Bindhi Masala / Ladies Finger Masala / Okra Masala

Ladies finger is one of the very few veggies I like to have in any form.  I was very sad when it's availability became a rarity after shifting to US. But when I found that it is a common veggie in my new place I could not stop my excitement and it is a sure thing in my weekly grocery list. They sweetly call it okra and the local supermarket carries it almost every week that too fresh greeny tender ones. I don't prefer the frozen version as it is not tender and itz very sticky.

Ingredients
1 pound bindhi/okra cut lengthwise into thin strips
1 medium sized tomato cut into very small pieces
1 1/2 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
a pinch of hing
a pinch of turmeric
salt to taste
2 to 3 tbsp of oil

Steps
1. Heat oil in a pan. Once oil is hot enough, add the fennel seeds, cumin seeds and hing and saute for few secs.

2. Add the cut tomato and saute well in the oil. Reduce the flame and close with a lid and let it cook for a min until mushy and the juice of tomato disintegrates into the oil.

3. Now add the cut bindhi and all the spice powders (chilli powder, coriander powder, curry powder, turmeric) with salt. Mix everything well so the tomato and the spices are coated well onto the bindhi.

4. Reduce flame to medium low and close it with a lid. Let it cook for 10 to 15 mins by stirring in between every few mins.

5. Once the bindhi is tender retaining its green color and the oil starts to disintegrate, switch off the stove. Bindhi masala is ready to be served with roti or rice. :)

Note:
1. Cooking the bindhi in low flame helps retain its color (in turn vitamins) and lets the masala blend well into the bindhi which makes it tastier.
2. Cooking in low flame also helps prevent burning of bindhi as there is no water added to the masala. Adding water would make the bindhi sticky. So do not add any water to cook.

Mullangi Sambhar / Lentil Soup with Radish

Sambhar is an all time favorite of me and my hubby. Though I like the flavor of radish in sambhar, I just don't prefer it's dominance. Once while browsing I came across Solai Auntie's idea of adding this ground powder which reduces the dominance of radish flavor. I just gave it a try and it was super divine.

 
Ingredients
1/2 cup toor dhal
10 small onion or shallots cut into small pieces
5 pods garlic cut into small pieces
1 medium tomato cut into small pieces
6 small pink radish sliced into thin round slices
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp curry powder (optional)
a pinch of turmeric powder
lemon sized tamarind soaked in water
a spring of cilantro/ coriander leaves
salt to taste

For seasoning
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
a pinch of hing
few springs of curry leaves
a tbsp of oil

To roast and powder
1 tsp channa dhal
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 to 3 dry red chillies
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

Steps
1. Cook toor dhal by adding enough water and a pinch of turmeric in microwave for 25 to 30 mins.

2. Dry roast the ingredients to roast and powder and let it cool. Grind it into a fine powder in mixer.

3. Heat a tbsp of oil in kadai. Once oil is hot enough add mustard seeds and let it splutter completely. Now reduce flame add fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and a pinch of hing and saute for few secs. Do not let the spices go dark brown as it would give a bitter taste to the dish.

4. Add the cut onions and garlic and saute for a min. Now add the cut tomato and add a tbsp of water and let it cook in medium flame for 5 mins or until tender and mushy. Closing the kadai with a lid reduces cooking time.

5. Add sliced radish and saute for few seconds. Add 1/2 cup of water and let it cook for few mins by closing the lid.

6. Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, curry powder and the ground masala powder and saute for few mins till raw smell goes off.

7. Now squeeze out the water from the soaked tamarind and add it to the kadai. Add salt and mix well and let the gravy come to a boil.

8. Now add the cooked dhal and add enough water to get the desired consistency. Thin sambhar tastes good. Check salt at this point and add if needed. Close the kadai with a lid and let the sambhar cook for 10 mins in medium flame until all the flavors are blended well and the veggies are well cooked.

9. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot and steamy rice.

Serving Suggestions
1. Can be served for lunch with hot steamed rice and bindhi masala as sidedish.

This combo tastes so good and is a big hit with my hubby. He goes for an extra course whenever I prepare this for lunch. :)

Banana Berry Smoothie

Smoothie makes a healthy and tasty accompaniment to your breakfast loaded with vitamins.


Ingredients
1 medium ripe Banana
1 cup homemade/ store bought Orange Juice
1 cup berries of your choice (strawberry/blueberry/blackberry/grape)
1/2 cup Ice Cubes

Steps
1. Cut the banana into small pieces.
2. Add the banana pieces and the berries into the big jar of a blender/mixer and blend for few seconds until mushy and well incorporated.
3. Now add the orange juice and ice cubes and blend for a min.
4. Serve immediately in a tall glass.

Note :
1. Banana tend to change color, so don't store it for long.
2. The smoothie is supposed to be thick. The consistency can be adjusted to thick/thin by adjusting the amount of orange juice added.

Nutty Banana Pancakes

Pancakes have become one of my favorite breakfast as it fulfills the needs of my sweet tooth. It is easy to make and doesn't need any previous day preparations. Substituting the regular ingredients of pancake i.e bleached flour and butter with whole wheat and canola oil makes it a healthier option too. Also as it is loaded with protein, calcium and iron it makes a healthy fulfilling breakfast choice.   

Ingredients
Whole Wheat Flour - 1 1/2 cups
Brown Sugar - 4 tablespoons
Baking Powder - 1 t.spn
Baking Soda - 1/2 t.spn
Salt - 1/2 t.spn.
Yogurt/Curd - 2/3 cup
Milk - 3/4 cup
Eggs - 3
Banana - 1 big sliced into small cubes
Nut of your choice - 1/3 cups chopped  ( I prefer Almonds/Walnut )
Canola Oil - 1 tbl.spn

Steps
1. Mix all the Dry Ingredients ( whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking soda & powder, salt) in a bowl.

2. Beat together yogurt, milk, eggs and canola oil with a hand beater until foamy.

3. Add the dry flour mix into the beaten liquid and mix well until it is incorporated into a thick batter.

4. Add in the banana and nuts. Mix it well into the batter.

5. Let the batter sit for 10 to 15 mins.

6. Heat the griddle in medium flame. Once the griddle is hot enough turn it into medium low. The griddle should not be too hot.

7. Add 2 scoops of the batter and spread it into a small thick disc. It should not be thin like our dosas as it is supposed to be soft and fluffy like a cake. Pour a t.spn of oil on top and close it with a lid on top.

8. After approx. 2 mins, turn it around and let it cook for another 2 mins.

9. The pancake is ready with banana and nutty flavor filling in your kitchen.

Serving Suggestions :
1. Two Pancakes with a glass of homemade Orange Juice / Smoothie would make a satisfying healthy breakfast.

Note:
1. Fruit flavored yogurt can be substituted instead of plain curd. Adjust the sugar accordingly as flavored yogurt will have some added sugar. It enhances the taste of pancakes. But may not be a healthier choice as flavored yogurt has lots of sugar in it.
2. Switch fruits of your choice. All the berries works well and it adds a tangy flavor to the pancakes.
3. Pancakes can be made with butter instead of oil. It is more flavorful yet comes with some added cholesterol.

Crispy Lentil Fritters / Crispy Vada / Crispy Masala Vadai

The other day I was watching this cookery program by Anu Hassan where she invited her childhood neighboring aunties for a party and treated them with the specialties which she had tasted in their home as a kid. One of the specialty was this vada which she sweetly christened 'Emergency Vadai' as this is how it is called by it's creator Jeyanthi Akka (one of her childhood neighbor). It is called so bcoz it can be quickly made from an instant lentil powder mix. It turned out to be more crispier than the regular homemade version and it reminded me of those vadas which we used to eat from a roadside shop on our way back from office when we were in chennai. So here it is as demonstrated by Anu with few of my additions.....

Ingredients
Channa Daal - 1/2 Cup
Toor Daal - 1/4 Cup
Urad Daal - 1/4 Cup
Mung Daal - 1/4 Cup
Big Onion - 1/2
Green Chillies - 2 or as per taste
Curry Leaves - 2 springs finely chopped
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 t.spn
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 t.spn
Hing/ Asfoetida - 2 pinch
Salt - as per taste
Oil - for frying

Steps
1. Roast all the 4 daals with 1 t.spn of oil. Do not over roast, just roast for 4 to 5 mins.

2. Cool and grind in the mixer to a coarse powder.

3. Add hing and salt to the ground powder and add enough water to soak it. Add water little by little and let the powder absorb it. When you feel that the water stands out, just stop adding water and let it soak for 1/2 an hr.

4. After 1/2 an hr, check the batter consistency, if it is too dry add little water so that you can shape them up into vadas.

5. Add the finely chopped onion, green chillies, curry leaves, cumin and fennel seeds to the batter. Mix well.

6. Heat Oil in a pan. Once the Oil is hot enough, turn flame to medium.

7. Shape the vadas (into small flat discs) and fry till it turns golden brown.

8. Enjoi the hot crispy vada on a cold winter day :)

Note:
1. The coarse daal powder can be done in bulk and kept in stock. This makes it quick to make vadas in a zing.
2. As a variation chopped greens can be added to the vada. Tatz called Keerai Vadai.