ICC July 2009 - Khaman Dhokla

Atlast made the dhokla's.:) since it was the Indian Cooking Challenge.

For Batter:

Bengal Gram flour / Besan - 250 gms (1 & 1/2 cup)
Curd - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Cooking Soda - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric a pinch
G. Chili paste - 1 - 2 long (as per taste)
Sugar - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - quarter tsp

Sesame seeds
Mustard Seeds
Curry leaves
Grated coconut
Coriander leaves

Little water + Oil to be topped on dhoklas


1.Mix first 1/2 cup curds with 1/2 water. To this add the besan and mix well to get a lump less batter.

2. Slowly add more water if needed else, add the soda. Keep it aside to rise for 1 hour.

3.In a pressure cooker, fill the pan with water, place a plate over which you will have use a plate or vessel for steaming the dhoklas.

4.To the batter mix in theLemon juice, oil, salt, sugar, green chili paste and turmeric powder. Mix well. This has to be done just before pouring to the plate or vessel.

5.Meanwhile have the pan on stove, and let the water start boiling. When the water reaches the rolling stage, you can mix the Baking soda to the batter.
6.Pour the batter to the plate. Place the plate carefully inside the pressure pan and cover with lid. You need not use the whistle. After covering you will find steam coming out of the outlet, simmer and don't disturb for almost 5 -7 minutes.
7.After 5 -7 minutes, remove the lid and proof it using toothpick or knife. If the knife comes out clean and does not have any batter sticking, then its done. Cover back and let it remain on flame for 1 min and switch off the gas and allow it for 5 minutes.
8.In a bowl, mix 3 tsp of water along with a tsp of oil
Remove the plate from the pan, pour the water and oil mix over the top.

Heat a pan with oil, add curry leaves, sesame seeds, mustard seeds and finely chopped green chilies. When mustard starts popping, remove and pour over the dhokla.

I forgot to take the pic with the tempering :(

Peanut and Brinjal Curry

I am sending this to Sanghi's FIL-Brinjal.

Ingredients:

Brinjal - 1(Big)
Peanuts - 1cup
Onion - 1
Garlic - 2 pods
Tomatoes - 2
Cayenne - 1tbsp
Cinnamon powder - 1tsp
Coriander powder - 1tbsp
Oil
Salt
Mustard
Urad dal

1.Cut all the veggies .In a pan add little oil and then mustard and urad dal.
2.After it pops add the onion and garlic and saute till golden brown.Then the peanuts.
3.Then add the tomatoes.
4.Add all the powders and mix well.
5.Add the brinjal pieces and mix well.
6.Add little water and salt and cover with a lid and cook until its soft.

Keep in low flame for 10mins and serve hot with roti's or plain rice.

Zucchini,Chickpea and Kale Soup

Ingredients:

Channa - 1cup
Kale - 2cups-chopped
Zucchini - 1
Tomato - 3
Garlic - 2
Cayenne - 1tsp
Salt
Olive oil

1.In a pot add little olive oil and saute the garlic,then zucchini and kale.
2.Then add tomatoes followed by cooked chickpea.
3.Add cayenne and salt and mix well and saute for 5mins.
4.Then add water and let it boil well.
5.After the veggies are fully cooked let it stand in low flame for about 30mins and serve hot.

Brinjal,Butter Beans and Leeks Curry

I am sending this to Sanghi's FIL-Brinjal.
Ingredients:

Brinjal- 3
Butter beans - 1cup
Leeks - 1/2cup chopped
Cinnamon powder - 1tsp
tomato - 2
Sour cream - 1tbsp
Cayenne - 1tsp
Salt
Olive oil

1.In a pot add olive oil and saute the leeks for 5mins or so.
2.Then add the brinjal chopped into small pieces.
3.Fry for about 10mins and then add tomato,cayenne salt and cinnamon powder.
4.Mix well.Add little water and let it boil for 5mins.
5.Add the butter beans and sour cream and mix well.
6.Let it boil and then check if the brnjal is cooked.
7.Let it stand in low heat for about 20mins and serve hot.

Mango Pickle

I have never made any pickle at home. I was missing the pickles so much and i thought why not make it at home. That how I made this grated mango pickle.

Iam sending this to Monsoon Spice Udupi event and Lakshmi.

Ingredients:

Raw Mango - 1 cup - grated
Mustard - 1tbsp
Urad dal - 1tbsp
Channa dal - 2tbsp
Red dry chillies - 6(depending on ur spice level)
Fenugreek - 1tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
oil
salt

1.Fry the red chillies,channa dal and fenugreek for 2mins.
2.Grind them and keep aside.
3.In a pan add little oil then mustard and urad dal.
4.After it pops add the grated mango.
5.Fry for 2mins and then add the grinded mixture to it.
6.Mix well.Add little oil and salt and mix for 10mins.

Server with dosa or idly or even plain rice :)..

Brown Scone

Dont know what happened but now a days I am liking the scones a lot. When I saw the Whole wheat baking event by Maduram and the British event I was searching for a recipe which I can send to both these events. Then I got this recipe.So this goes to Its a VeganWorld:British and Madhuram's Whole Grain Baking Event.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour - 2cups

Nuts of your choice - 1cup(I used walnuts,almonds and sunflower seeds)

Baking powder - 1tbsp

Hemp Milk - 1cup ( Vanilla flavour) You can substitute this with normal milk + 1tsp vanilla essence

Brown sugar - 1/2cup(depending on how sweet you want it)

1.In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients.

2.Then add the hemp milk and mix well.

3.Make like a sticky dough and roll into 1/2inch thick round.

4.Cut into 6 pieces and bake it for abt 20mins at 350Degrees.

It was soft and yummy. My husband liked it too. Vanilla flavour was very nice.

Vegetable Left Over Quesadilla

Thinking what this is?? Yes I had some left over mixed vegetables which i made so used it for making quesadilla.

Ingredients:

Tortilla - 2
Mixed vegetables cooked - 2cups(carrot,corn,beans,chickpea)
Cheese - 1cup


For the vegetable mixture i added chilli powder and salt and cooked well.

1.In a pan heat the tortilla and then sprinkle the cooked veggies on top and then after its a little hot shred the cheese and then when the cheese melts close the other side and heat both sides.

Chow Chow Kootu

Ingredients:

Chow chow - 1 - peeled and cut into small pieces

Channa dal - 1/2cup

Moong dal - 1/4th cup

Oil

Scrapped coconut - 3tbsp

Onion

Salt

Sesame seeds - 1tsp

mustard

1.Pressure cook chow chow,moong and channa dal for 1 whistle.

2.In a pan add little oil and then mustard.After it pops add the onion and saute.

3.Then add the sesame seeds and then the cooked mixture.

4.Add the scrapped coconut mix well .Add salt and then cook until its not watery.

Serve hot with plain rice !!

Rasmalai

For so long I wanted to make and eat this. I just love the smell and taste of rasmalai. That too saffron i love the smell and color. So here is the receipe.

Ingredients:

Milk - 4cups

lemon juice - 1tbsp

Sugar - 1cup

Saffron - few strands

Cardamon - 1

Almonds - 3

1.In a heavy botton vessel add 2 cups of milk and let it boil well.

2.When the milk is boiled well add the lemon juice and mix.

3.Do not stop mixing.The milk will curdle and a thick mixture will form .

4.In a cloth put the mixture and strain all the water.Let it stand for 30mins.

5.In another vessel add water and then the sugar and put the strained panneer. And pressure cook for a whistle.

6.Keep aside.

7.In a heavy botton vessel add 2 cups of milk and let it boil well.

8.Add saffron and let it boil till it becomes one cup.

9.ADd the cardamon also and let itboil for 5mins.

10.Let it cool.

11.Add the pressure cooked panneer and add in the milk mixture and cool it in the refrigirator for an hour and serve. Before serving sprinkle almonds on top and serve.

Khara Bhath

Ingredients:

Rava - 1cup

Onion - 1

Grated carrot - 1/4th cup

Peas - 1/4th cup

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Chili powder - little(depending how spicy u want)

Mustard

Oil

Salt

Urad dal

1.In a pan add oil and then add mustard and urad dal.

2.After it pops add onion .Saute until golden brown and then add turmeric and chilli powder and then rava and fry well.

3.Then add grated carrot.Mix well and keep aside.

4.Add 2cups of water.Add salt and mix well.

5.After the water boils add rava and mix well not forming any lumps.Keep mixing until all the water is gone.

6.Keep in low heat for 5mins and serve hot with coconut chutney.

Peanut Rice

Iam sending this to JFI-Peanuts hosted by Pavani of Cook's Hideout, event started by Indira.

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 cups - cooked
Peanuts - 1/2cup
Channa dal and Urad dal - 1tbsp each
Red chillidried - 2
Oil
Mustard - 1tbsp

1.In a pan add little oil and then add urad and channa dal.
2.Then red chilli and fry well.
3.Keep aside.
4.Next fry the peanuts if using raw peanuts and keep aside.
5.Let it cool and then grind all the ingredients together into a coarse mixture.
6.In a wide pan add little oil and then fry some red chillies and mustard and then add little of the peanut mixture. Fry for a while and then add the cooked rice.
Mix well and serve hot !!

Rava Laddoo - My 200th Post

Hi All,

Yes it is my 200th post. Its like a dream thinking that I have 2oo posts in my blog. I started this as a time pass and now it has been a part of my life.Its been only 5 to 6 months I started this and already 200 posts now. Feels good !!

So here is my recipe. I am sending this to Srivalli's Indian Cooking Challenge.

Ingredients:

Rava - 1 cup

Sugar - 1/2cup

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Raisins

Cashew - 10

Cardamon -2

Milk - 1/2cup

1.In a small pan add 1tbsp ghee and then add cashews and raisins.Fry until the raisin is fried and bulged.keep aside.

2.Then add the rava and fry until the light brown and do not burn it.Add the remaining ghee and then the cardamon.

3.In a bowl add the sugar,fried cashew and raisin and then the fried sooji.

4Add milk such that you can make a dough like paste.

5.Transfer back to the pan and add very little ghee and let it stand for a min.

Then make the laddoos..

Enjoy!!

Granola and Cracked Wheat Scones

Ingredients:

Granola - 1/2cup ( I used raspberry flavour)
Cracked Wheat - 1/2cup
Milk - 1/2cup
Baking Powder - 1tbsp
Cinnamon sugar - 2tbsp
Dried Fruits - 1/2cup(optional)
Oats - 2tbsp

1.Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl to make a dough.
2.Preheat the oven to 400Degrees.
3.the dough was a little sticky so i added 2 tbsp oats.
4.In a cookie sheet put the dough and press a little to make a thick rounded shape.
5.Cut into what ever shape you want and bake it for 6 to 8mins.

Serve hot.

Venkakai Kozhambu ( Okra Currry)

Ingredients:

Okra- 1cup
Small Onion - 8
Tomato - 2
Tamarind - small ball - soaked in 1 cup water
Chilli and Coriander powder - 1tbsp each
Tumeric powder - a pinch
Garlic - 2
Oil
Salt

Fry the okra in little oil till the stickiness of okra goes away.

1.In a pan add little oil and then add then add the chopped garlic or the full one.
2.Then add onion and saute till golden brown.
3.Add tomato next and cook until its mushy.
4.Add the Okra and leave it closed for about 5mins.
5.Add tamarind paste with water and salt and let it boil for 2mins.
6.Then add the turmeric,chilli and coriander powder and mix well.
7.If its very thick add more water and keep it in medium flame closed with a lid.Add the fried okra.
8.Cook it until the raw smell goes and serve with hot plain rice.

Vada Kari

I had some left over baked vada's that I made. So thought I will make vada kari with it.

Ingredients:

Masala Vadai - 5
Tomato -1
Onion - 1
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder and coriander powder - 1/2tsp each
Salt
Oil
mustard
Urad dal

1.In a pan add little oil and then add urad dal and mustard.
2.After it pops add onion and saute until brown.
3.Add tomatoes and saute well and cook for 5mins.
4.Add the masala powder and mix well.
5.Add little water and let it boil.
6.Make the vadas like bread crumbs.
7.Add them in the pan and add salt and let it soak well in the water.Close with a lid and then leave it in low flame for 5mins.

Serve hot with idly or dosai.

Banana Raspberry Bread

I am sending this to Madhuram's Eggless low fat baking event.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Banana - 2 - ripe
Orange juice - 1/3rd cup
Butter Milk - 1/2cup
Sugar - 1/2cup
Raspberry - 1/2cup
Baking soda - 1/2 tbsp
Baking powder - 1/2 tbsp

1.Pre heat oven to 350Degress and grease a loaf pan.
2.Mash the ripe bananas in a bowl. Add the wet ingredients and mix well.
3.In another bowl mix all the dry ingredients except raspberry.
4.Slowly mix the wet ingredients to the dry ones.
5.Mix until all the liquid and flour is mixed. Do not over mix.
6.Fold in the raspberry and transfer it to the greased pan and bake it for 30 to 40mins.


Let it cool and then slice the bread.

Low Fat Spicy Vadai

Iam sending this to Madhuram's Low fat baking event and Stack event.

Ingredients:

Channa dal - 1 cup
All purpose flour - 1/2cup
Baking soda - 1tbsp
Baking powder - 1/2tbsp
Chilli powder - 1tbsp
Fennel seeds - 1tbsp
Salt
Green bell pepper - 1 - finely chopped
Onion - 1 - finely chopped
Buttermilk - 1/2cup

1.Soak the channa dal for 3hrs.Coarsely grind the channa dal and fennel seeds without adding much water.
2.Mix all the ingredients.
3.The mixture should not be watery.Needs to be thick.
4.Pre heat oven to 400Degrees.
5.I used a muffin pan to bake it.
6.Sprayed some olive oil and then made small balls and filled in the muffin pan and bake it for 20 to 3omins.

Can turn it over and bake for another 5mins.
2.