EVENT: SHHH COOKING SECRETLY THEME: MILLETS RAGI AND OAT PANCAKES A bit about the group: Members of this group give their partners two secret ingredients according to the theme decided and prepare a dish. Once the dish is ready we add the photo only and other members try and guess the secret ingredients. Towards the end of the month the secret is revealed when we share the recipe link. This month’s theme MILLETS was suggested by Aruna. Check the delicious Ragi Peanut Ladoo she has made using finger millet. My Partner For this theme my partner is Swaty who blogs at Food Trails. Swaty gave me ragi and oats as my secret ingredients while I gave her jaggery and ghee as we both wanted…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP THEME: #243 LITTLE CHEFS RECIPE: PINEAPPLE SLUSH Pineapple Slush is so easy to put together, is refreshing and so delicious. An ideal treat for summer parties, kids parties and for adults add a shot of rum or vodka. FoodieMonday/Bloghop Theme As many parents find themselves and their kids at home because of the worldwide spread of Corona Virus, parents are taking this opportunity to introduce their kids to other skills than those learnt in the classroom. Cooking and helping around the house are some of them. Bearing this in mind, this week’s theme suggested by Priya is recipes that kids can put together either partly or entirely by themselves. For this theme I’ve chosen to make the ever so easy Pineapple Slush. Memories…..…
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Continue ReadingRecipe :Dhana Jiru/Coriander Cumin Powder Dhana Jiru is basically a combination of roasted coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Some add turmeric to it some don’t. Dhana Jiru is used in every Gujarati home for all the dals, curries, shaaks/Sabjis (vegetables), and some snacks too. I cannot imagine making bhinda nu shaak(okra stir fried), Stuffed brinjal, Tuvar Dal, without dhana jiru. I like to make small batches so that the freshly ground spice powder adds much flavour to the dish. If you want to add turmeric then generally a small dried piece of it is added to the spices before grinding. I usually don’t add that as I prefer to add turmeric separately. It is so easy to make dhana jiru as the ratio is 1:¼.…
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Continue ReadingRecipe: Kala Chana Pulao/Brown Chickpea Pulao Kala Chana Pulao/Brown Chickpea Pulao is a delicious, aromatic rice dish using two pantry essential ingredients rice and brown chickpeas. With a few spices, onion, ginger, garlic and chillis this pulao is easy to make. You just have to remember to soak the chana overnight. Enjoy the pulao with some kadhi, yogurt, raita and roasted papads. We enjoyed it some plain yogurt. Rice Storage in Olden Days WeLong ago, the time of my great grandparents and grandparents, rice was stored in huge earthen pots (that could easily fit a man in it) for the whole year. Back then rice was a seasonal crop and there were no facilities to vacuum pack them or store them in plastic bags. The…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SHHH COOKING SECRETLY THEME: PANCAKES What are Pancakes? Pancakes are flat, often thin or slightly thick cakes made in a frying pan or griddle using a a batter. Can be either sweet or savory. Traditionally, the batter is made with flour, egg, butter and milk. However, these days there are so many variations of pancakes. Though the description has the word cake, in reality pancakes are one of the oldest forms of bread known to mankind. Each country has its own kind of pancake. For some the batter may be more or less the same with a few changes or in some countries the ingredients may be totally different from the more famous American pancakes we know. Take for example Indonesian pancakes which are…
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Continue ReadingRecipe: Avocado Mint Lassi Avocado Mint Lassi is a thick, creamy, flavourful yogurt drink made from avocado, mint and yogurt. To add a bit more flavour I have used garlic and green chilli. Enjoy it as a drink along with an Indian meal or on its own as a snack. Yes, it will keep you full for long hours. What is Lassi? Pronounced as lassi (la as in laugh) and not lessi as Lassie the dog famous from the movie Lassie Comes Home. Lassi is a yogurt based drink which can be sweet or with salt. It usually is thick like a smoothie and very filling. This yogurt based drink from the Indian Sub Continent is best enjoyed during the hot summer season. What is…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP THEME: #237 HOLI ON MY PLATE RECIPE: THANDAI MAKHANA PHIRNI What is Thandai Makhana Phirni? Thandai Makhana Phirni is a creamy, delish, cool Indian dessert that can be served during the Festival of Colour, Holi. However, having said that, one can enjoy this easy to make and delectable dessert any time of the year. Thandai is a powder or spice mixture of nuts, seeds, spices and rose petals. Makhana is is fox nut which are roasted till they become crunchy and then crushed. Traditionally, phirni is a rice pudding made from coarse rice powder. Here, I have replaced the rice powder with makhana of fox nut powder. What is Holi? Like most festivals in India, Holi, the festival of colours celebrates good over…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: A- Z RECIPE CHALLENGE THEME : A DISH BEGINNING WITH THE LETTER M My Choice is Mangalore Cucumber The vegetable vendor who comes to our Bangalore apartment complex thrice a week does not fail to bring Mangalore Cucumber. I would look at it, pick it up and then put it back. One day decided to buy and try out a dish with it. Asked the vegetable vendor how to use it and he replied curry. Just as well there are so many recipes on the internet and I chose to follow Cherie’s recipe. Also known as Thouthe Kodel, the curry turned out so delicious that I was wondering why I’d not used this fruit as yet. What is Mangalore Cucumber? Known as Mogem in…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP THEME: #236 HUMMUS TIME RECIPE: MANGO SRIRACHA HUMMUS Mango Sriracha Hummus is a slightly sweetish and spicy dip that is best enjoyed with vegetables, pita chips or crackers. What is Hummus? An integral part of the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Cuisine, Hummus is a dip, spread or sauce that traditionally is made from chickpeas, lemon, garlic and tahini. Made into a smooth paste or sauce depending how its going to be used, hummus these days is readily available in the supermarkets. The Main Ingredients For Hummus Are: Boiled Chickpeas, the white variety Garlic Olive oil Tahini Lemon juice seasoning Its that simple to make hummus. So why buy ready made ones which have preservatives and artificial food additives? How to use Hummus? Spread…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP THEME: #235 BEST FROM WASTE RECIPE: WATERMELON RIND SALAD Watermelon Rind Salad is a crunchy, super healthy salad. It is a good way to include the white rind part of the watermelon in your diet as it is very nutritious. Best from Waste: Indeed, a much required but hardly ever discussed topic. How can we reduce kitchen waste? Our Grandmothers and Mothers are/were a frugal lot, hardly ever passing off anything as waste when it comes to kitchen waste. What do we mean by kitchen waste? It is not all the wrappings that come with your food but green waste. For instance, watch any cookery show and you will see chefs peeling away thick layers from a fruit and vegetable and throwing…
