Creamy Dal Makhni | North Indian sidedish for Steamed Rice and Rotis!

Dal Makhni is a north Indian sidedish. It is also called Maa ki Dal. last weekend was craving for something different and tried this. It was very delicious with steamed basmati rice or rotis/chapathis

Ingredients
Split Urad dal with skin - 3 cups
Black eye bean/Karamani (white)- handfull
Onion - 2 nos
Ripe tomato - 2 nos
Garlic - 1no
Ginger - 1 tablspn
Cream - 2 tblspns (Nestle)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn
Garam Masala powder - 1 tspn
Kasoori methi - 2 generous pinch
cinnamon - 2" piece
Oil - 2 tblspns
butter - 1 tblspn
Salt

Preparation method
wash, rinse, soak urad dal and black eyed bean over nite.(see notes)
Pressure cook with 1tspn of salt for 4 whistles.
In a kadai, add little oil, fry 1 chopped onion, garlic and 2 tomatoes till raw smell goes. cool it. grind to fine paste.
Now in the same kadai, add 1/2 tspn butter add cinnamon, rest of the finely chopped onion, ginger and sauté till the onion are slightly brown.
Add the grounded mixture, red chilli powder, garam masala powder mix boil well. Now add the dals. crush kasoori methi and add now. The consistency should be not too thick or thin, it should be pouring consistency.
Add 1/2 tspn butter.
Add the cream and mix well. Just boil once.
Off the stove.
Finally garnish with love.

Serve hot with basmati rice/rotis.

Notes: If you forgot to soak at night, you can soak morning in hot water.
You can use whole urad dal and Rajma for this.
I have used more cream, you can use cream to just garnish.

Eggless Milo Cake Loaf | Eggless Baking| Easy Kids Recipe!

I am into baking after very long time. Since its summer holidays for the elder one, he has been asking me to bake muffins, but then when I saw this Eggless cake in Sangee's blog, just changed a few things and tried. It was delicious. Still I am amateur baker, this was a good one. 

Ingredients
All Purpose Flour/Maida - 1.5 cups
Milk powder - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Baking Soda - 1 tspn
Baking powder - 1/2 tspn
Curds - 3/4 cup
Vanila essence - 1/2 tspn
Milo - 2 tblspns
Olive Oil - 1/2 cup
Salt - generous pinch
Hot water - 1/2 cup(if required)

Preparation Method

Preheat the oven to 350 F, grease the baking tray I used bread tin.
Seive/sift APF, milk powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, milo and sugar. Mix all well in a bowl.
Now beat the yogurt/curds to smooth, add vanilla essence, mix well.
Add the dry ingredients and mix slowly in one direction.
Finally add olive oil give a quick stir.
Pour in the tray, if you wish you can add chocochips or nuts.
If the batter is too thick add little milk or hot water.

Bake for 30 mins or till the tooth pick comes out clean. I just added gems since my son wanted it.

Eggless Milo Cake Loaf is ready to eat. Serve it for Breakfast with Coffee/Tea.

Notes - Milk powder and Milo are sweet. You can reduce a bit of sugar if you want.

Baked Potato Wedges | Kids Snack Recipe!

I have had Potato Wedges at restaurant in Panama, first time I tried at home and liked it a lot. This was suggested by my hubby. Now my family loved it.

I had not put any spice so kids will definitely love it.

It was finished soon, before I could photo shoot it. This photo is just out of the oven.

Ingredients
Potato - 4 nos(big)
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Parsley Flakes -  2 pinches+
Salt - 2 pinches

Preparation Method
Preheat oven to 200 C for 10 mins
Wash, scrub the potatoes and cut into wedges. do not remove skin
In a bowl add olive oil, salt and parsley flakes. coat the potatoes and line in the baking tray.
Bake for 20 to 30 mins. Insert a tooth pick and see if the potatoes are cooked.

Take out and serve immediately with a dip. Mayo or Cheese dip.

Notes - If you love spicy do add pepper powder.
You can also use Oregano.

This recipe along with Potato Cutlet and Potato Bags is going to Crazy for Potatoes by Sowmya and Pari.

Tacos | Mexican Recipe!

After trying out Italian dishes now I am trying Mexican. My hubby is a lover of Italian, Mexican and Middle East food other than Indian Food. He has introduced me to many vegetarian dishes of different countries.

I have had tacos in Panama when I used to live there. After coming to Singapore, have not seen any restaurant, have to look for a Mexican restaurant. Got a sudden craving of Tacos and Nachos for hubby, so he bought readymade shells. Its mouthwatering and
delicious. My family really enjoyed, my son too liked it a lot.

Taco shells are made with corn and its like Papad.

Ingredients
Taco Shells - 10 nos
Kidney beans/Rajma - 2 cups/1 pkt
Onion - 2 nos(finely chopped)
Tomato - 3 nos(finely chopped)
Jalapeños/Green chilli - 1no(As per taste)
Cilantro/Coriander -1/4 cup finely chopped
Cheese/Queso
Salt

Preparation Method
Soak Rajma overnight in water. Pressure cook for about 5whistles.Drain the water.
Cool it and grind to fine paste with salt.
Mix finely chopped onion, tomato, cilantro with salt.
Take the shells first put kidney beans/rajma paste, then fill onion tomato mixture and top it with any cheese.

Enjoy Tacos!

Notes - I have not put cheese.

Karuvepillai and Thakalli Rice | Curry Leaves Tomato Rice | Lunch Box Special!

Karuvepillai and Thakalli Rice | Curry Leaves Tomato Rice!

This is an easy prepare and tastes delicious.

Ingredients

Rice - 2 cups(Basmati or normal) I used Ponni rice
Tomato - 3 nos
Curry leaves Fresh - 3 sprigs
Curry leaves powder - 2 tablespoons
Onion - 1no
Ginger - 1 tspn
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn
Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup
Oil - 3 tablespoons
Cinnamon - 1 big piece
Salt

Preparation method
First Wash, rinse and soak rice in water.
Heat a kadai, add oil, put cinnamon chopped ginger, curry leaves and onion. Fry till onions are slightly brown.
Add chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric, curry leaves powder and red chilli powder.
Let it all cook well and combine.
Add Rice and stir.
Add coconut milk, salt and water.
Pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Once pressure is done, mix and serve.

Serve with Papad /Onion Tomato Raitha.

Notes - You can grind curry leaves with ginger and add.

Karuvepilai Podi | Curry Leaves Powder | How to make!

Its difficult to blog after post natal, taking care of both the babies is quite interesting and busy. since Amma and Appa is here to help me, I am posting quite a few recipes.

This is a post for Non Karuvepilai/curry leaves lovers.
Curry leaves is very healthy and rich in Iron. This also gives good aroma to the dish.

Most of the people/kids throw if found in food. Sometimes it gets spoilt keeping in fridge for long time. You can make large batches and reserve few. Making these still has the natural aroma and is flavourful.

Today,I had posted a question on my Facebook page check it out here. Thanks to my friends found interesting answers.

So here is a simple solution for this.

 

Method

Take Bunches of karuvepillai/curry leaves sprigs.

Wash curry leaves sprigs and pat dry it.

Spread them on a white cotton cloth or news paper.

Keep it in sun or under shade until all water is dried.

If its under good sun, remove stem and grind the leaves to fine powder in mixie.

In abroad if you cant put under sun, wipe them remove leaves dry roast the leaves in a kadai. Cool it and grind to fine powder.

Store in air tight container and use it in your cooking.

PS - You can reserve some fresh leaves.

We can feed Curry leaves to our kids :)

Checkout Recipe for Spicy Curry Leaves Powder here.

Nuvia Healthy Coffee | Product Review!

Today I am reveiwing Nuvia healthy coffee! This has been in my drafts for long time.

I am a coffee lover and drink coffee any time of a day and en number of times.

I am sure all my friends will agree with me. Nowadays since its too hot in Singapore, I have reduced my coffee very much.

So, when I got an opportunity to review a Coffee immediately I was happy and agreed to do it.

Nuvia Healthy Coffee is infused with 3 legendary extracts. Here is some info about  Nuvia Healthy Coffee:

 

Nuvia  is Sumatran Arabica coffee infused with a trifecta of legendary ingredients:  Ganoderma (an immune enhancer), African Mango (a natural appetite suppressant) and Pomegranate (a super antioxidant).  The Sumatran coffee beans are roasted to perfection yielding a superior flavor that is rustic, yet rich and full bodied. This comes in packets which is easy to use.

  

I just loved the flavour and the strongness in the powder. First I thought how will mango pomogrante taste in coffee, but after drinking it was worth a drink.

 

 

 I have served this traditionally!

 

This product is available in USA or you can order online here.

Sorakai | Bottle Gourd Kootu | Post Natal Recipes!

I am back after a short break and a good news!

I am blessed with baby boy Sushanth.

This is one of dish I have been eating all these days and love the flavour. A post natal recipe, which is good for the health. It warms the body and Bottle gourd is good for producing breast milk.

Ingredients

Sorakkai/Bottle Gourd - 1/2 no(med)
Pasi paruppu/Split green gram - 1/2 cup
Pepper powder - 1 tblspn
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Ghee  - 1 tblspn
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Hing - a pinch
Salt

Preparation Method

Wash, rinse and cook dal in pressure cooker for 3 whistles.
Chop the vegetable into small pieces.
Cook the vegetable with salt.
Add cooked dal, pepper powder, curry leaves and boil.
The consistency should not be too thick or thin.
Mix well once its done.

Season it with ghee, mustard and a pinch of hing.

Sorakkai kootu is ready to serve.

Serve with hot steamed rice and ghee.
Also with chapathis.

This can also be prepared with Chow chow and carrot.

Kathirikai Gothsu | Brinjal/Aubergine Sambar| Sidedish for Pongal/Idli!

Gothsu is a south indian gravy, like sambar for Pongal or Idli. For this we use split green gram/siruparuppu. I never knew until I got married to a Chennaiate. Many dishes are different from Karnataka.Tamilnadu dishes are prepared and enjoyed with combinations. I have prepared many times and today posting it.

Ingredients
Kathirikai/Brinjal -  2nos(Medium size chopped)
Tamarind water - 1 cup
Paasiparuppu/Split green gram - 1/2 cup(cooked and mashed)
Sambar Powder - 2 tspns
Ginger - 1tblspn
Curry leaves/Coriander - 1 tblspn
Turmeric - 1/4 tspn
Jaggery - a small piece(optional)
Salt

Seasoning
Oil - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1/4 tspn
Hing - 1/4 tspn

Preparation Method
Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard,wait till it pops out.
Add hing and saute for a minute.
Add ginger and curry leaves and saute for 5 mins.
Add brinjal, salt and cook till soft.
Add tamarind water, turmeric and boil
Add sambar powder and mix.
After one boil add mashed dal with water.
Check on salt.
Add jaggery and let it boil once.

Off the stove add chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Ven Pongal / Idli / Dosas.

I have served with Venpongal for Sunday morning Breakfast which was truly delicious.

Bombay Chutney | Sidedish for Idli or Dosa!

Bombay Chutney is very easy and delicious sidedish for Idli, Dosa and Chapathi.

My Sis-in-law taught me this, I prepared this many times but could not take photo, so when I prepared today took photos and posting it now.

Ingredients
Onion - 1 no(chopped)
Tomato - 1/2 no(chopped) - Optional
Green chilli - 3 nos(As per your taste)
Ginger - 1 tblspn
Kadalai Maav/Besan/Chickpea flour - 3 tblspn
Oil - 1 tblspn
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Coriander leaves (chopped)- 2 tblspns
Salt

Preparation Method
Mix kadalaimav with water and salt to watery consistency.
Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard and wait till it splutters.
Add onion, g chilli and ginger and saute till onion are transparant.
Then add tomato and saute till its soft.
Add the besan mix and stir well.
Reduce flame and cook till it blends well and raw smell goes.
It should not be too watery or too thick just in between.

Off the stove. Garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve hot with Dosa, Idli or chapathis.

Bombay Chutney is ready to serve. Check out soft idli recipe here.

Notes - It will become thick when its cool, add little water and warm it before serving.
Add salt if required.

Fresh Melon Plum Drink | Summer Specials!

This is a very different combo.

My dad brought plums and it was too sour. So today I mixed it with water melon and the drink was refreshing. It was sour and sweet.

While taking photo my son kept his bus since it was also red in the background:-)

Ingredients
Plum - 2nos
Watermelon - 2 big cups/1/4 fruit
Sugar/honey - 2 tblspn(as reqd)
Water if reqd.

Preparation Method
Cut fruits into cubes and blend all ingredients in a mixer.
Strain the juice in a glass.

Fresh Melon plum drink ready.

Notes - Mint/Pudina leaves can also be added.
A small piece of ginger also can be added.

Karuppu Ullandu Kozhakattai | Savory Dumpling | Modakam for Vinayagar Chathurthi!

Black Urad Dal Kozhakattai was prepared for the Creative Dumpling festival in Singapore and was tasted by the MP. This is the first cooking experience at the event. This is a savory dish. I had also prepared a sweet kozhakattai. Will post the recipe soon.

It was a big hit and tasted delicious. I have already posted this dish step by step here.

For the dough

Ingredients
Idiyappam flour - 2 cups and little more

Water -  as required

Nalla Yennai/Gingelli oil/Sesame Oil - 2-3 tspns

Salt a pinch

For Filling
Black Whole Urad Dal - 2 cups
Green Chilli - 4 nos(As per your taste)
Ginger - 2"
Curry leaves few
Salt as required

Preparation Method

In a vessel boil water and keep aside.
In a wide vessel add rice flour, add oil and salt and mix to form a chapathi dough consistency. Allow it to cool. Grease hands with oil and make small balls out of it. Close a clean wet towel on it to avoid drying.

In the meanwhile prepare the stuffing/filling.
Soak Urad dal in water for 1 to 2 hours. Grind with the rest of the ingredients to a coarse paste.

In a kadai/wok, add oil, hing, curry leaves and this grounded mixture. Saute till the raw smell goes.
Check on salt and add if required.
Mix well and keep aside.

Now take the rice flour mix and stuff the moulds.
Add the filling and close the mould.
Slowly open the mould and keep.

I have used the mould and was comfortable doing with this. You can do without mould too check out here.

Steam it for 15mins or till the rice flour is cooked.

Karuppu Ullandu Kozhakattai/Savory Dumpling is ready to serve.

Few Photos of the event and video below.

Few of my readers had asked how to use the mould pls see video below.

Click here for video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4m_9bhAP1Q

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.

Green Dosa | Crepes | Savory Pancake! Healthy Breakfast!

I prepared this dosa for dinner yesterday, wanted to do Andhra Pesarattu but tried different combination. I have already posted Green Gram Adai here.

Ingredients
Green Gram - 2 cups
Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
Green Chilli - 4 nos(As per your taste)
Channa Dal - 1 tspn
Rice - 1 tspn
Urad dal - 1 tspn
Ginger - 1 inch
Onion - 1 no sliced
Capsicum optional
Salt

Preparation Method
Soak green gram, dals and rice for about 2 to 3 hrs in hot water/normal water.
Drain the water and grind with curry leaves, ginger, g chilli and salt to fine batter.
Take to a bowl/vessel add chopped onions and capsicum. Mix well and leave it out for 1 hour. Check for salt.
Heat a skillet/tawa and pour one laddle of batter and spread like dosa.
Put 1 tspn oil and cook both sides till brown.

Serve hot with any chutney or gravy.

I served it with Aviyal which was prepared in the morning.

Notes - You can also grind only green gram.
Adding of capsicum is optional, its tasty with just onions too.
You can also add coriander and mint leaves. I ran out of it, but loved the curry leaves flavour.

You may also like these recipes
Traditional Adai
Green Gram Adai
Andhra Pesarattu

Beet Paneer Pulav | No Onion No Ginger Garlic| Pressure Cooker Recipe! Easy Lunchbox Recipe!

Beet Paneer Pulav the name seems to be new to me as well, as I tried this to eat beetroot in different form from our usual poriyal. So this is my creation of mixing of beets and paneer as my hubby likes beetroot and son loves paneer in all dishes I prepare. So mixed both and they enjoyed! I loved the colour and taste of the Pulav:-)

This was truly delicious and colourful. Perfect for lunch box. Kids will also love at lunchbox.

Serves : 3-4 persons

Ingredients
Beetroot - 1 no med size
Basmati Rice - 1.5 cups
Paneer cubes - 2 cups
Milk - 1/4 cup
Green chilli - 4 nos
Fresh Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 1no
Jeera - 1/2 tspn
Chopped coriander - 2 tblspns for garnish.
Spices - 1 big roll of cinamon and 2 nos cardamom
Oil - 2 tablespoon
Cashews - few
Ghee - 1 tspn for garnish
Garam Masala - Optional

Preparation method
Thaw paneer. Wash, rinse and soak basmati rice in water.
Heat a pressure cooker, add oil, jeera and spices, cashews saute for few minutes.
Add chopped tomato, green chilli and saute.
Add grated beetroot, salt and saute till raw smell goes.
Add basmati rice, grated coconut and paneer and saute.
Add water and milk. Check on salt if requried. Mix well.
Close the lid and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
When the steam is up add chopped coriander and ghee.
Mix well.
Serve with plain curd/yoghurt or with onion raitha or with papad or boondi.

Delicious and healthy Beetroot Paneer Pulav is ready.

Notes - You can add any veggie if you wish.
You can also increase the quantity of beetroot.

If you have any queries do mail me or leave comment.

Bread Pizza Bites | Bread Pizza | Easy and Quick Kids Snack Recipe!

Last week had gone to friends place for tea time, she had prepared this and we liked it a lot. So yesterday my son wanted this for this evening snack after school. Since I don't have microwave it was easy to prepare on tawa.

So I prepared and we enjoyed it. This is very easy and quick snack to prepare. I have already posted Paneer Pizza and Tawa Pizza previously here.

Hope you like it. Surely kids will love and it will be hit in the parties for starters too.

Ingredients
Soft White Bread - 4 nos(As required)
Butter - 4 tspns
Salt - a pinch

Veggie for Toppings
Capsicum - 1 no finely chopped
Tomato - 1 no finely chopped
Onion - 1 no finely chopped
Tomato Ketchup/sauce - 4 tblspn
Cheddar cheese grated/Cheese slice - as required
Red Chilli flakes - 2 pinches(As per your taste) for small kids optional
Chilli Sauce - 1 tblspn - Optional

Preparation Method
Heat a tawa/skillet.
Take bread slice apply butter on both sides and toast only one side till brown.
Now apply ketchup on the toasted side. top it with all the vegetables, salt, red chilli flakes and cheese.
Put on tawa and close with lid on low flame till the cheese melts.
Then remove and cut into tiny pieces or serve as it is.

Bread Pizza | Pizza Bites is ready to serve. Its very crunchy and delicious.

Serve with Ketchup/Sauce or as it is.

After long time clicked more pictures. Enjoy:-)

Kollu Rasam/Horsegram Soup | Healthy Soup!

Kollu Rasam /Horsegram Soup is a very healthy dish or to mix with steamed rice. Checkout my previous post for Kollu Sundal here.

Ingredients
Kolluthanni/Water - 3 to 4 cups(As you get while steaming the kollu/horsegram for sundal)
Garlic - 2 nos(Optional)
Whole Black Pepper - 1 tblspn(As per your taste)
Jeera - 2 tspns
Tamarind water - 1 cup
Tomato - 1/2 no

Seasoning/Talipu
Oil - 1 tspn
Ghee - 1/4 tspn
Mustard - 1/4 tspn
Asafotida - a pinch
Dry Red chilli - 1no
Curry leaves few
Salt as required

Preparation Method
In a vessel add tamarind water and chopped tomato, salt and cook till tomatoes are soft.
Now add the water you to got from steaming kollu. If you wish you can also strain it once.
In a blender, garlic, jeera and pepper Grind it to fine powder.
Add this powder to the water and mix well. Add more water if required.

Once the raw smell is gone. off the stove.

Heat a pan with oil/ghee and season it mustard, asafotida, dry red chilli and curry leaves.


Kollu/Horsegram Rasam Soup is ready to serve. Enjoy it with steamed rice and Kollu Sundal.

Notes - You can also add some steamed Kollu/Horsegram to it.
Also can skip adding garlic if you do not wish.

Idli Upma with Leftover Idlis | Breakfast Specials!

Idli Upma is very delicious and quick breakfast recipe. You can make it with fresh idlis or leftover idlis or even sometimes when the batter is not fermented fully you end up hard idlis. If you make this Upma no one will know your idlis were hard:-)

Do checkout my other Idli varieties here.

Ingredients
Idlis - 10 nos (I have used previous night leftovers)
Onion - 1 no(big)
Tomato - 1/2 no
Curry leaves - few
Sambar powder - 1/2 tspn(As per your taste)
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tspn (As per your taste)
Turmeric - 1/2 tspn
Ginger garlic (optional) I have not used.
Coriander leaves - 2 tablspns for garnish

Seasoning
Nalla Yennai/Gingely Oil - 2 to 3 tblspns
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Urad dal - 1/2 tspn

Preparation Method
Chop onions and tomatoes finely.
Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard and wait till it pops out. Then add urad dal and saute till brown.
Add onion, curry leaves and a pinch of salt. saute till raw smell goes.
Add tomato and saute till its soft. Add all masala powders above.
Take each idli and mash it with hands and add it.
Sprinkle salt and close for 10 mins until the masala is coated. Mix well.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Mix and cook for 5 mins.

Off the stove.

Serve as it is or with pickle or chutney.

 

This recipe is going to Sowmya's Breakfast event cookcookandcook and thoushaltcook