Vamu Poosa

My second recipe under Festival Special for this week is Vam Poosa. Vam poosa is version of sev  in Andhra pradesh. This version of sev is little different then normal sev what we use in chat. sev is made with only besan and make with small holes. Vam poosa is made with a mixture of besan and rice flour and flavored with vamu (ajwain). These are little thick then sev and can not use in chat. We don't use red chilli powder in this recipe, in the place of red chilli powder we use crushed black pepper and lot's of vamu so that the name came to this as vam poosa..

Let's check the recipe...

INGREDIENTS:---

Chick pea flour (besan, gram flour)  ----  2 cups

Rice flour  ----   1 cup

Oil   -----  2 tab sp

Salt   ----  1 and half tea sp

Vamu (ajwain)  ---   2 tea sp(course ground)

Black pepper  ----  1 tea sp  (course ground)

Water  ----  1 and half cup

Oil for deep frying

METHOD:---

1. Take gram flour, rice flour, salt, ground ajwain, ground black pepper mix well.

2. Heat 2 tab sp oil in a pan till smoking point, add this hot oil to flour mixture and mix with a spoon to combine well.Take care don't use your hand because oil in very hot.

3. Now add water little by little and make a soft dough. Now mix well with your hand to make a soft dough, don't over mix just mix till you can make a soft dough.

4. Set a muruku press with round medium holes plate in muruku press. in the same time heat oil in adeep frying pan to fry vam poosa

5. Place the dough in muruku press and press the dough in to hot oil to form circles.

6. Fry in a medium heat till golden remove from oil , drain the oil and let them cool.

Store in a airtight container.

Vam poosa is abest combination with coffee or tea and also with sambar rice and rasam rice...

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Butter Muruku

This year deepavali I didn't make any sweets like Ariselu (athirasam ) or burfi's or any other special sweets. But made a very little quantity of kheer and poornalu for prasad. No body is there at home that who like to have sweets. I am the only one who can enjoy sweets at home rest of them are diabetic people. I made a very little amount of kheer and poornalu, with this little amount itself I am scared of these people(my dad and my husband). I made some snacks like Butter muruku, Vamposa and nippattu for this Deepavali.

So let's check my first recipe Butter Muruku...

INGREDIENTS:---
Rice flour ---- 2 cups
Fried chick pea flour (putnalu, porikadalai, hurigadala.daliya, chutney dal, veyinchina senagapappu) - 1/2 cup (dry roast fried chick peas till little warm and grind them in to a fine powder)
Chick pea flour (besan, senagapindi, kadala mavu) --- 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Butter – 1 tab sp
Red chili powder --- 1 1/2 tea sp (according to your taste)
Seasame seeds – 2 tab sp
Cumin seeds  ---  1 tea sp
Oil for frying
METHOD:-----
1. In a big bowl mix 3 flours, salt to taste, Red chili powder, and seasame seeds, cumin seeds mix well. 
2. Now add 1tab sp butter and rub with your hand and mix well.
3. Add enough water and knead in to a soft dough 
4. In the same time heat oil in a deep frying pan for deep frying the muruku. 
5. Fix the disc with star hole in the muruku maker and press on top of a polythene sheet. 
6. Now lift them from the sheet and drop in to hot oil and fry till golden color in a medium heat. 

7. Remove from oil and place then on a kitchen towel, let them cool for a while and break then in to two inch pieces.

Store in a airtight container .Note:-- 

1.  Make sure that your fried gram flour is a fine powder(grind it in to a very fine powder other wise your muruku will split as soon as you drop them in the oil. Use the quantaty what we give in the ingredients list, that is for 2 cups rice flour 1/2 cup fried gram powder, if you add more then this your muruku will drink the oil and they turned out oily.

2. Same thing with butter if you add more then 1 tab sp butter final product will turn out oily.

3. Chilli powder is optional you can remove it or can use crushed black pepper.

4. Make sure that oil for deep frying is hot enough,if the oil is not hot enough muruku will turn oily.

To check the oil is hot enough drop a pinch of dough in to the oil if the dough raises immediately then oil is ready for frying the muruku..

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Tadkewali Moongdal

My final recipe for this week under north Indian side dish is a dal. A perfect side dish for rice, I can enjoy this type of simple dal with rice pickle and pappad.. Perfect simple meal right?. Actually  this tadkewali  dal is made with toor dal . But this recipe I learn from my friend when I was in Khajuraho. She is from Indore and she is the one who teach me most of the MP and UP dishes. Those days I even don't know how to make fhulkas(pulka),she used to hold my hands and teach me how to roll and fry pulkas on direct fire. I think I am very blessed to have friends like this. This is a simple recipe but very comfort food.

Let's check the recipe  

INGREDIENTS:---

Ginger --- 1 inch piece chopped

Garlic --- 4 cloves chopped

Oil ---- 2 tab sp

Moong dal ---  1 cup

Red chili powder --- 1/2 tea sp

Turmeric powder --- 1/4 tea sp

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds ---  1/2 tea sp

Dry red chillies ---- 1 broken

Onion --- 1 small chopped

Tomato ---- 1 small chopped

green chilies -- 2 slit

Garam masala --- 1 /2 tea sp

Cumin powder   ---  1/4 tea sp

METHOD:---

1. Dry roast moong dal till golden and add water to cover the dal and cook till soft. switch off the heat and mash the dal well.

2.  Heat 1 tab sp oil in a pan add chopped ginger,chopped garlic, onion and fry till golden then add chopped tomato, slit green chillis fry for a while.

3. Now add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder mix well and add cooked and mashed moong dal add a half cup of water it the dal is too thick, add salt to taste mix well and bring to full boil and switch off the heat.
4. Now heat the other 1 tab sp oil in a pan add mustard seeds let them popup then add broken red chillies and add this tadka to the dal, garnish with cumin powder and serve hot with steamed basmati rice , jeera aloo, pappad and pickle.

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Channa Masala

My all time favorite for puri or with pav is channa masala. Normally for pav bread we make bhaji with vegetables. I don't know if any body serve pav with channa masala or not but I like this combination very much. I usually i soak channa in a large quantity and use them in few ways. With 1/4 of them I make sprouts for salad, 1/4 I use in salads rest of them will go in to channa masala. Again Channa masala I use for two meals for break fast with pav and for lunch with fulka. 

                                                                             In original Punjabi channa masala recipe they don't add potato, that is my addition. If you add potato to channa masala that makes a wonderful combination and by mistake your curry turns in to more watery, you can mash this potato cubes to make it thick. If you don't like to add potato can remove from the ingredients. To day I made this channa masala with puri but the puri's are vanished by the time I took the picture.... That is my part of channa masala I had it with bread toast...

Let's check the recipe...   

INGREDIENTS:---

Channa (chick peas) --- 1 cup

Potato  ----  1 big  cut in to cubesOnion  ---- 1 chopped
Tomato --- 1 chopped
Ginger  --- 1/2 tea sp chopped
Garlic  --- 1/2 tea sp chopped
Red chilli powder -- 1 tea sp
Turmeric powder -- 1/4 tea sp

Coriander powder --- 1/2 tea sp

Cumin powder ---  1/2 tea spGaram masala powder --- 1/2 tea sp
Chat masala powder -- 1/4 tea sp
Salt  --- 1 tea sp or according to your taste.
Oil  ---  1 tab sp (you can use olive oil for this)
Coriander leaves ---  1 tab sp chopped

Cumin seeds -- 1teasp
METHOD:--

1.Soak chick peas in enough water for over night.
2. Heat 1 tab sp oil add cumin seeds fry for a while then add chopped onions fry till onion becomes soft.
3. Now add chopped tomato, chopped ginger, chopped garlic give a good stir.
4. Then add salt to taste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder give a good stir and cook till tomato turns in to soft.
5. Then add soaked channa,potato cubes,half chopped coriander leaves, 1/2 cup water mix well cover and cook till chick peas become soft.
If you would like to do this process in a pressure cooker then do the all process in a pressure pan after you add channa cover and cook till two whistles.
6. Check if the chick peas are cooked then add chat masala, remaining coriander leaves mix well

Switch off the heat  and serve hot with puri or naan or with pav bread...
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Paneer Pasanda

My first recipe under North Indian Side dish for BM45. My first recipe under this theme is with paneer. We both like paneer, so I use it once in every 15 days. Long back I have tasted this paneer pasanda in a restaurant from that time I wanted to try this at home. Paneer pasanda is a recipe where paneer was stuffed with dry fruits and paneer mixture then deep fried and served with a rich creamy gravy. Perfect side dish with roti and naan.. So lets check the recipe 

INGREDIENTS:--

Paneer  ----    250 gms

Cashew nuts  ---  1 tab sp chopped

Raisins   --- 1 tab sp

Green chutney  ---  2 tab sp or you can use one tab sp chopped coriander, one tab sp chopped mint with one finely chopped green chilli freshly chopped herbs will give a better flavor. I used chooped not the green chutney.

Salt to taste

Cornflour --- 4 tabs p

For gravy:--

Oil  ---  2 tab sp

Cinnamon -- 2 inch sticks 2

Cardamom  --  4

Bay leaves  ---  2

Cloves  --  4

Onion  ----  2 medium

Green chillies  ---  2 finely chopped

Ginger garlic paste  ---  2 tea sp

Tomato  pure  --  1/2 cup

Red chilli powder  ---  1 tea sp

Turmeric powder  ---  1/4 tea sp

Coriander powder  ---  1 tea sp

Salt to taste

Cream   ---  1/2 cup

                                                                  

METHOD:--

1. Cut onion in to cubes, boil one cup water in a pan add onion cubes and cook for one minute. Switch off the heat, drain the water in to another bowl and store this water we can use this water for gravy.

Now grind this boiled onion in to a fine paste and set a side.

2. Cut the paneer in to four thin slices and mash the remaining paneer.

3. Finely chop the cashew nuts and add to mashed paneer along with raisins,chopped green chillies, chopped coriander, chopped mint or green chutney, salt to taste and mix well to combine.

4. Now spread this paneer and cashew mixture on one paneer slice, place the other paneer slice on top of it cut in to triangles.

5. Make a thick batter with cornflour and 1/2 cup water.

6. Heat oil in deep frying pan. Dip the stuffed paneer pieces in this cornflour batter and fry in the hot oil till golden, remove from oil  and set a side.

7. Now for gravy heat oil in a pan add bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom saute for a while then add onion paste and ginger garlic paste saute for three minutes.

8. Add tomato puree saute for two minutes then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, Green chillies, salt to taste mix well and saute for two minutes then add 1/2 cup water(here we can use that water which we saved from boiled onion) and cook for 5 minutes. 

9. Add paneer triangles to the gravy, mix once very gently and cook for three more minutes.

10. finely add cream and switch off the heat.

Serve hot with Roti, naan, pulao.

Notes:--

1. You can shallow fry the paneer .

2. Can add crushed kasoori  methi in the gravy.

3. Can add grated carrot in the stuffing to make more colorful.
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Home Remedies With Ginger

My final remedy for this week is with Ginger. Ginger is a natural herb or root vegetable that is widely used in all cuisines. It is used as a medicine in Ayurveda from long time in India. We all use ginger in our cooking a lot as a cooking ingredient. But this this wonderful root have lots of health benefits. 

Ginger prevents cold and flu.. because ginger contain antiviral and anti toxic, antifungal properties

Add one tea sp of dry ginger powder and a big pinch of turmeric powder in a glass of hot milk and drink this gives  you relief from cold, flu and mild fever.

You can make a ginger tea (only water don't add milk to this ginger tea)

Boil one cup water with a tea sp of grated ginger for few minutes add candy sugat or jaggery for taste mix well and have it hot. This gives an instant relief from cold, blocked nose and indigestion.

Yes ginger helps to improve digestion, it helps relax the gastrointestinal muscles hence preventing gas and bloating.

One more best remedy with ginger is for nausea and vomiting. When ever you have this problem have a cup of ginger tea with a few drops of lemon juice, you feel better.

Here also don't add milk to the tea.

This is a Home remedy for immediate relief better consult your doctor for further treatment
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Home Remedy with Sabja Seeds

Today's my home remedy is with Sabja seeds or sweet basil seeds or tukmaria seeds. Normally in India we know this seeds as falooda seeds or in South India we use them in jigarthanda. Two month back I came to know more and more wonderful things about this seeds. when I was searching recipes for last month International BM I found lot's of soups and beverages. But they use chia seeds, yes chia seeds are very closer to sabja seeds also they looks like sabja seeds with a very little difference. Chia seeds are different then sabja seeds in nutritional values, they take time to blow up but sabja seeds takes only five minutes. What we get in India is sabja seeds, They looks almost like black seasame seeds but when you soak them in water they swollen and get a jelly texture.
                                     In Vietname cuisine they use tukmaria seeds for thickening the soups and puddings and also in beverages. Then I got interested and search for health benefits of this wonderful seed. I was surprised there are many health benefits with this seeds specially for weight loss and reducing body heat. Why I am so exited with this is before I read some articals  about this seed, I am not aware of this seeds. I was thinking that sabja seeds is for only for falooda or jigarthanda no I am wrong. check out this amazing health benefits and home remedies with sabja seeds.
1. My first remedy for weight loss
Soak 1 tea sp of sabja seeds in water for half an hour.
add this swollen sabja seeds to 1 glass of warm water with table sp of lemon juice and 1 tea sp of honey and drink it in the empty stomach.
Avoid deep fried and fatty food like cheese, butter and do brisk walking for half an hour. Try this and let me know. I am following this and I am very happy.
Why for weight loss? Sabja seeds  Keep your stomach hydrated, once you soak sabja seed in water  they swollen and become double in size. when you mix them with more water or with any fresh juice they keep your stomach full and delays carbohydrate metabolism. so you don't feel hungry for long time.
Not only with lemon juice you can mix  them with any fresh fruit or vegetable juice or smoothie or even with your cereal or simply with milk.
                                                                   

  
2. Now my second remedy for reducing body heat and heartburn's..
Some times we feel like having fever when we check we don't find any temperature, this is called low temperature or body heat or some doctors says that it is because of some infection what ever it is.
Next is heartburn's because of acidity, for all these problems sabja seeds are the best remedy..
Soak 1 tea sp of sabja seeds in water for half an hour.
Take one tab sp of curd(yogurt) and mix with one cup water and make butter milk add a pinch of salt and soaked sabja seeds and drink this in the empty stomach for one week.
Avoid coffee, tea you can have your break fast after half an hour having this butter milk.
apart from this this sabja seeds are low in cholesterol high in fiber  and a very good source of carbohydrates. sabja seeds have a very good source of Omega-3 fatty acid's which help in relieving stress and maks your mind strong and healthy.
So start adding sabja seeds to your drinks, soups and salads....:)
This is a Home remedy for immediate relief better consult your doctor for further treatment
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Home Remedy For Indigestion And Stomach Upset

After all those delicious International recipes from all over the world, to day I am going to post a home remedy for indigestion and stomach upset. This home remedy is from my mother's treasure. My mother never use a medicine for common ailments, she always use simple home remedy's. She always explain the medicinal values in ingredients what we use every day cooking.

                                                   This black pepper and coriander powder my mother always keep handy . This helps a lot in stomach upset, just make a powder with all the ingredients and mix it with plain steamed rice, or you can have it with butter milk. 

Ingredients in this powder....

Coriander.. I can say this is a wonder seed, it has many vitamins and no cholesterol, contain iron. And the health benefits of coriander is, It controls cholesterol levels, diarrhea, mouth ulcers, anemia, indigestion, menstrual disorders, blood sugar disorders and also eye care.

Here is a small remedy for reduce the body heat:--

1. Boil 1/2 lit. water with a tab sp coriander seeds till water reduce to 1/4 lit.

2. Remove from flame and let it cool and add 1 tea sp of candy sugar or normal sugar to it  mix well and drink it in the empty stomach every day for three days this helps a lot.

Cumin... This one is a flavorful seed which we use a lot in every day cooking. But this has a wonderful medicinal values, it helps a lot in digestion, improves immunity, common cold and anemia.

One year back I became anemic my doctor gave me some medicines for one month then he told me to take food that reduce my anemic problem. When I was talking to my mother about my problem, she told me that mix one tab sp of jaggery with a tea sp of cumin seeds and have it this helps a lot. I used this remedy for one year and still using along with other iron rich food. Now my hemoglobin levels are good and I am not using any medicine now...

Curry leaves... Curry leaves with out this herd we can not think about our curries specially in South india. Curry leaves contain antioxidants, they helps to control gastrointestinal problems. Dry curry leaves powder helps to control blood sugar and cholesterol and rich in iron. So pleas do not remove the curry leaves from your curry, eat them...

Black Pepper is one of the popular spice of India. Black pepper is widely used in many home remedies as a medicine. Black pepper contain a very high amount of manganese and also rich in iron and dietary fiber. Black pepper is native to south India, before we introduced to chillies we use black pepper in our cooking. Very sadly we slowly for getting this wonderful spice. Because we started using chillies in the place of black pepper. I saw some people thinking that black pepper is only for seasoning soups, Red chillies gives a better taste then black pepper? try black pepper and let me know. Because black pepper has many medicinal values like it improves digestion, stimulates the taste buds. This spice helps to prevent diarrhea and constipation,prevents gastric problems and many more like this...

INGREDIENTS:--

Black pepper  ---  2 tab sp

Coriander seeds  ---  1 tea sp

Cumin seeds  ---  1 tab sp

Carom seeds   ---- 1/2 tea sp

Curry leaves  --- 10 leaves

Salt  ----   1/2 tea sp

METHOD:--

1. Wash and dry curry leaves in the shade and make sure there is no moisture in the leaves before using them.

2. Grind all above ingredients in a stone pestle mortar or in a coffee blender or in a mixee in to a coarse powder.

Store it in a air tight container.

This will stay for 1 week. 
This is a Home remedy for immediate relief better consult your doctor for further treatment   
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