Blogging Marathon 50 Celebrations

After having a big meet at Ahmadabad for our 25 edition of Blogging Marathon. We started thinking about 50 th edition celebrations. After all discussions of date we decided to meet in February on 20th 21st 22nd  this time in Chennai. One fine day Valli gave me call to ask that I may know any service apartment that we can use as a guest stay. I asked some of my friends they suggested also but some how I didn't like them. Then I ask my husband he also tried a few but finely he said way didn't you all stay at home. I gave a call to valli and said that way didn't we stay at my place, she agreed then decided we all are going to stay in my home. Sounds more fun right all twelve same like minded people going to stay for three days under one roof interesting right ?.. 
                                                            

Here is the member's list who joined for Blogging Marathon celebrations...
Sri Valli -- The leader
Veena
Nandini
PJ
Kamalika
Usha
Vaishali
Archana
Pradnaya
Kalyani
Gayatri
Padma
                                                                               After we decided where to stay lot's of plans were going on for long time trough mails and whatsapp. In between this, one day Vaishali gave me a call and told that she is planing a trip to pondicherry if you like to join can join, I said i will join, but I never been there before. I just wanted to spend a day with them.
    Five of us decided to go pondicherry a day before our Blogging marathon meet. Vaishali, Archana,Usha, Pradnya came to Chennai on 18 February so that we can leave for Pondicherry on 19th 
18th evening first Vaishali, Archana arrived at my place,we enjoyed dinner with two other our blogger friends Pari and Sanjeeta. Around 9 o clock Valli came home to  receive Vaishali and Archana, She is there for some time and left. Then Usha and Pradnya joined us..
                                                             

19th early morning 6 o clock we started for pondicherry, we spent whole day in pondicherry came back in the evening.
20th Friday officially the first day of our BM 50 celebrations already five of us were there at home by 7:30 Kamalika joined us. Then 8:30 Gayathri joined us
We had our breakfast with Idli, dosa, sambar and karivepaku karam podi 
Then Kalyani, Veena and PJ joined us
Valli gave a dress code for all the three days for first day we should be in green so we have a photo session in green dress code.
                                                              

For the first day lunch we made our lunch at home, Vaishali made rice with fresh garlic and green peas, and cucumber raita, pradnya made Bakhri and zunka, aloo kurma and curd rice made by me, Archana made ginnu, Pj brought mysurpa from Koyambattur and gudpoli from Archana.
                                                                       

After having this heavy lunch what any one can do will go for a good sleep but we 12 crazy ladies had a photography session with Usha and after that a official photo shoot in white dress.
                                                                      

In between this we celebrated our teem leader Valli and one of our friend Kalyani's birthday
After this photo shoot we all are getting ready for dinner in between this Gayathri made a wonderful coffee.
                                                                   

                                    

By evening 6 o clock we all got ready with our traditional dress then vaishali arranged her pani puri shots  
For dinner we reached Annalakshmi restaurent ther we had Mahalakshmi preeti bhjan which is  a thali mix of North and South Indian dishes after this I didn;t have strength move a bit. It was so full and very hard to walk.
When we came back home every on was very tried but we didn't sleep for a while that night we keep on laughing and chating  for whole night
That's all for Day one will come back with day two..............
Let's check the Blogging Marathon page

                                                                            
                                                                             

Punugulu (with dosa batter)

Next recipe for my brunch theme is a one pot meal with a snack. In this brunch I served Arisi paruppu sadam which is one pot meal from Tamilnadu cuisine. Usually we serve this rice with yogurt. But here I made some curd rice and punugulu to make this meal little heavy, because this is brunch. Punugulu is a favorite snack in Andhra pradesh, we make this with different ingredients. But originally punugulu is made with urad dal with a small amount of rice . We make this snack with left over dosa batter also. Usually we mix maida (all purpose flour) to dosa batter to bring the consistency. But here I gave a twist to that, I added pancake mix in the place of maida. Now they turned out soft spongey delicious.. this batter consistency should be like pakodi batter. These punugulu is a best combination with rasam rice, pulihora. They tasted wonderful with arisi paruppu sadam also..
Let's check the recipe.... 
INGREDIENTS:---
Dosa batter  ---  1 cup
Pancake mix  ---  1/4 cup
Onion  ---  1 big chopped
Green chillies   ----  2 chopped
Ginger  ----  1 tea sp chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
                                                                

METHOD:---
1. Heat oil in a deep frying pan.
2. Mix all other ingredients in a mixing bowl (don't add any water)
3. Make golf ball size balls out of this batter and drop them in to hot oil slowly.

4.Deep fry the punugulu till golden color and remove from oil strain the extra oil on a kitchen towel.

Serve hot with coconut chutney or as a side for any one pot meal....

Let's check Blogging Marathon page

Sorakaya Masala (bottle Gourd Masala)

This month for third week my theme for BM is Brunch recipes. Usually Sundays we prefer to have brunch or late lunch mostly that will be brunch. I make some one pot meal and a snack or heavy breakfast dish like masala dosa with curd rice. For this some times I make puri with different gravy. But this bottle gourd masala (sorakaya masala) is my all time favorite. My mother used to make this curry for puris  for Sunday breakfast. Those days Sunday mornings will be TV time we use to have our breakfast in front of the TV watching Ramayan, tom and jerry and this continues till  12 o clocl for spiderman......

                                                                         Now I make puris once in a month may be because they are deep fried. But my choice will be this bottle gourd curry to go with puris other then potato curry. When I make puri with side dish alway try to make it as a brunch with combination of curd rice. For today also the same menu for my brunch recipes... Puri, sorakaya masala, curd rice...
Let's check the recipe.....
INGREDIENTS:---
Bottle gourd  --- 1 cut in to small cubes
Onion   ----  1 big finely chopped
Green chillies  ---  3
Oil   ----  1 tab sp
Mustard ceeds  ---  1/2 tea sp
Cumin seeds   --- 1/2 tea sp
Curry leaves  ---  1 spring
Turmeric powder  --- 1/4 tea sp
Red chilli powder  ---  1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste
                                                                 

FOR MASALA:--
Grated coconut  ---  1 tab sp
Poppy seeds  --- 1 and half tea sp
Cashew nuts -- 8
Garlic cloves ---  6 cloves
Coriander powder  -- 1 tea sp
METHOD:--
1. Grind all masala ingredients with little water in to a fine paste and set a side.
2. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds let them splutter then add cumin seeds, curry leaves.
3. Add finely chopped onion and green chillies and fry till onion turns in to pale.
4. Add bottle gourd pieces,turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt to taste mix well.
Keep the flame in low, cover and cook for few seconds.
5. Remove the lid mix well, add ground masala mic well cook again for few seconds, add 1 cup water mix well cover and cook in amedium heat till bottle gourd pieces turn soft and gravy looks like semi gravy.
Serve hot with puri, roti, rice.
Other then bottle gourd you can make this curry with boiled eggs, chow chow, drum stick, brinjal,
 Let's check Blogging Marathon page

Chettinad Vegetable Biryani-- Kaikari Biryani

Chettinad Vegetable Biryani (kaikari biryani) this the recipe given by Valli for this month Indian Cooking challenge (ICC). There are many biriyani recipe in Tamilnadu region with the influence of Muslim community. I was trying to make all this Tamilnadu style biryani recipes. they are all almost same recipes with little difference in  using masalas. Most of this biryanis are meade with meat like chicken or mutton. But this typical Biryani is made with vegetables which is well known as Kaikari biryani, kaikari means vegetables in Tamil. For this biryani we need few special ingredients...
Marati moggu...  This is a spice looks like clove but not clove check the picture here .
About jeera samba rice this is a short grain rice smells like jasmine rice. This variety of rice available in Tamilnadu specially. In this region people like to make biryani with this rice only. Usually I soak basmati rice for 10 minutes for biryani but this rice need to soak at least for half an hour other wise rice won't cook properly this is my experience. So soak jeera samba rice for half an hour.
Onion for this biryani better use shallots that gives a typical taste and flavor to the biryani. If you didn't find shallots then continue with normal onion   

Recipe source from here
Let's check the recipe........
INGREDIENTS:---
Jeera samba rice  ---  1 and half cup
Mixed vegetables  ---  1 cup (carrot, beans, green peas, cauliflower, potato)
Shallots  ----   3/4 cup ( chinna ullipayalu, sambar onion)
Tomatoes  ---  1 chopped
Green chillies   ---  2
Ginger garlic paste  -- 1 tab sp
Red chilli powder  ----  1 tea sp
Coriander powder  ---  1 tea sp
Tirmeric powder  ---  a pinch
Mint leaves  ---   hand full
Coriander leaves  ----  1/4 cup chopped
Cashew nuts  ---  10
Ghee  ---  1 tab sp
Salt to taste
Water  -----  2  1/4 cup
FOR TEMPERING:--
Bay leaves  ----  2
Cinnamon   --- 1/2inch pieces 2
Cardamom  ---- 2
Cloves   --- 3
Marati moggu  -- 1
Star anise (anasa puvu)  -- 1
Black stone flower (biryani rati puvu) --- little (apinch)
Mace (japatri) --  1/2 
Oil  ----  1 tab sp
METHOD:---
1. Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.
2. Wash and cut the vegetables in to 1/2 inch cubes and cauliflower in to small florets, keep the green peas ready.
3. Peel and chop shallots, cut the green chillies in to two chop tomato and set a side, wash and chop mint and coriander leaves set a side.
4. Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashew nuts in to golden remove and set a side.
5. Add oil to the same pan add add the whole spices for tempering and saute for one minute.
6. Add chopped shallots, green chillies and fry till onion turn light golden.
7. Then add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw small goes then add vegetables and coriander and mint leaves, saute for one minute.
8. Add chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder mix well and cook till tomatoes are tender.
9. Now add salt to taste and water bring to a full boil.
10. Drain the water from rice and add rice to the vegetables mix well to combine every thing. cover with a lid and cook till done. 
If you are cooking this biryani ni a pressure cooker then cook for 3 whistles.
Remove from the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes, then open.
Garnish with fried cashew nuts and serve with onion raita.

Menthesoppu Avarekaalu Bhath

Avarekaalu I started using this beans from last 15 years. We used to go market for this in the morning 11 o clock and come back home in the afternoon. I used to buy 3 to 4 kilos of avarekai, me and my friend use to sit in the afternoon to peel the avarekai side by we use to chat all stories. That was the fun peeling the avarekai, and the full month we use to make lots of avarekai dishes. specially avarekai saru and ragi mudde is a favorite at home. Avarekai huli and soft dosas and avarekai akki tari uppitu is for breakfast are must dishes. Rice dishes like avarekai chitranna and menthesoppu avarekaalu bhath are the best choice for lunch box.
                                                                         You can buy Avarekai in season and freeze them to use for year long. Check my post how to store green peas, you can store Avarekaalu like this for long time.

Now let's check the recipe.......
INGREDIENTS:-----
Avarekaalu (mochakottai fresh) ---   1/2 cup
Methi leaves (fenugreek leaves fresh) ---- 1/4 cup
Rice   ---  1 cup
Ghee  ---  2 tab sp
Oil  ----  1 tab sp
Onion  ---  1 big
Salt to taste
Water   ----  2 cups
For Masala :----
Grated coconut ---2 tabsp
Green chillies  ---  2
Cinnamon ----  2 inch stick
Cloves  ----   4
Onion  --- 1 medium
Ginger  ----  2 inch piece
Cloves  ---    6
METHOD:---
1. Wash and chop methi leaves, wash and keep avarekaalu ready.
2. Grind all the ingredients given for masala with little water in to a smooth paste and set a side.
3. Cut onion in to slices, heat ghee and oil in a pressure cooker add chopped onion and saute till transparent.
4. Then add chopped methi leaves and avarekaalu saute for a while and add ground masala paste, fry till raw smell goes.
5. Add rice mix well and add salt to taste, two cups of water mix well cover and cook for two whistles.
Switch off the heat and let it sit for ten minutes then open and mix well.
Serve hot with raita.
Let's check Blogging Marathon page

Avarekalu Huli

Avarekalu is very favorite among Karnataka people,  I want to let you all know how much they like this beans is they don't want to miss to have this in every meal in the season. There are many dishes they specially make with Avarekalu. There is a small shop called Sri Vasavi Condiments and food court in V.V. Puram at Sajjan Rao Circle, Bangaluru. Every year in January they organize avarekai mela. In this mela along with fresh avare which specially came from Magadi taluk. If you enter this street you can find vendors sitting on the sides of the road with big bags of avarekai. Many venders set their stalls with there specialty snacks with avarekalu. Specially this Sri Vasavi Condiments and food court, you must experience the flavor and taste of the special avarekalu dishes in there. Like they make Avarekalu dose, avarekalu huli, hitikida bele saru, masal vade, citranna, holige, saru- ragi mudde and hitikida kalu payasa is there popular dish. Like this many more mouth-watering snacks this mela will be there for ten days in January first week to second week. A well known Bengaluru's favorite Avarekalu Mela....

Now let's check the delicious Avarekalu huli recipe........
INGREDIENTS:---
Avarekalu  ----   200 gms
Potato  ----  1 big
Sambar onions  ----  5
Turmeric powder  ---  1/4 tea sp
Tamarind paste  ---  2 tab sp
Jaggery grated  ----  1 tab sp
Salt to taste
For Masala:--
Grated coconut  ---   3 tab sp
Coriander seeds  ---  2 tea sp
Cumin seeds  ---   1 tea sp
Channa dal  ---  1/2 tea sp
Urad dal  ---  1/2 tea sp
Red chillies  ---  6
Fenugreek seeds  --  6 seeds
Mustard seeds  ---  1/4 tea sp
Black pepper  ---  5 corns
Onion   --- 1 small
METHOD:---
1. Wash, peal and cut potato in to cubes, wash avarekalu and add to potato with turmeric powder and cook for three whistles in a pressure cooker.
2. Fry all the ingredients given for masala except coconut and onion set a side to cool down.
3. Grind fried masala ingredients with coconut and onion in to a smooth paste add a little water if require.
4. Now add this masala paste to cooked Avarekalu and potato.
5. Add tamarind paste, grated jaggery, salt to taste, add 1/2 cup water mix well and bring to full boil.
Check and adjust the seasoning, add 1/2 cup more water if the gravy is thick.
Boil for a while and switch off the heat.
Serve hot with rice or ragi mudde, also this is a very good combination for soft dosa or kal dosa...
Let's check Blogging Marathon page