Chembu Mezhukvaratti/Arbi Fry/Colocasia fry

Chembu is a very common ingredient in Kerala cuisine. Because of scare of itching lot of people avoid cooking this vegetable. If you are sensitive to this veggie then you can wear gloves to peel and cut and then drop in tamarind water . Wash and cook in tamarind water to avoid the itchiness. This is a wonderful vegetable with a little bad repo. I happen to be someone who loves this vegetable in all forms even like it boiled with a green chili chutney and we eat this combo on fasting days when no grain is supposed to be eaten. 

Chembu/Arbi/Colocasia - 1/4 pound ,peel and cut into chunks as in picture.

Onion - 1/4 chopped fine (Avoid it for upwas)

Green Chili - 4, slit into halves

Curry leaves - a few

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp (Replace it with Jeera for Upwas)

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Chili Pw - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

1. Take the  colocasia in a deep dish and cover it with water .
2. Add salt, tumeric, green chili and a few curry leaves.
3. Cook the colocasia  till just fork tender.
4. Drain the vegetable and keep aside.
5. Heat oil  and add mustard seeds, let it pop.
6. Add remaining curry leaves and onion to the oil.
7. Cook onion till golden and add the chili pw.
8. Mix well and add the drained vegetable.
9. Mix gently and fry it well for at least five minutes.
10. Serve with rice or roti.

Bagar Ki Kichidi

Bagar  is a rice replacement for upwas days in North India . And as summer NAVRATRI has started i thought of posting this recipe. I learned this during my recent trip to India from our Mangla mami. She is a great cook and i just love talking to her about food. Bagar is available here as "Samo Seeds" and is also called"Vrat Ke Chawal".

Bagar - 1/4 cup
Fresh Tomato  - 1 1/2 cup, chopped
Potato - 1/2 cup, 1/4 inch cubes
Green Chilli - 2 , chopped fine
Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup chopped
Water - 1 1/2 cup
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste (I use sendha namak)
Ghee - 2 tsp

1.  Heat  ghee and add jeera and green chilli .
2. When jeera turns golden , add chopped tomato.
3. Cook till the tomato turns mushy then add potato and bagar
4. Add water , cover and cook till bagar is fluffy.
5. Now add more water  to make khichidi soupy.
6. Sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve hot.
7. Serve with a  dollop of curd  or lemon wedge.

Urad Dal Ladoo

Back to blogging after a long vacation to India. After all unpacking and cleaning i was feeling a little lazy to get back to blogging :).

But  few days back a friend of ours send us some URAD DAL laddo and very so yummy that i was tempted to try it myself and now back to blogging . And i found a wonderful recipe in "Cooking at home with Pedatha" . I cannot write enough about this book , just loved every recipe i have tried and these recipes has become a regular in my kitchen.

Urad (Black Gram) Dal husked - 2 cups

Sugar Powder - 3/4 cup

Cashew /or any nut of choice - a few

Caradamom Pw - few pinches

Ghee - 1/2- 3/4 cup

1. Dry roast the dal until golden and grind to fine powder.
2. Add sugar and cardamom pw.
3. Fry cashews in ghee and add to the mixture.
4. Melt remaining ghee and pour into the mixture slowly enough to bind to laddo.
5. And make small balls and enjoy.