So many wonderful occasions have passed since I last posted here – Christmas, New Years, Pongal, Valentine’s day. I hope you all had a great time celebrating with friends and family! I did too, along with a couple of weeks of celebration of my birthday – a trip to San Francisco and Napa, a fun night out with friends cruising various restaurants and clubs in Seattle in a limo,  a girls night out, brunches and more! Now you know, what kept me away from here And then it was the re-starting trouble and I promised myself I will not let the second month of year pass too, without getting back to blogging.  So here I am!

Upma is a very traditional South Indian breakfast meal, made with vermicelli, semolina or flattened rice flakes (aval). For those who are not very familiar with upma, the closest preparation I can think of to this one is polenta, but a lot drier than that with no leftover water or liquid in it. The semolina variety is the most common one in upmas, though the others are also very often made.

I have been making this lemon vermicelli upma a lot these days. The regular vermicelli upma does not have lemon in it, this is a variant of it. Not only is this upma easy to make for a weekend breakfast / brunch, but it is also so very tasty and different from the regular vermicelli or semolina upma. The squeeze of lemon adds that extra special tanginess which elevates the flavors to whole different level altogether.

You can buy vermicelli in different forms. Either as long noodles, which you then break into 1/2 inch long pieces with your hands, which can sometimes be a little painful and fun at the same time. Or you can buy it already broken into small pieces. Even in this, you get the roasted version and the not roasted version. If you buy the plain one, make sure you dry roast them in a pan, till it is golden brown in color like in the picture above.

Lemon Semiya Upma  / Lemon Vermicelli Upma – The Recipe

• Vermicelli / Semiya, broken into 1/2 inch pieces and roasted – 1 cup
• Oil – 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Red Onion, chopped – 1/2
• Thai Green Chillis, chopped – 3-4
• Water – 2 cups
• Salt, to taste
• Lemon juice – 1-2 tbsp
• Grated Coconut – 1/4 cup

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the mustard seeds and let is splutter.  Now add the curry leaves, give it a quick stir and add the onions and chopped up green chillies.

Once the onions start becoming translucent, you don’t have to let them turn brown, add the water and salt. Bring the water to a boil. Note, that this will be the time to check the salt. If you taste the water, you will approximately know whether the salt is enough or not. You will not be able to add salt to the noodles later.

Now add the roasted vermicelli, reduce the heat and let it cook and absorb all the water.

Once it starts looking like cooked noodles, stir well, add the lemon juice and the grated coconut. Give it a quick stir again. Remove from heat.

Serve hot with coconut chutney or any other chutney of your choice along with some piping hot South Indian style filter coffee.

You just cannot ask for a better breakfast!

On the 1st of December I got an email from Ivory at Allrecipes.com about an event at Allrecipes.com’s headquarters here in Seattle.  It was the second year that Allrecipes.com and NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE®, organized the Cookies Across America campaign encouraging millions of people to bake, decorate and share cookies with the less fortunate this holiday season. They expect to bake and share over 1 billion cookies across America in the month of December. You can either throw or attend a bake party.

The email from Ivory was to let me know that thy were inviting people to their office to decorate cookies that can be shared. I was so thrilled by the idea and immediately agreed to go for it. AJ was a sport and agreed to come along..more to decorate more cookies!

So, we left on a Saturday morning (which is big deal for me, believe it!) to go decorate cookies. We met the fabulous team at Allrecipes.com and they made us feel totally welcome. There were cookies there that they had got from a local bakery and frosting too.

We picked up some plates, loaded them up with cookies – snowman, christmas tree, ornaments, candy cane, gingerbread man and what not! I was on a sugar high just seeing the cookies.

There was all kinds of toppings – sprinkles of various colors and sizes, coconut flakes, crushed candy cane and what not! My first few cookies were not the best decorated one, but they got better and after a few I got a little creative and it was so much fun!

That one was one of the best decorated plate of cookies. When I got to know that it was decorated by a woman who has been professionally decorating cookies for many years, I was a lot relieved

There were some girl scouts, family members of some of team members, friends and some bloggers too. The kids especially were having a blast decorating the cookies and the Allrecipes.com team were very diligent in filling our sprinkles tray as they got empty and getting us icings of various colors that we needed.

Here are more cookies that were decorated that day.

I heard that there were over 300 cookies decorated in that office that day! Yaay! There are still a few more weeks for December to end, so if you want to show some support, you can read more about it here and “like” Cookies Across America on Facebook.

I still remember the day I first had Nutella. I thought that I had died and gone to heaven. It was like something I have never had before so I couldn’t compare it with anything else. All I knew that this love that started was not gonna end anytime soon. Nutella has been with me since then, grad school days, single but being married to work days, to now. I have used it as a sandwich spread, to make mocha, crepe fillings, ice cream topper, in cakes and many a times straight from the jar as an indulgent in itself!

There is nothing more comforting in the cold winter season than a nice hot cup of cocoa. Now combine that with your other favorite, Nutella, you just cannot ask for more. Top with some marshmallows or crushed candy cane or sprinkle some cinnamon or top with some whipped cream, make it your drink, just the way you like it! Ohh yeah, feel free to spike it up with some Irish Cream Liqueur or Kahlua or some spiced Rum. I added some hazelnut syrup to enhance the nutella flavor and some vanilla extract too.

Nutella Hot Chocolate – The Recipe

• 2% milk – 2 cups
• Unsweetened Cocoa powder (i used a blend of dutch processed and natural, use whichever ones you usually use) – 2 tbsp
• Nutella – 2 tbsp
• Hazelnut Syrup – 1 tsp or per your taste
• Vanilla Extract – 1 tsp
• Granulated Sugar – 2 to 3 tsp
• Mini Mashmallows, Crushed Candy Cane etc to top

Heat the milk in a sauce pan, after reserving a 1/4 cup. Add the cocoa powder, using a whisk mix well into the milk. To the reserved milk, add the nutella and mix in the nutella well into the milk, making sure it is dissolved well. Add this to the remaining milk in the sauce pan. Once the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat, add the hazelnut syrup, vanilla extract and sugar. Stir to combine.

Strain and pour into individual serving glasses. Top with some mini marshmallows and crushed candy cane. Serve hot!

This is my entry to Christmas Delicacy, Julie’s event on her blog Erivum Puliyum.

I have had this post open for the last three four days and just haven’t been able to write anything at all. I was feeling so frustrated.  I should be able to write something, anything, especially since this is one of my favorite recipes from a very favorite blog/website.  And more so because the writing on that blog is just fabulous that every time I read something I just want to go into my kitchen and start cooking.  But nope, nothing, nada, zilch, not a single word would come into my head. Maybe that’s it. I just feel like playing with the spices and cooking right now, not so much feel like writing. Will save that for the next post. Till then, enjoy this amazing recipe! And don’t forget to go check out the blog where this was inspired from.

Kadhai Paneer with Green Bell Peppers- The Recipe

Adapted from Ajoy Joshi’s Kadhai Chicken Recipe

• Paneer – 1 block (about 12 oz), cut into cubes. (Want to make your own paneer, find out how, here)
• Canola Oil – 1 tsp
• Dried Red Chillies – 3
• Black Peppercorns – 4/5
• Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Red Onion – 1, chopped
• Green Bell Pepper – 1, deseeded and chopped
• Garlic Cloves – 2, crushed
• Ginger, grated – 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Tomatoes – 3, pureed
• Kadhai Masala – 2 tbsp ( dry roast 3 dried red chillies, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tbsp kasoori methi and grind to a fine powder)
• Salt, to taste
• Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves, available in Indian stores) – 1 tsp
• Lemon Juice – 1 tsp
• Chopped Cilantro – 2 tbsp, to garnish

Heat oil in a kadhai ( a deep saute pan – thats where the name of the dish comes from too), reduce the heat and add red chillies to it. Add the pepper corns, cumin seeds and coriander seeds. Once the cumin seeds splutter and the coriander also changes color to light golden brown, add the onions to the pan. Add the garlic and ginger as well. Saute on medium heat till the onions become translucent and the raw smell of garlic disappears. Add turmeric powder and saute for a few more minutes. Now add the green bell peppers. Lower the heat and saute till the peppers become a little soft.

Add the paneer and let all the spices get mixed with it well. Now add the tomato puree and salt and let it simmer for a while, till the sauce thickens and the paneer absorbs all the flavors. Once done, add the kadhai masala and stir to combine. Remove from heat, add some more kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves), lemon juice and mix well. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with rotis / chapatis / naans.

When the CSA box from FullCircle Farm came last Thursday, I was excited.  I had ordered some additional things other than the default produce that comes int he box. There was some Gulf Coast Shrimp and some dairy products in it. I always get very excited to cook with fresh food, especially if it is fish or meat for AJ. I try to cook as soon as I get it and try as much as possible not to freeze them. But that sometimes ends up happening too as you can’t keep them out for too long in the refrigerator. Since I knew that I will have some time during the long holiday weekend, I ordered the shrimp. I was all ready with the recipe and other ingredients to cook the shrimp with.  The recipe I used is one that I had bookmarked years ago from Varsha’s blog, Will O the Wisp. I finally got around making it and AJ loved it too. So all in all it was a well planned weekend, cooking wise atleast

Nadan Prawns Roast ~ Kerala Style Shrimp Roast – The Recipe

• Gulf Coast Shrimp (use any kind, this is what I had) – about 2 lbs
• Coconut Oil – 2 tsp
• Cloves – 3/4
• Cinnamon – 1 inch piece
• Green cardamom pods – 2
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Fennel Seeds – 1 tsp
• Dried Red Chillies – 4
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Dried Coconut Slices / Copra, broken into small bite sized pieces – 1/4 cup
• Pearl Onions, peeled and sliced – 1 cup ( if it feels like a lot to peel , substitute shallots for about half of it)
• Crushed Garlic – 1 tsp
• Grated Ginger – 1/2 tsp
• Green Chillies, slit lengthwise – 2
• Tomatoes – 2, sliced
• Fish Masala – 1 tsp
• Chopped Cilantro , to garnish
• Salt, to taste

To mix to a paste – 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp powdered black pepper, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp water

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. Once they become slightly fragrant, add the mustard seeds. Let them splutter. Now add the fenugreek seeds (do not add the fenugreek seeds earlier and let them burn, they taste bitter and nasty) and the dried red chillies along with the curry leaves. Add the dried coconut pieces now. Saute till they turn to light golden color. Now add the onions to the pan. Add the crushed ginger and garlic and the green chillies too. Saute till the onions become a little translucent.

Add the chopped tomatoes to this mix, along with some salt and the spice paste (the red chilli powder, black pepper, coriander powder and turmeric powder mixed in vinegar and water) and saute till the tomatoes become soft and the oil rises from the sides. The shrimp can be added to the pan now. Give it quick mix and keep the pan closed to cook the shrimp. Remember to keep the heat to medium low at this point.  Once cooked well, switch off the heat and top with the fish masala, give one quick stir and add some chopped cilantro for garnish.

Your Prawns / Shrimp Roast is ready to be served with some rice for a yummy meal!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope the preparations are all on in full swing. On my end, the menu has been finalized and that is all the preparation I have done so far. I hope to finish the grocery shopping today and waiting for my CSA box from FullCircle to show up sometime tonight, so I can at least prep a little and not keep everything for tomorrow.  The menu that has been decided is : Tandoori Roasted Chicken (remember? no turkey lovers around), Pumpkin Sage Pasta, Delicata Squash with Chestnut Stuffing, Sauteed Carrots, Green Peas with Orange and Mint, Chunky Red Mashed Potatoes – Tex Mex Style, a Green Bean Casserole that a friend is bringing along and Pumpkin Pecan Pie and maybe a Pumpkin Spice Ice cream, if I have the time for it Hopefully I get enough time and end up making all this and not cut down on anything at the last minute.

Here is some roasted red potatoes and artichokes, if you want to add a quick side to your thanksgiving menu. It is super easy to make and is very tasty too, a good contrast especially with any sweeter pumpkin/squash dishes. I made this to go with the couscous risotto with butternut squash and we loved the combo! Hope you do too

Roasted Red Potatoes and Artichokes – The Recipe

• Red Potatoes – 2, scrubbed, washed and cubed
• Artichoke hearts – 1 can, rinsed and drained
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 2 tbsp
• Smoked Red Parprika – 1 tsp
• Italian Seasoning – 1/2 tsp
• Chopped Fresh Parsley – 1 tbsp
• Kosher Salt – to taste
• Fresh ground black pepper – to taste

Preheat the oven to 400F. Toss all the ingredients, except the artichokes, in a sheet pan. Place in the middle rack of the oven to bake. It will probably take about 25 -30 mins for the potatoes to be tender. Halfway through, remove the pan from the oven, toss in the artichokes and mix well. Put it back in the oven. Bake till the potatoes are done.

Tip: If you are in a hurry and remembered to do this only at the last minute, then make sure you cut the potatoes into smaller pieces than usual and quickly boil the potatoes for 5 mins in the microwave. Drain the water and follow the method above. This will help cook the potatoes faster.

So what are you cooking for Thanksgiving this year? I haven’t yet decided. We are gonna have some friends over for lunch on Thanksgiving day and are heading over to a potluck dinner to another friend’s place in the evening. So, I know that there is going to be a lot of cooking and eating involved, but I just haven’t decided on the menu yet. I know its late and I am getting a little freaked out. It is very unlike me to be so unprepared. Hopefully I’ll get that settled this evening.

I remember the last Thanksgiving we celebrated in 2009 ( we were in India in 2010) and it was so very perfect. I made a roast chicken ( as there were not many turkey lovers in the meat eating set of folks), butternut squash lasagna, spiced cranberry sauce, some stuffing (i don’t remember what), a green beans thing and a roasted cauliflower dish, mashed potatoes, of course and a pumpkin pecan pie. I soo very much enjoyed cooking all morning that day. What with oven on and all it was soo warm and nice in the kitchen. I hope to recreate something like that this year too

I made this couscous risotto with butternut squash for lunch on Saturday along with some roasted red potatoes and artichokes to go with it. I usually love couscous, especially the Israeli couscous and when I saw this recipe on the the Food Network magazine for a barley risotto made in the slow cooker with squash and mushrooms, I immediately thought of how a couscous risotto will be like? So I decided to go ahead and make some to see how it will be like. How else am I to know, right? Since couscous does not require too much coking time, I did not go with the slow cooker method, I just cooked it the regular way you usually make risotto. This would make a great vegetarian main dish for Thanksgiving too.

Couscous Risotto with Butternut Squash and Carrots

• Israeli couscous – 1 box (around 8 oz)
• Olive Oil – 2 tsp
• Chopped Shallots – 1 cup
• Chopped Carrots – 1 cup
• Chopped Butternut Squash – 1 cup
• Dry White Wine – 1/2 cup
• Chicken or Vegetable Stock – 3 cups, or as required
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese – 1/2 cup

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan, I used an enameled cast iron pot. Add the shallots and saute till they are slightly translucent. Add the carrot to the pan and saute for a few minutes. Now add the squash and the couscous. Saute for a few minutes, making sure it doesnt stick to the pan.

Meanwhile, heat the stock in a different pan and keep it simmering.

Now add the white wine to the couscous mix and give it a few quick stirs. Add salt and pepper too.  Using a deep ladle, add the stock to the couscous mix a little by little. Keep stirring the couscous. Once the stock has evaporated, add a little more, stir more and continue till the couscous is cooked really well. If you need more stock, add to the pan and heat it up before adding to the couscous.

Add the grated parmesan on top and serve warm.

There are some days when all you crave is a hodge podge of your favorite things to eat. A little of this and a little of that. Those are the days when I start cooking one thing and then end up making 5-6 things. I start with say, a menu of rice, puli kozhambu and a simple thoran. Then as I am making the kozhambu, I remember that chicken I had kept out to defrost, so I think,” it would be nice to make a surprise chicken something for AJ and looks like I have the time for it”. So I go snooping around in the refrigerator to see what I can add to the chicken. I see that box of baby spinach sitting there and I think ” Its been a while since we have had greens with our food, maybe I should make something with it before the spinach gets spoilt and is thrown away” . So then a mashed spinach side also gets added to the menu. And if I have a little more time, maybe a rasam too as spinach masiyal and rasam is a wonderful combination.  So there you go, that is how I roll sometimes! I know it sounds crazy but there have been many a times when I have done that.

How is that story even remotely related to the egg and potato curry? Well, I made this curry on one such day and I remembered it when I saw the pics, that’s all!

This simple egg and potato curry especially comes in handy when you don’t have many things in the refrigerator and are lazy to go to the grocery store to buy anything. Eggs and potatoes are something we usually have in the pantry and the refrigerator. Instead of the tomatoes, if you don’t have fresh ones that is, you can use tomato paste / puree, whatever. If you don’t have any grated coconut,  simply add some coconut milk to it, to get a creamier sauce.  Ready to try this out yet?

Kerala Style Potato Egg Curry – The Recipe

• Eggs – 4/5, hard boiled and peeled
• White / Red / Yukon Gold Potatoes – 3-4, peeled and quartered
• Oil, preferably coconut oil – 1 tsp
• Red Onion – 1, chopped finely
• Crushed garlic – 1 tsp
• Grated ginger – 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Red Chilli powder / Cayenne – 1 tsp
• Crushed Black Pepper – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
• Crushed / Powdered Fennel  – 1/4 tsp
• Egg Masala (preferably Eastern brand), if not Garam Masala will also do – 1 tsp
• Tomatoes – 2, chopped
• Salt
• Chopped Cilantro – 2 bsp – for garnish

To grind to a paste:

• Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
• Dried Red Chillies – 3
• Pearl Onions – 5, peeled

For Tempering:

• Coconut Oil – 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Pearl Onions – 6 , peeled and sliced
• Curry leaves – a few
• Grated Coconut – 1 tsp

Boil the potatoes till they are soft ( if you hold it with a fork, it slides right through). Drain and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the onions, crushed garlic, ginger and saute well till the onions become translucent. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, black pepper, coriander powder, egg / garam masala and fennel powder and saute well till the raw smell of turmeric and other spices disappear. Now add the tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes become soft. Add potatoes and give it a quick stir.

To grind the coconut, if you are using frozen grated coconut, make sure you leave it out for 10 mins atleast and then microwave for 30 secs or so just so that it grinds well without producing too much oil. Grind together, the coconut, pearl onions and red chillies with just a little (2-4 tbsp) water to a very smooth paste.

Now mix this coconut paste to the saute pan with the onions, tomatoes, potatoes and spices. Add a little water to the pan to get a sauce. Add salt to the mix. Let it come to a boil and let the gravy / sauce thicken. Now cut the boiled and peeled eggs in half and add to this and mix well. Switch off heat.

Heat oil in a smaller pan. Add the mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the pearl onions, coconut and the curry leaves. Once the pearl onions and coconut start turning golden, switch off the heat and pour this over the curry. Top with some chopped cilantro for garnish and serve with rice or chapathis.

I know atleast 2-3 people who will be very happy that I finally managed to post this recipe I made this chicken biryani the Friday after we got back from our vacation in Europe. Eventhough I enjoyed the endless plates of pasta in Italy, I was so very ready for a spicy plate of biryani. I also missed cooking something really elaborate. So this took care of both. I called over a few friends home and made the chicken biryani and a vegetable biryani. I have made biryani several times in the past but I must say this one was quite the winner. I think the earlier times sort of helped as trial runs. There is no one particular method that I have followed in this recipe, it is just mix and match of the various other ways I have made biryani before and since this became the best of what I have made so far, I decided to document it here.

Biryani came to India from Persia through early travelers, and the Moguls who invaded the northern part of India in the 16/17th century. As more and more regions in India were exposed to this cuisine, everyone ultimately created a version of their own- from Lucknowi biryani and Hyderabadi Biryani to the Malabar Biryani and Thalapakattu Biryani. Eventhough the nuances in biryani making differs from region to region, the basic concept remains the same – basmati rice flavored with various spices and adding chicken, lamb or vegetables to it. Biryani is usually served with a raita to go with it but in Kerala it is also accompanied by a coconut dry chutney or chammanthi as we call it and some spicy lime pickle.

Chicken Biryani – The Recipe

For the marinade:

• Chicken drumsticks – 6-8
• Cilantro, bunched – 1 cup
• Mint – ¼ cup
• Garlic – 5-6 cloves
• Ginger, grated – 1 tbsp
• Kitchen King Masala (or Garam Masala) – 1 tbsp
• Soy Sauce – 1 tsp
• Yogurt – ¼ cup
• Salt, as needed (remember we are using soy sauce already, so go easy on the salt)

For the Sauce / Gravy:

• Ghee – 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon – a 2 inch long stick broken into smaller pieces
• Cloves – 4
• Green cardamom pods – 4, crushed a little
• Star anise – 2, crushed a little
• Mace – 1 tsp
• Bay leaves – 2
• Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
• Red Onion – 2, chopped
• Crushed garlic and ginger – 2 tbsp
• Green Chillies – ¾, slit in half lengthwise
• Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
• Garam Masala / Kitchen King Masala – 1 tbsp
• Tomatoes – 2, sliced
• Salt – as needed

For the rice:

• Basmati Rice – 2 cups
• Water – 3 ½ cups
• Salt, as needed
• Ghee – ½ tsp

For the garnish:

• Medium red onion – 1, sliced
• All Purpose Flour – 1 tbsp
• 1″ cubed bread from about 5-6 slices of bread (crust removed)
• Oil – to deep fry
• Raisins – 2 tbsp
• Cashewnuts – 2 tbsp
• Cilantro – ¼ cup, chopped finely

Skin the chicken drumsticks and make tiny slits with the tip of a knife on the drumsticks, so as to help the spices to get absorbed better. Add the other ingredients for the marinade in a blender and blend well. Pour into a mixing bowl, add the chicken to it and mix well. Cover with a cling wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight, if possible.

To make the sauce / gravy:

Heat the ghee (use oil if you are making it just for yourself and are health conscious. Don’t skip on the ghee if you are making for company) in a deep pan. Add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise, mace, bayleaves and cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds splutter and the other spices give out their aroma, add the onions to the pan. Sauté well and add the crushed ginger and garlic to it as well. Add the turmeric powder also. Once the onions are translucent and light golden brown, add the garam Masala and give it a stir. Add the tomatoes and salt to it and cook till the tomatoes soften and the ghee starts coming out from the sides.

Now add the chicken pieces with the marinade and mix well with the onions, tomatoes and the spices. Reduce the heat to medium. There should be enough water in the pan from the yogurt in the marinade and the water that comes out from the chicken too. If needed, add a little water to it. Let it cook till the chicken is cooked well. We will be cooking the chicken again with the rice in the oven, but why take a chance right?

To make the rice:

While the chicken gravy is cooking, get the rice ready. Wash the rice 2-3 times in water. Add the measured out water, salt and ghee. Cook on medium heat till all the water is evaporated and little air holes form on the surface of the rice. Keep the rice as is. Do not attempt to touch it or stir it as you don’t want the rice breaking at this point.

{I used a little less water here as we will be cooking the rice again in the oven. Usually when I cook rice, I use a straight 1:2 raito of rice to water}

Assembling:

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a rectangular baking pan / casserole, layer the rice and the chicken gravy, starting and ending with the rice. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 15 mins or so.

Preparing the garnish:

Mix the flour to the sliced onions and keep aside. Heat the oil in a pan and deep fry the onions on medium heat till they are nice and crispy. Drain on paper towels and keep aside. In the same oil, deep fry the bread pieces and drain them on paper towels as well. Heat the ghee in a small pan and fry the cashew nuts and raisins in it.

Serving :

Take out the biryani from the oven. Sprinkle the fried onions, fried bread, cashew nuts, raisins and the chopped cilantro on it. Serve hot with raita, the chammanthi and lime pickle. Make some papads too, if you want. Enjoy the compliments!

How to make the Coconut Mint Dry Chutney – Biryani Chammanthi :

• Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup (if frozen, then keep out for a while and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs or so, so that it grinds well)
• Cilantro – 1/4 cup
• Mint – about 2 tbsp worth if chopped
• Garlic clove – 1
• Green chilli – 1 or 2, depending on how hot you want it to be
• Yogurt – 2 – 3 tbsp
• Salt

Grind them together in a food processor / mixer grinder to a very smooth paste. Serve with your biryani !

Happy Almost Diwali everyone! Hope everyone is busy making sweets and other treats for Diwali that is just a few days away. I spent yesterday making besan laddoos and kara sev and also of course, “taste testing” them. I hope to make some coconut burfis too before Diwali day and some gulab jamuns for Diwali dinner.

I was also feeling all holiday-ey with the fll colors, all the pumpkins and halloween stuff out there. I spied the little jar of pumpkin spice in my cupboard and wondered what it will taste like if I added some of it to the besan ladoo along with the cardamom. AJ was a little sceptical about the idea so I made most of the ladoos with just cardamom and a little batch with the pumpkin spice. Actually I like the pumpkin spice back a wee little better Try it out for yourself and let me know if you like it too!

And, so sorry about being MIA for sometime in terms of posts and also visiting your blogs, work has really gotten busy with a few other social commitments also getting added to the days. Hopefully after Diwali its gonna get better and I’ll definitely make it up to you guys. The post on my Europe trip is almost ready and i’ll be posting that soon!

Besan Ladoo / Besan Laddoo with Pumpkin Spice – The Recipe

• 4 cups besan / chickpea flour / gram flour
• 1 1/2 cups ghee + more as you feel is required
• 2 1/2 cups baker’s sugar or super fine sugar
• 1 tsp powdered cardamom
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice

Heat the ghee in a non stick pan till it melts. Add the besan to the ghee, mix well and cook, stirring continuously for 15-20 mins. If the besan forms lumps with the ghee, break them with the back of your spatula and keep stirring. Stir till the besan is fragrant.

Switch off the heat. Let it cool for a few mins, 10-12 mins. Mix in the cardamom and pumpkin spice. Add the sugar, mix it well with your hands. Shape into lime sized balls. If the mixture doesn’t hold well, add a little more ghee and shape into lime sized balls and keep aside. Decorate with a raisin pressed lightly on top, if you want.

Note: The traditional besan ladoo does not have pumpkin spice in it. Skip the pumpkin spice and follow the rest of the steps to make besan ladoo.

Here are some other sweets for you to make for Diwali.      

	Pineapple Halwa
	Rawa Ladoo
	Khoya Peda
	Carrot Halwa
	Semiya Payasam – Vermicelli Pudding
	Mysore Pak
	Mango Shrikhand