Boondhi Ladoo

Ingredients:
2 cups gram flour(Senagapindi,Besan)
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of water
A pinch of yellow color
4 cardamoms crushed
cashewnuts
Making sugar syrup:
Take a vessel add 2cups of sugar and 2 cups of water and make a sticky syrup of one-thread consistency.Add crushed cardamom pwd and cashewnuts.
Preparation of Ladoo:
Mix gram flour with just enough water to make a thick batter.Add the yellow color and mix well without any lumps.Heat oil.Hold strainer on top with one hand and pour batter into the sieve and spread batter into circular moments so that drops will fall into the pan.Fry till pale golden color and drain out and place on tissuepaper.Continue till all the batter is used.Drain thoroughly and put them immediately into the sugar syrup and mix well.While still warm,shape the syrup-coated boondis into round ladoos,and leave till cool and keep open to dry, before storing in containers.

This is the entry for Anthony's Curry Mela 12th.

HAPPY UGADI & GUDI PADWA

Ugadi name has been changed from Yuga Aadi (Yuga + Aadi means beginning of New age).
It is the Telugu New Year day celebrated on Chaitra Suddha Padyami, the first day of the bright fortnight in the month of Chaitra. This festival is known as"Gudi Padwa" in Maharashtra and"Ugadi"in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It is a day of great joy and happiness.This year it is called as "VyayaNamaSamvatsaram"
It is believed that the creator of the Hindu pantheon Lord Brahma started creation on this day - Chaitra suddha padhyami or the Ugadi day. Also the great Indian Mathematician Bhaskaracharya's calculations proclaimed the Ugadi day from the sunrise on as the beginning of the new year, new month and new day. The onset of spring also marks a beginning of new life with plants (barren until now) acquiring new life, shoots and leaves. Spring is considered the first season of the year hence also heralding a new year and a new beginning. The vibrancy of life and verdent fields, meadows full of colorful blossoms signifies growth, prosperity and well-being.
Predictions of the Year :
Ugadi marks the beginning of a new Hindu lunar calendar with a change in the moon's orbit.It is a day when mantras are chanted and predictions made for the new year.Traditionally, the panchangasravanam or listening to the yearly calendar was done at the temples OR on television sets.The day, however, begins with ritual showers followed by prayers, and then the eating of a specific mixture of -"SHADRUCHULA SAMMELANAM"
"Neem flowers for "Bitterness"
Jaggery for"Sweetness"
Raw Mango for"Vagaru"
New Tamarind Juice for"Sour"
Red chillie pwd for"Hot"
Salt for salty taste
This mixture, called "Ugadi Pachhadi" in Telugu and "Bevu-Bella" in Kannada, symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of pleasure and pain, which should be accepted together and with equanimity.People wake up before the break of dawn and take a head bath after which they decorate the entrance of their houses with fresh mango leaves.Houses are given a thorough wash.People wear new clothes.Ugadi Pachchadi is taken with empty stomach after giving "Nivedhyam" to god.The significance of tying mango leaves relates to a legend. It is said that Kartik (or SubramanyaSwamy)and Ganesha, the two sons of Lord Siva and Parvathi were very fond of mangoes. As the legend goes Kartik exhorted people to tie green mango leaves to the doorway signifying a good crop and general well-being.People perform the ritualistic worship to God invoking his blessings before they start off with the new year. They pray for their health, wealth and prosperity and success in business too. Ugadi is also the most auspicious time to start new ventures.Special dishes are prepared for the occasion. In Andhra Pradesh, eatables such as "Pulihora", "Bobbatlu" and recipes made with raw mango go well with the occasion.In Karnataka ,"puliogure"and "holige". The Maharashtrians make "puran poli".Mangoes with salt, powdered mustard and powdered dry red chilli and a lot of oil to float over the mangoes. This preparation is called "Aavakai" and lasts for a whole year."UGADI" is thus a festival of many shades. It ushers in the new year, brings a rich bounce of flora and fills the hearts of people with joy and contentment.

VeggieBurger

Ingredients:
SesameHamBurger Buns-4(For 2 people)
2 Lettuce leaf
4 roasted Red pepper strips
6 Cucumber slices
3 Onion rings
4 Tomato slices
1 cabbage leaf
2 boiled&mashed Potatoes
1 GreenChilly
1/2 cup chopped Spring onions
1/2 cup chopped Onions
1t sp red chilli pwd
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking
2 tspn Butter

Patties Preperation:
Take mashed Potatoes in a bowl add chooped onions,spring onions,ginger garlic paste, Breadcrumbs,red chilli pwd,salt to taste, and mix it thoroughly. Add more bread crumbs 1 tspn of rawa(sooji)if mixture is too wet.Make it into a small balls and flatten it into round shape. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.Form mixture into patties and cook about 4 minutes per side until patties have formed a dark brown crust.Heat butter and apply to burger buns.
Top burger with roasted peppers, cucumber and onion slices and fresh tomato,lettuce.Drizzle with pepper.Keep Patties in the middle and cover with lettuce and tomato as 3 rd layer and finish it by topping it with burger bun.Serve in a plate with "French fries".
Veggie Burgers are lower in fat and cholesterol and high in Fiber.

Spicy Spaghetti Pulov with Orange juice

Ingredients:
1 small packet of long Spaghetti
1 cup chopped Onions
3 Green Chillies
1 cup of diced Carrot
1 tomato chopped
1 tspn Ginger-Garlic paste
1 tspn Garam masala pwd
1 BayLeaf
1 tspn RedChilli pwd
1/2 tspn pepper
1/2tspn Soysauce
Salt (as required)
Oil for cooking
1/2 tspn Butter(Optional)
Pudina leaves for garnishing.
Method:
Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Drop the Spaghetti and add 1 tspn of oil into the water and boil for 10-12 minutes.When Spaghetti boils,Drain the water.
Take another pan heat oil,ginger-garlic paste fry it for a while and then add chopped onions,greenchillies,bayleaf,crushed clove,diced tomato,garam masala pwd,salt and red chilli pwd and stir for a while and add carrots,soy sauce,add 1/4 cup of water keep lid for 5 minutes.When the gravy becomes thick add boiled spaghetti and sprinkle pepper ,butter & mix well.Place Spaghetti in a plate and garnish with pudina leaves which gives nice aroma & good for health.Serve hot with tomato sauce and Orange juice.I think this is the best combination of HOT & COOL.
This is my entry to Hooked on Heat's Fusion theme of this month.

Mint Pilaf

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Green chillies - 3
Pudina - 2 bunches
Ginger - 1" piece
Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Bay leaf-1
Cinnamon stick-1/2inch
Cloves- 5 nos
Garlic - 3pods
Ginger- 1 inch piece
Cardamon- 2 nos crushed
Bay leaves- 2 nos crushed
Peanuts - 10-15
Ghee - 2 tbsps
Method
Wash the Rice and cook seperately.
Grind pudina,green chillies,salt to paste.In a pan, heat the ghee and fry the peanuts & keep aside.Fry onions and greenchillies until it changes to goldenbbrown color.In the same ghee, add the jeera, after it splutters,add the grinded pudina paste,turmeric,bay leaf,cloves pwd,crushed cardamon,ginger-garlic paste add salt and redchilli pwd if neccessary.Fry until raws smell goes
Now add rice and mix well.Garnish with peanuts and pudina leaves and serve with any raita.

Cauliflower-Peas fry

Ingredients:
Cauliflower florets
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup chopped onions
3 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tspn dhaniya pwd
1 tsp redchilli pwd
A pinch of turmeric
Oil for cooking
Salt to taste
6 sprigs of chopped coriander leaves
Marination:
Wash florets and add red chilli pwd,dhaniya pwd,a pinch of turmeric ,salt according to taste.Keep it for 10 minutes.

Method:
Saute onions and green chillies in pan and add marinated cauliflower florets,frozen peas,redchilli pwd , salt.Stir well until peas will get salt and redchilli essence.
Add a cup of water to it keep lid for 10 minutes and bring it to boil in simmer.
Once the water evaporates the curry (subzi) looks dry.Garnish with Chopped cilantro and serve with hot rice or chapathi or parota .

StuffedPuffs&Redbean Puree

Actually,Iam inspired by Emeril Lagasse(Host of popular TV shows).I have made one of his recipe by changing the ingredients according to my taste.My honey has given me a nice compliment after tasting the food.

For Stuffing in Puffs:
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped red onions
2 teaspoons minced fresh seeded jalapeno
1 teaspoons minced ginger-garlic
1/2 tomato, sliced
1 cup of chopped cabbage
5 cauliflower florets
1 roasted green bellpepper, peeled,seeded, and julienned
1 roasted jalapeno, peeled, seeded, and minced
1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded, and julienned
1 cup of scallions(chopped spring onions)
1/2 cup of chopped asparagus
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 sprigs of chopped cilantro leaves
2 sprigs of pudina leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions for 1 minute. Add the jalapenos, 1 teaspoon of the minced ginger-garlic , chopped cabbage,caulifower florets and 1/4 cup of water.Stir it a while add cumin,redchilli pwd,chopped tomato,chopped asparagus,spring onions ,add chopped bellpeppers and bring the liquid up to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.Stir it and make it as a dry curry(subzi).Decorate with mint leaves for better aroma.
Red bean puree:
1 cup Red beans(Rajma),soaked overnight and drained and boiled
1 tbspn of fresh lemon juice
6 tbspn of chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tspn of redchilli pwd
Salt to tatse
3tspns of grated cheese
Method:
Take another sauce pan,heat 1 tspn of oil add 1 tspn of chopped onions,chopped green chillies, salt.Stir it until onions become tender and add the boiled beans, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes.Until it becomes a gravy.Remove from the heat and garnish with cilantro.Season with pepper and grated cheese, to taste.
Main Ingredient:
2 Puff pastry sheets
Vegetable oil, for frying
Puff Pastry Filling:
Take 2 tspns of curry in the middle and roll it from one end to another end.Tuck the sides in and roll the puff pastry up tightly.
Heat the oil in a deep-fry pan and fry the puffs until it becomes golden brown.
Spoon the red bean puree into the center of 1 large platter.Arrange the puffs uitos around the beans,spoon the grated cheese along the side.Garnish the platter with fresh chopped cilantro and serve immediately with hot coffee r Orange juice.
Thank u "EMERIL".
Recipe Source:FoodNetwork

Banana Split

Ingredients:
1 Banana, sliced
2 scoops of Vanilla and Chocolate ice cream
Fresh Strawberries, sliced
Fresh Kiwi fruit,sliced
Fresh Red grapes
Fresh Blueberries
Whipped Cream Cheese for topping
Grated Chocolate cookies for topping
Method:
Peel Banana and split in half,lengthwise and place in a serving plate.Place a scoop of each ice cream (if u have more than 2 varieties)between sliced Banana.Spread the cream cheese topping evenly over icecream .Garnish with sliced Strawberries,sliced Kiwi,Blueberries and Grapes.Sprinkle of the grated chocolate cookies on the top of it.Serve immediately.
Tagged with: IMBB24 + 30Minutes

Pesara Vadalu(Moong Dal Donuts)

Yesterday evening,I prepared this snack for my honey.Pesara vada with Erragadda karam(its hot)goes nicely with hot coffee in this lacking warmth weather.What u says?
Ingredients:
2 cups of Moong Dal (Pesar pappu, Split green gram)
1 tbspn Urad Dal(Lenthils,Minapappu)
1 tbspn Bengalgram Dal(Senaga pappu,Kadalparuppu,Chena Dal)
3 Green Chilis
1 inch Ginger Piece
2 cups of Chopped Onions
1/4 tspn Cumin Seeds(Jeelakarra,Jeera,Jeeragam)
A pinch of Hing powder(Asafoetida,Inguva,Perumgayam)
Vegetable Oil for frying
6 R 7 sprigs of Coriander leaves
Curry Leaves
Salt to taste.
Method:
Soak Moong dal,Urad dal,Chena dal for 3 hours.Grind it with green chillies, ginger and salt (thick batter like vada).Add Chopped onions and chopped coriander leaves.Heat oil in a pan.Take a ball size of batter on a Ziploc cover sheet(r plantain leaf)& make a hole with a wet hand in the middle and drop into hot oil.Fry until brown and serve hot with erragadda karam.
Erragadda Karam:(Famous in Andhra for Bonda and Bajjis,Ragisankati)
2 cups of chopped Onions(Erragadda,ullipaya is called "Onion" in Telugu,Vengayam in Tamil,Pyaaz in Hindi),3 soaked RedChillies in water for 15 minutes,salt to taste.
Method:Grind onions and red chillies,salt into a paste.Add 1 tspn Ghee before serving.
Recipe Source:Amma

Peanut Laddu(Verusengapappu Laddu)

Ingredients:
2 cups of Peanuts
1 cup of grated Jaggery
Ghee for frying and cashewnuts for decoration

Method:
Roast peanuts with a tspn of ghee till nut changes to light goldenbrown color.
Mix powdered jaggery to peanuts and grind in a blender.When the above mixture is luke warm add 3tspn of ghee and mix well and shape into small balls.Arrange in a plate and decorate with cashewnuts.
My mom used to give us in the evenings.
Recipe Source:Amma

Parota and ChickPeas Curry

Ingredients for Parota:
Maida ,oil, salt.
Ingredients for Chick Peas Curry:
2 cups of Brown Chick Peas
2-Onions finely chopped
1-Tomato chopped
2 -Green chillies finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped Carrots
Ginger 1/2 inch
Garlic pods 3(medium size)
Cloves-3no
Cinnamon Stick 1/2 inch
Bay leaf-1("Tej pattha")
Dhaniya pwd-1tsp(Ground coriander)
Red chilli pwd-1tsp
A pinch of Turmeric
oil for cooking
Salt to taste
5R6 Sprigs of Mint (Pudina)
Method:
Soak chick peas overnight and cook in sufficient water until cooked well.
Heat a frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add the 1tspn of oil, onion, ginger-garlic paste(crushed),chopped green chillies,turmeric,crushed cloves &cinnamom stick,bayleaf and salt.Cook,stirring, for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes ,chopped carrots and cook for another 2 minutes to soften.Add the boiled chickpeas ,redchillie pwd,dhaniya pwd and leave it for 3secs and add enough water to make thick gravy.Cover with lid and bring the gravy to boil.Garnish with Pudina leaves which will give nice aroma and good taste.
Kerala Parota is available in My Treasure...My Pleasure.

Jilebi

Jilebis are crisp outside, sweet and runny inside. Deep fried to a transparent tawny gold, then dipped in sugar syrup.

Ingredients :Jilebi Mix-Gits
Wheat flour, Lentil flour, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Raising agents(sodium bicarbonate, citric acid), permitted anti-oxidants E320]
a pinch of saffron
1/2 pinch of food color(optional)
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of water
Ghee(clarified butter) r oil for deep frying
Ziploc bag for piping out the batter
Instructions:
1. Sieve the contents of pack and mix with 125ml (4 fl.oz) water,and stir into smooth batter.
2. Pour into a thick ziploc bag and twist it like an icing cone and make a small hole at the end of the cone.
3. Heat 250g of edible oil or Ghee into a shallow pan. Hold nozzle of the ziplog bag just above the surface of the oil, and squeeze to make circles with the batter, starting from the centre and sealing the end in the last half round.
4. Deep fry on a medium heat till crispy and golden on both sides.
5. Immerse jilebis in warm sugar syrup for a minute, and serve hot or cold.
Sugar syrup:
Dissolve sugar in the water, over low heat, then cook over high heat till slightly thick---one thread consistency.

Quick fruity Vanilla Sundae

INGREDIENTS:2 Dessert cups(I got from Vons)
BettyCrocker Whipped cream cheese frosting
Roasted almonds and cashewnuts
Vanilla icecream for topping
Strawberries,Blueberries,Wafers
Method:First fill the dessertcups with whipped cream cheese frosting and then place roasted almonds ,cashewnuts.Then Place a dollop of icecream in the center
of each dessert cup.Top with fresh strawberries,blueberries and wafers.Serve immediately.


Quick,easy,delicious mmmmmmmmmmm!

Creamy Tomato-Mushroom Soup

Creamy Tomato-Mushroom Soup


Ingredients:
2 -3 chopped tomatoes
2 cups chopped onions
3 to 4 cloves garlic,minced
1/4tsp. ground nutmeg
1 bay leaf
11/2 lb. white button mushrooms, wiped of grit and coarsely chopped
8 cups vegetable stock(otherwise water)
2 sprigs fresh coriander leaves paste
1tsp unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground blackpepper, to taste

Method:
Sauté onions and garlic in a saucepan with 1/2tsp unsalted butter.
Add bayleaf and nutmeg and cook for 1 minute, stirring and add tomatoes ,coriander leaves paste and continue to cook, covered, until the tomatoes become tender .
Remove the soup from the heat and puree, in batches, in a blender until very smooth
Add chopped mushrooms, vegetable stock with remaining 1/2tsp butter and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1o minutes .
Season with salt , pepper and serve hot.

Snacks - Allobonda

ALOO BONDA
3-4 Potatoes
3-4 Onions, chopped finely
2 cups Bengal gram flour (besan)(Sengapindi)
3-4 green chillies4 garlic pods
1inch size ginger
1tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup frozen peas( defrost sure before cooking)
Oil for deep frying
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. cumin seeds
A pinch of baking soda
Oil for deep frying
Serve hot with Pudina chutney/ketchup.
Method
1.Pressure cook the potatoes till soft. Peel, mash and keep them aside.
2.Grind together the green chillies, garlic and ginger to a fine paste.
3.Mix together the potato, onions, ginger/garlic/chilli paste,chopped coriander leaves, lime juice ,salt and red chilli pwd.
4.Heat a little oil in the kadai and add the jeera ,curry leaves and add the potato mixture.Stir evenly and just put the lid for 3 minutes and remove from stove.
5.Make a smooth batter with the Bengal gram flour, salt , cumin seeds, red chili powder and turmeric powder.
6.Make potatoe curry into a small round balls and dip into the batter abd deep fry it to golden brown color
7.Serve hot with pudina chutney r tomato ketchup.