Guest post # 3 by Mrs.Lakshya Surender - Paruppu Paniyaram / Dal Dumpling

Good morning friends! Here is the third entry for the guest post by Mrs. Lakshya Surendar. She is making kuzhipaniyaram. a tasty and healthy one indeed.

About the guest :

Mrs lakshya surendar from singapore. She is a home maker. her hubby is software engineer and he is a  foody. Its  all because of him she learnt cooking and kept trying new recipes. She is more keen on the nutritive value of the food. 
She is my classmate when we were in school. after so many years we could chat with each other due to fb and whatsapp.

INGREDIENTS :

For batter:

• Chickpeas   - 1/4 cup
• Ground nuts - 1/4 cup
• Idly rice       - 1/4 cup
• Bengal gram - 1/4 cup
• Moong Dal- 1/4 cup
• Urad Dal     - 1/4 cup
• Green chillies - 4
• Ginger - 1/4 " inch
• Salt
• Water
• Oil

For tempering :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp 
• Bengal gram - 2 tsp
• split urad dhal - 1 tsp
• onions finely chopped 
• Curry leaves -  chopped
• Asafoetida
• Coriander leaves - chopped
• Curd - 1 tbsp
• Oil for frying

 

METHOD :

• Soak all the ingredients for the batter for at least 4 hrs and grind it with green chillies and a piece of ginger( optional: a hand full of steamed rice)  to a  idly batter consistency.
• Temper the remaining ingredients and add it to the batter with the curd.

• Now heat the paniyaram pan and grease it with oil and lay the batter in the pits.

• Turn over the paniyaram check if cooked and ook them nicely on both the sides.
• Transfer them to the serving plates .

Cholam Paniyaram / Corn Dumpling

Paniyaram is a chettinad delicacy. A super simple tiffin and very tasty for both breakfast and dinner. You can add all tiimes of millets for this dish.. I have added Cholam to it. You can accompany it with spicy chutney,

The image of cholam:






Ingredients:

• Raw rice  - 1 cup
• Urad dal - one handful
• Cholam - 1 cup
• Salt
• Water
• Salt
• Coriander leaves - chopped

For tempering:

• Onion - 2 chopped finely
• carrot - 1 grated 
• Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
• Gram dal - 2 tsp
• Green chilly - 2 chopped finely
• Curry leaves chopped
• Oil

Method:

• Soak rice, urad dal and cholam for 5 hrs.
• Grind it like dosa batter in a grinder. Allow it to ferment.
• In another pan, add the oil and all the tempering ingredients. fry the onion and carrot nicely. Add the chopped coriander leaves and keep it aside.
• Take the required batter in a vessel and add the tempering and mix well.
• Add the required salt to the batter.
• Heat the paniyaram tava, Add a tsp of oil in all the holes.
• Add the batter in the holes.
• Fry them on both the sides slowly and keep turning until it is cooked on both the sides. 

Serve it with spicy chutney!

Guest Post #2 by Mrs.Sowmeya Swaminathan - Cauliflower Broccoli Fritters

Good morning and Happy monday friends! Here is the second entry for the guest post by Mrs.Sowmeya Swaminathan. She is making a new snack dish using cauliflower and broccoli.. I am very keen in trying this new dish.





About the guest :

Sowemya is a working mom from the middle east with a 7yr old son and a hubby who travels a lot. She loves reading , cooking and gardening. My balcony garden is my pride and joy apart from my kiddo, of course. She says, "This cauliflower and broccoli fritter is a very easy weeknight dinner or a lunch box snack. It is simple, easy to make and leaves a lot of space for improvisation which I love. And, it makes sure my family covers the basic food groups at one shot." 

She is one of my friends from a food group from facebook. i have admired her snack boxes or lunch box she packs for her kid.. Love it Sowmeya.. Thanks for your contribution in my guest post...

Coming to the rexipe :

She has a step by step photos for this dish.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower florets, roughly chopped - 2 cups
• Broccoli florets, roughly chopped - 1 cup
• Red chilli garlic paste (I used this as I had it in my fridge, but you can substitute with grated garlic, red chilli powder or chopped jalapenos) - 2 -4 tsp
• Egg -1
• All purpose flour - 1 tbsp
• Corn flour - 1/4 tbsp 
• Any cheese (I used mozzerella, but feta or parmesan ) - 1 to 2 tsp
• Salt as required
• Oil - required for shallow frying

Method:

• Boil water in a large pan. Add the broccoli florets and cook till tender.
• Remove from heat and Strain the broccoli. Rinse with cold water to stop from over cooking the broccoli.

• Repeat for Cauliflower. Pat the veggies dry and mash a little bit. 

• Broccoli heads must be visible, but it should be mixable. Add the other ingredients one by one and give it a good stir.

• Heat a Heavy bottomed pan with oil. Take a tablespoon of batter and let it drop in the pan. It will look weird, but will stay together. 

• Cook on both sides till golden brown and serve hot. It can be served individually as well. 

This is a great way to make picky eaters try broccoli.  

Note by her:

• It can be made into a sandwich or use a tortilla base to roll it in a roll. 
• If I am making a roll, I use some coriander chutney as the spread. 
• The same method can be used for various veggies such as cabbage with spinach and potato, corn with potato etc. This can be made eggless by adding a softer cheese like feta or cream cheese. The spice quotient can be upto you too. incase using cabbage, I add grated ginger and spring onions for a chinese flavour.

Guest Post #1 by Mrs.Banumathi Balasubramnian - HSB Kurma. Hotel Saravana Bhavan Kurma

In this new year , I am very happy to post this guest post event in my blog. I have invited my blogger friends and non blogger friends to contribute recipe of their special food. Wishing all a very happy Pongal!

About the Guest :

Today's Guest is Mrs. Banumathi Balasubramanian. I call her aunty and very close to heart. She is such a sweet person who cares and simply love to cook varieties of food for her guests. I have had her food a couple of times. In short , I have named her Annalakshmi, one who never says no to cook and serve. She just loves to serve food. If I tell  about her cooking skills,It will go on and on., She is a retired person, a wonderful mom, MIL and grandma too.. I am her biggest fan for her mouthwatering dishes. Long live aunty and keep serving love and care through your food nd cooking. She has also inspired lot of people to cook and try on their hands.


Here is one of her most demanded  recipe HSB Kurma. the authentic Hotel Saravana Bhavan Kurma .

Ingredients :

• Assorted veggies (Beans , Carrot, Peas , Potato, Chayote, cauliflower)-  2-3 cups
• Onions - 3 finely chopped
• Green chillies - 2
• Tomatoes - 3 finely chopped
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric power - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Thick curd - 3 tbsp
• Milk - 1 cup
• Cashews - 10
• Poppy seeds - 1 tsp 
• Coconut grated - 3 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Garam masala -1 tsp
• Whole garam masala ( Bay leaf, cloves, cardamom , cinnamon stick)- 2 of each
• Coriander leaves - finely chopped

Method:

• Firstly soak the cashews in warm water and keep it aside.
• Take a pressure cooker and boil all the veggies except cauliflower by adding turmeric powder and little salt for 2 whistles. Boil the cauliflower separately in a vessel.
• Meanwhile, grind the soaked cashews with poppy seeds and 3 tbsp grated coconut into a fine paste.
• Heat another heavy bottomed vessel, add oil and ghee. Temper the whole garam masala.
• Add the chopped onions and green chillies, when the onions become translucent ,add ginger garlic paste to it.

• When the raw smell vanishes, add the chopped tomatoes to it. Continue to stir it till the oil separates.
• Now, add the boiled veggies, cauliflower . add all the powders chilly powder, coriander powder , turmeric powder and 1 tsp salt.
• Mix well gently and cook for a minute. Add the cashew coconut paste and allow it to boil for one more minute.
• Add the thick curd and milk. Stir nicely and allow it to boil. Add 1 tsp garam masala to the kurma and boil for a minute. 

Finally add the chopped coriander leaves.

My mom's Special Chakkara pongal / Sweet Pongal - FiFth bloggiversary today!

Chakkarapongal is made using rice, lentils cooked with jaggery and tempered with cashews and raisins. Pongal without sweet pongal is unimaginable. My moms sweetpongal is my alltime favorite. I want to become like her, when my kid says that her moms chakkarapongal is unbeatable. My kiddo does not eat sweet. But for last pongal, she had chakkarapongal , like i used to have my moms.. Felt very happy. 

Once I made chakkapongal in pannai for my Thala Pongal In singapore. It as so tasty and yummy. It came out very well. Here are the pics.

  

Ingredients:

• Rice - 2 cups
• Moong dal - 1/2 cup
• Jaggery- 250 gms
• Ghee
• Cashew
• Milk - half cup
• Cardamom powde
• Water

Method:

• Wash and soak boil rice and moong dal together for about 30 hr.
• Cook the soaked rice and moong dal for about 4-5 whistles in cooker.
• Dissolve the  Jaggery in water and Strain it.
• Allow it to boil.
• Add milk in the jaggery and allow it to boil.
• then add the cooked rice and dal mixture. Stir it well.
• Add ghee,cardamom and cashew.
• Ready to serve. :D

  

• Lets party hosted by Ezcookbook
• ``
   

SENDING THIS TO NIVEDHANAM'S GIVEAWAY !

 

Guest post on Jiya's delicacyI

Hi Friends,

Going to feature a guest post event in Jiya's Delicacy.

 I am hereby inviting all you fellow blogger friends to send a recipe to publish on Jiya's Delicacy. I also expect your   
co-operation in inviting your friends also to this event to publish on Jiya's Delicacy.

Rules for the event:

• Like me Facebook here 
• Send me a recipe which is not published in your blog and few pictures of the dish.
• Send an Introduction about the dish.
• Ofcourse about you my sweet guest.
• Few lines about Jiya's Delicacy.

I will start posting the guest posts as soon as I receive. 

Send your recipes to jillucharan@yahoo.co.in

Thanks and Happy Writing,

Jillu Anand

Venpongal - Karnataka style / Savory Pongal

Pongal festival or sankranthi is on Jan 15th this year. So sharing an authentic karnataka style pongal recipe with you all.. This is my MIL's recipe. She makes this often with a combination with sambar. Its finger licking too.. You can make either with normal rice or with millets too. This recipe is also made in Hyderabad. I have had in few hotels there.

Ingredients:

• Rice - 1 cup
• Moong dal - 1 cup
• Salt
• Water - 5-6 cups

To temper:

• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Pepper - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves
• Asafoedita - 1/4 tsp
• Ginger - 1" (finely chopped)
• Coconut chopped - one handful
• Green chillies - 2
• Oil
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Ghee

Method:

• Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker. Temper all the above ingredients one by one. Fry the coconut a little.
• Add the washed rice and dal. Add water and salt.Stir well.
• Cook for about 5-6 whistles.

Serve hot with ghee and Sambar.

Palak Paratha / Spinach Paratha

Todays special is  a dinner or tiffin item. A very healthy tiffin, a roti or chapathi using palak.. The best way to use greens. You can also make palak puri using the same dough, you will get soft puris. Kids will love it for sure! My kiddo loved palak puris. 

Acc o Wiki, Spinach has a high nutritional value, especially when fresh, frozen, steamed, or quickly boiled. It is a rich source (> 20% of the Daily Value) of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, folate and iron (table, right).

Iron

Spinach, along with other green leafy vegetables,^[10] is considered to be rich in iron. For example, the United States Department of Agriculture states that a 180-g serving of boiled spinach contains 6.43 mg of iron, whereas a 170-g ground hamburger patty contains at most 4.42 mg. However, spinach contains iron absorption-inhibiting substances, including high levels of oxalate, which can bind to the iron to form ferrous oxalate and render much of the iron in spinach unusable by the body. In addition to preventing absorption and use, high levels of oxalates remove iron from the body.

Calcium

Spinach also has a moderate calcium content. However, the oxalate content in spinach also binds with calcium, decreasing its absorption. The calcium in spinach is the least bioavailable of calcium sources.^[14] By way of comparison, the human body can absorb about half of the calcium present in broccoli, yet only around 5% of the calcium in spinach.

 Ingredients:

• Wheat flour - 1 cup
• Palak puree - one cup
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Water - if needed
• Salt
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

• Knead the ingredients into a soft dough using all the above ingredients in a vessel and keep it aside for 30 mins.
• Take small balls from the dough and slightly press it.
• Dust the balls and make chapathies. Make it as thin as possible.
• Heat tava, cook the chapathies using little oil.

Wonderful soft chapathies are ready. I have served it with vegetarian healthy version is palak Chapathi with curd and sprouts. 

Non- veg version is Palak chapathi with naatukozhi curry! My mouth is watering when i Type in here.... Enjoy foodies..

Varagarisi Payasam / Kodomillet Kheer

In this new year, first post happened to be sweeet recipe using millet. wishing all my irends a very happy new year!

My first try of the millet is varagarisi.. I though being a sweet tooth, try the simplest sweet using this Kodo millet. Tried my hands on Payasam. My all time fav. 

Wiki says, Paspalum scrobiculatum, Kodo millet, is an annual grain that is grown in primarily in India, but also in the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and in West Africa where it originates. It is grown as a minor crop in most of these areas, with the exception of the Deccan plateau in India where it is grown as a major food source.^[1] It is a very hardy crop that is drought tolerant and can survive on marginal soils where other crops may not survive, and can supply 450–900 kg of grain per hectare .Kodo millet has large potential to provide nourishing food to subsistence farmers in Africa and elsewhere.

Coming to the recipe and ing

redients:

Ingredients:

• Varagarisi - 1 cup
• Milk - 1/2 litre
• cardamom power - 1 tsp
• Cashews - 10
• Raisins  - 10 (optional)
• Sugar  - 1 cup or as desired or condensed milk - 1/2 tin

Method:

• Take the millet and wash and soak for 10 mins,
• Cook the soaked varagarisi in a pressure cooker upto 5 whistles. let the rie to smash nicely.
• Add milk to a pan, bring to boil and in simmer ,allow the milk to reduce a little.
• Add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved. If you are adding condensed milk, add it and stir nicely. 
• Take the rice from the cooker and smash it with a ladle before adding it to the milk.
• Fry the cashews and raisins in ghee and it to the kheer and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Remove the kheer from heat and serve either warm or chilled.

So divine to eat the small rice , awesome when you chew it! enjoy the cup of kheer today!