Tomato Paratha | How to make tomato paratha?

Soft, delicious and filling tomato paratha for travel or lunchbox
11/30/2016 9:54:21 PM vindhyadesai

Did you know that tomatoes can be ‘grated’ into a coarse puree. I learnt this recently from an article which mentioned ingredients that can actually be grated. So these grated tomatoes add a new kind of texture to soft tomato paratha. I have used this technique to make super tasty red tomato paratha.
However, tomatoes should be firm and just ripe to be able to grate them. Of course, they should also be fresh. Nothing stops us from pureeing the tomatoes in a blender. That would work well too. ... “Tomato Paratha | How to make tomato paratha?”

Gorikayi Bhaat | Cluster Beans Bhaat | Chavlikayi Bhaat

Tasty and flavourful with crunchy groundnuts, gorikayi/chavlikayi bhaat
10/31/2016 9:52:05 PM vindhyadesai

After a month long celebration of festivals if you are craving to eat something simple and light, try one of the bhaat/rice recipes. Here’s the recipe for a simple gorikayi bhaat made using cluster beans/gorikayi or chavlikayi. These beans are hardly used but when eaten tender they can be very sweet. These beans have a unique taste and are very fibrous. I have also added peas which pop in the mouth and give extra texture along with the crunchy groundnuts/peanuts.
Here’s a simple cluster bean chutney as well to try. Flavours from jaggery and tamarind add the essential sweet and sour notes to this along with rasam powder giving it a hint of spice and fresh taste. I served this with capsicum raitha/saasme. Gorikayi bhaat is a simple one pot recipe, perfect for your lunch box or for festivals or even for that picnic you are planning.
... “Gorikayi Bhaat | Cluster Beans Bhaat | Chavlikayi Bhaat”

Aloo Posto | Bengali Aloo Poshto | How to make aloo posto?

Pungent and flavourful aloo posto – aloo sabzi with khus-khus paste
10/09/2016 10:42:16 PM vindhyadesai

Aloo sabzis are the go-to sabzis be it on a festival or on regular days. Aloo or potatoes just work with anything and everything. After I decided to prepare Bengali style khichuri and tamatar chatni for Durgashtami I was thinking of a sabzi to go along with the chatni and phulkas/rotis, finally I zeroed in on making aloo posto. The star of the show is not aloo though. It is a paste made from lightly roasted khus-khus/gasa gase/poppy seeds. They give a pungent flavour to the sabzi and add great texture. Aloo posto is generally made in mustard oil like most Bengali dishes. It is a simple sabzi and is ready in no time. Do try other khus-khus or poppy seeds related dishes and aloo dishes. ... “Aloo Posto | Bengali Aloo Poshto | How to make aloo posto?”

Bengali Khichuri | Bengali Style Khichdi | Bhog er Khichuri

Bengali style khichdi or khichuri, filling and satisfying – Bhog er Khichuri
10/09/2016 8:06:47 PM vindhyadesai

Today was Durgasthami and I made a big Bengali spread for the occasion. It included, aloo posto, Bengali style tamatar chatni, rosogullas and bhog er khichuri. This khichdi is one of the many versions of khichdis one can find in the Indian cuisine. From Pongal to huggi to plain khichdi to mixed veg khichdi there are so many varieties. Every state has at least one of its own versions. This khichdi has roasted mung dal in it with some vegetables. It has some aromatic spices like laung, elaichi, dalchini. They add nice flavour to the khichdi. This is a special dish from the Bengali cuisine and is specially made during festivals like Durgasthami and Saraswati Puja making it ‘Bhog er Khichuri’. It is made with a special type of rice called GobindoBhog chaawal. Any fragrant rice like jeera or basmati rice can be used or even our good old sona masuri rice can also be used to make this khichuri. I have adapted this recipe from a blog which has some nice recipes from the Bengali cuisine. Try other Bengali recipes. ... “Bengali Khichuri | Bengali Style Khichdi | Bhog er Khichuri”

Aloo Jeera | How to make aloo jeera?

Easy aloo jeera recipe with warming, toasted jeera
10/06/2016 7:38:51 PM vindhyadesai

One of the most common recipes I turn to when I need to prepare something with chapathi/phulkas/rotis is this easy aloo jeera sabzi. Aloo jeera or potatoes in warm toasted jeera/cumin seeds sounds comforting and delicious. This easy aloo jeera recipe can be made for vrata/vrat during Navratri or other vrat related festivals. Use sendha namak when making this for vrata/vrat. This dish gets ready in very less time the only waiting time is for the potatoes to get boiled and cooked which will be faster if you cook them in a cooker. Potatoes can be chopped in any way you like, any shape and any size but make sure they are bite sized. Here jeera is added 2 ways, toasted and pounded jeera and some in the tadka. Other potato dishes to try. ... “Aloo Jeera | How to make aloo jeera?”

Aloo Baingan | How to make aloo baingan sabzi?

Easy aloo baingan sabzi, mustardy, mildly spicy and flavourful
9/07/2016 9:46:12 PM vindhyadesai

A simple dry sabzi for everyday. Even those who do not like baingan/brinjal will also like this sabzi because the flavours are simple and tasty. Pungent mustardy flavour is imparted by adding pounded mustard seeds to oil before adding any other masala powders giving it the Bengal touch. You can even use mustard oil in place of pounded mustard seeds but the mustard flecks in between makes the sabzi very appealing. I have used regular garam masala, you can also use Punjabi garam masala if you want. Modify sabzi as per your taste. Do not overcook baingan which makes it mushy, unpalatable and unsightly sometimes. This sabzi is fast, fresh and simple and is an excellent side dish for rotis/phulkas/plain parathas/chapathis. Potatoes just work with eveything, they are so versatile! ... “Aloo Baingan | How to make aloo baingan sabzi?”

Coconut Rice | Tengu Anna | How to make coconut bhaat?

Simple, easy, flavourful coconut flavoured rice/bhaat
9/06/2016 9:30:09 PM vindhyadesai

Another simple, easy to prepare coconut rice/bhaat. Most homes have this dish during a festival or to pack for lunch box. This simple dish can sometimes become boring if prepared very often. Add a spin to it, bring in some festivity, add more flavour of coconut by adding cashewnuts, making it with basmati rice and also using coconut oil to make the tadka. Add lots of freshly grated coconut for that unmistakable aroma! Prepare this rice/bhaat and serve with a cool raitha or hasi majjige huLi or saasme (yogurt based cool raitha) and savour the flavours of this humble dish! Other bhaat recipes to try from FOI. ... “Coconut Rice | Tengu Anna | How to make coconut bhaat?”

Aloo Paratha | Aloo ke Parathe | How to make aloo paratha?

Filling and favourite aloo ke parathe
08/13/2016 6:25:11 PM vindhyadesai

This week on Food Of Interest [FOI] I will be adding vegetarian recipes from cuisines from various parts of the world. The list is of course to start with, Indian, followed by Italian, Spanish, Mexican, South African, Austrian, American and last but not least Chinese. The dishes themselves will be revealed over the next week. It is all about fresh vegetarian cooking. Fresh produce all over the world is treated with immense respect in their local cuisines. Tasty food, a few famous dishes and a few unheard of dishes but all about vegetables and fruits and fresh produce that is eaten and celebrated world over. To begin, a very famous Indian recipe which celebrates potato and wheat, aloo paratha. This paratha is everybody’s favourite and is very filling. So here is Dish 1 part of World Cuisine Series – Aloo paratha! A super Sunday morning breakfast/brunch. ... “Aloo Paratha | Aloo ke Parathe | How to make aloo paratha?”

Uddina Bhaat | Urad Dal Rice | Ulundu Sadam | Uddina Anna

Aromatic and flavourful urad dal rice
08/12/2016 8:00:33 PM vindhyadesai

One more traditional recipe from Tamil Nadu & Karnataka. A simple yet aromatic and flavourful urad dal rice. This can be made for ceremonies, for lunch box or even for travel. It stays good at room temperature for a day and is best served with yellu gojju/yellu tuvayil along with roasted papad and yogurt. Try other bhaat recipes from FOI. ... “Uddina Bhaat | Urad Dal Rice | Ulundu Sadam | Uddina Anna”

Bisi Bele Bhaat | Bisi Bele Bhath | How to make bisi bele bhaat

Favourite and festive bisi bele bhaat
06/27/2016 9:27:47 PM vindhyadesai

Bisi Bele Bhaat (BBB) is the default dish for a big function like weddings in South Karnataka. It is a crowd favourite dish and made for most festivals and grand celebrations. It is a thick rice and lentils dish with loads of vegetables, fragrant spices and topped with cashews and groundnuts. Very filling and super tasty, generally served with masala corn flakes, potato chips and mixed raitha. Use freshly made masala and your BBB will be a hit. BBB is probably one of those dishes which people like it best when homemade rather than hotel style. Not many restaurants serve good bisi bele bhaat. So, why not try making it at home.
There are quite a few steps, keeping everything organized makes it easy without making you feel overwhelmed. Make dry BBB masala previous day or first thing before starting bisi bele bhaat. I have learnt this recipe from many people each with their own proportions for masala but credit has to go to my friend’s mother who gave me her handwritten recipe which I tried with some variations. Enjoy! ... “Bisi Bele Bhaat | Bisi Bele Bhath | How to make bisi bele bhaat”