Rasam

My mom landed up at this after asking a dozen friends.. and lots of experiments I guess..

Ingredients:
For the rasam Powder:
8-10 Kashmiri red chillies
2-3 tbsp jeera
2-3 tbsp dhaniya seeds
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp roasted channa dal
1 tbsp roasted urad dal
1/4 tsp methi seeds
For the dal and tempering:
1 cup tur dal
Lots of water
Tamarind paste (as per taste)
Jaggery (as per taste)
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds
Curry Leaves
Hing powder

Method:
For the rasam Powder: Roast and powder all the ingredients. Use 2-3 tbsp for the rasam, store the rest for later. (Can also use this powder for making your vegetables taste different, instead of using your normal garam masala)

Pressure cook the dal. Add lots of water to it, and beat it to form a very watery liquid. Let it boil. While it is boiling, add tamarind, jaggery, salt and rasam powder.
In a seperate vessel for the tempering, add all the remaining ingredients in hot oil, and pour it on the dal. Let it boil for 15-20 mins. A very refreshing appetizer.
-Naina

Instant Microwave Rice Sevai

I was looking up the packed food stored in my kitchen and came across this pack of Rice Sevai I'd bought several months ago.. This is what it looks like...















Its basically an almost ready to eat thing. The packet had the instructions on how to cook it... Just put it in hot/boiling water for 5 mins, and drain the excess water.. Thats it!! Then you can add vegetables/ seasonings / takda of your choice.


I decided to try it out in the office microwave... Using the hot water outlets that we have in offices, I immersed it in a bowl of hot water for 5 mins. Then microwaved it for a minute.

And for the seasoning.. I used Maggi Magic cubes..















And it turned really tasty.. Its simpler and healthier than instant noodles :)
Here's a pic



- Naina

Butter Chaat

Ingredients : 2 Big Butter (see image)
1 small potato
2 tbsp chopped onion
2 tbsp chopped tomato
2-3 spoons of sev
2-3 drops of lemon juice
Chaat masala
Red chilly powder
Slat as per taste

Method:
1. Boil potato, cool it , peel off, smash a bit and keep it aside
2. Soak 2 butters in water for about 3-4 mins, butter will become soft as you soak it in water.
3. Squeeze water and smash it not too much just a little so that it gets spread out on the plate. Sprinkle smashed boiled potato, onion and tomato over. Sprinkle salt , red chilly powder, lemon juice mix well with spoon. Sprinkle Chaat masala.
4. Garnish with Sev and serve immediately
Enjoy the yummmyy chaat!!
~Kanchan

Tip: You can even add green chutney or sweet chutney to make it more tasty.

Can a bowl of soup taste really really yummy????? Yes it does at……. ‘The Soup Bowl’ & 30 different varieties!!!

Nearest location: Inorbit food court

Range: Rs.65-75

Quantity: With an additional scoop of veggies it is just enough for you! 

Quality: Yummmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyyy………..

Must try: (I have tried only veg) ….. Cream of Broccoli, Cream of Mushroom,
Cream of Corn, Cream of Spinach….mmmm… too good must say.

Optional: You can also choose toppings of a scoop of regular veggies
(corn, peas, carrot,capsicum) or
exotic veggies (broccoli, mushroom, corn, peas)
& also a variety of breads & breadsticks…..

Branches: one at Oshiwara
http://www.mid-day.com/whatson/2009/mar/190309-Oshiwara-Mall-31-soup-varieties-Whats-on-Mumbai-Soup-Bowl-Megal-Mall-Food-Court.htm

Akki

Green Moong Dosa….

Dosas have always been a favorite breakfast, so here is a quicky type of *yummy*

“low calorie”, yet tasty Dosa!!!! …

Green Moong Dosa….

You need:

1 cup Moong (green)

1/2 cup Udid Dal

2-3 table spoon Rava (only if needed)

An inch of Ginger, Chillies (3green & 2red), Salt to taste

Method:

Soak Moong & Udid Dal for at least 5 hours. Grind well with Ginger & Chillies to form a thick batter (not too thick not too watery).. Your batter is ready!!

Note: You should apply little oil on the tava before taking out the dosas ….

also this dosa is a little thicker in nature (not thin like sada dosa) (see in pics)

Tip: Pre adding of salt may result in turning the batter sour if you wanna have it the next day…. So add Salt just when you are making the dosa…

Optional: You can add little Rava in order to make the dosa a little crispy!

You can njoi it with tomato sauce or green chutney or just plain!!!

I’m sure you’ll love it!!

Akki

Sindhi Pakora (Sanna Pakora)

This one's for the rains!! Inspired from the event hosted at Simple Indian Food.


1 medium cup channa atta
2 medium onions chopped finely
Handful green coriander
2-3 green chillies chopped finely
1 tsp chopped ginger
1/2 tsp jeera
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp sweet soda
2 pinches haldi powder
salt to taste
red chilli powder (optional)
1 tbsp hot oil

Mix all ingredients (except hot oil) to form a bhajiya batter, using enough water. Add hot oil and mix again.
Fry Bhajiyas till half done. Remove from oil and break each into 2 pieces. Fry again . This is the speciality of Sanna Pakoras. This makes it very crispy and tasty.

Serve with green mint chutney or any sauce / chutney of your choice.

Here are 2 pics.. one is the semi cooked one before breaking..

And this ones complete.. ready to eat






Enjoy!!

-Naina

Shepherd's Pie

Here's the Shepherd's Pie recipe (Courtesy.. my mom):

Posted this, and saw the event on Bombay Foodie. This one's a British AWED event.

Ingredients: 1/2 Kg minced meat (or soyabean granules for the vegetarians)
100 gms green peas, 100 gms boiled macroni, 2 medium sized capsicums, one teaspoon each of crushed ginger & garlic, 1/2 tblsp salt, 2 medium sized onions grated or finely chopped, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp chilli powder (opt), 2 tblsp wooster sauce, 3 tblsp tomato ketchup, 4-5 tblspoi. 50 gms butter, 4 tblsp milk.

Method: In a cooker heat oil. Add onions and fry onions to a golden brown color. Add minced meat. Fry well. Add peas, (peas may be sauteed in butter/oil and added later) salt, chilli powder ginger, garlic and 2-3 cups water. Cook under pressure for 10 minutes or so. Cool and mix in sliced capsicum, macroni, wooster sauce and ketchup. Here's what it looks like..

Mash the boiled potatoes. Add salt, butter and milk to the potatoes & keep mashing them till light and fluffy. This makes the covering for the pie.

In an oven-proof baking dish arrange the cooked minced meat mixture and spread the mashed potatoes on top, The mashed potato layer should be aprrox. half an inch thick.
(At this stage the dish can be kept in the fridge for 2 hrs or so) Bake at 375 Fah. for 20 minutes ro so till the potato layer has turned light brownish. Serve with tobasco sauce & a soup of your choice.

Enjoy!!
Naina