NUGGE SOPPINA CHUTNEY/DRUMSTICK /MORINGA LEAVES CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS

2 cups drumstick leaves (Do not use the stems, pick only the leaves)

3-4 red chilies

1tsp dhania (coriander seeds)

a small piece of tamarind

1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)

5-6 tbsp grated coconut

salt to taste

METHOD

In a vessel boil all the ingredients except coconut, till the leaves become soft. Remove from flame and add the grated coconut. Allow to cool and grind to a paste. Temper with mustard ,udad dal (black gram) and hing.

Nutritious chutney is ready to be served. This can be mixed with steamed rice and eaten. For extra flavour mix a few drops of coconut oil to the rice and mix the chutney and relish.



                                                        ASH GOURD PEEL CHUTNEY


Peel the skin of Ash gourd and follow the same procedure for making the chutney. Here I have used green chilis instead of red.

Moth bean curry/ madki kalu palle

This is generally eaten in north karnataka along with jowar (pearl  millets). rotti or bajra (black millets) rotti (flattened bread)
These millets form  the staple diet of people in North karnataka. They are eaten in the form of rottis along with different varieties of bean curries, raw onion, curd and chutney pudi.( spicy powder)
I learnt this recipe from  my cousin who makes very good north karnataka dishes.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups soaked moth bean
3-4 green chilies
1/2 tsp jeera (cumin)
1'' piece ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 large onion
A few curry leaves
A few coriander leaves
2 tsp oil

METHOD
Grind the green chilies ,cumin,ginger, garlic, curry leaves and coriander leaves  along with salt to a  thick paste and keep aside. This paste can be store in the refrigerator for a week and used when required.

Heat oil in a pan.  Add a little mustar and cumin. When mustard splutters, add curry leaves.
Add chopped onions and saute till they become transparent.Now add the soaked moth beans/madki. Add 2-3 tsp of the ground paste.Add salt. Sprinkle a liitle water and cover with a lid. Cook for a few mins till the beans become 3/4th cooked and remove from flame. The beans should not become too soft.
Serve with chapatis.

BISI BELE BHATH

Bisi Bele Bhath which means Hot Lentils and Rice is a dish from Karnataka.. It is a complete meal in itself as it contains rice, dal and a mix of vegetables.
Here I have shared a quicker way of making this dish,
Though it sounds very complex, it's very easy to make.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup rice
1 cup toovar dal (pigeon peas)
3-4 cups of mixed vegetables (beans, carrot, potaoes, peas etc)
Chop the vegetables into large cubes to prevent them from getting overcooked.

• SPICES USED

3-4 cloves ( laung/lavang)
1 1/2'' piece of cinnamon  (dalchini)
1 small cardamom (elaichi)
1 1/2-2tsp sambar powder
1 tsp coriander powder(dhania powder)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder(haldi)
1/4 tsp asafoetida ( hing)
salt
2-3 tsp Tamarind pulp
Curry leaves

FOR TEMPERING
6-7 tsp oil
3 tbsp groundnuts
1 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
3-4 whole red chilies
Curry leaves
2 onions, sliced
2 tomatoes finely chopped

METHOD

• Add about 5 cups of water to a pressure cooker and add rice, dal , vegetables, 1 tsp salt, turmeric powder and cook till you get one whistle.

• Meanwhile fry the cloves, cinnamon and cardamom in a drop of oil and powder them.

• In a vessel add a cup of water, the powdered spices, turmeric powder, sambhar powder ,coriander powder,1tsp salt ,asafoetida (hing) curry leaves and boil well till the raw smell of the powder is gone. You will get a nice aroma of the spices.

• Check your pressure  cooker now. The presuure would have subsided and you may be able to remove the lid. Check to see that the dal is cooked.

•  Add a cup of water and mix lightly. The rice should not turn to a paste.

•   Mix the  spiced up tamarind water and simmer. 
• Add water to make the mixture of a medium pouring consistency. Stir occasionally, but always be careful not to mash up the rice. Check the taste now. You can then adjust the sourness and spice (chili) in your  tempering.

• Heat oil. Add the groundnuts, mustard and  hing.  When the mustard splutters, add the red chilies and curry leaves
• . Add the sliced onions and saute till they become transparent .
•  Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and fry till  the water starts evaporating from the  tomatoes and the oil  starts leaving the sides . You can add an extra tomato if you want the rice mix to be  sour. Remember you have checked the mixture before!! 
•  Add sambhar powder or chili powder as per your requirement and mix this to the rice mix.

The whole mix should be semi solid in consistency.

Serve with papads and fried chilies and sandige . (These are sun dried products easily available in the super markets)

SANDIGE MENASU, HAPPALA , ARALU  SANDIGE