Masala Peanuts

Masala Peanuts are a crunchy & crispy bites which can be enjoyed as a evening  snack along with your tea or coffee. To make them healthier I microwaved this goodies and they were as perfect as a deep fried one's. I shared both the versions for you all to explore & can choose the option you like. 

Prep Time-5mins | Cook Time-5mins| Yields-2servings
Ingredients 
1/4Cup besan 
2Tbs rice flour
1/2Cup peanuts
1Tsp red chili powder
1/2Tsp salt (Adjust as needed)
4Tsp water
1Garlic minced
1/2Tsp oil 
Few curry leaves 
Directions
Microwave Version: 
- In a bowl add all the above ingredients & mix them well. Adjust salt & chili powder if needed.
- Take a microwave safe bowl or on small cookie plater & apply oil to it. Now lay peanuts so that they won't touch with each other. 
- Microwave it for 2mins & shuffle them. Now microwave them for 3mins & the masala peanuts are ready. 
Deep Fried Version: 
- Take an pan with enough oil to deep fry & bring it to boiling point. 
- Add little by little of peanuts to pan and fry them crisp. 
- Remove them & lay them on a paper towel to remove extra oil. 
- Repeat the same with rest of the peanuts. 
Note:
- You might have to microwave peanuts in small batches if your are using a small bowl or plate. 

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Black & White Wednesday #118 - A Round Up

Enjoy the virtual treat & the round up of BWW#118 with wonderful Black & White pictures from my friends. 

"Unripe Grape" by Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums 

"Purple Sprouting Broccoli" by Simona of Briciole

"Black eyed beans" by Chitrangada Kundu of Color and Spices

"Orange Punch" by Cinzia of Cindy Star Blog

"Spices Love" by Aparna of Stories From The Mahe Coast

"Vine Tomatoes" by Me 

Sambar Powder | Sambhar Podi

Sambar powder is one of the basic spice powders where every south indian household has it in their kitchen racks. This powder recipe has different variations from region to region. I got this recipe from my mom & she makes a fresh powder of this recipe every time she makes sambar. She prefers using fresh powder to stored one because of it's flavor. She uses the same recipe when making it in bulk too.

Cook Time-10mins | Prep Time-5mins | Yields-5Tbs of powder

Ingredients 

2Tbs chana dal / senaga pappu 

2Tbs urad dal / minapappu 

2Tsp cumin

1Tsp methi

5Tbs coriander seeds

6Red chili's 

2Tbs black pepper

2Strands of curry leaves 

1Tsp hing / Asafetida

2Tbs grated dry coconut 

1Tsp oil

Directions 

- Heat pan with 1/2tsp oil & to that add chana dal & urad dal. Fry them till they change light to a little darker shade.

- Transfer them on to plate & allow them to cool. 

- Now add another 1/tsp oil to pan & rest of the ingredients other then coconut . 

- Fry them to till they are changed to a little darker shade & switch off heat & allow it to cool.

- Once they are cool enough grind them to a smooth powder along with coconut.

- Store it in a air tight container for freshness. 

Similar recipes you might like:

- Rasam Powder | Charu Podi | Saaru Podi

- Tamarind Pulp

- Ginger Garlic Paste

- Endu Kobbari Karam | Spicy Dry Coconut Powder

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Paneer Masala Curry

Paneer masala curry is a easy side dish for roti , pulkha & naan. The gravy is thick, creamy & spicy which makes the dish more delectable. You can use this gravy as a basic for any gravy dishes & replace paneer with aloo, capsicum etc...This dish takes less oil & made healthier to reduce some calories from it.

Prep Time-15mins | Cook Time-30mins | Yields-4servings

Ingredients

15Paneer cubes 

1Cup chopped onions 

4Tomatoes sliced 

1/2Anise flower 

1 inch piece cinnamon 

2Tsp ginger garlic paste 

2Cloves 

2Elachi pods

1Tsp garam masala powder 

2Tsp red chili powder

1/4Cup coconut milk 

1Tsp sugar (optional)

2Tsp + 2Tsp oil

salt 

Cilantro for garnish

Directions

- Heat pan with 2tsp oil. To that add anise flower, cinnamon, cloves & elachi pods. Fry them for 1min.

- Add onions to pan & fry them till they are translucent. To that add ginger garlic paste & fry it for few seconds.

- Now add tomatoes to pan & allow them to cook soft with a closed lid. 

- Once tomatoes are soft & cooked perfect switch off heat. Allow it cool completely.

- Grind the tomato mixture to a smooth paste without adding any water. 

- Heat a pan with 2tsp oil & pan fry paneer till they are light brown on all sided.

- Now add the tomato gravy, garam masala, coconut milk, sugar, Red chili powder & salt.

- Cook till gravy becomes thick & garnish with cilantro. Switch off heat & serve warm. 

Note: 

- You can replace oil with butter. 

- Replace paneer with any vegetable you like.

- Adding of sugar balances all the flavors in the dish. 

Similar Recipes you might like:

- Ghugni

- Baingan Bharta

- Nawabi Paneer

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Palak Roti | Spinach Roti

Palak Roti or spinach roti is a healthy & nutritious dish that is easy to make & delicious to have. I added a hint of garlic to this dish to remove the muddy smell of palak & it sure did it's magic in this dish. These roti's can be enjoyed along with any curry , yogurt & a pickle. 

Prep Time- 40mins | Cook time-15mins | Yields-5 roti

Ingredients

1Cup atta flour

2Cups chopped spinach 

1Garlic clove 

2Green chili

1Tbs oil

Salt 

water 

Directions

- Grind spinach, garlic & green chili to a smooth paste.

- Mix atta flour, spinach paste & salt. 

- Using a little water or as needed to make a dough.

- Divide the dough in to 5 equal parts. 

- Take 1 ball of dough & dust it with atta flour. using a rolling pin roll the dough flat as seen in the pic & keep aside. 

- Repeat the same with rest of the balls. 

- Heat a pan with 1/2Tsp oil. Place on roti on the pan. Allow it to cook on onside & rotate it to the other side & add another 1/2 Tsp oil & brush it thru the roti.

- When you see the dark spots as above remove roti on to a plate. Repeat the same with rest of the roti's. 

- Serve them with any side dish you like.

Note:

- Adjust water according to the spinach paste. 

- I used a very little oil in making them. Use oil as needed.

- Use multi grain flour for a healthier version of this roti.

- Make sure the the dough is equally distributed.

- Dust the dough in between rolling, if needed. 

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Kandi Pachadi {With Garlic}

Kandi Pachadi (Toor Dal Chutney) which is a authentic Andhra delight is enjoyed with rice & a dollop ghee. My husband who is from nellore (A district of Andhra) typically enjoys this dish along with Minumula chintapandu pachadi (Urad dal & tamarind chutney). I make two variations of this chutney at home which are with garlic & without garlic. I love garlic in this dish as it boosts the chutney with flavors.

Prep Time-15mins | Cook Time-15mins | Yields-4servings

Ingredients 

1Cup toor dal / Kandi pappu

4Red chili (Depends on your spice level)

3Garlic pods

1Tsp cumin / jeera

1Tsp hing / asafoetida

1Tbs tamarind pulp

1Tsp ghee / butter

1Tbs oil

Salt

Seasoning 

1Tsp mustard

1Tsp cumin / jeera

2Red chili cut equally

1Tbs oil

Directions

- Heat pan with ghee. To that add toor dal & fry till the dal changes a slight color (On medium heat it takes 2 mins). Switch off heat & transfer dal in to a bowl. Allow it to cool. 

- Heat pan with oil. To that add jeera, red chili's, garlic. Fry them till jeera starts jumping & add hing. Switch off heat. Allow it to cool & transfer the seasoning in to a blender.

- Coarse grind them first & to that add toor dal, tamarind & salt. Grind the ingredients while adding little water at a time. This is time you can adjust salt. Chutney should be thick so check water while you are adding. 

-Transfer the contents in a bowl.

Seasoning

- Heat pan with oil. To that add mustards, jeera & red chili's.when mustard starts jumping add hing & switch off heat.

- Mix seasoning with chutney & it's ready to serve.

Note: 

- This stays good when refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. 

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Draniki | Potato Pancake

Prep Time-15mins | Cook Time-15mins | Yields-4Servings 

Ingredients

1Large potato 

1Medium onion sliced thinly 

1Tsp chili powder

1 Egg 

1Tbs oil

Salt

Directions

- Wash & wipe potato with a towel & peel off the skin of potato. Now grate the potato in to a bowl. 

- Squeeze out the extra water out of potatoes using your hand. 

- Now take the left out dry grated potato in a bowl & to that add onions, salt, chili powder & break an egg directly in to the bowl.

- Mix them well using a spatula. 

- Mean while heat a non stick pan with a 1/2 tsp oil.

- Add a ladle full of batter to pan. Allow it to cook a little crisp & reverse it to cook on the other side to crisp. 

- Transfer the pancake to plate & repeat the same with rest of the batter. 

- Serve it along with ketchup & enjoy.

Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Kimchi)

Kimchi is a Korean side dish & also a national dish which is fermented under ground from couple of days to months for a perfect taste. This dish is mainly made of napa cabbage & other vegetables to which seasonings are added to flavor up the dish. 
Kimchi is not a vegetarian dish as it has fish sauce, but it can be made vegetarian by avoiding the sauce from it. I made Cucumber kimchi or Oi Kimchi where Oi means Cucumber in korean. This is a instant kimchi that is enjoyed by koreans mostly in summer. I got this recipe from here & loved it as it tasted.

Prep Time-20mins | Yields-6 Servings
Ingredients
1Big Cucumber / 2cups bite size chopped cucumber 
1Cup chopped onions 
3Scallions / spring onions
2Garlic pods chopped or minced 
2Tsp sea salt / rock salt 
2Tsp red chili powder / cayenne pepper powder (Adjust according to your spiciness)
1Tbs vinegar 
2Tsp honey
1Tbs sesame seeds 
Directions
- Wash & clean wipe the cucumber before cutting it in to pieces. Now cut them to bite size pieces.

- Chop the scallions in to equal pieces & keep aside. 
- In a wide pan take cucumbers, scallions, onions & garlic.

- Now add salt, vinegar, chili powder, sugar & sesame seeds.
- Mix them well using spatula & kimchi is ready. 
- Transfer kimchi to a air tight container & allow it to ferment for 8hrs.
- After 8hrs refrigerate it & enjoy it along with rice.
Note: 
- You can avoid fermenting and enjoy the dish as it is. 
- It stays good for 1 week when refrigerated. 

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Black & White Wednesday #118

I'm so happy to announce the Black and White Wednesday #118 event @ my blog.This event was initially started by Susan of The well-Seasoned Cook, Wich was passed on & now being managed by Cinzia of Cindystar.

Simple rules: 

1. Send in a Black & White or a monochromatic pic of a food or something represents food.

2. A file size should be as mentioned below:

- For portrait/500 wide & 700 long

- For landscape/700 wide & 500 long or 600 square

3. Send in your Pics to Valli.sunil@gmail.com with below details: 

- Subject : BWW#118

- Name

- Title of pic

- Url to your page 

4. Event starts from 19th Feb14 & ends on 26th Feb14.

5.Non bloggers can send in your pics to the above mail id & I would be happy to post it for you. 

6. For queries you can leave a comment below.