Myriad Tastes

Vermicilli kheer with a Royal touch.......:))

2008-09-11T16:10:00.004+05:30

Ingredients :

Vermicilli - 1 cup
Milk - 4 cups
Sugar - 1/2 cup
khova- 1/4 cup
Ghee - 2-3 Tbsp
Few Almonds - chopped
Few cashewnuts chopped
cardommom powder - 1 tsp
Raisins - 1/4 cup
Silver foil for decoration

Method
Fry vermicilli in 2 Tbsp of ghee,till light gold in colour.Skin the Almonds and chop them into small pieces.,fry these in 1 tbsp ghee,till toasted along with cashewnuts and raisins.Boil the milk,add the vermicilli and keep on stirring over low heat till the vermicilli is done and the kheer is thickened..Reduce heat and add the khova, sugar stirring all the time till the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat, and mix in the almonds, cashewnuts ,cardomom powder and raisins .Serve chilled with a little silver foil on top for decoration.

A Fruity Way To Go........

2008-07-24T18:16:00.007+05:30

I haven’t written for quite some time ,just back to Blogging ,after a very long time...since I've had some time to blog. I think the bug has bitten me once again and I plan on hitting a few more Blogs whenever I can this year.

unlike my last year,where in the end result was that I didn't have the necessary time or the inclination to blog . Hopefully that should change this year...:))

here goes the exotic Kiwi,all sliced up and ready to grab anyday, anytime for all the lovely Bloggers who still take time to check on my blog.

A fruity way to jumpstart my blogging :)

Season's Greetings!!!!! 2008!

2008-01-13T09:50:00.000+05:30

To All the lovely Bloggers who have been an Inspiration to me here's wishing you all Season's greetings and Happy Sankranthi ! ( Pongal) . Have a wonderful Pongal! :)

With all Best Wishes for a Joyous Season and a very Happy New Year 2008!

Happy Vinayaka Chathurthi To You All

2007-09-14T07:37:00.000+05:30

Shubh Ganesh chathurthi to all of you!

ALOO POHA!!!!

2007-07-14T16:47:00.000+05:30

Aloo Poha

Ingredients:

Poha 2 Cups washed and drained
Onions 2 small chopped
Potato 2 Boiled and cubed
Oil 2 tbsp
Green chillies 3 chopped
Cumin seeds 1 Tbsp
Mustard 1 Tsp
Coriander leaves & coconut scrapings for garnishing
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Peanuts 1 Tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 Tsp

Method:
Heat the pan with oil, add mustard ,cumin seeds , green chillies,curry leaves and chopped onions and saute till the onions turn translucent .Now add the peanuts,cubed potatoes,salt,Turmeric and stir for few mts, finally add in the Poha and keep stirring till the grains are done .Garnish with cilantro(coriander leaves) and coconut scrapings and serve.

Savour The Exotic Flavours !!!

2007-06-29T18:27:00.000+05:30

Hi Folks! I am back after a long hiatus, It's taking me some time to catch up with all the upbeat events around the Blogosphere.For some time to come, its gonna be only weekends for me...Missing out on all your lovely posts! for all those of you who are looking forward to my posting , here's a new post with an appetizing Sea food platter and a mango kheer that's lipsmackingly delicious....will catch up soon, till then , see you guys around....

Get set and ready for a couple of easy and interesting dishes,which takes less time to make and quick to finish off the plate..;) just thinking of this yummy dishes stretches my memory and transports it to a time which reverbrates with energizing gastronomical treats with high calories ,surely, that was lot of fun we had as teens ,trying to prepare this kheer on our mini stove replicating grandma's recipe... which ,indeed gave me a Taste for Cooking...:)

Note: Sorry No Pic, as I was too busy devouring to take a picture of it..:)

Come March and all through May and June,Mango frenzy is in full swing with Mango minifestivals.It's Mangoes, Mangoes all the way, they are all over the place with the harvest time in it's peak . Here's a pic of Mangoes we bought at a Mango Mela,last month.

Mango Kheer:

Ingredients:

Ripe Mango puree 1 Big Bowl
Milk 5-6 cups
Sugar3/4 - 1 cup ( as mangoes are added )
Saffron few strands in milk,
Cardamom powder
Almonds ,Cashewnuts ,Raisins,pistachio (Roasted in ghee ,1 cup)

Method: Heat milk and cook over low flame, till it thickens. Now add sugar and continue to stir ,add the saffron and cardamom powder to the kheer mixture and cool it. Finally add in the mango puree and decorate with Almonds, Cashewnuts & pistachio. Serve chilled.

Prawn Masala:

Recipe link: Masala Prawns

Chicken Treats And a Summer Delight !!!

2007-04-26T09:52:00.000+05:30

Chicken Kebabs:

Ingredients for Marinade:

1 cup Yogurt
2 Tbsp Cilantro fresh; chopped
2Tbsp Lemon juice
1 Tbsp grated Ginger
1Tsp minced Garlic
2 Tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
1 Tsp Curry powder
1/2 Tsp Cumin powder
1 Chicken meat trimmed & cut in to cubes

Take the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine them and add in
the chicken cubes and marinate for 1 hour.

Thread the marinatedchicken pieces onto a skewer along with onion wedges .(optional).Place the skewers on a baking dish and Grill the skewers, brushing with the marinade often till done.

Tandoori Chicken:

Ingredients:

Chicken Tandoori masala 3 Tbsp
Chopped onion 2 Tbsp
Chilli powder2 Tbsp
Garlic,1 Tbsp
Ginger 1 Tbsp
Tandoori colour

Blend the above ingredients to a fine paste. Make sure whole of the chicken which is rubbed with salt and lemon juice is covered with marinade and let it marinate in the refrigerator for atleast 4 hours or overnight for best results......

Grill or Roast until done......

Pista Badam Kulfi:

Condensed Milk with Kulfi Mix

Blogging Hiatus

I know its been a while since my last blog,I am taking a break for some Time. Time for Summer Vacation :) Will be putting my Blog to rest for a while, have been here for quite some time and I have gained many friends and will surely be missing out on all your Lovely posts,will be De lurking once in a while to catch up with all the wonderful fellow Bloggers in Blogosphere...

Would like to Thank each and every one of you all for all the praises & encouragements you have constantly been showering on me.

I will hopefully be able to get back to the blogging scene soon ! In the meantime, have a great Time, with Lot's of Blogging, everybody!! :)

Lemony Rice And Yummy Treats !!!

2007-04-18T07:07:00.000+05:30

Lemon Rice With Black Channa:

Ingredients:

Rice 1 Bowl

Boiled Black channa(1 cup)
Lemon 2 medium sized (juice to be extracted)
1 onion chopped
Salt as required
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Seasoning:

Oil 2 Tbsp
Ginger grated 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Black gram 1 tsp
Bengal gram 1 tsp,
Red /green chilles 2-3
Broken cashew nuts as required
Asafoetida a pinch
curry leaves 1 sprig

Method:

Cook the Rice and allow it to cool . Add the turmeric powder and mix well when it is still hot. Heat oil and add the seasoning along with Chillies ,Ginger ,Asafoetida, Curry leaves and onions and fry for a few mts till the onions turn translucent. Pour this over the cooled rice with enough salt. Finally add in the lemon juice and boiled Black channa and mix well .

Hot tortilla to go with spicy stuffing of Tomato ,garlic, chillies and onion medley ...

Finally to beat the Sizzling Summer, here's A Cool jello...

Mediterranean Style Baked Fish !

2007-04-07T22:17:00.000+05:30

Mediterranean Style Baked Fish :

Fish is baked and flavoured with a Mediterranean style sauce (A blend of Tomatoes, onions flavoured with garlic and herbs)

Ingredients:

2-3 Fish fillets of your choice
2Tbsp oil (veg oil)
1/2 Tsp black pepper( crushed)
1 large onion, sliced
2 tomatoes sliced,
1 bay leaf
1Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp white wine
1 Tomato pureed
1Tsp lemon juice
oregano& thyme( crushed)
1/2 tsp dried basil( crushed )
Salt as required

Heat oil in large Pan,add onion and Tomato puree and saute over medium flame and let it simmer for 20 mts.later blend it in a blender to make a sauce. Rub in the remaining ingredients including white wine over the fish and keep aside for 30 mts.Now cover the Fish with the sauce and arrange for Tomato slices at the base and bake till done.

Happy Easter to all those who celebrate !

Chole Masala And Carrot Foogath!!

2007-04-02T21:21:00.000+05:30

Chole Masala (punjabi dhaba style)!

Source:indianchild.com

Chole Masala

CARROT FOOGATH:(Source: My Archives(Similar To Beans Foogath))

Chicken Platter And A Cool Summer Delight !!

2007-03-24T16:06:00.000+05:30

It's a Baked chicken with marinade of Lemon, garlic Rosemary!!!

Summer Delight: (Curd Rice with Black channa ,onion & cucumber pieces )

Ugadi Greetings !! Ushering In A Season Of Hope And Cheer !!

2007-03-18T10:41:00.000+05:30

A Weekend Spread with Mexican Tortilla And Yummy Treats From Fellow Bloggers Recipes !

Source:Mexican Food.
Tortilla

Recipe For VEG Medley!(Cauliflower-Potatoes-And-Peas)

Ingredients:

2 onions, Finely chopped
4 potatoes, diced
1 bowl cauliflower florets
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp oil
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 bowl peas cooked
water as required
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp sugar
salt as required

Method:

Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for few minutes until light brown. Add the potatoes and cauliflower and stir fry. Add the turmeric, chilli, cumin ,salt and sugar & tomatoes . Stirfry for few more minutes. Add the peas, water as required , cover and cook for about 10 minutes,keep stirring the vegetables to prevent burning until the potatoes and cauliflower are done.finally add in the garam masala and freshly chopped coriander leaves before serving.

Rava Idli:

Source: From The Passionate cook, who blogs about Life n spices with abandon and with an equally matching humility and passion to learn .Her pictures speak for themselves.
It's Sia's Rava Idli

Appam with chutney!Source:From Indianadoc 's potpourri
Appams

Enjoy Good Food with lot's of Festive cheer !!

Red Hot Kofta Curry N Lamb Chops !!!

2007-03-12T16:29:00.000+05:30

Kofta Curry!

For Making koftas :

Mince meat 500 grams(Lamb/Chicken Mince)
Ginger & Garlic paste 1Tbsp
Roasted Gram flour 1 Tbsp
Garam masala powder 1 Tsp
Green chillies 1-2 chopped
Curry powder 1 Tsp
Salt to taste

For Curry :

whole Green cardamoms3
Bay leaves 2
Cloves 2
Cinnamon 1 "
Cumin Powder 1Tsp
Ginger and Garlic paste 1 Tbsp
1 Onion chopped finely
Kashmiri Red chilli powder 2 Tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 Tsp
Coriander powder 1Tsp
Tomato puree 1 cup
chicken stock 1 cup
salt as required
Fresh cream 1- 2 Tbsp
Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing(optional).

Mix all the ingredients well for kofta and divide them into small portions to make koftas . Keep aside.

Heat the ghee or oil in a pan and fry the whole spices till you get their aroma . Add the ginger & garlic paste and then the onions, saute for a while till the onions are brown . Add all the powders and saute for few mts .later add the pureed tomatoes and simmer for few more minutes. Now add the chicken stock, salt and add the chicken kofta balls one by one and cook over low flame for nearly 30 mts till the balls are cooked well and the curry is thickened. Finally stir in some fresh cream & garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves & It's ready to serve.

Lamb chops!

Lamb Chops - 500 gms
Curds 1 .5 cup
Tomatoes 2
Garam masala 1 Tsp
Ginger 2"chopped
Garlic paste 1 Tbsp
Green chillies 2-3
Freshly Ground Black Pepper 1 Tsp
Nutmeg a pinch
1 onion sliced
Coriander powder 2 Tsp
Curry leaves 1-2 sprigs
oil 2 Tbsp
Lemon juice 1 Tbsp
Salt as reqd

Method :

Marinate The meat with curds , salt ,nutmeg,Coriander powder, Ginger and Garlic paste.Pressure cook the Meat Marinade along with chopped Green chillies and chopped Tomatoes.Once cooked, add this to the saute'd sliced onion , pepper and curry leaves & allow this to simmer for few more minutes before adding a dash of Lemon juice to serve.

RiceHalwa And A Style Tag !!

2007-03-06T20:48:00.000+05:30

RiceHalwa:

Ingredients:

Rice 500 gms
1 cup freshly grated coconut
Jaggery as per taste
Cardamom powder
Cashew nuts chopped
Ghee ( for greasing the plate.)

Method:

Soak Rice in water overnight. Rice and coconut is ground into a very fine paste with water. Mix ground paste and ,jaggery along with cardamom powder & keep stirring continuously to avoid any formation of lumps. Keep stirring till the mixture leaves the side. Now, spread this mixture onto a greased plate with ghee . Once its cooled cut into desired shapes. enjoy!

Defining Style

I am Tagged to List 10 things that define my style by srijith unni ,who takes you on a journey through his Inspiring & Thought provoking Blog "Yatra" Thanks for the Tag :)

I believe, each one of us have our own unique sense of Style, A special way to present oneself to the world. In other words representing "Who we Really Are " It's the reflection of our inner spirit that defines our style.

Defining my Style :

1. With my Love for Travel, some would say I am a wanderlust and a glimpse of beautiful Scenic Locales inspires the wanderlust in me.

2. My favorite passtime is writing & My Blogging style defines me. Here's an analogy that can be used, writing is like dressing style, we convey a single message with a single sentence structure in several different literary styles , that establish my mood with my choice of images and ideas through the Text that very much add a personal touch to it.

3. My Dressing style: I am more into soft,feminine fun & subtle patterns ,which are more on the lines of being simple, informal ,but at the same time eclectic, that defines my style.

4. Colours that define me, Black and white and whatever colours that matches my mood and the fashion scene .

5 The Decor : My choice of Decor would be simple uncluttered style that's distinct and cozy with rich tones and textures that enlivens my spirit.

6. Accessories :Personal style is about choosing the accessories you love . wouldn't let anybody talk me into using something I don't like. for me ,It's just the way you mix things,traditional with the contemporary which spells the style.

7. The lettering font: I usually prefer is calligraphy that adds a personal flair to the text.

8. Creative Expression & Communication, Through electronic media and Music are more of my style, I love buying accessories for my electronic devices.

9.Cooking and experimenting with food from different cuisines is indeed a pleasuarble pursuit that Influences & defines my own creative style with food .

10. Desk style, would always go in for a feel with functionality, but would not miss out on decorative writing pads and Table top calendars that have beautiful quotes.

Getting to List 10 of these were quite a task ,not that I'm being modest, just that, I don’t usually talk about myself much .

Ultimately,The Bottom Line : A true style is defined by our dynamic self expression of our Inner beauty giving wings to our urges , because at the end of the day, the most important thing is to be comfortable with who you are. I would like to tag anyone reading this & wants to do it :)

Happy Blogging To You All :)

Breakfast with Chole & Brunch with Baked Potato!!

2007-03-01T22:38:00.000+05:30

Chole with Bread!

Recipe source:My Archives

Chole

Baked potato with herbs:

Thinking of comfort food and a simple menu for Brunch or lunch, can anyone forget the potato ? Be it Mashed or baked or fried or roasted it is simply a whole some & richly nutritious Meal initself .

If you fancy a Baked potato for brunch/lunch ,here we go, by just rubbing the skin with a bit of garlic butter and rolling the potato in the salt& herb mixture of your choice (I've used dill oregano, thyme) & then bake in an oven for 30 mts.Ready to serve with any sauce of your choice.

A Dream Tag and Uddina Vada!!

2007-02-20T16:39:00.000+05:30

Recipe source:Indian food Kitchen Blog
Uddina vada

"Dreams"

Rumination of My Dream..

I have been Tagged by the humourous and witty KK of Kays Brainwave who has a very lively Blog up there ! KK, It's an Interesting Tag & Thanks for the same :)

Since Time immemorial ,People have always been fascinated by their Dreams and these night time journeys into our subconsciousness are still enigmas with lot's of research still going on as to why we dream and what dreams really mean...I believe Dreams usually have an emotional component & it's all about discovering ourselves, subconsciously communicating with the conscious self.sometimes we get a sudden flash of insight into the hidden meaning of our dreams.( Interpreting in our own fun ways)

I don't get dreams often and when I do, I usually don't remember them after a while, In my growing days as a kid, I used to get pretty scary nightmares ,wouldn't want to scare you guys by jotting down in my Tag..;)

So, here it goes..A dream I had a long Time back, I usually have wonderful adventurous dreams and sometimes ,the following day I wonder what dreams are in store for me in the early hours of the day to follow.

I had a dream about searching for my friend who had set out with me to a hill station and we had ventured out biking into a nearby dense forest reserve on our own without thinking twice about all the pros and cons.It's out of nowhere suddenly when we get to face a herd of elephants rush in our direction ,we end up taking our own separate routes,riding the bikes in full speed without looking back, finally landing in an unknown territory and missing out on each other.For some strange reason, I was the only one around with no one in sight and was panicking as it was getting darker and the fear of elephants coming behind us still looming ,it was like a nightmare in a way but was more determined not to give up my search & was calling out for her louder and louder......till I got a louder ringing near my ears ;) that woke me up! that was the end of the dream;) It was "My alarm clock,which started beeping" and I was back to awareness and that was the day , I've really never been so glad to wake up in all my life!! safe and sound back at my place ;)) .

here's my little poem for this post...

Dreams can make you smile or make you cry,
when you wake up they still make you sigh !
Dreamship goes sailing every day in the moonlit night.
Making it a Joyful orTearful ride till the morning light!
Dreams can take you high and low , far and wide
Sometimes so beautiful like a wave turning into a powerful tide!
before it breaks onto the sand and slides away.
With a sink in blue or a float in cloud making it's way!

Happy Dreams to all of you :)

Fish, Greens and Beans!!!

2007-02-15T10:12:00.000+05:30

Tandoori Fish!

Fish Fillets or steaks marinated overnight in herbs & spices. The Traditional way of cooking Tandoori,is in a clay oven called a tandoor,however ,one can get to savour an authentic flavourful tandoori fish using your own barbecue grill or oven.

Ingredients:

Fish fillets or steaks (of your choice)

For the Marinade :

2 Tbsp lemon juice/vinegar
1 Tbsp Garlic and Ginger paste
1 Tbsp yoghurt
1 Tbsp Mustard oil/butter
salt as required
2 Tsp paprika /chilli powder
1/2 Tsp coriander powder
1/2 cumin Powder
a pinch of Asafoetida
Food colour (optional)

Add the above ingredients in a blender, except oil and blend the mixture to a smooth paste . Place fish in a large plate and pour marinade over, rubbing it well into the cuts and both the sides . Cover and leave to marinate overnight . Place the fish on a baking tray and broil for about 10-12 minutes. Turn the fish and keep brushing with oil to prevent burning until well browned on both the sides.

Spinach Greens with Dhal!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Moong dhal cooked& mashed
1Bowl - Spinach, chopped
1Big Onion,chopped finely
1/2 tsp garlic chopped
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
Pinch of Asafoetida
1/4 tsp Turmeric
3 Red chillies
2-3 Tbsp oil

method:

Heat oil in a pan & add the mustard seeds, cumin and asafoetida. Later,add onions and red chillies & saute till the onions are translucent.Now add garlic , turmeric & salt. saute for few more mts & add the palak (chopped) saute till it's tender before adding the dhal and simmer for 5 mts till done. Serve hot with parathas.

Beans Foogath!

Foogath is a simple recipe with very few ingredients & the term is used for any vegetable side dish made with coconut and curry leaves.

Ingredients:

Bowl of french beans chopped as desired.
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 green chillies slit or chopped
curry leaves 2 sprigs
1 onion chopped fine
3 Tbsp of freshly grated coconut
Salt to taste
cilantro for garnishing
Method:

Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds ,when they start crackling add the curry leaves and green chillies and saute them for a while before adding the onions and fry till they are translucent.Now add the green beans, salt to taste and cook till they are done. Add the grated coconut and mix well. Cook for a couple of minutes before switching off the fire. Serve hot with rice .
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The Paradox Of Our Age:

We have bigger houses but smaller families;

more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense;

more knowledge but less judgment;

more experts, but more problems;

more medicines but less healthiness.

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back,

but have trouble in crossing the street to meet our new neighbour.

We built more computers to hold more copies than ever,

But have less real communication;

We have become long on quantity,

but short on quality.

These are times of fast foods but slow digestion;

Tall mean but short characters;

Steep profits but shallow relationships.

It’s a time when there is much in the window

But nothing in the room.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

Happy weekend to you all !!

Chayote with Channa dhal & Methi Bhurji!

2007-02-08T21:00:00.000+05:30

Source: enveetusamayal.blogspot.com

Chayote with Channa dhal

METHI-EGG Bhurji!

Source:Bawarchi.com

MethiEggBhurji

Always Have A Dream!

2007-02-05T11:11:00.000+05:30

A sublime expression of wisdom!

Forget about the days
when its been cloudy, but
don't forget your hours in the sun

Forget about mistakes
that you can't change now, but
don't forget the lessons
that you've learned

Forget about the times
you've been defeated, but
don't forget the victories you've won

Forget about misfortunes
you encounter, but
don't forget the times
your luck has turned

Forget about the days
when you've been lonely, but
don't forget the friendly smiles you've seen

Forget about the plans
that didn't seem
to work out right, but...

Don't forget to Always Have A Dream!

Planet Earth ! Spectacular Pictures!

2007-02-01T11:11:00.000+05:30

Here are some spectacular pictures!!

Sharing some satellite pictures of our earth in all it's glory.....

Swiss Alps:

Iceland:

wishing you all "A Happy Weekend " ! :)

WEEKEND BRUNCH , LUNCH AND DINNER !!

2007-01-28T10:50:00.000+05:30

WEEKEND TREATS!!

A Picture Taken at Lalbagh:

Steamed brussel sprouts saute'd in butter , salt , pepper& white wine .

Dinner Rolls:

Poori Platter:

Source:Indianchild.com
Poori

Fish Fry with semolina covering:

Here's the Recipe..

Marinate the fish with ginger and garlic paste, chilli paste,lime juice, & dip in egg and corn flour mixture coat the marinated fish with semolina and deep fry till done..

Take A Guess !!!

2007-01-24T09:41:00.000+05:30

My Driving Inspiration was to make something different that Taste's different for our Dinner. The end result is here to view..

Here’s the really exciting part..Take a guess !!

Recipe to follow ,to make you'll spread your wings to be a little adventurous & try this dish, If you've never made this one before..:)

Lotus Seed Gravy!

Ingredients:

1 Bowl of Lotus seeds( deep fried&kept aside)
2 Tomatoes(big)Cubed
1 Onion chopped finely
1Tbsp Cashew paste
1/4 Cup Yoghurt(thick)
1 Tbsp Cilantro leaves for garnishing
oil/butter
salt as required
1/2Tsp Turmeric
1/2 TspCumin seed powder
1 Tsp Chilli Powder
1/4 Tsp Garam Masala powder

Method:
Saute onions with little oil/butter and keep aside, In the same pan saute the tomato pieces & put it in a blender along with garlic . Put this mixture into the pan and add saute'd onions, turmeric , thick yoghurt to the above and stir continuously till the oil separates .Now,add salt and chilli powder, cumin powder ,garam masala ,fried Lotus seeds, cashew nuts paste & saute till done.Sprinkle some Cilantro & Toasted cashews (optional) .

M & M ! (Masala Vadas and a MeMe! )

2007-01-18T10:18:00.000+05:30

Masala Vada:

Ingredients

1/4 cup Red Gram
1 cup Bengal Gram
1tsp Black Gram
2" ginger
3 red chillies
1tsp fennel
1" cinammon
2 cloves
2 green chillies chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
cashewnuts(optional)
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped curry leaves
1 /2 cup dill leaves finely chopped
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak the lentils in water for 2 hrs and then drain the water & Coarsely grind along with ginger, red chillies, saunf and salt. (Just add little (2 tbsp) water to get a coarse consistency )

2. Mix in the chopped onions, green chillies, coriander, curry leaves, cashewnuts, and chopped dill leaves & Make small balls, flatten into vadas, and deep fry them till reddish brown in colour. Serve hot, with chutney.

Another MeMe from the Lovely Blogger "SRA",Of whenmysoupcamealive
who hasTagged me to do this Awesome MeMe!

So,here we go:

Three people/things that make me laugh:

My Mom
Watching Goodness Gracious
Candid Camera

Three things that scare me :

Nightmares.
Door Bell ringing after midnight.
Ghosts

Three things I love:

Music that sets in the mood for the day
A Foot Massage after a tiring day
Reading & watching Travelouges

Three things I hate :

Hypocrites & Snobs
whining ! ;)
Gossiping .

Three things I don’t understand:

The Human Psychology , still find it very complex to understand.

Terrorism and hatredism .

On Convincing Through Confusion :)

Three things on my desk:

A Book I am reading right on Top of a pile of Books
A Pen holder , pins & clips
A Pad to scribble my "To do list" ;)

Three things I’m doing right now:

Thinking of all the Bloggers who are writing a Meme this very minute :)
Thinking of what to post in my next Blog :)
Drinking Hot Badam Milk .

Three things I want to do before I die:

Publish a Book of mine .
Travel around the world
perhaps, Be on Mount Everest someday ;)

Three things I can do:

Give my undivided Attention
Play scrabble and badminton
Review Books & Movies

Three things you should listen to:

Listening to a sweet, delightful & pleasant morning Instrumental Music !
Listening to the silence.( Silence is deep as Eternity; speech is shallow as Time. Thomas Carlyle)
Listening to The Temple bells wafting through the hill tops from afar :)

Three things you should never listen to:

An Explosion .
People screaming at each other & strange noises ;)
A owl hooting in the day
.

Three things I’d like to learn

Playing Sitar
Learning Foreign Languages
Sign language

Three favourite foods:

Fruit & veg salads,
Bengali sweets including misti doi.
Biryanis.

Three beverages I drink regularly:

Tender coconut water.
Lemonade.
Coffee.

Three TV shows/Books I read as a kid :

Malgudi days! A TV serial based on R K Narayan's works.
Amar Chitra Katha!
Sleeping Beauty .

Three blogger friends that I am going to tag:
Hmmm..can't think of just one ;)would love to tag everyone who has not yet been tagged to do this Meme ,please feel free to take on this Meme. Have a great week :)

Season's Greetings!!!!

2007-01-13T11:07:00.000+05:30

Happy Pongal To All The Viewers!!

COCONUT -POLI:

Coconut Poli:

Ingredients:

3 cups of Grated Coconut(fresh)
2 cups of Jaggery
1-2 tbsp Roasted fine semolina
1 tsp of cardamom powder
2 tsps of Roasted poppy seeds Powder
2 cups of maida
1/4 cup water
oil/Ghee 4 tbsp.

Method:

Prepare a dough with maida (All purpose flour) and 1 tbsp oil. Add water and make a soft dough which is a bit oily. keep aside for 1-2 hours.Take a non stick Tava and place it on a medium flame.

For the stuffing:

Mix the Jaggery and coconut in a pan ,to this add cardamom and poppy seeds powder and roasted fine semolina 1 - 2 Tbsp and mix it thoroughly. Keep stirring to get the consistency thick enough to make balls for stuffing
Take a small ball sized dough and roll it into a chapathi and stuff the coconut ball and roll it over again into round shaped polis. Flip this over the hot Tava on both the sides till done with a dab of ghee & it's ready to savour ! Enjoy!!

Sending warm greetings on the auspicious occasion of Pongal ,which brings good luck and prosperity and hoping that it is joyous, and fills your days ahead with happiness. Have a wonderful Pongal! :)

Akshardham!! A Monument of Modern India !!

2007-01-05T23:10:00.000+05:30

I hope you all had a Lovely Time this holiday season & I 'm sure The first couple of weeks of January would be lots of fun with hectic social activities ..:) If you are ready for a break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season,you could check out on this Beautiful Monument of India , Akshardham!!

I just got this as a forward mail in my inbox...and thought of sharing these Lovely Monument pictures in my blog as my first post for 2007!!!

Monument of Akshardham

The Akshardham monument, built without steel, is entirely composed of sandstone and marble. It consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, 9 ornate domes, 20 quadrangle shikhars, a spectacular Gajendra Pith (plinth of stone elephants) and 20,000 murtis and statues of India's great sadhus, devotees, acharyas and divine personalities.

The monument is a fusion of several architectural styles of pink stone and pure white marble. Pink stone symbolizes bhakti (devotion) in eternal bloom and white marble of absolute purity and eternal peace. The monument was built after over 300 million man hours of services rendered by 11,000 volunteers, sadhus and artisans.

It is the one of the wonders of the modern world, and the wonders of modern India.

After 5 years of non-stop, round-the-clock construction, the massive and awesome Akshardham Temple Monument to World Peace was inaugurated today. The Akshardham Temple in New Delhi, India, constructed by the BAPS foundation -- the builders of the various Swaminaryan Temples across the world, is truly a modern day Wonder of the World.

It is one of the biggest and most intricate religious places of worship ever constructed. Combining several completely different and contrasting architectural styles of Hindu temple architecture of northern India -- Rajasthani, Orrisan, Gujarati, Mughal and Jain -- the Akshardham Monument is entirely constructed of marble and the red-sandstone that Delhi is famous for, and that so many of her monuments are constructed of. It was completed in only 5 years - a world record of sorts

So after years of waiting, the Temple was yesterday opened to the public -- and to photographers. Below is the New Delhi Akshardham Complex as seen through the eyes of a BAPS photographer. At its inauguration, it is widely being heralded as one of the greatest monuments India has ever produced.

A Happy New Year 2007!!!!!!

2006-12-29T22:24:00.000+05:30

I hope this holiday season lifts your spirits bringing in lot's of good will and cheer and hope and inspiration to keep you all smiling through the new year..Wishing You all a wonderful New year:)

Merry Christmas !!!!!!

2006-12-22T18:40:00.000+05:30

Doodhi Halwa !!!

Source:Punjabilok DoodhiHalwa

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season,bringing in many reasons
to smile..:)

Weekend Treat with Lamb Biryani !!

2006-12-17T07:47:00.000+05:30

A Perfect Feast for a Weekend Celebration for this Holiday Season !!

Keeping with the spirit of sharing & giving for this holiday season I wish to Treat all you readers(non-vegetarians!;)) out there with this Biryani:)

...A Yummy Lamb Biryani with Raita...

With Christmas & New Year right around the corner, it's hard not to think about all the yummy foods that we will get to Taste. It's all about having a big fiesta with gathering of family and friends , a table full of home made food with good music & of course with Tons of fun and cheer ..:)

Lamb Biryani :

Ingredients:
2 cups Basmati rice
2 Big onions sliced
5-6 Red chillies
2 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 Tsp Garam masala powder
1/2 Tsp Fennel seeds
1 tomato chopped
Salt as required
4 Tbsp oil or ghee
saffron few strands soaked in milk

For Lamb Marinade(Gravy):

1 Bowl Lamb cubed
6-8 cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp Ginger grated
6 Green chilies
1/2 cup yogurt
2" cinnamon
3 cloves (lavang)
2 cardomoms
2 tomatoes chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt as reqd
Oil

Method:

For preparing the Lamb gravy:

Firstly make a paste of ginger, garlic and green chilies. Heat the oil, add cardomoms ,cloves and cinnamon when the aroma comes add onion & saute' for a while, later add the paste and sauté for few more minutes. Now add in the tomatoes, lamb, turmeric powder, yogurt, salt & water as required and pressure cook till the lamb is tender.

For Biryani:

Drain the soaked Rice after 30 mts. Heat oil or ghee in thick bottom pan and add Garam masala pwd , sliced onions, fry till golden brown. Add the ginger, garlic paste and red chilies, fennel seeds,Bay leaves and tomatoes to the saute'd onions and saute' for few more minutes. Now add the Lamb gravy and some water as needed. Cover and bring it to a boil. Now add the rice ,saffron milk and simmer for 20 -25 minutes till done. serve with any raita of your choice.

Aloo Medley!!

2006-12-11T09:08:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

3 med sized potatoes cut into cubes,
1 med onion chopped
1 bunch of fenugreek leaves chopped finely,
1 medium sized tomato
1 tbsp Garlic finely chopped
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds,
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and then add mustard seeds , cumin seeds , garlic onion . When the onions & garlic turn brown add in the potato cubes and little water to cook until it is tender. Now add turmeric powder,fenugreek leaves and stir till the rawness disappears and then add tomato pieces to it. Mix it well with the all Ingredients and finally add red chilli powder. serve hot with chapathi .

Breakfast With Green Chutney!!

2006-12-04T09:22:00.000+05:30

Mint and Cilantro Chutney Variation:

Ingredients:

1 bunch mint leaves cleaned
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves cleaned
2 tbsp grated dry copra
1/2 " ginger
2 green chillies
2 tsp amchoor (dry mango powder)
1/2 cup onions chopped
1/2 tsp sugar
water
salt as required.

Method:
Add in all ingredients to a blender and add the required quantity of water as you blend to get the desired chutney consistency .The Mint Cilantro chutney is ready to serve with dosa and idli.

Gobi Masala!

2006-11-28T10:09:00.000+05:30

Gobi Masala and Veg pulao:

Here's the Recipe...

Gobi Masala:

Ingredients:

1 Cauliflower cut into Florets.
1 Tsp poppy seeds
10 Cashewnuts
1 Tbsp Ginger & Garlic paste
2 Green chillies
2 Onions chopped finely
2 Blanched Tomatoes chopped
1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 Tsp Garam Masala powder
1Tsp Red chilli powder
1Tsp Coriander powder
1/2 Tsp Cumin powder
1/2 cup Curd
Cilantro & Cream(optional) for Garnishing.
2Tbsp oil(Any Veg based Oil)

Method:

Parboil the Cauliflower Florets in boiling water with little salt. Drain and keep aside. Grind poppy seeds, cashewnuts ,green chillies with little water and keep aside.
Heat oil and add the onions saute till brown, add Ginger- Garlic paste, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Coriander, Cumin and Chilli powders & CashewnutPoppy seed paste . Add little water,salt to taste and cook till the gravy is done and the oil shows on top. Now,add in the curd and stir well till it's blended well.
At this point, gently add in the Cauliflower Florets and stir in to coat the masala well and cover with a lid and cook for few more minutes till the Cauliflower is done. Serve hot, with Cilantro & Cream Garnishing.

Veg pulao:

Source: My Archives

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2006-11-24T10:48:00.000+05:30

Wishing You All A Very Happy Thanksgiving!!

A Post from my Blog Archives!

2006-11-20T09:10:00.000+05:30

Today , Bangalore is back celebrating It's customary Annual Nutty fair on this "Auspicious" day of the Hindu Calendar!

A Nutty Fair To Remember!

Traditionally, farmers & groundnut growers from all over Karnataka and the neighbouring states come to Bangalore to offer mounds of their first groundnuts produce to the huge idol of Basava during Nov/Dec every year, when the groundnuts have been harvested, a groundnut fair is held near the temple premises. Groundnuts or peanuts are special in many ways , a reason enough for Bangaloreans to look forward to the annual groundnut fair .

One of the oldest temples in Bangalore situated in Basavanagudi is dedicated to Nandi,(The sacred Bull) the mount of Lord Shiva. built in the 16th century. The magnificent Nandi, 15 feet tall and over 20 feet long has been carved out of single granite rock.The temple was supposedly built to appease a bull devouring all the groundnut grown in the area. The bull stopped inflicting damage and the thankful farmers held a groundnut fair near the temple premises which continues even today!

A picture taken at the Fair...

A Different Take On Fish Curry !!

2006-11-18T14:53:00.000+05:30

Getting to make an unapologetic fiery Red Fish curry ,for the Indian palatte always seems to be the privilege of the coastal region cuisine,be it Southern or Eastern Indian states. But,for now, with the "Tastebuds" evolving , my creative streak has taken up the challenge of exploring Indian cuisine with this Innovative & delicious Green Fish curry .

Wouldn't harm, if you could take a guess about a special ingredient used to make this green masala.

Go ahead take a guess...:)

Chicken Vindaloo!!

2006-11-13T09:38:00.000+05:30

Recipe Source:Indiacurry.com

Goa'n Chicken Vindaloo

Recipe Source:Foodie'sHope

RiceRoti

Okra (Bhendi) Masala !!

2006-11-08T17:01:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Okra cut into pieces (1 bowl)
1 Onion finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger& Garlic paste
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp Jeera powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 sprig curry leaves
1''cinnamon
2 cloves
Salt to taste
Chopped corianderleaves
Make a paste with Tomato & all the powders above with a little water and keep aside.

Method:

The cut okra is shallow fried in oil & kept aside . Heat 1tbsp oil,to this add the cumin seeds, curry leaves ginger garlic paste and the onions , saute' for 5-10mts till the onions are translucent. later add the ground masala & saute' till the masala is almost dry. Now, add the fried bhendis,salt and stir fry for few mts till done. garnish with chopped coriander leaves(optional) .

First Blog Anniversary !!

2006-10-31T06:29:00.000+05:30

Celebrating " My First Blog Anniversary" with my 125th Post !!

What an interesting year it has been, I am surprised that, I posted that many.....;)

A year ago I started Food Blogging as a hobby to provide a creative outlet and even to this day blogging continues to be one of my favourite activities. I am really glad, that I have made it this far , as it is not always so easy to maintain a fine balance with my Blog and FamilyLife. I did have my share of fun Blogging about Food and other Topics and have enjoyed meeting up many fascinating people from the fraternity of the Blogging world who have inspired and impressed me with their efforts & also find them enriching, encouraging and challenging enough at times to experiment with different cuisines.

Even though, Blogs are not populated with only like-minded people we do get to see Bloggers from all walks of Life ,it has helped in bridging the distances & opened a whole new world with it's wide & amazing range of insights & variety of expressions (from photography, culture, fun ideas about food ,differing & thought provoking views on happenings , new ideas, poems to humour etc , from Blogs that are focused on a subject )which are what,helps us to grow .However,It's important that people are more open-minded enough to communicate without any prejudice for an enjoyable Blogging experience.

Blogging community has in a way promoted Readership, one of the attributes on decline in general. It's great to have the readers respond with their feedback & I am thankful for all the comments left on my Blog , which have been always inspiring and entertaining to me. Also, would like to take this opportunity to thank the readers ( Bloggers and Non-Bloggers) who have taken their time to read my blog & be a part of this wonderful Blog journey.......:)

Wishing you all a happy week ahead !

FoodPictures of some of my posts from my Blog Archives:

Tingles To My Palatte With Fellow Bloggers Recipes !

2006-10-25T08:49:00.000+05:30

For all those who celebrate Halloween

Source: what2cook2day

Vasundhara's Vella Thengozhal

Source:MenuToday

Menu Today's More Kulambu

Source: Memories n meals

Nav's Chaamagadda Antu Pulusu

I have enjoyed trying out these delicious recipes and the end result which had too much going on, with the medley of MyriadTastes was a pleasure that gave tingles to my palatte .I am sure you would enjoy trying out these...:)

Diwali Greetings !!!!

2006-10-19T20:52:00.000+05:30

Wishing You all a Happy Diwali !!

Carrot Halwa:

Ingredients:

Carrots -Peeled and Grated 3cups
Milk - 2cups
cream - 2tbsp
sugar - 1 1/2cups
Ghee (clarified butter) 2 tbsp
Khoya - 1/2 cup
Almonds - 10-12(Roasted)
cardamom - 4
Cashewnuts - 10(Roasted)

Method:

In a large heavy bottomed pan, add cream & milk and bring it to a boil stirring occasionally for at least 1/2 hour, till the milk has thickened and then add in the carrot sugar, khoya, cardamom .Cook for 20 -25 mts, until the mixture is thickened to a desired consistency.Serve garnished with Raisins,almonds and cashewnuts & silver foil.This can be served hot or cold.

Hope you all enjoy this Diwali special sweet.

This is my entry to Vkn's Festival Food , for this VCC Q3 2006.

Patience n Creativity!

2006-10-16T07:06:00.000+05:30

Patience: A Dying Attribute.

A young and successful executive was traveling down neighbourhood street going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and drove the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost me a lot of money. Why did you do it?"

The young boy was apologetic. "Please mister. . . . please, I'm sorry.I didn't know what else to do. I threw the brick because no one else would stop." With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. "It's my brother. He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."
Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out his handkerchief and wiped at the fresh scrapes and cuts.

Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward home. It was a long,slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable but the driver never repaired the dented side door. He kept the dent to remind him of this message:

Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention. God whispers to our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us.
Listen to the whisper... or wait for the brick.

Patience is indeed a virtue, which lets us listen to the whisper rather than wait for the brick....:)

Creativity: An Attribute that revives patience!

Rabadi Spread ... yummm !!

2006-10-12T07:16:00.000+05:30

Enjoy the Toast with a difference....:)

Moong Bean Patties !! ( Tea Time snack)

2006-10-03T08:53:00.000+05:30

Moong Bean Patties:

1 cup moong beans, soaked overnight drained and ground coarsely
1 small onion, finely chopped
1potato boiled, mashed
1/2 tsp ginger chopped
1/2 tsp garlic chopped
3 green chillies finely chopped
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tbsp cornflour
1tsp garam masala pwd
3 tbsp breadcrumbs
oil for shallow frying
salt to taste

Method:

Mash potatoes,add ginger, garlic, chillies, onions ,moong bean paste, garam masala,coriander leaves(cilantro), corn flour, salt and lemon juice. shape into patties & Roll in the breadcrumbs and shallow fry in hot oil, till golden brown.Drain & serve hot with ketchup or mint chutney.

Hope you'll enjoy the patties...till ,I am back after a short break from blogging.

Happy Snacking!!!

Happy Dussehra !!!!

2006-09-30T07:45:00.000+05:30

Mysore and Dussehra

Dussehra symbolises the triumph of Good over Evil.

This Hindu festival is celebrated all over India to mark the defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama. Here in Karnataka,The Renowned Mysore Dussehra/Durga Puja is a 10 day extravaganza celebrated on a grand scale commemorating the killing of demon Mahishasur by the goddess Durga.

It is a Ten day celebration which ends on Vijayadashami Day. During the festive period the entire city and the mysore palace is decorated with lights and cultural events and musical performances by world-renowned musicians are some of the highlights,including the " Royal Dussehra Procession' held on Vijayadashami the tenth day exhibiting the rich heritage of the region also known for it's Sandal wood . It is led by elephants marching in procession . These elephants are decorated and carry the golden howdah -a golden throne on which the idol of goddess Chamundeswari is seated for the procession. Hundreds of decorated horses, folk dancers, courtiers, soldiers, and visitors follow the colourful procession, it is indeed a visual splendour .Wishing you all a Happy Dussehra!!

some pictures from the net:

Aloo-Methi! (Potato with Fenugreek leaves)

2006-09-27T13:10:00.000+05:30

Aloo-Methi!

Ingredients :

Potatoes boiled & cubed
Fenugreek leaves (Methi) : chopped(1/2 cup)
Ginger :1tbsp chopped
Garlic :1 tbsp chopped
Chilli powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2tsp
Green Chillies: 2nos
Ghee :1tbs
Salt to taste
Jeera powder: 1/2 tsp

Method :

Heat ghee, add fenugreek leaves, chilli powder, turmeric powder, green chillies, ginger& garlic paste and salt. Saute on a low flame until it turns brown. Now,add cubed potatoes and jeera powder fry for few more mts till done. serve hot with rotis/chappathis along with raita.

Trials and Tribulations with Fellow Bloggers Recipes!

2006-09-23T09:02:00.000+05:30

It was a Pleasure trying these delicious recipes..

Source: Everyday Food

Surya's Ada

Source:Cookingpleasures

Meena Kandlakuti's soya with fenugreek

Yet Another "Meme "--(About Food Reminisces)!

2006-09-19T17:40:00.000+05:30

I would like to Thank Krishnaarjuna for Tagging me to do yet another Meme ...Hmmm...FIVE THINGS TO EAT BEFORE YOU DIE!

All passions, rationalized and controlled, become an art: gastronomy, more than any other passion, is sensitive to rationalism and direction.”
Charles Pierre Monselet (1825-1888)

Prepare yourself for the ultimate taste treat with my Musings on Food and Cravings....:) The ultimate indulgence ,which are very much etched as delicious memories that still make me drool over them and savour anyday anytime, if I could get my hands on....before I die.

Here goes my List of Five,

1. I've been on a bit of a soup binge lately something which is aromatic,lighter and fresher...as i believe in enjoying food fresh from the Market....more so, if it's my Mother's sweet corn and spinach based soup also known as --" Sweet Corn Jade soup"

2.One of my Fav dessert we used to have a long time back during my teens "Warm Roasted Pear served with vanilla ice-cream"..to me it's a dessert that's associated with celebration @ my grandparents place.....though we get pears in plenty now,I've never had it again so far, wish I could taste this someday soon.

3.I'm going to miss My Aunt's mushrooms and prawn omelette to this day,reminds me that it's been ages since I last tasted...;)

4.I wish to try, one of the most recent recipes I saw in a magazine, that's caught my attention, it's a Banana & jackfruit cupcake...;)

5.I would be the happiest, If I could get to taste the wide "Anglo Indian " buffet spread , which was served in an old Victorian Bungalow in Bangalore near our place a long time back...sadly now,it's given way to a huge shopping Mall. Perhaps, there's someplace out there,with a similar food spread waiting for me ....;)

Finally, I would like to end this Meme with a note : There's nothing like eating at home with family and close friends sharing your "Food Reminisces"

I Tag Krithika& Anita & If they would like to take up this Meme...happy Meme Time!!

MEME --About Me, Me & Only Me !!

2006-09-16T07:18:00.000+05:30

I Thank ,Prema, Of My Cook Book for Tagging me to do this Meme About Me, Me & Only Me !

I am thinking about : The beautiful painting, I saw in the Art exhibition yesterday !

I said :shouldn't we be having fun ?...when a light hearted situation is taking on a more serious turn....

I want to : explore my creative side...

I wish : I wish to turn back in time & re-live my childhood all over again...

I regret: having little patience for hurdles created by others....

I hear : Love to hear the melody of Musical wind chimes......

I am : "Me" Myself...

I dance : Once in a Bluemoon..;)

I sing : When I'm in the mood to sing :)

I cry : when, I am touched by an emotional scene in a movie..

I am not : I am not someone other than "Me "

I am with my hands: Plenty to do, where in possibilities become limitless , but for now, I am typing this Meme with my hands....

I write : To connect with my inner thoughts .

I confuse : So many people , can't keep a count..;)

I need : to write tons of stuff......

I tag: Anyone of you'll foodies out there who is not yet, Tagged and would love to take on this from me..... It was fun doing this Meme.......Happy Meme Time !

Hmm.....Aren't they Amazing!

2006-09-16T07:13:00.000+05:30

A food for Thought and a Payasam for the soul!

2006-09-13T09:35:00.000+05:30

An Interesting debate !

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the
problem science has with Krishna. He asks one of his new students
to stand and.....

Professor: You are a Hare Krishna devotee, aren't you, son?
Student: Yes, sir. Prof: So you believe in God? Student:
Absolutely, sir. Prof: Is God good? Student: Sure. Prof: Is God
all-powerful? Student: Yes. Prof: My brother died of cancer even
though he prayed to Krishna to heal him. Most of us would attempt
to help others who are ill. But Krishna didn'! t. How is this
Krishna good then? Hmm?

(The student is silent.) Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's
start again, young fella. Is God good? Student: Yes. Prof: Is Satan
good? Student: No. Prof: Where does Satan come from? Student:
From...God... Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in
this world? Student: Yes. Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And
God did make everything. Correct? Student: Yes. Prof: So who
created evil?

(The student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these
terrible things exist in the world, don't they? Student: Yes, sir.
Prof: So, who created them?

(The student has no answer.)

Prof: Tell me, son. Do you believe in Krishna? Student: Yes,
professor, I do. Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to
identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen
Krishna? Student No, sir. Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your
Krishna? Student: No, sir. Prof: Have you ever felt your Krishna,
tasted your Krishna, smelt your Krishna? Have you ever had any
sensory perception of Krishna or God for that matter? Student: No,
sir. I'm afraid I haven't. Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student: Yes. Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable
protocol, science says your Krishna doesn't exist. What do you say
to that, son? Student: Nothing. I only have my faith. Prof: Yes.
Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat? Prof: Yes.
Student: And is there such a thing as cold? Prof: Yes. Student: No
sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat,
mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have
anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no
heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such
thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence
of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the
opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as
darkness? Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of
something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light,
flashing light.....But if you have no light constantly, you have
nothing and it's called darkness,isn't it? In reality, darkness
isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker,
wouldn't you?

Prof: So what ! is the point you are making, young man? Student:
Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed. Prof:
Flawed? Can you explain how? Student: Sir, you are working on the
premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is
death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God
as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't
even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has
never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as
the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death
cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of
life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach
tour students that they evolved from a monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process,
yes, of course, I do. Student: Have you ever observed evolution
with your own eyes, sir? (The Professor shakes his head with a
smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)

Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at
work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going
endeavour, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a
scientist but a preacher?

(The class is in uproar.)

Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the
Professor's brain?

(The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student: Is there anyone here who! has ever heard the Professor's
brain,felt it, touched or smelt it?.....No one appears to have done
so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable,
demonstrable protocol,science says that you have no brain, sir.
With all due respect, sir,how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face
unfathomable.)

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son. Student :
That is it sir.. The link between man & god is FAITH. That is all
that keeps things moving & alive.

I wouldn't like to disappoint all the foodies though,here's, a yummy payasam with Greengram and Jaggery.

Ingredients:

Greengram 1cup
Jaggery 1/2cup
Ghee 1 tbsp
cardamoms
khoya/mawa 1 tbsp (optional)
saffron 1tsp soaked in 1/2 cup milk.
coconut milk 1 cup
Garnishing:
dry coconut 1 tbsp
cashew nuts
Raisins
Almonds
pistachios
cloves 2

Method:

Fry the Greengram with the Ghee & cook it along with coconut milk and water.Later add the Jaggery and Cardomoms till you get a desired consistency. Finally add the saffron milk,mawa and cook for few more mts on a low flame.finally add the chopped nuts sauted'in a dribble of ghee for Garnishing.Payasam is now ready to serve.Can serve this hot or chilled...

.....

Take a Guess !!

2006-09-08T19:18:00.000+05:30

I was really intrigued by some of these hand-crafted , Creative Art works I came across in my mail box .....I would say, It's "Creativity" at it's best !!

Have few pictures to share with you all...wish you'll a fun time taking a guess and leaving your comments......Happy weekend to you all...:)

Field Bean Curry ! (Avarekaii Curry)

2006-09-02T19:43:00.000+05:30

Field Bean Curry: (Avarekaii Curry)

Bangalore's winter and the hot aromatic Avarekaii Curry are synonymous . If you are a self-confessed foodie, who 'lives to eat' then, here goes a delicious recipe ....get cooking if you have access to these beans(fresh or dried) and enjoy the Aroma of Avarekaii Curry!

preparation:

To start with soak the Avarekai Bean in water for 4-5 hrs to dehusk the bean to get set to make this tasty curry.

Ingredients :

4 cups of dehusked Avarekaii,
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard
4-5 pepper corns
2tsp sambar powder
1 tbsp coconut paste
2 tsp Raw Rice(Toasted)
1 small onion sliced
3 Tomatoes
1 tsp khus-khus
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 sprigs of curry leaves,

Method:

Pressure cook the dehusked Avarekaii with salt. grind the following to a smooth paste : Coconut, Cumin, khus-khus, pepper corns,Toasted raw rice and Sambar powder . Add this paste to the Pre-cooked Avarekai along with Tomatoes and Season with Mustard, Asafoetida, Curry leaves and sliced onions (saute'd till brown) . The curry is Ready for a weekend gorging with Rice, chappathi & idli

Happy Vinayaka Chathurthi !

2006-08-26T21:36:00.000+05:30

Shubh Ganesh chathurthi to all of you!

Myriad Hues: Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna! "Never Say Goodbye"

2006-08-21T20:56:00.000+05:30

A movie which is on it's way to become a Blockbuster,with a clear cut Message " Marry only,If you are truly in Love.."

I was curious about this Movie..finally,did get to see,it is difficult to point fingers..something seems to be wrong somewhere, which ultimately leaves you confused about the rights and wrongs ..despite the excellent cinematography and the melodrama which keeps you awe stuck to a certain extent & strangely enough the star cast keeps you glued to your seats for the whole duration of the film.

“Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna” the title seems to convey that one should linger on to the past memories and Never Say Good bye, makes me wonder if that’s an healthy enough message to advocate, while most counsellors keep harping on, not holding on to the Past, to let go and focus on the Present.

The three course treat starts on a pretty positive note, quite a bit of glitz and dazzle while our favorite veterans sizzle on the screen; To start with, SRK (Dev),despite being stuck in a floundering marriage promotes the institution to a stranger who is having last minute jitters.

As we move on the entrée the plot thickens while wrestling with a complex issue of how 2 strangers who end up as friends stuck in a unhappy marital bond get drawn to each other and after some half hearted attempts at trying to make their respective marriages work – head on for a extra marital fling with all caution thrown to the wind. Once into it, get sucked big time by guilt, fearing no scope to harness this love any further and kind of decide to continue running on both the tracks.

Just when we think the dessert would be a refreshingly better experience, nope, it’s time for the 21st century spouses to shoo out the cheating spouses while the sad lovers get further apart, each thinking that the other has been magnanimously accepted “for what they are, the way they are”. ;) The separated lovers rejected and feeling dejected spend time alone for many years without bothering to communicate – strange after seeing how adept they are at communicating, funny on how they silently assume things.

Considering the umpteen times the characters keep bumping into each other so often, strangely they cease to have such luck while suffering pangs of loneliness for almost 3 years.

Just when it was getting a bit too much for our brains to fathom – a stroke of luck brings them back this time with the consent and blessing of their generous ex-spouses, driving away any thoughts of remorse or shame.

If I were to rate this item on the menu, would give it a 3 stars after all it did keep us entertained and intellectually alert on the happenings in this weird world ...:))

Valuable Lesson " Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna " To my Blogging world ;)

Hope, you'll have fun reading my take on KANK.

HAPPY SRI KRISHNA JAYANTHI (Krishnaashtami) !

2006-08-16T09:30:00.000+05:30

Celebrating The Birth Anniversary of Lord Sri Krishna...with Some of My Sweet Blogs..:)

Wishing you all a Happy Janmaashtami !

Celebrating The spirit of Independence!

2006-08-14T20:17:00.000+05:30

Red-Garden's Musings!

A few things to share from Bangalore:- The Exotic Visual Treat at LalBagh! (Red-Garden of Bangalore)

Every Year ,The Beautiful Horticultural show , is something which will be taking Bangaloreans down the memory lane......Lalbagh, The famous Botanical garden in Bangalore is enriched with variety of native and exotic flora .Lalbagh today probably has the most diversified collection of trees and plants of any botanical garden in the world.

Apart from having probably, the finest collection of trees and plants, It is also a favourite venue for the famous Annual flower shows conducted Bi-Annually.

Horticultural shows are organized every year in January and August on the occasion of the Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations respectively at the 18, 000 sq. ft. Glasshouse in Lalbagh.The Glass House, was originally modelled on London's Crystal Palace .(later re-modelled with a different layout) The Horticulture Department,this year is presenting the flower show with the ‘Peace and Culture’ theme.A Peace Globe with all the continents ,made out of hundreds of roses, can be sighted in keeping up with the Theme & with a dove on top sending the message of peace .

Talking about it's History ,Initially it was commissioned as a Private Garden in 1760 by Hyder Ali, Lalbagh stretches over 240 acres and has a wide variety of tropical and sub-tropical plants. The Garden was further developed by Hyder Ali’s son Tipu Sultan and subsequently by the British and later by the Indian horticulture dept, with further extensions and additions with more exotic species of plants.

It has earned a pride of place among the gardens of the world and it is regarded as one of the best gardens in the East for its layout, scientific treasure and scenic beauty.Despite rapid industrialization & Information Technology boom in Bangalore, also known as 'India's Silicon Valley',it is still a city of Parks and Gardens. Lalbagh is still very much a vital lung space of Bangalore, preserving its flora and fauna with great care.

Funny pics

2006-08-13T09:01:00.000+05:30

Got these cute pics in my mailbox....thought of sharing them with you all...

MasalaPuri chaat!

2006-08-10T08:59:00.000+05:30

A homely fare of chaat..for a wintery evening!!

Unfortunately, no one can be told about the experience of Masala puri - you have to eat it for yourself ....:)

For puris:( can use store bought ones).
Maida, salt ,cooking soda and ajwain.

For MasalaPeas:

Soak the peas for 3-4 hours.Pressure cook and add Jeera powder, (1-2)green chilli paste and Kala Namak and a pinch of sugar.
For serving:
Mix in the puris and masala peas and serve with sev, finely cut onions and coriander/mint leaves garnish & serve hot with your choice of the combination of sweet or hot sauces.
.

Bottle gourd with lentil: (Doodhi Channa)

2006-07-22T09:25:00.000+05:30

Ingredients :

1 bottle gourd diced
1/2 cup channa dhal soaked and drained
1 Tsp Cumin
1Tbsp Garlic Ginger paste
1 Tsp Garam masala powder
Turmeric powder
2 green chillies slit
1 Tsp corianderpowder
2 Tbsp coconut gratings to garnish
2Tbsp oil
Salt

Method :

Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds and when they crackle add ginger and garlic paste.Next stir in the lentils and the diced gourd and green chillies & fry till the gourd gets tender.Add rest of the ingredients except the garam masala and cook until the lentils are soft.Sprinkle the garam masala over and mix gently.Finally garnish with grated Coconut & Serve. It goes well with Roti & poories.

Savoury Semolina Sweet Snack !

2006-07-12T09:18:00.000+05:30

An Indulgence you can never let go :) here's a heavenly tasting snack to savour with every bite .The recipe is from my fellow blogger "Sailaja " The Queen of Andhra cuisine , a title she aptly deserves , had blogged this recipe some time back,can check this link for the Recipe. Here, in my version I have added more of nuts and dry fruits to the semolina filling mixture.

Recipe link:Kajjikayas

Punjabi Style Chicken Curry !

2006-07-04T08:06:00.000+05:30

Here's another flavourful dish, I tried this weekend ...

Mmmm....it's absolutely delicious. Courtesy :Jag of "Route79" fame .Here's a link to the recipe..Punjabi-chicken Enjoy!

Moghalai Masala Kichidi !

2006-06-29T09:48:00.000+05:30

Here's a post for Sailaja's Theme
" Recipes with Lentil" for the Month of July !

Ingredients:

1 Cup Rice
1/2 Cup Green gram
1 big onion, chopped
2 Potatoes cubed
3 Green chillies
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 sprigs of curry leaves
10-12 Almonds
1/2 tsp cumin
2 cloves
2 cardamoms
1 tsp crushed pepper corns
1" cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp butter
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the Rice and green gram .Powder all the spices, except the bay leaf. prepare a coarse paste of onion, chillies, ginger and garlic and keep aside. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the onion paste and bay leaf and fry till they are brown. Add the spices powder,crushed pepper corns, curry leaves and mix. To this, add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the soaked rice and green gram and potatoes. Add salt and cook till done. Garnish with Almonds sauted in butter. The Kichidi is ready to serve with coconut scrapings(optional).

Mint-Ginger Chicken ! (Green chicken Curry !)

2006-06-24T12:00:00.000+05:30

Green chicken Curry !!

Ingredients

Chicken cut into small pieces(Boneless)
1 bunch fresh Mint leaves(pudina)
1 Big Onion chopped
6 Green Chillies
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 bunch Coriander leaves
2 tsp Ginger- Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1" Cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Coconut paste
6 tsp Oil
1 tsp Lemon juice
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add 3 green chillies, mint leaves, coriander leaves and saute for 5 minutes till they turn tender. Then grind to a fine paste add lemon juice and keep aside.

Marinate the chicken with this paste, salt, coriander powder, cumin seed powder, garam masala, ginger garlic paste and set aside for 1/2 hour.Heat the oil in a pan and add cinnamon stick, 3 green chillies and then add chopped onions saute them till they are brown. Now add the turmeric powder and then add marinated chicken , Stir in every few minutes and close the lid adding a little water and cook till the chicken is done. Finally, add curry leaves & coconut paste and stir for few more mts till the gravy thickens. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot. goes well with chappathi and Rice.
chicken
curry
Mint
Ginger

" MEME '

2006-06-20T08:16:00.000+05:30

'10 dishes that I miss most of Mom's Cooking ' :

Thanks to
Vineela,Sudhav and Bdsn ,for tagging me to do this wonderful Meme. which Instantly brings back cherished memories when thinking of listing certain foods......

Take a trip with me down the memory lane...

Talking about Mom's cooking ,Mom's Food Guidelines highlights a healthy eating and the importance of Good dietary habbits and nutrition . With Mom her motto, as always is more salads with sprouts and fresh veggies and food with no Chemicals and Preservatives. Mom incorporates variety of grains in most of her cooking , especially whole grains and lot's of veggies and fruits to keep our meals nutritious and interesting each day.

I am sure everyone of us, have our favourites and here are some of my favourites that I miss the most , listed in order ....

1.Pesarattu with Tomato chutney .
2.Green gram payasam with jaggery and coconut .
3.Rava Idli with spicy and tangy mint chutney.
4. Sojjiappams with semolina & copra filling.
5.Fish Curry with Appams ( A taste that still lingers ....)
6.Chappathis with dhal.
7.Wheat halwa with jaggery and coconut milk.( was fun waiting for the halwa to set to a firm but, jiggly and wiggly squares)
8 Curd vadas in Boondi raitha.
9.Vangibaath with long green brinjals.
10.Trifle pudding with layers of cake and wafers & Icecream with chocolate sauce & Jelly with fruits and nuts combo.

.I would love to pass this Meme on to my fellow food bloggers
krishnaarjuna
Gattina,
KitchenMate If they would like to take on this Meme.Again, It's an open invitation to all foodies who wish to get tagged for this Meme.Happy Meme Time !

Jeera Rice with Peas:

2006-06-18T11:23:00.000+05:30

Jeera Rice with Peas:

Here's an Aromatic and appetizing Indian Rice Dish that can be served with, most of the "Veg and Non-Veg" curries.This Rice dish post is for
Paz's Theme:" For the Love of Rice"

Ingredients:

Basmati rice- 1 cup
Water- 3 cups
Cumin seeds- 2 tsp.
Bay leaves- 2-3.
Cinnamon stick- 2 nos.
cloves 2
Cardamoms- 2
Ghee or Oil- 2 Tbsp
Boiled Peas- 1cup
Salt To taste

Method:

Wash rice thoroughly and soak 20 mts. Drain thoroughly. In a pan, heat the Ghee/oil& add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves. When the cumin seeds sizzle, add the rice & salt to taste.. stir this till the ghee coats raw rice . Now add the water& bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and partially cover the pan with a lid and cook till the rice is done .Mix in the boiled peas at this point& spread the rice for the grains to separate & it's ready to serve with the curry of your choice.
.

Chicken Curry with Almonds !

2006-06-12T21:14:00.000+05:30

Chicken Curry with Almonds: ( Murgh-Badami!)

Ingredients :-

1 Chicken cut into medium pieces
3 Onions chopped
2Tbsp oil
2 Tsp ghee
1 Tsp Turmeric
2 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
2Tbsp grated fresh ginger
2Tsp chilli powder
1 Tbsp corianderPowder
1 Tsp ground cumin
1/2 Tsp fennel
Salt as required.
2 tomatoes, chopped
2Tbsp chopped fresh coriander & mint leaves
10-15 blanched almonds ground into paste
1 cup yogurt
1 Tsp Garam masala

Method:

Peel the onions, Heat the ghee and oil in a large pan and fry the chopped onions, stirring constantly until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the chopped onions, chopped garlic & ginger gratings to the oil in the same pan and fry on a low flame, stirring till it's browned.

Add the coriander pwd, cumin, turmeric, fennel and chilli pwd and saute for few minutes. later ,add tomatoes and half of the fresh herbs, salt & stir well and cook until the tomatoes turn soft & Now, Put in the chicken pieces and stir well so that each piece is coated with the mixture. Cover the pan and cook on very low flame until the chicken is tender. Meanwhile heat a tbsp of oil and saute the almonds paste & add in the yogurt & simmer for few minutes . Finally stir in the Garam masala and cook till the curry is done along with chicken .

This curry is slightly on the dry side, it goes well with Rice, Naan or chappathi ...Enjoy!

Bottlegourd - Variations !

2006-06-08T07:55:00.000+05:30

Bottlegourd sambar, a delicious must try dish that is so simple to make and is very tasteful..

The recipe is from Karthi Kannan of "Kitchenmate" and would like to thank her for sharing this and here's the link for the yummy recipe "Bottlegourd-sambar "

Herb-Roasted Potatoes !

2006-06-03T08:10:00.000+05:30

Blend in Butter ,Rosemary, Salt,lemon juice & Pepper and toss the cut potatoes well to coat thoroughly and let it stand for few minutes & preheat & bake the potatoes in a baking dish coated with cooking spray/butter till they are browned/roasted to your liking...

Danish Pastry with Almond paste filling !

2006-05-30T16:57:00.000+05:30

Danish Pastry with Almond paste filling !

For Recipe can check on this link..

Danish Pastry

Happy Baking !!

White Fish Curry !

2006-05-25T16:27:00.000+05:30

For all those of you who are curious and waiting to see the recipe, here it goes...

Ingredients:

Fish cut into pieces (Sea fish of your choice)
Coconut Milk-2 cups
Thin extractof Coconut - 1 cup
1/4 tsp Turmeric
few Curry leaves
2 slit Green chillies
1/2 tsp Mustard
1/2 tsp Cumin
2 lemon leaves(optional)
small piece of Ginger
1 tsp Corn flour

Method:

Place the fish in a bowl add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder(used only for marinade) and salt. Squeeze the lemon over the fish and leave the marinade for 20minutes.

Meanwhile chop the onions(preferably small sambar onions). crush the garlic cloves ( 5 -6) as crushing will give the curry a better flavour. slit 2 green chillies. Finely slice the fresh ginger and keep aside....

Heat the oil in a deep pan .Add the mustard , cumin, green chillies, ginger ,garlic, onions and also few curry leaves for the flavour to be infused with other ingredients.. saute till the onions turn translucent and then add the thin/second extract of coconut milk to which the fish pieces are also added and simmer for few mts till done .Now finally add the thick coconut milk/first extract mixed with corn flour and lemon leaves(if you have them) cook for a few minutes longer. Remove from the heat and add lemon juice to taste.

Moghalai Egg Curry with Cashewnuts !

2006-05-21T07:52:00.000+05:30

Egg Curry with Cashewnuts !

Ingredients:

1 onion sliced
1 tsp red chilli pwd
1/2 tsp garam masala/curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander( dhania)powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp yoghurt
1 tsp kasoori methi
Salt to taste
cooking oil/ghee

Ingredients for the paste:

1 small onion
A medium piece ginger
garlic,few pods
1 tablespoon yoghurt
1 stick cinnamon
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
1 big tomato
6-8 cashewnuts

Method:

5-6 boiled eggs( shell them and make slits on each egg & keep aside.) Heat the oil in a pan and saute the sliced onion till brown and add the ground onion masala and fry till the oil separates & leaves the side of the pan for a few minutes. Later, add the red chilli, turmeric ,dhania and cumin powders & fry for a minute, now add the eggs mix in well till it's coated with the masala. finally time to add the salt to taste and the garam masala and the kasoori methi for a final stir to induce & enhance the aroma . Garnish with coriander leaves & Serve with rice/Naan/phulkas

*************************************************************************************
Curry Powder:

Just saw this wonderful and informative post on one of the most vibrant and the widely used Indian Spice....."Turmeric"...by Mythili of Vindu I take this opportunity to showcase the "Curry powder" and be "The Mistress of Spice " for the day through my post...Mythili's idea behind the Title sounds fun.....;)

Spices......The very word conjures up an image of Indian food cooked with all these aromatic spices that takes us to a whole new experience of indian cuisine .

"Garam Masala/Curry powder"......a curry powder that adds more variety & spice to our Indian cuisine....each regional dish has its own unique combination of spices .Garam masala is a combination of spices and herbs, blended together in varying textures & proportions. The spices most frequently used in preparing curry powders are coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek, turmeric, dry ginger, black pepper, cloves, Cinammon bark,cardamom, mace and red chillies.

Broiled Fish Fillet !

2006-05-16T08:21:00.000+05:30

Broiled Fish Fillet !

Ingredients:

Fish of your choice( fillets)and all the ingredients used here.

Method:

Combine butter, lemon juice, salt , ginger& garlic, soya sauce & white wine . Spread this mixture over fish placed in the foil & leave it on for 5-10 mts & then place on a well greased broiler pan. Broil the fish till done on one side. Turn the fillets over, brush with some butter and RedChilli Paste and bread crumbs & return to broiling till it's done and ready to serve.

Happy Mother's day!!

2006-05-14T08:10:00.000+05:30

The unconditional love she showers on us has made every one of us feel that we are the luckiest people on this planet for having her as our mother!

To all the Mother's out there, Wishing You All a happy Mother's day :)

What Is A Mother?

A mother is someone to shelter and guide us,
To love us, whatever we do,
With a warm understanding and infinite patience
And wonderful gentleness, too.
How often a mother means swift reassurance
In soothing our small, childish fears,
How tenderly mothers watch over their children
And treasure them all through the years!
The heart of a mother is full of forgiveness
For any mistake, big or small,
And generous always in helping her family,
Whose needs she has placed above all.
A mother can utter a word of compassion
And make all our cares fall away,
She can brighten a home with the sound of her laughter
And make life delightful and gay.
A mother possesses incredible wisdom
And wonderful insight and skill -
In each human heart is that one special corner
Which only a mother can fill!

By Katherine Nelson Davis

Sago -Upma !

2006-05-10T19:04:00.000+05:30

Back To Blogging - For now ,It's the delicious Sago-Upma :

Who says cooking with sago can be a messy affair! Mmm.. after seeing Priya's Post & trying it out, it sure would compell us to differ ... Sabudana Upma

However,here my Recipe has evolved with slight variation to suit my taste - have not used ginger and used potato cubes as addons :) I really enjoyed this upma and have been repeatedly making since then, for this summer a really cool recipe to keep you cool.... Priya, Thanks for sharing this Recipe. I'm sure anyone who fancies sago upma will not be disappointed by it's sheer medley of flavours, textures and colour that makes it a true summer dish to savour :)

Ingredients:

2 cups sago (sabudana)
1 cup roasted, coarsely grounded peanuts
1 tsp. cumin seeds
4 green chillies
2tbsp. ghee/oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice
fresh coriander for garnishing
2tbsp freshly scraped coconut
Curry leaves
1/2 tsp Turmeric
sugar to taste

Method:

Wash the sago & drain and set it aside for about 40-60 mts. Heat the ghee/oil & add mustard, cumin seeds, curry leaves .Then add green chillies, fry for a sec , mix in the soaked sago, peanuts (coarsely grounded) , salt & sugar to taste. Cover the lid & cook on a low flame for 5 minutes . Later can add small cubes of boiled & stir fried potatoes & Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves & finally a dash of lemon juice & Serve hot.

Weekend Summer Treats !

2006-04-30T10:35:00.000+05:30

Chilling out with some Cool Summer indulgences !

The mercury level for this summer seems to be on the rise ... so,on a Blistering sunny day we are " Chilling out with some Cool Summer indulgences "

will be sharing some of the pictures taken...

Menu for the Lunch : Cucumber salad ,Peas & Mushroom pulao !

Iced tea for the evening with some lemon tarts, & yummy strawberry Milk shake followed by an apple/date dessert served with ice cream....oooh ! la la...all in a single day... quite a sinful indulgence ! guess, you all agree with me...;)

Will be taking a break from blogging for now , see you all once I am back from summer vacation !

INDO-GREEK Style Green Pepper!

2006-04-29T08:37:00.000+05:30

INDO-GREEK style Green pepper!

1. fresh green pepper (chopped)
1 Tbsp oil
salt as reqd
1 Tbsp toasted & finely minced garlic
1 tsp dry dill
1/4 tsp mustard

Heat the oil in a pan, add seasonings, green pepper and a sprinkle of water with salt. saute on a low flame until the pepper is done to your liking(crunchy /tender)

Veg & Paneer Sagu !

2006-04-25T08:20:00.000+05:30

Veg Paneer Sagu!

Ingredients:

1 cup Paneer cubed & stir-fried.
1/2 cup green peas
2 potatoes cubed
1 large tomato chopped
1 small onion, chopped
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon ghee
2 bay leaves
2 whole red chillies
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves (for wet masala & garnishing)
1/4cup coconut milk
2 green chillies
1/2 inch fresh ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 inch cinnamon stick
2-3 cloves
2-3 pods cardamom
2 tsp poppy seeds

Wet masala :
Grind ginger, coconut milk, cilantro leaves and green chillies adding only a little water into a fine paste.

Dry masala:

Dry roast cumin seeds, cinnamon bark, cloves, cardamom pods, and poppy seeds in a heavy pan until they give out a strong aroma. Remove from flame and grind to a fine powder and set aside.

Add just enough water to cover the vegetables and cook by covering the pan with a lid. Now add the tomatoes ,paneer ,turmeric and salt to taste & let it Simmer for few minutes.Later add the masala paste and Stir thoroughly before adding the dry masala & little water depending on the consistency you require & cook till done.

Finally ,heat the ghee in a heavy frying pan toss in the the bay leaves, red chillies and cardomoms ,cloves until brown add this to the above sagu. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve hot with rice/ chapathis

Mushroom Masala !

2006-04-20T08:07:00.000+05:30

Mushroom Masala !

Ingredients:

Button Mushrooms( cleaned & sliced ) 1 big bowl
Cashewnuts 6-8( soaked and ground into paste)
Onions 2 medium sized( chopped finely).
Red Chillies/green chillies- 3, ground coarsely
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Cumin seeds roasted powder 1/4 tsp
Pepper 1/4 tsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Fresh Cream 1 tablespoon
Coriander leaves(cilantro) for garnishing
Oil/Butter, Salt.

Preparation :

Heat the oil/butter in a pan , add powder, ground spices and chopped onions.Saute, till the onions are translucent ,add mushrooms & keep stirring till the mushrooms are soft. Now add cashew nuts paste, fresh cream and salt. Simmer for a few minutes & it's ready to serve with a liberal garnish of coriander leaves & pepper. serve with chappathi/puri.

Vermicelli Kheer (payasam) !

2006-04-18T07:32:00.000+05:30

Vermicelli Kheer !

Ingredients & Preparation:

Vermicelli (roasted), Sugar, Saffron,cardomoms, milk ,water and nuts and raisins of your choice. Boil these to get the desired consistency as per your taste ! serve hot or cold.

Splendant Expressions !

2006-04-14T15:18:00.000+05:30

Twilight Hues!

Full Moon's Lustre !

Vermicelli upma !

2006-04-14T10:32:00.000+05:30

Vermicelli upma !

There you have it! This steaming platter drizzled with ghee is spilling over to tempt the tastebuds from time to time...

This is an easy & simple to make ,delicious dish with the vermicelli which can be considered as an Indian pasta. The ubiquitous " vermicelli " is used in a variety of dishes in the Indian cuisine ranging from sweets to snacks.

Ingredients:

2tbsp Ghee/oil
2 cups Vermicelli
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp split black gram
2 red/green chillies slit
21/2 cups hot water
1 onion chopped
1tbsp fresh grated coconut (optional)
1 sprig curry leaves
Asafoetida a pinch
Salt to taste

For Garnishing:
cashewnuts
peanuts
boiled peas
coriander leaves

Method:

Roast the vermicelli in ghee/oil to a golden colour on a medium or low flame & Keep aside. Heat the remaining oil, toss in the mustard ,when it pops, add red chillies, blackgram, asafoetida, curry leaves and the finely chopped onions. later add the roasted vermicelli & add 2 cups of water and cover it and stir often until it is done .Add the roasted cashews,peanuts,boiled peas sauted in a tsp of ghee along with coriander leaves(optional) to the upma & serve hot with chutney or pickle of your choice!

Mango KesariBath!

2006-04-11T08:32:00.000+05:30

I have been reminded about the VCC-Q1 2006 culinary competition by VKN of MY Dhaba Fame..

A dessert that's so rich & flavourful that you could brand your very own line of specialty sweet semolina dessert .......;) This fruity flavoured version doubles as an appetizer and dessert!

Inspired by Indira's Mango relish with semolina, I did try this yummmy Mango dessert with Mango Puree...as an addon to my previous recipe.For the recipe details can check on this link.Mango KesariBath Thanks Indira, for the inspiration :)

Vkn, If the timelimit is on....This dish can be considered as an entree for the VCC-Q1 2006 :) If not I would understand.Thanks for the same! Mango

Potato Masala fry!

2006-04-08T21:11:00.000+05:30

Potato Masala fry!

Ingredients:

Potato boiled and cubed
Cilantro Leaves chopped 1/4 cup
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Asafoetida a pinch
Mustard 1tsp
Salt as reqd
Green Chillies 2
Cumin Seeds 1tsp
Redchilli flakes 1 tsp
Oil

Method:

Grind green chillies & salt & coriander leaves (cilantro) to a coarse paste.

Heat the Pan with 1 tbsp oil, add mustard ,cumin seed and red chillies flakes and then add the Aloo & fry till brown . Later add the cilantro paste and saute till done. Ready to serve with chappathi / Rice.

Chickpeas & Cauliflower Masala !

2006-04-02T08:50:00.000+05:30

Indo-Chinese Fusion cooking at it's best!!

Yum yum Chickpeas and Cauliflower Masala...

This Ginger flavoured Cauliflower with Channa tastes delicious.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Channa pre-boiled
1 Cauliflower steamed and pan fried with butter/oil
Coriander leaves for Garnishing
Curry leaves 1 sprig
1 large Onion, thinly sliced/chopped
1tsp Garam masala powder
1 tbsp Ginger Gratings
1 tsp chilli powder
Salt as reqd
3 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2tsp Black Pepper powder

For wet Masala:

5-6 Red Tomatoes
1 tsp Garlic paste
1 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Vinegar/lemon juice
2 tbsp Tomato ketchup
1/2 cup Tomato puree
1tsp sugar
water as reqd

Method:

Heat oil in a pan add Mustard,Onions and Curry leaves & fry till transparent but not brown. Add Channa, Cauliflower ,Ginger gratings , salt, chilli powder, turmeric, and saute for few mts.Later add the masala (Tomatoes + Garlic paste + Ginger paste+ garam masala ) After few minutes add the tomato ketchup, tomato puree ,vinegar/lemon juice,sugar and water. Cover the pan & let it simmer till done. Finally add the black pepper powder & garnish with coriander leaves (optional)

Happy Ugadi !!

2006-03-30T09:35:00.000+05:30

Happy Ugadi to all viewers! 2006!

Ugadi marks the beginning of the New Year with the onset of Spring.The true purpose of celebrating Ugadi is to embark on a new life giving up negative thoughts and actions and purify yourselves by cultivating new and noble thoughts which would be the real essence of celebrating the festival in its true spirit !

The traditional sweet dish prepared for Ugadi is PuranPoli and Ugadi Chutney a sweet and tangy flavoured chutney with a trace of neem flower which gives mild bitterness, a divine medley of Green Mango , Jaggery ,Neem flower,Tamrind and banana based Chutney symbolising Life in all it's shades .

Bottle Gourd Curry!

2006-03-29T09:26:00.000+05:30

Bottle Gourd Curry!

Ingredients:

1 Bottle Gourd
1 tbsp chopped Ginger
2 chopped Green Chillies
5-6 Curry Leaves
1 tsp Channa dhal
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Mustard
Asafoetida a pinch
1/4 tsp Turmeric
2 Red chillies
1 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Peel the bottle gourd and chop into small pieces. Heat the oil in a pan, add Channa dhal, Cumin, red chillies, mustard seeds, curry leaves & asafoetida.After the mustard seeds crackle add the green chillies and ginger, fry for a minute. later add the chopped bottle gourd pieces and turmeric. Let the gourd pieces get coated with the seasonings and cook for few minutes. Then add salt and cover the lid and cook on slow fire till the pieces soften and . Garnish with some finely chopped cilantro leaves and is ready to serve hot .Tastes delicious with Rice or Chappathi.The cooked vegetable is considered to be cooling & diuretic .

Fish Fry!

2006-03-27T20:10:00.000+05:30

For Marinade: Turmeric,salt ,Lemon juice , Chilli powder and Cumin powder.

Baingan Ka Bartha !

2006-03-22T22:03:00.000+05:30

Baingan Ka Bartha !

Ingredients:

. Eggplant or Aubergine 1 Big
. Green peas 1/2 cup
. Chopped onion 1 big
. Chopped Tomatoes 1 cup
. Finely chopped green chillies 2
. Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp.
. Garam Masala Powder 1/2 tsp.
. Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp.
. Oil/Butter 4 tbsp
. Salt to taste
. Ginger paste 1 teaspoon
. Chopped Coriander Leaves

Method:

Brush the eggplant with oil and roast it over a gas burner over a medium flame ,rotate it occasionally to roast fully on all sides.Leave it to cool or dip it in a bowl full of cold water. Remove the burnt skin on the outside.Mash the eggplant and keep aside.

In a pan add oil/butter and saute the Onions till brown & add Ginger paste,Chilli powder, Green chillies,Turmeric powder, Garam masala powder , diced Tomatoes and Green Peas and water and let it simmer till the raw smell disappears....and finally add mashed eggplant and salt and cook till done.Garnish with Coriander leaves and it's ready to serve with roti/ chappathi.
.

Patoli!

2006-03-21T10:41:00.000+05:30

Crunchy Patoli!

Something refreshingly crunchy ...Hope you enjoy this medley of flavours of different veggies in one dish....

Patoli :

Ingredients:

Mustard seeds 2 tsp
Hing a pinch
Black gram 1tsp
channa dhal 2 tbsp
onion 1 big chopped
salt as reqd
water as reqd
veggies of your choice.
red chillies 3-4
cumin seeds 2 tsp
curry leaves
coriander leaves
mint leaves
cashewnuts & groundnuts as reqd

Soak channa dhal for 1 hr. Grind it into a thick paste along with cumin seeds and dry red chillies with little qty of water, which is the traditional way to do.
Otherwise,The whole dhal& spices without grinding can also be used. I prefer it this way :)

Seasoning:

In a pan, add 2tbsp oil , mustard seeds, channa dhal, urad dhal, asafoetida ( hing), curry leaves. And then any of the following vegetables can be chopped and added at this stage followed with salt and the above paste. stir well till done till dry.. optionally,Cashews & Groundnuts can be added after the patoli is done along with coriander leaves/mint leaves.

Any of the following veggies combo can be used:

Carrot ,Potato,Green peas, Mint leaves ,Coriander leaves ,Beans,Cauliflower,sweet corn & Baby corn .

Prawn curry with Rice!

2006-03-19T09:14:00.000+05:30

Have posted the recipe in my earlier posts !

Couscous with Moroccan Style Chicken Curry!

2006-03-12T21:04:00.000+05:30

Couscous with Moroccan Style Chicken Curry!

Made this for today's Dinner.

here's the picture ..

Here's the Recipe..

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, sliced thinly
1 cup of chick peas (pre-cooked), celery, sliced , potatoes or yam cut into bite-size pieces
3 carrots, sliced diagonally ,
1 zucchini, cut into slices
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin powder
1tsp Chilli powder or flakes
salt as required
1/4 tsp white pepper powder
Chicken cut into bite size pieces each
dried fruits of your choice,( optional)
1 big diced tomato

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan with a lid. saute the onions till they are translucent.
Stir in the celery, potatoes, yam or sweet potato, carrots, and zucchini.
Combine garlic powder, turmeric, cumin, chilli flakes, salt and white pepper.Drizzle with a small amount of the olive oil seasoning over the veggies & blend the half boiled chicken with dried raisins or any dried fruits of your choice.Pour in the tomatoes over the top. cover the pan place in preheated oven and bake for 45 -1 hr

To serve: place steamed couscous in bowls. Place one or two pieces of chicken on couscous and top with vegetables, chick peas, dried fruits and with some of the sauce left at the bottom of the pan.

Cabbage & Peas Medley!

2006-02-27T08:03:00.000+05:30

This delicious Cabbage with peas dish is my contribution for " Cooking with Love"
Meena's FMR theme of this month.

Had earlier posted this recipe ,however this time it's with a slight variation . I have added Peas to this dish and it's a semi dry dish with less water content .For the recipe can check on this link Cabbage & Peas

Baby Potatoes Gravy! Dhum Aloo masala !

2006-02-26T08:54:00.000+05:30

Baby Potatoes Gravy

Ingredients :

Baby Potatoes : 500gms
Onions 2 small finely chopped
Tumeric 1/2 tsp
garam masala 1/2 tsp
Dhania powder 1 tsp
Chili powder 1 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp
yogurt 1/4 cup
Tomato puree 1/2 cup
Salt as required
Coriander leaves for Garnishing
oil/butter for deep frying the potatoes.

Method:

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan & add the chopped onions & fry till it's golden brown. Add tumeric,dhania,chilli powder,garam masala ,salt & fry . later add Tomato Puree, ginger-garlic paste & the curds & let it cook till you get a thick gravy consistency.Add the fried potatoes & allow to cook in closed pan over a low flame. can add water at this stage if the gravy is too thick.Serve garnished with Coriander leaves. Goes well with chapathi and roti.

Rajma! (Red Bean curry!)

2006-02-24T08:09:00.000+05:30

Potato& spinach combo!

2006-02-21T12:13:00.000+05:30

Have already posted the recipe,can check on this link..PotatoSpinach combo

Dhal with capsicum!

2006-02-21T12:09:00.000+05:30

Broiled Chicken Steak!

2006-02-19T07:30:00.000+05:30

Broiled Steak & Noodles platter!

Ingredients:

chicken breasts
smallcup of wine
barbecue sauce
soy sauce
2tbsp olive oil
1tbsp lemon juice
dried oregano
dried thyme
dried basil
salt
1tsp crushed garlic
1tsp pepper

Marinade mix : barbecue sauce,soy sauce, garlic, pepper with all the herbs & remaining ingredients & later add the steaks to the marinade, cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Grill or broil as desired.serve with a sauce of your choice.

Tomato Prawns Indo-Thai style curry!

2006-02-17T19:22:00.000+05:30

Tomato Prawns Indo-Thai style curry!

Ingredients:

Prawns a big bowl
Red Curry Paste 2tbsp
1 cup Coconut Milk
Water as required
Green chillies 2
1 cup Tomatoes chopped
2tbspOil

For seasoning:
Lime leaves 2
Lemon grass chopped 1 tsp

For Curry paste :
1 tsp turmeric
1tsp tsp cumin
2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp grated lime peel
2tsp chopped fresh ginger

Method:
Clean the prawns, and Fry them in oil for few seconds and remove them onto a plate. In the same pan, put the oil and season with lemongrass, lime leaves and curry paste and fry for a few seconds to release the flavours . Add the coconut milk and water, green chillies slit into halves and simmer for few mts. Serve the prawns by arranging them on a plate and pouring the curry sauce over them. Garnish with coriander leaves & it's ready to serve with Rice.

Mushroom Masala!

2006-02-14T09:58:00.000+05:30

An exotic dish for a special theme of the day!

Ingredients:

Sliced Mushrooms -1 Big Bowl
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Onion -2 small
Tomatoes - 2 big
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
GaramMasala powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt as required
Turmeric as required
Fresh cream 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves(optional) 1 tbsp( chopped)

Method:

Wash the mushrooms and keep aside.Chop onions and tomatoes & make a paste of half the onions . Heat oil in a pan. Add ginger and garlic paste and stir, till brown. Add chopped onions and stir, till onions turn translucent.Add turmeric, chilli, coriander powder salt & chopped tomatoes and garam
masala powder and stir till the tomatoes blend well & the aroma of masala is released. Add mushrooms, cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame, till the mushrooms turn soft. Mushrooms gets cooked in its own fluid which is released while cooking. Mushrooms add exotic flavour to the gravy,to this later add the fresh cream & for a final touch garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Chicken Mince with Peas!

2006-02-11T18:57:00.000+05:30

Wow! I cannot describe all the appetizing food served for the weekend brunch back at the fun fest held annually at the grounds, next door . It however did inspire me to try out a special chicken dish to keep the mood going .

I would love to share this marvelous Tina's recipe, called
Kheema Baida .There has been some minor substitutions & additions .I used minced chicken instead of meat & bay leaf for flavouring minus the eggs....rest all the same as in her post. It did come out great! Thanks to Tina for sharing this delicious recipe ..:)

CRISPY FRENCH TOAST!! YUM YUMM !

2006-02-11T08:36:00.000+05:30

An Ideal hearty breakfast to enjoy a weekend brunch style breakfast on any day of the week in the mornings.

Ingredients for coating the bread slices:
eggs
milk
sugar
cinnamon powder
vanilla extract

Method:
slide the coated bread slices into a pan with butter /oil . Fry them on each side until golden brown. Drain them on paper towels and serve hot with any fresh fruit sauce of your choice.