours .

Ingredients

Ingredients
Quantity
Chapathis 8 or more
chopped boneless cooked chicken3 cups
Oil1 tablespoon
Onion 1 cup chopped
red pepper/ capsicum1/2 cup chopped
Kidney beans / Rajma beans 2 cups boiled to a mushy texture
sweet corn kernels1 cup boiled
chilli powder1 teaspoon
salsa 3 cups
hung curd 1 1/2 cup
jalapeno1 1/2 cup
grated cheese 1 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves 1 tablespoons finely

Ingredients for salsa

Ingredients
quantity
Onions1 chopped
Green chillies 3 or to taste chopped
Tomato4 to 5 chopped
Lime1/2
Coriander leaves 2 tablespoons chopped
Salt and pepperto taste

Method for salsa

  1. First, using a sharp knife, chop the tomatoes into approximately ¼ inch (5 mm) dice straight into a serving bowl. Next, chop the chilli very finely before adding it to the tomatoes.
  2. Add the onion, coriander and lime juice, and season with salt and freshly milled black pepper.Give everything a thorough mix, then cover and set aside .

Method for chapatti casserole

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease  a casserole dish large enough to fit chapattis . Heat  oil in a sauteing pan,  saute onion and red pepper for 5 minutes, until softened. Mix in chili powder, remove from heat, stir in boiled rajma  beans and corn.
  2. In another medium bowl, mix salsa and hung curd together . Layer chappathi first , then top with salsa mixture and sprinkle  chicken and jalapeno  over ,place a  chappathi again  , then the vegetables mixture and finally grated cheeses .
  3. Repeat 4 times, or until you reach the top of the casserole.  Stop layering once you reach the top of your casserole dish and make sure to top with cheese finally .
  4. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is bubbly and browning.
  5. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves  and cut into wedges and serve hot .

Note

  1. You can use parathas , Naans , rotis , tortillas or any form of bread or roti instead of chapattis .
  2. I used left over chicken from the previous day korma . In case you like spicy food , feel free to spike the chicken up with chilli powder and more seasoning to your choice .
  3. When mixing salsa with hung curd . Do not drain the water that has oozed out of the salsa . Mix it with the water , it helps to get a semi thick gravy consistency that leaves the chapattis moist even after baking .
  4. Vegetarians omit the chicken and follow the same recipe for a veggie version.

Rajma masala

Share Button

image (6)

Preparation Time : soaking of rajma over night + 20 minutes

Cooking Time : 40 minutes

Serving : 4 members

Description

Rajma masala . A mouth smacking north – Indian vegetarian delight gravy . The velvety tomato onion based gravy that coats the soft rajma’s are Devine .at home I use boiled rajma just for breakfast alone to add a source of protein in take .the colour of the dish might put you of but the taste will do the rest . I ended up trying this dish when i had to prepare a vegetarian lunch for a north – indian friend of mine . she is placed in nellai for now as her hubby is a government officer .poor her , she misses every bit of north – India and her main problem being no one knowing Hindi in Nellai . I surprised her with a spread of  a  typical North Indian vegetarian menu . She went head over heels with this rajma masala and paneer stir fry with capsicums . Was so very nervous about serving North Indian food to a North Indian . Was glorified with her remarks and she wanted every thing on the table packed for her hubby . With a big Relief was happy that I did my job well . Now  ,   This gravy has become a staple at home  With another  bowl of goodness added into my daily menu :-))

Ingredients

Ingredients
Quantity
rajma (kidney beans)2 cups
large onions2
green chillies6
ginger 1 /4 inch piece
garlic 1 clove
medium tomatoes2
salt to taste
turmeric powder1/4 teaspoon
chilli powder1/2 teaspoon
coriander powder1 1/4 teaspoon
Oil4 tablespoons
garam masala1 teaspoon
Curd 2 tablespoons
cream2 teaspoons
cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
coriander leaves few to garnish

Method

  1. Soak the rajma for 24 hrs in water. wash it frequently to avoid odour.
  2. Pressure cook till soft with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup water.
  3. Finely chop one onion. grind the other onion with green chillies, garlic & ginger to a fine paste and keep aside. grind the tomatoes and keep it separately.
  4. In a deep vessel, add 4 tbsp of oil. heat the oil and add cumin seeds. then add the finely chopped onion and saute it till it becomes light brown and transparent.
  5. Then add the ground paste & fry till the raw smell goes.
  6. Add the tomato paste, curd, haldi powder, chilly powder , coriander powder and salt. cover for a few minutes in low to medium flame(till the gravy becomes glossy and the oil speparates )
  7. Then add rajma and make up the consistency of the gravy by adding water as required.
  8. Top with garam masala and fresh cream . Mix well . Taste and adjust .
  9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with any roti of choice .

Vadai moor kolambhu

Share Button

image (5)

Preparation Time : 30 minutes

Cooking Time : 25 minutes

Serving : 6 members

Description 

Vadai moor kolazlambu . A dish very own to my in – laws place . At mom’s place we make another version called mooru charu which is made  with white pumpkin’s . But I like my in- laws version better as its a well balanced dish with a sensational simple recipe bursting with mouth watering flavours . An ideal curry when you crave for home cooked comfort food . This curry is served for lunch with white boiled rice and with side dishes like any vegetable koottu  ( veggi with dal ) , spinach porial ,appalam and maasi sambhal ( dried Maldives fish fried with onions and tomatoes ) .  These side dishes combine with one another to create a perfect wholesome warming complete meal .As  I don’t fancy this butter milk based curry much , I was forced by my mother – in – law to give it a try . And When I did , it was a flavour packed curry high lighted with the soaked vadais floating in between . From then on , I never miss out filling my tummy with this full flavoured indulgent moor kozlambhu . These dishes are hard to be found in restaurants . So give it a try and celebrate with family and friends .

Ingredients  for masala paste

Ingredients
Quantity
Bengal gram Dhal(soak it for 20 minutes)1 tablespoon
Red dry chillies 6 to 8 or to taste
grated coconut1/2 cup
Cumin seeds1 teaspoon

Ingredients for the gravy

Ingredients
Quantity
Butter milk4 cups
Turmeric powder1/4 teaspoon
Salttaste
Small onions 1 hand chopped into tiny bits
Green chillies4 chopped
Ginger grateda pinch
Coriander leaves 1 teaspoon chopped
Ripe Tomato medium sized1 chopped
Curry leaves few chopped

Ingredients to temper

Ingredients
Quantity
Oil1 tablespoon
mustard seeds1 teaspoon
dry red chillies2 torn
curry leaves1 strand
Garlic2 flakes crushed
Asafoetida/ Hing1/4 teaspoon

Ingredients to grind for the Vadai

Ingredients
Quantity
bengal gram/Kadalai paruppu/Channa dhal1 cup
green chillies2
ginger grateda pinch
Salt to taste

Ingredients to mix with the Vadai

Ingredients
Quantity
Onion1 chopped
Curry leaves1 strand chopped
Coriander leaves 1 teaspoon chopped

Method for the kozlambhu

  1. Mix ground paste with gravy ingredients and mix well . Taste and adjust .
  2. Heat the bowl which has the butter milk mixture in low flame.Wait till it gets bubbles.make sure not to boil.It will not take more than 3- 5 minutes for the mixture to get heated up .Switch off the flame.
  3. In another pan add oil for tempering.Then add ingredients mentioned for tempering .
  4. Add the tempered ingredients to the curd gravy and mix well.Keep it aside.

Method for Vadai

  1. Soak the channa dhal for atleast 45minutes.Then strain the water from channa dhal.
  2. Add channa dhal,green chillies,ginger,salt and grind to a coarse paste.
  3. To the vadai batter add finely chopped onions,chopped curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves.
  4. Heat oil in a pan to deep fry and fry the vadais.Add the hot vadais to the moor Kuzhambu.
  5. Serve with hot boiled white rice .

Note

No harm in cheating using ready made Vadai’ s . As I do that very often .
Make sure not to boil the moor kozlambhu . Heat in medium flame , just enough to warm the moor kozlambhu .