Microwave Congress (Spicy Masala Peanuts)

This is a snack which goes well with tea or coffee. This is a very spicy snack and you will have "tears of joy" tasting it. This is a Bangalore specialty which I attempted to make in the microwave.

Ingredients:

Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 1/2 cup
Olive oil - 3 tsp
Salt - to taste
Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Rice flour - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp

Method:
1. Place the peanuts in a shallow microwaveable dish and microwave for 2-3 minutes till roasted.
2. Peel the skin of peanuts and set aside.
3. Take a tsp of oil and mix the curry leaves and microwave for 2-3 minutes till crisp and crush it.
4. Take the remaining oil and add asafoetida and microwave for 1 minute. To this add pepper powder, red chilly powder, rice flour, turmeric, salt, and sugar.
5. Finally add it to the peanuts with the crushed curry leaves and spices and mix well and microwave the mixture for a minute.
6. Store in airtight container.

Sending this entry to "Microwave Easy Cooking Event" - Tea Time Snacks hosted by me at "Rice N Spice" for September 2011. This event was started by Srivalli of “Cooking for All Seasons”.

Microwave Masala Murmura

Ingredients:
Murmura (Puffed rice) - 6 cups
Oil - 4 tsp
Roasted chana dhal - 2 tsp
Peanuts - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Masala urad Papads -2

Seasoning:
Mustard - 2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - 5 strings
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies -2

Method:
1. Keep the murmura (puffed rice) in a shallow microwaveable dish and microwave for two minutes to make it crisp
2. Microwave peanuts and roasted chana dhal with a tsp of oil for two minutes and add it to the murmura.
3. Make a seasoning of mustard, asafotedia, curry leaves, turmeric powder, red chillies with the remaining oil in the microwave for 2 minutes.
4. Microwave two papads and crush it. (I used Haldiram Punjabi Masala papad)
5. Finally add the seasoning, salt, sugar, red chilly powder, and crushed papads to the murmura.
6. Store in air-tight container when cool.

Sending this entry to "Microwave Easy Cooking Event" - Tea Time Snacks hosted by me at "Rice N Spice" for September 2011. This event was started by Srivalli of “Cooking for All Seasons”.

Jalebi

Ingredients Needed:

All purpose flour - 100 gm
Yogurt - 1 cup
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Cornstarch - 30 gm
Hot oil - 1 tbsp
Saffron color - a large pinch
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - ½ cup
Oil for deep frying

Method:

To make the batter:

1. In a bowl combine yogurt, lime juice, flour, cornstarch, saffron color, and hot oil. Whisk together to make a thick batter. Ferment this batter overnight.

To make the Sugar syrup:

1. Combine sugar with water and heat till sugar dissolves.
2. Bring to a boil till you reach a light syrup consistency. Keep warm on low flame.

To make the jalebi:

1. Heat oil over medium-low flame.
2. Spoon batter into a piping bag or ziplog bag with one corner cut off.
3. Pipe batter into hot oil and fry till crisp and pale golden.
4. Drop jalebis into warm sugar syrup for a few minutes and remove with a slotted spoon.
5. Serve warm.

Sending this entry to "Indian Cooking Challenge" hosted by Srivalli of "Spicing Your Life".

Microwave Hurigalu

Hurigalu is a Bangalore speciality. It is spicy roasted beans and a low calorie healthy snack which is very addictive. I tried making this snack in the microwave. It turned out to be perfect and very tasty.

Ingredients:

Whole Green Moong Dhal - 1/2 cup
Black eyed peas, chickpeas, horsegram - 1/2 cup altogether
Roasted Channa Dhal - 4 tbsp
Peanuts - 4 tbsp
Juice of 2 limes
Chilly powder to taste
Salt to taste
Olive oil 2- 3 tsp
Dry coconut pieces

Method:
1. Soak green moong dhal, black eyed peas, chickpeas, horsegram separately overnight.
2. Drain the dhals separately and spread on a microwaveable dish and add lime juice and microwave for about 4 minutes.
3. Stir the dhal and add salt, chilly powder, and a tsp of olive oil and mix. Microwave for another 4 minutes.
4. Check if crisp and depending on your microwave add a minute or two to cook.
5. Transfer to a bowl.
6. Microwave the roasted channa dhal and peanuts in a tsp of each separately and mix it.
7. Finally add the dry coconut pieces and store in airtight container.

Sending this entry to "Microwave Easy Cooking Event" - Tea Time Snacks hosted by me at "Rice N Spice" for September 2011. This event was started by Srivalli of “Cooking for All Seasons”.

Raw Green Grapes Pickle

I visited my friend Minnie in New Jersey and she had grown clusters of green grapes in her garden which had yet to be ripe. These sour green grapes were perfect for pickles. This recipe was done by mom.

Ingredients:

Raw sour green grapes - 1 cup
Salt - 2 tbsp
Red chillies - 1 cup loosely packed
Mustard seeds - 2tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Water - 2 cups

Method:
1. Slit the raw green grapes lightly and set aside.
2. Boil the water with salt till it condenses to half the quantity.
3. Cool the salt solution.
4. Blend the red chillies, raw mustard seeds, turmeric powder in the salt water
5. Mix the blend mixture to the grapes
6. Store in pickle jar or glass bottle.

Sending this recipe to "Condiment Mela" hosted by Srivalli of "Cooking for all Seasons".

Dry Paan Masala

My friend Sudha Arkesh shared this recipe with me. Ever since I made this it has become a family favorite. Thanks Sudha for sharing this wonderful recipe.

Ingredients:

Betel leaves - 100
Paan supari - 100 gms
Sugar - 1 cup
Nutmeg - 1/4 inch
Edible Camphor - 2 pinch
Cardamom - 10 peeled and powdered
Dry coconut powder - 1 cup
Lime paste - 1/4 tsp
Cloves - 10

Method:
1. Wash and dry the leaves and chop it.
2. Mix sugar and the chopped betel leaves and cook on the stove in medium flame till it caramelizes. Turn of the heat.
3. Separately roast the cloves, nutmeg, and dry coconut lightly.
4. Mix all the other ingredients to the caramelized mixture.
5. Blend all the ingredients coarsely.

Sending this recipe to "Condiment Mela" hosted by Srivalli of "Cooking for all Seasons".

Microwave Blue Potato Chips

I experimented making potato chips with blue potatoes in the microwave and it was really tasty.

Ingredients:
Blue Potatoes - 2 medium
Salt to taste
Chilli powder to taste
Pam oil spray

Method:
1. Slice potatoes thinly in a food processor or slicer.
2. Arrange on a microwaveable plate and without overlapping.
3. Micowave for three minutes, turn the chips.
4. Spray pam or lightly brush with oil and microwave for another two minutes.
5. If not completely crisp microwave for another minute.
6. Sprinkle salt and chilli powder and mix.
7. Store in air tight containers.

Sending this entry to "Microwave Easy Cooking Event" - Tea Time Snacks hosted by me at "Rice N Spice" for September 2011. This event was started by Srivalli of “Cooking for All Seasons”.