Cooking for Kids - PFE Roundup

Sorry Friends for the delay in the roundup. I have taken a back seat from blogging since my inlaws are getting back to India.

Here comes the Roundup of Cooking for Kids - Creative Food for Picky/Fussy Eaters. Hope its useful if you have a Picky/Fussy Eater at home.

Aloo Vegetable Paratha by Preethi.
She says like all other kids, we have a tough time feeding our little one. He loves chappathis and will have it at any time of the day. Once when iImade aloo parathas he loved them, to make them more healthy i sneaked in some cooked vegetables. To my surprise my little one loved it. So i thought of sharing it with other moms. This can be served as breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Vermicilli Idli by Akshatha.

She says MY SON IS NOT A PICKY EATER THOUGH BUT HE WAS VERY RELUCTANT ON EATTING THE NORMAL IDLI SO ONE DAY I PREPARED IT AS EVENING SNACK BUT NOW THIS DISH I MAKE EVERY NOW AND THEN FOR BREAK FAST AND EVENING SNACK BOTH MY HUSBAND AND SON RELISH THIS.


Vegetarian Pot Pie by Basheera. She says TODAY'S KIDS LOVE ONLY LIKE THESE STUFFS,THEY WILL NOT LEAVE A BIT WHEN WE GIVE FANCY DECORATED BREAKFAST.


Vadai by Ammu



Sweet Ragi Idiyappam by Nithu


Ragi Idiyappam by Nithu

Spinach Vadai by Kalva

Muthiyaa by Kanchan

Veggie Poha by Nithu

Soyabean Rice Adai by Pari

Baked Fusilli in marinara by Pari

Pumpkin Raisins Muffin by Saraswathi Iyer

Ragi Puttu by Shama

Ragi Sweet Kozhakattai by Shama

Ragi Kara Kozhakattai by Shama

Ragi Dosai by Shama

Sweet Potato Wrap by Kalai


Colourful Vegetable Idli by Padma


Multi Legume Dosai by Sadhana

Tofu, Potato, Peas Masala Sandwich by Priya

Eggless Savoury Cheese Corn Muffins by Priya

Stuffed Rajma Paratha by Priya

Vegan Herbed Bellpepper Corn Muffin by Priya

Colourful Mini Dosa by Nithu


Sub Inspired Vegetable Sandwich by Anitha



Spinach Banana Smoothie by Divya

Idiyappam by Divya

Bread Pizza by Devi


Arsi Paruppu Sadam by Shama

Veggie Puris by Jayashree

Mooli Paratha by Sowjanya

Please do let me know incase I missed any entry. Thank you all for participating in the event.

Hope to see your entries in my MEC Soups Event too.

Cheers
Saraswathi

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!!!

Raagi Roti(Indian Flat Bread) with Awards and Tag:-)

Ragi Roti(Kezhvaragu/Finger Millet/Madua/Elusine Indica) - Indian Flat Bread is very healthy breakfast or tiffin. Its a very famous breakfast/tiffin in Karnataka, India. In my village we grow Ragi grains my granny sends grains to us. We clean, dry and make flour.

The whole grain in nutritrional terms is very rich in proteins, providing highest levels of calcium and high levels of dietary fibre. It helps in control of blood glucose levels in diabetics.

In Karnataka its also consumed in many forms like Ragi balls (Ragi Mudde) dipped in sambar, Malt and Koozhu. Ragi Seri can be fed for infants above 6 months since its high in calcium. Whenever we are preparing the flour at home have to be very careful since it contains small muddy particles or stones. When you buy Ragi flour from supermarkets its better to seive 2 to 3 times and then use it.

Here is a simple and easy recipe for Ragi Roti which is high in nutrition and healthy food.

Ingredients

Ragi flour - 4 cups

Onion - 2 nos chopped

Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
Green chilli - 2nos chopped (As per your taste)

Curry leaves - few chopped

Oil

Hot water

Salt

Preparation Method

In a wide bowl, put all the ingredients and mix it like chapathi dough in hot water.

Take small balls and spread it thinly in round shape on a plastic sheet or directly in the kadai or pan.

Put 1 tspn oil and cook both sides.

Continue same process for left over dough.

Ragi Roti is ready to eat...This is good to eat as it is or with these Pickle/Jaggery/Coconut chutney.

This recipe is going for WFC Breakfast by EC and State Specials by Shanthi.

My other entries for breakfast are

Pesarattu

Adai

Bread Upma

Awards Time

Thanks to Ramya and Sanghi for Scrumptious Awards and Rekha for Kreative, Scrumptious and Fabulous Awards. I thank from my bottom of the heart for passing on these wonderful awards to me. I feel very happy and encouraged at the end of the day seeing my blog with awards.

My dear friend Rekha has tagged me..thanks dear!

The Rules:

1. Link the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on your blog.

3. Share the ABCs of you.

4. Tag 4 people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.

5. Let the 4 tagged people know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

6. Do not tag the same person repeatedly but try to tag different people, so that there is a big network of bloggers doing this tag.

The Tag:

1. A – Available/Single? Married
2. B – Best friend? Rashmi
3. C – Cake or Pie? Cake
4. D – Drink of choice? Coffee
5. E – Essential item you use every day? Internet
6. F – Favorite color? Blue
7. G – Gummy Bears Or Worms? -
8. H – Hometown? Bangalore
9. I – Indulgence? Salted potato chips of India

10. J – January or February? January for New Year
11. K – Kids & their names? 1 Son named Siddarth
12. L – Life is incomplete without? Family
13. M – Marriage date? 24th Aug 2006
14. N – Number of siblings? one elder bro
15. O – Oranges or Apples? both
16. P – Phobias/Fears? Fears
17. Q – Quote for today? Be Cool and patient
18. R – Reason to smile? My son
19. S – Season? Winter
20. T – Tag 4 People?
21. U – Unknown fact about me?unknown
22. V – Vegetable you don't like? mostly i like all thinking....
23. W – Worst habit? loose temper rarely and shout
24. X – X-rays you've had? for tooth
25. Y – Your favorite food? Bisibelebath, gobi manchurian, akki roti, fried rice, many more
26. Z – Zodiac sign? libra

I have tagged 4 blogger friends

Rajeshwari of Raks Kitchen

Jyothi of Panch Pakwan

Deepti of Dipskitchen
Smitha of Saffron Apron

Traditional Adai!!!

A long time pending in my drafts finally posting this recipe. Enjoy.....

Adai is one other typical South Indian Breakfast/Tiffin item. It is like dosa but different in taste prepared with paruppu(dal).

Ingredients:
· Boiled Rice /Dosai Rice - 2 cups
· Thoor Dhal (Thuvaram Paruppu) - 1/2 cup
· Channa Dhal/Bengal Gram (Kadala Paruppu) - 1 cup
· Urad Dal - 1/2 cup
· Red Chilli Dry - 3 nos
· Curry Leaves - few
· Asafotida (Hing) - 1/4 tspn
· Salt to taste
For Variations
· Chopped Onion
· Black Pepper powder (preferably as grains)
· Sliced Coconut
· Drumstick leaves (Murungai ilai)

Start with:
· Soak rice and dhal in water over night.
· When soft, grind it coarsely with red chillies.
· Though thin paper roast Dosas can be made with the smooth batter, in general the batter for Adai has ingredients not ground nicely. This still gives the nice brown crispy texture.
· Once ground add asafotida & salt and leave the batter to ferment for a while (duration….depending upon the outside temperature)

Consistency: Should be little thicker than the Dosai Batter (Coarse)

Now if you are wondering why Onion, coconut and Murungai Ilai then here you go with the below options:
· At the time of making Adai, you can use one of these as additional ingredient (I repeat only one of these and not all together) to get different flavors to your Adai.
· Another alternate is that, instead of Red Chlli you can use Black Pepper and in that case again sliced Coconut can be added.
· If you are looking at Murungai Ilai, do not add Pepper or Coconut but you may wish to add onion. Try not to add more leaves as some do not like the weired bitter like taste.

Adai can be prepared without any of these extras but if you want your taste buds to try different, then add these ingredients only when you are making the Adai and not before. This helps the basic flavor of the batter remain the same and that the freshness of the additional ingredients.

Preparation:· Add your desired extra toppings and also the curry leaves.
· Heat the pan a little more than medium, season it with half spoon of your preferred oil.
· If your pan is nonstick type, then no need to season it but you can straight away start making Adai.
· Remember that since the batter is not smooth and the consistency is thicker than that of Dosa, this needs to be cooked a little longer than Dosas.

. To make the corners crispy, add little oil to sides. you can also make a little gap at the middle and add little oil to make it crispy too. Turn the adai and cook reverse side.

Serving Options:

· Adai with Avial is the best. For Avial check for recipe just click Aviyal· Adai with butter cube.
· Some people like my husband eat it with Jaggery and thick fresh Yogurt.

Rice Adai(Dosa)

It is called Verum Arasi Adai in tamil. A different in taste. This is simple, tasty and easy to prepare.

Ingredients
Boiled rice - 2 cups
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Salt

Method
Soak boiled rice in water for 6 - 8 hours
Grind in mixie with grated coconut to smooth paste
Add salt and leave for 3-4 hrs for fermentation
Then pour batter on skillet like dosa
Cook on reverse side also.

Rice Adai is ready to serve. This can be served with coconut chutney or onion chutney.

PS - If batter is leftover can be kept in fridge and used.

Aviyal | Authentic Kerala Recipe!!!

AN AUTHENTIC KERALA DISH

ALSO POPULAR IN TAMIL NADU

INGREDIENTS


BEANS
CARROT
MURUNGAKA/DRUMSTICK
CHENAI/YAM
VAZHAKKA/RAW PLANTAIN
POTATO
POOSHANI/WHITE PUMPKIN
MATHAN/SWEET PUMPKIN

FOR 2 PEOPLE PUT 50GMS OF EACH VEGETABLE

FRESH GRATED COCONUT – 1 CUP

GREEN CHILLI – 3 NOS

COCONUT OIL – 2 TSPNS

CURDS – 100 GMS

CURRY LEAVES FEW

SALT

PREPARATION METHOD

CHOP ALL THE VEGETABLES IN SMALL LENGTH (1 1/2INCH) AND PRESSURE COOK THEM WITH 1 TSPN SALT FOR 3 WHISLTES. WAIT FOR PRESSURE TO GO.

GRIND COCONUT AND GREEN CHILLIES TO FINE PASTE

NOW MIX THE PASTE WITH THE VEGETABLES AND BOIL. ADD LITTLE WATER IF REQUIRED

ADD CURRY LEAVES

ADD SALT

ADD COCONUT OIL AND MIX ON THE SIDES SO THE VEGETABLES DONT BREAK. OFF THE STOVE.ALLOW IT TO COOL A BIT.

ADD CURDS, MIX WELL.

AFTER ADDING CURDS DO NOT BOIL.

SERVE HOT WITH ADAI, RICE AND CHAPATHI. ITS VERY TASTY AND HEALTHY.