Bitter Gourd Salan | Karela ka Salan

I was tired of making karela with onion or potatoes or even stuffed, wanted to make something new with my favorite vegetable. Since we all make eggplant and mirchi ka salan why not to use that delicious salan gravy to make this humble vegetable who many of you might not even like it. So made the salan, add shallow fry karela in it and enjoy it with rice and roti and my diner is done. Happy with the results so here I am sharing with you all.

Salan Ingredinets  :
2 tbsp. sesame seeds
2 tbsp. grated coconut
2 tbsp. raw peanuts
1 tsp. chopped ginger
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 tbsp.. turmeric powder
1 tsp. coriander and cumin  powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. tamarind pulp

Method:

Combine the sesame seeds, coconut, peanuts, ginger, garlic and onions in a pan and dry roast them over a slow flame till the flavors are released and the ingredients are lightly browned.
When it's cool, put the roasted mixture in grinder add the turmeric powder, coriander  & cumin powder, chili powder and tamarind paste and grind it to a smooth paste using ½ cup water. Keep aside.

To Make it with Karela

2 Bittergourd - Cut it in half and remove all the seeds from inside
2 tbsp. oil
Few curry leaves

Method :

Heat a deep dish pan, add 1 tbsp. oil in it , add cut karela pieces and cook till its 75% done.
Take it out.

Add one more tbsp. oil in same pan, add curry leaves when its give nice aroma, add the salan and cook till you get nice consistency, if its too thick add water, if its too thin cook it till you get your desire gravy.
Add shallow fry karela in it with salt and cover and let them cook together so it mixes nicely.
Serve hot with steamed or jeera rice or your favorite roti or paratha.

I like it thick gravy so I made it that way, if you like runny gravy you can adjust the water part.

Sprouted wheat Salad with Feta

I used to make this salad with just regular salad vegetables in it like onion, tomato, cucumber , lime juice and chat masala. It taste awesome too. But this time I wanted to take a different route so make it little Greek way. You can skip feta and paneer too, no harm done. Food is a food , you can enjoy your way and your style , just don’t say that it’s your own original recipes. Now a days on social media you can see lot of videos of easy and mouthwatering recipe so sometimes I think why to waste my time and efforts to post it on blog but then I think it’s my recipe, my collection  and my cookbook which I can pass it to my kids when they grow up and they wanted to know how mom cooks all these yummy food. So that gets me going.

With my busy schedule now a days just posting once a week, tell you the truth doesn’t feel like posting. It’s like if you don’t go and visit fellow bloggers they don’t bother to come and drop a comment. I know their limitations too. but still have some good friends who doesn’t think that way and still drop by at my page and comment it so for those thanks from the bottom my heart.

Now the recipe, it’s no cook salad recipe, just cut everything and toss together and enjoy it.

Ingredients :

1 cup of sprouted Wheat ( I soaked overnight in water and then take the water and put it for sprouting)

½ chopped onion

½ chopped carrot

½ chopped red and green capsicum

3-4 tbsp. Feta cheese

Salt and black pepper to taste

Pinch or two red pepper flakes

2 tbsp. EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

Method :

Cut all your vegetables.

Put them in a bowl, add wheat & Feta  in it, add your seasoning (oil, vinegar, salt , both peppers)

And leave it in that bowl for good 10 minutes to get those flavors to mingle.

After that enjoy it for quick lunch or as a side dish.

For me it was a lunch with orange juice.