My first award

MY FIRST AWARD!!! HURRAY!!! My blog has been awarded the lovely blog award by not one, not two but by three lovely ladies. Thankyou, Jay, vasavi and Akila for this lovely gesture. I will always cherish this award. I could not accept this awrd as I was awee bit busy/ lazy :) so I apologize for that.

Now comes the difficult part of sharing this award with 15 others. Choosing 15 people among so many other creative people is such a daunting task. It took me more than 30 mins to come up with this list.

I would like to share this award with:

Aipi

Padhu

Pavithra

Pushpa
Umm Mymoonah

Dr. Sameena

Sayali

Sayantani

Priya

Chitchat@crossroads

Satya
Tanvi

Sharmeeli

Aparna

and last but not the least indianspice magic

Thanks again!!!

Eggless oatmeal, banana, raisin muffin

This recipe is inspired from Tarla dalal's  cook book, "Healthy snacks for kids". Though the original recipe was about banana and walnut, I changed the recipe by including raisins and milk. Just to make the muffin a little more healthy, I have included corn meal we well. However, if corn meal is not handy, then you can increase the quantity of all purpose flour by half a cup. These muffins are wholesome, tasty and nutritious and are bursting with sweet raisins. They are also low on fat content, which makes them a more healthy way to start the day

Eggless oatmeal, banana, raisin muffin recipe:

Preparation time: 20 mins

baking time- 30 mins

Makes- 10 muffins

Ingredients:

Maida or all purpose flour- 1 cup

Rolled oats- 1/2 cup+ 2tbsp

Milk- 3/4 cup

Corn meal- 1/2 cup

Baking powder- 1tspn

Brown sugar- 1/2 cup, powdered

Baking soda- 1/4 tsp

Butter- 2- 3tbsp, melted

Raisins- 1/2 cup, soaked for 2-3 hrs and drained

Banana- 3med, pureed

Vanilla essence- 1tsp

Method:

• Sieve maida, corn meal, baking powder and baking soda.
• Combine oats and milk and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar till smooth with a wooden spoon.
• Add the mashed banana, vanilla essence and mix well
• Add the banana and the oats mixtures to the flour and mix.
• Fold in the soaked raisin as well and mix till the ingredients are well combined and no traces of flour remain.
• Do not over mix the batter. The batter should be spoonable not pourable
• Spoon the batter into greased muffin cups and sprinkle some oats on top.
• Bake the muffin in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 30 mins. Or till a skewer inserted comes out clean.
• Remove and cool on a wire rack and serve warm.

This recipe is my enrty for deeba's fruit in baking event

Bandhu Dal

Don't ask me why this dish is called as bandhu dal. I really don't know and I don't care. For this dal tasted out of this world. I got this Uttarakhand recipe from Taranga (kannada weekly). This dal is an exotic mixture of urad dal and rajma, which is then cooked in onion and tomato base to a creamy consistency. Bandhu dal makes a very healthy, and tasty accompaniment for rice or rotis. Try this and I'm sure like me, you will be floored as well.

Bandhu dal recipe:

Preparation time: 20min+ soaking time

Cooking time: 15 mns

Serves- 4

Ingredients:

Urad dal- 1/2 cup

Rajma- 1/2 cup, soaked overnight and drained

Onion- 1 med, chopped fine

Tomato- 2, chopped fine

Green chilli- 1

Ginger-garlic paste- 1-2tsp

Red chilli powder- 1/2tsp

Turmeric/ Haldi- 1/4tsp

Coriander seed powder- 1/2 tspn

Garam masala powder- 1/4 tspn

Jeera/ cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Oil- 1tbsp

Kasoori methi- 1tsp

Salt- to taste

Sugar- 1/2tsp

Coriander leaves- to garnish

Cream or butter to garnish

Method:

• Pressure cook urad dal and the rajma for 5-6 whistles or till done
• Heal oil in a wok and add the jeera seeds
• Once it sputters add the onion and saute till pink.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 mins more
• Add the chopped tomato and fry for some more time.
• Add the turmeric, salt, red chilli powder, green chilli, sugar and fry for 3-4 mins more
• Add the coriander seed powder, kasoori methi, and the cooked dal and mix.
• Add some water and garam masala and bring the mixture to a boil and take off the heat.
• Garnish with coriander leaves, and butter and serve hot with rice or rotis.

This dish is my entry for Aipi's book marked recipes

Kadhai Panner for the weekend

A large chunk of paneer had been sitting in the refrigerator crying to be used. Actually I wanted to make Kati rolls durinmg the weekend. But my pantry did not hve all the ingredients that ws required. And I was certainly not ready to do shopping in the blazing sun. It was then that I opted to make Kadhai paneer. Even though, the procedure is a little time consuming, the taste is worth all the effort. 

A creamy curry, where the cottage cheese cubes are simmered in onion and tomato gravy. This is further enriched by the cashew paste and thick yogurt. Now can you think of anything better to pamper your palate?

Kadhai Panner recipe:

Preparation time: 30 min

Cooking time: 15 min

Serves- 4

Ingredients:

Paneer- 300 gms

Capsicum- 2, cubed

Cashew- 15 soaked and ground to a paste

Onion- 1 large, Blanched and pureed

Tomato-2 blanched and pureed

Ginger-Garlic paste- 1-2tsp

Turmeric/ Haldi- 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Dhania/ coriander seed powder- 1 tsp

Garam masala powder- 1/2 tsp

Thick Yogurt- 3 tbsp

Kasoori methi- 1 tsp

Oil- 2 tbsp+ 1tbsp

Salt- to taste

Sugar- 1/2 tsp

For tempering:

Ghee- 1 tbsp

Clove- 2, powdered

Cinnamon- 1" piece powdered

Pepper- 5, powdered

Green chilli-1, slit

Method:

• Heat a tbspn of oil on a tawa and shallow fry the paneer cubes till brown. Drain on an absorbant paper and keep aside.
• Heat 2 tbspn of oil in a kadhai. Add the onion paste and fry till brown.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a min.
• Add the tomato puree and saute for two more mins.
• Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sugar, salt, Coriander seed powder and stir for some time.
• Add the cashew paste and bring the mixture to a boil.
• Add the garam masala, Kasoori methi, paneer cubes and stir gently.
• Stir in the curds. Give one boil and take off the flame.
• Heat ghee in a separate pan, and add the powdered spices and fry for few seconds.
• Add the slit green chilli and the cubed capsicum.
• Fry till the capsicum is cooked and add this seasoning to the paneer gravy.
• Mix gently and serve hot with rotis or naan

Palak aur gobhi ki sabzi

Even though I love to cook and spend time in the kitchen, I hate the task of thinking about what to cook. To me there is nothing more irritating than deciding on the menu for lunch and dinner. There are times when I call up S at his office for help. But then, much to my irritation, the answer I always get is, "cook anything you want". As If he would eat anything I cook. Yesterday was one of those days where I was in a fix. I checked the refrigerator twice. There was this bunch of spinach and then there was this cauliflower. I decided to put these two together in the form of this sabzi. The curry was not a disappointment at all. The only comment from S was, "it would have tasted better if you would have added potato as well". Now  coming from S, that's a compliment. So here goes the recipe

Palak aur gobi sabzi recipe:

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Serves- 4

Ingredients:

Palak/ Spinach- 1 bunch, finely chopped

Cauliflower- 1 med, florets removed and blanched

Onion-1, finely chopped

Tomato- 2, finely chopped or pureed

Ginger- garlic paste- 1-1/2 - 2 tsp

Jeera/ Cumin- 1 tspn

Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp

Green chilli-1 slit

Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder- 1/4 tsp

Turmeric- 1/4 tsp

Oil- 2 tbsp

Sugar- 1/2 tsp

Salt- to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
• Once they turn brown, add the onion and fry till translucent.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a min more.
• Add the chopped spinach, green chilli and salt and sauté till all the water is absorbed.
• Stir in the chopped/ pureed tomato and mix for some more time.
• Add the turmeric, sugar, coriander powder, red chilli powder and sauté for 2 more mins.
• Add the garam masala and the blanched cauliflower florets and mix till all the water is absorbed.
• Take off the heat and serve hot with rotis.

Cheesy corn muffins

Off late my little girl has started indulging in a lot of junk food. She has even started skipping her lunch and dinner for potato wafers or chocolates. I don't mind her snacking as long as it is healthy. I decided to bake some healthy muffins for her and I found this recipe on our very own DK's blog. I have made a few changes to the original recipe to suit my pantry needs but the essence of the original recipe remains the same. 

The muffin turned out extremely well. My little one loved it so much that she gobbled up half a muffin in one go. I'm extremely pleased with this recipe and I'll surely bake this from time to time. I would like to say two words to Divya before I head on to the recipe. THANK YOU Divya!!!!

Cheesy corn muffins recipe:

Preparation time: 20 mins

Baking time- 40 mins

Makes- 12 muffins

Ingredients:

All purpose flour/ maida- 2 cups

Corn meal- 1 cup

Baking powder- 3tspn

Milk- 11/2 cups

Pepper powder- 1tsp

Corn- 11/2 cup

Cheese- 3-4 cubes, grated

spring onions- 2, chopped

Butter- 1-2 tbspn, melted

Salt- 1tsp

Method:

• Sift the all purpose flour, corn meal, and baking powder in a large bowl.
• Take the milk, corn, cheese, pepper powder, salt and spring onions kin a separate bowl and whisk till well belnded.
• Add this mixture to the flour mixture and fold till mixed well.
• Drop a tbsp of this mixture in the greased muffin pan/ cups and bake these in a pre-heated oven at 415F or 200C for 30 to 40 mins.
• Cool on a wire rack and store in an air tight container.

I would like to contribute this recipe to Aipi;s book mark event, Priyas Tried and tasted event and also to akila's Dish Name start's with C event

Vegetables in Kadhi sauce

This recipe has been in my recipe files for ages now. I don't remember where I got this recipe from. But it was there, waiting to be tried out among 50 odd other recipes. On Saturday when I was going through the files, I noticed this recipe and decided to try it out. I must say that this recipe recipe did not disappoint me or S. This creamy vegetable stew makes a lovely accompaniment to rotis. And it goes great with rice too. Try it and I'm sure you will be pleased with the flavours.

Vegetables in Kadhi sauce recipe:

Preparation time- 20mins

Cooking time- 15 mins

Serves- 4

Ingredients:

Carrot- 1 med, cubed

French beans- 10- 12

Peas- 1/2 cup

Cauliflower- 8-10 florets

Gram flour/ besan- 5tbsp

Yogurt/ curds- 1 cup

Turmeric/ haldi- 1/4tspn

Ginger- 1"piece, ground to a paste

Asafotida/ Hing, 1 pinch

Jeera/ Cumin- 1/2 tsp

Mustard- 1/2tsp

Red chilli powder- 1/4 tsp

Green chilli- 1, chopped

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Coriander seed powder- 1/2tsp

Garam masala- 1/4tsp

Salt to taste

Oil- 2tbsp

Coriander to garnish

Method:

• Parboil the carrot, beans and peas and keep aside.
• Blanch the cauliflower florets in boiling water for 2 mins drain and keep aside.
• Add water to the besan and make a thin batter and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
• Once it sputters, add the cumin seeds and fry till it changes colour.
• Add the curry leaves and hing and fry for a min more.
• Add the ginger paste and green chilli and fry till brown.
• Add the besan batter and stir till the batter thickens slightly.
• Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander seed powder, salt and boil for 2 mins
• Add the garam masala powder and stir for a min. more.
• Add the cooked vegetables and simmer for sometime.
• Stir in the yogurt and give one boil and take off the heat.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or rotis.

Happy Dussehra

Apple Rabdi for Durgashtami

This sweet dish is from Tarla dalal's desi khana cook book. Even though this book has been there with me for more than two years now, I never really thought of trying this recipe till today. I was thinking of making a sweet for offering, when I found this recipe. I have changed the original recipe by adding milk powder instead of reducing milk to half. This I can say is an elegant dessert with sweet and fragrant flavours.

Apple Rabdi Recipe:

Preparation time- 15 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Serves- 4

Ingredients:

Apple- 1, Peeled and grated

Full fat milk- 1/2 ltr

Sugar- 6tbspn

Milk powder- 4 tbsp

Elaichi/ Cardamom- 6 freshly ground

Nutmeg powder- a pinch

Saffron- Optional

Method:

• Boil the milk and simmer for 15 mins.
• Add the grated apple, elaichi, saffron and milk powder and boil for a few mins more.
• Remove from heat and add the sugar and cool completely.
• Fill them in individual cups and serve chilled.

Babaganoush

I was a little skeptical before trying this recipe. No. I was not doubtful if I would like this dish. I was doubtful whether my husband S would like it or not. S is extremely picky when it comes to tastes. Even if the dish tastes a little unconventional, then he makes a face. Every dish that is cooked has to be perfectly spiced, perfectly boiled, etc, etc. There are times when he says that one particular curry does not suit the particular sambar or rasam. For which I have to remind him that he is not dining at a five star restaurant. Each and every dish that is posted on this space has been passed through the litmus test of S's taste buds. Only, after they have been certified as "good", has it been posted. It's funny for a man to be this picky is it not?

Coming back to this recipe, I was in two minds to prepare this dish as it was way out of conventional roasted egg plant curry. However, I just made up my mind and tried this out. And boy!! am I glad that I did. Because the dip was so delicious, that even S ate without making a face. He only made a face at the name :).

Babaganoush/ Babagaouj is a syrian egg plant dip which is served as an appetizer as well. I found this recipe in a ISKON's recipe book called "the higher taste". And the dip was surely high on the taste. The roasted flavour of the egg plant went beautifully with the nutty and zesty flavours of the sesame and lime respectively. Try this recipe and I'm sure you will be hooked as well

Babaganoush recipe:

Preparation and Cooking time:: 40mins

Serves-2

Ingredients:

Eggplant/ Aubergine- 1 large

Olive oil: 2 tspn

Tahini paste-  1tbspn

Pepper powder- 1/2tspn

Lime juice- 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder- 1/4tspn

Hing/ Asafotida- a pinch

Coriander to garnish

Method:

• Wash and wipe the brinjal dry.
• Grease the egg plant with a little oil and roast over low heat.
• Keep rotating the egg plant to ensure even roasting. 
• Once the egg plant is completly black and roasted, take off the heat and cool for sometime.
• Peel the outer skin and mash the pulp
• Heat the oilve oil in a wok and add the hingand fry for a few secs.
• Add the chilli powder and turn off the heat.
• Add this mixture to the eggplant and mix.
• Add the tahini paste, salt and pepper powder.
• Lastly add the lime juice and grind the mixture to a fine paste in a blender.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a dip or a side dish.

Since I did not have the ready made tahini paste, I roasted a table spoon of sesame seeds and hand pounded it to a fine powder. Then I mixed the sesame powder with a tspn of olive oil. And voila!! Tahini was ready :)

This recipe goes to Aipi's bookmarked recipes event

And Akhila's dish name starts with B event