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

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

"If you fail in something in the Life, that is the time to learn from your mistake!!" I have read these lines in many books. Often  I follow it too. Again I am going to follow it and going to check my ability or capacity in managing the event. 

Last one was a flop! I do not know the reason or may be the theme was complicated or more people were not aware about it!! And it was non-cooking event. But I am thankful to many of blogger friends who were so supportive to make me feel good. A chat between me and Srivalli at that moment gave me little relief. 

This time I am planning to hold an event on cooking. And the theme is Halwa!! Yesterday, when I saw 5 halwa posts in my blogger friends at a time in 24 hours of span, this idea came into my mind. I was scared of the failure again and just put it in my FB status. And then I got the message from Jagruti જાગૃતિ  of Joy of Cooking. She encouraged me to go ahead with the event announcement. Thanks Jagruti for so much support and encouragement.

So here comes the theme of the event :

Come, Lets

 "CELEBRATE SWEETS~HALWA" 

                                                        : image link

Halwa is a common desert and is usually prepared at home.  It is the quickest and easiest desert to make. The best part of Halwa is you can make Halwa with anything!! (I remember the last dialog in the movie "CAT IN THE HAT" where the mother asks the kids "with what you made the cookies" and the girl will answer " you can make cookies out of anything mom"!!!)

You can make halwa out of most of the vegetables. You can make halwa with powdered pulses, grains, fruits, dry fruits, nuts and......, I will leave the imagination and creativity with you all!!

Here you can read more about Halwa.

I am inviting all of you to prepare Halwa.  

Go through the rules :

• Post the recipe in your blog from Today till July 25, 2010.
• Send it to my email id nivedita.mt@gmail.com with "CELEBRATE SWEETS~HALWA"  as a subject.
• You can send as many entries as you wish.
• For archived posts, 

         If the recipe is posted within two months, just update the post and link back to my event.

         If the recipe  is posted earlier, please update, repost and link bank it to my event.

• Placing the logo will be highly appreciated as it will be easy to spread the news about this event.
• Non bloggers can send their entries to my email. 

This time, I expect all of you to participate in this sweet event.  This is a self test trial for me!!

I hope you all will not allow me to fail.

Waiting for more entries.

(Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm - Sir Winston Churchill)

And one more announcement :

If this event goes well, I want to continue the series with other sweets. Thats why I have named the event as "Celebrate sweets ~        "

Keep Smiling,

Onion Paratha

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

A very quick, healthy and tasty breakfast.

I think I will directly come to the recipe 

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Soya flour - 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Oil -1 tsp

Water to make dough

Mix everything slowly to make it into soft dough.

Oil - to spread it on paratha

For Filling

Onion - 2 big, peeled, cleaned and finely chopped

Salt to taste

Curry leaves few

Fresh coriander - handful, washed, cleaned and chopped

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Ajwain - 1/2 tsp(Optional)

Dry fruit powder - 1 tsp(better to add if preparing it for kids)

(I always keep the homemade dry powder of Almonds and Pista)

Mix all the ingredients nicely. Keep it ready in a bowl.

Divide the dough into lemon sized balls. Take one ball and roll into a puri size. Repeat with one more. Keep one puri on a board. Take one tbsp ready onion masala and spread it on the puri. Keep another puri on it. Seal the sides properly and roll it slowly to make it into a paratha. 

Heat tawa and drizzle little oil. Put the paratha to roast. Turn after half a minute. Roast the other side also. 

It makes 5 or 6 parathas.

Serve hot with Pickle, curds or any chutney of your choice. 

Sending this to Priya's (of   Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes )current event

 "Announcing Healing Foods-Onions"

Linking this to  Siri'sAnnouncement Page.. as per the rule.

Again this is going to 

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

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

Keep Smiling,

Carrot and Orange Halwa

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

I think today we can celebrate "Halwa Day"!!! There are 5 recipes in FB from my blogger friends in one day!!! Here is mine too!!

Actually, I was thinking to do something different with carrot as I wanted to participate in PJ's on going event. Even though I have few recipes in my draft, they are usual ones and are spicy foods.I thought of making some sweet with Carrot and could not think anything else other than this Halwa. But Carrot halwa is a very common sweet. There are many methods to make a simple carrot halwa. And I thought of giving it a twist by adding Orange to it. 

First, I was not sure how it will come out!!! As I never cooked orange directly on heat! I started with little hesitation.

I thought of the ingredients : the normal things which we use for other halwas.

And here it is :

Carrot - 1 big

Washed, peeled, cubed and put into a blender to take the juice. Seive the juice and keep the pulp aside.My juicer is under repair, so these many steps I followed. You can make the juice using juicer.

Carrot pulp - which remained after the juice is sieved.

Orange - 1 big, Take out the juice.

Now measure the juices.

I got half cup juice from both.

Sugar - 1/4 cup or little more if Orange is sour. 

Ghee - 1 tsp

Crushed Almonds and cashew nuts - 1 tbsp

Cornflour - 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp as per the texture of halwa

Salt a pinch

Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp

ACTUALLY I WANTED TO USE ONLY JUICE AND MORE CORNFLOUR. BUT THEN I THOUGHT WHY TO WASTE THE CARROT PULP OR EXTRACT. May be next time I will try only with juice and cornflour and check.

Now, Mix both the juices and pour in a thick bottomed kadai on a heat. When it starts boiling add sugar and carrot extract. Stir and allow it to boil till it thickens. It may take 15 minutes. Now add cornflour and salt. Add cinnamon powder and Crushed dry fruits. Cook till it starts leaving its sides. Transfer it in to a greased plate and allow it set. 

                               

Carrot and Orange Halwa it ready to eat! Have it hot or chilled!!

Sending this to PJ's ongoing event "Vegetable Marathon"

                                                  

Sending it to 

Food palette series event giveaway

                                                     

Keep Smiling,

Naan without using Yeast and Tandoor!!(Food Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

Again one more dish from other blog!! I am sure that Blog world is a boon to  every food lover and the person who loves to cook. You get wonderful ideas, tips, unknown recipes around the world and beautiful people who loves to share the secrets of their kitchen without any hesitation. I have met many people who never give up their secrets of their special recipe. Its really funny!!! I would like to invite those people to our blogworld and see US!!! and our love towards the food world. 

Hey!! What am I writing??? Getting more and more involved with blogging!!! I always say "LETS GROW TOGETHER, THREE CHEERS TO BLOG WORLD" and I still do. Here, I have learnt more and more about many things, about kitchen, about food, about life.... list goes on.

Thanks to all the bloggers who shares their ideas about everything. 

Coming to the recipe,

Whenever we go out to restaurants for food, my daughter always orders for Naan or Tandoor roti. She just loves it with Chicken curry. All these days I tried my way to make Naan but never got them right till I got this recipe from Sailu of  Sailu's Kitchen  (click here for the recipe). 

One more blog I came through was Archana's recipe click here for the recipe. Archana has given the detailed photos about how to make Naan at home with the normal Cooker. It is really useful for newbies! I tried in cooker also, but I think one needs little practice to prepare in the cooker. Enjoy the photos in her blog!

But, I tried Sailu's version and followed her way of making Naan. 

Here is the recipe I followed from Sailu :
(I have tried to write down the same way she has written)

Maida or All purpose flour - 2 cups 

Warm milk - 1/2 cup

Fresh curd or yogurt  - 1/2 cup

Baking powder - 3/4 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Baking soda - a pinch

Kalonji or Sesame seeds - 1/4 tsp on each naan to spread

Butter or ghee - 1/2 tsp on each naan to spread

• Sieve Maida, baking powder, baking soda and salt on a wide and big plate. 
• Make a big well in the middle. 
• Add Sugar, milk, curd.
• Mix slowly and gently to make it into soft dough.
• Keep it covered with damp cloth for 2 hours. 
• After two hours, take the dough and divide in to big lemon size balls. Dust the rolling board with maida.
• Roll into oval shape rotis. You can press with hands also. 
• Sprinkle Kalonji or sesame seeds and press gently.
• Keep the tawa to heat. When it is very hot, brush one side of Naan with water and place the Naan with waterside down on tawa. Cover it with lid on high flame for 30 seconds. Open the lid and see the bubbles coming up. Take the Naan from Tawa using tong and cook the other side of the Naan directly on the flame.
• Spread little butter and serve hot with your choice of curry. 

I prepared Egg curry with it!! The taste was just like the Naan which you get in any restaurant!!

I want to try this with Wheat flour. I will let you know, if I make and if it tastes good.

I want to thank Sailu for such a wonderful recipe. I am a regular follower of her recipes and I have tried many recipes from her blog. 

Keep Smiling,

Falafel Sandwich (Indianised)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

After marriage, when I went to UAE, I tried the Falafel sandwich. And I did not like it at all!! After 6 months, while coming back from the office, one evening I was very hungry. My husband had come to pick me up and was having falafel sandwich. As I did not had any choice, I tried once again the sandwich and Voila!!!!! I loved it on the first byte. May be I was hungry or was already used to UAE life. And then all the years I stayed in UAE, Falafel Sandwich and Chicken Shawarma  were my favorite food. Almost every weekend I used to have either Falafel or Shawarma sandwich.

After I came back to India, I have always missed the UAE food.  I try to prepare few things but most of the times, it is not possible as I do not get many ingredients here. Two weeks back my elder daughter was feeling like having falafel sandwich. I thought of giving it a try!! With many ingredients unavailable, I was not sure how will I start!! Check it down to see my struggle to make it, and I succeeded at the end. My daughter enjoyed the sandwich.

The things I DID NOT HAD were,

1. Garlic paste

2. Olive oil

3. Tahina or sesame paste

4. Pita Bread

5. Salad leaves

6. and the ready vegetable pickles!!!!!

I am giving here my version:

WHAT I TRIED TO REPLACE FOR

1. GARLIC PASTE : I did not had garlic paste, and my daughter does not like Mayonnaise,  So I went for HUNG CURD. I took a teaspoon of Garlic Juice and mixed with hung curd. 

2. I used the NORMAL COOKING OIL

3. TAHINA : My husband had brought it from UAE, but the expiry date was done, I did not had any option. Then I thought of soaking the sesame seeds(2 tbsp) in hot water for half an hour and grind it into paste with one green chilly and little oil. My Tahina was ready.

4.PITA BREAD : I prepared normal Maida chapatis, you can use wheat chapati also.

    

5. SALAD LEAVES : We do not get salad leaves here. So I settled down with CABBAGE LEAVES, SHREDDED FINELY.

6. READY VEG. PICKLES : I CUT FEW CARROT, CUCUMBER AND RADISH IN TO THIN LONG STRIPS, SOAKED THESE IN SALT AND VINEGAR FOR FEW HOURS!!!

Now is the time for Falafel :

Boil the soaked chickpeas with a pinch of salt. Drain the water.

ADD

GREEN CHILLY - 2

CUMIN SEEDS - 1TSP

GINGER - 1"

SALT TO TASTE

FRESH CORIANDER - HANDFUL OR PARSLEY(I do not get Parsley here  )

OIL - 1 TSP

RED CHILLY FLAKES - 1 TSP (Optional)

PUT EVERYTHING IN A FOOD PROCESSOR OR MIXER AND TURN INTO FINE PASTE.

                      

Keep in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Take it out and make big lime size balls and press it. (if you are lucky to have falafel maker!! then its great) 

Keep all the the falafel ready.

Heat the OIL, fry in batches. 

I tried single falafel and it came out very good. Being a greedy person, I put 6 at a time and see what happened :

Then I fried 4 falafel at one time.

Now coming to the sandwich part, we need

Tomatoes

If you have peta bread, open half in the middle. 

Mix the hung curd and sesame seed paste and spread it on one side.

Wrap it with Kitchen tissue.

                                         

I know I have confused you with such a long post!! But recipe and the procedure is typed in blue color. Feel free to comment for any doubts or confusion!! or any suggestions!!

Keep Smiling,

Green Moong with Dill leaves

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Now a days I have made it compulsory to have green leafy vegetables for our dinner. And morning breakfast is replaced with Chapati and any veg. preparation or grains or pulses. 

And this Green Moong and Dill leaves serves both!! 

My kids do not like this leaves in any other form. So this is the best way to feed them. We make Thalipeeth, dosa, Paddh using these leaves. Mom makes yummy "Dill and Chana vada". I love the smell of Dill leaves. This is a common preparation in North Karnataka.

It has many health benefits too. It is benefited in Digestion, Dysentery and Diarrhea, bad breath, swelling, Menstrual disorders. Read more here for details. It is very useful article on this herb.

Coming to the recipe,

Dill leaves - 1 bunch, cleaned, washed  properly and chopped finely

Green moong - 1cup, soaked for  2 hours

Garlic - 1/2 bulb if it is small, cleaned and crushed

Green Chilly - 1 or 2 as per your taste, chopped

Oil - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Transfer every thing in to a cooker vessel or directly in to a small cooker. Give 3 whistles. When cold, mash it to mix properly. It is ready to serve with chapati or jowar rotti. I like to have it with curd rice or rice and milk!!!

Another way...

If you like, you can give tadka ,

Do not put the garlic in the cooker. 

for tempering :

Oil - 1 tsp

Crushed garlic 

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds and garlic. Add it to  the cooked moong and Dill. Mix it properly.

Keep Smiling,

Egg Kurma

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

This one is a very easy and quick gravy which goes well with rice, chapati, any kind of bread or Indian bread.

I learnt this one from my aunt when I was in 9th standard. Whenever I made this, somehow I forgot to click the photo, so it is delayed in posting.

Last night I made it and was perfect for my cold!!

Eggs - 4

Oil - 1 tbsp

Onion - 1 small, peeled and sliced 

Salt to taste

Red Chilly powder - 1 tbsp 

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Fresh Coriander - to garnish

For Masala

Oil - 1 tsp

Onion - big, chopped

Garlic - 3 to 4 cloves

Ginger - 1/2 "

Fresh coconut - 2 tbsp

Clove -2

Cardamom - 1

Cinnamon - 1/2"

Tamarind - 1 tsp 

OR

Tomato - 1 big

Roast all the ingredients and grind into fine paste.

Heat oil in a shallow and wide kadai. When hot, add sliced onion and fry it till brown. Now add ready paste. Fry for a minute. Now add Salt, Red chilly powder, Coriander powder and  Turmeric powder. Fry till you get nice aroma. Add 2 cups of water and bring it to boil.

Take first egg and break carefully into a bowl taking care keeping the egg yolk intact. Slowly transfer it into the boiling gravy. Repeat with other three eggs. You can break the egg directly into the vessel but only because if the egg is spoiled, you have to throw the ready gravy into the dustbin.

The eggs should be covered. If you feel the water is less, add some more water.Do not try to mix it with spoon. Otherwise the eggs will break into pieces. Cover and cook it for two minutes. Remove the lid and turn the eggs. Adjust the seasoning. Again cover it and cook for few more minutes.

Add lime juice. Mix it carefully. Garnish with Fresh coriander. 

Serves for two!! If you share it!!

Keep Smiling,