HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2012

When the clock strikes twelve on December 31st, people all over the world cheer and wish each other a very Happy New Year. For some, this event is no more than a change of a calendar. For others, the New Year symbolizes the beginning of a better tomorrow. So, if you look forward to a good year ahead, start the New Year with happiness and Love.

I wish you Good Health...
So you may enjoy each day in comfort.

I wish you the Love of friends and family...
And Peace within your heart.

I wish you the Beauty of nature...
That you may enjoy the work of God.

I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities...
For those things that really matter in life.

I wish you Generosity so you may share...
All good things that come to you.

I wish you Happiness and Joy...
And Blessings for the New Year.

I wish you the best of everything...
That you so well deserve.

Wish all my visitors a Wonderful, Healthy, Prosperous & Happy New Year, 2012!

(Picture & Message Courtesy: Unknown Fwd. Mail)

Tea!

If you ask me Dog or Cat? I would say Dog,

If you ask me Action or Romance? I would say Romance,

But, if you ask me Filter Coffee or Instant Coffee, I would say Tea always! Not just for the benefits it posses, but also for its taste.

A cup of Tea, a morning opener, a stress buster, a companion and many more...to make our moments perfect! On a drizzly day or a winter evening, sitting amidst a greeny lawn with your favorite book in one hand and a cup of hot tea in the other...what more can you ask for!

 

From the 3-Roses Ad. endorsed by Trisha-Vikram, we know that Tea-Drinking is not just a habit, but healthy as well. Believe or not, Tea by nature is rich in flavanoids, amino acids, vitamins (C, E and K), caffeine and polysaccharides. Also, tea drinking has proven to be helpful in cell-mediated immune function of the human body.

With few intricacies added to our regular-tea-making (boil water, add tea dust, milk and sugar), we can make it medicinal for healthy living!


 A. Perfect Masala Chai

Its not just chai...but the timely infusion of the leaves in hot water, with the blending of the grounded masala along with milk and sugar, makes it a perfect 'Masala Chai'!

Benefits:

High in Antioxidants

Helps Protect Against Cold & Flu
Helps Restore Mental Alertness or Wakefulness When Experiencing Fatigue
Promotes Healthy Digestion
Alleviates Abdominal Bloatedness, Fullness and Pressure
Aids in Weight Control

For the Masala, you need:

1/4 cup cinnamon, cut into small pieces

1/8 cup cloves 

1/4 cup black peppercorns

1/4 cup cardamom 

6 black cardamoms

1/4 cup mace (javantri), broken into pieces

1/2 nutmeg (grated)

1/4 cup dried ginger powder (Chukku)
a pinch of fennel seeds

 

Method:

1. Mildly roast all the above for a minute, cool and grind to powder form
2. Store in air tight container, in refrigerator
3. Life time upto 3 months.

Making the Chai - 

Ingredients:

Milk - 1cup

Water - 1 1/2 cups

Tea Leaves - 2 1/2 tsp

Chai Masala - 1/2 tsp

Sugar to taste

Method:

1. Bring Water to boil and add the tea leaves
2. Now, when the leaves are infused, add the milk and chai masala
3. When tea raises in the pot, add sugar and simmer for 2 minutes and filter to cup
4. Masala Chai is ready to be served

(Pour tea back and forth between the pot and the cup once, to make the froth)


B. Pudhina (Mint) Tea

Benefits:

Improves digestion, helps recover indigestion, and daily intake after meals helps Weight Control

Method:

1. Bring Water to boil and add the tea leaves
2. Now, when the leaves are infused, add the milk and fresh mint leaves
3. When tea raises in the pot, add sugar and simmer for 2 minutes and turn it off
4. Allow it to stand in the pot for 1 more minute and then filter to the cup

(Note: Pudhina Tea wihout Tea leaves, milk and sugar is more effective i.e. only the pudhina leaves infused in hot water)
C. Ginger & Pepper Tea

Benefits:

Good for digestion, helps recover from common cold, and acts soothing on the affected throat

Method:

1. Bring Water to boil and add 1-2 cm sized peeled-crushed ginger/ or 3 crushed pepper corns/ or a combination of both
2. Now add the tea leaves and 1 crushed cardamom
3. When the leaves are fully infused, add milk
4. When tea raises in the pot, add sugar and simmer for 2 minutes and turn it off and serve


D. Omani Tea

Omani Cuisine means richness, in all its recipes. Whether it be a simple bread or rice, each recipe will be rich in its own kind. Likewise, their tea has no exception! The Omani Tea with its unique aroma and ditinguishing flavor redefines the usual or original taste of tea.

Benefits:

Presence of Oregano makes it high in Antioxidant vitamins and antibacterial as well
Saffron is a golden spice that provides numerous medicinal benefits
Helps Restore Mental Alertness or Wakefulness

Ingredients: 

Milk - 1cup

Water - 1 1/2 cups

Tea Leaves - 2 1/2 tsp (Preferably Mumtaz Tea, Omani)

Saffron - a pinch

Rose Water - 1/4 tsp

Oregano - a pinch

Cardamom - 2 Nos.

Sugar to taste

Method:

1. Bring Water to boil and add the tea leaves
2. Now, when the leaves are infused, add the milk and crushed cardamom
3. When tea raises in the pot, add sugar, saffron, Rose Water and Oregano, and simmer for 2 minutes & turn it off
4. Allow it to stand in the pot for 1 more minute and then filter to the cup

(Note: Like all other beverages/medicines, even tea has its own negative effects. So for better results and healthy living, consume Tea in limited & controlled quantities, without becoming addicted to it!)

Kozhi Kozhumbu (Chicken Curry)

May there be a flower without fragrance, or a movie without heroine...but can there be a food blog without a chicken recipe?...incomplete right!

Here is my first chicken recipe, to make it complete!

(Warning! Prepare yourself with adequate Idly/Dosa batter, or be ready to slurp uncountable Appams...as this Kozhi Kozhumbu is sure to deplete all your batter with its incredible taste and mesmerizing aroma)

Ingredients: 

Chicken: 1/2 kg (washed and marinaded in 1 tsp lemon juice, 2 tbs curd and little turmeric powder)

Sesame Oil - Adequate (sesame oil gives the traditional taste of kozhikozhumbu; you can even use oil of your choice)

Onion: 1 cup

Tomato: 1 cup

Ginger-Garlic Paste - 3 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli Powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Corriander Powder - 2 tsp

Garam Masala/Meat Masala - 1 tsp

Aromatic Spices - Cardamom - 3 nos, Clove - 3 Nos, Cinnamon - 2 medium sticks, Bay Leaf - 1 medium, Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Poppy Seeds - 3/4 tsp (freshly roasted)

Bengal Gram (Potukadalai) - 2 tsp

Cashewnuts - 6 Nos.

Coconut Scrapped - 1/2 cup

Curry Leaves - a bunch

Cilantro - as required 

Water - 1-2 cups

Preparation:

1. In 1/4 cup water soak the cashews and roasted poppy seeds for a while

2. Marinade chicken as mentioned above for 1-2 hours

3. Using less oil finely saute the chopped onion, tomato, Ginger-Garlic Paste, followed by fennel seeds. Cool, grind and keep aside

4. Make a fine paste of the coconut scrap, soaked cashews, poppy seeds and potukadalai

Method:

1. Heat oil in a thick bottomed wok, fry the aromatic spices

2. Now add the grounded onion-tomato paste and cook till done

3. Now add the chicken, and after 5 minutes add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and corriander powder along with required quantity of water

4. Now, when the masalas and spices have blended well with the chicken (takes approx. 10 minutes), add the garam masala powder and give a good mix

5. Add the coconut paste at this stage, and cook till the oil starts to separate

6. Now add salt, curry leaves and drizzle 2 tsps of oil on top, and cook for 2 more minutes

7. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro; Kozhi Kozhumbu is ready!

Burgol Kesari

For those who want a change, who want something new!...Heres a new "Kesari"!

Unlike the usual kesari made from Semolina (Sooji/Rava), i have used Burgol for this discovery of mine. Yes, it is easy to make, simple to eat, all the more palatable and healthy too!

You Need:

Burgol (Broken Wheat/Wheat Rava/Gothumai Ravai): 1 cup
sugar: 3/4 - 1 cup (as per your taste)
Water - 2 1/2 cups
Saffron/Kesar Powder - a pich for the color & aroma
Ghee - 3 tbs
Fennel Seed Powder - a pinch (optional, you can even use clove powder/ or aniseed powder)
Cardamom - 3 pcs
Cashew Nuts - 4-5 pcs
Raisins - 4-5 pcs
a pinch of salt

Method:

1. Using 1 tsp of ghee, roast the bargol, cashew nuts, raisins, cardamom along with Fennel Seeds Powder, and keep aside

2. Now bring water to boil along with the saffron powder and salt

3. Now, add the roasted bargol along with other items

4. stir well without any lumps

5. close the lid and allow the burgol to cook  (process similar to rava kesari/ or rava upuma)

6. Now, when burgol is fully cooked with all water being absorbed, add the sugar and rest of the ghee

7. Turn-off stove after 3 minutes, or when sugar/ghee separates in the pan (when reaches the kesari consistency)

8. Top-it-up with few more ghee-roasted nuts (optional) and enjoy!

Time to bake some buns!

I love exploring about food, cooking them, blogging about them, and...not surprisingly, my food list has buns too!

Well...Iam still an amateur when it comes to baking buns. I tried baking these delicious ones...and believe me, nobody can now stop me from baking them again or eating them! Though it leaves behind a messy kicthen with alot of dishes in your sink...it is all the more fun, with little patience involved!

Click on, for the Recipes!

Morning Buns & Croissants

Cinnamon Rolls & Poppy Seed Rolls

Karamani (Black-Eyed-Beans) Kozhumbu

I know its been a real long time since i posted any Madras Recipes...heres one!

The difference between other Karaikozhumbu and Authentic-Madras-Karakozhumbu is, we strictly do not use sambar podi, roasted kadali parupu powder and any other aromatic spices cinnamon/clove/fennel) or their masala (garam masala) for our kozhumbu. Also, our karakozhumbu is much spicier and will have a thick consistency compared to the other avatars of the same family.

If you visit any house (bearing nativity) in Chennai, you will not be surprised to see a traditional-thick-black-wok full of freshly-prepared or a day or couple of days older karakozhumbu...yes, it is always there for the simple reasons:

* It goes well with any thing (rice/idly/dosai)

* Stays for longer days (without refrigerating...but requires reheating twice a day...and yes it becomes more thicker and tastes like honey)

* Is economical! compared to sambar that needs dal, which many of our people cannot afford.

Each time I prepare this, I try to keep up my mom's and paati's (Vembuli paati) taste...Am still trying!

Here i go!

You Need:

Karamani/Black-Eyed-Beans - 1 1/2 cups (soaked in water for 3-4 hrs), Pressure cooked for 3-4 whistles
Small Lemon Sized Tamarind - soaked in 1/2 cup water
Sesame oil - adequate
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 6 seeds
Onion - 1 (medium sized, finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 (medium sized, finely chopped)
Garlic - 6-7 (crushed)
Curry leaves - a bunch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds Powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
Corriander Powder - 2 tsp
Asfoetida - a pinch
Salt - as per your taste
Water - 1 1/2 cups

Method:

1. Heat oil, fry mustard, channa dal, fenugreek seeds, and when done add the onions

2. Meantime, extract tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind without using much water (keep in mind it should be thick, so use only 2 cups of water for the entire recipe). Now, to the extracted tamarind water add turmeric powder, chilli powder, corriander powder, asofetida and little curry leaves, mix well and keep aside

3. Now when onions are nicely fried, add the tomatoes and garlic, close the lid and cook till the tomatoes are finely cooked without being watery

4. When tomatoes are done, add the cooked karamani (if you wish to use vegetables, you can add them at this step) cook for 2 minutes (or till the vegetables are fried enough)

5. Now, add the tamarind-masala water, mix well, add salt and close the lid

6. Cook till the oil is left separately (this will take app. 10 - 15 minutes)

7. Now, add the remaining curry leaves and sprinkle over the cumin seeds powder and pepper powder, (without stirring) cook for 2 more minutes and it is done

8. Keep the lid closed for sometime...when opened, the aroma is sure to float around your kitchen!

This Kozhumbu has no limitations for the choice of vegetable to be used...you can use any vegetable (brinjal, potato, pumpkin, drumstick, yam), or any dry seed/sprout (karamani, mochai, kondakadalai), or even karuvadu (dry fish)...its your creativity & taste!

Ven Pongal & Rava Pongal

Ven Pongal/Pongal

Iam sure this dish will be a favorite for many of us. Though the main ingredient of this recipe is rice, we would not hesitate to have it for breakfast or dinner! This one among the VIP (Vadai-Idly-Pongal) combo, is a staple in all our South Indian Hotels' menu, festivals, auspicious days, as 'prasadam' in temples, marriages...and the list goes on!

This festive food is easy to make and rich in taste as well! The blend of finely cooked lentils with mashed rice and some fried nuts, spices along with the magical aroma of ghee makes it all the more delicious and lip-smacking!

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 cup

Moong dal - 1/4 cup

Grated ginger - 1 teaspoon

Green chilli - 1 split

Black pepper corns - 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Ghee - 3-4 tablespoons

Bunch of curry leaves for seasoning

Roasted cashewnuts - 12

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Water - 4 cups normal water, 1 cup hot water

Boiled Milk - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash rice and moong dal and rinse completely. Cook the rice and moong dal with 4 cups of water, cumin seed and salt in the pressure cooker for upto 6 whistles

2. Meantime, heat ghee in a small wok, fry the pepper corns, curry leaves, ginger, chilli and finely when done add the asafoetida

3. Now, add the hot water and milk to the cooked rice and dal, and mash-mix well (more hot water can be added depending upon the pongal consistency)

4. Now, add the fried items to this and mix gently

5. Pongal is ready!

Rava/Sooji (Semolina) Pongal

1. For this pongal, substitute rice with 1 cup of ghee roasted rava

2. Cook the roasted rava in 3 cups of boiling water

3. Pressuse cook 1/4 cup moong dal

4. Mix the cooked rava and dal along with the fried items (same as above) and salt

5. Rava Pongal is ready! (the taste of this pongal is as good as Ven Pongal made of rice)

Pongal goes well with many sidedishes, whether it be a simple coconut chutney or kathirikai gotsu (egg plant curry), it tastes like heaven!

My personal choice is kathirikai sambar, along with medhu vadai!

Tomato Rice (Thakali Sadam)

Like every Tom, Dick & Harry will love bread...every one of us from the south would love to open our lunch boxes filled with 'Lemon Rice & Potato fry' or 'Pulisadam & Masalvadai'...Drooling right!

The 'Thakalisadam & Muttai' combo sharing one such chemistry is equally good! We (hubby & I) love it!

Out of the myriads of methods and recipes for making tomato rice, this is my fav!

Ingredients:

Rice: Basmati/Ponni - 2 cups

Freshly prepared coconut milk - 2 cups

Mustard seed: 1/2 tsp, Channa dal/Kadalai parupu: 1/2 tsp, Urid dal/ulundu: 1/2 tsp

Spices: Fennel Seeds (sombu/saunf), Bay leaf (biryani elai), Cloves (lavangam), Cinnamon stick (pattai) - as per your spice level

Masala: Chilli powder - 1 tsp, Corriander powder (dhaniya) - 1 tsp, Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp, Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

Vegetables: Onion (Big) - 1, Tomatoes - 3 (or 4 depending upon the size), Garlic - 4 pcs, Corriander & Mint leaves, Curry leaves - All finely chopped

Oil & Salt for taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in pressure cooker and fry mustard seeds, channa dal, urid dal and all the spices

2. Now, add the chopped onions

3. Then when onion is done, add the chopped tomatoes followed by garlic, cover the cooker with a plate and allow it to fry till the tomatoes are done withoit raw flavor

4. At this level you can wash the Basmati rice and drain the water and keep aside

5. Now, add all the masala and cook for 2 minutes

6. Now, you can add the rice into the cooker and gently stir it for 1-2 minutes without breaking the rice

7. Now add salt, coconut milk and then 1 cup water

8. Close the cooker with its lid and cook for 2 - 3 whistles (my rice got cooked in 2 whistles), wait and open the lid

9. Finaly, garnish with finely chopped corriander and mint leaves



10. Ready to go!

Tastes heaven with raitha, or boiled egg!

(Note: for pressure cooking 2 cups of basmati rice you normally need 3 cups of water, but since you are using 2 cups of coconut milk, reduce water to 1 cup (if your rice needs more cooking, then increase the water level)

Ragi-Choco Muffin

I know its been a long time since i last blogged!

A lot of Islamic-and-National holidays, along with mom-dad's visit to Muscat, the lovely rain, cold weather and some paintings...kept me busy and lazy all these days!

Now that Mom-Dad have left to India, and work also had resumed...iam back in tune with my daily chores and blogging as well.Day-before-yesterday when i was getting bored and had nothing interesting to do...just felt like baking something new!

The result was this nutritious, protien rich Muffin!

Ingredients:

Self raising/all purpose flour – 1 Cup
Ragi flour – 1/2 Cup
Light Brown Sugar – 3/4 cup
Ground Cinnamon – 1/4 tsp
Crushed wall nuts - 1/4 cup
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Butter – 30 gms (@ room temp)
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
Veg Oil - 3-4 tsps (i used olive oil)
Milk (@ room temperature): 120 ml
Eggs - 2
Cooking chocolate - 4 pieces

Choco chips - as required for the topping

Method:

1. Pre heat the oven to 180 C for 10 minutes

2. Line the muffins tray with muffins paper

3. Beat the wet and dry ingredients separately

4. Then combine them gently together and mix them

5. Divide the mixture between the prepared muffin tray, and top them with choco chips (i used some white chocolate chips too)

6. Bake for 20 minutes at 180 C

7. cool for 20 minutes, and enjoy it simply or with butter.