Kaarapoosa

After longtime I am eating this snack. This is on my wish list from a long time. But I don’t have the required and the murruku press we use to make them. Finally I found one when I met a neighbor. She was very generous and I borrowed one. And then evolved this snack I am starving of. The thin strings elevate our jihva to eat more of them and we cannot just eat some we stuff in a lot more.

Ingredients:

Gram flour……………..1 cup

Rice flour………………..11/2 cup

Butter/oil………………..2 tbsp

Salt……………………….to taste

Ginger-chili paste………2 tsp

Jeera…………………………..1tsp (or) ajwain………………………..1tsp

Oil…………….for frying

Method:

1. Heat oil in a deep frying pan
   
2. Mix all the listed ingredients in water to make soft dough.
   
3. Put into kaarapoosa press and just squeeze into hot oil in circular shapes.
   
4. Deep fry till they turn golden brown.
   
5. Brain and cool on paper towel.
   
6. Store in air-tight tins when cool
   
7. Enjoy with your evening cup of chai.
   

Note: Mix the dough when your r ready to fry them don’t make it in advance .Even while making cover it with a wet -cloth helps to keep in the moisture.

 

Simple Mushroom Stir Fry

                                                        

Mushrooms r one of the high protien veggies that we can play with while making them they r easy to make and blends well into different kinds of dishes.Here i am making a simple stir fry which can be made in a hurry and sure can get accollades for the dish.It goes well with roti,rice,pulav.And the best part is my daughter she loves eating mushroom only mushrooms isn’t that good to see when u prepare something and ur kids want to eat the whole of it.She loves mushrooms so i mix it in rice and give her the mushoorms as many as she like to eat.

Ingredients:

Mushrooms……………..1 pack.

onion………………………..1 chopped

green chilies………………2 chopped

ginger garlic paste……..1 tsp

salt…………………………to taste

turmeric……………………1 pinch

chilli powder………………1/2 tsp

garam masala……………….1/2 tsp

coriander powder……………..1/2 tsp

coriander leaves………………..fist full

Method :

1.In a pan take 2 tsp oil and add onions and green chillies and let them fry

2.When onions turn translucent add ginger garlic paste.

3.Next add washed and sliced mushrooms and cook till mushrooms leaves water add salt and turmeric.

4.Fry till the water is vanishes add chilli powder and garam masala.stir fry till the mushrooms are cooked well 

5.To garnish add chopped coriander.

That’s it,it barely takes five minutes.Hope u all like it.

Baby Corn Manchurian

                                                                                               

Yupppy………i danced after eating my first bite of this baby corn manchurian.(i don’t believe i made them).I like manchurians(well who doesn’t).When dining out I stuff myself till my dear huddy stops me(no he just encourages me don’t u want to eat!!!!!!!!).Yha i am doubling my self with this kind of food but what can i say i just can’t stop having 1 piece.What do u say.I am ardent lover of manchurians…….!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

Baby corn…….1pack

Corn flour………..1/4 cup

all purpose flour…….1/2 cup soy sauce……………….2 tsp

tomato sauce………….2 tsp 

salt………………………….to taste

garam masala……………1/2 tsp 

chilli powder……………1/2 tsp

onion……………..chopped 1(small) 

ginger-garlic…………….finely chopped(1/4 cup)

coriander leaves chopped………..1/4 cup

green chillis…………………………….2-3

Method:

1.Boil baby corn in microwave till it’s half cooked.

2.Mix corn flour,all purpouse flour,salt,ginger garlic paste,chilli powder,garam masala mix all these ingredients with water,the batter should be loose enough to coat the corns.Add corns to the batter.

3.Heat oil in a pan,fry the corns dipped in the batter  and fry till they turn golden brown.

Tempering:

1.Take a pan add 2 tsp oil and add chopped green chilli,ginger,garlic,onion,coriander leaves let it fry and add soy sauce and tomato sauce.

2.Now add the fried corns and mix thoroughly.

3.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Isn’t it nice and easy,this is very easy and can be made in a little time we all loved this dish.

Coconut ladoo

                                                                    

This is one of my favourites.I used to ask my mom to prepare this  one.I have special kind of craving for this one sweet which is easy.When i saw Coffee’s Monthly Blog Patrolling i just saw so many recipes and i thought of this one after seeing coffee’s Quick coconut ladoo.I thought of this though i am craving for this from so long and a bit lazy to make it for myself.I thought to give it a try,and finally it came out so well they were all finished in an instance.And here i am presenting the recipe,with just two ingredients and it consumes very little time.

Ingredients:

2cups Coconut grated or frozen coconut 1 pack

11/2cups of grated jaggery

Method:

In a pan add coconut and jaggery.

Cook while continuously stirring (to avoid sticking it to pan or burn) in medium heat.

Until u find all the jaggery is mixed in and we get to make balls out of it then the recipe is done.Make balls out of it when it is cooled.

That it, it’s so simple.We can use sugar instead of jaggery but jaggery tastes better.Coffee’s post is entirely different but the technique is same and it tastes different too.

Chicken curry(Andhra style)

                                            

This is my entry for Masala Magic’s Andhra cuisine RCI .

And this post is for my MOM for MOTHER’S DAY.

Every time i start writing a post i think a lot and put a little in the post in-order to make it short and simple.And sometimes i start eating up some words and other times my daughter just deletes the entire content i wrote.I will get very angry but when i look at her face which has a smile on it as the answer for my angry question i melt like ice.Though i am short tempered i make sure it doesn’t hurt her.May be this is the motherly feeling i have deep inside me.But when it comes to my Mom i used to shout on top of the world Ooh…….yes now u r telling me what i should do or eat,How i should be.May be lot of girls do this at the young age when we r growing up and don’t like their old stereotype lectures,or culture bothered discussions.whatever the reason may be i am sure once in a life we would have done that.But Moms r like ice who just try hard to make us understand what’s good whats bad so that they can protect us as far as they can.which we r experiencing right now even my daughter is just 2 yr old i can understand my Moms feelings.
“ONLY A MOTHER CAN UNDERSTAND A MOTHER”——–This saying is 100% true.
But when we get to know the value of moms in our life we r deep into ur relations and don’t find time for them living so far from them.Is this stay here worth it.When the time is right we don’t have them at ur side.We do call them and wish them but can’t express our heart out what we feel or how we feel behind the conversations of our children, hubby dear and all comes over the phone and most of all these little kids occupy larger place than us,but not the actual thing we want to talk.
I still remember the days when i am getting ready to school/college my mom and dad used to feed my breakfast doing rounds and pampering to eat little more.i can count n fingers the days i ate myself,the sleepless nights they have spent when we r ill.when we r in stage to help them we r so far away and can reach them in a instance.But hats-off to this technology which is far more better than their days.Now i just say why don’t u both quit ur jobs as we both r settled but forget the fact if they do that they feel much lonely even they have their grand kids around the life they r leading from my birth will just be gone in 1sec.what is the tribute we r giving to them after the long journey.May be we r not understanding our parents.yha we can’t help anything.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom……………..I love u……..I want a bearhug from u.
Hope i haven’t diverted the topic.sorry for this long unending post of mine.hope someone will understand me.

Coming to the recipe:

This combination is my mom’s favourite.For this MOTHER’S DAY occasion i am trying to make her favourites.She likes this dish she makes it much tastier than me but mine is not that bad,as now i too have mastered it,and after making this i jumped in joy “i too got the same taste……..”.she would have loved it if she was here.I never cooked for her if she is around she is the one who cooks and i am the one who eats.See….how shamelessly i am telling this.But when mom is r around i don’t bother of entering kitchen.But in our house there is an exception for chapatis and dosas i used make them(ofcourse after the marriage only).The tiffin section and dinner with chapatis is mine.Coming to my recipe i have to confess the masala i used is my mom’s as when i am coming to here last august  she prepared this masala though i know how to make it i used it which i store in fridge.it has long shelf time. so i am using it.This recipe of chicken curry is simple and easy and mostly made in andhra.in andhra we have different styles i can say each and every family has a different style of making.even the ingredients r same the taste varies.The coriander rice recipe u can check in previous recipe or just click here

Ingredients:

1 pound Chicken cut thighs(i found these r good for this curry)cut them into pieces as per ur wish

1 onion chopped

4 green chillies

1/2 bunch of coriander leaves

1tbsp ginger-garlic paste

salt to taste

1/2 tsp of turmeric

2tsp chilli powder

3tbsp oil

1cup water

3tbsp khus-khus powdered

3 cashew-nuts powdered (or make a paste of both khus-khus and cashews)

GaramMasala:

coriander seeds…………5tbsp

Cinnamon………………….2 inch stick

cloves………………….15

cardamom…………….2

garlic…………………….2(dried) like the ones in India which doesn’t have a lot of moisture

dry roast all the spices except garlic and powder all the ingredients and add garlic at the end.This can be stored for a long time in fridge.or it has nearly 2 months of shelf life.(depends on the garlic u use).

Method:

1.Wash and cut the chicken into pieces as per ur wish.wash and drain.

2.In a pan heat oil and add onion and green chillies.when onions turn translucent add ginger garlic paste.

3.Add chicken pieces,salt and turmeric saute them until the water that the chicken leaves evaporates and then add chilli powder and 3tbsp of masala that we made add some water.let it cook and add khus-khus and cashew nut paste and  coriander leaves finely chopped ,cook till the u get the required consistency .

Note:The ingredients can be changed as per your taste.this is medium spicy.

This dish tastes good with rice,pulav,biryani,coriander rice,rotis,puris …….as u wish.

As this post is dedicated to my MOM i  made Amma and my favourite coriander rice & chicken gravy as the combo meal.How do u like it.

Rava Dosa

                                                                                                                     

This is my entry for “MasalaMagic” s RCI  for Andhra cuisine May roundup.

This is a typical andhra dosa which everyone relish.But when suddenly some guest arrive this comes to rescue. And u get all the praises.If u don’t have dosa batter handy then what comes to mind?Rava Dosa.Yha…..Rava Dosa when i don’t have dosa or idli batter ready or not fermented i switch to other option that is Rava Dosa.There is no fermentation just add all the ingredients pour lot of water and mix well.Now heat a tawa pour the ladleful of batter and allow it to spread by itself.That’s it…..it’s done.i bet its worth.This is so good it melts in mouth.

Ingredients:

1 cup Semolina/suji

1/2cup rice flour

1/2cup all purpose flour

3 cups water 

1tsp cumin-seeds(jeera)

salt to taste

1tsp yogurt (if u want to have a bit of the sour taste)

2 green chili chopped

1 onion chopped

Method:

Mix all the ingredients with water except for green chillis and onions in a big bowl.

Now pour a ladleful of batter on to heated tawa.it spreads in a lacy way,now sprinkle drops of oil on the edges of dosa and sprinkle green chillis and onion finely chopped on it,let it turn golden brown.

Remove once its golden brown and a little crispy, serve hot with ginger/coconut chutney.

That’s so simple.But takes time to get right so surely try it.

Note:The batter should be thin not like dosa but like buttermilk.yes it’s correct buttermilk make ur adjustment in water as u wish.

Egg Fried Rice

This weekend it’s very bright and sunny.My daughter is happy as we took her to nearby park.We had heavy beakfast chapathi egg roles.It was a bit heavy.Then we took our daughter to nearby playground .She loved playing there but its very sunny we returned soon as the sun is shining up high and showing its intensity.Though she doesn’t want to come we brought her back promising to return back.And now started the hottest topic what to prepare for lunch.After many and ok’s and no’s we zeroed on fried rice.so we started preparing.As i  had precooked rice in handy we used the same.It turned out so well that i wanted to have some more.so i again cooked the rice this time i cooked and drained so that the rice is not sticky and cooled and i chopped the veggies and then we went to shopping,got back,cooked same fried rice again and had it.By now u must have figured how it turned out as we prepared it again and again.Ya it is delicious and i want more and more.No need to mention my kid she also loved it.And this delicacy came from hubby.He is a great cook.

Ingredients:

1cup beans finely chopped

1cup carrot finely chopped

1 cup chopped coriander leaves

3 egg whites 

1tbsp soy sauce

1tsp ajinomoto

salt to taste

1tsp chilli powder

1tsp pepper powder

2tbsp butter/oil 

2 cups  boiled rice

 

Method:

boil rice in a separate pan ,drain water,cool in a plate.

In a pan add 1tsp oil pour the egg whites and scramble them,set them aside.

Now add 2tbsp oil or butter and add chilli powder,pepper powder,veggies chopped.let them fry.

Now add ajinomoto,soysauce,salt,egg scramble,chopped coriander,rice and mix well let it fry on high heat for 1min.

garnish with onions,lemon and cilantro,serve hot.

Note:

You can add ur vegges u like since i had only these two i used them.

Soya Chunks Pulav

                                                                         

These days people r becoming health conscious and i too think and do what is good and what is bad.Though i am not a health freak but still something is better than nothing.What do u think and in that matter only this soya chunks pulav emerged.This looks like chicken and tastes like chicken too a little but it is highly nutritious and the proteins in it i can’t resist to add this in my cooking.Though i find it better in pulav or korma.My daughter she is a great fan of these.Children r Children we can’t forcibly make them eat right so this evolved from that.she just picks the chunks and eats.i luv that……..

Ingredients:

Rice…………………….2 cups 

Soya chunks……………..1 cup (as u wish)

Mixed vegetables………2 cups

green chillies……………..2 (cut straight)

onions………………………..1

coriander…………………..1 cup(i use a lot as u wish)

Mint leaves………………..1/4 cup

coconut milk………………..small tin

oil/butter/ghee………………2tbsp

ginger-garlic paste……………1 tsp

turmeric powder……………1/2 tsp

biryani pulav masala……..2 tsp

salt…………………………….to taste

red chilli powder…………1 tsp

Note:these masalas can be changed to ur spice level

bay leaves……………….2

cardamom pods……..2

Cinnamon………………..2 inch stick

cloves…………………….5-6

water……………………..1:1 ratio including coconut milk.

Method:

1.Heat butter in a pressure cooker.Add bay leaves,cardamom,Cinnamon stick,cloves,when they let flavours out add mint leaves and coriander leaves chopped finely.

2.Now add onions cut  let then turn golden brown add ginger garlic paste biryani/pulav masala let it fry a little.

3.Now add chopped vegetables(potatoes,carrot,peas,beans,corn..etc),add washed rice and water+coconut milk 2 cups(varies depending on rice and cooking method).

4.cover and cook till 2 whistles and simmer for 2 Min’s.

Have this delicious,nutitious pulav eith raitha or any korma or chicken variety. What to say i am totally mesmerized with this rice………..what do u think.

Cherry-blossom…..

                                                                                                  

As spring is in air and the season for cherry-blossom is on,last week we went to Washington D.C.As this is my first trip to D.C it was cool walking along side the cherry-blossom trees eating an ice-cream and with my kid running around it is amazing.As we had a trip after a long time with my busy hubby it was rejuvenating my spirits.And the best part is my kid enjoyed a lot running around. Its a great trip.

                                                           

                                                  

Butter Naan

                                                        

This is from my friend swapna…….i made no changes except litlle bit less yeast.They r great and that to o made them on a tawa aren’t  they looking great as perfect naans……my hubby patted me saying good going…u too learned cooking…….

Ingredients:

All purpose flour………………..2 cups.

yeast…………………………………1/2 tsp.

yogurt……………………………….3 tbsp.

egg……………………………………1

butter……………………………….1tsp

salt…………………………………….1tsp

baking soda………………………1/2 tsp

sugar…………………………………1 tsp

luke warm water……………..3 tsp

warm water……. for kneading the dough

Method:

1.Mix sugar and yeast in luke warm water and set aside covering it for 10-15 mins.It starts to rise.

2.Now mix in a bowl flour and all the remaining ingredients and the yeast.

3.Add warm water if needed,knead the flour like u do for rotis.Be sure its not loose.

4.Knead for 5 min cover and set in warm place for 2 hrs.the dough raises again press it and leave for 1 hr.

Preparing Naan:

1.Now as the dough is ready,take a small ball size and press it in triangle shape.

2.Make triangle shape using rolling pin.

3.Heat tawa and place rolled naan on tawa.heat on both sides,dab with butter on both sides and set aside.

4.Serve hot with gravy curry like chiken tikka masala,chicken butter masala,navratan korma……….whatever u ike.

I had mine with mushroom gravy.They are absolutely delicious.Home made naan. 

MUSHROOM IN TOMATO AND CASHEW GRAVY

                                                                                                                                                  

Mushroom…………….when i see them my heart operates my hand i like mushrooms that r fresh and tiny like button mushroom ………..baby mushrooms.This is liked by my hubby dear and my daughter just picks the mushroms from curry and eats them.I love them too……………so here is my recipie.

Ingredients:

Mushrooms………………1pack

Onions………………………1 (small)

green chillies…………..1 or 2 

tomatoes………………….1

ginger garlic paste…..1tsp

cumin powder…………1tsp

coriander powder…..1tsp

turmeric………………..1/2tsp

chilli powder…………1tsp

salt………………………. to taste

Garam masala……….1 tsp

oil…………………1tsp

Method:

1.In a pan heat oil add onions, let them fry till light brown add ginger garlic paste.

2.Now add mushrooms let them fry ,they leave water let them be dry.

3.Now add cumin,garam masala powders,salt,turmeric,red chilli powder.

4.Let them fry,now add tomato paste and water.

5.When this is boiling add cashew powder/paste,mix well.

6.Let it be till u get desired consistency.

Serve hot with rotis,chapatis,rice,pulav……..

It is so yummy………………     

PAVBHAJI

                                       

I don’t have words to describe this dish.It actually melts  in mouth.I made this long back but was not able to post.Though it is a snack it’s a meal for us.Now i am posting it.

Ingredients:

Potatoes……………..3

Green peas…………1 cup

Capsicum…………..1

Califlower(grated)…..1 cup 

Tomatoes………….2

Onions………………2

butter………………2tbsp

pavbhaji masala…..2tbsp

salt…………………………to taste

ginger-garlic paste…..1tbsp

chilli powder………….1/2tbsp

Method:

1.Boil and mash all the vegetables.

2.In a pan add butter after it melts add onions and fry,now add ginger-garlic paste.

3.Now add mashed vegetables.

4.Add salt,chilli powder,water,turmeric.Let it cook for 5 min

5.Add pavbhaji masala.Cook till the required cosistancy and mash the veggies using spatula.

Serve hot with Pav fried in butter,onions and lemon.This is so delicious……………..

                  

ALOO TIKKI

                                                                  

Aloo Tikkis i made these as a snack for my 22 month old daughter.She loved them.I knew it but i never made.Though my husband dear makes good ones.I gave a try too.They turned out well.I was happy……and couldn’t resist to eat.Though i don’t have all the ingredients to make i made with these which i surely have in my house no matter what.

Ingredients:

potatoes……………1

carrot………………..1

green peas…………1 cup

green chilli…………1

coriander leaves…1 cup

All purpose flour ………..2tbsp

corn flour………………………1 tbsp

bread crumbs…………………1cup

Spices:

garam masala…….1 tsp

salt………………… to taste

coriander powder….1 tsp

Method:

Boil all the veggies and mash them.

Add all the spices,corn flour,Maida(all purpose flour).mix thoroughly.

Make balls out of it and flatten coat with bread crumbs powder.

On a pan heat it by spreading oil drops around it.when they turn golden brown turn and again fry them till golden brown.

And they are ready.You can deep fry but it takes lot of oil.This has less oil and just delicious.

Note: you can add any veggies u like.it will be as delicious as this.

CORIANDER-RICE

                                                                                                 

Coriander Rice…………..my tastebuds rise hearing this name.My mom excells in this dish.So i am presenting u this recipie today.I love to eat this with chicken curry.It tastes very good.

Ingredients:

Rice(basmati)……………3cups

Water………………………41/2 cups

Coriander or cilantro……2 bunches

Onion……………………………1

Green chilles………………..2

Ginger-garlic paste……..2tbsp

Turmeric………………………1 pinch

salt……………………………….to taste

Biryani/pulav masala………….3tbsp

For Tempering/tadka:

Oil……………3tbsp 

Cardamom………1

cinnamon stick……1 inch

Cloves……………..4

Bay leaf…………..2

Cashews………….10

Method:

1.Heat a deep pan add ghee/butter/oil  as u wish and all the tempering ingredients to it and fry until the cashew turns gold.

2.Now add lengthwise chopped onion ,green chillies and let it fry till transperent.now add ginger-garlic paste.

3.Now add finely chopped cilantro and fry it.

4.Add washed rice and water.Now add salt turmeric and biryani/pulav masala(i use everest).

5.Cover and cook for 2 whistles or 15 min till the rice is cooked.

This goes with raita,potato kurma,chicken curry.

ALOO-CARROT PARATHA

                                                                                                                             

                          

This is one of the best and easy recipie i can prepare.My kid eats it at anytime like maybe breakfast,lunch or dinner.It doesn’t matter to her and for me that is enough.

Ingredients:

For the stuffing:

potatoes…………2 (big)

carrots…………….2

green chilli……1

onion……………..1/2(small)

cilantro………….1/2 bunch

cumin seeds…..1tsp

garlic…………….1(small)

salt…………………1tsp

garam masala….1tsp

oil……………………1tsp

For the dough:

whole wheat flour(durum atta)……………2 cups. 

water…………as required.

Method:

First in a bowl mix wheat flour and salt  mix with water and knead.The shouldnot be sticky nor it should be dry.then coat it with oil.cover and keep aside.

Stuffing:

In a bowl boil potatoes and carrots.

peel the potatoes , carrots and mash them , add salt and garam masala.

Now in a frying pan take 1tsp of oil ,add cumin seeds,chopped garlic let them splutter ,add chopped onion and green chilli let them fry for a sec.

Now add the mashes potato and carrot mixture fry it for min add cilantro .

let the mixture cool and make balls of equal size.

Making Parathas:

Take the dough and spread it , make a cup shape folding the four side corners.

Now place the ball stuffing in it and cover the chapati by folding on all sides.

Now press the chapati and transver it on to tava on medium heat.

let it fry on both sides spread with butter,ghee or oil as u wish.

ohhhhhhh……….the mouth watering parathas r ready.want a bite…….