HOW TO STORE CORIANDER (CILANTRO)

                   HOW TO STORE

             CORIANDER (CILANTRO)

 

This tip will be useful for people of Indian origin living outside of India and do not have luxury of going to Indian store every day.

·      DO NOT WASH CORIANDER.

·      DO NOT LEAVE IT OUTSIDE FOR LONG TIME ONCE YOU BRING HOME FROM STORE. CORIANDER REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION!!!

·      DO NOT FRIZZ CORIANDER.

It should stay good for 2 WEEKS and even sometime for 3 WEEKS (Trust me on this tip, You will run out of coriander before it will start going bad!!!)

STEP 1:

Use THICK kitchen towel. Thin muslin cloth or cheesecloth does not provide enough protection.

STEP 2:

Trim 1” to 1 ½” dirty ends of each coriander sprigs and discard and remove dull yellow coriander sprigs.

After trimming dirty ends and removing yellow sprigs arrange remaining fresh coriander sprigs on paper napkin.

STEP 3:

Place that paper napkin with coriander sprigs on thick kitchen towel and cover with another paper napkins.

STEP 4:

Start rolling from one end of the towel.

STEP 5:

Put rubber bend on each end of the rolled towel.

STEP 6:

Place rolled towel inside the same plastic bag you got coriander bunch from the grocery store.

STEP 7:

Store in fridge, where you keep all other vegetables.

STEP 8:

Every time you bring coriander out to add in your dish, open towel and remove any yellow or dark coriander sprigs if there are any. This way you will be able to keep rest of coriander fresh for long time.

OR…………………

Trim off dirty ends and place in long glass with water 1-2” high (same as flower bouquet) and keep it on kitchen counter.it should stay good from few days to 1 week only.

YOU CAN ALSO STORE OTHER FRESH GREEN HERBS SIMILAR WAY.

YOU CAN ALSO STORE GREEN CHILIES SIMILAR WAY TOO.

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MEDU VADA

                                                         MEDU VADA

                                                         (Yield: 12 to 15 Meduvada)     

Medu vada is a traditional and very popular south Indian appetizer. It’s a favorite South Indian breakfast (Tiffin) item. Made from spiced ground Urad dal batter.

INGREDIENTS:

·      ¾ cup Urad Dal (Split Black Gram)

·      ½ cup Onion or Shallots, finally chopped (OPTIONAL)

·      ½ tsp. Cumin Seeds, rub between palms before adding

·      ½ tsp. Black Pepper Corns, coarsely crushed OR ¼ tsp. Black Pepper Powder

·      5-6 Green Chilies or as per taste, chopped

·      2 T Coriander Leaves, chopped

·      1” Ginger, grated (Grate through the big holes on the grater)

·      7-8 Curry leaves, chopped into small pieces

·      Pinch Asafoetida

·      Salt as per taste

·      Oil for deep frying

LET’S PREPARE:

Wash urad dal to remove loose white powder from it.

Soak urad dal in enough water for overnight or for at least 4-5 hours.

DRAIN WATER AND GRIND URAD DAL INTO COARSE TO FINE PASTE IN FOOD PROCESSOR WITHOUT ADDING WATER, IF NECESSORY ADD VERY LITTLE WATER. (Make sure batter is not too loose and runny)

Whisk the ground dal with your hand (OR with spoon) to make it light and fluffy. To check if its fluffy enough, drop a small ball of whipped batter in a cup filled with water, if ball floats over water surface, then it is well aerated, but if it sinks in the bottom then it needs to whisk some more.

Combine all remaining ingredients with ground dal batter and mix well.

Meanwhile heat oil in frying pot over medium heat.

Cut 12” by 12” size piece of aluminum foil, fold it into half, and again fold it in half to get 6” by 6” size thick foil piece. (OR use thick plastic piece)

Hold this aluminum foil piece in one of your palm.

Spread generous amount of oil on aluminum foil piece.

Scoop out batter with ice-cream scoop and put it on the foil and give it a round shape.

Have 1-cup water filled in bowl on a side to wet your fingers.

Wet your index finger in water and make uniform hole with the wet index finger in the center of medu vada.

Wet your entire fingers in water and flip medu vada on your wet fingers from aluminum foil.

CAREFULLY flip medu vada from your wet fingers into hot oil. (DON’T BURN YOUR FINGERS)

Fry the medu vadas over medium heat until golden brown on both the side and crispy.

Fry 2-3 medu vada at a time.

Drain on paper towel to absorb extra oil.

Repeat this process for remaining medu vada batter.

Serve hot medu vada with coconut chutney or with Rasam or with Sambhar.

Enjoy…

TIPS:

If batter turns loose then add little Rice Flour. If you end up adding lots of Rice Flour then you need to add some (1/2 tsp.) Fruit Salt (Eno) to the batter otherwise Medu Vada will turn dense.Click on the link below to like my "RASOI" Page. 
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WATERMELON SHAPED KAJU-PISTA BARFI

    

 WATERMELON SHAPED KAJU-PISTA

                            BARFI

                                      (Yield: Approximately 24 pieces)

INGREDIENTS:

·      3 cups Broken Cashews (You will get 4 ½ cup of fine cashew powder)

·      2 T Ghee (Clarified Butter)

·      1 ½ cups White Granulate Sugar or as per taste

·      Water, about ¾ cup or enough to cover sugar

·      Few Drops of Edible Red Food Color, as needed

·      Few Drops of Edible Green Food Color, as needed

·      ½ cup Cashews, chopped to add in red portion of the cashew Barfi

·      2 Plastic Sheets for rolling green Barfi

Click on the link below to like my "RASOI" Page.
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LET’S PREPARE:

First measure 3 cups of broken cashews then grind them into a fine powder.

Sieve through fine gauge sieve. You will get approximately 4 ½ cups (lightly packed) of cashew powder.

Heat ghee in a heavy bottom non-stick pan on medium-low heat.

Add cashew powder and stir fry and roast cashew powder until fragrant for about 3 minutes with constant stirring. Be careful not to burn cashew powder.

Transfer in a bowl and keep aside.

Make 1 string consistency syrup.
Heat sugar and water in a pot on medium heat. Stir until all the sugar crystals are dissolved. Allow mixture to boil, it will take about 6 to 7 minutes. Once syrup gets little thick pour 1 drop of syrup on back of a small steel bowl. Tip bowl at 45 degree angle and still syrup drop stays put like a pearl means syrup is ready .If syrup drop disperses then it needs to heat further to thicken more. It should be 1 string consistency syrup.

Divide roasted cashew powder in two parts, one part (Red Part) slightly more then other.

Add few drops of red food color and syrup as needed and cook until soft solid dough forms.  Take small portion of the mixture and roll it between fingers and if it turns into ball meaning mixture is ready. Mixture will thicken while cooling. Allow cooling slightly then knead with hand to make soft smooth dough. Add chopped cashews and mix well.Divide the mixture into 6 equal portion and roll each portion between palms to make smooth ball, keep aside.

Add few drops of green color in second portion of cashew powder and add syrup as needed  and mix well and cook on low flame for 5-6 minutes or until cashew dough comes together. Take small portion of the mixture and roll it between fingers and if it forms a ball means mixture is ready. Mixture will thicken while cooling. Allow cooling slightly then knead with hand to make soft smooth dough.

Spread green barfi on greased plastic sheet in even thickness layer with rolling pin in rectangle block. Cut into 6 equal size sheets.

Wrap sheet of green barfi around red barfi ball.

Press and  gently roll between palms to assure sticking green kaju sheet on red ball.

Finish wrapping remaining green barfi sheets over all red barfi balls.

OR

Divide green barfi in 6 equal portions. Take one portion and make smooth ball and flatten with your palm and place red barfi ball in it and cover it with green barfi.

NOTE:
IF YOU ADD BIG CHUNKS OF CASHEWS IN RED PORTION LIKE I DID THEN ONLY YOU NEED TO KEEP CASHEW BALLS IN FREEZER FOR 1 HOUR IN ORDER TO MAKE SHARP CUT THROUGH CASHEW PIECES.

Cover each ball in individual plastic wrap/saran wrap and close gently and keep it in freezer for 1 hour.

Once all balls are rock solid then bring them out of freezer and open them and CAREFULLY cut each ball vertically and then cut it into equal two parts with sharp knife.

Store in an airtight container it should stay good for 1 week in fridge.

Enjoy…

NOTE:

For red barfi part you could use beet root puree to give natural red color to the brfi.

For green part you could use pista/pistachios. 
Add extra white cashew barfi layer between green and red barfi, I have skipped white layer.Click on the link below to like my "RASOI" Page.
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BATETA NU KHATU MITHU RASAVALU SHAAK (SWEET AND SOUR POTATO CURRY)

              BATETA NU KHATU MITHU

                    RASAVALU SHAA
(SWEET AND SOUR POTATO CURRY)

                                                                 (Serves 4-5)

INGREDIENTS:

·      4 Medium size Potatoes

·      6 Small size Tomatoes OR 4 Medium Size Tomatoes

·      3 T Oil

·      ¾ tsp. Mustard Seeds

·      ¾ tsp. Cumin Seeds

·      2 Whole Dry Red Chilies, cut them in half

·      7-8 Curry Leaves

·      2 Pinch Asafoetida

·      1 ½ tsp. Turmeric Powder

·      1 ½ tsp. Kashmiri Red Chili Powder or as per taste

·      2 T Jaggery or as per taste

·      1 T Tamarind Juice or as per taste

·      1 tsp. Ginger, grated (Grate through the large holes of the grater)

·      Salt as per taste

·      ½ tsp. Coriander Powder

·      ½ tsp. Cumin Powder

·      ½ tsp. Garam Masala

·      1 T Coriander Leaves, chopped

·      2 cups Water or as needed for the desire gravy consistency

LET’S COOK:

Add salt in the cold water along with the potatoes and cook potatoes until knife tip pierce through without any resistance.

Allow potatoes to cool.

To the same hot water put tomatoes, bring water to a boil and let it continue to boil for 2-3 minutes and switch off the heat and cover the lid and keep tomatoes for 8-10 minutes in hot water. Scoop tomatoes out and let it cool little bit. No need to peel tomatoes. If peel comes of then remove it.

Soak small marble size tamarind piece in 1-2 T warm water. Strain the tamarind juice and keep it aside.

Peel potatoes and dice them into medium-large pieces. Keep it aside.

Prepare tomato puree in a blender without adding water. Keep it aside.

Heat the oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot add mustard seeds and let them pop.

Add cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle little bit.

Add dry red chili pieces; curry leaves and asafoetida and allow curry leaves to fry for few seconds.

Add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder and mix well.

Add tomato puree, tamarind juice and jaggery and cook tomato puree over medium flame for 2-3 minutes with lid half covered.

Add grated ginger and 2 cups of water and continue cooking tomato puree for 8-10 minutes with lid half covered.

Add boiled potato pieces and cover the lid and continue cooking for 2 minutes and allow tomato juice to get thick. Press couple of potato pieces to thicken gravy.

Add coriander powder, cumin powder and continue cooking for 1 minute.

Switch off the flame.

Add garam masala and mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot Potato Subzi with Roti, Poori or Paratha, Gujarati Dal and Basmati Rice.

Enjoy…

FRESH/FROZEN NARIYAL BARFI

FRESH/FROZEN NARIYAL/COCONUT BARFI

                           (Yield: 12 pieces)

INGREDIENTS:

·      1 ½ cup Fresh/Frozen Nariyal, grated, PACKED-Fill tightly in measuring cup and use. (I used ½ lb. (225 gm.) frozen grated Nariel from 1 lb. (453 gm.) packet)

·      1 cup Milk

·      3-4 T Sweetened Condensed Milk, to give rich taste to the barfi

·      3-4 T Mava/Khoya, to give rich taste to the barfi

·      Sugar Syrup made from ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup Water

·      Few drops of edible yellow food color.

·      1 tsp. Cardamom Powder

·      Few Silver Leaf (Chandi Na Varkh)

·      1 tsp. Ghee to grease plate

LET’S COOK:

Add water and sugar in a pot, cook on medium heat until one string consistency syrup. Add few drops of yellow food color in syrup to make yellow color Nariyal barfi.

Take heavy bottom pan and combine grated Nariyal and milk and cook nariyel on medium heat with constant stirring until milk evaporates.

Add mava/khoya, sweetened condensed milk and syrup and cook over medium heat until liquid burns from barfi and mixture thickens.

Add cardamom powder and mix well.

Transfer the mixture to a  greased plate and spread evenly.

Carefully place silver leaf on nariyal barfi, it is totally optional to do.

Keep it in freezer for 30 to 45 minutes to set nariyal barfi well.

Cut barfi with sharp knife and store in an airtight container.

It should stay good 3-4 days outside and one week in the refrigerator.

Enjoy…

NOTE:

You can make fresh/frozen Nariyal barfi without mava/khoya and sweetened condensed milk but Fresh/Frozen Nariyal are rough and chewy so by adding mava and sweetened condensed milk in it, it balances roughness and chewiness of fresh nariyal. Without adding this two ingredients when you eat Nariyal barfi you will end up with leftover sweet less coconut pulp in your mouth.

OATMEAL,RAISIN,CRANBERRY,ALMOND COOKIES

      OATMEAL, RASIN, CRANBERRY,

              ALMOND COOKIES 

                           (Yield: 18 Cookies)

INGREDIENTS:

·      1 ½ cups Oatmeal (Rolled Oats - Instant)

·      ½ cup All Purpose Flour

·      ½ cup=8T=1Butter Stick, soft

·      ¼ tsp. Baking Powder

·      ¼ tsp. Baking Soda

·      ½ tsp. Cinnamon Powder

·      ¼ cup Granulated White Sugar

·      ½ cup Light Brown Sugar, packed (For dark cookies use Dark Brown Sugar)

·      1/3 cup Yellow Raisin

·      1/3 cup Dried Cranberries (Save some to press into the top)

·      ¼ cup Almond Pieces (save some to press into the top)

·      1 Large Egg

·      1 tsp. Vanilla

LET’S BAKE OATMEAL COOKIES:

Preheat Oven to 350 degree F.
Meanwhile in a bowl combine butter and both sugars and beat (use egg beater no need for a fancy food processor) until light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and egg and beat until combine well.
In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients oats, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon powder.

Add dry mixture to the wet mixture and combine to mix all ingredients together (do not keep mixing too much just enough to combine all ingredients)

Add raisin, cranberries and almond and mix.

Divide in 18 equal size balls, flatten slightly, and press few almond pieces and cranberries gently into the top.

Arrange on non-stick cookie baking tray 2 “ apart and place tray on middle rack in oven for 12-15 minutes (time may vary from oven to oven so keep a close eye after 10 minutes) until cookies are golden brown but still soft and little undercooked on top. (It took 15 minutes in my oven)

Bring cookie tray out of the oven, still cookies will be soft to handle so keep it on tray for 3-4 minutes, cookies will harden slightly upon cooling.

Transfer on a rack to cool completely.

Store cookies in an airtight container.
Stays good for 1 week.

Enjoy...

RICE THEPLA/DHEBRA

                 RICE THEPLA/DHEBRA

                         (Yield: 6”diameter 8 Thepla)

Stuck with the leftover rice and don’t know what to do?

Let’s make rice thepla/dhebra.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE RICE THEPLA/DHEBRA:

·      1 ½ cup Whole Wheat Flour (Roti Flour)

·      1 cup Cooked Basmati Rice (Use leftover cooked rice)

·      1 T crushed mixture of 2 medium size Garlic Cloves, 1 cm size Ginger Piece and 3 Green Chilies

·      3 T Oil

·      2-3 T Yogurt

·      1/8 tsp. Ajwain Seeds (Carom seeds), rub between palms to release aroma before adding

·      1 tsp. Sesame Seeds

·      1 tsp. Turmeric Powder

·      1 tsp. Kashmiri Red Chili Powder or as per taste

·      ¼ tsp. Garam Masala

·      2 ½ tsp. Sugar or as per taste

·      1 ¼ tsp. Salt or as per taste (Note: Cooked rice has salt so add accordingly)

·      ½ tsp. Coriander Powder

·      ½ tsp. Cumin Powder

·      2 tsp. Lemon Juice

·      2 T Coriander Leaves, chopped

·      Water, as needed to make paratha consistency dough

·      Maida Flour OR Whole-Wheat Flour (Roti Flour) for dusting while rolling thepla.

·      Oil for roasting rice thepla

LET’S COOK:

Combine garlic cloves, ginger and green chilies and crush them in mortar and pestle. Keep it aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients and mix well.

Add oil and mix with flour.

Add remaining ingredient and mix well.

Add little water at a time and knead paratha consistency dough, firmer then roti dough and lot softer then bhakhri dough.

Grease fingers and palms with little oil and knead dough one more time and divide into 8 equal size balls.

Roll each ball into 6” diameter roti. Using maida flour for dusting if needed.

Heat non-stick pan and place rolled thepla on to it.

Turn thepla after 25-30 seconds with flipper and allow it to cook on the bottom side. Apply little oil on the top surface and flip it to shallow fry, press flipper and keep turning the thepla every few seconds for even cooking, until golden brown spots appear. Repeat the same for another side of the thepla.

Repeat with rest of all the thepla dough balls.

Enjoy hot or cold rice paratha with Tomato-Onion Raita, Mango Pickle, Garlic Chutney, and Salty Lassi.

It goes very well with Indian Masala Chai (Tea) too.

Enjoy…