Tuver Na Thotha | Dried Pigeon Peas Curry

This dish mostly eaten in winter because it has lots of green garlic, green onion which are plenty of in season during winter days. my mom used to make this one when we were kids , we call bakda. Never knew it was called thotha until this year when I saw lot of people were in one of my FB group was making and posting it. So I thought let me share my version of this dish too. Here in US we got everything mostly year around so I can make this and enjoy it anytime. It is a very tasty dish with the full bowl of protein which we need it anyway and generally it's eaten with bread but I had it with roti and baigan bhartha.

Ingredients : 

1 cup soaked and boiled Pigeon Peas
6 green onions chopped finely
2-3 Green Garlic chopped finely
2 tomatoes chopped
1 tbsp. grated ginger
1 Green Chill chopped
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
Pinch of hing
1 piece of Dry Red Chill
1 Tsp. Turmeric powder
2 tsp or as per taste Red Chili powder
1 tsp. Cumin coriander powder
1 tsp. Garam masala powder
Salt as per taste
Finely chopped Fresh Coriander leaves.

Method 

Wash dry  whole tuver and soaked in plenty of water for at least 8 hours.
then Pressure cook it with 5-6 whistles or until its soft . Let the cooker gets cool down before opening the lid. Check if tuver is boiled properly by pressing a bean between your fingers.



In a Pot, add oil, add mustard seeds and let it popped, when its done popping add hing, dry red chili  and onion and cook till its little browned. 

Add ginger, garlic and chili and cook till everything nicely cooked. 
Add tomatoes and cook till its mushy.
Add all the powder masala and water from cooked beans so it thickens.

Add cooked Tuver beans along with little bit water or depend upon your liking of gravy. 

Add salt and cook it till it boils. Sprinkle coriander leaves. 

Traditionally, it tops with sev and eaten with bread. But I had it with roti and Bartha. 

Hearth and Soul Blog Hop: July 3rd week - Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Polenta Disks with Roasted Vegetables in Marinara Sauce

When I had Polenta with Mexican Toppings and Salad ,  I was hooked on this yummy creamy buttery spread. So this time I made it and roll it and freeze it and when it was time for diner, cut it in disk, glazed it with olive oil , salt and pepper and grill it and top it with marinara sauce with roasted vegetables in it and diner is done in no time. This is just perfect for my weeknights when I come home at 7:15 and kids bed time is 8:30, I have to cook and put them in bed so I can spend some time with them. Usually I am done by 8 and we all eating at that time so half hour is good family time on dining table and then to the kids room for half an hour. This was done in 20 minutes with the help of my hubby, by the time I cooked vegetables in sauce , he grill the disk and we are off to dining table to enjoy.

Ingredients

12 polenta disks

2 carrot chopped

1 onion chopped

2-3 cloves of chopped garlic

¼ cup chopped zucchini

Few florets of Broccoli

¼ cup Yam chopped

1 Green and red capsicum each chopped

½ jar of Bertolli Marinara sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

As per taste red pepper flakes

2 tbsp. olive oil

Parmesan or any hard cheese

Method:

From the roll of polenta, cut it in 3/4 “ thick disk.

Heat a flat pan , add olive oil and when its hot grill the disk, season it both sides and keep it aside.

In other pan, add olive oil, add garlic and sauté for a minute, add yam, carrot first and cook it , when its ¼ done, add capsicum , onion, broccoli, zucchini, salt and pepper and cook for a minute.

Add marinara sauce and cook it on medium to slow flame so everything cook nicely and know each other.

At the time of serving , heat up grill again, put the disk on , spread cheese and melt the cheese and then take those disk on plate, generously take sauce with vegetables and sprinkle more pepper or red chili flakes and Parmesan cheese and enjoy. 

Hearth and soul blog hop; June last week - Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Egg & Potato Salad with Spicy Jalapeno Cream Dressing

I love egg salad and potato salad too. But this time I just made it in one bowl. For my curry potato salad you can see this link.

Home cook food - : Curry Potato Salad

But to make this kind of salad , its very easy and its perfect for summer grilling. It very easy to put ingredients together and small or big batch , just adjust the ingredients and you can feed the crowd with this dish. To make it spicy, I made spicy jalapenos creamy dressing go to with and boy , it was a nice kick every bite. 

Ingredients : 

3 Large eggs boiled and cut in squares

3 potatoes boiled and cut in squares

1 stalk of celery with leaves finely chopped

For Mayo Dressing :

2 Jalapenos finely chopped (If you prefer less heat, take out the seeds)

1/2 cup Mayo

2 tbsp. Yellow Mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp. Chopped green onion

Lime juice to taste

Method:

Mix the ingredients of dressing and keep it aside.

In a big bowl, add eggs, potatoes, celery and mix the dressing, 

Its better to keep it at least 30 minutes to flavor get combined but its good to go at once too. 

Enjoy it with your favorite grilling meat, vegetables , burgers. 

Happy summer.

I had it with mix berry smoothie.

Hearth and soul blog hop; June last week - Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Breakfast Egg Burrito with Hash Browns

You need healthy and heavy breakfast in the morning when you don't know where and when you next meal is going to be or to fuel the body also you need hearty breakfast. For my everyday I just do breakfast when I reach to work, but weekends are busy and I am home so I try to eat heavy breakfast in the morning because I have lot to do in two days so this comes handy. I made eggs in mug and spread it with  beans, cheese, hot sauce in warm tortilla and made quick hash brown, along with my ginger tea and croissant. And I am good to go till 6, generally on Saturday, I don't do lunch so this is perfect. Recipe is for one person.


Ingredients :

2 large eggs
3 tbsp. milk
1 Whole wheat tortilla
1/4 cup of cooked black beans or re fried beans
1/4 cup of cheese
Salt and pepper and hot sauce as per taste
You can add your favorite vegetables also and make it perfect omelette in burrito too.

Method:

Spray your mug and crack eggs in it, add salt and pepper and hot sauce , milk and microwave it for 1 and 1/2 minutes to 2 minutes, till eggs are perfectly cooked.
Add cheese and cook for 30 more seconds.
Warm your tortilla on flame, take the eggs out and spread it on tortilla, sprinkle your beans, add more hot sauce, salt and pepper and roll it.

Hash Brown : Grated 2 potatoes , season with salt, pepper , hot sauce .
take water out from potatoes and spray oil in non stick pan, spread potato mixture in there and cook  till nice and crispy on both sides. You can use potato masher to make it thin so its cook nicely and quick and crunchy.

Serve with your burrito and tea.

Hearth and soul blog hop - Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Gluten Free, Vegan No Egg, No Flour , No Bake Brownies

So this post belongs to all the brownie lovers, who love baked, ooey gooey butter, all-purpose flour, eggs loaded brownies. I just discovered that brownies can be healthy too and that too without all those ingredients I mentioned. How? so read this post and you will know. I made this from dates and almonds and cashews, you can make vegan ganache on top with coconut oil, almond milk, and dark chocolate but I didn't have the patience to wait for that so just made brownies and still feel satisfied. This will be ready in no time so its very convenient too. So here you go with the recipe.

Ingredients :

2 cups pitted dates

1 1/2 cups walnuts, pecans

1/2 cup Cashews 

4 tbsp. cocoa powder

1  1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tsp. water

1/8 tsp salt

Method :

Combine dates, nuts, cocoa, vanilla, water and salt in a food processor. 

Process until smooth, scraping down the sides. Now it is up to you, you want a smooth or little crunch, I like a little crunch so I didn't make a smooth paste. It will form a bowl, it looks like it needs more liquid but doesn't add any extra water.

Lightly spray or grease 8 inch baking pan or line the pan with parchment / wax paper.

Transfer the dough to pan and press very firmly so it's evenly distributed in pan.

Leave it in fridge for hour or so, take it and cut it and enjoy,

If you have patience you can make ganache for this and when its cooling , spread it on top and leave it for 1/2 hour more and then enjoy. 

Hearth and soul blog hop - Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Super Easy Vegan Mango Gelato with Kesar Keri

We all crave for some cold things when the outside temperature heats up. But same old ice cream even kids can't stand then why we have to eat same old same old? We make kulfies with variations, make new flavors ice creams too but this time I tried something new and very refreshing everyone's favorite, Mango Gelato. When we go out for ice cream, I always prefer gelato than ice cream. So I was in search for this cool dessert recipe and finally found one and sharing with you all too. I have added just a tablespoon of grated ginger and it gives nice kick in this sweet mango. If you use different mango and its not sweet then add brown sugar or agave to give little sweet taste but mine was already sweet enough so didn't add any sweeter. Ginger only for some kick, for that you have to be gujju, when we make aam ras (mango juice) we always add ginger powder so that's the only reason I added ginger in it. This will be ready in five minutes if you have frozen mango in hand.

The basic difference between ice cream and gelato is , It is churned at a much slower rate, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato denser than ice cream. Gelato is served at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream, so its texture stays silkier and softer. Because it has a lower percentage of fat than ice cream, the main flavor ingredient really shines through.

Ingredients : 

3 chopped mangoes - frozen
1 tbsp. grated ginger - optional
1-2 tbsp.  cup brown sugar / agave syrup - optional
1/4 cup Almond Milk or your preferred milk

Method:

Cut the mangoes in long slices and froze it for good 4-5 hours.
Take it out and chopped it roughly so its easier to process it in mixture.
Add sweetener if you are using it and ginger.
Blend for a minute or until its broken down in tiny pieces and then add milk spoonful at a time to give nice thick consistency.
Scrape it from sides, if there is any mango is still there.
Make nice thick gelato and scoop it from blender and serve.
My favorite way to enjoy it , is with some leaves of fresh mint.

Hearth and Soul Blog Hop: June First week - Zesty South Indian Kitchen