Instant Kambu(Pearl Millet) & Oats Dosa

Our sterday's dinner is this instant pearl millet and oats dosa...Easy, simple and healthy dosa ready within few minutes..i was really breaking my head to prepare healthy stuffs nowadays...Since a packet of pearl millet flour was laying quite a long in my pantry, i tried adding the pearl millet flour and oats together with few tablespoon of cornmeal to give a crispy texture...This instant dosa can be prepared very well for a healthy and filling breakfast or for an easy dinner...We enjoyed having this healthy dosa, this dosa can be served very well  with coconut chutney or spicy garlic chutney....

1cup Kambu (pearlmillet flour)
1cup Quick Cooking Oats
3tbsp Cornmeal
1/2cup Curd
Salt
1no Onion (chopped)
1/4tsp Mustard seeds
1/4tsp Urad dal
2nos Dry red chillies (broken)
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
3nos Curryleaves (chopped)

In a vessel, add the pearl millet flour, quick cooking oats, cornmeal ,curd and water as a thick batter..Heat few drops of oil and fry the mustard seeds,asafoetida powder, curry leaves urad dal and dry red chillies and add the chopped onions,stir until the onions turns transculent..add this tempered onions to the batter..

Heat a non stick pan and pour a ladle of this instant pearlmillet and oats batter,drizzle the oil and cook on both sides until the dosa get well cooked..

Gulab Jamun - Indian Cooking Challenge

For the first time, i prepared gulab jamuns from the scratch, thanks to Srivalli for choosing gulab jamuns for this month's challenge, i enjoyed preparing this gulab jamun for diwali and we enjoyed having this juicy and soft jamuns..Srivalli proposed us three ways of making out jamuns from the scratch, she choosed from the yum blog, from Indo and the last one from Alka's blog..I was bit nervous and went for reading through those three ways of making out jamuns, but finally i choosed from Indo's way of making out jamuns, her step by step pictures helped me a lot and i loved the way Indo's grandma prepared these juicy and soft jamuns...Thanks Indo..I followed all the ingredients and measurements she went for, i just loved the way each and every steps as indo described with her clicks that u wont even fail ur preparation..This jamuns tastes marvellous and divinely delicious when compared with store bought jamun mix...Going straight to Srivalli's Indian Cooking Challenge..

4litres/16Cups Whole milk
1/2kg Maida
1tbsp Curd
1tsp Baking soda
8cups Sugar
1/2no Lemon
1tbsp Cardamom powder

For Khova:

In a wide mouthed heavy bottom pan add the milk and heat it in a medium flame (add a couple of stainless steel spoons into the milk to avoid burning)..Reduce the milk for 3-4 hours till the milk solidifies and becomes thick.

Whip together yogurt and baking soda...To the khova add the flour and yogurt mixture and knead till it forms a pliant dough. (make sure not to add too much flour, just enough flour to make the khova pliant)

Make 3/4 inch diameter balls and set aside...

For Sugar Syrup:

In a pan add the sugar and just enough water to cover the sugar. Heat till it comes to a boil,add the cardamom powder...Squeeze the half of the lemon (this is to avoid sugar crystals). Set aside.

Heat the ghee and deep fry the balls, adding a few at a time till golden brown.

Cool the balls and soak them in the sugar syrup...Let sit for a few hours.

Normally ghee is recommended for frying the jamuns, but regular cooking oil can also be used.

Chicken Dhansak-Parsi Curry

Dhansak is a popular Indian dish, very popular among the Parsi community and combines elements of Persian and Gujarati cuisine.Dhansak is made traditionally on Sundays in Parsi homes, as it takes a while to make. It is made of lentils, vegetables, spices, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic etc. Among the Parsi community, Dhansak can be either prepared with chicken, mutton, in addition to the lentils and gourd or pumpkin. It is rarely made with other meats or as a vegetarian version.Outside of India, some variants of dhansak use pineapple chunks, eventhough traditional dhansak never contains pineapple or other fruits. I prepared few days back this chicken dhansak with chicken chunks, lentils and dhansak spice powder prepared at home itself..We enjoyed this chicken dhansak with hot steaming rice for lunch and with parathas for dinner..Am sending this chicken dhansak to RCI-Parsi Cuisine guest hosted by Meera of Enjoy Indian Food, event started by Lakshmi..

2cups Chicken pieces(boneless)
2tsp Ginger garlic paste
1/2cup Toor dhal
1/4cup Moong dhal
1/4cup Masoor dhal
1no Onion (big and chopped)
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
1tsp Garam masala
1tsp Tamarind( thick juice)
1/2tsp Mustard seeds
2nos Bay leaves
1cup Coriander & Mint leaves (chopped)
Salt
Water

Dhansak masala powder:
1tbsp Coriander seeds
4nos Dry red chillies
1tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Fennel seeds
3nos Cardamoms
1no Cinnamon stick (2inches broken)
1tsp Peppercorns
1/2tsp Fenugreek seeds

Grind all the spices as fine powder under the list for dhansak masala powder and keep aside...Meanwhile wash throughly the chicken chunks and add the garam masala powder & turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste with salt ,mix it thoroughly and let this spiced chicken sit for overnight or 4hours in fridge.

Heat oil, fry the bay leaves and mustard seeds, add the chopped onions and saute until the onions turns transculent, add the pulses and fry for few minutes, add enough water & salt to cover and cook in simmer until the pulses turns soft..stir occasionally and remove from the heat...

In an another pan, heat few drops of oil, saute the chicken pieces until they get half cooked..add the pulses,chopped coriander leaves, chopped mint leaves and dhansak masala powder to the cooking chicken chunks,keep stirring..once the chicken get well cooked, add the tamarind juice, give a stir and put off the stove...

U can prepare this chicken dhansak more thicker as u need, i went for sambhar like constitency..enjoy with rice or either with rotis..

Eggless Chocolate & Oats Cookies

Simple cookies with chocolate powder, canola oil with apple sauce & rolled oats...I prepared this cookies sterday which are really chewy and delicious, prefect even for kids from 3years..Healthy cookies with more oats and whole wheat flour..This baked goodies tastes marvellous when they were warm and we just enjoyed having this yummyilicious cookies for ur snacks and breakfast..Needless to say that this cookies suits prefectly for a lazy sunday breakfast and for evening snacks with a cup of milk..Chocolate always works wonder with oats and this cookies are my lil one's favourite now..If u need to make out more healthy, u can go for dry fruits or nuts..I didnt want to prepare this cookies with butter so i went for canola oil, u can also prepare this cookies with butter also these cookies are eggless and vegan..Voila am sending this chewy chocolate oats cookies Srilekha's EFM-Oats & Radhika n Sudeshna's  Food For Stages Of Life-Cookine For Kids & Toddlers...

2cups Quick cooking oats
1/2cup Whole wheat flour
2tbsp Dark chocolate powder
2tbsp Canola oil
2tbsp Applesauce
3/4cup Sugar
1tsp Baking powder
1/2tsp Baking soda

Mix the quick cooking oats, while wheat flour, dark chocolate powder, baking powder and baking soda together...add the sugar and canola oil to the dry ingredients, mix everything until u get a crumble mixture..now add slowly the apple sauce and turn them as dough..Preheat the oven at 350F..

 Line a baking paper over the baking tray..make small balls out of the dough r drop a scoop of the dough over the baking paper, leave some space between the cookies...bake them for 15-20minutes.. let them cool for few minutes before munching them.


Store the cookies in an air tightened container...Kids will love them for the sure....

Buttermilk Biscuits - T&T from Wandering Chopsticks

Buttermilk Biscuits!! dunno why this baked goodies are called so..I personally felt that this buttermilk biscuits tastes and looks like buns, prepared with buttermilk this tasty and soft buns tastes marvellous with jams or jellies for breakfast and with nutella spread for evening snacks...Its such a easy and simple baked goodies, which hardly needs few minutes to prepare the dough, with simple ingredients even a novice baker can definitely prepare very prefectly this buttermilk biscuits..I find out this buttermilk biscuits recipe while i was searching for some bakes through Wandering Chopsticks space..I saw this quick biscuits and immediately i tried out..We just loved it..Thanks to the wandering chopsticks for this easy biscuits which suits marvellously for breakfast,for dinner and with soups...The only thing i have changed in this baked goodies is i prepared this buns with all purpose flour and whole wheat flour instead of making out completely with all purpose flour, as the original recipe goes for..This buttermilk biscuits goes directly to Trupti's mailbox as she is guest hosting T&T-Wandering Chopsticks of this month..check out the original recipe here..

1cup Wheat flour
1cup All purpose flour
1cup Cold buttermilk
1/2cup Cold butter
2tsp Sugar
1tbsp Baking powder
Salt

Take the wheat flour, all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt..add gradually the cold butter chunks and mash them with a fork..now add the buttermilk and mix into dough....make a soft dough..keep aside for 15to 20minutes..

Flatten the dough and cut the dough with a biscuit cutter or a glass..Preheat the oven for 350F, line a baking sheet over the baking tray and arrange the dough to bake..Bake for 10to 15 minutes until golden..

Serve with butter or jams!

Scrambled Egg Pasta

Pasta ,famous Italian  foods made from an unleavened dough of flour and water, and sometimes a combination of egg and flour. Pastas include noodles in various lengths, widths and shapes, and varieties that are filled with other ingredients like ravioli and tortellini. The word pasta is also used to refer to dishes in which pasta products are a primary ingredient. It is usually served with sauce  to enhance the flavour. Dried pasta made without eggs can be stored for up to two years under ideal conditions, while fresh pasta will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator... In preparation for consumption, pasta is generally boiled. Pasta can be served with several varieties of sauce.. but i love to prepare pastas with simple scrambled eggs and we just love it..Delicious pasta dish with simple scrambled eggs, kids will definitely love this...This easy pasta dish suits even for kids from 2years and if i feel really lazy to prepare any dish i'll immediately go for this yummy pasta, this time i prepared this easy pasta dish with mini pastas like star & moon shaped pastas..Am sending this easy and filling pasta dish to Foods For Stages Of Life-Cooking For Infants & Toddlers event by Radhika & Sudeshna..

1no Pasta

1no Onion(chopped)

1no Tomato (chopped)

3nos Eggs

2tsp Parsley leaves (chopped)

1/4tsp Pepper powder

Salt

Olive oil

Cook the pasta as per instructions given in the pasta packets...Heat the olive oil and saute the chopped onions, chopped tomatoes together with pepper powder and salt until the veggies get well cooked..meanwhile whisk well the eggs and add gradually the eggs to the veggies, cook the eggs until they get well cooked as scrambled eggs, add the cooked pastas to the egg and veggies, toss gently and put off the stove..finally add the chopped parsley leaves..

Serve hot!

Cheesy Oats Paratha

Nowadays most of our dinner goes for parathas that too with oats, i cant stop myself adding oats to my many dishes am preparing, coz may be am changing myself as health nut...I just love anything with oats, even my family members started loving oats in everything.....yea we are trying to eat less rice and having more healthy stuffs in our way of having our lunch, breakfast and dinner...Sometimes our snacks also goes for baked version of many snacks,coz before i used deepfry almost everything...Am happy that i can eat healthy and better now..Yesterday i prepared this cheesy oats paratha with chicken dhansak,parsi curry sure i will post soon..Both together tastes marvellous, with this melting cheesy oats parathas we had a fantastic lunch sterday..Even for dusting this paratha i used quick cooking oats and i prepared my parathas with puri presser for prefect round shapes which hardly need few drops of oil and i didnt struggled to make out parathas that too stuffed cheesy parathas as stuffed parathas are tend to be sticky to the rolling pin coz of the stuffing ingredients..Am sending this cheesy oats parathas to CFK-Wheat guest hosted by Sireesha, event started by Sharmi, Srilekha's EFM-Oats, Sudeshna's & Radhika's Food For Stages Of Life-Cooking For Infants & Toddlers and finally to Sara's Say Cheese..

2cups Wheat flour
1+1/2cup Oats flour
3/4cup Grated emmental cheese /any other cheese
1tsp Cumin powder
1/2tsp Pepper powder
Salt
1cup Curd
Quick cooking oats for dusting
Oil for cooking and for greasing

Make a soft dough with wheat flour, oats flour, cumin seed powder,salt, curd and water...Keep aside for half an hour..meanwhile take the grated cheese in a bowl, add the pepper powder and 3pinches of salt, mix and keep in fridge..

Make 10-12 medium sized balls from the dough...flatten the dough balls a bit with ur fingers, place a tablespoon of spiced grated cheese, close the cheese completely with the dough, flatten them again, dust with quick cooking oats, keep aside..Do the same to all other dough balls..Grease the puri presser, drop the oats dusted doughs and press until the dough gets well flatten..if u dont have puri presser, dust the dough with all purpose flour and roll them as parathas..

Heat few drops of oil and place the flattened paratha, cook on both side until they turns golden brown..Serve hot either with any side dish, kids will enjoy without any side dish, the left over cheesy oats parathas can also suits prefectly for evening snacks if they are served warm..

Godhuma(Wheat) & Sweet Potato Bonda

We feel like having some crispies for evening snacks when its rainy or cloudy, this happened to us last week...when its was raining out and we were completely blocked at home we really need something to munch,to forget those boring moments i prepared this crispy beauties to munch while watching some tv programmes..This bonda goes from wheat flour, cooked and smashed sweet potatoes, rava, baking soda & sugar...Very easy , simple and yummy crispy bonda suits prefect for evening snacks..Usually my mom prepare this bonda with all purpose flour and over ripen bananas but i want to prepare them somewat healthy and tried out this bonda with wheat flour and some leftover sweet potato chunks instead of bananas...Needless to say that this sweet bonda goes to CFK-Wheat guest hosted by Sireesha, event by Sharmi and to Sunday Snacks-Festive Snacks guest hosted by Indrani of Appyayan..

1cup Wheat flour
1/2cup Sweet potatoes (cooked and smashed)
1/4cup Sugar
2tbsp Roasted rava
1/2tsp Cardamom powder
1/2tsp Baking soda
Pinch Salt
Oil for deepfrying

In a large bowl, add the wheat flour, smashed sweet potatoes or either u can use sweet potato(cooked) puree, i prefer chunky sweet potatoes in my bondas so i smashed the cooked sweet potatoes with a fork, add the sugar, roasted rava, cardamom powder, baking soda, salt to the flour, add enough water to make out a thick and sticking dough..meanwhile heat the oil for deepfrying, once the oil is hot..make small balls from the dough or with a spoon, drop gently the balls and fry until they turns golden brown..

Serve hot or warm!

Spicy Yam Stir-fry

I just love simple stir fries with curd rice or with sambhar..one among those stir fried dishes is this yam stir fry...when i was kid, my mom used to make yam fritters and yam chips coz of my dad who never ever fond for stir fries..sometime she used to make out this easy stir fry with yams and i still remember that we two have to finish that whole bowl as none at home never liked this stir fry..its has been ages i have prepared stir fry with yam, last week when we went to Indian groceries, i picked some fresh yam..back home i prepared this easy and spicy yam stir fry with coriander powder and chilly powder within few minutes and we enjoyed having with curd rice...u doesnt need of chopping onions, grinding spices or frying masalas to prepare this simple stir fry..Simple stir fry ready within few minutes, am sending this spicy yam stir fry to Think Spice-Think Coriander Seeds hosted by me, event started by Sunita..

1/4kg Yam
1/2tsp Mustard seeds
1/2tsp Urad dal
1tbsp Coriander seed powder
1tsp Red chilly powder
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
Salt
OIl
3nos Curry leaves

Peel and chop the yam as small cubes, cook this chopped yam pieces with turmeric powder and water in a pan for few minutes or until the yam pieces get half cooked, strain the water and keep aside..

Heat enough oil and let splutters the urad dal and mustard seeds, add immediately the curry leaves and cooked yam pieces..saute for few minutes, finally add the coriander seed powder, chilly powder and salt and toss until the yam pieces get well coated with the spice powder,springle some water, cook everything in simmer with lid closed..put off the stove once the water get disappears..

Serve hot as side dish with any sort of rice dish..

Creamy Carrot & Cilantro Soup

Nothing will be really comforting to have a bowl of hot or warm soup with loads of veggies and aromatic herbs when its rainy or very cold, here is one among those delicious and flavourful soup with carrots and coriander leaves, this soup takes very less time and u can go for any other veggies instead of carrot and while herbs i would like to keep coriander leaves to make out this filling and delicious soup..Climate change often here in Paris, sterday we had a sunny day and day before sterday it was rainy..its really difficult for us to dress up according to the variations of climates, anyhow having soup for dinner with toasted breads suits prefect for everyone at home....The lil ones at just loved this creamy and healthy soup, as the tastes was slightly sweet coz of carrots and really flavourful coz of coriander leaves i used in this soup...This soup suits marvellously for kids between 24months to 36months when they are served with few chicken chunks...Am sending this colourful creamy and filling soup to Radhika's & Sudeshna's Foods For Stages Of Life-Cooking for infants & Toddlers & to EC's WYF-Light Meal...

1/4cup Coriander leaves

2cups Carrots (chopped)

1no Onion(chopped)

1/4cup Low fat cream

2nos Garlic cloves(minced)

2cups Vegetable stock/Water

Salt

Pepper powder

1tbsp Olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add immediately the chopped onions and minced garlic cloves..Stir until onions turns transculent, now add the chopped carrots and coriander leaves, saute everything well until the coriander leaves get shrinks..now its time to add the vegetable stock/water, salt and pepper powder..cook everything in simmer with lid closed for 10-15minutes, put off the stove...Blend this cooked veggies with hand blender by adding the low fat cream gradually, serve hot with toasted breads!

Enjoy!

Parsi Daal

My culinary adventures through parsi cuisine continues!!..While browsing through Meera's Space, i found this simple and easy parsi daal, immediately i tried out this delicious daal with a combination of toor dhal and masoor dhal together instead of making out simply with toor dhal...Meera prepared her parsi daal with garlic flakes while i went for shallots coz my H wont like that much garlic flakes in dhals...I prepared this dhal with shallots & with less garlic flakes when compared with Meera's version as i cant imagine daal without garlic, this dish tastes splendid with simple rice topped with ghee and fried papads, also prefect with microwave jeera aloo..i should definitely say a big thanks to Meera for this delicious and healthy dhal..Obviously am sending this dhal dish to Meera's mailbox as she is hosting RCI-Parsi Cuisine, event started by Lakshmi..If u fond for garlic, have a look at Meera's Parsi daal here..As this daal dish is neither hot and spicy, 3years old infants will definitely love with rice, so am sending this healthy daal to Radhika's & Sudeshna's Food For Stages Of Life-Cooking For Infants & Toddlers...

1/4cup Toor dhal
1/4cup Masoor dal
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
Salt

Tempering:
1tbsp Ghee
1/2tsp Cumin seeds
1no Red chillies
6nos Shallots
2tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)

Pressure cook the both dhals together with asafoetida powder and turmeric powder...add enough water to the cooked dhal and salt, bring to boil..In a small pan, heat the ghee, add the cumin seeds, red chillies, shallots ..fry the shallots until they get fried, add this tempered ghee to the daal, put off the stove and add the chopped coriander leaves..

Serve hot with plain rice!!

Vegan Cucur Kodok - Malaysian Banana Fritters

Cucur Kodok, one of the famous Malaysian banana fritters prepared with mashes bananas, sugar, eggs mixed with all purpose flour, but i tried out eggless and vegan version which i found while browsing through here, its really a simple, quick and easy evening snacks..many of the malaysian snacks are usually deep fried and one among those deep fried beauties this cucur kodok takes an important place, its seems that each and every family have their own version of making out this deep fried delicacy where some goes to eggs and while others goes for milk and eggs...Cucur means fried in malay and while kodok means toad or toad shaped..This cucur kodok resembles like toads bit ugly but when u tastes this banana fritter u will definitely love to munch these flavourful beauties coz they tastes marvellous, we enjoyed having this banana fritters for evening snacks, they tastes too good when they are still warm...Am sending this fritters to AWED-Malaysia guest hosted by Annarasa, event started by DK & to CFK-Wheat guest hosted by Sireesha, event started by Sharmi..

3nos Bananas
6tbsp Sugar
pinch Salt
1/4cup Wheat flour
3tbsp Grated coconut flakes
Oil

Mash the bananas and add the sugar, salt, wheat flour and grated coconut flakes, since i used over ripen bananas they were really watery when i mashed them, so i didnt add water to this mixture, the banana puree was perfect to mix all the ingredients prefectly as a prefect thick batter to drop..u can add water if the mixture is too thick...Heat the oil for deepfrying, drop a spoon full to the hot oil and fry till they turns brown..

Serve hot and enjoy!

Banh Kem Dua (Vietnamese Coconut Flan)-T&T From Wandering Chopsticks

Flan is a rich custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top, this dish has spread across Europe and the world, both créme caramel and flan are french names, but have come to have different meanings in different regions..Flan can also been called as either as créme caramel or caramel custard...Its such a quite easy dessert which goes for simple ingredients like eggs, milk and sugar...While browsing through Wandering Chopsticks, i got this tempting vietnamese version of coconut flan, immediately i got stick to this dessert and i really want to give a trial...We loved this flan much and its tastes really marvellous and delicious...I have added few tablespoons of dessicated coconut to this flan else i have prepared everything as the original recipe went for...This flan goes directly to Trupti's mailbox as this flan suits prefectly to T&T-Wandering Chopsticks as she is hosting for...Am sending this delicious vietnamese flan to Mansi's Sweet Celebration..

1no Coconut milk can(store bought)
2cups Milk
8nos Eggs
1/2cup Sugar (for flan)
1/2cup Sugar (caramel)

2tbsp Dessicated Coconut flakes

The hardest and very quick part of this flan is caramelizing sugar..add the sugar for caramel with half cup of water, heat this sugar over a medium low until the sugar gets dissolved, then turn the heat to medium high, keep stirring, once the sugar start boiling and thickening..keep an eye over the mixture..Once it becomes a frothy & dark brown mixture, take the pan of the stove and pour it to the ramekins..keep aside..arrange the ramekins into a pan,pour water into the pan and fill half, ths water will serve to steam the flan while baking in oven..

In an another heavy bottomed vessel, take together dessicated coconut flakes, sugar, milk and coconut milk and heat in mixture in low heat..beat the eggs into the milk and sugar mixture, stir continously and put off the stove, take care not to cook for a long..Strain this mixture to remove any cooked egg chunks, pour this egg-milk mixture to the ramekins..Preheat the oven to 325F, arrange the water filled pan with ramekins in middle rack and cook for half an hour until the top of the flan turns slightly brown or when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean..

Serve chilled!!! To serve, slide a knife around the outside of the flan, put a plate over the top and flip...Enjoy!!

Latkes (Jewish Potato Pancakes)- T&T from Wandering Chopsticks

Jewish Potato pancakes, also known as latkes or latkas are shallow-fried pancakes of grated potato and egg, often flavored with grated onion. Potato pancakes may be topped with a variety of condiments, ranging from the savory such as sour cream and to the sweet such as applesauce or sugar, or they may be served ungarnished. Potato pancakes are sometimes made from mashed potatoes to produce pancake-shaped croquettes..Latkes are traditionally eaten by Ashkenazi Jews during the Jewish Hanukkah festival. I had this delicious potato pancakes quite long back at my jewish friend's place but never tried at home, and i have completely forgotten this delicious pancakes, while going through Wandering Chopsticks i found this dish and tried at home today..I felt personally this pancakes tastes marvellous with ketchup..Am sending this entry to T&T-Wandering Chopsticks guest hosted by Trupti of Recipe Center..

4nos Potatoes (grated)
1no Onion (grated)
Salt
Pepper powder
1no Egg
Oil for shallow frying

Put the grated potatoes into a colander with a bowl and strain the excess water and starch..Squeeze out the water from the grated onion, take both the grated onions and grated potatoes with salt, pepper powder and toss until they get well mixed, again squeeze out the water as grated potatoes and onions tends to leave water once salt is added..Add the beaten egg to the veggies, meanwhile the strach from the potato water would have settled at the bottom of the bowl,throw out the water and add the potato starch to the grated potato mixture..make out 6-7patties from this mixture..

Heat oil for shallow frying, fry the patties both sides until they turns golden brown, drain the excess oil with paper towel..

Khara Papeta (Parsi Potato Curry)

If u are searching something very easy, delicious and a prefect side dish for rice, rotis, parathas or simply as a curry u should have a look at this fabulous parsi style potato curry, this curry tastes marvellous which ressembles quite between the potato masala we prepare for pooris or chappathis and potato masala we use for masala dosa..this delicious parsi potato curry goes for simple ingredients and very quick also easy to prepare, with few ingredients this curry suits prefectly for both kids and adults, we enjoyed having this curry with sambar rice and for dinner we had this curry with crispy dosa..This potato curry is one of the famous vegetarian side dish prepared very often by the Parsi peoples, needless to say that this parsi curry goes directly to RCI-Parsi Cuisine guest hosted by Meera of Enjoy Indian Food, event started by Lakshmi..

3nos Potatoes
2nos Onions (sliced)
1no Tomato (chopped)
1/2tsp Cumin seeds
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
2cups water
4nos Garlic cloves(minced)
2tsp Ginger (minced)
Oil
2tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
Salt

Peel the potatoes and cut into small cubes, meanwhile heat the oil,let splutters cumin seeds and saute the onions till they turns golden brown, add the minced garlic cloves, minced ginger pieces,saute again for a while, now add the cubed potatoes,chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric powder, fry for few minutes..finally add the water and cook everything in medium flame until the potatoes are cooked, garnish with chopped coriander leaves..

Serve hot !

Chunky Broccoli & Rajma Soup

Broccoli's noteworthy nutrients include vitamin C, vitamin A, folic acid, calcium, and fiber. While the calcium content of one serving doesn't equal that of a glass of milk, broccoli is an important calcium source for those who don't consume dairy products. Research shows that this mineral may play a role in the control of high blood pressure, and it may work to prevent colon cancer. Broccoli is a fiber find. Not only is it a rich source, but half of its fiber is insoluble and half is soluble,Botanically, broccoli belongs to the cabbage family, collectively known as cruciferous vegetables.Rajma are highly rich in potassium, low-sodium food they help reduce blood pressure. Not only they are low in fat, but when combined with grains, beans supply high quality protein which provides a healthy alternative to meat or other animal protein. I combined both these wonderful veggies and beans to make out this delicious soup which suits prefectly for dinner,which tastes awesome with simple bread toast...Am sending this delicious and healthy soup to JFI-Rajma guest hosted by Divya of Dilse, event started by Indira...

20nos Broccoli florets
2cups Rajma (soaked and pressure cooked)
1no Onion (chopped)
2nos Garlic cloves (minced)
2cups Vegetable stock
1/2tsp Pepper powder
Salt
Olive oil

Heat olive oil in a pan, add the chopped onions and minced garlic cloves and saute until the onions turns transculent, meanwhile keep half a cup of cooked rajma aside and grind the remaining rajma with vegetable stock as fine paste..i didnt strain this rajma paste, if u want to strain u can do...Add the broccoli florets to the onions and saute until the broccoli florets get half cooked, now add the already grounded rajma paste, cooked rajma,pepper powder and salt to the veggies , cook until the soup gets thickens..

Enjoy this chunky soup with toasted bread!!!

Akuri/Akoori - Parsi Style Scrambled Eggs

Akuri or Akoori, a delicious parsi style scrambled eggs prepared by the parsi peoples for their breakfast, can be served very well with toasted bread this parsi scrambled eggs tastes delicious and very flavourful coz of the spice powder used in this scrambled eggs.The spices consist of ginger, coriander, chopped chilis, and black pepper; minced tomatoes are commonly added. It is traditionally eaten with pav or double roti.This scrambled eggs can also prepared very well as microwave version anyhow the quiet easiest way to prepare this egg dish is stove top, ready within few minutes and suits prefectly as side dish even for rice dishes...Am sending this scrambled eggs to RCI-Parsi Cuisine guest hosted by Meera of Enjoy Indian Food, event started by Lakshmi..

4nos Eggs
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
1/2tsp Pepper  powder
1/2tsp Garam masala powder
1no Onion (chopped finely)
1no Tomato (chopped)
1tsp Ginger (minced)
2tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
2nos Green chillies (chopped)
Salt
Oil

Heat oil and fry the chopped onions and minced ginger until the onions turns transculent, add the chopped tomatoes to the cooking onions and saute for a while..meanwhile whisk the eggs with turmeric powder, garam masala powder, coriander leaves, chopped green chillies, pepper powder and salt..Add this spiced egg mixture to the veggies and stir until the eggs get well cooked..

Serve hot with bread, rotis or chappathis!

Spinach Puree For Toddlers

Cooked spinach is an excellent source of iron, a mineral that it particularly important for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency. Boosting iron stores with spinach is a good idea, especially because, in comparison to red meat, a well-known source of iron, spinach provides iron for a lot less calories and is totally fat-free. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. And, if you're pregnant or lactating, your needs for iron increase. Growing children and adolescents also have increased needs for iron. In one cup of boiled spinach, you'll be provided with 35.7% of the daily value for iron.

So while spinach probably won't make you super strong the minute you eat it, as it did for Popeye, it will promote your health and vitality in many other ways. It seems like Popeye was pretty smart after all.Choose spinach that has vibrant deep green leaves and stems with no signs of yellowing. The leaves should look fresh and tender, and not be wilted or bruised. Avoid those that have a slimy coating as this is an indication of decay.

Store fresh spinach loosely packed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper where it will keep fresh for about five days. Do not wash it before storing as the moisture will cause it to spoil. Avoid storing cooked spinach as it will not keep very well.

Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, and vitamin B6. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, protein, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin E. In addition, it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin and selenium.Feeding infants and toddlers is quite a hard task and this spinach puree is one among those healthy dish which is rich in nutrients and suits perfectly for toddlers and infants from 6months to 12 months, am sending this healthy puree to Radhika's& Sudeshna's  Food For Stages Of Life -Cooking For Infants & Toddlers..

1no Potato(big)
1cup Spinach (chopped)
pinch Salt
1/4tsp Butter

Chop the potatoes as tiny cubes, cook this potato chunks with water in a pan, when this potato chunks are half cooked add the chopped spinach and cook in simmer..blend this cooked spinach and potatoes with pinch of salt and butter..

Feed this puree to toddlers with a tablespoon of finely chopped any sort of meats, this puree suits prefectly for toddlers from 6 months to 12 months..

Mixed Vegetables Chilli Kothu Parotta

Kothu parotta, i love this delicious dish..Whenever i go to Indian restaurant i usually order kothu parotta, but anyhow making out this spicy and delicious dish at home also needs hardly few minutes if u go for store bought parottas..Quick dish with plenty of colourful veggies tastes marvellous for lunch or for dinner..I have added two bowls of chopped veggies to this kothu parotta, as my lil ones are picky eaters, this is how i feed my lil ones to eat veggies, as they like parottas very much..I have prepared parottas quite a long and freezed them after cooking them..I used those already half cooked parottas to make out this mixed vegetables chilli kothu parotta...This chilli kothu parotta is such a complete dish u doesnt even need any side dish,anyhow some may go for tomato ketchup..For non vegetarian version, u can either add cooked chicken chunks,minced meat or eggs..This mixed vegetables chilli kothu parotta suits incredibly to lunch box menu and i can definitely say that kids will love to carry this delicious dish for their lunch...

4nos Plain parottas
2nos Onions (chopped)
1no Tomato (chopped)
1nos Carrot (chopped)
1/2cup Green peas
1/2cup Green and red capsicum (chopped)
1no Potato (chopped)
2nos Green chillies (slit opened)
1/2tsp Fennel seed powder
1/2tsp Pepper powder
1/2tsp Ginger garlic paste
1/2tsp Garam masala powder
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
1/2tsp Red chilly powder
3nos Curry leaves
2tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
Oil
Salt

Cook the parottas and cut the parottas as small pieces or either grind as small pieces in a mixie, keep aside...Heat the onion, tomatoes,curry leaves and fennel seed powder and saute well,now add the ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell disappears..now add the chopped carrots, chopped potatoes, green peas, slit opened green chillies and saute everything well, finally add the green and red capsicum and saute for a while..finally add the garam masala powder, chilly powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, salt and add the parotta pieces, cook everything in simmer  for about 10minutes until the parottas get well mixed....

Finally add the coriander leaves and put off the stove..

Microwave Jeera Aloo

If u r searching something easy, tasty and prefect side dish for any rice dishes, u have  to check out this jeera aloo..This jeera aloo is really very easy to prepare, ready within few minutes and a delicious side dish for simple rice dishes...Its such a spicy and delicious aloo dish, suits incredibly for sambar rice and rasam..personnally i felt that this is prefect side dish of rasam, both together tastes divine and marvellous...This delicious dish doesnt even go for chopping, grinding or for frying, its definitely a keeper..we enjoyed this spicy jeera aloo dish..Easy spicy jeera aloo goes directly to MEC-Fresh Produce guest hosted by Suma, event started by Srivalli & to Think Spice-Think Coriander seeds guest hosted by me, event started by Sunita...

3nos Potatoes
1tsp Coriander powder
1/2tsp Red chilly powder
5nos Curry leaves
1tsp Cumin seeds
Salt
Oil

Wash thoroughly the potatoes n cut them as small medium pieces, put them in ziplock bags, makes small holes on the ziplock bags r punch them with sharp knife, cook high in microwave oven for 5 minutes...at this time they will get well cooked, remove the skin ...Add the coriander powder, red chilly powder and salt to the cooked potatoes and toss gently until all these spices get well mixed..Heat enough oil in a microwave safe bowl, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves and cook in high for 5minutes, now add the spiced potato chunks and cook in high for 15minutes(stir thrice in between) until the oil gets separates from the potato masala..

Serve hot with rice! enjoy...

Madurai Style Chicken Kuzhambu

Quiet a long, i have nt posted non vegetarian dishes..I prepared this chicken kuzhambu sterday after a long and this kuzhambu is really different and fabulous which suits marvellously with hot rice..This kuzhambu tastes exactly wat madurai peoples serve hot with parathas,chappathis and for briyanis.. Chicken kuzhambu have so many versions and variations according to each regions of India, i love the chettinadu version of non vegetarian dishes which tastes hot and spicy while this madurai style chicken kuzhambu tastes very flavourful and hot as this kuzhambu was tempered with sesame oil..I learned this dish from my friend who is from Madurai and we enjoyed this lip smacking chicken kuzhambu with hot rice and papads and we loved it....Am sending this delicious kuzhambu to Think Spice-Think Coriander seeds guest hosted by me, event started by Sunita..

1no Chicken (cut as medium size pieces)
2nos Onions (chopped)
1no Tomato(chopped)
4nos Garlic cloves (minced)
1tbsp  Ginger (crushed)
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
2nos Dry red chillies
4tbsp Sesame oil
2nos Bay leaves
Salt
2tbsp Coriander leaves
5nos Curry leaves

To Grind:
5nos Dry red chillies
2tbsp Coriander seeds
1tsp Black peppercorns
1tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Fennel seeds
2tsp Poppy seeds
1no Cinnamon stick
2nos Cloves
1no Cardamom
2tbsp Fresh grated coconut

Dry roast all the ingredients one by one from the list 'to grind' until they turns slightly brown, switch off the stove and cool completely..grind as fine paste with water and keep aside

Heat the sesame oil and fry the red chillies,curry leaves and bay leaves..now add the chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, crushed ginger and minced garlic, fry everything for few minutes until the onions turns transculent, now add the chicken pieces, turmeric powder and cook everything in simmer until the chicken pieces get half cooked, finally add the masala paste, salt and stir gently for few minutes, add enough water to the cooking masala and chicken, cook the gravy in medium flame until the oil gets separates..Add the chopped coriander leaves to the kuzhambu and put off the stove..

Serve hot with rice or rotis!

Stuffed Rajma Paratha

Its really a great pleasure to have some healthy stuffs after munching loads of sweets and savouries during festival times..Our's sterday lunch was this delicious stuffed rajma paratha prepared with spiced rajma masala and with a combination of wheat flour and oats flour which i served with some tomato salads...We enjoyed having this delicious paratha, which doesnt even need any side dishes as the stuffed rajma masala itself makes this paratha prefect to eat without any side dishes...Its such a healthy and delicious stuffed parathas we enjoyed having for ur lunch also suits fabulously for evening snacks..My lil ones had this stuffed rajma paratha with nutella spread and they really enjoyed this paratha, eventhough its quite a strange combination..With oats flour and wheat flour, no doubt that this stuffed parathas is quite healthy and obviously this parathas goes directly to JFI-Rajma guest hosted by Divya of Dil Se, event by Indira,CFK-Wheat guest hosted by Sireesha of Kidz Delight, event by Sharmi and finally to Srilekha's EFM-Oat Series..

2cups Wheat flour
1cup Oats flour
1/2cup Yogurt
2tbsp All purpose flour (for dusting)
Salt

For Rajma Masala:
1cup Rajma (soaked and cooked)
1/2tsp Red chilly powder
1/4tsp Garam masala powder
1/4tsp Cumin seeds
Salt
Oil

Take the wheat flour, oats flour and salt in a large bowl, add gradually the yogurt and water and knead everything as soft and smooth dough..Keep aside..meanwhile grind the cooked rajma as bit coarse paste..Heat enough oil and let splutters the cumin seeds, add the grounded rajma paste, give a stir and add immediately the red chilly powder, garam masala powder and salt, cook everything in simmer for few minutes, put off the stove..let them cool..

Make 10-12balls from the paratha dough..dust the balls with all purpose flour and flatten them with rolling pins, place a small ball of rajma masala over the flattened dough and cover the masala with the dough and roll them in ur palms again as a ball..Flatten this stuffed rajma balls as parathas, cook this parathas in a hot pan drizzled with enough oil until they get well cooked ...

Serve hot with any side dish or simply without any side dish..

Maida Halwa

My last but not least delicacy which i prepared for diwali festival is this maida halwa, hope u guys have enjoyed ur festival of lights during ur weekened, we enjoyed visiting our families and our relatives, this weekend really run away very fastly...With loads of sweets and savouries, i really dont want to cook or eat anything today, gonna prepare just some salads for our lunch...Coming to this maida halwa, i prepared simply with milk,sugar syrup and some nuts..This maida halwa need very less time and really worth to try out, u dont need to go for usual process of making out halwa by mixing the flour with water and leave aside for few hours until the flour gets settled at the bottom of the vessel, i prepared this halwa by roasting  the maida with ghee  and poured the hot sugar sryup over the cooking maida and cooked until the halwa gets off from the bottom of the vessel, quite a simple sweet na...Delicious maida halwa obviously goes directly to Sireesha's Sweet Series,Purva's FF-Diwali Dhamaka & finally to Sanghi's FIL-Ghee..

1cup Maida
1/2cup Ghee
2cup Sugar
1/2cup Milk
Food colour
1/2tsp Cardamom powder
Pinch Salt
Few Almond flakes & Pistachio nuts

Heat the ghee in a large pan and add gradually the maida,salt to the ghee, fry for few minutes and add the milk, adding milk will cook slightly the maida, meanwhile make a one string sugar syrup with sugar and half a cup of water..Add the cardamom powder and food colour to this boiling sugar syrup and add this syrup by stirring continously over the cooking maida, cook until the halwa get off from the pan,it will turn out like a ball...grease flat plate and pour this halwa over the greased plate..springle the almond flakes and pistachio nuts over the halwa,give a press and let them get cool..

Slice the halwa as any shape as ur desire...Sending to Sunday Snacks-Festive Snacks guest hosted by Indrani of Appyayan...

Pottukadalai (Split Roasted Gram Dal) Murukku

Pottukadalai murukku, its such a crispy snacks suits incredibly for diwali savouries, i have prepared this murukku for diwali with laddoos, besan cake and maida halwa..We enjoyed this crunchy murukku and this is one of my mom's signature recipe, she used to make out this murukku with coconut milk, but i prepared this murukku simply with rice flour, powdered roasted gram dal flour,cumin seeds, asafoetida powder with butter..This murukku is completely different from usual rice and urad dal murukkus and its tastes similar like kai murukku...Voila am sending this delicious and crispy murukku to Priya's Diwali 2009 Contest & Purva's FF-Diwali Dhamaka and to Sunday Snacks-Festive Snacks guest hosted by Indrani of Appyayan..

2cups Rice flour
1/2cup Pottukadalai flour (split roasted gram dal)
1/2tsp Cumin seeds
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
1tbsp Butter
Salt
Oil

Sieve both rice and split roasted gram dal together, take this sieved flour in a large bowl and add the cumin seeds, asafoetida powder, butter and salt and knead as a stiff dough with enough water.. Make out enough balls from the dough, put in the muruku press..squeeze out the murukku over a greased plate and drop gently to hot oil, fry on both sides until the oil stops bubbling..drain the excess of oil in a paper towel..

Conserve in an air tightened box and enjoy this crunchy murukkus!

Boondi Laddoo & Diwali Wishes

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous diwali wishes, may this diwali brings you loads of health, joy, happiness and many great things u wish for!!!!

Am celebrating this diwali with delicious boondi laddoos and wishing you all a happy and safe diwali...As i told before, here am coming with boondi laddoos which i prepared this year as diwali specials with my besan cake..I usually prepare this cute boondi laddoos every year, but last year my diwali special went for Badusha..as every year, we cant celebrate this festival of lights with crackers, but never to failed to celebrate this great day with savouries and sweets, fortunately this year diwali falled on saturday and i was really glad to celebrate this diwali with my dear H and my lil ones and gonna enjoy the day by visiting my relative's places..Hope u guys are enjoying ur diwali with savouries and sweets...Again am wishing u all a happy diwali dearies.. Am gonna send this delicious laddoos to Purva's FF-Diwali Dhamaka & Sanghi's FIL-Ghee and finally to Sunday Snacks -Festive Snacks guest hosted by Indrani of Appyayan..

2cup Gram flour
3pinchs Baking soda
2+1/2cups Sugar
Yellow food colour
1tsp Cardamom powder
1tsp Nutmeg powder
Oil
Few cashew nuts & raisins
3tbsp Ghee


Prepare batter with besan,baking soda with a cup of water. This should be without any lumps..See for consistency of batter and add little more water if required. Make 1 1/2 thread consistency syrup with sugar adding a cup of wate, food color and stir.

Heat oil in a pan. To make boondi you need big flat laddle with medium sized holes (kind of strainer with round holes). Take a spoonful of batter put it on the spoon with holes and start rubbing it with the other spoon into the oil. These will fall like drops, fry them till brown and take them and put it in the prepared syrup. Meanwhile fry the cashews and raisins with few drops of ghee until they get fried..

Repeat the same process until you finish up all the batter, mixing well boondi's in the syrup once in a while. Add cardamom powder,nutmeg powder and fried cashews and raisins, mix well. Take handful of mixture and form laddus when still warm, as laddu doesn't hold up well if the mixture cools down.

Store in a clean container.

Besan Cake

As like everyone since two days, my day starts with big question' wat to prepare today for diwali'..Yea diwali is really nearing very fast and the preparations for diwali are quite getting ready at everyone place na, can see loads and loads of diwali savouries and sweets everywhere..I prepared some sweets yesterday, one among those sweets is this besan cake, this cakes tastes as similar like mysorepak..with two cups of besan flour i got approximately 25 pieces of this delicious and tasty besan cake..I tried this cake for the first time, which i was planning to do since a long and finally i prepared this besan cake for this deepavali...Will be coming up with boondi laddoos, my all time favourite sweets...This besan cake is really very simple to do but wat all u need it some helping hand to stir, coz this cake goes for quite a long stirring process, which i hate and fortunately my H helped me to finish these sweeties...Am sending this besan cake to Sanghi's FIL-Ghee & Sireesha's Sweet Series,Purva's  FF-Diwali Dhamaka & finally to Mansi's Sweet Celebration..

2cups Gram flour

1cup Milk

3cups Sugar

1cup Ghee

pinch Salt

Dry roast the gram flour until the aroma comes out..Mix this dry roasted gram flour,salt with milk and make a paste..Meanwhile make a sugar syrup with sugar and a half cup of water, sugar syrup must be in one string constitency..add gradually the thick paste of gram flour to the sugar syrup and the ghee to the sugar syrup and stir the mixture until they turns as a dough (at this time this dough will get off from the vessel) pour this dough over a greased plate, let them cool and cut them as any shape as u desire..

Delicious cake is ready!

Cheesy Spinach & Oats Swirl Buns

Baking, one of my favourite passion..i was a novice baker before an year and i can say honestly through blogsphere i learned many bakes..I love to bake my own breads at home, u can bake ur bread with many choose of healthy  ingredients at home itself..I have prepared loads of breads or buns since i have started my blog and i rarely trashed few of my baking adventures..Recently i prepared this cheesy swirl buns with oats flour which is prepared at home with quick cooking oats, whole wheat flour and with some fresh spinach puree which i prepared with freshly bought spinach leaves, to spice this buns i used red chilli flakes, dry thymn leaves, dry parsley leaves, garlic powder, pepper powder and salt and made a swirl like bun with grated mozzarella cheese and some fried onions...This swirl buns tastes marvellous for snacks and while for dinner as prefect buns to have with soups and salads..We loved this cheesy swirl buns , which is quite an excellent, nourishing, filling as well as healthy buns... its such a delicious buns, my lil ones had this buns when they were still warm...Greeny cheesy swirl buns goes to Madhuram's whole Grains ( Eggless)Baking Event - Oats & Srilekha's EFM-Oats Series & finally to Sara's Say Cheese..

1+1/2cups Oats flour
2cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/2cup Spinach puree
1/4cup Olive oil
2tbsp Active dry yeast
1tsp Sugar
1tbsp Salt
1tsp Red chilly flakes
1/2tsp Dry Thymn leaves
1/4tsp Dry Parsley leaves
1/4tsp Pepper powder
1/2tsp Garlic powder
1cup Mozzarella cheese (grated) or any other cheese
1/2cup Fried Onions (store bought)
2tbsp Quick cooking oats

Combine the oats flour, whole wheat flour, red chilly flakes, dry thyme leaves, pepper powder, garlic powder, dry parsley leaves in a large bowl..meanwhile in a cup of luke warm water, add the active dry yeast, sugar and salt and let this mixture sit for 5 minutes, to get a foamy yeast...Add this foamy yeast ,olive oil and spinach puree to the flour and spice mixture and knead as dough until u get a soft and smooth dough..arrange this soft dough in a greased bowl and keep this bowl in a warm place for an hour with lid closed until the dough double their volume..

After an hour, take the bowl and knead again the dough, flatten them with a rolling pin as a large rectangular disc, spread the grated mozzarella cheese and fried onion equally over the dough and roll the dough to get a loaf like shape...With a sharp knife, cut the loaf as 8-10 medium sized pieces..line a baking sheet over a round baking pan and arrange this swirl buns over the baking sheet..meanwhile preheat the oven to 350F, springle the quick cooking oats over the swirl buns and arrange this round pan in the middle rack of the oven..Bake for 25-30minutes until u get a beautiful golden brown cheesy swirl buns...

This cheesy buns tastes too good if they are served warm..

Vazhakkai (Raw Banana) Malli Kuzhambu

Diwali is around, hope everyone is cooking, frying and purchasing... with all those frying ,tempting savouries and sweets, i felt like having something tangy and that too with raw banana, i prepared this kuzhambu for our lunch after making out a huge box of murukkus, needless to say how i enjoyed having this tangy kuzhambu simply with roasted papads, nothing will beat this delicious combination... Its such a real comfort food and this gravy tastes too delicious even after a day, i used gingelly oil for making out this gravy and this gravy is simply prepared with masala based with coriander seeds, fennel seeds, grated coconut, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds,cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves..Needless to say that this kuzhambu tastes marvellous with hot steaming rice topped with ghee..This thick, tangy and mouthwatering gravy goes directly to my mail box as am hosting Think Spice-Think Coriander Seeds,event started by Sunita..

2nos Raw Banana (chopped)
2nos Onions (diced)
1no Tomato(chopped)
2cups Tamarind extract
1/2tsp Red chilly powder
1tsp Fenugreek seeds
1/4cup Gingelly oil
5nos Curry leaves

To Grind:
2tbsp Coriander seeds
1tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Peppercorns
1tsp fennel seeds
1tsp Fenugreek seeds
2nos Cloves
1no Cinnamon stick
1/4cup Grated coconut

Dry roast all ingredients from the list 'To Grind' and grind everything as fine paste with enough water...Heat the gingelly oil and add the fenugreek seeds, let them fry, immediately add the diced onions, chopped tomatoes, curry leaves and saute everything until the onions turns transculent, add the raw banana pieces, stir for few minutes, now stir in the grounded paste and cook everything in simmer for few minutes..Add the tamarind extract with red chilly powder,salt to the cooking veggies..

Cook until the oil gets separates and the gravy turns thick..Enjoy with hot steaming rice with papads!!!

Cheesy Rajma Sandwich

Last saturday went really superfast coz our day went for purchasing,i was quite lazy to prepare our lunch and i prepared easy rajma sandwich with some emmental cheese which turned out our simple sandwich very rich and cheesy...As i had some leftover cooked rajma in fridge, i grounded this cooked rajma and cooked with some chopped onions with red chilly powder and garam masala powder and prepared as rajma masala...i used this rajma masala as spread over the bread slices,arranged some shredded emmental cheese over the masala and i toasted this bread sandwich with some butter in a pan over the stove top...Simple,cheesy and protein packed sandwich really filling and delicious, prefect for lunch and dinner...U can even carry this sandwich for picnic outings..Obviously this cheesy rajma sandwich goes to JFI-Rajma guest hosted by Divya, event by Indira, Sara's Say Cheese,Ec's WYF-Light Meal..Am sure that kids will love it..

For Rajma Masala:
1cup Rajma (cooked)
1no Onion (chopped)
1/2tsp Red chilly powder
1/4tsp Garam masala powder
Salt
Oil

8nos Bread Slices
1/2cup Any cheese (shredded)
1tbsp Butter

Grind the cooked rajma as bit coarse paste, meanwhile heat few oil and add the chopped onions, sauté until the onions turns transculent, add immediately the red chilly powder, garam masala powder and salt, stir for few minutes..finally add the grounded rajma paste, keep the flame in simmer...stir gently until the masala get well cooked..keep aside and let them cool..

Spread this masala over a bread slice, place the shredded cheese over the masala, cover this with an another bread slice..heat a pan with butter, place the sandwich over the butter and toast on both sides until they get well toasted..

Serve as sandwich with salads!

(Dry Green Peas) Paruppu Urundai Rasam

We love rasam, its such a real comfort food... None at home cant finish their lunch without having rasam, i do prepare varieties of rasam with home made rasam powder..Earlier i have prepared dry green peas masala vadai and i prepared some steam cooked dumplings with the same batter and added those greeny balls to tangy tomato rasam, this delicious rasa urundai tastes really marvellous and this green peas steam cooked dumplings tastes too delicious as they were soaked in tangy tomato rasam...We enjoyed having this tangy as well as protien packed green peas dumplings rasam..Very different urundai rasam na! with fried papads this rasam tastes divine..Am sending this paruppu urundai rasam to Think Spice-Think Coriander seeds guest hosted by me, event started by Sunita, as coriander seeds play an important role in home made rasam powder..

For Green Peas Dumplings:
1cup Dry Greenpeas (soaked overnite)
1no Onion (chopped)
2nos Green chillies (chopped)
1/2tsp Fennel seed powder
1tbsp Ginger (chopped)
2nos Cloves
1no Cinnamon stick (small)
3nos Curry leaves
Salt

For Tomato Rasam:
3nos Tomatoes (chopped)
1tsp Rasam powder
1/2cup Cooked dal water
1tsp Lemon juice
3nos Curry leaves
1/2tsp Mustard seeds+cumin seeds
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
2nos Dry red chillies
2tsbp Chopped coriander leaves
Salt
Oil

Grind the soaked dry green peas with cloves, cinnamon stick as coarse paste..add the chopped onions, chopped green chillies, fennel seed powder, chopped ginger, curryleaves, salt and mix everything well..make golf size balls from the batter and steam cook this balls for minutes...

Grind the chopped tomato pieces as puree, add the puree to the cooked dal water also add rasam powder, salt n 1/2cup water...heat a tsp of oil n add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida powder n red chillies n let them splutters, add the tomato n dal water immediately, drop the steam cooked green peas dumplings to the tomato & dal water, bring them to boil..put of the stove once they starts boiling, add the lemon juice n chopped coriander leaves..

Serve hot with rice!!

Wheat Puri Paal Poli

When i was kid, i wont love to have that much when my mom prepare puris specially for morning breakfast, for me its a heavy food for morning breakfast, i always feel sleepy if i have puris for breakfast when i was schooling...but now its one of my favourite food but yet i cant have them for morning breakfast, anyhow i wont make puris often at home, as my H doesnt like these deep fried beauties..Its quite rare i prepare puris here, but whenever i prepare this delicious sweet dessert with puris, everyone at home love to have this yummyilicious paal poli as its tastes marvellous if they served warm or chilled..I prepared some mini puris to make out this dessert in case if u have some left over puris at home, just blend the leftover puri chunks in a blender or cut them as any shape as u desire and soak them in warm milk flavoured with cardamom powder and sugar, this delicious paal poli is ready to serve...With leftover puris, this paal poli is really a quick dessert..but i love to prepare this polis with freshly fried mini puris as my lil ones love to have them as evening snacks... Its such a prefect evening snacks everyone at home love this and i can say that if u prepare this sweet paal polis at home, everyone will definitely love this also this paal poli will vanish within few minutes if u serve them for evening snacks or for a special day dessert..Am sending this delicious puri paal polis to CFK-Wheat guest hosted by Sireesha, event started by Sharmi , Sanghi's FIL-Ghee & Sireesha's Sweet Series...

1/2cup Wheat flour
1/4tsp Salt
1/2cup Ghee
2cups Milk
1/2cup Sugar
1/4cup Jaggery powder
1tsp Cardamom powder

Knead the wheat flour, salt with enough water as smooth and stiff dough..keep aside for half an hour..I used ghee to deep fry my mini puris, if u want to make out with oil u can do very well, but frying in ghee will turns out this dish too delicious..Make out mini puris either with a rolling pin or with puri press..heat the ghee in medium flame and deep fry the mini puris until they turns golden brown..

Meanwhile in an another stove, combine together the sugar, milk, jaggery powder in a large vessel and bring them to boil, stir until the sugar and jaggery gets dissolved, finally add the cardamom powder, put off the stove..add all the deep fried puris to the cardamom flavoured milk..let them sit for an hour..

Now u can serve either warm or chilled..this puri paal poli tastes divine if they are served chilled..Enjoy!!

Microwave Spinach Stir-fry

Microwave cooking makes out many wonderful dishes, sometimes with few minutes and i learned so many dishes through this easy cooking..One among those easy dishes goes to this spinach stir fry which hardly need 15 minutes to prepare and the most best thing is that the colour of spinach rest as greeny even after they get well cooked, i just love the green colour of this spinach stir fry which is quiet not possible while cooking through stove top..Green spinach stir fry tastes marvellous and really very simple to prepare, even a bachelor can prepare very easily this stir fry which hardly need very less time to prepare. U can very well use frozen spinach which works out wonder for making out this simple spinach stir fry, here i used fresh spinach greens to make out this stir fry..Am sending this easy spinach stir fry to MEC-Fresh Produce guest hosted by Suma, event started by Srivalli..

2cups Spinach (chopped)
1no Onion (chopped)
1/4tsp Mustard seeds
1/4tsp Urad dal
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
3nos Dry red chillies (broken)
1/4cup Grated coconut
Salt
OIl

Heat oil with urad dal, dry red chillies,asafoetida powder and mustard seeds for 5 minutes high in microwave oven, take off the vessel and add the chopped onions with salt and cook again for 5 minutes high, stir in between...finally add the chopped spinach pieces to the cooked onions,give a stir and cook for 3minutes high..now add the grated coconut to the spinach and cook again everything for 2 minutes high in microwave oven..

Take off the vessel and serve hot the spinach stir fry with rice and papads...

Oats Crackers

The name cracker is most often applied to flat biscuits with a savory, salty flavor, in distinction from a cookie,which may be similar to a "cracker" in appearance and texture, but has a sweet flavor. Crackers may be further distinguished from cookies by the manner in which they are made. Crackers are made by layering dough while cookies are made in any manner as a cake would be made. Crackers sometimes have cheese or spices as ingredients and even chicken stock. Some crackers are prepared with salted flour products.Salty crackers can be served with any topping.. The popular and delicious snack with crackers are if crackers are served with cheesy topping..I prepared this crackers with oats flour, quick cooking oats, rice flour, wheat flour, spiced with pepper powder and salt, i did used olive oil instead of butter, this crackers if stored in air tight box can stay prefectly crisp for two weeks, but these crackers can vanished very quickly and easily if they are topped and served with cream cheese... these crackers tastes marvellous and crispy, we enjoyed these crackers with cheese for our sunday's snacks we just loved it..Am sending this healthy crackers to Madhuram's Whole Grains Eggless Baking Event -Oats,Srilekha's EFM-Oats Series, Yasmeen's Guilt Free Snacks , Srivalli's Kid's Delight Event and finally since i used wheat flour in this crackers am sending to CFK-Wheat guest hosted by Sireesha, event started by Sharmi...

1/2cup Oats flour (Grind the quick cooking oats as fine powder and sieve for oats flour)

1cup Rice flour

1/2cup Wheat flour

1tsp Baking powder

2tbsp Quick cooking oats

Salt

1/3cup Olive oil

1/2tsp Pepper powder

Combine oats flour, rice flour, wheat flour, baking powder, quick cooking oats, salt and pepper powder with olive oil, until they turns crumble like texture, add gradually enough water and knead the flours as soft dough...keep the dough aside for 15minutes; meanwhile line a baking tray with baking sheet and preheat the over for 350F...after 15 minutes, roll the dough with rolling pin as a large disc, cut the dough with cookie cutter..Arrange the uncooked crackers over the baking sheet with some space between them..Gather up the dough and repeat the process until dough get finished...

Bake the crackers upto 10-12minutes until they turns golden brown..store them in an air tight box...Enjoy with any sort of spread..

Gramflour/Kadalamaavu Murukku

After thenkuzhal, we just love this gramflour murukku...its my dad's favourite whenever i prepare this murukku, my thoughts go towards my schooling days where my mom used to prepare coconut based murukku for us while she used to prepare specially gram flour murukkus for my dad, this murukku brings me loads of beautiful moments..hmm!!feel like going back to those days..Coming to this gramflour murukku, i prepared with storebought gram flour & home made rice flour both together works out awesome and these crispy murukkus suits incredibly prefect for evening snacks with hot coffee , crispy treat for deepavali..kid's friendly snacks, who will say no to these crispy beauties??..not me, even now am munching those beauties, do anyone need it..haha..Am sending this crispy murukkus to Srivalli's Kid's Delight Event &Purva's FF-Diwali Dhamaka..

2cups Gram flour
1cup Rice flour
1tbsp Sesame seeds
1tsp Cumin seeds
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
2tbsp Butter
Salt
Water
Oil for deepfrying

Make a smooth & stiff dough with gram flour, rice flour, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, butter, salt & asafoetida powder with enough water..Heat the oil for deepfrying in medium high flame and take a ball of dough, put in the muruku press..squeeze out the murukku over a greased plate and drop gently to hot oil, fry on both sides until the oil stops bubbling..drain the excess of oil in a paper towel..

Conserve in an air tightened box and enjoy this crunchy murukkus!..These murukkus goes directly to Priya's Diwali 2009 Contest..

Also sending Janthikalu & Moongdal Laddoos to Priya's Diwali 2009 Contest..

Rajma (Red Kidney Beans) & Mixed Veggies Salad

Not even a day i prepared rajma cutlets with sweet potatoes... earlier i have soaked half a packet of dry rajma beans and i pressure cooked the complete soaked rajma where i used only a cup of this pressure cooked rajma for making out patties, somehow i managed to prepare some dishes with the remaining rajma eventhough i had some more leftover cooked red kidney beans in my fridge.. i finished those cooked rajma beans by making out a delicious, easy, healthy and colourful salad with some shredded carrots, steam cooked french beans, tomato chunks, few mozzarella cheese chunks by adding finally those left over cooked rajma beans, i served this salad with a easy and simple yogurt dressing prepared with greek yogurt with pepper and salt..It was such a simple salad, suits incredible as a starter for a lunch with pasta or with some steamed cooked veggies, as a light meal if u really feel hunger even after having ur lunch or for dinner with simple soup, u can also make out sandwich with this refreshing salad with toasted bread slices.. am damn sure that everyone at home will definitely love this colourful chunky salad... Am sending this simple rajma salad to JFI-Rajma guest hosted by Divya of Dil Se, event started by Indira, EC's WYF-Light Meal & finally to NCR- The Store Cupboard...

1/2cup Red kidney beans/Rajma (leftover)

2nos Tomatoes (chopped as cubes)

1cup Carrots(shredded)

1/4cup Steamed cooked french beans (chopped)

1/2cup Mozzarella cheese chunks

1cup Greek yogurt

Salt

Pepper powder

Take the leftover cooked rajma, chopped tomatoes,shredded carrots, chopped french beans chunks and mozzarelle cheese chunks , give a stir and keep aside..

Before serving, add enough salt and pepper powder to the greek yogurt, whisk gently and add this dressing to the already prepared salad, toss gently and serve immediately as salad..

Enjoy the colourful salad!

Microwave Carrot Halwa

Some dishs have some stories behind them, my carrot halwa have a story too...Yes my first sweet attempt was carrot halwa, i prepared my first carrot halwa when i was doing my college and i did carrot halwa for an evening snack when my mom was out of station, i still remember we relished each and every spoon of this delicious carrot halwa..My first carrot halwa turned out superb delicious and very often everyone at home ask me usually to prepare this halwa whenever they feel like having something as sweet snacks..Its has been a long i prepared carrot halwa and this time i prepared easily in microwave oven for a change...They turned out fabulous and prefect for my sweet tooth...Easy, delicious and colourful carrot halwa goes direct to MEC-Fresh Produce guest hosted by Suma of Veggie Platter, event started by Srivalli and to Sanghi's FIL-Ghee, Purva's Diwali Dhamaka..

1cup Carrot (shredded finely)
1cup Milk
1/4cup Sugar
2tbsp Ghee
Cashews or pistachio nuts for garnishing

Take the shredded carrot, milk and sugar together in a microwave bowl and cook for 25minutes in high(sitr in between every 5 minutes) finally add the ghee and cook again for 2-3minutes..take off the bowl and garnish halwa with the cashew or pistachio nuts and serve hot or chilled....

Rajma & Sweet Potato Patties/Cutlets

Rajma and Sweet potato as patties??yes yes, i have combined this both unusual combination to try out some delicious patties for our lunch sterday...With rasam rice, this delicious and colourful patties tasted marvellous and the mild sweetness of the sweet potato with rajma works out wonder together...Dunno why,this time i was very much confident and never ever doubted about this unusal combination to prepare out this patties since my last attempt of patties with Sweet Potato N Chickpeas was a big hit at home...Delicious patties, rich in proteins, prefect side dish, prefect evening snacks , everyone at home will definitely love this..Sweet potatoes blends very easily with any spices and turned out as delicious dishes whenever we prepare anything with sweet potatos, these potatoes are really very versatile and u can prepare as any dishes as u like..While coming to rajma, beautiful red kidney beans are very much more healthier and have rich source of proteins, iron and many other nutrients..Am sending this rajma and sweet potato patties to JFI-Rajma guest hosted by Divya of Dil Se, event by Indira..

1cup Cooked Rajma (soaked and pressure cooked)

1cup Sweet potato (cooked & smashed)

1no Onion (chopped)

1/4tsp Fennel seed powder

1/2tsp Red chilly powder

1/4tsp Garam masala powder

4nos Curry leaves

Salt

1/4cup Bread crumbs

2tbsp Corn flour

Oil

Heat a few spoon of oil and cook the chopped onion until they turns transculent, put off the stove..smash the cooked rajma beans coarsely..now add the cooked onions,smashed rajma, red chilly powder, fennel seed powder,curry leaves, garam masala powder and salt to the already cooked sweet potato pieces and turn them as dough..

Make 10-12 balls and flatten it as cutlets..Mix the corn flour with enough water as white paste..dip each cutlets in white sauce and roll it evenly in bread crumbs, let this patties sit for half an hour in fridge.. fry as shallow frying until both sides of the cutlets turns brown...drain the excess of oil in a paper towel..

Delicious patties are ready..

Tapioca & Tutty Fruity Sweet Balls

Simple, delicious and nutritious sweet balls prepared simply with steam cooked and smashed tapioca (maravallikizhangu/Cassava/kappa) with finely chopped tutty fruity chunks, silvered almonds...Gorgeous snow balls like tapioca sweet balls tastes delicious for simple evening snacks and kids will definitely love this.. whenever i bought tapioca roots, after steam cooking those roots i will definitely make this sweet balls and we love these balls..This time i prepared this sweet balls by adding few tutty fruity chunks and silvered almonds flakes to the usual balls which turned out this tapioca balls more rich, more beautiful and more nutritious..Easy evening snacks with fruits and nuts, best with coffee for adults and prefect evening snacks for kids with a cup of warm milk...Am sending this beautiful snow balls like sweet balls to Yasmeen's Guilt Free Snacks & Srivalli's Kid's Delight Event...

2nos Tapioca
1/4cup Tutty fruity chunks
2tbsp Silvered almonds flakes
1/4cup Sugar
1tsp Cardamom powder
1/4cup Grated Fresh coconut
2tbsp Dessicated coconut
Salt

Remove the skin of the tapioca until the white layer appears.. cook them upto three whistles with pinch of salt in a pressure cooker, smash them nicely with ur finger or grate them..Add sugar, grated coconut,tutty fruity chunks, silvered almonds flakes and the cardamom powder.

Take a small quantity of smashed tapioca and make them as small balls, roll these balls over the dessicated coconut evenly n serve them..

Eggless Oatflour & Sesame Cookies

Its quiet long, i have nt baked savoury cookies at home, as i was craving for some savoury snacks i baked some fabulous cookies with sesame and oatflour, which i prepared by grinding quick cooking oats.. healthy and prefect evening snacks, my lil ones loved this cookies with cheese spread served with a glass of orange juice, a complete evening snack...This is completely a delicious combination of cookies with an awesome flavour by sesame seeds..here i used black sesame seeds to give a beautiful appearance to my cookies where u can either go for cumin seeds, white sesame seeds and y not coarsely grounded pepper corns, u can add any spice as u like..Anyhow i prefer sesame seeds in this cookies, this cookies is very much healthy as my other ingredients went for whole wheat pastry flour,olive oil etc...Needless to say that these cookies are guilt free & healthier which suits incredibly as evening snacks and largely healthy cookies when compared with the storebought savoury cookies...Obviously am sending this cookies to Madhuram's Whoe Grains Baking (Eggless) Event -Oats, Srilekha's EFM-Oats Series,Yasmeen's Guilt Free Snacks & finally to CFK-Wheat guest hosted by Sireesha, event by Sharmi..

1cup Quick cooking oats
1/2cup Whole wheat pastry flour
2tbsp All purpose flour
1tbsp Sesame seeds
1/2tsp Baking soda
1/2tsp Baking powder
2tbsp Olive oil
Water
Salt

Grind the quick cooking oats as fine powder..take the grounded oats flour, whole wheat pastry flour, all purpose flour, baking soda, sesame seeds,salt and baking powder in a bowl..add gradually the olive oil and water and knead everything as soft dough..Let this dough sit for half an hour..Preheat the oven to 350F..

Line a baking tray with baking sheet...Roll the dough with rolling pin as a large disc, cut the dough as cookies with cookie cutter, roll again as disc and cut the dough as cookies.. arrange the uncooked cookies over the baking sheet, leave some space between each cookies and bake for 15-20minutes until the cookies turns golden brown..put off the oven..keep aside and let them..

Arrange in an air tight box and enjoy with any spread or simply munch these healthy cookies for snacks..

Godhuma (Wheat) Inipu Paniyaram

Paniyarams, famous chettinad dish can also prepared as sweet version with rice flour, jaggery syrup flavoured with cardamom powder, but my version of sweet paniyaram is prepared with wheat flour, jaggery syrup, rice flour, rava and with smashed bananas..This is one of my favourite snacks which my mom used to prepare when we were kids as appams by deep frying..i do quite rarely at home this snacks but i was really craving for these delectable beauties since a long..I prepared as paniyarams today for our evening snacks with wheat flour and to make out healthier i didnt deep fried this appams but prepared them with few drops of oil in paniyaram skillet, which turned out this sweet paniyarams more prefect and delicious..This healthy paniyaram goes to CFK-Wheat guest hosted by Sireesha, event started by Sharmi and finally to Yasmeen's Guilt Free Snacks..

3/4cup Wheat flour
2tbsp Rice flour
1tbsp Roasted rava
3/4cup Jaggery syrup
1/2tsp Baking soda
1no Banana (ripen)
1/2tsp Cardamom powder
pinch Salt
Oil

Make a thick syrup with half a cup of grated jaggery and hot water as 3/4cup of jaggery syrup, if dont have jaggery u can go very well with sugar..smash the banana as puree.. make a batter with wheat flour, rice flour, roasted rava, pureed banana, cardamom powder, baking soda,salt and thick jaggery syrup as like idly batter.

Heat the kuzhi paniyaram pan in medium heat, pour few drops of oil n pour a tablespoon of the batter, put the flame in simmer n cook slowly, turn on both sides until they get well cooked...dont cook in high flame...

Dry Fruits & Nuts Tea Cake

Last weekend, when we went for shopping my hubby picked a pack of fruits and nuts tea cake and he just loved it also he finished that pack within a day..As he wasnt that much sure of the taste, he took a small pack of that tea cake but finally he loved that fruity cake and he started asking me whether its possible for me to bake a cake with plenty of fruits and nuts..I promised him that i'll try my best level to bake a cake similar to the fruits cake he bought at shop..I went through the baking book which Madhu gifted me long back and i found this recipe which was really near to the cake which my H picked at the grocery shop..But this fruits and nuts cake tastes much better than the cake he bought at shop, i prepared this cake with raisins,currants, dry cranberries,dry pineapple chunks; dry apricots, tutty fruity chunks, cashew nuts, almond nuts etc...Needless to say with all these fruits chunks and nuts, this cakes tastes fabulous, marvellous, healthy and delicious, we enjoyed having this beautiful fruits & nuts cake for ur snacks with hot tea and lil ones just loved it and didnt stop having even after their dinner as desserts.. This is my entry which goes directly to Aparna's mailbox as she is hosting Monthly Mingle - High Tea Treats, event started by MeetaK..

185g Butter (room temperature)
1/2cup Sugar
3nos Eggs
1cup Golden raisins& currants
1/4cup Dry cranberries +dry apricot chunks
1/4cup Dry pineapple chuncks
3/4cup Tutty fruity chunks
1/2cup Almond nuts
1/4cup Cashew nuts
1+1/2cup All purpose flour
1/2cup Self raising flour
1/2cup Milk
1/4cup Honey

Soak all the dry fruits in quarter cup of honey for atleast an hour...Preheat the oven to 160C/315F..Grease and line a round mould or a loaf pan..Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl and just combine together, add the eggs one by one and beat well after each egg, mix the soaked fruits with honey and nuts to butter-egg mixture and add half of the flours and half of the milk to the beatened egg mixture, stir to combine and then stir in the remaining flours and milk..

Pour this cake batter into the prepared tim and tap the tin to remove any air bubbkes, smooth the surface with wet fingers and cover the top of the tin with a baking paper..Wrap the tin with a newspaper and bake for 1+3/4-2hours or until the skewers inserted in the center comes out clean..

Remove the tin from the oven, remove the top baking paper, remove the wrapped newspaper and wrap the tin in a tea towel until cool..Store these fruits and nuts cake in an air tight container!! Enjoy...

Microwave Carrot N Spinach Fried Rice

Fried rice in microwave oven, yea its really very much possible which i realized it today when i cooked this delicious carrot and spinach fried rice for our lunch, which is quite impossible and not evident to make out in microwave oven for me before few months back..I do almost many dishes through microwave oven since i was very much interested in preparing my entries for Microwave Easy Cooking, famous event by Srivalli..My H bought a bunch of fresh spinach from farmer's market today and they really very greeny, i dont want to prepare as gravies but something different as fried rice, i prepared this delicious fried rice with a cup of finely chopped carrots and the dark soya sauce i used in this dish gave a gorgeous and very pleasant colour to this dish instead of green rice..Cooking greens in micorwave oven retains their green colour also they get cooked very easily..This rice dish took 20minutes for cooking rice and 15 minutes for turning them as delicious fried rice..Am sending this delicious carrot and spinach fried rice to MEC-Fresh Produce guest hosted by Suma of Veggie Platter, event started by Srivalli, as i put few efforts to garnish my fried rice am sending this entry to Garnish The DIsh event by Nithya & Pavithra of Innovative In-Laws..

2cups Basmati rice+3 1/2cups of water (cooked with 1tbsp of oil in microwave oven for 20 minutes)
1cup Carrots chopped
1cup Spinach green (chopped finely)
1tsp Ginger pieces (minced)
1tsp Garlic pieces (minced)
1tbsp Dark soya sauce
1tbsp Chilli Sauce
1tbsp Tomato ketchup
2nos Green Spring onions (chopped)
1/2tsp Pepper powder
1/4tsp White pepper powder
Salt as per need
2tbsp Sesame Oil

Heat the sesame oil, minced ginger and minced garlic pieces in a microwave safe bowl for 5 minutes in high..add the chopped carrots with soyasauce, chilli sauce, tomato ketchup and cook again for 5 minutes..add the chopped spinach, pepper powder and salt (if needed) , give a stir and cook for 2minutes, dont cook the spinach much, try to keep a bit tender..Take the bowl from the microwave oven, add the already cooked rice and white pepper powder, toss everything gently..now add the finely chopped  green spring onions and cook for 2 minutes again in microwave oven..

Serve hot with papads or boiled eggs..

Eggless Quick Oatmeal Cookies

Easy oatmeal cookies will be ready within 15-20 minutes and really quite simple to prepare and a prefect breakfast for a lazy sunday morning..I used quick cooking oats for this cookies, which turns out this cookies prefect and delicious...U doesnt need for cup measurement to make out this simple and quick oatmeal cookies, wat all u need is a tablespoon and the measurements for this cookies is really quite simple to remember..As usual this cookies also goes for all purpose flour, sugar, butter, salt and quick cooking oats thats it, u doesnt need baking soda, eggs, pureed fruits, water or baking powder to make out this scrumptious cookies, i used butter in this recipe if u want to prepare them as vegan version u can very well go for any vegetable oil or canola oil instead of butter..Very easy cookies, kids will love this..my lil ones had this cookies for their snacks, breakfast and as dessert after lunch, we just love it, i got 12 beautiful cookies with this quantity of ingredients and i have prepared again already twice this cookies at home..Anything with oats goes directly to Madhu's Whole Grain's (Eggless)Baking Event -Oats ,Srilekha's EFM-Oats Series& Yasmeen's Guilt Free Snacks..

3tbsp Sugar
3tbsp Butter(room temperature)
2tbsp All purpose flour
2/3cup Quick Cooking oats
pinch Salt

Preheat the oven to 350F..In a bowl, add the butter and sugar..mix them well with ur fingers until they turns slightly creamy, add the all purpose flour, oats and salt, turns everything as dough..dont add water at all..Line a baking sheet over a baking tray, take a small ball from the dough and flatten them slightly in ur palms, place this cookie dough over the baking sheet, leave some space between each cookies..Bake them for 15-20minutes (while baking,turn the tray after 10minutes, this helps the cookies to bake evenly)..

Put off the oven, let the cookies get cooled..Arrange them in air tightened box and enjoy!!

RCI-Kongunadu Cuisine Roundup

Am really very happy for hosting RCI-Kongunadu Cuisine for the month of september, initially i was bit nervous and not that much confident to host this RCI-Kongunadu cuisine, as many of us doesnt know much about this beautiful and flavourful cuisine which is quite famous in South India especially in Tamil Nadu..When i picked kongunadu cuisine for RCI, i thought that this event wont be that much success since many of my fellow bloggers, doesnt even know about this rare and precious cuisine, i was really eager whenever i go to check my mail box to know about the entries from my fellow bloggers, am really glad that my blogger friends didnt let me down..Yes!!! i got 36 entries including my entries and am very happy friends.. Thanks a lot for all ur delicious participation and I should really thanks again Lakshmi for giving this beautiful opportunity to host RCI..Here comes the delicious kongunadu foods roundup..

1)Spicy Tomato Curry (Tomato Kuzhambu), Potato Kurma & Betel Leaves And Garlic Rice from Nandini of Usha Nandini's Recipes..
2)Kongu Style Thayir Keerai from Lata Raja of Flavours and Tastes..

3)Ven Pongal from Esai Selvi of my Kitchen..
4)Poondu(Garlic) Kuzhambu from Malarvizhi Sivasubramaniam of Malar's Cuisine..
5)Kollu Masiyal & Ragi Kali from Kamala Bhoopathy of Cook @ Ease..

6)Arisi Paruppu Sadham, Urulai Kizhangu Curry, Pacha Payaru Kadaiyal , More from Pj of Seduce your Taste Buds, also Pj have written an article as Forgotten Flavours From The Land Of Nectar about Kongunadu region and its cuisine which is really quite interesting to know more about this beautiful region..

7)Paruppu Sadham & Paruppu Urundal Kuzhambu from Menaga of Sashiga..
8)Paruppu Sadam from Sashi of Sashi's Tasty Bites..
9)Kadanja Paruppu from Shanthi Krishnakumar of Shanthi Krishnakumar's Cookbook..

10)Spicy Potato Curry from Lavi of Home Cook's Receipes..
11)Pallipalayam Mushroom Gravy from Cham of Spice-club..
12)Lemon & Tomato Sevai from Valarmathi of Simple and Yummy Recipes..
13)Paruppu Keerai from Rekha of Plantain Leaf..

14)Kadamba Sadham(Mixed Lentil Rice) from Abbhirami Rajagopal of Soulful Creations..
15)Arisimparuppu With Potato Brinjal Fry & Kollu Rasam from Ramya Bala of Ramya Cooks..

16)Kollu Paruppu, Pachaipayir Kadaindhadhu & Pachaipayir Rasam & Katharikkai Bajji from Ramya Bala of Ramya Cooks..

17)Kollu Parupu & Kollu Rasam & Katharikai Chutney from Renuga & Gayathri of Ideas For A Wonderful Home Maker..
18)Kamban Koozh & Arisi Paruppu Sadham from Priya (me) of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes..

19)Kollu Rasam from Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes..
20)Aracha Pavarkkai kuzhambu and Ridgegourd & coriander chutney from Jayasri of Samayalarai-Cooking is Divine..

Sweets from Kongunadu Cuisine:
21)Ell Urundai from Pj of Seduce your Taste Buds..
22)Elaneer Payasam from Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes..

Enjoy all these delicious treats..if i would have left any of ur entries, pls let me know...Thanks again to all paritcipants...

Varuthu Aracha Chow Chow/Chayote Kootu

Varuthu Aracha Kootu goes for a dry roasted spice powder which gives quite a pleasant flavour to our usual kootu with veggies, my kootu went for chow chow or chayote also known as seemai kathirikkai in tamil, cooked or raw this veggie will have a very mild flavor by itself and is commonly cooked with other vegetables or as gravies, it can also be boiled, stuffed, mashed, baked, fried or pickled..Both the chow chow and their seed are rich in amino acids and vitamin C, fresh green chayote are firm while the smaller choyates are more tender.. Chayote is low in calories, low in sodium, contains no cholesterol, and is a good source of fiber. The chayote is also versatile vegetable, they can be prepared as so many dishes...Coming to this delicious varuthu aracha chow chow kootu, i prepared a spice powder with coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds,dry red chillies, grated coconut,urad dal, asafoetida powder..Trust me!!u will definitely love this flavourful kootu with hot steaming rice and papads, a prefect lunch which tastes  fabulously divine..Obivously this kootu goes directly to my mail box as this kootu suits incredibly for Think Spice- Think Coriander Seeds guest hosted by me, event started by Sunita..

1no Chayote (chopped)
1no Onion(chopped)
1no Tomato(chopped)
1cup Cooked moongdal
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
2nos Green chillies( slit opened)
Salt
Oil
1/2tsp Mustard seeds +Urad dal
1no Dry red chillies
1tbsp Chopped coriander leaves

To roast & grind:
2tbsp Coriander seeds
1tsp Fenugreek seeds
3tbsp Grated coconut
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
4nos Dry red chillies
1tbsp Urad dal

Dry roast all the ingredients from the list 'to roast and grind' one by one in simmer flame, grind all these dry roasted spices as bit coarse powder, keep aside..Heat enough oil in a kadai, let splutters the mustard seeds, dry red chillies and urad dal, add the chopped onions, chopped tomatoes and slit opened green chillies and sauté until the onions turns transculent and tomatoes turns mushy..now add the chopped chayote pieces, sauté for few minutes, add the cooked moongdal, turmeric powder, salt to the half cooked veggies..bring everything to boil, now add the coarse spice powder and chopped coriander leaves to the kootu, cook for a while and put off the stove...

Serve hot with hot steaming rice and papads..

Baked Oats Crusted Oats & Veggies Patties

Healthy version of patties or cutlets with quick cooking oats as crust, baked in oven for 15 to 20 minutes, Is there anything healthier than these patties?? definitely i dont think so..I prepare these patties with cooked potatoes, cooked carrots, cooked green peas with red chilly powder, garam masala powder, salt and dry roasted quick cooking oats, crusted directly with quick cooking oats instead of dipping them in a corn flour sauce and rolling them in oats..This baked oats crust oats and veggies patties was just a big success at home and we enjoyed having this healthy patties for our evening snacks and the lil ones enjoyed with ketchup...I can definitely say this baking version needs very less oil and very less attention compared when we shallow fry these patties in pan..Just with 2tsp of oil, ur patties turns prefectly crispy, well coloured and well cooked, baking this patties is one of the better and best way to enjoy these patties in case if u are health conscious..U wont regret baking this patties, and will definitely prepare this patties often since this patties goes for very less ingredients which we use almost in our daily menu..Am sending this delicious, crispy oats crust oats and veggies patties to Madhuram's Whole Grains (Eggless) Baking Event - Oats,Srilekha's EFM-Oats Series, Yasmeen's Guilt Free Snacks.

1cup Cooked potatoes
1/2cup Carrot (chopped)
1/4cup Green peas
1/4cup Quick cooking oats
1nos Onion (chopped)
1tsp Green chillies (chopped)
1/2tsp Fennel seed powder
1/2tsp Red chilly powder
1/2tsp Garam masala powder
Salt
Oil

1/4cup Quick Cooking oats (for crust)

Heat a tsp of oil, add the chopped onions, chopped green chillies and saute until the onions turns transculent, add the chopped carrots and green peas, cook again for few minutes..add the fennel seed powder, red chilly powder, garam masala powder and salt and cook everything in simmer until the veggies get slightly cooked, finally add the cooked and smashed potatoes to the veggies and cook everything in simmer until all the veggies get well cooked as masala, meanwhile dry roast the oats in simmer and add the dry roasted oats to the veggie masala and toss gently until the oats get well mixed..keep aside and let them cool..Preheat the oven at 350F..

Make small golf size balls from the masala, flatten them with ur palms..roll the patties directly the quick cooking oats and keep aside...Brush the oil over a baking sheet and arrange the oats crusted oats and veggies patties and bake for 15-20minutes until the oats crust turns brown..

Enjoy with ketchup or any sweet chutney!

Ragi Murukku

Ragi murukku, quite an easy, flavourful and crunchy murukku prepared with dry roasted ragi flour, gram flour kneaded with spiced water prepared with garlic cloves and fennel seed powder...This is one of the best and delicious murukkus i used to prepare and this is one of my grandma's signature savoury snacks..My grandma prepared muruku with pearl millet (kambu), ragi and with many sort of grains..I love this simple ragi murukku, which is really a crunchy snacks even kids will love this...I prepared this murukku for our evening snacks as i had a packet of ragi flour which i bough a long back, thats why i dry roasted my ragi flour, u can prepare very well without roasting the flour too...The only thing is this murukkus looks very dark in colour but i can definitely say this murukku tastes too marvellous as usual murukkus tastes..These crispy ragi murukkus goes to Priya's Diwali 2009 Contest...

2cups Ragi flour
1cup Gram flour
5nos Garlic cloves
2tsp Butter

2tbsp Sesame seeds
1tsp Red chilly powder
1tsp Fennel seeds
Salt
Oil for deepfrying

Dry roast the ragi flour for few minutes, sieve together the ragi flour and gram flour, take them in a large bowl..meanwhile grind the garlic cloves and fennel seed as fine paste, add a cup of water to the grounded paste and strain the spiced water, add the butter,sesame seeds, red chilly powder to the flours and knead the flour with garlic-fennel seed water as smooth dough..Heat the oil for deepfrying and take a ball of dough, put in the muruku press..squeeze out the murukku over a greased plate and drop gently to hot oil, fry until the oil stops bubbling..drain the excess of oil in a paper towel..

Conserve in an air tightened box and this murukkus stays crunchy even after two weeks,if they rest..

Coriander Pesto Pasta & Mini Omelettes

Pasta dishes, we just love anything with pastas,..I was planning to prepare pesto with basilic or either with coriander, an italian aromatic paste where italian peoples used to have with pastas, as sandwich spread else with soup, finally i prepared a delicious and flavourful home made coriander pesto with fresh coriander leaves, almond powder, garlic, green chillies, parmesan cheese etc..I prepared this coriander pesto pasta for our sterday's lunch and i served with mini omelettes prepared with grated onions and cooked in appe pan or kuzhipaniyaram pan..Those mini omelettes were so delicious and cute, i served them as skewers..Needless to say that lil ones at home just loved it and really relished the plate..I tried pesto for the first time at home and we loved it..I prepared little bit different from Cham's Cilantro Pesto as her pesto goes for vegan version, while i have added parmesan cheese to enhance the flavour of my pesto..Am sending this pasta dish to Srivalli's Kid's Delight Event..

Coriander Pesto:
2cups Coriander leaves
1/2cup Parsley leaves
3tbsp Almond powder
5nos Garlic cloves
3nos Green chillies (chopped)
1/4cup Olive Oil
1/4cup Grated Parmesan cheese
1tbsp Lime Juice
Salt

1packet Pasta (i used farfalle)
1tsp Oil

Mini Omelettes:
2nos Eggs
1/4cup Grated Onions
1/4tsp Pepper powder
Salt
1tbsp Oil

Blend all the ingredients for the coriander pesto as paste, conserve this paste in an air tightened bottle..Meanwhile cook the pasta with few drops of oil until they turns tender..As my H doesnt like the raw smell of the coriander, i cooked the coriander pesto for few seconds in olive oil before mixing it with cooked pastas,U can add directly the pesto paste to the cooked pasta and enjoy it..

Whish the omelette with pepper powder, salt and grated onions..heat the appe pan with few drops of oil, pour a tablespoon of egg mixture to the appe pan, cook on both sides and serve hot..else place the mini omelettes on the skewer and serve with coriander pesto pasta..

Enjoy!

Sunday Snacks- Snacks With Bread Roundup

Thanks a ton to all participants..Voila, am with sunday snacks -snacks with bread roundup..I enjoyed preparing this roundup friends, thanks a lot for ur fabulous pariticipation and very glad to recieve all ur delicious dishes to this Sunday Snacks Event.. Thanks a lot to Pallavi for giving this opportunity...Here we go for virtual treats of delicious vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes also some sweet bread dishes...

Vegetarian Snacks:

1)Vegetable Burger from Archy of Archy's Recipe Book..
2)Bread Knots,Bread Butter Pudding,Cheesy Bread Rolls & Stuffed Potato Bread Rolls from Pari Vasisht of Foodelicious..
3)Chinese Sesame Triangles,Corn Roll,Crunchy Cheese Bread Tartlets from Sushma Mallya of Authentic Food Delights..
4)Bread Bhaji from Prajusha of Cook Post..
5)Simple Veg. Sandwich from Shanthi Krishnakumar of Shanthi Krishnakumar's Cookbook..
6)Grilled Potato Sandwich from Jaya Wagle of Jayaspace..
7)Vegetable Breadizza from EC of Simple Indian Food..
8)Bread Pakora,Bread Roll & Rock Toast from Arti Agarwal of Breakfast To Dinner..
9)Bread Pizza & Bread Pakora from Sireesha of Mom's Recipies..
10)Herb Bread from Sheba of Art, Food and Travel Chronicles..

11)Pretzels from Shri of Tastytouch..
12)Bread Pizza from Divya of Dil Se..
13)Bread Poha & Garlic Bread (no picture) from Naina of Le Bouffe..
14)Potato Sausage & Bread Dosai from Saraswathi Balakrishna of Tastes of Sara's Kitchen..
15)Bread Manchurian,Egyptian Palace Bread & Tri Color Sandwich from Padma of Padma's Recipes..
16)Bread Paneer Pakoda from Supriya of Queen of My Kitchen..
17)Besan Bread Toast & Eggless French Toast from Sharmilee of  In my Passionate World..
18)Bread Utthappam from Indrani of Appyayan..
19)Potato Beetroot Patties from Preeti Kashyap of Relishing Recipes..
20)Paneer Sandwich & Pav Bread from Sandhya Hariharan of Sandhya's Kitchen..
21)Bread Dosa from Kanchan of Kitchen Gossip..
22)Bread Corn Toast from Priyaprashanth of Priya's Recipes..
23)Moongdal Bread Snack from My Experiments & Food..

Non Vegetarian Snacks:
1)Bread Egg Toast from Priyaprashanth of Priya's Recipes..
2)Spicy Potato & Scrambled Egg Sandwich from Indrani of Appyayan..
3)Turkey Sausage Burger, Healthy Grilled Chicken Mayo Sandwich & Spicy Home-made Chicken Burger with French Fries from Saraswathi Balakrishna of Taste of Sara's Kitchen..
4)Rava Appam from Lissie of Salt and Spice..
5)Bread N Salmon Fish Pakoras & French Bread Toast from Priya (me) of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes..

Sweet Snacks & Breads:
1)Banana Tea Bread from Saritha of My Kitchen's Aroma..
2)Oatmeal-Apple Raisin Walnut Bread from Sadhana of A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine..
3)Nutella and Banana Sandwich from Sireesha of Kidz Delight..
4)Bread Biscuit from Priyaprashanth of Priya's Recipes..
5)Banana Bread from Padma of Padma's Recipes..
6)Bread Puttu from Ashwini of Ashwini's Spicey Cuisine..
7)Eggless Oatmeal, Maple syrup N Banana Bread & Whole Wheat Fruits & Nuts Swirl Bread from Priya (me) of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes..

If i would have any of your entries, pls let me know...Thanks again to all participants, do send ur entries to my on going event Think Spice - Think Coriander Seeds..

St Clement's Drizzle Cake - S&SB Challenge

St Clement's Drizzle Cake, delicious citrusy flavoured cake tastes marvellous with hot tea for evening snacks, i prepared this cake for a special occasion and everybody at home liked this cake very much, normally apart from me none at home like citrus flavoured cakes and i never tried lemony flavoured cake except orange flavoured breads and cakes..Orange flavoured cakes get vanished very easily and when i saw this st clement's drizzle cake vanished within few minutes, i was shocked and surprised..I have to say big thanks to Rosie & Maria of Sweet & Simple Bakes for this month challenge..Such a delicious, flavourful and marvellous cake, i really enjoyed preparing this cake very much..Voila, this cake goes directly to Sweet & Simple Bakes Event where u can see this marvellous cake..

175g caster (superfine) sugar
175g softened butter
Grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon
Grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
4 tablespoons milk
2 eggs
175g self-raising flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 180oC/fan 160oC/gas 4.

Grease and line the base of 1 large (900g) or 2 small (450g) loaf tins.

Place the caster sugar, butter and zest of the lemon and orange in a bowl and beat together until pale and creamy. Add the milk, and then beat in the eggs, one at a time, with a spoon of flour to prevent the mixture from curdling. Mix in the remaining flour. Spoon into the prepared tin/tins and level the surface flat.

Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes for a large cake or 30 minutes for the smaller cakes until they are golden and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.

While the cake is cooking, place the lemon and orange juice in a saucepan, bring to the boil and allow to reduce in quantity to about 3 tablespoons. Leave to cool, and then stir in the granulated sugar so it just starts to dissolve.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick several times with a skewer, then slowly pour the lemon and orange sugar all over the top, letting it soak into the cake. Leave to cool completely in the tin before turning out and cutting into slices to serve.