Thursday, September 30, 2010

Satpuro Phulko

Satpuro in Sindhi means layered rotis, or parantha..Sat means seven and puro means layered...This parathas can be served for breakfast, lunch or for dinner with any sort of curry or simply just with yogurt and pickle..I have bookmarked this recipe at Alka's Sindhi Rasoi and immediately i loved this layered paratha since it goes for easy preparation..This satpuro phulko tastes marvellous with any sort of gravies eventhough we just  enjoyed these rotis with mixed veggies kurma, we loved it..This layered rotis goes for wheat flour, pepper powder, salt and oil also its completely healthy, this layered roti can be prepared with many variations but i loved this simple and easy preparation....Sending to T&T -SindhiRasoi guest hosted by Ria, event by Lakshmi..

Satpuro Phulko

2cups Wheat flour
1/2tsp Pepper powder
2tbsp Oil
Salt
Water

Take the flour, pepper powder, salt and a tablespoon of oil in a bowl,knead as a soft dough, keep aside for 15minutes..knead again well and take a small portion of the dough, roll as circles with rolling pin, with a knife cut it vertically into 4 ribbons with an inch each..Sprinkle some wheat flour, oil over all pieces..roll all pieces one over the other and make a ball ..carefully roll it as chapathi with rolling pin..

Place the chapathis over a hot pan, drizzle some oil and cook on medium flame until they get well cooked..Serve with any sort of gravies or curd..

Peanuts Laddoos

Its has been a long i had the peanut laddoos and sterday i got a pack of raw peanuts from chinese store, immediately i wanted to make some quick and delicious laddoos with those deskinned peanuts and finished them as cute and tasty peanut laddoos which goes simply for three ingredients..I used slightly roasted peanuts to make these laddoos with jaggery powder and cardamom, this laddoos doesnt go for a long cooking process and its quite an easier sweet balls gets ready in few minutes..This laddoos will stay prefect for a week, if they are conserved properly in an air tightened box, but it never happens coz mostly we finish these delicious laddoos after a day..

Peanuts Laddoos

1cup Peanuts (skinless & slightly roasted)
3/4cup Jaggery powder
2nos Cardamoms

Blend the peanuts, jaggery powder and cardamom as coarse powder, remove it from the mixie and make as medium sized balls..Enjoy!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Pepper Mushroom Masala Spring Rolls

I have prepared this droolworthy and spicy pepper mushroom spring rolls last weekend and served along with ketchup for my son's birthday..I simply prepared this pepper mushroom masala just with button mushrooms prepared with potatoes and spiced powders..This pepper mushroom masala with potatoes tastes truly fabulous and this spring rolls suits prefectly for evening snacks or either for a party menu appetiziers..Also this masala gets ready really very quick and this spring rolls was our recent favourite snacks, we loved it..Sending to Global Kadai - Indianised Chinese Spring Rolls guest hosted by Niloufer, event by Cilantro..

Pepper Mushroom Masala Spring Rolls

12nos Pastry sheets
1tbsp Maida
1cup Mushrooms (chopped)
1cup Potatoes (chopped)
1no Onion (chopped)
1tsp Ginger garlic paste
1tsp Coriander powder
1/2tsp Red chilly powder
1/4tsp Garam Masala
1tbsp Black whole peppercorns
4nos Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Dry roast the black whole peppercorns for a while, grind the roasted peppercorns as smooth powder and keep aside.. Heat a pan with oil , add the finely chopped onion and saute until transculent, add the ginger garic paste and stir until the raw smell disappears,now add the mushroom pieces,chopped potatoes, coriander powder, redchilly powder, garam masala powder with enough salt and cook in simmer, mushroom will leave water and cook well in medium flame..when the water gets evaporated,add the grounded pepper powder and curry leaves and cook in simmer for few minutes until the mushrooms and potatoes get well coated with pepper powder..


Make a thick paste with maida and water, fill gently a pastry sheet with the pepper mushroom masala and fold them as spring rolls, glue the end with the maida paste, finish the remaining pastry sheets..Heat oil of deep frying, drop gently the rolls and fry until they turns golden brown, strain the excess of oil with a paper towel...


Enjoy with ketchup..

Chocolate Orange Cake

I baked this simple chocolate orange cake last weekend to celebrate my son's birthday, this cake goes for really very simple process and i enjoyed making them, i love orange flavours in chocolate cake and this time i prepared out this cake with chocolate, orange juice along with orange peels..needless to say how they tasted..we loved much, its a delicious, quite a spongy cake with orange flavour..A fabulous treat to chocolate lovers and i love baking and enjoying this cake with hot coffee for my sunday evening snacks, this cake stays prefect for more than three days in room temperature..Sending to Shabitha's Virtual Party-Chocolaty Dreams..

Chocolate Orange cake

2cups All purpose flour
3nos Eggs
1cup Sugar
1tsp Baking powder
3/4cup Butter
1/2tsp Baking Soda
1/2cup Dark chocolate pieces
1cup Orange juice( fresh)
1/4cup Orange rinds
1/2cup Milk
Nutella spread
Chocolate vermicellis

Heat chocolate and milk in microwave bowl for 2 minutes, mix well until the chocolate gets well melted...meanwhile mix all the dry ingredients together n keep aside, whisk together eggs,butter, sugar n orange juice, until the sugar get well dissolved...add the milk n chocolate mixture..finally add the orange rinds n whisk everything well..preheat the oven for 350F..

Now add the dry ingredients n mix everything well, pour the cake batter in a greased round pan and bake for 20-25 minutes in middle rack...let them cool..Just spread the nutella spread over the cake and sprinkle some chocolate vermicellis..

Enjoy with a cup of hot coffee..

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Mixed Veggies & Soya Kheema Spring Rolls

I have completely forgotten a packet of soya chunks and while going through my pantry today, i found a packet of soya chunks sitting sadly,finally i finished half of the packet of soya chunks for making this spring rolls where i combined those cooked and grounded soya kheema along with chopped potatoes, carrots and green peas and prepared a spicy filling for making this crispy spring rolls..Everyone at home enjoyed this spring rolls for evening snacks and am really glad to finish half of the soya chunks for making a spicy filling which turned out really tasty and these crispy spring rolls suits prefect as evening snacks..

Mixed Veggies & Soya Kheema Spring Rolls

12nos Spring roll pastry sheet
1tbsp Maida
1cup Potatoes (chopped)
1cup Soya chunks
1cup Carrots (chopped)
1/2cup Green peas
1no Onion (big & chopped)
1tsp Red chilly powder
1/2tsp Garam masala powder
1/2tsp Cumin seed powder
Few curry leaves
1tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
Salt
Oil
Oil for deepfrying

Cook the soya chunks in salted water, once they doubled their size, put off the stove..Squeeze out the excess of water and ground them as coarse paste,keep aside..Heat enough oil, saute the chopped onions with salt until they turns transculent,now add the chopped carrots, chopped green peas and potatoes, saute for few minutes, now add the chilly powder, garam masala powder, cumin seed powder,curry leaves and saute everything in simmer, sprinkle little water to the veggies..finally add the soya kheema to the cooking veggies..Cook everything in simmer until the veggies get well cooked..Add the chopped coriander leaves and put off the stove..let the filling get cooled completely..

Make a thick paste with maida and water, fill gently a pastry sheet with the already prepared spicy veggies and soya kheema filling and fold them as spring rolls, glue the end with the maida paste, finish the remaining pastry sheet..Heat oil of deep frying, drop gently the rolls and fry until they turns golden brown, strain the excess of oil with a paper towel..

Enjoy with ketchup..

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

I have bookmarked this oven roasted cauliflower at Madhuram's Eggless Cooking quite a long back and this oven roasted spicy cauliflowers are quite a familiar dish for me coz i prepare them often whenever i get a cauliflower, at the same time it goes for less ingredients..Its completely guilt free since its gets roasted in oven..This South Indian style overn roasted cauliflowers goes awesome as an appetizier also as side dish for any sort of rice dishes or else even as snacks with ketchup..I do this often and this time i didnt forget to take some clicks, thanks to Madhu for sharing a spicy and delicious roasted cauliflowers, we love these spicy cauliflower florets as its our family's favourite dish..Sending to Priya & Aipi's Bookmarked Recipes and Srivalli's Kid's Delight-Finger Foods & to Ayeesha's Any One Can Cook and finally to CHampa's Bake Off..

Oven roasted Cauliflower

1no  Cauliflower (medium sized,chopped as florets)
1tsp Red chilly powder
2tsp Sambar powder
2tbsp Oil
1tbsp Cornflour
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
Salt

Mix everything along with the cauliflower florets, preheat the oven to 425F, line a baking sheet over a baking pan, gently arrange the spiced florets one by one and bake them for 20-25minutes in middle rack..toss it once or twice while roasting..For crispiness, turn the oven to broil mode for 5minutes and toss once the florets to turn crispy..

Enjoy!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Aloo Tamatar

I came across this beautiful dish while am going through Alka's Sindhi Rasoi and immediately i got hooked to this droolworthy side dish which goes prefectly along with rotis since this dish goes for an easy breezy preparation..Yep the whole cooking process goes for pressure cooking and this dish sounds truly very interesting for me since i love easy cooking dishes..No doubt this aloo tamatar was our recent favourite and we love it..thanks a lot to Alka for sharing this droolworthy and delicious dish for our rotis, pooris and y not along with rice too..Sending to this month's T&T-SIndhiRasoi guest hosted by Ria, event by Lakshmi and to Any One Can Cook going in Pearl in the City....

Aloo tamatar

3nos Potatoes (cubed)
2nos Tomatoes (chopped)
2no Green chillies
1tsp Cumin seeds
1/4tbsp Fenugreek seeds
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
3/4tsp Chilly powder
1tbsp Coriander powder
1tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
Oil
Salt

Heat enough oil in a pressure cooker, add the curry leaves, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and saute until they turns brown, add the finely chopped tomatoes and fry for few minutes, now add the potato chunks, salt,turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder and saute everything for few minutes..add enough water,close the lid and cook upto 2whistles..once the pressure get released, garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy along with rotis or pooris..

Aloo Matar Kulcha

Kulcha is a type of Indian flat bread made with a either maida flour or with a combination of maida or whole wheat flour, its quite popular in North India and its usually baked in an clay oven until its turns golden brown, since its not that much easier to get a clay oven here, i went for stove top for cooking this kulchas which i stuffed with a spicy aloo matar masala, this kulchas tastes spicy, delicious at the same time,also its quite an easy flatbread which can be conserved two or three days in fridge, everyone at home enjoyed just having the kulchas with thick curd spices with a simple tadka and we loved it..

Aloo Matar Kulcha

2cups Maida flour
1/4cup Milk
1/4cup Yogurt
1tsp Baking soda
1tsp Nigella seeds
Salt
2tbsp Oil

For Aloo matar masala:
2nos Potatoes (cooked)
1/2cup Green peas
1no Onions (big & chopped)
1tsp Red chilly powder
1/2tsp Coriander powder
1tsp Garam masala powder
2tsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
Salt
1/2tsp Fennel seeds
Oil

Heat oil, fry the fennel seeds, saute the onions and salt until the onions turns transculent, now add the green peas, chilly powder, coriander powder and garam masala,cook everything simmer until the veggies get half cooked, add the cooked and smashed potatoes, saute everything for few minutes..finally add the coriander leaves and put off the stove..keep aside and let them cool, makes 6-8 medium sized balls of this masala..

Meanwhile make the dough for kulchas, combine all the ingredients except the oil and nigella seeds, make a smooth and soft dough,keep aside for an hour..Knead again the dough and make 6-8medium sized balls, flatten the ball with a rolling pin, gently place the already prepared masala ball, cover the stuffing with the dough and roll again as flat disc..brush the kulchas with oil, sprinkle the nigella seeds..

Heat a tawa,once its hot..gently place the kulchas (no need of drizzling the oil) and cook on both sides until they turns golden brown..Enjoy with any sort of side dishes..

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Fattoush - Arabic Veggies & Flatbread Salad

Fattoush is a traditional salad made from toasted or fried pieces of pita bread (khubz 'arabi) combined with mixed greens and other vegetables. Fattoush are made by Arab cooks using stale flatbread as a base.. To make fattoush, cooks use seasonal produce, mixing different vegetables and herbs according to taste and use stale pita breads to this salad. The vegetables are cut  relatively as large pieces compared to tabbouleh which requires ingredients to be finely chopped. Sumac is usually used to give fattoush its sour taste..I prepared this salad with some stale Khobz' Arabi which is prepared few days back with whole wheat flour, this salad was truly refreshing, easy also filling , prefect for dinner or either for lunch during hot summer.Sending to Flavors of Cuisines - Middle Eastern guest hosted by Asiya Akka, event by Julie..

Fattoush

2nos Arabic flat bread (toasted & cut as bites)
10nos Cherry tomatoes (diced)
1/4cup Green bellpepper (chopped)
1cup Lettuce (shredded)
2tbsp Parsley leaves (chopped)
1tbsp Mint leaves
1/4cup Onions(chopped)
1cup Cucumber (sliced)
1tbsp Olive oil
1tsp Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper powder

Mix the oliveoil, lemon juice, salt and pepper powder in a bowl..take the shredded lettuce, chopped parsley, chopped mint leaves, chopped onions, flatbread bites,chopped bellpepper, diced tomatoes,sliced cucumber in a bowl, add the dressing and toss everything well..Serve chilled..

Enjoy this salad either for lunch or for dinner..



Friday, September 24, 2010

Dry Fruits Laddoos

Dryfruits laddoos are highly nutritious and these laddoos are traditionally given to young mothers during for few months after delivery,this helps new mothers to recover back also helps lot for lactation, this dry fruits laddoos is quite famous in Karnataka.. These laddoos tastes marvellous and its quite addicting, yep u cant stop enjoying them..Edible gum plays an important role in this laddoos, fortunately i got them from Indian grocery and immediately i picked it..Quick, easy and healthy laddoos tastes marvellous also healthy since this laddoos goes for nuts, dates and raisins..


Dry Fruit Laddoo

1cup Cashew
1cup Almonds
1/2cup Raisins
1/2cup Dates
1cup Edible gum
1cup Sugar
Milk (as per need)
2tsp Ghee
1tbsp Cardamom powder

Roast the almonds, cashews in ghee and keep aside, meanwhile chop the dates and raisins as small pieces..Dry roast the edible gum in a heavy bottomed pan on low flame until it puffs up..grind the roasted edible gum, roasted nuts, chopped fruits and sugar as coarse powder, sprinkle milk, cardamom powder and mix well....

Make medium sized balls from this mixture and store in an air tightened box..

Tidaali Daal - Three Lentils Mix Dal

One of my favourite and comforting food is any sort of dals, served along with rice topped with ghee and papads, its tastes absolutely divine and i never say no to dals..Since i was searching for a new combination of dal tadka, i went through Alka's Sindhi Rasoi coz her blog was choosed by Ria for this month's Tried & Tasted hosted by Ria, event by Lakshmi.. Alka have so many Authentic Sindhi dishes where u got many choices of dals with different and various combination of dals, but this three lentils mix dal catched my attention and i tried this tidaali daal yesterday for our dinner and served with chappathis, this dal tastes delicious and goes perfectly with rotis also with rice..This dal  goes for quick and easy preparation, yeah its get ready in less time and we enjoyed it..U can see the original recipe here..

Tidaali Daal

1cup  Channadal, Urad dal & Green Moong dal
2nos Tomatoes
3nos Green chillies
1tsp Ginger (minced)
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
Salt

For tempering:
5nos Garlic loves (crushed)
Few curry leaves
1tsp Cumin seeds
Oil
1tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)

Soak the lentils in warm water for atleast an hour..Wash them properly,cook three lentils in pressure cooker with 3 cups of water,chopped tomatoes,finely chopped ginger and green chillies, turmeric and salt and wait for 5 whistles.once the pressure gets released,whisk the dals.

Heat the oil in a pan, add crushed garlic,curry leaves,and cummin seeds and wait till garlic turns golden brown..Add this tadka to cooked dals and close the lid immediately,simmer it for few minutes..

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rotis or rice!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Cabbage Tamarind Chutney (Oil free)

I tried out this oil free cabbage chutney yesterday for our dinner and served along with hot steaming idlies, we loved this tangy cabbage chutney and its completely oil free, yea i didnt used even a drop of oil for making this beautiful chutney and this chutney tastes fabulous even when i served them along with curd rice..Easy breezy chutney which is completely oil free gets ready in less time as i went for microwave cooking for cabbage chunks  while i dry roasted the spices in stove top..

Oil free Cabbage Chutney

2cups Cabbage (chopped)
3nos Dry red chillies
1tbsp Coriander seeds
1no Tamarind (blueberry size)
1tsp Ginger
1tbsp Urad dal
Salt

Take the chopped cabbage, tamarind , ginger with salt in a microwave bowl and cook for 10minutes high in microwave oven, meanwhile dry roast the coriander seeds, dry red chillies and urad dal, roast everything until a nice aroma comes out..take everything in a mixie, grind as bit coarse paste by adding water if needed..

Transfer the chutney to a bowl and enjoy as side dish with idlies, dosas or with rice..


Beans & Roasted Gram Curry N Beans Pakodi Kura

Last week, i was cooking many Arabic foods since this cuisine was new and completely an adventure for me to try out many dishes from their cuisine..Finally am back with our Indian dishes, hope i didnt bored my friends by putting on my cooking adventures with Arabic foods..I tried out two dishes with french green beans which turned out fabulous, one is from Shabitha's Beans N Roasted Gram Curry which was quite an interesting and different curry which i never thought or prepared along with roasted gram..I usually go for moongdal to make curries with french beans and Shabitha went for roasted gram (pottukadalai) in her beans curry and i tried out yesterday for our lunch and served along with sambar and rasam rice..Thanks a lot Shabitha for sharing this interesting curry we loved it..The second beans dish was Beans pakodi kura, i have bookmarked this kura at Sailu's Beans Pakodi Kura/French Beans Fritters Stir fry since a long and two days back i tried out this stir fry, this curry is prepared with a beans fritters and then tempered with onions and spices as stir fry, very delicious side dish to enjoy along with any sort of rice..we enjoyed along with vegetable fried rice, both together turned out our lunch prefect and we loved it, Thanks to Sailu for sharing this delicious and interesting stir fry with us..Sending these both beans dishes to Nupur's BB7-The Iron Chef...

Beans & Roasted Gram Curry:
Beans Curry With Roasted Gram

2cups Beans (chopped)
1no Onion (chopped)
1/2cup Roasted gram (pottukadalai)
1/2tsp Chilly powder
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
1tsp Urad dal & Mustard seeds
Salt
Oil
Few curry leaves

Heat oil, let splutters the mustard seeds and urad dal, add the chopped onions, curry leaves and saute until the onions turns transculent, now add the chopped beans, salt, turmeric powder, chilly powder and saute for a while, add some water and cook the veggies until they get well cooked, meanwhile grind the roasted gram as coarse powder, add this coarse gram powder to the cooked veggies, give a stir and cook for few seconds, put off the stove..

Serve hot as side dish..

Beans Pakodi Kura/Beans Fritters Stir-fry:
Beans Pakodi Kura

2cups Beans (cut as small bites)
1tbsp Corn flour
2tbsp Gram flour/Besan
1/4tsp Red chilly powder
1/2tsp Ginger garlic paste
Salt

For Seasoning:
1no Onion (finely chopped)
1tsp Garlic (minced)
1/2tsp Ginger (minced)
Few curry leaves
2nos Green chillies (finely chopped)
1/4tsp Red chilly powder
3/4tsp Coriander powder

Take the corn flour, besan flour, ginger garlic paste,salt and red chilly powder along with beans, sprinkle few water and combine everything well until the beans get coated..Heat the oil for deep frying, slowly drop the flours coated beans into the oil and deep fry until they turns golden brown..

In an another pan, heat some oil, add the minced ginger and mince garlic, green chillies and curry leaves, fry for few minutes, add the chopped onion and saute for few minutes, now add the bean fritters to the onions, stir fry in high flame for few seconds, add immediately the red chilly powder, coriander powder and salt (as per need), toss everything gently and cook for few minutes in high and put off the stove..

Enjoy as side dish with any sort of rice dishes..

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Carrot Rice & Carrot Vadas

Its has been a long i prepared carrot rice and this time i want to prepare them something different and i went through my foodie bloggers spaces and finally Shabitha's Carrot rice tempted me a lot as she prepared as like her mom's preparation and this rice goes for a easy cooking process also its a easy breezy complete one pot meal..Thanks to Shabitha for sharing this delicious carrot rice, we enjoyed having and am gonna prepare this carrot rice often, i served this carrot rice simply with papads and egg fry..A prefect lunch box menu to enjoy anytime also its a best and better way to sneak carrots...I saw some crispy carrot vadas at Uma's Carrot Vadas which sounds particularly easy since these vadas doesnt go for soaking dals or grinding, immediately i wanted to give a try and today i prepared these crispy vadas for our lunch and enjoyed along with sambar rice..both together works out wonder and we enjoyed this crispy vadas, thanks to Uma for sharing this easy carrot vadas which gets ready in less time also gets vanished in less time...

Carrot Rice:

Carrot rice

2cups Basmati Rice
3cups Grated carrots
2nos Onion (chopped lengthwise)
2nos Green chillies (slit opened)
handful of Mint leaves
1tbsp Ginger garlic paste
10nos Cashewnuts
1tsp Chilly powder
1/2tsp Lemon juice
2nos Whole Spices (bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms & cloves)
Salt
Ghee+Oil

Soak the rice in 3cups of water for 15minutes,Heat enoug ghee +oil in a pressure cooker, fry the whole spices until they turns brown.

Add immediately the onions, ginger garlic paste and saute well, now add the mint leaves, slit opened green chillies and salt , saute for few minutes..now add the grated carrots, red chilly powder and saute for few minutes.

Sprinkle little water and allow the grated carrots to cook, once they get half cooked, strain the soaked water and add it to the cooking carrots..bring it boil.

Now add the rice, close the pressure cooker and cook upto 2 whistles, once the steam get released add the lemon juice and give a stir gently..

Serve hot with papads or spicy egg fry..

Carrot Vadas:

Carrot Vadas

2cups Grated carrots
1+1/4cup Gram flour
1/2cup Powdered raw peanuts
1/2tsp Cumin seeds
2tbsp Grated coconut
2tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
1/2tsp Ginger (grated)
1no Green chilly (chopped)
A pinch of soda
Salt
Oil

Heat the oil for deepfrying, meanwhile take all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together as a dough with little water..take a small portion from the dough and shape them as vadas, drop gently to the hot oil and fry on both sides until they get well cooked..

Serve hot as side dish or enjoy as snacks with ketchup...

Qahwa Arabeya-Arabic Coffee

Qahwa Arabeya, the Arabic coffee is a symbol of hospitality, this coffee is never prepared with milk or sugar and its usually served with dates, fruits or any other sweets, the ritual of serving coffee in Arabic countries is sign of welcoming their guests..This coffee is served as black coffee prepared  with coarsely grounded cardamom, saffron and rose water with coffee powder..It has a special coffee pot called dallah and the coffee cups are small but with no handle. The portions are very small, covering the bottom of the cup. It is served in houses and in good restaurants,also offered at most social events like weddings and funerals...I loved this perfumed black coffee and enjoyed with dates.Sending to Flavors of Cuisines - Middle Eastern guest hosted by Asiya Akka, event by Julie..

Arabic Coffee

3tbsps Coffee powder
2cups Water
1tsp Cardamom powder
1/2tsp Rose water
1/4tsp Saffron strands

Boil the water in a pan, add the coffee and let it boil in simmer for few minutes,put the cardamom powder, saffron strands and rose water in a pot, strain the coffee to the pot and keep aside for few minutes..

Serve warm with dates..

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Ka'ak - Arabic Bread Rings

Ka'ak is a Arabic word which means cake and can refer to several different types of baked goofies produced throughout the Arab World..Ka'ak is a bread consumed often in Arabic world and looks like a large ring shaped bread and covered with sesame seeds or simply prepared with dry fruits and saffrons..Widely sold by street vendors, its usually eaten as a snack or for breakfast with any spread..This ka'ak is prepared with a sweet dough, rolled into ropes and formed as a rings and topped with sesame seeds, instead of za'atar as spice mix widely known and common in Middle Eastern cuisine, this ka'ak is glazed with milk and sesame seeds, as i like sesame seeds over sweet breads..We loved this Ka'ak with butter and jam ,enjoyed having this bread rings for our breakfast and snacks..Sending to Flavors of Cuisines - Middle Eastern guest hosted by Asiya Akka, event by Julie..

Ka'ak

2cups All purpose flour
1/2cup Whole wheat flour
1/2cup Semolina (fine)
1cup Sugar
1tbsp Active dry yeast
1/4tsp Saffron strands
1+1/2cup Luke warm milk
1/2cup Golden raisin
2tbsp Butter
2tsbp Oil
Sesame seeds (optional)

Mix the active dry yeast in luke warm water with a teaspoon of sugar, keep aside until they turns foamy..Now take all the ingredients in a large bowl, gradually add the foamy yeast mixture and make a smooth and soft dough..keep aside for an hour in a greased bowl...Divide the dough into 8 medium sized balls and cover with a damp cloth and let them rise again for half an hour..

Now take a ball and roll into as a rope, join the ends together..place the rings over a baking sheet, brush the top with milk and springle sesame seeds (optional)..Preheat the oven to 350F...Let them sit again for 10minutes..Bake this Ka'ak to 20-25minutes..

Serve with any spreads or enjoy simply..

Khobz' Arabi /Khubus - Arabic Flat Bread

Khubz, Khoubz or Khobz is an Arabic word for bread which refer to a flatbread that forms the staple food of many countries like Arabian Peninsula, Lebanon, Syria etc..In Arabic Peninsula, the most common type of bread is mostly a large type of flat bread and its traditionally baked in special oven, the dough is rolled out like pizza dough and it baked in oven..The Arabian style khobz are also called as Khuboos or khubus, its looks similar liks pita bread or either like our Indian roti 'Naan'..Usually this bread is prepared with all purpose flour but i prepared this bread by combining both all purpose flour and whole wheat flour, i got this recipe from Faji's Hot Pot which i bookmarked few days back..Thanks to Faji, i enjoyed making this bread and we loved it with hummus and salad.Sending to Flavors of Cuisines - Middle Eastern guest hosted by Asiya Akka, event by Julie..

Khobz -Arabic Flatbread

1cup All purpose flour
1cup Whole wheat flour
1+1/2tsp Active dry yeast
2tsp Sugar
1tsp Salt
1tbsp Olive oil
1/2cup Luke warm water

Mix the yeast,sugar and salt to the luke warm water and keep aside for 5mins..Take both flours in a bowl, gradually add the foamy yeast,olive oil and knead everything as soft dough..Keep this dough in a bowl for 2hours..After the dough get doubled their volume, punch down and knead again for few minutes..Make 6-8medium sized balls from the dough and keep aside for 10minutes  and cover with a damp cloth..Preheat the oven to 250C..meanwhile roll the balls as medium sized circles, arrange a rolled disc over a baking sheet, finish rolling the dough as disc, bake one by one in the middle rack of  the oven..Bake for 5 minutes until it puffs fully and brown spots appears on the top..

Serve this bread with any spread along with any veggies or meats..

Monday, September 20, 2010

CWS-Fennel Seeds Roundup

Sorry friends, i was too late to post this CWS-fennel seeds roundup..Coz of busy weekdays and weekends i was quite unable to post this roundup..Thanks a lot to my blogger buddies for sending their beautiful fennel flavoured dishes for this beautiful event,am so happy to get apporimately 57 entries along with my entries and i truly enjoyed preparing this roundup..I have got many vegetarian entries and few non vegetarian entries, anyhow thanks again to everyone...Dont forget to send ur entries to this month's ongoing event CWS-Nigella Seeds guest hosted by Umm Mymoonah of Taste Of Pearl City..


1)Vazhakkai Varuval from Padma of Padma's Recipes..
2)Achari Aloo & Easy Cheesy Stuffed Peppers from Aipi of US Masala..
3)Saunfwali Malai Roti from Rahin of Lazzat..
4)Vegetable Usili from Sadhana of Sadhana's Kitchen..
5)Chickpeas Curry from Akheela of Torviewtoronto..
6)Chickpeas Fry , Carrot Poriyal & Bitter Gourd Fry from Nandini of Nandini's Food Page..
7)Sprouted Chickpea Fenugreek Curry/Chole Masala & Sprouted Green Gram Fritters from Sanyukta of Creative Sanyukta..
8)Tomato PulavThandaiPotato Peas Pulav & Carrot Peas Pulao from Akila of Learning-to-cook..
9)Lauki Ka Kofta Aur Kashmiri Puri/Bottlegourd Balls In Spicy Tomato Gravy & Deep Fried Flat Bread from Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen..
10)Sprouted Channa and Carrot Pulav from Swapna of SimpleVegCooking..
11)Fennel and Cumin Seeds Flavoured Yoghurt Stuffed Celery & Barley Fennel Vadai from Krishnaveni Mahesh of Krishnaveni's Kitchen..
12)Spaghetti Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Soup from Latha of A Peek into My Kitchen..
13)Pumpkin & Papaya Curry from Vidhya of My Receipes..
14)Saunf Aur Tamatar Paneer (Cottage Cheese in Fennel and Tomato Sauce) from Priya of Mharo's Rajasthan Recipes..
15)Marvari Dal Bati & Kachori, Aloo Ki Subji With Curd Dipped Onion Rings from Santosh Bangar of Santosh's Kitchen..
16)Hari Mirch Ka Achaar/Green Chilli Pickle - North Indian Style from Tanvi of Sinfullyspicy..
17)Fennel Flavoured Chickpeas and Bottle Gourd Curry from Ragini Miranda of Happy,Healthy, Fun Cooking..
18)Pepper Potato Curry from Srividhya Ravikumar of Vidhu's Kitchen..
19)Brinji Rice from Jay of Tasty Appetite..


20)Karamani Vadai,Mint Rice & Bitter Gourd Podimas from Menaga of Sashiga..
21)Cooker Briyani in 30mins from Sowjanya of Ruchikacooks..
22)Protein Rich Sprouts Dosai & Sprouted Moong Dhal Pancake from Niloufer Riyaz of Kitchen Samraj..
23)Tomato and Paneer Rice from Suneetha of Suneetha's Kitchen..
24)Aloo Saunfwale from Lavanya of Veggie Delights
25)Kakara from Satrupa of Food For Thought..
26)Tamarind, Mint & Funnel Seeds Chutney from Rumana Ambrin Rawat of Spice ur Senses..
27)Sprouted Blackeyed Peas & Tomato KurmaFennel Flavoured Drumstick & Jackfruit Seeds Curry , Aloo & Tomato Kurma , Sprouted Chickpeas Bread & Methi Channa Paneer Masala from Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes..
28)Gulkand Paan Mukhwas/Home Remedy for Bad Breath from Muskaan of A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine..
29)Fennel Seeds for Digestion from Nivedita of Nivedita's Kitchen..

Non Vegetarian Dishes:
1)Achari Murgh/Chicken With Pickling Spices from Tanvi of Sinfullyspicy..
2)Kethal ChickenGreen Chicken CurryChicken Kurma,White Lamb KurmaKola Urundai Kulambu & Curry Leaf Chicken Curry from Umm Mymoonah of Taste Of Pearl City..
3)Garlic Chicken from Shabitha Karthikeyan of From My Home Kitchen..
4)Turkey Cabbage Kheema Curry & Simple Spicy Chicken Kuzhambu from Sangeetha of Sangi's Food World..
5)Chicken Briyani from Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes..

Updated:
I have missed four entries from our blogger friends, Sorry Nandini, Pushpa and Ameya for my mistake, here comes ur entries dears..




1)Onion Tomato Chutney from Nandini of Nandini's Food Page..
2)Beetroot Kurma & Blackeyed Peas & Banana Blossom Cutlet from Pushpa of Taste As You Cook..
3) Egg Kheema from Ameya of The Spice Savant..

Voila, enjoy all these virtual treats !!!! Dont forget to send ur entries to this month's Cooking With Seeds Event...

Chocolate Puffs

Wanna make some quick, easy breezy and delicious snacks for a lazy evening, u have to give a look at this droolworthy chocolate puffs, this puffs goes for just puff pastry sheet and any chocolate bar broken into large pieces..Actually i prepared this puffs accidently, yep its happens sometimes..I have completely forgotten a puff pastry sheet in my fridge and while cleaning my fridge i saw a puff pastry was sitting sadly, immediately i went for this quick puffs as i dont want make any filling and finished this droolworthy chocolate puffs with some leftover chocolate & almond bar... U believe me or not, i have to struggle to take this click as this puffs got vanished once i removed them from the oven..Its quite an easy snacks even a kid can prepare with the help of an adult..Simple puffs to enjoy with hot coffee or a masala tea or either after ur lunch as dessert, we loved it much..Sending to Shabitha's Virtual Party-Chocolaty Dreams and to Srivalli's Kid's Delight-Finger Food..

Chocolate Puffs

1no Puff pastry sheet
1no Chocolate bar (broken as large pieces)

Preheat the oven to 350C...Cut the puff pastry sheets as large rectangle, place a large piece of chocolate bar, fold as pockets and with a fork press the edges..arrange this puffs over a baking sheet and bake for 20-25minutes until the crust turns golden brown..

Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee...

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Mixed Veggies & Chicken Pulao

Our's today sunday lunch was this quick and easy breezy pulao with mixed veggies and marinated chicken chunks..Had a wonderful weekend and a lazy sunday,thats the reason i prepared this quick pulao instead of making briyanis or kurmas..This pulao needs hardly very less time and get ready very quickly when compared to briyanis or any other non vegetarian gravies, wat all we need is cooked basmati rice with coconut milk spiced with green chillies and sauteed with mixed veggies along with marinated chicken chunks..This dish doesnt even need side dish to enjoy and suits prefectly as a lunch box menu or for a party menu, we enjoyed it with carrot raita and we loved it..

Mixed Veggies & Chicken Pulao

2cups Basmati rice
2cups Mixed veggies (carrots, beans, peas, cabbage, capsicum)
1/2cup Chicken (boneless & chopped)
1tbsp Soya sauce
1/2tsp Pepper powder
1/2tsp Red chilly powder
1tsp Garam masala powder
2nos Bay leaves, cinnamon stick & cloves
1tsp Ginger (grated)
1no Onion (big & chopped)
Few coriander leaves

To Grind:
1/2cup Grated coconut
2nos Green chillies

Grind the coconut and green chillies with a cup of luke warm water and strain this spiced coconut milk (usually i go for 1+1/2cups of water for cooking basmati rice, make spiced coconut milk as 3cups by adding enough water)..keep aside..Now marinate the chopped chicken chunks with soya sauce, red chilly powder, pepper powder and salt and keep aside for half an hour..Wash and soak the basmati rice with already prepared spiced coconut milk for 15 minutes, finally cook the rice in a rice cooker...

Heat a heavy bottomed pan with enough oil, fry the bay leaves,cinnamon stick and cloves..add the chopped onions and grated ginger, sauté for few minutes..now add the marinated chicken chunks, saute for another few minutes and finally add the mixed veggies and saute everything with enough salt and garam masala until the veggies get half cooked in simmer..now add the already cooked rice and chopped coriander leaves,toss until every thing get well mixed..

Enjoy with papads or any sort of raitas..

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Peanut butter are our favourite, i do often biscuits or else as simple spread over a toasted bread, yesterday i tried out those creamy peanut butter in my cupcakes along with chocolate..Both peanut butter and chocolate works out wonder together and this cupcakes tastes tremendous and enjoyed for our snacks also for our weekend brunch, with a cup of coffee this nutty chocolate cupcakes goes awesome and we enjoyed having this cute looking cupcakes..To give more crunchiness to this cupcakes i have just sprinkled few almond flakes over to this cupcakes..

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cupcakes

2cups All purpose flour
1/2cup Corn flour
2nos Eggs
1 cup Sugar
1/2cup Creamy Peanut butter
1tsp Baking powder
1/2tsp Baking soda
4tbsp Dark chocolate powder
1+1/2cups Milk
1tsp Vanilla extract
1tbsp Almond flakes

Preheat the oven to 350F, line the cupcake pans with paper moulds..Mix the eggs, sugar,milk, vanilla extract and peanut butter together until they turn smooth, sieve the flours,dark chocolate powder, baking soda and baking powder together and gradually to the already prepared wet ingredients..mix everything well,dont overmix and spoon the cupcake batter to the paper moulds, springle the almond flakes over the batter and bake for 20-25minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean..

Friday, September 17, 2010

Dudhi Chana Nu Shaak (Bottlegourd and Bengal Gram Curry)

I have bookmarked this dudhi chana nu shaak at Parita's Space...i have completely forgotten to try out but while going through few days back, i saw this dudhi chana nu shaak, since its a Gujarati speciality i wanted to try them during the weekend also wanted to send them to Nayna's event,we enjoyed this curry with rotis for our dinner..This curry is quite an easy side dish which get ready in less minutes since i prepared the whole cooking process in pressure cooker as Parita did..Thanks to Parita for sharing this easy breezy curry, its such a simple curry which goes terribly awesome as side dish along with rotis..Sending to Nayna's Flavours of Gujarat and to Priya's Bookmarked Recipes..

Dudhi Channa Nu Shaak

2cups Bottlegourd (chopped)
3/4cup Channadal
2tsp Oil
1tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Mustard seeds
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
1tsp Red chilly powder
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
1tsp Coriander powder
1tspCumin powder
1tsp Sugar
Salt
1cup Water

Heat oil in a cooker and fry the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida powder and turmeric powder, add the chopped bottlegourd pieces, saute for few seconds and add salt, sugar, red chilly powder, cumin powder and coriander powder, saute everything for few minutes..add the washed channa dal and water to the veggies..mix everything well and pressure cook for 5 whistles..

Enjoy this curry with rotis or rice..

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Beets & Watemelon White Rinds Kurma

It has been ages i prepared gravies with beetroots, today i went for this easy breezy beets cooked along with some leftover watermelon white rinds as kurma, this kurma goes awesome along with rice and rotis..Yeah its a two in one gravy, can enjoy absolutely with rice along with papads or with spicy potato fry and as gravy along with rotis..Usually i used to prepare ginger garlic paste and with a grounded paste prepared along with grated coconuts and fennel seeds  for making kurmas but this time i went for a easy method to prepare this gorgoeus looking kurma and the whole cooking process was quite easier than the usual way of making kurmas..Sending to Healing Foods-Beetroot guest hosted by Priya, event by Siri and Akila's DIsh Starts with 'B'...

Beets Kurma

2nos Beetroots (chopped as cubes)
2cups Watermelon white rinds (chopped)
1/2tsp Cumin seeds
2nos Bay leaves
Few curry leaves
Salt
Oil
Coriander leaves (chopped)

To Grind:
2nos Onions
2nos Tomatoes
8nos Garlic cloves
1/2inch Ginger
4nos Green chillies
1tsp Peppercorns
1/2cup Grated coconut
1tbsp Coriander seeds
1tsp Fennel seeds
1/2inch Cinnamon stick
2nos Cloves
1tsp Poppy seeds
2nos Cardamoms

Grind all the ingredients given in the list to grind as thick paste..In a pressure cooker, cook the cubed beets and chopped watermelon white rinds with salt and enough water upto 3whistles..Now heat enough oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, cook the masala paste for few minutes, add the salt and cooked veggies with cooked water to the masala and cook for few minutes..Temper the kurma with cumin seeds,curry leaves and bayleaves..

Finally garnish the kurma with coriander leaves and enjoy warm with rice and rotis..

Barley & Spring Onion Biscuits

I love savoury biscuits that too along with herbs, i often do these sort of savoury biscuits eventhough we have sweet tooth..This time i tried out some savoury biscuits combining barley flour along with all purpose flour and prepared this cute looking savoury biscuits with finely chopped spring onions spiced up with pepper powder, flax seeds, nigella seeds and few red chilly flakes..This biscuits  tastes excellent when they are served with cream cheese topped with some oven roasted bellpepper chunks or else with guacamole y not either with hummus as an appetizier or either simply with a cup of coffee for snacks..We love it..

Barley & Spring Onions Biscuits

1cup All purpose flour
1/2cup Barley flour
1/4cup Spring Onions (chopped finely)
1tbsp Nigella seeds
2tbsp Flax seeds
1/2tsp Red chilly flakes
1/2tsp Pepper powder
2tbsp Olive oil
Salt
1tsp Baking powder

Mix the flours, baking powder, salt, pepper powder, chilly flakes, nigella seeds, flax seeds,spring onions in a bowl, add the olive oil and enough water and knead everything together as soft and smooth dough, keep aside for half an hour..

Preheat the oven to 350F,line a baking sheet over a baking tray..Dust and roll this dough as large dish, cut as any shape as u desire with cookie cutters, arrange the biscuits over the baking sheet and bake for 20-25minutes until the crust turns golden brown..let them cool completely..

Enjoy with cream cheese, guacamole or simply with salted butter.


Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Manoharam~~IC Challenge

I dont have any memories of eating this manoharam, a delicious sweet balls prepared with crispy and broken murukkus bits, eventhough this manoharam is quite famous in TamilNadu, anyhow this month's Indian Cooking Challenge was very much interesting for me to try out this sweet balls..This sweet balls turned out awesome and i prepared approximately 15 medium sized balls..I tried out the first version, which goes for crispy murukkus and the second one goes for boondhis, making murukkus sounds quite easy when compared to making manoharams with boondhis for me, so i went happily for the murukku version..Thanks a ton to Srivalli for choosing this authentic dish and i really enjoyed making and having them..

Manoharam

2cups Raw rice
1cup Yellow Moongdal
2tbsp Ghee
Salt
Oil
1cup Jaggery
1/4cup Water

Wash and soak the rice for 15mins, drain and spread over a clean towel to absorb the moisture, grind the rice to a very fine powder and grind the moongdal as fine powder too, sieve both flours separately..now take two cups of rice flour and a cup of moong dal flour, mix well with salt, add the ghee and knead as dough with enough water..Heat enough oil for deep frying, put the ball of dough inside the murukku press with three holes disc, squeeze out the murukkus in the oil and fry them until they turns crispy..break the crispy murukkus as small bits and keep aside

Remove the murukkus and drain the excess of oil with a paper towel..Now heat the jaggery in a pan with quarter cup of water, strain the dissolved jaggery syrup..Bring the jaggery syrup to boil to a thick syrup for making balls (check the syrup in coldwater and roll the syrup with your fingers to form a ball), put off the stove immediately..Add quickly the broken murukkus, stir until the syrup coats evenly the pieces..Grease ur palm lightly and roll the mixture into medium sized balls..

Enjoy this sweet balls anytime..

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Microwave Spiced Apple Chutney

Since a long i wanted to make some spiced chutney with fruits especially with apples, yesterday i got an opportunity to try out some spiced apple chutney with golden apples cooked with cinnamon powder,dry ginger powder and ground cloves..This spiced apple chutney will get ready within 30minutes in microwave oven and this spiced apple chutney tastes fabulous with any sort of meats or with grilled bread toasts..For my surprise, even my H loved it and he enjoyed having with toasted bread slices..We loved it, obviously this spiced apple chutney goes directly to CMT-Chutney hosted by Jagruti..

MW spiced Apple Chutney

2cups Golden apples (peeled & grated finely)
1/2tsp Cinnamon powder
1/4tsp Ginger powder
2pinches Cloves powder
Salt
1/4cup Sugar

Take the grated apples, cinnamon powder, ginger powder, cloves powder, salt and sugar in a microwave safe bowl, mix everything well and cook for 30minutes in high (stir twice or thrice in between)..Pour this spiced apple chutney in a sterlised jars and enjoy with meats and bread slices..

Mixed Vegetable & Lotus Root Briyani

Actually i prepared this briyani for our wedding anniversary and served along with shahi paneer, its was sitting in my draft since a week, so thought of posting today..Initially this briyani was a simple mixed vegetable briyani which i wanted to prepare simply with usual veggies like green peas, carrots, beans,cauliflower etc, but while going through my freezer, i saw a packet of lotus root sitting since a long which i bought few months back from nearby chinese store..Finally i marinated those chopped lotus roots with ginger-garlic paste, red chilly powder with salt and made this briyani..While enjoying this briyani, those crunchy and tender lotus roots tastes really amazing, delicious and none at home found out these lotus chunks, its one of the best and better way to sneak those lotus roots.. Am gonna add lotus roots without any hesitation often in our menu now in rice or making them as curries along with any sort of veggies..Sending to Akheela's Festive Rice Event..

Mixed Veggies & Lotus Root Briyani

1cup Lotus roots (chopped)
2nos Carrots (chopped)
1/4kg Beans (chopped)
2nos Potatoes (chopped)
1/2cup Green peas (frozen)
2nos Onions(chopped finely)
3nos Tomatoes (chopped)
2nos Green chillies (slit opened)
2tsp Ginger garlic paste
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
1tsp Chilly powder
2tsp Coriander powder
1tsp Garam masala
Salt
2cups Basmati rice
1cup Coconut milk
2nos Whole spices (bay leaves,cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamoms)
1/4cup Mint leaves (chopped)
2tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
Salt
Oil+1tbsp Ghee
1tbsp Lemon juice

Marinate the chopped lotus roots with a teaspoon of ginger garlic paste, red chilly powder and salt..let them sit for an hour..meanwhile soak the rice for 15minutes, drain completely the water...heat few drops of oil and roast the rice until they get a shiny texture, keep aside and let them cool..

Now heat a heavy bottomed vessel with enough oil and ghee, fry the whole spices until they turns golden brown,add immediately the chopped onions,ginger garlic paste and saute until the onions turns transculent, add the slit opened green chillies,marinated lotus roots and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes turns mushy..Add the chopped carrots, chopped beans and saute until the veggies gets half cooked..now add the green peas and potatoes cook everything along with chilly powder, turmeric powder,garam masala,salt,coriander powder, mint leaves for few minutes...Add a cup of coconut milk with 2cups of water to the veggies, bring everything to boil, once its starts boiling well, add the basmati rice, check for salt, keep the lid closed and cook for 5 minutes in high flame, finally put the flame in simmer, cook until the rice get well cooked..Finally add the coriander leaves and lemon juice, give a stir..

Serve with any sort of raitas..

Monday, September 13, 2010

Potato Focaccia Pugliese

Most of us would have known about the famous focaccia,an Italian yeasted and herbed flatbread which ressembles quite like pizza..I got hooked to this potato focaccia when i went through Aparna's Space and i tried sterday this Italian flat bread for our sunday dinner..This focaccia tastes marvellous and very tasty, needless to say that this focaccia was our recent favourite coz everyone loved it much and am surely gonna try with different veggies along with potatoes..I followed each and every step as Aparna went for and the only change i did is i went for whole wheat flour and completely skipped the all purpose flour she used for, i cooked the potatoes partially in salted water before arranging them over the yeasted dough as Aparna did..Thanks a lot to Aparna for sharing this wonderful bread and we loved it with cheese spread and salads..Sending this potato focaccia to T&T-My Diverse Kitchen guest hosted by Srivalli, event by Lakshmi, Champa's Bake Off Event & finally to Susan's Yeast Spotting..

Potato Focaccia

2cups Whole wheat flour
1+1/2tsp Active dry yeast
1+1/2tsp Honey
1/4tsp Salt
1tbsp Olive oil +1tsp olive oil for brushing
2nos Potatoes
Salt
Pepper
2tsp Dry rosemary

Slice the potatoes and cook in a salted water until they get half cooked, pat dry the potato slices and keep aside..Mix the yeast, honey in a luke warm water and keep aside for 5minutes until they turns foamy..Take the flour,salt, rosemary and oil in a bowl, add gradually the foamy yeast,water (if needed) and knead everything a smooth and elastic dough..Place the dough in a greased bowl and keep aside until they double their volume..

Knead the dough, grease a rectangular tin and place the dough over the greased tin and press the dough with ur fingers to the cover the tin..brush the top of the dough with oil, springle the rosemary and arrange the potato slices over the dough..springle black pepper and salt over the dough..Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise for an hour..Bake this potato foccacia at 350F for 30minutes until the crust turns golden brown..

Serve warm with cream cheese or along with soups or salads..

Microwave Apple Halwa

Personally i felt that making halwas or pedas through microwave oven was quite easy and quick also it doesnt take ur precious time and no need of stirring or sauting continously when compared while cooking them on stove top..I prepared this easy breezy apple halwa last week to celebrate our wedding anniversary and enjoyed having this delicious halwa with briyani and shahi paneer..We had a simple at the same time pretty much elegant lunch to celebrate our wedding anniversary..I prepared this halwa using red apples along with a golden apple, both together works out prefectly as halwa,i used orange food colour to give a beautiful colour to this halwa as i didnt like the original colour, its not an obligation to use food colour, u can completely skip that part if u dont like food colour in ur halwa.

MW Apple Halwa

2nos Red apples
1no Golden apple
1/2cup Sugar
1/4cup Milk powder
1tsp Cardamom powder
1tbsp Ghee
A pinch of Orange food colour
Few Almond flakes

Peel and core the apples and grate them..Squeeze out the juice and mix the sugar and milk powder to the grated apples in a microwave safe bowl..cook in microwave oven for 20minutes in high (stir twice in between)..Now add the cardamom powder, food colour,ghee to the almost cooked apple halwa and cook again for 10minutes until the ghee get separates (stir in between)..

Springle the almond flakes, give a stir and enjoy warm..

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Spicy & Cheesy Stuffed Beets Swirl Bread

We love stuffed breads or rolls, this time i tried out making the same stuffed bread with some changes using beets puree, cheese and some spicy mixed veggies masala for stuffing...This bread tastes fabulous to enjoy anytime..Its a prefect snacks for a cold evening weather or else a simple dinner with some salads..We loved enjoying this spicy and cheesy bread along with hot steaming soup for our dinner..This bread will get vanished within few minutes once u remove the bread from the oven..Yeah its really an irresistible bread to enjoy with anything anytime...Sending to Champa's Bake Off, Susan's Yeast Spotting and finally to CWS-Nigella Seeds guest hosted by Umm and finally to Healing Foods-Beetroot guest hosted by Priya, event by Siri and finally to Srivalli's Kid's Delight-Finger Foods..

Spicy & Cheesy Beets Swirl bread

3cups Wheat flour
1tbsp Active dry yeast
2tbsp Olive oil + few olive oil (for brushing)
1tsp Dry Basil leaves
1tsp Flax seeds
1tsp Nigella seeds
1tsp Salt
1tsp Sugar
1cup Beets puree (luke warm)

Mix the lukewarm beets puree,active dry yeast with salt and sugar and keep aside until its turns foamy..take the flour,oil,dry basil leaves in a large bowl, add the foamy yeast-beets puree to the flour n knead them as dough, they will be extremely sticky, but after kneading them for few minutes they will turn smooth dough... keep the dough in a warm place and dont disturb them for an hour...

Veggies filling:
1no Onion chopped
2nos Potatoes(big& chopped)
2nos Carrots (chopped)
1/4tsp Mustard seeds, cumin seeds
2nos Green chillies (chopped)
2tsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
Salt
Oil
1/4cup Grated cheese

Heat oil in a kadai,add the mustard seeds n cumin seeds n let them crack, add the chopped onion n stir them until they turns transculent, now add the chopped green chillies followed by the chopped potatoes pieces, carrot pieces with enough salt..cook everything well until the veggies get well cooked, add the chopped coriander leaves n put off the stove...keep aside and let them cool...

Roll the dough into thick square like disc by dusting them with the flour...just spread the veggies filling,springle the grated cheese and roll them into a loaf.

Place them in a greased loaf pan and keep the dough again in a warm place until they doubled their volume.

Preheat the oven to 350F... now brush the doubled dough with olive oil, sprinkle the flax seeds & nigella seeds.

Bake them for 25-30minutes or else until the crust turns firm...Remove from the oven n keep aside for 5 minutes, remove the bread from the loaf pan n let them cool atleast for 30 minutes before serving...

Enjoy warm..

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Happy Ganesh Chathurthi - Rice Flour Pidi Kozhukattais

Happy Ganesh Chathurthi to all and i was bit sick so that i just prepared a simple menu with this quick and easy rice flour pidi kozhukattais to celebrate ganesh chathurthi..Am not feeling well at all today, earlier in a morning i was suffering from throat pain,finally i was sleeping like a baby with a severe fever and headpain, thats y i even didnt post since this morning, anyhow we prayed and had a simple menu with vadas and this rice flour dumplings..

Pidi Kozhukattais

1cup Rice flour
1/2cup Jaggery
1+1/4cup Water
2tbsp Split moongdal
1tsp Cardamom powder
1/4cup Grated coconut
1/4tsp Salt
1tbsp Oil

Dry roast the rice flour in a pan for few minutes,keep aside..now dry roast the split moongdal in a pan until they turns golden brown...heat the water, oil and salt, once the water starts boiling, add the jaggery pieces and make a syrup...strain this syrup and heat again until they starts thickens, add immediately the roasted rice flour,roasted moongdal, grated coconut,cardamom powder and stir everything until the rice flour get off from the pan...let them cool..

Take a small ball from the dough n press in ur fingers..Pressure cook them for 10 minutes in Idly Cooker..

Friday, September 10, 2010

Watermelon & Chickpeas Kootu

Actually i prepared this kootu with white rinds of watermelon cooked along with some leftover cooked and grounded chickpeas paste, instead of using dals i used simply the already cooked chickpeas for making this gravy...This kootu was absolutely delicious, nutritious and very easy to prepare..U can turn ur leftover cooked chickpeas as thick kootu with any sort of veggies since i had some white rinds of watermelon sitting in my fridge, i prepared making this kootu and this kootu goes awesome with rice for lunch and for dinner along with rotis..Easy way to sneak chickpeas in our menu, none will find out until u say that u have prepared this kootu with chickpeas and watermelon..Sending to Susan's MLLA#27..

Watermelon Kootu

2cups Watermelon white rinds (chopped)
1cup Cooked chickpeas
1no Onion (chopped)
2nos Green chillies (slit opened)
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
Few curry leaves
1tsp Mustard seeds, urad dal & cumin seeds
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
Coriander leaves (chopped)

To grind:
1tbsp Channa dal
2tbsp Coriander seeds
1/4tsp Fenugreek seeds
3nos Dry red chillies

Dry roast the channa dal, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and dry red chillies and grind them as fine powder, keep aside...Grind the cooked chickpeas with enough water as bit coarse paste..Heat a tsp of oil in a pressure cooker,let splutters the mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds and asafoetida powder, add immediately the chopped onions and slit opened green chillies, saute until the onions turns transculent..now add the watermelon white rinds, salt and turmeric powder, saute for few minutes, add a cup of wate...Pressure cook upto 3 whistles..

Once the steam get released, add the grounded paste, spice powder as per need and curryleaves..bring everything to boil and put off the stove...garnish the coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or rotis..Sending to Low Oil/Low Fat guest hosted by Priya of Mharo's Rajasthan's Recipes, event started by Pari..

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Microwave Plum Jam

Am tried making out jam through microwave oven for the first time, for my surprise they turned out really tremendous and we enjoyed having these glossy and delicious plum jam with toasted bread for our breakfast and along with pancakes for our snacks..We loved this glossy plum jam and this jam takes out less than 40minutes in microwave to get ready and this jam tastes fantastic, even i dont believe my eyes when i saw this glossy plum jam..Within three days, we already finished half of the bottle, hope u would have guess how tasty this jam was...Sending this eye catching plum jam to MEC-Fruits guest by Nivi, event by Srivalli...

MW Plum Jam

2cups Plum(without skin and seed)
1cup Sugar
1tbsp Lemon juice

Chop roughly the plums..Take the chopped plums, sugar in a microwave safe bowl and cook in high for 30minutes (stir twice in between)..now add the lemon juice and cook again for 10minutes until the jam turns glossy but bit watery..

Keep aside and let them get cool completely..fill the jam in a sterile bottles and enjoy with toasted bread or either pancakes..

Bhindi Do Pyaza

Bhindi do pyaza is a delicious side dish prepared with ladies finger chunks and onions cooked up with spice powder along with tempered spices and curd, this side dish is really very easy to prepare and it doesnt go for long process like  sauting for hours, grinding masala etc, with simple ingredients this delicious side dish suits prefecly as side dish with rice,rotis or parathas..This recipe goes for double quantity of onions as like the bhindi chunks, thats y this dish is called bhindi do pyaza..


Bhindi Do Pyaza

2cups Bhindi/Ladiesfinger (chopped)
2cups Onions (chopped)
1/2tsp Ginger (grated)
1/2tsp Cumin seeds
1/2tsp Nigella seeds
1/2tsp Chilly powder
1tsp Coriander powder
2tbsp Curd
Oil
Salt
Corainder leaves (chopped)

Heat oil, let crack the cumin seeds, nigella seeds..add immediately the chopped onions,grated ginger and saute until the onion turns bit transculent, add immediately the bhindis and saute for few seconds, now add the red chilly powder, coriander powder and salt and cook everything in simmer until the veggies get half cooked, finally add the curd and cook until the veggies get well cooked..

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and enjoy hot with rotis or rice..

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

No Knead Yeasted Banana & Cardamom Bread

I love baking breads at home, nothing will stop me to try out new and different bakes or breads at home..While going through Aparna's space, immediately i got hooked to this cardamom flavoured banana bread, since its a no knead bread, i wanted to try them the next day itself.. Eventhough she prepared her bread as rolls, i prepared this bread as a single round bread which is quite easier for me to bake off..This bread is very easy to prepare since its doesnt goes for kneading which sounds very interesting for me and i tried this bread day before sterday, this bread came out very well..While baking, the aroma of this bread completely filled my house.. Once everyone came back home, we enjoyed having this bread with nutella spread and jam for our snacks..Thanks to Aparna for sharing this wonderful bread and we loved it.. Sending to T&T-My Diverse Kitchen guest hosted by Srivalli,Susan's YeastSpotting and to Champa's Bake Off Event

Yeasted Banana and Cardamom Bread

3+1/2cups All purpose flour
1/2cup Buttermilk
1+1/2tsp Active dry yeast
1/2cup Luke warm water
1tsp Salt
1tsp Sugar
2tbsp Butter( melted)
1cup Banana puree
1/2tsp Cardamom powder
Extra flour for dusting
Butter for brushing the bread

Take the lukewarm water, buttermilk, yeast,salt, sugar, butter, cardamom powder, banana puree in a large bowl, lightly whisk everything in a large bowl and add gradually the flour without kneading using a wooden spatula,until the flour get well mixed..close the bowl and allow the dough to rise upto two hours in a warm place..Once the dough get rised, arrange the dough in fridge for half an hour, it will be easier to handle the dough..

Grease a regular cake tin with enough butter...Take the dough , dust lightly with flour and roll the dough as a medium sized round shaped loaf, arrange the rolled loaf over the greased cake tin..make some slashes over the dough, cover the dough with a wet towel, allow the dough to rice for an hour again...Bake the bread at 350F for 30-35minutes until the crust turns brown...brush the bread with butter once they came out of the oven..

Enjoy the bread with nutell spread or jams..

Basboosa/Babousa - An Arabic Dessert

Basboosa, a famous Arabic dessert which is quite famous in Middle Eastern countries and each and every country have their own way of making this sweet dessert, i went for simple, quick and easy way of making this basboosa , this semolina cake prepared with semolina flour,butter,baking powder, sugar, milk and syrup prepared with sugar, water and lemon juice..I prepared this special dessert to celebrate a special day today and am happy that i tried a different sweet to celebrate this day from Arabic cuisine..This cake tastes too delicious and absolutely divine when served warm, yea we loved it much..U can also enjoy them once they get cooled and served along with a scoop of vanilla icecream, my H enjoyed this cake with icecream while we enjoyed this cake warm and needless to say that this cake vanished within few hours...This cake was super moist as this cake was soaked in sugar syrup once they get baked..Sending to Flavors of Cuisines - Middle Eastern guest hosted by Asiya Akka, event by Julie..

Basboosa

2cups Semolina flour
1/2cup Melted butter
1/2cup Sugar
1cup Milk
1/2tsp Baking soda
1tsp Baking powder
Few cashew nuts

For Syrup:
1/2cup Sugar
1tbsp Rose water
1tsp Lemon juice
1/2cup Water

Preheat the oven to 350F..Add the baking soda, baking powder to the semolina flour and keep aside...Beat together the melted butter,sugar,milk in a another bowl, gradually add the semolina flour and make a thick cake batter..pour this batter in a greased pan, arrange the cashew nuts over the batter..Now make the sugar syrup by combining sugar and water until the sugar gets well dissolved finally add the rose water and lemon juice, keep aside and let them cool..

Arrange the batter in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25-30minutes until the top turns golden brown..take off the basboosa from the oven, immediately pour the syrup over the cake, let the cake absorbs completely the syrup..cut the semolina cake either as diamond or as square and enjoy warm, with icecream or with mint tea..

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Beets & Oats Kootu

If u r searching for a simple, quick and easy gravy with beets, u have to try out this easy breezy kootu prepared with mungdal and spiced up with a spice powder prepared with coriander seeds, oats, red chillies and fenugreek seeds..This kootu will take less time to get ready, also at the same time u doesnt need to chop onions or tomatoes and u dont even need to saute the veggies or prepare a special masala usually prepared with coconut for making out this kootu... Yeah its coconut free dish and dieting peoples can enjoy this gravy without any guilt since the kootu is prepared with oats..Am sending this delicious and eye catching kootu to Healing Foods-Beets guest hosted by Priya, event by Siri and to Only Event-Low oil/Low Calorie guest hosted by Priya, event by Pari and finally to Akila's Dish Name Starts With B..

Beets & Oats Kootu

2cups Beets (chopped)
1/2cup Yellow mung dal
1tsp Oil
1tsp Mustard seeds +Urad dal
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
Salt
Few curry leaves

To Grind:
1tbsp Coriander seeds
2tbsp Rolled oats
4nos Dry red chillies
1/2tbsp Fenugreek seeds

Dry roast all the ingredients given under the list 'to grind' as bit coarse powder, keep aside...Pressure cook the chopped beets, washed yellow mung dal,salt, curry leaves with enough water upto 3whistles, once the steam get released, mash the cooked beets & dal slightly..add the spice powder, cook for few minutes,meanwhile heat enough oil, let splutters the mustard seeds, urad dal and asafoetida powder, add this tempered spices to the cooking kootu and put off the stove..

Enjoy with rice or rotis..

Golden Onion Quiche

Sweet Punch challenge for this month went for savoury quiche and was hosted by Ria..I was really happy to see this savoury bake once i came back from vacation, We love quiche lorraine which quite famous here and its basically prepared with leek chunks, eggs, cream and cheese, this golden onion quiche went for onions,chicken or else paneer or veggies with a homemade pastry sheet...I was really excited to try out this delicious quiche  and enjoyed making them before a week, we loved having this quiche with a simple cucumber salad for our lunch... Its really a filling quiche to enjoy along with a simple salad or soup for dinner or else for lunch with a fruit dessert, i went for a medium sized quiche using a regular cake tin and they turned out really awesome..I made few changes, i skipped the beaten egg in pastry dough and used less butter also used less milk and egg in the filling otherwise i prepared as same as the original recipe went for..

Golden Onion Quiche

For Pastry Dough:
200gms Maida
50gms Butter (frozen)
1/4tsp Baking powder
Salt
Iced cold water (if required)

Sieve maida,salt and baking powder together, grate the butter and mix it with flour using ur finger tips till it ressembles as coarse sand..add the water and gather into soft dough..roll it in a lightly floured surface and line it over the baking sheet lined in a baking tin..arrange in fridge until u prepare the filling..

Onion & Chicken Filling:
1/2cup Boiled and shredded chicken
2nos Onions (chopped)
3/4cup Milk
100grms Cheese
2nos Beaten eggs
Salt
Pepper
Oil

Heat oil and fry slightly the chicken till its turns golden brown, add the onions and fry until the onions turns caramalised..put off the flame and let this chicken-onion mixture gets cool...Add the milk, cheese, beat eggs,salt and pepper, whish everything well...spread the chicken and onion over the already prepared pastry sheet and pour the prepared milk-egg-cheese mixture..Bake for 25minutes at 350F until the crust turns brown..

 Cool it completely and serve it in wedges..