Guajarati Dal from Sukham Ayu for ICC

Hello friends,


I know I am probably the last one posting this. I missed last 2 Indian Cooking Challenge, so had to do this one as I love this dal. My picture is not so great due to using store bought tamarind pulp (forgot to soak fresh tamarind and compromised with store bought, so, the color is darker), but let me tell you that the taste wasn't compromised :)


Gujarati Dal (from Sukham Ayu)

Ingredients
Split red gram (Toor dal) ½ cup
Turmeric powder ½ tsp 
Tamarind pulp 2 tbsp
Jaggery 1-3 tsp, as per preference
Yam 4-5 pieces, 1 inch cubes
Groundnuts 1 tbsp
Green chillies 2, slit 
Ginger 1 inch piece, chopped fine
Coriander powder 2 tsp 
Cumin powder 1 tsp 
Garam masala (refer tip, p. 49) ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves to garnish
Powdered rock salt to taste
The tempering 
Cow's ghee (Clarified Butter) 2 tsp
Mustard seeds ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds ½ tsp
Dry red chillies  2
Asafoetida powder ¼ tsp 
Curry leaves 5-6
Ingredients

• Cook Toor Dal with turmeric till it is nice and soft (mushy).
• Churn the dal (mash it is the word if you do not understand churn) and add everything except garam masala and tempering along with 1-2 cups of water (depending on the consistency you want to go for). I did not change the pans here and added everything in the same cooker which I used to cook the dal.
• Let it simmer for 15-20, but mixing every 3-4 min and making sure the dal doesn't stick to the bottom.
• Turn off the heat.
• Take ghee in a non-stick pan (small for tempering).
• Add all the seeds together and let them pop (fenugreek seeds must turn brown).
• Add the rest of the tempering ingredients in and fry till nice aroma comes (about 20-30 seconds).
• Add this hot tempering and garam masala in the cooked dal and cook for another 5 minutes before serving.

Serving
Serve it with hot rice (like I did) or with nice chapati/roti.


That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Quinoa Pulao With Mixed Veggies

Hello friends,


Had a very busy weekend. Loved it to the core. And, of course the week starts with love Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day to All My Blog Readers. May you all have love in your lives forever.


Here is a very simply recipe which I tried after seeing may posts on Quinoa. I still need to experiment with this grain more. 


Quinoa Pulao with Mixed Veggies

Ingredients
Quinoa - 1 cup (soaked in water for an hour and drained)
Mix Veggied - 1 cup (I used frozen mix of peas, carrots, corn, green beans and lima beans)
Onion - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch piece, grated
Garlic - 4-5, minced or finely chopped
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 1tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Whole Spices
Black Cardamom - 1 piece
Cinnamon  - 1 inch stick
Bay Leaf - 1 or 2
Cloves - 3-4
Preparation

• Take a heavy bottomed pan. Add oil.
• Once oil is hot, add whole spices and heat for 10 seconds or till nice aroma comes.
• Add cumin and mustard seeds and let them splutter.
• Add finely chopped onion, ginger and garlic and cook till onion pieces are translucent.
• Add all veggies and mix well and fry for about 2 min.
• Add drained quinoa and all spice powders. Mix well and fry for another 2 minutes.
• Transfer it to a rice cooker or cook it in the same pan (as convenient to you) by adding double the amount of water (add 2 cups of water for 1 cup of quinoa).
• Cook it till quinoa and veggies are all cooked.
• Remove the whole spices before serving (they will usually float to the top) as you may not want to bite into it.

Serving
Serve it with any kind of raita (veggies in yogurt) or just plain yogurt. As the pulao is little spicy, this is the perfect combo. Enjoy it warm :)


Here are some of my other quinoa recipes.

• Dahi (Yogurt) Quinoa
• Quinoa with Apple - Raisin - Almond Salad
• Quinoa Dosa - Savory Quinoa Crepes

That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday Event - 15th February 2011 (Volume 28)

Hello friends,

This is the 28th volume of Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday Event. You can find recipes for all other volumes here. where we all with link the blog posts where we posted a recipe that we had Bookmarked from another blog or book or magazine or simply from a TV show written on a blank paper. It would be great to know when you bookmarked it (date), if you would like to share it, not mandatory.

Remember, you will have to post that recipe on Tuesday, 15th February 2011 and no archived or past recipes are allowed to be entered in this event. You can make that recipe any date or time, but it has be posted on Tuesday. Hope that is clear :)

Important Note: The recipe has to be from another source (blog, magazine, friend, noted from somewhere in your diary etc.) and importantly as this is a vegetarian blog, it has to be a vegetarian recipe, no kind of meat allowed. Eggs are allowed, but only in baking.

Please use the logo displayed below in your post and link it with this post or the original announcement post of this event.

Once you have posted your recipe on your blog, simply link it using "Mr. Linky" below. Linking will open only after 12 am on 15th February 2011 (India Time) and will stay open till end of the day (US Pacific Time).

Hoping to see lots of recipes as I know all of us have bookmarked recipe, blogger or non-blogger. If you are a non-blogger, please feel free to send me the recipe with pic and the source of your bookmark.

That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Paneer Tikka - पनीर टिक्का (Grilled/Broiled Spicy Cottage Cheese)

Hello friends,


I have been meaning to try these from Aipi since she posted them. You have to check her blog for mind-blowing pictures she has there. 

Paneer Tikka - पनीर टिक्का is something both my husband I love a lot, but never tried it at home (once I did but marinade wasn't very good, so they were a flop). So, these were our first good attempt and I made them during our super Bowl gathering with few of our close friends. These were sure a hit. Loved them from start to finish. I have made them as she mentioned, so I don't want re-write her recipe here. Please check her blog to get the mouth watering recipe and pictures.


That's all for now. Take care till next  post.

Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday Event - Cancelled for this week

Dear Friends,


I know many of you eagerly wait for this event. We have to cancel this week due to some issues we are resolving with Linky Tools. Sorry for the inconvenience this may cause you. Hope to be back next week.


Take care,
Priya and Aipi

Guest Hosting - Celebrate Sweets - Warm Desserts

Hello Friends,


I cannot tell you how happy I am to announce this event. I was waiting for my turn as I have such a big tooth and I always enjoy roundup of previous months. I want to thank you Nivedita for giving me this opportunity.


Who doesn't like sweets, right? OK, don't answer that as believe it or not, 6 years ago, I used to hate sweets and when someone would serve a sweet dish and salty/spicy dish, I used to eat sweet first so that I can eat spicy later and have that taste. But, things changed after my first baby's delivery. And now, if I don't have a sweet at the end of my meal, I don't feel satisfied.


If given an option, I always love my meal and desserts and everything warm. That is why, the theme of Celebrate Sweets event for this month is "Warm Desserts". Don't you all love something warm and delicious at the end of meal as a perfect dessert in these winter months. So, all you have to do to participate in this event is to whip up some warm desserts (the dessert which is served warm) and send it over to me between now and 7th March 2011.

So, here are some simple rules.

• Starting today till the 7th of March 2011 make anything sweet that is served warm.
• The dish you be vegetarian. Eggs are allowed only if baking.
• You have to link back to this event annoucement page and also to Nivedita's event announcement page.
• Older entries are accepted if reposted and updated with the link to the event announcement.
• Mail me the entries at priya.mitharwal@gmail.com with the subject- "Lets Celebrate Sweets- Warm Desserts" with the following details: Your name, blog name, recipe name, recipe URL and picture
• Use of logo is appreciated.
• Non bloggers can email me their recipe and picture by email.

So, let's not wait anymore and enjoy these warm desserts.

That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Papeeta Aur Moongfali Ki Sookhi Sabzi - पपीता और मूंगफली की सूखी सब्जी (Raw Papaya with Peanuts Fry)

Hello Friends,


This is a very simply fry and a slight twist from my mom's just raw papaya fry. If you have never cooked raw papaya before, start with this,  you will instantly love it :)


Papeeta Aur Moongfali Ki Sookhi Sabzi - पपीता और मूंगफली की सूखी सब्जी (Raw Papaya with Peanuts Fry)

Ingredients
Hara Papeeta (Raw Papapya) - 2 cups
Onion - 1 cup, finely chopped
Roasted Peanuts - 2/3 cup, coarsely ground
Haldi (Turmeric Powder) - 1/2 tsp
Lal Mirch (Red Chili Powder) - 1 tsp
Olive Oil (or any other oil) - 1.5 tbsp
Rai (Mustard Seeds) - 1 tsp
Jeera (Cumin Seeds) - 1 tsp
Meetha Neema (Curry Leaves) - 4-5 (optional)
Heeng (Asafoetida) - 1 pinch
Salt - as per taste
Preparation

• Take a non-stick pan (it is better with non-stick) and heat oil in it.
• Add cumin and mustard seeds along with curry leaves and asafoetida and let the seeds splutter.
• Add finely chopped onions and let then fry till translucent.
• Add raw papaya pieces (cut them all in small 1/2-1 inch cubes like you see in my picture) and all spice powders and mix well.
• Cover and cook till papaya is tender (green papaya takes a lot of time to cook, so be patient and sprinkle little water from time to time, if needed).
• Once it is cooked, remove the lid and stir fry it for about 3-4 min.
• Now, sprinkle the ground peanut and stir fry for another 3-4 min and you are done :)

Serving
Serve it with hot chapati/paratha or warm rice and it will be tasty in both the cases.


That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Bragging about few awards, some tags and celebrating # of followers

Hello friends,


This post has been in my drafts forever. I want to firstly apologize to everyone who shared an award or gift with me and I could not post it. I just had some bad and some worse days in last couple of weeks. Let's leave it to that. It is better late than never, right?


So, here I am ready to brag about it :)


Thanks Savitha, Akila and Kavitha for sharing this award with me. Isn't that a really Stylish award. I feel so good with this. It lifted my spirits right up :)

Vanessa and Sonu shared this nice lovely award with me. Thanks dears, I feel honored :)

Now, here is the last but not the least award from Aipi, who shared this award with me for participating Veggie/Fruit A Month event.

Now, I have to tell I have been tagged by not one or two but 7 of my dear bloggers - Malar, Priya, Savitha, Shobha, Jagruti, Kurinji and Dr. Sameena. I feel so blessed to be remembered and tagged by so many of my dear virtual friends. Thanks everyone. A few set of tags, so be patient and here are the questions and answers.



Set 1


1. What is your take on organic food , is it a big deal for you ?
Not really. If I can get my hands on organic food for cheap, I will go for it. If not, I am ok with regular food. I do try to get organic milk for sure for my kiddos.


2. Do you time your breakfast,lunch & dinner or eat when you are hungry ?
I try to time it as much as possible as I believe in routine. But, yep, when we needed, we also hear to our tummies and eat if we are hungry :)


3. What inspired you to write a food blog ?
I used to look for new Rajasthani Recipes as I am sure many of you know by now that I am born Andhrite (born and raised in North India though) but married to a Rajasthani guy and wanted to cook his kind of food (though I cook 99% north Indian cuisine due to how I was raised). But, when I used to look for recipe, I never found a lot of options, so started my own blog and with my SIL's help, learnt recipes and now sharing with you all.


4. You try a new recipe and it does not turn out good,what will you do ?
My first thought will be to see if I can do something to make it good (after following the recipe and not have a good result). If it is totally inedible, of course it goes down the drain.


5. Name three ingredients you consciously avoid or eliminate even when the recipe calls for it ?
I don't think I have anything like this. I try to use the exact recipe and I substitute only if I don't have it, not because I don't like it.


6. Name three things you have to use in most recipes ?
Onions, Tomatoes and Garlic (My mom and SIL tell me that I practically cannot cook without these)... lol


7. How important is eating meals together as a family to you?
It is important, and so far thankfully it hasn't happened that we ever had to eat without everyone being present. So, so far, so good. But, I wouldn't stay till midnight or not eat if my family is not with me... know what I mean... (wink, wink).


8. You do not like a particular dish at your favorite restaurant,what will you do ?
I will not order (if I know in advance). If I ordered and then realize it is not good, I will not eat and surely make a point to let the chef know what it lacks.


Set 2


1. Are you a vegetarian, or have you thought about being one? 
Yes, I am a vegetarian, I eat eggs only if used in baking.


2. Who inspired you to cook or bake?
I think it was more of a necessity than inspiration after marriage... lol


3. How do you celebrate Christmas?...or a favorite holiday of your choice?
Don't all our favorite holidays celebrated the same way. I like to wear festive traditional clothes and make lots of goodies and enjoy them with friends and family.


4. Do you prefer to celebrate New Year's Eve with friends and/or family, or prefer to ring in the New Year quietly, and privately, at home? 
I like to celebrate it with friends and family. I hate staying alone.


5. If someone were to ask you to bring dessert to a party, what would you bring? Store bought, or homemade, and if you were to make homemade, what would you make?
It depends on what kind of party it is. I like cooking Indian desserts a lot and also now venturing into Western desserts. One thing is sure, I would like to make one instead of store-bought, if I can.


6. How will you celebrate your next birthday?
Not sure yet.


7. Do you have a New Year's resolution-and will you be sticking to it?
I try not to make resolutions and only make goals for next years and I will try to work towards achieving them :)


OK, now here are my set of 8 questions, followed by the friends I am tagging. Go ahead and answer them guys :)

1. What is your favorite thing about blogging?

2. Who is your best critique for cooking?

3. What is your favorite food? If you one in each category, please mention.

4. What are some of the foods that has amazed you in someone else's blog? Name 2 to 3 with links, if possible.

5. Who is your inspiration in blog world or who do you look upto ro want to be like (any specific blog)?

6. Would you prefer a cold sandwich and sald or a hot panini and warm soup for lunch?

7. Are you obsessed about anything when it comes to food, may be a process or igredient that you have to use or love to use?

8. Have you ever thought about or approached by or tried for cooking something up for a TV or a newspaper? Would you like to do so, if not done already?

I am tagging the following fellow-bloggers with the above set of questions. Go ahead and answer them guys and pass them on to 8 more bloggers with either the same set of questions or prepare a new set :)

1. Reshmi from Rasoi

2. Revathi Madan from Kaarasaaram

3. Susan from The Well Seasoned Cook

4. Roshan from Roshan's Cucina

5. Pushpa from Taste As You Cook

6. Lavanya from The Diary of A disPlaced HouseWife

7. Kanchan from Kitchen Gossip

8. Sushma from Authentic Food Delights

Now, to the final part of this post. This blog baby of mine is now being followed by 200+ readers and I am on ninth cloud, I didn't realize that so many people actually regularly read my blog and I am sooooooooooooooooooo thankful to everyone who leave encouraging comments and feedbacks on almost each and every post as those are the words that keep me going. This has become my virtual world, with which I cannot be parted now. I love you all my readers.


That's all for now and take care till next.

Mughalai Phool Gobhi - मुघलाई फूल गोभी (Cauliflower in rich onion gravy)

Hello friends,


Here is a very nice and yummy curry recipe that I got from Indian Relish. I have been meaning to make it for a long time and the right time was for a gathering over the last weekend. It came out just perfect :)


Mughalai Phool Gobhi - मुघलाई फूल गोभी (Cauliflower in rich onion gravy)

Ingredients
Cauliflower - 1 big
Potatoes - 2 russett
Green peas - 1.5 cups
Onion - 1 big, chopped
Onion- 2 big, sliced
Ghee (Clarified Butter or Butter) - 4 tbsp
Saffron - 1/2 tsp
Yogurt - 2 tbsp
To Be Ground Into A Paste
Coriander Seeds - 2 tbsp
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Cloves - 6
Kashmiri Chillies - 7-8 (increase or decrease per your taste buds)
Water - 1/2 cup (or add it more to make it a taste)
Preparation

• Wash and cut all the vegetables in to big pieces.
• Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan and fry onion till they turn light brown.
• Make a paste of these fried onions.
• In a pan heat the remaining ghee and fry chopped onions.
• Add ground paste and fry it for a few minutes.
• Now, add vegetables and add 1-2 cups of water.
• Cover it with a lid and cook them till they become tender. (keep checking the water and add if needed, we don't want burnt veggies, do we?)
• Now add the fried onions' paste and salt.
• In yogurt, crush saffron and add to the vegetables and cook for another minute.

Serving
Serve it hot with pulav, rice or naan/paratha/chapati, basically, it goes with anything.

This goes to Aipi and my own Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday (Volume 27).

That's all for now. Take care till next post.

Guest Hosting "Cooking With Seeds" Event

Hello everyone,


Hope everyone is in the greatest of spirits. This month I am guest hosting one of the wonderful events called Cooking With Seeds, which was started by Priya, who doesn't need any introduction. She is one of the most creative and imaginative cook, I have come across. Give her anything or nothing and she will whip up something super delicious, yep, that's Priya Suresh. If you haven't already, check her blog for what I am talking about and you will thank me later :)


This event is such a wonderful one, as it encourages us to use a lot of seeds in our daily menu. I am sure no needs any definition or introduction to what seeds are. Of course, there are some seeds which cannot be consumed, but there are many more which can be. Here is a list per Wikipedia and I am sure, there are many more. Before coming to USA, I did not know a lot of seeds we could eat. But, I have learnt so much and started using a lot in our regular menu.


For the event, I have selected one of the lesser known seeds called Flax Seed. The first time, I heard about this seed was when doctor suggested my hubby to use it for constipation issues as it is very fibrous. Then, once I became a regular blogger, I saw a lot of Vegan people using flax seed in powder form as a substitute for egg and I was surprised by it. Then, there were a few of our creative bloggers, who have even used it in various kind of masala powders and such.

Can you believe that in little less than 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) of flax seeds, you get about 27.3 gm of fiber and you only need an average of 17-20 gm of fiber per day? How neat is that?


So, all my readers (bloggers and non-bloggers alike), put your thinking cap and whip up some wonderful recipes with these Flax Seeds as star ingredient (if not star, at least a major ingredient).


Here are some simple rules you need to follow.



1)Cook anything with flax seeds. ONLY vegetarian dishes (eggs are allowed, only if used in baking) are accepted from today to 28th February 2011.


2)Post as many dishes as u can in your blog from today onwards. Many entries per person are allowed.


3)Link back ur entry to this announcement page.


4)If u have any interesting tips its will be so useful, dont forget to send.


5)I'll accept the old entries, if they are reposted with this page link.


6)Using Logo is very much appreciated.


7)Email me to priya.mitharwal@gmail.com with subject as Cooking With Seeds with following details:
Your Name:
Blog's Name:
Recipe Name:
Recipe Url/Link:
Picture of the dish:


Please take care to send all ur delicious entries before 28th February 2011.


8) If u dont have blog, no problem. Please do send ur entries to the above mail address, i'll include them while doing the roundup.


If you are interested in hosting the event in future, feel free to contact Priya.



That's all for now. Take care till next post.