Lapsi

I again joined in Blogging Marathon. I don't want to miss this marathon because I learnt a lot from this.Last month I missed this but this month again I am in the marathon
Rajasthan the land of King's, palaces and Desert. Rajasthani cuisine is very much influenced by life style and availability of ingredients. Most of the Rajasthani recipes they could last for several days and could be eaten with out heating. So for this month's marathon I have choosen my theme Regional Recipes from Rajasthan.
Sweet dishes are never referred as a dessert in Rajasthani cuisine, because Rajasthani sweets are had before, during and after the meal. There are a wide range of sweet dishes in Rajasthani cuisine, Sweets are relished as much as the spicy curries.Sweet dishes have an importent place in Rajasthani meal. In that list Lapsi is one of the famous and traditional sweet dish in Rajasthan.Let's check how to make Lapsi in Rajasthani style.......

INGREDIENTS:---
Lapssi (broken weat) --- 1 cup
Sugar ----- 1 cup or you can use 3/4 cup grated jaggery
Hot water --- 2 1/2 cups
Almonds -- 2 chopped (I used 10 cashew nuts)
Raisins ---- 10 no.
Ghee --- 3/4 cup

METHOD:---
1.Heat ghee in a thick bottom pan and add broken weat to ghee, fry till it turns in to pinkish color.
2. Add 2 cups of hot water mix well, cover and cook in alow flame till all the water evaporated and lapsi is almost done.
3. Add sugar mix well add remaining 1/2 cup water mix well.
4. Now place a tawa under the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for 8-10 minutes, mix in between when ghee starts oozing from the sides of the pan remove from heat.
5. Garnish with blanched almonds or fried cashew nuts and risins and serve hot.

Lets check what the othe marathoners are blogging to day

Iyengar Bakery Khara Biscuits For ICC

I am back with ICC recipe. I could'nt post my recipes from last 2 months and I missed last months ICC too. This month I don't want to miss the challenge because it's my all time favorite. Thanks to Champa for this mouth watering recipe.I just love those Iyengar bakerys benne biscuit,masale toast and khara bun.I enjoyed baking this flavour full biscuits. Thanks to Valli for choosing this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:----
All purpose flour(maida) --- 2 cups (250 g.)
Butter ----- 1/3 cup (50g.)
Sugar ---- 4 tsp (20g.)
Salt ---- 1 tsp (5 g.)
Green chillies ---- 2
Coriander leaves --- 1 tab sp chopped
Yogurt or Curd ---- 2 tab sp

METHOD:----
1. Pre heat the oven at 170 c.
2. Grease the baking tray with little butter or oil and leave a side.
3.Shift flour,salt in to a mixing bowl and set aside
4. Take butter(make sure your butter should be at room temperature) and sugar in a other bowl, beat well till sugar and butter turns creamy.
5. Add curd to butter and sugar mixture continue to beat.
6. Now add flour and salt, mix slowly with your hands mixwell
7.Mix well to combine every thing. In this stage you feel that the dough is stiff then add 1 more tbsp cured and mix well
8.Add chopped green chillies and coriandr leaves to the dough and mix well to combine every thing.
9.Roll the dough in to 1/4 in thick circle and cut with cookie cutter
10.Place them on the greased baking tray and bake for 15 minutes at 170 c
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.Transfer this crisp spicy biscuits in a air tight container.
We enjoyed this yummy biscuits with Mango juice

Happy Ugadi

ఖర నామ సంవత్సర శుభాకాంక్షలు

HAPPY UGADI TO ALL

Suruttai Poli

The recipe sounds like Kajjikayalu but shape lookes like rolled puri with a sweet filling.This is a very new recipe to me, Suruttai Poli this months Recipe for Indian cooking challenge,this recipe was shared by Nithya's mom a big thanks to her for this new and delicious recipe.when you making this polis one thing you have to keep in your mind is spread the filling and rool the puries when they are hot other wise they become crispy and you may not able to rool the puri.And don't fry the puri till golden color remove the puries white. Thank you Valli for choosing this recipe for this months challenge.

Ingredients for the filling:--- Roasted gram (putnalu,Veyinchina senaga pappu, chetney pappu, daliya dal) Roasted gram --- 1 cup Sugar -- 1 cup Cashew nuts -- 20 Grated coconut -- 1 tab sp Ghee -- 1 tea sp Cardamom --- 3 Method for filling:--- 1. Chop cashew nuts in to small pieces. 2. Grind roasted gram,sugar, cardamom in to a coarse powder. 3. Heat ghee in fry pan add cashew pieces and fry till glonden then add grated coconut give anice stir,Remove from the heat immediately. 4. Add gram and sugar mixture to fried cashew,coconut mix wel to com bine every thing,cover and leave a side. Ingredients for papad(puri):-- Maida -- 1 cup(all purpose flour) Water -- for mixing the dough aprox.1/4 cup Salt -- a pinch Oil for frying 1. Take maida,salt mix wel to combine the add water little by little and knead a stiff dough. this should be in a puri dough consistency.Cover and leave it a side for 30 minutes. 2. Pinch a small potion from this dough and make golfe ball size balls. 3. Rol this balls in to thin circles,prick with a fork to make sure the puries shouldn't puff up when we fry them in ahot oil. 4. Roll all the puries and spread them on a paper,leave them aside for 10 minutes. 5.Heat oil in a deep frying pan till the smoking stage the reduce the heat and slowly drop the puries in to the hot oil. 6. Turn the puri other side make sure that the didn't change the color they must be in white in color. They shoul be flexible when you remove from the oil not crispy. 7.Remove from the oil and spread 1 tab sp filling immediately on the puri and roll it tightly and place it fold side down in a serving plate.

Baked Egg On Spinach And Mushroom Rice

This recipe was in my draft from long time.Today we are little busy with some guests so could't make any special for our marathon.Then I remember that I have this recipe in my draft. I tried this rice recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor.com.I made it for my husband s lunch box,he enjoyed it.Cooked rice stir fried with mushrooms and spinach with light creamy flavour makes a one bowl meal.First time I toped This rice with egg,Second time I served with fried chicken that toping also a great hit so lets check how I made it.....

INGREDIENTS:--
Cooked rice -- 1 cup
Egg -- 1
Butter --- 1 tab sp
Olive oil -- 1 tea sp
Garlic --- 3 cloves chopped
Onion -- 1 small chopped
Button mushrooms --- 8 cut in to 4 pieces
Sweet corn kernls -- 1 tab sp
Fresh green peas -- 1/2 tab sp
Spinach -- 1 cup roughly chopped
Salt --- 1tea sp
Black pepper powder -- 1 te asp
Fresh cream --- 1 tab sp (optional)
Parmesan cheese -- 1 tab sp grated
Spring onion grean part -- 1 tab sp for garnishing.
METHOD:---
1. Heat butter and oil in a pan add chopped garlic, onion fry for 2 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms let then sweat, then add corn kernels,green peas,chopped spinac,salt,cover and cook in alow heat for 5 minutes.
3.After 5 minutes give anice stir then add cooked rice, pepper powder mix well to combine every thing.
4.Add cream give a good stir and transfer the mixture in to a Microwave baking dish.
5. In the meanwhile preheat the oven at 180 degree C.
6. sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the rice and break the egg over it,sprinkle choped spring onion green part.
If you want to use 2 or more eggs then break the eggs one by one over the rice and let them settle a little distance from each other.
7.Place the dish in the pre heated oven and set the heat at microwave medium and cook it for 5 minutes or till the eggs set.
Serve hot or you can cook it in a microwave safe lunch box,can reheat at lunch time and enjoy this
30 Minutes Meals:Priya Mahadavan, Pavani,
Seven Days of Salad: lla, Divya Vikram,
For Ongoing 7 Events: Priya Suresh, Suma Gandlur, Harini
Kids Friendly: Vatsala, Kamalika, Jay
Seven Days of Rice: Veena Krishnakumar, Priya Vaasu, Padma Rekha,

Vangi Bath

Vangibath is one of the favorite break fast at my mothers place.Amma use to make this for our lunch box.How and from where she learnt this even she don't know.But she is making this mouth watering vangibath from more then 30 years.Till to day the flavour and texture didn't change I think that is experience.when ever I have this in my lunch box my friends flock and finish within seconds finally I use ate there lunch box in the college.I can eat this any time in the day and I don't want any side dish for this just with sliced onion and some curd.But Amma use to serve this with boiled egg and onion raitha. So here is the recipe from my mother, my favourite VangiBath.

INGREDIENTS:---
Rice -- 2 cups
Brinjal --- 250 gm.
Potatoes --- 2 medium
Oil -- 1 tab sp
Salt -- 1 tea sp
Ghee -- 1 tea sp
For masala :--
Cinnamon -- 1 inch stick
Cloves --- 4
Poppy seeds -- 2 tea sp
Red chillies --- 6-8 or according to your taste
MRTHOD:---
1. Spak rice in 4 cups waterfor 1/2 hour and cook till done.
2.Spread the rice in wide plate to cool.
3.Fry all ingredients for masala in a frying pan with a drop of oil for.First fry red chillies for 1 minute remove and keep a side then fry other ingredients in alow flame for 2 minutes remove and let it cool
4. Grind masala ingredients in to corse powder and keep a side.
5. Now peel potato and cut in to 1 inch cubes
6. Heat oil in a fring pan add potato pieces with a pinch of salt cover and cook in a low heat stir in between
7. In the meanwhile cut brinjal in to 1 inch pieces and add brinjal pieces to potato pieces sprinkle 1/4 tea sp salt cover and cook in a low flame, stir in between.
8.cook potato and brinjal pieces till tender, colden in color.Remove the lid add half masala powder give a nice stir,cook for a few seconds.
9.Add cooked rice,remaining salt,remaining masala powder,ghee cover and switch off the heat and leave it like that till you serve.
10. Just before serving mix well to combine every thing well serve with sliced onion and boild egg.
30 Minutes Meals:Priya Mahadavan, Pavani,
Seven Days of Salad: lla, Divya Vikram,
For Ongoing 7 Events: Priya Suresh, Suma Gandlur, Harini
Kids Friendly: Vatsala, Kamalika, Jay
Seven Days of Rice: Veena Krishnakumar, Priya Vaasu, Padma Rekha,

Paramannam

Atraditional South Indian sweet dish made with rice, jaggery, milk and flavoured with cardamom powder. Usually served as a prasadam(offering to God) in festival times and many auspiciuos daysThere are many name in telugu for this traditional sweet rice.Paramannam,bellam paramannam,Annam payasam these all names goes to Andhra version of chekkarapogal.Amma made this delicious Paramannam for Sivaratri.Here is the recipe how she made it.

INGREDIENTS:--
Rice --- 1 cup
Moong dal --- 1/4 cup
Milk -- 2&1/2 cups +1 cup water
Jaggery --- 1&1/2 cup grated or you can use sugar also
Cashew nuts --- 10 broken
Raisins --- 15
Dry coconut pieces --- 1 tab sp (1/2 inch pieces)
Cardamom powder --- 1/2 tea sp
Ghee -- 1/4 cup
METHOD:---
1. Soak rice and dal in 1 cup water for half an hour.
2. In the meanwhile heat ghee in a frying pan add broken cashew nuts fry till golden remove and leave a side then fry raisins and coconut pieces one by one till golen remove and leave a side.
3. Add milk to the rice and dal mixture, cook till rice and dal became very soft and almost mashy.
4.Now add grated jaggery or sugar here I want to tell you about using jaggery in this recipe.Here in Andhrapredesh we get jaggery blocks means they mould the syrup in wodden moulds so there are very less chances of impurites.We add grated jaggery directly no need of making syrup and straining.
If you have a doubt then heat jaggery in 1/2 cup water cook till jaggery melts remove from heat and strain in to the other pan bring back to heat and boil till you get a sticy syrup approx.4-5 minutes remove from heat and let it cool then add to the cooked rice and dal mixture otherwise milk might split.
5.After ading the jaggery cook in a low heat till it reaches porridge like consistency and rice blend well with jaggery or sugar.
6. Remove from heat add fried cashew,raisins,coconut pieces along with ghee, cardamom powder mix well.
Serve warm or cold.
Let's check what our friends are cooking.....
30 Minutes Meals:Priya Mahadavan, Pavani,
Seven Days of Salad: lla, Divya Vikram,
For Ongoing 7 Events: Priya Suresh, Suma Gandlur, Harini
Kids Friendly: Vatsala, Kamalika, Jay
Seven Days of Rice: Veena Krishnakumar, Priya Vaasu, Padma Rekha,

Ghee Rice

Yesterday i was typing the mint rice recipe Amma asked me what are you doing.I explained her about our blogging marathan and my theme.She is very exited and ready to give her special recipes for our marathon.Here I want to tell you all about my mothers cooking she never use any measurement cups and spoons,never maintained a book or diary to store her recipes.she is famous for her pickles and pulihora,ravakesari.My mother likes North Indian food but she never made any north Indian recipe.This Ghee Rice recipe amma made for our lunch to day with soya chunks Kurma.This ghee rice is a special dish in my family amma use to make this for special occations and she use fresh home made ghee for this, that aroma makes us more hungry.Potato kurma is the best combination for this rice.
This is my 2nd post for blogging Marathon#3 for group 2. Let's check how amma made this delicious Ghee Rice.

INGREDIENTS:--
Rice -- 2 cups
Ghee(clarified butter) --- 4 tab sp
Onion -- 1 medium thinely sliced
Green chillies -- 3 slit in to two
Ginger garlic paste --- 1 tea sp
Cinnamon -- 1 inch stick
cloves --- 4
Cardamom --- 3
Cashew nuts --- 10 broken
Salt --- 1&1/2 tea sp or according to your taste
Coriander& mint leaves --- 1/4 cup finely chopped
METHOD:--
1. Wash and soak rice in 4 cups water for half an hour
2. Heat a thick bottomed pan or pressure cooker,pour ghee and fry the cashew nuts in to golden color remove and keep aside.
3. Add cinnamon.cloves,cardamom to the same ghee let them popup.
4. Add sliced onion and green chilies fry till onion turns in to golden.
5.Now add ginger garlic paste,half chopped coriander and mint leaves give a good stir.
6.Drain the water from rice in to another bowl(we are going to use this water to cook rice so don't throw the water).Add rice fry about 3 minutes.
7.Now add the water,salt mix well cover and cook till done in a low flame.
If you are using pressure cooker then cook it for 2 whistles swith off the heat and leave it like that for some time.
Just before serving add fried cashew nuts and chopped coriander and mint leaves mix well and serve hot with any Kurma and rita.
Now let's check what our friend are cooking.
30 Minutes Meals:Priya Mahadavan, Pavani,
Seven Days of Salad: lla, Divya Vikram,
For Ongoing 7 Events: Priya Suresh, Suma Gandlur, Harini
Kids Friendly: Vatsala, Kamalika, Jay
Seven Days of Rice: Veena Krishnakumar, Priya Vaasu, Padma Rekha,

Mint Rice

Hello every body I am back to blogging after a small break.We moved to India.It's a sudden change and we reached safely home.After I came hear yesterday I checked my mails and found a mail from srivalli there she announced blogging marathon for 7 day and this time she reduce the member to 12.When I saw that I decided I am not going to run the marathon this time.But surprising Valli made 2 groups for this marathon and I was very happy to run in the second group.This time I choosed the theme Rice.So for this 7 days i am going to post 7 different rice recipe hope you all like my recipes. thank s to Valli for creating group 2 I am going to enjoy doing this blogging marathon.
Let's check what our other friends were doing..
Divya Vikram, Harini, Jay, Kamalika, lla, Padma, Priya Mahadevan, Priya Suresh, Priya Vasu, Suma, Veena, , Vatsala , Pavani

Fresh mint leave -- 1 cup
Green chillies -- 3
Garlic -- 5 cloves
Grated fresh coconut -- 1 tab sp
Onion -- 1 small chopped
Lemon juice -- 1 tab sp
Rice --- 1&1/2 cup
salt -- 1 tea sp
Oil or ghee -- 1 tab sp
Cloves --- 4
Cardamom --- 3
Cinnamon -- 1 inch piece
1. Soak rice in 3 cups of water for half an hour and cook rice till done.Spread cooked rice on a plate let it cool.If you are using pressure cooker then cook the rice for 1 whistle,let the pressure leaves, removethe rice from cooker and spread in a plate.
2. Take mint leaves,coconut,green chillies,garlic cloves,onion and add lemon juice grind in to a paste.
3. Heat oil or ghee in a fry pan add cloves,cardamom,cinnamon let them popup then add mint paste,give a nice stir.
4. Add salt,rice to the mint mixture mix well to combine every thing,remove from heat cover and leave it like that for some time.
5. Mix well before serving, serve hot with any raita.
This flavour full mint rice goes to our dear frien PJ s Herbs and Flower in my platter- Mint

Cheese Cauliflower Kofta Curry

I don't like kofta curry but like to have fried koftas.When ever I make kofta curry I add koftas just before I serve so that koftas will stay crisp.Generally i make kofta's with bottle gourd or potato. I saw this cheese cauliflower koftas in Raks Kitchen book marked but didn't get time to make them.When jaya announced bloggers marathon for Rak's kitchen then I decided to make this delicious cheese cauliflower koftas for her event. They are realy just melting in the mouth. Raji of raks kitchen is one of my buddy blogger who is alway attracts me with her beautiful and bright pictures and her traditional tamilnadu recipes. Thank you so much Raji for this mouth melting kofta recipe we just enjoyed it.I fallowed the recipe with very little changes here I go..

For Koftas:--
Cauliflower --- 2 cups grated
Potatoes -- 3 medium size boiled and mashed
Cornflour --- 1&1/2 tab sp
Garam masala --- 1/4 teea sp
Chat masala -- 1/4 tea sp
Pepper powder -- 1/4 tea sp
Baking powder --- 1 pinch
Salt -- 3/4 tea sp
Oil -- for deep frying
Cheese stick --- 1 cut in to 8 pieces.
1. Boil potatoes I boiled them in Microwave, peel the skin and mash them well make sure there is no water in potato mash.
2.Heat 1 tea sp oil in a pan add grated cauliflower and cover and cook in a low flame for 5 minutes.
3.Mix mashed potatoes,cauliflower,corn flour,pepper powder,salt,garam masala,chat masala,baking powder mix well with your hands.
4. Make small ball and make a depression in the middle keep the cheese piece and close give a ball shape again.
5.Heat oil in a deep frying pan and drop the balls slowly, deep fry the balls till nice golden brown color.
6. Remove the deep fried balls from oil and place them on a kitchen tissue and leave a side.
ForGravy:--
Tomato puree -- 1 cup
Oil ---- 2 tea sp
Cumin seeds --- 1 tea sp
Ginger --- 1 tea sp chopped
Ginger paste --- 1 tea sp
Garam masala powder --- 1/2 te asp
Red chilli powder --- 1/2 te asp
Coriander powder --- 1 te asp
Milk --- 1 cup
Cream --- 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves --- 4 tab sp chopped
Method:---
1.Heat oil in a pan add cumin seeds let them popup then add chopped ginger and ginger paste fry for a while.
2. Add tomato puree give a nice stir,then add red chilli powder,coriander powder,garam masala powder salt mix well and cook till the moisture evaporates and masala leaves the oil from sides.
3. now add 1 cup water mix well and cook till you can see the oil on top, cook in a low flame, this will take 5 minutes.
4. Add chopped coriander leaves, keep the flame in low heat add milk and cream mix well.
5. Add koftas switch off the flame and serve hot
Serve hot with roti or rice.
We enjoyed this delicious curry with rice and puri.
This is my entry for Blogger's Marathon - Rak's kitchen at Jayasri s Samayal arai

Cabbage and Egg Fried Rice

I am not a big fan of fried rice since it is not spicy like Biriyani or pulao.My husband is a great fan of fried rice,if it is vegetarian or with chicken.When ever I ask him for his choice for lunch(we don't eat rice for dinner) always his choice will be fried rice.Yestarday I have cabbage left in the fridge so I thought of making kuttu but hubby dear wants to eat fried rice when I said there is no other vegetables,he told me to make with only with cabbage that's it no other choice for me I have to make fried rice. Here is the recipe how I made it....

For Rice:--
Rice --- 1&1/2 cup
Water ---- 3 cups
Oil --- 1 tea sp
Salt ---- 1/2 tea sp
Wash rice and pour 3 cups water add salt,oil and soak for 20 minutes.
Now cook rice till done.
Spread rice in wide plate to cool and leave a side.
By the time cut the vegetables
Vegetables for this rice:--
Spring onion --- 1/2 cup chopped
Garlic ---- 1 tab sp chopped
Ginger --- 1/2 tab sp chopped
Cabbage --- 1 cup chopped or shreded in to thin pieces.

Other Ingredients I Used:--

Soya sauce --- 1 tab sp

Salt --- 1/2 tea sp

Pepper powder --- 1 te asp

Eggs --- 4 you can reduce the eggs as you like

Oil -- 1 tabsp

1. Break eggs in to a big bowl,add a pinch salt,a pinch pepper powder and whisk well to blend the egg white and yolk in to a homogeneous liquid.

2. Heat little oil in a pan, pour egg mixture and leave it like that till egg mixture starts setting lightly.

3.With a spoon strat to scrape the eggs from the edge of the pan to the center, forming large soft curds.

4.Continue scraping your spoon along the bottom of the pan to redistribute the eggs as they cook.

5.When the egg s look wet but are no longer liqied,gently mound the eggs in to the center of the pan and switch off the heat, leave the eggs like that.

6.Now heat oil in a frying pan add garlic,ginger and fry for a while then add spring onion, cabbage,salt fry till the cabbage become tender,don't over cook the cabbage the crispyness of the cabbage should remain this will take 5-7 minutes. in a high flame keep strring.

7.Then add srumbled eggs, rice,pepper powder,soya sauce stirr well to combine every thing remove from heat.

8. Garnish with chopped spring onion green part serve hot.

Serve with any side dish like gobi munchurian or chilli garlic sauce I served it with mixed vegetable and oats balls and chilli garlic sauce, check out my Bottle gaoud munchurian recipe.

Gujarati Dal From Sukham Ayu For Indian Cooking Challenge

Gujarati dal... that is the recipe for this month s Indian Cooking Challenge. This recipe was choosen by Sri valli from Jigyasa Giri& Pratibha two proud Authors of The Ayurvedic cook book-Sukham Ayu,Which is the winner of the 2nd place for best health and Nutrition book in the World 2009.This Gujarati dal recipe is from there book,In this book they give many healthy recipes and Ayurvedic tips too.Thanks to both of them for sharing this recipe with us and big thank to Sri valli for choosing this delicious recipe.

Comming to the recipe Gujarati dal is a simple and little sweet and tangy lentil curry which is a perfect combination with rice and roti .This recipe contains drumstick and yam,kokam since I am living in Libya here I don't get those ingredients so I skiped them and just fallowed the recipe and here I go....
INGREDIENTS:---
Split red gram/red lentils/Toor dal -- 3/4 cup
Turmeric powder -- 1/2 tea sp
Few drops of oil
Drumstick -- 2 cut in to 3 inch pieces(I didn't use this)
Yam --- 4-5 pieces i inch pieces(I didn't use this)
Hard dry dates --- 4
Raw Groundnuts --- 1 tab sp
Green chillies -- 4 slit
Ginger -- 1 inch piece grated
Soft dry Kokam -- 4-5 pieces or tamarind pulp 2 tab sp (I used tamarind pulp)
Jaggery --- 1 tab sp
Coriander powder -- 1 tea sp
Roasted cumin powder -- 1/2 tea sp
Garam masala -- 1/4 tea sp
Coriander leaves -- 1tab sp chopped
Salt --- 1 tea sp or according to your taste.

For Seasoning :---
Ghee -- 1 tea sp
Mustard seeds -- 1/2 tea sp
Fenugreek seeds -- 1/4 tea sp
Cumin seeds --1/2 tea sp
Dry red chilies -- 2 broken
Asafoetida -- a pinch
Curry leaves --- 1Spring.
METHOD:---
1. Wash and soak dal in enough water for half an hour then add turmeric powder and oil to dal and cook till dal become soft.
If you would like to cook it in a preasure cooker then cook the dal for 2-3 whistles.
2.Remove the dal from heat and mash well.
3. By the time soak dry dates in hot water for 10 minutes
4. In a other pan take drumstick pieces,yam pieces add 1 cup of water and cook till the vegetables are tender.
5.Now add mashed dal to the vegetables fallowed by all other ingredients exept garam masala,coriander leaves and seasoning .
6.Add 1 cup water and cook in a low flame for 15 more minutes stir in between.
7.At the same time heat ghee in a small pan add mustard seeds,let them popup then add fenugreek,cumin seeds, broken red chillies,asafoetida and curry leaves.
8.Pour this seasoning into the dal and cook for another 5 minutes.
9.Remove the dal from heat and add garam masala mix well and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with rice or roti.

Hereford Apple Dumplings

To day is the last day of 7day Blogging Marathon and I wanted to close this marathon with a sweet dish. In British cuisine there are many sweet dishes like cakes,biscuits,pastries,pies and Dumplings.In British cuisine Dumplings are baked pastry stuffed with some fruits and jam or marmalade.Among those dumpling Hereford Apple Dumpling are most popular in British cuisine.Hereford is a towm in the border between England and Wales.Hereford is famous for it's Apples, many delicious dishes with Apple was born in this place.Imagine a crunchy pastry stuffed with lightly cooked apple with wonderfull flavour of cinnamon and sultanas ummmm delicious we enjoyed them as it is, if you like you can serve them with Ice cream or cream or marmalade sause.
Today is the finel day of Blogging Marathon so let's check what our friends are doing..
Srivalli,
Azeema, Bhagi, Champa, Gayathri Anand, Gayathri Kumar, Harini, Jay, Kamalika, Meena, Mina, Padma, PJ, Priya Mahadevan, Priya Suresh, Priya Vasu, Rujuta, Santosh, Saraswathi, Savitha, Shanavi, Smitha, Sowmya, Suma, Usha, Veena

INGREDIENTS:---
Flour -- 125 g
Butter --- 55 g
Salt a pinch
Cold water --3 tab sp that is 45 ml
Apples -- 2
Grated rind of an orange
Coarse caster sugar -- 4 tea sp
Sultanas or risins -- 50 g
Marmalade --- 4 tea sp I used orange marmalade
Sugar and milk for glazing
METHOD:---
1. Take flour,salt,butter in a mixing bowl rub well with your hand till it turns in to bread crumbs texture.
2. Then add water and make a frim dough and wrap the dough in a grease paper and leave it in the fridge for 10 minutes this helps to bake pastry more crisp.
3. Roll the pastry dough ad long as possible that should be 1/2 inch thick and cut the rolled pastry in to 6 inch squares and leave a side.
4. Preheat the oven at 200 degree c or 400 degree F or gas mark 6
5. Peel and core the apples don't cut them in to half leave them whole.
6. Sprinkle 1 tea sp sugar on each pastry
7. Combine the sultanas with grated orange rind and marmalade and fill it in the center of the appeles.
8. Place the apple in the middle of the pastry.
9. Wet the edges of the pastry with little milk and gather up the edges to enclose the apple and seal the edges tightly.
10. Place the dumplings up side down in a greased baking sheet,brush with milk and sprinkle sugar on top.
11. Bake the dunpling for 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to 180 degree C,350 degreeF, gas mark 4 and bake for 30 minutes till dumpling turn in to golden brown on top.
12. Serve with custard ,cream or warmed marmalade sauce I enjoyed it plain ...
This is my one more entry for A.W.E.D-BRITISH at Revas Kaarasaaram event by DK

Cauliflower Cheese

To day is the 6th day of Blogging Marathon. I am really enjoying this event which is started By Srivalli.Srivalli is one of my good friends in blogging world.I take part in almost every event which she conducts at her site.I just loved her Mela event and ICC and now this blogging Marathon.this Marathon gave me some more good friends and more knowledge about blogging.About valli I don't met her personally but through bloging only I know her,Such a nice lady and good friend,I am very glad to have a fellow blogger friend like her.Thank you so much Valli for all these events as I am enjoying this Marathon too.Let's check what our fellow bloggers are cooking to day
Srivalli,
Azeema, Bhagi, Champa, Gayathri Anand, Gayathri Kumar, Harini, Jay, Kamalika, Meena, Mina, Padma, PJ, Priya Mahadevan, Priya Suresh, Priya Vasu, Rujuta, Santosh, Saraswathi, Savitha, Shanavi, Smitha, Sowmya, Suma, Usha, Veena
And to day I finished 500 recipes in my blog I am very happy for that . This is all because of my readers,blogger friends. thanks to all of you for encouraging me to reach this mile stone.A big thanks to my husbend who gave me a fantastic support and tasted my food.

Cauliflower cheese is a traditional British recipe which is served as a main dish, but also can served as a side dish some times.small cauliflower pices in a creamy sauce top with crispy cheese and bread crumb topping it tastes amazing right from the oven.Now a days it is served with pasta and other ingredients as a main dish but traditionaly cauliflower cheese is served as a side dish with roasted meat for lunch or dinner.I served it with Yorkshire Pudding let's check how I made this creamy cauliflower cheese...

INGREDIENTS:--
Cauliflower --- 1 big cut in to small florets
Milk ---- 300 ml
Cheddar cheese --- 110 g
Plain flour -- 3 tab sp
Butter -- 50 g
Fresh bread crumbs -- 25 g
English Mustard -- 1/2 tea sp
Nutmeg -- a pinch
Salt --- 1/2 tea sp or according to your taste(becarefull there will be salt in cheese so keep in mind that and add salt.)
Pepper powder --- 1 tea sp freshly ground.

METHOD:--
1.Add cauliflower florets to boiling water with little salt and boil for 10 minutes or thill tender,make sure that cauliflower shouln't become mashey. Drain water and leave a side.
2.Heat butter in a sauce pan add flour and fry till nice aroma comes out, make sure your flour shoud'nt change the color that should be in white color only.
3. Add milk to the flour and butter mixture,stirr continuously till the sauce thickens.
4. Keep the heat very low and add 1/4 of the cheese, mustard,nutmeg,salt and pepper stirr well ans cook for another one more minute.
5.Spread cauliflower florets in a baking dish and pour the white sauce over the cauliflower.
6. Mix the remaining cheese and bread crumbs,Here I want to tell some thing I didn't add cheese in bread crumbs because already there is lot of cheese in the sauce so I just sprinkle a tab sp of cheese on the top of bread crumbs.But if you like a perfect cauliflour chees then mix bread and cheese as per the recipe.
7.Place the cauliflour cheese pan under a hot grill till it turns in to golde brown.
8.Remove from the oven and serve immediately.It taste great when it is hot only.
This is my one more entry for A.W.E.D - BRITISH at Reva s Kaarasaaram event by DK

YORKSHIRE PUDDING

Yorkshire pudding is a staple of the British sunday lunch.This pudding is originated from Yorkshire a place in North England.Yorkshire pudding generally a savoury muffin like dish traditionaly served with Roasted meat and gravy as a sunday lunch,some times this will continue with vegetables and white sauce. This is a traditional meathod of eating this pudding in Yorkshire and it is still common in some parts if Yorkshire.This pudding is known as pockets because of there shape may be. Yorkshire pudding is made with milk,eggs,flour, this pudding is not difficult to make if you have a right recipe and the right oven temperature.Here how I made it..

Before that this is my 5th post for blogging marathon, let's check what our frends are doing...
Srivalli,
Azeema, Bhagi, Champa, Gayathri Anand, Gayathri Kumar, Harini, Jay, Kamalika, Meena, Mina, Padma, PJ, Priya Mahadevan, Priya Suresh, Priya Vasu, Rujuta, Santosh, Saraswathi, Savitha, Shanavi, Smitha, Sowmya, Suma, Usha, Veena

INGREDIENTS:--
Eggs --- 3

Milk --- 1 cup
All- purpose flour --- 1 cup
butter --- 2 tab sp


1. Preheat oven at 375 degrees F or (190 degrees C).
2. In a mixing bowl beat eggs with milk and add flour mix well to combine every thing. This batter should be a very thin batter in a pouring consistency (like rava dosa batter)
3.divide 2 tab sp butter in to twelve muffin cups about 1/4 tea sp in each cup,place this muffin cupe in oven to melt butter for 2 minutes.
4.Remove the muffin try from the oven and pour the batter evenly among buttery cups.
5. Bake in preheated oven 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degreesF(175degreesC)and bake for 25 minutes more or till puffed and golden.

This is my one more entry for A.W.E.D-BRITISH AT Reva s Kaarasaaram event by DK

CUCUMBER TEA TIME SANDWICH

Drinking tea is a custom in England,They didn't finish there tea time with just a cuppa. There has to be something with tea like biscuts, crumpets, scones, sandwiches, buns. Afternoon tea is a light meal generaly eaten in between 3-5pm and traditionaly tea is served with sugar and milk.Afternoon tea is first served with sandwiches then cake and scone or buns.cucumber sandwiches are most often served for afternoon tea in Britan as a finger food.So the simple cucumber sandwiches are originated from British. To days my recipe for British is Cucumber tea time sandwich.

Before I start my recipe let's check what our friend are doing in the blogging marathon.To day is the 4th day of blogging marathon let's check...
Srivalli,
Azeema, Bhagi, Champa, Gayathri Anand, Gayathri Kumar, Harini, Jay, Kamalika, Meena, Mina, Padma, PJ, Priya Mahadevan, Priya Suresh, Priya Vasu, Rujuta, Santosh, Saraswathi, Savitha, Shanavi, Smitha, Sowmya, Suma, Usha, Veena
INGREDIENTS:--
Dil leaves -- 1/4 cup fresh,finely chopped
Unsalted butter -- 2 tab sp
Cream cheese --- 2 tab sp
Cucumber --- 1 medium very thinly sliced
Bread --- 6 slices
Salt --- a pinch
Pepper powder ---- a pinch optional

METHOD:---
1.Take butter,cream cheese,chopped dil leaves,salt and pepper powder in a bowl and mix well to combine every thing.
2.Cut the crust from the sides of the bread slices and apply the butter and cream cheese mixture.
3. Now place the thinly sliced cucumber pieces and cover with the other slice cut the sandwich in to rectangles or triangles and serve with tea..
I used dil leaves you can use ant other herbs u like.

CRUMPET - NOT PAN CAKE

Crumpet s are pan fried English muffin like tea time bread. These crumpets look like pan cakes but recipe is different and the texture too. Crumpets have a little chewy and spongy texture with many holes on top and a flat top.Crumpets are generally eaten hot with butter, marmalade,peanut butter or with cheese melted on top.There is difference between English muffins and crumpets.English muffins are baked and eaten as a break fast,Crumpets are pan fried and served at tea time.There is a difference between pan cake and crumpet, pan cakes are made with flour, eggs, baking powder and crumpets are made with flour,milk and yeast

To day is 3 rd day of blogging marathon and I am little late to post to days post for marathon.to day is friday the only day I get for shoping for vegetables so I went for my week end shopping. Brought some butter beans,mushrooms orange and red capsicum... any way let's see what our friends are doing to day......
Srivalli,
Azeema, Bhagi, Champa, Gayathri Anand, Gayathri Kumar, Harini, Jay, Kamalika, Meena, Mina, Padma, PJ, Priya Mahadevan, Priya Suresh, Priya Vasu, Rujuta, Santosh, Saraswathi, Savitha, Shanavi, Smitha, Sowmya, Suma, Usha, Veena
For this crumpets you need 1 inch deep.3 &1/2 inch round crumpet rings if you don't have this rings can use scone or pastry cutters. I don't have both of them so i didn't get the shape, but the texture and taste of my crumpets are same I think:)

INGREDIENTS:---
Flour --- 3 cups
Active dry yeast --- 2 tea sp
Warm water -- 2&3/4 cup
Sugar ----- 1 tea sp
Salt --- 1&1/2 tea sp
Milk powder --- 2 tab sp
Bicarbonate of soda --- 1 tea sp
Warm water --- 2 tab sp
METHOD:---
1.Combine yeast, sugar and one cup warm water in a mixing bowl mix well,cover with aplastic wrap and leave it in a warm place for 10 minutes.
2. Shift flour, milk powder,salt in to a mixing bowl, make a well in the center add yeast water,remaining warm water and mix in to a thick batter again cover, leave it in a warm place till risen and bubbly this will take 1 hour.
3.Mix soda and 2 tab sp of water, add this soda mixture to dough mix wll to combine every thing cover and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes.
4.Heat a heavy bottom pan in a low flame,spray little oil coat the crumpet rings and place then on the pan.

5. Pour the batter in to the rings till 3/4 of the ring cook in a very low heat for 5 minutes by the time you can see the holes on top of the crumpets and the dough appears dry.
6. Remove the ring slowely, turn the crumpet over and cook for few seconds to drown the top and remove from heat and cool on a rack.
Make sure thet your heat should be very slow other wise the bottom of the crumpet will turn in to dark
Generally crumpets are soft and nice golden brown color base and characteristic holes all over the surface.
So be care full with the heat.
Enjoy the crumpets with tea...
This is my one more entry for A.W.E.D-BRITISH at Reva s Kaarasaaram event by DK

BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING

Bread and butter pudding is a traditional and popular dessert in British cuisine. Which is brought to India by British people. this pudding is famous as a winter pudding in British cuisine,because they serve this warm,you can enjoy this cold too,but it tastes great when it is warm.Making the egg and milk, cream mixture and pouring it on the bread is very importent in this recipe. Make sure that your egg mixture reached the last layer.And soaking the bread in the egg mixture atleast for 30 minutes(if possible you can soak it for 1 hour)is very importent.The treditional recipe contains only nutmeg and cinnamon for flavoring, adding vanilla is a new version.One day old bread will give a better texture to the pudding,I don't like this pudding with fresh bread.This Bread and butter pudding is my all time favorite,I can have it for any time like dinner,lunch,even for break fast.Check it out how I made...

OOhhh yes to day is the 2nd day for blogging Marathon Let's check what our friend's are doing:
Srivalli
Azeema, Bhagi, Champa, Gayathri Anand, Gayathri Kumar, Harini, Jay, Kamalika, Meena, Mina, Padma, PJ, Priya Mahadevan, Priya Suresh, Priya Vasu, Rujuta, Santosh, Saraswathi, Savitha, Shanavi, Smitha, Sowmya, Suma, Usha, Veena

INGREDIENTS:---
Bread --- 10 slices
Butter --- 50 g
Sugar ---- 25 g
Milk ---- 350ml
Eggs ---- 2
Double cream -- 50ml
Raisins ---- 50 g
Cinnamon powder --- 1/4 tea sp
Nutmeg ---- 1/4 tea sp grated
Vanilla extract -- 1 tea sp

METHOD:---
1. Heat the oven at 350degreeF or 180degreeC or gas mark 4 for 10 minutes.
2. Grease a 1 liter pie dish ( I used the foil tin that also worked well) With little butter.
3. Trim the crust of the bread and cut in to triangles or what ever shape you like and spread butter bothe sides and keep a side.
4.Now place the buttered bread slices in the pie tin like a layer,sprinkle half of the raisins evenly over the bread,Sprinkle little nutmeg,cinnamon.
5.Repeat the next layer with bread do the layers till the bread finished and top layer should be raisins.
6.In a pan mix milk and cream and heat till warm (no need to boil)
7.In a bowl beat eggs with 3/4 sugar and the vanilla extract till light and airy.
8.Pour the milk in to beaten eggs beat well to combine milk and eggs evenly.
9.Pour this egg and milk mixture over the layered bread slowly and evenly.Gently press the surface to push the bread in to the liquied .
10.Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the surface and leave it a side for 30 minutes.
11.Bake the pudding in a pre-heated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or till the top of the pudding turns in to goled brown and pudding well risen and the egg is set
12.Serve hot. I didn't serve any sauce or custard with this we enjoyed it hot with beautiful cinnamon flavour.
This is my entry for A.W.E.D - BRITISH at reva s Kaarasaaram event by DK

CORNISH PASTY

7day marathon hummm good Idia for me.Now a days I am becoming very lazy to post my recipes my be because of weather here or I am becoming old:) i don't know any way. When I saw Srivalli s post about 7 day marathon I thought let's worm up my self and joined the marathon. This is a 7 day bloging marathon means we have to post each day a recipe for 7 days. Valli gave us some 7 themes to choose in those themes I have choosen regional and from to day I am here with 7 British recipe. So for these 7 days my theme is REGIONAL CUISINE BRITISH..
Cornish Pasty is a filled pastry commonly associated with cornwall in South West England in the United Kingdom.I have seen this recipe in Travel&living channel and noted the recipe .But that time I missed some ingredients so googled and got the recipe here.I changed the recipe to vegetarian but used eggs.The traditional Cornish Pasty is filled with meat and vegetables, The filling ingredients must never be cooked before they are wrapped in the pastry.I turned it in to my vege style with carrot,potato,cauliflower and cabbage,onion.Actually this is a complete meal itself which miners,farmers use to have for there lunch.In one way this is a packed meal for the workers at there work place.For cornish tin miners who were unable to go for lunch and they are covered with dirt from head to foot so this pastry is made for there convenience. They hold the folded crust and eat the rest with out touching it. This pastries are popular with farmers and labourers particularly in the North East England also . It turned out fantastic for me, check out the recipe how I made it..

INGREDIENTS:---
For pastry dough:
All purpose flour --- 2 cups
Salt 1/4 tea sp
Baking powder -- 1 tea sp
Butter -- 1/2 cip diced
Water -- 1/4 cup
Shift flour,salt,baking powder in to a bowl, add butter mix with your hands to combine butter and flour.
Rub well to make this flour and butter mixture in to a breadcrumbs consistency.
Add water and make a stif dough, sprinkle little by little water and mix the dough make sure that dough should not be sticky and don't stretch the dough.Cover and leave it a side.
FOR FILLING:--
Onion -- 1 chopped
Potato -- 1 mediun peeled and diced
Carrot -- 1 big diced
Cauliflour --- 1 cup chopped
Cabbage -- 1/2 cup finely chopped
Mushroom -- 1cup chopped
butter or olive oil -- 1tab sp
Salt -- 1/4 tea sp
Pepper powder -- 1 tea sp
Cheddar cheese --- 1 cup shredded
Egg --1 for brushing the pastry

1.Heat oil or butter in a pan add chopped onions and fry till they turn in to translucent.
2. Add chopped potato and carrot sprinkle half salt mix well cover and cook for 3 minutes.
3.Then add chopped cauliflour,mushrooms,cabbage,remaining salt, pepper powder and sprinkle 1 tab sp water cover and cook in low heat for 10 minutes.
Here you can add 1 beaten egg and 1/4 cup milk to this vegetable mixture to enhance the taste of the filling.
4. Stir occasionaly and cook till mixture become dry,If you make sure there is no moisture in the vegetable mixture, add cheese mix well and remove from heat and let it cool.
5. Divide pastry dough in to equal portions and roll each portion in to 1/4 inch thick and 5 inches round, don't stretch the dough.
6. Place vegetable mixture on one side of the pastry circle,wet the pastry edges with beaten egg and flod the pastry over filling.
7. Press the edges with a fork ( this pastry should be in a half moon shape.)
8.Transfer the pasties to a baking sheet, brush with beaten egg or milk.
9.Preheat the oven at 450 degrees F(230 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C) and bake for 35 minutes.
Serve hot with tomato sauce.


This is my entry for A.W.E.D BRITISH at reva s Kaarasaaram event by DK
Come let us see what our fellow runners were doing.......
Azeema Bhagi , Sowmya Gayathri Anand Harini Jay, Minu PriyaMahadevan , PriyaSuresh, PriyaVaasu, PJ, Rujuta, Saraswathi , Santosh, Smitha, Srivalli , Suma Usha Veena Padma, Shanavi, Savithri, Champa ,Gayathri Kumar, Mina, Pavani

SPINACH AND CORN SANDWICH

A scrumptious of spinach tossed with corn and cheese served in crispy toast pieces,Sounds mouth watering ? me too. This is my favorite grilled sandwich.Since I am a pure vegetarian some times it's a problem to choose pure vegetarian meal for me in the menu. This happends with me most of the times in out side India.This sandwich I have tasted first time in Bangalore at a Cafeday and I just enjoyed it's creamy and crunchy filling and crip slices of bread. Best choice with this sandwich cold coffee or green tea or lemon tea.I don't know the recipe how they made in cafeday, but I made it like this......

INGREDIENTS:----
Spinach (palak) --- 2 cups roughly chopped
Green chillies -- 2 chopped(optional)
Garlic --- 4 cloves
Sweet corn kernels -- 1/4 cup boiled
Chedder cheese -- 1 tab sp grated optional
Parsley or coriander leaves --- 1 tab sp finely chopped
Bread ---- 4 slices (brown or white)
Salt --- 1/4 tea sp or according to yuor taste
Olive oil or butter --- 1 tab sp

METHOD:--
1. Remove the hard stems of the spinach,wash the leaves under running water and chop roughly.
2. Add chopped green chillies,garlic cloves to spinach and run in a food processor till it become like a finely chopped.
3.Heat 1/2 tab sp olive oil in a pan add spinach mixture, sweet corn kernels,finely chopped parsley or coriander leaves, salt, saute for awhile then add cheese mix well and switch off the heat.
4.Spread this spinach mixture on two bread slices and cover with the other slices sprinkle olive oil and toast on a grill or a fry pan or you can do this process in a sandwich toaster.
5.Grill till nice golden color remove and serve with tomato sauce and coffee or tea. you can add 1/4 cup fresh cream to make this sandwich filling more creamy but if you are in dite please skip creame and cheese.

BORLOTTI BEANS AND CAULIFLOWER KURMA

Stil winter is going on here with chilled pinching breezes and light showers a typical Mediterranean climate.We are geting fresh winter vegetables like turnips, carrots,spinach,cauliflower and beans,green peas.We get 3-4 varieties of beans here. This is one variety among them.I have seen this beans after a long time,when I was in Ooty I cam to know about this beans. I like this beans because of there mild nutty flavour and they just melt in the mouth like butter after they are cooked. As pretty as cranberry beans are when fresh or dried they don't keep there color when cooked.They tend to turn light brown after cooking. Because of those marks they called as cranberry beans? I am not sure!.. Cranberry beans or pinto beans may be known by several other names but here they are calling them as Borlotti beans.

borlotti beans can be a great choice for many soups and salads many more other recipes.Like many other beans borlotti beans provide excellent nutrition,high in fiber,also low in calories.They are fat free food,when combine with whole grains like brown rice, borlotti beans provide virtually fat-free, high protein meal.Borlotti beans helps in lowering cholesterol because of it's hifiber content and prevents of rising sugar levels so good for diabetes too.

INGREDIENTS:---

Borlotti beans --- 1 cup(I used fresh beans, can use dry beans also)

Cauliflower -- 1 medium

Onion -- 1 big

Tomato -- 2 big

Garlic -- 5 cloves

Ginger -- 2 inches piece

Oil -- 2 tab sp

Cloves -- 4

Cardamom -- 3

Cinnamon -- 1 inch piece broken in to 2 pieces

Salt --- 1 &1/2 tea sp or according to your taste

Turmeric powder -- 1/2 tea sp

Red chilli powder --- 1 tea sp

FOR PASTE --

Grated fresh coconut --- 2 tab sp

Fennel seeds -- 1 tea sp

Poppy seeds or melon seeds -- 1 tab sp

METHOD:---

1.Cut onion and tomato in to cubes,peal and cut ginger and garlic in to small peaces.

2. Grind onion,ginger and garlic in to a coares paste.

3. Grind coconut,fennel seeds, poppy or melon seeds,and tomato in to a fine paste.

4.Cut cailiflower in to small florets.

5. If you are using dry beans then soak them in water for over night and cook till they become soft. Or cook in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles,No need to cook the fresh beans before you add to the curry.

6.Heat oil in a pan add cloves,cardamom,cinnamon fry for a while then add onion,ginger,garlic paste,fry till the paste turn in to pink in color and leaves the oil from sides.

7.Then add coconut,tomato,poppy seeds,fennel seed paste and beans fry for 2 minutes add a 1/2 cup water cook till the masala leaves the raw flavour and give a nice aroma.

8.Now add salt,red chilli powder,turmeric powder and pour 1 more cup water cover and cook in alow flame till beans become soft it will take 15 to 20 minutes.

9.Add cauliflower pieces mix well, if required add 1/2 cup more water cover and cook in a low flame till cauliflower pieces become tender.

10.Remove from heat and serve hot with roti or rice.