Cauliflower with fennel seeds curry

Ingredients:
Cauliflower: 1 with florets  separated
Tomato: 2 medium chopped
Garlic: 2-3 cloves crushed
Fennel seeds: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 12-15
Asafotedia: a pinch
Tumeric: a pinch
Sambar masala: 1 tsp
Oil: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste


Method:
1. Heat oil in a deep pan. Add mustard seeds. Once they begin to splutter add crushed garlic and fennel seeds, asafotida and curry leaves. Add tomato and let it cook until soft.
2. Add cauliflower florets and tumeric powder. Add salt and about a cup of water and let it cook until cauliflower is cooked and very little water is left.
3. In the end add sambar powder and mix well. Let it cook for a couple of minutes and take of heat. The curry is ready to be served.

Spicy Masoor Dal

Ingredients:
Masoor Dal: 1 cup
Coconut milk: 1/3 rd cup
Tumeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Jeera/ Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Red chilie: 1 or to as per taste
Coriander  leaves: 1 Tbsp
Oil: 1 Tbsp
Lemon/amsul: 1/2 lemon or 2 amsul
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Wash masoor dal and add 2 cups of water and tumeric. Cook it in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles or until soft.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter add cumin seeds and dry red chilies. Take off heat when they begin to change colour.
3. Add coconut milk and chopped coriander leaves to the dal. Add salt to taste and cook while stirring.
4. When the dal comes to a boil add seasoning from step 2 to the dal and squeeze in the lemon juice.(If using amsul add it to the boiling dal in step 3) The dal is ready to be served.

Aliv Ladoo

Ingredients: (makes about 15 ladoo)
Aliv (aleev): 1/2 cup
Fresh grated coconut: 4 cups
Gul/ Jaggery: 3 cups
Milk: 2 Tbsp


Method:
1. Mix  Aliv and coconut in a deep pan. Mix 2 tbsp of milk. Set aside for 2 hours. This helps aliv soak.
2. In the same pan mix grated jaggery.
3. Cook on low flame stirring continuously for about 10 mins or until its consistency changes to a slightly solid form (which can be formed into a ladoo).
4. Remove from flame and let it cool for a few minutes then make ladoo.

Ukad/ Ragi and Rice Flour Ukad

        In this webbed world we may have many virtual friends but no real human contact. I have lived in the same town, and same locality for the last 5 years but never made any real friends. Neighbors, colleagues and a few acquaintances, of course I had them. But I believe they are temporary contacts. But last year was amazing in terms of social circle. First I met a lady in the park I take my daughter to. We connected quickly. Now I believe we may have a chance at world record for chatting:-). She introduced me to a group of friends who meet every month, share recipes, play games, go on short picnics..... and now I am a part of that group. Another special friend that I made last year and who is part of that group is the mind behind this recipe. She is my daughters friend as well as her grand mother before being my friend :-) . We share the same first name. After she learnt about my resolution of 200 recipes in 365 days, she enthusiastically shared/and continues to share recipes with me. This recipe is her creation. We loved it and I have made it several times before it has found its respectful place here. Thanks Kaku! This post is for you and for your enthusiasm and encouragement:-)

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Rice flour: 1/2 cup
Ragi flour (ragi huri hittu): 1/2 cup
Butter milk: 2 glasses
Oil: 1 tbsp
Garlic cloves: 3-4 
Green chili: 1-2
Curry leaves: 7-8
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Asafoetida: 1 pinch
Coriander leaves: 1/2 tbsp chopped
Salt to taste
Ghee : 1 tbsp

Method:
1.  Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan. Add mustard seeds and Cumin seeds. After the seeds begin to splutter, add Garlic cloves and cook till they turn brown. Add asafoetida, Green chili, and curry leaves. Take off heat. 
2. After the above seasoning is warm, add buttermilk and mix well. Keep on low heat. Once the buttermilk is a little warm add Rice flour and Ragi flour slowly while stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Add salt and coriander leaves and mix well. The mixture should not be too thick, it must be of pouring consistency. Add a little water if required. 
3. Keep stirring until it comes to a boil. Take off heat. Pour 1 tbsp of ghee over it and mix well. Serve hot.

Fixing things

        Season of festivals, season of holiday, days when everything seems to be right, similarly last couple of months has been our season of repairs. It started out when our fan stopped working and then one by one many things needed repair. Initially I would be upset when something stopped working but after a few days it has became a part of our life. Now we just look at each other and have a good laugh.Oh no its no Vodoooooo.... Almost everything in our home is about 5 years old and I think that's as long as anything lasts these days. Its sad that things don't last longer nowadays. I remember as a kid at-least 3 things(our TV, Washing machine and refrigerator) which lasted 20 years or more.

        I began writing this post a few days ago. Took a break since I dint know how to go ahead. In the mean time a few more things have broken down. Our water purifier has begun leaking, today morning my closet rod collapsed taking down all the clothes with it, 2 switch boards need fixing.... and the list has not stopped yet.
        Last 5 years have been a blessing. But I think we have reached the optimum level of satisfaction that we can attain from all our surroundings (economic theory by someone:-)). I also wish just like things we could fix relationships and in some cases people! Gee now I really need a change...huh..

-Exhausted me 
        

Simple Urad dal and atta Dosa

        I am so talkative, but sometimes when I begin writing a post.......nothing! I am blank right now. So many things happening in our lives but not a single incident that I can recall??? Probably this is what is called a writer's block:-). Speaking of my busy life, we have Ta's birthday coming up. We will be celebrating it thrice, her school (in advance since summer vacations begin this weekend), then at home on the day of her birthday and then again in her day care. I have to begin planning her party at home. 
        Coming back to the recipe, it is a simple dosa made of urad dal, atta and rava. This recipe was shared by a friend (who in turn learnt it from a friend). We ladies talk, share and hence spread happiness:-) What would the world be like if we were like most men (non talkitive, non caring about sharing frivolous details)? On second thoughts may be we would have gender equality at last!  Okay now I am just blabbering. Did I say writer's block? Writers block true, thinker's block... never in my case:-)

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Urad dal: 1 cup washed and soaked for about 4 hours
Atta: 1 cup
Rava/ semolina: 1 cup
Onion: 1 finely chopped
Green chili: 2 chopped
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Grind soaked urad dal to a fine paste. ( I soak dal at about 4 pm and grind it at about 9 pm). Do not add a lot of water. Grind using less water than for regular dosa.
2. Add atta and rava to the urad dal paste. Mix well. Add a little water if requires. The mixture should not be watery. let this mixture stand overnight.
3. In the morning add hot water (about 1 cup) to the batter to bring it to regular dosa consistency. Add salt and mix well.
4. Spread dosa's on hot tava and sprinkle onion and green chili over the dosa.
5. Cook from both the sides and serve hot with chutney.

Makes excellent breakfast.

Ghosale Ambat (Ridge gourd sambar/curry, Dodka amti)

     

        I learnt this recipe from a friend. Once I cooked Ridge gourd in this manner, we never wanted to go back to the regular ridge gourd curry. For the last 4 months this has been a regular dish in our house. It is extremely tasty!  

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Ridge Gourd(Dodka): 1 large, Peeled (remove skin completely) and chopped into 1 inch pieces
Amsul: 2 or tamarind pulp: 1 tsp
Toor dal: 1/2 cup washed and cooked with 1 cup of water and a little turmeric
Chana dal: 1 tsp washed and soaked in water for 10 mins
Red chilies: 2 
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Coriander seeds: 1.5 tsp
Methi seeds(fenugreek seeds): 1/4 tsp (about 4-5 seeds)
Curry leaves: 7-8 + 3to 4
Fresh grated coconut: 1/4 cup (about a handful)
Oil: 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:
1. In a deep pan add Ridge gourd and 1/2 cup water. Add 2 pieces of amsul to it and let it cook till ridge gourd is done. (If using Tamrind pulp add it at the stage (step 3)when we add cooked toor dal to cooked ridge gourd)
2. In a small thick bottomed pan heat 1 tsp of oil. Add ingredients from chana dal to curry leaves in the same order one by one while continuously frying. Do not let any ingredient turn dark brown. In the end add grated coconut and fry for a min more. Take off heat and let it cool down. Once it cools add a little water and grind it to a smooth paste. Set aside.
3. Add cooked toor dal to cooked ridge gourd. (If ridge gourd contains excess water, discard it before adding toor dal.)  Mix well while continuing to cook for about 2 mins.
4. Add ground paste from step 2 to the toor dal and ridge gourd mixture. Add salt and bring it to a boil and take off heat.
5. In a pan heat remaining oil. Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter add 3 to 4 curry leaves and pour this seasoning over the ready curry. Serve hot with rice or roti.