Keerai Saadam/ Spinach Rice

          When I am not in the mood for cooking, or when I don't feel like doing the regular sambar, rasam and curry, I do some kind of mixed rice. I would cook rice, vegetables and dal together like in this Cabbage Pongal or cook rice separately and mix in with some sauteed vegetables. But whatever it is, I try to make it as wholesome and nutritious as possible, so that we get our daily dose of protein and vegetables. This Spinach Rice is one such attempt, I have used Mulaikeerai/ Amaranth Greens for making it along with some cooked chana dal and fresh ground masala. When served with some raitha or curd/ yogurt, it makes a complete and satisfying meal..

Need To Have

• Cooked Rice - 4 cups
• Chana Dal - 1/4 cup
• Chopped Amaranth - 5 cups
• Urad Dal/ Husked Black Gram - 2 teaspoons
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon
• Salt - to taste

To Grind

• Dried Red Chillies - 4
• Coriander Seeds - 2 teaspoons
• Coconut - 1 tablespoon

Method

          Soak the chana dal for an hour, cook it with the turmeric powder and water, till done but not mushy. Roast the red chillies and coriander seeds given under ' to grind ' and grind it coarsely with the coconut, without adding water.

          Heat some oil, add the urad dal and the mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the asafoetida, followed by the chopped amaranth. Add some salt, reduce the heat and keep sauteeing till it gets cooked. Once it's done, add the cooked dal and mix.

          Then add the ground mixture and mix for a minute or two, then lastly add the rice and mix everything well. Switch off, add the lemon juice and mix one more time. Serve with some pappads or chips and curd or raitha.

Note
Don't cover with a lid while cooking the amaranth, that way, it stays green.
I have used amaranth greens, you can also use the regular spinach, to save time, you can use the frozen chopped spinach too.
Can replace cooked chana dal with cooked chickpeas.
Also instead of adding the lemon juice, you can add a small ball of tamarind while grinding the red chillies, coriander and coconut. 

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Sliced Cucumbers With Pepper And Cumin/ Cucumber Salad

          After doing a long post on Tiramisu, I thought I'll keep this one simple and short, well the recipe ( if you can call this as one) is also very simple, Sliced Cucumbers With Pepper And Cumin. This is a perfect accompaniment to any meal, or also, a healthy snack for hot summers, very mildly spiced and refreshing with a slight hint of lemon..

Need To Have

• Cucumbers - sliced
• Black Pepper Powder
• Roasted Cumin Powder
• Red Chilly Powder/ Paprika
• Lemon Juice
• Salt

Method
          Well, as you can see, I have not given any measurements for the ingredients, because I think it's individual preference, adding more or less of any ingredient. Take the cucumber slices, sprinkle some black pepper powder, chilly powder and roasted cumin powder and salt. Add a dash of lemon juice and you are ready to go.

Note
I prefer the seedless cucumbers for this, but it's up to you.
Add the spices and salt just before serving.
For roasted cumin powder, roast the cumin seeds slightly, then powder it.

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Eggless Tiramisu

          For the month of  April, we had to do Tiramisu for our Eggless Baking Group. I had finished making it, way back by the 11th or 12th of the month, since I had to travel to the US. I was so happy that I had finished the challenge, way before the revealing date, and I had taken the camera with the pictures with me. But then, while travelling, I had left the camera at a friend's place, and came back only today, so once again, I am late for the post. Coming to the Tiramisu, we had to make our own mascarpone cheese, eggless savoiradi or lady fingers and then make it alcohol free too. Well, it was quite a challenge, but an interesting one and I think I have succeeded, at least 80%. I have tasted the regular Tiramisu with the eggs and the alcohol, and I can say, I have come closer to the original, except for the alcohol flavor in it. Anyways, I truly enjoyed making it and my family loved the eggless, alcohol free Tiramisu..

Need To Have

For The Mascarpone Cheese

Fresh Cream - 200ml

Lemon Juice - 1/2 tablespoon

For The Eggless Savoiradi / Lady Fingers

All Purpose Flour - 1/2 cup

Corn Flour - 1 tablespoon

Oil - 2 tablespoons

Powder Sugar - 3 tablespoons

Orange Juice - 1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon

Baking Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Baking Soda - 1/4 teaspoon

Vanilla Extract - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt - 1/8 teaspoon

Icing/ Confectioners Sugar - 2 tablespoons

For The Whipping Cream

Fresh Cream - 200ml

Confectioners Sugar - 2 tablespoon

Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon

For Assembling The Tiramisu

Mascarpone Cheese

Whipping Cream

Savoiardi/ Lady Fingers

Strong Coffee - 1 cup

Orange Juice - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 2 tablespoons

Cocoa Powder - to dust on the top

Recipe Source For Homemade Savoiardi : Home Cooking In Montana

Recipe Source For The Tiramisu : Taste

Method

Mascarpone Cheese :

          I referred Vimitha's procedure for making the Mascarpone Cheese and I used Amul Fresh Cream for making it. Heat some water in a shallow pan, place another vessel with the fresh cream inside the shallow pan, basically a double boiler. Keep stirring it, till you see light bubbles in the cream, at this stage add the lemon juice and keep stirring.

          You'll note a very slight curdling, or you can see the cream become a little grainy and coating the back of a spoon. Remove it at this stage, strain it in a cheese cloth, leave it for half an hour, then just fold the cloth over and leave the whole thing in the refrigerator overnight. Remove  it from the cloth, can be stored for at least 4 days.

Eggless Savoiardi :

          Sift together the plain flour, corn flour, baking soda and baking powder. Take the oil orange juice, vanilla extract, salt and powdered sugar and beat well. Now add the sifted dry ingredients and mix well. It should be thick enough to be used in a piping bag or a ziploc bag.

         Take it in a ziploc bag, cut a little at the end and squeeze out small strips, about 2" to 3" long on a greased cookie sheet. Dust some icing sugar, leave it for a minute, again dust some icing sugar. Bake it at 200C for 8 to 9 minutes. Remove and cool.

Whipping Cream :

          Take the fresh cream ( should be chilled), icing sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat it for about 4 to 5 minutes till you get stiff peaks which holds.

To Assemble The Tiramisu :

          To the whipping cream add the mascarpone cheese and mix gently. Mix the coffee ( I had used 2 tablespoon of instant coffee powder for 1 cup water), orange juice and sugar, it should be slightly warm. Soak the savoiardi biscuits in the coffee solution, remove immediately and layer a square or rectangular glass dish with it, top it up with a layer of the mascarpone-whipping cream mixture.

          Then place another layer of the coffee soaked savoiardi, followed by the remaining cheese mixture. Cover it with a cling wrap and leave it to set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Remove, dust it with some cocoa powder and serve.

Note

I have used Amul Fresh Cream, you can use any heavy whipping cream.

The savoiardi biscuits are crispy on the top but soft on the inside, don't soak it too long in the coffee, it'll break and I got about 20 from the above quantity.

Layer the glass dish with a cling wrap, before placing the savoiardi biscuits, that way it'll be easy to lift the whole thing out after it sets.

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Potato Curry With Fresh Spice Powder/ Urulaikizhangu Podi Curry

          Once again, another potato curry, but do we get tired of potatoes, definitely no. This curry is similar to the Kathirikkai Podi Curry, with only a little variation here and there, but still I thought I should do a separate post on it. It tasted awesome with a mild fenugreek flavor and goes well with almost anything, especially  tastes very good with sambar and curd rice..

Need To Have

• Baby Potatoes - 3 cups, boiled and peeled
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Asafoetida Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 10
• Salt - to taste

To Powder

• Coriander Seeds - 2 teaspoons
• Chana Dal/ Bengal Gram - 1 teaspoon
• Dried Red Chillies - 4
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Method

          Roast the ingredients given under ' to powder ' in  very little oil, in the order given, adding the fenugreek seeds last, taking care not to burn the fenugreek seeds, tastes bitter. Cool, powder coarsely and keep.

          Heat some oil, add the mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the potatoes and keep roasting on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes.

          Then add the turmeric powder, salt, asafoetida and the ground powder, mix for 2 minutes. Add the curry leaves, if needed a little more oil and keep frying for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and serve warm.

Note
You should do this curry with potatoes that don't become mushy while frying, don't use the ones used for mashed potatoes.

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Strawberry Almond Milkshake

          It's already very hot here in India, especially the afternoons, no longer do I feel like having hot coffee or tea, even kids want to have something cold. Milkshakes are the best, kids get their daily dose of milk, plus, when you add fruits and nuts to it, makes it even more nutritious. Since strawberries are now in season, I made this Strawberry Almond Milkshake, very easy to make and very delicious..

Need To Have

• Strawberries - 15 small ones
• Almonds - 8 
• Cold Milk - 2 cups
• Sugar - 2 teaspoons

Method

          Soak the almonds in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, remove the skin and keep. Take the almonds, strawberries ( washed ), and sugar, blend smoothly, adding very little milk. Once you get a smooth paste, add the rest of the milk, blend it once more, serve cold.

Note
Can replace sugar with honey.
While grinding the almonds and strawberries, add as little milk as possible, then only you'll get a smooth paste.
The amount of sugar added depends on the sweetness of the strawberries.

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Punjena jaja i rolovana sunka

Kao sto je rekla moja internetska prijateljica:"Prelijep ukras i dodatak za svecani rucak!"

Ja dodajem,dobra ideja za iskoristiti kuhana jaja i ugostiti se na drugaciji nacin !!

PUNJENA JAJA

jaja

*malo maslaca

*malo persuna

*malo soli,senfa,kiselog vrhnja

*slani incuni ili kapari

Tvrdo kuhana jaja ohladiti, oguliti i prerezati popola.

Izvaditi žumance i propasirati ga vilicom. Maslac posoliti i popapriti pa ga izraditi vilicom da bude kremast. Pomiješati sa žumancem i dodati malo sitno rezanog peršina.

Tom smjesom puniti polovice bjelanjaka, žlicom ili staviti smjesu u vrećicu za ukrašavanje sa ravnim nastavkom i napraviti valove..

Ukrasiti slanim inćunima ili srdelama i sitno rezanim peršinom.

Umjesto inćuna možete staviti kapare.

* malo,znaci onoliko koliko vas ukus zahtjeva,jaja koliko imate i zelite,punite sa ovom smjesom,ja sam imala 4 jajeta,koje sam prerezala na pola i dodala 2 zlice maslaca i dodavala po ikusu soli,senfa,zlicu kiselog vrhnja

I jos jedan divan recept......

ROLNICE OD SUNKE I HRENA

kuhana sunka
slatko vrhnje
hren iz tube ili teglice
(gotov kupljen)
ili domaci hren narendati

Ponovo  je recept raden na kolicini sunke koju sam imala....

Svaku snitu sunke,premazati cvrsto ulupanim vrhnjem u koje dodati hren,zatim je urolati kao rolat.

Servirati sa kuhanjim jajima.

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Kothavarangai Poriyal/ Cluster Beans Curry

          Kothavarangai also known as Guar Beans and Cluster Beans is widely used in Indian cooking. In Southern India, the kothavarangai paruppu usili is a very common dish. In my house, I also make this simple poriyal/ curry with it, the chana dal and fresh coconut added to the curry gives it a nice taste and it goes well with rice and dal or sambar..

Need To Have

• Kothavarangai - 2 cups, chopped
• Dried Red Chilly - 1
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Chana Dal/ Bengal Gram - 21/2 tablespoons
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoon
• Curry Leaves - 5 to 10
• Salt - to taste

Method

          Heat some oil, add the mustard seeds and chana dal, when the mustard seeds starts spluttering, add the asafoetida, dried red chilly and curry leaves. Mix once and add the chopped cluster beans, salt and about 1/4 cup water. Mix, cover and cook on reduced heat till the vegetable is done, soft to the bite. Remove the lid, mix in the grated coconut and switch off.

Note
You can do the same curry with regular french beans, but cluster beans has a unique taste.
You'll find cluster beans in Indian and some Chinese or Korean grocery stores.
If the cluster beans is really tender, then the water that I have given is enough, if you feel that the vegetable is not cooked, sprinkle some more water and cook a little longer.

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