Masala Deep Fried Bittergourd

Ingredients:

Bitter Gourd 4
Coriander Powder 1/4 tsp
Cumin Powder 1/8 tsp
Turmeric Powder 1/8 tsp
Red Chili Powder 1 tsp
Garlic 2 Cloves
Salt to Taste

Method of preparation:

Peel and grate the garlic cloves onto a bowl.
Stir in coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt into grated garlic bowl.
Slightly scrape, wash and remove little bit of both ends of the bitter gourd.
Cut the bitter gourd into halves vertically.
If the bitter gourd is long, halve the slices horizontally.

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat for deep frying.
Carefully add the quartered bitter gourds and deep fry till the bitter gourd turns golden in color.
Remove the deep fried bitter gourd onto absorbent paper.
Once warm enough to handle, layer few pinches of the garlic masala powder on the deep fried bitter gourd.
Repeat the same with any remaining bitter gourd pieces.
Serve masala deep fried bitter gourd with steamed rice and dollop of ghee.

Mixed Dal Vada

Ingredients:

Chana Dal 1/2 Cup
Urad Dal 1/8 Cup
Moong Dal 1/8 Cup
Raw Rice 1 Tbsp
Ginger 1 inch Piece
Green Chiles 2 – 3
Onion 1 Small
Coriander Seeds 1 tsp
Cloves 4
Cardamom 1
Cinnamon 1 inch Piece
Oil for Deep Frying

Method of preparation:

Soak chana dal, urad dal, moong dal, rice in enough water for around 4 – 6 hours.
Remove stems, wash and finely chop the green chiles.
Peel, wash and finely chop the onion.
Peel and roughly chop the ginger.

Grind the coriander seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon into fine powder using spice grinder.
Grind the soaked dals, ginger, salt into coarse paste using a blender.
Add least amount of water only if necessary while grinding the dals.

In a mixing bowl, mix together chopped green chiles, chopped onion, ground spice powder, mixed dals coarse paste and salt (if necessary).

Heat oil in a deep fying pan on medium low heat.
Take a lemon sized portion of the mixed dal mixture and form into small ball.
Flatten the ball on the palm of your left hand and slowly drop into hot oil.
Repeat the same until surface of the oil is filled up.
Fry the mixed dal vada on both sides till golden brown in color.
Once fried, remove the mixed dal vada onto absorbent paper.
Repeat the same with any remaining mixed dal mixture.
Serve mixed dal vada immediately as a tea time snack.

Bread Potato Vada

Ingredients:

Brown Bread Slices 4
Potato 1
Besan / Gram Flour 2 Tbsps
Onion 1/2 Small
Plain Yogurt 1 Tbsp
Green Chiles 1 – 2
Cumin Seeds a big Pinch
Salt to Taste
Oil for Deep Frying

Method of preparation:

Wash, halve the potato and boil in water till cooked and soft.
Peel the boiled potato and crumble it.

Remove the crusts of the bread and tear the bread.
Soak the bread in little water for few minutes to soften it up.
Squeeze the water out of the bread.

In a mixing bowl, mix together squeezed bread, yogurt, besan, crumbled potato, onion, green chiles, cumin seeds and salt.
Adjust seasonings if necessary and take a big spoonful of above mixture and form into soft ball and press the ball between palms to form a disk.
Repeat the same with remaining bread potato vada mixture.

Heat oil in a deep fying pan on medium low heat.
Carefully drop the prepared bread potato vada into hot oil.
Repeat the same until surface of the oil is filled up.
Fry the bread potato vada on both sides till golden brown in color.

Once fried, remove the bread potato vada onto absorbent paper.
Repeat the same with any remaining bread potato vada mixture.
Serve bread potato vada immediately as a tea time snack with ketchup.
Notes: Make sure to adjust the temperature where necessary to fry the bread potato vada evenly.

Suggestions: If the bread potato vada is soft inside, put them back into hot oil and deep fried again till crisp outside and cooked inside. If its hard, make sure the mixture is not too tight, adjust with yogurt.
Variations: You can also add coriander leaves or mint leaves to the bread potato vada mixture before deep frying.

Kidney Beans Tomato Rice

Ingredients:

Kidney Beans 3/4 Cup

Basmati Rice 2 Cups
Onion 1 Large
Tomatoes 4
Green Chiles 3 – 4
Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tsp
Salt to Taste
Cilantro few Leaves
Black Cloves 5
Star Anise 1/2
Green Cardamom 2
Bay Leaf 2
Oil 2 Tbsps
Strain the pressure cooked kidney beans and keep aside.
If using canned kidney beans, wash them under water, strain and keep aside.
Remove stems, wash and slice the green chiles.
Wash and roughly chop the tomatoes. Using a blender, grind the chopped tomatoes into puree adding enough water. (total of 4 Cups puree)
When cloves are plump, add sliced onion and green chiles.
Fry till onion turns translucent, add ginger garlic paste.
Fry briefly, stir in kidney beans, tomato puree, red chili powder and salt.
Then stir in soaked rice along with water and cook covered till rice absorbs all the water and is completely cooked (around half hour).
Fluff the kidney beans tomato rice and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Garnish with cilantro and serve kidney beans tomato rice with any raita of your choice.
Notes: Make sure kidney beans are cooked properly before adding to the rice.
Variations: Add a big pinch of garam masala at the very end to make it more flavorful.

Talimpu:

Cinnamon 4 inch Long Stick

Method of preparation:

If using raw kidney beans, soak the kidney beans in water for few hours and pressure cook in 2 cups of salted water for 3-4 whistles.

Peel and slice the onion.

Wash and soak the basmati rice in a cup of water for around half hour.

Heat oil in a rice cooker, add all talimpu ingredients in order.

Suggestions: Add a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes are little sour.