He he ..!!!!! More Tomatoes in my Kitchen.....

What to do...? RP of My Workshop made me to use more and more Tomatoes this time. We usually eat tomatoes everyday but this time the tomatoes are stocked soooooooooo much that they are in all different forms.The best ones i like are Fresh Vine Tomatoes & Fresh Plum Tomatoes.In canned form are Paste & Diced... You will not believe my pantry is full of canned tomatoes now....Anyway lets start cooking now, otherwise they will stay where they are & the JFI of this month will get over.Hey thanks RP for this months JFI- Tomato.

Erolli Tomato Gojju

Erolli-Tomato Gojju My MIL's Style

First Introduction to this Gojju and whats sooo special about this recipe.
This recipe is been transferred to me from my MIL, And was taught to her by her MIL & so on & on & on. That means its a Traditional recipe transferred from generation to generation in our family, & the surprising thing this is only the DIL's of the family have taken more interest to learn & carry forwarded this special recipe.
I Thank my MIL to teach me this recipe with lots of Love & Care.
Its our favourite one.

Now to the Gojju... Gijju is made of few main ingredients like sour (tamarind, amachur, sour or raw tomatoes), sweet (Jaggery, sugar, sweet onion) and also of Spice & to balance them is Salt.
Its either in the form of thick garvy(can be eaten with roti or bread) or watery like rassam(which can be mixed with rice). Basically its Khatta- Meetha & yummyyyyyyyyy.

Okay now lets start with preparing Gojju.
You need:
Tomatoes- 6
Onion- 5
Green Chillies- 4
Ginger- 1 inch
Coriander leaves- according to your taste
tamarind- 1 lemon size soaked in 1/2 cup of water
Jaggery - 1 lemon size
Curry leaves - 1 stick
Molga pudi or Red chilly Powder- 1 to 2 tbsp (according to how spicy you like)
salt to taste
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Channa dal & udad dal - 2 tsp mixed
Oil - 3 tbsp (you can use more or less of it)

Erolli- tomato Gojju with Chapati

To Do:
Chop Onion & tomatoes really fine(you can use food processor to chop it).
Take oil in kadai & when its hot add mustard seeds, when it splutters add Channa dal & udad dal. Fry till they are golden.
Add slit green chilli's & curry leaves (Tip: To get more fragrance fro the curry leaves, do not chop them just tear them with hands).
Now add finely chopped onions & ginger(u can process it with onions only) & let them cook till becomes transparent.
Now add pureed or finely processed Tomatoes in it (Tip fro my MIL: Just transfer the transparent cooked onions at one side & add pureed tomatoes in the kadai, so that they will cook fast).
When all the ingredients are cooked add squeezed tamarind pulp (use moderately u can add more anytime) & jaggery.
When the Gojju comes to boil add Molga pudi or red chilly pwd & salt.
Let the gojju boil very thoroughly add more oil if needed, also check the seasoning.
Now garnish with chopped coriander leaves & Enjoy with your kind of Rotis & bread & also with Dosa or plane rice topped with ghee.

Cabbage Kofta in Tomato Gravy
This recipe is a mixture of two different recipe i learnt from my friends. So the credite goes to them.

All You Need:
For Koftas:
Cabbage- 1/2 finelt chopped
All purpose flour - 1 tbsp
Gram Flour - 2 tbsp
Turmeric - 1tsp
Salt - 1 tsp

For Gravy:
Tomato sauce - 3 8 OZ. cans
All whole Garam masala items
Ginger Garlic & Chilly Paste - 2 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Honey - 2 tsp
Kasuri methi - 1 tsp
Oil
Salt to taste

Cabbage Koftas in Tomato Gravy

To Do:
Add salt in Chopped cabagge & keep aside for few minutes.
By now all the water from the cabbage has drained out, so now add all other items for the kofta & make medium size balls.Fry the koftas in hot oil & drain on a tissue paper.
In a kadai add oil & when its hot add all Garam masala items.
Roast them for a while & then add GGC paste, fry for a while, don't let it burn.
Now add the canned sauce & cover the kadai.
Let the sauce cook till the colour of the sauce changes.
Now add red chilli powder & let it cook on a slow flame.
Just befor switching off add Honey & Kasuri methi & also Koftas.
Serve hot with rotis.

Falafel Hot Sauce

Falafal hot sauce with Methi Pakodas

All you need:
Canned tomatoes- 2 cups
Juice of 1 lemon
Garlic clove -1 put through a garlic press
Finely chopped parsley- 1 Tbs
Brown sugar - 1 Tbs
Chili sauce according to your taste
Salt to taste

To Do:
Put all the ingredients into a small, heavy pan.
Bring to the boil, and simmer uncovered until the tomatoes break up.
Adjust the seasoning and allow to cool.
Enjoy with Falafal, here we enjoyed with Methi Pakodas.

Tomato flavered Sabbakki Sandage (Sagu papads)

Sabbakki Sandage Tomato flavoured

This favourate of all in our house, specially the tomato flavered ones. Till now i used to get this from India, my Mom used to make for me and send with somebody(if i am not visiting India shortly). But now this time it seems like i have to make them myself. so just waiting for the Summer.
These papads can be prepared in different flavours & can be stored for many years and can be consumed fried or microwaved (for diet).
Its called Sabudane Chikwade in Marathi.

You need:

Sorry........ I am short of time, will upgrade soon....

Clouds of Sabbakki Sandage

Comfort Food

Is there is Anything Better Than Comfort Food..?
Well no, specially when you are tired or exausted & doing many things at a time with 2 kids. My Comfort Food is very simple & yummy but more than that its soothing on the tummy..........So lets start.......

PulliChar (Rassam made of Tamrind as main ingredient)
This kind of rassam is very good for unfomfortable tummy & also when you have cold & sour throat.

Sona Masuri Rice with Pulli Char & Tomato Thair pachadi

You need:
Tamrind Lemon size
Rassam powder 1 tbsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Salt
Curry Leaves
Coriander Leaves
Pepper corns 4 no.

For Tadaka:
Ghee
Mustard seeds 1tsp
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Asafordia

To Do:
Soak tamrind in little warm water for a while.
Mean while add all ingrdients other than for tadaka in a vessel.
Squeez the tamrind water & add in the vessel, add 3 to 4 cups of water to the mix & keep on the gas for boiling.
Let the rassam boil fully & then prepare the tadaka by heating ghee in the kadai.
Add mustard seeds cumin seeda as soon as splutter add asafordia & pour it on the boiling rassam.
Serve this rassam with hot Sonamasuri rice topped with ghee & Tomato Thair Pachadi (Tomato raitha).




Tomato Thair Pachadi

Tomato Thair pachadi

You need:
Tomatoes 4 (i prefer Organic specially for this dish)
Home made or store bought curd as per your taste
Coriander 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste

For thadaka:
Oil 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Asafordia
Green chillies 4

To do:
Chop the tomatoes in small cubes, & coriander finely.
Prepare tadaka by heating the oil & add mustard seeds & asafordia & slit green chillies.
Add this in the tomatoes & add salt & coriander. Now add Curd mix & enjoy.
Theres more to comfort food & that is why you whill be never satisfied with one day of comfort food.




So we had one more day of comfort food.

Tomato & dal Rassam with Carrot-tomato- Bellpepper Salad

Sona Masuri Rice with TCB Salad & Tomato Rassam

Rassam

You need:
Tuar dal 1/2 cup (boil it with 1 cup of water , pinch of turmeric & 1 tsp of oil in pressure cooker)
tomatoes 2
Rassam powder 1 tbsp
Tamarind 1/2 lemon size
sugar or jagerry 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
coriander leaves
salt

For thadaka:
Ghee 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Asafordia 1 pinch

To do:
Soak tamarind in Warm water & squeez pulp out of it.
Mix all the ingredients other than cooked dal & tadaka.
Boil the mixture on a low flame till the Khushbu attracts your taste buds.
Now add the cooked dal(make a somooth paste by adding little water) & let it boil till it starts forming the froth (Just like milk froth).
Thats when the Rassam is ready for thadaka. Pour the prepared thadaka & enjoy it with hot Sonamasuri rice topped with ghee.


For Tomato-Carrot- Bellpepper Salad

You need:
Carrots -2 to 3
Tomatoes - 2
Bellpepper -1
Coriander leaves chopped -1/4 cup
Salt to taste

For Tadaka:
Oil
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Asafordia a pinch
Green chillies -2 Split

To do:
Peel the skin of the Carrots & grate with the help of gratter.
Chop the tomatoes & bellpepper into small cubes.
Now prepare the tadaka by adding mustard seeds in hot oil & add asafordia & split chillies & also chopped bellepepper, let it roast for while & add little salt & add it in the vegetables mix.
Add coriander leaves & check the seasoning & add more salt if needed.
Enjoy with your kind of Rassam & rice.

I would live to enter these Comfort Food for RP's JFI of April - Tomatoes.

Chutney Lovers

We love chutney with every dish, so thought of making some without using coconut or least coconut. This is one of them & will keep posting more as i will make them.

Grapes Chutney(will upload the pictures soon)

You need:
Grapes 1 Cup
Green chillies 4 (or as per taste)
Coriander leaves 1/2 Cup
Ginger 1/2 inch
Salt As per taste

To Do:
Take all ingredients in a mixer & Grind them to a smooth paste.
Serve it in decorative transparent bowl with Suffed Idli's or Potato sanwidch Bhaji.


Heres one more Chutney, its Tomato Chutney.

Tomato Chutney

You need:
Tomatoes -4
Green chillies- 3 to 4 (according to how spicy they are)
Peanuts- 1/4 cup (roasted or store bought)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp
Asafordia - pinch
Salt to taste

To Do:
Chop tomatoes roughly in cubes.
Take oil in kadai when is hot add jeera, asafordia & slit green chillies.
Add chopped tomatoes & let it cook till the rawness goes.
Let it cool & then grind in mixie with peanuts & salt.
Check the seasonning & adjust accordingly.
Enjoy with hot rice or roti or even bread.

There is a slight variation in the above Tomato chutney, for those who do not prefer Peanuts.
Instead of Peanuts use roasted & powdered Seaseme seeds.
Add it only after grinding the tomatoes.
If you like rough texture in chutney, do not grind just smash it with smasher.

I would love to enter this chutney for RP's JFI of April- Tomaotes.

Indianised Mexican dish

We had Mexican dinner & wanted to share with all of you. I Indianised this dish & we all enjoyed it very much.

Desi Fajitas

You need:
Small zucchini-2, cut into circles
Medium small yellow squash-1, cut into circles
Large onion-1, sliced
Green bell pepper-1, cut into thin strips
Red bell pepper-1, cut into thin strips
Olive oil-2 tablespoons
Boiled Potato-1, cut into circles
Whole kernel corn-1 can , drained (Optional)

Black beans-1 can , drained (Optional)
For marinade:-
Olive oil-1/4 cup
Lemon juice-1/4 cup
Dried kasuri methi-1 teaspoon
Chili powder-1 teaspoon
garlic salt to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Sugar-1 teaspoon

You do:
In a large bowl combine all the marinade items. To the marinade add the zucchini, yellow squash, onion, green pepper and red pepper. Marinate vegetables in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but not more than 24 hours.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain the vegetables and saute until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the corn,beans and potato; increase the heat to high for 5 minutes, to brown vegetables.
Then take the corn Tortillas spread some hot Sauce(I will upload the recipe soon). Then spread this above vegetable mix on the half part of the tortilla. Add some cheese on it & fold it half .Now bake in Oven on 300 till it turn little golden & crispy(or app. for 15 min). Either cult in to 2 or 3 triangular size & serve with Pineapple Salsa. Or roll the tortilla & roast on the Tawa, cut in to half & serve with Salsa.

Pineapple salsa

You need:
Pineapple 1/2 Cut in small cubes
Red Onion 1 small cut in to small cubes
Coriander leaves 1/4 cup
Crushed pepper corns 4
Lemon juice 1/2
Red chili pwd (according to your taste)
Salt

To do:
Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl.
And enjoy with corn chips or any Mexican dish.
If you desire you can add little chat masala.

I enter this Pineapple Salsa recipe for Maheswari's AFAM

Get Rolling!!!!!!!!!

I came across Coffee's MBP event for this month & thought about entering my recipe......... Now lets see what to make ? And my daughter said "Amma masala chapati...." Now you must be thinking whats this Masala Chapati is made up of..? For that you have to scroll down dear.

As Coffee said "Lets Roll!!!!!!!!"......... Why Not???? :)

Masala Chapati served with Cucumber Raitha & Chili Pickle

Masala Chapati

All you need:

1 1/2 cups wheat flour
1/2 cups gram flour
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
1/2 turmeric powder
2-3 pinches asafaetida
1/2 tsp each cumin / oregano seeds
finely chopped coriander
1 tbsp water

You to do:
Knead a slightly stiff dough, adding all above ingredients, cover with wet cloth. Break off bits and make small potato sized balls. Roll to 3-4 mm thickness. Roast on griddle (tawa) as for phulka.
Or make Chapatis (Parathas).
Apply ghee or butter and serve hot with sweetened mango preserve
(chunda) or curds (I lake Raitha) or jam.

Hey I am a Potato Fan!!!
Love to have Potato anytime of day. So here i came up with a dish where I have prepared one potato sabji & used it in many different way.
So here comes our favourite root POTATO.

Yummy Potato Sabji

You need:
Potatoes 4 Big ones
Onion 4 big ones Finely chopped
Green chillies 8 nos Slit in to half
Coriander 1/2 cup finely chopped
Curry leaves 1 stick
Salt to taste

For tadaka:
Oil
Mustard seeds
Channa dal & udad dal 2 tbsp
Turmeric

To do:
Boil the potatoes in cooker, peel & mash them.
Take oil in a kadai, when its warm enough add mustard seeds & channa dal, udad dal fry till it bocomes golden.
Add chopped onion & green chillies, fry till onion becomes transparent.
Add turmeric, salt & curry leaves. Let it cook for a while & add mashed potatoes & coriander leaves.
Mix well & cook for few min on low flame.
Serve hot with Chapatis or use it to make masala Dosas.



And one day I came up with this dish which I call Stuffed Idli .
So heres the dish.

All you need:
Leftover or freshly made onion potao sabji(usually used for Masala Dosa)
Idli batter
Idli stand & steamer
Ghee or Oil for grease

All you have to do:
Make small lime size balls of potato sabji & flatten them.
Grease the Idli stand with Ghee or oil & pour a 3/4 th Tbsp of batter in each idli holes.
Now place flatten potato sabji in the middle & cover them again with the batter.
Steam the idli's in the steamer or cooker as usual you do for idli's.
Once they are steamed just take them out & cut it in half, it gives a nice appeal to serve.
Serve with any chutney, I love to serve with Grapes Chutney.



I find very difficulty in making stuffed parathas, most of the time they break & taste more of a doughy.
So i came up with a solution Chiroti Stuffed Paratha.

You need:
Onion potao Sabji for filling
Chapati or Roti dough for external layer
Oil for roasting

To Do:
Take a large portion of the dough. Roll it into a circular disc with the help of a rolling pin & dry flour. Spread the filling all over the dough. Now roll the dough with filling inside to make a cylendar shape.
Now cut the cylenders on many pices to make individual balls. Flatten these balls & roll them into medium circles.
Now transfer this to a griddle(tava) and cook till brown spots appear on both sides of the parantha.


Apply little oil on each side and cook till golden brown.
Serve hot with achar (pickle) and dahi (yogurt) our your favourite Chutney.


Potato sanwich Bhaji

You need:
Potato sabji
Bread
Cheakpeas Flour
Dhaniajeera powder
Red chilli powder
Lemon Juice
Salt
Oil for frying

To Do:
Make batter by mixing Cheakpeas flour, daniajeera pwd, Redchilli pwd, salt & lemon juice.
Add little bit of water to make a batter of right consistenct to make Bhajis.
Now toast the bread in toaster & spread the potato sabji & put another bread on top.
Just make a Sandwich.
Cut it in two diagonally making two triangles.
Dip in the batter & deepfry in the oil.
Fry them in oil till they are golden in colour & take out
Place on the Absorbent paper to get ride of excess oil.
Serve hot or cold(Picnics, outings) with Grapes chutney & Tomato Sauce.

Link to tis post : POTATO :JFI of Month