January 10, 2007

GOBI-BROCCOLI KURMA WITH PHULKAS AND A MeMe!

To all Hindus,let me greet you first. Happy Makara Sankranti on Jan.14th! Makar Sankranti means transition of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn, during the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. More Info here! It's all good for us,have fun!!:)

Keeping with my "only Indian dishes in January" theme (I might break it very soon like next week!:D),here are my second week's Indian dishes.Most Indians are probably familiar with these as they are very homely everyday dishes.But I am posting them anyway with my own style of recipes.They are simple and delicious vegetarian side dishes, give them a try and enjoy.

These are: Gobi-Broccoli Kurma,Mixed veg Bhaji,Spinach-Mustard greens with Yoghurt along with Phulkas which are basically puffed Chapatis with step-by step photos!
And a mini(?) MeMe "What Your Blogger Friends Look Like and why?" which is just launched by sra of whenmysoupcamealive! blog, who I think as a very intelligent,articulate Journo and my dear friend too!I am tagged by Indosungod!:))

Cauliflower-Broccoli Kurma:


Kurma is really a mild dish with added yoghurt for mellowing the sauce.You can add some heat with more chilli flakes if you like.I know there are lot Kurma recipes around which I love, add mine as well to your collection!No step by step photos for side dishes since there are three of them and because I want to keep this post relatively short.I don't want people to run the other way! For Phulkas,I have to do it to show you!!:D
YOU NEED:
3 cups each Cauliflower and Broccoli,1 small Tomato(optional,just for color),1/4 cup sour cream or thick yogurt,1/2 onion minced,1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste,cilantro.
TO GRIND:
Heat 2 tsp oil,fry 1 big onion chopped until reddish,take it out.In the same pan,add 1 tbsp coriander seeds,1 tsp cumin seeds,1 tsp each poppy seeds and fennel seeds,1" cinnamon (dalchini),3 cloves,2 or more dry red chillies,4-6 Almonds or Cashews,2 tsp yellow roasted chana dal,fry well until you get a aroma and add all these to a blender along with 1 tsp of Paprika, tomato ,pinch of turmeric for color and grind to a smooth paste with no or very little water.

HOW TO:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil and butter, add Gobi-Broccoli pieces.Saute with little salt until almost cooked but still whole and take them out on a plate.
2. Heat the pan again with little more oil,saute minced onion until soft,add ground ginger-garlic paste,fry for 2 mins and add the ground sauce with salt to the pan.
3. Cook this on a medium fire until you see little oil specks on top and lower the heat,then add sour cream or yoghurt spoon by spoon until well blended.Keep stirring. Cook until fairly thick and oil shows on top again.Add 1/4 cup water if needed.
4. Add in stir-fried veggies now,cover and simmer for 10 mins.Garnish with some cilantro,(sprinkle pinch of garam masala as optional) and serve with Phulkas.Taste great the next day!

Mixed Vegetable Bhaji:


A very simple healthy dish with very little gravy, goes excellently with Phulkas.You could make this dry stir-fry too but little gravy to dip phulkas sounds good.You don't see gravy in the photo bcos I scooped the veg from the top just to take this photo!Enjoy.
YOU NEED:
3 cups of chopped Cabbage,1 cup grated carrots,1/2 green bell pepper,1/4 cup frozen Green Peas,Mustard seed,cumin seeds,curry leaves,1 red dry chilli,1 tsp Chana dal,1 small onion,1 garlic,turmeric,1 tbsb crushed toasted peanuts or cashews,cilantro,1 tbsp Sambhar pd or Rasam pd (or mixture of 1 tbsp Coriander pd,1/2 cumin pd,1/2 tsp red chilli pd,1/8 tsp pepper pd,1/2 tsp Garam masala) 1 tbsp dry coconut and 2 tsp lemon juice.

HOW TO:
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil and butter,add 1/2 tsp mustard,few curry leaves,1/2 tsp cumin seeds,1 tsp chana dal and dry chilli.When they splutter,add and stir-fry onion with turmeric until reddish.
2. Add chopped garlic, stir-fry for 2 mins.Add chopped bell pepper,then carrots and cabbage in that order after frying each until soft.Add green peas and salt.
3. Pour in 1/4 cup water,cover and cook.Uncover,add all the dry spices or 1tbsp rasam or sambhar pd,cilantro and simmer until little gravy is left.
4. Garnish with toasted peanuts or cashews and cilantro.

Mustard leaves-Spinach with Yogurt:(Mor Keerai)


Here is another nutritious and tasty dish for Phulkas or even for Rice rotis.This recipe is almost like Kerala Avial but not quite the same.There are additional ingredients,so I didn't dare say it's Avial and get buried alive by my Keralite bloggers buddies!:D This is a Tamilian dish I found in one my books.It's called "Mor Keerai".It tasted good though whatever we choose to call it!:)
YOU NEED:
1-2 bunches of each Spinach and mustard leaves,chopped (or 1 lb bag each of frozen or 1 canned greens each will do too),1 onion minced,2 garlic minced,1/2 tsp each mustard seeds,cumin seeds,Urad dal,few curry leaves,3 tbsp coconut dry or fresh,2-4 fresh green chillies,2 tsp coriander seeds and 1 tbsp cumin seeds,2 tsp raw rice,1/4 cup yoghurt or sour cream.
HOW TO:
1. Grind coconut,green chillies,curry leaves,coriander seeds,rice and cumin seeds with little water to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil and butter,add mustard seeds,cumin seeds,curry leaves.Add onion and saute until reddish,add garlic,stir for a min and add all the chopped greens and (add water only if you use fresh greens not if frozen)cook until almost dry.
3. Add ground masala with salt,mix well and simmer covered for 5 mins until the raw smell of masala goes away.Add 1/4 cup yoghurt or sour cream spoon by spoon until it is well mixed.Make sure heat is on low to prevent curdling.Simmer for 5-10 mins.
4. Adjust the salt and you are done!:)

PHULKAS!


Phulkas are nothing but puffed up chapatis.It needs some practice to make them,specilly when you are cooking directly on the heat.You have to be ready and quick orelse you will have burnt chapatis.They don't stay puffed after few seconds but chapatis get hollow like Pita and remain soft to eat.It's not hard at all if you make them often.Most Indians do know this.These steps are for new cooks or whoever would like to try.

HOW TO: Makes about 8-10 Phulkas




Take 2 cups Wheat flour,1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp of canola oil. Mix and knead this with enough water to make a soft but sticky dough.







Divide this in to 8-10 pieces depending on the size of chapatis you want.Roll them into smooth balls again,cover and let it rest for 15mins.







Take one ball and roll out to a 6-8" circle 1/16" thickness(not very thick or very thin),place them on a clean towel and cover with another.Repeat the same with other balls too.Heat a Tava or skillet on medium high heat on one burner.




Switch on another burner on high side by side ,place a bakers cooling rack directly on top and get ready for action!:) Take a chapati(rolled out circle),put it on the skillet first and cook just until it gets little bubbles on top.Flip the chapati and cook the other side in the same way.Cook the edges of chapati by pulling it to the side!






Immediately transfer the chapati on to burner with hot rack with a tong and watch it puff! If there is not much water in the dough when you kneaded it ie not a sticky dough,it will puff a balloon.








When it fully inflated which takes literally few seconds, pick it up carefully with a tong to flip and cook the other side.It will deflate as soon as you take them out of the heat but you get a deliciously soft texture with pita like hollow layer!Do not let them burn too much!:)



You can turn and cook the edges too if you feel that it's still raw.Another trick is to cook the edges of chapati when it's still on the skillet rather than on the hot rack.Makes it eaiser to cook the whole chapati that way.





Well...that's all folks!:)) Enjoy making Phulkas or "puffed ones" and don't give up if you don't succeed at first.It took me many burnt Phulkas to learn the skill too!:P

Here are some of my fellow bloggers dishes I cooked and enjoyed few weeks ago with Phulkas.Thanks ladies!:)

One delicious Hotel Kurma from Spice Lover of Box of Spices:
I used cayenne and paprika powder for color.



Madhu of Ruchi's tasty Spring Onion Curry :
I added some potatoes too for texture...



A mini MeMe!:)

I am doing a mini MeMe as Indosungod already covered most of you! Thanks for tagging me Indo! I think of you as a friend who is very observative and a wonderful foodie and blogger because you write and cook so well!:)
I second what she said about all other bloggers she mentioned in her post as well.I will continue from there to add my own short list!:)

I think and I know:
She is a beautiful proud Gujju who loves classical Indian music and a fusion cooking queen!:)
She is a young and wonderful who dishes out different veggie delights every week and sometimes henna art too!
She is my hometown girl who vents and brings out all my own memories!:)
She is a great cook and was on Emeril's show on Food Network!
She is a versatile cook who can bring food around the world!
She is a fantastic cook who makes me drool over her dishes..er..on my Laptop!:)
She is one of my all time fav bloggers,gives me her mom's recipes!
She is Doc who is scared of creepy crawlies and does monthly blog patrol!:)
She is self proclaimed Bong girl,loves to listen to NPR and blogs a cookbook!
She is from Queen's land and has passion for food!
She is Krishna's Priya Radha(;D) from Bengaluru,a city close to my heart!
She is the queen of Vcuisine and a great cook too!
She is from Bengaluru too,shows me beautiful pics of the city and cooks homely meriad tasty dishes!:)
She cooks in Indian Rasoi itself and Boy! what a great cook she is too!
She is a good friend and a fantastic cook,my fav girl!:)
She is a baker and a great Indian cook too.Try her recipes!;)
She is from Mangaluru and brings most delicious dishes of the region and others too!
She is posts some amazing mouthwatering dishes and I love to be the first to comment in her blog!:)
She is a great cook,a wonderful writer but very much under appreciated by foodies other than me!!
Finally,
a bhai!! NO! NO! Not that kind of Mumbai Mafia bhai! He is the most wonderful sweet bhai from Queen's land one could wish for to all us foodie girls!:)

I know!I know! I said it's mini but tried to list everybody!:D If I have left you out,it's not intentional.Hey,let me tag others and give them a chance to cover you as well!
I tag the hostess of this MeMe to begin with:
sra,Pooja ,Vani and Trupti or anyone who like to take up this MeMe and continue with all of your fav bloggers too!


Swami Vivekanada, a brilliant Indian Philosopher's birthday is on Jan 12th!Let's honor,celebrate his wisdom and try to adopt his thinking!You can find a beautiful article written by Deepak Gopi with his friend's help.Hope you read it!:) Happy Birthday honorable Swami V!

Last but not least, my latest Gadget for Kitchen Aid Mixer:)





I ordered this 'Food Grinder' attachment for my KitchenAid mixer before I went on vacation and it was waiting for me when I came back! This is great for grinding veg ,cheese or meat to make cutlets or patties and also for grating, coarse or fine.I haven't used it yet,will soon!Now I will know exactly what goes in to my burger because I can grind my own ingredients,can't wait!



Have a great weekend Y'all! I will be back with some winter munchies and an "Around The World" dish for Coffee's MBP!:))

134 comments:

sra said...

Hi Asha,
Went directly to the meme, thanks for breathing more life into it. I will certainly try to do it. Will see your recipes later (am not supposed to be doing this now, hee hee)

sra said...

ooh, wow! I just saw the compliments in the intro! Thanks a million! Your bhaji pic is wonderful, so is the kurma pic. Will probably try them out Sankranti week in your honour!

wheresmymind said...

Oh man...I'm so jealous of your kitchenaid attachment!

FH said...

Maheswari said...
Wow..i am the first one to comment if u haven't recieved any comments yet...hope to be the first one ..:)
Yummy cauli-broccoli kuruma.Using roasted channa dal is new to me.And broccoli..i dunno why never had the guts to try it out and kept it off from my son too.I know that's bad, will try to introduce brocco to my family by trying out your recipe.Veggie bhaji is also interesting delicious healthy dish.What abt adding boiled potato to that?.I make chappathi dough almost the same way, but i use warm water to mix.And last but not least, that's a good meme and am happy to be your fav.girl...THANKS.

sudha said...

What a long post..I spend more than a hour reading this wonderful post with delicious recipes and exploring other bloggers through your meme. I always had a tough time to cook a curry for pulkas now the problem is solved. Thankyou.
Also i really enjoyed reading other posts about your home and marriage.

FH said...

Hi sra,don't comment from your office and get in trouble girl!:D
It was nice doing your MeMe.I got some idea of how to by Indo's write up,so that helped.Enjoy the dishes.

Maheswari,thank you.Yes,you can add anything you want in mix.veg dish.Yelloe chana dal gives a little thickness to the gravy,so I added it.Broccoli tastes great Mahesh,try it once.Enjoy.
Btw,only you can moderate your comment,it won't allow me to delete half of it.I will see if I can delete and post your comment in my name.Glad to help you out.My dad as I told you is one too like your hubby!So anything to help!:)

Hi Jeff,thanks.Amazon had a sale.This one costs abt $37! Not bad,eh? I used it yesterday,it works great for burgers.Grinder in action will be in one of future posts!!:)

Sia said...

ashakka, that food grinder looks bit scary;) cant wait to see what new things u come up with it:)another white gadget for ur whitle kitchen:) will come back later to chk ur loads of recipes:)

indosungod said...

Asha a wonderful array of dishes. Love your colorful Vegetable bhaji and the kurma looks delicious, thanks for the phulka step by step. I diligently follow your step by step for parathas and I am getting better and better. Thanks dear-y.

Meme - interesting read on all of our fellow foodie bloggers, some are new and I am glad to have found them through the meme.

Happy Sankranti.

Vini K said...

Hi Asha,I envy you for possessing the Kitchen aid in the first place,so can you imagine how I feel when you say you have got an extra attachment for that!!I LOVE gadgets of any sort that help make my work easier,but alas,this moving around all over the world does not permit me to even think about these things,let alone buy them..anyway,now onto the recipes:They look great.I love your phulka stand.I have a hand held one(Not had a chance to use it since I have an electric stove(Ok,ok,I'll stop complaining now:D..)but the accompaniments look great.Must try them soon.Thanks dear!

Vini K said...

Oh,forgot to write about the meme(This is what happens when I think too much about the things I don;t have)meme is great!enjoyed reading it.Thanks for mentioning me too!:)

FH said...

Welcome back Sudha!You have been gone for a long time!:)Thanks and enjoy the recipes.Unlike before,I post once a week now,that's why the long posts!:D

Hi Sia,read the MeMe,you are in there!:))Gadget does look like a torture equip.,isn't it?:D It's wonderful,used it already.Works very nicely,will post later.

Thanks Indo.There are many many new bloggers and they are all fabulous!:)Enjoy the recipes and thanks for tagging me!Happy Sankranti.

Hi ViniK.You are very welcome.Nice to know all of you.I understand about moving.We moved 8 times in 5yrs when we were living in England,hardly had any gadgets at all except grinder etc! After we settled here,I buy one too many!Have patience,one day you will have more than me!!:)

swapna susarla said...

hai ashaji
as u said already u are coming with indian dishes ..great..everydish is looking nice.congrats for ur new gadget..

Bong Mom said...

Hey Asha
Loved your meme, it also gave me an idea of some food blogs I haven't visited yet thanks
I had a suggestion for you, you have so many wonderful gadgets in your kitchen it would be nice if once in a while or maybe in one post you could post pics of them and explain what they do and where we can buy them
I am a little clueless as to what is available and what to buy or not to buy
Like never new about this "Food Grinder" thanks for sharing

karmic said...

Happy Sankranti to you too. The food as always looks awesome. Funny meme too!

jayakarthik said...

hey asha
i m so glad that u entered my blog too
thanks asha
i missed out some of good bloggers all these days
thanks for introducing them
asha ur indian dishes are excellent, actually i m eating paratha right now, looking at the wonderful sidedishes i m drooling.Wish i could have a looooonnnnng hand, so that i can reach my hand upto u and collect some dishes on my plate ;)(its a good idea though right asha? :D )

FH said...

Hi Swapna,thanks.So far I am bringing you some Indian dishes but you are all such good cooks,I don't need to at all!:))

Sandeepa,I was thinking about the same thing in the morning!May be in my recipe Index,I will list of them with the photos and explain there.Good idea.Thank you.

Hi Sanjay.Thanks man and happy Sankranti to you too.Enjoy the day.I am not making anything special,may be some dessert for Sankranti,that's all!:)

Joyce said...

Good Grief Woman, if that's a short posting, I wonder where you get your stamina! Fabulous photos, great tempting food. Your blog is always amazing! Once you use the grinder for the KA mixer, you'll wonder how you ever did without it.

ChrisB said...

Everything looks lovely but I think I will try the 'cauli-broccoli kuruma' in the next few days.

FH said...

Hi JayaK,good to see you.I missed your cuisine girl!Thanks and yes,long hand is a great idea so I can grab all your goodies too!:D

Thanks Joyce.I know! My posts gets longer and longer everytime!:D:D
KitchenAid is fabulous,mine is pretty old but works as good as new.I use it for everything!Love it.Enjoy your's too.

Hi Chris.Thank you and you can have the Kurma with Pita bread as well.Tastes great!Enjoy:))

Anonymous said...

Wow! A cooling rack for the direct flame chapathi cooking! Great idea. Very smart indeed.
I wasn't brave enough to try broccoli in any of the indian dishes after I messed up a sambar with broccoli. That broccoli kurma looks so good. And all those other yummy looking vegetable curries.......you made me drool on my laptop too. :P

Mythreyee said...

Asha, so sweet of you to mention all our friends in a very special way. thanks a lot.

starry said...

Happy Sankranthi to you and your family.All that food making me hungry.Looks delicious and so colorful.Thats a neat attachment for your kitchenaid.I have to get one.I was also thinking of getting the grain mill.I thought it would be good for grinding different grains.

Seema Bhat said...

Asha, Love to visit your blog on wednesdays. You won't believe me. First thing that I do after coming back home from school on this day is visit your blog. Amazing work lady as always "hugs". Loved your version of kurma very much.Bhaji looks temting too and loved the colour of hotel kurma as well. Great job as always babe.
Cheers
Seema

Beccy said...

Gorgeous looking dishes (as usual) and more blogs to visit, thanks for the links.

FH said...

rp,thanks.I know, cooking Broccoli is a task unlike other veggies.I always microwave it first with little water for few mins,then add to the dish at the end.Orelse you get a big mush!:)It's very tasty though.Hope you try again.Enjoy.

Beccy,thanks.There are loads of great bloggers out there who are great cooks!:)

Thanks Seema.Something interesting on every wed. huh?:D I try my best,glad you liked them.Hotel kurma is delish,try it.Hug to you too:)

Hi Lalitha,grain sounds great.We can make our own powders for Thalipittu etc, right?Good idea.This attachment probably do that too,I have to try and see.It's great machine.Enjoy the festival with your's!:))

Hi Mythreyee,I tried to list ALL which is impossible as there are 100s of them! But you guys take up and mention the others too.Thank you for being a friend and a blogger too sweetie:)

Manjula said...

Wonderful meme. I got to visit so many fantastic blogs

TNL said...

Ashaji: as always...you floor me with your posts! Came right over cos I knew you would post today! Thanks so much for mentioning all of us! Cauliflower/broccoli kurma is going on my must try list!

Hugs,Trupti

Anonymous said...

Happy Sankranthi Asha
Recipes look very appealing. Over the weekend I bought gobi and brocolli with the intention of a stirfry. After seeing your recipe for kurma, I think I will be making kurma.
-Shilpa
Epicureandelish

Anonymous said...

What a fun thing to come home too!

Mandira said...

Wow, everytime I come to your blog, I'm amazed at the spread of goodies. Awesome!

FH said...

Thanks Manjula.Enjoy visiting all of them,they are great bloggers!:)

Mandira,thank you.Hopr you will try one or two!:)

It was Kristen.I thought Amazon is going to take some time to send it but there it was!Great gadget,works wonderfully:)

Hi Shilpa,you are new.I will check out your blog too.Welcome!Thanks and let me know how did you like it:)

Hi Trupti.I am very happy to know all of you!It was a pleasure linking you all as well.Enjoy and hugs to you too:))

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,

Your recipes sound really good and yummy as usual!! I liked the pictures of your home in your last post!! You are a good cook as well as a good photographer.

Cheers
-Sowmya

starry said...

Asha..you have been tagged.check my blog.

Lakshmik said...

Hi Asha

Amazing you come up with such long and interesting posts. Thanks for all the recipes. Will try them out. Happy Sankranti to you too. Cheers!

FH said...

Hi Sowmya.thanks girl.I appreciate it and enjoy the recipes.Happy Snakrati to you!:)

Hello Starry! NOOOO!!!:D:D
Okay dearie,I will take a look at it and do it sometime:)

Hi LakshmiK,thank you madam.Try them and have a goodtime. Cheers!:)

Anonymous said...

SHIT!!!!! I am late again!!!!!!!
What a wonderful idea of doing the meme!!!!!! And mine was an easy give away :) And I could guess most of them without even clicking on the hyperlink.... strange isn't it!!!!! Havent met anyone, but can just guess them by one or two words :)......

A small query, what is the grill like this on which you are making the phulkas???? My microwave -oven has a grill like this when i want to keep something over it and grill!!!!! Is it that????? Or you have a brilliant new fancy cooking range which gives you a grill like that??????

The kurma sounds lovely... gonna try it soon.....

sallywrites said...

Happy Snakrati!! I don't know anything aout it, but as with all festive greetings, I wish you the very best!

Sally

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,
Great treat!! thanks for all your nouth watering dishes. I never tried brocolli and caulliflower together will try this. And also thank you for adding mine too in your me me!!. Great Me Me!!

Lotus Reads said...

I woke up this morning with a feeling of happy expectation and then I remembered - it's the day Asha posts her recipes and other fun stuff - no wonder! :)

Loved seeing the "phulkas" Asha, I haven't made any at home since coming to Canada, maybe I should start.

Love the memes, too and Happy Sankranti - I must try to make some tilguls.

Keshi said...

Im not a fan of Brocoli but these dishes wont stop me from trying it...looks YUMMY!

A cooks meme ha...nice :):)

Have a superb weekend sweetie!
Keshi.

Brilynn said...

I like this meme, it introduces me to a whole bunch of new blogs!

And I'm jealous of your new kitchenaid toy, I want one!

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,
Thanks for the good words about me in the meme.
I cannot wait to try your version of kurma. It is a great idea to use broccoli too. Thanks again.

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha, more bread for me to try, yippee! ;)

As usual, everything looks delish. I'll be putting baby onion theeyal on the table very soon, too :)

Happy New Year!

Mr. J said...

Looking at your kitchen from your previous post, I should say it seems quite hi fi ;) And with that new food grinder, I bet it makes you feel like you just laid your hands on a new apple iphone :p

Viji said...

Very nice write up Asha as usual. Enjoyed your meme. Nice. Thanks for everything. Viji

Pooja said...

Hi Asha,
as usual you are here with lovely post again !
i just love readin all your long lovely posts :) .
all indian dishes are nice, also the visual treat to make phulka :D.
love it.
you are good with Meme too ! i just feel like readin your meme again and again to know more about our blog buddies. :) . thanks for your nice words about all ! i enjoy reading it . I will take up this Meme , sometime by this week end I guess, not much free now, just steal some time to visit some blog buddies around .
P.S. - your new 'Food Grinder' , looks lovely, I am sure you gonna make us all feel hungry by showing your adventures with that....

FH said...

Hi Brilynn.It was fun listing all of them!They are great!Thank you.Hope our friend Artizen Flair is doing well,haven't heard from her!

Hi Keshi,lot of you don't like Broccoli!:)It gets very mushy if you cook it to death.Otherwise,it's great veggie.
Foodie MeMe is FUN!!:D
You too darling,have a goood one:))

Hi Lotus.Wednesdays have become "asha's" day now!:D:D
Glad you enjoy all these.I don't know what Sankranthi specials are!Got to find out.Tilguls sounds good,have to make some dessert on the 14th.Will see.Thanks Lotus:)

Hi Jasu.Thank you sweetie.I love your recipes and hope this way others could enjoy them too.I always thought of letting others know about your blog,didn't know how.Enjoy and have a great weekend:)

Hi Sally.Thank you.Makar Sankranti literally means transition of Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn in Northern Hemisphere!We Hindus worship Sun God this day when he enters new Zodiac sign!May be I should add it there.It's all good for us Sally!:)

Language!! Coffee, Language!!:D:D
You are not late!! It's great that you could recognize them without links!I could too:)Thanks.
That grill is just a regular cooling rack for cookies after baking.You get them in different sizes,round or rectangle etc.You could use the Microwave one,keep in mind that they burn on direct heat.Better buy a small grill just for this!:))

FH said...

Hi Pooja.Glad you enjoyed all of these.Do the MeMe only when you have time,no hurry at all.It should be fun,not pressure,right?:D Take it easy,Sankranti is coming,I understand and have fun.

Hi Johnny!Good to see you here,got access at last eh?:D Thanks,I love my kitchen.Arvind would buy anything electronic and electric for me but not a piece of jewelry man!!:)That attachment is just one of many,getting two more!IPhone,I think I will wait until they good reviews,I don't believe in all the hype like they did it for PS3!!Glad you are back,now get back to work!:D

Thanks Viji!I appreciate it.Happy Sankranti(Pongal) to you and your's!:)

Thank you Linda! Glad you got that Theeyal recipe!I was thinking you are going to miss it!:)Enjoy,it's delicious!!Hope you had a great holiday with your family!:))

Hi LakshmiA.Thank you.It was a pleasure to list all of you:) There are somany Kurmas around in every blog,I was hesitating but finally posted one of mine too anyway!Happy Sankranti!:))

Life said...

hello asha!

ur mouthwatering dishes attracts me to ur blog..it sounds selfish na ;)

hey iam gona come to ur place when iam there and will have all delicious dishes prepred by you.I hope u want mind

hey u mentioned of one of ur guju friend...whats her name??

welcome to my blog and do visit my other blogs to know my different clours of my nature ;)

JSK
Vikas

Life said...

ha HAPPY SASKRANTI TO YOU TOO.......and will be waiting for one more delicious dish on jan14th

Sia said...

ohoho ho.... thats me krishna's radha???!!!! he he he... i will make krish read ur meme(blushing:)... thanks ashakka:)

FH said...

Hi Vikas.It's not selfish and you are very welcome here!
Gujju friend?! You mean in the MeMe? Click on the link and you will get there.There are many wonderful Gujju bloggers here.Bhai is one too!:))
I post only once a week so it's probably next week or might skip Sankranti completely!We celebrate ShivRatri and Diwali here,that's about it!Have fun there!:)

Yeah!!! You got it now!!:D:D
You are welcome sweet Radha!:))

Kavitha said...

Wonderful recipes as usual. I admire the passion you have for cooking and all the effort that you take. Your family is indeed lucky.

Thanks for the mention :) your hotel kurma looks very nice... decorated and all. will try your version of kurma without coconut sometime.

Little Miss Muffet said...

Hi Asha,
I tried your phulkas yesterday and they came out really nice...my mom made them before but this was the first time for me..i loved the way they tasted really different from the normal chappatis...only i haven't quite figured how not to puncture them when flipping :(

Life said...

hey asha let me tell u that even iam gujju :)

By Deepa and Supriya said...

asha,
Happy sankranthi to you too. I am going to print out some of these recipes now...before I go grocery shopping tomorrow..the last couple of times I kicked myself for not doing that, because I would come home and realise I lacked one thing or another and hubby says thank you...he feels I am taking a lot more interest in cooking thanks to you and a couple of other food blogs I visit religiously :) And this is regarding your previous post- we have Gunther Van Haagen's travelling bodyworld in town this week, I think it is similar to what you saw in Orlando..planning to go, let's see.

FH said...

Hi Spicelover,haven't seen you in a long time!:) Welcome back and I loved your Kurma too.Thanks for that.Enjoy everything.

LMM!!Hey,glad you tried it already and enjoyed it too!:) I know it's tricky to flip without making holes!:D Hold the flat edges gently with a tong and try to flip.It is hard but tastes good with a layer anyway,right?:)

Vikas,I guessed you are probably are a Gujju too.Now I know I have another Gujju bhai(younger than the other bhai!) on hand!:D
I am a pure Kanndiga and a Lingayat(Shaiva) at that,you must know!:)

Orchid,tell your hubby he is welcome!:)I am glad you are enjoying the dishes.It's a great joy to hear that.Thank you.
Don't miss that 'Body' show!It's little expensive(tickets)but worth every penny if you have older kids or even for any former or current science students!Enjoy.:)

Anonymous said...

Asha: You just keep rocking:-)) Thaz an advance wishes for Pongal/Snkaranthi and wish you too.

mommyof2 said...

Happy Lohri & Sankranti to you guys:-) yummy dishes as usual:-)

FH said...

Pria,thanks and you too have a wonderful day on the 14th!:))

Mo2! Lohri is beautiful!I found out that every state in India has different name for the Sankranti!:) I am not into every festival but I just found 2 days ago that Sankranti is on 14th so I thought I would wish who do celebrate.I do Diwali and Shiv Ratri,that's it!:D May be I will make a dessert.Have fun if you celebrate!:)

Gattina Cheung said...

Asha, you're fantastic! I always love your recipes, so easy to prepare, and no problem to get most ingredients in here. Mor Keevai will be the top of my list!
Best wishes to all you lovely guys!
Gattina

Anonymous said...

SORRY!!! SORRY!!!! :P ;)

USHA said...

Hi Ashaji,
Its was intersting post with colourful receipes and Meme...

Happy to get to know about our blog buddies...

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,
Wish you and your family a happy makar shankranti too.

I am lucky enough to have been born on that day.I will be celebrating the day therefore with a bang, so what if I am going to be 39 yrs young.
Broccoli reminds me of an intersting quote from President Bush when he took over in 1990: I AM NOW THE PRESIDENT AND THEREFORE WON'T BE EATING ANY MORE BRROCOLI.

I anyway like it a lot, but its availiability is rather poor in West Bengal.

Cyberkitty said...

Happy makar sankranti and great pictures of the phulka - need to be extra quick to take a picture of them on the heat.

Deepak Gopi said...

Happy Makara samkranti.
To enjoy makara sankranti ,I am sending you some thing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5xdtq_5iOg
After watching it if you feel headache,have crocin or analgin.
good day :):)

Me said...

The spinach looks wonderful!

FH said...

Hi Orhan,thanks!:))I know I haven't been visiting you lately!Got busy over the weekend,I will try to be regular.

Same to you,Deepak.Oh my! what's in store for me there?!:))We get Tylenol here for headache,no worries!!:))Good day mate!!

You are right CyberKitty.One hand flipping the roti and other hand to snap the pic!!:D That was quite a circus!Thanks.

FH said...

Hi Kulpreet.Happy 39th Birthday!!Whole India will be celebrating your B'day!Enjoy the thirties but 40s are fabulous!Look forward to it!Trust me!:)
See what an idiot a person becomes if he(Pres.Bush!) doesn't eat Broccoli!!:P I know it's western veg but it tastes so good.We love it,lot of iron too!Enjoy...

Thanks Usha!:)) I love you all my blog buddies.Wish I could have listed EVERYBODY but I got tired!:D
It was fun,take up the MeMe if you like!Happy Sankranti.

Hi Gattina,thank you!:)You are lucky to get everything there.You could enjoy all Indian dishes easily.I loved your Parathas too.Keep it up and enjoy.....

Coffee!:D:D That's okay,I was kidding! Well..you could say..SHOOT!!..instead!!;D

Menu Today said...

Hi Asha,
Interesting post and lovely recipes. Adding broccoli to kurma is wonderful idea. Happy sankaranthi.

Sai said...

Hey Asha:

Best wishes for Makar Sankranti!

Loved the post. I just realized that it has been a long time since I made any korma. I prefer phulkas to chapatis.

Anonymous said...

Very much a captivating post,with delicious food pictures and the most perfect recipes culinary wise, I would love to try your kurma,looks so appetizing, wish I could get my self a serving from your blog right now..:))Asha,Happy shankaranthi to you and family ! will catch up soon.

Nidhi said...

Thanks a ton Asha, for mentioning about me in your blog. I am so happy and impressed. These days I am really feeling like they say, "If you do something with true heart and soul, you will definitely achieve whatever you are struggling for, some day or the other" and this is what happend with me. Now, I beleive in it more and more.. :)

I really liked your version of Kurma and bhaji. I also make bhaji like that but Kurma is new for me.

Thanks a lot for sharing it with us.

Nidhi.

FH said...

Hi MT.Thanks girl.True,Broccoli makes it even more tasty and lot of iron too which we need!:)

Sai,me too!I didn't make Kurma for a long time and then I saw so many Kurmas in other blogs,I thought I would get in mine too!:D Enjoy the 14th.

Thanks Lera!You know,we always say Shakranti with "Sha" in K'taka,don't we?I was going type like that too until I saw Sankranti with "S" everywhere!I smiled when I saw your spelling!You are a pakka Kannadiga or Kannadathi my friend!Hugs!! Enjoy the day.

Nidhi,America is like that!It recognizes the talent and rewards you for it.This is a greatest country in that sense.Look at us,came here as young family and few yrs later ,we cannot ask fr better life!!:) Enjoy your success and enjoy the recipe!Keep it up...

Margie said...

Hi Asha
Thanks so much for another wonderful post with such great recipes...great Meme too!

Asha, thanks so much for your kind visits...my sister is doing better!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Margie

Anonymous said...

Asha,

Kurma recipe is too good. I prepared it y'day with mix vegetables. I also prepared your beetroot rasam recipe few days back and that was a big hit with my 4 year old. Thank you so much.

Kavitha

FH said...

Hi Margie.Thank you.I am very happy to hear that your sister is better now.Ofcourse she has a great sister to help her out!:))Have a great weekend.

Kavitha,thank you for the feedback sweetie!:)A 4yr old liking the Beet Rasam is a very good news indeed,my kids love it too.I think it's the red color which attracts them like candy!:D Enjoy the Kurma.Next time try the Poori and Mysore Greenpeas Saagu(you can add veggies too),it's in the recipe index!Happy Shankranti!:)

Anonymous said...

Hi Ashaji, I know you post every Wednesday but couldn't visit you until today :-( So I am a bit late, but just in time to wish you Happy Sankranti :-) I identify Sankranti with Kite flying !!

Never tried Broccoli in Kurma before, but will have to try that next time. Nice me me too :-)

Anonymous said...

Hi ben, just popping in to say Hi...been some what busy recently, not had the chance to visit my beloved blogs...hey dishes, lovely lovely lovely...take care...

Anonymous said...

opps forgot to mention thanks for thinking off me when doing your Meme...hey you never know, I could be a Desi Mafia bhai...I could be masquerading as a food bloggie...so nobody knows what i really do...~grin~...take care ben...you are a gem my lady...

Anonymous said...

Hello Asha,

I plan to eat brocolli so many times and every time I go grocery shopping I drop it from my list ..thinking May be next time asi dont like it much...You have given me some inspiration to go ahead and try it :-) .

And as always love to read your post

FH said...

Hi Sushma,thank you! Hope you try Broccoli next time!:)Do not cook it too much as it tends to fall apart!

Hi Dilipbhai,I am scared now!!:D
You never know,you might be one there in UK!!Please don't come to US to start the bhaihood!:)
Thanks Dilip,visit only when you have time,no problem!:)

Hi Abha,you can visit anytime you want until next Tuesday,don't worry about it.Enjoy the recipes.
Oh!yes,kite flying is this season right?I had forgotten!What fun they must be having in India now!!:))

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha! Thanks for tagging me but looks like between you and ISG, you have everyone I know covered! :) Will take it up though.
The kurma looks good, A!
Happy Shankranti to you and your family! Making pongal tomorrow?

Anonymous said...

That kurma is on my must-try list, Asha. Nice post as always..:) and I have just realised that there a few food bloggers I haven't met yet. Am gonna go blog-hopping now..:)

Happy Pongal to your and your family!

FH said...

Hi Vani.I know,I tried to list everybody but couldn't!But do a teeny weeny one so you can cover whomever I didn't!:)Thanks.Sankranti is not that imp to us,but just Diwali and Shiv Ratri are.I will cook something anyway and put in the next post!You have fun though.Eveything first for M!:))

Thank you Sailu!:)) I know! there are LOT of new bloggers suddenly came out few months ago and they just embraced me like a big sister!:)Do visit them,they are all pretty good!Happy Sankranthi to you and your's too. Enjoy....

Creativecook said...

Hey Asha,

I love brocolli, have to try the Kurma sometime.

Rinku

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha
Home sweet home. Nice pictures of ur home. Your brocolli kurma looks delicious.

Shionge said...

Hiya Asha....wonderful post and with such long post...I kept coming back again to re-read it all the time...or should I say, re-look at the yummy dish.

Is it true that yoghurt is always eaten in every meal? Is it becoz it is 'cooling'?

FH said...

Thanks Rinku.Try and let me know!:))Happy Sankranthi to you.

Hi Padmaja,long time no see!:))Thanks girl and happy Sankranthi.Enjoy the day.

Hi Shionge!Thank you as always, you are a sweetie!:))
Yes,we do make yoghurt everyday in India to eat and to drink as Buttermilk and also add to cooking!It is cooling in hot tropical country like India.Here in US,I buy tubs and also don't eat yoghurt somuch as we did in India.It's good for you though!:))

Anonymous said...

Hello Asha,

Wishing you and your family a very Happy Makar Sankranthi.

Also wanted to let you know that you are Gem of a person. Its always a pleasure to read your posts. It feels like a family.

Happiness Always
Sushma

FH said...

Aww..!!! Thank you Sushma! How sweet of you to say that!:)You made my day.Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend and Sankranthi too:)

Lisa Johnson said...

Great post and I'm looking forward to the great cooking that we'll see with your new toy!

Pavani said...

Hi Asha, Great write-up and wonderful recipes. I want to make those puffy phulkas too, but I have an electric stove and the heat is not as uniform as the gas burner. I wish I had a gas burner :-(

FH said...

Thanks Anali for visiting.Yes you will see the recipes,very soon!;D

Pavani,that is not a gas burner.I have electric too but it looks like gas there.We bought a new oven with a flat glass top,but electric.Try with cooling rack on electric burner,works fine.Thanks and hope you had a good Pongal day today!:))

Ultimate Foodie said...

Hi asha!

happy Makara Sankrati!
hoping to roll out perfect phulkas at least this year ;)..thanks for the helpful post...

vasilisa said...

Great ideas! As soon as I'm into cooking again (seriously fell off the wagon here) I'm trying the coliflower dish. I love the Aloo-Gobi I get in restaurants, and this looks like a similar idea, right?

And I'm so jelous of your new gadget. I've been dying to get a KitchenAid mixer for ages... But it just hasn't happened yet. Hopefully someone will remember (and be able to afford it) by my B-Day.

FH said...

Hi ultimate foodie,you are welcome.Don't worry ,you will.Just have to make them often even if they don't come right at first!It was hard for me too!:)

Hi Lisa,thank you as always.Yes,add potaotoes instead of Broccoli,you are there!:)But take it easy now,you can do it later.I hope somebody remembers to get you that KA! Give him a hint!;D
It's a great machine which lasts long time,it's good deal.Gadgets come later.Have fun.

Sri said...

Hi Asha, Happy Sankranthi to you too...I like your mix veg subzi. Last couple to days was kind of busy so was unable to comment. :) I envy you coz of all those gadgets you have. :))

FH said...

Hi Sri,thank you.Don't worry if you can't comment early,blogging should be fun not a chore,right?:))That subzi is so easy,you can practically add any veg.Enjoy. Happy Sankranthi to you.

Suma Gandlur said...

Asha,
Just love your blog and recipes.I have bookmarked many of your recipes to try & added your site to my bloglist so that I don't miss any future posts of yours.
Thanks for visiting my blog and keep coming.

sallywrites said...

Happy Makara Sankranti Asha!!

Great blog as usual...

Sally

Rajani Rayudu said...

Hi Asha
Happy Pongal to u too. You got nice recipes here and thanks for commenting at my blog.
cheers
rajani

FH said...

Hi Suma.Welcome to my blog and thank you.Glad you liked my recipes,let me how did it go and if you have any q's!:))I wil visit you ofcourse!

Hi Sally, thank you.Hope you had a great weekend!:)

Thank you for visiting Rajani.Hope you had a good Sankranthi.Back to "normal" tomorrow!:))

Krithika said...

Happy Sankranti ! We make mor keerai at home and is one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing this delicacy. Kurma looks delicious !

deepsat said...

Belated Sankranti wishes to you!! take care and pls keep pouring these mouth watering recipes.

;-))

Dalicia said...

my dad loves phulkas....hmmm i wonder how i would do in indian cooking!

Nee said...

Happy Makara Ssankaranti Ashamma! I was wondering where your post was, the page didn't auto-refresh!

Thanks for the Gobi-Broccoli kurma - will try it out and let you know!

Nee

PS - the Chiroti was FANTASTIC!

jacob said...

whoa, that's like a marathon post;-)
gobi and broccoli is most inventive. i hate broccoli, but i might just change my mind now.

FH said...

Thank you Krithika for telling me about Mor Keerai.None of the Tamilians commented on it,so I was thinking may be it's not authentic!:D I loved it with Rice rotti!:)

Will do happily Deepsat!:) Thank you.

Try it Dalicia!You will love it,guaranteed.Cook easy dishes first and then the tough ones!:)

Hi Nee,blogger problems.I couldn't get to many sites as well.Even today,it's going off and on!
Glad you enjoyed Chiroti!:)Looking forward to your mom's recipes you got for me I hope.I will mail you later,been busy.Try Kurma and let me know!:))

Hi Jacob.It's amazing how many people don't like Broccoli!:D
Is it the color or the way Indians cook it to death!Sauteed Broccoli is excellent and lot of iron too!Hope you try one more time,stir-fried!:))Thanks Jacob.

Mr. J said...

I believe, Sankranti also known as Pongal is celebrated in the north as well and as far as I know, it's the onset of Summer.

I miss getting my hands cut with the 'maanja' while flying kites.

Happy Pongal to you Ash.

FH said...

Caught up with me right before my new post!Well done!:))

Tamilians call it Pongal,Andhra and K'takites call it Sankranthi,'Lohri'in punjab and so on.It's onset of sowing season for farmers,almost like Thanksgiving to celebrate the Harvest.Yes,it's also kite season!:))Fun,isn't it?Some kites come with glass coated threads to compete,we used normal ones.Not much imp. to us here(Pongal festival)but cooked something for kids so they know atleast what it is!:))
Thanks Johnny,hope your new PC(pressure cooker!)keeping your hunger at bay!:D

Mallika said...

Hi Asha, thanks for another lovely spinach recipe and a links to so many great food blogs... my hubby will not be happy!!

FH said...

Thanks Mallika,do try some of them.Tell your hubby to go to sleep and browse at night!:D:D
They are all great foodies and yes! You might get addicted!:)

Roopa (KitchenAromas) said...

Hi Asha,
The curries and phulkas look mouth watering! I am FINALLY beginning to get some success with puffing the phulkas on an electric stove and every time they puff, it is an unbeliveable feeling! :)
Happy Sankranthi to you and your family!
- Roopa

FH said...

Hello Roopa.See! You got keep on trying until you get it and you will.I am so glad you did.Once you get that knack,it will be easy everytime,trust me!:)Enjoy all the dishes.Thank you.

Lady Amalthea said...

What great recipes! I also love that, in your picture of cooking the phulkas, the stove seems purple!

Sia said...

hi ashakka:) its WEDNESDAY:) waiting for ur new post:)

FH said...

Hi Lady A! Welcome and thank you.Phulkas need high heat for them to puff up as soon as they hit the top of the stove and it literally takes seconds to puff!:)

Hi Sups!:)) I know,I just woke up,got to get the kids ready for school.As soon as they leave,I will post!:))

Neer said...

i can almost taste these words!! :)

FH said...

Hey Neers! Last one to comment before my new post!:D Thank you Neers,enjoy them all!

Melting Wok said...

Asha, you just know what we like, don't you *grins* I missed korma too, used to eat that back home, I am practically salivating at the moment, thanks to you, cheers ! :)

FH said...

Hi MW! Thanks.Now you don't have to go home to eat Kurma!You can make at home wherever you are now that you got the recipe!:)Hope you try!

Melting Wok said...

Asha, I start with the easy ones, looked what you made me do, I just cooked up Chayote & Potato Indian Stir Fry on a Friday night instead of eating out haha, thanks for your motivation :)) yayy !! :)
Sincerely, Shirley

Priya said...

Asha: Did you change the template or just my computer??

FH said...

Hi Shirly,goor for you girl!:)) Looks great.Chayote and Potato combo is great too.Cooking at home is lot satisfying than going to a restaurant sometimes!Have fun.

Hi Priya.I got tired seeing oink so I thought I would change the Template.I screwed somuch that the whole blog went off yesterday.I almost had a mini heart attack!Somehow,after 30mins,I got it all back.Still trying get a good background color.Nothing wrong with your PC ,don't worry!:D

Melting Wok said...

Asha, you should put all your top recipe pictures for your logo, that would be really really appetizing hehe, cheers, thanks for the motivation :)

FH said...

Yeah Shirley! Get my food pics everywhere,toot my own horns and become a megalomaniac!:D:D
You are doing a great job on your own sweetie,enjoy!:)

Anonymous said...

I just love reading about your cooking adventures. This post made my mouth water, starting at the beginning and all the way through the end.

FH said...

Thanks Kristen!I appreciate it!:))Hope you try some and enjoy too.

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha!
I'm fairly new to your blog, but I wanted you to know that I tried out your recipe for phulkas, and they turned out perfectly! I was especially pleased since it was my very first attempt at making them!
Thanks so much - I look forward to your future posts!

FH said...

Thanks for trying and liking Phulkas Gilly!:))Hope you come back.

Smita said...

Hi Asha,
I was inspired by your recipe for french onion soup and used that and some other recipes that I found online to make it. I am fellow blogger and have blogged about it on my blog http://dabbusrecipes.blogspot.com/ . I have given credit to your blog for inspiring me and I hope that is sufficient. Please do let me know if you have any objections to this. Happy blogging! Email me at smitak12@gmail.com if you would like me to change anything.

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,

Thank you for a very inspiring blog with good recipes with beautiful pictures.
All your recipes look very mouth watering and I can't wait to try them. The Malai Kofta recipe is the one I will go with first, because its my favorite and mine has never come out good in my several earlier attempts from different cookbooks.
You have mentioned you are using tandoori pd, can you please tell me which brand you are using or if you are preparing at home then its recipe.
Your blog has inspired me and got me all excited to start cooking again. Thank you very much.

Regards,
Nisha.

FH said...

Hi Nisha,thank you very much!:))
Glad you liked the blog and inspiring you to cook.If you are new to cooking,choose easy dishes first.As for Koftas,make sure Kaddu is very dry without much moisture,add 1 potato cooked and mashed and some besan as required.When I made it,they came out well as you can see but some had trouble with soft Kaddu Koftas,just wanted to tell you that!:)
Tandoori masala; I use Sharwood's which is from UK,excellent product.If you don't get it,here is the list they have on the pack,adjust the ingredients to your taste.
Cumin,Mustard pd,Ginger pd,Cinnamon,Fenugreek pd,onion pd,garlic pd,red and black pepper,salt,Bay leaf,turmeric and Paprika! Phew! No wonder it tastes great!:))
Good luck.Hope to see your comment again.Have a great weekend.