Happy New Year 2011 from Khaugiri

Wish you all a Very Happy New year!!!

This is a creation of my Co-Sister, "Shrawni Biniwale"

Merry Christmas with Plum Cake

Wish u all A Merry Christmas!!!

From Last year I was planning to make Plum cake for Christmas, but some how I missed it. But this year I prepared it wel in advanced. Soaked the nuts in Rum 5 days back. And yes My plum cake turned out very nice.



Ingredients


Chopped dry fruits - 1 cup (dates, black raisins, walnuts, dry cherries, cashews, almond, Tuty fruity)

Rum - 1/2 cup

Orange peel - 1 teaspoon

Maida - 1 cup

Powdered sugar - 1, 1/4 cup

Baking Powder - 1 Teaspoon

Nutmeg powder - 1/8 teaspoon

Dry ginger Powder - 1/8 teaspoon

Cinnamon Powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Cardamom Powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Butter - 100 gms.

Eggs - 3

Orange juice - 1 tablespoon Vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon

Sugar - 1/2 cup for caramel



Procedure

Soak all chopped nuts and orange peel in a Rum for 4-5 days. You can store it in a fridge for a longer.

For Caramel
In a nonstick pan heat 1/2 cup of sugar on low flame. Continuously stir till it melts fully and caramalised. Now add 1/4 th cup of water and stir it immediately. Boil it for another 1 minute and let it cool it for some time.

Now the main part. Beat butter and sugar till becomes fluffy. Now add eggs one by one and beat it for 3-4 minutes. Mean while sift Maida and Baking Powder. Now add sifted maida and Baking powder in the beaten batter Then add all spice powders, then caramel syrup. Mix it properly with cut fold. Now add Soaked dry frits, orange juice and vanilla essence. Mix it with moving spatula in one direction. Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease the Square baking tray or place a grease proof paper or Butter paper. Pour the batter in the tray. Bake the mixture for about 25 - 30 Minutes or when you pierce the tip of the knife and it comes out clean. Cool it on a rack . For authentic taste sprinkle some rum on the cake and then serve it.

Choco Strawberry

Today is a Birthday of my dear friend Pari. I am wishing her a very happy birthday and a wonderful year ahead. This lovely Choco Strawberry is for you dear on your Birthday!!!!

One more Dessert …….. It's really very easy and Quick. Strawberry with chocolate goes very wel. It's really a party and strawberry season … so lets enjoy it.

Ingredients


Chocolate chips - 1 cup

Strawberry - 15-20

Oil - 1 teaspoon


Procedure
Wash strawberries and dry it completely. Take chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl and add oil in it keep it in microwave high for 40-50 seconds. Take it out and mix it wel. It will become very smooth. Now hold from the green part of strawberry and deep it in chocolate bowl. Once rotate it so that chocolate will get coated everywhere. Place it on a butter paper. If you want you can further decorate with silver balls. Now keep in fridge for half an hour. Lovely combo dessert is ready. Serve as one of a dessert in party.
 

Caramelized banana Sandwich with Vanilla Ice-cream

As December is already started … and party fever is already spread. My big trouble of deciding party menu is a dessert part. I am very bad in that. I regularly in search of some quick and easy desserts. This caramelized banana, I tried when I read it in one blog (sorry I don't remember the name of blog or blogger). So I modified it with stuffing with coconut & jaggery stuffing. Tastes awesome with Vanilla Ice-cream.

 
Ingredients
Banana - 4 (I used small one)

Sugar - 1/4 cup

Ghee - 1 teaspoon

Orange juice - 1 cup

Cinnamon powder - 1/2 teaspoon


For Stuffing

Grated fresh coconut - 1/2 cup

Powdered jaggery - 4 tablespoon

Cardamom Powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Vanilla Ice-cream - 2 scoop

For decoration - Chopped pistachios, almonds and walnuts (optional)



Procedure

For Stuffing
On a slow flame add 1/4 teaspoon pure ghee grated coconut and jaggery in kadai and cook it till the mixture becomes dry (stir in between). Then add Cardamom powder , mix it and remove it from flame. Allow it cool for some time.

In a nonstick pan heat sugar on low flame. Continuously stir till it melts fully and caramalised. Now add ghee, orange juice and again stir continuously. It will start boiling. Reduce it till it becomes thick like sauce.

Now slit the banana vertically. Stuff the coconut mixture into it. If you are using big banana then cut the banana into two pieces. Arrange it on a baking dish. Pour the sauce over banana. Bake it in preheated oven for 15 minutes at 180 degree Celsius. Serve banana with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and spred chopped nuts on it. (I have not used the nuts because I don't like it). You can make banana sandwich wel before the party and serve with ice-cream on the spot.

 
This goes to aipi of  US MASALA's "Veggie/Fruit a Month - Banana" event and Priya.
 

Zunka

Pithala Bhakri is a very popular Marathi recipe across the world. I have already posted the recipe. Today I am posting recipe of Zunka, which is a dry version of Pithala. You can make it with some vegetables or if you don't have any vegetable at home then also you can prepare it. Today I am showing Zunka of Onion, Capsicum & Methi leaves. But you can also make Zunka with grated cabbage, Spring onion or any green leafy vegetable. In some place of Maharashtra it is called as "Pith perun Bhaji"

Ingredients

For Kandyacha (Onion ) Zunka

Chopped Onion - 1 bowl

Besan (Gram flour) - 4-5 Tablespoon

Red chilli powder - 1 - 1,1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida - A pinch

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Salt to taste.


For Methi Zunka

Chopped Methi (Fenugreek) leaves - 1 bowl

Chopped Garlic cloves - 2-3 teaspoons

Besan (Gram flour) - 4-5 Tablespoon

Red chilli powder - 1 - 1,1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida - A pinch

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Salt to taste


For Capsicum Zunka

Chopped green capsicum- 1 bowl

Besan (Gram flour) - 4-5 Tablespoon

Red chilli powder - 1 - 1,1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida - A pinch

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Salt to taste



Procedure

For Kandyacha (Onion ) Zunka

Heat oil in kadai. Make tempering with mustard seeds, asafetida and turmeric powder. Now add onions and saute it. Cover it and let it cook till it becomes transparent. Now add chilli powder, salt and mix well. Then add gram flour, stir well. It will absorb the moisture and oil. Saute it neatly to break the lumps. Cover it and let the flour cook properly for 3-4 minutes. Flame should be very slow.


For Methi Zunka

Heat oil in kadai. Make tempering with mustard seeds, asafetida and turmeric powder. Add Garlic and saute it till it becomes nice brown. Now add Chopped Methi leaves and saute it. Cover it and let it cook Properly. Now add chilli powder, salt and mix well. Then add gram flour, stir well. It will absorb the moisture and oil. Saute it neatly to break the lumps. Cover it and let the flour cook properly for 3-4 minutes. Flame should be very slow.


For Capsicum Zunka

Heat oil in kadai. Make tempering with mustard seeds, asafetida and turmeric powder. Now add Capsicum and saute it. Cover it and let it cook Properly. Now add chilli powder, salt and mix well. Then add gram flour, stir well. It will absorb the moisture and oil. Saute it neatly to break the lumps. Cover it and let the flour cook properly for 3-4 minutes. Flame should be very slow.


You can have it with bhakri or Chapati. Very much appropriate to carry in travelling.





This Goes to Sara's  "ONLY GREENS" Event a brain child of Pari.



Zucchini Vadi

I had Zucchini in my fridge and wanted to try out something new out of it. As per the Song "Phir bhi Dil hain Hindustani" I made vadi like Kothimbir vadi of Zucchini. And tried Pari's "Zucchini Chutney" with it. Combo was tasting awesome.

Ingredients

Peeled and grated Zucchini - 1 large
Besan (Gram flour) - 1 cup
Fine rava (Semolina) - 1/2 cup
Green chilli+ginger+Garlic paste- 2 teaspoons
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Black sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon
Oil for shallow fry
Salt to taste


Procedure
Mix all ingredients except oil. By adding little water make a dough of it. Apply some oil if you find it sticky. Now grease 2 steel plates with oil. Divide the dough into two portion. Spread the dough evenly on the plate. Steam it in steamer or in pressure cooker  without wistle for 10-15 minutes. Let it cool down. Now cut it in diamond shape. Now shallow fry these vadis till it turns to golden brown. Have this Zucchini vadi with Zucchini chutney. Perfect as a Winter snack.

Capsicum Bharit

When I heard about this recipe in one cookery show, I was tempted to try that immediately. Till now I have heard about eggplant Bharit or pumpkin Bharit…but capsicum was very new to me. It is very simple and healthy one.

 
Ingredients

Capsicum - 1 big

Finely chopped onion - 1

Chopped green chili - 1

Danyacha kut (Peanut Powder) - 1 tablespoon

Curd - 1/4 cup

Salt and sugar as per taste

For tempering (optional)

Oil - 1 teaspoon

Mustartd seeds - 1/8 th teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/4 th teaspoon

Asafetida - a pinch

Sandgi Mirchi - 1

Procedure
Roast the capsicum directly on flame. It should get cooked from each side. Remove the black skin after it gets cool. Finely chopped or mash the capsicum. Now add all other ingredients and mix wel. Make a tempering with given ingredients. Tempering is optional but tempering with Sandgi Mirchi will give nice taste to your Bharit. Pour tempering on the mixture and mix it wel. Serve it with Roti or just eat like a salad.

Ragda Pattice

Ragda Pattice is very famous chaat in Mumbai. Specially in Winter Garma garam Ragda pattice is real treat for us. It is similar to chole tikki of Delhi chaat but we use dried white peas in it. When the chaatwala serves pattice placed on huge tawa and steaming Ragda in a plate …. Aha ha…just a feel of heaven. Like other chaat I love lots of imli ki chutney on it. It's a total meal itself.

Ingredients

For Pattice

Potatoes - 4-5 medium
Bread slices - 1
Cornflour - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Green chili-garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil for shallow frying.

For Ragda
Dried white peas (Pandhara vatana) - 1 cup
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Chili powder - 1teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Cumin Powder -1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Asfetida - a pinch
Salt to taste.

To serve
Shev - 1/4 cup
Imli ki chutney as per your choice
Green chutney as per your choice
Finely chopped onion - 2 medium
Chopped Coriander - 2-3 tablespoon

Procedure

For pattice
Boil and mash potatoes. Mix all the other ingredients. Now make small balls of this mixture and flatten it with palm. Give a proper tikki shape. Shallow fry it on fry pan till it turn brownish from both the side. Pattice are ready. Keep it aside.

For Ragda

Soak peas overnight. Then add water and pinch of turmeric powder and cook it in pressure cooker for 3-4 whistle. It should get cooked properly. Heat oil in kadai put turmeric powder, asafetida in it. Then add cooked peas and all other ingredients. Add 1/2 cup of water and cooked it again for 6-8 minutes. Smash peas in between. Ragda is ready.

To serve

Place two pattice in a plate. Pour hot ragda on it. Then shev, then imli ki chtney, then Green chutney, then chopped onion and coriander. If you want sprinkle chaat masala on it.

This goes to Pari's 'Only Chaat' event.

Dinkache laadu/ Antin Undi

Another traditional recipe for Winter. Dink means edible gum crystals. Ladoo of this with coconut and lots of ghee and dry fruits are very healthy and specially prepared in winter. Old people used to eat this ladoo in winter because it generates heat and strength in body. Dinkache ladoo are traditionally given to ladies after their delivery to strengthen the body. Ladoos in this picture also prepared by My Bhabhi, Sapna's Mother after Sapna's delivery.

Ingredients
Dink/antu (gum/resin) - 2 tablespoons
Grated dry coconut - 1/2 cup
Finley Chopped cashew - 2 tablespoons
Finley Chopped almonds- 2 tablespoons
Finley Chopped kharik (dry dates)- 2 tablespoons
Finley Chopped walnuts- 2 tablespoons
Raisins - 1 tablespoon
Poppy seeds - 2 tablespoons
Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Nutmeg powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Jaggery - 1 cup
Pure ghee (preferably homemade) - 2 tablespoon


Procedure
Heat a ghee in a kadai and put dink in it. Slowly it will start puffing like small balls. When all the dink got puffed remove it from kadai but keep the ghee as it is in kadai. Now fry all dry fruits one by one in ghee till it turns to slightly brown. Then fry poppy seeds and dry coconut. Crush fried dink little. Mix all fried ingredients. Now take 1/2 cup of water and bring it to boil. Add jaggery and make a thick syrup of it. (When we put a drop of syrup in water it should sit like a ball, then the syrup is done.) Now add all fried ingredient's mixture and cardamom and nutmeg powder in syrup and mix wel. Apply ghee on your palm and make ladoos when the mixture is warm. Store it in a container. If you want to get feel of eating just done ladoos after 10-15 days, just microwave it for 10-15 seconds….ladoos will taste more yummy.

Jowar Basket Chaat

This is a chaat dish from My Aai. She likes to try out different things in cooking than normal meal. This innovative chaat, she saw on one cookery show and tried on same day. As I am too far from her, I can not get it for taste, but she has sent this picture to share this basket chaat with all of you. Thanks Aai. Hope all of you will like this.

Ingredients

Boiled sprouted moong - 1 cup
Jowar flour - 2 cups
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Chopped onion - 1
Chopped coriander - 2 tablespoons
Shev - 1/4 cup
Roasted peanuts - 2 teaspoons
Chaat masala - 2-3 teaspoons
Red chilli powder - 2 teaspoons
Imli ki Chutney- 2-3 teaspoons
Green Chutney - 2-3 teaspoons
Oil for deep frying
Salt as per taste


Procedure
Heat 2 tablespoonof oil and pour it in jowar flour. Add salt, cumin seeds and knead a dough using water. Make lemon size balls of this dough. Roll it like a puri. Take a small round steel katori (bowl). Grease it with oil from outer side. Take one puri, and stick it on outer side of katori so that puri will get the shape of katori. Prees neatly. Heat oil in kadai for deep frying. Put this katori with puri in oil. When puri will get little cooked….the katori will get separated from the puri. Take out the katori and fry the puri till it gets golden brown. Repeat the procedure for remaining puris.

Mix sprouted moong, chilli powder, salt, chat masala and peanuts in one bowl. Place all fried baskets of puris in one dish. Add sprouted moong mixture in it. Then spread sev, chopped onion, chopped coriander, imli ki chutney and green chutney as you like. Sprinkle some chaat masala on it. Serve immediately.



This goes to Pari's 'Only Chaat' event.



And the Award of 'ONLY'- Festive Event goes to......

Thanks a lot for the GR8 response dear friends!!!! I hope You have Enjoyed the Roundup and started planning to make some of the recipes ;-). Now it's time to celebrate. As per the Rule [The winner from India will get a book of Tarla Dalal which is "Low calorie Sweets" . Winner will be chosen by me by random.org and he/she has to provide me with an address in India within two days of the winner declaration else a new winner will be chosen by me.], I have used random.org to generate the winner with min no 1 and Max. no is 96.

And the winner is ...................................No. 69 and that is  Akila of Learning to cook

Congratulations Akila!!!

'ONLY'- Festive Round Up

HAPPY DIWALI and a BIG THANK YOU to all my friends for such a GR8 response for my first event. So many varieties of Festival food from North to South and from East to West of India. I am so happy to present this colourful roundup of Festive food to you. Like Sachin Tendulkar in my Debut Event I got out on 96…..I got 96 entries for this event just 4 less for century. Never mind I think I'll complete my century in my second event. So let's indulge in traditional as wel as innovative recipes prepared for the festival.

I have posted the entries as it is came to me. So it will be easy for me to select random winner from it.

1. Moong dal - coconut laddu from Sharmi of Neivedyam

2. Erra gummidikaya Boorelu from Sharmi of Neivedyam

3. Pesara Laddu / Moong Dal Laddu from Harini of Tamalapaku

4. Pesara Sunnundalu from Vasavi Suresh of Vasavi's Recipes

5. Beet Rava Ladoo from Ayeesha Riaz of Umm Mymoonah

6. Carrot Burfi from Shobhana of Journal of a budding cook

7. PaalaKayalu - Crispy Spicy Rice Balls from Kalva of Curry In Kadai

8. Elo Jhelo from Deepa of Hamaree Rasoi

9. Sabudana Vada from PJ Seduce Your Tastebuds

10. Annam Paramaannam / Rice Pudding from Harini of Tamalapaku

11. Rava ladoo from Jay of Tasty Appetite.

12. Acaraje from Preethi Ram of Preethi's Culinary

13. Wheat katli from Shobana of Journal of a budding cook

14. Peanut katli from Shobana of Journal of a budding cook

15. Kappa matar Pattice from Preeti of Khaugiri

16. BREAD FRY from Santosh Bangar of Santosh's Kitchen

17. Sabudana/Javvarisi Vada (Sago Fritters) from Kavitha of Kavis Aromatic World

18. Fresh Dates Laddu from harini-Jaya of Tamalapaku

19. soya tikki from santosh Bangar of Santosh's Kitchen

20. Dhokla from Azee of Azee's Kitchen

21. Homemade Chochlates from Azee of Azee's Kitchen

22. Fried lentil dumplings (vada) in yogurt sauce from Akheela of Torviewtoronto

23. Kajjikayalu from harini-Jaya of Tamalapaku

24. Boondhi Laddoo from Vidhya of My Receipes

25. Sweet Pongal from harini-Jaya of Tamalapaku

26. Microwave Wheat ladoo / Churma Ladoo from PJ of Seduce Your Tastebuds

27. Sooji Burfi (Microwave recipe) from Smitha of Smitha's Spicy Flavors

28. Basundi from Sanika Nalawde Of San's Kitchen

29. Chum Chum from Sanika Nalawde of San's Kitchen

30. Quick Vermicelli Kheer in M/W from Nivedita of Nivedita's Kitchen

31. Carrot Halwa from Amritha of AK's vegetarian recipe world

32. Semiya Payasam from Amritha of AK's vegetarian recipe world

33. Microwave caramelized carrot kheer from Amritha of AK's vegetarian recipe world

34. Pala Poli(Pala Puri) from harini-Jaya of Tamalapaku

35. Cracked Wheat - Coconut Kheer from Suma Gandlur of VeggiePlatter

36. Blackberry Pudding from Umm Mymoonah of Taste Of PearlCity

37. Ellu Laddu from Gayathri Kumar of Gayathri's Cook Spot

38. Phirni from Amritha of Ak's vegetarian recipe world

39. Mosaru Ambode from Chitra Hegde of Chitranna

40. Kadle Maddi from Chitra Hegde of Chitranna

41. Vermicelly Kheer from Chitra Hegde of Chitranna

42. Coconut Laddu from Suma Gandlur of VeggiePlatter

43. Dry Dates Burfi from harini-Jaya of Tamalapaku

44. Peanut Laddoos from Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes

45. MW Coconut & Pineapple Laddoos from Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes

46. MW Mango & Coconut Peda from Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes

47. Quinoa & Moongdal Kheer from Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes

48. Carrot & Channadal Kheer from Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes

49. MW Mango & Coconut Laddoos from Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes

50. Poppy Seeds Kheer from Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes

51. Caramel Sago Kheer from Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes

52. Belam Taalikalu / Rice Noodles In jaagery from Smitha of Smitha's Spicy Flavors

53. Instant Cucumber Pickle from Smitha of Smitha's Spicy Flavors

54. Poornam Boorelu / Sweet coconut stuffed lentil dumplings from Smitha of Smitha's Spicy Flavors

55. Sajjappa from Shruthi hebbur of Shrunil Flavors

56. Sweet potato halva from Lakshmi of Taste of Mysore

57. Coconut Rice from Chaitrali of I'm not a Chef

58. Pedha from Chaitrali of I'm not a Chef

59. Palak Shorba from Chaitrali of I'm not a Chef

60. Wheat Laddos from G.Pavani of FoodLovers

61. Milk Peda in Microwave (Doodh Peda) from Deepa of Hamaree Rasoi

62. ROASTED RICE LADOO / ARI VARUTHA UNDA from Soumya of Soumya's kitchen

63. Chakli from Preeti of Khaugiri

64. Meetha Bhaat from Nayna of simply.food

65. Coconut and Sago kheer from Suneetha. Of suneetha's Kitchen

66. Beetroot Halwa from Akila of Learning to cook

67. Masal Vadai from Akila of Learning to cook

68. Chakkarai Pongal/Sweet pongal from Akila of Learning to cook

69. Carrot Halwa from Akila of Learning to cook

70. Quinoa Kheer(Payasam) from harini-Jaya of Tamalapaku

71. Badusha from Sreevalli of Ammaji Recipes

72. Murukku from Madhu of Sweet Spicy and Sour

73. Apple Halwa from Kurinji of kurinjikathambam

74. Cocochoco Burfi from Megha of Livetoeat!!!

75. Kele ki Halwa/Banana Pudding from Megha of Livetoeat!!!

76. Dessicated coconut laddoos from Shobana of journal of a budding cook

77. Stuffed Zucchini from Megha of Livetoeat!!!

78. Capsicum - Lime Rice from Suma Gandlur of VeggiePlatter

79. Potato Crispies from Pari of Foodelicious

80. Appekaradahakkidda Payasa from Pari of Foodelicious

81. Aam ki Lassi from Apu of Annarasa - Essence of Food

82. Karwa Chauth Thali ( Festive Thali ) from notyet100 of asankhana

83. Badusha from hari chandana of Indian cuisine

84. Stuffed Mirchi Pakora from Megha of livetoeat!!!

85. Ghatti Paramana from Swapna of Simple Vegetarian Recipe

86. Choco Balla from NEERAJA VELLA of Neeru's

87. Coconut rawa kheer from Akila of Learning to cook

88. Paneer Laddu from Nidhya of Aaha Oho

89. Coconut Balls / Coconut Laddu from Kurinji of kurinjikathambam

90. Milk halwa from Kurinji of kurinjikathambam

91. Tricolor Pulao and potatoes with roasted poppy seed from Indrani of Recipe Junction

92. Kalakand, a beloved bengali sweet from Indrani of Recipe Junction

93. Rawa Kesari/Orange colored Suji Halwa from Indrani of Recipe Junction

94. Kaju or Cashewnut Peda in MW from Indrani of Recipe Junction

95. Easy Mishti Doi from Aparna Mallya of Apy Cooking!

96. Karanji from Preeti Of Khaugiri

Please let me know if I have missed anyone's entries.

Once again Thanks to Pari for giving me this opportunity :-)