boondi

Ingredients
1 cup gram flour
1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
6-8 chopped almonds
ghee to deep fry
perforated flat spoon about 5″ diameter

Method
1.Boil the sugar and water together. Add a tbsp. of milk to bring up the scum.
2.Remove scum and boil liquid till the syrup is sticky between the fingers.
3.Keep aide, but keep warm for use.
4.Make batter with gram flour, which should not be too thin.
5.The batter should evenly coat the back of a spoon when dipped in it.
6.Heat ghee, hold perforated spoon a little above the hot ghee, pour some batter on the spoon.
7.Tap very lightly at edge of spoon to allow small droplets to fall in the ghee.
8.Pour back remaining batter and wipe spoon.
9.Stir the boondis in the ghee gently and fry till crisp but not brown.
10.Drain and put into the syrup. Keep for 3-4 minutes before draining from the syrup.
11.Spread on a wide plate, add cardamom powder, almonds and mix gently.
12.Cool completely and loosen the boondi with finger till each droplet separates.
13.Store in airtight container.
Note: Take great care while dropping the boondi in the hot ghee so as not to burn yourself. A little practice and it is
very easy.

Making time: 30 minutes.
Makes: 3 cups approx.

Location: Corona, CA
Food: Indian / Pakistani food
Price: Moderate
website: None

This is one of those Grocery / Restaurant place in Corona. There are not a lot of indian restaurants in Corona, so the choice is not very many for Coronians. They serve indian/pakistani kind of food like tikkas, tandoor, biriyani etc. The ambience is not good at all…this is a place just for take-outs. Don’t even think of dining in…the place kind of stinks of meat all the time. Their Biriyani is good though a little on the fatty side.

As far as groceries, this is one of the few places that sell goat meat. I bought there one time and thats it. The butcher gave me the worst meat ever and the price isn’t cheap either. The Butcher was also very rude making some rude comments. I think you will have to be a personal friend of the butcher to get any decent meat from this place. The groceries are just like any other indian grocery shop.

I would definitely not recommend this place for sit-ins. Their to-go food is  alright. I do not recommend getting meat from this place unless you know the butcher well.

Location: Tustin, CA
Food: Punjabi & North Indian food
Price: Cheap (Less than $8 for the Buffet)
website: None

This is the perfect place to take your friend(s) for some really nice fresh indian food with some good old Indian Beer. The Ambience is definitely less than average and is not a place if you want to take someone to impress them like a date. The food is probably one of the best North Indian food in OC..their Tandoori Chicken, Hot & Fresh Garlic Naan, Spinach & Cheese dishes, Curried dishes, and meat dishes are good.

This place is owned by a punjabi couple and is probably one of the oldest restaurants in OC. The lunch buffet is great for under $8. This place is great for TOGO orders…they give decent size portions. I have probably ordered more togo orders than sat in.

I would definitely recommend this place for their lunch buffets, togo orders and party orders. There are not a lot of food places in OC that serves good indian food for this price.

Location: Riverside, CA (near UCR)
Food: Punjabi food (and Grocery Store)
Price: Cheap
website: http://littleindiabazaar.net/ (Under Construction)

If you want to go somewhere to get a quick bite of some cheap healthy and tasty food under $5, this is the place for you! You will love this place if you are a vegetarian. Most of the dishes they have are vegetarian although they have 1 or 2 non-veg dishes. The parathas they make are very authentic and feels like home made food.

The store owner Ashish is a very friendly guy and his Mom makes the best parathas. If you see his Mom in the kitchen, definitely order the parathas. And yeah, they have an open kitchen which makes me feel a little more secure about what I eat! 

As for the price, you can get a good meal for under $5. Having the grocery store and the restaurant together is very convenient and a plus for me.

They also serve free desi chai.  Sometimes when I go there for grocery shopping, I just sit and order samosas to go along with the free tea…brings back memories from India!

I would definitely recommend this place for a quick lunch, dinner or even snack times in the evening especially if you a vegetarian. All that great home made food taste for just under $5…its tough to beat!

Ingredients
1 large eggplant
1 medium o nion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
2 tomatoes, chopped finely
4 green chillies, chopped finely
1 cup cooked green peas
1 1/2 tsp dhania-jeera ( cumin -corainder) powder
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp amchoor(mango powder)
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp cooking oil

Method
Rub 1/2 tsp oil on the eggplant and bake in an oven till the skin shrinks and liquid starts oozing out of the vegetable.
This will take around 30-45 minutes at 400 deg F.
Take it out of the oven and peel it.
Mash the baigan and add the salt to it.
Heat the remaining oil and add the chopped onion.
Fry till the onions turns translucent.
Add the green chillies and the tomatoes and fry till the mixture becomes homogeneous.
Now add all the spices and the sugar and fry for a minute.
Add the baigan and mix well.
Now add the peas and fry for a couple of minutes.
Add the chopped coriander leaves and some water to get a thick consistency.Mix well.
Heat through.
Serve when hot with plain rice/paratha.