Dum Aloo

Any dish made of potato is always a hit. Isn't it? I have never made dum aloo before. I took the recipe from Nags of cookingandme. I basically used the same ingredients and cooked the gravy for a longer time than she did. It was very yummy.

Ingredients:
Potatoes-3 small(pressure cooked, peeled and cut into big pieces)
Salt
Oil-2 tbsp
Curd/Yogurt-2 tbsp
coriander leaves- to garnish
Kasuri methi(optional)-a pinch(crushed)
Lime juice-from 1/2 lime(optional)

Spice powders(adjust the quantities according to your taste)
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Kitchen king masala-1 and a half tsp
Garam masala powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder-1 tsp
Red chilli powder

To grind(without adding water) into a paste:
Onion-1/2 cup
Ginger-1 inch piece
Garlic-2 pods
Green chilli-1

To grind separately into a paste:
Tomatoes-2 medium sized or 3 small

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add onion-ginger-garlic paste. Fry for 5 minutes.
Then add tomato paste and spice powders and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. If the mixture is too thick, add water and bring it to a desired consistency. Simmer and cook until the raw smell is gone. It will take at least 30 minutes approximately.
Add yogurt, potatoes and cook for 5 more minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves, kasuri methi and squeeze lime juice. Serve with rotis.

Note: Add curd in the end and cook no longer than 5 minutes on very low flame to prevent the gravy from curdling.

Kaalan - Kerala Special

Kaalan is another signature dish of Kerala. Kaalan is equally famous like Avial. This is also a must for any Kerala sadhya (feast). Kaalan is semi sold gravy of raw plantain and yam cooked in yogurt-coconut mixture. The preparation of Kaalan will be started the previous day of the feast, since it takes longer time. We say kurukku kaalan. i.e. kaalan has to be cooked to semi solid consistency. Ingredients for kaalan and avial is almost the same but the way of cooking makes it entirely different in taste. The gravy consistency of avial can be thick or thin as is required. But when served for sadhya, it is always thick. Kaalan has a semi solid consistency. Though it is served as side, it goes very well with rice and can be used as main course. Kaalan with a simple vegetable stir fry or fried papad and hot rice is divine. I might be ready to trade anything for that comfort meal.
My grandma makes the best kaalan ever. Though my mom has inherited her culinary skills, still me amd my sister rate my paati's the best. Kaalan should be made in the right way, else it will taste like morkootan/morkuzhambu. Kaalan is distinct from all the curd/yogurt based gravies. For those of you who have not tasted it, do give a try and you will be hooked. This is one dish, where you cannot compromise on the quantity of coconut used.

You will need
Raw banana - 1 Yam(chena/chenai) - 200 gms

Black pepper powder - 1/2 tspn

Turmeric - a pinch

Sour buttermilk - 2 cups

Grated coconut - 1 1/2 cup

Green chilly - 3 nos
Salt

Seasoning

Gingely oil - 1 tblspn

Mustard seeds - 1 tspn

Red chilly - 2 nos

Fenugreek/methi seeds - 1/2 tspnc

Curry leaves - few.

Peel the skin of raw banana and yam. Cut them into 1 inch cubes. Wash and cook with turmeric and black pepper powder in a cup of water. I normally pressure cook them. Make sure it doesn't turn mushy. The pieces should remain firm on cooking. Take a thick bottom vessel or a kadai. Add the buttermilk to it. Bring to a boil and let it simmer till it reduces to 3/4th of the original volume. Since sour buttermilk is used, it doesn't curdle.Thick curd can also be used in place of buttermilk. Beat the curd well. It doesn't require to boil the curd, since it will curdle.

Grind coconut and green chillies to a coarse paste.Use minimum of water while grinding. The taste of pepper must be more prominent than the green chillies in kaalan.

Combine cooked vegetables, simmered buttermilk or beaten curd and ground coconut-chilly paste. Add salt. Cook on low flame till it reaches semisolid consistency.

Heat a tablespoon of gingely oil. Add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add red chillies broken into two, fenugreek/methi seeds and curry leaves. When methi seeds starts browning, pour over the cooked mixture.

Kaalan tastes best the next day and stays fresh for 2 days without refrigeration. No need to heat the kaalan before serving.

This is my entry for FIC-Yellow hosted by Sunshinemom

Re: Home Renovations on Sale

Money Magazine and CNN Money.com recently published an article by Donna Rosato, Money Magazine senior writer entitled Home renovations on sale

"Materials costs are plunging, and contractors are begging for work. Suddenly that long-postponed remodel is looking like a smart idea."

A lot of the things the article states are true. No doubt about it. But I have differing opinions on how well homeowners might fare if they embark on a bargain-hunting kitchen remodel in the near future.

While they may save a bit on some materials and be able to buy bargain priced products from companies on the brink of, or in, bankruptcy; most of the most expensive products for mid to high end kitchens have just INCREASED in price.

I have done some surveys of cabinet and appliance dealers in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the manufacturers of their products have all done their usual first of the year price increases.

I have also called some quality remodeling contractors, told them about the article, and asked how they are handling the slowdown. None said they were prepared to cut their prices to deal with it.

Instead, they are likely to take an extended vacation, work on their own homes or properties, or even retire.

The last time we had a recession that affected remodeling in the Bay Area was 1989-1994. Our recession hit here later than the rest of the country and lasted longer.

There was very little work to be had and lots of competition from builders, who were also out of work and coming in from the Central Valley in droves.

I went back to school and learned how to use AutoCAD and run a computer, in 1991, during the worst of that period. Certainly better than twiddling my thumbs waiting for new customers to come into the cabinet department of the company that employed me.

Many of the best remodeling contractors retired, and lots of new blood was introduced as younger contractors filled the vacuum. The experienced contractors never really dropped their prices, they were just replaced by inexperienced contractors.

We are far from that situation now. High-end remodeling is still going strong and keeping vendors above water.

But there are signs we could be heading in that direction: A few local vendors are going out of business. The middle class (my clientele) has pretty much stopped remodeling as they watch their 401Ks and home values fall.

On the other hand, there are a whole bunch of newly minted homeowners buying foreclosed properties at the new lower market prices, most of which need remodeling. Those new homeowners also have equity, because they had to pay substantial down payments to buy with credit frozen the way it has been.

That bodes well for the future of remodeling in the Bay Area.

We'll see what happens next...Tomorrow Obama is inaugurated.

Peggy