SURUL POLI - SOUTH vs NORTH CHALLENGE

Most of you know that there is a event going on named 'South vs North Challenge', which is a brain child of my dear friend Divya Pramil of You Too Can Cook....there are two teams South and North. Each team challenge each other in every month. I am so happy to complete this month's challenge recipe. The challenged recipe, 'Surul Poli' is given by my dear friend Shama Nagarajan from easy2cookrecipes. Where as me challenged to my South Indian friends with 'Labongo Latika'. 

'Surul Poli' is a crispy sugar coated roll with coconut filling. This is an authentic preparation of Kaveri delta region, Thanjavur sweet. A very special dessert for festive occassions. I made little changes, but the main flavour and process is almost same. Such a tasty delicious sweet it is, my full family enjoyed it whole heartedly. Thank you so much Shama for sharing this delightful festive sweet.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE OUTER COVERING OF THE POLI:

½ Cup All Purpose Flour (Self Raising Flour / Maida)

½ tbsp Clarified Butter (Desi Ghee)

Pinch of Salt

Water as required

½ Cup Oil for deep frying

FOR THE FILLING:

¼ Cup Roasted Chana (Pottu Kadalai)

¼ Cup Sugar

1 tsp Clarified Butter (Ghee)

2 tbsp Freshly Grated Coconut

2 tbsp Cashew nuts

3-4 Pods Cardamom

1 tbsp Raisins

4-5 Chopped Dates

FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP:

½ Cup Sugar

½ Cup Water

FOR GARNISHING:

3-4 Cherries

1 tbsp Tutti Frutti

METHOD:

Heat 1 tsp clarified butter in a pan, ghee roast grated coconut and cashew nut for 2-3 minutes or until coconut releases aroma and turns slightly brown. Mix ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup roasted chana, coconut, cashew nuts and cardamoms in a chutney jar. Grind in a mixer into a fine powder. Set it aside.

In a large bowl, combine all purpose flour, ½ tbsp Clarified butter, pinch of salt. Knead it to make a soft smooth dough by using little water. Divide into 5 equal sized balls. Cover with a wet cloth and keep it aside for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat ½ cup water and ½ cup sugar in a saucepan. Boil till it forms string consistency. Remove from heat and set aside.

Now take a small ball from the dough and spread it like a poori (approx 3” diameter). Heat ½ cup oil in a pan, deep fry poori in oil. Drain poori on paper towel to absorb the excess oil. While it is still warm, dip it in the sugar syrup and place it immediately in the plate with dusted powder. Spread 2 tsp of grinded powder along with few raisins and chopped dates over it. Roll them immediately. Repeat the same for the remaining dough.

While serving, pour extra syrup and grinded extra powder on the top of the polis. Garnish with cherries and tutti frutti. Serve warm. You may store the remaining in an air-tight container.

Sending to: Shama's easy2cookrecipes

Sending to: Chandrani's Holiday Recipes

FULKOPI DIYE BHETKI MACH (BARRAMUNDI IN CAULIFLOWER CURRY)

In my childhood days, my mom used to make this fish curry specially on Winter days when fresh cauliflower and bhetki mach were easily available in markets. Still I remember the taste and flavor of this fish curry and I made exactly like my mom’s way. Bhetki is my favorite fish as it is soft and with very less bones. If you like fish then definitely you love to have this light fish curry with loads of tender cauliflower, new potato, juicy tomato and the touch of coriander leaves, which is always flavorsome and luscious with plain boiled rice.

INGREDIENTS:

7-8 pcs Barramundi Fish (bhetki mach)

2 Medium Sized Potatoes, Peeled & Cut Each Potato in 4 Cubes

8-10 Florets of Cauliflower

1 Finely Chopped Onions

2 tsp Ginger Paste

1 tsp Garlic Paste

1 Medium Tomato (chopped)

Whole Garam Masala (1-2 Bay Leaves, 1/4 tsp Caraway Seeds, 3 Cardamoms, 4 Cloves)

2 tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Red Chili Powder

1 tsp Freshly Pounded Cumin Seeds

½ tsp Garam Masala Powder

1 tsp Sugar (optional)

2 tsp Clarified Butter (ghee)

2 tbsp Finely Chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)

½ Cup Mustard Oil

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash fish pieces nicely and make those pat dry. Marinate fish with little salt and 1 tsp turmeric powder. Mix well and set it aside for 15-20 minutes.

In the mean time, add cauliflower florets in boiling water. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain the excess water. Wash cauliflower once again in cold water, drain water completely and set it aside.

Heat 4 tbsp mustard oil in a wok or kadai. When it is smoking hot, carefully place 2-3 fish pieces on it. Fry till golden brown on each side, it will take 3 minutes to fry each side. Remove from oil and keep those aside. Continue the process with remaining fish pieces.

Smear potato and cauliflower florets with salt and little turmeric powder. Add potato in the same oil and sauté for 4-5 minutes on medium flame. Once potato done, drain those from the oil and add cauliflower florets in the remaining oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes again drain those florets and keep aside.

Heat remaining oil in the same pan. Add bay leaf and whole garam masala in it. Saute for 30 seconds, till a nice aroma comes out. Mix onion in it, fry till it turns golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste, sauté for 2minutes, mix cumin paste and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes, salt and  red chili powder. Fry till tomato turns mushy and leaves oil from the sides. Add sugar, clarified butter and 1&1/2 cup of warm water. Fold well. Let it boil. Amount of water depends on the amount of gravy you want to be on the dish.

Now add fried potatoes, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add fried fish pieces and cook for 3 minutes more. Add fried cauliflower, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Finally switch off the heat now. Sprinkle coriander leaves and garam masala powder on the top. Cover the lid and leave it for 5 minutes.

Serve warm with steamed rice.

Sending to:  Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

VEGETABLE OATS MUFFIN - A VERY LOW CALORIE DIABETIC SNACK

'Oats' have numerous uses in foods, most commonly, they are rolled or crushed into oatmeal or ground into fine oat flour. Oatmeal is mainly eaten as porridge. But may also be used in a variety of baked good, such as oatcakes, bread, cookies and muffins. Oats are a coomon breakfast dish and are an excellent source of iron, dietary fiber and thiamin; also contain antioxidants, that protect the circulatory system from diseases i.e. arteriosclerosis, which affects the arterial blood vessels. This muffins contain very low calorie and a delicious food for diabetics. I made this healthier snack, savory oven baked treats of vegetables and oats muffins - a delicious and tasty low calorie treat.

INGREDIENTS:

¾ Cup Whole Wheat Flour (atta)

¾ Cup Oats (I used Quaker oats)

1&1/2 Cup Vegetables (1/3 Cup C Tiny Cubes  of Carrot, 1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Green Beans, 1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Cauliflower, ¼ Cup Frozen Corn Kernels,  ¼ Cup Frozen Green Peas)

½ Cup Tomato Puree

3 tbsp Plain Yogurt (curd)

1&1/2 tsp Garlic Pepper Powder

1 tbsp Roasted Fennel Seeds

1 tbsp Mixed Herbs (I used basil, parsley, thyme, oregano and rosemary)

2 tbsps Finely Chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add all the chopped vegetables and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add little salt and ½ tsp garlic pepper as seasonings. Mix well and sauté for a minute. Remove the pan from heat now and set it aside.

In a large bowl, take whole wheat flour, oats, yogurt, tomato puree, fennel seeds, mixed herbs, cilantro, baking powder, baking soda, remaining garlic pepper, fried vegetables, salt and 2 tbsp water. Mix very nicely so that all ingredients incorporated very well.

Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C. Grease 12 muffin moulds. Fill each of the prepared muffin mould with a scoop of batter. Bake muffins in preheated oven about 22 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Insert a toothpick comes out clean means your muffins are ready.

Enjoy these savory muffins fresh as a healthy snack. Though I don’t like to store it for near future, If you wish may store 3-4 muffins in a Ziploc bag, suck all the air out and seal the bag. Refrigerate up to a week, then pulling them out one by one and heat slightly for a snack.

Sending to:  Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

VEGETARIAN KEEMA MATAR (SOYA GRANULES WITH GREEN PEA)

Soya granules is an excellent replacement of meat-based proteins. Here's is a simple Indian type curry of soya and matar (green peas). It can be stuffed within parathas, tikkis, a super flavorful dish where soya and peas sauteed in a thick mixture of stimulating flavors.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Soya Granules

¾ Cup Green Peas

1/2 Green Bell Pepper (chopped)

¾ Cup Chopped Tomatoes

1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder

1 tsp Green Chili Paste

¾ Cup Chopped Onion

2 tsp Garlic Paste

2 tsp Ginger Paste

1/3 tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Cumin Powder

1&1/2 tsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Garam Masala Powder

1 tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (kasuri methi)

1 Bay Leaf

1 tbsp + 3 tbsp Oil

1 tsp Clarified Butter / Ghee

Handful of Coriander Leaves / Cilantro (finely chopped)

METHOD:

Heat 3 cups water in a pan, add soya granules in it. Boil for 4 minutes or till it puffs up.  Let it be in warm water for another 5 minutes. Drain and wash with cold water. Squeeze out the excess water from granules and set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan. Add soya granules in it. Saute till granules turn in golden, remove from wok or pan now and keep it aside.

On the same wok, heat 3 tbsp oil. Add Bay leaf and onion in it. Sauté onion till it turns into golden brown.  Add ginger and garlic paste in it, sauté for another 3 minutes. Add peas and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and salt in it. Stir for a minute. Mix chopped tomato and green bell pepper in it and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until tomato turns soft, mushy and leaves oil from the side of the wok or pan.

Add soya granules and fold very nicely. Pour 1 cup warm water, mix well. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Open lid and add dried fenugreek leaves, coriander leaves, garam masala powder and clarified butter in it. Give a nice stir and turn off the heat now.

Vegetarian keema matar is now ready. Serve warm with hot rotis, parathas or naans………It is always very healthy and delightful.

Sending to:  Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

COCO CREAM CHICKEN KABAB

As we plan our holiday menu, we look for new and unique dishes to featur on the table. The dishes we feature must be very rich and flavorsome to keep with the festive theme. Thus, I made this unique coconut creamy chicken kababs, no onion, garlic and ginger is to be used here; a little twist in my regular kababs. A very flavorful dish, delicious appetizer, once you have it, will surely want more.....truely fall love on it. 

INGREDIENTS:

500 gm Boneless Chicken, Cut into 1”X1” cubes (cleaned & washed)

¼ Cup Thick Curd / Plain Yogurt

½ Cup Freshly Grated Coconut

¼ Cup Warm Water

3 Green Chilies

50 gm Cashew Nut Paste

½ tsp Freshly Pounded White Pepper

2 tbsp Sattu (roasted gram flour)

Salt to Taste

2 tsp Melted Butter
1/4 tsp Chaat Masala (optional)

Few Bamboo Skewers (soaked in water for 3-4 hours

METHOD:

Grind curd, grated coconut, warm water and green chillies together. Blend for a minute or two. Now coconut cream is ready. Set it aside.

Combine chicken pieces, cashew nut paste, sattu, coconut cream, white pepper and salt, mix thoroughly. Keep marinated chicken in refrigerator for atleast 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 220 C for 10 minutes. Thread the 2-3 chicken pieces into a skewer. Arrange the skewers on the baking tray. Brush chicken with little butter and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the other side of the kababs, again brush the melted butter and bake for another 8 minutes. Take out the baking tray from the oven.

Sprinkle chaat masala on the top and serve warm with onion rings, any spicy sauce or chutney.

Sending to: Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

EGGLESS BUTTERLESS MARBLE CAKE

The idea of marbling two different coloured batter into a cake originated in 19th Century Germany. Originally the cakes were marbled with molasses and spices. The recipe replaced the traditional molasses and spice batter by marbling chocolate into the cake, which I blended with little Nescafe granules for more flavor. In the chocolate batter, may use almond extract. This is a super moist classic chocolate marble cake recipe, rich in flavor and a perfect tea-time snack which I make quite often. Swirls of Chocolate and Vanilla ensures that everyone gets their favorite flavor in every slice. Checkout this fabulous cake, it is really very impressive!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup All Purpose Flour (maida)

½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour (atta)

¾ Cup Powdered Sugar

1 Cup Plain Yogurt (curd)

½ tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1&1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence

1&1/2 tbsp Cocoa Powder

2 tsp Nescafe Coffee Granules

½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (may use vegetable oil / canola oil)

METHOD:

In a bowl, sift both flours and set aside.

Beat the yogurt nicely in a large bowl by using a whisk / wooden or metal spatula, so that there should not any lump in yogurt.

Add sugar in it. Whisk again for a minute and give a rest for 5 minutes, so that sugar dissolves in yogurt well.

Mix baking powder and baking soda in it. Beat for 30 seconds and leave it for another 5 minutes, until you see small bubbles on the surface of the mixture.

Add oil, mix well until well combined. Now add flour in 3 batches, gently fold the mixture by using a spatula (or even a wooden spoon). Remove ½ of the batter onto another bowl and set it aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F / 175 C. Coat an 8” round cake pan (you may use loaf pan too) with little oil and a light dusting of flour.

In one bowl of batter, add vanilla essence and fold well. Add cocoa powder and coffee granules in the other bowl of batter and whisk nicely till everything incorporated well. Set both bowls aside.

Drop ½ of the cocoa-coffee batter onto the prepared pan and pour vanilla batter on the top of it. Again drop rest of the cocoa-coffee batter on the top of vanilla batter.

Drag a knife or a skewer through the batter, swirling the chocolate-coffee through the vanilla batter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and comes out clean, means it is done.

Remove marble cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Cut in desired shape, serve and enjoy!!!

Sending to:  Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

CHANAR PATURI (PANEER WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAF)

A delicacy of Bengal is 'Paturi'. Generally, oily fish is sliced evenly and then wrapped in banana leaf after the fish has been hit by a basting of a freshly pounded mustard with a hint of green chili, coconut, mustard oil, turmeric and salt; baked or roasted on very slow heat. Today, I made this vegetarian version of paturi, which is made with freshly made paneer or chana. I used banana leaf, you may use pumpkin leaf or bottle gourd leaf too, it is very traditional and toothsome dish which goes well with hot steamed rice. Tryout this fabulous chanar paturi and enjoy!!!

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Freshly Made Paneer / Chana (cottage cheese)

½ Cup Freshly Grated Coconut

2 tbsps Mustard Seeds

4 Whole Green Chillies (according to taste)

4-5 Slit Green Chillies

½ tsp Turmeric Powder

2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tsp Sugar (for flavor only)

2 tbsp + 2 tsp Mustard Oil

Salt To Taste

10 pieces of Banana Leaves
Cotton thread

METHOD:

First of all, make a smooth paste of mustard seeds by using pestle and mortar. Now add grated coconut and whole green chilies, again grind by using pestle and mortar to make a smooth paste. Now the spice mixture is ready. Set it aside.

Take the pieces of banana leaves and grease each pieces with very little mustard oil. Keep aside.

In a large bowl, combine freshly made paneer / chana with mustard-coconut-green chili paste, turmeric powder, lemon juice, sugar, 2 tbsp mustard oil and salt. Fold nicely, so that everything incorporated very well.

Arrange banana leaves on your kitchen countertop. Take a small portion of paneer/chana mixture (like small lemon sized ball). Pour the mixture onto the middle of the leaf.

Place one slit green chili on the top of the mixture.  Now fold the banana leaf to wrap the contain from all sides, just like a parcel and tie with a piece of thread. Repeat the process for remaining mixture.

Heat a frying pan (preferably non-stick) and coat it with 1 tsp mustard oil. Place the wrapped  paneer or chana  on the heated pan (5-6 pieces at a time). Cover the lid and bake those for 6-8 minutes on medium-low heat.

Take off the lid to turn the wrapped paneer and bake the other side. Cover lid and roast for another 6-7 minutes. Take off each parcel from the heat now.

Discard the thread from the parcel. Now the baked paneer / chana is taken out from the banana leaf. Mouthwatering and fantastic chanar paturi is ready to serve with hot steamed rice.

Sending to: Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event