Tamalapaku

Mango Kulfi - The Easier Way

2012-01-29T20:29:00.002-05:00

Last summer I had prepared Mango Rabdi/Mango Kulfi and I had also prepared Mango Kulfi the easier way. Ironically, I had misplaced the pictures in another computer and so totally forgot about these kulfis.

Yesterday when I was looking for some files in my other computer, I came across these pictures and dreamt of summer [:)] and decided to post it for Day 7 of BM 12. Don't you think it is a crime to forget about such a delightful dessert??

Ingredients -

Evaporated Milk 1 can (approx 350 ml) - I used Fat Free
Sweetened Condensed Milk 1/2 cup - I used Fat Free
Whipped Cream 1 cup (I didn't use)
Mango Pulp 1 cup (I used canned but fresh mango pulp works best!)
Cardamom Powder 1 tsp (Optional)
Chopped Nuts 3 Tbsp

Method Of Preparation -

Mix the evaporated milk and the condensed milk and bring to a boil. Cool the mixture and then whisk whipped cream (if using) and mango pulp.

Mix in the chopped nuts.

Freeze the above mixture for about an hour or two. When it is just about to solidify, remove and whisk again so that ice crystals don't form.

Now pour into popsicle moulds and cover and freeze them over night.

To unmould, run in hot water or dip in hot water and slowly twist off and remove.

Enjoy on a summer afternoon or for a dessert!! Kids and Adults enjoy this alike!!

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

Sending these Kulfis to

Kid's Delight hosted by Edible Entertainment and

Suma's CEDD hosted for Raven

Preparation Time 10 min + Cooling Time 7-8 hours
Makes 6-8 (depending on the size of popsicle moulds)

Godhuma Rava Halwa ~ Wheat Rava Halwa

2012-01-28T16:48:00.003-05:00

We always make this Godhuma Rava Halwa as an offering to Lord Satyanarayana (Another form of Lord Vishnu). We perform this puja once/twice every year. I never had the opportunity to take a picture so far, as we perform the puja in the evening and the halwa is distributed to the attendees after the puja and is usually over by the end of the evening. But a few weeks back (Vaikunta Ekadasi), we had a huge gathering for the puja and surprisingly there was a little halwa left after the gathering. So I took the pictures the following day. :)

This is a popular halwa at home with the kids and the adults as well. Usually a little more ghee is added but I prefer that the ghee content be kept to a reasonable amount. The usual ratio of Rava:Ghee:Sugar is 1:1:1.

This is for Day 6 of BM 12.

Ingredients -

Godhuma Rava / Wheat Rava 1 cup (fine variety)
Milk 2 1/2 cups
Sugar 1 cup
Ghee 1/2 cup
Garnish with fried nuts and sliced /chopped banana

Method Of Preparation -

In a heated non-stick kadai/wok, add a teaspoon of ghee and roast the Wheat Rava until it gives out a nice aroma (about 3-5 min). [Roasting is optional but I prefer roasting it.]

Pour the milk and 3-4 Tbsp of ghee and mix well so there are no lumps. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low-medium.

After about 10-12 min check to see if the grain is cooked through. Now is the time to add in the sugar. Make sure sugar is added after the rava is cooked.

Mix well until the halwa comes together as a single mass.

Keep adding the remaining ghee as needed. Once there is glossy finish to the halwa and it doesn't stick to the sides, remove from fire, garnish with fried nuts and banana.

Since I offered this as naivedyam, we enjoyed it after offering it to God!!

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

Linking this Halwa to

Kid's Delight hosted by Edible Entertainment

Preparation Time 30 min
Makes 2 cups

Vegan Pumpkin Scones

2012-01-27T15:10:00.000-05:00

I was looking for some ideas of low fat, low sugar goodies for day 5 of BM 12 and it suddenly struck me that I used to make scones and we all liked those. After taking a quick look into the refrigerator, I found a small wedge of red pumpkin begging to be used and so I googled for pumpkin scones and I tinkered around with the ingredients to suit my requirement to make it vegan.

I thought these scones were more or less guilt-free and a small portion is good enough for a snack. Don't you think? At least my kids thought so. :)
Please feel free to unveganize, if you will, substituting with yogurt of your choice.

Ingredients -

Whole Wheat Flour 1 cup
All Purpose Flour (Maida) 1/2 cup
Brown Sugar 2-3 Tbsp (or as needed)
Baking Powder 2 tsp
Cinnamon Powder 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg Powder a pinch
Salt 1/4 tsp
2 Tbsp Oil (I used Olive Oil)
Pumpkin Puree 1/2 cup (I used home made)
Soy Yogurt 1/2 cup
Chopped Walnuts and Brown Sugar for topping (Optional)

Method Of Preparation -

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Sieve together wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder and salt. Mix in brown sugar as well.

To this mixture add the oil and mix well to get a crumbly texture.

In a separate bowl, whisk pumpkin puree and soy yogurt together and gradually add it to the dry ingredients.

It should result in a very sticky dough.

Transfer the sticky dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and with oiled hands pat the dough into 1/2 inch thick circular disc (approximately 6 inches in diameter).

With an oiled cutter (like a pizza cutter) make 6-8 wedges on the dough.

Sprinkle the chopped walnuts and brown sugar evenly on the dough.

Bake for about 18 min-20 min until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let it cool on a wire rack and enjoy! If you like it a little sweeter, enjoy it with jam/jelly of your choice!

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

Sending these scones to

Kid's Delight hosted by Edible Entertainment,

Suma's CEDD hosted for Raven and

Pradnya’s Bake Fest # 3, an event started by Vardhini

Preparation Time 10 min + Baking Time 18 min
Makes 6-8 scones

Vegan Chocolate Cupcake

2012-01-26T20:45:00.001-05:00

I had these Vegan Cupcakes in mind for a long time now and was waiting for my little one to spell out the request. :) She is the only one at home who can tolerate or to some extent enjoy chocolate.

So for all the chocolate lovers, here is a Vegan version of a decadent chocolate cupcake for Day 3 of BM 12!! The cupcakes were very moist and fluffy too. They were not too sweet and hence I dusted some powdered sugar.

Needless to say, these cupcakes can be unveganized, so to say by substituting regular milk instead of soy milk and using butter instead of oil.

Adapted from here
Ingredients -

Soy Milk 1 cup (Almond Milk can also be used)
Apple Cider Vinegar 1 tsp
Sugar 3/4 cup (I used Organic Brown Sugar)
Oil 1/3 cup (Any flavorless oil)
Vanilla extract 1-2 tsp
Whole Wheat Flour 1/2 cup
All Purpose Flour 6 Tbsp
Custard Powder 2 Tbsp (Cornstarch can be used)
Cocoa Powder 1/3 cup
Baking Soda 3/2 cup
Baking Powder 1/2 tsp

*Instead of the Whole wheat flour -All Purpose Flour - Custard Powder blend, cake flour or simply All purpose flour can be used

Method Of Preparation -

In a bowl, pour soy milk and apple cider vinegar and set it aside to curdle.

Add in sugar, oil and vanilla to the curdled milk and whisk until frothy.

Sieve together the dry ingredients and transfer into the wet ingredients. Beat until smooth making sure it is not over mixed.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare a muffin pan lined with paper liners.

Fill the batter in each cup, about 3/4th full.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 17 min or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool them on a cooling rack and devour! Oh and don't to dust some powdered sugar or swirl some frosting of your choice!

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

Sending this kheer to

Kid's Delight hosted by Edible Entertainment,

Srivalli's 'Chocolate Mela',

Pradnya’s Bake Fest # 3, an event started by Vardhini and

Srav’s Cooking Concepts # 6: Chocolate Fest

Preparation Time 15 min + Baking Time 17 min
Makes 12 standard muffins

Vegan Sweet Potato Kheer

2012-01-25T21:44:00.000-05:00

After looking at different kheers made with coconut milk in some of the blogs, I was tempted to try it out. Moreover, we suspect that our older one has suddenly become sensitive to milk. So we are planning to start her on soy milk and see if she shows any signs of improvement.

Anyway, coming back to the kheer, it turned out to be a very delectable kheer with a grainy texture which my little one loved. I had to convince my older one to try some which she did and thought it was a tad too sweet. S and myself thoroughly enjoyed the remaining portion. In fact S was surprised that I had prepared such a limited quantity. :)

For Day 3 of BM 12, here is the Vegan Sweet Potato Kheer..

Ingredients -

*Sweet Potato Shredded 2 cups
Coconut Milk 1 can (400 ml)
Brown Sugar 4-5 Tbsp (or as needed)
Cardamom Powder 1/4 tsp
Dry roasted nuts of your choice (I used Almond, Cashew and Pista)

* I initially started off by using shredded sweet potato. Upon cooking it I realized my kids might not like the texture. So half way through, I used a hand blender and pureed it. So the choice is yours.

Method Of Preparation -

In a microwave safe bowl, add coconut milk and shredded sweet potato. I added about 1/2 cup of water to dilute the coconut milk.

Cook in the microwave for about 4-5 min or until the sweet potato is cooked.

Note that the same can be prepared over the stove top as well.
At this point of time I pureed the mixture and added brown sugar and boiled in 30 sec increments, stirring it until the sugar melted and the kheer was ready to boil over.

In total I cooked in the microwave for about 9-10 min.

Just before removing from the microwave, add cardamom powder, mix and set aside.

Meanwhile dry roast the chopped nuts in a microwave safe plate for about 2 min. Remove and garnish.

Cool the kheer and enjoy!

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

Sending this kheer to

Kid's Delight hosted by Edible Entertainment

Suma's CEDD hosted for Raven

Srivalli's 'Microwave Easy Cooking' hosted by Kalyani.

Preparation Time 15 min
Makes 4 cups

Carrot Poli ~ Carrot Bobbattu ~ Carrot Sweet Chapati

2012-01-24T22:21:00.003-05:00

The idea for this Carrot Bobbattu came to me a long time back. But I felt lazy to make Carrot Halwa and then make these Polis. So on an occasion when we had a potluck party at home, a friend had brought 2 cups of carrot halwa at our place which was virtually untouched. It so happened that the halwa was extremely sweet for us and so I thought it was time to make these Polis.

When I made them into polis the first time, they were cleaned out in an hour and the kids were demanding more. I promised them that I would make more the following day and so I had to make them two more times until I successfully used up all the Carrot Halwa. But the kids had not yet lost interest in these. There is a saying in Sanskrit "Athi sarvatra Varjayeth" meaning anything in excess is harmful. So I refrained from further attempts of making these for now. :)
Here is how you can reuse any leftover Carrot Halwa and enjoy these Polis. This would be Day 2 of BM 12.

Ingredients -
For the dough -
Wheat Flour 2 cups (I used Annapurna brand Chakki Atta)
Salt as needed
Turmeric a pinch (Optional)
Water to knead to a dough

For the Filling -
Carrot Halwa (ground to a thick paste) 1/2 cup
Note - I carefully removed any nuts and raisins in the Halwa before making a paste of the halwa.

Method Of Preparation -

In a mixing bowl, knead the whole wheat flour with water with a little salt and turmeric into a dough and keep it covered for 10-15 min.

Divide the dough into equal parts (about 10-12) and roll each portion of the dough into small circles. Put in at least a teaspoon of filling and close it into a ball.

Roll out this ball into a thin circle like a roti making sure that the filling doesn't ooze out. Also carefully roll it so the filling spreads out evenly. [Traditionally Poli/Bobbattu made out to at least 6-7 inches. I found making smaller ones to be easier and also good for portion control :)]

Gently place it on a heated tawa/griddle, drizzle a little ghee and cook until both the sides are light brown. Remove the bobbattu from the tawa. Store in an insulated container.

Continue with the rest of the dough. Serve them warm and enjoy!

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

Sending these Polis to

Kid's Delight hosted by Edible Entertainment

Suma's CEDD hosted for Raven

Kalyani's Kitchen Chronicles - Cooking With Leftovers hosted by VeenasVegnation.

Simply.Food's 'Lets Cook With Leftovers'

Preparation Time 30 min

Makes 10-12

Eggless Orange-Corn Muffins

2012-01-23T17:44:00.002-05:00

We have entered into yet another week of Blogging Marathon and this time I have chosen to blog about 'Something Sweet For Kids' as the theme. So I shall showcase some sweets which have been liked by the kids at home.

After a partial cleanup of my pantry, I came across some leftover cornmeal which was occupying some prime real estate in my kitchen. That is why these muffins came along and .... disappeared in a few hours too.

My little one gobbled them up as soon as they were done, forcing me to cool them down by huffing and puffing (her words). My older one who has a better sense of taste wanted some jelly/jam/Agave nectar/ Honey to go with it and she was very happy. I must remind myself to make these often.

I realized that these muffins are quite healthy with no added fat and the goodness of whole wheat flour and orange juice. In fact my little one was so full after eating these muffins that she forewent her dinner and I let it be. I am not picky about what my kids eat as long as they eat a balanced meal.
So here is how I made the muffins as part of Day 1 of BM 12.

Recipe adapted from here
Ingredients -

Whole Wheat Flour 10 Tbsp (1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp)
Cornmeal 10 Tbsp (1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp)
Baking Soda 1/2 tsp
Agave Nectar 1/4 cup (Honey can be used instead)
Milk 1/4 cup
Fresh Orange Juice 1/4 cup (I used 1 medium sized Orange)
Orange Zest 1 tsp (Optional - I didn't add)
Apple Cider Vinegar 1 tsp (Or Balsamic Vinegar)
Applesauce 2 Tbsp ( I used sweetened one)
Salt 1/4 tsp

Note - These muffins were not too sweet. So we ate it with strawberry jelly and tried some with honey too.

Method Of Preparation -

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare a muffin plate and arrange paper liners or grease the muffin cups.

In a bowl, add all the ingredients listed from Agave Nectar to Salt. Mix well and set aside.

Add the wheat flour, cornmeal and baking soda.

Gently mix without any lumps. Spoon the batter into muffin cups.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 16-18 min until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Enjoy with a jam or jelly of your choice.

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

Sending these Muffins to

Kid's Delight hosted by Edible Entertainment

Suma's CEDD hosted for Raven

Vardhini's Bake Fest hosted by The Pumpkin Farm

Preparation Time 10 min + Baking Time 17 min
Makes 6 regular and 6 mini muffins

Kudumulu ~ Toor Dal-Jaggery Dumplings

2012-01-22T19:26:00.002-05:00

I could not resist posting this traditional recipe for the Marathon. This is a sweet made in our family for at least a three generations before me. This is usually prepared for Ganesh Chaturthi as these oblong shaped dumplings are supposed to be one of Lord Ganesha's favorite foods.

The filling (poornam) is usually made with Chana Dal and Jaggery. But this time I had prepared it with Toor Dal and it turned out just as delectable. I remember we used to eat kudumulu with a dollop of ghee put into a dimple made in the center of it. That is pure bliss!!

So enjoy these traditional Kudumulu as part of Day 7 of BM 12.
Note - These are very similar to Kajjikayalu except that the filling is different. Also the outer cover can be made using All purpose flour (Maida) instead of Fine semolina.

Ingredients -
For the outer cover -
Chiroti Rava/Fine Semolina 1 cup

Water as needed

Oil/Ghee 2 tsp

Salt as needed

For the filling -
Toor Dal 1 cup
Jaggery, grated 1 cup
Coconut, grated 2 Tbsp (Optional)
Cardamom powder 1 tsp

Method Of Preparation -

In a mixing bowl, make a dough with Chiroti Rava, water and salt. The dough should be slightly thin as sooji would absorb water very easily. Just coat the dough with ghee/oil and cover with a muslin cloth and let it rest for at least an hour. The more the dough rests, the better. Alternatively, regular sooji can be powdered a little or seived to get a fine texture.

To prepare the filling (Poornam) -
Boil Toor Dal on the stove top or the pressure cooker using just enough water, until it is cooked al dente. Drain the cooked dal and make sure there is no water left. [Reuse the drained water ; just don't throw it away!!]

In a heated sauce pan add a few drops of water and transfer the grated jaggery. After the jaggery melts, remove from fire, sieve the jaggery water and set aside.

Grind the boiled toor dal adding the jaggery water to a thick paste. The paste need not be very fine for kudumulu.

To assemble -
Take the dough and make equal portions. (I got about 14).

Roll out each portion like a puri, put a tablespoon of filling in the center. Dab the edges with water to seal the edges making a crescent shape, if you will.

Keep the prepared ones covered until ready to fry.

Heat the oil in a wok/kadai and under medium heat fry these kudumulu in batches, until they are golden brown.

Drain onto paper towels.

Serve them warm and they last at least 2-3 days when stored in air tight containers.

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

The past week has been a very good experience for me , if you have missed any of the recipes, here is a recap -

Preparation Time 1 hour
Makes 14-15

Red Chori Beans - Bottle Gourd Tangy Gravy ~ Red Chori Beans-Sorrakaya Pulusu

2012-01-21T18:34:00.004-05:00

I came across this recipe named 'Bottle Gourd Red Chori Kaara Kuzhambu' which seems to be an authentic Tamilian one in Sangeethaskitchen. As far as I know Kara Kuzhambu means a spicy tangy gravy in other words the humble Sambar.

This made a very delightful accompaniment to rice. But since my husband is not fond of too much of fresh coconut, I would reduce the quantity the next time for his benefit :). I felt it tasted better the following day and I thoroughly enjoyed making this gravy. The Kuzhambu powder was also so aromatic that I made a fairly big batch for later use.

So enjoy this Sambar (I would still like to call this sambar !) as part of Day 6 of BM 12.

Ingredients -

Red Chori Beans / Adzuki Beans 1/2 cup
Bottle Gourd/Sorrakaya peeled, diced 1 1/2 cups
Onion chopped 1/2 cup
Tomato diced 1/2 cup
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Cumin Powder 1/2 tsp
*Sambar Powder 1 Tbsp (or as needed)
Tamarind extract as needed
Salt to taste
Fresh Coconut 1/4 cup
Poppy seeds 1 tsp
Seasoning (Oil 1 Tbsp, Fenugreek seeds a pinch, Urad Dal 1 tsp, Mustard seeds 1 tsp, Asafoetida 1/4 tsp, Curry leaves few)
Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) for garnish (I forgot!)

* Note - The original recipe calls for "Kuzhambu Milagai Thool". I wanted the authentic taste and since I had absolutely no idea what this was, I googled and got a recipe for the same (Shall post the recipe separately) .

*Also the original recipe says in lieu of this powder, 1 tsp of red chilli powder and 2 tsp of coriander powder can also be used.

Method Of Preparation -

Make a paste of coconut and poppy seeds and set aside.

Pressure cook red chori beans with adequate water. While it is cooling down, heat a stockpot and add all the ingredients listed under 'Seasoning'.

After the mustard seeds pop, saute the onions until they change color. Add tomatoes and let them turn mushy.

Add the chopped bottle gourd and saute for a couple of minutes. Pour in the boiled red chori beans as well.

Add turmeric, cumin powder, sambar powder and mix well.

Mix in the tamarind extract and let the mixture come to a boil. Add in adequate water for the bottle gourd to cook through.

Now is the time to add the coconut paste. Cover and let the mixture simmer.

After the bottle gourd is tender and the oil floats on top, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and remove from heat.

Serve it with steaming hot rice and Fryums (Papads / Appadams) for a hearty meal!

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

Sending this to Susan's 'MLLA - 43' hosted by Chez Cayenne this month.

Preparation Time - 40 min
Serves 5-6

Toor Dal Chutney ~ Pigeon Pea Chutney ~ Kandi Pachadi

2012-01-20T19:38:00.000-05:00

This Blogging Marathon has certainly reminded me of one thing - that I haven't made Toor Dal Chutney in years! I was surprised of that because both my husband and I are major fans of this chutney. Also both of us have some very pleasant memories attached to this chutney dating back to our respective childhoods.

My MIL apparently used to hand grind this chutney in a huge mortar and pestle sculpted out of stone (what we call a Rubbu Rolu in Telugu). Though for health reasons she has resorted to the modern day gadget of a mixer, she occasionally uses the stone M & P. She vouches that the taste distinctly is better when hand ground(who can deny that??).

Anyway, with the resources we have here, I made this chutney in a mixer for Day 5 of BM 12.

Ingredients -

Toor Dal / Kandipappu / Pigeon Peas 1/2 cup
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Pepper Corns 5-6
Dry Red Chillies 4-5
Salt as needed
Tamarind extract as needed
Sugar 1/2 tsp or as needed
Garlic Cloves2-3 or as preferred (Optional)
Seasoning (Oil 2 tsp, Chana Dal 1 tsp, Urad Dal 1 tsp, Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp, Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp, Curry Leaves few, Asafoetida 1/4 tsp)

Method Of Preparation -

In a heated sauce pan, keeping the heat to medium, dry roast Toor Dal until it attains a golden brown hue and the aroma is pleasant. Keep stirring it and don't leave it unattended.

Remove onto a plate allowing it to cool. Now dry roast cumin seeds, pepper and red chillies separately and let them cool.

Upon cooling, grind all the roasted ingredients adding garlic (if using), tamarind extract, salt, sugar and enough water. We like the chutney in a coarse texture but that is individual preference.

Note that this chutney will absorb a lot of water thereby increasing in volume.

To prepare the seasoning, heat oil and add all the remaining ingredients. After the Dals brown and the mustard seeds pop, remove and mix it in the above chutney.

Enjoy with steaming hot rice and a dollop of ghee as part of a satisfying meal!

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

Sending this to Susan's 'MLLA - 43' hosted by Chez Cayenne this month.

Preparation Time 15 min
Makes 1 cup

Masala Vada ~ Chana Dal Fritters

2012-01-19T19:27:00.003-05:00

Masala Vada is a very common snack made in our households. It is especially made on festival days as an offering to God. But in our house, we don't wait for a festival to enjoy Masala Vada. Do you?

Picture this - rainy/snowy weekend evening, a cup of steaming hot Masala Chai and A side of Masala Vada and the whole family playing UNO (A card game for kids). That is a perfect way to spend some quality time at home. What say ??

So here is the recipe for Masala Vada for Day 4 of BM 12.

Ingredients -

Chana Dal (washed and soaked for couple of hrs) 1 cup
Rice 1 Tbsp (soaked along with dal) (Optional)
Green Chillies 1-2
Ginger 1 inch piece
Garlic 2-3 cloves (Optional - I didn't use)
Salt to taste,
Mint handful (or to taste)
Onions finely chopped 1/2 cup (add cabbage if onion needs to be avoided!)
Oil for deep frying

Method Of Preparation -

Grind the soaked Chana Dal and Rice to a coarse and stiff batter adding as little water as is possible. (I would like the batter to have some Chana Dal intact for the extra crunch in the vadas ..yumm)

Grind green chillies, ginger and mint to a fine paste.

Mix in the chopped onions and the above green chilli paste to the batter. Add salt and adjust as needed.

Heat oil in a wok/kadai on medium.

When the oil is hot enough, take a table spoon of the stiff batter and pat into a small disc with your fingers and gently slide into the oil.

Without over crowding the oil, add a few more discs for each batch and continue frying until they are golden brown.

Remove using a slotted ladle onto paper towels to drain extra oil. Continue for the rest of the batter.

Serve hot/warm with Ginger Chutney or any sauce of your choice.

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

Sending this to Susan's 'MLLA - 43' hosted by Chez Cayenne this month.

Preparation Time 45 min
Makes about 20 medium sized Vadas

Bottle Gourd - Lentil Curry | Sorrakaya-Senagapappu Koora | Doodhi-Chana Dal Subzi

2012-01-18T21:07:00.000-05:00

A few years ago, we had a Punjabi neighbor who used to dish out yummy dishes with appetizing aroma. I observed that she used a lot of Chana Dal in her cooking as opposed to Toor dal which we are used to. In a casual conversation I came to know about this combination of Bottle Gourd and Chana Dal.

The ginger was very dominant and since we all like ginger, it was a treat to our palates. We enjoyed this subzi with Rotis. This subzi qualifies for day 3 of BM 12

Ingredients -

Sorrakaya / Doodhi / Bottle Gourd/ Anapakaya Diced 3-4 cups
Chana Dal Washed, Soaked and Drained 3/4 cup
Grated Ginger 1 Tbsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp (or as needed)
Garam Masala 1/2 tsp (optional)
Dry Mango Powder / Amchur Powder as needed
Salt as needed
Seasoning (Oil 1 Tbsp, Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp, Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp, Red Chillies 1-2 broken, Curry leaves few)
Garnish with Corinader leaves(Cilantro)

Method Of Preparation -

In a heated saucepan/kadai add oil and the rest of the seasoning.

After the mustard seeds pop, add the soaked and drained Chana Dal and ginger. Saute for a few seconds.

Add the turmeric and the diced bottle gourd. Pour in a cup of water, mix well and cover with a lid.

Allow the bottle gourd to get tender. It would take about 15-18 min.

Remove the lid, add red chilli powder, salt, garam masala, dry mango powder and mix well.

Let the flavors blend well for a few more minutes.

Remove from fire, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with Roti/Rice.

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

Sending this to Priya's 'Veggie/Fruit of the month - Bottle Gourd' hosted this time at Vegetarian Tastebuds.
Also sending this to Susan's 'MLLA - 43' hosted by Chez Cayenne this month.

Preparation Time 30 min
Serves 4-5

Kabuli Chana Fry ~ Garbanzo Beans Fry

2012-01-17T19:47:00.000-05:00

After Toor Dal Fry became popular at home, I wanted to check if the same formula with Garbanzo beans(Kabuli Chana) will have the same effect and I was right on!! The kids have just fallen in love with this protein packed snack!!

Enjoy this as part of Day 2 of BM 12.

Ingredients -

Kabuli Chana/Garbanzo Beans 1/2 cup

Onions, finely chopped 1/2 cup
Coconut Powder or Grated Coconut 1 Tbsp

Green Chillies 1-2 (or as needed)

Salt as needed
Seasoning (Oil 2 tsp, Chana Dal 1 tsp, Urad Dal 1 tsp, Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp, Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp, Red chillies 1-2, Curry leaves few, Asafoetida a couple pinches)

Garlic, Minced 1 tsp (Optional)
Dash of lemon juice (Optional)

Method Of Preparation -

Soak Kabuli Chana overnight. [As mentioned in point f here, I soaked them for about 24 hrs.]

I precooked the soaked chana and cooked chana al dente with adequate water on the stove top. (It took me about 18-20 min. But the time varies according to the chana variety, soaked time and amount of water used.)

In a sauce pan, heat oil and add the seasoning in the order specified. After the mustard seeds pop, saute the minced garlic for a few seconds. Then add the finely chopped onions and saute till they are golden brown. Also add in chopped green chillies and turmeric.

Add the cooked chana and saute for a minute or two. Add salt and sprinkle the coconut. Mix well and remove from fire.

[Garnish with chopped coriander leaves if preferred.]

Squeeze a little lemon juice and serve it as a snack or as an accompaniment for Rice and enjoy!!

Check out the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12.

Sending this to Priya's 'CWS - Chickpeas' hosted this time at Saffronstreaks.
Also sending this to Susan's 'MLLA - 43' hosted by Chez Cayenne this month.

Preparation Time 30 min

Serves 2-3 Adults

Mixed Lentil Khichdi

2012-01-16T18:35:00.001-05:00

Owing to my sudden trip to India last month, I had to miss the Blogging Marathon started by Srivalli. Not so this time around. I am fully geared up to churn out some very interesting recipes which my family has thoroughly enjoyed the past few days. For week one I would be cooking under the theme 'Delicious Dals' where I intend using dals/lentils in some very interesting and healthy ways. So stay tuned.

My little one is turning out to be a huge challenge when it comes to eating healthy. So I am trying to devise ways to sneak in healthy stuff in things which I know for sure I can convince her to eat. This is one such attempt and in the process S has also taken to eating Quinoa (Yes!).

I have tried this recipe while altering the ingredients here and there many times so far and the alteration has done nothing but reinforced my faith in this one pot meal!! So feel free to play around with the ingredients keeping the 'forbidden' rice to a minimum. :) So here is a balanced meal as part of Day 1 of BM 12 for your near and dear ones!!

Most of you might have realized that this is a modified form of BBB (Besi Bele Bath) :))
Note - Don't feel intimidated looking at the ingredient list. Most of them are dals and lentils in your pantry. So choose one or all of them !!

Ingredients -

Masoor Dal / Red Lentils 1/2 cup
Moong Dal / Pesara pappu 1/4 cup
Toor Dal / Kandi Pappu 2 Tbsp
Red Chori Beans 2 Tbsp
Cracked Wheat 2 Tbsp
Quinoa 2 Tbsp
Bajra / Sajjalu / Pearl Millet 2 Tbsp
Brown Rice 2 Tbsp
Vegetables (I used Cabbage ,Carrot, Beans, Peas) [Feel free to add any more of your choice]

Sambar Powder or Vangibath Powder or Besi Bele Bath Powder or Curry Powder 1 Tbsp (or as needed)

Red Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp (Optional)

Tamarind (Watery Extract ) 3-4 Tbsp (or as needed)

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Salt as needed

Onions chopped 1/2 cup

Tomatoes chopped 1/2 cup

Seasoning (Oil/Ghee 1 Tbsp, Chana Dal 1 Tbsp, Urad Dal 1/2 Tbsp, Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp, Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp, Red Chilli 1-2 , Asafoetida 1/4 tsp, Curry leaves few)

Method Of Preparation -

Wash all the Lentils/Dals and Grains in several exchanges of cold water. Add about 3-4 cups of water, salt and turmeric and pressure cook until they are cooked well.

Meanwhile, in a heated wok/kadai add oil and the rest of the seasoning. After the dals are brown and the mustard seeds splutter, add the chopped onions and saute until they change color.

Add chopped tomatoes and let them cook well before adding the tamarind extract and any masala powder (I added vangibath powder).

After the mixture comes to a boil, add the pressure cooked dals and grains. Mix well, adjust the salt and remove from heat.

Serve it hot with Papad and ghee and enjoy the goodness of the Dals in 'Royal Style'!!

[I found that this tastes best upon cooling :) ]

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

Also sending this to Susan's 'MLLA - 43' hosted by Chez Cayenne this month.

Preparation Time 35-40 min

Serves 2-3

Pathir Pheni / Chiroti for ICC December

2012-01-15T17:26:00.001-05:00

Happy Pongal/Sankranthi/Lohri to everyone!!

For this month's Indian Cooking Challenge, Srivalli picked up this recipe which was handed down to me by my maternal grandma. This happens to be a very traditional recipe in the Karnataka region of India. Since my grandma has roots in the Bellary region of Karnataka, she has carried forward the tradition from there. My mom remembers fondly that in her childhood, this was a very common sweet as part of a wedding meal.

My mom says Peni (as it pronounced without the 'h' sound) preparation would start 10-15 days before the actual wedding itself and hundreds of penis would be prepared and stored safely in huge baskets away from moisture and light and kids as well !! :) Even today this happens to be my grandma's most favorite sweet ! Thanks to her we got to enjoy the challenge and the sweet too.

In fact I prepared this twice as the first time around, I wasn't able to get the puffy, flaky result. After feedback from my mom, I was determined to make this once more (at 1 am on a weekend!!) to get the same flaky kind of peni as my grandma makes and I did it! It was truly a fulfilling experience.

I understand this is also known as Chiroti in various regions. In many versions of Pheni, I have seen the extensive usage of All Purpose Flour (Maida) as well. But my grandma is a strong proponent of Pheni Rava for this recipe.

Ingredients -

For the dough -

Pheni Rava / Fine semolina / Chiroti Rava - 1 cup
[Regular rawa/sooji can be dry roasted and ground to a finer consistency as well]

Ghee (in solid form) 2 tsp

Water to knead the dough

Salt a pinch

Oil 1 tsp ( I added this for the second attempt)

Oil for Deep frying

For the Rice-Ghee Paste -

Rice Flour 2 tsp

Ghee 2 tsp

Powdered sugar or Badam Milk for serving

Method Of Preparation -

In a mixing bowl, add the rava, salt, ghee and crumble well. Then slowly add water and knead to a soft dough [softer than the regular chapati/puri dough]. Also the more the kneading, the better the quality for the final dough.

Sprinkle a teaspoon of oil on the dough so that it doesn't dry up, cover with a muslin cloth [I covered it with just a plate] and set aside for a minimum of 1 hour. The more the resting time the better the quality of the phenis. [I put it in a warm place for about 3-4 hours].

Apparently the dough should lightly rise (increase in volume).

In a smaller bowl, whisk the semi solid ghee and rice flour until they form a smooth paste. [ I had to heat it up constantly to keep it from solidifying]. I found that if the paste is a little runny, it is easy to spread.

When it is time to prepare the phenis, knead the dough again and pinch 4-5 small balls out of the dough and roll out thin puris out of each of those and cover them until later.

On each rolled out puri, apply the rice flour-ghee paste and layer them one on top of another. I used 4 puris for one batch and 5 for the rest. My mom suggests to keep the layers to a minimum of 3.

Roll the layered puris into a tight log like a carpet. Tuck the ends securely.

Roll the log to stretch it a little .

Cut the log into 1 inch pieces.

With the cut side up, press each of the small pieces into a thin puri.

Make sure the layers are visible in the rolled out puri. Keep them covered until ready to be fried.

Meanwhile, heat oil on medium flame. After the oil is fairly hot, reduce the heat to the minimum setting [In a electric stove, I put it at setting 1]. Gently slide 2-3 puris or as many as the frying pan can accommodate without over crowding. Fry each of the puris taking care that they don't change color.

Drain on kitchen towel and store them vertically to drain the excess ghee/oil. In warm places, the ghee/oil drains more as the ghee within the layers melts while frying. In cold places such as ours, I didn't observe any additional ghee drainage.

Upon cooling, store in air tight containers and they stay good for a month or more.

While serving, sprinkle powdered sugar generously (or as preferred) and enjoy. But we enjoyed it with Almond (Badam) Kheer and felt it was better with the kheer. :)

Check out how the other group members fared in this challenge?? :)

Preparation Time 90 min (excluding resting time)

Makes about 25 small sized puris

Vegetarian Chinese Noodles

2012-01-11T19:23:00.000-05:00

The new year brought about some changes to Radhika's brain child, Blog Hop Wednesdays. It has been made a monthly event now with a simpler pairing schedule with a few more bloggers joining the group. As per the new schedule, this month I have been paired with Kavi of Edible Entertainment.

Amongst all the interesting recipes in her space, I chose to make these Vegetarian Chinese Noodles as they happen to be on my to-do list for a long time now. Incidentally this happens to be a family favorite too.

The restaurant version of these noodles definitely have loads of oil and the sauces used may not be all vegetarian and so many constraints for us, vegetarians!! It felt good to make these at home with the ingredients we know are safe to eat :)

Ingredients -
Chinese Noodles (Hakka Noodles or Chow Mein) 200 gms
Vegetables (I used Onions, Spring Onions, Cabbage, Red Bell Pepper, Carrots) sliced 3 cups
Oil 2 Tbsp
Soy Sauce 2-3 Tbsp or as needed
Salt as needed

Optional Ingredients - (I didn't add)
Ginger slices as needed
Garlic 2-3 cloves or as needed, sliced
Red Chili Sauce as needed (I didn't add for the benefit of kids!)
White Vinegar 1-2 tsp
Chinese Sauce 1-2 tsp
Ajinomoto a pinch

Method Of Preparation -

Cook the noodles as per the instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.

In a heated wok/kadai, add oil and fry sliced onions first until they are half cooked.

Increase the heat, add the soy sauce and the remaining veggies and toss them so the soy sauce coats all the veggies.

Make sure the vegetables are not cooked through. They are supposed to be partially cooked with a crunch in them. Add in the noodles and toss them around until they are thoroughly mixed.

Remove from fire and plate the noodles with a garnish of chopped spring onion and optionally some hot sauce and enjoy!!

Preparation Time 25 min
Serves 2-3

Corn Bread with Cinnamon and Chillies

2012-01-10T13:36:00.000-05:00

Corn Bread was in my to-do list for a long time now. Finally I could give it a try and found it very appealing. Though I didn't prepare the corn bread in the traditional way, we all liked it. I would have added a little more spice but stopped myself as I had to please my older one! Lucky me, as my older one was pretty impressed.

A group of bloggers are part of a monthly event called 'Magic Mingle' initiated by Kalyani wherein she announces two ingredients that need to be used in a recipe and posted during the first 2 weeks of every month. This time she has chosen Cinnamon and Chillies. So after lot of deliberation I settled for making this corn bread with the special ingredients.

I borrowed the basic corn bread recipe from here. I just halved the recipe, added in red chilli flakes and cinnamon for the 'extra punch' and lo! the recipe is perfect for a moderately spicy corn bread with a hint of cinnamon in every bite!!

Ingredients -

Milk 3/4 cup
Apple Cider Vinegar 3/4 Tbsp
Oil 1 Tbsp

Cornmeal 1/2 cup
Maida/All Purpose Flour 1/2 cup
Sugar 1 Tbsp
Salt 1/4 tsp (approx)
Baking Powder 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Flakes 1 tsp
Cinnamon Powder 1/2 tsp

Method Of Preparation -

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Prepare a baking pan by spraying oil. [I used a standard loaf pan as I didn't have a smaller baking tin available immediately. I sprayed oil and lined the base with parchment paper.]

Mix milk, apple cider vinegar and oil and set aside.

In another mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix well.

Add the Milk-Oil-Vinegar mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and place in the center rack of the preheated oven.

Bake for about 15-18 min or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
[I pulled out mine at 17 min and the crust was very crisp and crunchy - just like we love!!]

Transfer onto a wire rack to cool. Slice and enjoy!

Preparation Time 15 min , Baking time 17 min
Makes a very small loaf

Homemade Yogurt / Homemade Curds

2012-01-09T13:32:00.000-05:00

For many like us, Indians, yogurt is an integral part of our meals and making them at home is no special skill. Unlike in many western countries, we don't consume yogurt as part of breakfast. But yet for us to make the fresh tasting yogurt is just as important as it is to enjoy it for every meal!! So a peek at how I make it at home!!

The previous generations of our likes have had the privilege to enjoy nature's best gift in its true and natural form. Farm fresh milk without any adulteration or processing , best home made butter and ghee, butter-milk and the best tasting curds(yogurt) all the time.

The best recollection from my childhood is the fresh frothy milk from the cattle in my grandparent's backyard, the best tasting curds with leftover rice for early morning breakfast and the aromatic ghee freshly made at home. Oh My God! I am just drooling here thinking about all those favorites !! But I must agree that my mom and her generation have been far more lucky than us.

The milk was boiled in earthen pots (or clay pots) on a slow burning coals. The pots were specially made for boiling milk in them, I am told. That would result in a one inch thick layer of cream floating on the top. The cream would then be removed for butter/ghee making which would result in a sweet tasting thin butter milk (yumm!). The milk would then be cooled down until just lukewarm and a teaspoon of curd added to the milk , covered and set aside in a warm place for curdling. In a few hours depending on the location, fresh tasting, divine curds would be ready.

In my recent trip to India, I happened to locate some terra cotta pots in a handicrafts store and gladly picked them up to experiment on making curds in them. I already knew that in many parts of India, 'matka dahi' as is known locally, is known for its addictive taste! It was a pleasant surprise to taste almost the same earthy taste in the yogurt I made in them. These terra cotta handmade pots are microwave safe and also safe on the stove top. Now the kids have become addictive to 'terra cotta curds' as well!!

Ingredients -

Milk 4 cups
Yogurt/Curds 1 tsp

Method Of Preparation -

Boil milk in a sauce pan making sure the bottom of the pan doesn't burn. [I boil the milk in the terra cotta pots in the microwave and curdle in it.]

Cool until it is lukewarm to touch.

Mix in the curds , cover and set aside in a warm place for a few hours undisturbed.

Enjoy the homemade curds!

A few tips on speeding up the process of curdling -

Add a slit green chilli or red chilli to the milk along with the yogurt.
In cold places, the best bet from my experience is to put it in the oven with the oven light on.
Also make sure the milk is slightly warmer than lukewarm and the curds is at room temperature!
Make sure the curds used to culture is as fresh as possible. [I usually store a small bowl of curds in the freezer just in case. I got the initial culture of curd from India.]

Preparation Time 20 min, Cooling time 40 min , setting time 5-6 hrs
Yields 4 cups

Red Chori Beans Masala

2012-01-05T14:58:00.000-05:00

We are just about falling back into routine after the schools have reopened. After a hectic and fun time with family in India, it feels so very empty here!! I guess with the everyday grind, it will feel more normal in a few days :) This also reminds me to cook new things and blog regularly as well.

I remembered all the good food we enjoyed on our recent trip to India. One of them was the divine 'Chole' made by my sis-in-law using Badshah Punjabi Chole Masala and the kids loved it. So on the same lines, I switched the regular Garbanzo beans with these Chori Beans [Check the Red Chori Bean Soup which is also among our favorites!]. Gauge the result from the fact that I had to repeat it 3 times in as many days owing to popularity!!

Ingredients -

Red Chori Beans 1 cup
Onion chopped 1/2 cup
Tomato chopped 1/2 cup
*Ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp (or to taste)
Green chillies 1-2
Coriander leaves chopped 3 Tbsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp (or as per taste)
Tamarind Juice 2 Tbsp (or as required)
Salt as needed
Punjabi Chole Masala (Badshah brand) 1 tsp (or as needed)
Oil 2 Tbsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp

*Ginger-garlic is optional. I have tried with and without them. We seem to like this masala either way.

Method Of Preparation -

Wash and pressure cook the beans with adequate water. While the pressure cooker is cooling down, the rest of the gravy can be prepared.

In a heated pan, add 1 tsp of oil and saute the chopped onions until golden brown.

Add the chopped tomatoes and let them cook until the tomatoes are mushy. Remove from fire and let it cool down.

Grind the sauteed onion-tomato, ginger garlic paste, green chillies and coriander leaves.

In a deep sauce pan, heat the remaining oil and add jeera. after the jeera starts spluttering, add the above paste and saute it adding a little water. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, tamarind extract and salt.

After the mixture leaves oil at the sides, add the boiled red chori beans. [I also ground a handful of boiled chori beans to thicken the gravy.]

Add the punjabi chole masala and mix well. Remove from fire and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve warm with Roti/Naan or with Rice.

Preparation Time 35 min
Serves 4-5

Welcome 2012

2012-01-01T10:10:00.000-05:00

Here is a grand welcome to yet another year !! The past year has seen many ups and downs in our lives and quite a few interesting events here at Tamalapaku as well.

The beginning of 2011 saw lot of activity in terms of experiments with healthy grains. Also Srivalli's Blogging Marathon gave an interesting perspective to our blogging. Incidentally the discussions and interactions we had as a group was a great learning experience. Personally I learnt many new techniques in food photography which has greatly improved the quality of pictures that appear here in our space.

Then came Radhika's Blog Hop Wednesdays which gave an opportunity to go through a fellow blogger's space closely and recreate their magic. These interactions gave a new perspective each and every time.

The month of December threw at us a surprise visit to India which was just as eventful as it was stressful with loads of fun as well!! We have with us the blessings of our elders as always to carry forward with enthusiasm and optimism for whatever life has to throw at us!!

So in this new year we look forward to cooking up some very interesting and healthy recipes. We hope you will encourage us and support us just as before and offer us your valuable suggestions and ideas and walk with us to a brighter future!!

Ragi-Wheat-Oat Cookies

2011-11-30T00:30:00.000-05:00

Cookies with Ragi Flour - Dream come true!! When I saw this recipe at Priya's space, I knew I had to bake these cookies. Since I was paired with Priya for this edition of Blog Hop Wednesdays, the brain child of Radhika. I am so happy to finally bake something with Ragi Flour.
I managed to enlist the help of my older one in making the cookies and the icing on the cake was she fell in love with these cookies!! Later when I told her that it has Ragi Flour, she was like, "Amma, you somehow or the other manage to sneak in some stuff and I end up liking it too!". I baked them for about 12 min and one batch for 15 min and they turned out crispy and the kids just loved the crunch.

Ingredients -

Ragi Flour 2/3 cup
Wheat Flour 1 cup
Rolled Oats 2/3 cup
Sugar 1 1/4 cup
Butter 2 Tbsp
Olive Oil 4 Tbsp
Milk 1/2 cup
Baking Powder 1 1/2 tsp
Salt pinch

Method Of Preparation -

Powder the Oats and Sugar and transfer them into a mixing bowl.

Add the Wheat flour and Ragi flour and mix in the salt and baking powder as well.

Melt the butter and add it along with olive oil to the flour mixture and mix well.

Gradually add milk to the flour and knead into a stiff dough.

Cover the dough with a cling wrap and refrigerate at least 10 min. I refrigerated for about 30 min for the first batch and a day for the second batch. If the dough is too tough to handle microwave it for a few seconds or keep in warm water for a few minutes.

Pinch golf ball size dough and roll it evenly with a rolling pin and make cookie shapes using a cookie cutter. [Or just roll them as small discs with your palms. I know from experience that cookie cutting business is very time consuming more so if kids are in the picture :)]

Arrange them onto a lined baking tray and place in a pre heated oven at 350 F.

Bake for about 12-15 min or until the bottom of the cookies are light brown.

I baked them for 15 min and they turned out crispy which the kids loved.

Upon cooling store in an air tight container.

Sending these cookies to Srivalli's 'Kid's Delight - Deceptively Delicious' hosted by Pavani of Cooks Hideout and also to Srivalli's 'Snack Mela'.

Preparation Time 30 min + resting time 30 min + baking time 15 min
Makes approximately 40-50 mini cookies (1 inch)

Kid's Delight-Dressing Up Leftovers - Round Up

2011-11-23T15:19:00.000-05:00

The round-up of 'Kid's Delight - Dressing up Leftovers' is here. I thank Srivalli for giving me the opportunity to host the event with the theme which is very close to my heart. I guess it is every mom's nightmare to make sure that the kids eat healthy food. In this day and age, most of the kids are attracted to the 'junk' food which is available everywhere and advertised very prominently to entice them. Therefore the mom's job is cut out, so to say.

Thanks to my fellow bloggers who have come up with some amazing ideas on how to disguise healthy ingredients to please the kid's palate.
Please go through all the entries at leisure and gather some mouth watering ideas on how to feed your kids healthy food! I hope these ideas will make your life easier in making sure the kids eat nutritious food.

They are listed in the order I received them.

Deeksha of Dee's Kitchen sends us this Leftover Gobhi Parantha

Malathi Savitha of MyIndiaRecipes sends us Crispy Wedges - Left Over idlis

Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes sends us these 7 creations

Paneer Bhurji Samosa

Kesari Poli

Black-eyes Peas Potato Bonda

Rice & Mixed Veggies Pakoda

Channa Masala Dosa

Mini Oats Idli Fry

Pumpkin Oatmeal Smoothie

Priya Srinivasan of Enveetu Kitchen sends us Cauliflower Fritters Sandwich

Malathi Savitha of MyIndiaRecipes send us two of their creations

Pakoras - Left Over idlis

Rice Vegetable Cutlet - Leftover Rice

Rudra from Mom's Corner sends us this Cheezy Onion Hot & Roll

Vatsala of Show And Tell sends us Sweet Bread Roll

Gayathri Kumar of Gayathri's Cook Spot sends Yam Ordinary Sandwich

Sravani of Srav's Culinary Concepts sends Moong Dal Fritters/Pesara Punugulu

Srivalli of Spice your Life sends us her 7 entries

Leftover Idlis with Spice Powder in Microwave

Leftover Rice Pakodas

Leftover Chapati Pizza

Paratha with leftover dal

Leftover Vegetable Cutlet

Sweet Poli with Badam Katli

Shahi Tukra

Suma Gandlur of VeggiePlatter sends a couple of her creations

Quinoa Cutlets

Aloo Rotis

And finally a few ideas from my side..

Mixed Vegetable Stuffed Buns

Masala Vada Curry

Leftover Noodles Cutlet

Moong Dal Paratha

Alu Sagu Kodabillalu | Chegodeelu

Chilli Idli

Soy Chunks Curry with Leftover Cauliflower Fry

Thanks once again to all my fellow bloggers who took the time and effort to pass on their creations to me.

Bok Choy Pappu | Bok Choy Dal

2011-11-22T21:36:00.000-05:00

I have always been intrigued by Bok Choy. I used to wonder how it tastes. I had a hunch that I could use in our everyday cooking. I then came to know that it is a very good source of calcium , Vitamins A and C apart from many other useful minerals. But Bok Choy being a cruciferous vegetable, prolonged consumption may lead to thyroid dysfunction. So exercise caution while consuming such vegetables .

Then came the problem of how to feed it to the kids. I tried adding it in soups with good results. But here I added it in our traditional Spinach Dal and it was accepted just like any leafy vegetable which made my job easy! Actually I passed it on as spinach dal and no one noticed at home. So be it!!

For the past 6 days you have seen me blog the following as part of Blogging Marathon - 10 -
Papaya-Carrot Halwa
Cauliflower-Broccoli Curry
Beetroot Curry With Soy Granules
Carrot-Orange Soup With Curried Tofu
Cabbage-Chickpea Soup
Palak Paratha

Enjoy this hearty Dal for Day 7 and while here check what my fellow marathoners are cooking for the Blogging Marathon.

Ingredients -

Bok Choy chopped 1.5 cups

Spinach chopped 1 cup

Toor Dal (Kandi Pappu) 1 cup

Salt as per taste

Turmeric 1/4 tsp

Green Chillies 6-7 (or as per taste)

Seasoning (Oil 2 tsp, Mustard seeds 1 tsp, Urad dal 1 tsp, Jeera (Cumin seeds) 1 tsp, Hing couple pinches, 1 dried red chilli, curry leaves)

Lemon Juice 2 tsp or tamarind juice 2 Tbsp

Picture source - here

Method Of Preparation -

Gently clean the layers of bok choy and chop them finely. Also wash the spinach and chop.

In a pressure cooker boil Toor Dal and chopped bok choy and spinach.

After the cooker cools down, heat a sauce pan and add oil and the seasoning. After the mustard seeds splutter and the urad dal is brown add the boiled bok choy, spinach and the dal.

Add chopped green chillies ,turmeric and salt. (If using tamarind juice now is the time to add)

Let the dal simmer for couple of minutes and (Squeeze in the lemon juice now if not using tamarind juice) serve over hot rice and ghee.

Sending this to Srivalli's 'Kid's Delight - Deceptively Delicious' hosted by Pavani of Cooks Hideout.

Preparation Time 30 min
Serves 4-5

Papaya-Carrot Halwa

2011-11-21T10:37:00.001-05:00

What is there not to like in Carrot Halwa? Okay, there is sugar and the ghee component. But then if they are controlled, we all can indulge once in a while, don't you all agree? So to make it much more healthier, I sneaked in raw papaya and trust me, no one can tell the difference!

That is what I did and the kids polished the bowl leaving me spell bound!!

For Day 6 of BM 10, it is this delectable Halwa. While here check what my fellow marathoners are up to in this edition of Blogging Marathon.

Ingredients -

Raw Papaya grated 3 cups
Carrot grated 1 1/2 cups
Sugar 1/2 cup [use as per taste]
Milk/Mawa Powder 1 cup [could use khoya/khova instead]
Milk 1/4 cup [adjust according to need]
Cardamom Powder 1 tsp
Ghee 1 Tbsp [[use more if preferred]
Roasted nuts for garnish

Method Of Preparation -

In a non stick kadai / sauce pan or wok, add 1 tsp of ghee and fry the papaya and carrot until the raw smell disappears. (about 5-7 min)

Add sugar, mawa powder, milk and keep stirring until the halwa, while adding the remaining ghee.

Sprinkle cardamom powder and remove from fire when the halwa comes together as a single mass.

Garnish with roasted nuts for a great dessert!

Sending this to Srivalli's 'Kid's Delight - Deceptively Delicious' hosted by Pavani of Cooks Hideout.

Preparation Time 30 min
Makes 1 1/2 cups

Cauliflower-Broccoli Curry

2011-11-20T23:46:00.000-05:00

I made this curry in a jiffy when I had to finish off a small floret of broccoli. I was wondering how I can make use of broccoli and also get my older one to eat it ! I just gambled by mixing it with cauliflower and used very tiny florets of broccoli.

My older one later commented that she didn't mind broccoli because there were cauliflower to complement it!!

Here is the how I sneaked in broccoli for Day 5 of BM 10. While here check what my fellow marathoners are up to in this edition of Blogging Marathon.

Ingredients -

Cauliflower Florets 3 cups
Broccoli finely chopped 1 1/2 cups
Onion chopped 1/2 cup
Tomato chopped 1/2 cup
Sesame Seeds 2 Tbsp
Almonds 5-6
Ginger 1 inch
Garlic 1-2 cloves
Coriander leaves handful
Seasoning (Oil 2 tsp, Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp)

Method Of Preparation -

For the gravy -
Saute the sliced onions in 1/2 tsp oil in a hot sauce pan and keep them aside.

Roast sesame seeds and almonds and make a paste of them along with the sauteed onions, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves and chopped tomatoes.

Now for the curry -
In a hot sauce pan, add oil and the rest of the seasoning. Saute them until done.

Add turmeric, mirchi powder and dhania-jeera powder and a splash of water. Mix well and then add the gravy paste. Add about 2 cups of water to make it a little runny.

Add the Cauliflower florets and finely chopped broccoli (remember I was sneaking in broccoli) . [I usually microwave the veggies for about 4-5 minutes to reduce cooking time - optional]

Also add some salt, cover with a lid and let the veggies cook for about 10 min.

Adjust the taste as required and switch off the flame.

Serve it hot with Roti/Naan/Pulao/Biryani or plain rice :)

Sending this to Srivalli's 'Kid's Delight - Deceptively Delicious' hosted by Pavani of Cooks Hideout.

Preparation Time 25 min
Serves 3-4

Beetroot Curry With Soy Granules

2011-11-19T22:38:00.001-05:00

Beetroot Curry is one of the few curries which my kids enjoy without any problem. So on days when I find that they refuse to eat any other protein (read : Dal/Sambar), I found that sneaking in soy granules in this curry is very useful for us!

It also happens to be a chosen curry for my older one's lunch box. So it is definitely a frequently prepared one at home!
So here is the curry for Day 4 of BM 10. While here check what my fellow marathoners are up to in this edition of Blogging Marathon.

Ingredients -

Beetroot chopped 3 cups
Soy Granules 1 cup (Or powdered soy chunks)
Coconut (fresh or dry) Grated 1 Tbsp
Coriander leaves a few
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Sugar 1/2 tsp (Optional)
Green Chillies 1-2 (or as per taste..I used a dash of red chilli powder this time)
Salt as per taste

Seasoning (Oil 1 tsp, Chana Dal 1 tsp, Urad Dal 1 tsp, Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp, Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp, Curry leaves few)

Method Of Preparation -

Pressure cook the peeled and chopped beetroot. (It can be cooked on the stove top too).

Meanwhile soak the soy granules in 3 cups of hot water for about 10 min or so. Squeeze out excess water in a couple changes of water. Keep it aside.

Coarse grind Coriander leaves and Coconut.

In a heated kadai/wok add oil, and the rest of the seasoning and after the mustard seeds crackle, add the chopped green chillies (or red chilli powder).

Add the cooked beetroot, soy granules, turmeric and ground coconut mixture. Mix in salt and sugar.

Mix well and remove from heat. Serve it along with Dal and Rice.

Sending this to Srivalli's 'Kid's Delight - Deceptively Delicious' hosted by Pavani of Cooks Hideout.

Preparation Time 30 min
Serves 4

Carrot-Orange Soup With Curried Tofu

2011-11-18T21:19:00.000-05:00

Yes, I was stumped by the combination of Orange and Carrot. When I was looking for types of soups which my kids also can enjoy, I found this combination irresistible. The addition of curried Tofu was definitely the winner in this case. There were so many flavors in this soup that it was hard to resist yet another scoop :)

The original idea was to stealthily let the little one consume curried Tofu as she had previously shown some interest in carrot soup. But it turned out to be the other way round in her case! She liked the curried tofu (which was very mildly 'curried' for her benefit!) and had to force in the carrot soup along!

Note for future - Reduce ginger when adding red chilli powder. I had to add a few spoons of yogurt for the kids to make it mild for them.
So here is the soup for Day 3 of BM 10. While here check what my fellow marathoners are up to in this edition of Blogging Marathon.

Ingredients -

For the Soup -
Carrots Sliced 2 cups
Oranges 2 (Zest and juice)
Onion sliced 1/2 cup
Vegetable Stock or water (I used water) 2 cups
Ginger minced 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder as needed
Salt as needed
Pepper as needed
Oil 1 tsp

For Curried Tofu -
Tofu cubed about 1 1/2 cups (or as needed)
Curry Powder 1 Tbsp
Cornstarch 1 Tbsp
Salt as needed

Method Of Preparation -

Sprinkle the cubed tofu in a mix of cornstarch, curry powder and salt and saute until golden brown.

Set aside the golden brown tofu.

Now that the curried tofu is ready, time for the soup!

In a heated pan, add oil and saute onions until they are golden brown.

Add the orange zest, ginger, carrots, vegetable stock (or water) and cover with a lid.

After the carrots are tender, remove form fire and blend the contents to smooth paste.

Add salt, pepper and red chilli powder and heat the pureed soup until the flavors get a chance to blend well.

Remove from fire and mix in the orange juice.

Serve the soup and curried tofu together for a filling lunch/dinner!

Sending this hearty soup to Srivalli's 'Soups and Salads Mela' and also to Srivalli's 'Kid's Delight - Deceptively Delicious' hosted by Pavani of Cooks Hideout.

Preparation Time 45 min
Serves 4-5

Cabbage-Chickpea Soup

2011-11-17T16:33:00.001-05:00

I realized that my kids were beginning to appreciate the soups made at home provided they were mildly spiced. Thanks to the previous Blogging Marathon, we got to enjoy a good variety of soups and that got me thinking too.

That was when S got a huge cabbage and we were all getting bored of eating cabbage day in and out. So on a weekend, I thought I could sneak in cabbage in a soup and was looking for interesting ideas. That search led me to this recipe and I set out making it.

To my amazement, no one commented on the presence of cabbage. They were busy looking out for carrots and chickpeas :)

So here is the soup for BM 10 Day 2. Check out what my fellow marathoners are cooking up here.

Ingredients -

Kabuli Chana / Chickpea pre-soaked, pre-treated (optional) and boiled 1 1/2 cups
Cabbage shredded 2 cups
Carrots julienned 1 cup
Onion thinly sliced 1/2 cup
Garlic minced 2 cloves
Cooked Rice about 3/4 cup (I used cooked Basmati rice)
Vegetable Broth or Water 6 cups
Dry Thyme 1 tsp
Salt as needed
Pepper as needed
Chopped Spring onion for garnish
Olive Oil 1 tsp (or more if preferred)

Method Of Preparation -

Preheat a stock pot over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil.

After the onions are brown enough, add the shredded cabbage, carrots, vegetable stock (or water), thyme, salt and pepper.

Let it come to a rolling boil. Add the cooked rice and the boiled chickpeas (Chana). Cover with a lid and let it cook for about 20 min or until the carrots are fork tender.

Remove from heat and garnish with chopped spring onions.

Enjoy the subtle taste of chickpeas with cabbage and rice. {Adjust the pepper as per need).

Sending this hearty soup to Srivalli's 'Soups and Salads Mela' and also to Srivalli's 'Kid's Delight - Deceptively Delicious' hosted by Pavani of Cooks Hideout.

Preparation Time 30 min

Serves 4-5

Palak Paratha

2011-11-16T18:54:00.001-05:00

Today I am posting a recipe which qualifies for two blogging events I participate in, Srivalli's Blogging Marathon -10 and Radhika's Blog Hop Wednesdays.

For the Blogging Marathon, I have chosen to blog for the next week under the theme 'Deceptively Delicious for Kids'. This theme is very close to my heart as I have a bunch of picky eaters whose needs have to be catered to and I successfully 'deceive' them into eating healthy by sneaking in unsuspecting (read : healthy) ingredients in some form or another! Thanks to Amma for passing on her genes as also her very creative ideas!

Coming to the Blog Hopping, I was paired with Nayna of Simply.food. I chose to make these Palak Parathas to please all of them.

Check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked up here and check on the blog hoppers here.

Ingredients -

Wheat Flour 2 cups (I used Aashirwad Atta)
Palak / Spinach chopped 1 cup (or more as needed)
Salt as needed
Red Chilli Powder as needed
Cumin Powder as needed
Oil as needed to drizzle
Water to knead into a soft dough as needed

Note - I wanted to use more Spinach to get the green color but then was skeptical about the 'reception' the green Parathas might get :)

Method Of preparation -

Blanch the spinach in hot water and drain. Puree the spinach and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add the wheat flour, salt, red chilli powder, cumin powder and mix well. To this mixture add the spinach puree and knead into a soft dough gradually adding as much water as is needed.

Rest the dough covered, for about 30 min.

Heat a tawa/griddle.

Pinch a lime size dough and roll it to make a small disc about 2 inches in diameter. [Optional - Drizzle a couple drops of oil and spread it evenly, sprinkle a pinch of dough on the oil - This tip is from a friend to get flaky layers]. Fold it to make a semi circle and fold it into another half to make a quarter of a circle essentially making a triangle.

Roll the the triangle shaped discs into thin circular or triangular shaped chapatis and gently place on the heated tawa.

After a few bubbles appear, flip the paratha and drizzle some oil while patting it with a clean kitchen towel or a flat ladle and let both the sides cook well. Remove from fire and store in a warmer box or hot box as it is called.

Repeat for the remaining dough and you might end up making about 9-10 parathas.

Serve hot with any gravy curry.

Sending these parathas to Srivalli's 'Kid's Delight - Deceptively Delicious' hosted by Pavani of Cooks Hideout.

Preparation Time 15-20 min
Makes 9-10 Parathas