Home Cook's Recipe's :: Easy to Cook Indian Recipe's

Szechuan Sauce and Szechuan Chilli Paneer Gravy

2009-12-29T19:48:00.006+05:30

Day - 5 on Recipe Marathon..

Soft Paneer on Spicy Sauce. This Szechuan Chilli Paneer Gravy will surely impress Paneer and spice lovers. I prepared this chilli paneer gravy without adding szechuan sauce, but it did'nt taste that good. so this szechuan sauce is a must to prepare this gravy.

I prepared Szechuan Fried Rice, Szechuan Fried Noodles, Szechuan Potatoes and Szechuan Egg Fried Rice with the Szechuan Sauce. I completely enjoyed this sauce's addition in all the dishe's.

Recipe For Schezwan Sauce:

{You can make 4-5 servings, with the sauce. }

Red Chilli's - 20

Garlic - 10 pieces

Scallions / Spring Onions - White Part - 5

Corriander Leaves - fistfull (5 tbsp's)

Corriander Stem's - 10

Vinegar - 3tbsp's

Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 4 tbsp's

*You can add more kashmiri powder, if you prefer spicy and colour in your sauce. ( i added more)

Method:

Soak the Red Chilli's in hot water for about 3 hours.
Drain the Chilli's and
Grind it along with other Ingredients. Add little water to get a smooth paste.

Heat a Pan. pour 5 tbsp's of oil. heat the oil. add the grinded sauce to the pan and stir well.
Let the pan sit in medium flame for about 5 minutes.
Let the sauce cool and store it in an air tight container.

I was able to cook 5 servings with the above ingredients. and the sauce stayed fresh for about 3 weeks in my fridge.

Szechuan Chilli Paneer Gravy:

Ingredients:

Paneer - 100 gms
Red Onion - 1
Green Bell Pepper /Capsi - 1/2
Garlic - 5 (finely sliced)
Green Chilli - 2 (Finely sliced)
Corn Flour - 2tsp's
Spring Onion's (Green Part) - 2 (finely chopped)
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
aji-na-moto - a pinch

Szechuan Chilli Sauce - 2 tbsp's
Soy Sauce - 1/2 tsp
Vinegar - 1/2 tsp
Chilli Sauce - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Cut the Paneer into small cubes. Roast them in a Tava, till both the sides of paneer turns golden colour.
[The actual Recipe is to dip the paneer cubes in cornflour mix and deep fry them.]

Cut the Red Onion and Capscium in cube shape's.

Mix the corn flour in 5 tbsp's of water without any lumps and keep aside.

Heat a pan, add a tbsp of oil. when it gets heated, add finely chopped Garlic and saute them for half a minute.

Now add the Onion, Capsicum and fry them. also add finely chopped green chilli's and fry it along. Add the roasted Paneer cube's and saute it for a min.

Add all the sauces mentioned and salt to taste. mix well with the paneer, capsi and onion mix.

Now add the corn flour mix and stir well. just let it to boil and switch off the flame.

(If you want it to be in gravy form, add more diluted corn flor mix, or if you want dry chilli paneer, add the corn flour mix and keep stirring, till it gets dried.)

Garnish with Spring Onion's.

Szechuan Fried Rice:

Heat 2 tbsp's of Oil in a Pan, add 2 dry red chilli's and 2 tbsp's of Szechaun Sauce and fry it. Add 1/2 tsp Soy Sauce and mix well. Now add a cup of cooked Rice and mix well. add salt to taste.
add ajinamoto if desired. garnish it with spring onions.
Check the Highlights of Recipe Marathan Day 1, Day 2 , Day 3 & Day 4.

My Fellow Runners on Nupur's Recipe Marathan

Anna Parabrahma: Anjali
Food for Survival: Unpredictable
Daily Musings: Indosungod
Soup and Dessert: Radhika
Cook's Hideout: Pavani
The Singing Chef: Raaga
Susvaad: Ramya
Blink and Miss : blinkandmiss
Malabar Spices: Mallugirl
Soulful Creations: Abbhirami
Pieces of paper, squiggly lines: Lavanya
My Foodcourt: Madhuli
Seven Spice: Sonia
Food, Travel, Books and More: Vinaya
Konkani Foodie: Ashwini
Ruchikacooks: Ruchikacook
A Homemaker's Diary: Sayantani
Le Chaim: Mathangi
Kitchen Gossip: Kanchan
Out Of The Garden: Linda
The World according to Rujuta: Rujuta
Kiss the cook: Manasi
Asankhana: notyet100
Cooking with Koki: Koki
Siri's Corner: Siri
Eats, Eats & Eats: Sheetal Kiran
Ruchii: Madhu
Jugalbandi: Jai & Bee

Paruppu Thuvayal

2009-12-28T17:37:00.007+05:30

If i had to cook in less than 30 mins, then this Thuvayal and Rasam finds its place definitely. This is my hubby's favourite too. I got the Recipe from Kribha. I have tried few recipe's from her blog and loved it a lot. Thanks Kribha for sharing the recipe.

This Paruppu Thuvayal is served for Nursing mom's. The Garlic and Tuvar Dal helps in Milk Secreation.

Ingredients:

Tuvar Dal / Tuvaram Paruppu - 1 cup
Milagu / Pepper - 5
Dry Red Chilli - 3
Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp's
Garlic - 2
Curry Leaf - 5
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

In a Kadaai / Thick Bottomed Pan, Dry Roast the above ingredients one by one.

Add 4 tbsp's of water & Salt to taste, along with the dry roasted ingredients and Grind them into a coarse paste.

Mix the Thuvayal with Hot Rice, Add Ghee and mix. My way is to pour Rasam generously over the thuvayal and i love to munch some pappad with it.

Kothamalli Sadham / Corriander Leaves Rice:

I got to share my Kothamalli Rice Recipe with You all. I prepared my Kothamalli Thokku and mixed with Rice. It turned out excellent. Kothamalli Thokku is one, to be eaten with Hot Idli's or Dosa's. It is also eaten with Noi Kanji, when fallen ill. The Kanji with this thokku is a great combination. anyway for packing lunch, you can mix this thokku with Rice, add some roasted peanuts and pack for lunch.

Check My Kothamalli Thokku Recipe here.

[Today's Lunch]

Check the Highlights of Recipe Marathan Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3.

My Fellow Runners on Nupur's Recipe Marathan

Anna Parabrahma: Anjali
Food for Survival: Unpredictable
Daily Musings: Indosungod
Soup and Dessert: Radhika
Cook's Hideout: Pavani
The Singing Chef: Raaga
Susvaad: Ramya
Blink and Miss : blinkandmiss
Malabar Spices: Mallugirl
Soulful Creations: Abbhirami
Pieces of paper, squiggly lines: Lavanya
My Foodcourt: Madhuli
Seven Spice: Sonia
Food, Travel, Books and More: Vinaya
Konkani Foodie: Ashwini
Ruchikacooks: Ruchikacook
A Homemaker's Diary: Sayantani
Le Chaim: Mathangi
Kitchen Gossip: Kanchan
Out Of The Garden: Linda
The World according to Rujuta: Rujuta
Kiss the cook: Manasi
Asankhana: notyet100
Cooking with Koki: Koki
Siri's Corner: Siri
Eats, Eats & Eats: Sheetal Kiran
Ruchii: Madhu
Jugalbandi: Jai & Bee

Egg Biryani - Dhum Cooked

2009-12-27T10:08:00.004+05:30

Cooking Biryani on weekends is a must for me. I just love the cooking flavour of biryani coming out of every house on weekends. So for my part, i try to tempt others.

INGREDIENTS:

Rice - 3 small tumblers
Egg's - 4
Red Onions - 3
Tomato - 1
Green Peas - 1/4 cup
Green Chilli - 1

Milagaai thool / Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

For Thalippu / Tadka :

Ghee / Oil - 6 tbsp's
Cashewnuts - 5
Pattai / Cinnamon Stick - 2 small stick's
lavang / cloves - 2
Sombu / saunf - 1/2 tsp
elakkaai / cardamon - 3
Bringe leaf - 1

For Grinding:

1. Kothamalli kaambu / Corriander Stem's - 5
2. Cinnamon stick (pattai) - 2 smal sticks
3. Lavang - 2
4. Ginger - 2' inch
5. Garlic - 7 (big cloves)
6. Green Chilli - 1
7. Tomato - 1/2
8. Yogurt - 3 tsp
9. Sombu - 1/4 tsp

To Garnish:

Mint Leaves / Puthina - 10 leaves
Corriander Leaves - 3 tbsp's (chopped)
Oil - 3 tbsp's
Red Onion - 2 no. (chopped finely)
Potato - 2 no. (chopped in shape of french fries)

Method:

Boil the Egg's with little salt in 2 cup's of water on slow flame for about 10 minutes. remove the oute shell and leave it aside.

Soak the Rice in water for about 30 mins. If you are using Basmati Rice, soak it just for 10 mins.

Chop the Onion's finely and keep aside. get ready with ginger and garlic.

Now we shall Grind the masala's.. Grind the masala, with the ingredients given under Grinding and keep aside.

Heat a Aluminium Vessel(like the one shown in pic. below) add ghee or oil and let it to heat. Now add cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, bringe leaf, cashew nuts and fry them in slow flame. add saunf and fry it.

Now add the finely chopped Red Onion's and saute them, till they turn light brown. or till u feel
the nice smell of onions.

Now add the Peas and mix well with the onions.

Add the Grinded masala's to the vessel and saute them for 2 minutes, till the raw smell of ginger-garlic goes off.

Now add the soaked rice and mix well.

Add Chilli Powder and Garam masala and mix well. also add salt to taste.

Now add exactly 5 cup's of water and stir well. (if using Basmati rice use just 3 cup's of water.)

Add Boiled Egg's, Mint / puthina leaves and corriander leaves and close the vessel with its lid.

Place a Heavy weighing vessel over the Biryani cooking vessel. I kept my Pressure cooker filled with water on top of the vessel.

Let this Biryani get cooked in slow flame for about 30 mins. Basmati rice may get cooked earlier or just take 20 mins more or less.

Heat Oil in a pan, fry the chopped Red Onions in medium flame till they are browned. this may take atleast 5 mins.

also fry the potatoes.

Now serve the Biryani with fried onions and fried potatoes.

Enjoy the Dhum Cooked Egg Biryani!!!

Vazhathandu Juice and Pavakaai Juice

2009-12-26T16:52:00.004+05:30

After Sweet Treat's of Yesterday, iam sharing bitter and tasteless juices with you. These two juices are good to our body.

Vazhathandu / Banana Stem contains lot of water content in it and it helps in washing out stones from our kidney. Its Good to cook this Banana stem once a week, especially if you are living in a hot place, where your body gets dehydrated soon. I usually cook two dishes with Banana stem / Vazhathandu. its Kootu and Sambhar.

How to Prepare Vazhathandu / Banana Stem Juice ?

1. Get a banana stem, as shown in the pic. with a knife, slit the outer skin. remove the outer skin fully, so that your stem looks fresh now.

2. Chop them into slices.

3. Place them in big Jar of your mixie. add 2 cups of water and run the mixie. Blend it well.

4. Now Filter the juice.

Drink the juice fresh. its better to drink the juice in the morning on empty stomach. if a glass of banana stem juice is consumed daily, its believed that kidney stones passes through urine.

How to Prepare Pavakaai / Bitter Gourd Juice?

Chop 2 Bitter gourd's to round slices.

Boil them in 2 cup's of water for about 10 minute's. (You can also Microwave for 8 minutes).

Filter the water alone and cool it. ( use the bitter gourd to make some curry/ poriyal)

Add little salt to the juice and consume.

Iam a big fan of Bharathy and her Spicy Chilly Blog. I love all her vegetable preparations and love to try them immediately, after seeing on her blog. they usually turn very good. My hubby gives me one star extra, when i cook from her blog..

Here i leave you all with two curry / poriyal's, that i tried from Bharathy's blog.

Baby Potato Curry:

Small Bitter Gourd fry:

Thank You Bharathy, for sharing and teaching cooking.

Check Who are all running with me for Nupur's Recipe Marathan

Anna Parabrahma: Anjali
Food for Survival: Unpredictable
Daily Musings: Indosungod
Soup and Dessert: Radhika
Cook's Hideout: Pavani
The Singing Chef: Raaga
Susvaad: Ramya
Blink and Miss : blinkandmiss
Malabar Spices: Mallugirl
Soulful Creations: Abbhirami
Pieces of paper, squiggly lines: Lavanya
My Foodcourt: Madhuli
Seven Spice: Sonia
Food, Travel, Books and More: Vinaya
Konkani Foodie: Ashwini
Ruchikacooks: Ruchikacook
A Homemaker's Diary: Sayantani
Le Chaim: Mathangi
Kitchen Gossip: Kanchan
Out Of The Garden: Linda
The World according to Rujuta: Rujuta
Kiss the cook: Manasi
Asankhana: notyet100
Cooking with Koki: Koki
Siri's Corner: Siri
Eats, Eats & Eats: Sheetal Kiran
Ruchii: Madhu
Jugalbandi: Jai & Bee

Vanilla and Chocolate Muffins

2009-12-25T17:58:00.008+05:30

Merry Christmas and Happy Weekend Dear Readers...

It was one of my wish to participate in a Blog Posting Marathon. finally nearing the end of the year, its fulfilling thru Nupur's Recipe Marathon. Here I Run with Muffin's....

I wanted to Bake some Goodies for Christmas, as i was confident on muffins, went ahead with it. i made both classic Vanilla and choco-walnut muffins. both turned out extremely Good. I did the icing with the Pilsbury vanilla and chocolate icing. it gave a nice look and cream to the muffins. I enjoyed the icing decoration part very much. I just got one muffin to taste. 6 went as gifts, the kid had one, hubby had 4. the muffin i tasted was soaked in Capsicum Sambhar by my kid. ( he should have thought it as Vadai i guess:) )

As i did my schooling in Christian institutions, Christmas Celebrations, Crib's, Santa Claus, Prayers, Colourfull Lighted Hanging Star, Christmas Tree were all not missed every year. But after schooling, i never had a chance to enjoy the christmas spirit. Now again Christmas Spirit got me this year, after Christmas Celebration's at my Son studying School.

Now Coming to the Vanilla and Chocolate-walnut muffin story...

Ingredients: ( 12 Big Muffins)

All Purpose Flour / Maida - 275 gms
Butter - 150 gms
Sugar - 1 and half cup
Egg's 4
Vanilla Essence - 2 cap full (2 tsp's)
Baking Powder - 2 tsp
Baking Soda - 2 tsp

Dark Chocolate Bar - 75 gms / Cocoa Powder - 4 tbsp's
Walnut - 7 (chopped into small pieces)

Method:

Pre-Heat the oven to 180c for 10 minutes. Grease the Muffin Pan's with some butter and set aside.

Mix the Flour with Baking Powder and Baking Soda. set it aside.

Powder the Sugar and keep aside.

Beat the Egg's and keep aside.

Add the powdered Sugar to the Butter and Cream it well. I use my hand whisk and whisk for atleast 3-4 minutes, till i notice a colour change of the butter from light yellow to white.

Add the flour to the creamed butter- egg mix and slowly mix it up with a wooden spatula or wooden spoon.

Now add the Egg's and mix the flour well with the other ingredients. add vanilla essence and mix well.

If your flour batter is so tight, add few spoons of warm milk and mix well. Pour the batter to the greased muffin pan's and bake them for 25 mins at 180c. check the muffins, whether its cooked, by inserting a toothpick on the muffin comes out clean. Bake it furthur for 5 - 7 mins if not cooked.

With the Remaining Batter, add the melted chocolate and chopped walnuts. mix well and spoon in on the muffin pan's and bake them for 25 mins at 180c. sprinkle some crushed walnuts over the muffin batter before baking.

Let the Muffin's cool down and decorate it with icing. I used Pilsbury Vanilla and Chocolate Icing. had some chocolate vermicelli and decorated the muffins with that too.

Now these muffins are jingling all the way to asankhana's Jingle event.

Merry Christmas...Enjoy the Weekend!!

Check my Fellow Marathon Runners... Best Wishes to U All..

Anna Parabrahma: Anjali
Food for Survival: Unpredictable
Daily Musings: Indosungod
Soup and Dessert: Radhika
Cook's Hideout: Pavani
The Singing Chef: Raaga
Susvaad: Ramya
Blink and Miss : blinkandmiss
Malabar Spices: Mallugirl
Soulful Creations: Abbhirami
Pieces of paper, squiggly lines: Lavanya
My Foodcourt: Madhuli
Seven Spice: Sonia
Food, Travel, Books and More: Vinaya
Konkani Foodie: Ashwini
Ruchikacooks: Ruchikacook
A Homemaker's Diary: Sayantani
Le Chaim: Mathangi
Kitchen Gossip: Kanchan
Out Of The Garden: Linda
The World according to Rujuta: Rujuta
Kiss the cook: Manasi
Asankhana: notyet100
Cooking with Koki: Koki
Siri's Corner: Siri
Eats, Eats & Eats: Sheetal Kiran
Ruchii: Madhu

Broccoli Soup

2009-12-22T18:25:00.004+05:30

I know iam boring you all with soups. The Climate here in chennai is chill and we need soup's to warm us. so bare with me. Whenever i find broccoli in the vegetable shop, i buy it. so far bought it thrice, once i made kootu with it and kuruma the other time, now its soup. its a versatile veggie, an healthy green veggie too. Coming to the soup. its a easy one.

Ingredients:

Broccoli Florets - 1 cup (handfull of florets + 3)
Red Onion - 1
Garlic Cloves - 3
Oil - 1 tbsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp's

Method:

Cut the Broccoli into small florets. wash them thoroughly twice atleast.

Heat a Pan, add oil & heat it. Now add the Garlic and saute it for a min. then add the onion and saute it till it turns translucent. then add the broccoli florets to the pan and saute it for atleast 4 minutes, till the broccoli turn tender. switch off the flame and let the pan contents cool.

After Cooling, blend all the ingredients in the pan with 1/4 cup milk into a smooth puree.

Now Heat the Puree and add little water, to get the desired soup consistency of your choice.

Add salt and pepper powder according to your taste.

Serve warm with Garlic Breads or Bread sticks.

Sweet Corn Soup

2009-12-17T18:58:00.004+05:30

This Soup is our recent favourite. The Margazhi climate is so chill. Soup becomes must for Lunch in this Climate. This is one easiest soup, i prepare and the bread-winner relishes this soup with some breads:) What i do is, put the corn cob in microwave and microwave it on very high for about 5 minutes. I cool the cob, shred the corns - its a tricky job, I slowly slice the corns with knife. the corns beautifully shreds. I put the corns in my mixer, add some water and grind into thick puree. Then i heat a pan, pour the corn puree onto the pan. I add some water, to make it for soup consistency. In a small cup of water, i add a tbsp of corn flour and mix it without any lumps and add it to the pan of corn puree. I then add salt, pepper to taste and some finely chopped Green Spring Onions over the soup.

now in recipe format.

Ingredients : ( soup for 2)

1. American Sweet Corn Cob - 1
2. Water - 2 cups
3. Corn Flour - 1 tbsp (mix it with 5 tbsp's of water)
4. Pepper - 1 tsp
5. Salt - to taste
6. Spring Onions (Green Part ) - 2 (finely chopped)

Optional :

Soy Sauce - 1/2 tsp
Vinegar - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Microwave the Corn on Very High for about 5-6 mins. or Pressure the corn for atleast 5 whistles.
cool the corn and shred the corns from the cob.

Grind the corns with half cup of water into a smooth puree.

Mix the corn flour with 5tbsp's of water without any lumps and keep aside.

Heat a Pan, add the smooth corn Puree and 1 cup of water. Let it come to boil.

Add the corn flour-water mix to the pan and let it boil.

If you wish add soy sauce and vinegar. (but the soup tastes great without adding these sauces)

Add Pepper powder and Salt to taste. and add chopped spring onions green part on top of the soup. let it boil for a minute and switch off the flame.

Serve warm with some Bread sticks or Bread.

oh..Garlic Bread i forgot You. Its easy. Get 2 slices of bread. toast it with some butter. apply some Garlic Cheese on one side of the bread and top it with finely sliced Garlic. sprinkle some oregano on top. If you have Microwave with Grill. Pre-heat the oven for 5 mins. Grill the Bread, with cheese top facing the gril. Gril it for 3 to 4 mins.

If you don't have microwave, then do it on Dosa Tava, just close the tava with lid. slow the flame. its just enough if the bread gets heated and the cheese to raises a bit. Enjoy Garlic Cheese Bread with warm soup.

2 Years...

2009-12-12T18:49:00.002+05:30

Exactly before 2 years, i started this blog. how dare i started a recipe sharing blog, without knowing anything other than chutney, sambhar, curry. i really wonder my courage on starting this blog!! with much interest, then i learned to cook other than chutney, sambhar. this place motivates me to learn more and more. Food photography, Baking, little of Web Designing were all learned bcoz of blogging. I should also tell, Blogging kept my mind busy and thus avoided tons of worries.

Chocolate Muffins to Celebrate the Moment

When I check the comments of you all in the morning, the enthusiasm you all give thru comments stay with me all thru the day. Every Comment makes me smile and proud. Every E-mail from you make me feel your love. This Blog is a Feel Good Home for me. Thank You Friends for all your comments and emails.

I want to continue this blogging passion to enrich me knowledge wise, to gain lots of friends and to record all my recipe's for my daughter-in-law and to my Grand Children's and the Generations to come.

Now Have a Slice of Chocolate Muffin & Wish me and my blog All the Best!!

Spicy Tomato Pasta - Indian Version

2009-12-10T22:14:00.004+05:30

This Tomato Pasta used to be our Brunch on weekends. It can be done quick and its tastes Great, what more needed for a brunch? This is Indian version, as lots of chilli powder is added. I prefer adding Kashmiri chilli powder, as i love the wonderfull colour of it. While serving, i grate some processed cheese over the pasta, so that it little balances the spice. If you are not willing to serve your paste with cheese, then reduce the chilli powder.

Ingredients:

1. Pasta - 1 cup ( i used savorit shell shaped pasta)
2. Tomatoes - 6 (finely chopped)
3. Oil - 4 tbsp's
4. Garlic - 3 (finely chopped)
5. Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 tbsp's
6. Salt to taste
7. Turmeric powder - a pinch

Method:

In a Wide Bottomed Pressure Cooker, Heat the oil, add the garlic and roast it.

Add the finely chopped Tomatoes and saute them in oil for 1 minute.

Now add Salt, Turmeric Powder a pinch and chilli powder. mix well with the tomatoes.

Lower the flame and let the tomato absorb the spice. when the tomato mix, starts to emit oil, add the pasta and 2 cups of water.

Pressure Cook the pasta upto 4 whistles. Remove the cooker from the stove and let the pressure get released and open the cooker. stir well. If the pasta is still watery, heat it up again and cook untill the water is absorbed.

If less water is added, pasta may not be cooked soft and the pasta at the bottom of the pressure cooker may get burned.

Serve with Grated Processed Cheese on top.

* I also add Peas to the pasta, it also tastes good.

Healthy Savoury Muffins for Breakfast

2009-12-07T19:32:00.005+05:30

I Prepared these Savoury Muffins with Carrot, Cabbage, corriander leaves. I used Wheat Flour and Oats Flour, all these put together and baked without oil tasted really good. The Guilt part was the Egg Yolks. Next time i should try substituting Eggs with Flax seeds. I added finely sliced Green Chilli's and Red Chilli Flakes to add up the spice. It really helped the muffins taste better than bland taste. These Muffins just tasted like Whole Wheat Bread, this reminds me that i should start baking Breads...

Ingredients:

(Yields 8 Large Muffins)

Wheat Flour - 400 gms
Oat Flour - 75 gms
Salt - 1 tbsp
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp

Grated Carrot - 3 tbsp
Grated Cabbage - 4 tbsp
Green Chilli - 1 (finely sliced)
Red Chilli Flakes - 2 tsp
Corriander Leaves - 2 tbsp's (finely chopped)

Whole Large Egg's - 2
Buttermilk - 1/2 cup

Method:

Pre-Heat the Oven to 220C.

Mix the Wheat Flour with Oats Flour. add salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix well with your hands.

Remember : Never Sieve/Sift the Wheat Flour. The Nutrients are lost when sieved.

Now add Grated Carrot, Cabbage, Green Chilli, Red Chilli Flakes & Corriander Leaves to the flours and mix well.

Beat the Egg and add it to the flour. mix with a wooden spoon.

Add Buttermilk to the flour and mix well with the spoon. I kept mixing with hands. It should be like our little watery chapathi dough.

Grease the Muffin Pan and spoon in the dough into the moulds.

Bake it for about 20 minutes at 220c. and check whether it has cooked by inserting a toothpick or knife in centre of the muffins and comes out clean. If Not cooked bake them for another 5 minutes.

Enjoy the Muffins Warm!!

How it Tasted?

Muffins did'nt taste bland, as the red chilli flakes and finely chopped green chilli helped a lot in adding spice. Muffins tasted like a spiced whole wheat bread. i could not even spot the Oat flour.
Cabbage and Carrot gave a different touch to the muffins. for me it tasted like a bonda:)

Finally these No Oil Muffins tasted Good.

Thakkali Sadham / Tomato Rice

2009-12-05T19:53:00.003+05:30

I prepared this Tomato Rice for today's afternoon meal. I recently learned this recipe and i have tried it thrice so far. It turned out Tasty and Perfect every time. This Tomato Rice is cooked in Pressure Cooker with the juice of tomato and spices, as a result every rice grain tastes fabulous.

You can prepare this very fast with less work. it tastes equal to Briyani. If you feel, there is no nutrition in it, try adding Mushroom, while sauting the onions, and let us call it as Mushroom Tomato Briyani.

Coming to the Recipe

Ingredients:

Rice - 225 gms (3 small Tumblers) - soaked in water for about 20 minutes.
Tomato - 6
Peas- 1/2 cup
Ginger - 2 inch size
Garlic - 6 (big in size ~ Malai Poondu) / 12 (small garlic)
Red Onion - 2 (Big)
Green Chilli - 3
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp (I use aachi kuzhambu milagaai thool)
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 6 tbsp's
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Saunf / Sombu - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 4
Bringe Leaf - 1

Method:

1. First Heat the Oil in a Wide Bottomed Pressure Cooker. Add Bringe Leaf, Cinnamon, cloves, saunf and fry them for half a minute.

2. Add the Chopped Red Onion's and Slitted Green chilli to the cooker and fry them, till the Onions turn translucent.

3. Grind the Ginger Garlic with 2 tsp's of water into a fine paste. Add the Ginger Gralic paste to the Cooker and fry them, till the raw smell goes off.

4. Chop all the tomatoes and grind them into puree and set aside.

5. Add Peas to the cooker and saute it.

6. Now add the Tomato Puree to the cooker.

7. Add Turmeric Powder, Chilli Powder, Garama Masala and Salt to Taste to the cooker and mix well.

8. Add the Soaked Rice to the Pressure Cooker and add half cup of water to the cooker.

9. Stir well and close the pressure cooker with its lid and weight on it.

10. Let the flame be high and the whistle count be 2. now reduce the flame to the medium level and let the whistle count for 2 and switch off the flame and remove the pressure cooker from the stove and let it cool.

11. Serve it with Onion Raita or Chips.

We had sip's of buttermilk in between to cool the spicyness in the Rice. It was so spicy and delicious, we all loved it.

Veg Schezwan Noodles with Homemade Schezwan Sauce

2009-11-24T15:57:00.005+05:30

I love Chinese Food. The Soy sauce, Vinegar, Spring Onion's and a bit of ajina-motto all do a great magic to the simple noodles or rice. When I craved for some spicy noodles, i decided to make this schezwan noodles. Though I had all other sauces in hand, schezwan sauce was missing. i googled and gathered bits and pieces from various recipe's and prepared the sauce.

Recipe For Schezwan Sauce

You can make 4-5 servings, with the sauce.

Red Chilli's - 20

Garlic - 10 pieces

Scallions / Spring Onions - White Part - 5

Corriander Leaves - fistfull (5 tbsp's)

Corriander Stem's - 10

Vinegar - 3tbsp's

Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 4 tbsp's

*You can add more kashmiri powder, if you prefer spicy and colour in your sauce. ( i added more)

Method:

Soak the Red Chilli's in hot water for about 3 hours.
Drain the Chilli's and
Grind it along with other Ingredients. Add little water to get a smooth paste.

Heat a Pan. pour 5 tbsp's of oil. heat the oil. add the grinded sauce to the pan and stir well.
Let the pan sit in medium flame for about 5 minutes.
Let the sauce cool and store it in a air tight container.

I was able to cook 5 servings with the above ingredients. and the sauce stayed fresh for about 3 weeks in my fridge.

Veg Schezwan Noodles with Steamed Vegetables.

Ingredients:

Hakka Veg Noodles - 1/2 packet

Oil - 2 tbsp's

Schezwan sauce - 2 tbsp's

Soy Sauce - 1 tsp

Aji-na-motto - a pinch

Dry Red Chilli - 2

Spring Onions - 2 tbsp's (finely chopped)

Method:

Cook the Noodles as per the packet instructions. i always wash and drain the cooked noodles.

Heat oil in a pan, add the red chilli's and saute it. Lower the flame.

Add the Schezwan sauce to the oil and saute it. add the soy sauce and mix well.

Add the Cooked Noodles and mix along with the sauce.

Add salt and aji-na-motto and mix well.

Remove from flame and garnish with spring onions.

Steamed Vegetable Basket:

Cabbage - 3 leaves

Carrot - 1

Beans - 5

Cauliflower - 5 florets

Baby Corn - 2

Broccoli - 4 florets

Method:

Steam the above all vegetables with little salt sprinkled over them.
serve them on cabbage leaves.

Serve it along with spicy hot schezwan noodles. the steamed vegetables will compliment well to spicy noodles.

Now Iam Sending these Schezwan Noodles with Vegetables to Vaishali for her Its A Vegan World - Chinese.

Chettinaad Egg Curry

2009-11-20T20:42:00.007+05:30

This Chettinaad Egg Curry is full of flavours. The Pepper, curry leaves elevates the taste of the curry. Few points i learned in preparing egg curry are, adding saunf / sombu is a must for tadka / thalippu. adding green chilli, dry red chilli, chilli powder and pepper powder each in small quantity makes the difference in taste. i always love to add curry leaves powder to my curry. it makes the curry thicker also the flavour it gives is amazing.

Ingredients:

To Crush:

Shallots / Small Madras Onions / Chinna Vengayam - 6
Garlic / Poondu - 5 pieces
Ginger / Inji - 2' inch long
Green Chilli / Pachai Milagaai - 1 and half

Crush the above in your mixer grinder or with your pestle and mortar. (dont add water to crush)

Red Onion / Periya Vengayam - 1 (finely chopped)
Ripe Tomato / Thakkali - 2 (finely chopped)
Boiled Egg's / Muttai - 4
Butter - 1 tbsp

List of Powder's:

Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Chilli Powder / Milagaai Thool - 1/2 tsp
Corriander Powder / Malli Thool - 2 tsp
Pepper Powder / Milagu Thool - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves Powder / karivepillai podi - 1 tsp

For Tadka / Thalippu:

Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Saunf / Sombu - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 2
Curry Leaves - 10
Oil - 2 tbsp's

Method:

First Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan / Iron skillet. add mustard and let it burst. Now add saunf and curry leaves. add dry red chilli, curry leaves and roast it.

Add the Crushed Shallots-Ginger-Garlic-Green Chilli to the pan and fry till the raw smell of the ginger garlic leaves.

Add finely chopped onion's to the pan and saute them till they turn translucent. add the tomato and fry it along with onion.

Add salt, Turmeric Powder a pinch and mix with the onion-tomato. fry them till they mix togeather.

Add Chilli powder, corriander powder, pepper powder & curry leaves powder one by one and mix with the ingredients in the pan. saute them well, till the oil emits on sides of the pan.

Add Half slitted boiled egg's to the pan and mix with the masala.

Add about one and half cup's of water and let the curry boil for two minutes in slow flame.

Add Butter and close the pan with lid. switch off the flame and let the curry rest on stove for 2 more minutes.

Serve hot with Rice or Dosa.

* I added curry leaves powder little extra. thats why the colour of the curry is different.
* The Crushed shallot-ginger-garlic-green chilli added made the curry different.
* If you wish to add more pepper powder, reduce the green chilli and chilli powder a little.
* Adding Butter at the end is optional. it thickens the curry a little and it gives richness to the curry.

Easy Paruppu Rasam / Rasam Sadham

2009-11-18T17:47:00.000+05:30

When it Rain's, I prefer to have hot rasam with steaming hot rice. It can be prepared fast, and there is no way of getting complaints on it from my hubby when served with appalam. Whenever i had fever, my mom comes with a bowl of this hot rasam sadham and feed's me with her hands. soon after getting 5 mouthfull of mom's rasam rice, i could feel refreshed. whats more you need than your mom's hand fed rasam sadham when you are ill. Yesterday it was my turn, to feed my little son, who got fever. i could see, how he turned active and fresh after having this rasam sadham with ghee. Mom's Rasam Sadham are always special to everyone. Isn't it?

I use Sakthi Masala Rasam Powder. Home-made Rasam Podi are best. so go ahead with your home-made rasam powder.

Ingredients:

1. Tuvar Dal - 3 tbsp's

2. Tomato - 1

3. Ghee / Clarified Butter - 1 tsp

4. Cumin - 2 tsp's

5. Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp

6. Rasam Powder - 2tbsp's

7. Water - 1 and half cup's

8. Chopped Corriander Leaves - 2 tbsp's

9. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1.Pressure Cook the Tuvaram Paruppu / Toor / Tuvar Dal with 1/2 cup of water and a pinch of turmeric powder with a small drop of ghee. for about 4 whistle's or till the dal is cooked well.

2.Heat a pan, add a tsp of ghee, add cumin seeds and asafoetida powder. wait till the cumin seeds are roasted.

3.Now add the chopped tomato and saute them along cumin in ghee.

4.Add the Pressure Cooked Toor Dal and one and half cup's of water and stir well.

5.Add Turmeric Powder, Rasam Powder and salt.

6. Add Chopped Corriander Leaves and Let the rasam get heated. do not let it to boil.

Serve Paruppu Rasam Hot over Rice with a tsp of ghee. Make Pappad's and serve it along.

Eggless Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2009-11-14T09:38:00.003+05:30

After getting my muffin tray's, can anything stop me from trying muffins in the new tray? Iam glad that i tried Pumpkin muffins, as i easily prepared it by combining the wet and dry mix. The end result's were much appreciable. I did not feel, that i missed egg as it was fluffy or i could not spot the Pumpkin flavour in spite of using fresh home-made Pumpkin Puree. The spice i prepared for this was extra-ordinary. it filled my home with flavours of cardamon and Nutmeg.

First I Prepared the Pumpkin Puree and left it in fridge overnight. Remove the Puree from fridge, just before 15 minutes for preparing muffin mix.

The Spice Mix I prepared had

1. Dry Ginger - 3'inch size (I know its more, but its good)

2. Black Cardamon - 1

3. Green Cardamon - 2

4. Cinnamon - 2'inch round stick

5. Nutmeg - 1/4 (of small nutmeg)

6. Cloves - 3

Grinded the above into a powder and sieved to separate the Ginger's nerves.

* Do not add more Nutmeg, even while preparing in more quantity.

i decided to bake the muffins without egg and butter. am sure, not due to calorie conscious, bcoz i did not have egg's and i wanted to use olive oil substituting butter, to find what difference it makes in taste. I added 2 tbsp's of yogurt at last to get the pouring consistency.

Wet Ingredients:

Pumpkin Puree - 100ml

Olive Oil - 50 ml

Yogurt - 2tbsp's

Dry Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour / Maida - 175gms

Powdered Sugar - 1/4 cup

Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp

Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp

Salt - a pinch

Spice Mix - 2 tbsp's

Chocolate Chips - 5 tbsp's

Method:

Mix the Pumpkin Puree well with Olive oil. keep aside.

Sift the flour with salt, baking powder and baking soda. sift at least twice.

Mix Powdered sugar and spice mix and chocolate chips with the flour.

Add the Wet Ingredients (Pumpkin Puree + Oil) to the flour and mix it wooden spoon.

Add Yogurt to get the spooning consistency of batter to muffin cup's.

Grease the muffin cup with oil and spoon in the batter.

I topped it with some chocolate chips and nuts and some museli.

Pre-Heat the oven at 180C. for about 10 mins.

Bake at 170C for about 35 mins. check whether muffins are cooked and bake it furthur if not cooked.

Cool them and serve with cream on top.

People at home enjoyed Pumpkin Muffin's and they liked it more than my Pumpkin Pie.
I tried Banana Muffins the same way, but it did'nt turn out well as it was sticky and not fluffy as Pumpkin Muffins. somehow Pumpkin did a magic to these muffin's.

Pumpkin Pie - My First Pie

2009-11-09T17:12:00.009+05:30

You can look forward for few more-first attempt's here in this winter. Iam very much interested in baking, but could'nt spare time in finding exact recipe. I feel this is one sort of research work. so here i am documenting my first attempt's. Give your verdicts, I really appreciate your suggestions to bake better next time.

You Bloggers across the sea tempt me a lot with your baking ventures. I thought that i could never find baking tray's / tart pan's / muffin tray's all in Chennai. But Arundathi was kind enough to share in her blog about currim bhoys in adyar and Nirmala has asked me to visit amma nana, for all the above mentioned pan's and trays. I visited currim bhoys, the shop is filled with lovely dinner sets and glasses, I picked few pans, i would have picked half of the shop, if something called money was with me. This Poor Girl is planning to visit monthly such shops with her monthly savings. Man Proposes - God Disposes (Dont Forget Lavi!!)

Coming to the Pie, I baked it with less tension. I was almost sure that it will turn up pretty good with some blind confidence, and i should say it got baked perfect and tasted so Great too. I did not have any idea of getting heavy cream for whipping cream to add it for pie filling, so ended up in adding full cream. any chennai bloggers reading this, suggest me where can i get heavy cream or is any way to prepare that at home?

How I Prepared Pumpkin Puree - By Stove Top Method?

I prepared Fresh Pumpkin Puree at Home. it was so easy to make, i just removed the flesh from skin with some effort and sauted in skillet with some oil till they turned tender. it took some 5 minutes to saute the pumpkin to tender. i cooled them and grinded the pumpkin's into fine puree. i did'nt sieve it. it got a smooth texture. (I bought 0.695 Kg of pumpkin and pureed it) but i used just half of the puree for two pie's.

Ingredients for Pie Filling:

Pumpkin Puree - 200gms
Full Cream Milk - 5 tbsp's
Egg's - 2
Cloves - 2
Cardamon - 2
Cinnamon - 1' inch stick
Dry Ginger - 1 'inch
Sugar - 1/4 cup

Assembling Pie Filling:

I grinded the Sugar with cloves, cardamon and cinnamon into powder form. I did not grind them finely, you can see black spots in the pie because of that.

Beat the Egg's.

Add the Powdered Sugar to the egg's beated.

Add Dry Ginger powder to the egg's.

add pumpkin Puree to the egg's.

Now add Whipped Cream to the egg's. i added full cream instead.

Ingredients for Pie Crust:

1. All Purpose Flour - 175 gms
2. Butter (in chilled form) - 5 tbsp's
3. salt - a pinch
4. Powdered Sugar - 1/ 4 cup
5. Ice water - few sprinkles (2 tbsp)

Add salt to the flour and add powdered sugar to the flour and mix well.

Now add the Butter and mix well with the flour. Keep adding butter, till the flour becomes like bread crumbs.

Now sprinkle some ice water to the flour and get the flour togeather into a dough. (like our chapathi dough) don't add ice water more than 2 / 3 tbsp's.

Now flatten the dough and cover it with a plastic cover and put the dough in fridge for overnight or 12 hours.

Get ready with your tart pan. Just before 30 mins to bake the pie, remove the dough from the fridge and let it get back to room temperature.

Roll the dough thinly and spread it over the tart pan. trim the exceedings.

after spreading the rolled dough over the tart pan, put the tart pan in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Bake the Crust in Pre-Heated oven for about 10 minutes at 180C.

Now pour the pie filling into the tart pan.

Bake the Pie for about 45 mins at 160C.

Check the pie along the crust, for it got set or not. and bake them furthur. 45 mins will be a correct time.

Cool them for few minutes and serve them warm with cream / Honey.

It tasted so Great. we all loved it. I liked it in chilled form with cream. Do try this easy pumpkin Pie for Thanks Giving and Enjoy.

Carrot Moong Dal Kosambari ~ Carrot Salad

2009-11-05T22:27:00.003+05:30

Me and My dad frequently visit MTR at Bangalore. The first dish they serve is grape juice and next is this carrot kosambari. Eating Raw carrot is very hard for me, this carrot salad made it easy. i love the moong dal in it and lime juice sprayed over the salad makes me crave for one more serving. so here is my favourite MTR Carrot Kosambari.

Ingredients:

Carrots - 4
Moong Dal - 1/4 cup (5 tbsp's)
Shredded Coconut - 3 tbsp's
Corriander Leaves - 3 tbsp's (finely chopped)
Lime Juice - 1 tbsp

For Tadka/Seasoning:

Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Split Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Green Chilli - 2 (finely chopped)
Curry Leaves - 6

Method:

Soak the 1/4 cup Moong Dal in 1 cup of water for about 1 hour.

Peel off the outer skin of the carrots and Grate the carrots & place them in a bowl.

Mix the shredded coconut with the grated carrot in the bowl.

Add Soaked Moong Dal to the Carrot bowl.

Mix well with a spoon.

Heat a small Tadka Pan for Seasoning,
Heat 1 tsp Oil,
add Mustard and let in jump,
add urad dal and let it get roasted,
add finely chopped green chilli's and
add curry leaves.

Now Transfer the seasoning / Tadka to the carrot bowl.

Mix well the contents in the carrot bowl.

Add Lime Juice to the bowl and mix.

Add required salt and Chopped Corriander Leaves to the bowl and mix well.

Serve it Instantly Fresh..

Enjoy & Have a Great Weekend!!

Sambhar Rice ~ Sambhar Sadham

2009-11-02T18:54:00.005+05:30

My Favourite Food is always hearty sambhar sadham and cool thayir sadham / curd rice. Sambhar Rice with appalam or with potato curry is a perfect combination. I always prepare this sambhar rice, when i have guests. The secret of tasty sambhar sadham depends on the vegetables we add. Drumstick(murungai kaai), Eggplant(kathrikkaai), Radish(mullangi), knol khol (nookal) and capsicum (kudai milagaai) are must. Adding shallots / pearl onions ( sambhar / chinna vengayam ) is must. the other trick is, boiling these vegetables in tamarind juice. I use Sakthi Masala Sambhar Powder. You can use your own sambhar powder. Try using Ghee / Butter to have a tasty Sambhar Rice.

Ingredients: (Sambhar Rice for 2 people)

Vegetables:

Drumstick / Murungai - 1
Eggplant / Kathirkaai - 2
Radish / Mullangi - 1
Knol Khol / Nookal - 1/2
Capsicum / Kudai Milagaai - 1/2
Carrot - 1
Beans - 6
Broad Beans /avarakaai - 6
Double Beans - 10 (optional)
Potato / Urulai - 1

Other Ingredients:

Tomato - 1/2
Shallots - 15

Raw Rice - 150 gms ( 2 small tumblers)
Toovar Dal / Tuvaram Paruppu - 40 gms

Tamarind - a lemon size

Sambhar Powder - 3 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Ghee / Clarified Butter - 5 tbsp's
Mustard - 2 tsp's
Split Urad Dal - 2 tsp's
Dry Red Chilli - 4
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida powder - 1/ 4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 15

Corriander Leaves - 4 tbsp's (chopped)

Method:

First Pressure Cook the Rice and Dal with 4 cups of water. The whistle count is 6.

Wash the vegetables and dice them in cube shapes.

Soak the Tamarind in warm water for about 5 minutes and extract the tamarind juice.

Now Cook the Vegetables in extracted tamarind juice with little salt.
I Microwave them in high for about 8 minutes. ( Don't cook Capsicum, shallots and Tomato)
Cook the double beans in prior and add along with other vegetables.

Heat a Pan / kadaai,
add 2 tbsp's of ghee, let it melt and get heated,
add mustard and let it pop.
add urad dal and fenugreek seeds, fry them till they turn golden colour.
add the dry red chilli.
add the curry leaves
add asafoetida powder / hing.

Now add the shallots / small onions and fry them till they turn translucent.
add Capsicum and tomato and saute them till they have shrinked a bit.

Now add all the cooked vegetables in tamarind water to the kadaai / pan along with the tamarind water.

Add one cup of water, Turmeric powder and sambhar powder. also add salt to taste. remember salt is already added to vegetables.

Mash the cooked Rice and dal and add to the pan. stir well, to avoid lumps. mix the rice evenly with the vegetables in the pan.

Add 3 tbsp's of ghee and corriander leaves and cover the pan with a lid. slow the flame. and let it rest for 3-4 minutes in slow flame. keep checking and stir in between to avoid burning the rice in the bottom of the pan.

Switch off the flame and keep the lid closed till you serve.

Serve with a dollop of ghee and appalam on side.

This is a great food to pack for picnic. curd rice and potato curry will make a hearty meal togeather.

Sending this Yummy Sambhar sadham to Divya for her Show me your Lunchbox event.

The Right Write Taste

2009-10-17T23:18:00.005+05:30

Sharing about food, apart from its recipe's and its image's here is exciting me. Like most girls, i started reading cookbooks right from age 12. I mostly read Mallika Badrinath's Book's. Apart from her book's, my grandmom's and her mom's recipe book was very interesting for me to read. I would really admire their handwriting skills and writing the recipe in a clear cut form with exact measurements.

I can approximately estimate, that my grandmom's mom's recipe collection should have been written in early 1970's. Those days were the days, there were no Televisions and no magazines sharing recipes. But my grandmom's have collected various recipes across the states. Rava Upma, was one such, they managed to get the MTR instant Upma Mix alike recipe.I still wonder how they managed to do that. My Grandmom's were living in villiage and thereby no access to xerox machines nearby. sure they should have spend more time on copying others recipe collection wih just Candle Light. Not even they wrote, they have also tried most recipes from their recipe collection. I remember my Grandmom's mom trying variety of pickles.
If you ask me to write down the recipes from my blog to a Notebook, iam sure i cant.

other than this, i really love to read the restaurant food review and watch shows relating to that.
In Tamil, There is a writer called la.sa.ra. His books normally have food combos, which makes us drool, on just reading his recipe told in a different fashion.

One such food combo that i tried from his book was Vendhiya Kuzhambu, Urulai Kizhangu podimaas. the combo was excellent. pairing such combos is one i should note down and try from now on.

These are all the food writings i enjoyed and read. Now iam sending this to Sra'a The Write Taste. Thank You Sra, Now at the end of this post, iam really happy, that i wrote this post. This is one post, that is going to be close to my heart from this blog.

Cashew Roll / Kaju Roll - Easy Diwali Sweet

2009-10-15T07:21:00.003+05:30

Thank You all for appreciating my Kaju Katli. It is really worth trying it out so do try for this diwali. Kid's liked my Kaju katli's a lot. Now coming to the colourfull cashew roll, i made this on the same day i made kaju katli's. its just the roll shape of kaju katli's. since i didn't want to overpower you all with many variety on the same day, i thought of dividing the post seperately for Kaju Roll.

Three Different variety of kaju sweets, with the same basic preparation.

How to Preapare Kaju Roll / Cashew Roll

Prepare your Kaju Katli Dough. Click Here.

Grease your palms and fingers with ghee/butter/oil (for vegan's).

Divide the Kaju katli dough into two parts.

Add Kesari Colour / apple green colour / Red Colour to one portion of the kaju katli dough.

Knead the dough well, to make sure the colour spreads evenly.

Grease your palms again.

Now take a small ball of the plain dough and roll it with your rolling pin or flat it with your palms.

Take a small ball of the colored ball and roll it with your both palms to get a cylindrical shape.

Place the Cylindrical shaped colour dough onto the start of the rolled plain dough.

Gently fold and cover the coloured dough completely.

Tap the Roll with your finger on either side of the roll, to make the roll into a shape.

Roll it gently to make them into a proper roll shape.

Trim the edges of the roll, so that the stuffed colour dough is visible.

Yummy Colourfull Kaju Roll is Ready.

Are you wondering How i got the line of colour on cashew roll, i just didn't fold the roll completely, thereby i got my favourite beautifull orange colour lines on the roll.

Different Ideas to Try:

The dough is so flexible, and we can try many variety in it.

Try 3 layered roll.
Stuff the roll with nuts.
If you know carving, try to make like an apple.
Prepare Kaju Pista Roll in the same way, with kaju dough and pista dough.

If you prepare once, you will get so many ideas.

It just took me two hours, including running behind my son and feeding him. if you have an helping hand and ideas, you can blast them with all colours.

Have a Colourfull Fun Filled Sweet Filled Diwali!!

Kaju Katli / Cashew Burfi For Diwali

2009-10-11T21:52:00.010+05:30

Deepavali is just a week away, i want to try making many sweets, Today I tried Kaju Katli and it turned out excellent. Since i have watched my grand mom making badam halwa, i rightly got the trick on sugar syrup consistency and stirring the halwa on the kadaai. Those tricks helped me today and the burfi turned out pretty perfect.

The String Consistency for Sugar syrup is very important in making these Kaju Katli. The other important fact is, when to switch off the flame. if you overcook, then you will end up in hard katli's. so these two facts are to be learned and followed exactly.

When I said String Consistency, here in the Kaju Katli, you need not wait for single string consistency at all, it should be the previous stage to single string consistency.

Coming to the Recipe..

Ingredients:

(Yields 10 - 14 Kaju Katli's)

Recipe Inspiration : VeganYum Yum

1. Cashews - 30 / 1 cup (125 gms)
2. Sugar - 1/2 cup
3. Water - just to the level of sugar immerses ( 4tbsp)
4. Ghee - to Grease your Palms.

Since this was my trial, i just used some 30 cashews. They were Big in size, when i powdered them i got about 1 cup / 6 oz.

- Wash and dry your mixer, without any wet.
- Grind the Cashew to the powder form.

The Ratio between Cashew Powder and Sugar is 2 : 1.

How to Make Sugar Syrup for Kaju Katli?

Take half cup sugar(3 oz.) in a thick bottomed pan, and pour water till it get immersed (say 4 tbsp of water).

Keep checking every half minute..

1. Soon after the sugar water starts to boil, have a little in a spoon and touch it with your fingers. it will be very sticky to your fingers.( pisukku patham)

2. Second stage is, just drop a drop of sugar syrup on a plate, and tilt the plate, sugar syrup will start flowing.

3. Third and required stage for Kaju Katli is

Drop a drop of sugar syrup, on a plate, it should get set and not move, when the plate is tilted.

When the syrup attains the third stage, put the cashew powder to the syrup and keep stirring it to avoid lumps. even break the lumps if any formed.

Keep the flame Low and keep stirring for at least 3-4 minutes.

When you see bubbles coming and blowing off from the cashew burfi and when you take it with a slotted spoon ( Jalli Karandi ), and tilt the spoon, The cashew burfi should start sliding vertically like paper and flat. switch off the flame and remove from the stove. (just takes 3 - 4 minutes in slow flame, dont exceed this time, if you are a beginner)

Let it cool for about 10 to 15 minutes and till your palms could bear the heat for kneading.

Grease some ghee on your palms and knead the cashew burfi dough for about a minute or 2, till they all come out to a big ball shape. (Kaju Dough is ready) - Refer here to make Kaju Roll.

Roll them evenly of thickness 1/4' inch. or just pat them with your fingers like we do for Poli.

Cut them into squares or diamonds and store them in air tight container.

It was just like the ones that we get from Sri Krishna sweets. My hubby dear believed that i got from Krishna sweets. Thats a big success for me!

Try this and fall in Love. Its very easy to try. so do try this for Diwali. I also tried cashew rolls with the same cashew katli dough, will post making of Cashew Roll's in 2 days. Keep Waiting.

Cinnamon Cookies - My First Cookies

2009-10-07T17:54:00.003+05:30

I baked Cookies for first time, and it came out okay. it got crispier texture out and little crumble texture in. But we all liked it a lot. I was not so dare enough to try chocolate cookies or choco-chip cookies, as this is the first time, fearing that it would not turn good. Using Cinnamon was also easier, the flavour and taste was really good. so any first time bakers reading this, Just go ahead with Cinnamon cookies, if you are baking cookies for the first time.
I referred lots of website's and took bits and pieces from each recipe. and now presenting what i did.

Ingredients: (10 -14 cookies)

1. All Purpose Flour /Maida - 1 1/4 cup (10 oz)
2. Sugar - 1/3 cup
3. Butter - 100gms
4. Cinnamon - 1' stick
5. Egg - 1
6. Vanilla Essence - 2 tsp's
7. Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
9. Salt - a pinch

Method:

1. Bring the Butter to Room Temperature.

2. Grind the Sugar and Cinnamon to fine powder.

3. Beat the Egg with Vanilla Essence and keep aside. (Give a pulse in your mixer)

4. Mix salt, baking soda and baking powder to the flour and sift the flour twice.

5. Beat the Butter and Sugar. I use hand mixer and beated it for about 2 minute's.

6. After Beating Butter and Sugar, add Egg-vanilla mix and mix well with a wooden spoon.

7. Add Flour and mix with the wooden spoon very slowly.

8. The cookie dough will be very soft now, so cover the dough and refrigerate it for 1 hour.

9. After 1 hr refrigeration, cookie dough gets firm and now its ready to get baked.

10. Line Baking Plate with Baking sheet. apply pinch butter on four cornours of baking plate, before lining with baking sheet, this keeps the sheet unmovable. I would recommend double lining, if you want your cookies little browned at the bottom.

11. Pre-Heat the oven to 350F / 180C.

12. Rub your hand with some flour and take a small ball of cookie dough and flatten in on baking sheet. likewise place cookie dough balls with enough space for it to expand on the baking sheet.
with fork make some designs if you wish.
i gave very little space and ended with many shapeless cookies.

13. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes and see, if the edges got browned, if not, bake it for another 2 or 3 minutes.

14. Cool them completely for about 15 minutes and then shift to air tight container.

Melt some chocolate and drizzle over the cookies and cool it for a while.

It was so perfect for Tea. My first cookie impressed us a lot.

These Cinnamon Cookies are leaving for Monthly Mingle - High Tea Treats hosted by Aparna.
Glad on joining them on tea party with my first time cookies.

Friends Please Help me on how to get crispier texture on cookie, and any suggestions on how can i improve? Love to hear from you all.

Godhumai Rava / Cracked Wheat Khichdi

2009-10-04T21:58:00.004+05:30

It was another long weekend for us in India. Preparing Breakfast for the weekend will be a big challenge for me, as i wake up (very) late. i need to prepare breakfast other than easy kanji/porridge, cornflakes. Many times, it used to idli-corriander chutney. my puttu maker got a worst shape after its bad time with my son, bcoz of which i could not prepare our favourite puttu, which we normally used to have on week-ends.

This Cracked Wheat Khichdi is one we both love, also i find it easy to prepare. it also tastes different from upma. and a healthy break-fast.

Ingredients:

1. Cracked Wheat / Godhumai Ravai - 2 cup
2. Oil - 2 tbsp's + 1 tsp
3. Cardamon stick - 1' inch
4. Cloves - 2
5. Red Onion - 2
6. Chopped Vegetables - 1 cup (Carrot, Green Peas)
7. Water - 3 cup's
8. Green Chilli's - 2 (slitted vertically)

Method:

Heat a Pan, add a tsp of oil and heat it. Roast the Cracked Wheat for about 3-4 minutes / or when you could see a slight colour change in the rava. let it cool.

Boil the 3 cup's of water along with chopped vegetables.

Heat 2 tbsp's of oil in a pan, add cardamon, cloves and fry them for half a minute.
- add the chopped onion's and fry them till they turn half-translucent.
- add slitted green chilli's and saute it along with onions.
- add salt to taste.
- add the roasted cracked wheat and mix with the onion and chilli.

Lower the flame.

Add carefully the Boiling water with vegetables to the cracked wheat on the pan.
- stir well.
- add a tsp of oil and mix well.
- let the khichdi get thick.
- close the pan with a lid and rest the khichdi in low flame for about 3 minutes.
- add chopped corriander leaves as garnish and switch off the flame.
- close the pan and do not disturb it for another 3 minute's.

Serve it with chutney powder / idly milagaai podi or with sugar or with coconut chutney.

My choice is with chutney powder.

Vendhaya Kuzhambu, Urulaikizhangu Podimaas

2009-09-30T18:36:00.005+05:30

Yesterday, Hubby Dear was reading a book, and i was watching serial, my son was playing with his car. Hubby Dear Interrupted me, on how would வெந்தய குழம்பு , உருளை கிழங்கு பொடிமாஸ் {Fenugreek Curry and Potato masal } would make a great combination. He was reading a book written my la.sa.ra. I did'nt have an idea, other than, it will be very bitter in taste. Today I tried it, it was not bad, or so bitter, a different taste one should give a try. It was spicy, tangy, little bitter, but it went well with the potato masal / urulaikizhangu podimaas.

Vendhaya Kuzhambu:

Ingredients:

Shallots / Small Onions - 12
Tomato - 1/2

Fenugreek seeds / vendhayam - 10 seeds

Tamarind - one lemon size ball
Sambhar Powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Sesame Oil - 3 tbsp's
Mustard - 1/ 2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 10

Dry Roast the Following Ingredients:

1 tbsp Chana dal
1 tbsp Corriander seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin
4 Dry Red Chilli's
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (roughly 8 seeds)

Method:

Peel the shallots / small onions and keep aside.

Dry Roast 10 Fenugreek seeds for 2 minutes in medium flame and cool it down. then powder it coarsely and keep aside.

Soak the Tamarind in 2 cups of warm water and squeeze the pulp out. Add sambhar powder, turmeric powder and mix well with the tamarind water and keep aside.

Dry Roast the chana dal, corriander seeds, cumin, Red chilli's, and fenugreek seeds, till they turn golden colour.
- After roasting, cool them down and powder them finely.
- Add 3 shallots and half tomato to the coarsely grinded powder and gind them into a fine paste. add a tsp of water and grind into a very fine paste.

Heat 3 tbsp's of oil, add 1/2 tsp mustard, let it pop, add 10 curry leaves. fry it and add 10 shallots and fry them till they turn translucent.

add the grinded paste to the onion and fry them for a minute by stirring.

add the 2 cups of tamarind water and salt to taste and stir well.

Let it boil for few minutes and remove from the stove.

Sprinkle the coarsely grinded fenugreek seeds over the top of the curry and serve with Hot Rice.
It also taste's good with hot idli's and dosa's.

for Potato Podimaas / Urulai kizhangu podimaas refer suganya's recipe. I just followed her's and it turned out splendid.

Try this combination and fall in love.

Vegetable Gravy

2009-09-27T16:07:00.003+05:30

In Weekends, i need to cook something special and also i want it done with less labour. This Gravy is one such preparation. The highlight of the gravy is, its very creamy and has healthy vegetables on it. I have prepared this Vegetable Gravy for Vegetable Pulao and Chapathi. It complimeneted well to both the main dishes.

Ingredients:

1. Carrot - 1
2. Beans - 10
3. Potato - 1
4. Peas - 1/4 cup
5. Cauliflower - 5 small florets

6. Onion - 1
7. Tomato - 1
8. Oil - 2 tsp's [ to saute onion and tomato ]

9. Oil - 1 tbsp [For Seasoning ]
10. Cinnamon - 1/2' inch stick
11. Cloves - 3

12. Fresh Cream - 75ml
13. Chilli Powder - 2 tsp's

Method:

1. Wash and Chop the Vegetables [Carrot, Beans, Potato(skin peeled) and Cauliflower] into small pieces. Steam Cook them for about 5 minutes and keep aside. / Microwave them with little water for about 4 minutes in very high mode.

2. Heat 2 tsp's of oil in a pan,
- add chopped onion and saute it, till it turn translucent.
- add chopped Tomato and saute it along with onion for 2 minutes.
- remove from the flame and cool it down.
- grind it into a smooth paste and keep aside.

3. In a Pan, Heat a tbsp of oil,
- add cinnamon and cloves and let it fry for few seconds.
- add the steamed vegetables and fry them for a minute.
- add the grinded onion-tomato paste and mix well.
- add salt and chilli powder according to your taste.

4. Add Fresh cream and stir well along with vegetables. slow the flame and rest the gravy for about 4 to 5 minutes in the pan.

Garnish with chopped corriander leaves and serve it with Rice or Roti.