Spinach & Potato fry (with sesame seeds)

I have been quite busy lately and no time to blog. Finally its a weekend and I decided to make a traditional brunch today.. On a relaxed weekend morning, after a hot cup of filter coffee, I am often in a great mood to wear the chef's hat and start cooking something elaborate. Today, I was a bit lazy, but still managed to put together some of our favorite South-Indian meal items and make it feel more like a lunch rather than a breakfast! So, I am convincing myself to call it a "brunch". I made "Morkuzhambu" & "Spinach-Potato fry". We started our meal with these 2 dishes and finished with a creamy curd-rice accompanied by a fantastic lemon pickle and a few papads.


I will soon be posting the recipe for Morkuzhambu (Spiced yogurt gravy) , but today I picked to post just the spinach-potato recipe. I just love the dense and leafy texture of spinach combined with juicy and roasted texture of potatoes. Additionally the aroma of roasted sesame seeds brings out the unique flavor. This dish forms an excellent side dish for a mild gravy like Dal, Morkuzhambu etc.

Here is the recipe of Spinach-Potato Fry.

Ingredients:

• Chopped Spinach - 2 cups
• Potatoes - 2 medium
• Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
• Onion - 1 medium (chopped)
• Garlic - 1 clove (mashed)
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
• Corriander Powder - 2 tsp

Procedure:

• Dry roast (without oil) the sesame seeds and blend them to a powder. Set aside.
• Peel the skin & Cube the potatoes. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and season with Cumin seeds. When they begin to splutter, add onions and the mashed garlic and fry for a few mins.
• Then add the potatoes and turmeric and fry well for a few mins in medium heat.
• Add the chilli powder & corriander powder and salt.
• Mix well and cover in low heat for 5 - 6 mins..
• Remove the lid , add the chopped spinach and fry well.
• Cover for another 5 mins in low heat or until the potatoes are completely cooked.
• Turn on the heat to high and fry until the water is almost fully evaporated.
• Now add the sesame seeds powder and mix well. Cover for a couple of mins and remove from heat.

A tasty and nutritious side-dish is ready!

Ravai Thengaipal Kesari - Rava Kesari with Coconut Milk

Kesari is a very simple and tasty sweet which is popular is south india. It uses very basic ingredients that are always available at home. I made this today as my daughter loves it.

The recipe I'm posting here is a variation from the regular kesari and substitutes coconut milk instead of regular milk/water. I came across this recipe in a magazine and I made it for the first time today. It came out absolutely lovely! Coconut milk is a common ingredient that I have found in many south indian desserts like payasams & halwas. So, I was hoping this would also turn out awesome.

Since I made it for my daughter I was liberal in ghee and sugar to make it taste better... But once I tasted it, I couldn't stop eating! There's a saying that "Life is uncertain - Eat dessert first!" So, I guess its ok to forgive myself when I go insane on sweets once in a while :)

Ingredients

• Rava/Semolina - 1 cup (Coarse)
• Sugar - 1.5 cups
• Coconut milk - 2 cups
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Food color - 1 pinch (yellow or orange)
• Cardamom pods - 3
• Ghee - 3 tbsps
• Oil - 2 tbsps
• Cashews - handful
• Raisins - 10
  

Procedure:

• Heat a pan, dry roast the rava (without oil) until light golden brown (you should feel the roasted aroma) ; transfer to a dry plate and spread it.
• In same pan, heat the oil and ghee together. Add the cashews and raisins and keep stirring in medium heat until the cashews become golden brown and raisins puff up.
• Add the coconut milk, water and Sugar and stir gently.
• Cover until the mixture begins to boil. Meanwhile crush the cardamoms to a powder and add it to the boiling mixture.
• When it starts to boil lower the heat, add the rava slowly in batches and gently stir simultaneously to avoid lumps.
• Keep stirring until the mixture turns out to be semi solid consistency. To reach this consistency and have the rava fully cooked, You could also leave it covered for 2 mins in low heat.
• Immediately remove from heat and add 1 tbsp ghee and mix well.