Basics of Indian Cooking: Tomato Chutney Recipe

This is an original recipe, after few attempts I have nailed this chutney recipe to perfection which pairs well with uthappam, dosas, idly and rotis.  

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Ingredients: 
4 Large Ripe Tomatoes 
15 Dried Red Chilies
1 Cup Warm Water
10 Pearls Garlic 
3 Sprigs Curry Leaves
1/2 Tbsp Tamarind Pulp Or a small coin size Tamarind
2 Tbsp Split Black Gram Dhal 
1/4 Tsp Asafoetida 
Salt as per taste
Oil as required...

Method:
Soak the dried red chilies in warm water half an hour prior to preparing the chutney. The red chilies should swell and double in size.

Heat a wok on medium flame with 2 tbsp oil. Add the black gram dhal, constantly keep stirring and fry the dhal to light brown in color.

Add the garlic, tamarind and curry leaves to the dhal and fry for few seconds.

Drain and add the soaked red chilies and asafoetida fry the chilies for a minute. The chilies should turn into deep burgundy in color.

Using a slotted spoon drain excess oil and add the chilies to a mixer jar. Add salt and splash of water grind to form a smooth paste.

Wash the tomatoes, pat dry and chop into quarters. Add a tsp of oil to the same wok start frying the tomatoes till it softens a bit.

Add the soften tomatoes to mixer jar and grind all the ingredients till well combined. Serve the chutney right away...Enjoy 😊  

I have prepared this chutney recipe in bulk to freeze a portion to use later. This chutney stores well if refrigerated. 

Chutney Recipes Posted on Youtube and Blog 😊

Mint, coriander and curry leaves chutney recipe please click here to view detail post

Family Favorite Onion Chutney pairs well with idly and dosas. Please click here for recipe blog.

Chutney Podi Recipe a classic dry chutney in powder form to serve with rice and steam cooked dumplings. Please click here for detail post. 

Red Bell Pepper Chutney perfect for sandwiches and roti rolls please click here for recipe.

Raw mango coconut chutney recipe which pairs well with rice dishes and roti. Please click here for detail post. 

Coconut chutney I like to serve for pongal please click here for recipe.  

Coconut Chutney without any groundnut or dhals pairs well with spicy dosas please click here for recipe. 

Coconut chutney with ginger I like to serve with mini masala dosas please click here for recipe. 

Sunday Brunch at My Place - Gokulam Grand Hotel & Spa, Bangalore

I was hosted for Sunday Brunch at My Place - Gokulam Grand Hotel and Spa, Bangalore, It's a lavish spread needless to say and you have plenty to pick from. 

Literally endless appetizers and pizzas are served hot on the table, fresh off the pan and oven. Scrumptious grilled fish, sushi, and in the mains we loved the shaadi ki biryani, aloo gosht, pork roast and kababs. 

From the live grills, the fish was cooked really well and flavoured ever so delicately, chicken bao made with minced chicken and lots of fresh Thai basil leaves - was very good option. 

The dessert bar had a fair variety to pick from. Excellent choice of dishes on the spread, we enjoyed the hospitality, live music and scrumptious food. 

Here is what we tasted...

Live Chaat Counter, Pav Bhaji Counter, Dosa/appam/ paratha counter. We chose aloo chaat, samosa masala, keema pav, appam chicken stew. 

Live Dimsums, Sushi and Stir Fry Counter. We chose chicken bao, vegetable dimsum, prawn dim sum, chicken dimsum and soba noodles.

Soups, Breads, Pizzas, Cheese and Pasta Counter. We chose the cold chicken pizza, Chicken and vegetable bruschetta, cheese brie, emenatal, cheddar and plums.

Live grills counter fish and chicken. We chose the pomfret, king fish, prawns, squid, basa and chicken wings.


Kebabs and Pork roast and tandoori counter. I love the lamb ribs which was marinated and perfectly grilled. The murgh ruzwali we had twice, corn kebabs, mushrrom kabobs and corn kababs was awesome.

Mains and Salads Spread there were three rows i was already full and couldn't taste everything. Some items which i did not want to miss and tried were biryani, aloo gosht, cheese stuffed potatoes and green juice.

Lavish Non Veg Spread. 

The Dessert Bar. Live malpua, jalebi, baklavas, baked custards, pastries, chocolate cakes and icecreams was truly a stunning spread.

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Overall we enjoyed the brunch. Must try from the buffet spread are the dimsums, grilled prawns, chicken and mutton kababs, keema pav, wok fried soba noodles and biryani. From desserts chocolate mousse cake, hot jalebis, cham cham, coconut custard.

Christmas Decor and goodies sold at their in house bakery 😊

Special Sunday Brunch
12:30pm – 4pm
Sunday Brunch
Rs. 1500 +TAX (without alcohol)
Rs. 2100 +TAX (with IMFL drinks)
Rs. 2900 +TAX (with Champagne)

Rs. 750 +TAX (For kids)

Southindian Style Radish Mutton Kurma (Mullangi Mutton Kuzhambu)

We prepare mutton curry with various seasonal veggies. My favorite veggies in mutton curry are brinjal, kohlrabi, potatoes, drumsticks and radish. Every vegetable has its own unique flavor and taste when cooked with meat, the combination of radish mutton curry with steam cooked rice is ultimate taste and must try recipe for winter.

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Ingredients: 
500 Grams Mutton
250 Grams Radish
1/2 Cup Coconut 
Fist Full Coriander 
2 1/2 Tbsp Chilly Powder
1 Tbsp Coriander Powder
1/2 Tbsp Turmeric Powder
2 Inch Sticks Cinnamon
5 + 5 Cloves
6 Pods Cardamom
2 1/2 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste Please Click Here for Recipe
1 Large Onion Sliced
2 Green Chilies Slit
Garnish: Finely chopped coriander, 1/2 Lime
Oil as required 
Salt as per taste...

Method:
Peel the radish wash twice, remove the head and tail part, cut into 1/2 inch thick coins and reserve.

We can use coconut milk if you cannot find fresh coconut. Always peel the dark bark or outer skin of the coconut. chop into tiny pieces and add to a mixer jar with coriander, pulse twice. Add a splash of water and grind to form a smooth paste reserve.

Wash the meat twice and place in a colander to drain excess moisture.

Heat a pressure pan on medium flame with 2 tsp oil. Add the meat along with 1 inch cinnamon, 5 cloves, 3 pods cardamom, 1 1/2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste, 1 1/2 tbsp chilly powder, 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tbsp coriander powder and salt fry the meat on low flame for 3 to 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups water stir well and cover, place a whistle and pressure cook the meat for 3 to 4 whistles or until the meat is tender and reserve.

Heat a heavy bottom wok or pressure cooker on medium flame with 1 tbsp oil. Add whole spices 3 pods cardamom, 1 inch stick cinnamon, 5 cloves allow the spices to splutter.

Add the sliced onion, slit chilies and radish coins fry for a minute. Add 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste, 1 tbsp chilly powder, 1/2 tbsp coriander powder fry all the ingredients till onion turns transparent and radish softens a bit.

Add the cooked mutton to the radish place on low flame. Add 1 cup water and salt, cover and cook the radish until well done.

Add the ground coconut to the radish and mutton curry, adjust the gravy by adding water and salt as per taste bring to rapid boil and allow to reduce on medium flame.

Once the curry reduces the oil will surface on the curry, garnish with lime juice and finely chopped coriander...serve hot with rice and enjoy. 😊

Mutton Curry Recipes

Drumstick Mutton Curry Recipe 

Mutton Green Gravy

Split Chickpeas Bottle Gourd Mutton Curry

Brinjal Mutton Curry

Kohlrabi Mutton Curry Recipe

Beetroot Mutton Curry Recipe

Bangalore Mutton Phal Recipe

Street Food Series: Crispy Noodles Chaat Recipe

Crispy fried noodles tossed with indian spices and veggies makes a perfect starter when we are hosting lunch or dinner parties at home. Noodles Chaat is also referred as chinese bhel it's a very popular snack sold by street food vendors. 

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Ingredients for Crispy Noodles:
1 Pack 400 Grams Hakka Noodles 
2 Tbsp Corn Flour
2 Tbsp Maida (All Purpose Flour)
Salt as per taste
Oil for frying..

Ingredients for Noodles Chaat:
1 Cup Finely Sliced or Grated Cabbage
3 Large Carrots Thinly Sliced or Grated 
2 Large Onion Thinly Sliced
1 Large Capsicum Thinly Sliced 
1 Tomato Deseeded and Finely Chopped
3 Green Chilies Finely Chopped
1 Tbsp Chilly Sauce
1 Tbsp Soya Sauce
1 Tbsp Date and Tamarind Chutney Please Click Here for Recipe
1 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup
3 Tbsp Roasted and Salted Peanuts
1 Tbsp Chaat Masala
1 Tbsp Crushed Black Pepper Corns
1 Tbsp Chilly Powder
Aloo Bhujia as required
Finely Chopped Coriander
1/2 lime Juice
Salt as per taste... 

Method:
Cook the noodles according to package directions, drain excess water allow to reach room temperature.

Add the noodles to a large mixing bowl or plate sprinkle maida, corn flour and salt mix well. If any excess moisture in the noodles the flour will absorb and helps the noodles to cook faster.

Sprinkle little water at a time and mix the noodles the flour should stick on the noodles. Heat a wide pan with oil for frying on low flame allow to reach temperature.

Add one even layer of noodles to hot oil and fry till light brown in color on both sides. Fry the noodles on low flame to achive crispiness. Each side to fry evenly will take 2 to 3 minutes.

Once the noodles has fried allow excess oil to drain on a tissue paper or place in a colander to drain.

We can prepare these crispy noodles and store it in a airtight container and use as required. We can also store the fried noodles in the freezer up to 3 to 4 weeks.

In a large mixing bowl combine the veggies, sauces and masala powder mix well. Add salt  and noodles just before serving.

Also check for salt and add as required as the sauces and masalas already contain salt in them.

Add tamarind chutney, peanuts and bhujia and mix well. crumble and add the noodles mix well. Garnish with grated carrots, finely chopped coriander, finely chopped onions and lime juice.

Before serving sprinkle aloo bhujia and salted peanuts and serve right away...Enjoy 😉

Italian Street Food Festival @BYG Brewski Brewing Company, Hennur-Bengaluru

Italian Street Food Festival at BYG Brewski serves beyond pizzas and pastas. Pizza and pasta are great, no doubt, but there’s so much more to local italian cuisine. I was hosted by BYG Brewski for the ongoing festival at Hennur- Bengaluru.

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The aim of this event is to let people try gourmet regional and traditional italian dishes...One can gets to taste amazing Trapizzinos, Folpetti, Stigghiola, Lampredotto, Cannolis and Gelatos all prepared fresh everyday and specially curated for the festival. 

The festival has also featured Food trucks and live stalls which will dish out scrumptious dishes that offer the real street food experience. Please call in advance to check live performances by artists and enjoy the specially curated one of kind event with family and friends.

Here's what we tasted

Gimlet Cocktail: A gin based cocktail with lime cordial, spiked with kaffir lime and leaves... 

Arancini: Creamy arborio rice stuffed with bocconcini cheese, crumb coated and fried. These rice fritters were served on a bed of marinara sauce and fried basil leaves.

Credits to Chef Sanjay for this pic 😊

Panini Station (Live Counter)

I asked for little bit of everything in my Panini  
(Confit Chicken, Parma Ham, Bocconcini Cheese, Pesto and Tomatoes grilled to perfection)

Cuoppo Napoletano Seafood Option: This platter consists of crumb coated fried bocconcini cheese, calamari, king fish, prawns and basil fritters served with chipotle sauce. 

Cuoppo Napoletano Vegetarian Option: This platter consists of crumb coated fried bocconcini cheese,tater tots, fried eggplant slices, cheese stuffed broccoli, batter fried basil leaves, served with a chipotle sauce.

Trapizzino
Cone pizza with mixed veggies, cheese and pesto.

Bollito Misto is a classic Italian stew
Lamb served with polenta cake and pickles 

Bollito Misto is a classic Italian stew
Pork option served with polenta cake and pickles. Both lamb and pork was fork tender and cooked to perfection.

Polpette 
Lamb and turkey meat balls simmered and cooked to perfection in a green gravy and served with softest butter toast. 

Polpette 
Beef and turkey meat balls simmered and cooked to perfection in a tomato gravy and served with softest butter toast.

Lampredotto
Burgers prepared with veggies, chicken and beef options... 

Trapizzino
Cone pizza with chicken, bocconcini cheese and pesto..

Stigghiola
Home made spicy sausages Pork and Chicken Options... 

Sicilian Gelato served in a brioche bun 

I must thank Byg team, Chef Rabi and Chef Sanjay for this wonderful experience they left no stone unturned in terms of food, quality and service it was superb. I will get to cherish every moment spent with the team and my dad. This italian street food festival was well executed and highly recommend a visit to BYG.