The Flavorful Elephant Yam Cutlet

Wishing all my blog friends a very happy new year. Due to some personal circumstances I havent been able to blog lately. I hope to share more recipes in this new year and delight you all.

For some people cooking is a boring routine and for some it is a piece of art. But for me it is neither both it is love personified. If you cook with love you enter a new dimension where you can create a dish that will fill you and your family with joy.

You can sometimes make mistakes and may not be perfect everytime. But just keep trying and improve on your every attempt. So make this new year resolution not to give up on cooking new dishes.

If you are looking for a authentic dish that can be eaten with steamed rice or a cup of tea this elephant yam cutlet will surprise you. I learnt this cutlet recipe from my MIL. It has a amazing flavor and crispy treat that you would want to have even when it is warm.
 

Ingredients

• 1 cup grated elephant foot yam
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onions
• 3 red chillies
• 1/2 tsp cummin/jeera powder
• 3 tbsp rice flour
• oil for deep fry

Procedure
Peel the yam and grate it immediately
 
Wash the grated yam in running water for 1-2 minutes. Then squeeze it completely to remove the water.

Then in blender add the grated yam, red chillies, salt, chopped onions and jeera powder. And roughly grind it in a coarse paste.
 
Take it out in a plate mix the rice flour to it which will give it some firmness. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Make small balls and pat it and slowly release them in the oil. Fry till crispy and until golden brown on both sides.
 
Note: After peeling the yam do not wash as it will become slippery, wash it only after grating it.

You should wash it until all the slipperiness goes away, which is indicated by clear water as you wash it

Dont touch the cutlet initially when it is deep fried in oil else it will split apart. Once it begins to turn golden brown then you turn it over.

The addition of rice flour is important and should to added until it is a firm dough.

If it is added more then the cutlets will be too hard and it is less the cutlets would split apart when you fry it.

Aakakarakaya /Spiny Gourd Fry

It is small ovoid, green and full of soft spines and looks like a baby sister of bitter gourd but not definitely not in taste.It is known as aakakarakaya in Telugu.

This vegetable has got a wonderfull crunchy bite and complements very well with rice. As it is a seasonal vegetable I am sure you can try it out.

Ingredients

• 250 gms aakakarakaya/kantola (medium size)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp cummin/jeera
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 8-10 garlic pods
• 3 whole red chillies

Procedure
Wash and cut the aakakarakaya in the ends and slice and cut through each into four pieces.

Heat 1 tsp oil add cummin seeds, once it splutter add the garlic pods and red chilles and saute for 1 minute or till garlic pods turn golden brown.Let is cool and make a fine powder.

In the same pan add the remaining oil once it heats up in high flame , add the akakarakaya, then add some turmeric, mix well and cover with low flame. Let it cook until it becomes tender, again make the flame high remove the cover and continue to fry till all the water evaporates and becomes golden brown. Then add the above prepared chilli garlic powder. And stir nicely.

Serve with hot ghee rice and enjoy

Flavorfull Sesame Capsicum Curry

Sesame seeds have a nutty taste and a delicate, almost invisible crunch. It is also considered a super seed as it has some amazing health benefits.

This recipe was shared by my mom and you would love it as provides a excellant flavorfull side dish to have with rice.

Ingredients

• 6 med size capsicums
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp grated coconut
• 2 green chillies
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/8 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/8 tsp cummin/jeera
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 spring curry leaves
• 2 red chillies
• pinch of hing

Procedure

Wash the capsicum, dice them and deseed and keep aside

Make a fine paste of sesame seeds, grate coconut, green chilles and hing with a little water

Heat oil in a pan, add cummin and mustard seeds, once the mustard splutter, add the red chillie and curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds.

Add the capsicum and fry for a minute then add turmeric and salt to it and mix nicely. Cover and cook in a medium flame,stir occassioanlly until the capsicum becomes tender.

Add the sesame paste prepared earlier and mix nicely till it blends completely with the tender capsicum and fry for another 5 minutes on a low flame.

Serve this curry with rice and a dash of ghee

Tongue Tingling Coriander Baby Potato Curry

 

This flavorful tongue tingling baby potato curry prepared with fresh cilantro/coriander with a blend of indian spices makes it a perfect accompaniment for rice and rotis.

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg baby potatoes
• 1 cup tightly packed coriander/cilantro
• 2 green chillies
• 2 red chillies
• 1/4 tsp cummin seeds
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
• 1/4 tsp urad dal/black gram without skin (optional)
• 1/8 tsp turmeric
• a pinch of hing / asafoetida
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Cooking Procedure
 
Boil the potatoes ,peel the skin and keep aside. Make a fine paste of cilantro n green chillies with an addition of 1 tbsp water and keep aside

Heat oil in a pan ,add urad dal,cummin seeds,mustard seeds and stir nicely .Once mustard seeds splutters add hing ,red chillies and fry for a 30 sec then add boiled potatos,turmeric and fry till it become golden brown ,at this point add cilantro paste,salt and mix properly

 

Cover the pan and reduce the flame to low , stir occasionally ,fry for 5 min and let the cilantro paste  properly coat the potatoes .  Add 1 tsp of lime juice , stir well and switch off the flame.Serve with hot rice or rotis .

Note:
In place of baby potatoes one can use normal potatoes too.Boil the potatoes ,peel them and cut them into long cubes and use.

If you are in a rush ,then simply peel and cut them into chunks ,fry them and once potato soft add the paste and cook.

You can add few garlic pods while making cilantro paste ,if you love garlic flavor in your food.

In place of coriander u can use methi/fenugreek leaves too,it will also taste awesome.
 

Taro Root Fry with Hot Chilli Ginger Dip

Some recipes are passed generation to generation.Todays dish was shared by my great grand mother in law to my MIL !! The beauty of this dish is the dip that perfectly compliments the flavor of the taro root. My MIL taught me this dish as it is one of my hubby's favorite. And sure you would enjoy it too...
Ingredients

• 1/2 kg taro root medium size
• salt to taste
• oil for deep fry

For dip

• 1 inch ginger
• 6 long red chillies
• salt to taste

Procedure
Wash taro in running water and pressure cook it with enough water and salt for 3 whistles and sim it on low flame for 3 minutes. Switch off the cooker and once it cools discard the water totally and peel the skin.Cut the in circles with a 1/2 cm thickness. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry them till they are crispy and golden brown.Serve immediately with the dip. It can also be served with rice.

Grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste for the dip, traditionally it is crushed in mortar and pestle.
Note: It is ideal to prepare the dip before the fry as you can serve the taro fry crispy with the dip.

Flavorful Potato Fries

This a simple potato fry with the flavor of garlic and kasuri methi. Kasuri Methi is a great taste enhancer. It adds flavour and texture to any dish and its pleasant odor which makes it so popular.Kasturi Methi is the dried leaves of the fenugreek plant.This simple dish with kasuri methi will amaze your taste buds.So enjoy

Ingredients

• 2 big size potatos.
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp kasuri methi(dry fenugreek leaves)
• 3 finely chopped green chillies
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil

Peel the potatos ,cut then into 1 inch chunks like french frys In a non stick pan heat oil,add cumin seeds once it starts splutters add potato n garlic,stir nicely and cook it into a medium flame.Once the potato is cooked turn the flame to high to make it crispy. Crumble the kasuri methi in between you palms by rubbing your palms together and then sprinkle over the potato.Fry for a minute, then add green chillies and salt, mixly nice and switch off the flame. Serve hot

Serving Tips
Tip 1. Roll the fries in a paratha with some addition of some sauce and some finely chopped veggies like onion, cabbage, carrot. It will be very filling and trust me your kids would love it.
Tip 2. Serve with rice with a dash of ghee 
Tip 3. Serve it as a evening snack with some sauce and a cup of tea