Sriram Navami - Panagam, Neer More, Kosumali

Yesterday was Sriram Navami and this one holds a special place in my house as my hubby's name is Sriram:). I made the usual menu which I posted previously but I never posted the recipes. So here goes -

Panagam

Ingredients:

1. Water - cold, 2 cups
2. Jaggery - 3/4th cup
3. Ginger powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Elaichi powder - 1/4th tsp

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients above and enjoy cold:)


Neer More

Ingredients:

1. Butter milk - 4 cups
2. Corriander - chopped finely, handful
3. Oil - 1 tsp
4. Curry leaves - 6/7
5. Green chillies - 2
6. Hing - 1/4th tsp
7. Ginger - 1 tsp, finely chopped
8. Mustard seeds
9. Salt
   

Directions:

1. Heat oil and add the mustard seed. Once they sputter, add the curry leaves, ginger, hing and green chillies.
2. Once the ginger and other ingredients are friend well and crisp, add it to the buttermilk.
3. Add salt and mix well. Enjoy chilled!

Cucumber Kosumali

Ingredients:

1. Cucumbers - 3 medium sized, finely chopped
2. Moong dal - 1 cup, soaked for 3 hours
3. Grated coconut - fresh/frozen, 1/2 cup
4. Salt
5. Lemon juice - 3 tbsps
6. Oil - 1 tsp
7. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
8. Urad dal - 1 tsp
9. Dried red chillies - 4/5
10. Hing - 1/2 tsp
11. Curry leaves - 7/8
12. ginger - 1/2 tsp, finely chopped
    

Directions:

1. Mix the cucumber, moong dal, coconut, lemon and salt together.
2. Heat oil and add mustard seeds and let them sputter.
3. Now add the urad dal and cook until it is golden brown.
4. Add the ginger, curry leaves, red chillies and hing and saute until done.
5. Add this tempering to the cucumber mixture and blend it.
6. This is almost like a salad and very refreshing.

This weekend I had the opportunity of trying out a paratha like Afghani dish, called Bolani, at a mom and pop store in Fremont. It is basically bread stuffed with boiled potatoes, leeks and spices and it is served with homemade yogurt. Thanks to my sister for recommending this dish and place. It was awesome!

Carrot Kosambari and Dosa Love

I made a very healthy carrot kosambari/salad last night along with a lot of other heavy duty items. This one stood out in its simplicity and freshness along all the other festive foods.

Ingredients:

1. Carrots - 5 grated
2. Moong dal - 1 cup soaked for 3 hours
3. Oil - 1 tsp
4. Green chillies - 2 finely chopped
5. Curry leaves - 5-6
6. Corriander - handful, finely chopped
7. Lemon juice - 3 tbsps
8. Salt
9. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
10. Jeera - 1/2 tsp
11. Hing - 1/4th tsp
12. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, finely chopped
    

Directions:

1. Heat oil and add mustard seeds, jeera, hing, curry leaves, green chillies, ginger. Saute until all the aromas are enahnced and mustard seeds sputter.
2. Add to grated carrot and mix in moong dal, lemon juice, salt, corriander. Toss everything together and let it sit for 30 mins and its ready to devour.

We ate some yummy food at Anjappar Chettinad last week. Do you remember ordering a cone dosa like above when you were a kid and lunging to break the top off and eat it? That is exactly what my hubby did:D:D

Lauki Dal And Funny Lemons

When life gives you lemons......Well, if they are anything like the one above then I'd laugh my guts out! :D:D A co-worker got some lemons from his backyard and I loved this one. I simply had to pick up this poor deformed thing. :)



I made a very simple yet tasty bengali style lauki dal. The panch puran masala gives it a very unique flavor. It was so good to have this after 5 days of eating out.

Ingredients:

1. 3 spoons panch puran masala
2. 1 small lauki (bottle gourd)
3. Tomato - 1, finely chopped
4. Split masoor dal - 1 cup
   
5. Oil - 1 tsp
6. Salt
7. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
8. Jeera powder - 1 tsp
9. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
   
10. Dhania powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Tamarind pulp - 1 tsp
12. Curry leaves - 10
    

Directions:

1. Take a pressure pan and heat the oil.
   
2. Add the curry leaves, haldi and the panch puran masala.
3. Add the tomatoes and dal and saute for 5 minutes.
4. Add the the rest of the ingredients - tamarind pulp, salt, chilli powder, dhania powder, jeera powder and enough water to soak them.
5. Pressure cook for two whistles and enjoy steaming hot.

We ate at saravana bhavan last weekend and enjoyed the falooda and filter coffee.

Weekend Hogging

Egg Curry

I made this egg curry for dinner with plain rice. It was inspired by this recipe from Asha's blog Foodie's Hope.

Egg Prep:

Hard boil 8-10 eggs. Shallow fry them with 2 tbsps oil until they crisp a little on the outside. Cut 1 inch vertical slits around the egg.

Ingredients for Gravy:

1. Onions - 3 large, chopped finely
2. Tomatoes - 4 chopped finely
3. Tomato sauce - 1 can
4. Bay leaves - 2
5. Elaichi - 2
6. Cloves - 4
7. Star anise - 1
8. Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
9. Jeera Dhania powder - 1.5 tsp
   
10. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
11. Tandoori masala - 1/2 tsp
12. Kasoori methi - 1 tsp
13. Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
14. Oil - 1 tsp
15. Green chillies - 2 slit lengthwise
16. Curry leaves - 7/8
17. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
18. Salt
19. Water - 3 cups
20. Corriander - 1 cup chopped
    

Directions:

1. Heat the oil and add the cloves, elaichi, bay leaves, star anise, green chillies and curry leaves. Sautee until well fried.
2. Add the onions and sautee until soft, golden brown and well done.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for 1 min.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft.
5. Add the tomato sauce, garam masala, tandoori masala, red chilli powder, kasoori methi, jerra dhania powder and mix well.
6. Cook until the raw taste of the masalas and tomato sauce goes away.
7. Add the water and tamarind paste and cook until you see the oil separate.
8. Add salt if required.
9. Add the fried and slit eggs and mix well. Cover with lid for 10 minutes and allow to cook and steam.
10. Garnish with chopped coriander and enjoy with hot rice.
    

Simple Dinners, Take 2 - Tomato Moong Dal and Cabbage Sabji

I had a lovely and simple dinner last night after a few days of binging on outside food. It feels really good to eat such simple food.

The moong dal was inspired by this recipe from Saffron Trail and I followed it all the way except the dried mint. It was really tasty and very easy to make.

The cabbage curry was very simple too and it was slightly tamilian style.

Ingredients:

1. 5 cups of chopped cabbage
2. Oil - 1 tsp
3. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
4. Dried red chillies - 5
5. Hing - 1/4th tsp
6. Curry leaves - 7/8
7. Chilli powder - 1/4th tsp
8. Salt
   

Directions:

1. Heat oil and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chillies and hing. Fry until you can smell all the aromas.
2. Add the cabbage and stir fry until well cooked.
   
3. Add the salt and red chilli powder and mix well. Heat for 5 mins.
   

Gulla-Malai by Smita-Ram's

Are you baffled with the name? Hehe...I don't blame you. The credit goes to my husband for coming up with the name. This recipe is my dear friend Hetvi's and it is one of the smartest semi-homemade recipes I have come across. The recipe uses canned Haldiram rasgulla's as the rasmalai and the milk is from badam milk mix with some dry fruits thrown in - hence the name. It is fool proof and really easy to make for those challenged in the desert making department. I simply had to try it out after I ate it at my friend's place recently. Needless to say it was a hit with my dinner guests. Thanks Hetvi for the lovely recipe!

Ingredients:

1. Two cans of Haldiram's rasgullas
2. 1/2 gallon fat free or low fat or whole milk
3. Condensed milk - 1/4th can
4. MTR badam milk mix - 3 spoons
5. Slivered almonds, toasted - 3 tbsps
6. Slivered pistachios, toasted - 2 tbsps
7. Saffron strands - 1/4th tsp
   

Directions:

1. Open the rasgulla cans and squeeze all the syrup out of the rasgullas and set aside. Do not use the syrup otherwise it will get very sweet.
2. Heat the half gallon of milk for 30 minutes on low flame until it thickens.
3. Add the badam milk mix and condensed milk and bring the milk to a boil.
4. Add the almonds, pistachios and saffron and stir.
5. Pour over the rasgullas while hot and allow it to come to room temperature before popping in the fridge and your dessert is ready. This tastes even better if you make it the day before as the rasgullas then have enough time to absorb the flavorful milk.
   

Simple dinners and gourmet chocolates...

I am having a pretty eventful Feb, what with our anniversary and Valentine's day and friend's visiting and trip to Napa. Ever since my India trip and all the sickness, I am more and more inclined to very simple dinners during weekdays and I avoid eating out too much. Not sure if these recipes are exciting but they are surely very simple and comforting.


Moong dal:

Ingredients:

1. Two cups moong dal, soaked overnight
2. One small onion, chopped fine
3. One tomato, chopped
4. Oil - 1 tsp
5. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
6. Jeera - 1 tsp
7. Curry leaves - 5
   
8. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
9. Goda masala - 1/2 tsp
10. Salt

Directions:

1. Take a pressure pan and heat the oil. Add the mustard, curry leaves and jeera and let it sputter.
2. Add the onions and tomatoes and sautee until soft.
3. Add the soaked moong dal, chilli powder, goda masala, salt and pressure cook for two whistles.

Pumpkin Sabji:

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups of chopped yellow pumpkin
2. Oil - 1 tsp
3. Green chillies - 4/5 chopped fine
4. Jeera - 1 tsp
5. Salt
   

Directions:

1. HEat the oil in a pan and add the jeera and green chillies.
2. Once the jeera turns dark brown, add the pumpkin and salt and cook until soft. This is a simple yet tasty recipe and goes well with rotis.

We stopped by a place called bittersweet chocolate cafe and it had an amazing variety of chocolates from all over the world. I got my hands on a few, thanks to my hubby's generosity on Valentines day.

I also tasted the best coffee I have had in recent times at the same place and the latte art there just made my day:)



Going forward I will be adding tidbits of my life to each post as the recipe blogging is getting kinda monotonous:)

I ♡ My Food Processor

I love my food processor:)...I have had it for 3 years sitting in my garage and finally I opened it this year (one of my new year resolutions)...It is awesome and cuts my veggies so fine...I mostly use it when I have a lot of veggies to cut and I want them chopped fine or grated like beans, tindora, carrot, cabbage, karela, etc.
Another change I made starting Oct last year is to start making fresh rotis. I have survived the last 5 years on store bought rotis and that wasn't cutting it for me. We would end up eating stale rotis or rotis which had preservatives or just resort to rice if we were out of rotis. I was inspired by my friend Hetvi and I tried my hand at making phulkas and it has been such a welcome change to our eating habits. Phulkas with 0% oil are so healthy and light and a godsend to our digestive system. My hubby is a great help and kneads the dough for me. I tried all the different flours in the market and have decided that Pillsbury is the best. The rotis come out super soft and light. Now when I do this, I cannot imagine why I never did this all these years. Agreed its an additional effort but totally worth it. To all you people who have store bought roti land rotis and parathas, I highly recommend making your own.

Sabudana Vada

Sabudana vada is a delicacy enjoyed during upvas days by Maharashtrians. How we eat sabudana, potatoes, peanuts and still claim it is upvas is beyond my understanding but I love all dishes made on upvas days all the same:). The issue with sabudana is that it really depends on it quality how the dishes turn out. Luckily the one I get works just as well as the one my mom used in India.

Ingredients:

1. Sabudana - 3 cups
2. Green chilies - 8-10
3. Jeera - 4 tsps
4. Roasted peanut powder - 2 cups
5. Potatoes - 2
6. Salt
7. Oil for frying

Directions:

1. Wash the sabudana in water and drain all the water. Leave it overnight with very little water at the bottom of the vessel. Make sure the sabudana is light and fluffed up, otherwise sprinkle some water every few hours until you see it soaked.
2. Boil the potatoes, mash then and add then to the sabudana.
3. Add peanut powder, jeera, salt and green chilli paste and make a dough.
4. Heat the oil in the fryer.
5. Make small patties of the sabudana and deep fry until they turn a little dark. Enjoy with green chutney or ketchup.