Award and a Short Break!!!

It feels great to receive an award and I would like to thank Rekha and Adukula Vishesham for passing me this wonderful one.

I would like to pass it to

Kalai
Rachana
Oraphan
Akal's Sappadu
Padma
Padhu
Chitchat
Sailaja
Cicily
Jyoti
Soma
Deepti

To the award winners, please pass this on to your favorite bloggers! Here are the Rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog or within your post
2. Pass the award on to 12 bloggers!
3. Link the nominees within your post
4. Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog
5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award

A Short Break

I am taking a short break from blogging since am going on vacation to meet my family and friends.

Will be back with some interesting recipes soon.

Take Care and Happy Blogging.

Ramanavami Panagam, Neer Mor and Kosambari!

Ramanavami falls today thats 31st March 2012. Ramanavami is celebrated on the occasion of birthday of Lord Rama. It falls on the 9th day of Shukla Paksha.

On this day prayers are done and visit to Lord Rama temple. Observe fast/upavasam. Special pooja is performed at home and temples offering Panagam/Panaka, Neer Mor/Buttermilk and Kosambari as prasadams to Lord. Ladies will exchange kumkum with the prasadams with neighbours.

In Tamilnadu only Panagam is prepared. In Karnataka Panaka, Neer Mor and Kosambari is prepared.

Heres the simple and easy recipes for this.

Panagam/Panaka is a sweet drink prepared with Vellam/Jaggery.

Take 1 cup mashed or powdered vellam/jaggery in 4 glasses of water.
Add 1/2 tspn elachi powder/cardamom powder and 1/2 tspns sukku powder/dry ginger powder.

Mix well and keep it aside till all the vellam/jaggery is dissolved. Serve chilled or as it is.

Note - If case you feel Jaggery is less you can add later and mix after offering to Lord.

Variation - You can add ripen mash melon/Kirnipazham. It will be very refreshing.

For Neer Mor/Buttermilk

Take 1 cup thick curds/plain yogurt add 3 cups water, chopped coriander leaves, salt, chopped ginger mix well and Serve.


For Kosambari Recipe click here.

Happy Ramanavami.

Sabsige Keerai/Dill Leaves Poriyal

Sabsige Keerai/Dill Leaves is a type of greens and good for health. Its also called Sabakki Soppu in Kannada. My mom used to make it frequently back in Bangalore but we don't get this in Chennai:-( I never knew we get this in Singapore. Just the other day was so happy seeing this in a Chinese Vegetable Shop in Little India and immediately bought it. I just love the aroma of the leaves.

This can be given post delivery for good health. I have had almost daily..:-)

Ingredients
Sabsige Keerai - 2 bunches
Onion - 2nos
Fresh Grated coconut - 1 tspn
Dry Red Chilli - 2nos(As per your taste)
Salt

For Seasoning
Oil - 2 tspns
Mustard - a pinch
Channa Dal/Urad Dal - 1 tspn

Preparation Method

Wash and chop the Keerai and Onion into fine pieces.
In a Kadai, heat oil add mustard wait till it splutters, then add dal, red chilli and wait till its brown.
Add onion and fry till its transperant.
Now add Keerai and cook till the colour changes with salt and water.
Once its done and no water is left its ready to Serve.

Garnish with grated coconut and its good to have with Rasam rice.

This is going off to Healing Foods Spinach by Divya and Siri.

Note - You can also cook this in pressure cooker and later season it.

Homemade Dhaniya Podi/Coriander Powder

Dhaniya Podi is usually added in many dishes in our kitchen. But this podi is quiet different to mix with white rice.

This recipe is from my Mother-in-law who has learnt from her mom.

A very simple and tasty powder. I usually love mixed or podi sadam. Tried for the first time and just loved it and sharing it.

Ingredients
Dhaniya/Coriander Seeds - 1/2 cup
Urad dal - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1 tspn
Dry Red Chilli - 2 nos (As per your taste)
Puli/Tamarind/Imli - a small piece
Peringayam/Asafotida/Hing - 2 pinches
Salt to taste

Method
In a heavy bottom kadai, dry roast dhaniya till its slightly brown/black and transfer it to a plate.
In the same kadai, add 1 tspn of oil, add rest of the ingredients except salt and puli. Saute till its brown.
Now allow it to cool and grind to a coarse powder with salt n tamarind.

Serve with hot rice. You can mix ghee or Nalla Yennai/Gingely oil for yummy taste.

PS - Your feedback is appreciated. Do try recipe from (http://www.sarascorner.net/) take a picture and send it to me through Facebook message or mail me at simplysara07@gmail.com. Will be glad to add in my page Tried & Tasted album on FB or post on my page. Do follow me on Instagram id - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.

This is going off to Cooking with Seeds Event hosted by Radhika started by Priya.

Happy Ugadi!!!

Dear Readers,

Wish you all a very Happy Ugadi Festival. Lets this new year bring you lots of happiness, success, good health and wealth.

For Ugadi Festival Recipes click here.

How to make Sprouts?

Sprouts can be prepared from any pulse/legume. Its very healthy if consumed raw without cooking. I prepare sundal with this. Its good to reduce weight and cholestrol.

Heres the simple steps to make the pulses/legumes sprout.

Take 1 cup of green gram or as required.

Soak it in water till its nicely soft.

Its looking soft.

Then remove water and cover it with a lid or put in an air tight container.

Leave for a day or two. It will be perfectly sprouted.

Repeating the steps together

Take 1 cup of green gram or as required.
Soak it in water till its nicely soft.(atleast for 6-8 hours)
To know this you take one or two green gram press and see it should break.
Then remove water and cover it with a lid or put in an air tight container.
Leave for a day or two. It will be perfectly sprouted.
You can have it raw or make a salad with it.
Can also keep in refridgerator and use.

(I usually soak it in the morning by evening remove water and keep checking till next day it should be ready)

Click on the image for Green Gram and Pomo Salad recipe.

Read more on my previous how to make posts click here.

Venthiyakeerai/Methi/Fenugreek Sadam/Rice

This weekend has been Venthiyakeerai week for me, picked fresh leaves when visited Little India. Dishes I made was almost with Venthiyakeerai/Methi/Fenugreek leaves like Chapathi, Veg. Pulav and Simple Rice was quite healthy.

This recipe is from my Mom who makes it so tasty. When I use to work before marraige this recipe was mostly prepared for my lunch box since I love mixed/colour rice.

Hope you enjoy too..

Ingredients
Venthiyakeerai/Methi/Fenugreek leaves - 1 bunch
Vangibath/Bisibelebath powder - 3 -4 tspns(As per your taste)
Cooked Rice - 1 cup (1 Alaku)
Oil - 2 tspns
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Dry Red chilli - 2 nos
Channa Dal/Urad Dal - 1 tspn
Curry leaves - few
Salt

Preparation Method
Wash and cut venthiyakeerai into small pieces.
Heat a wide kadai/wok add oil, mustard wait till it splutters, then add dal, red chilli curry leaves. Saute till dal is brown.
Then add Venthiyakeerai/Methi/Fenugreek leaves and salt. Cook till its soft. Add vangibath powder and mix well. Cook for 5- 10 mins till the raw smell goes.

Off the stove once its cooled. Mix it with rice and Serve.

Venthiyakeerai Sadam can be had as it is or with Raitha.

This recipe is going off to Bitter Better Health by Yasmeen and Divya's Healing Foods Spinach Event started by Siri.

Keerai Kootu with Moong Dal

Keerai Kootu is a traditional recipe of Tamil Brahmin. You can use any type of greens. The Kootu which I posted before is also different from this.

Ingredients
Spinach/Greens - 1 bunch
Paasi Paruppu/Moong Dal - 1 cup
Fresh Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Dry Red Chilli - 3 nos (As per your taste)
Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tspn
Salt

For Seasoning/Tempering
Oil - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1/4 tspn
Urad Dal - 1/2 tspn
Dry Red chilli - 1no

Preparation Method

Wash and chop spinach into small pieces.
Cook Moong Dal in pressure cooker for 3 to 4 whistles with water.
Cook spinach in a vessel with salt and turmeric.
Grind Grated coconut, jeera and chilli to a fine paste.
Once spinach is well cooked(You will know by the colour) add grounded mixture and dal. Add salt if required.

Mix well and until it boils. If its too thick add little water while boiling.

Can also add 1/2 tspn of coconut oil.

Now season with above ingredients in a hot pan and add to the Keerai Kootu.

This is a good sidedish for Chapathis or also with plain rice.

This recipe is going off to Healing Foods Spinach by Divya event started by Siri.

Venthayakeerai/Methi Chapathi

Venthayakeerai/Methi/Fenugreek leaves is very good for health. Chapathis with them tastes great. I love Venthayakeerai inspite of its slight bitterness. When I saw Yasmeen's Bitter Better health and Divya's Spinach Event made this.

Ingredients
Wheat Flour - 2 cups
Fresh / Dried Fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi) - 1-2tspns (See notes)
Olive Oil - 1 tspn
Water
Salt

Preparation Method

In a wide bowl, put all the ingredients one by one and mix with water to form a soft dough. Once its done grease your hands with oil, coat the dough and mix it well to form a ball.

Leave the dough covered for half n hour or 1 hour if you have time.

Make small equal balls and spread to round shape with the help of rolling pin and board. If required spread little dry wheat flour on both sides.

Heat a Tawa/skillet. When its hot cook both sides till light brown with or without oil.

Remove it and keep in Hot Pack. This makes around 6-8 chapathis.

Serve hot with any fav. gravy or curry or Molagai Podi.

This recipe is going off to Bitter Better Health by Yasmeen and Divya's Healing Foods Spinach Event started by Siri

Notes - If you are using Fresh leaves slight cook them with salt and turmeric and then add to wheat flour if you don't like them uncooked.

Methi Mutter Product Review

Methi Mutter is one of the favourite gravy for chapathis. I just prepared this with Gits Heat n Eat. As you can see this is the delicious side dish for Indian Breads.

Our family just loved it and enjoyed a lot with chapathis/tortillas. As Kini said in the previous review this is not just enough.

Enjoy this tasty gravy.

MEC Soups Roundup!!!!

Thank you for wonderful entries for MEC Soups Event. I would like to thank Srivalli for giving me an opportunity to host the event.

Here goes the roundup.

Tomato Soup by Srinithya of Andhra Ruchulu.

Cream of Onion Potato Soup by Kamala of

Masoor Dal n Tomato Soup by Asha of Foodieshope

Tomato, Carrot n Peas Soup by Nithu of Nithu's Kitchen

Hearty Pasta Vegetable Soup by PJ of Seduce Your Tastebuds

Red Cabbage n Cumin Soup by Nithu of Nithu's Kitchen

Simple Spinach Soup by Priya of Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes

Herbed Potato n Carrot Soup by Priya of Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes


MW Hot n Sour Tofu Soup by Priya of Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes

Brocoli, Cauliflower, Spinach n Lima Bean Soup by Nithu of Nithu's Kitchen

Vegetable Soup by Suma of VeggiePlatter

Sprout n Vegetable Soup by Nirmala of Ezeecook


Pineapple n Potato Soup by Nithu of Nithu's Kitchen

Apple n Red Cabbage Soup by Nithu of Nithu's Kitchen

Thank you all for your participation in the event @ Sara's Corner.

If you are hosting an event and wish to announce and spread awareness you can do it at Sara's Events & Roundups Blog.

Will be back with my Recipes:-)

Cheers,
Saraswathi