Vaghereli rotli (left over chapati in yoghurt gravy)

This is one of warming, comforting dishes that is very easy, healthy and quick to make. Extremely satisfying dish. This dish is always the sort of thing that i crave every once in a while and also when I am on my own and wanting to get snuggled up on the sofa, all safe and cosy. :D

When I make chapatis, sometime I make a few too many and then freeze the leftovers for this dish
alone because i love it so so much and cuts down a. lot of cooking time drastically.

It is cooked in a  sour yoghurt gravy, so it is a good source of calcium too! And great for using yoghurt that is close to its sell by date. You would never believe how tasty this dish is. I just think its amazing when you think that it is all made with leftovers! Simply delicious!!!

Ingredients:-

8 or so left over chapatis,
1 cup of sour yoghurt,
2 1/2 - 3 cups of water,
1 1/2 tbs oil,
1/2 tsp mustard seeds,
a pinch of hing or asafoetida powder,
1/4 tsp methi or fenugreek seeds,
1/2 tsp cumin seeds,
1 tsp each garlic and ginger pastes,
a few curry leaves
1/2 tsp dhana- jeera powder or coriander-cumin powder
1 tsp of sugar or to taste,
salt to taste,
fresh coriander to garnish.

Directions:-

1. Tear the chapatis and keep to one side.
2. Heat up the oil on a medium heat and once it is hot enough, add the mustard seeds.
3. When they pop add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, and fry for a few seconds before adding the garlic and the ginger pastes and the turmeric. Fry on a low heat for a few minutes until the turn translucent and the raw smell goes.
4. Add some salt to taste, sugar and the water, bring back to the boil and simmer for about 1 or 2 minutes.
5. Add the yoghurt and the torn up chapattis, test for seasoning, if its ok then sprinkle with coriander and serve steaming hot! Enjoy and feel free to comment and let me know what you think! :D :D

South Indian Okra in a Yogurt and Coconut sauce.

This is a realy good dish if you need introducing to okra, becuse of the sauce, it is sweet and sour and rich with coconut. It really is so delicious.

I am not exactly sure of this dishes actual name because a friend has kindly given this recipe. My friend is from kerala and is not to sure on how to write in english.

Last week she invited me over for lunch and she had heard about me blogging about real indian food. She said that she could remember me saying one time in her favourite restaurant, that I would've liked to of recreated the thali that we enjoyed on that particular day. She was going to be cooking this dish anyway for her family so she remembered about me :-) Of cause i was overjoyed to receive the invitation and I gladly accepted.

I decided to walk to her house because it was quite a nice day, one of those days where it is cold and crisp, but a nice bright sun. Once I had arrived at the end of her street I could smell her food! It reminded me of one of those cartoons where the hungry animal gets a whiff of some delicious food and floated it the air to follow the scent :-) As i walked up her garden path the fabulous aroma got stronger and stronger and even more delicious. She must have seen me coming to the door, because she opened the door before I could even knock. She greeted me with open arms and said come in, come in! I walked into her kitchen and it was full of her female relatives. They were all busy doing something, Her Mother was grinding some batter for dosa, her sister was kneading some bread, and there was some of her aunts and cousins there too. It was a kind of organised kaos. She called me over to the cooker and firstly asked if they could get me anything to drink. Her aunt gave me a cup of chai (Indian tea) and my friend and I sat down for a chat.
When we had finished our chai she said to me that we should get on, she handed me a pen and paper and she said that as a gift for being a good friend, she was handing me this recipe that had been through her family for a very long time. I could thank enough, but she just kindly replied " just invite me round for tea" I love her so much! Thanks hun! :-)

Here is my friends beautifully simple, South Indian Okra recipe.

Ingredients:-

2 cups of fresh okra, washed and dried, cut into 1/2 inch flowers
1/2 cup of fresh yogurt (dahi)
1/2 cup freshly grated, frozen or desiccated coconut. If you are using desiccated coconut then you should soak in boiled water for about 1/2 hour, reserving the coconut water.
3 tbs oil,
1 tsp mustard seeds,
10-12 curry leaves,
1/2- 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder,
1/2 tsp green chilli paste,
water - as required.
salt to taste,
1 1/2- 3 tsp sugar- as per your taste,
fresh green coriander to garnish.


Directions:-

1) Heat some oil in a pan and fry the okra on a low to medium heat until browning at the edges and all of the sliminess has disappeared. Make sure that you don't keep stirring the okra otherwise it will become really slimy and not very nice. Drain on kitchen paper.

2) In a blender, or with a hand blender, mix together the yogurt, red chilli powder, coconut, salt and sugar. Blend until you have a fairly cause paste.

3) Check the seasoning and add sufficient water, but not too much. Test again.

4) Heat a saucepan over a medium to hot heat and add the mustard seeds. Wait until they pop and then add the curry leaves. Let them splutter and then add the okra and sauce.

5) Reheat gently up to boiling point and then serve hot with chapatis and rice, or as part of your favorite thali