Saturday, March 29, 2008

HERE'S A TREAT FOR YOU


PUNJABI LASSI:


INGREDIENTS:
  • 500g yogurt

  • 50g cream

  • 150g sugar

  • 3 drops rose essence

  • 1 tsp ruafza

  • 100g ice cubes

METHOD:

  • Mix yogurt, ice cubes, sugar in a vessel and blend to a fine paste.

  • In a tall glass, add 1 tsp ruafza, the above yogurt mix, sprinkle rose essence and chill it.

  • Serve with cream on it.

REFRESHING DRINK


THANDAI:


A refreshing, cool flavoured milk based drink.


METHOD:


  • 1½ lts full cream milk

  • Sugar 1½ cups

  • Few strands of saffron

  • 8-10 green cardamoms

  • 20-25 rose petals(dried)

  • Cinnamon-1 inch stick

  • Few almonds

  • Pistachios

  • Cashewnuts

  • Melon seeds (magaz) 3 tbsp

  • Poppy seeds (khuskhus) 3 tbsp

METHOD:



  • Bring milk to a boil and add sugar and saffron. When sugar is completely dissolved, take milk off the heat. Chill it.

  • Grind green cardamom, dried rose petals, cinnamon and peppercorns to a fine powder.

  • Blanch and peel almonds and pistachios. Grind almonds, pistachios, cashewnuts, melon seeds and poppy seeds (pre-soaked in water for an hour) along with one glassful of chilled milk to a smooth paste.

  • Mix together sweetened chilled milk, aromatic powder and the paste thoroughly.

  • Serve chilled.

LETS HAVE SOME SWEET : TRY THIS









SHAHI-BREAD KHEER:

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 ltr fresh milk

  • 4-5 bread slices
  • 1 tin condensed milk( cardamom flavour-optional)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • 1 pinch saffron (dissolved in 1tsp hot water)
  • 8-10 roasted pistachios (sliced thin vertically)

METHOD:

  • Boil milk. To this add sugar and condensed milk (note: if cardamom flavour is not available, ground two cardamom and add this to milk).
  • Please discard its shell/skin.
  • Add saffron.
  • Let the milk thicken a bit.
  • Now add the sliced nuts (pistachios and almomds), cook for two minutes and leave it aside to attain room temperature.
  • Meanwhile roast the bread slices on a tava by applying little ghee evenly on both the surfaces of the bread till it turns crispy, taking care not to brown them.
  • Discard the crusts of the bread slices.
  • Now cut these bread slices neatly into cubes and add these to the milk after the latter has reached its room temperature.
  • Refrigerate for two hours.
  • The delicious shahi bread kheer is ready.

LETS TICKLE OUR TASTE BUDS



A Tangy Raw Mango Chutney...


KAIRI (raw mango) KI CHUTNEY:


INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup raw mango (peeled and grated)

  • 1 cup coriander

  • 2 green chillies, chopped

  • 1 tsp cumin seed powder (jeera)

  • 1 tbsp sugar

  • salt to taste

METHOD:

  • Grind all the ingredients inta a fine paste in a blender.

  • Add a little water grinding to adjust the consistency.

TIP:

You can also use 1 cup of grated coconut and 1 tbsp of chilli powder instead of coriander and green chillies.

enjoy it with rice, samosas, pakodas or anything you like...ummm yummmy :-)

SUMMER COOLER

A delicious summer cooler made from raw mangoes, flavoured with cardamom and saffron.


INGREDIENTS:


  • 1 cup raw mangoes (peeled and cubed)

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1/2 tsp cardamom (elachi) powder

  • A few strands of saffron mixed with 1 tbsp water

METHOD:

  • Combine the mangoes with 1/2 cup water and boil for two minutes.
  • Add the sugar and stir for another two minutes, while boiling.
  • Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
  • Cool completely.
  • Grind in a blender to make a smooth puree.
  • Add the saffron mixture and mix well.
  • Store refrigerated in an air-tight container.
  • When you wish to serve, take three to four tbsp of this mixture in a glass and top it with water and ice.
  • Serve it chilled.

GET TANGY WITH MANGO


Its a season of raw mangoes and the best time to make some lip-smacking pickles, chutneys and drinks. To make any kind of dish with raw mangoes, choose fruits thar are a little sour without much fibre. few summer drinks for you!!!

JAL-JEERA:

A quencher and cooler, with that pick-me-up effect.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup raw mango (peeled and chopped)
  • 1/2 cup coriander (chopped)
  • 1/2 chup mint leaves (chopped)

  • 1-2 green chillies (chopped)

  • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin (jeera) powder

  • 1/2 tsp sanchal (blck salt)

  • 1 tbsp sugar

  • Salt to taste

METHOD:

  • Grind all ingredients into a fine paste, in a blender using a little water.
  • Add three glasses of water to this mixture and allow it to sit for 30 minutes at least.
  • Pour over ice cubes and serve immediately.

TIPS

  • During the procedure of making pickles make sure there is no moisture left in the mangoes before adding oil and spices, or it will get spoiled...
    So be careful :-)


  • To prevent your potatoes from decaying, always store them in a cool dark spot away from the onions!!!




  • To remove excess salt from the soup, place a raw potato in the bowl and it will absorb the extra salt... Isn't it great!!!!!

  • Mix one kg basamati rice with 5 kg ordinary rice. Rub some oil onto your hands and mix the mix and store it for two months. By the end of this time period the ordinary rice would have accquired the fragnance of basamati rice.

  • A little mayonnaise rubbed on chicken before being roasted ensures a crisp outer layer. It also adds taste to the recipe.

  • Suji upma tastes better when cooked in milk instead of water. It is an ideal way to serve milk to kids who dont drink milk regularly.

  • To decorate cakes with chocolate leaves, choose fresh, non-poisonous leaves and brush them with melted chocolate. Cool and keep them in the fridge. remove after 10 minutes and peel away the leaf. You will have delicious chocolate leaves ready for the icing.

  • To remove the smell of eggs from the plates they are served in, rub them with used coffee or tea leaves mixed with 2 tbsp of vinegar. Wash them with warm water. They will smell fresh and new.

  • Store eggs with the broad end upwards. This keeps the yolks centred which keeps the eggs fresh for a longer time.

NUTRITIONAL FACT




The taproot of the plant forms a delicious and popular vegetable, although the whole plant is edible and the greens can be used as a leafy vegetable. Radish leaves almost 265 mg of calcium, 18 mg of iron and 81 mg of vitamin c per 100 gms, and are therefore excellent source of nutrients.

Radish is usually used as a granish or salad ingredient because of its colour, crisp, texture and pungent and peppery flavour.

The vitamin C content in radish leaves can act as an antioxidant and anti flammatory agent, and therefore can prove to have positive effect on asthma symptoms. Radish contains 138 mg of potassium per 100 gms, which can help lower the risk of kidney stones and strokes. Radish when taken along with the leaves, combined with a diet high in other fruits and vegetables, can significantly lower the risk of multiple sclerosis.

***SO DO NOT DISCARD RADISH GREENS ***

LETS COOK SOMETHING



Here's another simple yet delicious recipe


METHI PULAV:

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 cups basmati rice

  • 2 tbsps oil

  • 2 tbsps ghee

  • 4 cloves

  • 2 cinnamon sticks

  • 2 cinnamon pods

  • 2 onions, chopped

  • 2 tbsps ginger- garlic paste

  • 8 green chillies, chopped

  • A few coriander leaves

  • A few mint leaves

  • 6 bunches of fenugreek leaves

  • 1/2 cup peas

  • 1 tbsp rasam powder

  • 1 tbsp garam masala powder

  • 1/2 tsp tumeric powder

  • 1 cup coconut milk

  • 20 gms cashewnuts

  • Salt, to taste

METHOD:

  • Wash the rice and soak in water for 20 minutes.

  • Heat oil and ghee in a cooker.

  • Add cloves, cinnanmon, cardamon, onions, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and fry.

  • Add coriander leaves, mint leaves and fenugreek leaves and fry well.

  • Add peas and continue frying.

  • Add rasam powder, garam masala powder, tumeric powder and stir well.

  • Add rice.

  • Pour in coconut milk, three cups of water and salt to taste.

  • Pressure cook for three whistles.

  • When the pressure is released, add fried cashewnuts.

  • Serve hot with raita.

COOL YOURSELF WITH SUMMER DRINKS







Summer's here? No sweat! Here are some cool ways to deal with it.

Ofcourse, We all know how the heat can affect the body's system of internal temperature regulation and cause everything from rashes, cramps, exhaustion to heat stroke. Why get to this stage? Hydration is the name of the game. Indians have ingenious methods of extracting coolness from rose petals, magoes, almonds, barley and more.

Long, cool sips of water through the day is the obvious first choice. How about a superb remedy derived from traditional, local cusines? Like sattu, (from bihar) the common man's summer-cooler. Roasted barley is ground into a powder, mixed with jaggery and water. similarly, nimbu pani or shikanjvi (lime juice and sugar) tender coconut water, panna (a drink made with raw mangoes) are regular summer antidotes. North indians have grown up on chaas and lassi made with whipped curd. Add zeera powder and rock salt and you're in for a treat. Buttermilk is not only a cooling drink, but also superb for digestion. Temper this buttermilk with curry leaves, mustard seeds and ginger and drink it through the day. South indians end their meal with buttermilk.

A word of caution: Do avoid drinking that street-side gaane-ka-juice and chilled milk products outside.

Finally, the build up of heat in your body , is visible as the yellow coating on your tongue, bad breath and red eyes. How do we avoid this?
~~~~Eat less, Drink more~~~~

Monday, March 10, 2008

COMPLICATED CRABS


COOK COMPLICATED CRAB WITH SIMPLIFIED METHODS:

Crabs are nutritious seafood but tricky to eat. That's why most of the people hesitate to opt for crabs when it comes to seafood. crabmeat is rich in calcium and produces a lot of heat in the body. It is also soft compared to other meats and it requires a lot of skill to cook a good crab dish.
The crab meat is very lose so while steaming or frying the crab keep a few things in mind. The procedure to cook crab is to steam it or boil, live in a potof boiling water for at about 10-12 minutes. While frying the crab sprinkle some maida on it or beat an egg to coat the meat crab meat is very soft so dont fry it for a very long time. While cooking in a sauce also, do not heat it for a long time.

Here is an easy recipe for crab, which can be prepared at home.

FRIED CRAB IN SAUCE:

INGREDIENTS :

400gms crabs

5 gms corn flour

sunflower oil for frying

200 gms chopped ginger

200gms chopped onions

2 tsp rice wine

50 ml chicken stock water

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp soya sauce

fresh coriander leaves for garnish

salt, grinned black pepper and sugar as per taste


METHOD:
  • Cut the crab into small pieces.
  • Put some corn flour on the crab and fry it for 30 seconds.

  • Keep the fried crabs separately.

  • Heat some oil in a separate vessel and fry some chopped onions and ginger.

  • Add salt, sugar and grinned black pepper.

  • Add soya sauce and oyster sauce to it and fry it.

  • Add chicken stock water and cook for five minutes.

  • Mix the fried crab meat to the preparation and cook till the crab turns red in colour.

  • Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

EAT FRUITS FOR GOOD SKIN




yes!!! Antioxidant- rich foods are not only great to eat, they also work wonders on the skin. Grapes, apples, sugar-cane, pineapple, papaya, lemon, sour milk and yoghurt contain weak organic acids called alpha hydroxy acids(AHAs), which play an important role in skin care.

These acids loosen and dissolve dead cells from the surface of the skin, helping in exfoliation and regeneration of skin. They aid in the control of acne, smoothen rough and dry skin and improve the texture of sun-damaged and ageging skin. They are humectants and help retain moisture to keep your skin healthy and vibrant . They also increase collagen synthesis within the dermis, thus reducing fine lines and wrinkles.

have fun with fruits. Mix and match them and enjoy it.

so eat healthy and stay healthy...

COOKING OIL-MAJOR SOURCE OF COOKING





BE SELECTIVE ABOUT YOUR COOKING OIL:
The common edible oils used in cooking in india includes mustard oil, sunflower oil, groundnut oil, soya bean oil and coconut oil.

Dieticians points out, mustard and olive oil are better and rich in N3 pufa. These oils are good for the heart and the latter is good even for the skin. Combining mustard and sunflower/vegetable oil in 5:1 ratio is recomended as it minimises the harmful effects of sunflower oil. Many companies have also come up with the combination oils, for example the soya or safflower oil.

Its also advisable to keep switching oils every fortnight or every month to get the essential good qualities from all oils.

Also, consume no more than two-four teaspoons of oil daily.

CALORIE COUNT




VEGETABLE CHEESE PIZZA:
100 gms of pizza contains 180-200 kilo calories and 10.1 gms of fat. That means a medium sized pizza can contain 800 calories. To burn 200 kcals, walk for an hour or swim for 30 minutes.





ALL COCONUTS AREN'T FAT-FREE:


MYTH: Coconut water is fat free.

FACT: It depends on the kind of coconut water consumed. Coconut water from mature coconuts is high in fat.
However, young or tender coconuts are compararively low in fat and higher in carbohydrates. Young coconut water is more nutritious than whole milk-less fat and zero cholesterol. Its healtheir than orange juice-lower in calories and its better than processes baby milk. It contains lauric acid, which is present in the human mother's milk. Coconut water is the very stuff of nature, biologically pure, full of natural sugars, salts and vitamins to ward off fatigue.

THE GREEN OR TENDER COCONUT IS A HIGHLY REFRESHING AND REHYDRATING DRINK WITH VERY LITTLE CALORIES.

So next time when you stop to refresh yourself with a coconut drink on a hot day, you know which one to opt-for :-)

DO YOU KNOW


NUTRITION FACT:



PEPPERS RICH IN HEALTH:



A wonderful combination of tangy taste and crunchy texture, bell peppers are the ornaments of the vegetable world with their beautifully shaped glossy exterior that comes in a wide array of vivid colors ranging from green, red, yellow to black.
Peppers, also called capsicum, are excellent sources of vitamins A and C. They help curb free radicals which causes cholesterol in the arteries and leads to atherosclerosis and heart disease. The nerve and blood damage seen in diabetes, the cloudy lenses of cataracts, the joint pain in arthritis and airway tightening of asthma is also by free radicals. By providing these two potent free radical destroyers, bell peppers may help prevent or reduce some of the symptoms of these conditions by shutting down the source of the problem.
Capsicum juice stimulates blood circulation as it tones and cleanses the arteries. Per 100 gms of the edible portion contains 1.3 gms of protein, 0.2 gms fat, 5 gms carbohydrate and traces of all vitamins and minerals. The same 100 gms gives 30 kcals of energy.

So before avoiding it, think twice......

FACTOIDS:

  • Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying. So chew and keep smiling :)

  • Apple is made of 25 percent air, that is why they can float. I kept assuming it before ;)

  • Eighty percent of vanilla beans used in ice cream is grown in madagascar...... Did we thought that before???? I didnt thought of it :)

Friday, March 7, 2008

SOAKED POTATO CHIPS ARE SAFER:


YES YOU GOT IT RIGHT


Here's a bit of a good news for lovers of potato chips. Soaking the potatoes in water before frying makes them a lot safer to eat. According to a reports soaking the spuds helps reduce the levels of acrylamide in them.

Acrylamide, a naturally occuring chemical, is formed when rich, starchy foods are cooked at high temperatures in frying, grilling or roasting. There has been concern that acrylamide may be harmful to health.

The study found that washing raw potatoes, soaking them for two hours reduced acrylamide formation....

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

WHAT THIS BLOG IS ABOUT

Here we will discuss everything about food and especially indian food. Starting from history of fresh spices and herbs to latest recipes from south to north and east to west and healthy food items to various discussions on vegetables and fruits and from myths and facts of varities of foods to latest news from every corner of the planet of course regarding food habits and what's new!!!!! So i will be over whelmed if you people join me here. If you want to a leave feed back or just wanna chat, i will be happy to hear from you. My blog is waiting for you so come join me!!!!

Have a great life!!! GOD BLESS.

south indian breakfast meals (2)

Lets have some easy- to- make healthy breakfast recipes :



HARIYALI DOSA:

Ingredients:

For the batter:
1/3 cup urad dal
1 cup rice
salt
Pick and wash the rice and dal. Soak overnight.
Grind into a smooth batter and leave for 24 hours to ferment.
Add salt when fermented.

For the stuffing :
2 cups peas
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
½ teaspoon chopped green chilly
1 teaspoon jeera
2 tablespoon oil
salt to taste
Grind the peas coarsely in a mixer. Heat oil in a kadai.
Add jeera and let it crackle. Add chilly, garlic and ginger.
Stir fry for a minute. Add the peas and salt.
Mix well and saut for five minutes on a low flame.
For the chutney :
2 cups chopped coriander leaves
3 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons thick sour curd
2 green chillies
1 finely chopped onion.
Salt to taste
In a mixer grind together
coriander leaves, lemon juice, chillies and curd.
Mix in salt.
Pour the chutney into a bowl.
Top with chopped onions.
To make the dosa
Oil for shallow frying
Batter
Stuffing
Take a ladle full of the batter.
Spread the dosa on to a greased nonstick tawa.
Cook on medium flame. When the side is done it comes off easily.
Flip and cook the other side.
Spread a generous amount of filling into the dosa.
Fold the sides.
To serve
Place a dollop of butter on the dosa
Serve it with green chutney.
this recipe can brighten your family's day so prepare and enjoy it....

DOSA:



INGREDIENTS:

  • rice-3 cups
  • toor dal-1/2 cup
  • channa dal- 1/2 cup
  • coarsely crushed black pepper
  • freshly grated coconut
  • 1 whole bunch of finely chopped cilantro
  • finely chopped green
  • cumin
  • salt
  • oil

METHOD:

  • Blend the rice coarsely in a blender.
  • Blend even the dals coarsely in a blender.
  • Soak all the 3 powders in Luke warm water adding sufficient salt.
  • Make sure to add the water just enough to cover the mixture (make the batter a little thicker than the dosa batter).
  • Let the mixture set for about one and half an hour.
  • Add cumin, green chillies, coconut, coriander & crushed black pepper to the mixture & mix well.
  • Mean while heat a griddle & grease it with a tsp. of oil.
  • Ladle a big spoon full of batter into the center of the pan and spread it around in a circular
    fashion (from inside out) shaping the batter into a thick dosa.

  • Wait for few seconds and then take a tsp. of oil and spread it over the edges of the dosa.
  • When the edges turn golden, flip the dosa on the other side.
  • Again add a tsp. of oil & cook it for a minute.
  • Serve the dosa.

DO YOU KNOW






VEGETABLE CHEESE BURGER:


One vegetable-cheese burger weighing 150-200gms has 269 kcals.To burn this calorie, you can do on hour of gardening, jog for around 40 minutes or go for an hour of cardio.


HEALTHY SUBSTITUTES:

If you are dying to eat something sweet, instead of ice creams, chocolates or sweets, try dry fruits such as raisins, dates and nuts. You can also eat biscuits topped with little honey where comparatively lesser amount of sugar has been used.

MYTHS AND FACTS


NOW LETS HAVE A LOOK AT MYTHS AND FACTS :


MYTH: Potatoes, Bread, Pasta and rice are fattening.


FACT: It's the fat that we add to carbs,which in turn boost calorie content, such as butter on toast, creamy sauces with pasta and fried potatoes to make chips.


TIPS:Go for high fibre carbs such as brown rice, whole wheat bread and whole wheat pasta. They contain more fibre and less fat than 'white' vaieties. Serve pasta with a tomato-based sauce. Or instead of fried potato chips, boil the potato and season it with chilli and pepper.


MYTH: Salad is the best meal one can eat while working for long hours outside one's home.


FACT: Its easy to fall into the trap thinking that all salads are healthy. its important to be aware of the ingredients in the salad. If they contain a lot of high-fat ingredients, they may well contain more calories than steaks and fries. mayonnaise, crispy bacon, various kinds of sauces and oily dressings are usually the worst offenders. They considerably raise the calorie, fat and salt content of salads, while adding negligible amount of vitamins and minerals. Thus its a poor choice for the diet conscious. And though cheese and nuts contains more nutrients, they can still add a lot of calories to salads.


TIPS:To keep calories in check, look for salads made with beans, green leafy vegetables, sliced raw vegetables like tomato, cucumber,beetroot and carrots. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper and use as little dressing as possible.



MYTH:

Vegetable oils are good for the heart.

FACT:

Vegetable oils like palm and coconut are high in saturated fat and can raise the cholestrol level.Vegetable oils like olive and mustard are mainly mono-saturated and poly-saturated fats and are good for the body. So, remember that all vegetable oils are not good.

















I think you have guess what's our next recipe yeah you are rite its
"chicken65" lets see another south indian dish which is very popular and tastes great and personally i too love it . Its a must try so lets prepare it.

CHICKEN-65:

Ingredients:

1.5 kg Boneless Chicken

4 tbsp Red chilli

2tsp Coriander powder

1tsp Turmeric POwder

3tbsp Vineger

3tbsp Curd

2tsp Ginger/ Garlic paste

2 Eggs

Oil for deep frying

1/2 Packet Corn Flour.

Curry pata(bowl full of curry pata)

Red colourSoya SauceSalt to taste.

This dish can be made with boneless chicken or chicken legs and thighs.

  • Wash and cut chicken in desired size, small portions tastes good.


  • Take a deep bowl mix red chilli powder, eggs,coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, ginger garlic paste and corn flour.


  • Take a deep frying pan and fry the coated chicken with the above mixed indgredients.ones its done remove and keep aside.


  • Take the curry leave and put in the frying pan with very less oil and fry for about 4mins, add green chillie and let it fry for about 2mins.


  • Add curd, food colour, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste and stir well before putting it in the fry pan.


  • Mix the curd well with the green chillies and the curry pata, bring to a boil. add the crispy chicken into the woking pan and mix well and let it dry.


  • Add Soya Sauce and Vinger and mix well


Chicken 65 is ready to be served.

Taste good with Rice, dal, mixed salads or just like that!!!

HELLO!!!!

hello everyone out there i had made an little effort to keep you people updated with the help of this blog! Here we will discuss everything about food and especially indian food. Starting from history of fresh spices and herbs to latest recipes from south to north and east to west and healthy food items to various discussions on vegetables and fruits and from myths and facts of varities of foods to latest news from every corner of the planet of course regarding food habits and what's new!!!!! So i will be over whelmed if you people join me here. If you want to a leave feed back or just wanna chat, i will be happy to hear from you. My blog is waiting for you so come join me!!!! Have a great life. GOD BLESS!!











lets get down with a serious note "men still prefer home-made food" amazed??



READ ON: Talk about food ,or rather lack of it, coming in between marital bliss!!!! Recently the high court has rejected an engineer's demand to divorce his wife as she does not cook for him. The judiciary rightfully stated that a wife's disinclination to cook cannot be a valid charge to file for a divorce. This was the case that occured recently but lets leave that and move on to see what's happening in our daily lives.


Coming down to over daily lives lets have a look at this point. Have you ever refused to cook for your hubby dearest and young men out there, have you ever been rude to your wives for been late for dinners or just have a fight over the taste of the food??? Dont worry this is the scenario in today's world and it often happens in our day to day life. Most young men admits that they would be a bit hassled if the women in their lives refused to cook for them,but also quickly add that slapping on the apron and cooking up a nice,hot dinner for hubby dearest is not necessarily the only expected thing from women anymore. YES, most men nowadays love to contribute in cooking as much as their wives would. but the point is men still prefer wives who cook. Home cook food is something that everyone looks forward to. Though men thinks that cooking is something every individual should know and it is more of a survival skill."The sterotypes have been deprived from age old division of labour in primitive ages where the men would hunt and women cook. Now both men and women are hunting ,if you can say so,in monetary terms. so it's only fair both know how to cook" Cooking is just like any other skill and anyone can do it. Just think...the spatula-yielding woman in the kitchen image has as much relevance today as the man in overalls repairing stuff in the garage". Today's men think in a totally different ways. Men has voice their opinion by saying that "its not about 'men' and 'women'. Its more like each individual having their own strengths and if a man can cook well and enjoys it,so be it.If a woman enjoys cooking ,then let her do it.why make it a battle of the sexes?" This is the way men thinks and it gives a strong point here. Even indian mythology has a different tale to tell. In ancient indian mythology,the country's best cook was King Nala and not any woman.Even Bheema was known to be a great cook.So basically we cant really blame our culture or society for such distractions. Most of the norms have been distorted. But still men prefer to depend on women who cook for them and they really love it and what's more they are ready to contribute in cooking so prepare a good meal for your hubby and make a way to his heart through food and see him enjoying food prepared by you. So now what's the next meal you are going to prepare for your family??????

favorite north indian dish but it is widely relished across the globe







DahiBhalle/dahi vada :

Dahi bhalle a north indian dish of fried dumplings soaked in Yoghurt uses uraddal and also is called dahi vada when the dals used include moongdal too sometimes.Also we can make them like doughnuts with a hole in centre or for less inexperienced just make ballsof ground dal and slide them into hot oil to fry.


Ingredients :

2 cups - Urad dal / black gram dal

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

Garnishing with yogurt2 to 3 cups - Yogurt ( chilled)

1/2 tsp - Jeera / cumin ( dry roast and powder)

1/4 tsp - Red chili powder ( to sprinkle )

1/2 tsp - Chaat masala powder ( to sprinkle )

1 tbsp - Tamarind Chutney1 tbsp

Coriander leaves

choppedSalt to taste


Method:

  • Wash and soak urad dal for 4 to 5 hours Or overnight.


  • Drain and grind urad dal little at a time in a grinder without adding any water. If required add one tablespoon water to make the grinder work. Grind to a thick smooth paste. Add salt and mix well.

  • Wet your palms with water, take a small amount and form a ball. Place in the center of the palm. Flatten and make a hole in the center, like a doughnut Or just make round balls and fry as round vada's.Wet the palm when shaping each vada. Water will prevent the paste from sticking to the palm.

  • Heat a kadai or a wok with enough oil to deep fry on medium heat. When the oil is hot,carefully slide the vada/bhalle into the oil and deep fry till crisp and golden brown in colour. Drain excess oil.


  • Soak the Vada's in a bowl of luke warm water for 5 minutes and gently press each vada between your palms, to drain off excess water. Set aside


  • Beat curds well with salt as required in a serving dish. Add the vadas/bhalle to the beaten yogurt.


  • Garnish - Sprinkle red chili powder, roasted jeera powder, chaat masala powder and coriander leaves over the vadas.Serve the vada in a serving dish with tamarind chutney!!!

It is an ultimate bliss to savour this dish at any occasion. So go ahead and enjoy yourself!!!!!

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Here is the favorite recipe of maharashtrain

lets move ahead with the favorite recipe of the people of maharashtra called as" poha"
so here's the recipe enjoy it
Poha :
1 cup beaten rice (poha)
1/4 cup crushed groundnuts
1/4 cup grated or scraped coconut
1/4 cup coriander leaves
1 stalk curryleaves chopped
1/4 tsp sugar
salt to taste
5-6 green chillies
1 tsp lime juice
1 1/2 tbsp oil
2 onions chopped
1 small potato chopped
1/2 tsp each cumin & mustard seeds.
Wash poha till clean. Drain water sprinkle a handful of clear water and keep aside.
After 15 minutes loosen the poha gently, and break lumps with fingers. In a heavy saucepan, heat oil, add seeds and
then potatoes. Stir for
2-3 minutes. Add onion, chillies and curry leaves. Stir and fry onions till tender. Take off fire.
Add poha and all other ingredients. Save some coconut and coriander leaves for garnishing. Mix very well. Adjust salt
and lime as per taste.
Return to low flame till hot. Stir gently every now and then. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with coriander and
coconut. Serve hot with
freshly brewed coffee.
Making time: 15 mins (excluding soaking time)
Serves: 3






okay!!! now lets see the most famous, top-on-everyone favourites list,the delicious,finger-licking recipe "hyderabadi biryani"



Hyderabadi Biryani :


1 kg: Meat
750 gm: Semi cooked rice
Sautéed brown onions to taste
1 tbsp: Ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp: Red chilli paste
1 tbsp: Green chilli paste
½ tbsp: Cardamom powder
3-4 sticks
Cinnamon
1 tbsp: Cumin seeds
4-5: Cloves
2 tbsp: Lemon juice
250 gm: Curd
4 tbsp: Clarified butter
A pinch: Mace
Mint leaves to taste
1 tsp: Saffron
½ cup: Water
1 tbsp: Salt
½ cup: Oil Method
Clean the meat.
Now in a pan add meat, salt, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, green chilli paste, sautéed brown onions, cardamom powder, cinnamon, cumin seeds, cloves, mace, mint leaves and lemon juice. Mix it well.
Add curd, clarified butter, semi cooked rice, saffron, water and oil and mix it well.
Now apply sticky dough on the sides of the pan.
Cover with lid to seal it and cook for about 25 minutes.
Hyderabadi Biryani is ready to eat.
Garnish with boiled eggs, sliced carrot and cucumber.
Serve hot.



though it is and it can be prepared in different ways but it can be relished in every method you prepare.it gives you a mind-blowing taste so go ahead and give yourself and your family a unforgetable treat.

When one talks of Indian food, the first thing they would say, ‘Spicy’. Honestly, its not as spicy as its made out to be.An authentic Andhra non-vegetarian meal is incomplete without chicken recipes,mutton recipes an absolutely delectable, mouth-watering dishes.so lets start with a south indian dish which can be prepared on any occasion but it is especially prepared on much awaited festival "sankranti" which is celebrated across india.so lets get down for this delecious recipe.



Coconut Chicken Masala Recipe:
Prep: 20 mts,
Cooking Time: 30 mts
Serves 5-6
Cuisine: South Indian

.
Ingredients:
1 kg chicken, washed and cut into medium sized pieces
1 large onion finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp coriander powder
2-3 green chillis slit length wise
1 1/2 tsp garam masala pwd (2″ dalchini, 2 green cardamom, 6 cloves finely ground)
fresh coriander leaves for garnish
salt to taste
1 1/2 tbsp-2 tbsp oil
Make a paste:
1 large onion
3-4 green chillis
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
1 small bunch fresh coriander leaves
10-12 mint leaves
10-12 cashewnuts, soaked in 2-3 tbsps milk for 15 mts

  • Marinate the chicken in coriander pwd, turmeric pwd, ginger garlic paste, 2 slit green chillis and few mint leaves for 10-15 mts. Soak the cashewnuts in 2-3 tbsps milk for 10-15 mts.
  • Make a paste of onion, green chillis, grated coconut, coriander leaves, mint leaves and cashewnuts. Keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the green chillis and chopped onions and saute till transparent.
  • Add the marinated chicken and cook on high heat for 4-5 mts, combining the ingredients once in a while.
  • Reduce to medium heat, add the ground paste and salt and combine well. Let the chicken cook in this paste for 8-10 mts, uncovered. Cook till oil separates. There is no need to add water as the chicken cooks in its own water.
  • Finally add the garam masala pwd, combine well and remove the contents to a pressure cooker. Pressure cook the chicken for 3-4 mts or upto one whistle. Turn off heat and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
  • Serve hot with white steamed rice, biryani or chapatis.
The only ingredient to be careful is with the use of fresh coconut, which can easily overwhelm the other flavors This subtly sweet based chicken curry is quick to prepare, once you have all the ingredients on hand Try it and it sure will enthrall the palates of your family and friends.