Proso Idly(Kanchipuram style)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

South Indian's most favorite and most regular food! And the most healthiest breakfast anyone can have. Even while travelling, it is considered as the safest food as it is steamed. And here there is one more healthy addition to this traditional recipe. I have prepared these idlys using millet. Yes! I always use millet in one or the other way in my food. We call these millet as 'Siri Dhanya' also. Already everyone is talking or already written a lot about these millet and the benefits. So I am directly jumping to the recipe. 

Here I have used Baragu or Proso  with rice. Actually we can use any millet and the taste and texture comes out the same though the health benefit is different for each millet. But please keep in mind not to use millet daily or regularly as we all know too much is too bad, let it be any thing, right?

And what is this Kachipuram style?

I got the recipe from a TV show where Chef Rakesh Shethi was showing. I was surprised to see that curds goes into this idly. So thought of trying it. 

Ingredients :

Raw rice or idly rice - 1 cup

Porso - 1 cup

Urad dal - 3/4 cup

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

thick or medium poha - 1/4 cup

Fresh curd - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder  - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 2 tbsp, washed and chopped finely

Green chilly - 2, washed and chopped finely

Dash of hing

Ginger - 1 tbsp, cleaned and finely chopped

Fresh coriander - handful, cleaned and finely chopped

Salt to taste

Oil to apply to the idly mould.

Method :

• Take the rice, methi seeds and urad dal  in a bowl and wash it twice. 
• Take Porso in another bowl and wash it twice. 
• Soak both in a separate bowls for 4-6 hours.
• Half an hour before grinding, add poha to the rice bowl and keep it ready.
• Grind both separately. 
• Add very less water to porso before grinding as more water will not allow the millet to turn into paste. 
• Mix both the batter properly  in one steel or glass vessel. 
• Allow it to ferment either over night or till it becomes double. It always depends on the weather also. If the batter doesn't come up or doubles, then the idlys will not be soft. 
• In the morning, or when you are ready to use the batter, 
• Add the curd, green chilli, ginger, curry leaves and fresh coriander.
• Add the salt and mix well. 
• Keep the cooker or idly steamer on a gas stove with one cup of water. 
• while the water becomes hot, grease the mould with oil and pour the batter in the mould. 
• Take the idly stand and keep in a steamer or cooker, close it and steam it without the whistle(if using cooker) on high flame for 5 minutes and 2-3 minutes on low flame. Switch off the gas stove. Allow it to cool. 
• Serve these softest idlys with your favorite chutney and sambhar or just like that with ghee. 
• You can get some more idly, sambhar and chutney recipes Idly,Sambhar and Chutney, Mangalore cucumber sambhar

Please let me know if you try this recipe.

Keep Smiling, 

ISKCON HERITAGE FESTIVAL AND FRESH LIME/LEMON CHUTNEY

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,

How are you? I know its a long gap. I am not able to give time to my blogging which is very close to my heart. Without giving unwanted and unnecessary reasons, let me share with you a quickest, easiest and tangiest, tastiest chutney. 

I never knew that we can make chutney with whole lime or lemon. And I was careless to know also about the difference between Lime and Lemon. So ignorant I am many times. Now, I am happy  that I know both. 

The information from google I got about the difference between  lime and lemon : 

(Lemon vs Lime - Difference and Comparison | www.diffen.com/difference/Lemon_vs_Lime)

"Lemons and limes are both very acidic but have slightly different flavors and scents. Lemons have a sour, acidic taste, while a lime has a bitter, acidic taste. Both citrus fruits are frequently used in cooking and cocktails, as well a variety of household products."

And NOW the recipe for the chutney :

Before giving the recipe let me thank my dearest and sweetest friend Vaishali for sharing this recipe with me. Last week I went to her house after my  college as we both were invited as judges for Inter school cookery competition organised by ISKCON-HUBLI on the occasion of HERITAGE FESTIVAL.  It was an honor for us to get the invitation from ISKCON. 

When I went her home, she had prepared Mooli paratha for me and with that I was searching something to eat as I know her fridge is always full of chutneys, dips, pickles. Then she told me to take Lime chutney. I thought she is kidding as I never heard about making chutney using lime. I asked her for the recipe before tasting it. When she told whole limes are used in it, I was really surprised. I asked her twice is it really a lime chutney? Then she told me to taste it and see. It was really very good. It tasted like the lime pickle. But when we can't make lime pickle and keep, this is the best way  instead of using ready made pickles. Vaishali is a great cook and has an amazing knowledge about food and recipes. And moreover  a wonderful human being who always is smiling, what ever life offers her. I love her for that and respect her more like an elder sister. 

And again before going to the recipe, let me share our experience about cooking competition at ISKCON. It was a divine experience for me. I want to thank Shri.Ramdas of ISKCON, who followed my blog for few months and selected me and invited me as a judge. I really thank him from the bottom of my heart. And when cooking event takes place, Vaishali is always there with me. It never has happened that I had gone somewhere without her. So she too joined me as a judge. 

One more sweet surprise was I got a chance to meet Anushruti RK, a recipe developer, food writer and photographer of  http://www.divinetaste.com/ . It was a great opportunity for me to meet her and share the responsibility with her. Very sweet, simple and inspiring lady.

Competition was really good. Students had put lot of effort. Here are few photos from the competition. 

 

  

Now, now its time for the recipe:

Ingredients:

Fresh Lime/lemon -3 big or 4 small.

Methi(Fenugreek) seeds - 1 tsp, roasted 

Rock salt to taste

Sugar - 1 tbsp or more if the limes are very sour.

or Jaggery 1 tbsp(Taste differs)

Red chilly powder 2 tsp or more if you want it spicy.

For tempering : (optional)

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds

A pinch of hing or asafoetida 

Method:

Wash and wipe the lemons.

Cut into four and de seed all the lemons. Please take care not to leave one seed also. Or else chutney will be very bitter.

Take all the ingredients and put in a blender to make it a fine paste.

Transfer it to a bowl.

Temper it with mustard seed and hing. 

Chutney is ready to eat with parathas, hot rice, chapati and just like that. 

Keep Smiling,

LADY FINGER OR OKRA CHUTNEY FOR PPCS

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

How are you? Festival time ladies. More work for us, more fun for family members, specially kids. All are waiting for the sweets, snacks and special main course.

Wait, I am not posting any special food for the party. Today I am here with a very simple side dish. Chutney is the basic item in a thali in any Indian food.

If you have not tried it before, you will really like it. Its different.

And can you guess with what we had this spicy chutney?? We had it with PAAPDIS. :-)
I got this recipe from my closest, dearest friend Renu, thanks dear :-) 

Jagruti has named me "CHUTNEY QUEEN" Trying to keep the title :-)

Coming to the recipe,

We need very few ingredients to make this chutney.

Ingredients:

Lady finger(Okra) - 150 gm(big ones, you can see in the photo, I took 12)

Oil -1 tbsp

Green chilly - 6 to 8(depends on the chilly, I took more because I wanted it spicy)

Fresh Coriander - 1 small bunch

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Crystal Salt to taste(optional, you can use the normal table salt)

Garlic - 1 small bulb(6-8 cloves)

Lime juice -1 tsp+ 1 tsp

Method :

• Wash and dry wipe the lady fingers and keep it aside.
• When dry, cut into round pieces.
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai.
• Fry the cut lady finger pieces for some time.
• Add 1 tsp of lime juice to remove the stickiness.
• Add Green chilly and peeled garlic.
• Fry all till brown.
• Let it be cool.
• Separate the chilly and garlic.
• Take the cleaned fresh coriander, cumin seeds, chilly and garlic in a mixi.
• Grind into a coarse paste.
• Add the fried lady finger and just turn the mixi for few seconds. 
• Transfer into a bowl, add a tsp of lime juice. Adjust the seasoning. 

Enjoy it with chapati, hot rice and ghee or even a curd rice.

My husband brought the Paapadis in the evening when I made this chutney. My elder daughter and him both enjoyed the Paapadis with this spiciest chutney. 

This is my entry to 

Jagruti's  event:

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

Keep Smiling,

Ivy Gourd Chutney

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Ivy Gourd!!! I am not much fond of this vegetable. I like to have it fried with lot of grated coconut... But the other day, mom prepared chutney out of this... and it was very tasty..

When it comes to chutneys I love to have any kind of chutney... I have posted many recipes also like.. Raw Mango Chutney, Fresh Green chana chutney, Raw Tamarind Chutney, Red Chilly Chutney, Pineapple Chutney in M/W, Hottt chilly chutneys and the list goes on...

• Please check what my dearest friend JAGRUTI  who is a great blogger too has written about  me in her words:
  Nivedita has so many mouthwatering recipes on her blog, I have tried so many of them but especially she is expert in making chutneys...I should give her a nick name here..." Chutney queen"...:-) Nive please don't mind..this is just for fun..but let me tell you  recipes are lip smacking..Trust me !!,
  Thanks Jagruti for the title.. and this chutney is to keep my title rocking :-)))
  Check her site  http://www.jagrutidhanecha.com/  for more details...  
  
  

Here is the recipe of the chutney:

Ingredients:

Ivy gourd - 12 to 15

Green chilli -2 to 3

Cumin seeds -1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Salt to taste

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Tamarind - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

 Method:

Wash and pat dry the ivy gourd.

cut them into slices.

Heat kadai and add the oil(actually mom says to deep fry but being health conscious(am I????), I thought of shallow frying it.

and the slices. Fry these on medium fire. After they become little crispy(it may take around 8 to 10 minutes), add green chilly, cumin seeds, curry leaves and tamarind.

Fry for some more time.

Transfer it into a plate and allow it to cool.

Add salt and grind it till you get the chutney texture. (as per your liking)

Adjust the seasoning..

Chutney is ready to serve with anything you like.

I had it with Methi Paratha and peppered curd

Keep Smiling,

Raw Mango Chutney - the best chutney from my kitchen

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Mangoes! Mangoes!! everywhere! I love mangoes! who doesn't?? Its always fun for me to try new recipes with Mango. This chutney I made yesterday back was just too yummy to finish!!! yes, I did not wanted to finish it fast so kept on nibbling like a mouse(nibbling the cheese).

Its the usual method which is prepared in each house. But this time it tasted some thing special.

Here is the recipe I want to give before I forget as I just went on adding the ingredients (imagining the taste) available in front of me  :-)

Two days back, we got mangoes from our trees in the garden. Mom ordered to keep the good mangoes to make pickle. I used the broken mango to make this chutney.

Ingredients:
Raw Mango - 1, big

To roast with 1 tsp oil

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Chana dal - 1 tbsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Dry coconut - 1/4 cup, grated

Sesame seeds - 1 tsp(optional, but I love it)

Ginger - 1/2", cleaned and chopped

Dry coriander seeds - ONLY 4 TO 6 SEEDS

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - handful

Dry red chilly - 1

To add 

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Hing - stoned- one pepper size or  a pinch of powder

Oil - 1tsp

Water to make the chutney wet, may be few drops or just 1/4 cup

Method :

• Wash and peel the mango, cut into cubes or grate it.
• Heat a tsp of oil in a pan, 
• Start adding the things the way I have written down the ingredients. Slowly roasting one by one till red chilly.
• Once everything is roasted well and you get nice aroma, Add the mango, fry for a minute and remove from the fire.
• Allow it to cool.
• Add all the ingredients and grind into a coarse paste, adjust the seasoning and grind again but keep it coarse.
• The raw mango chutney is ready to serve..

Yesterday I ate it with Jowar Dosa for breakfast, I ate with chapati for lunch and I had with hot rice for dinner.

And again today morning I had it with Thalipeeth, still saved it for tomorrow(Ants are great inspiration for me :-)) My friend saved the chutney by coming as I prepared Chinese food and I had no option to eat it :-)

Have I gone mad??? no I have gone mango :-))))))

Keep nibbling,

oops!!!

Keep Smiling,

Nuts with a Twist

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Mothers are magicians. Isn't it? My new slogan of the year.  To make her child eat the good food, she becomes creative and thinks 1000 ways to improve her cooking skills.

That reminds me of two  recent posts from my other blogger friends : 

One is very talented Sourav C. Pandey  of  ...in love with me and life :) 

God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers! 

and

Archana's Chapatti Sandwich Titbits

There are many blogger friends, who tries everyday with some new recipes for their kids and family. But Its not possible for me to write here about everyone.

Three cheers to all the mothers who cares and puts their extra time and hard work.

Hats off to all the mothers in the world.

Why am I writing all this? Because, the recipe I am giving here is for my younger daughter who does not like to it nuts.

I always keep almond powder in my kitchen to add it to many recipes for my daughter.

But last week, I thought of making it more interesting. My younger daughter loves peanut chutney powder. I thought of adding all the nuts to it to make it healthier. But, it was not only her, we all loved the chutney so much that it got over in a day. I took little to the school for my lunch box, and my colleagues did not allow me to have it.

Here is the recipe:

Peanuts - 1 cup

Dalia(Puthani) - 1 cup

Almonds - 3/4 cup

Cashew nuts - 1/2 cup

Pista - 1/4 cup

Garlic - 10 cloves(small), small one.

Curry leaves - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Dry red chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Tamarind - small lime size

Cumin seeds -1 tsp

Method :

Dry roast the peanuts till you get nice aroma(take care not to burn). Once cool, remove the skin by crushing it. Keep it aside

Dry roast almonds just for a minute.

Mix the nuts in a plate.

Put in a grinder and grind it for 30 seconds. Once nuts get half powdered, add all other ingredients and grind into smooth powder. It won't come out as a dry powder as the cashew nut and Pista leaves oil.

Have it with chapati, dosa, Idly or hot rice. Its yummmmm and healthy chutney powder.

Keep Smiling,

Fresh Green chana chutney

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I have already posted the rice recipe with fresh green chana here. Already explained about it in that post.

This time it is the chutney I prepared. My friend gave me the idea to make it and I tried it immediately. It was delicious. 

Are you ready to try it?

Ingredients:

Fresh chana - 1 cup

Garlic - 4 - 6 cloves

Curry leaves few

Salt to taste

Cumin seeds -1/2 tsp

Tamarind - 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Water just few drops to make the chutney into paste.

Method:

Dry roast the chana for a minute. 

Add all the ingredients and grind into a coarse paste. The chutney is ready to serve. 

I loved it with Jowar rotti for dinner and with dosa for breakfast.


Sending it to 

Simona's  Annuncio: legumi che passione! (numero 31) 
(which is started by  Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook. MLLA, the popular, legume-centered event)

Keep Smiling,

Raw Tamarind Chutney(ಹುಣಸೆ ತೊಕ್ಕು)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

My very last minute last entry to Jagruti's ongoing event.

Raw tamarind! Do any one have the sweet memories of these tangy and mouthwatering green raw tamarind?

I am sure! You have at least one memory with this fruit!

I have plenty of memories. Among them is the one, where we used to wait for the Tamarind tree owners to sleep in the afternoon so that it will be easy for us to throw the stones to the trees and take the tamarind falling on the ground! If some one wakes up we used to run as if there is dog chasing us. Then we used to have it with rock stone. 

Now coming to the recipe, 

This is actually known as Tokku here. Very tasty chutney to eat with rice.

This chutney or tokku is prepared when tamarind is still green or raw. You can prepare it and store for a year.

Very easy to make it. Come lets see the ingredients :

Raw tamarind : 15 to 20

Green chilly - 10

Salt to taste

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Method:

Wash the tamarind properly. Dry them fully. Wipe the tamarind pieces with cloth to remove the water. Cut in to pieces.

Add green chilly, salt, methi seeds and hing. Put in a mixer or blender to get the coarse texture. Adjust the seasoning.

Chutney is ready to eat or store.

This will make almost 150 gm of chutney.

Sending it to 

Jagruti's event Complete My Thali - Event Anouncement !

and

Priya's Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday Event - 5th Oct... Event.

Keep Smiling,

Red Chilly Chutney

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Are you ready to take this challenge. How much spicy food your tongue can take!! Want to check it? Then try this chutney! A spicy chutney which will bring tears in your eyes and you will start dancing. Want to bet?

Then get ready to make this chutney.

North Karnataka people love to have this chutney, but I have added ginger to the regular chutney to bring extra taste and I love Ginger!!!

Ingredients :

Fresh Red chilly - 20(you get these only in this rainy season)

Ginger - 2" thick piece

Oil - 1 tsp

Cumin seed - 2 tsp

Hing - a pinch or if using rock hing, use just a mustard size.

Jaggery - 1/4 cup, powdered

Tamarind - 1 lime size or Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp 

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

For tempering :

Oil -1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Wash and pat dry the red chilly. Cut into small pieces. 

Wash, peel and grate or cut the ginger into small pieces.

Fry the red chilly and ginger in 1 tsp oil for 2 minutes. Do not allow the chilly to get burnt. 

Add all the other ingredients. 

Put in a blender and grind into a fine paste.

Adjust the seasoning.

Heat oil in a kadai.

Add mustard seeds when hot, wait till they splutter.

Add it to the ready chutney.

Decide with what you will have this one?

I loved it with chapati and Dosa. I had it just like that also!

Sending it to 

Jagruti's event Complete My Thali - Event Anouncement !

and

Priya's  Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday Event.

Keep Smiling,