Aloo Tikki Chat

Aloo tikki is very simple and quick to make. This  is one of the favorite chat at my place. This works as north indian fasting food too because you are allowed potato and curd during Upwas.

Step 1 : Aloo laccha (optional)

Potato - 1 cup , grated

Salt

Oil for frying

1. Heat oil and fry the grated potatoes till golden.
2. Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.

Step 2 : Curd mixture

Curd - 1 cup 

Water -1/4 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp

Salt

1. Mix Curd, Sugar, Salt,water.

Step 3 : Aloo Tikki

Potato /Aloo - 2 cup , boiled and mashed
Green Chilli - 1 tbsp, chopped

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves -3 tbsp
Salt
Oil for shallow frying

1. Mix mashed potato,green chilli,cumin ,coriander leaves and salt.
2. Take 2 tbsp of mixture in hand and form patties. 
3. Heat oil in a frying pan and place patties in the oil .
4. Keep the stove at medium heat and let one side be golden .
5. Turn the patties and add one tbsp oil if needed 
6. Fry this side too till golden brown and remove from pan .

Step 4: How to serve

Cumin Powder -1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves -3 tbsp

1. Place a 4- 5  hot patties in a plate and cover it with the curd mixture.
2. Sprikle  3-4 pinches cumin  and a pinch of chilli powder.
3. Then sprinkle a tsp of  corriander leaves .
4. And finally about 2 tbsp of aloo laccha( fried potatoes).
5. And you are ready to serve.

Cabbage -Raw Banana curry

Cabbage and potato is the usual combination we all cook at home , my mother used to use raw banana in place of potato  and very unusual combo :) but i used to love her twist and now i realize its a much healthier combo.This simple curry goes well with rice and chappati 

Cabbage - 3-4 cups , shredded
Raw banana - 1 small , about 1 cup chopped as in pic.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Chana dal - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp , crushed
Green Chili - 1 tsp
Curry leaves -  a few
Pearl Onion - 6 , chopped
Ginger - 1 tsp , chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste.

1. Cook the chopped banana in quarter cup of water with little salt and turmeric .
2. When banana is fork tender , drain and keep aside.
3. Heat oil and add chana dal when it turns golden add  the mustard and let it pop.
4. Add onion , chili and curry leaves and cook till onion is translucent.
5. Add the turmeric, cumin , ginger and shredded cabbage and mix well.
6. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes , uncover and add the cooked banana.
7. Mix well and add salt and cook for another few minutes and serve.

Sending it to Winter Vegetables Event at riappyayan.blogspot.com

ChowChow/Chyote Squash stirfry

Chow chow is a very common vegetable in  bangalore and cooked in lots of different ways. This is my friend Meera's  recipe. When she cuts the vegetable each and every piece is uniform and curry looks very beautiful. I am yet to learn to chop like that from her.

Chow Chow - 2 cups , chopped into small pieces.

Green chili - 2 tsp , chopped

Ginger - 2 tsp , chopped

Curry leaves - a few

Turmeric Powder - 1/8 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Salt to taste

Oil - 1tbsp

1. Heat oil and the urad dal and let  it turn golden .
2. Add  mustard and let it pop.
3. Add the hing , ginger and curry leaves.
4. Add the turmeric to oil and then the squash.
5. Cover and cook for two to three minutes .
6. Then uncover mix well and cook till squash is tender.
7. Add the salt and mix well and you are ready to serve.
8. Goes well with curd rice.

Sending it to  healthy-hearty-event

Long beans parpu usli / Long beans cooked with ground and steamed lentil

For this months blog hop i visited Priya Srinivasan's blog : http://enveetukitchen.blogspot.com . Thoroughly enjoyed  browsing through her wonderful recipes and finally decided on cooking her mom's parpusli. She has used french beans but i had  long beans which we call achiyga payar in kerala so used it.

Long beans  - 2 cups , chopped
Toor Dal (Any split lentil of choice) - 1/4 cup   

Red chili - 5-6

Curry leaves - a few 

Hing  - two pinches or 1/8 tsp if using store brought powder
Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt

Step 1: Usli Preparation

1. Wash and soak the dal in water  for 30 minutes.
2. Without adding any water ,pulse the dal ,red chili and salt together in grinder.
3. Grind it  to a very coarse paste.
4. Steam the dal mixture, till a tooth pick comes clear.
5. Once cooled pulse it in again in grinder for few times and set aside.

Step 2

1. Wash and chop the beans to tiny pieces and keep aside.
2. Heat oil and add the hing and mustard  and let it pop.
3. Add the curry leaves , turmeric and beans and mix well.
4. Add 1/4  cup water, salt  and cover and cook.
5. When the beans is tender, add the usli from step 1.
6. Mix well and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
7. Serve it with hot rice and sambar or rasam .

Blog-Hop-Wednesdays" at tickling palates

Papaya Thoran

Papaya is a staple vegetable in kerala kitchens and almost everyone will have a papaya plant in their yard :) . It  is said to be good for you and is used in  a lot of different preparations.Here is one easy recipe.

Raw papaya -  2 cups , grated.
Coconut - 1/4 cup , grated
Green Chili - 2
Pearl Onion - a few , chopped
Curry leaves - a few
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Oil - 1 tbsp

1. Crush coconut , chili , turmeric  and cumin together.
2. Heat oil and mustard and let it pop.
3. Add the onion and cook till translucent.
4. Add the coconut mixture and curry leaves.
5. Mix well and cook for a minute.
6. Add the grated papaya and mix well and cover.
7. Cook for 3- 4 minutes and add the salt and mix well.
8. Cook for another few minutes and you are ready to serve.