Caribbean Chicken Fricassee and a Blackeyed peas Rice

My healthy and low fat Caribbean Chicken Fricassee goes to Meeta's "Monthly Mingle" event. Michelle of "What's cooking?" is guest hosting MM event this month with a theme of "Healthy family dinners". Thanks to both of you, enjoy my slightly spicy, healthy and tasty Fricassee! :))

Here is a tasty and healthy fricassee of chicken with typical Caribbean flavors added like Allspice, Thyme, and not to forget Scotch Bonnet peppers if you can handle it! Well...I can't handle it, so I chickened out and used half of a Jalapeno which is more my style! :D

There are various recipes for the Fricassee of chicken and here I chose to make a Caribbean style Chicken Fricassee. Allspice is a unique berry (click here to see the photo and info, allspice is not Garam masala!) which has a distinctive aroma and taste, which is used in savory and in desserts as well. Since Caribbean cuisine has a little bit of Indian influence too, this would be a perfectly healthy brunch or dinner for any family, specially fit for a Winter meal with a little warmth of Jalapenos and peppers in the throat. Here is my version, hope you enjoy it too! :))

Caribbean Chicken Fricassee: I used my own fresh herbs from my herb pot for this dish, which I moved into my garage when the Winter chill started. They have survived beautifully although garage is pretty cold place too! Nothing like the aroma of fresh herbs when it hits the heat but you can use dry herbs as well. You can also add carrots and celery to it, I didn't. Make it with thicker sauce for noodles or thinner sauce like I did here to serve with rice, it's up to you.

You need:
1 tbsp olive oil or Canola oil,
1 tbsp butter,
2 lbs of chicken,
white and dark meats,cut into big chunks,
1 tbsp plain flour,
1-2 cup chicken stock,
salt to taste,
1 small onion, minced,
2 garlic, minced, 1" ginger, minced,
1/2 Jalapeno, sliced,
1/2 cup Tomato sauce,
2 tsp Vinegar, malt or cider vinegar or any you have, even Worcestershire sauce,
1/2 tsp Paprika,
1 tbsp fresh Thyme or 1/2 tsp dry Thyme,
1/2 tsp Oregano, few sprigs of Parsley,
2 tsp minced fresh Mint,
1 tsp Allspice powder,
1/2 tsp coarse black pepper.

Save some more herbs and 1/4 tsp Allspice pd to add at the end of cooking.

How to:
1. Take a pressure cooker or a deep dish, add 1 tbsp oil and heat. Then add chicken and stir fry until whitish. Sprinkle the flour on top, mix well to coat, stir for a minute and take the chicken out into a plate.
2. Add 1 tbsp butter, fry onion until translucent, add Jalapenos, ginger and garlic, stir for a minute. Add tomato sauce, saute for a minute. Now add all the spices, vinegar and chicken stock to the pan, mix well.
3. Add in the chicken, and pressure cook gently on low heat for mins or cover and cook in the pan until chicken is cooked through, doesn't take much time.
4. Open the lid, add all the saved herbs and pepper and allspice, simmer for 2 mins. Adjust the thinness as you desire adding water or stock and adjust the salt. Tastes better the next day.

Serve with either Blackeyed peas rice or Noodles. Serving this on a bed of mashed potatoes will surely please the kids! ;D

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Blackeyed peas rice/Pulao goes to Sudeshna of "Bengali Cuisine" blog's "Harvest-The festival of Rice" event. Thanks for hosting Sudeshna, have fun. Looking forward to the yummy rice round up! :))

Blackeyed peas are my favorite beans, specially those brown ones. Any rice dish made with these beans are extra healthy and tasty, a mild tasting dish for kids too who don't like spicy food. This Pulao goes well with either vegetarian or non-vegetarian dishes and is very easy and quick recipe to make if you use a microwave and canned Blackeyed peas, enjoy! :)

Blackeyed Peas rice/Pulao: Usually when I open any can of beans, I drain all the water and rinse the beans once before adding it to the dish. But here, I used all the water which comes with canned Blackeyed peas to make the Pulao more flavorful, delicious and it also gives a earthy color to this rice dish too.

Ingredients:

First, open a 8 or 12 oz can of Blackeyed peas, drain the juice and save the juice another bowl. Add enough water of stock to this bowl to make 3 1/2 cups of liquid and keep aside. We use this to cook rice later. Keep the drained Blackeyed peas aside for later too.

Keep these handy:
2 tsp oil and 1 tsp butter,
1" ginger and 2 garlic, minced, ground or grated,
2 cloves and 1 Bay leaf,
1 tsp Cumin seeds powder,
1 tsp or more salt,
1 tsp crushed peper,
2 cups long grain rice,
3 1/2 cups of liquid (stock or water combined with beans juice),
1/2 tsp dry mixed herbs or 1/2 tsp each of dry Thyme and Parsley,
Drained Blackeyed peas.

To make Pulao:
1. In a microwavable bowl, add 2 tsp oil and 1 tsp butter, heat it for a minute or 2 until hot.
2. Add 2 cloves, 1 Bay leaf, 2 garlic and 1" ginger paste to it, stir well and MW for 2 more mins.
3. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp crushed pepper, 2 cups long grain rice, mix well to coat with oil and butter mixture.
4. Now, add 3 1/2 cups (this is my rice to water proportion, rice you use might have different proportion of water) water or vegetable stock or Chicken stock, including the drained Blackeyed peas water, dry herbs and mix well.
5. Microwave uncovered for 16 mins on high (100%). Now, add Blackeyed peas to it, mix well.
6. Cover the bowl with a plate this time and microwave at 50% for 6 mins.
6. Take out and fluff the rice with a fork to mix beans well, adjust the salt and pepper. Cover and serve when needed.

Enjoy the Super Bowl Sunday, see you all next week! :))

DOSA GALORE; RAVE DOSE, MOONG, MASOOR AND BROWN RICE ADAI WITH KARELA MASALA!

My Dosa galore post goes to "Dosa Mela" and to Srivalli from "cooking for all 4 seasons", who calls herself a "dosa freak" and is calling all of us to send her loads of dosas!!:D
I added two more new dosas to your list Sri. Enjoy them all to your heart's content my friend! Hahaha!




Rave dose, restaurant style!!
I accidentally found this recipe or the way of making restaurant style Rava dosa while I was surfing on the net one day. Vahchef Sunjay Thumma, has become my favorite chef on the "youtube" world since then for showing us the authentic dishes as they cook in the restaurants. His way of making rava dosa absolutely fascinated me. Just look at the result! (Click on all the photos to enlarge them to see better pictures)


I was skeptical at first. When I tried his way sprinkling the very thin dosa batter with a lacy pattern using your hand on a electric griddle, which is perfect to make a huge, thin, crispy rava dosa, I was in for a delightful surprise! It looked exactly like they serve in the restaurant, crispy and tasted delicious. I changed the recipe a bit, added the dry spices instead of fresh to keep the batter smooth and easy to sprinkle, didn't use the raw onion. Here is how I made it with some changes of my own, I thank chef Thumma for showing us the secret of restaurant style Rava dosa and other dishes too!:)

To watch Vahchef's "Rava Dosa" video demo, click here.
The Vendy award (award for the best street Vendor of New York)2007, runner up; The dosa man, Tiru kumar!! Watch him here and here and here!

To make Rava dosa:
1. Mix 1 cup fine rava/Semolina/cream of wheat, 1/4 cup plain flour, 1 cup rice flour, salt, 1 tsp of cumin powder, 1/2 tsp each of garlic pd, ginger pd, chilli pd, 1 tbsp onion pd with enough water (3 or more cups) or buttermilk to make a very thin batter with buttermilk consistency. (Watch the video to see how thin and how to sprinkle the batter on the griddle).
2. Heat the non-stick electric griddle on moderately high/375F to 400F heat, sprinkle the batter with your hand or use a plastic Mustard or Ketchup bottle to squeeze the batter out like I did (cut the tip off if the hole too small) and let it get crispy golden on the bottom, no flipping required. Drizzle oil or ghee on top. Serve right away. (Mix the batter well or shake the bottle every time you use it. Rava tends to sink in the bottom)

Tastes excellent just with thin and spicy coconut chutney to dip in. I served it with Sambhar, coconut chutney and some homemade ghee. Hope you try.

Spicy green Moong, Masoor dal and brown rice Adai:
I love Adai because of the ease of making them without fermentation and very nutritious as well. I keep adding different pulses and beans, this is one of those with Masoor dal, green Moong and brown rice. It has a beautiful pinkish green color inside. Adjust the spices to your taste.



To make Adai:

1. Soak 1/2 cup whole green Moong in water overnight. Next morning, add 1/2 cup Masoor dal (split red lentils) and 1 cup Brown rice to the same water and let it soak for 2 hrs.
2. After 2 hrs, drain the water and grind all these in batches with enough water, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1/4tsp turmeric, 2-3 red dry chillies or chill pd, salt, few curry leaves until you get smooth batter of pourable consistency.
3. Take the batter out into a bowl, add 1 tbsp chopped cilantro and a pinch of baking soda.
4. You can use this batter right way to make dosas or chill in the fridge to use later. Add soda just before making dosas.
5. Heat a iron tawa or non-stick griddle, add some oil, spread a ladleful of batter to a circle. Drizzle some ghee or oil on top, flip and cook both sides until crisp and golden.

Serve with red Chutney powder (roasted dry coconut, red chillies, garlic or garlic pd, salt, hing, cumin seeds, ground) and ghee.

Now presenting my Dosa/Pancake/Griddle cake/Crepe Museum!! ;D

These are all the Dosas, Crepes, pancakes, griddle cakes I have made and posted in both of my blogs so far, I am sure I will make some more of these in future!:D

Alrighty, let me link to each of them; from top left to right. Have fun! :)

1. Kerala Aapam (Rice-coconut milk pancakes),
2. Roti Jala (Malaysian flour pancakes),
3. Mysore Masale Dose,
4. Avalakki dose (Flattened rice flakes pancakes),
5. Thari dose (crushed rice-coconut milk steamed pancakes),
6. Thatte dose, plain and with veggies and dal (savory plate pancakes),
7. Uddina bele-Menthya dose (Urad dal-fenugreek seeds dosa),
8. Uttappa (vegetable pancake),
9. Rava dose (Semolina/cream of wheat pancakes),
10. Adai (Brown rice and multi dal dosas),
11. Adai masale dose (spicy brown rice dal dose),
12. Spicy Corn-Zucchini griddle cakes,
13. Zucchini pancakes,
14. All American pancakes,
15. Butternut squash griddle cakes,
16. Soy flour-veggies pancakes,
17. Patishapta (flour-coconut pancakes),
18. Chocolate Crepes,
19. Halasina hannu dose (Jackfruit pancakes),
20. Kayi-bellada dose (Molasses-coconut pancakes).

Are you still awake?! WAKE UP!! Hahaha!!

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Karela Masala is my second entry to Pooja of "creative Pooja" blog's "Vegetable of the week" event. She has chosen "Bitter Gourd/Karela" as her vegetable for this month. You can have this too from me Pooja!:))




Karela/Bitter Gourd masala:
I somehow manage to eat few tbsps of Bitter gourd dish every time I make Bitter Gourd dishes although when cooked and balanced with spices, it won't be as bitter to taste. My husband loves Karela dishes, so I do buy just two of them to cook whenever I can get them in the Indian store. This Karela masala dish comes with a delicious gravy, goes well with rice rottis usually or rice if you can handle it! :D


To make Karela masala:
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan. When hot,put in 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, few curry leaves, 1 red chilli.
2. Add in 1 medium onion,chopped, fry for 2 min. Add in 2 finely chopped garlic, 1/4 tsp turmeric pd, pinch of salt, stir fry for a minute.
3. To this, add 2 cups of slightly peeled and chopped Bitter gourd pieces and fry until it gets a reddish color on the edges. Add salt and 1 tbsp tamarind juice.
4. Pour in 1/2 cup tomato sauce or 2 chopped Tomatoes, 1 tbsp coriander seeds powder, 2 tsp cumin seeds powder, 1/2 tsp chilli pd, 1 tbsp or more to of powdered Jaggery. stir fry and simmer until oil shows on top. Add some water it's too thick and simmer again.
5. Adjust the heat and sourness in the gravy, tastes good the next day. Add 1 tsp of ghee on top and few tbsps of chopped cilantro, mix and serve.

Long beans Kootu, Eggplant Pachadi, Karela Masala served with plantation style Akki/rice rotti:


Recipes for the other dishes you see on the Thali are here:
For Yardlong beans Kootu dish, click here or you can use this kootu masala to cook with Yardlong beans too. Yardlong beans are also called Mangaluru beans in Kannada.
For Eggplant chutney/Pachadi/bajji recipe, click here.
To make coffee plantation "style" Akki/rice rotti, click here.

That's "all" I have this week, Phew! :D

ARUSUVAI AND A KARELA STIR-FRY

Latha N from "The YUM blog" started the "Arusuvai Friendship Chain" in India and Latha from "Masala Magic" continued the Arusuvai friendship chain in USA. Mandira from "Ahaar" passed on the friendship chain to me. It was very nice to receive a "Arusuvai Surprise" from her. Thank you for thinking of me Mandira, I welcome and cherish your friendship as always!:)


Arusuvai:
Arusuvai, as Latha N says "is about sending along a surprise ingredient as a gift to your friends, for them to prepare something tasty with it, share the recipe, and pass on other surprise ingredients to more people.
Arusuvai means six tastes (aru=six, suvai=taste) in Tamizh and is used to refer for Tasty preparation with six tastes - inippu/ thithippu (sweet), orappu/ karam (hot), kassappu (bitter) , pulippu (sour), uppu(salt), tuvarpu (tastes that one gets in raw leaves)".
Beautiful, isn't it? My thanks to both Latha N and Latha for starting and continuing this wonderful friendship chain in India and USA, hope it spreads to Europe and Africa too! :)

My Arusuvai surprise:
We had just come home exhausted from the usual Saturday shopping but on a very unusual rainy, windy day last week and there was this package from Mandira waiting for me which made me smile instantly. I was so thrilled to see the envelope although I knew it was in the mail and was expecting it soon! :)
She has sent me a beautiful card, a pack of most delicious Badam Halwa (Almond Halwa) which gave me a pleasant sugar high for a while and a very fragrant pack of "mystery" masala!
Are you curious to know what it is now or can you guess the powder just by looking at the rice dish? If you have no clue, then click on the link below to find out! ;D
Thank you so much Mandira. We loved the badam halwa and aromatic Mystery powder too. I made a Paneer-rice dish and a egg gravy from your mystery masala, both are yummy as you can see. Hugs to you my friend, my kids say thanks to you as well!
Little note: I had to say "No, thanks" to few blogger friends few months ago when they offered me "Amish bread starter friendship chain", only because I had just gone thru' LASIK surgery and didn't feel up to it since I couldn't focus on nearer thing for the first few weeks. Thanks for thinking of me girls. You will always be my friends regardless, you know that! :)

Here is my Arusuvai "Mystery masala" from Mandira of "Ahaar":

Egg curry with mystery powder:

To make simple but aromatic Egg curry:
Hard boil about 8 eggs, peel and slash each on one side to open slightly. Keep them aside.
This dish serves 4.
1. Heat 2 tbsp oil and 2 tsp of butter, fry 1 large onion, ground to coarse paste for 3 mins, until transculent. Add 2 tsp ground ginger paste, stir fry for a minute, until oil shows on top.
2. Add 1 tbsp or more of "mystery" powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp paprika or Kashmiri chilli pd, salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric. Stir for few seconds.
3. Pour in 2 cups of Tomato sauce, 1 cup of water or chicken stock. Let it simmer on low heat gently until sauce thickens slightly for 15-20 mins. Adjust the salt and heat.
3. When done, add 3 tbsp chopped cilantro and eggs. It tastes better the next day. Serve with rice and salad on the side.

For this rice dish; I followed the same method as Mandira has made it in her blog but added Paneer instead of Fish. For the recipe, check out here.

Delicious "Mystery" Paneer-Saffron Basmati "layered" rice dish! Can you guess the name of this dish now? Okay, it's Paneer Biryani!! :)


Being layered or should I say I "tried" to layer the rice and masala! :D

Aroma was divine in the kitchen while I was making it, thanks Mandira.

Mandira's Biryani Masala:
1" cinnamon, 4 cloves, 3 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1 Bay leaf, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1-2 dry red chilli, 1/4 nutmeg, grated. Roast and powder.

Passing on the Arusuvai:
I have extended my Arusuvai friendship chain to two of my dear blog friends, Maheswari and Vanamala. Thank you for accepting Arusuvai from me girls, hugs to both of you and hope you enjoy my "surprises" too! :)

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Karela stir-fry is my contribution to Pooja of "creative Pooja" blog's "Vegetable of the week" event although it has become monthly event now. She has chosen the yummy "Bitter Gourd/Karela" as her vegetable for this month. Thank you for hosting Pooja!:))



A quick and delicious Bitter gourd stir-fry:

To stir-fry Bitter gourd:
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan and 1 tbsp butter or ghee. Add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, few curry leaves, 1-2 dry red chillies.
2. When they are reddish, add in 1 medium finely chopped onion, stir fry until soft, for 2 mins, add in 2-3 garlic, finely chopped.
3. After a minute, put in 2 cups of Bitter gourd or two of them, cleaned and peeled the outer skin slightly, seeded and cut in to 1/2" cubes.Stir this until they are reddish without adding any water.
4. When it's cooked 3/4th way, add 2 tbsp tamarind juice, 1 tbsp Coriander seeds powder, salt, 1 tsp or more chilli pd, 1 tbsp or more Jaggery or brown sugar. Keep stirring until you see the oil on top.
5. Adjust the taste. When done, it should be hot, sweet, tangy and slightly bitter in the end, a perfect marriage of Arusuvai taste with all flavors explained above!!:)

This stir-fry tastes great with Parathas, dosas or rice rottis. Hope you try.

"Dosa Mela" and another Bitter gourd dish next! Yes, I am rushing with posts so I can squeeze in 2 more before the 20th!! ;D

KARI IKAN (Malay Fish curry), MW CHANA-PALAK DAL

Kari Ikan, a Malaysian Fish curry subtlely flavored with Star Anise, is my contribution to Sunita from "Sunita's World" blog's "Think Spice..Think.." event. This month's spice is "Star Anise". Thanks for hosting Sunita!:)


I usually do not buy Fish at all. I know how healthful Fish oil is for us. So finally two week's ago, I decided to buy Cod fish and cook a few dishes with it. This is one of them. I chose to make a Malaysian curry which is similar to Indian Fish curry. I know Sunita won't mind non-veg dishes, here is my first ever Fish entry!! Vegetarians can use the gravy with veggies. We certainly loved the taste!:)

About Star Anise:
Star anise is native to China and Vietnam, now Star anise is used in the East as well as in the West as aniseed, although with liquorice-like aroma, Satr Anise is more pungent and stronger than anise seeds. The star Anise are available as whole or ground to a powder. A very small amount is used in cooking as the spice has very powerful aroma, usually not more than 1/2 tsp at a time in any dish. Star Anise is a part of "Chinese Five spice" powder and also used in Indian "Garam masala". Stored whole in airtight containers, it keeps well for over a year. Star anise is known to have diuretic properties. In the East, it is used to combat colic and rheumatism. It is a common addition for medicinal teas, cough mixtures. In Malaysia and Indonesia, it's called Bunga lawang. For more info, refer to WIKIPEDIA.

Kari Ikan, a Malaysian Fish curry:
This recipe is mostly adapted from "Woman's day" magazine with my changes and additions.

You need:
1 tbsp oil,
1-2 dry red chillies,
1 onion chopped,
1 stalk lemon grass, finely chopped,(or you can use Lemon juice instead at the end of the cooking)
2 garlic cloves, grated,
1" fresh Galangal or ginger, grated,
1/2 tsp dry red chilli powder,(or Paprika)
1/2 tsp turmeric,
1 can of coconut milk,(or 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup Fish stock or water if you don't have it,
3-4 fillets of Cod, cut into cubes
1/2 tsp Star Anise powder or 1/4 tsp if you don't like the strong flavor,
Cilantro,
Few chopped basil leaves.

To make the Fish curry:
1. Heat oil, add red chillies, onion chopped, saute until softened. Add ginger, garlic, lemon grass, turmeric, chilli powder. Turn down the heat.
2. Add coconut milk, 1 cup of water, bring it simmer and let it simmer for 15 mins until the coconut mixture smells good and the sauce slightly thickens.
3. Add salt and fish pieces. Cover and cook until Fish cooks , for 5 mins or so. Add all the herbs and Star Anise powder, mix well.
4. That's it! It tastes better the next day. Serve it with Jasmine rice to be authentic or long grain rice if you don't have Jasmine.
Enjoy!:))


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Microwaved Chana Palak dal is my entry to "Microwave Easy cooking", which is hosted by Srivalli of "Cooking 4 all seasons" with a theme of "Greens" this month. Thanks Sri!:)


I made an easy and delcious dal with Chana dal, Spinach and Dill greens in the microwave for Sri's "Greens" event and served this with thick Parathas. Except Tuar dal, which is the toughest dal to cook in the MW as I found out, you can use Moong dal, Masoor dal very easily in the MW in this tasty recipe.
This dal makes a great dipping or scooping sauce if you keep the gravy thicker for the Parathas. I also did not season this dish as I do usually since it's little hard to season using a MW but you could make the seasoning on the stove top and add it to this dal if you like. I replaced the seasoning with 1 tbsp of ghee added to the dal while cooking the dal and greens!:)

Chana dal,Palak and dill dal, microwaved!!

You need:
1 cup Chana dal/spilt peas/Bengal gram dal, Soaked in hot water for 2 hrs,
1 big bunch of fresh Spinach or a box of frozen, chopped,
1 cup Dill leaves, chopped,
1 tbsp ghee or butter,
1 small onion, finely chopped,
2 tsp Ginger paste,
2 green chillies minced or 1/2 tsp chilli pd,
1 1/2 tsp Dhana-jeera pd,(or 1 tsp coriander seeds powder and 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds pd)
1/2 tsp garam masala,
Salt and cilantro.
1 tsp lemon juice to top.

To make dal:
1. Rinse and drain the soaked Chana dal, add to a big enough microwavable glass bowl. Add all the greens, butter or ghee, onion, ginger, green chillies if you using and add enough water about 3-4 cups to cover the dal mix, cover with a lid slightly open on the edge and cook on high for 10 mins.
2. Open the lid, mix well with spoon. Cover and cook again for another 10 mins or more until chana dal is soft and greens are cooked. Add a little bit more water only if needed. Dal doesn't have to be mushy but must be cooked soft.
3. When dal is soft, add all the dry spices, salt and herbs. Cook for 5 or more mins with the lid on until you get a thickish sauce. Adjust the spices.
4. Serve sprinkled with lemon juice and with thick Parathas or rotis to scoop up the dal. Tastes better after few hours sitting on the counter.

Have a great week!:)

MANGO KHEER AND MW MOONG DAL-PUMPKIN GRAVY

This is my last post in 2007 at Aroma!! YAY!! Happy new year to all of you. See you in 2008!:)

Latha N of "The YUM blog" is hosting this month's "A Fruit A Month" with a theme of cooking with "Dry fruits". AFAM is started by Maheswari of "Beyond the usual" blog and Mango-Coconut Kheer is my entry for this event.. Thanks for hosting Latha!:))

Dried Mango slices from Philippines:
Mangoes retain a special significance in the culture of South Asia where they have been cultivated for many centuries. It has been the national fruit of India, Bangladesh and Philippines. Reference to mangoes as the "food of the gods" can be found in the Hindu Vedas and the leaves are ritually used for floral decorations at Hindu weddings and religious ceremonies.

The name 'mango' is from the Malayalam word manga, which was introduced in Europe by the Portuguese from Calicut (Malabar Coast) in the late fifteenth century and called "Aam" in Hindi.
The mango is an excellent nutritional source, containing many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, as well as enzymes such as magneferin and lactase. In the Philippines, unripe mango is eaten with bagoong. Dried strips of sweet, ripe mangoes have also gained popularity both inside and outside the country, with those produced in Cebu making it to export markets around the world. Dried unripe mango used as a spice and is known as amchur or amchoor in India and ambi in Urdu. All these info. is from WIKIPEDIA.

Mango-Coconut Kheer:
Kheer is an Indian word for pudding, which is easy and quick to make and tastes delicious flavored with Mango bits and coconut. Hope you try!

You need: 1 cup chopped dry Mango slices(soak these in hot water for 1/2 an hour until soft, drain), 2 tbsp very fine grained Semolina(cream of wheat), 2 tbsp grated fresh or Sweetened Coconut, 1/4 cup or more Sugar, 3 cups 2% milk, 1/2 tbsp butter, pinch of salt.

To make it:
1. Heat butter in a pan, add semolina, stir for a minute.Add milk, bring it to boil, turn down the heat.
2. Add the soft Mango slices, coconut, sugar, salt and simmer for 1omins. Take off the heat. It gets thicker as it cools.
3. Serve warm or chilled, tastes great. I added very little sugar and skipped Cardamom pd since Mangoes have their own sweetness and beautiful aroma. Enjoy!

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Moong dal and white Pumpkin(Ash gourd) gravy cooked in the Microwave is my entry to "Easy cooking with Microwave" which is hosted by Srivalli of "Cooking 4 all seasons" with a theme of "Gravies" this month. Thanks for hosting Srivalli!:))



Microwaved Moong-Pumpkin dal:
Here is a tasty gravy you can make in the microwave. Moong dal or yellow split lentils is the easiest dal to cook in the microwave since it cooks very easily unlike other dals. You can use Masoor dal (red lentils) too. Adding Ash gourd pieces gives the gravy texture and makes it tastes delicious.

You need: 1 Cup Moong dal, washed,soaked in 3 cups of hot water for 1/2 an hour, 1 cup Ash Gourd or Bottle gourd chopped into cubes, 1/8 tsp Turmeric, 2 green chillies chopped or 1/4 tsp chilli pd or any curry pd you have, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tbsp Coriander seeds powder,salt, few cherry tomatoes (Optional).
For seasoning: 1/2 Tbsp Butter + 1/2 tbsp oil,1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 garlic chopped, 3 tbsp onion minced.

Garnish with cilantro and squeeze of lemon juice.

To make it:
1. Add the soaked dal with water to a microwave proof deep dish along with gourd pieces and cook for 5 mins on high. Stir and cook for 5 more mins.Repeat this way until dal is cooked and gourd is soft. Add salt, turmeric, green chillies or chilli pd and ginger.
2. Cook again for 3 mins. Add coriander pd, pierced cherry tomatoes,cook for 2 more mins, mix well until you get a thickish gravy.Take it out of the MW and garnish.
3. For seasoning, you can either do it on the stove top for convenience or heat a glass bowl with butter and oil for 1 min on high, add all the seasoning ingredients, cover with paper towel and heat until it splutters. Add minced onion and garlic and cook again until golden on the edges.Add to dal and mix.

Enjoy!:)

KITCHEN SAFETY AND TIPS!

I am killing two birds with one stone by posting "Kitchen Safety Moments" event hosted by Jyotsna of "Curry Bazaar" and posting some kitchen tips with a recipe for "MCT-Tipology" event hosted by Sushma of "Recipe Source".



Thank you Jyotsna and Sushma for hosting these events for April!:)(Late news!J doesn't have this event in April,so if she ever does a "Kitchen Tools" theme,this would be my entry to that again!:D)


Safety tips about the knives:
Most injuries in the kitchen are caused by knives.Let me start with some precaution we must take dealing with knives we all have in the kitchen.Most of us have more than one knife in our kitchen of course as we routinely cut,chop,slice etc.It's very important first of all to keep them away from the children on a high platform on the back of the kitchen counter so kids can not reach them or pull them on to themselves.
It's better to buy one or two expensive Knives with heavy handles for balance and with steel blades which lasts a long time and also keeps sharp.It is best to have a wooden block like below to store the knives of various sizes and lengths to keep them safe and tucked away.This block also keeps the sharp edges of knives cushioned inside so they don't get dull.


A wooden block to store Knives:





A handy Knife Sharpener:


You do need to buy a grinding wheel to keep your knives sharp.Do not use any other things or way to sharpen the knives.A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp edged knife,as a dull knife may slip as you struggle to cut with it and injure your hands and fingers.


A non-slip rubber backed chopping block or board:

Keep two separate cutting board for vegetables and meat,never cut on the same board to keep E Coli and Salmonella bacterias at bay.Always wash boards in hot soapy water,dry upright.Keep the knife's edge AWAY from you when chopping and when you are not using it.






If you have just one or two knives,store it in a drawer separately and do not reach for the top but take them out by the handle.


Use a serrated edged knife for cutting soft vegetables or fruits like Tomatoes and ripe fruits so you get a good grip on the smooth skins.Plain edges blades could slip on the skin and injure you.


Use a bread knife to slice bread or moist cakes so you don't misshapen them while slicing.Bread knives are made to slice neat and precise.NEVER put knives in the dishwasher.


Hand wash them with just some warm soapy water and wipe clean.Always use proper knives like paring knife for paring,chef's and Utility knives for chopping, bread slicer and do not use them as screw driver or can opener!Use a Potato peeler for peeling vegetable skins like Turnips,Beets and even carrots rather than knives.




This is my new toy.It's called Fresh prep "chop and mince" to mince veggies in the bowl itself,great for chopping Garlic without touching them.Another great idea is to use Kitchen scissors to chop herbs right into the dish and use scissors to cut slippery meat instead of knife.


Finally, how many knives do I have ,did you ask? More than 12 but only use 3 of those most of the time.My advice to you is don't be like me, buy only what you NEED! I also have a big meat cleaver to warn Arvind not to mess with me!! ;D


That's it from me for Knives safety in the kitchen.I am sure there are much more than these and I hope to see those at the round up of this event.Thank you J!!:)




Some kitchen tips for Sushma's Tipology along with a simple Dill Sambhar recipe!


These are the few kitchen tips I can give you about cooking dal drawn from my own experiences:


Whenever I cook any kind of dal directly in a pressure pan like Tuar dal or in a microwave like Masoor dal or Moong dal,I always add 1 tsp oil with water to prevent it from frothing and spillng all over or even blocking cooker vent which could be dangerous.Add a 1/4 tsp of turmeric too in the dal to give it a nice color and flavor.


1. I cook double the amount of dal and save half for another day to make my life easier and save some time!:D
2. If I am planning to cook the saved dal within two days I keep it in the fridge, otherwise I freeze it in a Zip lock bag.
3. Always wash the dal once and drain before you cook.If there is too much dal water after cooking,save it and use it as stock with other vegetables.
4. Adding one or two green chillies and few fresh curry leaves when pressure cooking dal gives it a nice flavor and irresistible aroma.
5. Never add salt or any tangy veggies like mangoes or Radish or sour greens with dal to cook.I have always found the dal undercooked or not soft enough to mash later.Cook them separately and then mix together.
6.Tuar dal is tougher to cook in the microwave than Masoor(red lentils) or Moong dal.
Once you add the spice powder like Rasam pd etc,do not boil the dal for a long time,it loses it's flavor.Add 1 tsp ghee to the dal after you take it off of the heat for the best flavor.
7. Dal always tastes good a day after when you let the flavor mingle for a while.
8. Last but not least,adding fresh grated or ground ginger is okay to some dals while it's cooking but not fresh garlic!I always saute Garlic in oil/butter/Tadka first before adding.I personally don't like the flavor of raw garlic in the dal, but tastes great when sauteed first!
Phew!! I thought I didn't have any tips and Sushma told me " No no Asha,you do have plenty" and she is right!:D


Dill Sambhar:



How to make Dill Sambhar/dal:
1. Cook 1 cup Tuar dal with about 3 cups of water,1/4 tsp turmeric,1 tsp oil until soft and mash until smooth.Add 1 bunch cleaned of hard stems and chopped fresh Dill leaves to the dal along with pinch of hing(Asafoetida)and keep it aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp Canola oil,add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds,1 tsp cumin seeds,few curry leaves,1 red chili,then fry 1/2 onion minced.When reddish,add 2 minced garlic.
3. Add dal mixture,2 tsp tamarind juice,salt, 1 tomato or 1/2 cup tomato sauce and simmer.After 2 mins,add ground Sambhar masala pd and simmer for 2 more mins and take off the heat.Add 1 tsp ghee and mix.

Sambhar masala: Lightly toast 1 tbsp Coriander seeds,1/2 tsp Methi(Fenugreek)seeds, 2-3 dry red chillies,1" Dalchini(Cinnamon),2 cloves,4-6 Peppercorns and powder when cooled.

Note: No need to add Cilantro if there is any other type of greens in the dal.If it's just dal and veggies,you can add some.

Well..that's it this time around!:)

RADISH KADHI

Radish Kadhi/soup is my contribution this week's Kalyn's "Weekend Herb Blogging" hosted by my buddy Anh from "Food lover's journey" this week!:) My choice of vegetable this week for WHB is beautiful homegrown red Radishes! Thanks and happy Easter Ahn:)



Garden fresh red Radishes:

I thought I would take a break and not cook for WHB this week until I found that Anh is hosting!!Now how can I not contribute when Anh is hosting?!;D

Some facts:
Radishes are rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid, and potassium. Relative to their caloric value, they are a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper, and calcium. One cup of sliced red radish bulbs provides approximately 20 Calories or less, coming largely from carbohydrates, making radishes, a very filling food.Radishes are suggested as an alternative treatment for a variety of ailments including whooping cough, cancer,coughs, gastric discomfort, etc.More info at Wikipedia.

I have been cooking Chicken dishes for most of my WHB entries.I thought I would cook a simple veg soup dish this time. Then I saw these little beauties just about ready to pluck fresh off of the Earth in my little veggie patch which I had planted about 3 weeks ago!
Kadhi is a nutritious soup made with a simple blend of Chickpea flour and spices. There are Gujarati Kadhis like this one and Punjabi Kadhis which has fried fritters added to make it more substantial.I wanted to keep it light without any fried things.Here it is, a Gujarati Kadhi with red radishes.

Radish Kadhi:


This is a simple Radish Kadhi/soup made of yogurt or Sour cream mixed with some Besan or Chickpea flour,simmered with some spices and cooked radishes of course to add to the delicious sauce.Kadhi can be served some cooked rice or as soup for a light lunch or brunch.

You need:
Veg; you need 10-15 small red radishes,wash,top and tail(you can use chopped radish leaves in the dish too) and slice into halves and cook with just enough water to cover them in the microwave until they are tender.Discard the excess water if more than 1/2 cup left.
Sauce; 3 tbsp Chickpea flour (besan),2 cups Yogurt or fat free sour cream,2 cups of water,1 tsp green chili-ginger paste,(1-2 green chillies and 1/2" fresh ginger) 1/4 tsp turmeric powder(haldi), 1 tsp sugar and salt to taste.
For tempering: 1/2 tbsp butter,1/2 tsp each mustard seeds,cumin seeds,1 red chilli,few Curry leaves(optional) and a pinch of Hing.(asafoetida)

How to make Kadhi:
1. Whisk all the sauce ingredients given above and simmer in a very low heat to prevent the yogurt/sour cream from curdling.You don't want a cottage cheese soup ,do you?:)
2. Keep stirring as it thickens,add cooked Radishes and let it simmer until the flour cooks and the raw smell of the flour disappears.Take it off the heat when done.
3. To temper,heat a pan with 1 tbsp butter or oil,add all the ingredients above.When it starts to splutter,take it off the heat and cool.Add to the soup and mix well.
4. Garnish the soup with cilantro if you like and serve as a soup or with some cooked rice.Enjoy!:)

Note:You can add 1 tsp Cumin pd to the sauce to add to the flavor while it's simmering.You can skip the tempering part,if you just want to have it as a soup,your choice.

My garden patch with fresh radishes!

Radishes are a popular choice for personal cultivation, as they are fairly easy to grow. It is a rapidly-maturing crop, with many varieties able to reach maturity within 30 days.
Radishes grow best in full sun and moist, fertile, acidic to neutral soil. They are in season April, May, June, July, August, September, and part of October. Seeds will germinate if planted at a depth of 1 cm.Summer varieties include "Rainbow Mix", a red, white and purple radish; "Cherry Bell", which is cherry shaped.

Can't wait for May so I can plant some more veggies!:))

MINTY MASOOR DAL

Mint and Chives flavored Masoor dal with Turnips is my contribution to "Green Blog Project Spring 2007" which is hosted by Mandira of 'Ahaar' blog this Spring.Thanks for hosting Mandira!:)


Some facts about Mint:
Peppermint and spearmint came to the New World with the colonists, who also used them medicinally. They drank mint tea for headaches, heartburn, indigestion, gas, and to help them sleep.They also drank mint tea for pure pleasure, especially since it wasn't taxed.More about Mint here.

About Chives:
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), a member of the onion family and native to Asia and Europe, have been around over 5,000 years. Yet, they were not actively cultivated until the Middle Ages. The botanical name is derived from the Greek meaning reed-like leek. The English name chive comes from the Latin cepa, meaning onion.More about Chives are here.


My little Mint and Chives Winter/Spring garden! :)


This event is all about growing what you can by April 10th and cooking with it. Sounds like fun,doesn't it? But we had such a cold winter this year,I can hardly grow anything but Mint and Chives in my little pot outdoors and it grew luxuriously with no maintenance at all! I tried growing some Radish but couldn't get them before the deadline.Anyway,I am happy with what I got and made some Mint and Chives dal instead!I love the flavor of mint and Chives in the dal,of course in moderation since Mint does overwhelm the dish if used in excess.(Masoor dal is Red lentils by the way for non-Indians.)


Garden fresh Mint and Chives ready to go in the Masoor dal:





Minty Masoor dal with Chives and Turnips:





How to make the dal:
1. Cook 1/2 cup Masoor dal,2-3 Turnips peeled and chopped,1/4 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp oil with enough water in the pressure cooker or Microwave until soft.
2. Heat 2 tsp butter or oil, add 1/2" Cinnamon(Dalchini),2 cloves, 1 red dry chilli,1 tsp Cumin seeds,1 crushed whole cardamom, 2 tbsp Peanuts and 1 small onion minced,1 garlic minced,fry until reddish.
3. Add in cooked dal,salt,1 tbsp Coriander powder,1 tsp cumin powder,1 tsp Chill pd,1/2 Tomato sauce or 2 chopped Tomatoes,1/2 tsp Garam masala, 1/2" grated ginger,2 tbsp each tender mint leaves snipped from the top and Chives chopped finely,small piece of Jaggery or a tsp of sugar and heat through.
4. Do not boil too much.Garnish with some more Mint and Chives.You can remove the whole spices now so you don't bite in to them later.
5. Serve with plain white rice and wafers on the side.


That's it! A beautiful pot of Minty Masoor dal is ready!





Enjoy!:))