Spicy Notes

Author Archives: preetialam

Mix Lentil Dosa

Mix Lentil Dosa is a healthy breakfast option made with a mixture of various lentils and rice served with chutney of your choice. I love it with the tangy tomato chutney.

Ingredients

For Dosa

Split green moong dal – 1/4th cup
Red Lentil (masoor dal) – 1/4th cup
Skinned black lentil (dhuli urad dal) – 1/4th cup
Rice – 1/4th cup
Fenugreek Seeds – 1 teaspoon
Asafetida – 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Green chilli -3
Ginger – 1 inch –
Oil

For Tomato Chutney

Tomatoes, roughly chopped – 2 medium
Onion, roughly chopped – 1 medium
Garlic – 4-6 cloves
Dry red chilli -1
Kashmiri red chilli powder – 1tsp
Mustard Seed – 1/2 teaspoon
Skinned black lentil (dhuli urad dal) – 1/4th teaspoon
Curry leves – 5-6
Oil – 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

Method

For Dosa

“Mix Lentil Dosa with Tomato Chutney”

Clean and soak moong dal, urad dal, masoor dal, rice and fenugreek seeds for 2 – 3 hours. Drain and grind with ginger, green chillies and salt to a smooth batter. Heat a tawa and grease it. Spread a ladle full of batter to a thin disc. Drizzle a little oil and cook on medium heat till the underside is crisp and done. Now flip over, drizzle a little oil and cook till the other side is done too. 


For Tomato Chutney

Put the chopped tomatoes, onion , garlic and 2 dry red chillies in a mixer. Grind to s smooth paste without water.Heat oil in a kadhai and temper with urad dal, mustard seeds. 1 whole red chilli and curry leaves.Pour the ground paste and add 1/4 cup water, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well.Cook on medium flame for 4-5 mins or until the raw smell is gone and chutney gets the desired consistency. It should not get too thick or too runny. So adjust water accordingly.

Enjoy crispy nutritious dosa with tomato chutney.

Note: This is a fresh batter dosa hence you need not ferment it. The fenugreek seeds add extra flavor as well as help the dosa turn out more crisp and reduces the chances of the dosa sticking to the tawa. 


Soya Keema Matar

Soya Keema Matar is  a very  aromatic and well spiced dish  made with Soya Granules and green peas. Its a nutritious dish which goes well with any kind of roti or paratha. If left over you can use it as a filling for sandwiches, however trust me it tastes better the next day too.

Ingredients

Soya Granules – 1cup
Green Peas -1/2 cup
Boiling water – 4 cups
Oil -3 tablespoon
Onion, finely sliced – 2 medium
Onion Garlic paste – 3 Tablespoon (2 medium onion and 6 cloves of garlic)
Ginger, grated- 1 inch    
Green chilli, chopped  – 2
Tomato, chopped – 1 medium
Yogurt / Dahi – 2 tablespoon
Green cardamoms – 2
Cloves – 4
Cinnamon -1 inch
Bay leaf – 1
Coriander powder – 1 tablespoon
Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – 3/4 teaspoon
Green coriander, chopped – 4 tablespoon
Garam masala – 1 teaspoon
Salt  – As per taste.

“Soya Keema Matar”

Method

Soak soya granules in 4 cups of boiling water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt for 30 min. Drain and squeeze out excess water.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a kadhai and roast the soya granules until it turns become brown.             Once done remove from heat and transfer into a separate bowl. Heat the remaining oil, add the green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf, let it fry for a minute and then add the sliced onions and fry till they start turning brown. Mix onion garlic paste along with coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder, mix well and add to the fried onions. let this fry for 3-4 mins then add the chopped tomatoes and fry till the oil separates from the sides. Now add the green peas along with 1/2 cup of water and salt, cover and cook till the peas are nearly done. Add the roasted soya granules along with 1 cup of water and beaten curd, cook till almost dry. Add the green coriander, chopped green chillies and garam masala and mix well.
Garnish with green coriander, a slice of tomato and ginger juliennes.
Serve hot with roti or paratha of your choice.

Baked Vegetable Rava Cupcakes


A baked variation to the Traditional Rava Upma which can be prepared and kept. Serves as a good tea time snack and a healthy lunch box option for kids.

Ingredients

Semolina/Rava  – 1 1/2 cup
Yogurt/Curd – 1 1/2 cup
Mixed vegetables– 1 cup ( Beans, Carrot, Capsicum,Cabbage and Peas)

Cashew nuts – 8-10 (chopped)
Onion – 1 (finely chopped)
Curry Leaves – 10-15
Green chili – 2
Mustard seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
Urad Dal – 2 teaspoon
Chana Dal – 1 teaspoon
Baking soda – 1/2 teaspoon
Salt per taste
Asafetida- pinch
White sesame seeds – 1 teaspoon

Green Coriander chopped – 2 tablespoon

Oil – 4 tablespoon

Method


Dry roast rava and sesame seeds in a pan till it looses the raw smell and turns pink. Let it cool for some time and then mix it with curd, asafetida, baking soda and 2 tablespoon of oil and leave aside, in the mean time we will prepare the vegetable mixture.(this mixture will be thick as the rava will absorb all the water from the curd)

“Baked Vegetable Rava Cupcake”
Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a kadhi add mustard seeds, once it starts to pop add urad Dal, chana Dal. once you start getting the nutty aroma and the dals turn golden brown add the green chilli, onion and curry leaves fry till the onion turns pink or translucent. Add all the vegetables,cashew and salt. Fry for another 3-4 mins.Turn off the heat and add this vegetable mix to the rava mix and add the coriander. 

Grease the cup cake molds and pour in the batter( this makes around 10 -12 cup cakes). Pre heat the oven for 180 degree Celsius. Bake it for 18-20 mins. To check if the cup cakes are done insert a toothpick in the cake, if it comes out clean then its done. If you want the top to be brown then you could bake it for another 3-4 min on 200 degree Celsius or until the top turns golden brown.and when you insert a stick it comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool down on a wire rack and serve with ketchup or any chutney of your choice.

Palak Pulao


“Palak or Spinach”
Palak or spinach is one of the most commonly used green vegetables. Not only is this vibrant looking and appealing to the eyes but is packed with nutrients. I find it to be a very versatile ingredient to work with as it can be used as a simple stir fried side dish or as a gravy base, it tastes great in soups, sandwiches and can also be eaten raw as a salad.

Well in this Blog I would like to share with you a rice preparation with palak which is an all time favourite with my family. Its a one pot recipe which is not only quick to cook but healthy and delicious too. Before you start cooking please ensure that the palak leaves are cleaned well, its best to wash it under running water to get rid of any soil. Also in this recipe I have not discarded the stalk as I have pureed the palak however the stalk is equally nutritious and rich in fiber. 

“Palak Rice or Palak Pulao”


Ingredients

Basmati rice (soaked) –  1 ½ cups
Palak/Spinach (cleaned, blanched & pureed) -1 cup
Onion sliced -1 medium
Tomato pureed – 1 medium
Garlic, finely chopped – 1tablespoon
Ginger, juiliennes – 1 table spoon
Green chillies Slit -2
Oil – 3+1 tablespoon
Salt – To taste
Cinnamon – 2 inches
Green cardamom -2-3
Cloves -4-5
Black peppercorn -8-10
Bay leaves -2
Cumin -1/2 teaspoon
Dry Red chillies -2
Red Chilli Powder – 1 teaspoon
Tumeric Powder – 3/4th teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1 tablespoon
Garam Masala powder – 1 teaspoon

Garnish

Green Coriander leaves
Slice of Tomato

Method

Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a pot add broken cinnamon, cloves, peppercorn,  bay leaves, cardamom and chopped  onions. Sauté till onions are almost translucent or pink.  In a bowl mix  the red chilli powder, turmeric powder and the coriander powder  with approx. 1/4th cup of water to form a paste and add to the onion mixture. Let this cook for almost 2-3 min.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 3-4 min now add the palak puree and salt cook for 5 min or until the oil starts leaving the sides of the kadhai. Add approx. 3 cups of hot water (twice the measure of rice) and mix the Palak masala now add the soaked rice.
“Palak Rice “

Add the chopped garlic, ginger juliennes, green chillies and garam masala powder.Reduce heat and cook till rice is done and all the water is absorbed.

Take one table spoon of oil in a kadhai and add the cumin seeds and dry red chilli for the tadka. Put his over the cooked palak rice. Transfer this into the serving dish .Garnish with chopped coriander and slice of tomato.

Serve hot with Dahi and Mint Chutney.

http://spicynotes.net/?p=121

Hi,
I am Preeti a Retail Professional currently based in Dubai, staying with my loving husband and my 4 year old son…..who just does not miss a chance to keep me on my toes. I come from a North Indian family,my parents have been living in Kolkatta  for the last 70 years hence I was born and brought up in “The City of Joy”.
After completing my 10+2 from Kolkatta I moved to Mumbai for my further studies, went on to working, got married, had my baby. Ten long  years of working in the fast growing Fashion and Retail  industry I decided  to take a break so I could be with my baby and enjoy the bliss of motherhood.
Staying at home gave me the opportunity to explore the world of cooking. I tried different  recipes some new some old, some turned out good and some not so good. Thanks to my hubby who always appreciated my efforts, tasted all my dishes, gave his valuable comments and suggestions and my mom who was always a call away with her tips and a very dear friend of mine who always motivated me to keep going and start this blog “SPICY NOTES”.
“SPICY NOTES”  is a collection of recipes inspired from  my mother, as we grew up eating the best food from both the Northern and Eastern regions of India. Apart from those there are recipes which I have learnt and enjoyed cooking for family and friends from Mumbai. This blog for me is a way of thanking all the lovely people for the amazing food and recipes which they have shared.
Its indeed a pleasure to have you be a part of my culinary journey, thanks for dropping by…….
Do leave your feedback and valuable comments…..
“HAPPY COOKING”

“Tea or Chai”

“Tea, or Chai” as it is commonly known across India is a very popular beverage and we Indians love our cup of tea. First thing I would love to have in the morning is a steaming hot cup of tea as it is very refreshing and rejuvenating. Tea for me is a comfort drink, be it early in the morning or when i’m busy I just can’t miss it, well on a rainy day a steaming hot cup of tea along with pakoras is an ultimate treat.

“Tea”
Tea for us is not only an aromatic beverage but also a culture for us, be it the “nukad ke chai ki dukan” in North India or the “adda” of Bengal, it has its own importance. In Mumbai, the road side tea stall have given it a very unique name “Cutting or Full”, as they serve chai in small clear glasses, cutting refers to half glass and full refers to full glass.
We just can’t forget the age old tradition where a would be bride meets the bridegrooms family for the first time holding a tray with cups full of our humble “Chai”.The humble Chai has also been glorified by our Hindi film industry with the numerous songs the first that comes to my mind is “Ek garam chaai ke pyali ho”….


Well there are a lot of good memories to share about tea…. and there is no end to the diversity of making chai, brewing tea is fun as you get to experiment until you get it “just right”……. my family favorite is the Ginger Tea also known as “Adrak Wali Chai”


“Adrak wali Chai”
Ginger Tea (this makes approx 2 cups)

Water – 1.5 cup


Milk – 1 cup
Tea leaves – 2.5 to 3 tsp (depending upon how strong you want your tea)

Ginger -1″ piece crushed

Sugar – 2 – 3 tsp (As per taste)

Heat milk and water in a pan and bring it to a boil. Crush ginger and add to the boiling milk and water mixture. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes continue by adding tea leaves. Let this come to a boil once more. Add sugar and simmer the mixture for three to four minutes. Strain this and serve your cup of tea piping hot.

Well there are a lot of other versions of the Ginger tea which you could try

Ginger and Fennel (Saunf) Tea – Just add 1/2 tsp of Saunf sightly pounded in a mortar and pestle along with the ginger. Rest all remains the same.

You could also try a variation of the ginger tea by adding 3-4 peppercorns along with the ginger. Rest all remains the same.

Hope you enjoy your cup of tea………