PASTA WITH HOMEMADE WHITE SAUCE

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Prepared this in monsoon and writing the post now.

Pasta, being an Italian dish, is also the  most favorite food of Indians. Kids love pasta in any form. And I love the colors and shapes of Pasta.  Even we Indians make pasta since many years. If you are from North Karnataka, you must be knowing about "GULAGI", "PARADI", "SAVATE BEEJA" and our own "SHAAVIGE(SEVIYAN)". We use these to prepare sweet dishes. These are our Indian Pasta.

Coming to today's recipe, It's the most easiest, quickest and yummiest  food to serve when you are in a hurry and hungry both. My elder daughter loves Pasta. I always make Pasta Masala- Indian style.  But don't know why I never tried this white sauce with pasta. Last month I bought a ready sauce packet and prepared. Though it tasted great, I was not happy. As you know me, I avoid processed food as much as possible. Other day  when my daughter demanded to prepare pasta, I thought of making the white sauce at home.

I was so happy as it tasted exactly the same what we get in the restaurants. I used ready pizza herb mix for the flavor.

Now, coming to the recipe,

Serves 2

For Pasta :

Pasta of any shape and size - 2 cups

Cook  the pasta by following the instructions given on the packet. And keep it ready after draining the water.

For white sauce :

All purpose flour (maida) 2 tbsp

Butter - 5 tbsp

Cold or room temperature Milk -  1 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Use less salt if your butter is salted one.

Black pepper powder 1 TSP or less. 

Mixed herb - 1 TSP

Method :

Take thick bottomed pan and keep it on the stove. Add the butter when hot. Keep on a medium flame. When butter melts add the APF flour slowly and mix it properly. Remove the lumps and wait till the raw smell goes. Now add the milk slowly in batches. Keep in stirring to avoid any lumps. Very important step. And be sure to boil it on slow flame. Add salt and pepper. Mix and boil till you get the thick sauce consistency. Keep it aside. 

Take the boiled pasta in a vessel. Add the sauce to it and mix gently. Boil it on low flame for a minute or till you see the bubbles. Add herbs and serve immediately.

This tastes good only when hot. This is My plain white sauce pasta which my elder daughter loves anytime. 

Keep smiling,

VEGETABLE MASALA SANDWICH for PPCS (FOOD REMAKE)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

PARTY TIME FOLKS. Copying or imitating is easy and legal :-), I am here with a simplest snack of any time of the day. SANDWICH. I think Sandwich is the only food which has most of the variations of filling. You can fill any thing in between those square slices, have it just like that or toast it, roast it... Tastes awesome.

Today I am here with the healthy sandwich. Its VEGETABLE MASALA SANDWICH   which I have copied from my this month's partner Manjula Kanted of http://www.desifiesta.com/

Though I knew it before but was lazy to try it, Thanks to Manjula and Jagruti for giving me this opportunity to try this yummy sandwich. Its easy for those whose kids don't like vegetables.

The filling is a veg masala which we make for Pav bhaji. Make the bhaji thick and fill it in between white, brown or any bread slices.

We had it toasted in a toaster, my hubby had it plane only with butter,

It was really tasty and filling.

I am a good follower and a real copy cat ;-), followed her recipe exactly to the point. Visit her page for detailed recipe.

Sending to Jagruti's Potluck party 

Keep Smiling,

ALU BHATHURE (FOOD REMAKE FOR PPCS)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

This is food world, We all girls(??) are working in the kitchen from a very young age. And the blog world is getting bigger everyday with a newbie trying her/his food and posting it in the blog. Here where we cross each other with the same recipe. Though the name is same, preparation is same, sometimes, the ingredients and the method or presentation is different. This is what happened with us, Jagruti and me! She had brought Ajwain Paratha - Flakey Indian Pan Fried Flat Bread with Carom Seeds for the Potluck Party which even I like and make it often. And the recipe is already there in my blog.Ajwain flavored flat bread !!!

I checked with Jagruti to guide me for this, and she suggested me to try some other recipe from her blog. I thought of searching something similar to paratha, so I browsed her space in "Paratha and Roti" label. Ohh! there are so many! and again many of the recipes are in my blog also. I selected two recipes to try. One was "Raw banana and oats paratha" and "Bhathure" But I could make Bhathure as I was not getting time to go and get raw bananas. But it was good that I made her bhathures and they were simply amazing. My family loved it as an evening snack and already there is an order from my elder one to make it often :-)

Its easy to make, I loved the taste of stuffing, though its a normal potato masala, its different. I loved it :-)

Coming to the recipe,

I followed exact recipe from her blog but reduced the quantity to half. I got medium sized 10 Bhathure.

For the cover:

All purpose flour  - 1 cup

Semolina or fine sooji - 1/8 cup

Instant dry yeast - 1/2 tsp

warm milk -1/4 cup

For Potato masala:

Medium Potatoes  - 4 boiled, peeled and mashed 

Oil - 1/2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Green chilli - 1/2 tsp. paste

Ginger - 1/2 tsp, crushed(I used more)

Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Hing - a pinch of

Sugar - 1 tsp

Lime juice - as per taste, I used 1 tsp

I skipped Red chilly powder

Fresh chopped coriander - 2 tbsp

Oil to fry Bhathure - 1 to 1 1/2cup

Method:

Take all the ingredients under "for cover" Mix well to make soft dough. 

Cover it in a muslin cloth(it really helps) and keep it for 3 to 4 hours.

It allows the dough to ferment and you will get soft bhathures. 

Heat oil in a kadai.

Add mustard seeds when they splutter add hing, green chilly and ginger together. Saute for a minute. 

Add haldi and salt. Mix well. 

Add lime juice and sugar, mix well again and add the mashed potatoes. 

Mix well, adjust the seasoning.

Keep it aside to cool.

Divide the dough in to small balls. 

Keep oil in a kadai to heat. 

Divide the stuffing masala also into small balls 

Take one dough ball, roll into small circle. Keep one stuffing ball on it. Cover it with all the sides and close it to make a small ball again.

Slowly roll into small oval shape puri.

Repeat with other dough and the stuffing.

Fry the bhathures one by one in hot oil.

Serve hot with anything, curds, green chutney, sauce or eat it just like that.. :-)

Down is the link from Jagruti's blog:

Aloo Bhathure - Indian deep fried bread stuffed with potatoes

linking it to Potluck party, Cyber style! - Fun and the Challeng... 

What's in your mind for the next Potluck Party girls??? I am waiting :-)

Keep Smiling,

Sugar Stuffed Flat Breads(ಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಚಪಾತಿ )

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

This one is nostalgic. I love these chapatis. It was very regular in my house. My mom used to make these a lot. Me and my brother were always happy to eat these rolls. 

Unfortunately, my kids don't like sweet. So this one remained only in my memories( Me too scared of having the whole sugar or powder more!) 

The other day I suddenly felt like having it and here it is :-)

What am I talking about? Sugar stuffed flat breads.. We call it "Sakre Chapati" in Kannada..

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Salt a pinch

Water to make the dough ready

For Stuffing

Powdered sugar - 1 tbsp for each chapati

Ghee or Butter - 1 tsp for each chapati + 1 tsp for frying or roasting

Method:

• Prepare the wheat flour dough by adding little by little water. The dough should be soft. 
• Divide into equal lime size balls.
• First Method:
• Take one ball and roll into small circle(small puri size)
• Take one more and repeat.
• On one rolled puri, spread ghee or butter and on another spread the powdered sugar.
• Keep the buttered one on the sugar stuffed puri and close it tight.
• Slowly dust it with the flour and roll in to medium sized chapatis.
• Keep the tawa on heat.
• Roast it on both the sides and apply or drizzle ghee on it before removing it.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Second Method
• Roll three small size puris.
• Spread one tsp butter or ghee on first one.
• Keep the other puri on it and close it.
• Spread the sugar powder on it.
• Close it tight with other puri.
• Roll it(as shown in the photo)
• and again roll it to give round shape.
• Do it slowly.
• Roll into medium size chapati and roast it.
• Serve hot with spicy pickle or pack and take it while travelling.
• Best breakfast for kids and me:-)

Linking this to Jagruti's event

Announcing an event - I'm well Stuffed !

Keep Smiling,

Fried Potato Cubes

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Lunch box :-), I love to cook lunch and pack it  for my kids. This gives little work to my idle brain. I need to be very specific as their school won't allow few foods like Curry or Sambhar (watery), Upma, Eggs, non veg, Poha, bread and chips. My elder daughter loves to take different type of food as she loves to share her lunch with her friends and they love it. And that makes me a proud mother :-). 

Most of the times I pack the different variety of rice for my elder daughter's lunch. But this Potato fry is my daughter's most favorite lunch. Many times she takes only the fry, but I pack the chapati with it without telling her :-) 

A very simple recipe but tasty and good food  for kids.

Ingredients :

Potatoes - 3 big

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - to taste or 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Method :

Wash and peel the potatoes. 

Cut into small cubes.

Heat the oil in a kadai.

Add these potato cubes.

Keep on stirring and frying till the potato gets 3/4th cooked. 

Add salt and chilly powder, mix well and fry till its golden brown.

Remove from the heat and transfer it on a plate.

Allow it to cool and pack it with Soft Chapatis. 

I tried to bake and grill it in the OTG, but the taste was not that good and it became very dry..

It can be rolled into chapati with some sauce or ketchup and make it a Fried Potato roll to serve it hot. Or it can be eaten just like that.

Keep Smiling, 

MINI IDLY TIKKA

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

When it comes to breakfast we all in the family are 100% South Indians. We all love idly, dosa, paddu, uttappam, upma, wada.... the list goes on. We enjoy even the Parathas, Puri, but my both the kids love to have idly and dosa for breakfast on alternative days.

Here one more type of idly which is perfect for all the kids, from 1 year baby till the teenage.

Today morning when I was making idly, it just flashed in my mind to try these.

But after making and taking the photos, now when I came to post this recipe, I thought of searching for the idly tikka on google and I got it :-), so There are many like minded of like thinking people in the world. The idly tikka is not new(as I first thought with so much proud that its my original recipe) but the method and ingredients are different.

Here goes my recipe

Ingredients:

Mini idly -12

Carrot - 1 small cut into circles

Potato - 1 small cut into circles

Tomato Ketchup - 1 tsp for each tikka

or

Sambhar - 1 tbsp for each tikka

or  

Coconut Chutney - 1tbsp for each tikka

Click Idly, Sambhar and Chutney for the recipe.

Ghee or butter to roast the tikkas

Tooth pick - 4 for making 3 tikkas

Method:

Bake the carrot and potatoes in M/W for 3 minutes. Sprinkle some salt on it evenly.Keep it aside.

Take one tooth pick. Arrange the potato, idly, carrot for three times or till the tooth pick is covered.

Repeat for other tikkas.

Heat tawa, spread the butter or ghee. When hot, keep the ready tikka on tawa and roast on all the side till brown.

Transfer the tikkas on serving plate.

Spread one tbsp of  either the chutney or ketchup or sambhar and serve immediately. 

Keep Smiling,

Cocoa Cups - stuff it with any dessert..

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,

I was seriously  thinking of some stuffed sweet ideas, and I saw this Baked and filled khakhra cups from Lataji, Thank you so much Lataji for giving me this superb idea of Cocoa cups. Stuff any dessert in this and serve.... I am sure kids will not stop eating these cups with whatever you fill in the cups and give them.

I turned her Khakra cups into COCOA cups. Her Khakra cups are for stuffing spicy food, and mine are for stuffing sweet food.

Here is the recipe for making these lovely cups.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour(normal chapati flour is also fine) - 1 cup

All Purpose flour - 1/8 cup

Chiroti rawa or fine semolina - 1 tbsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Cocoa Powder - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 1/4 cup

Pinch of salt

Water to make the dough.

Method :
(I have followed Lataji for the method)

• Take all the ingredients in a large vessel, except water.
• Mix well and go on adding water to make soft but stiff dough.
• Keep it covered with damp cloth for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Grease the muffin tray.
• Preheat the oven at 180C
•  Now the time comes to make the very thin puri size discs.
• What I did was, first I rolled medium thick discs. 
• Cut it with bottle top to get the circle shape.
• And again rolled each circle into a very thin puris. These should be very thin, otherwise cups will not come crispy.
• Keep all the puris ready.
• Take one puri and keep in in a mould to give a cup shape. Don't worry about the shape or curls you get in the cup.
• Repeat with other puris.
• Bake at 200C for 6 minutes.(Yes, thanks Lataji, the time was just perfect :-) )
• Remove and spread the cups on mat or paper to cool.
• Store in an airtight jar.

Now coming to the stuffing:
Stuff these cups with AAMRAS, OR CUSTARD, ICECREAM, SHRIKHAND, SWEET WHIPPED CREAM, FRUIT CUBES, OR JUST BRUSH WITH NUTELLA SPREAD BEFORE SERVING.
YUMMY COCOA CUPS FOR KIDS PARTY :-))))))
I am sure you all will love these cups...

Sending these cups to

 MY event which is guest hosted by Akila of  Learning-to-cook

 Announcement: Celebrate Sweets - Stuffed Sweets

Keep Smiling,

Oats and Pea Nut Masala

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Oats, the healthiest intake at any time of the day. And you can be more creative with it instead of sticking only to the porridge recipe.

I always try to add Oats in the food whenever and where ever it is possible. In my kitchen Oats usually goes into chapati atta. I add it with instant dosa batter, I add it with idly batter, I make oats idli, oats dosa(Powdered oats as a main ingredient) I tried it adding in parathas, cookies. But I don't know why I was reluctant to use it in Upma or masala. When ever I saw the recipes in my blogger friend;s blog, I always saved the recipe to try it soon, but that soon never came!!

Last week when I came across This  recipe, I decided to make it the same day. But oats was over in the kitchen(First time my kitchen was Oatsless!! )  I rushed to the MORE got 2 packets and before my daughter was back from school it was ready. I loved it. My daughter was not much happy as she does not like the taste of pea nuts. But I am sure if I replace the pea nuts with almonds next time, she will love it.
Thanks Dershana for sharing this wonderful recipe.

Here is the photo and the recipe:

(The original recipe has Jumbo oats and the normal one.)

Ingredients :

Oats - 2 cups

Roasted peanuts - 2 tbsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped

Green Chilly - 2 Slit into two

Curry leaves -few

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Fresh or dry coconut - grated, 2 tbsp

Fresh coriander - handful

Method :

Add 1 tbsp oil to the thick bottomed kadai, Keep it on flame. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. After half  minute, add chopped onions, fry till transparent. Add green chilly and roasted peanuts. Fry for a minute. Add Salt and lime juice. Mix well. 

Add the oats. Mix well and fry for few seconds. Add sugar and sprinkle some water(2 tbsp) Close the lid and cook for 2 minutes. Open the lid, add dry coconut and fresh coriander. Adjust the seasoning.  Mix well and cook for 2 more minutes.

Remove from the fire. Serve it with hot cup of tea or coffee.

Sending it to 

Priya's Announcing Cooking With Whole Foods - Oats 

(Which was started by Kiran.. )

Keep Smiling,

Vegetable Sandwich

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Sandwich!! Who does not like sandwiches?? One can be more creative while making these sandwiches. You can make it healthier by adding healthy ingredients and you can make it junk food by adding some fried food, cheese or butter!!

But I love this combination. Its evergreen and most common sandwich which is prepared all over India. Its more healthier if you use brown bread.

It is easy to make because all the vegetables are easily available at home and not all the vegetables are compulsory.

The vegetables you can see it the photo are what I love to have it in my sandwich. Cabbage leaves is optional.

Coming to the recipe:

Ingredients:

Fresh bread - 4(to make two sandwich)

Potato - 1 big, boiled and cut into thick slices

Tomato - 1 big or 2 small, washed, and cut in to round slices.

Cucumber - 1 big,  washed, peeled and cut into thick and round slices

Carrot - 1 big, washed, peeled and cut into thick and round slices.

Cabbage leaves - 1 for each, torn into pieces

Butter - 1 tsp for each sandwich

Green chutney(Pudina or mint leaves chutney): I always keep it in the 

fridge :-)

Fresh coriander - 1 bunch, washed,cleaned and chopped

Mint leaves or Pudina - 1/2 bunch, washed, cleaned and chopped

Green chilly - 1 long

Jeera - 1 tsp

Transfer the above ingredients in a grinder and grind into a fine paste.

Remove it to a bowl. 

• Arrange all the ingredients in a plate so that it is easy to send these into sandwich.

• Take 2 slices of bread on a plate.
• Apply butter,
• Spread the green chutney,
• Spread potato slices,
• Keep all the vegetables one on another to make thick layers.
• Cover it with another slice.
• Keep in the toaster or Sandwich maker and cook it till it turns slightly brown. 
• You do not have toaster or sandwich maker? No problem, you can make these on hot tawa or pan also. Don't want to toast?? Have it just like that.
• Have it hot with some more green chutney or ketch up or sauce.

I want to dedicate this sandwich to Keri of  SANDWICH 365. I know I am late for doing this. I love her blog and this is just a small thank you to her.

Keep smiling,

Spinach : Green and white for rolls

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Spinach is one green veg. which is not a favorite option to choose. It has more nutritional value but because of its taste, most of the people and especially kids don't like to have it.

Thats the reason I will be finding the ways to use the spinach in my regular menu, and I get the ways too.

Where there is a will, there is a way!!

Here are two options to use spinach in the menu. And these are best for chapati rolls for kids. My daughters enjoyed these rolls.

Here are the recipes :

The first one is

Green Garlic and Tomato Spinach:

Ingredients:

Spinach - 1 big bunch, cleaned, washed and finely chopped

Onion - 1 small, chopped

Garlic - 8 to 10 flakes, crushed(medium what you get in India, but if you are using big flakes, use 4 to 6)

Tomato - 1 big, cleaned and chopped

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Oil - 1 tsp

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Heat oil in a kadai. Add chopped onion and garlic. Fry till the color changes. Add tomato, salt, turmeric powder and red chilly powder. Fry for two minutes. Now add chopped spinach and mix it well. Keep on stirring. Add 1 tbsp of water. Cover and cook on slow heat for few minutes. Open, add lime juice. Mix well. Remove from the heat. Its ready to serve. You can roll into chapati or can have it as a side dish with rice.

The second one is,

Creamy Green dip:

I took this recipe from LG book given to me while buying my microwave oven. I have changed the ingredients as  per my taste. And  instead of using as a dip, I used it for chapati rolls.

Ingredients :

Spinach - 1 small bunch, cleaned, washed and finely chopped

Coriander or Parsley - 1/2 cup, cleaned, washed and finely chopped

(I used coriander)

Water - 1/4 cup

Green chilly - 1 finely chopped

Onion - 1 small, finely cubed

Garlic - 1 tbsp chopped

All purpose flour - 1 tbsp

Butter - 1 tsp

Milk - 1/2 cup

Sour Cream - 1 cup

OR

One day old hung curd - 1cup(for healthier version and it is easily available at home)

(I used normal(not hung) curds, I just kept it in a muslin cloth for half an hour as there was not enough time to make hung curd)

Salt to taste

White pepper powder to taste

In a microwave safe bowl and chopped spinach, onion and garlic in 1/4 cup of water and microwave for 3-4 minutes at 100% power.

Drain out  the excess water if any. Keep it aside and allow to cool.

In a blender or with hands, mix curds(or cream), salt, pepper, red chilli and keep it aside.

In another microwave safe bowl microwave butter at 100% power for 30 secs. Add flour and microwave for 2 mins. Stir in between.

Add milk slowly stirring it till thick at 100% power for 2 to 3 min to make a thick sauce. 

I did this on gas stove.

When cool combine everything and store it in a refrigerator for some time before serving.

This can be done totally outside, on the gas stove too.

Actually this can be used as a dip with chips, French fries or French bread.

But my chapati rolls were hit and rolled into my kids stomach in no time.

Here are the rolls :

Sending these rolls to 

Pari's 'Only' Kids Delight

Keep Smiling,

Pav Bhaji

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

One of my favorite food for evening, for lunch, for dinner or at 12 midnight! My daughter loves it too, and its her favorite when her friends come home or she wants to take something special to her school to share with her friends.

I try to make it often, as it got lot of vegetables, but with one drawback i.e Pav which is made of Maida. If I learn to make pav with whole wheat flour, then Pav Bhaji is the healthiest for kids.

Giving the recipe with step by step photos,

Ingredients:

Potato - 3 to 4 big

Carrot - 1 medium, cleaned and chopped,

Beans - 12 to 15, cleaned and chopped

Peas - 1/2 cup(I did not put, as it was not at home)

(the choice of vegetables is as per your taste. you can add cauliflower, cabbage or you can use only potatoes)

Boil the potatoes, carrot, beans and peas in a cooker. I keep potatoes in one vessel and other vegetables in another vessel and give 3 whistles.

Peel the potatoes. Smash it and keep it aside.

Drain the water from vegetables and smash it.

For Bhaji,

Onion - 2 big, finely chopped

Tomato - 2 big, finely chopped

Capsicum - 1 big, finely chopped

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp 

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Ready made PAV BHAJI Masala - 2 tbsp or more as per your taste, but if you put more, it becomes bitter.

( I use Mother's Recipe or MTR)

Oil - 1 tbsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Lime juice - 1tsp

To serve,

Pav - 6 to 8

Butter  to roast the pav

Onion - 1 finely chopped

Fresh Coriander - finely chopped, 1 tbsp for each plate

Lime - cut into quarters(one for each plate)

Butter - 1 tsp for each plate

Heat oil in a thick kadai. Add onions and fry till it changes its color. Add ginger garlic paste. Fry to remove the raw smell.  Now add capsicum. Fry for a minute. Now goes the tomatoes. Add PAVBHAJI masala, chilly powder and  fry for 2 minutes. Add boiled vegetables and potato. Mix well. Add the salt, lime juice and sugar. Add one cup of water.

Cover and boil for 5 minutes.

Open and adjust the seasoning and thickness of the gravy.

Bhaji is ready.

For Pav :

Cut the pav in the middle. 

Heat tawa. When its very hot, Add butter and spread it.

Keep the pav on it and toast it both the sides.

Pav and bhaji is ready to serve.

Its always good to have the plates with partitions to enjoy the pav bhaji.(you get the plastic plates also in the market)

Arrange the plate like below. 

This serves for 4 kids.

Sending this to 

sra's(Sara's Corner) ongoing event, 

Monthly Mingle - Party Treats Event Announcement!!...

 (Monthly Mingle an event started by Meeta)

Keep Smiling,