Bhel or Girmitt

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Home made Bhel!! It is safe and tasty and you can have as much as want to. I love chaat but always get scared of eating outside as I am not sure about the water they use to make the chutneys, the oil to fry the puris, the vegetables used, whether properly cleaned or not!! With so many doubts, I can not enjoy my chaat plate!! Yes!! I will have if the shop looks clean, hygenic!

I was not like this during my college days or when I was working before the marriage. Twice a week I used to go with my friends and collegues to chaat corners on road side to enjoy each bite from all the varieties. Be it Pani Puri, Bhel Puri, Dahi Puri, Sev Puri.

But, it all changed after I went to UAE. After staying there for many years, I lost the touch with road side chaat and now I can not have it!!

Now a days, I prefer to prepare chaats at home. My daughter loves Pani puri and Bhel Puri. I get puri from one of my neighbor who makes these at home. And all other things I make at home. 

Today I am giving the recipe of Bhel Puri.

Ingredients we need :

Bhel or kurmura - 1 big bowl or 4 cups

Onion - 1 chopped finely

Tomato - 1 chopped finely

Cucumber - 1 cut into fine cubes

Carrot - 1 small, grated(optional)

Fresh coriander - handful, chopped finely

Salt to taste

Raw Mango - 1/4 cut into fine cubes(optional)

Ready Sev or mixture, thick one (you get it in sweet mart)

Fried peanuts - 2 tbsp (optional)

Tamarind chutney - 2 tbsp

Green chutney - 2 tbsp(Pudina, Fresh coriander, green chilly and salt)

Dalia powder - 1 tbsp for each plate.

If you don't have tamarind chutney and green chutney:

skip the tamarind chutney, soak tamarind in hot water for 15 minutes. Take out the pulp, boil it with little red chilly powder and salt. Use it as a Tamarind chutney.

Instead of Green chutney: take 2 green chilly,fresh coriander,  little salt and cumin seeds, make it into paste.

Method:

To make one plate :

1. Take a round deep vessel,
2. Go on adding one by one :
3. green chilly paste 1 tsp
4. Tamarind chutney 1 tsp
5. Dalia powder  1 tsp
6. Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt to taste 
8. Mix well.
9. Add 1 big cup of bhel, all other ingredients except fried peanuts and ready Sev. Mix well.
10. Add  the peanuts, Sev. 
11. Serve immediately .

Sending this to 

Srivalli's 

Announcing Kid's Delight - Street Food

and

Sending it to PJ's 

Announcing - 'Flavors Of Maharashtra' event

Keep Smiling,

Dill leaves Vada(ಸಬ್ಬಸಿಗೆ ವಡೆ)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Winter is saying bye... but, some snacks are always welcome, in any season, at any time, with something or nothing. As a side dish in full meals or just as a whole snack with a cup of tea in the evening.

And this snack comes under the same category.  This  is prepared using dill leaves and is a deep fried snack.

The dill leaves gives unique taste. This is again my mom's favorite. She will be waiting for me to say yes to make this( I am very strict daughter, who never allows her to eat oily things).

There is a person who has small moving cart like vehicle, I am seeing him from many years making these in the evening. And always there is a huge rush for this. I too used to eat from his shop when I was in college, Now a days, these hygienic things in my mind won't allow me to eat roadside stuff!!! (very funny)

A very common deep fried snack and I have seen many friends have posted the recipe. That was the reason I was delaying to post it even though I clicked this many months ago. May be the procedure and the ingredients are different.

Here is my way:

Ingredients :

Dill leaves :- 1 small bunch

Chana - 1/2 cup

Green chilly - 3 to 4

Curry leaves few

Salt to taste

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Rice flour - 1 to 2 tbsp

Oil to fry

Method :

• Clean the dill leaves. Wash and chop finely
• Soak the Chana for 2 hours.
• Drain the water and grind it to very coarse paste with green chilly and cumin seeds. 
• Add the dill leaves, rice flour and salt to it. Mix well. Add water if needed to make very thick paste. It should not be watery. Just enough water to combine the ingredients.
• Heat oil in a kadai. When hot, take a small portion in your palm, give a flat round shape and put into oil to fry.
• Fry in batches. Fry till golden brown.
• Enjoy it the way want..

In my house, the plate never stays full. I should hide few for me before I call others to have it.

Sending this to 

Radhika's event

Announcing My First Event ~ Deep Fried Snacks

Keep Smiling,

Chocolate Kheer

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I always get inspired to cook something new dishes when there is an event announcement. It forces me to use my brain to try something new.

This Kheer took birth because of the event only. There are four  reasons to prepare this kheer. 

Kheer is my mom's favorite, and we make milk kheer often.

I wanted to use the chocolates which mom brought from Egypt few months back

I wanted to use the left over milk.

And I wanted to cook something for chocolate event.

No ingredients or method separately written. Its all in the down paragraph. Please read the full post to get the recipe.(I have typed the ingredients bold and in different color)

When I entered the kitchen, I was not sure how I am going to prepare this as I did not browse any blogs or websites. I had kept the chocolates out from the fridge. Mom brought a big box of chocolates from Egypt and all remaining in the box, as the chocolates are bitter. 

I just kept the milk(1/4 litre) to boil on one side. Another side, Ajjiri was making hot chapatis. I was thinking how to melt the chocolates???? Tinggg :-)  when I saw ajjiri finishes making chapatis and the tawa was hot.

I took little milk in another steel vessel and put the chocolates. Kept that vessel on the tawa. Viola!! The chocolates got mix with the milk and got nice choco milk. I added 2 tbsp of sugar to the milk and allowed it to boil on a low flame for 10 minutes. Now was the time for Cinnamon and Cardamom powder (1/2 tsp) to go into the milk.

Boiled it for 2 more minutes. Added the choco milk to it.  Stirred and again kept it to boil till the milk became 1/2 the quantity and it got the kheer consistency.It took another 10 minutes. But be careful at the end otherwise your milk will get burnt at the bottom.

Yummmmmmmmmmm!!! The chocolate kheer tasted heaven.

I could feel the chocolate flavor and the bitterness was totally missing.

I had the thick curdled cream melting in my mouth........

You want any more sin than this!!!!!!

I loved to have it hot, and my daughter has kept it in the fridge to have it chilled for tomorrow. :-)

Sending it to 

 Jyoti's (The Veggie Hut )

Lets Celebrate Sweets - Chocolate! An Event Announ...
which is started by Me.

Keep Smiling,

Chocolate Halwa(Food remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Trying to make some sweets adding chocolate. And suddenly remembered this halwa which I prepared few months back. It was Srivalli's recipe and I could not wait to make it. The photo was lying in my drafts.

Taking this chance to post it for the event.

Don't compare my click with Valli's. :-)

For the recipe visit HERE by  Srivalli. Thanks Valli, for this recipe.

This is a winner dessert for everyone at home.

Giving you the recipe in my words:

Ingredients:

Cocoa powder - 1/2 cup

Condensed Milk - 1 tin(400gm)

Sugar - 1/2 cup+2 tbsp more.

Butter - 50 gm

Nuts - as per your taste(chopped finely), you can skip this one.

I did a little variation, I did not roast the nuts.

I took 2 tbsp more sugar, as I knew the sugar I had was not so sweet.

I used Microwave.

Method:

Mix all the ingredients except the nuts, in a think bottomed M/W safe glass bowl.

Mix well.

Cook on HIGH in M/w for 1 minute.

Take it out, Mix again and Cook till you feel the nice aroma of the Cocoa powder turning into choco flavor.It may take another one or two minutes depending on your M/W settings.

Take care not to make it thick. Otherwise it will become hard.

Garnish with nuts and serve it with cold ice cream or enjoy it like that only

Sending it to 

 Jyoti's (The Veggie Hut )

Lets Celebrate Sweets - Chocolate! An Event Announ...
which is started by Me.

Keep Smiling,

This is how Oats is used in my kitchen...

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Without much introduction about oats and its preparations I will give the recipes.

First is 

Oats and Poha dosa:

Ingredients:
Oats - 1 cup
Thick or medium Poha - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Wheat flour - 2 tbsp
Fresh curds - 1/4 cup
Method:
Put the oats and poha in a grinder and make it a powder.
Add salt, wheat flour and  fresh curd. Add the powder and mix well.
Keep the tawa to heat.
Take big spoon of batter and spread it on tawa. 
Cover and cook both the sides.
Second is 
Oats and onion pakoda: Avery common snack which is posted in most of the blogs, here is my version(many of us follow the same recipe) which I love to make for a quick snack with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

Ingredients:
Oats - 1 cup
Gram flour -1 cup
Onion - 1 big, finely chopped
Curry leaves few
Fresh coriander - handful
salt to taste
Green chilly - 1 or 2 big, finely chopped
turmeric powder  a pinch
Hot oil - 1 tbsp


Oil to fry
Method :

Mix all the ingredients(Except oil to fry) in a bowl with little water to make thick batter.

Heat oil. 

When its very hot, reduce the flame and take small portion of the batter and put into the oil. Fry the pakodas till golden color. 

Remove on a kitchen tissue and serve hot.

Third one is 

Rava and oats Dosa

Ingredients:

Fine semolina or rava - 1 cup

Oats - 1/2 cup

Jowar atta - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Water to make the batter.

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp(optional)

Oil for each dosa - 1 tsp

(The onion kept aside, helps for dosa to spread properly, a very old tip from granny)

Method:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with more water to make it very thin batter.

Heat tawa. 

Spread or actually you should throw the batter on a very hot tawa to get thin dosas. YOU CAN NOT SPREAD THIS BATTER WITH A SPOON.

Put oil. 

Cook both the sides till crispy on  medium flame.

Serve with potato sabji.

The last one (As I have time limitations :-(  ) is
I know I have given 3 dosa recipes, but I feel its the best way to feed my kids the oats.
Oats uttappa:
Ingredients:

Idly batter - 1 cup( a day old is also fine, best way to finish the batter)

Oats - 1/4 cup

Onion - 1 big, finely chopped

Green chilly - 1 finely chopped

Curry leaves - few, chopped finelly

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp(optional)

Grated ginger - 1 tbsp(my daughter loves the taste, you can skip if you don't want)

Oil for each dosa

Method:

Again

Mix all in a bowl except oil.

Heat tawa, spread the batter to make thick uttappa.

Cover and cook on both the sides.

I enjoy it just like that with a spoon of ghee over it :-))))))'

Even though there are three recipes for dosas, each dosa tastes different.

I wanted to post few more recipes as oats is very common thing for me in the kitchen. 

But sorry, I am not able to manage the time to post the recipes.

Hopefully, will post few more in coming months.

The last minute entry to 

Priya's Announcing Cooking With Whole Foods - Oats 

(Which was started by Kiran.. )

Keep Smiling,

Egg and Spinach Curry

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

As all of you know I am an eggatirian! I keep on trying new recipes with egg. This one is one of those trials which was mainly for my younger daughter who does not eat spinach at all. 

I will come directly to the recipe, (Its last day of the month for many events, but could not post most of the recipes as I got stuck with some other works)

Ingredients:

Eggs - 4 boiled

For gravy:

Spinach - 1 bunch

Onion - 1 big, peeled and cubed

Tomato - 1 big, cleaned and chopped

Green Chilly - 1

Ginger - 1" piece, cleaned and chopped

Cinnamon - 1/4" piece

Cardamom - 1 small

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Method:

• Clean the spinach, wash and cut. Add all the ingredients except oil, salt and red chilly powder.
• Boil together for 5 minutes.
• Once cool, grind it into a fine paste.
• Cut the boiled and peeled eggs into desired sizes or shape
• Heat oil in a kadai.
• Add the spinach puree. Cook it for a minute. Add salt and chilly powder. Mix well. 
• Add a glass of water. Cook for a minute. Adjust the seasoning.
• Add the eggs. Cover and cook for few minutes.
• Egg and spinach curry is ready to serve with rice, chapati, dosa or bread.

Sending this to 

Akila's  event 

DNSW:E - Jan 1st to Jan 31st

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,

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,

Kaap (Shallow fried Brinjal)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Brinjal is one such vegetable which is verrrry common in North Karnataka. In most of the houses, it is prepared everyday, either in a form of sabji or gravy or sambhar or fried form. Its is prepared stuffed, sliced, boiled, mashed.

I am sharing the recipe of Kaap which is a simple shallow roasted brinjal. It goes well with hot rice and dal or even with chapati. Good food while travelling.

Ingredients:

Brinjal - 2 medium

Oil for shallow fry

Semolina(Fine sooji) - 1/4 cup

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Cumin seeds powder - 1 tsp

Dry mango powder - 1 tsp

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except the Brinjal and oil.

Wash the Brinjals. Cut in to medium thick round slices. If you are not using it immediately, keep the slices in the water.

When you are ready,

Keep tawa or pan to heat.

Take the slices and roll on the ready semolina mix on both the sides. Take care to cover the semolina mix evenly on both the sides.

 Put a tbsp of oil on tawa and spread it evenly.

Arrange the brinjal slices and close the lid. Cook on slow flame for 2 minutes. Open and turn the slices on the other side. Close the lid and cook for 2 more minutes.  Open the lid and cook on high flame for half a minute.

Remove from fire. Cool it and serve it or pack it for travelling.

Sending it to

Kavita of Seasoned & Dressed's ongoing event;

Event - Healing Foods - Eggplant
which is the brain child of  Siri's Healing Food 

Keep Smiling,

Happy Makara Sankranti

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

Wishing every one a very happy Makara Sankranti. I know I am late to wish here. But wanted to wish you all with my special Sankranti food.

My many blogger friends have already posted about the importance of this wonderful festival which is first festival of the new year. 

Enjoy the reading in,

Nitya's

Pongal / Sankaranthi Celebration

Srivalli's

Nuts Poli for Sankranthi Special | Traditional San...

and 

Jagruti's

Celebrate Makar Sankranti with Mixed dry fruits an...

Here is the food which is must on this day and I wait for this for the whole year. The same food never tastes so good on any other day.

Here goes the menu:

First is the traditional 'YELLU BELLA' (Sesame seeds and Jaggery) which is a mixture of dry coconut pieces, roasted sesame seeds, small pieces of jaggery, roasted peanuts. This we exchange in the evening with all the relatives and friends. We take blessings from the elders.

Second is the crispy Bajraof Sajji rotti : which is specially prepared for this and these rottis are thinner than a paper.

Third is Avarekalu pallye or Surti paapdi masala

And fourth one is Badanekai bajji(Baingan ka bharta) which is prepared adding boiled carrot, fresh green chana to the normal baingan ka bharta

And the sweets we prepare for this festival:

Maadli or Maaldi ; Maadli or Maaldi(Powdered Chapati and Jaggery)

Sesame seeds poli : Sesame seeds poli(ಎಳ್ಳಿನ ಹೋಳಿಗೆ)

Enjoy the day and have a wonderful year ahead. May God bless you all with the best things in your life.

Wishing one more time a very happy Makara Sankramana to everyone.

Keep Smiling,

Khandvi ~ A tempting Snack from Gujarat! for ICC

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I am angry with  Srivalli because of the recipe for this month's Indian Cooking Challenge. 

Just kidding, actually I am thankful to her for making me try Khandvi ! again and test my patience and cooking passion. I The recipe I followed is the first one from  Lataji'.

It was 4th time before I tried in the past and all the 3 times it was a super failure. But this time I did it, I took the challenge and was succeeded half. My only mistake was I spread it thick.

But when I saw Lataji's photo, I felt my spread was also good.

The taste was too good to enjoy as an evening snack, or morning breakfast.

Ingredients: are very simple, easily available at home, and very fast snack for unexpected guests. Just be careful when you are spreading the batter.

Gramflour - 1/3 cup

Curds or yogurt - 1/3 cup

Water -  1 cup

Hing a pinch

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Ginger and green chilli paste - 1 tsp or more(if you like it spicy)

Sugar - 1 tsp

For tempering :
Oil- 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp

For garnishing:
Fresh coconut - 2 tbsp(grated)
Fresh Coriander - 1 tbsp, cleaned, washed and chopped
Keep the greased thali ready.

Method:

• Mix gramflour, curds, water, salt and ginger chilly paste in a big bowl.
• Mix well and remove lumps. I used bare fingers to remove the lumps.
• Add hing, turmeric powder and sugar and mix well again.

• Take a thick bottomed kadai, make it hot.
• Add the batter, keep on stirring continuously. Cook it till the raw smell goes and it gets cooked. You can see the color change and it starts shining. I kept on stirring for almost 15 minutes and my hands started paining :-) But do not stop.
• Immediately transfer the batter on the greased thali and spread it thin and evenly.
• Cut into thin strips. Wait till cool.

• Roll each strip into small rolls and keep in a serving plate.
• Heat oil in a small vessel. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter add sesame seeds. 
• Remove form the heat.
• Allow it to cool.
• Spread it on the ready Khandvis.
• Garnish with fresh coconut and coriander.

I enjoyed it making and going to try it again very soon.

Keep Smiling,