Exactly ten years ago in the year 2002 I had eaten Bisi Bele Bhaath at my elder sister’s house in Hassan, Karnataka.

Well, I did eat Bisi Bele Bhaath many times after that. At restaurants, some relative’s house and even I tried preparing it many times…

To get to the point…

The Bisi Bele Bhaath prepared by my sister Tejaswini was sooooo good that whenever I ate the dish after that I was reminded of the bhaath I had eaten at her house.

Ten years is a long time… but the taste stayed with me

I couldn’t forget the aroma of freshly ground Bisi bele bhaath masala that she had prepared…

So finally, last week when I visited her she was all set to prepare the dish. And I was all prepared with my camera and a book and pen…

Hmmm… I did note down the recipe in detail and clicked a few photos too…

So here goes the recipe in the exact manner that she prepared it:

First she made the Masala:

She took a small pan/kadai and lightly roasted 2-3 tspns whole dhaniya (coriander), 1 tspn chana dal (Bengal gram) and 1 spn udad dal( black gram) in 1 spoon oil and kept it aside.

She then roasted ½ spn methi (fenugreek) and 1 ½ spns jeera (cumin) in 1 tspn oil…set it aside

Next she took 4-5 lavang (cloves), ½ pc star anise (chakri phool), 1 pc dalchini(cinnamon), 4-5 kalamiri  (black pepper )and roasted it with ½ spn oil and set it aside.

After this she roasted 10 whole red chillies  ( not the spicy variety) in 1 spn oil.

Finally when I was starting to wonder what and all was still left to roast though I was enjoying the aroma of the roasted spices…she said “Now last we will roast 1 cup grated dry copra ( dry coconut).

She mentioned that one could use ½ cup freshly grated coconut and ½ cup grated dry coconut also.

She lightly roasted the grated coconut and she ground the entire assortment of roasted spices (above) with a little water in the mixer grinder.

So the masala was ready and the entire house permeated with the aroma of roast and ground spices…

Next she took :

2 potatoes ( cut in cubes) 3 navilkosu/knol khol/kolhrabi ( cut in cubes), 2 carrots medium ( cut in half roundels), 1 capsicum( sliced lengthwise), 3 onions ( roughly sliced), 1 cup shelled green peas, 10 -15 french beans sliced lengthwise ( 1 inch long), 2 tomatoes chopped finely.

She soaked a small ball (size of half a small lemon) of tamarind in warm water.

She took a large pressure cooker and added 3-4 tbspns of oil to it.

She added 1 spn rai  (mustard), few curry leaves.

After it all spluttered she added the sliced onions and a pinch of turmeric to it.

After a minute or so she added the sliced capsicums and beans.

Next she added the potato cubes and navilkosu cubes, carrots and the green peas

She mixed the veggies nicely and added two chopped tomatoes, tamarind pulp and the ground masala…

And the aroma was hmmmm…out of this world!

She washed 1 ½ small cups of rice and ½ cup ( please use the same cup) of tuvar dal.

She added it to the veggies in the cooker.

Mixed it thoroughly, added salt to taste and 1 tbspn ghee. Last she added 6 cups of water. ( cup used to measure rice and dal)

She then put the lid on the cooker and we all waited eagerly for the cooker to whistle  :)

After the cooker had whistled thrice she switched off the gas.

We had to wait a good fifteen minutes before the cooker cooled and we could lift the whistle and open the cooker.

The Bisi bele bhaath looked absolutely delicious and I spooned a big ladle full onto my plate. Ummm…It tasted the same…perfect blend of Indian spices with the right assortment of veggies and the rice and dal…

You must try it. This recipe does not fit into my express cooking but at times we all need to adjust and spare some extra time for some special dishes…

And this one happens to be one of them…

Try it…though the procedure seems tedious…it is not!

And when you taste it you will agree that the effort and the time spent was worth it.

The above recipe serves six adults.

Has to be served with chopped cashews roasted in ghee and some onion and tomato rings…

Oh! I almost forgot…plain potato chips/spicy boondi and curds go well with the dish.

It is a full meal by itself!

Check this :

It is my debut novel…YES!

Am I happy? Obviously I am…

One fine day I decided that I wanted to write a novel…just a thought…it felt like a dream…something impossible…

But then I decided to pursue my thought…my dream… make it real.

As I started writing I knew that I would make it. And I did…

I pursued my dream of writing a novel…wrote it…and now it is published!

We must pursue our dreams…but to pursue our dream we must first dream!

So dream…think about your dream…soon it will no longer be a dream…it will be a reality!

Believe me…I speak with experience 

More on my book in my next post…

Will post a couple of sample chapters soon…

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Pickles go well with plain rice and dal and with curd rice too.

For ages pickles were made in homes and stored in air tight jars.

It was only later that people started marketing pickles in bottles. Any day homemade pickle tastes much better than the market product. Isn’t it?

The only thing I never liked about pickles was the amount of oil added while making it.

My sister recently gave me an excellent recipe for lemon pickle…Yes! without oil…

Here goes:

Take a dozen lemons. Wash, pat dry and slit each lemon into 4. The lemon should remain whole. Fill salt inside the lemon generously…

Now take a glass of water in a pan and add these salt filled lemons to it and place it on the gas. Let it come to a boil. The lemons will start floating.

Switch off the gas. Allow to cool overnight or 6-8 hours.

In a dry pan take the boiled water ( the water in which you cooked the lemons)

To this add 4 teaspoons chilly powder, ¼ teaspoon fenugreek (methi) powder, 4 teaspoons vinegar. Mix well. (do not add salt )

Now add this to the lemons. Mix. Store in an airtight container/bottle.

Shake the bottle everyday without opening the lid.

After ten days the pickle is ready to eat.

This is how it will look…

My son wanted to eat Vegetable Manchurian. He insisted that I should not make it in gravy and it should be a dry dish.

My sister on the other hand wanted me to make it with gravy.

So well, always I favour my son. Now it was my sisters turn! Gravy it was…

I took one cup grated cabbage, ½ cup grated cauliflower, ¼ cup finely chopped carrots ( I used the chopper. You can use the grater or mixer grinder if you do not have a chopper).

To the vegetables above i added 2 teaspoons of cornflour and 1 cup bread crumbs ( you can grind 4-6 slices of bread in the mixer grinder).

I added salt to taste and ¼ spoon pepper. I mixed this well and shaped into round balls.( the sixe of small lemons) and kept it aside.

I kept oil in a deep pan and deep fried the Manchurian balls on low flame till dark brown.

Drained them on absorbent paper.

For the gravy:

I took a wide pan and added 1 tablespoon oil to it. I then added 2 teaspoons of finely chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chillies, 1 cup spring onion whites and greens.

Sautéed for 5 minutes till transparent and then added 2 teaspoons of soya sauce, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 3 tablespoons of tomato ketchup.

I then added ¼ spoon pepper powder and salt to taste. After two minutes or so I added 1 ½ cups of water.

Till the liquid came to a boil, I mixed 2 teaspoons of cornflour in sufficient water to make a thin paste.

When the liquid started boiling I stirred in the cornflour paste stirring the liquid continuously. I made sure that the gravy did not thicken too much and was just right.

I added the fried Manchurian balls to the liquid and switched off the gas.

Finally I garnished the veg Manchurian gravy with spring onion greens…

• Cooking Chinese food is very easy. Most of the recipes need the same sauces and the gravy is same for all Manchurians.
• You can make baby corn Manchurian gravy/ paneer Manchurian gravy/ gobhi Manchurian gravy  using the above method.
• I have posted the dry Manchurian recipe (Baby corn Manchurian dry). Same method can be used to make paneer/gobhi- cauliflower too.
• Three basic sauces (soya, vinegar, tomato ketchup) are a must in most recipes.
• Spring onions, garlic and ginger is used in almost all recipes
• Cornflour and white flour (maida) is used for making batter for the Manchurian and for the gravy)

If you have the basic ingredients cooking Chinese dishes is very easy…

“Deep fried ice cream!” While some might have heard of and eaten this dessert there might be many who will raise their eyebrows and exclaim “Ice cream fried in oil!”

Well I had eaten deep fried ice cream in Dubai and relished it. Last week when I was planning a Chinese menu for dinner I decided to make deep fried ice cream for dessert.

Though the frying and serving part takes just a few seconds per ice cream, the preparation has to be two days or at least one whole day in advance.

Here goes the entire theory:

I purchased a family pack of vanilla ice cream. Scooped 6 small balls and kept it in a box in the deep freezer.

I then crushed a bowl of cornflakes (plain or honey crunch will do)finely in the mixer grinder.

After six hours I removed the box from the deep freezer and rolled the ice cream balls in the cornflakes powder. I immediately kept the ice cream balls back in the box and inside the freezer.

Next morning I took two tablespoons of milkmaid (sweetened condensed milk) and added one tablespoon water to it. ( It must not be too thick or too thin. Just enough to roll the ice cream)

I took out the box again, and rolled the ice cream balls in milkmaid and then rolled it in bread crumbs.

(I always have bread crumbs in the fridge. I dry toast bread and powder it in the mixer grinder and store in an airtight box. It comes handy while making cutlets etc. You can buy it from the supermarket or bakery).

I rolled the breadcrumbs coated ice cream balls in the remaining cornflakes powder for the extra coating.

This entire procedure took me hardly five minutes as I couldn’t risk the ice cream melting. I kept all the coated ice cream balls in the freezer.

After this procedure, the ice cream must be frozen for at least 12 hours in the deep freezer.

I had lots of time as I had planned it for Saturday evening. So after enjoying Chinese vegetable noodles, Chilly idly and Baby corn Manchurian dry I got up to serve the dessert.

I heated oil in a deep pan (kadai) and when the oil was nicely hot I slowly inserted one coated ice cream ball in it.

Rolled it around for 3 -5 seconds and immediately drained it on absorbent paper.

I served it in a cute glass bowl and even as I fried the remaining ice cream balls, I could hear my children shouting “Mom, one more please… Why did you make only six?”

The warm and crisp outer covering and the cold un-melted ice cream inside… Just look at it…

( I searched for this recipe on the net but could find versions where the ice cream was coated with egg white. I did not want to use egg white and had the option of using a mix of white flour and cornflour but decided against it. Finally I hit upon the idea of rolling the ice cream in condensed milk. This is an excellent option and tastes simply delicious.)

The recipe is not difficult or tedious as it sounds. The main aspect is pre-planning two days in advance.

Step 1 : scooping ice cream balls takes hardly a couple of minutes.

Step 2: rolling it in cornflakes powder takes two minutes (for 6-8 ice cream balls)

Step 3: second coat of rolling in milkmaid and bread crumbs and final coat of leftover cornflakes powder takes a maximum of five minutes. You can’t afford to take more time as the ice cream will start melting.

Step 4: deep frying is 3-5 seconds per ice cream. So in effect if you calculate the time for 6 deep fried ice creams it will be less then 6-8 minutes of effort over two days.

(Bread crumbs and crushing the cornflakes takes hardly two minutes) And the taste is worth waiting for two days…

The ice cream turns rock hard after the final coat and 24 hours freezing so it doesn’t melt when fried…

Try it!

Now chilly paneer is common but chilly idly is not available everywhere.

My family just loves this dish which we had once tasted in a food court in Mumbai.

I decided to make this as a side dish for dinner.

I had steamed idlis ( mini idlis- I have an idly mould with which I can make mini idlis)

Alternatively, regular sized idlis can be cut into quarters.

For the gravy:

I took an open pan and added 1 tablespoon oil. To this I added chopped green chillies, spring onions whites and a little of the greens (keep a cup of the greens for garnish).

I added 2 teaspoons of finely chopped garlic to the above.  After a couple of minutes of sautéing on medium to high flame I added 4 tablespoons of tomato ketchup, 2 teaspoons of soya sauce and 1 teaspoon vinegar.

I boiled this for a minute or so. I added salt and pepper as per taste.

Next I added 150 ml water and allowed the liquid to boil.

Meanwhile I mixed 1 teaspoon of cornflour in 2 teaspoons of water. ( mix properly into a smooth paste. Use more water if required)

I added the cornflour paste to the boiling liquid on the gas stirring continuously. (The mixture will thicken).

I switched off the gas before the liquid thickened too much. (It should be a nice pouring consistency slightly thicker than sambar).

Finally I added the steamed idlis (6- 8 regular idlis quartered or 24 mini idlis).

I then garnished it with the spring onion greens.

It is a delightful dish and can be served as an evening or mid-morning snack too…

This is one dish which I personally love and yes I too prefer it dry…

I took 8 babycorns and cut it diagonally. ( 4-5 pieces with each babycorn)

I too a pan and added a cup of water, baby corn pieces and little salt and kept it on the gas. Cooked it for fifteen minutes.

Meanwhile I prepared a batter with equal measures of white flour (maida) and cornflour.

(The batter should be like bhajiya  batter). To the batter I added little salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper powder.

I dipped the babycorn pieces and deep fried it in oil till done.

I drained it on absorbent paper.

I kept an open pan ( kadai) on the gas and added 2 tablespoons of oil to it.

Next I added 2 teaspoons of finely chopped garlic, 1 cup of spring onion white and greens, 1 inch ginger finely chopped, 2 green chillies finely chopped. ( you can slit the chillies)

After sautéing for 5 minutes or so I added 2 teaspoons of soya sauce, 4 tablespoons of tomato ketchup and one spoon vinegar.

I  mixed it thoroughly and added ¼ spoon pepper powder and salt to taste.

To this I added the fried baby corn and mixed it till the baby corn was coated with the sauces.

I switched off the gas and garnished the dish with spring onion greens. (chopped coriander leaves also tastes good if used for garnish)

Look at the picture and tell me if you feel like picking up the fork or not…

With Diwali festival round the corner I am all set to make the sweets and namkeen…

Deepavali or Diwali is celebrated all over India. Also known as the festival of lights, it is a delight to see most houses decorated with string lights and lamps (kandil).

People light earthen lamps at their doorsteps and many even put colourful rangoli patterns near the door.

It all begins with a big chore of cleaning the house

Windows , doors and all surfaces are cleaned till they sparkle.

And as if all the cleaning was not enough, the women take up the most important aspect of Diwali and that is – making sweets and namkeen…  :)

Believe me, you should see the zest with which women make loads of ladoos, murukkus etc.

Big airtight containers are stocked with all these snacks and on Diwali day, everyone in the family eat the same.

Everyone is discussing what snacks they have made, if their house is cleaned, if they have put the string lights etc…

Discussions then lead to how the ladoos were made and how the murukkus didn’t collapse in the oil…

Well all these discussions led me to write this long entry before I posted the sweet dish which is a fool proof recipe-

Anyone can make it. It is that easy…

This recipe was given to me by Anita kaku, my chikamma…

I am sure you will thank her too after making  the sweet dish so rightly called “7 Cups”

So here goes :

I took a big wide heavy bottomed pan and kept it on the gas.

1 cup – besan (gram flour)

1 cup- fresh grated coconut

1 cup- ghee (clarified butter)

1 cup- warm milk

3 cups – sugar

I put all the above in the pan. ( 7 cups in total). Do remember to use the same sized cup

Just kept on mixing for a while and then put the gas on sim.

Added a couple of pinches of cardamom powder for flavour.

Had to watch it every few minutes.

Well after 30 minutes or so when the mixture started leaving the sides of the pan I poured it on a greased thali (big plate).

While mixing you will know that it is done…

Well, that’s it!

The 7 cups is ready. It is very tasty.

After five minutes or so I shaped squares with a knife.

I stuck small pieces of cashew nuts on each piece.

You can try roast almonds or even cashews are fine.

It turned out very tasty.

Looks nice… Isn’t it?

I was bored of making tomato soup, vegetables soup and sweet corn soup. I wanted to try something else and so I decided on carrot soup.

I took 2 medium sized carrots, 6 medium sized tomatoes and 1 medium sized potato.

Peeled the carrots and potatoes…

Washed them and sliced them into large pieces.

I chopped the tomatoes into fours.

All the above vegetables went into a small pressure cooker.

To this I added 12 coriander stems (only stems, no leaves)

1 tablespoon butter

Salt to taste

1 inch piece ginger chopped finely

8-10 black pepper corn (whole)

And 1 cup water (or vegetable stock in case you have it)

I waited till the cooker whistled thrice and then switched off the gas.

After the cooker cooled, I blended the boiled vegetables.

(You can use a blender, chopper or the big jar of a mixer grinder)

(If you feel there is too much water then strain the water and keep it aside and blend the vegetables)

I then strained the soup into a nice looking container and boiled it for just a couple of minutes before serving.

I poured the soup into four medium sized soup bowls and served it with bread sticks…

The taste of ginger and coriander stems enhanced the flavour of the soup…

But I had made up my mind to make it and well the calories could very well go for a toss.

I took half a litre milk and 200 gms tin of Nestle Milkmaid. I mixed the two and kept the pan on the gas. I boiled the milk and milkmaid mixture till it was thick and had reduced to half its quantity. I added some powdered cardamom (elaichi) for flavour.

After two hours I kept the thickened milk in the fridge. I would need it only in the evening when I had planned to prepare the dessert…

In the evening around 5 pm…

I took 6 bread slices and after cutting the crusts, I cut the slices diagonally. So I had 12 triangular halves. I took a small kadai and added some ghee to it. (Well, I did warn you that it is a rich shahi dish)

I fried the bread slices crisp and pressed them on tissue paper. (most of the ghee was absorbed by the tissues) I took a flat dish and kept one slice of fried bread in the centre. On this I poured the thickened milk which I had taken out from the fridge. I kept another slice of bread on it. Again I poured the milk. And then the third piece of bread on which I poured the milk and decorated it with blanched sliced almonds.

(soak almonds overnight. Morning peel the skins and slice )

As I had 12 pieces I made four servings in four separate dishes. Chilled it in the fridge for 2 hours and served it for dessert after dinner. Just look at the picture…Isn’t it divine?

While the rest of my family members attacked the shahi tukra and exclaimed ummmm….yummy….yummilicous…. etc I just patiently waited while I clicked a couple of pictures and then I too got into the attack mode.

And truly so…Shahi Tukra turned out to be pretty rich but unbelievable delicious… Just look it…

So when are you making shahi tukra? Very soon I am sure…Tempting…Isn’t it?