Gujarati Dal from Sukham Ayu for ICC

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Dal is my all time favorite, let it be made from any dal, let it be spicy, sweet, with vegetables or without vegetables or just a simple dal. And I was very happy when I saw this month's Indian Cooking Challenge which Srivalli has chosen for this month. Its Gujarati Dal from Sukham Ayu. The original recipe is taken from  Sukham Ayu is very tasty and healthy. I loved this different taste and my daughter enjoyed it too.

Here is the recipe in my words:

I was planning to make this dal (toor dal, 1/2cup, soaked for half an hour)from the day the challenge was announced. But some or the other thing was not available.  First I searched for the drumstick(4to 5 pieces) and yam (3 to 4 pieces) and did not get. I thought of making the dal with potatoes.  Then the other day I got only the drumsticks.  I was happy. Then the problem was I forgot to bring dry dates. Day before yesterday I brought it thinking that I will make it on Sunday. But my Sunday went off. We had been to watch "Patiala House" After coming from the movie, my daughter's project work was pending. 

The other ingredients which I needed and had in the kitchen were groundnut(1 tsp), Green chillly(2 slit), Ginger(1/2", finely chopped), Jaggery(2tbsp), Kokam(4 to 5 pieces) or tamarind pulp(2 tbsp), Coriander powder(2 tsp), cumin powder(1tsp), rock salt to taste), Garam masala( a pinch) and haldi

And for tempering:

I had, Ghee(1tbsp), mustard seeds(1/2 tsp), Cumin seeds(1/2 tsp), Methi seeds(1/4 tsp),dry red chilly(2), Hing and curry leaves.

And, today was the last day for me to try. So I had to pull some time out from my schedule to make it. 

And I did it.

Pressure cook the toor dal with haldi with 2 cups of water till its soft. Remove cool and churn it. In a thick pan add this dal and all the ingredients except fresh coriander and garam masala. Cook it for another 15 minutes, by adding one more cup of water. Do not forget to stir it in between.

In another kadai, heat ghee. Add the ingredients for tempering. Add this to the boiling dal. Mix well. cook for few more minutes. Add garam masala and fresh coriander. Mix well. Dal is ready to eat.

And the dal I prepared was yummy... with all the tastes in the mouth. I had the taste of jaggery and very different taste from the dates. I had the taste of red and green chilly separately. It was just superb.

Thanks Valli, for giving this simple but still wonderful challenge for this month. Waiting for the next one.

I am always hungry when it comes to try any new food :-)

Sending this to

Indian Cooking Challenge

Keep Smiling,

Potato gravy(ಬಟಾಟೆ ರಸಪಲ್ಲ್ಯಾ)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

My mom's one of favorite food, which has helped her umpteen number of times when she was in a hurry, when she had unexpected guests or when we were hungry and wanted to have some fast gravy that goes well with chapati or puris.

Batati rasapalya or potato gravy which is watery but tasty.

Mom makes on stove and I tried it in microwave. The taste differs. But both tastes good.

Coming to the recipe,
Potato : 3 big, washed, peeled and cubed
Onion - 1 big, cleaned, chopped finely
Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Tamarind pulp or whole tamarind - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 2 tsp or 1 tbsp if you like it spicy
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder  a pinch
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Garlic crushed - 1 tsp(optional)

Method:

Take oil in a M/w safe dish.

Cook on HIGH for a minute.

Add mustard seeds and again cook for 30 seconds.

Now add onion, garlic, curry leaves. Mix well and cook on HIGH again for few minutes till you see the onion changing the color. 

Open, add the cubed potato and all other ingredients. Mix well. 

Cook on HIGH for a minute.

Open, add 2 big glasses of water, mix and cook it on HIGH for 10 minutes or till the potato is cooked and the masala is mixed well.

Season the taste and garnish with fresh coriander( optional)

Serve with hot chapati or Puris.

Sending this to Srivalli's 

Announcing Microwave Easy Cooking Event ~ Curries ...

Started by  herself

Keep Smiling,

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,