Takkali Biryani (Tomato Biryani)

One more biryani recipe from Tamil Nadu Which I frequently hear from my friends. I don't use tomato in biryani because I think if we use tomato in biryani that will turn mushy and with more moisture. But when I tried this we just like this with that fennal flavor. This is my final recipe for this week under Biryanis theme. 

Let's check the recipe.......
INGREDIENTS:---

Jeeraga samba rice (jeera rice)   ----   1 cup

Water     ----   1 cup

Coconut milk   -----   1/2 cup

Tomato    ----   2 medium size

Onion   -----   1 medium

Red chilli powder   ----  1/2 tea sp

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder  ---  1/4 tea sp

Small onion (sambae onion)  ---   6

Ginger    -----   1/2 inch piece

Garlic cloves   ----  4 cloves

Fennel seeds   ----  1 tea sp

Mint leaves  ----   15 leaves

Oil   ----  2 tab sp

METHOD:----

1. Wash and soak rice in one cup water for 15 minutes.

2. Puree the tomatoes and set a side.

3. Take sambar onion, ginger, garlic and fennel seeds and grind in to a smooth paste.

4. Chop onion and mint leaves and set a side.

5. In a pressure cooker heat oil add onion and mint leaves and fry till onion turns brown.

6. Now add ground masala and saute in a low heat till the raw smell goes off, add tomato puree give a good stir.

7. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt to taste saute in a low heat till raw smell goes off and oil comes out from the sides.

8. Mix well and add coconut milk and rice mix well and cover with the lid and cook for  one whistle and keep the heat low for 10 minutes, switch off the heat.

Serve hot with onion raita.

Kerala Style Egg Biryani

For the third week this month BM my theme is Biryani. Biryanis are all time favorite meal at home. I feel that is easy to make and it is a perfect one pot meal if we add some vegetables to it. I don't need any side dish if we make it little spicy, I can enjoy my biryani just with a cup of curd. To day my biryani recipe is comming from Kerala (Malabar). 
                                                                 I used to make Biryani  every Sunday but now it is reduced to once in a month, because tummy is not accepting spices any more. Normally I make egg biryani with boiled eggs. But thisMalabar(Kerala) egg biryani is different then mine which has a flavor of fennel seeds, with omelete bite size pieces.
INGREDIENTS:---
For omelete:---
Eggs ----   2
Grated coconut  ----   1 tab sp
Onions  -----   1 medium
Chilli powder  ----  1/4 tea sp
Green chillies ----   2 chopped
Salt  to taste
Oil  1 tab sp (coconut oil preferably)
For Masala :---
Onion -- 1 big chopped
Ginger garlic paste  ----  1 tea sp
Green chillies -- 2 chopped
Garam masala  --- 1 tea sp
Fennel powder  ----  1/4 tea sp
Tomato  --- 1 medium chopped
Coriander leaves  ---  1 tab sp chopped 
Mint leaves  ---- 1 tab sp chopped
Salt to taste  
Oil   --- 2tab sp (coconut oil preferably)
For rice:--
  Basmati rice  ----   1 and half cup
Onion   ---- 1 mediun chopped
Green chilli  ----  2 chopped
Ginger garlic paste  ---  1/2 tea sp
Cinnamon  ---  2 inch piece
Cardamom ---  2
Cloves  ----  2
Lemon juice  ---  1 and half tea sp
Ghee  ---  1/2 tab sp
Salt to taste
For garnishing:
Hard boiled eggs -- 2
Coriander and mint leaves  --2 tab sp chopped
A hand full Cashew nuts and raisins fried
METHOD:---
1. Combine all the ingredients which is given for omelet mix well to combine every thing.
2. Heat oil in a pan , pour the egg mixture and make an omelet, when cooked remove from pan and cut in to bite size pieces, set a side.
For Masala:--
1. Heat oil in pan add chopped onion and fry till golden, then add chopped green chillies, ginger garlic and fry for a while.
2. Now add chopped tomato and cook for few minutes and add Garam masala, fennel seed powder, salt to taste, chopped coriander and min mix well and add omelet pieces, mix well, remove from fire and set a side.
For rice:---
 1. Heat ghee in a pan add cardamom, clove and cinnamon fry for a while then add chopped onion and fry till onion turns in to transparent then add ginger garlic, green chillies and fry for a while.
2. Wash and drain all the water from rice and add this rice  and stir for 2 minutes then add lemon juice,salt to taste, 2 cups of water bring to full boil cover and cook till rice is done.
Assembling the Biriyani:--
In a heavy bottom or non stick pan first make a layer with egg masala and spread the ricein to a layer on the top of the masala like this make layers with rice and masala.
Top layer should be rice. finally sprinkle with chopped coriander and mint leaves and some fried dry fruits and cover with a tight lid.
Heat a dosa tawa or a chapati pan, reduce the heat to low and place this biriyani pan on that dosa pan and cook for 15 to 20 minutes in a very low heat
Serve garnished with hard boiled eggs, fried onion and dry fruits.
Serve with pickle, raita and pappad.
Notes:-
If you use coconut oil for masala and omelet that gives a authentic flavor to  biriyani other wise you can use sunflower oil.
You can increase the eggs for omelet according to your like I use 2 you can make the to 4 eggs.
  And make little thick omelet  if you make thin omelet it will brake and turn in to burji.
Once biriyani is fineshed keep it like that covered for another 15 to 20 minutes.
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Ambur Veg Biryani

Biryanis in South India is little different then North Indian biryani's. As this dish is not originated from India but very much popular In all over India and of course all over the world. In South India biryani recipes will change according to the region. In Tamilnadu biryani is much more popular in Muslim community. One of the most popular biryani in Tamil Nadu is Ambur Biryani. Ambur is a town in Vellore District of Tamil Nadu which comes on National Highway Chennai to Bengaluru. This town is famous for it's leather industry so Ambur is one of the important industrial area in Tamil Nadu. Apart from it's industrial impotence Ambur is very much popular for it's biryani. Ambur biriyani is developed by Arcot Nawabs, since this area is ruled by Arcot Nawabs.

                                                                        Ambur biriyani is originally made as a non-veg biryani with mutton or chicken and served with a non-veg gravy, onion raita and a sweet dish like gulab jamun, gajar ka halwa. This biryani is a must dish in Muslim weddings and special occasions. Specially rice they use for this biriyani is not basmathi rice they use jera samba (jeera rice) in the original recipe. This rice is a short grain rice which has a smells  like basmathi rice. So this rice is one important ingredient for this Ambur biryani and second thing is the masala which they freshly grind and add to the biryani.

                                                                So here I chanegs the very famous non-veg biryani to veg biryani.. Hubby said that is perfect the flavor and taste but only missing is meet in it :)
Any way let's check the recipe.........     
INGREDIENTS:-- Jeeraga samba Arisi (jeera rice)  ---  1 cup
Onion   -----   2 big
Tomato  ----  1 big
Soya chunks  ---  15 chunks
Red chilli paste  ---   1 tab sp
Ginger paste  ----   1 tea sp
Garlic paste  ---  1 tea sp
Mint leaves  ---  1 tab sp chopped
Coriander leaves  ----  1 tab sp chopped
Salt to taste
Water ---  2 cups
Curd   -----  3 tabsp
Lemon juice from one lemon
Cooking oil   ----   4 tab sp
cinnamon   ----  2 inch piece
Cloves   -----  4 cloves
Cardamom  ---  2
METHOD:--
For red chilli paste soak 6 red chillies in warm water for 10 minutes and grind in to a fine paste and set a side.
Soya chunks.. Boil water in a pan add soya chunks boil for a while and switch off the heat and leave them a side to double in size.
chop onion and tomato and keep them ready..
1. Now heat the oil in a pressure cooker when oil is hot add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom then add ginger garlic paste fry till raw smell goes.
2. Add red chilli paste and squeeze soya chunks and add them to masala and  mix well to coat the masala.
3. Now add onions fry till onions become transparent then add chopped tomato and cook till tomato become mushy.
4. Add chopped mint and coriander leaves, salt to taste mix well to combine every thing.
5. Add curd, lemon juice and two cups of water bring to a full boil.
6. Wash and drain all the water from rice, add to the boiling water mix well adjust the salt cover with cooker lid. cook in a medium heat for two whistles reduce the heat to low and leave it for 10 minutes.
Switch off the heat and leave it like that for ten more minutes then open.
Serve hot with raita.
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Sajja boorelu

Sajja boorelu this is one of the oldest traditional recipe from Andhra cuisine. Specially south regions of Andhra pradesh, people use bajra and sorghum in the place of rice. In my childhood we use to get this millets fresh bach in Sankranthi season. We use to have sorgham as pridge and my mother used to make rotis with sorgham flour. And  the other millet bajra, my grand mother used to make sajja boorelu. Specially for Sankranthi sajja boorelu, Ariselu, chekralu are must snacks at home, along with these snacks we kids enjoy regupandlu (Indian wild berrys) and sugar cane. Some times my grand mothe used to make regu vadalu (sundried pappad with Indian wild berries)
                                                                  Sajja boorelu is the recipe for this month ICC........ 


Lets check the recipe.......

Sajja pindi ---   500 gms

Jaggery  ----  200 gms grated

Grated coconut  ---  50 gms

Sesame seeds  ---  25 gms

Cardamom powder  ---  1 tea sp

Water for kneading the dough

Oil for deep frying.

METHOD:-

1. Add 1/2 cup water to jaggery and cook till jaggery completely melts, strain and allow it to cool till room temperature.

2. In a big mixing bowl take sajjapindi, grated coconut, sesame seeds, cardamom powder, add jaggery water to the flour mix well.

3. Now add little by little water and make a soft dough(just mix amd make a dough don't over knead the dough).

4. Take a banana leaf or a plastic cover apply a little ghee, take a big lemon size ball and press it in to a circle like a small puri (wet your fingers).

5. Heat oil in a deep frying pan, drop this sajja boorelu in to the hot oil and fry till golden

Store them in a air tight container.

Note:-- Jaggery water and water that we use for making the dough that should be warm not hot or cold water.

For Sajja pindi freshly ground flour in the mixee or in the mill will be good choice other then store brought flour.  

When we are making the boorelu with sajja pindi they turn in to dark brown color some people don't like that color so they add a little bit of saggu biyyam (sago) to the sajjalu  and grind in to a powder this will done in the mill we can not do this in the blender or mixee.

Aappam With Kadala Curry

Avery Happy New Year to all .
Iam going to start this new year with one of my favorite break fast recipe. Kerala aapam with kadala curry. This will be my first recipe for B.M 48 th edition under Nasta theme. When I saw this theme I didn't understand what nasta means. In India some regions people call breakfast as nasta, in some regions nasta is a snack which they have with evening tea, a bit confused right. what is nasta is it morning breakfast or evening tea time snack? or both. Finally I decided to post a mix of break fast recipes and teatime snack recipe...
                                                                  My first recipe for this theme is a break fast recipe from Kerala. Aapam and Kadala curry is a very popular breakfast in Kerala cuisine. There are many variations in this recipe, the recipe changes a little bit family to family. Aapam is quite popular in TamilNadu and Andra cuisines too but here the recipe changes a lot. Even in Kerala cuisine they have a different varieties of aapam recipes like Palappam. vellappam and few more like this.
Let's check the recipe.......

INGREDIENTS:---
Raw rice  ----  2 cups
Idli rice  ----  2 cups
Cooked rice  ---  1/2 cup
Grated coconut  ---  1 cup
Sugar    -----  1 tea sp
Salt to taste
Cooking soda  ---  1/2 tea sp

Yeast  ----  1/2 tea sp
METHOD:---
1. Soak both  rice in enough water for 4 hours.
2. Add cooked rice and grated coconut to the rice and grind in to a smooth paste, add salt mix well and set a side to ferment for 8 hours or over night.
3. Aapam batter should be in little thin consistency then dosa batter.
4. Add sugar to yeast with 1/4 cup of warm water let it rise and add this yeast mixture and cooking soda to the aapam batter just before making the aapams.
5. Heat a aapakadai in medium heat, spray little cooking oil and wipe with a kitchen towl.
6. Pour a laddle full aapam batter, hold the kadai with two hands and rotate the kadai in to circle to spread the batter till 1/4th of the aapakadai, cover with lid reduce the heat to low and cook till the middle of the aapam cooked.
7. Make sure the batter should be in thin consistency then dosa batter so that you can spread the batter with out the help of a laddle.
8. Remove the aapam from the pan and serve hot with kadala curry or with stew.
Note:---
1. Rice should soak at least for 4 hour 
2. In this recipe I used yeast to give air in the batter for those holes If you don't want to use yeast,
Save the coconut water when you break the coconut add a tab sp of sugar to that coconut water and leave a side for two days to ferment and add this fermented coconut water after you grind the batter, mix well and set a side the batter to ferment. these aapams will be more tastier the yeast ones.  
Check for Kadala curry recipe
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Muesli chocolate chip Cookies

I never make cookies with egg, but when ever I search for a cookie recipe I always find a recipe with eggs. Some how I take a step back baking cookies with egg. When I saw this recipe in Gayathri's blog bookmarked the recipe that time. Now I wanted to try that recipe and checked Gayathri's recipe she made them egg less then I checked the original recipe that is with egg. Will sure give a try to Gayathri's egg less version also. They are crisp and crunchy, not too sweet with chocolate flavor.
Let's check the recipe....  
INGREDIENTS:---
Muesli   ----   2 cups
Whole wheat flour  ----   1 cup
Baking soda  ----  1 tea sp
Salt  ----  1/2 tea sp
Sugar   ----   3/4 cup
Chocolate chips   ----  3/4 cup
Vanilla extract  ---  1 tea sp
Egg   -----  1
Butter   ---   1/2 cup melted
                                                         

METHOD:---
1. Mix flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl and set a side.
2. In a big mixing bowl beat melted butter, sugar and vanilla and egg and mix well
3. Add flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix well to combine very thing.
4. Add choco chips, muesli mix well and make small ball s out of this dough and press a little bit to flatten it.
5. Place these cookies on a lightly greased tray and bake them in a preheated oven at 175 Degree C for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Store in a air tight container.

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Banana Bread (with eggs)

I always bake Banana bread with out eggs, Because I know that mashed ripe banana will act like egg re placer. So no need of adding any eggs in the recipe and I never thought of adding eggs to a fruit based recipe. I don't know some how I am not accepting to mix  a fruit pure with egg. That is my sister she always bake these banana breads with eggs. She use to tell, try that and you will find a better texture and taste. I use to ask her for the recipe every time I will get one answer I don't have any perfect recipe I just add the ingredients like that. I don't know how she makes just like that. Specially baking measurements are most important when ever I bake I just follow the recipe. Other wise the final product will come out like a stone or like a halwa or some thing else. 
                                                                            I don't like ripe bananas not even ripe if I find a black dot on them then I don't eat as a fruit, but I use them in cooking. Again I don't like ripe bananas in fruit salads and fruit custard, I don't know I really heat that smell. If it is a very ripe banana also when you mix it with cake or bread ingredients that smell will disappear!!! 
                                                                           Before I used to make Mangalore buns with ripe bananas are they are going to trash when they are over ripe. After I found this Banana bread recipe with eggs or with out eggs There is now wastage of banana...
                                                     

                                                            

                                                                 
 Let's check the recipe...
Recipe adopted from here   
INGREDIENTS:---
All purpose flour  ---  1 3/4 cup
Baking soda  ---  1 and half tea sp
Salt   ----   3/4 tea sp
Eggs  ----  3 large
Sugar   -----   1 and half cups
Mashed ripe bananas  --  1 cup that is two large bananas (I used long yellow bananas)
Vegetable oil   ----  3/4 cup
METHOD:---
1. Preheat the oven at 180 degree C for 10 minutes.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda,salt in a mixing bowl to combine well.
3. Whisk Eggs, mashed banana, oil in a large bowl till smooth.
4. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture and just mix till combine well (don't over mix).
5. Pour the batter in to greased tins and smooth on top.
6. Bake this banana bread tins in a preheated oven for 60 minutes or till done insert the tooth pic and check if the tooth pic comes out clean you r banana bread is ready other wise you can keep it in the oven for few more minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and cool it on a wire rack then cut in to slices
You can enjoy this banana bread as it is or serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of a banana bread slice and garnish with chopped nuts and chocolate sauce serve it as a dessert yumm right?

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Balekai Menaskai (Raw Banana Curry)

To day I am going to take you all to Udupi to enjoy the flavors of One of the world famous Udupi Cuisine. One of the most popular vegetarian south Indian cuisine. This cuisine is developed by Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins who cook food for Lord Krishna of the Sri Krishna Matha, Udupi, Lord Krishna is offered different varieties of food every day. The cuisine is in satvik tradition of Indian vegetarian cusine using no onion , no garlic and of  course no meat. so the main ingredients in Udupi cuisine are vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, milk. The variety and range of dishes are wide and hallmark of the cuisine, most of the ingredients are locally available.
                                                                  There are many typical dishes in this traditional cuisin, Menaskai is one of them which is a sambar like gravy mostly made with fruits like pineapple, mango or with vegetables and grains. This is a must side dish in a full course meal  which is served on a plantainleaf on special occasions. Now here is the recipe for Balekai Menaskai (Raw Banana curry in Udupi style).
Let's check the recipe. 
INGREDIENTS:--
Raw banana ----  3 no.
Black channa  ----  1/4 cup
Toor dal  ----   1 tab sp
Tamarind  ---  golf ball size
jaggery  --- 1 tab sp grated
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder  --- 1/2 tea sp
FOR MASALA:--
Coriander seeds  -- --  2 tea sp
Cumin seeds  ----  3/4 tea sp
Urad dal  ---   1/2 tea sp
Channa dal   ----  1/2 tea sp
Fenugreek seeds  ----  1/4 tea sp
dry red chilli  ----  4
Curry leaves   ----  few
Grated coconut  ---  3/4 cup
Oil ---  2 tea sp
Mustard seeds   ---- 1/2 tea sp
Urad dal   ----  1/2 tea sp
Cumin seeds  ---  1/4 tea sp
Curry leaves   ----  1 spring.
METHOD:---
1. Peel the skin of raw banana and cut in to small cubes, Keep these raw banana pieces immersed in salted water and set a side.
2. Soak tamarind in water for 10 minutes and extract the thick juice and set a side.
3. Pressure cook black channa and toor dal till soft and set a side.
4. Heat one tea sp oil in a pan and fry coriander seeds, cumin seeds, urad dall, channa dal, fenugreek seeds, red chillis, and curry leaves one by one till golden.
5. Grind all those ingredients with grated coconut in to a semi fine paste with little water and set a side.
6. Drain the water from raw banana pieces, add fresh water, turmeric powder, jaggery and bring to full boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook till banana pieces become soft.
7. Once banana pieces are cooked add cooked black channa, toor dal, masala paste, salt to taste add little water and bring to  full boil and switch off the heat.
8. Heat remaining oil in a pan add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dall fri till golden then add curry leaves and add this seasoning to Balekai Menskai (Raw banana curry).
Notes: ---  You can use pineapple, little ripe mango for making this curry.
Keep the flame low and fry the masala ingredients to prevent burning.
coconut should not grind in to fine paste keep it little coarse.
Make sure the banana pieces are well cooked before you add masala other wise it is very difficult to cook banana pieces( they take more time to cook) by the time masala flavor will go off...
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Avarekalu Saaru

Today we are going to start another BM for this BM my theme for the first week one state different cuisines. In India we have 29 states each state has different regions with different cultures. the cuisine of each state changes according to it's regions. Karnataka is one of the Indian states with different regions and cultures. My choice for the first recipe is from Bangaluru. Some how Iam very much attached to Bengaluru. May be because I lived in this garden city for almost 15 years!!. any way coming to the recipe.
                                                                     Avarekalu Saaru is one of the most popular dish in winter season here. Because that is the season for this Avarekalu, if you visit Bangaluru in winter you can find lot's of  fresh avarekalu every corner of the street. They make lot's of variety dishes with this beans. Kannadigas  just love to have them in every meal in the season. The dishes like Avarekalu akki tari uppitu, Avarekalu akki rotti, Avarekalu palya, avarekalu saaru, Avarekalu sambar many more like this. This Avarekalu saaru is a favorite with ragi mudde all over Karnataka specially in Bangaluru and my husband is a die hard fan of this combination. There are many variation in this saaru recipe, some may add onion, ginger, garlic. My recipe is no onion and no garlic recipe which I got from a friend of mine.
Lets check the recipe...
Avarekalu in Kannada,
In English  Lima or Hyacinth beans
In Tamil  Mochai, Surati pappdi in Gujarath Val beans in Marathi, Anapa ginjalu in Telugu
                                                                

INGREDIENTS:---
Avarekalu  ---  2 cups
Tomatoes  ---  2 big cut in to two
Grated fresh coconut ---  1/4 cup
Green chillies  ----   6 or according to your taste
Rasam powder   ----  3 tea sp
Cumin seeds  ---  1 tea sp
Turmeric powder  ---  1/2 tea sp
Fresh coriander leaves  --  1 cup
Salt to taste
Ghee  ---  1 tea sp
Mustard seeds  ---  1 tea sp
                                                                     

METHOD:--
1. Take tomatoes, green chillies, avarekalu in to a pressure cooker add some salt and 3 cups of water and cook for two whistles switch off the heat and let it cool.
2. Take out the tomatoes, green chillies and two tab sp of Avarekalu and allow them to cool.
Set a side the remaining boiled avarekalu along with the water.
3. Grind grated fresh coconut, cumin seeds, rasam powder, cooked tomatoes, green chillies and  avarekalu with fresh coriander leaves, turmeric powder and rasam powder. Add little water and make a smooth paste.
4. Add this masala to the avarekalu which we set a side with water taste and adjust salt. If require add little more water and bring to a full boil, turn down the heat to low and cook for 5 more minutes.
5. Heat ghee in a pan add mustard let them splutter then add this seasoning to the Avarekalu saru and switch off the heat.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Serve hot with steamed rice or Ragi mudde.
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Cumin Cookies (Sweet and Salt)

My today recipe for Bakeathon is cookie recipe, with a different taste and flavor. These cookies are with mixed taste of sweet, salt and with cumin flavor. I always bake this cookies for my father but with out cumin seeds. My father enjoys his evening tea with snacks like muruku, vampoosa, cookies like this,  but he don't eat heavy snacks like vada, bajji, bonda. My father says they make him full so it's very difficult to have dinner. So always my mother and me will keep this muruku like snacks ready. I remember my mother used to bake cookies on a tawa and she always bake her cakes in pressure cooker. Now she is not able to do so much work, poor amma she have done a lot for us.   Last time when I was baking them wanted make them little more interesting.
So lets check the recipe
INGREDIENTS:---
All purpose 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 
                                                    

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 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 cumin flavored cookies in a air tight container.
Enjoy the sweet and salty cumin flavored cookies with a cup of tea.

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Vanilla Sponge Cake (Eggless)

Bake-a thon this is the other marathon started by Valli. This bakeathon is going on at her place from few years every year in December. But some how I couldn't take part in this every year, may be because I stop baking for some time. May be focusing more on bm recipes or because of my health reasons any way finally I joined this group. 
                                                                                       Now coming to my first recipe for this Bakeathon is one of the oldest recipe which I have note down from a Telugu magazine long back (before my marriage that is almost 24 years back) and I tried it for two or three times in my round oven. Yes round oven I used to have that, which I got as a first gift from my husband and I used it for long time. Those days I bake only two recipes they were simple vanilla cake with eggs and the second one is a chocolate cake. I used to mix some coco powder in the same vanilla cake recipe that was my chocolate cake. Other then these two cakes I bake this egg less cake, but comparative to that vanilla cake this egg less cake gets less marks every time because that is with eggs. I didn't find much difference but my husband says that If one is addicted to this normal cakes which are with eggs they cannot accept egg less cakes it seems, I don't know this but I can enjoy both. 
So let's check the recipe..:) 
INGREDIENTS:-
All purpose flour (maida) ---  250 grams
Condensed milk  ----   400 grams (one tin I used milkmaid )
Baking powder  ---  2 tea sp
Baking soda  ---  1 tea sp
Milk   ---  1 cup
Butter   ---  100 grams
Vanilla essence  ---  few drops
                                                               

METHOD:--
1. Shift the flour,baking powder, baking sods for two times and set a side.
2. Mix milk, vanilla essence and set a side.
3. Grease a baking tin with little butter and dust with flour and set a side
4. Preheat the oven at 180 degree C for 20 minutes.
5. In a mixing bowl take butter and condensed milk beat for few seconds.
6. Now add half milk to the butter and condensed milk mixture and beat for one second.
7. Then add half of the flour mix well to combine well, Now add little more milk and mix well.
8. Now add remaining flour and mix well, then add remaining milk and mix well to combine every thing, Do not over beat the batter just mix well to combine every thing.
That means add milk and flour little by little alternately and mix well.
9. Pour the batter in to the greased baking tin and bake the cake at 175 degree C for 45 minutes.
This baking time depends on you oven heat mine took 45 minutes so keep an eye on your oven while baking. 
10. Remove from oven and cool it on a wire rack then cut it in to pieces.

Bake-a-thon 2014

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Lebanese Macarouns

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

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

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

Garlicky Red Bell Pepper Dip

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

Broccoli And Almond Soup

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

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

4. Now bring back the broccoli puree to the pan.
5. Add remaining milk and cream cook on a low heat, bring to full boil and switch off the heat.
6. Add salt and crushed black pepper mix well and serve hot top with cream and sprinkle sliced almonds.
I served with sun dried tomato and basil bread
Let's check Blogging Marathon page

Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Loaf

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

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

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

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

Rajasthani Badaam Halwa

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

                                                                    

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

Nimmakaya Pachadi (Lemon Pickle)

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

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

 

Let's check Blogging Marathon page

Lemon Methi Rice

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

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

Let's check the recipe

INGREDIENTS:--

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

Onion  ---  1 medium chopped

Lemon juice  ---  2 tab sp

Oil   ----  2 tab sp

Ground nuts ---  1/4 cup

Musterd seeds  ---  1/4 tea sp

Channa dal  ----  1/2 tea sp

Dry red chillies  ---  2 broken

Curry leaves  --- 1 spring

Salt to taste

Grated coconut  --- 1/2 cup

Green chillies  ---  3

Lemon juice  --  2 tea sp

Turmeric powder  ---  1/2 tea sp

Rice  ---  1 cup

METHOD:---

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

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

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

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

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

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

Serve with onoin pakoda or mirchi bajji
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Nimmakaya Pappucharu

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

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

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

Let's check the recipe...

INGREDIENTS:--

Tur dall  ---  1 cup

Chikkudu kayalu  ---  250 gms

Turmeric powder   --- 1/4 tea sp

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder  ----  1 tea sp

For seasoning:-----

Oil  --- 1 tab sp

Mustard seeds  ---  1/2 tea sp

Urad dal   ---  1 tea sp

Cumin seeds  --- 1/2 tea sp

Dry red chillies  -- 2 broken

Curry leaves one spring

METHOD:---

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

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

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

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

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

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