Rice flour Murukku( akki hittina Chakli)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Today, I am here with a snack which is very common, liked by all the age group(only those having full set of strong teeth!!), can be eaten at any time of the day.. Easy to carry, love to share and happy to munch together.

Murukku, Chakli...

Its first time (actually second time in this month) but first time in my life that I dared to try out these mini wonder snacks all alone. And yesss!! I got them perfect in the first attempt(which rarely happens with me).

I do not know why I used to hesitate to prepare these!! may be because whenever my mom tried, either these chaklis came out very soft and got spoiled or I wanted my kids to push me into it..

My younger daughter loves chaklis, and as you know me, I do not like outside food much... I try to try everything at home.. 

Here is the recipe,

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 2 cups

Dalia powder (puthani powder) - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - 2 tbsp or little more if you want it spicy

Ajwain - 1 tsp

Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp(optional)

Oil - 1 tbsp

Butter - 2 tbsp

warm water - 1/2 cup

more water to prepare the dough

Oil to fry

Murukku maker to press the murukku.

Method:

According to my mother and aunties, The rice should be cleaned, washed, dried and the flour should be done in flour mill. But, do we have all that patience now a days? if we have patience, we do not have time for sure. So I went for the shortcut way(some times shortcut way brings you success!!). I had the rice flour(but again it was done in flour mill, not from the shop).

I kept the rice flour in M/W safe plate for a minute and allowed it to cool before adding other things.

1. Take the all the ingredients from rice flour till sesame seeds in a big plate.
2. Mix well.
3. Add the butter in warm water and keep it for half a minute.
4. Heat the one tbsp oil and add it to the flour. Add the butter and water.
5. Mix well to make hard dough. Add some more water if you need.
6. Keep it ready.
7. Heat the oil in a wide kadai. Till it gets hot,

Keep few plates ready to put the murukku before putting them in to oil to fry, or I used kitchen tissue papers so that I could spread two murukku on a paper. This will make your work easy and fast. OR if you are expert you can directly put the murukku in a kadai and fry directly.
Take a big ball size of ready flour mix, put in the murukku maker. 
Press slowly, turning the upper knob to get the proper shape. Put one by one in a hot oil and fry till slight brown. Fry in batches. Allow to cool and store in a air tight jars. These can be kept for 15 days also(if remains!! )

Sending this to Nithu's ongoing event:

Event Announcement : Know Your Flour - Rice Flour

 which is started by Jagruti

Keep Smiling,

Fried Potato Cubes

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Lunch box :-), I love to cook lunch and pack it  for my kids. This gives little work to my idle brain. I need to be very specific as their school won't allow few foods like Curry or Sambhar (watery), Upma, Eggs, non veg, Poha, bread and chips. My elder daughter loves to take different type of food as she loves to share her lunch with her friends and they love it. And that makes me a proud mother :-). 

Most of the times I pack the different variety of rice for my elder daughter's lunch. But this Potato fry is my daughter's most favorite lunch. Many times she takes only the fry, but I pack the chapati with it without telling her :-) 

A very simple recipe but tasty and good food  for kids.

Ingredients :

Potatoes - 3 big

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - to taste or 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Method :

Wash and peel the potatoes. 

Cut into small cubes.

Heat the oil in a kadai.

Add these potato cubes.

Keep on stirring and frying till the potato gets 3/4th cooked. 

Add salt and chilly powder, mix well and fry till its golden brown.

Remove from the heat and transfer it on a plate.

Allow it to cool and pack it with Soft Chapatis. 

I tried to bake and grill it in the OTG, but the taste was not that good and it became very dry..

It can be rolled into chapati with some sauce or ketchup and make it a Fried Potato roll to serve it hot. Or it can be eaten just like that.

Keep Smiling, 

Boondi Chiwda

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Festivals!!! Coming in a row... The kitchens are filled with aromatic flavors of sweets, namkeens and many more delicious snacks.

Today I am here with the recipe of Boondi Chiwda. Chiwda is a spicy crispy snack which goes well with a cup of tea, a very hot Bisibele Bath(Spicy Veg. and dal rice) or Upma.

The Boondi is prepared with gram flour. Here I have used the ready made packet of boondi. Haldiram's product is available at all the major shops. I used the local product.

I will try to give the home made recipe of Boondi  here soon.

Now, coming to the recipe,

Ingredients :

      Boondi - 250 gm(unsalted)

1. 1.Oil - 1/4 cup
2. Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
3. Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
4. Fresh Curry leaves - few
5. Pea nuts - 1/4 cup
6. Garlic - 10 to 12 big cloves, cleaned
7. Dalia - 1/4 cup
8. Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp(optional)
9. Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp(optional)
10. Dry coconut (thin shavings) - 2 tbsp
11. Red dry chilly - 6 to 8
12. Salt to taste
13. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
14. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
15. Sugar - 1 tbsp

Keep all the ingredients ready in one place.

TAKE CARE TO ADD THE  INGREDIENTS ONE BY ONE AS I HAVE GIVEN.

Heat oil in a wide and thick bottomed kadai.

Add the mustard seeds, when splutter, add cumin seeds, curry leaves and pea nuts. Fry till the pea nuts are little golden.

Keep on adding other ingredients  till red chilly powder, slowly, keeping on stirring all the time. Once every thing is fried properly, remove from the heat. Add the sugar after few minutes. Allow it to cool.

Add the boondi and mix well. 

Store in a airtight jar.

It can be stored for a week or 10 days.

Keep Smiling,

Green chilly fries(Re posting)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

All time favorite at home. Have with hot rice and dal, have with puran poli or holige or any sweet dish.. Make yogurt poha with it, just add it to the rasam... 

We love these fried chillies and we never forget to make these during summer and preserve it for the whole year.

Re posting the same for the event 

Green chilly fries

I

Coming to this recipe,  these type of green chillies are available only during February and March month. So it is perfect to prepare these in Summer as these chillies need sundry. 

Fresh long green chilly - 1 kilo

Fresh yogurt or curds - 1/2 kilo, adjust less or more as per required

Salt to taste

Hing - 1 tbsp or a pea nut size(crushed) if using hard hing

Long thick needle to slit the chillies

Wash the green chillies and dry with soft towel or cloth to remove any water. Slit all the chillies on one side so that the curd gets mixed.

Transfer the curd in a big plastic or glass bowl. 

Add salt and hing. Mix it well.

Add slit green chillies in to it and with a wooden spatula or bare hands(if you can bear the pain later :-)  ) mix the chillies with curds.

This should be prepared in the morning so that you can keep it to dry. 

Spread a thick cleaned plastic sheet in a place where there is lot of sun rays. Take only the chillies(leave the curds in a bowl itself and keep it covered)and spread these on the plastic sheet. Allow to dry till evening. In the evening, again put the chillies back into curds. Mix it properly and keep it till next morning. Again take only chillies and put to dry like previous day. Repeat it for 3 days. From 4th day, dry the chillies till they are totally dry. This may take 2 days depending on the weather. Once the chillies are dry, the color will also change to brown. 

Store in air tight container (good plastic or glass will be fine ). You can store it for a year also.

When ever required, take the chillies out and fry in hot oil. Use it with rice, chapati as a side dish.

                                        

Sending this to Kaveri's on going event "Event Announcement - Guest Hosting EP Series - Fenugreek Leaves and Green Chili in her blog Palakkad Chamayal which is the brain child of   Julie.

Keep Smiling,

SAMBHAR POWDER(SPICY CURRY POWDER, RE POSTED)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

The World goes bland without spices.. There is no food without using at least a single spice. Jagruti's idea of having an event especially for introducing these spice powders will help many of us. Each region of the world or you can say each corner of the world has its own flavor or aroma of mixed spices.

So here is my entry for her event, its from the archive posts.

I have just copied and pasted the whole thing here.. and given a new name to it, as the old title is confusing.

They all met in a kitty party!!! to unite into one...

Aromatic food makes you feel hungry even after you have finished your food few minutes back!! Each food has its own flavor and taste depending on the spices we use.

South India is famous for its unique spice powder or masala powder or Sambhar powder to be specific. The preparation differs after every 40Km.

I am always hungry to have hot rice with any delicious sambhar!! Here is the sambhar recipe I learnt from one of my friend:

Do these bowl of spices won't look like women at a kitty party!! showing their new jeweleries or saree or accessories???

Giving the quantities for making  powder. You can keep it for a month or a week more. The aroma will go as the days pass. The quantity depends on the size of the cup you take. Its better to make in a little quantity and check the taste.

Ingredients :

Cumin Seeds - 2 cups

Dry coriander seeds - 1 1/2 cups

Curry leaves - 3 cups, if you add more also it tastes good.

Methi or Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 cup

Pepper corns - 1/4 cup

Urad dal or black gram(skinned) - 1/4 cup

Chana Dal or Bengal gram -1/4 cup

Raw rice - 1/4 cup

Dry Red chilly - 20 to 25

Dry coconut - 1 cup

Asafoetida (stoned) or hing - 1 pinch

or Asafoetida powder - 1 tsp

Sesame seeds - 1/2 cup(Optional)

Dry roast each ingredient and keep to cool.

Mix all and make into a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar.

You can use it for Sambhar, Bisibele bath, Cabbage rice or sambhar rice.

Sending this to  JAGRUTI  's ongoing event which is her brainchild,

Announcing an event - Grind Your Cooking Masala !!...

Keep Smiling,

LADOOS FOR NAGA PANCHAMI (Remixed and Re posted)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

 Hi All,

WISHING EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY SHRAVANA MONTH, A VERY AUSPICIOUS MONTH FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW IT AND

RAMADAN KAREEM TO ALL THE  MUSLIM FRIENDS.

AS THE  HAPPY NAGA PANCHAMI  FESTIVAL IS ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY, I WAS BUSY THE WHOLE DAY MAKING THESE LADOOS.

ONLY THE LINKS AND THE PHOTOS...

ENJOY..(I AM POSTING THE LAST YEAR PHOTOS, I WILL UPDATE THE POST WITH THIS YEAR LADOOS AFTER MONDAY :-)  )

HAPPY NAGA PANCHAMI TO ALL :-)

Pea Nut Ladoo :

Sev Ladoo (ಸೇವಿನ ಉಂಡಿ) :

Til Ladoo(Sesame Seeds ladoo) :

Keep Smiling,

JUMBO CHOCO CHIP COOKIES(food remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Cookies!!!  are always welcomed in my house.. any shape, any ingredient but only with one condition, the cookies should have chocolate in it. So when ever I  try new recipe for the cookie I have to replace at least 2 tbsp of flour with cocoa powder.

It was a long time that I baked anything at home. Few days back my younger daughter told me in the morning "mamma, you have become very lazy now a days, you are not baking any cake or cookies for us" That was it,, I started to search the recipes from my other blogger friends and I landed in   Priya  's blog. And wanted to give a try to this Chocolate Chips Butter Cookies. But again came the problem of Cocoa powder., and the answer was simple, Replace little amount of flour with cocoa powder.

When I started getting the things to bake these cookies, my daughter came into kitchen. She always love to help me in the kitchen and she is always curious about the ingredients and how to make it. When I prepared the dough, she told me to make biggggggg cookies as she wanted to have it more at a time. Then I remembered my mini flower cup cake baking moulds  which I brought from Pune. 

Here are the jumbo cookies which got vanished within a day.

Planning to bake some more from Jagruti's place, which are prepared with wheat flour and oats..Mixed Nuts, Oats and Whole Wheat Cookies !

Ingredients: 

All purpose flour(Maida) -2 cup

Cocoa powder - 1/4 cup

Butter - 1/2 cup(room temp)

Sugar - 3/4 cup

Egg - 1 

Baking powder -1/4 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

                                    

Method:

Preheat the oven at 180degree c.

Take all the dry things in a bowl and mix well.

Beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

Beat in  the egg, mix well.

Then goes the dry flour mix.

Add the choco chips

Mix well to make a soft dough. 

Take small ball from a dough, press slowly it from in your palm. Repeat with the remaining dough. hey, wait, I pressed the dough in to the mould I had.

Arrange these in a baking tray with a little space in between(if using baking tray)and keep in the oven., I kept the mini moulds directly in the oven.

Bake these for 10-12 minutes.

Remove and allow it to cool. They will be crispy after sometime.

Enjoy these with hot cup of coffee, tea or a glass of milk.

Keep Smiling,

BITTER GOURD CHIPS AND CURDS

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Bitter Gourd!!! Do not close the page.. Read it full and you will be tempted to try this out. A very tasty side dish. 

Past few days, my daughter wants to have it often and bitter gourd is in my fridge always.

Ingredients:

Bitter Gourd - 2 big

Corn flour  - 1 tsp

Rice flour - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste(less as we use salt to clean the bitter gourd)

Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Ajwain - 1/2 tsp

Oil to fry

To clean the bitter gourd
Salt 1 tbsp or to cover the bitter gourd
A pinch of turmeric powder

For CURDS
Yogurt - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Pepper powder - a pinch





Method:

Wash the bitter gourd.

Peel the skin and cut into two parts.

Remove the seeds.

Mix the salt and haldi and apply it well to both the sides.

Keep it for an hour or two.

Squeeze and wash the pieces twice.

Cut into thin slices and allow to dry.

Heat the oil.

You can either shallow fry or deep fry. But I felt the deep fried chips took less oil than the shallow fried ones.

Keep it for some time till they get crispy.

Just before serving 

Prepare the curds with given ingredients.

Add the crispy chips and serve it.

These fried bitter gourd chips can be kept for 2 days.

Before it is served on the table, it gets over as my hubby and my daughter fights to have it first and finish.


Keep Smiling,

Beetroot Stir Fry

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Dinner time is sometimes very tiring.. Many days, after a long day, I do not have energy to spend more  time in the kitchen. Then comes these stir fry recipes which are really handy and healthy also. Carrot, Beet, Cabbage, Fresh beans stir fry tastes very good and I feel fresh after having. 

Here is the food which is good for health and luckily my both  the kids love beetroot. I keep trying new recipes with beet. 

This one is quick and simple.

Ingredients:

Beet root - 3 big

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Dash of hing

Ginger - 1 tsp, grated

Dry red chilly - 3

Fresh coconut - 2 tbsp+1 tbsp, grated

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the beetroot, peel the skin and grate it. Keep aside.

Heat the oil in a kadai.

Add the mustard seeds and allow to splutter.

Add the curry leaves, chilly, hing and ginger. Saute for a minute. 

Add the grated beet and stir fry for few minutes.

Add the salt and 2 tbsp coconut, mix well. Cover and cook for a minute.

Remove from the heat. 

Garnish with a fresh coconut and serve hot. 

I spread this on a chapati and turned it into a roll and served to my kids.

Jai ho Stir fry :-), 

Keep Smiling,

Fresh Green Chutney(Coriander and Mint Chutney)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

 Hi All,

Are you wondering where I was all these days? Sorry guys for not posting for almost 2 months. This year is not for me, I mean I am not able to get time for myself or anything new to learn. My whole time is going in cooking, cleaning, taking kids to the class. I have turned totally a Home manager(I hate the word House Wife!!). Two months flew like two minutes. I traveled to many places. From Hubli to Pune, Panchgani, Mangalore, Shimoga, Gulbarga and  ended with the visit to Bangalore. I was not well for a week.

There was no time at all to try new recipes or to write down any thing here. 

Now I am back into the blog world, hoping to post more and more recipes and share my experience about the food, the life and everything..

So how are you all? Life moves on with me or without me!! But for sure, I am the looser if I am not here.. I missed everything here, your new recipes, your comments... Welcome me with best wishes and your support.

Today again I am restarting my post with the simple Chutney recipe. Chutneys are very common and sometimes very much essential in a daily food in South India. We make chutney out of anything. I wrote the same in the previous chutney recipe(Ivy Gourd Chutney) also. 

Today is the very basic and simple green chutney which goes very well with anything. Try it and you will agree. I know many of you already have the recipe and you have tried it many times too. And this is my version to share with you.

Ingredients:

Fresh Coriander - 1 big bunch

Pudina or mint leaves - 1/4 bunch

Green Chilli - 4 to 6 (depending on how strong the Chilli are, I added 6 as I wanted my chutney very spicy)

Garlic - 1 big bulb(8 to 10 cloves)

Fresh Coconut - 3 tbsp, grated

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar 1 tsp

Lime Juice - 1 tbsp

For Tempering

Oil -1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 8 to10

Method:

Wash the fresh coriander and Pudina leaves and pat dry.

Add all the ingredients except the lime juice to the leaves.

Put in the grinder to turn into fine paste.

Remove in a serving bowl. Add lime juice.

Adjust the seasoning.

Heat oil in a kadai.

Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.

Add curry leaves and remove from the heat.

Add it to the chutney once cool.

And 

the chutney is ready to serve. Do you believe that I ate it just like that. I liked the tangy, spicy and minty flavor :-)

I will be very soon here again with  more recipes. 

Sending this to Kaveri's on going event "Event Announcement - Guest Hosting EP Series - Fenugreek Leaves and Green Chili in her blog Palakkad Chamayal which is the brain child of   Julie.

Keep Smiling,