Sidu/Siddu/Himachali Steamed Bread

Sidu or Siddu is a Himachal Pradesh steamed yeast bread which is quite famous in this region. Sidu dough is a yeast based dough which is prepared especially with wheat flour. And this steamed bread have a stuffing in it. Though the stuffing can be anything, however the most known stuffing is prominently prepared either with walnuts or paneer along with a combination of vegetables. This steamed yeasted bread is definitely a must to try. Normally served with ghee, dal or with coriander chutney, this steamed bread is quite famous during winter. Warm Siddu is definitely a fabulous dish to taste while the weather is bit chilled outside. Traditionally Siddu is shaped as half moon, however they can also rolled as round buns. Siddu is a typical dish of Himachali cuisine which is definitely a delicious bread. I tried Siddu at home for this month's  a monthly event started by me, which is now hosted by Mayuri Patel.

Fa Gao/Chinese Fortune Cake

You might have heard a lot about Fortune cookies, but do you know about Fortune cakes, yes Chinese peoples have their own Fortune cake which is usually prepared during Chinese New year. This Cake is one of simplest cake i have prepared till now. With easy ingredients and simple steaming process, one can prepare this Fortune cake with less efforts. I have bookmarked this Fa Gao from Chinese Sichuan Food long back, almost a year back i think. Since i want to clear some recipes from my Bookmarks i didnt hesitate a second to prepare this Chinese steamed cake to share with my Chinese neighbour for their new year this year.

Fara/Chattisgarhi Rice Flour Dumplings

Fara/Phara is a steamed rice flour dumplings which is a favourite breakfast food of peoples of Chattisgarh. This region is known for their rice production on large scale, hence rice is eaten widely in the state. Called either as Muthia or Fara, this dish is a beautiful steamed dish to relish with a spicy chutney.Rice flour once kneaded with hot water and shaped as oblong shaped dumplings which is cooked with tempering makes this fantastic healthy breakfast dumplings. As much as like South Indians mani kozhukattais, this faraa is definitely a must to try if you love mani kozhukattais.

Carrot & Oats Kozhukattai/Steamed Carrot & Oats Dumplings

After a super spongy, fluffy light steamed cake, my today's post is an another healthy, fibre rich steamed dumplings aka Kozhukattais. Usually Kozhukattais are prepared with flours or semolina, but for a change, i tried my hands with rolled oats. Rolled oats works awesome for making this easy breezy steamed dumplings quickly than you can imagine. If you dont know what to cook for your breakfast or dinner, just prepare this steamed dumplings and serve them with a simple coconut chutney or sambar to finish your meal happily. Needless to say that this dumplings suits absolutely prefect for anyone as they gets digest easily.

Mah Lai Goh/Cantonese Steamed Sponge Cake

While i was googling for an interesting steamed dish, i accidentally crossed this Mah Lai Goh aka Steamed spongy cake. Actually Mah Lai means Malay and Goh as means Cake, this Cantonese/ Malaysian steamed cake is definitely a dangerous cake, served along with tea or coffee, you just cant stop munching this steamed cake. This steamed cake is very easy to prepare as well, and the end result is a super spongy, fluffy and very light cake. Many blogs says that this Mah Lai Goh have its origin from Chinese Cantonese cuisine, and this cake is served in many Dim sum restaurants.This brown sugar steamed cake is my recent favourite. Trust me, i seriously loved this steamed spongy cake as it came out extremely light.

Sweet Rava Pidi Kozhukattai-Version 2 /Semolina Sweet Dumplings with Jaggery

If you done have rice flour at home for making sweet dumplings aka kozhukattais for the upcoming Ganesh Chathurthi, dont worry my today's post will definitely makes you happy. Am sharing a very interesting pidi kozhukattai aka sweet dumpling today which is quite easy to prepare and serve to please the God Ganesha on his special day. Prepared simply with roasted rava/semolina, jaggery syrup, grated coconut flavoured with cardamom powder, this sweet dumpling gets ready in less time than you can imagine. Very easy to make this dumplings are completely vegan which suits prefectly to please anyone at home. If you dont know how to make Modaks, trust me this rava sweet dumplings will definitely replace those modaks very well for Ganesh chathurthi celebration.

Pearl Millet Cucumber Idli/Kambu Vellarikaai Idli/Pearl Millet Cucumber Steamed Cake

Kadamb/Taushe idli/Southekayi Kadubu/Thoushe Muddo - This is how Cucumber idli is know in Konkani cuisine. Though cucumber idli is usually prepared with either rice rava or semolina, my version of cucumber idli is completely different from the traditional one. Do you know, traditionally this cucumber idli is steamed in Turmeric leaves to give a nice aroma after cooking. However my today's post is not a traditional one, and i may say proudly that its one of my creation which is tweaked by myself after going through many cucumber idli posts. Since i dont want to make this idli with rice rava or semolina i opted for a usual pearl millet idli batter in which i mixed a grounded paste of cucumber-green chilly and some grated cucumber. Trust me this idlis came out with a nice flavor and delicious as well.

Sorakkai Mor Kuzhambu & French Beans Paruppu Usili - No Onion No Garlic

As a foodie,i love to have food with prefect side dish or gravy. I will never fail to take much efforts to serve rice or rotis with prefect a side dish and gravy. If its poori, i cant imagine serving poori just like that, obviously i'll make potato masala to serve with. Indian cuisine is vast, obviously we Indians makes varieties of foods. From South to North, each dish is served properly with a prefect gravy and side dish since ages. Obviously  most of us follow it ritually and traditionally. We cant serve few dishes just like that. Dishes like dosa, idlies are usually served with varieties of side dishes, but some dishes need to be served only with a particular side dish. One among those combination is Mor kuzhambu( a buttermilk curry) and parupu usili(a dal stir fry). My mom makes excellent mor kuzhambu with varieties of vegetables or simply with vadas. If she makes mor kuzhambu obviously she will make paruppu usili, this prefect pair makes a super filling and satisfying lunch when served with rice.

Pillaiyarpatti Karupatti Modagam/Pillayarpatti Modakam with Palm Jaggery

You can see many varieties of modakams,kozhukattais since few days everywhere in this virtual world. Hope many of us are ready to celebrate Ganesh chathurthi today, even am getting ready to prepare a feast.Before the festival ends, am trying to post an another modakam recipe i crossed yesterday at Sailaja's space, since this recipe goes for an instant preparation of rice and moongdal mixture,i pulled myself to prepare it immediately. I just used palm jaggery instead of usual jaggery, else i didnt changed anything and went as per original recipe.This modagam came out simply prefect, as much as like savory uppuma urundai, but this sweet version rocks.

Red Rice Flakes Sweet Dumpling with palm jaggery/Sivappu Aval,Karupatti Inippu Pidi Kozhukattai

Vinayagar chathurthi, this famous religious celebration for Lord Ganesh is around the corner. This year we are celebrating Ganesh Chathurthi on 29th september all around India. Every year i miss this celebration in India but somehow am happy that its still summer vacation here, so kids will be at home for the celebration. This time am sure its going to be more fun with kids around, for the celebration.Today am posting this red rice flakes sweet kozhukattai with palm jaggery, am sure this kozhukattais will be very much handy if you are still searching for a quick prasadam for the celebration.This red rice flakes sweet dumplings is quite an easy, simple,delicious and definitely a quickest dumplings to make even if you dont have enough time to make something as kozhukattais/dumplings. Just soaking time may take bit time, else the preparation is quite easier than the usual kozhukattais.

Karupatti Pidi Kozhukattai/Palm Jaggery Sweet Dumplings

How about  making an another interesting sweet dumplings for the Ganesh chathurthi, that too with palm jaggery. During my mom's recent trip to India, she came back with some palm jaggery which am adding in my tea or coffee instead of sugar, tastewise they dont change anything but somehow none at home like this jaggery. But am ok with it, since i want to finish some leftover jaggery, i tried making this sweet dumplings with them. Palm Jaggery rich in iron, it prevents diseases like anemia and also contains essential nutrients like magnesium and potassium. Magnesium is vital for the proper functioning of the nervous systems and the potassium regulates the blood pressure and the heart functions.

It purifies the blood, prevents rheumatism and  is highly nutritious in value and plam aggery is also useful in combating problems like cough and stomach ailments like indigestion, acidity and constipation. Consumption of jaggery is useful for those who are exposed to pollution on a regular basis like industrial workers.Palm jaggery is a natural sweetner and energy food it is very rich in minerals. The benefits of palm jaggery include its ability to cleanse your body, act as a digestive agent, sweeten your food in a healthy manner, provide good amounts of minerals. Highly rich in calcium and make use of their goodness by adding constantly in your diet.Sending to my own event CWS-Rice guest hosted by Shruti Dhingra Wahi of Shurti Rasoi.

Sweet Rava Pidi Kozhukattai/Sweet Semolina Dumplings

Ganesh Chathurthi is 9th september. Tempted by variety of modaks posted by fellow bloggers, i prepared this vegan sweet dumplings with rava today, this dumplings takes hardly less minute to get ready when compared to the usual rice dumpling. Roasted rava, sugar,cardamom powder,some grated coconut is just enough to make this quick dumplings.If  you dont have rice flour or dont know how to make stuffed modaks, still you can make this quick,easy dumplings to please the God Ganesha.

This dumplings are vegan,if you have rava at home,just make this tiny dumplings even if you dont have enough time to make Kozhukattais. I will definitely try my hands to make the same sweet version with cornmeal to check whether this method works with yellow cornmeal.

Dates & Nuts Momos~~A Virtual Birthday Party For Shama

We all know that we cant chose our parents but we can chose our friends, bloggy world was quite kind enough with me until now and this virtual world showered me with many wonderful,humble and honest friends aka sisters. One among those is Shama Nagarajan who blogs at Shama's Easy2Cook Recipes, she blogs since 2008 and recently i started chitchating with her eventhough we know each other mutually since a long. She celebrates her birthday today and with a few of my blogger friends we planned to celebrate Shama's birthday virtually by cooking sweets or making drinks from her space.

Happy Birthday to You Shama.. May God bless You..

Shama shares many interesting, variety and easy foods in her space.For her virtual birthday celebration, i wanted to make something as sweet but healthy, so i picked this healthy,nutty momos from her space. I prepared them yesterday for our snacks, trust me they were just fantabulous, delicious and seriously very healthy. Shama used sugar in her momos which i completely skipped in mine.Whoever hates dates will definitely love this healthy steamed foods, wat an incredible way to sneak the famous healthy dates. My kids enjoyed this momos with honey,seriously their yesterday's snack was tremendous and completely guilt free.

Do check Sangee,Manjula and Divya who are celebrating this virtual birthday party with me..

1cup All purpose flour
1tbsp Oil

For stuffing:
1cup Chopped dates
5nos Almonds
10nos Pistachios
10nos Cashew nuts
1no Greeb cardamom
3tbsp Grated coconut
1tbsp Butter

Knead a soft and smooth dough with flour, oil and water, keep aside for 15minutes.

Heat the butter, add the chopped dates,coconut, nuts,cardamom together for few minutes,put off the stove.

Once they gets slightly cool, grind them as bit coarse paste.

Make out small balls from the dough.

Dust the dough with flour and roll it as medium size circles.

Place enough dates-nuts mixture in the center of the circle,bring the edges of the circle together towards the center.

Seal the edges tightly and keep aside.

Repeat the same process with the remaining dough and stuffing.

Steam cook the momos in idli pan for 5minutes.

Serve warm with honey.

Sprouted Moongdal Dumpling Kurma

Usually i'll make sprouts at home mostly with green moong and very rarely with chickpeas, these both are my favourite legumes for sprouts. Few days back, i prepared sprouts with a kg of green moongs, obviously most of my next posts will definitely have moong sprouts in it. Sorry guys i cant help you all here coz i seriously want to send my entries to my own event Healthy Diet - Cooking with Sprouts guest hosted by Roshni. If you guys would have prepared anything with sprouts,dont forget to send your entries to Roshni. Sprouts are quite rich in proteins and definitely have many healthy nutritional values.

You can make sprouts with any legumes but somehow i feel comfortable with both moongdal and chickpeas. Coming to today's post, its a healthy kurma i prepared few days back with sprouted green moong,they turned out extremely delicious and goes awesome along with rice and rotis. We had this kurma for our lunch and had the same kurma for our dinner with chappathis. If you have sprouts at home give a try to this kurma,am sure you will love it. For this week of blogging marathon, am catching up with some food events as misc theme and obviously am sending this healthy dish to my event.Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27.

For Dumplings:
3cups Sprouted green moongdal
1/2tsp Grated ginger
2nos Green chillies (chopped)
Salt
Few coriander leaves (chopped)

Grind the sprouted green moongdal as bit coarse paste.

Fnally add the chopped coriander leaves,grated ginger and salt, mix everything well..

Make small lemon sized balls from the grounded paste and steam cook them for 10-15minutes in an idly cooker..

For Kurma:
10-15nos Steamed sprouted moongdal dumplings
1no Onion (chopped)
1no Tomato (chopped)
3nos Green Chillies (slit opened)
1/2tsp Garam masala powder
1tbsp Coriander powder
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
2nos Bayleaves
1tsp Ginger garlic paste
1tbsp Kasuri methi
Salt
Oil

To Grind:
1tsp Peppercorns
1tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Fennel seeds
1/4cup Grated coconut
1/2cup Yogurt
1tbsp Poppy seeds

 Grind all the ingredients from the list 'to grind' as fine paste and keep aside...

Heat enough oil in a kadai, add the bay leaves and fry until they turns brown.

Add immediately the chopped onions, chopped tomatoes,slit opened green chillies, ginger-garlic paste and saute everything well until the raw smells goes away.

Cook everything in simmer for few minutes with coriander powder,garam masala powder,turmeric powder,grounded paste with lid closed.

Finally add enough water to the kadai and cook in medium flame for few minutes.

Once the kurma turns thickens,drop gently the steamed balls, kasuri methi,cook for few more minutes.

Put off the stove.

Serve hot with rotis and rice..

Steamed Zero Oil Mixed Dals Masala Vadas

My third post for this week's blogging marathon with zero oil cooking as theme is these healthy,protein packed steamed mixed dals masala vadas. Eventhough i have posted already baked and deep fried crispy masala vadas, these steamed vadas was my recent favourite, eventhough none at home enjoyed it. These masala vadas served with a spicy chutney or a simple chilly sauce tastes simply fabulous. Again this vadas are oil free and dont even have a single drop of oil.

I used parchment paper while steam cooking these vadas as they tends to stick to the vessel.Seriously parchement paper helped me a lot obviously i didnt even greased my idly plates i used for steaming these vadas.If you have any leftover of these steamed vadas, you can even serve them with a spiced buttermilk as dahi vadas or you can add them very well in spiced gravies like kuzhambu,rasam or in kurmas.Check out the other bloggers running this 23rd edition of blogging marathon here.Sending these vadas to my own event CWS-Channadal and to 60days of Christmas hosted by Priya and Divya.

2cups Mixed dals (channadal,masoordal,toordal and soaked for 2hours)
1no Onion (big &chopped)
2nos Green chillies (chopped)
1tsp Ginger (chopped)
1/2tsp Fennel seeds (crushed)
Few Curry leaves
 Few Coriander leaves (chopped)
Salt
Oil for greasing

Drain the excess of the water from the dals and grind the dals coarsely without adding water, if its too hard to grind just springle few drops of water.

Now add the chopped onions, chopped green chillies, ginger pieces, chopped curry leaves, coriander leaves, crushed fennel seeds with enough salt to the grounded batter and mix everything well.

Make small balls from the vada batter and flatten them.

Arrange the flattened vadas over the idly plates lined with parchement paper.

Steam cook them for 10-15minutes in an idly cooker and enjoy warm with ketchup or chutneys.

Steamed Zero Oil Potato Samosas

After some guilt free zero oil potato chips,my next recipe for this week's theme of zero oil cooking goes obviously for the most famous Indian snack the popular deep fried samosas. Since i have already prepared samosas as baked version and shallow fry version, i seriously wanted to give a try to the steamed ones. If you guys love the famous momos, the Tibetan steamed dumplings, this steamed samosas is for you.

Even the filling in this samosas dont have a single drop of oil and these steamed version samosas will be a big hit if you give a try to them. Initially even i wasnt very much sure of the final result and went for small quantity of dough and stuffing,finally they turned out simply awesome and these steamed samosas is our recent favourite snacks, serve it simply with a hot chilly sauce or ketchup am sure you guys will definitely fallen in love with this steamed zero oil potato samosas. Check out the other bloggers running this 23rd edition of blogging marathon here.Sending to 60days of Christmas hosted by Priya and Divya.

1cup All purpose flour

1/4tsp Baking powder

Salt

Sieve the flour,baking powder together and knead with enough water as a smooth and soft dough, cover the dough with a damp cloth for half an hour and keep aside.

For filling:
2nos Potatoes (cooked & mashed slightly)
1no Green chilly (chopped)
1/2tsp Garam masala powder
1/4tsp Chaat masala
Chopped coriander leaves
Salt

Take the mashed potatoes,chopped green chilly,garam masala powder, chaat masala,salt and chopped coriander leaves in a bowl, mix well.

Make tiny balls from the dough, dust with  flour and roll them as circles, cut in the middle of the circles, make two demi circles, just fold the sides to make a cone.

Now gently put some already potato mixture inside the cone, press the sides tightly until they gets sticks or use water to stick the edges,continue the process until the masala and dough get finished.

Steam cook them for 10-15minutes in an idly cooker and enjoy warm with hot sauces or ketchup.

Red Rice String Hopper/Idiyappam

Finally i prepared my favourite steamed food string hopper with some leftover red rice flour, its been a while i want to make this idiyappams with red rice flour but somehow i couldnt able to make them. Yesterday i prepared this string hopper and enjoyed thoroughly with sugar and fresh grated coconut, definitely a quick,easy,healthy and definitely a filling food.

If you dont like to have with sugar and grated coconut, you can very well go for a stew or you can temper them simply with spices and enjoy it as a savoury version.You can very well start your day with this healthy steamed food or else you can have for dinner. But i love them for my snacks, sending to my own event Healthy Dish-Steamed Foods guest hosted by Jaleela of Cookbookjaleela.

2cups Red rice flour (roasted)
1tbsp Oil
Salt
1cup Water
Sugar (as per need)
1cup Grated coconut
Cardamom powder (optional)

Bring boil the water with a pinch of salt and oil, gradually add the roasted red rice flour and cook until the dough get off from the vessel,keep aside and let them cool completely.

Grease the murukku press, use the string hoppers nozzle. Take enough dough from the already prepared red rice flour dough.

Drop it into the presser and press gently over a greased plate.

Steam cook for 10minutes and transfer the cooked string hoppers to a bowl.Continue the same process with the remaining dough.

Immediately add the sugar, cardamom powder and enough grated coconut and mix everything well.

Enjoy warm.

Steamed Onion & Chickpeas Savoury Balls/Vengaya Kondakadalai Uppu Kozhukattai

Hope you all had a fabulous ganesh chathurthi celebrations, mine went well and we had a fantastic feast yesterday with our favourite foods. Coming to this yummy savoury balls, i prepared them quickly before yesterday's pooja, as i want something savoury for prasadams. This uppu kozhukattais take hardly less than half an hour to get ready and they tastes super delicious. Onions and chickpeas gives a wonderful flavour and taste to this easy breezy kozhukattais.With Ragi Paal Kozhukattais,Red Rice Ammini Kozhukattais and this onion chickpeas savoury balls we celebrated our favourite god Ganesha's birthday yesterday and enjoyed this healthy foods thoroughly..Sending to my own event Healthy Dish-Steamed Foods guest hosted by Jaleela of Cookbookjaleela,my own event CWS-Chickpeas guest hosted by Kavi of Foodmania and to Priti's Festive Food Ganesh Chaturthi.

1cup Rice flour
2cups Water
1no Onions (large and chopped)
1/2cup Chickpeas (cooked & mashed slightly)
2tbsp Grated coconut
1/2tsp Mustard seeds
1/2tsp Urad dal
1/2tsp Channadal
2nos Dry red chillies (broken)
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
Oil
Salt
Few curry leaves

Heat enough oil, let splutters the mustard seeds,urad dal,channadal, add the broken red chillues,asafoetida powder and curry leaves, fry until the chillies turns brown.

Now add the chopped onions, saute until they turns transculent, add immediately the water, grated coconut and bring everything to boil.

Once the water starts boiling, add the mashed chickpeas,cook for few more seconds.

Add the rice flour to the cooking water and put the flame in simmer,stir well until the rice flour gets well cooked and turn as a thick dough.

Keep aside and let them cool completely.

Knead the cooked spiced rice flour dough and make medium sized balls out of it.

Steam cook for 10-15minutes and enjoy warm.

Red Rice Ammini Kozhukattais/Red Rice Savoury Steamed Balls

Tomorrow is the most popular and famous Ganesh chathurthi, wish i live in India during this festival. Seriously am missing these festivals here, coz we dont have that much fun as we have in India, its a working day tomorrow to everyone and i'll be alone at home making foods and poojas. Coming to this cute looking red rice mani kozhukattais aka ammini kozhukattais, i prepared them yesterday to give a try with red rice flour,for my surprise they came out extremely delicious,tasty and prefect for the celebration. Give a try to this healthy and colourful steamed balls.

Usually ammini kozhukattai's or mani kozhukattai's are made out of leftover dough of the kozhukattais we make during this festivals.This is the most tastiest of the kozhukattais for me so i'll be waiting to make some mini kozhukattais with the leftover dough after every vinagayar chathurthi festival. Even its time consuming to make those mini balls, its really worth to try them.Sending to my own event Healthy Dish-Steamed Foods guest hosted by Jaleela of Cookbookjaleela and to Priti's Festive Food Ganesh Chaturthi.

1cup Red rice flour (roasted)
1cup Water
1/2tsp Salt
1tbsp Oil
1/2tsp Mustard seeds
1tsp Urad dal
Few Curryleaves
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
2nos Dry red chillies
3tbsp Grated coconut
1tbsp Sesame seeds
Oil for tempering


In a bowl, boil water with salt and oil. When the water starts boiling add red rice flour and stir well until rice flour mixed with water. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

Knead again to a soft dough, roll them tiny mini balls,transfer them to a greased idly plate and steam cook for 10minutes in a steamer.

Grind the dry red chillies,grated coconut and sesame seeds as coarse paste and keep aside.

Heat enough oil for tempering, let splutters the mustard seeds,urad dal, add the curry leaves and asafoetida powder.

Add immediately the steamed cooked ammini kozhukattais, grounded paste and cook until the balls gets well tossed with the spices.

Serve hot.

Dulce De Leche/Milk Jam

Dulce de leche, a sweetened caramelized sauce is prepared with sweetened milk by cooking slowly in a heavy bottomed pan for few hours. The most easy and short cut method for making this yummy milk jam is using sweetened condensed milk. I wanted to share this fingerlicking sauce recipe since a long, i prepared this dulce de leche sauce last sunday and then later i prepared an eggless ice cream using them. I'll be posting my version of this fabulous dulce de leche icecream very soon.

This dulce de leche is called confiture de lait in French, french people use this sauce as spread in their bread,serve along with fromage blanc,a soft cheese.. This sauce can be used for making cakes,muffins,cookies and also for frosting cakes.You can make many delicious foods using this dulce de leche.I used my pressure cooker for making this dulce de leche, it took almost an hour for me to get ready.You can also make them using a heavy bottomed vessel very well..The cooking time will go for 3-4hours.Sending to Jagruti's Celebrate JCO~~Diamond Jubliee..

1can Sweetened condensed milk

Remove the label of the can, if its possible, place the can in a pressure cooker, cover it fully with water,

Heat the pressure cooker in high flame.Once the water starts boiling,put the flame in simmer and cover the cooker with the lid. Dont put the weight.

Let it sit in medium flame for atleast an hour with lid closed (check frequently the water level,while checking dont open the lid immediately, keep them away from the flame and check it out..in case if the water is less than the top of the can do fill it and put back to the flame in simmer), the more you cook the more the colour of the sauce will be dark.

Put off the stove. Keep aside for 4-5hours until it cools completely.

Open the can's lid and enjoy with your favourite food.