We invited readers to share some of their favourite recipes with us. As part of a continuing series, we publish four of these lip-smacking recipes we've received so far:
First up, here is Sunil Kanchi's mother's preparation for Spicy Bhendi Kadhi:
Cuisine: North Indian
Type: Vegetarian
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 kg bhendi (okra)
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 litre curd
- 1 small packet buttermilk
- 1 tbsp besan
- 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp methi seeds
- 1 tsp jeera seeds
- Fresh curry leaves
- A pinch of turmeric
- Salt to taste
For the masala:
- 8 cloves peeled garlic
- 6-8 dry red chillies (de-seeded)
- 1 tsp tamarind
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
Preparation:
- Grind all the masala ingredients to a paste and set aside.
- Cut off the edges of the bhendi, slice them into half-inch pieces and set aside.
- Mix the curd and buttermilk in a separate large vessel and beat it to a liquid consistency. Add besan and mix well with hand-blender. If you don't have a blender, mix it with your fingers until no lumps exist.
- Now take a deep nonstick pan and put in the oil on low flame. Add methi seeds, jeera seeds, curry leaves, turmeric and let it splutter.
- Next, add the onions and fry them just until slightly brown. Then add the masala paste into the pan. Fry this well along with the onions, until the raw smell of garlic is gone.
- Add the bhendi to the pan and mix and toss well, untilit gets covered with masala.
- Add one teaspoon of salt. Mix throughly.
- Cover the pan annd let it cook for three minutes on a low flame. Make sure the masala does not get burnt.
- Now add the buttermilk into the pan and mix well. Check the taste and add salt if necessary. You must do this on a low flame, not allow it to boil. The buttermilk should get mixed with the bhendi and just before you see it is coming to a boil, put off the gas flame.
- Add the garnishing of the garam masala powder and keep the vessel covered for five minutes, allowing it to cool. Personally, I prefer to grind my own garam masala, using 2-3 cloves and a 1/4 inch long cinnamon stick. Crush them to a coarse powder using a stone grinder and use them instead of the readymade powder -- freshly prepared spices give off a better aroma.
- Serve with hot chapatis or rice. As a side salad, cut thin slices of onion lengthwise, add 1 tsp mustard oil and ajwain seeds, a little salt and 1 tbsp lime juice. Mix well.You may also add a pinch of sugar if you like. Make the salad just before serving lunch, as the onion starts leaving the water. It tastes great!
Health quotient: It contains spices that are healthy for you. Okra is also good for diabetics. Overall, everyone will love this dish.
Next we have Pratibha Marathe's mother-in-law's recipe for Masala Poha:
Cuisine: Mangalorean
Type: Vegetarian
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1cup poha (thin)
- 2 dry red chillies
- 3 tbsp fresh grated coconut
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 1 grated carrot
- 1 small tomato (finely chopped)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- A few coriander leaves (chopped)
Preparation:
- Grind red chillies, coconut and coriander seeds to a coarse paste without adding any water.
- In a mixing bowl put all the ingredients together and mix well.
- Your poha is ready, prepared in a jiffy!
Health quotient: It contains no oil and has raw veggies, which are nutrient-packed.
And finally, we have Shilpa Acharya's mother's method of cooking Oondi:
Cuisine: Coastal Karnataka
Type: Vegetarian
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cup rice (wash rice and soak in water overnight or for 2 hours)
- 1/4 cup grated coconut
1 tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
- Sprig of curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp mustard
- 1/4 tbsp methi
Preparation:
- Grind rice with the grated coconut and salt, till the rice is as fine as rava granules. Add minimum water while grinding just to make it a thick paste (like thick dosa batter). Set aside.
- Heat oil in a pan, then add mustard. Once mustard splutters, add methi (this is for a tinge of bitter taste only) and curry leaves. Now add the ground rice paste and keep stirring till its water content is such that a small ladoo can be made out of it.
- Remove from flame and roll small ladoos of the paste, making a small depression in the center of each.
- Use an idli stand to steam the ladoos on the stove for 15 minutes.
- Oondis can be served hot with chutney or jaggery syrup for kids. It's a good breakfast item, easy to prepare. This preparation makes around 12-15 oondis, maybe enough for 2 people
Health quotient: It contains less oil and is hence healthy.