Our Cherished World

Broccoli Stir Fry for CCC

2017-01-15T15:41:00.002+00:00

Happy New Year everyone...

I am back after yet another long hiatus. Hopefully, no more long breaks (no promises there).

I had bought this Vegetarian 100 everyday recipes in UK almost 8 years ago. Never made anything out of it then, although I had bookmarked quiet a few then itself. Infact, I had even got all the ingredients for a few recipes, but never got around to making anything out of this book.

This is a simple recipe I tried out from this book recently. V, my older one likes broccoli. My younger one, not so much. But he liked this dish. I gave this as a side dish for the Carrot Soup (which I'll blog about later).

This recipe is a typical English / Chinese recipe. But I added a bit of "Indian" touch to it by adding Onions and omitting the sugar. But I will mention the amount of sugar given in the recipe and when its supposed to be used.

Ingredients
250 gms Brocolli - cut into bite size pieces (I used the stem also)
1 medium Onion - finely chopped
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Corn Flour
1.5 tsp Caster Sugar(I didn't use)
1 tsp grated Ginger
3 Garlic Cloves - Finely Chopped
A pinch of red Chilli flakes
10 Curry Leaves
2 tbsp Oil

Method

Blanch the Borcolli for 5 mins in boiling water.
In a bowl, mix the Soy Sauce, Corn Flour, Caster Sugar (if using).
Heat a wok and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the grated ginger and chopped garlic and stir it around for a minute.
Now add the Onions and Stir Fry till they change colour.
Add in the broccoli and the Soy Sauce mixture and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove into a bowl and sprinkle Red Chilli Flakes and serve as a side dish. Avoid Chilli Flakes for kids.

Note: There's no need to add salt as the Soy Sauce has enough salt.

This goes to Cooking from Cookbook Chanllenge - Week 2 of January

Coconut Rice

2016-03-27T13:24:00.002+01:00

It was exam week. I know, I know. My older one is still in the 2nd grade. Not that these exams are important for his promotion to the third grade - this school has year long assessments which are counted for the promotion. But exams are exams. And as a parent, my tension literally hit the roof. I was never so tensed for my own exams. Be it board or competitive. I dread to think what the future holds when he has to give his boards.

We consciously didn't opt for the schools where there are no exams till 4th or 5th grade. The kids need to understand the concept of exams from an early age; though that is not the sole criteria for promotion. This is our personal opinion.

Enough of my opinions now. This recipe was printed in Hyderabad Times during Sankranti time. I had cut this and kept it in my folder. We hardly use coconut in our cuisine. So this was a completely new recipe for me to try. Its extremely easy, quick-to-make and use up that left over rice. We had this on its own, but I think it's best served with a spicy non-veg curry.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice - ensure the grains are separate
1 cup Fresh Grated Coconut

For seasoning:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 TBSP Chana Dal
2 tsp Urad Dal
2 Dry Red Chillies 1 Green Chilli - Split in half
15 Curry Leaves
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 Pinch Asafoetida
8 to 10 Cashew Nuts
1 TBSP Oil / Ghee
Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a pan and add Mustard Seeds and let them splutter.
Now add Cumin Seeds and let them crackle.
Add the Chana Dal, Urad Dal and Dry Red Chillies and wait till the Dals start to change colour.
Add the Ginger Paste, Asafoetida, Green Chilli, Curry Leaves and Cashew Nuts.
Saute till the Cashew Nuts turn brown.
Now add the Grated Coconut and fry for a few minutes.
Add salt and mix well.
Now add rice and mix well.
Serve hot on its own or with some spicy curry.

This goes to March - Week 4 of Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.

Dal aur Gajar ka shorba / Lentil and carrot soup

2016-02-28T18:34:00.002+00:00

Warm, hearty soups. Who doesn't love them in winter? Accompanied by dinner rolls. Hmmm... Though we hardly had winter in Hyderabad this year, me and my family enjoyed this healthy soup regularly.

I saw this soup on Sanjeev Kapoor's How to Cook show. It was something totally different and I knew I had to try it out. This was a hit and I was making this regularly. Its been very hot recently, so I haven't been making this much. But I am sure I'll make it again in the recent future.

Ingredients
1 cup Toor Dal - Washed, Soaked and Drained
1/4 cup Mung Dal(with husk) - Washed, Soaked and Drained
3 Carrots - Roughly Chopped
10 Garlic Cloves
Juice of half of a lemon
2 cups Water
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to Taste
Chopped Coriander for Garnish

Dry Roast and Grind to a coarse powder.
1 tsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
6 - 8 Peppercorns
2 - 3 Dry Red Chillies

Method

In a pressure cooker, heat oil.
Add the carrots, Toor Dal, Mung Dal,Garlic Cloves and water and pressure cook till done (about 4 whistles).
Once the pressure is released, add the ground masala powder and salt and mix well.
Add water as needed and puree to a smooth paste.
Add lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander and serve.

Note: I garnish with a pinch of the ground masala instead of coriander leaves.

This goes to Week 4 of Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.

Oats Uttappam

2016-02-24T07:06:00.002+00:00

Wherever I see, everyone is trying to move away from the traditional dosa & idli. They are getting more health conscious and want to incorporate millets into their daily routine. Given the health benefits of the various millets, its the right way to go as well. But I am sure a few still want their rice now and then (if not daily).

I for one, don't miss rice too much. I can go without rice for 1 or 2 weeks. I guess I like rice with my pachadi (chutney), my mother's Gutti Vankaya Koora (Stuffed brinjal curry) and a few curries. Other than that, I am OK with eating Godhuma Rava(Dalia), Foxtail Millet (Korralu in Telugu and Theenai in Tamil) or oats instead of rice everyday. And when I eat rice, its not the brown rice. That's something I still need to get used to. We have shifted to semi polished rice from polished rice. So even we are moving towards the healthy band wagon.

The recipe today is an ideal breakfast recipe. You can prepare and soak everything overnight. Just grate the carrots and mix in other vegetables of your choice in the morning and make the Uttappams. A healthy, tasty and filling breakfast is ready. Since oats are full of fiber, your stomach feels full for a longer time, thus making you snack less.

I actually made this as an after school snack for my sons. I used left over batter to make Uttappams for me and my husband the next morning.

Ingredients:

1 cup Quick Cooking Oats
1/2 Cup Semolina / Suji
1 cup Curd
1 Carrot - grated
Water as needed
Salt to taste
Oil / Ghee as needed

Method

Mix the Oats, Semolina and Curd and grind it to a smooth paste. Add a little water if needed.
Keep this aside for atleast 1/2 an hour. If possible, for more. I kept this for almost 5 hours.
Just before making the Uttappams, mix the grated carrot and water to get it to a thick consistency. Something like cake batter.
Heat a non stick pan. I took a 6 inch diameter pan.
Add a tiny bit of oil / ghee. Add 1 to 1.5 ladles of the batter and spread it. The Uttappam should be about 1/2 an inch thick.
Cover the pan and let it cook for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side.
Serve hot with chutney of choice or as is. We ate it without chutney and it was tasty.

Note: You can add more vegetables like Onions, Tomatoes, Green Chillies etc. This is dependent on your taste.

This goes to Valli's Come, join us for Breakfast - February

Paneer Tyres for CCC

2016-02-21T00:53:00.000+00:00

Well... I've just been extremely busy with my daily chores to get back to blogging. You know, sometimes the time just flies and you don't know where its gone. That's what's happening with me now.

My second grader is a very poor eater. I wouldn't call him picky as he'll eat anything and everything if he feels like eating. Now the problem is, he doesn't feel like eating most of the time. So his after school snacks were only fruits. 1/2 an apple, 1 orange, 1/2 of a big banana and a mug of milk.

Recently, I started giving him a freshly prepared snack after school. He actually started eating it along with fruits. He's enjoying the snacks as well. Recently, I made these Paneer Tyres from Nita Mehta's "Healthy Snacks for School going children" and he liked them. Its healthy, quick to make and tasty.

Ingredients:
2 Brown Bread Slices
1 tsp melted butter
For Filling:
50gms Paneer - grated
3 tbsp Grated Carrot
Salt, Pepper, Cumin Powder to taste

Method

Mix all the ingredients under the heading "For Filling".
Roll out the bread slices flat with a rolling pin
Place a bit of filling on one side of the bread and carefully roll it.
You can cut each bread slice into 2 pieces. That's what I did.
Repeat and make the other roll as well.
Cover the rolls with a wet cloth for atleast 15 minutes.
Preheat the grill for 5 minutes.
Brush the melted butter on the rolls and grill them till needed. I didn't let my rolls turn too crispy as my 2 year old doesn't like it.
Serve with ketchup.

Note 1: The original recipe had finely chopped capsicum and tomato ketchup also for filling. I avoided these.

Note 2: The fillings can be different as long as they are dry. I am thinking of kheema filling next time.

Note 3: These can be cut into 4 pieces instead of 2 and used as appetizers for parties.

This goes to Week 3 of Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.

Alu - Shimla Mirch Subzi / Potato - Capsicum Curry for CCC

2015-05-24T17:18:00.000+01:00

I hate capsicum. I really hate it. Then why did I make this dish, you might ask. For my older one. You see, he's eating new vegetables at school during his lunch. So he comes back and asks me to make that vegetable.

I had been avoiding making this dish for a long time now. I know I was being a bad mother. But I really hate capsicum to that extent. But one fine day, my husband got the vegetable and insisted I make it. I wasn't left with much of a choice then.

My pinni (mother's sister - my usual source of recipes) had given me this recipe when I was in Scotland. She wanted me to make it for Preetham. But I could never get myself to make it. Finally I made it.

I can't say I liked it. But my husband and my son liked it. Infact, I made it twice within a week and it was polished. So I guess it wasn't bad. :)

Ingredients:
1 medium Capsicum / Green Pepper - cubed
2 medium Potatoes - chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 medium Onion - chopped
1 medium Tomato - chopped
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tbsp Oil
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste

Method

Heat Oil in a pan. When oil is hot, add the Cumin Seeds and let them sizzle.
Now add the Onions and cook till they change colour.
Add the Ginger Garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
Stir in the Tomatoes, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Chilli Powder and Salt and cook till the tomatoes are soft.
Now add the Potatoes, Capsicum and half cup water. Mix well and pressure cook for 1 whistle.
Once the pressure goes down, remove and serve hot with rice / rotis.

This joins the May Week 4 Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.

Palaaku Annam / Spinach Rice for CCC

2015-05-17T17:53:00.000+01:00

Hello Guys...

I am finally back in the food blogging world and hopefully will remain here (atleast for some time). We are settled in our new apartment with the usual hiccups now and then. I've been cooking lately and have been enjoying doing so. Especially when the food is appreciated and the dish is emptied.

One such dish is Spinach Rice. A simple rice dish which my mother and aunt eat when they fast. They make it with vegetables and avoid the onion, ginger and garlic.

Since we make it as a non fasting meal, they tweaked the recipe and told me this. Both my older and younger son like it. Its healthy, filling and easy to make. Only thing is, I used less spinach when I made this. Next time, I'll use double the quantity of spinach I used this time. I can foresee myself making this very often.

Ingredients

4 bunches Spinach - washed well and chopped
1 cup Rice - washed and soaked in water for about 30 mins
1 Onion - chopped
2 Green Chilli - slit length wise
1 Tomato - chopped
8 to 10 Peppercorns - can be used whole or crushed
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tsp Garlic Paste
2 tbsp Oil
1.5 cups water

Method

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Once its hot, add the Cumin Seeds and let them crackle.
Now add the Onions and Green Chilli and fry till the onions are translucent.
Add the Ginger and Garlic Pastes and fry till the raw smell goes.
Now add the Tomatoes and Peppercorns and cook till the tomatoes are soft.
Add the Spinach and fry till it starts to wilt.
Then add the rice and fry for 5 mins.
Now add the 1.5 cups of water and bring to boil.
Then mix well, cover and cook for 1 whistle.
Serve hot with Raita or on its own.

Note: I used Sona Masoori Rice. If using Basmati Rice, you might have to increase the water to 2 cups.

This joins the May Week 3 Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.

After a loooooong break...

2014-11-02T14:08:00.000+00:00

Its been a while... Quiet a while actually. :). Lots n lots has happened in the past couple of years. Mostly good though.

We moved back to India in August 2012 with our then 3 (almost 4) year old. He's now 6 and has 1 year old brother. I haven't been cooking since I moved back as we had a full time cook at my in-laws house. We moved into our apartment about a month back and are a nuclear family again now. I do have help in the house so I haven't got back to full fledged cooking for now. But I am slowly getting back to it.

Have I missed blogging, do you ask? Well... Not a lot I would say. I guess I was too busy with the children to think about it. Between the older one joining "big school" (his words, not mine. He's in first grade.) and the younger one and moving home, I hardly had time for myself. I am still doing up the house and putting everything in its place. I think it might take a bit more time for me to fully settle.

But have I missed cooking and trying out new recipes??? YES!!! Good thing I was not going through all the blogs I have been following. I would've felt very bad if I didn't try out so many tempting recipes...

Now that I've seen all your yummy and tasty blogs again, I so badly want to start cooking and blogging. Hopefully, I'll get back to full time cooking AND blogging quiet soon. How soon? Only time will tell.

Until then, c ya...

Garlic-Coriander Pull Apart Rolls for Blog Hop

2012-06-13T18:49:00.000+01:00

Well... I have to admit. I almost missed this Blog Hop due to various reasons. I really liked Renuka's blog - with whom I am paired for this month. I just didn't have the time to do anything.

Then yesterday (Tuesday), I got back from work and decided to make Garlic Pull Apart rolls. It was really nice but I will be adding more filling into it next time and maybe go easy on the flour.

I loved a few pasta dishes from her blog that I have bookmarked and will definitely make them soon. Also note that I have written this post in a hurry. So it has very less write up.

Ingredients

For the Dough
2 Cups Plain Flour
1.5 tsp Dry Active Yeast
0.5 Cup Warm Water
1 tsp Sugar
3 - 4 tsp Oil
0.5 tsp Salt

For the Filling
3 tbsp Salted Butter
5 Big Garlic Cloves - grated / minced
2 handfuls Chopped Coriander
Chilli Flakes to taste (optional)

Method

Activate the yeast by mixing it with water and sugar and leaving it in a warm place till it froths.
Mix the Flour and Salt and make a well in between.
Now add the Yeast & water mixture and knead into a dough adding oil in the process.
Leave the dough to double in quantity.
In the meantime, mix all the ingredients for the filling and keep it a side.
When the dough has doubled up, punch it down and give it another knead.
Divide this into 2 equal parts and roll each part separately to a thin layer.
Now spread the filling on each part and roll it up like a swiss roll.
Cut it into the desired size and bake it in a pre heated oven at 180^oC for 25 to 30 mins.
Serve Hot.

This goes to the following events:

Radhika's Blog Hop Wednesdays #18
Kalyani's Magic Mingle #6
Radhika's I Love Baking

Rajma / Red Kidney Beans Masala

2012-05-23T19:30:00.000+01:00

Do any of you have Whatsapp on your smart phones? It is an instant messenger available on almost all the Operating Systems(OS) of the smart phones. You need to pay for some OSes and its free on some OSes. I am in love with this app as this allows me to stay in touch with my friends & cousins who are scattered in different parts of the world.

Its like texting - only, this uses wi-fi / 3g to send & receive messages. You can stay in touch through email & phone as well. But I feel this is very convenient as its with me all the time.

I have never bought apps till date. I have an Android phone and this app is free for a year on Android. So this July / August when this app expires, this will be the first app I'll be buying. I personally feel its totally worth it and I would recommend this to anyone and everyone.

OK. Why am I going on and on about this app when the title of the post is Rajma Masala? I got this recipe from my friend over Whatsapp. She's a very dear friend of mine. I lost touch once she moved to Delhi. There would be an odd email now and then (most of the time it was from her) but that was it.

Then I asked her if she has Whatsapp and she replied "Yes". I am in constant touch with her ever since and she gave me this recipe when I wanted a simple Rajma dish. I made this before my in-laws visited us and all of us liked it a lot. Thanks Pia for this wonderful recipe.

Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients
1 cup Dry Rajma / Red Kidney Beans - soaked over night
1 Onion - finely chopped
3 Tomatoes - finely chopped
1 Green Chilli - finely chopped
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Shahjeera / Caraway Seeds
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
3 cups Water
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to Taste
Chopped Coriander Leaves to garnish

Method

Heat Oil in a pressure cooker. When hot, add the Shahjeera / caraway seeds and let them sizzle.
Now add the Onions and Chilli and fry till golden brown.
Next add the Ginger & Garlic pastes and fry till the raw smell goes.
Add the Salt, Turmeric Powder and Coriander Powder and fry for a few seconds.
Now add the Tomatoes and fry till the masala comes together.
Add the Rajma and mix well.
Add 1 cup water and cook covered (without the pressure / whistle) for about 10 minutes.
Now add the other 2 cups of water and cook (with pressure / whistle) till tender. (It took about 3 whistles).
Let the pressure go down, open and boil till desired consistency.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice / roti.

This goes to the following events:
MLLA#47 started by Susan and guest hosted by Priya.
Show me your HITS started by Sangee and guest hosted by Julie.

Pudhina Paneer Pulao / Mint Cottage Cheese Pulao

2012-05-15T20:55:00.000+01:00

Kalyani hosts Magic Mingle every month. The concept seems very simple. She chooses 2 magic ingredients every month and posts them on her blog on the 5^th of every month. We need to prepare a dish using both the ingredients (as main ingredients - not as garnishing or tempering) and post it on our respective blogs by the 15^th of the same month.

Quiet simple you might think; just as I thought when I joined the event. The combinations she has chosen so far are totally new to me. Thinking about the dishes I can make with the combination has been pushing me out of my comfort zone. I am glad I joined this event as all the dishes I have made till date have been appreciated by P.

This month's dish was no exception. Mint and Paneer were the Magic Ingredients. A completely new combination for me. As Paneer was one of the main ingredients, I thought I'll make an Indian dish and settled on pulao. P liked it the moment he took his first bite. I have learnt that the addition of mint to a simple pulao can completely change its taste and give a more biryani like flavour. Well, this is not biryani in the true sense; its still pulao.

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients
1.5 cups Basmati Rice - washed thoughly and soaked for atleast 20 minutes
1 cup packed Mint Leaves - washed
200 gms Paneer - chopped into 1 cm cubes
2 Green Chillies
1 Onion - chopped
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Shahjeera / Caraway Seeds
1 Bay Leaf
2 Green Cardamoms
2 Cloves
1 inch piece Cinnamon
2 tbsp Oil
3 cups water + a little bit more to puree if needed
Salt to taste

Method

Puree the Mint Leaves and Green Chillies to an almost smooth paste adding little water if necessary.
Heat the Oil in a pan. When hot, add the Bay Leaf, Green Cardamoms, Cloves and Cinnamon and fry for about half a minute.
Add the Shahjeera and let it sizzle.
Now add the Onion and let it turn transparent.
Add the Ginger and Garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
Add the Mint - Chilli paste and fry for a few minutes till the raw smell goes.
Add the Paneer and fry for 3 - 4 minutes.
Drain the rice and add it to the pan and fry for 5 minutes.
Add 3 cups water and bring to boil.
Cover and cook till rice is done.
Serve hot with Raita or plain curd / yoghurt.

This goes to Kalyani's Magic Mingle #5 - Mint & Cottage Cheese

Microwave Chivda for Bloghop

2012-05-09T07:30:00.001+01:00

When Radhika sent a mail with this month's Blog Hop pairs, I was really pressed for time. I wasn't even sure if I could make something in time from Nayna’s blog. Though I loved most of her recipes, due to time constraints, I chose her Microwave Chivda. It looked very easy to prepare. And I wasn't wrong in my judgement.

I usually use the microwave to boil the potatoes, beetroot and heat up stuff. This was the first ever complete "dish" I prepared in the microwave. Due to this, I couldn't judge my microwave properly and my peanuts were still a bit "kacha" (raw). But I know my mistake now and will adjust the time / method next time. I will update this post then.

I omitted the chillies as I didn't want V to bite into a chilli seed. I added only peanuts as I didn't have the roasted almonds and cashews in my pantry. The end result of the whole dish was very tasty. Its also a healthy, nutritious and low fat snack thats perfect with alcoholic / non-alcoholic drinks and also with your evening cuppa.

Ingredients
250 gms Thin Poha (Beaten Rice)
1 tbsp Roasted Chana Dal
3 tbsp Peanuts
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Chilli Powder
10 Curry Leaves
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method

Place the Poha in a shallow microwave dish and microwave for 3 minutes, stirring thrice in between. By the end, the poha should be crisp to bite into.
Transfer this into a large bowl.
In the same dish, mix the Peanuts with 1 tsp Oil and microwave for 5 minutes, stirring 3 - 4 times in between. The peanuts should be crunchy to bite.
Now add the Roasted Chana Dal, mix and microwave for another 3 minutes, stirring 3 - 4 times.
Transfer this to the bowl with Poha and mix well.
In another microwave dish, add the 1 tbsp Oil and Mustard Seeds and microwave for 2 minutes stirring once in between.
Now add the Curry Leaves to this, mix and microwave for another minute.
Add the tempering, Turmeric Powder and Chilli Powder to the bowl with Poha and mix well.
Store in an air tight container and enjoy with a hot cuppa.

Note: I used my microwave at 800W to prepare this.

This goes to Blog Hop Wednesdays - Week 17

Blueberry Smoothie

2012-05-03T22:04:00.000+01:00

Its May and summer still feels quiet far away. The weather department is predicting this month to be the coldest May in 100 years. I can see why. Usually, the trees start shooting young leaves by mid April. There are no signs of the young leaves till date - atleast on most of the trees.

We've had 2 weeks of beautiful sunshine in March. I hope that's not the end of winter for this year. I agree the days are getting longer - which is the only sign of Spring / Summer. But with the temperatures still in single digits on most days, I just don’t see any sign of Summer.

I love Summer for various reasons; the weather being the main reason - quiet obvious isn't it? One of the other reasons is that we get different kind of berries. I love the berries for their "tanginess". I remember getting Strawberries in Hyderabad used to be so tough. It was almost treated like a delicacy.

When I came to UK, I was amazed at the different kind of berries available. I tried out all the varieties and liked all of them. Overtime, I stuck to Strawberries and Blueberries. I bought a box of Blueberries from Costco about 10 days back and left it in the fridge. I was too busy with so many other things (which definitely didn’t involve the blog as you can see), I didn't eat them.

Yesterday, I decided its time to use them up before they spoil. So I made this Blueberry Smoothie which was really yummy. It gets done in a jiffy and its soooo tasty. I am sure you can add other fruits to make it more healthy – but because my aim was to finish the blueberries, I didn't add any other fruits.

Serves: 2

Ingredients
2 cups Blueberries - washed
250 ml Curd - beaten
2 tbsp Honey – to taste
Water / Milk for consistency

Method

Take all the ingredients except water / milk in a blender and blend to a creamy consistency.
Add water / milk and blend to get the desired consistency
Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

This goes to the following events:
Srivalli's Kids Delight guest hosted by Nupur
Radhika's Lets Cook #15 - Fruits
Sumee's Bon Vivant #4 – Fruits
Chandrani's Spotlight – Fruits

A celebration with Eggless Carrot and Raisin Muffins

2012-04-13T05:00:00.002+01:00

Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday Dear PRATEEK... Happy Birthday to youuuuuu. You must be wondering who's Prateek. Well, he's the most obedient cousin I could've ever asked for. I can't say he'll go out of his way to do something for me as "out of his way" will be an understatement. You get my point right?

It's a special birthday as well. He's 25. He's hit quarter of a century. Knowing him, he'll be slogging all day behind his desk in his Wall Street Office. So I thought I can do something special for him. I obviously can't go to NYC so I thought I'll celebrate it at home, bake something for him and post it on his birthday.

When Kalyani announced Carrots and Raisins for this month's Magic Mingle, I knew I had to bake something. Since I had never baked muffins, I thought this is the best time to try it. And when I decided to celebrate Prateek's b'day on my blog, I did think of making a cake. But I settled with my first thought of muffins.

Makes: 12 - 14

Ingredients
80 gms Raisins
2 cups Coarsely Grated Carrots
2 cups Plain Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 cup Sugar
70 gms Unsalted Butter - at room temperature
1 cup milk - at room temperature

Method

Preheat the oven to 180^oC.
Sift Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Ground Cinnamon.
Beat Butter and Sugar until creamy and fluffy.
To this add the sifted dry ingredients and milk alternately and keep beating till everything is incorporated well.
Add the Carrots & Raisins and fold in gently.
Line the muffin tray with muffin cups and scoop the mixture into the cups.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or till a knife inserted comes out clean.
You can have it with tea, for breakfast or as a dessert.

This goes to the following events:
Kalyani's Magic Mingle #4 - Carrots & Raisins
Radhika's I Love baking #3
Vardhini's Bake Fest hosted by Sumee
Sumee's Bon Vivant Moments #3 - Breakfast Ideas
Sameena's Snacks Recipes
Chandrani's Lunch Box Recipes
Raven's Cook Eat Delicious Desserts hosted by Geetha

Alu Matar - take 2

2012-04-11T08:23:00.001+01:00

This week, I am paired with Nisha of Nisha's Kitchen for Blog Hop. She has very simple, delicious and homely food on her blog. Very comforting indeed. As I was going through her blog, I wanted to make something with potato as it had been some time since I cooked this versatile vegetable.

I am sure potato has a soft corner in most of our hearts & palates. Unless you are on a diet or watching your carbs. Even then, its difficult to resist. After searching, I settled on this Aloo Parwal Curry. The only issue was, I didn't have Parwal. So I settled for Green Peas.

The result is that I have another Alu Matar recipe - totally different from mine. Its a quick, easy and tasty dish that goes perfectly with rice and roti. Here's my recipe:

Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients
700 gms Potatoes - boiled and cubed
1 cup Fresh / Frozen Green Peas
1 Onion - finely chopped
1 Tomato - finely chopped
2 Green Chillies - finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method

Heat Oil in a pan. When hot, add the Cumin Seeds and let them splutter.
Add the Onion and Green Chilli and fry till the Onion turns golden.
Add the Ginger & Garlic Pastes and fry till the raw smell goes.
Now add the Tomato, Salt, Red Chilli Powder and Turmeric Powder and cook till the masala comes together.
Add the Potato and Peas and cook till the peas are cooked.
Serve hot with rice / rotis.

This goes to the following events:
Radhika's Blog Hop Wednesdays #16
Ayesha's Healthy Morsels - Pregnancy
Priya's Healthy Diet Event hosted by Vardhini

Bagara Rice / Annam

2012-04-08T21:04:00.000+01:00

When blog hopping, have you ever felt that you want to bookmark an entire blog (atleast almost the entire blog)? I have a few blogs like that and one of them is Zaiqa. I am sure most of you know about this blog. For the others, this is a "Pucca" Hyderabadi blog with amazing recipes. Do check out the blog.

Coming to today's recipe, this is a typical rice dish served with Mughlai food. I personally feel this goes with all the curries, but can still be eaten on its own. The spices in the rice make it a Pulao type of dish - but without the vegetables.

This has been lying in my drafts from Christmas 2011. On Christmas Day, I made this and Dum Ka Chicken from Zaiqa's blog and both were perfect with each other. I am finally blogging about the Bagara Rice. I'll post the Dum Ka Chicken very soon (hopefully).

I avoided the ghee from the original recipe, added chillies and changed the quantities of some of the ingredients.

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients
1.5 cups Basmati Rice - washed and soaked for atleast 20 minutes
1 Onion - finely sliced
2 Green Chillies - slit vertically
1 tsp Shahjeera / Caraway Seeds
2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tbsp Coriander Leaves- finely chopped
1 tbsp Mint Leaves - finely chopped
4 Cloves
3 Green Cardamoms
1 inch piece Cinnamon
1 Bay Leaf
3 Cups of Water
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Salt

Method

Heat Oil in a pan. When hot, add the Onions and fry till brown.
Now add the Ginger Garlic Paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
Add the Coriander Leaves, Mint Leaves, Green Chillies, Cloves, Green Cardamoms, Cinnamon, Bay Leaf and Caraway Seeds and fry for another minute.
Add 2.5 cups water, cover and bring to boil.
In the meantime, drain the rice completely.
Once the water is boiling, add the rice and bring to boil once.
Now mix the rice gently, cover the pan and cook till the rice is half done.
Open the lid, add the remaining water, mix and cook till the rice is done.
Now turn off the heat and leave it covered for atleast 15 minutes.

Pappulusu - Moong Dal with Lemon

2012-04-04T18:11:00.000+01:00

Pressure Cooker - the basic appliance in most of the Indian households whether they are in India or abroad. When someone is going abroad for the first time, every one asks them to take the pressure cooker without fail. That's the importance of this appliance in the Indian Kitchens.

Most of households have more than 1. I myself have 3. One is in the garden shed as it a huge one. I use the other 2 regularly. Pressure Cookers cut the cooking time by less than half (in most cases) - making them ideal if you want to save on your energy bills.

It takes time to get used to the pressure cooker times. Once you are used to it, you will wonder how you ever got on without it. Since I never cooked before moving here, I didn't know how to use it. When my mother came here during my delivery, I saw her and learnt about the whistles and everything.

I remember when me and my mom used to cook (OK I admit it was only my mom who cooked and I would just stand there and see) after my delivery, my dad would keep V on the dining table (also in the kitchen) and play with him. Every time the whistle went off, V would give a jerk and howl. He was scared then and still is after 3 and a half years. He does an about turn from the kitchen when he sees it on the hob. His nightmare??? Seeing both the Pressure Cookers on the hob side-by-side. So no "help" from him on this dish. It actually finishes fast for me. :D

I am not sure how many of you make this - but this is a regular (and cherished) dish in our house. The preparation is similar to Sambar but without the veggies and sambar powder. You also add lemon juice instead of tamarind pulp to give the tanginess. You can have it with rice or roti (my father swears by it). You should be able to have this as a soup - I haven't tried it, so I can't be sure of this. I like it best with Rice.

This was another dish I never enjoyed so much as sambar when I was growing up. I used to eat it but like it the most with Potato Fry. I enjoy both equally now. The other thing about this dish is that you don't have to soak the tamarind in advance. Just cut a lemon and squeeze the juice. I hate the soaking tamarind bit. I can never remember to do it.

Serves: 6 - 8

Ingredients
1 cup Moong Dal - washed
1 Onion - sliced
5 Green Chillies - Slit vertically
1 Tomato - chopped
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Dry Red Chilli - torn in 2 pieces
1/2 tsp Methi Seeds (Fenugreek Seeds)
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
10 - 15 Curry Leaves
4 - 5 cups Water
2 tbsp Oil
Juice of 1 Lemon
Salt to taste
Chopped Coriander Leaves for garnish

Method

In a Pressure Cooker, take the Moong Dal, 3/4^thof the Onion, Green Chillies, Tomato,Turmeric Powder and 2 cups of water and cook till the Dal is cooked - I generally cook it for about 2 whisltes depending on the dal.
In the meantime, make the popu or tarka.
Heat oil in a pan.
When hot, add the Dry Red Chilli, Methi, Mustard and Cumin Seeds.
When they start spluttering, add the leftover Onion and Curry Leaves and fry till the Onions turn golden. Take the pan off the heat.
When the pressure goes down, mash the dal to a smooth, creamy consistency.
Now add the salt, 2 cups of water (this depends on the consitency you are looking for), the popu / tarka and mix well and bring to a boil.
Add the Chopped Coriander Leaves, mix well and turn off the heat.
Add the fresh lemon juice, mix well and cover and let it rest for atleast 10 minutes for the flavours to infuse.
Serve hot with Rice and a side dish. I love my Alu Fry with this.

Note1: If the Dal is not mashing up easily after cooking, it means the dal is not cooked properly or you have used too much water. If you are sure the dal is cooked, you can blend it using a hand blender. Or put it back on the stove for a couple of more whistles.
Note2: There is absolutely NO SUBSTITUTE for Fresh Lemon in this recipe. I admit I used to do it with the concentrate one but it s just not the same. Trust me on this.

This goes to the following events
Krithi's and Denny's Serve It - Pressure Cooked / Slow Cooked
Priya's Healthy Diet Event hosted by Vardhini

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Spinach

2012-03-28T20:34:00.001+01:00

What fabulous weather we've been having for the past 5 days. Bright sun, clear skies, temperatures touching 25^oC (77^oF). Its very unusual for March in Scotland. I am not complaining though.

As I type this post, the weather man is saying that the brief spell of the good weather is coming to an end. Its going start getting cloudy, rainy, gloomy and cold. So much for the good weather. I hope we have a good summer unlike last year when we didn't feel it was summer. It was raining almost everyday.

This is another dish that can be made in a jiffy for a quick snack or a complete meal.This is a slight variation to my Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. I added thawed frozen chopped spinach, increased the amount of garlic and didn’t add the chilli flakes to the oil to make this child-friendly.

It's the peeling and chopping garlic that's time consuming. That's where my son helped me out on this one. Noooo. He didn't sit and peel the garlic layer by layer. I put each clove in the Pestle and Mortar and he would hit it till it crushed. I would take out the "yuck" (his word for the peel) and he would put it in my mini food processor. He then helped me pulse it to a fine chop.

After all that and getting excited at the thought of eating spaghetti, he didn't eat. I actually had to tell him stories and make him eat. He's not able to slurp it up - so I guess he needs more time. P and I enjoyed it with a generous sprinkling of Red Chilli Flakes.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

200 gms Dried Spaghetti (I used Whole Wheat) – cooked in salt water as per package instructions
100 gms Spinach - chopped finely
3 tbsp Chopped Garlic
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Red Chilli Flakes to taste

Method

Heat Olive Oil in a pan.
When the oil is hot, add the Chopped Garlic and fry until the Garlic starts to change the colour.
Add the Spinach and toss till the its cooked.
Add the Spaghetti and toss well until it is coated well with the Spinach and Garlic.
Add Chilli Flakes, mix and serve hot.

This goes to the following events:
Radhika's Let's Cook #13 - Greens
Srav's Cooking Concepts #8 - Vegan Diet
Kalyani's Holi Fest - Colourful Palette
Krithi's &Denny's Serve it - Stir Fried
Ayeesha's Healthy Morsels - Pregnancy
Srivalli's Kid's Delight hosted this month by Rujuta
Frugal Food Fridays hosted this month by Pigling Bland
Sumee's Bon Vivant Moments #2 - Savoury Items
Chef Al dente's Gimme GREEN
Saint-Patrick Challenge on Very Good Recipes

Garlicky Brussels Sprouts

2012-03-23T20:48:00.003+00:00

I still remember my reaction when I first saw these tiny green things in the local super market. "Such cute cabbages." I wasn't so experimental with my cooking back then as I am now. Infact, I hardly cooked those days. So I left them as they were.

When we bought and shifted to our own(read decent) kitchen, my experiments started. I bought a bag of frozen Brussels Sprouts. I used to steam and eat them on their own or with a spicy sauce (Tobasco or similar). I really liked them. But then, I got fed up and finished the packet with great difficulty

Cut to present, I bought another bag of frozen Brussels Sprouts recently. Not wanting to steam them again, I decided to try this garlicky stir-fry and instantly loved it. It didn't need any sauce to go with it. It was tasty on its own. It's a quick healthy snack when the hunger pangs strike.

Coming to the nutritional value, these little green beauties are packed with Vitamins A, B, C, K to name a few, Folic Acid and other important vitamins & minerals. They have anti cancerous properties and are low in fat. These properties make it an ideal veggie that's good to include in almost everyone's diet. (Check with a doctor for individual conditions – I am not a nutritionist.)

A word of caution though - you really need to have a taste for these. Not a favourite with many. I am not sure if they are available in India. Any information on that will be useful.

Serves: 1

Ingredients
10 Frozen / Fresh Brussels Sprouts
2 Cloves Garlic - minced
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste (avoidable)

Method

Heat Olive Oil in a pan.
When hot, add the Garlic and fry till it starts changing colour.
Add the Brussels Sprouts, Salt and Pepper and mix thoroughly.
Cover and cook till they are done, adding little water if needed.
Serve as a snack.

This goes to the following events:

Radhika's Let's Cook #13 - Greens

Srav's Cooking Concepts #8 - Vegan Diet

Kalyani's Holi Fest - Colourful Palette

Krithi's &Denny's Serve it - Stir Fried

Ayeesha's Healthy Morsels - Pregnancy

Frugal Food Fridays hosted this month by Pigling Bland

Chef Al dente's Gimme GREEN

Vegetable Fried Rice - an Indo-Chinese Recipe

2012-03-18T12:26:00.000+00:00

Do you know what's more satisfying than cooking for your children? Its cooking WITH them. I have been experiencing this recently. My 3 year has taken an "interest" in cooking.

It started off with him running into the kitchen when I was cooking. If I was adding something to the pan, he would be like - "I want to do it.. I want to do it." I would let him add whatever it was - making sure he's well away from the fire.

Then one Sunday when my husband was working, I decided to make Vegetable Pulao and was chopping stuff for it. V came in and asked "What you making for me?" I told him I was making Vegetable Rice (Pulao) and he said he wanted to make it.

I thought he will just add one or two things and go away. But to my surprise, he actually added everything and stayed with me the whole time till I covered the pot to let the rice cook. After his dad came, he very proudly told him "I made vegetable rice."

Vegetable Pulao is something he always "helps" me with. The other day, when I told him I am going to make Vegetable Fried Rice for him that evening, he wanted to make it.

Now, whenever he's "helping" me, I keep all the ingredients in small bowls so he can just "throw" them into the pan without me fiddling with the spoons. If he feels the pan is getting hot when stirring, he holds my elbow and feels he's stirring.

Another thing I've noticed is he actually enjoys eating something he's made. At the same time, he's learning the different vegetables. What more can a mother ask for??? What do you cook with your children? Leave a note please.

Coming to today's recipe, it's a typical indo-chinese one that's available everywhere from the road side stalls to five star restaurants in India. I am specifying India as the fried rice you get in the UK is totally different.

This is ideal to use up any left over vegetables and rice. This is a basic version. You can add any sauces as you wish. I had to keep it simple as my 3 year old can't take too much spice. We had this with hot sauce but its tasty on its own too.

Serves: 2

Ingredients
3/4th cup Raw Rice - cooked and cooled(I used 3 day old rice that was in the fridge)
1/2 Onion - chopped
2 cups Mixed Vegetables - chopped(I used frozen mixed vegetables. I added 2 chopped mushrooms to it)
1 tbsp Garlic - chopped
1 tbsp Ginger - chopped
5 Spring Onions - finely chopped
1 tsp Soya Sauce
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Pepper to Taste
Salt to Taste
2 - 3 tbsp Chopped Spring Onion Greens for garnishing

Method

Heat a wok on high flame. When hot, add the Oil.
When the oil is hot, add the Ginger and Garlic and toss till the garlic starts to turn brown. Take care the garlic doesn't burn.
Add the Onion and toss for a minute.
Now add the chopped vegetables and toss for another 3 - 4 minutes.
Add the Spring Onions, Soya Sauce, Salt & Pepper and mix well.
At this point, reduce the heat to low and add rice.
Mix the rice well, cover the wok and leave it for a minute or two so the rice gets heated through.
Garnish with chopped Spring Onion Greens and serve hot.

This goes to the following events:

Srav's Cooking Concepts #8 - Vegan Diet

Kalyani's Holi Fest - Colourful Palette

Jaya's Healthy Diet Food - Easy and Healthy Lunch started by Priya

Krithi's &Denny's Serve it - Stir Fried

Soya Kheema Burgers for Blog Hop

2012-03-14T08:47:00.000+00:00

I had a packet of Dry Soya Kheema in my cupboard from quiet a long time. I wasn't sure how to use Soya Kheema. I was searching for a Soya Kheema cutlet recipe to use it up. Al l the recipes I found used Soya

When Radhika paired me with Vaishali for this month's Blog Hop and I opened her blog, the Soya Kebab was on the first page. And it was using Soya Mince. Coincidence did you say??? Too much of it... So unlike other Blog Hops, there was no thinking twice as to which dish I would be making.

Tikkis in the pan

That said, it would've been tough to decide what to make from her blog if I hadn't been looking for this recipe for so long. All her recipes are drool worthy. Her crafts are very innovative and pretty. A special mention to her Floating Rangolis. I definitely want to try them for the next Diwali if I get a chance.

Another special mention has to go to her kitchen. So neat and so well organised. Vaishali, you've inspired me. If and when I move back to India and get to design my kitchen, I might use some of your ideas. Absolutely loved the practicality of it.

Coming to the recipe, I didn't use paneer or green chilli paste in it. I've also adjusted the spice measurements according to our taste. As you can see, I've assembled it in a different way as well.

Here's my version of it:

Makes: 3 burgers

Ingredients

For Tikkis
1 cup - dry Soya Mince
1 - big Potato - boiled, peeled and mashed
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Kasoori Methi - crushed between the palms
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/4 tsp Chat Masala
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tbsp Bread Crumbs
Salt to Taste
2 - 3 tbsp Oil (to shallow fry)

To Assemble
3 burger buns - cut in half - I used whole wheat
Tomato Ketchup / Hot Sauce
3 Cheese Slices (Vegans can avoid this)
1 Red Onion - chopped

Method

For Tikkis

Place the Soya Kheema in a bowl and pour boiling water over it till its fully immersed.
Leave aside for 10 mins
In the mean time, add the mashed potato and the rest of the ingredients (except Oil) under "For Tikkis" to a bowl.
Once the soya is cold enough to handle, squeeze the water out of the mince and add it to the potato and mix well.
Make tikkis of desired size and keep aside.
Heat a pan, add oil and shallow fry the tikkis.
Once done, start assembling the burger.

To Assemble

Apply Tomato Ketchup / Hot Sauce on both sides (insides) of the burger buns.
Spread about a table spoon of chopped onion on the base of the burger bun.
Place the tikki on the Onions.
Place the Cheese slice on the tikki.
Close the burger and enjoy.

This goes to the following events:

Radhika's Blog Hop Wednesdays

Kokila's Dish it out – Sandwich / Burger that was started by Vardhini

Kalyani's Holi Fest – Colourful Palette

Sweet Corn Roti

2012-03-08T20:41:00.002+00:00

If you have noticed in my blog, I make rotis with pureed vegetables to make V eat that extra vegetable as he never used to eat any curry with rotis. He started to eat it with dal recently. But I continue to make rotis with vegetables as it doesn’t harm us to eat that extra vegetable. And ofcourse, V loves the green, pink etc rotis.

I wouldn't have even thought about making a sweetcorn roti if it wasn't for this month's Magic Mingle – Corn & Wheat. Kalyani hosts Magic Mingle every month and comes up with these amazing combinations of ingredients. To make something with both the ingredients pushes you out of your comfort level.

I liked the subtle sweetness the sweetcorn gave the roti. It so subtle, you could almost eat it like a normal roti with curries and still get the goodness of sweetcorn in your body. The photos might not be very appealing as it looks like regular roti but looks can be deceiving…

Makes: 9 - 10 rotis

Ingredients
1 cup Sweetcorn - cooked, pureed and strained - I used frozen
2 cups Chapati Atta
1 tsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as needed

Method

Mix all the ingredients except oil together to form a pliable dough.
Spread the Oil on the dough, cover and let it rest for atleast 20 minutes.
Give it one final knead and make 9 - 10 equal sized balls
Make rotis as you would normally do and serve with a curry on the side.

Note: Make sure you strain the sweet corn puree as will be small bits left. Children might choke on this.

This goes to Kalyani's Magic Mingle #3

Quinoa Lentil Veg Soup

2012-02-17T21:08:00.000+00:00

What a week its been. The day temperatures have been in double figures. The cool breeze feels pleasant and refreshing; not freezing. For the whole week, I felt spring was just round the corner.

Until today... As I was driving to work today, there were signs on the road saying "Snow forecast on Saturday." I was like "Just when I thought the weather was getting better do I have to see this." I guess that's part and parcel of living in Scotland.

Anyway, I have been wanting to make a quinoa soup for the longest time. Never got around to do it - as usual. Finally made it this week and here I am blogging about it. Good for children as it has plenty of protien. We had this along with store bought bread rolls.

Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients
1/2 cup Red Lentils - washed
1/2 cup Quinoa - washed
2 cups Mixed Vegetables
1 Onion - finely chopped
1 tsp Chopped Garlic
1 tsp Chopped Ginger
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
600 ml Vegetable Stock
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper (optional)

Method

Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
Once hot, add the Onions, Ginger and Garlic and fry till Onion turns translucent.
Add the Mixed Vegetables, Quinoa, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder and Vegetable Stock and cover and cook for 1 to 2 whistles.
Once the pressure goes down, adjust the salt.
Sprinkle freshly ground Black Pepper and serve hot with a roll of bread.

Note: You cannot see the Lentils as they got mashed. That's the same reason you can see only carrots and peas and not the other veggies. Atleast you still know what you put in and that its good for you.

This goes to the following events:

Nupur's Kitchen Chronicles : Soup it Up started by Kalyani

Jyothi's Healthy Hearty

Kalyani's Valentine Fest :: Served with Love

Srav's Cooking Concepts #7 - Dish for Loved Ones

Eggless Almond Ginger Cookies

2012-02-10T11:02:00.000+00:00

This happened during Christmas holidays… My 3 year old was watching his cartoons and the characters were making cookies. He said to me – "Mum... You make cookies for me in my house? Please?" I felt so good that he actually asked something.

Then it started... "You make Pasta for me?", "You make Dosa for me?", Idli, Cake, Chocolate Cake, Vegetable Rice (he means pulao), Chicken, Fish Fingers, Soup etc. Not on the same day (Thank Goodness for that). But every now and then.

I did make all of them but never made cookies. When Kalyani announced this month's Magic Mingle, I knew I had to make cookies for him. I searched a lot for the ideal recipe but decided to mix and match a few.

Here's how I make Ginger & Almond Cookies.

Makes: approx 24 cookies

Ingredients
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour - I used Pillsbury Atta
1/2 cup Almonds - Blitzed to a powder in the food processor
1.5 tsp Ground Ginger
125 gms Softened Butter
1/2 cup Caster Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 180^oC.
Grease a baking sheet and keep ready.
Sift all the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
Add the butter and form a dough.
Divide into 24 equal parts.
Place them on the greased baking sheet and press so its half an inch in thickness.
Bake for about 18 - 20 minutes or till golden brown.
Let cool and serve. Store any leftover (if any) in an air tight container.

This goes to the following events:

Kalyani's Magic Mingle #2 - Ginger & Almonds

Kalyani's Valentine Fest - Served with Love

Valli's Kid's Delight guest hosted by Kavi

Srav's Cooking Concepts #7 - Dish for Loved Ones

Radhika's Let's Cook #12 - Sweet Somethings

Vardhini's Sweet Luv

Radish / Mullangi Fry

2012-02-08T05:30:00.000+00:00

Its amazing to see and learn the difference in the different cuisines in India. Even simple thing is so different. The best example is this Radish Fry that I picked up from Summe's blog with whom I am paired for this month's Blog Hop.

I never heard of Radish fry until I saw this recipe in her blog. For me Radish is ONLY to be used in Sambar. I don’t remember having it in any other form / dish.

In our house, for every vegetable fry, dry red chillies and cumin seeds are a must. I was surprised that Sumee didn't use either. Also, she used Coriander Powder which is not used in our house. Curious to know the taste, I decided to try it out. I am so glad I tried it out. We totally relished it. We had guests over the weekend and they enjoyed it as well (atleast they told me so).

I didn't use jaggery and crushed garlic instead of mincing it. I also changed some measurements. Here's my version.

Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients

2 Medium (approx 600gms) White Radish - chopped to bite sized pieces
1 Onion - finely chopped
4 Garlic Cloves - crushed
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
2 tbsp Grated Coconut
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal
1 sprig Curry Leaves
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method

Heat Oil in a pan and add Mustard Seeds.
Once they splutter, add the Urad Dal.
When it starts changing colour, add the crushed Garlic and fry it.
Once the Galic turns golden brown, add the Onions and Curry Leaves, mix and fry till the Onions turns golden.
Now add the Salt, Turmeric, Red Chilli and Coriander Powders and mix well.
Then add the Radish, mix well and cover and cook.
Keep tossing the Radish and add a few table spoons of water if necessary.
Once the Radish is almost done, add the Grated Coconut, mix and cook till Radish is done.
Serve hot with roti / rice.

Do check out what the other Blog Hoppers are doing this month.