Ribbon's to Pasta's

Soya Paneer Kebabs

2012-02-28T07:18:00.000+05:30

BM # 13 Day 6

This is high protein kebab.Soya and paneer,both are more or less bland flavors and can be easily pepped with our favorite spice.For these kebabs it’s main flavor comes from kasoori methi and chaat masala.The chunky chaat masala has a special flavor,but in case you don’t get this one,no hassels use any other one.

1cup............... soya granules

1cup............... grated paneer

1big................. boiled potato

1tsp................. ginger garlic paste

1tsp................. green chilly paste

½ tsp............... kasoori methi

½ tsp ...............garam masala

½ tsp............... chunky chaat masala

½ tsp............... red chilly pwd

¼ tsp ...............dhaniya pwd

4tbsp............... bread crumbs

Coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Soak soya in hot water for 10 minutes.Drain and squeeze all the extra water.

Add grated paneer and boiled mashed potato.

Add rest of the ingredients.

Mix well.

Shape into desired tikkis.

Shallow fry or shape them on to skewers and roast.

To serve

Place the tikki on a onion ring.

Top with a tomato slice. Fix it up with a toothpick and a small piece of capsicum.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

These also go to Srivalli's Kebab Mela

Noodle Kebab

2012-02-27T06:05:00.000+05:30

BM # 13 Day 5

When we talk of kebabs we somehow relate them with Indian cuisine , …but today I have brought kebabs with a different flavor…Mexican…?Italian…actually fusion!Quick and delicious ,these kebabs are loved by the children and specially the teenagers.

100gms................... noodles

1tsp...........................oregano

1tsp...........................chilly flakes

½ tsp........................ black pepper

2tbsp........................ corn flour.

Boil the noodles with salt.

Add all the ingredients.

Mix well.

Grease a skewers and shape the kebabs on this.

Brush with oil.

Place them in a preheated oven at 150 deg for 15 mins or till golden.

Salsa

3.................. tomatoes

1...................small onion

1...................capsicum

2tsp............ green chilly in vinegar

½ tsp.......... chilly flakes

¼ tsp.......... oregano

½ tsp ..........sugar

½ tsp.......... oil

Boil tomatoes in hot water.

Remove skin.

Chop finely.

Roast capsicum on flame till charred.

Rub off the burnt skin.

Wash and chop finely.

Heat oil.

Fry onion for a minute.

Add all the ingredients and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Cheese Sauce

½ cup................. grated cooking cheese

¼ cup .................milk.

Mix cheese and milk.

Cook till cheese melts.

Add a dash of pepper.

Serve these kebabs with salsa and cheese.

Make sure to serve these hot .

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

These also go to Srivalli's Kebab Mela

Tandoori Tikkas

2012-02-26T06:11:00.000+05:30

BM # 13 Day 4

Tell me one person who is not fond of Tikkas..well for non vegetarians this is a true treat,but I guess the vegetarian tikkas too are a hot favorite with all.Every winters we must have a barbeque party, infact two three parties.One party is when the girls come,then my son calls his friends ..my neice too has to invite her friends..so..friends wait for cold winters when they sit in the garden with some bonfire and enjoy these Tikkas.

Tikka marinade is very important .The basic marinade for an Indian Tandoori Tikka is more or less the same.A few ingredients here and there ..thats it.Today I shall share with you four tikkas…Paneer,Aaloo,Mushroom and Ghobhi.

Paneer

500gms.......... paneer cut into big rectangles or squares

1cup................ hung curd

1tsp................. kasoori methi

1tsp................. chaat masala

1/2tsp.............. turmeric pwd

2tsp................. red chilly pwd

1tsp................. garam masala

1tbsp ...............ginger garlic paste

Salt to taste
Whisk all ingredients with the hung curd.

Add paneer pieces.

Let rest for at least 2hours.

Potato /Aaloo

500 gms........... potatoes

For these tikkas make sure the potatoes are even sized if using whole.If the potatoes are big then cut them into even sized halves.

Peel the potatoes.

Boil them with salt and pinch of garam masala.

(they should be firm )
1cup................. hung curd

1tsp.................. chaat masala

1tsp ..................garam masala

¼ cup ...............dry red chillies

(soak in hot water)

2tbsp................ garlic

1tbsp................ ginger paste

Salt to taste

Pinch tandoori color(optional)
Make a paste of red chillies and garlic.

Add all the ingredients to the hung curd.

Whisk well.

Add boiled potatoes.

Let stand for 2 hours.

Mushrooms

500 gms............... fresh mushrooms(choose the big ones please)

Clean and boil these with salt and a few drops of lemon juice

To be made into a paste

4 .........................green chillies

¼ cup................. mint leaves

A small bunch coriander leaves

2tbsp.................. garlic

1small piece..... ginger

1tsp..................... lemon juice

Other ingredients

½ cup.................. hung curd

1tsp .....................kasoori methi

Salt to taste.

Whisk the hung curd with ground paste and rest of the ingredients.

Add mushrooms.

Let stand for 2 hours.

Cauliflower

500 gms.............. caulifower

Buy cauliflower with big flowerets and separate these keeping the stem intact.

Boil the flowerets with salt,turmeric and garam masala.

Make sure the flowers are firm,but 75% cooked.

1cup..................... hung curd

½ tsp.................... turmeric pwd

2tsp...................... red chilly pwd

1tsp...................... chaat masala

1tsp...................... garam masala

½ tsp.................... carom seeds /ajwain

1tsp...................... kasoori methi

Salt to taste

Wish in all the ingredints with hung curd.

Add cauliflower.

Let stand for 2 hours.

Tandoori salad

Onions

Capsicum…red/green/yellow

Tomato(remove pulp)

Cabbage

These have to be juilline cut.

Mix all add chaat masala and lemon juice.

(this should be added just before serving)

Mint chutney

½ cup.............. mint leaves

½ tsp............... chaat masala

6........................green chillies

1 cup ...............curd salt to taste

Blend in a mixer.

At the time of serving

Onion ,tomatoes and capsicum cut into big cubes can be added to any of these marinades .

Thread the tikkas into thin skrewers along with a combination of onions, tomatoes and capsicums.

Roast on the grill .

Drizzle some oil on the tikkas while they are being roasted.

Serve hot with salad and chutney.

Well….finally I am done ,this surely is a long post!!..enjoy these hot tikkas!!

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

These also go to Srivalli's Kebab Mela

Kand aur Makai ke Kebab

2012-02-25T07:11:00.000+05:30

BM # 13 Day 3

I have already posted some of my favorite kebabs like Makhmali Choliya Kebab,Raajma Galouti Kebab,Raja Kebab,and Hari Daal ke Kebab in the previous marathons and this time I had to work on all new kebabs..incidentally the day I decided on Kebab theme I got a lovely recipe from a cookery show( I only watch these shows in my office,which is ..once in a while!)The recipe sounded interesting with sweet potato and corn roasted on charcoal .wow!..this would surely have a smoky flavor.So here is this amazing Kebab…..

500gms.................. sweet potato roasted

1................................corn roasted

1tsp .........................oil

1................................onion finely chopped

1tsp ....................... .musturd seeds

2tsp......................... chilly flakes

2tsp......................... parsley

1tsp .........................cinamon pwd

2tbsp....................... bread crumbs

2tbsp .......................roasted chana dal flour

Few chopped cashews

Peel and chop the roasted /boiled sweet potato.

Remove the corn kernels.

Churn these in the mixer for a few secs.

Heat oil. Add musturd.Let crackle.

Saute’ onions.

Mix all the ingredients and make a dough.

Shape into rectangles.shallow fry.

Serve with chutney and onion rings.

These Kebabs had an amazing smoky flavor since both sweet potato and corn were roasted on coal..they had a very mild sweet taste ,but very pleasing and delicious with interesting blend of flavors.My son who is my biggest critic freaked out on these ..Honestly speaking I liked the Kakori Kebabs....but I guess evryone's taste is different and anyway the platter has to have assorted ones!

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

These also go to Srivalli's Kebab Mela

Nutty Bean Kebab

2012-02-24T07:09:00.000+05:30

BM # 13 Day 2

Whenever I make Kebabs I normally like to roast them on coal,it surely is a cumbersome job to light the coal sigri,but then if these are not roasted on coal you dont get that smoky flavor.These Kebabs are made from white beans and almonds,and hence this name!I had read about these in a magazine in London ,where the recipe demanded some non veg along with these,but I think by now I can covert any kebab to a vegetarian one!!

ingredients put together

the dough

200 gms................... white beans(cannellini beans)

1onion ......................finely chopped

1tsp ...........................chilly flakes

I tsp........................... garlic paste

1tsp........................... ginger paste

1tsp ...........................curry pwd

1tsp........................... lemon zest

2tbsp........................ chopped mint

100 gms................... roasted almonds finely chopped

100 gms................... almond pwd

2tbsp ....................... oats ground to a fine powder

2tbsp..................... .. hung curd

1tbsp....................... lemon juice

Salt to taste

Boil the beans.

Drain excess water.

Blend them in a mixer.

Add all the ingredients .

Bind into a semi soft dough.

Thread on to skrewers.

Roast on coal /tawa /tandoor /grill.

Alternatively shallow fry.

Serve with tandoori salad and green chutney.

its just the beginning

got to be careful with the splinters!!

and here we go................

These kebabs had a strong nutty flavor and the mint and lemon zest enhanced these kebabs,though these got a little over done due to high flame!!...The sun was setting and I did not want to click later...even though finally I had to do that.

The oats absorb the curd and the dough can become dry ,so do not prepare these in advance,if at all you want to ,then keep the dough on the softer side.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

These also go to Srivalli's Kebab Mela

Kakori Kebab

2012-02-23T06:01:00.000+05:30

BM # 13 Day 1

The word Kebab gives us a wide variety.We could include the tikkis,tikkas and of course the tandoori kebabs.They could vary In shapes and sizes.The basic term ‘Kebab’ refers to either meat pieces or minced meat threaded on to skewers and then roasted on coal.The origin of Kebabs is from Persia ,but need less to say they are served and relished in every country.The variety is enormous as you can check on wiki.

For the first day of this second group I have made Kakori Kebabs.These have been named after the city of Kakori in Uttar Pradesh.Well,some say it was invented by the nawab of Kakori… the original kebab needs lamb but I was keen on trying these with a similar texture and color!!So I choose soya granules and made this extremely ,soft and rich Kebabs.Let me warn you the ingredient list is quite long ,but totally worth it…….

250gms …........soya granules

1large ...............onion grated

4tbsp............... besan

2tsp................... red chilly pwd

1tsp................... black cardamon pwd

½ tsp................. cinnamon pwd

½ tsp .................cloves pwd

½ tsp................. mace pwd

½ tsp................. nutmeg pwd

½ tsp .................black pepper

2tsp.................. dried rose petals

2tbsp................ rose water

1tbsp ................khoya

Salt to taste

Roast and Grind

Few almonds

Cashews

1tsp ......cumin seeds

1tbsp.... poppy seeds

1tbsp ....dessicated coconut

Soak the soya granules in warm water for 15 minutes.

Wash the soya and squeeze all the excess water.

Mince well in a mixer.

Put in a muslin cloth and squeeze the left over water.

Squeeze out juice from onions too.

Soak saffron in rose water and after 10 minutes grind it.

Add all the spices,khoya and besan .
Mix well.

Check all the spices and salt and adjust according to your taste.

Once again put the whole mixture in the mixer and blend well.

The kebab dough is ready.

Shape them on to skrewers and roast in the tandoor.

Serve with onion rings and green chutney.

These kebabs are best relished with naans.

I made these kebabs for the first time and I must tell you they were so soft that it became difficult for me to thread them.The original recipe had egg ,which is a binding agent.Those of you who don’t mind egg could perhaps minus the gram flour and add one egg.As for me I patiently threaded them and was very careful ,the taste was very rich and these melted in the mouth.Personally I am not a soya eater but I enjoyed these Kebabs and so did the family.The saffron and rose flavors lingered .....

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

These also go to Srivalli's Kebab Mela

Carrot and Tutti Fruity Cups

2012-02-22T08:02:00.000+05:30

BM # 13 Day 7

Thinking from kids point of view…I decided to make carrot rice…but Valli posted these ,so I wanted to make something else.Coconut rice ?...well you guys are all familiar with those, so no point!!...Whenever I have to cook something new I open the frig and keep staring at it.Keep shuffling things…and then the beep rings…I hate that,but I shut it and reopen!! So today while shuffling I lay my hands on tutti fruity…and I knew what new rice I had to try.Carrots…tutti fruity …sweet rice.

½ cup............... rice washed and soaked

1tsp................... ghee

1big................... carrot grated

¼ tsp................. illaichi pwd

2tbsp ................tutti fruiy(assorted colors)

4tbsp................ sugar(you can add or minus this according to taste)

Heat a pan.

Add ghee.

Add carrots.Saute’.

Add rice. Saute’.

Add a little over 1cup of water.

Add illaichi pwd.

Let boil and then simmer .

When it is nearly done add sugar and tutti fruity.

Let simmer for 3-4 minutes or till done.

These taste awsum and the colorful tutti fruity looked so cute.You can surely make these for grown ups..add some raisins and nuts at simmer time.Let me tell you I loved cooking for kids and thoroughly enjoyed the different versions of rice.Hey friends…I wont say bye yet..I am coming back in the next group with some unique Kebab recipes,so do check ,even though you might not be in second group.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

Veg Maki Rolls

2012-02-21T15:11:00.000+05:30

BM # 13 Day 6

Are you guys wondering as to what I am posting.... what kind of rolls are these?...I am supposed to be posting rice for kids lunch box.Well...yes, these are rice rolls. A different version of the ever so popular Japanese Sushi.Sushi needs to be rolled in a nori sheet which is processed sea weed and has a odur of fish. (more details on nori check here) Maki in Japanese is rolling , and since the procedure to make these is by rolling hence the name...Maki Rolls....a version of Sushi.The colors of this roll and the taste both will attract the kids .

My very first attempt to make these .....

For the rice

1 cup............. sushi rice or some sticky rice

1tsp............... rice vinegar

Salt to taste

Wash and soak rice for about 20 mins.

Addding salt cook them in a rice cooker

Add rice vinegar.

Let cool.

Mash them with the back of a ladle.

Stuffing

1small................. cucumber

1 small................ carrot

Few big leaves spinach

2tsp..................... mango chutney / choonda

1tsp..................... vinegar

Peel the cucumber and carrot.

Cut very fine long strips.

Pickle them with salt and vinegar.

(this can be done at the time you are soaking rice or even much earlier)

Microwave the spinach leaves with a little water for a few secs.

Other things

Sushi mat

Plastic bag

Sesame seeds

Assembling

Place the sushi mat.

Place the plastic sheet on this.

Wet your hand and spread a layer of rice evenly on this sheet, leaving ½ inch of plastic sheet in the front.

Spread some sesame seeds.

Place the spinach leaves in a row.

Next place cucumbers and carrots.
Put the mango choonda on this.

Now begin rolling ,start at the side nearest to you and roll away from you.

After it is done just squeeze the rolling mat with sushi ,so it does not fall apart.

Cut into slices .

Okay friends ,let me tell you this needs a little practise, so please dont make first attempt while packing early morning.Once you have made these ,the second time it will be done in just 15minutes...of course excluding the rice cooking time.

Trust me these were a total hit with everyone at home .The little sweet taste of the mango chutney gave it that zing and the mildly pickled carrots and cucumbers.....the crunchy sesame.....wow the taste was awsum.

This was a recipe given by my daughter who stays in Japan and her little 5 year old freaks out on these Maki rolls which are served with soya sauce.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

Paneer Chilly Rice

2012-02-20T15:27:00.000+05:30

BM #13 Day 5

If you guys have observed kids are great fan of chinese cuisine.The veg fried rice are of course very popular,but when you make these Paneer Chilly Rice they will really enjoy them.Of course you can make for adults too using some extra spice.The recipe goes very simple and if you have some left over paneer chilly..add rice to it or vice versa!!

While making these for kids the only difference is that I chopped paneer,capsicum and spring onion into small pieces instead of chunky ones..a little low on spice..thats it!!

1cup............. boiled rice

1tbsp............ finely chopped onion

1tbsp............ finely chopped capsicum

¼ cup........... finely chopped paneer

use these as per taste

Roasted garlic

Soya sauce

Chilly sauce

Vinegar

Salt

Heat a pan.

Add paneer ,saute’.Remove and keep aside.

In the same pan add roasted garlic ,onions,capsicum. Saute’.

Add rice ,paneer and the rest of the ingredients.

These ingredients are totally as per the taste of the children.If they like you can even add green chilly .

Just dress the rice into some cartoon ..and kids will jump on these!!

While boiling the rice for kids we must make sure they are a little soft as they tend to dry a bit after a few hours.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

Paalak Paneer Teddies

2012-02-19T08:32:00.000+05:30

BM #13 Day 4

Children normally like to remove chunky veggies from their food,but they like colors.Thinking on those lines I used to make Paalak Paneer Parathas and they were a hit with the girls.If a paratha can be made with this combo why not rice? I have noticed children removing the greens too from their food,but with these rice they have no scope of doing that either !

1cup............... soft boiled rice

¼ cup............. pureed spinach

¼ tsp.............. roasted garlic

½..................... green chilly

2tbsp.............. grated paneer

2tbsp ..............grated cheese

Salt to taste

Puree the spinach with roasted garlic and green chilly.

Heat little ghee /butter in a pan.

Saute’ the spinach puree in butter.

Add rice,paneer and cheese.

Stir and let simmer for a few minutes.

Put these in moulds.

Demould and place them in cup cake cases.

You could cut heart shapes from carrots with a cookie cutter.

Place these on a lettuce bed.

Kids will get their salad ,greens,protein and carbs , attractively presented and will finish off their lunch box happily and mom’s ! They will be more than happy!!

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

Nutella Strawberry Rice

2012-02-18T05:38:00.000+05:30

BM # 13 Day 3

Okay, I know I am no kid but well what do I do to my craving for choclates and specially Nutella.I just love to open this magical jar which lends out a wonderful aroma..and…at times when no one is around I quietly dig in a spoon and pop it in.While planing my marathon I decided to make rice with Nutella.Everyone gave me those looks..rice n nutella?..no..no…I kept avoiding but they just would'nt go off my mind ... I wanted to try these for sure,so one day while no critcs were not around I quietly made a small portion …..

½ cup................ rice

1tsp................... butter

3tbsp................. nutella

1tsp................... almonds

6......................... strawberries chopped

Vanilla essence

Wash and soak rice.

Fry rice in butter for a few mins.

Add 1cup water and let rice cook.(the quantity of water depends on the rice you use)

As soon as it is about to cook add nutella .

Let simmer till done.

Add chopped strawberries and vanilla essence.

Garnish with some chopped almonds and choclate sauce if you wish.

To tell you the truth I simply loved these nutella rice,but I think I should have added 2tsp of sugar at simmer time ,this would make them a little sweet through and through As soon as I finished clicking I finished half the rice …then I decided to save some for the critics!!..I had to blindfold my son as he is the main critic..and feed him... Yeah!!...you guessed right ,even he agreed that this surely was a wonderful innovation.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

also goes to Valli's Choclate Mela , Kalyani's Valentine Fest ,Lets Cook: Valentine’s , Berries: Strawberries an event by Anu,and Vardhini's Zesty Palette.

Cheesy Corn Rice

2012-02-17T05:29:00.000+05:30

BM # 13 Day 2

Children love corn, boiled or roasted.I remember my children relishing anything with corn.Infact till date whenever I have to pack rice for my son to take to college these are on the top list.I know I don’t have to ask him and he will need a bigger lunch box on the day he takes these Cheesy Corn Rice or else he has to eat mess food.You think anyone can resist these?

Simple and real quick,here is the recipe…..

1cup........................ rice

1................................small onion finely chopped

2tbsp....................... finely chopped capsicum(you could use all colors)

½ tsp....................... chilly flakes

1tsp .........................oregano

¼ cup...................... boiled corn kernels

2-4 ...........................olives chopped

2tbsp...................... grated cheese

Salt to taste

Boil rice with salt either in a pan or rice cooker.

Heat 1tsp oil in a pan.

Add the chopped onions and capsicums.Saute’.

Add corn kernels,rice and the herbs.

Toss well.

Place these in corn leaves spread olives and cheese.
Seal the rice packet with toothpicks.

Place on a gridle for a few minutes or bake for a while till the cheese melts.

Of course you could just add olives and cheese in the pan too for a quicker version.

would'nt kids love these?...I am sure they will !!

These rice go to Priya's event cooking with seeds:corn and Telgu Foodies an event by Vardhini also Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

Soya Rice

2012-02-16T10:49:00.000+05:30

BM # 13 Day 1

Packing lunch for children is a job in itself.All the time we mom’s are worried..and most of the times the school rules dont allow messy stuff in school,besides they ..for that matter even parents want healthy stuff in lunch boxes.Well,even though my children are out of school now,yet I always enjoyed packing their lunch boxes when they were in school.packing rice for lunch box!!..very interesting theme!!..

For the first day I have cooked soya rice for these kids.This will give them their share of protein and they are so quick to prepare.

½ cup........... rice ,washed and soaked

2tbsp ...........soya(chunks and granules)

1tsp............. dried /fried brown onion

1....................tomato pureed

Few corriander leaves

pinch each...

Chilly pwd

Garam masala

Turmeric pwd

Salt to taste

Soak the soya in warm water and drain and squeeze till needed.

Heat oil in a pan.

Add onion.Saute'.

Add tomato puree.

Add soya.

Add spices.

Saute’well.
Add rice and saute'again.

Add 1 cup water.

(this depends on the quality of rice you choose)

Transfer to the rice cooker.

Once done pack them in a round bowl.

Turn them upside down.

Make some hair with tomato peel and use shredded cabbage for the highlighted strands ,olives for eyes and red bell pepper for lips!!

I am sure the kids will love this..

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13

Subz Mirch ka Saalan

2012-02-15T09:28:00.000+05:30

Hyderabadi cuisine evolved in the kitchen of Nizams.This cuisine is highly influenced by the Mugal style…rich and spicy.The herbs and spices used in the dishes as well as the method of preperation gives them these names.Mirch ka Saalan is one of the most popular dishes from Hyderabad,which is served with the ever so popular Hyderabadi Biryani.

For this Blog Hop organised by Radhika of Tickling Paletes I was paired with Alaysha of schmetterling words . Mirch ka Saalan was her first post for new year and since I had book marked this long back I decided to make it.Yes,I made lot of changes,I used some veggies along with the mirch and omitted tomato .The original recipe is here.Coming to my version of this Saalan……

½ cup............. mixed boiled vegetables

¼ cup............. tofu / paneer cubed

100gms......... big green chillies

Tadka

½ tsp.............. musturd seeds

1tsp................ cumin seeds

¼ tsp.............. methi seeds

¼ tsp.............. nigella seeds(kalonji)
Roast and grind

2tbsp............ peanuts

2tbsp............ sesame seeds

1tsp ..............cumin seeds

Other ingredients

1tbsp............ ginger garlic paste

1tsp.............. green chilly paste

2tbsp............ grated coconut

2tbsp............ onion paste

1/4tsp............ turmeric pwd

½ tsp............. coriander pwd

4tbsp............. tamarind pulp
salt to taste.

Heat oil.

Shallow fry the chillies.

Keep aside.

In the same oil add musturd,cumin,methi and nigella seeds.

Add the onion,ginger garlic and chilly paste.

Cook till light pink.

Add the roasted ground powder and coconut .

Add spices and salt.

Add all vegetables,paneer and fried chillies.

Saute’.

Add water and simmer till oil floats up.

this also goes to Susan's Black and White Wednesdays

Vennai Puttu

2012-02-15T09:04:00.023+05:30

This months Indian Cooking challenge is from Tamil Nadu...a sweet .I was very hesitant with this recipe as I know the taste of my family and the food which is relished by them,but for me it was something new and unheard and that is the main reason to go ahead.To be on the safe side I made half of the given recipe.

Before I go on to the recipe I must tell you something interesting.Recently I visited an organic food fair .This fair has lot of traders who come from various villages with their farm products.There are many food stalls of different organic cooked food too.While going around this fair I saw a lot of variety in jaggery.I picked up three ..one is in green color,this one was new to me ,never seen green jaggery...(.I have used this green one for the Vennai Puttu).Then they had powdered jaggery,this I had heard of,but never seen ,and finally the dark brown one!!...I would have loved to post some more variety...but at present have only these .The non organic one that we get here is absolutely light in color,when we melt it ,it nearly gives a transparent look.Anyway lets get on to the recipe.....

1/2 cup.................... raw rice soaked for 3 hrs
1/4 cup.................... grated jaggery
1/ 4tsp..................... iilaichi pwd
1tbsp...................... shredded coconut
2tsp ........................cooked channa dal
Chopped almonds

ghee for greasing the mould

Make a paste of the soaked rice adding 1/4 cup water.

Make a syrup from jaggery with 1/8 cup water or till jaggery melts.

Strain.

Boil 1 cup water in a pan.

Add the ground rice paste.

Stir constantly.

Add jaggery syrup,cardamon and chana dal.

Add shredded coconut.

Cook till it turns into a thick mass.

Set into a greased mould.

Garnish with almonds.

Let cool.

Cut into desired shape or slices.

the green jaggery

jaggery syrup

rice paste

nearly done

ready

Frankly I was satisfied with the end product . I found it something like halwa. Talking about the rest of the family ....well, everyone found the recipe just average...I guess we still have to develop the south taste for a few recipes,and actually speaking the same goes for some other recipes from different states too. Isn't this only natural?

This also goes to Susan's Black and White Wednesdays

Ginger Almond Biscuits

2012-02-05T10:49:00.002+05:30

I really look forward to Kalyani’s Magic Mingle ,it gives us scope to think and create...innovate!The two ingredients ,which should feature in the recipe are a interesting combo...For this month we have Almond and Ginger.The first thing that I could think of was Ginger Biscuits .I was very fond of these as a teenager.Infact every time we had a dinner I would make a pudding with these biscuits.Wonder where they are lost...not seen them in ages!!

Memories ,helped me to add almonds to those ginger biscuits.I normally avoid baking,most of the times the recipe demands lot of butter...or somehow find them full of calories...and to tell the truth I simply forget that somebody’s waiting in the oven!!..half the time things burn!!..This time I made sure and I put an alarm on my BB..and so here are these Ginger Almond Biscuits,which baked to a nice golden and tasted so so good.

1cup.............maida

¾ cup.......... sugar

50gms......... butter

¼ tsp........... baking soda

65gms........ ginger

¼ cup......... chopped almonds

Milk to bind the dough.

Sift maida and baking pwd.

Clean ginger and extract juice.

Mix maida,baking pwd,butter almonds and ginger juice.

Adding milk bind the dough.

Roll and cut into the desired shape.

Bake at 180 deg for 15 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

Store.

Enjoy the cookies with some black coffee and your favorite book!!

Friends I have to share a good news with you all.I just got a small recipe book printed with some of family favorites.

These cookies are off to Vardhani's Zesty Palette hosted by Anusha , Kalyani's . Valentine Fest - Served with Love,Valentine Special and Cooking Concepts # 7: Dish for Loved Ones.

Chocolate Shahi Tukra with Orange Sauce

2012-01-31T23:00:00.004+05:30

Cheers!! My food blog - Ribbons to Pastas completes a year today !!!

A baby which is slowly growing and has a long way to go.The first few months had numerous teething problems, so much so, that in fact after publishing my first post I decided to quit. It drove me crazy to understand various technical details of blogging, posting and photography. But a big huge hug and thanks to my lovely children who pushed me and so here I am today.

It started with a craft post and I wish I could post more craft but somehow managing between family and work this is all I can do. Food blogging, Blog Hop Wednesdays , Blogging Marathons and sending my entries to soooo many other events opened up the window and I have had some great experience during this past one year.

I have enjoyed and had fun.I have met some wonderful people and made some very good friends, they all seem like a family now. I enjoy the communal aspect ,where we get great feedbacks,tips on cooking and improving ,learn about different ingredients, new methods of cooking.

Today is a perfect day to thank my family too - their support has been tremendous and a big thanks to all my friends who have helped me and last but not the least, a huge thanks to my blogger friends who give me encouragement ,feedback and tips and happiness beyond anything.

To celebrate this landmark in my blogging life, and life in general, I would like to share the happiness through a giveaway . Yup ! A Book by India’s top Chef – Sanjeev Kapoor.

Called “Cooking with Love”, this treasure trove of Vegetarian recipes is a wonderful book sourced across generations by the masterchef himself ! So, dearies to get your hands on this book, read on :

1) The winner of this book shall be drawn through a random selection, and will be shipped to a blogger residing in India or with an Indian address.

2) To win this giveaway, you need to do any of the following things (each counts as a giveaway) :

a. Like my FB page

b. Be a confirmed subscriber through my Email subscription through my blog (Link at the top right hand corner)

c. Leave a comment at the end of this post as to why you think you should win this giveaway !

I wanted to Celebrate the Blog Anniversary with Shahi Tukdas but even though they are really delicious wanted to innovate something ...so here I am with the same Shahi Tukdas..but with an interesting twist!!

8............ slices super soft white sandwich bread

Ghee for frying

Place two slices together.

Cut them into a big round,saving the rest for crumbs or bread upma

Cut a small round in the centre.

Repeat with other bread slices.

Heat ghee and fry to a crisp golden.

Sugar syrup

1cup sugar

1cup water

Boil water.

Add sugar.

Boil for 7-8 minutes or till you reach one thread consistency.

Chocolate Rabdi

500ml............. milk

50gms ...........cooking choclate

Sugar if required

Vanilla extract

Boil milk till reduced to three fourth.

Add chocolate and cook till melts.

Cool.

Blend to a smooth paste .add vanilla extract.

Orange Sauce

1....................orange

2tsp............. sugar

1tsp............. corn flour dissolved in 2tb sp water

1tsp............. orange zest

Boil orange juice.

Add sugar.

Add dissolved cornflour and stir constantly.

Remove from flame.

Add orange zest.

Assembling

Dip the bread into sugar syrup.

Place on the serving plate.

Top with choclate rabdi.

Drizzle orange sauce.

Garnish with orange zest and chocolate sauce.

Since two slices of bread are cut together the bread gets a thickness and it gets crunchy outside and a little soft inside.
This is off to Cooking Concepts,Chocolate Mela,Valentines Special andValentine Fest served with love.

Shufta

2012-01-29T07:25:00.000+05:30

BM # 12 Day 7

Whenever I cook ,some how there are a few things which have to be either savoury or sweet…I mean I just cant relate Paneer being a sweet…or sweet potato being savoury..wonder why such fixed notions?...and to break this temprament I wanted to create something sweet with paneer.Of course there are these Bengali sweets…but..paneer as such being sweet somehow was a little difficult for me to digest.All the same today I have prepared a Kashmiri sweet called Shufta .This is a rich accompaniment to a Kasmiri party meal.Lots of dry fruits,saffron ,cardamon and paneer ..all in a sweet syrup,which is totally divine.The taste buds refuse to satisfy…wanting more and more…but let me tell you this is served as an equaliser and not as a dessert.Just a teaspoon or so…but I bet any Indian sweet lover will not be able to resist this….check out for yourself…..

1cup ..........assorted dry fruits(you can choose what you like)

Few pieces dry coconut

½ cup........ diced paneer

Ghee for frying

Boil almonds,pistachios,figs,raisins,apricots. (I also used some dry apple slices too)

Peel off the skin of almonds and pistachios.

Chop the boiled fruits.

Heat ghee.

Fry these fruits.

Fry cashewnuts,walnuts and hazelnuts.

Fry coconut.
Lastly dice the paneer into small cubes and fry to a golden brown.

Sugar syrup

½.......... cup sugar

½.......... cup water

½ tsp.... milk

4-6 .........cardamons

Saffron strands

Combine sugar ,water and milk and boil till the sugar dissolves.

Strain.

Add crushed cardamon and saffron.

Add all the fried dry fruits,coconut and paneer.

Boil till a little dry.

Serve warm.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing

BM#12

Ending this BM with a sweet note..and hoping to meet very soon.

This was my second week,In the first week I choose Daals..a small recap of what I posted under Daals

Tri-daali Daal au Joovar-jo-Dhodho

Gul-gule'

Moong Daal Kachori

Daal Paatra

Daalwada

Kalmi vada

Hari Daal ke Kebab

Thanks Valli…the BM keeps us on toes,else we get lazy.

Paneer Steak with Roasted Peppers

2012-01-28T09:57:00.000+05:30

BM # 12 Day 6

Since a long time I had been wanting to try Paneer steak and Paneer pie but wonder why kept post poning them. With paneer theme I had my chance to try both the recipes.I was not sure how the steak would turn out as I was using all fusion flavors to marinade.......Paneer Pie would naturally turn out great,nothing risky!!well....it went vice versa!!,,,the steak turned out super hit!!...and the pie just average...so I was told not to post that pie.(actually it was’nt that bad!!)..My son said," Ma you need to make the perfect one and then post." He is such a critic,when it comes to food,since he himself is a wonderful cook .Anyway, so here is the steak served with sauted peppers which was relished by all .

400gms ..........paneer

1tbsp ..............ginger garlic paste

½ cup.............. hung curd
2tbsp ..............chopped onion

Few................. mint leaves

2tbsp ..............lemon zest

¼ tsp............... white pepper

¼ tsp............... black pepper

1tsp................. garam masala

1...................... fresh red chilly roughly chopped

Salt to taste

¼ cup............... all purpose flour for dusting.

Cut the paneer slice into a circle.

Apply salt on both sides

Mix all herbs and spices.

Marinade the paneer for 30 mins.

Heat a grill or non stich pan.

Dab the paneer into the flour.

Sprinkle sesame seeds.

Place on the pan/grill.

Roast both the sides.

1......................onion

1......................red capsicum

1......................yellow capsicum

5-6 ................. cloves garlic crushed roughly

Pinch sea salt

Pinch white pepper

Salt to taste

Heat oil .

Saute’ the diced onions and capsicums along with garlic.

Add salt and pepper.

Assembling

Spread the saute’d peppers.

Place the paneer .

Sprinkle some crushed roasted peanuts on the peppers.

Garnish with fresh red chilly.

It sure was a treat to eat this paneer,the flavors of mint and lemon zest dominated while the other flavors were infused.The roasted onions and peppers made a super combination.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#12

This is also off to Sweet Heat Chilli Challenge: Lets Rock Indian and Zesty Palette

Stuffed Mushroom with Spinach

2012-01-27T05:57:00.000+05:30

BM # 12 Day 5

Normally the quality of mushrooms available here is just average,and since I am no fan of these I genrally avoid looking for them.Yesterday I spotted some lovely looking mushrooms ,I just could’nt resist buying a packet.I got them and decided to make some mushroom mattar.In comes my sunny and tells me to make stuffed ones....so I stuffed these mushrooms with paneer...but that would just pass of as a biting!!...What about dinner?..I was in no mood to make extra...and extra..so served these on a bed of spinach..and there it became a meal for him with nice hot chapatis.

10-12 mushrooms

Remove the stalk and boil the mushrooms in salted water.

Stuffing

1cup............... grated paneer

1........................green chilly finely chopped

1tsp................. kasoori methi

Itsp.................. onion

Salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients and make the stuffing.

2tsp.........cornflour

Dissolve this with water to make a paste.

Spinach bed

500 gms............ spinach,washed and very finely chopped

2 ..........................green chillies

1...........................onion finely chopped

1tsp.................... ginger garlic paste

1tsp.................... kasoori methi

1tsp.................... fresh cream

Salt to taste

Heat a pan.

Add oil.

Add onions ,chillies and ginger garlic paste.

Saute till pink.

Add spinach.

Let shrink.

Add all spices, cook for a while .

Add cream.

Getting the mushrooms ready

Fill the mushrooms with the paneer stuffing.

Apply a little cornflour batter on the tops ,to cover the stuffing.

Shallow fry these.

Assembling

Place spinach in the serving plate.

Place stuffed mushrooms.

Sprinkle very little kasoori methi.

Spread the left over paneer around the spinach.

Garnish with cherry tomato and some greens.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#12

Agar Agar Cheese Salad

2012-01-26T08:23:00.000+05:30

BM # 12 Day 4

Agar agar is one ingredient which I use very regularly.I normally make a dessert with it ,which happens to be included in everydays menu.I might make some variations but thats about it.Recently my daughter suggested me a salad with agar agar,something she wanted to try but since she was pressed with time passed it to me.It sounded quite interesting and went with my paneer theme,so I tried it. Since it was the first time I followed the recipe blindly,but after tasting I feel it needed some changes..so I am giving you the original recipe and will suggest what changes could be made....you could tweet it according to your taste buds.

Agar agar layer

5gms......... agar agar

300ml......... water

Pinch salt

Boil water and add agar agar.

Boil till it dissolves completely.

Add salt.

Cottage cheese layer

3tsp ...........agar agar

1cup.......... water

2cups........ cottage cheese

1cup........... mayonnaise

½ cup......... cucumber and capsicum finely chopped

¼ cup......... spring onion

2tsp............. lemon juice

½ tsp ...........musturd sauce

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Dissolve agar agar in water.

Crumble the paneer.

Fold in all the ingredients in agar agar mix.

Assembling

Rinse a mould with chilled water.

Arrange olives,carrots and capsicum.(any veggies could be used..this is only presentation)

Gently pour the agar agar mix.

Place this carefully on a ice bowl to set.(you could place in the deep freeze too for a few minutes..till it sets)

Pour the folded mix of agar agar and paneer.

Cool and set.

Demould.

The salad looked pretty and tasted good but I felt the first layer was a little bland,may be we could add some flavor to it...may be orange juice...or some lemon juice if we don't want to change the color.

Also I felt we needed to add more zing to it by adding some chilly to it.(I hate bland stuff) or may be I could have used garlic and onion mayo,which has more flavor.

A very Happy Republic Day to all my friends.......perhaps the colors of the dish too reflect the spirit!!

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#12
This salad is also off to Zesty Palette

Paneer Sandwich Pakora

2012-01-25T01:46:00.001+05:30

BM # 12 Day 3

There is nothing new about Paneer Pakoras ,the same paneer ,the same besan…aint it?...Recently my hubby has become allergic to chana daal and we all are so fond of pakoras.We might eat them once in a while ,but you start to crave for the things which are banned.Naturally I stopped making anything with chana daal and that includes besan!!While planning recipes for BM I wondered about the twist to pakoras…something different and something which my hubby could eat.Next morning I sent the yellow moong daal for grinding.It was a lovely fine powder,I quickly made a batter and fried a test pakora.Unbelievable!! I was waiting for evening to surprise everyone with these pakoras.Check out for yourself….

200........gms paneer cut into thick rectangles

Stuffing

Corriander leaves

Mint leaves

Green chillies

Garlic

Lemon juice

Salt to taste

Grind coarsely to make a thick chutney.

Batter

1cup........ moong daal flour

¼ tsp........ red chilly pwd

Pinch soda

Pinch hing

Mix all ingredients and using water make a batter for pakoras .

How to go about

Slice the rectangular pieces into two..or you could slit them.

Apply salt and leave them for about 5 minutes.

Fill the green chutney.

Dip into batter and deep fry till golden.

Cut into pieces.

Serve with any spicy sauce .

I served it with maggi oriental sauce!!

Do I need to tell you the reaction?..well my M.I.L. was more than pleased .Her son could eat Pakoras!!..and hubby gave me a nice long list to make from this moong daal flour!!

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#12

off to Susan's Black and White Wednesday

Raja Kebab

2012-01-24T05:53:00.000+05:30

BM # 12 Day 2

Kebabs are a great hit with the family.Today I have picked up Raja Kabab.These are a speciality of my restaurant,though I have made a few changes to the original one ,which is more potato and less paneer. Raja Kebab is nothing but a Papad roll.A little tricky to make but if executed well I am sure you will love it.So here we go....

2 papads(you can use any brand)

Stuffing

1cup........ grated paneer
¼ cup...... boiled mashed potatoes

1tsp......... frozen green peas(if using fresh then boil them)

1................green chilly,finely chopped

2tsp......... onion finely chopped

¼tsp .........red chilly pwd

¼tsp......... chaat masala

¼tsp......... garam masala

Pinch kasoori methi
Pinch turmeric

Corriander leaves

Salt to taste.

Mix all the ingredients under stuffing.

How to go about.....

Place a papad on the work surface.(check it should not be torn or cracked)

Damp the papad with water ,but do not use excess water.

Be careful with the edges.

Make a oblong ball of the paneer stuffing.

Place in the centre.

Fold the papad.(please refer the pics)

Make sure you seal the edges,else oil will soak in and the roll will be terribly greasy.

Deep fry.

Remove on a kitchen towel.

Cut into pieces.

Serve with tandoori salad sprinkled with chaat masala and mint chutney.
have not tried the MW version,but guess it should work well.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#12

Paneer Tomato Salad

2012-01-23T14:38:00.000+05:30

BM # 12 Day 1

Paneer or Cottage Cheese,without which a North Indian meal would be incomplete.A versatile ingredient,very handy to cook quick meals and high in protien.Yes this is my theme for this week’s marathon.Paneer!!

Red ripe tomatoes are a must on my lunch table and I wondered how to incorporate this lovely white cheese with them. I am always fascinated with the colors and textures of vegetables and fruits. Anyway I just scooped these and made a stuffing ..and here I am with a delicious ..no guilt..and yummy salad..

Stuffing

1cup........... finely chopped paneer

2-3 tsp .......capsicum(red ,yellow)

1tsp........... spring onion

1tsp........... raw onion

Pinch black pepper

Pinch white pepper

Salt to taste

Lemon juice

Mix all the ingredients.

4 red ripe tomatoes

Wash and cut the top of tomato.

Cut the bottom too ..just a bit ,so it stands evenly.

Scoop them.

Fill the stuffing .
Garnish with mint and lemon slice.

Serve chilled.

If you wish to bake these you could do so too!

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#12

These are also off to Zesty Palette to the event New U

Hari Daal ke Kebab

2012-01-22T10:29:00.000+05:30

BM #12 Day 7

I am not a T.V.fan but while I am in the office and have some free time I put on some cookery show and these kebabs are a result of one such cookery show.I , as usual scribbled the recipe on a paper and put it away and forgot about it..?...no..this time I did not make that mistake .I actually tried the recipe and cooked these wonderful Kebabs, which were an absolute hit at home.I tried a new recipe for the chutney to go with it.check out!!

Kebab dough

1cup........... green split gram

2-3............... green chillies pounded

1tsp............. ginger garlic paste

¼ tsp ...........red chilly pwd

¼ tsp ...........garam masala

2tbsp ..........daalia pwd

2tbsp............bread crumbs

¼ cup.......... fresh corriander leaves

½ tsp........... lemon juice

Salt to taste

Soak the daal.

Wash and remove all the excess water.

Heat 2tsp oil and add the daal.

Roast till completely dry.

Cool.

Grind coarsely.
Add all the ingredients.

Mix well.

Shape into kebabs.

Deep fry.

Chutney

1cup............... coriander leaves

6...................... green chillies

½ cup............. besan farsaan (could be anything like sev,ganthia,papri)

Salt to taste

Lemon juice

Blend to a fine paste and you get a hot chutney.

Serve the kebabs with salad and chutney.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#12

These are also off to Sweet Heat Chilli Challenge: Lets Rock Indian and Susan's My Legume Love Affair # 43.

Kalmi Vada

2012-01-21T11:06:00.000+05:30

BM # 12 Day 6

Kalmi Vadas are from Rajasthan,but again a Delhi street food.With Delhi growing there are many street foods which are restricted to the walled city..The Old Delhi.The new Delhi hardly gets to taste these yummy flavours.Everytime I visit Delhi,I must make a visit to Old Delhi…yes…to satisfy my taste buds!! The chaat wala..one who sells golgappas and papri chaat has these Kalmi Vadas and while making papdi chaat adds a piece or two if told to do so.Just Kalmi Vadas with boiled potatoes and chick peas along with kachaalu soaked in sonth…is yet another treat,addition of curd and hari chutney just makes it tongue tickling.Somehow I have never got around making those typical ones tried getting the recipe ,surfed a lot but never managed to get that typical one.Nevertheless These Kami Vadas are equally delicious….with a flavor of fennel and whole coriander seeds.We do not get kachaalus here so I did not make the complete chaat.These can be served as it is and has a shelf life of atleast 15 days.These can be enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee or a nice fizzy drink .

1cup.............. chana daal

1tsp................fennel seeds

1tsp............... whole coriander seeds

2tsp............... red chilly pwd

A large pinch hing

Salt to taste

Wash and soak the daal for 4 hours.

Grind coarsely.

Add all the ingredients.

Make oblong shaped wadas.

Deep fry.Do not make them golden.

Cool.

Cut into pieces.

Re-fry to a golden color.

Serve hot or store.

Serving options

Can be served as it is.
Can be served as a chaat with curd and chutneys.

Gol gappe,papdi chaat and Kalmi wadas sold in Dariba Kalan Chandni Chowk

closer view of the original Kalmi Wadas..check there is no spice in these

pepped up with dahi,sonth and masalas..ready patta of Kalmi Vadas

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#12

These are off to Susan's MMLA#43 ,and Street Food.

Daalwada

2012-01-20T07:39:00.001+05:30

BM # 12 Day 5

Living in Gujrat and not blogging about Daalwada?...not possible!!These are truly special.Pakodas made from split green gram,spiced with garlic and chillies and fried to a crisp brown.These crunchy wadas are served with onion slices and fried green chillies.

While taking a drive down the streets of Ahemdabad,you will spot a daalwada stall at every corner ,but ofcourse there are a few famous ones who sell the Best ones!!As soon as the first monsoon starts ,even if it is a drizzle..these stalls get packed and people queue up to buy daalwadas holding umbrellas.

These are actually very simple to make and just need the right amount of flavoring and there you go…my hubby wonders why people go crazy and stand under umbrellas with pouring rain…when it is such a simple affair?..well…well…!!!what do I say to that?..

1cup......... split green gram

3-4............. green chillies roughly chopped(you could make a paste too)

2tbsp........ crushed garlic

(in winters I use crushed fresh green garlic )

A good bunch of coriander leaves finely chopped

Salt to taste.

Soak the daal for 2-4 hours.
Wash the daal and discard half the husk.
Grind coarsely .

Add all the ingredients.

Beat well.

Deep fry to a golden brown.

Serve hot with onion slices and fried green chillies.

Fried green chillies

Wash the chillies.

Pat dry on a kitchen towel.

Heat oil.

Throw the chillies in the oil and cover the pan immediately.

You shall hear the chillies cracking.

After about a minute switch off the gas.

Remove the lid.

Remove the chillies on a kitchen towel.

Sprinkle salt and asafoetida.

Next to the Daalwada stall we always find a tea stall .The combination is awsum in rainy season and winters!!

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#12

These Daalwadas are also off to Sweet Heat Chilli Challenge: Lets Rock Indian and Susan's My Legume Love Affair # 43 and Street Food.

Daal Paatra

2012-01-19T14:12:00.002+05:30

BM # 12 Day 4

I am always in a hunt to try a new recipe for BM so normally I call one of my friends who has to suggest me something which I have not heard of.She has a treasure and her I love her cooking skills.For this BM she suggested Daal Patra. Patras are a common sight in Gujrat ,but Daal Patra was new to me.These are from Surat and actually I wonder why I have’nt tasted Surati Cuisine as yet.It’s supposed to be spicy.After reading the recipe I was hesitant to cook these ..it hardly has any flavorings..I mean the regular Patras are so flavorsome….but my friend assured me that I would like them.So , here I am..and actually they turned quite delicious.They have a peppery taste and when served with seeng tel and drizzled with lemon gives a tangy taste.The pepper-lemon combo is unique.

6 colocasia leaves

Preparing the leaves.....

These leaves have veins like any leaf has.The thickness of the veins varies according to the size of the leaf.Try getting baby leaves ,which are tender and have soft veins.In case you get big leaves ,remove the veins carefully ..just the ones which are thick. While doing so some leaves might tear ,but thats okay you need not worry. Wash the leaves.

Paste

1cup................... tuar daal (pigeon pea)

¼ tsp.................. red chilly pwd

¼ tsp.................. coarsely ground pepper

Pinch hing

Salt to taste

Wash and soak the daal for 2-4 hours.

Grind to a paste.

Add the spices.

Beat well till frothy.

Apply to the first leaf.
Place the second leaf on top and apply the paste again.

Fold and roll the leaves.

Steam.

Cool.

Cut into pieces.

Serve garnished with coarsely ground pepper ,seeng tel(ground nut oil) and drizle some lemon juice.

Please refer to the pictures to fold and roll the leaves.

applying the paste

first fold

second fold

third fold

roll over

steam

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#12

These are also off to , Susan's MMLA#43 ,and Street Food.

Moong Daal Kachori

2012-01-18T08:28:00.000+05:30

BM #12 Day 3

When we talk of Kachori,we think of Rajasthan,but we cant miss the U.P. Kachoris,also the Kachoris in Gujrat are quite popular.All these states have different variety,the basic remains the same,but the stuffing and shape changes.Ofcourse the serving style too changes.Today I have picked up kachoris from U.P.These are stuffed with yellow moong daal and served with Aaloo Sabzi.One can also serve them with chutneys.These can be stored for about 15 days.They might last a little longer but the taste changes so it is no good .Coming to the recipe......

Dough

500 gms.............. maida

4-6 tbsp............... ghee

Salt to taste

Seive the maida.

Add ghee.mix the flour till crumbly.

Adding water make a hard dough.

Let it rest for 30 mins.

Pound the dough and check ,it should spring back.

Stuffing

500 gms.............. moong daal

4tsp...................... saunf

4tsp...................... whole coriander seeds

1tsp...................... hing

Salt to taste

6tsp..................... aamchoor pwd

4tsp..................... garam masala

6tsp..................... red chilly pwd

Wash and soak the moong daal for about 2 hours.

Grind it coarsely.

Add fennel, coriander seeds,salt and hing.

Make big balls and deep fry.

Let cool.

Grind them in a mixer.

Seive it in a big seive.

Add red chilly ,garam masala and aamchoor powder.

Mix well.

Getting the kachori ready...

Pinch out a big ball from the dough.

Roll to a small disc .

Place the stuffing.

Make a ball and seal it.

Flatten it and roll again...but very lightly,to the same disc size.
Deep fry adjusting the flame..from full to simmer to make these crisp and well cooked.

Serving options

You can eat them as it is...the way I did!!

You can serve it with Aaloo Sabzi.

It can be served with a variety of chutneys.

Also can be served with stuffing boiled potatoes,chick peas and curd and chutneys,topping with spices and sev.

These are off to Srvalli's BM # 12, Susan's MMLA#43 ,and Street Food.

Gul-gule'

2012-01-17T09:58:00.000+05:30

BM # 12 Day 2

Born and brought up in Delhi I have always been fond of street food.Gul-gule'....doe’snt the name sound interesting?well...these are nothing but Moong Daal Pakoras or fritters.These are an absolute favorite with the Delhites and are sold in almost every nook and corner.Now what’s the big deal about moong daal pakoras?...yes ,you got to taste these to know what I am talking about.These have a very mild taste ,but the flavor of asofetadia is dominant,these are topped with grated radish,..the green leaves of radish are finely chopped and mixed in.To make them hot and spicy a green tangy chutney is drizzled on top and a spicy chaat masala is sprinkled to finish off!! Now ain’t it mouth watering?...These are also called Ram Ladoos.

Here is the recipe....

Pakoras

1cup................ moong daal

Salt to taste

A big pinch asofetadia

Pinch baking powder

Soak moong daal for 5-6 hours.

Grind to a paste.

Add salt ,hing and baking powder.

Beat well.

Fry the pakoras.

Garnish

2 cups .............shredded radish

¼ cup.............. shredded radish leaves

Chaat masala

Chutney

4-6.................... green chillies

A small bunch coriander leaves

Few mint leaves

¼ cup.............. light tamarind juice

Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients and blend .

The chutney should be runny / watery.

Assembling

Place the pakoras in a plate.

Sprinkle the radish mixed with greens.

Drizzle the chutney.

Sprinkle chaat masala.

Each pakora is relished with this fresh radish salad and chutney ,but eat these right away ,else they get soggy.

a vendor selling these Gul-gulas'

ready to be eaten

These are off to Srvalli's BM # 12 , Susan's MMLA#43 ,and Street Food.

Tri-daali Daal au Joovar-jo-Dhodho

2012-01-16T09:20:00.001+05:30

BM # 12 Day 1

For this edition of BM I have picked up Daals,well I will try to post different forms of daals and will not restrict to the regular daals,so guys dont loose track,remain hooked to get a new variety everyday.The very first day I am starting with our Sindhi Cuisine.

Tri Daali is a regular daal served in Sindhi homes.As the name suggests its a combination of three daals.The split gram daal,udad daal and the chana daal.This is a very simple ,quick daal and has a amazing garlic flavor.

This daal is normally served with Jowar jo Dhodho.Jowar is Sorghum and Dhodho is a flat Indian bread ,thicker version of chapati,difficult to roll so either it is made in plastic sheets or made in between palms of your hands.This can be made with addition of salt or onions,green garlic,coriander too can be used to enhance the flavor.After the dhodha is cooked on either side, it is generously fried in ghee / oil .(well actually the frying part can be avoided).The fresh green garlic lends a special flavor to the dhodha,which makes it a treat in itself.A lot of homes serve it with green chutney also.

Daal

1cup..............split green gram

¼ cup.............split black gram

¼ cup.............bengal gram

1large............ tomato

¼ ‘’..................ginger roughly chopped

2..................... green chillies roughly chopped

¼ tsp..............turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Wash and soak the daals for an hour.

Put all ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles .

Simmer for about 7-8 minutes.

Check if the daals are cooked.

Blend them a little.

Add eneough water to get the daal to a medium to thick consistency.

Tempering

4tbsp.............. oil /ghee

2tbsp .............finely chopped garlic

A large pinch asofoetida

Fresh corriander

Heat oil / ghee

Add garlic,let it turn to golden brown ....you will get that wonderful aroma.

Add asofoetida.

Temper the daal covering the pan immediately after pouring the oil.

Garnish with fresh coriander.

Dhodo

1cup...................jowar flour

1..........................green chilly finely chopped 1small onion finely chopped

2tbsp................. finely chopped fresh green garlic

Corriander leaves finely chopped

Salt to taste

Add all the ingredients and bind a semi soft dough.

Make 2 balls and flatten this with your hands.

Go on slapping the dough with both palms till required thickness is acheived.

Roast it on a gridle.

If you feel it is thick sprinkle some water and press with hand ...this way the dhodha will spread on the gridle.

Once both sides are nearly cooked apply oil ..as for paratha.

Flip over and apply oil on the other side too.

Serve it hot with Tridaali Daal and green chutney...the combination of a raw onion which has been beaten with u r palm...mukka maar ke!!....well that’s how we have..without peeling the onion..giving it a good box..and..wow the rustic way to eat..and a fresh green chilly.a few drops of lemon.....m..mmm..lovely!!

This goes to Srivalli's Blogging Marathon # 12, Sweet Heat Chilli Challenge: Lets Rock Indian ,Gayatri's Walk through the memory Lane and Susan's My Legume Love Affair # 43.

Satpura / Pather Pheni /Chirote

2012-01-15T10:52:00.000+05:30

As kids I guess we are too playful and are not interested in what is being cooked during festivals.Going back,years back probably when I was 7- 8 , I remember mom making Satpuras for a special festival called Mahalaxmi-jo-sagro.This festival is dedicated to Godess Mahalaxmi ,the Godess of wealth during Shiradhs .For two weeks homeage is paid to forefathers .Celebration of festival starts with tying a thread,made with raw threads and sixteen knots.On the day the sacred thread has to be untied and various savouries are prepared,one of these is Satpura.

Since we believe in Guru we do not follow the rituals which were followed long back and hence are quite ignorant about these festival cuisines.... now when Valli announced the Indian Cooking Challenge and while making these Phenis I recollected that these are the same Satpuras mom used to make!! my...every state has a different name to the same thing...and sometimes we dont even realize this!!

Coming to the challenge....and the recipe.....I followed Madhvi’s recipe ..minus the syup.

Dough

1cup.................... all purpose flour

2tbsp.................. ghee

Pinch salt

Ol for frying

For applying in between the layers

2tbsp................. ghee

2tbsp................. rice flour

Garnish

Handful pistachios

¼ cup ...............sugar

1tsp.................. cardamon pwd

Mix the three and make a powder.

Dried rose petals.

Seive the flour.

Add pinch of salt.

Add ghee.

Mix well till it resembles bread crumbs.

Adding water gradually bind the dough.

Cover with a muslin cloth.

Let it rest for an hour .

Make 5 balls of this dough.

Make thin chapatis.

Place the first chapati and apply ghee.

Sprinkle rice flour.

Place the second chapati ...a little off the first one.

Repeat applying ghee and rice powder and placing these off the previous one.

Finish all five.

Start rolling the chapatis and make a log.

Seal the ends.

Cut into peices.

Roll each peice into a small disc...make sure you roll this lightly.

Deep fry .

As you fry you will notice the layers.

Remove on a kitchen towel.

Dust with sugar n nutty powder.

Garnish with rose petals.

While making these I actually did’nt go through any difficulty...may be the use of rawa would have created some problem..but with flour it was pretty cool.Infact now that I am done and over with this I saw some amazing Chirote...another name!!...lovely colors.Here is the link...check out for yourself.