Oats Khara Sundal

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi & Eid Mubarak to all my friends.

Like every year I made clay ganesha at home.But this year I made a Bala Ganesha from whom I just couldn't turn my eyes off.I felt he was looking at me for his yummy treats :)

As part of tradition we make undaralu, pulihora & payasam. This year I added seasame kozhukattai & uppu kozuhukattai for prasadam.I didn't want to offer god my experimental dish so I made it later as a snack.

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Broken Oats 

1/2 cup Rice flour

1/2 cup water 

1/2 tsp butter

2 Green Chilli

Salt (Varies acc to your taste)

2 tsp fresh grated coconut 

Seasoning 

1/2 tsp Mustard 

1/2 tsp Jeera
1/2 tsp Urad Dal

1 Red chilli 

Curry leave

1 tsp oil 

Heat a vessel with water and butter & bring it to boil.Keep stirring the water while you add rice flour to vessel. This allows you to get a nice dough with out lumps. 

Remove it from heat once the rice flour is done.Cool it. 

Meanwhile heat a pan with 1 tsp butter and oats. Fry them till a nice aroma comes from them or till they turn light brown.

Add the fried oats, salt & Chilli to rice flour. Mix it well.

Roll out balls with the dough.Grease the idli plates with little butter and place balls in it.Steam cook them for 15mins.

Heat a pan with oil and add seasoning to it. Once the mustard starts spluttering add curry leaves & remove it from heat.

Mix grated coconut & seasoning.

Note:

1. If you have rolled oats butter fry them once they cool down coarsely grind them.

2. Use some butter to roll out balls if they are sticky.

Out come:In each and every bite you can taste the fiber feel.Oh they are delicious...

Lollypops on sale

Sending to Susan's Black and White Wednesdays!

Tomato basil lasagna

I always wonder when did I start falling for pasta so much. I don't remember much but I once had it in Olive garden and it was just yummy. From then on I started mastering it at home.  This dish generally goes for dinner in our house which we njoy it pepsi or coke. 

Thinking of dinner if I ask my hubby to opt from my menu he always votes for pasta with lots of cheese.In general I don't prefer cheese in my serving so cheese just lands on my hubby's plate which he njoy's a lot :)

You can see the variation in below pics...

This pic was taken at our dinner time where I sprinkled a little more cheese and warmed it in the oven for my hubby.

Ingredients

4 Sheet of Lasagna

1/2 cup chopped Onion

Basil leaves 

1 tsp oil 

Salt

1 cup grated Swiss cheese ( Can replace with Mozzarella )

For Tomato Sauce 

6 Tomatoes  ( I used canned tomatoes)

1 Garlic pod

1 small bunch of Basil 

2 Tbs Olive Oil

Ground Pepper (Acc to your spice level)

2 Tbs Parmesan cheese 

Salt

For White sauce 

2 tsp All purpose flour 
2 tbs Butter 
1 cup milk 
1 Garlic Pod

Ground Pepper (Acc to your spice level)

2 Tbs Parmesan Cheese

Salt

Bring water to boil in a large vessel along with oil & salt. Drop the Lasagna and allow it to cook. Once it's cooked drain water leave it aside. 

Heat pan with oil and saute onions till they become soft. Rest will cook in the oven so leave it aside.

For tomato sauce 

Heat a pan with oil add garlic. Fry for few seconds and add tomato. Bring to boil on medium heat. Once the tomatoes are done add salt , pepper & Parmesan cheese to it and switch off the heat.

Once it's cool puree it along with basil. 

For white sauce 

Heat pan with butter and add grated garlic to it. Then add flour to the pan and fry it till the raw smell goes off.Keep stirring the flour along with salt & pepper. Mix milk little by little while mixing the flour with a spatula with out forming  lumps.

Add parmesan cheese to the sauce and cool it aside.

Take a Lasagna sheet spread the white sauce on the sheet along with little tomato sauce. Place the fried onions on the sheet and sprinkle some cheese.Roll off the lasagna as shown above. 

Place the rolled lasagna's in a pan and pour the tomato sauce on them. Bake @ 350 degrees for 20 mins.

 

***The cool part is that you can make a it ahead of time and freeze it. Just reheat in oven when ever you want to have.Though I prefer a fresh one it's not a bad idea. 

Out Come :  It's cheesy, yummy & delicious.This pasta is layered with different sauces & cheese. You can feel the taste of all in every bite. 

Kothimeera Tomato Pachadi | Tomato Coriander Chutney

A very simple dish which goes well with Rice, Dosa or Idli. Lately when I visited a friend she made this chutney for lunch. It was awesome.

Ingredients

2 Cups of sliced Tomatoes 

1 cup Coriander Leaves 

3 Red chili's

2 Garlic Pod

Salt  

1 Tbs Oil 

Heat a pan with oil ad add the above ingredients to it.Close the pan with a lid and allow them to cook well. Once they are done grind them to a smooth paste. Salt can be adjusted according to the taste. 

Gongura Pappu / Pulichakeerai Dal

I have been to San Diego  last week end & to my surprise I found " Gongura / pulichakeerai " in indian store. I jumped with joy as it's hard for me to find this tangy leaf in my place. when ever I buy them I freeze them or oil fry them to store them for longer periods. 

As you all know Gongura Pickle/ Chutney is very famous & same way gongura pappu/dal is famous too. I 'm from Guntur, AP & I have to say that I'm very fond of this leaf & dishes too.

 

Garlic and Gongura they go well with each other in any dish. But I have to mention that the chili powder recipe is a borrowed recipe from one of my friend. This chili power adds lot's of flavor to the dish.

Ingredients 

For dal

1 cup Toor dal

1 cup finely chopped Gongura leaves 

1 cup chopped onions 

Seasoning 

2 tsp Garlic Chili powder 

1 tsp Mustard 

1 tsp Jeera 

1 Red chili ( Break it in to pieces) 

1 tsp Oil 

Pressure cook toor dal, gongura leaves& onions. Allow it for 2 whistles & cool it. 

Mean while in pan add oil add red chili, jeera & mustard. Once mustard starts jumpings switch off the heat. 

Mix up chili powder with dal and allow it to cook for 5mins. Then add seasoning to it & dal is ready to serve. 

For Garlic Chili Powder 
1 cup Red chili powder 
2 tsp Dhania 
2 Garlic flakes
1/2 tsp methi seeds
1/4 cup of Curry leaves

Dry roast dhania, garlic, methi & curry leaves. Garlic takes a little time so remove rest of the ingredients from the pan and fry garlic. 


Grind chili powder & masala mix. 

*** You can feel the aroma once you open the mixie lid. 

Out come: What can I say It's so tasty... :)

 

Mullangi Sambar | Mooli Sambar

This version is little different from the normal one. We add both sambar and rasam powders for flavor. It gives you a unique taste.

Ingredients 
1 Medium onion chopped
2 Medium Tomatoes diced
1 cup sliced Mooli (Mullangi)
1 Tbs Oil 
2 Tbs Tamarind  
1 Tbs Jaggrey
Salt
For Sambar paste
1 Tbs Sambar powder
1 Tbs Rasam Powder
1 Tbs Poppy seeds
1 Tbs Coconut powder
Seasoning

Mustard 

Jeera

Crushed Garlic

Red chili's 

1 Tbs oil

Heat a vessel with oil add onions and saute them till they are transparent.Now take tomatoes & Mooli and add with onions.
Add salt to vessel and close it with a lid. 


Grind Sambar powder,Rasam Powder,Poppy seeds & Coconut powder to a smooth paste. 
Once the veggies are done add the ground paste,Tamarind, Salt , Jaggery & 21/2 cups of water. 
Bring it to boil. Meanwhile prepare the seasoning.


Seasoning
Take a small pan heat it with oil then add mustard, jeera, Redchili, garlic. Once mustard starts jumping add it to sambar. It's ready to serve.


Out Come: The sambar was all yum with mooli flavor. It tasted too good. Try it :)

 

My Favorite Dish

We all are the finest cooks who enjoy cooking various dishes from all over the world. But very deep in our heart we all have a special love to some dish which we always admire.

So the whole idea of this event is to post a dish which you like, love & enjoy a lot.

I'm overwhelmed to announce my second event " My favorite Dish". I have been planning on this event for a very long time. I have been planning on this event for a very long time.All these days this post was sitting in my draft and finally its out in its quest .

Rules :) 

1. Vegetarian dishes & eggs are allowed. 
2. Post it in your blog and link the recipe to my Event.
3. Archived recipes are fine too.
4. Use of Logo is Appreciated.
5. Can send multiple entries.
6. Don't have a blog... Do send in your recipe along with a picture of your dish. I will post it for you..
7. Send in all your recipes to ammaji.recipes@gmail.com with below details.                                  

      Subject : My Favorite Dish
      Name : 
      Blog Name:
      Recipe Name :
      Recipe Url :
      Attach a picture of the recipe with your mail.

Do send in all entries before Sep 25th... I will be waiting for all your wonderful dishes. 

No Yeast Bread Sticks along with Tomato Hummas

I'm an all time fan of bread sticks. Whether it is soft or crunchy I just don't care. Today I was really craving for bread and I just realized that I'm running out of yeast & bread in my pantry.

I went a head and googled for some non yeast bread recipes. Here I have to thank all those who blogged about this wonderful recipe. 

Seriously it takes less time compared to the normal one's & even tastes good too. 

Coming  to Hummus I followed Ina Garten's ( Food network star) recipe. Guess what ??? It turned out yummy. 

Recently when I have been to lake Tahoe I had tasted the tomato Hummus. It was delicious.

I just couldn't wait to give a try making it.

For Bread sticks

1 cup of Maida or All purpose flour2 tsp Brown Sugar

2 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Milk

Sesame seeds (optional)

1/4 cup of melted butter 

Take maida, sugar, baking powder & salt in a bowl. Slowly add little by little milk to make a  dough. Sprinkle some flour on the table and knead the dough for 2 to 3 mins.Now roll the whole dough like a chapati in any shape u like. Cut the dough in to nice long pieces using a knife.

Baking

Preheat oven @ 300deg. 

Take a baking pan line up the pieces and brush them with butter on both the sides & sprinkle some sesame on them.

Place them in the oven n bake them for 20 mins @ 350deg or till they nice and crisp.

For Hummus
1 Cup Chickpeas (Soaked in water whole night,Drained & Cooked)
2 Garlic Cloves
10 Cherry Tomatoes
Salt
1/3 cup sesame paste
2 tbs of lemon
1 tbs Red chili flakes

Microwave tomatoes for 3mins or till they soft. 

Grind tomatoes and all the ingredients to a smooth paste. 

*** Serve bread sticks warm with hummus. 

Out come: It was a yummy crispy dip.

 

Minumula Chintapandu Pachadi | Urad Dal Chutney with Tamarind

This chutney is a nellore delicacy with lots of tangy & crunchy taste to it. It's a very delicious chutney you will fall in love automatically. 
I first tasted & learned this recipe from my MIL. When I moved to Korea I was on my own experimenting in cooking. I failed many times in getting the perfection for this recipe. As they say " Try,Try & Try Till You Achieve" & atlast I did.
My hubby Loves this recipe so I make sure that I make it perfectly as he likes :) 

Ingredients

3/4 cup of urad dal (Minapappu)

3/4 cup of tamarind

Seasoning

6 Red chilli

1 tbs dhania
1 tsp mustard 
1/2 tsp methi seeds

1 tbs oil

Hing ( Asafoetida )

Salt for taste

To start with clean tamarind & soak it in water.

Heat pan with oil & add mustard once they start jumping add red chili ,methi seeds, dhania & hing to it.Remove it from pan & allow it to cool.In the same pan add urad dal and fry them till they turn light brown or till the nice aroma touches your nose.
Grind the seasoning first then comes tamarind & salt turn. After grinding then add urad dal to mixie. Just use pulse button to break the urad dal as shown in the picture as the chutney should be crunchy. (Don't grind it to paste)
 

Out come:  Serve with hot rice with a dollop of ghee. It tastes delicious. 

Bloomed Tomatillos

This pic goes to Susan's Black and White Wednesdays!

A colorful carrot soup came out Black & White

This pic is going to Susan's Black and White Wednesdays!

Bangaladumpa Gasagasala Kura | Potato in Poppy seed gravy | Aloo ki Sabji

When I'm confused what to cook for lunch my mom comes very handy solving my confusions. She has a cook book of her own inventions & few gathered one's too. I generally call it a secret cook book. 

This is one of those recipes from my mom. 

Ingredients

3 Medium Potatoes

Cilantro for garnish 

For Gravy

1 medium Onion chopped

2 Tomatoes chopped

2 Tbs Poppy Seeds (GasaGasalu)

2 Tbs Coconut powder

1 Tbs Coriander Cumin powder 

Pinch of Tumeric powder

2 Red chilli's

2 Tbs of Oil 

Salt

Scrap potatoes and cut them in to small cubes. ( you can even cut big pieces too). Bring water to boil with pinch of salt in a vessel. Add potatoes & close it with a lid. Once the potatoes are done filter out the water and keep outside.

Mean while heat a pan with oil and add onions to it.Fry them for few secs n switch off the heat. Let it cool down for few mins. 

For Gravy: 

Grind Onions, tomatoes, poppy seeds, coconut powder, Red chili & salt to a smooth paste.

Heat the pan ( No need to add oil as there is little left oil in it) n add the ground paste & add coriander cumin powder. Cook it with a lid for 10 mins. Add potatoes to gravy and cook it for another 10mins & the curry is ready.

Garnish with cilantro.

Out come: Curry has a sweetish taste to it. It's just yum yum with roti.

Garden salad with Yogurt Mustard dressing

As you all know salads can be made of different ingredients.I prepared a green salad for dinner to cut down some calorie intake at nights.

I have used limited veggies or can say like those are available in my refrigerator.

The dressing has been altered with some ingredients to cut calories. For a mayonnaise & sour cream I used home made low fat yogurt.

 

Ingredients :

Veggies

1 cup of Shredded Carrot 

1 Cup of Shredded Red Cabbage 

1/2 cup chopped Onion 

1 cup of chopped Lettuce

1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes 

Dressing 

1/2 cup Low fat free yogurt  

2 Tbs Lemon juice 

1 Tbs Mustard powder

1 clove of Garlic minced

1/2 Tbs Red chili flakes

1/2 Tbs ground black pepper

Salt acc to taste

Take a big bowl with all the veggies mixed in it expect tomatoes. 

For Tomatoes

Cut cherry tomatoes in to half n place them on a baking pan. Drizzle a little of Olive oil. Bake tomatoes @ 350 degrees for 15mins.

For Dressing 

Take a bowl n mix up all the dressing ingredients together to a smooth paste. 

Take the tomatoes out of oven. Let them cool for few mins. Mix up dressing and veggies together. 

* Cover the salad bowl and allow it to sit in a refrigerator for a tasty salad.

Out come: After tasting it my hubby said let's skip dosa's for dinner & replace them with Salad :)