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Just like every year, our summer veggie patch is on full bloom this year too. When there are so much home grown veggies, its very hard to choose the veggies for your cooking, when you don't want anything go waste! We are making a good use of home grown veggies in our daily cooking, sharing some with friends and also, preserving some in the freezer for the winter months. 

A few of our white radish plants grew up taller, they didn't produce any bulbs, but we could see big bunches of radish beans on the plant. Then, I got to know from one of my friends that, radish beans are good for cooking curries and stir fries. I tried my hands on making 2 - 3 varieties of stir fry (Palya), and here is the one which was liked by all..

• Preparation time: 25 - 30 minutes
• Difficulty level: Medium
• Serves - 5

Ingredients:

• Radish / Muli beans - about 3 cups
• Salt - to taste
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Amchur powder - 3/4 tsp

 - For Seasoning: cooking oil - 3 tbsp, Urid dal - 1 tsp, Mustard seeds - 1 tsp, Turmeric - a pinch 

 - For the Masala Powder: 

• Cooking oil - 2 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
• Clove - 1
• Dry red chillies - 3
• Chana dal (split chana) - 3 tbsp
• Urid dal - 1 tsp
• Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Hing / asafoetida - a pinch
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp 
• Dry grated coconut / Shredded coconut - 3 to 4 tbsp

Recipe Instructions:

• Wash the beans in water, take off the stem and the pointy ends of the beans. Chop them roughly or just break each of them into 2 - 3 pieces using your hand. I had around 2 cups of chopped beans after cleaning and taking off the stem and pointy ends.
• Next step is to prepare the Masala powder; Heat 2 tsp of oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add cinnamon piece, red chilli pieces and split chana dal, toast them for 1 - 2 minutes. Then add urid dal, methi seeds and clove. Stir it for half a minute and add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and a pinch of hing. Toast them all till the mustard seeds start crackling. Finally add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder and turn off the flame. 

• Transfer the toasted spices into the mixie jar after they cool down a bit. Run the mixie a few times on whip / pulse mode to make a course powder. Let it be like semolina, not too course. Add the shredded coconut at the end and pulse it for a few more seconds to make everything evenly course. 
• Heat 3 tbsp of oil in the sam heavy bottom pan for the seasoning. Add urid dal, mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start crackling, add a pinch of turmeric powder and chopped radish beans. Give it a good mix and sauté the mixture for 2 minutes. Then, close the lid and allow it to cook on medium flame. 
• When the mixture is half - way cooked, add salt to taste, 1 tsp sugar and 3/4 tsp of amchur powder. Combine it well, and close the lid to cook further. Keep mixing it every few minutes. No need to add any extra water, as the water content in the beans would be sufficient to cook them. 
• It would take around 12 - 15 minutes to cook the beans mixture. Once its cooked well, add the prepared masala powder and combine everything well Cook it for 2 - 3 minutes more and turn off the flame.
• Serve this tasty Palya along with rice or chapathi!

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Balekai or plantain is one of our family favourite vegetables. We get raw banana or plantains once in a while in the Indian grocery stores here. We love different dishes made using plantains in our native style. 

I had brought raw bananas after a long time during my recent grocery shopping. My daughter requested to prepare Banana chips since its her all time favourite. Hence, I had to make some Banana / Plantain Chips for her. One dish we never want to miss is Plantain Palya / Poriyal / Fry / Thoran. 

Here is the recipe of Havyaka Style Balekayi / Plantain Palya for you all!

Preparation time: 20 -25 minutes
Difficulty level: Medium
Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients:

• Medium sized plantains - 3
• Grated coconut - 3 tbsp (fresh / frozen or desiccated coconut)    
• Green chilli - 1 (according to taste)
• Salt - to taste
• Sugar - big pinch
• Lime squeeze - 2 tbsp or to taste
• Curry leaves - 1 string
• Dry red chilli - 1 inch piece
• Urid dal - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp
• Hing / Asafoetida - generous pinch
• Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
• Cooking oil - 2 1/2 tbsp (use Coconut oil for authentic Havyaka taste)
• Water - 4 to 5 cups (to cook the bananas)

Recipe Instructions:

• Heat 4 - 5 cups of water in a pan. Add 2 - 3 drops of oil to avoid stickiness. Once the water is hot enough, add the whole plantains and cook for 8 - 10 minutes or till they are nearly cooked, but still firm. Once cooked, their skin will turn darker brown and plantains will be a bit soft than before. 
• Take out the cooked plantains and allow them to cool. 
• Peel the skin and grate the plantains using a grater. 
• Take the grated plantains in a mixing bowl. Add grated coconut, salt, sugar and lime juice for taste. 
• Heat 2 1/2 tbsp oil in a heavy bottom pan for seasoning. Once the oil is hot, add red chilli, urid dal, mustard seeds and hing. When mustard seeds start spluttering, add turmeric powder, slit green chillies and curry leaves. Sauté it for half a minute.
• Add grated plantain to the seasoning and mix it well. Close the lid half way and cook it for 5 more minutes. 
• Serve it as a side dish with Rice, Sambar and Curd.

Tips:

• While cooking, if the plantains became softer than required, wash them in cold water immediately. This will avoid them from becoming smoother again.
• Lime squeeze can be replaced with Aamchur powder / Hulipudi.

ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ 

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As a South Indian family, we love rice for our daily lunch. Hubby loves Roti / Chapathi and hence, I prepare Roti / Chapathi for our dinner. To ease the the cooking time, I plan to make any one side dish or sambar or dal to be suitable for both rice and roti! This reduces my time in the kitchen a bit.

Here is one such Palya / curry which goes well with rice, roti / chapathi, dosa and poori. Do try this healthy and delicious Cabbage - Sprouted Green Gram Palya / Thoran / Masala Dry Curry and let me hear your feedback :)

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Difficulty level: Medium

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

• Finely shredded cabbage - 3 cups
• Sprouted green gram / mung bean - 1/2 cup (can use more also)
• Salt - to taste
• Amchur powder / hulipudi - 3/4 tsp
• Sugar - 1/3 tsp
• Pav Bhaji Masala powder - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp (adjust according to spiciness)

 - For Seasoning:

• Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Dry red chilli - 1 inch piece
• Urid dal - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
• Green chilli - 1 slit
• Curry leaves - 5 to 6

Recipe Instructions:

• Keep all the ingredients ready.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan for seasoning. Add red chilli piece, urid dal and mustard seeds. Toast it till mustard seeds start crackling.
• Add turmeric powder, slit green chilli and curry leaves. 
• Sauté it once and add shredded cabbage and sprouted green gram.
• Mix everything well, close the lid and cook it on low to medium flame. 
• Keep mixing it every now and then to avoid burning. If the mixture looks too dry, a few tablespoons of water can be added. I have not added and water here. 
• When the mixture is nearly cooked, add salt, sugar, amchur powder, pav bhaji masala powder and red chilli powder. Mix it well and cook covered till done. 
• Serve this delicious Palya along with rice, chapathi, dosa or poori.

Tips:

• You can skip using green chillies by adding little more chilli powder.
• Adding sugar is purely optional.  
• Pav bhaji masala powder can be replaced with sambar powder or any other masala powder.

ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ

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This year, we had planted some snow pea plants in our little backyard. Snow peas are easy to grow, they won't need much care and the yield is also pretty quick. Now, the winter has started and still we are getting enough crop to serve our little family. As they have a sweet taste, my kids love to pick the snow peas fresh from the garden and eat them as it is.  

Here is the recipe of a side dish which my family loves to eat often. I use potato, snow peas, capsicum and green peas for this Subzi. But it should be ok if you skip capsicum and / or green peas.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Difficulty level: Medium

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Potatoes (big) - 2 
• Snow peas - 8 to 10
• Capsicum chopped - 3/4 cup
• Green peas - 3/4 cup (I have used frozen peas)
• Kasuri methi - 1 tbsp
• Cumin coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Pepper powder - 1 tsp or for taste

 - For seasoning:

• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Fenugreek / Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp

Method:

• Wash all the vegetables thoroughly in clean water.
• Chop the snow peas and capsicum into medium size pieces.
• Peel and chop the potatoes into small pieces lengthwise.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add the fenugreek seeds and toast till aromatic.
• Add the potato pieces, mix well and close the lid for cooking.
• Keep mixing it frequently to avoid potatoes sticking to the bottom.
• When the potatoes are half-cooked, add chopped snow peas, capsicum, green peas and kasuri methi. Close the lid and continue cooking. Keep mixing them regularly.
• When potato pieces are almost cooked, add salt, pepper powder, cumin - coriander powder and cook for 3 - 4 minutes or till done.
• Serve this delicious side dish along with rice, chapathi or pooris.

ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ.  

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Eggplant is one of those vegetables which is available throughout the year. Although its not so good in nutritional values, it adds more taste to various dishes and curries. There are different varieties of brinjal available in the market. Varieties of curries and other dishes can be prepared depending on each variety of eggplant. For instance, I prepare Baingan Barta (Badanekayi Hindi / Gojju) when we get the bigger eggplants.

My sister is a huge fan of Badanekayi Hindi / Baingan Barta. If there is Baingan Barta for lunch / dinner, her dinner / lunch will start with this curry and also ends with this curry! As she likes Badanekayi Hindi, she may have tasted it 'n' times. Today, I am sharing with you all the recipe of Baingan Barta which I learnt from my sister.

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Difficulty level: Medium

Servings: 3

Ingredients:

• Eggplant / Brinjal (medium sized) - 1
• Salt - to taste
• Aamchur powder - 1 tsp or to taste
• Sugar / jaggery - generous pinch
• Onion (small) - 1
• Grated coconut (optional) - 2 to 3 tbsp

 - For seasoning:

• Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Dry red chilli - 1
• Urid dal - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida / hing - generous pinch
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - a small pinch
• Green chilli - 1
• Curry leaves - 5 to 6 leaves

Method:

• Cook the brinjal on direct flame on low heat. This process takes around 15 minutes.
• Once the fire roasted brinjal is cool enough to handle, take off the dark, outer skin carefully. Keep a bowl of water handy and dip your hands frequently, it helps to avoid the brinjal skin mixing with its flesh.
• Mash the flesh of brinjal using a ladle using cut and mix method. 
• Heat the oil in a wok for seasoning. Add red chilli pieces, urid dal, hing and mustard seeds. 
• Once mustard seeds start crackling, add a pinch of turmeric powder followed by green chilli pieces and curry leaves. 
• Turn off the flame after a minute of cooking. Add this seasoning to mashed brinjal. 
• Crush the red chillies and green chillies to enhance the taste. 
• Add salt, amchur powder and a pinch of sugar / jaggery for taste. 
• Just before serving, chop the onion finely and add it to the brinjal mixture. 
• Some people add fresh grated coconut for this curry. I personally like it without coconut. 

Tips:

• If you have prepared this Gojju for more than one time serving, keep the excess part aside and add chopped onion only to that portion which is ready to serve.

ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ 

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As everyone is restricted from going outside due to COVID - 19, its a bit hard to manage the kids at home all day. And, more household work like cooking, cleaning vessels, cleaning and the like. I am trying to involve kids in doing the household chores a bit. Here is a recipe which can be done involving the kids. Potato Podi or shallow fried potato slices are always on demand in our home. 

Preparation time: 20 -25 minutes

Difficulty level: Medium

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Potato (big ones) - 2
• Sooji rava (Course Semolina) - 3 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp or to taste
• Oil - for cooking

Method:

• Peel off the skin of potatoes and cut them into thin slices.
• Mix together sooji rava, salt and red chilli powder in a small bowl. 
• Coat the potato slices with the rava mixture by dipping them in the mixture.
• Cook them on the hot tawa by drizzling a few drops of oil. Flip them a few times to ensure even cooking.

How to cook in the oven:

• Pre-heat the oven to 175C.
• Line the baking tray with baking sheet and arrange the semolina coated potato slices side by side. 
• Drizzle 4 - 5 drops of oil on each potato slice.
• Cook them in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes or till done. 
• Take out the tray after 5 minutes and serve the hot Potato Podi as snacks or as a side dish with lunch or dinner.

ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ 

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