WATER MELON HALWA

As every body knows Water melon is a summer fruit, with rich water content. Normally what we do is we eat red portion and the White part in between the red and green skin will go in to the trash. Yes every body do this work but this part of this fruit is having a lot of vitamins, fiber and especially Antioxidants which is very important for our body. Long back I read one article in some magazine and I started using. It taste just like bottle gourd only. You can make curries, koottu and now I tried it as a sweet also. I thought when we use kaddu(bottle gourd) for halwa, why not this one. And I made it, It taste like kaddu halwa only with little color difference. Here I go with the recipe hope you all like this

INGREDIENTS:---
Water melon --- 1 cup grated(Wight part only not red part or green skin)
Sugar –1/2 cup (according to your taste)
khoya --- 1 tab sp (you can use milk powder or khoya powder also)
Ghee – 2 tab sp
Dry fruits – 1 tab sp ( cashew, raisins, almonds, pistachio) finely chopped
Cardamom powder – 1/4 tea sp
Saffron – a pinch

METHOD:----
Cut water melon and remove the red fruit and peel the green skin and grate the Wight flesh. Squeeze and remove the water.
Heat a pan add dry fruits till golden color remove and leave a side.
Now add grated water melon to the same ghee and fry till raw smell disappears.
Then add sugar and stir continuously, after we add sugar it will become little watery don't worry keep stirring till water evaporates.
Then add khoya and switch off the flame and then add cardamom powder , saffron, dry fruits mix well and serve hot.
This delicious Water Melon Halwa goes to Ashwini's AFAM - MELONS event at Ashwini's Spicy Cusine event started by Maheswari

BOBBRLU SORAKAYA KURMA (BLACK EYED PEA AND BOTTLE GOURD KURMA)

Legumes are a power house food which is a boon for vegetarians,because they contain high protein, fiber and iron . Legumes are classified as a meat alternative. because like meat they contain a high amount of protein but no fat and cholesterol.Especialy this black eyed peas is best sourse of fiber and it controls blood pressure and remove cholesterol from the body, a high amount of potassium too. so try to add 1 or 2 times or more them 2 time a week in your meal as a salad or a curry or you can make so many yummy soups too. And I am here with my recipe . BOBBARLU SORAKAYA KURMA ..................

INGREDIENTS:----
Alasandalu (bobbarlu, black eyed peas) --- 1 cup
Sorakaya --- 1 small (bottle gourd)
Onion --- 1 big
Tomato – 1 big
Green chilies – 5no. (according to your taste you can reduce to 1 or 2 green chilies)
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea sp
Red chili powder – 1/2 tea sp (according to your taste if you don't want spicy then just remove red chili powder from the list)
Salt to taste
Oil – 2 tab sp
Cloves --- 4no.
Cinnamon – 1 inch pieces – 2no.
Cardamom – 3no.
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tea sp
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tea sp
FOR MASALA: ---
Grated coconut – 3 tab sp
Poppy seeds – 1 tab sp (soak in warm water for 10 min.)
Ginger – 1/2 inch piece
Garlic – 7 cloves
Fennel seeds – 1 tea sp
Coriander powder – 1 tea sp
Mellon seeds – 1tea sp
METHOD:-----
1. Grind all masala ingredients with little water in to a smooth paste and leave a side.

2. Wash and Soak black eyed peas in 1 & 1/2 cup water for over night.
3. Peel the skin of bottle gourd and remove the seeds and cut in to bite size pieces.
4. Peel the onion and chop very finely or grate and cut green chilies in to small pieces.
5. Drop tomato in warm water for 5 min. and then remove the skin and chop very finely.
6. Now heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fry for a minute.
7. Then add chopped onion and green chilies and fry till onion become soft.
Add chopped tomato and cook till tomato became soft and mash.
8. Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder mix well and add ground masala and fry till oil leave the sides of the pan (if the masala is sticking to the pan then add 1 tab sp water and fry continuously).
9. Now add soaked black eyed peas with water and bottle gourd pieces mix well and cover with the lid and cook for 2 whistles.
Remove from heat and let it cool and open the lid mix well.
10. Serve hot with rice or roti
And also a very good combination with dosa, idli and appam too.
Enjoy your meal

This black eyed peas kurma goes to MLLA -Eleventh Helping at Lori s Taste with The Eyes
and event started by Susan of The Well - Seasoned cook.

MANGO& CARROT MILKSHAKE FROM MAHIMAA S INDIAN VEGETARIAN KITCHEN

Mango is my favorite fruit. I like to have it in any form if it is a raw mango as a pickle or ripe sweet mango as a dessert. And I find this recipe in Mahimaa s blog I like milkshakes too that to if it is a mango milk shake ooohhhh haven. Thanks for this yummy milkshake recipe Mahi.This yummy mango milkshake goes to MBP - MANGO MASTI at Easyntastyrecipes event started by Spice Cafe
I just fallowed Mahimaa s recipe with only one change. That is I add little cardamom powder to this.

INGREDIENTS:----
Carrots --- 3 grated
Ripe mango --- 1 chopped
Milk --- 4 cups
Sugar – 4 tab sp
Almonds --- 12 (soaked in water and peeled and chopped)
Cardamom powder --- 1 tea sp
METHOD:----
Fry grated carrots for a bout 8 min. and let it cool.
Blend it with sugar, mango pieces, almonds, cardamom powder and 1/2 cup milk blend well.
Then add rest of the milk and mix well.
Serve chilled.

VEGETABLE BIRIYANI

As I said in my before post my MIL is a great cook and she is expert in chicken biriyani and non-vegetarian cooking. Any time she can cook if it a mid day or 12 '0' clock in the night. My FIL use to tell about that day s party in the evening 7 o clock and this great lady start's cooking and she will finish before guest comes that means with in 2 hours she will make a huge spread for dinner. This recipe of vegetable biriyani is from my MIL's kitchen. Before my marriage I never seen my mom using milk in biriyani, but when I came to my in law's place and I was surprised when I saw my MIL using milk instead of coconut milk. And believe me that taste divine with a different aroma. And here I am with the recipe…………


INGREDIENTS:-----
Basmati rice --- 1 & 1/2 cup
Onion --- 1 medium thinly sliced
Green chili s --- 4 slit
Carrot – 1 cut into small pieces
Cauliflower --- 1/2 cup cit in to small bite size pieces
Green peas --- 1/4 cup (fresh or frozen)
Cashew nuts – broken 1 tab sp
Raisins --- 1 tab sp
Ghee – 1 tab sp
Cloves – 5
Cinnamon – 1inch pieces 3no
Cardamom – 4 no
Ginger garlic paste --- 1 tea sp
Salt to taste
Milk – 2 cup s
Water – 1 cup
garam masala powder --- 1/2 tea sp

METHOD:----
1. Wash and soak rice in 1 cup water for 10 min.
2. Add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon to 1 cup milk and leave a side
3. Heat ghee in a pan or pressure cooker and add sliced onion and green chilies fry till light brown color then add cashew nuts, raisins, carrot and green peas and fry for 2 min then add cauliflower pieces and fry for 5 min.
4. Then add ginger garlic paste, salt to taste and mix well and let it cook for a few min.
5. In the same time drain the water from rice (reserve this water we can use this while cooking) in to a bowl and add this rice to vegetable in the pan mix well and fry for a min.
6. Then add 1 cup water which we reserved and 1 cup milk which we soaked cardamom ,clove ,cinnamon and one more cup milk, garam masala powder mix well and cover with a lid and cook till done (if you are using a pressure cooker then cook for 2 whistles)
7. Remove from heat let it cool then open and mix gently.
Serve with any chicken gravy or Bagara baingan and raita

This vegetable biriyani is on the way to Nag s MONTHLY MINGLE# RAVISHIN RICE event started by MEETHA

FRUIT SALAD WITH FRUIT YOGURT DRESSING

It's already middle of the summer in U.A.E. In this sizzling summer I don't feel like eating a heavy lunch. Fruit or vegetable salads are always my choice. This yogurt dressing salads are really my favorites with any fruits I can enjoy them. In one bowl of this yogurt fruit salad you can have nearly 75 calories (I am not very much sure) and that is more then enough for your body and carbohydrates are very low and vitamin c from grapes, mango, apple, banana and calcium from all fruits and almost 3 g of fiber from all fruits and rich in protein too. So what do you say isn't it a complete and healthy meal. I think so…………
And here is the recipe……………

INGREDIENTS:-----
For dressing:----
Fat free yogurt --- 1 cup
Strawberry s --- 3 chopped
Orange zest (peel) grated --- 1 tea sp
Orange juice --- 1 tab sp fresh
Honey 1 tab sp (optional)
For salad:----
Apple --- 1 cut in to small cubes
Mango --- 1 cup small cubes
Green grapes – 1/2 cup cut in to half (seed less
Or you can use any seed less grapes)
Banana – 1 no. cut in to small pieces (peel cut and add banana just before serving otherwise it will turn black and mushy. The banana can hold the salad for about 10 min.)
Walnuts – chopped 1 tab sp
You can use any other fruits you like

For yogurt dressing:---
1. Make strawberry pulp in a blender and pour in to a mixing bowl and add yogurt, orange juice, orange zest, honey and mix well till all ingredients are well combine, keep this dressing in fridge for 10 min.
How to combine salad:---
1. In the same time you can chop all frits
2. Now take all fruits in a mixing bowl and pour fruit yogurt on it and combine well to coat the dressing on all fruit pieces.
3. Spoon out the salad in to serving bowls and top with a tab sp of fruit yogurt and walnuts and serve chilled.
You can use any berry s for fruit yogurt dressing and banana and mango also give a great taste.
This is my one more entry for Mahimaa s 15 minute cooking event at Indian vegetarian kitchen.

VEGETABLE POHA ( ATUKULA UPMA)

Atukulu – poha or Beaten rice is dehusked flattened raw rice. Which is easily digestible and very popular across India in many forms like upma, payasam and also fried in little oil mix with spices and nuts can eaten as a savory in some places. But most of the places people make this as a break fast. Ummm I like to have this with milk and jaggery as porridge. Healthy, easily digestible and better then rice because they are not polished. And here I am with lots of vegetables with poha here I go with the recipe……..

INGREDIENTS:-----
Poha (beaten rice flakes) ----- 1 cup
Onion --- 1 small chopped
Green chilies --- 3 chopped
Cauliflower --- 1/4 cup cut in to very small pieces
Carrot – 1 tab sp chopped
Green peas (fresh or frozen) ---- 1 tab sp
Potato --- 1 small peeled and finely chopped
Curry leaves – 10 no.
Oil – 1 tab sp
Mustard seeds – 1/ tea sp
Cumin seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Ground nuts (pea nuts) --- 1 tab sp
Lemon juice --- 1 tab sp
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tea sp
Asafetida --- 1/4 tea sp

METHOD:----
Wash poha and leave a side.
Take chopped carrot, cauliflower, potato and green peas in a microwave bowl and sprinkle 1 tab sp water and cook in microwave high for 3 min.
By that time heat oil in a fry pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add cumin seeds and ground nuts and fry till light golden.
Then add chopped onion and green chilies and curry leaves and fry till onion become soft add asafetida and stir for 1 sec. and add cooked vegetables.
And fry vegetables till all moisture is evaporated.
Now add turmeric powder and poha, lemon juice and stir well to combine all ingredients.
Add salt to taste and mix well and remove from heat
Serve hot.
I like this with avakkaya.
If you like sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and sev.
This is my entry for Mahimaa s 15 minute cooking event at Indian vegetarian kitchen.
And also for FIC - FAVOURITE at Sweatha' s Experiments, Emotions, Experiences With Food event started by Sunshinemom

MIXED NUT AND COCONUT BRITTLE

This one is a perfect idea for gifts to some one you want to give a delicious gift. And it gives an instant energy after long working hours. Now a days my hubby is working for too long hours and he is getting very tired after he came home. Before he only take breakfast in the morning and roti and subji for lunch and he use to come home little early. Now he is having a long gap between lunch and dinner so I want to fill that gap with some healthy and protein rich snack. And also it helps a lot for working women coming back home after a long working day some times they feel like to eat instantly before they jump in to the kitchen this will help you a lot. Hope you people like my idea.

INGREDIENTS:---
Cashew nuts --- 1 cup
Almonds --- 1 cup
Pistachio --- 1 cup
Ground nuts (peanuts) --- 1 cup
Grated dry coconut --- 1/2 cup
Sesame seeds – 1 tab sp
Jaggery – 1 cup grated
Sugar --- 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder --- 1 tea sp
Saffron --- a pinch

METHOD:---
1. Roast all nuts for few sec. and grind in to a coarse powder(if any big pieces are left while grinding leave them like that only) and leave a side.
2. Now fry sesame seeds till they popup and remove and fry dry coconut till nice aroma comes out.
3. Then remove and add to sesame seeds and grind in to a coarse powder and keep this also a side.
4. In a heavy bottom pan combine sugar, jaggery, water and boil till jagger and sugar dissolves in to water.
5. Now remove from the heat and strain this syrup in to another heavy bottom pan (this processes is to remove any stones or and dart from the jaggery and sugar).
6. Now bring back this syrup to the heat and bring to a full boil now you can see lot of bubbling and rising to the surface stir continually and cook till when you drop a bit of this syrup in to cold water it will solidify like a ball.
7. When syrup reaches this stage immediately add nuts and cardamom powder, saffron
8. And stir constantly for a few min. and remove from the heat
9. And immediately pour this in to a greased plate or try.
10.When it is hot, make lines with a knife and leave it to cool.
11. When cooled break this in to pieces.

TOTAKURA MAMIDI KAYA PAPPU (AMARANTH LEAVES AND RAW MANGO DAL)

When the raw mango season starts every year this pappu is one of the most favorites in my place. This will be a wonderful combination with rice and roti with its tangy and little spicy taste, and with raw mango aroma. Normally we make totakura (Amaranth leaves) pappu with little tamarind or with a chopped tomato, but if we using a raw mango no need to add tamarind or tomato to this.

INGREDIENTS:----
Totakura (Amaranth leaves) – 1 bunch
Raw mango – 1 medium size (make sure it should be sour not in sweet and sour taste)
Pesara pappu (moong dal, split green gram) – 1 cup
Green chilies --- 5
Onion – 1 medium
Ghee – 1 tea sp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea sp
Red chili powder – 1 tea sp
Salt to taste
METHOD:-----
1. In a pan add 1 tea sp ghee and fry moong dal till light golden color then add 2 cups of water and remove from the heat and leave a side for 10 min.
2. In the mean while wash amaranth leaves 3-4 times drain all the water and chop it very finely.
3. Peal the mango skin and cut in to 1 inch chunks.
4. Peal the onion wash and cut in to small pieces and cut green chilies also in to small pieces.
5. Now bring back the dal with water to the heat and cook till half done then add onion pieces, green chili pieces, and chopped amaranth leaves then add salt to taste, 1/2 tea sp turmeric powder and cover and cook for 10 min,
6. Now remove the lid and add mango pieces and red chili powder now again cover with a lid and cook till done this will take 15 – 20 min.
7. Now remove from the heat and mash it with potato masher or any spoon (don't use a blender) mash lightly.
8. If you want to cook this in a pressure cooker then add all ingredients to pressure cooker pan and cover with lid and cook till 2 whistles, remove from heat cool and open the lid and season.
FOR SEASONING:---
Oil – 3
Mustard seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Urad dal – 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Garlic cloves --- 5 crushed
Curry leaves --- 12
1. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add crushed garlic, urad dal and cumin seeds, curry leaves and fry till light brown color then add this to totakura mamidikaya pappu and mix well.
2. Serve with rice and any vegetable stir fry like potato, okra dondakaya or raw banana and a best combination with roti also.
Enjoy your meal.

This ia my entry for SWC - COOKING WITH GREENS EVENT guest hosted by Sowmya event started by Lakshmi.

RASMALAI

truly delectable dessert from Bengal. From the family of rasgolls.Rasgollas we soak in sugar syrup, but this delicious spongy white milk cakes which we soak in sweetened and thickened flavored milk we served as a chilled dessert. This one is my mom s all time favorite dessert so I made this on Mother S Day, I dedicate this delicious recipe to my Amma. And here I go with the recipe.
                                                                          

FOR MALAI (Rasmalai patties):---
Milk --- 4 cups
Curd (yogurt) --- 1 tab sp Fresh Curd not sour curd
Sugar – 1 & 1/2 cup
Water – 4 &1/2 cups
MAKING OF RASMALAI PATTIES:---
1. Boil milk in a heavy bottom pan, bring to a full boil then add curd slowly and stir the milk gently boil 5 min.
2. When curd will start separating from the whey switch off the flame.
3. Now drain the whey water through a muslin cloth or cheese cloth, wrap the paneer in muslin cloth and rinse this under cold water for removing if any sour taste in the curd.
4. Remove from cold water and squeeze well and remove all water.
5. To remove extra water in paneer squeeze the cloth tightly and keep this under a heavy pan for about 1 hour.
6. After 1 hour take small piece of paneer in to your hands and rub it and make a small ball if you are able to make a smooth ball with out any crake ten your paneer is ready to make rasgolla or rasmalai .
7. Now take this paneer and knead in a dry and clean surface to make smooth and soft dough this will take 4- 5min. and knead well.
8. Now divide the dough in to equal parts and roll them in to smooth balls. (First apply some pressure to make balls and then release and form in to a ball this will give the fluffy ness to the rasmalai s)
9. Then lightly press and give a patty shape.
FOR SYRUP:---
1. Now mix sugar and water in a big pan boil in a medium heat and bring to a boil.
2. Then add paneer patties and boil till paneer patties are double in size and they should come up in the sugar water (cover the pan and cook in a medium flame) this will take 10 – 20 min.
3. Then remove from heat and let it cool.
4. Take out the patties from the sugar syrup and squeeze them lightly and keep a side.
FOR RAS:-----
Milk – 3 cups
Sugar – 2 tab sp
Cardamom powder – 1/2 tea sp
Condensed milk --- 1/4 cup
1. In heavy bottom pan boil milk till it reduce to 2 cups stir frequently.
2. Then add sugar and condensed milk, cardamom powder mix well and then add Rasmalai patties to milk and let it boil for few more min. and remove from heat.
3. Chill them and serve chilled.
If you like garnish with chopped pistachios and almonds.

A LITTLE TRIBUTE TO MY MOM - MOTHER S DAY SPECIAL

Matrudevobhava --- Mother is God
She is the navigator of my life. She took lot of pain to teach me about living in this beautiful world. She wake's up before we wake up and she goes to bed after we sleep, make our food and feeds us with her lovely stories. She is the person who helped me in my first step. When I put my first step she is the first one who holds my hand and show s me the right path. She is the first one who teached me the first word and when I first called her Amma, I can imagine how she feelt excited. She is the one who take care of my health. When I was ill how many sleep less nights she spent alone sitting next to my bed side, and praying God to give her child a very healthy life. When I got good marks in school she was the first one who gave me a big hug and appreciated me. She helped me in my studies. I remember that every thing what she had done for me. Even she used to read my lessons and she used to explain me after I came from my school. She is the first teacher of my cooking. She is the person who taught me how girls should behave. And I remember that day when I got married and coming to my in- law's place she just cried like a kid which I can just never never forgot. After some time I asked her Why amma you cried a lot that day and her answer was 'I feelt like some of my body part is going from my body and I couldn't bear that pain so I cried'. From my birth till now she is with me in my sad and happy movement s. she is my best friend. She is a pond of sacrifices and love. She played the character of saint in making us well educated and great human beings. This small post is not enough to write about mom. Every thing is a very small thing in front of her love. I have done some thing good in my previous birth so Lord Krishna blessed me with world s greatest mother (I know every mother is like this only, but my mother is the world s best mother for me). I don't know how many times I have to born in this world, but I would like to born as her daughter again and again. I pray god to bless me with this every day. She is my energy when ever I see in to her face I will get lot of energy in me. So many more to write about mom, yes this place is very small to write about my mom. If I do any thing for my mom that will be very small in front of what she had done for me, Thank you amma and Love you amma are very small words in front of her love. But still I love you so so much Amma.
My mom is a typical South Indian but I don't know how she likes some North Indian dishes like Kachori, rasmalai, Aloo paratha, pulao, jelabi and she likes mushroom curry very much oohh yes Gobi manchurian is her most favorite. I made some dal kachori s and Rasmalai. And here I am with my mom s favorite recipe…….. DAL KACHORI......

INGREDIENTS:---
All purpose flour (Refined flour, maida) ---- 2 cups
Ghee ---- 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Heat ghee in apan, combine salt and flour and add ghee an rub with your hand till it become like bread crums, then add little water and make a semi-soft dough.
divide this dough in to equal parts and cover with a damp cloth and leave a side.
FOR FILLING:---
Moong dal (split green gram, pesara pappu) ---1/2 cup
Oil -- 3 tab sp
Cumin seeds -- 1 tea sp
Ginger and grean chili paste --- 1 tea sp
Red chili powder -- 1 tea sp (according to your taste)
Salt to taste
Asafoetida -- 1/4 tea sp
Garam masala --- 1/2 tea sp
amchur powder (dry mango powder) ---- 1/2 tea sp

METHOD:-----
1. Soak moong dal for an 1/2 hour - 1 hour and then drain the water.
2. Heat oil in a fry pan add cumin seeds, asafoetida and let them change the color then add the drained moong dal and fry for few sec.
3. now add ginger and green chili paste , red chili powder, garam masala powder, amchur powder and salt to taste and mix well and fry for 5 more min. remove from heat and let it cool.
4.Now roll out the each portion of the dough in to small circles
5. Place the filling in the center of the circle and slowly cover from all sides and Seal the ends tightly and remove the excess dough, and make like a ball.

6.then now roll each ball in to small circle again and make sure the filling does not spill out, and gently press the center of the Kachori with your thumb.
7. repeat the remaining dough and filling.

8. Heat oil in a deep frying pan and drop the Kachori s in to hot oil and deep fry in avery low heat till nice golden color both sides.The Kachoris should puff up like puries.
serve with meetha chutney or green chutney.
My mom likes them with hot green chutney.
This will stay for 1 week.
This is my entry for IVY s CELEBRATING MOTHER'S DAY at Kopiaste

MAAMPAZHA PULISSERI (RIPE MANGOES IN YOGURT GRAVY)

Maampazha Pulisseri is a sweet, sour and spicy sauce which is made with ripe mangoes and yogurt and a very good combination with rice, especially with Kerala rice. Pulissery is a simple yogurt dish which is prepared regularly in every kerala home, pulissery can also be made with different vegetables like okra, pine apple, plantain, but here I made it with ripe mangoes. April – June is the season for King of the fruit s, April- May is the starting time for mangoes, and it's time for pickles in every Indian home, in the middle of the May the mangoes starts lightly ripening, and this mangoes are the best choice for the pulissery with there sweet and sour taste, especially those small verity ripe mangoes goes very well with this gravy. During the season this dish will be the main item in every kerala kitchen.Some people makes this with coconut milk insted of yogurt but I like this with verry little soured yogurt that tastes divine. And here is the recipe………..

INGREDIENTS:----
Ripe mango --- 1 cup cut in to pieces (if you can get small ripe mangoes the cut in to half and remove the seed in side that tastes divine)
Yogurt – 1 cup
Coconut --- 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds – 1 tea sp
Green chilies – 4 (according to your taste)
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea sp
Chili powder – 1/4 tea sp
Salt to taste
Oil – 1 tab sp preferably coconut oil
Mustard seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tea sp
Curry leaves --- 10 – 12
Red chili s --- 2 broken

METHOD:-----
1. Grind coconut, green chilies, and cumin seeds with little water in to a smooth paste and leave it a side.
2. Cook mango pieces with turmeric, red chili powder with 1 cup of water cook till mango pieces become soft, mash half mango pieces with a fork.
3. Now add ground paste and bring it to a full boil. When it starts boiling switch off the flame and add yogurt immediately (whisk the yogurt before you add it to mango mixture) add salt to taste and mix well.
4. Now heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add fenugreek seeds, broken red chilies, curry leaves and let then fry for a while then add this seasoning to Maampazha pulissery mix well and serve.
5. Serve with rice and any vegetable stir fry (but should be taste great with any kerala style vegetable stir fry like kovakka Mezhukkupuratti, pavakka thoran or vendakka mezhukkupuratti I prefer that) .

PLANTAIN LEAF TURN 1 TODAY

Hello friends,Today is a special day on PlantainLeaf. Yes to day Plantain leaf turn 1 and I would like to Thank everyone who helped me achieving this goal.

I would like to thank God Hare Krishna

First I would like to thank my parents who gave me this beautiful and very happy life and encourage me in each and every step in my life Thank s is a very small word for them but I am so very lucky to have a mom and dad like them. Love you both Amma and Nanna.

Now The most important person in my life, who holds my hand very tightly and care fully to show the path in my future. Yes my husband such a lovely person and good food critic, He loves my cooking very much. He is the first person who encouraged me to start this blog. With out my hubby I am nothing. Here also same Thank s is a very small word to express but I am very very lucky to have hubby like you dear Thanks for every thing

And a very very big Thanks to my brother and sister they support me a lot and guide me in each and every movement thank s a lot both of you.

Now coming to my dear blogger friends who supported me from the beginning.

Siri from siri s corner such a sweet girl the first one to help me how to send an entry to an event. She is so sweet thanks a ton siri.

Priti of Indian Khana one of my blogger friend who droped first comment in my blog from that time to till now she never missed any of my recipes every day I see her comment in my blog for sure Thanks a ton priti for your support.

Suma of suma s cuisine who gave me the first award and that time I was really much exited to receive an award, I was flying in the air that time ooohhh. Thank s a ton suma for giving such a beautiful memory and eppreciation.

Ramya of Ramya cooks is the person who helped me with my pictures.

Now coming to one of my very good blogger friend Sri priya of srikar s Kitchen, she is the one who helped me a lot in improving my blog in the beginning Thanks a ton dear.

Aaaahhh now coming to that lady yeh Lubna from Yummy Food, She is so sweet, very friendly, truly talking, and very down to earth person. If any body asks her for a help I never heard no from her. Such a lovely lady, we became friends from her FIC- White event and what ever make over I made in my blog now a day s she is the person behind that beautiful work. Thanks a ton dear, I am very glad to have a friend like you.

Priya of Priya's easy n tasty recipes a very regular viewer of my blog and good friend of mine. Thanks priya for your support.

Saritha of My kitchen Aroma, few day s back only we came to know each other but became very good friends in a very little time. She is such a lovely person. I like her both blogs especially her varunavi s blog, I like her each and every post there.

And many more blogger friends like this who are dropping in to my blog and spending there valuable time and leaving there lovely comments. I need your support and lovely comments like this, that means a lot lot to me. If I made any mistakes, or I hurt any body Please please forgive me. Thank you to each and every person who viewed my blog.ALL I NEED IS YOUR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME.And here I am with some small achievements at Plantain leaf in this one year. with your constant love, support and encouragement I completed 360 recipes.

1 My first post : --- http://plantainleaf.blogspot.com/2008/05/sago-saggu-biyyam-payasam.html

2. My first recipe: --- http://plantainleaf.blogspot.com/2008/05/saggubiyyam-payasam.html

3. First comment for my post (recipe): ----- http://plantainleaf.blogspot.com/2008/06/raw-cauliflower-garlic-paratha-cooking.html

4. My first award : ---- Yummy Blog Award By suma of Sumas cuisine

5. My milestone post s :-- My 50 th post : -- http://plantainleaf.blogspot.com/2008/06/siris-corner-frozen-yogurt-cool-summer_14.html
My 100 th post :--- http://plantainleaf.blogspot.com/2008/07/paneer-tikka-pulao-my-100th-post.html
My 150 th post : ---- http://plantainleaf.blogspot.com/2008/10/sabudana-khichdi.html
My 200 th post :---- http://plantainleaf.blogspot.com/2008/11/punugulu-rm-2-day-26.html
My 250 th post :---- http://plantainleaf.blogspot.com/2009/01/red-beans-and-corn-salad.html
My 300 th post : ---- http://plantainleaf.blogspot.com/2009/02/panasakaya-gidi-pappu-masala-kurababy.html
My 350 th post :---- http://plantainleaf.blogspot.com/2009/04/broccoli-capsicum-pepper-stir-fry.html

ONCE AGAIN THANKS A LOT TO EVERY ONE

CARROT AND RAW MANGO CHUTNEY

Normally I make carrot chutney with little tamarind and green chilies. Coconut chutney with red chilies and tamarind. Yesterday when I grat carrot and raw mango for salad I got this idea. Actually I was thinking for chutney for tomorrow s break fast while tomorrow s breakfast is dosa so immediately I made this .that time I tasted it with rice hummmmm believe me this chutney is a very perfect combination for rice and dosas I didn't taste with idlies and here is the recipe….

INGREDIENTS:--
Carrot – 1 cup grated
Raw mango --- 1 cup finely chopped
Carrot – 1 tab sp finely chopped
Red chilies – 7 (according to your taste. I use 4 Kashmiri and hot red chilies 3)
Urad dal --- 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds – 1 tea sp
Fenugreek seeds --- 1/4 tea sp
Oil – 2 tea sp+ 1 tea sp
Mustard seeds --- 1 tea sp
Asafetida – 1/4 tea sp
Curry leaves --- 10
Salt to taste

METHOD:----
1. Fry red chilies in a fry pan (with out oil) for 2 min in a medium flame remove and leave a side.
2. Then fry urad dal, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds in the same pan (with out oil) and add this to red chilies and grind in to a fine powder.
3. In the same pan heat 1 tea sp oil and add grated carrot and fry in a medium flame till its raw smell disappears.
4. Remove from heat and add this to red chili and urad dal powder and add raw mango pieces also add salt to taste if required add little water and grind in to a smooth paste.
5. Take out this chutney in to a bowl.
6. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add asafetida and curry leaves let them fry for a while and add this and chopped carrot to the chutney mix well.
Serve with rice or dosa.

This is my entry for FIL - CARROTS at SANGHI S TASTYBITES

KOHALRABI KUTTU (NOOL-KOLL, GERMANTURNIP)

The taste and texture of this vegetable are similar to Broccoli or the hard part or cabbage or like a radish with a strong flavor. Kohlrabi is one of the most commonly eaten vegetable in Kashmir, locally called as Monj; there this vegetable is eaten along with leaves. Kashmiri people use this vegetable at least 3-4 times in a week. They make a lot of verities with this vegetable like Dum Monj and one more non spicy version is Monj Haakh.When I was in Ooty I use to find a lot this vegetable very fresh in local local vegetable market. In Tamil they call this as Nool koll. They use this vegetable in Sambars and kootu s.This crisp and juicy light green vegetable contains very less means .1 gm fat and lot of water and dietary fiber with lot of vitamin. A very good choice for salads. Some regional names for this vegetable are --- Ganth – godhi in Hindi, Navil Kos in Kannada. I Andhra Pradesh people don't know about this vegetable so I think we don't have any name for this in Telugu.

INGREDIENTS:-----

Kohalrabi(Nool-koll, germanturnip) ---- 1 cut in to 1/2 inch cubes

Moong dal --- 1 cup

Small onion(sambar onion) --- 1/2 cup peeld and washed

FOR PASTE:---

Grated coconut --- 1 tab sp

Green chilies --- 4

Cumin seeds -- 1 tea sp

ginger -- 1/2 inch piece

Grind all above ingredients in to a coarse paste with little water and leave a side.

Salt to taste

turmeric powder --- 1/2 tea sp

Oil -- 2 tab sp

Mustard seeds --- 1/2 tea sp

Asafoetida -- 1/4 tea sp

Curry leaves --- 12 no.

METHOD:---

1. Wash and soak moong dal for 10 min. then add Kohalrabi pieces and cook till dal and vegetable become soft.

2. Now add ground paste, turmeric powder, salt to taste mix well and cook for 5 more min.

3. Heat oil in a fry pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add asafoetida,curry leaves then add this to dal and Kohalrabi mixture mix well and remove from the heat.

Serve with rice and Pappad(appadam).

GUNTA PONGANALU OR PONGANALU ( PANIYARAM)

This is not a traditional breakfast from Andhra Pradesh. But some places like Ryalaseema people make these delicious hot Indian muffins. Originally I think we adopted this recipe from Tamilnadu and they call this as Paniyaram or Kuzhi Paniyaram and also well known as Appy, in Telugu we call this Gunta Ponganalu
Or Ponganalu. And here is the recipe………

INGREDIENTS:--
Urad dal --- 1/2 cup
Rice --- 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds --- 1/4 tea sp
Sago (sabudana, saggubuyam) --- 1 tab sp
How to make the batter:--
Soak all above ingredients in water for 4- 6 hours and grind in to a smooth paste adding just enough water.
Remove from the grinder in to a big vessel and leave it in a warm place over night for fermentation.
This batter should be like a thick idli batter consistency hummm what else I can give an example yes this consistency like tined condensed milk consistency.
Next day morning this batter is ready to make ponganalu only thing you have to add some seasoning to this batter

FOR SEASONING:---
Channa dal --- 2 tab sp
Cumin seeds --- 1 tea sp
Green chilies --- 4 finely chopped
Onion -- 1 big chopped
Curry leaves – 12 cut in to small pieces
Coriander leaves ----- 1 tab sp chopped
Salt to taste
Mix all above ingredients to the fermented batter and mix well

HOW TO MAKE PONGANALU:---
Heat ponganala skillet in a medium heat and then add few drops of oil in to each impression.
Now fill the impressions with the batter and cover with a lid and cook in a medium flame for 5 min.
Then remove the lid and gently lift the ponganalu with a spoon (if properly cooked, they should come out easily without sticking the skillet. If not cook for few more min.
Turn each to the other side to cook the other side also for 5 min.in medium heat (this time don't cover the skillet)
Remove from the skillet gently and repeat the same process with the remaining batter. Cooking in medium heat is the main point for making ponganalu.
Serve hot with coconut chutney.