Lebanese Macarouns

Lebanese Macarouns or Macaroons both are same but a little difference in spelling. Those have nothing to do with French Macarons just the name sounds like that. Lebanese Macarouns are made with flour, fine semolina and aniseed powder. When you bite them can feel a mixed flavor of ani seed powder, rose and orange blossom water. Not only in Lebanese cuisine these macarouns you can find in some other Middle eastern countries cuisine also.
                                                            But surprisingly this recipe is very much resemble to our Gavvalu recipe in Andhra Cuisine. Only thing we use cardamom powder to give flavor and make them in a small size, making process is almost same. This recipe I wanted to make for International BM, couldn't make it. So I wanted to post this for this month BM under 44 th Mega Marathon Bookmarks
Let's check the recipe.. 
INGREDIENTS:--
Flour (maida) ---  1 and half cups
Semolina   --- 1 cup (I used chiroti rava)
Sugar   ----  1/2 cup
Aniseed powder  ---   1 tab sp
Mahlab  --- 1/4 (I used badaam powder)
Baking powder  --- 1/2 tea sp
Sunflower oil  ----  1/3 cup
Water ---  1/2 cup
Salt a pinch
Oil for deep frying
                                                                    

FOR SUGAR SYRUP:--
Sugar  ---  2 and half cups
Water  --- 1and half cups
Lemon juice  --  1 tea sp
Rose water  ---  1 tea sp
Orange blossom water  --- 1 tea sp
METOD:--
1. In a large bowl mix all ingredients except water. Add little by little water and make a firm water. Leave this dough for at least one hour.
2. For sugar syrup add sugar and water in a sauce pan bring to a full boil in a medium heat till sugar dissolves.
3. Add lemon juice and cook syrup becomes thick (like badush syrup), then add orange blossom water, remove from heat and set a side.
                                                                      

4. To make Maakrouns take walnut size ball roll each ball in to a finger like shape.
5. Press each on cheese grater to give a pattern on the dough and roll it down with your finger, keep the dough rolled with out sealing the edges.
6. Deep fry the maakroun in hot oil till golden.
7. Remove from oil drain well and drop them in the syrup leave it at least for one minute then remove from the syrup.
Serve warm with tea or coffee...
Notes:--
1. Mahlab is an aromatic spice powder what we find in Middle eastern ciusine that is made with a type of cherry seed and some spices. I didn't find that in India so I replaced it with Almond powder. 
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Garlicky Red Bell Pepper Dip

I wanted to bake French baguette, but still I have some pieces of sun dried tomato and basil bread. I wanted to finish that so I made a dip with red bell pepper. Before I made chutney with red bell pepper, that goes well with dosa. Now I have to make a spread which pair well with any bread that should be less spicy and creamy. First I thought of using cream cheese but wanted to make it little healthy. Find this recipe in a book called delicious dips which my sister gave me.
                                                      This recipe contain two types of nuts and bread crumbs. I used both nuts but removed bread crumbs. Because I didn't have fresh bread crumbs in hand and also some how I didn't like that option if you like can add bread crumbs. 
Let's check the recipe.....
INGREDIENTS:--
Roasted red bell pepper   ----  1 big 
Red chillies (bird eye red chilli) ---  2
Walnuts  ----  1 tab sp roasted
Pine nuts  ----  1 tab sp
Garlic cloves  ---  3 mashed
Lemon juice ---  juice of one lemon
Olive oil  ---  1 tabsp
Bread crumbs  ---  2 tab sp ( I didn't add bread crumbs if you like can add)
METHOD:--
1. Roast bell pepper on stove how we roast eggplant for bharta, let it cool and peel the skin.
2. Take roasted bell pepper, red chillies, walnuts, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, bread crumbs (if using), olive oil and blend in to a smooth paste.
Serve with any bread or crackers or with chips. 
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Broccoli And Almond Soup

I made  broccoli and almond soup  to go with Sum dried tomato and basil loaf. This combination really very delicious with basil flavor in the bread and broccoli flavor in the soup
INGREDIENTS:---
Almonds  ---   25 blanched and peeled
Broccoli  ---  1 medium cut in to florets
Onion  ---  1 small cut in to cubes
Milk  ----   1 an half cups
Salt to taste
Cream  ---  1/2 cup
Olive oil ---  1 tea sp
Crushed black pepper   ----  1/2 tea sp
                                                                    

METHOD:--
1. Heat  olive oil in a pan add onion stir once then add broccoli, almonds and cook for five minutes.
2. Add salt cook till broccoli become soft, remove from heat and let it cool.
3. Make a coarse puree with little milk and broccoli mixture.
                                                      

4. Now bring back the broccoli puree to the pan.
5. Add remaining milk and cream cook on a low heat, bring to full boil and switch off the heat.
6. Add salt and crushed black pepper mix well and serve hot top with cream and sprinkle sliced almonds.
I served with sun dried tomato and basil bread
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Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Loaf

Baking some how I stopped baking after I came bake to India. When I was in Abudhabi I used to bake every week,but after I came back I don't know what happened to me. Specially breads I really stopped baking breads. When valli announced this theme the yeast every month I wanted to pic but every time I used to postpone it. This month I choose this theme the yeast, theme for my third week recipes and I choose Veena's Sun dried tomato and basil loaf. This loaf taste too good with basil flavor. Thank you so much for the recipe Veena we enjoyed it with Broccoli soup and red bell pepper dip...
Let's check the recipe..  
INGREDIENTS:---
All purpose flour  ---  1 cup (125 gms)
Whole wheat flour   --- 1 cup (125 gms)
Active dry yeast  ----  1 and half tea sp
Sugar   ---  1 tea sp
Salt   ----  1 tea sp
Sun dried tomato  --- 1/4 cup
Fresh basil   ----  1/4 cup
Olive oil    ---- 3 tab sp
Tomato puree  ---  2 tab sp
Warm water  ---   1/3 cup to 1/2 cup
                                                                  

METHOD:--
1. Measure all the ingredients and keep it ready..
2. Mix flour with salt and set a side.
3. Add yeast to warm water with sugar and let it rise for 2 minutes.
                                                                 

4. Add this yeast mixture tomato puree to the flour make a dough and knead well for 7 minutes. to make a soft dough.
5. Grease a wide bowl and place the dough and cover it, leave a side to rise, Mine took 15 minutes to rise or you can leave it till it double in size.
6.  After the first rise punch down the dough a little.
7. Add sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and knead gently, knead a little bit applying olive oil.
8. Roll this sun dried tomato and basil dough 1/4 inch thick rectangle then fold this in to loaf shape
9. Grease a baking tray, place the loaf on the prepared tray cover it loosely and leave it for the second rise that took 10 minutes for me
                                                                

10. Preheat oven at 180 degree C .
11. Now brush the loaf with egg wash or with milk and bake this loaf at 180 degree C for 20 minutes  or till done
Let it cool then slice.
Serve warn with a dip or soup.
What mistakes I have done is:--
I leave my dough for second rise for too long because of that my bread became flat so keep checking when you leave it for rise.
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Rajasthani Badaam Halwa

Rajasthani  Badaam Halwa this is the recipe for this month Indian Cooking Challenge. The recipe is simple with less ingredients. I know there is a Badaam halwa recipe in Tamilnadu that is cut in to pieces before serving. I never made it but I tasted it many times, this badam halwa have grains of badaam This I have tasted in my aunt's (atta) place. 
                                                                                      This Rajasthani recipe is almost same like Tamilnadu recipe. When Valli announced this delicious badaam halwa recipe for ICC I wanted to check the texture. I goggled a lot but didn't find any picture of typical Rajasthani Badam Halwa . There are many versions of badaam halwa but I need a picture of typical Rajasthani recipe picture. Finally I decided to make this Halwa with out knowing the texture. That came out so well, tasted delicious, but only this is my badaam paste is little over fried. So take care when you frying the Badaam paste. when I was frying the badaam paste Some body rang the bell and i keep on talking with them and for got about the halwa on the stove. So don't go any were when you are making the halwa. In my halwa only the color is little dark the taste was heavenly delicious.
Let's check the recipe...   
INGREDIENTS:---
Almonds  ---  1/4 cup
Ghee (clarifaid butter) ---  4 tab sp
Sugar  ----  4 tab sp
Cardamom --- a big pinch
Water or milk for grinding the almonds

                                                                    

METHOD:---
1. Soak almonds for over night.
2. Wash and peel the almonds, after peeling wash the almonds again.
3. Grind the almonds in to a fine paste using water or milk (I used milk to give the Halwa a rich taste.).
4. Heat ghee in a non stick pan and add the almond paste and roast till it turn in to pink color.
Keep the heat low and keep stirring till the almond paste turn in to pink color.
5. Once almond paste turn in to pink start adding water little by little to bring halwa consistency  keep stirring..
6. Add sugar and cardamom powder (I grind sugar with cardamom seeds and added to almond mixture.).
7. Mix well and cook till  ghee leaves from the sides.
What mistakes I made is :--
My Almond paste is not finely griended There are some pieces left in the mixee jar with out checking I added the almond paste to the ghee
My almond paste is little over fried, Don't leave it on the stove keep stirring till you finish the Halwa 

Nimmakaya Pachadi (Lemon Pickle)

My final recipe for this week with lemon is a lemon pickle. Lemon pickle is my all time favorite with hot rice and a drop of ghee or with curd rice. In this recipe also there are few veriations. In some recipes they give seasoning with sesame oil. But in my recipe I do not give any seasoning to the pickle. Some times jaggery also added to the lemon pickle to make it sweet lemon pickle. I never tried this sweet lemon pickle.
                                                                   From my childhood  I saw my mother making this Pickle every year. She used to make lemon pickle with out red chilli powder and store it in big jars. When ever we need She used to take a small portion and mix red chilli powder. Every time when my mother starts mixing this pickle, I will be ready with a bowl of rice. After my mother take out the pickle, immediately I used to mix rice in that bowl that rice will be delicious you know. Any way that is my choice.
Let's check the recipe.
INGREDIENTS:---
Lemons  --- 25 
Salt  ---- 1/2 cup
Fenugreek powder ---  2 tea sp
Turmeric powder  ---  2 tea sp
Red chilli powder   ---  2/3 cup
METHOD:--
1. Wipe lemons with a dry soft cloth and leave them a side to dry properly.
2. Cut lemons in to quarters or you can make smaller pieces. That depends on the lemon size if the lemons are too big you can cut them in to six pieces.
3. Mix salt, turmeric powder, fenugreek powder in a big bowl add lemon pieces to this salt mixture mix well to combine every thing.
4. Store in a dry clean ceramic or glass jar for three days.
5. After three days mix well and add red chilli powder and mix well to combine.
If you want to add seasoning to this pickle can do it on the third day
for seasoning:--
Sesame oil --- 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds  ---  1 tab sp
Fenugreek seeds  ---  1/2 te asp
Dry red chillies   ---  10 broken
Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds let them splutter then add broken red chillies, fenugreek seeds fry for a second and switch off the heat.
Let the oil coll completely to room temperature and add this seasoning to the lemon pickle mix well.
cover and leave a side for a day then use.
Serve with rice and dall or with curd rice.
Notes:-- If we add chilli powder  for the whole pickle the pickle will become dry and the sourness of the lemon will kill the spiciness of the chilli powder and one more thing is some people don't like the lemon pickle with chilli powder so that they can have it like that with out chilli powder. In my home My dad likes this pickle with out chilli powder.

And one more thing After having fever we feel like having some thing to make our taste buds better That time we can have this plain lemon pickle with curd rice. Even we can give this to kid's 

 

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Lemon Methi Rice

I wanted to post a juice recipe for today's lemon recipe. But in the last movement I changed my post. Because I got some fresh methi leaves in the market today so I decided to make this delicious Methi Lemon rice.

                                                     This is  little different then normal lemon rice. Fresh chopped methi leaves gives a wonderful flavor. Methi and lemon flavors blends very well with the food, means the combination goes well. And the seasoning with ground nuts and channa dal gives acrunchy texture to the rice. Totally this is a flavor full and perfect dish for lunch box too.

Let's check the recipe

INGREDIENTS:--

Methi (fenugreek leaves)  ---  1 and half cup chopped

Onion  ---  1 medium chopped

Lemon juice  ---  2 tab sp

Oil   ----  2 tab sp

Ground nuts ---  1/4 cup

Musterd seeds  ---  1/4 tea sp

Channa dal  ----  1/2 tea sp

Dry red chillies  ---  2 broken

Curry leaves  --- 1 spring

Salt to taste

Grated coconut  --- 1/2 cup

Green chillies  ---  3

Lemon juice  --  2 tea sp

Turmeric powder  ---  1/2 tea sp

Rice  ---  1 cup

METHOD:---

1. Grind grated coconut and green chillies with turmeric powder and lemon juice in to a coarse paste. If required you can add a tab sp water and set a side.

2. Cook 1 cup rice with two cups of water and spread on a plate to cool.

3. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds let them splutter then add ground nuts, channa dal, broken dry red chillies, curry leaves fry for a while then add chopped onion and fry till onion turns transulent.

4. Now add chopped methi leaves and fry for 4 minutes then add ground masala and fry till oil separates from it.

5. Add two tab sp lemon juice, salt and switch off the heat mix well.

6. Add cooked rice to this methi and lemon mixture, mix well to combine every thing.

Serve with onoin pakoda or mirchi bajji
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Nimmakaya Pappucharu

 We have started second week blogging marathon for this month.My theme for this week is with Lemon recipes, that means Lemon is the key ingredient in my recipes, and my first recipe with lemon is typicaly from Andhra cuisine, that is Nimmakaya Pappucharu. There are some variations with this recipe, some make this as a dall. In my home my mother use to make this as Pappucharu. Pappucharu  is a type of thick rasam with dal , but this Pappucharu did not contain any powders like rasam powder. When we make pappucharu with tur dall we add any one vegetable not mixed vegetables like sambar. But when we make pappucharu with moong dall and lemon other then onion slices we do not add any other vegetables.
                                                                                         This Nimmakaya Pappucharu is an easy to digest food so you can give this to kids with rice and a drop of ghee. Make it little thin by adding more water and have it as a soup. This will be a best home remedy for cold, if you would like to have this as a soup you can add finely chopped coriander. 
Let's check the recipe....
INGREDIENTS:--
Moong dall – 1 cup
Green challis – 4 no. or according to your taste(remove chillies if you want to give this to kids)
Onion --- 1 cut in to slices
A few curry leaves
Lemon juice ---  2 table sp
Oil – 1 tea sp
Mustard --- 1/2 tea sp
Cumin seeds ---- 1 tea sp
Asafoetida – 1/2 tea sp
Water --- 11/2 cup and 1 cup more
Salt to taste
Ghee – 1 tea sp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea sp
METHOD:---
 1.  Heat ghee in a pan and fry moong dall till nice aroma comes out then add cut green challis in to half and add to dall with 1 and half cup water and cook till dall become very soft(you can use pressure cooker for this).
 2.  Remove from fire and mash dall very smooth can blend this in a blender also.
 3.  Add sliced onion to the mashed dall and add 1 cup water and bring to a boil.
 4.  Now add turmeric powder and lemon juice and curry leaves again bring to a boil add salt to taste.
  5.  Heat oil in a small pan add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, Asafoetida let them splutter and add this to pappucharu.
Serve this with rice and any dry curry like Aritikaya upma kura is a good combination for this, or you can enjoy this with fried egg.
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Chikkudukaya Kandipappu koora

In Andhra cuisine we have three types of curries like pulusu kooralu (gravies), Mudda kuralu (semi gravies) vepudu or podikooralu (stir fries). Most of the recipes in Andhra cuisine contain onions, but most of the brahmin recipes are no onion no garlic recipes. Normally Podikooralu(stirfry) are made with vegetables boiled and then stir fried with seasoning. In Tamil nadu these stir fries are known as poriyals and garnished with grated coconut. In Andhra cuisine we don't add much coconut in any recipes If it is a gravy or stir fry. When we boil the vegetable and stir fry them, in this recipe we don't add onion but we add garlic that depends on the vegetable. Means the vegetable pair well with garlic then we add garlic in the tempering or make a garlic chilli powder and add that in the end. when we add half boil dal to the same vegetable then we do not use garlic. This chikkudukaya kandi pappu podi kura is one of them. This recipe I learn from my Grand Mother, I think she picked that recipe from our cook who is a brahmin lady. She used to do the same recipe with cabbage, greens like amaranth leaves, Ponaganti kura (sorry I don't know the other names of this greens any body know please let me know.)

chikkudu kayalu  ---  sem phali, Phali, avarakka, Indian broad beans

Let's check the recipe...

INGREDIENTS:--

Tur dall  ---  1 cup

Chikkudu kayalu  ---  250 gms

Turmeric powder   --- 1/4 tea sp

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder  ----  1 tea sp

For seasoning:-----

Oil  --- 1 tab sp

Mustard seeds  ---  1/2 tea sp

Urad dal   ---  1 tea sp

Cumin seeds  --- 1/2 tea sp

Dry red chillies  -- 2 broken

Curry leaves one spring

METHOD:---

1. Wash and tare the chikkudu kayalu one in to four pieces.

2. Add salt, turmeric powder and cook till soft remove from heat,drain the water and set a side.

3. Cook dall in enough water till half cooked, drain the extra water (save this water and the water which we drained fro chikkudukayalu also we can use this water for rasam) set a side.

4. now heat oil in a frying pan add mustard seeds let them splutter then add urad dall, broken red chillies, cumin seeds, curry leaves fry for a while then add boiled chikkudukayalu stir fry for five minutes.

4. Add half cooked dall give a good stir then add red chilli powder cook for two more minutes and switich off the heat.

Serve this chikkudukaya kandipappu podi koora with plain rice and rasam or any pulusu
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Chow Chow Poricha Kozhambu

Four more editions to reach 50th BM, today we are going to start 46th BM. This month first week my theme is No Onion No Garlic recipes. When ever I think about this no onion no garlic recipes, I will be in confusion what to use for gravy. There are some recipes that they didn't contain onion for gravy specially Koottu recipes and also some Kozhambu recipes from Tamil Nadu cuisine. This Poricha kootu and Kozhambu recipes are mostly no onion and no garlic recipes. To day my recipe is from those no onion no garlic recipes from Tamil Nadu. 
                                                                      Poricha Kozhambu's are made with one are with a combination of vegetables and with a masala of coconut and spices. You can use any vegetables like pumpkin, chow chow, snack gourd, or mixed vegetables like potato, carrot, beans, eggplant and any other vegetables. To day my Poricha Kozhambu is with chow chow. Chow chow is a vegetable very rich in amino acids and vitamin C and also I have read in some book about this vegetable is very rich in water content and fiber, also helps in dissolving kidney stones. The fresh chow chow should be in nice green color (like green apple) so check select and by nice fresh green color chow chow. you can use this vegetable in salads, curries, and also in sambar.Eating raw this vegetable is very good for health.
So let's check the recipe....
INGREDIENTS:---
Tur dal  --  1 cup
Chow chow  ---  1 big pealed and cut in to small cubes
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder  ---  1/2 tea sp
For masala :--
Urad dal  ---  2 tab sp
Red chillies   --- 10
Black pepper  --- 10 corns
Grated coconut  ---  2 tab sp
Cumin seeds  --- 1/2 te asp
Asafoetisa  ---  1/2 tea sp
Oil  --- 1 tea sp (gingelly oil preferably)
For seasoning:
Gingelly oil  ---  2 tab sp
Mustard seeds  ---  1 tea sp
Red chillies  ---- 2
Urad dal   ---  1/2 tea sp
Curry leaves  --- 1 spring.
                                                           

METHOD:---
1.Heat one tea sp oil in pan and roast masala ingredients one by one, first fry red chilles remove and keep a side then add urad dal fry till golden remove and add to red chillies, add grated coconut to the same pan and fry till golden remove and add to dal and red chillies, at last fry cumin and black pepper.
2. Grind all this fried ingredients with Asafoetida in to a coarse powder and keep it a side.
3. Cook 1 cup tur dal with enough water till done or you can cook in a pressure cooker till three whistles and set a side.
4. In a pan boil the chow chow cubes with little salt and turmeric till tender.
5. Now add masala powder to chow chow pieces and cook for three more minutes.
6. After three minutes add cooked dal to the chow chow and masala mixture and cook for three more minutes.
7. Heat two tab sp of gingelly oil in a pan add mustard seeds let then splutter then add urad dal, red chillies, and curry leaves fry for a while and add this seasoning to Kozhambu.
Serve hot with rice and appalam(pappad)
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