Suruttai poli for ICC February

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Surprise!! Surprise!!! Valli! Surprise to see my post? All thanks to my mom and her camera. When I saw the Suruttai poli for February Challenge, (This recipe is taken from  Nithya) I thought I will prepare this in advance because, last time it was a last minute preparation and I was not sure whether I will finish or not. This month, I prepared it a week before only and took the snaps and was ready to type the recipe..

But, then, I lost my Camera last week. It was a very bad day! That Camera was my life in blogging. I was upset that night. Then realized, its gone, and I will not get it. Even though its lost in my area(It fell down from my lap,while I was getting down from the car), who is that honest to return it to me?. Who ever has got it, they will come to know, its my camera because it has my daughters photo, everyone knows them, and me, being a teacher, almost the whole area knows me!!

Anyways, gone is gone. I was upset and was thinking what to do? Buying a new camera at this point is not possible. I have to wait for a month or two(its not easy to convince hubby!!!)and that too when the fault is mine :-)

My mother came for my help(as always). Actually I forgot about her camera(which my brother has given her).

I was so happy. Then came the thought. Why not try these poli's again for the challenge. Last night, after the kids slept, I made only few polis. This time, our ajji helped me and she showed our traditional way of making these poli which we call it "Surali Holige" Surali means "rolled" and Holige means "Poli"

(I am still new to my mom's camera, need to learn the settings. Please bear with me)

Now coming to the recipe,

Forgive me for not giving the recipe in my words, This month the time is too short for me, I am not able to cope up with many things. So just giving Valli's link.

Just few things to tell about it, 

I don't know, My poli's(Fried) did not turn out crispy,

but the roasted one turned out crispy. 

If any one can tell me what was the reason, I will be happy and try it the next time.

The photos are two types.

One is what I followed Valli's instructions.

Another one is what we make here in North Karnataka. We roast it dry and roll it immediately. The filling is same.

      



                  

(This is our method. And we make the longest surali holige in Marriages :-)  )

Waiting for the next challenge. 

Keep Smiling,

ABORT PLASTICS!!! Save the Earth.

By Nivedita

Hi All,

God made Man!

God thought Man will serve His purpose to keep this Earth beautiful and safe. 

God gave the Man, his Real Mother. 

He thought, Man will take good care of the Earth.

But God forgot that he has put the brain in man, which acts many times bad and very few times good.

Man ignored the message, Man ignored the signs, Man became selfish. He created many things, which he thought it is for his comforts. But again he forgot the bad effects.(Or acted like one). 

Man invented the PLASTIC

without being FUTURISTIC

now the life will end in TRAGIC

if you use more PLASTIC

take a step of DRASTIC

to increase the life of Earth like an ELASTIC

say NO  to PLASTIC

My humble request to all of you: SAY NO TO PLASTIC

(Can't you hear my cry? I am crying for many years, Try being in a plastic bag just for one minute. You will know my pain. )

Don't make God  feel ashamed of creating man. Do not test Mother Earth's patience. Its my Earth, your Earth and our Earth. Lets do whatever we can do to stop using plastic. 

Have mercy on those innocent animals, which are dying everyday by consuming the dirty plastic which we throw in the dustbin without thinking much.

Have you ever thought about those water animals, which gets killed by gulping the plastic bags, bottles or many things which we put in the water, sometimes for fun, sometimes in the name of God...

link

Don't kill other living beings for your comfort.

Some tips to substitute the plastic:

Take a cloth or jute bag when you are going for shopping.

Use paper bags, it saves your money too.

Stop using plastic bottles to carry.

Each great dream starts with one first step.

Let's all of us be that step.

Note – Hope you get the conveyed message. Stop using plastic, or it may choke us all to death. Please support this cause by writing against Plastic use in your own way, and copy-paste this note at the end of your post, so that more and more people write about it, Thank you!

Thanks Sourav C. Pandey for trying to spread this message.

(This subject reminds of my poem, which I wrote for my daughter, its on saving the trees:

Read it here.)

(Actually I posted this Abort Plastics!!! Save the Earth in my other blog, but I thought, as I don't have more followers there, the message will not spread, so reposting it here also)

Keep Smiling,

Chinese Fried Rice(Restaurant STyle)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

We all four in my family love Chinese food.

The Chinese food  I enjoyed the most and many times was when I was in UAE. I miss Chinese food from UAE!!

Strange right!Hey I love Arabic food too.

Coming to the recipe,

Fried rice is very common in my house, and I learnt to make exactly like restaurant after many trial and error method. Now its on weekly menu in our house. We never get tired of this rice. In UAE, I used to add the chicken to make it Chicken fried rice. But now restricted to only Veg. Fried rice. I have many benefits in this.

My younger daughter who never likes to eat vegetables, love this rice and all the vegetables goes in without any fuss. Its easy for me to make it for the lunch box. My elder daughter's friends love this rice, so I have to pack two boxes and that makes my daughter happy to share it and get compliments for her mother(thats me).

Here is the easiest recipe to enjoy the Chinese food at home. Cutting vegetables is time consuming, most of the times, I cut the vegetables at night(I do not like but, depends on the time available in the morning) and keep ready.

Ingredients:

Cooked and cold rice - 1 big bowl, loosened.

Finely cubed vegetables - 1/2 cup(Carrot and beans)

Fresh or frozen peas - 1/2 cup

Finely Shredded Cabbage - 1/2 cup

Spring onion - few lines, finely chopped OR

Normal onion - 1  small, finely sliced

Green Capsicum - 1 small, finely cubed

OR

I always use,

Green chilly - 1 big, finely cubed

(Me and my daughter are allergic to Capsicum, it gives hyper acidity)

Oil - 1 tbsp(normal or Olive)

Garlic - 4 cloves, finely chopped

Ginger - 1/4", finely chopped

Salt to taste

Cornflour - 1 tbsp

Sugar  - 1 tsp

Dry red chilly powder - 1/4 or 1/8 tsp(just to give color)

Soy Sauce - 1 tbsp

White Vinegar - 1 tbsp

Tomato Ketchup - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Para boil the carrot, beans and peas(if using fresh peas) and keep it aside.
2. Keep everything ready on hand as you should be very quick to add and saute the vegetables.
3. Heat the oil in a thick bottomed kadai.
4. When its VERY HOT, add ginger and garlic, saute it for few seconds. 
5. Now add the onion(if using normal one), fry for half a minute. 
6. Add, paraboiled vegetables, green chilly(or capsicum if using), shredded cabbage. Saute for a minute.
7. Add the spring onion at this(if using).
8. Add the soya sauce, White vinegar and tomato ketchup. Mix well. 
9. Add the rice, salt,red chilly powder, sugar and cornflour.
10. Mix well, and cook for few minutes.
11. Serve hot with Vinegar and chilly sauce.
12. (Vinegar and Chilly sauce : Take 2 green chilly and chop it very finely. Take 1/2 cup vinegar and put it in a glass or plastic bowl. Add the chopped green chilly. Keep it for 3 to 4 hours before using. You can store it in the fridge for a week also)

I think this is the best recreation by me which tastes same like restaurant. Thats why Sending this to 

Champa's guest hosting event

Announcing Kid's Delight - Restaurant Recreation

Which is the original idea of Srivalli.

(Very upset, because I can not upload any new photos for my blog. Two days back, I lost my camera. My many recipe clicks went off! Need to wait to buy one more camera, which is not going to be possible soon.)


Keep Smiling,

Sprouted Moong Chutney Powder

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,

"Necessity  is the Mother of Invention"

This holds good in the field of cooking. And if you are a mother of a fussy child who hates eating healthy food, then you have to keep on inventing and reinventing the recipes to feed your child a good food. I come in that category and always think and plan of making new food which includes the best ingredients and which my younger daughter never likes to eat. I have already one Chutney powderr in my blog.

I prepared this chutney powder because my daughter hates to eat sprouted Moong. Last week, when I prepared Moth gravy and tried to feed her, she was so upset and started crying loudly. That was the time, I thought of making this chutney powder(Because of the event going on in my blog, my mind is more  alert for new ideas).

And then again I thought adding few more grains other than only moth.

Tried to take the photo with perfect cube, could not because the chutney powder is very dry :-)

So here comes the tastiest and healthiest chutney powder which goes very well with chapati, dosa, Idly, hot rice, bread and what else!!!

Ingredients :

Mixed moong - (Green moong, Moth, green and brown chana, Soya bean, Cow peas, dry green peas and any grain that can be sprouted) - 250 gm

Curry leaves - 15 to 20 leaves

Garlic - 10 to 15 cloves(if small, 6 to 8 if they are big)

Dry red chilly powder - 1 tsp or

Dry red chilly - 8 to 10

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar 1 tsp

Method :

Soak the grains in the water in a big vessel(it should cover double the grains) for at least 8 to 10 hours.

Drain the water.

Tie in a cloth or the way you keep the moongs to sprout.

I

Sometimes, I tie in the cloth or I keep it in a colander with proper cover.

Allow the grains to get little longer sprouts. It may take only one day in Summer or 2 days in winter. If keeping for two days, keep on mixing the grains every 6 hours. Otherwise it will start stinking.

Once the sprouting is done, keep the grains under the sun to dry. It takes again one more day in summer, and 2 or more days in winter.

You will get nice crispy grains once its fully dried.

Dry roast the grains till you get nice aroma on a low flame, as green moong, or small size moong takes less time to roast and bigger grains take more time.

When cold, add all the other ingredients and grind into a fine powder. 

Adjust the seasoning.

The aroma makes you feel like eating it just like that(I did it :-)  )

Sending this to two events:

One is My event 

Event Announcement "Only Original Recipes" and Giveaway :-)))

A brain child of Pari.

Another is

event from Ammalu's Kitchen

My Legume Love Affair – 33 

which is started by  The well seasoned cook .

Keep Smiling,

Malpua (Food remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

The name is same, most of the ingredients are same. But each region makes this sweet with little variations. Sindhi's one of favorite desserts :- "Malpua". Its usually prepared with Milk, All Purpose flour and sugar with cardamom powder, which is fried in Ghee.

Here is another version, which more healthier(not for weight watchers!!!), which I prepared today and my daughter loved it(:-(, she loves everything prepared with Maida, and doctor has strictly avoided to eat). I thought  she will not eat this. But she had full one malpua. Hope she will be fine tomorrow.

I was checking aipi's blog US Masala as this month, her blog is selected for T&T.

When ever I visit any blog to follow, my eyes will check for the dessert recipes first. So I opened her Indian sweets label and got this one : Malpua. I decided to try this one, And when I finished reading the recipe, I was happier as this dessert has to be served warm.

Yes, Malpua tastes heaven, if you eat warm or hot directly from the frying pan.

So, here is the recipe which helped me to hit two birds with one stone :-)

Please visit her blog for the recipe. I am giving only the photos.

This is the batter how it looks when you mix everything.

Sending this to two events, 

One is Tried & Tasted, which was originally started by Zlamushka's Spicy Kitchen and now is owned by Lakshmi of Kitchen Chronicles.  This month  Priya's(Priya (Yallapantula) Mitharwal) has hosted this event and she has selected Aipi's US Masala. Aipi has wonderful blog with amazing recipes. 

AND

One more event,again

Priya's(Priya (Yallapantula) Mitharwal) 

Celebrate Sweets - Warm Desserts

(event started by  Me ) 

Keep Smiling,

Arusuvai Chain, Season II - A real mystery! solved

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

When I read about the  Arusuvai Chain. ., I was really confused. I read and reread in Valli's blog. Still I was a dumb to understand the rules. :-) Then, Valli explained me in a personal chatting about it. I was very happy to join this but was not sure when my turn will come. I forwarded my emial id to Sayantani and was waiting for her reply.

(Bharathy, Srivalli and Lathamma started this Arusuvai Chain. Now the second season is organised by Sayantani of A Homemaker's Diary)

I got it soon And she had given the name of the person who will send me the ingredient. It was Veena from Kitchen Celebrations.

I had told in the house that I am going to receive something from courier and had strictly informed them not to open it.(If I am not there at home!)

But that day when I was having lunch with my kids, I got a box from the courier person. I was wondering such a big mystery ingredient? :-)

I left my lunch in the middle(very bad) and opened the box. I was very very happy to see the gift!

Veena had sent me three lovely bowls and a beautiful card :-)

Then came the CID time :-). I got this ingredient in a plastic bag.(she is very clever to send me the ingredient without the cover or any name) When I saw it, I was nervous, I could not make out what is it? I tasted it, I could not get the taste. I tried to search in the Google with what all guessed names!! I thought its thin rice crackers, I thought its rice vermicelli, I thought what all!!!  I could not get it. I have never used it in my whole life of cooking!!!

With lot of hesitation, I sent a mail to Veena about my problem. Then I got a clue from Veena who said you get it in powder form also. (I hope its not cheating) and its a substitute for something else.

I got the name in my mind but to make it sure, I took few strands and put it in the hot water and waited for sometime. Hurray!!! yes, I guessed it right. I have used the gelatine before but never used CHINA GRASS(AGAR AGAR)  :-)))))

China grass is a substitute for Gelatin. China grass is perfect for vegetarians.

Its made from various seaweeds.

Now was the time for me to search for the recipe using China grass. Again my hunt started. I landed here.

It was Mishmash !'s blog. I fell in love with this China grass pudding and the photo. I wrote down the recipe.

I waited for the next day as it was Sunday. I went to the shop to weigh the china grass strands as I needed only 10gm.

I had 12 gm of china grass. I thought of making it half and try I was not sure about the output.

Here is my version of Pudding where I used exactly half the quantity from the original recipe.

 Below are the photos, for recipe, visit her blog.
(Followed the exact recipe, but reduced the quantity to half)

I thought of trying it in small cup cake moulds. My daughter was so happy that she told me it tastes exactly like the caramelized custard cups she used to get in UAE.

My mystery ingredient package will reach Sanjeetha of Lite Bite and Sanskriti of Musicas Kitchen soon.

Keep Smiling,

Oats and Rawa payasam(sheer Khurma style)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I always wait for every Thursday! Two reasons for that. One is its a day I do special prayers to Shirdi Saibaba and this is the day I make sweet to offer. Each week, I try to make new desserts. And today was the day for making something simple but delicious. 

Here is a simple sweet but a healthy one.

Ingredients:

Fine Semolina or rawa - 4 tbsp

Oats (regular) - 4 tbsp

Sugar - 1/2 cup or little more according to your taste.

Ghee - 1tsp

nuts - 2 tbsp(chopped cashew, almonds, raisins, ker beeja) 

Grated dry coconut - 2 tbsp

Kesar or Saffron strands - 3 to 4

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Water - 1 cup

Milk 2 cups

Method:

Add 1 tbsp ghee to the thick bottomed kadai and make it warm. Add the rawa and fry for half a minute. Add the rolled oats and fry another half a minute.

Remove and keep it aside.

Mix the water and milk and keep it to boil.

Once it boils, add fried rawa and oats. Cook for a minute, add sugar and all the other ingredients except saffron strands.

Soak the saffron strands in very little milk.

Keep on stirring and boil for 5 minutes. Add the saffron strands. Boil for a minute.

Remove and serve hottttttttttt......

Sending it to many events:

One is My event 

Event Announcement "Only Original Recipes" and Giveaway :-)))

A brain child of Pari.

My one more event 

Priya's(Priya (Yallapantula) Mitharwal) ongoing event  

Celebrate Sweets - Warm Desserts

(event started by  Me ) 

And

Dr. Sameena's(My Culinary Creations)

Oats recipes..

Keep Smiling,

Fruit Salad for Shivaratri and Some Memories.

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Wishing everyone a very happy "MAHASHIVARATRI"

When we were young, we used to wait for this day. There were lot of things used to happen on this day.

We were almost 15 kids in a colony. Our day started at 4 in the morning. Previous night we used to plan and keep our things ready. Morning at 4.30 we used to leave the house with few elders and start walking. After walking for 5 kilometers we used to reach the temple. It was Someshwara temple. Its built in 12th century, by Chalukyas. It is a birthplace of  river Shalmala where she flows underground. There is a big pond. We used to take bath in that pond. Take the darshan of Lord Shiva in that big temple. Eat some prasad and come back home.

That was a day of fasting.

Mothers used to keep the breakfast ready. That was Sabudana kichadi.

The whole day we used to play and listen to the devotional songs.

Again evening was the feast time.

There used to be Chana usuali, fruit salad, Lime juice. Fresh dates....

As I grew big, I used to keep fasting without water also.

Those were the days. Now, we do not have that much patience. Only remembering the good days.

This fruit salad brings lot of memories back.

Sharing with you the recipe.

Ingredients:

Musk Melon : 1 big bowl or half of the melon(depends on the size) -skinned and cubed 

Banana - 2 to 3, peeled and cubed

Grapes - 15 to 20(I skipped it because my both the kids have cough)

Jaggery(grated or crushed or powdered) - half the quantity of melon, again check the sweetness of the Muskmelon.

Nuts - 1 tbsp, roasted in 1/2 tsp ghee

Method:

Mix all the ingredients in a big serving bowl. 

Keep it aside for 15 to 20 minutes for jaggery to get mixed well with the fruits. 

Serve it like that or

Keep it in the fridge for some time before serving to have chilled fruit salad.

Sending it to

Akila's Event: Dish Name Starts with F

Keep Smiling,