Showing posts with label South Indian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South Indian. Show all posts

Instant Mango Pickle [Video Recipe]


Quick and easy to make Indian mango pickle with video instructions. Simple and flavorful!

Instant Indian spicy pickle made with raw mangoes recipe

It's been long that we spoke about Mangoes. They are making their presence felt in the market and it's time to start giving them the attention they deserve.

I am all for enjoying the succulent sweet ripe fruit as is. But I LOVE cooking with the tart raw mango. The tartness of the raw mango is so different from that of lime or tamarind. I just find it fresher, don't you? It may be my love for the fruit talking.

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South Indian Chana Masala


Fragrant chickpea curry made in South Indian style with fresh coconut and whole spices. 

South Indian Chickpea Curry with coconut


That South Indian blood in me, is 50% coconut. I'm sure! 

Everything tastes a little better with some coconut in it, do you agree?

Now, that we have established ourselves as fans of that brown fruit or nut, lets move on. So who like chickpeas? I know I do. 

If you are still here, then you will love this South Indian style of making Chana Masala.

South Indian Chickpea Curry with coconut

Chana Masala is a curry made with Kabuli Chana or Chickpeas or Chhole. South Indians make it differently from the North Indians. The North Indian curry is heavy on tomatoes, while the South Indian one uses coconut. If you were looking for the North Indian curry, you will like these:
Amritsari Chhole, Pindi Chhole or this slightly different Chhole Palak.

While I'm super lucky to be in the tropics, where coconuts are easily available and not very expensive, you can replace the fresh coconut here with frozen coconut or with coconut milk.
If using coconut milk, just expect a paler color as you will not be roasting the coconut.

Now, back to the dish, it is actually very simple to make. You really don't need to be a chef. But you have to know your spices. Here, I have used whole spices that I dry roasted on low heat for a few minutes and then ground along with the coconut. You can use garam masala or chhole masala, but I highly recommend grinding those whole spices, just this one time. Grated fresh coconut is also roasted on low flame until it turns a golden brown. If you are using coconut milk, you don't have to do this step. Grind the spices and the coconut. Fry it for a while, then add the chickpeas and simmer. Garnish generously with coriander leaves. 

And this Chana Masala goes so well with crusty bread, some rice or light fluffy naans. You can make this curry and serve it right away, I think it tastes better the next day. A day or so in the fridge allows the chickpeas to soak in all the flavor. 

South Indian Chickpea Curry with coconut


South Indian Chickpea Curry with coconut


If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto. 

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

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South Indian Chana Masala Recipe


South Indian Chickpea Curry with coconutSouth Indian Chana Masala is a spicy curry made with chickpeas, fresh coconut and whole spices.
Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2-3


Ingredients:


1 cup dried Chana or 1 can Chickpeas
0.75 cups grated fresh Coconut or 1 cup thick Coconut Milk
5-7 dry Red Chillies
1 small Onion
1 Tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Fennel Seeds (Saunf)
0.5 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
1-2 Cloves (Lawang)
0.5" Cinnamon (Dalchini)
1 green Cardamom (Elaichi)
4-5 Black Peppercorns (Kali mirch)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp grated Ginger
1 tsp Tamarind pulp
4 tsp Oil
A handful of fresh coriander leaves to garnish
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:


1. Soak the dried chickpeas in water for 8-10 hours.
2. Pressure cook with a 0.5 tsp of salt until completely cooked. Do not overcook them.
3. Dry roast the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and pepper on low heat until fragrant. That should take around 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep aside.
4. Heat 1 tsp of oil in the same pan and on medium to high heat, roast the dry red chillies until they puff up. Remove from heat and keep aside.
5. Lower the heat, and add the grated coconut (if using) to the pan and on low heat, roast the coconut until it turns a golden brown.
6. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
7. Grind together the roasted whole spices, red chillies, roasted coconut, grated ginger, tamarind, turmeric powder and chopped onion along with a little water to a smooth paste. If using coconut milk, just grind together the spices, red chillies, ginger, tamarind, turmeric powder and onion.
8. Heat the remaining oil in a pan, and add the ground paste.
9. Fry on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
10. Add the cooked chickpeas, 1 cup of water and salt. Allow to come to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
11. If using coconut milk, then add it after 5 minutes of simmering and continue to simmer until the curry reaches the desired consistency.
12. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.
13. Serve warm/hot with rice, bread, or flatbread of your choice.


If you liked this, you may also like:

How to make vegan thai green curry recipe, asian curry recipe, how to make thai curry without fish sauce, vegan green curry recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com
Vegan Thai Green Curry

How to make goan bhaji pao, pav bhaji, alsanyache tondak at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.com
Goan Alsane Tonak
How to make Amritsari Chhole recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com How to cook pindi chhole with tomato at One Teaspoon Of Life Vegan Chickpea Recipes
Amritsari Chhole
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Tendle Bibbe Upkari


Fresh tender Cashew Nuts!!! This Konkani new year dish lets you enjoy the creamy tender nuts in a mild fry with ivy gourds and potatoes.

Konkani Recipes, how to make bibbe upkari recipe, how to cook tender cashew nuts, how to make tondekayee palya with cashew nuts recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

Konkani Recipes, how to make bibbe upkari recipe, how to cook tender cashew nuts, how to make tondekayee palya with cashew nuts recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

Fresh Cashew Nuts!! I cannot believe I was oblivious to their existence. Being Goan, my love for cashew nuts is obvious. But until today, all I had was dried cashew nuts, sometimes salted, mostly plain, sometimes flavored and once or twice, I have mustered courage to eat the fruit that causes throats to itch. Somehow, I totally missed getting on the fresh tender cashew nuts wagon, until now, of course. My friend Vindhya of A Million Morsels, introduced me to this tender creamy crunchy delicacy. 

So when Raj went to Karkala for an extended vacation for Ugadi (Hindu New Year), he got me these tender cashew nuts or bibbo/ bibbe. They are sold in packets of 50 or 100 and are very seasonal. They are usually sold around Ugadi as this Tendle Bibbe Upkari is a specialty for Ugadi in a Konkani household. If you cannot find tender cashew nuts, you can replace them with dried cashew nuts that have been soaked in water overnight or for 4-5 hours until they are nice and soft.

Konkani Recipes, how to make bibbe upkari recipe, how to cook tender cashew nuts, how to make tondekayee palya with cashew nuts recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

Upkari is a simple palya or a dry vegetable curry. It is also super healthy, low on oil, high on seasonal ingredients, barely any spices. It is a refreshing fresh dish fit for Summer.
Tendle or Tendli / Tondekayee or Ivy gourds is the fruit of a creeper. Tastes best when harvested when they are raw and tender and green. As they ripen, they become red and soft. Ripe tendle can be used to make Tondekayee Chutney. My luck shined when Raj got me home grown fresh tendle from Karkala. I am a big fan of anything home grown and organic. The tendle he got me were so tender and cooked so quickly. They were delicate and crisp, just the way I love them.

Potatoes, you can add them or you can leave them. Sometimes, if one cannot find tender cashews or not enough of them, the quantity of the upkari is increased by adding more potato. I put them in as everyone loves potatoes. 

Coconut, another homegrown ingredient in my cooking. I feel so lucky to get homegrown coconut. I don't grow them in Bangalore, but every time someone comes from Karkala, my mother in law makes it a point to send me coconuts grown at home. They are huge, sweet and juicy.. YUM!! The coconut here is much more than just a garnish, it is almost the heart of the dish that brings everything together. 

This Tendle Bibbe Upkari has very little in the way of spices, just mustard seeds, urad dal and red chillies with a sprig of curry leaves. It uses very little oil, it is mostly cooked in water. As I said, it is very healthy. Tendle Bibbe Upkari is eaten as a side along with rice and dal or with chapati.

Konkani Recipes, how to make bibbe upkari recipe, how to cook tender cashew nuts, how to make tondekayee palya with cashew nuts recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

Konkani Recipes, how to make bibbe upkari recipe, how to cook tender cashew nuts, how to make tondekayee palya with cashew nuts recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto. 

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life is there on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email (How convenient!!)


If you liked this, you may also like:





Tendle Bibbe Upkari


Konkani Recipes, how to make bibbe upkari recipe, how to cook tender cashew nuts, how to make tondekayee palya with cashew nuts recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.comTendle Bibbe Upkari is a Konkani vegatable dish made with fresh tender cashew nuts, tendle or ivy gourd and potatoes. It is usually made during Ugadi.

Recipe Type:  Side
Cuisine:            Mangalore
Prep Time:     1 Hour
Cook time:     40 minutes
Yield:                Serves 3-4


Ingredients:


20-25 Tendle (Tondekayee or Ivy Gourd)
1 cup Bibbe or tender Cashew Nuts
1-2 Potatoes
3 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Urad Dal
3-4 dry Red Chillies
2 Tbsp grated fresh Coconut
8-10 Curry leaves
Water as required
Salt to taste

Method:


Boil 2 cups of water. Remove from heat once it comes to a rolling boil.
Soak the cashew nuts (bibbe) in the hot water for 1 hour. This will help loosen the skin.
Peel the thin brown skin of the tender cashew nuts.
Wash the cashew nuts thoroughly and split them into halves.
Cut the tips of the tendle and slice it into thin slices.
Peel the potato and slice them to the same size as the tendle
Heat oil in a kadhai and add the mustard seeds.
Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the urad dal, curry leaves and the dry red chillies.
Fry until the urad dal changes colour.
Add the sliced tendle and 0.5 cup of water.
Cover and cook until the tendle are half done.
Add the sliced potato and the tender cashew nuts.
Cover and cook until the potato and tendle are done.
Add salt and mix well.
Garnish with grated coconut.
Serve hot with chapati.


Konkani Recipes, how to make bibbe upkari recipe, how to cook tender cashew nuts, how to make tondekayee palya with cashew nuts recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com



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MIL's Spicy Tomato Curry with fried Bhindi (Okra) [Video]


Spicy Tomato Curry with fried Bhindi / Okra recipe with video instructions. Spicy Tomato Curry is a quick vegan tomato soup that is served with pan fried okra. Spicy Tomato Curry is vegan, gluten free and fits a Jain diet.


In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe


How to make spicy tomato soup recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


How to make spicy tomato soup recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


They say winter is over. While I love the promise of sunshine all through the day, I miss the chill in the air. Luckily, it is still chilly in the morning, so I'm enjoying the last few days with my jacket until it is stacked in the cupboard for the next 6-7 months until the monsoons bring on some more chill.

Winter may be over, and warm nights back on the calendar, but hey, that really does not stop me from enjoying hot meals. And speaking of hot meals, especially my Mother-in-law's Spicy Tomato Curry. This curry is perfect for winter nights or rainy nights when all you want is a bowl of spicy sour soul warming goodness. But don't let the weather stop you from enjoying something this delicious. Unless you live on the coast in a tropical country in the Northern Hemisphere, you still have a few days of cold nights left, use it to enjoy this Tomato Curry.

While the name suggests curry, this is really a spicy Tomato Soup flavored with cumin, thickened with chickpea flour (gram flour/ besan) and garnished with fried okra (bhindi). Isn't fried okra the BEST? Crispy crunchy salty and we can always pretend it is healthy, after all it is a vegetable. If I haven't convinced you to fry that okra, you can just as well be a health freak and grill it up until it is nice and charred. My mother in law sometimes adds boiled potato cubes to the curry as well, but okra is the family favorite.

This is probably the quickest and absolutely no fuss soup I know to prepare. So no fine chopping, no 100 ingredients, no exotic spices (unless you consider cumin exotic), no hours and hours of simmering. NADA!!! Just 3 main ingredients and barely 40 minutes to prepare. No chopping, just blending.

How to make spicy tomato soup recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

How to make spicy tomato soup recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


Making this curry is super simple. I pressure cook the tomatoes whole for 8-10 minutes or 1-2 whistles. Then allow them to cool a little, before peeling them and blending. Meanwhile, fry up your chopped okra or boil the potatoes. Heat oil in a kadhai or pot and add cumin seeds. When they brown, add in the gram flour and saute it well for 1 minute. Then add in the blended tomatoes. Add water if required. Season with salt and red chilli powder and allow it to simmer for 5-8 minutes. If it is too thin, add more gram flour. If it is too thick add water. Too sweet, then add a little tamarind juice or lime juice. Too sour, then you can sweeten it with sugar or jaggery. Just TRUST your taste buds more than anything. I like my curry hot, sour with full flavor of cumin. Add the fried okra or potato just before serving.

Serve it with some crusty bread and dinner is done! You can also serve it with rice, though then I'd recommend you keep it thick.

How to make spicy tomato soup recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

How to make spicy tomato soup recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


How to make spicy tomato soup recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto. 

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life is there on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email (How convenient!!)






Video Recipe





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Spicy Tomato Curry


How to make spicy tomato soup recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.comSpicy and easy Tomato Curry or Soup made with fresh tomatoes, thickened with gram flour and garnished with crispy fried okra.

Recipe Type:  Soup
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     40 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2-3

Ingredients:


5-6 large Tomatoes
6 tsp Oil
1 Tbsp Gram Flour (Chickpea Flour / Besan)
1 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
15-20 small Okra (Bhindi)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder (Optional)
A handful of Curry leaves
Red Chilli Powder to taste
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:


1. Pressure cook the tomatoes with 1 cup of water for 1-2 whistles or 8-10 minutes. If cooking in a pan, cook the tomatoes until they are soft. Reserve the water.
2. Peel the tomatoes and leave aside to cool.
3. Chop the end of the okra.
4. Heat 3 tsp oil in a small pan and fry the okra until they are slightly browned and crispy. Keep flipping the okra so that they cook evenly.
5. Once the tomatoes have cooled, blend into a puree with 1 cup of reserved water.
6. Once the tomatoes have cooled, blend into a puree.
7. Heat 3 tsp Oil in a large pan or pot and add the cumin seeds and curry leaves.
8. Once they brown slightly, add the gram flour and saute for 1 minute until the raw smell disappears.
9. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
10. Pour in the blended tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Add salt to taste.
11. Let it come to a boil and then simmer for 5-8 minutes.
12. If the consistency is too thick, add more water. If it is too thin, add a 1 Tbsp gram flour mixed in water.
13. If the curry is too sour, add a little sugar. If the curry is not sour enough add a little tamarind juice or lime juice.
14. Add the crispy okra just before serving.
15. Serve hot with crusty bread or rice.


How to make spicy tomato soup recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.com




If you liked this, you may also like:

Corn Tomato Bharta

Vegan tomato curry from Maharashtra, Maharshtrian tomato saar
Tomato Saar
Tomato Gazpacho










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Methi Rice Recipe


How to make methi rice recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com How to make Fenugreek Pilaf recipe How to make Methi Pulao recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life

So how is Monday treating you? 

I've always suffered from Monday Blues... more so these days as weekends seem to go off in a blur.

Come Sunday night, and I find myself wondering what I did in the past two days. Usually, it is just a lot of cooking, photography and cleaning. This weekend I added in an extra trip to a place called Pottery Town, hoping to buy some earthen pots to cook in. I've heard that the earthen pots enhance the flavor of the food cooked in them and I'm always in the forefront to try out anything that takes my food to the next level. And while the entire trip was futile, as we reached late and probably skipped the very section of the street we should have driven on, I've not yet given up hope. So if you stay in Bangalore and have visited Pottery Town/Lane/Road and know the best shops there to pick up pots for cooking, please leave me a comment, I highly appreciate any help I get to locate the place.

How to make methi rice recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com How to make Fenugreek Pilaf recipe How to make Methi Pulao recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life

So this Sunday night when I did a little introspect, I realized I'm getting so involved in all this that I'm running out of time to do the thing I love next to cooking - Blogging!! I'm now consciously making a resolution to start managing my time better so I get enough time to blog. 

While I spend most of my weekend cooking for the week ahead and making dishes that are slow cooked or have too many steps, my weeknight mantra is "Quick and Simple" with a very strong emphasis on the quick part. My work has a way of interfering with my evenings and a lot of it is unplanned so I'm usually scrambling for time on weeknights. So quick it has to be.

How to make methi rice recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com How to make Fenugreek Pilaf recipe How to make Methi Pulao recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life

When I think quick cooking recipes, I always turn to Rice. One of my quick rice recipes is this Methi Rice. Methi, Menthe or Fenugreek is a small leaved green that is native to India. Usually slightly bitter in taste, it goes amazingly well with rice. I've been eating Methi Sabzi all my life like this Aloo Methi, but the first time I tried Methi Rice was at my aunt's place a few years ago. I loved it instantly. Spicy, fragrant, with the slight salty bitterness of Methi leaves, what's not to love in it?

There are 2 ways to make Methi Rice. You can cook it entirely in the pressure cooker or a single pot or you can make rice separately and the methi masala separately and mix the two together. For those weeknights when I need a quick fix, I make the pressure cooker version and on weeknights like today, when I have a little more time, I use the latter method. The recipe below is for the second method, but if you plan to make it in a single pot, just skip the steps to cook the rice. Make the masala as described below, and then add the rice and water and cook the rice with the masala until it is done.

How to make methi rice recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com How to make Fenugreek Pilaf recipe How to make Methi Pulao recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life

If you liked this, you may also like:
  • Mint Rice - Mint Rice is a one pot dish of rice cooked along with a mint puree, vegetables and spices.
  • Mushroom Biryani - Mushroom Biryani is Basmati rice cooked along with whole spices and mushrooms.
  • Ghee Rice - Ghee Rice is a simple Indian rice dish where Basmati rice is cooked in ghee or clarified butter.






Methi Rice


How to make methi rice recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com How to make Fenugreek Pilaf recipe How to make Methi Pulao recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life
Methi Rice is made by cooking rice along with methi or fenugreek leaves and a fragrant masala.

Recipe Type:  Rice
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     20 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2


Ingredients:


2 cups Fenugreek / Methi leaves
1 cup Basmati Rice
1 medium Potato
1 large Onion
1 large Tomato
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 a Lime
4-5 Tbsp Oil
2 cups + 2 Tbsp Water
Salt to taste

Method:


Wash the basmati rice until the water runs clear. Drain and keep aside.
Boil 2 cups of water in a large pot. Add 1 tsp oil and 1/2 tsp salt to it.
Add the washed rice. Cover and cook until the rice is done.
Allow to cool, then fluff rice with a spoon or fork
Heat the remaining oil in a large kadhai or pan.
Add diced potato to the oil and stir fry until the potatoes are cooked. Remove from oil and keep aside. Alternately, you can boil the potato and then dice into cubes.
Add the cumin seeds the oil.
After the cumin seeds are slightly browned, add sliced onions.
Fry until onions turn golden brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are soft.
Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add washed and chopped methi leaves and 1-2 Tbsp water.
Cook until the methi leaves are completely cooked. Add sugar, salt and lime juice. Mix well. Fry for another 1 minute.
Add the cooked rice and mix until the masala coats every grain.
Cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes until the rice is at least warm.
Serve with raita.

How to make methi rice recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com How to make Fenugreek Pilaf recipe How to make Methi Pulao recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life


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Shavige Payasa | Semiyan Kheer | Vermicelli Pudding

Happy New Year!!!

I hope you had a great New Year's Eve!!

How to make shavige payasa semiyan kheer vermicelli pudding recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

I ended 2016 with a sweet note. Read about it here.

In our culture, we start everything new with something sweet. I'm starting the new year with this sweet treat - Vermicelli Pudding or Semiyan Kheer or Shavige Payasa. Not that I need excuses to eat desserts, but then it is January, and I have resolutions made that I don't want to break in the very first week.

So, I just had one little bowl. But what a bowl it was, rich, sweet, fragrant, everything a kheer is meant to be.

How to make shavige payasa semiyan kheer vermicelli pudding recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

Shavige Payasa is very commonly made for all festivals and is what we begin the meal with. It is one of the easiest desserts I know to make.

To make Shavige Payasa, we first need to roast the shavige or semiyan or vermicelli in ghee until golden brown. This is an important step as it prevents the vermicelli from clumping up when added to the milk. Also it imparts that rich taste of ghee to the entire kheer. You need to do this step carefully, stirring frequently and ensuring that the vermicelli does not burn. I always use wheat vermicelli that is not pre-roasted and is already broken into small pieces. I buy brands like MTR or Bambino

The second step is the dry fruits. I am a total "nut-case", I love nuts and dry fruits. I am extra generous with nuts and dry fruits when it comes to desserts and I also like to add a variety of them. This time I've used almonds, cashews, raisins and pistachios. The nuts and dry fruits need to be chopped and fried in ghee as well. Again, you need to be careful while frying in ghee. Ghee heats up quickly and you can end up with burnt nuts. So keep a watch on them. Stir frequently and keep the heat low. Fry the raisins separately as they burn quickly.

How to make shavige payasa semiyan kheer vermicelli pudding recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

After this you are pretty much done with the "work". Just boil milk, add sugar and the roasted vermicelli. Give it a good stir to separate the strands of vermicelli and then allow it to simmer on low heat until the vermicelli is cooked completely but still retains it's shape. The vermicelli will give way when squeezed. About the sugar, I'd say start with less and add more if required later. Add around 3/4th the quantity in the beginning and you can add more after the vermicelli is cooked. Somehow, a lot of people think Indian Desserts are way too sweet and avoid them. But when you make it at home, you can adjust how much sugar you add depending on your taste. So Indian desserts don't have to be sickly sweet. Once the vermicelli is cooked and the sugar adjusted, add the cardamom powder and the fried nuts and dry fruits and mix well. If you have over reduced the milk and the kheer begins to look thick, add more milk and adjust the sugar.

Shavige Payasa is usually served hot to warm, but I like it at room temperature. I enjoy it even when it is cold.

How to make shavige payasa semiyan kheer vermicelli pudding recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


If you liked this, you may also like:

  • Chana Dal Payasa - Kheer made from chana dal and coconut milk.
  • Gajar ka Halwa -  North Indian carrot pudding made with grated carrots, milk, sugar, ghee and dry fruits.



Shavige Payasa | Semiyan Kheer | Vermicelli Pudding


How to make shavige payasa semiyan kheer vermicelli pudding recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.comShavige Payasa | Semiyan Kheer | Vermicelli Pudding is a simple Indian dessert made by cooking ghee roasted vermicelli in milk.

Recipe Type:  Dessert
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     5 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Yield:                Serves 4-5

Ingredients:


0.5 cup Vermicelli or Semiyan or Shavige
4-5 cups Milk
3-4 Tbsp Sugar
1.5 Tbsp Ghee
3 Cardamoms
5-6 Cashew Nuts
5-6 Almonds
8-10 Raisins
4-5 Pistachios

Method:


Chop the almonds, cashew nuts and pistachios.
Heat ghee in a kadhai and add the chopped nuts. Fry them until they are a gentle brown. Do not allow them to burn. Keep stirring.
Remove the nuts and keep aside.
Add the raisins and stir fry them until they puff up. Remove and keep along with the nuts.
Add the vermicelli to the kadhai and on low heat roast the vermicelli until it is golden brown. Keep stirring frequently. Remove from heat and keep aside.
In the same kadhai, add 4 cups milk and bring it to a rolling boil.
Lower the heat and add sugar and simmer for 1 minute until the sugar dissolves.
Add the vermicelli to the milk and on low heat allow it to simmer until the vermicelli is cooked. Stir occasionally so that the vermicelli does not form lumps.
The kheer is done when the vermicelli is cooked. At this point if the kheer looks very thick, add the remaining milk and you can add more sugar and cook it until the sugar dissolves.
Crush the cardamom into a powder and add to the kheer. Simmer for 1 minute after mixing well.
Add the nuts and raisins and mix well. Remove from heat.
Kheer is usually served hot, but you can serve it at room temperature or even cold. As the kheer cools it ends up thickening. You can add a little milk to loosen the kheer while serving. You can add powdered sugar to adjust the sweetness as well.



How to make shavige payasa semiyan kheer vermicelli pudding recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com
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Garlic Stuffed Karela (with Step by Step Photos)

Happy Holidays!!!

The last week of the year is HERE! As the new year inches closer. and with it the new year's resolutions, I'm giving in to all my indulgences one last time. After all there are just 7 days left for 2016 to end.

How to make bharwan karela stuffed bittergourd recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


While I'm filling up on all those chocolate cakes and french fries, I'm also bringing out the family favorite indulgences. One of them is my Mother-in-law's Garlic Stuffed Karela - Baby bitter gourds stuffed with a spicy masala of garlic and red chilli powder and fried in lots of oil. This is a tried, tested and loved recipe. It is what I call a flavor bomb, well they look like little bombs, don't they?

This Garlic Stuffed Karela is sure an explosion of flavors. It is S-P-I-C-Y, well you can reduce the spiciness by reducing the red chilli powder, but we love it spicy. It is heaven for garlic lovers (like me, of course), you can never kiss after this recipe, unless of course, the other person is filling up on it too. And if I haven't mentioned it enough times on this blog, I am a big bitter gourd or karela fan. Check these out if you have any doubts.

How to make bharwan karela stuffed bittergourd recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

There is one thing that mellows down the sharp flavors of karela, chilli and garlic, and is also marries them all together, and that is Oil. This curry uses more oil than any other curry I've ever posted here. But it is an essential ingredient. Now you know why I call this an indulgence! You can decide to use less oil int he beginning and then add more as you go, or start out with a fair amount in the beginning. This Garlic Stuffed Karela is meant to be eaten with rice, either as a side with rice and dal or just mix it along with rice. If you are having it with just plain rice, add more oil.

This is a slow cooking recipe, perfect for holidays. This one cannot be rushed. The karela needs to be slowly coaxed into submission to bring out the best flavors. There is on silver lining though, once you have the karela frying, it requires minimal monitoring. Just check once in 10-15 minutes and flip 
them to ensure the all sides cook evenly.

How to make bharwan karela stuffed bittergourd recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


Step-by-Step Instructions:


How to make bharwan karela stuffed bittergourd recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

  • Slit each bitter gourd lengthwise. Be careful that the knife does not pierce all the way through.
  • Heat water in a shallow pan and add 1 tsp of salt and the tamarind juice to it. Allow the water to come to a rolling boil.
  • Now add the slit bitter gourds and allow them to cook on medium flame for around 8-10 minutes until they change color. Do not cover the pan.
  • Drain and keep aside.
How to make bharwan karela stuffed bittergourd recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com
  • Make a paste out of the garlic, red chilli powder, salt and 2-3 tsp Oil.
  • Stuff the bitter gourds with the spice paste.
How to make bharwan karela stuffed bittergourd recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com
  • Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and add cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add the curry leaves.
  • Add the stuffed bitter gourds to the frying pan and cook on low flame for an hour. I prefer using a flat based pan, you can use a kadhai.
  • Keep turning them frequently so all sides are cooked well.
  • Sprinkle salt on top to coat all the bitter gourds. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • The dish is done when the bitter gourds are soft.






Garlic Stuffed Karela


How to make bharwan karela stuffed bittergourd recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.comGarlic Stuffed Karela is vegan semi dry curry made with baby bitter gourds stuffed with a masala of garlic and red chilli powder and then fried.

Recipe Type:  Side
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     20 minutes
Cook time:     1.25 hour
Yield:                Serves 2-3

Ingredients:


20 Bitter Gourd, small (Karela)
4 Garlic Pods
4-5 tsp Red Chilli Powder
0.5 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
5-6 Tbsp Oil
2 tsp Tamarind juice
1 sprig Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:


Slit each bitter gourd lengthwise. Be careful that the knife does not pierce all the way through.
Heat water in a shallow pan and add 1 tsp of salt and the tamarind juice to it. Allow the water to come to a rolling boil.
Now add the slit bitter gourds and allow them to cook on medium flame for around 8-10 minutes until they change color. Do not cover the pan.
Drain and keep aside.
Make a paste out of the garlic, red chilli powder, salt and 2-3 tsp Oil.
Stuff the bitter gourds with the spice paste.
Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and add cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add the curry leaves.
Add the stuffed bitter gourds to the frying pan and cook on low flame for an hour. I prefer using a flat based pan, you can use a kadhai.
Keep turning them frequently so all sides are cooked well.
Sprinkle salt on top to coat all the bitter gourds. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
The dish is done when the bitter gourds are soft.


How to make bharwan karela stuffed bittergourd recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com





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