Awamat - Lebanese Potato Donuts

Awamat are tiny deep fried potato donuts balls which tastes absolutely fabulous. A yeasted potato dough when rolled as small balls are fried to browned crisp, then coated with a simple sugar syrup makes this cute balls. This deepfried donuts balls are Lebanese potato donuts which suits prefectly for any occasions. Since these cuties are dangerously addictive, you cant just stop with one. Make sure to make enough of this crispy beauties if you are planning to make for a get together or else for a kid's party. Trust me kids will devour this deep fried cuties without any fuss, though they are dropped in sugar syrup after frying, these Awamat have a super soft inner and bit crispy outer. However i simply enjoyed thoroughly making these potato donuts at home with simple cooking process.

Strawberry Rolls with Cream Cheese & Lemon Glaze/Rolls aux Fraises et Glaçage Crémeux au Citron

I dont want to bore again by saying again and again that baking is one of my most favourite passion and i love to make varieties of bakes at home. Baking have became a part of my life and i love to challenge myself by participating in few of the baking challenges.Today my small group of friends are celebrating one among our friend, enthuastic blogger, a sister Shama Nagarajan who blog's about Easy 2 Cook Recipes. I know Shama since a long as a blogger, but before a year we got very closer by chitchatting through the famous social network. Now we talk to each other whenever time permits and the bond between us is growning on day by day.

             Shama wishing you a happy, wonderful and a blessed birthday with your loved ones.

Patterned Chocolate Roll

Am celebrating virtually a birthday of my fellow blogger aka sister, she is none other than Divya of Divya's Culinary Journey, the bonding between few bloggers are seriously very close to my heart and one among those wonderful blogger i crossed and get connected through this virtual world is Divya, she is a simple, very easy going gal who is very modest,down to earth and very friendly sister, i treasure her relation very much. We had loads of laughters and fun together whenever we chat together. Today is a big day for her and she is celebrating her birthday with her parents and her brother in her native. Have a wonderful birthday Sis and am sure this birthday brings you loads of beautiful things in your life.

Divya,a sister can be a good friend too, and definitely you are.I am so thankful to God to have a sister like you in my life. Wishing you a wonderful birthday and celebrate your birthday in a big way.

To celebrate Divya's birthday virtually, with few friends we choosed to make dishes from starters to desserts. Obviously i went for this patterned chocolate cake.Swiss roll or cream roll is a kind of sponge cake roll stuffed with either whipped cream,fruits or buttercream or sometimes simply with jam. A thin layer of batter prepared with flour,eggs and sugar baked in a sheet pan, spread with jam or buttercream, rolled up and served as round slices makes this roll. I have prepared this roll with usual measurements i go for making swiss rolls and prepared them as patterned chocolate roll, filled with whipped cream and chopped fresh strawberries. Chocolate roll with strawberries and whipped cream, watelse we need.Heaven in Earth definitely.

Thakkali Kuzhambu/Tomato Kuzhambu

Special days are need to be treated in a special way, if its a birthday and we dont live near or next to the birthday gal its definitely a better and best way to shower the love we have for them is by wishing them on their birthday virtually. Actually today one of my blogger buddy is celebrating her birthday. My days will be long if i dont speak to her, i feel sad if i dont see her in online, you can guess how important she is. We are best buddies since years eventhough we never had a chance to meet personally, but it doesnt matter friendship dont have boundary and doesnt need to meet face to face, just a fone call or a online chat is enough to grow up this beautiful bond between two persons who shares the same passions. Am talking about Sangee Vijay of Spicy Treats, she is celebrating her birthday today and few of us are going to celebrate her birthday virtually by cooking dishes from Kongunadu, where she comes from.I chosed few dishes from her space but i ended up with this fingerlicking gravy with tomatoes.

Dear Sangee
You are such a special friend,
Who deserves a special day,
For being who you are and
Bringing joy in every way.
You make me smile and laugh,
with everything you do,
So today I get to send
A special Birthday wish to you!

அன்பு சங்கீதாக்கு..
எங்கள் இனிய பிறந்தநாள் வாழ்த்துக்கள் 

Rose Malai Jamun - A Virtual Birthday Treat To Priya Ranjit

Today is a celebration day for me, yes am celebrating my sister's birthday virtually. She is none other than my sweet sister Priya Ranjit, who blogs at Cook Like Priya. She is not only a blogger, a fantastic friend, a down to earth person, a jovial darling who never fail to make you laugh with her instant jokes.We, a bunch of my co-bloggers aka friends joined our hands together to celebrate her birthday virtually. Eventhough we live in different countries,the distance between us may separate us but the love we have for each other is just growing day by day. The Theme for this virtual birthday treat is rose colour dishes. Immediately i thought of making beets kheer,rose milk and list goes on. But finally i went for making an interesting fusion dessert with gulab jamun,malai and Rooh Afza , sounds quite innovative na. Roof Afza is a non alcoholic concentrated squash sold commercially as a syrup to flavor sherbets,cold milk drinks,icecream and many more cold desserts.

Trust me,this rose malai jamun was a big hit at home and we couldnt stop ourself having this juicy,spongy,very delicious rose malai jamun. If you want to make a different sweet for a celebration, i'll definitely advice you to give a trial to this incredible sweet. In case if you dont like rose flavour, just skip the addition of roof afza syrup and just enjoy this sweet as Malai jamun.

Sis...

I dont talk to you everyday, but you are in my heart everyday. A sister can be a good friend and you are. You are the best, most wonderful,lovingest sister in the world. Happy birthday to my wonderful sister, enjoy your birthday and make more memories.

South Indian Lunch Thali with Nutella Apple Shake - A Virtual Birthday Party For Manjula

                                           Friends are hard to find.In a Lifetime you get only a few.

                                           And when you find them,you always know them by sight

                                           and heart alone,you always grow a little bit taller in your 

                                           soul, and you know you have been blessed just to know 

                                           them.. by Ashley Rice

Friends means a lot for me, i always says that we cant chose our parents, but we chose our friends. I miss my schoolmates very much but thanks to this virtual world, some of them are now connected again to me through social networks. Life is getting more and more beautiful since few months, yep i got a decent bunch of blogger friends to whom i can share my joyful moments and sorrows, i know very well that they can stay besides me when am down and they will be very happy whenever i share my happy moments with them.One among those friend aka my younger sister is Manjula of Desi Fiesta,she celebrates her birthday today and we (few of my friends) joining her virtually to celebrate her birthday as we guys lives far away from her,yes we do live in an another continent, but the friendship bond between us is getting more stronger and stronger eventhough many miles separates us.

Manjula a funny and fantastic person, i came to know more about her few months back, she was one of my follower and one of my co blogger who participates in many challenges and events, this is how she was in my mind before few months.But now i have an important place in my heart for her, after talking to her i came to know that she started her blog after going through mine, she says am her inspiration,watelse a blogger need na.

Happy Birthday Manjula,may god gives your more health,happiness and many more beautiful things, you mean a lot for me and i'll definitely treasure your friendship.

To celebrate Manju's birthday today with her virtually, we planned to make a thali as she challenged us A Rajasthani Thali for SN Challenge, since we love her enthu for cooking an elaborate thali, we planned to make almost a spicy South Indian thali. Manju, here is my Lunch thali for you with favourite fruit apple in a new avatar with nutella as shake. Hope you will enjoy my spicy delicious South Indian lunch thali.

Carrot Rice

Mint Rice

Potato Roast

Peppered Coconut rice

Drumstick Thokku

Cauliflower Masala

Pan Roasted Brinjal Fry

Nutella Apple Shake

Nutella Apple Shake:

1no Red apple(chopped)
1tbsp Nutella
Vanilla ice cream (as per need)
2cups Milk

Take the chopped red apples,nutella,vanilla ice cream and milk in a blender,blend everything well.

Serve immediately with icecubes.

Enjoy!

Aloo Jamun/Potato Gulab Jamun - Virtual Birthday Party to Preeti

As i told earlier, August is a month of celebration for me.. I just finished my birthday two days back and one of my friend, a food blogger,a humble human and a down to earth person is celebrating her birthday today. She is well known for her photography skills, many beautiful creative dishes and very much for her droolworthy non vegetarian dishes. She is none other than PT aka Preeti who blogs at Indian Kitchen, i crossed Preeti last year through this immense blogging world and immediately i started fallen in love with her space. I never thought that a day we both will get closer, thank god it happened and now Preeti is one of my best and close buddy aka sister.She call me Akka with loads of love, i always stunned by her humble attitude and the way she blogs constantly, do you know she blogged almost 600+ posts within a year. Am thanking everyday this virtual world for giving me this much sweet,lovable sisters.We chosed sweets and savouries for Preeti's virtual birthday party and i chosed immediately one of her recent post Aloo Jamun aka potato jamun eventhough i have a bunch of bookmarked dishes to do from her space.

Happy birthday Preeti sis,may your birthday bring a smile to your face,happiness to your heart and many blessings to your life, may your big day be as special as your are special to me. Have a magical birthday and be happy everyday sis..

Trust me these aloo jamuns are seriously mindblowing, succulent, juicy and dangerously addictive. They are quite easy to prepare with less ingredients,am sure if you make this potato jamun at home you wont ever run behind the store bought jamun mix. Never thought that mashed potatoes makes a wonderful spongy juicy jamuns.

Low Fat Vada Curry~~ A Virtual Birthday Party for Vardhini

A bunch of my blogger friends are celebrating their birthday during July and august,so obviously you wont be disappointed to see how virtually we are celebrating their birthday. Today, 10th July my friend Vardhini of Cooks Joy celebrates her birthday. To celebrate her birthday, myself along with my other blogger friends chosed to cook Vegan dishes from her space.Hope Vardhini will definitely enjoy our virtual vegan treat and am sure she will definitely have a blasting birthday with her family.

Birthday are special occasions and they call for special celebrations.Happy birthday Vardhini, hope your day is filled with lots of love,happiness and laughter.May all your birthday wishes comes true.

To celebrate Vardhini's birthday virtually, i cooked up her low fat vada curry. Vada curry is a delicious channa dal based curry prepared either with deep fried channadal fritters or else with left over masala vadas. But while going through Vardhini's space, i got hooked to her low fat version of vada curry where she steam cooked spiced channadal balls and prepared her vada curry. I prepared this low fat vada curry for our saturday dinner, seriously i had two more dosas with fingerlicking vadacurry. Vada curry with fried channadal fritters or steam cooked, they tastes fantabulous and thanks to Vardhini for sharing this healthy and low fat version of famous South Indian Vada curry.

Recipe Source: Cooks Joy
Steamed balls:
1cup Channadal/Bengal Gram (soaked for 2hrs)
3nos Dry red chillies
2nos Garlic cloves
1tsp Fennel seeds
Salt
1no Onion (chopped)
Curry leaves
Chopped coriander leaves

For gravy:
1no Onion (chopped )
2nos Tomatoes(ripend & medium sized)
2nos Green chillies (slit opened)
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
1/2tsp Sambar powder
1inch Cinnamon stick
2nos Cloves
1tsp Fennel seeds
Salt

Grind the soaked channadal with dry red chillies,garlic cloves,fennel seeds and salt as bit coarse paste.

Transfer the grounded channadal paste to a bowl, add the chopped onions,curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves,mix it well.

Make balls from channadal batter and steam cook them for 15minutes.

Heat oil in a pan, fry the cloves,cinnamon stick and fennel seeds until they turns brown.

Add the chopped onions,slit opened green chillies and saute until the onions turns transculent.

Add now the chopped tomatoes,sambar powder and cook until they turns soft.

Add 3-4cups of water, salt and turmeric and bring it to boil.

Take the steam cooked balls and mash them slightly with fingers (since we need big chunks of these steamed balls,take care not to mash much), add to the boiling mixture.

Add all the mashed balls and cover the pan with lid and cook for 15minutes until the gravy until bit thick.

Serve hot with idlis or dosas.

Sending to Srivalli's Side dish Mela.

Butter Pulao, Mughlai Kesar Murg & Bread 65 ~~ A Virtual Birthday Party for Divya Pramil

Celebrating virtually a friend's birthday, seriously am loving it. Eventhough many miles separates us we, a bunch online friends aka bloggers trying our best to celebrate birthday of each and every person of our small group. Today Divya Pramil of You Too Can Cook, a young and bubbly chef aka one of my best sister celebrates her birthday and we cooked few party dishes from her space to celebrate this day.

Happy Birthday Divya Pramil, make god bless you.Look up to the sky, too many stars are shinning up there, i want to see you shinning like a star on the sky of life, have a sparkling birthday Sister.

To a wonderful person i crossed in this virtual world, i cooked three dishes from her space to celebrate virtually her birthday. She shares many beautiful dishes and her breath taking clicks will definitely tempt you also you will learn easily her dishes through her stepwise pictures. Hope Divya will love and enjoy my virtual treat, but seriously everyone at home enjoyed this beautiful dishes and Bread 65 is our recent favourite.Dont forget to check out Sangee,Manjula Bharath,Divya Prakash,Vijayalakshmi,Preeti Tamilarasan,Shama Nagarajan,Priya Ranjit and Pretika the other bloggers joining their hands with me. Go through their blog and enjoy the virtual feast we cooked for Divya's virtual birthday party.

 Butter Pulao from Here
  

1cup Basmati rice (washed & soaked for 30minutes)
1no Onion (big& sliced)
1no Green chilly (slit opened)
2nos Garlic clvoes (chopped)
1/2tsp Pepper powder
10nos Cashew nuts
5nos Raisins
Salt
3tsp Butter
2cups Water

Heat a pan,add a teaspoon of butter, add the cashew and fry until they turns golden brown.

Add the raisins to the same butter and fry until they turns brown. remove and keep aside.

In a pressure cooker, heat two teasppon of butter,once the butter starts melting, add the slit opened green chilly,chopped garlic, saute for few seconds.

Add the sliced onions,saute well until they turns transculent.

Now add the salt, pepper powder,cook for few more minutes.

Add the soaked basmati rice,saute for a minute, add 2cups of water, stir.

Now add the fried cashews,raisins, give a stir and close the cooker with a lid, dont put the weight and cook the rice in low flame.

After 5 minutes, check the water and rice, if the rice is cooked and no more water, out off the stove.

If the rice is not cooked again for few minutes.

Toss gently the rice, dont stir much and serve with raita.

Bread 65 from Here:
3nos Bread slices
1/4cup Gram flour
1tbsp Rice flour
2tsp Cornflour
1pinch Baking soda
1/2tsp Ginger garlic paste
Few curry leaves (chopped)
1tsp Red chilly powder
1/4tsp Fennel seeds (crushed)
Salt
Oil for frying
Yellow food colour - A pinch

Cut the bread slices as small cubes.

Take a medium size bowl with gram flour,corn flour,rice flour,baking soda,ginger garlic paste,chopped curry leaves, red chilly powder,crushed fennel seeds, salt and yellow food colour, make a thick batter by adding enough water.

Batter should not be watery.

Heat the oil for deepfrying, dip gently the bread cube in the prepared batter and drop immediately the hot oil.

Fry until they turns brown, dont over crowd  and fry in small batches.

Remove from oil and drain the excess of oil with a paper towel.

Enjoy!

Mughlai Kesar Murg/Saffron Chicken from Here
1/2kg Chicken
2cups Thick curd or Yogurt
1/2cup Warm milk
3tbso Fresh cream
1tsp Saffron
1/2tsp Ginger powder
1tsp Red chilly powder
2tsp Coriander powder
1/2tsp Fennel powder
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
a pinch Asafoetida powder
1tsp Cumin seeds
Salt
Oil
Chopped coriander leaves (optional)

Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly, add the curd,ginger powder,chilly powder,coriander powder,fennel powder,turmeric powder,salt and mix well until the chicken pieces gets well coated.

Keep aside for half an hour.

Meanwhile soak the saffron strands in warm milk and keep aside.

Heat a kadai with oik, once it gets hot, gently remove the spiced curd coating from the chicken and drop it in hot oil.

The curd may get dispersed in oil,but dont worry,fry the chicken until they get half cooked.

Remove the chicken pieces from oil.

Heat an another pan with oil, let crack the cumin seeds, add the asafoetida.

Now add the curd mixture used for the chicken marination,stir well and cook for few minutes until the oil gets separates.

Add the fried chicken, stir well.

Add a cup of water to the cooking chicken and cook everything in medium flame until the gravy gets thickens.

Finally add the saffron milk,cook for few minutes.

Add finally the fresh cream,mix well and remove from flame.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Enjoy with butter pulao.

Sending to Srivalli's Side dish Mela.

Dates & Nuts Momos~~A Virtual Birthday Party For Shama

We all know that we cant chose our parents but we can chose our friends, bloggy world was quite kind enough with me until now and this virtual world showered me with many wonderful,humble and honest friends aka sisters. One among those is Shama Nagarajan who blogs at Shama's Easy2Cook Recipes, she blogs since 2008 and recently i started chitchating with her eventhough we know each other mutually since a long. She celebrates her birthday today and with a few of my blogger friends we planned to celebrate Shama's birthday virtually by cooking sweets or making drinks from her space.

Happy Birthday to You Shama.. May God bless You..

Shama shares many interesting, variety and easy foods in her space.For her virtual birthday celebration, i wanted to make something as sweet but healthy, so i picked this healthy,nutty momos from her space. I prepared them yesterday for our snacks, trust me they were just fantabulous, delicious and seriously very healthy. Shama used sugar in her momos which i completely skipped in mine.Whoever hates dates will definitely love this healthy steamed foods, wat an incredible way to sneak the famous healthy dates. My kids enjoyed this momos with honey,seriously their yesterday's snack was tremendous and completely guilt free.

Do check Sangee,Manjula and Divya who are celebrating this virtual birthday party with me..

1cup All purpose flour
1tbsp Oil

For stuffing:
1cup Chopped dates
5nos Almonds
10nos Pistachios
10nos Cashew nuts
1no Greeb cardamom
3tbsp Grated coconut
1tbsp Butter

Knead a soft and smooth dough with flour, oil and water, keep aside for 15minutes.

Heat the butter, add the chopped dates,coconut, nuts,cardamom together for few minutes,put off the stove.

Once they gets slightly cool, grind them as bit coarse paste.

Make out small balls from the dough.

Dust the dough with flour and roll it as medium size circles.

Place enough dates-nuts mixture in the center of the circle,bring the edges of the circle together towards the center.

Seal the edges tightly and keep aside.

Repeat the same process with the remaining dough and stuffing.

Steam cook the momos in idli pan for 5minutes.

Serve warm with honey.