Simple Upma

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

As my mother was working, I entered the kitchen at the age of 7 only. I think, first I learnt to make tea. But I do not remember my first food in meals or main course. Simple Upma was my first learnt food, which I used to prepare all by my self, and I was just 9 years old.

When I learnt to prepare it, I used to wait for someone to come home, so that I will make upma and give them and get appreciation.. Once in a week, my grand father(my mother's father) used to come to meet us.

You guessed it right!!!  He was my target always. 

Here is the recipe,

Semolina(Rava) - 1 cup

(Roast the rava with little ghee or oil till you get aroma, keep it aside)

Onion - 1 medium, chopped

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Green chilly - 2 chopped length wise

Salt to taste

Sugar -1 tsp

Ghee or Oil  - 2 tbsp

(When I learnt making Upma, I used to make only in ghee )

Boiling Water - 2 cups (1:2 ratio)

Heat ghee or oil in kadai. Add mustard seeds. When splutter, add urad dal and wait till dal turns little brown and nice aroma comes. Immediately add green chilly, onion. Saute it. Wait till onion turns into golder color. Now add water, salt and sugar. Add roasted rava and mix it properly. Keep it on low flame till the rava is cooked. Adjust the seasoning. 

Serve with ghee on top!!!

This is going to Shama Nagarajan 's  MY FIRST COOKED FOOD EVENT .

I know this is very simple recipe, but I always feel happy when I think about my first cooked food!!!!, but same time, I feel sad that why I entered the kitchen at so early age!!!!

Keep smiling,

Malt for toddlers(Reposted)

Tried and tasted by Nivedtia
Hi All,

I thought of starting my recipe entries with baby food. I am giving this food to my second daughter since she is 3 months old.(Now she is 18 months old.) Thanks to my neighbour who shared this with me. Before I share the recipe I want to say something about this. I went back to India for my second delivery after 9 years staying in UAE. It was nice and I really enjoyed my stay there for 11 months. When Phalguni, my second daughter was 3 months old, my neighbour Shaila, who also had 5 months baby, gave me this malt powder and told me to start feeding Phalguni. And I started giving it, the baby enjoyed the first sip!!!!! So I decided I will make it in more quantity and will start giving her everyday.

So I prepared the ingredients and took it to Flour mill ( in Kannada we call it "Girani"). I told the old man to make it powder and give it. And after he finished I went to give him money for the same. But!!!!! he refused. He said he will not take the money for baby's food. I forced him to take but he refused. Even though its only Rs.5, for him it was big as per me. But he told me let any amount of quantity comes for baby food, he never charges for it. He said, babies are like God, and I feel happy to do this!!!!!!!!! Its like blessings for him.This is what India is!!! Now when ever I make this malt at home( as there are no flour mills available near my house in UAE) I always remember him and smile!!

Now coming to the recipe:

Rice - 2 cups

Toor Dal, yellow moong Dal - 1 cup

Channa Dal, 

split green moong Dal -1/2 cup(after 9 months)

Almonds - 6 to 8

Wash rice and all dals together. put it to dry inside the house for a day or two. Once they are dry, roast with crushed almonds. Keep it to cool. Then put it into mixi and make fine powder. Store it in a jar. You can keep it for a month in refrigerator.

Now to make malt:

Rice and Dal powder - 3 tbsp

raagi (Nachni) Powder - 1 tbsp(I get ready powder packet here in UAE, in Indian stores) (Or if you have an access to flour mill, you can take raagi seeds, wash and put it to dry. Roast seperately and add with rice and dal mix )

salt to taste

Oats - 2 tbsp

Keep water in a vessel to boil. Till it starts boiling, mix all the above ingredients in a bowl with enough water. Then put in the boiling water, Stir continuously for a minute as there is a chance of getting burnt. Add salt.(If baby is less than 9 months, add very little salt).Let it cook for 15 min. Keep on stirring in between. Off the gas. Feed your child for breakfast. Its very healthy and my daughter loves it. For a change, only alternative days I put raagi powder so that she will feel change,eating white color malt.

When Phalguni turned 9 months and I started giving her vegetables, I started adding grated carrot, beans, potato and cabbage to make it more healthy. And all the vegetables goes into her stomach without any fuss.

I am sending this recipe to PJ's event : Tasty Bites For Toddlers

Till today(she is 2 years old),  I am giving it as one of main meals.

This is going to participate in "Event Announcement: Food for 7 Stages of Life - Cooking for Infants and toddlers ( 0-3 yrs)' organized by Radhika  and of Sudeshna’s Cook like a bong.

Keep smiling,

Many and more Veg. Sambhar

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I Love Vegetables and more vegetables, in any form. But my favorite is Veg. sambhar with hot rice and ghee.

And as I need to give nutritious food to my kids, I prefer to mix more than one food and give them in one time.

I am giving here two recipes for sambhar, only difference in both is the masala. First sambhar is without any masala, and the second one is with Godha masala. You can use any vegetables for both the sambhar.

I always prefer to mix maximum vegetables.

Recipe for  Plain Veg Sambhar

Vegetables : Any vegetables(you can see in the photo) or as per your taste.(wash, clean and cut the vegetables and keep aside)

Toor dal or moong dal -1/2 cup (boiled)

Tomato - 2 big chopped

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp

Chilly powder - 1 to 2 tbsp
Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Dhania (coriander) powder - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Haldi - 1 tsp

Water for sambhar

Veg Sambhar without masala

Heat oil in thick bottomed vessel. Add Methi seeds, when they change the color, add mustard seeds. When splutter, add jeera, curry leaves. Now go on adding, the harder vegetables(which takes more time to cook) and cook for sometime. Then add the softer vegetables. Add chopped tomatoes. After a minute, go on adding all the dry powders, jaggery  and tamarind paste. When vegetables are 3/4th cooked, add boiled dal. Mix properly and add water as per your requirement and taste. Boil it for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.

Veg. Sambhar is ready to serve with hot rice and ghee.

Recipe for Veg Sambhar with Godha masala

You can choose any available vegetables.
The only difference in this recipe is add Godha masala 2 tbsp instead of Coriander powder and reduce the qty of red chilly powder to 1 tbsp.

 

Godha masala is mainly used in Maharashtra. It is having strong smell as more spices are used to make this powder. But when you add in any gravy or sabji or sambhar, the taste is really very tasty and the aroma will attract any one to the kitchen to check what's cooking???

Veg. Sambhar using Godha masala

Keep smiling,

My two year daughter's language

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

Not yet come out of Diwali mood!! Still having sweets and meeting people. 

I always had one wish, that is to learn baby language! It is very cute and  innocent. But,  if we start to understand baby language, the joy will vanish. So it is better to guess their talks and enjoy.

My two year old daughter Phalguni, has not yet started talking full sentences. But, what ever she wants, she makes us understand by her actions. She has learnt few words properly and few words are her own language.

We really enjoy her talks. Just want to share few of her words!!!!

For

Mobile     she says         Badabad

Come       she says          Plum

Bye           she says          Baaaa

Car           she says          Caang

Ball          she says          Baam

Bowl        she says          Baam

Paratha  she says        Pathata

Apple      she says      Aappam

Book        she says     Boorrh
Pen          she says    Thaana
Moon       she says    Thaptha

Chappals or sandals   she says  pathapath

If she wants something more to eat, she says little tal(little star!!)

If she wants curds, she puts her forefinger on the tongue!!! and same for ice cream. I should understand according to situation!

She cannot pronounce e(ie)("इ" कार), so all the words which have "e" are pronounced as "aa"

for Eg,

Naani     is      Naana

Didi        is      Dada

Ajji         is      Ajjas

Mummy  is      mamma

Maami    is      maama

More funniest is,

Earlier, I used to give her Borunvita, and then started giving her Boost. Now when ever she wants to have milk, she comes to me saying, ' mamma, Boostpatha"(she has mixed boost and bournvita and made it as boostpatha).

More I will add, when she learns new words.

Keep smiling,

DIWALI WISHES

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

WISHING EVERY ONE A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS DIWALI

ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ 

ದೀಪಾವಳಿಯ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು

LOTS OF LOVE

NIVEDITA AND FAMILY

Keep smiling,

A tip to a mother

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

To feed a correct food to a child is a universal problem for a mother. Till the child understands the importance of food, and starts having without any fuss, mother faces lot of challenges. She plays many tricks to feed the child.

Being mother of two kids, till today, I am going through this difficult phase. My daughter who is 7 years old also has the problem. She eats every thing I give her, but she takes one hour to finish her food. (Some times more than one hour). And the second one, who is 2 years old, she never feels hungry. Her attention is always towards playing, writing, and troubling me and her sister. 

(This is old photo. I have exchanged the net with big basket net now!)

But from past 15 days, I observed that she is coming her self and asking for "mammam" (she says for food). And she eats her food in no time!!! (Touch Wood!!)

(A tiny slide for both of them to play)

I was thinking what is the reason behind this? Then I realized that from past 15 days, me and my elder daughter go for jogging in our compound only.(Luckily, we have ground in our compound only, which is surrounded by trees.)  And the little one follows us. She does some bending exercise with us! She wants to join us in skipping. She loves to play basket ball with us! Thats making her feel hungry for whole day!

(And, today, after one week, when my mother returned from Delhi,  Phalguni took her out for jogging, and to play basket ball!!!!!!!)

So the tip to all mothers is,

Once your child (2 years and above) gets up in the morning, let him/her play for sometime. It should not be more than 10 minutes all together. If you do not have ground, child can run in the house only. Make her touch all the room door knobs and come back to you. It will be fun to play like that. Or if you can join, that will be more fun. Then see the difference.

I know it is difficult or impossible for working mother! It is just a general tip. 

I am not a medical professional. If any one is from medical field, and thinks it is not good for child of that age!, please let me know!

This is just my experience I am sharing with all.

Keep smiling,

Multi purpose boxes from my daughter!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

Two more art work from my elder daughter Rajul.  

Few years back, I always used to throw the boxes, when ever I bought the things. But now a days I keep those for my daughter's art work. I keep the boxes for 2 -3 months. I will throw it out, if  I do not get any idea what to make out of that.

Last month, I bought the tea cup set and kept the box in the store room. Now as Rajul has school holidays, I asked her what she wants to make of that. She told, that she will use it to keep her clips, rubber bands. 

I asked her "shall we decorate with the colorful laces" She was not ready for that. She wanted to paint the box. Then I thought if we do spray painting using old tooth brush, it will look nice. and for the border I told her to use her little finger. 

So, here it is infront of you the art work fully done by her. I was just sitting beside her taking the tissue paper to wipe the paint, when ever she spilled the water or the paint.

This box can be used as Jewelery box, or hair accessories box or if you make it stand, you can keep small dolls. or if you remove one middle row, it can be used as doll house! The choice is yours!!

The next art is again the multi purpose box. It is made with old bangles.( all collection is from my mother's ward robe.) Go on keeping the bangles on a hard board (any shape) with the help of fevicol.

You can use it as pencil stand! or pen stand or to keep your visiting cards.

Just few sentences about my younger daughter Phalguni. (Rajul is feeling bad that I am not writing anything about her!!) Phalguni is only 2 years old. The whole day she will be writing in the book, with her sister's pencil or my pen. She wants only the things which her sister uses. So the whole day fighting will be on in my house.

And one more thing is, she will be singing the whole day in her language!!! 

I am sending this to Srivalli's First Blog Anniversary with Kids Delight!

Keep smiling,

what are these called in English?

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I have 2 questions about these below vegetables in the photo. I want to know what are these called in English.

I browsed many sites, trying many words, but could not get the answer.

                                                            Kaarchi kai

I do not know the English name of the vegetable in the photo, but in North Karnataka, we call it "Kaarchi kai"(Kannada). It tastes like bitter gourd. It is available only in the rainy season. It is having crunchy seeds. It is having tails on both the sides, need to be removed before we cook. One more thing to keep in mind is, if it is exposed to direct sun, it will open and split and the seeds will come out. Then you can not cook it. (Click here  for my recipe)

One more question for below leafy vegetable! I do not know what it is called in English, We call it Kirakasali in Kannada. (click here for my recipe)

                                                                      Kiraksali

It looks like Rajgiri leaves. Only difference is it is having while colour seeds on it's stem.(you can see in the photo below!)
In Harsha Bennur's blog(http://girmitt.wordpress.com/2008/07/25/roasted-kirkasaali-tandulsa/), he has given the name as Tandulsa, I do not know which language it is.

If any one knows the English names for these, please let me know!

Keep smiling,

Award and Jowar rotti upma(ಕುಚ್ಚಿದ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ )

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

After long time, I am again with North Karnataka recipe. This was very common in our house during our childhood. Almost twice a week, my mother used to prepare this in the night. As it is very simple and fast, it was easy for her to keep the dinner ready, after coming tired from the office. And we all enjoyed to eat it hot with ghee, pickle and onion. In typical North Karnataka(especially in Hubli-Dharwad language) language, we call it as Rotti oggarane(ರೊಟ್ಟಿ ಒಗ್ಗರಣೆ).

Here is the recipe,
One day old rotti or crispy rotti - 8 to 10
(Click Jowar rotti(Jolada rotti) for recipe)
Onion - 1 big
Curry leaves - few
Chilly powder - 1 tbsp or
Green chilly - 3 chopped
(in this photo I used chilly powder)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Tomato - 1 small
(my mother used to put 1 tbsp tamarind paste, you can choose according to your taste)
Salt to taste
Haldi - 1 pinch
Water - 1 cup apprx.
Break the rotti into pieces and keep aside.
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard when it starts popping up, add jeera and curry leaves. Add onions and saute for a minute.
If you are using green chilly, now only add it with onion.
When the onion changes its color, add tomato mix it properly and wait till the tomato is half cooked. Add salt, haldi and water .

Once the water starts boiling, add the rotti pieces. Mix properly. Take care not to put more water.

Cook for few minute, stirring in between.

Jowar rotti upma is ready to eat with ghee, onion and pickle.

I have received this award from *sangi* 

Thank you so much Sangi.

This award goes with a fun meme which has to be passed onto 6 of ur favorite blogs and which has to be answered with only one word.

Here is the meme part: 

• Where is ur cell phone : Bed
• Ur hair:black
• ur mother: Sarojini
• Ur father: Mohan
• Ur fav food: Raw
• Ur dream last night:Forgets
• Ur fav drink:Carrot Orange Juice
• Ur dream:Live one day at a time
• Wat room u r in:Bedroom
• Ur hobby:Reading
• Ur fear:snakes
• Where do u want to be in 6 yrs:India
• Where r u last night:home
• Where did u grow up:Karnataka
• Last thing u did: watched movie
• Ur t.v:Off
• Ur pets:no
• Ur friends:very few
• Ur life:Simple
• Ur mood:Confused
• Missing some one:My freedom
• Vehicle:yes
• Something u r not wearing: Finger ring
• Ur fav store:Many
• Ur fav color: Green
• When was the last time u laughed:Just now!
• Last time u cried: Forgot
• Ur best friend:Books
• One place I go over and over:Nothing special
• One person who emails me regularly: Bhavana
• Fav place to eat: Dining Table

I would like to share this award with,

Sanghi
PJ 
Srivalli 
shanthi
Padma 
Malar


Keep smiling,

Moong Salad

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

Here is my favorite food. I am ready to eat this any time, any day! I can stay with this for more than week, just changing few ingredients and small portion of chapati. 

The grains used here can be either partially cooked or even raw. Raw will taste better. But if you are not used for raw food, it is good to cook it in a microwave for one minute and use it.

The recipe is here,

Green moong - 1 cup 

Yellow moong(Whle moth bean, madaki kalu in Kannada) - 1 cup

Fenugreek seeds(Methi seeds) - 2 tbsp

Cucumber - 1 small (chopped into very small pieces)

Carrot - 1 small (grated)

Fresh coconut(grated) - 1/4 cup or less

Salt to taste

Green chilly - 1 chopped(skip this if you are giving it to kids)

Lime juice - 1 tbsp

Soak both the moong and fenugreek seeds  in water overnight. Remove the water. Keep them tied in the muslin cloth for a day to sprout the moongs(or if you know any other way to sprout it , follow it!)

Wash the beans(moong) with fresh water.

Keep it in microwave for 2 to 3 minutes or till the beans are 3/4th cooked. (Skip this step if you want to have it raw!!)

Take it out in a bowl. Add all other ingredients. Mix it properly. Adjust the seasoning.

Salad is ready to serve.

I am sending this salad to Naked Grains Recipe Challenge — Try your hand at a grain salad

Keep smiling,

Must try foods of Indian States!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

When I read about the event  A Taste Of The Write Taste, hosted by sra of (when my soup came alive), I thought it is not my cup of tea, as I am far away from proper English to put my thoughts in to words and then in to blog!! I did not think about it much, But!! I think, the thought was always in the corner of my mind. Then suddenly, I remembered that, last month when I was browsing for my daughter's project work,(I was searching for only the out line of Indian map to take the print out)  I came through this blog, I kept it in my draft, so that I may use it in the future. As I am a very much food lover, and loves to try all the food on this earth!, I thought, If I go for All India Tour, I can take this map with me, and try all the dishes out there!!!
And here it is now!!  In this, the map is really very interesting and informative also. (http://www.himadventures.net/outdoor_forums/sites/default/files/indian_food.jpg) Zoom the map and check it out!!

 

HIMADVENTURES is trademark for safe and secure adventure and outdoor travel in Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Zanskar, Lahaul Spiti, Uttarakhand, Kashmir and Sikkim..... To read more,  click 

http://www.himadventures.net. ,
There are several links where this map is shown, I could  not make out which is  the original source. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Food_map_of_India.jpg
http://dripfin.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/untitled.jpg+
I hope, this  will not come into copycat category!
If any one knows about the original source of this! Please let me know, I will post it accordingly.

I hope this post will get through the rules of  the event!! 

So, here it is going to 

A Taste Of The Write Taste (An Eventful Anniversary, In The Write Taste), hosted by sra of (when my soup came alive),

Keep smiling,