Khara Biscuits/Spiced Cookies..

I guess this goodie would be familiar for those hailing from Karnataka (a state in Southern India), especially from Bangalore, and i'm sure you would be missing it !!
What a bliss it was to the taste these freshly baked masala biscuits from the Iyengar Bakeries in Bangalore!!
Ok, now coming to the recipe, it is a very easy one and very less time consuming.
I have baked these a couple of times and it was a hit every time!! Here is the recipe: 

Ingredients:

All purpose flour/Maida-1.5 Cup

Margarine/Vegetable spread/Softenend butter-1/2 Cup

Green chillies-5 or can be adjusted according to your taste ( deseeded and finely chopped)

Baking Powder-3/4 Tsp

Ginger-paste-1 Tsp

Omam/Ajwain-1/2 Tsp (optnl)

Dry mint leaves-1 Tsp

Curry leaves and cilantro-1 Tsp (finely chopped)

Plain thick Yogurt-2 Tbsp

Curry Powder- a pinch (optnl)

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1.Sieve the flour, baking soda and salt and cream the butter or margarine into it adding it little by little to form crumbles.

2.Now add the spices and salt and knead well using your hands and finally add the yogurt making sure the dough is stiff and not too soft.

3.Cover the dough and let it sit for 10 to 15 mins.

4.Preheat the oven to 400F and grease a baking tray.

5.If you have a cookie cutter,cut the dough into required shapes or u can drop it on the tray using a cookie dropper if you like it to be a lilttle thick.I did so because we love the biscuits that way.

6.Prick the top of the cookie with a fork to let the air escape which will help the cookies not to puff up.

7.Bake for twenty minutes or so till the top begins to brown slightly and an inserted tooth prick comes out clean.

8.Remove and cool on wire rack for sometime and store it in an air tight container.

9.Anything better than a cup of hot chai and some khara biscuits to enjoy your evenings??

Kathirikkai Rasavaangi/Sauteed Eggplants in Peanut-Sesame Gravy..

This is a very luscious dish and the very thought of it would add calories to our body!!
Lavishly sauteed in oil and cooked in a rich and creamy peanut sauce, this eggplant dish has it all..
There are many variations for the masala used in this dish, but im going to share the one which i learnt from Lakshmi Mami-thanks so much mami (unga Chappati -Rasavaangi combinationa marakkamudiyaadhu)!! Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Indian eggplants-8- 10 nos.(small round ones make the best dish)

Diluted tamarind juice-1/2 Cup

Cumin seeds-1 Tbsp

Red Chilly powder-1 Tbsp

Turmeric-a pinch

Oil-5-6 Tbsps

Salt- to taste

Chopped cilantro - to garnish

To dry roast and grind coarsely:

Peanuts(skin removed)-1/2 cup

White Sesame seeds-1 Tbsp

To grind into a paste:

Onion-1 large
 
Ginger- an inch piece

Garlic-2 pieces (optnl)

Procedure:

1.Wash the eggplants well,remove the stalk and make a slit on top in the shape of a cross to its three fourth.

2.Grind the onions,ginger and garlic together into a fine paste.

3.Dry roast the sesame seeds first and then the peanuts in the same pan and once cool, grind it into a coarse powder and mix the red chilly powder with it.

4.Heat oil in a wide pan and once hot add the cumin seeds and when it turns slightly brown,add the onion-ginger-garlic paste.

5.Saute for a few minutes till it diffuses its raw smell and then carefully add the eggplants one by one and cook well by frying it from all sides.

6.Once the eggplants are soft and cooked,add the tamarind juice, salt and turmeric.

7.After about five minutes, add the ground peanut-sesame-chilly powder.

8.You will begin to notice that the gravy starts to thicken once the peanut powder is added.

9.Cook for about five to seven minutes, switch off the heat and garnish with the chopped cilantro.

10.Let it sit for few minutes with the lid on for the flavours to cook up.

11.Rasavaangi is enjoyed best with steamed rice, roti, idli or dosa.

Capsicum Bath/Kodamilagai Sadham/Simla Mirchi Chawal..

Come Winter,come spicy food!!
And what comes to my mind right now is a plate of hot Capsicum Bath with some raitha and chips.
Oh the very thought of it makes me drool!!
Talking about Capsicum,it is a vegetable very rich in Pottasium and vitamin C and it also gives a very nice flavour when added to any dish.
There are many ways in which this particular rice is made,but the one im going to share is the Karnataka style Capsicum Bath.The spice powder or curry powder used in this dish is primarily of Kannada style and is also used for sauteing a lot of other vegetables such as brinjal,ladies finger,ivy guard etc.
Here goes the Recipe:

Ingredients:

Raw rice-1 cup (cooked and cooled)

Capsicum/Bell Pepper-4 nos.

Mustard seeds-1 Tsp

Urad dhall/Ulutham paruppu-1 Tbsp

Channa Dhall/Kadali Paruppu-1 Tbsp

Turmeric-1 Tsp

Dry red chillies-1 or 2 nos.

Curry leaves- a sprig

Hing/peringayam-a pinch

Salt to taste

Oil-2 Tbsp

Ingredients for curry powder:

To dry roast and coarsely grind:

Kadalai paruppu/channa dhall-1 Tbsp

Ulutham paruppu/urad dhall-1 Tbsp

Thovaram paruppu/thoor dhall-1 Tbsp

Dry Red chillies(bedege/kashmiri mirchi)-6 nos.

Dhaniya/coriander seeds-1 Tbsp

Katti Peringayam/hing- a small piece

Grated dry coconut/kopparai-4 Tbsp

Black Pepper/melagu-1 Tsp

Cumin seeds/Jeeragam-1 Tsp

Cinnamon-1 inch piece

Procedure:

1.Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard,urad dhall,channa dhall,red chilly,hing,turmeric,curry leaves and the capsicum.

2.Add salt and saute it for a few minutes till it is soft yet crunchy.

3.Add the curry powder and mix it well.

4.Now add the cooled rice,mix it well and let it sit for sometime before serving.

5.Serve along with some raitha or appalam,vadagam or chips of your choice.

Note:The curry powder could be stored in air tight containers and freezed for upto a month.