THE RECIPE LARDER

Soong Dal

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It’s that time of the year when Mahabaleshwar beckons, with its myriad sunsets, fresh fragrant strawberries and over powering array of flowers. We had ourselves farm fresh and organic vegetables just off the farm.

 

Since we do not use fertilisers or pesticides of any kind, we pluck off cherry tomatoes and radish straight from the plants and merrily munch it on the go!

fresh off the farm.

For a day and a half, we were just mom and son! We ate, drank and had some crazy conversations.

We both wanted something a bit healthy for our lunch, and anyways friends who love this dish have been asking for the recipe. So we decided to make it and blog it.

This is a super healthy snack.  I sometimes have it as the lonesome dish for dinner too. It’s super filling, high in protein and very very healthy. It does not sit in your tummy, but leaves you feeling full and satiated. The tangy, spicy flavour makes it soooo very edible and tasty.

I optionally also add finely chopped raw mango (kairi) to it and reduce the lemon a wee bit. You can play around with it as you like. Reduce the spice, increase it (yaay!), add onions, take off the coconut, add a dash of green chutney!!! Just go for it. Not much can destroy this dish!

Add to it a dhokla mix, or to some other chaat item. Serve it mixed with broken idli and podi chutney. Let your creativity flow and do tell me also how you played with it!

Soong dal goes amazingly well with drinks. But serve it chilled. Like – absolutely and totally chilled. If you think of heating it – u might as well eat dal. So DO NOT HEAT this dish!!

Have fun! Cheers!

 

PS: Here is the video shoot we did for the Soong Dal. It’s very basic and rustic, as is the kitchen in our farm.


Soong Dal
Print Recipe
A healthy and tasty snack. Super with drinks.
Servings Prep Time
4 pax 5 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 minutes 4 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 pax 5 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 minutes 4 hours
Soong Dal
Print Recipe
A healthy and tasty snack. Super with drinks.
Servings Prep Time
4 pax 5 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 minutes 4 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 pax 5 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 minutes 4 hours
Ingredients
Servings: pax
Instructions
  1. Wash and soak the yellow moong dal for 4 hours.
  2. Drain the water, rinse the dal and keep on a draining sieve for appx 20 minutes, so that no water is left.
  3. Once the water has drained, get the tadka ready. Keep the moong dal in a mixing bowl.
  4. In a tadka pan, add the oil.
  5. When hot, add the mustard seeds.
  6. When spluttering, add the hing and finally the curry leaves.
  7. All the curry leaves should splatter, so mix it with a spoon once, while still on the fire.
  8. Take off the fire and put it on the moong dal.
  9. Now add the salt, chopped corriander, coconut and green chillies (and optionally the raw mango)
  10. Lastly squeeze in the lemon juice.
  11. Mix well.
  12. Serve completely chilled.
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Puffed Rice (Kurmura) Poha

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It was evening, and hunger pangs were making our stomach growl furiously. There was no time to make a time consuming snack, we all wanted something healthy and not too heavy. (The dinner menu looked very mouth wateringly promising!).

Rekha, our house keeper jumped to the rescue of our collective moaning tummies. She quickly chopped some onions, made a tadka of spices and curry leaves, took a large helping of puffed rice and to my astonishment, dumped it in a sieve and ran it under running water for a good 3 to 4 minutes.

By now I should not be surprised and astounded by the different ways and methods people around me cook. Rekha and my cousins and family continuously come up with new techniques and unique mixes. My last post was one such experience.

As recipes go, this one is the easiest, quickest snack you can make. You can make the onion mixture ahead of time and soak and mix the puffed rice (kurmura) just before serving.

Most of the ingredients are normally available in all Indian house holds, so there is no need to go rushing to the nearest grocer to buy something. You can of course make it spicer, more sour, add garlic … there is no end to how you can play around with the dish.

On this note, let me announce with the greatest of excitement that I have started my own Youtube channel. Its called The Recipe Larder, same as this blog.

The youtube video link to this recipe is available here. It shows you the step by step method of making this recipe. Do subscribe for more off beat recipes.

Hope you end up making this. Do send me pics!!  Cheers! and Ciao!

PS: please tag therecipelarder on istagram, if you wish to share your pics.

Puffed Rice (Kurmura) Poha
Print Recipe
A quick, easy and healthy snack made with puffed rice (kurmura).
Servings Prep Time
3/4 pax 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3/4 pax 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Puffed Rice (Kurmura) Poha
Print Recipe
A quick, easy and healthy snack made with puffed rice (kurmura).
Servings Prep Time
3/4 pax 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3/4 pax 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: pax
Instructions
  1. Dry roast, remove the skin and coarsely crush the peanuts.
  2. Keep aside
  3. Grate the coconut and keep aside.
  4. In a pan, add the oil.
  5. When hot add the mustard seeds.
  6. When the splutter, add the chopped onions.
  7. Fry for a bit, then add the curry leaves.
  8. Fry for a few minutes more. When the onion becomes translucent, add the green chillies.
  9. Add the turmeric powder and salt and fry well.
  10. Shut the flame and keep this mixture aside.
  11. When you want to serve it, put all the puffed rice into a sieve and wash for 3 to 5 minutes under running water.
  12. tightly squeeze all the water out and keep the soaked puff rice aside.
  13. Before serving, add the puffed rice to the onion mixture. (you don't have to start the fire at this point)
  14. Add the peanuts, grated coconut, coriander leaves and lemon juice.
  15. Mix well and serve immediately.
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Mirchi ka Thecha

By 4 Comments

I first had this fiery crushed green chilly mixture, many many years ago, made by a Maharashtrian lady. It fired up my taste buds, made my eyes water, my nose run, but I craved more. That day I ended up overeating my lunch because I wanted to keep eating more and more of this spirited dish. Over ate lunch because one cannot have this just as it is by the spoonfuls. You have to eat it with some sort of roti or rice.

Non heat eaters – REFRAIN!!

 

My taste buds start craving this, as soon as December starts fading away. The best spicy green chillies, come around January first week, and these make the best Thecha. I went hunting in the farmers market and came upon a lady selling only chillies. Luster green, shinning chillies. I did not have my camera with me ( a lesson learnt), else it would have made a very evocative and vocal picture.

This is a very quick recipe. Eat it with traditional, dal chawal, roti, khichdi, omelette – just about anything. If you are game to experiment – add to Kachumber, any vinaigrette, in yoghurt for a raita mix — let loose your imagination.

I used a mix of spicy and less spicy green chillies. You can use the entire lot as spicy green chillies, or less spicy ones. The less spicy chillies, will not give it the punch, but hey if you cannot stand too much spice, at least you will get a taste of this amazing chutney.

If you are allergic to the spice of the chillies – oil your hands before chopping, or wear gloves. If  I have any sweat on my face, the vapour of the chillies sets my face on fire. I always, always use help for chilly chopping. If I have to do it myself, I use kitchen scissors.

This stays well in the refrigerator for a month or two. Use a clean spoon to take out as much as you need, (each time), and nothing will happen to it.

Enjoy! And do write back and tell me how you liked it.

 


Mirchi Ka Thecha
Print Recipe
Fiery, spicy, highly addictive chutney/ pickle.
Servings Prep Time
500 grams 20 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
500 grams 20 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Mirchi Ka Thecha
Print Recipe
Fiery, spicy, highly addictive chutney/ pickle.
Servings Prep Time
500 grams 20 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
500 grams 20 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: grams
Instructions
  1. Wash and dry the chillies.
  2. Cut each chilly into three pieces. The larger ones cut into four.
  3. Heat the oil, in a heavy bottomed pan, large enough to hold all the chillies.
  4. Add the jeera and rai and let it splutter.
  5. Add the hing and curry leaves. When the curry leaves crackle, add the garlic and coconut, and sauté well, till it browns a bit.
  6. Add the chillies and cook for 10 odd minutes - till it looses a little of its original colour.
  7. Add the salt and vinegar and cook for 5 more minutes.
  8. Take off the fire and cool down completely.
  9. Blend in a mixie, using pulsing action. Do not over blend and make into a chutney. Keep it coarse. Pieces of chillies should be seen.
  10. Store in sterile jars.
  11. Refrigerate. Shelf life is appx 1 to 2 months.
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Red Chilli Chutney – From Bangalore.

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In the din and pollution of Bangalore, exists a quiet retreat. The garden is lush, and in the centre of it all stands my favourite tree – The Parijat. There is something about the small white flower with the orange stems. It has a hard grip on my list of all time favourites. In the days of the old, my grandmother and her sisters in law, would break the orange stem, and make a dye with it. They used it to colour their sarees and wore them for auspicious occasions.

The parijat flower

The parijat flower

In that serene atmosphere, lives Rekha with her husband and daughter. When she got married, her very foodie husband was appalled at her cooking skills, so he took her to his mother’s home for some training. Rekha being Rekha, understood that way to her husband’s heart is through his stomach (as it is with mine!) She dedicated her self to traditional cooking training. I say “well done” husband, because otherwise, we would have lost out on eating out of the hands of one of the best cooks I have ever met.

Rekha is clean, neat and extremely efficient. Her recipes have been so well measured, that nothing goes waste.

In the next few weeks, I will be adding a few of her recipes. The food you must have eaten, but her’s are worth trying out once.

red chutneu feature

Here is a simple Red Chilli Chutney. I asked her the traditional name for it, she just shrugged and said – Red Chilli Chutney. Well then. So be it!!

Since the time I made it, I’ve had it with everything – toast, pooran poli, in a salad. I even layered the base of Lasagna sheets with it, before putting in the fillings. It is not as spicy as it looks.

Red Chutney with anything

Red Chutney with anything

The taste of the jaggery and imli (tamarind), blend with the chillies, giving it the right tang and a hint of spiciness. For the palate that does not mind experimenting with a little spice, this recipe is a must try. And it’s adorably simple.

Red Chilli Chutney

Red Chilli Chutney

Ingredients for the chutney. Sans the red chillies

Ingredients for the chutney. Sans the red chillies


Red Chilli Chutney - From Bangalore
Print Recipe
For the complex tastes that hit your palate, this is a very simple, easy and quick recipe to make. Phenomenally versatile....
Servings Prep Time
150 grams appx 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 minutes 5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
150 grams appx 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 minutes 5 minutes
Red Chilli Chutney - From Bangalore
Print Recipe
For the complex tastes that hit your palate, this is a very simple, easy and quick recipe to make. Phenomenally versatile....
Servings Prep Time
150 grams appx 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 minutes 5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
150 grams appx 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 minutes 5 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: grams appx
Instructions
  1. Take off the stems of the red chillies and soak them whole, in room temperature water.
  2. While the chillies soak, dry roast the methi, jeera and curry leaves, on a non stick pan. Roast till the jeera gives off fragrance and the curry leaves look just a bit wilted.
  3. After 15 minutes drain the chillies and throw away the water.
  4. Blend together, soaked red chillies, dry roasted methi, jeera and curry leaves, tamarind, jaggery, garlic and salt in a blender. Use a little water to blend.
  5. Make a coarse paste. Don't blend till its too fine.
  6. Stores well in refrigerator for a week.
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Mango Curry – Fajeto

By 8 Comments

While growing up, we lived in this huge rambling and wild compound. The coconut trees far outnumbered the humans. Everyone was equally immersed in the neighbours’ life, as much as their own. Without exception, every evening we kids met up at 4 pm and were dragged home at 8 pm, by parents who had to spell out dire consequences if we delayed leaving our playmates to come home. We cycled, played hide and seek – a complete torture for the person who was the “den”! The game went on forever because someone or the other always got the better of him. Our compound was massive, with many many hiding places. And new ones were found every day.

We had a fish pond, which was religiously cleaned one Sunday a month, and in summer vacations. We lived by the sea, so horse riding, football, cricket were our favourite pass times.

Well – now that I have drowned myself in serious nostalgia, I might as well get to the point, before I sit down to write childhood memoirs of Appu!!

Mango Curry

Mango Curry

Our neighbours were 2 boys and their parents. Sweetest most friendly people alive. Of course, the boys had to torture us time and again, which they did with glee and wild abandon. We are all grown up now and treat each other with respect, but I loose all semblance of maturity when I eat anything at their home. Aunty (the sainted mom, who handled two, very naughty boys) still cooks. We very unabashedly invite ourselves to their dining table every once in a while. Right down from the chapati to the pickles have hitherto unknown flavours and fragrances.

mango curry

mango curry

Yesterday I passed by their home, and the redolent aromas emitting from their kitchen window made my stomach growl. I had to stop by for a quick chat, and had a taste of the mango curry  –  or as the Gujrati’s call, it _ Fajeto. I think I must have gone into a trance for a bit! Mango exploding with a bit of ghee and a high taste of asafoetida! This was made by the wife of one of the boys (ah! alright Men now!) – Smita. And … well, I think the staircase to food heaven starts right there!

I made it today for lunch, it turned out amazing. I took her permission and am now publishing it in the blog.

mango curry

mango curry

Don’t wait up too long. The mangoes are perfect right now. Use ALPHONSO only. As far as I am concerned all other mangoes are not mangoes. They are frauds! Duplicates! Imposters!

Very easy, very quick and very tasty! You will make it again and again!

Mango Curry - Fajeto
Print Recipe
Made very quickly, eaten up as fast! Will leave you salivating for more!
Servings Prep Time
3 - 4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3 - 4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Mango Curry - Fajeto
Print Recipe
Made very quickly, eaten up as fast! Will leave you salivating for more!
Servings Prep Time
3 - 4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3 - 4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Ingredients
To blend together.
For the tempering
Add while cooking.
  • 1 Tspn heaped Sonth (Dried powdered ginger)
Servings: people
Instructions
To make the mixture for blending.
  1. Squeeze out the pulp of both the mangoes. Using your hands, squeeze and rub the pulp from the seed also.
  2. In a bowl, add the pulp, curds, besan and water, and blend well using a hand blender.
Tempering
  1. To a heavy bottomed pan, add the ghee.
  2. When the ghee heats up (don't let it smoke), temper the cumin seeds.
  3. When you get the fragrance of the tempering seeds (see that the seeds dont burn), add the ginger chilly paste and fry for a few seconds.
  4. Add the curry leaves (be careful, it might splatter).
  5. Add the hing, and quickly pour the blended mixture into the pan.
  6. PLEASE NOTE CAREFULLY - from now onwards till the curry boils, keep stirring the curry continuously. It doesn't have to be vigorous. The curry might split and / or stick to the bottom and give it a burnt taste. PS - It's actually quite easy. Just be a pro and keep stirring it.
  7. After a few minutes add the salt. Keep stirring.
  8. After another few minutes, add the sonth.
  9. Keep stirring till you see big bubbles rise to the top.
  10. Still keep stirring. At this point I thought my curry had split, but not so. So don't get worried if you see small little pieces of now mango coloured curd floating around.
  11. Keep stirring till it boils vigorously.
  12. After one big large boil, take it off the heat and serve hot.
Recipe Notes

Smita said it goes best with Chapati and vegetables, as a side dish. I had it with rice. For my husband's birthday today, I plan to serve it as a small shot of soup. So many versatile ways to use it.

I was thinking of adding a little extra besan, to thicken it. Or maybe I could thicken it with corn flour - and then roll some baked sweet potatoes in it and serve it. how about with fried tofu?

To jazz it up a little, you could increase the spice quotient in the ginger chilly paste, or add a few dashes of red chilli flakes.

I think it will taste amazing with sticky rice too, in a hot bowl with some sesame seeds and crushed roasted peanuts.

mango curry shots

mango curry shots

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mango curry

mango curry