Paneer Kurma (Paneer vegetable Kurma) | Side dish for chapathi

Paneer kurma is my favorite with chapathis and parathas. I like the white kurmas served in restaurants with less flavour of garam masala and spices so just wanted to give a try and here is my version. And happy independence day wishes!! The colors of the kurma are apt for the occasion though not intentional :)

Paneer Vegetable Kurma Recipe:

Serves 2



Ingredients:

• Onion - 1/2 finely chopped
• Paneer - 1/2 cup cubed
• Carrot - 2 chopped
• Peas - a handful
• Ginger garlic paste -2 tsp
• Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp chopped finely
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt - as required

To temper :

• Cloves - 2
• Cinnamon - 1

To be grinded :

• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Green chillies - 2
• Fennel seeds(Sombu) - 1/2 tsp
• Cashew - 5
• Onion - 1

Method:

1. Pressure cook carrot and peas until soft. Keep aside.
2. Heat a tawa with little oil and fry paneer till golden brown, switch off and drain in a tissue,keep aside.
3. Then in the same tawa, saute onions and coconut till slightly browned. Add sauted onion and coconut with the ingredients under 'to be grinded' with little water to a fine paste and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cinnamon , gingergarlic paste and onions saute till slightly brown then add the ground paste saute till raw smell leaves. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup water(adjust according to the thickness) and allow it to boil for 3mins. Add required salt.
5. Add the pressure cooked veggies and fried paneer. Simmer for 5-7 mins until the kurma thickens and nice aroma comes.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and switch off.

My Notes:

• Frying paneer is totally optional but I prefer doing it in most of the paneer dishes.
• You can also saute tomatoes with onions and coconut and then grind it together.
• Adding a tsp of garam masala enhances the flavour too.
• This accompanies well with rotis and dosas too.
• This is closely the same way I make vegetable kurma too. You can add potatoes and beans too, adding vegetables is purely of your choice.

Poricha Kuzhambu

Poricha kuzhambu is a kind of sambar variety with no tamarind extract. To me, poricha kuzhambu tastes inbetween our regular sambar and arachuvitta sambar :)

Poricha Kuzhambu Recipe

Recipe Reference : Umas kitchen

Ingredients:

• Toor dhal - 1 cup
• Drumstick / Murungakai - 2
• Red chillies - 1
• Hing - a generous pinch
• Salt - as required

To temper:

• Cooking oil - 1tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - few

To roast and grind:

• Coconut grated - 3 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Pepper - 4 corns
• Corriander seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Red chillies - 1

Method:

1. First dry roast the items one by one given under 'to roast ad grind', and grind it to a coarse powder. Keep aside
2. Pressure cook thoor dhal for 3 whistles until mushy. Mash it well and keep aside.
3. In a kadai , heat oil add mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves allow it to crackle. Then add red chillies saute for a minute.
4. Now add the mashed up dhal, add turmeric powder and drumstick. Allow it to get cooked(It may take around 10mins). Add required salt.
5. You may also pressure cook the drumstick adn add it here.Once it gets cooked add the roasted powder and allow it to boil for sometime until it gets a thick consistency.Switch off and serve hot with rice.

My Notes:

• Any veggie of your choice can be added or a combination of all veggies can be added too
• Drumstick can be pressure cooked and added too
• This is a thick sambar variety that goes well with rice and idlis and dosas

Pineapple Cooler

I love pineapple juice very much, so instantly fell in love with this drink when I saw it in Tarladalal site. I made it during summer and it totally satisfied my thirsty craving of my favourite fruit juice.

Pineapple Cooler Recipe

Recipe Reference : Tarladalal



Ingredients:

• Pineapple chopped roughly - 1/2 cup
• Icecubes - 2
• Salt - as required
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp (optional)
• Milk(preferably cold) - 25 ml
• Sugar - 3 tsp
• Soda water - 3 tbsp

Method:

• Pressure cook pineapple pieces for 1 whistle until soft or Stem them until slightly soft.
• Blend all the other ingredients together with cooked pineapple until frothy in a mixer or blender.
• Pour into individual glasses and serve chilled.

I am always scared by the thorny look of pineapple so I always prefer buying them in fresh cut pieces instead of the full fruit. Pineapple with a hint of salt and chilli powder is a yum combo, do try and see.

My Notes:

• I was skeptical about adding lemon juice with milk(as I doubted milk will curdle) but went ahead as given in the orginal recipe and the drink was yummy and didnt disappoint me. But still if you are not comfortable adding lemon juice just skip it and proceed.
• You can skip the steaming/pressure cooking step and make the cooler with raw pineapple itself.
• You can add honey instead of sugar.
• As the orginal recipe says, you can also add a pinch of pepper.

The creamy frothy pineapple cooler is ready to be served. This can be served as a party welcoming drink too.

I always complain that the froth always doesnt cooperate well till I click but this time I was satisfied :)

Kuzha Puttu Kadala Curry

I have always been associated with lot of evergreen memories with Kerala as most of our planned trips are in and around Kerala.We have always had great welcoming experience right from the accomodation search to the tourist guides each time. And everytime we make a trip to Kerala I always remind myself that I should taste the very famous combination Puttu Kadala curry but somehow I miss it.

Before I joined my new job here, we had been to Neliyamapathy and thats where I finally tasted puttu kadala curry.So thought its time for me(us) to try it at home....amma makes puttu often but we eat with sugar and coconut but this time I made kadala curry to accompany with it. And I cudnt resist myself so clicked only few pics this time ;) the combination is a match made in heaven!

Kuzha Puttu Recipe

Makes 1 kuzha puttu

Ingredients:

• Raw rice (Pacharisi) - 1 cup
• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Elachi powder - a pinch (optional)
• Sugar - 2 tbsp (optional)
• Salt - as required
• Water - as required to sprinkle

Method:

1. Soak the rice in water for 2 hours. Strain and spread in a cloth, allow the water to drain.
2. Then grind it in a mixer into a fine powder.Dry roast the flour for 5mins in a pan, then sieve it once to get a fine powder.Your puttu rice flour is ready.
3. Take the flour in a basin,add required salt to it. Add salt, sugar, elachi powder and start sprinkling water little by little, mix well.Keep a note that the flour should look like grated coconut or breadcrumbs.Do not add more water to make it sticky.
4. Now add a fistful of grated coconut into the puttu maker and then add rice flour till half then add another handful of coconut. Do it till you reach the top of the rim of the puttu maker.
5. Meanwhile add water to the pressure cooker and attach the puttu maker to the pressure cooker and steam it for 10mins. Check by using the stick given through the hole, the stick should come out clean then ur puttu is ready. Now careful push the puttu from the botton using the given stick. Cut into slices and enjoy with kadala curry.

Can you see the coconut layer in between? I always mess up when I push the puttu from the kuzha so this time I asked amma to do it carefully as I wanted to click and I could see her hands shivering while pushing it hehe

My Notes:

• If you dont have puttu maker then just sprinkle it in idli pan and steam it for 10mins
• Alternatively you can use idiyappam flour or readymade puttu maavu also for making puttu. If using idiyapam / readymade puttu flour continue from step 3.
• Adding elachi and sugar is purely optional when you have kadala curry as sidedish but I like the slight hint of sweetness in my puttu :)
• We have tried in the kudam kuzha puttu maker too but it got misplaced when we relocated. So we got a new one as a attachment with the cooker and it works like a charm every time, its easy too.

Kadala Curry Recipe

Recipe Reference : Mirch Masala

Ingredients :

• Kadala ( Brown Channa) – 1 cup. soaked in water overnight atleast for 8 hours
• Shallots(Chinna Vengayam) – 2
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt - as required

To roast and grind to a fine paste:

• Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup
• Shallots(Chinna Vengayam) – 4 cut into half
• Coriander Seeds – 1 tbsp
• Dried Red Chilies – 4 or 5
• Cardamom – 1
• Cinnamon stick – 1/2 inch
• Cloves – 2
• Fennel Seeds – 3 tsp

To temper:

• Coconut Oil – 1 tsp (I used normal cooking oil)
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves –few

Method:

1. Pressure cook channa with water(till immersing level) until soft, keep aside.
2. Heat a pan , dry roast coconut till slightly browned. Add onions and roast till golden brown. Keep aside to cool. Now in the same pan add coriander seeds, red chillies, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and fennel seeds till slightly golden browned. Allow this to cool, add it to coconut and grind to a smooth paste with very little water.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and curry leaves, allow it to crackle. Then add the pressure cooked channa, add little water, turmeric powder then add the ground paste and let it continue to boil for 5-7mins in simmer then add the ground paste allow it to boil. Add required salt. When the curry starts thickening a bit, switch off. Serve hot with puttu or aapam.

My Notes:

• I used normal cooking oil as I didnt have coconut oil.
• Kadala curry serves as a nice sidedish for rotis, puttu, idiyapam or even aapams.
• When I googled for kadala curry there were many sites which even suggested to add red chilli and coriander
  as powders but this freshly ground spice powders gives a very nice flavour.

Cake Lollipops / Cake Pops (My Way) - Happy Friendship Day!!

Cake pops are balls made out of crumbled cakes , coated with candy melts / chocolate on the outside pricked in a lollipop stick. Ever since I saw the site bakerella......making cakepops were a dream to me. Last week the bug bit me hard that I wanted to try it right away....I know we dont get candy melts here, I didnt even have the lollipop sticks or the cooking chocolate. So let me admit, this is a fool proof method for making cake pops but sure a delicious lollipop :) Now before my cake pops story let me wish all my readers and friends a very happy friendship day!!

Friendship day was at its best during college days.....No enough space in the wrist for even bangles.....so much of friendship bands, wishes,cards, gifts and what not?! After I entered into the corporate world, friendship day was just another day except for the wishes through phone calls.....to close friends.

Its been years I've flipped through the greeting cards that I had received. I felt nostalgic while dusting down the bags for taking the cards and bands for this post. It just took me a while to those days.....a short rewind I would say! Will that not be nice if we have a rewind button in life?! :)

Now coming back to cake pops : I discussed the idea of making it with my friend who owns a sweet cum bakery shop.....he gave me few tips and suggested to use cooking chocolate...I tried in Nilgiris(the only store I get all my baking items in CBE) but no luck :( But the cashewnut me ;) went ahead with milky bar even after his warning. I made the cake balls as per the instructions, melted the chocolate and dipped the cake balls...then came the disaster the cake balls stuck to it and started crumbling :( Hearing me a bit upset, my friend even said he will courier the cooking chocolate...But being a working mother getting only weekends for the luxury of clicking and making ready for special posts like this......I coudnt accept his offer. Special thanks to him for encouraging me to try again even after this flop. I will surely try the cakepops, the orginal way and post it here :)

Then came the idea of making the cake pops my way!! And all smiles there I went and made the cake pops with the remaining cake balls and clicked it too :) I made a simple frosting and drizzled few edible color beads on the already made cake balls. I used the toothpicks to make it like a lollipop and here is the cakepops in my very own way!! This is the first time I am trying to frost using a nozzle....and was pretty excited to do it.

As a food blogger I always have had the thought of using mittu for my pics but as a mother its a big NO :) But this time I took few pics with her and I should say she cooperated so well as she was keen on admiring the cake pops and I utilised it completely :)

Cake Lollipops / Cake Pops Recipe:

This makes 4 cake pops

Ingredients :

For the cake balls :

• Chocolate cake - 1 piece
• Butter - 2 tbsp
• Icing Sugar - 3 tsp

For the frosting:

• Butter - 2 tbsp
• Icing Sugar - 3 tsp
• Food color - a drop (I used pink)
• Edible Color beads - 1 tsp

Method:

1. First crumble the cake, keep aside. Mix butter and icing sugar and beat well until fluffy. Add the butter sugar mixture to the crumbled cake and mix well. Gather to form small balls. Refrigerate atleast for 2 hours.
2. Then for the frosting mix butter, sugar and food color. Beat well, fill them in piping cones with a star nozzle and pipe it on the refrigerated cake balls. Just drizzle colored beads. Your cake pops are ready!!

The actual method:

After the cake balls are ready refrigerated, melt the chocolate and dip one end of the stick into the melted chocolate, tap off the excess and insert into the rolled cake balls pricking a little less than half way. Again refrigerate it for 30mins to make it set. You cake pops are ready to be enjoyed!! :)

My Notes:

• The cake balls should be as firm as possible says bakerella so refrigerating atleast for an hour is surely recommended.
• Use cooking chocolate or candy melts for the outer layer.

Hope you all had a great sunday and a friendship day! See you soon with the next post, till then have a great week ahead!

Paruppu Rasam and Potato curry | Easy Lunch Menu

I was planning and preparing to post easy lunch menus and that was when I received 2-3 readers asking for the same.Though most of us are familiar with rasam and potato curry I can admit that I havent made rasam at all after marriage though I started my cooking with rasam. And thanks for the voting, finally rasam and potato curry it is :)

We dont really prefer rasam in our daily meals and it comes to presence only during festive occasions and when guests are there for lunch. But now since mittu needs either sambar or rasam for lunch amma makes rasam on and off. Here is my easy lunch menu for one of those lazy mondays :)

Potato Curry Recipe

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - 3
• Tomato - 1 finely chopped
• Onion - 1 finely chopped
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Sambar powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Oil - 1 tbsp

To temper

• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Boil potatoes with little salt until soft for 3-4 whistles. Keep aside. Then chop the potatoes into cubes.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds allow it to temper, then add curry leaves allow it to crackle. Add garlic paste saute till slightly browned.
3. Now add chopped onions and tomatoes saute till tomatoes shrink and raw smell leaves.
4. Now add the potatoes, saute for a min then add turmeric, chilli powder and sambar powder. Add required salt and mix well.
5. Cook until nicely roasted it may take 7-10mins then switch off.

Paruppu Rasam Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Toor dhal - 1/4 cup
• Tamarind - lemon sized ball
• Green chilli - 1
• Garlic - 4 flakes
• Tomato - 1/2
• Coriander leaves - 2 tsp roughly chopped
• Salt - as required

To roast and grind:

• Jeera - 1 tsp
• Pepper - 1 tsp

Dry roast and grind it to a fine powder

To temper:

• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Hing (Perungayam) - a generous pinch

Method:

1. Pressure cook toor dhal in 1/2 cup water until mushy. Mash the dhal with boiled water andkeep aside.
2. Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of hot water and extract tamarind juice, keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a seperate pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing and green chillies followed by tomatoes and crushed garlic.Saute till raw smell of tomatoes leaves.
4. Now add tamarind extract with little water, allow it to boil till its frothy may be for 5-7mins. Add roasted and grounded jeera pepper powder. Add required salt. Add cooked dhal allow it for another boil, add chopped coriander leaves and switch off.

My Notes:

• Always add a hint of garlic with potatoes to avoid gastric issues
• After the dhal is added, dont give more than a single boil.

Carrot Soup | Cream of Carrot Soup

As I've already mentioned in my posts I am not a soupy person. But I love tomato soup , sweet corn soup the best of all soups creamy and yummy now this carrot soup has topped the list too. I tried this soup for my daughter and she liked it very much, she is a fussy eater when it comes to vegetables like her mother ;) so have to sneak in carrots in the form of soups or kheer.

Cream of Carrot Soup Recipe:
Serves 2

Ingredients:

• Carrots - 2 medium sized roughly chopped
• Milk - 1/4 cup
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1/2 medium sized finely chopped
• Garlic - 4 pearls
• Tomato - 1/2
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - a pinch (optional)
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Butter - 1/2 tsp
• Cream - 2 tsp (for garnishing)
• Salt- as required

Method:

1. Heat a pan with oil, add onions, garlic and tomato saute till slightly browned and raw smell leaves.
2. Now add the carrots and add 1/2 cup water, cook until carrots turns soft. Cool down the mixture and grind it to a smooth paste.
3. Now heat the pan again with butter, transfer the mixture. After 2-3mins add milk, pepper powder, garam masala powder, required salt and bring it to a short boil. Switch off and garnish with cream
4. Serve hot or warm with garlic bread or soup sticks.

My Notes:

• You can also add half and half of cream with milk to get a richer soup
• You can also pressure cook the carrots and grind it with sauted onion, garlic tomato misture
• The carrot soup is slightly sweet with milk and the sweetness in the carrot, so add pepper powder accordingly
• Choose tender fresh carrots for the soup. The color of the soup totally depends on the carrots.

Not being a soupy person I love this soup for its slight sweetness from the carrots with a hint of hotness from the pepper yumm soup perfect for this chilly weather now in CBE.