Broccoli Stir Fry for CCC

Happy New Year everyone...

I am back after yet another long hiatus. Hopefully, no more long breaks (no promises there).

I had bought this Vegetarian 100 everyday recipes in UK almost 8 years ago. Never made anything out of it then, although I had bookmarked quiet a few then itself. Infact, I had even got all the ingredients for a few recipes, but never got around to making anything out of this book.

This is a simple recipe I tried out from this book recently. V, my older one likes broccoli. My younger one, not so much. But he liked this dish. I gave this as a side dish for the Carrot Soup (which I'll blog about later).

This recipe is a typical English / Chinese recipe. But I added a bit of "Indian" touch to it by adding Onions and omitting the sugar. But I will mention the amount of sugar given in the recipe and when its supposed to be used.

Ingredients
250 gms Brocolli - cut into bite size pieces (I used the stem also)
1 medium Onion - finely chopped
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Corn Flour
1.5 tsp Caster Sugar(I didn't use)
1 tsp grated Ginger
3 Garlic Cloves - Finely Chopped
A pinch of red Chilli flakes
10 Curry Leaves
2 tbsp Oil

Method

1. Blanch the Borcolli for 5 mins in boiling water.
2. In a bowl, mix the Soy Sauce, Corn Flour, Caster Sugar (if using).
3. Heat a wok and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the grated ginger and chopped garlic and stir it around for a minute.
4. Now add the Onions and Stir Fry till they change colour.
5. Add in the broccoli and the Soy Sauce mixture and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Remove into a bowl and sprinkle Red Chilli Flakes and serve as a side dish. Avoid Chilli Flakes for kids.

Note: There's no need to add salt as the Soy Sauce has enough salt.

This goes to Cooking from Cookbook Chanllenge - Week 2 of January

Coconut Rice

It was exam week. I know, I know. My older one is still in the 2nd grade. Not that these exams are important for his promotion to the third grade - this school has year long assessments which are counted for the promotion. But exams are exams. And as a parent, my tension literally hit the roof. I was never so tensed for my own exams. Be it board or competitive. I dread to think what the future holds when he has to give his boards.

We consciously didn't opt for the schools where there are no exams till 4th or 5th grade. The kids need to understand the concept of exams from an early age; though that is not the sole criteria for promotion. This is our personal opinion.

Enough of my opinions now. This recipe was printed in Hyderabad Times during Sankranti time. I had cut this and kept it in my folder. We hardly use coconut in our cuisine. So this was a completely new recipe for me to try. Its extremely easy, quick-to-make and use up that left over rice. We had this on its own, but I think it's best served with a spicy non-veg curry.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice - ensure the grains are separate
1 cup Fresh Grated Coconut

For seasoning:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 TBSP Chana Dal
2 tsp Urad Dal
2 Dry Red Chillies 1 Green Chilli - Split in half
15 Curry Leaves
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 Pinch Asafoetida
8 to 10 Cashew Nuts
1 TBSP Oil / Ghee
Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add Mustard Seeds and let them splutter.
2. Now add Cumin Seeds and let them crackle.
3. Add the Chana Dal, Urad Dal and Dry Red Chillies and wait till the Dals start to change colour.
4. Add the Ginger Paste, Asafoetida, Green Chilli, Curry Leaves and Cashew Nuts.
5. Saute till the Cashew Nuts turn brown.
6. Now add the Grated Coconut and fry for a few minutes.
7. Add salt and mix well.
8. Now add rice and mix well.
9. Serve hot on its own or with some spicy curry.

This goes to March - Week 4 of Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.

Dal aur Gajar ka shorba / Lentil and carrot soup

Warm, hearty soups. Who doesn't love them in winter? Accompanied by dinner rolls. Hmmm... Though we hardly had winter in Hyderabad this year, me and my family enjoyed this healthy soup regularly.

I saw this soup on Sanjeev Kapoor's How to Cook show. It was something totally different and I knew I had to try it out. This was a hit and I was making this regularly. Its been very hot recently, so I haven't been making this much. But I am sure I'll make it again in the recent future.

Ingredients
1 cup Toor Dal - Washed, Soaked and Drained
1/4 cup Mung Dal(with husk) - Washed, Soaked and Drained
3 Carrots - Roughly Chopped
10 Garlic Cloves
Juice of half of a lemon
2 cups Water
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to Taste
Chopped Coriander for Garnish

Dry Roast and Grind to a coarse powder.
1 tsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
6 - 8 Peppercorns
2 - 3 Dry Red Chillies

Method

1. In a pressure cooker, heat oil.
2. Add the carrots, Toor Dal, Mung Dal,Garlic Cloves and water and pressure cook till done (about 4 whistles).
3. Once the pressure is released, add the ground masala powder and salt and mix well.
4. Add water as needed and puree to a smooth paste.
5. Add lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander and serve.

Note: I garnish with a pinch of the ground masala instead of coriander leaves.

This goes to Week 4 of Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.

Oats Uttappam

Wherever I see, everyone is trying to move away from the traditional dosa & idli. They are getting more health conscious and want to incorporate millets into their daily routine. Given the health benefits of the various millets, its the right way to go as well. But I am sure a few still want their rice now and then (if not daily).

I for one, don't miss rice too much. I can go without rice for 1 or 2 weeks. I guess I like rice with my pachadi (chutney), my mother's Gutti Vankaya Koora (Stuffed brinjal curry) and a few curries. Other than that, I am OK with eating Godhuma Rava(Dalia), Foxtail Millet (Korralu in Telugu and Theenai in Tamil) or oats instead of rice everyday. And when I eat rice, its not the brown rice. That's something I still need to get used to. We have shifted to semi polished rice from polished rice. So even we are moving towards the healthy band wagon.

The recipe today is an ideal breakfast recipe. You can prepare and soak everything overnight. Just grate the carrots and mix in other vegetables of your choice in the morning and make the Uttappams. A healthy, tasty and filling breakfast is ready. Since oats are full of fiber, your stomach feels full for a longer time, thus making you snack less.

I actually made this as an after school snack for my sons. I used left over batter to make Uttappams for me and my husband the next morning.

Ingredients:

1 cup Quick Cooking Oats
1/2 Cup Semolina / Suji
1 cup Curd
1 Carrot - grated
Water as needed
Salt to taste
Oil / Ghee as needed

Method

1. Mix the Oats, Semolina and Curd and grind it to a smooth paste. Add a little water if needed.
2. Keep this aside for atleast 1/2 an hour. If possible, for more. I kept this for almost 5 hours.
3. Just before making the Uttappams, mix the grated carrot and water to get it to a thick consistency. Something like cake batter.
4. Heat a non stick pan. I took a 6 inch diameter pan.
5. Add a tiny bit of oil / ghee. Add 1 to 1.5 ladles of the batter and spread it. The Uttappam should be about 1/2 an inch thick.
6. Cover the pan and let it cook for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side.
7. Serve hot with chutney of choice or as is. We ate it without chutney and it was tasty.

Note: You can add more vegetables like Onions, Tomatoes, Green Chillies etc. This is dependent on your taste.

This goes to Valli's Come, join us for Breakfast - February

Paneer Tyres for CCC

Well... I've just been extremely busy with my daily chores to get back to blogging. You know, sometimes the time just flies and you don't know where its gone. That's what's happening with me now.

My second grader is a very poor eater. I wouldn't call him picky as he'll eat anything and everything if he feels like eating. Now the problem is, he doesn't feel like eating most of the time. So his after school snacks were only fruits. 1/2 an apple, 1 orange, 1/2 of a big banana and a mug of milk.

Recently, I started giving him a freshly prepared snack after school. He actually started eating it along with fruits. He's enjoying the snacks as well. Recently, I made these Paneer Tyres from Nita Mehta's "Healthy Snacks for School going children" and he liked them. Its healthy, quick to make and tasty.

Ingredients:
2 Brown Bread Slices
1 tsp melted butter
For Filling:
50gms Paneer - grated
3 tbsp Grated Carrot
Salt, Pepper, Cumin Powder to taste

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients under the heading "For Filling".
2. Roll out the bread slices flat with a rolling pin
3. Place a bit of filling on one side of the bread and carefully roll it.
4. You can cut each bread slice into 2 pieces. That's what I did.
5. Repeat and make the other roll as well.
6. Cover the rolls with a wet cloth for atleast 15 minutes.
7. Preheat the grill for 5 minutes.
8. Brush the melted butter on the rolls and grill them till needed. I didn't let my rolls turn too crispy as my 2 year old doesn't like it.
9. Serve with ketchup.

Note 1: The original recipe had finely chopped capsicum and tomato ketchup also for filling. I avoided these.

Note 2: The fillings can be different as long as they are dry. I am thinking of kheema filling next time.

Note 3: These can be cut into 4 pieces instead of 2 and used as appetizers for parties.

This goes to Week 3 of Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.

Alu - Shimla Mirch Subzi / Potato - Capsicum Curry for CCC

I hate capsicum. I really hate it. Then why did I make this dish, you might ask. For my older one. You see, he's eating new vegetables at school during his lunch. So he comes back and asks me to make that vegetable.

I had been avoiding making this dish for a long time now. I know I was being a bad mother. But I really hate capsicum to that extent. But one fine day, my husband got the vegetable and insisted I make it. I wasn't left with much of a choice then.

My pinni (mother's sister - my usual source of recipes) had given me this recipe when I was in Scotland. She wanted me to make it for Preetham. But I could never get myself to make it. Finally I made it.

I can't say I liked it. But my husband and my son liked it. Infact, I made it twice within a week and it was polished. So I guess it wasn't bad. :)

Ingredients:
1 medium Capsicum / Green Pepper - cubed
2 medium Potatoes - chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 medium Onion - chopped
1 medium Tomato - chopped
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tbsp Oil
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat Oil in a pan. When oil is hot, add the Cumin Seeds and let them sizzle.
2. Now add the Onions and cook till they change colour.
3. Add the Ginger Garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
4. Stir in the Tomatoes, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Chilli Powder and Salt and cook till the tomatoes are soft.
5. Now add the Potatoes, Capsicum and half cup water. Mix well and pressure cook for 1 whistle.
6. Once the pressure goes down, remove and serve hot with rice / rotis.

This joins the May Week 4 Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.

Palaaku Annam / Spinach Rice for CCC

Hello Guys...

I am finally back in the food blogging world and hopefully will remain here (atleast for some time). We are settled in our new apartment with the usual hiccups now and then. I've been cooking lately and have been enjoying doing so. Especially when the food is appreciated and the dish is emptied.

One such dish is Spinach Rice. A simple rice dish which my mother and aunt eat when they fast. They make it with vegetables and avoid the onion, ginger and garlic.

Since we make it as a non fasting meal, they tweaked the recipe and told me this. Both my older and younger son like it. Its healthy, filling and easy to make. Only thing is, I used less spinach when I made this. Next time, I'll use double the quantity of spinach I used this time. I can foresee myself making this very often.

Ingredients

4 bunches  Spinach - washed well and chopped
1 cup Rice - washed and soaked in water for about 30 mins
1 Onion - chopped
2 Green Chilli - slit length wise
1 Tomato - chopped
8 to 10 Peppercorns - can be used whole or crushed
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tsp Garlic Paste
2 tbsp Oil
1.5 cups water

Method

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Once its hot, add the Cumin Seeds and let them crackle.
2. Now add the Onions and Green Chilli and fry till the onions are translucent.
3. Add the Ginger and Garlic Pastes and fry till the raw smell goes.
4. Now add the Tomatoes and Peppercorns and cook till the tomatoes are soft.
5. Add the Spinach and fry till it starts to wilt.
6. Then add the rice and fry for 5 mins.
7. Now add the 1.5 cups of water and bring to boil.
8. Then mix well, cover and cook for 1 whistle.
9. Serve hot with Raita or on its own.

Note: I used Sona Masoori Rice. If using Basmati Rice, you might have to increase the water to 2 cups.

This joins the May Week 3 Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.

After a loooooong break...

Its been a while... Quiet a while actually. :). Lots n lots has happened in the past couple of years. Mostly good though.

We moved back to India in August 2012 with our then 3 (almost 4) year old. He's now 6 and has 1 year old brother. I haven't been cooking since I moved back as we had a full time cook at my in-laws house. We moved into our apartment about a month back and are a nuclear family again now. I do have help in the house so I haven't got back to full fledged cooking for now. But I am slowly getting back to it.

Have I missed blogging, do you ask? Well... Not a lot I would say. I guess I was too busy with the children to think about it. Between the older one joining "big school" (his words, not mine. He's in first grade.) and the younger one and moving home, I hardly had time for myself. I am still doing up the house and putting everything in its place. I think it might take a bit more time for me to fully settle.

But have I missed cooking and trying out new recipes??? YES!!! Good thing I was not going through all the blogs I have been following. I would've felt very bad if I didn't try out so many tempting recipes...

Now that I've seen all your yummy and tasty blogs again, I so badly want to start cooking and blogging. Hopefully, I'll get back to full time cooking AND blogging quiet soon. How soon? Only time will tell.

Until then, c ya...

Garlic-Coriander Pull Apart Rolls for Blog Hop

Well... I have to admit. I almost missed this Blog Hop due to various reasons. I really liked Renuka's blog - with whom I am paired for this month. I just didn't have the time to do anything.

Then yesterday (Tuesday), I got back from work and decided to make Garlic Pull Apart rolls. It was really nice but I will be adding more filling into it next time and maybe go easy on the flour.

I loved a few pasta dishes from her blog that I have bookmarked and will definitely make them soon. Also note that I have written this post in a hurry. So it has very less write up.

Ingredients


For the Dough
2 Cups Plain Flour
1.5 tsp Dry Active Yeast
0.5 Cup Warm Water
1 tsp Sugar
3 - 4 tsp Oil
0.5 tsp Salt


For the Filling
3 tbsp Salted Butter
5 Big Garlic Cloves - grated / minced
2 handfuls Chopped Coriander
Chilli Flakes to taste (optional)

Method

1. Activate the yeast by  mixing it with water and sugar and leaving it in a warm place till it froths.
2. Mix the Flour and Salt and make a well in between.
3. Now add the Yeast & water mixture and knead into a dough adding oil in the process.
4. Leave the dough to double in quantity.
5. In the meantime, mix all the ingredients for the filling and keep it a side.
6. When the dough has doubled up, punch it down and give it another knead.
7. Divide this into 2 equal parts and roll each part separately to a thin layer.
8. Now spread the filling on each part and roll it up like a swiss roll.
9. Cut it into the desired size and bake it in a pre heated oven at 180^oC for 25 to 30 mins.
10. Serve Hot.

This goes to the following events:

Radhika's Blog Hop Wednesdays #18
Kalyani's Magic Mingle #6
Radhika's I Love Baking

Rajma / Red Kidney Beans Masala

Do any of you have Whatsapp on your smart phones? It is an instant messenger available on almost all the Operating Systems(OS) of the smart phones. You need to pay for some OSes and its free on some OSes. I am in love with this app as this allows me to stay in touch with my friends & cousins who are scattered in different parts of the world.

Its like texting - only, this uses wi-fi / 3g to send & receive messages. You can stay in touch through email & phone as well. But I feel this is very convenient as its with me all the time.

I have never bought apps till date. I have an Android phone and this app is free for a year on Android. So this July / August when this app expires, this will be the first app I'll be buying. I personally feel its totally worth it and I would recommend this to anyone and everyone.

OK. Why am I going on and on about this app when the title of the post is Rajma Masala? I got this recipe from my friend over Whatsapp. She's a very dear friend of mine. I lost touch once she moved to Delhi. There would be an odd email now and then (most of the time it was from her) but that was it.

Then I asked her if she has Whatsapp and she replied "Yes". I am in constant touch with her ever since and she gave me this recipe when I wanted a simple Rajma dish. I made this before my in-laws visited us and all of us liked it a lot. Thanks Pia for this wonderful recipe.

Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients
1 cup Dry Rajma / Red Kidney Beans - soaked over night
1 Onion - finely chopped
3 Tomatoes - finely chopped
1 Green Chilli - finely chopped
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Shahjeera / Caraway Seeds
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
3 cups Water
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to Taste
Chopped Coriander Leaves to garnish

Method

1. Heat Oil in a pressure cooker. When hot, add the Shahjeera / caraway seeds and let them sizzle.
2. Now add the Onions and Chilli and fry till golden brown.
3. Next add the Ginger & Garlic pastes and fry till the raw smell goes.
4. Add the Salt, Turmeric Powder and Coriander Powder and fry for a few seconds.
5. Now add the Tomatoes and fry till the masala comes together.
6. Add the Rajma and mix well.
7. Add 1 cup water and cook covered (without the pressure / whistle) for about 10 minutes.
8. Now add the other 2 cups of water and cook (with pressure / whistle) till tender. (It took about 3 whistles).
9. Let the pressure go down, open and boil till desired consistency.
10. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice / roti.

This goes to the following events:
 MLLA#47 started by Susan and guest hosted by Priya.
Show me your HITS started by Sangee and guest hosted by Julie.

 

Pudhina Paneer Pulao / Mint Cottage Cheese Pulao

Kalyani hosts Magic Mingle every month. The concept seems very simple. She chooses 2 magic ingredients every month and posts them on her blog on the 5^th of every month. We need to prepare a dish using both the ingredients (as main ingredients - not as garnishing or tempering) and post it on our respective blogs by the 15^th of the same month.

Quiet simple you might think; just as I thought when I joined the event. The combinations she has chosen so far are totally new to me. Thinking about the dishes I can make with the combination has been pushing me out of my comfort zone. I am glad I joined this event as all the dishes I have made till date have been appreciated by P.

This month's dish was no exception. Mint and Paneer were the Magic Ingredients. A completely new combination for me. As Paneer was one of the main ingredients, I thought I'll make an Indian dish and settled on pulao. P liked it the moment he took his first bite. I have learnt that the addition of mint to a simple pulao can completely change its taste and give a more biryani like flavour. Well, this is not biryani in the true sense; its still pulao.

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients
1.5 cups Basmati Rice - washed thoughly and soaked for atleast 20 minutes
1 cup packed Mint Leaves - washed
200 gms Paneer - chopped into 1 cm cubes
2 Green Chillies
1 Onion - chopped
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Shahjeera / Caraway Seeds
1 Bay Leaf
2 Green Cardamoms
2 Cloves
1 inch piece Cinnamon
2 tbsp Oil
3 cups water + a little bit more to puree if needed
Salt to taste

Method

1. Puree the Mint Leaves and Green Chillies to an almost smooth paste adding little water if necessary.
2. Heat the Oil in a pan. When hot, add the Bay Leaf, Green Cardamoms, Cloves and Cinnamon and fry for about half a minute.
3. Add the Shahjeera and let it sizzle.
4. Now add the Onion and let it turn transparent.
5. Add the Ginger and Garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
6. Add the Mint - Chilli paste and fry for a few minutes till the raw smell goes.
7. Add the Paneer and fry for 3 - 4 minutes.
8. Drain the rice and add it to the pan and fry for 5 minutes.
9. Add 3 cups water and bring to boil.
10. Cover and cook till rice is done.
11. Serve hot with Raita or plain curd / yoghurt.

This goes to Kalyani's Magic Mingle #5 - Mint & Cottage Cheese

Microwave Chivda for Bloghop

When Radhika sent a mail with this month's Blog Hop pairs, I was really pressed for time. I wasn't even sure if I could make something in time from Nayna’s blog. Though I loved most of her recipes, due to time constraints, I chose her Microwave Chivda. It looked very easy to prepare. And I wasn't wrong in my judgement.

I usually use the microwave to boil the potatoes, beetroot and heat up stuff. This was the first ever complete "dish" I prepared in the microwave. Due to this, I couldn't judge my microwave properly and my peanuts were still a bit "kacha" (raw). But I know my mistake now and will adjust the time / method next time. I will update this post then.

I omitted the chillies as I didn't want V to bite into a chilli seed. I added only peanuts as I didn't have the roasted almonds and cashews in my pantry. The end result of the whole dish was very tasty. Its also a healthy, nutritious and low fat snack thats perfect with alcoholic / non-alcoholic drinks and also with your evening cuppa.

Ingredients
250 gms Thin Poha (Beaten Rice)
1 tbsp Roasted Chana Dal
3 tbsp Peanuts
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Chilli Powder
10 Curry Leaves
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method

1. Place the Poha in a shallow microwave dish and microwave for 3 minutes, stirring thrice in between. By the end, the poha should be crisp to bite into.
2. Transfer this into a large bowl.
3. In the same dish, mix the Peanuts with 1 tsp Oil and microwave for 5 minutes, stirring 3 - 4 times in between. The peanuts should be crunchy to bite.
4. Now add the Roasted Chana Dal, mix and microwave for another 3 minutes, stirring 3 - 4 times.
5. Transfer this to the bowl with Poha and mix well.
6. In another microwave dish, add the 1 tbsp Oil and Mustard Seeds and microwave for 2 minutes stirring once in between.
7. Now add the Curry Leaves to this, mix and microwave for another minute.
8. Add the tempering, Turmeric Powder and Chilli Powder to the bowl with Poha and mix well.
9. Store in an air tight container and enjoy with a hot cuppa.

Note: I used my microwave at 800W to prepare this.

This goes to Blog Hop Wednesdays - Week 17

Blueberry Smoothie

Its May and summer still feels quiet far away. The weather department is predicting this month to be the coldest May in 100 years. I can see why. Usually, the trees start shooting young leaves by mid April. There are no signs of the young leaves till date - atleast on most of the trees.

We've had 2 weeks of beautiful sunshine in March. I hope that's not the end of winter for this year. I agree the days are getting longer - which is the only sign of Spring / Summer. But with the temperatures still in single digits on most days, I just don’t see any sign of Summer.

I love Summer for various reasons; the weather being the main reason - quiet obvious isn't it? One of the other reasons is that we get different kind of berries. I love the berries for their "tanginess". I remember getting Strawberries in Hyderabad used to be so tough. It was almost treated like a delicacy.

When I came to UK, I was amazed at the different kind of berries available. I tried out all the varieties and liked all of them. Overtime, I stuck to Strawberries and Blueberries. I bought a box of Blueberries from Costco about 10 days back and left it in the fridge. I was too busy with so many other things (which definitely didn’t involve the blog as you can see), I didn't eat them.

Yesterday, I decided its time to use them up before they spoil. So I made this Blueberry Smoothie which was really yummy. It gets done in a jiffy and its soooo tasty. I am sure you can add other fruits to make it more healthy – but because my aim was to finish the blueberries, I didn't add any other fruits.

Serves: 2

Ingredients
2 cups Blueberries - washed
250 ml Curd - beaten
2 tbsp Honey – to taste
Water / Milk for consistency

Method

1. Take all the ingredients except water / milk in a blender and blend to a creamy consistency.
2. Add water / milk and blend to get the desired consistency
3. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

This goes to the following events:
Srivalli's Kids Delight guest hosted by Nupur
Radhika's Lets Cook #15 - Fruits
Sumee's Bon Vivant #4 – Fruits
Chandrani's Spotlight – Fruits