Patra-Aluvadi

 Patra is made out of Colcocasia Leaves which are very nutritious as well as tasty

The best way to have patras is deep fried but you can also shallow fry it and enjoy with tea and chutney

Ingredients

12 medium size colocasia leaves

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp sesame seeds

pinch of hing

For Besan mixture:

2.5 cups besan

1/2 cup rice flour

1/4 cup wheat flour

1 tsp ginger green chilly paste

1/2 tsp tumeric 

1 tsp chilly powder

3/4 cup jaggery/sugar free 

1 tbsp dhana jeera powder

4 tbsp Tamarind pulp

1 tbsp garam masala

oil for kneading the besan mixture

Salt to taste

Garnish:Coriander leaves and grated coconut( optional)

Method:

Combine all the ingredients of besan mixture together in a bowl and add approx 1-1.25 cup of water and mix it very well in a manner the paste is very smooth to apply

Clean the patra leaves by cutting the stems and removing the veins from behind.This is important else it will give a scratchy feeling while eating

Place the colocassia leaf with the vein side facing upwards on a clean surface and apply the besan mixture

Place another leaf over it facing upwards opposite direction and apply besan.In this way spread evenly on all leaves in batches of 4-5 leaves each with a combination of small and large leaves

Roll them tightly and keep them for steaming

Cook in steamer for 20-25 minutes without the whistle and then let it cool down completely

When cool cut them and take a deep pan either deep fry or shallow fry

For shallow fry option add mustard seeds ,sessame seeds and hing in oil and then add the patra and let it cook for 5 minutes

switch off gas and garnish with coriander and grated coconut

Guvar batata shaak-cluster beans potato sabji

 

Ingredients

200 gms guvar

1 medium size potato

5-6 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp ajwain(carom seeds)

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp red chilly powder

4-5 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

1/8 tsp sugar

Coriander for garnish

Method

Clean and cut guvar into 3-4 pieces

Peel potato and cut into slices

Take a pressure cooker put oil in it and let it heat

Once its hot add mustard seeds and let it splutter.Add ajwain and grated garlic to it and give it a quick stir and add sugar to it.

Add guvar potato turmeric red chilly powder salt and a 2 tsp water to it and give it a nice mix.

Cover the pressure cooker and let it cook for 3 -4 whistles or for 10 minutes.

Once done let it cool down and then open the Lid to check if properly cooked.

Garnish with coriander before serving.

IDLI- Rice and lentil soft steamed pancakes

 Ingredients

3 cup Rice rava

1 cup white sabut urad

1 tbsp methi /fenugreek seeds

3-4 tbsp leftover rice /poha

Salt to taste

Water for grinding

Oil for greasing the idli stand

Method:

Soak the rice rava and urad separately for 5-6 hours

Mix it to a smooth paste in the blender

Add the leftover rice along with the mixed paste and grind it with water

Add salt to taste and mix it with hand for 5 minutes in one direction .

Keep the mixer for fermenting overnight or for atleast 7-8 hours

Before cooking add 2 tbsp of oil in it and grease the idli stand and pour the batter in it 

Keep the idli stand in a cooker and let it steam without whistle for 10 minutes

Once done remove from cooker and remove the idli stand and let it cool 

Remove the idlis and keep in a vessel and serve hot with sambar and chutney

Tindora Nu Shaak

 

Ingredients:

250 gms Tindora

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Hing

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/4 tsp Red chilly powder

3 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

handful of coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

Cut the Tindora in long slits approx 6 slices of one tindora

Take pressure pan and put oil for heating

Once heated add the mustard seeds and let it splutter

Add Hing and give it a quick stir

Add the tindora in pan and add turmeric red chilly powder and salt and mix it.

Sprinkle 2 tsp of water on it and close the lid

Cook for 7-8 minutes on high flame or for 3-4 whistles and close the gas

Let it cool down and check whether the vegetable is ready

Add coriander before serving

Wheat flour spicy shakkarpara

Ingredients

1cup wheat flour

1/2 tsp sea same seeds

1/4 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

1/4 tsp red chilly powder

1/4 tsp turmeric 

3 tsp oil

Salt to taste

Water for kneading

Oil for frying --100 ml

Method

Take a big plate and knead the wheat flour to a smooth dough .The dough should not be sticky or hard as it will break and also.absorb more oil

Add sesame seeds carom seeds chilly powder tumeric salt and oil to the flour and knead it with little water at a time.

Once done let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes and then knead again and make 4 medium.size balls from the kneaded dough.

Roll it into a circle of little thickness and then cut it into either square shape or diamond shape

Put oil for heating in a pan.Fry the shakkarpara on medium.flame and keep on moving it up and down so that they dont become too brown.

Remove and let it cool and then store it in an.airtight container.
 

Punjabi chole

 Ingredients

1cup soaked chickpeas

1 medium onion

1 medium tomato

5-6 garlic flakes

2-3 green chillies

1 inch ginger

1/4 tsp cummin seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

2 bay leaf

3 tsp oil

Salt to taste

Coriander for garnish

Method

Boil the chick peas in pressure cooker and allow it to cool

For boiling chickpeas add salt and bay leaf to it while boiling

Take a wok and pour oil in it

Add cummin seeds and let it splutter

Add chopped onion tomato ginger garlic and chillies to it and stir it till the raw smell goes and the oil starts separating

Now add boiled chickpeas and give it a stir

Add turmeric chilly powder coriander powder to It and adjust salt if needed .Add water to it and let it cook with covered lid for 10 minutes on a medium flame

Once done switch off gas and add coriander on it to garnish

Batata Poha

 Poha is a very common snack item and one of the most easily made with less oil .

Ingredients

500 Grams Poha ( Flattened Rice )Thick

3-4 green chillies

1 inch ginger

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp hing

3 medium size onion

2 medium size potato

Salt to taste approx 1 tbsp

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

Sugar 1/2 tsp

4-5 drops of lemon

1 tbsp milk

3-4 tbsp oil

Handful of coriander for garnish

2 chillies chopped for garnish

Method:

Wash the poha in a strainer under running water and keep it aside for 30 minutes

Chop the onion potato and chillies and keep it aside

Take a wide deep pan and pour oil in it and once its heated add the mustard seeds and let it sputter

Once done add Hing and stir it for a minute

Add onion potato chillies to it and covet with a lid and let it cook till tender.

Once cooked add salt turmeric and chilly powder to it and give it a quick stir

Add the soaked poha and mix it.Sprinkilr little water on it and add the sugar and milk at this stage and let it cook for 5-7 minutes on medium flame

Check it will.be done . 

Add the lime juice and garnish with coriander and serve hot with chopped chillies.