Cooking with Love - Grandmom Event Announcement!

Dear Friends,

From long time I was thinking of a series event and now I am very excited in hosting Cooking with Love series. As you all know my grandmom passed away on Jan 12th, I miss her a lot and my family members as we stayed in a joint family with 25 members for over 25yrs. This means a lot to me, words cannot speak at this time. So I am dedicating this event to my family members. I have chosen "Grandmom" as the person this month. You can post any vegetarian recipe, it can be a traditional prepared and learnt from your grandmom or her favourite dishes.

This will be a family series event. If anyone is interested to host the event do drop an email at simplysara07@gmail.com.

Inviting you all to participate in this event and send in your yummy entries.

Logo will be updated soon.

RULES

1. Post any vegetarian recipe from starter to desserts between Jan 20th to Feb 29 2012 with this event announcement.
2. Please link your entries below, and if you have any problem do drop in an email at simplysara07@gmail.com with your entry.
3. Non-bloggers too can participate in this event, send in your recipe by email to me with a photograph.
4. Archived entries are accepted only if you repost with this event announcement. Multiple entries are accepted.

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

Looking forward for your support and participation.

Cheers,

Saraswathi Iyer

Murungaillai | Drumstick leaves Pakoda(Medhu/Soft version)

Again this recipe was for my son to feed him Murungaillai/Drumstick leaves which is very rich in iron. This was very tasty and delicious.

Ingredients

Gram flour(Besan) - 2 cups

Onion - 2 cups(chopped)
Tender Murugaillai/Drumstick leaves - 1  cup
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn or Green chilli - 2nos

Curry leaves - few
Ginger - 1 tspn(chopped)
Jeera/Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tspn

Cooking Oil for deep frying

Salt as required

Preparation Method
In a bowl put gram flour, red chilli powder, salt and mix well.
Add chopped onion, drumstick leaves and curry leaves and mix.

Sprinkle little water and make a slight thin batter.

Heat oil in pan for deep frying.

Take small portions in a spoon and drop in hot oil carefully in med-low heat.

Slowly and deep fry on all sides.

Remove it on absorbant paper when its turning light golden brown.

Serve hot Murungaillai Pakoda as it is or with coconut chutney or tomato ketchup.

Avarekalu Masala Uppitu | Mochakka | Field Bean Upma!!

Wish all my readers a very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2012.

I am back after a vacation and this is my first post of the year. This year beginning was a sad day, as my closest uncle passed away and its a great loss to my family. I sincerely pray may his soul rest in peace.

This recipe is from my Aunt who is a teacher by profession and I was impressed with this flavourful Upma. This season is of Avarekalu and I had many dishes with these.

Ingredients
Rava/Sooji - 2 cups
Water -  5 cups
Tender Avarekalu/Mochai - 2 cups
Pudina - 1cup
Coriander - 1 cup
Green chilli - 2 nos(As per your taste)
Ginger - 2" piece
Onion -  1 no
Salt
Garlic -(Optional)
Grated Coconut - (Optional while grinding)
Spices - Cinamon 1 small piece
Oil - 1 small cup
Mustard - 1 tspn
Ghee - 1 tspn

Preparation Method

Dry Roast the Rava till its slightly brown and smells good. Keep aside.
In a kadai, put pudina, coriander, green chilli, ginger, cinamon and fry till raw smell goes. Allow it to cool and grind to fine paste.
In a wide kadai,  add oil and mustard wait till it splutters. Add chopped onion and fry till transparant.
Add the grounded paste and fry for 5mins.
Add water, salt mix and allow it to boil. Add Avarakalu/Mochai and allow it to cook.
Once the water is boiling reduce the flame and start adding rava and mix well without forming lumps.
Close a lid and allow it to cook. Off the stove.
Add 1 tspn of ghee and mix.

Serve hot as it is or with Chutney.

Notes - You can also remove the skin of Avarekalu/Mochai, by soaking in water for sometime.

Recipe Request!

Dear Friends/Readers,

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Incase you did not find any recipe in my blog while browsing, feel free to write to me which recipe you are looking for. I will post the recipe soon. only vegetarian recipes. Also you can mail me at simplysara07@gmail.com

Thanks & Regards
Saraswathi Iyer

Simple Moong Dal | Pasiparuppu Soup!

Moong Dal/Pasiparuppu Soup is a very comforting and light on stomach. This was prepared for my father in law who was having stomach ulcer and was on non-spicy food. He liked it and so am sharing.

Ingredients
Moong Dal/Pasiparuppu - 1/2 cup

Seasoning
Ghee - 1/4 tspn
Mustard - a pinch
Hing/Asafotida - a pinch
Coriander/Cilantro - 1 tspn
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt
Green Chilli - Optional

Preparation Method
Wash, rinse and cook dal in pressure cooker with water for 4 whistles.
Once the pressure is gone, remove excess water and mash the dal with whisk fully. If it is not getting mashed, allow it to cool and grind in mixie.
In a kadai, season with ghee, mustard, hing.
Add the mashed or grounded dal mix and stir well. At this time you can add the excess dal water. It should not be too thick or too watery.
Add salt and stir. Allow it to boil.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Simple Moong Dal/Pasiparuppu Soup is ready to serve.

Patani /Dry Peas Sundal | Navarathri Specials!!!

Patani Sundal is a simple and easty to prepare.

Ingredients
Dry Green Peas/Patani  - 2 cups 
Cooking oil -  2 tspns
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Urad dal - 1/2 tspn
Asafotida/hing - a pinch
Green Chilli - 2nos (As per your taste)
Curry leaves - few
Fresh Grated coconut - 1 cup
Salt as per taste

Preparation Method
Soak green peas overnite for 8 hrs. Pressure cook it about 4 whistles in simmer with water and salt. Wait till pressure is up and remove excess water.
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard wait till it splutters then add asafotida, urad dal, and curry leaves. Saute till urad dal is brown.
Add green peas and mix well.
Grind grated coconut and green chilli to a course paste without adding water. Add this to the sundal. Cook for few minutes. Sprinkle a pinch of salt mix well. Cook for 5mins and Off the stove.

Patani /Dry Peas Sundal is ready to offer to God, later enjoy.

Samba Rava /Broken Wheat Kanji!

Samba Rava /Broken Wheat Kanji is a healthy drink. I have been preparing every month and its my son's favourite one too. This can be your breakfast too, if you are bored of any breakfast or looking for an easy breakfast on weekends. This is my daily breakfast. My MIL taught me and we all liked it a lot.

Ingredients
Samba Rava - 2 cups
Pottukadalai/Fried Gram -  1 cup
Soya Bean -  1/2 cup
Elakka podi/Cardamom powder - 1/4 tspn or 4 nos
Nuts - Badam 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup


Preparation Method
In a kadai, dry roast all the ingredients to slight brown separately. Transfer it to a plate.
Allow it to cool.
Grind to fine powder in mixie with little sugar for easy grinding. Mix well.
Store this in a air tight container.Healthy mix is ready.

Now for Kanji
Mix 2 tspns of this powder with little water and boil, then add one glass of milk. Add sugar and Serve.

Samba Rava /Broken Wheat Kanji is ready. Enjoy this healthy drink.

Notes - If you have mill near your place, you can skip sugar.
You can make in large quantity and store for months and stored in fridge too for later use.

Beans Paruppu Usli!

Beans Paruppu Usli is very healthy and nice sidedish combi for sambar rice, vatha kolambu and Mor kolambu. It is popular in Tamilnadu.

Ingredients
Beans/French beans - 1/2 kg
Kadalai Paruppu/Channa Dal - 1 cup
Tavaram Paruppu/Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Dry Red Chilli - 2nos(Adjust as per your spice taste)
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 1/2 cup
Mustard -  1/2 tspn
Jeera - a pinch
Asafotida/hing - a pinch
Turmeric - 1/4 tspn
Salt
Coconut oil - 1 tspn(optional)

Preparation Method
Wash and soak the dals in water for 2 hours. 
Cut the ends and chop beans into small pieces. Pressure cook with little water, salt and turmeric for 2 whistles.
Grind the dals with chilli to a coarse paste in a mixie or blender.
Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard wait till it pops, then add jeera, hing, curry leaves. saute for a min.
Add the grounded dal mix and cook well until it changes the colour. If required add little oil.
Add the steamed beans without water and mix well. Adjust salt..
Let it cook for few mins. Off the stove. Add 1 tspn coconut oil and mix for flavour.

Beans Paruppu Usli is ready to serve. Enjoy this with sambar rice, rasam rice, vatha kolambu, curd rice and Mor kolambu. I like to mix it with hot steamed rice. You can also eat hot as it is for tea time.

Mathan Pachadi | Sweet Yellow Pumpkin | Authentic Kerala Recipe!

Mathan/ Sweet Yellow Pumpkin Pachadi is an authentic Kerala Recipe.

Ingredients
Mathan Sweet Yellow Pumpkin - 250gms
Tamarind water - 1 cup
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Green chilli - 1 no(as per your taste)
Coconut oil - 1/2 tspn
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Fenugreek seeds/Venthayam - 1/4 tspn
Dry red chilli - 1 no
Curry leaves - few
Salt

Preparation Method
Wash, deseed, remove skin and cut into cubes.
Heat a vessel, add the mathan, tamarind water, turmeric and salt. Let it cook.
Grind grated coconut, green chilli and mustard with little water to fine paste.(Can also add 1/4 tspn rice while grinding)
Once the pumpkin is cooked, add the paste and mix.
You can mash the pumpkin if you want and allow it to boil.
Season it with1/2 tspn coconut oil, mustard and fenugreek seeds/venthayam, 1 dry red chilli and curry leaves.

Mathan /Sweet Yellow Pumpkin Pachadi is ready is serve. This is a sidedish for Kootu rice. Click here for Kootu recipes.

Dahi Papdi Chaat !

Hope you all had great diwali and enjoyed. I had a nice diwali, but due to unavoidable circumstances I was not able to post recipes and visit your blogs. Will visit them soon. Also will post my diwali recipes.

Dahi Papdi Chaat is a popular in North India Chaat. My hubby's favourite and I like it without curds.

Ingredients
Papdi - 8 nos (For recipe to make papdi at home click here)
Boiled potato - 2nos

Onion - 1no chopped
Tomato - 1no chopped
Chaat Masala - 2 pinches
Fresh Curds/Plain yogurt - 8 tspns
Green Chutney as per your taste(click on name for recipe)
Sweet Chutney as per your taste (click on name for recipe)
Salt
Freshly chopped coriander
Omapodi/Sev

Preparation Method
Arrange Papdi on a plate.
Add one by one above ingredients in the same order on the papdi and enjoy.

Dahi Papdi Chaat is ready to serve.

Notes - You can also add boiled green gram instead of onion.

Mysore Pak | Melt in Mouth | Diwali Sweet Recipe!

Hope all are geared for the Diwali celebrations, heres my first sweet recipe after the savouries posted here, you can choose from Omapodi/Sev, Ribbon/Thattu Pakoda, Kara Boondi and Mullu Murukku.(click on the name for recipe). Yes, Diwali spree has started in my place a week back. This is my father in laws recipe and hes the mentor to me today to prepare this with perfection. Thanks Dad for teaching me:-)

Wish you and your family a very Happy and Safe Diwali. With gleam of Diyas, and the Echo of the Chants ; May Happiness & Contentment fill your life,Let's celebrate the auspicious day of Diwali with fun and frolic ; May this bright day bring Bountiful Bliss and Joy in your life…………

Ingredients

Kadalai Maav/Besan/Chickpea Flour - 1 cup

Sugar - 2 and 1/2 cups

Ghee - 2 and 1/2 cups (Melted and warm)

Water just to cover sugar

 

Preparation Method

Heat a kadai and dry fry kadalai maav till you get good aroma and raw smell is gone. Do not burn it. 

In a double boiler, melt ghee and keep in low flame to keep ghee hot and warm.

Grease a tray or plate with ghee.

In a heavy bottom kadai, add sugar and water. Let it dissolve and keep stirring till it forms 1 string. Slowly keep checking by your fingers. Reduce flame to low.

Add the kadalai maav slowly and stir by whisk and without forming lumps.

Now increase the flame, it will start to become frothy and bubbling.

(you cannot move your eyes and hand anywhere, keep stirring slowly)

When it becomes thick, add 1/2 cup melted ghee and keep mixing.

Keep stirring well then after few minutes again add 1/2 cup ghee and mix well.

When it becomes thick, frothy and doesnot stick to kadai, add last 1/2 cup ghee. Stir once. Pour in the greased tray. Press lightly by a cup evenly.

Allow it to cool for sometime, then take a greased sharp knife and cut to desired shape.

Let it cool completely, again take knife and cut on the same prints firmly.

Slowly remove the peices and store in airtight container.

Mysore Pak melt in mouth is ready.

My upcoming posts will be Thattai, Mixture, Krishna Sweets Mysore Pak..stay tuned here @ Sara's Corner.

Again wishing all my Sara's Corner readers a Happy and Safe Deepavali!

Cheers,
Saraswathi

Ribbon | Thattu Pakoda | Diwali Savoury Recipe!!!

Ribbon|Thattu Pakoda is another savoury, popular down South India. This is very easy and tasty snack. Perfect for the festive season.

These flower candles were gifted by my dear friend Rekha. Thank you.

Ingredients
Kadalai Maav/ Besan - 4 cups
Arasi Maav/ Rice flour - 1 tspn
Milagai Podi /Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn(As per your taste)
Peringayam/Hing - 1/4 tspn
Vennai/Butter - 2 tspns (at room temperature)
Salt
Water as required

Preparation Method
In wide vessel, add kadalai maavu, arasi maavu salt, hing and mix dry.
Take butter and mix in the flour by hand, then sprinkle water and make a soft dough.
Leave it for 10mins by that time heat oil in kadai for deep frying in low flame.
Make equal portions of the dough, take one small portion and put in the murukku nazhi/press. Use double rectangle plate.(It will be like pasta fettuchini)
Press slowly in the hot oil in circle. Be careful.
Slow cook on the both sides till brown.
Repeat the same process with rest of the dough.
Allow it to cool, then crush into small pieces and then store in air tight container.

Ribbon Pakoda is ready to serve. This crunchy savoury can be served with Hot Coffee.

This recipe is going to My Diwali my way by Kushi and Diwali Festival of Lights by Anu.