POHA CHIVDA SUBZI

A substitute to the Pav bhaji subzi made to serve along with pav or bread.   Poha chivda is normally served as snacks with coffee tea.   when it substitutes the subzi, a nice curry is formed to have it with pav or bread.

Subzis are made with vegetables normally, but this subzi is quite different from the normal subzis.  I made this subzi with the left over poha chivda which was lying in a container for two weeks.  As my husband was about to throw the same, I said keep it.  

I was breaking my head what to do with it and the recipe is here for you viewers.  easy, tasty and lovely subzi which can be served with Pav or bread.

poha chivda subzi video

SUNDAL MASALA POWDER

Sundal masala powder can be made and stored.  this can be used for making tomato based curries too.
sundal is made out of chana, moong etc. during Navarathi.  Normally, coconut and green chilli is used but this powder is also equally good for the sundal.

AJAWAIN PATTA AMBE HALAD CHUTNEY

ajwain is good for health and got medicinal values.  along with this, if we add some more ingredients which have also medicinal values, then it is worth trying this recipe.  When my neighbour was having some stomach related issues, I made this chutney for her along with idli and she liked it very much. However, the post remained in the draft.

Today, again, I remembered because my daughter was not well hence I made this and decided to post it.  Previously, when I made it, I did not shoot the same.  Today, I have taken the video as well as fresh photograph too.

Since I have got the plant in my balcony, I feel free  to make the ajwain patta  bhajia and chutney any time.

THENGAI KOOTAN

Thengai means coconut and kootan means curry.  Thengai kootan is made out of coconut and some vegetables.  I tasted this dish only after my marriage.  When my mother in law made this, I liked it very much and it became part of  the dish once in a week.  I love to have this some chutta pappadam (roasted papad).  It is a simple preparation with or without vegetables and handy when you are having unexpected guests at home. 

(Tamarind is used for making this.  But due to health issues, I avoid tamarind and use amchur powder or bit sour curd too.)

This can be served with plain rice, sevai, idli and dosa too.

 video:  thengai kootan

CUCUMBER COOLER A HEALTH DRINK

Cucumber, ginger, coriander and lime.  a cool drink which has got many health benefits.  It helps in digestion, cooling the body, cholesterol, blood pressure etc. etc.

POHA KUZHIPANIYARAM

Poha kuzhipaniyaram or appam (savory) is made with the left over idli  batter and kande pohe.  I had some left over idli batter and kade pohe in fridge which I did not want to waste.  So I mixed up both and made the kuzhipaniyaram and served hot.  No accompaniments, the piping hot paniyaram was tasty.

RICE STARCH CALULIFLOWER GREENS SAMBAR

Rice Starch, Kanji is very good for health.  It can also be used as starch for the cotton clothes, washing hair, face, body etc.  During my childhood, my mother used to keep the rice water (kanji) overnight and used for washing hair along with Shikakai   powder.

Since the Kanji is beneficial, I thought of making sambar with the kanji.  Let us look at the recipe now:

watch the video : rice starch cauliflower greens sambar

SHIKAKAI POWDER BENEFITS

What is Shikakai?

Shikakai (literally translates to "hair-fruit" or "fruit for hair") is a shrub-like tree that grows in central India. It has been used for centuries as a cleanser for hair, body, and pretty much anywhere else a cleanser might come in handy. What sets this plant apart from the rest is that shikakai actually lathers moderately because its bark has saponins, which foam up when shaken in water, similar to soap.
Some people who have used the "no ’poo" method love it but still miss the suds from commercial shampoo. Shikakai could be the solution for this problem. It's all natural, but it still foams up. Yay!
Shikakai is very high in vitamin C as well as vitamins A, D, E, and K, antioxidants which are essential for healthy and rapid hair growth. These vitamins provide the hair follicles with the necessary micronutrients to help hair grow fast and healthy.
Shikakai looks very similar to tamarind. Its seed comes inside a pod. The seed, or fruit, is then dried, mixed with the leaves and bark, and ground into a very fine powder. That's the reason the shampoo also lathers. This powder is then made into a paste and applied to hair.
The good news is that we no longer have to make our own powder. We can just buy it and follow these instructions. But before you go and buy your own bottle, let's examine the benefits of shikakai.

Common name: Shikakai, Soap-pod • Hindi: Kochi, रीठा Reetha, शिकाकाई Shikakai • Marathi: रीठा Reetha • Tamil: Shika, Sheekay, Chikaikkai • Malayalam: Cheeyakayi, Chinik-kaya, Shikai, Cheenikka • Telugu: Cheekaya, Chikaya, Gogu • Kannada: Sheegae, Shige kayi, Sigeballi • Oriya: Vimala • Urdu: Shikakai • Assamese: Amsikira, Kachuai, Pasoi tenga, Suse lewa • Sanskrit: Bahuphenarasa, Bhuriphena, Charmakansa, Charmakasa, Phenila
Botanical name: Acacia concinna    Family: Mimosaceae (Touch-me-not family)
Synonyms: Acacia hooperiana, Acacia sinuata, Mimosa concinna

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Shikakai Benefits: A Quick Look

• Shikakai has been used for hundreds of years in India as a shampoo and body wash.
• Shikakai bark has saponines, which make the powder foam up much like soap.
• Shikakai is known to promote hair growth, beauty, and strength.
• Shikakai has low pH levels, which means it won't strip hair of its natural oils.

The Benefits of Shikakai

One of the greatest benefits of using shikakai as a regular cleanser is that it is all natural, so you won’t have to worry about any harsh chemicals seeping into your body. But there are many other benefits, such as:

• Shikakai has very low pH levels, which means your hair won’t be stripped of its natural oils.
• Works as a shampoo and detangler at the same time. Since shikakai does not strip your hair of its natural oils, there's less chances of your hair getting all tangled up.
• Prevents and eliminates dandruff.
• Nourishes hair, making it grow faster and stronger.
• Can be used as shampoo, face cleanser, and body soap. This means there will be less bottles taking up precious shower space.
• Strengthens and conditions hair.
• Keeps hair moisturized and shiny.
• Protects the scalp from fungal infections and even hair lice.
• Helps delay the appearance of gray hairs.
• Strengthens hair roots.

 

POHA IDLI

Idli is the main South Indian breakfast dish prepared by all over the world now.  It is soft, tasty and even when you are sick, this can be served as it is steamed hence do no harm.

Varieties of Idlis are made, normal idli, kanjeevaram idli, tuvar dal idli, jowar idli, corn meal idli and the list is endless.

Here I made the Poha Idli which turned out super soft and could not believe it.   Hence I am sharing it with you all.  This can be prepared without much hassles.

CORN MEAL PARATHA, MAKAI PARATHA

Corn meal paratha or makai paratha is made out of corn meal or maize flour.  There is a difference between corn flour and corn meal.  corn flour looks white and is very fine powder which is a thickening agent whereas  corn meal looks yellow, slightly rava consistency and is used for making corn meal dosa, corn meal adai, corn meal idli, makai ki roti, paratha  etc.

After making the makai ki roti, there was left over dough with me so I decided to make paratha out of it.  It was quite tasty along with the Maa ki daal.  I chose to have this because once I had eaten this combination in one of the Punjabi restaurant. 

corn meal paratha video

SARSON KA SAAG

Sarson ka saag is a North Indian Dish.  It is a winter special.  I happened to taste this dish in one of the marriage party.  On that day it was quite cold,  my friend who was a punjabi told me to try this dish as I never eaten this before.  She said you would love this.  So we both went to that counter and took one makai ki roti and little bit of saag as I never tasted it before.  I thought I will go for more if I like it.

Though I was eating the dish for the first time, it was served hot, I could not resist myself as it was awesome along with some pickle and onion.  I ate around three roti along with the saag.  

I asked her to give me the recipe, she said, I only know to eat, you must ask my mother for the recipe.  But she was kind enough to write and bring the recipe for me.  I am sharing the same with you all.

Sarson means mustard and saag means greens.  So you must have got the name yes mustard greens.  few other greens are also added to this viz.palak, radish, methi, bhatua etc.  I have taken only three main ingredients i.e. mustard greens, palak and bhatua as the bunches were quite big and the vendor was not giving me half of it as I do not need so much. 

 


 Still I brought the same, prepared  and shared  the saag with my friends and told them to make makai ki roti and Rinku was kind enough to prepare the hot roti and we all enjoyed it. 

It tastes so good but at the same time, it is very time consuming and take your half day almost.  So If you are working, prepare the same on weekly off day.  You need lots of  patience to  prepare this  yummy dish.  

MAKAI KI ROTI

Makai ki roti is the North Indian  flat bread  speciality of Punjabis.  This is served normally with sarson ka saag.  It can also be served with Palak saag, bhatua saag and can be served plain with a cup of tea also.

During winter, the combination of sarson ka saag and makki di roti is good to keep your body warm.  People are bit confused with  maize flour or corn meal and corn flour.  Corn flour is a very fine  starch,  white in colour made out of corn, used as a thickening agent whereas maize flour or corn meal is yellow in colour, which is used for making idli, dosa, paratha and the roti.  makai adai, corn meal dosa  I have already posted.

I happened to taste this dish in a punjabi wedding and liked it very much but never thought of making it at home. Ever since I started the blog, I was thinking of making it but could only do it in the past week.

It was an amazing experience for me to make the roti with the saag.  But unfortunately, my husband and daughter could not taste it as they were out of town.

BITTER GOURD PULIKACHAL

Pulikachal is a tangy tamarind (puli in Tamil) sauce. This is an ideal side dish for Molagootal, Thair Sadam, Idly and Dosai.  Also, you can mix this with plain rice and serve.  It can be stored in fridge for few months, if handled properly. This can be served as pickle too. Normally,  this is part of the feast in South India especially in Kerala.

The tanginess, sweet and sour has to be balanced for the real taste of it.  Let us look at the recipe now:

This recipe was shared with me by my neighbour Kamala Vaidyanathan.

PAPAYA KESARI

Kesari is a sweet dish made with suji, sugar during festivals and also for weddings.  Normally we add kaju kishmish etc. in this but  I have made papaya kesari with little twist in it.  This dish came out very well.    This can be cut into pieces and serve or can be scooped too.

Let us  look at the recipe now:

Ingredients:

400 gm  ripe papaya
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup  milk
2 tbsp suji
2 drops of vanilla essence
1 tsp grated coconut
3 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp charoli
1 tbsp musk melon seeds
kaju, pistachios as you wish
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp corn flour  (optional)

Method:

cut the papaya into cubes, add sugar, 1/2 cup  water and pressure cook the same for 4-5 whistles. cool and grind to a smooth paste along with the corn flour and essence.

In a kadai, heat ghee, add the rava and roast it like you roast the same for the sheera.  add the milk and cook the same till the milk is dried up.  add the papaya puree, grated coconut  into it and cook till it starts leaving the sides of the kadai.  add the charoli, little dry fruits, mix well and transfer it into a greased plate.

garnish with the melon seeds and remaining nuts.   cool it, keep it in fridge.  then cut into desired shape if you wish or serve scooped out with spoon.

This is a different kind of kesari.  Hope u all will like it and do post your comments on the blog and share it on FB.

THANKS FOR VISITING THE BLOG.  YOUR SUGGESTIONS ARE MOST WELCOME.

MATTAR POD KOOTU

When you buy next time the fresh green peas, do not discard the pods.  the same can be used for making lovely subzis.

I have already posted two subzis.  this is the third post.  mattar pod subzi


Mattar pod kootu is a side dish I prepared for the chapati and also to be served along with the sambar rice today.  If you add little more water and make into a running consistency, it can be called as Molagootal and served as a main dish too.

The preparation is with coconut based gravy and a mild dish.  Even the small children can be fed with this as it is not spicy at all.



video: mattar pod kootu

Let us look at the recipe now:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mattar pod chopped (see the video how to clean the mattar pod)
1/4 piece of potato chopped or a small potato
fistful of sweet corn
fistful of fresh green peas
1/4 cup moong dal
turmeric powder
salt

Tempering:

1 tsp oil
1 tsp urid dal
1 tsp mustard dal
a piece of red chilli
curry leaves

to roast and grind

1 tsp oil
1 tsp urid dal
1 small piece of red chilli
2 tbsp grated coconut
1/4 tsp cumin seeds

Method:

Heat oil in kadai, roast the urid dal and chili, keep aside.  grind together with the coconut and cumin seed by adding little water to a smooth paste.

wash and soak the moongdal for 15 minutes in water.

In the same kadai, boil water.  add the moongdal, vegetables in the water and cook till soft by adding turmeric and salt.  ensure that the same are cooked till soft and not mushy.   add the ground paste in it and bring to boil.  temper with the ingredients mentioned under tempering.  serve hot with chapati or as a side dish for sambar, rasam rice.

Note:  By adding little extra water, it becomes molagootal an can be served as a main dish too with rice, chapati.

BHATUA KOOTU

Bhatua is a leafy vegetable which is added to the sarson (mustard greens) for making sarson ka saag.  Recently I made sarson ka saag and a cup of bhatua was balance in my fridge.  Though I have not made any dish with this greens, I tried the kootu today.   The kootu is made in different ways but this is a unique one you will agree with me.

I used little moongdal, coconut paste made for avial.  something weird right.  What happened was I made avial today and the coconut paste was too much for the quantity of vegetable I boiled.  So I had kept some paste of that which I used for this kootu.

PAPAYA HALVA ll HOW TO MAKE PAPAYA HALVA

Papaya has a delicious sweet taste with a soft butter like consistency.  Papaya is also a rich source of antioxidant nutrients such as carotenes, vitamin C and flavonoids,  the B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid,  and the minerals, potassium and magnesium,  and fiber. The pulp of this fruit is also a basic component of many facial creams, and shampoos.    Papaya is actually a wholesome fruit as it contains more Carotene when compared to other fruits like apple, custard apple, guava and plantains. Not being an expensive fruit, papaya is a common man’s fruit which is beneficial in many ways.

This version is very simple, easy and tasty too.  I was having a big papaya in fridge and no one wants to eat it.  When I cut it, it was not tasting that sweet hence there is no chance of  using it except for some custard or fruit salad or some sweets with it.   Hence I tried this version of halva with only the papaya, sugar and bit ghee and  corn flour.

I have already posted two recipes of papaya halva one with raw papaya   the link is here:   raw papaya halva.  

the other one with ripe papaya halva in www.simpleindianrecipes.com where I used to share my recipes before I started my blog.   

Let us look at the recipe now:

TOMATO SAAR

One of my colleague always used to bring this tomato saar as she loves it along with the steamed rice and ghee.  For lunch, even I used to enjoy.  When I asked her the recipe, she was ready to share the same with me.

Tomato saar is made with tomatoes, coconut and spices.  This can be served as a soup and with steamed rice too.  You will need fully ripe tomatoes for this.  Very easy to prepare and  quite appetizing.  

MATTAR POD SUBZI

Before reading this recipe, request the viewers first to watch the video how to clean the matter pod.

During winter, we get lot of matter i.e fresh green peas.  Though I do not like this much, at times, it is ok for me to make the subzi. 

Yesterday, my colleague, Mrs. Ranjana Narkar brought the subzi made out of the pod.  I was quite surprised as it tasted awesome.  As usual, when I taste something different, I always ask for the recipe and she shared the recipe with me which I am sharing with you all.  I am sure, definitely you all will like it.

I would like to share some important thing about this subzi is that while peeling the pod, you have to be very careful as a thin membrane like part which looks like a plastic piece after removing it.  It has to be removed very carefully.  I am making this subzi for the first time and it came out very well.  While peeling the pod, you will be bored and give up.  But once your hand is set on to it, you will not stop yourself.

I have taken video of the same and uploaded on you tube. how to clean the matter pod.
mattar pod subzi



  You can watch that and go ahead with making the subzi.  Remember, you need tender pods and not the dried ones.

ORANGE RASAM

Rasam or chaaru or saaru is  a South Indian Soup traditionally prepared with tamarind  juice, with the addition of tomato, boiled lentils and spices.  Rasam varieties are endless.  This can be served as an appetizer.  Normally, it is a feeling in South Indian household that whenever you are having fever, rasam is prepared (normally served rasam rice).  

Normally the rasam is prepared with boiled lentils, but I have made it in a different way here.

But let me tell you that myself and my elder brother is quite satisfied with any kind of rasam and we love to eat the rice with rasam and chutta pappadam (roasted papad).  We do not want anything more than that.

Coming back to the Orange rasam, it is prepared with the orange juice and rind.  Today, my husband is bit unwell and the servant did not turn up for making rotis.  Hence he told me to prepare rasam  rice for him.  while preparing rasam,i happened to see one orange lying in the fridge. Hence thought of utilising the same.  It was really awesome and I could not resist myself I just drank the bowlful of piping hot rasam, really enjoyed.

RIPE BANANA HALVA

Halva is not liked by children and never bothered to eat that whenever I make it.  They will taste and say yes it is good or bad can post or not that is all.  

Banana halva is easy to make and a lovely side dish for chapati.  I love to eat banana halva and chapati. 

After the Satyanarayana pooja at home, around a dozen bananas were lying in the fruit tray and nobody wants to eat because it is over ripe.  I was thinking of making banana halva since so many days, so got the chance to try my hand on it.

When I started peeling it, I realised that four out of the 12 are very bad.  So I got 8 out of them.

POHA CORN BALLS

Poha corn balls were very tasty and liked by everyone at home as well as my friends.  First time I made it when I had  made Kande Pohe.  The poha soaked was in excess so I had to keep aside a cup of it.  Was wondering what to do with it and tried with corn and bit tuvar dal and was quite successful in making the same.
 

I made it for the second time on 28th November 2014 for my neighbour Anjali & Rahul's  wedding anniversary.

This is a kids friendly recipe as kids will love to eat this.  You can serve this as starter too.   So when you are having Kitty party, next time, you can try your hand on this.

You can prepare the same instantly provided you have corn  in stock in the fridge.  or else you can put some par boiled vegetables like beans,  carrots  etc.

BOONDI LADDU

Boondi laddu is made normally for Diwali, weddings etc.  For the  "Cheeru" means various kinds of Murkuu, laddu etc. are displayed in the mandap for the wedding and given to the Bride grooms family, ofcourse, it is distributed to the relatives of the bride too.

It is a sweet dish liked by everyone.  When my mother in law used to make this dish, I never bothered to see how she is making it and only will go for binding the same into beautiful small balls out it.  But once she was very adamant that I make the same and she will instruct me how to do it.  Though I learnt the technique from her how to make this, I never bothered to repeat the process till I tried the same for my elder brother's 25th Wedding anniversary two years back and uploaded the  boondi laddu  in www.simpleindianrecipes.com.  At that time, I was sharing my recipes with Dahlia, who inspired me to start my own blog.

Coming back to the recipe, it is basically made with bengal gram flour or besan it is known as and very delicious.  My mother in law will make the boondis and put them in the sugar syrup, mix up and keep aside  and she will bind the same next day only.  But I made it after 2 hours and the same came out very well.

In this recipe, there is a slight variation, I have not used rice four.  Today is my silver wedding anniversary (25th), and made it for the party.

watch on you tube
Boondi laddu,  boondi laddu,  boondi laddu     

ORANGE BURFI (WITH MAIDA)

Hello, 



Today is our 25th Wedding Anniversary.  To mark this occasion, thought of posting a sweet dish.  

I have already posted one recipe of Orange burfi made with Mawa and orange pulp.  This is yet another recipe which I made it with Maida.  Though it does not taste like the one which I made with Mawa, you can still enjoy this flavourful dessert for a change.

Now the season of the orange is on, you can enjoy the natural fruit effect in the desserts. Orange is a rich source of vitamin C.    The fruit is low in calories, contains no saturated fats or cholesterol, but is rich in dietary fiber, pectin. Pectin, by its virtue as a bulk laxative, helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon by decreasing its exposure time to toxic substances as well as by binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon. Pectin has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing its re-absorption in the colon by binding to bile acids in the colon. 

Oranges also contain very good levels of vitamin A, and other flavonoid antioxidants such as alpha and beta-carotenes, beta-cryptoxanthin, zea-xanthin and lutein. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for vision. Consumption of natural fruits rich in flavonoids helps the body to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

It is also a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, pyridoxine, and folates. These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish. 

Orange fruit also contains a very good amount of minerals like potassium and calcium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure through countering sodium actions.

BANANA PEEL PULIYITTA KOOTU

Hi viewers, 

Thanks a lot for viewing my blog.  I am presenting a simple and easy kootu variety with best out of waste product.  Yes, that is the banana peel is normally discarded.  We can make a variety of dishes with this.  One such dish is the kootu I am sharing with you.

It is basically prepared in the tamarind sauce.  But if you have any problem in consuming the tamarind, you can also use amchur powder or kokam in place of it.

VERMICELLI THALIPEETH

Thalipeeth is a dish made by Maharashtrians which is quite healthy, tasty and easy to make too.  It is basically made out of mixture of different flour which is also readily available in the market.  However, if you cannot get it, do not worry.  You can bring the whole grains and powder it in the mixer at home.

I used roasted vermicelli, roasted rava, rice flour, wheat flour etc along with shallots, coriander leaves etc and was liked by my children.  Normally, they do not prefer to eat such stuff but it was piping hot directly from the tava to the plate, they enjoyed it along with sauce.

vermicelli thalipeeth video

MATHAN ERISSERY

Mathan erissery is made with Red pumpkin.  You need fully ripe pumpkin for this as the taste is awesome.  You can also make the same with raw banana and yam or only with one of the vegetables.  

This is basically prepared in a coconut sauce which is very very tasty and goes well with rice, chapati etc.

A speciality of Kerala and must for the feast.

mathan erissery you tube

CHURAKKA PULIYITTA KOOTU ( TAMARIND BASED LAUKI CURRY)

Lauki, dudhi  bottlegourd it is known as has got lot of health benefits.  A glass of juice in the empty stomach helps for weight reduction, keeps the cholesterol level under control,  treats in urinary tract infection, reduces inflammation in liver, replenishes water loss as it contains lots of water, keeps heart healthy, treat sleep disorders, helps in digestion, keeps cool the stomach, etc. etc.

As lauki contains almost 96% of water, it is perfect for juice extraction. It is readily available in the market and is affordable too! Moreover, extracting the juice from lauki is not at all difficult. Lauki juice is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B, sodium, iron and potassium. It has low fat and cholesterol level. As a result, this anti-oxidant drink is quite popular among health conscious individuals.

Now coming back to the recipe, the puliyitta kootu means, the lauki is cooked in tamarind sauce along with black boiled chana and chana dal.  we can also use tuvar dal instead of chana dal or only can be done with tuvar dal.  Since tamarind does not suits us, I have replaced the same with amchur powder.  This delicious dish goes well with rice, roti etc.  consistency of the gravy can be decided according to your requirement.

churakka puliyitta kootu you tube

IDLI CHOLEY CHAAT

Chaat recipes are Mumbai's street food and is loved by all.  the Pani puri, dahi puri, ragada pattice etc. etc. the list goes on.  

What about making one at home with left over items.  Seems interesting right.  Yes, it is interesting and yummy too. 

I had some idlis and left over choley in my fridge.  If I serve the same items second time, no one is going to eat it.  Hence I decided to make it a twist and made them to eat which was a hit and was asked for the second serve but unfortunately could not as both the items got over.

Yes, I am talking about idli choley chaat which was a hit in my home and demanded to make it again next day.  The fried idli mixed with choley, onion and tomatoes with the chutneys vow! experience yourself.

idli choley chaat

GINGER CHUTNEY, INJI THOGAYAL

Today I am sharing a chutney or thogayal it is called out of ginger.  It can be served with steamed rice, ghee or gingelly oil or with dal rice, molagootal rice, curd rice or with dosa too.

Ginger helps in curing various diseases.  One among them is indigestion.  Ginger is a herb. The rhizome (underground stem) is used as a spice and also as a medicine. It can be used fresh, dried and powdered, or as a juice or oil.  powdered form is called sunth powder or chukku podi.

Ginger is commonly used to treat various types of stomach ailments,  including motion sickness, morning sickness, colic,  gas, diarrhea, nausea caused by cancer treatment, nausea and vomiting after surgery, as well as loss of appetite.

Other uses include pain relief from arthritis or muscle soreness, menstrual pain, upper respiratory tract infections, cough, and bronchitis. Ginger is also sometimes used for chest pain, low back pain, and stomach pain.

In foods and beverages, ginger is used as a flavoring agent.

In manufacturing, ginger is used as for fragrance in soaps and cosmetics.

It is also used to make various ayurvedic medicines.  In diwali lehyam, ginger is a main ingredient.

ginger chutney, inji thogayal

ORANGE BURFI, SANTRA BURFI

The season of  orange has started and all seasonal fruits are liked by my children and they do not miss them.  Nagpur orange is famous in Maharashtra as well as the Nagpur Orange Burfi.  

I tasted it when one of my friend came from Nagpur and brought this for us.  I was  quite happy to get the box of burfis and without even offering  anyone, started eating it. 

Ever since I tasted that burfi, it was in my mind to try but could not do so for no reason.  This year my husband brought the big fully ripe oranges, I thought, I am not going to miss the chance of making the burfi this time.

I made the burfi in two ways one with mawa and one with maida.  But the most liked one was with mawa hence I am posting the same first and shall post the recipe with maida in due course.

Now the season has started, I preferred  to try the same with the fresh oranges only and not with ready made juice or emulsion.  The result was yummy.

RICE STUFFED CAPSICUM

rice stuffed capsicum is similar to the rice spinach skillet but without the spinach.  This dish is also can be prepared with left over rice.  The capsicum stuffed with rice and egg with spices and topped with cheese yummy when it is served hot.

I made this dish when I prepared the rice spinach skillet and the video was shot  but could not show the end product due to the time it consumed to bake.

RICE SPINACH SKILLET

Rice spinach skillet I made is with the left over rice.  Since we were bored of eating the regular lime rice, curd rice, coconut rice etc. etc. the list is endless of rice varieties, I told my daughter to do something with it.

It was her idea of making the rice spinach skillet dish.  Since she wanted to put on some weight, now a days,  opting for such foods which will increase her weight.  she is very fond of egg and cheese and decided to make something out of it.  This is not only tasty but healthy too.

The onion, spinach, egg and the cheese which is very tempting to try your hand on this dish.

 watch you tube:   rice spinach skillet

ONION UTTAPPAM

Onion uttappam is a tasty breakfast with spicy sambar or chutney.  But my children prefer to eat the same with tomato sauce.  Sauce is part of their dish for almost everything.  The onion, green chilli, dosa milagai podi and the coriander leaves makes this uttappam delicious and DIL MANGE MORE.

You can make this with the left over idli/dosa batter too.   Normally, everyone use the big onions.  If it is made with the Madras onion, the taste is far better than the normal onion which we use.  My father use to make the onion uttappam with shallots ie. madras onion or chinna vengayam or kunjulli.

 Actually this is pending since last year and I totally forgotten about it.  I was checking the recipes in my computer as I wanted to delete the unwanted ones, I came across this and decided to post it today.  There are many recipes pending like this. shall post one by one.

Let us look at the recipe now:

INSTANT FLAXSEED DOSA

I have already posted pumpkin  flaxseed gun powder, flaxseed idli, flaxseed khajur ladoo. The flaxseed powder is substituted for egg in preparation of cake. 

Here I have come up with instant flaxseed dosa which is very easy to make with no hassles provided you have rice flour at home.  The wheat flour will always be there so no tension.  It is a no urid dal recipe so those who are allergic to urid dal can enjoy this dish along with sambar, chutney or milagai podi.

It is very easy, tasty and healthy breakfast.

CAPSICUM CARROT PULAO

carrot capsium pulao is very easy to make and delicious with any kind of raita and papad.  rice varieties are many, you can twist and turn to make anything with the rice.  even the left over rice can be used.

You get Vitamin A and a host of other powerful health benefits including beautiful skin, cancer prevention, and anti-aging.  It is used in salads or as it is eaten  by everyone.  I remember, when we went to Mahabaleshwar, fresh carrots were available and we just could not resist ourselves.  We bought and ate just like that it was yummy.  who will not like the fresh vegetables?

coming back to the pulao, it is very easy to make.

FLAXSEED IDLI

Idli is normally made in every house hold specially South Indian.  But now a days, every one  and every part of the world, this has become famous.  There are various kinds of idlis we can make one among them is flaxseed idli. Link to the varieties of idlis:   chinese idli, kanjeevarm idli, curry patta idli,    jowar idli,      curry patta idli fry.   Idli fry


 Two flaxseed variety:  flaxseed gun powder,  flaxsed khajur ladoo

  Since the idlis are steam cooked, it is quite good for health.