Sev puri - Basket chaat

Basket chat is a long awaited chat that I have been wanting to try. And its our princess 3rd birthday party today. So I did this as a starter, and it was such a hit! Well I got such appreciation and everyone were thankful for preparing this. This is light to start with, and am sure this will be a hit the first time you prepare!

You need


Tostito's Corn scoops - as required
1 cup boiled and mashed potato
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped tomato
1/4 cup Green chutney
1/2 cup Tamarind Chutney
1/2 cup plain yogurt (beaten)  - Add pinch of salt and a tsp of sugar
1/2 cup fine sev
2 tbsp chat masala
1 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Cumin powder
Salt to taste
Cilantro for garnishing, finely chopped

Take serving plates. Place 7-10 (as per the plate size) corn scoops in each plate. Fill each scoop with little boiled potato followed by onion and tomatoes. Sprinkle salt, cumin powder, coriander powder and chat masala. Add green chutney and tamarind chutney (since I like it spicy, and I prepare the green chutney very spicy - so I prefer only green chutney) to taste.

Then top it with little yogurt. Sprinkle very little chili powder. Garnish with cilantro and sev.
Taste one scoop and sprinkle little salt if required.

Tips:
Add the wet ingredients just before serving, otherwise the crispness in the scoops goes off. You can always change the dry ingredients sequence, but it should be added first.

Prepare and enjoy the chunky chat before your meal!

I am sending this recipe for the kids delight event hosted by Srivalli

and to Archana for "Fast Food and Fat Food"

Vegetable Kurma

Indian KURMA is one of the most wanted side dishes that all of us look for...It is very easy to prepare and very less time consuming! Just take some potato, carrot, beans, peas & cauliflower with some masala to it, the side dish is ready to eat. This goes excellent with idiyappam, and ofcourse a good combo with rotis.

The kurma for idiyappam is a spicy and bland combination.

This spice can be altered to your liking depending on your taste buds! It still tastes great!

I make it very spicy, thats what is preferred in my home.

Sundar always looks forward for my kurma. He always prefers this even with rice more than other side dishes. And this gives me more pleasure for preparing kurma. I hope you enjoy this time too like always, sundar!

You need:
Vegetables (carrot, beans,couliflower,green peas,potato) - 2 cups

Onion - 1 big

Tomato- 1 big

Green chilies -5

Ginger -1" piece

Ginger garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Bay leaf -1

Oil -2 tablespoon

Mustard seeds -1 teaspoon

chilli powder- 1 1/2teaspoon

Coriander powder 1 1/2 teaspoon( add more or less)

Garam masala - 1 teaspoon (preparation link)

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Coconut milk 1/4 cups

Salt to taste

To Grind:

Coconut - 1/2 cup

Cashew nuts - one handful (about 10)

Poppy seeds -1/2 teaspoon

Fennel seeds 1/4 teaspoon

Green chillies - 4

In a heavy saute pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds.

Add these spices one by one. Take a min to saute them separately - onions, bay leaf, green chillies , ginger and ginger garlic paste. The add the chopped tomato and saute well.

Make sure not to saute the onion to brown color.

Add the powder ingredients and fry for few mins.

To this add the vegetables, and cook for 4-5 mins. Before the vegetables gets cooked add the coconut milk,salt and enough water and cook the vegetables to your desired consistency, I prefer the vegetables to be cooked nicely.

When this is almost done, or is just 2-3 mins from cooking completely add the finely ground paste (refer TO GRIND ). Let it cook until done. Add a few curry leaves and coriander leaves at the end for a better aroma and taste !!

This goes well with idiyappam, appam, and also with the rotis.

Peanut Sundal

Peanuts are the most favorite in most of the houses. I like the typical boiled and salted peanut which we usually make at home. Right from my childhood with all my cousins, we enjoy this boiled peanuts, peeling off their shells and having the peanuts. It is always great to have a chitchat time along with the peanuts. So, this time I want to try this peanut sundal for a change. 

We always make the peas, chick peas, or green gram for the 9 days of Navarathri. I want to include this one into the 9 days and give a variety, although this is a very common one for many of them.

Some days we forget to soak the peas or others overnight. I make use of this kind of sundal on those days. 

You Need

2 cups Raw peanuts with skin
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp split black gram (urad dal)

4 -5 dried red chillies
1/8-1/4 tsp turmeric
pinch of asafoetida
4-5 curry leaves
1-2 tbsp coconut (I always use frozen)
1/2 - 1/4 cup chopped raw mango

salt to taste

Soak the peanuts for about an hour in water. Now,  boil the peanuts with a pinch of turmeric. I pressure cooked for 3-4 whistles or until soft. It takes to about 30 - 40 mins. Once its cooked to tender, drain off the water and set aside. 

Tamper the mustard seeds. Add the dhal and saute for a while. Add the dried chili and asafoetida and saute for a while. Then add the curry leaves and coconut and saute for about 1/2 a min. Now comes the peanut. Saute for about 2 mins by adding salt. Finally, add the raw mango and turn off. Do not saute for more than a min after adding the mango. 

Serve the simple salad.