saggubiyyam /sago vada

I got this recipe from my cousin.It is very easy to make appetiser.I usually try not to make the fried foods but I think it's ok for an ocassional treat..:)
I'm sending this to the event wyf-side dish hosted by EC

Ingredients:

1 cup sago/saggubiyyam,

1 cup buttermilk /blended yogurt,

1 small onion diced,

3 green chillies diced,

1tsp cumin powder,

1tbs all purpose flour,

1tbs rice flour,

salt to taste,

oil for frying

Method:

• Soak sago in buttermilk overnight.
• Add the flours ,onion,chilis ,cumin and salt and mix well.If consistency is too thin vada take up more oil.
• Heat oil in a pan and when the oil is hot drop little balls of the sago mix and fry till it is golden on all sides.
• Serve hot or else they will be mushy.

Going nuts over ....Cashew nut curry

When I read about the event in Poornima's blog I was transported to my childhood days.This cashew curry is an authentic dish that is made in green belt of Andhra pradesh(godavari dt).

Before getting into the recipe I should say something about cashewnut.

We all know it is a kidney shaped fruit attached to cashew apple(the pulpy part).But before the cashewnuts are fully developed they are green in color.The cashew nuts we get are from the matured seed but the curry I 'm writing about is usally made from immature(green) cashew seed.

My mom used to make curry from these seeds.It's absolutely delicious and rich. But the availabily is so less...that we can get those seeds only for a few weeks. I can never get enough of it....miss it soo much..:( Ok....for my version I used the regular cashews soaked overnight.

This is going to the event let's go nuts-cashewnuts hosted by poornima and Aquadaze

Ingredients:

1 cup cashewnuts ,

2 medium onions,

2 ripe tomatoes,

3-4 green chillies,

2 tsp ginger garlic paste,

1tsp red chilli powder,

1 tsp garam masala,

salt to taste,

coriander chopped

seasoning:

1tbs oil,

1tsp urad dhal,

1tsp mustard seeds,

1tsp cumin,

few curry leaves,

1/2 tsp turmeric

Make it like this:

• soak cashew nuts in water overnight.
• In a heavy bottomed pan heat oil and do the seasoning with urad dhal,mustard seeds,cumin,curry leaves in order.
• Add onions and turmeric and fry till the onions are translucent.
• Add diced tomatoes and salt and cook for 3-5 mins with lid on .Stir occasionally.
• Once the tomatoes are cooked add red chili powder and mix well.
• Add the cashew nuts (washed) and cook with lid on on low flame.Add little water if needed.
• Once the cashews take in the gravy nicely add garam masala powder and cook for about 1 min.
• garnish with coriander and serve with roti or rice.

Got the cashew nut picture here

vegetable noodles

Noodles are one of my favorite foods I never get tired of eating.They are great hit with the kids and makes moms happy(they can incorporate many veggies and kids don't seem to notice..:) ).For the love of my Indo-chinese food....here goes the noodles recipe....

Ingredients I used today for making noodles.......

1/2 pack vegetable or egg noodles(the ones we get in korean store),
2 cups cabbage sliced,
2 bell peppers(any color) cut into 1 inch pieces,
2 bunches spring onions,
1 big carrot cut into 1 inch pieces,
1 can baby corn drained and cut in half,
(u can use othet veggies like peas,bean sprouts etc)
1 tsp black pepper,
2 tbs green chilli sauce,
3 tbs soy sauce,
2 tbs chilli garlic sauce(i use maggi )
olive oil (any oil will do)
salt to taste,
2 cloves garlic
Boil water in a large pan adding some salt to it. Add the noodles and cook for about 2-3 mins(don't over cook them).Drain the water add cold water and drain.Add little oil so that the noodles don't stick. Heat oil in a wok and add minced garlic. Stir fry spring onions followed by carrots,peppers and cabbage.Add little salt and let it cook on med high flame.Once the veggies are cooked(they should not cook fully...let them be little crispy) add green chilli sauce,soy sauce,pepper and chilli garlic sauce respectively.You can also add the hot sauce (fron korean stores) for spice.Add the noodles and mix using tongs.
enjoy them hot.....
** you can adjust the sauces according to your spice levels..
I am reposting this for the event 'fic-redand green' hosted by Neha and started by Harini

happy earth day

It's an undeniable fact that the earth and ultimately we are effected by global warming.so it is our duty to protect it. I found a nice article on worldwatch.org which has simple things that most of us can follow in our daily lives.
here is the link http://www.worldwatch.org/resources/go_green_save_green
So let's start taking little steps to make our earth green....
HAPPY EARTH DAY
this is link that has incredible pictures from earth hour on march 28th..enjoy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/earthhour_global/sets/72157615780247025/show/

Dhum biryaani (dish I can die for)

DhumBiryani is one of the most popular delicacies of Hyderabad.Dhum biryani is made in two ways..kachi biryani and pakki biryani.kachi biryaani is done with raw meat ,rice and spices cooked together .In pakki biryani curry and rice are cooked separately and layered. I guess my recipe comes under second kind.
I like this dhum biryaani for two reasons....first for it's greeeeaaat taste and second my dear dear husband(learnt it from his friend) makes this awesome dish ....just sitting back,relaxing and eating a great tasting dish ...it's a boon and I can say I'm lucky enough..:).my hubby cooks it with utmost care and perfection that all of it is reflected in the taste.. After enjoying it for several times I am shedding my ego to say these words" dear you make dhum biryani better than me....you are the best".......

Ingredients:

5 leg quarters halved or 10 medium drumsticks,

4 cups basmati rice,

6 cups water.

For marination:

2 tsp ginger garlic paste,

1/2 cup yogurt,

1tsp red chili powder,

1 tsp turmeric powder,

1 1/4 tsp salt,

For biryaani:

1 medium onion,

4 green chillies,

1tsp ginger garlic paste,

5-6 cloves,

3 star anise,

2 -3 jaapatri/mace,

bay leaves few,

1" cinnamon stick,

2-4 cardamon,

1/2 bunch mint,

Biryaani masala powder( I use shan biryaani masala 1pk for 5 cups rice),

2-3 tbs oil

method:

marinate chicken pieces with salt,red chili powder,turmeric,ginger garlic paste and yogurt.

• wash and cook rice in rice cooker adding water in 1:1 1/2 (rice:water) ratio.Cook till the rice is 3/4 th cooked.
  
• In a heavy bottomed pan heat oil and add bay leaves,cinnamon,star anise,jaapatri/mace,cloves,cardamon,green chillies and onions in order.Saute them till the onions sweat.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 1 min.



• Add chicken pieces and mint. mix well and cook keeping the lid closed.
• Once the chicken is cooked thoroughly add garam masala and cook for 2 mins in simmer.


• Now take the cooked chicken pieces in a plate leaving 2-3 pieces in pan.
• Add the rice like a layer covering the pieces.Again add chicken and rice layers.
• keep the lid closed tightly and cook on a very low flame for 5 mins.Once the rice is well done mix thoroughly and put the lid on and cook for about 2-3 mins.

Note: Shan biryani masala has salt in it .If the masala you are using has no salt you can add acordingly during marination. Ajust spices according to your spice level.

Traditionally once the layering is done the lid is sealed with dough so that the air don't escape ...so keep a tight fitting lid once you are done with layering.

coffee talk !!!!!

Stumled upon these while browising here. So cute I couldn't wait to share.But the question is can you drink em????

Instructions to make them using coffee stencil @ coffeestencil.com.

EGG fried rice (Indian style)

Every Monday I always wonder "how come the week end went so fast...???". especially after the spring break for kids I was so lazy to get into the routine ..fixing lunch boxes etc and this recipe came to my rescue.

This is a very simple recipe and you can make use of left over rice for this recipe.I usually make this when I need a quick fix for lunch boxes.I make egg fried rice both in Indian style and Chinese style ..for now this is the recipe for Indian egg fried rice.Will post the Chinese one later...:)

This is going to event for eggs hosted by Sudeshna

Ingredients:

11/2 cup cooked rice,

1 small onion diced,

2 green chillies,

1/2 cup green onion diced,

2 eggs,

1tsp ginger garlic paste,

1/2 tsp red chili powder,

1 tsp garam masala powder,

few strands of coriander

salt to taste,

1tbs oil.

for seasoning:

1tsp urad dhal,

1tsp mustard seeds,

1tsp cumin seeds/jeera,

few curry leaves

Method:

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and do the seasoning adding urad dhal,mustard seeds ,cumin and curry leaves.
2. Add green chilies,onion,green onion and saute till the onion is cooked.
3. Add ginger garlic paste,red chili powder and garam masala and fry for 2-3 minutes.
4. Beat the eggs and mix well(like scrambled eggs).
5. Add the cooked rice and mix well .
6. garnish with coriander and serve hot.

Love and Sorrow...Felt By All living Creatures

I got this forwarded from a friend .....It's very very sad and touchy...

Love and Sorrow...Felt By All living Creatures
Here his wife is injured and the condition is fatal. She was hit by a car as she swooped low across the road.

Here he brought her food and attended to her with love and compassion..

He brought her food again but was shocked to find her dead. He tried to move her....a rarely-seen effort for swallows!
Aware that his sweetheart is dead and will never come back to him again, He cries with adoring love.
He stood beside her, saddened of her death.

Finally aware that she would never return to him, he Stood beside her body with sadness and sorrow.
Millions of people cried after watching this picture in America and Europe and even in India. It is said that the Photographer sold these pictures for a nominal fee to the Most famous newspaper in France. All copies of that Newspaper were sold out on the day these pictures were published.
And many people think animals don't have a brain or feelings?????
Think again....

chaat ...chaat..chaat !!!!

Chaat is one of the street foods which I relish apart from the mirchi bajji and jilebi.It is so much fun and yummy when you buy rather than make at home.But my view changed after coming overseas ...can be due to lack of a good chat store that offers the chat comparable to what we get back home.After realising how easy it is to make I got much more addicted to it.Bhel puri and pani puri are 2 chaats which I make often at home.I got this recipe from my North Indian friend who makes absolutely mouth watering chaat.I am posting this for cfk-rice event hosted by Trupti and brainchild of Sharmi .

This is going to the event sunday snaks-chats hosted by pallavi

Bhel puri:

Ingredients:-

3 bowls bhel puri mix (you can buy ready made mix from Indian store),

1 medium potato boiled and mashed,

1/2 cup chick peas boiled and mashed,

1 small onion finely diced,

1 medium tomato finely diced,

1 cup fine sev(you can get this from Indian store),

1/2 cup finely diced cilantro,

salt to taste,

chaat masala,

tamarind chutney(recipe below),

green chutney(recipe below)

Method:

1. Take the Bhel mix in a bowl and add mashed potato and mashed chick peas.
2. Add the finely diced onions,tomatoes, 3 tsps green chutney, 5 tsps tamarind chutney ,salt(bhel mix also contain salt so be cautious) and mix well.
3. Put the mixture in the bowls and put lots of tamarind chutney and top with fine sev.
4. Garnish with coriander and chat masala and enjoy quickly or else it becomes mushy.

Tamarind chutney:

1 cup tamarind juice (soak tamarind in water and extract juice),

1/4 cup grated jaggery/sugar,

1/2 tsp red chili powder,

1/2 tsp cumin powder,

1/2 tsp salt (kala namak/black salt is best),

method:In a pan put tamarind juice and sugar/jaggery and bring to boil and simmer till it thickens a little (soup consistency ..kind of ) and cool .Then add the other ingredients and mix well.You can store in a air tight container in fridge for 4 days. Alternatively you can buy this in an Indian store near you...

Green chutney:

1 cup chopped mint,

1 cup chopped coriander,

2-3 green chilies,

2-3 tsp lemon juice,

salt to taste

Grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste adding little water if required.

Sev puri:

Pani puri puris ,

1 medium potato boiled and mashed,

1/2 cup chick peas boiled and mashed,

1 small onion finely diced

1 medium tomato finely diced,

1 cup fine sev(you can get this from Indian store),

1/2 cup finely diced cilantro,

green chutney,

tamarind chutney,

chaat masala

method:

make a little assembly line of all the ingredients.Make small hole in puris and add potato,chick peas,onion,tomato,green chutney,yogurt,tamarind chutney,sev,chaat masala and coriander in order and enjoy them.

Chunky pineapple delight

This is one of the easiest desserts I know till date. It is easy to make and comes as a life saver when a quick dessert is needed. So when you don't feel like cooking yet want a yummy home made dessert...it's the best choice .

Ingredients:

2 cans crushed pineapple(14oz),

1 can pineapple chunks(14oz),

1 can condensed milk(14oz),

1 box whipped topping(8oz)

Method:

1. Drain all the juice from pineapple and place them in a bowl.
2. Add condensed milk and whipped topping(keep whipped topping outside for 15 mins so it 'll be easier to mix)and mix well.
3. Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve chilled.

You can also freeze this and serve like ice cream and you can try mixing different seasonal fruits along with pineapple.