Fruit Stik - Kid Friendly Cooking

This dessert was posted for the event : Great Cooks Community: Kid Friendly Recipes!!!



Kids can do it!!!

Ingredients:
Ripe Mango - 1 cup, cut into small pieces
Apple - 1 cup, cut into small pieces
Chikku (Sapodilla/Sapota) - 1 cup, cut into small pieces
Jelly - 1/2 cup (I used Nata De Coco)
Mango Juice - 2-3 cups
Plastic Flexi tumblers - as required
Ice sticks - as required

Method:
Wash fruits, peel off the skin and cut into tiny pieces. We can use any fruit of our choice, I used these three since I had them at home ;)

Wash the flexi tumblers and add jelly first and then the fruits one after the other.

Pour mango juice to it, so that all sets well.

Insert stick in each of the tumblers. Put them in freezer for 4-5 hours. I kept over night.

Yummy fruit stiks are ready.

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Makes 5-6 sticks

Chicken Soup (Microwave Cooking)

Chicken soup is simple to prepare, easily digestable, delicious and nutritious. Its a quick remedy for cold and flu.

Ingredients:
Fresh Chicken pieces - 1 cup (boneless, skinless)
Garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped
Onions - 1, small sized, finely chopped
Pepper powder - 1-2 teaspoons
Water - 3 cups
Corn flour - 2 tablespoons
Coriander leaves - few, chopped
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 teaspoon

Method :
Add oil and chopped garlic, chopped onions to a microwave container and heat it in microwave for 30 seconds.

Wash chicken and add to it. Add 1 cup of water and cook for 5-10 minutes, until chicken is soft.

Remove the container from the oven, mash the cooked chicken.

Add pepper powder, corn flour, 2 cups of water, salt and mix it well. Cook it for 2-3 minutes. Remove container at the end of each minute, stir it well and cook again, so that no clumps are formed.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.


Cooking time : 20 minutes
Serves 3-4 persons.

Mag ni Dal ni Khichdi(Mung bean Rice) (Microwave cooking) & Khattai Alu(Tangy Potatoes)

# # # # # # # # This is my 50th post :-) # # # # # # # #

Cuisines of India : Gujarati Cuisine - Mag ni Dal ni Khichdi & Khattai Alu

These recipes had been posted for a cooking contest, for the community "Indian women in Singapore" : SWC - Gujarati Cuisine!!!

Mag ni Dal ni Khichdi (Mung bean Rice) (Microwave cooking)

Ingredients:
Rice - 1 cup
Mung bean (Green Gram/Pacha paruppu) - 1 cup
Green chillies - 2 or 3, chopped
Asafoetida powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon (optional)
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Black pepper - 2 teaspoons
Ginger - 1 inch piece, finely chopped
Cinnamon - a small piece
Ghee/Oil - 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Water - 4 cups

Method:
Wash rice and mung bean, drain water and keep aside.

Add ghee/oil, cumin seeds, black pepper, cinnamon to a microwave container and cook for 20 seconds in microwave.

Then add chopped ginger, green chillies, asafoetida powder, give a mix and cook again for 30 seconds.

Add washed rice and gram, salt to taste, 4 cups of water, mix well and cook for 20 minutes.

Simple and tasty kichidi is ready.

Note:
Cooking time differs from microwave to microwave, so follow timings and temperature accordingly for cooking rice.

The same can also be cooked in pressure cooker, following the same process.

Cooking time : 30 minutes
Serves 3-4 persons

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Khattai Alu (Tangy Potatoes)

Ingredients :
Potatoes - 4-5, medium sized
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Tamarind - little
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tablespoon
Coriander powder - 1/2 tablespoon
Cumin seeds powder - 1 teaspoon
Green chillies - 2, sliced
Grated coconut - 2 tablespoons
Sugar - 1 tablespoon (optional)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 1-2 tablespoon

Method:
Wash potatoes and remove the skin. Cut into small cubes. Soak tamarind in warm water and get 1 tablespoon of the juice.

Heat oil in a pan. Once it is hot, add mustard seeds and allow it to splitter. Then add red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin seeds powder, turmeric

powder and mix well.

Add diced potatoes and saute all. Sprinkle little water and cook it closed for about 15 minutes. Once potatoes are cooked, add salt, tamarind juice, sliced

green chillies, mix them and fry for another 5-10 minutes, until potatoes look golden brown.

Garnish with grated coconut and serve hot.

Note:
To get a nice flavour, use freshly ground powder of Coriander, red chillies and Cumin seeds.

Fry Coriander, red chillies, cumin seeds in a pan, each seperately for 5-10 minutes and grind it to a fine powder.

Cooking time : 30-40 minutes
Serves - 4-5 persons

My First Award!!!

I got my first award from Priyanka of http://asankhana.blogspot.com



I was very very happy, felt the same when I got my first comment. :-)
It might be a small thing for many, but it gives more encouragement for me. I was flying high in the air............

Thank you Priyanka for making my day!!!


Now, I have to list four of my favorite desserts that I have prepared or eaten and pass the award to four of my fellow bloggers.

Gulab Jamun
Rasmalai
Beetroot Halwa
Phirni

Now passing the "Yummy Blog Award" to my fellow bloggers.

Vidhya Iyer of http://iyercooks.blogspot.com/
She has a good collection of vegetarian dishes.

Paati of http://enveetusamayal.blogspot.com/
(P.S.I dont know her real name.) But I visit this blog often for her nice recipes.

Name Unknown - http://menutoday.blogspot.com/
Simple and delicious mouth watering recipes.

Solai of http://solaiachiskitchen.blogspot.com/
She has a wonderful collection of chettinad dishes

Enjoy your day!!!

Please pass it on to your friends or bloggers with your favourite desserts....

Drumstick leaves(Moringa leaves/Murungai Keerai) poriyal

Moringa leaves are packed with nutrition that gives lot of strength and prevent many diseases. It is abundant in Vitamin C, Calcium, Vitamin A, Potassium, Proteins and Iron. Nursing mothers are given this vegetable to produce more milk.

Check out the nutritional information in the below websites:

Zija Moringa health -Nutritional comparison
Trees for life


Ingredients:
Drumstick leaves (Moringa leaves/Murungai Keerai) - 3 cups (just the leaves seperated)
Lentils - 2 tablespoons
Onion - 1, medium sized, chopped
Red Chillies - 3
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves - few
Garlic - 2 teaspoons, finely chopped
Grated coconut - 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Oil - 1-2 tablespoons

Method:
Soak lentils in 1/2 cup of water for about 20-30 minutes.

Preparing drumstick leaves is time consuming. Seperate the leaves alone, from the stalks, wash them well in water.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, once it start splittering, add urad dal, cumin seeds, red chillies. Fry for a minute. Add chopped garlic, curry leaves, chopped onions and fry for 5 minutes until onions turn golden brown.

Add soaked lentils and drumstick leaves and mix them well. Cook it closed for 10 minutes. Add salt, mix well and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

Garnish with grated coconut and serve hot with rice.


Cooking time : 20-30 minutes
Serves 3-4 persons

Gobi (Cauliflower) Manchuria & Masala Rice (Microwave Cooking)

Cauliflower is high in fiber, low in fat and has little vitamin C in it. It possess a high nutritional value and very tasty also. During winter, it has small worms in it, so always soak the florets in boiling water for 15-20 minutes before cooking.

Gobi Manchuria:
Ingredients:

For Deep frying:
Cauliflower - 3 cups, cut into small florets
Maida or all purpose flour - 1 tablespoon
Corn flour - 1 tablespoon
Split chickpeas powder (Kadalai mavu/Besan) - 1 tablespoon
Chilli powder - 1-2 teaspoons or Green Chilli paste - 1-2 teaspoons or pepper powder - 1-2 teaspoons
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Milk - 1/4 cup
Garam masala powder - a pinch
Oil for deep fry

For Saute:
Onions - 2 medium sized, finely chopped
Green chillies - 2-3 cut into 2 slices
Garlic - 2-3 cloves finely chopped
Tomato sauce - 2-3 tablespoons
Butter/Ghee/Oil - 1-2 teaspoons
Salt a pinch
Coriander leaves - few

Method:
Deep Fry:
Boil 4 cups of water with little salt. Wash the cauliflower florets and soak in boiling water for 15-20 minutes.

Mix maida, corn flour, chickpeas powder, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, salt in little milk to make a thick paste.

Drain water completely from soaked florets. Toss the florets in the paste.

Heat Oil in a pan and deep fry these florets. Fry until they are crispy. Keep them aside.

Note:
Broken Corn flakes can also be added to the paste, so that florets will be cripsy.


Saute:
Heat ghee/butter. Add chopped garlic, onions, green chillies and fry until onions are golden brown. Add a pinch of salt to taste the onions. Add fried cauliflower florets.

Add tomato sauce and saute it for 1-2 minutes until all gets mixed well. Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve hot with Masala rice.

Note:
Chopped spring onions and diced capsicum can also be added to it. It can be added before the florets and can be fried for 5-10 minutes.


Masala Rice:

Ingredients:
Long grain rice (Basmathi) - 2 cups
Fennel seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 2
Bay leaf - 1
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Ghee - 2 tablespoons(optional)

Method:
Wash rice, add 3 cups of water and keep it in the microwave bowl. Add gloves, cardamom, fennel seeds, bay leaf, ginger garlic paste, salt and mix well and cook it in microwave for 20 minutes. Once it is cooked, add ghee to it and mix gently.

Note:
Cooking time differs from microwave to microwave, so follow timings and temperature accordingly for cooking rice.

Instead of water, we can cook rice in thin chicken stock also. Taste and aroma would be very good.

Cooking time : 45 minutes
Serves 3-4 persons

PIT Photo Contest - மே 2008

PIT புகைப்படப் போட்டி- மே 2008
Theme : ஜோடி

போட்டிக்கான படம்:

மற்ற ஜோடிகள்:

Sago(Sabudana/Javarisi) Khichadi

Sago is rich in carbohydrates with very little proteins, minerals and vitamins. It produces more energy than rice. Its good for children, and they love its taste.

Ingredients:

Sago - 2 cups

Onions - 2 medium sized, finely chopped

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Red chillies - 3-4

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Black gram (Urad Dal / Uzhunthu) - 1 tablespoon

Curry leaves - few

Coriander leaves - few

Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak Sago in water for 3-4 hours, allow it to puff up well. Drain all the liquid, keep it in seive for 30 minutes.

In a pan, heat oil and ghee. Once it is hot, add mustard seeds and let it splitter.

Add urad dal, cumin seeds, curry leaves, red chillies and fry for a minute. Add onions and fry until it turn golden brown.

Add sago and keep stirring. Sago pearls will turn transparent. Then add salt and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Cooking time : 15-25 minutes

Serves 3-4 persons

......been tagged......

I was tagged by Priyanka of http://asankhana.blogspot.com. This is the first time, I have been tagged. So here goes my answers.......

1) LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATRE?
In february, Jodha Akbar

2) WHAT BOOK ARE U READING?
Tamil Novels by Author Lakshmi

3) FAVOURITE BOARD GAME?
Scrabble

4) FAVOURITE MAGAZINE?
Nothing in specific.... like those which are interesting

5) FAVOURITE SMELLS?
Jasmine, Lavender, Zee talc, Petrol ;)

6) FAVOURITE SOUNDS?
Sound of birds in the morning, Laughing child, flute, any soothing music

7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
When most loved ones ditch you.....

8) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE?
Praying God to keep everyone happy

9) FAVOURITE FASTFOOD PLACE?
One down the begumpet bridge in Hyderabad, I forgot the name.

10) FUTURE CHILDS NAME?
Hmmm.... very eager to knew it..... lets see when I get one.

11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—’IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D’
Keep my parents away from work.

12) DO U DRIVE FAST?
No way.....

13) DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
Nope

14)STORMS–COOL OR SCARY?
Very scary

15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
MARUTI 800

16) FAVOURITE DRINK?
Ice Lemon Tea

17)17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD…
Have become someone else and doing something else ;)

18) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
Yep, sometimes

19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOUR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?
Burgandy

20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN?
Chennai, Pondicherry, Hyderabad, Delhi, Singapore

21) FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
One day cricket match, if India is playing

22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
I knew Priyanka, from her blog, she is a good cook. Tries recipes with various rare combinations. I like the chicken recipe which she tried with apricot, I never heard of this combination :)

23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED?
Books, Mobile, pain Balm under my pillow. Under my bed, ..... nothing

24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN??
NNNNNNNOOOOOOO

25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Night Owl

26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Both....;) depending on the situation

27) FAVOURITE PLACE TO RELAX?
My home in Chennai

28) FAVOURITE PIE?
Nothing in specific

29) FAVOURITE ICECREAM FLAVOUR?
Vanilla, Butter scotch

30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE U HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
This is the first time I am going to tag, will answer this question next time.

I am tagging four more.....
Vidhya Iyer of http://myiyerreceipes.blogspot.com/
Jil Jil of http://meendumsanthipoom.blogspot.com/
Nappinnai of http://funfoldings.blogspot.com/
Kamini of http://pranicfood.blogspot.com/

Girls, please continue........

Vazhaipoo(Plaintain Flower) Vadai

Ingredients:

Plantain flower(Vazhaipoo) - 1

Onions - 1 finely chopped

Split chickpeas (Kadalai paruppu/Channa dal) - 1 cup

Green chilies - 4

Fennel seeds - 2 teaspoons

Curry leaves - few, chopped

Asafoetida powder - a pinch

Ginger - 1/2 inch long

Garlic - 2 cloves

Coriander leaves - few, finely chopped

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Buttermilk - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Oil - 1 cup, for deep frying

Method:

Cleaning the flower:

Apply oil on both the hands to avoid sticking, before you start. Remove the cover of plantain flower one by one, take the bunch of florets. Each floret has a stamen.

Refer to the above figure. It shows florets with stamen and stamen removed. Remove the stamen from each floret and cut florets into small pieces.

Soak them in buttermilk mixed with turmeric powder, so that its colour remains the same, otherwise it turns brown. Follow the same process until the whole flower is done. When it reaches the stage, where you cannot remove the cover, then the whole flower can be used chopped into small pieces.

Cook the flower with buttermilk and turmeric powder for 10-15 minutes at a low flame. Drain the liquid and keep aside.

Soak channa dal in 2 cups of water for 2-3 hours. Drain water completely and grind it coarsely with Fennel seeds, cooked plaintain flower and keep aside.

Grind ginger, garlic, green chillies to a paste and add it to the channa dal. Add chopped onions, coriander leaves, curry leaves, asafoetida powder, salt to taste and mix well. The mixture can be kept aside for 30 minutes, so that all gets mixed well.

In a pan, add oil and heat it. Wet your hands and take small amount of the dough and make small balls. Press it between two hands and flatten it. Once oil is hot, put these flatten pieces and deep fry them until they turn golden brown.

Delicious and healthy vazhaipoo vadai is ready to serve.

Cooking time : 30 minutes

Serves 8 to 10 persons