Recipes N More

Thank you Aartee

2008-11-12T20:33:00.001-06:00

Thank you Aartee -Nalabagham for presenting me this Award.

RCI - Konkani Cuisine -Round Up!!!!

2008-11-09T20:37:00.000-06:00

Friends,

Wish you all a Very Happy Diwali. This is a very simple round up that I have put together. Sincere apologies for bringing it up late to everybody.

Seema –First Entry – Bhajili Ghassi

Seema -Second Entry - Surna Adigai Yam Pickle

Aparna - Elai Adai Goan Style - Patolyo

Divyas Shevai-Rice Semia/Idiyappam

Meera - Vaasotyachi Bhaaji

Kuval – White Peas Curry

Minoti - Black Chana Usal

Easy Craft - Paan Pole/Neer dosa

Ujwal Prashanth - Green with Pathrado

Raaga - First Entry Bhulbhulavani

Raaga - Second Entry - Bhenda-huli

Mane Adige gashi-konkani-delicacy

Arun – Duddali- arrowroot-pudding

Maybelle's Mom - Vaali Ambat

Priya –Coconut Laddu

Siri – Spicy Potato Curry

Meera - Harbharyachi Paalebhaji

Meera - Jiryache Varan

Thank you all for participating.

See you all with few recipes in few months time.

Apologies Friends

2008-10-20T17:55:00.001-06:00

Sorry for the delay my friends in putting the round up together. I have not been keeping well for the past few weeks.

The round up would up shortly ...

Sorry Friends ....

Thank you all

2008-10-04T11:57:00.002-06:00

I thank each and every blogger who has participated in the RCI event. I will have the rounded publised by tues. Sorry for the delay. I was held up with my seemantham celebrations and also with the navratri celebrations.

Sorry for the delay. Will be back on Tuesday with the round up. ..

See you all soon

Finally I am Back !!! - RCI -Konkan Cuisine

2008-09-01T10:27:00.000-06:00

I was supposed to be back with in a week , then a month and now its almost 5 months. Sorry friends.Life has changed a lot, i got a new job. So kind of hectic officially. Personally also i am going have my first little bundle of joy. The baby is due in Jan.

So really not able to spend time on the blog and manage work. Getting hectic these days.
But always kept in mind that RCI -Indian Cuisine for September is my turn.

I am sure most of us would have visited Goa. White beaches , clean water ,palm trees ..who would not like that. Must go vacation spot.

This months RCI would be Konkan cuisine also known Malvani cuisine.Coconut is one of the main ingredient and used in different forms. Grated , grinded or coconut milk forum.You can cook it all forms.

Let us celebrate this state and its wonderful cuisine in the month of September. I will be hosting the Regional Cuisine of India – RCI event for the month of September.

The RCI event is the brainchild of Lakshmi K of veggie cuisine. What a wonderful way to compliment and celebrate the diverse food culture of India! Thanks Lakshmi.

So dear friends, cook up the good Konkan food and please send me your entries to recipesnmore@gmail.com by Sept25th.

Rules:

1. Send me your entry by Sept 25th.

2. A Link to your post

3. Your blog/website address

Looking forward to all the wonderful recipes!See you all soon

Will Be Back Soon!!!!

2008-04-09T05:20:00.000-06:00

Friends lately for less than a month i have been really busy at home. Few stuff have kept me away from the blogging world. Will surely come back with in a week and start blogging regularly. I will be post my first year anniversary post as well the RCI for the month of May !!!!

Will be back soon!!!!!

Kathirikai Pulikuthi Curry -VoW -Brinjal Curry

2008-03-13T11:09:00.001-06:00

This is so very simple and easy to prepare. For brinjal lovers this is a yummy recipe. Its is very tangy and spicy at the same time .This would be my entry for the event Vegetable of the week hosted by Pooja-Creative Ideas ..Here it goes !!

Raw Materials Required

Brinjal - 5-6 nos
Red Chilli - 1 tsp
Dosai Mulga podi -2 tsp
Sambhar Powder -2 tsp
Salt as desired
Tamarind -2 lemon size balls
Oil -3 tsp
Mustard Seeds -1 tsp
Urdh dhal -1/2 tsp
Hing a couple of pinches

Preparation Style

Wash the brinjal and cut four slice of the it. Do not cut through the brinjal because you need to fill in the masala powder. On the other side mix all the powder and salt together. Fill each brinjal with a couple of spoons of the powder and set it aside. Soak the tamarind in water for a couple of hours before preparing the dish.

In a small kadai add oil and mustard seeds. Allow it to crack and the urdh dhal and hing. Then slowly add the brinjal. Add the tamarind water to it . See to that the brinjal is soaked in the tamarind water. Let the gas be on low flame and cook for about 20-25 mts time. Do not disturb the brinjal while cooking because it make break .The tamarind liquid would reduce itself and shrink to a thick paste. Once you see the paste is thick and the brinjal is cooked off the gas and serve it with rice. Enjoy!!!!!

Beans Parup Usali

2008-03-10T10:31:00.000-06:00

I used to never new to make parup usali initially. I learnt this technique from one of my friend. My husband loves them. Parup usali and rasam, that's the combination that we always have at home. But i like parup usali with plain rice. Mouth watering ..I really love them ..We can make with beans, banana flower (Vazhapoo) ,Kothavarangai (cluster beans).I made them with beans ....Its is a Sunday menu at my place. So just wanted to share with all my friends.

Raw Materials Required

Bean -1/2 lb

Chaana Dhal -1cup

Methi Seeds -Just few of them

Red chilli -4-5

Mustard Seeds -1 tsp

Oil- 2-3 tsp

Haldi-1/2 tsp

Salt as per taste

Preparation Style

Soak the dhal,methi and red chilli for a couple of hours. After a couple of hours course grind the soaked ingredients by adding haldi,a couple of pinches hing and salt just enough for the channa dhal.Do not add much water.Transfer them onto the idli steamer and steam them for 10 -15 mts. While this is happening cut the beans and wash them.In a small kadai add oil and mustard seeds and allow it to crack. Then add the beans and little salt for the beans alone and allow them to cook for few minutes.

On the other side take the cooked dhal from the steamer and allow it to cool for sometime. Then crumble the dhal into small pieces. One you see the beans is cooked add the dhal mixtures and toss it well. Serve it with hot rasam rice ...Enjoy

Happy Women's Day!!!!!

2008-03-08T00:26:00.003-06:00

Today we celebrate International Women's Day. I wish all the women a great year ahead with all their achievements personally and professionally. I found this very apt poem which represents all of us .

A Rose that God Created
A ROSE THAT GOD CREATED
God created the rose in the likeness of a woman.
The rose represents her beauty.The stem represents her strength.The petals are soft as her delicate skin, the fragrance so pure and so sweet.The leaves represent her arms outstretched, always loving and giving and for perfection --- He made her heart of pure gold.

Thank you God for making me a woman...

@ Bellaonline.com

Now coming to the recipe part

This is one of the comfort food at my place.Quite easy and simple one .Once a week its a must menu ..Its best combination would be tomato rasam or lemon rasam..Here it goes ..

Raw Material Required

White pumkin (Squash) -1/2cup
Yellow pumkin (Squash) -1/2 cup
Chaana dhal -1/3 cup
Curry Leaves few
Kuttu powder -1 1/2 tsp (Rice and Chilli -Dry roasted and grind)
Haldi -1/3 tsp
Oil-2 tsp
Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
Urdh Dhal -1/2 tsp
Hing a couple of pinches
Salt as desired

Preparation Style

Pressure cook the dhal and the veggie together. In a small kadai add oil and mustard seeds. Allow it to crack and add urdh dhal . Allow the dhal to change color and add the cooked veggie and dhal mixture. Add hing,haldi, kuttu powder and curry leaves and salt to it .Let it come to a boil and serve it hot with rice.

Bottle Gourd (Lauki) Kofta Curry

2008-03-07T16:52:00.001-06:00

I think kofta's are Indian version of meat balls served with thick gravy. Koftas can be made of potato , mixed vegges and malai. I have only made lauki kofta and never tried making malai kofta .Would have to try it next time for sure. But last week i made lauki kofta and wanted to share with you all .Here it goes...

Raw Materials Required

Lauki (sorakkai) - 2 cups, (peel and grate the lauki )

Green chillies - 2-3 (chopped)
Ginger - 1 tsp (grated)
Besan (chick peas flour) - 1-2 cup (reqd for binding purpose)
Onion - 1 1/2

Tomatoes - 3
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp

Cashew -4-5

Cream -1/2 cup (used Half and Half)
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Kitchen King Masala -1/2 tsp

Oil for deep frying

Salt to taste

Preparation Style

Kofta Preparation

Peel the gourd 's skin and grate them. Add salt to it and squezz the water out of it. Add chillies, ginger and salt. Mix them well and add the besan to it. Just enough besan to bind the gourd and then make small balls out of it. Then deep dry these small balls and until they are golden brown and the koftas are cooked properly.

Gravy Preparation

Grind onion , tomato ,cashew and ginger garlic paste together. In a small kadai add little oil and gravy. Allow the gravy to come to a boil and start to loose color .Then add all the masala and let it boil for sometime. Add the cream and little salt ad mix them well. Then add the kofta's and give them a toss with the gravy. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve them hot with chapati..

My Awards and Potato Bonda ---Thankyou All

2008-02-29T07:45:00.002-06:00

Just one month more to go for my 1st year anniversary and few little more post for my 100th post and i got these 2 awards ...It is really something unimaginable .. i have to thank each and every person who have been coming to my blog often and supporting me by commenting your thoughts and encouraging me ...

This all started one day when was searching for a recipe i had come across mythreyee blog. She was the first who inspired me to start my blog. If fact she was very kind to respond to my emails for my initial start up. I had come across Asha ji website and had mailed her also for few advice. She was very supportive and kind to guide me. Thank you both once again...

Award is something that inspires me more to innovate new recipe and post them. You know i have put on so much weight by cooking and trying many new recipe. I keep trying and cooking and experimenting many new recipes at home.

Thank you Mythreyee for passing the Rocking Girl award .

Thank you Seema for passing me Nice matters award. Its about..

"“Nice Matters Award is for those blogger who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world.” "

Loads of friends and loads of ideas and tones and tones of knowledge is what i have gained in all these months of blogging.

I am going to pass these awards to TBC - Budding Cook and Sree - Tasty Travel .

Now coming to the recipes ...I am sure everybody would love to eat...

This is the first time i am making them at home. My mom used to make them but never ventured on it alone. So for the first time the outcome was awesome. This has a huge list of ingredients, but it tasted awesome. So here it goes...

Raw Materials Required

Dipping Batter Alone

Bengal-gram dal flour – 2 cups
Rice Flour -1 cup
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Hing a couple of pinches
Salt as per desire

Potato Bonda

Potatoes – 1 lb (pressure cook and peel the skin and mash them well)
Onion -1 -2 cup (diced)
Green chillies -6-7 ( finely chopped)
Haldi powder -1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds -1 tsp
Urdh Dhal -1/2 tsp
Oil -3 tsp
Hing a couple of pinches
Curry leaves
Lemon Juice 5-6 tsp
More oil for deep frying..

Preparation style..

Mix all the batter ingredients together by adding enough water. The consistency should be semi thick and set them aside. In a kadia add the oil and mustard seeds. Allow it to crack and then add urdh dhal.Then add hing ,onion ,green chilli and fry them until they turn brun. Then add haldi powder and smashed potato and mix them well. Add salt and lemon juice and mix them well.

Take small handful of the potato mix and make small tiny balls and keep them in a tray. On the other side heat the oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot then take the potato ball and dip it in the batter and see to that the batter is all over the potato ball (entire coating) and very slowly drop it hot oil. Drop 4 potato balls at a time in the hot oil so that you have enough space to turn and flip the balls around so as you get an crunchy and crispy layer on the outside. Once it starts to change color then remove from the oil and place them in a tissue paper to drain out the excess oil.

I served my potato Bonda with coconut chutney.Simple and easy one !!

Coconut Chutney

Raw Materials

Coconut -1 cup
Green chilli -2-3
Salt as per desire

Preparation Style

Grind all the ingredients together by adding enough water. Transfer them to a small bowl and add salt and mix well and serve with potato Bondo.

Thank you all once again ..Enjoy the Bonda !!!!

Rescue Please!!!!!

2008-02-27T00:27:00.001-06:00

This is the first time i am a biscotti..Not sure where the mistake was .It really melted away.But it was a real disaster. Although the taste was good but it was not crispy.Even seema our friend tasted it.She liked it but was not crispy. I prepared as per the instruction on the website Foodnetwork-Giada ..But did not turn up well ...Could any body share with me the perfect recipe ..I would love to prepare it ....

Omapodi

2008-02-25T07:56:00.001-06:00

Who does like omapodi .I make them often at home .Its awesome to have some omapodi and hot hot chai .No words to say .I make them and try it to store it for a week but does not stay beyond a couple of days ...Temptations are on the sky when we have omapodi at home .. Its a simple recipe and here it goes ...

Raw Marterials Required

Omum (ajwain)-1 tbsp

Besan (gram flour) -1 1/2 cup

Rice flour-1/2 cup

Chilli Powder -1/2 tsp

Hing a couple of pinches

Salt to taste

Preparation Style

Soak omum in warm water for about an hour before preparing the omapodi and grind it along with water.Then strain the grinded liquid and keep the water aside.In a small bowl mix together all the ingredients and knead the dough with omum water.Add enough water so that the dough is more or else similar to the chapati dough or a puri dough. On the other side in a big kadia add oil for deep frying and let it become hot.With the help of the omapodi presser add small portions of dough and squeeze it in small portions into the hot oil . See to that the bubbles calm down and drain the excess oil. Server them with hot chai!!!

Pineapple Rasam

2008-02-23T07:33:00.001-06:00

Another version of rasam. I follow the same procedure as i do it for lemon rasam, just simple additions to it. I prepare it almost once a week at home as it is very simple and easy. Its very simple and taste awesome ...Here it goes .

Raw Materials

Turvar dhal -1 cup
Tomato -1 (cut into small pieces)
Green chilli -3 (slit in the middle)
Ginger -2 ttsp

Pineapple Chunks -1 small tin
Mustart Seeds -1/2 tsp
Haldi -1/3 tsp
Coriander Leaves
Rasam Powder -1/3 tsp
Salt as per taste

Preparation Style

Wash the dhal and transfer it in a small bowl.In the same bowl add tomato, green chillies,ginger,pineapple chunks(the whole small tin) and pressure cook them. Once they are pressure cooked allow them to cool. In a kadai add oil and mustard seeds .Allow them to crack and then add the cooked dhal to it .Add haldi , rasam powder and salt and allow it to come to a boil. Off the gas add coriander leaves and allow the rasam to cool for 10-15 mts.Serve it with hot rice. It taste awesome. As the pineapple gets cooked along with the dhal the flavor of the pineapple mixes well with the dhal and taste awesome ..Simple one ..Enjoy!!!

Lemon Rasam - JFI -Lemon Ingredient

2008-02-16T06:59:00.002-06:00

This is one of the easiest thing ...I call this as comfort food at my place. If I am tired, not in a mood to cook I prepare lemon rasam. It’s very simple and taste awesome ...Here it goes...

Raw Materials Required

Turvar dhal -1 cup

Tomato -1(chopped)

Green chilli -3 (slit in the middle)

Ginger -2 ttsp

Lemon -3 nos (get the juice from the fresh lemon)

Mustart Seeds -1/2 tsp

Haldi -1/3 tsp

Coriender Leaves few

Rasam Powder -1/3 tsp (i use home made)

Salt as per taste

Preparation Style

Wash the dhal and transfer it in a small bowl. In the same bowl add tomato, green chilies, ginger and pressure cook them. Once they are pressure cooked allow them to cool. In a kadai add oil and mustard seeds .Allow them to crack and then add the cooked dhal to it .Add haldi, rasam powder and salt and allow it to come to a boil. Off the gas add coriander leaves and allow the rasam to cool for 10-15 mts.Then add fresh lemon juice and serve it with rice..

Yummy yummy rasam ready!!!!

This would be my entry for Jihva for Ingredients, started by Indira of Mahanandi hosted by Coffee Spice Cafe -JFI "Lime/Lemon" for this month.

Enjoy!!!

Indian Fried Bread ---Poori with Potato Curry!!!

2008-02-14T07:08:00.003-06:00

Can there be anybody whom we know not liking poori...Never heard about it. I love them and love making them too. You can name it as the Indian version of Fried Bread. Quite similar to chapatti that we make but we have to deep fry the poori. My husband loves poori's and made them as a Valentine's Day Special for him!!!!!

One tip, I am sure may of you must be knowing. Once you prepare the dough, we have to make poori with 5-7 mts. Or else the dough would consume loads of oil and I am sure many of them would not like that. So here it goes!!

Raw Materials Required
Chapatti Flour - 2Cups

Oil for deep frying

Salt as per taste .

Preparation style

Mix the flour and salt by adding little water. See to that the dough is firm and not soft as we make the chapatti dough. Let it rest for 5 mts and then make small portions of them. Roll them as you make chapatti but the size should be small. It looks quite good if you make small poori. Heat the oil for deep frying. Once the oil is ready slide the poori into the oil and fry them on both the sides. Roll them often in the oil and see to that both sides are cooked well. Be very careful when you fry and then remove it from the oil and place them in a tissue paper. The excess oil would be drained and serve them hot with potato curry.

And I think the perfect combination for poori would be Aloo and nothing else. I made a simple potato curry .Wanted to share with you all .Here it goes

Potato Curry

Raw Materials Required

Potato -5-6 nos

Onion -1 chopped

Tomato -3-4

Matar (Green Peas) -1 1/2 cup

Haldi -1 tsp

Red chilli powder -2 tsp

Jeera -1 tsp

Salt as per taste

Oil -2-3 tsp

Coriander leaves few for garnish

Lemon juice -5-6 tsp

Preparation style

I cook this recipe directly in the pressure cooker. Add oil and jeera in the pressure cooker. Allow it to crack and then add onions .Fry them until they are golden brown and then add tomoto. Add the potato and matar also. Add 4-5 cups of water to it and mix them well .Add haldi, chilli powder and pressure cook them .I gave 3-4 whistles and allow them to cool. Once you open the cooker and when the pressure is gone you could see the aloo is well cooked along with tomato and matar. You can smell the aroma quite well and then add salt and coriander leaves to it. Then add the lemon juice and serve it with poori...It taste awesome...

This would be entries to 3 of the events organised by our blog friends

1- Bee and Jai Jugalbandi

2- Sai Monsoonspice

3-DK -Culinarybazzar

Hope you enjoy these dishes and Wish you all a

VERY VERY HAPPY VALENTINE DAY!!!!!

Arusuvai Friendship Chain - Update

2008-02-12T15:05:00.001-06:00

Friends I am passing on the Arusuvai Friendship Chain to a couple of my friends .

1.Seema My Randap.

2.Mythree Paajaka.

3.Richa As Dear As Salt.

4-Sree -Tasty Travel (updated on Feb-15)

I have email a couple of more friends and should be getting their reply soon and then will tag them also.

Seema you must have got my secret ingredient today. But Mythree and Richa should be receiving them soon... Enjoy everybody as the Arusuvai Friendship Chain continues

Arusuvai Friendship Chain - Vangi Bath Masala Powder

2008-02-11T10:29:00.000-06:00

I was so very thrilled when Latha asked me if I wanted to be a part of the Arusuvai Friendship chain initiated by Lakshmi and Bhags and Bharathy.

I was wondering what would be the surprise ingredient that I would receive. It was very kind of laltha to send me the surprise ingredient along with a Friendship card. Thank you Latha for this.

The Surprise Ingredient was Homemade Vangi Bath Masala Powder. The Aroma just spread every where in my house. Thank you so much for sending the masala over.

Now I wanted to do something different this masala .Usually when it is Vangi Bath Masala, we get into mind Vangi Bath. But I decided to try something new and trust me the outcome great. So thank you latha for sending me over this masala powder. So this is my recipe...

Raw Materials Required

Tindora -1 lb
Onions -1/2 chopped
Vangi Bath Masala -1 1/2 tsp
Jeera -1/2 tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil - 2-3 tsp

Preparation Style

In a small kadai add the oil and jeera. Allow it to crack and add onions. Fry the onions until they turn golden brown in color. Add the tindora and fry them under low flame for few minutes. Then add the vaangi bath masala and salt and fry them until they are cooked. They where excellent in taste. Serve it hot with chapatti or rice.

Friends I am going to tag Seema for this chain to continue. I have mailed a couple of our blog friends to participate in this friendship chain. Waiting get a reply from them so that I can pass over the surprise ingredient.

Maathan Molaguthal -Palakkad Special

2008-02-09T06:45:00.000-06:00

Maathan Molaguthal is in my opinion one of the common food that is cooked is every palakkad iyers house. The same recipe can be cooked with many veggies. A few to mention would be Yam, White pumpkin, Raw Banana, Palak and many more. I prepare them often at home and this time I have made with yellow pumpkin.

Raw Materials Required

1/2 Lb Yellow Pumpkin

1/2 -cup Tuvar Dal cooked

1/3 cup -coconut sliced

2 tsp- jeera

3-4 -red chilli

1 tsp- Mustard seeds

1 tsp -Urdh Dal

1/2 tsp -Haldi

1 tsp-Little Oil for seasonings

Salt as per taste

Few Curry Leaves

Preparation style

Cut and wash the pumpkin into small pieces. Cook them in a big vessel by adding little water. Add haldi to it and cook them on low flame. Pressure cook the dal by adding little water.

On the other side in the blender or mixy ...grind the coconut, jeera and red chilli by adding 1/2 glass of water. Once you see the pumpkin is cooked then add and mix the coconut gravy, cooked Dal allow it to boil .Mix them well. If you think you need to add water then add little to it. Let the pumpkin boil and on the side take a small pan and pour little oil and add mustard and then after it cracks add urdh dal and pour on the molagutal.Add salt as per taste and mix it well garnish with curry leaves and serve it hot with rice.

Seppankizhangu / Taro root- Simple Curry

2008-02-06T07:31:00.000-06:00

I love Seppankizhangu . I used to make them often at home. It tastes great with tomato rasam or any moolagutal(Kerala Cuisine). The best combho of all. In fact it is a good substitute for aloo (potato) curry. It taste awesome and wanted to share with all my friends. It is quite simple and easy to prepare...Here it goes

Raw Materials Required

Seppankizhangu / Taro root- 1/2 lb

Chilli Powder -2 tsp

Haldi -1 tsp

Salt as per taste

Mustard Seeds -1/2 tsp

Urdh Dhal -1/2 tsp

Oil -2 tsp

Preparation Style

Wash the taro root and cut into small pieces. Place them in idli stand and steam cook them for 15 mts .Then remove the skin and let them cool. In a small kadia add oil and mustard seeds to it .Allow it to crack and add urdh dhal and let it become little brown.Add the taro root to it and place them on low flame .See to that the taro roots are cooked evenly and they turn crispy .Turn on the other side and cook them until they too turn crispy.Serve them hot with rice .Enjoy!!!

Bread Upma - My Comfort Food

2008-02-03T09:32:00.000-06:00

Bread Upma used to be always in the menu . I does not turn out to be one of the best tiffin items that i make at home. Sometimes i dont fry the bread properly or sometimes it it over cooked. But this time it turned out to a good one .So here it goes ...

Raw Materials Required

Bread slices - 10 -12
Onions - 1/2 cup (chop into small picies)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Hing Powder - a couple of pinches
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urdh Dhal -1/2 tsp
Salt - As per desire
Oil -3-4 tsp
Coriander (few)

Preparation Style

Cut the bread into small piceces and keep them seperately.In a big kadia add oil and mustard seeds.Allow them to crack and add the jeera and urdh dhal. Once they turn brown add the chopped onions and fry them under medium flame.Add haldi and hing and fry them until they turn golden brown.Once you see the onions are brown add the bread picies and mix them well .Add salt and coriander mix them well in high flame. Add a couple of more spoonful of oil and fry them under high flame and then transfer them into a bowl.Serve them hot with tomato sauce.

This would be be my entry for the event organised by Meeta Monthly Mingle January 2008 - Comfort Foods

Simple Bruschetta - Game Day Special

2008-01-31T09:35:00.000-06:00

We had a Potluck party last week at one of our friends place.My self and seema where wondering we need to prepare something different and simple too . This idea of making bruschetta came up in mind .It turned to be an excellent starter. So here it goes .

Raw Materials Required
Garlic Bread -1 Pkt Store bought
Tomato -1 chopped
Onion -1 chopped
Capsicum -1/2 chopped
Mexican (4 flavors blended together) -store bought
Salt
Pepper -Few for garnish and extra spice

Preparation Style

Cut the veggie together and add salt and keep them aside. Cut the frozen garlic bread into small slices .Place the veggie on top of the garlic bread and top it with cheese. Place the garlic bread in a tray and cook them in the oven as per the instruction in the packet .You can see the cheese to melt and then remove the tray from the oven. Place the bruschetta in the plate and add pepper to it and serve them hot.

This would be be my entry for the event organised by Mansi - Game Night Event .

Masala Vada -Game Night Party!!!!

2008-01-29T09:47:00.000-06:00

I think there would be very few people who would not love to have hot hot vada's when watching TV.Especially when we have cricket matches going on , vada's are most common .I made few of them last week .Quite simple recipe ..Here it goes ....

Raw Materials Required

Channa Dhal -1 cup
Tuvar Dhal -1/2 cup
Urdh Dhal -1/4 cup
Red Chilli -3-4
Green Chilli -2-3
Coriander leaves
Hing a couple of pinches
Salt as per desired

Preaparation Style

Soak all the dhals, red chilli , green chilli in water for 2-3 hours.Drain them and set aside so that water would complete drain out. Grind coarsely the soaked ingredients and also add the coriander leaves by adding very very little water. Once done transfer them into a small bowl ,add hing and salt and mix them well. Make small lemon-sized balls and pat it lightly on your palm (mine never came to a perfect shape)and slide into hot oil and deep fry until golden brown. Serve them hot ..Enjoy the vada and also the game .

This would be my entry for the event organised by Mansi - Game Night Event .

Olan - Kerala Cuisine

2008-01-24T08:29:00.000-06:00

Another favorite kerala dish of mine is olan.I think this would be the most easiest and the simple recipe for any kerala dish.Mom used to always prepare kalan and olan together .That would always be the combination.The only aroma and taste that lifts this dish is the coconut oil.

It taste awesome and i wanted to share this recipe with you.

Raw Materials Required

Red Chori Beans -1 cups
White pumpkin -1/2 cup
Yellow pumpkin -1/2 cup
Green chillies 2-3 slit in between
Coconut oil -4-5 tsp
Curry leaves (few)
Oil -1 tsp
Salt as per desired

Preparation Style

Wash and soak the beans overnight. Cut the white and yellow pumpkin and transfer them in a bowl.Add the beans along with the vegetables , slit the green chillies and pressure cook them together. Do not add more water ,just add enough for them to cook. Once the pressure calms down take the cooked veggie and keep it aside. On the other side in a small kadai add coconut oil and curry leaves and let the aroma come up and then add the cooked vegges , add salt and mix them well and let it be in the flame for a couple of minutes. Serve them hot with rice.

This would be my entry for Jyothsna's Event of Currybazaar who is hosting
RCI: Cuisine of Kerala.

Kala Channa and Lima Beans Curry

2008-01-18T07:09:00.000-06:00

There are various ways to prepare the Kala /Brown channa /Black Chickpeas.Very healthy and quite nutritious too in nature.I used to prepare curry only with kala channa .But then to add more flavor i decided to add Lima beans to it and cook them in a normal channa style.The outcome was awesome ...Just wanted to share with all you friends.

Preparation Style

Kala Channa -2 Cups

Lima Beans -1 small Container (Store Bought)

Onion -1

Tomato -2

Green Chilli -3-4

Garlic -2-3 cloves

Haldi powder -1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder -1/2 tsp

Gram Masala powder -1/2 tsp

Oil -3-4 tsp

Jeera -1 tsp

Lemon Juice -5-6 tsp

Salt as per desired

Preparation Style

Soak the channa overnight and pressure cook with the Lima beans next day .Grind the onion, tomato,green chilli ,garlic together and keep the paste separately.Add sufficient water while grinding to make it a smooth paste. On the other side in a kadai add oil and jeera and allow it to crack . Then add the grinded gravy to it and keep it on low flame. Allow the gravy to change color and you can see it to come to a boil.Then add all the spices and mix them quite well. Once you start noticing that the aroma to come up then add the cooked beans .Stir them well and add salt and kotamali (Coriander) and serve them hot with chapati or rice.

Pineapple Pulissery -Kerala Cuisine

2008-01-17T06:15:00.000-06:00

I hardly used to make Pulissery at home .Pulissery would always be my last option. Once i saw our friend's TBC-Pineapple Pulissery, I decided to make my version .It came out to be awesome one.Thanks to you TBC.

Back home mom used to always make Pulissery with "white pumpkin or bengarul katrithika" ..Once i saw pineapple this was something new to me .My mom's recipe is little bit different from tbc , but almost all in ingredients are the same ..So here it goes ...

Raw Materials Required
Curd -2 Cups
Rice -2 tsp
Kadla Parup -1 tsp (Channa Dhal)
Coconut -1 cup
Green Chilli- 4-5
Haldi - 1/2 tsp
Jeera -1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Methi Seeds -1/2 tsp
Red Chilli -2-3
Oil -3 tsp
Salt

Preparation Style
Beat the curd and add pineapple to it and set aside . Soak the rice and dhal for an hour before cooking. Grind the coconut ,green chilli and jeera together. Along with this paste grind the rice and dhal together and make a thick paste. Add little water while grinding and not too much.The paste must be semi thick . Mix the paste with the curd and add haldi to it.Keep the Pulissery in low flame and allow it to come to a boil.Add salt and let the flame be on low.On the other side take a small kadai add oil and mustard seeds .Allow it to crack and then add methi seeds and red chilli.Pour them on the Pulissery and mix them well and serve it hot with rice.

This would be my entry for Jyothsna's Event of Currybazaar who is hosting RCI: Cuisine of Kerala.

Happy Pongal

2008-01-15T07:12:00.000-06:00

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY PONGAL !!!

Upma Kozhakattai with Kadala Parup Chutney

2008-01-12T01:43:00.000-06:00

Any steamed tiffins are always good for health. And this one is always healthy and tasty. My grandma used to make it often .She used to serve it different chutney's and sambhar . That was really tasty.I also make it quite often and my husband loves them.Even my friends enjoyed it .Just wanted to share with all of you too.

Raw Materials Required

Rice -1 Cup

Tuvar Dhal -1/4 Cup

Coconut -1/4 Cup (grated)

Mustard Seeds -1 tsp

Urdh Dhal -1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves few

Red Chilli -4-5

Hing few pinch

Salt as per Taste

Preparation Style

Take the rice and dhal and make a fine powder in a blender and set it aside. In a kadia add oil and when it is hot add mustard's seeds , urdh dhal ,curry leaves and hing .When the mustard seeds starts to crack add red chilli and fry them. Once the urdh dhal is brown in color add water to it .Add salt and grated coconut .Let the water comes to a boil and then add the powdered mixture (rice and dhal) and stir it well. Once the water is evaporated and it becomes like a upma off the gas. Then make small upma balls and place them in a idle plate .Once all the upma balls are done ,place then in the idli plate and steam cook them as idlis are cooked. Once they are steamed cooked serve them hot with any chutney or sambhar.

I served them with my Kadala Parup Chutney .

Cabbage Rice

2008-01-11T02:06:00.000-06:00

I had cabbage in my fridge .Always used to make a sabzi or dhal out it. But this time i decided to make something new which i have never made.I decided to make rice . This is my own version of a simple rice .

Raw Materials Required

Cabbage- finely chopped 1 1/2 cup

Carrot -chopped -1/4 cup
Peas -1/4 cup

Basmati rice -2 cups

Medium Onion -1/4 cup

Jeera -1 tsp

Chilli Powder -1 tsp

Dhanya Powder -1 tsp

Gram Masala -1tsp

Oil /Ghee -2 tsp

Salt as per Desired

Preparation Style :

In a kadia add oil and jeera seeds to it .Once it starts to crack add onions and fry them until they are brown.Then add all the masala's together and mix them well.Add all the vegetables together and rice also and transfer them to the rice cooker.Add salt and required water (i add 1.5 glass of water for 1 cup of basmati rice) and cook them through the rice cooker.Simple and easy cabbage rice ready.

Game Over ------மைசூர் பக் - Mysore Pak

2008-01-10T02:00:00.000-06:00

The first post for my new year would being with a sweet/Dessert.It just seems y'day was the 2007 and today if i look its the 10 of Jan 2008 .Oh god days run so fast. 2007 went by so quick could not realise it .My brother was in town for few days.Meeting him after so many years was just wonderful.We had really great time . Eating ,Laughing and shopping that was all i was doing when he was around .Now that he is back to school in Texas, i am also back to my routine.I have to wait for few months to see him back. When he was here i made Mysore Pak. He loves them and my husband also.

Raw Materials Required

Besan- 1 Cup

Sugar -2 Cup

Ghee -2 Cup

Water -1/2 Cup

Preparation Style

In a big pot pour 1/2 cup of water and add to sugar to it .Allow it to boil until you reach one string consistency .See to that you keep the sugar syrup boiling for some time. Keep it in medium flame.Then slowly start adding the besan flour to the syrup .When you add the besan see to that your are simmering the gas a bit or else it would be difficult for you to stir .Once the besan is mixed with the sugar syrup then turn the gas on high and start stir it continuously .Start adding the ghee at regular intervals .You have to keep stirring it without leaving hand from the kadai.

Stir until you see to that the ghee starts to separate from the pan .You would see that the color of the besan changes and becomes porous .After the ghee starts to separate pour the Mysore pak into a greased try and spread them out.Dust sugar on top of it and cut it into diamond pieces. Try to cut the shape when it is hot and then take out the pieces when they cool.

Enjoy!!!!

Back with the Guessing Game!!!!!!

2008-01-08T05:36:00.000-06:00

Friends guess what is this ...Results will be out by thrusdays

Happy New Year 2008!!!!!

2007-12-31T14:06:00.000-06:00

Wish You all A Very Happy and A Prosperous New Year 2008!!!!!!

Photo @ glitter-works.org

1 Week Break !!!!

2007-12-18T10:09:00.000-06:00

Friends, my brother is in town this week .Meeting him after a couple of years. So i am taking a small break from my blog for a week.Would be back after CHRISTMAS.!!!

Wish you all a Happy Christmas and Happy Holidays..!!!!

See you soon !!!!

Tomato Rice

2007-12-14T05:31:00.000-06:00

Tomato are very rich in viatmins . Many of us use tomatoes in our everyday menu.I make tomato rice quite often .They are really easy and simple to prepare. Here is my way ..

Raw Materials Required

Tomatoes - 4
Onions -1 diced
Green chilli -2 chopped
Green peas - 1 cup
Garlic -2 cloves
Jeera -1 tsp
Fennel seeds -1 tsp
Haldi -1 tsp
Red chilli powder-1/2 tsp
Sambhar powder -1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves handful
Salt as per desired
Basmati rice -1 cup
Oil - 3 tsp

Preparation Style

In a small kadai add oil and mustard seeds.When they start to crack add jeera, fennel seeds and fry for a minute. Then add onion ,green chili, garlic and fry them until they turn light brown.After sometime add the chopped tomatoes, and cook till tomatoes are a bit mashed and start to loose water . Add haldi ,chilli powder and sambhar powder and allow it to cook well.After 5 mts or so add the green peas and off the gas.
On the other side cook the basmati rice separately.Once the tomatoes are cooked, mix the rice and tomatoes together and garnish with Coriander leaves. Serve it hot with cold cucumber ratia..

Rava Ladoo

2007-12-13T06:02:00.000-06:00

For this weeks ladies meet i was supposed to make dessert.I wanted to make something that i did not make before .I decided to make something simple and tasty and which is less time consuming .I made rava ladoo...So here it goes .Recipes includes few aspects from my mother and few from my mother in law.

Raw Materials Required

Rava -1 Cup
Sugar -1 cup
Cardamom - 5-6
Raisins -10-15
Almond -10-15
Ghee -4 tsp
Milk -1/2 glass

Preparation Style

Roast the rava with ghee until they turn golden brown.Off the gas and allow them to cool for 10-15 mts.Then dry grind the rava and sugar together along with cardamon and almond.It should be half fine grinded.Transfer the entire mixture in the a big plate and spread them .
In a separate kadia fry the raisin's with ghee and pour them to the grinded rava mixture and mix them well .Sprinkle milk on the rava (micro wave the milk for 1 mts) and try to make small ladoos .
I did not add loads of ghee, instead i used milk as a binding agent to make the ladoos .It turned out to be very tasty ..Enjoy

Simple Potato Curry

2007-12-12T08:29:00.000-06:00

Potatoes are the most favorite at our place and i think this would be true at every body home . If you give my brother to eat potatoes all day along in different ways he loves them .He never gets tired of eating them .My husband too is a big fan of potatoes.

I am sure there are many ways for a potato curry .Here is mine version which is quite simple and easy to make .So enjoy this !!

Raw Materials Required

Potatoes -5 nos

Coconut -1 cup

Green Chilli -3-4

Mustard Seeds -1/2 tsp

Urdh dal -1/2 tsp

Hing a couple of pinches

Oil -2-3 tsp

Salt as per desire

Preparation Style
Cook the potatoes in the pressure cooker .Peel the skin and smash them and keep it separately.In a small kadai add oil and mustard seeds to it .Let it start to crack then add urdh dhal and hing to it .Add the smash potatoes and mix them well.

In the meantime grind the coconut and the green chilli by adding little water. Add the grinded paste to the potato and mix them well .After a couple of minutes add salt and mix them well and allow the potatoes to become little crispy in the bottom of the pan .Off them gas once done and serve them with hot rasam or sambhar. Enjoy

Simple tomato rasam

2007-12-10T02:06:00.000-06:00

Tomato Rasam ..I think there are numerous ways to prepare it .Each of us have our own style and ingredients to it .This one is plain and simple tomato rasam .It just has a couple of simple ingredients and in no time you are done with it.So here it goes .

Raw Materials Required
Tomato -4
Black Pepper -1 1/2 tsp
Jeera -1 tsp
Toor Dhal- 1 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 2-3
Ghee - 2 tsp
coconut -1/2 cup
Haldi -1/2 tsp
Salt as per desire
Curry Leaves Few

Preparation Style

Boil the tomatoes in the pan with half filled of water until the skin starts to peel .That would be the indication that the tomatoes has been cooked.Allow it to cool for sometime and later on blend them and make a perfect tomato juice .Strain them with the strainer to get the seeds out of it and keep the pure juice aside .

On the other hand in a small pan fry toor dal ,red chilli ,pepper and jeera together along with ghee .Fry them until they become golden brown.Allow them to cool and blend them along with coconut to get a nice paste.

Add the grinded pasted onto the tomato jucie .Add enough water to it to loosen it .Not to add to much to it .Add haldi and salt to it.Keep them on low flame and let it come to a boil.Add curry leaves, mix them well and serve it hot with rice . It taste great.

Paruppu Thogayel -Urdh Dal Chutney

2007-12-09T05:57:00.000-06:00

You can call this as "Dal Chutney " too.This is very simple and easy to prepare.There are many ways to prepare thogayel but this one is very easy and simple . Just a couple of ingredients and its done .So here it goes.

Raw Materials

Urdh Dal -1 cup

Red Chilli -4-5

Coconut -1/2 cup

Hing 2 pinches

Salt as per desire

Preparation Style

Dry fry the dal ,red chilli and hing together until they are golden brown.Off the gas and allow it to cool.Later on mix the coconut and dal together in the blender by adding just little water. Add salt and mix them well.

You can roll them with chapati or have them with rice .It taste great ...Enjoy!!!

Cranberry Orange Bread Mix

2007-12-08T09:48:00.000-06:00

I always wanted to bake .I love baking .But never tried it.My minds just gets around when i see the baking contest held at Food Network Channel.Can i ever bake cake or bread.This time i tried baking a Bread Mix .....I bought Cranberry Orange Bread Mix from the store.The outcome was great and excellent .I loved the combination of cranberry and orange together.

I bought "Betty Cranberry Orange -Bread Mix" and prepared it as per the instruction stated in the packet. It just took me to 40 mts to bake it and it tasted great. I prepared the icing .But it did not turn that great, of course for the first time try it was better. I prepared cream cheese icing .I browsed through the net for the recipe and prepared it .

Next time when i prepare bread or cake from scratch i will share the recipe with you all .Since it is a store bought one i did not mention the recipe .....

Belated Karthika Deepam .......

2007-12-01T07:49:00.000-06:00

I think i would be the only girl who posted the recipe exactly one week late ...Too bad on me ..But sorry friends for the delay from my side in posting my recipes ....I was little bit held up with few household activities ...I hope all my friends have a great karthika deepam.I really enjoyed it .I made quite simple 4 recipes . Adai ,Avial, Nai Appam and Pori Urandai.I really wanted to make a couple of more desserts but did not have time.I started late and had to finish it by sharp 6.So need to hurry ...But everything came out really well and tasty ....So here it goes ....

Avaial and Adai

Avaial

Raw Materials Required

Beans -1/2 cup

Carrot-1/2 cup

Green Peas-1/2 cup

Drumstick-1/2 cup (frozen)

Yam (Frozen)-1/2 cup

Butternut Squash-1/2 cup

Raw Banana-2 nos

Curd -2 Cups (beat the curd well.Do not add too much water )

Curry Leaves -few

Green Chilies-4-5

Coconut -1 1/2 cups

Coconut Oil -3 tsp

Haldi-1/2 tsp

Salt as per desired

Preparation Style

Cut all the vegetable and cook them all in the pressure cooker.On the other side grind coconut, greenchilli together .After the vegetables are cooked transfer them in a big kadai .Add haldi to it ,salt and also curd.Then heat the kadai and add the grinded mixture of coconut and greenchilli.Add coconut oil and allow the vegetable to come to one boil.Off the gas and few curry leaves to it .Serve it hot with adai.

Now comes Adaia...

Raw Materials Required
Rice -1 cup

Toor Dhal-1 cup

Urdh Dhal - 1/2 cup

Channa Dal -1 cup

Red chillies -4-5 nos

Haldi -1/2 tsp

Salt as desired

Preparation Style

Soak all ingredients for about 2-3 hrs before you grind them in mixer.Then make a semi liquid batter.Not too soft and semi grind it.Heat the tava, wipe with an oil dipped cloth, and spread a ladle full of batteron the tava like a dosa.Turn once it cooks .Then after you turn allow it to cook until it its little crispy . Cook till both the sides are golden brown and crispy.Serve it hot with avaial.

Nei Appam

I always made appam and never used to come the right way .Seema had made them once when she invited me over for lunch .It was just great.She gave me this simple recipe and believe me it came out to be awesome.

Raw Materials Required

Raw Rice - 1 cup

Jaggery -1 1.5 cup
Elachi -1 tsp
Coconut Pieces -few handful
Nut pieces (Kaju ,Badam)

Preparation Style

Soak the rice for 1 hour and grind it with jaggery in the grinder.Add water at times to make it a smooth and soft batter.Then after the batter is done add the elchi ,coconut pieces and also nut pieces and mix it well.Add little oil (ghee is a must but because its too fatty i added oil) to the Appam pan (AppaKaral) and after it becomes hot add the batter to it.Once they are cooked it starts to come out of the shape.Then turn it around with the help of the long thin stick.See to that both the sides are golden brown and then remove it from the pan.Serve it hot or cold it taste yummy!!!

Avial Pori

Raw Materials Required

Pori -3 cups
Jaggery -1 cup
Elachi-1 tsp

Take the jaggery and break them to small lumps (pieces), as much as possible, and mixing it with a little quantity of water, heat it till the jaggery is melted and there are no lumps on them.Once all the jaggery is melted then add the Pori,coconut pieces and thoroughly mix them.Add the elachi powder to it and turn off the gas.Allow the mixture to cool a bit , but see to that it is not too cold and should be relatively hot when you touch. Using both hands,take a small amount of pori shape a good quantity of Nel Pori-jaggery-coconut-mix in to balls. Don't let time pass.Dont allow it to rest.Make small balls and serve it .It taste great. If the jaggery hardens, then you will not be able to shape them into balls and will have to distribute as udhiri pori.

Will Be Back Soon!!!!

2007-11-28T19:27:00.000-06:00

Loads of things happening around me .So could not post my dishes on tuesday .Will be back in a couple of days with my recipes and pics.

Hope to catch up with you guys soon!!!!!

Happy Karthika Deepam

2007-11-25T07:26:00.000-06:00

Wish you all a very Happy Karthika Deepam....I will be back on tuesday with recipes of this festival.

Guessing Game Over ----M-A-M rice and Methi Paratha

2007-11-18T22:48:00.000-06:00

Ohhhh !!!This time all my friends are almost right ....Yes i made M-A-M rice and Methi Paratha .....Very simple and very easy dishes ....So here how i made them ....

M-A-M Rice ....(Methi Aloo Matar Rice)

Raw Materials....

Basamathi Rice -1/2 cup

Methi -1 cup

Aloo-1 cup

Matar (Green Peas)-1 cup

Onion -1/2 cup (Chopped)

Dosai Mulaga podi -3 tsp

Oil-2 tsp

Jeera -1/2 tsp

Salt as per desired

Preparation Style

Pressure cook the rice separately.In a small kadia add little oil along with jeera.After a couple of minute add the onions and fry them until they turn golden brown.Then add the diced aloo 's on them and allow it to cook on low flame.Then after sometime add the methi leaves ,Mulaga podi and salt and allow it to cook well .Methi lets little bit water as it cooks..After few couple of minutes add the matar and mix them well .Cook it on sim unless you see the methi have cooked and you get the flavor out of it .After it is done mix the basamathi rice with the sabji and serve it hot .Yummy Yummy M-A-M rice is ready .....

Methi Paratha

Raw Materials Required

Wheat Flour -2cups

Methi Leaves -1 cup (fine chopped)

Red chilli Powder -1 tsp

Salt as per desire

Preparation style

I mixed all the ingredients in together by adding little water .After the dough is prepared then set it aside for 10-15 mts. Then make small dough balls and make a chapati and cook them on the hot tava by adding little oil or ghee as desired.See to that both the sides of the paratha are cooked well.Remove it from the stove and serve it hot with the mixed vegge sibji.

I prepared mixed vegetable sabji to go long with the paparatha.Just diced Cauliflower ,Carrot and Matar and cooked them on low flame by adding salt ,haldi and chilli powder.Simple sabji is ready.Ohh i forget i first fried the onions and then the vegetables and then the seasoning .....

Enjoy Maadi!!!!!!

Guessing Game Contd........

2007-11-17T16:49:00.000-06:00

This is Methi leaves ( Fenugreek) .There are 2 dishes coming our of this ingredient.Can you name them ....Results will be out on Monday morning ..Keep guessing !!!!!

Game Over .....Aloo Cutlet with Paneer Stuffing

2007-11-14T09:17:00.000-06:00

I think all my friends did hit the nail at the right spot.Yes the secret ingredient is " Paneer" ....We had a small ladies meet at our friends place.I had to make cutlets .I decided to make some additions to the old recipe.I added a touch of paneer to it.All my friends enjoyed it .So here is the recipe.....

Raw Materials

Potato (Aloo) -1 LB
Green Peas -2 cups
Paneer -2 cups (grated)
Red Chilli Powder -3 tsp
Gram Masala -2 tsp
Salt -As desired
Oil for shallow fry

Preparation Style

Pressure cook the potatoes.Smash them well in a small bowl.Then add peas ,chilli powder,gram masala and salt to it .Make small balls of potato and press them in your palm.It would almost be in the shape of tikki.Then add little paneer (grated) and close the tikki.Shallow fry the potato and serve it with tomato sauce.

Guessing Game Contd.........

2007-11-13T07:35:00.000-06:00

These are Aloo Cutlets...But I have stuffed something inside each of these cutlets .Guess What is the stuffing (secret ingredient) ? .....

Results will be out by Wednesday

Happy Diwali

2007-11-07T13:08:00.000-06:00

Wishing all a Very Happy Diwali!!!! Have a great, peaceful and happy year ahead.

I am not keeping well for the past few days .Will be back by next week with some posts.

Photo from Fotosearch...

My Friends Gift -Fruit Pizza

2007-10-29T19:04:00.000-06:00

Thankyou so much Seema-My Randap .This is a excellent dessert.It tastes awesome .The cream cheese and the fruits out of the world . Thankyou so much seema for this wonderful gift.

Very Special Day

2007-10-27T09:23:00.001-06:00

Yes friends you all guessed it right ...Today is my wedding day ...Special Day in my life ..Loads of plans and special dishes i am going to prepare ...Will start posting all of them from Monday ....See you all on Monday!!!!!!!

Chaat -2 Japat Kurkure Chat

2007-10-25T06:31:00.000-06:00

Friends perfect reply from almost every person ...Oh man this product is an excellent choice for any tea time snack .After seeing the ad where they make "KURURE SHAKE" ..i decided to try on my one ..So here it goes .Simple and easy one

Raw Materials

Kurkure -1
Tomato -1
Cucumber-1
Lemon Juice -4-5 tsp
Cilantro

Method

Open the kurkure snack in a small bowl .Chop the tomato and the cucumber into small piece and add to the bowl .Add lime juice and cilantro and mix them well .Japat Kurkure chat is ready .Mouth watering one!!!!!

Chaat Week 2-Guessing Game !!!!!!

2007-10-23T19:24:00.001-06:00

Name the secret ingredient in yellow color ??????......

Results will be on thursday !!!!!!

Chaat Week - Ragda Patis -1st one in the Row

2007-10-22T17:42:00.000-06:00

Wow!!!I still remember those days when my self,mom,dad and my brother used to go to Juhu beach (Mumbai) and have ragda-patis.Man that was the best chaat .Juhu beach was so much famous and i think till today and even in the future it would be the best and outstanding .On the other day i decided to make some here for my self and my hubby .I enjoyed making it and also enjoyed eating it ...So here it goes ...

Raw Materials

3 large Potatoes (Cook it separately)
1 cup dry Channa (soak it overnight and cook it separately)
4-5 Puris (One used for pani puris)
1 1/4 cup Onion (Chopped)
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp chaat masala
4-5 strands of chopped coriander leaves
4 tsp lemon juice
Salt
Thin Seva (Store bought)
Mety Chutney (Tamarind /Jaggery)(Store bought)
Green Chutney (Pudhina /Coriander)(Store bought)

Smash the potato well and add some salt to it .Then make small tikki and place them in the hot tava .See to that both the side of the tikki become brown .We can add little oil to make it brown and crisp .Remove it from the tava and place them in the plate.Then add a couple of spoons of Channa on top of it .Then add a couple of spoons of mety and green chutney on the top of it .Then sprinkle some onions and coriander .Then add coriander powder, cumin powder,chaat masala and chilli powder on it .Add salt and lemon juice .Then sprinkle seva and crash the puri's all over the plate and serve it .Yummy it was !!!!!Enjoy friends ....

My Golu-I am back friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-10-15T09:23:00.001-06:00

I am back finally with my golu .Sorry friends due to some personal reasons i could not keep my self active in the blog world .I thank all my friends for enquiring me often ..
This is the second year i have kept my golu ...I shall start posting my recipes in a day or two .....

My Bangles ..ME ME contd........

2007-07-31T10:18:00.000-06:00

I was so happy to see that all my friends wanted to my wedding snaps , that too of my bangles that i had mention .I did not click any snaps of my bangles alone , but could select only a couple of them and that too only few of the bangles on the snap .Will come back with some recipes in a couple of days ....Hope you all like my bangles ....

My First MEME and Papadi Chat

2007-07-17T08:04:00.000-06:00

I feel so happy that 2 of our friends Tee and Archana have tagged me for this MEME .I feel so happy to be a part of the food blod friends community .So my MEME goes like this ..

1-It was in search of few recipes in the internet that made me inspire to create this blog .I was exploring Indus Ladies website, where in the recipe section I found our very own Mythre’s Blog Mythreyee-Try This Recipe .That was the first instance I thought, why not I also share with the world some of my recipes .I always had an desire to cook something new and different .Thanks to mythree for helping me out initially and giving me few basic guidelines. It was after marriage I entered into full fledged cooking note. Before in India I used to prepare food but only during weekends .It would not be a daily routine for me as my dearest mom would take care of the Kitchen .But I had to do it here .My husband is the first hand critic as well as inspiration to cook more and different recipe. After watching Food Network channel and food blog’s I developed so much passion in cooking and trying out different recipes.

2-I am very soft and sensitive female and a perfect Sagittarius person. My best friend is my mom and I have been missing her badly since I got married .I wish she could always be beside me throughout my life. Thanks to the world of technology which helps me in talking to her over phone and through Internet everyday. It has been close to 2 years now that I have seen her .Just waiting for the time when I could see her again and just hug her. My dad has always stood beside me during all my hardships and has encouraged me to always think positive and achieve in life .My brother is a cute brother .We fight a lot over the phone , but the next minute we are friends again .I miss my family a lot .

3-I got married in 2005 with a very sweet and cute husband of mine .Vishy is very quite and calm unlike me who always want to talk and talk. Half the time goes in me talking and the result he has to listen to it. He wants me to be both a career oriented women as well as a good home maker. I think I am satisfying the second part and not the first. The first is not in practice because of the immigration concerns. But both of us believe that one day our dreams come true. My in laws are very soft spoken .In fact my mother in law sometimes provides me with some different recipes to try out .She notes it down from the Tamil books and send me a mail. Nice of her.

4-I love shopping .If you call me for shopping in the mid of the night, yes deepa is ready. I just want to go to shops and do some window shopping .But I always come back buying something or the other .I have a huge craze for bangles and a huge craze of dress. You would not believe guys for my wedding reception I wore 96 bangles on each of hand .Does it sound crazy……I bought all my bangles at Jill Mill in Chennai .Oh I still remember my self and my cousin spent close to 5-6 hours in selecting all the bangles. I bought close to 25 dozens that day alone for all my wedding sarees. It was crazy and just a crazy buy. But the sad part is I could only bring only a couple of dozen to US. But waiting for the time to get all my bangles here.

5-I love eating .Specially eating outside ….If anybody knows Sree Mitai in Chennai .I am sure all of you must have been there ….Oh I really love eating there .I miss Sri Krishana Sweets , Gangotri , Food Court ,Punjabhi Dhaba …These where my favorite places , where I used to eat .Missing them

6-My childhood was spent in Mumbai and Lucknow .After living in Lucknow for 7 years I love winter climate and hated the heat of Chennai .I came to Chennai for my college .i just hated Chennai for the extreme heat wave and traffic. Else Chennai is great.I love winter and the extreme of winter too..But cannot tolerate the heat and the sunlight.

7-I am very closely attached to my family and my uncle and aunts. I miss my grandfather a lot who passed away just 2 days after my engagement. He used to call me “baby” and even today it rings me into my ears.

There are lots more about my self .Will surely keep posting about my self some more later.I am going to tag Hema , Seema, Sukanya .Play along only if you wish to .No compulsion at all

Now coming to recipe part.Papadi chat is the inspiration from my friend Seema.We had potluck at out place and she prepared papadi chat as a appetizer.Oh i really was in love with this one .So simple and easy and very tasty .i decided to make on my own and share it with all of you .So here it goes .

Raw Material Required

Papadi - 1/2 pkt (Store Bought)
Thin Sev -1/2 pkt (Store Bought)
Aloo -3 or 4 (cooked and smashed well)
Tamarind Chutney - 1 bottle (we shall be using only few tsp -Store bought)
Coriander Chutney -1 bottle (we shall be using only few tsp -Store bought)
Coriander for garnish
Red Onion - 1 (Cut into small pieces)
Chat Masala -1 tsp
Gram Masala -1 tsp
Salt as per taste

Preparation Style

Mix the aloo ,chat masala , gram masala and salt in a small bowl .Then place the papadi in the plate.The take small quantity of aloo and place it on the papadi .Pour 1/2 tsp of tamarind chutney on top .Then pour 1/2 tsp of coriander chutney on top .Place some onion pieces and spread the store bought sev on them .Ganish it with coriander leaves and serve it .It taste great.

Game Over ----------Yelai Vadam

2007-07-10T07:15:00.000-06:00

After preparing Javarsi vadam , my next venture was making Yelai Vadam .I love Yelai Vadam .I remember those days when my grandpa and mom used to sit down and prepare this vadam every summer .I am a great fan of it .But i was feeling bad that i cannot make this vadam without the vadam stand which we get it in India .Then i came across our own friend Hema's Vegconcoctions preparation of Yelai Vadam .On that day i was really so much thankful to hema for she taking efforts to explain each and every step of preparing this vadam with out the stand .Thanks a lot hema .Here is my version of it .

Raw Materials Required

2 Cups - Rice

Salt as per taste

2 tsp of sesame seeds (white color)

Hing few pinches

Preparation Style

Soak the rice over night and grind it next morning .Make the same batter as we make for the dosai .Infact we should add some more water to it in order to make the batter light .Then add salt , sesame seeds and hing to it .Just over the batter with the plate and allow the it to ferment for a couple of days .Once you start getting the smell out of it then it is an indication that we can prepare the vadam .

Take same size plates .Apply little oil in the plates so that the vadam can be easily removed after steaming .Then take a small spoon of batter and pour it in the plate .Try to make a the same shape as dosai.Initially it would be little difficult , but after a couple of them the circle comes out very easily .On the other side , place the kadia in the gas with little water in it .This is required for steaming .Then place the plate in the kadai and allow it to steam for 2mts.Each plate requires to steam for 2-3 mts .Then remove the plate from the kadia and then try to take the vadam out of it .Then vadam comes out very easily.Place the vadam in a plastic sheet and allow it to dry in the sun .Now again apply oil in the plate and pour the batter and make small circles .Repeat this process until you complete the batter.Then after the vadam dries , it becomes hard.We need to keep the vadam in the hot sun for a couple of days. After that we fry those vadams in oil .Yelai Vadam ready .It taste great .Enjoy

This would be my entry for the MBP-EVENT--PRESERVE IT hosted by Coffee-The Spice Cafe

Guessing Game Again

2007-07-09T09:36:00.000-06:00

What is steaming in this kadai ....Anybody can guess......Results will be out tomorrow ....Keep guessing

Punjabhi Treat -Next 3 in a row

2007-07-05T06:40:00.000-06:00

Loads of recipes to try and the list increases day by day .Wow !!!hats off to all my friends for all the excellent recipes which everyone shares .I was feeling very sad and bad that i could not particiapte in few of the events hosted by many friends last month .Just held up with few immigrations stuffs.But now i am back and will keep updating many more recipes .Depressed and frusted with all the immigration , i could not concentrate on the cooking department .Now back on the road with my cooking .

First on the list was my all time love on Gobi Manchurian .Thanks to Seema
Recipe Junction -Gobi Manchurian perfect step by step explanation .It just tasted great and yummy .Really enjoyed the dinner .So here it goes .

Gobi Manchurian

Raw Materials Required

1 Medium Gobi/Cauliflower
1/2 cup Cornflour
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour/Maida
2 tbsp Soy Chili Sauce
2 tbsp Green Chili Sauce
1 tsp hot Red Chili Powder
3 tbsp Tomato sauce
1/2 Capsicum- Sliced
1 Big Onion -Sliced
1 tsp Butter -melted
4 Garlic Cloves- Chopped finely
1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic-Green chili paste
2 Green chilies - Chopped finely
1/2 inch Ginger- Sliced into thin strips
Oil for deep frying

Preparation Style

Mix cornflour, maida , Garlic-Green chili paste , melted hot butter, salt( as per taste) along with little warm water to make a thick paste.Dip Cauliflower florets into this paste and deep fry them until golden brown and set them aside.Now in a kadai heat little oil and fry onions till transparent.To this add chopped garlic cloves and fry them until transparent.Now add green chilies and ginger and then add in capsicum and fry them for a min.Note that capsicum should still remain crispy. Now add soy sauce, chili sauce, tomato sauce, red chili powder and saute it for a few secs. To this add about 3 tbsp of water and the above fried and cooled gobi bajias.( Tip: Bajias should not be hot here. This is to maintain the crispiness even after added to the sauce mixture).Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

Next on the list is Methi Matar Malai ..This is also from Seema .She has an excellent collection of recipes .I just made few changes from her .The only one was that i did not add tomato paste to the dish.

Methi Matar Malai

Raw Materials Required

1/2 cup Green peas (boiled)
1/2 cup Cream or malai
1 bunch Methi leaves (chopped)
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 pinch Asafoetida
3 tsp Ghee or butter
Salt to taste
Roast and Grind to a paste --> 1 Onion +1 tsp Curds + 1tsp Sugar + 1.5tsp Cashew nuts +1/2tsp red chili powder+1/2 tsp turmeric powder + 1tsp Khuskhus(poppy seeds) + 1/2"piece Ginger + 2 peppercorns + 2 Cloves + 1/4" stick Cinnamon

Preparation Style

Immerse methi in salted hot boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and wash well in colander under running water. Keep aside.In a kadai heat ghee, add cumin seeds and asafoetida.Add paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.Add ground spices. Stir, and add peas, methi leaves and malai.Add all other ingredients. Boil for 2-3 minutes or till gravy thickens. If gravy feels too watery sprinkle a dash of flour and stir. If too thick, add a few tsp. of milk.

It tasted great with hot pulka rotis ...Yummy one ..

The next one is the dessert .This time i browsed thru all the recipes in the Internet and then came out with my own version .Of course the ingredients are the same but the method was a bit different.I prepared gajar halwa in a slow cooker .Yeah true .It was excellent .I need not stand under the stove waiting for each and every second for the milk to boil .So here it goes .

Garjar Halwa

Raw Materials required

1 pound or 6 medium Carrots, scrapped and grated
4 cups Milk, Whole
3/4 cup Sugar
6 tsp Almonds, ground
1/2 tsp Cardamom powder
3 tsp Ghee
4-5 strands of saffron
5 tsp -Cashews and raisins

Preparation Style

Grate the carrot and wash them well in cold water and keep it aside .Then pour the milk in the slow cooker vessel and add carrots to it .Add cardamon powder and saffron strand and almonds to it .Set the slow cooker to 2 hrs .After 2hrs transfer the halwa in a serving bowl .Then in a small kadia add ghee and fry the cashew and raisins and garnish on the halwa .Serve it hot or cold ..it taste great .

This would be my entry for the Regional Cuisine created by Laksmi and this month's host by Richa As Dear As Salt-Punjab Cuisine .

Could anybody guide me on making DAL MAKANI ..

Punjabhi Treat- First 3 in a row

2007-06-29T12:08:00.000-06:00

I was living in Lucknow for more than 8 years .During these years i have visited many places in north India .From Jammu to Shimla ..almost every place.I still remember those days we had a road trip from Lucknow to Shimal ...on the way we visited Chandigarh , Delhi , Ludhiana ..Wow!!those places are amazing .,..and most fun part was eating at the road side dhaba ..Really hot and tasty food .You can really watch how the cook prepares the naan and tandoori roti ..Mouthwatering .. I really love those days ..Missing India for all that ...I was very happy to see Richa's event As Dear As Salt-Punjab Cuisine for this month .So loads will be from my side ....Today only i could get 3 of them ..but still more in the kitchen ...So here we go ...

Pulka Chapati ..

Raw Materials Required

Wheat Flour -2 Cups
Salt as per taste

Oil -2-3 tsp

Preparation Style

Take a small bowl , add the flour and salt and mix it well .Make a soft dough by adding little water to it .Knead the dough until it is soft and a bit elastic .See to that you are able to pull the dough out and make small balls.Before pulling the dough out , you can set it aside for sometime ..say about an hour.

This time i used the bread man machine for kneading the dough and came out to the great .It really a time saving device .Very happy to own it ...

Later on take small balls of the dough and roll them over and make a small circle .Place them in the tava and allow them to cook on both side .When they start to lift them take it out from the tava and place them on the gas directly and allow it to pop up ...

Once they are fully popped then remove from the gas. Simple Pulka sabji is ready ...

Aloo Sabji

Raw Materials Required

Aloo - 5-6 (peel the skin )
Onion -1 cup
Tomato -2 (cut them into pieces)
Red Chilli powder -2 tsp
Haldi powder -1/2 tsp
Jeera -1 tsp
Garlic -2 cloves
Green Chilli -3
Salt as per taste
Cilantro
Preparation Style

I cook this dish directly in pressure cooker....In the cooker pour little oil and add jeera to it .Let it crack then add garlic,green chilli,onion and saute them .Then add tomatoes and the masala's too it .Saute them for 2-3 mts and add aloo .Pour some water such that the aloo submerges to it .Close the cooker and allow about 3-4 whistles.Let the cooker simmer and transfer the dish in a bowl and smash the cook .It would get easily smashed .Then garnish it with cilantro... One can also add few drops of lime ...The taste would be excellent ....

Rajma Masala

Raw Material Required

Rajma -1/2 lb
Onion-1 (cut into small pieces)
Tomato -3 nos
Rajma masala -2tsp
Coriender for garnish
garlic -2-3 cloves
ginger -little
Jeera -1 tsp
Salt
Lemon few drops
Oil 3-4tsp

Preparation Style

Soak the rajma previous night in water .The next day wash it well with cold water and pressure cook the rajma.Grind half onion , 2 tomato and half the quantity of garlic and ginger together and keep it aside the paste .In a kadia add few drops of oil .Then add jeera and allow it to crack .Add the balance of onion , ginger and garlic to it and saute them .When they become golden brown then add the balance tomato and saute them .When it starts to leave water then add the paste to it .Allow the onion to loose color and leave the oil back .Now add the rajma masala and saute them for some time .Then add rajma and mix it together .Do not let the rajma water to waste .Preserve them to add in the kadai and keep it loose.After the masala comes to boil add cilantro and lemon drops .It would taste great .

This would be my entry for the Regional Cuisine created by Laksmi and this month's host by Richa As Dear As Salt-Punjab Cuisine .
Chk out in a couple of days with Gajar halwa, Methi Matar malia and Cauliflower Manchurian ..all on it way .......

Bread Making Machine

2007-06-25T09:59:00.000-06:00

We recently bought a new breadman machine .The first time we where making home made bread .It came out to be great . Simple one .Just followed the instruction on the package .This is how it looked .Just thought of sharing it with all you my friends..Going to try many things and share many more recipes ....

Any suggestion from you all ....

Bangda Pepsi

2007-06-22T07:23:00.000-06:00

Perfect Summer Drink ....Simple cocktail that i know to make .People staying in chennai would have had lunch or dinner at Punjabi Dhaba ...Wow!!!The food used to excellent (till date i think they are the same )and best of the all would be their welcome drink .."BANGDA PEPSI "...That would awesome ...Pepsi and mint together ...used to crunch your thrist away.I made my version of this drink and wanted to share with all you guys ...

Raw Material Required

Pepsi
Mint Few Leaves
Chat Masala -1/2 tsp

Preparation Style

Grind the pepsi , mint and chat masala together .Add few ice cubes and serve it chill..

Cool Cool Chill Chill Pepsi Ready ...Enjoy

Whats coming out of this ?..Keep Guessing

2007-06-20T19:19:00.000-06:00

What coming of MINT ....Keep guessing results will be out on friday .....

Mexican Dishes in a Row

2007-06-13T07:32:00.000-06:00

It was a great weekend last week .We had been to S and G's place last week .Excellent Lunch ...S and G are really great cooks...S always looks into innovative things ..G always brings his bachelor's style into practice..S Just graduated from college and it was her treat for all of us .Even K and N where present at the party .So 6 of us and great time ....
This time is was Mexican in total ....and guess what was for dessert...Ice Cream showered with Coke ....K always combines ice cream and coke ...But trust me it was really awesome...

So here is the recipe from my dear friends ...

Recipe No 1 ---Guacamole :

Raw Materials

Avocado 1 ripe,

Sour cream - 4 - 5 tbsp

Butter 1 tbsp

Coriander handful

Green chilly- 1

Salt to taste.

Preparation Style

Grind coriander and Chilly to a paste. Now add the cut avocado, sour cream, butter and salt and grind to a fine paste.

Recipe No 2 Pico De Gayo (Salsa)

Raw Materials
Tomato-2

Cucumber- 1/2

Corn- Handful

Lemon half

Salt

Coriander little

Preparation Style

Cut Tomato and cumber into fine pieces , add corn kernels, Mix well with lemon juice of half lemon, corriander and salt.(option to substitute with onion instead of cucumber or add both)

Variation: In addition to the above ingredients, you can half avocado and half raw mango also. That gives a different taste.

Recipes No 3 De fried Beans

Right from the store, from the can. Empty the can and microwave well for about 2 minutes. Now add the Mexican cheese on top of it when its hot from the microwave. and wait for the cheese to melt.

Recipes No 4 Fajita filling with vegges

Raw Materials

Red,yellow,orange and green Bell Pepper - 1 each

Green and Yellow Zucchini - 1 each

Carrot- 1

tomato - optional -

1 pink onion - optional

For Marination:

Lemon 1Pepper from pepper mill - to taste

Chilly power or Chilly Flakes- to taste

Cumin powder- 1 tsp

Salt- to taste

Preparation Style

Cut these vegges into thin strips, vertically about 2 inches long. Marinate the vegges by mixing them with the ingredients listed for marination. Mix the marination mixture very well that it covers all the vegges and keep it aside for about 15 - 20 min. Now heat the skillet, add little amounts of marinated vegges so that there is only one layer of vegges in the skillet. Spread them well, saute it for about 4 mins till they turn light brown on the sides of the skin. Repeat for the rest of the vegges. Do not waste the water that comes from the vegges at the bottom of the bowl. They contain lot of flavors , then just pour it over the cooked vegges and mix well.

Recipe No 5 Mexican Rice:

Raw Materials
Rice- 1 cup

Tinned Tomato paste - about 2 tbsp

Tinned Tomato puree - 1 tin

Fresh cut Roma tomatoes- 2 to 3

Cumin powder - 1 tbsp or more as per flavor

Coriander for garnish

Oil for lightly frying the rice.

Preparation Style

Fry the rice with sufficient oil till they turn light brown. Now add the tomato's, paste,puree, salt,cumin powder and water for the rice to cook. Close the pan with the lid and allow the rice to cook well. Stir occasionally for every 7 minutes. Add water as required or when the pan becomes dried. Once the rice is cooked well, garnish with fresh coriander.

Now comes the dessert part .

K just took a scop of vanila ice cream and added coke on it ..Yummy it was ...
We all enjoyed the day with loads of fun ...The next time "Grilling Time "......Just waiting for the perfect weekend.

Suran (YAM) Curd Pachadi (Raita)

2007-06-06T06:22:00.000-06:00

Surprising .....Thank you so much my dear blog friends for participating in the guessing game .This particular raita is very simple and easy to make .It is very famous among the palaghat region in kerala .The official name of this recipe is " ARACHAKALAKI"....Its mostly commonly made especially when we make "MOLAGUTAL"....So here the recipe goes..

Raw Materials Required

2 tsp -Yam

1/3 tsp -Mustard Seeds

3 tsp - Coconut

2 Green Chilly

2 Cups -Curd

Salt as per taste

For seasoning

1 tsp -Oil

1/3 tsp -Mustard seeds

1/3 tsp Fenugreek seeds

2-3 Red chilly

Preparation style

Mix all the ingredients in the blender except the curd , by adding little water to them .Try to make a smooth paste and transfer in the small bowl .Mix the curd to the paste and add salt to it . In a small kadia (skillet) pour the oil for seasoning .After few seconds add mustard seeds and allow them to crack and then add fenugreek seeds and red chilly .Before the fenugreek seeds become dark remove them from the fire and pour on the bowl .Mix all the ingredients together and pachadi is ready ...

Its is very simple and easy .It taste really great and so very tasty .Hope all of my friends would try it at home ......Sorry guys for keeping you all wait .....Next time we shall keep the game for just one day alone and not 2 days .......

Whats Coming Out of this?....Keep Guessing

2007-06-04T07:18:00.000-06:00

Something really simple is coming out of this ...Keep Guessing ...Results on Wednesday

Gulab Jamun Cake

2007-05-30T21:40:00.000-06:00

This week is a birthday week at my place.My husband, my brother, mom and dad,all celebrate their birthday this week .So i decided to make a cake for all of them .I read about this type of cake in some magazine but forgot to note down the recipe .But i decided to try this on my own .Trupti was right in guessing .It is gulab jamun cake .Very simple and straight forward cake .......

Raw Materials Required

1 pkt for Gulab Jamun mix
3/4 Cup -Whipping Cream
1 Angel Cake
3 cup - Vanilla Ice Cream

Preparation style

Prepare the gulab jamun as stated in the instruction of the mix.Cut 3 portions of the angle cake vertically.First lay the bottom portion of the cake and make a circle in the middle of the cake and remove the cake pieces from that area.The circle should be thick enough so that the gulab jamuns would fix inside them .Then arrange the gulab jammuns one by one in the center.Then drizzle some of the sugar water on top of them.Then lay the second layer of the cake .One the top of them spread the vanilla ice cream evenly.Then place the gulab jammun on top of the ice cream .Then place the last layer of the cake .Cover the entire cake with the cool whip cream.Drizzle chocolate syrup on top .So her you go Gulab jammun cake is ready ......

What's coming out of this ?....Keep Guessing

2007-05-29T10:09:00.001-06:00

Results will be out by Thursday ..Keep guessing

AFAM Round Up-Mango

2007-05-23T05:33:00.000-06:00

First of all I would really thank all of you for taking part for the AFAM -Mango created by Maheswari -Publish today.Just a one month old blogging girl i feel so happy to host this event .Thank You all for the support you and encouragement...I really enjoy cooking these days more than before and i hope that all of you are having a blast at cooking .

Entries have been pouring from Mango Cheesecake to Sevai .From desserts to snack items.Few bloggers have exhibited more than a single entry .Wow!!!Fabulous entries .In total we have close to 30 entries.I have tried to arrange of the entries in alphabetical order.So here it goes...

Asha Foodies Hope-Mango Cobbler

Aarti Aartiscorner -Takku-Kairi Panha

Asha George
Kerala Curry –Mango Treat

Arundhati R
Chef At Work –Mango Sasam

Archana
Luv2eat Hate2cook- Mango Salsa

Bhagyashree
Crazy Curry –Kairi Panha

Bee and Jai
Jugalbandi.Info-The Taste Of Yellow

Coffee (3 Entries)
The Spice Café – Mango Madness

Deepz
Letz Cook-Mango Panna

Mandira
Ahaar-Spring Chocolate Sundae

Madhuli
Food Court – Kairee Panha

Pooja V
Khanapina -Rainbow Color

Ramya R
Maneadige –Mango Something

Roopa
Recipe Of Choice-Mango Cookies

Supriya
Spice Corner -Mango Chutney

Sandeepa
Bong Cook Book –Mango Pudding

Sigma
Live To Eat -Kumquat & Mango Mojito

Sushma
Sunkiran –Mango Cheese Cake

Sukanya
Hot and Sweet Bowl –Mango Delight

Sharmi (2 entries)
Neivedyam –Mango Curry and Kulfi

Swapna (2 entries)
Swad Of India –King of Fruits

Sridevi
Sreelus –Mango Cheese cake

Swapna
Susarlas Kitchen –Mango Banana Smoothie

Suganya
Tasty Palettes –Mango Kulfi

Shn
Kitchenmishmash –Mango Sorbet with Mango Sauce

Vinyas
Mad Tea Party-The King Of Fruits

Viji
VCuisine-Mango Coconut Burfi

Vini
Passion For Food –Kottimeera mamidi pachchadi menthi

Trupti
The Spices Who Loved Me –Ginger Garlic Mango Pickle

Last But not the least .my entry

One more last entry for this event from Priya's
Akshayapaatram -Mango Ice Cream

Thankyou all for these excellent entries

AFAM -Round up - Tomorrow -Check It Out

2007-05-22T09:22:00.000-06:00

Friends,

I am just loading few photo's and it is taking much of the time .So please hold on for just a day more .Loads of entries .....Wait on for the FINALE

Red Bean/Rajma Cutlet - Game Over

2007-05-17T05:43:00.000-06:00

Something Really Different.This has been my own version .Red Beans has been a common beans to cook .Almost once in 2 weeks i do make it at home ...But this time i wanted to try something really different .Always red beans with rice or curry ...Lets try cutlet this time mmmmmm..It's Cutlet ....And i tell you guys it was really too good ...When V came back from office ..i asked him to guess this dish ..he voted for potato and beetroot ...But he was wrong ....was fun seeing him guess all different things....his thoughts are so wild ...

So here how it goes ...

Raw Materials Required

Red Beans - 1/2 lb
White Onions -1 (cut into small pieces)
Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Gram Masala -1 tsp
Dhanya Powder - 1 tsp
Bread Crumbs
Salt as per taste
Coriander leaves for garnish

Preparation Style

Cook the red beans in the cooker .Let it cool down and drain it .Then without adding water grind it in the mixer .Take the paste and add onion and all the masala .Make small cutlets and turn it around the bread crumbs and place them in the tava .See to that both the side are equally brown .Add few drops of oil so make it more crispy .

Serve it hot with Chilli Sauce and Tomato sauce...

Hope you are enjoying the guessing game ...

What's Coming Out of this ?....Keep Guessing

2007-05-16T05:53:00.000-06:00

Keep Guessing ..Results tomorrow

Q - QUESADILLAS

2007-05-14T22:12:00.000-06:00

Thank you so much guys for having pateninly waited for the recipe ....

It is Q for QUESADILLAS......quite simple and easy to make ...We had been for lunch last week to S and G 's place.Both of them are great cooks ..It was G who prepared all this ...Expreince from his bachelor's cooking he did a excellent job ..too good ...from quesadillas to burrito ...they where pefect ..the top among all was this simple one ....So thought i could share with you guys the simple way ...

Raw Material Required

2 pkts - tortillas
1 pkt mexican cheese (combined cheese)

Preparation Style

Place the tortillas in the skillet.Sprinkle the cheese on one side that too only half the portion.Then close the tortillas and sim on the gas .Place the plate on the tortillas and over the plate place the cooker .Allow it to cook for 2-3 mts .You could see the cheese melt .Then turn on to the next side and keep the tortillas on the skillet for 1 mts.With the help of the pizza cutter cut the quesadillas and serve it hot ....

Any Guess!!!!

2007-05-14T06:13:00.000-06:00

Any Guess of the Out come of this Dish .........Results coming tomorrow

Fried Banana

2007-05-09T06:51:00.000-06:00

This Dessert is my own version of the dessert that i used to have in the restaurant named "King And I".It is one of the famous Thai Restaurant here at St Louis.The food was excellent and above all the dessert.They served an excellent dessert "Fried Banana".Never had it before.Wondered how fried bananas would taste..Wow!!!too good ...I made some last night ...Very simple and easy to prepare ..I was excellent ...Thought i could share it with all of you ...
So here how it goes ...

Raw Materials Required

2 Riped Banana
1 1/2 -Corn Flour
Salt as per taste
Ice Cream (Store bought - any flour)(i used Pistachio Almond)
Wafer Any Flour (i used strawberry wafer)
Oil for deep frying

Preparation Style

Mix the corn flour and salt together like the Bhaji Mavu.Cut the banana and dip it in the corn mavu and deep fry it in oil .Fry it until it is golden brown .Place it on the plate along with the ice cream .Serve it hot .

Hot banana and Cold Ice cream ...Too good ....Enjoy Maaadiii!!!!!

Pasta As A Simple Lunch

2007-05-08T13:18:00.000-06:00

It was already 12.30 y'day afternoon and i had to prepare something lunch .I was alone at home and feeling very hungry .Since i was cleaning my home i could not cook anything for my self .Time is running and i was deadly hungry .Just ran thru the pantry and i found that i had pasta shells in hand and pasta sauce.As they are very simple and easy to make i decided to have them .But no cheese with me ..Its ok ....Cheese is not so important for me ..that is fine ...I can eat with out cheese ...It was so very simple and easy to make that i decided to share it with all of you .So here how it goes....

Raw Materials Required

3 handful of pasta shells (large one ).
1/2 cup- pasta sauce (store bought)
1/2 onion (chopped)
1/2 capsicum (chopped)
1 tsp pepper
3 ts olive oil

Preparation Style

In a small bowl boil the paste until they change to white color .Then drain the water and keep the pasta aside.Then in the same bowl pour the oil and add onions to it .Saute them and add the green capsicum to it .Just allow it cook for 5 mts .Then add the pasta sauce to it .Allow it to boil and add the shells to it .Then add pepper and stir them well .Serve it hot ....

I did not use any kind of cheese .Just simple and tasty ..Was great ..We can also add orange , red or yellow capsicum to it ...

This would be my entry for "N" Simple Cooking and also Nupur "Letter - P" from One Hot Stove .

Vazhakai Cutlet and Rose Milk

2007-05-07T09:20:00.000-06:00

Cutlet any time of the year ..No problem ..But esp during spring time ...Very very apt ..We used to always prepare aloo cutlets or vegetable cutlets....This time i decided to make something different from the usual ...Raw Banana Cutlet ..'Vazhakai "...Quite simple recipe .To go along with this I actually wanted to make strawberry milkshake , but i did not have strawberry at home ...So wht to do ????...Then thought why cant i prepare rose milk ...something similar ...
This would be my entry for Meeta's Monthly Mingle
This cutlet has got few variations from the normal one .So here how it goes

Raw Materials Required
2 Raw Banana
1/2 Carrot Grated
1/3 Cup Green Peas
1/2 Cup Small Red Onion
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Gram masala
Salt as per taste
Little Kotmali

Preparation Style
Boil the banana's in cooker and peel the skin .Smash the banana and add the onion,grated carrot , peas and all the masala's together .Add Salt and kotamali and mix it together and make small cutlets out of them .Then place them in the tava and allow it to cook .Turn both the sides until they reach dark brown color by adding few dops of oil .Serve it hot with pudhina chutney.

Rose Milk is very simple and easy to make .I just used 4 tsp of Rooh Afza and blended it with 2 glass of milk and added 2 tsp of sugar.

Hot Hot Cutlets and Cool Rose Milk ...Spring time at our place ....
Last week i had shared my new rose bud arrival at our place .This week it has taken life by few more additions ....Enjoy your spring .....

Mango Lemon Sevai

2007-05-04T08:18:00.000-06:00

Sevai (Rice sticks or Rice Noodles)...Wow!!!! I would be waiting for my mom to hand over a plate full of lemon sevai after i used to come back from office in India .It used to be my best choice in tiffin varieties .Mom used to make lemon sevai most of the time , but i decided to add some flavor to it by adding "Dry Mango "..to it...Sound different right...Don't worry guys it really taste good ...Yeah for the first time i made this recipe it came out quite well .

But before i share my simple recipe for mango sevai , just wanted to share few Secret on Mangoes....My friend deepa had come across few valuable information on Mangoes and she wanted me to share it with all my blog friends.She has collected these information from few sites To here how to goes ….

"Mango (English),Aam (Hindi),Maam Pazham (Tamil) , are named as the King of Fruits .

Mangoes are native to southeastern Asia or India where they have been grown for more than 4,000 years.Mango trees are evergreens that will grow to 60 feet tall. The mango tree will fruit 4 to 6 years after planting.Mango is the world's most consumed fruit and is the number one selling fruit in the world.

India is the major mango producer of the world. India grows more mangoes than all its other fruits combined.There more than 1,000 different varieties of mangoes throughout the world.

Goodness And Well Being:

Eating mango is a healthy way to achieve your goal of five fruits and vegetables a day. Doctors recommend a minimum of 5 servings a day of fruit and vegetables to maintain good health. Just half a mango counts as one serving.

Vitamins & Minerals:

Mangoes are a rich source of Vitamin A, and have good amounts of Vitamins B and C. It also has calcium, iron, potassium and a little protein in mangoes.

Weight Reduction:

With an average calorie count of only 95 for a medium sized mango, it's no wonder smart slimmers choose mangoes. A ripe mango contains water, but little carbohydrates and no fat.

Fiber Source:

Mangoes are also high in fiber, and contain a small amount of carbohydrates, which the body converts to energy.

Antioxidants:

Dietitians recommend that we should eat large amounts of antioxidant vitamins - and mangoes are a succulent source of these.

Heart Disease:

Mangoes have more carotenoids than most other fruits - and that helps toward off colds and reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease. "

Thks to my friend deepa who has pooled in some on these info and given it to us.Now comes to my part on the recipe ...

Raw Materials Required

1 pkt Sevai (Ready to eat-rice noodles)

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp urdh dal

4-5 green chilli

4-5 red chilli

Few curry leaves

2 lemons

½ cup – dry mangoes sliced

Preparation style

Cook the Rice Sevai in boiling water and keep it separately. Then in a kadai add few drop of oil , add mustard seeds to it and allow it to break .Then add urdh dal , green and red chilli and curry leaves to it .Allow to aroma to spread and then add the cooked rice sevai to it and mix it well .Then add salt to it and add the dry mango pieces and mix it well .Remove it from the gas.After 5 mts add the lemon extract ( from 2 lemons) and mix it well .

Serve after 10 mts so that the lemon would mix well with the mango …..Mango Lemon Sevai ready !!!!Enjoy Maadi Everybody
This is my entry for the AFAM contest hosted by myself for the month of MAY

Mini Onion Uttapam with Chayote Squash and Pudhina Chutney

2007-05-02T05:38:00.000-06:00

Wow !!! Onion Uttapam last night with Pudhina Chutney and Chayote Squash Chutney .Too good.Chayote Squase is often called as Bangalore Katirika in india .We can make kootu or sambhar out of this veggie. But my Mother in law thought me how to make chayote squash chutney. It was very delicious .She used to make chayote squash chutney almost once a week at her place back in chennai. I had some left over dosa batter,and got to prepare something quick because i was getting late for dinner.So I thought instead of plain dosa why not onion uttapam?. I had 1Chayote Squash left in the fridge , so decided to make that chutney too .Came out quite well and thought i can share it with all you guys .

Raw Materials -Onion Uttapam

2 Cups of Dosa Batter
1 onion
2 green chilli

Preparation Style

Cut the onions and green chillis and mix it well with dosa batter .Then pour small amount of batter in the hot tava and let them cook.Pour oil in the sides of the batter and allow it to crisp on both the sides. Take out the uttapam from the tava when the dosa turn golden brown and gets crispy.

Raw Materials - Chayote Squash

1 -Chayote Squash
3 tsp - channa dal
1 1/2 tsp- dhanya
3 red chilli
little hing
4 Big pieces of coconut
Salt as per taste

Preparation style

Wash and cut the chayote squash into pieces.Dry fry the squash for abt 10-15 mts unless you see the squash is semi cooked.In a separate pan dry fry the channa dal , dhanya , red chilli together until the channa dal turn golden brown.Let the veggie and the dry masala cool down for 10 mts .Blend together the veggie , dry masala along with coconut , hing and salt .Blend until you get a smooth paste by adding little water. Chutney Ready!!!!

Raw Materials for Pudhina (Green) Chutney

1 bunch pudhina
1/2 bunch kotamali
4-5 big pieces of coconut
small lemon size puli(tamarind)
3-4 green chilli
salt as per taste

Praparation style

Wash the pudhina leaves and dry fry then in a skillet until they loose all the water out of them . Then blend all the mentioned ingredients together including the pudhina .Blend it well until you get a smooth paste by adding little water . Chutney Ready!!!!

Enjoy Madi!!!!!

This is my entry for Nupur A-Zof Indian Vegetables on One Hot Stove . This week the letter starts with "O" and my entries would be as Onion Uttapam

Mooli Paratha

2007-05-01T09:10:00.000-06:00

Mooli is considered as one of the main ingredients in Punjabi cuisine .They have mooli salad , mooli chapati too .I have lived in Lucknow (UP-India) for quite a few years , i love to make mooli paratha .I made last night Mulli Paratha along with capsicum and carrot fry.In North India mostly people would like to have paratha with a cup of plain yogurt. Some People do not like mulli , but i love them .I thought i could share with all you guys.

Raw Material Required

1 Large White Radish
2 Cup White Flour
1 tsp - red chilli powder
salt as per taste

Preparation Style

In a small bowl grate the radish .In another bowl add all the materials including the grated radish with little water .When adding water we should be very careful as mooli it self would leave some water .Make a thick chapati dough .Make few big rolls (bigger than chapati) and roll it into a big round .Add the white flour when rolling the dough and place it in the hot tava .See to that the paratha is cooked evenly.Spread a bit a ghee on both the side of the paratha and allow them to cook evenly .Serve it hot with pickle or any curry of your choice.

Enjoy Madi!!!!!

Capsicum And Carrot Fry

2007-05-01T08:34:00.000-06:00

I love capsicum ..That too with chapati or paratha ..Wow man ..too good .I made some y'day night to go along with mulli paratha .I thought i could share it with all you guys ...Hope you like them

Raw Materials required

2 Full Capsicum
1 Carrot
1 Onion
1tsp Jeera
1tsp Sombhu
1/2 tsp haldi
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp gram masala
1/2 tsp dhanya powder
Little oil
Salt as per taste

Preparation Style

Cut the capsicum and carrot into small pieces and wash them .Then in a small pan add few drops of oil ,add jeera and sombhu and allow the flavor to fly .Then add onion and fry them until you get the golden color .Then add the vegge's and toss them .Add all the masala and salt and allow them to cook for 5 mts. Serve them hot

Just wanted to share a thought on cooking the capsicum .We should always cook them only for 5 mts to 7 mts and not more than that .If we over cook the vegge then taste would be little bit blunt .

Enjoy Maadi !!!!!!

AFAM Event

2007-04-28T19:47:00.000-06:00

Here comes AFAM for this month .......Since Maheswari
(Publish Today) is taking a small break ,I am hosting this month's AFAM
.As I am a 1 month old food blogger, I need all the support and encouragement of the food bloggers to make this month's event a grant success.

So what's this month's fruit? It is M for Mango .....you are right ..this's month's AFAM is MANGO ...

Photo NYTIMES
Come on everybody we could see mangoes , mangoes all around this summer ..So let your imagination fly around - from Indian Traditional Recipes to Fusion and to International Cuisine....Come on Food Bloggers start cooking and post it on your blog ...

So here is AFAM - A Fruit A Month Rules.
Rules are pretty much the same as other Blog Events.
1.Based on the fruit of the month, you have to come up with a recipe with the fruit in any form fresh or dried.

2.Post the recipe on your blog and if you could post the picture also by 20 th of the month.

3.If you can, write more info about the fruit.Like my mom always says Pomegranate fruit is good for your health especially for your heart.Some of might know about home medicine used for common cold/fever using fruits.

4.Email me your name,the pic,permalink of your recipe/pic to recipesnmore@gmail.com with AFAM -(fruit name)as the subject.

5. You have to email me your post by the 20th of that month and the final round up will be done in the last ten days.

So here is the fruit of this month "MANGO".

Hoping to see more of you participate and spread the word about AFAM around the Blog world.

My Green Lunch Today

2007-04-27T11:08:00.000-06:00

“Going Green with Green Leafy Vegetables”.
Mahanadhi's JFI was so unique and so different thought to bring all the recipes together from our kitchen and share with the entire community.

Who does not like Palak Spinach ,Methi or Cabbage .Wow !!all are my favourites and the list actually goes no .So for today's lunch i decided to make something green and only green...Green adds color to the food and brings us joy and pleasure. Spinach has a high calcium content in them. Spinach is a rich source of Vitamin A,C,E. We cook spinach atleat twice a week .It is a must dish at our place.So Green is a must in the menu.

Today I decided to make for my self green lunch .Sounds different !!!I made Palak (kirai) Molaguthal and Pavakai (Bitter Gourd) Curry. Few people do not like bitter gourd as the name it self speaks out .But I love it .Some what I love the bitterness of this particular veg .

Here it goes !!!This is traditional kerala combo lunch .Mostly if we make molaguthal then the side dish should be little be spicy .Because molaguthal is a little less spicy .The other combo along with this would be "PuliVetha Eggplant curry"..I will surely make that combo and shall share it with all you guys.

Raw Materials Required for Palak Molaguthal

1/2 Lb Palak
1/2 cup Tuvar Dal cooked
1/3 coconut sliced
2 tsp jeera
3-4 red chilli
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Urdh Dal
Litte Oil for seasoning
salt as per taste

Preparation style

First cook the palak in a small bowl and grind it to paste and transfer it another bowl.Usually spinach just takes few minutes to boil.Then in the blender or mixy ...grind the coconut,jeera and chilli powder by adding 1/2 glass of water.Then mix the coconut gravy,cooked Dal and palak together and allow it to boil .Let the palak boil and on the side take a small pan and pour little oil and add mustard and then after it breaks add urdh dal and pour on the palak.Add salt as per taste and mix it well and serve it hot with rice.

Raw Materials Required -Pavaka Dish

1/2 Lb –Pavaka (Bitter Gourd)
3 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp sambhar powder
1/2 tsp Haldi
1/2tsp Mustart seeds
1/2tsp Urdh dal
Salt as per taste

Preparation style

Wash and cut the pavaka into small pieces.Then in a small kadai add little oil and add mustard seeds to it. .Allow it to break then add urdh dal seeds to it .Let it get its golden brown color then add the pavaka and fry then quite well .Add chilli powder, sambhar powder,haldi and salt and mix it quite well .Let the dish take it own time for cooking .The pavaka should roast it self .After sometime when we find that it is fully roasted then off the gas and serve it hot with rice. Enjoy Madi!!!!!

This is my entry for “Going Green with Green Leafy Vegetables”. Mahanadhi's JFI

My New Rose Plant

2007-04-27T07:26:00.000-06:00

Our new garden addition. We had been to the near by "garden center" to buy some plants for our backyard.I could see this rose plant with one Orange rose in it .Too cute it was ...The light orange color ohh man looks very cute in my home garden.Just wanted to share with all you guys .....

Ribbion Pokoda

2007-04-26T16:53:00.000-06:00

Ribbion Pokoda ....Perfect snack .I remember in chennai mom used to make it specifically when my self and my brother had summer vacations.She used to prepare so much that my self and my brother used to keep eating it always .Mouth watering dish .Never know how it one eats.I always love this particular snack and never a no to it .Esp with chai in the eveg ...Too good ...I prepared some for my self and my better half.So thought i could share it with all you guys .....

Raw Material Required

2 Cup - Rice Flour
1 Cup -Besan (Kadala Mavu)
2 tsp chilli powder
Little Hing
6 tsp Butter (room temperature)
Salt as per taste
Oil for deep frying

Preparation Style

In a small bowl mix all the above material together by adding little water .Try to mix it well until u get a dough which is little equal to the chapati dough that we all make .Then heat the oil on one side .With the help of the "Nazhi" make ribbion shapes and allow the dough to cook .

Let it cook and get to the golden brown stage and then take it off from the fire.Eat it hot and it would taste excellent ......Enjoy Madi!!!!!

Pav Bhaji

2007-04-26T16:20:00.000-06:00

Gone are those days where i used to hang out with my friends at "GANGOTRI"...blogger who stayed in chennai must be knowing that place.All kinds of snacks where available .My first choice would be pav bhaji ...Oh man !!!I tell you those guys make excellent ones .Too Good!!!!.Last nite i made pav bhaji at home .Quite similar .But a simple one ..here how it goes

Raw Materials

1 Cup Aloo
1/2 Cup -Carrot
1/2 Cup- Shimla Mirch (Green Bell Pepper)
1/2 Cup Peas
1/2 Cup Onion
2 Riped Tomatoes
2 tspPav Bhaji Masala (MDH -bought from the store)
1tsp Jeera
1 Lime
Salt as per Taste
Pav From the store
Kotamali for garnish
Little Oil

Preparation style

Take a small cooker add little oil and after few seconds add jeera .Then add onion .Allow the onion to brown a bit and then add tomatoes.After the tomatoes leave it water add all the veg's to it .Then add salt and the pav bhaji masala .Now add sufficient water so that all the veg's submerge in it .Now close the cooker and let there by 4-5 whistles from it. After the cooker calms down open it and mash the bhaji with smasher .All the veg's will be perfectly cooked so well that it would be easily smashed.On the other side in the Tava add some ghee or butter and place the Pav's in them .Turn both the sides of the pav until they get a golden brown color.Squeeze lime in the bhaji and serve it hot with the pav ...Enjoy Karo Man

Javarsi Vadam

2007-04-25T10:55:00.000-06:00

When you hear the word "Vadam" from anywhere i am the first to go and finish it .Wow man too good!!!!! .In India amma used to make it every year and stock it and later fry them and give it to us .But here is Us who is there pa ..No one to prepare for me and give .I did not like the ones which you get it in the stores ..So i decided to make it my self .My friends told me that it would be of too strain ..but i tell u guys , if i want to eat something i am really not worried to take the pains .

vathals , vaadam i am first. Our's is a walkout basement ..so was even more convenient to try it out .For the first time i made it came out really well .If we have it suda suda sambhar ,rasam and potato curry ...enna combha pa ...too good ...how much rice goes inside your body ..no count at all ...

I thought i could share with all you guys the way i prepare vadam at home.Would all like to take a ride with me in this ...

Raw Materials Required
1 lb -Javarsi
8-9 Green Chilli
4 tsp rice flour
Little Hing
2 lemon -(extract juice)

Preparation Style
Take the javarsi in a bowl and soak them in water for about 5-6 hours.Preferable if you soak by eveg 3 p.m it should be fine .Then say by 9 wash it with cold water and grind the javarsi in to paste.When u grind it see that you add 4 tsp of rice flour.
This helps to maintian the color of the vadam.
Keep this aside.Then take a big cooker and fill it with half water and pour the mixture.Then grind the green chilli and pour it into the cooker .Add hing to it also .Keep stirring the mixture for about 1 to 1.5 hours .You will seen the shine of the javasri coming out.Then add salt to it .The color of the mixture will start to change from white to transparent one .Then off the gas and close the cooker.
Next day morning it would become thick .The add lime to the thick mixture and mix it well .Then in a small bowl take little of the mixture and add enough water to loosen it up .

Then in a plastic sheet with the help of the small spoon pour little in a circle forum .Let the entire thing dry in the sun .It would be most preferred to do it on a sunny day .Then the next day you could see the vadam coming out from the sheet automatically as it is dried .Take it out and fry it oil ...Too good man .There would be a little strain for pouring the circle in the sheet but that is ok .
If we want something tasty then we need to strain rite ....!!!!!Enjoy maadi Ladies
This Month is Lakshmi's Veggie Cuisine
.I saw many of our blog friends have prepared traditional recipes like sambhar,rasam .This vadam would add a excellent combho to all of them .Thank to Lakshmi for hosting this .

Cooking ,Company ,Kitchen - Same Boat

2007-04-25T09:41:00.000-06:00

"Some people like to paint pictures, or do gardening, or build a boat in the basement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music."
Julia Child

© Foto Search

Yes I do feel that cooking is it self a art .Some consider as though the home makers are jobless and spend non sense time at kitchen. They think that cooking is just a matter of few minutes and the job is done. It is something like completing a project .Choosing the raw materials, the ingredients to add on the product until the end product is delivered on to the dinning table.

I think cooking at home is almost the company that I run on my own .I have to please the end customer who are the members of the family and accept their feed back. My profits are the comments and the encouragements that I get from my member which always induces me in making new products (new dishes). And of course not to forget the research development that I conduct in the net plays also an important role.

From R & D to decision making I think all the ladies are perfect managers. Who said that ladies cannot take right decision .I feel that we perfect in decision making and managing the household.Women always hold a balance in their life between home and office.I am so new to this blog world, I feel so happy to see so many women around the world who are in this and and so creative . The power of women is here !!!!!Great Going

Cheers to the Ladies and Cheers to the World of cooking

Hot Pongal and Kadala Parup Chutney

2007-04-23T20:41:00.000-06:00

Suda Suda Pongal on the table ....Yeah pongal is the most favorite among the south indain cuisine ..when we always visit the restaurants in Indian , mostly our first order is "Pongal Chutney"...wow!!!!what a combha it used to be ...I made today some and thought i would share with all you guys ...Enjoy Maadii!!!!!

Raw Materials For Pongal

1 Cup -Rice
1/4 Cup- Moong Dhal
2 tsp Jeera
2 Green Chilli
1 tsp Pepper Powder
1/2 cup Milk
3 tsp ghee
Little Ginger
Little cashew
Little kismis
Salt as per taste

Preparation style
Pressure cook the rice , moong dhal ,jeera, green chilli ,pepper and ginger together.After the pressure comes down ..in a small kadai pour ghee and add the cashew and kismis.Then add salt and milk to it .Add curry leaves as a final touch to the dish ...Wow !!!!It smells so great......Yummy

Raw Materials

2 tsp Kadala Parup
3-4 red chilli
Little Hing
Salt per taste
5 Tsp - Coconut
3 Tsp -Curd

Preparation Style

Fry the parup, red chilli and hing little in a small kadai.When the parup turns golden burn then off the stove and add coconut to it .After the heat is cooled down then grind it into thick paste.Then add curd to it and pour it in the small bowl .Add salt and mix it well .Curd Kadala Parup chutney ready!!!!!!

This is my entry for RCI - Tamil Cuisine Event.(http://veggiecuisine.blogspot.com/)

Jatpat Masala Papad

2007-04-20T08:53:00.000-06:00

Snack Time at home .We always keep think of what to make in 5 mts esp which would go Chai ..I decided to make Jatpat Masala Papad.Here how it goes ..

Raw Materials Required

1 Lijat Papad
1/4 Cup -Tomato
1/4 Cup -Cucumber
1/4 Cup -Mango (Raw)
1 Green Chilli
Some Kotamali
1 Lemon

Preparation Style

Microwave the lijat papad for 35 sec .It would be crisp.One the other side cut down the tomato,cucumber,green chilli and mango in a small bowl .Add kotamali and also pour the lemon juice.Jatpat Masala papad is readyyyy.....Enjoy

Sweet and Sour -Apple Paniharam

2007-04-18T18:03:00.000-06:00

Apples have got different varieties.Each is unique and has its own characteristic.We have always used apple in a dessert form , juice form or simply eaten it raw.But I decided to make something different.

An Apple a day keeps you away from the doctor"....Very very true .An Apple actually helps you lower blood cholesterol, improved bowel function, reduced risk of stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma.Lets all eat apple regularly be healthy.

This recipe comes out from my own kitchen to all of you . It is always heard that kids and few adults don't like apple.Try on this and i am sure they would be a fan of it .

Raw Materials Required

1/2 Green Apple
1/2 Red Apple
1 Cup - Dosa Batter
1 tsp - Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp - Gram masala
Little pinch -Hing

Preparation Style

Grate the green apple and the red apple and mix it together with the dosa batter.Then add the red chilli powder and also the gram masala and hing to it .Mix it well .

Then take a non stick panniaram pan and pour the batter .Wait for few mts until you see the sides starts to cook .Then turn to the other side and allow it to cook .Serve the dish hot with dosai mulaga podi .

I am posting this recipe as the entry for "http://publishtoday.blogspot.com/2007/01/fruit-month.html" ...Contest

Maida Halwa

2007-04-17T06:56:00.000-06:00

I had to make some sweet within half hour .Enna to make .Lets think ???,.Then i finally got my self to Maida Halwa.For the first time i prepared this dish , the outcome was great and tasted quite well .

Raw Materials Required

2 Cups Maida
4 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Ghee
Some Cashew
Some Cardamom
Little Saffron
Pacaikarpooram

Preparation Style

Take a small bowl and mix the maida well and add little water and take down till you reach a dosa batter.Keep the bowl aside.Then take a small kadai and pour the sugar and little water .Allow the sugar to boil until you reach thick thread consistency ,then pour the maida batter and stir for a while.Add saffron to it.The flour would start to began to harden and then add ghee .Stir until the ghee leaves the flour .Then off the gas and add pachaikarpooram, cardamom powder.Pour the halwa in the bowl and dress it with dry fruits .
Enjoy All

Happy Vishu And A Happy Tamil New Year

2007-04-15T21:27:00.000-06:00

Wish you all a Very Happy Tamil New Year

Pattu Mami Polli

2007-04-13T21:31:00.000-06:00

Masala Poli

2007-04-13T13:47:00.000-06:00

We must all have had masala poli at sri krishna sweets in chennai .Too good .Here is my version of masala poli .Tastes really good .

Raw Materials for the dough

3 Cups - Maida
1tsp -Haldi
Pinch of salt
Oil

Raw Materials for the stuffing

3 -Aloo cooked and smashed
1 -Carrot grated
1/2 cup -Green Peas
1 tsp - gram masala
1 tsp - dhanya powder
1 tsp -chilli powder
Salt as per taste
Some Kotamali

Preparation for dough

Add all the ingredients required for the dough together except oil in a bowl .Then add some water and form a chapati dough.The pour some oil on the dough and keep it aside for some time

Preparation of the stuffing .

Take a small bowl and add all the ingredients for stuffing together and make small bowls .

Then take a small piece of dough and make a small chapati .Fill the stuffing inside like how we do for paratha.Then with the help of our hand spread out the dough with out allowing it to break .Dip your hand in oil and make it spread .Then it would not break .Then heat the dosa tave and place the madia stuffed chapati on it .Pour sufficient oil on both the side to cook well.Then after it is cooked place it on the place and drizzle dosai mulaga podi on it and serve it hot .The highlight of it is to drizzle the dosai mulaga podi on top of the maida stuff poli.

Yellow Pumpkin Payasam

2007-04-13T13:35:00.000-06:00

Sounds different or vieried .Sounded me the same way when my friend prepared for me .But believe it is too good .Here how it goes

Raw Materials

2 cups -Milk
1/3 cup -Sugar
1/3 Cup - Yellow pumpkin
2 tsp -Elachi
Few strings of Saffron
2tsp -Condensed Milk
2tsp -Ghee
Few khaju and Kismis

Preparation Style

Pour the milk in a bowl and allow it to boil .After 5 mts put the pumkin and allow it to cook with the milk .It actually cooks very fast.Once the pumkin is cooked and the milk comes to the boil then add sugar and elachi to it .Then add saffron to the milk and also some condensed milk.After few mts of boil ,keep the gas on sim and remove the bowl from the gas.Then in a small kadai pour 2 tsp of ghee and add fee khaju and few kismis and pour it in the payasam .Looks great and taste great.

Tomato Soup

2007-04-12T10:13:00.000-06:00

Well who would not like a tomotato soup that too hot hot on a rainy day .Here i made some for myself and would like to share with you guys .

Raw Materials

2 - Tomotoes Riped ones
1/4 - Carrot
1 Piece -garlic
little Onion
Salt as per tast
Pepper as much required

Preparation Style

Take a small pan and boil the tomotoes and carrot together for some time.Boil them unless the skin comes out .Then grind the tomatoes ,carrot ,garlic and onion together .you will get a thick pulp of it .Then transfer the same into the pan and boil the same .Once it starts to boil then transfer it to the serving bowl and add salt and pepper and little kotamali for garnish.
Enjoy the soup

Cucumber Raita

2007-04-11T21:27:00.000-06:00

Well Cucumber is quite good for health.And Ratias' for rotis always goes quite well.Here we go a smile and easy recipe for raita.

Raw Material Required

1 Big Cucumber
1 cup ratia
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Sugar
Kotamali for dressing

Preparation Style

Scrap the skin of cucumber and kadukas it .Remove the excess water from cucumber by pressing it hard.Then add curd ,salt,sugar and pepper and stir them well.
Add little kotamali for dressing and serve it with cold .Best combo would be vegetable pulov and chapati

Vegetable Briyani

2007-04-11T21:05:00.000-06:00

Who would not love Briyani on a Sunday afternoon .It would a all time favorite for everybody.I prepare it often with a simple and a easy style

Raw Materials Required

1 Cup- Basmati Rice
1/4 Cup -Onion
1/4- Cup -Beans
1/4 Cup -Carrot
1/4 Cup - Green Peas
1/4 Cup - Califlower
2 or 3 -Green Chilli

Dry Spices
3 pieces -Elachi
3 pieces -Gram or Clove
1 small stick - Cinannom
1 tsp - Jeera
2 pieces -garlic
2 tsp - Ghee
2 Tsp Briyani masala powder

Preparation Style

Soak the rice in water for 1 hr before the preparation.Wash the rice and dry fry it in a pan with ghee and pour it in a small plate.In the same pan pour the ghee and add
all the dry spice along with garlic and allow the aroma to speard.Then add green chilli to it and stir.Then add all the veg's along with the rice .Add the masala powder and stir well.Add sufficient water and pour them in the rice cooker .
Serve them hot with Kurma

Vegetable Aval Upma

2007-04-11T10:27:00.000-06:00

Almost everybody do not like upma.And that too Aval upma I am sure it is prepared as the last choice .But once you try this veg aval upma it would be a routine at your place.

Raw Materials Required

2 Cups -Aval
1/4 Cup -Onion
1/4 Cup -Tomato
1/4 Cup -Green Peas
1 small Piece Ginger
3-4 Green Chillies
1/4 tsp - Rai
1/4 tsp - Urdh Dhal
Oil for TADKA
3 tsp -Lemon Juice
Hing a Pinch
Salt as per taste

Preparation Style

First wash the aval in luke warm water for few seconds and let it dry in the strainer.Then in a small Kadai pour some oil and allow it to heat.Then drop the rai and allow it to crack .Then add urdh dhal and hing and stir it .The add the onions , green chillies and also ginger and stir it form sometime unless the onion turns golden brown .Then add tomatoes to it and let them leave water.Then add peas to them and allow it to cook for 5 mts .Then add the dried aval and some salt and stir them well . Off the gas and then add lime to it and serve them hot . This particular dish does not require any kind of side dish .
Enjoy eating

Traditional Adai and Kotamali Chutney

2007-04-11T10:02:00.000-06:00

My Mother used to make this recipe at home often .
A very traditional way of making Adai .This Adai can be eaten with tradtional kerala avail and also muladapodi.

Raw Materials Required for Making Adai

1 cup -Rice
1 cup -Tuvar Dhal
1/2cup -Urdh Dhal
1 cup -Channa Dhal
5-6 Red Chilles
1 tsp Hing
Salt as per tast
Curry Leaves

Preparation Style

Soak all the above ingredents for about 3 hours .Then grind them corsely with suffient water.The batter prepared must not be like a dosa batter nor like a idli batter.Must be in the semi solid consistency.Add salt as per tast and mix it well.Then we can make adia in the dosa tava and serve it hot.

Raw Materials Required for making Kotamali Chutney

1 cup - Coconut
3 tsp - Potukadalai
3-4 Green Chilli
1/2 bunch of Kotamali
1/4 tsp -Rai (Kadagu)
1/4 tsp -Urdh Dhal
Oil for Tadka
Salt as per tast

Preparation Style

Grind all the ingredents except rai,urdh dhal and oil with suffient water added to it .Transfer the mixture into a small bowl .Then take a small kadai and pour the oil .When the oil is heated add the rai and wait until it cracks, then add urdh dhal and pour in the bowl.Then add salt and serve it along with adai.