Honest scrap

Shanthi Krishnakumar of Shanthi Krishnakumar's cookbook and Padma of Padma's recipes have passed on the Honest Scrap to me. Thank you very much Shanthi for this as well as for encouraging many of us.


This award comes with the following rules:
I must thank the person who gave me the award and list their blog and link it
I must list 10 honest things about myself
I must put a copy of The Honest Scrap Logo on my blog.I must select at least 7 other worthy bloggers & list their links
I must notify the bloggers of the award and hopefully they will follow the above three requirements also.
I shall do the honours by the end of this post.

Blogging has been a thoroughly learning experience. But the best of all this is the many talented and sweet people I have befriended in the past 6 or so months. Thank you one and all for all the smiles you've given me.
Now, 10 honest things I can think of right away are,
I am very sentimental, I can get emotional hearing Jana Gana Mana...also
I can never keep late nights, but can wake up as if every other day is Deepavali. My day typically starts at 4.30 in the morning and by 9.30 at night my eyes droop.
I am a bookworm, will read anything I can lay hands on. There are some books I read and reread.
My family is my strength. Between my parents and husband they have never said 'no' to anything.
Tailoring is another passtime that I love. At one point it got so bad that my daughter was wearing anything I sew, even her school uniforms were sewn by me.
I remember birthdays and anniversaries of most of family and friends.
I am an extrovert, like to meet people.
I believe learning has no limits and if you put your heart to it everyting comes easy.
I have energy swings from procastination to over enthusiasm, thankfully my mood swings are not so erratic.
I try to keep things as neat and tidy as possible, but not always happen that way :(


Now is the toughest part of identifying atleast 7 others,
I would love if the following people might share their 10 honest things:
Rekha of Plantain Leaf
Varunavi of My Kitchen's Aroma
Chaitra of Aathidyam
Vidhas of Appetizing Recipes
Sree Vidya of Vidya's kitchen
Lakshmi Venkatesh of Kitchen Chronicles
Suparna of Food Fascination
Ladies hope you enjoy doing this as much as I did.

Varuththu Araitha Sottu Kuzhambu

Varutharaichcha Sottu Kuzhambu is a very spicy as well as tangy kuzhambu which can be enjoyed with steamed rice or with dosai/ rawa idli etc.
We can use any of the legumes like chick peas, cow pea, adzuki beans or pigeon pea, it tastes just as good.
Ingredients:
¼ cup of any of the above mentioned legumes (I used black chick peas)
A lemon size ball of tamarind
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon channa dhal
1 teaspoon urad dhal
8 pieces dry red chillies
¼ teaspoon/ 8 -10 black peppercorns
2 tablespoons freshly grated coconut
2 teaspoons cooking oil
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon asafoetida powder
Salt to taste
For tempering:
1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
For garnish:
Few curry leaves
Few coriander leaves
Soak chickpeas overnight. Wash well and adding some water, pressure cook the peas until soft. Keep aside.
Soak tamarind in water and extract pulp thoroughly. Keep aside.
In 2 teaspoons cooking oil,roast the chillies, channa dhal, peppercorns and urad dhal until they are brittle and shining. Cool and place in a blender with the coconut. Blend well until very fine paste is obtained. Remove in a bowl; wash the jar of the blender and add the water to the paste.
In a pan, heat sesame seed oil. When hot, add mustard seeds and allow to crackle.
Add the tamarind pulp, salt, asafetida powder and turmeric powder. Bring to a boil, add the cooked chickpeas and simmer until the raw taste of tamarind subsides.
Add the paste, stir well and allow to boil for further two minutes. Remove pan from fire.
Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Serve hot with hot steamed rice adding little amount of ghee or sesame seed oil.

This goes to the MLLA 15 th edition hosted by Sia of Monsoonspice, an event started by Susan of the well seasoned cook

Delicious Microwave Bhaaji for paav

One of the best street foods that is an all-time favourite is the pav baaji. The magic of Bombay's famous street food was microwave cooked in my kitchen and I'm sharing it with you.

Ingredients:

100 grams carrots chopped

100 grams cauliflower chopped

100 grams bottle gourd chopped

1 green bell pepper chopped

1/4 cup green peas

50 grams french beans chopped

50 grams cabbage chopped

2 potatoes peeled and chopped

1/4 cup grated onion

1/4 cup pureed tomato ( I cooked tomatoes in microwave and pureed them)

3 tablespoons ghee/oil

2 teaspoons pav baaji masala powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder

Salt to taste

!/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

To Serve:

4 pav buns

Onion rings/ chopped onions

Lemon quarters

Fresh coriander leaves.

Wash the chopped vegetables.Place them in a microwave safe bowl, sprinkle some water.

Cook covered on 100% micropower, for 8 minutes until all vegetables are soft and mashable.

Allow to stand for 4 more minutes. Open and with a masher, mash the vegetables well.

In a different bowl, heat oil/ghee on 100% power for 30 seconds. Add the grated onion and cook open on 100% power for 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree, mix well and microwave on 100% power for further 3 minutes.

Add all spices and salt and the mashed vegetables to the above and cover. Cook on 60% power for 5 minutes. Stand for 2 minutes.

Take it out and mix well. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

When ready to serve, toast the buns adding butter and serve with the baaji.

Serving suggestions are that serve them with onion rings and quartered lemons.

I am sending tis to Microwave Potluck party September edition hosted by Srivalli @ cooking4all seasons.

Hariyali Paneer Tikka

Hariyali Paneer Tikka -succulent pieces of cottage cheese pieces marinated in youghurt and herbs and then grilled make an excellent starter at any party.
Ingredients:
250 grams paneer cut into cubes
Red, Yellow and Green bell peppers cut in big pieces
1big tomato diced
1 big red onion diced
For Marinade:
5 tablespoons of the paste that has been ground with mint leaves, green chillies, coriander leaves and garlic
½ cup thick curd/ labeneh
Juice of 1 medium lemon
½ teaspoon garam masala powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
A pinch of chaat masala
1tablespoon cooking oil
Mix marinade well with the paneer and cut vegetables. Refridgerate the mix for an hour.
Meantime pre heat oven in grill mode.
Place the prepared vegetable – paneer mix in a microwave-grill safe dish or arrange in a skewer and grill for 15 – 18 minutes, repositioning at intervals and brushing some oil over the pieces while grilling.

Remove and sprinkle chaat masala and serve.

A Sunday Lunch Menu

A colleague of my husband wanted to get together for lunch. He stays alone here and cooks his dinner while managing on cornflakes and toasts in the morning. The Port canteen supplies him whatever vegetarian they can come up with for lunch. So this friend wanted homecooked but insisted on potluck. However, most percentage of potluck was what I've showcased here.

My menu for that Sunday afternoon was

Steamed rice, raayathugal (pachchidi variety), thalivadaam, dhania podi, ennai kathrikkai kuzhambu, mysore rasam, microwave mango chutney and avaraikkai paruppu usili. He took care of one more vegetable and the dessert.

The thalivadaam was sent to me by my sister's mother-in-law. Recipes for the rest of the menu are what I'm writing for you and posting to RAKS Kitchen's ongoing event. Cooking for Guests.

Raayathugal: ( Fancy name for a very delectable thayir pachchidi in my cookbook by Ku.Pa. Sethu Ammal)

Ingredients:

6"long snake gourd piece /12 pieces okras /15 pieces cluster beans

Either of the three vegeatables -(ensure these are fresh and tender).( I've used snake gourd)

1/4 cup Curd -ensure that it is not very sour

2 pieces Green chillies

Ghee/oil for tempering

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

Curry leaves 1 sprig

Salt to taste.

Cut the desired vegetable into very tiny pieces. Chop the green chillies.

Heat ghee/oil in a kadai, temper the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the chopped chillies and vegetables and cook in the ghee/ oil until soft. If the vegetables are tender you will not require any water to cook. Sprinkle some water if necessary and cook covered if the vegetables are not very tender. Add the salt and cook further.

Remove from heat. Allow to cool and add the curd and mix well.

Serve as side accompaniment with a meal.

Dhania podi:

Podis and thogaiyals are staple in my family. I make and store them. On last count I have stock of paruppu podi, dhania podi, karuveppilai podi and angaaya podi in my pantry. My thengai podi just got over.

All of these podis can be made in desired quantity and stored for even upto 6 months. If stored airtight and ensured that no moisture is allowed they never lose flavour for long. On the other hand they are simple recipes and can be made in smaller quantities just to last a few weeks.

Ingredients:

50 grams coriander seeds

2 teaspoons split urad dhal

2 teaspoons split channa dhal

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

8 -10 dry red chillies

1 tablespoon sea salt

A gooseberry size tamarind torn in tiny pieces

2 teaspoons oil (optional)

Dry Roast on low heat every ingredient separately. The coriander seeds must turn brittle to touch, the dhals golden to light brown, the tamarind dry, chillies brown and brittle and the salt dry.

Cool and transfer the tamarind to the jar of a mixie and pulse a few rounds before adding the dhals and coriander seeds. Pulse for few more minutes and add the rest of the ingredients. Run the mixie on slow speed until all the ingredients are powdered coarsely.

Remove, cool and store in airtight bottles.

Ennai kathrikkai kuzhambu:

This is a very simple version given to me by my periamma.

10 or 12 Small young tender brinjals

Big lemon size tamarind

8 dry red chillies

3 tablespoons coriander seeds

2 tablespoons channa dhal

2 tablespoons gingley oil

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon oil for tempering

Curry leaves

1 taespoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder

Keeping the stems intact, make cross slits in the brinjals until almost near the caps.

Keep them immersed in water until the rest of the ingredients are ready and available.

Soak tamarind in water and extract pulp repeatedly and thoroughly.

Place a heavy pan on heat. Dry roast the coriander seeds, redchillies and channa dhal. If using sea or rock salt toss that too.

Remove cool and powder finely in a mixie.

Pat the brinjals dry on the surface. Stuff the powder into each of them well.

Heat the gingley oil in a heavy kadai ans place gently the stuffed brinjals. Cover and cook them until tender. Open at intervals and turn them over. Once they are cooked add the tamarind extract and bring the tamarind to a boil and simmer. If the powder was left over after stuffing, add that to the simmering kuzhambu.

In another pan do the tempering and add to the kuzhambu.

Ennai kathrikkai kuzhambu is ready.

Mysore Rasam:

This is my favourite rasam.

Given below are ingredients for 1 litre rasam.(adapted from Samaiththu paar/S. Meenakshi Ammal)

1/4 cup thuvar dhal

Small lemon size ball of tamarind

1 meadium tomato

Juice of 1 small lemon

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Roast in little oil and grind to a powder the following:

4 pieces dry red chillies

1/2 teapoon black pepper corns

11/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon channa dhal

For tempering:

1 1/2 teaspoon ghee

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder

2 green chillies slit lengthwise

For garnish:

Curry leaves few

Coriander leaves few.

Soak tamarind and extract pulp.

Wash thuvar dhal and pressure cook until dhal is tender. Mash well and add 1/2 cup of water. Keep aside.

Cut the tomatoes in four, place them with the tamarind pulp and turmeric powder. In a pan, bring the tamarind extract to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the salt, powdered spice mix and little later the mashed dhal. Bring to a quick boil and as soon as the rasam begins to bubble remove from fire.

Temper the ingredients in ghee and add to the rasam. Add the lemon juiceand the curry,coriander leaves. Cover immediately.

Serve with hot steamed rice. This rasam can be sipped in cups too.

Paruppu usili:

250 grams of Broad beans (avaraikkai)

1/4 cup thuvar dhal

2 tablespoons channadhal

1 teaspoon urad dhal

3 green chillies

1 dry red chilli

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

4 tablespoons cooking oil

Mustard seeds and curry leaves

Asafoetida powder

Salt to taste

Wash, string and cut the beans. Microwave covered on 100% power for 7 minutes or until tender as per instructions of the model you use. You may steam-cook the beans also. Keep aside.

Wash and soak dhals together. Drain and grind to athick batter adding the chillies and salt.

Add the turmeric powder and the asafoetida powder. Place this batter in small portions in the idli moulds and steam like idlis for 12 minutes.

Cool and break the dhal idlis, lump-free to a coarse mixture.

Heat oil in the pan, place the ingredients for tempering. Once the mustards crackle add the dhal mix and tossing continuously, cook the dhal until almost dry.

Add the cooked vegetable and mixing well cook further. The dhal would have acquired a tinge of mustard yellow when well cooked.

Paruppu usili is done.

Mango chutney (pickle):

I cooked this entirely in microwave using recipe in the LG microwave cookbook.

The maximum output as given in this book is 900 watts. So I shall write the recipe as given in this book. I use a different model and adjusted cooking time to my machine's output.

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped raw green mangoes

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder

1 teaspoon aniseeds crushed

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 whole red chillies

1/2 teaspoon rock salt

1 teaspoon oil

A pinch of asafoetida powder

Microwave oil in a microwave proof bowl on 100% power for 30 seconds.

Add red chillies, aniseeds, cuminseeds powder, mustard rock salt and asafoetida. Microwave on 100% power for 2 minutes. Stir and add the chopped mango,1/2 cup of water and microwave covered for 3 minutes on 100% power.

Add sugar, mix thoroughly and microwave on 80% power for 3-4 minutes till thick.

Serve chilled with curd rice, chappattis etc.

It is yummy to eat it just as it is too.

Our friend was certainly happy to have these many homecooked dishes and I hope all of you enjoy to.

Cheedais and Murukkus for Janmaashtami

We are done with the Janmaashtami festival weeks ago. Than why am I still savouring the dishes made for Sri Krishna days on end? Purva and Priti are hosting the Festive Food season with dishes for Janmaashtami and Ganesh Chathurthi until we do the Visarjan for Ganapathy Bappa. So I would love to join them in the celebrations too. These dishes are being posted to go to the Janmaashtami - Ganesh Chathurthi special event.

Here are the dishes those feature every year as neivedhyams for Nanda Lala. The basic Rice flour and Roasted Black lentil ( Roasted Urad dhal) are the same, only the propotions vary.

Wash well and soak raw rice for a few hours.

Drain and dry until moist on a cloth.

Take small portions in the jar of the mixie and powder until very fine.

Remove and seive. Run the coarse powder again to obtain fine flour.

Spread a clean cloth in two or three folds and spread the flour over it.

Dry roast black gram in a kadai.

Cool and powder to a fine powder in the mixie.

Seive and repeat to obtain fine powder.

The basic powdered ingredients are ready.

The above flours, salt, butter and oil for deep frying are the main ingredients for all the savoury bakshanams. The vella cheedai is a sweet version that uses jaggery.

Thaen kuzhal:

The proportion of raw rice to urad dhal is 5 parts to 1.

If you are unable to pound the rice and intend to use store bought flour, use 2 cups of rice flour and 1/4 cup of urad dhal flour.

Other ingredients for the above

3 table spoons of butter at room temperature

1/2 tablespoon white sesame seeds

1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds

Salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder

Oil for deep frying.

Mix the rice flour, roasted urad flour, all the dry ingredients and salt well. Rub the butter in and mix thoroughly.

Make a smooth but stiff dough using enough water.

Heat oil in a kadai and press the thaenkuzhal in the murukku press fitted with the 3 round hole plate into the oil.

Press small murukkus in the oil just as many, not crowding them in the oil.

Fry them in warm oil until crisp and golden. Remove from oil and place on absorbent tissue.

When cool, store the thaenkuzhal in airtight containers.

Kai Murukku:

The kai murukkus are made using 12 parts of rice flour to 1 part urad dhal flour. It is okay if the proportion varies a bit but not much. If the urad dhal flour gets excess, the murukku will be hard, so caution should be exercised.

Again white sesame seeds and cumin seeds are added to flavour the murukku.

3 cups rice flour

1/4 cups urad dhal flour

3 tablespoons butter

White sesame seeds and cumin seeds as required

Salt to taste

Asafoetida powder as per taste

Few spoons of coconut oil to oil your fingers

Oil for deep frying.

Mix all the ingredients but the oils, to a smooth dough adding enough water. The dough should turn between your fingers.

Spread a clean white cloth, crease-free. Dip tips of your thumb, index finger and middle finger in the coconut oil. Pick up a small portion of the dough and holding the major portion in your palm, press between the oiled fingertips on the spread cloth pinching and forming a twisted rope pattern, turning in a round.

This comes well with practice. Repeat with the mixed dough.

While half way at making the patterns, keep oil in a kadai on the stove.

When oil is hot, lift the murukkus gently using the dosa spatula and drop in the oil as many will fit without crowding.

Fry until crisp, drain and place on absorbent tissues before storing in airtight containers.

Thattai:

Thattais are made with the same proportion of both flours as for the Kai murukkus.

Yummy additions are channa dhal and moong dhal soaked and drained as well as curry leaves and chilli powder or coarsely powdered black peppercorns.

3 cups rice flour

1/4 cup roasted urad dhal flour

Chilli powder or black pepper powder as per taste

Salt to taste

Washed, soaked and drained channa dhal and moong dhal few teaspoons

Butter 2 tablespoons

Curry leaves, cumin seeds and white sesame seeds as desired

Mix all ingredients well and adding water gradually make a smooth but stiff dough that can be flattened in small circular discs without breaking.

Spread a clean white cloth crease free. Take small portions and flatten them in discs over the cloth.

Prick small perforations with a fork or tooth-picks. This will ensure that the thattais don't puff up like pooris once dropped in oil.

Some people find it easier to flatten these on oiled polythene sheets too.

Once the discs are done, deep fry them in hot oil until crisp and golden. Drain, remove and place them on absorbent tissues.

Store in airtight containers.

Uppu Cheedai:

These are tiny savoury balls deep fried. The one addition to the thattai dough makes the uppu cheedai even more delectable is dessicated coconut.

Caution is that the rice flour has to be dry roasted until warm before adding all the ingredients.

Otherwise mishaps like cheedais erupting in hot oil may occur.

Also do not roll the balls very smooth. The stiffer the dough the crisper and oil-free the cheedais.

The ingredients are the same as those for thattais given above. Quantity of coconut can be to your liking, but just few spoons will be enough.

Mix the dough adding little water. Roll in uneven small balls on a plate.

Deep fry in hot oil without crowding, and turning them all around. Once the sizzling sound of oil subsides you may remove the cheedais with a slotted ladle and drain on absorbent tissues.

Ideally the cheedais will develop tiny cracks and there may be particles that may form residue in the oil. You can strain the oil between batches.

Vella Cheedai:

These are deep-fried but sweet balls made of rice flour and urad dhal flour mixed in slightly boiled jaggery syrup. The consistency of the jaggery syrup plays a major roll as much as the quantity of jaggery. They may simply break while being deep fried if this caution is not exercised.

4 cups of rice flour

1/4 cup roasted urad dhal flour

2 cups of powdered jaggery (paagu vellam quality is best)

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

1 tablespoon Butter

Sesame seeds 2 teaspoons

Coconut scrappings/Dessicated coconut 2 tablespoons

Oil for deep frying

Roast the rice flour until you can drop-draw it in an even line and even more until roasted red.

Keep reserve some roasted flour.

Add very little warm water to the jaggery, dissolve and strain impurities.

Put in a kadai and allow to come to a boil. Switch fire off and drop the rice flour in it and mix well.

Allow to cool and add the rest of the ingredients and mix very well.

Roll them in gooseberry size balls on a flat plate.

Heat oil and deepfry on low heat turning just once or twice. Fry until they are crimson-red.

Remove using slotted ladle and store them as the rest of the others listed above.

The vella cheedais will most certainly develop cracks. But they shall not dissintegrate in the oil.

If such a situation arises, use some of the roasted flour kept reserve, add to the mixed flour mix and proceed.

All these are prepared and offered to Sri Krishna on Janmaashtami in most Tamil homes alongwith butter, aval, payasam and many fruits.

These are all not very difficult to make. With practice we may master the propotion.

Deep frying in coconut oil ensures longer shelf life. Vella chedais are done best in ghee. However, it is certainly not a compromise to use other cooking oils.

Pomegranate Cooler - Taurus is pink on the Zodiac

Food in colour is an event started by Sunshine mom of Tongue ticklers to emphasis the important of colour in food. Ashwini of Ashiwini's Spicy Cuisine is hosting this event this month.
The colour and the zodiac table states, Taurus the Earth sign, secure, active, warm and sociable has been related to pink for the colour. I was hence, supposed to dish out something pink and serve.



I thought of every food from rose milk to strawberry milkshake to beetroot rice. Finally managed this juice for the event.
Had some very nice pomegranates for the pooja offerings. Tried eating one and it was too sour for consumption just as fruit. We had trees that bore these sour pomegranates at home and amma will make pomegranate rice just like lemon rice and rasam with these.
So I thought I would make use of these sour fruits I had purchased the same way. I soaked them in warm water to squeeze out the juice. When I squeezed the juice out, it was so beautifully pink that I decided to make juice. I made and enjoyed the refreshing colourful juice.
For 2 litres juice you will require,
2 Kabul pomegranates (Large)
Sugar/ honey to taste, depending on how sour the fruits are
Ginger scrappings adjust according to taste
Mint leaves few
Peel the pomegranates, remove the pearls and soak them in warm water for a while in a fairly big utensil. Save one tiny sprig of mint and soak the rest of the leaves along with the seeds.
Once the water is cool and the seeds well soaked, press them with your fingers thoroughly.
Pass through a strainer, obtain the juice. Resoak the seeds and extract the remaining juice.
Clean and scrape ginger to tiny shavings.
Add more water as required and mix desired quantity of sugar. Drop the ginger shavings and refridgerate.
Serve chilled with some ginger toppings and the reserved sprig of mint.
I had the juice with honey instead of sugar. Hence the colour is darker in the glass than in the canister.



I am sending this to Ashwini's event mentioned earlier and to Mom's recipes - soup and juices event.