Feel free to pass your comments, feedback, advices or recipe requests / suggestions through comments of this blog or email to illatharasi@gmail.com. All your suggestions are welcome!!!



Thursday, July 31, 2008

"COW" - A blend......

It was .... when I started my career, was too new to Singapore cuisine, used to ask my chinese friends, what they had for breakfast... and the answer was, "I had ABC". I used to wonder what is this ABC... was too shy to ask them too:(

Then I slowly discovered it, following them to the Food court...... and it was ......

Apple - Beetroot - Carrot Juice ;) - A blend of all three:)

he he he...

Now, its my turn to introduce "COW" ...... Any guess ? ;)




Its CARROT - ORANGE - WATERMELON Juice.


Ingredients:
Watermelon - 4 cups(Peel, deseed and cut the flesh into small cubes)
Orange - 2 (Extract the juice)
Grated carrot - 1/2 -1 cup
Sugar - 1 tablespoon
Water if required.

Method:
Grind carrot, sugar in a blender until it turns a fine paste.

Add watermelon cubes to it and blend it again.

Then add orange juice to it and blend it until all gets mixed well.

Add little water if it is too thick.

Chill it and enjoy the juice.


Preparation time : 10-15 minutes
Makes 2 glasses.

I am sending this COW juice to ........


WBB Summer feast hosted by Sia

and

Summer Splash hosted by Aartee.


With this post, I am completing my NABLOPOMO event!!!!
It was FUN to post all 31 days eventhough found it difficult in the weekends ;)

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Chicken Kurma / Stew and GCC award again;)



Kurma / Korma gets its origin from Mughlai cuisine of India. Its a kind of curry or stew prepared with spices boiled in coconut milk. It can be prepated with vegetables or chicken / mutton / egg.


Ingredients:
Chicken - 250 gms
Onions - 1, medium sized, chopped
Tomatoes - 2 , medium sized, chopped
Green chillies - 2, chopped
Bay leaf - 1, small
Cinnamon stick - 1, small
Cardamom - 1
Cloves - 2
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon (as spicy required)
Drumsticks(Moringa/Murangakkai) - 1, cut into 2 inch length pieces
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Corinader leaves - few, chopped
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tablespoons

For paste:
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Khus Khus / Melon seeds - 2 teaspoons OR Cashews - 6-8
Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
water - 1/2 cup


Method:
Grind the paste ingredients to a very fine paste.

Heat oil in a pan. Once it is hot, add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and fry for a minute.

Add onions and fry until they are golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for few mintues.

Then add tomatoes, drumsticks and fry until oil seperates out. Add chicken, chilli powder, turmeric powder and 2 cups of

water.

Boil it until chicken and drumsticks are cooked. Add salt and grinded paste and bring it to a boil.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice/idli/dosa.


Cooking time : 30-40 minutes
Serves 3-4 persons.


And this month too, I got second place :) for my Grilled Apple & Mango with Strawberry Jelly recipe in the "GRILLED FRUIT DESSERTS" a Food event conducted by Great Cooks Community .




Thank you friends and members of GCC!!!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Vegetable Spring Rolls


Why we call them as "SPRING" rolls instead of "VEGGIE" rolls ?
..
..
..
..

anybody had this doubt like me ;) .... he he .... check
here ;)


Ingredients:
Spring roll/Wanton wrappers - As required
Grated carrot - 1/2 cup
Finely chopped beans - 1/2 cup
Finely chopped cabbage - 1/2 cup
Finely chopped green chillies - 3
Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - few, chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
Maida /Wheat flour - 1 tablespoon

Method:


Add one teaspoon of oil to a pan. Add ginger garlic paste and chopped chillies to it and fry until the raw smell goes off.

Then add all the grated and chopped vegetables, pepper powder, salt to taste and saute for 10 minutes.

Swich off the flame and allow it to cool.

If you are using readymade spring roll wrappers, defrost them and wrap them in a clean damp cloth, otherwise they will get dry soon.

We can also use maida dough rolled into thin, instead of readymade wrappers.


Once the filling is cool, spread it on the top corner of the wrapper, and fold into cylindrical or triangluar shape.



Mix maida or wheat flour with little water and use it as glue, to close the ends.

Heat oil in a pan, sufficient for deep frying. Put the rolls one by one and fry them until they are golden brown.


If you are health-consicious, bake the rolls in oven for 15 minutes.

Tasty hot spring rolls are ready to serve with chilli/tomato sauce.


Cooking time : 45 minutes
Makes 15-20 rolls.



I am sending this entry to Hot and Spicy and a Pakora contest, an event
hosted by Rushina Munshaw.

------------

My dearest friends, Rekha, Sanhita and Srilekha have given me "Blogging Friends Forever" award.

Thank you Rekha, Sanhita and Srilekha:) Hug you all!!!

The following rules apply to this award:

1. Only 5 people are allowed to receive this award
2. 4 of them followers of your blog.
3. One has to be new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to who ever gave you the award.


I have chosen four(who have not received this award) :

Cham
Valar
Srividhya
Suhanya

and

Lavi, who was from India and new to my blog.

Friends, enjoy your awards and pass it on....... :)

Monday, July 28, 2008

Bell Peppers Curry and Events



Today's recipe is also ON DEMAND;) for Priti - she wanted me to post this curry and sambhar recipe (see the note below) which I made last friday. Its very simple dish which goes well with rice or chappathi.


Ingredients:
Bell peppers (Capsicum) - 2 cups, cut into squares (I used all 3 colours, red, yellow, green.)
Onions - 1 cup/1, big size - cut into squares
Yoghurt /Curd - 1/2 cup
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seed powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tablespoon
Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 1-2 tablespoons

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Saute onions in it once it is hot.

Add the cut peppers and all the spices, curd and mix well.

Water in curd is enough for the veggies to get cooked.

If it is too dry, sprinkle very little water and cook it closed with a lid.

Add salt to taste and mix well.

It can be served with rice or chappathi.

Note:
You can click here for sambhar recipe. I followed the same process, instead of mango, I added radhish and little tamarind extract to it.


Cooking time - 20-25 minutes
Serves - 3 persons



-------------------------------

I am sending Bell peppers curry to "Curry Mela" an event hosted by Srivalli.

-------------------------------

I missed to send Soya Nuggets Biryani to (Eat Healthy - Protein Rich CONTEST ) hosted by Sangeeth. Thanks Sangeeth for highlighting this!!!

Soya nuggets or chunks is high in protein(Approx. 30 gms of protein in 150 gms of soya chunks). Click here for more information


Click for Soya Nuggets Biryani recipe.

---------------------------------And, wanted to repost my Microwave soups for MEC - soups/stews an event hosted by Srivalli.

Chicken Soup

Sweet Corn Soup

Hot & Sour Veg Soup

--------------------------

And lastly, my dear friend Vidhya, has given me "Friendship Award". Thank you so much Vidhya, I too treasure your friendship:)

She passed me "MAGIC LAMP" too. Thanka again Vidhya. I have already got this and published here ......

.... thanks for sending me LUCK again :)

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Murukku - Indian Savoury Snack


I thought of posting this recipe next week, but because of public demand;) I am posting it today itself:)

Murukku is a traditional savoury snack popular in India, originated in Manapparai, a town in Tiruchirapalli(Trichy) Tamil Nadu, India.
It is prepared usually with various combinations of rice flour, Black gram (Urad Dal/Uzhunthu) flour, Split chickpeas (Kadalai paruppu/Channa dal) flour,

Fried split chickpeas (Udacha kadalai/Chutney dal) flour, etc, with spices like, chilli powder, asafoetida powder, cumin seeds, ajwain, sesame seeds, etc.

It is usually prepared with a Murukku maker (a kind of farsan maker) and can be prepared using different design plates as shown below:




Ingredients:
Rice flour - 4 cups
Besan (Split chickpeas/Kadalai paruppu/Channa dal) flour - 1 cup
Black gram (Urad Dal / Uzhunthu) flour - 1 cup (you can do it at home by frying it nicely and grinding it)
Cumin seeds - 1-2 teaspoons (adjust to ur taste)
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Butter - 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
Murukku maker

Method:
Mix all ingredients except oil with little water(I used warm water) to make it a nice soft dough.

Close it with a lid or damp clean cloth and allow it outside for couple of hours.

Apply oil in hands so that it wont stick to your hands, add the dough to the murukku maker.

On greased polythene sheets, squeeze the dough from the maker and make murukkus.


Meanwhile heat oil in pan for 5-10 minutes.

Then slowly put them one by one in oil(lot of bubbles will appear).

Fry them until they are golden brown(bubbles start disappearing as they are cooked).

Murukkus, a wonderful snack for tea-time, are ready.


Cooking time : 45 minutes
Makes 30-40 numbers.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Soya Nuggets Biryani and Foodies Meet......


Today we had one more meet.... Check out the pictures and information here .

It was tiring day for me as I had unexpected guests and then rushed to the meet.... I was 20 minutes late ;)

I got Dry Apricots from
Sowmya. That was my SECRET Ingredient ;) so keep watching for the recipes.... ;)

Now to the recipe.............



Soya Nuggets Biryani (Arcot style)

Biryani is a recipe which is loved by everyone. I always try different styles so that I can get the best taste. While I was searching for one, I got
this. But it was cooked with meat, I used Soya nuggets. It was very tasty and guess it would have been more tasty with meat.

Thanks to
Malar for her recipe. Do visit her blog.... she has huge collection of recipes.

So now to my recipe with few minor changes.



Ingredients:
Cinnamon sticks - 2, small sticks
Cloves - 5
Cardamom pods - 4
Bay leaves - 2
Aniseed - 1
Green chillies - 6-8, cut lengthwise (adjust according to spicy required)
Onion - 1, big, chopped
Tomatoes - 1, big, chopped
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - few
Rice - 2 cups
Soya nuggets - 1 cup
Red chilli powder - 1-2 teaspoons
Cashew nuts - few
Salt to taste
Ghee - 2 tablespoons
Oil - 2 tablespoons


Method:
Boil 2 cups of water with little salt. Add soya nuggets to it and allow it to boil for 5-10 minutes.

Allow it to cool, wash them in cool water twice, drain water and keep aside.

Heat ghee in the pressure cooker and fry cashews in it until they are golden brown, remove them and keep aside.

Add oil to it and once it is hot, add cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, aniseed and fry for 2 minutes.

Then add green chillies, chopped onions and fry them until they golden brown.

Add ginger-garlic paste, fry them until raw smell goes off. Add chopped tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes.

Then add soya nuggets, chilli powder, washed rice and fry for 5 minutes. Add salt it to it, 4 cups of water and mix well.

Close the pressure cooker and cook until 3 whistles. Do not open the lid immediately, wait until the cooker releases all pressure.

Once it is ready, garnish with roasted cashew nuts and chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Onion raita.


Cooking time - 45 minutes
Serves 3-4 persons

Friday, July 25, 2008

Poori and Potato Masala - "Your Recipe Rocks"



Yesterday when I was blogging, I saw Suma's poories. It tempted me so much and I did it last night :)

I followed the same recipe as
here, except that I roll the dough into a big chapathi and cut them into four pieces.

So my poories will be always in 'Triangle' shape. This is my mom's technic of saving time and energy in rolling individual poories ;)


I am sending Poories to “Your Recipe Rocks”, an event hosted by Madhuram.

Thanks Suma for reminding Poories :)

I made potato masala as below:

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 2
Onions - 1, finely chopped
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1 teaspoon
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Curry leaves - few
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Green chillies - 3, cut into small pieces
Coriander leaves - few
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tablespoon


Method:
Wash potatoes and boil them for 10 minutes in microwave. Peel the skin, mash them and allow them to cool.

Heat oil in a pan, once it is hot, allow mustard seeds to splitter in it.

Add urad dal, cumin seeds, asafoetida powder, curry leaves, green chillies, onions and fry until onions are pale.

Then add gnger garlic paste, turmeric powder and fry until raw smell goes off.

Add mashed potatoes and sufficient water for gravy consistency.

Once it comes to boiling stage, add salt and mix well.

Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tasty curry for poories and dosa.

Note:
While cooking potatoes in microwave, add sufficient water so that potatoes are immersed completely in water.


Cooking time - 20-30 minutes
Serves - 2 persons


I am sending Potato Masala to "Curry Mela" an event hosted by Srivalli.

----------------

Srilekha and Sripriya have passed me "MAGIC LAMP". Thank you so much friends. I have already got this and published here.....

.... thanks for sending me LUCK again :)

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Elumichai Saadam (Lemon Rice)



Like Priti has mentioned earlier in her blog, I too wanted to submit my entry for the event, MBP - Less is More!, because of its lovely picture:)

I got inspired by this picture:) Cheers to Nupur or whoever has designed it !!!! :)

This MBP event was started by
Coffee, and for this month, it is hosted by Nupur.

I decided to try a simple one from other fellow bloggers. I came across
Niya's Lemon Rice.

So presenting mine below, with minor additions:


Ingredients :

Lemon Juice - 2 tablespoons, with added salt to taste (salt will reduce sourness of lemon)

Cooked rice - 3-4 cups

Chopped Onions (optional) - 1, medium sized

Tempering ingredients - (Oil, mustard seeds, Urad dal, Channa dal, cumin seeds, asafoetida powder, turmeric powder, Curry leaves, Green / Red chillies - as required)

Garnishing ingredients (optional) - Fried Cashews / Fried groundnuts / Fried ginger pieces / Chopped coriander leaves

Method:
Heat oil in a pan, and allow mustard seeds to splitter.

Add urad dal, channa dal, asafoetida powder, curry leaves, green chillies, turmeric powder and fry for a minute.

Then add chopped onions and fry until they are golden brown.

Add cooked rice, lemon juice with salt and mix well for few minutes.

Garnish with cashews and coriander leaves and serve hot.



A quick and tasty lemon rice is ready!!!

Cooking time - 15 minutes
Serves 2-3 persons.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Idli Rawa(Rice semolina) Kichadi


Idli rawa(Rice semolina or coarsely grinded rice) is used as a subsitute for rice in Idli making, mostly used in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Ingredients:
Idli Rawa - 1 cup
Onions - 1, medium sized, chopped
Tomatoes - 1, medium sized, chopped
Cauliflower - 1/2 cup, cut into small florets
Broccli - 1/2 cup, cut into small florets
Carrot - finely chopped - 1/4 cup
Green chillies - 4-5, cut into pieces
Curry leaves - few
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
bay leaf - 1 small piece
Cinnamon - 1 small stick
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 2
Coriander leaves - few, chopped
Salt to taste
Ghee / Oil - 1-2 tablespoons

Method:
Soak idli rawa in 2-3 cups of water for an hour. They will pluff up and become soft.

Note:
If it is too dry, sprinkle some water and keep aside, until they become soft, or if excess water is there, drain it.

Boil 2 cups of water, and add cauliflower and broccli florets in it and keep aside for 15 minutes. This will kill if any worms present in them. Wash them and drain water.



Heat oil in a pan. Once it is hot, add cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves and fry for a minute.

Then add fennel seeds, onions, curry leaves, green chillies and fry until onions turn golden brown.

Add ginger garlic paste and fry until raw smell goes off.

Then add all the vegetables and fry for 5-10 minutes.

Lower the flame, add idli rawa, salt to taste and mix well. Cook it covered for 10-15 mintues stirring now and then.

Note:
If rawa is too dry, sprinkle some water and mix well.
Contents can be transfered to a microwave container and cooked for 5-10 minutes.


I missed to click the final output in my camera. The above picture was taken in mobile, so not that good quality:(

Once rawa is soft and veggies are cooked, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with any spicy chutney.


Cooking time - 30 minutes.
Serves 2-3 persons.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Potato & baby shrimps(Chena kuni) Curry - Trip down memory lane!


Our memories behind shrimps:

I and my 2 younger brothers (NA & RA) were always fond of shrimps. Each time my mom cooks it, we have a fight, and “who will get more shrimps". My mother used to be very careful, so that each one of us gets equal share. Younger one, RA used to count his shrimps and ensures with us, if we got the same number. I and NA used to hide inside rice, if we get one or two extra, fearing that he will complain against this ;) to our mom.

My mom used to cook baby shrimps, every time she does, she tells us a story that, "millions of baby shrimps can turn a ship ‘upside-down’, it has got so much strength, so we should not leave even one". My brothers, NA and RA will start their fights, after eating it, I will be the judge (always ;)) to see who is stronger. When RA cannot take the beatings, he used to hide behind me saying that, NA had eaten more, that's why he has more strenghth. He went and fought with mom, that she has given more to NA;) Childhood days are too good, we had no worries, no sorrows, no pains, now .... NA is no more in this world, but still having his "unforgettable and everlasting memories".............



When I saw about ‘Memories event’ by Jeena, I wanted to write something about NA. I was late by a day, but Jeena wholeheartedly extended a day for me. Thank you so much Jeena!!!

When
Jil Jil made her Baby shrimps dish, she gave me, to taste it. It was amazing and my hubby too liked it and ... I started cooking baby shrimps. Will try her recipe too, once I buy drumstick leaves ;)

This recipe was my mom's, she used to cook like this:

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 3, medium sized
Baby shrimps (Chena kuni) - 1 cup, (Fresh or dry ones - I used dry ones)


Onions - 1, medium sized, chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Green chillies - 2, cut into pieces
Curry leaves - few
Chilli powder - 3/4 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 2 teaspoons
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seed powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/s teaspoon
Coriander leaves - few, chopped
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tablespoons

Method:
Boil 2 cups of water. Switch off the flame and add little salt and 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder to it. Add baby shrimps and close it with a lid. Allow it like that for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel skin of potatoes, wash them and cut into small cubes.

After 30 minutes, wash baby shrimps nicely for 6-7 times, since it will have fine sand. Drain water and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan, once it is hot, add mustard seeds and allow it to splitter. Add green chillies, curry leaves, onions and fry until onions are pale.

Add ginger garlic paste and fry until raw smell goes off. Add cubed potatoes to it with chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and cumin seeds powder. Mix them well and cook it closed for 5 minutes.

Then add baby shrimps and cook them for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are cooked nicely. (Usually when we close the lid, vapours will form water, that is sufficient for them to cook, if required, sprinkle very little)

Add salt to it and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chappathi.


Cooking time - 30 minutes
Serves 3-4 persons.


------------------------

Shreya of Ammascooking tagged me .... I have already done this in my other blog, and wanted to highlight it again :)

Checkout my answers
here!

Monday, July 21, 2008

Grilled Apple & Mango with Strawberry Jelly



This is first time I am grilling fruits. Thanks to GCC for initiating this event.... Grilled apples were tasting great, but I cannot accept grilled mangoes ;), .....

.... since I love to eat it as it is. They were melting in the mouth with jelly ;)

Try this out!

I am submitting this entry to


Grilled Fruit Desserts, an event hosted by Jill Mckeever("Grilling Queen" - he he he) of Great Cooks Community.


View my page on Great Cooks Community


Ingredients:
Apple - 1 cup, cut into small cubes
Ripe Mango - 1 cup, cut into small cubes
Champagne grapes - 1 cup
Colour rice - 1 tablespoon
Strawberry flavoured jelly mix - 2 tablepoons
Bamboo Skewers - 10


Method:
Follow the instructions give in the jelly pack or folow the procedure given below.

Soak jelly powder in 1 cup of hot water and allow it to cool.

Once it is cook, whip it nicely and add 1 cup of cold water.

Whip it again nicely and pour into the moulds.

Refrigerate it for 4-5 hours.

Wash the bamboo skewers and allow it to dry.



Insert apple and mango cubes carefully in the skewers and grill it for 15-20 minutes.

Once it is done remove them the skewers and allow it to cool.



Keep Jelly on a plate and add grilled fruits around it. Decorate it with champagne grapes and colour rice.

Refrigerate it for sometime and enjoy your dessert!

One more look of it!



Cooking time : 20-30 minutes
Serves 2 persons


--------------------------------------------



Also, I am sending this entry to Monthly Mingle - Grill It - Summer Fun, an event started by Meeta, and this month, it is hosted by Sig.

&


Sweet Series - cool desserts hosted by Mythreyee.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

KingFish(Batang/Vanjaram) fish fry


Note: After a long search in various websites.... I am changing the fish name... Thank you friends for letting me know:)

KingFish (vanjaram/batang) fish is a expensive fish and is a delicacy of south indian cuisine. Its fat content ranges from 3-30% and a good source of vitamin D and B12.


Ingredients:
Vanjaram steaks/slices - 2
Chilli powder - 1-2 tablespoon (as spicy required)
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seed powder - 1 teaspoon
Ginger, garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Lemon juice - 1/2 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 2-3 tablespoons

Method:
Wash fish and marinate with turmeric powder and salt for few minutes.

Mix all other ingredients and prepare a thick paste with little water.

Wash the fish once, drain all water and marinate in the above paste for 1-2 hours.

In a flat pan, add oil and shallow fry the fish on both sides, for about 5-10 minutes.

Delicious fish fry is ready to serve.

Note:
This is good recipe for BBQ .... can grill it too.


Cooking time : 15 minutes
Serves 2 persons