Brinjal Gotsu | Badanekayi Gojju | Gojju Recipes

Delicious brinjal gotsu or badanekayi gojju, with a freshly roasted masala
05/17/2019 10:19:43 PM vindhyadesai

I get requests for chapathi side dishes all the time. So what better than a gojju to add to that list. Brinjal gotsu or badanekayi gojju is a whole package, not only does it taste good with chapathi but it is the best with ven pongal. It is one of the best combinations there is out there!
Brinjal gotsu or badanekayi gojju has a simple masala, roasted and ground fresh! This is a Tamil Nadu special recipe, brinjal gotsu served with ven pongal for breakfast is an emotion and not just ‘any’ dish. Both dishes are very simple to make and you will have some delicious breakfast in 30-40 minutes. ... “Brinjal Gotsu | Badanekayi Gojju | Gojju Recipes”

Biryani Masala | Homemade Biryani Masala

Fresh and fragrant homemade biryani masala made with whole roasted spices
05/08/2019 6:05:47 PMĀ vindhyadesai

Following the post of how to cook biryani rice or biryani chawal it’s time to learn the recipe of homemade biryani masala. Making biryani masala is a challenge in the sense that buying all the whole spices is a big activity. Making the homemade masala is easy after that.
Some spices are available at home but you will generally need to buy spices. After all it is worth it, royal homemade biryani masala for a royal biryani dish. Although it looks like a lot of effort to make this homemade biryani masala it is better to make it at home. Fragrant and aromatic fresh masala, waah! ... “Biryani Masala | Homemade Biryani Masala”

Bharwan Karela | Stuffed Bittergourd | Bharwa Karela

Loaded with tasty masala stuffing, bitter sweet bharwan karela
12/28/2018 6:22:09 PM vindhyadesai

Bitter gourd or karela is always advertised as a vegetable not preferred by many. But infact it is one of those vegetables made regularly in many Indian homes. Karela, lauki or kaddu (bitter gourd, bottle gourd or pumpkin) atleast one of them will definitely feature on the menu. This might be the reason why it is not liked by many as it is dull, routine and boring. But how about we make the boring bitter gourd or karela interesting and a bit fancy. Bharwan karela is a very commonly made Punjabi dish.
Bharwan karela or stuffed bitter gourd as the name indicates has a flavourful masala stuffing filled into the cavity of karela and then cooked off in a sweet onion base. The flavours mingle so well in this dish and balance the pungent bitterness of the karela really well. Along with bharwan karela I served a simple Methi kadhi and some steamed rice, I say comfort food at its best! ... “Bharwan Karela | Stuffed Bittergourd | Bharwa Karela”

Masala Chai | Masala Tea | Beverage Recipes

Ever-favourite piping hot beverage, masala chai or masala tea
10/23/2018 9:24:30 AM vindhyadesai

What do I say about tea! Where do we start! It is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. And by far one of the most popular beverages in the world! In India, tea is absolutely popular, no prizes for guessing! Masala chai or masala tea is infact an emotion. So many conversations start with this magical potion and some people cannot function without this.
Masala chai or masala tea is not just about the tea leaves, it is about the celebration of tea itself. The best tea leaves/powder are boiled and mixed with fragrant spices mixed with hot milk. It simply takes tea to another level. It is a beautiful thing! ... “Masala Chai | Masala Tea | Beverage Recipes”

Vangi Bhaat Masala | Bhaat Pudi | Homemade Bhaat Powder

Aromatic homemade vangi bhaat masala, a spice powder to make rice bhaat
08/26/2018 6:37:10 PM vindhyadesai

Homemade masalas are the best, they are fresh and aromatic. Such masalas are free from preservatives and artificial additives. That’s a good start to any dish especially rice based dishes. Different kinds of bhaat are made in South India which are based on some vegetable. Freshly powdered masala should be a part of such flavourful dishes. Vangi bhaat masala is very essential in Karnataka.
Vangi means brinjal or aubergine and a tasty rice dish is prepared with it called vangi bhaat. A special spice powder or masala that goes into it is vangi bhaat masala. It has a variety of spices mostly commonly available at home. These spices are lightly toasted till aromatic and ground into a powder.

... “Vangi Bhaat Masala | Bhaat Pudi | Homemade Bhaat Powder”

Avalakki Bisi Bele Bhaat | Poha Bisi Bele Bhaat | Breakfast Recipes

Perfect for breakfast lunch or dinner, delicious avalakki bisi bele bhaat
08/17/2018 8:00:35 AM vindhyadesai

Making variations of famous dishes can be delicious at times. Like this avalakki bisi bele bhaat which is an easy alternative to making elaborate bisi bele bhaat. Both taste great and the textures are slightly different. For avalakki bisi bele bhaat I generally add mung dal or hesaru bele. Whereas for rice bisi bele bhaat we add toor dal or togari bele.
As this is a quicker version of traditional BBB it’s not necessary to grind a coconut masala. Avalakki or poha is quite light on its own so we do not need additional things to make it rich and heavy. Throw in a few cashews and groundnuts for that crunch and colour. Generally, avalakki bisi bele bhaat is served immediately. Avalakki/poha absorbs a lot of liquid and so does mung dal, so it’s best to serve it fresh. ... “Avalakki Bisi Bele Bhaat | Poha Bisi Bele Bhaat | Breakfast Recipes”

Pav Bhaji Masala | Homemade Pav Bhaji Masala | Masala Recipes

Fresh, aromatic, homemade pav bhaji masala, to make your favourite dish special & tasty
05/22/2018 5:04:03 PM vindhyadesai

Pav bhaji is my favourite street food. Those pav breads lathered in butter and a creamy, chatpata and spicy bhaji on the side. Makes you drool, isn’t it? So why not make your favourite dish by adding fresh masala made right at home! So here it is, homemade pav bhaji masala.
Any masala which is homemade has to taste good. It’s the right proportion of ingredients which make the masala really fragrant. Moreover you do not have to worry about added preservatives or low quality ingredients. You have full control over the amount of spice, taste and texture in homemade pav bhaji masala. ... “Pav Bhaji Masala | Homemade Pav Bhaji Masala | Masala Recipes”

Hotel Style Tiffin Sambar | Tiffin Sambar | Sambar Recipes

A must with idli, dosa and uddina vada, hotel style tiffin sambar
05/01/2018 9:45:27 PM vindhyadesai

Most hotels serve sambar with idli, dosas, pongal, and the ever popular uddina vada. Hotel style sambar also called tiffin sambar is an absolute must in tiffin centres and darshinis. Served with rice and a papad on the side is the saviour lunch for many people. It provides warmth and comfort to a hungry stomach. Daily office goers and factory goers depend on this tiffin sambar and rice.
So it is not only breakfast items but it is a staple in ‘tiffin’ boxes and carriers as they are called. Imagine dunking a piece of uddina vada in hot tiffin sambar, absolutely to die for! Plain tiffin sambar has pearl or sambar onions and tomatoes. A fresh masala is roasted and ground everyday and then simmered in a dal gravy. The more it boils the better it tastes. ... “Hotel Style Tiffin Sambar | Tiffin Sambar | Sambar Recipes”

Masala Box | Spice Box | Vaggarne Dabbi | Tadka Dibba

A well arranged masala box, with all the essentials for everyday cooking
04/18/2018 10:13:24 PM vindhyadesai

Do you find yourself scampering around while cooking, looking around to find mustard, cumin, methi, pepper etc. A masala box or vaggarne dabbi or tadka dabba will come to your rescue. In many cuisines people have spice stands, boxes etc. But masala box is something very unique to Indian cuisine specially in Southern and Western parts of India.
It is generally a stainless steel box with multiple small containers like pigeon holes. These containers hold a small quantity of spices. In olden days, the masala box used to be made of copper or brass. Here I have described an easy way to fill up your masala box with some typical South Indian spices. It is a do it yourself activity, ready to make meals like mixed veg upma, lemon rice, to add tadka for chutneys etc. ... “Masala Box | Spice Box | Vaggarne Dabbi | Tadka Dibba”

Sambar Powder | Sambar Pudi | Homemade HuLi Pudi

Aromatic, fresh, authentic Mysore style homemade sambar powder
09/25/2017 9:26:18 PM vindhyadesai

I am sure everybody agrees that fresh homemade masalas and powders cannot be replaced! Basic powders like saarina pudi/rasam powder and sambar powder are essential to a South Indian cook. They come in so handy. The aroma of homemade sambar powder is the measure of how good your sambar/huLi turns out to be.
Generally all ingredients are dry roasted individually and slowly in heated heavy pans/kadais. But here I have given a simple and easy method all done at once. Moreover it is for a small quantity measure making it simple to handle masala ingredients. This will also ensure your sambar powder is fresh. ... “Sambar Powder | Sambar Pudi | Homemade HuLi Pudi”