Carrot Rice

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 
Hi All,

Posting the recipe for very easy and quick rice which is common for my daughter's lunch box. I always find a way to feed the carrot to my children. Let it be in soup, salad, thalipeeth, wheat dosa, rice or sambhar. Luckily my both daughters like to have the carrot like rabbits. Just wash and clean it and give them while they are playing. Carrots are always in my fridge.

A very common recipe, may be,you will get it in most of the blogs. Here is my share too...

Ingredients :

Rice - 1 cup

Carrot - 1 big  or 2 medium, cleaned, peeled and cut into thick circles.

Onion - 1 big, cleaned and chopped lengthwise

Salt to taste

Warm water to cover the rice

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

For masala powder:

Cinnamon - small piece

White pepper - 4 to6

Cloves - 3

Cardamom - 1

Bay leaf - 1 small

Take all the ingredients from masala powder, crush it to make coarse powder

Oil - 1 tbsp

Wash the rice and drain it. Keep it aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a cooker or open pan.

Add chopped onions and fry till they change the color. Add the masala powder. Fry for a minute. 

Add the carrot pieces, salt and fry for one more minute. 

Now add the rice and fry till the rice gets mixed with the masala and the color will be slightly changed.

If using cooker,

Add the warm water till the rice is covered. Give just one whistle. Let it cool. Add lime juice. Mix well and serve hot or pack for the lunch box.

If using open pan

Add warm water according to the rice. Water quantity varies with each rice quality. Usually I take 1:2 rice:water first. And after sometime, I will check the rice and adjust the water.

Once its cooked, add lime juice. 

Carrot rice is ready!

Sending this to Announcing "Healing Foods-Carrots" hosted by Suma of VEGGIE PLATTER and linking this to Siri's announcement page.

Keep Smiling,

Celebrate Sweets ~ PEDHA with Jagruti.

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

Tomorrow is  the last date of my event  

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT - CELEBRATE SWEETS~HALWA!!!!!

I want to thank everyone who has already participated in the event. And I want to request others to participate and celebrate it. 

I feel very happy to continue the series with 

  Jagruti of Joy of Cooking  

and she is celebrating " PEDHA". I hope you all will participate in her event and celebrate the sweets again.

Click here for the details.

                                               

If any one is interested to continue the series of celebrating the sweets, please leave a comment here or send me the mail. The sweet will be decided later.

Keep Smiling,

Broken wheat(or thick rava) and jaggery Halwa (ಸಜ್ಜಕಾ )

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

One more healthy  halwa from my land, North Karnataka. 

In North Karnataka, Jowar(Sorghum) rotti is a must food in villages. Women make more than 50 rottis each day and its a tiresome job. So, the new moon day or Amavasye is like a festival for them. As there will be more work like special pujas for vehicles, cows, buffaloes, tractors, rotti is skipped from their menu. Instead, they prepare only rice, rasam and this sweet, Broken wheat halwa.It is called as Sajjaka in Kannada. It is prepared using rava or thick semolina, usually smaller in size than bulgur. 

Ingredients :

Broken wheat or rava : 1 cup

Jaggery - 1 1/2 cup, grated or powdered

Ghee - 1/4 cup + 2 tsp

Nut Meg powder - 1tsp

Salt a pinch

Water - 3 cups or more to cook the rava.

Mixed nuts - 1 tbsp

Method :

Fry the rava with 2 tsp of ghee till you get the aroma

Keep water to boil.

Once it starts boiling, add the rava. Cook it for a minute. 

Add jaggery and keep on stirring for a minute

Now add salt and cook till the rava is cooked. 

Heat the ghee in a separate kadai. Fry the nuts.

Add ghee and nuts together to the boiling rava. Cook till it starts leaving the edges. 

Transfer it into a bowl and serve it with pickle and paapad. 

This can be used to make polis, called as sajjakada holige.

This is going to my event  

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT - CELEBRATE SWEETS~HALWA!!!!!

Keep Smiling,

4 ways to make Methi Paratha (Fenugreek paratha)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Methi Paratha is a very common flat bread all over India. Methi is a green leafy vegetable which is available in the whole year. It is a very common breakfast also. Whenever my mother goes for any trip or she has to travel out of station, this paratha is must for her. 

I wanted to be little creative to make these common parathas. Kept on wondering what to do??? But could not get any new idea to make it different. I added the whole grain flour and powdered nuts to make it more healthier.

Coming to the recipe,

Methi leaves - 2 bunches

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Whole grain flour - 1/4 cup

Gram flour - 1/8 cup

Powdered nuts - 1 tbsp (I always keep the almond and cashew nuts powder in the kitchen)

Crushed garlic - 1 tsp (optional)

White pepper powder - 1 tsp 

OR

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Ajwain seeds - 1/2 tsp, crushed

Oil - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Water to make the dough

Oil to fry the parathas

There are 3 ways to use methi leaves before adding.
1. Wash and boil the methi leaves. Drain and chop it. 
2. Wash the methi leaves and chop it finely. Fry it with little ghee. 
3. Wash, chop and add directly.
Each method gives different taste. So the choice is yours.

Method :

Take all the ingredients except water,  in a big wide bowl or plate. Keep on adding little water till it becomes soft dough. 

Keep it aside for 15 minutes to half an hour.

Divide the dough  in to big lime size balls. 

Keep tawa or pan to heat.

Take one ball, roll into paratha of desired size. Do not make it very thin or thick. It should be medium to make soft parathas.

Put the paratha on the pan, apply oil and fry for 15 seconds. Turn it and fry the other side. Remove and apply ghee. Store it in a box. 

Repeat with other dough balls.
This quantity makes 6 to 8 parathas.

These parathas stay good for 2 days at least. Best food to take while travelling.

I love to have these parathas with Lime and chilly pickle  or any other pickle. 
To make stuffed methi paratha,
Take the same ingredients and fry in a oil for a minute. Divide it into small balls. 
Stuff it in the chapati atta you have prepared and fry the same way you did for normal paratha.

Sending these parathas to 2 events : 

Announcing Global Kadai - Indian flavoured flatbreads ! by Sandhya of Sandhya's Kitchen

Providing the link back to Cilantro's page as per the rule.

AND

 Think Spice : Think Fenugreek BY Priya of Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes - Rajasthan A State in Western India

 Sunitha's World page

Keep Smiling,

Tomato Rasam Cubes

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

Even though I had many urgent drafts to post in my blog for events(including mine which lasts on 25th), I could not wait to post this. I was so thrilled after I tried this and clicked the photos in the afternoon. Past one week, I was thinking about these cubes, but was not able to make.

When I read the event in Jaya's blog, I wanted to participate with some different recipe. I am not sure, whether this is an unique one, but for me its new. I am not a frozen (food) person. I always love to have fresh food. But frozen foods are boon to working mothers or really busy persons. And this one is really a healthy frozen food to preserve and use it.

I have tried to put it step by step photos. 

Ingredients :

Tomato - 6 to 8, big, grated ( do not chop or puree)

Ginger -2 tbsp, grated

Curry leaves - 20

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Pepper - 1 tbsp

Hing - 1/2 tsp

Crush the cumin seeds, pepper and hing and keep aside

Lemon - 1 big

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Red Chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Fresh Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Fresh coriander powder - hand full, chopped

Heat oil in a thick bottomed deep vessel. Keep it on a medium heat. Add mustard seeds and wait till seeds splutter. 

Add grated ginger, curry leaves and crushed powder. Fry it for a minute. 

Add grated tomato. Fry for 2 minutes. 

Now add salt, sugar, turmeric powder,red chilly powder and fresh coriander powder. Mix it properly and let it cook for 5 minutes. 

Add Lime juice and fresh coriander. 

Cook for few more minutes. 

DO NOT ADD WATER AS THIS HAS TO BE PRESERVED. Check the taste. It should be strong and spicy as we are going to add water to the cubes to make it into rasam. So adjust the seasoning according to your taste.

Allow it to cool. Fill in the ice cube tray.

Try to take the tray with the lid or cover as the curry smell will get into the freezer. If you do not have lid, cover it with foil.

Keep it in the freezer for 6 to 8 hours. Or according to the capacity of your fridge. 

Once set, Remove the cubes.

Store in a air tight jar in the freezer. You can keep it for a week to 10 days at least.

This quantity makes 8 big cubes. You can vary the quantity according to your requirement.

When ever you need to make rasam, remove the required cubes. Boil the water in a vessel (1:2) Add the cubes and cook for few minutes. Adjust the seasoning. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve it with hot rice.

These cubes are going to the event  Back to basics  held by Jaya of  Desi Soccer Mom . 

AND

PJ'S ONGOING EVENT

Healing Foods -Event Announcement which is started by Siri  (Healing foods)

Keep Smiling,

Green gram halwa

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I am really an absent minded person. I thought last date for event is July 31st!! Suddenly I saw it now that I have set it as July 25th!!!

Here is my one more try on halwa. It is not very delicious but a very healthy as I have used Green gram flour to make it.

Green gram flour is common in my house. We prepare rotti, thali peeth, laddus and jhunka or pitla or Curry. I use it in making dosas. But I have never tries the halwa with this. So thought of giving it a try. I loved the taste. But you are not used of the smell of green gram you may not like it. I think its good for kids as its healthy one.

I tried in with a very little quantity as I was not sure about the taste.

Giving the recipe :

Green gram flour - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp+ 1 tsp

Cashew nuts - 1 tbps, chopped

Salt pinch or less

Water - 1 cup

Take the gram flour in a microwave safe dish and keep on HIGH for 30 seconds.(I tried to roast it directly in tawa on heat, it got burnt)

Keep it aside.

Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashew nuts. keep aside.

Take water and sugar in a thick bottomed vessel and keep it to boil. When starts boiling, add the gram flour. Here, you should be quick to stir it continuously otherwise lumps will be formed and its difficult to remove the lumps later.

OR

Take little cold water, put the flour in it and mix it properly to remove lumps. Add this to boiling water.

Keep on stirring. Add cardamom powder. Add 1 tsp of ghee. Cook it for few minutes without leaving it. It will start leaving the sides. Off the heat, add fried nuts with ghee. Mix it and allow it to cool. Halwa is ready to eat.

This for my event, EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT - CELEBRATE SWEETS~HALWA!!!!!

Keep Smiling,

Sprouted whole moth Dry sabji (ಮಡಕೆ ಕಾಳು ಪಲ್ಲ್ಯೆ )

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

In North Karnataka,  in particular marriages, this sprouted whole moth dry masala is must along with, brinjal and onion masala, all types of dry chutney powders and curds. Giving you the recipe for the same :

It is called madake kaalu (ಮಡಕೆ ಕಾಳು ಪಲ್ಲ್ಯೆ) in Kannada. Very healthy and easy to prepare. It goes well with hot chapati, peanut chutney powder and curds. I love the combination.

To sprout the moong :

Whole moth - 1 cup

Wash and soak it in water for 8 hours. Drain the water. Tie it in a white cloth for one day. or keep in a bowl covered.  It may take more time in cold weather. 

You will get sprouted moth ready to cook.


Ingredients :

Sprouted moth - 1 cup

Onion - 1 medium, cleaned and cubed

Curry leaves few

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Green chilly - 2 finely chopped

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder - a pinch or 1/2 chopped tomato

Sugar - 1 tsp

Fresh Coriander - 1 tbsp chopped

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Fresh coriander to garnish

Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and wait to splutter. Add cumin seeds, curry leaves, onions and green chilly. Fry for 2 minutes. Now add salt, tamarind paste and turmeric powder. MIx it and add sprouted moong. Fry for a minute. Add sugar.Sprinkle little water. Cover and cook on medium heat till the moong gets tender. If you feel the water is less add in between and keep on stirring. It may take 8 to 10 minutes to get tender. Adjust the seasoning.

Do not over cook, it may make the moong like rubber. 

Garnish it with fresh coriander and serve with chapati or roti or just like that.

 Sending this to two events :

Priya's Announcing Let's Sprout - A New Event

AND

Siri's My Legume Love Affair (MLLA) # 25 - an event annoucement and linking this to  Susan's main MLLA host line up 

Keep Smiling,

Two sweets and one Savory - Remixed and reposted for the event

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

July month is going to end... Festivals are in queue! All will be busy in making sweets for the festivals. Its really a good idea to think of the sweets we will make for each festival and keep the recipe in hand. Most of the times, each festival has a particular sweet to prepare. Check this site for details. Good collection of recipes for each festival.. blessingsonthenet

I am reposting two of my sweet preparations and one savory item for the event EFM - Sweets and Savories for Diwali Series! held by Sri of  Me and My Kitchen

 

The First one is, Peanut Gujiya 

Here is a sweet, which is usually prepared during Diwali. Gujiya or Karchikai is very common sweet in India. And the stuffing differs in each state and each region.

Giving you the recipe,

All purpose flour - 250 gm

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Milk - 2 tbsp

Oil - 1tbsp

Mix all with little water to make into soft dough, cover it with moist cloth. Keep it aside for an hour.

For stuffing,

Peanut - 1 cup, roasted. Remove the skin and clean it

Jaggery - 1 cup or less, depending on the sweetness of the jaggery

Dry Coconut, grated - 2 tbsp, roasted

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Oil to fry

                                 

First, dry grind the peanuts for one round to make it coarse powder. Then add the jaggery, cardamom powder and coconut. Grind it again to make smooth powder. Transfer it into a bowl and add salt, mix it nicely.

Divide all purpose flour in to equal small lemon size balls. Roll into oval shape of palm size. Take one tbsp of ready peanut powder mix and put it slowly in the middle of  rolled puri.  Close it to neatly and bind it with water to give gujia shape. Repeat with other balls. 

Heat the oil in a kadai. When its hot, keep it on medium flame and fry all the gujiyas in batches.

You can store it for a week or 10 days.

The second one is, Sweet Coconut Rice

Coming to the recipe,

Rice(any variety which stays firm after cooking,) - 1 bowl (cooked)

Sugar - 3/4th bowl

Fresh coconut - 1 bowl(grated)

Ghee - 3/4th bowl

Cashew nuts and raisins - 6 each cut into pieces

Salt - a pinch

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in thick bottomed pan. Fry the nuts and keep aside. In the same pan, add coconut. Fry for a minute. Add sugar. Mix well and let it cook till the sugar is dissolved with coconut. Add half of the ghee.Do not let it boil. Once, both are mixed properly, add the cooked rice immediately. You should be  always with the dish, stirring it always on medium flame. Now add some more ghee, salt and cardamom powder. Cook it only for one minute. Remove it from the fire. Add fried nuts. Mix it nicely and transfer in to serving bowl. If you delay, then it will become hard.

The sweet coconut rice is ready to serve.

The savory item is, Green chilly crispy poha

It is a must in our house to serve with other dry sweets. 

Thin poha - 250gm

Oil - 1/4 cup or less

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Peanut - 1/4cup

Dalia - 1/4 cup

Curry leaves - 15 to 20

Green chilly - 3 to 4, slit and cut in to two

Hing - a pinch

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Sugar - 1 tbsp

Add oil in a kadai.Wait till the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When splutter add cumin seds, peanut and curry leaves. Fry for sometime till peanut changes its color to golden color. Be careful as it may burn of if you delay or move away from kadai.

Now add green chilly and hing. Fry for half a minute. Add dalia and sesame seeds. Fry for half a minute. Off the heat. Keep on stirring. Now add Salt, turmeric powder. Let it cool.

Add the cleaned poha and sugar. Mix it properly. 

Take little quantity and transfer it into microwave safe bowl. (If you take more quantity, all the poha will not become crispy) Keep it on HIGH or 100% and run it for 30 seconds to one minute. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes.  Repeat with remaining poha. You will get crispy poha to eat.

Keep Smiling,