Showing posts with label Spicy. Show all posts

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.

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.

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.

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South Indian Chana Masala Recipe

South 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:

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

Amritsari Chhole

Vegan Thai Green Curry

Fragrant, creamy and vibrant vegan Thai Green Curry made with fresh ingredients!!

Happy 2018 guys!!! I know I’ve been AWOL for way too long from the blog and I feel extremely guilty. It may be a new year but my excuses are the same – work, home and travelling took up so much time that I could not devote enough to my one passion – my blog. I’ve missed blogging much more than anything last year and I don’t wish to repeat that again. So hopefully, you’ll see more of me and more consistently in 2018. Cheers!!

If you’re following me on Instagram, then you know what I’ve been eating and where. No? What are you waiting for, go follow me here or search for @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram.

Just to catch you up a little, I spent the last week in Chicago freezing myself. I went from a comfortable 20 degrees C (Positive) and to -20 degrees C (negative) for one week. My fingers froze when they weren’t in the coat pockets and my ear hurt when it errantly slipped out of the cap. I applaud those who brave this weather regularly, but I’m not made for that chill. While it was an a nice to experience just how that cold feels, I’m happy to be back to warm weather where I don’t need even a light jacket and I can roam around in open sandals.

I am one of those weirdos who actually likes airline food. I look forward to meals on planes. But after 8 meals in a span of one week plus a week of eating in restaurants, I’m just simply glad to be back to eat warm clean food at home. A touch of spice, a lot less cheese and a lot of health – that’s how I like my everyday food.

So my first recipe of 2018, is this warm flavorful Thai Green Curry with lots of vegetables that is perfect for cold winters. Did I tell you how much I love it? It is simply delicious plus it is hearty, healthy, vegan, gluten-free and full of fiber. Serve it with a bowl of brown rice for a healthier meal. I also had so much fun making this curry. I found all the fresh ingredients in the market and they were such a colorful bunch. I enjoyed shooting this recipe, all those colors popped beautifully.

Back to the recipe, one might be discouraged by the number of ingredients, but I ask you to look beyond it. The number may be more, but the effort is really not too much. The prep here is more time consuming than the actual cooking. And this is the perfect recipe to engage your family – ask your partner or kids to help out in peeling, chopping and slicing. Make it a family recipe and you won’t be so daunted.

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

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

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Honey Cake - Bangalore Iyengar Bakery style honey and orange cake. Video Recipe.
Banana Bread - Delicious dense banana bread/cake.
Fresh Fruit Tart with Mango Cream - Tart filled with a fresh mango cream and fresh fruits
No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake - Strawberry cheesecake made without egg or gelatin.

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Thai Green Curry (Vegan)

Easy to make vegan Thai green curry that is made with a fresh green curry paste and creamy coconut milk along with lots of stir fried vegetables.

Recipe Type: Main
Cuisine: Thai or Asian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

For the Green Curry Paste:

3 Lemongrass Stalks
2 Tbsp chopped Ginger
4-5 cloves Garlic
1 small Onion
2-3 green Onions (spring onions)
2-3 green Chillies
1 Tbsp fresh Turmeric or 0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
Handful of Basil leaves
Handful of Coriander leaves
2 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
0.5 tsp Peppercorns
Zest of 1 Lime
1-2 Tbsp Lime juice
1 Tbsp Palm Sugar (Jaggery/Sugar)
Water as required
Salt to taste

For the vegan Thai Green Curry:

1 cup thick Coconut Milk
1 cup thin Coconut Milk
3 Tbsp fresh Green Curry Paste
75 gms firm Tofu (cubed)
0.5 diced Capsicum
1 cup Broccoli florets
0.5 cup sliced Zucchini
1 small Carrot sliced
4-5 Mushrooms sliced
0.5 cups cubed Sweet Potato (boiled)
1 diced Bokchoy or handful of Spinach
3-4 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

To make the Green Curry Paste:

1. Powder the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns coarsely. I hand pounded these in a mortar with a pestle.
2. Remove the outer later of the lemongrass stalk and chop into slices.
3. Roughly chop the green chillies, onions, green onions and garlic.
4. Add the pounded spices, lemongrass, green chillies, onions, green onions, garlic, chopped ginger, chopped turmeric, coriander leaves, basil leaves, lime zest, lime juice, sugar/jaggery and 1 tsp of salt to the food processor or a mixer and give it a whizz.
5. Scrape the sides of the jar and grind again. Add water by the spoonful to get a smooth paste.
6. Adjust salt, sugar and lime as per your taste.
7. Fill in sterilized glass jars and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
8. This recipe makes approximately 1.5 cups of curry paste.

To make the vegan Thai Green Curry:

1. Heat oil in a wok or kadhai.
2. Drain the excess water from the tofu using a kitchen towel. Add the tofu to the wok and fry until golden.
3. Remove the tofu and keep aside.
4. Add the carrots, mushroom, zucchini, broccoli, bokchoy stems and capsicum and stir fry them for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the bokchoy leaves or spinach and stir until they are wilted.
6. Cook until the vegetables are cooked to your liking and remove it from the wok and keep aside. Preferably, the vegetables should be crunchy and not overcooked and mushy.
7. Heat the remaining oil and add the green curry paste. Stir fry it for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
8. Add the stir fried vegetables along with the boiled sweet potato to the wok.
9. Add the thin coconut milk and cook it for 3-4 minutes.
10. Add the thick coconut milk and salt and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
11. Add the tofu before serving. Serve the curry hot with steamed white rice.

Sun dried Potato Chips | Aloo Chips | Aloogadde Sandige [Video]

Sun dried Potato Chips - potato slices that are dried in the sun and then deep fried and tossed in seasoning. Highly addictive!!

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

How to make sun dried potato chips recipe, batate sandige recipe, aloogadde sandige recipe, aloo chips, aloo sandge recipe, how to make aloo papad recipe, potato chips recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

The Sun dried Potato Chips are the BEST, seriously guys!!!

Who doesn't love potato chips? I'm sure even the Victoria Secrets models who are eternally on a diet wouldn't mind sneaking one in, once in a while. There are so many varieties of potato chips or crisps or whatever else you might want to call them, but I assure you, this is the best. Cause of course, you will make them yourself. And tell me if I'm wrong, but anything homemade tastes so much better than the preservative loaded air filled packet stuff.

Recently, I was reading this really old article on Reddit about what surprised non Americans when they visited the USA, I was definitely surprised with the vastness of the country and the enormous food portions. But something that definitely got me crazy was the size of the Potato Chips packets. I think they are as tall as toddlers. Why are they so big? Are they meant to be family packs? If yes, how large is this family? Don't people get bored of the flavor after going through quarter of the packet? Or is it meant to last a month? I did not get that at all. I went a little nuts over the number of flavors though, you get every flavor under the sun.

Back to the Sun, that's really the focal point today. Did I tell you how the Sun cheated us this year?We had the shortest summer ever, just ONE month. Just April. Summer came and went in the blink of an eye. Summer gets replaced by Monsoons in this part of the world and then everyday is just a dull cloudy day dotted with spells of rain. Usually, I'm a big fan of the rains, I simply love how everything turns bright green, and that fragrance when the rain hits the earth is simply divine. And rains, means deep fried deliciousness and loads of hot cups of chai. But this year I was a little disappointed. I had so many things planned for Summer, and I could barely scramble them in, in a month. But what I did manage to do , was sun dry some potatoes.

You may have only heard of sun dried tomatoes, but believe me sun dried potatoes are even better!! And people have been doing it for ages, just not me though. This was my first and definitely not my last attempt. Potatoes barely take 3-4 days to dry and the drying makes them intense and all the more potatoey (if that were a word).

So...

STEP 1 - Wash, peel, and slice the potatoes.

STEP 2 - Soak the slices in salted boiling water until they are just about done.

STEP 3 - Lay them out on a cloth to dry in the sun.

STEP 4 - Deep fry them and toss them in salt and chilli powder.

Step 4 can be done months later. The chips can be stored for 3-4 months easily if stored in a clean dry air tight container. The good thing here is, you can decide how much to fry, you don't need to fry the entire batch at once and worry about them going soft, however, I assure you, that is not a problem, coz like all potato chips, these are irresistible.

Some tips to make sure your potato sun drying turns out to be the best...

1) Do not slice the potatoes very thin like you would for regular chips. These need to be around 2mm.

2) As you slice the chips, put them in water so they don't darken due to oxidization.

3) The chips are soaked in boiling water until they are just about done. If you take them out too quickly, the chips will darken while drying. If you leave them in there too long, they will be completely cooked. So you need to drain them out in 5-8 minutes. Squeeze a chip in between your thumb and index finger and the chip should give when you apply a little pressure. If it does not, it still needs to be cooked, if it gives too soon, it is overcooked.

4) Dry on a cloth, not a tray or plate or paper. The chips will stick to whatever you have placed under it, and removing them from a tray or paper can be difficult. Preferably, use a white cloth or a light colored one as you don't want color running onto the chips.

5) If the chips turn black on the edges or in small spots, you can still use them, just make sure these are the ones you fry first.

6) If you don't have enough sun, place them in the shade, they will dry there as well, but will take much longer.

And last, you can flavor these chips with whatever flavor you like - curry, mint, oregano etc. Just do it immediately after frying while the chips are still hot so the flavor sticks to them. Or you can just salt them and enjoy the potato flavor to its maximum.

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

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Video Recipe

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Sun dried Potato Chips

Potato slices that are sun dried and then deep fried and tossed in seasoning.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:   Indian
Prep Time: 3 days
Cook time: 10 minutes
Yield:   Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

3-4 medium sized Potatoes
Salt to taste
Red Chilli powder to taste
Water as required
Oil for deep frying

Method:

Wash and peel the potatoes.
Slice the potatoes to about 2mm thickness and immerse in water to prevent them from browning.
Boil water in a large pot, add salt.
Once it comes to a rolling boil, lower heat and add the potato slices to it. Boil for 2-3 minutes then turn off the heat.
Let the potato slices soak for 5-8 minutes. Squeeze a slice between your thumb and index finger and it should give slightly after you apply a little pressure. If it does not, allow it to soak longer. If it gives too quickly, it has overcooked, remove from water immediately.
Drain the potato chips and lay them out on a white cloth in the sun. Cover with a light muslin cloth to prevent dust from settling on to the chips. You can dry them in shade as well.
Leave it in the sun for 3-4 days or until completely dried.
Store in a clean dry air tight container. It can be stored for 3-4 months.
When you want to eat the chips, deep fry them and toss with salt and chilli powder immediately.

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Jeegujje Podi

popular Indian snack - baked flat discs made of four and spices

Baked Papdi

Pani Puri Recipe| Golgappa Recipe | Puchka Recipe [Video]

Pani Puri recipe with step by step Video instructions. The KING of Indian Street food - Pani Puri or Golgappa or Puchka. Crispy fried dough balls stuffed with a potato pea mash, sweet tamarind chutney and a chilled spicy coriander-mint water.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

How to make pani puri recipe, how to make puchka recipe, how to make golgappa recipe, pani puri ka pani recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

What kind of a place would the world be if there was no street food? Boring???

I think Street Food talks a lot more than Restaurant food. Street food is like the soul of the place. You learn so much more about the culture and people just by looking at the street food being sold. While restaurant food is usually mellowed down and modified to suit the palate of the customers it serves, street food is bold and original. If you haven't eaten street food, you probably haven't tasted the city yet.

India wouldn't be India if it were not for its "Chaat". Chaat refers to a variety of savory sweet tangy food sold on the roadsides from either small stalls or little food carts. And according to me, the most popular Chaat has always been - Pani Puri, also known as Golgappa in the North and Puchka towards the East. Names may vary, but the love for this dish does not. You can find Pani Puri being sold in every nook and corner of any city in India. But each one has their own favorite stall that they are extremely loyal to. Our favorite, is the Bihari guy outside a supermarket in Jayanagar 4th Block. He makes the crispest puri there is. I have never made my own Puris, that is an experiment for some other day. Buying is a lot easier.

Puris are crispy hollow balls made of deep fried dough. These balls are gently tapped with fingers to make a hole on one side. Then comes the stuffing, the stuffing varies according to the region you are in. It can be a potato mash, potato-green pea mash, sprouts, black chana, chickpeas etc. A little bit of this stuffed is stuffed into the puri. Then comes the celebration - the Pani or water. The Pani awakens every teeny weeny taste bud in your mouth. It is sour, it is spicy, it is salty. Made of mint, coriander, tamarind, chillies and spices, it is a flavor bomb. One of the essential ingredients for making the perfect pani is Black Salt or Kala Namak. A funky smelling salt that has its origin in the Himalayas. The pani is stirred before dipping the puri in it to fill up the puri with this wonderful Pani. Now if you want, you can add jaggery or sugar to the Pani to make it slightly sweet, or you can make the Date Tamarind Chutney like it is traditionally done and spoon in a little of it along with the Pani to get a slightly sweet Pani Puri. Keeping the sweet chutney separate from the Pani allows you to adjust the sweetness according to each individual's taste.

Once the puri is filled with the pani, it has to be eaten immediately. Eating a Pani Puri can be tricky if you have never had it. You have to eat the puri in one go. It is like a filled water balloon, you try to cut it in half and all the water will be out and you will be left with a soggy puri.

My love for Pani Puri comes from my Dad. He never missed a chance to eat a plate of pani puri, neither does Raj. When I am shopping for weekly groceries at the super market, he's outside sneaking a plate of pani puri. In this one matter, we are definitely made for each other. We are 2 bottomless holes when it comes to pani puris. We can just keep on going!!

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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Pani Puri | Golgappa | Puchka Recipe

Pani Puri | Golgappa | Puchka is an Indian Street food or Chaat item in which crispy fried dough balls are stuffed with mashed potatoes, spicy coriander-mint water and a sweet tamarind chutney.

Recipe Type: Snacks
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 8 hours (includes soaking time for peas)
Cook time: 45 minutes
Yield: Makes 100

Author: Anupama

Ingredients:

To make the Pani:

0.75 -1 cup chopped Coriander leaves
0.75 -1 cup chopped Mint leaves
1 litre cold Water
Lemon sized piece of Tamarind
2-3 green Chillies
1 tsp Cumin Powder
2 tsp Chaat Masala
Black Salt to taste

To make the Potato-Pea Stuffing:

5-6 Potatoes
3/4 cup dried Green Peas
1 tsp Chaat Masala
Salt to taste
Water as required

To Assemble the Pani Puri:

100 Puris
1 bowl Date Tamarind Chutney

Method:

To make the Potato-Pea Stuffing:

1. Soak the dried green peas overnight or for 6-8 hours.
2. Drain and boil them until done. I usually pressure cook them for 2-3 whistles.
3. Boil and peel the potatoes.
4. Mash together the potatoes and the green peas.
5. Add in salt and chaat masala and mix well. Keep it slightly under seasoned as the pani is already salty.

To make the Pani:

6. Soak the tamarind in a cup of water for 15 minutes and squeeze out the liquid. Remove the pulp and keep the tamarind juice aside.
7. Blend together the coriander leaves, mint leaves and green chilli with a little water into a smooth puree.
8. Add the puree to 1 litre of water , preferably cold.
9. Add the cumin powder, tamarind juice, black salt and chaat masala to taste.
Chill the green pani in the fridge until serving. Alternately, you can add ice to the pani to serve immediately.
10. Strain the water before serving.

To Assemble the Pani Puri:

11. Gently tap a hole in the puri using your finger.
12. Spoon in the potato stuffing into the puri.
13. Now pour in the date tamarind chutney if you like the pani puri to be slightly sweet.
14. Spoon in the green pani and eat immediately.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Masala Puri

Masala Pav

Bangalore Street food made by topping tomato slices with a mix of sweet and spicy chutneys and topped off with salted puffed rice

Tomato Puri

Pindi Chhole

My second recipe with tea and chickpeas. Pindi chhole is a simple vegan chickpea curry made with chickpeas (kabuli chana /chhole) cooked with tea and tempered with spices.

So who had fun over the weekend? Did you try my Sunday lunch special? In case you missed, you should try out this Jackfruit Biryani / Kathal Biryani. It even has a vegan option. Don't you just love me!

I had a fun/busy weekend as usual. I had all plans of going for a movie, but the disappointing reviews left me with a big 3 hour gap in my weekend. Sad and Yay!! No movie, but at least 3 more hours of just doing nothing. I could fit in one long walk this weekend. Since we lazy people barely workout in the week, we make it a point to go for these ridiculously long walks on the weekend. All Gee's fault really. This trend was totally started by her!! Although our walks usually end up in a plate of Pani Puri or Tomato Puri, but hey, at least we get some fresh air. Just some, with all the pollution around.

Back to my Pindi Chhole recipe....

This is my second recipe of Tea+Chickpeas. While this Amritsari Chhole was made with an onion-tomato based masala, this one is different. Simpler, actually!! Double YAY!!

As far as your chhole or chickpeas have been boiled, this is an instant recipe. Ready in less than 15 minutes. Now that is what I call Healthy Fast Food!

This recipe starts exactly like the Amritsari Chhole, with the dried chickpeas being soaked overnight. You can make this with canned chickpeas that have already been cooked, but then you miss out on the cooking-with-tea part and I somehow feel that is what makes this recipe so good. So if you are looking for an instant option, you can probably just simmer the canned chickpeas in a tea decoction for a while, but I'm not sure it would taste the same.

So after it has soaked and you have cooked the chickpeas with spices and tea, all you really need to do it heat oil, fry a lot of mince or paste of ginger and garlic. This is what gives it most of the flavor. Then add the spice powders. Some sort of souring agent, traditionally dried pomegranate seeds (anardana) are used, but you can use dried mango powder (amchur) or tamarind juice. Lime juice can also be used. Keep aside a little bit of the chickpeas and add the remaining to the pan. The chickpeas that you have kept aside, need to be mashed and then added. This helps in giving you a thicker gravy in the absence of tomato and onions.

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

If you liked this, you may also like:

Pindi Chhole

Pindi Chhole is a vegan chickpea curry made by cooking chickpeas or kabuli channa along with tea and later adding a tempering of ginger-garlic and spices.

Recipe Type: Main Course
Cuisine: North Indian
Prep Time: 8 Hours (Includes chickpea soaking time)
Cook time: 45 minutes
Yield: Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1.5 cups dried Chickpeas / Kabuli Chana
1 Bay leaf
2-3 Cloves
1 Green Cardamom
1 Black Cardamom
5-6 Peppercorns
1” piece Cinnamon
1 Tea Bag or 1 tsp tea powder tied in muslin cloth pouch
2 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste (Preferably freshly ground)
1-2 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Kasuri Methi
½ tsp Carom seeds / Ajwain
½ tsp Black Salt / Kala Namak
1 tsp Anardana Powder or 1 tsp Amchur or 1 Tbsp Tamarind Juice or Lime juice
4-5 tsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required
Coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

Soak the chickpeas in water overnight or for 8-10 hours.
Cook the chickpeas in 2 cups of water along with the tea bag, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, green cardamom, black cardamom and ½ tsp salt until the chickpeas are cooked. I pressure cook them, and it takes me around 2-3 whistles or 8-10 minutes for the chickpeas to be cooked. The chickpeas should be well cooked but not mushy.
Heat oil in a kadhai or pan and add the carom seeds.
Once the carom seeds brown, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté until fragrant.
Keep aside ¼ to ½ cup of chickpeas aside and add the rest along with 1 cup of the water it was cooked in.
Add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and black salt.
For sourness, add any one of the following – anardana (dried pomegranate seeds) powder or amchur (dried mango powder) or tamarind juice or lime juice. Use what is available with you.
Crush the chickpeas that were reserved aside and add to the pan.
Add kasuri methi and simmer for 4-5 minutes until thick. Adjust salt and spices as per taste. Add more of the cooking water if you would like a thinner consistency.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with Puri or Roti.

Sunday Lunch Special - Kathal Biryani | Jackfruit Biryani (with Photo Instructions)

Sunday Lunches are meant to be special, and this slow cooked Jackfruit Biryani or Kathal Biryani made with raw jackfruit, long grained Basmati Rice and lots of spices is definitely my definition of SPECIAL (Vegan option available)!!

How to make jackfruit biryani, jackfruit biryani recipe, vegan jackfruit recipe, raw jackfruit recipe, young jackfruit recipe, how to make kathal biryani, kathal biryani recipe, kathal recipes at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

When I think of Sunday lunch, I always think of something that is slow cooked and delicious. A dish into which I put my heart and time into. It may be because of my mom. Being children of a full time career woman meant that weekday food was simple and quick. It was still delicious and healthy. My mom made sure we ate home cooked healthy food literally every meal every day. Eating out was a rarity. Working 6 days a week, left out just one Sunday and she made sure that Sunday was special. It was the day she got to cook something special for the large family. A Sunday fare that everyone in the family loved and awaited.

A couple of years ago, I realized I'm turning into my Mom!! Good for me, she is the woman I admire the most, but not so good for my lazy hubby. He gets picked on for not keeping his tea cup in the kitchen sink almost as soon as he finishes the tea, a most definite hand-me-down trait from my mom. I instantly NEED (yes, it is a need) cups and plates and bowls to be kept in the sink as soon as they are empty of food. It may be a really annoying good habit or just OCD, but whatever that is, came from my mom to me.

There is one thing different though, she hated spicy food. Infact, all her siblings do. They cannot stomach anything spicy, they prefer a more bland affair. Luckily for me I can eat spicy a couple of times a week, and then I crave my simple daily home cooked rice-dal type of food.

So while my Sunday lunch is a lengthy affair, it is definitely spicier than my mom's. This Sunday it was a recipe that I'd been wanting to make for a very very long time - Jackfruit Biryani or Kathal Biryani. Can I just tell you something? It was DELICIOUS!!! It was the best biryani I made till date. The aroma wafting through the house from the very first step had us drooling before we even got to eat the biryani. I am actually sorry that you cannot smell this through the photos. You can make this Biryani on anyday, but I'm just being honest in saying it is a time consuming dish and is best made on days when you have the time and do not have to rush through the steps. This is definitely not a quick weeknight recipe.

Biryani is predominantly a non-vegetarian dish in which rice is cooked along with meat and spices. Jackfruit is a perfect replacement for the meat due to is chewy moist texture. And this Jackfruit Biryani can convert anyone to a vegetarian!!

The most boring and tedious job while making this biryani is actually cutting the jackfruit. The sticky milky wax is kinda annoying. Rajeshwari of Rak's Kitchen has provided a beautiful visual tutorial on how to cut a jackfruit. You can follow that until step 2. I used coconut oil instead of sesame oil, use any cooking oil. Once the jackfruit is cut and ready, half your job is done. Salt the pieces and deep fry them. You can also steam them or just use it directly in the biryani and allow it to cook along with the rice and spices.

A major part of the biryani is the rice. Use the best long grained rice you can. Fragrant basmati works the best with this type of biryani. Since the rice is layered along with the masala and cooked again later, in the initial stages, we only parboil the rice. The rice is cooked along with whole spices until it is half done. Then it is drained and washed and kept aside.

The masala, this smells DIVINE. I'm not kidding. This is gonna bring neighbors home, that's how fragrant it is. Traditionally the masala is not vegan, but you can make it vegan. Just replace the Ghee with more Oil and the yoghurt with extra tomatoes. The spices are fried in ghee+oil and then the onion is added. Then come in the ginger-garlic, and this is when the aroma just explodes into your face. Then come tomatoes. If you are replacing the yogurt with tomatoes, just add them now. Add all your spice powders. Once everything is cooked, add in the jackfruit, yogurt, and coriander leaves. Your masala is practically ready.

Then begin by layering the masala, fresh mint leaves, rice. Usually 2 layers are made. Then on the top layer add saffron or turmeric powder mixed with either milk or water and pour. Sprinkle crispy brown onions. Cover and cook on low heat for 20-25 mins or until the rice is done.

You can bake this too. Preheat your oven to around 200 degree C and bake the layered biryani for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is done.

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

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Jackfruit Biryani | Kathal Biryani (Vegan Option Available)

Jackfruit Biryani or Kathal Biryani is an Indian layered rice dish wherein raw jackfruit is cooked with rice and spices.

Recipe Type: Rice
Cuisine: North Indian
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

Fresh Ingredients:

1 small raw Jackfruit / Kathal (600-700gms)
4 Onions
4 Tomatoes
2 handfuls Coriander leaves
2 handfuls Mint leaves
1 Tbsp Garlic Paste
1 Tbsp Ginger Paste

Grains:

2 cups Basmati Rice

Whole Spices:

4 Green Cardamom (Elaichi)
3 Black Cardamom (Badi Elaichi)
1 tsp Fennel Seeds (Saunf)
1/2 tsp Caraway Seeds (Shah Jeera)
5 Cloves (Lawang)
2" Cinnamon (Dalchini)
1 Bay Leaf (Tej Patta)
1 tsp Stone Flower (Pathar ke Phool / Dagad Phool)

Spice Powders:

3 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder

Dairy:

1 cup Yogurt / Dahi (Replace with 1 large tomato for a vegan option)
3 Tbsp Ghee (Replace with Oil for a vegan option)
2 Tbsp Milk (Replace with water for a vegan option)

Others:

3 Tbsp Oil
Oil for frying
Salt to taste
8 cups Water

Method:

Cooking the Jackfruit:

Oil your hands and the knife with any edible oil, preferably coconut.
Cut the jackfruit into quarters.
Peel the thorny skin of the jackfruit. Remove the center stalk.
Dice the jackfruit into 1" sized pieces.
Sprinkle 1/2 to 1 tsp of salt on the jackfruit pieces.
Heat oil in a deep kadhai or pan.
Deep fry the jackfruit until golden.
Keep aside until later.

Making the Crispy Brown Onions:

Slice 2 onions finely.
Deep fry the onions on medium heat until dark brown and crispy. Be careful not to burn the onions.
Remove from oil and keep aside until later.

Cooking the Biryani Rice:

Wash the basmati rice for 5-6 times until the water runs clean.
Soak it in water and keep aside for 20-30 minutes.
Heat 8 cups of water in a large deep bottomed pan. Add 1/2 tsp of salt, 2 green cardamom, 2 black cardamom, 1" piece of cinnamon and 3 cloves.
Once the water comes to a rolling boil, drain the rice and add the rice to the boiling water.
Cover and cook on medium heat until rice is half done.
Drain the water and wash the rice in cold water. Drain and keep the rice aside.

Making the Masala:

I make the masala in the same utensil in which I will be finally assembling the biryani. Use a deep bottomed pan or pot or pressure cooker for this if doing the same.
Finely slice the onions and chop the tomatoes. If you are making a vegan biryani, add one more large tomato.
Heat oil+ghee in a kadhai or pan. Replace ghee with oil for a vegan option.
Gently bruise the fennel seeds, stone flower, 1" cinnamon, 2 cloves, 1 black cardamom and 2 green cardamoms using a mortar and pestle. Do not crush it into a powder, just bruise it to allow it to release it's fragrance in the oil.
Once it heats up, add the caraway seeds (shah jeera) and bruised spices along with the bay leaf.
Saute for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the sliced onion and cook them until translucent.
Add the ginger and garlic paste and saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Now add the tomatoes. 1 tsp turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala.
Continue to cook while stirring frequently until the tomatoes are cooked or for 5-6 minutes.
Add the deep fried jackfruit, whipped yogurt, salt and 1 handful of coriander leaves (chopped) and mix well.Skip the yogurt for a vegan option.
Cook on low heat for 1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat.

Making the Jackfruit Biryani:

If you are going to cook the biryani in the same pan in which the masala was cooked, remove half the masala into a bowl.
If you are using a fresh pan to make the biryani, spread half the masala in the new pan.
Chop the coriander and mint leaves.
Sprinkle half the coriander and mint leaves over the masala.
Layer half the parboiled rice over the mint leaves.
Spread the remaining masala on the rice.
Sprinkle the remaining coriander and mint leaves.
Spread the remaining rice on the mint leaves.
Take half the crispy brown onions and spread over the rice. Dissolve 1/2 tsp turmeric in 2 Tbsp milk or water and pour over the rice.
Cover and cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Mix the layers while serving.
Garnish with the remaining crispy brown onions while serving.

Photo Instructions:

Dice the jackfruit into 1" pieces. Salt them and deep fry until golden.

Wash the basmati rice for 5-6 times until the water runs clean.
Soak it in water and keep aside for 20-30 minutes.
Heat 8 cups of water in a large deep bottomed pan. Add 1/2 tsp of salt, 2 green cardamom, 2 black cardamom, 1" piece of cinnamon and 3 cloves.
Once the water comes to a rolling boil, drain the rice and add the rice to the boiling water.
Cover and cook on medium heat until rice is half done.
Drain the water and wash the rice in cold water. Drain and keep the rice aside. take just 20 mins to make.

Deep fry finely sliced onions on medium heat until brown and crispy.
Heat oil+ghee in a kadhai or pan.
Gently bruise the fennel seeds, stone flower, 1" cinnamon, 2 cloves, 1 black cardamom and 2 green cardamoms using a mortar and pestle.
Once it heats up, add the caraway seeds (shah jeera) and bruised spices along with the bay leaf.
Saute for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the sliced onion and cook them until translucent.
Add the ginger and garlic paste and saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Now add the tomatoes. 1 tsp turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala.
Continue to cook while stirring frequently until the tomatoes are cooked or for 5-6 minutes.

Add the deep fried jackfruit, whipped yogurt, salt and 1 handful of coriander leaves (chopped) and mix well.
Cook on low heat for 1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Take a deep pan, and spread half the masala.
Sprinkle half the chopped coriander and mint leaves over the masala.
Layer half the parboiled rice onto the mint leaves.

Spread the remaining masala on the rice.
Sprinkle the remaining coriander and mint leaves.
Spread the remaining rice on the mint leaves.
Take half the crispy brown onions and spread over the rice. Dissolve 1/2 tsp turmeric in 2 Tbsp milk or water and pour over the rice.
Cover and cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Mix the layers while serving.
Garnish with the remaining crispy brown onions while serving.