PUFFED RICE URUNDAI, PORI URUNDAI

Karthigai Deepam is a festival of lights celebrated in the Tamil month of Karthigai, in Malayalam Vrischikam.   In the evening huge rangolis or kolams are drawn and lamps are lit.  It is a beautiful sight.  I love to draw rangoli and keep the vilaku.

This festival is celebrated according to my knowledge for the well being of brothers.  On this day, both Aval Pori - fried beaten rice and Nel Pori - puffed rice urundais or balls or as it is  are made with jaggery for neivedyam.   During this season, we get these two varieties of poris or murmuras or kurmuras.  We also make adai with vellam (jaggery) and white home made butter for neivedyam along with Nei appam.

MOONGDAL KACHORI

IFC Challenge #3.


This month's IFC challange is Marwad Cuisine.Hosted Manjula Kanted.    Either the platter of Kachori or Halva or combination of kachori and halva,  Rajasthani Thali.      I selected one Kachori and one Halva.  Here comes the kachori recipe i.e Moongdal Kachori.

Since so many days, I wanted to make this and post in the blog but did not take the pain.  But when the IFC announced the recipes,  I made an attempt to make this item for the first time and it was really successful.  I had a friend of mine who is a Marwadi who said after tasting that it has really come out nicely and  first attempt was successful.  I was glad to hear.  Thanks for giving this wonderful recipe to Manjula.

SEMA KI SUBZI, LONG BEANS SUBZI, KARAMANI SUBZI

Normally, the long beans are used in making olan, thoran etc. by South Indians.  It is boiled with salt, turmeric powder and sun dried to make vathals.  But in Rajasthrani style this subzi is made with tomato and masalas and tastes really awesome.  This  subzi in Rajasthani Thali  is included for this month's International Food Challenge.  I got fresh bunch of this long beans yesterday from the market, so thought of making this subzi as none of my family members eat the olan, thoran made out of this.  This one was a hit today in our family except my son everyone had it.  Rajasthani foods are a bit spicy hence I have reduced the spice level according to our requirement.

MASOOR PEANUT DHAL

Every day it is a big question mark what to make for the rice, for the chapati as accompaniment.  Had some peanuts and masoor, thought of making dhal with it.  It was really tasty along with rice as well as chapati.  here I am giving a small brief /health benefits of peanuts and lentils

CURRY LEAVES KUZHAMBU RICE, KADHI PATTA AMTI BHATH

Curry leaves kuzhambu rice is made with curry leavaes kuzhambu paste. Like you prepare the normal tomato rice, coriander rice, this rice recipe is also equally tasty with papad and any kind of raita.  For the kuzhambu recipe, see the link  curry-leavaes-kuzhambu.html.  Since the curry leaves has got lot of health benefits, this is an ideal rice recipe for every one.

Let us look at the recipe now:

Curry leaves kuzhambu rice

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked rice
1- 1/2  tbsp curry leaves kuzhambu paste   (curry-leavaes-kuzhambu.html)
1 fistful of roasted peanuts
2-3 cashew nuts roasted
1 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai.  Add the mustard seeds.  When it splutters add the curry leaves paste, peanuts, cashew, cooked rice and mix well.  check for salt and if need be add.  If you feel that the curry leaves paste is less, you can add little bit more of this.  serve hot with papad, raita etc.

PAPAD SUBZI

Papad subzi is one of the famous Rajasthani cuisine.  I have got a Marwari friend who taught me to make Ghate ki subzi, Papad subzi etc.  I used to make Appalam Kuzhambu (vathal kuzhambu with papad) as my son used to like this with chapati.  My mother in law used to make very often Appalam kuzhambu.  Even after her death my son used to tell me to make certain dishes she used to make and is very fond of it.

Papad subzi is very easy to make and can relish with rice and chapati.  I have been waiting to post this recipe as well as kachoris, some how could not post it earlier.  Since  IFC has selected Rajasthani dishes  for this month, i started trying one by one.  await the post of kachori next.

MASALA DOSA

Hope everyone must have enjoyed this Diwali with lots of sweets and savories made at home.  I really enjoyed Diwali sitting at home.  We celebrated an Eco friendly Diwali as the children in our building decided not to burst crackers.  They told their parents to put that money in their account so that this money will come in handy when they reach in 10th Std.  Some decided to  buy a good mobile.  Kudos to the children for taking such a wonderful decision  for knowing the value of money as well as save nature from pollution.   Is n't that appreciable?

Now coming to the recipe.  Today's breakfast was Masala Dosa.  The typical dosa you get outside when you go for a party.  I always used to wonder why their dosa is different from our dosa which we make at home.  Got an opportunity to talk to a person who is in the field told me the secret of this which I am sharing with you all. He said for 1 kg rice, we have to use only 100 gms of Urid dal.  Let us look at the recipe now:

CORN FLAKES CHIVDA, CHIVDA

Corn flakes chivda is easy to make.  I used Dry corn flakes.  This is yet another festival recipe, diwali recipe and a snack item any times.  I got time today only to make the Diwali farals (Bhakshanam) for our family,  I found this easy as I had to fry only the corn flakes and peanuts.  I know that I am too late to post the recipe, hope you all will like this.

DIWALI LEHYAM

We make lots of sweets and savories during Diwali.   But the most important dish is the Diwali Lehyam.   My mother in law is very particular about this.  After wearing new clothes, she will give us a small lemon sized ball of lehyam.   It is made with ginger, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, ajwain, cardamom jaggery, pepper corns ghee etc.   It is good for digestion hence it is  there always in our fridge.

She used to make this during monsoon season  and store in fridge as we get fresh tender ginger.  It is good if you have any digestive problem, gas, stomach ache etc.

So enjoy lot of sweets and savouries and enjoy the lehyam too.  If you have not made this, you can try this with little quantity.

Latha Srinivasan of Akshus kitchen had asked for the ingredients after seeing the video on You Tube.  I am sharing this recipe for her too.

diwali lehyam 1   diwali lehyam 2  watch youtube

CROSTINI WITH CHERRY TOMATOES & MOZZARELLA, BAKED GARLIC TOAST l Cakes/bakes

Crostini means " little toasts" in Italian are an appetizer consisting of small slices of grilled or toasted bread and toppings.  The toppings included a variety of different cheeses, meats, vegetables or may be presented simply with a brush of olive oil and herbs or a sauce.  Crostini are typically made using French or Italian baguettes and are often served with wine. What I made is minced garlic mixed with butter applied in baguettes and baked.