VEGETABLE UTTAPAM & WINNER'S GIVEAWAY FROM CUISINE DELIGHTS

'Uttapam' is a great snack or breakfast recipe from South India, very delicious, tasty and very easy to make. Uttapam is a variety of dosa, slightly thicker dosa, easilly called it 'No-Cheese Indian Pizza', my favourite South Indian dish. I don't need any sambar with it, it goes very well with any chutney. So here is the recipe of yummy flavourful uttapam with loads of veggies....

INGREDIENTS:

FOR MAKING BATTER:

2&1/4 Cups Parboiled (ukra) Rice
1 Cup Skinless Black Gram (urad dal)
1/4 Cup Short-grained Raw Rice
1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds

FOR TOPPING:

3/4 Cup Shredded Carrot
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
1 Green Bell Pepper (finely chopped)
1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Green Chilies
1 tsp Sambar Powder
Salt to taste
Oil for Frying

METHOD:

Soak parboiled rice, black gram, raw rice and fenugreek seeds in water seperately for 6 hours.
Combine parboiled rice, black gram, raw rice and fenugreek rice in a grinder jar.
Grind well into a smooth and thick batter using water as required, little by little.
Transfer batter into a bowl and set it aside for 8-10 hours, a well fermented batter gives very nice, soft and tasty dosa, idli or uttapam.
Add salt mix well. Add water as required. Dosa batter will be thinner and for uttapam, batter would be little thicker.
Heat a non-stick pan or tawa or griddle on medium heat and drizzle few drops of oil.
Pour 1&1/2 ladle full of the batter in the hot greased pan.
Sprinkle generously the chopped onion, shredded carrot, chopped green bell pepper, little green chilies, few chopped coriander leaves, a pinch of sambar powder fully covering the top and also add few drops of oil on it.
Cover the lid and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Open the lid and flip the uttapam and cook on low heat for another 2 minutes or till onion turns golden and crisp.

Serve hot uttapam with podi or chutney, its always yummilicious and filling!

Hi Friends, now it is award time!!!

I was choosen winner in the event "Holiday Recipes" conducted by my dear co-blogger friend Chandrani Banerjee of Cuisine Delights. It was really a very successful event. When Chandrani announced its round up, I surprised to see myself as a winner of that event. I am really very glad and feeling too much happiness.

My heartfelt thanks to you Chandrani Banerjee and loved your giveaway very much. Yes, it is "Party Cooking" by Sanjeev Kapoor, a wonderful book indeed. A special thanks to all of my co-blogger friends, readers and visitor for inspiring and motivating me to explore new recipes in my kitchen....Thanks each and everyone for supporting me......

AMRAKHAND (MANGO IN SHRIKHAND) & A GIFT FOR WINNER FROM MEENA BHATIA

Hellow friends,

Meena Bhatia of Homely Food celebrated her 2nd Blog Anniversary Event and Giveaway, a very successful event which ran in between 4th April, 2013 to 19th May, 2013. I couldn't believe my eyes and totally spellbound, when Meena decleared me as the Winner of this event (please CHECK HERE). I was really so glad and boundless happiness with me on that very moment. 

My heartfelt thanks to you, Meena dear. Hats off to your efforts and indeed a great job done by you. We all enjoyed and relished your each and every dishes. Now those are listed as frequent menus in my kitchen. Thanks a lot for those delicious recipes dear.

I am truelly honoured by you dearie. Loved your gift 'Tupperware Lunch Boxes Set' so much, it is very useful and looks so pretty. Thank you so much Meena for your support throughout the  process and being with me.

So friends, here celebrating this award (gift) with a traditional mouthwatering yummy dessert, 'Amrakhand'................ A shrinkhand is an Indian dessert made by mixing thick and creamy stained yogurt with sugar, cardamom powder and saffron. You can mixed seasonal tropical fruit Mango to make to Amrakhand (mango in shrikhand). Shrikhand is originated from Maharashtra, but very popular dessert in Rajasthan and Gujarat too. It involves no cooking. It is a transformation of simple yogurt to a luscious dessert. We enjoyed 'Aam Shrikhand' so much that I have made it several times in this season. Cardamom and saffron flavours really worked well. So here is the simple recipe, hope you all will enjoy well.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Plain Yogurt / Thick Curd
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Cup Mango Pulp (Preferably Alphonso Mango)
1/4 tsp Green Cardamom Powder
1 tbsp Cashewnuts (chopped)
1 tbsp Almonds (chopped)
1 tbsp Pistachios (sliced)
Few Strands of Saffron

METHOD:
Place a muslin cloth on a sieve. Pour yogurt in it and stain out water from it or you may hang it over the kitchen sink. So that all excess water should drain out.
Whisk powdered sugar with hanged yogurt, till both are well blended.
In a blender, put mango pulp, cardamom powder and saffron. Blend for 2-3 minutes to make a smooth puree.
Mix mango puree with yogurt now. Add chopped nuts in it. Fold nicely.
Keep it in refrigerator for 2-3 hours before serving. Serve chilled by garnishing chopped nuts on the top. You can preserve it in a air-tight container and keep in refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Sending to: Authentic Indian Sweets @ Nivedhanam

KARUPATTI APPAM / PALM SUGAR APPAM & AWARDS

I am very happy to take part of this interesting SNC event. A great going event started and organished by our sweet friend Divya Pramil from YOU TOO CAN COOK - INDIAN FOOD RECIPES. This is a monthly event where two teams, Southern and Northern team have to challenge each other with their authentic and regional dishes.

This month Northern team got a challenge to make Karupatti Appam from Shama Nagarajan. Same like Southern team got a challenge to make Gujrati Farsan - Khandvi from Hetal Acharya.

Long before I had this appam once from a street vendor, while I was travelling Chennai, yummy crispy sweet pancakes, at that time I didn't know its name, years gone, I forgot about that dish. But when I saw this month's challenge on Shama's space, then also I could not recall my memory. After tasting this yummy pancake, I remembered about our Chennai visit. Actually no need to have any side dish with this delicious appam, its itself is a complete meal. Thanks a lot Shama and Divy dear for this toothsome appam recipe, trully me and our whole family enjoyed this sweet appam a lot.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Boiled Rice
1 Cup Raw Rice
Handful of Urad Dal
250 gm Karupatti (palm jaggery)
Oil as required

METHOD:
Make thick palm jaggery syrup. Once cooled, filter it and remove all impurities by using a stainer. Keep it aside.

Soak rice and dal for 2 hours. Grind it to a very smooth batter, no fermentation needed.

Finally add palm jaggery syrup with the batter without any lumps.

Heat appam tawa or non-stick pan. Pour a small ladle of batter in the centre, then hold its handle with the hands and rotate the pan. Hence the ladle will spread like a dosa.

Spread a spoon of oil over it. Cover with a lid. Cook in slow flame till done. The center part will be of and edges crispy. Just roll over and gently take out the appam from the pan. Delicious vella or karupatti appam is ready to serve. Enjoy!!!

Now it is award time.........

For March 2013, I was awarded by Divya Pramil as "SNC Queen" for HYDERABADI VEGETABLE DUM BIRYANI

For SNC February 2013, got the top number of votes for the favourite challenger / host and favourite challenge recipe GREEN PEAS KACHORI WITH SPICY DAM ALOO (KORAISHUTIR KOCHURI R ALOOR DAM). Thanks a ton my dear friends for choosing me and my recipe. I am honoured by you dearies, thanks again.

Sending to: SHAMA'S EASY2COOK RECIPES & Divya's Space

Sending to: "Spotlight: Show Your Best Creation" @ Cuisine Delights

DUM KA MURGH & AWARD

A famous delightful chicken preparation from Hydearabadi cuisine, a royal dish indeed, rich in lots of dry spices, fresh cream, saffron and almonds. A real mouthwatering chicken dish, if you try once, this lipsmacking taste will be with you forever. I didn't make it too hot, if you like more spicy, add more green chillies in it. The gravy of this chicken is absolutely yummilicious and fingerlicking good.

INGREDIENTS:
1 kg Chicken With Bones, cut in medium sized pieces
3 tbsps Ginger Paste
3 tbsps Garlic Paste
2 tbsps Green Chilli Paste
1 tsp Freshly pounded Black Pepper powder
25 nos Almonds
300 gm Onions
3 tbsps Oil
3 tbsps Clarified Butter (ghee)
200 gm Sour Curd (plain yogurt)
2 Bay Leaves
1&1/2 tsps Cumin powder
1&1/2 tbsps Coriander powder
2 Strands of Mace
3 nos Green Cardamoms
3 nos Black Cardamoms
1/2" Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Fresh Cream
Few Strands of Saffron
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Clean and wash the chicken nicely. Drain water completely. Marinate chicken with sour curd/yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste and salt.

Mix thoroughly. Keep marination in refrigerator for overnight (or atleast 2 hours).

Soak almond in warm water for 30 minutes.

Remove peels of almonds.

Ground almonds with little water to make a coarse paste. Keep it aside.

Dry roast black cardamoms, green cardamoms, mace and cinnamons. Pound altogether. Set it aside.

Cut onions in slices. Deep fry it till it turns brown. Drain oil, remove onions from pan by using a slotted spoon.

Now grind fried onions and keep it aside.

Heat oil and clarified butter in a wok. Add bay leaves in it. Saute for few seconds. Now add marinated chicken directly in it.

Saute chicken nicely. Water comes out and it starts to boil after few minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes on medium heat. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, onion paste in it. Fold well.

Add pounded almond and 3/4 cup warm water in it. Mix nicely.

Cover and cook 15-20 minutes on low heat like the dum process. Open lid now, add few strands of saffron, pounded dry spices and fresh cream. Fold well. Remove from heat now. May garnish with few chopped almonds on the top.

Serve immediately. Relish it with any Indian flat bread or any rice dish, its really scrumptious!!!

Now it is Award Time!!!

Hi Friends,

I am really very happy to recieve this lovely award within the same week from four of my co-blogger friends. Tons of thanks to Meena Selvakumaran from 'Encourage Spice', Rita Bose from 'Letz Get Cookin’, Rani from 'rani’s gourmet' and Nithya Naveen from Nithya’s Nalabagam. They all have very lovely spaces with delicious recipes. Friends please do visit their spaces for searching yummy dishes.

once again......

I want to share this award with all of my co-blogger friends, readers and visitors. So friends, Cheers!
Sending to: "Spotlight: Show Your Best Creation" @ Cuisine Delights

AWARD CELEBRATING WITH CARROT BEET POTATO THORAN

JALEELA from Cook Book Jaleela organised an event of Bachelor's Feast. Recieved Best Side Dish Recipe award from Jaleela. Thanks a lot Jaleela for giving me this wonderful award. You did an excellent judgement, indeed a great job.

So friends, let's celebrate with a very easy to make, but tasty colourful and healthy side dish, which has a unique flavor. 'Thoran' is a traditional dry vegetable recipe from 'Kerala Cuisine', made with grated or finely chopped vegetables by using ingredients mustard seeds, shallots, coconut, curry leaves and ofcourse made with coconut oil. It is served in the Onam Sadya along with other dishes.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Beet Root
2 Medium Carrot
1 Medium Potato
3-4 Shallots (finely chopped)
2/3 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
1/2 tsp Grated Ginger
1 Cardamom
1/2" Cinnamon
1 Clove
3-4 Peppercorns
2 Green Chillies (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 Whole Dry Red Chilli
10-12 Curry Leaves
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
3 tbsps Coconut Oil
2 tbsps Fresh Lemon Juice
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash and cut off the edges of beetroot and carrot. Peel beetroot, potato and carrot. Chop beet, potato and carrot finely into small cubes.

Dry roast cardamom, cinnamon, clove and peppercorn for 2 minutes. Pound coarsely and set aside.

Heat coconut oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds in it. When they pop-up, add cumin seeds, dry red chilli and curry leaves in it.Saute for few more seconds, now add shallot in it. Fry for 2-3 minutes, till it gets translucent. Add ginger and green chillies now. Saute for another a minute. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and coarsely pounded spices in it. Stir for a minute. Now add beetroot, carrot, potato and salt in it. Fold well.

Cover and cook it for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add grated coconut in it. Fold nicely.

 

Cover and cook it for another 2-3 minutes. At this time, add lemon juice and mix well. Remove from heat now. Tasty beet carrot potato thoran is ready to serve now.

Serve hot with steamed rice and sambar. May serve with rotis or parathas too.

TIPS: You may add grated beet and carrot, that will cook faster than chopped one.
          If you like more spicy, add 2 pods of minced garlic.
          Those who don't have fresh coconut, could substitute with dry or desiccated
          coconut.