Creamy Curd Semiya

Curd Semiya is best suited for ending guest dinners and parties, a different alternative to curd rice!

Ingredients:

Vermicelli Semiya - 1.cup

Onion -1 medium sized

Oil -1 tbsp

Chilled curd - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Grated Carrot - 1 small size

To temper :

Mustard seeds - 1tsp

Urad Dal - 1 tsp

Finely chopped green chillies - 1

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

Method:

1.Roast vermicelli in 1/2 tsp oil for 2mins and keep seperately. [NOTE : Roasting vermicelli in oil keeps the semiya seperated]

2.Drizzle oil, temper mustard, urad dhal, green chillies and ginger.Add onions, saute till it becomes transparent.

3.Now add 1.5 cups of water and bring it it to boil, add salt to taste. Add roasted vermicelli semiya to boiling water and keep closed for 3mins.

4.Open and turn to other side, check if its cooked else sprinkle lil more water.

5.Leave it to cool then add curd, carrot and mix well. It tastes gud when it is served chilled!

Poha(Aval) Upma - A quick evening snack!

This is one of the easiest yet filling snack which can be done in a jiffy!

Ingredients :
Poha/Aval (thick or thin) - 1cup
Onion - 1
Curry leaves - 3 to 4
Finely chopped Green chillies - 1
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp

Method:
1. Soak poha in water for 5mins (I used thin if its thick it will take some more time). Then sqeeze water and keep the poha aside for 5mins.

2. In a kadai : Drizzle oil, add mustard seeds then add onions, curry leaves, green chillies and turmeric powder.

3. Saute till onions are fried well. Add grated coconut which is purely optional, but it adds to the taste.

4. Add the poha to the above and mix well. Add salt to taste.

5. Poha upma is ready to be served!

Dates Cornflakes Smoothie

I often find myself getting confused with a smoothie and a milk shake so tried googling today. Some facts about smoothie from wikipedia :

A smoothie is a blended, chilled, sweet beverage made from fresh fruit or vegetables.In addition to fruit, many smoothies include crushed ice, frozen/.dry fruit, honey or frozen yogurt. They have a milkshake-like consistency but much more thicker. Unlike milkshakes, they usually don't contain ice cream, but contain milk.

A smoothie is very refreshing for a morning breakfast. This dates smoothie is not only filling its healthy too! The flavour when cornflakes,dates and honey are blended tastes so gud!

Ingredients:

Milk - 1 cup

Yogurt - 1tbsp (optional)

Dates - 5 to 6

Cornflakes - 1tbsp

Honey - 2tsp

Crushed ice- from a cube

Method:

1.Blend everything together to form a smooth mixture

[No sugar needed]

2.Serve chilled

I am planning to post here every tues/wed so watch out this space every week!

Ragi Kozhukattai/Steamed Fingermillet Dumplings

Heya am back from my inlaws place just today morning.....Cudnt say how much I missed home n this blogging world. So the first thing I did when I entered was to check my mails and dashboard :) Have loads of work before I join back work on Monday...Its a kind of mixed feelings I wud say. I really am wondering how quick this 5 months flew away.....I should definitely say this blogging has been a part of my daily routine and all ur encouragements has made me find the cook in me and learn so much about food photography. But I had loads of fun, spent quality time with mittu ,that I am really feeling it hard to leave her and go back to work now, Wish I get used to the routine sooner.

This is one from my drafts....I tried Ragi kozhukattai from Madhuram's blog. It turned out to be a very simple and healthy evening snack, Do try this out! The addition of mung daal gave a nice twist to this kozhukattai.

Ingredients:

Finger Millet Flour (Ragi flour) – 1 cup

Mung Daal – a handful

Grated coconut – 1/4 cup

Powdered Jaggery – 3/4 cup

Cardamom powder – 1 tsp

Method:

1.Dry roast mung daal for 3 mins and pressure cook for 3 whistles witha cup of water. Drain ater and keep seperately,the daal shoudnt be mashy.

2.Dry roast ragi for 2mins and keep aside. Add 1/2 cup water to jaggery, heat it till the jaggery dissolves and filter the impurities.

3.Now combine roasted ragi flour,mung daal,coconut, jaggery water, cardamom powder and knead it to a dough, sprinkle water if needed.

4.Roll them into balls/cylinders and press it with ur palm. Steam in idli plates for 10-13mins and Serve hot!

I received the kreative award from Renu , Thanks a lot Renu!

And I am sending my Ragi Kozhukatati to JFI- Ragi

Peanut Ladoos & a short break!

How many of you like peanuts? Count me in first, but I dont prefer roasted instead like the boiled ones. I have seen these ladoos in many blogs n finally here I am with it. As its diwali time thought of posting a quick and easy ladoo....!

Now coming to the break : I m leaving to my inlaws place this weekend and will be on a break from blogging for 15 days.......Dont knw how I m going to manage as these days I m kind of addicted to my blog.....Meanwhile dont forget me and I am assuming that u will keep visiting my space even in my absence :) Once I return....have to join back work so am sure its gona be pretty hectic. Ok now to the recipe :

Ingredients:

Raw Peanuts - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Dry roast peanuts in a tawa until they turn light brown. There will be nice aroma and the skin will start splitting up thats the stage you should remove from flame.

2. Remove the skin. Blend the peanuts for few seconds to form a coarse powder then add jaggery and grind it again for 5seconds till both peanuts and jaggery are well blended.

3. Set it in a plate and make small sized balls. You need no ghee for it as the oil the peanut leaves is just enough to roll them into balls.

4. Store it in a air tight container.

Happy and Safe Diwali wishes to all my fellow blogger friends! Seeya sometime sooner..!!

Kadai Bhindi Masala

I tried Kadai Bhindi from RaksKitchen with some minor modifications to suit my taste. By the time I post this recipe I've made it 2-3 times, this one is from my drafts :) Trust me, the procedure looks like a lengthy process but its quite simple and easy once u try it out!

Ingredients:

• Bhindi/Ladies finger - 12
• Onion - 1 medium sized,finely chopped
• Tomato puree - from 1 tomato
• Tomato - 1 big sized, finely chopped
• Capsicum - 1 big sized,cubed
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Turmeric - 2 pinches
• Dhaniya powder - 2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp ( according to taste)
• Green chilies - 1 finely chopped
• Cashewnut- 5 ground to fine paste with little water
• Salt as needed

To Temper:

• Jeera - 2 tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

1.Cut bhindis into medium size pieces as in the pic. Saute them well in oil till the stickiness goes off and is slightly soft. [I didnt deep fry them, you can do that if you wish]

2.Temper jeera in a wide pan with oil. Immediately add the onions and fry till its transparent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes.

3.Add the tomatoes and tomato puree,with little salt and mix well till it becomes soft and mushy.Fry till the raw smell completely leaves. Now add turmeric, red chili, coriander powders and mix well.

5.After the masalas are well blended with tomatoes add cashew nut paste and fry for a min till oil separates.Add the capsicum and fry in medium flame for a minute.

6. Now add the sauted bhindis, Adjust spice levels and salt at this stage. Sprinkle water for bhindis to get cooked well. Keep covered for 2mins and switch off! Serve hot with rotis/pulao!

My Notes : Adjust water according to the consistency of the gravy you need

Masala Paal / Masala Milk

I have had this masala paal/milk in many hotels and the one served in Vasantha bhavan is my fav! Hubby likes it so wanted to give a try at home and shud I mention abt the taste?!, simple n flavourful!

Before I go to the recipe want to thank Ambika for passing me this award :

Ingredients:

Milk - 1.5 cups

Sugar - as per taste

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Cloves -2

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick

Cardamom - powdered from 2

Almonds - powdered not too fine

Saffron - 2 to 3 strands

Method:

1.Bring milk to boil, add turmeric powder, cinnamon and cloves. Stir and leave it for 2mins till the aroma of spices are well mixed with the mik.

2.Filter the milk and add powdered almonds, cardamom and saffron strands.Serve hot!