04/22/2012: Happy Earth Day! - On this Earth Day, I celebrate with these little seeds of sweet and sour. Pomegranate, rich in Vitamins and good for heart, came in a very sour taste this last time I bought. I mixed it with some chat masala and sugar turning it into a yummy snack. BTW why for an Earth Day? Well, the speciality of cooking dishes for Earth Day is to do by using no fire or flame that is cause by electricity. Fruits are the best source that way! All this an attempt to save the world a little more. Although I never could understand one thing - saving the world by switching off electricity for an hour once a year. If we need to save world, why not put little things into practice everyday, instead of doing it for an hour once a year? Never could understand that fact!
04/21/2012: Lemon Barley Drink - I have a bottle of Barley seeds at home and have been neglecting to use them for a while. So here is the first of the dish that I made with Barley, a Lemon Barley Drink. A nutritious drink when taken in the morning! Tip: Use less lemon and more honey for yummy taste.
Recipe: Wash 1/2 a cup of Barley by pouring hot water over it. This will make the drink clear. In a sauce pan, add this cleaned Barley, 4 cups of cold Water and few pieces of Lemon Rind. Cover and simmer for 25 mins on low flame. Strain it into a jug. Add 2 tbl spoons of honey and juice from 1/2 a Lemon. Mix well and chill. Serve with floating Lemon Slices. To be consumed within 24 hours.
04/20/2012: Mango Curry (Kerala Style) - Exploring cuisines from other regions in India, I came across this recipe. Cooked it and served it for a friend who obviously gave me rave reviews. I hope you all like it too.
Ingredients:
Raw Mango - 2 small (Chopped to bited size pieces)
Green chilli - 2 or 3 medium (Chopped finely)
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsps
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1tsp
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Oil - 2 tsps
Curry Leaves - 2 or 3
Salt to taste
Procedure:
1) Grind Mustard Seeds (1 tsp), Turmeric Powder and Red Chilli Powder. Mix the cut Mango pieces into the mixture and leave it aside for 15 mins to marinate.
2) In a sacue pan, heat Oil. Add Mustard Seeds and Curry Leaves. Once they start to sputter, add Mango, Salt, Green Chilis and Coconut Milk.
3) Bring it to a boil and simmer until it thickens. Remove from flame.
4) Serve with Rice or Roti.
04/19/2012: Kakarakaya Pappu / Bitter Gourd Dal / Karela Dal - the only dishes that I ever made with Bitter Gourd are Fry, Curry or stuffed Masala. Never knew one could make Dal out of it. I was too tired and sleepy to cook anything one day. It felt easier to make dal out of this vegetable rather than make curry. And it turned out pretty good. A bit of bitterness still stung to the tongue when eaten, but I think that is what this vegetable is supposed to do.
Recipe: Similar to any of the dal recipes I have posted. Instead of using the vegetable from that recipe substitute with Bitter Gourd.
04/17/2012: Panna (Raw Mango Drink) - The season of raw mangoes is almost coming to an end and when I found a few mini mangoes in the grocery store I picked them immediately. Next step to google to see something interesting I could make with these mangoes other than what I normally make. Lo! and behold! Found this amazing Raw Mango Drink called Panna. Its refreshing when served chilled.
04/15/2012: Kala Chana Snack / Dry Black Chickpea Snack - Sometimes I make this for breakfast, healthy and heavy enough that I dont feel hungry right until lunch time. Easy to make, only thing is I need to remember to soak them the night before, which is the hardest part to remember...he he he.
Procedure: Soak a cup of Kala Chana in water the night before (or at least 8 hrs). The next morning drain the water out. Now add little water and microwave for a min so the Chana gets softened a bit. In a small pan, heat 1 tsp Oil. To it add 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds, 1 small Green Chill chopped, two to three Curry Leaves, a pinch of Turmeric and Hing. Once the Spices fry well, add the Chana and Salt. Stir well, leave for few minutes. Serve hot or cold for breakfast.
04/14/2012: Oats Idli - I think I am getting obsessed with Oats...have been trying quite a few varieties for a while. One of them I tried was these amazing Oats Idli. And I am saying amazing not just because I made them and ate them, but I got officially told so by a friend who tasted them! Yum Yum Yummy!
Ingredients:
Regular oats – 1 cup (Dry fry and grind into fine paste)
Rava or Semolina – 1/2 cup (Dry fry until it becomes golden brown)
Curd – 1/2 cup
Water – 3/4 or as required
Asafoetida/Hing – 1/2 tsp
Coriander / Cilantro – 2 tsp. finely chopped
Baking soda – 1/2 tsp.
Oil or Ghee – To grease Idly plates
Masala for the Idli - Saute 2 tsps Mustard Seeds, 1/2 cup medium sized grated Carrot and 2 medium sized Green Chilis in 1 tsp oil until the raw smell of Carrots disappears
Salt
Procedure:
Procedure:
1) In a large bowl, mix ground Oats, fried Semolina, Masala and the rest of the ingredients.
2) Add water enough to make it a thick batter like normal Idli batter.
3) Grease the Idli plates with ghee and pour the sufficient amount of batter to the Idli plates. Arrange the Idli plates and steam it for 10-12 minutes or till done.
4) Serve the Oats Idli is ready hot with any chutney of your choice.
5) One can add any kind of vegetables to give the Idlis little more zing.
04/11/2012: Mango Bean Salad - One day I was lazy to cook, but was hungry. So I pulled out some canned stuff and some raw veggies from my refrigerator to make this Mango Bean Salad. A very simple recipe and easy to make on a tired day.
In a large bowl, mix 1 15 oz of Black Beans drained and rinsed, 1 ripe Mango diced, 1 small Red Bell Pepper diced, 1 Green Onion finely chopped, 1/2 of a medium sized lime squeezed, a few sprigs of Cilantro chopped finley, 1 medium sized Green Chili finely chopped and Salt per taste. Toss it a little and serve chilled.
04/10/2012: Zucchini Tomato Curry - This is the regular Tomato Onion Curry recipe that I twisted it by adding Zucchini pieces. It would taste better if I hadnt peeled the Zucchinis; should try with unpeeled Zucchinis next time.
Recipe: Heat Oil and add the Spices (pick any choice from any of my recipes). Once the Spices fry well, add 1 medium Onion finely chopped. Fry till Onions are translucent, then add bite size pieces of 2 medium Zucchinis peeled and chopped. Cook on low flame under cover until Zucchinis are semi-cooked. Now add chopped pieces of 1 large Tomato. Mix well. Add Salt, Red Chilli Powder, Garam Masala and Dhaniya Powder (all according to your taste). Mix well and cook on low flame until all the veggies are cooked well. Serve with Rice or Roti.
04/09/2012: Potlakaya Perugu Pachadi / Snake Gourd and Yogurt Chutney - Another dish that we traditionally make at home with Snake Gourd is this yogurt chutney. Hardly takes more than 15 mins to make this and usually is made as a side for any and every kind of entree.
Ingredients:
Snake Gourd - 1 medium size (chopped to bite size pieces)
Green chillies - 3 medium
Ginger - a piece of 2inches in size
Curry leaves - 4 to 5
Coriander / Cilantro - a few sprigs
Yogurt - 2 cups
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste.
Spices - 1 tsp of Urad Dal, 1 tsp Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp Cumin Seeds, a pinch of Turmeric, a pinch of Hing / Asafoetida, 2 small Red Chilies (dry) chopped to fine pieces
Procedure:
Procedure:
1) Steam the chopped Snake Gourd in microwave for about 5 mins.
2) Grind the green chillies and ginger.
3) Heat Oil in a pan, then add the Spices in the prder mentioned. Add Curry Leaves, and once everything fries well, add hte steamed Snake Gourd.
4) Saute for 5 mins or until Snake Gourd is completely cooked. Add the Ginger and Green Chili paste and Salt.
5) Saute for a few more mins. Turn off the stove and let it cool for 5 mins.
6) Now add Yogurt to this cooled Chutney and stir well.
7) Garnish with Cilantro leaves.
8) Set for an hour before serving. Best tasted when served chilled.
04/08/2012: Oats Pongal - Never knew one could make so many dishes with simple Oats. The first of the recipes I posted a few days ago. This is the second one I tried out. Same procedure as regular Pongal but use Oats instead of Rice. Simple, yummy and healthy!
Procedure: In a pressure pan, heat Oil. Then fry 1tsp of Mustard Seeds and 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds. Add 3 medium finely chopped Green Chillis, a tsp of grated of Ginger, few Curry Leaves, a pinch of Turmeric, 6 to 8 Peppercorns and few sprigs of Cilantro. Fry all for a few seconds. Now add 1 Cup of Oats (non-flavored Quaker Oats is what I used), fry till Oats are slightly brown. Add 1/4 Cup soaked Pesarapappu / Split Moong Dal, fry little. Add 3 cups of Water and Salt. Pressure Cook the contents. Serve hot or cold with Curd, Chutney or any Curry.
04/06/2012: Vegetable Sandwich - Normally I consider Bread as a fever food. However now I dont anymore after making a few kinds of such delicious sandwiches. Here it is loaded with Mango Chutney and Veggies. :)
04/05/2012: Oats Upma - I posted a few days ago about regular Upma that I turned into a Vegetable Upma. Here is another kind of Upma made with Oats. When I was looking for varieties of Upma I came across this dish (Click here for the recipe link). Just as the blogger mentioned the taste is very similar to Upma made by Poha (Flattened Rice). Now I am thinking of trying out my own variations of this recipe. ;)
04/03/2012: Sorakaya Rotte / Lauki Roti / Stuffed Bottle Gourd Indian Bread - First time I made this roti it was a total flop for me. Believe me it was half-cooked, half stuffing out and half in, one portion burnt and other under-cooked...oh man all kinds of mishaps. I let it go thinking this is one dish that Aparna cant cook. Then a few months later I re-tried the recipe again. Voila! This time they came out beautiful. No change in the recipe...wonder why the first time around they did not turn so well. Anyways, here's the dish and the recipe. Enjoy it!
Recipe: Grate a small Lauki / Bottle Gourd and pour the contents into a bowl. Blend three Green Chilis, one clove of Garlic and Salt to taste. Add this mixture to the grated Lauki. Add a few sprigs of Cilantro, 5 to 6 Curry Leaves, 1 tsp of soaked Chana Dal (Split Bengal Gram), 1 tsp of Sesame Seeds, 1/2 Onion chopped finely and 1 tsp of Ajwain / Ajowan / Voma to the mixture in the bowl and mix well. Now add Rice Flour to the mixture as much as it needs to make a soft dough. Divide the dough to small portions. Roll each portion to a flat Roti. Grease a pan with little oil and heat it. On medium flame cook the flattened Roti on both sides evenly. Serve with Curd or Chutney Powder.
04/02/2012: One of the drink on the menu at a restaurant that I went to was named "Strawberry Mohini". First thing that came to my mind when I read the word Mohini was "Mohini" from 1988 Hit Movie "Tezaab", the Ek Do Teen Girl. He he he....interesting name...not sure how the drink tastes though. :)
04/01/2012: Happy Sriramanavami - The 9th day after Ugadi is celebrated as Sriramanavami. On this day the birth of Lord Rama is celebrated. Panakam is one of the prasadams that is offered for Lord Rama on this day. It is a refreshing drink as well. Sriramanavami falls during the peak Summer for South India and a glass of this chilled drink would definitely quench all the thirst.
Preparation: Jaggery + Water + Cardamom Powder + Pepper Powder = Mix all of them into a delicious drink.
03/31/2012: Beetroot Curry - One of my favorite vegetable that I like more to have it in a mixed vegetable juice than a curry. Yet once in a while I do make it as a curry sometimes.
Cant post a pic still. :(
Cant post a pic still. :(
Ingredients:
Beetroot - 2 medium (Washed and diced to small pieces)
Onions - 1 small (Diced to small pieces)
Green Chilis - 4 medium chopped to fine pieces
Coconut Powder - 2 tbsps (Either ground fresh Coconut or frozen Coconut Powder or dry Coconut Powder will work fine)
Salt to taste
Oil - 2tsps
Spices for Seasoning - 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp Chana Dal, Pinch of Turmeric, Pinch of Hing / Asafoetida, few Curry Leaves
Procedure:
1) In a sauce pan, heat oil. Add the Spices as mentioned.
2) Once the Spices are fried well, add Onions and Green Chilis. Fry till they are translucent.
3) Now add the Beetroot pieces. Cook under cover on low flame till the pieces are cooked well.
5) Now add Salt and Coconut Powder, fry a little and remove from flame.
6) Serve with Rice or Roti.
03/30/2012: Potlakaya Podi Kura / Snake Guard Dry Curry - Snake is my element and since this vegetable is called as Snake Guard, I rarely cook it. One of the dish that is made is this dry curry.
Unable to post a pic. :(
Unable to post a pic. :(
Ingredients:
Potlakaya / Snake Guard - 2 medium (Washed and diced to 1/4 inch pieces)
Onions - 1 small (Diced to small pieces)
Green Chilis - 4 medium chopped to fine pieces
Masoor Dal / Pesarapappu / Split Orange Lentils - 2 tbsps
Coconut Powder - 2 tbsps (Either ground fresh Coconut or frozen Coconut Powder or dry Coconut Powder will work fine)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2tsps
Spices for Seasoning - 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp Chana Dal, Pinch of Turmeric, Pinch of Hing / Asafoetida, few Curry Leaves
Procedure:
1) In a sauce pan, heat oil. Add the Spices as mentioned.
2) Once the Spices are fried well, add Onions and Green Chilis. Fry till they are translucent.
3) Add Ginger Garlic Paste and Masoor Dal. Fry a little.
4) Now add the Snake Guard pieces. Cook under cover on low flame till the Snake Guard pieces are semi-cooked.
5) Now add Salt and cook again under cover till the pieces are cooked well.
6) Add the Coconut Powder, fry a little and remove from flame.
7) Serve with Rice or Roti.
03/28/2012: Vegetable Upma - Upma is my least favorite of the dish that I ever ate or made very very very rarely until I came to CT. As a kid I used to crib and cringe at the name or sight of Upma. Now I make it very gladly and sometimes eat it without complaints too. Why the change in the choice? Well, one because sometimes you are so busy that this is the easiest dish to make. But most importantly a very very close friend of mine absolutely loves Upma. For his sake I learned to make to better and yummy now. This post is for his appetite towards Upma. ;)
When my parents were here last time, I had cooked this for them one night. Dad commented "Is this Vegetable Biryani without Rice?"... LOL! He likes to eat plain Upma. **cheeky grin**
PS: Unable to post the pic. :(
PS: Unable to post the pic. :(
Ingredients:
Upma Ravva - 1 Cup (Dry fry it to slight golden brown)
Water - 4 Cups
Cashewnuts - a handful fried golden brown in Ghee
Vegetables - 1 cup Of your choice chopped according to taste (I usually use Potatoes, Green Peas, Carrots and Tomatoes)
Onion - 1 Small chopped finely
Green Chilis - 3 medium chopped finely
Cilantro - a few sprigs for garnishing
Oil - 3 tsps
Spices - 1tsp Mustard Seeds, 1tsp Cumin Seeds, 1tsp Urad Daal (Black Gram), 1tsp Chana Daal (Split Bengal Gram), 4 to 5 Curry Leaves
Salt to taste
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Procedure:
1) In a wok, heat Oil. Add the Spices in order and fry them well.
2) Add the Green Chilis and fry a little. Add Onions and Ginger Garlic Paste. Stir a little till Onions are semi-cooked.
3) Add the chopped Veggies and stir them till they are semi-cooked.
4) Add Water, Cashewnuts and Salt. Bring it to a boil.
5) Now slowly add Upma Ravva to the boiling Water stirring continuosuly so there are not lumps formed.
6) Keep on low flame for a few minutes and remove. Garnish with Cilnatro and serve hot with Chutney Powder / Coconut Chutney or any Curry or Rasam or Yogurt.
03/25/2012: Coconut Chutney - A very common side amongst South Indian dishes. Easy to make. In a skillet heat 2 tsps of Oil. Fry handful of Putnalu / Fried Chana Dhal / Dhalia, chooped Green Chilis and Coconut Powder. Mix this along with Salt and Tamarind in a blender into a fine paste. Add as much Water as required. Season it with usual spices. Can be served as a side for Dosas, Idlis, Chapathis and Upma.a
Note: You can use Peanuts instead of Putnalu. I am allergic so havent used it here. Also fresh Coconut Powder always tastes good. If you dont get fresh Coconut Powder use the frozen Coconut Powder rather than the Dry Coconut Powder for better results.
03/23/2012: Happy Ugadi! - Ugadi is the start of New Year per Telugu Calendar. This day also is a new year for folks from Karnataka and Maharashtra. Whatever the region this festival heralds the dawn of Spring Season or Vasantha Ritu as we call the season locally. The significant tradition for this festival is to start the year tasting a unique flavored Chutney called as "Ugadi Pachadi". It has a mixture of flavors with sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, spicy and salt (Six Tastes or Shadhruchulu as they are called) just like the myriad facets of life one faces as the year proceeds. There are other delicacies enjoyed for this festival as well, yet this is Pachadi is the special preparation the takes the top.
Ingredients:
1 cup of raw fresh mango cleaned, dried, finely chopped along with skin
1 tbsp margosa flowers (neem tree flowers) - I used Bitter Gourd pieces soaked in water and used that water instead since I could not find neem flowers here in US.
1 cup grated jaggery
1 tbsp fresh finely chopped coconut pieces
3 -4 tbsp tamarind juice
red chilli pwd (according to your choice)
salt to taste
Procedure:
Mix all the above ingredients to form a sauce like appearence. You can also add small pieces of sugarcane, pieces of ripe banana, putanaala pappu (roasted channa dal) along with the above ingredients. Ugadi Pachadi is ready to be served first as an offering to God and then to everyone and anyone that walks into your home that day.
03/22/2012: Phulka / Chapathi / Roti - Phulkas so called because they puff up with steam while being cooked. One of the daily bread for most of the Indians that tastes yummy and also healthier. Usually one applies butter or ghee liberally on either sides to give more taste to it.
Preparation is very simple. Knead Wheat Flour with enough Water and Salt (to taste) into a soft, pliable dough. Set it aside for 30 mins. Dough should be soft yet firm. Make lemon sized balls and roll them out thin to approximately 6 inches in diameter. Toss the dough in dry flour while rolling to prevent it from sticking while rolling. Put phulka on the hot griddle/skillet. Cook for about 1 minute, until the top starts to look dry and small bubbles start to form. Flip and cook the other side for about 30 seconds until small bubbles form. Then turn over to get the phulka puffed up. Serve hot with curry, curd or chutney.
03/21/2012: Dosakaya Tomato Curry / Indian Yellow Cucumber Tomato Curry - This time I took a recipe from a website to make this dish. Not that I dont know how to cook...just for the fun of it. ;)
Link to the recipe: http://ladybluemarble.blogspot.com/2007/1
03/20/2012: Happy Spring - Celebrating the first day of spring with fried egg. I cook egg very rarely at home. Spring warrants to do something rare so here it is, eggs on a platter garnished with salt and pepper.
03/19/2012: Salad @ Lunch: This is my usual that I have for my lunch daily. A hodgepodge of different kinds of salads that are made in the cafetaria at work. It took a week or so to get used to the combinations but now I have come up with my own recipe to make it yummy.
Seen here are: Corn-Black Bean Salad, Pasta Sundried Tomatoes Salad, Corn and Cucumber Salad, Garnish with Carrots, Plum slices and Ranch
03/18/2012: Weird Named Chocolate - I have never seen a chocolate just named thus "Whatchamacallit", What do you may call it. It tastes good, I am told; cant eat it though.
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