Carrot Flowers with Cucumber Leaves

I've been fascinated with the vegetable carving for sometime now. But as I don't keep in touch with this art regularly, I'll need a few warming up exercises before I produce something presentable. These flowers can be carved with Beetroot / turnips / Raddish / Knol Khol etc.
The only tool required is - a Carving Knife and of course loads of patients and concentration.
Nayna's event has inspired me to turn out these beauties.

Sending this to the Create n carve Event.

Carrots carved

Some more carrot flowers as I had only carrots at hand !

Sending this to the create n carve event.

Alu Paneer Parata

As I had a small portion of paneer left over in the fridge, I combined it with some potato and used it up to make this delicious parata. As of any Parata, this is also very soft, wholesome and filling.


Ingredients

For the stuffing-

Potato - boiled & grated , 1 cup
Paneer - grated, 1 cup
Green Chilly paste - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Ajwain/ aniseed/ cumin - a pinch
Coriander leaves - chopped, 2 tbsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp

For the covering-

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - as required
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Water - to make the dough

Method

Make a soft dough using the wheat flour, for the covering and rest for some time.

Mix all the ingredients for the stuffing .

Pinch a tennis ball size of the dough, flatten it, and place a smaller size/ equal size of the stuffing, gather the covering on the top and bring it together and seal well.
Roll lightly dusting it with the wheat flour to the required thickness.
Cook on a hot griddle applying oil on both sides till done.

Serve hot with any Raitha/ tomato Sauce/ pickles/ chutney.

Pineapple Kesaribath

Kesari is the easiest sweet preparation and it prepared very often in homes and functions alike.
Kharabath - keasribath is an all time favorite combination, which appears on the menu of all the small and big occasions. Fruits , like mashed ripe bananas , apples and pineapples are sometimes used to flavor this traditional dish individually. Otherwise elichi powder is used for flavour. Ghee is used generously . The diet conscious people can replace it partially with oil. Feel free to reduce or increase the milk- water proportion.

Ingredients

Upma Sooji - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Pineapple diced - 1 cup
Milk - 2 cups
water - 1 cup
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Kesar - few strands
Turmeric Powder/ food color - a pinch
Cashew pieces - 1 tbsp
Sulthana - 1 tbsp

Method

Using the whipper button of the blender , Crush the pineapple lightly, for a second.
Toast the sooji with a couple of tsps of ghee till a good aroma wafts the kitchen .
In a thick bottom pan heat the remaining ghee & fry the cashew till golden color. When the cashew is almost ready , drop the sulthanas and fry till they swell up. Drain and reserve them for later.
Pour the milk and water into the same pan with ghee and bring it to a boil. Add the turmeric and kesar now. Stirring all the while , pour in the sooji and cook till done.
Add the sugar and pineapple crush now and cook till all the moisture dries up.
Garnish with the fried dry fruits and serve.

Sending this to Srilekha's Sweets & Savory Event.

Carrot Rice

The spices used in this Rice preparation is slightly different from the regular Pulavs. The addition of coriander seeds and sesame seeds makes this Rice differently fragrant. Mostly I followed the recipe verbatim , but for a few minor changes. I used Green chillies to turn on the heat factor , in addition to the Red chillies. Some Lemon juice in the end to balance the sweetness of carrots . The green peas provide the much needed contrast to the texture and colour of the Rice.

Recipe Source - http://www.talimpu.com/2010/06/30/carrot-rice/


Ingredients

Rice - 1 cup
Carrots grated - 1 1/2 cups
Green Peas - a handful
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Red chillies - 4
Coconut grated - 2 tbsps
Green Chillies - 4
Oil - 2 tbsps
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 2 tsps
Bay Leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 1 ''
Cloves - 2
Onion - 1 large, sliced
Salt - to taste
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Water - 3 cups


Method

I have used regular Rice , but feel free to use Basmathi as well. Wash rice and soak it in some water till required.
Toast the coriander seeds, sesame seeds and Red chillies in some oil , cool and powder in a blender. Add the coconut and green chillies and run the blender once more.
In a pressure cooker , heat the oil and ghee , stir in the jeera & bay leaf, cinnamon , cloves to release their flavors.
Drop in the sliced onions and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the green Peas , grated carrots and stir for a couple of minutes. The coconut mixture is stirred in for another two minutes.
Add the washed & drained Rice and mix with the other ingredients for a minute.
Pour in the measured hot water. Add the seasoning ( salt ). Give a good stir and Pressure cook on high flame till the first whistle. Later cook in sim for another 5- 7 mins.
Open after the pressure has released.
Add the lemon juice and mix well.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve with any Raitha. Tastes good by itself also.

Fudgey Rich Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake is my son's favorite and is something to die for. I have baked this cake back to back 3 times in a row and it has still managed to retain the top position. It is a soft, fudgey and rich enough in chocolate to satiate the chocolate crazy palettes. I have included the coffee to enhance the intensity and have reduced the sugar. As this cake does not call for any frosting, it can be prepared in a jiffy. Go on and indulge !

Recipe Source - http://www.tinnedtomatoes.com/2009/05/fudgey-chocolate-cake.html

Ingredients

Butter - 100 gms
Castor Sugar - 125 gms
Brown Sugar - 50 gms
Dark Cooking Chocolate - 125 gms
Golden Syrup - 1 tbsp
Eggs - 2
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
All Purpose Flour - 100 gms
Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cocoa Powder - 2 tbsps
Instant coffee powder - 2 tsps

Method

Grease and line a 8'' cake tin.
Pre - heat the oven to 180 C.
Sieve the flour along with baking powder and cocoa powder.
Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 tbsps of hot water.
Melt the Butter in a pan and remove from the heat.
Mix in chopped cooking chocolate & both the sugars and stir well till they blend well. Add the vanilla essence and coffee .
Beat the eggs till light and frothy.
Pour this into the chocolate mixture and beat lightly.
Fold in the flour and immediately pour into the prepared tin.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Cool for 1/2 an hour and cut.

Ras Malai

I have been dormant for a while now and the reasons are many . Power cuts , comp problems, procrastination .....and so on.
One look at the ICC challenge , my all time fav Ras Malai & all the excuses went on the back burner. Promptly , I got around to the preparation and here is the result .....
Of course I am not enrolled in the group, but I get inspired to prepare their yummy treats . But this is the first time I actually got down to action.
Every detail was well taken care of and explained well. I had never imagined that Ras Malai could be prepared successfully at home. 3 cheers to group !
I have jotted down the recipe for my reference and yours too !


Ingredients

To make the Paneer Balls

Milk - 2 Lts
Vinegar - 2 tbsps
Maida - 1 tsp

For the Sugar Syrup-

Water - 3 cups
Sugar 8 tbsps

For the Rasa

Milk - 1 lt
Sugar - 7 tbsps
Pista slivers / chironji - 1 tsp
Kesar - a few strands
Elichi powder - a pinch

Method

Boil the milk, cool & refrigerate for 12 hrs.
Remove the cream on top & bring it to a boil.
Add the vinegar & curdle the milk. Put out the fire.
Rest for 10 mins & drain out the whey water.
Wash the paneer in fresh water to remove any traces of vinegar.
Hang this paneer in a muslin cloth for 1 hour, till all the water is drained out.
Knead this paneer well for about 5 mins till smooth . Add 1 tspn of maida & knead well.
Make small, smooth balls.
I got about 20 balls.

At the same time , milk reserved for the Rasa can be put to a boil.
Keep an eye on this milk & stir every now and then to prevent it from boiling over.
Reduce it to half.
Add the sugar and cook for a few mins.
Put off the fire & add the elichi powder & kesar.

In the meanwhile the sugar syrup can be prepared.
In a pressure pan , bring 3 cups of water to a boil & add 8 tbsps of sugar.
Drop the prepared balls into the syrup, close the lid.
Place the weight when the steam builds up & lower the flame & cook for 10 mins.
Put out the gas . Open when the pressure cools down.
The balls would have swelled up & doubled in size.
Take each ball with a slotted spoon & press with another spoon gently to squeeze out the excess sugar syrup. Drop into the hot Rasa.
Garnish with the pista .
Tastes good when warm or when served chilled.

Notes

* If using skimmed milk, Paneer can be prepared directly. Resting for 12 hrs in the fridge can be skipped.
* The Rasa tends to become thick as the paneer balls absorbs it. I guess the rasa can be removed earlier than recommended.

Raw Mango Chutney

I fell in love with this chutney served in my friend Vani's house. I remembered my manners & resisted gorging on it as the rest of her family had not yet come in for lunch. Armed with the recipe, I felt a little better. I followed the recipe to the T & the result did not disappoint me or my family. And here is the chutney I was drooling for ,


Ingredients

Raw Green mango - 1/2 cup , chopped
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 11 , 1 inch pieces
Salt - to taste
Jaggery - 1 tbsp
For Tempering -
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard, Urad Dal, Hing, Curry Leaves, broken Red chilly

Method

Chop the Raw mango with or without the skin.
Grind all the ingredients into a chutney without using any water. Add the coconut in the end & grind coarsely.
Mix in the tempering.
Tastes especially good with Rice. Goes well with chapathis as well. Enjoy.

Peas Masala

Peas Masala is a winning combination of Tomatoes, Potatoes & Peas. Having the luscious Red of tangy tomatoes and flavored mildly with cinnamon and cloves , enriched with the complex carbs from the potatoes, the peas lend their vibrant color and texture , this dish is certain to warm the cockles of your heart tummy !





Ingredients

Peas - 1 cup
Tomatoes- 1/2 Kg
Potatoes - 1/4 kg
Ghee - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 ''
Cloves - 2
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Jaggery / sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method

Blanch the Tomatoes , puree and pass the juice through a sieve.
Pressure cook the potato, remove the jackets, and crush it roughly with your hands.
Cook the peas .
Powder finely the Cinnamon & cloves.

Heat ghee in a pan, put off the fire & add stir in the cinnamon & clove powder . I take this precaution , to keep the powder from charring.
Switch on the gas again and pour in the Tomato puree, toss in the peas and bring it a boil.
Add the prepared potatoes , chilly Powder , salt and sugar.
Add water to adjust consistency and bring it to a simmer .
Flavorful Peas masala is all ready for you to devour.

Sending this to The MLLA Event host by Manju, brainchild of Susan.

Dum Gobi

In this season, Creamy White Cauliflowers , in all their glory, allure the shoppers to pick them up, being available at unresistable prices. Of course, fresh Peas are also in season, commanding their usual premium rates ! Dum Gobi , is a very tasty side dish prepared combining both these veggies. Try it and I'm sure you will agree with me.
We use a spice called Marati Moggu in the south, and you can spot them in the picture. Generally, I have not come across many recipes , using this particular spice. We usually combine this with cinnamon in most of our masalas.





Ingredients

Cauliflower - 1 large, chopped into bite size florets
Onion - 2 cup , sliced
Peas - 2 cups
Oil - 3 tbsps
Grind :
Red chilly - 14 no.s ( both guntur & byadigi mixed )
Cinnamon - 4" piece
Marati Moggu /capers - 10 no.s
Dhania ( coriander seeds ) - 1 tbsp
Jeera ( cumin seeds ) - 1 tsps
Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp, toasted lightly
Cashew - 1 tbsp
Coconut - 1/2 cup , scraped
Copra - 2 tbsps , scraped
Onions - 1 large , chopped roughly
Salt - to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a big pan, tumble in the onion, peas & cauliflower florets. Stir cook for sometime & add little water if the vegetables are sticking at the bottom of the pan.Cover & cook till the cauliflower stems are just cooked / Al dente & the peas are done.
Grind the masala into a fine paste with water.
Stir fry this masala in some oil till it changes colour & leaves the sides of the pan.
Mix the vegetables & the masala , till both blend, taking care to see that the cauliflower does not get too disintegrated. When done , take off from heat.
Serve with Roti/ parata/ chapathi.

Sending this to Srilekha's EFM series.

And also to the CWS Event hosted by RV, which was started by Priya.

Biyam atukulu

Biyam is rice and atukulu is poha in telugu. Though prepared with rice, this dish gives the feel and taste of poha. This is my friend Vani's recipe who is from Mysore & I guess this is a traditional dish of this region. This dish calls for the regular pantry staples in the Indian kitchens and can be prepared in a jiffy and enjoyed at any time, breakfast , lunch or dinner.





Ingredients

Rice - 1 cup , pan roasted on medium fire till color changes
Onion - 2 large , diced big
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Water - 3 cups
Grind-
Red chilly - 7 ( byadigi and guntur )
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Tamarind - 1 tbsp , soaked & extract the juice
Jaggery - 1 tbsp
Tempering -
Oil - 2 to 3 tbsps
Mustard, bengal gram dal, curry leaves, Red chillies - 2 ( broken ), hing

Method

Dry roast the rice for at least 10 mins till the color changes .
In a pressure cooker, take oil & do the tempering. Add the turmeric powder also.
Tip in the onions & stir a couple of times.
Grind the masala using the measured water & tip it into the onions.
Add the rice.
Pour in the rest of the water also.
Pressure cook for 3 whistles.
Open after the pressure is down & enjoy spicy , tangy Rice poha.

cauliflower parota

This is yet another of the parotas we prepare regularly. For me parotas are the saviors , when I can't zero in on any side dishes to go with the chapathis. The filling can be prepared before hand and stacked away in the fridge . This comes in handy to put together a meal in when in a hurry.
Presenting the two flowers of a different kind ! One a visual treat & the other a gastrnomical one.



Ingredients for the filling -

Cauliflower - 1 medium flower
Onion - 2 medium chopped finely
Oil - 2 tbsp
Jeera - 2 tsp
Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Coriander - 2 tbsp, chopped
Sugar - 1 tsp
Amchur powder - 1 tsp

Method

Wash the florets & pulse in the blender or grate the florets.
In a pan , heat the oil & temper with the cumin.
Stir in the onions for a couple of minutes.
Add the prepared cauliflower & cook covered, stirring now & then till the rawness goes.
Add all the powders and give it a good mix.
Garnish with the coriander.

Prepare a soft chapathi dough.
Roll out 2 small puris.
On the 1st puri, spread a tbsp of the filling , leaving a margin all around to seal the edges.

Cover with the other puri & seal the edges.
Dust a plastic sheet & roll this parota lightly.
Cook on a hot griddle on both the sides with a tsp of oil.
Tastes good by itself or with pickles & curds.

Sending this to Sri's EFM.

Saagu Junka

You can call it a saagu crossover or a Junaka crossover. Traditionally saagu is a vegetable intense dish with it's own style of masala and junaka is a gram flour based side dish. Saagu Junaka is a name coined by yours truly , because this is an integrated dish.
The boiled veggies are cooked into the gram flour gravy base. The sour curds gives a pleasant tang to the gravy.

Ingredients


Mixed vegetables - 2 cups
Sour curds - 1/2 cup
Besan gram flour - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 large , diced
Capsicum - 1/2 cup , diced
Ginger - 1/2 '' piece, finely chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves , finely chopped ( optional )
Green chilly paste - 2 tsps
Salt
For tempering -
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard, Jeera, hing, curry leaves

Method

Boil vegetables of choice like carrots, beans, peas, potato, cabbage, ridge gourd etc.
Heat oil in a pan & temper. Stir in the ginger & garlic at this stage.
Saute the onion & capsicum till done.
Mix the gram flour in the sour curds . Pour this mixture into the onions & stir till you get a cooked smell.
Now add the boiled vegetables , chilly paste, salt . Add water to the required consistency. Bring it to a simmer.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve with chapathi.

Suggestion

Can use lemon juice in the end if the curds are not sour.
Garam masala powder can be added in the end.

Sending this to Sri's EFM.

Coriander Rice

This is an old recipe stacked away in the drafts. I traced this when I launched a search for Lunch Box recipes. This is a flavorful rice, mildly spiced & combined with the veggies.
When served with a cooling Raitha , it makes a satisfying & filling lunch !

Ingredients

Basmathi Rice - 1 cup
Water - 1 1/2 cup
Oil & ghee - 3 tbsps & 1 tbsp
Cinnamon - 2 ''
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 2
Bay Leaf - 2
Onions - 2 no.s , sliced
Carrots - 1/2 cup , julienne
Beans - 1/2 cup, julienne
Peas - a handful
Lemon juice - 2 tbsps
Sugar - 1 tsp

Grind together with some water-
Coconut - 2 tbsps
Green chillies - 8
Ginger - 1 '' piece
Garlic - 6 cloves
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Onion - 2 tbsps, chopped
Coriander - 3/4 - 1 cup chopped

Method

Wash & soak rice for 10 minutes.
Take oil in a pan , drop the whole spices in hot oil to release their flavors. Tip in the onions & saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the vegetables & cook covered till they wilt.
Grind the masala paste & stir it in till it becomes dry.
Drain the rice, & stir it in the masala for a couple of minutes.
Bring the measured water to a boil with sufficient salt in a Rice cooker. Transfer the rice to the boiling water & cook till the rice is done.
Squeeze some lemon juice & sprinkle some sugar to balance out the flavors.
Serve with Raitha.

Sending this to the Tiffin Box Event hosted by Radhika and Sudashna.

Strawberry Banana Milkshake

I can't be wrong if I said Strawberry milkshake is everybody's All time favorite drink. With the luscious red berries in season, the first thing one would want to do in this hot summer is to enjoy a cool milkshake. Which is certain to uplift and invigorate the heart, mind, soul and all your gastronomical senses at one shot.
Banana gives body to the the otherwise thin drink, when ice cream is not used. One could do with less ice cream if a small banana is used.
Strawberries are sometimes arranged on a bed of these leaves in transparent boxes. I liked the delicate structure of these leaves & hence used it in the presentation. I'm guessing that they must be strawberry leaves. Any take on this , anyone ?

Ingredients

Cold milk - 1 glass
Banana - 1 small fruit
Vanilla / Strawberry Ice cream - 2 scoops
Sugar - 1 tbsp

Method

Add all this in a blender & whizz it up till nice and frothy and enjoy !

Methi chapathi , Raitha combo .

Methi is in season & fresh , healthy looking greens do beckon to be picked up ! How does one resist such a call ? Pinching out these leaves from their stems is laborious and time consuming , especially if it has to be done for a large family. But the goodness & flavour of this greens more than rewards all the effort. We love to have our methi chapathis with Tomato Cucumber Onion Raitha.

Ingredients

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Methi leaves/ fenugreek - 1 cup, chopped
Oil - 2 tsps
Salt
Grind-
Onion - 1 small, chopped,
Ginger - a small piece,
Garlic - 2 cloves,
Green chilly - 3,
Curds - 2 tbsps.

Method

Wash & chop the greens. Sprinkle the required amount of salt & rest it for a while. The greens release their moisture in the presence of salt.
Now mix the greens with atta & oil.
Grind the wet spices with curds.
Mix the chapathi dough with this paste. Add more water / curds if needed to make a soft dough. Rest for sometime.
Roll out chapathis & cook on a hot griddle with a dribble of oil.
Serve with any gravy/ raitha .

Raitha

Chop Tomatoes , Cucumber & onions finely. Beat thick curds. Add a dash of salt .Mix in the veggies & garnish with coriander.

Sending this to Sri's EFM.

Aapam with cooked rice

This is yet another variation from the world of Dosa. Left over cooked rice can be mixed with the curds & blended and utilized to prepare this delicious Dosa for the next day. This recipe is adapted from Pakadarshi , a book by Suryakanthamma. As all the recipes in this book are tried & tested , usually it is safe to assume that the results are upto the mark.



Ingredients

Rice - 2 cups
Rice - 1/2 cup
Curds - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp
Cooking soda - a pinch
Salt

Method

Soak 2 cups of rice for 3 hrs & grind into a fine and thick paste using less water
Cook the other half cup of rice. Blend it into a coarse paste with the curds.
Mix both the pastes. Add some salt. Let it ferment overnight.
Though this batter is thick when prepared, it loosens out the next morning.
In the morning, add water if needed to make flowing batter.
A pinch of cooking soda & sugar is mixed into the batter.
Make dosa by pouring a ladle of batter & swirling the hot pan.
Drizzle a tsp of oil & cook covered on one side only. No need of flipping the dosa to cook on the other side.
Enjoy the soft dosa with chutney of your choice.

Badam Milk / Almond milk

Badam milk, hot or cold is my all time favorite , thus making it both a summer & winter drink. Almonds are packed with vital vitamins & minerals. It is said to contain high levels of vitamin E, better known as an anti oxidant. It is not only a delicious & nutritious drink but a energy drink too. It is suitable for both the young and the old alike as it is easily digestible.
We even make our Halu obbatu / pal poli, using this milk.
Raising a toast to all the blogging fraternity ! Cheers.....!




Ingredients

Milk - 1 lt
Badam / Almonds- 50 gms
Cashew - 50 gms
Saffron - a pinch
Almond Flakes - a tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 cup

Method

Wash & soak the cashews for 1/2 hr in some water.
Boil the Almonds in some water . After a few minutes the skin swells up. Put off the fire. When cool, drain out the water & slip out the skins.
Wet grind the the cashews & almonds into a almost fine paste with water. It is nice to feel the grains of the almonds in the milk.
Bring the milk to a boil & continue boiling for another 10 minutes , stirring frequently & taking care not to scorch the milk at the bottom of the container. It is better to use a thick bottom pan for this preparation.
Stir the badam paste into the milk & continue boiling the milk, stirring all the while for 10 minutes or till you get a nice cooked aroma.
Add the sugar & Saffron strands & continue stirring for another 10 minutes.
Put off the fire.
The Milk is ready to be relished Hot or Chilled.
Garnish with toasted Almond flakes & serve.

Suggestions

Nutmeg powder can be used in the milk if preferred. It imparts a distinct aroma & flavor.
Or it can be cardamom flavored.
Pistachio flakes make a good garnish.

Paneer Masala

I had Paneer waiting for it's turn in the fridge , & everyday I was postponing , as I could not decide what I wanted to do with it. Finally I selected a basic gravy & did some mix and match with the vegetables on hand , which gave shape to this dish.
I guess this is how new dishes are invented !

Ingredients

Carrot - 1 medium , chopped & cooked
Capsicum - 1 small, diced
Tomato - 1/2 cup, diced
Paneer- 1/2 cup, diced
oil- 3 tbsps
Lemon juice- 1 tsp
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Salt
Grind :
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Garlic 4 cloves
Ginger - 1/2 '' piece
Cashew - a few
Poppy Seeds - 2 tsps
Jeera - 1 tsp
Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Green chilly - 2
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Cardamom, clove - 1 each
Cinnamon- 1/2 ''

Method

Fry the paneer in oil till the color changes & keep immersed in warm water.
In the same oil, add the masala paste & stir till the raw smell goes.
Pour in some water to make a gravy & add the salt. Slip in the capsicum pieces & cover & cook for a few minutes.
This is followed by the tomato . Cook for a couple of minutes.
The carrots & the paneer can join in .
Pour in the coconut milk & bring to a boil.
Put off the gas. Add the lemon juice.
Enjoy with roti.

Our very own Black Beauty....Ragi Roti

Our former Prime minister, H.D. Deve Gowda had popularized Ragi Mudde in Delhi during his tenure . In Karnataka, many other Ragi/finger millet based like dishes Ragi Dosa, Ragi hurittu, Ragi Rotti are commonly prepared. Ragi is a staple of this region.It is a good source of dietary fibre, calcium & iron. Ragi is quite filling & keeps you going for a longer time.
This roti uses multi grain flour & veggies, so one can consider it as health food.












Ingredients

Ragi flour - 1 1/2 cup
Rice flour - 1/2 cup
Wheat flour - 1/4 cup
Salt
oil - 2-3 tsps
Onion - finely chopped, 1 cup
Green chillies - 2 tsps , finely chopped
Coriander chopped - 1/4 cup
Carrot - 1 cup , grated
Cucumber - 1 cup , grated
Cooked Rice - 1/2 cup, mashed well
Hot Water - as required

Method

• Mix together the grated onions, carrots, cucumber, green chillies, salt, oil, coriander, mashed rice, in a bowl .
  
• Mix all the flours together. Mix the vegetables and the flours.
  
• Pour in the hot water little by little & mix the dough , till everything comes together.
• To make the roti, you can use Wax coated paper or any paper like the Teflon sheet, which is heat resistant.
  
• Grease the paper , With wet hands take a handful of dough & press into a roti, which is slightly thick, with a hole in the center.
  
• Transfer this roti on to a hot griddle , the roti side down, press lightly on the paper & peel off the paper carefully after a minute.
• Drizzle a tsp of oil around the roti & a little oil on the roti & cook till the 1st side is done. Flip over & cook the 2nd side too.
• Serve this Roti hot with any chutney / a blob of butter/ curds.

Suggestion

Any other vegetables like grated beet root /finely chopped cabbage etc can be incorporated into the roti to make it more nutritious.

Sending this to Divya's , Wholegrain Event.

Gongura / Sorrel Poppu

Gongura preparations like poppu & pachhadi are extensively popular in Andhra Pradesh. Gongura greens have an acidic taste. These leaves are pinched at the neck of the stem , as the stem portion does not cook well. This poppu is regular on our menu . Mix it with rice & take a bite from the raw onion & enjoy pure bliss. You are sure to be on the highway to heaven. Since the greens are intrinsically sour, the dish has to be balanced with chillies & salt. And garlic pairs beautifully with sorrel.

Ingredients

Thoor dal - 1/2 cup
Gongura leaves - 1 fistful
Onion - 1, diced
Green Chillies - 8
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Garlic - 10 pods
To temper-
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard , jeera, Hing

Method

Pressure cook the dal with the onion, turmeric powder & a drop of oil , with just enough water. The greens & chillies are also cooked with the dal but in a separate container. Cover this container & pressure cook.
Crush the cooked green chillies & the garlic.
Mash the dal & the greens together. I use a Hand Blender to bring them together. Whizz it briefly, as we don't want the dal to become a paste.
Combine the chilly- garlic paste with the dal . Add sufficient salt. Adjust the consistency.
Bring to a simmer.
The dal is ready. Temper the dal.
It makes a good accompaniment with jowar roti / chapathi / rice as well.

Carrot chutney

I had never heard of carrot chutney before. I saw it for the first time here & got hooked instantly to the beautiful presentation. I customized this recipe and believe me , it is not only very colourful, it turned out to be tasty too ! A Must - Try chutney !

Ingredients

Carrots - 1 cup , grated
Coconut grated - 1 cup
Green chillies - 2
Red Chillies - 5
Ginger - 1/2 ", chopped
Oil - 2 tsps
Onion - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Urad dal - 2 tbsps
Tamarind - 1 tbsp , soaked
Salt
To temper - mustard, jeera & curry leaves

Method

Heat the oil in a pan & slip in the split green chilly & toss for a minute . Then the ginger for another minute.
Add the grated carrot & saute till the raw smell goes.
Put off the heat & mix in the coconut into the hot pan.
Roast the urad dal with the red chillies till the dal turns pink. Cool & powder it dry in a blender.
To this, add the prepared carrot mixture along with the tamarind extract & salt . Wet grind with the required quantity of water to get a chutney consistency.
Mix in the onions.
Lastly add the tempering . This goes well with roties & dosa.

Tomato poppu

Tomato poppu is a household preparation in Andhra Pradesh. Poppus are prepared on a regular basis using any vegetable on hand. They make a great accompaniment with rice. Sometimes spice powders like poppula podi ( Chutney pudi ) or pickles make a great combination when mixed with the poppu & rice. Try this poppu and you will surely like it.

Ingredients

Thoor Dhal / Red gram dhal - 1/2 cup
Onion - 2 medium size , diced
Tomato - 2 diced & 2 quartered
Tamarind - 2'' piece
Green chillies - 1 tbsp, chopped
Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Dhaniya / coriander powder - 1tsp
Jeera / cumin powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Tempering -
Oil - 2 tsps, mustard, Jeera, curry leaves, a pinch of hing.

Method


Pressure cook the dal , onions and the tomato quarters in enough water till mushy.
Place the green chillies and tamarind in a small cup and pressure cook along with the dal.
Remove the skin from the tomato quarters & mash it well along with the dal.
Extact the tamarind juice and add it to the dal.
Add in all the dry powders , sugar , cooked green chillies , salt and diced tomato and bring the dal to a simmer.
Transfer to a serving dish & mix with the tempering.
Tastes great with hot rice as well as with any rotis.

Suggestions

Can use chopped garlic in the tempering.
Traditional dal preparation does not use dhaniya, jeera , garam masala powders. Can omit them if you wish to do so.

Sending this to the 21st edition of MLLA hosted by manju ,which was started by Susan.

Eazee Brownies

I keep trying different Brownie recipes all the time. For the beginners , who need a little more expertise with cakes , can find comfort in brownies. Mostly , nothing much can go wrong with them. I liked the look of Divya Kudua brownies & I had to try it.
Besides it was a friend's birthday & I wanted to share some goodies with her. I replaced the butter with oil to reduce the guilt factor :)
Chocolate & coffee flavours marry well. I was tempted into adding some instant coffee for that deep flavor. I had acquired some Rum for the Christmas fruit cake. So a tbsp of that also had to be added.
The results are here to see. They were good, no doubt. But ice cream or chocolate sauce would have complimented & completed the SIN.

Ingredients

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Dark chocolate - 100 gms ,
Butter/ oil - 90 gms
Castor sugar - 3/4 cup
Eggs - 2
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Walnuts - 1/2 cup , broken
Instant coffee powder - 1 tsp dissolved in some water

Method

Prepare a 8" tin.
Sift flour & baking powder together.
Melt the dark chocolate & butter in the microwave & allow it to cool.
Powder the sugar .
Beat the eggs first & than spoon in the sugar & beat again.
Pour in the chocolate mixture, vanilla essence & dissolved coffee.
Fold in the flour.
Pour the batter in the tin & bake in a pre - heated oven for about 40 minutes @ 180 C.
Cool on wire rack & cut & devour.

Jeera Pepper Rava Roti

Jeerige menasina Roti. This is a traditional preparation , made more often using Rice flour in place of rava . I shall share the rice flour version some other time. This roti is more easier & quicker & better from the nutrition point of view. The texture is soft & goes well with any chutney or gravy. Coconut gratings, coriander can be used for additional taste .

Ingredients

Chiroti Rava/ Fine semolina/sooji- 1 cup
Water - 1 3/4 cup
Salt
Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp, crushed coarsely
Jeera /cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp

Method

Measure out the water , add the salt & oil & bring it to a simmer.
Mix the jeera & pepper with the rava .
Reduce the heat , stirring all the while, pour this rava into the water. Stir for a couple of minutes till all the moisture gets absorbed . And put off the fire.
Coconut grated & coriander can be added now.
Knead lightly when it comes to a manageable temperature.
Pinch a small portion of this dough ( like in the picture ) , roll it into a ball with lightly greased hands.
Flatten it on a heat resistant paper, & roll out with the help of a lightly greased rolling pin.
Transfer this roti to a hot griddle & cook on both sides drizzling a tsp of oil.
Serve hot with chutney & enjoy your breakfast.

Sending this to Divya's Wholegrain event.