Rice Murukku

The other day I met another Indian lady and she smiled back at me.I was surprised,we Indians,as strange as this sounds,never smile at each other.We adeptly recognise each other from pretty far away and then make sure that we don't make eye contact.Our radars are well developed,we even sense if we speak the same language,in other words,we even recognise if we are from the same state or part of India and then decide if we need to smile.I have no clue why most Indians do this,but it could be partly because we are told right from our childhood to be cautious around strangers.Well this lady and me smiled at each other and then started speaking with each other in English.After the lady had left another friend of mine asked me why we Indians always speak with each other in English.

                                               'Is English your mother tongue ?'

                                                'No,Tamil is my mother tongue.'

                                                            'Then English ?'

                                            'Well,you could call that my Father tongue '

                                             She laughs.'Well then German ?'

                                             Me promptly 'That's my Husband tongue'

After a good laugh ,I told her how we Indians,despite having so many languages, resort to speaking in English which is more or less a common tongue.And yes we do have our official language Hindi,which we south Indians do speak a bit,thanks to Shah Rukh Khan and Bollywood,but  a very few of us actually master it enough ,to hold a decent conversation .Which leaves us with no other choice but to switch to English,which is definitely better than our Hindi ('Ek Ghao mein ek kisaan raghu thaatha ') !!

Coming to the recipe this is a very yummy snack that can be prepared in no time.The flour, if prepared from scratch at home, could take a long time to make,but if you have store brought rice flour at hand,it makes the job very easy.This murruku is usually referred to as 'Thenkuzhal',which i assume has something to do with the press.But I can never call it that because the only 'Thenkuzhal' I remember fondly are the ones I had as a kid in my grandma's place.They,true to the name Thenkuzhal-Honeytubes,were sweet and oozed out sugar syrup.So for me these would always be Muruuku :) So off to the recipe !!

You'll Need:

Rice Flour - 1 and 1/4 cups

Urad dal Flour - 1/4 cup

Melted salted butter - 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds -  1 tsp

salt - 1 and 1/4 tsp

Hing a pinch

oil as needed for deep frying

Water as needed

Murukku press

Method:

-For the flours : For the rice flour - I used store brought Idiyappam/String hoppers rice flour.

                                For the Urad dal flour- Dry roast the urad dal on a pan on low heat,once it gives a         nice aroma,grind it to a fine powder.Make sure it doesn't get burnt.

-In a bowl add the flours and the salt and mix well.Next add the butter and mix with you hand.When you take a little between your fingers and press it,it should hold its shape for a few seconds ,before crumbling.

-Mix the hing in the water.Add the water little by little to the flour to make a medium tight dough.Be careful with the amount of water as it can make the dough soggy.

-Heat the oil in the pan and let it heat up,it shouldn't be very hot,let it stay on medium heat.

-Now add a portion of the dough in the press and pipe shapes on a baking paper or any surface greased with oil so that it doesn't stick.

-Always keep the remaining portion of the dough covered with a damp cloth.

-Carefully slide the piped shape into the hot oil and  fry it ,turning it over in between.When it's done the oil around it will stop sizzling.Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

-Once they are cooled store them in airtight containers.

Thanks for stopping by ! Have a nice day !

Baked Broccoli Patties

The other day I was out with my 5 year old in the park, when she asked me "Mummy, why aren't you wearing shorts like the other mothers,It's a warm day and it's sure to be more comfortable." I grabbed the opportunity to give her a nice pep talk about how conservative and beautiful Indian culture was when she promptly asked me why the Leading ladies in most Indian movies are dressed in shorts,but she's hardly seen anyone in India wearing shorts.Made me realise how Indian Culture seems to be forever at this point where we try to simultaneously cling to our conservativeness and embrace the western Independence.It's funny how most movies paint a picture that in no way depicts a country or it's culture.On a funny note,if we were to go just by movies, we'd probably think that :

Tamil Movies -  

   -The only thing that matters in our life is to find the love or our life and marry them again all opposition, with cars flying and bombs blasting.

   -Chennai is full of Dons and their Henchmen, and all of them carry a gun(In a all my days in Chennai I've never ever seen a real gun:( )

  -Most Tamil men are machos, who can fly,fight and do everything with no gadgets or scientific intervention.Not to mention the 50 year old hero who's a college student :)

Telugu movies - I haven't watched a lot but from the few popular ones that I've watched.

 -  Most of them live in joint families in big Doll houses.
 -  All men do is to fight over women.
Hindi movies -
  Honestly I don't know what to make of them any more.The last time I watched a movie I had a  doubt if I was watching a movie or a fashion show .
Hollywood Movies -
  -Most men are skilled,intelligent ex FBI or CIA agents
 - Aliens and space ships are for real
  -Let's not get into science fiction and movies like SAW :)
Malayalam movies -
 These seem to be as close to reality as possible,but some of the latest ones makes me feel that they are fighting the temptation to make movies like their counterparts in the Tamil and Telugu industry.

Ironically I'm not a movie buff and I would've hardly watched a handful movies  before I married a movie buff who watches movies in every possible language :)nd I Would be unfair if I don't mention that there are a lot of good movies too in all these languages which really call for appreciation.

Coming to the recipe, this is a very quick and healthy dish.Makes a  great starter or side dish.It tastes yummier when shallow fried.I feel that ,Broccoli despite being very healthy doesn't gel well with Indian spices.I usually do a stir fry with lots of Garlic and pepper,Broccoli and garlic pair up real well.This is a yummier alternative and both my 1 year old and 5 year old loved it :)

Makes 12 - 14 patties
You'll Need:
Broccoli - Half a big one - 12 - 15 Florets
Egg - 1
Olive oil -  1 tsp
Bread slices - 3, or bread crumbs
Cheese grated ( Cheddar/ Paneer/ Parmesan) - 80 g
salt as needed

Method:
-In a big vessel boil water, add the broccoli florets,cover with a  lid and remove from the stop.Let it sit for 3 - 4 minutes.Remove the florets with a slotted ladle.Add it to a mixer jar and pulse for a few seconds.
-Toast the bread on stove top or in  an oven,pulse it in a mixer jar to get breadcrumbs.
-In  a bowl mix the broccoli,cheese and bread crumbs.Add salt as needed and the egg.Mix everything well with a fork.
-Make small patties and arrange them on a baking tray lined with a baking sheet.
-Bake in a pre-heated oven at 175°C,for 20 - 25 minutes.After the first 15 minutes flip them over for even cooking.
-They taste even yummier when shallow or deep fried :)

Have a nice day ! Thanks for stopping by !

Baked Sweet Diamond Cuts

 As a kid this was one of my favourite snacks.It always reminds me of summer holidays during my school days.My mom used to take a week or two off from work during holidays,the other days were  usually spent at the day care or I was packed off to my Grandmas place down south.My mom used to make lots of these and fill big ever-silver boxes with these.She would roll the dough while I would cut it into shapes.Back then we always fried them and they definitely taste better when deep fried.I wanted to try a healthier version so ended up baking them.Most fried snacks don't taste well when baked but these turned out real yum !

    Cutting them into diamonds is the easiest way of making them,but my daughter wanted to cut flowers with her cookie cutter.We are so different me and my daughter,I was so tom boyish as a kid while she's into all kind of girlish flowery stuff :)

  What you'll need:

   Wheat flour/Atta - 1.5 - 2 cups

   Sugar - 4 tbsp

   Ghee or Butter - 3 tbsp (melted) or oil and ghee each 1.5 tbsp

   Baking powder - 3/4 tsp

   Cardamom or nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp

   Method :

•  Sieve the Flour with baking powder.Then add the sugar and cardamom powder and mix well. 
•  Add the ghee or oil and mix with your fingers so that it comes to the consistency of bread crumbs.
•  Add cold water little by little to the mixture and knead to make a soft dough.Cover and let the dough sit for at least 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 5 or 6 balls.Dust the work surface with flour and roll the dough balls into thin sheets. Then cut into diamond shapes.Arrange them on a baking tray lined with baking sheets.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F/150° C and bake for 15 minutes.Rotate the baking tray in the middle of  the baking time to ensure even baking.It tends to burn easily so it's better to keep an eye.My first batch was almost blackish brown :)
• Remove from the tray and let it cool.Then store in airtight containers. Done !

Note:
-You could also replace half of the whole wheat flour with All purpose flour.
-To make  a spicy version of it replace the sugar with 1 tsp Chilli powder and 1/2 tsp crushed cumin and carom seeds.
-If your want to indulge,just fry them instead of baking them :P

Thanks for stopping by ! Have a nice day !

Pazha Paniyaram - Banana Paniyaram

  I had a few Nendram Pazhams/Malabar Bananas lying around for quite some time.I had bought to them to make one of my favourite evening snacks "Pazham Pori",but as always forgot about them totally .They had gotten very ripe and I decided to make paniyarams out of them.Ever since I brought my little paniyaram pan I exploit the poor thing to the fullest.It lets you make so many fried snacks without actually having to deep fry them.Preparing healthy evening snacks can be a real challenge,and this Paniyaram is a regular and favourite snack at home.Usually Paniyarams are made with more flour,but I like it when the banana flavour dominates.So I use very little flour and lots of bananas,this works perfectly well with any big banana.And I love making them with ghee,it simply enhances the taste.Oil works fine too,but nothing beats ghee :)I haven't stopped at your blogs for a very long time,will soon stop by :)So off to the recipe.....

You'll Need:
Bananas (ripe big ones) - 2 ( I used Kerala NendramPazham/Malabar Bananas)
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
All purpose flour or Wheat Flour - 1/4 cup
Rice Flour - 1/4 cup
Water - 1.5 cups(or more as needed)
Coconut - 4 - 5 tbsp (Finely grated)
Ghee or oil - as needed
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Raisins - 1 - 2 tbsp(optional)

Method:
-Peel,chop and grind the bananas to a fine paste.
-In a small vessel boil the jaggery with 1. 5 cups water till it is is melted.Then filter it.
-Mix the Banana,coconut,flours and Jaggery syrup.Mix well with a Whisk.Add the cardamom powder and give another good whisk.The batter will not be runny like idli or dosa batter ,will be more like a thick paste.Add a little water if you feel that the batter is too thick and sticky.
-Heat a paniyaram pan and fill all the molds with a little ghee. Add about 1 tbsp of batter to each mold and let it cook.Drizzle a little  ghee on top of each mold.
-Once you feel the underside is cooked, flip the paniyarams over and drizzle some more ghee.When they are fully cooked on both sides,remove them from the pan.Repeat the same process for the left over batter.Since the batter doesn't have a lot of flour flipping it can be a little difficult,

Note:
-If you like a floury version double the quantity of the rice flour and wheat flour.

Thanks for stopping by ! Have a nice day !

Vegetable Cutlet

   I heard a funny program on the radio on the day after New Year's day "The fastest resolution breaker" and I could relate so much to it :)It's been a week since New Year's day and this time I made it a point to make no resolutions.The resolutions have remained almost the same for the past few years,be more organised,stop eating sweets,be more patient.But the speed at which I break the resolutions is usually more than the speed at which I make them.So this year I made a resolution to not make a resolution, and I did manage to keep this resolution :P

  Coming to today's recipe,this is one fried food that I simply love.love. I've tasted cutlets at many places,but believe me nothing beats the taste of  the cutlets ,that I've tasted as a kid when we used to travel by trains,chair cars to be more specific.The tomato soup and cutlets that could be bought on trains those days used to be simply yummy.A long train journey was the most exciting adventure for us as kids.It used to be a rare occasion and much awaited.Sleeping on a train berth with the gentle (or not so genlte)rocking of the train was such a wonderful feeling.And not to forget the loud announcements with the standard ting,ting,ting sound as the train stopped at every possible station,and getting up in the mornings to the sound of 'tea,kaappi,kaappi'.The trains are faster today and the journeys shorter .I miss those days when we used to eat everything without wondering about whether it was hygienic,healthy and so many other factors.Simpler days ,simpler thoughts and lots of fun which the current generation will never experience ! 

You'll need :
Potatoes - 2 -3 (big)
Carrots - 2
Beans - 15 - 20
Boiled Peas - 2 handfuls
Green Chilli - 1(finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 2 - 3 sprigs(chopped finely)
Ginger & Garlic (grated) - 1 tsp
Onions - 1 (small)(chopped finely)
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Red Chilli Powder - 3/4 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp(optional)
salt as needed
oil - 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice - 1 -2 tsp

Egg white - from 1 egg or a tbsp of Flour mixed with water to a thin lump free batter.
Bread Crumbs - as needed
oil - for deep frying

Method:
-Boil,peel and mash the potatoes.
-Grate the carrots and chop the beans finely.
-Beat the egg whites with a fork a little.
-In a pan on medium heat,add 1 tbsp oil.When it heats up add the Ginger,Garlic,Green chilli,coriander leaves and turmeric powder .Sauté for a minute until the Ginger and garlic are slightly browned.Add all the powders and mix well for a few seconds.Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sauté for a minute or two until the onions turn soft.
-Add the carrots,beans and peas and mix well.Add salt as needed.Sprinkle a little water and cover and cook on low heat until it's 3/4th cooked.When it's 3/4th done remove the lid and sauté on high heat till the mixture becomes dry.The mixture should be very dry ,be careful to not brown it.
-If the mixture has a lot of mixture then the cutlets might break on frying.You could also let the mixture cool and squeeze it to remain any extra moisture if present.
-Mix the mashed potatoes and the vegetable mixture well.Add the lemon juice and mix well.Check for salt and add some if needed.Let it stay in the Fridge for an hour or two.You can also make it a day ahead and let it stay in the Fridge overnight.
-Shape the mixture into any shape of your choice.Dip the cutlets in the egg whites and roll them on the bread crumbs,so that they are fully coated with the bread crumbs.
-Heat the oil and when they are hot,add the cutlets and fry them on medium heat until they are well cooked. Done !

Note:
-If you feel that the mixture is not firm enough and tends to break,add 1 - 2 tbsp of Cornflour and mix again.
-If you want to make them ahead for a party:Fry each of the cutlets just for a few seconds and let them cool.Arrange them in an airtight container with each layer separated by a plastic sheets or baking paper and freeze them.When needed,take them out and fry them.You don't have to defrost them.
-You could add other vegetables like Cauliflowers too.

Verkadalai Kuzhi Paniyaram - Peanut Kuzhi Paniyaram

    I've been away for real long this time and here are my excuses :p We are just back from yet another trip to India our second one this year,a very hectic yet memorable trip.We were there for my sister's wedding and we had a real wonderful time.An Indian wedding in May can be one hell of an experience .And that too when you belong to the bride's side with the endless shopping and the scorching sun making you sweat profusely with your silk sarees and heavy jewelry :) And not to forget the beautifully decorated bridal car which somehow manages to get caught In every little traffic jam and red signal along the way to the Church.But thank God we managed to reach there on time,much to our own suprise.Hubby & I were an hour late for our very own wedding :)Luckily we had a wonderful Pastor who waited patiently for us then.Guess thast was a day I'll never forget:)

     After a real long time I got to taste traditional south Indian Christian wedding food,my all time favorite Biryani :p The food served at christian wedding varies from place to place in Tamiln adu.If u go down south to Thirunelveli or Nagercoil the menu consists of usually an elaborate vegetarian meal served on a banana leaf,with just an additional meat gravy.But in Chennai its usually the super yummy Biryani with the softest meat on earth.The menu does include a lot of other dishes but the Biryani simply steals the show :)

  I haven't posted in as long while and my blog looks so neglected.Thanks to all those kind souls who still keep visiting it.My best friend with whom I spend most of the time ,and who incidentally holds all my blog clicks is sick.Well if  you're wondering who it is,its my PC.I'm really stuck without my PC.And posting from my small tab was more difficult than I expected with the autocorrect really messing up each and every word I type. Honestly this tool really thinks that it can read our minds !

 Luckily I had a few posts in my drafts, posting them here to keep my blog going. I have a real lot to catch up with !Coming to the recipe,this a traditional south Indian tiffin with a little twist for those who love peanuts.

Makes about 10
You'll need:
Idli batter - 12 tbsp
Peanut powder. - 2 - 3 tbsp
Oil as needed
Tempering:
Oil - 2 tsp
Onion - 1/2 a medium one finely chopped
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger grated - 1/2 tsp
Green Chilli chopped - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves (chopped)  - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves(chopped) - 1 tbsp
Salt as needed

Method:
-In a pan heat the oil and splutter all the tempering ingredients one after the other.After the onions turn soft add the tempering to the idli batter and mix well.
- Heat a paniyaram pan and fill all the molds with a little oil.Add about 1 tbsp of batter to each mold and let it cook.Drizzle a little  oil on top of each mold.
-Once you feel the underside is cooked, flip the paniyarams over and drizzle some more oil.When they are fully cooked on both sides,remove them from the pan.Repeat the same process for the left over batter.Done!Serve hot with Peanut Chutney!

Thanks for stopping by !Have a nice day!

Sending this to Gayathri's Cook Spot hosted by Cookingwithsapana: Walk Through Memory Lane 2014

Channa Tikki - Chickpeas Patties

The needle in my weighing scale simply loves to move towards the right.Well I've almost given up trying to make it dip towards the left,all that I expect is that it stays where it is :) This was one more effort at keeping that needle in place.I actually boiled some chickpeas as it makes a very healthy snack.But then my taste buds wanted something more appetizing,so I ended up making these patties.They are real yummy and healthy and can be whipped up in no time.For an even healthier version you could bake them in the oven.This makes a great snack for kids too,just skip the green chillies !

You'll Need:
Makes 14 -15
Chick Peas/Kabuli Channa/Garbanzo beans - 3/4 th cup - 125 g
Onion - 1 small (finely chopped)
Carrot - 1 medium(finely grated)
Cabbage - 1/2 cup(grated)
Coriander Leaves -  2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Capsicum - 1/2 a small one(chopped finely)
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder -1/4 tsp
Green Chillies - 2 tsp(chopped)
Corn Flour - 1 - 2 tbsp
 salt as needed

Method:
-Soak the Chickpeas overnight or for 6 -8 hours in sufficient water.Rinse the chickpeas and pressure cook with 2 cups of water & salt for 1 whistle and simmer for 8 - 10 minutes or until well cooked.
-Drain the chickpeas and preserve the water.You can add the water to other curries or use it for kneading chapatis.
-Grind the chickpeas without adding water to a coarse paste.
-Add all the ingredients except the oil and mix well.Check for salt.
-Make small patties.
-Heat a little oil in a pan on medium flame.Cook the patties on both sides till they turn golden brown.
-Alternatively rub a little oil on the patties and bake in a pre heated oven at 350°F / 175 °C for 25 -30 minutes.

Thanks for stopping by ! Happy Cooking !

Sending this to Gujaratizaika’s winner’s choice giveaway  ,100th Post GiveAway at Cutchi Kitchen

  

Prawn Cutlet - Eral Cutlet

   This is seriously an amazing starter, a sure hit in a party or get together.It was part of the food that I prepared for my daughter's birthday party.We are a small group of Indians who meet mostly on occasions like birthdays or on a warm sunny day .Actually all this is an excuse for us to eat good food :)We don't have any Indian restaurants around and we really look forward to occasions like this. Guess when we prepare food everyday,no matter how much we love cooking there are days when we wish someone would hand us a platter full of good food.And these parties are treats for us women,though it's hectic for the one who prepares food :)

     I'm usually nervous when I have to cook for a group,because something that I least expect usually goes wrong.This time it was the cake,my fridge sometimes behaves like a partial freezer and it decided to do it on the day of my little girl's b'day.So when I kept the cake on the table it was so hard that poor little girl had some difficulty cutting it :) And only then did I also realize that I forgot to pipe the border.She's a big fan of Pocoyo and wanted a Pocoyo cake,as with every little kid she was easy to please too and told me that she loved the cake.Though I wasn't totally satisfied.It actually tasted yummier towards the end of the day when it was at room temperature.It was a three layer cake(pistachio,orange and chocolate) with a butter cream icing. Will share the recipe soon.In all the hurry I couldn't get a good click, that's the poor cake :) Cake decorators please don't laugh :) I was thinking if I should write a book 'Cake'ai sodhapuvadhu eppadi'(How to ruin a cake)' ,Just kidding !

So off to the recipe,I always complain that we don't get good prawns here,but this time I'm seriously in love with the prawns here.I prepared this cutlet from store bought cooked prawns,it makes the whole process very simple and easy.A blessing for a lazy person like me :) 

You'll Need:
Makes about 10 Cutlets

Prawns - 100 g

Potato -  1 big
Ginger - 1/2 tsp(grated)

Green Chilli - 1 big(finely chopped)

Egg - 1

Corn Flour - 1 tbsp

salt as needed

oil - for frying

Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Red Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder -  a pinch

Onion - 1 medium (finely chopped)

Method:

-Boil the potato.Peel and grate the potato.

-Boil the Prawn with little water,salt ,turmeric powder and red chilli powder.Drain the water and grind the prawns coarsely.
-Add oil to a pan and when it heats up add the ginger and stir for a minute.Then add the onion ,green chilli and coriander leaves and saute until the onions turn translucent.Add the ground prawn and saute for a minute or two.
-Whisk the egg slightly.
-In a vessel mix the prawn mixture,potatoes,egg,corn flour and salt.Mix well and add salt as needed.
-Make small dumplings and shallow fry or deep fry in oil until they turn golden brown in colour.

Thanks for stopping by ! Happy Cooking !

What are the dishes that you love to prepare for a party or what do you think is a crowd pleaser. Do let me know !

Sending this to Gujaratizaika’s winner’s choice giveaway  ,100th Post GiveAway at Cutchi Kitchen

  

Sending this to Party happening at Amrita's space Motions and Emotions

Cabbage Vada

It's been more than a week since I posted,I seriously didn't find time to sit at my comp.Well If u're wondering why,I've been attending kindergarten for the past 10 days :) This is a very hectic month for me,little girl turned 3 and she's started kindergarten.And here in Germany till when the kid settles in ,one of the parents (mostly the mother) accompanies the child to kindergarten.If  your kid doesn't have any separation anxiety this lasts for just a few days but for others it could last up to 2 -3 months.My daughter is one of those kids whose totally attached to her mommy,so I guess I'll be going there for quite some time.In India I still remember the first day of school.It's a very exciting experience for the parents and the passers by watching the kids.Some of the the kids kick and scream while the other go in smiling and the teachers some how manage to calm down a class of 50 or more howling children with ease :) Guess that's more difficult for the kids ,while going to kindergarten for 3 months can be difficult for a grown up :)I do feel out of place sitting there for 3 hours every day but it's a humbling experience too.Yesterday to keep myself occupied I picked up a 40 piece jigsaw puzzle and started doing it.I wasn't even half way through the puzzle when I was stuck.There I was sitting with a serious expression on my face as if I was thinking about the world economy,when a 5 year old asked me if I needed some help and finished the puzzle off in no time :) Blame it on aging or lack of interest,but I was humbled .Reminded me of something that my Dad always tells us 'The learning never ends' :)

So off to the recipe...This makes a wonderful tea time snack,I love adding  vegetables to snacks and this is one such attempt.

Makes 15 -18 Vadas
You'll Need:
Channa Dal /Gram Dal -  150 g
Green Chilli - 1 -2
Cabbage - 1 cup - 150 g (finely chopped)
Onion - 1 small( finely chopped)
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves - 2 -3 tbsp
Ginger- a small piece
Oil - for deep frying

Method:
-Soak the Channa Dal in about two cups of water for 6 hours or overnight.
-Setting about handful of the drained channa dal aside,Grind the rest without water along with green chillies and ginger to a slightly coarse mixture.

-Add the cabbage,onion,coriander leaves,the handful of channa dal and salt to the ground mixture and mix well.

-Heat the oil in a wok,test if its ready by adding a pinch of the dal,if it immediately rises to the top then the oil is well heated.Make small flat patties of the dal mixture.

-Add the patties few at a time and fry until they are golden brown.

Note:
-If you find that the batter is a little runny and you feel that the vadas might break on frying,try keeping the mixture in the freezer for 10 minutes before frying.
-Alternatively you can add one tbsp of besan/gram flour or corn flour to the mixture to absorb the extra moisture.

Thanks for stopping by. Happy Cooking !

Sending this to Gujaratizaika’s winner’s choice giveaway

Bombay Toast - Quick Fix

Serves 1
A simple yet delightful bread toast.Some people call it French Toast,but i somehow like the name Bombay toast.I would call this my favorite childhood snack.This was my father's specialty,he was an expert at making this.He would make it so moist and sugary that my sister & I would never feel that we've had enough.It makes a great breakfast and my daughter loves it. I learnt it from my Dad and he in turn from my Grand mom,well guess recipes are like heirlooms that are passed down from generation to generation ;)

Ingredients:
White Bread - 2 slices
Egg - 1
Milk - 4 tbsp
Butter or ghee - 1- 2  tbsp
White sugar or Brown sugar - 3-4 tsp

Method:
-Cut the edges from the Bread.
-Break the egg into a bowl & beat well with a fork.Add the milk & sugar and beat well.
-Heat a pan , when it heats up toast the bread slices for a minute on both the sides.
-Now add the bread slice to the egg mixture and with a fork make small piercings in it so that it gets soaked well in the egg mixture.Remove it & add the next slice and repeat the same thing.
-Add the ghee to a broad pan and when it heats up add the well soaked bread slices.Cook on a low to medium heat until they are well cooked and slightly browned on both the sides,turning them in between.

Broccoli tikki.

Makes 8.
 Tikkis, they taste great and make great snacks and side dishes.They are healthy and the shallow frying makes them definitely better than deeply fried snacks like vadas .I somehow feel that making a tikki is more like playing with 'play dough'.I simply enjoy the process of making them,the mixing ,shaping and all that ,hubby sometimes tells me that I look like a child playing in a sand pit. These tikkis are a beautiful combination of broccoli,paneer and potatoes and taste yum !


Ingredients :
Broccoli - 10 -15 florets(chopped very finely)
Paneer - 3 tbsp (grated)
Potatoes - 2 - 3 medium ( boiled & grated)
Corn flour - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1 medium (chopped)
Green chilli - 2 (chopped finely)
Garlic - 4 - 5 pods(minced)
olive oil - 1 tbsp & for shallow frying
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
salt - as needed

Method :

- To a pan add the 1 tbsp of oil and when it heats up add the garlic and  green chillies and saute for a minute or two.Then add the onion and little salt and saute until the onion turns translucent.
-Add the broccoli ,sprinkle some salt and garam masala powder. Saute on medium flame for 5- 8 minutes until they are cooked.


-
Remove from the stove.
-Add the boiled & grated potatoes,the corn flour and the paneer/cottage cheese. Mix everything well adding salt as needed.Shape them into medium sized tikkis/dumplings.
-Heat some more oil in a pan for shallow frying .Cook the tikkis on each side for 8- 10 minutes on a low or medium flame .

Sending this to What's with my Cuppa and Nupur's page,Foodabulous Food hosted by Pramitha's Space

Kidney Bean Kebab - Rajma Kebab

Makes 8
This is a very healthy and appetizing kebab.It's definitely a variation from the Rajma curries.I generally skip the green chilli so that my little girl would also enjoy it !



Ingredients:
Rajma - 150 g
Onion - 1/2 a medium one
Potato - 1 big (boiled and grated)
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp (chopped finely)
Ginger - small piece (minced finely)
Corn flour - 1 tsp
Salt - as needed
Ghee - 1 tsp
Green Chilli - 1 tbsp(finely chopped)
oil -for shallow frying


Method:
-Soak Rajma for 8 hours or overnight.Boil with enough water and salt in a pressure cooker on high heat for one whistle and simmering for 10 minutes.
-Mash the Rajma well.

-In a pan add the Ghee and when it heats up add the ginger,green chilli and coriander leaves.Saute for 2 minutes and add the chopped onions and turmeric powder.Saute until slightly browned.Remove from the stove.
-Add the mashed rajma,corn flour and potatoes and mix well.Add salt as needed and mix well.
-Make small patties and shallow fry.

Sending this to Kid's delight and Let's cook for Kids & Learning to Cook - Dish name starts with R

Oven Roasted Corn with Chutney

Corn on the cob is one thing that I love right from childhood.In Chennai we find this only at the beach .The smell of the corn roasted on coal and the sea breeze can be very pleasant and comforting. In Bangalore I've found roasted corn shops on the sidewalks in many areas.It's either roasted or boiled in salt water.At times it used to be our breakfast when we sleep in on weekends and miss our breakfast in our hostel :) In one particular shop on commercial street the corn is roasted with a green chutney and it simply tastes yum. I've never tasted it elsewhere and it has a very unique taste. I've tried to replicate it here,it comes close but definitely not as good as the original !

Ingredients:
Corn - 2 big ones
For the chutney :
Mint leaves - leaves from 3-4 sprigs
Coriander leaves - leaves from 10 sprigs
Green chili - 1
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Salt - as needed



Method:
-In a blender grind all the Ingredients for the chutney to a fine paste.
-Spread the chutney on the corn.
-Preheat the oven to 190 °C ,Bake for 25-30 mins.

Vegetable croquettes

Makes 8
These croquettes make great starters and are very similar to veg cutlets.I'm not a big fan of fried food, but I make these ones and those days that I decide to indulge myself :)

Ingredients:
Potato - 2 medium
Carrot - 1
Arbi - 1 small
Peas - 100 g
Cabbage - 100 g
Onion - 1 small,chopped finely
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp (chopped finely)
Green chili - 2 (chopped finely)
Ghee - 1 tsp
Vermicelli - 50 g,broken into small pieces
All purpose flour - 50 g and 2 tbsp
Oil - for deep frying.

Method :
-Chop the Potato,Carrot,Arbi and cabbage into small pieces.Chop the cabbage.Steam all the vegetables in a pressure cooker( Add them to a tall vessel, sprinkle little salt and keep inside a pressure cooker with 1 cup of water.Cook on high for 1 whistle and simmer for 10 minutes).Remove from stove and mash the vegetables.
-In a pan add the ghee and when it heats up add the green chili and coriander leaves, saute for 2 - 3 mins.Add the onions and fry until translucent.
-Mix the onions with the mashed vegetables,2 tbsp of flour and mix well.Add salt if needed and make small dumplings.
-Make a thin batter by adding the 50 g of flour to 1 cup of water and a little salt.Break the vermicelli into small pieces.
-Dip the dumplings in the flour batter and roll well in the vermicelli.
-Add to hot oil and deep fry until golden brown !

Dish name starts with V at Akila's Space

 

Cheese Pennies

Makes 24

These are easy to bake savory cookies.Was looking for some sugarless baking when I came across this recipe.These Pennies are cheesy,crunchy and make a great tea time snack.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 115 g

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Paprika - 1/2 tsp

Grated cheese - 115 g

Butter - 115 g

Salt - 1/8 tsp

Method:

-Soften the butter. To a blender add the cheese and butter and pulse until they are well mixed.

-In a bowl mix the pepper powder,paprika,flour and salt.Add this to the blender and pulse along with the cheese and butter until well blended.

-Transfer the contents of the mixer to a plastic wrap and keep it wrapped in the fridge for one to two hours,until it gets firm.

-Take it from the Fridge and divided the dough into two portions.Roll each portion into a thin disc and cut small rounds from them.The dough can be a bit sticky so it's better to place it in between plastic wraps and roll.

-Preheat the oven to 225 °C /450° F .Bake for 8 -10 mins.

Sending to What is with my cuppa and Nupur's page
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Sending it to Vardhini's Bake Fest  and My cook book's Bake fest#16