Evergreen combination!!(Remixed and Reposted for the event)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita,

Hi All,

Only yesterday, I came to know about Sara's ongoing event! I wanted to participate but do not have much time to prepare something new and post it. So remixing and reposting my  2 favorite dishes where Jeera or Cumin seeds play the major role to make that recipe a big hit. And  I will eat these at any time! I had a recipe for Sambhar masala where Cumin seeds is the main ingredient. I will post it soon, but not for the event! Sorry.

Without much introduction, I am reposting the details.

First one is, Burnt Jeera Dal : (I am reposting it for 2nd time. I hope it is ok to send it to the event!)

Here the jeera must be burnt and the flavour of burnt jeera with flavour of dal is toooooo good to resist!!!

Toor dal or yellow moong dal - 1 cup(Boiled and mashed)

Tomato - 1/2 chopped length wise

Long dry red chillies - 4 to 5Jeera - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Haldi - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp(you can skip this and add 2 tbsp oil)

Coriander - 2 tbsp to garnish

 Heat the kadai, add jeera and let them become black or almost burnt.

Immediately put oil and ghee. After few seconds, and red chillies, haldi, salt and then red chillies.

now add tomato and let it cook for 2 minutes.

Add toor dal or moong dal. Add little water and let it boil for a minute.

Check the salt and adjust according to your taste.

If you like, you can add 1 tsp lemon juice after you off the gas.

Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with hot rice.

Second one is Plain Jeera Rice :

Long grain basmati or any other type rice - 200 gm

Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Tej Patta - 1

Salt to taste

Water to cook the rice

Wash the rice and drain it and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Heat oil and ghee in a cooker.

Add Jeera and fry for 10 seconds. Add Tej patta(bay leaf) and immediately add rice. Fry it for a minute. Add salt and water till the rice is covered. Cover the lid and give just one whistle. Allow the cooker to cool.

Enjoy this great combination with paapad and pickle.

Sending this to   sara(of Sara's Corner)'s event CWS - Cumin Seeds Event, which was given by  Priya of (Priya's Easy and Tasty Recipes). So linking this to  Priya's Event link.

Keep Smiling,

My Holidays in Pune - Part I, A book and many movies(Review)!!!!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita,

Hi All,

Summer holidays!!!

I will not write a long post to make you all bore! but I really want to share with you my holiday experience. So giving you the details in short with photos(where ever possible)

It is always compulsory that I must read at least one book when I am there in Pune! This time it was an Autobiography :

                     Iacocca: An Autobiograph...                                                                

Very inspiring and interesting story. Its a must read for everyone. This time I took more time to finish this book,as I was busy in watching movies!! It gives you good knowledge about cars, Auto Industry and about Ford and Chrysler companies!!! and about a powerful man behind all these!!!                                                                                             (image link here)

Next thing I did was, watched many movies which were in my list for many years, I would love to give you the list and very short detail about the movies. I know I may not a right person to criticize such a big projects or people. Even though, my language is not so good,still I want to share my views with you all.

Please feel free to leave any comment if you want to:

1. Mamma Mia : A romantic and musical story, where Meryl Streep looks beautiful as usual!! ( I just love to keep on watching her whenever she comes on screen). I loved the music and everything. It is a story of a girl who is going to marry soon, but she wishes her father should come and giveaway, and she is not sure who is her father, she invites 3 men, whom she is sure that one among them is her father. Very emotional story! The suspense at the end makes you also sing  "Mamma Mia". Melodious song.   (image link here)

2. The bucket list : What will you do, when you know that you are going to die within few months???? This is where the story lies. 2 men will decide to make a list to the things before they die, including fighting the fears that they lived with all their life. Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson has played their character very well. I always liked Morgan Freeman and I enjoyed Jack Nicholson's character in this movie.                                                           (image link here)

3. Kramer vs. Kramer : The original movie of Hindi movie " Akele hum Akele tum" Wonderful drama, and again Meryl streep in this movie too. She looks so different in this movie. 

                                                                                                                      (image link here)

4. One fine day : Again a romantic and a comedy movie. The fights between Michellle Pfeiffer  and George Clooney keeps you smiling!! till the end!      (image link here)    

5. My Fair Lady : What a classic movie!! A 1964 movie, which won 8 Academy awards!!!

I was in trans for 2 days after watching it. Audrey Hepburn looks so gorgeous and beautiful. The way she sings "enry iggins, just you wait" is so funny, the way speaks English,  you will fall in love with her!! and I loved Rex Harrison and his arrogant acting. He looks so handsome. I watched it twice in three days of time!!                             (imgae link here)

6. Gone with the wind : Great movie on American Civil war which grabbed 10 academy awards. It is a romantic movie, a story mainly concentrated on a lady(Scarlett O'hara played by Vivien Leigh)  and her struggle for her love(First love: Ashley Wilkes played by Leslie Howard and the last love : Rhett Butler, played by Clark Gable ( A very handsome hero of that time))and her country and her life! It takes you in to a different world. It is almost 230 minutes long but you will not feel bore at any time!!A must watch movie! image link here                                    

7. Good Will Hunting : A story about a boy who has some special gift for maths. Matt Damon looks good in the movie and even Robin Willams is very good, as usual.  

                                                                                                                                          ( image link here)            




Coming to the kids movie, which I enjoyed with my daughter :
( I did not watched few other movies) 
1. The Princess dairies - Part II, 
2. The Ice Princess , lovely movie on ice skating
3. Shrek

4. Wizard of oz : a 1939 movie, but I promise you that it is for all ages and in any age!!

Think of those years, where the technology was still a baby!  and you can see the beautiful sets and magical cinematography and everything. Please allow your child to watch it once at least. It will take you and your child into a different world and you will feel so fresh after seeing the movie. (no comments about today's kids movies  )                                                                                               (image link here)

I hope you got the time to go through the reviews. and I did not make you sleepy!!! 

I will be back with part II with foodie photos which I had in Pune!!! 

Keep Smiling,

Sausage and onion masala fry

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

If  I ask my daughter that what she misses from Sharjah, first thing it comes in her mind is Sausage!! She loved to eat sausage, plain boiled, barbecued or sausage stuffed pizza and this one.  I learnt this Sausage and onion masala fry from my co-sister Archana.  And when I had it first time, I just fell in love with it, even though Sausage is not my so favorite food.

This photo is actually taken in Sharjah, when I prepared it there!! But somehow, I went on postponing the posting! Now here is the recipe for those who likes sausage and get in your place. We do not get sausages in our place  

Ingredients I have used here,

Chicken sausage - 1 pack (I used to get frozen one from the store)

De freeze the sausages or bring into room temperature.  Boil in a water  for few minute. Drain the water and cut into round slices and keep aside.

Onion - 1 big, sliced

Green Chilly - 1 slit

Curry leaves - 10 to 12

Salt to taste, (use less as there will be salt in the sausages)

Oil - 1 tbsp

Haldi - 1tsp

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp(optional)

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Procedure to make : 

Add oil in a thick bottomed kadai. Add cumin seeds and onion. Fry till onions change the color. Add curry leaves, green chilly and fry till the onions turn brown. Add sausages and other dry powders. Mix well and cook for few minutes to make sure the masala mixes well with sausages. Remove from fire and add lime juice. Mix well.

Indianized sausage is ready to serve hot with chapati or rice or just as a starter!!

Served for 2 to 3 persons

Keep smiling,

Green chilly fries(ಬಾಳಕದ ಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I think I delayed posting this recipe as this is prepared in summer and kept for a year. This is also a very common summer preparation with paapad and other fryums. We call it 'baalakad menasina kai" and have it in our regular meals. But as all of you know that I was in Pune for than a month. Actually I had kept few recipes in my draft thinking that I will post them regularly. But my brother's house computer was under repair and I did not get much time to use his personal laptop when he was at home in the evenings.( talking, going out!!!) This time was a real holiday for me. Soon, I will come with details about my holidays in Pune.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH ME WHEN I WAS NOT POSTING REGULARLY.

Coming to this recipe,  these type of green chillies are available only during February and March month. So it is perfect to prepare these in Summer as these chillies need sundry. 

Fresh long green chilly - 1 kilo

Fresh yogurt or curds - 1/2 kilo, adjust less or more as per required

Salt to taste

Hing - 1 tbsp or a pea nut size(crushed) if using hard hing

Long thick needle to slit the chillies

Wash the green chillies and dry with soft towel or cloth to remove any water. Slit all the chillies on one side so that the curd gets mixed.

Transfer the curd in a big plastic or glass bowl. 

Add salt and hing. Mix it well.

Add slit green chillies in to it and with a wooden spatula or bare hands(if you can bear the pain later :-)  ) mix the chillies with curds.

This should be prepared in the morning so that you can keep it to dry. 

Spread a thick cleaned plastic sheet in a place where there is lot of sun rays. Take only the chillies(leave the curds in a bowl itself and keep it covered)and spread these on the plastic sheet. Allow to dry till evening. In the evening, again put the chillies back into curds. Mix it properly and keep it till next morning. Again take only chillies and put to dry like previous day. Repeat it for 3 days. From 4th day, dry the chillies till they are totally dry. This may take 2 days depending on the weather. Once the chillies are dry, the color will also change to brown. 

Store in air tight container (good plastic or glass will be fine ). You can store it for a year also.

When ever required, take the chillies out and fry in hot oil. Use it with rice, chapati as a side dish.

Soon I will post a recipe using these chillies.

Keep Smiling,