Some like it Hot..!

I don't have a sweet tooth at all..so when everybody around me is trying hard to keep away from all the cookies and candies and cakes this holiday season, It's no problem for me..:) - that means no post Christmas diets and workouts..;P

I am the other extreme - the fiery-spicy food lover. "teekha khana teekhi ladkiyo ke liye"(Hot food is for hot girls ;P) a dialogue from the Bollywood Hit- Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam very rightfully applies to me..giggles..:) There is no dearth of spicy food in India, specially the quick- light on the pockets spicy street food. From the pani puri water, the wada pav with the red hot chutney to mirchi bhajia, I have had my fair share of all :).  And one of my all time favourite snack is misal pav- the healthy goodness of sprouts in a spicy hot curry. The spicier the Misal the better..:) - it is no fun to eat misal without the red runny nose and watery eyes...:)

I had my first taste of  misal pav in Nashik, during my days in architecture school. And after that first time I couldn't get enough :). There was this place we used to frequent a lot in Satpur industrial area- "shyam Sunder" which has the best Misal Pav in town. The authentic misal pav is an elaborate affair- misal(cooked sprouts) is served with separate cutta(the spicy curry), boiled potatoes, yogurt, onions and slices of pav/bread. Shyam Sunder is an "eat as much as u can" joint, as most misal places are. That means you keep getting several rounds of the misal drowned in the spicy "cutta". I remember not leaving that place once, till our faces were all red..:)

My version of Misal is very quick and easy - by no way authentic but after several experiments, I have  managed to get the end product pretty close to the original. Here it goes:

Misal- Pav Ingredients:

3/4th cup moth

1/4th cup- kala chana and whole moong

1 onion finely chopped

1 small tomato cubed

1 potato diced in small cubes

1-2 hot peppers

2-3 garlic pods crushed

cumin seeds

mustard seeds

salt to taste

chilli powder

turmeric powder

garam masala

goda masala

vada pav masala

The beans- to be sprouted

1.) Soak the moth, moong and kala chana overnight and then wrap it in wet cloth for a day or two till the beans are sprout well.

2.) Pressure cook the sprouts with potatoes and tomatoes.

3.) In a pan heat some oil, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds, once the seeds start spluttering add the chopped onions and garlic. Once the onions are cooked and translucent, add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, goda masala and roast for a few minutes.

4.) Add the cooked sprouts to the masala mixture with enough water. Let it come to a boil and then add salt and a pinch of the dry garlic chutney. Add some lemon juice and mix well.

The Fiery Hot Cauldron

The fixings

In a separate bowl mix curds into a smooth paste.

Keep Chopped red onions, lemon wedges and farsaan (hot mix) ready  for garnishing

To serve

In a deep bowl pour the hot misal and garnish with curds, onions and hot mix. Serve with pav or dinner rolls.

The Bowl that doesn't last more than a few minutes..

I am sending this as my entry to My Legume Love affair- Hot and Spicy event on Suganya's blog- Tasty Palettes. 

My Legume Love affair is a fantastic monthly blog event started by Susan- The Well Seasoned Cook.  Do visit the past entries for tons of wonderful recipes with lentils and legumes.

Thanks Suganya for hosting the Sixth Helping!

And on en ending note -Wishing you all a Sweet and Spicy New Year! :)

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Rajashtan on a platter

"kesariya balam, aao ni padharo mhare des..."

My bestest friend S hails from Rajashtan :). She is a marawari jain and though her family has been residing in Mumbai for the past many years, her love for "Marwar" is more than intact. Nobody can miss the passion and excitement with which she talks about everything that is Rajasthan - colorful turbans and the kalidar ghagras in bandhani and leheriya prints, traditional silver jewellery, the havelis of jodhpur, pretty princesses and the valor of rajputana....so exotic!

I did get a taste of this exotic land and its myriad cuisine during my college study tour. Its been more than 8 years, yet it all seems so fresh in my mind. Dal Bati dinner in the middle of the desert, lunch thalis with 5-6 varieties of vegetables, moong wadas and delicious thick rabdis for breakfast ...mmmmm I loved it all. And the two things which always made Rajasthani food experience extra special : Lots of Ghee and manuhar or manvar. :)

So here I present my entry fro RCI Rajasthan- A simple platter consisting of two Rajasthani Jain favorites - Panchmela Dal and Sev Tamatar ki Tari.

Panchmela Dal, Basmati Rice,Sev Tamatar ki Tari, Mirchi Pickle and Papad

Panchmela Dal

1/3 cup Toovar dal
1/3 cup Chana dal
1/3 cup Split Moong dal (green)
1/3 cup Split Urad dal with chilka
1/3 cup Whole Moong dal
Chilly powder
Turmeric powder (haldi)
Dhania jeera powder
Garam masala
3 cloves
2 bay leaves
Cumin seeds
Amchur powder
Tamarind pulp
A pinch of asafetida (hing)
Salt
2 green chilies slit
Ghee

1.) Wash the dals and pressure cook them in 4 cups of water till completely cooked

2.) In a bowl combine the chilly powder, haldi, dhania jeera and garam masala and some water to make a paste

3.) Heat ghee in a kadhai and add jeera seeds, bay leaves, cloves. When the jeera starts to splutter add hing and cur green chilies. Now add the masala paste and fry for 1-2 minutes

4.) Add the cooked dals, amchur powder, tamarind pulp and salt and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add water as needed.

4.)Garnish with cilantro and dry red chilies. Add a drizzle of ghee before serving..

Sev Tamatar ki Tari

2-3 Tomatoes chopped
Green chilies
Jeera (cumin seeds)
Red chilly powder
Turmeric
Dhania jeera powder
Asafetida
Sev (a thicker kind)
Ghee

1.) Heat some ghee in a pan, add jeers seeds. When the jeera starts to splutter add the hing, green chilies, turmeric and red chilly powder and chopped tomatoes

2.)Once the tomatoes are semi cooked and soft add salt and dhania jeera. Mix well and cook till the tomatoes are completely cooked.

3.)Mix the sev to the curry right before serving.

This is for S and her wonderful family - thanks for everything. Love you..:D

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Home made Hummus with warm pita bread

I used This simple recipe for Hummus from Happy Foody. Tasted yummy!

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Royal Rajma Masala

Rajma Masala (Adapted from this recipe posted by Asha on Foodieshope)

Sundays are special!

Sunday is one day of the week when I love to indulge in some elaborate cooking:). After a busy work week and a Saturday designated for Groceries-Cleaning-Laundry and all other big-small errands comes the Super-Sunday:). Waking up every Sunday to a bright clean house and a kitchen full of fresh supplies, is one of the most awaited and cherished part of my week, and hence calls for a special meal :)

The menu for this Sunday was the classic combination of Rajma - Chawal. I added a few shahi spices suggested by Asha to my usual rajma recipe, and wow! that did make our meal royal:)

The basics:

1/2 cup rajma (red kidney beans) soaked overnight and cooked in plenty of water
1/2 cup of tomato puree
1 small onion finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves minced
Grated Ginger
2 small green chillies
Fresh cilantro
Salt
Chilli powder
Turmeric

The works:










Jeera (Cumin seeds)
Meere (Black peppercorns)
Saunf (Fennel seeds)
Dalchini( Cinnamon)
Tejpatta (Mace)
Elaichi (Cardamom)
Amcoor powder( Dry mango powder)
Garam Masala
Laung (Cloves)

Heat some oil in a Kadhai. Add 1/2 tsp of Jeera , when the seeds start to splutter add the green chillies, ginger garlic and onions. Fry for a minute or two and add all the masalas. Saute' some more till the onions turn reddish brown. Now add the tomato puree and mix well. Cover the pan for some time , so that the tomato onion paste retains the aroma of all the spices. Now add salt and fry till you see some oil separate out and smell the fresh aroma. Add the cooked kidney beans to this paste along with the left over water in the cooker. Mash some beans with a wooden laddle , this makes the Gravy thick and creamy.Cover and let cook for 5-10 minutes.,add more water as needed.Slow down the flame and add 1-2 spoonsfull whole milk. Mix well. Garnish with cream and Cilantro.Serve with fresh Basmati rice. Enjoy!

Rajma Chawal with a side of Aloo matar and a glass of spiced buttermilk- Our Sunday Lunch

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