Chow Chow Bath

Chow- Chow Bath is the combination of upma and kesari bath served together, which is served in most restaurants in Bangalore. 

Upma

1 cup Rava / Sooji (Semolina) 

1 chopped Onion

3 Green Chillies slit sideways

Few curry leaves

Finely chopped coriander  leaves

1 tblsp Ghee 

1 tsp Channa Daal

Salt to taste

For Tempering

1 tblsp Oil

1 tsp Mustard Seeds

1 tsp Urad Daal

1 tsp Channa Daal

1. Heat 1tbsp. pure ghee / unsalted butter and fry rava ,on a moderate heat, stiring constantly to light brown color and set aside.
2. Now heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and allow them to splatter.
3. Add the daals : channa & urad & curry leaves to it and fry till they turn red.
4. Add onion and green chilies. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
5. Now add 3 cups of water and cover the pan and allow it simmer on low heat until the water comes to boil. Add salt.
6. Add the fried rava to it stirring constantly till it becomes little thick.
7. Take off from the heat.
8. Serve hot garnished with cashews and coriander.

Rava Kesari



Rava: 1 cup
Sugar: 1.5-2 cups
Cashew-nuts: 10-12
Raisins: 15-20
Ghee: 4 tbsp or more
Saffron: a pinch (optional)
Cardamom Powder: a pinch

1. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a thick bottomed pan, fry the broken cashews and raisins and keep aside. 
2. Add another tbsp of ghee and fry the rava to a light pink color and keep aside. 
3. Heat 3 cups of water in the same pan, add the coloring and the saffron when it comes to a boil. 
4. Add the rava slowly, constantly stirring, and mix well. 
5. Allow the rava to be cooked at medium heat. 
6. The rava has to cook well. 
7. When it is fully cooked, add the sugar and stir well. 
8. When the sugar is fully dissolved, add the remaining ghee. 
9. Keep stirring until the rava starts leaving the sides of the pan. 
10. Garnish with the fried cashews and raisins and cardamom powder.

Humble Sambhar Saadham with Potato Fry

I had a lot of thoughts on what would be my first recipe to be posted.Thought so many days about it. One fine day I prepared sambhar, potato curry and then it flashed, this has been my all-time favorite. My cousin who keeps making fun of me that every-time he came home I had prepared the same( which I never realized till he told me). So here comes my first post for Sambhar and Potato Fry.

Ingredients: Sambhar( Thakkali-Pachaimelagai Sambhar)

Servings: 4

Tuar Dhal - 3/4 cup

Tomato - 1 1/2 cup-chopped

Green Chilies - 4-5 nos

Onion -1/2 cup sliced

Garlic - 2 pods

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Asafetida - A Pinch

Tamarind Paste - 1 tsp

Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander Leaves 2 tbsp

Salt

Oil

For Tempering

Oil-2 tsp

Mustard 1/2tsp

Cumin Seeds 1/2tsp

Curry Leaves 3-4 Leaves

1. Cook Tuar Dhal, Chopped Onions, Tomato, Garlic, Asafetida, Turmeric Powder, Green Chilies, 1 tsp oil with sufficient water in cooker for4 whistles.
2. Mash Dhal with the back of the ladle till smooth. Add salt, chili powder,Tamarind Paste add water to required consistency and heat.
3. While the sambhar is warming, heat kadai , add oil,mustard, Cumin seeds. Turn off the stove and then add curry leaves. Add this to the boiling sambhar. ( Note: Do not let the Sambhar Boil for a long time)
4. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Rice/Idli /Dosa.

Potato Fry

Potato - 4-5 nos ( Medium Size) - Chopped small cubes
Garlic - 2 cloves
Vegetable Oil -2 Tbsp
Chili Powder - 2 Tsps
Dhania Powder  -1 Tsp
Salt

1. Heat  1 tbsp oil in  a non-stick( lot easier and less oil) kadai . 
2. Add crushed garlic.
3. Add chopped potatoes. Fry for few minutes. Add salt and fry for few more minutes.
4. The potatoes should turn slightly transparent, half-cooked.
5. Add. chilli powder , Dhania powder. Sprinkle very little water so that the powders coats evenly on the potatoes.
6. Fry till the potatoes turn crispy. Add oil as required during frying.