Girmit / Masala Mandakki

Girmit, also known as masala mandakki is a popular street food in north karnataka. This tea time snack is very easy to prepare & is also very tasty. Girmit tastes almost like bhel puri, but ingredients are slightly different. Girmit is prepared by using spicy chutney or girmit masala,which is prepared by using onion, tamarind pulp, jaggery and girmit masala powder. We have to first prepare girmit masala powder,and then we add it while preparing chutney/girmit masala.

Ingredients:
Puffed rice / mandakki - 2 Cups
Onion chopped - 1/2 Cup
Tomato - 1/4 Cup
Coriander leaves finely chopped - 2 tbsp
Roasted Gram / Putani / Hurigadale - 1/4 Cup

For Girmit masala powder :
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds / Jeera -  1/2 tsp
Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 Piece
Cloves - 2-3

For Girmit Masala :
Oil -  2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds / Jeera -  1 tsp
Curry leaves
Finely chopped Onion - 1/2 Cup
Green chilli - 1 tsp
Tamarind extract - 1/4 Cup
Jaggery - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Girmit masala powder - 2 tbsp



Method:

• In a mixer jar, take roasted gram/hurigadale & powder it. Keep it aside.

• In a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon and cloves. Dry roast them for few minutes.Transfer these ingredients in to mixer jar and make fine powder. Keep it aside.

• Heat a pan with little oil. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds. when mustard start to splutter, add curry leaves, finely chopped green chillies, finely chopped onion. saute until onion becomes translucent. 

• Then add tamarind pulp, Turmeric powder, jaggery, salt, prepared girmit masala powder. Let this mixture boil for few secs. 

• When it starts to thicken, switch off the stove.  

• In a mixing bowl, take puffed rice/ mandakki. Add finely chopped onion, tomato, roasted gram powder, prepared girmit masala. Mix it well. 

• Tasty and spicy girmit or masala mandakki is now ready to serve. while serving, garnish with some finely chopped coriander leaves.

Kashi halwa/Ash gourd halwa

Ingredients:

Grated ash gourd - 1cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder - a pinch

Pinch of Saffron/Kesari

Ghee - 2-3tbsp

Dry fruits(Cashew nuts, Raisins, Almond)

Milk - 2-3tsp

Method:

Cut the ash gourd. Remove the seeds and outer skin.

Grate the ash gourd as shown below.

At this time, put saffron in warm milk and keep it aside.

Transfer the grated ash gourd in to a pan/heavy bottomed vessel and cook until the raw aroma goes away and all the water content is evaporated.

Once the ash gourd is cooked well and all the water content is almost evaporated, add sugar and stir again on medium flame until it gets dried up.

At this time, add saffron milk, and then add ghee little by little. Keep stirring on medium flame until the halwa thickens and starts to leave the sides of the pan.

Add fried dry fruits and cardamom powder. Mix very well.

Mouth watering Kashi halwa is ready to serve. You can serve it hot/cold.

Kokum curry/Sol Kadhi

Ingredients:

Kokum(Soaked in water)- 10-12
Coconut milk- 1 cup
Oil- 1-2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves 5-6
Green chillies 1-2
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 1-2
Ginger(finely chopped) - 1/2 tsp
3,4 Garlic(finely chopped)
Jaggery - 1 tsp

Method:

Soak the kokum in 1 cup of water for 15-20 minutes. Then strain and squeeze it completely. Keep the kokum water aside.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they splutter add curry leaves, red chilly, asafoetida, finely chopped ginger, garlic, and green chillies. Saute them for few seconds on medium flame. 

Add the kokum water, coconut milk and little slat. Add 1 tsp of Jaggery(optional). Jaggery adds taste and balances the tanginess of kokum. 

Mix well and cook on medium flame for 3-4 minutes. 

When it comes to a boil, switch off the flame. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve. This curry goes well with rice. You can also keep this in fridge and serve cold after lunch, as it helps in digestion and keeps your body cool.

Chikoo Ice Cream

Ingredients:

Full fat milk - 1/2 litre
Corn flour - 2-3tbsp
Custard powder - 1-2tbsp
Gms - 1 tsp
Cmc - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 6-7 tbsp
Milk powder - 2-3 tbsp
Fresh cream - 100gms
Chikoo pulp(4-5 chikoos chopped and boiled with little sugar and blended in mixer grinder)

Method:

Take milk in a vessel and allow it to boil. Add sugar, corn flour, custard powder, gms, cmc and milk powder to the boiling milk and stir well on medium flame. There should be no lumps. When it thickens, remove from fire and allow to cool.

Pour this in to air tight plastic container. Keep it in freezer to set for about 3-4 hrs.

When set, take it out from the fridge. Churn it well with electric blender/mixer for 2-3 minutes or until it becomes fluffy.

Add fresh cream,vanilla essence,chikoo pulp and mix well. (To prepare the chikoo pulp, boil chopped chikoo with little sugar until it becomes soft and then grind it in to smooth paste using mixer grinder).

Add dry fruits of your choice. Again pour this mixture in to the container and keep it in the freezer for 6-7 hours (Repeat the churning process 2,3 times at intervals of 3-4 hrs for good result. This process is done to avoid crystallization of the ice cream. Finally freeze for 6-7 hours).
Note: Freezer should be at maximum temperature and freeze the ice cream in air tight container.

Peanuts Ladoo

Ingredients:

Peanuts - 1 cup
Grated jaggery - 1/4 cup
Cardamom

Method:

Take raw peanuts in a thick bottomed pan. Roast them in medium flame until they become crunchy.

• Once the peanuts are roasted well and crunchy, switch off the stive and let the peanuts cool at room temperature.
• Once it cools, peel off the skin by rubbing the peanuts between palms.

• Grind the peanuts with grated jaggery and cardamom. Grind it in to coarsely(Here I have used 'pulse' option in my mixer-grinder).

• Take the ladoo mixture in a plate. Take small portion and shape it in to ladoos. Now, healthy and tasty peanut ladoo is ready to be served.

You can store these peanut ladoos in an air tight container.

Methi leaves tambuli/Menthe soppu tambuli

Ingredients:

Methi leaves / Menthe soppu - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chilli - 1-2
Buttermilk - 3/4 cup
Salt to taste
Mustard Seeds - 1tsp
Oil

Method:

• Put oil in a vessel and heat it. Add methi leaves, green chilli. Fry them for few seconds. Switch off the flame. Let it cool.

• Grind the fried methi leaves, green chilli and grated coconut in to smooth paste by adding buttermilk, salt and little water.
• Take oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves. Add this in to tambuli. 
• Serve this healthy methi leaves/menthe soppu tambuli with rice.

Mooli Thepla

Ingredients:

Radish(grated)- 1 cup
Wheat flour-1.5 cups
Gram flour- 2-3 tbsp
Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Green chilli(finely chopped)- 1tsp
Ginger(Minced)- 1tsp
Curd- 2-3 tbsp
Salt

Method:

Wash, peel and grate the radish. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, green chilli, ginger and little salt to the grated radish. Mix well and keep it aside for 5 minutes.

In another bowl, take wheat flour and gram flour. Add grated radish, 2-3 tbsp of curd and a little salt and mix well. Knead it in to smooth dough.

While you knead the dough add water little little by as needed. Because the radish will have moisture in it.
Make lemon sized balls. Dust with some flour and flatten it in to thin circle.

Heat the tava. Place the theplas, cook both sides by adding little ghee/oil until it becomes golden brown.
Serve the radish theplas with plain curd/Masala curd or any curry/pickle of your choice.

Beetroot Phulka/Chapati

Ingredients:

Beetroot- 1
Tomato-1
Green chilli-1
Wheat flour 2 cups
Salt

Method:

• Peel the beetroot. Roughly chop the beetroot, tomato, green chilli. Grind them into a smooth paste by adding little water.
• In a bowl take wheat flour, add the ground paste, salt and mix well. Knead it into a chapathi dough, Add water if needed.

• Make lemon sized balls out of it, roll out the chapatis.
• Heat the tava. Place the chapatis on hot tava.

• Let it cook for 15-20 seconds until the bubbles start to form. Then place it on direct flame to make it in to phulkas. Flip the chapatis and cook both sides until it fluff up.

• Serve this Beetroot phulkas/Chapatis with any of the veg curries/gravies of your choice.

Mangalore buns | Banana puri | Sweet banana buns | Mangalore banana buns

Mangalore buns | Banana puri | Sweet banana puri | Mangalore banana buns

Recipes from south India are not only delicious, but also they are healthy. There is something special in each and every distinct category of cuisines from southern states. 

Mangalore buns or mangloor buns is one of the famous recipe of mangalore. You can serve this mangalore buns as tea time snack.

This sweet fried buns are made by using mashed banana and maida. You can also add wheat flour in place of maida. Usually these buns are made by using small sized banana which is called as 'yelakki/elakki'. But you can also use any other variety, if it is not available. Usually,  Mangalore buns is served with coconut chutney. 

Ingredients

Wheat flour/Maida - 1 cup
Banana(small sized/yelakki) -3 to 4 / Robusta - 1 to 2
Sugar - 4-5 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Baking soda -1/2 tsp
Buttermilk/curd - 1/2 cup
Oil for deep frying

Method

Peel and mash the bananas.You can even grind it in to smooth paste using mixer grinder. Add sugar, salt, baking soda, cumin seeds, and little curd/buttermilk. Add wheat flour little by little and knead it into a soft dough. Dough should be sticky and softer than the chapathi dough.

Cover the dough with cloth and allow it to rest at room temperature for 4-5 hours. After that you have to knead the dough once again. Make lemon sized balls, put it on plastic sheet greesed with little oil. Put some oil to the hand also, so that the dough will not stick to the hand. Using hand, flatten it in to thick round shape. You can also do this process using chapathi roller. But I feel easy using hands.

Take a frying pan. Heat oil on medium-high flame. Fry the buns on medium-high flame until it turns in to golden brown color.

Serve these soft fluffy mangalore buns with coconut chutney or any other chutney or sambar.

Pressure cooker eggless sponge cake

Ingredients:

Maida - 1/2cup
Wheat flour - 1/2 cup
Unsalted butter - 100gms
Baking powder -1
Vanilla essence -1-2tsp
Condensed milk - 400gms
Milk - 1/2cup
Salt - 1/2tsp
Dry fruits of your choice/chocolate chips (I used tutti frutti, chopped dates, raisins)

Method:

• Take a bowl, Add butter and melt it. 
• Add maida, wheat flour, little salt, Baking powder, Vanilla essence and Condensed milk to the melted butter.

• Mix/Whisk the mixture well using a hand blender to make a smooth paste. If the batter is too thick, add little milk. 
• Add dry fruits/nuts of your choice and mix well. Now, the cake batter is ready.

• Take the aluminium tray. Grease it with 1 tsp of Oil. Add the cake batter in baking tray.

• Here we should use the cooker big enough to hold the baking tray(I used 5 litres cooker).
• Keep one plate/divider bowl in cooker and then place the baking tray on top of that plate(need not add any water in cooker. No need of whistle/weight and gasket).
• Before baking the cake, we should pre-heat the cooker(without gasket and weight). Close the lid and heat the cooker on high flame for 2-3 minutes.
• Now we can put the cake tray in the cooker. Make sure that the pan fits comfortably inside the pressure cooker without touching the sides of cooker. 
• Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes in medium flame. Then lower the flame and cook for 30-35 minutes.

• Use toothpick to test whether the cake is ready. Else you need to bake for another 5 minutes.

• Use a knife to separate the cake from tray. Now, take one plate. Keep it on top the baking tray. Invert it to bring out the cake.

 

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• The soft and spongy eggless cake is ready.