STUFFED BAKED PORTABELLO

Mushrooms are one of my favorite and so they find a way in our menu almost every week.We usually buy button mushrooms as i find them the easiest to cook.Wanted to try out portabellos but didnt know what to do with it until now.I have seen many versions of stuffed and baked portabellos on tv but the recipe that caught my eye was the one posted by Suganya of tasty palettes . Her version was so simple and very easy to make and they looked so mouth watering delicious that i was determined to make it as soon as we bought the portabellos.As it was the day for grocery shopping we bought the portabellos and i made it the very same day.It was realllllllly yummy just as i had imagined it.I served it on a bed of roasted asparagus.So here's the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Portabello mushroom - 2 large size
pasta sauce- any store bought
shredded mozarella- i used fat free version
parmasan cheese
salt and pepper
(There is no particular measurement for the amount of sauce and cheese used as you can add more or less to your choice)

Asparagus
salt and pepper
oil


METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 deg F.Clean the mushroom caps using a damp towel.Remove the stem of the mushroom.Season the cavity with salt and pepper.Fill it with pasta sauce .Then top it with mozarella cheese followed by parmasan cheese.Bake for 15-20 mins or until the cheese gets brown.Let it rest for 10 mins before eating it.
Clean the asparagus and apply some oil on it.Season with salt and pepper.Bake it at the same temperature for 20-25 mins or until its tender and brown.Switch off the oven and let it rest for 5 mins before taking it out.
Arrange it on a plate and serve the baked mushroom on top of it.

NOTE:-While baking ,the mushroom oozed out plenty of water so i recommend baking it on a rack keeping an oven proof bowl or tray underneath to collect the water or as soon as its done baking , remove it from the oven, lift it and keep it on a paper towel for 10 to 15 mins. Suganya was really helpful in pointing out that the water oozed out because i filled the sauce till the brim.So i recommend not to do that.Fill only half way through)

Bloggers who tried out this recipe:-

Suma of suma's cuisine

My MEME.....

I have been tagged by madhavi for the following meme which was really fun to do...Thank u madhavi..:)

1) LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATRE?
National Treasure 2....nice movie

2) WHAT BOOK ARE U READING??
Green mile by Stephen king....pretty good till now..havent finished reading it yet

3) FAVOURITE BOARD GAME?
I love board games.To name a few scrabble,carroms,chess,monopoly and many more...

4) FAVOURITE MAGAZINE?
I havent read one in yrs but if i do get one around i love reader's digest and national geography

5) FAVOURITE SMELLS?
coffee my top favorite smell,then comes flowers,pizza and pathrawada!!!

6) FAVOURITE SOUNDS?
love the sound of trees shaking and brushing each other when it's windy

7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
If i let my family down.

8) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE?
What do i cook for my husband for lunch.

9) FAVOURITE FASTFOOD PLACE?
subway,dominos

10) FUTURE CHILDS NAME?
not yet decided

11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—’IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D’
do what my husband wants me to do with it.

12) DO U DRIVE FAST?
no licence yet

13) DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
nope.

14) STORMS–COOL OR SCARY?
big storms-kind of scary..otherwise cool

15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
never had a car

16) FAVOURITE DRINK?
coffee-cold or hot,lemonade

17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD…
do more of portrait sketching.

18) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
yes.Remove the tough outer skin and make a upkari with it along with some other vegetables.

19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOUR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE? I wouldnt.I like my hair color

20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN?
cochin,kerala
goa
manipal,karnataka
North providence,Rhode island
currently ,north attleboro,MA

21) FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Tennis,american footall,cricket

22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
A fabulous cook with lot of creative ideas.

23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED?
carpet

24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN??
yes

25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
night owl

26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Over Easy.

27) FAVOURITE PLACE TO RELAX?
Home sweet home

28) FAVOURITE PIE?
Apple pie and blueberry pie

29) FAVOURITE ICECREAM FLAVOUR?
banana split

30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE U HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
I have no idea.

I wish to tag this meme to:

Roopa of my kitchen treats
Dhivya of Dhivya's cuisine
divya of easycooking
seena of simple and delicious

Do this meme only if u are interested.

An AWARD for me!!!

This wonderful yummy blog award was started and presented to me by my very good friend and an excellent cook Roopa.This is my first award that i received from a fellow blogger.So this is very special and it means a lot to me.Thank you so much roopa.

As Roopa says "Yummy blog award is the award given to the blog with most yummy recipes/photos".

As per the rules i have to quote my favorite yummy-licious dessert that i ever prepared/eaten and also pass on this excellent award to 4 other bloggers of my choice.For other rules please click on the the hyperlink above.

My favorite desserts

Banana halwa - This halwa is unlike any other halwa i have ever eaten.A very simple and easy dessert that can lift up one's mood and energy.

chocolate truffle - When one's talking about their favorite dessert how they can they miss mentioning chocolate.Truffles are my favorite among all the chocolates i have eaten.Truffles can practically wake me up from my sleep at any time.

These are my 2 favorite desserts that i love and prepared.

Now i pass on this award to

Mansi of Fun and Food

Happy Cook of My kitchen treasures

Divya of Easycooking

Deeba of Passionate about baking...and beyond

Congrats girls on ur well deserved awards!!!!

An ANGEL in my life.........

When i saw the theme of this month;s JFI -love only one person's picture came into my mind clearly.A very special person in my life who was very much loved and well taken care of by all-'My Angel-My Grandma'.

Ammumma ,as grandkids called her, was soooooo cute and chubby that everyone loved squeezing her cheeks so much.Her sweet smile and her contagious toothless laugh was a sight to die for.It would melt away one's worries.Her actions and reactions reflected out her innocent behaviour that lot of times one had no choice but to sit back and laugh.As an excellent singer ammumma along with my dad had the nack of creating and singing songs based on the situation on hand.It was truly entertaining. She was so dear to us all that we published a book dedicated to her featuring all the songs.
Earlier in life Ammumma had a very short childhood.When today, kids at the age of 12 worry only about their studies or what movies to watch or games to play,ammumma at the same age during her time had to stop her studies , get married and tend to her 7 children and husband.Apart from the responsibility of feeding a large family ,Ammumma also had to go through a lot of hardships at the time.Now all her children and grand children and successful and settled and have created a niche on their own in this world.

For Ammumma, a day would start as early as 3.30am.She would have a nice oil bath.The time water got hot she would sing songs of god.Ammumma asked for the simple pleasures of life like spending time with the family or wanting a company while having her early coffee.She would call out for my dad until he came down and had coffee with her .Let me remind you that this is at 3.30 in the morning :).Whats funny about it is that she would tell him to have coffee with her and then go back to sleep:)).This naive and cute was her behaviour that no one could say no to her.I will tell you another example of her innocent character.
Ammumma was a big fan of malayalam actor mohanlal.So one of my cousins would tease her saying he romances with so many heroines how can u like him.To this her prompt reply would be "he is a very loving man thats why all females love him.His heart is filled with so much love that he knows only to love them and not marry them all".Ammumma had her own perspective of the things that she loved :).How much we all miss it now.Her presence would make the room all so bright and lively. The one and only reason that i can sing our konkani god songs is from hearing her sing it so beautifully and melodiously.All credit goes to her.

When it comes to food ammumma was particular about some things.She loved spicy food and hated dishes that contains asafoetida and onions.Kukka hummen(spicy potato curry) was one of her favorite spicy dishes to have with pej/kanji.It is a very simple and delicious dish.For me this simple curry is not just another curry but a reminder of so many of the good times i had with her.This dish is special to me for another reason too.This was the first dish i ever learnt to make.When my mom went out to work i used to cook for ammumma and so i learnt this.Earlier she would not trust my cooking and so would come into the kitchen and do inspection :) and then when it tasted good she started believing in me.She was very particular to eat a banana just before going to sleep at night.This helps in the bowel movement in the morning.

As age caught hold of her health , the last few months of her life she was totally bedridden.She became totally helpless,silent and weak.Food had to be forced into her mouth.I used to wonder what must have been going through her mind when we did that.She was so weak that she couldnt express anything that was happening to her.At last on Aug 15th,1999 in the presence of all her children and her grandkids ammumma gave out her last breath.She died peacefully.
Today as we move forward in this world we carry with us her smile,her songs and her innocence that helps us to be strong mentally.when we sing her songs,tell her stories,see her photos tells us that we miss her so much and that she will continue to live in our heart forever-'our angel-our grandmom'.

INGREDIENTS

Potato - 2 medium size,diced

mustard seeds- 1 tsp

chilli pdr- 2 tsp

water just enough to cover the potatoes

salt to taste

METHOD

Heat a kadai or pan and add little oil.When it gets hot add mustard seeds.Ones it starts to crackle add chilli pdr and potatoes.Pour water and add salt.Stir it well and cover it with lid.Let it cook for 15 mins or until the potatoes are tender.Serve it hot with pej.

To know about preparation of pej see my kanji kappa post.

BUTTERLESS APPLE CRISP

Apple crisp in the United States or Apple crumble as it is known in the United Kingdom is a dessert consisting of baked apples topped with a crispy crust. Ingredients usually include cooked apples, butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and often oats and brown sugar, ginger, and/or nutmeg. Many different kinds of fruit can substituted for apples, such as peaches, berries, pears, etc. It is an easy to make and tasty alternative to apple pie and apple cobbler.(source-wiki)

INGREDIENTS

apple-2 medium size,peeled,cored and diced
brown sugar- 2 tbsp
cinnamon-1 tsp+1 tsp
flour-1/4 cup + 1 tbsp
lemon juice - 1 tbsp
instant flavored oats- 1 envelope ,any flavor- i used peach flavor

almond cereal- 3 tbsp ,crushed
sweet apple sauce-2-3 tbsp
salt a pinch


METHOD

Preheat oven to 375 deg F.In a bowl combine apple,cinnamon,brown sugar,a tbsp of flour and lemon juice.Mix it all together and transfer to a baking dish.
In another bowl combine flour,oats,apple sauce,cinnamon and salt.I added some crushed almond cereal also to this for some extra crunch.You can choose to skip this if you dont like or dont have it .Mix it all together by hand until it all comes together.Break it up into smal small pieces and put it on top of the apples.Put it in the oven and bake it for about 30-40 mins or until the top gets brown.Serve it warm with a scoop of ur favorite ice-cream.I didnt have any stock of ice-cream at the time.

POLLYA PHADI

Pollya phadi is a konkani term which literally means "dosa pieces".Its a sweet konkani dish that is great to have as a snack.The dosa batter is made using rosematta rice which brings out the best flavor in the dish.Dosa is made as usual and torn to bite size pieces and combined with a sweet mixture of coconut,jaggery and cardamam powder.This combination is so tasty that one can never stop having it.


INGREDIENTS

FOR DOSA

Rosematta rice-1 cup
coconut shredded- 1/2 cup
salt
FOR THE SWEET MIXTURE

coconut-3/4 cup
jaggery - 1/4 cup (more if u like it sweeter)
cashew nuts-2 tbsp(optional)
cardamam pdr-1 tsp

METHOD

Soak rice for 4-5 hrs.Then grind the rice and coconut separately and combine together in a bowl.Add enough water to make it into a spreadable consistency.Add salt to taste and let it stand for 1 hr.

In the meantime in a separate bowl combine coconut with jaggery.Mix it well together.Then sprinkle with cardamam powder.
Heat a tawa.When it gets hot Pour a ladleful of batter on it and spread it out evenly in a circular motion.When it gets brown on one side flip it and let it cook the other side too.The dosa should be slightly soft and not very crisp. Make about 8-10 dosas and tear it into bite size pieces and drop into the sweet mixture bowl.If the mixture wasnt enough for the dosas made then u can make little more of the sweet mixture and mix into this.Serve it at room temperature. With the remaining batter make dosas and eat with simple chutney or store it in fridge and amke another batch of pollya phadi the next day.

PAPDI CHAAT-fpckidz

Chaat , literally meaning "to lick or taste"in hindi, is a word used across India, Pakistan and the rest of South Asia to refer to small plates of savory snacks, typically served at the side of the road from stalls or carts. Most chaats originated in North India and Gujarat, but they are now eaten across the country.
In each major Indian city, there are popular chaathouses or dhabas. The chaat specialties also vary from city to city.Most chaats are based on fried dough, with various other ingredients. Popular types include the original Chaat which is a mixture of Potato pieces, crispy fried bread, gram bean and spices, Aloo Tikkis , bhel puri, dahi puri, panipuri, dahi vada, papdi chaat, and sev puri. Each is markedly different from the others in ingredients and form, but have several common elements including dahi, or yogurt; chopped onions and coriander; sev (small dried yellow noodles); and chaat masala. This is a masala, or spice mix, typically consisting of amchoor (dried mango powder), cumin, black salt, coriander, dried ginger, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. The ingredients are combined and served on a small plate or a banana leaf, dried and formed into a bowl.
(source - wikipedia)

Right from my childhood days i used to love chaat of any kind.I remember my college days when my friends and i used to relish it from the roadside stalls even when it was heavily raining.Having a spicy chaat on a rainy day is just perfect,couldnt ask for anthing better.This is my entry to Ben's Food for Plastic Challenge -kidz!!!

Ben's this month challenge mainly inspired by Tupperware celebrating April as Children’s month.They are donating from the sale of selected items to the Boys & Girls Clubs

Here i have prepared papdi chaat.As i said earlier its common to use yogurt in chaat i personally didnt use it in mine as i am not fond of it but i did add it in my hubby's plate.The photos you see here are from my plate. INGREDIENTS

Papdi- store bought
dried peas ,green or white-1 1/2 cups
cumin seeds-1 tsp
turmeric-1 tsp
red chili pdr - 1 tsp
asafoetida- a pinch
curd - whisked smooth adding little water
onions - chopped,small amount
tomato- chopped,small amount
chaat masala ( available in any indian grocery stores)
sev
sweet tamarind sauce
coriander leaves- a bunch, chopped fine

NOTE- I have not mentioned the measuremnts of the ingredients because one can add any amount according to one's taste.

METHOD

Soak the peas for 3-4 hrs and pressure cook it with some salt and water.In a pan pour some oil.When it gets slightly hot add cumin seeds,turmeric and red chilli pdr.Now add the cooked peas.When it starts to boil sprinkle some asafoetida and keep it aside.
Take a plate.First a layer of broken papdi.Then pour some peas curry over it.Then a layer of curd .Sprinkle some chaat masala.Then some chopped onions and tomato.Then a layer of sweet tamarind sauce and some sev.Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon piece.You can also add some broken papdi pieces on top.

Serve it immediately.

BAKED PENNE WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

Pasta is one of my hubby's favorite dishes to have when we need a change from Indian food.I have tried many pasta dishes at home but one pasta dish we truly love is baked penne with roasted vegetables.I saw this dish made in the cooking show "Everyday Italian" and instantly fell in love with it.I love vegetables and here we get to eat 4 or more vegetables from one dish and i couldnt wait to make it.Roasting usually causes caramelization of the surface of the food, which is considered a flavour enhancement.So roasted vegetables just makes the dish taste better.Some vegetables, such as potatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, turnips, parsnips, cauliflower, squash, and peppers lend themselves to roasting very well.This is one of the best ways for making kids eat vegetables.I guarantee you they will never say no again to these vegetables. This is my entry to ITALY Food Lovers Event-fav spring pasta

INGREDIENTS

Penne - 2 cups

pasta sauce-any store bought(i used simple marinara sauce)

parmasan cheese-to sprinkle on top

Fresh mozarella-cubed or shredded

VEGETABLES USED

onions-2 medium size,sliced lengthwise

zuchini-1 ,cut to same length as onion

asparagus- 4-5,chop off th tough end portion and cut the rest to same length as the rest

green and red pepper-1 each,cut lengthwise

other vegetables choices-yellow squash,eggplant,brocoli,cauliflower,carrot,cherry tomatoes

METHOD

Preheat oven to 450 deg F.Arrange vegetables on a baking sheet.I know its lot of vegetables but ones its roasted it shrinks and anyway it just makes the dish taste better.Drizle with some olive oil,salt,pepper and some italian seasonings and bake for 30 mins or until they are carmelised as shown in the photo above.

Follow box instructions and cook the pasta.Drain the water and transfer it to a large bowl.Add the roasted vegetables,pasta sauce and mozarella.Mix everything together and transfer it to a baking dish.

Preheat oven to 375 deg F.Top the dish with shredded mozarella.Bake for 15-20 mins .Sprinkle with some parmasan cheese.Let it cool a little before serving.

POHA UPKARI

Poha upkari or mixture as its commonly known is an excellent snack to take with tea/coffee.Its spicy ,crispy and very easy to prepare.During my college days in manipal i used to take packet full of these for my friends in hostel.They used to love it and so one of my very good friend pallavi requested for this recipe.So here it goes...
INGREDIENTS

Poha/flattened rice - 3 cups
peanuts-1 cup
pappad-1/4 cup,cut lengthwise to abt 1 1/2"
sev- 1/4 cup,store bought
mustard seeds-1 tbsp
curry leaves- a bunch
green chillies - 10 nos, slit
cumin seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
dalia - 3 tbsp
turmeric- 3 tsp
asafoetida - 1 tsp
salt -2-3 tsp

METHOD

In a large pan/skillet (preferably non stick)heat about a tbsp of oil on a medium flame .When the oil gets hot add mustard seeds.After it starts to crackle add cumin seed,dalia,asafoetida,curry leaves and green chillies.Roast it by constantly stirring them.Its important to keep the flame on medium or slightly lower than that otherwise it will get burnt.When the green chillies and curry leaves start to crisp add the peanuts and asafoetida.Slowly roast the peanuts for about 15-20 mins or until it gets slightly brown.Now add turmeric and salt.Then add poha and mix every thing together.Keep stirring it until poha gets crisp and gets the yellow color evenly.The ywllow color will slowly impart while its getting crisp.So stir it constantly till it gets crisp.Let it cool down before eating.Deep fry the pappad and add to the mixture.After it cools store it in a dry container.It lasts for a long time.

If you are a big fan of garlic then u can also fry garlic along with green chillies and curry leaves .My cousin roopa of rvkitchentreats suggested this to me.This gives a nice added flavor to the upkari.

BHINDI MASALA

Bhindi or okra is a vegetable i have always liked for its mild nutty flavor.I usually add it to gravy based dishes but inorder to get its real taste one has to prepare it alone without adding anything that overpowers the flavors of okra.So bhindi masala is one such dish in which the ingredients just enhances the flavors of okra rather than overpowering it.

INGREDIENTS

Bhindi/okra - 15-20 nos
onion-1 medium size,diced
onion-1 medium size,diced
ginger garlic-1 tsp
turmeric - 1tsp
chillipdr- 1tsp
salt

METHOD

Slit the okra criss cross 3/4 of the way ,keeping it whole.Pour some oil in a large pan such that it coats the bottom of the pan and heat it on a medium flame.When it gets hot drop the okra into the pan.Add some salt and stir it.Leave it undisturbed for sometime so that it gets brown and slightly cooked.Then do the same on all sides.If you want you can also deep fry it.But i stir fry it as thats healthier and both gives the same flavor.Remove from the pan and keep aside.
In the same pan pour a little oil.When it gets hot add gin-gar paste and onions.When it gets slightly cooked add turmeric pdr and red chilli pdr.When the onions get translucent add tomatoes and stir it.Add salt and when it gets fully cooked add the okras.Cover the pan and let it simmer for 5 mins or until okras are cooked.Serve it hot with rice and dal or chapathi.

VALVAL

Valval is one of the dishes you will see in an authentic traditoinal konkani meal platter.A simple and mild tasting one pot dish with a coconut based gravy.Goes very well with rice.It can be also had as a soup when you are not hungry or are on a diet.One of my personal favorite and my families too.

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes-2 medium size,diced thin

white pumpkin or lokia -2 cups,diced thin

pumpkin or butternut squash - 1 cup,diced thin

green chillies-3-4 slit

curry leaves-of 1 sprig

canned coconut milk-1/4 cup

salt to taste

METHOD

In a vessel cook potatoes and the pumpkins with just little bit of water ,green chillies,curryleaves and salt.the pumpkins will ooze out liquid while cooking.If too much water is added the end product will be very watery.So just add small amount of water approx. less than 1 cup.When the vegetables get cooked add coconut milk and reduce the flame to low otherwise the coconut milk will curdle.At this point of time do not cover the vessel too.Keep stirring frequently to avoid curdling andsimmer it for about 10 mins on a low flame.Check the salt.

Serve hot with rice.

CHICKEN BIRIYANI.......LiveSTRONG

Biryani is a family of primarily South Asian dishes made from a mixture of spices, rice (usually basmati), meat/vegetables and yogurt. It was spread through out the Middle East and South Asia by Muslim travellers and merchants. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā which means "fried" or "roasted". There are many kinds of biryanis and each kind has a uniqueness about it.

Here i have prepared chicken biriyani and its my hubby's all time favorite.He always asks me to prepare it whenever i ask him what he wants to eat and that is quite often.Very easy to prepare and tastes really delicious.I have prepared rice and gravy separately and then mixed it together in the end.

This is my entry to barbara's LiveSTRONG taste of yellow.

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice - 2 cups

chicken - boneless or with bone chicken breasts/thighs cut to medium size pieces

onions - 2 medium size, sliced

tomato-1 medium size ,diced

ginger-garlic paste-2 tsp+2 tsp

turmeric pdr - 1 tsp + 1 tsp

chilli pdr- 1tsp

cumin pdr - 1 tsp

garam masala -1 tsp + 1 tsp

coriander pdr-3 tsp

cinnamon stick - 1 whole piece

whole clove - 4-5

whole mace-1 tsp

whole cardamam pods - 3-4 nos

green chillies-3-4 nos,slit

water-4 cups

curd- 3 tbsp + for marination

lemon juice-few drops

coriander leaves - a bunch

fried onions to garnish

cashews and raisins to garnish

salt and pepper

ghee

METHOD

Marinate the chicken in a mixture of chilli pdr,coriander pdr,turmeric,gin-gar paste,black pepper,garam masala , cumin pdr,lemon juice and some curd for atleast 3 hrs.Wash and clean the rice 2 -3 times and keep aside.Soak it in water for atleast half an hr.

At this point of time if you want you can deep fry the chicken half way through(not for a long time else it will become dry and hard)purpose is to make the pieces little firm.I didnt fry it this time but i have done it that way also and it tastes yummy too.

RICE PREPARATION:-Drain the water from the rice and keep it aside.Warm a thick bottom vessel and put 2 tsp of ghee.When its hot put whole cinnamon stick,cardamam pods,mace and cloves.Then add a tsp of turmeric pdr.After a while put the drained rice into it and fry for some time approx. 10 mins.Then pour water to it and salt to taste.Put on high heat and cover the lid.After some time when water is not visible on top of rice,bottom rice can get burnt do then open thelid and mix the rice.After rice is cooked keep it closed for a while approx. half an hr.

GRAVY PREPARATION :-Heat a vessel and add some oil/ghee.When it is hot add gin-gar paste and green chillies.Saute for sometime and then add cut onions.Saute it and when its nicely done add coriander pdr,chilli pdr ,turmeric pdr,pepper and garam masala.Add salt to taste.Saute tht again and after a while add curd to it.Mix it well.then add the chicken pieces.Cover and cook for 10 mins and then add diced tomatoes.Cover and cook stirring in between.When gravy is thick like a paste check salt.Add some coriander leaves in the end.Fry raisins and cashews in few drops of oil and keep aside.

Now slowly mix rice and the gravy together or u can keep it in layers in the order rice,gravy and ,fried onions.Repeat this layer until everything is over.I like to mix everything together in the end rather than keeping it in layers.Now cover the lid and cook it on very low flame for 20mins.

Serve it hot with raita

RAITA

INGREDIENTS

onions-1 no, sliced

tomato-1 no,diced

green chillies -2 nos,chopped

curd-4-5 tbsp

coriander leaves to garnish

salt to taste

METHOD

In a bowl,combine onions,tomato and green chilies with some salt .Squeeze and mix it all together with hand.I know its a slightly messy job but its all worth it.Smooth out some curd with a whisk and add it to this mix.Serve it chilled with biriyani.

HITTU - UGADI SPECIAL

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY UGADI!!!

Before i get into what is Hittu let me give you all an insight on ugadi.Ugadi or Samsar Padava is the new year day of Hindu lunar calendar .Ugadi is derived from the words Yuga Aadi (Yuga + Aadi meaning "Beginning of New era"). According to Bramha Purana, Lord Brahma started creation on this day - Chaitra shuddha padhyami or the Ugadi day. It also commemorate the victory of Rama over Vali, a South Indian King. While it is called Ugadi in A.P. and Karnataka, in Maharashtra it is known as "Gudipadava" and as Samsar Padava by Kerala GSBs. With this day begins the new season, the spring.

Hittu is always associated with ugadi/samsar padava.It is on this very special day that it is prepared and served along with sambar or chutney and kellya ambat which i had previously posted.Hittu is same as idli the difference being the addition of few ingredients into the idli batter and finally comes the special difference.It is prepared in a kholli which is made of jackfruit leaves.You will understand it better when you see the step by step instructions below on how a kholli is made.

Hittu when steamed in a kholli is softer than a idli and continues to remain soft for another 2 days or so in it.It will also have the flavor of the jackfruit leaves in it.Its really delicious.

I prepared mine in small bowls as the availability of jackfruit leaves in usa is nil.So the photos you all see here is the Hittu prepared in my house back in India as that is the traditional way. All help and support rendered by my parents to make this post a success!!!

INGREDIENTS

Idli batter
cumin seeds
green chillies
ginger
(Amount of all the 3 ingredients depends on the quantity of batter you have on hand.You can add it to your taste)

METHOD

Coarsely grind all the 3 ingredients and add it to the batter.If you like you can also add chopped curry leaves.Nicely mix it into the batter.

HOW TO MAKE A KHOLLI?


THINGS NEEDED:- Jackfruit leaves and tooth pick.



Take 2 leaves and turn it so that the back side is facing up.Then overlap a small portion of the pointy end of both the leaves and stitch it using a tooth piack as shown in the pic above.


Then overlap 2 more each on either side perpendicular to the first 2 leaves.See the pic above.


Then lift the loose end of 2 consecutive leaves ,overlap and stitch it.similarly join the remaining 2 leaves to each other and also to the other leaf next to it such that it forms a shape of a tumbler like shown below.


Now cut off the projecting stem of 3 leaves keeping 1 uncut.

Pour the batter into the kholli half way through and steam it for 15-20 mins.

Serve hot with sambar or chutney.

BITTERGOURD PICKLE--VOW

Bittergourd has never been my favorite infact it was only vegetable i hated.When we were small my mom used to make us eat it because its rich in vitamins and iron content.The only way i could eat is when my mom made pickle out of it.This i loved so much that i even forgot that i hated it.It is so simple ,quick and very easy to prepare.

This is my entry to pooja's VoW-Bittergourd



INGREDIENTS

Bittergourd- 1 cup,thinly sliced to 1/2" pieces

red chillies -15 nos

water -1 1/2 cup

tamarind paste- 2 tsp

asafoetida- 1 tsp

mustard and curry leaves for seasoning

salt -1tbsp+a pinch

oil for frying

METHOD

Thinly slice the bittergourd to 1/2" pieces and apply salt over it and let it rest for 5-8 mins.this oozes out water from the veg and reduces the amount of bitterness.Then squeeze out the moisture from it by hand and wipe out with paper towel or cloth.Fry them till dark brown.In the same oil lightly fry the red chillies and keep aside.Boil water with a tbsp of salt.Put the fried chillies in this hot water and let it cool.Then grind it smoothly.Shift it out to a bowl and add the tamarind paste.Heat and let it come to a boil for a second time.Remove from heat and add the fried bittergourd.Then add the tadka of mustard seeds ,asafoetida and curry leaves in the end.
Serve it with rice.

CHOLE/CHANA MASALA - wtsim

Chana masala or chole masala is a very popular North Indian dish in which the main ingredient is chickpeas.It has some spicy and tangy taste that goes very well with Indian flat bread.It can be made dry or with some gravy.



This is my entry to cook sister's Waiter, there's something in my... pulses! event

UPDATE:- Round up for the waiter there is something in my.....event is finally out http://www.cooksister.com/2008/04/wtsim---the-fin.html

INGREDIENTS


White chana/garbanzo beans/chick peas cooked-2 cups or 1 can

onions-1 medium size, chopped fine

tomatoes-1 medium size, diced fine

whole cinnamon stick-1

whole cardamam-2 nos

cloves-3-4 nos

whole mace-1 tsp

cumin seed-1 tsp

gin-garlic -1 tbsp(freshly grated)

green chillies-3 nos ,chopped fine
curry leaves

turmeric-1 tsp

red chilli pdr-1 tsp

amchur-1 tsp (mango pdr)

coriander pdr-1 tbsp

cumin pdr-1 tsp

garam masala-1 tsp

coriander leaves-for garnish l

lemon juice-1 tsp

sugar- a pinch

salt to taste

ghee/oil-1 tbsp




METHOD

First if you are using dry chick peas then soak them overnight.Then cook it in pressure cooker with some salt.In a pan pour little ghee, add cinnamon stick,cloves,mace,cardamam,cumin seeds,gin-garlic paste and onions.When the onions get slightly cooked add turmeric pdr,salt,curryleaves,green chillies and amchur pdr.When its fully cooked add tomatoes,red chilli pdr,coriander pdr,cumin pdr,and garam masala pdr.If the masala gets slightly dry sprinkle little water and let it cook.When the raw smell of onion and tomato is gone,remove the cinnamon stick and cardamam pods from it and keep it aside and transfer rest of the mixture into a blender and grind it smoothly.Pour this mixture back into the pan along with the cinnamon stick and cardamam pods.Add the cooked chick peas and let it simmer and come to a boil.Add a pinch of sugar.Garnish with coriander leaves and some lemon juice. Serve hot with any Indian flat bread and some sliced onions.