Boondhi-Crunchy golden droplets

Little crunchy droplets that are a suitable time pass ,just about any time of the day and any time of the year.Yea, I am talking about -Boondhi. Actually you really don't need any fancy equipment for this one,coz all you need is a ladle like this one..





Traditionally we use Boondhi ladles that are made of iron with rims so that the batter does not flow outside the ladle.For now I could not go looking for it and prepared with the ladle I had...


You need:

Gram flour -2 cups
Rice flour - 1/2 a cup
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder - to taste
Curry leaves- a few
Cashew nuts - a few
Oil for deep frying


1. In a large bowl put in gram flour+rice flour and add water to make a smooth batter of pouring consistency.[You can add salt in this step if you want and omit it in the final step].The batter should in a consistency that can coat a spoon.If its too watery the boondhi will be flat.If it is too thick ,it will not fall off the slotted spoon.

2. Heat oil and fry the cashews till brown.keep aside

3. Similarly,fry the curry leaves till crunchy.Crush and keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a deep bottom pan.

5. When hot,hold the slotted ladle in your left hand and take a ladleful of batter and pour over the slotted ladle.Take care that it does not overflow.

[Note:Once the oil is hot simmer and start .If the oil is too hot or not hot enough the biindhi will not turn out crunchy.]

6. Gently tap the slotted ladle.The batter will fall as droplets.

7. Fry till golden and drain.Repeat for the remaining batter.Let it cool completely.

8. In a big bowl,put in the fried boondhi,crushed curry leaves,fried cashews and add salt and red chilli powder.Toss and store in an airtight container .

Crunchy delight with a steaming cup of coffee or tea and a group of friends!Do I need to say more!!

Oh Ee Mu Chim - Cucumber salad,Korean style...

Whenever I wana try out a recipe from across the border,I start with the easiest of them all-less number of ingredients,nothing too fancy ,nothing too elaborate and so on.So when my turn came to host AWED-Korean,a culinary event started by DK ,I chose a simple recipe.All the ingredients are easily available and there is no need to cook!!Yes,then its got to be a salad!I was a little hesitant to taste this one but after I did I really liked it.It was rather hot that day and this chilled salad was sooo cooling..

The original recipe is from here and I have made a few changes from the original one.I could not get Korean chili powder so used our regular chili powder and decreased the quantity of sugar.

You need:

Cucumber - 1 medium sized,thinly sliced



Dressing:



Rice vinegar -1 teaspoon
Sugar-1 teaspoon
Soy sauce -1/2 a teaspoon
Sesame seeds -1 teaspoon,slightly crushed/powdered
Garlic -1 large pod,minced
Chili powder- 1/2 a teaspoon
Salt to taste.

Put all ingredients for the dressing in a bowl, add cucumber slices, mix.
Check the seasonings and adjust.
Serve cold.

I am also sending this to Neha's AFAM-Cucumber" an event started by Maheshwari

Pheni

This is another treat I got back with me from my trip to the beautiful city of Mysore. It is called PHENI-a delicious sweet made from Maida [Refined wheat flour] and butter!! This is what it look like..Those of you who are familiar will be drooling just thinking about the melt-in-the -mouth taste,rite!!!...





This type of pheni is rather difficult to prepare at home and only the most experienced chefs are good at spinning this one!!

Lay out 1 pheni on a serving dish and top it with a generous helping of powdered sugar and then soak it in warm milk for a few seconds and serve.I prefer to use cold/chilled milk.It will be cool crunchy and sweet!!Yum yumm!!


This kind of pheni is common in most of our festivals and wedding.Many people still feel that a wedding feast is not complete if they are not served this kind of pheni.

You can eat any number of pheni and still not feel full.They are light and keep you craving for more so my small stock of pheni disappeared in 2 days...

There is another kind of pheni which resembles a poori but served the same way.This pheni is quite easy to make and can be prepared at home. I got to ask mom for the recipe and post later... Here is the recipe for pheni that we made for Ugadhi 2012

Bon Appetit...

Wheat Rava Idli

This wheat rava Idli has been sleeping in my blog for almost an year!![Must have been waiting for Roma's event :)]

Wheat is a good alternative for diabetics and weight-watchers.So when you feel guilty eating rice products,this is every healthy alternative.Curd is used in this recipe but can be substituted with curd prepared from low fat/skim milk.Moreover ,when u are tired of eating idlis [no matter how soft or fluffy they are you do get bored sometime..],this is an excellent choice.Okay,this also comes in handy if you want to surprise your surprise guests with a quick and tasty[and healthy] breakfast.

Here is what you need:

Wheat rava - 2 cups

Urad dhal,whole- 1/2 a cup

Curd-2 cups or more

Salt to taste

Seasoning :

Oil-1 tablespoon

Mustard- 1 teaspoon

Jeera-1 teaspoon

Channa dal-1 teaspoon

Curry leaves- a few

Fried cashew /groundnuts- 1 tablespoon,broken into bits.

Soak urad dhal for 1/2 an hour,drain and grind it adding very less water.Keep aside.

Heat a pan and roast the wheat rava for a few minutes till a nice aroma arises.

In a big bowl,put in the roasted rava,ground urad dhal,salt,fried cashew/groundnuts.

Heat oil in a pan and put in the seasonings and when done pour into the bowl.

Mix well and add curd.and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Check the batter now,if it is too dry add more curd.[The quantity of curd will vary with the quality of the wheat rava.]

The batter should neither be too thick or too watery.

After another 15 minutes ,grease idli moulds and pour a ladle full of batter into each mould and steam till done.[Approx 15 minutes].

Insert a knife/skewer into the idli's.If they come out clean ,the idli's are done.

Sending this to Roma who is hosting JFI-Wheat.JFI is an event originally started by Indira of Mahanandhi.

Similar recipes

Idli

Rava Idli

Suggested accompaniments:

Sambar

Coconut chutney

Coriander Chutney

Mashed Sapota With Milk

I usually feed my lil angel with juices or milkshakes on a daily basis.Last week when I visited the fruit market ,I found the sapota [Sapodilla/chikoo] being sold so cheap and they were looking so luscious.I immediately got a kilo and decided to prepare a simple milkshake.

There was an unscheduled power-cut that particular day and my dreams of a chikoo milkshake vanished.

I took one chikoo and cut it into half and removed the seeds.

Scooped out the pulp and mashed it .

Mixed with a little milk and served it to lil angel.

My!Was she delighted!!She enjoyed the new texture-it was a little lumpy and delicious,I guess.Thanks to the power cut else I would have never tried this chikoo mash.

It's good to know more :


Sapota also known as sapodilla or chikoo,is an exceptionally sweet tasting fruit.It is low in saturated fats,sodium and cholesterol and high in Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C .100grams of sapota provides approx. 347 calories.

This simple treat goes to my event Tasty Bites for toddlers

How To Make Super Soft and Fluffy Chapathi

Last month I visited Mysore[or Mysooroo/Mysuru as they call it now].A weeks stay in my aunts place was not sufficient to admire the beauty of the city.We enjoyed the visit to the vast palace by the day and were awestruck by its beauty in the evening when the palace lights were lit and it looked like the palace was bathed in gold!!

The Zoo-Shri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens- was the one which lil angel enjoyed the most and I think she loved the elephant coz even after we came home she kept repeating its name!!It is said to be the oldest zoo in the world as it was established under the royal patronage in the year 1892.There you can adopt animals and have your name displayed near the cage of the animal!!

The other places we visited were the famed Chamundi hills which has a gigantic statue of 'Mahishasura' a demon who was killed the Goddess.On the way to the temple is another famous landmark- an impressive statue of Nandhi[bull] which draws tourists.

The other beautiful spots include the Jagamohan Palace,Brindhavan gardens which has beautiful and colorful musical fountain shows,Philomina's Church,Railway museum,Karanji Lake and a lot more.Of course I cannot forget the shopping, for this place is very well known for its silk saris ,popularly known as Mysore Silk.


With so many tourist attractions,time was not enough to pay a visit to all but nevertheless it was a memorable trip.


The other most important thing is my aunts cookery.One day we were watching TV and there was an advertisement for a popular brand of wheat flour.In that they show a puffed-up chapathi and I asked my aunt if that really happened when we cook it at home.

So off we went to the kitchen and there the dough was ready and aunt rolled out the chapthi's and cooked them.Lo and behold!!!They were just like the ones in the commercial!! They were super-soft as well.I begged her to share the secret and she said it is no big deal.I asked her a million questions like-Do u use hot water or curd to make the dough,Do u use any special /secret ingredient ,How long do u let the dough rest before rolling it out etc..

Her secret has nothing to do with any special technique or secret ingredient.

The basic ingredients for chapathi - Whole wheat flour, salt and water to knead.

Make the dough as usual and knead well for 15 minutes.Don't worry about the pain in ur wrist [actually they don't pain at all,it's rather a good exercise for the hands :)] coz u are about to be rewarded with super soft and fluffy chapthis.Let the dough rest for at least an hour before you roll them out.

I snapped a few shots to share with all and here they are....


Put the rolled dough on a hot griddle[We will call it side 1]






2.Wait for 10 seconds and flip it over[Side 2].Wait for 30 seconds.







3.Using a pair of tongs ,remove the chapathi from the griddle and put it on the open flame,side 1 facing the flame.Tap the chapathi gently with the tongs and watch it puff up!!





4.Once it puffs up,again using the tong flip it over ,remove and put it back on the griddle.It will still be puffed up.

Remove from heat and serve.Brush lightly with ghee if you like.

You must try this.Though it requires some practice its worth the trial and error.After all practice leads to perfection,right!!

Updated[14/11/2011]:

Sending this to Jaya's Back To Basics event hosted here with the theme Basic breads.

Coriander Paratha

A delicious and soft paratha that every one in your family will love to indulge in including your tiny tot.Actually this paratha is a cross between Chapthi and Parotta.

Parottas are not to be confused with Parathas.Parottas are South Indian flat breads that are laden with oil/butter/ghee .It has multiple layers and uses a generous helping of ghee and sometimes even eggs.

I just wanted the chapathi to be flaky like the parotta and also healthy without using too much oil/egg.The addition of carrot and lots of coriander gives it a delicious twist in taste and appearance.

This can be served with a veggie gravy or just with pickle and yogurt.

You need:

Wheat flour-2 cups +1/4 cup for dusting

Carrot - 1 small,grated

Coriander leaves-1 bunch,finely chopped

Salt to taste

The making of the dough is similar to that of chapathi.Put in all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.Add warm water,little by little, and make a firm [but not tough] dough.Knead well for 15 minutes and let it rest for at least half an hour.

The pic is self explanatory but giving the procedure just in case it looks confusing :)

Pinch off a golf-ball sized lump and roll it out,dust a little flour if the dough is sticky.

Pleat the rolled out dough to make a 'dough rope'

Bring one end inside and roll it to form a ball.

Press lightly and again roll it out.

Heat a griddle and cook the rolled out dough on both sides till tiny brown spots appear.

Drizzle ghee/oil while cooking. [Optional]

Remove from heat and serve hot.You can now indulge in layers and layers of delicious parathas.

Brush a little butter/ghee if serving to children.

If you are pressed for time and patience you can roll them out like the regular chapathi and they taste equally good...

This colorful,tasty and healthy paratha goes to my event Tasty Bites for toddlers

Also sending this to Roma who is hosting JFI-Wheat.JFI is an event originally started by Indira of Mahanandhi.

Similar recipes

Methi Paratha
Nutri Chapathi
Veggie Chapathi

Apple Sauce | Stewed Apple

An apple a day keeps the doctor away is a very well-known saying but from which age can we start this?The baby can't digest apple in the raw form until 6 months.This is a nice way to introduce apple to the lil one's diet.As the kid grows older the apple can be stewed or can be given as a milkshake.

You need:

Apple-1 medium sized
Sugar-Optional

This is a method that I follow and it is quick and easy and involves practically no stirring!Wondering how?

I just peel,core and chop the apples and pressure cook it for 8 to 10 minutes or till done.

Then lightly mash it with a potato masher or a spoon and feed it to my lil angel.

Add sugar[optional] and serve.

As simple as that. What's more interesting is that you can serve this apple sauce to your lil one even when he/she has diarrhoea. The cooking process softens the cellulose and provides bulk to the feces.

But be sure to consult the paediatrician before you feed a sick child

Note :

• As the baby grows it needs to be exposed to the various tastes and textures so start by mashing the cooked apple in a mixer and then proceed to the hand mashed version.
• You can also peel and grate the apple and microwave sprinkling a little water till done,mash and serve it to the baby.

This stewed apple/apple sauce goes to my event 'Tasty bites for toddlers'.

Beetroot Raita

If you have been reading my blog regularly ,you might well be aware about my love for Yoghurt.So,when mom and me were discussing about new recipes,the topic turned to raita and she asked,'You have posted Beetroot Raita ,right?' and thats when I remembered I had forgotten all about it :).


So off dad went to get Beetroot and here is the simple raita..It can be used as side-dish with pulao or any rice varities and also goes well with Sambar sadham[Sambar rice] and Ennai Kathirikkai[Baby brinjal in tangy sauce].


You need:

Beetroot-1,small,Peeled and grated

Curd-1 soupbowl full

Salt to taste

Seasoning:

Mustard-1 teaspoon

Urad dhal-1/2 a teaspoon

Curry leaves-a few

Green chillies -2 slit

Oil-1 teaspoon


1.Heat oil a pan and put in the mustard and urad dhal.

2.When the dhal turns brown add the green chillies and curry leaves.

3.When the curry leaves turn crisp,put in the grated beetroot andsaute for a few seconds.

4.Sprinkle a little water and cook covered till soft.

5.Meanwhile beat curds well with salt.
6.When the beetroot is done,pout into the curd.


7.Mix well and serve as such/chilled.



You can also microwave the grated beetroot [sprinkle a little water and cover] for 5 minutes or till cooked and then add it to the pan after the seasoning are done,Saute for a few seconds and pour over the curd.Mix and serve.


This raita 'looks' like pink to me so off it goes to Sunshinemom's FIC event,which is hosted this month by Priya. Priya has choosen lovely pink/Rose for the theme and if you cooking aything in pink don't forget to send it to her...

Let's Travel To......... AWED Event Announcement

This month AWED is starting its culinary journey from my blog.If you are wondering what AWED is ,it is to be inspired by the sheer beauty of what you see and an acronym for "A Worldly Epicurean’s Delight".

Before I let you know where we are going to travel to this month,I would like to say something about the wonderful person who started this awesome event.Dhivya Karthik or DK as she is fondly called,started this event as a culinary journey to the lands that have been explored and traveled .

Now coming to this months theme ..Ah ah,not so fast!!!You will have to guess but will give you a few clues though.

- A land which was once referred to as as "Rivers and Mountains Embroidered on Silk",
- A country which has the world's oldest surviving astronomical observatories.
- A cuisine famed for Kimchi , ramyeon

The last one gave away the theme, right!!! Yes,This month we are going to be AWED by the flavorsome KOREAN CUISINE.

Just a few points worth mentioning about the cuisine-

Spiciness is the distinguishing feature of the Korean food.The cuisine is enhanced by the use seasonings like red pepper,green onion,soy bean paste,ginger,garlic,sesame,mustard.

The koreans like meat dishes but vegetable dishes are equally popular. [So you can modify the meat dishes and send them across].They usually boil or blanch, broil, stir-fry, steam, or pan-fry the food with vegetable oil.

Though the times are changing,Korean food is considered to be very healthy and well-balanced.

Apart from the cooking style ,it is interesting to note that the Koreans pay particular attention to the arrangement of the food on the plates and the dishes on the table. Foods are supposed to be placed neatly in concentric circles or parallel linear columns and never in a disorderly fashion. The colors of the foods also alternate in a regular manner.

Here is the logo created by dear DK...

All this said and done, just a few guideline before you start off.....

1) Make any dish – be it Appetizer, Main Course , Snack or Dessert( do mention that in your blog) - Vegetarian/Vegan and post the same in your blog and link it back to this announcement and also to DK's AWED Menu . Use of the logo is highly appreciated.

2) Multiple entries are more welcome than ever, since more the recipes, more the choices available to all of us.


3) Take a snap showcasing your creation and send it across with your “Name”, “Recipe”, “Recipe URL” and “Photo” to : seduceurtastebuds@gmail.com


4) Not having a blog is no excuse to let you get away with your tasty creations. So Non-Bloggers please do send me the same details as above to my mail.


5) Last date for the entries - April 4th 2009.

If you are wondering where to start from,here are a few inspirations...

Korean Delights 1


Korean delights 2


Korean Delights 3


I am honored to be the first hostess of this wonderful event and keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to carry-on the baton that is admired and renowned. So calling all bloggers [and non bloggers] to make this event a grand success.. I look forward to seeing a lot of delicious Korean food and now I am off to start a Korean creation in my kitchen.......

Carottes Rapees -Grated carrot salad,French style...

I have been mulling over the past few days as to what I can be AWED about French cuisine coz got to send in something for DK's AWED -French..I have been travelling around quite a bit and don't feel like entering the kitchen!!Mom to the rescue-as usual..She cooks all what I want and so there is no reason why should enter the kitchen except to pop in when I need something extra for my blog..

When I thought of French cuisine,I was immediately reminded of one of the lessons we learnt,which was meant to introduce us to the words that we use while ordering food at a restaurant and in the menu was the character's fav dish - Bouillabaisse which is dish of a fish stock containing different kinds of cooked fish and shellfish and vegetables, flavored with a variety of herds and spices ,an authentic dish from Marseilles...

I easily located my lesson book and here is a snapshot of that lesson.[I know the print is not good because we could not get the original book as it was out of stock and had to photocopy the whole book and bind it]For a few minutes I was transported to my college days.

There was also a menu card and I looked into it but almost nothing was vegetarian

I wished I could draw inspiration from that book but all found was a recipe for Bouillabaisse

So as usual I browsed the net for an easy dish as the deadline was close by and that's when I came across 'carottes râpées'. It did sound exotic,just as all the 'foreign' recipes do,and all I could guess was that it has something to do with carrots- thanks to my French language professor from college who made sure we used french words for common things to start with in the class ,so that we need not memorise the words when had to sit for the exams.We soon caught up this idea and started using French words in other places as well and between our friends who took french lessons,we would use french words,while our other 'non french' friends would wonder what we were talking!That was fun but soon this game wore off..But the memories of the french classes and our professor is still evergreen but this is not true for what we learnt.I can hardly recall the words now :)

Ok now back to the topic, 'carottes râpées' is an easy breezy affair and a healthy one too.

This really doesn't have any fancy procedure .All you need is

Carrots - 2 ,finely shredded

and a dressing of

Olive oil-1 teaspoon,1/2 teaspoon sugar,salt to taste ,freshly ground pepper and a little parsley ,finely chopped as a garnish

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing

Put the finely shredded carrot in a bowl and add the dressing.Mix well.

Check the taste and adjust .

Serve garnished with finely chopped parsley.

As simple as that...Go ahead and prepare this 'French salad' and impress your family and friends!!!!