Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Sauteed Broccoli snack

Broccoli is another cute looking member from cabbage family. It tastes great by itself without much seasoning. Italians brought this vegetable to USA. It can be eaten raw or cooked. Broccoli is often sold in bunches by $1.49 per lb or bunch and mostly not more than that. Also we can see it in freezer aisles as microwaveable. I like fresh ones very much as they are more crunchy. But we should rinse them in water thoroughly to remove any impurities. Cooking broccoli will take less than 2 minutes in my saute process.  I make this sauteed broccoli as snack for us whenever this vegetable comes in season. Try this and enjoy a delicious easy snack.



snack box
Ingredients:
Broccoli - 1.5 lb (2 crowns)
butter or Extra virgin olive oil - 1 tbsp
salt - to taste ( 2 pinches)
garlic -10 cloves
black pepper powder - 1 pinch


Method:
Separate small florets from the broccoli bunch. 
Fill water in a large basin and wash the florets. Take them out, discard the water.
Wash again and do this thrice to remove any sand or impurities.
Let the water drain.

In a sauteing pan , heat butter or EVOO. Add peeled garlic and broccoli florets.
Reduce flame and cook covered for less than 2 minutes. No need to add water.
Sprinkle salt, pepper powder and mix well.
Switch off.

Sauteed broccoli is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as snack.
Also can be served as side dish with baked chicken.
Ranch dip can also be used as dip for this broccoli.
The left over can be refrigerated and used for 3 days.
We can do the same process in oven too, but it will take more time.


Thursday, January 23, 2014

Paasi payaru ladoo

Whole green gram (பாசி பயறு) ladoo  is similar to nei ladoo. During this long weekend we had a snow storm and I wanted to make something nice for the evening snack quickly with simple ingredients. I had a pack of whole moong flour in hand, which I wanted to make use of soon. Then it came to my mind about nei ladoo made of moong lentil. Then I tried a similar version and got this flavorful ladoos. I love this sweet very much because of the lesser time consumption and wholesome ingredients. I am glad that hubby too appreciated this very much.
Hope you all like it !
Paasi payaru laddu

Moong flour ladoo ingredients

Ingredients:
whole green gram flour - 2 cup
brown sugar - 1 cup
(or) jaggery / white sugar
ghee - 2 tbsp or more *
ghee -  1/2 tsp (for shaping ladoo)
cardamom - 3
shredded coconut - 2 tbsp

Method:
Dry roast whole moong flour (paasi payaru mavu) till it smells good (2 - 3 minutes in medium flame).
(We can buy the moong flour in any grocery store or we can dry roast whole moong and get them powdered in a mill. But dry roasting is very important).
Melt 2 tbsp ghee and add to the flour.
In the vessel which we melt the ghee, roast the shredded coconut and add to the moong flour.
Powder the cardamom seeds and add it to the flour.
Put the brown sugar and mix well. Sprinkle little milk or water and knead gently, so that it looks wet. Don't add too much water.
*(If we are planning to make this laddoo as gift / to be consumed later, it may need more shelf life. Then avoid water and make it purely in ghee).
Apply pressure and make balls of equal size.
Let them cool and store in airtight container.
Green gram ladoo is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as snack.
Makes 15 laddu.

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