Vada Pav

Horchata de Arroz

In Latin American parties, you can see big canisters of Horchata or rice milk to help quench your thirst.  This vegan drink was introduced to the Latinos by the Spanish . It is very easy to prepare and tastes delicious. There are some Horchatas where you add nuts like almonds.
This recipe is a simple horchata.

Ingredients :

Rice - 1 cup
Water - 4 cups  (can also be replaced with 2 cups water and 2 cups milk)
Sugar - 5 tbsp
Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence - 1/2  tsp

• Soak rice overnight.
• Strain the water and grind the rice with two cups of water
• Filter the rice water using cheesecloth several times till no grits are found in the rice milk.
• Mix in the remaining water, sugar and cinnamon powder and vanilla essence
• Store in refrigerator and serve chilled.

Enjoy!!!

Gujarathi Dhokla

Potato Rolls

Its been more than three months since I visited this space.  Umpteen doctor visits neuro, ENT, general and dentists only to find out that I was using wrong power glasses which caused vertigo, dizziness and fatigue. A small issue blown out of proportion.  Finally changed my glasses and feel better now. Also I am on a serious diet to lose weight and updating the blog means cooking calorie laden food and getting trapped into serious diet accidents.

Had a long four day weekend, was going mad at home.  I really miss my school kids and can't wait to see them tomorrow.

This potato ball recipe I learnt from a dear friend Meenu Nair who is a Punjabi. She always cooks a storm for her dinner parties and her magical hands always turn out amazing goodies.

I suck big time at starters. I can plan an elaborate main course and desserts, but never plan ahead for starters. All I can make is some mean looking bajjis and pakodas especially when I have to host a big crowd and get way too stressed to plan the meal and lose out on starters.

Thanks Meenu for this amazing recipe again.

Ingredients :

Potatoes - boiled and mashed - 5 nos.
Bread Crumbs - 1 cup
Amchur powder - 1 tsp
Salt -  1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Cilantro leaves - chopped fine - 1 tsp
Oil to fry

Method

• Mix the mashed potatoes and the other ingredients well.
• Make small balls out of them 
• Fry to golden brown in hot oil

Serve with green chutney.

Enjoy!!!

Vegetable Kurma

Ingredients:

3cups - chopped vegetables (potato, carrot, beans, peas, cauliflower etc)
Tomatoes - 3 nos
Salt to taste
Coconut grated - 2 tbsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Cashews and Almonds - 2 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Dhaniya Powder - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp


Method

• Boil the vegetables in just enough water and cook till done.
• Puree the tomatoes with almonds and cashew and fennel seeds
• In a pan heat up a little oil and saute the tomato paste till oil separates
• Add turmeric,Grind coconut smooth and add it to the tomato gravy
• Add garam masala, dhaniya powder and chilli powder and salt to taste
• Add the boiled vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander and mint leaves
• Serve with Hot Puris.

Enjoy!!!!

Sambar

I am going to complete 15 years of matrimony this July. That's been a long journey. What's the connection between that and Sambar? You will know how.

Today I made Sambar and vegetable curry for lunch. Suddenly while preparing this dish which I can make even in my dreams, I remembered a cookery show where the Chef was trumpeting proudly about how many times he had made a particular dish and how much of an expert he is at that.

Though modesty would prevent me from calling myself an expert at anything at all, I was intrigued by that chef's comment.
I stepped into the kitchen only after my wedding. And we make Sambar at our house thrice a week on an average.

If I take that calculation into account I have made Sambar more than 2000 times. That's a big number.

So if anyone wants to learn Sambar, don't think twice to learn from me :-)

Measurements are hard to give, I have tried my best because I always eyeball the quantities for the dishes that I prepare. Tuvar dal does not exist in Guatemala. We are still waiting for an Indian to open up a store here. I stock up on tuvar dal during the yearly India trip or we buy it from the USA.
Guatemalan Indians must be the only group of people who go to the US to buy Indian groceries. A visit to the US or India or sometimes even Panama, our bags are sure to be filled up with Indian groceries.

Still it isn't easy as you think. I realized how precious every grain of 'dal' could be only after coming here. There is a lot of hassle sourcing the Tuvar dal. We end up getting caught in customs at Guatemala. The customs guy argues with you that it is a 'seed' and it cannot be allowed in Guatemala. For me anxiety works as always. I show up an anxious face, beg and argue with him, tell him that it is my 'baby's food', tell him that it is the only source of protein since I am a vegetarian. After a lot of talking he lets me away with my precious 'dal'. The airport is so small, now the guy knows me so well, smiles and not a question is asked these days.  Many of my friends  especially the men have had issues sourcing the dal into Guate and to their plight many kgs of dal are chucked into the bin without any pity. Poor men, must learn to show up anxiety.

But for the amount of Sambar we make, the stock does not last long and I end up making Sambar with 'Moong dal' which I get from the Chinese store here or worst case use the Guatemalan 'Lentejas'.



Ingredients:

• Tuvar Dal - 2 cups
• Water - 4 cups
• Tamarind - lemon sized
• Mustard - 1 tsp
• Red chilli - 2 nos.
• Salt to taste
• Sambar Powder - 1.5 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup ( I have used carrots, beans and Zucchini)
• Curry leaves and Cilantro to garnish

Method:

• Pressure cook the dal in 2 cups of water till soft.
• Boil the vegetables in a cup of water.
• Soak the tamarind in a cup of warm water and squeeze out the juice. Throw away the pulp.
• When the vegetables are cooked 3/4th add in the tamarind water.
• When it comes to a boil, add the dal, salt and the sambar powder
• If you think that the Sambar is too thick, you may add in a little more water.
• Stir, bring to a boil and switch off.
• In a pan heat the oil and throw in the mustard seeds and the red chillies.
• When it splutters, season the sambar with this mixture.
• Garnish with cilantro and curry leaves.

Serve Sambar with hot rice, vegetable curry and papad.

Picture Illustrations