“The virtues of donations are great, because it helps the needy and at the same time it gives an opportunity to the donor to give the surplus to the people in need ” - Sama Veda

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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

WHEY & WHEY SOUP



When we curdle milk using lemon juice, we get whey, which has many nutritional benefits. I was on the process of making rasagullas. Also, I made a quick soup with this whey water. We can use whey water in making dough for chapathis. Leftover whey can be stored in bottles and kept under refrigeration. This can be used in curdling the milk for the next time. Detailed nutritional benefits of whey can be found here.

INGREDIENTS:

Whey - 1/2 litre
Potato - 1
Carrot - 1
Garlic - 1 clove (crushed)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Butter - 1 tablespoons
Chilli flakes - 1 tsp.
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp.
Celery or coriander leaves- 1 tablespoon
Salt - 3/4 tsp. or as per taste

METHOD:

Peel and grate potato and carrot.

In a kadai, melt butter, add onions and garlic saute till it diffuses its raw smell. Add the grated potato, carrot and salt. Saute in high flame for 2 minutes. Pour in the whey water and allow it to boil. Transfer it to soup cups and add chilli flakes, pepper powder and finely chopped celery. Serve piping hot.

Monday, June 28, 2010

CHINESE FRIED RICE

chinese-fried-rice-recipeI thank all my online friends for their wishes on my 300th post(Carrot halwa). Thank you for your overwhelming response.

INGREDIENTS:

Cooked basmati rice - 3 cups
Finely chopped mixed vegetables - 1 cup
(Beans, carrot & capsicum. I also used peas, cauliflower, lettuce )
Onion -1
Garlic- 2 pods finely chopped
Green chillies ( finely chopped) - 2
Ajinomoto - 1/4 tsp. 
Soya sauce - 1 tablespoon
Chilli sauce - 1 tsp.
Vinegar - 1 tsp.
White pepper powder - 1/2 tsp.
Spring onions (finely chopped) - one bunch
Oil - 2 tablespoons

METHOD:

Heat oil in a kadai, and add the finely chopped onions, garlic, green chillies and vegetables and stir fry for 3 minutes. The vegetables should not be overcooked, but should be crunchy. Add chilli sauce, soya sauce,vinegar and ajinomoto. Saute well in high flame. Add the cooked basmati rice, salt and pepper powder. Mix generously without breaking the grains. Finally add the chopped spring onions. Mix well. Serve hot.

Monday, June 21, 2010

CARROT HALWA (MICROWAVE VERSION)



Orkut Scraps Friendship


Celebrating my 300th post with a Carrot halwa.

INGREDIENTS:


Grated Carrot - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Ghee - 3 tablespoons
Cardamom powder - a pinch
Cashews - 6
Dry grapes - 6


METHOD:

Transfer the grated carrot to a micro-safe bowl, cover and micro high for 5 minutes.

Add sugar, mix well and again micro-wave high for another 5 minutes. Do not cover now.

Add ghee and cardamom powder, mix well and micro- high for another 3 minutes. Take out after allowing a standing time for 2 minutes.

Decorate with ghee-fried cashews and dry grapes. Serve hot or chilled.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

MALAI MUTTER (JAIN)


An excellent combo of green peas and kasoori methi, with cashews, milk and khus-khus. I fried cabbage till golden brown and used instead of onions and garlic.

INGREDIENTS:

Green peas(shelled) - 1 cup
Kasoori methi - 1 tablespoon
Boiled milk - 1/2 cup
Grated paneer - 1/4 cup
Fresh cream - 2 tablespoons
Shredded cabbage - 1/2 cup
Tomatoes finely chopped - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Sugar - a generous pinch
Butter - 2 tablespoons
Salt - as per taste
Cashewnuts - 10
Ginger - a small piece
Green chillies - 2
Poppy seeds (Khus khus) - 1 tsp.
Cardamom - 1 or 2
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp.


METHOD:

Shred cabbage, grate paneer and crush kasoori methi.

Soak cashew and poppy seeds in warm water for 15 minutes.

Heat a spoon of butter and saute the cabbage till golden brown and grind it to a fine paste alongwith soaked cashews, khus khus, ginger, cardamom and green chillies. Add coriander powder, garam masala... give it another whirrr.. and keep aside.

Heat the remaining butter, put in the cumin seeds and when they sizzle add the green peas. Saute for 2 minutes. Now add the ground paste, required amount of salt and little water. Mix well, add the grated paneer and milk. Allow it to boil. Finally add the chopped tomatoes and crushed kasoori methi and garnish with coriander leaves.

NOTE: Green peas soaked overnight can be substituted for shelled peas. Best with roti, naan, pulav and kulcha.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

SIMPLE KOOTU


I do this kootu when I feel bored to cook something and tired. The work is simple, without affecting the vegetable intake. Just mix it with hot rice and a drop of ghee. Fresh, green vegetables are preferred. I used, avarakkai, beans, and some leftover vegetables.

INGREDIENTS:

Any vegetable of your choice - 3 cups
Moong dhal - 2 tablespoons
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Hing - a pinch
Sambhar powder - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Scraped coconut - 2 tablespoons
Salt - as per taste

For tempering:
Oil - 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - a sprig

METHOD:

Pressure cook dhal alongwith turmeric powder, hing, sambhar powder and vegetables for 2 whistles. When pressure is released, take out, add salt & coconut, give it a boil and temper with given ingredients.

Monday, June 14, 2010

MINT CHUTNEY


INGREDIENTS:

Mint leaves - 1 cup
Scraped coconut - 1 cup
Gram dhal - 1 tsp.
Red chillies - 2
Oil - 1 tsp.
Hing
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - as per taste

METHOD:

Wash mint leaves well. Heat, oil, add gram dhal,
red chillies, hing and mint leaves. Add salt and saute well till it wilts. When cool, grind in a mixie alongwith grated coconut to a smooth paste. Temper with mustard seeds and urad dhal. Tastes good with idlis and dosas.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

PUDINA THOGAYAL


INGREDIENTS:

Mint leaves (pudina) - 2 cups (tightly packed)
Dry red chillies - 2
Pepper - 1/2 tsp.
Urad dhal - 3 tsp.
Tamarind- 1/2 lemon size
Hing
Salt
Oil

METHOD:

In a kadai, heat a spoon of oil and saute the mint leaves till it shrinks. Keep aside. In the same kadai, fry urad dhal , pepper, chillies and hing till golden brown. In a mixie, first grind the pepper, chillies and tamarind with salt. Now add the mint leaves and little water and grind it to a thick paste. Finally, add urad dhal and give it a whip. Mix it with rice alongwith a little bit of ghee and gingelly oil added to it.

Monday, June 7, 2010

INSTANT MANGO PICKLE


This is quick and simple to prepare. Eventhough everyone knows about it, I wanted to add it in my blog as it is my favourite.

INGREDIENTS:

Raw mango (Big) - 1
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - 1/2 tsp. OR as per taste
Hing - 1/4 tsp.
Mustards seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Oil - 2 tsp.

METHOD:

Cut mangoes into small pieces, add in required amount of salt and chilli powder. Mix well and temper with mustard seeds and hing. Tastes heavenly with bahala bhath (curd rice)

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

BAJJI


INGREDIENTS:

Potatoes - 2
Besan flour - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 cup
Hing - 1/4 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Salt - as per taste
Oil - for deep frying


METHOD:

Slice potatoes. Ensure medium thickness of the slices. It should neither be too thick nor too thin.

Mix all other ingredients, add some water and make a batter out of it. Again, the batter should not be too watery or too thick.

Heat oil, dip in the potato slices and deep fry till golden brown and crisp. Serve hot with any chutney of your choice.

NOTE: Raw bananas, brinjal, chayote, onion, and simla mirch can be used instead of potatoes.