My Kitchen

Chivada

2010-11-17T02:45:00.000-08:00

Another wonderful snack during diwali time...

Ingredients
1 1/2 kg Thin Rice Flakes
2-3 tbsp groundnuts
3 tbsp roasted chick peas
2 chillies (cut in pieces) (if you want spicy then add accordingly)
3 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp dry coconut either shredded or cut into thin slices
Salt according to taste
Oil 3-4 tbsp or as needed
3 tsp asafoetida (hing)
3-4 tsp Turmeric
2 tbsp curry leaves
Method
1. In a vessel add oil and make it hot. Add mustard seeds, once they splutter add groundnuts and roasted chickpeas. Fry them for 2-3 minutes. Once they change colour add curry leaves and sliced coconut.
2. Fry it for a while, then add hing and turmeric and salt. Then add the rice flakes slowly slowly.
Keep the gas flame on medium low and keep stirring the mixture.
3. Keep stirring it till the rice flakes become crispy. Do not make the gas flame too big otherwise the rice flakes will become crispy very fast but will not stay crispy for a long time. If the flame is low then it will take time for the rice flakes to become crispy but it will remain crispy for a very long time.
4. Once done remove from fire and let it cool. Then store in a airtight container.

Shankarpale

2010-11-14T02:18:00.000-08:00

One of the wonderful timepass snacks made specially at the time of Diwali. Very easy to prepare .......

Ingredients

1 cup Clarified Butter (ghee)

1 cup Milk

1 1/4 cup Sugar

All purpose flour as needed (maida)

A pinch salt

2 tsp Cardamom powder

Oil for frying

Method

1. Mix ghee, milk and sugar in a heavy bottom vessel and put it on fire. Keep stirring continuously.

2. Boil it slightly, keep stirring so that the sugar melts.

3. Remove from fire and pour in a flat plate for cooling.

4. When it is warm add salt and cardamom powder to it and mix.

5. Then slowly add the flour to the mixture and make a nice soft dough. Cover and leave the dough for half an hour.

6. In a heavy bottom vessel pour oil and keep it on fire. Take a little portion of the dough and roll it a bit thick. Then cut it in diamond or square shape with the help of a knife or a cutter. You can use cookie cutters for different shapes.

7. Fry these in hot oil on a medium flame. Fry the shankarpale on medium low flame till golden brown. Remove on a kitchen towel and then store in a air tight container.

Its a wonderful snack for kids and also for adults with tea or just for time pass.

Tip: For the above measurement I had used around 4 1/2 cup of maida, and sugar 1 1/4 cup. If you like more sweet then may add little more sugar. The above measurement makes around 1kg of shankarpale.

Shev

2010-11-12T03:33:00.000-08:00

HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL OF YOU!!!!

Ingredients

1/4 cup Oil

1/4 cup Water

Salt as per taste

1/4 tsp turmeric

2 tsp Carom seed powder (ajawain)

10 tbsp Chickpea flour (Besan)

1 1/2 tsp chilli powder (optional)

Oil for frying

Method

1. Mix oil, water, salt, turmeric, carom seed powder, chilli powder nicely.

2. Once these ingredients are mixed nicely then add chick pea flour slowly slowly till a nice dough is formed. The dough should not be too hard or too soft.

3. Heat oil in a kadhai and then put in the shev making machine and drop shev in a circular motion directly in the hot oil.

4. Fry for a min or two and once done take out and drain on a kicthen towel.

Tip: Apply a little oil to the shev making machine before putting the dough for the first time.

Peanut Cookies

2010-07-30T22:52:00.000-07:00

Wonderful cookies with a taste of peanuts...

Ingredients
3/4 cup All purpose flour (maida)
1/2 cup Peanut butter
2 tbsp roasted peanuts (roughly crushed)
1/4 tsp soda bi carb
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
3/4 cup brown sugar (can use plain sugar also)
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup desicated coconut
1 tsp lemon rind
Method
1. Take the flour, soda and sieve in a vessel.
2. Then add peanut butter, crushed peanuts, cinnamon powder, lemon rind, desicated coconut and mix.
3. Add honey and lemon rind, sugar and rolled oats. Mix well and knead it with as much water needed.
4. Put in aluminium foil and keep in refridgerator for half an hour.
5. Take it out from fridge and then make lemon size balls from it, and press it a little.
6. Preheat oven at 180 degrees celcius for 10 min.
7. Place the cookies tray in the oven and bake for about 10 min.
8. Keep checking. If the cooking are not done keep for some time more.
9. Remove from oven and keep on wire rack for cooling. Once cool store in airtight container.

Oats Roti

2010-07-20T22:38:00.000-07:00

Oats are generally considered "healthy", or a health food. My daughter when I gave her oats porridge she was reluctant to eat... I was really thinking about how do I make her eat oats... Then thought about this recipe.... I made it very very simple as my daughter doesnt eat spicy...

Ingredients
1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 cup onion finely chopped
2 tbsp coriander
2 tsp oil
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
(You can add 2 green chillies or chilli powder as per taste if you want the roti to be a bit spicy)
Method
1. Combine all ingredients with water and make a soft dough.
2. Leave it to rest for about 20 min.
3. Divide the dough into small balls and then roll out thick rotis of that.
4. Cook on tava leaving oil from sides and serve hot with fresh curds.

Kurmura Laddoo

2010-07-15T00:29:00.000-07:00

Its holiday season and kids always want some snack. My daughter loves sweet and always asks for chocolate. Its really difficult to say no everytime so I prepared these laddoos....

Ingredients

1 cup Jaggery

1/2 cup water

150gms of Kurmura (puffed rice/murmura)

2tsp cardamom powder

Method

1. Grate or make small pieces of jaggery and take in a heavy bottom vessel. Add water in it and then let it boil.

2. Boil it for around 5-10 min and then when the syrup starts to become thick then take a little water in a dish and put a drop of the syrup in it. Leave for 2 seconds and then check if it forms a balls at once then the syrup is done.

3. Add cardamom powder and mix. Then add puffed rice and mix everything well.

4. Wet your palms a bit and then make balls of the mixture.

Tip: You can add roasted peanuts in the jaggery syrup to make peanut laddoo. Or even mix peanut and puffed rice in equal quantity (75gms peanuts and 75gms puffed rice) and make peanut puffed rice laddoo.

Vegetable Samosa

2010-07-09T00:39:00.000-07:00

A very spicy and tasty mouthwatering snack. I used to have samosa's and kachori's a lot when I was in India. Here also we do get samosa's nowadays in some restaurants. Even frozen samosas are available nowadays. But the taste or fun of eating samosa that we get back in India in the small road side shops is not there.. But any ways I gave a try to this last weekend.. It came out quite good...

Ingredients

For the pastry

1 cup plain flour (maida)

1 tbsp semolina (optional)

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp oil

1/4 cup warm water

For the vegetable

1 cup green peas

2 big potatoes

2 green chillies

1 1/2 tsp dry mango powder (amchoor)

1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander powder

1 1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp oil

salt to taste

Method

For the pastry

1. Mix all the ingredients of the pastry and make a stif dough and keep in a wet muslin cloth for 1/2 an hour.

2. Then make round balls of the dough and roll them into chappatis. Cut the chappati in half and then make the edges wet and stick to make a cone shape.

For the Filling

1. Put oil in a vessel. When it is hot add cumin seeds.

2. When the cumin seeds crackle add peas and fry for 2-3 min. Then add garam masala, coriander powder, green chillies finely chopped and mix.

3. Then add boiled and cubed potatoes and salt and amchoor powder. Check the taste of the vege if you want more spicy then add red chilli powder.

4. Remove from pan and put the filling in a plate to cool.

Final stage

1. Heat oil in a deep frying pan.

2. In the cones made from the dough put the filling and close the samosa cones nicely.

3. Make all the cones similarly and then deep fry till golden brown.

Koki

2010-06-12T22:16:00.000-07:00

A very authentic dish specially made for breakfasts in most of the Sindhi families... when I was in college I had a sindhi friend and she used to bring these mouthwatering koki's. Ummm I can never forget the taste of those koki's... Today sunday I was really thinking of making of something really delicious and heavy...... So thought of making these kokis and looked for the recipe on internet... found it on one of the sites... and just followed it... so here is the recipe for the wonderful and yummy breakfast/lunch/evening snack

Ingredients
2 cups wheat flour
2 tbsp butter
2 green chillies finely chopped
2tbsp coriander finely chopped
1 onion finely chopped
Salt to taste (if using salted butter then add salt accordingly)
Ghee for shallow frying
Method
1. Mix all the ingredients except ghee and make a nice stiff dough.
2. Let it rest for a 10-15 min.
3. Make balls of the dough and roll in thick paratha.
4. On hot tawa roast leaving ghee from the sides. Cook on both sides and serve with any vegetable or can serve with plain yoghurt.

Shigadyache thalipith

2010-06-08T02:49:00.000-07:00

Shingada means water chest nut. A very delicious kind of paratha for fasts. This thalipith can be a very good breakfast also.

Ingredients

2 Small boiled and mashed potatoes

1 cup Sagoo (soaked over night)

2 tbsp sagoo flour (roast dry sagoo a little and make powder in the mixer)

1 1/2 cup shingada pith (water chest nut flour)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp chilli powder (put more if you like spicy)/ 1 green chilli finely chopped

1 tsp coriander chopped (optional)

2-3 tbsp roasted peanut powder

1 tbsp lime juice

salt to taste

oil

Method

1. Soak sagoo over night with very little water.

2. Take sagoo in a vessel and add boiled mashed potato, shingada flour, sagoo flour, peanut powder, cumin powder, cumin seeds, coriander, lime juice, chilli powder /chilli paste, salt and mix nicely. If needed use little water.

3. Make small balls of it and then directly on cool tava spread with hand.

4. Then put the tava on gas and leave a little oil from the sides. Cook on both sides and serve with yoghurt and lime pickle.

Pithla Bhakri and Chutney

2010-06-01T22:13:00.000-07:00

A very delicious and authentic Maharashtrian Dish..... Its a very very healthy meal. Mostly the farmers prefer this food for lunch as it is very very energetic and also keeps you full for a longer time....

Ingredients

For Bhakri

2 cups Bajra / Jowar flour

Water

For Pithala

2 cups Chickpea flour (besan)

1 or 2 chillies

few curry leaves

1 tsp each ginger and garlic paste

1 onion chopped

1 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

salt to taste

For Chutney

1/2 cup roasted peanuts

1 big pod of garlic

1" piece of ginger

Salt to taste

2 spoon yoghurt

water

Method

For Bhakri

1. Take the bajra or jowar flour in a plate. Take little flour and put water and make dough of it and then with hand spread it slowly.

2. Once spread put it on hot tawa and on the top brush water.

3. When the water dries turn it over on the gas and let it puff.

4. Remove and keep it in the vessel.

For Pithala

1. Put oil in a vessel. When it is hot add mustard seeds.

2. Then add the curry leaves and chopped chillies.

3. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for few minutes.

4. Add chopped onions and fry for few minutes.

5. Add water salt. Let the water boil nicely.

6. When the water starts boiling slowly start adding chickpea flour and stir at the same time.

7. Cook for a few minutes and then off the gas.

For chutney

1. In a mixer add all the ingredients of the chutney and make a paste.

Serve hot Bhakri with Pithala and chutney.

Sweet Potato Kheer

2010-04-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

A very different kind of desert. This desert can be made one day before and kept in the fridge. Its taste even better.... This is my contri for Shama's Event of Kheer

Serves 6
Ingredients
2 Big size sweet potatoes (grated)
1 litre Milk
2 tbsp ghee
2 cups sugar (if you want less sweet then take sugar accordingly) (if the grated sweet potato is about 2 cups then 1 cup sugar will do)
1 tsp Cardamom powder
few pieces of cashew and pista.

Method
1. Heat ghee in a pan and add sweet potato to it. Keep frying the potato till it becomes soft.
2. Then add milk and let it boil with the potato. Let it boil till the potato gets completely cooked and milk thickens.
3. Then add sugar and let it boil again till the sugar dissolves. Keep stirring frequently.
4. Let it boil till it is of the desired consistency. Then remove from the fire and add cardamom powder and nuts.
5. Serve hot or cold. (I liked it a bit warm)

Note: Sugar can be substituted with Jaggery. It gives a different taste and colour to the kheer.

Kashmiri Dum Aloo

2010-04-10T18:20:00.000-07:00

A quick and easy way of preparing Kashmiri Dum Aloo. It may not be the authentic way of preparing the recipe but i liked it. Its easy and a very fast recipe..... may be a few ingredients are missed out but the taste was great.. so here goes the recipe with few ingredients but yummy in taste and cooked in just 1tsp oil.... :)

Ingredients

Oil 1tsp

Dry red chillies 6 (Take dry red chillies and make a paste in the mixer with water)

Boiled Potatoes 4 (cut into pieces) (traditionally small sized potatoes are used but i had big ones)

Seasame Seeds 3tsp ( dry roast the seasame seeds and then make a paste in mixer with little water.)

Kalonji 1/2 tsp

Salt as per taste

Onion, tomato cut into rings and coriander finely chopped for garnishing.

Method

1. Boil potatoes in pressure cooker for 2 or 3 whistles. (do not make them too soft)

2. Heat oil in a vessel, add kalonji and fry for a min.

3. Then add dry chilli paste and fry for a min.

4. Add seasame seeds paste and fry for another min.

5. Add two cups of water. Let it boil for a while and then add the boiled potatoes.

6. Add salt cover and let it boil for another five min.

7. Serve hot garnished with onion, tomato and coriander with puri/ lucchi.

Raagi Laddu

2010-04-04T00:47:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I have tried making this... had heard a lot from some friends that these laddus are nice and nutritious... especially for those who have a heat in the body... raagi or Nachani as they call it in marathi is very good for health in the summer season... the measurements are all my own judgements.. you can vary as per your taste....

Ingredients
Raagi/ Nachni Flour 2 cups
Pure Ghee 1 1/2 cups (may vary)
Icing Sugar 1 1/2 cups (or as per taste)
Cardamom powder 1 tsp
Nutmeg powder 1 tsp

Method
1. In a non stick pan put the raagi flour and start adding the ghee 1 spoon at a time and fry the flour till it changes its colour a bit and starts giving aroma. Add ghee until the consistency till you feel it is enough to make laddoos.
2. Remove from fire and transfer it in another vessel. Let the temperature come down slightly. When it is warm add sugar, cardamom powder and nutmeg powder. If wanted you can add pieces of cashew and almonds.
3. Mix well and then make laddoos out of it.

Gorkha Dum

2010-03-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

This is a Nepali style dum alloo recipe... When we ate it I thought it must have taken a long time and lots of ingredients to cook...lots of masalas and lots of oil and this and that... but to my surprise it was only made from only 4 ingredients.... and that too in only 1tsp oil..... this is a fast and must try recipe... very nice to serve as a special vege for parties instead of the traditional paneer vege which really needs so much of preparation and time.......

Ingredients
4 Boiled potatoes
6 dry red chillies
3 cloves garlic
½ tsp kalonji
1 tsp oil
Salt as per taste.
1. Boil potatoes in the pressure cooker for a two to three whistle.
2. Make a paste of the garlic cloves.
3. Make paste of the chillies with little water.
4. Heat oil in a vessel add kalonji to it and fry for a min
5. Then add garlic paste and fry till it is brown.
6. Then add chilli paste and fry for 2 min.
7. Then add 2 cups water.
8. Let it boil then add boiled and cut potatoes.
9. Add salt and boil it for another 5 min.
10. Serve hot with white rice or Naan.
The red chillies give a wonderful colour and flavour too.... Use fresh garlic... it gives a very very different taste than the ready garlic paste....

Rava Laddoo

2010-02-20T19:54:00.000-08:00

I always used to think of making rava laddoos.. but was very scared as the way my mom makes it is a bit difficult.. she makes the sugar syrup then add the roasted rava to it then makes the laddoos.. the consistency of sugar syrup has to be just right.... so i never tried rava laddoos.. Few days back one of my friend had brought rava laddoo in the office.. wow they were wonderful... so I asked her how did she make it.. and the recipie she told me was so simple... so I also decided to prepare it the same way... and the result was yum yum yum......

Ingredients

2 cups fine semolina (Rava)

1 cup chick pea flour (Besan)

1 cup clarified butter (ghee)

1 1/2 cup icing sugar (or adjust according to sweetness)

all nuts (cashew, almonds, raisins etc...)

1 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder

1 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Method

1. Mix rava, besan and 2-3 tbsp ghee together and rub nicely. Leave it for 1/2 an hr.

2. In a heavy bottomed vessel put the rava mixture and roast it nicely adding the remaining ghee little by little.

3. Roast on medium flame till there is nice aroma and the mixture changes colour. (about 20-30 min)

4. Remove in a flat plate and let it cool for about 10-15 min.

5. When it is warm add icing sugar, all nuts, cardamom powder and nutmeg powder.

6. Make laddoos and serve them next day. As the sweetness of the sugar will mix very nicely.

Misal

2010-02-15T03:55:00.000-08:00

Missal a very famous breakfast in the Maharashtra..... This saturday I was really missing that wonderful taste of missal and wanted something in the breakfast which combines lunch with it... so its a complete meal in itself.... and my entry for Priyanka's holi event on Asankhana

Ingredients
For the Usal
1 tsp oil
1/2 cup sprouted matki
1/2 cup moong (saoked in water for atleast 8-10 hours)
1/2 tsp turmeric
pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp goda masala
little jaggery (1/2 tsp)
Salt to taste

For the Gravy (called as Tarri)
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 onion finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
2 1/2 tbsp grated dry coconut
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp oil
salt to taste

For garnishing
Farsan, Shev, Finely chopped onion, finely chopped tomato, A wedge of lemon

Method
For Usal
1. Put oil in a pan then add the mustard seeds, when they crackle add cumin seeds, turmeric and asafoetida, matki and moong and red chilli powder.
2. Then add salt, goda masala, jaggery and mix it all together. Keep aside.

For Tarri
1. Fry the onion in oil till brown, then add coconut, ginger and garlic pastes and tomato.
2. Cool it and then grind everything in mixer.
3. Put some oil in a pan and put turmeric, red chilli powder in it and add the onion gravy to it. (if chilli powder is put in oil directly it will bring nice red colour to the gravy)
4. Now add garam masala, salt and fry for another minute.
5. Add water and boil the gravy.

In another vessel make kanda pohe and keep.
Srving
Put the Usal in a dish, spread little pohe on it then top with farsan and then with the tarri....
Or the gravy can be served separately in a bowl, keep a wedge of lemon and pav.
Enjoy.......

Dahi Puri

2010-02-10T03:34:00.000-08:00

Yum yum yum... my favourite chaat... I just love all chaat items... but Dahi Puri is at no. 1 amongst all... last weekend I was really bored of making the same old snacks... so decided to make dahi puri... had got all the ingredients and then just see this ....

My first entry to Priyanka's Holi event on Asankhana

So here go the ingredients for 1 plate mouth watering dahi puri

Dahi (yogurt) 1 cup

6 puri (you can get ready made puris of pani puris)

1/2 onion finely chopped

1/2 tomato finely chopped

1 tbsp of coriander finely chopped

1/2 tsp chaat masala

1/2 potato boiled

1 tsp green chutney

1 tbsp dates and tamarind chutney

1 tbsp shev

For making the green chutney

Take 1 green chilli, 2 tbsp of coriander, 2-3 leaves of mint and salt. Grind them together.

For dates and tamarind chutney

Soak 2-3 dates in water for 1 hour. Then in the mixer put the dates without seed, add tamarind pulp 1tsp, 1/2tsp jaggery, 1/2tsp salt and grind together.

Method

1. Add chaat masala and salt to dahi and mix it together. Refrigerate till serving time.

2. Make small holes in the puris and add the roughly smashed potato, then top it up with onion, tomato, green chutney, dates and tamarind chutney, chilled dahi, coriander and shev. Serve.

Nariyal Aur Dudh Pulav

2010-02-02T03:47:00.000-08:00

A wonderful flavoured rice..... For any special occasion.....

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Rice (Basmati)

2-3 green chillies

2 tbsp raisins

4 cardamoms

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp dessicated coconut

1tbsp pistachio skinned and cut into stirps

2 inch stick of cinnamon

2 1/2 cups of milk

1 1/4 cup of water

3 tbsp ghee

2 bay leaves

Salt to taste

Method

1. Wash rice and keep for half an hour with water in it. Drain and mix with the coconut, chillies, salt, sugar, raisins, pistachios, bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamoms.

2. Heat ghee in a vessel and add the rice mixture to it. Fry for 5-10 min stirring constantly.

3. Add the milk and water, and on high flame bring it to boil.

4. Once it starts boiling nicely stir and lower the flame. Let the rice cook and then serve the pulav hot.

Masala Kaddu

2010-02-01T04:10:00.000-08:00

One more easy quick and tasty vege......

Ingredients

Oil 2tbsp

1 large onion, finely sliced

2 dried red chillies

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp Kalonji (onion seeds)

1/2 tsp chilli powder

4 cups red pumpkin cubed

Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a vessel and add kalonji and red chillies to it. Fry for a min and add onion to it.

2. Fry the onions till golden brown. Add the pumpkin, turmeric, chilli and salt and stir fry for few minutes. Cover, and cook on low heat for 10-15 min. Serve hot with
luchi.

Channa dal with bottle gourd

2010-01-27T03:09:00.000-08:00

This is very quick and nice recipie which can be served as a vege and dal.... so two in one.....

Ingredients

1 cup split gram (channa dal)

1/2 small bottle gourd- peeled and chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 tomato sliced

1 onion sliced

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 green chilli sliced

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp dry mango powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1tbsp oil

Salt to taste.

Method

1. In a bowl mix split gram, bottle gourd, slat, turmeric, 1/4 red chilli powder and 4 cups of water and pressure cook.

2. Remove from fire.

3. While the dal and bottle gourd are getting cooked on another side heat oil add jeera and ones it changes colour add onions.

4. Cook onions till brown and then add tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 min and then add coriander powder, garam masala, dry mango powder and cook for another min.

5. Remove from fire and add green chillies and red chilli powder. Mix and then pour it on the hot dal. Mix gently and serve hot with steamed rice/chappati/puri etc........

Sujee Cookies

2009-12-05T00:38:00.000-08:00

These cookies are mostly made during the Id festival here in Singapore... Had taken the recipe from one of my friend.. and wanted to prepare since long time... Actually when I had it at her place I liked it a lot..So I asked her the name of the recipe.. She said its Sujee Cookies... Then I asked her the ingredients... to my surprise sujee cookies do not have sujee as a ingredient at all... I even asked her why do you call it sujee cookies then... she told me its the name to those cookies since her mother used to prepare... :) Any ways herego the ingredients and the recipe for this wonderful cookies......

Ingredients
500gms Self raising flour
250gms icing sugar
250gms melted clarified butter(ghee)
1tsp vanilla essence (optional) or cardamom powder (optional)

Method
1. Melt and cool the ghee.
2. Sift the flour and icing sugar and mix them together.
3. If using vanilla essence or cardamom powder add it in the ghee.
4. Mix the ghee slowly in the flour and sugar mixture.
5. Make a nice soft dough and then make small round balls (marble sized) of the dough.
6. Place these balls on the greased baking tray at a little distance.
7. Preheat the oven at 170 degree celcius for ten minutes.
8. Place the baking tray in the oven and bake the cookies for about 15 to 20 min.
9. Cool completely and then store them in a air tight container.

You can serve them immediately but if served one or two days later they taste much nicer as the sugar gets dissolved and blended in the cookies nicely.....

Chakli

2009-11-30T00:13:00.000-08:00

Again back after a long break... routine was making me really tired and I was desparately waiting for this long weekend... took the weekend to finish off the pending house work... and then prepared Chakli... I mean here everybody calls it murukku... an all time favourite snack......ofcourse i could not make or get the traditional flour which we use in India (Maharashtra) for making Chakli... but bought the readymade Baba's Murukku flour and prepared these chakli's.....

Havent done anything special as the instructions are given on the packet itself... just followed them.... and added a little turmeric and chilli powder to give it a little Maharashtrian taste.... though it doesnt taste like those chakli's... I wanted to do inauguration my new chakli maker :)... So enjoy making and eating these wonderful Chakli.....

Traditional Lotus Paste Moon Cake

2009-10-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

These moon cakes are considered by some to be the original and most luxurious mooncake filling, lotus paste filling is found in all types of mooncakes. There are single yolk, double yolk and vegetarian types in these. Single yolk are the ones which have one salted egg yolk right in the centre representing the bright moon, double yolk are the ones which have two egg yolks side by side and vegetarian are without egg yolk....

SERVES: 10 MOON CAKES
INGREDIENTS

For the Cover
(Hong Kong Plain flour 300gm
Golden syrup (Lyle's Brand) 175 gm
Egg 1
Peanut Oil 7 tbsp
Alkaline Water ½ tsp
Filling
Melon Seeds 100gm
Lotus paste 2 kg
Salted egg yolk 10 (if you want)
Method
1. Sieve the flour, make a well in the centre and add in golden syrup, peanut oil, and alkaline water and mix everything together. (do not knead) Leave this paste for ½ day for resting.

2. If you want to make the dough and keep then make the moon cakes in the evening then add more oil and golden syrup other wise the dough will become dry and the moon cakes will crack.

3. So its best to make the dough in the morning and leave it for resting till afternoon and make the moon cakes in the afternoon.
4. Mix the lotus paste with oil and knead till it is smooth. Add the melon seeds and mix. Make small balls of the lotus paste about 150 gm each.

5. If add the egg yolk then wrap the egg yolk in the lotus paste and the weight of both together should be 150gm each.

6. Divide the dough into small balls of about 50gm each. Dust little flour and lightly knead the flour. Then again dust a little flour and flatten the dough with the help of a rolling pin.

7. Then wrap the lotus paste balls in to it and poke them with the a satay stick to remove the airbubbles if any formed while wrapping the moon cake.
8. Apply little to the hand and make nice round of the moon cake and put it in the mould of desired shape. Tab on the back of the mould and put these moon cakes on a greesed tray.

9. Put this tray in the oven for baking at about 150 degrees celcius. After 8-10 min remove from the oven and brush with a beaten egg and keep back in the oven for baking until golden brown.

10. When done take out from the oven and remove from the tray and put on another plate upside down in front of fan or air cooler to cool.
11. This will help to cool the cakes and also the oil will drip to the top which will give the shiny look to the moon cakes.
12. Keep these mooncakes until completely cool and then keep in a covered box for atleast 2-3 days.
Then serve these moon cakes.

Shanghai Moon Cakes

2009-09-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

Another very very popular variety of moon cakes... Shanghai Moon Cakes......

SERVES: 15 MOON CAKES INGREDIENTS
For cover
Plain Flour 250gm
Custard powder 50gm
Baking powder 1 tsp
Amonia powder ½ tsp
Butter 50gm
Shortening (crisco) 100gm
Icing sugar 80 gm (add less if you want less sweet)
Eggs 2
Filling
Lotus paste 600gms
Melon seeds 50 gm
Method
1. Beat 1 egg and keep aside.
2. Add the butter to it.
3. Sieve custard powder, baking powder, icing sugar and amonia powder together into it.

4. Sieve and add the flour little by little into the mixture and make a soft dough. (Do not put the whole flour at one time.) Leave it to rest for 20-30 min.

5. To make the filling add oil to the lotus paste and make it smooth. Then add the melon seeds. If you wish add the salted egg raw yolk to it.

6. Make small balls of the lotus paste of about 50 gms each.
7. Make small balls of the dough of about 20gms each and wrap the lotus paste ball into it.
8. Brush with beaten egg and put some melon seeds on top of it.

9. Keep in preheated oven for baking at about 200 degrees celcius for 15-20 min.
10. Remove from the oven and keep for cooling.
11. When cool they are ready to eat.

Golden egg moon cake

2009-09-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

Heres the second type of moon cake that we had in our class... Its the Golden egg moon cake..
SERVES: 6 moon cakes
INGREDIENTS
For covering
Plain flour 300gms
Custard powder 50gm
Icing sugar 120gm (adjust acording to sweetness)
Baking powder 1 ½ tsp
Soda bicarbonate 1 tsp
Butter 80 gm
Water 6 tbsp (boiled and cooled)
Eggs 2 (One to add in the flour and 1 for brushing)
Salted egg yolks 6 pcs
Cooking oil 150 gms (peanut oil is good)
Filling
Lotus paste 600gms
Walnut 100 gms
Method
1. Wash the salted egg yolk in wine and steam them for about 10 min. Cool and smash.
2. Seive plain flour, custard powder, icing sugar, baking powder and sodabicabonate together in a big vessel or on the kitchen platform.
3. Add the the salted eggs and rub them in the flour till sandy texture.
4. Add cooking oil about 100gms, water, butter and 1 egg. Mix into a dough, divide a dough into small portions about 20gms in weight.
5. Knead the lotus paste with oil till smooth and mix the walnuts into it.
6. Make small lemon sized balls of about 20gms each and keep aside.
7. Dust a little flour and flatten the dough balls with the help of a rolling pin. Wrap the lotus paste ball in the flour.
8. Give any shape of your choice and brush it up with beaten egg and then bake it at about 120 degrees celcius for 20-30 min. Till golden brown.
Note: Take out the moon cakes after 8-10 min of baking and brush them again with the beaten egg and keep back for baking until golden brown.
Cool and they are ready to eat. These moon cakes can be stored for about 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Snow Pastry Moon Cake

2009-09-05T23:11:00.000-07:00

Few days back I had gone for learning something new in the class conducted at the CC. What must it be... Moon Cakes... Moon cakes very popular in the chinese people....
There are different kinds of moon cakes. I have always seen them in the bakeries and had tasted the vegetarian moon cakes a few times. Sweet in taste these moon cakes have their own significance in the Chinese history.

Moon cakes play a important role in August Moon gatherings and gift giving. Some moon cakes have the golden egg yolk in the centre which looks like bright moon. These round cakes symbolize family unity and perfection. Moon cake molds are of different kinds. Some are big and some small. The bakers use wooden molds with distinguishing signs on them.
Making moon cakes requires a lot of time, preparation and tremendous patience....
I have learnt a few types and all those I will be sharing one by one with all of you here.. hope you all also enjoy reading and making these moon cakes...

The first one is SNOW PASTRY MOON CAKE
This a bit simpler than the other moon cakes as it does not require any baking... So here goes the recipe.
SNOW PASTRY MOON CAKE (Banana Flavour
Serves: 10 moon cakes
INGREDIENTS:
For the cover
Icing sugar 350 gms (can adjust according to taste)
Shortening (crisco) 100gms
Kou flour 250 gms
Banana essence few drops
Water 300 gms (boiled and cooled)
For the filling
Lotus paste 1.5 kg
Melon seeds 50 gms
Peanut Oil ½ bowl (use as needed)
We are going to knead the lotus paste and the covering on the kitchen platform. So make sure the platform is very very clean.
Method
1. Toast the melon seeds in the oven for about 10 min. Take the lotus paste on the kitchen platform little by little and knead it with oil till it is smooth. Mix the melon seeds to it and make small balls of about 120gms in weight and keep aside.

2. Mix the water and essence and keep aside.
3. Seive the kou flour and icing sugar together on the kitchen platform. Then add the shortening (crisco) and knead.

4. Make a well in the middle, add water mixed with banana essence little by little and knead the dough. Dust your hands with a little flour if needed. Leave it to rest for about 30 to 60 mins covered in a plastic bag/ or cloth.

5. Again take and knead the dough lightly and make small balls of about 50gms.
6. Make the dough flat using a rolling pin and then wrap the filling in it and then press hard into the cake mould. To remove the cake from the mould by tapping hard at the back of the mould.

7. Keep the moon cake covered in the fridge for 30 min and it is ready to eat.
8. These moon cakes will last for about 2-3 weeks in the fridge. Keep them covered in a box.

Note: Kou flour is the flour made out of glutinous rice. Its cooked so we can eat the moon cake directly. No need to bake.
You can use any oil for kneading the lotus paste, but pure peanut oil is said to be good and tastes better.
Imp: It is very very important to weight the size of each and every filling and covering of the moon cake to fit in the correct size of mould. Or the mook cake will loose its shape.

SNOW PASTRY MOON CAKE (Pandan Flavour)
Boil the pandan leaves nicely and then strain. Cool and use this water mixed with little apple essence (green colour) or any essence and colour of your choice. Then repeat the same procedure above......

Note: If you want to add a egg yolk to the above moon cakes. Use salted eggs. Wash the egg yolks in wine and steam them for 10 min. Cool and then wrap it up in the lotus paste ball. Then follow the steps 6,7 and eight. Remember the weight of the lotus paste filling together with the egg yolk should be 120gms.

Pav Bhaji

2009-08-24T18:39:00.000-07:00

A wonderful dish and My husband Speciality... he really makes wonderful pav bhaji... the colour..taste.. look...everything just perfect the way I like it.... This post is posted by me but all other efforts from cutting the veges to taking the snaps are done by my sweetheart.... Thanks Ani.... For the wonderful dish... :)

So here go the ingredients for his style wonderful pav bhaji....

Serves 2

Ingredients

Potatoes 4 boiled and mashed

Onions 2 chopped finely

Amul butter 2 tbsp

Pav bhaji masala as required (to taste)

Tomatoes 2 large chopped finely

Red chillies 2 finely chopped

Green capsicum 1 small finely chopped

Cauliflower 1/4 cut into small florets

Oil 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Tomato Ketchup 2 tbsp

Peas 1/2 cup

Red chilli powder 1 1/2 tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Method

1. Take oil in a heavy bottom vessel. Add little butter to it when its hot add onions and fry them till tender.

2. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, and pav bhaji masala and fry for a min.

3. Add the capsicum, cauliflower, red chilli, peas and fry them till the capsicum is tender.

4. Add the tomatoes and mix them and smash all veges with a smasher in the vessel itself.

5. Add tomaoes and smash again. Add water.

6. Add salt and keep mixing and smashing. Taste and add pav bhaji masala if required.

7. Add a blob of amul butter and ketchup mix. Add serve hot with butter and lightly roasted pav...

Mango Margarita

2009-08-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

A refreshing cool mango drink..... Those who like sweet and sour taste together will love it....

Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 10 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
Mangoes 4 peeled and cut into pieces
Lemong Juice 3 tbsp
Mango Squash 1 cup
Salt as required
Ice cubes as required

Method
1. Put pieces of the mango in the blender and blend for a min. Add 2 tbsp lemon juice, mango squash and ice cubes and blend it again.
2. Apply remaining lemon juice to the rim of the glass and then dip the glass in the salt plate.
3. Pour the cool mango drink into it and serve immediately.....

Vegetable Jalfrazi

2009-08-19T06:48:00.000-07:00

Here goes the second one after the delicious panee recipe.... a coloured one.... :)

Serves 4
Ingrdients
10-12 baby corns
3 spring onions
1/2 each green, red and yellow bell peppers (capsicums)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander and cumin powder
1 tomato
2tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsbp chopped coriander
1tbsp oil
salt to taste
Method
1. Cut baby corns length wise, slice the capsicums, chop the whites and greens of the spring onions separately, chop tomatoes.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add the spring onion whites and all the capsicums. Fry for 2-3 mins.
3. When the capsicum & onions are just done add the baby corns, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, tomato ketchup and salt. Mix and fry for some time.
4. Reduce the flame for 4 to 5 min till the baby corn is cooked.
5. Add spring onion greens, garam masala & sugar. Toss the vegetables lightly.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot...

Paneer in Quick Gravy

2009-08-16T05:54:00.002-07:00

Hi all m back after a long long long time.... was really busy with work and some other stuff the last whole month.... so tired that the weekends also came and passed by.... Last long weekend we went out for a change which was really needed to all of us........ we went to KL and Genting... had lots of fun.... My daughter Sanika enjoyed a lot..... Climate was very nice... so now today really feeling nice to do some blogging after a long time.... these recipes were pending to be uploaded since a long time so now one by one will post them... so here goes the first one.. a very simple recipe of paneer in white gravy....... Serves 2

Ingredients
200gms paneer cut into 1'' cubes
2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
2 medium oninon
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp cashewnuts chopped
1/2'' piece ginger
3 cardamoms
2 cloves
1'' stick cinnamon
1 bay leaf
3 chopped green chillies
1 red chilli
1 tea cup fresh curds
1tsp coriander seeds
3/4 cup finely chopped coriander
1/4 tsp sugar
salt to taste
1tbsp glaced cherries (coloured) (for garnish)
Make a paste of
6 cloves garlic, 1/2'' piece of ginger with little water
Method
1. Cut the onions in to big pieces with water and boil.
2. When the onions are cooked, cool and blend it in mixer with the cashewnut pieces.
3. Heat clarified butter in a pan and add cloves, cardamoms, cinamon and bay leaf. Fry for a min.
4. Then add the ginger garlic paste and fry for another min.
5. Add the onion paste and fry for a little while.
6. When the onion paste is almost cooked add green chilllies.
7. Pound the red chilies, coriander seeds and add to the above gravy.
8. Fry for a few seconds and take the vessel off the fire.
9. Add to it churned curds and salt. Mix and return to fire and fry until the gravy starts leaving ghee on top.
10. Add coriander and cook for another min.
11. Finally add paneer and sugar and cook for a few min.
12. Serve hot garnished with glaced cherries...... and hot parathas.

Vegetable Kolhapuri

2009-06-08T18:49:00.000-07:00

A wonderful Maharashtrian dish from the western part of Maharashtra, Kolhapur... this popular dish is traditionally spicy but you can adjust the heat to your tastebuds. Serve it with plain boiled rice or hot chapatis.....
Preparation time : 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 30-45 minutes
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
Carrots 1 medium (diced and boiled)
Potato 1 medium (diced and boiled)
Cauliflower 6-8 florets (boiled)
French beans 6-8 1/2 inch pieces (boiled)
Green peas 1/4 cup (boiled)
Ginger paste 1 tsp
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Oil 4 tbsp
Dry coconut 1/2 (grated) (you can use dry desicated coconut 1/2 cup)
Cloves 8
Black peppercorns 8
Poppy seeds (khus khus) 1 tsp
Coriander seeds 1 tsp
Whole dry red chillies 6
Onions 2 large (chopped)
Tomatoes 2 large (chopped)
Red chilli powder 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves 2 tbsp (chopped)

For Garam Masala

Fennel seed (saunf) powder 1/2 teaspoon
Cinnamon 1 inch stick
Stone flower (dagad phool) 1
Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon
Bay leaves 2
Black cardamoms 2
Black peppercorns 7-8

Method

1. Grind ginger and garlic to a fine paste.

2. Grind all the ingredients of the Kolhapuri garam masala into a fine powder and set aside.

3. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a kadai. Add grated dry coconut, cloves, peppercorns, poppy seeds, coriander seeds and red chillies. Lightly fry.

4. Now add two thirds of the chopped onions and cook till it turns slightly brown. Cool, grind to a paste using sufficient water. Set aside.

5. Heat remaining oil in another kadai. Add the remaining chopped onions and sauté till brown.

6. Add ginger and garlic paste and continue to sauté till lightly browned. Add tomatoes, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, masala paste and half cup of water and cook for two minutes.

7. Add the boiled vegetables, adjust salt and simmer for four to five minutes. Sprinkle Kolhapuri garam masala powder and mix well.

8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Awards

2009-06-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Padma of Padma's Recipes has passed me this wonderful award thanks a lot Padma

This award comes with the following rules:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs (Only if you like).
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blog
I would like to pass it on to Navita of Zaayeka, Shreya of Mom's cooking, Purnima of Cook , Usha of Veg Inspiration, Priya of Easy n tasty recipes, Indrani of Appayan, Aquadaze of Served of Love

Enjoy your awards...

A bunch of awards from Priti of Indian Khana.... Thanks a lot Priti......

Now I pass these awards to Vibaas of Delectable Vegetarian Recipes, Priya's Easy n tasty recipes

Truptisfood corner, Sankeertthanam, Uma of Essence of Andhra, Mahimaa's Kitchen, Srilekha's Me and My kitchen, Usha of Veg Inspiration..... Enjoys blogging guys.... :)

After a long long time I come to this page... with a pair of awards passed by Sudeshna.... thanks a lot dear... it really feels good...:)

So now I pass this award to Lubna of kitchenflavours, Sweatha of tastycurryleaf, Geeta of fragrantkitchen, Sushma of Nsushma, Deepthi Shankar of Vegetableplatter

Priti of Indian Khana had given me this award long long long back...
Sorry dear for the late acceptance....

But really thanks a lot for the appreciation....:)

1.You can give it to one or one hundred or any number in between - it’s up to you. Make sure you link to their site in your post
2. Link back to this blog site http://tammyvitale.typepad.com/ Tammy can go visit all these wonderful men and women and remember the Purpose of the Award: To send love and acknowledgment to men and women, who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy. It’s been a blessing and an inspiration to meet all of you through your wonderful blogs.
Sure dear now I pass it to
Veda of Iyengars Kitchen
http://iyengarskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/pepper-rasam-malaga-rasam.html
Will think of 99 more and then pass later....
One last thing for today... one more award..... This is a recent one :)
Sudeshna of bengali cuisine has passed me this beautiful butterfly award.... Thanks a lot dear for considering me worth for it....

Rules of the award....
1. Add the logo in your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who gave you the award.
3. Nominate 10 other blogs of your choice.
4. Don’t forget to add links to those blogs in yours.
5. Also leave a message for your nominees in their blogs, informing them about the award.
Will pass it for sure but later.... at present bye dears....
Curry leaf and Yummy food have given me this wonderful Wylde woman award

Thanks a lots girls for this award.... and now some rules for this award are:
1.You can give it to one or one hundred or any number in between - it's up to you. Make sure you link to their site in your post
2. Link back to this blog site http://tammyvitale.typepad.com/ Tammy can go visit all these wonderful men and women and remember the Purpose of the Award: To send love and acknowledgment to men and women, who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy. It's been a blessing and an inspiration to meet all of you through your wonderful blogs.
Lakshmi (Taste of Mysore) has given me this wonderful Brillante weblog award.... Thanks a lot Lakshmi for the award.. I m honoured...

Its my pleasure to pass this to
Sukanya of Sukanya's Musings, Suma of Suma's Cuisine, Veda Murthy of Iyengar's Kitchen, Srilekha of Me and My Kitchen

Happy blogging everyone!!!

EC fromEasycrafts & Sowmya passed on this lovely award to me...thanks a lot

The following rules apply to this award:
1. Only 5 people are allowed to receive this award
2. 4 of them followers of your blog.
3. One has to be new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to who ever gave you the award.
Passing on this award to Lakshmi, Priti, Nupur, Gayatri from new york &Vidya....

This is the yum yum award passed to me by dear Lakshmi...
Thanks a lots dear u really made me happy with this....

Thanks so much Priyanka for this wonderful award... Really very nice to have a friend like you..

I pass this award to Lakshmi of Taste of mysore, Andhra flavours , Paajaka of the sweet series event of TOI, & to Mansi Desai of fun food
Yummy award by priyanka

yum yum yummy
I pass this award to Priti of Indian Khana , Manasi Desai of Fun and Food , Prajusha of icookipost , and Pooja of creativepooja

Love food love life...

Scrambled Tofu

2009-06-05T00:29:00.000-07:00

We had a potlock party last month in our office... Everyone had got wonderful dishes... we had a sumptuous lunch that day.. enjoyed a wide range of dishes.... it was a great day... as after the lunch we also had a tea party at 4 which was not planned... One of the colleague had got this dish of scrambled tofu which at first I thought was scrambled egg (egg bhurji)... when asked she told me the recepie... it was great to taste... So here goes the recepie... u all make eat and enjoy....
Ingredients
Red dired chillies 2-3 (deseeded) (if you like spicy then add more chillies)
Ginger paste 1 tsp
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Medium Onions 4
Tahu/Tofu 2 pieces
Sugar 1/2 tsp
Tamarind paste 1 tsp
Big tomatoes 2
Oil To fry the Tofu/ and then to fry the gravy
Salt To taste
Method
1. Wash, dry and cut the Tofu into small cubes. In a wok take oil and fry the tofu nicely till it changes its color.
2. Remove on a tissue and keep aside.
3. Deseed the tomatoes and cut the onion into 4 pieces. In a blender make a paste of the onions, tomatoes and the red chillies together.
4. Heat the remaining oil and add the ginger and garlic paste and fry till it becomesa bit brown. Then add the onion tomato paste and cook properly on low flame till the oil starts to separate.
5. Add sugar, salt, tamarind paste on cook over low fire for 1/2 an hour.
6. Lastly add the fried tofu and mix together. Remove and serve hot or cold with rice/bread/naan/chappati.... etc......

Badam and Banana Sheera

2009-06-01T00:08:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make Badam Sheera since a long time.... but the with my job and the routine I am hardly getting time nowadays to try new stuff... But this weekend I reserved time to do it.... it was a good snack in the afternoon....

Ingredients

Sooji/Rawa 1 cup

Badam/ Almonds 1 cup (soaked in warm water)

Sugar 1 1/2 cup (if you prefer less sweet then adjust accordingly)

Riped Bananas 2

Cardamom/elaichi powder 1 tsp

Milk 3 1/2 cups

Water 1/2 cup

Ghee 1 1/2 tbsp

Method

1. Remove the skin of the almonds and then make a paste of the almonds in a mixie.

2. In a thick bottomed vessel put the add 1/2 of the ghee and rava and roast it on medium flame until it changes its color and becomes aromatic.

3. While roasting the rava on another gas take a vessel and mix water and milk in it and keep for boiling.

4. Put the rest of the ghee in the vessel and add the almond paste to it. Roast it until it changes its colour.

5. Once the almond paste changes its colour add the rava and smashed bananas and mix all the together.

6. Then add the hot boiled milk to this above mixture. And keep stirring until they blend together.

7. Cover and let it cook for 2 minutes. Then add sugar and mix properely.

8. Once the sugar is completely dissolved and mixed nicely remove from the gas and add cardamom powder, any other nusts,raisins as desired and serve hot with a little ghee on top....

Cauliflower Manchurian

2009-05-14T07:50:00.000-07:00

A wonderful IndoChinese recipie.Hope you like it and enjoy with your family. IndoChinese are my favourite dishes.Mothers Day Special!

Ingredients

500gms Cauliflower florets

8 tbsp Cornflour/ corn starch
3-4 Green chillies, minced
2 Spring onion bulb , chopped
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry+2 tablespoons
1/2 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1 medium Green capsicum, chopped
1 medium Onion , chopped
2 tbsp Soy sauce
2 1/2 cups Vegetable stock
2 tbsp Vinegar
1/4 tsp Sugar
Method

1. Wash and drain cauliflower florets. Make a batter of six tablespoons of cornstarch, green chillies and spring onions adding salt to taste.

2. Dissolve the remaining two tablespoons of cornstarch in quarter cup of water and keep aside for sauce.Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.

3. Dip each cauliflower floret in the prepared batter and deep fry till golden brown. Remove and drain onto an absorbent paper.

4. To make the sauce, heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan and gently fry the garlic paste and the
ginger paste.

5. Add the chopped capsicum and onion.Stir in the soya sauce and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for two minutes.Add the vinegar, sugar and adjust salt to taste.

6. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and cook stirring continuously till the mixture thickens and starts bubbling.Add the fried cauliflower florets.

7. Mix well to coat and cook for two minutes more. Serve hot.

Anjeer Halwa

2009-05-04T17:48:00.000-07:00

A wonderful and easy recipie...
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 20 min
Serves 4

Ingredients
Anjeer (Dried figs) 24 no.s (200gms)
Clarified butter (ghee) 3 tbsp
Almonds, blanched, peeled & powdered 1/2 cup
Milk powder 1/3 cup
Sugar 4 tbsp
Cardamom powder (elaichi powder) 1/4 tsp

Method
1. Cook the figs in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain, cool and then grind them in a mixer.
2. Heat clarified butte in a thick bottomed non stick vessel and add the powdered almonds to it.
3. Saute for 5 minutes and then add pureed figs, sugar, milk powder and 1/2 cup water. Keep stirring continuously.
4. Cook till the sugar dissolves and the consistency becomes a bit thick.
5. Remove from gas and then add cardamom. Mix it well. Serve hot garnished with slivered almonds....

Cabbage and Spinach Parathas

2009-05-02T01:18:00.000-07:00

Easy and fast parathas Good for breakfast/ lunch/ dinner/ journey/ picnic.........
Preparation time: 20 min
Cooking time: 15 min
Serves: 5 parathas

Ingredients
Spinach shredded 1/2 bunch
Cabbage shredded 1/4 medium
Wheat flour (atta) 2 cups
Chickpea flour (besan) 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Carom seeds (ajwain/ ova) 1 tsp
Green chillies 1-2 chopped
Oil 4-5 tsp
Milk 4-5 tbsp
Method
1. Put the wheat flour and chickpea flour in a vessel.
2. Add the red chilli powder, carom seeds, green chillies, oil, salt, shredded cabbage, shredded spinach and milk to it.
3. Mix all the ingredients and make a dough of it.
4. Add a little water if needed. Set aside for 5-10 min.
5. Divide into 5 equal portions and roll out into thick parathas of 5 to 6 inches of diametre.
6. Heat tawa and place the paratha on it. Drizzle with oil and cook on one side. Turn the paratha and drizzle oil again and cook the other side too.
7. Similarly make other 4 parathas and serve hot with any pickle, chutney or raita.....

Bharli Mirchi

2009-04-28T01:02:00.000-07:00

A spicy Maharashtrian vege made from stuffed big green chillies....
Preparation time: 30 min
Cooking time: 20 min
Serves: 2

Ingredients
Large green chillies 4
Salt to taste
Oil 2 1/2 tbsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Fresh coconut scrapped 1 cup
Fennel Seed powder (saunf) 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder (dhania powder) 1 tsp
Cumin powder (jeera powder) 1 tsp
Raw mango, grated 1 small
Fresh coriander chopped 1 tbsp
Method
1. Slit the green chillies and deseed them. Apply salt to the chillies and leave aside for 30 min. Wash and drain well.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil and add mustard seeds, once they crackle add asafoetida, turmeric powder. Add coconut and fry till slightly brown.
3. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, fennel seed powder and mix well.
4. Add the raw mango, coriander leaves, salt and miix well and remove from gas. Set aside to cool.
5. When the mixture is cool, stuff it in the chillies.
6. Heat the remaining oil in a pan and put the chillies one by one. Cover and cook for 2 -3 minutes.
7. Turn around and cook on the other side too. Remove from gas and serve hot....

Coconut Sandwich

2009-04-26T00:44:00.000-07:00

Heavy, easy, quick and wonderful breakfast on a Sunday morning.....
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 10 min
Serves: 2

Ingredients
Bread slices (brown/white) 8
Fresh grated coconut 2 cups
Green chilli paste 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Cheese grated 2 tbsp
Method
1. Apply a little butter on both sides of the bread slices.
2. Mix grated coconut, green chilli paste, salt and grated cheese with the help of a fork.
3. Put this mixture on one slice of bread and cover it with the second slice. Make all sandwiches ready, and put them in the sanwich maker to toast....
4. Once brown remove and serve hot with tomato ketchup.....

Arbi Paraha

2009-03-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

Alu called as Colocassia/ arbi in English. Colocassia is very rich in iron.... and all parts of this plants are very useful... the leaves can be used to make alu vadi or alu bhaji and the roots are rich in iron so can be used to make dry roasted vege or parathas as below....

Ingredients

250gms arbi roots

250 gms maida

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp carom seeds powdered (ajwain/ ova)

1 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)

salt and red chilli powder according to taste.

Method

1. Wash and clean the arbi roots. Put in a pressure cooker and make 4-5 whistles. (just like we boil potatoes for potato paratha)

2. Once boiled let them cool and then peel the skin. Crush all the arbi's with hand and take care no lumps are remaining.

3. Add chilli powder, carom seeds powder, nigella seeds, cumin powder, salt and mix all the ingredients properly.

4. Add maida slowly to this mixture and make a stiff dough from it.

5. Put little oil to hands and make round balls of the dough and roll out dusting a bit of flour into thick parathas.

6. Roast on both sides nicely on medium heat and at the end leave some ghee from the sides and serve hot with any chutney or yoghurt.

Tip: Use wheat flour instead of maida if serving for small children.

Potato and Peas Paratha

2009-02-28T00:20:00.000-08:00

Today I was really feeling very tired and wanted to finish cooking fast. So was looking for something that can be made fast and only one item makes a full meal.. so browsed a book recently bought from India and found this something different... usually we make parathas with potato... in this an addition of some other things made it taste different... and everyone liked it too.... so here is the recipie..
Ingredients
For the filling
5-6 boiled potatoes
1 bowl boiled green peas
7-8 green chillies (if you dont want it too spicy then add chillies accordingly)
1/2'' piece of ginger (paste)
1/2 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
1/2 lime juice
For the dough
3 bowl plain flour (maida)
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp hot oil
1/2 lemon juice or 1 tbsp curd.
I had used 1 bowl maida and 2 bowl wheat flour... as I feel maida is not good for small kids to digest... so if you are going to serve this paratha to small children then use wheat flour mixed with maida or use wheat flour completely...
Method
1. Mix maida (or wheat flour), salt, hot oil and lemon juice (or curd) and make a dough.
2. Smash boiled potatoes. Add boiled and smashed green peas, green chilli paste, ginger paste, lemon juice, garam masala and salt to it and mix everything.
3. Make a 2 small puris of the dough and put the filling on one puri. Close it with the second puri and secure the ends.
4. Roll it out slowly to around 4'' to 5'' and then put on the hot pan and roast it on both sides leaving little ghee.
5.Serve with any chutney or simply pickle and yoghurt.

Mexican Rice

2009-02-14T07:24:00.000-08:00

Had tried this long time back.... but had gone for a holiday to India... So could not post it... Had a wonderful time as usual in India... Took my daughter there for the first time there... She also enjoyed there a lot... was pampered by everyone.... So I m back with my recipie after a long time...This rice is really very simple, easy and fast to prepare.... I liked it as it was something different and fast to prepare... but still I am wondering why the name Mexican rice was given to this recipe... what mexican touch does it have... anyways it tastes good so as Shakespear said what there in the name... :) here goes the recipe....
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 cups cooked long rice (basmati rice)
1 chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 1/2 cups mixed boiled vegetables 1/2 cup red kidney beans (rajma) (boiled and pressure cook with little salt)
1tbsp oil
salt to taste
To be ground to paste
4 garlic cloves
1/2 inch ginger piece
Method
1. You can take carrot, beans, peas, corn, cauliflower and potatoes as mixed vegetables.
2. Heat the oil and fry the onion for 2 min. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry again.
3. Add chilli powder, red kidney beans, vegetables and fry for further 5 minutes.
4. Add rice and salt and mix well.
5. Serve hot.

Tomato Pulao

2009-01-05T04:16:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1/2 kg basmati rice (wash and keep soaked in water atleast for 1/2hr)
300 gm red tomatoes
1/2 coconut
3 onions
few cashews and raisins
1/2 cup coriander4 green chillies
2 cloves
2 green cardamoms
1/2inch stick of cinnamon
1 tsp ghee
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
Method
1. Extract the juice of the coconut by grinding it in the mixer with water.
2. Blanch the tomatoes and when cool remove the skin and grind them in the mixie.
3. Mix coconut and tomatoes juices together.
4. Grind onions, green chillies and coriander.
5. Heat ghee in a vessel and then add cloves, cinnamon and cardamom to it.
6. Fry for a minute and then add the grinded masala of onion and turmerice to it. Fry for 5-6 minutes.
7. Remove water from the soaked rice and then add it to the above mixture.
8. Fry for a minute and then add the tomato and coconut juice as required. Add salt to taste and let it cook till the rice is done.
9. Serve hot.... garnished with fried cashews and raisins.....

Veg Manchurian

2009-01-01T01:53:00.000-08:00

After a very very long long time i m back...... This recipie I tried a long time back...... It was a very good success that time.... so a few days back was feeling like eating something different.... so here is the recipie for Veg manchurian.... my style...

Ingredients:

For the balls

1/2 cup cabbage

1 carrot medium size

1 onion medium size

2 capsicums medium size

1 1/2 cup cauliflower

7-8 beans

2 green chillies

1 tsp each ginger and garlic paste

1/2 cup coriander

2 boiled medium size potatoes

1 cup wheat flour

salt to taste

For the Sauce

3 tsp corn flour

1 tsp ginger, green chilli, garlic paste and coriander paste

1 cup finely cut cabbage

12 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp soya sauce

2 cup hot water

1 tsp oil

salt to taste.

Method

For the balls

1. Take 1 cup cauliflower, 1 capsicum, 1 green chilli, ginger garlic paste, 1/2 carrot, few beans, 1/4 cup of cabbage, 1/2 onion and grind it in a food processor.

2. Cut the rest of the vegetables very finely with a knife.

3. Mix the processed vegetables, cut vegetables, potatoes, wheat flour and salt to make a dough.

4. Make small balls of this dough and deep fry to brownish colour on medium flame.

For the Sauce

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the ginger, green chilli, garlic and coriander paste to it.

2. Fry for a minute and then add hot water to it.

3. Then add the soya sauce, sugar and salt. (Be careful while adding the salt as Soya sauce is salty and there is salt added in the Manchurian balls also.)

4. In a small bowl make a paste of the corn flour with a tsp of water and then add this to the boiling water.

5. Add cabbage and boil it stirring continuously for 5 to 7 minutes.

6. At the time of serving add the Manchurian balls to the gravy and serve hot....

Diwali Sweets

2008-11-16T04:01:00.000-08:00

Just no need to go to the sweet mart this time... tried all the different kinds of burfis, pedhas, tacos etc at home.....

Basic Ingredients
1 cup grated khoya
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp cardamom powder.

Steps
1. Mix khoya and sugar in a thick bottomed vessel and on low flame start mixing it.
2. Stir continuously till the moisture is absorbed. Add cardamom powder and remove from the flame.
3. Leave it to cool.

For 2 Colour Barfi:
Ingredients
All Basic ingredients mentioned above.
1/4 cup cashew powdered
1/4 cup Badam powdered
2 Drops of pink food colour
Silver paper (varq) (silver paper used to decorate Indian mithai)
Method
1. Follow the first three steps as mentioned above.
2. When the mixture is cool, make two parts of it.
3. In one part add the cashew powder and the pink food colour. Mix.
4. In the second part add the badam powder and mix.
5. With the help of a rolling pin flatten the badam mixture on a greased plate.
6. Leave it in the refrigerator for 10-15 fifteen min to set.
7. Once it is set, flatten the cashew and pink food colour mixture on it and cover nicely with the silver paper and refrigerator again for 10-15 min.
8. Remove from fridge and cut in to squares or diamonds.
9. Store in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Pista Rolls:
Ingredients
All basic ingredients metioned above.
1/4 cup pista powder
few pistas cut into small pieces
few drops of green food colour (optional)
Silver varq

Method
1. Follow first three steps mentioned above.
2. When the mixture is cool add the green food colour and pista powder into it.
3. Make a roll and then cut it into small pieces. Roll it in the pista pieces and cover with silver varq.

Amrit Pedha:
Ingredients
All basic ingredients mentioned above.
1/4 cup pista powder
few drops of green food colour
few pistas chopped.

Method
1. Follow first three steps mentioned above.
2. When the mixture is cool make two parts of it and add the green food colour and pista powder to one part.
3. Make 8 balls of the white mixture and 8 of the green mixture.
4. Stuff each white ball with the pistachio ball and seal the edges.
5. Garnish with the chopped pistachio.

Cashew, Pista and Badam Roll:
Ingredients
All basic ingredients as mentioned above
2tbsp cashew powder
2tbsp badam powder
2tbsp pistachio powder
2 drops red or pink food colour
2 drops orange food colour
2 drops green food colour

Method
1. Follow first three steps as mentioned above.
2. When the mixture is cool make three parts of it.
3. To one part add cashew powder and pink/red food colour. Mix.
4. To the second part add badam powder and orange food colour and mix.
5. To the third part add the pista powder and green food colour and mix.
6. Roll out the cashew mixture into a rectangle of about 4" x 6".
7. Roll out the Pista mixture into a rectangle of about 3 1/2" x 6" and place it on top of the cashew mixture.
6. Roll out the badam mixture into a cylinder of 6" width and 1/2" thickness.
7. Palce the badam mixture roll on one side of the pista-cashew rectangle.
8. Roll tightly starting from the end where the pista mixture roll is placed and seal the edges completely.
9. Gently press the roll. Then refrigerate it for 1 hour to set.
10. Once it is set roll it with silver varq and then cut into small rounds with a sharp knife.

Badam Burfi:
Ingredients
All basic ingredients as mentioned above
1/4 cup roasted badam powder

Method
1. Follow the first three steps as mentioned above.
2. When the mixture cools add the roasted badam powder and mix.
3. Flatten on a greased plate and then cut into squares or diamonds.
4. Decorate as desired with slivered badam/colour or silver varq.

Kaju Badam Tacos:
Ingredients
All basic ingredients as mentioned above.
3tbsp badam powder
few drops of orange food colour
3tbsp cashew powder
few cashew chopped.
Silver varq

Method
1. Follow the first three steps as mentioned above.
2. When it cools make two portions of it and mix one with the cashew pieces and cashew powder.
3. Mix the second portion with badam powder and few drops of orange food colour.
4. Divide the badam mixture into 8 equal portions and roll out each portion into 2 plastic sheets into circles of 4" diametre each. Keep aside.
5. Divide the cashew mixture into 8 equal portion and shape each into a cylinder of 4" long and 1" thick.
6. Place one cashew cylinder in the centre of the badam rolled circle and fold over to form a semicircle like a taco.
7. Repeat for rest of the tacos. Decorate with orange colour and silver varq.

This big post for Mythreyee's Sweet Series event

Toasted Marshmallows

2008-11-09T02:59:00.000-08:00

This time for diwali I tried completely different sweets... some traditional and one which I had not at all tried before... Did not know anything about the taste of it... but still wanted to try it out when I read the recipe.... Recipe was simple and also had the material available.. tried it and really it worked out good... everyone liked it... me too... so here goes the simple and nice recipe for toasted marshmallows...

Preparation time: 25minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes
Makes approx 36

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

½ cup water

5 tsp gelatin powder

½ cup extra water

1tsp vanilla essence

2 to 3 cups dessicated coconut

Method

Combine sugar and water in a bowl and with the help of electric beater for 3 minutes.
Add gelatin to the water and then double boil it till the gelatin dissolves.
Add this to the sugar water mixture and beat with the beater for another 10min. Till a white froth appears on it.
Place butter paper in a tin and brush it with oil or butter and pour the gelatin sugar mixtur into it.
Leave it to set at room temperature overnight.
Morning refrigerator for 1 or 1½ hrs. Cut into pieces.
Take the dissicated coconut and dry roast it until brown or microwave it till brown.
Roll the cut marshmallows into the coconut to coat nicely. Serve.

This goes for the Sweet event on Srilekha's Me and My kitchen.
& for Mytreyee Sweet Series event.

Vada Bhat

2008-11-06T22:03:00.000-08:00

A nagpuri style Bhat...

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup besan
1tsp Garlic paste
1tsp red chilli powder
salt as per taste.
2 cups rice.
water as required

Method
1. Mix besan, garlic paste, salt and chilli powder. Add water and make small marble sized balls out of it.
2. Wash rice and keep it for half an hour.
3. In a thick bottomed vessel add rice and enough water to cook the rice. Keep a strainer on this vessel and keep the besan vadas in the strainer.
4. Cover the strainer.
5. Let the vadas cook on the steam of rice water.
6. Serve hot with some sour saar or kadhi.....

Note: you can add the vadas in the rice and steam them together.

Penne Pasta

2008-10-11T01:51:00.001-07:00

A quick pasta recipe

Serves 4
Cooking and Preparation time 15min

Ingredients
2 cups cooked penne pasta (Pasta is cooked by boiling it in sufficient water along with salt as per taste)
1/2 cup mixed boiled vegetables
or even one onion cut into long strips is enough
5 tbsp instant tomato soup powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated cheese

Method
1. Combine tomato soup powder with 1 cup of water and mix well so that no lumps remain.
2. Put it in a saucepan and bring to boil.
3. Add milk & cheese and simmer.
4. Add cooked vegetables and the penne. If using only onion then fry it in 1 tsp oil till transparent and add it with the penne.
5. Toss well and serve immediately sprinkled with oregano.

Nariyal ki Burfi (Coconut fudge)

2008-09-18T06:08:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

2 medium coconuts
2 cup sugar
100gms milk solids (khoya)
1tbsp milk

Method

1. Scrape coconut and keep aside. (take care not to take the black covering or the colour of the burfi will change.)
2. Make sugar syrup using sugar and 1 1/2 cups of water. When it begins to boil add a tablespoon of milk to clarify the sugar syrup. Boil it to 1 string consistency.
3. Take a pan and saute scraped coconut and khoya on low heat. When it is slightly dry remove.
4. Grease a plate and keep ready.
5. Start adding roasted coconut to the sugar syrup gradually, keep on stirring the mixture. When it is semi solid remove from heat and spread onto the greased plate. Apply silver varq.
6. Cut into small squares or any desired shape when it cools down. Decorate with cashew/pista/badam.

Note:

To add different colours to the burfi before spreading it on the plate make different portions of the coconut mix and add colours to it and then spread it on the greased plate. Do this very very quickly otherwise the burfis might be difficult to spread.

The red colour burfi in the pic is Beetroot burfi.
For that if you take 1 cup of grated coconut then take 1cup of grated beetroot (use the same cup for measurements)
Rest of the procedure is same. i.e when you saute coconut and khoya add beetroot to it and saute till it is slightly dry. Then same way add it to the sugar syrup and mix. When it is semi solid remove from heat and spread on the greatsed plate. Decorate with silver varq and cashew.

Modak

2008-09-13T05:12:00.001-07:00

Modak a traditional recipie made during the 10 days of Ganesh festival....
Ingredients
1cup fresh coconut grated
1cup jaggery grated
2cups wheat flour
a pinch of salt
1tsp cardamom powder
if you want then add dry fruits very finely chopped
oil or ghee for frying
Method
1. Mix salt and wheat flour. Heat a little around 2tbsp oil and pour this hot oil on the wheat flour and mix. Then add enough water and make a soft dough from it.
2. Mix grated jaggery, coconut, cardamom powder and nuts (if u you) and keep aside.
3. Make small puris out of the dough and then fill the jaggery mixture into it. Close it and give it the shape of modak (refer the pic).
4. Make a few modaks like that and keep. Heat oil/ghee and fry a few together till golden brown.
5. Serve hot or warm.

Paneer Parantha

2008-09-11T01:42:00.000-07:00

These parathas were invented by me while I was cooking one of the veges... actually the filling is the left over from a vege....
Ingredients
1/2 cup paneer
1 green chilli finely chopped
1/2 onion finely chopped
salt as per taste
2 cups wheat flour
Method
1. Make nice soft dough of the wheat flour using enough water.
2. Mix all the other ingredients.
3. Make small portions of both flour and filling.
4. Fill the filling in the atta balls and make nice round parathas....
5. Enjoy with any simple vege...

SWC Karnataka Roundup-Part 2

2008-09-08T08:25:00.001-07:00

So now here continues the wonderful roundup second part of SWC Karnataka

VEGETABLES

1. Homecooked
http://homecooked.wordpress.com/2008/08/11/batata-song/
2. Priyanka of Asankhana
http://asankhana.blogspot.com/2008/08/mysore-oota-during-my-college-days-in.html
http://asankhana.blogspot.com/2008/07/last-weekend-hubby-was-not-feeling-well.html
http://asankhana.blogspot.com/2008/08/mysore-oota-during-my-college-days-in.html
3. Sheetal of Mykitchen
http://sweety-mykitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/badnekayi-palya-eggplant-curry.html
4. Lakshmi of Taste of Mysore
http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/simple-south-karnataka-oota-our-sunday.html

http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/raw-mango-gojju.html
http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/jolada-rotti-tumbida-badanekayi-palya.html
5. Priti of Indian Khana
http://indiankhanna.blogspot.com/2008/08/karnataka-style-meal.html
http://indiankhanna.blogspot.com/2008/08/mix-vegetables-karwar-style-award.html
6. Meera of Enjoy Indian Food
http://enjoyindianfood.blogspot.com/2008/04/daal-palak-2.html
7. Smitha of Kannada cuisine
http://kannadacuisine.blogspot.com
http://kannadacuisine.blogspot.com
8. Sia of Monsoon Spice
http://www.monsoonspice.com/2008/08/carrot-beans-channa-dal-palya-for.html
9. SMN of Cookspot
http://wwwcookspot.blogspot.com/2008/08/simplicity-in-cooking.html
10. Non blogger Anuradha
Padavalkayi_seekootu

Dals

1. Priyanka of Asankhana
http://asankhana.blogspot.com/2008/08/khichdi-is-prepared-every-saturdays-at.html
2. Lakshmi of Taste of Mysore
http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/bele-saarumysore-rasamlentil-soup.html
3. Veda of Iyengars Kitchen
http://iyengarskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/pepper-rasam-malaga-rasam.html
4. Priti of Indian Khana
http://indiankhanna.blogspot.com/2008/08/karnataka-style-meal.html
http://indiankhanna.blogspot.com/2008/08/karnataka-style-meal.html
5. Non blogger Mangala
DALITHOY

Rice

1. Vani of Illatharasi
http://illatharasi.blogspot.com/2008/08/vangi-bath-brinjal-eggplant-rice.html
2. Priya Evani of
http://priyasfoodcourt.blogspot.com/2008/08/bisibele-bath.html
3. Priyanka of Asankhana
http://asankhana.blogspot.com/2008/08/lemon-rice-reminds-me-of-college-days.html
4. Sowmya of Creative Saga
http://creativesaga.blogspot.com/2008/08/bisi-bela-bhaat.html
5. Vidya Vikram of divya-dilse
http://divya-dilse.blogspot.com/2008/08/eggplant-ricevangi-bhath.html
6. Sireesha of Mom Recipies
http://momrecipies.blogspot.com/2008/08/bisibele-bath.html
http://momrecipies.blogspot.com/2008/08/lemon-rice-nimmakaya-pulihora.html
7. Deepthi Shankar of Vegetableplatter
http://vegetableplatter.blogspot.com/2008/08/rough-lemon-rice_27.html
http://vegetableplatter.blogspot.com/2008/08/instant-puliyogareinstant-tamarind-rice.html
8. Sukanya of Sukanya-keralaiyer
http://sukanya-keralaiyer.blogspot.com/2008/08/bisi-bela-huli-anna.html
9. Sheetal of Mykitchen
http://sweety-mykitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/tamarind-rice.html
http://sweety-mykitchen.blogspot.com/2008/07/souther-curd-rice-award.html
10. Anuradha non blogger
Avalakki_Bisi_bele_bath

Sweets

1. Lakshmi of Taste of Mysore
http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/chigali-undiunde-black-sesame-laddu.html
http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/hesarubele-payasamoongdal-payasam.html
2. Sudeshna of Bengali Cuisine
http://bengalicuisine.wordpress.com/2008/08/24/chaler-payesh/
3. Purva of Purvas Daawat
http://purvasdaawat.blogspot.com/2008/08/kheer-payassam-rice-pudding.html
4. Veda of Iyengarskitchen
http://iyengarskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/04/happy-ugadi-to-one-and-all.html
5. Priti of Indian Khana
http://indiankhanna.blogspot.com/2008/08/karnataka-style-meal.html
6. Sheetal of My Kitchen
http://sweety-mykitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/maledi-undi.html
http://sweety-mykitchen.blogspot.com/2008/03/tambit-ladoo.html
7. Anuradha non blogger
Toor_Dal__Nuchina_Unde

So now ladies enjoy the cuisines looking cooking and relishing......

Check out for the next SWC event hosted by Lakshmi here......

Full Meal

1. Sheetal of My Kitchen
http://sweety-mykitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/gouri-oota.html

2. Priyanka of Asankhana
http://asankhana.blogspot.com/2008/08/mysore-oota-during-my-college-days-in.html

3. Priti of Indian Khana
http://indiankhanna.blogspot.com/2008/08/mix-vegetables-karwar-style-award.html%20%20%20%20

Roundup SWC Karnataka-Part1

2008-09-07T09:41:00.001-07:00

Hi all wonderful ladies out there.... I know you all were waiting for the roundup of this wonderful event of SWC Karnataka.... a bit late but anyways 'intazar ka fal mitha hota hai' .... Before seeing the round up I would like to thank all the beautiful ladies out there who have taken so much effort in cooking different cuisines, take a snap and then mail and post..... thanks a lot for making this event a success... thanks Lakshmi for starting a wonderful event like this and giving me a chance to host it... it was a great experience... in the first two weeks of the event I received only one or two entries... so started feeling whether have chosen a difficult state for the event...but during the last week my mail box was flooded with entries... was really worried whether would be able to manage all things or not...anyways have put in my best...hope u all like it...and yes one more thing...double thanks to the non bloggers who participated in this event with enthu... you all put a star on the xmas tree with ur participation... So now here goes the round up starting with

Breakfast.....

1. Lubna Karim of Yummy Food
http://kitchenflavours.blogspot.com/2008/07/masala-dosa.html

2. EC of Simpleindianfood
http://simpleindianfood.blogspot.com/2008/08/kodubale.html

3. Sheetal of Mykitchen
http://sweety-mykitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/patrado-alu-vadi-pathraarvi-leaf-rolls.html

4. Sowmya of Creativesaga
http://creativesaga.blogspot.com/2008/08/maddur-vadai.html

5. Maya of Konkanworld
http://konkanworld.blogspot.com/2008/08/banana-bunsmangalore-buns.html

6. Sweatha of Tasty curry leaf
http://tastycurryleaf.blogspot.com/2008/08/goli-bajjemangalore-bajji.html

7. Priyanka of Asankhana
http://asankhana.blogspot.com/2008/08/breakfast-is-something-without-which-we.html

8. Lakshmi of Taste of Mysore

http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/idli-vade-sambar-i-v-s.html

9. Cham of Spice-club
http://spice-club.blogspot.com/2008/08/kodubale-chickmangalur-coffee.html

10. Veda of Iyengarskitchen
http://iyengarskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/04/pudina-raagi-dose.html

11. Geeta of Fragrant kitchen
http://fragrantkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/neer-dosai.html

Non Bloggers

12. Mangala
Phaggila phodi
Sanna Khotto

13. Anuradha
Quick Kodabule
Sapsige Ambode

Kosambri & Chutney

1. Lakshmi of Taste of mysore
http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/raagi-mudde-and-massoppu-finger-millet.html
http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/jolada-rotti-tumbida-badanekayi-palya.html

2. Sushma of Nsushma
http://nsushma.blogspot.com/

3. Priti of Indian Khana
http://indiankhanna.blogspot.com/2008/08/karnataka-style-meal.html

4. Deepthi of Vegetable Platter
http://vegetableplatter.blogspot.com/2008/08/raw-carrot-lentil-saladcarrot-kosambari.html

Roti

1. EC of Simpleindianfood
http://simpleindianfood.blogspot.com/2008/08/akki-roti-with-veggies.html

2. Sowmya of Creative Saga
http://creativesaga.blogspot.com/2008/08/akki-roti.html

3. Veda of Iyengarskitchen
http://iyengarskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/05/akki-rotti-with-grated-kohlrabi-carrot.html

4. Lakshmi of Taste of mysore
http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/chiroti-rava-rotti-and-onion-tomato.html
http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/rave-dose-chutney-and-hot-hot-coffee.html
http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/hoornada-holigepooran-policooking-for.html
http://www.tasteofmysore.com/2008/08/jolada-rotti-tumbida-badanekayi-palya.html

5. Priyanka of Asankhana
link awaited

Its too late now so the rest of the roundup tomorrow.......

SWC Roundup nonblogger entries-From Mangala

2008-09-07T09:16:00.001-07:00

Wonderful entries of Mangala

Phagila podi

This is one favourite recipe of all Konkani speaking people on the coast. Since kantola called as ‘Phagil’ is seasonal, all wait in anticipation for its arrival along with holy Ganesh Chathurthi and many communal and regional festivities. Traditionally there are many dishes made from kantolas, but we loved this one so much, that any instance we found them in the market, wanted all of it in the form of ‘phodi’ (deep fried slices) and so this is the only one I know to make. Luckily, this vegetable which belongs to the gourd family, although not at all bitter, is available in Singapore. It’s the bigger variety, with a great taste.

Ingredients:

4-5 big Phagil/ Kantola

½ cup rice flour

2 tsp chilli powder or as per taste

Peanut sized aesofatida dissolved in water or aesofetida powder

Salt

Oil for deep frying

Method
Cut each of the kantolas into 4-5 thin slices lengthwise, apply salt and keep aside for 15-20 minutes. In a bowl, mix the rice flour, chilli powder and aesofetida along with little water to make into a masala paste that isn’t watery. Drain the water from the kantola slices and mix them with the masala. Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry the slices. Drain over paper napkins, after frying. Spicy phagila podi is ready to savor.

It can be shallow fried also on a dosa pan. For this, the slices have to be lightly patted on dry rice flour or rava before frying. Fry on each side for 3-4 minutes. Other vegetables like small brinjal, ladies finger, bitter gourd, Suvarnagadde (Indian yam), raw banana, ripe banana (Nendrabale), gujje(tender jackfruit), are also used to make delicious Phodi.

Sanna Khotto

Needless to mention of the popularity of fish and the ground coconut masala, Mangalore, the coastal queen of Karnataka promises pure satisfaction to taste buds looking for simple yet delicious food. What surprises the visitors most, are the unknown vegetarian recipes, again with basic coconut-chilli-tamarind masala that can create a variety of mouthwatering curries to go with Rice and ever popular ‘Dalithoy’ (Dal delicacy).

Having been brought up with these delicacies been cooked everyday, I never gave it much of a thought, it was just a part of living in an ancestral home with huge family, neighbours and visitors. After being caught in the mad rat race, presently, when my home is occupied by just 2, neighbours are aliens, and visitors are merely a scary thought, I now realize that my mother, aunts and grannys who practically lived their lives in the kitchen, were cooking bonds within families. I cannot reverse time hoping for ‘olden days’to return, but I do try to use cooking as one of the tools to keep my tiny family happy.

Here’s one of the everyday treats, ‘Sanna Khotto’

Ingredients:

½ pav rice, soaked in water for over 2 hours

1 cup grated coconut

½ lemon sized deseeded tamarind

7-8 roasted red chillies

1 small piece of hing (asofetida) or powder

½ cabbage finely chopped

1 onion finely chopped

Salt

Method:

Add the soaked rice, tamarind, roasted chillies, aesofetida along with little water in the mixer and grind into paste. The mix should not be watery. Add salt to taste. To this, add in the chopped cabbage and onion mixing well. Fill up greased idli containers with this mix using a spoon or with hand. Steam them in a steaming vessel, just like idli, for 15 mins. Open after the vessel has cooled for sometime, spicy Sanna Khotto is ready to serve. It tastes best when u smear a little coconut oil while serving.

This dish can also be made without cabbage and onion. Most times, when the masala for ‘pathrode’ is left without leaves to roll, Sanna Khotto is good solution. Some people also like to add toor dal in the mix. The same mix can also be used to make ‘Sanna Polo’ translating to ‘small dosa’ where it is spread in small circles on a dosa pan, with hand and fried on both sides for 3-4 mins.

Dalithoy

This is the first time am ever posting any recipe. Thanks to SWC Karnataka, I was motivated. Having spoken so much on costal Karnataka and particularly Konkani dishes, definitely ‘Dalithoy’ cannot be left out. In good humour, ‘Dalithoy’ is considered as Konkana’s ‘Kula Devu’ or family God.

A comfort dal preparation to eat with rice.

Ingredients:

½ Pav Toor Dal

Water – 1 ½ tumbler

Green chillies – 2-3 split at centre

2 Red chillies

Oil/ Ghee 1 Tbsp

Mustard seeds and curry leaves for seasoning

Hing (Aesofetida) powder- 1 tsp/button sized piece melted in water

Salt to taste

Pressure cook the washed toor dal for 2 signals. Keep the cooker on low flame for 5 mins after the signal has gone off. Churn the dal or mash with the back of the spoon, add green chillies and salt. Add a little water depending on how thick/watery as per need and let it boil. Meanwhile prepare the seasoning by heating the oil/ghee, add mustard seeds and once they splutter add the curry leaves and red chillies. Add this to the dal and let it boil for 3 minutes. Sprinkle the aesofetida powder in the dal and mix well. Super Dalithoy is ready to serve with white/ parboiled rice.

SWC Roundup nonblogger entries-From Anuradha

2008-09-07T09:11:00.001-07:00

Wonderful entries by Anuradha

Quick Kodubale

Kodubale is a famous savoury snack from Mysore. Name means it is a bangle shaped snack. It is very good with coffee on a rainy evening. The recent spell of rain tempted me to make this. Here is the recipe...

Ingredients:

½ up roasted gram (hurigadale aka pottukadale)

2 cups rice flour

2 table spoon fresh grated coconut

10-12 dried red chillies

½ tsp hing

2 table spoon melted butter or hot oil

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Method:

Soak the chillies in hot water for 20-30 min.

Gring soaked chillies with roasted gram, coconut, hing and salt. Try to use as little water as possible for making a smooth paste.

Transfer the paste into a wide bowl, add melted butter/oil, add rice flour little by little and make a dough.

Use water if required to make a pliable dough, but not too thin. When you shape ball, it should not crack.

Make small balls, roll them on flat surface and join the end to make a rough circle.

Heat oil and careful drop these when oil is hot. Fry them on medium heat till brown.

Cool thoroughly before storing in air tight container.

Notes:

1. If you cannot make circles, make small balls and fry them.

2. Taste the dough and adjust salt, it will become less salty-spicy after frying. The dough should be slightly more salty-spicy than required by you.

3. You can use chilli powder when in hurry.

4. Do not use desiccated coconut, best to use fresh coconut.

5. Increase chillies according to your taste.

Sapsige Ambode

Ingredients:

2 cups chana dal, soaked for 4-5 hours

Green chillies to taste

1 cup chopped Sapsige soppu (dill weed)

½ inch ginger

½ tsp hing

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Method:

Drain the dal and leave it for 15 min.

Using chopper attachment in food processor grind the dal, chillies, ginger and the dill weed.

Do not use water and paste should be coarse. This will make the ambode extra crispy.

Heat oil on medium flame.

Make lemon sized balls out of the paste. Using wet hands flatten the balls and drop them to oil.

Fry on medium heat till brown.

Drain the oil well an absorbent paper and serve hot.

Notes:

Can use normal mixer, if you add water ambode will be a bit softer. How ever the taste does not change much.

Avalakki Bisi bele bath

This version of the classic Bisibele bath is made on days when eating rice is not allowed. It is as good as the original dish, but faster to cook.

Ingredients

1 Cup split moong dal

2 cup avalakki (poha)

Lemon sized tamarind, soak and extract the juice

1 ½ cups mixed vegetable like carrot, tomato, beans, capsicum, potato etc cut into ½ inch pieces

1 medium onion sliced thin

2 table spoon raw peanuts and/or peas

2 table spoon Bisibele bath masala powder

A small piece jiggery

2-3 spoons grated coconut

Salt to taste

Little oil, mustard seeds and hing for tadka

Few curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves

A pinch of turmeric

Method

Wash the dal and pressure cook with vegetables and peanut, add a pinch of turmeric.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds

When the mustard starts to split add hing

Add curry leaves and fry for a min

Add onion and fry for 2 more min.

Reduce the flame and add cooked dal and vegetables.

Add the masala, salt, jiggery and tamarind water

Simmer on low flame till the raw smell of the masala is gone.

Mean while wash the poha and keep aside in little water

Once the masala is well cooked, add poha and stir well.

Continue to simmer for 10-15 in stirring constantly

Switch off and add chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with raitha or potato chips

Notes:

Add a lot of water while cooking the dal and vegetables; it tends to become very hard easily.

Don’t leave this dish unattended, it burns very quickly

Original bisi bele bath uses toor dal with rice and takes more time to cook.

Using kobbari (kopra or dry coconut) gives better taste and will not spoil for longer time. Original dish does not have onion, so it is ideal for packing on a picnic or travel.

Bisi Bele Bath Masala Powder

Ingredients

Dhania - 1 tbsp
Black Pepper - 8-10
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Methi Seeds - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chillies – 8-10 (whole)
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 2 stalks
Cloves - 5
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Cardamoms - 5
oil for roasting - 1/2 tbsp

Method

Heat oil, add ingredients and roast on low flame till crisp and golden. It should give off a strong spicy aroma.

Cool for few min.

Dry grind to a coarse powder.

Store in airtight container and use as required.

Makes: 1 Cup.

Notes:

I find it difficult to make this masala accurately in small quantities, so i make at least a cup and store it. It stores well for many months in fridge.

You can use MTR Bisibele bath powder instead of this when in hurry.

Padavalkayi (Snake Gourd) Seekootu

This is a very simple gravy, yet very appetizing. You can substitute snake gourd with cucumber, chow chow or dill weed. Cucumber and dill weed have lesser cooking time and very tasty.

Ingredients:

1 medium snake gourd chopped into small pieces

1 cup fresh coconut

2 table spoon urad dal

20-25 pepper corns

½ tsp mustard seeds and 2 pinches hing

Few curry leaves

1 table spoon chopped coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Method:

Dry roast urad dal and pepper on medium heat until urad dal is brown. It should not have raw smell and give out a nice aroma.

Cool the mixture for few min and grind with coconut to a smooth paste using water.

In a pan heat oil and add mustard seeds.

When mustard splits add hing, add curry leaves.

After few seconds add chopped snake gourd. Fry it well for 4-5 min. Add salt.

Add 2 cups of water and bring to boil. Reduce flame and simmer till snake gourd is cooked.

Add the ground paste, after this stage keep the flame low.

Simmer for 10 min stirring often. Add chopped coriander just before switching off.

Serve with hot rice.

Toor Dal Nuchina Unde

Ingredients:

2 cups toor dal, soaked for 4 hours

1 inch ginger

A pinch hing

Little grated coconut

6-8 green chillies

1 spoon chopped coriander leaves

Few curry leaves

Method

Drain the dal and leave it for few min

Grind it along with other ingredients to a coarse paste using little or no water

Shape the paste using your fist into cylindrical shape.

Steam in idli plate for 12-15 min

Serve hot with ghee drizzled over

Rasam

2008-09-07T01:42:00.000-07:00

Wanted to send this for two events the food in colour event hosted by sunshinemom and also the SWC Karnataka event hosted by me.... but could not get time to do so... but still Rasam is one of my favourites...... and this is my way of preparing... fast and easy....

Ingredients

2tbsp pigeon peas (toor dal)

1tsp grated ginger

1 red chilli

2 tbsp tamarind concentrate

2tsp rasam powder

1 tsp coriander for garnish

salt as per taste

1tsp cumin seeds

1tsp oil

1tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp asafoetida

4-5 curry leaves

water

Method

1. Cook toor dal in the pressure cooker with rice.

2. Heat oil in a vessel and add the chilli, asafoetida and cumin seeds. When the cumin changes colour grated ginger & curry leaves.

3. Saute for a minute and then add rasam powder and if desired a little red chilli powder. Add the cooked dal and lot of water.

4. The consistency of rasam is watery. Then add the tamarind concentrate and salt.

5. Mix well and boil it nicely for atleast 10-15 minutes. Cover and keep for sometime.

6. Serve hot with plain steaming rice......

Aluchi Patal Bhaji

2008-09-04T01:42:00.000-07:00

This is one of the authentic Maharashtrian recipe.... I cooked the colocassia leaves like this for the first time and loved the taste so much that now I keep on looking for colocassia leaves..otherwise I used them only to make Patrado/ alu vadi which is also very tasty...

Ingredients
8 Colocassia leaves (arbi ke patte)
1/4 cup Split Bengal gram (chana dal)
3tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
a pinch Asafoetida
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
4-5 Green chillies, chopped
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
5-6 Curry leaves
1/4 cup Peanuts, roasted and crushed
Salt to taste
3/4 tbsp Jaggery (gur), grated
1/4cup Gram flour (besan)
1/2 cup Coconut, scraped

Method

1. Clean the colocassia leaves well and shred them finely. Soak the chana dal for an hour. Drain.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, green chillies, turmeric powder, curry leaves and sauté.

3. Add shredded colocassia leaves and sauté for a minute. Let it cook in its steam for three to four minutes.

4. Add soaked chana dal, crushed peanuts, salt and jaggery. Mix well.

5. Add a little warm water and when ingredients are cooked mash it well.

6. Make a thick batter by adding a little water to the gram flour and add to the mixture. Cook till it thickens a little.

7. Add fresh coconut and mix well. Serve hot.

2008-09-01T01:42:00.000-07:00

A very famous Rajasthani dish had read in one of Nita Mehta's special edition of Rajasthani recipes...
Serves 4-5
Ingredients
300 gms lauki (will be half of a medium sized lauki)
3-4 tbsp oil for frying
Filling
½ cup paneer grated
½ medium sized onion-chopped finely
1-2 green chillies chopped finely
2tbsp fresh coriander finely chopped
½ tsp each salt, amchoor powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder
¼” piece ginger- chopped finely
1/4 cup finely chopped mixed dry fruits (cashewnuts, kishmish, almonds etc.)
Sauce
3 tomatoes & ½” piece ginger-ground together
1 ½ tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
½-1 tsp salt or according to taste
1 tsp dhania powder
½ tsp garam masala
1-2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp oil
2” cinnamon
5-6 cloves
Method
1. Peel lauki. Place in a cooker with 1 cup of water and ½ tsp salt. Give 1 whistle. Cool. Remove lauki and & scoop out the inside pulp taking care that the sides do not break.
2. Mix all the ingredients well, given under filling and stuff into the hollow lauki shell.
3. Heat 3-4 tbsp oil in a saucepan and shallow fry the lauki, turning so that it is evenly browned on all sides. Remove and keep aside.
4. To prepare the sauce, grind together tomatoes and ginger to a very fine puree.
Heat 2 tbsp oil, add cinnamon and cloves. Fry for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add tomato puree and all the seasonings under sauce. Simmer on low flame till dry and oil separates. Add ¼ cup water. Give 2-3 boils.
6. To serve, cut fried lauki into ½” pieces (rounds) and place in the serving dish. Boil sauce and pour over the lauki pieces. Garnish with green coriander and garam masala.
Relish it with plain or jeera rice and paratha....

Malai Kofta Curry

2008-08-30T01:42:00.000-07:00

I really did not know that doing a job for the whole day and then cooking at the end of the day is really tiresome.... earlier when I used to work never felt like this...but now I have a child who goes to the childcare for the whole day.... so when I come back really don feel like doing anything..just play with her and spend all my time with her only... today saturday.. after half days work managed to prepare this... after a long time had a nice dinner....
so here goes the recipe for the tasty Malai Kofta Curry
Ingredients
For the Koftas
4-5 medium size Potatoes
100 gms Cottage cheese
2 green chillies
¼ cup cornflour
Salt as per taste
¼ cup raisins
oil for deep frying
For gravy
3 medium sized onions
3 tbsp oil
1tbsp Ginger paste
1tbsp garlic paste
2 green chillies
1tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric
salt as per taste
½ cup tomato puree
1 tsp red chilli powder
For the Gravy
½ cup mawa (khoya)
½ cup fresh cream
1 tsp garam masala powder
Method
1. Boil the potatoes, cool, peel and grate them. Grate paneer. Wash all green chillies, deseed and chop them fine.
2. Peel onions cut them into halves and boil with a cup of water for ten minutes. Drain excess water, cool onions and grind into a smooth paste.
3. Mix mashed potatoes, paneer, two chopped green chillies, cornflour and salt. Mix well. Divide into sixteen equal balls. Stuff raisins into them. Deep fry in hot oil until slightly coloured. Drain and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai. Add boiled onion paste and cook for five minutes. Add ginger paste, garlic paste, chopped green chillies, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for a minute.
5. Add tomato puree and red chilli powder and cook on a medium flame for eight to ten minutes or till oil separates from the masala.
6. Mix mawa in two cups of water and add to the gravy. Bring it to boil and simmer for ten minutes on a slow flame. Stir occasionally. Stir in fresh cream and garam masala powder.
7. Place warm koftas in a serving dish and pour hot gravy on top and serve.

Tip: Fry one kofta and check for binding, if it breaks add a little more cornflour. Deep fry in hot oil.

Dry fenugreek vege (sukhi methi subzi)

2008-08-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1 bunch fenugreek leaves
2-3 cloves of garlic (mashed roughly)
1tsp mustard seeds
1tsp oil
salt as per taste
Method
1. Wash the fenugreek leaves under water properly.
2. Heat oil in a vessel. Add mustard seeds. when they crackle add the mashed garlic cloves.
3. When they turn slightly brown add fenugreek leaves and salt.
4. Mix nicely and cover it for 5 minutes.
5. Serve hot or cold with chapati...

Amras

2008-08-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
2 mangoes
1/4 cup milk
a pinch salt
jaggery according to the sweetness of the mangoes
Method
1. Peel and take out the pulp of the mangoes.
2. Dip the seed of the mango in the milk and wash it in the milk.
3. Add the milk to the pulp. Then mix salt and jaggery.
4. Add cardamom powder if desired.....
5. Serve with puri..

Patrado (Alu vadi/ Pathra/arvi leaf rolls)

2008-08-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

Patrado or colocassia leaf multilayered with spices, steamed.

Ingredients

9-10 Colocassia leaves (arbi ke patte)
1 cup Split pigeon pea (toor dal/arhar dal)
1/2 cup Rice
4 tbsp Coconut, scraped
10 Whole dry red chillies, roasted
Lemon sized ball Tamarind
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
Salt to taste
Jaggery (gur) to taste
Method
1. Soak dal and rice for four to six hours. Drain and grind to a coarse paste along with coconut,
whole red chillies, tamarind and asafoetida.
2. Add salt, jaggery and mix well. Leave the batter overnight to ferment.
3. Wash the colocassia leaves (arbi ke patte), remove the stalk and slice off the center stem of the leaves carefully so that the leaves do not tear. Place a leaf on a flat surface and apply a layer of the paste.
4. Place another leaf on top and repeat the procedure until three leaves are used for each roll. Fold the sides of the leaves inwards and roll the leaves together tightly to form a medium sized roll.
5. Tie each roll securely from all sides with a piece of string. Heat sufficient water in a cooker and place the rolls in a shallow vessel. Steam cook them until the patrado is well cooked.
6. Allow the rolls to cool. Remove the strings and cut rolls into thick round slices. Serve drizzled with ghee.
7. They can be served deep-fried too.

My entry for the SWC Karnataka hoted by me....

Gouri Oota

2008-08-24T22:43:00.000-07:00

Every year at my mom house we celebrate Gouri Ganpati with lot of preparations... Last year as my inlaws were here we did so many things and had such a nice time preparing all the festive cuisines... This year its me, hubby and our daughter only... but still I wanted to make all the things as we did last year... so last friday I prepared all these and had invited my friends for lunch.. we call it 'mutyadi' (married woman).... in our customs it is very auspicious to call a married woman for lunch on the shravan masa fridays.... so I had prepared hurnad holige (puran poli/ chickpea +jaggery paratha), tavi anna (varan bhat), chittranna (lemon rice), buttianna (curd rice), shenga chatni (groundnut chatni), kosambri (raita), potato & cumin leaf bhajji, batati palya (potato vege), katad amti (katachi amti), kurdayi, kadhi & mentehit....
Had a wonderful time preparing all this... so one more for SWC Karnataka Event hosted by me...

Badnekayi palya (eggplant curry)

2008-08-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

A very simple and fast to make recipe..

Ingredients
5-6 medium sized eggplants (brinjals)
1 onion (sliced long)
1tsp oil
1tsp mustard seeds
1tsp turmeric (haldi)
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1tsp red chilli powder or to taste
1tsp garam masala
1tsp jaggery
Salt as per taste
water
1/2 cup roasted peanut powder

Method
1. Wash, clean and remove the stems of the brinjals and cut them in long but thick slices. Put them in salt water.
2. Cut onions long. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they crackle add onions and saute till the onions turn a little brown.
3. Then add turmeric, asafoetida and mix.
4. Add the brinjals, mix and then add garam masala, jaggery, red chilli powder and salt. Mix and add enough water for the brinjals to get cooked.
5. When the brinjals are cooked add the peanut powder and boil for two more minutes. Serve hot with plain rice/roti/chapati/paratha.

Note:
Use boiled potato if you have less number of brinjals.

My entry for the SWC Karnataka Event.

Narali Bhat

2008-08-19T22:51:00.000-07:00

This is an authentic recipe prepared in our house for every rakhi. Actually we have one more festival called Narali Pournima mostly on the same day of Rakhi. So this sweet rice is prepared for both the festival together.

Ingredients

2 cups rice (basmati rice tastes good)

1cup grated jaggery (or according to desired sweetness)

1cup grated fresh coconut

2-3 cloves

1tsp green cardamom powder

1tbsp claryfied butter (ghee)

Method

1. Wash and keep rice aside for half an hour. Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan and add cloves to it. Once the cloves change colour add the washed rice and saute for a minute.

2. Then add 3cups of warm water to it and cook the rice.

3. In another bowl mix jaggery, coconut and cardamom powder.

4. Once the rice is cooked add the jaggery mixture to it and mix nicely.

5. Serve hot or cold...

So this is my contri to the festive food event hosted by Priti & Purva...

Mango Soufle

2008-08-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

I love to make soufles... this is one of my very very lovely recipes... it tastes great and a very quick dessert for any occassion...

Ingredients
1 Mango
1 cup milk
2tbsp condensed milk (or adjust according to taste)
2 cups cream
1tbsp gelatin
a few gems chocolate for garnish.
Method
1. Peel, and cut half mango into pieces and make the pulp of half.
2. In a blender mix milk, condensed milk, cream and pulp of half mango and blend nicely.
3. In a bowl take 4 tbsp hot water add gelatin and stirr till dissolved. Pass it through a strainer into the blended mixture.
4. In a bowl or glasses in which you want to set the soufle, put the pieces of half mango and pour the blended mixture over it. Place in the refrigerator to set.
5. Garnish with gem chocolate and serve chilled.

My entry for Srilekha's event of Ice creams and milk shakes.

Custard Apple Soufle

2008-08-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today I am really tired, was out for the whole day and wanted to freshen my self. So there could be nothing other than to try something new and freshen up... So usually I make mango soufle... had custard apple at home and thought of trying custard apple soufle.. ah it really tastes great... feeling good after a successful experiment..hehehe.. so one more entry for Srilekha's event of Ice creams and milk shakes.

Ingredients

1 custard apple

1 cup milk

2tbsp condensed milk (or adjust according to taste)

2 cups cream

1tbsp gelatin

a few strands of saffron and a few pieces of pistachios for garnish.

Method

1. Peel, dessed the custard apple.

2. In a blender mix milk, condensed milk, cream and custard apple pulp and blend nicely.

3. In a bowl take 4 tbsp hot water add gelatin and stirr till dissolved. Pass it through a strainer into the blended mixture.

4. Pour into bowl or glasses in which you want to set the soufle. Place in the refrigerator to set.

5. Sprinkle a few strands of saffron and pieces of pistachios and served chilled.

Fast and easy dessert...

Custard Apple Milkshake

2008-08-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 custard apple

1tbsp condensed milk

1 cup chilled milk

a few saffron strands for garnish

Method

1. Peel, deseed the custard apple.

2. In a blender add the pulp of the custard apple, chilled milk, condensed milk and blend.

3. Serve immediately garnished with saffron strands.

My entry for Srilekha's event of Ice creams and milk shakes.

Tamarind Rice

2008-08-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

A tangy rice and can be prepared easily... My entry for the SWC-Karnataka Ingredients
3 tbsp Tamarind concentrate
2tsp sugar
salt as per taste
2tbsp peanuts roasted
1tbsp desicated coconut
2tbsp jaggery
1tsp black pepper powder
few curry leaves
1tsp sesame seeds
1tsp fenugreek powder
1tsp turmeric powder
2tsp chick peas
1tsp blackgram
1tsp mustard seeds
2tsp oil
1tsp asafoetida
1tsp cumin powder
2cups rice

Method
1. Wash and cook rice in a cooker. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they crackle add blackgram, chick peas, peanuts, turmeric powder & asafoetida.
3. Fry all this for about a few minutes. (till the nuts start to change colour)
4. Then add desiccated coconut, coriander powder, red chilli powder, curry leaves, seasame seeds, jaggery, black pepper powder, fenugreek powder & cumin powder. Mix and fry for another minute.
5. Then add cooked rice, sugar, salt and tamarind concentrate. Mix all and serve hot.

Maledi Undi

2008-08-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

We prepare these Laddus on one of the Shravani Somwar (Mondays that come in the Shravan month according to Hindu calendar)... those who are basically from Karnataka might know this variety of Laddu... so this recipe goes for the SWC-Karnataka event and the Sweet Series Chikki and laddu event of TOI.

Ingredients

2 cups atta

grated jaggery according the sweetness

1tsp green cardamom powder

2tsp poppy seeds (khus khus)

1tbsp roasted chickpeas

1tbsp grated dry coconut

2tbsp ghee

Method

1. Make a dough from the atta using enough water and make chappatis (roti) from the dough.

2. Once the chappatis are a bit cool, grind them in a food processor or just mash them with hand.( do not grind to powder)

3. Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan and add the grated jaggery to it and just melt the jaggery into it.

4. Remove from gas and add poppy seeds, cardamom powder, grated dry coconut, roasted chickpea and mix.

5. Then add the mashed chappatis. Make big size ladoos from it.

Beetroot Tikki an Award & Meme

2008-08-12T00:32:00.000-07:00

A mixture of beetroot and potatoes shaped into tikkis and shallow fried with its wonderful colour is a very tasty and mouthwatering tea time snacks on rainy days....

Ingredients

1cup beetroot boiled and mashed

3 medium potatoes boiled and mashed

1tbsp oil + for shallow fry

1 medium onion chopped finely

salt to taste

1/2 tbsp red chilli powder

1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan add onion and fry till light golden brown. Add beetroot, salt and fry till moisture evaporates. Add red chilli powder and mix.

2. Add lemon juice and mix.

3. Add beetroot mixture to potatoes & mix. Cool and chill in the refrigerator for half and hour.

4. Heat oil on a tawa. Grease your hands with a little water and make tikkis from the beetroot mixture. Shallow fry on both sides on the tawa till cooked.

5. Serve hot with any chutney or ketchup.

This is my entry for the sunshinemom event of Food in Colour event

Now the Award... thanks a lot dear Sowmya... I feel honoured with this award...

Now I would like to pass this to Vidya, Neha, Sunshinemom & Purva

Happy blogging friends
And now coming to Meme
Priti has passed me this cute The Booky Meme.

The rules of the tag are as follows:* Pick up the nearest book* Open to page 123* Find the 5th sentence* Post the next three sentences* Tag 5 people and acknowledge the person who tagged you

Ok here it goes.. the nearest book is 'How to Maximize your child's learning ability' and on page 123, 5th Sentence is "Christopher enjoys the role of observer."

1. He is fascinated by the interactions and play of other children.
2. But remains on the sidelines as though unsure of how to join in their games.
3.Christopher's gross motor skills are about average for his age.

And I'm passing it to

Priyanka, Sukanya, Srilekha, Pooja & Rashmi

Garlic Bread

2008-08-11T00:32:00.000-07:00

A wonderful side dish with soup...Ingredients
1 french loaf
butter enough to spread on the loaf
1tsp oregano leaves crushed
1tbsp garlic paste

Method
1. Cut the french into slant slices.
2. Mix butter, oregano and garlic paste together. Spread it evenly on both sides of the slices and toast for 2-3 min in an oven at about 100degree celcius. Or can just roast it on the tawa or hot griddle till crisp.

Casari

2008-08-06T00:34:00.000-07:00

A rich semolina and milk sweet, cut into squares and generously garnished with almonds, cashewnuts and raisins.

Ingredients

1 cup Semolina
7 tbsp sugar a few strands of saffron
2 green cardamoms
7 tbsp ghee
10-12 cashewnuts
a pinch salt
1/2 cup milk
10-12 raisins
10 almonds slivered and blanched.

Method
1. Combine sugar and one and a quarter cups of hot water in a pan over low heat, stirring until the syrup gets a golden colour. Remove from heat and keep aside.
2. Soak saffron strands in a tbsp of hot water. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods and discard the pods.
3. Heat ghee in a kadai and fry cashewnuts till golden. Drain and keep aside.
4. Fry semolina in the same ghee until brown. Add the sugar syrup, salt, milk, cardamom seeds, raisins, fried cashews and soaked saffron and mix well.
5. Cook over low heat till mixture thickens. Grease a dish with butter. Spread mixture on the greased dish.
6. Leave it to cool. Garnish with almonds. Cut into desired shapes and serve.

Also saw just now that my recipe of Lauki Kofta is selected under authentic recipe category for voting so dear friends if you all like it please vote for me here...

Tambit Undi ( Roasted chickpea powder sweet ladoos)

2008-08-06T00:22:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite sweet made only for the special festival of Nagpanchami. Yes today is Nagpanchami the festival of Snake God. In Karnataka this festival has a lot of importance. I still remember my mom used to stich or buy new clothes for me, put mehndi and dad used put the swing to our door... ha it was a wonderful time.... different snacks like chakli, chiwda and most important tambit undi used to be prepared for this festival... so today I prepared it and also put henna to my daughter and baought a new dress... so the tradition continues.... and here is the recipe for wonderful tambit undi for the SWC-Karnataka event hosted me :), Sweet series event of TOI hosted by Mythreyee.
Ingredients
4 cups powdered toasted gram nuts (Roasted and split chickpeas, Phutane (marathi), hurkadli (kannada)
3 cups jaggery grated
1tsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
20 raisins
10-12 cashewnuts cut into pieces
10-12 almonds cut into pieces
10-12 pistachios cut into pieces
2tsp green cardamom powder
2tbsp grated dry coconut
2tbsp ghee

Method
1. Make a powder of the roasted gram nuts in a mixer.
2. Melt the ghee in a thick bottomed kadhai and add the jaggery to it. Melt the jaggery into it. Do not let it boil, just melt it.
3. Remove from gas and add the poppy seeds and dry grated coconut.
4. Then add cardamom powder, cashew nut, raisins, almonds, pistachios and mix.
5. Lastly start adding the roasted chickpea powder little by little. Add powder mix, again add mix.
6. Keep adding the powder till the jaggery mixture absorbs it upto a consistency of making ladoos.
7. Start making ladoos from this mixture in a cylinder shape. This is the speciality of this ladoo, its not round but a cylinder. Be careful the mixture is a bit hot. But dont wait for the mixture to cool or it will not be possible to bind the ladoos.
8. In case while making the ladoos the mixture turns dry and its not possible to bind, just heat a little ghee and add to it.

Sticky Dates Pudding

2008-08-02T01:20:00.001-07:00

A classical pudding flavoured with dates...

Preparation time 20-25 mins
Cooking time 50-60 min

Ingredients

1 cup Dates pitted and chopped
1/2 tsp soda bicarbonate
1/2 cup brown sugar
90 gms Butter
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
2 Eggs
1 cup Plain flour (maida)

Method
1. Preheat the oven at 180 degree celsius.

2. Take the dates in a bowl, add soda bicarbonate and one cup boiling water. Set aside to soften.

3. Take sugar in a bowl, add butter and blend with a hand blender till fluffy. Add vanilla essence and mix.

4. Break eggs in the bowl and continue to blend.
5. Add plain flour and mix. Add the dates along with the water and blend some more.
6. Pour into an oven proof bowl and bake in an preheated oven for fifty to sixty minutes.

7. Cut into slices when cooled. Serve warm.

Announcing SWC- Karnataka

2008-07-31T00:36:00.000-07:00

After the wonderful round of SWC Maharashtra... its a pleasure for me to announce the theme for this months event of SWC, which is Karnataka- a state of rich culture and tradition... First of a big thanks to Lakshmi for giving me this opportunity to host a event... also thanks to Priyanka as she was the one who suggested me to host an event... We had wonderful SWC (Singapore Womens Community) rounds of Kashmir& Punjab hosted by Lakshmi, then Uttarpradesh hosted by Nupur, Gujrat by Priyanka and now in the last Maharashtra by Neha. Thanks to all these ladies for their in collecting all the recipes and putting wonderful roundups.... And its my turn with SWC- Karnataka

Karnataka's history takes us back to pre-historic times. The earliest find of the Stone Age period in India was an hand axe at Lingasugur in Raichur district. In 1956, the Kannada-speaking areas were grouped along with the princely state of Mysore to form what we now call Karnataka in 1973. Karnataka has the imprint of many dynasties.
While agriculture is the major occupation, the state boasts some of the most significant industrial growth in post independence India. Karnataka is as well known for its silk and sandalwood as for its high tech industry.
Banglore, the capital goes by many names- the Garden City of India, India's Manhattan and Silicon Valley. One of the most industrialized cities of the country, its pleasant climate makes it the seat of much commercial and cutural enterprise. Rich in Samdalwood, Rosewood and Silk, it has a lot to offer than a day or two of sight seeing. Banglore, is undoubtedly the trump card of Karnata.

Cuisine of Karnataka
The delectable Karnataka cuisine is an inseparable part fo the state. Here, the range of cuisine is quite varied. The ingredients, flavors and the tastes of its cuisines are distinctive and versatile.

To Participate in this event
1. Cook any Karnataki dish may it is Rice, Chappati, Vege, Sweet or savoury and post the recipe with picture on your blog. Multiple entries most welcome.
2. Add a link back to this event announcement. Feel free to use the logo prepared by me.
3. Please send an e-mail to anisheetu(at)gmail(dot)com before 31st August
* Subject line: SWC Karnataka
*Your name
*Blog name
*Dish name
*URL to the post
*A picture of the dish (300x300 pixel)
4. Non blogger can e-mail me the recipe and the picture and I will be glad to include it in the round up. International bloggers also welcome.
5. Aready posted entries will be accepted, but it will be really fun to create a new dish!
6. The recipes need to be vegetarian as my blog is completely vegetarian.

The roundup of the category will be posted within two weeks after the deadline. Thank you and looking forward to all your enthusiastic participation.

Solkadhi

2008-07-31T00:09:00.001-07:00

A nice recipe which can be served as a soup or as accompaniment with white rice. I like this as it has a very nice colour... and flavour too.. So one more for SWC Maharashtra...

Ingredients
250gms coconut milk
10-12 Amsul
1tbsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp green paste
Coriander for garnish (optional)
Salt if required

Mehtod
1. Soak Amsul in water for 2-3 hours. Remove the pulp from it.
2. In a blender add coconut milk, pulp of amsul, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and salt if required.
3. Blend this all together nicely. Garnish with coriander and serve cold with white rice. Or have it just like a soup.

Note: Before adding salt check the taste of the Kadhi. Amsul has lot of salt hence there might not be any neccesity to add extra salt.
For coconut milk grate fresh coconut. Blend it with water, strain and use the extracted milk. Ready made coconut milk works much better...

Vada Pav

2008-07-30T23:13:00.000-07:00

A yummy wonderful and famous mouth watering street food of Mumbai... I still remember my college days... We used to bunk lectures and then go to the canteen for eating vada pav, samosa, kachori etc... Really college days are so nice no tensions... Just enjoy... Now whenever I back to India its for sure that we eat a lot of vada pav's, samosaa kachoris all street food :)... Even during my preganancy when my mom said eat whatever u want now later once baby is born there will be lot of restrictions... I eat a samosa, vada, vada pav, kachori, dabeli, chaat etc every day... :).. We do get these here in Singapore now a days... but the taste.. ofcourse a lot of difference... When I started sending my entries for SWC Maharashtra this was the first recipe i wanted to send... but did not get time to prepare.. now my craving for vada pav increased so much that could not wait any longer... and also the last date for entry was nearing... So this Vada Pav for SWC Maharashtra....

Ingredients

6 large boiled, peeled and mashed
1tbsp garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp green chilli paste
1 tsp turmeric
A pinch asafoetida
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 bunch fresh coriander leaves chopped
Salt to taste
8 Pav
1 1/4 cups gram flour (besan)
a pinch soda bicarbonate
2 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp oil Plus to deep fry

Method

1. In bowl mix mashed potatoes, garlic paste, green chilli, lemon juice, salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, asafoetida and coriander.
2. Make 8 equal size balls of this and keep aside.
3. Take gram flour in a bowl, add soda bicarbonate, remaining turmeric powder, half a tsp of red chilli powder and salt. Heat one tbsp oil and add it to the gram flour mixture. Add just sufficient water to make a coating consistency batter. Reset it for fifteen minutes.
4. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai. Dip the potato mixture balls in the batter and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown in colour. Remove and place on an absorbent paper.
5. Slit Pavs horizontally not slicing it completely, and stuff it with the hot vadas. Serve hot with fried green chillies.

Anjeer and Dates Burfi

2008-07-30T01:16:00.000-07:00

When I saw this on one of sites I was very very desparate to make it. Went to the market, bought all the ingredients and just made it. Its really a mouth watering burfi from figs and dates... And also a wonderful entry for this months sweet series event of toi...
So here goes a very very simple yet delicious burfi...

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dried figs
1 1/2 cups dates seeded
25-30 Almonds
15-20 Cashews
15-20 Pistachios
1/2 cup ghee
1-2 silver warq (optional)

Method

1. Soak dried figs in two cups of water for three to four hours. drain and make a puree using a little water if required. Alternatively, place dried figs in one cup of hot water for two to three minutes. Drain and let cool. Make a puree using a little water if required.
2. Chop seedless dates and place in half a cup of hot water for fifteen to twenty minutes. Make a puree. Alternatively, cook dates in a Microwave oven on microwave high for thirty seconds and make a puree using little water if required.
3. Chop almonds, cashews, pistachios fine. Grease a tray with little ghee.
4. Heat ghee in a pan. Add figs puree and dates puree. Stir well and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, for ten to fifteen minutes or till excess moisture dries up.
5. Add almonds, cashews and pistas. Mix well and continue to cook for ten to fifteen minutes stirring continuously. The mixture will begin to leave the sides of the pan.
6. Spread evenly on the greased tray. Let it cool a bit then spread silver warq.
7. Cool completely and then cut into pieces.

Rajasthani Panchamel Dal, Matar ka Shorba & Chawal Ka Parantha

2008-07-29T00:41:00.000-07:00

Rajasthani Panchamel Dal

Ingredients
1/4 cup Split gram (chana dal)
1/4 cup whole green gram (moong dal)
1/4 cup Splic black gram, skinless (Urad dal)
1/4 cup piegeon peas (toor dal)
1/4 cup red lentils (masoor dal)
salt as per taste
1" piece of ginger
2 dried red chillies
1 tsp coriander powder
2 green chillies
2 tbsp coriander leaves
1tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 medium size tomatoes
3 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 cloves
a pinch asafoetida
1/2 tsp garam masala.

Method
1. Soak the pulses for at least two hours. Then boil them in salted water with turmeric powder till done. Wash green chillies, coriander leaves and peel ginger.
2. Make a paste of ginger and green chilli. Chop the coriander leaves. Wash and chop tomatoes.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Add asafoetida, cumin seeds, cloves and dried red chillies. When cumin starts to change colour, add ginger-green chilli paste and saute for sometime.
4. Add cumin powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder. Add the tomatoes and cook till oil separates. Add cooked lentils and water if required.
5. Cook for ten minutes, stirring well. Add garam masala powder and serve hot.

Matar Ka Shorba

Ingredients

500gms Green peas
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
2" piece of ginger
8-10 cloves garlic
2 green chillies
3 tbsp ghee or oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
salt as per taste
1/4 cup cream

Method
1. Peel abd boil the green peas. Blend in a blender to make a fine puree.
2. Peel and finely chop onion. Peel ginger and garlic and grind with green chillies to make a paste.
3. Heat ghee or oil in a pan; add cumin seeds and bayleaves, stir-fry for half a minute. Add chopped onion and saute till onion turns light pink. Add ginger, garlic and green chilli paste. Saute for a while.
4. Add green peas puree, cook for five minutes, stirring continuously. Add three cups of water and bring to a boil.
5. Season with salt and stir. Remove bay leaves and discard. Reduce heat and cook further for five minutes. This soup has a thick consistency, however you may make it of the consistency of your liking, by varying the quantity of water used.
6. Stir in fresh cream and serve hot, garnished with a swirl of cream.

Chawal Ka Parantha Ingredients
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1tsp salt
1/4 cup yogurt
2 tbsp ghee
1 medium sized onion
1cup steamed rice
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 green chillies
oil to cook parantha

Method
1. Seive whole wheat flour along with salt. Make a soft dough with yogurt, two tbsp ghee and half cup water. Cover with a moist clean cloth and set aside for half and hour.
2. Knead again and divide into four equal parts. Make balls and press between palms of your hand to make pedhas.
3. Peel and chop onion finely. Wash and chop green chillies.

4. Mix cooked rice with red chilli powder, cumin powder, chopped green chillies, chopped onions and salt.

5. Roll our each pedha into 3" diametre disc.
6. Stuff rice mixture in the flattened pedha and shape into a pedha again.

7. Roll into a 7" diametre disc using a rolling pin.
8. Heat tawa. Place the parantha over it. Turn over once and spread some oil around it. Turn over and again spread little more oil on the other side. Cook till both sides are well cokked.

9. Serve hot with fresh yogurt and pickle of your choice.

Rice Aubergine Casserole and Lebanese Cold Cucumber Soup

2008-07-27T23:41:00.000-07:00

A great weekend this time... It was a very very nice meet of the food bloggers on Saturday... Did not get time at all the update about it since then.. But my dear friend Priyanka was so fast and enthu. She has already updated with the meets agenda. I personally met a few them first time. Really had a very good chat and tips from all. The surprises were great. I too got a surprise ingredient from Nupur and will try very soon. A big thanks to Lakshmi for arranging this event. Waiting to meet all again.

A wonderful Saturday night special...

Rice Aubergine Casserole
A Complete Continental meal by itself.
Serves 4
Ingredients

1 Cup rice
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black cumin (shah jeera)
1 large round brinjal or aubergine (bharte waala baingan) cut into 1" pieces
1 large capsicum -cut into 1/2" pieces
oil for frying

Red sauce
2tbsp oil
1 1/2 onions chopped
4 large tomatoes pureed
1 tsp oregano
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp sugar

Cheese Sauce
1tsbp butter
1tbsp plain flour (maida)
2 cups milk
2 cubes cheese-grated
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Method
1. Srpinkle 3/4 tsp salt on the brinjal pieces. Mix and keep aside for 1/2 hour to sweat. Pat dry the aubergine pieces on a paper napkin or kitchen towel. heat oil and deep fry till golden brown. keep aside.
2. To boil rice, boil 5-6 cups of water with salt, bay leaves and shah jeera. Wash and add rice. Cook till tender. Strain excess water. Run a fork through the hot rice to separate the rice grains. keep aside.
3. To prepare the red sauce, heat oil. Add chopped onion. Ciik till it turns light brown. Add the pureed tomatoes. Add sugar, salt, pepper, red chilli powder and oregano. Cook for about 5 minutes till slightly thick. Remove from heat.
4. For the cheese sauce, heat butter in a clean pan. Add maida and stir on low heat for a minute. Add milk and stir continuously till it comes to a boil. Cook for about 2 minutes till it coats the spoon well. Remove from heat. Add cheese, salt & pepper. The sauce should be thin.
5. To assemble, spread half the cooked rice in a oven proof dish. Spread half the aubergines, and the chopped capsicums. Sprinkle with half the red sauce and then the white sauce.
6. Again spread the remaining rice, followed by aubergines then red sauce and then white sauce and lastly the capsicums. Cover with aluminium foil and bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes at 200degree C. Uncoveer the casserole and bake further for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Lebanese Cold Cucumber Soup

Serves 3-4 Ingredients

2 small cucumbers grated (1 cup)
1 1/2 cups thick fresh curd
1 cup full cream milk
2-3 tbsp raisins (kishmish)
2-3 tbsp walnuts chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper powder
a tray of ice cubes
2-3 tbsp mint leaves finely chopped to garnish

Method
1. Soak the raisins in water for 5-10 minutes
2. Peel and grate the cucumbers (check that they should not be bitter)
3. Place the curd in a large bowl and blend well with an electric beater or a whisk till smooth. add 1 cup milk and blen well again.
4. Add walnuts, cucumber, salt and pepper.
5. Drain raisins from water and add to the curd mixture. Add ice cubes and chill covered for 2-3 hours. The ice cubes melt and thin down the soup. Serve in bowls garnished with mint.

Souther Curd Rice & an Award

2008-07-25T01:31:00.000-07:00

A perfect dish during the scorching heat of summers

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 cups cooked rice

1 cup milk

1 cup fresh curd beaten

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp ghee or 3-4 tbsp oil

1 tbsp channa da;

1 tbsp urad dal

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 dry red chillies broken into small pieces

2-3 tbsp chopped ginger

10-15 curry leaves

Method

Place the cooked rice (boil iti in water and drain the water) in a bowl.
Soak the rice with milk
Beat the curd with salt and add to the rice. Keep aside.
To temper the rice, heat ghee or oil in a pan or kadhai. Add dals and stir on low heat till they slightly change colour. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When cumin seeds crackle add ginger and red chillies. Stir for a minute. Add curry leaves. Remove from fire.
Add the curd rice mixture into the tempered oil and mix gently.
Transfer to serving dish. Keep at room temperature for 1 hour and then refrigerate or serve at room temperature.
Serve with lemon pickle and fried papad.

EC fromEasycrafts & Sowmya passed on this lovely award to me...thanks a lot

The following rules apply to this award:

1. Only 5 people are allowed to receive this award
2. 4 of them followers of your blog.
3. One has to be new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to who ever gave you the award.

Passing on this award to Lakshmi, Priti, Nupur, Gayatri from new york &Vidya....

2 Tier Paneer Sandwiches

2008-07-24T02:28:00.000-07:00

(Win32)">

Sufficiently sustaining for a light meal. Afew ready made potato chips can be served along with sandwiches to make the meal wholesome.

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 white bread slices

6 brown bread slices

14-15 paalak leaves-steam by pacing them in a big steel strainer kept upon a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes, till leaves turn a little soft

3 tbsp grated cheese

Curd Spread

1 cup curd hung for ½ hour

100gm paneer grated or ½ cup home made paneer smashed

½ tsp roasted cumin powder

½ tsp mustard powder

1 tsp red chilli sauce or tomato sauce

Vegetable mix together

½ cucumber-peeled, grated (½ cup)

1 small carrot finely grated carrot (½ ucp)

1 tomato-finely chopped without pulp

¼ tsp salt and 2 pinches pepper or to taste

Method

Tie curd in a muslin cloth and hang for 30 minutes.
Mix grated vegetables & tomato together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Beat hung curd till smooth. Add paneer, salt, pepper roasted cumin powder and mustard powder. Add chilli sauce or tomato sauce. Keep aside.
Spread 1 heaped tbsp curd paste on one slice of brown bread.
Cover with palak leaves. spread 1/2 portion of the vegetables.
Top with a butter white slice and with buttered side down. Press lightly.
Spread 1 tbsp curd spread again on this slice. Sprinkle 1 tbsp cheese.
Top with a buttered brown slice with the buttered slice down. Press.
Keep aside. Similarly make 2 more sandwiches. Wrap them in a cling film and refrigerate.
At serving time, remove the side crusts and cut into half diagonally to get 2 triangular 2 tier sandwiches from each. Serve with a salad and a summer soup or a cooler.