Thank you Aartee

Thank you Aartee -Nalabagham for presenting me this Award.

RCI - Konkani Cuisine -Round Up!!!!

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

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

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

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!!!!

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

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

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!!!!!

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

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

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!!!!!

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

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

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

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!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!!!!

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

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

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

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

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY PONGAL !!!

Upma Kozhakattai with Kadala Parup Chutney

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

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

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!!!!!!

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