Cowpea Beans Stir Fry / Chawli Upkari.

Cowpea Beans Stir fry/Chawli Upkari is a simple stir fry made with Cowpea Beans. Cowpea Beans is also known as Long String Beans / Long Yard Beans /Green Beans (Chawli).

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Chawli Upkari / Cowpea Beans Stir Fry.

Ingredients:-

Cowpea Beans (Chawli).  -1 bunch or 250 gm
Red chilly powder.            -1tsp
Hing powder.                     - 1/4tsp
Mustard seeds.                   -1tsp
Salt.                                    -to taste
Cooking oil.                        -2tsp

Instructions:-

Wash the Cowpea beans (Chawli) in water.Remove both the ends and chop into 1/2 inch lengthy pieces using your hands or chop them together with a knife. Keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat oil in a pan and splutter Mustard seeds.

2). Add Red chilly powder and Hing powder into the pan and stir well and fry for a second on low flame.

3). Add the chopped Cowpea beans into the pan and stir well.

4). Add required Salt into the pan and mix with the Cowpea beans.

5). Cover the pan with a lid and cook the beans on low flame without adding water until the Cowpea beans become soft and tender. Stir in between.

6). When the Cowpea beans (Chawli) turns soft and tender, mix well and switch off the flame.

A tasty Cowpea Beans Stir fry / Chawli Upkari is ready to serve as a side dish with rice and dal curry.

Banana Juice.

Banana Juice is a healthy and refreshing drink made from ripe Robusta Bananas adding Milk and Sugar.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Banana Juice.

Ingredients:-

Robusta Banana. - 2 ripe
Milk.                   -1/4 cup
Sugar.                  -2tbsp

Instructions:-

Peel the outer skin and chop ripe Robusta Bananas into small slices.

Method:-

1). In a blender add the chopped ripe Robusta Banana slices, Sugar and Milk. Blend all the ingredients together to a smooth liquid without adding water.

2). Transfer the Banana juice into serving glasses.

3). Banana Juice is ready to serve.

4). Serve the Banana Juice top up with ice cubes. 

5). Serve the Banana Juice chilled and enjoy the refreshing drink.

Poori Masala / Potato Masala Curry

Potato Masala Curry / Poori Masala is a delicious and tasty side dish for Poori, Dosa, Paratha, Plain Bread, Phulkas, Rice etc.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Poori Masala / Potato Masala Curry.

Ingredients:-

Potato.                 - 3 or 4 medium size
Onion.                  -2 medium size
Tomato.                -2 medium size
Green chillies.      -2
Cumin seeds.        -1/4tsp
Mustard seeds.      -1tsp
Red chilly powder.-1tsp
Turmeric powder. -1/4tsp
Curry leaves.        -1spring
Coriander leaves. -few
Salt.                     -to taste
Water.                  -1cup or as required
Oil.                      -2tsp

Ingredients:-

1). Peel the skin and wash the Potatoes. Chop the Potatoes into big cubes. Boil the Potato cubes in water till soft and mash well and keep aside.

2). Peel, wash and finely chop Onion and keep aside.

3). Wash and finely chop Tomatoes and keep aside.

4). Wash and half slit Green chillies lengthwise and keep aside.

5). Wash, clean and finely chop few Coriander leaves and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat Coconut oil or any other Cooking oil in a pan and splutter Mustard seeds and Cumin seeds and saute well on low flame.

2). Add half slit Green chillies into the pan and saute well for a minute on low flame.

3). Add Curry leaves into the pan and saute well.

4). Add finely chopped Onion into the pan and saute well till the Onion pieces become translucent.

5). Add Turmeric powder and Red chilly powder into the pan and mix well.

6). Add finely chopped Tomato into the pan and saute well till the Tomato pieces become mushy.

7). Add boiled and mashed Potato cubes into the pan and mix well.

8). Add 1cup of water into the pan.Boil well and mix all the ingredients in the pan.

9). Add required Salt and mix well. Cover and cook for 2 minutes on low flame. Saute in between to avoid sticking to the bottom.

10). Switch of the flame and add the finely chopped Coriander leaves into the Potato Masala curry in the pan and mix well.

A tasty Potato Masala / Poori Masala Curry is ready to serve as a side dish for Poori,Dosa,Chapathi, Paratha, plain Bread, Roti, Rice etc.

Maddur Vada

Maddur Vade is a tasty and crispy deep fried patties served along with Coconut chutney and a glass of hot tea as an evening snack. Maddur Vada is frequently sold in local tea stalls in Bangalore.

Crispy Maddur Vada recipe with step by step method and photo is given below.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Maddur Vada.

Ingredients:-

Rice flour.                         -1/2 cup
Rava (Semolina).             -1/2cup
Maida (all purpose flour).-1/2cup
Onion.                              - 1big
Green chillies.                  - 3
Coriander leaves.             - 3tbsp (chopped)
Curry leaves.                    -2 spring
Salt.                                  - to taste
Oil.                                   - for deep frying
Water. - as required to make smooth dough

Instructions:-

1). Peel, wash and finely chop Onion and keep aside.
2). Wash and finely chop Green chillies and keep aside.
3). Wash, clean and finely chop Coriander leaves and keep aside.
4). Wash and finely chop Curry leaves and keep aside.

Method:-

1). In a mixing bowl add Rice flour, Rava (semolina) and Maida (all purpose flour) and mix well.

2). Heat 2 tsp Oil in a pan and pour the hot oil over the flour mixture in the mixing bowl. Mix all together with a spoon.

3). Add finely chopped Onion, Green chillies, Coriander leaves, Curry leaves and required Salt into the flour mixture in the mixing bowl.

4). Add required water (very little) and mix well.Combine well all the ingredients and make a soft dough. Keep the dough for 10 minutes to rest.

5). Make small ball sized dough balls and keep them on a plate.

6). Grease butter paper or plastic paper with little oil and keep the dough balls on butter paper or plastic paper.Flatten the dough ball with your fingers and make thin round patties on the butter paper/ plastic paper and keep aside.Make similar thin patties with the remaining dough balls on the butter paper and keep aside.

7). Heat oil in a Kadai for deep frying. When the oil is hot drop the thinly patted Vada into the hot oil.

8). Deep fry the Vada in hot oil on medium flame.

 9). Stir occasionally with a slotted spoon to the cook the Vada on all sides.

10). Deep fry the Vada in hot oil until golden colour and crispy. 

 11). Remove the crispy Maddur Vada from hot oil with a slotted spoon.

12). Transfer the deep fried Maddur Vada to a tissue paper to absorb oil.

13).Deep fry similar Maddur Vadas with rest of the thin dough patties till crisp and golden colour.Keep them on a serving plate.

14). A very tasty, thin and crispy deep fried Maddur Vada is ready to serve as a tea time snack.

MADDUR VADA RECIPE

Ingredients:-

Rice flour.                        -1/2 cup
Rava (semolina).            -1/2cup
Maida (all purpose flour).-1/2cup
Onion.                             - 1big
Green chillies.                 - 3
Coriander leaves.           - 3tbsp chopped
Curry leaves.                  -2 spring
Salt.                                - to taste
Oil.                                  - for deep frying
Water. - as required to make smooth dough

Instructions:-

1). Peel, wash and finely chop Onion and keep aside.
2). Wash and finely chop Green chillies and keep aside.
3). Wash, clean and finely chop Coriander leaves and keep aside.
4). Wash and finely chop Curry leaves and keep aside.

Method:-

1). In a mixing bowl add Rice flour, Rava (semolina) and Maida (all purpose flour) and mix well.

2). Heat 2 tsp Oil in a pan and pour  the hot oil over the flour mixture in the mixing bowl.Mix all together with a spoon.

3). Add finely chopped Onion, Green chillies, Coriander leaves, Curry leaves and required Salt into the flour mixture in the mixing bowl.

4). Add required water (very little) and mix well.Combine well all the ingredients and make a soft dough. Keep the dough for 10 minutes to rest.

5). Make small ball sized dough balls and keep them on a plate.

6). Grease butter paper or plastic paper with little oil and keep the dough ball on butter paper or plastic paper.Flatten the dough ball with your fingers and make thin round patties on the butter paper/ plastic paper and keep aside.Make similar thin patties with te remaining dough balls on the butter paper and keep aside.

7). Heat oil in a Kadai for deep frying. When the oil is hot drop the thinly patted Vada into the hot oil.

8). Deep fry the Vada in hot oil on medium flame. 

9). Stir occasionally with a slotted spoon to cook the Vada on all sides.

10).Deep fry the Vada in hot oil until golden colour and crispy.

11). Remove the crispy Maddur Vada from hot oil with a slotted spoon.

12). Transfer the deep fried Maddur Vada to a tissue paper to absorb oil.

13).Deep fry similar Maddur Vadas with rest of the thin dough patties till crisp and golden colour.Keep them on a serving plate.

14). A very tasty, thin and crispy deep fried Maddur Vada is ready to serve as a tea time snack.

Banana, Date and Nut Smoothie.

Banana smoothie is a healthy sweet, thick and creamy smoothie made from Robusta Banana, Date, Cashew nut and Milk.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Banana Date and Nut Smoothie.

Ingredients:-

Robusta Banana. - 2 or 3 (ripe)
Milk.                   - 1 cup
Date.                   - 4 or 5
Cashew nut.       - 5
Sugar.                 - 3 tbsp

Instructions:-

1). Peel the skin and chop  the ripe Robusta Bananas into slices and keep aside.

2). Remove the seeds from Date and keep aside.

3). Chop Cashew nuts into small pieces and keep aside.

Method:-

1). In a blender add chopped Cashew nut, deseeded Date, Sugar and little Milk. Blend together on high speed until smooth and creamy paste.

2). Add Robusta Banana slices and 1/2 cup of Milk into the blender and blend again to a smooth paste. Add the remaining Milk into the blender and blend to a smooth liquid. (You can add little more Milk if needed).

3). Transfer the Banana Date and Nut Smoothie into serving glasses top up with ice cubes and serve chilled.

A tasty and healthy Banana, Date and Nut Smoothie is ready to enjoy.

Robusta Banana Chips

Banana chips are deep fried crispy and crunchy Banana slices made from fully mature raw Robusta Bananas. Simple and easy to make deep fried Robusta Banana Chips recipe and step by step method with photos.

Home grown Robusta Bananas

The following ingredients are needed to prepare fully mature raw Robusta Banana Chips.

Ingredients:-

Fully mature raw Robusta Banana. - 4 or 1 comb
Coconut oil or Cooking oil.          - for deep frying

For Salt solution:-

Salt.          -1tsp
Water.       - 4tbsp

Instructions:-

1). In a small bowl add Salt and Water. Mix well and make a Salt solution. Keep aside the Salt solution.

2). Wash the fully mature raw Robusta Bananas with water.

4). Peel and remove the skin and wash again in water.

5). Chop the peeled Robusta Bananas into thin round slices using a slicer. Keep the banana slices in water to prevent discoloring.

6). Drain water completely from the banana slices and keep aside just before frying.

Method:-

1). Heat enough Coconut oil or other Cooking oil in a kadai on high flame for deep frying.

2). Drain water completely and drop the Robusta banana slices into the hot oil and deep fry.

3). When the banana slices become 3/4 th fried add 1tsp Salt solution into the hot oil.

4). Stir once in a while with a slotted spoon until bubbles and sizzling sound stops. Deep fry the banana slices until they become crisp and golden colour.

5). Remove the deep fried Robusta banana chips from hot oil with slotted spoon.

6). Transfer the deep fried crispy Robusta banana chips into a clean and dry steel bowl. 

7). Repeat the process of deep frying with rest of the peeled Bananas and transfer the deep fried Robusta Banana chips into the steel bowl.

8). When cooled to room temperature store the deep fried Robusta banana chips in a clean and dry airtight container.

A very tasty, crispy and crunchy Robusta Banana Chips are ready to serve with tea.

ROBUSTA BANANA CHIPS RECIPE

The following ingredients are needed to prepare fully mature raw Robusta Banana Chips.

Ingredients:- 

Fully mature raw Robusta Bananas.- 4 or 1 comb
Coconut oil or Cooking oil.               - for deep frying

For Salt solution:-

Salt.      -1tsp
Water.   - 4tbsp

Instructions:-

1). In a small bowl add Salt and Water. Mix well and make Salt solution. Keep aside the Salt solution.

2). Wash the fully mature raw Robusta Bananas with water.

4). Peel and remove the skin and wash again in water.

5). Chop the peeled Robusta Bananas into thin round slices using a slicer. Keep the banana slices in water to prevent discoloring.

6). Drain water completely from the banana slices and keep aside just before frying.

Method:-

1). Heat  Coconut oil or any other cooking oil in a kadai on high flame for deep frying.

2). Drain water completely and drop the Robusta banana slices into the hot oil and deep fry.

3). When the banana slices become 3/4 th fried add 1tsp Salt solution into the hot oil.

4). Stir once in a while with a slotted spoon until bubbles and sizzling sound stops.Deep fry the banana slices until they become crisp and golden colour.

5). Remove the deep fried banana chips from hot oil with slotted spoon.

6). Transfer the deep fried crispy banana chips into a clean dry steel bowl.

7). Repeat the process of deep frying with rest of the peeled Bananas and transfer the deep fried Robusta banana chips into the steel bowl..

8). When cooled to room temperature store the fried Robusta banana chips in a clean and dry airtight container.

A very tasty, crispy and crunchy Robusta Banana Chips are ready to serve with tea. 

Bhenda Pulichikeri/ Lady's Finger Curd Curry.

Bhenda Pulichikeri is a Konkani style curd and coconut based Lady's Finger curry goes well with rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Bhenda Pulichikeri / Lady's Finger Curd Curry.

Ingredients:-

Bhenda / Lady's finger.  - 6
Green chilly.                   -2
Salt.                                - to taste
Curd.                              -3/4 cup

Coconut oil.                    -1tsp

For grinding Coconut Masala paste:-

Grated Coconut.    -1 cup
Dry Red chillies.   -5
Turmeric powder.  -1/4 tsp

For Seasoning:-

Coconut oil.     -1tsp
Mustard seeds. -1tsp
Cumin seeds.    -1/2tsp
Curry leaves.    -1spring

Instructions:-

1). Wash the Bhenda / Lady's Finger in water and trim both the ends.Chop the Lady's finger into half inch round pieces and keep aside.

2). Grind grated Coconut along with dry Red chillies and Turmeric powder to a smooth paste adding very little water.Keep aside the ground Coconut Masala paste.

3). Whisk the Curd without lumps adding very little water and keep aside.

4). Wash and half slit Green chillies lengthwise and keep aside.

Method:-

1). In a wide bottom cooking pan heat 1tsp Coconut oil and add half slit Green chillies and saute well. Add the chopped Bhenda / Lady's finger roundels into the pan and saute well for 3 minutes on low flame.

2). Add required Salt into the pan and mix well with the chopped Bhenda pieces. Cook the Bhenda and saute for 3 minutes on low flame.

3). Add the ground Coconut Masala paste and 1/4 cup of water into the pan and mix well with the Lady's finger pieces. Boil for 2 minutes on low flame. Mix well and switch off the flame.

4). Add whisked Curd into the curry in the cooking pan and mix well.

5. Heat Coconut oil in a pan for seasoning and splutter Mustard seeds and Cumin seeds. Add Curry leaves and saute well. Switch off the flame.

6). Pour the above seasoning into the curry in the cooking pan.

7). Transfer the  Bhenda Pulichikeri /Ladys finger curd curry to a serving bowl.

A very tasty Bhenda Pulichikeri / Lady's Finger Curd Curry is ready to serve with rice.

Kele Modak using Wheat flour / Konkani Style Banana Mulik / Ganesh Chaturthi Prasadam Recipe.

Kele Modak / Banana Modak  also known as Kele Mulik is a Konkani style deep fried sweet snack made with small Banana, Jaggery, grated Coconut, Poha, Semolina and Wheat flour.Vinayaka Chaturthi Recipe/ Ganesh Chaturthi Prasadam Recipe and step by step method with photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Kele Modak using Wheat flour / Banana Mulik

Ingredients:-

Wheat flour.        - 3/4 cup or 1 cup
Small Banana.     - 4
Grated Coconut.  -1/2 cup
Jaggery.                -1/2 cup crushed
Thin Poha.           -2tbsp
Semolina (Rava). -2tbsp
Cardamom.           - 4
Salt.                       - a pinch

Oil.                        - for deep frying

Instructions:-

1). Peel and remove the skin of the small Bananas and keep aside.

2). Crush or grate Jaggery and keep aside.

3). Peel the outer skin and crush Cardamom and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Grind together small ripe Bananas, crushed or grated Jaggery, grated Coconut, thin Poha and Rava (Semolina) to a thick smooth paste adding very little water.

2). Transfer the ground Banana paste mixture to a mixing bowl.

3). Add a pinch of Salt, crushed Cardamom and Ghee into the mixing bowl with a spoon.

4). Add Wheat flour into the Banana mixture paste in the mixing bowl. Mix all the ingredients well and make a soft dough.

5). The dough should be medium thick.Adjust the consistency of the dough by adding little more Wheat flour or water. Keep aside the dough for about 5 minutes.

6). Heat oil in a deep frying pan on medium heat. 

7). When the oil is hot take a spoon of dough and gently drop it into the hot oil. 

8). Deep fry the Kelya Modak on medium heat until golden brown  and crisp on all sides.

9). Flip and turn the Modak using a slotted spoon in between to cook evenly inside and outside.

10). Remove the deep fried Modak from hot oil with slotted spoon.

11). Transfer the Kele Modak to a paper towel on a plate to absorb excess oil.Kele Modak / Banana Mulik can be stored for 2 more days.

A sweet snack Kele Modak  using wheat flour / Banana Mulik is ready to serve.