Dry Coconut Chutney - for Vada Pav

A savoury dry masala powder made with peanut and spices

Vada pav is a popular street food of Maharashtra.It is Known as an Indianized burgar.A spicy fried potato dumpling is stuffed between a pav and few chutneys are applied on the bun slices and then a generous amount of dry coconut powder is sprinkled over the dumpling.

This dry coconut chutney is ground coarse so it gives a nice crunch and spice to the vada pav. Sesame seeds, peanuts and coconut is used to make this chutney.You can also use normal chili powder but kashmiri chili powder gives a nice and bright red colour so prefer to use kashmiri chili powder and if you are using normal chili powder then reduce the quantity of chilies according to your taste.

Don't grind it very fine otherwise peanut and sesame release their natural oil and it will become sticky.I have added boondi at last stage of grinding to add some crispness to the chutney but this is optional you can skip adding it.

Prep time - 5  min
Cooking time-10 min
Difficulty level-easy
Spice level - medium hot
Cuisine - Indian,Maharashtra
Type - spice blend ,street food

INGREDIENTS-

• 1/3 cup - Peanuts / moongphali
• 1/4 cup - Sesame seeds / til
• 1/2 cup - Desiccated coconut /sookha nariyal
• 2 tbsp - Kashmiri mirch powder
• 1 tsp - Cumin /jeera
• to taste - Salt /namak
• 1/4 tsp - Citric acid /tatri
• 2 tbsp - Boondi (optional)

PROCEDURE-

1. In  a heavy bottom pan add sesame seeds and dry roast till they start crackling.
2. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
3. Heat 1tsp of oil in the pan and add peanuts and roast on low heat.
4. When they start changing the color then remove them from the pan.
5. Now add desiccated coconut and cumin in the pan and slightly roast (no need to change the color )
6. Add the toasted sesame seeds in the mixer and crush coarsely.
7. Now add all the fried ingredients,citric acid and spices in the mixer and crush to make a coarse powder.
8. Add fried boondi and churn again.
9. Store in a air tight bottle.

Eggless Blueberry Muffins

Eggless Blueberry Muffins-Soft and moist eggless muffins

Summers are the best time to get fresh and delicious blueberries. I love their flavour in cakes and muffins so when I find a bag of fresh blueberries in my local store, the first thing that came to my mind was to make muffins. After going through a few different recipes on the net, I made these muffins and  loved the caramelized berries in the soft and moist muffins. You can adjust the quantity of blueberries between 1/2 a cup to 1 cup depending on how much you like them.

I love making muffins and cup cakes and already posted Orange cup cakes and beautiful and delicious Strawberry cup cakes recipes. But these blue berry muffins are now my new favorites.

Prep time - 15 minutes
Baking time - 35 minutes
Difficulty level - Easy
Cuisine - International
Type - Dessert, Breakfast

INGREDIENTS-

• Refined flour / Maida - 1cup +2 tbsp
• Fresh blueberries - 3/4 cup
• Corn flour - 3 tbsp
• Yogurt / Dahi - 1 cup
• Cooking oil - 1/2 cup
• Castor sugar / Pisi hui chini - 3/4 cup
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
• Lemon Zest / Kasa hua nimbu ka chilka - 1 tsp
• Baking Powder - 1 tsp
• Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE- 

1. Sieve flour in a big bowl.
2. Wash and wipe the  blueberries and dust(sprinkle) them with 1 tbsp of flour.
3. In a separate bowl add yogurt, castor sugar and mix well.
4. Now add baking soda and baking powder in the yogurt and mix.
5. Let the yogurt mixture rest for 3-4 minutes or till it froth.
6. Now add oil ,vanilla essence and lemon zest in the yogurt mixture and mix gently .
7. Now add the sieved  flour in the yogurt mix .(keep adding 1 tbsp flour at a time and keep mixing)
8. Now add the blue berries in the flour mix and stir gently.
9. Fill the prepared mixture in muffin cups till 3/4 level(don't fill it till the top ,as it need some space to rise while baking) 
10. Bake in a  preheated oven at 170 c for 35 minutes or till a tooth pick inserted come out clean.
11. Let it rest for 5 minutes in the oven.
12. Remove from the muffin cups and serve.

Idli Miligai podi /Malga podi

Flavorful and delicious spice powder made with roasted lentil and spices

Milagai podi or malgapodi is a popular powder/chutney/podi of every south Indian kitchen.It is a nice accompaniment to serve with dosa ,idli,adai and vada. When ever I go to any south Indian restaurant  I love the malgapodi more then the chutnies served with idli and dosas.

When I met a south Indian friend of mine she shared her family recipe with me.Though there are many recipes to make malga podi and every family has their own traditional family recipe but the main ingredients remains the same, just different ratios of ingredients or few more or less ingredients to be added . Addition of tamarind and jaagary is optional ,you can add or skip both.

Traditionally Malga podi is served mixed with little sesame oil but you can use ghee or have plain like I do. Idlis smeared with malga podi and ghee taste wonderful and also very good to pack in kids lunchbox .I loved it with plain steamed rice or even with roti and parathas.This spicy and flavourful podi goes well with almost every thing, it is also a very good accompaniment as a dry chutney and easy to carry along for travelling and journey.

Prep time -20 min
Difficulty level - easy
Spice level - medium
Cuisine - South Indian
Type - powder,side
yield - 1.5 cup

INGREDIENTS-

• Bengal gram /chana dal -1/2 cup
• White lentil /urad daal -1/2 cup
• Kashmiri red chilis/lal mirch -10
• Sesame seeds / till - 1 tbsp
• Whole coriander seeds/sabut dhaniya -1 tbsp
• Salt /namak - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida- /hing - pea size
• Dry tamarind /Imli -1 tbsp
• Jaggary /gur -1 tbsp
• Cooking oil - 1 tsp
• Whole pepper corn /sabut kali mirch - 10
• Dried curry leaves-10

PROCEDURE-

1. In a pan add oil and both lentils/daal.
2. Roast till they become red in color.
3. Now remove the roasted daal from the pan and keep aside.
4. Add sesame seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns in the pan and dry roast till they give a nice aroma.
5. Remove from the pan and keep aside
6. Add 1 tsp of oil in the pan and add red chilies and roast for a minute on low heat.
7. Add curry leaves and asafoetida and stir for few seconds and remove from the pan.
8. Let  the ingredients cool down completely.
9. Grind the roasted ingredients, jaggary, salt and tamarind  in the mixer to make a coarse powder.
10. Store in an air tight jar.

Serving suggestions-Mix with little ghee or sesame oil or use just as a dry powder to serve with idli,dosa or vada.

NOTE-

Addition of jaggary and tamarind is optional,depends on individual taste and preference, tastes great both ways.