Strawberry Ice cream

This is an eggless version of ice cream. There are many methods to prepare an ice cream , such as by boiling milk with custard powder, using eggs, using flourn etc. The packaged ice creams we buy in the stores are made by any one of the methods above.
But the No-cooking ice cream or an ice cream made with condensed milk is more famous among American households. This recipe is known for its lesser number of ingredients and the simplicity. The interesting facts are the lesser calories involved and the health benefits we get from a real fruit.

Here is a strawberry Ice cream I made for hubby and his friends. Inspired by cooks.com website.

Ingredients:

sweetened Condensed milk - 1 can (14 oz) (400 gm)
whipped topping - 8 oz container (250 gm)
strawberry - 20 number (see measurement *)
strawberry (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp

The whipped cream, condensed milk and strawberries.

Method:

All the ingredients mixed before freezing.

Wash and clean the strawberries. Remove the bracts / leaves.
Grind the fruits to get a smooth puree. Reserve 2 fruits for garnishing.

In a mixing bowl add the condensed milk and fold in the strawberry puree.
*(After pouring the condensed milk, measure the fruit puree in the same can. It should be almost 1.5 to 1.75 times that of that can).

Add the whipped topping and mix gently. Add the chopped strawberries. The fruits should be chopped finely, otherwise they taste like ice crystals.

Transfer to a container, close and keep frozen for nearly 4 hours.

Strawberry ice cream served with sliced strawberries and blue berries.

Strawberry ice cream is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Makes nearly 15 big scoops.
Place the ice cream outside for 5 minutes for easy handling.
An ice cream scoop dipped in water makes the job easy.

Approximate calorie calculation:

From fat-free condensed milk - 1300 Kcal
Whipped topping - 100 Kcal
Strawberry (8 fruits = 45) - 120 Kcal

Total calories in the whole batch = 1520 Kcal (approx)
1/15 of the above said will yield 100 Kcal. So it can be had as a safe and satisfying dessert.

Pani Poori

In Madras, we belong to an area famous for its Gulfi ice,  paani poori manufacturers with the walk ways surrounded by 'chaat item' (a kind of Indian salad mixed with crispies) vendors. You may need a strong willpower to pass these shops without buying one plate of some snack:) Recently we enjoyed this delicacy once again in one of the parties held by hubby's colleague A. After that our trips to Indian grocery stores won't be complete without getting a chaat item.

What is Paani poori?

Paani poori : Small cute fluffy pooris stuffed with lentil, mashed potatoes, salads and filled with hot chutneys as well as sweet tangy tamarind water.

Paani poori is a great fun food when we have some family get-together or friends coming over unexpectedly. It is a very filling snack / starter / a complete meal without much preparation time or skills. There are 'n' number of variations for the stuffing and chutneys. I prepared it by remembering that Madras paani poori stalls' version and their clay-pots filled with those paanis and chutneys.

All we need is just to poke the poori with our thumb, fill the stuffing, pour the chutneys and munch ....munch...munch:) I love the way it is gobbled in one gulp with lots of laughter:) Nothing can beat the different tastes.... spicy to sweet and tangy mixing up in our mouth while our hands uncontrollably stretching for the next poori....unexplainable joy. Isn't it!

Paani poori along with the various stuffings and filling chutneys arranged.

Paani poori stuffed.

Ready to use paani pooris.

Ingredients:

Pani poori - 1 pack
I used the ready to use paani poori available in Indian grocery stores. Preparing the poori needs a lot of patience and skill. The end product should be a very stiff and hole-less pooris. Still I assure you, the home made ones are the best, if we can make them perfectly. You can see the procedure for making them in

Stuffing:

(The following are the popular stuffing, but we can vary them according to availability)
1.Potato - 3
2.Freshly chopped onion - 1 cup
3.channa dhal / whole green gram (cooked)- 2 cup
4.oma podi (Indian mixture snack) - 1/2 cup (optional)
*Cook the potato and remove the skin. Mash it gently along with some salt, cumin powder (1/4 tsp). Place it in a serving bowl.
*chop the onions finely and keep them for serving.
* cook the dhal and keep it in a bowl.

green chutney:

cilantro - 10 stems
mint leaf - 1/2 cup
green chilly - 2
salt - to taste
lemon - 1/8
wash and clean the leaves. Grind them finely together along with green chilly, salt and some water to get a cup of chutney. Squeeze the lemon to get a balanced chutney taste. Keep it in a serving bowl with a spoon.

Tamarind water:

tamarind - a small lemon size
Water - 2 cup
jaggery / sugar - 1 tsp
salt - 1/4 tsp
dry ginger powder - 1/2 tsp
chaat masala - 1/4 tsp
cilantro - a few leaves
dates / raisin - 1/2 cup
Soak the tamarind and extract the juice. Puree the dates / raisin and mix all the above to get a sweetish tangy water. Transfer it to a serving bowl with a spoon.

How to devour it ?

Take a poori. Hold it in your left hand, in the same time make a small opening at the top (by using your thumb), just like we shell the hard boiled eggs.

Put a small scoop of mashed potatoes, cooked dhal, chopped onion one over the other.Sprinkle the oma podi.
Top it with 1/2 a tsp of spicy green chutney. Fill the remaining space with the tamarind sweet chutney.

Immediately gulp it and enjoy:)

Serving suggestions:

The above said quantity is enough to fill almost 40 paani pooris. Increase the tamarind water quantity if necessary. Create your own stuffing to suit your palettes.
This makes a great starter or an early supper.

Hi !

Hello friends,
Hope you are doing great. Due to some unavoidable circumstances I was not blogging or visiting you all for a month. Now I am doing great. Thanks for all your mails, well wishes and comments. Missed a lot of fun in the blogosphere, trying to visit each and every one of your posts now:)

I will resume shortly with your favorite recipes.

Happy blogging!
Love,
Viki.

Baklava

Baklava is a sweet pastry made using phyllo dough or puff pastry sheets.

Hubby and myself tasted this crunchy dessert for the first time in an Afghan restaurant in Long Island, NY. At that time I couldn't remember the name or believe if I could do it myself in some point of time. But slowly Baklava started getting much closer to us after he joined this new office and I started trying several ways to get his favorite. The only thing I knew was the taste and invented some recipes of my own. First I tried from scratch, i.e., using All purpose flour, that was a good one. (If you can't find the pastry sheets and want a recipe from scratch, just ask for one through the comment and I will be more than happy to publish that too). But the process was enormous and I couldn't prepare many. So searched the web and got some ideas. Faiza Ali has the best using phyllo.  Then I tried using the phyllo dough , which is claimed to be the most authentic way. But the process of separating the phyllo layers was much difficult and I ended up with a scrambled baklava :) .

Again I bought some puff pastry shells and it was super easy as well as perfect for a beginner like me. It was just removing the pastry top, fill the cavity with the sweet nut mix, close, bake and soak it in honey:) That gave me enough confidence to try it again. So if you want a very quick rich dessert, then buy some 'puff pastry shells' instead of 'sheets'.

While googling I got a perfect recipe from Baking bites and many others.Then prepared it using puff pastry sheets and all of our also friends like that.Nowadays if there comes a long weekend hubby never forgets to fill up the freezer with these pastry sheets:)

This recipe comes handy if we wish to prepare two or more desserts for a party , as this can be made in advance and stored. Here goes the recipe for the Baklava using puff pastry sheets.

Ingredients:

Puff pastry sheets - one box (16 oz)
Walnut (finely chopped) - 1 cup
cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp
brown sugar - 1/2 + 1/4 cup
honey - 1/4 cup
butter - 1 tsp

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 deg F.

Bring the puff pastry sheet to room temperature as per direction.


Generally there will be two sheets. Take an aluminum foil and coat it with oil.
Place one sheet. Using a pizza cutter or knife divide it into 9 or more pieces. Similarly do the same for the other sheet also and keep aside.

Arrange them with a spacing of 1.5 inch in between.


Mix the finely chopped walnut with cinnamon powder, butter and 1/2 cup sugar.
Spread this mix over one set of squares.



Cover each square with an piece of pastry sheet and make a diagonal slit to facilitate baking.


Bake this in 375 deg F for 10 minutes and check if it is puffed up. Otherwise increase the timing by 5 minutes. (See instructions in the pack).
In the mean time bring to boil a 1/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 cup water. Let it achieve a syrup like consistency. Then add a pinch of cinnamon + vanilla essence to it. Let it cool.


Take the baked baklava out.


Pour the prepared syrup in a pan and place the baklava over it. Drizzle some honey over the baklava and we are all set now.



Serve the Baklava immediately or cool. Baklava is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Makes 9 Baklava.
Serve as dessert.

Green Peas pulao

A very simple and mildly spiced pulao made as an alternative to the usual plain rice.

I make this green peas pulav as a quick dish for hubby's lunch pack. It won't consume much time or demand a great skill during the peak hour.

Ingredients:

Green peas (frozen or fresh) - 3/4 cup
(Don't use dry ones for this recipe)
Basmathi rice / raw rice (pacharise) - 1 cup
ghee - 1 tbsp
ginger - 1 inch
garlic - 2 pearls
green chillies - 2
onion (sliced thinly lengthwise) - 1/2 cup
lemon juice - 2 tbsp
cilantro + mint leaf (chopped) - 1/4 cup
bay leaf - 1
cloves (lavangam) - 2
cinnamon (pattai) - 1 inch
cashews - 10
salt - to taste

Method:

Wash and clean the rice. Soak it for 30 minutes.
Defreeze the peas by putting them in some water.
Grind the chillies, ginger, garlic together to a fine paste.

In the mean time, heat ghee in a wok. Fry the cashews to golden color and keep aside.
In the same wok add the bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and fry for a few seconds.
Immediately add the sliced onion . Saute it till the onion wilts.
Now put the masala paste and fry till oil separates. Put the green peas and saute a little. Add salt to taste.

Add the soaked rice (remove the excess water by a colander) and fry for a minute. Pour water just enough to immerse the rice. Add the lemon juice (lemon and ghee keeps rice grains separate). Cover and cook in very low flame till done.(We can cook the rice separately and add at the end also). Remove from heat while the rice is almost cooked (but stiff) and serve hot.

Garnish with fried cashews and minced cilantro + mint leaf.

Green peas pulav is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serves 2 people.
Pair this flavorful peas pulav with any spicy curry like Gobi manchurian or simply a mint chutney + raitha and enjoy!

Plain Vanilla cake

Nearly a month ago I wanted to make a plain vanilla cake. Though very long back I tried some method (before the blogging era) , I was not pleased with the outcome.So after a lot of googling and blog hopping, I got a solid idea and some confidence to make it from scratch. There were many recipes and I chose to try Cham's infallible Plain vanilla cake recipe and the result was amazing.

Thank you Cham!

The below recipe is from Cham of Spice club. I have halved the quantity to make one 8x8 inch cake. Click to see the original version.

Plain vanilla cake baked and allowed to cool before slicing.

Plain vanilla cake sliced and arranged.


Ingredients:  (To make one 8x8 square cake)
All purpose flour (maida) -  1 cup
sugar- 3/4 cup
egg - 3 (medium size eggs)
butter (unsalted) - 1 stick (8 tbsp / 113 gms)
Salt - 1/8 tsp
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Method:

Bring the eggs and butter to room temperature , by keeping them outside the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Grease the baking pan with 1/4 tsp butter.

Mix the dry ingredients like maida, baking soda, baking powder by sieving twice.
(This makes the cake spongy).

Add the egg, butter, sugar, vanilla essence , salt to a blender / mixie and beat till it turns fluffy.

Add the dry ingredients and beat well. we can mix the dry ingredients by using a fork / spatula also.

Pour the cake batter in to the greased pan and shake / tap it to release the air.

Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
(Test the quality of baking by inserting a skewer and see if it comes out clear).

Plain vanilla cake is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serve as dessert or tea time snack. Icing is optional.

Calorie calculation: (from main ingredients)
AP flour 1 cup = 400 kcal.
Sugar 3/4 cup = (1 tbsp = 45) = 45 x 12 = 540 Kcal
butter 1 stick = 100 x 8 tbsp = 800 Kcal
egg 3 = 70 x 3 = 210 Kcal

Total calories (approx) in this plain vanilla cake = 1950 kcal

(data courtesy : Livestrong.com)

---------------------------

Small 6 inch cake recipe

For a 6 x2 inch round cake: 

unsalted butter 5 tbsp, softened

sugar 1/2 cup

large egg 

vanilla extract 1 tbsp

all-purpose flour 3/4 cup +2tbsp

corn starch 2 tbsp

salt 1/8 tsp

baking powder 3/4 tsp

curd (plain yogurt) or milk - 4 tbsp

Preheat oven to 350 deg F.

Sift together flour, corn starch, salt, baking powder. Keep aside.

In a mixing bowl put butter, sugar - beat for 2 min using an electric beater.

Add milk, egg, vanilla, beat together for 2 mins.

Add the flour. Beat for 1 minute.

Prepare a baking pan by applying butter a coating and coat with 1 tsp four.

Bake for 30-35 mins. 

Vengaya sambar

Vengayam (Naattu vengayam, ulli, chinna vengayam) - shallot / baby onion; Saambar - A dhal based curry served over plain rice.

Sambars are generally named after the vegetables added and by the variation in masala. e.g., Arachi vitta sambar, murungakkai sambar etc.
The most famous and easy to prepare is the onion sambar.

Though I make many varieties of sambar, this one is my family's  most favorite. Almost all my Fridays will begin with this flavorful sambar along with the potato curry . Moreover I always remember to save some sambar for the night to serve along with crispy paper roast dosas and we never get bored of that menu:)

I am narrating my mom's recipe, which I am following for years.

vengaya sambar served in a bowl.

Ingredients:

To pressure cook:

Toor dhal/red gram lentil - 1/2 cup (100 gms)
water- 2 cups
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
asafoetida - 1 pinch
sesame oil- 1 drop
Wash and clean the lentil. Pressure cook the dhal with the above said ingredients for a whistle. Then reduce flame and cook for 10 minutes. Let it cool. Open the lid and add some fresh cumin seeds .Mash well using a spatula. Keep aside.
(we can cook the dhal in stove top also. But we may need to soak it first for 30 minutes or more and cook for 30 minutes).

Other ingredients:

Shallot (sambar vengayam) - 15
(choose small variety. Remove the skin, wash and clean. Don't chop).
Tomato - 1
Tamarind - amla (gooseberry /  nellikkai) size ball
cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
cooking oil / ghee - 2 tbsp
(Try to use ghee, as it renders more taste to the sambar).
curry leaves- 1 sprig
cilantro/ coriander leaves (chopped)- 1 tbsp
mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
fenugreek -1/2 tsp
jaggery- 1 tsp (optional)
salt - to taste
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
coriander powder - 2 tsp
Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of hot water and extract the juice by squeezing.
Add the red chilly powder, coriander powder, salt and bring it to a boil. Let it boil till the raw smell vanishes.

In the same time heat oil or ghee in a separate wok. Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and let the mustard splutter. Before they get black, immediately add the shallots, curry leaf and saute well. Continue frying till the shallot starts getting a golden color (not red). Then add the finely chopped tomato and saute till oil separates.

Pour this hot mixture over the boiling tamarind paste. Add the mashed dhal, sambar powder and bring it to a boil. As it starts boiling, put the crushed jaggery, chopped cilantro and switch off.

Vengaya sambar is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serve hot over plain cooked rice.
The best side dish would be a spicy potato curry and appalam (pappad).
Reserve some sambar for dinner and serve along with paper roast dosas.

Thengai saatham

Thengai - coconut ; saatham - rice.
Kalantha saatham (variety rice or rice mixed with some spices/ masala) is an indispensable one in any South Indian home. The best part in kalantha saatham is that they would be prepared to accompany any long journey and they should withstand the time. For example in olden days they packed the tamarind rice or lemon rice in such a hygienic way that they last for at least 3 days.

But this coconut rice should be consumed within 12 hours because of the addition of coconut. Anyways this rice is loved by all for its nice flavor and taste.

Thengai saatham served with masala egg and bottle-gourd dhal curry.

Ingredients:

Rice (pacharisi / Basmathi) - 1 cup
Shredded coconut - 1/2 cup
moong dhal (split green gram lentil / paasi paruppu) - 2 tsp
mustard - 1/2 tsp
curry leaf - 1 sprig
cilantro - a handful (chopped)
dry red chilly - 2
oil - 1 tsp

cooking the rice:

(I prefer stove top method for pulao and 'variety rices'. we can microwave also. But the pressure cooker method makes the rice mushy. Rice cooker can also be used to prepare the rice).

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes or lesser.
Bring to boil some 3 cups of water along with 1/2 tsp salt.
Add the soaked , drained rice and reduce heat. Cook covered till almost done.
Switch off and pour it over a colander and remove the water completely.
Keep the rice open to maintain it as separate grains. Let it cool for sometime.

Method:

Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok and add mustard seeds. As they start to crackle, slide in the moong dhal, red chillies (cut into small pieces), curry leaf, shredded coconut , chopped cilantro, in the same order and fry till the coconut starts smelling great. Switch off immediately before they get red (maintain the white color of coconut).
Add some salt to taste (little only). Switch off heat.

Gently mix the rice with the prepared coconut mixture without breaking the rice grains.

Coconut rice is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Good for a quick packed lunch.
It can also be served as starter rice before serving the sambar over plain rice in an elaborate lunch.
Serve with paruppu thogaiyal (fried dhal chutbney), potato chips etc.

Bisibelebath

Bisibelebath means Hot lentil rice. It is very famous in Karnataka, India and has become the favorite of all others too.

This is my most favorite lentil rice and I always look for an opportunity to insert it in our menu:) Narrating this one for you all and especially for my friend Pushpa. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Rice - 3/4 cup
Red gram (Thuvar dhal) - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
salt - to taste
Bisibelebath powder - 3 tsp

Vegetables: (Usual combination)
Beans - 20
carrot - 1
fresh green peas - 1/2 cup
potato - 1
Tomato - 1 (optional)
(I added some cherry tomatoes for fun, but the authentic recipe does not call for tomatoes)
Lemon - 1/4 (or) tamarind extract - from 2 inch tamarind

Tempering:

ghee - 3 tbsp
mustard (kadugu) - 1/2 tsp
finelly chopped onion - 1 tbsp (optional)
curry leaf - 1 sprig
channa dhal - 1 tsp
Asafoetida (hing / perungaayam) - a pinch

Method:

Wash and soak the dhal for at least 10 minutes. In the mean time chop the vegetables into small pieces.

Start cooking the dhal with a drop of oil, turmeric and 3 cups of water. I prefer doing it 'stove top' to get the native touch. We can pressure cook also.

When the dhal is 75% done add the rice and cook almost completely.

Now add the chopped vegetables and continue cooking. Add water now and then accordingly. The final product should be of very loose consistency, otherwise the bisibelebath gets solidified after cooling.

When the whole mixture is well cooked (almost 45 minutes), take 3 tsp of the bisibelebath powder, mix with a 1/4 cup of water and add to the rice. Bring it to a boil.

Mean while, heat the ghee in a wok and splutter the mustard seeds. Immediately add channa dhal, curry leaf, onion and saute well.

Pour this over the prepared bisibelebath and take off heat. Add lime juice and serve very hot.

Serving suggestions:

The above said quantity would be enoug for 2 adults and a child.
Always use 3 tsp of the bisibelebath powder for the above said quantity.
Always serve BBB very hot with lots of ghee.
Boondhi raitha or potato chips or pappad are best combinations with BBB.
Some people strew some karaa boondhi over the bisibelebath and enjoy.
I usually prepare Arbi yam (seppan kilangu) fry along with this.

Bisibelebath powder

This is the masala powder used  in  preparing Bisibelebath.

Ingredients

Bengal gram (channa dhal / kadalai paruppu) - 3 tsp
Black gram (urad dhal) - 3 tsp
Poppy seed - 1 tsp
fenugreek (methi seed) - 5 seeds
dry coconut (kopparai thengai) - 3 tbsp
Dry red chilly - 5
Whole black pepper - 10
cumin - 1/2 tsp
coriander seed - 3 tsp
cloves, caradamon - 2
cinnamon - 2 inch piece

Method:

Dry roast the dhals separately (if in large quantity) and keep them aside. Put all the other items together and dry roast till the coconut smells good. Let it cool.
Grind them together to a fine powder. Keep the powder in freezer for further use. We can use this powder for making bisbelebath as well as vangi bath.

Banana Walnut cake

Hi friends!

Happy to meet you all after a gap.Thanks for all your encouraging comments and mails that keep me going. Sorry, I missed many of your delicious posts and trying to catch up now:) The summer and the vacations made me quite busy and tired. The heat is horrible here, but couldn't stop us from roaming around and swimming (Don't imagine me with a lot of swimming skills, I am a learner for a long time).Moreover I tried a lot of recipes and waiting to share them with you all.

Let's start with something sweet. Here is a version of a very moist, spongy banana walnut cake. I got the recipe from this website. It is a very successful one and the best cake I have ever tasted. Try and let me know:)

Cake batter prepared without any lumps.

The Banana walnut cake is baked.

Banana walnut cake sliced and served.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 2 1/2 cup
Baking soda - 1 tbsp
salt - 1/8 tsp
butter - 1/2 cup (8 tbsp or 1 stick)
(don't use oil here, as I am calculating the moisture from butter too. Otherwise we may need to add some water also)
White sugar - 1 cup
Brown sugar - 3/4 cup
egg - 2
Ripe banana - 4 (long ones)
butter milk - 2/3 cup
(2/3 cup milk + 1 tsp vinegar can be substituted here)
walnut (chopped)- 1/2 cup
vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F (175 deg C). Grease two (8"x8" square) cake pans with 1/4 tsp butter (each).

Chop the walnuts into small pieces and mix a tsp of all purpose flour with it.

Add the egg, butter, both sugars,salt,vanilla essence, buttermilk to a mixer / blender and beat till it turns fluffy.

Pour it to a broad mixing bowl.

Then put the bananas in the mixer and slightly mash them (two or three pulse is enough). Add it to the mixing bowl. Mix well.

Now sift the flour with baking soda twice (to make the cake fluffy) and put it in the mixing bowl. Beat and mix the batter very well using a fork or whisk (not a blender, as the bananas will get over mushy).
In between, if you see some lumps, then leave the batter for a 5 minutes and then start beating. This helps in soaking and a smooth batter without any lumps.

Stir in half the chopped nuts.

Pour the prepared batter in the pans for two inches height and spread the walnuts over the batter. Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Insert a skewer to check if the cake is completely baked.

Take out and place on a damp towel to cool (This generates much steam and makes the cake moist). Then carefully remove from the pan and cool completely (for an hour or more).

Then slice and serve with or without frosting.

Tips:

Don't open the oven for the first 35 minutes.
The cake will be fluffy as soon as we take out of the oven, but after a few minutes it will loose the bump in the top.Don't panic, this will not affect the texture of the cake.
Always use the well ripened (skin turned black) banana for making a cake.
We can freeze and store the bananas that turn black and of no further use. Remove the skin and store them in zip lock covers in freezer. Just bring them to room temperature and blend in the liquid that oozes out also.
Cream cheese frosting is the usual one.

Its award time!

Two lovely bloggers, Gayathri of Heaven on a spoon and Suja of Kitchen corner have passed me the following awards.

Gayathri has a very nice space with interesting articles, anecdotes and I like the energy in her words. I am attracted a lot by her simple sweets and elaborate recipes.

Suja's recipes from Kerala are very authentic.Don't miss her sea food section and I am addicted to it:) Thank you friends! You both made my day.

Visit these enthusiastic bloggers and have a great time.

The rule of the award is to post some of our favorite pictures. The list is endless and here are two of them to enjoy:)

Photo courtesy: ICD parish.

This is the Immaculate Conception church in O'Fallon,Missouri, which we used to attend regularly on Sundays. O'Fallon is a very small town in mid west part of USA. It is full of woods and beautiful rivers. I associate this place with so many pleasant memories and it is my most favorite place to live. I wish to live again in O'Fallon , Missouri forever, if Xavier gets a job there. (Anyways I love my NJ also very much).What a thought..huh!
No wonder, the pictures from there fascinates me very much).

The next one is from St.Louis,MO.



St.Louis Arch in St.Louis. Other names of St.Louis are 'The gateway of the west or Rome of the West'.

Wish you all a beautiful month ahead!

Poom paruppu Sundal

Sundal (Tamil) is a kind of spicy snack made of lentils. It is often considered a very healthy snack to have with evening tea or munch throughout the day. Also it is served during important Hindu functions as offering to God (Prasadam).

Poom paruppu is a regional name given for the most renowned kadalai paruppu sundal. The meaning is poo - flower ; paruppu - lentil. More specifically, 'A sundal made with the lentils cooked till they bloom like a tender flower'. Isn't it attractive?

So, enjoy the summer evenings with this beautiful sundal along with a cup of tea:)

Ingredients:

Bengal gram (channa dhal / kadalai paruppu) - 1 cup
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
coconut oil - 1 tsp
dry red chillies - 2
curry leaf - few
salt - to taste (little only)
shredded coconut - 1/4 cup

Method:

Wash and clean the dhal twice.
Soak the dhal for 30 minutes and cook it over stove till it becomes tender (not mushy).
If we don't have time to soak, then we can pressure cook it to 2 whistles with water just to immerse the dhal (not more than that).

Remove the excess water. Mix some salt to taste. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter.
Then add the dry red chillies (broken), curry leaves and stir for a few seconds till the chilly swells.

Immediately add the cooked dhal, shredded coconut and stir well.

Put off fire.
Poom paruppu sundal is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serves three.
Serve as snack with tea or coffee in the evening.
Sometimes I make it as side dish for puli saatham / lemon rice etc.

Keerai thoran (Red Swiss Chard)

"Keerai (Tamil) - Any kind of spinach; Thoran (Malayalam) / thuvaran or thuvaram (Tamil) - A dry side dish prepared with any spinach or vegetable and lot of coconut masala".

I got this 'Kerala style preparation of Spinach' from a best friend of mine. Though her blog is not visible now, some of her recipes always have a permanent position in my memory. I tried my best to do it her way. Thanks Ann!

The traditional recipe insists in using an Indian spinach (cheera or the red spinach) . I  prepared this 'keerai thoran' using Red swiss chard leaves. Though these swiss chard leaves resembled an Indian palak, I would like to use the 'chen cheera' (red spinach) next time. 

'Thoran' made of Red Swiss chard leaves.

Ingredients:

Any greens (spinach) - 1 lb
(I used Swiss chad leaves here)
Red onion - 1 (or) shallot - 5
mustard - 1/2 tsp
coconut oil - 1 tbsp
salt - to taste (very little only) 

To grind coarsely:

coconut (shredded) - 1/2  cup
garlic cloves - 3
green chillies  -  2 or 3
cumin - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Wash and clean the spinach / any greens.Chop it finely.

Heat oil in a wok. Splutter the mustard seeds.
Add onion and saute till it wilts.

Now put the chopped spinach and saute for a few minutes.

Make a well in the center and remove all the moisture (as much as possible).

Put the coarsely ground paste to the center and bury it with spinach.

cover and cook for few minutes. Add salt and saute till the greens loose all the moisture and we get a very loose texture.Switch off.

Keerai thoran is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serve hot as side dish with sambar rice or curd rice.
Also can be served as 'curry over plain rice' with a tsp of ghee.
As this preparation contains more coconut, it may get spoiled in hot weather. So consume / refrigerate immediately.

Mango Pickle

"A variety of mango pickle prepared by seasoning the grated unripe mango with sesame oil and spices "

This is my most favorite pickle and I am narrating my mom's recipe here.

A dollop of mango pickle waiting to accompany the curd rice:)

Ingredients:
Unripe mango - 1 big (1/2 kg)
(Grate and measure it)
Sesame oil - 1/4 of the quantity of mango
(we can reduce the oil , if we are refrigerating the pickle)
Red chilly powder - 3 tbsp
fenugreek (methi / venthayam) - 1 tsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
hing (asafoetida) - 1/8 tsp
salt - to taste (approx 1.5 tbsp)

Method:
wash and clean the mangoes. Wipe with a clean cloth and dry it in open air to remove any moisture for an hour or more.

Now we should keep our hand clean and dry. Grate the mango using a carrot grater (bigger hole). Measure the amount of mango.

Heat the above said quantity of sesame oil in a kadai (wok). Add the mustard seeds and let them start to crackle. At the same time add hing , fenugreek seeds and wait till it gets red. Immediately add the mangoes and saute till they loose the moisture.

When the oil starts showing off the edges, add the red chilly powder and salt. Stir well till the raw smell of red chilly powder goes.
(we can add the red chilly powder in the beginning also, but it will emit a lot of hot fumes that no one can stand. So better add it this way).

Switch off the flame and let the pickle get cool.
Mango pickle is ready!

Mangai thokku stored in air tight container.

This will last for a week or more if prepared with 1/2 a cm of oil floating above the pickle. Otherwise we can refrigerate for further use.
(I generally prepare with lesser oil and refrigerate it).

Serving suggestions:
Serve as side dish with curd rice.
We can  mix some of this pickle with white rice to prepare a quick mango rice for lunch pack.

Chicken Seekh kebab

"A kind of kebab, that is prepared with minced chicken or lamb . This is more common in Pakistani cuisine".

I tasted it in some  nearby restaurants (Shaalimar and Biryani house) and tried my best to get that taste.

Actually they make the shape of the kebab by pressing the minced meat over metal skewers and cook them in open fired and again the fire cooked kebabs are shallow fried. This is the basic procedure in one line. But it involves some techniques too. As my knowledge on these kebabs are very little, the shape didn't come out well. But recording this anyway :)

Here is the complete version to make  kebab similar to an authentic Chicken Sheekh kebab. I formulated this version by myself, by reading the food cultures and history of Afghanistan and Pakistan people. Please make a comment, if I need to improvise this recipe, as it is not my regional cuisine. Thanks!

Ingredients:
minced chicken - 1 lb
Onions - 1
green chillies - 2
lettuce -  2 leaves (optional)
cilantro - a handful
mint leaf - a handful
minced garlic - 1 tbsp
dry ginger powder - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Puffed channa dhal (dalia) - 1 cup
(powder the puffed channa dhal)
bread slices - 2 (only if needed)
Salt to taste
Oil - 4 tbsp

To powder:
dry red chilly - 2
coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
Black pepper- 1/2 tsp
fennel seed, kali jeera - 1 tsp each
cloves, cardamom - 2
cinnamon - 1 inch 
cumin - 1 tsp
garam masal powder - 1 tsp (optional)

How to get minced chicken?

option 1. We can buy the minced chicken at any halal shop. Some times they may sell a variety called masala minced chicken. That will make the job easy, as we can straightly add masal powders, bread crumbs and start doing it.

This is the minced masala chicken I bought from a halal shop.

option 2.Otherwise buy the minced chicken and mix all masala powders, salt and finely minced onion , cilantro, mint, green chillies etc (except bread, oil and flour).

option 3.Buy boneless chicken pieces  (red  meat is the best for juicy kebabs) and grind it coarsely.

Method:

While the mixer / blender is dry, powder the bread. keep aside. Separately , powder the puffed channa dhal (dhalia)and keep aside.

Select boneless chicken pieces from thigh (red meat is best here). Breast is also ok, but it won't give a juicy finish.

Grind the boneless chicken meat along with red chilly powder, garam masal,spices, salt.

Finely chop the onion, chilly, cilantro, mint and mix with the minced meat.
Add ginger garlic paste to it.

Add the bread crumbs and powdered dhal to get a thick minced meat dough.(we can use the bread crumbs alone, without any dhal powder or vice versa).

Make seekh kabab by pressing the minced meat around a skewer for about 4-5 inches in length.

This is how I shaped the kebab.

Bake it at 350 deg F and 15 mins both sides.

Serving suggestions:

Serve as starter with lemon wedges, tamarind sweet chutney, raitha etc.
Goes fine as side dish with biryani.

Note:

If we cannot make a correct shape, then add more bread crumbs or dhalia powder.

I add 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil or butter per lb and it won't need frying. Moreover all the oil will be evaporated while baking.
The baked ones can be cut into small pieces to make a kofta curry.
For baking : Soak the wooden skewers  in water overnight to avoid burning of the sticks.
If we cook the kebab over gas stove, then use metal skewers.
Dont try to rinse the kheema we buy from shop, as they already prepare kheema after washing and patting the extra moisture. If we wash again, it will get more watery and our koftas won't stick to sticks:)

An update:

Now I corrected my previous mistakes and prepared a good looking(!) kebab. I added more puffed channa dhal powder (pori kadalai mavu) , that made the kebab easy to handle.

Minced chicken with masala

Baked 'chicken sheekh kebab'.

Tips:
1.If there is no time to prepare puffed channa dhal powder, then dry roast a cup of channa dhal flour (besan flour/ kadalai mavu) till it turns mild red and use instead.
I microwave the besan flour for 5 minutes. If microwaving, then do it for a minute , take out stir well and then repeat till it gets a nice aroma and very mild red color.

2. Adding a cup of finely chopped lettuce and some more extra virgin olive oil will yield a very juicy kebab. Adding oil while baking is the best alternative to avoid frying the kebab.

3. Number of kababs from 1 lb  meat: One pound of chicken kheema will yield 8-10 kebabs.

Keppai Kali (sweet)

A kid friendly healthy breakfast for summer.

Other names: Sweetened ragi pudding , இனிப்பு கேப்பை களி, 'Finger millet' porridge.

In my home town , our Summer mornings would start with a pleasant voice of a tender coconut / Palmyra juice vendor (pathaneer-the toddy before fermentation) or Indian Ice-apple (nungu) selling lady. As the summer approaches, my mom would change our food habits to suit the weather. Some items like ghee roast dosa , poori and almost all the fried items would be replaced by the simple food like keppai kali, ulunthu kali, venthaya kali,curd rice, ragi dosa, kambu kool(zh), neeragaram, buttermilk, greens etc .The evening snacks like bajji, vadai and desserts would be changed to sundal (lentils), fruits and kolukkattai. By an endless supply of buttermilk to her daily visitors like the spinach vendor, vegetable seller, fish sales man. etc., she would often appear as a cool Goddess to me now:)

Life is changing and our needs too. But that craze for those simple foods never cease to amaze me. So I tried to create her special kali made of keppai and karuppatti (palm jaggery). Hope you all like it.

Ingredients:
Ragi flour - 1/2 cup
palm jaggery - 1 cup (or) brown sugar - 3/4 cup
(cane sugar jaggery or white sugar won't yield a good taste here)
coconut - 1/4 cup shredded (optional)
Water
garlic - 6 pearls
sesame oil - 2 tbsp (to serve)

Method:
Mix water to the palm jaggery and bring it to a boil. As it dissolves , filter and remove all the sediments and froth.Keep aside. (Avoid this step if we use brown sugar).

Mix water to the flour little by little to get a free flowing consistency like that of dosa batter (pancake mixture).

Heat slowly the pure palm jaggery solution along with the flour, finely sliced garlic, coconut in a thick bottom vessel. Stir continuously.

After a few minutes the solution will get thick. Reduce flame and stir well till the garlic and the flour are cooked. If the flour is not cooked properly, then add some water and continue cooking in low heat.

Switch off when the kali becomes thick.

Keppai inippu kali is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve hot as breakfast or snack along with a tsp of sesame oil on the top.

Medicinal value:
1.Ragi (red millet) is a whole grain rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. It helps in weight loss.
2.Ayurveda recommends Palm jaggery for diabetic patients as an alternative sugar.
3.Garlic is believed to get rid of bad cholesterol.
4.Sesame oil has innumerable health benefits : in treating hypertension, BMI control,hormone regulation, cholesteral reduction etc.

Foodista:
http://www.foodista.com/recipe/JH4R7777/indian-foodstuffs/widgets

Keerai masiyal

"A favorite dish, where the greens are steamed, and mashed, with light seasoning of salt, red chillis and cumin. It is called keerai masial (கீரை மசியல்)." - Wikipedia

This is another comfort food from the basic Indian cooking. The greens are indispensable in a well balanced Indian menu and much praised for the health benefits.

In Chennai I used to blend the keerai, using a small rough clay vessel and a wooden pestle ( In Tamil - keerai kadaiyum mann pathiramum , mathum). That traditional clay vessel imparts an earthen flavor to the simple keerai and would lift up our spirits:)

Generally the arai keerai and siru keerai (smaller leaved amaranth) are good for this blending recipe.As I could not find them here, I have used the amaranth (thandan keerai). This recipe calls for total simplicity , so we can't see any tomato, turmeric or oil. Adding oil, tomato or tamarind also holds good, but this one is my most favorite recipe. In my native place we used to add a pinch of lime (calcium oxide / sunnambu , additive to pan leaves) along with this masiyal. I don't know the correct purpose of it. But they say the 'sunnambu' helps in absorption of some vitamins in the greens. That's totally optional.

Ingredients:
Greens (spinach / amaranth) - 1 lb (4 handful)
water - 1/4 cup
shallot - 4
green chilly - 2
garlic - 4 pearls
cumin seed - 1/4 tsp
salt - to taste (very little only)
Lime (sunnambu) - a very small pinch (optional)

Method:
Pluck the leaves and young stems only. Discard the hard stems or reserve them for making sambar. Wash and clean the leaves well.

Take a wok and bring to boil 1/4 cup water. Remove the skin of shallot and garlic. Add them to the boiling water along with the chillies. After a minute (the onion and garlic should be half cooked), add the cleaned greens and cook them without closing the lid. Some people believe that cooking the greens with lids will spoil the nutrients.

After a few minutes, gently turn the whole lot and cook the other side too.

Check the stems if they are cooked. Wait till all the moisture is gone and put off fire.

Let it cool completely. Now add cumin, salt and blend in a mixer to a coarse paste.
(Just two or three pulse is enough).

If you want an authentic flavor try to use an earthenware to blend the greens.

Serving suggestions:
Serve as side dish with rice or as a curry over rice.
We generally prepare this masiyal along with fish curry and rice.

Note:
In my native place , they add a pinch of lime (calcium oxide , that we use along with pan leaves)while blending to get some medicinal value out of it. Its purely optional here.
No tadka / tempering is necessary.

Some folklore from my native place (arai keerai / small amaranth):
This masiyal can be prepared with black pepper instead of green chillies and consumed daily to reduce the obesity.
This masiyal without any tadka helps people to regain strength after some disease and also as a natural bowel healer.

Cashew Pakoda

Pakoda / Pakora means an Indian version of fritters.

The Tamil translation is 'Munthiri pakoda'.The recipe may vary between state to state (India), but this is how I recollect the Chennai's cashew pakora. With a lot of mint leaves, cilantro and crispy cashews....nothing can beat that rich snack along with evening tea.

Again some memories on this nut and the pakoda.

Cashew nuts are considered expensive and generally reserved for the festivals and gifts. No wonder it remains a rich food for most of us. I remember my mom preparing this special snack during Deepavali or for our Birthdays. After marriage I felt the importance of making it at home , when I saw my hubby buying this snack frequently. From then on, these homemade cashew pakodas get a special reservation in my to-do list:)

I have used halved cashews here. But generally people use the whole nuts.

Home grown mint leaves (2009).

Other ingredients for the pakora.

Cashew nut pakoda served.

Ingredients:
Cashew nut - 250 gm (2 cups)
red onion (thinly sliced lengthwise) - 1 1/2 cup
(adding onion is optional)
ginger - 3 tbsp (finely chopped)
green chilly - 5 (split into two)
curry leaf - 2 sprigs
mint leaf - 1 cup
cilantro leaves - 1/2 cup
besan flour - 3/4 cup
rice flour - 3 tbsp
baking soda - 1/4 tsp
red chilly powder - 1 tsp
garam masal powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - to taste (3/4 tsp approx)
oil - to deep fry (300 ml)
(corn oil or any lighter oil)

Method:
Chop the onion, mint leaf, curry leaf,ginger, cilantro, chillies as indicated.

Put the besan flour, rice flour, baking soda,salt, red chilly powder, garam masal powder in a mixing bowl and mix well.

(optional: Add 2 tbsp of hot oil to increase the crispiness of the pakora).

Add the cashews, chopped items to the flour and start kneading without adding water.
If needed , just add 2 tbsp water and mix well. The mixture should not be watery, but thick and moist. The water from the leaves and onion will be just enough.
Excess water makes the pakora oily and soggy.

Heat enough oil in a wok and wait till it reaches the smoking point. Then reduce the flame to medium. Put some fritter batter as if we are sprinkling the cashew mixture in the hot oil (they should fall as individual pieces). Take care not to overlap one another. Flip after it gets fried in one side. Take out, drain oil.

Like wise fry the cashew pakoda in small batches.

If you wish to store the pakora, then let them cool completely and store them in air tight containers. As we have added onion, this will be safer to use for 2 days only. So avoid the onions and other leaves (ginger, chillies are ok) to ensure longevity of the cashew pakoda.

Serving suggestion:
Serve as snack or starter.
The above said quantity approximately yields 3/4 kg cashew pakoda (almost thrice that of the cashew added).

Saffron Pulao

An aromatic rice variety suitable for any spicy-hot curry.

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 2 cups
onion - 1/2 cup (thinly sliced in lengthwise)
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Kali jeera - 1/2 tsp
Bay leaves - 2
cinnamon - 1 inch
cardamom - 2
clove - 2
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Milk - 3/4 cup
Saffron - 2 pinches
cilantro and mint leaves - a handful

Wash the rice twice in water. Soak it in water (just enough to immerse) for half an hour.

Add salt + enough water to just immerse the rice and microwave or cook the rice to 50% (Let the rice be very firm now). Drain and discard the excess water, using a colander.

Heat ghee in a wok / vessel and fry the onions to golden brown. Take it out.

In the same wok add the bay leaves, kali jeera, cardamom, clove, cinnamon and saute for a few seconds. (We can add cashews, raisins and slivered almond too).

Now add the half cooked rice. In the same time bring milk to a boil along with the saffron strands.

Pour the colored milk over the rice , add the fried onion and a few more strands of saffron. The ratio of milk and rice should be such that each and every grain of rice should get a milk coating , but not any milk other than that. This lesser moisture helps in getting a stiff pilaf.Close the lid and let the rice gets completely cooked (grains should be separate). The pifaf will get more yellow color in some grains that gets direct contact with the saffron . Garnish with finely chopped mint, cilantro leaves while serving.

Saffron pulao is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve along with any spicy-hot curry.
The above said quantity can be enough for 3 adults.

Egg Biryani

Whenever I wish to make a special lunch box for hubby, egg biryani comes handy with its simple ingredients and lesser time consumption.

I cook the rice along with raw scrambled egg and add hard boiled eggs to it. I am not sure if it is the common method, but the rice getting cooked along with raw egg gives a better taste for me. Try my method and let me know.

Ingredients: (for 2 adults)
Basmathi rice / Jeeraga samba raw rice - 1 1/4 cup
Egg - 4 (2 raw , 2 hard boiled)
Tomato - 2
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Red onion - 1 (medium size)
green chillis - 3 (slit).
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
garam masal powder / biryani masal powder - 1 tsp
(I used Shakthi biryani masala powder)
cilantro- 10 stems
mint leaf -1 handful.
ghee - 3 tbsp

To temper:
Fennel - 1 tsp
bay leaves - 2
star aniseed - 1,
Cinnamon stick - 2 inch
cardamom - 2
cloves - 2
cashew nuts -10
salt - to taste

Rice preparation:
Wash the rice and soak it for 1/2 an hour. Add 1/2 tsp salt. Add excess water and half cook the rice . Strain and remove the excess water using a colander. Keep open and let it cool.

Preparation:
wash and clean the tomatoes. Puree them. Keep aside.
Hard boil 2 eggs, remove the shell and make 3 slits on each egg. Keep aside.

Method:
Heat 3 tbsp ghee / oil in a broad flat bottom vessel.
Add fennel ,star aniseed , cinnamon stick,cardamom ,cloves, bay leaf , cashew and saute for a few seconds.

Put the chopped onion . Fry till it gets golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and stir well till the raw smell goes. Then add the chopped chillies, chopped cilantro + mint and stir well.

Now add the tomato paste along with red chilly powder and biryani masala powders.

Add salt to taste. Cook till oil oozes out.

Put the cooked eggs and saute to get them coated with the masala. Take them out.

Reduce flame. Now break and pour the remaining eggs and stir well. Don't wait to cook the mashed eggs. Just add the half cooked rice and mix carefully .Add very little water to cook the rice. Place the boiled eggs over the biryani.

Close tightly and reduce the flame to minimum.

After 15-20 minutes the egg biryani will be ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve with any raitha.

Broccoli poriyal

Hope you all had a great 'Mother's day'. Mine was wonderful. we celebrated the Mother's day in the Church and crowned the Mother Mary's statue in our home by a home made flower wreath. The Father's message was very encouraging. He asked all the people to stand to get Mother's day blessings, as he wanted to bless each and every one for the motherly feelings at heart. Even the men were also honored, as they also play the role of a mommy sometimes:) Hubby presented me a beautiful pair of rose bud earrings and a brooch made of coral. That was my long cherished wish and somehow he presented me the same thing without knowing. That's romantic. Isn't it friends!

For today's post here is 'An Indianised version of broccoli stir fry'.

Whenever I see a vegetable, I always look for a way to add my native touch to it. Even the broccoli couldn't escape my tawa:) So here is a simple poriyal with the nutritious broccoli.



Ingredients:
Broccoli (chopped) - 2 cup
red onion - 1 (small)
any oil - 1 tbsp
fennel seed - 1 tsp
cilantro, curry leaf, mint leaf - few
red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
salt - to taste

Method:
Wash and clean the broccoli.
Chop it into medium size pieces.

Heat oil in a wok. Add fennel seeds and let them get red.
Then add the chopped onion, the leaves mentioned above and fry till the onion turns golden brown.

Then put the chopped broccoli and fry for a minute.
Add salt, red chilly powder, turmeric powder , garam masal powder, a handful of water and cook covered till the vegetable is cooked.

Take off lid and saute till all the moisture is gone.

Broccoli fry is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve as side dish with sambar rice or roti or any rice.

Thakkali Biryani

'A kind of tomato rice prepared in biryani flavor'

This is the most favorite version of Tomato rice for many. Biryani masala in the tomato rice makes it more delectable. My mom used to prepare it without much spices. Click to see that too.

Actually I call it as tomato rice but many tells it as tomato biryani. Biryani associated with anything fascinates me. I started liking it after tasting the one made by my sister in law (my Amutha Anni), who is a physician and a lovable lady. She served it with chicken drumsticks fried in Indian style along with raitha when we visited her. That tasted heavenly when I knew that it was her first attempt and I admire the way she took care in cooking all these for us even in the midst of her tight schedule. We ladies always sing in praise of our family and I am no exception. hi..hi..hi:).

Thakkali briyani served with onion raitha and potato fry.

Ingredients:
Basmathi rice / Jeeraga samba raw rice - 2 cups
Tomato - 4 (200 gm)
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Red onion - 1 (medium size)
green chillis - 3 (slit).
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
garam masal powder / biryani masal powder - 1 tsp
(I used Shakthi biryani masala powder)
cilantro- 10 stems
mint leaf -1 handful.
ghee - 2 tbsp (to add at the end)

To temper:
Fennel - 1 tsp
bay leaves - 2
star aniseed - 1,
cinnamom stick - 2 inch
cardamom - 2
cloves - 4
Any cooking oil - 3 tbsp
cashew nuts -10
salt - to taste

Rice preparation:
Wash the rice and soak it for 1/2 an hour. Add 1/2 tsp salt. Add excess water and cook the rice to firm stage (100% cooked , but not mushy). Strain and remove the excess water using a colander. Keep open and let it cool.

Preparation:
wash and clean the tomatoes. Puree them. Keep aside.

Method:
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a broad flat bottom vessel.
Add fennel ,star aniseed , cinnamon stick,cardamom ,cloves, bay leaf , cashew and saute for a few seconds.

Put the chopped onion . Fry it till golden brown and add the ginger garlic paste and stir well till the raw smell goes. Then add the chopped chillies, chopped cilantro + mint and stir well.

Now add the tomato paste along with red chilly powder and biryani masala powders.

Add salt to taste. Cook till oil oozes out.

Mix with the cooked rice without breaking the grains.

Tomato biryani is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Garnish with 2 tbsp ghee , chopped cilantro , mint leaves.
Serve with onion raitha, potato chips etc.
Serves 3 adults.

Bread omelet

Omelet sandwiched between two slices of bread and flavored with sauces and chutneys.

This is my hubby's most favorite breakfast to pack for office. I am sure many know to make it, but posting it for his friend who wanted to know the recipe for this unique 'Indian egg sandwich'.

The procedure is of two fold. First toasting the bread and then preparing the omelet. Arrange it according to taste.

To toast the bread:
Bread - 4 slices
(Any bread works fine, but I prefer the fluffy 'old fashioned white bread' always).

Toast them in a bread toaster. Otherwise heat a griddle with a 1/4 tsp butter. Pan roast the bread both sides till we a get a beautiful red color.
Repeat for the remaining slices too. Keep aside.

The red chutney:
Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp

The green chutney:
Mint leaf - 1 cup
cilantro leaves - 3 cups
vinegar - 1/4 cup
salt - 1/4 tsp
green chilly - 4

Wash and clean the leaves.
Grind all the above to a fine paste and keep refrigerated. We can make a lot of chutney and store for at least 2-3 weeks.

To make omelet:

Ingredients:
Egg - 3
Red onion (finely chopped) - 1
green chilly (finely chopped)- 3
coconut oil - 1 tbsp (any oil)
salt- 1/8 tsp for each egg added.
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cheese - 2 tbsp (optional)

Method:
Break and pour the egg in to a mixing bowl.
Chop the onion and green chilly very finely.
Add salt and cumin seeds to the egg and beat well.
Now add the chopped onion and chilly. Using a fork , beat till the egg doubles its volume.
Heat a tbsp of coconut oil in a dosa griddle .
Pour the well beaten egg, reduce heat. Flip the omelet. Cook both sides completely and keep aside.

Arranging:
Take two toasted bread slices. Spread a little unsalted butter if we have used a bread toaster.
Coat the top of one bread with 1 tbsp tomato ketchup and the next slice with 1 tbsp green chutney.
Cut the omelet into two and place a 1/2 inside and close the breads.
Make a diagonal cut and serve.

Like wise do for the next pair of bread slices.

Bread omelet is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve as a breakfast or evening snack.