Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Spicy Baby Potato Curry

 photo Smallpotatocurry_zps1217b483.jpg

I love potato, you love potato, everyone loves potato!! Isn't it??? and that too these cute little baby potatoes are adorably delicious for me.

Boil it and spice it up with the flavors of your choice and it is a delicious snack by itself!

This time we wanted to try a nice spicy version to pack it along with curd rice for lunch. Hence added some of my favorite Indian spices like pepper etc and make it spicy and delicious :) 

 photo Smallpotatocurry1_zps8e85b88d.jpg

Ingredients:

Baby potato - 1/2 kg
Pepper - 2 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 3 tsp
Red chillies - 2
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Garlic - 8 pods
Cinnamon - 1/4 inch piece
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1
Salt - for taste

 photo Smallpotatocurry2_zpsc4d36822.jpg

Method:

Wash and pressure cook the baby potatoes for three whistles. 

Peel the skin and poke holes on the potatoes with a fork so that the spices seep through the potatoes. 

Take a tsp of oil in a pan and fry red chillies, corinader seeds, cumin seeds, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves for two minutes in low flame. Allow it to come to room temperature. Grind it along with ginger and garlic and make a coarse powder. Keep this aside. 

Take 4 tsps of oil in a pan and drop in half a tsp of jeera. Once it crackles, drop in the baby potatoes and fry for a while in low flame. The potatoes should get roasted on all sides to a golden brown color. 

Finally add the powdered spice mix and saute in low flame for 5 mins. 

Serve it hot with curd rice or pack it for lunch :)

 photo Smallpotatocurry3_zps18096ce1.jpg

Written by: Nithya
Send in your queries by clicking here

Monday, November 18, 2013

What's Special? - Proddatur (Andhra Pradesh)

 photo Shop_zps9715893f.jpg

All of us travel quite a bit during our life time visiting various places for various reasons. I as a foodie and blogger love to try the special local cuisine be it from a star restaurant or even a road side joint. If its called the special of the location then I am in for it :)

"What's special" is going to be a series of special food joints or rather the special food of the places that I visit :) Those who are familiar with it will reminiscence it and for those who are planning to go can try it! :)

First of What's special would be Proddatur Dosa! :) 

Proddatur part of Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh. I got a chance to visit this place a couple of weeks back. 

A small cozy village with small busy streets filled with shops and buzzing business. Gold and cotton are the major business over there and this place celebrates Dasara festival in a grand scale. 

Subramaniyam Dosa Corner - A small road side dosa stall is located near the Ammavarisala temple also known as Sri Vasavi Kanyakaparameshwari Temple in Proddatur. 

This shop is so much known for their super spicy delicious dosa! The first time I heard about it, I was so thrilled of the concoction of spices used and the ghee dripping dosa and made it a point to visit the shop. 

The Shop looked so very ordinary but with an extraordinary chef who was making dosas within a wink of the eye! 

Yes you need to jaw drop like how I did when I reveal the price of the dosa. There are varieties of dosas ranging from Rs.50 - Rs. 500. Yes you read it right!!!! The dosas are so delicious and on demand that the rates are super high but kind of worth it too :)

 photo 9_zps6c125685.jpg

The dosa batter seems to be a bit different. The locals say that the proportions of rice to dhall that he uses is the trade secret and no one knows it other than the chef himself. 

One other person said they make a porridge with soaked ground rice batter and mix it with the dosa batter to get that super crispy dosas! :) Shhhhhhhh no one knows it right!

 photo step1_zps5af4f170.jpg

The dosa is first made on the traditional iron skillet. Not so thick nor so thin! 

Then it is flipped and comes the spoon full of melted ghee to roast the dosa. 

 photo Step2_zps135c7bf6.jpg

The dosa master then drops a dolop of red chutney made with xyz ingredients but lip smacking spice is added. 

Then comes the green chutney. He quickly spreads both the chutneys evenly. 

At this point he adds more chutney if you ask for extra spicy dosa!!! I bet no one on earth eats spice like an Andhraite! Steaming spice I say!!

 photo Step3_zps368bf08d.jpg

Now again a spoon full of ghee is poured on the dosa to pacify the spice!! Oh it really adds to the taste I say. 

Next comes the finely chopped onion and tomato. Fresh and juicy tomatoes add so much to the taste and makes the dosa heavy into your tummy. 1 dosa is good enough for an average eater like me. 

 photo Step4_zps41cc23df.jpg

Last is the super secret powder that is sprinkled generously. Almost a handful of it on the dosa makes it smell, taste and feel so good. I was really not able to guess the ingredients in the powder. Some say its dried tamarind leaf powder with other spices, but his combination is again a secret. 

 photo 10_zps5f4a0ec2.jpg


Thats it! The ghee roast dosa is ready! :) This was super delicious and worth all the money!

The higher the value of dosa the better the taste and better the ingredients! I heard he adds all dry fruits and nuts to make the most sought after dosa worth Rs.500! :) 

Oh no I dint try that :( There is always a next time and a time for you all too! 

Written by: Nithya
Send in your queries by clicking here

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Apple & Banana Crumble

 photo Applebananacrumble_zps72fe887b.jpg


Baking is curing!! I am sure those who bake and love to bake would accept to my point :) 

I was so bored yesterday and felt a lot week and tired because of soar throat and cough. All of a sudden I just wanted to shed all my laziness and do something. I picked up a very simple recipe that my mother had noted down from a magazine printed in early eighties :) Wow!!! Crumble recipe was popular back then?!!! I was pretty surprised to see the recipe that early in and Indian magazine and couldn't resist trying it out. It was a super simple recipe and for sure super duper delicious :)

Its a no fail recipe and sure to attract all at home :)

 photo Applebananacrumble1_zps9ac0999f.jpg

Ingredients:

Apple - 2 cups (Chopped)
Banana - 1 cup (Chopped)
Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
All purpose flour (Maida) - 1/2 cup
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
Cold butter - 3 tblsp

 photo Applebananacrumble2_zps5ed42e42.jpg

Method:

Step 1: Sift the all purpose flour into a mixing bowl. Mix in the brown sugar to it. Now chop and drop in the cold butter. 

Step 2: Mix it with your fingers to make it into crumbs. Keep this aside. 


 photo step1_zpsf58ee838.jpg

Step 3: Chop the banana and apple into small pieces

 photo step2_zpsadf65fd0.jpg

Step 4: Sprinkle the cinnamon powder and mix well. 

 photo step3_zps498a241d.jpg

Step 5: Line the baking tray with the apple banana mixture first and press down gently. 

Step 6: Pour the crumbs made earlier on top of the apple layer and press down very gently to get a even top. 

 photo Step4_zps3112a1bf.jpg

Step 7: Preheat the oven to 180°C for 30-35 mins or until the crumbs turn golden brown in color. 

Cut and serve :) I wasnt able to cut it into perfect wedges, but who cares when it delicious. 

Enjoy eating it warm along with ice cream or custard. 

 photo Applebananacrumble3_zps92cb10de.jpg

Written by: Nithya
Send in your queries by clicking here

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Capsicum Curry

 photo Capsicumcurry_zpsb519e4d6.jpg

Capsicum is one of my most favorite vegetable. The flavor is intense and adds amazing aroma to any dish that you add it to. 

This post has one version which will never fail to impress. Everyone will love it for sure :) just like how we all at home like it. 

 photo Capsicumcurry1_zps243971e1.jpg

Ingredients:

Capsicum - 3
Poppy seeds - 2 tblsp
Dry coconut - 4 tblsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tblsp
Green chillies - 3
Salt - for taste

Method:

Dry roast poppy seeds and coriander seeds for few mins and collect it on a plate. 

Take two tsp of oil in the same pan and fry the green chillies on low flame for three minutes. 

Now grind the poppy seeds, coriander seeds, green chillies, dry coconut and salt together into a smooth paste by adding little water to it. 

Chop the capsicum into large squares. Take two tsp of oil in a pan and fry the capsicum for five minutes. Now add the ground paste to it and cook closed on low flame for 15 minutes. The vegetable will become pretty soft and would have taken the flavors from the paste. 

Now serve it hot with ghee rice, dhall rice or chapathi. 

Delicious capsicum curry is ready :)

 photo Capsicumcurry2_zpsa31b6075.jpg

Written by: Nithya
Send in your queries by clicking here

Popular Posts

Flickr Photostream

www.flickr.com
nits food clicks' items tagged with nitsclicks More of nits food clicks'
Featured on Baking is Hot
my foodgawker gallery
Foodista Drink Blog of the Day Badge