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,

Chapatis and guessing game remixed for the event

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,

For Sireesha's (Kidz Delight) event  "Announcing Cooking for Kids Event- Wheat", I thought of remixing my two recipes!!  As the event is for kids,I feel it is perfect entry. 

Cooking for kids event is authored by Sharmi of Neivedyam.

So after Food Remake, I have started the remixing (like bollywood remix of songs!!!!) of my recipes!!  

To prepare chapatis,

For Chapati

Wheat flour - 2 cups
Soya flour - 3/4 cup

Salt- 1 tsp

Oil- 1 tbsp

For spread

Wheat flour -5 tbsp

Oil to make paste.

Mix wheat flour and oil to make paste to spread on the chapatis.

Add both the flours, salt and oil in a vessel and knead it with water to make dough. Keep it aside at least for half an hour.

While making chapatis, divide dough in to large lime size balls.

Take one ball, roll it puri size. Spread the paste. Sprinkle little flour. fold it to half. Again spread the paste and sprinkle flour and fold it to triangle.

Now roll chapati into desired shape (mine usually comes triangle shape, if I don't give attention while rolling).

Heat tawa in high flame, when frying chapatis, do on medium flame. Never fry chapatis on low flame, as it makes chapatis hard.

Repeat with other chapatis.

No need to put oil while frying.

Chapatis are ready.

Now the remix part!

A very simple, tasty and easy rolls for kids. I like too. These rolls were, our (my brother Avinash and mine) favourites during school time. It was easy for my mother also.

Now I give to my daughter, but with little guessing game, and she loves to play it.


Chapatis - 6

sugar - 3 tbsp
Jaggery powdered - 3 tbsp
Peanut and dalia chutney powder -3 tbsp(For Recipe click Peanut chutney powder(Shenga Chutney))

(If you don't have, no problem. You can use MTR READY CHUTNEY POWDER).

Ghee to apply for above.

Any jam - 3 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Chocolate spread - 3 tbsp(I use Nutella)
Cheese spread - 3 tbsp(I use Knorr cheese spread)

Or you can use Mayonnaise also.

Take 3 chapatis on the plate.
Apply 2 tbsp ghee on each chapati.
Spread sugar on one chapati, jaggery powdered on another and chutney powder on the third.
Roll and keep ready.
These 3 rolls we used to have in childhood.
Next rolls I have added according to today's kids world.

Take 3 more chapatis on plate.
Apply butter on one chapati, and then spread jam. Spread Chocolate spread on other and cheese spread on the third one.
Roll and keep ready.
Now keep all the rolls on a big plate.

Here the guessing game starts. If you have more than one kid, its more interesting. Even your kid's friends can join.

Call the children and ask them to guess in which roll what is there. Whoever guesses correct, they will get reward.

What I do with my daughter is,
I take any three rolls, keeping in mind to make one chocolate roll in that.

I tell her to take two rolls, and if the chocolate roll is not there in that, as she loves to eat chocolate roll, all the three chapatis will disapear in to her stomach in no time. My purpose to give her chapatis without taking any trouble is served.

As I have written above,

This is going to take part in Sireesha's (Kidz Delight) event  "Announcing Cooking for Kids Event- Wheat"

Keep smiling,

My daughter's corner

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,        

A lovely thought from Srivalli  of Spice your Life.

Having kids at home, makes you more creative and active. My daughter keeps me on toe, asking 100 questions at a time. She wants to participate in everything, let it be dance, singing, painting, Abacus and many more things. And it comes to me to see that she has to manage all the things with her studies. 

She has given many dance shows when she was just 5 years old. She participates  in all the cultural programs and competitions in the school. 

                       

                        Rajul  drew and colored when she was in U KG. 

                                                                     

         Rajul's hand made card on  Teacher's day when she was in U KG.

        Rajul's sand work(I helped only to draw the flowers) with glittered  painting.

She loves to cook also, she prepared her first omelet when she was 6 years,(under my supervision!) 

I am posting few of her art works, which she did when she was in UKG(Now she is in 2nd grade). Now a days she is collecting coins from all the possible countries, and pasting them in a book with the country details. And she is more busy in playing outside,(Cycling, basketball, ring etc;) And she really takes good care of her little sister. 
Her sense of humor is also very good. (Check here, Life and Laugh again!, Life and Laugh)

Am I  too proud of her??????

But I think she deserves it!!!!

When it comes to eating, she is little fussy about the food, but she loves to eat home made food and Ice cream. 

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

Keep smiling,

Palak Dal

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All

It is so easy to prepare food, when some one is guiding you!! That's why I enjoy very much when ever I follow other blog and cook any dish. And I post it in 'Food Remake' label, as it is very common in Indian film industry to remake the movies from one language to the other. So even my food here is the remake one!!!

One more delicious dal from Maria of  Marias Menu for my Food Remake.

Check out the recipe here, 

(http://www.mariasmenu.com/vegetarian/dal-palak)

I never prepared so tasty palak dal before!! 

I substituted the  milk and fresh cream for coconut milk. 

Enjoy with hot rotis, Chapatis or Rice!!!

Keep smiling,

 

Ridge gourd curry

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

My imagination or creation of water animals with ridge gourd and other ingredients used in this recipe.  

All credit goes to Nithya!!! who encouraged me to try and garnish the dish. Here is the second recipe where I really put myself to think  to bring these photos in front of you all.  I hope you all will like it!!

Ridge gourd is one vegetable, which I do not make often!! I do not like it, if it is half cooked!!! 
In my in law's house , they prepare it like this only.

This recipe goes well with chapati as well as hot rice.

Here is the recipe,

Ridge gourd - 2 medium, washed, peeled and cut in to small pieces

Onion - 1 small, chopped

Tomato - 1 big, chopped

Garlic - 1 bulb, peeled and crushed

Curry leaves - few

Chana - 1/4 cup soaked

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera  -1 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Dhania powder - 1 tbsp

Haldi - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Heat oil in a small cooker, add mustard, jeera. When they splutter add curry leaves, onion. Saute for a minute. Add crushed garlic, fry till golden brown. Add soaked chana, and ridge gourd. Mix it properly. Add tomato, and other dry powders. Add little water and give 2 whistles. When done, churn with churner or blender. Adjust the seasoning. Serve hot with chapati or rice.

This is specially going to  Nithya and Pavithra's  "Garnish the dish" event.

Keep smiling,

Banana Fry

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

 I was surprised when I got a comment from Smitha, that she is not getting the recipe for Banana fry. I posted it in the month of March only.

Here is the recipe again!

Raw Banana - 1 big

Fine semolina(sooji) - 1/4 cup

Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Dhania powder - 1 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 1tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Wash the banana and pat dry. Cut in to thick circles. Mix semolina, 1 tsp oil and other dry powders in a bowl. Add the banana pieces. Mix it properly and keep it at least for half an hour.

Now add oil in thick bottomed kadai. When hot, add mustard seeds till they start spluttering, and curry leaves. Add the marinated banana pieces. Mix it properly and fry till the banana are cooked or turn in to golden color.

Serve as side dish with hot rice and sambhar.

Keep smiling,

Awards!!!! and food in photo!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All

Before I started my blog, I was a silent follower of many blogs, and when ever I used to see the awards on their blogs, I used to feel, is it possible for me to get at least one award among these. It might not be a big thing for many to get awards !! But for me, I feel really very happy and I feel, even I am something!!!!

I was busy in the last week, as my brother and bhabhi came for my second daughter's birthday!!!

It was great fun!!! and when I opened my mail after a week, I got the surprise from Padma!!

Thanks Padma for passing these wonderful awards to me!!!

When I started my blog, I never thought, I will get the awards so soon.

And, I want to thank all my friends in this blog world for passing so wonderful and encouraging awards to me!!!

Coming to the the recipe in "Food in photo", it is VEG NOODLES, my way, as I love to have this healthy noodles only this way cooked. I eat Plain noodles also sometimes, but prefer to eat this way as my morning breakfast as it is very good to start a day with lot of vegetables and sometimes adding scrambled egg in it. The recipe is almost the same in many blogs.

(check the same recipe in http://paritaskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/09/maggi-or-pastaitsfusion.html).Only difference is I boil the noodles first and add it after all the vegetables are cooked.

So I thought of posting it in my "Food in Photo"

(I could not participate in many events as I was busy in the party!! I hope I will try to participate in coming months regularly!!! )

Keep smiling

Nivedita

Lime and chilly pickle

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

The first recipe of pickle from me!!! A very easy and tasty pickle which goes well with parathas. My husband loves this pickle to the extent that he eats it with idlis also!!

You can prepare and store in a glass jar for a week. You should keep on mixing it often. But do not make in large quantity.

Here comes the ingredients,

Lemons - 10 to 12 for pickle, washed, dried and cut into 8 pieces

Lemons - 2 to 3 for juice

Long Green chilly - 10 to 12, washed, dried and cut in to half and slit

Salt - 4 to 6 Tbsp

Sugar - 2 Tbsp

Mustard seeds - 2 tsp crushed powder

Oil - 1 tbsp

Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Mix all the ingredients in a glass bowl. Keep for one hour. Check the taste and adjust the seasoning. Store it in a jar. It can be used after one day.

Keep smiling,

Basundi(Milk kheer)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all

Milk is my favorite. I always loved to have a glass of milk before going to bed(Very good girl I was!!!). Now also I have the habit. And my favorite sweet is always all Bengali sweets as they are made of milk.

Basundi or milk kheer is favorite sweet of my mother and she never misses the chance to have it(She is diabetic patient, taking insulin everyday!!) She makes it only with milk and sugar, or with Dharwad pedha, which gives unique taste and flavour to the sweet.

My husband likes it with puris. It is one of his few favorite sweets. When I prepare this, he loves to experiment, eating the basundi with puris or jalebis or bread or chapati.

I like to drink it just like that chilled or hot!!!

In the photo you can see the Mathura pedhas which mom brought from Delhi. So I thought of making basundi with the same. As it had more cardamom, I did not add extra.

Here is the recipe,

Milk - 1 litre

Sugar - 1 cup

Elaichi(cardamom) - 1 crushed powder,(if you are using Dharwad Pedha)

Mathura pedha - 2 to 3(It is more sweet and strong flavoured)

or

Dharwad pedha - 3 to 4

Take the milk in a thick bottomed vessel in which milk should not get burnt easily.

Boil the milk till it becomes 1/4 th less. It takes around 20 minutes. Now add sugar, keep on stirring in between. After 5 minutes, add crushed pedhas. Mix it properly. Keep stirring in between as it should not get burnt. Boil till the milk is reduced to half.

Adjust the sweet at this stage.

Serve it hot with puris or serve chilled.

It is going to participate in Sanghi's event:

I want to dedicate this to two persons, one is my mother and other is my husband!!!

Already written about them in the beginning.

Keep smiling,

Nutty Egg Omelet

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi all,

As I told before, I am an eggatarian. I love to experiment with eggs and come out with new recipes. This one is

an accidental recipe, which is unique (I feel).
Last week, when we came from shopping in the night, we were tired and hungry. My hubby was hurrying to give him something fast. I had only chapattis. I opened the fridge to check, I had left with very little onion and tomato masala which I made for the morning breakfast with dosa. It was little to serve with chapattis. So what I did was, I beat two eggs and mixed with the masala and few other ingredients (written down). I was happy and surprised with the taste. Check it out. I am sure you will love it. Why it is Nutty omelet is I added crushed peanut and almonds in onion and tomato masala. When my husband started eating, he liked the nutty and crunchy taste. Don’t ask me, I did not get to eat only. Next time I had it full!
Here is the recipe,
For onion and tomato masala
Onion – 1 big (Chopped lengthwise)
Tomato – 1big (Chopped finely)
Curry leaves – 4 to

6
Chilly powder – 1 tbsp
Crushed peanut and almonds – ¼ cup (should be bigger in size or crush it to half)
(If you like add cashew nuts also)
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Jeera – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Haldi -1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Hing – a pinch
Sugar – 1 tsp
Fresh coriander – 1 tbsp
Add mustard seeds and jeera in hot oil. Now add curry leaves, hing and onions with crushed nuts. Cook till brown, add tomato. Let it cook till oil separates. Add Chilly powder, salt, sugar and haldi. Add little water and boil it for five minutes. Mix with chopped fresh coriander.
Tomato and Onion masala is ready.

(There is separate

post for this recipe too!)
Now for the omelet,
Capsicum - half (chopped finely)
Salt as per taste (there is salt already in masala)
Eggs – 3
Oil – 2 tbsp (olive oil, optional)
Beat the eggs and add in to the masala. Add chopped capsicum and salt. Beat again.
Take thick bottomed pan. Add oil. (I always make omelet with olive oil). When it is hot, spread the beaten egg slowly. Cover it and cook for one minute. Open the lid and very slowly turn the omelet. Cover again and cook it till the omelet is cooked fully.
Serves two. You can eat just like that! When you get crunchy and nutty taste please remember me!!!

One more thing I always do with tomato and onion masala is, I boil 2 EGGS, cut in to pieces. Mix well and serve with chapattis to my daughter. She loves to eat, if I roll the same into chapati and give.

So there are 2 recipes for eggs here.

I am sending this recipe to Sudeshna's Announcing: Event for Eggs.

This omelet is going to participate in Divya's (Dil Se..)

event : Show Me Your Omelette!

Keep smiling,

Fresh Coriander tokku(chutney) and Award!!!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

One more award from PJ of seduce your Tastebuds!!! Thanks PJ. I am really honoured!!

A gift for myself for getting the award!!! how do you like this necklace made of red chilly and fresh coriander and a pendent made of jaggery!!(Forgot to keep methi seeds as pearls in between the leaves!! ) Hahaha, any one like to order the ornament!!! you can do it yourself!!! Honestly, the inspiration came from Nithya of 4th Sense Samayal!!! Thanks a lot Nithya.

Coming to the recipe for Fresh Coriander tokku, which is again the trial of TV show. It takes very less time to make but tastes good with chapati and hot rice. Still I have to try with bread or dosa!!

Fresh Coriander - 2 bunch, washed and cleaned

Dry red chilly - 4 to 6 (according the taste and the variety)

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Jaggery - 2 tbsp

Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

For tempering,

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Dry roast the red chilly and methi seeds. When cold, add other ingredients and put in a mixie or blender to make fine paste. Adjust the seasoning.

Heat oil in small kadai, add mustard seeds. Off the stove and add hing. Add this to the ready paste.

The Fresh coriander tokku is ready to serve.

This award comes with a meme and I have to say 10 honest things about me.

Check me out :

1. I love reading, reading and reading.(Reading anything that is handwritten or printed, anytime I mean it, I read while cooking also!!!!, )But prefer to read autobiography, philosophical and self development books.

2. I love Maths.

3. I got sweet tooth!!!

4. I am a quite person, with very few friends.

5. I love animals but do not like pets(Sorry!!)(same pinch, PJ)

6. I explain unnecessarily and repeat the sentences while talking about something.

7. I get adjusted in any condition, under any circumstances.

8. I appreciate honesty.

9.I love to do Yoga, Meditation and exercise(which I am doing past many years!!)

10. I think 9 things are enough to know me!!!

As always, this award too comes with the certain rules and here they are

1. I must list 10 honest things about myself

2. I must put a copy of The Honest Scrap Logo on my blog.I must select at least 7 other worthy bloggers & list their links

3. I must notify the bloggers of the award and hopefully they will follow the above three requirements also.

I would love to pass it on to-

Nithya

Padma

Parita

Maria

*sangi*

notyet100  and priya

Keep smiling,

Crispy rice balls

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

It is so easy to prepare food, when some one is guiding you!! That's why I enjoy very much when ever I follow other blog and cook any dish. And I post it in 'Food Remake' label, as it is very common in Indian film industry to remake the movies from one language to the other. So even my food here is the remake one!!!

One more food remake from Suma of Veggie Platter She calls it as "paalakaayalu". I have named it as "Crispy rice balls", as they really turned crispy and very tasty!!! Thanks Suma.

We had cooking competition in our area for Ganesha Chaturthi activities. And the theme was to prepare food from rice. When I was browsing the blogs for a recipe, I came through this one, and here is the result. And the competition result was I got second prize!!!

And my second daughter who is not even 2 years, went on stage for fancy dress competition with her sister. They were dressed up as Chinese girls( last month, my mother bought dresses from China,)in the evening!!! She was not ready to come down from the stage!! She wanted mike in her hand and wanted to sing and dance. Posting the photo of them on the stage!

Keep smiling,