Dear friends,
I will be on a short one week break. I will be back soon to write to all of you and to do some more of my favorite activity - Blog Hop!
Till then, keep blogging!
Have a great week ahead!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
RCI Karnataka – Some Recipes & Some Memories
For a long time now, I’ve been wanting to make “Saastralu”. I am not sure if anyone is familiar with this term. This is the Telugu term for what in Karnataka is called “Shaavige”. We at home always called it Saastraalu. I am assuming that this is what it is called in Hindupur and Ananthpur districts of Andhra Pradesh (where my grandparents hail from). Have any of you heard of this term? “Shaastraalu” or “Saastraalu”… I did a search on the Internet and did not come up with anything. So I’m just assuming that this dish is borrowed from vibrant Karnataka with which Hindupur and Ananthpur share close proximity with.
Well anyway, coming to the story :-) Back home in India, we were a joint family. A family system that is actually dying in modern India, giving way to more nuclear and independent families. My family, my uncle’s family and my grandparents – all lived in the same home! I have wonderful memories of those times. A home full of ladies, gossip and chatter all the time, and the hub- the good old kitchen! We kids would love to come back from school and college, huddle in the kitchen on wooden boards (called “peeta”) placed strategically in the kitchen. And amongst gossip and jokes participate in the cooking of the evening meal!
And making Shaavige or Saastraalu was always an event. Laborious job that it was, grandma would always grind the rice batter ahead. Then came the part where the batter was poured into idli stands, and the idlis were steamed until soft and cooked.
Rice batter ready to be cooked into soft idlies
Then came the part where we kids played an important role! The soft and hot idlies were stuffed into the shaavige maker (Saatraalu Roll as we called it) – a steel manual press, and with one person holding the stand, the other would twist the handle until soft and stringy rice noodles came out of the machine from down below. Almost like a pasta maker, this was the traditional way that people made Shaavige back then.
Saastraalu Roll or Shaavige maker
The tradition is mostly lost now. What with the whole process being so tedious and laborious, and fresh, soft rice noodles available in the market easily, no one really makes these at home. To solve problems for people away from India, various brands of the dried version of rice noodles is available. Just drop it in hot water, strain and use as needed. A world of Instant solutions!
But nothing can taste like the original and nothing can bring the memories back like the original. I brought the shaavige maker or “saastraalu roll” home with me from India. Time constraints have restricted me from using it often. But every once in a while I atke it out and make those yummy fluffy Shaavige. My kids and sometimes my husband help me. My husband thinks its just a waste of time! The non-foodie that he is, he thinks nothing is worth that much effort. But all the same, he’ll happily eat a plate full of the Shaavige!
My kids love to help me. My little one, Diya, the patient, focused girl she is, loves twisting the handle for me, though her petite frame is just a bit taller than the roll itself!
So when Asha of Foodie’s Hope announced RCI-Karnataka, I definitely wanted to make this and send this to her! What a fitting traditional dish to lovely Karnataka! So finally dear friends, here are the recipes….
For the Shaavige (Rice Noodles):
Soak 5 cups of Boiled Rice with ¾ cup of Raw Rice overnight. Grind to a very smooth paste by adding about 1 to 2 cups of water in intervals. The consistency should be quite thick just like Idli batter. Soak about ¾ cup of Flattened rice (Poha or Avalakki) in some water for about 1 hour prior to this. Grind the poha separately into a smooth paste and mix with the rice batter. This batter need not ferment. You can make idlis with them right away. Then stuff the cooked idlis in the shaavige maker and twist until you get fluffy and stringy rice noodles.
Stringy Rice Noodles
Once you have the rice noodles, there are a multitude of dishes that can be made with them. Lime shaavige, Coconut shaavige, huli shaavige, masale shaavige and sweet shaavige are some of those. We usually made lime shaavige and sweet shaavige at home.
Delicious Lime Shaavige
For the Lime Shaavige:
In a pan, heat about 3 tbsp of oil. Fry some peanuts until golden brown. Remove and keep aside. In the same pan, season with mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal, curry leaves, chopped green chillies, finely chopped onions. Sauté till the onions are tender. Then add about ½ tsp turmeric powder and mix well. Turn off the stove, add the rice noodles, peanuts and a pinch of salt (the rice noodles already has salt) and mix well. Gently mix with your hand by splitting the noodles until well coated. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime and mix well. Garnish with some chopped cilantro and grated coconut and serve.
Closer Look. Hungry?
Well anyway, coming to the story :-) Back home in India, we were a joint family. A family system that is actually dying in modern India, giving way to more nuclear and independent families. My family, my uncle’s family and my grandparents – all lived in the same home! I have wonderful memories of those times. A home full of ladies, gossip and chatter all the time, and the hub- the good old kitchen! We kids would love to come back from school and college, huddle in the kitchen on wooden boards (called “peeta”) placed strategically in the kitchen. And amongst gossip and jokes participate in the cooking of the evening meal!
And making Shaavige or Saastraalu was always an event. Laborious job that it was, grandma would always grind the rice batter ahead. Then came the part where the batter was poured into idli stands, and the idlis were steamed until soft and cooked.
Rice batter ready to be cooked into soft idlies
Then came the part where we kids played an important role! The soft and hot idlies were stuffed into the shaavige maker (Saatraalu Roll as we called it) – a steel manual press, and with one person holding the stand, the other would twist the handle until soft and stringy rice noodles came out of the machine from down below. Almost like a pasta maker, this was the traditional way that people made Shaavige back then.
Saastraalu Roll or Shaavige maker
The tradition is mostly lost now. What with the whole process being so tedious and laborious, and fresh, soft rice noodles available in the market easily, no one really makes these at home. To solve problems for people away from India, various brands of the dried version of rice noodles is available. Just drop it in hot water, strain and use as needed. A world of Instant solutions!
But nothing can taste like the original and nothing can bring the memories back like the original. I brought the shaavige maker or “saastraalu roll” home with me from India. Time constraints have restricted me from using it often. But every once in a while I atke it out and make those yummy fluffy Shaavige. My kids and sometimes my husband help me. My husband thinks its just a waste of time! The non-foodie that he is, he thinks nothing is worth that much effort. But all the same, he’ll happily eat a plate full of the Shaavige!
My kids love to help me. My little one, Diya, the patient, focused girl she is, loves twisting the handle for me, though her petite frame is just a bit taller than the roll itself!
So when Asha of Foodie’s Hope announced RCI-Karnataka, I definitely wanted to make this and send this to her! What a fitting traditional dish to lovely Karnataka! So finally dear friends, here are the recipes….
For the Shaavige (Rice Noodles):
Soak 5 cups of Boiled Rice with ¾ cup of Raw Rice overnight. Grind to a very smooth paste by adding about 1 to 2 cups of water in intervals. The consistency should be quite thick just like Idli batter. Soak about ¾ cup of Flattened rice (Poha or Avalakki) in some water for about 1 hour prior to this. Grind the poha separately into a smooth paste and mix with the rice batter. This batter need not ferment. You can make idlis with them right away. Then stuff the cooked idlis in the shaavige maker and twist until you get fluffy and stringy rice noodles.
Stringy Rice Noodles
Once you have the rice noodles, there are a multitude of dishes that can be made with them. Lime shaavige, Coconut shaavige, huli shaavige, masale shaavige and sweet shaavige are some of those. We usually made lime shaavige and sweet shaavige at home.
Delicious Lime Shaavige
For the Lime Shaavige:
In a pan, heat about 3 tbsp of oil. Fry some peanuts until golden brown. Remove and keep aside. In the same pan, season with mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal, curry leaves, chopped green chillies, finely chopped onions. Sauté till the onions are tender. Then add about ½ tsp turmeric powder and mix well. Turn off the stove, add the rice noodles, peanuts and a pinch of salt (the rice noodles already has salt) and mix well. Gently mix with your hand by splitting the noodles until well coated. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime and mix well. Garnish with some chopped cilantro and grated coconut and serve.
Closer Look. Hungry?
For the Sweet Shaavige:
First, we would need to make a powder.
You will need:
2 tbsp White Sesame seeds (til) (Dry Roasted)
4 tbsp Peanuts (Dry Roasted and Skin removed)
3 tbsp Jaggery (crumbled into a powder. Use a mortar and pestle since jaggery is usually hard. If not use a knife to shave the jaggery into crumbles.)
2 tbsp grated Copra (or Dry coconut)
Combine all of the above and grind into a coarse powder.
To serve the Sweet Shaavige:
Place the white shaavige, sprinkle with 3 tsp of the sweet powder, add a tbsp of ghee or a tbsp of milk. Mix well and serve.
Sweet and Savory Shaavige served!
Hope you guys enjoyed this elaborate post. Thanks for stopping by.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Vegetable Hakka Noodles
This week I received a parcel in my mail! It was from my dear friend Linda of Out of the Garden. Linda had so kindly sent me a package with the starter for the Amish Friendship Bread. Unfortunately, my packet was a week late and my starter did not look too good. I panicked, and after a couple of emails back and forth I spoke with Linda on the phone today. It was amazing! She was this bubbly sounding lady who is so so kind! I am so honored to know her and it is so cool that this age of the Internet introduces us to people from all walks of life! Never ceases to amaze me!
With my parents here visiting us, we've had mostly traditional cooking at home. They are simple traditional people, my parents. Dad is typically Teluguite - with very Andhra-ish taste in food. Mom is very typically Tamilian Brahmin - in her food habits as well. After 34 years of marriage, they still are very different yet so similar!
So anyway, my kids have been asking me for a while if I could make them noodles and manchurian. I've been procrastinating for a while now!
For one who is not familiar with Manchurian - it is a gravy or dry side that is usually made with deep fried vegetables, cauliflower or chicken. Sauteed with green onions and soya sauce, it has a very spicy and tangy taste. Excellent side for Fried Rice or Noodles.
All this is typical of Indo Chinese cooking. Like any place and any cuisine, food is usually modified to suit local preferences. Indo-Chinese cuisine is one of the very popular cuisines of India. Chinese cuisine, modified to suit the Indian palate has been a favorite amongst the more modern Indian crowd since decades.
To please my kids, I finally got down to making hakka noodles. No manchurian - read too laborious and no time! That is for another day. For now they had to just make do with the hakka noodles!
If I were to make Cauliflower Manchurian, I would follow Mythili's recipe for the dish! I've tried it before and it tastes great.
Vegetable Hakka Noodles:
Vegetable Hakka Noodles
You will need:
1 package Hakka Noodles (I buy the Ching's brand from the Indian store - like this better than any other, it is usually thinner and very much like the Indo Chinese Hakka Noodles).
A handful of beans - Washed and chopped lengthwise
1 Carrot - Washed, Peeled and chopped lengthwise
1 Green Bell Pepper - Washed, deseeded and Chopped lengthwise
a small cup shredded cabbage
1 bunch Spring onions - Washed, roots removed and chopped
2 green chillies
Salt to taste
ginger-garlic - chopped - 1 tsp (optional)
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Sauce (I love the Sriracha brand) or Green Chilli Sauce (I usually buy this from India) - optional
Method:
Boil water in saucepan. When the water is boiling, drop the noodles into the water. Cook noodles Al dente - till almost done, for about 2 minutes! Drian all the water in a colander. Add about 2 tsp oil to the noodles, toss and spread on a platter to cook. This ensures the noodles are not sticky.
Meanwhile in a wok or a pan, add 1 tbsp oil. On high heat, add the chopped ginger-garlic, green chillies and the green beans and carrots. Stir fry for a minute, then add the chopped cabbage, the chopped bell pepper and the spring onions. Stir fry for one more minute. Add the salt and soya sauce. Lower the heat add the cooked noodles and toss. Mix well.
If you prefer it spicy, add the chilli sauce and mix well.
Serve hot with manchurian or plain garlic sauce.
With my parents here visiting us, we've had mostly traditional cooking at home. They are simple traditional people, my parents. Dad is typically Teluguite - with very Andhra-ish taste in food. Mom is very typically Tamilian Brahmin - in her food habits as well. After 34 years of marriage, they still are very different yet so similar!
So anyway, my kids have been asking me for a while if I could make them noodles and manchurian. I've been procrastinating for a while now!
For one who is not familiar with Manchurian - it is a gravy or dry side that is usually made with deep fried vegetables, cauliflower or chicken. Sauteed with green onions and soya sauce, it has a very spicy and tangy taste. Excellent side for Fried Rice or Noodles.
All this is typical of Indo Chinese cooking. Like any place and any cuisine, food is usually modified to suit local preferences. Indo-Chinese cuisine is one of the very popular cuisines of India. Chinese cuisine, modified to suit the Indian palate has been a favorite amongst the more modern Indian crowd since decades.
To please my kids, I finally got down to making hakka noodles. No manchurian - read too laborious and no time! That is for another day. For now they had to just make do with the hakka noodles!
If I were to make Cauliflower Manchurian, I would follow Mythili's recipe for the dish! I've tried it before and it tastes great.
Vegetable Hakka Noodles:
Vegetable Hakka Noodles
You will need:
1 package Hakka Noodles (I buy the Ching's brand from the Indian store - like this better than any other, it is usually thinner and very much like the Indo Chinese Hakka Noodles).
A handful of beans - Washed and chopped lengthwise
1 Carrot - Washed, Peeled and chopped lengthwise
1 Green Bell Pepper - Washed, deseeded and Chopped lengthwise
a small cup shredded cabbage
1 bunch Spring onions - Washed, roots removed and chopped
2 green chillies
Salt to taste
ginger-garlic - chopped - 1 tsp (optional)
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Sauce (I love the Sriracha brand) or Green Chilli Sauce (I usually buy this from India) - optional
Method:
Boil water in saucepan. When the water is boiling, drop the noodles into the water. Cook noodles Al dente - till almost done, for about 2 minutes! Drian all the water in a colander. Add about 2 tsp oil to the noodles, toss and spread on a platter to cook. This ensures the noodles are not sticky.
Meanwhile in a wok or a pan, add 1 tbsp oil. On high heat, add the chopped ginger-garlic, green chillies and the green beans and carrots. Stir fry for a minute, then add the chopped cabbage, the chopped bell pepper and the spring onions. Stir fry for one more minute. Add the salt and soya sauce. Lower the heat add the cooked noodles and toss. Mix well.
If you prefer it spicy, add the chilli sauce and mix well.
Serve hot with manchurian or plain garlic sauce.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
The Recipe Book Fetish!
Cook-books and recipe books are my weakness. You can even say that I have a fetish for them! I spend endless hours pouring over my recipes books, enjoying all the descriptions, drooling over the pictures and then putting them back where they came from without cooking any of those recipes! I do that even in the bookstores, get lost in the passage of time until someone awakens me to the realities that lay ahead :-)
My recipe book collection also form a major part of my nighttime reading repertoire! Browsing through those glossy pages full of vibrant pictures of food lulls me into a dreamland full of flavors and mysterious ingredients! Crazy behavior but fun nevertheless!
So when Nags of "For the Cook in me" announced the "Show me your cookbooks" event - I was suddenly anxious - "Oh, which one is my favorite?". You see I have several favorites. But after much thought I decided to go with the one book that I have cooked most from, and the one that I enjoy reading the most.
The Indian Spice Kitchen by Monisha Bharadwaj
"The Indian Spice Kitchen" by Monisha Bharadwaj. As you can see from the picture above, it is a Bargain book that I picked up from Borders on one of my browsing visits! I was hesitant at first, as always, since I have so many recipe books at home and I did not need yet another book... My little recipe book shelf was running out of place! But on a whim, I said "It's just 8 bucks, c'mon!" So here I am with the book after 4 years and its still one of my favorites! I can never get enough of those glossy pictures!
Why do I love this book?
A section of the book
Well, for starters, the book is very creatively divided into sections based on the ingredients class - like "From the spice boxes, gardens, earthen jars and grinding stones of India". Each ingredient is further described in full detail - its scientific name, its Indian name, How it grows, its appearance and taste, buying and storing it, medicinal and other uses, culinary uses and recipes with that ingredient! The whole nine yards!
Imagine reading about various types of chillies, about amchoor, about saffron and cardamom,about goda masala, about coconut, about amla about channa and much much more! Over 200 delicious recipes. And the beautiful pictures are a visual treat!
All recipe photographs it says are by Julie Dixon. Monisha Bharadwaj, the author of the book is based in London and is a food consultant. She also writes in many food publications and is an award winning classical dancer.
So guys, do check out this one-in-all cookery book when you get a chance!
I also wanted to share some pictures of some of my recipe books, books that I treasure and books that cook with all the time.
Sanjeev Kapoor - One of my favorite authors! His recipes never fail me. I love his simple, yet so easy to follow recipes and the almost restaurant quality food that we end up with! Love his books! This is one of my favorite collection of his books.
My collection of Holiday baking cookbooks! I love picking up a book here and there on my visit to the local grocery store during the holiday season! Such colorful pages and such wonderful recipes! My kids just love the holiday season- because that's the only time mommy bakes! That's the only time I get all my bakeware and my cookbooks out! Hate the cleanup after that - that's why! And also my two little helpers are always so eager to help during this time, making a bigger than usual mess (which only mommy has to clean up after that!)
And finally, this one is the first ever recipe book I started writing in. It was just a simple college style notebook. I started collecting recipes in it just before I got married. Though I've been cooking long before that, when I knew I was going across the ocean to a foreign land with no mom, aunt or grandma right there to ask, I panicked! I started calling everyone for recipes and writing them down! I still write in the book. Every now and then when i come across a dish that i have to write down the recipe for- this is where it goes! And form the look -you can tell that this book has been used a lot!
Hope you guys enjoyed this post. Thanks to Nags for hosting this fun event and letting us share our treasures!
Note: Images from the book "The Indian Spice Kitchen" by Monisha Bharadwaj. (protected under copyright law)
My recipe book collection also form a major part of my nighttime reading repertoire! Browsing through those glossy pages full of vibrant pictures of food lulls me into a dreamland full of flavors and mysterious ingredients! Crazy behavior but fun nevertheless!
So when Nags of "For the Cook in me" announced the "Show me your cookbooks" event - I was suddenly anxious - "Oh, which one is my favorite?". You see I have several favorites. But after much thought I decided to go with the one book that I have cooked most from, and the one that I enjoy reading the most.
The Indian Spice Kitchen by Monisha Bharadwaj
"The Indian Spice Kitchen" by Monisha Bharadwaj. As you can see from the picture above, it is a Bargain book that I picked up from Borders on one of my browsing visits! I was hesitant at first, as always, since I have so many recipe books at home and I did not need yet another book... My little recipe book shelf was running out of place! But on a whim, I said "It's just 8 bucks, c'mon!" So here I am with the book after 4 years and its still one of my favorites! I can never get enough of those glossy pictures!
Why do I love this book?
A section of the book
Well, for starters, the book is very creatively divided into sections based on the ingredients class - like "From the spice boxes, gardens, earthen jars and grinding stones of India". Each ingredient is further described in full detail - its scientific name, its Indian name, How it grows, its appearance and taste, buying and storing it, medicinal and other uses, culinary uses and recipes with that ingredient! The whole nine yards!
Imagine reading about various types of chillies, about amchoor, about saffron and cardamom,about goda masala, about coconut, about amla about channa and much much more! Over 200 delicious recipes. And the beautiful pictures are a visual treat!
All recipe photographs it says are by Julie Dixon. Monisha Bharadwaj, the author of the book is based in London and is a food consultant. She also writes in many food publications and is an award winning classical dancer.
So guys, do check out this one-in-all cookery book when you get a chance!
I also wanted to share some pictures of some of my recipe books, books that I treasure and books that cook with all the time.
Sanjeev Kapoor - One of my favorite authors! His recipes never fail me. I love his simple, yet so easy to follow recipes and the almost restaurant quality food that we end up with! Love his books! This is one of my favorite collection of his books.
My collection of Holiday baking cookbooks! I love picking up a book here and there on my visit to the local grocery store during the holiday season! Such colorful pages and such wonderful recipes! My kids just love the holiday season- because that's the only time mommy bakes! That's the only time I get all my bakeware and my cookbooks out! Hate the cleanup after that - that's why! And also my two little helpers are always so eager to help during this time, making a bigger than usual mess (which only mommy has to clean up after that!)
And finally, this one is the first ever recipe book I started writing in. It was just a simple college style notebook. I started collecting recipes in it just before I got married. Though I've been cooking long before that, when I knew I was going across the ocean to a foreign land with no mom, aunt or grandma right there to ask, I panicked! I started calling everyone for recipes and writing them down! I still write in the book. Every now and then when i come across a dish that i have to write down the recipe for- this is where it goes! And form the look -you can tell that this book has been used a lot!
Hope you guys enjoyed this post. Thanks to Nags for hosting this fun event and letting us share our treasures!
Note: Images from the book "The Indian Spice Kitchen" by Monisha Bharadwaj. (protected under copyright law)
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Lemon Gojju - Havyaka Cooking
Havyaka Cuisine is one of the many cuisines of Karnataka. Popularized by the Havyaka Brahmins, a sect of Brahmins from North Karnataka or Shimoga district of Karnataka, this cuisine is known for its unique recipes and the extensive use of coconut in its dishes.
I have a bunch of Havyaka friends here. What is so unique about them is their language. Being born and breed in Bangalore, I am pretty fluent in Kannada. But the Havyaka Kannada or Havi kannada (ancient kannada) is a treat in itself. Very different and very sweet to the ear, I would love to learn this dialect of Kannada.
Anyways, coming to the post, thanks to my friends I have gotten to taste several Havyaka dishes. All the gojjus, the tambuli’s, hashi and the chitranna’s are a delight! The other day mom wanted to try something different and unique. What with Varalakshmi Pooja and lots of visits to several homes, we ended up with a couple of big yellow Lemons! Lemons are usually part of the tambulam bag during Varlakshmi festival! Mom decided to try Lemon Gojju or Nimbehannina Gojju as its called in Kannada. It turned out to be a sour-spicy-sweet, all in one tasty side, that is supposed to be great with rice. But I even used it as a spread on my toast and as a spread on chapathis. Innovation is a wonderful thing….
Mom said she got this recipe of this site! She's quite internet savvy, you know :-) The recipe worked great. Look for yourselves :-D
Lemon Gojju
Closer look - Dont you guys love how that seasoning looks!
All ready to be eaten - Rice mixed with Lemon Gojju - Rice Mudda!
One more entry to RCI- Karnataka – hosted by our very own Asha of Foodie’s Hope, brainchild of Lakshmi of Veggie Cuisine!
These events are a wonderful thing – don’t you agree? We end up trying cuisines and ingredients that we would otherwise hesitate to try!
I have a bunch of Havyaka friends here. What is so unique about them is their language. Being born and breed in Bangalore, I am pretty fluent in Kannada. But the Havyaka Kannada or Havi kannada (ancient kannada) is a treat in itself. Very different and very sweet to the ear, I would love to learn this dialect of Kannada.
Anyways, coming to the post, thanks to my friends I have gotten to taste several Havyaka dishes. All the gojjus, the tambuli’s, hashi and the chitranna’s are a delight! The other day mom wanted to try something different and unique. What with Varalakshmi Pooja and lots of visits to several homes, we ended up with a couple of big yellow Lemons! Lemons are usually part of the tambulam bag during Varlakshmi festival! Mom decided to try Lemon Gojju or Nimbehannina Gojju as its called in Kannada. It turned out to be a sour-spicy-sweet, all in one tasty side, that is supposed to be great with rice. But I even used it as a spread on my toast and as a spread on chapathis. Innovation is a wonderful thing….
Mom said she got this recipe of this site! She's quite internet savvy, you know :-) The recipe worked great. Look for yourselves :-D
Lemon Gojju
Closer look - Dont you guys love how that seasoning looks!
All ready to be eaten - Rice mixed with Lemon Gojju - Rice Mudda!
One more entry to RCI- Karnataka – hosted by our very own Asha of Foodie’s Hope, brainchild of Lakshmi of Veggie Cuisine!
These events are a wonderful thing – don’t you agree? We end up trying cuisines and ingredients that we would otherwise hesitate to try!
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Tomato Slice - Street Fare
Summer is the season for red, ripe delicious Tomatoes! This summer, I've seen red, yellow and golden yellow tomatoes all over. Check out Linda's post on fresh veggies from her garden and a wholesome sambar and you'll know what I mean!
We've had a surplus of tomatoes this year. My tiny vegetable patch has about 5 Tomato plants - 4 Cherry Tomato plants and one Vine-Ripe Tomato plant. Apart from these, I have a kind co-worker who brings me tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and bell peppers from her huge vegetable garden every other day!
So the other day, my mom wanted me to make us all a quick evening snack. I was too tired to toil in the kitchen, so I put together this quick street snack for us!
Tomato Slice Chaat - Bangalore style!
During my Bangalore days, we always ate this wonderfully delicious fresh tomato slice chaat at a street corner in Sadashivnagar, Bangalore. A guy stood there every evening with his little orange and glass cart lined up with chopped onions, shredded carrots, various spicy chutneys, rows of juicy tomatoes, pure as white crunchy puffed rice, golden yellow sev and an assortment of spice powders. There was always a big huge line waiting to try his various chaat items, people waiting patiently for him to dish out their snack, while salivating at what he was making! He made the best tomato slice ever! My two favorites were Spicy Churmuri and Spicy Tomato slice - as it was called. Followed by a cup of cold sugarcane juice from a sugarcane juice vendor nearby!
So when I made this snack, I thought why not send it to dearest Asha of Foodie's Hope for RCI- Karnataka. These street foods - the essence of India, the essence of the fast paced life in Bangalore. I've really not eaten or heard of this snack outside of Bangalore or Mysore... Is it made in any other city in India?
It's quite simple to make this actually. Pick juicy big, red ripe tomatoes. Slice them into rounds. Arrange them in a plate or a sheet of paper (the way that guy served it!). Top with crispy puffed rice, spicy peanuts (I usually use roasted spanish peanuts), green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney, then some grated carrots, some chopped onions, topped with some sev and garnished with some cilantro! And just gobble :-)
I did not have any fresh cilantro at that time - so thats missing in the picture!
Also, do check out some yummy Tomato Slice versions from
Madhu of Ruchi
Sreelu of Tasty Travels
Off this goes to Asha for the RCI event! My first entry :-)
We've had a surplus of tomatoes this year. My tiny vegetable patch has about 5 Tomato plants - 4 Cherry Tomato plants and one Vine-Ripe Tomato plant. Apart from these, I have a kind co-worker who brings me tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and bell peppers from her huge vegetable garden every other day!
So the other day, my mom wanted me to make us all a quick evening snack. I was too tired to toil in the kitchen, so I put together this quick street snack for us!
Tomato Slice Chaat - Bangalore style!
During my Bangalore days, we always ate this wonderfully delicious fresh tomato slice chaat at a street corner in Sadashivnagar, Bangalore. A guy stood there every evening with his little orange and glass cart lined up with chopped onions, shredded carrots, various spicy chutneys, rows of juicy tomatoes, pure as white crunchy puffed rice, golden yellow sev and an assortment of spice powders. There was always a big huge line waiting to try his various chaat items, people waiting patiently for him to dish out their snack, while salivating at what he was making! He made the best tomato slice ever! My two favorites were Spicy Churmuri and Spicy Tomato slice - as it was called. Followed by a cup of cold sugarcane juice from a sugarcane juice vendor nearby!
So when I made this snack, I thought why not send it to dearest Asha of Foodie's Hope for RCI- Karnataka. These street foods - the essence of India, the essence of the fast paced life in Bangalore. I've really not eaten or heard of this snack outside of Bangalore or Mysore... Is it made in any other city in India?
It's quite simple to make this actually. Pick juicy big, red ripe tomatoes. Slice them into rounds. Arrange them in a plate or a sheet of paper (the way that guy served it!). Top with crispy puffed rice, spicy peanuts (I usually use roasted spanish peanuts), green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney, then some grated carrots, some chopped onions, topped with some sev and garnished with some cilantro! And just gobble :-)
I did not have any fresh cilantro at that time - so thats missing in the picture!
Also, do check out some yummy Tomato Slice versions from
Madhu of Ruchi
Sreelu of Tasty Travels
Off this goes to Asha for the RCI event! My first entry :-)
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