Happy New Year 2012

Wash , then Chop . Not the vice versa !!!

Do not wash the vegetables after peeling or chopping. This will wash out all the water soluble vitamins.
Wash them before chopping instead.

Egg Paratha

Ingredients:

• Whole Wheat Flour - 2 cups or as needed
• Egg -1 
• Tomatoes finely chopped - 2 tbsp
• Onions finely chopped - 2-3 tbsp
• Cilantro finely chopped - 2-3 springs
• Green Chilies finely chopped- to taste ( optional )
• Salt -to taste
• Red Chili Powder - to taste ( optional )

Directions :

• Knead the dough for paratha and let it rest. Click here for the recipe 
• Beat Egg and add all the remaining ingredients in it.The egg filling is ready. The mixture made of 1 egg can be filled in 2 parathas. So adjust the quantity accordingly. Keep this aside. 
• Divide the dough into equal size portions and make lime sized balls.
• Roll out a ball  into a 4-5 inch disc.
• Drizzle few drops of oil onto the rolled out chapati and evenly coat it all over.
• Fold the disc into half forming a semi-circle, coat the surface with few more drops of oil.
• Again fold the semi-circle into half forming a triangle.
• Dip this triangle into the dry flour and coat all the sides.
• Roll it out again with a rolling pin. Try to maintain the triangular shape.
• Place this rolled out triangular paratha onto a hot tava or griddle and flip it in a minute.
• Cook the other side for just half a minute.
• With the help of a butter knife or the handle of the spoon or fork, gently open up the top layer of the paratha to form a pocket where we can pour our filling.
• Pour in half of the egg mixture into the pocket. Do not press the paratha at this time , the mixture might ooze out.
• Let it cook on low-medium heat for about half a minute till the egg inside is semi cooked.
• Sprinkle few drops of oil on the surface of the paratha and gently flip making sure the egg filling doesn't ooze out.
• Let it cook on low-med heat, pressing slightly until the egg is completely cooked inside.
• Serve hot with green chutney or pickle or curds.

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients:

• Ripe Tomatoes - 5-6
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

For Tempering:

• Hing - a pinch
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 1 spring

Directions: 

• Blanch the tomatoes and puree them.
• In a pan, cook pureed tomatoes  on low-medium heat.
• Add salt, red chili powder and cook till the moisture is almost evaporated and it gets the paste like consistency.
• Add sugar and mix it well.
• For tadka or tempering, heat oil in a small pan, splutter mustard seeds. Add urad dal and cook till they start to change color. Add curry leaves and hing. Turn off the heat and pour this mixture over the chutney and mix well.
• Serve with idli , dosa, upma , etc or even rice.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays !!!

Eggplant Fry Oriya Style

Ingredients:

• Eggplant ( big one ) - 1
• Red Chili Powder - 1 tbsp or to taste
• Rice Flour - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Amchoor - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - for roasting

Direction:

• Cut the eggplant into round slices 1/2 inch thick.
• Prepare a masala mixture of all the other dry ingredients except oil.
• Roll the slices in the masala mixture till both the sides are well coated.
• Now heat half a tsp of oil on the griddle or a grill.
• Place 2 or 3 slices of eggplant on the griddle and let it cook for 2 minutes. 
• Then turn to the other side. Sprinkle some more oil on the sides of the eggplant slices
• Cook on medium heat till both the sides are cooked and turn brownish.
• Repeat the same process with all the other slices.
• Serve hot with dal and rice.

Grapefruit Pulihora

Grapefruit Pulihora is made just like lemon rice, by just replacing lemon juice with grapefruit juice.
It is a good way to include grapefruit in your diet if you are not a very big fan of it.
This makes a good lunch box recipe.

Ingredients:

• Rice - 1 cup
• Grapefruit Juice - of half the fruit or to taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Green Chillies - 2-3
• Peanuts - 5-8
• Cashewnuts - 5-8
• Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
• Chana Dal - 1/2 tsp
• Hing - a pinch
• Turmeric Powder = 1/4 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 1 spring
• Salt -to taste

Directions:

• Cook the rice and keep aside in a mixing bowl.
• In a pan, heat oil, and splutter mustard seeds. Add peanuts and roast them till golden. Then add chana dal, urad dal, cashew nuts and roast them till they slightly change color.
• Add turmeric powder, hing, curry leaves and slit green chillies.
• Pour this mixture over the cooked rice in the mixing bowl.
• Add salt and mix well till all the grains of rice are coated with the yellow color.
• Add the grapefruit juice to the rice and mix well. I add the juice of half the fruit. You can however adjust to taste.
• Ready !!