Beetroot Moongdal Pakoda

One beetroot was sleeping in my refridgerator for a long time. Lasttime when I made beetroot poriyal, it was left with me at end as noone had interest. An idea striked suddenly and they were transformed to pakodas shorlty. My usual pakoda are made of onion and gramflour. This is very different as it is made with moongdal and had the slight sweetness of beets. In fact I thought it was a healthy pakodas though being deepfried.

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1, shredded

Onions - 1, thinly sliced

Chopped Curry leaves, coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Salt

Oil - to deep fry

To coarsely Grind:

Yellow Moong Dal - 1/2 cup (soak for 1 hr)

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Red chilly - 1

Ginger - 1 inch, thinly sliced,chopped

Garlic - 3 crushed into pieces

Procedure:

1. Wash the soaked moong dal and grind coarsely with fennel seeds, ginger, garlic and Red chilly. Please grind without any water.

2. To this add the beetroot, onions, curry and coriander leaves. Mix salt to this.

3. Heat oil in a pan. Make small balls and drop in the hot oil slowly.

4. Cook it medium heat, till cooked on all sides.

5. Drain the oil well and serve hot.

I am sending this recipe for "Only" Snacks And Starters event happening at Vegetarian Tastebuds

Kulfi Icecream

Days back wen I was little, I'll be waiting for the icecream bell to ring on a hot day evening. Yeah. We get Kulfi icecream on the streets ringing their bells after 7pm. We'll finish our homeworks and waiting for the treats. Yum.. We can cut it in slices and have on a small banana leaf or have it in a stick licking all way home. Wow!! It'll just melt. I forgot those memories, until a friend offered me one she made herself.


When I searched the recipe, it was simple. There are many recipes which we can make with just milk. And some need condensed milk and Whipped cream. Mine is a fusion cos I've used condensed milk and skipped whipped cream and have boiled the whole milk too. Here I go with the actual recipe. Super simple and definitely a pleasure to have on a sunny day evening after ur supper. Enjoy!!

You may need some containers to freeze them. I used paper cups but if you have popsicle molds it will be great use.

Ingredients:

Condensed milk - 1 can (you can reduce if you don't want to be too sweet)

Evaporated milk - 1 can

Whole milk - 1 cup

Corn starch - 1 tbsp (mix corn flour in water)

Bread slice - 1 (trim the corners)

Cardomom powder - 1/2 tsp

Nuts - 2 tbsp (almonds, pistachios, walnuts)

Procedure:

Cut bread into small pieces. Grind the bread pieces with corn starch and a little milk to a smooth paste

Mix eavaporated milk and condensed milk together

Heat a cup of whole milk in a heavy bottomed pan. Keep stirring until it boils

To this add the mix of evaporated and condensed milk and keep stirring on medium flame

After about 10 minutes with frequent stirring add the ground bread paste. The mix will tend to thicken and so keep stirring so it won't burn on bottom

Boil for another 10 minutes until it reaches a thick pouring consistency. Now add cardamom powder and nuts and turn of the flame.

Let it cool and you can freeze in popsicle containers. Optionally you can freeze in bowl and cut while serving. cover the top with aluminium foil or polythene wraps.

Let it freeze for 5-6 hrs. Serve cold.

I am sending this for the Chilled Delights event happening at Ticklingpalates

Vegetable Kurma / Vegetable Masala Kuzhambu

This vegetable kurma is one of my favourite side dish for chapathi which I learnt from my MIL. We also call it as masala kuzhambu. It goes well with rice as well. It requires only less amount of coconut which is good healthwise. Also the consistency of this gravy is thick and tasty.

Ingredients:

 

Chopped mixed Vegetables (I used carrots, beans, potato and peas) - 1 cup
Onion - 1 No
Tomato -1 Medium size
Garlic - 2 cloves
Ginger   - 1 small piece
Fennel seeds -1/2 tsp
Cashew nuts - 3-4 (optional)
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut gratings - 1 tbsp
Whole garam masala - 3 cloves, 1 piece cinnamon
Salt - According to taste
Oil - As needed
To Season:
Mustard seeds -1 tsp (optional)
Curry leaves
 
Procedure:

Fry the fennel seeds, whole garam masla,  sliced onions and cashew nuts (if using) in oil by adding one by one.

When the onions become transparent (3-4) minutes, add the chopped tomatoes and cook for a while, till soft.

Once this mixture is cooled, grind it to a fine paste along with coconut, chilli and coriander powder.

Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and allow it to splutter.

Add the chopped vegetables and saute for a while. Pour water, add turmeric powder, salt and cook the vegetables till almost done.
Now add the ground masala, add water and allow it boil. Adjust salt and spice.

Switch off at the required consistency and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Vegetable kurma is ready to taste with chapathi/roti/rice or even idly/dosa. I made this was for dosa and it was really yummy!

You can also add other vegetables like capscium, cauliflower or even paneer to this kurma.

Mini Vegetable Uthappam

Bored of the same dosa and want to try different? Uthappams are the best way to use the same dosa batter but to give a new twist to ur tongues. Just saute some veggies and add to the dosa batter and variation is instant. I made it with Peppers and u can add many other veggie combinations like cabbage, cauliflower, etc., Wanted to make circles, but cudn't get them bcos of the vegetables..

I love to make this recipe, bcos its super duper easy and tastes excellent too. And theres another reason too.. yes if u've little dosa batter, this actually increases the volume. Stating that, it  has a negative part- cos its tasty ur family may need more uthappams than regular dosas.

Ingredients:

Dosa batter - 2 cup

Finely cut Onions - 3 tbsp

Grated carrots - 2 tbsp

Cut Green and Red peppers - 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Orad dal - 1 tsp

Chana dal - 1 tsp

coriander leaves

Mint leaves

Green chillies - 2 (optional)

Oil - 1 tsp

Procedure:

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dal and chana dal.

Add all the chopped veggies one by one and saute well

Finally add the coriander and mint leaves

Add all these to the dosa batter and mix well. Add salt if needed

Heat dosa pan and spread the batter as small circles. You can make 5 dosas in one batch

Add Gingely oil to the corners and keep covered.

Flip over and cook on other side

Serve uthappams with coconut chutney.

I'm sending this recipe for I'm The Star happening at Vegetarian Food & Me

Strawberry Banana Milkshake

Spring has started here and it's good to be warm after the chilly days. This spring is bit warmer than last year. These evenings I make my kid some milkshake instead of her chocolate drink. (Definitely a nice way to give her fruit as well as milk).This one is her favourite among them.
 

Ingredients:
Strawberry - 7-8 nos.
Ripe Banana - 1
Cold Milk - 2 glass
Sugar (if required)

Procedure:
Blend all the above ingredients in a blender. Serve chilled.

I'm sending this recipe to Kitchen Chronicles ~ Summer Splash event.

Spicy Potato wedges

I usually make Potatoes with onions and tomatoes the way my mother does. This time I tried to cut them as wedges and added some peanuts which I don't add usually. The result was awesome. This is simple but tasty way of making potatoes. It goes well with any rice and good for snacking too. :-)

Ingredients:

Small Potato - 3 nos

Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Salt

Oil - 2 tbsp

To grind

Cut Onion - 1/2 cup (around 3 tbsp)

Ginger-1/2 inch

Garlic-3

Roasted peanuts - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

Wash and prick the potatoes with a fork throughut and microwave for 1-2 minutes till half done.

Cut the potatos as wedges and keep ready

Grind the ingredients for grinding as a paste

Mix the potato wedges with salt, chilly powder and ground paste and mix well

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the potatoes and keep stirring frequently.

Since the potatoes are half cooked, this will get ready shortly.

Once the potatoes turns nice brown remove them from flame and serve.

I'm submimtting this recipe for Serve it-stir-fried event happening at kirthi's kitchen

 

Kung Pao Chicken

When we got Chicken this week, I wanted to try something different than the usual chicken curry I make. Me and my husband always likes chinese takeouts and so wanted to try this out. I got the recipe from Vahrehvah. I didn't had chicken broth and ajinimoto, so made it without that. But even turned out well. I didn't had a chance to take pictures,but even wanted to post the recipe so that I'll remember. Its very simple to make and definitely tasty.

Ingredients:

Chicken - 500 lbs
Diced vegetables (Onions, Mushrooms, Celery, Green & Red Peppers- 1 cup
Spring onions - 2 tbsp
Red chilles- 10
Garlic ginger chopped - 1 tbsp
Peanuts roasted - 1 tbsp
Sesame oil - 2 tbsp

For marinating chicken:
Corn flour - 1 tsp
Egg beaten- 2 tsp
Salt
Soy sauce - 1 tsp

For sauce
Chicken stock - 1 cup (I used water instead)
Rice Vinegar - 1 tsp (I didn't used)
Chilli sauce - 1 tsp(optional)
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Rice vinegar - 1 tbsp
salt
Sugar - 1 tsp
Soy Sauce - 2 tbsp

Procedure:
Take chicken, soya sauce, egg, salt mix all. Add corn flour and mix again. Keep marinated for 30 mins

Take a bowl add Chicken stock, soya sauce, pepper powder, rice vinegar,ajinmato, chilli sauce mix well and keep a side.

In a pan add oil, red chilli, chopped garlic and ginger, mix well. To this add the marinated chicken and cook for 10-15 minutes on low flame checking frequently.

When chicken is almost done add all vegetables and saute.

Then add the chicken stock and mix well. Finally add peanuts spring onion. Cook for 5min and switch off the flame.

If you want a thicker gravy add corn starch at the end and cook for 5 mins.

So simple to make but its very delicious. You can deep fry the marinated chicken and add it along after mixing the sauce.