Neem Flower Chutney/Vepampoo Thogayal

The other day after I made rava pakoda I had some excess oil and was using it up to frying/roasting some Neem Flowers/Vepampoo. I was on the phone with mami, my sisters mother-in-law(Mrs.Vishwanathan) and in our conversation mentioned that I was roasting Vepampoo . She immediately suggested for me to try a chutney/thogayal out of it. I did take up her advice and the end result was one unique kind of chutney. This one was slightly bitter,salty, sweet, spicy and sour. It was one perfect healthy medicine which I liked a lot. My entry to JFI: Flower Power hosted by Rachna of Soul Food for the month of July.

Gadgets:

Wok
Blender
Mixing Spoon

Ingredients:



Roasted/Fried Neem flower - 1 cup
Salt
Jaggery- 1 tsp
Dry Chillis - 1 or 2
Tamarind - dime size ball
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Udad Dhal- 2 tsp
Channa Dhal - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp for chutney and more for roasting the Neem Flower.
Asafoetida - a few shakes
Water - 1/8th to 1/4th cup

Preparation:



1. To roast the Neem flower add some oil in the wok and roast it till turns almost dark brown or black.

2. Remove it from the wok and allow to cool.

3. Add 2 tsp oil in the wok. Add asafoetida, followed by mustard seeds(wait for it to pop), add the dhals and chillis.When the dhal turns golden brown add the tamarind and jaggery.

4. Mix this with the roasted Neem flower and after it cools grind it into a paste adding 1/8Th cup of water.

5. Serve with hot rice.

Healthy Paneer Tikka Masala Made Easy

It all happened when I visited Lisa's site and saw her paneer tikka's that she had made. It was not fried but was broiled and that really impressed me. As my goal is to produce the traditional recipes the healthy way, I followed her recipe and got my tikka's done. Now for the masala I came across chef Sunjay's easy Butter Masala recipe and prepared the masala as per his instructions and then added this Tikka to it. Thus, I created a Paneer Tikka Masala the easy way. I give full credit to these two people for helping me prepare an almost perfect side dish. Its fast and its easy and I would encourage all those who love paneer to try this one. It will be a real winner. My entry to Paneer event hosted by Cooking up Something Nice for the month of July.

Gadgets:

Cooking pan

Cookie baking sheets

Bowl

Mixing spoon

Spatula

Cooking Spray can

Measuring cups

Measuring Spoon

Cutting Board

Knife

Whisk

Ingredients For Paneer Tikka Masala: (From Lisa's Kitchen)

Paneer cheese - 14 ounces (I used the whole block)

Garlic /Ginger - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp ( I used 1 tsp)

Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp

Cayenne - a dash ( I used 1/2 tsp)

Fenugreek leaves/Kasthuri Methi - 1 tsp crushed

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Sea Salt - 1/4 tsp

Plain Yogurt - 1/2 cup

Lemon Juice - 1 lemon

Preparation:

1. Cut the paneer into big cubes.

2. Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl and add the paneer to it and marinate it. I did over night but I am sure a couple of hours is fine too.

3. Place each paneer cube on a cookie sheet that is oiled and and broil. Excess liquid would ooze out.Drain it and put it back in the oven for 8-9 minutes.

4. When it starts to brown or roast remove and flip the paneer and broil it for 9 minutes again.

Note : The paneer might stick if you do not grease the baking sheet well.

5. The end product would be paneer browned on all sides. Allow it to cool.

Masala Recipe from Chef Sanjay Thumma.

Ingredients:

Milk - 1 cup
Chilli Powder- 1/4 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp ( my addition)
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Kasthuri Methi/Fenugreek Leaves - 1 tsp crushed
Ginger/Garlic - 1 tsp each
Tomato Ketchup - 1 tsp (used tomato sauce instead)
Butter - 1 tbsp
Paneer -250 gms (1 used one whole block 450gms I think)
Extra Milk - 1 cup ( I used 1/2 cup)
Fried Onions - 2 tbsp ( I used fresh)
Red Color - 3 drops ( I did not use this so my dish was yellow instead)

Preparation:

1. Mix all the powders, fenugreek leaves, sauces and salt in one cup of milk using the whisk.

2. Heat the cooking pan with the butter to medium when that melts add the ginger and garlic paste or fresh and the onions. Cook until the onions get transparent.

3. Add the liquid mix and cover and cook for 3 minutes stirring now and then to stop milk from curdling.

4. The sauce will thicken. Add 1/2 a cup of milk mix well and cook.

5. Add the paneer tikka's cover and cook for a minute.

6. Garnish with cilantro and serve with any roti, naan or rice.

10 Minute Tomato Soup Rasam (TSR)

This is the simplest of soups or rasam that is very popular at my cousins place. Its too easy a soup to make and is very comforting, healthy and delicious. Served with south Indian, north Indian or international food it just takes it up an extra notch. Its just so perfect anytime. I have made it 4 times in the last 5 days on demand and they disappear in a jiffy. Great crowd pleaser and can be prepared with any kind of tomato. Decided to post the traditional way on the stove top and using the microwave. Microwave is an experiment so lets see how it turned out.

If the microwave recipe produced the required result then it would be an entry for MEC:Soups and Stews hosted by Cooking for All Seasons for the month of July.

Stove Top Method

Gadgets:

Heavy bottom pot/pan- 1
Wok for seasoning
Blender

Ingredients:

Tomatoes- 2 or 3

Water - 2 cups

Ghee /clarified butter- 3 tbsp

Jeera/Cumin seeds- 2 tsp

Pepper freshly powdered - 1/4 tsp
Black Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
Asafoetida powder - a few shakes

Preparation:

1. Boil water and add the tomatoes.

2. When the skin starts to peel in 2 - 3 minutes remove and blend.

3. Add back the tomato paste to the water and boil with salt and few shakes of asafoetida.

4. Heat the ghee into a seasoning pan add asafoedita, mustard seeds and wait to it pops, then add jeera and pepper.

5. Add to tomato liquid.

6. Serve it hot.

7. Garnish with cilantro (optional) and serve it hot on the side or with rice.

Microwave method:

Gadgets:

Microwavable bowl - 2

Cover/plates - 2
Blender
Cutting Board
Knife

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 2 big size

Water - 1 1/2 cups

Salt

Pepper powder

Ghee - 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 2 tsp

Jeera/Cumin seeds - 2 tsp

Asafoetida - a few shakes

Preparation:

1. Place the tomatoes in water in the microwave covered and heat on high for 5 minutes.

2. The skin would start to peel. Cool and blend it well.

3. Pass it to a sieve and remove the skin and seeds.

4. Add asafoetida, salt and the tomato juice back into the bowl and cook it for 2 minutes

5. In the other bowl, heat the ghee for 1 minute and then add asafoetida. It would start to foam and then add the mustard seeds and place it in the microwave.(Please remember to cover with a lit coz you don't want mustard seeds all over your microwave). When they start to pop add jeera and fresh pepper powder. Add it to the tomato soup.

6. Place the rasam back in the microwave and cook it for 1 minute. Garnish with some cilantro.

7. Serve it hot as an appetizer or with food.

My Review of Microwave TSR: The microwave method was easy to prepare and I could not find any difference in taste whether I had prepared it on the stove or used the microwave. Now having said that, I did not like the seasoning process in the microwave. The mustard and cumin did not taste the same and the cumin got crunchy but tasted raw to me.

Mango Custard Lassi

Yes! this sounds crazy but this is what i came up with. At last weeks dinner party I made custard and added mangoes to it. The next day I was finishing up the remaining mango custard( which was just mostly the custard as all the mangoes were drained and gobbled) and I thought of this recipe. I am going to try this one today and serve it for our friend who is going to have dinner with us. But, before I try doing anything I wanted to find out what "lassi" meant. The important ingredient in the Lassi is yogurt/curd apart from salt/sugar and spices. With that knowledge I shall write up my recipe and will promise to report if I did anything different from the recipe I posted. My entry to Summer Splash Event hosted by From the kitchen, WYF Event hosted by Simple Indian Food and to Sweet Series : Cool Desserts hosted by Paajaka for the month of July.

Gadgets:

Blender/Mixie

Cutting Board

Tin Opener

Knife

Heavy bottomed Saucepan

Whisk

Ladle

Measuring cups and spoons

Bowl

Ingredients:

Mango Puree - 1 tin

Mangoes fresh - 1

Yogurt plain - 1/2 cup

Salt - one pinch

Custard Powder - 5 tbsp

Milk - 2 cups (USED 3 CUPS FOR CUSTARD AND 1 cup AFTER THAT)

Sugar = 2 tbsp

Water - 1/4Th cup

Note: I had to increase the milk quantity because I had to fill my Jug.


Preparation:

1. Add milk to a heavy bottom saucepan and heat it up.

2. Mix the custard powder with 1/4Th cup water and keep aside.

3. Blend yogurt and mango puree and set it aside.

4. When the milk boils add the custard mix and keep stirring till the liquid starts to thicken.

5. Add sugar turn off flame and allow to cool completely. ( DID NOT ADD ANY SUGAR)

6. Mix the two liquids and add a pinch of salt. (FORGOT TO DO THIS ONE)

7. Peal the mango, remove skin and add it on the side of the glass as garnish.

8. Voila! let me see how this whole thing tasted after I prepared.

My Review : I liked it a lot. Perfect sugar, very filling, rich and creamy. Maybe very economical too if you have to feed a lot of people and mangoes are not in season.

Nostalgic South Indian Coffee

A very popular beverage in the world is coffee. Every country has its own methods of preparing and consuming it. Wherever you come from I believe that its not about the drinking of coffee, its more about the experience or feeling and memories it brings with it. In South India especially Tamil Nadu where I come from, a normal morning scene is the smell of freshly brewed filter coffee reaching you from the kitchen mingled with freshly boiled milk, the sound of Kandha Sasti or Suprabadhum playing in the back ground,"The Hindu" newspaper and the noise from the busy world outside. Amidst all this you get to sip the perfect cup of coffee from a tumbler which makes the whole body wake up and its warmth spreads all over. Such an amazing and comforting experience isn't it?

Having left India, there is a constant pursuit to finding a coffee that tastes like home coffee. In such a hunt, to me the coffee my sister Latha prepares is the best(-est) coffee. Its her secret ingredients of blending French roast with Colombian supremo beans in equal quantities and grinding them fresh in the coffee grinder to make excellent decoction. It brings an Indian flavor and right taste to it and is my entry to Click's Photo event for the month of July hosted by Jugalbandi.

Gadgets:

Kettle/sauce pan

South Indian Coffee Filter

Davara ( wide mouth bowl)

Tumbler

Coffee Grinder

Ingredients:

French Roast beans- 1/2 cup

Colombian Supremo beans - 1/2 cup

2% Milk - 2 cups

Sugar (as per your preference)

Water

Preparation:

1. Add coffee beans in the blender and make it into powder.

2. In the mean time heat some water in the kettle or saucepan until it boils.

3. Add the powder in the filter and pat it with the back of a tea spoon to pack the coffee powder.

4. Pour very little boiling water to wet the coffee powder first.

5. Then pour more water to the filters top

6. Allow it to drip and in 10 minutes the coffee will be ready.

7. In the meantime heat some milk in the saucepan on medium heat else use a milk cooker and boil the milk(Please use whole or 2% milk makes all the difference).

8. Take a tumbler add sugar followed by maybe 1/4Th cup of coffee followed by hot boiling milk.

9. Pour this hot liquid into the davara (wide mouthed bowl) and mix well by pouring it back into the tumbler. Do this a couple of times.

10. It would generate a froth like cappuccino. When a comfortable temperature is reached take a sip of this luxurious beverage and you are in cloud 9.

5-10 Minutes Cream of Wheat/Rava Pakoda

My Amma used to make this as a vadai for prasadhum without onions and we used to love it. Its very simple, does not take in much oil, very tasty, a wonderful snack to have with tea or coffee. Make it when you have friends dropping in and you are out of snacks. Takes 10 minutes to prepare if you use curd and 5 minutes if you add sour cream. This is very delicious when you eat it hotor cold. The output is a very crunchy pakoda on the outside but chewy and soft on the inside. Can be eaten as such or with any chutney or sauce. This is an entry to Pakoda Event hosted by Rushina of A perfect bite for the month of July.

Gadgets:

Kadai/vessel to deep fry
A spoon with holes to remove excess oil
Paper towel to remove excess oil
Plate

Ingredients:

Rava/Cream of Wheat/ Sooji – 1 cup
Rice Four - 1 tspCurd/yogurt plain – 1 cup
Salt
Green chilli's – 2
Ginger 1"
Asafoedita a few shakes
Cilantro
Curry leaves.
Coconut - 1 or 2 tbsp
Onion - 2 tbsp (optional)
Oil




Replace curd with sour cream to make it immediately and the result is a crisp and crunchy pakoda in 5 minutes


Preparation:




1.Mix rava green chilli's, asafoetida, grated ginger, salt minced cilantro, coconut, chopped curry leaves,onions and salt.

2. Add curd or yogurt to it and mix it.

3. Allow it to soak for 8 mins. (use sour cream and make it immediately)

4. Heat the oil and make pattis or just sprinkle like pakodas.



5. When it turns golden brown remove and serve it hot.

Healthy Vegetable Kuruma Made Easy

Made this over the weekend for a dinner party. This recipe is a modified version of my friend Kavitha's kuruma recipe. What I liked about this recipe is: Firstly, its easy to prepare it in 20 minutes or less. Secondly, very healthy and delicious without adding a whole lot of coconut which is usually dominant ingredient in this dish. Thirdly, it has an amazing flavor and taste. Is great side dish for biriyani, rice, parota or roti.

Gadgets:
Blender/Mixie
Wok
Sauce Pan
Cutting Board
Knife
Plate to cover the wok



Ingredients:

Vegetables: (potato, peas, cauliflower,carrot) - 1 cup cut into chunks
Onions - 2
Tomato - 2 normal size
Curry leaves
Cilantro
Garlic - 8 cloves minced
Ginger - 1 to 2 inches minced
Green Chillis - 2 or 3 ( slit and deseed them if you cannot handle spice)
Coconut - 1 tbsp
Salt
Oil - 2 tbsp
Water

Spices:
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Cardamon - 2 pods
Kass Kasa/Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper

Preparation:

1. In a saucepan add some water, chopped veggies and salt. Cover and cook it until the veggies are half done.

2. In the meantime, heat the wok, add 1 tbsp oil. When that gets warmed up add the spices (cloves, cardamon, cinnamon, poppy seeds, coriander seeds) and roast them a little for 40 seconds.

3. Add 1 onion that is cut length wise to the above spices with a little bit of salt cover and cook on medium heat and keep stirring now and then.

4. Transfer them into the blender, cool and grind till they are a smooth paste.

5. In the same wok add 1 tbsp of oil. Add ginger garlic, green chillis, onions, salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix well cover and cook until the onions are transparent. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.

6. Add the paste to this and transfer it to the cooked veggies. Mix well. Add cilantro and curry leaves and simmer for 3 minutes.

8. Serve hot with rice, or rotis.

Protein Flour Porridge/Sathu Mavu Kanji

On my recent visit to India my mother-in-law served me sathu mavu kangi or porridge for breakfast. It is a flour that is made out of whole grains, dhals and nuts and is loaded with protein. The perfect breakfast drink that keeps you full and healthy. These days they sell them in stores in South India and I loved to have it for breakfast every day. It can also be used for a light dinner by using buttermilk instead of milk. The good thing about this powder is we can remove the ingredients that one might be allergic to and substitute with some other. This is my mother-in-law Mrs.Pushpa Yegneswaran's recipe and is my entry to Eating Healthy- a Protein rich contest hosted by Art of Cooking Indian Food for the month of July.

Gadgets:

Blender/Mixer/spice grinder
Mixing Spoon
Air Tight Container
Mixing Bowl
Sauce pan
Measuring cups


Ingredients:

For the Sathu Mavu/Protien Flour

Moong Dhal flour- 1 cup

Ragi flour/Millet flour- 1/4Th cup

Jowar Flour/White Corn Flour- 1/4Th cup
Cashews - (optional) powder- 1/4Th cup
Almond- (optional) powder- 1/4Th cup
Whole wheat flour- 1/4Th cup
Parboiled rice flour- 1/4Th cup (used brown rice four)
Roasted Channa Dhal flour- 1/4Th cup
Sago flour- 1/4Th cup
Barley flour- 1/4Th cup
Elachi- a few pods
Yellow Corn/Maize flour - 1/4th cup

For Making Porridge/Kangi

Mavu/Flour- 1/2 cup

Water - 2 cups
Sugar - 3 tsp (optional)
Milk - 1 cup or less

Preparation:

1. Dry roast each of the ingredients separately and make a powder of each of these ingredients. Mix and store.

2. Take 1/2 cup of the flour and mix it with 2 cups of cold water until all the clumps dissolve.

3. Put it on the stove on medium high and cook it while constantly stirring it.

4. In 2 to 3 minutes the liquid will start to thicken and boil. Turn off the heat.



5. Add sugar and milk and mix well.

6. Serve it hot.




Note: This flour can be made into a small treat for kids and adults. Mix some of the above flour, sugar, ghee and a little milk to make into balls for snack.

Andhra Style Eggplant In Tomato

Came across this yummy Andhra side dish that looked very tempting. In the original recipe as I recollect, the eggplant was deep fried in oil and then put in the tomato gravy with peanut sesame powder. I wanted to prepare it but decided to make it a little more healthy. So instead of frying I used the microwave to roast the eggplant and added that into the gravy. I added roasted peanuts and sesame seeds which added an extra crunch. The outcome was very delicious eggplant in tomato with crunchy peanuts. If you like eggplant or peanuts you will relish this with some hot rice or rotis.

Gadgets:

Microwave
Microwavable plates
Wok
Cutting Board
Knife
Mixing spoon