Sunday, November 27, 2011

Kootu Varieties

SIDE DISH FOR CHAPPATHI/ROTI

Thuvayal and Pachadi

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Beans Paruppusili (Microwave method)



Ingredients
Chopped beans : 2 cups
Toor dhal: 1/4 cup
Channa dal (Kadala parupu) : 1 tablespoon
Red chillies : 2 (For medium spice)
Cumin seeds: 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida : a pinch
Turmeric powder :a pinch
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Oil: 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Urad dal: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: a sprig


Procedure:
Step 1:
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water to beans in a wide microwave safe bowl and cook for 5 minutes in a closed bowl


Step2:
Meanwhile grind the toor dhal, channa dal, red chillies,cumin, turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt together to a coarse paste


Step3:
Add this paste to the cooked beans and mix well. Again microwave it for 5 minutes this time with the bowl open


Step4:
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and mustard seeds.Once it starts spluttering add urad dal and curry leaves


Step5:
Add this to the cooked beans mixture and mix well.Break the lumps if there are any while mixing


Step6:
Microwave it again for 2 minutes in open bowl

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Fried Rice



Ingredients
Basmati Rice: 1 cup
Chopped Vegetables : 1 cups
(Carrot, Capsicum,Cabbage)
Spring onions chopped : 1/4 cup
Salt: 1 tsp
Soya sauce: 1 tsp
Pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
Oil: 2 tsp


Procedure:
Step1:
Cut the vegetables thin lengthwise


Step2:
Soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes and cook with 2 cups of water


Step3:
Heat 2 tsp of oil and fry all the vegetables


Step4:
Add salt& soy sauce and fry for couple of more minutes


Step5:
Finally add the cooked rice and fry for another 2 minutes


Step6:
Garnish with spring onions and serve



Sunday, November 6, 2011

Malai Kofta



Ingredients
For Kofta
Paneer/Ricotta cheese: 1 cup
Boiled and mashed potatoes: 1 cup
Green peas: 2 tablespoons
Baby corn/carrots: 2 tablespoon
Chopped cilantro: 1 tablespoon
Cashews finely chopped: 2 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder: 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder: 1/4 tsp
Bread slice: 1
Corn flour: 1 tablespoon
Oil: to fry


For gravy
Butter/oil : 1 tablespoon
Onions finely chopped: 1 medium sized
Tomato: 3 medium sized
Cashew nuts: 1 tablespoon (optional)
Ginger minced: 1 tablespoon
Green chillies chopped: 1
Chilli powder: 1/4 tsp(For medium spice)
Garam masala powder:1/4 tsp
Coriander powder : 1/4 tsp
Heavy whipping cream/Evaporated milk: 1 cup
Milk: 3/4 cup
Chopped cilantro: 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp


Procedure:
Step 1:
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a wide pan and add cumin seeds.Once they start spluttering add the onions and fry them until translucent


Step2:
Grind together tomatoes, onions, ginger and cashews together and add it to the fried onions


Step3:
Cover the pan and cook for about 5 minutes


Step4:
Add chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt and cover the pan and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the oil separates out


Step5:
Add the evaporated milk and mix well.Add required amount of milk to bring to the desired consistency and bring it to a boil


Step6:
Now coming to the koftas, mix the mashed potatoes and ricotta cheese together



Step7:
Steam cook the peas/corn/carrots and add it to the mixture.Before adding make sure to squeeze the excess moisture



Step8:
Add all the powders, salt and mix well


Step9:
Crumble a slice of bread and add this to the mixture.Add cashews and corn flour as well


Step10:
Knead it like a dough and make small balls


Step11:
Fry it in oil until golden brown and drain them in paper towel
Tip: Alternatively this can be baked in oven in broil mode.
If the koftas break apart add one more bread slice and knead


Step12:
Before serving, arrange the koftas and add the gravy over them.
After adding the koftas, do not mix.Otherwise the koftas might break



Step13:
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Dish it out - with Wheat and Jaggery Round up

Thanks to Vardhini for giving me the opportunity to host Dish it Out event for September and all my blogger friends who sent their wonderful recipes.
I personally wanted to try out all the recipes that was sent for the event and all of them really came out very well.I will post the pictures in the upcoming posts


Kaveri of Palakkad Chamayal sent Broken Wheat Payasam
This dish is very ideal for toddlers and kids.I prepared this for breakfast and my daughter just loved it.
It has a perfect balance of nutrients with wheat,milk and butter.






Krithika Rajgopal of Foodie Workz sent Beet root Poli


I was really amazed at her creativity.She has used Beetroot for Puran and wheat flour for outer covering.
Traditionally Poli is prepared with Maida and Channa dal/coconut as Puran. She has completely converted this traditional sweet to a vibrant power packed healthy snack


Rupali of RecipeGrabbag has sent Shankarpale
I guess everyone would be familiar with the Maida biscuits/Diamond biscuits which we enjoyed in childhood.Rupali has converted the same to a more healthier version with wheat flour.A healthy and crunchy afterschool snack!This has become my son's favourite




Divya Viswanathan Tease your taste buds has sent my all time favourite Nei Appam
This is such a delicious south indian sweet and never missed for Gokulashtami.Traditionally this is prepared using rice and banana or a combination of rice/wheat and banana.Hope the kutti (small) Krishnas at your home are going to definitely like this sweet.




Poonam of Kishmeesh has sent Jaggery and Milk Cream with Phulka
This dish was absolutly new to me.She has made Gud Malai (with milk cream and jaggery) and served it with Phulka.I never thought this combination would be so delicious until I prepared it.(I was not an expert in making phulkas.So I tried with Chappathi).It was really delicious.My daughter always would love to have only sugar for Chappathis.Now she like this Gud Malai, an healthier option.If you have kids like me, you need to try this!
Malathi Savitha of My Indian recipes has sent Broken Wheat/Ghodi Thari Payasam
She has wonderfully explained the health benefits of broken wheat in her post. A healthy payasam which is ideal for kids
                                          broken wheat payasa
Ranjani of My Kitchen trials has sent Povitica
Povitica is traditional European Dessert bread.Ranjani has created a fusion recipe with a traditional South Indian Filling using jaggery and coconut and the bread was baked using wheat flour!


                                                      c
Sravani of Sravs Culinary concepts has sent Wheat flour Sweet Bonda
The recipe was similar to appam with an extra flavour of grated cococnut minus the banana.Whenever you feel like having some sweets with Jaggery this is a very good option and I loved the idea of using ice cream scoops for pouring the batter to perfect shapes
                                  
Vardhini of Zesty Palette has sent Wheat Cake with jaggery.
This is totally an innovative recipe.I have used brown sugar with wheat for baking but not jaggery.I tried this and came out really good.


Finally my entry to the event Wheat laddoos (Nutri Balls)