CFK- Creative Food for Picky/Fussy Eaters Healthy Breakfast and Dinner Event Announcement!!!

Cooking for Kids is monthly event started by Sharmi of Neivedyam. I would like to thank Sharmi for giving me an opportunity for hosting her CFK event this month.

I have chosen Creative Food for Picky/Fussy Eaters Healthy Breakfast and Dinner. Most of them complain their children don't like this breakfast or don't like to eat dinner. Each child has their own taste like watching tv and some are playful. Some know by looking at the food itself what dish it will be whether they like or not. Most of them leave the plate without completing the food which is full of nutrients required for the growth. Picky eaters have poor appetites. They need proper attention and to make them eat healthy food.

So, you might also be having a story on this.

Those of you interested in hosting this event please email to cookingforkids@gmail.com.

Rules

1. Prepare any healthy breakfast or dinner and post between now and Jan 31st. (Only vegetarian no eggs please)

2. Please linkback to this event announcement and Sharmi's site

3. Email me at simplysara07@gmail.com with Subject CFK -PFE and following details. Please specify whether its breakfast or dinner. Any story behind it about your child and with the following details.

- Your Name
- Blog name
- Recipe Name
- Recipe URL
- Picture with size 300 x 300 pixels

4. Archived entries should be reposted with event linked back.

5. Non-bloggers too can participate in this event, send in your recipe by email with or without a photograph.

6. Multiple entries are accepted.

7. Round up will be posted in February.

Do send in your entries for Cakes and Cookies event. Roundup of Oats Feast will be posted soon.

Feel free to leave your comments. Hope you enjoy the participation @ Sara's Corner.

Looking forward for your participation and support.

Cheers,
Saraswathi Iyer

Happy New Year 2010!!!

Dear Friends,

Wish you and your family a very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2010.

WANT TO STAY YOUNG? READ THIS

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them'

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down..

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.' And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it.. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next country; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take
our breath away.

Its also Thiruvadirai Festival for Tamilians Read more about and recipe....

Cheers,

Saraswathi Iyer

Oats Semiya Payasam/Kheer

Oats Semiya/Vermicilli Payasam is a sweet dish prepared with milk, semiya, sugar, oats and kesari/saffron. This is my new innovative recipe.

Saffron is very expensive ingredient which is taken by pregnant women in milk and also used to prepare sweets.

This recipe is going off to Oats Feast here in Sara's Corner and JFI Saffron hosted at Chef in you.

Ingredients
Semiya/Vermicilli - 1 cup
Oats - 2 to 3 tspns
Milk - 1/2 litre
Kesari/Saffron - a pinch (Soaked in 1/2 cup warm milk)
Sugar - 1 cup (As per your taste)
Condensed milk - 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - a pinch
Ghee - 2 tspns
Mix of cashews n raisins - 2 tspns

Preparation Method
In a kadai, add 1 tspn ghee and dry roast the semiya till brown.
Soak oats in water.
In a thick bottom vessel, boil milk in low flame as it will overflow. When its started boiling add roasted semiya/vermicilli, sugar, condensed milk and mix well.
Once semiya is well cooked add oats and kesari/saffron.
Boil well till the milk thickens and reduces.
Garnish with cashews n raisins roasted in ghee.

Serving suggestion - Hot or cold.

Punjabi Chole Product Review

Hope you had a great Chirstmas and holidays.

This is the first time I am doing a Product Review. I would like to thank Gits for giving me an opportunity for review and comment on some of there food products which are Heat n Eat /Instant Mixes. In this regard, I will reviewing/commenting some of their products in the next few postings in Sara's Corner.

I always wanted to try Ready to eat. Just got a chance on a tiring day out. We were just looking for sidedish which is simple, fast to cook yet tasty. I have tried Gits Punjabi Chole Heat and Eat which is very handy. This pack serves two.

I had prepared dough to make Methi chapathis previous night. I garnished with Onion Rings and chopped coriander leaves.

Recipe for Methi Chapathi will be posted soon.

Twisted Crackers with Awards!!!

Twisted Crackers simple and tasty coffee/tea time snack.

Ingredients
Maida/All Purpose flour - 2 cups
Hot oil or Vanaspati - 1 tspn
Baking Soda - a pinch - optional
Jeera - 1 tspn
Red Chilli powder - 1 tspn (as per your taste)
Hing/Asafotida - a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method

Mix all the ingredients to a dough (like chapathi dough).
Make medium sized balls and spread it.
Cut them to a medium diamond shape pieces using knife.
Then slowly remove each one and twist the corners to get this shape.
Deep fry them till brown.

Twisted Crackers/Snack is ready to serve.

This recipe is going off to Tea Time snack by EC.

Now time for Awards.

Priya of priya's recipe has passed me this award for her 150th post. Thank you so much.

Aruna of Veggie Paradise has passed me this award. Thank you so much.

I would like to share Friendly Cheer Readers award to all my blogger friends, visitors and readers of my blog. Please accept it and post in your blog.

Chiku/Sapota Milkshake

Chiku/Sapota is very healthy fruit. It is rich in iron helps improve HB. I made the milkshake for the weekend. Its very good for kids.

Ingredients

Chiku/Sapota - 2 nos
Milk - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 tspn (According to sweetness of the fruit)
Water - 1/2 cup (Optional)
Ice cubes - few (Optional)

Preparation Method

Wash, remove skin, seeds and chop the chiku into small pieces. Reserve few for garnishing.

In a mixer/juicer add all the ingredients and grind.

Chiku/Sapota Milkshake is ready to drink. Garnish with chopped chiku. You can serve them normal or chilled.

Enjoy!!!



This is off to Sanghi's FIL - Fruits. Other entries for the event are Apple Juice and Pineapple Kesari.

Idi Chakkai Thoran/Raw Jackfruit Curry

Idi Chakkai Thoran is very popular and speciality of Kerala, India. Its prepared with Raw Jackfruit and coconut oil. Its called Idi Chakkai since Idi is called mashing in Tamil and Malayalam and Chakkai is Raw Jackfruit thus came the name. This is usually prepared for marraige in Kerala. When we saw this in Little India just got it.

Here follows the recipe.

Ingredients

Chakkai/Raw Jackfruit - 1no

Coconut oil - 1/4 cup

Fresh Grated Coconut - 2 cups

Green Chilli - 4 nos (As per your taste)

Turmeric/Manja Podi - 1/4 tspn

Mustard /Kadag - 1/4 tspn

Salt

Preparation Method

Remove skin of the raw jack fruit and cut into big chunks/pieces.

You can cook in Kadai or Pressure cook it to 1 whistle with little water, turmeric and 1 tspn coconut oil.

Grind grated coconut and green chilli in mixie to 1 to 2 whips.

In a thick bottom kadai/wok put oil, mustard wait till it splutters.

Now add the cooked raw jackfruit and mash it with potato masher into fine pieces.

Add salt and coconut oil.

Finally add grinded mixture of coconut and green chilli. Cook for sometime.

Couple of extra spoons of coconut oil gives the thoran more flavour and aroma.

Idi Chakkai Thoran is ready to serve and is a perfect sidedish for any sambar rice.

Pineapple Kesari (Kesari Bath)

Kesari Bath is a famous sweet in South India. In Bangalore its one of fast moving breakfast with a combination of Upma or Karabath. I have had this in most of marraiges for breakfast in India.

Its a sweet dish cooked with semolina(suji) and sugar. This recipe is in combination with pineapple. The taste is yummy.

Ingredients

Rava(Semolina/Suji) - 2 cups
Sugar - 2 1/2 cups (As per your taste you can reduce or add)
Water - 5 cups
Pineapple - 2 cups(Chopped finely)
Ghee(Nai) - 1 cup(you can add or reduce)
Pineapple essence - 1 tspn(Optional) I have not used
Cashews/Raisins - 2 tspns fried in ghee.
Saffron colour - a pinch

Preparation Method

Roast the rava with 1/2 tspn ghee till its little brown.
In a thick bottom kadai/pan/wok keep hot water little less than that of making upma. Add pineapple, colour and 1 tspn ghee. Wait till pineapple is half cook.
Once its done reduce flame, slowly add rava and mix well without allowing to form lumps.
Once this is cooked add sugar and mix well.
Add leftover ghee and mix well. Wait till no water is left.
Garnish with cashews and raisins.

This can be served as it is or with Upma.

Tip - When water is boiling add 1 tspn ghee so kesari won't stick on the bottom of the kadai.

Life - The leftover can be had within 2 days even without storing in refridgerator.

Capsicum Corn Rice

Capsicum Corn Rice sounds different but is a great combination. I tried first time with the instructions of my Father in law who is good cook. Thanks a lot.

This is very delicious and simple rice. Its a non spicy rice. I usually prepare non-spicy food for my in laws. So this was a treat to them. We do not use garlic at home you guys must have seen it in optional. This is the first dish using garlic in my kitchen.

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Corn - 2 cups (Fresh or tinned)
Capsicum - 2 nos (Sliced thin)
Onion - 2 nos (Sliced thin)
Tomato - 1 no (Sliced thin)
Green chilli - 2 nos(Optional)
Mint leaves(Pudina) - few leaves
Garlic - 2 nos(chopped finely)
Ginger - 1" piece chopped finely
Spices - 2 nos each(Elachi/Cloves/Cinamon/Star Anis)
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Oil - 2 tspns
Ghee - 1 tspn
Salt

Snap shot of ingredients

Preparation Method
Soak basmati rice in water for half n hour.
In a pressure cooker, put 1 tspn oil deep fry little onion in brown colour. Keep aside.
In the same cooker, now add ghee, oil, spices and saute.
Add onion, ginger, garlic, a pinch of salt and saute till onion is transperant.
Add tomato and cook till soft.
Add Capsicum and corn saute for few minutes.
Add rice, coconut milk, water, mint leaves, salt and stir well.
Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.
Garnish with the deep fried onion.

Capsicum Corn Rice is ready to serve. Can be had as it is or with Raitha.

This Recipe is going for EFM Variety Rice by Srilekha. My other recipe going is Curd Rice with Pomagranate.

Homemade Sweet Potato Chips

Since I am unwell have extended my Oats Feast. But could not stop blogging.

Potato chips are everyone's favourite. Sweet Potato Chips are very tasty and crunchy. It is very simple and easy to prepare. The texture of the sweet potato is different from normal potatoes.

This is one of the recipes of my Mother in law who is a good cook and my hubby's fav. Thanks to her.

Here you with the recipe.

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes - 4 nos

Oil for deep frying

Salt n Red chilli powder

Preparation Method

Wash, remove skin and slice the sweet potatoes into round thin pieces.

Heat a kadai with oil. Once its hot. reduce flame to medium-low and drop the potatoes slowly.

Keep stirring and remove it when brown on a tissue paper. Repeat the process with leftover potatoes. (I removed some dark and light version and mixed)

Once all are done sprinkle salt and chilli powder and mix well. Store it in a air tight container.

Homemade Sweet Potato Chips is ready to eat.

This can be had as it is or for rasam rice.

Oats Feast Extended!!!

Dear Friends,

I am extending the Oats Feast Event till 31st Dec.

Do send in your entries for the event.

Thanks & Regards,
Saraswathi Iyer

Cakes n Cookies Event Announcement!!!

Hi Friends,

Thank you for your support and participation in my events.

I am so excited that my blog has completed 3 years and but am celebrating it as my First Blog Anniversary. On the eve of Christmas and New Year am hosting an Event "Cakes n Cookies".

Selected recipes will feature in my Facebook Sara's Corner Page before 30th Dec, so you can try any of the recipes.

LOGO

RULES

1. Use the link in your post and use the Logo.
2. Post a recipe Dec 5th to Jan 30th. Bake a cake or cookies and send it. Eggless is preferred vegetarian friends can try but Eggs are allowed only to cakes. I have heard you can bake a cake without an oven thats pressure cooker method. If anyone tries you can send that too.
3. Email me at simplysara07@gmail.com with Subject Cakes n Cookies and following details.

- Your Name
- Blog name
- Recipe Name
- Recipe URL
- Picture with size 300 x 300 pixels

4. Archived entries should be reposted with event linked back.

5. Non-bloggers too can participate in this event, send in your recipe by email with or without a photograph.

6. Multiple entries are accepted.

7. Round up will be posted in February.

Feel free to leave your comments. Hope you enjoy the participation @ Sara's Corner.

Looking forward for your support and participation.

Cheers,
Saraswathi Iyer

My First Blog Anniversary!!!

It gives me great pleasure to celebrate my blogs third anniversary but celebrating it as my 1st Blog anniversary since I missed first two. From last 1.5years I have been active in blogosphere.

I started this blog just like that when I left abroad to record my recipes, just when I started learning cooking. The journey from Simply Sara(my blogs old name) to Sara's Corner has been a good learning and amazing experience. Now its become my daily routine were in have tried and learnt many recipes and I have made good friends. Am still learning.

<

I would like to thank my family especially my parents and my dear hubby S....for their continous support, patience and encouragement. Not to forget my lovely friends out here for their comments which make me post more recipes. I have been hosting few events which went on well.

My ongoing event is Oats Feast. Do send in your entries soon.

Thank you friends.

Cheers,

Saraswathi Iyer

Entries reposted for Events

Entries reposted for 2 events RCI Mumbai and Cooking for Kids.

Pav Bhaji
Churmuri/Bhel Puri
Masalapuri
Tikki Puri

RCI Mumbai by Lakshmi and Veggie Cuisine.

Vegetable Upma
Apple Juice

Veg. Sandwich

Lakshmi Venkatesh's Cooking for Kids Veggie and Fruits started by Sharmi.

Karthigai/Thiruvannamalai Deepam Appam Pori Recipe!

Karthigai Deepam falls on 1st of December 2009 and is observed by Hindus all over the world and mainly in Tamilnadu, India . Lamps are lit daily for 30 days beginning a grand day on the 1st day. Crackers are burst mostly reserved after Deepavali. People visit Lord Murugan (Son of Lord Shiva) temples and offer pooja. They also visit Vishnu temples and observe Vishnu Deepam is tomorrow celebrated by Iyengars. Day 3 thats day after tomorrow is Kuppa Karthigai were lamp is lit everywhere mainly at entrance of the house.

Thousands of people visit Thiruvannamalai temple to see the Deepam(Lamp) lit in temple which is in Tamilnadu and offer prayers for the well being of families.

House is decorated with decorative lamps and prasadams are offered to god. Pooja is performed in the evening with Pori, Appam and Adai as Neivedyam.

Traditional Festive Food without onion and garlic is prepared includes special Vella Aval Pori Urundai(Sweet Beaten Puffed Rice Balls), Nel Pori Urundai(Puffed Rice Balls made from Paddy), Appam and Adai.

I am giving recipes for Vella Aval Pori Urundai(Sweet Beaten Puffed Rice Balls) and Nel Pori Urundai(Puffed Rice Balls made from Paddy)

I would like to thank my Father and Mother in law for their help in making these.

Vella Aval Pori Urundai and Nel Pori Urundai

Ingredients
Pori - 400 gms
Vellam(Jaggery) - 3 cups(1.5 paavu)
Fresh Coconut - 1 cup(cut into tiny pieces)
Fried Groundnut(Varutha Verkadalai) - 1/2 cup(Optional)
Sukku Podi(Dry ginger powder) - 1/2 tspn
Elakkai Podi(Cardamom powder) - a pinch

Preparation Method

Clean and Seive Pori.

In a kadai, add vellam and sprinkle little water and start dissolving. Once its dissolved filter it since mud particles will be there in vellam.

Then again pour the liquid in the kadai and start boiling it until its 1 string consistency. Keep stirring in low medium flame.(You can also check this by taking little water in a cup and pour a spoon of Jaggery paste (Vella Paggu). If you can make a small ball out of it then its correct consistency (padam)

Now add Dry Ginger Powder, Coconut Pieces, Elaichi (Cardemum) Powder and Groundnut and mix well. Reduce the flame.

Disolving of Jaggery Checking of Padam

In a wide vessel take the pori and slowly add this hot vella paggu. Caution since Paagu is very hot, dont mix with hand. Take a laddle and mix fully once its slightly cool. Start making balls and keep aside.

Repeat the same process for leftover pori too.

This is the same procedure for Nel Pori Urundai also.

Checkout my recipe for 
Adai.
Appam /Nei Appam
Banana Appam
Salt Appam (without onion)

Note - If you cannot make balls take little rice flour(Arasi Maav) apply to your hands and make balls. Sometimes after doing this too you cannot make balls its because of mistake in the Vella Paggu so have as it is....

Happy Karthigai!!!

Tikki Puri | Bengaluru Style Street Food

Tikki Puri is one of the famous evening chaats. I used to eat a lot on Street side(Road side shops) in Bangalore. This is very tasty and tangy.

Ingredients
Puris - 7 nos(per plate) or as you wish(Homemade or Store bought
Puffed Rice(Pori) - 1 cup
Grated carrot - 2 tspns
Finely chopped onion - 2 tspns
Finely chopped tomato - 1 tspn
Green chutney - 1 tspn (for recipe click here )
Sweet chutney - 1 tspn (for recipe click here )
Chaat masala - 1/2 tspn
Salt a pinch.
Plain Sev or Mixture - for garnishing(I ran out of it.....:-))
(You can change the quantity of the ingredients as per your taste)


Preparation Method

Place all the Puris on a plate. Gently press in the centre and make hole.
Now add all the ingredients one by one in it.
Finally garnish with Puffed Rice and Mixture.

Enjoy Streetside Tikki Puri. Eat one whole Puri....at a time....

Apple Juice and an Award:-)

Juices are always refreshing. Heres recipe for Apple Juice which is healthy and tasty.
Health Info - Next to water, fresh fruit juices mix with blood within 6 hours. You might have heard this "An Apple a day keeps the doctor away". If you eat an apple in the morning it keeps us active throughout the day.

Recipe for the Juice

Take 1 big red apple remove skin and seeds. cut into small cubes. (If you dont remove skin filter it after blending)

In a mixer add apple, 1 glass water and 1 tspn sugar. Blend well. (Add water if its thick and blend again)
Apple Juice is ready to serve.

Now its Award Time:-)

I thank my dear friend Rekha for passing this award to me. I would love to pass this to all my bloggers friends who have not received this award.

Vegetable Upma!

Upma is a very tasty breakfast/tiffen in South India. Its my all time favourite... I know many don't like this but actually its very yummy. We can do many variations in upma I am giving recipe for Vegetable Upma. Upma is a frequent dish in my house which is quick and easy to prepare.

This recipe is a long time pending in my drafts. Rava and Vegetables are good for health for growing kids.

Ingredients

Rava(Semolina/Sooji) - 2 cups
Water - 5 to 6 cups

Carrot - 1 no(Chopped into fine pieces)

Beans - few (Chopped into fine pieces)

Green peas - 1 cup

Potato - 2 nos(chopped into fine pieces)

Oil - 4 tspns

Ghee - 1 tspn

Green chilli - 2 nos(As per taste)

Mustard - 1/2 tspn

Urad/Channa dal mixed - 1 tspn

Asafotida(hing) - 2 pinches

Curry leaves - few

Turmeric - 1/2 tspn

Salt to taste

Preparation Method

Heat a kadai, roast the rava slightly till it becomes brown and gets nice aroma. Transfer it to a plate.

In a vessel boil water and keep aside.

In a same kadai, add 3 tspns oil and mustard wait till it splutters. Now add dal and asafotida. Saute till its brown.

Add all vegetables, salt, turmeric and cook well with little water.

Add boiled water, 1 tspn oil allow it to boil. Once its boiled reduce the heat. Add salt and curry leaves.

Slowly add the rava and mix well immediately without allowing it to form lumps. Add water if required. Close with a lid till rava cooks.

Slowly stir until no water is left.

Add ghee on top mix and close the lid. Off the stove.

Upma is ready to serve. Its good to eat as it is or with Sugar or coconut chutney or pickle.

My Other entries for this event are

Gobi Manchurian Dry

Rose Milk
This recipe is going for Kids Special(4-14) by Radhika and Sudesna.

Say Cheese - Event Roundup

I thank each and everyone for participating in the Say Cheese Event and making the event successful. Have received around 62 entries, heres the yummy Roundup of dishes. Hope you try these.

Mozarella Cheese

Pizza by Arti
Cheese Cutlet by Arti
Creamy Pasta by Arti
Cheesy Noodle Cutlet by Sushma
Potato Pizza by Sreevalli
Cheesy Spinach and Oats Swirl Bun by Priya Suresh
Garlic Bread with Cheese by Valarmathi
Classic Cheese Pizza by Malini
Creamy Cheese Pasta by Malini

Ricotto Cheese

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagne by Sushma
Cheesy Eggless Brownies by Sushma
Kalakand by Padma
Rasmalai by Padma

Paneer/Cottage Cheese

Threaded Paneer Stripss by Sushma
Masala Cheese Sticks by Sailaja
Paneer Parantha by Shanti
Palak Paneer by Rohini
Paneer Bites by Rohini
Paneer Butter Masala by Rohini
Paneer Pulav by Rohini
Pepper Paneer by Saraswathy
Methi Chaman by Priti
Palak Paneer by Sireesha
Leafy Paneer Fritters by Sushma
Paneer and Corn Rice by Sushma
Chilli Paneer by Shama
Paneer Cashew Masala by Shama
Chilli Paneer by Usha
Paneer Mutter by Padma
Paneer Bhurji by Padma
Paneer Butter Masala by Padma
Microwave Malai Kofta by Cool Lassie
Garbanzo and Paneer Curry by Pari
Paneer Kaju Pasanda by Pari
Cheesy Bread Rolls by Pari
Paneer Peas Pulav by Malini
Paneer Parantha by Malini
Navratan Korma by Malini
Hariyali Paneer Tikka by Malini
Mutter Paneer by Saraswathi Iyer
Palak Paneer by Saraswathi Iyer

Cheddar Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese by Sireesha
Cheese Soup by Gethan
Cheesy Tacos by Kanchan
Brocolli and Cheese Pasta by Rohini
Pasta with Coriander Pesto by Sreevalli
Cheddar Cheese Balls by Anam Syed
Cheese Toast by Sahana
Crunchy Cheesy Baked Potato Balls by Cool Lassie
Two Cheese Veggie Hogie by Cool Lassie

Tofu

Tofu Sambal by Saraswathy
Tofu Chilli Gravy by Sushma
Capsicum Tofu Masala by Shama
Tofu Bhurji by Padmaja

Emmental Cheese

Cheesy Oats Paratha by Priya Suresh

Brie Cheese

Brie in a Crust by Cool Lassie


Swiss Cheese

Walnut n Cheese Coated Fruit Balls by Cool Lassie
Cheese n Chestnut Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers by Cool Lassie

Monterey Jack Cheese

Cheesy Veggie Bean Nachos by Cool Lassie

Any Cheese

Cheesy Rajma Sandwich by Priya Suresh
Cheesy Veggie Sandwich by Shama
Veggie Bean Quesadilla by Sadhana

Please do let me know in case any entries are missed. Thank you.

Hope to receive your support and entries for my next event Oats Feast.