Stuffed Chillies

Err… Yeah!!! Yet another “Stuffed” recipe from me. I am stuffing my tummy with stuffed stuffs. I can’t understand my recent obsession with stuffing any vegetables on sight. After trying stuffing Baingan, Bhendi, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, I did the ultimate stuffing. {~Applause~} Here comes my Stuffed Chillies. I cross my heart and promise, no more stuffed stuffs for another month;)

Well, looking at my increasing waistline my hubby at last openly asked me to stay away from stuffing my tummy. Alas… Till now I some how managed to act innocent to all subtle hints I was getting from him. Do you have any idea that you foodies are partially responsible for my increasing waistline? First you lure me with nice description, then tempt me with mouth watering pictures and brainwash me with your sweet guidelines as how easy and quick it is to make.

Stuffed Chillies

Well, I am here to take revenge!!! Revenge on every food blogger buddies for making me gain few extra pounds with in a month’s time. My revenge is not sweet. It’s scorchingly hot and sinfully delicious. {~Devilish Grin~} When you try one you will crave for more. The more, the merrier;)

Stuffed Chillies

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Stuffed Chillies
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 15-25 mins
Serves: 3-4

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Ingredients:
4-6 Jalapenos or any medium thick skinned Chillies
2 Potatoes
1 cup Gram flour/Besan
1 tbsp Rice Flour
A pinch of Cooking Soda (optional)
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Powder
1 tsp Amchur/Dry Mango Powder
Salt to Taste
Oil for Deep Frying

Stuffed Chillies

Method:
Slit the chilli along one side using small knife.
Remove the seeds and white part inside the chilli. If you prefer spicy ones then leave the seeds as they are.
Peel the potatoes and chop them into large chunks. Cook them in salted water and mash them thoroughly.
Make small balls of mashed potatoes and stuff them tightly inside the chilli and keep them aside.
Make thick batter of gram flour, rice flour, cooking soda, chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, amchur and salt using enough water. Make sure that there are no lumps left in the batter.
You can mix about a tbsp of hot oil into the batter which will help to reduce the amount of oil absorbed during deep frying.
Dip stuffed chillies in batter and coat all the sides.
Deep fry them in heated oil till they turn crisp and golden brown in colour.
Serve sizzling hot with tomato ketchup or any chutney or dips of your choice.

Stuffed Chillies

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Variations:
You can add garam masala or any other spices like chilli powder, turmeric powder, amchur, jeera powder etc to mashed potatoes for making it spicier.
Add grated cheese or paneer to mashed potatoes for extra richness.
Check for some more delicious stuffed chillies here, here and here.

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Stuffed Chillies

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Did You Know?
Chillis are loaded with vitamin A, a potent antioxidant and boost to the immune system. As the pods mature and darken, high quantities of vitamin C are gradually replaced with beta carotene and the capsaicin levels are at their highest. Due to these capsaicin levels, some believe that eating chillis may have an extra thermic affect, temporarily speeding up the metabolic rate, hence burning off calories at a faster rate. Whatever, you certainly do sweat and actually cool down in hot climates as sweat evaporates. Your nose runs, your head clears ... you can breathe! And with that extra flow of saliva, the gastric juices also flow. The alkaloids from the capsaicin stimulate the action of stomach and intestine improving the whole digestion process!
(Source: www.chillisgalore.co.uk)

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Stuffed Chillies

Crispy Stuffed Mushroom Cups

One question always pops in mind when I cook Chinese cuisine. What's the difference between Chinese food cooked in India and Chinese food cooked in China? Is it the food, method, ingredients or the seasoning? Well… We know the answer. Surprisingly everything :) I prefer Chinese food cooked in Indian way. Blame it on the taste bud we have. It is almost impossible for me to like bland, almost spice less food. That’s why even when I cook Chinese food at home I call it my Indo-Chinese cuisine. I make lot of changes to suit our palette.

Crispy Stuffed Mushroom Cups

I was some what shocked when my Chinese colleague told me there is “No deep frying” in Chinese cuisine. Oh yes, you’ll never find a deep fryer in a real Chinese kitchen. Besides the health factor, deep frying saturates the food with oil, strips it of its individuality. What really goes on in Chinese culinary is stir fried, boiled or steamed. Now I am not a person who follows rules;) No deep frying means no Manchurians which we both love. So I guess I better stick to my Indo-Chinese culinary adventure for some more time and enjoy what it has got to offer:)

Crispy Stuffed Mushroom Cups

Here is the recipe for making crispy mushroom cups which is actually stuffed mushrooms with vegetables blended with sweet, spicy and tangy sauces. I got this recipe from Tarla Dalal’s website and made some alterations according to my preference. I made a big mistake of frying them in open kadai which was indeed a big blunder. Because of moist blanched mushrooms and sauces, it was bit difficult to fry as oil started splashing around. The electric fryer, which came to my rescue, is the best one for frying these. So if you don’t have electric fryer, be careful while frying these stuffed mushrooms. You can also make thick coating of corn flour paste which will help to bind these stuffed mushrooms.

Crispy Stuffed Mushroom Cups

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Crispy Stuffed Mushrooms
Prep Time: 10-15 mins
Cooking time: 20-30 mins
Serves: 4-5

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Ingredients:
1 pack Mushrooms(Choose Medium Mushrooms)
Oil for deep frying
For Stuffing:
2 cloves Garlic, very finely chopped
2 stalks Spring Onion, very finely chopped
½ Green Pepper, very finely chopped
½ Red Pepper, very finely chopped
1 small Carrot, grated
3-4 French Beans, very finely chopped
¼ cup Cabbage, shredded or grated
1 tbsp Soya Sauce
1 tbsp Chilli Sauce
1 tbsp Tomato Sauce/Ketchup
½ tbsp Rice Vinegar
½ tsp Ajinomoto (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste
For Batter:
¼ cup Maida
½ cup Corn Flour
1 tsp Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
Bread Crumbs

Crispy Stuffed Mushroom Cups

Method:
Place mushrooms in boiling water and leave them there for 2-3 minutes.
Pat dry and remove their stems. Squeeze out excess water and keep them aside.
In a mean while, heat about 1 tbsp of oil in wok and add chopped garlic.
Sauté it for few seconds and then add spring onions, very finely chopped capsicum/peppers, carrot, beans, cabbage and ajinomoto.
Sauté them for 1 minute and add soya sauce, chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, rice vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
Mix well and remove from fire to cool.
Stuff this mixture in each mushrooms and pin up two mushrooms with tooth pick so that the filling doesn’t spill out.
Prepare thick batter of corn flour, maida, chilli powder and salt with enough water. Make sure that you get the consistency of thick dosa batter.
Dip each pinned up mushrooms in this batter so that they are coated evenly.
Roll them over bread crumbs and deep fry in electric fryer till they turn golden brown.
Serve immediately with any dipping/sauces of your choice.
These can be served as appetizers or as a side dish with Shezwan Rice/Noodles(Will post the recipe soon) and enjoy.

Crispy Stuffed Mushroom Cups served with Shezwan Noodles

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Did You Know?
Macao and Woosung, founded by Chinese immigrant Norman Asing in 1849 is the first recorded Chinese restaurant in the U.S.
When KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) first translated its advertising slogan "finger lickin' good" into Chinese, it came out as "eat your fingers off."
MSG has very little flavor of its own, but it 'improves' or enhances the flavor of other foods it is used with.
Some individuals seem to be sensitive to MSG, and exhibit what is known as 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' (because of its use in Asian cooking). The symptoms include headaches, chest pains, facial pressure, burning sensations, and sweating. The FDA continues to list it as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe), but all foods containing MSG must state so on the label.
Although it is true that Ancient Chinese warlords would send messages hidden inside cakes, fortune cookies are not Chinese, they were invented in Los Angeles around 1920.
(Source: www.foodreference.com)

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Crispy Stuffed Mushroom Cups

Stuffed Tomatoes in Yogurt Gravy

Scene 1: Home
Me: Ah!!! Weekend…
He: Yeah. I can just sit at home and relax.
Me: Mmmm... I want to go out for small shopping.
He: {Looking suspicious} How “small” is this small shopping?
Me: {With all charm} Well... I need few vegetables for weekend cooking.
He: Can’t you use the one in fridge? And we have some frozen vegetables also.
Me: Oh no. No frozen vegetables. Nothing can beat the taste of fresh ingredients. I really need few ingredients. And besides I am gonna make your favourite dish.
{This piece of information gets his full attention}
He: And what is that?
Me: {Fluttering my eyelashes} Its surprise.
He: OK.. I hope it wont take more than half an hour.
Me: Yes. That’s all. Just 2-3 ingredients which I desperately need and we will be back with in half an hour.
He: OK.

Stuffed Tomatoes in Yogurt Gravy

Scene 2: Super Market
Me: Get the trolley honey.
He: Well, you did say "few" ingredients. {Stressing on few}
Me: Yeah, but look at the crowd here. Looks like whole city has come for shopping. Donno how long it will take to get it billed.
He: Just few ingredients right?
Me: Of course.
He: OK. {Not satisfied with the answer but has no option look}
Me: Oh look. Cauliflower looks so fresh!
He: But we have little cauliflower left in our fridge.
Me: I know. But I was thinking I will make Gobi Manchurian for you. It’s been sometime since I made that. And these cauliflowers are not that big.
He: {With twinkle in his eyes} Oh Gobi Manchurian? Pick one.
Me: This reminds me, I will need a pack of peppers and spring onions too.
He: What for?
Me: Don’t you know? For all Chinese dish I prepare, these ingredients are the must-must.
Oh!! Look here, they have got a good deal for mushrooms.
He: Do we need it?
Me: You do know as how I looooooooove mushrooms.
He: {Rolling his eyes} Ok.
Me: Mmm… These are the tomatoes I wanted. Big, juicy and firm.
He: Now!!! We have one full pack of tomatoes at home.
Me: I know. But I need these big tomatoes for JFI.
He: J what?
Me: JFI, it’s Jhiva For Ingredients. It’s a food event. This month’s theme is Tomato. Last time it was potatoes and I forgot to post my recipe. I don’t want to miss this time.
He: {Looks at me as if all of sudden two horns have sprouted on my head} But we have tomatoes. Cant you use them for your err…JFA?
Me: It’s JFI. And no, I need big tomatoes for stuffed tomatoes. Small ones won’t work.
He: OK. Take one pack then. {Looks at half filled trolley} Are you finished with shopping? We have got “few” ingredients you asked for.
Me: Mmm…. Just few more minutes. I need to buy pineapple.
He: We have canned one at home. And besides, our fruit basket is filled.
Me: I need pineapple for AFAM.
He: Now what is that?
Me: It’s another food event. A Fruit A Month.
He: {Looks more puzzled} How many food events you have and participate?
Me: Well, there is WFSE, MBP, VOTW, JFI, AFAM, MT, LCITK, A to Z…
He: {Confused, lost for words} OK

Stuffed Tomatoes in Yogurt Gravy

Then after one hour+ of shopping with over filled trolley "Me" and "He" come back home. "Me" happy with all the purchases and stuffing the fidge-freezer, "He" happy with all yummy food served day in and day out. So once again a very happy ending:)

Here is my entry for this month's JFI-Tomato which is hosted by gracious RP of My Workshop. Unlike last time, this time I didn't keep drooling at all my blogger buddies entries for the event and managed to post it before the deadline... Yayyy...

Stuffed Tomatoes in Yogurt Gravy

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Stuffed Tomatoes in Yogurt Gravy
Prep Time: 15-20 mins
Cooking Time: 30-40 mins
Serves: 4-5

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Ingredients:
8 large Tomatoes
For Stuffing:
2 Potatoes, cooked and mashed
2 tbsp Cheese/Paneer, grated
1 large Onion, chopped finely
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tsp Chilli Paste
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Kitchen King Masala
½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp Mint Leaves, finely chopped
Salt to taste
For Gravy:
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Kitchen King Masala
½ tsp Coriander Powder
1 cup Fresh Yougurt
2 tbsp Ghee/Oil
Salt to taste

Stuffed Tomatoes in Yogurt Gravy

Method:
Remove the top of tomato by ½ inch using a small, sharp knife.
Spoon out the pulp inside using small spoon and reserve this pulp.
Combine all the ingredients for stuffing and mix well.
Make small balls of this mixture and stuff them into the tomatoes.
Place these stuffed tomatoes into non stick baking tray and bake them at 200 degree centigrade/Gas 7 for 4-5 minutes.
In a mean while, chop the tomato pulp into small pieces.
Heat ghee/oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
To this add cumin seeds and sauté it till they starts spluttering.
Then add chopped onions and sauté them till they become soft.
Now add coriander powder, garam masala, kitchen king masala, turmeric powder, tomato pulp and salt.
Sauté them for another 2-3 minutes in a medium flame.
To this add yogurt and mix well.
Reduce the flame and arrange baked tomatoes.
Cover the lid and cook in low flame for another 5-6 minutes till the outer skin of tomatoes starts wrinkling.
Serve these stuffed tomatoes garnished with mint/coriander leaves and cashew nuts.
Tastes delicious with rice or chapaties/roties.

Stuffed Tomatoes in Yogurt Gravy

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Did You Know?
Tomatoes are members of the fruit family, but they are served and prepared as a vegetable.
There are thousands of tomato varieties. The most widely available varieties are classified in three groups: cherry, plum, and slicing tomatoes.
They are high in vitamin C and also provide beta-carotene.
The National Cancer Institute published a study that showed an association between consuming a diet rich in tomato-based foods and a decreased risk of prostate cancer.
Tomatoes contain large amounts of an antioxidant called lycopene, which may be responsible for this possible positive effect. Tomato paste and sauces contain a greater amount of lycopene, because they are more concentrated than fresh tomatoes.
(Source: www.foodreference.com)

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Stuffed Tomatoes in Yogurt Gravy

Kharjura(Date) Payasa

Its spring time in India and the magic touch of spring makes everything look so beautiful. I can imagine mango trees dressed up like brides with garland of flowers and fruits swinging to the tunes of cool breeze. Farms and fields all set for harvesting. Kids ready to wind up their final exams and eagerly waiting for summer holidays to spend at granny’s place. Young lovers walking on the red and crimson carpets of newly fallen delicate gulmohar flowers. The air is filled with joy, enthusiasm and gaiety. Ah!!! Heaven on earth…

Kharjura(Date) Payasa

This is the time when we celebrate the beginning of new era. According to Hindu calendar, Ugadi is the beginning of new lunar calendar. Vedas say that the creator of the World, Lord Brahma started creation on this day of Ugadi. It is very auspicious for Hindus all around the world as we celebrate the new year. Ugadi comes close on the heels of Holi, the festival of colours. While the bright colours of Holi starts to fade away, the freshness of spring lingers on all around. The trees with bright red flowers that blossom during Holi are in full bloom signifying the spring in full blossom.

In Karnataka Ugadi is celebrated by offering Bevu-Bella, which is Neem buds/leaves for bitterness and Jaggery for sweetness. They symbolize the fact that life is a mixture of pleasure and pain and they both should be in equilibrium for happy life. For more information on ugadi click here.

I made Kharjura(Dates) Payasa for Neivedya(offering to God). It is a simple yet very delicious dish which is my hubby’s all time favorite payasa. I am posting this recipe for my best friend Archu who is in Dubai and very soon gonna make me Chikki/Aunty (I want a sweet, lovely niece like you, ok? :) This is for you sweetie with all our good wishes and love. Cant wait to hold little Archie in my arms:)

Kharjura(Date) Payasa

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Kharjura(Date) Payasa
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins
Serves: 2-4

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Ingredients:
1 cup Dates, deseeded
1 cup Coconut Milk, freshly sqeezed
1 cup Water
½ - ¾ cup Jaggery (Adjust acc to taste)
¼ tsp Cardamom Powder
Few Cashew Nuts, fried to golden in Ghee

Kharjura(Date) Payasa

Method:

Chop dates into small bite size pieces and cook them in ½ glass of water till they become soft. It usually takes 8-10 minutes in medium flame.
Drain the remaining water and keep it aside.
Cool these cooked dates before grinding them to rough, coarse paste without adding any water.
Take ½ cup of water in heavy bottomed pan and add this date mixture to it.
To this add thin coconut milk, jaggery and keep stirring in medium heat.
When it starts boiling add cardamom powder and cashew nuts and cook further for 2-3 minutes.
Serve it hot or chilled and enjoy.

Kharjura(Date) Payasa

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Did You Know?
Date, name for a palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and for its edible fruit.
Probably native to Arabia and North Africa, it has from earliest times been a principal food in many desert and tropical regions.
For some 4,000 years it has been grown near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It is cultivated in many other warm regions, including parts of the SW United States and Mexico.
The trees sometimes reach a height of 100 ft (30.5 m) and yield fruit for generations.
taminate (male) and pistillate (female) flowers are borne on separate trees, and pollination of those grown commercially is usually done by hand.
In the Old World, a sugar and a fermented drink are made from the sap of the date palm and other species of Phoenix, and the seeds are sometimes roasted and used as a coffee substitute or pressed for oil, leaving a residue useful for stock feed.
The wood of the trunk is often used in construction and the leaves are used for weaving mats and baskets.
Dates are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Liliopsida, order Arecales, family Palmae. (Source:www.factmonster.com)

Pineapple Menaskai

I love to eat fresh pineapple. It is sweet, juicy, healthy and delicious. When Maheshwari of Beyond The Usual chose this tropical fruit for this month’s AFAM I was overjoyed. With it came the confusion as what to cook. I didn’t want to cook any sweet dish of pineapple as most of my blogger buddies have cooked almost all the recipes available. So here I am with my recipe of Pineapple Menaskai which is my all time favourite dish.
Menaskai is a sweet, tangy and spicy side dish which is usually served during any family functions and weddings in my native. The main 3 ingredients in menaskai are coconut, red dry chillies and jaggery and depending on seasonal availability, bitter gourd or mango or pineapple are used to make it.

Pineapple Menaskai

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Pineapple Menaskai
Prep Time: 5-10 mins
Cooking Time: 10-15 mins
Serves: 3-4

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Ingredients:
2 cups Pineapple
¾ cup Coconut
2 tbsp Sesame
4-5 Dry Red Chillies
1 marble sized Tamarind
1-2 tbsp Jaggery
1 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
For Seasoning:
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard
1 Dry Red Chillies
Few Curry Leaves

Pineapple Menaskai

Method:
Peel the outer skin of pineapple and dice them into 1 cm squares.
Cook them with 1½ cups of water, tamarind, jaggery and salt to taste.
Cook pineapple till it becomes soft in medium flame.
In a mean while, take a pan and dry roast sesame till it turns golden and keep it aside.
Take a tbsp of oil and sauté broken red chilli and grated coconut till it turns golden.
Grind this coconut, red chilli and sesame to smooth paste adding little water.
Add this ground paste to cooked pineapple and mix well.
Cook this in a medium flame till the gravy starts to boil.
Reduce the flame and cook for further 4-5 minutes till gravy starts thickening.
Season it with mustard, curry leaves and broken red chillies.
Serve hot with rice and enjoy.

Pineapple Menaskai

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Tips:
You can substitute pineapple with bitter gourd or medium ripe mangoes also.
If you are making bitter gourd menaskai, increase the amount of tamarind to lime sized balls to tamper its bitterness.
Adjust the sweetness and spiciness according to your taste.

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Pineapple Menaskai

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Did You Know?
First called “anana”, a Carribean word for “excellent fruit”, the name “pineapple” came from European explorers who thought the fruit looked like a pinecone with flesh like an apple.
The Spanish explorers thought pineapples looked like pinecones, so they called them "Pina." The English added "apple" to associate it with juicy delectable fruits.
Of all the New World discoveries of Columbus, pineapples were the fruits that caused the biggest stir back home.
In a Caribbean rite of manhood, barefoot youths ran through pineapple plantings and were expected to bear the resulting wounds without protest.
Caribbean Indians placed pineapples or pineapple crowns outside the entrances of their homes to symbolize friendship and hospitality.
(Source: www.dole5aday.com)

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Pineapple Menaskai

Ugadi Habbada Haardika Shubashayagalu

Wishing You and Your Family A Happy Ugadi

(Image Source: www.alochana.org)

Dill Saaru(Rasam), Dill Potato Palya and Amma's Kai Tuttu

Most of my friends and people who know me tell me, “You are so strong S. You know how to deal with worst situations”. This always makes me think again and again. Am I that strong? Can I cope up with any worst things and survive? No, I am definitely not that strong. If I am strong, then I inherited it by default. I inherited it by genes from one strong woman, my mother. I am blessed to have been raised by a woman who is never afraid to show her unconditional love. She never backs down from anything or anyone when situations gets worse! She has given us courage, unconditional love, identity of our own, pride and ability to stand on our own feet in this not so kind world.

There is no greater love than the love of a Mother. There are times, even now, when I don’t feel well and I pick up the phone and call her. As soon as I hear her voice I revert to a child, and as always in her loving way she makes everything alright! If anyone to ask me who my role model is, I would happily and proudly say it’s my Amma. I want to be like her in every way. The best compliment I ever got is from my Appa when he said I cook like my Amma. It felt so good to hear those words.

Dill Saaru and Dill Potato Palya

Uppu Mavina Kai/Mangoes in Brine

I looooooooove mangoes… Sweet, sour, mild, pickled, raw, ripe, salted, juicy, aromatic, succulent, heavenly perfumed… I can safely call it my first love, because my love affair with them started even before I knew what actually love is all about. Even decades later, the these heavenly mangoes still has their magnetic hold on me. It is more than a mere fruit to me. It represents my blissful childhood days of endless summer days. The memories of those sunny, glorious summer vacations are still fresh in my mind. Fond memories of eating sour raw mangoes with salt and chilli powder and of biting into a lush, golden mango and get that sweet, sticky juice squirting all over my chin and cloths without worrying about anything. Ah!!! It feels like just yesterday, climbing mango trees with my sister and cousins and aiming a slingshot at our neighbour’s tree. I still can’t understand how this tantalising, magical fruit turned me from Miss Goody Girl into mischievous brat. These are some moments of my life which will always remain fresh and will always bring smile.

Uppu Mavina Kai Palya

Mangoes are seasonal. So like many Indians I too like to hoard them so that we can enjoy this fruit throughout the year (no wonder mango is our national fruit). I don’t have to worry about pickling them as I usually get my cartons of spicy, sour, sweet pickles from Amma, MIL and my aunts(Did I tell you that I have got over 20 varieties of pickles in my pantry;) But I did one good thing of storing them in salt water. There are two wonderful recipes of mangoes in brine. These are my all time favourite recipes of mango in brine. I usually make them when ever I walk down the memory lane which just happened to be yesterday when my sister was busy making me go green with envy by mentioning how mango season is in full bloom in India and how she is taking full advantage of it. So without taking much of your time let me directly come to business :)

Uppu Mavina Kai Mosaru Gojju

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Uppu Mavina Kai/Mangoes in Brine
Prep Time: 5-10 mins
Cooking Time: -
Serves: -

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Ingredients:
1 large Mango
¼ cup Salt
1 cup Water
A glass bottle

Uppu Mavina Kai/Mangoes in Brine

Method:
Add salt to boiled water and keep it aside to cool completely.
Cut mangoes into little big pieces and place them in an air tight glass bottle.
It is recommended to use glass bottles instead of plastic container as it has high salt content.
Now pour the salted water into the jar till all mango pieces are covered and close the lid tightly.
Keep this jar in cool, dark place for at least 1 week before using them.
This way you can store them for at least 6 months.

Uppu Mavina Kai/Mangoes in Brine

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Sweet Uppu Mavina Kai Mosaru Gojju
Prep Time: 5-10 mins
Cooking Time: 1-2 mins (tempering)
Serves: 2-3

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Ingredients:
1 cup Uppu Mavina Kai/Green Mangoes in Brine
½ cup Jaggery
1 ½ cup Sweet Yougurt
¼ cup Red Onion, finely chopped
1 Green Chilli, finely chopped (Optional)
1 tsp Mustard
1 Dry Red Chilli
Few Curry Leaves
1 tbsp Oil

Uppu Mavina Kai Mosaru Gojju

Method:
Remove excess water and chop mangoes into small pieces.
Mix them well with curds, jaggery, chopped red onion and green chillies. You can add more jaggery if you like it sweet.
Season it with mustard, red chilli and curry leaves.
Chill them before serving with rice and chapatti.

Uppu Mavina Kai Mosaru Gojju

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Uppu Mavina Kai Palya
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 5-10 mins
Serves: 2-3

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Ingredients:
1 cup Uppu Mavina Kai/Green Mangoes in Brine, cut into bite size pieces
½ cup Jaggery
1 Green Chilli, finely chopped (Optional)
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Mustard
2 tsp Urad Dal
1 Dry Red Chilli
Few Curry Leaves
1 tbsp Oil

Uppu Mavina Kai Palya

Method:
Take oil in a pan and add urad dal, mustard and red chillies.
Sauté them till urad dal turns golden yellow and mustard starts spluttering.
To this add chopped green chillies, turmeric powder and curry leaves and sauté them for few seconds.
At this point you can also add a tbsp of chopped onions if desired.
Now add mangoes in brine and mix well.
Cook this in medium flame fro 2 minutes.
Add jaggery powder and cook in medium flame for another 2 minutes till a syrupy base is formed.
Remove from fire and serve hot as a side dish with rice or dosas.

Uppu Mavina Kai Palya

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Note:
Gojju and palya are sweet side dishes. Add red chilli powder if you like them hot and spicy. But it tastes best sweet and sour.
Note that you don’t need to add any salt to these dishes as they usually have high salt content. So it is better to check them for the saltiness before cooking. If they are very salty then immerse them in big pot of water before cooking for few minutes to remove excess saltiness.
Also take a look at lovely Linda's Mangoes in Brine Dal Recipe.

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Uppu Mavina Kai Palya

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Did You Know?
Mango is known as aam in Hindi and amra in Sanskrit. Amra is first mentioned in the Shatapatha Brahmana, which dates back to 1000 BC.
According to Varadrajan, author of The History of Tamil Literature, the eye of a woman is compared to a tender mango cut in half, with the stone being the pupil of the eye.
Alexander the Great was a big fan of Indian mangoes and The Mughal Emperor Babur called it "O Fairest Fruit of Hindustan." His grandson Akbar planted 100,000 mango trees in Dharbanga.
The British, too, were enamored with the mango and created special cutlery to eat it in a "civil manner."
Mangoes are effective against sunstroke and are used in a variety of drinks to lower body temperatures and quench thirst in the hot summer months.
Rich in Vitamin C, mangoes are used throughout the year in the Indian diet, with the pickled green mangoes helping to ward off colds.
Even the powdered seed is used as a cure for dysentery and the twigs of the mango tree are handy as toothbrushes.
(Source: www.littleindia.com)

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Eggless Rich Scones

Yes…I did it. At last, I managed to overcome my phobia of baking(Is there a thing called Bake-phobia?;). Some what, I have always stayed away from baking cakes or cookies. I have discovered that when things don’t work out the way I want, they really get to me. My first attempt of baking goes back to my teenage year which was a complete disaster, where I ended up almost setting the house on fire. Since then I have kept myself away from oven until now.

Eggless Rich Scones

Few days back I watched cookery show where queen of baking Lesley Waters made these rustic looking scones. It looked quite simple and easy to make them and I had all the ingredients except eggs in my pantry which didn’t hinder my enthusiasm. First thing I did before I started baking was switch off the fire alarm;) Then with all courage and determination I started making scones from scratch. I omitted eggs and added more butter and lessened the amount of sugar the original recipe called for. Here is my version of Egg less Rich Scones.

Eggless Rich Scones

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Eggless Rich Scones
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins
Serves: 4-5

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Ingredients:
2 cups Self Raising Flour + extra for Dusting
¾ cup Butter, diced + extra for Greasing
¼ cup Caster Sugar (According to one’s taste)
½ cup Ground Almonds
¼ cup Raisins
¾ cup Warm Milk
2 tbsp Natural Yougurt/Curds
Pinch of Salt

Eggless Rich Scones

Method:
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees/Gas mark 7
Take flour and butter in a large mixing bowl and add pinch of salt to it.
Using your finger tips, rub the butter into flour till it looks like bread crumbs.
To this add caster sugar, ground almonds and raisins and mix well.
In another bowl mix the wet ingredients. i.e., warm milk and yogurt. (You can also add one egg) and mix them properly.
Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients and pour 2/3rd of wet ingredient and mix well.
Add the remaining wet ingredients to get the required consistency. Quickly mix together the ingredients to form a soft dough.
Transfer this dough into a floured surface and shape it into rough circular shape using your palm about 1 inch thickness. You can also use rolling pin for this.
Cut this into wedges using sharp knife(use some flour to stop the knife from sticking).
Place these wedges into greased baking tray and sprinkle them with little flour.
Bake the scones for 10-15 minutes until the scones are risen and golden.
Serve them warm with the fruits of your choice or thick clotted cream and jam.

Eggless Rich Scones

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What are Scones?
Scones are a type of rich, slightly savory pastry which is often served at breakfast or tea, especially in Britain. Traditional English scones slightly resemble American biscuits, as both use a flaky, dense pastry, but scones tend to be a bit sweeter, and also incorporate ingredients like dried fruit. Delicious when eaten warm, scones are also served cold with a variety of toppings including clotted cream, marmalade, jams, honey, and butters. Scones are also made highly savory with ingredients like potato flour and cheese.
The term “scone” in reference to a pastry has been in use in Scotland since 1513, and is probably related to the Dutch word for bread. Scones are the most highly evolved in Scotland as well, suggesting that the food originates there. Scottish scones come in a number of guises including soda scones, made with a savory mixture of flour, buttermilk, baking soda, and salt. The Scottish also make treacle scones, potato scones, and griddle scones; scones cooked on a griddle rather than baked.
(Source: www.wisegeek.com)

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Eggless Rich Scones

Grilled Vegetables with Guacamole

All this month my good friend Trupti of “The Spice Who Loved Me” is hosting Winter Food Swing where we are invited to cook with our family or friends. I found it very interesting and delightful as my hubby K is a big help in kitchen. For us cooking is not just chopping vegetables and boiling them. It is carefully picking the vegetables, cutting them lovingly (with all due respect for their sacrifice;), cooking them gently and serving them with pride and joy. So everyday cooking is a joint venture for us. First we rummage our fridge to check what’s available. And then we have our brainstorming session for another five minutes or so, arguing which lucky vegetable is going to satisfy our hungry and growling tummy. Once the vegetable is chosen, we discuss (yeah just discuss) on what to cook which takes another few minutes of our time (usually). Once all these are decided, we assign tasks of cutting, grinding, boiling, washing (it’s a long list. Isn’t it?).

Well… Cooking is not just about cooking, is it? I love cooking when my better half is around. He is my food critic, assistant chef, motivator and much more.

So this time I am moving away from all lime lights and leaving my much loved kitchen to my hubby:) He made wonderful Grilled Vegetables with Cream of Tomato Soup and Guacamole. He didn’t ask any help from me and cooked everything from scratch. So this time, all spot lights are on him. So are you ready? Lights, Camera and Action….

Grilled Vegetables with Guacamole

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Grilled Vegetables
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 5-10 mins
Serves: 3-4

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Ingredients:
½ Courgettes/Zucchini
6-8 Button Mushrooms
½ Red Onions
½ Aubergines
½ Red Peppers
½ Yellow Peppers
½ Green Peppers
Few Olives
Few Cherry Tomatoes
1 tsp Dry Rosemary
2-4 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Grilled Vegetables with Guacamole

Method:
Cut all the vegetables into bite size pieces.
Soak them in cold water for about 15-30 minutes which will prevent it from drying out when they are grilled.
Take olive oil, rosemary, pepper powder and salt and mix them well.
Pat dry the vegetables and brush them with olive oil mixture.
Thread vegetables onto skewers and grill them on medium heat till they are done.

Grilled Vegetables with Guacamole

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Guacamole
Prep Time: 5-10 mins
Cooking Time: -
Serves: 3-4

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Ingredients
2 Avocados
½ Sweet Pointed Peppers/Red Bell Pepper
1 tbsp Lime Juice
Salt to taste

Grilled Vegetables with Guacamole

Method:
Scoop avocado and mash it properly.
Chop sweet pointed peppers into very small pieces and mix them with mashed avocado.
Add lime juice and salt to taste and serve immediately with grilled vegetables.
If desired, add finely chopped garlic clove to the Guacamole and mix well.

Grilled Vegetables with Guacamole and Cream of Tomato Soup

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Something about Guacamole:
Guacamole is avocado based dip or relish which is basically from Mexico. The basic and main ingredients are avocado and lime juice. There are many recipes of making Guacamole. The ingredients vary based on one’s taste and preference. Guacamole can also include onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, coriander leaves and some spices. Click here to learn more about Guacamole.
Isn’t it fun saying Guacamole? Gwock-uh-mo-lay. It is fun… :)

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Grilled Vegetables with Guacamole