Khara Kadabu - Steamed Lentil Dumplings

A traditional dish never goes out of fashion! This definitely applies to age old recipes that are not only delicious but make you nostalgic with memories of enjoying them. 

Khara Kadabu is one of those dishes, traditionally made during festive occasions in North Karnataka, it's nutritious and protein packed.

Here it is, my verison of KHARA KADABU/STEAMED LENTIL DUMPLINGS:

Ingredients: For the filling, 1 cup Channa Daal (split chickpea lentil) soaked for atleast a few hours, 1/4 cup shredded coconut, 1 tbsp crushed ginger, few chillies, handful coriander leaves, 1 tspn tumeric powder, salt to taste.

For covering, 1 cup fine rice flour, 1 tbspn butter/ghee, 1.5 cups water.

Make: First make the covering. In a pan, bring water to boil, add in ghee and just a spoon of the rice flour. Gradually add in all of the rice flour continuously stirring to avoid lumps. Turn off heat and mix it al well, cover and let it rest. 

Next make the filling. In a mixer, put in the soaked lentils and all of the other ingredients as above. Grind it just a little, based on how coarse you like it. We like it smoother, so grind it a little more. 

To make the dumplings, take a golf sized ball of the rice flour dough with lightly greased hands and roll flat using baking paper (as it will stick to rolling pin if rolled directly). Put in 1 spoon of filling and close by pressing gently. Steam all of them in a steamer for about 20 minutes. The dumplings should be soft and bouncy so easy to remove from the steaming plates.

Serve hot with your favourite chutney!

Baingan Bharta - Smoky Eggplant Curry

Eggplant lovers will definitely love smoky flavoured versions of this delicious vegetable and what better way to enjoy it than a smoky Eggplant curry!

There are so many versions of this dish, but the authentic way is to roast the Eggplant on open fire which creates the amazing smokey flavour. Roasting on a gas flame will also give the same result without the smokey flavour. 

Here it is, my version of Baigan Bharta:

Ingredients: a few Eggplants, 1 tomato chopped, 1 onion chopped, 2 tbsps garlic paste, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp chilli flakes/dry chilli, 1 tsp garam masala, salt to taste.

Make: Roast Eggplants on an open fire like an outdoor fire pit until they are soft and wrinkled.

Let it cool completely before peeling off the skin and mashing the flesh. You will already smell the beautiful smokey flavour. In a pan, saute in a little oil, chilli, garlic, cumin seeds and onion. Add in the tomato, garam masala then the mashed Eggplant flesh. Add salt and mix well together. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes. 

Serve hot with rotis and rice, also goes great with a simple Daal Tadka :) 

Sweet Potato Fritters (Tikki)

Fritters or Tikki are a great way to enjoy varieties of vegetables and especially great for kids veggies intake. I often find hiding the less popular veggies like Spinach and Broccoli easy when it's part of a yummy Fritter.

Sweet Potato though is loved in our house so adding anything else with it goes unnoticed! While there are different combinations, these are made with Sweet Potato, Carrot and Potato.

Here it is, Sweet Potato Fritters/Tikki

Ingredients: 1 medium size Sweet Potato, 1 small carrot, 1 small potato, 1/4 cup corn flour, 1 tspn chilli powder, 1 tspn turmeric powder, 1 tsp garam masala, salt to taste, bit oil for pan frying, bread crumbs if needed.

Make: Grate Sweet Potato, carrot and potato and mix all together. Add corn flour, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and combine well with hands. Corn flour will help bind it together and soak the water released.

You can add a little bread crumbs at this stage. 

Shape into patties and pan fry well on each side until golden brown.

Serve hot as a side dish or snack!

Jolad Rotti - Jowar/Sorghum Flour Roti

Tastes from your childhood often hold fond memories associated with them. One of mine is Jolad Rotti or Jowar Roti which my Mother would make for us. The memories of making the flour and rotis themselves with her, make them taste even better when I enjoy them now!

Every visit to Bengaluru is incomplete for us without indulging in a Jolad Rotti meal at one of the famed restaurants there, so you can imagine how thrilled we are to enjoy the same goodness at home sweet home.

Here is my version of the good old traditional Jolad Rotti, along with sides that are traditionally served along with these :)

Ingredients: 1 cup jowar flour (available in most Indian grocery shops), 2 tbsps wheat flour, 1 cup water, salt to taste, half spoon oil.

Make: In a pan, bring to boil, the water with salt and oil. When boiling, add the wheat flour mix in without lumps, then add jowar flour mixing continuously. Turn off flame and mix to ensure a smooth dough texture. Cover it for 5 to 10 minutes to let cool to a warm temperature.

After this time, grease your hands with oil make small balls of dough. Use dry wheat flour as dusting to help roll out into rotis and cook like normal chapathi or roti.

Enjoy warm with your favourite side dishes Badnekayi Ennegayi, Kaalu Palya, Menthe Soppu Palya and Buttermilk! 
(links to recipes above)

Absolutely soul satisfying meal :)

Aloo Gobi - Potato Cauliflower Curry

Simple, good old recipes are often best left exactly as they are. This popular and delicious dish is one of those. Easy to make, loved by everyone, it's a great choice with Rotis or Rice alike.

Here it is, my version of ALOO GOBI:

Ingredients: 2 potatoes cut into large cubes, florets of 1/2 a Cauliflower, 1 onion, 1 tomato chopped, tbsp garlic ginger paste, 1 tspn garam masala, 1 tspn turmeric powder, 1 tspn cumin seeds, chillies and salt to taste, handful of chopped corainder.

Make: In a thick bottom pan, saute in a little oil, cumin seeds, chillies, garlic ginger paste and onion. As the aromas release, add in tomato and garam masala. Mix then add potatoes and Cauliflower florets. Add salt to taste and mix well. Cover and cook until vegetables are cooked. Sprinkle coriander and serve hot with Roti or Rice.

Enjoy!

No Bake Chocolate Slices

What do you do when there are plain boring biscuits in the cupboard that no one wants to eat? Give them a new look as a delicious sweet treat! 

Chocolate Slices are always welcome, whether it's for a party, picnic or just to munch on at home. 

So here it is, my version of 

NO BAKE CHOCOLATE SLICES:

Ingredients: 1 packet plain biscuits (like Marie) approx 250grms, 1 can condensed milk (approx 390grms), 1/2 cup dry/descicated coconut, 1 block milk chocolate approx 150grms, 100 grms butter at room temperature.

Make: Break biscuits into pieces and grind into smooth powder in a mixer. In a non stick pan put in the condensed milk, butter and 3/4 of the milk chocolate (keep the other 1/4 for topping). Mix with low flame until well melted and combined. Let it cool to room temperature.

While it is cooling, prepare a dish to set the slices in by greasing with butter and lining with bake paper. 

Add in the powdered buscuit and coconut into the warm mixture and mix well to ensure no lumps. Put into the greased dish and pat down flat using the back of a spoon. Chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes, in which time you can prepare the choc topping. Simply melt the remaining 1/4 of the milk chocolate in a bowl with a spoon of olive oil, using a microwave or on stove top. Stir continuously to avoid lumps. 

Pour this over the chilled base and immediately put back in the fridge to set for atleast 5 hours. Bring back to room temperature before cutting into slices. Enjoy!!