Muffins

I made my first muffins yesterday.My friend anupama inspired me to make muffins the movement i spoke to her y'day.I made a very simple muffin y'day in no time.Tasted so gud with a cup of coffee is my hubby's verdict.

Here is how i made it.....

Ingredients
All purpose flour 11/2cup
Brown sugar 3/4cup
baking powder 11/2tsp
salt 1/2 tsp
apple sauce 1 cup
milk as required
vegetable oil 3/4 cup
Raisins 1/2 cupIn a bowl mix apple sauce & vegetable oil.Measure the mixture.Now add milk to this mixture so that the total liquid ingredient comes to one cup.Now in a mixing bowl mix flour,brown sugar,baking powder and salt.Now add in the liquid ingredient mix & beat.Now the mixture should fall in layers when dropped with a spoon.Add the raisins to this mixture.

Now pre heat oven to 400 degrees.Grease the muffin trays with vegetable oil.Now fill the muffin mold with the mix & bake for 20-25 mins.

My friend used blueberries.Since i didn't have them i used raisins.

channa chaat

Channa has always been a all time favorite item for people of all ages.When it comes to chaat this channa chaat tastes yummy.Usually chaat items are not very rich in nutrients.But this channa chaat is rich in protein.Check out the recipe.

Ingredients
Channa 1 cup
tomato 1
onion 1
cucumber 1
beaten rice 1/2 cup
salt to taste
chaat masala 1/4tsp
coriander leaves fewSoak channa over night & pressure cook.Drain excess water in cooked channa.Now allow channa to cool & refrigerate it for some time.Now mix all other ingredients with the chilled channa & serve the cool channa chaat.Kids will love it.

Indian style broccoli

Broccoli is a part of cabbage family.Lesser u cook it better it tastes & gud for health.It is mainly used in salads.It is said that eating broccoli reduces the risk of coronary heart disease.A compound found in broccoli appears to have more effect than modern antibiotics against the creation of peptic ulcer causing bacteria.Broccoli is high in Vitamin C and also soluble fiber.

It takes very less time to cook this vegetable.So i tried this Indian way of preparing broccoli.This is how i made it.

Ingredients
Broccoli florets 1 cup
onion 1
chilli powder 1/4tsp
salt to taste
Pinch of hing
Jeera 1/4tsp
oil 1-2 tspIn a kadai add oil.Then add jeera.Now add chopped onions & saute.Now add the broccoli florets & saute.Add chilli powder,hing & salt & sprinkle 2-3 tsp water.Cover & cook for a min.Ur broccoli kai is ready.It tastes best when it's a little crunchy.

Carrot cucumber tomato salad

This salad is high in nutrients & simple to make.Little bit about all the ingredients in this salad.
Carrots are highly rich in vitamin A,sodium, sulphur, chlorine and contain traces of iodine.Chewing a carrot immediately after food kills all the harmful germs in the mouth. It cleans the teeth, removes the food particles lodged in the crevices and prevents bleeding of the gums and tooth decay. Raw carrots are good for fertility. Sterility is sometimes overcome by its use.

Cucumber are a valuable source of potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulphur, silicon, chlorine and fluorine.Those who suffer from constipation can greatly benefit by taking two cucumbers a day.Grated cucumber applied over face, eyes and neck for 15 - 20 minutes has been found effective as a beauty aid and a best tonic for the skin of the face. Its regular use prevents pimples, blackheads, wrinkles and dryness of the face. Cucumber juice promotes hair growth due to its high silicon and sulphur content, particularly when mixed with carrot, lettuce and spinach juice.

Tomato is considered to have unsurpassable nutritional and health-giving qualities. Tomato is rich in calcium, phosphorus, vitamin C and carbohydrate.

The carbohydrate in tomato is chiefly in the form of invert sugar which is the predigested form. It contains very small quantity of starch which is converted into sugar, chiefly dextrose during the process of ripening.Tomatoes are highly beneficial in the treatment of obesity. One or two ripe tomatoes taken early morning, without breakfast, for a couple of months is considered a safe method of reduction in weight and at the same time, it also supplies the essential food elements to preserve the health.

With all these nutritive information lets c how to prepare this salad.

Ingredients

carrot 2

cucumber 1

tomatoes 1

coriander leaves few

salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients & adjust salt & pepper according to taste.

Iam sending this to AFAM-cucumber hosted by Neha of easyntastyrecipes started by Maheshwari

Iam sending this to FIL-Carrots hosted by Sanghi.

Bell pepper bhaji

Bell peppers like chillies belong to the capsicum family.They come in different colors like red,yellow & orange.They have a sweet taste in their flesh unlike the green ones.I bought these bell peppers in different colors & size of a big chilli.These bell peppers were sweet in taste was not as spices as i thought it would be.So i decided to stuff them & make bajji for that extra spice.

This is how i made it.
Ingredients
Bell peppers 1 cup(slit in one side to stuff)
onions (finely chopped) 1 cup
coriander 2 tsp(finely chopped)
garlic rasam powder 1 tsp

For batter
Besan flour 1/2cup
Rice flour 1cup
chilli powder 1/2 tsp
salt to tasteIn a vessel mix all ingredients to prepare the batter with water.Consistency of the batter should not be very thick or thin it should be thick enough to coat the bell peppers.In another bowl mix onions,coriander & rasam powder & some salt.Now slit the bell peppers in one side & stuff them with onion mix.Now coat this stuffed bell pepper with the batter.Heat oil in kadai & deep fry these coated stuffed bell peppers.They taste yummy.They are not spicy so can be served to kids too.Can grate carrot & add with the onions.

Quick garlic rasam

This garlic rasam is a very handy rasam & quite tasty.We loved this rasam so much i make is very regularly.Thanx to lakshmi for posting this tasty rasam.

Ingredients
Cooked dhal 1cup
tamarind juice 1/2 cup(diluted)
rasam powder 1-2 tsp
turmeric powder /4tsp
salt to taste
oil 1tsp
mustard seeds 1/4tsp
coriander leaves for garnishing
Mix all the ingredients and boil.Do not cook it for long.season with mustard seeds.

Garlic rasam powder

Garlic has long been considered a herbal "wonder drug", with a reputation in folklore for preventing everything from the common cold and flu to the Plague! Raw garlic is used by some to treat the symptoms of acne and there is some evidence that it can assist in managing high level of cholosetrol. It can even be effective as a natural mosquito replent.

This garlic powder can be stored & comes handy when u have to prepare lunch or dinner in a hurry.This rasam powder i got from lakshmi's taste of mysore. this is the powder recipe.

Garlic pods : 6 If they are new and thin, take more qty
Red Chillies : 10 appr.
Jeera : 1/2tbsp
Oil : 2 tspPeel garlic and remove the skin. Blend garlic+chillies+jeera. Now heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, add garlic chilli jeera mix and fry till there is no moisture left.

Bittergourd puli kozhambu

A little write up about bitter gourd will tell us how less bitter is this bitter gourd to our health.

The bitter gourd has excellent medicinal virtues. It is antidotal, antipyretic tonic, appetizing, stomachic, antibilious and laxative. The bitter gourd is also used in native medicines of Asia and Africa. The bitter gourd is specifically used as a folk medicine for diabetes. Recent researches have established that it contains a hypoglycaemic or insulin-like principle, designated as 'plant-insulin', which has been found highly beneficial in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels. It should, therefore, be included liberally in the diet of the diabetic. Bitter gourd being rich in all the essential vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A, B1, B2, C and Iron, its regular use prevents many complications such as hypertension, eye complications, neuritis and defective metabolism of carbohydrates. It increases body's resistance against infection.

With all these informations i decided to include bitter gourd regularly in our diet.
This puli kozhambu is so tasty that any on who says they don't like to eat bitter gourd will end up finishing it.There was no bitterness in this kozhambu.This is a Thirunelveli speciality.

This is how i made it.
Ingrdients
Bitter gourd 1(cut into cubes)
onion 1(chopped)
Tomato 1(chopped)
Tamrind juice 1cup(diluted)
oil 2 tsp
mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
chilli powder 2-3 tsp
turmeric powder 1/4tsp
dhaniya powder 1/2 tsp
coconut shredded 3-4 tspIn a kadai add oil & mustard seeds & allow it to pop.Then add onions & saute(pearl onions tastes very gud).Now add chopped tomatoes & bitter gourd & saute till the gourd gets a bit tender.Now add tamarind juice & all the powders.Add salt to taste.Allow the kozhambu to cook & reach a particular consistency.Now grind coconut to fine paste & add to the kozhambu.Allow to boil.Take of stove.It tastes yummy.

Pav Bhaji

Indian food has variety of chaat items.Pav bhaji being my hubby's favorite one.When ever we got ot a chaat shop he ends up ordering pav bhaji.Its fun watching the way this pav bhaji is being prepared.He prepares it so fast & makes it looks so simple.Mixes the ready vegetables with enormous dollops of butter.Not to mention they are my favorite too.

With the bhaji masala readily available it can be made in minutes at home.
This is how i made my homemade pav bhaji

Ingredients

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets (about 3-4 cups)
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 tbsp oil
1 green bell pepper, minced
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chili powder or red chili paste
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
salt to taste
2-3 cups tomato puree
1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen)...optional
1 tbsp Everest pav-bhaji masala (or more to taste)
1 tbsp butter
Boil the cauliflower and potatoes till tender and set aside. Heat oil in a deep saucepan and saute the pepper. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute some more. Add turmeric powder, chili powder and salt to taste. Saute for a few seconds. Add tomato puree, peas, boiled potatoes and cauliflower, pav-bhaji masala and butter. Keep sauteing and mashing it together till it is a smooth mixture, adding water as required (you can use a potato masher to help you along). Be aware that the mixture can spurt up as it boils, so keep a lid on it while you are not actively stirring it. Simmer for 20-25 minutes to really get the flavors to meld together. Adjust for salt.

Serve with:
1. More pats of butter (as much as you can dare,be generous now),
2. Finely sliced/ chopped onions, minced cilantro and wedges of lemon.

Green Kabab

Spinach is a gud source of iron & calcium.According to a study, a 180 gram serving of boiled spinach contains 6.43 mg of iron.Spinach is said to contain a relatively high level of iron, compared to other vegetable and meat sources.Popeye the sailor man comes to our mind when we think of spinach.

Coming to the green kababs they are a very gud supply of nutrients.All the ingredients used are rich in vitamins & minerals.This is fully made in oven without a pinch of oil.It is a little chewy & kids will love it.Gr8 way to make kids eat spinach.

Ingredients
Spinach 1 cup
channa dhal 50 gms
Green gram dhal(pachai payaru) 75 gms
Green chillies 1-2
besan flour to bind
garlic paste 1 tsp
salt to tasteCook spinach in microwave with little water.It takes 5 mins maximum.set aside to cool.Now grind channa dhal & green gram.Now add the cooked spinach & grind to a fine paste.To this spinach paste add besan flour,salt & garlic paste.Mix only enough besan flour to bind to make small vadais.Make small vadai out of this mix & microwave it for 2-3 mins.Serve hot with ketchup.

Variation:u can add onions, corn kernels or shredded carrots for more color.

Iam sending this post to microwave cooking savoury snacks hosted by Priya and Srivalli's MEC Announcement.

Strawberry cake

Iam so happie to announce that my blog is 50 days old today.Blogging made me realize how much i can cook.All the blogs helped me a lot in learning new dishes everyday.Everybody are so creative & inspiring it motivates me to try out new one almost everyday.

So with my blog turning 50days today i wanted to post something special today.So i decided to make yummy simple strawberry cake & post it.

Here is how i made it....
Ingredients
Strawberry cake mix 1pack
Vegetable oil 4 tsp
Milk 1/2 cup

For frosting
Pillsbury creamy supreme -Vanilla
Spring Nonpareils sprinkles-1tspMix cake mix,vegetable oil & milk together.Beat it well.The mix should fall in layers when dropped with spoon.Pre heat oven to 360 degrees.Grease the baking tray with little vegetable oil & pour the batter in it.Bake for 40 mins.Check with toothpick.When dipped in cake the tooth pick should come out clean.

Allow the cake to cool a bit.Spread the Pillsbury creamy supreme -Vanilla flavor frosting cream on top of the cake & sprinkle some Spring Nonpareils & cut the cake in desired shapes.It was sooo yummy.Try it.


Iam sending this to FIC-Pink hosted by Priya of Priya's easy n tasty recipes and Harini's announcement.

godhumai ravai pongal

Godhumai ravai(broken wheat) is said to be gud for people with diabetics.I usually prepare uppma with this ravai.This time jus tried preparing pongal with it.It tasted too gud.Low calorie pongal with yummy chutneys.Totally oil free.No ghee.

Iam sending this post to JFI-Wheat hosted by Roma's space.

This is the recipe..
Ingredients
Godhumai ravai 3/4 cup
Moong dhal 1/4 cup
Pepper 1/4 tsp
jeera 1/4tsp
Ginger 1 small piece
Few curry leaves
A pinch of hing
salt to taste
cashew nuts few
Mix all ingredients with 3:1 ratio of water & ravai-moong dhal together,i.e, 3 cups of water for 1 cup of ravai & moongdhal together.Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.Ur godhumai ravai pongal is ready.Serve hot with chutneys.

My treasures-awards

This morning when i came online my blogger buddy Vidhya of Appetizing recipes came online too.She showered me with loads of awards.Ohhhhh man what a way to start a day.Vidhas u made my day.Thanx a lot for all ur awards.It means so much to me.These are the awards she passed to me.

Pidi kozhukatai

Pidi kozhukatai is one traditional tiffin item prepared in south India.It is made out of rice flour.Its one simple easy recipe which is healthy too.It is easy to digest & use less oil as it is steamed.

This is how i made it.
Ingredients
Rice flour 1 cup
green chilies 1-2
oil 2 tsp
mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
jeera 1/4tsp
curry leaves few
salt to taste

In a kadai take 2 tsp oil & add mustard seeds & jeera.Now add finely chopped green chillies & curry leaves.Now add water to this.Add salt to the water itself,it becomes easy to mix salt to the flour.When u add water do it fast otherwise oil starts spilling around.For one cup rice flour use 2 cups of water.When water starts to boil add rice flour mixing it at the same time.Now when it becomes like a dough take of stove.When it is little warm make it to small balls or flat ones whichever shape u want.Steam it in idly mold for 15mins.Serve it hot with chutney.

Kara kozhambu

Yet another chettinad variety.As i have mentioned in my earlier post i always fancy chettinad food.This i tried this weekend.It came out so well we finished it the same day.

Here is the recipe.
Pearl onions 1 cup
Garlic 5-6 pods
tamarind juice 1 cup (diluted)
oil 3 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/4tsp
chilli powder 1-2tsp
turmeric powder 1/4tsp
coriander powder 1/2tsp
salt to taste
coconut milk 1/2 cup(diluted)
curry leaves fewIn a kadai add oil & splutter mustard.Add pearl onions & saute.Now add the garlic pods & saute some more.Now add the tamarind juice.Add chilli,tumeric & coriander powders.Add salt.Allow it to cook.When it reaches the required consistency lower ur flame & add coconut milk( i used store bought ready made coconut milk).When it starts to boil take off stove.Serve hot with hot hot rice.I loved it.Try for urself iam sure u will njoy as much as i did.

Bun sandwich

When u think of a healthy and easy breakfast sandwiches come to our mind.When it is grilled it tastes even more better.We did not have bread the other day.Since i love buns we bought buns for this week.So my hubby made this lovely bun sandwiches.It tastes so gud "nobody can stop eating one."I ended up eating 2 & had by lunch very late.I followed what ever he did tasted almost yummy like the ones he made.Here is how he or we made it hehehe.

Ingredients
Bun 1
lettuce hand full
tomato 2-3slices
onion 1slice
butter 1 tsp(i used i can't believe its not butter which is made up of olives)Cut the bun into 2 halves.Cut tomato & onion into thin round slices.Spread butter one both sides of the bun.Both sides i mean inside & out side all the 4 sides.Now arrange tomato & onion slices & lettuce.Now grill the bun filled with vegges.When done serve with chips & sauce.

Ravai idly

I always love idlies.These ravai idlies are my nex favorite.I love to eat with tomato chutney & coconut chutney.Here is how i made it.

Ingredients
Ravai (sooji) - 1 cup
Oil - 2tsp
Green chillies - 2, minced
Sour curd - 1 cup
Coriander and curry leaves - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Chana dal - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 1 tbsp, roughly brokenIn a kadai saute ravai slightly.then mix ravai with curd. Make sure there are no lumps
In a kadai add 2 tsp of oil, then add mustard seeds. Once they pop, add urad and chana dals and cashews. Saute until they turn golden. Remove from heat and pour into curd mixture Add salt, coriander and curry leaves,and finely chopped green chillies to curd mixture. Mix well. Grease an idli plate and pour mixture into it. Steam in a pressure cooker without whistle for 7 minutes. Serve hot.

Vegetable kurma

Kurma is an excellent combo with chappatis.Its a hot favorite of all.It is a nice blend of all vegetables.I wanted to make this kurma in white color which is the usual one.Since i didnt have green chilli i used chilli powder to it.So i got this.

Here u go vegetable kurma recipe

Ingredients
Mixed vegetables - 1 cup
1 Onion - sliced into thin strips
Ginger - Garlic paste
Tomato -1 - chopped
chilli powder 1tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4tsp
Coriander powder 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves
oil 2 tsp
salt to taste

To grind
Coconut - 1/4 cup
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Cashews - 2 tbsp

Grind the above ingredients and keep it aside.In a kadai, heat a little oil and add the onions and fry till translucent.Now add the ginger garlic paste.Then, add the mixed vegetables, coriander powder, turmeric powder,chilli powder and salt and cook for a little while.Add some water and close and let the veggies cook until soft. (about 5-10 mins).Now add the ground paste . Check for salt and add more if necessary.


Let this boil on a very low flame for ONLY 5-7 mins. Do not over cook at this time.Remove from heat and add chopped coriander leaves.I made this with chappathis and some onion raita. Tasted really really great !!!

Sevai

Sevai or rice noodles in English is one of the favorite tiffin item my mom makes.We have this sevai nazhi at home.She makes lovely soft sevai's.It will be fun to do it.But it gets really hard after 3-4 rounds of pressing it when the dough cools down.

Since i don't have it here i bought ready made rice sevai & made variety sevais with it.Nothing like the home made sevai's though.

Vegetable sevai

Sevai 1cup(cook as per instruction in the packet)
vegetables 1cup(i used carrots,beans,peas & corn kernels)
onion 1
tomato 1
oil 3 tsp
mustard seeds 1/4tsp
ginger garlic paste 1/2tsp
turmeric powder 1/4tsp
chilli powder 1/2tsp
salt to tasteIn a kadai add oil.Add mustard seeds & allow it to pop.Now add the cut onions & ginger garlic paste & saute.Then add the cut vegetables(cut the vegetables length wise)saute.Add turmeric & chilli powder.Add water & allow it to cook.When done mix it with the sevai u prepare.Vegetable sevai is ready.

Tomato sevai
sevai 1 cup(cook as per instructions in packet)
tomatoes 2
peas 2-3 tsp
mustard seeds 1/4tsp
salt to taste
oil 3 tsp
chilli powder 1 tsp
onion 1In a kadai add oil & splutter mustard seeds.Now add cut onions & saute.Now add tomatoes & peas & chilli powder & salt.Add little water & allow tomatoes to cook.When done add to the sevai.

Sweet sevai
Sevai 1 cup
coconut (shredded)1/4cup
sugar as per taste

Mix coconut & sugar to the sevai.Adjust sugar according to the taste.

Masala dosai

Any south Indian restaurant u go masala dosai will be in the menu.Its a hot favorite of all dosai lovers.Its one of the easiest breakfast that can be prepared & tasty one too.I made them for dinner.This is how i made them
For batter
1cup rice
1handful uradh dhal
salt to taste

soak them together for 2-3 hours.Grind them to a paste.Make it to the dosai batter consistency & allow them to ferment over nite.Next day i made masala & had it with dosai.

For masala u need
Potatoes (cooked & mashed) 1 cup
green chillies 3-4
onion 1
peas 3-4 tsp
turmeric powder 1/4tsp
salt to taste
mustard seeds 1/2tsp
oil 2-3 tsp

In a kadai add oil & pop mustard seeds.Add the onions sliced length wise.Saute.Now add the green chillies finely chopped.Now add potatoes & green peas.Now add turmeric powder & salt.Ad little water & mix well.

To make masala dosaiMake dosai & keep the masala in centre & roll them.Serve them hot with chutneys.I spread little ghee on top of the dosai.It tastes really gud.

Carrot salad

Carrots are tempting that i don't feel like cooking them.They are so juicy & fresh so i planned to have them fresh.So i made this simple carrot salad when i made sambar rice instead of making the usual raita.

All u need are
carrots 2
tomato 1
onion 1-3 tsp(chopped)
coriander leaves few
salt to tasteCut carrots,tomato & onion into small pieces & mix together.Add salt to taste & garnish with coriander leaves.I added very less onions else salad will taste more of onions.I didn't even season it since i want only raw items in my salad.