Semiya Payasam

This recipe is SUPER SPECIAL not juz for the reason it being a sweet but also cos I got this recipe from hubby dear...to add, not juz the recipe, he prepared it for me last weekend :) Loved it juz like I love my hubby with all my heart...Cooking tastes superb when it is prepared by someone else and all you have to do is juz sit and taste :) and it becomes super delicious when it is prepared by ur hubby himself :D ...Thanks darl...You made my day....again !!! Here comes the HUBBY SPECIAL SEMIYA PAYASAM ;) ..Trust me, it tastes heavenly wen ur hubby prepares it for u ;)

Ingredients:

• Vermicelli (Semiya) - 3/4 cup 
• Milk - 1 cup
• Water -2 cups
• Sugar - 1.5 cups
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• cardamom pdr - a pinch (or change as req)
• cashews - as req
• Raisins - as req

Preparation:

Roast the vermicelli in ghee. To one cup of milk add 2 cups of water + 1.5 cups of sugar and boil well. Once the milk boils and thickens add the roasted vermicelli. Add cardamom pdr as required. I usually add a pinch of it.

In another pan, add ghee cashewnuts + raisins. Saute them for a while and then add them to the payasam.

Simple Semiya Payasam is ready to be served. You can serve it both hot and cold.

Baked Masala Peanuts

Preheat the oven to 450F.

Mix all the spices like red chilli pdr, coriander pdr, cumin pdr, turmeric pdr, garam masala, salt (you can vary this as per ur taste) using lil water to make a paste. Apply this paste to the Peanuts. Spray some cooking oil to it and then allow it to marinate for 5 mins.

Then on a baking sheet, apply some oil and spread the masala marinated peanuts on to the plate. Bake it for 20 mins. Make sure you toss the peanuts halfway. After 20 minutes, switch off the oven. Remove the plate from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, itz time to taste the yummy peanuts :)

This is one of those, easy to make yet yummy to taste snacks....So don't fail to give it a try...

Eggy Onion Curry

Ingredients:

• Onion - 1 Big
• Broken Urad Dhal - 1/4 cup
• Dry Red Chillies - 3
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste.
• Oil
• Curry Leaves
• Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp
• Frozen Peas - 1/2 cup
• Boiled eggs - 2 ( or as req)

Preparation:

In a pan, add oil. When oil is hot add mustard seeds + curry leaves + finely chopped onion. Once the onion changes color add lil turmeric pdr. Switch off the flame and set aside to cool.

In the same pan, add a tsp of oil, urad dhal + red chillies and curry leaves. Saute till the dhal changes color and then switch off the flame. Once cool, grind it well. Add salt, tamarind paste and the sauteed onion mixture and grind well to an almost smooth paste.

To the pan, add some oil + ground onion paste + frozen peas and saute it well. Cook really well. The more you cook, the more the taste. Juz couple of minutes before you switch off the flame, stir in the already boiled slit eggs to the curry.

Goes excellent with dosa, idli, roti and poori. Also this is a best option to take when you travel. You can skip the egg if u want to in this recipe.

Potato Masal ~ Type 2

Preparation:

oil + onion (1 medium) + capsicum(as req) + chilli paste (1 tsp) + tomato (2 medium) + turmeric pdr (1/4 tsp) + well beaten curd (1tbsp) + salt (as req) + frozen green peas (as req) + boiled potato (3 medium) + water (1/2 cup) + garam masala (1/4 tsp) + kasthuri methi ( 1tsp)+ coriander leaves (for garnish).

Chenna masala - type 2

Ingredients:

• Oil - as req
• Sombhu - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 7 or 8
• Onion - 1 medium
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Green chilli - add vertically slit chillies - 2
• Tomato - 2 medium
• Red chilli pdr - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander pdr - 1/2 tbsp
• salt - as req
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• curd - 1 cup (well beaten)
• Boiled channa - 1 cup
• Tamarind paste - 1tsp
• Coriander leaves - as req

Preparation:

soak chenna overnite and then cook it for 3 whistles.

In a pan, add oil + sombhu + curry leaves + onion. Saute till brown. Then add gg paste + green chilli + tomato. Saute this till mushy + red chilli pdr + turmeric pdr + coriander pdr + garam masala + curd + coriander leaves + salt + grind one handful of boiled channa and add it now + remaining boiled channa + water + if needed add tamarind paste (opt). garnish with some coriander leaves.

Cantaloupe Agua Fresca (Mexican Delight)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups diced, peeled ripe watermelon or cantaloupe
• 3 cups water
• 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation:

Blend together cantaloupe with 1 1/2 cups of the water, the lime juice and the sugar at high speed until smooth. Strain through a medium strainer into a large pitcher or bowl. Stir in the remaining water. Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer. Fill a glass with ice, pour in the agua fresca, garnish with a mint sprig, and serve.

Yield: Four servings.

Variations:

* Stir an additional cup of finely chopped fruit into the strained blended drink      and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.

* For the watermelon version, add 4 hulled strawberries.

* Mango or Pineapple Agua Fresca: substitute mango or pineapple for the          melon.

Source : 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/health/nutrition/22recipehealth.html

Omelette Bags

In a ziplock bag, break ur egg(I used 2 eggs) and add watever u need to spice it up (I used finely chopped onion, capsicum, coriander leaves, green chilli, grated cheese, turmeric pdr, curry pdr, chilli pdr, garam masala)....Mix everything well....Boil the ziplock bag in water for 15 mins and then take out the egg....ur omlette bags r ready :) Itz as easy as tat...juz another fun way to make omlettes....v loved the difference...

Mutton Soup

Ingredients:

Pearl onions or shallots - 15 (You can replace this with half of a medium red onion)

Tomato - 1

cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Saunf seeds - 1 tsp

peppercorns - 10

Mutton - bone pieces preferred

Water - as req

salt - as req

corriander leaves

Garlic pods - 4

Turmeric pdr - a pinch

Preparation:

Grind (obviously peeled) pearl onions (or shallots) + Tomato + Cumin seeds + Saunf seeds + Peppercorns + Garlic pods + turmeric pdr

Mix this grinded mixture with Mutton (bone preferred), req amount of water (depends juz how much of soup you want) + salt + corriander leaves. Pressure cook this for 2 whistles, keep it on low flame for 1 minute and then switch off the flame.

Remove the Mutton pieces from the soup. Adjust the pepper and salt in the soup as req. Serve them in soup bowls really hot for the best taste.

Optional:

I had some egg whites alone....I fried it in pan like Egg Burji and added it to the soup. Also garnish with some coriander leaves and croutons.

Ponnangani keerai sambhar

The Botanical name of this greens is 'Alternanthera sessilis'. Sanskrit name is Matsyakshi. The common English name is Dwarf copperleaf/ Joyweed/ Sessile joyweed. Well...we call that "Ponanganni keerai" in Tamil. It is body coolant. It gradually induces a change, and restores healthy functions without evacuations (Alterative). Specifically recommended in the case of - - Fever - Eye ailments - Asthma - Gonorrhea - Syphilis . It improves eye sight! As the name implies it improves one's complexion! People say its good for Piles complaint and reduces flabbiness. 

Source : http://www.ammas.com/topics/Cooking/a157400.html

Ingredients Needed :

• Ponnangani Keerai - 1 bunch
• Small Onions - 10 - 15
• Cooked Moong dhal - 1/2 cup
• Tamarind juice - little (or)
• Tomatoes - 2 
• Sambhar powder - as reqd.
• Salt - as reqd.
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Urid dhal - 1/4 tsp
• Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Hing powder - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp.

Method :

                      Clean and remove the leaves from the stem and keep it aside ..(this was bit tedious job , but still as it is good for health ...we have to do it) 

In a Kadai Oil and temper with mustard seed + urid dhal +methi seeds + hing powder+ Small onions and fry well for few mins , then add the ponnangani keerai and fry for few more mins..now add tamarind juice or Chopped tomatoes + salt + sambhar powder and allow it to boil well then add cooked moong dhal and boil it for few more mins till done.  Once it gets thicker , switch off the gas.

Entries to Fried Snack Event !!!

Had to choose from so many of my fav dishes posted in my blog...EC, u sure made me go nuts choosing between my favs....Y shud u restrict the entries to three...hmm....nways, wishes to ur event and here comes my top favs :)
My entries to EC's WYF : Fried Snack Event



1. Masala Kara Pori:

2. Panasa Thonalu:



3. Samosa:

Nilgiri Mutton

Ingredients:

• Mutton - 10 medium pieces
• Cloves - 3
• Cinnamon - 2 inch
• Cilantro - 1 bunch
• Peppercorns - 1 tsp
• Garlic pods - 5
• Mint leaves - lil
• GInger - 1 inch
• salt - as req
• Green chillies - 5
• oil
• Onion - 2 medium ground to paste
• curd -1 cup
• water - 1/2 cup
• splash of lemon juice

Preparation:

Clean, wash and squeeze the water from the mutton pieces.

Grind 3 cloves + 2 inch cinnamon + 1 bunch of cilantro + 1 tsp peppercorns + 5 flakes of garlic + lil mint leaves + 1 inch of ginger + salt + 5 green chillies.

Marinate the meat with the ground paste for minimum half an hour. Also add some lemon juice to the marinade.

In a pan, heat some oil. To the heated oil + add onion paste + marinated meat with the masala. Cook till the oil leaves from the masala and the meat gets cooked well. Cook on medium heat. Then add curd (1 cup) + 1/2 glass of water and cook covered for another 10 more minutes. When the oil leaves from the curry, switch off the flame. Add some lemon juice juz couple of minutes before switching off the flame. Your nilgiri mutton is ready to be served.

Mutton Chops

Preparation:

Marinate mutton pieces in 2 tsp gg paste + 1/2 tsp chilli pdr + lil pepper pdr + 2 tbsp yogurt + salt + 1 tbsp vinegar + a pinch of sugar + 1 tbsp corriander pdr + lil lime juice + finely chopped coriander leaves + 2 tsps maida (all purpose flour) for minimum half an hour.

Fry this in oil along with the masala. Your mutton chops is ready...Isn't is easy as a breeze...it was yummy too...

Stuffed Masala Egg Paratha

Got the recipe for "STUFFED MASALA EGG PARATHA" from "Show me the curry" video....

This is my first try of their delicious menu of dishes....n sure already made a list of some more "love-to-try" recipes from their yummy collection.....these ladies do a great job...kudoos to 'em...

Here goes the recipe video....Do give it a try....Thou itz a lil complicated at start, u'll find it easier later and also wud plan to repeat the dish another day after all those praises u get for it :)

Link for the recipe : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNHt8Y944Pk

Brinjal Curry

Ingredients:

• Coconut - 1 inch
• cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry red chillies - 2
• oil - 1 tbsp
• onion - 1/2 medium
• Brinjal - 5 or 6 nos
• salt - as req

Preparation:

Grind coconut + cumin seeds + dry red chillies adding very lil water. Don't make them into a fine paste. Let them stay a lil crunchy.

In hot oil, add onion and saute till they change color. Then add Brinjal sliced thin and long. Saute till they get well cooked. After the brinjal get well cooked, add the ground paste, lil water if req, salt and cook closed for couple of minutes. After 2 mins, open and cook for another 5 minutes till all the water evaporates from the curry.

Actually I prepared the dish using potato...Thou i've nt mentioned it in the recipe....It juz means u can play ur hands in this curry with potato or not...all upto u...also wanted to mention that the photo did not give full justice to the dish...so don't go by the picture...

Sending this to Sanghi's FIL Brinjal Event:

Also sending some more from my collections for the same:

1. Veggie Shrimp Curry

2. Vankaya Vepudu (Andhra Cuisine)

3. Karamani Katharikaai Kulambu

4.Vathakulambu

5. Brinjal Arachuvita sambhar

6. Tomato Brinjal chutney

7. Brinjal Potato Curry

8. Stuffed Peanut Brinjal

Baked Samosa

Ingredients:

Spring roll(Samosa) pastry sheets

All purpose flour mixed in lil water or egg white - for pasting the ends of samosas

Filling:

Anything of your choice

Preparation:

I used leftover potato sabji as filling...To the sabji I added some frozen peas, coriander leaves and grated mozeralla cheese. Cooked it in medium flame for 5 minutes. My samosa filling was ready. You can substitute this with any filling of your choice. If you need guidance in preparing the filling too, then chkout my fried samosa recipe for the same.

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut the square pastry sheet in the middle to get 2 long strips. Make cones out of each strip. Fill it with ur filling and then paste the corners using maida(APF) paste or egg white.

spray some oil on the baking sheet.Also spray some oil over the samosas. Place them on the baking plate and bake it for 20 minutes, flipping it over in the middle.

Healthy baked samosas are ready to be served.

Aapam

Ingredients:

• Raw Rice - Pacharisi - 1 cup
• Idli Rice - 1 cup
• Urad dhal - 1/4 cup

Preparation:

Soak all three above ingredients together in water overnight. Then grind them to a fine paste consistency (similar to dosa consistency). You can also use baking soda a pinch if needed. Keep it aside for about 8 hours before using it.When making aapam, the differences between normal dosa and aapam are, the center of the aapam should be thick and the outer edges should be thin and crispy. Also there is no need to flip the aapam for getting the other side cooked. Once you pour the aapam, juz close it with a lid. You will hear the sizzling sound of the water dripping from the covered lid onto the pan once the aapam is done. This is the indication showing that ur aapam is ready.

Aapam goes excellent with coconut milk.

Sending this aapam recipe to dosa corner event hosted by my best pal Padma...

Krrish's first blog post :)

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Mango Moor Kulambu

 Ingredients:

• Ripe Mango - 1
• Green chilli - 5 or 6 nos
• Coconut - 2 inch
• Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
• Water - 1 cup
• Beaten curd - 1 cup
• Coconut oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 5
• Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp

Preparation:

cook mango(maambalam) and green chilli with some salt water.

Grind coconut + green chilli (5) + cumin seeds adding lil water. Add this ground paste to the cooking mango and green chilli pan. Add well beated curd to the kulambu. When the kulambu juz starts to boil, temper it in coconut oil with some mustard seeds + curry leaves + urad dhal.

Pakoda Kuzhambu

Ingredients needed :

• Adai batter - 1 cup
• Rava - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1
• Tomato - 1
• Peas - 1/2 cup
• Tamarind extract - 1 cup
• Sambhar powder - 2 tsp.
• Dhaniya powder - little
• Jeera powder - little
• Salt - little
• Hing powder - little
• Mustard seeds - little
• Urid dhal - little
• Curry leaves - one string
• Coriander leaves - little
• Oil for deep frying

Method :

For preparring Vadas / Pakoda :

In a bowl add Adai batter + Rava + salt and mix it well , if the batter is watery add little Rice flour.Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the pakodas / vadas and set aside.

For preparring the kuzhambhu : 

Chop onions and tomatoes and set aside. In a kadai add little oil and temper it with mustard seeds + urid dhal+ curry leaves and add onions and fry well
then add tomatoes + peas and fry for few mins , then add the tamarind juice + sambhar powder + salt + dhaniya powder+ jeera powder + Hing powder and allow it to boil well. Once it is done add the pakodas / vadas and allow it boil well til it gets thicker then garnish with coriander leaves

Goes well with Rice ...and make sure u make it well before serving..so that the pakodas get soaked well in kuzhambu and it becomes soft..

Thattai

Ingredients:

• Rice flour - 2/3 cups
• curry leaves - 5 to 6
• Butter or crisco - 1 tbsp
• Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp
• hing - 1/4 tsp
• roasted channa dhal
• urad flour- 2 tsps (If you do not readymade urad flour, then you can dry roast urad dhal in a pan till it turns slightly golden brown. Cool it off and grind it to pdr. You can store it for future use.)
• water - as req
• salt - as req

*** 1/3 cup of rice flour : 1 tsp of urad flour

Preparation:

soak dry red chillies and cumin seeds in ver lil water for 10 minutes and then grind it to a paste.

2/3 cups of Rice flour + curry leaves + 1/2 tsp sesame seeds + 1/4 tsp hing + 1/2 tsp salt + urad flour + 2 tsp roasted channa dhal + 1 tbsp butter + cumin chilli ground paste + water --> mix this to make a dough which is not too soft. It should NOT be soft like chapathi dough but should be kinda brittle.

Make balls to the size of a ping pong ball out of the dough. Then pat them to small circles using a plastic sheet coated with lil oil. Plastic sheet coated with some oil is used so that the dough does not stick to the sheet when patting the circles.

Then in hot oil, deep fry them to get thattais. If by any chance if get puffs on ur thattais similar to the ones in pori's, then before deep frying you can prick the small circles of dough with a fork and then deep fry them.

Kasa Kasa Payasam

Ingredients needed :

• Kasa kasa (poppy seeds) - 1 cup
• Grated coconut - 1 cup
• Jaggery - 1 1/2 cup
• Elachi powder - little
• Raisins and Cashews - 10
• Ghee - little

Method : 

Soak Kasa Kasa (Poppy seeds ) in water for 30 mins , and soak seperately cashews and grated coconut in water. Then grind all the three in to fine paste and set aside. In a kadai add ghee and fry the raisins and keep it aside then add jaggery and little water and allow it to dissolve well and if needed strain the jaggery water and keep it ready now add the grinded paste in the kadai keeping the flame in low and add jaggery water slowly and keep stirring it continuously allow it to boil well and if needed add little milk and add elachi powder + raisins and once it is done switch off the flame and serve it hot or cold.

Note : Best medicine for stomach ulser or Mouth ulser.

Entries to Dosa Corner Event !!!

Sending the below entries to Dosa Corner event hosted by Padma...

Event logo:

1. Banana Dosa

2. Carrot Uttapam

3. Mini Tomato Dosa

4. Ragi Dosa

5.Mysore Masala Dosa

6. Oats Dosa

7. Crispy Masala Dosa

Tofu Peanut Stir Fry

This recipe is an outcome of our frequent visits to the Chinese hotel last week. We have been shifting to a new house and so till the kitchen was set, it was hotel food...Both hubby dear n me being a lover of Chinese cuisine, we ended up there more than a couple of times :) With my lil one, who loves to run arnd "always" itz highly difficult to sit down at ease and enjoy food at some hotel..So these days it's only been "to-go"....with the "to-go" menu came a small box of peanuts, chilli sauce and soysauce. I did not really wanted to add them to my menu item nor did not want to them throw them to trash...So what else did I do...hmm...made a dish with it the leftovers...n here it is..."TOFU PEANUT STIR FRY"...It came in handy as a roti sidedish the next day...n sure tasted yummy too...

 Ingredients:

• Tofu - 1 box
• Onion -1/2 medium
• Chilli sauce - 2 tbsp
• Soy sauce - 2 tsp
• Spring onion - 3
• salt - if req (opt)
• salted roasted peanuts - 2 tbsp

Preparation:

Make sure you squeeze out the water from the tofu to the max. To do this cover the tofu with tissue paper on all sides. Then keep a heavy pan or plate on top of the tofu and allow it to rest aside for 10 mins. After 10 mins, cube the tofu to squares.

To hot oil in a pan, add finely chopped onion, Saute till the onion turns golden brown. Then add tofu and stir fry it till it changes color(becomes slightly brown). Once the tofu changes color, add peanuts, chilli sauce, very lil soy sauce. Garnish with some spring onions. Add salt if needed.

Entries to Mango Mela

Sending entries to the event , Mango Mela , hosted by Srivalli .

Logo :

1. Mango Kheer :

2. Mango Thokku :

3. Sweet Mango Thokku :

4. Mango Pickle :