Sweet world

The other day I was so bored and was browsing and came accross these awesome creations.I just wanted to share these......By the way the second picture is named honey moon.....how cute is that !!!!!

source: worth1000.com

Happy UGADI(repost)

First of all....HAPPY UGADI to you all............

For those who don't know about UGADI.....Ugadi is telugu new year day which comes on first day of first month(chaitra Sudda padyami) in telugu calender.It's the spring festival .Usually winter is followed byspring bringing blooms to plants that are barren.Similarly even a person's life filled with hardships will ultimately bloom into happiness...that's the spirit of ugadi.



Usually UGADI day begins with ritual showers,prayers to god followed by eating ugadi pachadi.Ugadi pachadi is a mixture of six tastes (shad ruchulu) ......symbolising life is mixture of happiness,hardships/sorrow,anger,fear,disgust,surprises but we have to accept them all as a whole .Main ingredients in UGADI PACHADI are neem flowers (bitterness),raw mango (tangy),tamarind juice(sour),jaggary/sugarcane pieces(sweet),pinch of salt(salt),green chili/red chili(hot).

I still remember my childhood days ....we used to have a big neem tree in our front yard from which we(atleast half of the village along with us) used to get neem flowers...skillfully separate the petals ...and use them in ugadi pachadi...(..memories..)

If we go through telugu magazines during ugadi we can come across numerous jokes on ugadi pachadi but really it doesn't taste bad at all..(of course my mom uses very little salt and green chillies)

The other thing we usually do on UGADI is listening to panchanga sravanam (alamnac) . Usually temple poojari used to come to the house and recite raasiphalalu from panchangam.But now we have it conveniently at the click of remote button or mouse..but don't we miss the human interaction????

Link to raasiphalalu 2010

And here is the recipe for ugadi pachadi...(of course the recipe differs from family to family)

Ingredients:

1-2 tsp neem flowers,

1/2 cup green mango peeled and diced,

2 medium ripe bananas,

1/2 cup tamarind juice (put tamarind in water and extract juice),

3tbsp putnala pappu(roasted channa dhal),

pinch of salt,

1 green chili or pinch of red chili powder,

1tbs grated jaggery

method:

In a bowl mix all the ingredients until they are mixed well like salsa.Offer to god and enjoy...

souces :wikipedia,eenadu

Andhra chicken curry(fry)

Last weekend I went to dinner to my friend's house and she made this yumy chicken fry that reminded me of the chicken my mom used to make.I was spell bound (tastespell bound..:) ) by her chicken so much I made it the next day after coming from dinner and it turned out awesome.

Ingredient:

2 lbs chicken,

2 medium onions,

5 green chilies,

3tsp ginger garlic paste,

1tsp turmeric powder,

1-2 tsp red chilli powder,

salt to taste,

few curry leaves,

2 tbs oil,

2 -3 tsp grated coconut,

1-2 tsp garam masala powder.

for garam masala:

1inch cinnamon stick,

6-8 cloves,

1tbs coriander seeds,

grind all these 3 ingredients to make garam masala.

method:

1. Marinate washed chicken with turmeric powder,1tsp salt,red chilli powder,1tsp ginger garlic paste for about an hour.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan heat 2 tsp oil and add the marinated chicken and cook on a low flame stirring occasionally till the chicken is cooked and all the water is gone.This will take about 20 mins so you can prep the other ingredients meanwhile.
3. In another heavy bottomed pan add 2 tbs oil add green chillies and onions and fry till the onions become translucent.
4. Add salt and and fry till the onions are cooked and then add the remaining ginger garlic paste and fry .
5. Add the cooked chicken to the onions and add red chilli powder,curry leaves and garam masala and fry.
6. Add the grated coconut and fry for about 2-3 minutes.Take care not to smush the chicken.
7. Turn off the stove ,garnish with coriander and serve.

Majjiga pulusu --- vegetables cooked in blended plain yogurt

Majjiga pulusu is one of authentic Andhra foods along with gongura pachadi,guttivankaya ,gaarelu,pulihora (list goes on...)... Everyone has their own way of making majjiga pulusu.Here is one way that's pretty easy to make and tasty (that's why I'm attracted to it..:) ) It's very delicious and nutritious (calcium rich)dish.Traditionally vegetables like bottle gaurd ,egg plant,okra are used but I also use bll pepper ,carrots and tomatoes

Ingredients:

3 cups plain yogurt blended(sour one is best)

2 cups bottle gaurd /sorakai peeled and cut into 1"pieces

5-10 okra cut ,

3-4 Indian egg plant cut into 4 pieces,

1 medium tomato,

10 green chillies,

1 medium onion cut into 1" pieces,

1tsp turmeric powder,

2 tsp channa dhal/chick pea flour,

1tsp toor dhal,

1tsp mustard seeds,

1tsp fenugreek seeds,

1tsp cumin seeds,

few curry leaves,

salt to taste,

1tbsp oil.

veggies I used today

Method:

• heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and do the seasoning adding fenugreek seeds, toor dhal,mustard,cumin seeds and curry leaves in order.
• Add green chillies ,onions and turmeric powder and cook till the onions sweat.
• Add the vegetables except tomato and add salt and let it cook with lid on occasionally stirring.
• Once the veggies are cooked add tomatoes and cook for 2 mins.
• meanwhile mix besan in 2tbs water to make a thick paste and add it to blended yogurt and mix well.Add water if necessary (consistency should be somewhat like creamy tomato soup).
• Add this mixture to the cooked veggies and stir well.
• Bring it to boil stirring occasionally or else it will curdle.
• Cook for about 5 mins till it thickens and garnish with coriander.

Strawberry milkshake

spring is around the corner and today the weather is looking gorgeous.I could use a big chilled yummy milkshake. I have strwberries on hand so ..I got busy...

I'm sending this to FIK-pink/rose event hosted by priya and authorised by Harini

Ingredients:

6-10 strawberries,

1cup milk(can adjust to desired consistency ),

2tsp sugar or honey,

1 scoop vanilla icecream,

few ice cubes (optional)

method:

Blend strawberries ,sugar and milk in a blender.Add ice cream and ice cubes and blend.Top with wipping cream and enjoy..

curry puffs -- baked puff pastry with potato curry filling

It is always pretty difficult to satisfy kids who are picky eaters.Often they indulge in appetisers than a regular meal.So it is best way to persuade them by offering more vegetables concealed in the form of appetisers.Curry puffs are one such dish which most of the kids relish on and my daughter is one of them.She absolutely loves curry puffs.

I am posting this recipe as a part of event cooking for kids authorised by sharmi of neivedyam and hosted by Deepa hari.

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes boiled and cut into cubes,

1 medium onion diced,

3-6 green chillies(depends on spice level),

1" ginger crushed,

1tsp urad dhal,

1tsp mustard seeds,

1tsp cumin seeds,

few curry leaves,

1tsp turmeric powder,

1tsp coriander/dhaniya powder,

salt to taste,

1 tbsp oil,

1 package pepperidge farm puff pastry sheets.

Recipe:

1. Grind green chillies and ginger in a mixer.
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and do the seasoning using urad dhal,mustard seeds,cumin seeda and curry leaves in order.
3. Add the turmeric powder ,green chili and ginger paste and fry.Add diced onion and cook till the onion become translucent.
4. Add the potato pieces and add cook for about 5 mins till the onions are completely cooked.
5. Add the coriander powder and you can also add fresh coriander.
6. Allow it to cool and meanwhile thaw the puff pastry sheets according to package directions.
7. Each box has 2 sheets folded in three parts.Make each part into 3 pieces..ie each sheet will make 9 curry puffs and the whole box 18..(ha..ha math wizz)
8. take 1 piece of sheet and take some curry (about half lemon size) and place it on one side and fold the sheet in half.
9. Seal the edges by pressing the sheet firmly.

baking part:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Place the prepared pastry sheets in a baking pan and bake for about 20 mins tuning in between.
• They are ready once they are golden on both sides.

Cooool video ...

Nice video ..I saw this on chefwannabe.com first and got impressed..Enjoy it..

HAPPY HOLI

What do chefs do when they are bored?????

Today I received a mail from my friend with these awesome pictures with the same title.Found these pictures pretty interesting so I thought of sharing in this space. I wish I know the original source of these pics......Whoever made these they sure have a great imagination..!!!!

Happy womens day

HAPPY WOMENS DAY......
and thank you GOD for your best creation....

Fry that fish!!!

Fish is one of my all time favorite food.As I hail from coastal region of India, like many most others there my taste buds crave for recipes like fish pulusu,fish fry ...fish in any (..may be many) forms.Even though we don't have that much selection of fish variety here I try to incorporate fish in my meal whenever possible.This fish fry is one of our family favorites(...easy to make too :) )

Ingredients:

4 thilapia fillets(cut into 4 inch pieces),

2 tsp ginger garlic paste,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder,

2tbs lemon juice,

1tsp red chili powder,

2 tsp garam masala ( I use shan fish seasoning..i use whole pack),

salt to taste,

oil for frying,

Method:

• Mix all ingredients except oil and fish in a bowl.
• Marinate fish for about 30 min in this mixture.
• In a heavy bottomed skillet add oil and shallow fry fish pieces.
• Once they are golden brown flip to other side and fry til golden brown.
• Serve hot as appetiser or with rice.

note: If you are using shan masala note that there will be salt in it .

Tomato mutter pulav

Pretty fancy name for a simple dish.I used to call it tomato rice but got attracted to the fancy name when I heard it at a gathering.I think the dish deserves it.Tomato mutter pulav very easy and tasty recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice,

4 medium tomatoes diced,

4 green chillies,

1 medium onion diced,

1 cup peas,

few leaves of mint (optional),

2tbs oil,

3 bay leaves,

1 inch cinnamon stick,

5 -10cloves,

3-5 cardamon,

2 tsp ginger garlic paste,

1 tsp garam masala.

Method:

• In a heavy bottomed pan add 2 tbs of oil and heat .
• Add bay leaf,cinnamon,cardamon,cloves ,green chillies and onions respectively and stir fry till the onions become translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
• Add peas and chopped tomatoes and cook 2-3 mins with lid on.
• Once the tomatoes are cooked add salt to taste,mint and garam masala powder.
• Add the washed basmati rice to it and fry for about a minute.
• Add water(11/2 cups of water for each cup of rice) and cook with lid on.Alternatively you can transfer the contents to a rice cooker and add water and cook till the rice is done.
• serve hot with raitha or gravy curry.It's yummy even by itself.

Note: If you cooking on stove top add little bit more water .

Bread pakora

Don't know what to do with the bread lying on your fridge and waiting to make it's journey to garbage???Wait you can make better use of it by making this simple snack. Bread pakora is one of the easiest snacks you can make in a snap.

Ingredients:

4 slices of any bread,

1/2 cup besan/gram flour,

1/2 cup rice flour,

1tsp red chili powder,

1tsp aijwan/vaamu,

salt to taste,

oil for frying

Method:

• Cut each bread slice into 4 pieces.
• In a bowl mix flours,salt,chili powder,aijwan and add some water and mix well without lumps.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
• Dip each bread piece in the batter (make sure batter is coated on all sides) and drop gently in oil.
• Fry for a while and turn to another side and fry till golden.
• Serve hot with sauce.

Aratikai masala curry...fried plantains cooked in spicy sauce

This is one of the recipes that is passed to me from my mom.Even though the procedure is little lengthy I think it is worth as it turns the very ordinary plantain curry to an awesome curry worth for a gathering.

Ingredients:

2 plantains,

1 medium onion,

2-3 green chillies,

2 medium tomatoes diced,

1 tbs ginger garlic paste,

1tsp garam masala,

1 tsp red chili powder,

1 cup tamarind juice or 2 tsp tamarind paste,

1 tsp urad dhal,

1tsp mustard seeds,

1tsp cumin seeds,

curry leaves few,

1tsp turmeric powder,

oil for frying,

salt to taste

recipe:

• Peel off the plantains and slice them into thin round pieces.
• Add salt,chili powder, turmeric powder and tamarind juice and let it sit for a while.
  

• heat oil and shallow fry the plantain pieces.Save the tamarind juice. In another pan do the seasoning using urad dhal,mustard seeds and cumin seeds and curry leaves.



• Add the green chillies and minced onion and fry till the onion becomes golden brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 mins.
• Add the tomatoes and salt and cook with lid on .(note that you will have salt in the tamarind juice we are going to add later)
• Add the saved tamarind juiced saved after frying the plantain pieces and cook for 2 mins.

• now add the fried plantain pieces and garam masala and cook till the gravy thickens.


• Serve hot with rice.