Broccoli Dry Curry

Ingredients:

Broccoli florets- 1 crown
Onion chopped- 1 medium
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Besan flour - 2 tblsp
Salt- to taste

Seasoning:
Olive oil - 1 tblsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafotedia - a pinchjavascript:void(0)
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chopped corriander leaves - 1 tsp to garnish

Method:
1. Steam broccoli and set aside
2. Take a tblsp of olive oil and make a seasoning of cumin seeds, asafotedia and turmeric and add the chopped onions and saute.
3. When the onion turns brown add the salt, red chilli powder, and besan flour and mix well.
4. Finally add the steamed broccoli and mix
5. Garnish with corriander leaves

Sending this recipe to Only Original Recipes event at Nivedita's Kitchen and Foodelicious and WomensEra 2008 event "C for Colourful Currys "

Pizza Bread

Ingredients:
Pizza sauce - 1 cup
Olive Oil – 2 tbsp
Grated cheese - 1 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Bread Flour – 3 cups
Yeast – 3 tsp
Paprika, dried basil, oregano - 1/4 tsp each

To be added during during the mixed bread cycle when the machine beeps
1/2 onion chopped
1/4 of a small bell pepper chopped
1/4 cup fresh methi leaves
2 mushrooms chopped
4 olives chopped

Saute onions, bell pepper and fresh methi in 1 tsp of olive oil and keep it ready to mix when the machine beeps.

Method:
1. Add all the ingredients in the bread machine in the order of ingredients.
2. Set the setting to mix bread and light crust
3. Start the bread machine
4. Make sure the dough is soft elastic ball, if necessary add a tsp of oil if the dough is tight or a tsp of flour if the dough is sticky
5. When the machine beeps add the sauted vegetables, chopped mushroom, and olives
6. Cool completely when done and slice to pieces.

Sending this recipe to Srivalli's Kids Delight event hosted by "Now Serving"

Suruttai Poli

The challenge for the Indian Cooking challenge for the month of February is "Suruttai Poli".  This event is hosted by Srivall of "Spicing your life".  This recipe is adapted from Nithya of 4th sense cooking.  This dessert has a crispy crunchy crust and mildly sweetened with the filling.  I made this delicious dessert for my friend's "Board Game Nite" and everyone enjoyed this.

Ingredients:

For filling -

Roasted gram - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Cashews - 20
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Dry Coconut  - 1 tblsp
Ghee - 1 tsp

Method for filling:

1.  Powder the roasted gram and sugar together. Chop the cashews into small pieces.
2.  Roast cut cashews and coconut in a tsp of ghee.
3.  Mix the other ingredients in a bowl. Keep it aside.

For the Crust:

Aall purpose flour - 1 cup
Salt - a pinch
Oil - for frying

Method:

1.  Mix the all purpose flour and salt in a bowl.
2.  Knead it  like chapathi dough and set it aside for half an hour.
3.  Make small balls from the dough and roll them into very thin circles of 10cm diameter.
4.  After rolling them into circles spread them on a cookie sheet a for ten minutes.
5.  Deep fry them in hot oil and remove them when they are half cooked. It should be flexible and should not turn brown or crispy
6.  Remove them from oil and spread 3 spoons of fillingon the crust and roll it tight like a cigar and keep it on a plate with seem sidefacing down.

Ginger Jeera Cooler

My friend Nandita made this delicious summer cooler when I visited her recently during my India trip.  Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:
Sugar - 4 cups
Water - 5 cups
Ginger grated - 1 cup
Jeera (Cumin) - 2 tsp
Juice of 5 lemons


Method:
1.  Mix water and sugar and boil it for 10-15 minutes
2.  When it starts boiling turn off the heat and add grated ginger, jeera and let it cool
3.  When it is completely cooled add the lemon juice
4.  Strain and store in a glass bottle in the refrigerator
5.  Mix with water and ice cubes and serve.

Sending this recipe to "Learning to Cook" Akila's Dish Starts With G Event

Lemon Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 pkg (3 ounces) lemon gelatin
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon flavoring
• 3 eggs separated

Butter cream icing or Ready to use Wilton Decorator's icing

Recipe for Butter cream icing:

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
  
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons milk

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

Makes: About 3 cups of icing.

Fruits sliced for decoration
Melted jelly for brushing on top
Chopped nuts for the sides of the cake

Method:

1. In large bowl, combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and gelatin. Add milk, oil and lemon flavoring; mix well.

2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray pan with cake release or brush with vegetable shortening.

3. Beat in egg yolks, until stiff, but not dry, adding remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Fold egg whites into batter.

4. Bake 45-50 minutes or until cake springs back lightly to the touch. Cool 15 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and cool completely.

5. Spread the butter cream icing and arrange the sliced fruits as desired.

6. Brush with melted jelly

Sending this entry to "Now Serving" Crazy for Cakes

ROTI ON A RING

I am a vegetarian so it's no surprise that I love cooking vegetables. But I like to experiment with different vegetables, spices, lentils to pioneer one-of-a kind culinary innovations. I love cooking spinach as well as other vegetables, so I tried this recipe and as a fun zing I added seasoned tofu to create a scrumptious new versatile curry that can be used for many different dishes. These low fat tortilla rolls stuffed with vegetables make a complete meal. The same filling can be used with cheese to spread on sandwiches, or it can be paired with basmati rice and cheese as a delicious dinner entree.

Ingredients:
Fresh spinach - 8 cups tightly packed and chopped
Red Bell pepper - 1 big sliced to thin strips
Ginger - ½ inch grated
Black pepper powder - ½ tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - ½ tsp
Medium firm tofu - ½ lb cut to cubes
Paprika or chili powder - ½ tsp
Juice of half a lime
Salt to taste
Cilantro - 2 tsp chopped
Olive oil -5 tblsp
Whole wheat stone ground tortillas (rotis) -8
Lettuce and red bell pepper cut to rings for decoration

How to proceed:

Spinach filling:

1. Heat 3 tblsp of oil in a pan; add the pepper powder and ½ tsp turmeric powder to the oil.
2. Add the chopped onions and grated ginger and sauté for 5 minutes
3. Add the chopped spinach and salt to taste. Turn off the heat and set aside.
4. In another pan take 1 tblsp of oil and sauté the red bell pepper and set aside
5. In the same pan add 1 tblsp of olive oil and the tofu cubes and sauté. To this add paprika or chili powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt, and lime juice. Sauté for 10 minutes.
6. Add the sautéed red bell peppers, tofu, and chopped cilantro to the spinach mixture.
7. Divide the filling into 8 equal portions

To prepare the rolls:

1. Heat a skillet and warm the tortillas
2. Layer the tortilla with a lettuce leaf and spread one portion of the filling in the center of the tortilla and roll up tightly.
3. Roll it and serve with a red bell pepper ring

Sending this recipe to Only Original Recipes event at Nivedita's Kitchen and Foodelicious

Masala Murmura

Ingredients:

Murmura (Puffed rice) - 15 cups
Red chillies - 5 or more per taste
Garlic - 1 pod
Oil - 1/2 cup
Chutney dhal - 1/2 cup
Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Dry Coconut powder - 5 tblsp
Salt to taste

Seasoning:
Mustard - 2 tsp
Asafotedia - a pinch
Curry leaves - 5 strings
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies -2

Method:
1. Keep the murmura (puffed rice) in oven at 175 F for 2 hours to make it crisp
2. Roast red chillies and powder it
3. Add crushed garlic to the red chilli powder and add 2 tbsp of hot oil and add it to the puffed rice
4. Roast peanuts, chutney dhal in 2tbsp of oil and add to the murmura
5. Make a seasoning of mustard, asafotedia, curry leaves, turmeric powder, red chillies with the remaining oil and add to the murmura
6. Add coconut powder and salt to taste.

Sending this recipe to Kurunji Kathambam's Healthy Recipe Hunt Event - Puffed Rice

Gujarati Dal for Indian Cooking Challenge

The India Cooking Challenge is hosted by Srivalli of Spicing your life.  The challenge for January is Gujarati Dal.  This is an authentic Gujarati recipe from the Cookbook Sukham Ayu.  I enjoyed making this dish and it was a perfect accompaniment with rotis.

Ingredients:

Toor dal - ½ cup
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Tamarind paste - 1 tblsp

Jaggery 1-3 tsp
Hard dry dates (optional) 4, halved
Drumstick 4-5 pieces cut into 2 inch pieces
Yam 4-5 pieces, 1 inch cubes
Groundnuts 1 tbsp
Green chillies 2 sliced
Ginger chopped -1 inch piece
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Cumin powder -1 tsp
Garam masala powder- ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves to garnish
salt to taste

Seasoning:

Ghee - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds - ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
Dried Red chillies - 2
Asafoetida powder  - ¼ tsp
Curry leaves 5-6

Method:

1.  Wash and toor dhal. Pressure-cook in 2 cups water along with turmeric to a soft consistency. Churn well.

2.  Steam the drum stick, dates, yam and peanuts.
3.  Pour the churned dhal into a thick bottomed pan and add all the ingredients except garam masala, coriander leaves and seasoning.
4.  Add 1 cup water and allow to simmer over low flame for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. In a pan, heat ghee for seasoning. Pop the mustard and then add the fenugreek seeds. Reduce flame and with the browning of the fenugreek, add cumin, red chillies, asafoetida powder and curry leaves.

6. Pour this tempering into the simmering dal. Allow to boil for another 5 minutes. Switch off flame and garnish with garam masala and fresh coriander leaves. 

Serve fresh with steamed rice and Roti.

Shirt Cake

I made this simple pineapple cake for our friend Jay's birthday and decorated with butter cream icing and M&M candies.

Khaman Dhokla

I prepared this appetizer dhokla and corriander chutney for my favorite friend Nita's birthday.

Recipe for Khaman Dhokla

Makes 20 medium sized pieces

For Batter:

Bengal Gram flour / Besan - 250 gms (1 & 1/2 cup)
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Cooking Soda - 1/2 tsp

To be mixed to the batter  just before cooking
Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric a pinch
Green Chili paste - 1 - 2 
Sugar - 1 tsp
Citric acid - 1/2 tsp

Eno - 1 tsp + sprinkle or dust few bits on the plate

Seasoning:

Sesame seeds - 1tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 string
Grated coconut - 1 tblsp
Coriander leaves - Corriander leaves
Jeera - 1/2 tsp



Method to prepare:

1.  Mix 1/2 cup yogurt with 1/2 water.
2.  Add the besan and mix well to get a lump less batter, the consistency should be of idli batter, more of dropping not pouring consistency. Slowly add more water if needed else.
3.  Add the cooking soda. Keep it aside to rise for 1 hour.
4.  If  using a pressure cooker, fill the pan with water, place a plate over which you will have use a plate for steaming the dhoklas. Thali plate can be used for steaming

5.  To the batter mix in the citric acid, oil, salt, sugar, green chili paste and turmeric powder. Mix well. This has to be done just before pouring to the plate.water start boiling.
6.  Mix the eno to the batter and a little of eno for dusting on the plate mix gently.
7.  Pour the batter to the plate.  Place the plate carefully inside the pressure pan and cover with lid. You need not use the whistle for the pressure cooker. After covering steam  5 -7 minutes.8. After 5 -7 minutes, remove the lid and test with a toothpick.  If it comes out clean and does not have any batter sticking, then its done. Cover back and let it remain on flame for one min and switch off the stove and cook for 5 minutes.

Seasoning:
Heat a pan with oil, add curry leaves, sesame seeds, mustard seeds and finely chopped green chilies. When mustard starts popping, remove and pour over the dhokla.  Garnish with corriander leaves and grated coconut.

Khandvi for Indian Cooking Challenge

The cooking challenge for December is Khandvi.  This event is hosted by Srivalli of Spicing your life.  Making Khandvi is an art as it has to be cooked to the correct consistency and spread thin to cut into rolls.  I made this delicious appetizer for a holiday party and all my friends loved it.  

 
Ingredients:
Gram flour /Besan - 1/3 cup
Yogurt - 1/3 cup beaten
Water - 1 cup
Salt as per taste
Sugar - 1 tsp
Ginger Green Chilli paste - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida / Hing - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp

For seasoning:
Oil  - 2 tsps
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Sesame seeds- 2 tsps

For Garnishing:
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsps
Coriander Leaves chopped -  2 tbsps

Method:

1.  Grease a baking sheet ready before you cook.
2.  Mix besan, salt, ginger-chilli paste, beaten curds and water and mix well.
3.  Make sure the batter is smooth and thin batter, free of lumps.
4.  Add the sugar, asafoetida and turmeric powder.
5.  Heat oil in a thick bottom pan and add the prepared batter
6.  Cook the batter, stirring continuously till the batter turns a light brown tinge, glaze
from the oil and will not stick to the walls of the pan.
7.  The batter should still be in a semi liquid state, tipping more
towards solid state.   Over cooking will result in a mass that will not spread evenly.
8.  Transfer the cooked batter quickly on to the flat greased baking sheet and with the ladle
spread the batter to a thin sheet over the surface quickly.
9.  Using a knife or pizza cutter make strips of this sheet.
8   Roll each strip into spirals and place them in a separate dish.
9.  Separately heat another pan with oil, and make a seasoning of mustard and sesame seeds and pour it over the rolled khandvis.
10. Garnish with fresh grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves.

Akki Roti

Akki Roti is a rice-based breakfast item unique to the state of Karnataka, India. Ak ki-Rotti means rice-pancake in the native language, Kannada. It is made of rice flour which is mixed with salt and water and kneaded well to make a soft dough. Sliced onions and carrots, chopped coriander leaves and cumin seeds can also be added while kneading the dough for taste. Oil is spread over a griddle and a small amount of the dough is neatly spread over it to resemble a thin pancake (rotti). A small amount of oil is spread over it and the griddle is placed over heat till the rotti turns golden brown. Akki Roti is served hot and is eaten along with chutney. A dash of butter with Akki Rotti is also preferred. This is my favorite dish and my mom prepared it often growing up.


Ingredients:
Rice flour - 3 cups
Carrot  - 1 medium grated
Lilva papdi/avarekai - 1 cup (optional)
Bell pepper  - half diced
Onion - 1 medium chopped
Curry leaves - 2 strings
Coriander leaves - 1/2 bunch chopped
Cumin seeds - 1 tblsp
Green chillies - 4 or 5 chopped
Coconut grated - 1/2 cup fresh or dry
Salt to taste


Hot water - to mix

Method:
1.  Mix rice flour with grated carrots, lilva papdi/avarekai, chopped bell pepper, chopped onion, chopped curry leaves, corriander leaves, cumin seeds, chopped green chillies, grated coconut, chopped corriander leaves, and salt.
2.  Add just enough boiling water to this and knead.
3.  Make it to tennis size balls.
4.  Flatten the dough on a plastic sheet with your hand
5.  Gently transfer the flattened roti to a cast iron griddle or skillet
6.  Add a tsp of oil around it and cover it
7.  Cook on medium flame till done
8.  Serve with chutney.

Kashmiri Dum Aloo for Indian Cooking Challenge

The Indian cooking challenge for November is "Kashmiri Dum Aloo".  This event is hosted by Srivalli of Spicing your Life.  Dum Aloo is named so because it is cooked under Dum or pressure in its own juices.

Ingredients:

Baby potatoes - 1 Kg
Cumin seeds, - 1 tsp roasted and powdered
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Kashmiri red chillies - 3-4 nos  roasted and powdered
Fresh yoghurt - 2 & 1/2 cups (must not be sour)
Ginger powder - 1 tsp
Fennel/aniseed powder - 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard oil - 4 tbsps
Cloves roasted and powdered - 6
A pinch of asafoetida
Cooking oil - to deep fry potatoes
Salt to taste
A cup of firm dough made from flour and water

Method:

1.  Wash the potatoes well, peel, and poke all over with a fork.  Soak in water for 20 minutes. Mix a tsp of salt to the water and soak the potatoes.
2.  Heat a pan with oil for deep frying, reduce to medium flame and roast all the potatoes till golden in color. Drain on a kitchen towel and keep aside.
3.  Make a paste of yogurt, chili powder, ginger, cardamom and fennel powders.  Add the potatoes well with this mixture and keep it aside.
4.  Heat the mustard oil in another pan, add the clove powder and asafetida and mix well. Add a half cup of hot water and salt to taste and bring to a boil.
5.  Add in the potato-yoghurt mix, stir thoroughly and cover.
6.  Seal the edges of the pan's cover with the dough to ensure no steam can escape. Put on the stove, cook on a low flame for 10-15 minutes.
7.  Turn off the flame, remove the cover and add the cumin and garam masala powders, and cover again quickly. Leave for few minutes.
8.  Serve hot with Chapatis or Naan.

Chocolate Cake

I made this chocolate cake for our friend Ajay's birthday.  I used a simple recipe from  a cook book and decorated with butter cream icing.

Doodhi (Bottlegourd) Kofta Curry

I tried this recipe for Thanksgiving this year.  I had this recipe from a North Indian cooking class I had taken during my college days.  It turned out quite delicious and my friends enjoyed this dish.

 

Ingredients:

For the koftas:

Grated bottle gourd -3 cups

Onions - 1 medium

Ginger -  1/2 inch

Besan - 1/2 cup

Green chillies - 2 or more to taste

Corriander leaves - 1/2 bunch

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - to deep fry

For the gravy:

Tomato - 7 medium 

Onion - 2 medium  

Ginger - 1/2 inch

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Corriander powder -  1 tsp

Roasted Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Cream - 1/2 cup

Cashewnuts - a handful

Salt to taste

Oil to saute - 2- 3tblsp

Method:

To prepare koftas:

1.   Squeeze the grated bottlegourd and reserve the liquid

2.   Chop green chillies, ginger, corriander leaves, and onions

3.   Mix with grated bottlegourd, besan flour, alt, red chilli powder and make equal size balls

4.  Heat oil, deep dry koftas and set aside

To prepare gravy:

1.  Slice onions, ginger,  and saute in a few tsp of oil

2.  Add chopped tomato and cook for a few minutes

3.  Blend the onions, ginger, tomatoes with cashewnut

4.  Add the cumin powder, corriander powder, garam masala, turmeric, and salt to the blend mixture and boil

5.  Add the reserved liquid from the squeezed bottle gourd and check for seasoning

6.  Finally stir in the cream

To serve:

Just before serving add the koftas to the gravy and garnish with chopped corriander leaves.

Varo – Sindhi Dessert for Indian Cooking Challenge

 The Indian Cooking Challenge event for October, hosted by Srivalli of  Spice your Life, is "Varo", a Sindhi dessert, made with Indian pralines with mixed nuts. This recipe is adapted  from  Simply Sindhi Recipes.  I have tried the peanut chikki, which is made similarly, in the past but this recipe was a huge hit for Diwali this year.  

Ingredients:

Mixed Nuts (Almonds, Pistachios, Cashew nuts) - 1 Cup
Poppy Seeds - 2 tbsp
Cardamoms - 4 -5
Sugar - 1 Cup
Ghee (Melted Butter) - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Roughly chop the mixed nuts. Powder the cardamom seeds.
2.  In a heavy bottomed pan, add ghee and sugar. On low heat melt the sugar.
3. When the sugar melts and is caramelized to brown color add the schopped nuts, poppy seeds and powdered cardamoms. 

4.  Briskly mix till nuts are coated well with the caramelized sugar.
5.  Pour this mixture on a greased plate or cookie sheet.
6.  Flatten the mixture using a rolling pin quickly before the mixture hardens
7.  Cool to set  and make pieces using a pizza cutter.
8. Store in air tight containers.

Chocolate Banana Bread with Raisans

I tried this bread with sugar spotted bananas which no one ventured to eat.  I added cocoa powder and raisans to enhance the flavors and baked it in the bread machine.
















Ingredients:

Bananas – 2 chopped finely
Olive Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Sugar – 3 tsp
Bread Flour – 3 cups
Yeast – 3 tsp
Milk -2 or 3 tsps
Cocoa powder - 4 tblsp
Raisans - 1/2 cup

To be added during during the mixed bread cycle when the machine beeps
Raisans - 1/2 cup

Method:
1. Add all the ingredients in the bread machine in the order of ingredients.
2. Set the setting to mix bread and light crust
3. Start the bread machine
4. Make sure the dough is soft elastic ball, if necessary add a tsp of oil if the dough is tight or a tsp of flour if the dough is sticky
5. When the machine beeps add the raisans
6. Cool completely when done and slice to pieces

Blueberry Muffins

We had a bake sale at work to benefit the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).  My friends made different baked goods like cookie, brownies, cakes.  I made the blueberry muffins for this event.  Everyone enjoyed the muffins and the bake sale was a huge success

Ingredients:
For 12 muffins

All purpose flour - 1 and 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1/3 cup
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Fresh or frozen blueberries - 1 cup
Eggs - 2
Melted butter - 4 tblssp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Method
1.  Preheat over to 400F
2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Beat eggs and mix vanilla extract and butter.
4.  Mix till just moistened and fold in the fresh/frozen blueberries.
5.  Spoon the batter in pas and bake for 20 to 25 minutes till brown
6.  Cool  for 5 minutes and serve.

Punjabi Kadi Pakoras for Indian Cooking Challenge

The monthly cooking challenge is hosted by Srivalli of Spicing your life.  The challenge for September was "Punjabi Kadi Pakoras" and the recipe was adapted from Simran of Bombay Foodie. This was an interesting challenge and a special treat for my daughters.  We loved this fried dumpling soaked in a yogurt based gravy.  Thanks Srivalli!

   

Ingredients:

For Pakoras:

Besan - 1/2 cup
Onions - 1 medium
Salt to taste
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Water to mix
Oil for Deep frying

For Kadi:

Yogurt - 1 cup
Besan - 1/3 cup
Water - 3 - 4 cups
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds- 1 tsp
Ajwain/Carom Seeds- 1 tsp
Methi /Fenugreek seeds- 1 tsp
Onion -1 large sliced
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder - 1 tsp

Method:

For the Pakoras

1.  Slice onions finely. In a bowl, take besan, add salt, red chili powder.
2.  Make a batter with water to get a semi thick consistency.
3.  Heat a pan with oil. When it is hot, dip onions in the batter and gently drop into the hot oil.
4.  Deep fry until crispy.
5.  Drain and keep aside.

For the Kadhi

1.  Make a paste with yogurt and besan, then mix with water to make a very thin batter.

2.  Heat a tbsp of oil.  Make a seasoning of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, carom seeds and methi.
3.  Add onion slices and fry till light brown.

4.  Pour in the yogurt/besan batter, add turmeric powder, salt and red chilli powder.
5.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for at least half an hour. Keep stirring occasionally.
6.  When the gravy is thick, add the pakoras and bring it to a boil.
7. Add garam masala and amchur powder to the gravy just before removing from stove.

Spicy Dhokla

I tried this favorite recipe recently.  I tried making it spicy adding the green chilli and ginger paste.  It turned out to be fabulous.

Ingredients:

1 cup besan
1 cup yogurt cheese
Salt to taste
Eno fruit salt 1 tsp
Sugar 2 tsp
Green chilli and ginger paste - 1 or 2 tsp

Seasoning:
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Sesame- 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tp
Green chillies -2 sliced

For the Garnish:
Grated coconut - few tsp
Chopped Corriander leaves

1.  Tie yogurt in  a cheese cloth to get the cheese
2.  Mix this to the besan with a little yogurt  and add salt, sugar, chilli and ginger paste and rest for a 3-4 hours.
3.  Just before steaming the dhoklas add the eno fruit salt and steam for 10 minutes till toothpick comes out clean.
4.  After it cools makes a seasoning of mustard, asafotida, jeera, turmeric, sesame, green chillies and pour on the dhoklas
5.  Cut to pieces, garnish with grated fresh coconut and chopped corriander leaves.

Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream

On our last visit to National Harbor, a waterfront resort destination on the banks of the Potomac River, Maryland, my daughter, Samantha, tried strawberry lemonade gelato. She absolutely loved it and asked me to make the ice cream version of it. Here is what I came up with it, loved and approved by both my daughters.


Ingredients:

Heavy Whipping Cream - 1 cup
Fresh Strawberries - 1/2 cup
Frozen Strawberries - 3/4 cup

Ice Cubes - 1/2 cup
Lemonade powder - 1 tblsp or juice of one lemon

Sugar - 5-6 tblsp.

Method:
1. In a heavy duty blender, add whipping cream, fresh and frozen strawberries, ice cubes, and sugar (ingredients should be added in this order)
2. Blend the ingredients together until the mixture has reached ice cream consistency
3. Scoop the ice cream, and serve IMMEDIATELY!

Sending this to Food palette series pink hosted by TorviewToronto

Tri Colored Rice

The National Flag of India is a horizontal rectangular tri colour of deep saffron, white and green; with the Ashoka Chakra, a 24-spoke wheel, in blue at its centre.  I made the orange rice with tomatoes, carrots and spices mixed with rice and the green rice with spinach, cilantro, onions, ginger and spices.

Bari for Indian Cooking Challenge

Every month, Srivalli of Spicing your life hosts the Indian Cooking Challenge (ICC). This past month of July, the challenge was "Bari". I had never tried nor tasted this recipe before, but I was up for the challenge! Though at first, I was skeptical, looking at the level of spices added, I kept following the recipe. To my pleasant surprise, the end result was fabulous! I then began adding baris to many of my subjis and pulavs, and I loved the extra zing it gave to the taste. Baris are absolutely delicious, and they will definitely be found in my future recipes!


Ingredients
Black gram dhal - 500 gms
Ash gourd - 375 gms
Ginger - 125 gms
Green chillies - 175 gms
Coriander leaves - 125 gms
Black cardamom seeds - 50-60 gms coarsely ground
Panch Phoran - 60 gms whole
Red chillies - 200 gms coarsely ground
Black pepper -100 gms coarsely ground
Saumf (fennel) -60 gms coarsely ground
Cloves - 25 gms coarsely ground
Cumin seeds - 25 gms
Cumin powder - 10 gms
Black cumin seeds -25 gms
Mace powder - 1 tsp
Nutmeg freshly grated -1/4
Asafoetida - 15 gms
Cinnamon powder - 15 gms

Method:

1. Coarsely grind urad dhal in a coffee mill
2. Soak in enough water to cover half inch above the dhal and leave for a couple of hours
3. Add asafoetida powder to it
4. Leave it overnight in a warm place to rise

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5. Grate the ash gourd
6. Chop ginger, green chillies and coriander leaves in a food processor
7. Measure all spices into the bowl with the dhal
8. Mix all ingredients with the dal .
9. Add a little water if it is too stiff. Adjust it to dropping consistency.
10. Lightly grease cookie sheets with oil
11. Drop small amount of the dough on the cookie sheet
12. Dry them in the hot sun and store in airtight containers or plastic bags.

Blueberry Ice Cream

This ice cream is a fun and easy treat that takes less than 10 minutes to make! I love sharing this mouth-watering dessert with my family and friends in the summertime as a refreshing treat.

Reviews from my daughters:

"This is a cool summery retreat from reality!"
- Samantha

"I beg for my mom to make this every night!"
- Nikita



Ingredients:

Heavy Whipping Cream - 1 cup
Frozen Blueberries - 3/4 cup
Ice Cubes - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 5 tblsp.

Method:
1. In a heavy duty blender, add whipping cream, frozen blueberries, ice cubes, and sugar (ingredients should be added in this order only)
2. Blend the ingredients together until the mixture has reached ice cream consistency
3. Scoop the ice cream, and serve IMMEDIATELY!

Kara Sev for Indian Cooking Challenge

The cooking challenge for June is Kara Sev. This event is hosted by Srivalli of Spicing Your Life. This recipe was quite easy to make and turned out very crispy and tasty.

Kara Sev Recipe

Besan - 2 ½ cups
Rice flour - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Soda - 2 pinches
Salt
Oil - to deep fry

Grind fine with water:
Red chillies - 6
Pepper - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Sieve both flours together.

2. Cream ghee and soda well till the paste looks white.

3. Add flours and salt to this.

4. Strain the chilli paste and add, mixing everything well.

5. Add enough water to make a soft yet stiff dough.

6. Heat oil and press the dough with the muruku maker

7. Fry well and remove to a kitchen tissue

8. Store in airtight container.