A Meme

Anjali of The Big Bite tagged me for a MeMe

1) LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATRE?
Shivaji The Boss

2) WHAT BOOK ARE U READING?
I read only cookery books-Mallika Badrinath's Tiffin Varieties

3) FAVOURITE BOARD GAME?
Carrom

4) FAVOURITE MAGAZINE?
Craft magazines


5) FAVOURITE SMELLS?
Coffee, Paints, Nice aromas coming from kitchen

6) FAVOURITE SOUNDS?
Fast music as well as slow ones

7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
Not being able to do something that I am dying to do

8) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE?
Hoping that the day is better than the previous

9) FAVOURITE FASTFOOD PLACE?
Any chaat shop--Am a chaat freak

10) FUTURE CHILDS NAME?
Never thought of it yet

11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—’IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D’
Do some charity and promote crafts

12) DO U DRIVE FAST?
I dont know to drive !!!!

13) DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
No

14) STORMS–COOL OR SCARY?
Cool

15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
My dad's Fiat

16) FAVOURITE DRINK?
Lime Juice

17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD…
I would make lot of crafts and cook different dishes

18) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
No

19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOUR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?
Burgandy

20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN?
Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Gurgaon

21) FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
I dont watch any sports channel

22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
She started off food blogging with a bang .

23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED?
A thick spread that is traditionally used in South India

24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN??
Never thought of it

25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Night owl

26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Over easy

27) FAVOURITE PLACE TO RELAX?
Parks and Lakeside

28) FAVOURITE PIE?
Nothing specific

29) FAVOURITE ICECREAM FLAVOUR?
Definetely Chocolate and Pista

30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE U HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
Dont know

I would like to tag

Divya Kudua
Priyanka
Madhavi
Swati

The Fun 'n' Sun event at Simple Indian Food and WBB-Microwave Foods event at 100% Microwave Cooking ends today...Dont forget to check out the round-up of these events tommorrow on the respective blogs..

Soft Chapatis

These are similar to the steamed wheat rotis made by Namratha of Finger licking food blog for the Powerless Cooking Event. However I followed Mallika Badrinath's recipe for the same.

Ingredients

2 cups wheat flour
Salt to taste
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp oil

Boil the water and add salt and oil. Add the wheat flour to it and mix well. Switch off the gas and knead the dough well.

Roll out into chapatis and cook on a hot tava. These chapatis are ultra soft and ideal for travelling or lunch boxes. No need to apply ghee over it too.

how to make very soft rotis, tips to make softer chapatis

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Spring Roll

Ingredients

1 cup steamed grated cabbage, carrot, capsicum, onions (optional)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp red chilli sauce
A bit of ajinomoto(optional)
Salt to taste
Soya Sauce
Maida
Oil to fry

Make a soft dough of maida, 2 tsp oil,salt and little water. Keep covered for 1/2 hr.

Squeeze out all the water from the vegetables and add pepper, red chilli sauce, salt, ajinomoto and soya sauce to it. Mix well.

Make small balls of the maida mixture and roll out into thin chapatis. Keep the filling in between and roll it completely using little water to close the edges so that the filling doesn't come out.

Deep fry them in hot oil till golden brown. Cut into small pieces and serve with sauce.

how to make spring roll, spring rolls recipe

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Char Dal Ka Dalcha

This recipe is adapted from Kailas Kitchen blog with very minor changes. It tasted great and different..thanks Jayashree

Ingredients
1/4 cup bengalgram dal
1/4 cup red gram dal
2 tbsp masoor dal
2 tsp split yellow dal
1 tsp ginger paste
A small lemon sized tamarind soaked in water
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
2 tsp oil
2 green chillies
2 potatoes cut into cubes (Jayashree's version is that of ashgourd)

To temper

1 tsp ghee
2 red chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
Few curry leaves

Pressure cook the four dals with a bit of turmeric and chilli powder.

Heat oil, add ginger paste, turmeric and red chilli powder. Add green chillies, potatoes and cook covered with some water for five minutes. Add the cooked dal, tamarind extract, salt and mix well. Cook for another five to ten minutes. Adjust the consistency with little more water if required.

Add the tempering by heating the ghee and adding all ingredients. Spread this over the dal and serve hot with rice or rotis.

side dish for north indian and south indian food, dal recipe, how to make dhal using four types of pulses

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Rajasthani Moong Dal Halwa

Ingredients

1 cup moong dal
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup ghee
Finely chopped nuts

Soak the dal in sufficient water for atleast two hours. Make a fine paste of it with very less water.

Cook the moong dal paste with ghee till a nice smell comes. Keep stirring it else it will stick to the vessel. In another pan melt the sugar with the water and add the cooked moong dal. Mix well and cook till the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan. Add nuts and mix well.

This dish is my contribution to RCI:Rajasthan being is the brainchild of Lakshmi @ Veggie Cuisine and is being guest hosted by Padma of Spicy Andhra

how to make moong dal halwa, green gram dal halwa, quick halwa recipe, rajasthan special sweet

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Coriander Pulav

With two new additions to my kitchen-Mallika Badrinath's Tiffin Varieties and Rice Delights, there will more of recipes tried from the books and Coriander Pulav is the first one..I changed the recipe a bit according to my taste buds

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice
A small piece of Cinnamon
2 Cardamoms
2 Cloves
Salt to taste
1/4 cup peas
2 medium sized potatoes cut into small pieces
2 tbsp oil
2 small tomatoes

Grind to a paste-

1 medium size bunch of coriander leaves
1/2 tsp ginger paste
2 green chillies
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp grated coconut

Soak the basmati rice for 1/2 hr. Heat oil, add the spices, tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes are done. Add the chopped potatoes and mix well. Add the masala and cook on low flame for about 3 minutes. Add the rice and fry for a minute.

Add salt, peas and 2 cups of hot water and pressure cook till everything gets mixed well and rice gets cooked.

Serve with raita. Coriander pulav is a good variety in lunch boxes too..

how to make dhania rice, easy green pulav recipe, quick lunch rice variety

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Dal Chapati

A wholesome food that can be eaten without any side dish.

Ingredients

1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup cooked red gram dal
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Mix all the ingredients together to make a soft dough and keep covered for 1/2 hr.

Roll out into thick chapatis and cook on medium flame with about 1/2 tsp oil till brown spots appear.

This is also an ideal food to pack for picnics.

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Vadaam

Come summer and you can see several ladies in South India engaged in making vadaam, vatrals and stocking them for the whole year. These are made from maida, rice, sago, potatoes and many other varieties. Here is a simple vadaam recipe made from rice by my mother-in-law.

Ingredients

1 cup rice
Salt to taste
4 tbsp sago
2 green chillies
Bit of asafoetida

Soak the rice for atleast 3 to 4 hours and grind it well. Add salt and let it ferment for about 15 hours to get a bit sour taste.

Soak the sago and grind it with green chillies.

Mix this and asafoetida with the rice batter.

Grease a leaf with a bit of oil and pour a bit of this batter onto it and make it a small and even circle. Heat water in a kadai and place a plate with holes over it. Now place the leaf over it and let it steam for a minute or two till it gets transparent. Now transfer this in a plastic sheet and repeat for the rest of the batter.

Dry these in the sun for a day or two.

These can be stored for an entire year and since 1 cup of rice would yield atleast 25 to 30 vadaams, better to start with a small cup.

Fry these in hot oil and serve with rice or even as an evening snack.

how to make vadaams, south indian fryums recipe,

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Poppy seeds (GhasaGhasa) Payasam

Ingredients

4 tbsp poppy seeds
4 tbsp grated coconut
2 tbsp ghee
Few cashews
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
6 tbsp sugar
2 cups milk

Grind the poppy seeds and coconut well with some milk. Heat the ghee, add cashews and when it starts changing colour, add the paste and cook on low flame for five minutes. Add the sugar, cardamom powder and mix well.

Cool and add the rest of the milk.

Tasty poppy seeds payasam ready.

Sending it over to RV for Think Spice:Think PS event started by Sunita

easy payasa recipe, how to make khuskhus payasam, quick dessert

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Peanut Cheese Paratha

Ingredients

1 cup wheat flour
Salt to taste
4 tbsp Finely crushed roasted peanuts
4 tbsp grated cheese
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
A bit of ajwain

Make a soft dough of wheat flour, salt and water and let it stay covered for half an hour.

Mix the cheese, peanuts, red chilli powder, salt and ajwain well and make small balls.

Roll out the dough into thick puris, place the cheese peanut balls in between and close with the dough from all sides. Dip in some flour and roll out again into thick parathas.

Cook on a medium hot tava with little oil/ghee on the sides. When both the sides start getting light brown spots, the parathas are ready.

Serve hot with pickles/curd.

how to make paratha, cheese paratha with groundnuts recipe

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Dahi Matar chaat

This tempting chaat is based on Ramya's recipe published in her blog Mane Adige.

Ingredients
2 cups cooked peas (I used dry peas)
Salt to taste
Chaat masala
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 cup tamarind juice
Chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
Few finely chopped coriander leaves
4 tbsp curds
A Bit of jaggery

Cook the tamarind juice with salt, jaggery, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder and chaat masala. Add the cooked peas and cook on low flame for 10 to 15 minutes so that the flavours blend well with the peas. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till it becomes thick.

To serve-
Spread the peas masala on a plate, add some curds to it, garnish with chaat masala, sev and chopped coriander leaves. To give it a tangy taste, you can even add a bit of sweet chutney.

how to make chat, mattar chaat, easy chaat recipe

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Thayir Vadai

Ingredients

1 cup blackgram dal (soaked for 2 hrs)
Salt to taste
1 or 2 Green chillies
1/2 tsp ginger paste
Oil to fry
Finely chopped coriander leaves
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp grated coconut
2 cups of curd

Grind the dal with green chillies, salt and ginger paste with very less water.

Heat oil and make small vadas of the batter and fry them on medium flame till golden brown. If you feel the vadas are absorbing more oil, you could add some roasted semolina to it.

Immediately put the vadas in a bowl of water and let it soak for 2 minutes. Press lightly and drain out the water from the vadas.

Grind cumin seeds and coconut together and mix it with the curds. Add some salt and coriander leaves and mix well. Add these vadas to the curds and let it soak for about 15 to 20 minutes.

The vadas taste good even if chilled.

how to make traditional curd vada, thair vada recipe,

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Takkali (Tomato) Gojju

Ingredients

1/4 kg tomatoes
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp bengalgram dal
1 tsp blackgram dal

To be dry roasted and ground into dry powder

2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp bengalgram dal
2 tsp blackgram dal
3 to 4 Red chillies
Bit of asafoetida

Cut the tomatoes into fine pieces or grind them coarsely in the mixer. Heat oil, add mustard, bengalgram dal and blackgram dal. When it splutters, add the tomatoes, salt and dry powder and mix well. Cook for five minutes till the tomatoes are done and it becomes a thick mixture.

You can serve this with dosas/idli/chapatis or mix with rice to get an instant tomato rice. The mixture can be stored under refrigeration for 2 to 3 days.

how to make tomato goju, mixed rice recipe

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Obattu for Ugadi

Ugadi festival is around the corner and Obattu is the special dish prepared for the occassion.

Ingredients

1 cup grated coconut
1/2 cup grated jaggery
Cardamom powder
1 cup maida
A pinch of salt
A pinch of turmeric powder
4 tsp oil
Ghee

Make a soft dough of maida, salt, turmeric powder with water. Add oil and knead it well. Keep it covered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Heat the grated jaggery with very little water and when it starts becoming thick, add the coconut and cardamom powder and mix well. Cool for some time and make small balls of it.

Take a medium sized ball of maida dough, roll out into small puri and place the ball of filling in the center. Close with maida dough from sides and roll out into a chapatis, ensuring the filling doesnt come out. Cook them on a medium hot tava till you get brown spots on both sides.

Serve with some ghee.

poli with coconut filling, pur

My contribution to Sweet series: Puran Polis event hosted by Mythreyee of Paajaka Recipes an poli recipe, how to make obatu

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Dal Makhani

Ingredients

1 small cup black urad dal
2 tbsp kidney beans
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Puree from 2 small tomatoes
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp kasuri methi
4 tbsp cream (your choice to add more)

Soak the urad dal and kidney beans for atleast 5 to 6 hours and pressure cook them well until soft.

Heat oil, add cumin seeds. When it splutters, add ginger paste, turmeric powder, tomato puree and cook on low heat for about five minutes.

Add some water to it to help in cooking. Add the chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, butter, cooked and half mashed dals and crushed

kasuri methi and mix well. If the mixture is very thick, add some water. Cook covered on very low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring every

five minutes. Finally add the cream and cook for five more minutes.

Serve hot with rotis/parathas/naan/kulcha or plain rice.

how to make dhal makani, dal makhani recipe, side dish for rotis,

north indian specials

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore

Aval Payasam

Ingredients

1/2 cup beaten rice/poha/aval
1/2 cup sugar (add more as per taste)
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Few roasted cashews
2 tsp ghee

Fry the beaten rice in ghee till it starts changing colour. Add some water to it and cook on low flame for five minutes. Add sugar and mix well. When the sugar dissolves well, add cardamom powder, cashews and let it cool for five minutes. Add milk, mix well and serve hot or cold as desired.

This ten minute dessert is my contribution to the Fun n Sun event since it tastes great when chilled.

Tour of the beautiful world

how to make beaten rice payasam, easy dessert recupe, quick payasam

Affiliate of 100% Microwave Cooking, Ideas money, Time Pass, Inspirations for life, Easy crafts, Earn a Crore