Year: 2011

Thai Sweet Sour Vegetables

Thai Sweet Sour Vegetables

At work, we have ample occasions when we go out for team lunches. It is a good opportunity to get away from work, relax and connect with colleagues. The tricky part is to come up with a place that suits everybody’s taste palettes. With people 

Tutti Frutti Cake

Tutti Frutti Cake

Tutti Frutti cake brings back many memories reminiscent of our childhood.  This cake adorned the shelves of the local Bangalore bakeries and . As kids it was a treat for us to have it and we had it on special occasions, Christmas etc.  Tutti Frutti is 

Stuffed Okra/ Bharwan Bhendi Recipe

Stuffed Okra/ Bharwan Bhendi Recipe

Be it the stuffed eggplant/brinjal (bharlele vaingan), stuffed capsicum, stuffed karela there is something interesting and special about these recipes. It gives one a feeling that lot of time and effort has been put while making the dish. 

Having grown up in a Konkani household, most of the stuffing that I know of is prepared using ground coconut masala. Traditionally stuffed Bhindi is prepared based on this curry, with a thicker version of the masala called ‘Maasaolu’. 

Anyway, few weeks ago it was close to the weekend and I had only about a handful of these vegetables waiting to be used. The quantity was not sufficient to make the regular Bhindi Fry and. Added to that I ran out of coconut and so I was forced to look for other options. Few searches later, I narrowed down to this Bharvan Bhindi recipe by Vahchef. 

I love this versatile masala, as this does not involve any roasting or grinding. The ingredients are one’s found in the pantry and so do not require the time consuming prep work. You can change the ingredients for the masala as per your taste. 

This masala can be used with other vegetables like brinjal, karela/bitter gourd or tindora.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Bharvan Bhindi

Ingredients:

  • 15-20 fresh tender bhendi/okra/lady’s finger
  • 1 cup onion (chopped thin lengthwise)
  • Chopped Coriander leaves for garnish
  • 4-5 curry leaves
  • Oil

 
Masala/ Spice powder for stuffing 

  • 4 Tbsp sambhar powder
  • 1 Tbsp dry mango / amchur powder
  • ½ tsp fennel seeds powder/saunf (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • Red chilli powder (if required)
  • 1 Tbsp Besan/gram flour
  • Juice of half lemon
  • waterMethod: 

Masala paste: In a bowl add all the dry ingredients and mix. Add the lemon juice and water little by little to make a thick paste. Keep aside.

  • Now wash the okra and pat them dry with a kitchen towel or paper.
  • Cut off the two ends and using the same knife, make a slit lengthwise on one side of the okra, without cutting through it. Do the same procedure with all of them and keep them aside.
  • Stuffing: Gently open the slit on a okra, take a spoonful of the masala paste and stuff slowly lengthwise, so that the whole opening is covered. Continue the procedure with remaining okras.
  • Take a deep pan/kadhai and heat 2 tbsp oil, and then add the stuffed okras (masala side up) to it one by one. Do not stack over each other.
  • On medium flame, cook the okra till the part below turns light brown and then flip it over until it turns brown evenly.
  • Add the slit onions, curry leaves and continue to cook for a while stirring in between.
  • Add the chopped coriander leaves and stir again.
  • Serve hot with Rotis or Daal-yogurt rice.

Simple Birthday Cake

Simple Birthday Cake

I know I have been away from this blog and it has been a while since I posted a new recipe. As usual, work, family commitments, Diwali celebrations etc kept me busy and so I was unable to post for a while. Anyway, I am 

Rava Ladoo for Diwali (Sweet Semolina Balls)

Rava Ladoo for Diwali (Sweet Semolina Balls)

Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy and safe Diwali.  Hope you are all having a wonderful time celebrating Diwali with family and friends. Deepavali/Diwali called Festival of Lights inadvertently has been one of my favorite festivals. It symbolizes the victory of righteousness along 

Spinach Pithla

Spinach Pithla

Pithla is a delicious, spiced gravy made with Besan (chickpea flour). It’s a quick and handy recipe, perfect for those times when you’re out of vegetables or need to whip up something simple yet satisfying. The iconic combination of Pithla Bhakri or Jhunka Bhakri holds a special place in North Karnataka and parts of Maharashtra. The dry version of Pithla is often called Jhunka or Zunka.

Growing up, my mom would often prepare this for breakfast, pairing it with Jowar Bhakri and a flavorful garlic (lassuni) chutney. I wasn’t a big fan of Pithla back then—especially with rice—and would come up with all sorts of creative excuses to avoid it. However, my perspective changed recently when a colleague brought it for lunch to pair with Rotis, and I instantly fell in love with the taste. I couldn’t wait to recreate it at home.

Since besan has a naturally mild flavor, I spice it up with generous amounts of garlic and green chilies. You can use red chili powder for heat if you prefer, but keep in mind it will slightly alter the dish’s color. Adding spinach is optional; you can easily substitute it with methi (fenugreek) leaves or simply enhance the flavor with extra coriander.

Pithla pairs beautifully with Bhakri, Roti, or even rice. A word of advice: this dish is best enjoyed piping hot. For the best flavor and texture, it’s recommended to consume it in one sitting, as reheating multiple times or storing it in the fridge diminishes its appeal.

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tbsp besan (gram flour)
  • 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
  • 3-4 Green chilies
  • 2-3 garlic pods (peeled)
  • 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 3 cups of packed spinach leaves (cleaned, stem removed  and chopped)
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds
  • 2 strands of coriander leaves
  • Asafetida/hing (a pinch)
  • Turmeric powder (a pinch)
  • 1 Tbsp Oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Juice of ½ lemon (optional)

Method: 

  • Take a bowl, add the besan/gram flour, turmeric and stir in water until it has buttermilk like consistency. Makes sure there are no lumps. Keep aside.
  • Crush together garlic pods and green chillies and keep aside.
  • Heat oil in pan/kadai. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida and when they splutter add the coarsely ground green chilli-garlic paste.
  • Add the chopped onions and fry until they become translucent. Add the chopped spinach, salt and mix until it is cooked.
  • Add the besan liquid to this and keep stirring continuously. After a while the water dries and the besan starts becoming thick. Check for salt and seasonings.
  • Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice.
  • Serve hot with Bahkri, Chapathis or with Rice.

Diwali Sweets and Snacks

Diwali Sweets and Snacks

Now that Diwali is just few days away, I am sure many of you are busy dishes in advance. Just like last year,I have put together recipe links to sweets and snacks recipes that I have posted earlier.  Hope you find something fun and interesting: Sweets/Mithai