LAAL RAJMA NI DAAR

My recipe s for Parsi cuisine continues and in that list here comes a delicious recipe from one of our blogger friend and a great cook and also this month’s host forRCI – Parsi cuisine. Yes Meera of Enjoy Indian Food hats off to her and her blog is just a mirror to Indian food I can say. This Rajma recipe is from meera yesterday I was browsing her blog and got so many wonderful recipes and bookmarked some of them at that time I saw some mouthwatering Parsi recipes in her blog and I tried it for yesterday’s lunch. The recipe came out so very well and we enjoyed it with rumali roti and geera rice (cumin rice). Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe Meera. This recipe goes to RCI – Parsi…… event by Lakshmi and the recipe is like this……………

CHECK OUT FOR THE ORIGINAL RECIPE HERE

INGREDIENTS:---

Rajma(Red Kidney Beans) – 2 ½ cup s (soaked and cooked)

Coconut milk – ¾ cup

Jiggery – 1 tab sp

Salt to taste (3/4 tea sp)

Dhansak masala – 1 tea sp (if you don’t have dhansak masala then take ½ tea sp kitchen king masala and ½ tea sp pav bhaji masala. If you want to make dhansak masala check my recipe here.)

Coriander and cumin powder – ¼ tea sp

Red chilli powder --- ¼ tea sp

FOR TEMPERING:-----

Oil – 2 tab sp

Onion --- 1 medium chopped

Garlic --- 3 cloves minced

Turmeric powder – ¼ tea sp

Red chili – 1 halved

Tomato - 1 medium chopped

Fresh coriander leaves --- 1 tab sp chopped

METHOD:----

Take dry rajma soak them in water for overnight and cook in a pressure cooker and leave a side.

Now heat oil in a pan add halved red chili ,turmeric powder, chopped onion, minced garlic and fry till onion become soft.

Then add chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 min. and add masala powders rajma, salt to taste, jiggery and mix well to coat masala all over the beans.

Now add coconut milk and bring to a gentle boil and remove from the heat

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with plain rice, jeera rice, brown rice or even with roti

We enjoyed it with Rumali roti.

Recipe source from Meera of enjoy IndianFood

And also this Laal Rajma Ni Daar is on the way to JFI - Rajma at Divya s Dil se event by Indira

PARSI BROWN RICE

Today also one more recipe from Parsi cuisine in my kitchen. parsi brown rice, like all ather Indians parsis also use rice in their mid day meal a lot .Like Parsi pilau, Khichri, Sabji polo,Adas polo, Beghali polo, Kateh and Brown rice and many more. I wanted to try a rice recipe traditionally parsis serve with Dhansak for RCI - PARSI AT ENJOY INDIAN FOOD EVENT BY LAKSHMI. So first comes the combination for dhansak is Brown rice. A very simple rice recipe and a perfect combination for Dhansak and Kachumbar. Here I go with the recipe.

INGREDIENTS FOR BROWN RICE:---------

Basmati rice – 2 cups

Sugar – ½ tea sp

Black pepper corns – 5 corns

Cloves – 4 no.

Bay leaf – 1

Cinnamon – 1 inch piece

Water – 4 cups

Butter – 2 tab sp

METHOD:--

1. Wash and drain water from rice in a sieve and leave a side.
2. Now heat butter in a pan and add cloves, cinnamon,bayleaf, pepper corns let them fry till they release their aroma then add sugar and allow to caramelize(let sugar turn in to dark brown color).
3. Add rice to this and fry foe 2 min.mix in between. In the same time heat 4 cups water
4. Then add this 4 cups hot water to rice mix well and bring to a full boil, reduce the flame and cook till almost water dries up. This will take 15 – 20 min.
5. To check if rice is cooked pick up a few grains of rice and press between your thumb and index finger the rice should feel frim but mash fully. If rice is not mashed or you feel hard then add 4 tab sp s more water on top of the rice cover and cook for few more min.
6. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 min. then serve with Dhansak and Kachumbar

DHANSAK - A PARSI DELICACY

Parsi cuisine is a mix of vegetarian Gujarati cuisine and non-vegetarian Iranian cuisine.Parsi dishes are famous for their deliciously blended with the flavor s of Gujarati and Irani cuisine. So that the cuisine is very nearby to our Indian cuisine.Dasicaly Parsis like to have their lunch with rice and lentil s and a curry which is made by vegetables and coconut and Kachubar (a salad made with chopped onions and cucumber. Lentils, potatoes, brinjals (Aubergine), carrot and tomatoes are widely used in vegetarian Parsi cuisine; in that list Dhansak is one of the very popular dishes in Parsi cuisine. Dhansak is mainly made with lentils and lots of vegetables and greens in Parsi dhan means lentils sak means vegetables and greens. traditionally dhansak is made with seven verity of lentils, but here I have only 5 verity of lentils so I used only 5 lentils and coming to the vegetables I used is brinjal, carrot, one small potato and a small cup of chopped spinach (you can use fenugreek leaves also in this recipe with spinach).And dhansak is made with chicken and mutton also and its very popular too. Here I go with the recipe for DHANSAK……….

Lentils I used in Dhansak…………….

Toor dal – Yellow pigeon peas – Kandi pappu ---- ¼ cup

Masoor dal – Red lentils – Masoor pappu ---- ¼ cup

Moong dal – split mung bean – pesara pappu --- ¼ cup

Urad dal – Black gram – minappappu --- ¼ cup

Channa dal – split chick peas – senaga pappu – ¼ cup

Vegetables I used in Dhansak….

Brinjal – 1 small (what we use for bingan bhartha) cut in to 1 inch cubes

Carrot – 1 cut in to 1’’ cubes

Potato – 1 small cut in to1’’ cubes

Spinach – 1 bunch chopped (for this recipe you can use 1 cup chopped)

Onion – 1 big sliced

Tomato -1 cup chopped seeds removed

Other ingredients…………

Freshly grated coconut – 1 tab sp ground in to a smooth paste or you can use ¼ cup of coconut milk also

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tab sp

For dhansak masala powder...

Red chilies – 2

Cinamon – ½ inch piece

Black pepper – 10 no.

Bay leaves – 2

Nutmeg – a small piece (you can take a ¼ piece of medium sized nutmeg)

Cloves – 8

Fenugreek seeds – 1 tea sp

Sesame seeds – 1 teasp

Mace – ¼ inch piece

Cumin seeds – 1 tab sp

Coriander seeds – 1 tab sp

Dry roast all above in gredients in a fry pan one at a time and grind in to a fine powder in a coffee grinder or mixee and store it in an airtight container. This will stay fresh for one week. You can use this powder as Garam masal in any non-vegetarian dish.

Instead of making this powder you can use garam masala in this recipe but freshly ground masala gives a great aroma to the dish.

For garnishing…….

Chopped coriander leaves – ½ cup.

Method ……

Mix all lentils in a bowl wash well and add 1 cup of water and soak for half an hour.

After ½ hour add ½ more cup water and carrot and potato pieces to lentils and cook till they become soft and mash. Mash lentils well.

You can cook lentils in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles

Now in a pan add onion slices, chopped tomato, chopped spinach and brinjal pieces stir for a while and cook till vegetables become soft.

When the vegetables become soft switch off the heat and mash the vegetables little bit (traditionally they mash vegetables in to a fine past but I didn’t mash them in to a paste. I just mash them with a spoon a little bit)

Now heat a other pan add cooked lentils then add ginger garlic paste(traditionally parsis don’t use oil in Dhansak but if want you can use 1 tab sp of oil here and season with 1 tea sp cumin seeds and then add lentil mixture) stir well and let it cook for 5 min. in a low flame. Stir in between.

After 5 min. add cooked vegetables and spinach, coconut paste or coconut milk stir well and cook for 5 more min .Now you can see the mixture reduced and become like a paste.

Now add dhansak masala mix well to blend and salt to taste, 1cup water and cook in a very low flame for ½ hour. Here if you want to add chicken or meat cook it and add with its stock mix well and let it cook for ½ hour mix in between. If the mixture is very thick then add ½ cup more water mix well bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve Dhansak with BROWN RICE and KACHUBAR.

THIS DHANSAK IS ON THE WAY TO RCI-PARSI AT MEERA S ENJOY INDIAN FOOD EVENT BY LAKSHMI

BEERAKAYA - SENAGA PAPPU KURA (RIDGED GOURD AND SPLIT CHICK PEAS CURRY)

Ridged gourd –Beer kaya in telugu ,Turai or tori in Hindi and Luffa in Arabic(recently I came to know this name in Arabic) is a fruit but commonly use as a vegetable in Asia and Africa.

Ridged gourd is with green hard skin out side and soft sponge texture in side with mild sweet taste or some times little bitter taste. Normaly we don’t use they are in bitter taste but its juice is used as a effective natural remedy for jaundice.Beerakaya Senagapappu kura - ridged goured curry with split chick peas.

This one is my favorite combination with Charu(rasam) and steamed plain Rice and also a very good combination with roti, even with bread. If you have this curry and bread in hand you can make very delicious grilled sandwiches. butter the bread slices and apply this curry on one slice and cover with the other slice and toast till nice golden color on a hot grill or a pan or on a toaster and enjoy with hot tea or coffee . Now coming to the recipe.
INGREDIENTS:-----

Ridged gourd -- 2 no cut in to small pieces

Channa dal - split chick peas - Senagapappu -- 1 cup

Onion --- 1 medium chopped

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder -- 1/2 tea sp

Turmeric powder -- 1/4 tea sp

For seasoning :---

Oil -- 1 and 1/2 tab sp

Mustard seeds --- 1/2 teasp

For masala (spice mixture):---

Coconut -- 2 tab sp s Grated

Cumin seeds -- 1 tea sp

Garlic cloves -- 6 cloves

Crush all above masala ingredients in a coffee grinder or mixer grinder in to a coarse paste if required add a tab sp water.

Now last but very important ingredient is 3/4 tea sp Garam masala or you can use chat masala or pani puri masala also.

METHOD:-----

Wash and soak split chick pea(channa dal) for 1/2 hour with 1 cup of water . then add ridged gourd pieces and cook till dal become soft and vegetables are tender. This will take 20- 25 min. on a low flame.

To check if you press dal in between your finger dal should split easily.

Now add salt to taste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, ground masala mix well and let it cook for 5 more min. in a low flame.

Heat oil in a fry pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add chopped onion and fry till onion turn in to light brown.

Then add cooked dal and ridged gourd which we are cooking with masala to onion, mix well and let it cook for 5 min.

After 5 min. add the finel ingredient 3/4 tea sp of Garam masala, cover with a lid and switch off the flame and leave it .

Mix just before you serve,so that garam masala aroma will remain for long time.

Instead of ridged gourd you can make this curry with Bottle gourd, Egg plant,Spinach

Very easy way to make this curry -- cook dal, vegetables with ground masala,salt to taste,red chili powder,turmeric powder in a pressure cooker till 3 whistles. Remove from heat and let cool and then open the lid.

Heat oil in a small pan fry mustard seeds and add to cooked dal mix well and add garam masala close with lid and switch off the flame and leave a side for few min. and serve.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MOHAN THAL AND MYSORE PAK AND SOME DEEPAVALI DECORATIONS.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MOHAN THAL AND MYSORE PAK..................................
This post is regarding to one of my viewer Mr.shaikh s question.Mohan thal and Mysore pak looks like almost the same but so much difference between both the recipes and texture also
1. Mohan thal is a sindhi sweet dish which they like to have them with tea(especially) and a special sweet dish for Sri Krishna janmaastami.
Mysore pak is also a sweet dish which is originally from Mysore Maha Raja palace and this was specially made on the special days like festivals and marriages
2.Both the recipes are made by chick pea flour only.
3. In Mohan thal some people use milk/milk powder/mava
But in making Mysore pak we don't add any milk or milk product s(some versions or there now a days like milk mysore pak, But in the traditional mysore pak recipe we don't use milk or milk product s)
4. In Mysore pak we use same amount of chickpea flour and ghee and Wouble amount of sugar.
5.In mohan thal recipe we use less amount of ghee and we use a little suji(cream of wheat). In Mysore pak we don't use suji.
6.while making sugar syrup for Mysore pak the syrup should be 1 string consistency if you check the temperature that should be 220 degree C,
For mohan thal that should be little more like 2 string consistency, 230degree C
7. Coming to the flour for Mysore pak while frying the chick pea flour that should not change the color or in some recipes like mine with out frying the flour also you can make Mysore pak
But in Mohan thal recipe you have to fry the chick pea flour in a medium heat with suji and mava till it turns in to light drown color.
8 For mohan thal no need to cook after adding the sugar syrup.
But for Mysore pak the real cooking starts from that time when you add the flour to sugar syrup
9 coming to the texture mysore pak is a crumbly little heard texture with hole s( when you are making with 1 cup chick pea flour you don't get the big holes if you make in a large amount like with 1/2 kg to 1 kg chick pea flour then you get the hole s clearly) like burfi.
10 mohan thal is a fudge like soft texture with dry fruits like chopped almonds and cashew.
what ever I know I have given it here. Hope you all understand this.
These are the difference between both the delicious recipes, if any body know more about this please feel free to leave a comment.
Will try to post Mohan thal recipe as soon as possible.

DEEPAVALI SWEET SERIES - MYSORE PAK

HAPPY DEEPAVALI TO ALL MY VIEWERS, FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Mysore pak is one of the most well known sweets from South India usually served as a dessert and is originated from palace of Mysore(Mysore, Karnataka,India). mysore pak is made by chick peaflour,sugar and lots of ghee can say ghee is the main ingredient for this delicious sweet. there are many versions of this sweet now a days but the old and tereditional version of Mysore pak looks hard out side and a crumble texture in side. the good texture and taste of the Mysore pake comes from it's fresh ingredients. One of the ingredients of this sweet is chick pea flour this should be freshely ground. Freshely ground flour gives a perfect texture and nice aromato the sweet . And the second ingredient is ghee thia also shoule be fresh and nicely boiled then only you get the cruble texture in side the Mysore pak. and time is very importent to make Mysore pak you have to keep ready every thing like a plate greased with ghee to pour the mixture after cooking, and all the ingredients should be ready to handle then only start cooking, if you remove your concentration just for a while then your Mysore pak turns in to burfi or any other thing(BTW this is my experiance) it won't look like Mysore pak any more. Time is very importemt in making Mysore pak
chick pea flour -- 1 cup
sugar -- 1& 1/2 - 2 cups
Extra ghee - 2 tab sp
Ghee -- 1 cup(clarified butter)
1. Take 1 cup chick pea flour in a mixing bowl
2. Heat extra ghee in a pan till smoking stage and add to chick pea flour and first mix with a spoon (because ghee is very hot) then rub with your hand till chick pre flour truns in to crumbs texture.

3. And sieve thorugh a siever to get a lump less smooth powder and leave a side.
4. Take a big heavy bottom pan and 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water and make a 1 string consistency syrup.

5. If you drop a little sugar syrup that should form like a soft ball in the water like in the pic.
6.Then start adding chick pea flour little by little keep string

7. In the same time heat 1 cup ghee on the other side till smoking stage

8.by the time you fineshed adding chick pea flour the ghee should be ready with very hot smoking stage.
9. Now start adding ghee keep string this processes will take 15 sec. by the time you finish adding ghee. Here I want to add the pic. of the last stage of Mysore pak but if I change my attention Mysore pak may become a big disaster so I couldn't add that pic.But if you fallow the steps and that 15 sec. time I am sure you can make a delicious Mysore pak.
10.Immediately pour this mixture in to a greased plate leave it to cool for 10 min. and cut in to pieces.

DEEPAVALI SWEET SERIES - CHURMA LADDU

Daal Batti, missi roti,Lahsun ki chutney and churma....... mouthwatering is't it, yes Rajasthani cuisine. In Rajasthani cuisine Daal batti and churma will take the first place. Sweet dishes are never refferred to as dessert's in Rajasthan because they had them with meal, before or enven in the end but not ofter meal.In this treditional cooking food that could last for several days and cold be eaten without heating was preferred. Insted of oil they use Ghee (clarified butter )a lot in there cuisine especially in sweets and most of the sweets are made by Wheat, chick pea flour, milk products. Coming to todays sweet Churma laddu is made by wheat flour, ghee and mawa which is made by condensing the ful cream milk. Traditionaly this churma laddu is served with Daal batti in a powder form but in some places I have seen they are making laddu s with that powder and they taste just awesome.Here I am with the recipe of a treditional Rajasthani Sweet CHURMA LADDU.......
One more thing I want to share with you all, I got this recipe from my friend she is from Jodhpur. she told me that normaly they make this churma by mashing the batti balls for every day meal, but in special occasions they deep fry the wheat balls in pure ghee and make the powder for laddu s. So Thank you so much for the Delicious recipe dear Sonal. This churma laddu s will stay for 1 month and very helthy and very healthy snack for growing children...
INGERDIENTS:--
WHEAT FLOUR -- 200 g.
Ghee -- 400 g.
Khoya/Mawa - 100g.(condensed milk, pachi kova in telugu.)
Sugar -- 200g
Almonds - 50g(soaked, pealed and chopped)
Cardamom powder - 1 tea sp
cinamon - 1 inch piece (dalchina chekka, dalchini)
Milk -- 1 - 2 tab sp(when you are making laddu s sprinkle and see if you meed more milk to make balls then you can add but don't add more milk that the powder become like a paste just sprinkle 1 tab sp hold and see it you are able to make laddu then stop adding milk.For me it took 1&1/2 tab sp)
METHOD:--

Melt 150g of ghee in a pan,take wheat flour in a bowl and add the melted ghee and mix well if you hold this mixture that should form in a ball like in the picture.

1. Then add very little water and make a stiff dough.
2. Heat rest of the ghee in a deep frying pan.
   

3. Now make 20 small balls out of the wheat flour dough and make dippreshion with your fingers(if you fry the balls round in sahape some times there are chances the balls will blast in the oil and also they don't cook properly in side so give a impreshion in the middle.)

4. Deep fry this wheat balls in hot ghee in a low flame untill they become nice golde brown in color(here you can use normal cooking oil alos for deep frying this ball s but they don't taste like ghee)

5. Now remove from the ghee and let them cool to handel, then make small pieces out of this balls with hand ans make apowder in the grinder or coffe grinder.

6. Heat 1 tab sp of ghee in a pan add cinamon and cardamon powder,mix khoya and wheat flower mixture mix well and add the to pan which we heated 1 tab sp ghee with cinamon and cardamom powder and fry it for a minute.

7. Remove from heat and let it cool to handle.

8. Now add chopped almonds and sugar mix well.

9. Serve as it is like a powder treditionaly Rajasthani people serve with Daal batti

10. If you want to make laddus then sprinkle milk and make laddu s

11. It will stay for more then 1 month in powder form,if you add milk and made laddus the they will stay for 1 week because of milk.

With out milk also you can make laddu s with this powder,when it is hot add sugar and mix well and leave for few min. then make balls when the mixture is warm once it is cool them you can not make balls so that you have to add little milk in this case. Hope you all under stand this point.

If any doubts feel free to leave a comment.

DHANIYALA KASHAYAM - CORIANDER TEA/COFFE

1.coriander seeds - dhaniyalu in telugu,coriander seeds are a spice which we use in our every day cooking is high in medicinal properties.coriander seeds get high ranking as a healing spice.recent studies shows that coriander seeds helps lower cholesterol, blood sugar. we use coriander seeds in Indian cooking as a spice powdered or corsely crushed. as per ayurveda it a cooling spice and contributes the sweet and astringent taste. In ayurveda it is commonly used for digestion, to improve the apetite and it purify the blood also.In Indian cooking we use coriander seed in many forms like as a powder for giving aroma in gravys, mixed with clove, cinamon and other spices to make Garam masala wich we use for kurmas and non-vegetarian gravy recipes,in some recipes we use this spice crushed also. mixing with cumin seeds and make a course powder which is well known as dhaniy - jeera powder will give some stir fry recipes a very good aroma.In South India we use this coriander seeds in making of Sambar powder and rasam powder, in sambar and rasam powder coriander seeds take a main role.
2.Coriander seeds helps to prevent digestive disorders such as indigestion, flatulence and gas.
3.Dhaniyala kashayam -Coriander seeds tea ia recommended for patients suffering from kidney problems and also helps to cure mouth ulcers and swellings. Regular in take of coriander tea also helps to lower blood cholesterol levels
4.soake coriander seeds in water for over night and mix this water with butter milk and drink this early in the morning will controles diarrhea.
5.when you mix coriander seeds with dry ginger and make a tea and drink warm that will helps relieve respiratory tract infections and cough.
6.According to ayurveda it is a cool spice, coriander seeds tea helps to reduce body heat
7.coriander seeds are boild with water and drunk warm as medicine for cold
8.coriander seeds also have importent vitamin s like B and C vitamin s, so regilar use of coriander helps to prevents many of the vitamin deficiency diseases.
9.coriander seeds are high in dietary fiber and a very good source of iron, megnesium and manganese.
10.Fresh coriander seeds should be in yellowish -brown in color, not in a dark brown color.2.Coriander seeds helps to prevent digestive disorders such as indigestion, flatulence and gas.
11.when ever possible buy whole coriander seeds, freshly ground coriander seeds will give a great aroma.Coriander seeds can be easily ground in a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder.
12.coriander seeds will stay fresh for one year and ground coriander will stay for 5-6 months, store them in a tightly sealed glass container in a dark cool place.

And to day I am here with the recipe for coriander seeds tea/COFFE....

HOW TO MAKE CORIANDER TEA/ COFFE:--
1.Coriander seeds - 1 tea sp Dry roast till the seeds become warm make sure that they dont change the color or burnt just heat the seeds to crush them easyly. ceush coriander seeds coarsely
2.water - 1& 1/2 cup
3.rock sugar - 1 tea sp if require(patika bellam, kanda chekkera/kalkanda)
4.milk - 1tab sp if require
5.If you have a sivear cold then you can add a 1/2 inch piece of dry ginger( dry roast dry ginger also with coriander seeds and crush coarsely with coriander seeds and add to boiling water)
6.Heat the water in a pan and bring to a full boil then add 1 tea sp of crushed coriander seeds and boil for 5 min.
7.In the same time crush the rock sugar if using.
8.Heat the milk in a other pan and keep ready if using milk also
9.Now remove the boiling coriander seeds water from the heat and strain.
10.add rock sugar and milk mix well.
11.drink hot.
THIS IS MY ENTRY FOR THINK SPICE - THINK CORIANDER AT PRIYA S EASY N TASTY RECIPES.

VEGETABLE UTHAPPAM & MINI VEGETABLE UTHAPPAM SANDWICH

Uthappam 's are thick dosa's made by rice and urad dal (split black lentils) batter. The batter is made of a ratio of 3:1 means 3 cups rice and 1 cup of split black lentils. Normally every week I grind idli and dosa batter for breakfast for first two days I use that batter for idli s and one day for dosas (the same batter) and the very last day I use the same batter for uthappams. But this time I change the recipe, long back I have seen this recipe in a TV show and it was a hit at that time and I tried it again last week end, yes for week end brunch it's a very ideal recipe. Because it's full of vegetables and high in calories and it's filling too. 1 medium size uthappam contains 180 calories and that too with vegetables it's a full meal. Here I go with the recipe…..
FOR UTHAPPAM BATTER:---
Urad dal – 1 cup (split black lentils)
Par boiled rice – 1 & 1/2 cup (idli rice)
Raw rice – 1 & 1/2 cup
Tour dal – 1 tab sp (split pegion peas)
Salt to taste

1. Wash both lentils in tap water for 3 -4 times and soak in enough water for 3 hours.
2. Mix, wash both rice also for 2-3 times and soak in enough water for 4 hours.
3. Now grind lentils in to a very smooth paste
4. And grind rice in to a fine rava consistency and mix with lentil paste add salt to taste mix well in a big bowl and leave in a warm place for 8 hours or over night to fermentation.
FORVEGETABLE TOPING:--
Cauliflower – 1 medium size cut in to small bite size pieces.
Carrot – 2 cut in to small pieces like cauliflower.
Potato – 1 big this also cut in to small pieces like cauliflower and carrot
Onion -- 1 big chopped finely
Coriander leaves – 1 tab sp chopped finely
Green chilies – 3 chopped
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea sp
Red chili powder – 1/4 tea sp (if you don't like much spice then remove red chili powder)
Garam masala – 1/2 tea sp
Oil – 1 tab sp
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tea sp
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tea sp
A few curry leaves
Ginger – 1 tea sp chopped

1. Soak cauliflower florets in salted warm water for 5 min. remove and leave a side.
2. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seed and let them popup then add cumin seeds, chopped ginger, curry leaves let them fry for a while.
3. Now add chopped onion, potato stir once and cover and cook in a very low flame for 3 min.
4. Then add carrot pieces, turmeric powder, salt to taste, chopped green chilies, red chili powder (if using) mix well and sprinkle 1 tab sp water cover with a lid and cook in a very low flame for 5 min. stir in between.
5. If require add tab sp more water and add cauliflower pieces mix well cover and cook till vegetables become tender. It will take 5 more min.
6. After 5 min. open the lid mix well and add garam masala powder, chopped coriander leaves cover the lid and switch off the flame and leave it like that for at least 10 min. then mix well.
7. Now heat a griddle or dosa pan sprinkle little water and wipe with a kitchen towel, spry some cooking spry or cooking oil now mix well and pour 1 &1/2 ladle lentil and rice batter which we fermented for over night.
8. Spread the batter in to a thick circle like a thick pan cake add 1/2 tea sp oil on the sides. And top with the vegetable mixture cover and cook for 2 sec. or till the bottom become light golden color.
9. Then flip the uthappan the other side and cook till light golden color (it will take 2 more sec.).
10 Remove from the pan and serve hot with coconut chutney or any other chutney
I served with tomato chutney.

1. Here I want to share a tip with you all with this same recipe you can make mini uthappam s also for kid's lunch box.
2. Use a dessert spoon to pour the batter instead of a big ladle to make mini uthappams and top with the vegetable mixture and fry both sides till nice golden color remove from heat and top with a drop of tomato sauce and cover with the other mini uthappam like a sandwich and pack it in kids lunch box as a vegetable sandwich uthappam.
I am sure your kids will like this….. I hope my idea will help you all.

CAULIFLOWER KURMA

A white color flower with firm tightly compacted head of many white small florets, we use as a vegetable in our cooking,Yes it's Cauliflower. Not only flower even whole plant is edible, but we use only florets in our cooking. But outer leaves and stems are used in broth. Cauliflower is nutritious, very low in fat, high in dietary fiber, water and a very good source of C vitamin and a very important thing is an anti- cancer compound will release when it is chopped or chewed, fat free and low in sodium.
HOW TO SELECT A FRESH CAULIFLOWER.....
[A] The flower should be firm and tight and nice ivory color and leaves should be green and fresh.
[B] If there are any black or brown spots on the florets and leaves are in yellowish color then avoid buying that one.
HOW TO STORE CAULIFLOWER.......
[A] Discard the leaves and heard part of the stem rinse in salted warm water and then cook.
[B] Cook cauliflower just till tender don't over cook.
[C] For salads just blanch the florets in boiling water for 3 to 5 min. then immediately place them in ice cold water to retain the crispy ness. Remove from ice water and pat dry the florets and then add them to salads or you can use them as a dipper for your delicious dips.
[ D] If you want to store them, then wrap the un washed florets in a news paper and place them in a plastic bag store it in the refrigerator like this cauliflower will stay for 1 week to 10 days fresh. Washed and pat dried cauliflower will stay like this for 3 to 5 days.
[E] Then you want to store cauliflower cooked then that will stay for only for 1 day in the fridge.

Cauliflower flavor is almost like cabbage but when it is cooked the flavor become mild. In Indian cooking we cook it as a fried, in briyanis, pulao s and in gravy s like Kurma and in mixed vegetable recipes. Cauliflower is very well blend with potato, carrot, beans, brinjal(egg plant) green peas and tomato and to day I am hear with a simple gravy recipe which is call CAULIFLOWER KURMA……..
INGREDIENTS:----
Cauliflower -- 1 big
Onion – 3 big
Tomato – 3 big
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tea sp
Cloves – 4
Cardamom – 3
Cinnamon – 1/2 inch pieces 3
Fennel seeds – 1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea sp
Red chili powder – 1 tea sp
Oil – 2 tab sp
Chopped coriander for garnish – apro. 1 tab sp
For paste:-
Grated fresh coconut – 2 tab sp
Poppy seeds or melon seeds – 1 tab sp

METHOD:-----
1. Chop onion and tomato in to very small pieces and keep aside.
2. Cut cauliflower in to bite size peaces and soak in salted warm water for 5 min. then remove from water and leave a side.
3. Grind coconut and poppy or melon seeds with little water (apor. 4 tab sp water) and keep a side.
4. Heat oil in a pan add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and fennel seeds and fry for a while.
5. Then add chopped onion and fry till onion become light pink in color.
6. Now add chopped tomato fry till tomato become soft then add ginger garlic paste, ground coconut and poppy or melon seed paste mix well and add cauliflower florets stir well.
7. Now add salt to taste, turmeric powder, red chili powder mix once again and add 1cup of water, cover with a lid and let it cook in a low flame till cauliflower become tender it will take almost 10 min. time don't over cook.
8. If you want thin gravy then add 1 cup water here and bring to a full boil and cook for 2 more min. and remove from the heat.
9. Dish out in to a serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or rice and also a great choice with plain pulao.

ST CLEMENT ' S DRIZZLE CAKE FOR SWEET & SIMPLE BAKES

St Clement's Drizzle Cake, soft textured, lemony flavored cake which is melts in your mouth. I never tried before lemon juice or zest in any cake for first time in this recipe only I used that. When I first saw the recipe there is no essence or any flavor they mention, so I thought how it will be …. But I have a believe in Rosie &Maria s baking recipes. I have tried some baking recipes from there all are super hit at my place. And this Drizzle cake tastes ohh really fantastic, I never know lemon zest will give a marvelous flavor Hats off to Rosie & Maria. We are enjoying each and every bit and it is a perfect choice with a hot cup of green tea. Thanks Rosie & Maria for this mouthwatering recipe……..

INGREDIENTS:---
Caster sugar (superfine sugar) – 175 gms.
Softened butter – 175 gms
Grated zest of and juice – 1 large lemon
Grated zest and juice --- 1 large orange
Milk – 4 tab sp
Eggs – 2 no.
Self – raising flour – 175 gms
Granulated sugar – 3 tab sp

METHOD:---
1. Pre heat the oven to 180 degree C/fan 160 degree C/gas mark 4
2. Grease and line the base of 1 large (900gms) or 2 small (450g) loaf tins.
Place the caster sugar, butter and zest of the lemon and orange in a bowl and beat together until pale and creamy.
3. Add milk and then beat in the eggs, one at a time, with a spoon of flour to prevent the mixture form curdling.

4. Mix in the remaining flour. Spoon in to the prepared tin/tins and level the surface flat.
5. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes for large cake and 30 minutes for the smaller cakes until they are golden and skewer comes out clean when inserted in to the center of the cake.
6. While the cake is cooking, place the lemon and orange juice in a sauce pan, bring to a full boil and allow to reduce in quantity to about 3 tablespoons.
7. Leave to cool. And then stir in the granulated sugar so it just starts to dissolve.

8. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick several times with a skewer, then slowly pour the lemon and orange sugar all over the top, letting it soak in to the cake and leave to cool completely in the tin before turning out and cutting in to slices to serve.
THIS DELICIOUS CAKE IS STRIGHT ON THE WAY TO SWEET & SIMPLE BAKES

JANTIKALU OR MURUKU FOR INDIAN COOKING CHALLENGE

Who don't like crispy, yummy muruku with a cup of coffee or tea? I just like to have this crispy variety snacks any time. I tried muruku with urad dal powder before also. Nothing much difference between my recipe and what valli given for ICC for this month. Ohh already this is a 4th challenge, we have finished 4 recipes very successes fully. Realy a big hug and thanks to valli because of her only we are trying different recipes and especially for this recipe It's just super hit. And coming to the recipe I didn't make any change here it is….

INGREDIENTS:---
Raw rice – 4 cups
Urad dal – 1 cup
Water – app 1/2 cup or more
For seasoning:--
Cumin seeds – 1 tea sp
Sesame seeds – 1 tea sp
Asafoetida – 1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste
Butter – 75 Gms

METHOD:---
1. Wash and drain the rice (I soaked rice for over night). Shade dries the rice for 1/2 hr.
2. In the same time dry roast the urad dal to light brown, allow it to cool.
Now first grind rice in to fine powder (check here for how to make rice powder at home)
3. Then grind urad dal into fine powder.
4. In a wide vessel, take both flours along with salt to taste mix well and add sesame seeds, cumin seeds to the flour and mix well.
5. Now add asafetida to the flour If you are using solid asafetida the make sure it dissolve in water completely. If it is not dissolved properly, when deep frying the muruku there are chances for the asafetida to burst our due to air bubbles.
6. Mix the asafetida very well then add butter.
7. Gather everything well and you will get more of a crumbling mixture.
8. Now slowly add water and knead a dough which is little softer then puri dough.
9. Heat enough oil in a deep frying pan to fry muruku s
10 Once oil is hot enough, simmer to low the flame.
11. Take muruku aachu, wash and wipe it clean.
12. Then divide the dough in to equal balls.
13. Fill the muruku maker with dough.
14. You can either press it directly over the hot oil or press over a papper or gently slide it down in to the hot oil.
15. But since the quantity mentioned here is less, you can press it directly over the oil in the deep frying pan.
16. Cook over medium flame, using a slotted spoon; turn it over to the other side to ensure both sides turn in to nice golden color.
17. You will know by seeing the color that it is cooked.
18. Remove to a kitchen paper and store it in an air tight container.