Olympic Gold..?? I am in..!!

Accepting a challenge is a difficult thing..you never know what the outcome may be..but some challenges in life are to be accepted,just so that you would realize what your limitations are.I’ve always been amazed by bloggers who post daily,consistently and sometimes even without any challenges and events.It is something spectacular and deserves oodles of appreciation.

When I started blogging,it was with the intention of keeping a store-house for my recipes.It does give you a sense of satisfaction when we make something,click pictures and post about it.Another high is the comments from fellow-bloggers and readers.I’ve connected with so many people whom I haven’t even met!!

All this introduction is to let you people know that I have taken up the challenge of posting daily for Recipe Marathon2,hosted by DK of Culinary Bazaar.DK has given an optional choice of following a theme,but I don’t know whether I’ll be cooking and posting according to a theme..lets see.So folks,gear up for a daily marathon for the next 30 days..Hurray!!

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Puli Koddel

During my initial trials in cooking,I’ve collected many a cookbooks hoping that it will help me in becoming a great cook.I had an urge to turn to the cookbook sections whenever we went for book shopping,even in libraries,I started searching for cookery books.I bought many books,but there are only a few ones which I can trust(in terms of foolproof recipes).Dakshin Bharat Cookbook by Jaya.V.Shenoy,is one of those.Whenever in doubt,I just go through the recipes and I come up with traditional Mangalore(South canara) cuisines with the flip of a page..!!

I had grand plans for Diwali this year,I even had the menu planned for lunch and the list of sweets to be made.Puli Koddel was one such dish which I wanted to make since I had heard so much about it, which was usually made during festivals and such special occasions.So,last week,I made a trial version so that I could make it easily on Diwali without any hiccups.It is usually made with Ash gourd,Brinjal or Coloured cucumber.I made it with ash gourd and cucumber.It came out great,only thing,it is a sweet curry so hubby kind of ignored it.Luckily,we went to Blr for Diwali and ma-in-law prepared it for us.It is a sweet side dish to be had after lunch and is an acquired taste.

Puli Koddel

Ingredients

Ash gourd – ¼ piece of one medium sized ash gourd
Red chillies – 5-7
Coriander seeds – 3 tsp
Urad dal – 2 tsp
Channa dal – 2 tsp
Haldi – 1 tsp
Thil seeds – 3 tsp
Raw rice – 1 tsp
Coconut gratings – 3-5 tbsp
Jaggery -1 piece(lime size)
Oil – 2 tbsp
Tamarind – 1 small piece

For seasoning

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Salt to taste
Hing/asafoetida – 1 tsp

Method

Roast coriander,urad dal,channa dal,haldi,hing,rice,coconut gratings,red chillies and thil seeds with a little oil,till brown.
Grind all the ingredients with tamarind coarsely.
Wash and peel ash gourd and cut into medium sized pieces.
Cook in a little water till soft.
Add jaggery and salt to taste.
Mix the ground masala and add required quantity of water,but do not make it too thin.
Bring to boil and season with mustard and curry leaves in oil.
Serve hot!

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Diwali Celebrations

Thank you all for your wonderful wishes..hope all of you had a lovely time this Diwali.

We had a great time in Blr with hubby’s family.Burst a lot of crackers,lit a whole lot of diyas and ate unlimited amount of sweets and put on at least 2 kgs in a matter of 2-3 days!!But it was fun..I can still hear the sound of crackers as I am typing this..guess this is one festival which no one wants it to get over.

On Sunday(Diwali eve),it was Narakachathurdashi and according to the tradition,ma-in-law prepared fish curry and fry.Hubby was very happy as this was one festival where non-veg was a part of the festivities..!!On Diwali day,it was a typical Konkani lunch with Channe Ghashi,Puli Koddel,Phodis and Madgane.Had a wonderful time..!!

How did you celebrate Diwali..??

Another one for JFI-Festival treats!

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Gajar ka Halwa

Wishing you all a very Happy Diwali!!I am wishing you guys a bit early coz we are taking the weekend off and I don’t know whether I would be able to wish on Diwali.Anyway,by wishing early,I’ll be one of the first to wish you..;-)So once again wishing all my blogger friends and my dear readers a happy and safe Diwali..have lots of fun!!

Let me present today,a favourite Diwali sweet-Gajar ka Halwa.I remember making this sweet with amma long time back and swearing to never make it again..yeah,even though it came out delicious,the effort that went into it was a bit too much for me.It takes hours to grate the carrot and then again hours to mix it in milk..?not my type of sweet at all..even with Milkmaid,it took a hell a lot of time for the carrots to dry up..!!Our neighbour in Ekm,Taramoushi(aunty) used to give us two dabbas every Diwali,one was Kaju katli and the other one was Gajar ka halwa,and she used to make it on Diwali day.I asked her how she manages to cook it up,and she gave me this wonderful recipe which doesn’t use milk at all and the cooking process is steaming,rather than hours of stirring.

I called her up few days back for the recipe and made it today.Came out just delicious…but let me warn you-this is not the traditional/authentic way to make this,just an easier and quicker method which produces an equally tasty and pretty halwa!!

Gajar ka Halwa

Ingredients

Carrots,grated – 2 cups
Sugar – 1 cup
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Crushed cardamom – 1
Nuts for garnishing

Method

Steam cook the carrots till well cooked(about 10 minutes).
Make sugar syrup by mixing 1 cup sugar with ¼ cup water till it reaches one string consistency.(about 5 minutes)
Mix the cooked carrots in the sugar syrup till it forms into a lump and starts leaving the sides of the pan(about 10 minutes on simmer).
Add ghee and crushed cardamom.
Garnish with chopped nuts(I used slivered almonds) and serve!!

Wish you all a very Happy Diwali!!

Update - Sending this Gajar ka Halwa to JFI-Festival treats,hosted by Srivalli.JFI is the brainchild of Indira of Mahanandi. Each month this event is guest hosted by bloggers, who choose a natural ingredient and other bloggers enthusiastically respond to it.. This month its celebrating food and festivals.

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Chotey Aloo Masala

I made this dish after a long..long time yesterday.I remember having this first at my dear friend M’s place.Her mother,who’s an excellent non-veg cook,had made this specially for me(since I don’t eat non-veg) when some of us friends,were invited over at her place for lunch.I took a liking for this curry instantly.I loved the baby potatoes floating prettily in the gravy.I asked her for the recipe and found it to be an easy and quick one.Tried it at my place and it was liked by all.Though I give her all the credit for making such a simple curry so tasty,she attributes it to me saying,if not for me,she wouldn’t even have tried it..!!

Recently,I saw a recipe for a similar dish in a magazine,which reminded me of this dish.Went in search for baby potatoes and got real babies,potatoes I mean..they were too baby-ish and I had real trouble peeling off the skins..That was the only effort I made..rest of the cooking got over in a breeze.Took it to a friend’s place for dinner along with phulkas and it got over in no time.

Chotey aloo masala

Ingredients

Baby potatoes – ½ kg
Salt – 1 tbsp
Haldi/turmeric – 1 tsp

Oil – 1 tbsp
Onions – 2,chopped
Tomatoes – 2,chopped
Green chilly – 1,chopped

Oil – 1 tbsp
Jeera – ½ tsp
Ginger-garlic paste – 3 tsp
Chilly powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Chole masala – 1 tbsp(you could use garam masala too)
Salt to taste
Kasoori methi – 1 tsp
Coriander leaves – chopped,3-4 tbsp

Method

Prick the potatoes with a fork and pressure cook with salt and haldi for 15 minutes or till done.

In a kadai,add oil and sauté onions till light brown.
Add tomatoes and green chilly and sauté till the tomatoes get cooked.
Cool and grind to a smooth paste.

Peel the potatoes and keep aside.

In a kadai,add oil and splutter jeera.
Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
Add the ground paste,chilly powder,coriander powder,chole masala and salt and cook till the raw smell goes.
Add the cooked potatoes and kasoori methi and ¼ cup water.
Let it simmer till the gravy thickens.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot!!

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Cabbage-aa Undi~Steamed Cabbage dumplings!

Munching on a snack along with tea sitting by the window side while its raining outside is an absolute pleasure.At the rate the rains are coming in Chennai,I guess,Chennaites are gonna have a very nice time!!Snacks need not be always fried goodies,or is it?Though I would prefer a deep fried goodie anyday,steamed or similar snacks are welcome too..;-).Though this one cannot be termed as a snack per se,coz its quite heavy on the stomach..it is served along with coffee/tea at 4 in our place.The yummy smell which comes out of the Pedavan(steamer)while this is getting made is enough for us kids to reach the dining table!!

Ma-in-law makes a similar dish called Cabbage-aa muddo,which though looks quite similar,tastes a little different.That one is had along with lunch as a side dish.So when I made it,hubby insisted that I serve it with lunch.I should say it tasted great with lunch too.I feel it is a cousin to the famous Pathrode,while pathorde process is quite tedious,this one gets done in no time!!

Cabbage-aa Undi

Ingredients

Cabbage – ½ of a medium sized cabbage,chopped finely
Idli rava – 1 cup
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Red chillies – 5-7
Haldi/turmeric – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Hing/asafoetida – 1 tsp

Method

Soak the idli rava for 15 minutes.
Grind coconut with red chillies and haldi to a smooth paste.
Add idli rava and pulse for a few seconds.
Add hing and salt to taste.
The batter should be of thick idli-batter consistency.
Add the chopped cabbage and mix well.(while adding cabbage,add only as much as the batter can take)
Shape into small undis(balls) and steam cook in a steamer or idli cooker for 20-25 minutes.
Check by inserting a toothpick,if it comes out clean,its done.
Pour some coconut oil on top and serve hot as a snack or along with lunch!!

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Ulli Theeyal

Soi bhajil masol is something which is there in any Kerala-Konkani’s pantry.In fact it is made in bulk and stored for months.I always used amma’s masol,until I learnt to make it using dessicated coconut instead of copra(which saves a lot of time) and then started making it in the MW(which makes the process even more faster).The masol is used mainly for making ghashis,but there are,of course many innovative curries which can be made using this as the base.It is almost similar to the Varutharacha masala which is used for many Kerala dishes.

My ma-in-law,living for 30 years in Kerala after her marriage,has a definite soft corner for Kerala-Konkani dishes as well as Kerala dishes.In fact,the only thing she asks my amma from Ekm is the masol.Once she made a theeyal using the masol and all of us were so surprised..I,for one never knew that theeyal could be prepared using this masol.Since then,I’ve been making it every time I get nice and round small onions.It can be made with Bitter gourd as well as Yam or using Black channa.If you don’t have soi bhajil masol,you can make it using freshly roasted masala using the same ingredients.

Ulli Theeyal

Ingredients

Ulli/small onions – 15-20,peeled and cut into half
Soi bhajil masol *– 2-3 tbsp
Tamarind – 1 small piece soaked in 1 cup hot water
Green chillies – 2,chopped
Salt to taste

For the seasoning

Coconut oil – 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method

In a kadai add the oil and splutter mustard seeds.
Add the curry leaves,green chillies and then onions.
Fry till the onions become light brown.
Add the tamarind extract and salt to taste.
Simmer till the onions become soft.
Add the masol and stir well,let it simmer till it becomes thick.
Serve hot!!

*If you don’t have the masol,you can use freshly roasted masala,for that you’ll need –
Grated coconut – 3-4 tbsp
Coriander seeds – 2 tbsp
Red chillies – 2-3
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Methi – ½ tsp
Haldi – ¼ tsp

Dry roast all the ingredients until they get evenly browned.Keep stirring to avoid burning.
Grind into a smooth paste using enough water.
Use in place of masol.

P.S-This is not the recipe for traditional Kerala style theeyal,this is how I make it.

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Carrot Salad

D.I.E.T,the dreaded four letter word.I am sure this word features in a girl’s life at least once.I for one,was never aware of such a thing till I was 15 years old.I was always a plump kid and never actually cared about it.That is,till I finished my 10th and was to join college in a few months.Thats when reality struck and I realized I could be the butt of jokes if I went to college like that…that was my assumption and I went starving..literally.Amma was so worried and used to pester me to eat something..but I did not yield to her temptations and drank a cup of milk as breakfast,ignoring the yummy Poori-bhaji she made..which,I calculated would increase my weight by at least a kilo!!

I became quite slim and trim and that phase continued throughout college(though I stopped starving).After getting married,slowly but steadily,all the weight I had lost seemed to pile back kilo by kilo.I didn’t think twice before gobbling up a whole piece of pastry or a regular pizza all by myself!!Again reality struck and I realized my BMI was over 25 and I was almost 10 kgs overweight!!Thats when hubby came into picture and he joined hands with me for the ordeal and I went on a strict diet-exercise regime for 3 months(though this time with the help of a dietician).I embraced my willpower tightly and today I am 10 kgs lighter and well within my weight limits and my BMI is 22.
Well,all that banter about diet was for the Diet food event by my namesake dear Divya.I am eagerly waiting for the round up to include all those recipes in our menu.Thanks dear for coming up with something as exciting as this!!My contribution is a simple carrot salad which could be had all by itself as a 11 am snack or along with lunch/dinner.

Carrot Salad

Ingredients

Carrots – 2,medium,grated
Onion – 1 ,chopped finely
Grated coconut – 1 tsp
Green chilly – 1,chopped finely
Coriander leaves – 2-3 tbsp,chopped finely
Salt to taste
Lime juice – of half a lime

Method

Mix grated carrots,onion,coconut,chilly and coriander leaves together.
Add salt to taste.
Squeeze in the lime juice and serve!!

Other Diet foods in Easycooking

Beetroot Salad

Pomegranate Salad

Cream of Onion soup-The healthier version

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Rajma-Yam Masala

I’ve always loved watching cookery shows..as early as when I was in high school.Whenever there was one being telecast,I’d prop up in the couch and watch it with so much interest that you would think I am gonna cook it up next thing!!My favourites were Sanjeev Kapoor,Tarla Dalal and the most favourite Lakshmi Nair in Kairali Tv.Even now I like watching Kylie Kwong,Nigella Lawson and Madhur Jaffrey’s cookery shows,only thing I don’t find any of them do-able.Sanjeev Kapoor is also moving into that category.

When I finished my 10th,we had these small friends get togethers at home which we used to look forward to so much.One day all of us went to a friends place and it was she who prepared yummy gulab jamuns which were simply superb.I came back home and told amma that I too want to cook up something on my own when my turn came.It was during this time I saw a recipe for Cabbage rolls in Khana Khazana,which looked pretty and sort of posh..something which was not a regular thing.I made it and decorated it with spring onions and all..and got many compliments that day..those were the good old days!!

Todays recipe too,is from a cookery show-Magic oven by Lakshmi Nair.I’ve tried many of her recipes and all are super hits like this and this.This curry is oil free and uses a different combination of Rajma with Yam in a coconut milk based gravy…yummy!!

Rajma-Yam masala

Ingredients

Rajma –1/2 cup,soaked overnight or for 8-10 hours
Yam – 250 gms,chopped into small cubes
Haldi/turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Red chilly powder – ¾ tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tbsp
Asafoetida/Hing – ¼ tsp
Onion(1 big) -chopped into small cubes
Tomato(1 big) - chopped into small cubes
Coconut milk(thick) – ½ cup
Coriander leaves chopped – 2-3 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

Cook the rajma using enough water in a pressure cooker till it is almost cooked(shouldn’t become mushy).
Add yam pieces and all the other ingredients starting from haldi to tomato.
Cook for about 10-15 minutes or till the vegetables are cooked.
Mash the veggies and rajma slightly with the back of a spoon.Add salt to taste.
Let it boil.
Add the coconut milk and coriander leaves,mix well and switch off immediately.
Serve hot!Goes well with rice as well as rotis!!

Sending this one to Sra for My Legume Love Affair,an event started by Susan.

Also to FIC-Brown event in Tongue Ticklers!!

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Surna Phodi~Yam fritters!

While we were in Ekm last time,amma made a whole lot of goodies for us,esp for hubby.Yeah,he is treated royally when in Ekm(just like I get treated in Blr;-).A week before we reach there,amma starts preparing “kurkuri khaan” which is basically snacks like chips,mixture etc.Since hubby is not so fond of sweets,amma makes sure she loads up on his favorite foods.It was during this time that appa bought freshly dug out surnu/yam from our land.All of us at home love anything prepared with surnu but hubby likes only surna koot and nothing else.
Appa suggested that amma make something like chips with it so that their dear son-in-law too could taste the yummy surnu.So,this snack was made which was so tasty that it disappeared before I could click any pictures!!It was made again the next day owing to public demand;-).I am a little biased here and I feel that home-grown surnu tastes better and chips made with that one is more tasty..;-).I haven’t tried making it here because of the same reason.But I guess I should try it with the surnu available here,isn’t it..?What say??
Surna Phodi-Yam fritters
Ingredients

Surnu/Yam – 1,small sized
Salt and pepper – to taste
Oil – for deep frying

Method

Peel and chop the yam into small,but thick slices(about ½’thick).
Boil the slices in salted water till it is almost cooked(it shouldn’t turn mushy,which will make it difficult while deep frying).
Drain and keep aside.
In a thick bottomed kadai,heat the oil.
When it is hot add the cooked yam slices and fry till both sides become brownish in colour.
Remove from the kadai and immediately pour some freshly crushed pepper.
Serve hot!!
I am sending this deep fried snack to Snack’O’Rama for the Sunday snacks event!!

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From your blogs # 3

I have heard many friends rave about their wives' cooking.Many have told me that they make *nice this and nice that*.I wish my hubby would say the same.I asked him once whether he would ever tell someone that his wife cooks well and he said others should be telling him that and he shouldn't be singing it around.Ahhh..!!He says that he feels nice and proud when his friends/cousins tell him how lucky he is that I cook well.I accept that compliment with open arms;-).Last weekend when I made this,he was floored.It is the first time he kept saying its fantastic and fabulous and what not.And yeah,he wanted me to make some for his friends too,gladly.Thats what blogging does to me.I am trying out new dishes from your blogs and everytime emerging successful.Thank you dear bloggers.



So here I am with some of the dishes I made "From your blogs "




Srivalli's Channa Pulao - I first saw this on her blog when she posted about the blogger's meet in Chennai.I missed the meet and I still regret it.When I saw fellow bloggers raving about Valli's pulao,I decided I am gonna try it.To put it simply-we loved it.It tasted great and the flavors of channa with the fragrant rice was a temptation too hard to resist.I served it with Gobi Manchurian and raita.


Shilpa's Semia Upma - New breakfast dishes are always welcome.Even though we do have cornflakes,oats and muesli every alternate day,we feel bored eating the same food.While I was searching for varieties of upma,came across this one on Shilpa's blog.I badly wanted to try it the next day.Only thing,I did not have vermicelli with me,but that did not hinder my enthusiasm.Had some rice vermicelli in my shelf and I followed the recipe substituting rice vermicelli with the normal one.A simple and tasty recipe,next time gonna try it out with vermicelli!!


Divya's Aval Payasam - Divya,my namesake!!A truly gifted blogger,the variety of dishes she comes up with is amazing.Everytime I visit her blog,I seem to bookmark each and every dish..;-).While thinking of a sweet dish during Navrathri,I made this Aval payasam and it was delicious.Quick and easy recipe and requires a few ingredients.Only extra ingredient I added was Saffron,which a dear friend got me from Dubai.I seem to be putting it in anything and everything these days!!


Raaga's Garlic bread - Here's a blogger whom I just can't have enough of.I have tried many of her recipes including this and this.She's a treasure house of recipes and I love the way she blogs.Even though the recipe required Baguettes,I went ahead with normal bread.The result was great,we now have garlic bread almost daily!!Only change I did was adding a tbsp of butter along with the olive oil and adding grated cheese instead of cheese powder.

Indira's Semia Payasam - A blogger who does not need any introduction.Any search on Indian cuisine ends on her blog.She writes so beautifully and the accompanying pictures are truly a pleasure to watch.I made this payasam when I was in Ekm following her method.It tasted excellent as expected-no,not because I made it-because it was Indira's recipe..yeah!!

Thank you Folks!!

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Vanilla Cupcakes

I am so happy and delighted.Never thought I’d ever be able to make something like this.As a matter of fact,I consider myself an average cook and even more average baker.I haven’t baked much-just a little baking done in the MW,that’s all.It's only recently that I started making cookies and stuff.Each time I make something new,I feel a wave of confidence flowing..it's such a nice feeling.

Deeba’s blog is one place where I go just for eye candy.I know I’ll never be able to recreate the magic that she presents there.It's sheer talent and I am awed by her.I sometimes don’t even check the recipe,since I can’t take my eyes off the tempting pictures that she clicks.And she knows how to present a dish beautifully..simply superb!!Even though I check her posts regularly,I go through her blog every now and then,through her old posts.

During my last visit to Ekm,I got myself a muffin pan and few other stuff.I’ve been searching for a simple muffin recipe and while I was going through the blog,I came across this recipe which seemed pretty easy.I went through the recipe many times to check and recheck if I was missing something,but no,it was just an easy one.Last weekend,I finally made this.

I truly don’t have any words to express how it turned out.One of my best baking results so far.They puffed up and browned so nicely that I myself am amused.This is the first time that I had to ask hubby to stop coz he just couldn’t stop eating it(and he claims he does not have a sweet tooth!!).Even the measurement is accurate,the recipe yielded exactly 18 muffins and I am not at all surprised at their disappearing act!!Thanks so much Deeba,you are a gem!!!

Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients
Flour - 2 cups
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt – ½ tsp
Butter – ½ cup
Sugar – 1 ¼ cup
Milk - 1 cup
Vanilla Essence / extract - 1 tsp
Eggs - 2

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C. Line or grease the muffin pans.
 
Sift flour,baking powder and salt 3 times. Keep aside.
Cream butter and sugar well.
 
Add vanilla and eggs and beat well.
On low speed, beat in flour mix and milk alternatively in 3 lots.
 
Fill each muffin pan to ¾ th depth, and bake for 20-25 minutes till done.
 
Remove from muffin pan immediately and cool on racks.
Makes approximately 18 muffins.

Notes

• The cupcakes tastes plain as is,perfect as a tea-time treat but some chocolate frosting on top takes it to a dessert level.
• You could also add tutti-frooty,chocolate chips or nuts to make it taste different every time.

Pictures updated on 26/07/2012

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Cooking with Curd!

Curd is one thing which is always present in our daily meal.Be it thick curd or thin buttermilk,we have to finish our meals with curd.I also love to have a cup of curd with sugar..yummy.There are many curries which could be made using curd as the base.Ok,not exactly curries,side dishes rather.I turn to curd when there are no veggies left for a gravy or when I am plain lazy.Instead of the usual rice-curd-upkari which would invite cold glances from hubby,I camouflage it with curd base side dishes which would look and taste nice.I am posting here,some of the easiest curd-curries which could be whipped up in minutes.

Cucumber Raita – One of the easiest of the lot.
Grate cucumber(1),add chopped green chillies(2-3) and salt.Mix curd(beaten lightly).Season with mustard and curry leaves in oil.Tastes great with rice,as well as rotis.

Capsicum Raita – My ma-in-laws recipe.
Cut capsicum(1) and onions(1) into thin slices.In a kadai,splutter mustard seeds,add curry leaves,onions and fry till the onions turn golden brown.Add the capsicum and fry till they become soft.Let it cool a bit and add beaten curd and salt to taste.

Bitter gourd pachadi – Can be made with fresh bitter gourd or bitter gourd kondattams.
If using fresh bitter gourd-chop bitter gourd into thin round slices-apply salt and deep fry till golden brown and crisp.(1)
If using kondattams-Deep fry the kondattams and keep aside.(1/2 cup)-Chop green chillies(2-3)and add to curd(slightly beaten).Add seasoning-mustard seeds and curry leaves in oil.

Mashed potatoes in curd – Kooka chirdillelle
Cook and mash the potatoes(2) and keep aside.
Add salt and green chillies to slightly beaten curd and add the mashed potatoes.
Prepare seasoning in a pan with mustard and curry leaves in oil.
Add to the potato curd mix.

Kachiya moru
Beat the curd well with the beater or blend in a mixie.
Add haldi and salt.
Prepare seasoning in a pan with mustard,curry leaves,red and green chillies in oil.
Add to the curd.

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