MY THIRD AWARD WITH A LUCKY MAGICAL LAMP

This is my Third Award passed by Yasmeen of Healthnut and the lucky magical lamp passed by Indranee of Mistress Spice.

I would like to thank them both for passing these to me on this festive occasion of Diwali. ( I got these on Diwali day but now only updating it). With all your wishes i should grow more in the blogger world. Thanks a lot.

CHOLE MASALA

Usually i prepare chenna masala for puri or chappati or for bread chenna in another
method what my mom taught me. It sounds South Indian taste. My husband doesn't like that one and i learnt this method from web site, a couple of months back (i think its from fat free kitchen or something sorry i could not remember pakka)

It came out well and it was in my draft and long pending. Today i decided to post it along with the Good Job award passed by Yasmeen of Healthnut and the magic Ginnie from Indranee of Mistress Spices.

INGREDIENTS

· Kabuli Chana (Chick Peas), 2 cups
· Onion,1, chopped
· Potato, 1 medium size, steamed and finely chopped
· Tomato, 2 chopped
· Garlic, 5 cloves, finely chopped
· Ginger, 1 inch, finely chopped
· Green chilli,3 chopped
· Coriander, washed , finely chopped 1 cup
· Lime/lemon Juice, 1 tsp
· Canola Oil, 2 Tbsp

SPICES

· Red Chilli Powder,1 tsp
· Coriander Powder, 1 tsp
· Turmeric, 1/2 tsp
· Garam masala, 1 tsp
· Black Pepper, 1/2 tsp
· Mango Powder (Amchur), 1 tsp
· Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp powdered
· Cloves, 2, powdered

PREPARATION

1. Wash chick peas . Soak chick peas in water overnight or min 8 hrs.
2. Pressure Cook chick peas the water till they become soft.
3. Heat a deep skillet and pour oil. When the oil becomes hot, add onion, garlic, ginger and green chilli. Fry for 5-7 minutes. Add all the spices and stir for 3-4 minutes.
4. Transfer the cooked chick peas with water into the skillet.
5. Add potato tomato and lime juice. Cook till 75% of the water evaporates and a thick gravy is formed.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander.
7. Still u don’t get thick gravy, take out some chick peas and ground them and add to the gravy. Allow it to boil for few more mts and garnish.
Serve hot with chappati, roti, puri or take it as a hot bowl snacks.

DIWALI GREETINGS AND A QUENCHING THOUGHT

My Diwali greetings to u all.
In this festive occasion I would like to share something to u which I have received from my cousin brother from Vizag thro e mail. It really touched my heart and made me to think a lot about it.
So I thought of sharing this with all my good and kind hearted blog friends.

It was a sports stadium.

8 Children were standing on the track to participate in the running event.

* Ready! * Steady! * Bang!!!

With the sound of a toy pistol, all the eight participating girls started running.

Hardly had they covered 10 to 15 steps, when one of the youngest girls slipped and fell down,Due to bruises and pain she was crying.

When the other 7 girls heard her, they stopped running, stood for a while and looked back; they all ran back to the fallen girl.

One amongst them bent, picked and kissed the girl gently and enquired,'Now your pain must have reduced, is it ok?'

All the 7 girls lifted this girl, pacified her; 2 of them held the girl firmly, and then all 7 joined hands and walked together and reached the winning post.

Officials were shocked, even as clapping of thousands of spectators filled the stadium.

Many eyes were filled with tears and perhaps it had even reached GOD!

YES, this happened in Hyderabad [ INDIA ], recently!

The sport was conducted by National Institute of Mental Health.

All these special girls had come to participate in this event and they are Spastic children.

Yes, they were mentally retarded and Challenged.

What did they teach this world?

Teamwork?Humanity?Equality among all?????

Successful people help others who are slow in learning so that they are not left far behind.

We can't do this ever, because we have brain!!!!!!!!!

OMA PODI

After so many sweet posting along with Award and festive occasions. our tongue need a change to taste some hot and salty savouries.
My mom came to my house at the right time to feed our need. (That's mother right). Now i started doing my little one's job nagging my mom to do something for us.

She obviously approved my application and started doing my favourite dish oma podi and my husbands favourite of ribbon Pakodas. (will post it later). She is an expert of preparing all types of savouries rahter than sweets. She used to prepare a lot and do varieties at the time of every festive occasion that too especially on Diwali days.

Thank u mom......

let me share the recipe here......

INGREDIENTS

Omam/thymol seeds /ajwain - 15 gms
Gram flour - 3 cups
Rice flour -1 cup
Butter 2 tsp
Table salt - to taste
Oil - for frying

PREPARATION

grind thymol seeds/omam/ajwain with water and keep aside for some time.
Then strain it thro a strainer and now the omam water is ready.
Similarly sieve the rice and gram flours too. Mix the omam water rice flour, gram flour, salt and butter and mix well.
Add water to get a thick paste-like consistency little more pliable than chappathi dough.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Test how hot it is by dropping a pinch of dough into it - if it sinks, the oil hasn't become hot enough.
If the dough springs to the top with bubbles all around it, then the oil is just ready.
Fill the dough in to the omapodi mould and fry golden brown.
Keep flipping the sides till the omapodi is done.
Store in an air tight container.

This recipe goes to EFM Savories series hosted by SriLekha

CHOCOLATE AWARD

Hey .... Its such a big surprise for me to have this Sweet Chocolate Award

from Yasmeen of Health Nut. She has passed me this on a right time of sweet festive Diwali.
Thanks a lot for thinking about me Yasmeen.

BALL BALL BADAM'S

He! He! He!!!....Got confused on seeing the pic and name. Nothing yar its our usual Badam halwa. I have not added any color to it. Its a one natural colored with artificial stones around it. I thought we have not add any color to the sweet why don't we decorate it. The Story of this Jigina work coming below. Then only u can understand the reason of d decoration.

Let me come to the story of the shape and to the name given. While preparing this my little one is nagging me and troubling so much. Not letting me to do it peacefully. something or the other he keep on asking me and adamantly sit on my hip. One hand my kid and my other hand stirring the halwa. jus Imagine the scene how could i manage the both. What I m coming to say is somewhere or other I miss the right stage of making perfect halwa.

I let it cool for seconds, mts and hours to cut them to a particular shape. Hm...hm no way its sticking on to the spoon and couldn't draw a single line on the halwa. I got vexed at one point and decided y always halwas should be in diamond or square shape, is there any unwritten rule for this, we should brake the rule by making balls out of it. Hurreh.... i could easily make balls out of my favourite halwa. Had a big fun time with my halwa story... (I said this to my kids and hubby seriously at bed time they started laughing, the bed time story became comedy tale....)

But here is the correct recipe to make perfect halwa. So don't scared to read and try this. Here u go....

INGREDIENTS

Badam/Almonds 2 cups
Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Ghee 1 sp (without ghee i cant make any sweet )

PREPARATION

Soak badam/Almonds in water for 1 hr. Peal the skin and grind to nice paste.
In a pan add a tsp of ghee and add the paste along with sugar.
Stir continuously till the raw smell of badam goes and the deal become non sticky to the pan.
Transfer the halwa to the plate and cut into desired shapes.
or u can make balls as i did.

Try and let me Know the result. At least i can get satisfied if someone make it perfect.

MY GARDEN FLOWERS

This is my daughter Lakshana's painting. As i said earlier she is very much creative and
interested in hand works, art and craft works. This she has done 3 years before when she was
4.

This painting was placed in an Art Exhibition conducted by Sri Annai Kamakshi Kalai Koodam at LALITH KALA ACADEMY, CHENNAI. In which many of the Celeberities attented the function . Some of them are Mr.S. Natarajan I.A.S., Mr. Madhan -famous Cartoonist, Mrs. Vani Jeyaram -famous Play Back Singer, Mrs. Anuradha Ramanan - Writer.

We all have enjoyed the function and had a chance of meeting them all in one place. Hope u too love this
picture and your word of appreciation, criticism or suggestion are most welcome.

GHEE PODI DOSA

This Dosa is one of the famous item in a Dhaba in T.Nagar, Chennai. We don’t miss this whenever we go to T.nagar for shopping. That too they will serve hot and their sambar is too tasty. We all like this dosa very much.

INGREDIENTS

Boiled Rice(Pullungal arisi/Idli rice) 3 cups
Raw rice 1 cup
Urid Dal 1 cup
Mixed Dal powder 2 tsp(recipe given in Podi varieties)
Ghee

METHOD

Soak both rice and dal together for min 4 hrs.
Grind it to idli/dosa batter. Add salt.
Let it be fermented atleast for six hrs.
Make Dosa in Dosa griddle, spreal ghee on the dosa and sprinkle the dal powder on the top of dosa. Cover it with lid. Let it be roast and cook for few mts.
Fold dosa in to two and serve hot with chutney/sambar/dosa podi.

HOT N SOUR TOMATO SOUP

Since its started winter and raining here, we need something hot to taste along with rusk
or bread toast. So I thought of preparing soup for us. Usually I wont take much risk and work hard in making soups in my kitchen. I had a fear if I try, it wont come as creamy and tasty as in hotels or in ready to cook ones.

Once I have tried using cooked dal along with few vegetables, and added salt and pepper at the last, for my son when he was an year old. Alas nobody liked that one and all my work went in vain. Then i decided no more soup preparations at home. Then we enjoyed them at hotels or from ready cook one.

This method is my incidental finding when i was surfing for something else a month back. I tried and it came out really well and we all enjoyed the hot and sour in the cool evening.

INGREDIENTS

Butter-5 tsp
chopped onion- 1/2 cup
All purpose flour or corn flour - 4 tsp
Milk - 4 cups
Bay leaf- 1/2
Sugar- 1 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
Baking soda 1/2 tsp
Tomatoes, chopped (fresh or canned) - 3 cups

PREPARATION

Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion is softened but not browned.
Sprinkle the flour over the butter mixture and continue to stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Slowly add the milk, bay leaf, sugar, and salt and continue to cook and stir until slightly thickened.
Stir the baking soda into the tomatoes.
Add the tomatoes to the milk, and bring just to a simmer.
Remove from the heat and put through a strainer.
Add pepper powder before serving.
Taste and correct seasonings.
Serve hot.

U tooo enjoy the soup !!!!!!!!.........

MY FIRST AWARD AND 7 FACTS ABOUT ME

Thanks a lot to Mahima for passing me the Award and Kitchen flavours for tagged me.

The rules are:

a) List the rules on the blog

b) Share 7 facts about you

c) Tag 7 other people at the end of the blog

The seven facts about me are as follows (The speciality here is the list was prepared by my Husband!!!......)

1. Very Active and response quickly to any question instantaneously with timing sense.

2. Cannot hide anything on mind and spontaneous ask others without seeing the consequences.

3. Have the great hobby of reading while eating & updating with morals to our children on

occasions.

4. No Jealous but have fire to shine in society..

5. Appropriate judging of person with individual body language.

6. No big dreams and not much affinity towards attractive transformation things.

7. Humorous and cool person. .

I like to tag and Pass the Butterfuly Award to the following bloggers:

The rules of the award are:

Put the logo on your blog.
Add a link to the person who awarded you.
Nominate 10 other blogs.

Vidhya of Appetizing Recipes, VidyaBalaje of Delectable Vegetarian Recipes, Raaji of raaji's kitchen. Vegetable Platter of Dheesha. Vasupradha of MY ART GALLERY, Plantain leaf(AndraRecipes) of Rekha's Kitchen. Usha of Veginspiration.

RICE PAYASAM/ PAL PAYASAM

INGREDIENTS

Raw Rice - 2 tsp
Grated Frseh coconut- 3 tsp
Milk - 4 cups
Sugar - 1 ½ cups
Cardamom, cashew raisins for garnishing.

METHOD

Grind rice with coconut in to a coarse powder along with cardamom.
Add the ground powder in boiled milk till it becomes soft and cooked.
If the deal become too thicken add more boiled milk to make the deal dilute.
U can add condensed milk. It will give more taste to the payasam.
Garnish with fried cashews and raisins.

This is simple and tasty payasam we can make it in mts.

Since i have got Butterfly Award from Mahima of Indian Vegetarian Kitchen.

And Kitchen Flavours (Yummy Food) taged me to write 7 facts about me i jus thought to celebrate the both with this sweet payasam.

MUSHROOM PULAO

I decided to give some gap, at least 3 days for new posting. But my friend Jeyashri asked me to post any mushroom dishes as she is planning to arrange a get-to-gather at her place. So I m posting this stuff especially for her sake.

My daughter and my son both luv mushrooms a lot. The plate will be emptied in mts.

The basic recipe I learnt it from my sis-in-law vidhyaselvam. One fine day she brought me this and we luved it very much.

Then I started preparing and now I made some variations in this pulao. It also came out very well and hope u all too will luv this.

INGREDIENTS:

Mushrooms - 1 pack
tomatoes - 2
Green chilli 2
Turmeric powder pinch
Chilli powder ½ tsp
Onion - 1 medium
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Ginger garlic paste
pulao masala, 2 tsp
Coriander powder
Mint Leaves,(optional)
Coriander leaves
Curd 1-2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil

SPICES USED;

Red chilli - 1
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon small piece
Cardamom - 2

METHOD;

Wash the mushrooms in a Luke warm water and keep aside.
Add 2 tsp of oil to the preheated pan and add all the spices one by one.When jeera starts spluttering, add mint leaves, coriander leaves and fry them for 2 min.
Add chopped onions, tomato, ginger-garlic paste and green chilli. Saute for few mts.
Add pulao masala, coriander powder, salt(acc to yr spice levels) and a pinch of turmeric.
When onions turn golden brown, add mushrooms, and close with lid.Let the mushrooms cook in its own water (if necessary add little quantity of water). When mushrooms gets half cooked, add curd and stir it well. Then add 4 cups of water. When water starts boiling add 2 cups of rice and pressure cook it.Serve with any spiced curry or any raitha...

PALADA PAYASAM

This is one of the famous sweet dish of Kerala. I dono the recipe I have given is exactly match to the original one.

My husband’s Keralite friend was inviting us for lunch on last year Onam. We had a nice time and delicious dishes of Kerala there. This was also one the item they served us. I learnt this from them only.

Then I totally had forgotten to try this. Oh! a year over, this year also they have invited but we could not go there as my husband was held up in some other work that day and we missed the delish dishes. Then I thought to prepare at least this payasam on this Onam day.

I could not remember the exact recipe; I think she used coconut milk instead. I imprecisely made some changes and this also turned so good and we liked it.. Now waiting for yr comments on this moderated recipe. Hope I get sooooooooon……

INGREDIENTS

Rice flakes 1/2 cup
Milk –5 cups
Sugar 2 cups
Sweetened Condensed milk - 3 tsp
Cashew,raisins for garnishing .

METHOD

Cook the rice flakes in 2 cups of milk until it get soft.
Add remaining milk and bring to boil .Keep boiling in low flame til the milk reduces to 2/3 rd.
Add condensed milk and sugar (reduce or add the quantity according to yr taste). Let it boil for 10 mts.
Now u can have the thicken consistency of payasam.
Fry cashews and raisins in little ghee and garnish the payasam.

RED SUBJI

Hey again black eyed peas within short span of time. Started thinking am i cultivating in my garden!!!!.... No baba .... The same day I prepared both dishes. Since my sundal try was first time and I dind'nt want to take much risk as it was my trial and error, I have taken half part to sundal and remaining to this gravy for our dinner.

Its also turned very good and accompanies chappati well.

U can use any cereal for this gravy like peas, sprouts, chenna etc etc. Method is same only. Here u go and enjoy...........

INGREDIENTS
Black eyed peas/Karamani - 2 cups
Onion 2
Tomato 2
Green chilli 1
Sambar powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder
Garam masala ½ tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Rice flour 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil and mustard for seasoning.
Curry and coriander leaves for garnishing.

PREPARATION
· Soak black eyed peas/karamani for 8 hrs. cook and keep aside.
· Finely cut onion, tomato, green chilli.
· In a pan season mustard and add green chilli, onion and tomato one by one.
· Saute till it done. Add turmeric, chilli powder, salt and garam masala.
· Stir for few seconds. Add black eyed peas/ karamani with the water.
· Cook for few seconds add sambar powder.
· To thicken the deal, mix rice flour with water and add into that.
· Let it boil for 5 to 8 mts till the raw smell goes and aroma of masala spreads.
· Garnish with curry and coriander leaves.

LOVELY PURIES

Hi all.... No Recipe, No Ingredients and No Method.....
Jus my daughter want to click something and she selected these puries given for her snacks.
She only has arranged in her lunch box lid and taken the photo. Given the name too.....
Oh I m scared! blogging competition starts from my house itself Ha! Ha! Ha!......

EGG - BREAD TOAST

INGREDIENTS

Sandwich bread slices-2
Egg 1
Salt to taste
Turmeric a pinch
Cumin and pepper powder less than ¼ tsp
Finely chopped onion 2 tsp
Garam masala a pinch (optional)
Oil or ghee to toast

METHOD

Beat the egg in egg beater along with all ingredients but for the onion and bread slices.

Keep this in a plate or flat container so that we can soak the bread easily.

Cut the brown edges of the bread and make it as triangular shape or make the shape as desired.
Heat the dosa griddle or tawa greased with little ghee.

Soak each slice, one by one both sides and place it on the heated griddle/tawa.

Spread some ghee or oil around and sprinkle chopped onion press gently so that it will stick on to the bread.

Turn next side slowly when it becomes golden brown and toast this side too using little ghee or oil.

U can have this with chilli or tomato sauce.

This I learnt from my friend vidhya, a long back. I slightly made some changes in the original recipe. My daughter love this very much.

YUMMY GREENY SUNDAL

This is my second entry as same as in my previous Chenna sundal recipe. I used coriander leaves instead of mint leaves. Thats it. It also sounds good in taste. We all like this sundal.

I dono the exact English name or the name i given Rajma of the cereal i used is correct or not. In Tamil we call it as Karamani.

INGREDIENTS
Black eyed peas / karamani 2 cups
Grated Coconut ½ cup
Green chilli 2
coriander leaves ½ bunch
Ginger ½ inch
Salt to taste
Oil and mustard for seasoning

METHOD
Soak Black eyed peas /karamani over night or abt 8hrs minimum.
Pressure cook and keep aside.

Grind coriander leaves, ginger, green chilli and coconut.

In a pan pop up mustard seeds and add seasoning dals.
Saute for some time add little water and add Black eyed peas /karamani.

Allow to boil for few mts till aroma spreads around.

THREE IN ONE JUICE

INGREDIENTS

Pine apple 1

Sweet lime 1

Lemon 1

Sugar 1 or 1 ½ cup

Salt very little pinch

METHOD

Cut the pine apple in to small pieces beat them in the juicer or mixer.

Beat some ice cubes along with the fruits.

Add lemon and sweet lime juice in it.

Run the juicer for few more mts.

Add sugar and salt.

Serve chill.

It is one of my husband’s favorite juice. We can get this in all juice shops in Chennai.

MINT CHENNA SUNDAL

I usually make sundal for sarawathi pooja celebrations in our concern every year. Jus want to change the routine one black chenna with seasoning added coconut. I have two bunches of mint leaves lying in my my fridge. Then I suddenly thought an idea of this new combo. This I tried first time and worked out well. I dono this one is already in some others recipe list. But I have not heard or tasted the sundal so far anywhere. So that I can say its my own style.I shared this with my family and neighbours and given to office for Saraswathi pooja.. All our staff members appreciated for this new try and for its taste. wanna eager to know Here u go……..

INGREDIENTS

Black chenna 2 cups
Grated Coconut ½ cup
Green chilli 2
Mint leaves ½ bunch
Ginger ½ inch
Salt to taste
Oil and mustard for seasoning
Curry leaves for garnishing

METHOD

Soak chenna over night or abt 8hrs minimum.
Pressure cook and keep aside.
Fry the mint leaves in very little oil for few mts.
Grind along with ginger, green chilli and coconut.
In a pan season the seasoning items and adds the paste.
Fry for some mts add little water or add chenna with water .
Let it boil for some mts till the flavor of the paste mixes well with the chenna.
Garnish with curry leaves.
Now the tasty mint sundal is ready to eat.

As every one knows very well chick peas/chenna are rich in protein. During pregnancy these vitamins and minerals are very essential for both child and mom. Here some of other nutritious values in it.

Chickpeas 1 cup contains

Calories: 286 Protein: 11.8g, Carbohydrate: 54.3g, Total Fat: 2.7g, Fiber: 10.5g

Excellent source of: Folate Vitamin B6 1.13mg, Vitamin C 9mg, and Zinc-2.54mg

Sending this recipe to Eat Healthy - During Pregnancy Event hosted by Sangeeth

RED ORANGEE ROTI

My friend Jeayashri in Singapore insis me to post the varieties of chapatis as she is doin regularly for dinner. Especially for her ( and to increase my blog stuffs?!...) I started adding chapaties in my diet. Thanks to jeyashri.

INGREDIENTS

wheat flour 2 cups

salt to taste

oil to grease

finely grated beet root and carrot 1/2 cup each

coriander seed powder

cumin powder

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients and make a dough. Keep for 2 hrs.

Make chapatis in your own style.

My kids like this very much and my daughter named this Red ornagee Roti since it reflects the carrot and beetroot color in it..( i could not catch the same color in the photo).

SPICY CHAPPATI

INGREDIENTS

Wheat flour 2 cups
Salt to taste
Cumin powder ¼ tsp
Garam masala ½ tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Oil

METHOD

Add water, salt , garam masala, cumin powder, turmeric to wheat flour. Make a dough.

Apply oil to the dough and keep for around 1hr.

Make chapatti as usual method and serve with any gravy or kuruma.

One fine evening Jus had a thought of making chapatti in diff way to attract my kids especially my daughter. Usual one became bore for them and they need it in diff way in diff name. It’s my daughter’s passion to have anything possess a different name. My son always a lover chapatti and have without giving any trouble to me. This is very simple and easy one as similar as normal chapatti. Purposefully added some extra item to give flavor and taste mainly naming it to grab my kids attraction.

PASTA PULAO

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice 1 cup
Onion 2
Tomato 3
Carrot 2
Green chilli 2
Cooked pasta ½ cup
Pulao masala 1 sp
Ginger garlic paste ¼ sp
Ani seeds ½ tsp
Cinnamon 1 inch
Thick Coconut milk 1 cup
Turmeric powder pinch
Salt to taste

METHOD

· Wash and soak the Basmati rice for 20 mts.

· Cook the rice and keep aside.

· Pour little oil in water and cook pasta till it turn soft.

· Wash the pastas in running cool water as it ll not be sticky. Keep aside.

· Cut all fore mentioned vegetables in length wise thin slices.

· In a kadai pour little oil and ghee, add ani seeds, cinnamon fry till it turns
golden brown.

· Add chilli and onion fry till it translucent then add tomatoes. Stir for some
time.

· Add salt, turmeric and pulao masala and chilli powder.

· Saute until oil leaves and raw smell goes off.

· Add coconut milk and allow to boil. Add pastas and cook for few mts.

· Add cooked rice and mix it gently.

· Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with any type of gravy or raitha.

My daughter prefers variety in her lunch box. So that she ll have fully and feel proud to share with her friends. At least twice in a week i used to give her these rice items. This is one of her favourite pulao.