Pavakkai Curry (Bitter gourd curry)

I learnt this recipe from my grandma. It is a little time consuming recipe but the curry tastes awesome. People who do not like bitter gourd will also like this curry for sure.As per the original recipe by grandma, the bitter gourd has to be cooked in tamarind water in stove top for about 30 -40 minutes.I converted this to a partially microwave recipe to reduce the cooking time

Ingredients

Pavakkai(Bitter gourd)	6 medium sized
Tamarind paste	3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
Salt	1 tsp
Hing	a pinch
Chilli powder	1/2 tsp
Coriander powder	1/2 tsp
Oil	2 tablespoon
Mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
Urad dhal	1/2 tsp
Curry leaves	a sprig

Procedure:
Step1:
Cut the bitter gourd into small pieces. Remove the middle part

Step2:
Add tamarind paste and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water and mix well


Step3:
Cook this is microwave oven with open bowl for 5 minutes

Step4:
Take this out and add turmeric powder and mix well and micro on high for another 5 minutes in open bowl

Step5:
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a fry pan and add msutard seeds.Once it starts spluttering add urad dhal and curry leaves


Step6:
Add the cooked vegetable and cook for 5 minutes


Step7:
Now add the chilli powder, coriander powder, hing, salt and jaggery and mix well. Cook for another 15 - 20 min

Note:
The bittergourd can also be cooked on stove top. Extract about 1 cup of tamarind water and add to the vegetable.Simmer this for 30 - 40 until all the moisture is absorbed. Continue from step 5
1/2 tsp of grated jaggery can also be added 

Low fat Eggless Blueberry muffins

Recipe adapted from joyofbaking with some healthy changes. I replaced All purpose flour with wheat flour and egg with low fat yoghurt.My daughter loves blueberry a lot. Eventhough this little fruit tastes delicious as such, its flavour and sweetness is enhanced when added in baked goods.

Ingredients: 

Wheat flour	3/4 cup
All purpose flour	1/4 cup
Blueberries	3/4 cup
Sugar	1/3 cup
Reduced fat Yoghurt	3/4 cup
Baking powder	3/4 tsp
Baking soda	1/8 tsp
Vanilla extract	3/4 tsp
Canola oil/Corn oil/vegetable oil	1/8 cup

The above measurement yields 6 regular sized muffins
Procedure:
Step1:
Mix together flour,sugar,baking soda and baking powder in a large bowl


Step2:
Take 1 tablespoon of dry ingredients and toss it with the blueberries. Just coat the berries with the flour well so that it does not sink to the bottom while baking.(Don't skip this step)

Step3:
In a separate bowl whisk the curd and add oil, vanila extract and mix well


Step4:
Mix both wet and dry ingredients together.Do not overmix

Step5:
Gently fold in  the blueberries coated with flour

Step6:
Pout the batter in muffin pan and bake in preheated oven of 375F for around 20 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean
Bake in the center rack

Notes:

• Just double the recipe for 12 muffins
• I used store bought reduced fat yogurt.Homemade thick curd can also be used
• If using frozen blueberries do not thaw
• Do not over mix the batter.Otherwise the muffins will turn hard
• While baking the muffins can crack on top.That is quite normal
• It is better to use a muffin/cupcake liner as the blueberries will stick to the sides

Sending this to Spicy Treats:Show me your HITS
and Uma and Priya's Fast food not fat food

Coriander Chutney

This is another simple chutney that goes well with idli/dosa

Ingredients

Grated Coconut/Coconut powder	1/4 cup
Chopped coriander	1 cup
Chopped mint leaves	1 tablespoon
Salt	1/4 tsp
Chopped ginger	1 tsp
Green chillies	1 or 2

For tempering

Oil	1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds	1/4 tsp
Urad dhal	1/4 tsp

Procedure
Step1:
Grind all the ingredients together.Add 1/2 cup of water and grind well


Step2:
Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds.Once it starts sputtering add urad dhal and curry leaves and pour this over the chutney


Note:
Adding mint leaves is optional.It gives additional flavour


Sending this EP Series- Coriander and cumin by Erivum Puliyum

Basundhi

Though this is a time consuming recipe, it does not require much effort.You can make this when in parallel when you are involved in other tasks.The recipe sound similar to palkova/ thirattipal but it definetly has a different flavour and taste altogether compared to palkova

Ingredients

Milk	4.25 cups
Sugar	1/2 tsp
Cardamom powder	a pinch
Saffron	a pinch
Chopped almonds/pistachios	2 tablespoons

Procedure:
Step1:
Boil the milk in a heavy sauce pan (preferable non stick for easier cleaning)


Step2:
Reduce the flame and simmer for around 50 minutes.(Keep it reduced to the lowermost gas mark)

Step3:
After it has reduced to half of the quantity, add sugar and stir well


Step4:
Simmer for another 20 - 25 minutes. Stir it in between (may be very 5 minutes) and do not allow to burn.Scrape the sides as well.

Step5:
At one point the milk will turn creamy and the color changes as well

Color change

Step6:
Add cardamom powder and saffron and switch off the flame


Step7:
Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios


Step8:
Refrigerate and serve chilled.

EGGLESS YELLOW SPONGE CAKE

Recipe Source: Tamalapaku


Ingredients:

All purpose flour	1.5 cups
Baking powder	2 tsp
Baking soda	1/4 tsp
Milk	1 cup
Sugar	1 cup
Custard Powder	1/2 cup
Vanilla extract	1 tsp
Butter	1/2 cup

Procedure:

Step1:

Boil milk,butter and sugar in a sauce pan.Boil it until the sugar melts

Step2:

Once the mixture becomes lukewarm, add in the custard powder. Using a whisk mix well until there are no lumps

Step3:

Sift the dry ingredients together (Flour, baking powder and baking soda) in a large bowl

Step4:

Now add the liquid ingredients to this and mix well. Do not overmix though

Step5:

Pour the batter in a greased 9" round pan

Step6:

Bake in a preheated oven of 325F for 40 - 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Bake it in the middle rack of the oven

Notes:

• Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing.If required garnish with powdered sugar
• This cake does not require any frosting as such. If adding frosting reduce the amount of sugar in the batter to 3/4 cups
• If adding powdered sugar on top,sprinkle with a help of a sieve to spread evenly

Frosting the cake with whipped cream (optional)
Whipping cream: 1/2 pint
Powdered sugar: 2 tablespoons
Vanilla extract: 1/2 tsp

Sugar syrup
Water: 1/4 cup
Sugar: 1/4 cup

1) Whip the cream with sugar and vanilla extract until the stiff peak forms
2) Prepare the sugar syrup by boiling water and sugar together until the sugar dissolves
3) Cut the cake into twp horizontally. Moisten with the sugar syrup
4) Frost with whipped cream

Masala Triangle chappathi

Ingredients

Wheat flour/Atta	2 cups
Salt	1 tsp
Sugar	1 tsp
Oil	2 tablespoons
Ghee/Oil:	2 tsp
Ajwain seeds	1 tsp
Red Chilli powder	1/2 tsp
Warm water	1 cup

Procedure:
Step1:
Add 2 tablespoon of oil to the flour and mix well


Step2:
Add salt, sugar, chilli powder, ajwain seeds and knead well with warm water.
Approximately requires 1 cup of water.Add more if required

Step3:
Divide into 8 equal balls.


Step4:
First make a circle. Coat with ghee/oil and fold it into half

Step5:
Again coat with this oil/ghee and fold this to half again

Step6:
Now roll it into triangle shape


Step7:
Heat the tawa and cook the chappathi on both sides with oil

Suggested Accompaniments

Vegetable Kurma

CWS: Cooking with Corn Roundup

Finally I have posted the round up of the CWS cooking with corn event.
Thanks to all of you for the wonderful entries and thanks to Priya for giving me this opportunity


Sravani of Srav's Culinery concepts sent Corn & Tomato Salad

Shoba of Good Food sent Corn Bonda

Kalpana Sareesh of Life with Spices sent Corn Methi

Divya of DivyasCulinery Journey sent Corn Fritters

Sasikala of Sasi Samayal Kuripu sent Roasted corn salad

Vaishali of ribbon to pastas sent Cheesy corn rice

Usha of  MySpicyKitchen sent Chocolate Popcorn

Kaveri of Palakkad Chamayal sent Sweet corn tikkis and Spinach and corn sandwich 

Sangee of SpicyTreats sent SweetCorn Cilantro rice,Sweet corn tomato bhath, Sweet Corn Tikkis,

Rasya Srinath of Vegetarian Food and me sent Corn Kebabs

Gayathri Rani of Gayathri's cook spot sent Sweet Corn Tofu kebab

Julie of Erivum puliyum sent Corn Chat

Finally my entry Microwave Corn flour Halwa