MUTAR MUSHROOM WITH A TWIST OF ALOO - BUTTON MUSHROOMS WITH PEAS & POTATOES

Looking out of my office window gives a clear view of the sky, I often stop by to look at the clouds forming beautiful shapes & often wonder which one looks like what - some looking like a horse, some like a dragon, one looks like Mickey's face - the list goes on & on. I really enjoy doing that, as it gives me a break once too often. Being winters and a particularly cold day with thick fog in the moring the aura was a depressing one. The clouds brought gloom and cheerlessness....when I looked out sometime during the afternoon, what I saw was the sun struggling between a big, thick, black cloud and a few other white clouds. The white ones allowed the rays to brighten them, making them glow strangely, as if they had a light of their own. As the black one approached faster, the rays tried their best to penetrate the black one, but were soon engulfed & the atmosphere became gloomy again, but soon the cloud passed away allowing the rays to shine again, & as the warmth of the rays touched my face, I could feel that warmth flow through my whole being and spread a sort of unexplained comfort & cheer & warmth.

I think that is how life is. Once in while it throws something at us which covers us with a blanket of gloom around us, but if we allowed that to pull us down we would do no good to either ourselves or the people around us. Our victory lies in shining through and through everything & spreading a warmth & cheer around.

.....was that too much of lecture.....chalo then, lets hit the kitchen.

One evening I had just about little mushrooms & little peas which would not have been adequate for dinner for 2, so what I did was add 2 potatoes to fill the gap!!! Here's how I did it. I am giving you full ingredients, not my make do measurements.

Ingredients
250 gms - button mushrooms (sliced fine)
1/2 cup - green peas
2 medium potatoes - diced
2 onions - roughly chopped
2 onions - pureed
5/6 flakes - garlic (grated)
1/2 inch pc - ginger (grated)
salt as per taste
3 green chillies
1/2 tsp - turmeric / haldi
1 tbspn - corriander powder
1 tspn - garam masala
2 tbspn - curd

Method
In a cooker add some oil. Add the grated ginger & garlic & let fry for about half a minute.
Add the onions & fry till pink.
Add the tomato puree & cook till the oil separates.
Add all the masalas & the green chillies & fry till done
Now add the curd & mix well.
Add salt
Add the mushrooms, peas & potatoes & stir so that that masalas coats properly. Fry for about 2/3 mins.
Add about 1/4 cup water & cook for about 1 whistle on high & then another 7/8 mins.


We were content with the dinner, served with chappatis & a bowl of raita!!

Hope you enjoy it too

APPLE SPICE CHERRY CAKE

Yes that's exactly what you get when you dont have the exact ingredients printed on the recipe but make do with whatever you have in the refrigerator!!! Somewhat like life, i.e. you should learn to make yourself happy with whatever is available right now, instead of cribbing for what's not around - but do we do that??

.....hmmm..so yes I have been missing, but not because I didnt have the time to blog or anything, but because I've been lazy about blogging. I thought I'd lost it, and I was wondering if I would ever ever go back to it again, but something inside me just doesnt want to let go, and the result is this post, which I am going ahead with despite the fact that I dont have a picture of the cake.....

I think everybody comes across a phase in life, when you loose interest and nothing seems good. Mine came with Dad passing away - he left a void in me, a vaccum. I lost a friend, who meant so much to me, who said so much without saying a word, his eyes spoke of love - "unconditional love" - something which nobody else has ever been able to give me. There are times when I just look at his photograph, and run my hand across it, and there's a pain deep inside me which tells me how much I was a part of him, and how much I will miss him throughout my life ...I was his only friend. I was the only person who he actually poured out his heart to, maybe because at some stage I had made up my mind that I will just let him be him....after all he'd grown old now and maybe couldnt change himself for better or worse. So there were times, when I used to just call him and have him speak to me for hours. He used to speak to me till he had nothing more to say, and I used to just listen and listen. He never forgot to say "thank you" to me for doing that. I really am grateful to God, that he made me do that for him.

We all will agree that its never too easy to adjust with old people, people who have lived life their way, and soon they have everybody wanting them to live life in a different way altogether - dont we all overlook the needs of elders just wanting them to adjust a little bit here and there, or just give up that nagging habit of their's. I am not saying that we are wrong in expecting them to be a little more adjusting, but maybe we could remember the times when they were so much more tolerant towards our constant chattering, our unending flow of questions, our stuborrness to have our way, their not giving up on us when we were younger - arent we all not thankful for the efforts our parents / in-laws put towards bringing us / our spouses up the way we've been brought up...maybe we could do something to show that to them. A little tolerance could go a long way.

I think that's too much of "thought for the day".....I am getting down quick to the recipe, and you'll pardon me for not being up & about yet, but yes - I AM TRYING.

Ingredients

2 cups - shredded apple
3/4 cup - maida / refined flour
3/4 cup - atta / wheatflour
1/2 tsp - baking soda
2 tsp - vanilla essence
2 eggs - room temperature
3/4 cup - butter
1 cup - brown sugar
3/4 - candied cherries
1/2 tspn - cinnamon powder

Method
Cream the butter and sugar first
Add the eggs and beat again
Then add the vanilla essence
Seive the flours, baking soda, cinnamon powder together
Now add the dried ingredients into the wet ones & beat till well mixed
Finally add the cherries & apple
Mix well
I greased to loaf tins & baked for 50 mins at 160 deg C.

The result were two moist cakes.
My husband didnt like it all that much coz he's not very found of moist cakes, n neither do I, but my MIL liked it, and it quickly disappeared in the office!! To put the point forth - two loaves gone in two days!!!

So I guess its all about what tastes actually tickle your tongue!! Right??

Hope to be back soon.....

PALAK PYAZ PAKODAS - SPINACH AND ONION FRITTERS

Hi everybody....I know its been a long while now, but am somewhat glad to be back. Honestly speaking, I have been sneaking around blogs but not wanting to join in the bandwagon for some unknown reasons,...I dont have an answer myself. Maybe it was nothing but sheer laziness to get back....mmmmm....n maybe no answer will satisfy me. So i've decided to leave it at that....what say???

But I missed blogging and all in this awesome blogsphere.

I have had this recipe pending in for a long time now. I love these fritters and more so on a rainy evening, when you just want to dig into something "hoily" - what I meant was "hot & oily" :) The onions add a very different crunch to them and they are outright delish. I will also share my MIL's secret for giving them an extra crispiness....which might not be a secret to many, but to me, it was the unveiling of a biiiiig secret when I was told the method. I guess that's whats passing on traditional kitchen secrets is all about - eh???

Here I come .........





Ingredients -
250 gms - finely chopped spinach (definitely afer washing the leaves)
2 big onions - finely chopped
enough gram flour to make into a thick batter
a pinch of asofetida
salt to taste
green chillies as per taste
a pinch of haldi / turmeric powder


method

In a wok heat enough oil. I somehow prefer using lesser oil, even though I might need to fry a batch or two extra shifts, but I prefer less reuse of the used oil (I hope I am able to make myself clear).
Mix everything together to make a thick batter
Drop in spoonfuls of the batter into the oil & fry just a wee bit less than golden brown.

Now for the ultimate secret - remove them from the oil and let them cool just enough to be handled.
Keep one pakoda in the palm of your hand and just press them a wee bit and refry them.

Beleive me - there will be an extra crunch....

You have ready to dig in, hot, irrestible pakodas.

DADDY I PRAY THAT YOU REST IN PEACE..........

Hyeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

I know I have been absconding from the blog world........life has been topsy-turvy to say the least. I lost my Dad a little above 2 months ago. He went away peacefully. Come what may, I will never be able to fill the void created by his passing away, but am somewhat at peace when people console saying that he was a good soul and will be seated with God right now....I believe them and I believe that my Dad is happy whereever he is today.

I will always remain his little girl, his doll, his little angel....I dont think there was anybody in this world whom he loved as much as he loved me.....yes nobody...and my family will whole heartedly agree to this statement....even today when I open the doors of the home where he lived, I feel his warm hug, his outstretched arms waiting to hug me and hold me tight, there was nobody in this world who could wipe away my tears without asking me a word, and yet comfort me. Just a sneeze or a cough would make him worry endlessly. When I am there I miss him fretting over me with something or the other to eat or drink, and I remember how irritated I used to get, just hoping he would leave me alone and not fret so much.

For years he handed over the first cup of tea into my hands, and a kiss on my foreheard, every morning - even before I could open my eyes..........my mother always complained he spoilt me rotten, but I loved every bit of it, and miss all that affection so much.

He lay so peacefully and so warm and with such a beautiful smile on his face that it was hard to beleive that he has gone....a day I dreaded so much, and it was there, and I was facing it.....it was as if a part of my heart had been torn away, and even today as I write, I feel a peice of my heart missing.

My Dad lived with just 20% of his heart functioning for as long as 10 years!! He was indeed very brave, and it was his sheer willpower and urge to live on without complaining that saw him through such a long period...Doctors amaze at his capability and zest to live.

I love you Daddy and miss you sooo much.

I hope to restart blogging very soon & I hope all my blogger friends are doing well

MIXED VEG - SPECIAL

There are some things that you would not be regularly cooking, they are going to be a special treat for a special time. Things that would be on the richer side of calories....but they really make for a treat at times, or maybe just like that you would like to prepare the dish. I call this dish "special" coz I make it rarely & it does taste yumm, but I would rather restrict myself & Rajeev to such a treat once in a while.

I made this recently to take over to a cousin's house as a pool-in, coz his wife was making the rest of the food. It turned out really good - how wouldnt it have....anything fried n smothered in cream would taste awesome - wont it??? Maybe you could try it for yourself.



Ing
1/2 cauliflower - cut into florets
4 carrots - scraped & slit into two & diced into 1 inch pcs
1/4 cup - green peas
3 potatoes - scraped & chopped into fingers
100 gms - paneer
8/10 stalks of green beans
1 capsicum - diced into cubes
1/2 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
4 tbpn - cream
4 tbspn - thick curd
1/4 tspn - turmeric / haldi powder
1 tspn - garam masala powder
1 tspn - dhaniya powder
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder
3/4 onions - finely chopped legthwise
3/4 tomatoes
4/5 flakes of garlic
1/2 inch ginger
4 cloves
1/2 inch pcs of cinnamon broken
2 pods of cardamom - crushed

Method -
In a wok heat some oil for deep frying.
When first add the cauliflower florets & fry them - remove them on a tissue when done
next add the potatoes & fry them till done - remove on a tissue
Next add the carrots & take remove them on a tissue when done.
Boil the beans & the pease together (you can use the microwave to retain the colour)
Take another pan & take some oil in it
Add the khada garam masala i..e, the cinnamon, cloves, jeera & the cardamom
Add the onions and fry till pinkish brown
Meanwhile puree the tomatoes, garlic & ginger
Add this into the pan & fry till the oil separates
Add the turmeric & fry
Add the red chilli powder, garam masala, corriander & fry well
Now add the cream & fry till it is well blended
Add the curd & again fry till well blended
Now add the chopped capsicum & some salt
Close the lid & cook till capsicum is done - stirring in between
Once this is thru, add the fried cauliflower, potatoes & carrots along with the beans, peas & the diced paneer cubes.
Mix everything well with a light hand, to ensure that the veggies retain their shape & dont get mashed up.
Close the lid & let cook for a minute or two.
Garnish with corriander leaves

This goes very well with parathas, chappatis or as a side dish to rice.

Do try this "special" dish & let me know.

CHILLI PRAWNS

I know its been ages since I vanished from the blog scene. I owe it to a humungous amount of work pressure & a wee bit of lethargy. I honestly havent blog hopped too. My list of "To Post" keeps growing bigger.

Good Friday paased, Holi passed & then Easter paased without much ado. There were three holidays, n we could have gone on a mini-vacation but for my hubby's Exams approaching soon. I didnt wanna make him any guilty too, but then he was good n did spend quite a good amount of time with me, taking me out for "JODHA AKBAR" which we've wanted to watch since its release. I had other preferences, but chose to give into something mutually acceptable. That's how adjusting I am....

I dont regret watching the movie, except for all the bloodshed depicted. Hritik Roshan was a treat to the eyes. Looking as majestic as ever. I dont feel anybody else could have done justice to the role of Akbar in the movie. Aishwarya wasnt bad either, with minimal makeup, the mindblowing jewellery & gorgeous costumes she did look beautiful. The sets were superb. It is surely worth a watch on the big screen. The small one wont do justice to the entire effect.

Now not wanting you all to wander away, I am going to post something very close to my heart......this is absolutely my version, n I love every bit of it.















Ing -
250 gms - prawns
2 big onions - sliced finely
1/2 inch pc - ginger
4 flakes - garlic
1 big tomato - finely chopped
1 tsp - red chilli powder
1/2 tspn - turmeric / haldi powder
1/4 tspn - garam masala powder
2 stems of curry leaves
2 tbspn - maggie hot and sweet sauce
1 green chilli - chopped fine
salt as per taste

Method -
In a non-stick pan heat some oil.
Add the grated ginger & garlic
Fry well
Add the onions, n fry till pinkish brown
Add the tomatoes & fry till oil separates
Now add the curry leaves, turmeric, chillies & garam masala
Mix well to blend
Add the washed prawns, put in some salt
Cover & cook till prawns are tender & well cooked.
Add the sauce, the chopped green chilies & more salt
Cook till all moisture is dried up.

I generally eat mine with some bread, but they will go well with plain white rice...The sauce gives a wonderful tang to it which I soo love very much.

CHERISH

Its been a long time I have been putting away posting this.....I dont know why. But now I have to absolutely do it, coz I feel guilty whenever I think of it.

Before the year ended I had posted the Best of 2007, wherein I had mentioned that I had received a gift from Hotel Choclat....after much hue & cry - I finally got the packet one day.

I was excited beyond words - not that I had never won a competition before, but this really meant something for me.. Cooking is a passion in my life, n me having won for soemthing which is so close to my heart - really really meant a lot to me. N moreover I had soo many people who seemed so absolutely proud of me - my husband, my MIL, my parents, my friends - all of them....& I was gleaming. When I opened the packet I was shocked to see that the packet had been messed with, n there were open wrappers lying in the box. I suspected this coz the box did weigh lighter than the first time it had come for delivery & was given back because of an unpaid Customs Duty Bill from the Consigners behalf. Me being me - was not ready to give up on ethics, n I needed to get the courier guys by the neck to find out where the box went. Then there was suddenly my husband, who very calmly said - "you know what, just let it go - even this one box is very precious & enough for us". I was totally touched & I was left without a word to say....I just gave him a big hug n said "so be it". There were 16 pcs that I got, I honestly kept one pc each for all those who had so eagerly waited for the box to arrive, n the rest (which was very very little) we both shared. I treasure the book - hopefully I shall be able to give some of the recipes a try. My name shows here in the winners list

I will always, always cherish this memory in my heart. No joy can match this profound love.

Pictures are all that I can share with you - my wonderful friends - without whom I wouldnt be doing I what I am doing today with a good part of my day i.e., BLOGGING.

Thank you.

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE WITH APPLE TOPPING

I am not a apple lover, but my husband is - I have this recipe for a long time, n I took it from the Hersheys site - n when I had some leftover apple pie stuffing, I didnt know what to do with it, so I thought I'd make this recipe finally. Of course, me being me, did make a few alternations here n there...but it was one of the best things I've ever baked. I didnt like the topping bit, but I had someone at home to devour it...so didnt bother me much..
















Ing -
For the apple topping
1 apple
2 tbspn of raisins
1 tbspn cherries chopped
1 tbspn walnuts chopped
4 tbspn - sugar or brown sugar
1/4 tbspn - cinnamon powder
a dash of lime juice
1/4 tbsp - flour

Just mix everything togeter & keep aside.

For the brownie
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar (if you like a much sweeter cake you can make that 3/4)
1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
2/3 cup butter / oil / shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method :
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Seive the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in bowl.
Cream the butter & sugar.
Add water, egg and vanilla essence - beat until smooth and well blended.
Mix the flour into the paste & beat well to incorporate.
Grease a loaf tin & pour the batter into it.
Carefully spoon apple topping evenly over chocolate batter - DO NOT STIR.
Bake for 1 hr or more till the topping is set & a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

This is a keeper of a recipe. I might not add the topping the next time, but the brownie was sure excellent. It had a very lovely taste & an excellent texture.

N there's one thing I've seen all cakes taste better the next day ;-)

URAD SABUT AUR RAJMA

I think no Cuisine uses "lentils / daals" the way Indian cuisine does. The recipes are endless, the spices used is exhaustive & the results are always excellent. Some like their thick n creamy, there are others who like the watery consistency, n still others who prefer it mid-way i.e., not thick but a bit watery.

I prefer mine thick. Perfect to scoop up in a morsel of chappati, or mush it up with rice, or better - eat as it is.

I love black daals better than yellow ones too. I guess these are also personal preferences. Coz my husband likes yellow rather than black - so I keep it fair, n make both equally.

This particular combo is a favourite of mine. This version that I am giving you is the simpler one. The same combo is used to make the famous Daal Makhani, which I shall make some other day & post the recipe separately. This is a simpler & less caloried version, but the taste is great in its own way.






Ing -
1 katori - urad sabut (black one with skin on)
1/4 katori - rajma
1 inch pc of ginger
5/6 flakes of garlic
3/4 flakes of garlic (separate)
a pinch of hing
1/2 tspn - turmeric / haldi
3/4 - green chillies
1 jumbo onion or two medium ones
a pinch of sugar
salt as per taste
1 tspn - garam masala
1 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
Either juice of 1 lime or 1 tspn of amchur powder

Method

Soak the daals overnight.
Take a pressure cooker, add 1 tspn of oil in it.
Grate the ginger & the garlic (or make a paste of both) & fry the same in that oil.
Add salt, & the lentils & cook for about 20 mins.
In a kadai - heat some ghee (for the real taste) or add half-half ghee-oil, or if you are way too concious just add any oil of your preference.
When hot, add the jeera till it sputters. Chop the garli flakes kept seaparately & fry till just about brown.
Add the hing.
Add the garam masala & stir well.
Separately add the lime juice or amchur into the daal & mix well. Test the salt & add if more required.
Now add half the tempering into the daal & mix well.
The rest of the half use for garnish

I served this hot plain rice & some gaajar-shalgam pickle & aloo paappad for a fulfilling lunch

UPDATED - GINGER WINE

Hi there

I know its late....but this is the Ginger Wine my mom made for this Christmas so I am updating it with pics.

Hope you like it....the wine was as tangy & sweet as ever!! Loved it to the last drop!!

SHAHI PALAK MATAR - SPINACH AND PEAS

Tired of making the same old palak-paneer, I wanted to do something different with the palak....something I thought would retain the creamy texture of mashed palak & yet add a zing to the dish. Strage are we sometimes - right?? There are times when we yearn for the comfort of the "known", & yet there are times when we are struggling to come out of the "known" i.e., the routine etc. etc. Strange is this being called "human".....well coming back to my palak...this is what I finally did with it.





Ing -
1/2 kg - spinach / palak washed chopped & microwaved for 8 mins (stirring once in between)
1/2 cup - peas (boiled)
1 onion
2 tomatoes
3/4 garlic flakes
1/2 pc ginger
50 gms - khoya
2 tbspn - cream
1 tspn - garam masala
3/4 green chillies
2 tspn - corriander / dhaniya powder
1/4 tsp - sugar

Method -
Grind the onions & tomatoes along with ginger & garlic into a smooth paste
In a pan add some oil & when hot fry the paste adding a little salt till the oil separates.
Now add the garam masala, corriander powder - fry well
Grate the khoya & add into the pan & mix well
Add the cream too & mix well.
Coarsely grid the spinach with the chillies (before griding remove any excess water)
You can use that water as a stock for anything else
Add this paste into the already cooked masala
Add the sugar & the peas
Mix well & let cook for another 5 minutes

The dish was excellent & I will surely make it more often. If you cant find khoya you may substitute it with 2 tbspn of cream or finely grated paneer.

FRUIT AND NUT TEA BREAD

It feels so very nice to sit down with family or friends to have a chit-chat about life & its happenings. If there is some hot tea / coffee and some homemade cake or sweet-bread to go with it, the conversation would be sooo much better.

I have adapted the following recipe from BAKING SHEET's . I did a few alternations & here's the end result.




Ing -
1 cup - maida
1 cup - wheatflour
1/2 tsp - baking soda
3/4 tsp - baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp dry ginger powder
2 cardamoms - powdered
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup curd
4 tbsp melted butter
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup - candied cherries chopped
1/4 cup - walnuts crushed coarsely with hands
1/4 cup - tutti-fruitty
a handful of raisins
a handful of chopped almonds

Method -
Preheat oven to 180C.
Grease one loaf pan & keep ready
Seive the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom powder, salt & the spices together.
Add them into a bowl.
Beat the sugar, curd, melted butter well
Add the vanilla extract and the egg.
Add this mixture into the flour gradually, stirring all the while
When both are well incorporated adding fruits & the nuts
Fold all of it well
If the batter is very very dry, you can consider adding a wee bit of milk (normal temperature), but remember the batter has to be very thick.
I used my hands (clean one's please) to scoop the batter into the loaf
Using a spatula smoothen the surface.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

The crust browned very fast so when the cake was baked about 30 mins I covered it with a tissue paper to save it from burning.

I served it once with butter & once with jam.

It vanished pretty quickly & I really loved the walnuts & cherries in it.

I am also sending this over to lovely Bindiya of In Love With Food fame for her event "These are a few of my favourite things".

HARA LAHSUN AUR METHI KE PARATHE - GARLIC SPRING AND FENUGREEK FLAT BREAD

There are some things in life that you inherit. No, not in terms of money or assets, but here I refer to things that are handed over to you by your elders in terms of knowledge. Things that experience has taught them, n they would like to pass them onto us. Small tips that make a marked difference.......

The following recipe is what I consider part of my inheritance from my mother-in-law. This is the first time I made it, n beleive me, it is a treasure of a recipe. The flavours were incredibly special, n the end product was a delight on your tastebuds.......

I never knew something like "hara lahsun" even existed. I would see it at the vegetable vendor, but never could distinguish it from the spring onions. That's when my MIL told me that though they look exactly like the spring onions, the bud (i.e, the lower white part) is way much smaller than the onions. This is the first time I used them in anything at all, though when my MIL is here she often buys them, n uses them in the dishes that she makes.












Ing -

50 gms (4/5 stems) - hara lahsun / spring garlic
1/2 cup - fresh fenugreen leaves finely chopped
5 green chillies
1 onion - chopped finely
2 cups - wheatflour
1/4 cup - milk(room temp)
salt to taste
ghee / butter for shallow frying

Method -
In a big bowl, add the wheat flour.
Add the spring garlics chopped very fine & washed
Then add the fenugreen leaves chopped very fine & washed.
Add the onions, green chillies chopped & salt.
Add the milk & mix well.
Now add required quantity of water to knead into a smooth dough. Dont use too much water, coz the dough will turn sticky and difficult to roll.
Heat the girdle / tawa.
Roll the dough into chappatis & shallow fry on the tawa using some ghee/butter or oil - as you like it.

I made mine piping hot (in terms of chillies) and served it with red-hot chilly pickle and plain creamy curd. The chilli pickle was made by MIL, n I shall be posting the recipe soon.

It was a blend of flavours & tasted really really good.
I think this one nutritious breakfast to be served either to kids or packed for lunch.

MIX VEG BIRIYANI

There are some things that really make you feel ooooh so nice n comforted. Yes, I am talking about comfort foods. Though many may agree on the same stuff, there might be some who differ in their opinion, n they may have something on their mind, which is comfortable to them, but it wont have the same affect on others.

The list would be long, if you are asked to list your comfort foods......I mean, really, really long, coz for me there are many things on mine, which really give me that safe n secure feeling. A lot would also depend on my mood, the weather, a memory.........

On days when you are rushed, n yet you dont want to have dinner packed from outside, or eat at a Restaurant, but you really dont have the energy to slog in the kitchen, n ready to cook is not for you, then what do you do - well, you want something that comforts you. My favorite, all time comforter is my versatile Biriyani....I mean, I really love the thought of settling down with some hot Veggie Biriyani, a bowl of thick creamy curd, some pickle n some paapad........heaven on a plate - isint it?? N the best part - the part that I soooooo love - you dont have to knead the dough for the chappatis, or even roll them - hurrayyyyy. Just a little bit of this, n a little bit of that ........n wait for the whistle of the cooker - n you open to a kitchen filled with aroma n a cooker full of goodness.

Here goes my recipe

Ing -
2 glasses of good quality basmati rice
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
1 inc pc of cinnamon
3 pods of cardamom
5-10 black pepper (optional)
4 big onions
2 handfuls of peas
3 big carrots - chopped finely
4 beans
a handful of corn kernels
4 tspn of oil
1/4 tspn - garam masala powder (optional)
1 tbspn of butter / ghee (enhances the taste factor)

Method -
Wash n soak the rice. If you dont have much time you can just soak till the time you are doing the preparation. I cry a lot when I cut onions, so I generally have a few onions peeled & cold in the refigerator. This ensures that I dont cry when I am cutting them, n they are chopped very easily (Tip of the day)
Slice the onions thin
In the cooker heat the oil & add the bay leaves, then add the spices & stir till you get a nice aroma. It will be nice if you just crush them a weee bit.
Add the onions & saute them till a nice golden-pink colour (add a pinch of sugar while sauteeing them)
Drain the rice & add into the cooker & add all the rest of the veggies into it.
On high flame fry all the things together for about 2/3 mins.
Add the butter / ghee
Add salt & garam masala powder
Add 2-1/4 glasses of water. If you are unable to soak the rice for more than 20 mins, then add 2-3/4 glasses of water. If you dont want to use the cooker then add double the quantity of water to your rice & cook with a closed lid (stirring in between).
Stir well & wait for just one whistle
Have patience till the steam passes. You can make the raita & roast the pappads & arrange the plates till that time.
Open the cooker & be comforted !!

I really love this one. N my preference is to eat this with my hands (no spoons etc) n without anything to go by.

Girls, as an after-thought, I am sending my entry to lovely MEETA of What's for Lunch Honey's Monthly Mingle Event.

Hope she will accept my entry.

CRISPY GARLIC POTATOES - LAHSUNI ALU

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I am once again going to say something about the most versatile root in the whole wide world - POTATOES. Day or night, ample or lack of time, exotic or simple -you can use them anyway your heart pleases.

I am not going to waste any more time on praises of this , but give you the recipe........

Ing -
4/5 potatoes - scraped and diced
8/9 flakes of - garlic chopped finely
1 big onion - diced roughly
juice of 1/2 lime
2 tbspn - mustard oil
1/4 tspn - ajwain / bishop seeds
1/4 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
1/2 tspn - turmeric oil
1/4 tspn - garam masala
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder

Method -
In a kadai smoke the mustard oil & add both cumin & bishop seeds. They will sputter immediately.
Add the garlic & just about 2 secs later, add the onions.
Add the potatoes & some salt.
Close the lid of the pan & let them turn crisp on high flame. Keep stirring in between so that the potatoes dont burn.
In this process the garlic & onions will roast(i.e, turn dark brown in colour).
Once the potatoes are a golden brown in colour, just slice one or two to ensure that they are fully cooked.
Add the turmeric first & stir to coat evenly.
Then add the garam masala, chilli powder.
Lastly sqeeze the lime on top & stir.
Without the lid, on high flame let the potatoes roast on high flame for about a minute or two - stirring in between.

This made a lovely lunch for the both of us with chappatis, though they were not as crispy as they initiatlly were. I feel that they can be served as an excellent side-dish for cocktails or for a dinner.

The roasted garlic & onions gave an excellent flavor to the potatoes .

I am also sending this over to dear Sunita for her "THINK SPICE ......THINK GARLIC" event. Hope she likes it.

ARUVASAI FRIENDSHIP CHAIN - AND A GIFT FROM RACHEL

I would truly have to begin my first post of 2008 with apologies to Rachel of Tangerine's Kitchen, n to all other friends who waited for me to do something with my secret ingredient, especially to dear Bharaty of Spicy Chilly who to my embarrasesment did even send a few reminders !!! Sorry to all.

Withstanding the thuder n rain prevailing in Chennai during that time, the packet finally did reach me in one peice - to my delight. I opened the packet to find this ........

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SUNMAID RAISINS



Though I did get my ingredient, I honestly was soooo tight with time on hand that I really couldnt tweak some out for making something using Raisins. I just didnt want to make ANYTHING, but make SOMETHING - do I sound wiered - but I guess you understand what I mean.

I finally used my MIL's help n came up with this delightful North Indian sweet, which is an instant energy booster, n popping just one or two with a glass of milk make a wholesome breakfast - believe me, try it n you will agree with me.

I wont waste more time.......














KISHMISH PINNIYAN - RAISIN ENERGY BOOSTERS (that's all that I could think up as a suitable name in English - if you can think of something better pls do let me know, I'd happily change)

This will make around 10-12 pinnis

Ing -
2 cups - wheatflour (seived n husk removed)
3/4 cup - powdered sugar (if you want it to be moderately sweet)
3/4 cup - ghee (melted)- 2 tspn separately
10-15 almonds
2 cardamoms
1/2 cup - raisins (chopped)

Method -
In a deep pan, put the wheatflour and 2 tbspn ghee & roast it on low flame. Keep stirring in between till the colour has turned brown in colour. It will have a very nice aroma.
Meanwhile grind the almonds & cardamoms together into a form where it is like breadcrumbs, but not very fine.
Remove from fire, add the ghee while the flour is still hot.
Try binding the flour n see if the same holds together, if it doesnt then add a little more ghee.
Now add the powdered sugar and the ground almonds & cardamoms. Mix using a spatula.
Add the chopped raisins & mix well.
Now comes the most difficult part, you have to make the material into balls while it is still hot. It will require a lot of endurance, but it does come (it did come to me, n so I am sure it is surely already there in you).

Let them cool & then enjoy these delectable delights. I really love this thing for breakfast. I really love the raisins & the crushed almonds give them a certain crunch.

My MIL was impressed that I could do this on my own, n she surely was proud.

So here is my entry for the Aruvasai Friendship Chain which I really enjoyed.















I am sending my entry to Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen & dear Priyadarshini of Food and Laughter. Girls lookout for your packets. I shall be sending them off tomorrow.