Khara Bun

To day we are going to enter  third week of Mega baking Marathon. This week I have chosen Bun's and roll's as my sub theme. For the first day I am going to treat you all with a Bengaluru Iyengar  bakery Khara bun. Getting a proper recipe for this khara bun is not possible. So I tried my best to bring the original color, texture and taste. These are my favorite bun's I can finish my breakfast with this one bun and a cup of tea or coffee. So when ever I go to Bengaluru make sure to by them from the bakery. They taste sweet, little salty and spicy and a perfect snack.
INGREDIENTS:--
All purpose flour (maida) --- 2 cups
Warm water  ---   1/4 cup
Warm milk  ----  1/2 cup
Butter ---- 1 tab sp
Salt -- 1/4 tea sp
Active dry yeast -- 1 tea sp
sugar --- 1/2 tea sp
Garlic ---  8 cloves minced
Green chillies  ---  2 chopped
Coriander leaves  ---  3 tab sp chopped
Sesame seeds  ---   1 tab sp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Milk for glazing
METHOD:--
1. In a mixing bowl take flour,garlic, turmeric powder, green chillies, chopped coriander leaves, salt, butter, yeast, sugar  mix well and add warm water and milk, make a soft dough.
2. Knead this dough for 7 to 10 minutes cover with a wet muslin cloth and leave it in a warm place to raise for 2 hours or till it become double in size.
3. After 2 hours punch down the dough and knead for a while.
4. Now divide the dough in 8 equal portions and make round balls and arrange them in a baking tray
5. Cover the ball's with a cling wrap and set a side to raise again for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven at 200 degree C. for 10 minutes.
7. Now glase the bun's with milk and bake the Khara buns  at 200 degree C. for 35 to 40 minutes or till they turn golden on top.
8. Remove from the oven and apply some butter on top and serve with a cup of coffee...

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Wheat and jowar cookies (savory)

This is my finel recipe for this week and my cookie theme too. I have tasted this jowar cookies in a bakery from that time I wanted to make them at home. I made them few times too but for the first two times I made them with only sugar. In the combination of maida they did't taste much different. And I feel that sugar was dominating the jowar flour flavor. Then I reduced the sugar and changed the maida to whole wheat flour. Now they turned in to less sweeter with a salt flavor. In this recipe I changed the cumin flavor in to fennal flavor..
INGREDIENTS:---
Wheat flour   ----  3/4 cup
Jowar flour   ---  1/3 cupButter   ----  1/4 cup at room temperature (unsalted)
Olive oil  ---  1 tab sp 
Salt  ---  1/4 tea sp
Sugar  ---  1/4 cup
Fennal seeds  ---- 1 tab sp
METHOD:-----
1. Dry roast fennal seeds in a pan  till you get nice aroma from them and set a side.
2. In a mixing bowl take sugar and butter, olive oil and beat till creamy.
3. Add flour's, salt, fennal seeds to the sugar and butter mixture and mix till all the ingredients comes together and form in to a dough.
4. Make small balls out of the dough and press a little bit to flat the cookies. Place the cookies in a baking tray .
5. Preheat the oven 150 degree c for 10 minutes.
6. Place the cookie tray in the oven and bake at 150 degreeC for 10 to 12 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for some time.
Store this fennal flavored cookies in a air tight container.
Enjoy the sweet and salty fennal flavored cookies with a cup of tea.
My this week recipes:---
1. Sugar cookies 
2. Nan - Kathai
3. Chand biscuits
4. Osmania biscuits
5. Wheat and coconut cookies
6. Wheat and Jowar cookies

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Wheat And Coconut Cookies (savory)

Now I am going to post two savory cookie recipes in my cookie theme. This cookie recipe will fall under savory cookie recipes but it includes  a small amount of sugar also. That gives a salt and sweet taste but a very little sweet taste with coconut flavor. This recipe is from my mother, she used to make this recipe by deep frying the cookies. And my mother used to make them with maida, I changed it to wheat flour to give a healthy twist...

So now let's check the recipe....
INGREDIENTS:---
Wheat flour  ---  1 cup and 2 tab sp extra
Butter   ----  1/2 cup at room temperature (I used unsalted, can use salted also in that case reduce the salt amount which I gave in the ingredients)
Salt  ---  1/4 tea sp
Sugar  ---  1/4 cup
Cumin seeds  ---- 1 tab sp
Grated fresh coconut ----  1/2 cup
Baking powder  ----   1/4 tea sp
METHOD:---

1. Dry roast cumin seeds in a pan  till you get nice aroma from them and set a side.
2. In a mixing bowl take sugar and butter and beat till creamy.
3. Add flour, salt, cumin seeds, grated fresh coconut to the sugar and butter mixture and mix till all the ingredients comes together and form in to a dough.
4. Make small balls out of the dough and press a little bit to flat the cookies with a fork and sprinkle with little grated coconut . Place the cookies in a baking tray .
5. Preheat the oven 150 degree c for 10 minutes.
6. Place the cookie tray in the oven and bake at 150 degreeC for 10 to 12 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for some time.
Store this coconut and cumin flavored cookies in a air tight container.

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Osmania Biscuits

Now coming to the fourth recipe again one more biscuit from Hyderabad. Osmania Biscuits these are very popular in Irani chai cafe's in Hyderabad. Chai-biscuit is very popular in Irani cafe's among Hyderabad people. They like to order this Osmania biscuits with chai and dip this biscuits in chai and enjoy.  They use ammonia to make this biscuits but I replaced this with baking powder. To check for the history of this biscuit check here   and I have adopted the recipe from here 

Let's check the recipe......
INGREDIENTS:---
All purpose flour (maida)  ---  200 grams
Sugar powder  ----   80 grams
Butter   -----  120 grams
Milk powder  ----  10 grams
Custard powder   ---  10 grams
Baking powder   ---  1/4 tea sp
Cardamom powder  ---  1/2 tea sp 
Milk   ---  2 tab sp + 2 tab sp
METHOD:---
1. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl add 2 tab sp milk and mix well.
2. In another bowl mix flour, milk powder, custard powder, cardamom powder, baking powder and mix well to combine every thing.
3. Add this dry ingredients to butter and sugar mixture and make a smooth dough.
4. Add saffron to the remaining 2 tab.sp  milk mix well and set a side. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree C.
5. Now roll the dough in to thin sheet and cut the biscuits with a round cookie cutter.
6. Place the biscuits in a baking tray and pour the saffron and milk mixture over the biscuits.
7. Drain off the extra milk and bake the cookies at 180 degree C. for 15 minutes
Remove from the oven and enjoy this Hyderabadi special Osmania Biscuits with tea.
These biscuits will taste great with chai (tea)

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Chand Biscuit

In the third day of this baking marathon, I am going to treat you all with a special cookie from Hyderabad. Yes this cookies are well known as Chand cookies because of it's shape. When I was a kid a person with a big glass jar filled with this cookies use to stand outside of our school gate. And use to shout biscoot, that time he use to sell each cookie for.. I think 10 paisa. After that these cookies are sold for 25 paisa then 50 paisa I think now it is sold for 2 rs I think, I am not sure!!!. But still today when ever I visit Hyderabad I make sure to visit Karachi bakery to buy this cookies. Then I search for the recipe for this cookies and find the recipe here . These cookies are a all time favorite at home.
So let's check the recipe for Hyderabad famous CHAND COOKIES.......
INGREDIENTS:---
All purpose flour   ----  200 gms
Butter   ----- 125 grams
Milk powder   ----   10 grams
Baking powder  ----  1 pinch
Sugar powder   ----  75 grams
vanilla essence   ---  1/2 tea sp
Salt  a small pinch
                                                            

METHOD:----
1. Cream butter and sugar powder in a bowl
2. Then add flour, milk powder, baking powder, vanilla essence and mix well to make crumb like texture.
3. Knead it for a wile to make soft dough.
4. Now take a rolling pin and roll the dough in to a 1/4 inch circle.
5. Now cut with a round cookie cutter and cut them in to half moon shape(crescent shape)
6. Pre-heat the oven at 170 degree C. for ten minutes and bake this chand cookies at 170 degree C. for 15 minutes.

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Nan Khatai

Today's recipe is one more classic cookie recipe from India. Nan Khatai is a shortbread type of cookie from India. Actually this recipe we have adopted from Persian cuisine,  which is very popular in Irani cafe's. Traditionally in olden days  these cookies are made with fine sooji, maida and gram flour ammonium bicarbonate as a rising agent rather then baking soda. They use to keep the cookie tray in between two plates and placing it over the flame. But now the trend has changed, now we can bake them in the oven. Sooji gives a crisp texture to this cookies. People enjoy this sweet crisp nan khatai with kadak chai (a less milk tea). I like to have this biscuits with a kadak Irani chai....
This recipe I have adopted from a Telugu weekly magazine..
Let's check the recipe......    
INGREDIENTS:---
All purpose flour (maida)  --- 1 cup
Gram flour ( besan)  ----  1/2 tea sp
Semolina (sooji, rava) ---  1/2 tea sp
Sugar powder   ----  1 cup
Ghee   ---  1 cup
Cardamom powder  ---  1 tea sp
Baking powder   ----  1/4 tea sp
Curd   -----    2 tab sp
                                                     

METHOD:---
1. Cream the sugar and ghee till smooth, light and creamy.
2. Mix the dry ingredients - maida, gram flour, rava, cardamom powder, baking powder in a big bowl.
3. Now add curd to the ghee and sugar mixture and mix well.
4. Add dry ingredients to the ghee and curd mixture and mix together to make a smooth dough.
5. Keep this dough a side for  1 hour then make small balls out of this dough flat a little bit and place them on a greased baking tray.
6. Keep some space between the cookies because they expand while baking.
7. Pre- heat the oven at 170 degree C. for 10 minutes
8. Place the cookie tray in pre- heated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy this crisp,sweet nankhatai with a cup of kadak chai.   

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Sugar Cookies

Today we are going to start our second week for Mega Blogging Marathon with Baking theme. Last week my sub- theme was cupcakes and now this week I am going to treat with my cookie recipes. For the first day my recipe is a classic sugar cookies, I made a small change with this popular recipe. I made them with out eggs since the classic sugar cookies are made with eggs. Sugar cookies are normally decorated with frosting or sprinkles or you can decorate with royal icing and sprinkle with some colored sprinkles. You can also give different shapes with cookie cutter. But I gave them a simple round shape and kept them plain, to enjoy them with my cup of green tea

This recipe I have adopted fro a TV show, let's check the recipe.....
INGREDIENTS:---
All purpose flour  ---  3 cups
Unsalted butter   ----  400 grams
Powder sugar  ----  1 cup
Baking soda  ---  3/4 tea sp
Salt a pinch
Vanilla essence  ---  few drops
METHOD :---
1. Cream butter and sugar together till light and fluffy.
2. Shift flour,salt, baking soda in to a bug bowl and add to butter and sugar mixture.
3. Add vanilla essence mix well and make dough.
4. Take small balls out of this dough and place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet  and press them with a flat bottom glass.
5. Pre-heat the oven at 180 C. for 10 minutes.
6. Place the cookie sheet in the pre heated oven and bake for 15 minutes
Now your crispy sweet Sugar cookies are ready to serve with green tea. 

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Pasta And Vegetable Cupcakes

Now coming to the fourth day of this Mega BM for the first week I posted some cupcake recipe. I made all of them eggless and included some fresh ingredients. But all of them are sweets now today I am going to post a savory cup cake recipe. Actually savory cupcakes or any bakes are my favorite's then sweeter once.
                                                       This pasta cupcakes are will be a best choice for dinner or breakfast. If you like to serve them dinner serve with a spice soup,for breakfast you can serve them with coffee or fruit juice. Normally this recipe I used to make with eggs before, but now we stopped eating eggs too. So one by one I am changing my egg recipes in to eggless. This recipe contains two eggs but now I used eggless pancake batter in that place of eggs. I used green bellpepper but you can use a mix of colored bellpeppers. and also you can use any vegetables like carrot, cauliflower, babycorn, but cut them in to small pieces.
My first week recipes....
1. Day one- Sugarcane juice cupcakes
2. Day two -- Coconut cupcakes
3. Day three -- Strawberry oatmeal cupcakes
4. Day four --  Pasta and vegetable cupcakes

Let's check the recipe...
INGREDIENTS:---
Pasta  ---  1 cup boiled (any small shape pasta like macaroni)
Pancake mix   ----  1/2 cup
Green bell pepper  ---  1 cut in to small cubes
Onion  ---- 1 chopped
Sweetcorn kernels  --- 3/4 cup
Cheddar cheese cubes  ---  2 grated
Italian herbs dried  ----  1 tab sp
Red chilli flacks ---   1 tea sp
Salt to taste
Olive oil   ----  1 tab sp
METHOD:----
1.   Heat olive oil in a pan add onion, bellpepper, sweetcorn and saute for a while then add pasta, heebs, red chilli flacks, 3/4th of the grated cheese, salt to taste mix well and remove from heat.
2. Now add water to the pancake mix and make a batter.
3. In a cupcake pan  grease the cupcake molds with little olive oil  and place a the pasta mixture till 1/2 the mold then pour the pancake batter till 3/4 and sprinkle the leftover grated cheese.
4. Pre-heat the oven at 175 degree C. for 10 minutes the place the cupcake pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or top of the cup cake turn in to light brown.
Remove from oven and serve hot..
Note:--- 
Don't over cook the vegetables so that they loose their crispy texture, just toss for a while to coat the olive oil.
I used a very less cheese you can use 2 more cubes to make it more cheese.
To make this cupcakes more rich you can use milk for making the pancake batter..

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Strawberry Oatmeal Cupcakes

Today is the third day of our mega marathon with baking theme. For the first week I wanted to post cupcakes. First I thought I will post plain cupcakes, then I realized that one more interesting thing in my recipes. I am using one fresh ingredient in each recipe. For the first day I used fresh sugarcane juice, the second day is with fresh grated coconut. Now for the third day I am using fresh strawberries.
                                                    I have oats with milk or fruit juice for breakfast, few day's back got bored with plain oats. Started adding some flavors to the plain oats and was searching for the flavored oats in the market and find this strawberry flavor oats. But some how I didn't like the flavor and wanted to use in some baked recipe. On 50th BM celebrations time we brought fresh strawberries from Waltax road and  Some one left one pack of fresh strawberries. I used those strawberries to make this cupcakes with that flavored oats. Any way thanks to that person who left those strawberries. And thanks to Kamalika for that cute cups and Vaishali for those colorfull napkins. And those cupcake liners yaar who gave that they are perfect size, cute once thank you so much.
                                                              Since the original recipe includes one egg, I didn't use egg, replaced with egg-replacer. They turned out soft and moist with fresh strawberries. The flavored oats give a very little flavor so I added a little vanilla essence....
                                                        

Let's check the recipe...
Recipe adopted from  --- The Lemon Bowl
INGREDIENTS:---
Whole wheat flour   -----   1 and half cup (I used ashirwad atta)
Oats   ----   1/2 cup   (I used strawberry flavored instant oats)
Sugar   -----  1/4 cup
Baking powder  ---   1 tea sp
Baking soda   ----  1/2 tea sp
Curd or plain yogurt  ---  1 cup
Egg   ----  1( or you can use one tab sp egg replacer)
Melted butter   ----  3 tab sp
Vanilla essence  ---  1/2 tea sp
Strawberries   ----  1 cup chopped
                                                              

METHOD:---
1. Pre heat the oven at 175 degree C. for 10 minutes.
2. Shift flour, baking powder, baking soda in to a big bowl and set a side.
3. In a big bowl whisk together melted butter, curd, egg and vanilla essence, mix well to combine every thing.
4. Mix flavored oats to the flour mixture and add this flour and oats mixture to the wet ingredients.
5. Mix well to combine every thing, don't over mix be careful.
6. Now add the chopped strawberry pieces and fold gently .
7. Scoop this cake mixture in to lined cupcake tins
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or till toothpick comes out clean..

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Coconut Cup Cakes (Eggless)

This is the second recipe for the day 2 which I have again adopted from Gayathri's cookspot. Long back my brother sent me a packet of coconut sugar from Australia. From that time I was searching for the recipes with coconut sugar. But not found much recipes Then I replaced the normal sugar with coconut sugar and tried some recipes. Not much difference in the flavor but the color will turn in to little dark. You can add any chopped dry fruits to this recipe but I don't want to add, because the coconut flavor will disappear that's my feeling... 

Let's check the recipe.....
Recipe adopted from Gayathri
INGREDIENTS:---
All purpose flour (maida) ---  1 1/4 cups
Butter  ----  1/2 cup
Fresh grated coconut  ---  3/4 cup
Curd   ---   1/2 cup
Milk    ----  1/2 cup
Baking powder  ----  1 tea sp
Baking soda  ---  1/4 tea sp
Cardamom powder   ---  1 tea sp
Coconut Sugar(or) Sugar     -----  3/4 cup
METHOD:--- 
1. Preheat the oven at 175 degree C. for 10 minutes
2. Cream the sugar and butter till soft and creamy.
3. Shift the flour, baking powder, baking soda in to a bowl
4. Add curd to the sugar and butter cream, mix well to combine to gether.
5. Now add milk and vanilla essence to it and mix well to combine every thing.
6. Add flour mixture and fold gently to mix well.
7. Add grated coconut, mix well.
8. Pour the mixture in to cup cake liners and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
9. Check with a tooth pick if the tooth oick comes out clean then the cupcakes are ready.
Remove from oven and cool them on a wire rack

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Sugar Cane Juice Cupcakes (eggless)

We have started one more Mega Blogging Marathon. After celebrating 50th edition of BM we started our Marathon with a month long Blogging Marathon. This is our 51st Blogging Marathon with with the theme Baking. First thought I will skip this baking theme mega marathon. Because baking means lots of white flour, butter and sugar. But finally I was tempted to do this mega marathon.
                                                                    One day I saw a message from Gayathri asking recipes with Sugar cane juise. We make kheer, paramannam. dosa and rotti with sugar cane juice. I gave some of those recipes to her and she added one more recipe and posted. This Sugar cane cupcakes recipe is from Gayathri. This is my first recipe for day 1 in this Mega blogging marathon.

                                                              No need of adding sugar to this cupcake batter because we are using sugar cane juice and condensed milk. I thought they must be less sweeter, but they are perfect in sweet. Since this recipe is with out eggs we have to add baking soda along with baking powder to give a soft texture. In the original recipe she used titti fruity I used raisins and for flavor I added cardamom powder since Gayathri used cinamon........ 

So let's check the recipe............ Recipe adopted from Gayathri
INGREDIENTS:---
All purpose flour (maida) ----   1 1/4 cup
Baking powder  ----    3/4 tea sp
Baking soda  -----   1/4 tea sp 
Vinegar   -----    1 tea sp
Sugar cane juice   ----   3/4 cup
Condensed milk   ----     200 ml 
Butter    ----   1/2 cup
Cardamom powder ---  1/2 tea sp
Raisins  ---   1/4 cup
METHOD:----
1. Preheat the oven at 175 degree C
2. Cream the butter till pale and add condensed milk and mix well to combine well.
3. Shift the flour, baking powder, baking soda in to a bowl.
4. Add sugar cane juice and vinegar to the butter mixture and mix well.
5. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and fold with a spatula to combine every thing.
6. Add a tea sp flour to tutti frutti mix well to coat and add this to cake mixture mix well.
7. Pour this batter in to cup cake liner till 2/3 and bake at 175 degreeC. for 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove them from the oven and cool on a wire rack. 

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Blogging Marathon # 50 Celebrations At E Hotel

Friday night none of us slept properly, I keep on asking them to sleep but no then I thought we are going to miss Saturday early morning plan. Veena sent the car at 6 o clock finely every one got ready in half an hour and we left for beach... We spent nearly a half an hour in the beach from there we left to Woodlands to finish our breakfast.After having a delicious breakfast we are on our way back to home to get ready and leave for lunch.
                                                                        First in our plan we were suppose to go for lunch first then for shopping. But there was a small change in our plan and we first decided to go for shopping  then for lunch. 
                                                        I am living in Chennai from few years but never been to Waltax road. Nandini who is an expert in shopping at waltax road, she took us to a baking materiel and prop shop. we spend an hour or so there few of our friends brought some props and baking materiel after this shopping we rush to our lunch destination.
                                                                               

                                                                  I think 6 months before when I was talking to Valli  since the meet is in Chennai, how to plan and where to stay, what we can do for our friends. I got this idea but that time I didn't tell about this to Valli. Because first I wanted to confirm with my husband and he is suppose to  confirm with management. Then I spoke to my husband, he told me that will let me know if it is possible or not. After a few days he said it is possible and what you want to do there. Then I spoke to Valli about this, yes I am talking about our lunch and demos with chef at E Hotle Chennai. 
                                                                           

                                                 Here I wanted to tell about E Hotel, E Hotel is a vegetarian boutique hotel in Chennai, which is awarded recently Best Small Hotel  in Asia Pacific Category'. All credit goes to E hotel General Manager Mr. Gaurav Gupta and team, Congratulations to all of them. My husband also works with the same group Express  infrastructure pvt.Ltd who owns E-Hotel and Express avenue Mall(The largest and luxurious mall in chennai)under the Dynamic leadership of their M.D.  Ms Kavitha Singhania who gave us permission for the B.M.#50 Meet.
                                                                     

                                                                             After we got the permission myself and Valli visited the hotel to meet chef and finalize the demo. We met Sous chef Mr. Hari Babu and Pastry chef Mr. Ramesh, both of them are having wonderful knowledge on the cuisine. We ask chef Mr. Hari babu to make some authentic Tamilnadu  recipes for our North Indian friends. Just before one day of our visit to hotel I got a call from chef that he choose the recipes for demo are Ragi murungai keerai adai and Uppu Kozhukattai.
                                                                  

                                                                       When we12 food blogers reached the E Hotel, we were welcomed by GM Mr. Gaurav Gupta, Who offered  lunch first at Entree the Global Cuisine Restaurant at E Hotel.The restaurant serves only vegetarian but cuisine is truly global as they serve Thai, Mexican, French, Italian, Indian, Middle Eastern and many more on there buffet. All three meals they serve on a elaborate buffet apart from A La Carte. Eclair is where they serve  Pastry to chocolates which really melts in mouth. Ambience and interiors are so pleasant and exotic that makes your Dinning experience splendid and to cherish the memories with your family and friends.
                                                                  

                                      
                                                                             

 We enjoyed our lunch at Entree with lot's of delicious dishes like breads, pastas, spaghetti,dal, rice, flat breads, soups, salads, pickles gravies and many more.
For desserts its a big array of  My favorite Gulab jamun, rasmalai and Mocha pastry,walnut banana bread, ice cream with various toppings, pine apple mousse, choco brownie, clusters aahhhh.... :)
                                                          

                                                                    
                                                                       

 As soon as we finish our lunch executive chief Mr Balaji took us in to the Hotel kitchen there Sous chef Mr. Hari Babu gave a demo of few recipes like Ragi drumstick leaves adai and kara kozhukattai. Actually for these two recipes Ingredients like ragi flour and drumsitck leaves won't be there in the kitchen,but  Chef took extra initiative went to the market and brought all the ingredients, specially for this demo .So special Thanks for  chef for that initiative.chef explained both recipes so very well and he even gave a chance to try our hands to make ragi rotti and kara kozhukattai. Some of our friends tried and made it.At that time they were preparing   rasmalai in the kitchen and our friends asked the executive chef Mr. Balaji who explained about the dish ,So  i thank  chef Balaji for his presentation.
                                                                             

  
                                                                       

                                        

 After this chef Balaji took us to bakery section the aromas of baking breads ohhh.. that was amazing. Here pastry chef Mr. Ramesh demonstrated us Tiramisu OMG my all time favorite that too eggless fantastic... every body is full after a huge lunch when chef offered tiramisu to us every body is on sharing mode but i had two, some how I had always some space in my stomach for tiramisu wow that was awesome. and second recipe is a chocolate mousse and some stuffed chocolates. That was too good thank you so much Chef Ramesh
                                                                        By the time we finished all demos that was almost 6 in the evening. when we came out GM Mr. Gaurav gupta offered some tea to us but by the time we all are full with lunch and demo recipes so couldn't have. We thank Mr. Gaurav Gupta GM of the E Hotel, Executive chef Mr. Balaji, Sou's chef Mr. Hari Babu, pastry chef Mr. Ramesh and left the hotel.
                                         Here I am going to stop for this post but our second day celebrations are still there with evening program will come back with that in my next post so please bare with me...........................
Let's check the Blogging Marathon page 
    
                                                                               

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