TOMATO BASIL PASTA

I am so happy to be a part of online baby shower to PJ. After lots of discussions we decided to make some dishes from her blog. I decided to make this  tomato basil pasta. she had used fresh basil , i have replaced with dried basil.



INGREDIENTS

Cooked pasta  - 1 cup
tomato  - 2 big ones
chili powder  1/2 tsp
basil - 1tbsp
garlic -  2 minced
salt to taste
butter

Method
1. cook pasta as per instructions.

1. In a pan heat butter and add garlic.

Blanch the tomato and make a puree, add this to the garlic.add chili powder and salt to this.

When it is cooked add the cooked pasta to this and cook till its coated.

Garnish with grated cheese and then serve.

SUKHAM AYU FOR ICC

This reciepe is very new to me and tried this for ICC for this month. It came out well and it is delicious. I will post the recipe later.

This is how i served my kids.

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KASHMIRI DUM ALOO FOR ICC

Dum Aloo is one of my favourtie.When Valli annonced  for ICCI was very happy to try this, and it came out well and my kids loved it. i just peeled the skin of then potatoes.

VARO FOR ICC

Varo , this sweet I have tasted but I have not tried. When valli have announced as this month's challenge , I was thrilled to try it out. I have followed simply sindhi Recipe.

Ingredients

Sliced nuts like cashew nuts, Almonds, pistachios, Walnuts,  - 1 cup

Khus Khus - 1 Tbsp

sugar - 1cup

Elachi Powder - 1/4 tsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Method

• Slice the nuts and mix well.
• in a pan heat the sugar and ghee , when it melts and caramelised to a light brown colour add the nuts , khus khus and elachi powder.
• When it thickens transfer into a greased plate and make slices.

MANAOHARAM FOR ICC

Manoharam is a favourite sweet of our family. My mom makes this during krishanjayanthi and karthigai.  My son love this. I made this during krishnajayanthi.

It is a wonderful recipe in ICC

Ingredients
Rice – 4 cups


Moongdhall – ½ cup


Urad dhall- ½ cup

Oil for frying


Jaggery – 1 cup

Elachi powder – one generous pinch





Method

1. combine rice, moongdhall, urad dhall and grind it as flour.


2. Make murukku out of that without adding salt.

3. Crush the murukku.


4. If the crushed murukku is one cup , take jaggery 1/2 cup.

5. Make a thick jagerry syrup, if you pour one drop in water you should be able to roll as ball.


6. Mix the crushed murukkus and make small balls .

VADI / LENTIL DUMPLINGS FOR ICC

I have made aloo and vadi subzi when i was working in Delhi. That time i bought the vadis form shop. For ICC i am made the vadi. i followed the recipe given by Valli. I am not able to download the dried vadi phots. so i am posting with the wet ones. will upload the dried one soon.





Ingredients

Urad dhall - 500 gms
White pumpkin - 375 gms
Ginger & coriander - 125 gms
Black elachi 50 - 60 gms
Panch puran - 60 gms
Red chilim - 200 gms
Pepper powder - 100 gms
Saunf seeds - 60 gms
Cloves - 25 gms
Cumin seeds - 25 gms
cummin powder - 10 gms
black cumin seeds - 25 gms
1/4 of nut meg
mace powder - 1 tsp
hing - 15 gm
cinnamon powder - 15 gm


Method

Coarsely grind Uradm dhall. soak in enough water to cover 1/2 inch above the dal and leave for couple of hours. It will become a thick batter.

Make a shallow pit in the centre by removing some mix, add hing in the pit. and cover with the mix you have taken it out.
Leave ovbernight to raise.
Clean pumpkin and grate it. Squeeze the water and add to the dahll.
Grind ginger, green chili and coarinder leaves.
Add all the spices into the dhall.

Mix well and beat vigorously. you can add little water , if it is thick. If you drop the batter in a cup of water it should float.

Drop small portions on a plastic sheet or in a plate.

Dry in the sun.

PANI PURI FOR ICC

Gol gappa is my favourite. when i was working in Delhi i used to have daily on the streets. After coming to Chennai i have to really search for nice golgappa , Gangothri's gol gappa is awesome,

when Valli announced this challenge i was thrilled to make and taste.

for Gol gappa



Suji 1/2 cup

Maida 3 tbsp

salt to taste

oil 1 tsp

oli for deep frying

Method

Mix maida, suji, oil and salt and make a dough. keep it aside for 15 minutes and make small puri's and deep fry it.

For Potato filling

Potatoes - 2

red chilli powder and salt as per taste

Pressure cook the potates , peel the skin and mash well. Mix chili powder and salt. I added some coriander leaves.

For spicy water

Mint leaves - 1/2 cup

corainder leaves few

1 small ball of tamarind

green chili, ginger

cummin powder black salt

blend all the ingredients to a fine paste and add water and refrigerate.\

Tamarind chutney

Tamarind extract - 1 cup

jaggery - 1/2 cup

sugar - 2 tbsp

red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

warm water

cumin seeds - 1 tsp

clove - 1

Method

Dry roast the cummin seeds and cloves and ground to powder. Mix tamarind extract, jaggery, sugar, red chili powder, grounded powder and boil in a pan.when it becomes thick switch off and let it cool. blend it.

Serving Gol Gappa

Make a small hole on the puri and stuff the mashed potoato and sprinkle the chutney and dip in to the wpicy water and enjoy the taste.

SAGO MURUKKU FOR ICC

Murukku is a yummy snack liked by all. This sago murukku is a new one to me, and it tasted yummy. I can't make perfect shapes, but next time I am going to follow Lataji who has powdered the sago . Thanks for Srivalli for this wonderful recipe.

Ingredients

Rice flour - 1 cup

Sago - 1/4 cup

Besan - 1/4 cup

Fried gram powder - 1/4 cup

chili powder , salt to taste.

curd for soaking the sago.

oil for frying

Method

Soak the sago in the buttermilk for 3 hours.

Mix all the flour , soaked sago with buttermilk , chili powder and salt. Add water if it is necessary, heat two spoon of oil and mix with the flour.

Make murukku with murukku presser.

ATHIRASAM FOR ICC

I have not tried Athirasam in home, when Srivalli for ICC announced i am so happy to try. But I was not so confident that in can make it good. Luckily my mom came and we both made this. In fact she did lot and I helped her.

Ingredients

Rice flour - 1 glass

jaggery - 1/2 glass

coconut grated - 2 tsp

Cardamon powder - 1/4 tsp

water - 1/2 glass

Oil for frying



Method



Grate the jaggery and add water to cover it.cook onhigh flame and remove the scum. Once it starts boiling add the grated coconut and the cardamon powder.
when it boils add the rice flour slowly and make a dough.
Make small discs out of the dough using a greased plastic sheet.
Heat the oil in a kadai and deep fry the athirasam.

MOONGDHAL HALWA FOR ICC

Wish you a very happy Pongal. this is the first time i am trying this halwa. I made it on the pongal day. It tasted Yum!! I have just followed the recipe No. 2 given by Simran, and lataji has given awesome tips, i just followed it. Thanks Valli to choose this recipe.




INGREDIENTS



Split (Yellow) Moong dhal - 1 cup
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cups to 1 cup (as per required sweetness)
Milk - 1/2 cup (Notes from Lataji - instead of water for the sugar, this gives the khoya added taste, Simran's recipe asked for water)
Cashews/ raisins roasted in ghee for garnish


METHOD

Soak 1 cup moong dal overnight.

Next morning, grind to a paste.

Heat a heavy Kadai, take initially only 1/2 of the ghee and heat it
.
Add the dhal and stir continuously, not allowing lumps to form. This part is very tricky as the dhal cooks really fast, irrespective of the ghee.

Keep the heat at the lowest and keep stirring even after the dhal becomes thick.Add the rest of the ghee intermittently and cook the dhal until aromatic and the ghee starts oozing out.

Meanwhile mix the sugar with water/ milk in a pan and bring to a boil.

Add this slowly to the cooking dhal.Keep the fir low at all times and break lumps if formed while adding the sugar and water/ milk mix.Cook until the ghee surfaces.

Garnish with cashews and raisins.

GULAB JAMOON FOR ICC

Hi Friends, I am back with a sweet recipe. in Chennai it is raining heavily. Last week my kids and my hubby got cold , cough etc and some days my Internet was not working i could not post anything or visit all your blogs. Sorry and i will visit your blogs soon.

Gulab jamoon from the scratch is new to me , i tried according to the recipe given by the yum blog in the ICC. It came out well.





Ingredients

Khova – 11/2 cups/ 1 recipe

Maida – 1 cup

Sugar – 3 cups (if you want excess syrup i.e floating jamuns increase by a cup)

Water – 1 cup (increase if you’re increasing sugar)

Cooking Soda – 3 pinches

Cardamom – 4 pods

saffron leaves – a few

Oil – 1 cup (for deep frying


Method

1. Combine sugar and water in a flat bottomed broad pan and simmer on a low heat until sugar dissolves. Add cardamom powder and saffron leaves and remove from fire.

2. Knead khova, maida and soda and quickly shape into balls.

3. Heat oil on a medium flame. Fry the jamuns till golden brown over a low to medium flame, keeping oil temperature uniform. Oil should not smoke.

4. Drain the jamuns and soak in the warm sugar syrup.

Making of Khova.

Lataji has given awesome steps to follow and i did that.


8 cups of milk will condense to 1&1/2 cup khova
1 cup maida
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup ghee for frying
All of the above should be measured in the same cup.


1. Heat the milk in a heavy bottomed kadai.Put some spoons to avoid burning.

2. After 2 to 3 hours your milk will turn like this khova.

ENTRIES FOR CFK WHEAT

All these Entries are taking part in CFk - wheat hosted by sireesha started by sharmi.



NUTRITIOUS BROKEN WHEAT PULAO





WHEAT VEG MOMOS





POORI MASALA / POORI ALOO





Palak Roti.




Aloo Paratha

CHICKPEA PARATHA

BROKEN WHEAT/ DHALIYA PORRIDGE

MIX VEGETABLE PARATHA

JANTIKALU OR MURUKU FOR ICC AND AWARDS

Murukku is everybody's all time favourite. I have tried mixtures and some other types of murrukku in home , but this thenkugal I am trying for the first time and it came out well. I prepared as per the recipe of Srivalli for ICC.








Ingredients Needed:




Raw Rice - 4 cups



Urad Dal - 1 cup


Water - app 1/2 cup or more



For Seasoning



Cumin seeds - 1 tsp


Sesame seeds- 1 tsp


Asafetida/ Hing - 1/2 tsp


Salt to taste


Butter - 75 gms




Method to prepare:



Wash and drain the rice. Shade dry the Rice for 1/2 hr.





Dry roast the Urad dal to light brown.


Allow it to cool.


If you are using more quantity, you can get it ground in rice mil, else use your mixie to grind both Rice and Urad dal.First grind rice into a fine flour, keep it aside. then grind the urad dal to fine powder.



In a wide vessel, take both the flours along with salt. Mix well. Add cumin, Sesame seeds to the flour, mix well.Whether you use Asafetida powder or the solid ones, you got to mix it in water, make sure it is dissolved before adding to the flour. If its not dissolved properly, when deep frying the muruku, there are chances for the hing to burst our due to air bubbles.Mix in the hing to the flour and finally add the butter. Gather everything well and you will get more of a crumbling mixture. Now slowly add water and knead a dough which is little more softer than the puri dough.



Heat a kadai with oil enough to deep fry. Once the oil is hot enough, simmer to low flame.Take the Muruku Aachu, wash and wipe it clean. Then divide the dough into equal balls.



Fill the Muruku maker with the dough. You can either press it directly over the flames or press over a paper and gently slide it down the hot oil. But since the quantity mentioned here is less, you can press it directly over the kadai



.Cook over medium flame, using a slotted spoon, turn it over to other side to ensure both sides turn golden colour. You will know by seeing the colour that its cooked. Remove to a kitchen paper and store it in a air tight container.






Lata Raja has passed me this honest scrap. Thank you Lata.I am so sorry for posting late.






My 10 honest scrap.

1. Love to move with lots of people and make friends.

2. Love to help others.

3. I am little short tempered but will cool down soon.

4. i don't keep anything in my mind , if i feel something is not correct I will tell them, but sometimes I feel it is not good.

5. Love to spend time in the kitchen and try different dishes.

6. Love to have a collection of sarees and salwars, and matching accessories.

7. Sewing is my hobby and now I have to start again.

8. My favourite hobby is to read books and watching reality shows.

9. Like to watch all kamal hassan movies. (Unnai pol oruvan is due

10. I am so attached with my parents, hubby and children. My kids are my world. ( Mostly all girls will be like this).




Sangi has passed me this award on her 100th post, Sorry sangi I have posted late. Thanks Sangi I am honoured.

ENTRIES FOR FESTIVE FOOD EVENT

All these entries are taking part in Purva's Ganesh chathurthi Event.


KADALAI URNADAI / PEANUT BALLS

APPAM

PORI URANDAI / RICE FLAKES URANDAI

RICE TAPIACO VADAI

RAVA URNDAI

MANOHARAM

ENTRIES FOR SIDE DISH EVENT

Chapathi is a favourite food in our house. These entries are taking part in Viki's side dishes for chapathi event.



POTATO KURMA

DOUBLE BEANS GRAVY

ROTI AND RAJMA

BHINDHI DHO PYASA / OKHRA SUBZI

KADHI PAKODI

PEANUT MASALA

MIX VEG KURMA AND CUCUMBER BUTTERMILK

BAINGAN KA BHARTHA

KHAMAN DHOKLA FOR INDIAN COOKING CHALLENGE & CELEBRATING MY BLOG ANNIVERSERY

This is my first entry for the Indian cooking challenge started by Srivalli. I have never made Dhokla in home , first time i have made it came out well. I have followed the recipe and instructions given by Valli. Thanks Valli.

For Batter:

Bengal Gram flour / Besan - 250 gms (1 & 1/2 cup)Curd - 1/2 cup (not very sour)Water - 1/2 cup Cooking Soda - 1/2 tsp

For seasoning to be mixed to the batter (to be added just before cooking)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric a pinch.
Chili paste - 1 - 2 long (as per taste)
Sugar - 1 tsp
Citric acid - quarter tsp (I used lime juice)
Eno - 1 packet (green colour fruit lime) + sprinkle or dust few bits on the plate

For tempering

Sesame seeds Mustard Seeds Curry leaves Grated coconut Coriander leaves
Little water + Oil to be topped on dhoklas


Method to prepare:

Mix first 1/2 cup curds with 1/2 water. To this add the besan and mix well to get a lump less batter, the consistency should be of idli batter, more of dropping not pouring consistency. Slowly add more water if needed else, add the soda. Keep it aside to rise for 1 hour.

To the batter mix in the citric acid, oil, salt, sugar, green chili paste and turmeric powder. Mix well. This has to be done just before pouring to the plate.

Meanwhile have the pan on stove, and let the water start boiling. When the water reaches the rolling stage, you can mix the eno to the batter (Save little of eno for dusting on the plate), mix gently, you will see bubbles coming out.

Dust or sprinkle the plate with eno. Then immediately pour the batter to the plate. Place the plate carefully inside the pressure pan and cover with lid. You need not use the whistle. After covering you will find steam coming out of the outlet, simmer and don't disturb for almost 5 -7 minutes.

After 5 -7 minutes, remove the lid and proof it using toothpick or knife. If the knife comes out clean and does not have any batter sticking, then its done. Cover back and let it remain on flame for 1 min and switch off the gas and allow it for 5 minutes.

In a bowl, mix 3 tsp of water along with a tsp of oil Remove the plate from the pan, pour the water and oil mix over the top.

For seasoning, heat a pan with oil, add curry leaves, sesame seeds, mustard seeds and finely chopped green chilies. When mustard starts popping, remove and pour over the dhokla

IT'S A BIG ONE

My blog turned one. Even though I was in this blog world from June , I started my own blog in July. I have learnt lots of recipes , made lots of friends. i enjoy blogging. I am so thankful to all my friends for the support and encouragement , and request in future also.

I specially thank my Sil Vibaas for introducing me to this blog world.

I prepared this rava payasam for the celebration.

MY 100TH POST - MILK BURFI

A Small Thank You Note

I am so happy to post my 100th post. I thought I will celebrate it , by giving a feast for eyes to all by blogger friends. My sil Vibaas started her blog, I really don’t know what is blog etc before I saw her blog. I was so exicted and ask her about that, can I do something like this. She included me in her blog as author, and I was contributing recipes there. She told me if you want to have your own space, you start a blog, I will help you. Really I am so lucky to have a sister in law like her, lots of things she helped me. She uploaded widgets for me, she taught me how to send entries to events etc. I learnt a lot and got so many blogger friends, lots of recipes.

Thanks everyone , for the support given and encouragement. I should make even more friends in future.


This sweet is my mom’s signature dish. She prepares a lot during diwali period. I tried once when I got married and this is my second time. I added slightly less sugar , the burfi’s had awesome milk flavour, but it was slightly chewy. My kids called it as milky bar Chew ( One variety in Cadbury Chocolate). If you add more sugar the burfy will be hard like other burfi’s. Every one like this but it is little time consuming, but its really worth trying.

Ingredients

Milk – 4 cups
Sugar – 1 cup ( I used ¾ cup)
Ghee for greasing the plate


Method

Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan and keep in a low flame. Let it boil nicely.when it becomes thick and the quantity is reduced into half add sugar.

Stir it , so that it wont stick at the bottom of the vessel.

When It become thick, stir continuously , drop it in the greased plate, if you can roll it like a ball, it is ready you can transfer to the greased plate, and when make pieces.

This burfi is taking part in Recipes for rest of us - Desserts hosted by Varsha and Ramki.

This recipe I learnt if from my mom, Patti's (Grandma) Burfi for Janani/ Gautham , so it goes to Cooking for kids with love hosted by Pritya.

Also, this entry goes to cooking with luv for luv hosted by Priyanaka and just for you by Alka.

Entries for the event

All these entries are easy to make and simple. These are going to take part in Recipes for rest of us - Desserts hosted by Varsha and Ramki.

1. Besan Kheer

2. Aval Kesari

3. Pal Kozhakattai

4. Sabudhana Moongdhall Kheer

5. Nenthrampazam Halwa

6. Sabhudhaba coconut milk Payasam / kheer

7. Maida Halwa