Aromatic Cooking

Mushroom And Baby Corn Kuzhambu ( Curry )

2013-05-24T09:04:00.000-04:00

Till now, whenever I got mushrooms and baby corns, I had either prepared curries separately with each of them, or used them in fried rice or noodles, but never had I tried a kuzhambu with it. I tasted this at a restaurant, prepared in the Chettinad style, along with garlic, black pepper and coconut. I loved this curry and wanted to try it at home, the next time I had mushrooms and baby corn. This kuzhambu/ curry goes very well with rice, rotis, idlis and dosas, very easy to prepare and very flavorful, if you like garlic and pepper flavors, then you'll love this..

Need To Have

Baby Bella Mushrooms - 16 oz
Baby Corns - 8, diced into1" pieces
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Garlic - 5 cloves, grated
Grated Ginger - 1 teaspoon
Tomatoes - 2 medium, pureed
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 2 teaspoons
Black Pepper Powder - 1 teaspoon
Fennel Seeds - 1 teaspoon, crushed
Curry Leaves - 10
Salt - to taste

To Grind

Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoon, packed
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Method

Heat some oil, add the crushed fennel seeds, when it starts sizzling, add the onions, grated ginger and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, till the raw smell of garlic goes away.

Then add the tomato puree, red chilly, turmeric and coriander powders, 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper powder and salt and saute fro another 2 minutes. Now add the baby corn and mushrooms, mix for 2 more minutes, add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, grind the coconut and fenugreek seeds into a smooth paste. Add this paste to the cooked baby corn and mushroom, along with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of pepper powder. Mix, simmer it on reduced heat for 5 minutes. Garnish with the curry leaves and serve warm with rice or rotis.

Note
If the mushrooms are small, keep it whole, otherwise dice into big pieces.
If it's difficult to grind the fenugreek seeds, you can add fenugreek powder to the coconut and grind.
Can reduce or increase the pepper powder depending on your spice level.

Onion Peas Masala

2013-05-22T08:47:00.001-04:00

Green Peas is something that I always have in my freezer, it comes in handy when I have to make something in a hurry, especially in the mornings when packing lunch for my daughter. It cooks faster and most kids love green peas. Today's post is Onion Peas Masala, also an easy dish, needs very few ingredients but tastes really good, caramelized onions with green peas. I have already posted Tomato Onion Masala, which might look similar to this, but then the spices added are different, so the taste also differs. This goes well with rotis or even as a filling for your sandwiches, if you like onions and peas, then this is for you..

Need To Have

Sliced Onions - 3 cups
Frozen Or Fresh Green Peas - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilly Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - to taste

Roasted Cumin Powder - roast cumin seeds and then powder it

Method

Heat some oil, add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. When it starts turning pink, add the salt, chilly powder and the sugar and keep sauteing it, till it starts turning brown and looks caramelized.

Meanwhile, cook the green peas in the microwave or stove top, drain any excess water and keep. Once the onions have turned light brown, add the cooked peas and roasted cumin powder, mix well and keep cooking for another 2 or 3 minutes, remove and serve.

Note
You can leave out the chilly powder entirely, still the dish will taste good with a sweetish taste of caramelized onions.
While cooking the peas, add a little salt to it.

Mooli Parathas/ Radish Flat Breads

2013-05-20T09:29:00.001-04:00

One more week in the US, then back to India, then a move, locally from Chennai to Bangalore, it's going to be pretty hectic for the next month or two, before we settle down, until then, hopefully I have enough posts in draft, to keep my blog going. Today's post, also from draft, is Mooli Parathas/ Radish Flat Breads. There are a couple of versions in this, some using grated raw radish, some using sauteed radish, I prefer the latter, it's less messy to roll out parathas using sauteed radish. I have used my own version of the filling, using some powdered roasted peanuts, making it a little more tasty and nutritious and they tasted very good with the cucumber raitha and mango chunda..

Need To Have
For The Dough

Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Radish Juice - 1/2 cup
Red Chilly Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon

For The Filling

Radish ( after lightly squeezing the juice ) - 1 cup
Roasted Peanuts - 2 tablespoons, powdered
Red Chilly Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 11/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
Chopped Coriander Leaves - 11/2 tablespoon
Grated Ginger - 2 teaspoons
Salt - to taste

Radish Juice - I had used the juice squeezed out before adding in the filling.

Method

Heat some oil, add the grated ginger and asafoetida, saute for half a minute, then add the grated radish, red chilly powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder and salt, saute well till it gives out all the water and becomes dry. Now add the peanut powder and chopped coriander, mix it well and keep.

Mix the flour with the salt, chilly and turmeric powders, adding the radish juice ( a little at a time ), make a soft dough, apply a teaspoon of oil, cover and keep for at least 15 minutes. Divide the dough and the filling into 6 equal portions.

Take a ball of dough, roll it slightly, place the filling in the center and close it as shown.

Place the side where we have closed the dough, facing up, and dusting some flour, roll it out into discs.

Heat a skillet, place the rolled out disc, wait till you see small bubbles, flip it, apply some oil, flip it again, apply oil on the second side, cook it till brown spots appear on the bottom side. Flip it the third time and cook on the other side too. Remove and serve with a raitha or plain yogurt/ curd and pickle.

Note
I prefer cooking the parathas, flipping it only thrice, while cooking, you can press the parathas with the back of the ladle, if the parathas are rolled out well, it'll puff up.
If you don't like peanuts or are allergic to it, can use some roasted besan/ gram flour in it's place.
Can replace the chopped coriander with chopped mint, and also can add some finely chopped green chillies along with the grated ginger, for a little more spicy taste.

Vegan Double Chocolate Cake

2013-05-17T09:32:00.001-04:00

Double Chocolate Cake, well, as the name suggests, it contains double the amount of chocolate, compared to the regular chocolate cake, one in the form of cocoa powder and the other in the form of chopped chocolate chunks. For this vegan recipe, I have used regular coke as a replacement for egg. I had noted down this recipe, using coke, for a regular vanilla cake so many years back from a newspaper, but got a chance to try it only now. I had made some changes and it turned out very well, the cake was so moist and light and tasted so good with the chocolate chunks here and there, I would say, a ' Double Delight ' for all chocolate lovers..

Need To Have

All Purpose Flour/ Maida - 1 cup
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - 1/2 cup
Chocolate Chunks - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1/4 cup
Regular Coke - 1 cup
Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup
Baking Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Baking Soda - 1/2 teaspoon
Vanilla Extract - 1/2 teaspoon

Method

Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda. In a mixing bowl, add the oil, sugar, vanilla extract and half the coke and mix well. To this add the sifted flour and mix it well, without any lumps.

To this add the chocolate chunks and the remaining coke and mix it. Pour it into a greased 8" square pan and bake it for 25 minutes at 180 C. Remove, cool for 3 to 5 minutes, remove it from the pan and let it cool completely before slicing.

Note
The sugar I have used was correct for us and the chocolate chunks that I have used is 60% cocoa, so if you using an even darker chocolate, then increase the sugar.
Use a coke can or coke bottle immediately after you open it, that fizz is very important to this cake.

Palak Paneer Bhurji/ Spinach And Cottage Cheese

2013-05-15T09:04:00.002-04:00

My daughter loves spinach and paneer, she likes all the curries I make with them, especially the Palak Paneer, it's her favorite side dish for rotis. But sometimes when I want to do something simple with spinach and paneer, but still very tasty, then this Palak Paneer Bhurji is my option. This goes very well with plain rotis or as a filling for sandwiches and masala dosas, or even mix it with some white rice, try it, I am sure you'll love it..

Need To Have

Spinach - chopped, 2 cups packed
Grated Paneer/ Indian Cottage Cheese - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves, grated
Grated Ginger - 2 teaspoon
Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
Kasuri Methi - 1 tablespoon
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Salt - to taste

Kasuri Methi - Dried Fenugreek Leaves

Method

Heat some oil, add the cumin seeds, when it starts sizzling, add the onions, ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes, ( that green leafy thing in the picture is because I had chopped the onions on the same cutting board after the spinach ).

Then add the tomatoes and saute for a minute. Add the salt, turmeric, chilly and coriander powders, saute till the tomatoes become mushy.

Now add the chopped spinach, keep cooking till the spinach is done. Add the grated paneer and mix till the mixture becomes thick and dry. Finally add the kasuri methi ( crushed slightly between your palms ), mix well and remove.

Note
You can use chopped frozen spinach for this.
Can use store bought or homemade paneer.
Kasuri methi is available in Indian grocery stores, it gives a unique flavor, but if you are not able to find it, add 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala and 1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seed powder.

Dal With Spring Onions/ Lentils And Green Shallots

2013-05-13T08:46:00.002-04:00

Spring Onions/ Green Shallots/ Vengaya Thaal, till some time back, I had used this vegetable only in Chinese dishes, I'll buy a bunch, use a little for a fried rice or noodles and the rest, most of the time, will end up in the trash can. But of late, I have started using it in other dishes, today's dal being one of them. The spring onions give such a nice flavor to this dal, very easy to make and makes a nice side dish for both rice and rotis..

Need To Have

Lentils/ Dal - 1/2 cup ( a mix of tuvar dal, chana dal and moong dal )
Spring Onions - 11/2 cup, chopped
Tomato - 1, chopped
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 2 teaspoons
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - to taste

Tuvar Dal - Split Pigeon Peas
Chana Dal - Bengal Gram, Split Chickpeas
Moong Dal - Husked, Split Green Gram

Method

Pressure cook the dal/ lentils with the turmeric powder and water. Heat some oil, add the cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds, when it starts sizzling, add the asafoetida, followed by the spring onions. Saute it well till you get a nice aroma.

Now add the red chilly powder, coriander powder, tomatoes and salt, keep sauteing till the tomatoes turn mushy ( if it sticks to the pan, sprinkle some water ). Now add about a cup of water, bring it to a boil and let it simmer for sbout 5 minutes on reduced heat. Serve it, garnished with the green part of the spring onions.

Note
If you don't have a pressure cooker, soak the lentils for an hour and cook it in a regular pot.
You can also add some chopped garlic, but I wanted this dal to just have the unique flavor of the spring onions.

Capsicum And Potato Kurma/ Curry With Coconut

2013-05-10T08:31:00.001-04:00

Kurma is a coconut based gravy, usually made with potatoes, cauliflower or a mixture of vegetables and it goes well with rotis, pilafs, idlis, dosas or even plain rice. It's a rich curry, but I try to make it a little lighter by reducing the quantity of coconut added and replacing it with some shallots. For today's kurma, though I have added potatoes, I have also added some capsicum which gives it a unique flavor..

Need To Have

Capsicum - diced, big pieces, 11/2 cups
Potatoes - Boiled, peeled and diced, 11/2 cups
Tomato - 1 medium, diced into big pieces
Coriander Powder - 2 teaspoons
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Cloves - 2
Curry Leaves - 10
Chopped Coriander - 1 tableapoon
Salt - to taste

To Grind

Onion - 1 small
Grated Coconut - 2 tablespoons
Green Chillies - 2 or 3
Fennel Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cashews - 4
Garlic - 4 cloves
Chopped Ginger - 1 tablespoon

Method

Grind together all the ingredients given under ' to grind ' into a smooth paste, adding a little water.

Heat oil, add the cinnamon and cloves, when it starts sizzling, add the curry leaves and mix for 1/2 a minute. Now add the capsicum pieces and saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Then add the ground paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Saute it well, till the raw smell of garlic and onion goes, if the paste sticks to the pan, sprinkle some water and keep sauteing, should take about 5 to 7 minutes.

Now add the potatoes and tomatoes, mix once and add about 1/2 a cup of water, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Then remove the lid, mix in the garam masala and cook for a minute. Finally add the coriander leaves and switch off.

Note
Use only green capsicum for this kurma, the other colors might make the dish a little sweeter.
You can also add some white poppy seeds along with the other ingredients for the paste.
After adding the tomatoes, if you don't mix it too much and cook it after adding the water, the color of the kurma remains a nice yellow, instead of the orange color, also I have used only green chillies and no chilly powder for the same reason.
You can replace green chillies with red chilly powder if you want, but don't skip the coriander powder.
If you need a little more sourness, can add a little lemon juice at the end.
If you want a richer kurma, double the quantity of coconut and also add a tablespoon of curd while sauteing the paste.

Tomato Raitha/ Tomato With Yogurt And Spices

2013-05-08T09:13:00.003-04:00

Enjoying our stay here in the US, especially my daughter, she's having a nice time, visiting her friends and cousins. Now then, when we go back to India after a month, it's going to be again, ''oh I miss this and that and that " for sometime. Coming to today's post, since I am not cooking here, it's also from draft, a very simple and delicious raitha with tomatoes, just, the way I made it is slightly different. This goes very well with parathas, pilafs, or I can have it just like that, try it, am sure you'll like it..

Need To Have

Tomatoes - 2, medium
Yogurt/ curd - 6 tablespoons
Grated Ginger - 1 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Urad Dal/ Husked Black Gram - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1/8 teaspoon
Green Chilly - 1, chopped
Curry Leaves - 5

Method

Boil water and add the tomatoes to the boiling water, keep cooking till you see the skin splitting on the tomatoes. Remove, cool, peel the skin, mash it well and keep.

Mix in the grated ginger and yogurt with the mashed tomatoes. Heat some oil, add the urad dal, mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the asafoetida, followed by the green chilly and curry leaves. Saute for a minute and add it to tomato-curd mixture and serve.

Note
Use nice ripe tomatoes for this, otherwise it'll take a very long time for the skin to split when boiling in hot water.
If you want to use crushed or peeled can tomatoes, cook it a little and then proceed, otherwise it'll have a raw smell.

Keerai Saadam/ Spinach Rice

2013-05-06T09:48:00.001-04:00

When I am not in the mood for cooking, or when I don't feel like doing the regular sambar, rasam and curry, I do some kind of mixed rice. I would cook rice, vegetables and dal together like in this Cabbage Pongal or cook rice separately and mix in with some sauteed vegetables. But whatever it is, I try to make it as wholesome and nutritious as possible, so that we get our daily dose of protein and vegetables. This Spinach Rice is one such attempt, I have used Mulaikeerai/ Amaranth Greens for making it along with some cooked chana dal and fresh ground masala. When served with some raitha or curd/ yogurt, it makes a complete and satisfying meal..

Need To Have

Cooked Rice - 4 cups
Chana Dal - 1/4 cup
Chopped Amaranth - 5 cups
Urad Dal/ Husked Black Gram - 2 teaspoons
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon
Salt - to taste

To Grind

Dried Red Chillies - 4
Coriander Seeds - 2 teaspoons
Coconut - 1 tablespoon

Method

Soak the chana dal for an hour, cook it with the turmeric powder and water, till done but not mushy. Roast the red chillies and coriander seeds given under ' to grind ' and grind it coarsely with the coconut, without adding water.

Heat some oil, add the urad dal and the mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the asafoetida, followed by the chopped amaranth. Add some salt, reduce the heat and keep sauteeing till it gets cooked. Once it's done, add the cooked dal and mix.

Then add the ground mixture and mix for a minute or two, then lastly add the rice and mix everything well. Switch off, add the lemon juice and mix one more time. Serve with some pappads or chips and curd or raitha.

Note
Don't cover with a lid while cooking the amaranth, that way, it stays green.
I have used amaranth greens, you can also use the regular spinach, to save time, you can use the frozen chopped spinach too.
Can replace cooked chana dal with cooked chickpeas.
Also instead of adding the lemon juice, you can add a small ball of tamarind while grinding the red chillies, coriander and coconut.

Sliced Cucumbers With Pepper And Cumin/ Cucumber Salad

2013-05-04T11:37:00.002-04:00

After doing a long post on Tiramisu, I thought I'll keep this one simple and short, well the recipe ( if you can call this as one) is also very simple, Sliced Cucumbers With Pepper And Cumin. This is a perfect accompaniment to any meal, or also, a healthy snack for hot summers, very mildly spiced and refreshing with a slight hint of lemon..

Need To Have

Cucumbers - sliced
Black Pepper Powder
Roasted Cumin Powder
Red Chilly Powder/ Paprika
Lemon Juice
Salt

Method
Well, as you can see, I have not given any measurements for the ingredients, because I think it's individual preference, adding more or less of any ingredient. Take the cucumber slices, sprinkle some black pepper powder, chilly powder and roasted cumin powder and salt. Add a dash of lemon juice and you are ready to go.

Note
I prefer the seedless cucumbers for this, but it's up to you.
Add the spices and salt just before serving.
For roasted cumin powder, roast the cumin seeds slightly, then powder it.

Eggless Tiramisu

2013-05-02T17:51:00.001-04:00

For the month of April, we had to do Tiramisu for our Eggless Baking Group. I had finished making it, way back by the 11th or 12th of the month, since I had to travel to the US. I was so happy that I had finished the challenge, way before the revealing date, and I had taken the camera with the pictures with me. But then, while travelling, I had left the camera at a friend's place, and came back only today, so once again, I am late for the post. Coming to the Tiramisu, we had to make our own mascarpone cheese, eggless savoiradi or lady fingers and then make it alcohol free too. Well, it was quite a challenge, but an interesting one and I think I have succeeded, at least 80%. I have tasted the regular Tiramisu with the eggs and the alcohol, and I can say, I have come closer to the original, except for the alcohol flavor in it. Anyways, I truly enjoyed making it and my family loved the eggless, alcohol free Tiramisu..

Need To Have

For The Mascarpone Cheese

Fresh Cream - 200ml

Lemon Juice - 1/2 tablespoon

For The Eggless Savoiradi / Lady Fingers

All Purpose Flour - 1/2 cup

Corn Flour - 1 tablespoon

Oil - 2 tablespoons

Powder Sugar - 3 tablespoons

Orange Juice - 1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon

Baking Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Baking Soda - 1/4 teaspoon

Vanilla Extract - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt - 1/8 teaspoon

Icing/ Confectioners Sugar - 2 tablespoons

For The Whipping Cream

Fresh Cream - 200ml

Confectioners Sugar - 2 tablespoon

Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon

For Assembling The Tiramisu

Mascarpone Cheese

Whipping Cream

Savoiardi/ Lady Fingers

Strong Coffee - 1 cup

Orange Juice - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 2 tablespoons

Cocoa Powder - to dust on the top

Recipe Source For Homemade Savoiardi : Home Cooking In Montana

Recipe Source For The Tiramisu : Taste

Method

Mascarpone Cheese :

I referred Vimitha's procedure for making the Mascarpone Cheese and I used Amul Fresh Cream for making it. Heat some water in a shallow pan, place another vessel with the fresh cream inside the shallow pan, basically a double boiler. Keep stirring it, till you see light bubbles in the cream, at this stage add the lemon juice and keep stirring.

You'll note a very slight curdling, or you can see the cream become a little grainy and coating the back of a spoon. Remove it at this stage, strain it in a cheese cloth, leave it for half an hour, then just fold the cloth over and leave the whole thing in the refrigerator overnight. Remove it from the cloth, can be stored for at least 4 days.

Eggless Savoiardi :

Sift together the plain flour, corn flour, baking soda and baking powder. Take the oil orange juice, vanilla extract, salt and powdered sugar and beat well. Now add the sifted dry ingredients and mix well. It should be thick enough to be used in a piping bag or a ziploc bag.

Take it in a ziploc bag, cut a little at the end and squeeze out small strips, about 2" to 3" long on a greased cookie sheet. Dust some icing sugar, leave it for a minute, again dust some icing sugar. Bake it at 200C for 8 to 9 minutes. Remove and cool.

Whipping Cream :

Take the fresh cream ( should be chilled), icing sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat it for about 4 to 5 minutes till you get stiff peaks which holds.

To Assemble The Tiramisu :

To the whipping cream add the mascarpone cheese and mix gently. Mix the coffee ( I had used 2 tablespoon of instant coffee powder for 1 cup water), orange juice and sugar, it should be slightly warm. Soak the savoiardi biscuits in the coffee solution, remove immediately and layer a square or rectangular glass dish with it, top it up with a layer of the mascarpone-whipping cream mixture.

Then place another layer of the coffee soaked savoiardi, followed by the remaining cheese mixture. Cover it with a cling wrap and leave it to set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Remove, dust it with some cocoa powder and serve.

Note

I have used Amul Fresh Cream, you can use any heavy whipping cream.

The savoiardi biscuits are crispy on the top but soft on the inside, don't soak it too long in the coffee, it'll break and I got about 20 from the above quantity.

Layer the glass dish with a cling wrap, before placing the savoiardi biscuits, that way it'll be easy to lift the whole thing out after it sets.

Potato Curry With Fresh Spice Powder/ Urulaikizhangu Podi Curry

2013-04-29T10:20:00.000-04:00

Once again, another potato curry, but do we get tired of potatoes, definitely no. This curry is similar to the Kathirikkai Podi Curry, with only a little variation here and there, but still I thought I should do a separate post on it. It tasted awesome with a mild fenugreek flavor and goes well with almost anything, especially tastes very good with sambar and curd rice..

Need To Have

Baby Potatoes - 3 cups, boiled and peeled
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 10
Salt - to taste

To Powder

Coriander Seeds - 2 teaspoons
Chana Dal/ Bengal Gram - 1 teaspoon
Dried Red Chillies - 4
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Method

Roast the ingredients given under ' to powder ' in very little oil, in the order given, adding the fenugreek seeds last, taking care not to burn the fenugreek seeds, tastes bitter. Cool, powder coarsely and keep.

Heat some oil, add the mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the potatoes and keep roasting on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes.

Then add the turmeric powder, salt, asafoetida and the ground powder, mix for 2 minutes. Add the curry leaves, if needed a little more oil and keep frying for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and serve warm.

Note
You should do this curry with potatoes that don't become mushy while frying, don't use the ones used for mashed potatoes.

Strawberry Almond Milkshake

2013-04-26T15:48:00.002-04:00

It's already very hot here in India, especially the afternoons, no longer do I feel like having hot coffee or tea, even kids want to have something cold. Milkshakes are the best, kids get their daily dose of milk, plus, when you add fruits and nuts to it, makes it even more nutritious. Since strawberries are now in season, I made this Strawberry Almond Milkshake, very easy to make and very delicious..

Need To Have

Strawberries - 15 small ones
Almonds - 8
Cold Milk - 2 cups
Sugar - 2 teaspoons

Method

Soak the almonds in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, remove the skin and keep. Take the almonds, strawberries ( washed ), and sugar, blend smoothly, adding very little milk. Once you get a smooth paste, add the rest of the milk, blend it once more, serve cold.

Note
Can replace sugar with honey.
While grinding the almonds and strawberries, add as little milk as possible, then only you'll get a smooth paste.
The amount of sugar added depends on the sweetness of the strawberries.

Kothavarangai Poriyal/ Cluster Beans Curry

2013-04-24T11:12:00.001-04:00

Kothavarangai also known as Guar Beans and Cluster Beans is widely used in Indian cooking. In Southern India, the kothavarangai paruppu usili is a very common dish. In my house, I also make this simple poriyal/ curry with it, the chana dal and fresh coconut added to the curry gives it a nice taste and it goes well with rice and dal or sambar..

Need To Have

Kothavarangai - 2 cups, chopped
Dried Red Chilly - 1
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Chana Dal/ Bengal Gram - 21/2 tablespoons
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoon
Curry Leaves - 5 to 10
Salt - to taste

Method

Heat some oil, add the mustard seeds and chana dal, when the mustard seeds starts spluttering, add the asafoetida, dried red chilly and curry leaves. Mix once and add the chopped cluster beans, salt and about 1/4 cup water. Mix, cover and cook on reduced heat till the vegetable is done, soft to the bite. Remove the lid, mix in the grated coconut and switch off.

Note
You can do the same curry with regular french beans, but cluster beans has a unique taste.
You'll find cluster beans in Indian and some Chinese or Korean grocery stores.
If the cluster beans is really tender, then the water that I have given is enough, if you feel that the vegetable is not cooked, sprinkle some more water and cook a little longer.

Dal Parathas/ Flat Breads With Lentil Filling

2013-04-22T10:09:00.000-04:00

Dal Parathas, flat breads stuffed with a lentil filling, I had tasted this so many years back, during our stay in Singapore. Whenever I made polis/ flatbreads stuffed with a sweet lentil filling, I had always wanted to try out a savory version with a spicy lentil filling, this is the first time I made it. I have used split moong dal and added some minced ginger and coriander to add some flavor to the filling. It was very filling and makes a complete meal with a vegetable curry..

Need To Have
For The Outer Layer

Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Salt

For The Filling

Split, Husked Moong Dal/ Green Gram - 1/2 cup
Green Chilly - 1
Chopped Ginger - 2 teaspoons
Chopped Coriander Leaves - 3 tablespoons
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt - to taste

Method

Make a soft dough with the whole wheat flour, salt and water, keep it aside. Soak the moong dal for an hour, cook it with about 2 cups of water on medium heat, till done and all the water is gone, mash and keep. Grind coarsely the green chilly, coriander leaves and ginger.

Heat some oil, add the asafoetida powder, followed by the ground mixture, mix for about a minute. Add the coriander powder and salt, mix it well.

Reduce the heat and mix in the cooked dal. Remove and cool a little and divide the dough and the filling into 6 portions.

Roll out the dough a little, place the filling, close the dough as shown, dusting with some flour, roll it out as thinly as possible.

Cook on a hot skillet/ tawa, applying some oil, till you see gold spots on both sides. Remove and serve warm.

Note
Always flip the flatbreads only thrice to get it soft, once when you see it bubbling slightly, flip, apply oil, flip, apply oil on the other side and cook till the first side is done, then flip and cook the second side and remove.
You can even add some grated garlic instead of asfoetida to the filling and mint instead of coriander.

Eggless Lemon Cranberry Muffins

2013-04-19T16:07:00.000-04:00

It's going to be a little slow here, in my blog, since I am going to be in the US for the next one month, so not much cooking, I'll be doing some posts though, from drafts, and of course I'll be visiting other blogs whenever I get time. Coming to today's post, it's been a long time that I had made muffins, and I had these dried sweetened cranberries, that I wanted to finish up, so googled a little and came up with these eggless Lemon Cranberry Muffins. They came out very well, a little denser since I had replaced half of the flour with whole wheat flour, perfect breakfast muffins with a nice citrus flavor..

Need To Have

All Purpose Flour - 1/2 cup
Whole Wheat Flour - 1/2 cup
Yogurt/ Curd - 1/2 cup
Dried Sweetened Cranberries - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 2 tablespoons
Baking Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Baking Soda - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Chopped Walnuts - 1/6 cup
Lemon Juice - 1 tablespoon
Warm Water - 1/2 cup

Method

Sift the flours, baking powder and baking soda. Take the oil, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, water, salt, beat it till well mixed. Dust the cranberries with little flour and keep.

Add the sifted flour to the wet ingredients and mix. Finally mix in the walnuts and cranberries. Pour it into prepared muffin pans, bake at 180 C for 20 minutes. Cool and serve.

Note
Can replace cranberries with raisins.
Since the cranberries are sweetened I used only 2 tablespoons of sugar, and the muffins tasted perfect for us, but if you want it more sweeter, double the sugar.
Keeps good in the refrigerator for at least a week, just warm it in the microwave before serving.

Vegetable Hakka Noodles

2013-04-15T14:50:00.001-04:00

This is my first noodles dish here, though I have made it a couple of times, I wanted to get it perfectly before I blogged about it. A very easy dish, if you get your noodles cooked perfectly, just follow the instructions on the noodles packet, you should be fine. With the vegetables and tofu added, this makes a complete meal..

Need To Have

Ching's Vegetarian Noodles - 1 packet
Cubed Tofu - 1 cup
Carrot - 1/2 cup, sliced into thin strips
Capsicum - 1 cup, sliced
Shredded Cabbage - 2 cups
Onion - 1 small, sliced
Spring Onions - 1 cup, chopped
Garlic - 3 cloves
Soy Sauce - 21/2 teaspoons
Ching's Red Chilli Sauce - 31/2 teaspoons
Black Pepper Powder - 1 teaspoon

Method

Saute the cubed tofu in a little oil, till it turns golden brown.

Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet, in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, mix in some oil and separate the noodles and let it cool.

Heat some oil, add the garlic, toast till it's golden, remove it. To the same oil, add the onion and spring onions ( saving a little of the green part for garnishing). Saute for 2 minutes, then add the carrots and capsicum, saute again for another 2 minutes. Then add the cabbage and keep sauteing for 2 more minutes.

Now add the soy sauce, the red chilly sauce and salt, mix it , add the cooked noodles and tofu. Mix it gently, finally add the pepper powder, mix it well, garnish with the spring onions and serve it hot.

Note
Don't overcook the noodles, then it'll be a mushy dish.
Serve it with some soy sauce, chilly flakes and black pepper on the side, so that you can add them according to your level of spiciness.
Be a little generous with the oil.
Always make in small batches, it's easy to mix in the noodles and it comes out perfect.
Serves 2 to 3 people.

Pomegranate Juice

2013-04-12T14:35:00.004-04:00

Pomegranate, I am not going to go into a discussion about this wonderful fruit's health benefits, enough has been said, and also I am in the middle of so many things now, so straight off to the dish or drink. Pomegranate juice, unlike back in the US, here in India, whenever I tasted it, it's made with a little milk and tastes lot more sweeter, I think kids would prefer this much more. It's very easy to prepare, just takes about 5 minutes and perfect for the hot weather..

Need To Have

Pomegranate Arils (the seed like red edible part) - 1 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 teaspoon

Method

There's is not a big method for making this, take everything in a blender and blend well. Strain it and serve chilled.

Note
You can make this entirely with milk, but we like it with milk and water, so the final product is more like a juice than a milkshake, without too much of milk flavor.
Can replace sugar with honey, again the amount varies depending on the sweetness of the fruit.

Cucumber Raitha/ Cucumber With Curds

2013-04-10T15:04:00.000-04:00

Cucumber Raitha, this is the most common raitha that's served with Briyanis and Pilafs. Very simple to put together with grated cucumber and curds, so refreshing especially in this hot Indian summer. My daughter just loves this, another reason, I make this very often..

Need To Have

Grated Cucumber - 1/4 cup
Grated Ginger - 1 teaspoon
Curd/ Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/8 teaspoon
Salt - to taste

Method

There's no big procedure, just mix everything together and serve it with your favorite rice or just have it as such, like my daughter.

Note
The ginger gives a nice flavor to the raitha, leave it only if you don't like it, you can also add some chopped green chillies and tomatoes to this.

Baby Eggplant Roast

2013-04-09T14:24:00.003-04:00

Today's recipe is going to be another brinjal/ eggplant dish. I have used these mini baby brinjals for this curry. The masala that I have used here is actually used for stuffing these brinjals, but since these cuties were really small, I didn't stuff them. This is a slightly different masala with ginger, green chillies and peanuts (recipe source: one of my Andhra friends) which gives a very different flavor to this curry, goes very well with both rice and rotis..

Need To Have

Baby Eggplants - 35
Onion - 1 medium chopped
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
Chopped Coriander - to garnish
Salt - to taste

To Grind

Roasted Peanuts - 2 tablespoons
Coriander Seeds - 1 tablespoon
Chopped Ginger - 1 tablespoon
Green Chillies - 3 chopped

Method

Trim the stem and slit the brinjals as shown and keep it soaked in water with some salt.

Roast all the ingredients except the peanuts in a little oil and grind it coarsely with the peanuts, without adding any water.

Heat some oil, add the mustard and cumin seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the asafoetida followed by the onions.

Saute the onions for about 2 minutes, then add the eggplants, mix for a minute. Then add the turmeric powder, salt and about 2 tablespoons of water, cover and cook till the vegetable is done, keep stirring in between.

Once the vegetable is cooked, remove the lid, add the ground masala, continue sauteing for another 5 minutes. Garnish with the coriander and switch off.

Note
If you don't get baby eggplants, you can use the bigger ones (sliced into big cubes), but the curry might not turn as dry. Also if the small eggplants are not really small, then after slitting, stuff it and then proceed the same way.
Before adding the ground masala, see to that all the moisture is gone.
You can also add some tamarind paste or a small marble size tamarind to the above masala while grinding.

Mulaikeerai Kootu/ Amaranth Leaves With Lentils

2013-04-08T14:00:00.001-04:00

Both my husband and daughter love green leafy vegetables, so I make them at least 2 or 3 times a week. It'll be some kind of kootu or masiyal or sometimes a sambar or saute. When I saw this fresh bunch of Mulai Keerai, also known as Amaranth Leaves and Chinese Spinach, I had to pick it up, but this time I didn't want to make the regular kootu, wanted to try something slightly different. This kootu is a very easy one, no grinding required but still is very flavorful with the added ginger, goes very well with both rice and rotis..

Need To Have

Amaranth Leaves - 5 cups, cleaned and chopped
Tuvar Dal/ Split Pigeon Peas - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 medium chopped
Tomato - 1 medium chopped
Grated Ginger - 2 teaspoons
Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoon
Red Chilly Flakes - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Urad Dal/ Husked Black Gram - 1 teaspoon
Salt - to taste

Method

Pressure cook the tuvar dal with the 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, mash and keep. Cook the chopped spinach with salt and a little water till done.

Heat some oil, add the urad dal, mustard seeds and cumin seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the onions and ginger, saute for about 2 minutes and add the tomatoes.

Saute the tomatoes for a minute, add the coconut, 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder, cumin powder, asafoetida and chilly flakes, keep sauteing till the tomatoes become mushy and everything comes together, switch off.

Add the cooked dal to the cooked spinach, mix , then add the sauteed mixture, mix and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and serve it warm.

Note
While cooking the spinach, do not cover with a lid, cooking it uncovered will keep the amaranth leaves green.
You can replace amaranth leaves with spinach and do the same kootu.
You can replace the grated ginger with grated garlic for a garlicky flavor.

Coconut Onion Chutney

2013-04-07T13:06:00.001-04:00

Once again it's been a busy weekend, so it's going to be a simple dish, a chutney. Most of the South Indian tiffins like idlis, dosas, vadais, adais, almost everything is served with some chutney, the most common being the coconut and tomato chutney. This Coconut Onion chutney is a slight variation from the regular one, I have used shallots ( sambar onions) and it tastes very good with almost everything..

Need To Have

Grated Coconut - 2 tablespoons
Chopped Shallots - 3 tablespoons
Chana Dal/ Bengal Gram - 1 tablespoon
Dried Red Chillies - 2
Tamarind - small grape size
Curry Leaves - 15
Asafoetida - 1/8 teaspoon
Salt - to taste

Method

Heat a little oil, roast the chana dal, when it's half roasted, add the red chillies, saute and remove the chillies. Then add the chopped shallots and saute till they turn pink, add the curry leaves, mix for a minute and remove. Cool and grind it with the coconut, tamarind, salt, asafoetida and a little water. Remove and serve.

Note
You can also use regular big onions instead of shallots, but shallots are always more tastier.
I haven't seasoned this chutney, but you can season it with some mustard seeds and urad dal.

Quinoa With Fresh Rajma/ Kidney Beans

2013-04-04T13:29:00.001-04:00

I love rajma/ kidney beans, both fresh and dry, and the fresh beans tastes simply too good. It can be used in curries, kurmas and pairs well with most vegetables. So when I wanted to try something with quinoa, I used these kidney beans which I had in the freezer, added some fresh masala and the result was a very filling and tasty dish. Serve it with some vegetable raitha for a complete meal..

Need To Have

Quinoa - 1/2 cup
Fresh Kidney Beans - 1 cup
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
Chopped Coriander - 1/2 cup
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Cloves - 2

To Grind

Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoon
Chopped Ginger - 1 tablespoon
Green Chillies - 2
Cashews - 5

Method

Grind together all the ingredients given under ' to grind '.

Heat oil, add the cloves and cinnamon, when it starts sizzling, add the onions and saute for a minute. Then add the tomatoes and saute till it starts breaking down.

Now add the ground paste and saute till you get a nice smell, about 2 to 3 minutes and then add the kidney beans.

Add the quinoa and the chopped coriander, mix everything for a minute, add about 2 cups of water, salt, bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and cook till it's done and when almost all the water is gone. Then switch off and leave it undisturbed for at least 15 to 20 minutes.

Note
I had peeled, washed and freezed the fresh kidney beans.
Initially I had done the same dish with couscous and had used mint instead of coriander, tasted good.

Midhi Pavakkai Curry/ Baby Bitter Gourd Curry

2013-04-03T13:16:00.002-04:00

Midhi Pavakkai/ Baby Bittergourd, this is another vegetable that I missed when I was in the US, but now that I am in India, enjoying it. They are added to sambars, but my favorite is this curry, once again my mother's recipe. This bitter gourd doesn't taste as bitter as the bigger variety, and when made it this way, tastes really good, I simply love it, try this simple and easy fry if you can find this vegetable..

Need To Have

Midhi Pavakkai - 2 cups
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Red Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Fennel Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Salt - to taste

Method

Trim the ends of the pavakkai, slice it slightly in the middle but not completely. Grind the fennel seeds and the onion.

Take the pavakkai in a pan, add the ground onion, turmeric and chilly powders and salt, mix it well. Put it on the stove, add some oil and a little water ( about 1/4 cup), cover and cook till the vegetable becomes soft. Remove the lid, the water should have dried up, add some oil, reduce the heat, keep roasting till it turns brown color and looks roasted.

Note
Though the vegetable is roasted, it'll still be soft.
Goes very well with rice and dal.

Eggless Dinner Rolls

2013-04-01T12:35:00.001-04:00

Again I am late at posting this month's challenge for the Eggless Baking Group, well I had baked and clicked a couple of days back, but the last few days, had been a little busy. This month's challenge was Dinner Rolls from Cooking Classy, we had to do an egg less version and I made it butter less too. I have halved the recipe and used only 2 1/2 tablespoons of oil, yet the rolls were perfect, so soft and delicious, great with some cheese or nutella. I had kept it outside for 2 days and then refrigerated it, tasted good with just 30 secs in the microwave. I thoroughly enjoyed baking this, a recipe that I'll be using again and again..

Need To Have

All Purpose Flour - 21/4 cups
Milk - 1/2 cup, warmed
Flax Seeds Powder - 11/2 teaspoon
Active Dry Yeast - 11/8 teaspoon
Sugar - 2 tablespoons + 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Oil - 21/2 tablespoons

Method

Add the yeast to 2 tabs warm water and 1/4 teaspoon sugar ( follow the directions on the cover), leave to bubble and double up. Add the flax seed powder to 11/2 tablespoons of water and leave for 10 minutes. Whisk together the sugar, salt, oil, and flax seed mix. To it, add 2 cups of the flour and the yeast mix.

Add the warm milk and bring it together to form a sticky and manageable dough. I needed another 1/4 cup of flour to make the dough, that's why I have given 21/4 cups of flour. Cover and leave it in a warm place for 11/2 hours, the dough would have doubled up by now.

Punch it down, bring it together in a ball and transfer to a floured surface. Roll it out to a circle with about 13" diameter, slice it into half, then quarter, then each quarter into 3 wedges. Roll the wedges, starting from the broader end, tucking the thin end underneath.

Place them on a greased baking tray, leaving a little space in between, since the rolls will expand. Cover with a plastic wrap and leave it for an hour for the second rising. After an hour, bake it at 190C for 15 to 20 minutes, till the top of the rolls turn golden. Cool it and remove the rolls.

Note
The original recipe uses butter in the place of oil and also some butter is applied on the rolled out dough before cutting and shaping into rolls. I just forgot the step, but the rolls were still simply superb.
Have used low fat milk, so I can call these low-fat dinner rolls.
The dough should be slightly sticky, not dry.
It took 20 minutes in my oven, but oven timings may vary, so keep an eye.