Bucket List

I always knew the places I wanted to visit so this is just putting them on paper. I don't know if I will ever visit them, but these are the places that I know will have a hypnotic effect on me when I visit them, I know exactly what tune will be ringing in my ears while I am witnessing these gems. Fingers crossed.

Wishlist (Geographical)

1. Manasarovar and Kailash Parvat
2. Cappadocia Turkey.
3. Lake Baikal Siberia
4. Masai Mara 
5. Ushuaia, Argentina (Southernmost town in South America, end of the world town)
6. Fjords of Iceland 
7. Galapagos Islands
8. Cooks Island South America
9. Whole of New Zealand
10. Sundarbans
11. Rann of Kutch 
12. Andaman Nicobar Islands
13. Salt Flats of Bolivia (Salar De Uyuni)
14. Amazon Forests
15. Every Small fishing town in the world

Coconut Chutney (Dessicated Coconut)

Ingredients:-

1. Dessicated Coconut - 1 cup 
2. Chopped Onion - 1/2 cup 
3. Green Chilli - 3 
4. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Salt - to taste 
7. Sugar - to taste
8. Urad dal - 1tbsp 
9. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
10. Curry Leaves - 5-6 leaves
11. Oil - 2 tbsp
12. Asafoetida - 1 pinch 
13. Yogurt - 2 tsp 
14. Water - 2 tsp

Chutney - Mix coconut, onion, green chilli, cumin, coriander powder and grind in a food processor. To this add salt and sugar. Mix water and yogurt in a separate bowl and whisk to bring buttermilk consistency to the mixture. Now add this to the chutney and mix well. 

In a wok heat oil. Once the oil is properly heated add urad dal and mustard seeds. Let the urad dal turn golden brown then add curry leaves, asafoetida and turn off the heat. Add this tadka to the chutney and mix well. Let the chutney sit for 10 minutes to absorb all the flavors. 

Serve with idli, dosa, uttapam etc. 

Store in refrigerator. 

Rice Crepes (Tandalachya Pithache Dhirde)

• Ingredients :-

1. 2 Cups Rice Flour
2. 1/2 Tspn Turmeric
3. 1 Tspn Finely Chopped Green Chilies 
4. 1/2 Tspn Salt 
5. 1 1/2 Tbsp Chopped Cilantro
6. 1 Tbsp Grated Ginger 
7. 1 Cup Water
8. 1/2 Cup Yogurt
9. Oil  3/4 Cup 

• The Crepes :-

1. Mix all the ingredients except oil and set aside for 15 minutes. Usually use room temperature yogurt and water. Also make sure there are no lumps in the batter. 
2. Heat tava or crepe pan on medium heat add a t-spoon of oil and spread all over the pan and then pour the batter onto it to make 8-10 inches crepes or Dhirde. 
3. As the crepe begin to cook, pour t-spoon of oil on the sides and over the crepe. After about 2 minutes one side would be done and the turn over to other side to cook. Let both side cook thoroughly, i.e until both sides are golden brown.  
4. Remove the crepe once done  and  put on  a tissue to blot out the excess oil.  Serve hot with green cilantro chutney. 

• Tips :- 

1. Make sure the Tava or pan is heated on a medium heat before putting batter, properly heated tava makes good crispy crepes. 
2. The above portions make around 8-10 crepes (dhirde) 

Veggie Reshmi Kebab

• Ingredients:- 

1. Sprouted Moong - 2 cups
2. Finely chopped Onion - 1 small 
3. Mashed boiled Potato - 1 (medium)
4. Tamarind Chutney - 1Tspn
5. Finely chopped Cilantro - 1 Tbsp
6. Salt to taste
7. Green chili - 2 
8. Garam masala - 1 Tspn
9. Turmeric - 1/2 Tspn
10. Corn Flour - 2 Tbsp
11. Oil spray
12. Oil - 2Tbsp. 

• The Kebabs:-

1. Soak 5-6 skewers in water
2. Preheat oven to 350 F. 
3. Grind the sprouted moong. Do not make a fine paste. Set aside. 
4. In a bowl, take mashed potato, moong, add tamarind, cilantro, green chilies, garam masala,turmeric and corn flour and salt and mix all the ingredients well. Add the oil, this helps in handling the mixture with ease. 
5. Wrap a baking tray with aluminium foil and spray it with oil. 
6. Take a good amount of the mixture and roll it around the skewers and set on the baking tray. Do the same with all the remaining mixture. 
7. Spray oil over all the skewers and place the tray on the highest rack in the oven. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Once the upper side is golden brown roll over to other side and cook until golden brown.
8. Keep watching over the baking dish in between as it is likely that oven temperature might over cook and burn the kebabs.  

Pumpkin Yogurt Raita

• Ingredients:-

1. 2 Cups of cube chopped Pumpkin
2. 1 Cup of Yogurt.
3. Salt to taste
4. Sugar to taste
5. 2 Small Green Chilies
6. 2 Teaspoon of Cumin seeds
7. 2 Teaspoon of Cooking Oil or Ghee (if making for fast)
8. Pinch of Asafoetida 
9. 1/2 T-spn of Turmeric
10. 1 Tbsp of chopped Cilantro ( for garnishing)

• The Salad:-

1. Pressure cook the pumpkins by adding 2 t-spoon of water. 
2. In a bowl take the cooked pumpkin and mash a little, not too much. Add the yogurt, salt and sugar. 
3. In  a kadhai or wok add oil or ghee, once heated add the cumin seeds, green chilies, turmeric and asafoetida. Once the chilies start spluttering,  turn off the heat and pour the tadka over the pumpkin. 
4. Mix all the ingredients and garnish with cilantro. 
5. Serve with paratha or roti.  

• Tips:- 

1. Pumpkins are a good source of Vitamin A, C and Calcium and Iron. Also they are a low calorie food making it ideal for parties with heavy and fatty foods. 
2. This raita is also ideal on fasting days, just instead of oil use ghee and avoid asafoetida as it is not used in cooking on fasting days. 

Dal Methi (Lentil Curry with Fenugreek Leaves)

• Ingredients:-

1. 2 Cups of Methi (Fenugreek Leaves)
2. 2 Cups of cooked lentils (Masoor, Moong, Toor)
3. 2 Tbsp Oil
4. 2 Tbsp Butter/ Margarine
5. 1/2 Tbsp Turmeric
6. 1 Tbsp Cumin seeds
7. 1 Tbsp thinly sliced Garlic
8. 1 Green Chili chopped
9. 1/2 Tbsp Ginger paste
10. 1/2 Tbsp Kala masala
11. Pinch of Asafoetida
12. Salt to taste
13. Sugar to taste
14. 1/2 Tbsp diced Kokam (Garcinia Indica)

• The Curry:-

1. In a sauce pan heat oil and 1 Tbsp of butter. Add cumin seeds and sliced garlic and saute till crispy brown.
2. Once the seeds splutter well and the garlic turns golden brown add turmeric and asafoetida and saute till garlic turns crispy brown.
3. Now add the methi leaves and saute. As the methi cooks add the remaining butter so the methi does not burn.
4. Cover the methi and let it cook. Mash the cooked lentils with a spoon. Once a good steam is released by methi, add the lentils and salt, sugar, kokam and Kala masala. Saute the curry.
5. Add about a cup of water and mix well and let it boil.
6. Serve hot with rice or chapati.

• Tips:-

1. Methi is readily available in Farmers market or frozen methi can also be used.
2. Kokam is added to reduce the bitter taste of methi.
3. Adding butter to the tadka gives a smooth creamy taste.

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