Brazilian Torta form Brazil

Now coming to the second day of this culinary trip to around the world in 30 days. To day I have landed in Brazil. Brazilian cuisine is a mixture of European and African cuisines. Brazil is a tropical country, before immigrants entered in to this country They have their own ingredients in their cooking. Like cassava(manioc),  When immigrants from Europe entered in to this country, They brought wheat and leafy vegetables. When potato are not available they included sweet manioc in the place of potato. Then Africans also have their role in developing Brazilian cuisine. Japanese immigrants gave their Asian touch  to Brazilian cuisine. So many waves from immigrants, They brought some of their typical dishes, replacing the missing ingredients with local ingredients.But still the traditional dishes have their own place. Coffee is a favorite drink and Cachaca sugar cane based drink is a national cocktail. Rice and black bean stew is a national and very popular dish. coconut is widely used in some regions and plantain, pineapple and pappaya are the favorite fruits.
Brazilian cuisine has it's various regional typical dishes. Due to the abundance of forest and fresh water fish and cassava are the staple foods in the North. In south rice and beans are an extremely common dish along with fish and beef. Feijoada black bean and meat stew is a very popular dish. North east Brazilian cuisine is heavily influenced by African cuisine. Vatapa is a very common dish in this region. Vatapa is made with shrimps coconut milk and bread and acaraje a black eyed peas paste balls which are deep fried also came from African cuisine and many more like this.Finally Southern Brazilian cuisine is highly influenced by German immigrants. Here food is based on red meat along with red meat pastas, sausages and desserts are very common.
Now coming to, to day recipe is Brazilian Torta. in some cuisines Torta means a yeast based bread, but here in Brazil it is a pie. Which looks like a pie but with out crust  and recipe sounds like a Frittata, but frittata recipe doesn't have flour and milk. Can use any vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, onions, mushrooms, green peas, zucchini. Even I have seen this recipe with grated chow chow which is a popular vegetable in Brazil. Apart fro vegetables you can add shard meat or tuna fish. You can make this as a dessert too by adding plantain. you can serve this for break fast or dinner and also a small piece with a cup of coffee as a snack.
To day my recipe is with vegetables.
INGREDIENTS:---
Onion  --- 1 big sliced
Tomato  ---  3 medium sliced
Broccoli  ---  cut in to small pieces 1/2 cup
Green bell pepper  ----  1 medium sliced
salt to taste
Oregano   ---  1 tea sp ( i used dried)
Mix all the chopped vegetables in a big bowl add oregano and salt mix well and set a side.
NOW FOR THE FLOUR:---
Flour   --- 1 cup ( i used whole wheat flour you can use APF or Maida)
Milk   --- 1 cup
Eggs   ---  3 large
Baking powder  --- 1 tea sp 
A pinch of salt
METHOD:--
Put all the ingredients in a blender jar and blend well to combine every thing, make sure there are no lumps.
Grease a baking dish with little butter, pour a little flour and milk batter and spread the entire bottom of the dish.
Now place the vegetable mixture and pour the remaining milk and flour batter on top.
Bake the torta in a pre heated oven for 60 minutes at 200 degree. This baking time bepend up on your oven mine took 60 to 65 minutes.
Insert a tooth pic and check if it is done the remove and let it stand till it become to room temperature then cut. When it is hot it is a little difficult to cut so let it cool and then cut.
Serve with any salad or with a cup of coffee


     

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Harira From Algeria

We have started another Mega BM this month. Actually I missed last mega BM and irregular in few month BM. That was SriValli, so kind of her, She didn't through me out from the BM group thank you so much for that Valli.

                                                                          When I saw the mail about this Mega Marathon, with the theme of International cuisine in alphabetical order I just wanted to do this. And let's check the theme Around the world in 30 days, when I saw this I just remember that old Raj Kapoor's movie Around the world in 8 dollars. I am a huge fan of Raj kapoor movies not only Raj kapoors all old movies. I don't know if Valli know about that movie or not but This theme made me to saw that movie once again. Any way that is an other story, now coming to the BM.
                                                                  This month we have to cook a recipe from each country in alphabetical order. Like day one we have to choose a country with the very first letter A. Means A for America, Algeria, Armenia, Argentina, and we have to cook a recipe from that country cuisine.

     My first choice is Algeria, This is a North African Country. I lived in North Africa for one year. When ever I get a chance I tried to explore the cuisine of north Africa. Like all other North African countries Algerian cuisine is a fusion of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Also got a strong influence of Turkish cuisine. Like other North African Mediterranean coastal countries Algeria  has its large range of tropical fruit and vegetables and they use a lot of vegetables in their cooking. Because of Mediterranean coast they also have a huge range of see food recipes also. Lamb is commonly consumed in all over the country. Flat breads like Kesra is eaten with every meal, but in some regions couscous is more favorite then flat breads. They use a lot of spices like cumin,  different verities of dry red chillies, coriander, nutmeg, fennel, ginger, mace, star anise, black pepper, caraway and many more like this. Traditionally Algerian food is cooked in clay vessels.
                                                        Salads will take an important roll in Algerian cuisine with a influence of French and Turkish cuisine. Some dishes were much more influenced by Spanish cuisine. Fresh seasonal fruits are served at the end of the meal. Sweets like Halwa (this looks like our sonpappidi), makroudh are eaten during the Ramadan month. Mint tea and Turkish coffee are the favorite drinks and drunk in the mornings with pastries.
                                                   My choice for today recipe from Algerian cuisine is Harira. Harira is traditional soup of Maghreb. It is a popular starter but also can have as a one pot meal because it contain lentils, chick peas, vegetables, meat, eggs and rice or pasta. It is usually served with hard boiled eggs and Algerian bread, dry fruits, traditional honey sweets also with slices of lemon.
                                             I made my Harira with out meat, served with bread.
Recipe adopted from here
INGREDIENTS:---
Onion   ---  1 big finely chopped
Tomatoes  ---  3 big
Celery  ----  1 stalk chopped
Olive oil  ---  2 tab sp
Zucchini  ---  1 peeled and chopped
Potato  ---  1 big peeled and chopped
Carrots ---  2 peeled and chopped
Lentils   ---  3/4 cup (dry)
Ginger  ---  1 tea sp ground
Coriander powder  ---  1 tab sp
Cumin powder   ---  1 tab sp
Turmeric powder  --- 1/2 tea sp
Hot paprika  ---  1/2 tea sp
Black pepper powder  --- 1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste
Bay leaf  --- 1
Parsley  ---  2 cups chopped
Coriander leaves  --- 2 cups chopped
Green pepper  -- 1 (can use jalapeno pepper)
Chick peas  --- 1 can drained and rinsed (I used dry chick peas soaked for overnight and cooked till soft)
Vermicelli broken in to bite size pieces or rice   ---  3/4 cup
Flour   ---- 3 tab sp
Lemon juice   -- juice of one lemon
Water  ---  1/2 cup
Caraway powder  --- 1 tab sp
Cumin powder  -- 1 tea sp
For serving hand full of chopped coriander leaves and lemon slices and bread.
METHOD:---
1. Heat olive oil in a huge pan add bay leaf, onion stir for a while then add ginger, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, hot paprika, black pepper give a good stir.
2. Now add chopped carrot, potato, zucchini, lentils, fresh coriander leaves and parsley mix well .
3. In the meanwhile make a pure with chopped tomato and celery and add this tomato pure to vegetables. Mix well and add 4 cups of water (nearly one lit. water).
4. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium heat and cook till lentils and vegetables are done.
5. Now with a help of a potato masher mash the vegetables and lentils lightly. Add 4 or more cups of water. Here the amount of water added is depend on your like whether you like a thin soup or a thick soup. we like a medium thick soup so I add 4 cups of water.
6. Add green pepper, salt to taste and let it cook for 20 more minutes.
7. In the meanwhile mix  flour, lemon juice and 1/2 cup water, caraway and cumin powder mix well and set a side.
8. Add pasta and chick peas cook till pasta become soft. Then add the flour mixture keep stirring cook till soup become thick as require, switch off the heat and add hand full of chopped coriander leaves
Serve hot with lemon wedges.
This soup is traditionally made with meat.
You can add a well beaten egg just before switch off the heat (if you like).  

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 44

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Oats Rava Palak Dhokla

Final recipe for this week BM theme. Again this recipe I have adopted fro Tarladalal . Now I am totally addicted to these dhoklas because they are oil free, light on stomach and good choice for breakfast.Today my recipe is with oats and semolina. 

INGREDIENTS:---

Quick cooking rolled oats  ---  1/2 cup ground in to a coarse powder (I used safola oats)

Semolina (upma rava)  ---  1 cup

Curd   ---  1/4 cup

Chopped spinach   ---  1/2 cup

Chopped green chillies  --- 1 tea sp

Eno's fruit salt ---   1 tea sp

Salt to taste

METHOD:----

1. Combine oats, rava, green chilli, salt to taste, chopped spinach, 3/4 cup water, mix well and make dropping consistency and set a side for 15 minutes.

2. Just before steaming add fruit salt and 2 tab sp water mix gently.

3. Pour this batter in to a greased thali and spread it in to a even layer.

4. Steam cook oats and rava spinach dhokla for 8 minutes or till the dhoklas are cooked.

5. Switch off the heat,remove the dhokla from steamer and leave it for 5 minutes the cut in to pieces.

Serve with green chutney.

Some Important notes:--

For this recipe also lightly dry roast rava.

Along with  chopped spinach you can add a tab sp of chopped methi leaves to make this dhokla more healthy.
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here

  

Beetroot Dhokla

Today is one more dhokla recipe but I gave a small twist to a traditional dhokla recipe. That is a healthy twist to a healthy recipe. I wanted to make Nylon dhokla for my second post. When I was making nylon dhokla for today breakfast, I got this idea of mixing some vegetables to the batter. First I thought of mixing carrot and beans. I was not much happy with that. 
                                                                  From last two months I made habit of having beet juice with my breakfast. Because beetroot is good for controlling blood pressure. I make my beet juice with orange or lemon or with any citrus fruits. When I mix my beet juice with milk that turn in to a beautiful pink color. Then I got this idea and mixed some beetroot pure with dhokla batter. But the color is little different then my beetroot milk shake. The taste was so yummm, green chutney is the best combination for this healthy dhokla
Lets check the recipe..
INGREDIENTS:---
Besan  ---  1 cup
Samolina (rava, upma rava) ---  1and 1/2 cup
Beet root   ---  1 medium size (peal and cut in to cubes the make a coarse paste)
Sugar  ---  4 tea sp
Ginger green chilli paste  ---  1 tea sp
Lemon juice  --- 1 tea sp
Eno's fruit salt  -- 2 tea sp
Oil  ---   3 and half tea sp
Mustard seeds  ---  1/2 tea sp
Chopped green chillies  --  1 tea sp
Asafoetida  ---  a big pinch
Curry leaves  few
Water   ---- 3/4 cup
Salt to taste.
Method:---
1. Combine besan, samolina, sugar, ginger green chilli paste, lemon juice, salt to taste mix well.
2. Now add beetroot pure, 3/4 cup water and make smooth batter, keep a side for 2 minutes.
3. Add fruit salt with a tab sp water and mix gently
4. In the same time grease a thali with little oil.
5. Pour the batter in to this greased thali and spread evenly.
6. Steam in a steamer for 15 to 20 minutes take it out from steamer and set a side for few seconds.
7. Now heat a small pan heat oil add mustard seeds let them popup then add chopped green chillies, asafoetida, curry leaves fry for a while and switch off the heat and add 1 and half tab sp water mix well.
8. Pour this seasoning over dhokla cut in to pieces.
Serve with green chutney.
Some Important notes:--
You can make this beetroot dhokla with khatta dhokla batter.
If you are making this with nylon dhokla batter they lightly dry roast samolina before using this gives a better texture.
You can increase beetroot pure as you like  
Can cook and make a paste with beetroot but I think it is not  good to cook that beautiful vegetable  many times. Any way we are cooking the pure with dhokla batter so That is enough I think.  
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here

Khatta Dhokla

Khatta Dhokla This is my first recipe for BM 43. One of my favorite snack because no oil, no fuss  easy to make. They are rich in protein, one can have Dhoklas for breakfast or dinner.You can have two or three pieces of Dhokla with a bowl of salad for dinner. 

                                                                                 Before I choose this theme  I know only one version of Dhokla that is Khaman Dhokla. Because that is the only dhokla is popular in South India (in my knowledge). When I found a few recipes for dhokla I was surprised, they are really very healthy and very interesting.
                                                                                I have adopted all my three dhokla recipes from Tarla Dalal from those this one is my first choice. Khatta Dhokla, This dhokla is in white color because we use rice and urad flour for this. This dhokla will be little sour in taste, that sour taste comes from sour curd. May be because of that the name came Khatta dhokla, khatta means sour. 
Lets check the recipe.....
For Khatta dhokla(white dhokla) flour:---
Rice  ----  2 cups I used raw rice
Urad dal ---  1 cup 
Lightly dry roast rice and urad dal, let them cool and ground in to a coarse powder
Mix both rice and dal powder.
For Khatta dhokla :----
Khatta dhokla powder --  2 cups
Sour curd  ---  1/4 cup
Green chilli paste ---  1 and half tea sp 
Oil  ---- 1 and half tea sp
Salt to taste
Warm water   --- 2 1/4 cups
Eno's fruit salt --  3tea sps 
METHOD:---
1.  Mix green chilli paste to curd whisk well Then add salt to taste, one tea sp of oil and warm water mix well .
2.Add khatta dhokla powder to curd mixture and mix well to make a paste.
Keep a side to ferment at least for 8 hours.
3. Mix fruit salt with a tea spoon water and pour over the curd and flour mixture after 8 hours. wait for few seconds and mix gently.
4. grease a thali  with remaining oil and pour the batter till 1/3 of the thali.
5. cook the khatta dhokla in a steemer for 8 minutes, insert a knife and check if it is not cooked then cook for few more minutes and switch off the heat.
6. cool slightly the cut in to pieces serve with green chutney.
SOME IMPORTANT POINTS:--
1. Add fruit salt just before steaming the dhokla.
2. Can sprinkle crushed black pepper on top to give a nice flavor and taste.
 Let's check the blogging marathon page
 

Dhanaya Adai

Since I am doing Millet's theme for this week I used three millet's for today recipe. I got this recipe from my neighbor. In the original recipe she added wheat, for the firs attempt I also used wheat. This time I changed the recipe little bit, in the place of wheat I used korralu and pesalu. This combination also came out so well and the adai taste great. So you can change the ingredients according to your choice.This is a protein rich power packed  recipe and perfect for breakfast and dinner. 
  
Millet's I used in this recipe :---
Sajjalu - Kambu in Tamil, Bajra in Hindi, Pearl millet
Arikelu  -- Varagu in Tamil, Kodra in Hindi, Kodo millet
Korralu  --- Thenai in Tamil, Kangni in Hindi Foxtail millet
Other then this millets
Mokka jonna (dry) --  Makkacholam in Tamil, Makai or butta in Hindi  dry corn seeds
Pesalu  ---  Pachaippayaru in Tamil, Mung in Hindi, Mung bean
                                                                         

let's check the recipe.
INGREDIENTS:---
Sajjalu (kambu)  ----  1 cup or you can use kambu flour
Arikelu (varagu)  ---  1 cup
Mokka jonna (dry)     ----  1 cup ( makkacholam dry corn seeds/ you can use broken dry corn also)
Korralu  (thenai)   ---- 1 cup
Pesalu  --  1/4 cup
Idli rice    -----   1/2 cup
Dry red chillies   ---   2
Green chillies   ----  2
cumin seeds  ---- 1 tab sp
Salt to taste
Asafoetida  ---  1/4 tea sp
Onion  ---- 1 cup chopped
                                                              

METHOD:---
1. Soak sajjalu, arikelu, dry corn, korralu, idli rice, pesalu, dry red chillies for over night in enough water.
2. Grind all soaked ingredients with green chillies and salt in to a coarse paste, add asafoetida, cumin seeds mix well.
3.Heat  a dosa pan, grease with little oil pour the millet adai batter and spread in to a thick circle.  
4. Top with chopped onion, sprinkle little oil cover and cook till golden in the down side.
5. turn the other side and cook till golden, remove from the pan.
Serve hot with coconut chutney or avial or onion chutney or any pulusu (like I served with bendakaya pulusu) or simply with a piece of jaggery.
SOME IMPORTANT NOTES:----
1. You can use any combination of millet's even can mix millet's and legumes.
2. Other then chopped onion can add grated carrot, coconut, chopped green leafy vegetables, chopped cabbage.
3. Sajjalu can use seeds or flour, if you are using seeds the soak them with other ingredients for over night.
4. Dry corn seeds  can use dry corn dhaliya if it is broken corn or corn seeds you have to soak them. 
5. In the place of idli rice can use raw rice also. 
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here

check for Pulusu recipes here
And for onion chutney here

Arikela Pongali (varagarisi Pongal)

All about millets this is my theme for this week. Millets are one of the oldest food, but now we totally for get about them. Now a days they are geting popular because  they are highly nutritious. Millets release very less percentage of glucose so they are good for diabetic people. Not only for diabetic people they are good for every one because Millets are rich in iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium. so start including Millets in your diet.
                                                                  I have started including Millets in my every day meal. In the bigining it was little diffecult to have millets in the place of rice. So first I use to cook them two times a week. Gradualy I increased cooking them for five days a week.
                                                           There are many kinds of millets like Arikelu (kodo millet, varagu arisi), Samalu ( little millet, samai), Jonnalu (sorghum, cholam), Sajjalu (pearl millet, kambu) and many more like this. I have chosen Kodo millet(arikelu) for my today recipe.
                                               Arikelu is well known as kodo millet in English, varagu arisi in Tamil, kodra in Hindi. This millet looks like foxtail millet, but little larger then foxtail millet. Kodo millet has a nice flavor, the seeds keep their shape after cooking also. You can cook this like white rice or you can make this with different flavors like coconut rice, lemon rice, you can soak them for over night and mix with urad dal and make dosa and many more recipes like this. Now check out today recipe......
INGREDIENTS:---
Arikelu (varagu arisi) ---  1 cup
Pesarapappu (pasiparuppu, moong dal)   ---  1/2 cup
Ghee   ----   1 tab sp
Black pepper, cumin powder  ----   2 tea sp ( dry roast pepper and cumin and make a coarse powder)
Water    -----     5 cup
Ginger   ----   1/2 tea sp finenly chopped
Ghee   ----  2 tea sp
Black pepper corns  ---- 1/4 tea sp
Urad dal   ----  1 tea sp
Cumin seeds    ----  1/2 tea sp
Asafoetida  --- a big pinch
Curry leaves   ----   1 spring
Milk   -----  1/2 cup
Salt to taste
METHOD:---
1. Wash and soak Arikelu in five cups of water for half an hour.
2. Dry roast moong dal for few minutes and add this fried dal to Arikelu.
3. Add milk, pepper and cumin powder, salt, chopped ginger pieces mix well, cover with lid and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles in a pressure cooker.
4. After 3 to 4 whistles switch off the heat and let it cool
5. Open the pressure cooker add 1 tab sp ghee mix well.
6. Now heat 1 tea sp ghee add urad dal, black pepper corns, cumin seeds fry for a while then add asafoetida, curry leaves fry for a second and add this to Arikelu pongali mix well.
Serve hot with coconut chutney, Allam pachadi (ginger chutney), Gojju.
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here

Parippu curry

I have chosen South Indian dishes for this month BM, My choice for this theme is Kerala. I thought to post some sadya recipes from Kerala cuisine. My yesterday post was Pulissery, is one of the most important dish in sadya which is served almost end of the meal. Today what I am going to post is Parippu curry. This parippu curry will be served in the starting.

                                                                    Parippu curry is normally served with rice and ghee on top of it. Pappad and any Thoran or mezhukkupuratti is the best combination with this parippu curry. We Indians cook dal with a lots of variations, that depends on cuisine like using of masalas and spices. This Kerala Dal (parippu curry) is a moong dal based with a spiced coconut mixture and seasoned with coconut oil and lots of curry leaves. 
INGREDIENTS:---
Moong dal   ---  1/2 cup
A big pinch of turmeric
Salt   --- 1 tea sp
FOR COCONUT MIXTURE:--
Grated coconut  ----  1/3 cup
Cumin seeds  ----  1/2 tea sp
Shallots  ---  2
Green chillies ---  3
FOR TEMPERING:--
Coconut oil   ---  2 tea sp
Mustard seeds   ---  1/2 tea sp
Shallots   ---  2 sliced
Dry red chilli  ---  1 broken
Curry leaves   ---  1 spring
                                                               

METHOD:----
1. Roast moong dal till it turns in to golden brown. Add 3 cups of water, turmeric powder and cook till done.
2. Grind coconut, cumin seeds,shallots, green chillies with little water in to a smooth paste.
3. Once dal is cooked mash it well to make a smooth paste.
4. Keep the heat on low and add ground coconut paste, salt to the dal, cook till well blended This will take five minutes.
5. Heat 1 and half tea sp coconut oil in a pan add mustard seeds let them pop up then add sliced shallots,broken dry red chillies then add curry leaves and remove from heat and add this seasoning to the parippu curry mix well.
Finelly add remaining coconut oil on top cover with a lid and leave a side till you serve.
Serve hot with kerala rice and ghee.
SOME IMPORTANT NOTES:----
1. Traditionally they use only moong dal for this parippu curry.
2. Do not use asafoetida(hing) for tempering. Hing will over take coconut oil flavor.
3. Do not forget to serve lots of ghee with parippu curry
Let's check the blogging marathon 42 edition page Here

Pulissery (Moru curry)

Pulissery or Moru curry or Moru Kachiyathu is a curd and coconut base dish in Kerala meal. Pulissery is a common dish which is served as a side dish for everyday meal. It is also a very important dish in sadya, while it is a Onam sadya or any other special occasion. Normally it is served towards the end of the meal.
                                                    Pulissery is traditionally made with small ripe mangoes, that gives a sweet and sour taste to the curry. Any other vegetable like ashgourd, bottle gourd, yam, raw banana, taro. There are many Variations in this recipe depending on the region, even from home to home. I have two, three recipes for this dish but this one I got from a cook.
                                                 
INGREDIENTS:---
Curd  ----  1 cup
Any vegetable cut in to small cubes if you would like to use I did't use any vegetables today.
Fresh coconut  ---  1/2 cup grated
Cuminseeds  --- 1/2 tea sp
Green chillies  --- 2 or according to your taste
Shallot (small onion, sambar onion)  ---  2
Garlic   -----   1 pod
Turmeric powder  ----  1/4 tea sp
Salt    ---- 3/4 tea sp
FOR TEMPERING:---
Coconut oil   --- 1 tea sp and 1/2 tea sp
Mustard seeds  ---  1/2 tea sp
Fenugreek seeds  ----  5 seeds
Dry red chilli  --- 1 broken
Curry leaves  --- 1 spring
                                                            

METHOD:---
1. If you like to use vegetable, cook the vegetable pieces in 1/2 cup water till soft.
2. Grind grated coconut, cumin seeds, green chillies, shallot, garlic, turmeric powder in to a smooth paste with little water.
3. Add this coconut paste to vegetables and cook for 5 min. If you are not using vegetable then add this coconut paste to the pan with 1/4 cup water and cook for 5 min. in a medium heat.
4. Beat the curd till smooth, when the coconut mixture is cooked for 5 min. switch off the flame wait for a second then add beaten curd, add salt to taste mix well and set a side.
5. Now heat one tea sp coconut oil add mustard seeds let them popup then add broken dry red chilli, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves turn off the heat  and add this tempering to the pulissery,  mix well and pour 1/2 tea sp coconut oil over the pulissery, cover with a lid and keep closed till you serve.
 SOME IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE:--
1. Can use a small piece of ginger in the place of garlic or you can use both.
2. You can use red chilli powder instead of green chillies that will give a nice orange color to the pulissery.
3. Make sure that the curd is sour enough, otherwise the pulissery won't give the authentic taste.
4. Normally pulissery is  not too thick or not too thin gravy, it is a medium thick. So adjust the water according to your taste.
5. Along with vegetables you can use raw pappaya, pineapple also to make this dish.
6. Adding extra coconut oil to the curry in the end will give a wonderful flavor to the pulissery.
Let's check the blogging marathon 42 edition page Here
 

Kamala Kheer (Orange Kheer)

When I decided to make recipes with orange for this theme I drought 12 oranges from the market. I thought they will be sweet but no they are really very sour and I can not eat them as it is. Then I thought of making pulihora and these sour oranges worked so very well for pulihora. Then my second recipe is a kheer with oranges. I was little scare to make kheer with this sour oranges. But when I peal the oranges surprisingly they are really very sweet and my kheer turned out really so delicious so let's check the recipe..
INGREDIENTS:---
Milk  ----   1 ltr
Orange segments  ---  1 cup
Orange zest  ----  1 tab sp
Rice flour  or corn flour  ---  2 tab sp
Milk   ----   1 tab sp  to mix the flour
Cardamom powder  ---   1 tea sp
Sugar   ----   4 tab sp or according to your taste
METHOD:---
1. Boil the milk in a wide pan for 20 minutes, while stirring continuously and scraping the sides of the pan.
3. Mix 1 tab sp milk with rice flour mix well and add this mixture to the boiling milk and cook for five more minutes, while stirring continuously.
4. Add sugar, cardamom powder mix well and cook in a medium heat for 2 more minutes and switch off the heat, let it cool completely.
5. Once the milk mixture is completely cooled then add orange segments and orange zest mix well.
Keep this orange kheer in the fridge to cool and serve chilled.
Note:--
1. I used full cream milk you can substitute wit low fat milk
2. Using rice flour or corn flour to give the kheer thick texture
And orange zest will give a extra orange flavor to the kheer.
3. I gave 4 tab sp of sugar in the recipe you can substitute with sugar substitute or you can just skip the sugar, that also will taste great.
And one more thing is add orange segments after cool the milk mixture other wise milk will curdle so don't add orange segments when milk is hot.
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here

 

Kamala Pandu Pulihora (Orange Pulihora)

I have noted this recipe from a TV show. Because this month my theme fro last week is cooking with fruits. We have to cook three recipe using any one particular fruit. I have chosen Orange (kamala pandu )for this theme. Orange is my favorite fruit, specially Nagpur orange.

                                                          When I saw this theme in BM 34  first I thought of making recipes with pineapple. but when I saw this recipe in that TV show, I changed my ingredient to orange. Then i searched for the other two recipes so here is my first recipe with the theme of Cooking with fruits with Orange...
INGREDIENTS:---
Rice   ----  2 cups
Fresh orange juice (kamala pandu rasam) -- 1/4 cup
Orange zest ---   zest of one orange 
Salt to taste
Oil   ---  2 tab sp
Turmeric powder  ---  1/4 tea sp
Chana dal  ---   1tab sp
Peanuts ---- 1 tab sp
Cashew nuts ---  1 tab sp
Mustard seeds  ---   1 tea sp
Green chillies  ---  4 slit
Curry leaves    ----  few springs
Asafoetida   ---   1/2 tea sp
METHOD:---
1. Wash rice and drain all the water and add four cups of fresh water cook till done. Or can cook rice in a pressure cooker for three whistles.
2. After few minutes open the lid and shift the rice in to a wide plate and spread the rice evenly to get cool.
3. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds let them splutter then add peanuts, cashewnuts, chanadal, green chillies, curry leaves fry till peanuts turn in to golden then add asafoetida and turmeric powder give a good stir and switch off the heat.
4. Now add orange juice, orange zest, salt to taste mix well.
5. Add cooked rice to this and mix well to combine every thing
Serve hot
Note:---
1. For this recipe use only fresh orange juice and that should be sour.
2. If you find your orange juice is not sour enough then you can add a tab sp of lemon juice to the orange juice.
3. If you use only orange juice you don't get a good flavor of orange in the rice, so that I aded orange zest to make the pulihora more orange flavor.
 Let's check the blogging marathon page Here


 

Cauliflower Kheer (Phool Gobi ki Kheer)

Some times mistakes turn in to a delicious am I right? I think I am, because this recipe was born like that. I  don't know any body made this Kheer with Cauliflower before. After that this kheer became a regular in the season, because we don't get good cauliflower around the year. So I make sure to make this twice in the season.

                                                          Like every body I will be very busy in mornings, Like making breakfast, and preparing lunch box for hubby. He will pack breakfast and lunch with salad to office. He will have his cereal at home, normally he will have his oats with milk. One fine day I planed to make gobi parathas for hubby's lunch box. I kept the grated cauliflower ready for parathas. One side of the stove I was boiling the milk for oats, instead of adding oats to milk I have added grated cauliflower...... I didn't even realise that time, after five minutes when I pour that in to a serving bowl. Then I boiled another bowl of milk and add oats and made plain parathas. Hubby got one more chance to pull my leg for long...... That day my whole plan was disturbed but a new recipe was born . I made little changes to that disaster and made a proper recipe like this, every body who tasted this till today thay surprised when they came to know the key ingredient and enjoyed it.. check the recipe hear..
                                                          

INGREDIENTS:---
Milk   ----  1 ltr (1000 ml)
Cauliflower   ---  1 medium size
Sugar   ----   1 cup (125 gms) or according to your taste you can reduce.
Cardamom  ---  4 powder ( add 2 tea sp of sugar to cardamom and make a fine powder)
Ghee   -----   1 tab sp

METHOD:---
1. Wash the cauliflower properly with warm water and grate it. Grate only flower part and leave the stalks.
2. Boil the grated cauliflower for 5 minutes then drain the water and wash for at least 5 times. This helps to remove the smell from the cauliflower.
3. Drain all the water and spread it on a kitchen towel for few minutes.
4. Now start boiling the milk in a low heat.
5. Heat ghee in a pan add grated cauliflower and fry for 2 minutes in a low heat and add this fried cauliflower to boiling milk and cook till milk becomes thick to kheer consistency.
6. Add sugar and cook for five more minutes add cardamom powder and switch off the heat
Let it cool for some time and keep it in the fridge and serve chilled
Or you can serve it warm too
Notes :--
1. You can add 10 gms each cashew, almond and raisins. fry this dry fruits in little ghee and add them to the kheer.
But I feel that these dry fruits dominate the original flavor so I didn't add any dry fruits.
2. Washing the cauliflower for several times is must because it removes any insects in side and remove the pesticides, and also helps to reduce the smell of the cauliflower.
3. I tried this recipe for three time to modify, first when it is a disaster that time I just washed the coliflower and grated, that time we find a little raw smell so seond time I fried the cauliflower in the ghee then it is fine, but for the third time I washed it for 4 to 5 times the fried it it in the ghee and this time it is perfect
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here


 

Pulibongaralu

This is my final recipe for this week BM with evening snacks. These three snacks are favorite snacks at home,which My mother and grandmother use to make them very offen. Specially this pulibongaralu is my grandmothers recipe. Every summer when we visit our grandmothers place this will be there for evening snack for sure.

                                                             This is a deep fried snack but you can make this in guntapoganalu(paniyaram pan) to avoid deep frying. But deep fried pulibongaralu give a wonderful taste. My grandmother used to add 2 tab. sp of rice flour to the batter, but I realise that rice flour makes the pulibongaralu little hard and so I change this to maida. Maida makes the little soft, so if you want to try with rice flour can try but my choice is maida.

                       Recipe contain soaked chanadal my grandmother used to add chana dal with chopped onions. I change it. Wash dal and add it to the batter so that they will soaked in the batter, you can do either ways, but here I gave the recipe how my grandmother used to make. Let's check the recipe now.....

INGREDIENTS:---
Urad dal   ----  1 cup
Rice   ----   2 cups ( dosa rice raw rice not Idli rice)
Onion  -----  2 medium finely chopped
Green chillies   ----  3 finely chopped
Chana dal   ---  2 tab sp soaked in water for an hour and drained
Curry leaves  ----   20 leaves finely chopped
Coriander leaves  --- 1 tab sp finely chopped
Ginger   ----  1 inch piece finely chopped
Cumin seeds  ---- 1 tab sp
Maida or rice flour --- 2 tab sp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
METHOD:---
1. Wash and soak rice and dal foe 4 to 5 hours and grind in to a very smooth paste, don't add much water this batter should be thick then dosa batter.
2. Take this batter from the blender in to a big bowl cover with a lid and leave it for 24 hours
Leave the batter in room temperature do not keep it in the fridge, so that it will ferment well
3. After 24 hours add channa dal, chopped onion, chopped ginger, chopped green chillis, chopped curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves, cumin seeds, rice flour or maida salt to taste mix well.
4. Heat oil in a deep frying pan.
5. Drop small ball from this batter in to hot oil and deep fry the pulibongaralu till golden
Remove from oil and serve with a cup of hot tea or coffee.
When you drop the batter in to the oil don't bother about exact round shape,because the batter is not in a consistency to make a shape. It will become round when it falls in to the oil, so don’t worry about the shape.
 Let's check the blogging marathon page Here

 

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Pidatakinda Pappu - Bajji Masala

Today my recipe under Evening snack is a favorite as a street food and also as evening snack. Not only in Andhra pradesh this snack is a favorite all over India with different names. With a very little changes this is a favorite snack as Jhalmuri, Bhelpuri, muri mixture and many other names. This is a favorite snack all over Andhra Pradesh, which is well known as Pidatakinda pappu or Muntakinda pappu. And in some reagions it is well known as Bajji Masala. Actually Bajji masala is included with chopped mirchi bajji or raw plantain bajji. But some they don't add bajji in Muntakinda pappu.

                                                 Let's check why the name came Muntakinda pappu. In Telugu Munta means earthen pot Pappu means dal (like peanut and dalia). Normally the street vendors spread the Pappu on a big plate, they fill the earthen pot with charcoal fire, This earthen pot will have small holes in it. They place this pot filled with fire on pappu because of the heat, pappu will be warm and crisp for long time. when the customer comes the vendor will lift the pot and take some pappu and mix with all the other ingredients. Actually this street vendors mix this maramarala mixture in a coconut shell and serve it in a banana leaf or in a news paper. But now a days they change this coconut shell in to steel bowl, but still the snack is very popular.

                                                   In my childhood one pushcart vendor used to come every day evening 5 o clock with this Pidatakinda pappu and bajji masala. I used to buy every day but after some time Amma started to make this for me. So this is my all time favorite snack, let's check the recipe... 

        
INGREDIENTS:--
Maramaralu (puffed rice)  ----  2 cups
Onion   ----   1 big finely chopped
Tomato   ---- 1 big finely chopped
Green chillies   ---  1 chopped (optional)
Lemon   ----  1
Peanuts  ---  1 tab sp (roasted and remove the skin)
Dalia (putnalu, roasted gram) ---  1/2 tab sp
Mirchi bajji  ----  1 chopped (or you can use raw plantain bajji)
Coriander leaves  ---   1 tab sp chopped
Red chilli powder  ---   1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste
METHOD:---
1. Dry roast puffed rice for a while and set a side.
2. Then dry roast dalia for few seconds remove and set a side.
3. In a big mixing bowl take all the ingredients, squeeze the lemon juice mix well with a spoon
4. Let it sit for five minutes then serve so that puffed absorb the flavors and puffed rice become little soft.

FOR ONION STUFFED BAJJI:--
And this onion stuffed bajji s are my mother s specialty. It is a very simple snack but taste really delicious and easy to make. You can make this with mirchi bajji or raw plantain bajji or potato bajji.
Take bajji and make a slit on it don't cut till end just make a slit in the middle so that you can fill the bajji with onion mixture
For filling---
Onion   ---- 1 big finely chopped
Lemon juice from one lemon
Red chilli powder 1/4 tea sp
Salt to taste
Chat masala   ---   1/2 tea sp
Lemon juce of a half lemon
Mix chopped onion, red chilli powder, salt to taste mix well and fill this onion mixture in bajjis.
Place all the onion filled bajjis in a plate and sprinkle with chat masala and lemon juice.
Enjoy your evening snack with a cup of hot tea or coffee.
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here

Medu Pakoda (Mettati Pakodilu)

Medu pakoda my mother recipe. I do not know if this is the original recipe or not, but this recipe is a special recipe from my mother. In my childhood Amma used to make this for her sudden guests with in few minutes. Amma used to say that dosa batter makes pakoda soft so that she call them as medu pakoda or mettati pakoda. Aavakaya is the best combination for this. But I like to have them with out any chutney. Rasam rice and this pakoda is a perfect combination. You can add finely chopped fresh coriander leaves or finely chopped spinach to this pakoda.

This is my first recipe under Evening Snack theme for this month second week BM. Let's check the recipe....
INGREDIENTS:---
Bengal gram flour( besan, kadala mavu, sengapindi) --- 1 cup
Dosa batter ------ 1 and half table spoon
Salt ---- 1/2 tea sp chek the batter and add salt because we have salt in dosa batter so be carefull.
Red chilli powder ---- 1 tea sp
Onion ---- 1 big cut in to small cubes
Oil for deep frying
METHOD:---
1. In a mixing bowl take onion cubes add flour, salt, red chilli powder mix with hand gently.
2. Add dosa batter to this onion mixture and mix well to make a thick dosa batter consistency.
If requird can add very little water.
3. Heat oil in a deep frying pan, take hand full of pakoda batter and drop small portions slowely in to hot oil.
4. Fry this soft pakodas till golden remove from oil.
Serve this soft pakodas with aavakaya or any coconut chutney or simply with tomato ketchep
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here

Capsicum rice

Capsicum rice is a easy to make recipe with freshly ground spice powder. Freshly ground masala gives a wonderful flavor to this rice and capsicum pieces will give a crunchy texture. This capsicum rice will be a perfect choice for lunch box or a quick lunch.

                                                                    The main ingredient in this recipe is capsicum, Capsicum is Such a wonderful vegetable which contain lots of water and very very rich in C vitamin. When I was searching for Bell pepper recipes for this month BM. I found many interesting facts about this vegetable. Because I don't use capsicum as much in my cooking or in my salads. But when I read about this vegetable I was relay surprised. This is a perfect choice for salads, because capsicum doesn't have  much calories( 1/2 cup that is nearly 75 gms of chopped capsicum had 30 calories) only with 0.2gm of fat and rich source of iron. So if you like the flavor can use this wonderful vege in your salads instead of making malai gravy.

                              For this rice recipe masala powder is important so use freshly ground masala powder,don't over cook the capsicum. You can use Basmati rice for this recipe or can use normal rice also, and also can  make this with left over rice. Use color capsicum to make this capsicum more colorful. So lets check the recipe. 

INGREDIENTS:---

Capsicum --- 1 big cut in to one inch pieces
Rice (cooked)  ----    1 and half cup
Oil  ---  1 tab sp
Cumin seeds  ---  1/2 tea sp
Mustard seeds  ----  1/4 tea sp
Peanuts   ----   1 tab sp
Salt to taste
FOR MASALA POWDER:---
Dry red chilies  ---  4
Ground nuts (pea nuts)   ---  2 tab sp
Coriander seeds   ---   1 tab sp
Cumin seeds   ---  1 tea sp
Sesame seeds  ---  1 tea sp
Grated coconut  ---   1 tab sp
METHOD:---
Dry roast all above masala ingredients one by one in a pan till golden and make a fine powder, set a side.
1. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds, cumin seeds let them splutter add peanuts and fry till golden then add capsicum pieces and cook for three minutes. Don't over cook the capsicum let the capsicum retain it's crunchy texture.
2. Now add cooked rice to capsicum pieces, sprinkle masala powder, salt to taste mix well to combine every thing.
Serve hot with raita or any gravy curry of your choice
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here


 

Aloo Batura

Now this is my third and last recipe in this edition under the special theme. For today post I picked a wonderful recipe from our own SriValli. This recipe is a hit at home Valli, we enjoyed this delicious aloo baturas with sweet chutney and green chutney. I didn't made chana masala because the baturas are stuffed with potato and masala.

                                                    For me they didn't puffed up like regular batura. when I drooped them in hot oil slowly they puffed up but when  they are out from oil with in few seconds they came down. They tasted really wonderful with green chutney for me and hubby enjoyed them with sweet chutney and onion slices. Let's check the recipe.
INGREDIENTS:---
All purpose flour (maida)  ----   1 cup
Potato    ----  2 medium boiled and mashed well
Baking powder   -----  1/2 tea sp
Fresh coriander leaves  ---  2 tab sp finely chopped
Green chillis    --   2 finely chopped
Red chili powder   ---    1/2 tea sp
Garam masala powder   ----   1/2 tea sp
Cumin seeds  ----   1/2 tea sp
Roasted coriander seeds powder  ---  1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste
Water   -----  1/4 cup
Oil for deep frying
METHOD:---
1. In a bowl take all the ingredients exept oil mix well.
2. Add little by Little oil and knead in to a soft dough.
3. Divide that dough into equal portions roll in to balls cover and set a side.
4. Heat oil in a deep frying pan.
5. Now roll the dough balls in to circles like regular puri s
6. Slowly drop this aloo baturas in to hot oil and fry till golden.
Remove from oil and serve hot with chana masala or green chutney.
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here

Lauki Ki Kheer

This is my second recipe for last week BM 33 under book marked recipes from BM 32 month long marathon. I book marked some wonderful recipes from my BM friends. In that list this recipe is from Preeti s Simplytadka. She is a very talented memeber in our BM group who desined that beautiful logo for last month mega marathon.

                                                                     I book marked few recipes from her space, specially that  Pan ki chat recipe was realy factastic. Actualy I wanted to make that recipe for this theme but some ingredients I didn't have with me now so I cahanged my mind and tried this one.
                                                               

                                                             This Lauki ki kheer was so delicious, every body liked it so much at home.When first time I made this kheer we find the raw smell of the lauki. Then second time I fried the vegetable with a tea sp of ghee. Second thing I changed is  I didn't add sugar. One more thing is Preeti's recipe is a fusion with chocolate, but I didn't use chocolate in mine.   so lets check the recipe.
INGREDIENTS:----
Bottle gourd   ----   1 cup grated
Milk     ----  4 cups
Khoya (mawa)  ---   1/2 cup
Sugar   ----   3/4 cup
Ghee   --- 1 tab sp
Cardamom powder   --- 1 tea sp
Rose water   ----   few drops
Pistachios   ----   10 chopped (I used chopped cashewnuts)
METHOD:---
1. Boil milk in a heavy bottom pan, bring to a full boil and reduce the heat to low and let the milk boil.
2. In the same time heat ghee in a fry pan add chopped cashewnut and fry till golden,remove and set a side.
3. Add grated lauki to the same ghee and fry till raw smell disappier.
4. Then add this  fried lauki to boling milk.Mix well and cook till milk become little thick.
5. Now great khoya and add this to milk and lauki mixture, mix well and cook for few minutes.
6. Add rose water, cardamom powder mix well and switch off the heat
7. Serve hot or chilled garnish with Fried cashewnuts.
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here

Erisseri

For the first time I have chosen this special theme in BM. Because this month special theme is with bookmarked recipes from ABC cooking of last month BM. I have book marked some wonderful recipes from last month BM. BM 32 is really wonderful with all those amazing cooks, with all those delicious recipes.

                                                             From that edition I picked some three recipes for this month special theme. This Erisseri is one of them, Erisseri is a Kerala recipe which is served in Onam Sadya. By this time all my BM friends may understand from where I picked this recipe. Yes the one and only Rajani, she explained very clearly how to make sadya recipes and how to arrange them in a traditional Kerala style. Thank you so much for all those wonderful sadya recipes Rajani. I already tried some of them but this erisseri, Iam trying for the first time I think I got the consistency, taste. I used yam for today can also use pumpkin and cow peas, raw banana. Let's check the recipe

INGREDIENTS:---
Yam (kanda gadda)  ----  250 gms
Turmeric powder  ---  1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste
FOR MASALA:---
Grated fresh coconut  ---  1/2 cup
Cumin seeds  ---   1/2 tea sp
Red chillies   ----   2
Black pepper   ----   1 tea sp
Dry roast red chillies and black pepper corns and then grind with little water, coconut and cumin seeds in to a paste.
FOR TEMPERING:--
Oil   -----   1 tea sp (preferably coconut oil)
Mustard seeds  ----- 1 tea sp
Red chillies   --- 2 broken
Grated coconut   ----- 1/2 cup
Curry leaves   ----   6 leaves
METHOD:----
1. Remove the skin, wash and cut the yam in to bite size pieces, add turmeric powder cover with water and pressure cook for three whistles in a medium heat.
2. Wait till the pressure released then open and transfer it to a pan, bring to a full boil in a high heat (remove if any extra water, this curry should look like kootu).
3.Add coconut paste to yam pieces cook for 6 minutes. Check the consistency if it reached the semi solid like kootu switch off the heat.
4. Heat coconut oil in a pan add mustard seeds let them splutter then add red chillies, curry leaves fry for a while.
5. Now add grated coconut and fry till coconut turn in to brown in color
6. Top this on the erisseri mix well.
Serve with rice.
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here

Kanchipuram Upma

Upma is one of my favorite breakfast, this is little different then normal upma. For this week BM my theme is My favorite celebrity chef s recipes. This recipe I have noted from chef Damodaran's cookery show In jaya Tv. I have tried many Tamilnadu recipes from his shows. Chef Damodaram is well known as chef Damu, who is a most popular chef in Tamilnadu. Chef Damu is the holder of Guinness record for longest cooking marathon. Personally I like how he explain the recipe in his shows.

                                                               This upma recipe is one of them, the difference between normal upma and Kanchipuram upma. We don't add black pepper, turmeric powder and grated coconut in normal upma. That is the special in this Kanchipuram upma and no need of any side dish for this.

INGREDIENTS:---
Rava (semolina) ---  1cup
Shallots  ---  10 finely chopped (one big onion chopped)
Green chillies ----  3 chopped
Ginger  ---- 1 inch piece chopped
Grated fresh coconut   ---  2 tab sp
Turmeric powder  ---  1/4 tea sp
Cashew nuts  ---  10
Oil   -----   1 tab sp
Ghee  ---   2 tea sp
Salt to taste
FOR TEMPERING:--
Black pepper  ----  1 tea sp
Mustard seeds ---  1/2 tea sp
Cumin seeds  ----  1/2 tea sp
Chana dal   ---  1 tea sp
METHOD:---
1.Heat oil in a pan add mustard,cumin,chanadal, black pepper,cashews fry till golden brown colour.
2. Now add grated coconut and fry till golden. 
3.Then add chopped onion, chopped ginger ,green chillis, curry leaves fry till onions become transparent.
4. Add 2 cups of water, turmeric powder, salt to taste and bring to a full boil.
5.Now add semolina slowly, keep stirring while adding rava, reduce the heat to low, mix well cover and cook for ten minutes.
6. Stir in between add ghee cover and cook for 3 more minutes in low heat.
Switch off the heat garnish with grated fresh coconut serve hot.
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here