Pomegranate Juice

What happens when your lil one says NO to fruits?I turned it into a juice.As simple as that!Lil angel who suddenly showed a distaste towards pomegranate,loved the juice.A very simple version which we all relished...

Before going to the recipe ,here's something exciting....I just found out that Sig is hosting a wonderful Giveaway in her blog.Do check it out and be a part of it....

For the juice I used:

Pomegranate pearls
Lemon juice
Sugar
Water

1. Blend all the ingredients together.
2. Strain and sip.

A dash of lemon juice takes the juice to a different level!

What combo do u use for preparing pomegranate juice?Would love to hear it from you...

Mandakki Usli

One of the easiest snacks / breakfast dish to put together is this Usli made with puffed rice.Its so simple that you will never realise you are 'cooking' something!

Mandakki is puffed rice in Karnataka,also known by the names Pori,Murmura etc. and this dish is a sort of 'upma' / stirfry with vegetables.

I used:

Mandakki /Pori /Murmura -5 cups
Toamto-1 large chopped
Onion-1 large,chopped
Grated carrot-1
Grated ginger-1 teaspoon
Roasted peanuts- a handful
Curry leaves a few
Green chillies-2,slit
Coriander leaves to garnish
Salt to taste
Oil-1 teaspoon
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
Gram dhal-1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder- a pinch

1. Heat oil in a pan and put in mustard,cumin,gramshal,curry leaves.
2. When the mustard crackles,put in curry leaves,ginger,onion,green chillies and saute till onion is translucent
3. Put in tomato and cook till soft.
4. Add the turmeric powder.Put in grated carrot and cook for a couple of minutes.
5. Simmer.Meanwhile take a large basin with water and put in hanfuls of puffed rice into the bowl and immediately sqeeze out the water and put it into the pan along with the other ingredients.This has to be done quickly or else the puffed rice will be very soggy.
6. Mix well and check for salt.Add more if required.[The puffed rice has some salt so check before adding.]
7. Remove from heat and serve garnished with coriander leaves.

Other recipes with puffed rice

• Susheela-A Maharastrian Snack with a small dose of vegetables.
• Bhel puri- A famous street food loved by young and old alike.
• Masala Pori -Crunchy Puffed rice with a hint of spices.

Bon Appetit...

Leftover Greens Stirfry Parathas - Stuffed Paratha Series # 3

Last week we had lots of leftover greens stir fry and I did nit have the mind to waste it.So I used it as a stuffing for the Chapathi I was making.It turned out to be very delicious and no one guessed it had leftovers!The stirfry has to be dry so that it does not ooze out when it is rolled.In case the stirfry is a little soggy,cook it for a couple of minutes till it is dry and then use it s a stuffing.

I used:

Wheat flour-3 cups
Salt to taste
Leftover greens stirfry-1 cup

1. In a large bowl take wheat flour and salt.Mix well and add water little by little to make a stiff dough.Let it rest for hour an hour.Cover it with a moist kitchen towel.
2. Pinch off golf sized balls and roll out into chapathis.
3. Place a tablespoon of filling and bring the edges together to seal the fillings.
4. Flatten with your palm and roll out once again.
5. Cook on a heated griddle till brown spots appear on both the sides.

Serve with a simple side dish like a simple Garlic dhal

This is my entry for Scrumptious delights from leftovers going on in my blog.

Earlier in this series...

#1 - Bing | Spring onion stuffed paratha

#2- Tofu

Bon Appetit...

Okra Pepper Fry

Okra or Ladies finger is very well known for its sliminess and many hate this veggie for this fact.Cooking it in the microwave is alot easier and the okra curry has no trace of sliminess.Just a few tricks to turn a slimy okra into a crispy and yum curry.You can increase or decrease the microwave timings to get a soft curry or a crispy one.This one here is not too crispy but you can feel a light crunch.Sending this to  Srivalli's MEC , 365 days of MW cooking.

I used:

Okra - 1/4 kilo
Turmeric powder- a large pinch
Pepper powder- to taste
Salt to taste
Oil-2 teaspoons

1. Wash the okra and wipe it well.Spread it ona kitchen towel for sometime so that there are no traces of moisture.
2. Chop the okra into approximately the same sized pieces.
3. In a microwave proof bowl put in the oil and the chopped okra,mix well, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the pepper powder,turmeric powder and salt.Stir to mix.
5. Microwave uncovered for another 5 minutes or till it is soft.

If you want it more crispier, microwave for a few more minutes till u get the desired texture.

Other recipes sent to Srivalli's event ...

Tamatar Ka Shorba - Indian Tomato Soup

Sambar in the Microwave

MW Beetroot Halwa


Bon Appetit...

Microwave Beetroot Halwa

What is a celebration without sweets.There are two reasons to celebrate .One is Srivalli's MEC event which is celebrating its 3rd anniversary and so is Taste and create.I wanted to prepare a cupcake from Piage's blog but since I was busy with some packing and moving I did not have time to do it.I will be trying out something from her blog by the end of this month but before that I wanted to celebrate for Taste and create.

Now to the dessert,this halwa can be made in the microwave and is very simple as usual.

I used:

Beetroot-2 cups,grated
Milk-2 1/2 cups
Condensed milk-2 tablespoons
Sugar-3/4th cup
Roasted cashews -1 tablespoon

1.  Heat milk in a microwave safe bowl for 4 minutes or till  warm.
2. Put in beetroot , mix well.Microwave on high for 15 minutes.Stir twice in between.
3. Add sugar and mix well.
4. Microwave on high for 5 minutes.It will become watery.
5. Mix well and add condensed milk and stir .
6. Microwave for another 15 minutes or till the milk is fully absorbed.
7. Leave it in the microwave for 3 minutes and remove.If you like you can mash it with the back of a laddle or leave it as such for a textured halwa.
8. Mix in the roasted nuts and serve warm or cold.

It can also be served along with Vanilla Icecream and the combo is sure to please the guests and their tastebuds....

This also goes to Srivalli other event-365 days of MW cooking

Other recipes sent to Srivalli's event

Tamatar Ka Shorba - Indian Tomato Soup

Sambar in the Microwave



Bon Appetit...

Microwave Sambar

I promised myself to send a full course meal to Srivalli's MEC which is celebrating its third anniversary and the theme is potluck.I made Tomato ka shorba for my first entry and now going on to make main dishes.I wish I had more time to prepare all the items I had planned.But I will post those that are ready as the deadline is drawing nearer.

This drumstick sambar was prepared in the MW.When I used to prepare it in the stove top method many times the drumstick would get split in the pressure cooker but here they are very much intact and tastes just the same.

I used:

Drumstick-2,cut into 1-2"  pieces like you do for the regular sambar.
Toor dhal-1/2 a cup
Pearl onions- 1/2 a cup

Sambar powder-3 teaspoons
Tomato -1
Red chillies-2
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Curry leaves- a few
Fenugreek seeds-1/4 teaspoon
Salt-to taste
Oil-2 teaspoons

1. Soak Tamarind in a 1/4 a cup water and microwave for 30 seconds and extract the pulp and keep aside.
2. Soak dhal in water for 10 minutes and drain well.
3. While it is draining,take the drumstick pieces in a microwave proof bowl and add 1/4 cup water and microwave covered for 6 minutes or till 90% done.Check a couple of times in between or else you will end up with split open drumstick pieces.
4. Pulse the dhal in a mixer a couple of times.[It should not become powder.Should be very coarse.]
5. In a large microwave proof bowl put in oil,mustard,asafoetida,curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, chillies and mix well.Microwave for 5 minutes or till onion is soft.
6. Add the tomato pieces,mix well and microwave for 2 minutes.
7. Put in the tamarind extract,sambar powder,salt and mix well.Add a few teaspoons of water if it becomes very thick Microwave for 1 minute or till the raw smell goes off.
8. Add the toor dhal,one and a half cups of water and mix well.Check for salt,add more if required and microwave on medium for 15 minutes..Keep checking in between and stir occasionally.
9. Add the drumstick pieces and microwave for 3 minutes.Check if the dal is cooked or microwave till done.Let it stand for 2 minutes before removing it from the microwave.

This also goes to Srivalli other event-365 days of MW cooking

Please note that the timing vary with each brand.Use this recipe as a guideline and follow your regular timings in your microwave.

Bon Appetit...

Tomato Peanut Chutney

Tomato is an ingredient that is so common in our cuisine and there are numerous variety of dishes that can be made with them.The most interesting ones are the chutneys.I found this in Sailus blog.She calls it Verusenaga tomato pachadi.This is also being sent to Siri's healing food hosted here with the theme Tomato




I used:

Tomato - 3 ,sliced
Roasted peanuts-1/2 a cup
Red chilli-2
Garlic -2 pods
Tamarind paste-1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste


Seasoning:

Oil-1 teaspoon
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Curry leaves a few

1. Heat oil in a pan  and put in cumin seeds.
2. When it splutters add garilc,red chilli and saute for aminute.
3. Add the chopped tomato and cook till soft.
4. Add tamarind,mix well and remove from heat.
5. Once it is cold grind it to a paste with the roasted peanuts and salt.Add a little water if needed.Remove into a serving dish.
6. Heat oil in a small pan and put in the seasonings.
7. When the mustard crackles,pour over the chutney.Mix and serve as a side dish woth idli / dosa / any tiffin if your choice.

Bon Appetit...

Coconut Kheer And A Tale From The Bygone Era

He sat on the recliner and looked at the beautiful young faces in front of him.Their faces showed excitement laced with a tinge of doubt.

'Will he really tell it out today?' ,most of them wondered.

He had already made up his mind to tell them and that's why they had assembled in front of him.He,Bapuji,as they called him fondly,was not their father and nor was he related to them .Yet he was their Bapuji.Everyone ,right from the five year old Mina to the fifty-something Leela,called him Bapuji.

'So you are eager to hear it ,right?',he asked the small crowd in front of him.

'Yes Bapuji', they chorused.

'Ok let me start with the story then.....'.He thus began....

Many years ago when we were still under the British rule,there lived a family in a small village.They, just like their neighbors, never knew or bothered what was happening to the country for they were safe in their little village.This family had a stern and  elderly grandmother living with her sons and daughter-in-laws and a horde of tiny tots.Our heroine,let me call her Savithri,was around 8 years old when an incident changed her life.

She was playing with her little brothers and sisters and a whole gang of cousins in their backyard.She was so happy and thrilled to see all her relatives.Savithri didn't know what was going on but was old enough to understand that there was an air of festivity in the house.Lots of good food,sweets being served at every meal,everyone was being extra kind and affectionate towards her and even her grandmother who used to find fault in everything anyone does smiled at her.All this indicated that something good was about to take place.Maybe a function or festival she said to herself.

Early one morning,Savitri was woken up earlier than usual and her mom bathed and dressed her like a princess and told her to sit quietly till she was called.She was desperate to join her siblings in their game but her grandmother's stern glance told her to sit still.

She was called and her mom and aunt walked her to a dais decorated with flowers and was made to sit beside a boy who was a couple of years elder to her.She smiled and he smiled back.'A new friend' was all that she could think.A couple of ceremonies later,lunch was served and Savitri and her 'new friend' enjoyed a scrumptious lunch together.

Then after a week the house was as quiet as it was a month ago.Savitri never knew what took place that day except that she saw a new 'friend' who disappeared with the others.

A few months passed without any events when one day her father looked very unhappy and her mom cried inconsolably.Her grandmother took her aside and removed the the new chain that her 'friend ' her 'given' her and made her wear a sarie just like grandma wore.Life changed drastically for the 8 year old 'widow'.

Savitri was not allowed to play with her siblings and had to remain indoors.No visits were entertained and she had to eat with her grandma after everyone else finished their meal.Life had turned upside down and Savitri didn't understand anything that was going around her.

One day someone came to visit them and specifically asked to see Savitri.A shy and confused Saviri came from her solitude to meet the stranger and recognised him to be one from the crowd that was here a few months back.

He hugged Savitra and cried.

'Men don't cry',thought Savithri,'but why is he crying on me'?

Finally he spoke...'I am taking Savitri with me'.His voice was so authoritative that even her stern Grandmother didn't voice her displeasure.'She will be my daughter from now on.I lost my wife in childbirth and now my son has followed her . I have no one.She shall be with me and I will care for her like my daughter.Go dear girl,ask your mother to pack your bag for we are leaving in a few minutes.'

Savitri was so happy that she hugged the man and kissed him.'Freedom at last', thought the little girl.Her mother had already packed her cloths in a neat bundle and with it was her favorite stuffed doll.She kissed her mom goodbye and walked happily with the man whom she would start calling 'Appa'[Father].Neighbors were shell shocked and voiced their disapproval loudly.But nothing seemed to deter the stride of Appa.Walking -stick in one hand and Savitri's little hand in the other,he walked with great confidence and determination and climbed into the horse drawn cart that stood at the end of the street.

Savitri's mother wiped her eyes and smiled.Her plan had worked.She had sought her brothers help behind her husbands back which was considered unethical in those days.She couldn't bear to see her little one clad in widows cloths and being traumatised.She sent word through her brother to her in-laws begging him to free the child of these meaningless rituals.

Savitri became the darling of the new household.Appa's sister whom she started calling ' Seetha Athai' was her favorite.Seetha though dressed like her grandma was quite different from anyone she has seen.She was more like a mother to her.Seetha dressed her up like old days and soon she was playing with other children in the courtyard.A tutor was employed and she began schooling at home.She had always wondered why she had never been sent to school like her brothers but never knew the answer.Her grandmother believed that schooling was for boys and not for the girls who would be spening the rest of their lives serving their husband and children.She studied with great enthusiasm much to the delight of Appa.

She got the news from her home front through her uncle and days just flew by.The little Savitri blossomed into a beautiful lady.At the age of 18 she was married off to Seetha Athai's son and soon the two started a happy life together.She helped run their family business,a rare feat for women in those days.Everyone spoke high of her beauty and her brains.After Appa's death she ran the household with equal vigor.Days turned into weeks and months and years and their happiness was marred by the only fact that they could not beget children.But Savitri was not disheartened.The duo started a home for destitute women and children and lived up to a ripe old age......

'But Bapuji,you promised to tell us about your childhood',said a little one from the group.

Bapuji smiled and closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

'Come children,let's go and have some kheer-coconut kheer,amma's[Mother] favorite'.All those gathered hurried to the dining room to savor amma's favorite kheer that Leela aunty had prepared.

Bapuji went to his room and closed the door.He wiped a tear and looked at his wife.She smiled at him.

'Are you wondering why I didn't tell them the whole truth?Well,Amma changed your name from Savitri to Saraswathi as if to drive away your misfortunes with a new name.I couldn't tell them it was you dear.The children will be saddened to know it.'

She smiled again.

'You are the bravest and strongest girl I have ever seen.Taking lead from Appa you broke so many social taboos without worrying about what people spoke about you.You studied,helped appa run his business,accepted my proposal to marry you,started this home for children.......'.He choked with emotion....

'You served your father in law like he was your own Appa.His last days were a real torture,even to him.How he suffered and how well you served him in all possible ways to ease his pain.No other woman could have done those things.This smile has never left your face since the day I met you.No matter what others gossiped about you you never changed......'.Words refused to come out and he finally managed to say 'Happy birthday dear...'

She smiled...He hugged her tight.He did not release the embrace for along time.A small knock broke the silence.

'Bapuji,I got you some kheer....Bapuji.......Bapuji........'

Leela opened the door slowly and bit back a scream....

Bapuji was lying on the floor clutching Saraswathi amma's photo with a smile on his face......
                  

                               * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This is a story that has both fact and fiction.I have heard some facts like child marriages,early widowhood and treatment of widows in those days from my great grand mother.Girls were married off early but stayed with their parents till puberty.They were taken to the in-laws home later on.Diseases and misfortunes were plenty in those days and many young children lost their lives.Some girls became widows even before they knew what had happened.In those days remarriage ,even of the young widow,was considered a taboo.Other events, however, are figments of my imagination.

This is off to Of Chalks to Chopsticks hosted by Jaya ,an event started by Aqua

                                 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Now to the recipe.....

You need:

Coconut grated - 1 cup
Rice-1 tablespoon,soaked in water for 10 minutes
Jaggery-1/4 cup
Cardamom powder-a pinch
Milk-3 cups
Toasted/fresh coconut to garnish

1. Dissolve the jaggery in a little water .[Use just enough water to dissolve the jaggery and not more]. Strain and keep aside.
2. Make a paste of the coconut,rice and cardamom powder.
3. Heat milk in a heavy bottomed pan and put in diluted jaggery,ground paste.
4. Simmer for 10 minutes and remove from heat.

Serve garnished with fresh / toasted coconut.

Since we garnish it with toasted coconut,there is no need to add roasted cashews / raisins .


Bon Appetit...

Ginger Tomato Chutney

This chutney is from Srivalli's blog.This recipe Allam Tomato Pachadi,as she calls it, gives a different touch to the regular chutney.We had as a side dish with soft idli's .This goes to Siri's healing foods,hosted here with the theme Tomato.

I used:

Ripe tomatoes - 3,roughly chopped
Onion-1,chopped
Ginger-3" piece
Red chilli -2
Oil-1 teaspoon
Salt to taste

To season:

Oil-1 teaspoon
Mustard- 1 teaspoon
curry leaves a few

1. Heat oil in a pan and put in tomato,onion,ginger,red chilli and saute till the toamto is soft.
2. Cool and make a paste with salt.I did not add extra water as the tomato was very ripe.Remove to a serving dish.
3. Heat a small pan and put in the seasonings.When the mustard crackles pour over the chutney and mix well.

Serve as a side dish with a tiffin of your choice.

Sending this to  Priya's Bookmarked recipes.

Bon Appetit...

Vegetable And Lentil Sevai

Any preparation with Rice sevai is my favorite and last weekend I prepared this nutritious vegetable and lentil rice sevai to go with our evening coffee.It may sound weird but it is a light snack kind of snack that can double as a breakfast dish as well.

Alter the ingredients to suit yout taste.Increase or decrease the lentils and vegetables based on how your family likes them.

I used:

Rice sevai
Boiled vegetables-I used carrots,beans,peas
Boiled lentils-Black channa/chickpea and horsegram/kollu


Seasonings

Mustard
Cumin seeds
Curry leaves
Green chillies
Oil -1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Heat oil in a pan and put in the seasonings and when it splutters add the boiled veggies,boiled lentils,rice sevai and salt.Mix well and simmer for a couple of minutes.Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves.Serve as a snack / breakfast dish.

This is being sent to CWF LB-Chickpeas hosted by Nithu of Nithu's kitchen,an event started Kiran.

Other Sevai varieties :



Lemon sevai
Ellu sevai

 Bon Appetit...

Kothamalli Podi | Coriander -Lentil Spice Mix | Coriander Chutney Powder

Srivalli of Cooking 4 all seasons has chosen My Diverse Kitchen for this months Tried and Tasted,started by Zlamushka ,who passed it on to Lakshmi of Kitchen Chronicles.

My diverse kitchen is authored by Aparna and her blog is a treasure trove of recipes,Indian and continental.Her clicks need a special mention.I regularly hop over to her blog to drool over her recipes and her clicks and when it came to selecting a recipe from her kitchen I was really stumped.So many to choose from.Since I am frantically packing for my return trip,I thought I can use some spice mix.I had a bunch of freshly harvested coriander leaves from my backyard and turned it into Aparna's spice mix.

A South Indian household can never been seen without a few jars of spice mixes and I am no exception.I love all forms of spice mixes and have small jars of them for the 'rainy days'.So this one too shall join them :).I just left out one ingredient -jaggery-from the Original recipe .Otherwise I have used the exact measurements as mentioned by Aparna.It tasted so good when we had it with steamed rice drizzled with sesame oil.Yum yum....

I used:

Fresh coriander leaves- 1 1/2 cups loosely packed
Urad dhal-1/2 a cup
Gram dhal / Channa dhal- 1/2 a cup
Red chillies-5
Tamarind-a small marble size
Asafoetida powder- a pinch
Salt to taste

1. Heat a pan and put in all the ingredients except coriander leaves and salt.
2. Roast till the dhal turnd brown.
3. Turn off the heat and put in the coriander leaves and saute till it releases a fine aroma and wilts.Transfer the contents to a plate and cool.
4. Grind along with salt to a coarse powder.
5. Store in an air tight container and refrigerate.

Aparna says it goes well with idli and dosa like our good old Milagaipodi.I am yet to try it this way.

This is also being sent to Back to basic event hosted by Aqua,conceptualized by Jaya and to Nupur's BB6-Potluck edition.


Bon Appetit...

Kollu Rasam |Selavu Rasam | Horsegram Soup

I have posted two recipes today.Do check out the tasty Tofu stuffed paratha too...

Each time I come down to India,I try to learn as many new recipes as possible,from my mom and the cook at MIL's place.This rasam is from my cook who, one day,saw a pack of kollu / horse gram in the pantry and said she would prepare 'selavu rasam'.[Selavu ,in tamil,means-expense/expenditure].I was puzzled.Was the rasam going to make me spend more,I wondered.Then she elaborated that since this recipe involves more ingredients than the usual rasam,people referred it to as the rasam that is prepared after spending money to procure the ingredients!!Nice name and lovely rasam.Some people refer this as medicinal side dish too!!

The health benefits of kollu/horsegram is here,so I am not elaborating it again.Here is how the horsegram looks....

Now to the recipe..

You need:

Horsegram-1/2 a cup
Tomato-1,blanched and pureed
Tamarind extract-1 teaspoon,thick
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder-a pinch
Curry leaves-a few
Salt to taste
Oil-1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves to garnish

Grind to a smooth paste

Pearl onion-5 numbers
Garlic-3 large pods
Red chillies-2
Coriander seeds- 1 1/2 teaspoons
Cumin seeds-1 teaspoons
Curry leaves a few
Cooked horsegram-2 tablespoons

1. Pressure cook the horsegram for 20 minutes with a few drops of pure castor oil.Please note that if you are using castor oil for the first time,use exactly two drops,even otherwise castor oil must be used judiciously.If castor oil is unavailable,use sesame oil.Else just pressure cook it for more than 25-30minutes,or till soft.Horsegram requires a longer time to cook when compared to the other legumes.Soaking helps it to cook a little faster.
2. When the pressure releases,mash it lighlty with the back of a laddle and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and put the mustard,cumin and asafoetida,curry leaves.
4. When it splutters,put in ground paste and saute for a minute.
5. Add the pureed tomato,mashed horsegram,tamarind extract and salt.
6. Add water to bring it to the consistency of your liking.
7. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5-8 minutes.

Serve, garnished with coriander leaves,as a soup or as an accompaniment with steamed rice.





This lentil soup / side dish is going to be served at MLLA - 26,an event started by Susan and now hosted by Simone.

Bon Appetit...




   

Tofu Parathas -Stuffed Paratha Series # 2

I have posted two recipes today.Check out Kollu rasam | Horsegram soup too....

Sometimes it pays to be forgetful.When Jaya announced Global Kadai,challenging us to IndianizeTofu,I was vexed.I had just one Tofu recipe in my drafts and I was felt so horrible that I could not 'spam' her mailbox with my tofu love.Today when I was going through my photo folder I almost screamed with joy.

Before leaving to India,I had prepared a few tofu dished,clicked and transferred them into my pen-drive and forgot about it.So now I am very happy to see all my click save and sound and ready to be sent to a couple of events.[Jaya,watch out,there will be multiple entries from me :).]

Stuffed Parathas are very filling and nutritious.Tough there is a double work of preparing the filling and then putting them into the paratha,it is totally satisfying.Instead of the regular aloo paratha or paneer paratha,I made this stuffed tofu paratha.

I used:


For the dough:

Whole wheat flour- 4 cups 6 +  a little for dusting
Salt to taste

For the filling:

Tofu -1/2 a cup,crumbled
Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
Cumin powder-1/2 a teaspoon
Chilli powder-1 teaspoon
Finely chopped coriander-1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

1. Take the flour and salt in a large bowl.Add water little by little and m,make a stiff dough.Cover it with a wet cloth and keep aside.
2. If using packaged tofu,drain well and put in all the ingredients under filling in a bowl and mix well.
3. Pinch out a large ball of dough and flatten.Dust a little flour if necessary.Place a tablespoon of filling in the centre and bring in the edges to seal the fillings.Flatten again .
4. Heat a griddle and cook the parathas till brown spots appear on both the side.Drizzle a little oil if required.
5. Serve hot with a side dish of your choice.

This also goes to MLLA - 26,an event started by Susan and now hosted by Simone.
Earlier in this series...

#1 - Bing | Spring onion stuffed paratha

Bon Appetit...



   

Tomato Dosa

Dosa or Idli is an integral part of the South Indian breakfast.When the usual varieties are boring,its time to experiment and find out new tastes to suit our palette.

I tried this from Sailu's blog with a few changes.The best part is that this batter needs no fermentation and can be used as soon as it is ground.If the tomatoes are ripe the color of the dosa will be brlliant.



I used: [The original recipe is here]

Raw rice- 2 cups
Toor dhal-2 tablespoons
Ripe tomato -2
Grated coconut-2 tablespoons
Red chillies-5
Salt to taste

1. Soak rice,toor dhal and redchillies for 4 hours.
2. Drain and grind to a smooth batter along with chopped tomato,coconut and salt.Add water to get a dosa batter consistency.
3. Heat a griddle and pour a ladleful of batter and spread like dosa.Drizzle oil around the edges if necessary.Cook till the edges lift up from the griddle.
4. Flip it over and cook for a few seconds till done.
5. Serve hot with a side dish of your choice.

Tomato dosa served with coconut chutney and Milagai podi

This recipe goes to Siri's Healing foods event hosted here with the theme - Tomato and Nupur's BB6 - Potluck edition.

Happy cooking...




   

Tomato Juice

Though summer is 'officially' over,the sun doesn't seem to let down and its still blazing hot out here.A juice /  milkshake/ice creams and sorbets are peoples choice.When I don't have the patience to go out and buy these things,the least I can do is to make some fresh juice at home.A simple and chilled tomato juice not only beats the heat but on regular use keeps your skin glowing too.Not only that,it is a good source of Lycopene , Potassium and Vitamin C .Tomato juice must be avoided when there is gall bladder problem.




I use:

Ripe Tomatoes
Chilled water
Chaat masala
Sugar,Salt and Pepper to taste

There are no actual measurements.Go by your taste.Quarter tomatoes and puree them with water,salt,sugar.
Strain and add more water if required.Pour into glasses and sprinkle pepper powder and  chaat masala and serve.As simple as that!







Bon Appetit...

Lunch With My Sis...

One Sunday morning,a couple of years ago, was a busy day indeed...Not for me but for my mom.She had invited my sis and her little daughter for lunch.[Her hubby was away on some tour].Mom said she needs no help and I could watch her in her work if I wanted to and that's exactly what I did.I was drooling by the time she even started cooking.In her usual way,she went around the kitchen turning it into heaven!!This is what we had for lunch.

• Happala Karadha Payasa
• Rice with sambar,Rasam
• Potato Podimas
• Bajjis
• Curd Rice

Simple but a delicious treat.


Happala Karadha Payasa is very yum especially since we use ghee to deep fry the happala.[Of course, anything that makes use of ghee is definitely yum].It is one of my favorite payasa/kheer.Though time consuming,I assure you that the result will keep you craving for more.



Sambar...Mmmmm...This is one of the staples in all south Indian homes.The other one being the good old rasam.I always wonder how moms rasam is so aromatic and tasty.Anyone who catches the wonderful aroma wafting around the house when she is preparing it are sure to comment on it and very soon a piping hot bowl of her rasam will find a place on their table!

Potato Podimas is a easy-to-prepare potato curry and there is no one who does not like potato and this is one recipes that everyone will love.

Now coming to my dearest curd rice-Would you believe me if I told you that I had been eating this humble curd rice for breakfast for the more than 10 years!! Wonders-When I come to think of it I am amazed myself.When mom used to turn out yumm breakfasts, I still would adamantly stick on to my favorite curd rice.Yes, for many years during my school and college days this was my breakfast staple.

I still remember my school bully who went around spreading this wonderful news and telling everyone that those who ate curd rice in the morning were bound to be dull-headed as it would make them sleepy and even more important would do badly in their studies.But that clearly didn't deter me from changing my breakfast menu.Not only did I do well in school,I was a medalist in college as well!!Curd rice is a breeze to prepare and you can add or omit the garnishing to your taste.Add in Raisins/roasted cashews/finely chopped apples/green grapes,raw mango/cucumber...Anything to suit your palate.



Bajji-My niece just adores them.Use any vegetable like Potato/Ridgegourd/Chow-chow/Onion/Brinjal and she will be the first one to come running to the kitchen to grab her share.


All these recipes are here for you to try out and have a wonderful lunch....

Sambar,rasam,potato podimas,curd rice,bajji with rice and ghee

If you are wondering when we had this lunch it was sometime around May 2008!!!Lil angel was a 3 month old baby catching aroma and she was probably wondering what those delicious smells were!!!

Bon Appetit...

And The Winner Is...........

Thank you dear friends for taking part in the Giveaway.

I picked up a winner through random generator and the lucky person is

Comment No. 8 -And the winner is.......'Pavitra' of Dishes From My Kitchen

Pavithra said...


Wow congrats on ur 500th post.. for me still i have to go long way dear.. keep up ur work and all the best for future achievements. By the way kala jamun my very fav sweet of all.. looks yummy.

Congrats Pavitra,Please send me your mail id.Wishing you a happy and fun filled shopping experience....

Tamatar Ka Shorba [Microwave Version] | Indian Tomato Soup

Tomatoes that were selling for Rs.35/kg  a month ago now costs 7/kg.To celebrate this I bought loads of tomato from the farmers and am in the process of turning them into delicacies for this months Healing foods with the theme-Tomato being hosted here.Healing foods was started by Siri of Siri's corner to know more about the foods that have a curative property when added to our diet.

So here is one 'healing' soup ,an indianized version-Tamatar Ka Shorba.After going through many variations and varieties,I put in what I had and made this in less than 10 minutes in the microwave.This is yet another simple soup recipe that can be put together in a jiffy.

I used:

Ripe tomatoes-4
Bay leaf-1
Ginger garlic paste-1 teaspoon
Roasted cumin powder-1 teaspoon.
Red chilli powder-1/4 teaspoon
Salt and pepper to taste
Coriander leaves to garnish

1. Blanch tomatoes.
2. Peel and puree after it cools .
3. In a deep microwave proof dish,put in  pureed tomato,all the ingredients [except pepper powder and coriander leaves], enough water [to get the consistency of your choice] and microwave on high for 5 minutes or till it starts bubbling.
4. Remove the bay leaf and serve hot garnished with pepper powder and coriander leaves.

Srivalli of Cooking 4 all seasons is celebrating the third anniversary of MEC event with the theme 'potluck' and this soup is being sent to MEC and also to her 365 days of MW cooking

Bon Appetit...






 

Chow-chow Bhaat

Known by names like Sechium edule[botanical] chayote,benguluru vankaya,chow-chow,chuchu, sayote, tayota, choko, chocho, chow-chow, christophene, mirliton, vegetable pear, starprecianté, citrayota or citrayote (Ecuador and Colombia) and pear squash[Source Wikipedia],this belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family,joining the melons, cucumbers and squash.When I bought this veggie at the farmers market,Ju said that I had purchased 'Buddha's hand'.Well,that's the translation of its Mandarin name which suggests that it looks like folded palms.


Now to the recipe,as I have a habit of turning steamed rice into interesting versions of flavored rice,I tried this spicy rice that was welcomed by all at home.


I used:


Steamed rice - 2 cups
Chow-chow-1/2 cup ,finely chopped
Multi purpose spice mix-3 tablespoons
Thick tamarind extract-1 tablespoon
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
Gram dhal-1 teaspoon
Curry leaves-a few
Oil-2 teaspoons
Salt to taste

1. Microwave the chow-chow sprinkling a little water till just cooked.Keep aside.Alternatively you can also cook it on the stove top.
2.  Heat oil in a pan and put in mustard,cumin and curry leaves.
3. When this pops add the chow-chow and saute for a minute.
4. Add the tamarind extract and a little water and once the raw smell disappears,put in the cooked rice,salt and multi purpose spice mix.[Check the taste before adding salt as the spice mix already has some salt added to it]
5. Mix well and cover and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Serve with pappad / raita.

Note:

• Taste and increase the spice mix if you want it more spicier.Add more cooked rice if the quantity I used is spicy.
• Adjust tamarind extract to suit your taste.

Bon Appetit...