Spicy Soy Wadian

I am not a fan of Soy but when I visit my Dad's friends they make this for Biriyani... When ever this was cooked with Biriyani at home I find an excuse not to have it but later I started liking its taste and then gradually I included Soy in cooking. This is a very simple dish can be cooked under 15 mins and thats the best thing I like about it...



Ingredients:

Soy Wadi - 1 1/2 cups
Red Potatoes - 3 nos. Medium
Onion - 1 large finely chopped
Tomato - 1 large, ripe - finely chopped or mashed
Red Chilli Powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
Tumeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tbsp
Amchoor Powder - 1/2 tsp (Dry Mango Powder)
Freshly ground Pepper - 1/4 tbsp
Cooking Oil - 3 tbsps
Salt to taste
Water
Cilantro for garnishing.

Method:

1. Soak Soy in Water for 30-40 mins. Drain and squeeze Water and set aside.
2. Heat a non stick pan with Oil and fry sliced Potatoes for 5-6 mins.
3. In the meantime heat another pan with 1 tbsp of Oil and fry Onions.
4. After about a minute add all Masalas except Dry Mango Powder and cook for a few mins.



5. Add Tomatoes cover and cook for 2 mins. If Potatoes are cooked remove and add drained Soy and stir for a min or so, when the color changes remove from flames.
6. Now add the Potatoes, Soy Wadis and Dry Mango Powder and cook for another 2 mins with 1/2 cup Water.
7. Adjust Salt and Pepper. Garnish wuth Cilantro and serve hot.

Note: You can skip frying the Soy Wadi, some dont like the color of Soy so when frying they turn brown

Serve with: Roti, Dosa, Pulav or Biriyani

Spicy Soy Wadian goes to

EC's -- WFY Side Dish



Mahimaa's -- 15 Minutes Cooking

Aam Kulfi

Aam/Mango Kulfi is a delightful dessert. I love the creamy and the smooth texture of Kulfi. Ever since I saw Kulfi recipes over the blogsphere I was tempted to make it...



Ingredients:

Mango - 1 no. ripe
Milk - 2 cups
Non Fat Milk Powder - 3/4 cup
Condensed Milk - 2-3 tbsps
Sugar - 2tbsps (Optional)
Almonds - 3 tbsps coarsely chopped
Gelatin - 1 tsp
Warm Water - 3 tbsps
Saffron - a few strands

Finishing:

Saffrons - a few strands
Pop Sickle molds

Method:

1. Dissolve Gelatin in Warm Water and set aside. Puree the pulp of Mango and set aside.
2. Heat Milk, Milk Powder and Condensed Milk in a heavy bottomed pan, keep stirring all the while and add the Saffron Strands.
3. When the Milk mixture thickens (in about 5-6 mins) add the dissolved Gelatin.
4. Add in the Almond Chunks and let cool. When cool add Mango Pulp.
5. Drop few Saffron strands into the molds and pour the mixture and cool for a couple hours.

Most of us know about Teresa Cordero, she is cooking from Gloria Chadwick's newest cook book called Food and flavors of San Antonio -- this week special and having a give away at her place for more details click here.

I am sending Aam Kulfi to

Anu's -- RD for Summer



Aquadaze -- Frozen Dessert My Aam Khand recipe also goes to this event.



Mahimaa's -- 15 Minutes Cooking



Manina's -- Eating with the Seasons

Priti -- FF:Summer Treat My Aam Khand recipe also goes to this event.



Srivalli's -- Mithai Mela My Aam Khand recipe also goes to this event.



For more Kulfi recipes visit Prathibha and Priya

Doodh Peda

Oh yeah, all your screams are audible to me… I had decided not to make any more sweets atleast for another few days but its so ruled that I make some yum yum yummy treats. Ok we all know the drill to make Doodh Peda’s… As a child I was so much into interior designing (I acquired this from my Papa) and cooking shows (definitely from Mamma), hope you all know about Good Food Guide show, Rupa Gulati and ofcourse Tarla Dalal… Those were the days when I used to sit with Mom and watch those shows and that lil voice behind saying “Mommy see what she is doing”, “See how she is doing” and then I expected her to make nice delectable dishes… She did manage to satisfy everyone, a house full of people with different taste and different time they choose to eat…

I still remember, the oven that Mom used to have that Ol’ one with all the lil accessories for making cake and we (myself and my Brother) used to help her make Cakes, cookies and Veg. puffs(she makes just like the store bought ones) and wait to get the last lick of the mixing bowl :) Days haven’t changed yet; even today we take pleasure in licking the bowl, a lil fight as to who gets the bowl and the spatula… She has taught even my aunts daughters how to cook and the irony lies her she let go of me… I call her to find out recipes most of the days :) and also remember to peek into my lil note in which I took note of the recipes that I watched when I was young and today I came across this nice Sweet lil pedas.

Now, you will ask me this why I had to make sweets in spite of the oath. We are visiting a friend/relative of ours, and I take immense pleasure in adding a personal touch to whatever I take but I had very little time to really think and make something so I iterated thru my lil book and found this…

For more pictures from my kitchen visit My Other Blog



Ingredients:

Milk Powder – 2 cups
Condensed Milk – 1 can (14 OZ)
Butter – ½ cup
Saffron – few strands
Water – 2 tsps
Finishing:
Raisins – few
Pistachio – few
Baking Cups
Food Color – few drops (optional)



Method:

1.Take a large wide mouthed microwave safe bowl and heat Butter just until it melts, it took 40-45 sec, cos I left the Butter out in the morning when I started in the afternoon it was came down to room temp.
2.Now add both the Condensed Milk and Milk Powder and heat for 2 – 3 mins stir in between a couple of times.
3.Heat Water and add Saffron. Mix with the dough and Microwave for a 2 more mins
4.Cool for 5 mins they will become like chappathi dough now roll them into your desired shapes.
5.Press in Raisins or Pistachios or any desired nuts or sprinkles.

Note: You can divide the dough and mix with Food Color and make desired shapes.

It took less than 15mins for me to make this, simple and tasty...

Doodh Peda goes to:

Mahimaa's -- 15 Minutes Cooking and



Srivalli's -- Mithai Mela

Channa Hariyali

My Mom makes this dish, but I have no clue what its called as, all I knew was the quintessential ingredient in this dish is Cilantro and I named it Channa Hariyali... This is a very easy to make dish, lots of greens but not much of any other Masalas...



Ingredients:

Kabuli Channa - 3/4 cup
Cilantro - 1/2 cup
Mint Leaves - 10-12
Jalapeno - 2 nos.
Ginger - 1"
Garlic - 4-5 pods
Onion - 1 medium size
Tomato - 1 medium size
Tamarind - gooseberry size
Salt to taste
Sugar - 1/4 tsp
Cooking Oil - 1 tbsp
Water

Method:

1. Wash and soak Channa over night and pressure cook it with Water.
2. Heat Cooking Oil in a pan and fry the chopped Onion until transparent.
3. When cool grind it to a smooth paste. Grind Tomato and set aside.
4. Paste Cilantro, Mint Leaves, Ginger, Garlic and Jalapenos.
5. In the same pan add the Onion Paste and saute for a few mins, then add tomato paste.
6. When the color changes add the Cilantro Paste and saute until the smell disappears.
7. Adjust Salt, pour the Tamarind Paste and add Sugar. When it comes to a boil add the Kabuli Channa and cook for a few mins.

Serve with: Rotis, Dosa or Rice

Channa Hariyali goes to Cilantro's Jhiva for Cilantro



I am also sending Channa Hariyali to EC's WFY Side Dish

Almond Cake

I have never posted a cake before, I always baked in lil batches and they were all over by the time they came out of the oven... I envy my Mom, she makes magnificent cakes and cookies, how much I miss all those goodies... Used to help her measure and mix the batter, spilling all over and wait till the end to lick the remains from the mixing bowl... And obviously she had lotsa to clean after our venture of baking cakes... Now this is my speciality cake, our friend Ven's fav he requested me to make this cake for him, I being very lazy used to give 'im some or the other excuse saying I dint find that or this etc. Ven took it in his hands and bought me the flour 4 months back... ;)

Ask me why I dint do this, oh yeah again I gave him lame excuses as usual... I later realized that 1 pack of the flour was all over... I hear to clear and loud you ask me how did that happen, I gradually started using the flour for my bread ;) Today I decided oh yeah am gonna make it for sure and here came the cake.

For more Almond Cake pictures from my kitchen please visit My Other Blog

Ingredients:

Almond Flour - 6 ozs
Semi Sweet Chocolate - 6 ozs (I used Ghirardelli Semi Sweet Morsels)
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Eggs - 6 nos. separated
Butter - 1 1/2 sticks

Breadcrumbs - 2 tbsps

Method:

1. Bring Butter to room temperature and cream it with sugar.
2. Add Egg Yolks one at a time and whip it with the cream (Add all the 6 Egg Yolks).
3. Chop the Morsels, I used a nut chopper to chop them down. Mix it with the batter.
4. Spoon in the Almond Flour one spoon at a time and mix well.
5. Beat the Egg Whites until they form a structure. Slowly add the Egg Whites and mix well.
6. Grease a 9" baking pan and cut down parchment paper and spread it on the baking pan and sprinkle breadcrumbs
7. Preheat the oven to 375 Degree, bake the cake for the first 20 mins at 375 Degree. Reduce the temperature to 350 and bake for 30 more mins.
8. Remove the cake and cool them on a cooling rack.

Note: Old ovens do not have a vent to release the heat inside so open it once in between to let the hot air out.

Caution: A word of caution, there is no baking powder or any other raising agent so the cake raises to the max when baked but later they fall rock bottom, thats the nature of the cake so dont really worry about that.



Ganache:

Ingredients:

Half & Half Milk - 3/4 cup
Dry coffee Powder - 2 tsps
Semi Sweet Chocolate - 8 ozs (Ghirardelli Morsels)
Molases - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. In a heavy bottom pan, heat Half & Half when it comes to a rolling boil add the Coffee Powder and keep stirring all the while.
2. Drop the Chocolate Morsels and Molases and mix thoroughly well until the chocolate is melted.
3. Let it cool and spread on the cake. Decorate with Almonds.



Note: Do not refridgerate the cake, the Ganache will loose its shine so prepare it the day you like to serve it.

Almond Cake goes to Poornimas "For the Love of Chocolate!!" event.



And it goes to Cooking 4 all Seasons's Mithai Mela

Oats Pancakes

I was wondering how long and cold winter this has been and now that we have just a coupla weeks to shed off our outer coats and wear trendy clothes and have fun at the beach ;), oh yeah its all just a matter of few weeks... But yesterday when this came up my friend was a lil worried, thats right she was worried that she has out grown her sleek and chic clothes, coddling with all the baked goodies during winter... After all kinds discussion we ended up conferring to have healthy breakfast and the end result is this recipe...

For more Oats Pancake pictures from my kitchen visit My Other Blog



Ingredients:

Oats - 1/2 cup
Egg Whites - 2
Cinnamon - 1/4 tsp {letting the aroma of winter to linger around ;)}
Milk - 4 tbsps
Salt to taste
Butter - {I hear you ask me, why butter in a healthy breakfast, just to swipe the pan not letting the dough to stick}



Method:

Blend the Quick Cooking Oats to a flour. Beat the Egg Whites until fluffy now mix all the ingredients. Swipe a non stick pan with the Butter, now pour the dough and cook on medium heat. Toss it around cook for a few seconds. Pancakes are ready...

Serve with: Sugar free syrup or Organic syrup

Oats Pancakes goes to Single Serving Recipes @ Spicy Rasam hosted by Sahaja

Aam Khand

Aam Khand is basically the same as Shrikhand, as we all know the only difference is Mango Pulp... I first tasted this when I was in school, a Gujarathi friend of mine (Dipti Pujara), used to bring Aam Khand as Chappathi's side for her lunch... I instantly became a fan of Aam Khand, later at college another Gujarathi friend of mine (Mona Ganatra) had brought Shrikhand after their New Year celebrations... I asked her for the recipe and ever since then I started making them for chappathi's but no one other than my lil brother likes Aam Khand...

For more Aam Khand pictures from my kitchen please visit My Other Blog



Ingredients:

Yogurt - 1 1/2 cups
Ripe Mangoes - 1
Cardamom - 2 pods
Saffron - a few strands
Water - 2 tbsps
Sugar - 2-3 tbsps (optional)

Garnishing:

Nuts - few
Saffron - a few strands



Method:

1. Wash, dry and peel Mangoes, deseed and make a puree without adding any water or milk.
2. In a dry cloth (Muslin/cheese cloth, I used Organic cotton towel) pour the Yogurt, tie and hang it allowing the water to drip. Time, depends on what Yogurt is used, I used Yogurt, (homemade) made from 1% Milk it took nearly 5 hrs for all the water to drain. Greek Yogurt is creamy and hence many prefer it for the taste.
3. Powder the Cardamom discarding the peels. Heat 2 tbsps of Water add the Saffrons, let it sit for a few mins.
4. Mix all the ingredients, if you are a sweet lover add Sugar and check for sweetness.
5. Top with Nuts and Saffrons, serve chill.

Note: I did strain the Yogurt since it was homemade.

Aam Khand goes to Eating with the Seasons hosted by Maninas

And to Refreshing Drinks - RD for Summer hosted by Chandrabhaga

The picture goes to Jugalbandi.

Undurallu

Late afternoon yesterday, we were having a casual talk and one led to the other and I realized that we were talking about our childhood, food and what not??? Kris told me that he likes Undurallu... I was confused whether I heard it right or not so I asked him again "yeah Undurallu!!!" he said, I sincerely felt ashamed and confessed that I havent heard of such a name, he was shocked... He did tell me how to make the dish but I felt so bad that I havent heard such a word, cos I was the better of the two in Telugu and everyone says I speak good Telugu and I use more Telugu words while conversing, which many of us in Tamilnadu dont do (We use more of Tamil words as its comfortable and mingle with people speaking in Tamil more)...



I was desperately waiting for night fall so I could call Mom, to find out about Undurallu... I did recollect Ammamma mention the dish but no idea about the name... Finally it was 8:30P.M. (6:00A.M. IST) tring tringgggg

"Hello!!!" my Dad answered.
"Dad, do you know what Undurallu is???" I asked not even a hello, no how are you, nothing at all...
"What???" he asked confused.
"Undurallu" I said.
"I understand you are talking about some stone" he said laughing (rallu means stone in Telugu)
"I wanna speak to Mommy" I said... My Mom was watering the plants in morning...
"Hello!!!" she said... I asked her the same question
"I dont know!!!" she said laughing and confused I did brief her about the dish she said Ammamma used to make it but she said she hasnt heard of the name... Next it was my Nannamma's turn... My Mom was hesitant to wake her in the morning but I did insist on talking to her finally, even she dint know the name... There was a triumph of victory on my face and a green light flashing in my head and a voice echoed "I Pass" ;)

I waited another hour to make another call, this time it was my Mother-in-law, she told me how to make the dish, I immediately made up my mind to make Undurallu the next... Later I realized that I liked the name and I did include it in my dictionary ha ha ha... Now to the recipe... Again its called as paal kozhukattai in Tamil...

Ingredients

For the balls:

Boiled Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Water as required
Cooking Oil - 1 tbsp

For the Syrup:

Cane Sugar - 3/4 cup
Dessicated Coconut - 1/4 cup
Water - 3 cups
Salt - a pinch
Cardamom - a few pods
Dry Ginger - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Wash and soak the Rice in Water for 7-8 hrs and grind it to a smooth paste, by adding little Water at time. Heat a non stick pan and add Oil pour the dough and mix with a spatula (medium flame). We do this to make the dough pliable when the dough forms a ball moving away from the walls of the pan is the right time to remove from heat. Roll them into small balls, again do not press them too hard they will become hard.



Meanwhile prepare the syrup by heating Water in a large heavy bottom vessel, when it comes to a rolling boil add the Cane Sugar and let it dissolve. Now powder Cardamom along with its peels and drop it in the syrup, also add a dash of Dried Ginger and Salt let it come to a rolling boil. Now filter the syrup, this removes the Cardamom Peels and Ginger skin along with any dirt in Cane Sugar. Bring the syrup again to a boil adding Salt and Coconut, when it comes to a rolling boil drop the balls slowly and cook until the balls are soft. Do not cover the vessel while cooking... Serve warm...



My Mother-in-law learnt about this recipe from her Mother-in-law, who was from Ramachandrapuram, a small village close to Madurai. R'puram is a very serene and a lovely place with lots of fields and trees all around. There are only a handful of families living there and they are a very closely knit community. The village has a small temple and a school to educate the kids... No tar roads, rather filled with gravel and some are just the rut of the wheels...

Day starts very early for people there and ends early too, people are very helping and innocent... Many families have their sibblings and kids in UK, US and other parts of the world and ofcourse many have moved away from the place for education and work, but still they get along once in a year during the ceremonies held at the temple.

This goes to Shama's Grammathu Kaimanam / Village Special Recipes Event --- April 2009

Almond Fudge

Who doesn't likes Fudge??? I am just crazy about chocolates, brownies and icecream oh yeah a combo of these for dessert mmm that sounds really interesting and I can't wait until dessert time... I got a call on Sunday that friends are coming home for lunch, I was almost done with lunch but I couldn't think of anything I could make in just 15 mins for dessert, I quickly went thru the pantry for something nice to make; my eye caught the can of condensed milk in the pantry and I grabbed it to make Fudge, but slighly different I turned them into bars ha ha...



Ingredients:

Condensed Milk - 2/3 of a can
Dark Chocolate - 1 cup
Butter - 2-3 tbsps
Sugar - 2 tbsps
Milk - 1/4 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Vanilla Essence - 1 tbsp
Almonds - 1/4 cup chopped

Method:

1. Heat a heavy bottom pan and melt Butter, now pour the Condensed Milk and keep stirring.
2. Sprinkle the Salt and add one tablespoons of Sugar at a time and check for sweetness.
3. Drop the Chocolate and Vanilla Essence and stir well all the time. Mean while line a baking pan with Aluminium foil and set aside.
4. Mix the chopped nuts, if chocolate turns thicker add a little Milk ensure it is pourable (neither too thick nor too thin)and pour over the pan and allow it to cool and let it set for 15-20 mins in a refridgerator.
5. Always cook on medium or low medium heat. Serve cool or at room temperature.

Almond Fudge goes to Poornimas "For the Love of Chocolate!!" event.

Black Beans Curry and Potato

Yeah, I am still alive and thanks for all my fellow bloggers who kept visiting me all these days and kept in touch with me via mails and orkut... Thanks again for remembering me... I must apologize for this disappearing act of mine that is so unlikely that I disappeared for 4 months :( Sorry again... Now to the recipe...



Black Bean Curry


Ingredients:

Black Beans - 1 Can, drained and washed
Onion - 1 Medium
Pearl Onions - 6 Ground
Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - 1 stalk
Red Dried Chillies - 5-6 numbers
Tamarind - Small lemon size
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Coconut Paste - 2-3 tbsps
Salt to taste
Water
Cooking Oil - 2tbsps
Cilantro for garnishing

Method:

1. Powder Corriander Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Red Dried Chillies, Curry Leaves and set aside.
2. Heat Oil in a wok, add Mustard Seeds, when the Oil sizzle add chopped Onion and Turmeric Powder.
3. Add the Pearl Onion Paste and Saute for a few mins. Mix in the Black Beans, Salt and the ground powder (1).
4. Stir in Water and check for Salt, when the curry starts boiling add the Tamarind Water and let it stand for a few more mins.
5. Once the Curry starts thickening add the Coconut Milk and Garnish with Cilantro.

Potato & Sweet Peas

Ingredients:

Potato - 5 Medium, boiled, peeled and chopped
Sweet Peas - 1 cup frozen, washed
Onion - 1/4 Medium chopped
Red Dried Chillies - 4 numbers
Cooiking Oil - 3 tbsps
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1/2"
Garlic - 5 pods
Salt to taste
Cilantro for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat Oil in a pan, when hot add the Mustard Seeds, Cumin Seeds and Red Chillies when they splutter add chopped Onion.
2. When Onion changes color crush in Ginger and Garlic using a press or add Ginger-Garlic Paste cook until Oil seperates.
3. Add Turmeric Powder and Potatoes. Once the Potatoes are coated with the Turmeric add the Sweet Peas.
4. Adjust Salt and let it cook for a few mins. Garnish with Cilantro.

Serve with: Rice