Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Galleria of Black & White Wednesdays #69

I want to thank one and all participated in Black & White Wednesday event.
It was a delight to see all the beautiful shots in my place. Enjoy the virtual delight 
for now & do check on Cindy's place for upcoming schedule. 

Pizza for Dinner "by Meena Selvakumaran of EncourageSpice

Baby loves Cuppycake " by Khansa Erooth of A novice Cuisine

Brasserie Window " by Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums

Kitchen Tools Ready " by Cinzia of Cindystar

Ready to go " by Cinzia of Cindystar

Properly Cut " by Cinzia of Cindystar

Vintage Miss Laminate " by Cinzia of Cindystar

Nicely Deep Fried " by Cinzia of Cindystar

Huge baskets to enjoy " by Cinzia of Cindystar

The Table is Set " by Simona of Briciole

Chruścik " by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook

Pistachio Cookies by me


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Baked Goodies


Announcing Black & White Wednesday

I'm so happy to announce the Black and White Wednesday #69 event @ my blog.This event was initially started by Susan of The well-Seasoned CookWich was passed on & now being managed by Cinzia of Cindystar.




Simple rules: 
1. Send in a Black & White or a monochromatic pic of a food or something represents food.
2. A file size should be as mentioned below:

  • For portrait/500 wide & 700 long
  • For landscape/700 wide & 500 long or 600 square

3. Send in your Pics to Valli.sunil@gmail.com with below details: 

  • Subject : BWW#69
  • Name
  • Title of pic
  • Url to your page 

4. Event starts from 30th of Jan13 to 6th of Feb13.
5.Non bloggers can send in your pics to the above mail id & I would be happy to post it for you. 
6. For queries you can leave a comment below.

 
Ammaji Recipes

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Brussels sprout for BWW # 68


Sending this to Susan's BWW event which was passed to Cindystar & being hosted @  Haalo of  Cook Almost Anything.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Corn with Black eyed pea Salad


I'm not kind of a salad person but occasionally I love indulging in them. The one reason I go for them is they make you feel full & helps you in diet. So whenever I want to go on a crazy diet I make one of this for myself & enjoy it to the fullest. 
Today I'm sharing a refreshing salad for upcoming hot summers.This salad is packed with protein, carbs & also goodness of the greens. 


Ingredients
1 Cup cooked black eyed beans
1/2 Cup uncooked sweet corn
1/2 Cup finely chopped brussel sprouts
1/2 Cup diced scallions
Few pomegranate arils to sprinkle on top
For Dressing 
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tsp freshly grounded black pepper
Salt (Adjust acc. to your taste)



In a large bowl add black eyed peas, sweet corn & diced scallions.For blanched brussels follow the below instructions.
Blanched brussel sprouts:
Take a wide pan with full of water & a 1tsp of salt. Place it on a stove top & bring water to boil.
Mean while in a bowl take lots of Ice cubes & fill it with water. To that add 1 Tsp salt & dissolve it. 
Now add the chopped brussels to boiling water & cook them 4 to 5 mins. Mean while the sprouts change to brighter green & also will be perfectly cooked with out leaving their crispy texture. Strain them into a bowl & add them immediately to iced water. Now strain the iced water & add sprouts to salad. Mix them well. 


In a small bowl mix lemon juice, pepper powder & salt. Mix it well till salt gets disolved. Now mix dressing with salad & sprinkle few pomegranate arils on top. 


Serve it right away & enjoy.

  


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Ada - Guest post by Reshmi of Funwidfud


I'm again back with guest post " Something Sweet" after a long time. Today our guest Reshmi of Funwidfud is here to share a traditional kerala recipe with all of us & she is also the first guest in my blog this year.. :)
In Reshmi's words:
When  Sreevalli of Ammaji Recipes asked me for a guest post some time back,  I was totally hooked up with multiple jobs.. but before I could tell a list of tasks in front of me she told that I can chose a later date, for which I accepted..I totally left it there and was moving around when around the corner I remembered about the guest post. Now cooking was fine but clicking it was very difficult..Finally when I saw a little sunshine I went with this simple but a traditional recipe of Kerala.
      Ada is a sweet delicacy from Kerala.These are steamed  rice pockets filled with sweet coconut filling.  It is know as ela ada because of the way it is made. Usually plantain leafs are used to cook them, but due to the unavailability of them here I have experimented with parchment paper and its a success. They are enjoyed as snack/sweet during evenings with tea as well as can act as breakfast if you have a sweet tooth in the morning.


Ingredients
Rice Flour-1 cup(pathiri/puttu/idiyappam powder)
Salt- pinch
Water-11/4 cup
Coconut oil-1/2 tsp
Grated Coconut-1/2 cup
Jaggery-2 cubes
Rock sugar/kalkandam-2 tbsp(optional)
Cardamom seeds-from 2(crushed)
Parchment paper- 4 to 5 nos( 10" square approx.)


Method of preparation:
1. In a bowl add rice flour, coconut oil and salt.
2. Bring water to rolling boil  and turn off the heat. Add 1 cup of water to rice powder and mix well with a spoon. Close the vessel and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Now when the dough is warm to touch mix it with hands to form a soft and pliable dough. you can add more(1/8 cup) of the boiled water if needed.
4. Mix the grated coconut along with powdered jaggery, rock sugar and cardamom powder and mix well and set aside.
5. Now take a lemon sized ball of dough, place it on the parchment paper, grease your hands with coconut oil and flatten the dough with your fingers to a circle of equal thickness.
6. Now add 3 to 4 tbsp coconut filling in the center and fold the parchment paper to half and press the sides of dough so that it sticks together.
7. Heat water in a steamer and when steam starts to come place the parchment paper into it with the open end folded and placed to bottom.
8. Steam it for 5 to 7 minutes and remove it on to a plate. Continue cooking for the whole dough.
9. Serve warm.




Notes:
1. You can add raisins, cashews to the filling.
2. Adding more filling is up to you. In that case you will require to increase the amount of coconut, jaggery.
3. This ada is usually made using banana leaf. Since that is not available here I made using parchment paper. If cooking with plantain leaf you have to follow the same method.

I want to thank Reshmi for making this post possible. 

  



Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Eggless Pistachio Cookies


Happy New Year to all.

On the occasion of new year I'm sharing this borrowed recipe from Food Network magazine.This is a eggless recipe with a crunchy & crispy texture. You can also feel pistachio's in every bite & the best part is you can replace pistachio's with your favorite nut.


Yields : 20 Cookies
Ingredients
3/4 Cup + 2Tbs all purpose flour
2/3 Cup unsalted pistachios 
1 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Cup icing sugar
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 Cup butter at room temperature 
1 Tsp vanilla extract


Preheat oven @350degrees. On a baking sheet spread the pistachios & bake them for 10 to 12 mins. Now remove them from oven & you can smell the aroma of roasted nuts. Allow them to cool. Sift all purpose flour,baking powder & salt in a bowl. Grind nuts & 2 tbs all purpose flour to a smooth powder.
In a big bowl beat sugar, butter & vanilla extract until light & fluffy.Now mix the dry ingredients with butter mix & to that add the nut powder & roll it to a rectangular shape.
Cover this dough in a plastic wrap & to make it firm  refrigerate it for at least 2hrs or whole night.


Preheat oven @350degrees. Mean while line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough in between 2 pieces of parchment paper & cut it using a shape as you want. 
Now line the cookies on prepared baking sheets. Bake them for 10 to 12 mins until golden brown.
Cool them for 3 mins on baking sheets & move them on to a rack to cool further.


Serve them with milk, coffee or tea. They are just yum.

Note: 
1.You can replace pistachio with any other nut.
2. I refrigerated the for 2 hrs & it was nice enough to handle. 
Or you can just sprinkle a little flour & roll.



Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Semiya Payasam | Vermicelli Kheer

A simple & easy recipe for any occasion. I have these sweet cravings at night late after 10:30PM :) I know it's weird.. But this easy peasy recipe comes to my rescue at that time. You can make it as a stove top or a microwavable version. I'm not comfortable cooking in microwave due to the radiation problems every one talk about..So today I'm sharing a stove top one here. 



Ingredients 
1Cup Vermicelli
1/2Cup sago
2Cups Milk
1/2 Cup sugar ( Adjust accordingly)
1Tsp elachi powder
1Tbs butter
Few almonds & dry fruits


Heat a pan with butter. To that add almonds & dry fruits. Fry them for 1 min & remove them on to a plate. To the same add vermicelli & roast it lightly.Switch off heat & keep aside.

In a pan take sago with 1/2 cup milk & cook them on a low heat till they are puffy and done.
Take the butter roasted vermicelli & mix it with cooked sago. To that add the rest of milk & bring it to boil. Now add sugar & stir it. Payasam is ready so switch off heat. To that add elachi powder & dry fruits.


Serve it warm & enjoy the taste .


Monday, December 24, 2012

Mamidikaya Kobbari Pachadi | Manga Thengai Thogayal | Mango Coconut Chutney

I am digging up my archived post & attaching it a new picture to celebrate their yumminess. Not to mention that this is a very delicious recipe perfect along with rice & dosa.


Ingredients
1 Cup chopped coconut pieces
1 Cup chopped mango pieces
4 Green chilli's( Adjust according to your spice levels)

Salt
Seasoning

3 Tbs of oil
1 Tbs of mustard seeds
1 Tbs of jeera
1 Tbs of channa dal
1 Tbs of urad dal
4 Red chili's

4 Curry leaves
Pinch of hing

Heat Pan with oil. Add seasoning to pan once the mustard starts jumping remove it from heat. Allow them to cool down.

Grind the seasoning first to that add salt, mango & coconut pieces. Grind it coarsely.



Chutney is ready to serve. If you like add a little seasoning on top & serve it. 



Sunday, December 23, 2012

Gongura Pachadi | Pulicha Keerai Thuvaiyal | Sorrel Chutney

Gongura pickle is called " Andhra Mata " and a very famous andhra recipe.This chutney is made in different ways & I'm just sharing one of the styles which we make at home. I used the red stemmed leaf which has more sourness than the green ones. This is also one of those pickles which can be stored year long & can be enjoyed when ever you like.



Ingredients
2 Cups dried gongura leaves
4 Tbs tamarind
1 Tbs methi seeds
12 Red chili's
1 Tbs coriander seeds
Pinch of Hing
Salt for taste
2 Tbs oil
Seasoning
1 Tbs urad dal
1 Tbs mustard
4 Tbs oil ( Add if you need more)
4 Pods garlic (Optional)
2 Red chili's

1. Clean gongura leaves and dry them on a cloth overnight.
2. Heat a pan and add gongura leaves along with oil.Fry them till they are cooked or till they gain soft texture & change to dark brown color.Switch off heat & allow those fried leaves to cool.
3. Add 3tbs oil to pan & add dry red chili's,methi seeds, coriander seeds & hing. Fry them for 3mins & switch off heat. 
4. Grind the fried ingredients coarsely.Later add the gongura leaves, tamarind,salt & grind them.Remove the chutney in to a bowl.
*** Now you can refrigerate this chutney in a air tight box & use it with addition of little seasoning when ever you want.


Seasoning
Heat a pan with oil and add the seasoning to it. Once the mustard starts jumping. Switch off heat & add it to the above chutney and mix it well.


* Serve with rice and butter.It tastes delicious. Some to enjoy it with little onion pieces & green chili's for extra heat.


Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Deepavali


Deepavali/Diwali is also known as "Festival of Lights" celebrated on the occasion of Satyabhama killing the Narakasura.This festival is celebrated for 3days starting with dhana trayodasi , naraka chaturdashi & deepavali amavasya. Deepavali is a fun filled festival to all of us. We get to have yummy homemade sweets & savories along with fire crackers. My maternal grandparents used to visit us & deepavali in my chilhood & it was always memorable.

Deepavali 2012

On dhana trayodasi we pray to Maha lakshmi devi for wealth & prosperity. There is a saying that we should purchase gold on this day. The actual thing is on this day you have to invite guest to your house & serve him nice food along with tamboolam. In which you are suppose to add at least a gram of gold & offer the tamboolam to guest.
So taking todays gold prices in to consideration I limit myself with lakshmi pooja on this day.. :)

Deepavali 2011

The day after dhana trayodasi is naraka chaturdashi. On this day we prepare sweets in the morning & at eve we take a head bath & offer the sweets to god. My parents also have a custom of "Dubbi kottadam". I don't know how to translate in english as it is typically a tradition where you hang big oily threads to a cut gongura/roselle stems & lit them in front of the house. We pat them to ground till the fire goes off. This is typically done to remove the dishti or evil eye to the house. Then later we enjoy the sweets which are offered to god & also will do some fire cracking too.

Deepavali 2009

Where I'm living we generally decorate our house day before deepavali & setup for pooja the next day. Deepavali day we do Laxminarayana pooja in the morning & in the eve we do Dhana lakshmi pooja. We offer god maha neivedyam/prasad in the morning & a sweet with besan for the evening pooja.

Deepavali 2006

In the eve after dhana lakshmi pooja we decorate out side of our house with lots of oil lamps & do the fire crackers. It is also said that you have to lit at least one fire cracker on this day to celebrate the victory of god.

Deepavali 2011

Day after deepavali on padyami the auspicious month " Karthika masa " starts & the month is a festivals to me. There are so many important festivals starting with mondays, nagula chavithi, ksheerabdhi dwadashi & karteeka pournami. At end of the month we leave floating oil lamps in a plantain stem @ a near by lake, river or at least in a bucket. 
I hope that you all have enjoyed my festive preparation series for Blogging Marathon. Staying away from home country cuts out lots of traditional possibilities while celebrating a festival. 
Have fun.