Unripe Meets the Ripe One's

Colour of Tomatoes always attracts me. Here they meet the unripe one's for Click Natural.

Last Sunday i tasted this Green Tomato Dal in Anjappar Restaurant nearby. So it tempted me a lot to try so fast. here the recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Chana Dal-1/4 cup
2. Green Tomatoes-4
3. Red chilli-3
4. Onion-1
5. Salt
6. Turmeric powder

Method:

Pressure Cook the Chana Dall for upto 4 whistles and keep it aside. now in a kadai, heat a spoon of oil, add mustard, curry leaves and dry red chilli's. on frying it, add sliced onions and fry well. now add the pieces of green tomatoes and fry, add salt and saute for a minute. now add the boiled chana dall and mix well. add a cup of water and let the green tomatoes to get cooked. add little salt and turmeric powder and mix well. after they are cooked, garnish it with corriander leaves and serve hot with rice.

The light tangy flavour of these unripe tomatoes certainly tasted well along with chana dall.

do give a try if you are looking for a change in taste.

Cooking as a part of Summer Event For Kid's

It has been long since i wrote a post. It's because we were all affected by Flu. And before the Flu, i was busy in organising summer Event's at our apartment among our apartment kid's. It was really fun in organising those events for those budding one's. They are all so intrested in cooking..so as a part of the event, we celebrate tuesday's as Treat Tuesday's. Kid's will be helping me in cooking and we all eat it togeather. so iam just going back to my chidhood by these event's.

So Far we have tried
1.Chinese Style Idly Upma
2.Paneer Cheese Sandwitch
3.Rava Poli
4.Butter Milk

Iam Just Sharing the Rava Poli Recipe Here.

Required Items for Rava Kesari(Stuffing):
1. Rava- 1 Cup
2. Sugar- 1 Cup
3. Ghee- 1/4 Cup
4. Water- 1 1/4 cup

Ghee roasted Chashew pieces and Raisins.

Required Items for Poli:
1. Maida- 1 CUP
2. Atta- 1/4 cup
3. Salt- a pinch

Knead the dough with hot water and a spoon of oil and keep it seperate. Prepare rava kesari in your own way. i roasted the rava and i added sugar and hot boiling water to the rava and i mixed well. now make a thick basket like shape out of the kneaded dough and place the rava kesari ball's. place fried cashew's and raisin's before placing rava kesari and also above the rava kesari. close the basket and roll it as we do for paratha's. fry it in hot pan. use ghee to fry.

Kid's thouroughly enjoyed preparing these..what happened is..they started to finish the rava kesari very fast..i could only save a little for the stuffing:)

the cashews and raisins certainly add up the taste. this poli can be prepared within 15 minutes. so ideal for sudden guests. try it and let me know.

Rasmalaai

Iam here sending this Sweet Cottage Cheese Ball's Swimming in Milk to the Click Contest. If i have to choose one dish, in which iam master, i will choose this. So far i have prepared this Sweet Cottage Cheese Ball's 7 to 8 time's, and all my apartment friends have tasted it and appreciated it. My Blogging Friend's have also tasted these sweet cottage cheese ball's in sugar syrup and appreciated me. This dish always remain close to me. This was also featured in foodie view's Recipe Roundup: Delightful Dessert's by Meeta.

Here Comes the Recipe..

Ingredients:

Milk - 3 litres ( 2 litres for making paneer and 1 litre for making Rasa/Milk syrup.)

Vinegar- 3 tbsp's

Water-5 cup's

Sugar- 16 tbsp's( 8 for Sugar Syrup and 8 for Rasa/Milk Syrup)

Saffron- 8 pieces

Pista-10 finely chopped

Maida flour- 1tsp

Cardamon-2 (crushed)

Method:

This is the Traditional Method of preparing Rasmalaai's. thou it may sound a long process, you can trust and try for a perfect outcome. but it is not at all difficult. even beginner's can try. it wont let you down. there are several process in preparing these rasmalaai's. Iam splitting it into 4 process.

I. Preparation of Whey Water

II. Preparation of Paneer

III. Preparation of Sugar Syrup

IV. Preparation of Milk Syrup/Rasa

Now comes the process in detail..

I. Preparation of Whey Water:

Boil Two Litres of milk and let it cool. Refrigerate the milk for 12 hours. The next day or after 12 hours, remove the thick layer of skin/ paal adai/meegada formed over the milk. Now boil the milk, when the milk boils, add vinegar. wait for a minute or two. the paneer will start floating on top and the whey water will stay on the bottom of the vessel. Now with a muslin or a cotton cloth, filter the paneer. Pour 2 cups of water over the paneer on muslin cloth, to remove the sourness of vinegar.  Now Squeeze the whey out of paneer  and tie well and let it hang on for one hour, till the whey water drops out.

What to do with the Whey Water?

Let the whey water get soured. that is leave it for a time of 1 week to get soured. after that pour it into a bottle and refregirate it. this soured whey water will be good for one year of time. when you want to make paneer, you can use this whey water instead of vinegar/lemon juice.

(or)

Whey water can be used to prepare chapathi or Roti, which makes them super soft.

II. Preparation of Paneer:

As we have tied and hanged the paneer in muslin cloth to let out the whey water, wait for an hour and squeeze them well. remove from the cloth and shift to a broad vessel. Now just prepare the paneer, as we knead the dough for chapathi/roti, in the same way knead the paneer, for 5 minutes atleast, till you feel it dont have much moisture content in it. now add a spoon of maida flour to the paneer and make it as small small ball's remember the balls will become double in size after putting it and boiling it in sugar syrup. so make a medium size paneer ball's. with 2 litres of milk you can prepare 12 or 13 paneer ball's.

What all can I Do with the Paneer?

You can also prepare Rasagulla, Cham-Cham, ofcourse Rasamalaai with the paneer.

III. Preparation of Sugar Syrup:

In a wide-bottomed pressure cooker, add three cups of water and eight table spoons of sugar. let it boil. Now when it boils, add the paneer ball's one by one on to it. dont afraid of the ball's getting broken. if you have kneaded the paneer well, it wont get broked. let it get pressure cooked for 10 minutes in slow flame or for 2 whistles.

Now let the steam get out and open the cooker and see the double-sized paneer ball's. slightly press each and every ball with a back of spoon to emit the excess sugar syrup.

IV. Preparation of Milk Syrup/Rasa:

When you are starting to prepare sugar syrup. start making milk syrup/rasa side by side. Have one litre of milk in a wide bottomed vessel and let it boil and get reduced into half of the quantity. add eight table spoons of sugar and mix well. add saffron and crushe cardoman to it and mix well. put the paneer ball's into the rasa/milk syrup. let it boil in slow flame for about 5 mins. Then cool it down and refregirate it.

Serve with chopped pistachios on top. Yummy Rasmalaai's are here for you now..

Enjoy preparing Rasmalaai's.

Now iam sending these spongy yummy rasmalaai's to Srivalli hosting JFI-Festival Treat's. and to Mythreyee hosting Milk Sweets-Spongy Texture.

Mudakatraan Dosai

East or West.....South or North..every where there are dosa's rushing for Srivalli's Dosa Mela.. http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com/2008/03/announcing-dosa-mela-with-celebration.html
my dosa's are also on the track..

This dosa is based on a green leaf called as Mudakatraan/Mudakathaan. It is rich in calcium,Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Since this generates body heat. it should not be consumed often..as we do with other leafs. It helps in aiding joint aches on our knees,hips and backaches. its just a medicine in the form of dosa's. it also cures constipation problems. this Leaf tastes very bitter..when i tasted..it was bitter than neem leaves. it can be cooked either in the form of dosa's or in the form of vada's. but on these forms..you cannot feel the bitterness. Now coming to the method of preparing..Just the leafs has to be grinded well into a thick paste and then it should be mixed well with the dosa batter. allow it ferment and prepare dosa's normally.


Mudakatraan dosa with Tomato Kara chutney. chutney recipe from Nirmala's blog..
http://passionatetrials.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/mudakathaan-keerai-dosai-for-srivallis-dosa-mela/
absolute match for the dosa..thanks Niramala for sharing.


Other Mudakatraan Keerai Dosa post by kamalahttp://adupankarai.blogspot.com/2008/03/blog-post_28.html

How it Tasted?
It was so00 tasty. if you get a chance of trying this..please don't miss. According to me the taste was little similar to pesarat.

My paper roast for Srivalli's Dosa mela.


Tips To make Perfect Dosa:
1. Be in a Good mood while Trying Dosa's.
2. The Tava should be a well practiced one.
3. Have a seperate tava for Chapathi and Dosa.
4. The consistency of the batter should be in correct form..it should not be watery.
this is what i have learned so far..if you know some more tips..please share it with me.

Paneer Stuffed Paratha's

Just try these paneer stuffed paratha's..and fall in love with their taste. Grate the paneer, add little salt and finely chopped green chilli's. mix well and form as small ball's. Now in Chapathi flour ball's , place the paneer ball in the centre and close all the side's and roll them. fry it on dosa tava.

Serve it with Raitha or with Pickle.

A simple yet a delicious paratha.

Thick Garlic Curry

This Garlic Curry had been my favourite comforting one, whenever i get affected by cold or when iam in short of vegetables, I prepare this Thick Garlic Pulusu.  My brother hates garlic to the core extent. if he see me eating garlic, he won't touch me that day or till he forgets that. My mom used to have a very difficult time in handling garlic in food for my brother. But my brother dont mind eating garlic in other people's house or at the restaurants. funny isn't it?

Coming to this Garlic Curry..I just followed the recipe from one of my favourite cook book..AVM 'N' Mangayar Choice-3

                                                                       Ingredients:

           Small Onions - 1/2 cup(12 nos.)

 Garlic -10

 Tomatoes -1

 Tamarind - lemon size 

(soaked in 1/4 cup of warm water and squeeze to get thick pulp)

 Turmeric Powder - 1/2 spoon

 Curry leaves - 8 

For Tadka / Thalippu

 Oil- 1 tbsp

 Mustard - 1/4 spoon

 Urad dal - 1/4 spoon

 Fenugreek - 8 seeds

To Fry and Grind into paste:

Oil - 1/4 tsp  

Red chilli-3

Corriander seeds-1 spoon

Pepper- 1 spoon

Cumin- 1/4 spoon

Fennel-1/4 spoon

Cashews - 8 nos.

Method:

In a pan, add 1/4 tsp of  oil, fry red chilli, corriander seeds, cumin, pepper and sombu(fennel) till they reach golden color. cool and grind into a paste along with cashews and some water.

In a kadai, add 1 tbsp of sesame oil, add mustard, when it pops, add fenugreek and urad dal. fry them.

Now add small onions , curry leaves and garlic. fry them well, till they get cooked. add chopped tomatoes and salt. let the tomatoes get soft and cooked.

Now add turmeric powder and the grinded paste. mix well.

Then add tamarind water and water required for your consistency. let them boil. the curry gets thick because of cashews, so add little more water to get your required consistency.

Add curry leaves and switch off the flame. Serve hot with rice or dosa's.

Now This Thick Garlic Curry is on its way to JIHVA-Garlic hosted by Mathy.

Playing With Bitter Gourd#3

These Bitter Gourd Baskets in White Thick gravy goes to creative pooja's Vegetable of the week(Bitter Gourd) http://creativepooja.blogspot.com/2008/02/vegetable-of-week-with-some-revised.html#rules

These Bitter guards Needed a gravy for a company. Thus I gave a Rich White Gravy to my BGB(Bitter Gourd Baskets).

Grated Coconut-5 spoons
Poppy seeds-1 spoon
Cashews-6
Pattai/Cinnamon-1 small piece
Cloves-2
Cardamon-1
Fennel-1/4 spoon
Green Chilli-1
Salt

Grind the above into a paste. Heat a spoon of oil in a kadai.when heated, add 1/4 spoon mustard..when it pops..add curry leaves and 2 vertically slitted green chillis. Now add a onion and fry them well.. after frying add the grinded paste and mix well. let it boil and add the Bitter Guard baskets. Serve it with Rice/Chapathi.

Note: Just Follow Your Kuruma Recipe here.
a small recap...

Bitter Gourds are cut into cubical shapes. they are de-seeded leaving the botton most seeds..so that it will be in basket form to hold the stuffing. Boiled Potatoes are mashed well. Green Chilli(finely chopped) and cumin powder can be added to the mashed potato. with a help of small spoon..the mashed potato is filled inside the basked. now they are fried in the oil. first the bottom part of the basket is fried, then on sides and on the top. Now these baskets can be put on the gravy on the whole or by cutting into slices.

How it Tasted: It tasted So Different and Nice. It was lightly bitter,where the potato came as a relief. and it was so heavy too..Normally we can't eat more than 3 baskets.

Playing with Bitter Gourd#2

Thank You all for suggesting me the stuffing combo's. I will pick the best idea's from every one. soon you can see me posting bitter gourd stuffs.

When I want to prepare a stuffing..Nothing Came to my mind except potatoes. I boiled them..peeled the skin..mashed well..i added chilli powder and jeera powder. mashed it well. With the help of small spoon i kept the filling inside the Bitter Gourd Basket.


Then i had two choices before me..one is boiling the stuffed Bitter Gourd Baskets(BGB) and the another is frying them in the oil.
If BGB is let to boil in water..it may loose its colour and the filling may split. so i preferred to fry them.


First i made those BGB sit in the oil kadai. so that the basement gets fried first. and then on the sides..Did you notice that..one basket went missing.
yes..one basket was dipped in besan flour+rice flour(bajji maavu/Fritter flour) for a trial. it came out very crispy and tasty.this basket can be cut into slices of Ring and made as fritters..but here i did not want them as a Starter..i wanted to prepare a side-dish for Rice using this BGB. Thus the remaining were Fried.

What kind of gravy will suit best for this Baskets to sit?

Playing With Bitter Gourd#1

Bitterness in life.."who would like to prefer?" You know only if you go through such bittery times you will know the value of life and the value of sweet. I have realized, after bitterness there is going to be some Nice things that are to occur.

Coming To the Topic..I enjoyed playing with these Bitter Gourd's last Sunday. I have tasted this Dish in a restaurant in Bangalore. From then i was thinking to try..but i could'nt. when pooja announced Bitter Gourd as the Vegetable of the Week..i Jumped into the pool.

Here Displaying with what I played and had a Good Time and Good Lunch:)

2 Bitter Gourd's Cutted into pieces

With a knife i deseeded them leaving the bottom part to look like a basket..

One more view of my Bitter Gourd Basket(BGB)

Now I want you all to participate in the game..what all could be stuffed inside this Bitter Gourd Basket?