COCONUT GUN POWDER

Coconut gun powder has little bit similarity with sambara podi.  In samabara podi, not used urid dal and normally after extracting the coconut milk, the left over is used.  In one of my aunty's house and my husband's relatives house, I tasted the gun powder which was similar and different from the one I used to make.  Though I did not ask them for the recipe, I used my own version and tried and was a hit.

Yesterday, while making Peanut sundal for neivedyam for the complex Devi, I had some coconut in the fridge.  When I opened the box, the smell was bit different and thought must have got spoiled.  I told my husband to check, he said it is absolutely alright.  However, I did not want to take a chance as so many people will partake the prasadam, I thought of using fresh coconut.

Then the question came what to do with the coconut which is lying with me. Thinking process was on and that is how this recipe was formed.

DAHI IDLI CHAAT

Chaat item is loved by everyone. especially the road side one.  Ungly chaat chaat ke sab khatein hai. that tasty it is.  We can also make the same at home tasty like that.

Basically, the idli chaat is a left over recipe.  If u are calorie conscious, can just fry the idli with little oil in a kadai or deep fry the idli.

The dahi idli chaat we had in Alibaugh was very very tasty.  Though I had made it earlier, could not post the same somehow.  Now after tasting the same at Alibaugh, I decided to prepare the same, click it and post it.  This very simple and easy dish, you all will enjoy.

Dahi idli chaat

RADISH BHAJIA

When I made star fruit bhajia, I made the radish bhajia too.  You have to make the batter bit spicy, then only the taste of this bhajia you will enjoy.  Since radish is very good for health, once in a while, you can ignore the health issues and enjoy this bhajia.

Let us look at the recipe now:

IRUMBAN PULI SUBZI

Irumban puli or bilimbi it is known as is sour in nature but the pickle and subzi was very nice.  I have already posted the bilimbi-achar-irumban-puli-pickle  recipe.  Yesterday, I was thinking what to do with the left over bilimbi after making the pickle.  I tried subzi with sweet potato and it was very tasty with rice and chapati.

Irumban puli  in English is known as  tree sorrel or cucumber tree.  In India, it is known as bilimbi, irumban puli, chemmeen puli, bimbul, orakkaapuli, bimblin etc.

STAR FRUIT BHAJIA

Hot bhajias with a cup of tea or coffee is always the favourite of everyone especially during rainy season or in winter.  My husband was not aware of the taste of the star fruit and he wanted to buy them for tasting.  I had around 4 star fruit with me out of which one only he tasted and the remaining was left over in the fridge as it tasted bit sour.  I made bhajias out of it though I was getting late to leave for office, took photographs in my daughter's mobile and forgot to save it.  Result you can understand.  Hence I had to go through the whole process again the next day i.e. today and clicked from my mobile so that I do not repeat the same mistake again.

Star fruit is bit sour in taste.  I have used the same only for making pickle and Pachadi out of it.  Shall post the recipe of Pachadi soon but without photograph due to my own mistake.  Coming to the bhajia, it was awesome when I served it hot hot.  Hope you will also enjoy.   Enjoy radish-bhajia too.

Let us look at the ingredients now:

Ingredients:

1 big star fruit.
1/2 cup gram flour
1/2 tsp rice flour
a pinch of soda
1/2 - 1 tsp chilli powder (adjust according to your requirement)
salt
a pinch of asafoetida
a pinch of turmeric powder
a pinch of ajwain
water
Oil for frying.

Method:

Wash and cut both the ends of the star fruit.  slice them into 12-14 pieces.  Make the batter before half an hour and keep.  Mix the gram flour, rice flour, and other ingredients and keep aside for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, heat oil, dip the sliced star fruit in the batter and put them in hot oil and fry till crispy and done. serve hot with sauce, coffee or tea.

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MOCHAI SUNDAL, LIMA BEANS SUNDAL, AMARAPAYAR SUNDAL

Mochai or Lima beans or Amarapayar it is known as.  After soaking the same in water, the skin is removed and subzi made out of this by Maharashtrian and they called it val.  Val usal or dalimbi usal is a famous Maharashtrian recipe.   It is also known as field beans or hyacinth beans or lablab in english.

I made the sundal with this  for Navrathri on the 2nd day.

MOONGDAL SUNDAL

Moongdal sundal is very easy to make.  During Navarathri, each day one Sundal variety is made for Neivedyam.  In South India, Kosumbari is made out of moongdal for feast, wedding etc.  The Sundal is prepared with a a very simple method and does not take much time.

This recipe was lying in my draft for about 15 days, as I wanted to post the same before the Navrathri started.  Somehow I could not upload as I had  hectic days managing office, household etc with very little time to spare for my blog.  Secondly, my camera is not working, hence depending upon the children totally for the picture taken on their mobile.  Since my daughter is having her exams now, she is fully occupied with her studies so I do not want to disturb her.  Hence I am posting the recipe without photo and shall update later on.

Let us look at the recipe now:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup moongdal
2 tbsp grated coconut
1 small green chilli
1 small ginger piece
1/4 tsp cumin seeds 
2 tsp oil
a pinch of turmeric powder
a pinch of asafoetida
few curry leaves
salt
Lime juice

1 tsp Mustard seeds 
1 tsp urid dal
1 red chilli broken
1 tsp chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Wash, soak the moongdal for 15 minutes.  Boil water and put the moongdal in it and cook for only two minutes with turmeric powder, with little salt.  after two minutes, drain, run through cold water and put it in sieve to drain out the excess water in it.

coarsely grind the coconut, ginger, green chilli, cumin seeds.  Heat oil in kadai.  Put the mustard seeds, urid dal, red chilli.  when it is done, add the curry leaves, asafoetida.  add the moongdal, little salt mix well.  add the ground coconut mix in it, mix well and switch off gas.  add in the lime juice. coriander leaves. mix well.  Moongdal sundal is ready for neivedyam.

NOTE:  by adding chopped cucumber, onion, tomato etc. can serve as salad too.

KATHRIKA THOGAYA, BRINJAL, CHUTNEY

I have already posted Kathrika arachukalakki.  I also made along with the arachukalaki, the thogayal.  Both the dishes were too good to eat.  Normally, kathrika (brinjal ) is not liked by everyone.  Hence you can make these kind of varieties and make them to eat.

kathrika thogayal, brinjal thogayal

CORIANDER UPMA

Upma is a simple, tasty and easy to prepare breakfast.  Along with chutney, sambar and choley, it tastes awesome.  I have posted few upma recipes.  Today, when I was preparing Rava upma, thought of some innovative method which is healthy too.  Since coriander leaves are good for diabetic people, thought of trying with it.  It was awesome and I liked to have to with onion raita and some pickle.

BANANA FLOWER RICE, VAZHAPOO SADAM,

Banana flower, kelechi phool, vazhapoo is very good for health.  After making the subzi, I thought of making the rice with the flower as my children will not eat if I give them the subzi.  Any kind of pulao, rice varieties are eaten by them even though they do not eat the subzi.  The only way to make them eat is parathas, pulao, biryani etc. in which I can dump any amount of vegetables which goes into their stomach without any problem.

The rice along with the onion raita, papad, pickle was awesome.