Petunia ~ Fondant Cake

Cakes That I Bake ~ My Petunia Fondant Cake.

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Save the Earth !

Earth Day Observance !

"It takes a strong man to save himself, and a great man to save another."
-Red from the movie Shawshank Redemption.

We must all have noticed that temperatures are getting warmer, year by year and so is the pollution, the size of the cars and their gas consumption, the amount of electrical appliances we use in everyday life and the cans, bottles and paper. Aren't we using all the earth's resources ? What are we giving it back ? Give it a thought.

In every part of the world, both land and water, in melting glaciers and disappearing snow, heat waves and droughts, hurricanes and earthquakes and Tsunamis - the world is witnessing tremendous and undeniable evidence that the nature's cycles are changing.

'An Inconvenient Truth' - By Al Gore is a book I bought and found interesting. He writes about Global Warming and steps we can do about it. Wonderful Book ! He says " Inconvenient truths do not go away just because they are not seen. Indeed, when they are not responded to, their significance doesn't diminish; it grows ! " You can get this book from amazon.com for just $5.

Please take a step, this day being, Earth day, with me, by taking simple steps towards saving our home !

Interesting read :

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1590/is_13_57/ai_73537934

http://www.justgive.org/html/guide/50waysenvironment.html

http://www.p2pays.org/ref/15/14300.pdf

Picture courtesy: Spacetoday.

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Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is usually our weekend snack. This dish is quite nutritious as it has got many vegetables in it. I remember my college days, when we used to snack chaat items from the nearby chaat-wala. Pav-bhaji is one of my favorite chaat item followed by Ragda patties, Sev puri, Ragda samosa.....well, I can keep going on. I guess the list constitutes all the chaat-menu items. Not to mention I'm already craving to have them while mentioning them.


Bombay being my 'Sasuraal', I've always wished to go out and try chaat from the chaat-vendor. But, unfortunately I never got a chance until now. I should try it next time I visit Bombay. My husband keeps me telling about his chaat ventures and makes me feel jealous. Hmmm...Too bad. My Mom-in-law is a great pav-bhaji maker. Whenever she or we visit each other, she make delicious Pav-bhaji in minutes, and very often. Almost every week. She is an expert. And another item I love and she spoils me with is Gajar-Halwa. Lovely !


Well, here is the recipe of how me and my MIL makes Pav-Bhaji.

Ingredients:

1 cup - Peeled and diced pototoes
1/2 cup of each - diced carrots, chopped cauliflower, peas, diced bell pepper, chopped beans, chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup - Coriander leaves
1 - Large onion
2 - Green Chillies
3 tsps - Pav- Bhaji Masala ( I like Everest)
2 tsps - Red chilli powder
3 tbsps - Lemon juice
1/2 tsp - Ginger-Garlic paste (optional)
2 tsps - Salt or to taste
1 tsp - Turmeric
1 tbsp - Butter
2 tbsp - Oil

For Garnish : Lemon wedges, coriander leaves, finely chopped onion (save these garnish items from the above listed ingredients

8 - Pav bread (Buns)
1 tbsp - Butter


Method:


Pressure cook all the veggies, carrots, peas, cauliflower, potatoes and beans with very little water. If there is water remaining in the veggies after draining, save it. This is vegetable stock, very nutritious.


Chop onion finely. Cut green chillies. In a pan, on medium heat, add oil. When hot, add chopped onion. Fry till the onion turns transparent. Add ginger-garlic paste now. I usually make without ginger-garlic paste, it's optional. Add green chillies and saute.


Add tomatoes, add turmeric and mix well. Cook till the oil seperates out from the tomatoes. Add diced bell pepper and cook for another 5-6 mins till it is almost cooked. Add cooked vegetables now, combine well. Add the stock or add about 1 cup water. The consistency of the bhaji has to be semi-thick.


Add Red chilli powder, salt, pav-bhaji masala and mix well. Place lid and cook for 8 mins. Check the pan occasionaly to make sure the bottom of the pan is not getting burnt. Add water if the consistency is too thick. When cooked, save about 4 tsps coriander leaves and add the remaining to the pan. Add 1 tbsp butter and mix. The bhaji should start smelling very yummy and drive everybody in the house to the kitchen.Turn off the heat. (There is other reason which might drive the people into the kitchen. It is when something is burned ! :-D ). Add lemon juice and mix again. Keep aside.


In a pan, add 1/2 tsp butter and shallow-fry the pav, till they turn crispy brown on all sides.

Garnish bhaji with coriander leaves, and chopped onion. Place fried pav on a plate, bhaji is a small individual bowls and lemon wedges for people who like it more tangy! Serve hot !

Remembering my past ~ A Chaat Vendor in India

Interesting read : Chaat History

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Mooli Curry

Mulangi Koora

This recipe is shared by my Mom-in-law. I never knew I could cook this vegetable this way till I learnt this from her. My mom usually makes salad and sambhar and I learnt mooli parata from my cousin in Delhi. This curry is a sure winner in my home now. The curry is mild and little sweet in taste and forgive the lighting of the picture. The curry looks white after cooking, I took the picture at night, cause I made this for dinner that day. I did not add turmeric to this curry, even as it looks though :). I will try to update next time when I make this curry again.

The recipe is very simple and quick. Diced mooli is added to the tempering and sauteed. You can add soaked channa dal or moong dal (Pesara pappu) to this curry.

Ingredients:

1 long - White Radish

1/4 cup - Channa dal ( Sanaga pappu) or Moong dal ( Pesara pappu)
2 tbsp - Grated Coconut
Salt to taste
1 tbsp - Oil

For Tempering:
1 tsp - Mustard seeds ( Avaalu,Rai)
1 tsp - Urad dal (Mina pappu)
3 - Red Chillies
Few Curry Leaves

Method:

Soak Channa dal or Moong dal for about 20 mins. Cut Mooli into small dices.

In a pan, add oil and do the tempering. Add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add urad dal and red chillies. When dal turns light golden brown. Add curry leaves.

Now, add diced mooli and combine well. Add salt. This allows water from the vegetable to escape and curry cooks faster. Saute for about 5 mins or till the curry is cooked completely. Add soaked channa dal or moong dal to the curry. Mix well and saute another 2-3 mins.

Add coconut to the pan and stir again. After a minute in the pan, turn off the heat and Serve hot with rice or chapathis.

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White Radish, Daikon

White radish is also called Daikon, which literally mean 'Large root' in Japan. It is most common in East Asian part of the world. In India it is called Mooli in Hindi , Punjabi, nepali, bihari, moo (Korean), moorro (Gujarati), moolah (Bengali), lobak, loh bak (Cantonese), Mulangi in Telugu.

It is very mild in taste when compared to other radishes. Fresh leaves of daikon can also be eaten as a leaf vegetable but they are often removed when sold in a store because they do not adjust well to the refrigerator, yellowing quite easily.

Mooli in Punjabi food preparations, such as mooli parathas. Mooli is also one of the most popular ingredients of Punjabi salads. Mooli raita is also a very popular salad containing mooli. Mooli is cooked in South region and in my house as sambar and as curry.

Nutrition Facts :
Serving Size : 338 g
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Amount per Serving
Calories 61 Fat Calories 3
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-----------------------% Daily Value
Total Fat 0g-------------------1%
Saturated Fat 0g---------------1%
Trans Fat
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 71mg ----------------3%
Total Carbohydrate 14g--5%
Dietary Fiber 5g---------------22%
Sugars 8g
Protein 2g
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Vitamin A 0%. Vitamin C 124%
Calcium 9%. Iron 8%
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*Percentage Values are based on a
2000 calorie diet. You dietary values
maybe higher or lower depending on
your calorie needs.
Source: Nutrition data.
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శ్రీ-రామ రామ్ రామేతి రామే రామే మనో-రామే
సహ-స్రనామ తత్తుల్యం రామ-నామ వారా-ననే


Picture of Badrachala Ramayya, Seethamma thalli and Lakshmanna of the Badrachalam Temple in Andhra Pradesh, India.


We wish you Happy Sri Rama Navami and Happy Vishu.

About Badrachalam Temple : http://www.bhadrachalarama.org/
Picture courtesy : www.world66.com


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Pudina Pachadi

Mint Pickle

This recipe is a regular item in our family. My Dad is a big 'pachadi-pickle' fan. He needs to have pickles or pachadi's almost everyday for his dinner meal. 'Rice-Pickle-Rasam', occasionally papad or vadiyaalu ( Wafers), was the typical dinner meal at my parent's house, and it still continues to be that way. Along with him, we grew up eating the pickles and I remember my Mom making a huge variety of them. I still remain a pickle fan like my Dad, but because of the time-constraints now, I manage to squeeze them in my meal twice or thrice a week.

Mint pachadi or Pudina pachadi gives a fresh taste and it's vibrant green color makes the pachadi truly appetising. Mint is sauteed in oil, as well as the spices and dals, and then is grounded into coarse paste. I've grounded the mixture in my stone-mortar pestle for the crunchy and nutty bite. You can also use your mixer/blender instead.


Ingredients:

2 cups - Mint,Pudina (2 cups packed with leaves removed from the stems)
1 tbsp - Channa dal ( sanaga pappu)
1 tbsp - Urad dal ( mina pappu)
4-5 - Red chillies
1/2 tbsp - Tamarind
1 tsp - Salt or to taste
pinch of Asafoetida
2 tsp - Oil

Method:

Wash pudina is water and drain them and keep aside. Soak tamarind in about 1/5 cup of water.

In a saute-pan, add 1 tsp oil and add the dals and the red chillies. Add asafoetida and saute till the dals turn into nice golden brown color. Take them out from the pan and keep aside.

In the same saute-pan, add 1 tsp oil and add mint leaves. Fry them for about 2-3 mins or till all the water from the mint evaporates and the leaves turn dark green.

Now, add the fried dals and the fried mint into your pestle. Add tamarind, without the water and add salt. Grind them into coarse paste. If you are using mixer or blender add all the ingredients and grind them in pulse to make sure you don't grind them too smooth.

Serve the pachadi with rice or smear the pachadi in between two slices of bread, along with cucumber, lettuce, tomato for a mint-sandwich. A must try for all Mint-Lovers.





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Happy Ugadi !

We wish you all a Happy Ugadi and Gudi Padwa !

Ugadi pachadi, Panchangasravanam, Kavi samelanam and the start of pickling season are few reasons to celebrate Ugadi panduga. I hope you must have done most of these. Didn't you ?

Picture courtesy : apfamgs.org
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Tawa Paneer

Tawa paneer with Chapathis

Paneer is extremely versatile and can be cooked with many vegetables to create a nutritious and well-balanced meal.This is Tawa paneer is a unique preparation of paneer cooked on a tawa. Paneer is marinated and then is added to the masala paste. A wonderful companion to Chapathis.

The recipe is quite simple, yet the paneer cubes are crunchy, soft and moist inside, just the way I like them to treat myself with a satisfying meal.

Ingredients:
Serves: 4
Difficulty : Easy
Prep time : 15mins + marinating time

Marinate for 15 minutes:

120z/about 375gms - paneer, cut into 1'' cubes
1/2 tsp - red chilli powder
1/2 tsp - turmeric
1/2 tsp - salt
1 tsp - Chaat masala powder

Masala paste:

1 large - Onion, chopped
2 - tomatoes, chopped
1 - Bell pepper - chopped
3 tsp - garlic paste
2 - green chillies
1/2 tsp - carom seeds (ajwain,wamu)
1/2 tsp - Cumin seeds
2 tsp - coriander powder
1/2 tsp - red chilli powder
1/4 tsp - garam masala powder
1/4 tsp - black cumin ( shah jeera)
1/2 tsp - salt or to taste
4 tbsp - Oil

Method:

Cut panner into thick, big pieces. Marinate them. Sprinkle red chilli powder, haldi, salt and chaat masala, Mix well to coat all sides of paneer with powdered masala. Keep them marinated for 15mins.

Heat 2 tbsp oil on a non-stick tawa or pan. Shallow fry paneer on tawa, turning sides, till golden brown on all sides.

For the masala paste, heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai/wok. When oil is hot, add ajwain and jeera. When jeera turns golden brown, add the chopped onion and stir till onions turns transparent.

Reduce heat. Add garlic paste, green chillies, coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt. Fry on medium heat for few seconds.

Add chopped tomatoes. Stir for 5-7 mins till oil separates. Add chopped bell pepper and cook for another minute. Add garam masala, shah jeera and fried paneer and mix. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Serve hot.



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Basil Pesto Pasta

Pasta tossed with Pesto sauce

I've started growing few herbs in my backyard eversince I came here to US. It comes handy, more like a vegetable store in your hand's reach. Mint is one herb which grew like weed last year. I usually plant some seeds on a small pot on my kitchen window sill and when it grows little big, I take them outdoors and plant them on ground or pots. Other vegetable plants which I planted last was Tomato, Brinjal, Carrots (they came out as baby carrots :( ), Beans to name a few. I couldn't wait till this summer for my basil plant to grow bigger, so I bought some from store to make this pasta.

Spaghetti tossed with Basil-Pesto sauce and garnished with parmesan cheese shavings is a undoubtedly a filling and deeply-satisfying meal. A good and quick food to have for lunch or dinner.

Pesto sauce is one sauce I use for many Italian cooking. I use the sauce for grilled panini, pasta, pizza, bruschetta to name a few. It gives pasta a different taste to the usual tomato-marinara sauce.

Ingredients:
Serves: 4-5
Cooking Time : 20 mins
Difficulty : Easy

For Pesto Sauce:

1/4 cup - Walnuts and Pignoli (pine nuts)
6-7 - Cloves Garlic, chopped
2 cups - fresh basil leaves, packed
1 tsp - salt
1 tsp - freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup - good Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup - freshly grated Parmesan

For the rest of the meal:

1 lb - Spaghetti
1 small bunch of Broccoli
1/2 cup - Parmesan cheese, freshly shaved or grated
2 tbsp - Extra virgin Olive oil
1 tsp - Salt or as needed
1/2 tsp - freshly ground black pepper

Heat a huge pot with water half way filled. Cover and let it boil.

Wash and chop broccoli into bite-size bits and add it to the boiling water. Cook for 2 mins and take them out with a stainer and shock them with ice-water, so that the color of the broccoli is vibrant green.

Add 1 tsp salt to the same boiling water.Add dry spaghetti and let it cook according to the package instructions, completely. It usually says 10 mins. Save some pasta water and drain the pasta into colander.

Pesto sauce

Place the walnuts, pignoli, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor or mixer. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute.

Now, in a saute pan, add 2 tbsp oil and add cooked broccoli. Add cooked pasta and pesto sauce and mix well for about a minute. Add salt if needed and pepper. Give them a stir. Pop them onto the serving dish and shave parmesan cheese from the parmesan cheese block, using peeler or garnish with the grated parmesan cheese, serve hot.


This is my entry for JFI Event - Garlic at Mathy's Virundhu.







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Healthy Eat ~ Basil Leaves

Basil Leaves ~ Tulsi

Basil or Tulsi, as they call it in India is considered sacred and is worshipped by Hindus. It is native to India and it is a comman plant in every house in India. Basil leaves along with water is served in temples in India as ' theertham' or Holy water. It is considered as a symbol of love in present day Italy. The French call basil "herbe royale". There are so many rituals and beliefs associated with basil.

There has been much research into the health benefits conferred by the essential oils found in basil. Scientific studies have established that compounds in basil oil have potent antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-microbial properties. It is also considered to be used in Ayurvedic medicines.

There are different varieties of Basil. Visually, the size and shape of the leaves varies greatly, from the large lettuce-like leaves of the Mammoth basil and Lettuce leaf basil to the tiny leaves of the Dwarf bush basil. The fragrance of the basil varies due to the varying types and quantities of essential oils contained in the plants.

Sweet Basil has strong clove scent, whereas Thai Basil has licorice scent. Mexican basil also called Cinnamon basil has cinnamon scent and has purple flowers. Lettuce leaf basil are so large, they are used in salads. So is lemon basil with lemony scent and flavor. In India it's Holy basil or Tulsi as it's commanly called.

Culinary use of basil is not common in India. Although they used significantly in Italian and East-Asian cuisines. It is a commom ingredient in Italian pastas and the Chinese and Taiwanese soups.

My 'Pot of Basil' sitting on my Kitchen window sill ~ 1 month old

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