Rain.. Music n Mirchi Bajji/Mirapakaya Bajjilu

OK.. imagine this... Its mid afternoon on a beautiful day.. its a little chilly and raining outside.. the lawns are greener... the row of houses looks newer.. everything seems brighter and prettier.. as the sun peeks from behind the blobs of clouds.....a faint rainbow .. decorates the busy skies..And a gentle breeze blows..the sprinkles..from the rain drops.. into the house through an open kitchen window...where someone is standing looking out.. waiting for someone..to come home and enjoy the sound of rain drops...Whats a girl to do...when she is all alone at home?! Listen to her favorite compilation of romantic songs..sing and dance...and make something hot, spicy and yummy ofcourse !!

"Tip Tip Barsa Paani.. Paani ne aag lagaayi.. Aag lagi ..dil mein tho.. dil ko teri yaad aayi... Teri yaad aayi tho ... jal utha mera bheega badan.. ab tu hi bataao sajan.. main kya karoon.. !! Aa haa aaha aaha.. aaaa aaha ... aaaha.. !!" - Its the hindi song from the movie "Mohra" picturized on Raveena Tandon and Akshay Kumar.. !! Kind of ..uhu uhu(sensual) rain song... :) Love it.. ! ;)Singing and listening "Rain" themed romantic songs.. makes me wanna make these yummy spicy hot "mirchi bajjis" .. !! And thats what I am sharing here... !

Mirapakaya Bajjilu/Mirchi Bajji

Ingredients:
Peppers (Banana Peppers or Serrano peppers or Jalapenos.. anything thats not too thin and not too spicy)
Besan/Gram Flour
Salt
Chilli Powder
1 tsp Baking powder
Oil to deep fry

Masala to spinkle:
Chat masala Or
Coriander powder + salt + chilli powder
Process:
Preparation: Slit the green chillies length-wise but not fully. Use a fork to remove the seeds. Then apply the stuffing paste with a spoon. (Your hands will burn due to the hot chillies.. if you do it bare hands)

Mix the besan, salt, chilli powder and baking powder together. Add water so that the batter is of thick running consistency. Dip a vegetable and see if the batter sticks to it, if it doesnt, then you need to add more flour. If it sticks like blobs and not smoothly, then you probably need to make it a little bit more running.

Dip the chillies in batter, drop gently into hot oil and fry until done. For added taste, do it twice. Sprinkle with the masala powder and serve hot.. !! Ketchup.. and vegetable chutneys would be great sides to this too..

Variations :
Sometimes, I use Banana Peppers and stuff them with onions mixed with the masala.
For stuffing, you can also mix sesame/peanut powder with cumin and tamarind sauce

This goes to Sunshine Mom/Harini's Jukebox event.. and to my Sunday Snacks - Hot n Spicy event
.

Sambhar/Pappu Charu

Ingredients :

MTR Sambar powder or anything else

1 small cup of toor dal 
Wash well, then add about 4-5 cups of water.
Add
2 cloves of garlic,
1 tsp turmeric
 1 tsp oil
 split 3 green chillies vertically
 also 1 sprig of curry leaves (karivepaku)
and pressure cook it. (cook well, atleast 3-4 whistles)

Now, chop all the vegetables you need.

Onion (not much.. about half onion)
Bottle gourd (about half of a large one)
drumsticks
1 radish
1 tomato
baby Carrots (can use regular ones into about 2 inch long and 1/2 inch wide pieces)
vertically Split 3-4 green chillies
1 sprig of curry leaves

Process: 

Then on the side soak about a standard indian tomato size ...tamarind ball.
To make it soak well, you can put this in a glass bowl and microwave for 30 secs - 1 minute.
set aside
Then take a large sauce pan, and put some oil, add seasonings (jeera, aavalu, turmeric, green chillies,curry leaves)
stir once..dont let it burn.. taste antha pothundhi popu maadithe..
Then immediately add all your vegetables
Dont cover the pan, just stir every few minutes..
All vegetables change colors when they are slightly cooked.. you'll know..  (About 5-10 minutes)

meanwhile, squeeze the tamarind and prepare juice.. Add a couple of cups of extra water. When the vegetables start oozing some liquid, add this tamarind juice..  Let it cook and boil .. add water and salt and mirchi powder.. per necessity.. When the vegetables are 80% cooked, add the cooked dal.. to the liquid.. Then check salt and mirchi, add additional amount as needed. Add sambar powder and also some dhaniya powder. Also, start sambar powder with 1 tsp, stir the sambhar and add more if u feel the need for more.. adjust to your taste..  The sambhar should be bubbling and boiling.. and the vegetables should be all cooked.. and atleast 1 or 2 times pongu ravali.. you reduce flame and stir.. and again increase flame.. for the pongu..  after 2 times this happens, veggies are fully cooked, and taste is perfect, turn off the stove.. Dont over cook the vegetables it spoils the taste.. So, be sure to not over do it.

Quick n Easy Kalakhand

Ingredients:
1 can Sweetened condensed milk
2 cups Milk powder
1 stick butter
Pure Edible silver leaves(chandi ke vark)

Process:

Melt the butter in a large microwaveable bowl. Put the lid and heat the bowl for 1-2 minutes until the butter melts. Once the butter is all melted, add milk powder and condensed milk and stir the mixture well. Put the bowl back in the microwave and cook for 7 minutes.During this time, after every one minute, stir the mixture well until all 7 minutes are done. The mixture turns light browning and the butter separates from the mass. Spread the mixture in a shallow pan and Lay the silver leaves and stick them. Cut into 1 - 1.5 inch cubes and serve. Yummy Kalakhand will be a crowd pleaser..


Picture coming soon...