tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44278865544505434812024-03-14T09:13:59.301-07:00the footloose chefDershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-26313612844664686332016-11-01T01:55:00.001-07:002016-11-01T01:55:28.625-07:00Hazelnut Chocolate SpreadAlmost everyone I know is a "Nu.....a", fan, the super famous Hazelnut chocolate spread. So much so, that it would be blasphemy to say it aloud that I don't buy it for my little one. It is easy to say I don't care but for those of you who do, the next time you pick up a jar of the spread, do take a peek at the ingredients list. You will be surprised how little hazelnut actually is in there and how much of it is plain and simple flavoured sugar. Do try this easy home made, healthy version and tell me if you still find the commercial one better.
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Hazelnuts - 1 cup ( a standard teacup)<br />
Unsweetened Cocoa powder - 2 dessertspoons (20 gms approx)<br />
Dark soft brown sugar - 1/4 cup or more if you want it sweeter(use powdered white sugar if you don't have soft dermerara)<br />
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1.5 dessertspoons<br />
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Roast hazelnuts in an oven or dry roast in a skillet. Cool completely and rub off the brown skin. Pour into a mixie jar and blend till powdered. Scrape the sides in and add the cocoa, sugar, vanilla, and the oil. Blend again till it amalgamates into a creamy whole. Add in a few more drops of oil if it is too thick. Check and adjust sweetness. Voila your very own hazelnut spread is ready! Enjoy. Do write in if you enjoyed it :-) Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-91831827778292127072015-03-26T02:05:00.001-07:002015-03-26T02:05:27.854-07:00Easy nutty chocolatesA lazy day enterprise with my 5 year old who loves anything chocolate!
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Good Quality cooking chocolate - 100 gms (we used 64% dark)<br />
Assorted nuts - 1/2 cup (roughly chopped)<br />
Dates - 3-4 nos (chopped into small bits)<br />
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Melt cooking chocolate (we used 60-70% dark). Roughly chop up almonds, cashews, dates. Pop the nut-dry fruit mixture in the oven for a couple of minutes. Line an ice tray with a layer of the mixture, top up with melted chocolate. Cover with aluminium foil, pop into freezer. Set. Eat.Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-39228629575843127452014-05-06T23:09:00.000-07:002014-05-07T03:01:57.567-07:00Dairy free, eggless, Black Forest Cake with Coconut Cream toppingMy little one is allergic to dairy fat. Now, coming from essentially a South Indian background this was one fact that was really hard to assimilate. My childhood was fed on home grown cow's milk, yoghurt, milk sweets, ghee, butter what not. And, we are led to believe, from then, that there is no proper sustenance for a child without dairy intake. So, when I made the association between Abhi's (my lil one) colic and adenoid inflammation to milk fat intake, it triggered nothing short of a mini earthquake in the immediate family circle. Someone even said , " It is because you are too hygenic about baby care", " You dont add salt into the rice you feed her", etc etc and power struggles with people (even close of kin) who refuse to give up on gifting her huge milk chocolate bars, ghee laced Indian sweet dubbas, cream biscuits etc. Well, well, well.. all in the game. Found this easy diary free, eggless <a href="http://essentialvegan.co.uk/black-forest-gateau/" target="_blank"><em><strong>Black Forest Gateau </strong></em></a>recipe on Essential Vegan and wanted to try it for my daughter's birthday. I made my own tweaks to the original recipe, reduced teh sugar drastically, replaced all purpose flour with whole wheat flour etc etc. The daughter loved the cake and thought she was eating cream cake just like all her friends and that is all the appreciation I ever need :-)
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<strong>Ingredients for Cake</strong><br />
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Raw granulated brown sugar - 50 gms<br />
Whole wheat flour (fine ground) - 170 gms<br />
Unsweetened cocoa powder - 3 dessertspoons<br />
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon (evened out to remove extra)<br />
Baking powder (aluminium free) - 1 teaspoon<br />
Sunflower oil - 60 ml<br />
Apple cider vinegar - 2 teaspoons<br />
Cold water - 200 ml<br />
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<strong>Ingredients for Topping</strong><br />
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Unsweetened coconut milk - 1/2 tin<br />
Castor sugar - 50 gms<br />
Syrup preserved Maraschino cherries - 250 gms bottle (you will need all of the liquer in which the cherries are soaked plus as many cherries you need for decoration)<br />
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Mix the oil, sugar, and cocoa with a ladle so that the sugar granules start dissolving. Add the rest of the ingrdients and mix using a wooden ladle into a batter without lumps (do not use the electric mixer). <br />
Preheat oven to 180 <span style="font-size: medium;">°</span>. Pour batter into a proofed cake tin, ideally spring form tray since this cake will be very airy and can break on rough handling.<br />
Bake for 1/2 hour at 150 <span style="font-size: medium;">°</span>. Check with a fork to see if done or let be for another 10 mts. Remember oven tempretures differ and what works on my basic OTG might not be the exact time on your machine.<br />
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<strong>Topping prep work</strong><br />
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Store the coconut milk tin in your freezer for atleast an hour. Place your castor sugar in a mixing bowl and keep it in the fridge too until time for assemble.<br />
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<strong>Assembling the cake</strong><br />
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Remove cake onto a serving tray or plate only when completely cooled.Keep rough side up. Keep the cake in the fridge for about 15 minutes. take out and carefully pour the cherry liquer all over it, in batches so that it is all absorbed.<br />
Take out and open teh coconut milk tin. You will find the thick coconut cream has risen and solidified as a top layer. Scoop it out into the bowl with cold castor sugar. Whip them up using a large fork.<br />
Layer the cherry liquer soaked cake with the coconut milk cream and decorate with cherries. Cover and refrigerate for another 10 minutes or until serving time. Remember to take cake out only when it is time to serve.
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Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-42412176666767742902013-08-30T05:30:00.002-07:002013-08-30T05:30:35.234-07:00Simple chicken curry using fresh, home-ground masalaIt's been quite a while since I last posted here. I do go through occasional pangs of guilt when I see how deligently some of my food blogger friends keep their blogs going. So much care goes into the high resolution pictures, the side panels with their up to date blog tools and apps etc etc. Well, well... here is a quick one while the guilt trip lasts. <br />
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This recipe is inspired by my eldest paternal aunt, my dad's eldest brother's wife (valiya peramma). She was the one from whom I learnt that the 'readymade chicken masalas' that throng the supermarket aisles were in no way necessary to get that 'authenic kerala kozhi curry' (chicken curry) taste. Since then, i've experimented with fresh spices and slowly my taste buds learnt to despise the store bought masala as inferior.<br />
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No dificult elbow grease required for this one (have I told you what a LAZY cook I am). Happy cooking, buddies...<br />
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<strong><u>Ingredients</u></strong><br />
Fresh chicken pieces - 1 Kg <br />
Tomatos - 2 medium sized (Cubed)<br />
Onions - 2 medium sized (chopped fine)<br />
Fresh Ginger - a large piece ( 2-3 inches or so)<br />
Garlic - 10 cloves<br />
Tomato paste - 2 dessertspoons<br />
Red chilli powder - 2 teaspoons<br />
Salt to taste<br />
Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon<br />
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<strong>Grind the ginger and garlic to paste.</strong><br />
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<strong><u>Dry spices to be ground</u></strong><br />
Cloves - 4 Nos<br />
Cinnamon - 1/4 inch stick<br />
Nutmeg - a little piece ( I bring back whole nutmeg from my mom in law's garden, if you cant get whole, use powdered)<br />
Mace - a couple of strands<br />
Poppy seeds (khus khus) - 1/2 teaspoon<br />
Fennel - 1/4 teaspon<br />
Cumin - 1/4 teaspoon<br />
Pepper corns - a few<br />
Star anise - 1 No<br />
Mustard seeds - a few<br />
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon<br />
Coriander powder - 1 dessertspoon<br />
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Dry roast all the whole spices, on low flame, till an aroma emanates. Add in the turmeric owder and teh coriander powder and dry saute for another minute. Cool and blend to smooth powder using a chutney mixie jar or coffee grinder. <br />
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<strong><u>For the tempering (tadka)</u></strong><br />
Gingelly/coconut oil - 2 teaspoons<br />
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon<br />
Curry leaves - a few sprigs<br />
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<strong><u>Method</u></strong><br />
Heat a heavy bottomed pan ( I skip non stick pans and prefer heavy guage steel, dutch oven models). Add the oil and the mustard seeds and allow the seeds to crackle well Add in the curry leaves and then the ginger-garlic paste. Saute till golden and then add the chopped onions, sprinkle the sugar and saute till golden. Add teh tomatoes and saute a couple of minutes. Add in the chicken pieces, the powdered spice masala, and the chilli powder. Add a cup of water. Put the lid on and simmer cook on very low fire, stirring once in a while. Once the chicken in almost done, add the tomato paste plus another cup of water if you want a slightly runny gravy. Once done, add salt to taste and simmer a minute.<br />
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<br />Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-85479272833509933522013-06-16T04:24:00.000-07:002013-06-16T04:24:01.864-07:00Arachuvitta sambhar with sambhar cheera (waterleaf greens/Talinum fruticosum)Sambhar Cheera (Waterleaf/Talinum fruticosum) is found growing with wild abundance in the backyards of my native town. The succulent plant is a nutritional treasure trove - Vit A, Vit C, iron, and calcium. <br />
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I've used a variation of the archuvitta sambhar (where fresh coconut and whole spices are light roasted and ground to make sambhar masala) to add the fresh bunch of waterleaves I chanced upon in the market. Having a little girl who is allergic to diary fat I'm constantly looking at different vegetarian sources of calcium to be included into her diet. Traditional cuisine that emphasises on the need to cook from whole and fresh ingredients, I've found, is the best guide. <br />
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Sambhar cheera (waterleaf) - a large bunch <br />
Tomatoes - 3-4 meium sized, ripe ones<br />
Small onions (shallots) - 6-8 Nos<br />
Garlic - 6-8 cloves<br />
Ginger - 1/4 inch piece<br />
Green chillies - 2 Nos<br />
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon<br />
Sambhar parippu (Toor dhal/yellow pigeon peas) - 1 cup <br />
Water - 2 cups<br />
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Rinse out the toor dhal well and pressure cook it with everything except the waterleaves added. About 5 whistles on medium flame is what I do.<br />
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<strong>For the masala</strong><br />
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Fresh, grated coconut - 2 dessertspoons<br />
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 teaspoon<br />
Pepper corns - a few<br />
Cumin (jeera) - 1/2 teaspoon<br />
Coriander powder - 1 dessertspoon<br />
Asafoetida - a small piece (I use teh block variety). else, substitute with 1/4 teaspoon of powder.<br />
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Dry roast everything, except teh coriander powder, till the coconut begins to turn lightly golden, add teh coriander powder and saute till an aroma arises. Switch off flame and grind to very fine paste adding little water.<br />
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Rinse and chop the waterleaf bunch. Throw into a thick bottomed pan and add 1/2 a cup of water. Add in teh ground masala and simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove the cooked toor dhal mix from teh pressure cooker and using a ladle blend the dhal and tomatoes well. Add into teh simmering masala. Add more water if the gravy is too thick. Add salt to taste.<br />
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<strong>For tempering</strong><br />
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Warm a pan and add a couple of teaspoons of sesame oil. Add a teaspoon of mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Add a couple of dry red chillies and curry leaves. When roasted, top teh sambhar with this.<br />
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<strong>PS</strong>: I add additional vegetables to this sambhar, at times. This time I added a couple of carrots. I pressure cooked them along with the lentils.Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-88771399478987807792013-02-26T05:22:00.002-08:002013-02-26T05:22:56.379-08:00Easy, tangy tomato chutney (dip)Here is a quick, tangy dip with enough verve and vigour to pep up even a dull meal. I served it as side to the Tamil Nadu tiffin speciality, 'paniyaram'. Now, a paniyaram requires an aappa kal (aebleskiver/unniyappa chatti) so in case you don't possess one, just serve this chutney with dosas, plain appams, or idlis. Just as yum!<br />
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Ripe, firm tomatoes - 2 (medium sized. Skip the hybrid, seedless varieties)</div>
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Garlic cloves - 2</div>
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Dry red chillies - 2 </div>
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Sea salt - to taste</div>
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Virgin coconut oil - 1 teaspoon</div>
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Deseed and cube the tomatoes. Put everything except the oil into the chutney jar of your mixie and blend till almost smooth. Pour it into a thick bottomed vessel and simmer till the raw garlic smell goes away. Drizzle on the virgin coconut oil and voila! you've a winner on your menu.Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-22546461868610703942013-02-14T03:28:00.000-08:002013-02-14T03:30:04.265-08:00Smooth as chocolate and totally guilt free :-)Here is a recipe that I modified from the No-GMO recipe site. Totally yummy and completely guilt free. Happy Valentine's Day :-)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCmW6-sj6pCZKoebhYnAEwevDnAlY7XOVSrQfMXarrsEO3rpC4BpZC5PR4hXFMshIfRARMUc58BwtW3izvtl83UzHWWY2Pbz_QiLLu-jtt1v3may5DM8jMbvud3niKJI7Zvk_oc5NW2z8/s1600/Smooth+as+chocolate,+totally+guilt+free....jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCmW6-sj6pCZKoebhYnAEwevDnAlY7XOVSrQfMXarrsEO3rpC4BpZC5PR4hXFMshIfRARMUc58BwtW3izvtl83UzHWWY2Pbz_QiLLu-jtt1v3may5DM8jMbvud3niKJI7Zvk_oc5NW2z8/s320/Smooth+as+chocolate,+totally+guilt+free....jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ripe bananas - 4 medium sized<br />
Unsweetened cocoa powder - 2 dessertspoonfulls<br />
Organic Honey - according to your preferred sweetness level<br />
Fresh vanilla - from 1/4 a pod<br />
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Blend everything together in an electric blender or mixie jar till smooth and creamy, and glossy :-) Serve topped with dry roasted almonds.Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-76556321276184231922013-01-24T01:13:00.001-08:002014-03-31T10:44:48.523-07:00Wholewheat Coconut and cashew muffins made in virgin coconut oilMy little girl has started playschool and with that has also started the endless bouts of cold, cough, infections and what not! Today she was going to school after a break necessitated by an ear infection. "I want cake in my snack box", she demanded late yesterday evening. I had run out of vanilla, extra virgin olive oil (my subsititute for butter), and over ripe bananas (my substitute for eggs). But like any true blue mallu, my refrigerator was stocked with fresh grated coconut and as bonus, my pantry had a huge bottle of virgin coconut oil. So, this recipe was born:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkv5yG5muPBgt6QqPq709uhbZC5eymXef6LSlI-wZoxOGr803kPmxbV5WvaMqrpUtXqYvzRr0653p0l6r_LR9EcONQWP_L7Vbc6Trt21R_BLAmYiKXBZ2zsUSv3I832iD5rXuVfFKlURFq/s1600/side2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732695693217984210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkv5yG5muPBgt6QqPq709uhbZC5eymXef6LSlI-wZoxOGr803kPmxbV5WvaMqrpUtXqYvzRr0653p0l6r_LR9EcONQWP_L7Vbc6Trt21R_BLAmYiKXBZ2zsUSv3I832iD5rXuVfFKlURFq/s400/side2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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Caster sugar - 1/2 cup (if you dont have caster sugar , just run your regular sugar in the mixie to powder it)<br />
Whole wheat flour - 1/2 cup + dessert spoonfull<br />
Fresh grated coconut - 3 dessertspoons (about 30 gms)<br />
Unroasted cashewnuts - 10 Nos<br />
Baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon (I use aluminium free)<br />
Virgin coconut oil - 1/4 cup<br />
Egg - 1 large<br />
Cardamom - 4-5 pods<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqqPjcMXFmeuo65tx_y9GK7zZbmekhj4xC4MkvENWKb3_eK0TZSQHDcPEZWRZ1X24H-F9gZUlUSF2WuKzEktJOuajsvMMIcumxCPAc6UCmuNjXSuKHXT-BV-iv3ztqBPZ55Yu_G6O4lFF/s1600/full+view.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732695911429342386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqqPjcMXFmeuo65tx_y9GK7zZbmekhj4xC4MkvENWKb3_eK0TZSQHDcPEZWRZ1X24H-F9gZUlUSF2WuKzEktJOuajsvMMIcumxCPAc6UCmuNjXSuKHXT-BV-iv3ztqBPZ55Yu_G6O4lFF/s400/full+view.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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Place the sugar, coconut, and cashews in the chutney jar of your mixie or the coffee grinder and pulse a few times to powder together. Add the egg, cardamom seeds, and oil and whisk again. Using a flat ladle mix together the baking powder and flour. Pour in the wet mixture and fold in well. Add a few drops of water if necessary to form a thick cake batter. Preheat oven to 200° for 10 minutes. Pour batter into cupcake moulds and bake till a tooth pick poked in the centre comes out clear. I have a basic OTG and it took me 40 minutes at 150° to get the muffins done.<br />
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<strong>Update on the previous fund drive post</strong><br />
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A heartfelt thank you to all of you who cared enough to do you bit for the Vaidehi ashram for destitute girls (Refer my previous post).<em><strong> Mr. Somesh from Hyderabad </strong></em>won the raffle prize I had sponsored. Congrats Mr.Somesh, if you are reading this.<br />
<a href="http://www.cookingwithsiri.com/2012/03/update-on-vadehi-ashram-fund.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Click here for the fund drive update.</strong></em></a>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-80216097868090666432013-01-24T01:13:00.000-08:002013-01-24T01:14:32.087-08:00Herbs and veggies pull apart breadYeast bakes and deep fried goodies are my personal cooking waterloos...in simpler terms, they scare the daylights out of me since I rarely get them right :-) This is one of the main reasons I jumped into the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/387162251378640/" target="_blank"><em><strong>'We Knead to Bake'</strong></em></a> group on Facebook, started by fellow foodblogger and ace baker, <a href="http://www.mydiversekitchen.com/2013/01/we-knead-to-bake-1-herb-cheese-pull.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Aparna.</strong></em></a>
I rarely retract once I give someone my solemn word and so joining the group ensured that I will have to compulsively face my yeast fear and cannot afford to get cold feet :-D what a yarn to introduce a bread, please excuse the verbiage, I blame it on my excitement in having got a tolerable, edible bread made. All thanks to Aparna's fool proof recipe to which I added minor tweaks.<br />
The theme chosen for the month was a Herbs and Cheese pull apart bread. The original recipe was given by Aparna to which I have made personal modifications. I will write down the original dough recipe and my minor modifications will be provided alongside within brackets. The filling I chose is different to that of the original and it is my version that I give here. The method followed is identical to original.<br />
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<strong><em>For the Dough:</em></strong><br />
1/2 cup warm milk
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1 tsp sugar <br />
2 tsp active dry yeast
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2 3/4 to 3 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1:1 propotion of whole wheat flour and APF)<br />
1 tsp salt 25gm butter, soft at room temperature (I used 40 ml of sesame oil, instead)<br />
3/4 to 1 tsp garlic paste <br />
3/4 cup milk (+ a couple of tbsp to brush over the bread)<br />
(2 teaspoons red rice flour for dusting)
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<strong><em>For the Filling:</em></strong><br />
Sesame oil - 1 tablespoon
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Finely shredded purple cabbage and carrots - 1/2 cup
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Steamed fresh corn kernels - 1/2 cup
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Sunflower seeds - 1 tablespoon<br />
Sesame seeds - 1/4 cup<br />
Dill leaves, finely chopped - 1/4 cup<br />
Fresh Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 teaspoon
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Zaatar spice mix - 2 teaspoons + 1/2 teaspoon to sprinkle above
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Salt to taste (Zaatar is salty and so use salt sparingly)
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Saute the ginger garlic paste. Dry roast the sunflower and sesame seeds seperately. Mix all ingredients together.
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<strong><em>Method:</em></strong>
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In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar and the yeast in the 1/2 cup of warm milk. Keep aside forabout 5 minutes till the yeast mixture bubbles up. Put 2 3/4 cup of flour, salt, oil, and garlic paste in a large bowl. Then add the yeast mixture and the 3/4 cup of milk and knead till you have a soft, smooth and elastic/ pliabledough which is not sticky. Add a little extra flour (I used red rice flour for this)if your dough is sticking,but only just as much as is necessary. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a well-oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat itcompletely with oil. Cover and let it rise for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or untilalmost double in volume. Dust your work surface lightly with flour. Deflate the dough, shape it into a square and roll the dough out into a larger square that is about 12’ by 12”. Brush the surfaceof the square with oil. Evenly sprinkle the filling, topped with Zaatar. Use a rolling pin to very lightly press the topping into the dough to ensure the topping doesn’t fall off when you are stacking the strips.
Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough from top to bottom into 6 long and even strips – they do nothave to be perfect. Lay each strip on top of the next, with the topping facingupwards, until you have a stack of the strips You can put the 2 strips cut from the sides in the middle of the stack so it looks neater. Using a pastry scraper or a sharp knife, cut straight down through the stack dividingit into 6 equal pieces (6 square stacks). Grease and lightly flour a 9” by 4” (or 5”) loaf tin. Butter and lightly flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Layer the square slices, cut sides down into the loaf tin. Cover the loaf tin dough with a towel and allow the dough to rise for an hour. I topped this with a little of the filling mixture and some zaatar. Then, lightly brush some milk over the top of the loaf. Bake the dough at 180C (350F) for about 30 to 40 minutes until it is done and the top is goldenbrown. This recipe bakes one 9” by 5” loaf.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MvJy870XOKSeTQwt39-YEOigQIu0HB7T1MkGkoMxmPamwndazSBH5ugYP_qJk6KK-2cfjO343rNa1x0kLar-H18BmrgWH_mnp6C94GmDOz2U6B3XS_Dhg8QSnUUTrwQJ1Hc0PvNQjo-G/s1600/done2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MvJy870XOKSeTQwt39-YEOigQIu0HB7T1MkGkoMxmPamwndazSBH5ugYP_qJk6KK-2cfjO343rNa1x0kLar-H18BmrgWH_mnp6C94GmDOz2U6B3XS_Dhg8QSnUUTrwQJ1Hc0PvNQjo-G/s320/done2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-76272391377599935602012-02-06T07:08:00.000-08:002013-01-24T01:15:07.458-08:00Eggless whole wheat pound cake and Giveaway for a valid cause<em><strong>"We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give" - W.Churchill.</strong></em><br />
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Before we get on with the recipe of Whole wheat pound cake, I want to share something with you. My fellow food blogger, <strong>Siri</strong>, is on a remarkable, warm hearted mission. She has started a fund drive to benefit <em><strong>Vaidehi Ashram for Destitute Girls</strong></em>, Hyderabad. The ashram, at present, houses 108 girls (3 to 22 years) each of whom is either an orphan or has a single parent unable to take care of her. Do take the time to read on for every little act of kindness holds in it the potential to make someone’s life a little better.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5SYHP_wrzk7b8NvYoqnJo6SQthRSxpsr8q2vsFuT7A_M79oiGvyN_SQAjemDvKaGb5ym-ecAG_etA92uM-FPCH0q4rLwh-ZUX4LI1tR4XBXUPqbjWHOL3OntgGFdNKJq2rvEK-YPPj7O/s1600/06-01-mod.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706041398599653202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5SYHP_wrzk7b8NvYoqnJo6SQthRSxpsr8q2vsFuT7A_M79oiGvyN_SQAjemDvKaGb5ym-ecAG_etA92uM-FPCH0q4rLwh-ZUX4LI1tR4XBXUPqbjWHOL3OntgGFdNKJq2rvEK-YPPj7O/s400/06-01-mod.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 266px;" /></a><br /><br />Participating in the fund drive is fun too because it comes with 40 different sponsored raffle prizes. Contributing to the drive automatically entitles you to select from this list of wonderful goodies.<br /><br />I’ve sponsored a raffle prize in the form of a <em><strong>Sanjeev Kapoor cookery book set of 5</strong></em>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Js5x4tVdekH0OyG5CtIGssQ7A8Uo8H4-2DYl4eSskgc9yRplmOY1dEmrDosbcIBzHuLQXPzscYurIMI_edZT1ouDsIhg08D4AiSxVc9iUlxYH0uKFUcqWHbgFBbfuz3QHI0luU-CXBYN/s1600/eat+lite.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706042147545816370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Js5x4tVdekH0OyG5CtIGssQ7A8Uo8H4-2DYl4eSskgc9yRplmOY1dEmrDosbcIBzHuLQXPzscYurIMI_edZT1ouDsIhg08D4AiSxVc9iUlxYH0uKFUcqWHbgFBbfuz3QHI0luU-CXBYN/s400/eat+lite.jpg" style="display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 229px;" /></a><br /><br />So, are you willing to extend a helping hand? If yes, then here is how,<br /><br />1.Click on the <strong>'Chip in' </strong>button below.(It will take a few seconds to load.)<br /><br /><strong>1 Raffle Ticket = $10 or Rs.500</strong><br /><br /><embed allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="color_scheme=brown" height="250" src="http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/84c6a4f19b6657c2" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="250" wmode="transparent"></embed><br /><br />2.Contribute: Via Paypal or credit card. You can donate any amount. Each $10 (Rs.500) donation will get you one raffle ticket towards a raffle prize of your choice.<br /> <a href="http://www.cookingwithsiri.com/2012/01/list-of-raffle-prizes-for-fund-drive.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Click here to view the list of raffle prizes.</strong></em></a><br /><br />3. Once you have completed the donation process and you get the payment confirmation,please forward it to <a href="mailto:info.siri@gmail.com">info.siri@gmail.com</a>, clearly specifying which raffle prize(s) you are interested in. Within 24 hours, your name and contributed amount will be added to the <a href="http://www.cookingwithsiri.com/2012/01/fund-drive-for-vaidehi-ashram-of.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>'Fund Drive Supporters List'.</strong></em></a><br />
4. The fund drive ends on Feb 25th and a random drawing by the Ashram kids will determine the winners on 27th Feb 2012. You will be notified of the same on the said day.<br /><br />If you'd like to choose my raffle prize, remember the code, <strong>RF 9</strong>. I will be shipping it to anywhere in India, with postage paid. Even if you reside outside India, you can always opt to have your gift mailed to a shipping address of a friend/relative in India and collect it later.<br /><br />Please visit Siri's post on the Ashram so that you are doubly sure that you are indeed contributing to a valid cause.<a href="http://www.cookingwithsiri.com/2012/01/fund-drive-for-vaidehi-ashram-of.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Click here.</strong></em></a><br /><br />Thank you for your patient hearing and here is the scrumptious recipe for you...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLUK8a62A59jCyQKReST_kA7-0qpirwtt6lxYx4e27jtDBf9qz5HSCX2VeIQApnZU1j4FEuSjSfj_KbR-NyfQ971cHgtWeQJi2RIQOkXOwIN_PgWNl8UG8TBjKwWlmoKKYYdRTdW9Dt9a/s1600/419282_10150601922013724_645143723_8756558_1746131173_n.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708380519475221090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLUK8a62A59jCyQKReST_kA7-0qpirwtt6lxYx4e27jtDBf9qz5HSCX2VeIQApnZU1j4FEuSjSfj_KbR-NyfQ971cHgtWeQJi2RIQOkXOwIN_PgWNl8UG8TBjKwWlmoKKYYdRTdW9Dt9a/s400/419282_10150601922013724_645143723_8756558_1746131173_n.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />Whole wheat flour - 2 cups<br />Sweetened condensed milk - 1 tin (400 gms approx)<br />Soft brown sugar - 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup for crust<br />Ripe banana puree - 1 cup (3 medium bananas)<br />Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon for the crust (I use powder)<br />Unsalted butter - 200 gms<br />Baking powder - 1 teaspoon<br />Soda bi carbonate - 1/2 teaspoon<br />Almonds - 20 Nos<br /><br />Whisk the condensed milk and 1/2 cup brown sugar, in a mixer bowl or blender, till the sugar has completely dissolved and you get a smooth mixture. Addin the banana puree and the butter,at room tempreture, to the mixture and whisk everything together. Pour into a wide mixing bowl and add in the wheat flour, vanilla, baking powder, and soda bi carbonate.<br /><br /><em><strong>For the crumbly crust</strong></em><br /><br />Coarsely grind the almonds and brown sugar together in a mixer jar, along with 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.<br /><br />Preheat oven at 250° for 10 minutes. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. pour in the batter. Evenly sprinkle the almond - brown sugar crumble on top. Bake at 150° for 40 minutes. Insert a tooth pick or fork to check if done.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16lBOBRFDMSU9ZBDJoasD-n8sD_7NIUjXxbeO8a2iyLcNLAjO90kB7xSBQtLHueMWovzSt-NrHsSicfkh0jnmO7PwqBaMfJul8tUSRPpTYJCQx_sRzkmFJluoSu6lHVYDXfQo_WKotEqn/s1600/428372_10150601922303724_645143723_8756559_1402882954_n.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708381392058033234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16lBOBRFDMSU9ZBDJoasD-n8sD_7NIUjXxbeO8a2iyLcNLAjO90kB7xSBQtLHueMWovzSt-NrHsSicfkh0jnmO7PwqBaMfJul8tUSRPpTYJCQx_sRzkmFJluoSu6lHVYDXfQo_WKotEqn/s400/428372_10150601922303724_645143723_8756559_1402882954_n.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-14523909217956460222012-01-17T08:46:00.000-08:002012-01-17T09:35:03.205-08:00Sambhar Sadam - wholesome, one pot mealSambhar sadam, as it is called in Tamil Nadu, and the Bisi Bele Bhaath of Karnataka are close if not identical kins. At least, that's how I've felt. My paati (maternal grandmother) was a stupendous cook and her Sambhar Sadam was something to die for. My version of it is created from what I remember of her's with some minor tweaks to include the mild masala taste of the Karnataka version.I make this quite often but missed posting it here. Yesterday, my food blogger friend, <a href="http://kitchenflavours.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><em><strong>Lubna,</strong></em></a> started a discussion on favourite 'one pot meals' and I ended up promising to post my favourite one pot delight,sambhar sadam,recipe for her. So, here goes...<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtgFvhqOyq9AWmCHUDolzBPkRAvxtV-pNQMX7JTobE41DcUEaAwi4pOLIUAKt4myIi1w6krgTW_X6VoNRXTMxrEQbUybW6gAsmg84tYnPDkRkv2Ej7jZqdIPCW5fs5MoZGANrUDlFUDUM/s1600/cake+067.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 394px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698652208460504802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtgFvhqOyq9AWmCHUDolzBPkRAvxtV-pNQMX7JTobE41DcUEaAwi4pOLIUAKt4myIi1w6krgTW_X6VoNRXTMxrEQbUybW6gAsmg84tYnPDkRkv2Ej7jZqdIPCW5fs5MoZGANrUDlFUDUM/s400/cake+067.jpg" /></a><br />Raw rice - 1/2 cup<br />Toor dhal (sambhar parippu)- 1/2 cup<br />Small onions - 7-8 Nos<br />Assorted veggies - 1 cup (I used potato,carrot,and small violet brinjals)<br />Tomato - 1 medium<br />Garlic - 2 cloves<br />Ginger - 1/2 inch piece<br />Curry leaves - 3-4 sprigs<br />Coriander leaves/cilantro - a small bunch<br />Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon<br />Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons<br />Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon <br />Cinnamon - 1 inch stick<br />Cloves - 2 Nos<br />Cardamom - 2 Nos<br />Fennel (saunf) - 1/4 teaspoon<br />Asafoetida - a few pinches<br />Tamarind extract - 1 tablespoon (or 1 large lemon sized tamarind ball soaked in warm water and juice extracted)<br />Water - 3 1/2 cups<br />Salt to taste<br /><br />For tempering<br /><br />Peanuts (with skin) - a liberal handful<br />Curry leaves - 2 sprigs<br />Cumin (Jeera) - 1/2 teaspoon<br />Dry red chillies - 1-2 Nos<br />Cooking oil - 1 tablespoon ( I use gingelly/sesame oil)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxOOL43A_7Jygxfxsiag-iA_21qzu1pZ3iJK3NhPSiXaWHjzvDhQ-ica2b0CRQXSiA1ctSMxO8a5gIQTmoTFofyqFvwBRdaqPCR4saMLPb7XNLkdf_1cPTUG-sVxtOcTRnaDc1PVs2zGu/s1600/cake+058.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698652432520839186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxOOL43A_7Jygxfxsiag-iA_21qzu1pZ3iJK3NhPSiXaWHjzvDhQ-ica2b0CRQXSiA1ctSMxO8a5gIQTmoTFofyqFvwBRdaqPCR4saMLPb7XNLkdf_1cPTUG-sVxtOcTRnaDc1PVs2zGu/s400/cake+058.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Put all ingredients, apart from the tamarind extract, cilantro and salt, into a pressure cooker and cook for 6 whistles (two on high flame and three on low). Once the pressure settles, add the tamarind extract, chopped cilantro, and salt. Mix well and simmer for a couple of minutes. Heat a pan and add oil. Roast the peanuts till golden, remove and add to rice. Place the rest of the ingredients for tempering into the same oil and saute till jeera crackles. Add to rice. Serve piping hot with papadoms, bujia, om podi, or appalams.</p>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-19365910109431956882011-12-20T04:02:00.000-08:002011-12-20T04:36:01.652-08:00Prep your own candied dry fruits and nuts for a yummy fruit cake<div>How about making your own Christmas or New Year fruit cake this year? You think it is complicated? Not at all. You think it's too late to start ? No, again. Read on for an easy way to prepare your own dry fruit n nut mixture that tastes great even with a minimum 12 hour soaking period. What's more? Make a little extra and stow it away in the refridgerator for next year's baking.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFhTgbwX5QEur_BI4XbaShyIpBUcE4CFeSqUJ7v4Utv-xQ56pw0P8PAUnECF8jYFjGg9idwmhelqk-NHHRCi34D0E49wLSR39aZynQeAWi0yljCZATd2lOHf-Ei2NCV2KykKQi6Hz4ALQ/s1600/163722_494752618723_645143723_5742956_5710843_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 251px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688184221290297106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFhTgbwX5QEur_BI4XbaShyIpBUcE4CFeSqUJ7v4Utv-xQ56pw0P8PAUnECF8jYFjGg9idwmhelqk-NHHRCi34D0E49wLSR39aZynQeAWi0yljCZATd2lOHf-Ei2NCV2KykKQi6Hz4ALQ/s400/163722_494752618723_645143723_5742956_5710843_n.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Assorted chopped dry fruits and nuts - 3 cups (I used dates, apricots, golden raisins, jumbo raisins, walnuts, cashewnuts, prunes)<br />Orange peel - 1 medium sized orange's rind with the white pith scraped out (cut into small pieces)<br />Rum (use any spirit you have at hand) - 2 cups<br /><br />Put everything together in a skillet and toss on low flame till warm, and an aroma emanates. Close lid and let stand overnight. In the morning, place this in the fridge and let stand for another 10 hrs or so. Bring to room temperature before using in the cake.<br /><br />For an equally easy Fruit cake recipe with your candied fruits and nuts,<br /><a href="http://thefootloosechef.blogspot.com/2010/01/fruit-cake-happy-breakfast-and-very.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>click here.</strong></em></a></div>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-47720485513384810822011-11-28T10:12:00.000-08:002011-11-28T10:19:45.989-08:00Whole wheat banana, raisins, and Chocolate muffinsThis quick, wholesome muffin gets full points for nutrition and taste with minimal effort and time. Eat it for breakfast or pack it in your kiddos lunch box.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6U_6XmzuM5nslRaCuENAHEsi9vPyL3GyKIy3gW51a6de8sjcUSql1lWlZiQy3iIcimJ5n4vh652brJ2eczN0FXhhtlBO7S4w2u43OKvEkdQsiOErSYzC3Bz4X8J9lPW85x40wG75UdWGt/s1600/forupload1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6U_6XmzuM5nslRaCuENAHEsi9vPyL3GyKIy3gW51a6de8sjcUSql1lWlZiQy3iIcimJ5n4vh652brJ2eczN0FXhhtlBO7S4w2u43OKvEkdQsiOErSYzC3Bz4X8J9lPW85x40wG75UdWGt/s400/forupload1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680112655848371154" /></a><br /><a href="http://firstfeeds.blogspot.com/2011/11/whole-wheat-banana-raisins-and.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>The recipe can be found here.</strong></em></a>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-85684412547879577952011-11-22T01:15:00.000-08:002011-11-22T01:20:49.768-08:00Baby carrots flavoured with garlicA completely easy and nutritious dish that your family will love, especially your toddler, if you have one.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73TlCP2CVKOKcA5R8ybaxnaOVSQBH9DAJDgG-_PkraLxh6zGq3gtMZYVjnUMZXKjjhOjNLNNYKOmlma_oMMxmiONe0FuyBZoxFuGe-HuvDPChnxhL_ydgSAs_6GPSjKVzJUWERxPnqr-2/s1600/DSCN0060.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73TlCP2CVKOKcA5R8ybaxnaOVSQBH9DAJDgG-_PkraLxh6zGq3gtMZYVjnUMZXKjjhOjNLNNYKOmlma_oMMxmiONe0FuyBZoxFuGe-HuvDPChnxhL_ydgSAs_6GPSjKVzJUWERxPnqr-2/s400/DSCN0060.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677746787873115010" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://firstfeeds.blogspot.com/2011/11/baby-carrot-saute.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>The recipe can be found here.</strong></em></a>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-59792537872966076672011-01-27T02:55:00.000-08:002011-01-31T13:22:15.505-08:00Rainbow Salad Meal and Fresh Figs in Yoghurt dressing- RepostsThe delicious Rainbow salad which is a wholesome meal in itself.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1rnotu9eSDoqvR6MASTcmRsCM693dzvYYXH3qEJ8wt26vL20FDo9XSxni1bUA32VR5oRQ8Ew3O9Kffhw1L7bHPB_Ywj4blIHMBbC16deWoN1IjN6csRo9rN6tfW-CR8h7GWV4xocdgt8P/s1600/nicepic.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568461782328285186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1rnotu9eSDoqvR6MASTcmRsCM693dzvYYXH3qEJ8wt26vL20FDo9XSxni1bUA32VR5oRQ8Ew3O9Kffhw1L7bHPB_Ywj4blIHMBbC16deWoN1IjN6csRo9rN6tfW-CR8h7GWV4xocdgt8P/s400/nicepic.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://thefootloosechef.blogspot.com/2010/01/rainbow-salad-meal.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>The recipe can be found here.</strong></em></a><br /><br />A totally addictive salad made with fresh figs and yoghurt dressing.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBw2Arr1MvIXxfW6AkXsegQb6gYIX74hQm7N0JjiXE_736Ez6eTVdNSzUdH8qpbPEjPhcWowMFw5tyOtuOsivzgBVYCm2c7BOOe-eYs5hT2Iz7gH-4DUT4uF6d4JQd6-FmTw25NYLMuDx/s1600/figsedit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568462155245437634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 302px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBw2Arr1MvIXxfW6AkXsegQb6gYIX74hQm7N0JjiXE_736Ez6eTVdNSzUdH8qpbPEjPhcWowMFw5tyOtuOsivzgBVYCm2c7BOOe-eYs5hT2Iz7gH-4DUT4uF6d4JQd6-FmTw25NYLMuDx/s400/figsedit.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://thefootloosechef.blogspot.com/2008/09/fresh-figs-in-flavoured-yoghurt-salad.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>The recipe can be found here.</strong></em></a><br /><br />These two salads make their way to the <a href="http://thechefandherkitchen.blogspot.com/2010/12/hosting-my-first-event-only-salads.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Only Salads</strong></em></a> event on at <strong><em>The Chef and Her Kitchen</em></strong>. The 'Only' series of food events was started by <a href="http://cooking-goodfood.blogspot.com/2010/12/giveaways-and-host-for-januarys-only.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Foodelicious.</strong></em></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRF4ANtmEaJfe2PASioZvhQ9ueWm_lNAkKKnQG6hA-0MTwfF5quFCoIlVydh5ufiAvNgUfMxW8kN-oBmrLEJNnKhL1-BIRL53qmX7M6bXBNFy21ui19U8_gr6kQCy14ezOXtqgw6xoSkjO/s1600/only_salad.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568460541359617714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 142px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRF4ANtmEaJfe2PASioZvhQ9ueWm_lNAkKKnQG6hA-0MTwfF5quFCoIlVydh5ufiAvNgUfMxW8kN-oBmrLEJNnKhL1-BIRL53qmX7M6bXBNFy21ui19U8_gr6kQCy14ezOXtqgw6xoSkjO/s200/only_salad.jpg" border="0" /></a>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-7222186988257089652011-01-19T04:35:00.000-08:002011-01-19T05:15:55.467-08:00Peanut and chocolate cookies<div align="left">My college mate, Annu, lives a few kilometers away from us at Muscat. We had a small family get together at her place last weekend. I made a little batch of these yummy cookies for her. I made up the recipe with ingredients I had in hand. </div><div align="center"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0CzLDzgUcgErMz-0vi08qEemXVnKY3vb5ugTwxhZctpJAd_yhn1i7BlG8wHX_4WXOFC03cE65OTRukOhIRY62siRGQeQlxBGSAjCjE47p086objZdo8A8L9MkqlpsOLmq87WWPf2CBjI/s1600/DCBBD8E4-D7CC-44CD-905D-726CF4063AD4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563881159287605906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0CzLDzgUcgErMz-0vi08qEemXVnKY3vb5ugTwxhZctpJAd_yhn1i7BlG8wHX_4WXOFC03cE65OTRukOhIRY62siRGQeQlxBGSAjCjE47p086objZdo8A8L9MkqlpsOLmq87WWPf2CBjI/s400/DCBBD8E4-D7CC-44CD-905D-726CF4063AD4.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><br />Plain roasted peanuts - 1 cup<br />All purpose flour - 1 cup<br />Unsweetened cocoa powder - 2 dessertspoons<br />Egg - 1 large<br />Sugar - 3/4 cup<br />Butter - 1/2 cup (at room temperature)<br />Vanilla extract - 1/2 teaspoon (I use powder)<br />Cooking (baking) soda - 1/2 teaspoon<br /></p><p align="left"><br />Powder the peanuts into meal using the chutney jar of your mixie or a coffee grinder. Pour the egg and butter into a blender jar and whisk till frothy. Add the sugar and cocoa. Blend again. Add the baking soda and whisk once more. Add in the vanilla. Pour out into a vessal and add in the peanut meal and flour. Incorporate well. If the batter is too thick add a little warm water.<br /><br />Preheat an oven to 200°. Line a baking tray with aluminium foil or parchment. Pour out the batter by the spoonful with enough spacing (this one expands quite a bit). Bake at 150° for 18 minutes.<br /><br />PS: The cookie is quite soft when hot and hardenes to crumbly perfection when cool. Hence, watch out for the colour and the lovely aroma as baking indicators and not texture. </p><p align="left">The crumbly peanut and chocolate cookie recipe goes to the<a href="http://spicingyourlife.blogspot.com/2010/12/announcing-kids-delight-chocolate-feast.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Kid's Delight - Chocolate Feast </strong></em></a>event on at Srivalli's Spicing Your Life.</p><p align="left"> </p>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-72585908499510515762011-01-10T06:07:00.000-08:002011-01-11T03:20:57.123-08:00Simple Oats upma with roasted peanuts<div align="left">This is our favourite oats upma recipe mainly because of the liberal douse of peanuts in it. This is also one of the most easiest of breakfast options; of course, apart from opening a readymade pack of cereal!</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="center"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEO6njlj0CtfqUOo-00EE9WxN8jBVBxeQC03Nb1niNnv5Rx11mDM0akuqbLKnpPXE7at2vi_6WUc1TfJqJjAM4-_srQibch9EPCxLNg63LURDkYW-hohM_8PM60xfMhzapo8svX96xEuF/s1600/one.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560886045187519826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 225px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEO6njlj0CtfqUOo-00EE9WxN8jBVBxeQC03Nb1niNnv5Rx11mDM0akuqbLKnpPXE7at2vi_6WUc1TfJqJjAM4-_srQibch9EPCxLNg63LURDkYW-hohM_8PM60xfMhzapo8svX96xEuF/s400/one.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><br /><br />Rolled oats or Jumbo oats - 1 cup<br />Quick cooking oats - 1/2 cup<br />Plain roasted and deskinned peanuts - 1 cup<br />Ginger - 1" piece (chopped fine)<br />Green chillies - 2-3 Nos<br />Grated coconut - 1/4 cup<br />Onion - 1 medium sized (chopped fine)<br />Curry leaves - a few sprigs<br />Oil - 1 teaspoon<br /></p><p align="left">Heat a skillet and then pour in the oil and add onions, ginger, chillies, and curry leaves. Saute well. Add the jumbo oats, sprinkle some water and simmer covered for a minute. Open lid and keep stirring sprinkling water in between till the oats is cooked ( a few minutes are adequate). Add the grated coconut, salt, and the quick cooking oats. Sprinkle some more water and cook covered for a couple of minutes, stirring once in a while. Finally add the roasted peanuts and serve hot.<br /><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaK0ONu5JxhMLOCAJbsUQPoIagdy6LIhy1E87C-ZdR8Hyg7GHW2qKT23R_XNEN3xulpbpF-nDhkL_XDeONJmP2D8h4RvgoRAz7AKgOzlXg9lp7lNxtrzoeCO_EqE8-sKbm2EF6Nn18Xvy/s1600/with+fork.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560886210452074114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 225px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaK0ONu5JxhMLOCAJbsUQPoIagdy6LIhy1E87C-ZdR8Hyg7GHW2qKT23R_XNEN3xulpbpF-nDhkL_XDeONJmP2D8h4RvgoRAz7AKgOzlXg9lp7lNxtrzoeCO_EqE8-sKbm2EF6Nn18Xvy/s400/with+fork.JPG" border="0" /></a>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-59981498790457320432011-01-01T03:19:00.000-08:002011-01-01T07:33:41.202-08:00Chocolate, beets, and carrot muffins and a very happy 2011 to you!<div align="left"><strong>Happy New Year 2011</strong> to all my readers and friends! My New year fruit cake is still half done, so, for now ,here is a quick and healthy muffin I baked over X'mas for my little girl. My husband, who initially winced at the sight of veggies going into a chocolate muffin, later commented , " It's just not possible to figure out this one has beets and carrots in it. Really nice!". Little Abhi, as usual, enjoyed her mother's rare baking attempt. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrt5XbXrowonMgS6rZv9SSa11fCFIIMN_LKD8SIUZ8TOGfKUJhsKh3jfdQVCi3G_iozL3HhJ24zEl7_EuYsHhGVG_wdFJ_TreKavu3MQmE6dQgfKxVwXJn4WMDpUf3MS7pVpOelwdTceCd/s1600/carrot-beet+muffin1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557239947807450114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 225px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrt5XbXrowonMgS6rZv9SSa11fCFIIMN_LKD8SIUZ8TOGfKUJhsKh3jfdQVCi3G_iozL3HhJ24zEl7_EuYsHhGVG_wdFJ_TreKavu3MQmE6dQgfKxVwXJn4WMDpUf3MS7pVpOelwdTceCd/s400/carrot-beet+muffin1.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><br />All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 cup<br />Whole wheat flour - 1 cup<br />Baking powder - 1 teaspoon (5gms)<br />Egg - 1 large<br />Olive oil - 1/2 cup<br />Jaggery syrup - 1/2 cup<br />Pure Date syrup - 1/2 cup<br />(If you do not have jaggery or date syrup at hand then use packed brown sugar or even plain white sugar instead)<br />Beetroot - 1 small (grated very fine)<br />Carrot - 1 small (grated very fine)<br />Dates - a few (deseeded and chopped)<br />Dark unsweetened or semi sweetened chocolate chips - a liberal handful<br />Vanilla essence or powder - a few drops or pinches ( I used powder because I could not find propylene free essence)<br /><br /></p><p align="left"><br />Whisk the egg till it froths ( I use a braun electric handheld blender with whisking attachement). Add the olive oil and syrups, blend well. Sieve the flours and baking powder to ensure even blending. Add all ingredients, except chocolate chips, together and mix well. If you find the batter dry add a little buttermilk or milk at room temperature. Finally mix in teh choco chips.<br /><br />Preheat oven at 200. Line the muffin tray with cases and pour in to fill 3/4th. Baking time might vary with the oven. I have a very basic OTG and baked my muffins at 150 for 25 minutes. Insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean your muffins are done. </p><p align="center"><br /><br /><strong>Here's a picture of how this looks inside.</strong><br /><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZXPAWnvNcXVrfsDSTwOZfFFyreK178z-aNpTW4a-9bmujmcgcRdYfB_PrJKWX45bLlO43wswc_ZhBCtAIUz-3WsMpdLFlc6ESz1hK4A7-B7NHx3WnDAJ9qWz16hzolpNgOXcLKaYA1cA/s1600/half+eaten+muffin.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557240210105591298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 225px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZXPAWnvNcXVrfsDSTwOZfFFyreK178z-aNpTW4a-9bmujmcgcRdYfB_PrJKWX45bLlO43wswc_ZhBCtAIUz-3WsMpdLFlc6ESz1hK4A7-B7NHx3WnDAJ9qWz16hzolpNgOXcLKaYA1cA/s400/half+eaten+muffin.JPG" border="0" /></a>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-30111663407737379762010-11-09T21:58:00.000-08:002010-11-09T22:29:52.652-08:00Pavakka Mezhukkuvaratti (Bittergourd stir fry)<div align="left">This quick recipe is a family favourite. A lot of people I've served this to, who generally aren't bittergourd lovers or prefer only the deep fried version, seem to like this version of pavakka mezhukkuvaratti (bitter gourd stir fry). To the recipe then, without much ado: </div><div align="center"><br /><br />Pavakka (bitter gourd) - 2 medium sized ( I prefer the dark green ones)<br />Onion - 1 medium sized<br />Green chillies - 5-6 Nos (as per your spice tolerance)<br />Ginger - 2 " piece (julienned)<br />Coconut oil - 3 teaspoons<br />Salt to taste<br />Sliced fresh coconut pieces (optional) </div><div align="left"><br /><br />Soak the bittergourds in water with a teaspoon of salt or vinegar thrown in for atleast 10 minutes. This is to dislodge the dirt, the pesticide residue etc that can hide in between the grooves. Then wash thoroughly under running water.<br /><br />Slit the bittergourds vertically. If the seeds are tender enough let them be or else dislodge them. Now, slice into thin semi circles. Slice the onions thin and slit the chillies. Add all ingredients (including salt and oil) together in a bowl and using your fingers rub everything together till well mixed. Cover and let marinade for 1/2 hour to 1 hour.<br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqfZANZvcMXsopipOBRp8PiawOH94UcgSd2sWExpHfYHKqPT7P7AR0P5bqPzLD9Sc1qZLCehIUjLgQhnUYb4nSTo4xIcY1g-topT06w5aR9F4icRciPmX8NEwxW7rlYFVpUKcOuAfMAlh/s1600/DSC01957.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537800661315765410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqfZANZvcMXsopipOBRp8PiawOH94UcgSd2sWExpHfYHKqPT7P7AR0P5bqPzLD9Sc1qZLCehIUjLgQhnUYb4nSTo4xIcY1g-topT06w5aR9F4icRciPmX8NEwxW7rlYFVpUKcOuAfMAlh/s400/DSC01957.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Warm a skillet and spread the mixture in. Cover and cook for a couple of minutes on very low flame. Open lid and stir. Allow to simmer cook tossing once in a while till the bittergourd is well done.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOboXGz-FFm5qlQxMmW417zCKA6JAbpbFp3KaoujUC3RP1zO8TykV2YHYCHEluaFy6I0hglt_pUTUJHXHL1clABE2WWmDoiQ-oSyVBUU9Sq1SqgxyoMMxE5UK3NlLT6A6PF1holR0tOEm/s1600/untitled.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537800897295389970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 343px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOboXGz-FFm5qlQxMmW417zCKA6JAbpbFp3KaoujUC3RP1zO8TykV2YHYCHEluaFy6I0hglt_pUTUJHXHL1clABE2WWmDoiQ-oSyVBUU9Sq1SqgxyoMMxE5UK3NlLT6A6PF1holR0tOEm/s400/untitled.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Serve as aside to plain rice and south indian curry of choice.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgteQzs1MsicxYfvyWWUt5ImbjO5a2G1GkSW42PjWxY5DJ5szEkZ1ozzYnei-dPB3oUVuQJRXuW7kGqYcNBKN9-Nik60Qi4cYeknGN61-QGz4K0jG9QR5pYY7hbKIaGnSBimFyHuMhQ9OaP/s1600/Vegetable_Marathon_-_Bitter_Gourd_-_Event_Logo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgteQzs1MsicxYfvyWWUt5ImbjO5a2G1GkSW42PjWxY5DJ5szEkZ1ozzYnei-dPB3oUVuQJRXuW7kGqYcNBKN9-Nik60Qi4cYeknGN61-QGz4K0jG9QR5pYY7hbKIaGnSBimFyHuMhQ9OaP/s200/Vegetable_Marathon_-_Bitter_Gourd_-_Event_Logo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537804012740533714" /></a><br /><br /><br />This platter of pavakka mezhukkuvaratti is going to participate at the <em><strong>Vegetable Marathon - Bittergourd </strong></em>event at <a href="http://www.nithubala.com/2010/10/event-announcement-vegetable-marathon.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Nithu's Kitchen</strong></em></a>. The event is part of the <em><strong>Vegetable Marathon </strong></em>series launched by <a href="http://konasaniskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/02/vegetable-marathonevent-announcement.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Anita's Kitchen</strong></em></a><br /><em></em>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-49290569291431550782010-11-08T04:27:00.000-08:002010-11-09T22:56:00.055-08:00Pori-badam urundai (puffed rice and almond laddus)<div align="left">Deepavali treats need not necessarily make you guilty of high calorie/fat laden indulgence. With a little bit effort and imagination you can make goodies<br />that are absolutely delicious and yet healthy. If you do not believe me, try these yummy laddus made all out of healthy ingredients. A lot of you might be familiar with puffed rice laddus (pori urundai), I've just given this a little variation plus thrown in a couple of extra ingredients. </div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYe47AQtjOxXq3yisnqr-YN81KTyqTS88PyhACrtv-rXNRaLcKQ2eA5T-El4P4xFS4FnwvnhcpWkkqX7zkL7F32nKbftBEglTBtnSChUfayybKowRNKtHQCNivy4dEkKOvikKYomKSYbc0/s1600/gud+paruppurundai-edited.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537169231167054802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 279px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYe47AQtjOxXq3yisnqr-YN81KTyqTS88PyhACrtv-rXNRaLcKQ2eA5T-El4P4xFS4FnwvnhcpWkkqX7zkL7F32nKbftBEglTBtnSChUfayybKowRNKtHQCNivy4dEkKOvikKYomKSYbc0/s400/gud+paruppurundai-edited.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><br /><br />Puffed rice (pori/murmure) - 2 cups<br />Raw almonds - 3/4 cup (ground to meal)<br />Jaggery (sharkkara) syrup - 1 cup<br />Cardamom - 4-5 Nos<br />White sesame seeds - 1/4 cup<br />Saffron strands - 3 or 4 (optional)<br />Medicinal (raw) camphor (pachai karpooram) - two pinches (optional) </p><p align="center"> </p><p align="left">Powder the almonds in a coffee grinder/chutney jar of your mixie/food processor). Pour the jaggery syrup into a thick bottomed skillet and add the rest of the ingredients one by one. Keep stirring. You will find that the puffed rice absorbs the syrup and will reduce in size. Stir on low flame till everything is well incorporated and reaches a coarse halwa/jam like consistency. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes.<br />Pull out small sections and shape into small lemon sized balls. Grease your palms with a little odourless cooking oil like rice bran/canola/sunflower or use ghee (clarified butter) instead.<br /><br />Refridgerate and these keep well for a week.<br /><br />PS:<br /><br /><strong><em>To make Jaggery syrup</em></strong> - In a seperate vessel boil about 150 ml water and dissolve an equal quantity of jaggery. Filter to remove scum. Pour this into a thick bottomed skillet and simmer till it reaches a thick,syrupy texture.</p><br /><br />Sending these to the <em><strong>Diwali Sweets & Snacks </strong></em>event at <a href="http://homecookreceipes.blogspot.com/2010/10/inviting-you-all-for-diwali-sweets-and.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Home Cook's Recipes</strong></em></a>.Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-44023004199651210472010-10-30T12:17:00.000-07:002010-11-09T23:02:07.626-08:00Quick coconut laddu with condensed milk - repost for eventThis was the Deepavali fare I made last year. Reposting it for the <em><strong>Diwali Sweets & Snacks </strong></em>event at <a href="http://homecookreceipes.blogspot.com/2010/10/inviting-you-all-for-diwali-sweets-and.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Home Cook's Recipes</strong></em></a>.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3evytrryuOFoE6MgiX2QPjzlAUiHN0scK48h2cbvW0b9XMMoL5F13hJlgCivUqh_tK-ekHQfhfEiP7HKWnX5wMT2vcJBcy2uHd61WWaP1-b4pf3yithDef4ar_Mj30aIiHLmfXmLuq_C/s1600/ladoo+full+view.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3evytrryuOFoE6MgiX2QPjzlAUiHN0scK48h2cbvW0b9XMMoL5F13hJlgCivUqh_tK-ekHQfhfEiP7HKWnX5wMT2vcJBcy2uHd61WWaP1-b4pf3yithDef4ar_Mj30aIiHLmfXmLuq_C/s400/ladoo+full+view.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533922377288216098" /></a><br />Click <a href="http://thefootloosechef.blogspot.com/2009/10/quick-coconut-laddu-and-rava-kesari-for.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Here </strong></em></a>for the recipe.Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-35618060355978387032010-10-24T14:56:00.000-07:002012-05-23T04:06:26.715-07:00Eggless apple and dates bran muffins<div align="left">It's been a long time since my last post. I hope my readers will accept my apologies and also my promise to be much more regular henceforth!</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">During a train trip from Chennai where I worked, several years ago, to my hometown in Kerala, I met a young couple travelling along with their toddler.I reach my destination by about 8 Am and hence avoid breakfast on the train. This couple, however, were going further and hence picked up breakfast when they reached the Ernakulam station.Once their breakfast ritual was done with the mother pounced upon the just awakened toddler with a pack of commercial potato fries. The toddler was obviously in no mood for the chips but the mother pleaded, cajoled, coaxed, and even threatened till she finished half the packet. The dad pitched in with his, "baby, you should eat breakfast". I was aghast to say the least! But once I started taking notice, I found that this was not a one off case. There are many people who regularly buy bakery goodies for their kids to eat after school; start them on a batter fried chicken, fizzy drink, chips, and instant noodle routine when very young. Started this way no wonder they bloom into coke guzzling-junk gobbling obesity ridden teenage years and then into young adults who have already succumbed to some or all of the degenerative diseases. </div><div align="left"><br />This in mind, I try and avoid picking up commercial snacks and edible goodies, as far as possible, where my little girl is concerned. Her only allowed indulgences, till date, are transfat free biscuit brands and chocolates in moderation. Once she gets to the school going- peer influencable age my influence on her is bound to decrease. Hence, why not atleast put some effort into giving her a healthy start. </div><div align="left">This wholesome muffin, with loads of goodness in it, is a little different from your regular muffin in that it has more texture. I also found that it tasted much better the next day. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqfQ7X3kIVUQYUKcHiuwnNp1XVvJTpO88xh6f5I4mwapFdHzbLHPBLbAyXUieJwn_51c06p1DsdE7-0MIIfltxcnhN-XIKlo5-CXtc8zoF55HLrtkmfAuOLLR0_COlXAPRTr-2jj9PPc/s1600/try.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531734009903963458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 273px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqfQ7X3kIVUQYUKcHiuwnNp1XVvJTpO88xh6f5I4mwapFdHzbLHPBLbAyXUieJwn_51c06p1DsdE7-0MIIfltxcnhN-XIKlo5-CXtc8zoF55HLrtkmfAuOLLR0_COlXAPRTr-2jj9PPc/s400/try.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><br /><br />wheat bran - 1 1/2 cups<br />whole wheat flour - 1 cup<br />low-fat buttermilk -1 cup<br />flaxseed - 1 dessert spoon (finely ground)<br />packed brown sugar - 1/4 cup<br />baking powder - 1 teaspoon<br />date syrup - 1 dessertspoon<br />dates - about 10 Nos (pitted, and chopped)<br />apple - 1 Nos (deseeded, grated peel and all)<br />extra virgin olive oil - 1 dessertspoon<br /></p><p align="left"><br />Soak the bran and flaxseed in the buttermilk for a few minutes. Incorporate the baking powder with the wheat flour. Add everything together and mix to form a sticky batter. If required, add in a little warm water. Pour into greased cup cake moulds and bake in preheated oven at 200° C for about 20 minutes. Insert a tooth pick to check if it comes clean. If required, bake at 180° for another 4-5 minutes.<br /><br />PS: The chopped dates and date syrup will make these appear a little sticky in places. Hence cool well, preferably overnight, before eating.</p><br /><br /><a title="Wheat Bran on Foodista" href="http://www.foodista.com/food/2FD8JQT5/wheat-bran" style="display: block; padding: 5px; border: 5px solid #C44F50; -moz-border-radius: 2px; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; background-color: #fff; width: 100px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0;"><img alt="Wheat Bran on Foodista" src="http://cf.foodista.com/static/images/widget_logo_md.png" style="border: none; width: 84px; height: 18px; padding: 0; margin: 0;" /><img src="http://dyn.foodista.com/content/embed/z1.png?foodista_widget_2FD8JQT5_M36HNM4H" style="display: none;" /></a>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-17593923369646487812010-08-09T05:40:00.000-07:002010-10-25T06:32:27.833-07:00Brown bread rolls and Paneer tikka kaati roll repostBeen away for quite sometime now. Internet connectivity problems have been bugging us for over a month now. Planning to switch to a wireless connection as soon as we get back from the month long trip to India.<br />Irratic connectivity is my reason for not appearing on fellow blogger's sites too. Hope my friends will excuse the lapse. Being away for a while has made me lazier, but just had to do this post because I had agreed to <strong>Pari </strong>of <strong><em>Foodelicious</em></strong> that I would participate in the food event on at her blog. The last time I promised and could not keep it due to certain reasons and then I had told her I'd definitely participate in the next event she hosts. So, here you are <strong>Pari</strong>. For you...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrj_WS7eulFT_qCwQhvp9XgoIT75pO7d1PCQhZbIJzMXZU_l0Z6xJoUytWmmn34V2EGHj7as_jaF2JUMiQ9u2ey_7yuke4xsYxjzYL9SDDbJXVILjFUmgsQ7glkMLFlOuG5cjuu67Hpfjp/s1600/better.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503395371302806514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 312px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrj_WS7eulFT_qCwQhvp9XgoIT75pO7d1PCQhZbIJzMXZU_l0Z6xJoUytWmmn34V2EGHj7as_jaF2JUMiQ9u2ey_7yuke4xsYxjzYL9SDDbJXVILjFUmgsQ7glkMLFlOuG5cjuu67Hpfjp/s400/better.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong><em>For the filling<br /></em></strong><br />Button mushrooms - 10 Nos<br />Carrot - 1 medium sized<br />Chicken sausages (frankfurters/frankies/franks) - 4 Nos (vegetarians use paneer)<br />Onion - 1<br />Green chillies - 1-2 Nos<br />Garlic - 3 cloves<br />Ginger - 1" piece<br />Hot sauce - 1 teaspoon<br />Chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon (optional)<br />Salt to taste<br /><br />Thinly slice the mushrooms. Julienne the carrot and dice the onions and garlic. Mince the ginger and slit the green chillies. Warm a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet and toss in the onion, garlic, and ginger. saute for a minute and then add the rest of the veggies. Boil 2 cups of water and dunk the sausages in. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, drain and slice into thin roundels. Add to veggies along with hot sauce. Saute for a couple of minutes and allow to cool.<br /><br /><strong><em>Assembling the bread rolls</em></strong><br /><br />Brown bread (wheat bread) - 8 slices<br />Trim the edges of the bread. Place each slice on a wooden chopping board. Slightly wet with water and use a rolling pin to flatten out the bread slice.Place a little filling in the middle and join the two edges to form a roll. Since I used brown bread with added bran , the edges wouldn't stick easily and so I had to place it within my palm and gently apply a little pressure to make it hold.<br />Preheat oven. Line a baking tray with aluminium foil or baking parchment and line up the rolls. Bake at 200 for 10 minutes. Serve the extra filling on the side.<br /><br /><br />This is off to Foodelicious' <a href="http://cooking-goodfood.blogspot.com/2010/07/teddie-pasta-and-veggies-in-tomatoey.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>'Only' Kids Delight </strong></em></a><br />event<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbk6K3ZRBj4chwx5pR2foXGbM6DIUFbZYFZpkQVO9Xc-w6KjSMl0z61ThZKNKNUldJhtdqOochg1GQegKRQI_qcGWbWFIE8Ps_gbDMWaUhbkkSget2maHG97rtNwxgSMF898WYKSd7yIN/s1600/image_thumb.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503394923576942274" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 189px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbk6K3ZRBj4chwx5pR2foXGbM6DIUFbZYFZpkQVO9Xc-w6KjSMl0z61ThZKNKNUldJhtdqOochg1GQegKRQI_qcGWbWFIE8Ps_gbDMWaUhbkkSget2maHG97rtNwxgSMF898WYKSd7yIN/s200/image_thumb.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Also reviving an archived <strong>Paneer Tikka Kaati</strong> Roll post for the same event. The recipe can be found <a href="http://thefootloosechef.blogspot.com/2009/01/paneer-tikka-kaatti-rolls.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Here</strong></em></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWnqEsx-L3vPNNEEoFZ-eaphAtPBBFVj_5HWDqDSIwvViqJMp7gLYLsNNAzVenkVd5ShsrWTX4wdxm8RMcjv5panvFdOz9yyIB7hPTJfMOWRHgIKVwzRhsOWzdvwnkHf-qzc2kSXo_9zY/s1600/katti+roll+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503395645784829778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWnqEsx-L3vPNNEEoFZ-eaphAtPBBFVj_5HWDqDSIwvViqJMp7gLYLsNNAzVenkVd5ShsrWTX4wdxm8RMcjv5panvFdOz9yyIB7hPTJfMOWRHgIKVwzRhsOWzdvwnkHf-qzc2kSXo_9zY/s400/katti+roll+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Also sending this over to Sreevalli's <a href="http://spicingyourlife.blogspot.com/2010/09/announcing-kids-delight-finger-food.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Kids Delight -Finger Food </strong></em></a><br />event at <em><strong>Spice Your Life</strong></em>. She has been good enough to allow in my really late entry. <em><strong>Thank you, Sreevalli</strong></em>.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0u_hlVudqiQ3QgKzLZf_p53P6lXQt7vZHyi2oEPHiqp5W7vMdgSGgu_KSDJ1ahBKPzFyvYMDo6eT142Zm08b4P7oKE57LY09Q1jmWQREEEA1MNbgjiIABsWDazU6y7ELJKwtCMeaLEtc/s1600/Kids_Delight1.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 163px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0u_hlVudqiQ3QgKzLZf_p53P6lXQt7vZHyi2oEPHiqp5W7vMdgSGgu_KSDJ1ahBKPzFyvYMDo6eT142Zm08b4P7oKE57LY09Q1jmWQREEEA1MNbgjiIABsWDazU6y7ELJKwtCMeaLEtc/s200/Kids_Delight1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531973905846759058" /></a>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-72137613188448463382010-06-27T08:24:00.000-07:002010-06-27T11:19:22.924-07:00Ulli-mulaku chammanthi (pearl onions and dry red chillies dip)<div align="left"><br />This chutney has been lying in my draft for months together now. Thanks to fellow food blogger, Priya, for hosting an event with onions as theme and thereby giving me reason to resurrect this post.<br /><br />Ulli-mulaku chammanthi (pearl onions - dry red chillies dip) is a regular feature in the traditional Keralite household. Often paired with steamed cassava roots (tapioca/kappa/kuchikizhangu), this also goes well with south indian tiffin items like idlis and dosas. </div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ROqbuPEPteCvf4881yp4aoDKBLJVXbG72r_ZxbHFNeFL07IO2OccXVFhhyphenhyphenpsrD6RQiJ3jDrU9kxvPYSsqZW34zJg4UlBl3abHI4TBPmdsDC42nEO2UZ_ZgabCl6SmMj0JsyVAmu3w8fH/s1600/DSC06459.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487475617615405570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ROqbuPEPteCvf4881yp4aoDKBLJVXbG72r_ZxbHFNeFL07IO2OccXVFhhyphenhyphenpsrD6RQiJ3jDrU9kxvPYSsqZW34zJg4UlBl3abHI4TBPmdsDC42nEO2UZ_ZgabCl6SmMj0JsyVAmu3w8fH/s400/DSC06459.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><br /><br />Small onions (shallots/pearl onions/cheriya ulli) - 10 to 15 Nos<br />Long dry red chillies (unakka mulaku/vara mulaka) - 10 Nos<br />Coconut oil - 1 teaspoon<br />Salt to taste<br /><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gWV58Aoe5CCuJk8eiAZ4rwvZq42FWDdN_38ZCkwKkyOS0Sg62p99Z4clT1pliV1jtko5pNVOVa4h1xbwyS1QTsZI0b5bAsgZ2X3io5YpUv2g5z0jsXGs59v3GWTGs27P8qRSoIchgpNr/s1600/DSC06462.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487476459311381458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gWV58Aoe5CCuJk8eiAZ4rwvZq42FWDdN_38ZCkwKkyOS0Sg62p99Z4clT1pliV1jtko5pNVOVa4h1xbwyS1QTsZI0b5bAsgZ2X3io5YpUv2g5z0jsXGs59v3GWTGs27P8qRSoIchgpNr/s400/DSC06462.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Peel and rinse onions. In a skillet throw all ingredients together except for salt and saute till onions turn translucent. Cool and grind to paste. The texture can be smooth or left coarse. Both taste equally great. Add salt to taste. Drizzle a few drops of coconut oil before serving.<br /><br />This dip is off to the <strong><em>Healing Food - Onion</em></strong> event on at <a href="http://priyaeasyntastyrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/06/announcing-healing-foods-onions.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Priya's Easy N Tasty recipes</strong></em></a>. The Healing food event series is created by <a href="http://siri-corner.blogspot.com/p/healing-foods-event-page.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Siri's corner </strong></em></a>.<br /><em></em>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4427886554450543481.post-15771063707509429522010-06-25T13:45:00.000-07:002010-06-25T14:00:52.240-07:00Spicy Brown Bread - repost for event<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5YRJ-svyx0biu0U5VcO1YO6u8MNhwBMCMm-yL-DDXrz3wUKIRAZjAE0cHWuUCOtT2bC81kyhJ5j8Je3ULSNBHk4RDYFmV4G1xxNvufOrcfySRVHb7g9SMFZbzIQcg7o-GgDnqOBUwGiL/s1600/sideview.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486817426975482674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5YRJ-svyx0biu0U5VcO1YO6u8MNhwBMCMm-yL-DDXrz3wUKIRAZjAE0cHWuUCOtT2bC81kyhJ5j8Je3ULSNBHk4RDYFmV4G1xxNvufOrcfySRVHb7g9SMFZbzIQcg7o-GgDnqOBUwGiL/s400/sideview.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Reviving an archived bread post for Aathidhyam's <a href="http://www.athidhyam.com/2010/05/event-bread-mania.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Bread mania event </strong></em></a></div><br />The recipe can be found <a href="http://thefootloosechef.blogspot.com/2009/02/spicy-brown-bread-novice-attempt.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>Here</strong></em></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaLRCVhruf6jJAzvLaZ40BqfHI2JgjXhtsbJUsD05natToDlmwukTkTwjGPTKk3XpiVcIw19E6Mo3ieD9KpzQdOgp33ZjExE87WzJ5OgFBzIpBpeS0QFqrIPyfwWXJbIxA6UcU12vVbiaN/s1600/Copy_of_bread.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 172px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaLRCVhruf6jJAzvLaZ40BqfHI2JgjXhtsbJUsD05natToDlmwukTkTwjGPTKk3XpiVcIw19E6Mo3ieD9KpzQdOgp33ZjExE87WzJ5OgFBzIpBpeS0QFqrIPyfwWXJbIxA6UcU12vVbiaN/s200/Copy_of_bread.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486817723241934482" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Dershanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259341500234891262noreply@blogger.com7