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Thursday, September 30, 2010

AWED - Brazil Event Announcement!!!

Dear Friends,


After the success of MM Party Treats, now am very pleased to annouce AWED-Brazil. AWED is an wonderful event started by DK of Chefinyou, its an excellent way to explore international recipes.  I would like to thank DK for giving me an opportunity for hosting this event.

Brazil is a large country that is made up of many different cultures. Each region has a different food specialty. The Portuguese arrived in Brazil in 1500 and brought their tastes and styles of cooking with them. They brought sugar, citrus fruits, and many sweets that are still used for desserts and holidays. The Brazilian "sweet tooth" was developed through the influence of the Europeans. Brazilians use many eggs, fruits, spices (such as cinnamon and cloves), and sugar to make sweet treats, such as ambrosia. They also use savory (not sweet) seasonings such as parsley and garlic. Other nationalities that settled in Brazil were Japanese, Arabs, and Germans. More than one million Italians had migrated to Brazil by 1880. Each immigrant group brought along its own style of cooking.


Long before the Europeans arrived, however, the Tupí-Guaraní and other Indian groups lived in Brazil. They planted manioc (a root vegetable like a potato) from which Brazilians learned to make tapioca and farofa , ground manioc, which is similar to fine breadcrumbs. It is toasted in oil and butter and sprinkled over rice, beans, meat, and fish. As of 2001, farofa was still used as the Brazilians' basic "flour" to make cookies, biscuits, and bread.

Rice, black beans, and manioc (a root vegetable like a potato) are the main foods for many Brazilians.

You can browse Wiki for more information.
Logo


Rules of the event
1. Prepare any Vegetarian dish from Brazil and post between now and 31st Oct (Only vegetarian no eggs please). It can be anycourse of soups, meal, snacks, starters, sweets, desserts, baking is also allowed.
2. Please linkback to this event announcement and DK's page. Use of Logo is must.
3. Email me at simplysara07@gmail.com with Subject: AWED-Brazil mentioning the following details.
- Your 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 Nov.

Hope you like participating @ Sara's Corner Events. If you have any questions, feel free to mail me or leave a comment.

Regards,
Saraswathi

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Microwave Low Fat Carrot/Gajar Halwa

Thank you friends for your wishes on my Birthday. Your wishes made my day. I got few gifts from my hubby and friend. The day was good as my hubby was on leave although my son and me had cold. I wanted to make something simple and quick.

I prepared Microwave Low Fat Carrot/Gajar Halwa without ghee and cashews.

I don't use microwave except for heating and making papads. First time I have tried this Carrot Halwa and it came good.

Forgot to add Bachelor's out there you can also try this.


Ingredients
Carrot/Gajar Big - 2nos(grated)
Sugar - 2 tblspoon(White/Brown) - (Optional)
Low Fat condensed Milk - 2  tspns
Raisins - 1 tspn

Preparation Method
In a microwave safe bowl, add carrot, sugar and mix well. Keep in microwave for 5-7mins(Medium Heat)
Remove and add condensed milk and raisins mix n keep it for 3-4 mins. Till the carrot is well cooked.

Mix and serve the hot Carrot Halwa with Ice cream. You can also try my normal version of Carrot Halwa here.

Notes -
You can use only condensed milk instead of sugar.
Timings will vary according to the microwave. So check while doing accordingly.
If you feel the carrot is not cooked you can cook for 2mins more.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Vellarikaai/Southekayi/Cucumber Salad

Again going to Bangalore, we used eat a lot outside and this is also one of them. Many might have seen Southekayi selling near parks and schools. Its very refreshing and hot.

I have used Japan Cucumber where in I could not go to Little India to get the normal one. It almost tasted the same.



Remove skin and cut 1 no of cucumber into cubes or small slices. Add salt and required green chutney or pudina chutney(Grind Pudina/mint leaves wtih green chilli to fine paste) and mix well. Add little lemon juice.

Salad is ready. This can be had as it is or with lunch or dinner.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Veg. Fried Rice

Veg. Fried Rice is a chinese dish but very famous in India. I had taken snaps last time when I prepared but was so lazy kept on pending to post. Today, I prepared this for lunch and took new snaps of it. Me and my friends enjoy eating in Shanthi Sagar, Bangalore which is a fast food.




Ingredients
Rice - 2 cups(Steamed)Basmati Rice tastes good.
Onion - 1 no
Ginger garlic - 1 tspn(Chopped finely)
Green Capsicum/Bell pepper - 1 no
Yellow Capsicum - 1/2 no
Beans - 4 nos
Carrot - 1/2 no
Cabbage - 1 cup
White or Black Pepper powder - 1 tspn(As per your taste)
Green chilli - 1 no(slit) or Chilli Sauce - 1 tspn
Soya Sauce - 1 tspn
Tomato Sauce - 1/2 tspn
Ajinomoto/Chinese salt - a pinch(Optional)
Spring onion - 1 tspn(chopped) for garnishing - Optional
Olive Oil - 2 tspns(I used EVOO like Rachel's says:-)
Salt

Preparation Method
Wash and shred all veggie into thin pieces.
Heat a wide wok/kadai, add oil, onion, ginger garlic a pinch of salt and saute till transperant.
Add carrot and beans. Saute for 1min.
Add capsicum and saute for 1min.
Add cabbage and saute for 1min.
Add all sauces, ajinomoto and saute till its half cooked.
Sprinkle pepper powder and mix.
Add rice and mix well. Check on salt.
Garnish with chopped spring onion.



Serve with Tomato Ketchup or Gobi Manchurian.

Notes - If you use white pepper, the colour of the rice will be white.
           If you use black pepper, the colour of rice will change to slightly dark.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Channa/Chickpea/Garbanzo Pulao

I had soaked 2 cups of Channa for making Channa Masala, but didnt feel like making them stored in fridge, wanted to try something different. Just thought of this pulao. It was different my hubby and friends liked a lot.

Ingredients
Channa/Kondakadalai/Chickpea/Garbanzo - 2 cups
Rice - 2 cups(Normal or Basmati)
Channa Masala - 3-4 tspns(I used MTR)
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tspn(As per your taste)
Haldi/Manjal/Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn or little more for colour
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 2-3 tspns
Ghee - 1 tspn
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 tspn(Optional)
Onion - 2 nos(Sliced thinly)
Tomato - 1no(chopped)
Spices - 1no each
Salt


Preparation Method
Wash and soak Channa overnite with sufficient water. If you wish you can make it sprouted too(I had little sprouted which I mixed here)
In a pressure cooker, add oil and ghee fry half the onions till brown and transfer it to a plate.
In the same pressure cooker, add spices and saute for a minute.
Add onions, ginger garlic and fry till transperant.
Add tomatoes and curry leaves saute till they are soft.
Add Channa Masala powder, turmeric and red chilli powder. Saute till the raw smell goes.
Now add Channa/Chickpea and saute for few mins.
Then add rice and saute once. Add enough water and salt.
Sprinkle a tspn of Kasoori Methi and mix.(Optional)
Close the lid and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.

Channa Pulao is ready. Garnish with the fried onions.
Enjoy it as it is with papads or raitha.

Channa Pulao is going off to CWF-Chickpea by Nithu and Kiran along with Channa Masala.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Ellu Urundai/Sesame Sweet Balls/ hei zhi ma

Hope you all had great festival and long weekend. We had wonderful celebration of Vinayagar Chathurthi, am here posting recipes prepared for Lord Ganesha. Had invited few friends for lunch and went to Marina Bay Sands Skypark.

Ellu Urundai/Sesame Sweet Balls is prepared with Black Sesame Seeds and Jaggery. Black Sesame Seeds are used in traditional Chinese Medicine. Its also good source of calcium. Black sesame seeds also have high amounts of protein, phosphorous, iron and magnesium.

This is a must offering for Lord Ganesha.


Ingredients
Karuppu Ellu/Black Sesame Seeds/Till - 1/2 cup
Vellam/Jaggery - 1/2 cup or more as required(Jaggery should be Round and not square/achhu vellam)

Preparation Method
Wash and rinse Karuppu Ellu/Black Sesame Seeds to remove the sand and dirt from it.
Leave it in a strainer to remove all water for 5-10 mins.
Dry roast in a Kadai/wok till you get good aroma and it starts spluttering.
Off the stove and transfer it to a plate for cooling.
Then in a mixie add Ellu/Sesame Seeds and wip once and then add jaggery and grind to fine powder.

Make small balls. If you are not able to make balls add little more jaggery and grind.

I made 11 nos. out of it.

Enjoy the Ellu Urundai/Black Sesame Sweet Balls.

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.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Kozhakattai/Modhakam (Steamed Dumplings) for Vinayagar Chathurthi Step by Step Recipe

Vinayagar Chathurthi neivedyam Ullandu/Kara Kozhakattai and Poornam Kozhakattai recipe.




Dough in common

Ingredients
Rice flour - 2 cups and little more
Water - 2 cups or more if required.
Nalla Yennai/Gingelli oil/Sesame Oil - 2-3 tspns
Salt a pinch

Preparation Method
In a wide vessel boil water, add oil and salt. Reduce the flame slowly add rice flour and stir continously 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.


Poornam/ Sweet Stuffing





Ingredients
Fresh Grated Cocont - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup(powdered)
Cardamom /Elachi- a pinch 

Preparation Method
In a wide kadai, add jaggery with a tspn of water. Allow it to dissolve with stirring on intervals. Add grated coconut and cardamom powder. Mix till its thick and dry. Transfer it to a plate.

To make Kozhakattai


Now take the Rice flour balls.


Spread in hand to form a round shaped cup.
Fill a tspn of coconut filling.


Seal the edges by pressing slowly to form triangle shape.


Steam it in the idli cooker for 15mins.
Poornam Kozhakattai is ready for Lord Ganesha.




Ullandu Stuffing

Ingredients
Ullandu/Urad dal - 1 cup
Dry Red Chilli - 1 no
Green chilli - 2 nos
Asafotida/Hing - a pinch
Oil - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Curry leaves - few
Salt
Fresh grated coconut - Optional - 1/2 cup


Preparation Method
Soak Urad dal with green chilli for about 1 hour.
Grind it coarsely not to fine in a mixie with red chilli and salt.
Steam this in Idli cooker for 10 mins or till its well cooked.
Now season it with oil, mustard,hing and curry leaves and grated coconut.
Mix the steamed stuffing and keep aside.


Stuffing is ready.


To make Kozhakattai
Now take the Rice flour balls.
Spread in hand to form a round shaped cup.
Fill a tspn of Urad dal filling.
Seal the edges by pressing slowly to form crescent shape.
Steam it in the idli cooker for 15mins.


Thank you friends, am happy that this is my 250th post. I know am late:-)

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.



Vinayagar/Ganesh Chathurthi Festival


Our house Vinayagar.

Wishing you all Happy Vinayagar/Ganesha Chathurthi.

My day started with this Kolam/Rangoli.


Vinayagar Chathurthi falls on 11th Sept 2010. It is celebrated in many parts of India but in specific celebrated very grand in Maharashtra. Big idols are kept by the sides of the streets and celebrated for 11 days or even upto a month. Music and dance performances takes place every day during this period at the end of which these idols are taken to the sea and immersed in water. At home it is done on the same day or on the third day. People with small and medium idols. People with small and medium idols immerse it at home in a bucket of water or in the tank. Some people take to nearest lake and immerse.

Back home we decorate the table for ganesha with lots of colour paper, banana leaves, fruits, lighting, Mango leaves, etc.. Ganesha is placed in a silver plate filled with rice and money. Garlands specially handmade in cotton(Gejje Vastra). You also get garlands made of lotus and chickpeas.

People visit temples and friends. Children take Akshata(Rice mixed with turmeric and water or ghee) and visit as many houses to see different kinds of idols and puja. Also enjoy the prasadams.In Karnataka, they also celebrate Gowri Festival one day before Ganesha Festival. They worship the idol of Goddess Gowri mother of Lord Ganesha. Its called Gowri Ganesha Habba.

Plain Clay idols or colour idols are available.

Hope this festival gives good health, peace, wealth and prosperity to everyone.Kozhakattai/Modak is favourite of Lord Ganesha and is an important dish on the menu for the Festival.


Delicious Dishes prepared on this festival without onion and garlic by Brahmins/Iyer.

Click on the names for recipes.

Idli
Uppu Kozhakattai/Modakam(Urad dal and spices covered with Rice flour)
Poornam Kozhakattai(Jaggery and coconut stuffing covered with Rice flour)
Sundal(Dish prepared with white or black skinned chickpea)
Vella Appam
Vadai
Ellu Urundai
Ammni Kozhakattai Payasam
Poriyal/Curry
Sambar
Paruppu Rasam
Curd Rice
Pickle

For step by step recipe of Poornam and Ullandhu Kozhakattai click here.

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.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Paneer Bhurji!!!

Paneer Bhurji is a simple and very tasty side dish.


Ingredients
Paneer/Paal Katti/Indian Cottage Cheese - 1 cup grated or scrumbled(For homemade paneer click here)
Onion - 1 cup (chopped)
Tomato - 1/2 cup (chopped)
Capsicum - 1/2 cup (chopped)
Garlic - 1 no(Chopped)
Garam Masala - 1/2 tspn
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tspn
Turmeric - a pinch
Oil - 2 tspns
Salt

Preparation Method
In a kadai/wok, heat oil add onion, garlic and saute till transperant.
Add tomato and cook till its soft. Then add capsicum and saute for 5mins.
Add garam masala, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and mix well.
Finally add grated or scrambled paneer. I scrumbled it.

Cook for few mins and off the stove.

Paneer Bhurji is ready. This can be a perfect combination for chapathi/roti/naan. Sometimes I even stuff on sandwich too.

This can also be great sidedish for picnic or lunch box if you plan to carry chapathi.

Paneer Bhurji is going off to Letz Relish Paneer by Jay.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Veggie Aval Upma and the Winner!!!

Aval/Rice Flakes is a main ingredient for Gokulashtami/Krishna Jayanthi. Here is a simple and colourful vegetable upma. This is ideal for breakfast or tiffin.

Ingredients
Aval/Rice Flakes - 2 cups
Mixed Vegetable (Carrot/Peas/Cabbage/Cauliflower)- 1 cup
Fresh Grated Coconut - 2 tspns
Oil - 1 tspn
Mustard - a pinch
Asafotida - a pinch
Jeera - 1/4 tspn
Curry leaves - few chopped
Channal Dal - 1/2 tspn
Green chilli - 2 nos
Salt

Preparation Method
Wash, Rinse the aval. Remove water and keep aside.
In a kadai/wok, add oil mustard. Wait till it splutters. Now add asafotida, jeera and channa dal. saute till its brown.
Add curry leaves, green chilli and saute for a minute.(You can slit the g.chilli or chop into small pieces)
Add the vegetables, little salt and cook it.
When its cooked add aval and salt and mix well.

Garnish with Fresh Grated coconut.

Veggie Aval Upma is ready to serve.

Now the winner of my Giveaway for Anniversary.

Any guesses??

That is Sanyukta Gour. Congratulations!!! I will get in touch with you.

Thanks to everyone for participating.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Simple Paneer Peas Pulao and Awards!!!

Hope you are all doing good after Gokulashtami/Janmashtami celebrations. Will post my festival recipes soon.

Paneer Peas Pulao is very easy and tasty rice. Its cooked with Paneer(Cottage Cheese) and Green Peas with mild spices. This recipe is without onion and garlic.




Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 2 cups (Can use normal rice too)
Paneer cubes - 1 cup cubes(click here for homemade paneer recipe)
Green Peas - 1 cup(Fresh or Frozen)
Spices -Bay leaf/- 1no Cinnamon/Cloves/Cardamom - 2 nos each
Ghee - 1 tspn
Oil - 2 tspns
Salt

Preparation Method
Wash, rinse and soak basmati rice in water for half n hour.
Heat pressure cooker, add ghee, oil and spices. saute for 2 mins.
Now add rice and saute for 2mins.
Add water 1:1.5 cups and salt. Stir well.
Finally add Green peas and paneer cubes.


Close the lid and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.


Simple Paneer Peas Pulao is ready to serve.


I served with Paneer Butter Masala will post the recipe soon.

You can also serve with any Paneer gravy or Dal.

This recipe is going for Lets Relish Paneer by Jay. My other entries are

Mutter Paneer and Palak Paneer

Awards Time

PJ has passed this award. Thanks a lot dear.


Akheela has passed me these awards. Thanks a lot.



Party Treats Event participating award from my blog.



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