Hiruva masala shaak / Green masala curry - POTLUCK PARTY, CYBER STYLE Dec 10

   It's party-time!!! :D  yes, back to potluck party, cyber style hosted by Jagruti mam where several bloggers meet with their party dishes online and share treat virtually  :D.  They, also pair up and prepare the other partner's dish and cherish them as well.  Isn't it interesting??   But, travelling frequently for past two months, I was not able to make up.  This time, I do proudly present the authentic curry preparation, made by my Mother-in-law - Hiruva masala shaak or Green masala curry.

 

As the name suggests, green masala curry is  very hot (Caution to spice-tolerant guys!), they differ from Nilgiri/green coloured curry because it is not the  (green) colour that matters here.  Hiruva masala shaak has many green chillies (8-10), sauted and pureed, this masala is added to regular curry-base, unlike other curries where  pureeing mint/coriander leaves is done to attain characteristic green colour.   

Beans usili

Paruppu usili is an common side-dish had with rice & curry in South-Indian cuisine.

 

'Usili' means disaggregated pieces, here dal/lentils are blend, formed as large dumplings, steamed and finally disaggregated, hence the name.  Beans usili is the most common type, they are had with kolambu saadham ie curry rice. 

Bisibela baath

   Bisibela baath, a two-word recitation and that dates back to my school days where my mother used to prepare on every saturdays.  Served hot with ghee, these would literally melt in my mouth. This meal, as such is heavy on ur stomach and will mesmerize your mind wanting for more!!!!!!!   Back at home, found best time to prepare, that is on sunday when my hubby (who always requested to make some) was there to support   :P  :P

     Bisibela baath, orginating from Karnataka cuisine lets out meaning like "Hot Lentil Rice" .  Here,  an array of vegetables (Brinjal, snakegourd, pumpkin, carrot, beans, drumstick etc) are cooked in dal tempered like sambhar style.  Cooked rice is mashed, added to the dal and masala comes at the end.  The much interesting part of cooking bisibela baath is its spice mix.  Since I luved my mom's, called her and got her ratios.  Tweaking a bit, I proceeded and yes !!!!!  Bisibela baath was very awesome, it got over by end of the meal!!  :)  

Avial

      Hi guys, hope you all had an amazing weekend!!  Here I have my parent-in-laws (finally got releived from babysitting for sometime) for an vacation visit.  Had an awesome time with them :) So, as I had told you in my previous posts, am an active member of Jagruti mam's Cyber partystyle cooking (You can view more details here) For this month's challenge I had prepared handvo, and as we have party over here, I prepared Sini's Avial.  Sini had prepared excellant avial and gave handy tips to acheive great taste too!!  I really appreciate her doing this, and that gave me very ease to prepare the same.
 

   


    I  prepared avial along with hot rice and vathakulambu.  Avial was excellant with such an combo.  Avial, itself can be had with hot rice.  It was very tasty and the aroma filled my entire home :)  And yes, Sini's preparation technique and methodology was simple to acheive great product.  Finally, my husband luved it and appreciated me for making lunch much healthier.  After all this,  I did felt bad, 'why didn't I prepare this before?? What took me so longggg? '   So,  guys, this avial is gonna top my regular food timetable  :)

So, let us move to avial making

Kadaai vegetables - Hyderabadi styled

Ingredients required

• 4 tsp oil
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 2 green chillies broken
• 4 tsp finely chopped mint leaves
• 1/2 cup pureed onions (which are boiled in hot water)
• 1 cup  tomato puree
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp dhanya powder
• Salt, as per taste
• 1/2 cup cauliflower florets
• 1/4 cup each of chopped beans, potato, capsicum, carrot
• 100ml of fresh cream

Mili-juli subzi

Mili-juli subzi is an combination of seasonal vegetables & Paneer cooked on milk, creamy onion-tomato gravy

Ingredients required

• One cup of quartered onions
• 2-inch ginger piece
• 6 pods of garlic
• 11/2 cup tomato puree (made from three tomatos)
• 2 tsp dry kasoori methi 
• 2 cups of mixed chopped vegetables like carrot, green peas, capsicum, Beans, baby corn, cauliflower
• 1/2 cup of boiled, de-skinned potatos, quartered
• 1/2 cup of paneer, cut into thick slices
• 1/4 cup milk/ cream
• 4 tsp butter

Vegetable taka tak

What is taka tak??  Taka tak is the name derived from the Lahorean dish 'mutton taka tak'  This entire dish was made from large tawas and using metal spatulas, which on cooking made the sound familiar to 'taka tak' and hence the name.  Here i substituted Mutton mince with vegetable mince(pressure cooked set of vegetables and mashed to form mince-like structure) and regular spices and dish came out quite well... So friends,,, are u ready for a taka-tak?? ;)  ;)

Ingredients required

• 4 tsp finely chopped onions
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1 green chilly, finely chopped
• 2 tsp of mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped, deskinned tomatos (Boil tomatos in hot water for five minutes and remove skin)
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup of mixed vegetables like potato, carrot, beans, cauliflower etc
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp chilly powder
• 1 tsp dhanya powder
• 2 tsp hung yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves
• 4-5 tsp of butter
• Few onion rings, to garnish

Method

In a large tawa, place onions, green peas, green chilly and mint leaves.  Cook for sometime.

Then add tomato pieces, ginger-garlic paste and salt

After ten minutes on simmer flame, add pressure cooked vegetable mince and using two metal spoons crush them to integrate with pre-added ingredients.. so there goes takaaaaaaatak

Furthur add remaining spices like garam masala, chilly powder, yoghurt, dhanya powder and coriander leaves.  

Finally add butter and close lid... cook on a simmer flame

Garnish with onion rings and serve hot with paranthas/roti

Spicy and creamy too!!!

Soya aur tarkari ki masala

This gravy is cooked with soya balls with other vegetables

Ingredients required

For gravy base

• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped tomatos
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
• Handful of mint leaves
• 2 tsp khoya
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Pinch of haldi/turmeric
• 1 tsp Everest Kitchen King masala
• 1/2 tsp salt

Other

• 1/4 cup soya balls cooked with one cup of water and half tsp salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup mixed boiled vegetables like cauliflower, potato, carrot and beans

Method

Combine all ingredients under gravy base and saute over medium flame for 20 minutes.  Cool and grind into paste

In another kadaai, heat oil and shallow fry cooked soya balls, add other veggies also

Add blended paste and 1/4 cup milk.  Cook for 5 minutes simmer flame and serve hot with rotis

Hyderabadi vegetable sandwich

Ingredients required

For temper

• 3 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp jeera
• 1 tsp chopped green chillies

Other ingredients

• 4 tsp finely chopped onions
• 2 tsp curd
• pinch of haldi/turmeric
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp jeera powder
• 1/2 tsp dhanya powder
• 1/2 cup of tomato puree
• 1 cup of boiled mixed vegetables like cauliflower, potato, carrot, beans
• 3 tsp of grated cheese
• Milk bread- four slices

Method

Heat oil and add temper

Add finely chopped by onions followed by spices, curd.

Gently mix in tomato puree and veggies

Cook till done.  Note that mixture should be dry, otherwise continue sauting till u get an dry one.  If it is wet, sandwich will become soggy and it will spoil its very appearence.

In a tawa, toast bread slices and spread filling on one bread slice quite evenly

Throw in cheese gratings and cover with another bread slice.  Toast well, cut into slice and serve

Hmm..... yummyyyyy

Sindhi saag (sai bhaaji)

   Sai meaning green and bhajji meaning vegetables, this sindhi dish has an great fusion of vegetables along with greens.  This is quite addictive and ever since I made them, my husband, who is an fussy eater, demands them atleast once an week   :)  And, yes who wont resist such an delecious bhajji with an healthy pack of ingredients?  :)

I tried this bhajji many times, and altered the composition of dal to vegetable ratio.  I found the below one to be quick and easy.  Traditionally these bhajji is served with rice, though they make an excellant combo with roti/paratha/dosa etc.  And, yes, there is not limits or constraints on the vegetables added, you can go ahead and experiment with your own stocked up vegetables, because this bhajji will never disappoint you :P

Bhakri

• Bhakri (भाकरी bhākrī or Dhebra) is a round flat unleavened bread often used in the cuisine of western and central India, especially in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat,northern Karnataka and Goa. It is coarser than a Chapati and can be compared to a British biscuit with respect to hardness.  This is recipe of bhakri made with rice.

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• Here, bhakri is made with rice flour and a bit of leftover rice with a veggie combo.  This nutritious recipe is as follows

Ingredients required

• Half cup of grated carrot
• 4 tsp of finely chopped methi leaves
• 4 tsp of finely chopped beans, cauliflower
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tsp chilly powder
• 1 tsp dhanya powder
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• One cup of leftover rice
• Two cups of rice flour
• 8 tsp of oil

  Method

Blend the leftover rice without adding water.

Mix vegetables and salt, chilly powder in a bowl.  Add blended rice paste and mix well. 

This is followed by adding rice flour and kneading the dough such that it follows the consistency of chapathi dough

Flat them with your oil-greased hands on a plastic sheet and cook them on a tawa, drizzling with oil.

Rice bhakri is ready to serve with any chutney of your choice along with sambhar.