Savory Semolina Cake

I am paired with Nayana Pikle for Shhh Cooking Secretly Challenge. She has suggested two ingredients; Semolina and Coriander. I made this flavorful and spicy savory semolina cake which has become a hit here. I didn't expect it to be so tasty. It is definitely worth a try again. 

Adapted from here and here.

Ingredients:

Semolina 1 cup
Red Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder a generous pinch
Baking Powder 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder 1/2 tsp
Peas 1/4 cup
Chopped Beans 1/4 cup
Carrot 3 grated - medium
Onion chopped - 1/2 - medium
Finely chopped Ginger 1 tblsp
Yoghurt 1 cup
Water 1/2 cup
Salt
Sesame seeds for topping

To temper:

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp
Finely chopped Curry Leaves 1 tbsp
Finely chopped Coriander Leaves 3 tbsp
Oil

Method:

Preheat the oven at 175 deg C. Grease and line a loaf pan with baking paper.

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. 

Add oil in a pan. When hot, add mustard seeds. When it starts popping up, add cumin seeds, chopped coriander and curry leaves. Pour this tempering into the mixture and mix until well combined.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake at 175 deg C for 35-40 minutes until done or a tooth prick inserted comes out clean.

Serve hot with green chutneys and ketchup.

Notes:  I used yellow semolina. If using regular sooji, pulse it in a mixer for a few seconds before adding. I think beans can be avoided as it was quite difficult for me to cut thinner slices. 

Sweet Potato Cutlet

I am proud to be a part of Shhh Cooking Secretly Challenge where we share recipes prepared with secret ingredients suggested by paired bloggers. Its really fun and interesting. My pair for this month is Nupur from 

Uk Rasoi. She has suggested two ingredients; Sweet Potato and Spring Onions. I've been craving to taste a cutlet since few days; so made cutlet out of Sweet Potato and other veggies. It turned out awesome.

Ingredients:

Sweet potato 2 long
Beans 5
Carrot half
Chilli Powder 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder 1/2 tsp
Aamchoor powder a pinch
Chopped Coriander leaves
Salt
oil for deep fry
Bread Crumbs
3-4 tblsp All Purpose Flour / Maida

Method:

Pressure cook Sweet Potatoes. Peel the skin and mash it.

Chop carrot and beans into a very fine pieces. Cook the vegetables in a steamer or Idli cooker. Make sure there is no moisture in the vegetables. If yes, squeeze it using a kitchen towel. Avoid cooking the vegetables along with water directly in a pressure cooking or a pan.

Add little water to Maida and mix to form a smooth paste. Make sure there is no lumps. 

In a large bowl, add the mashed sweet potatoes, cooked veggies, all the powders and salt. Pinch a ball size from the mixture. Gently flatten, dip it in the Maida-Mix and roll over the bread crumbs. Transfer it to a paper towel. Follow the same for the rest of the mixture. 

Serve with chutney or tomato ketchup. 

Notes:

You can use Peas and cashews. If using potatoes, decrease the chilli powder according to your taste.

Cucumber - Raw Mango Salad for Vegan Thursday

Salads have become a daily routine here. I am happy that I've lost few kilos, so do my hus. !!!  But it is quite difficult to include more vegetables during my busy preparations for breakfast. So I restrict myself with 2-3 veggies in daily salad. Today, I am going to share with you all a very tempting salad. I prepare this quite often and whenever I prepare, I always feel that why have I not prepared more. 

 
 

Ingredients:

Cucumbers - long -2
Raw Mango (green) - 1
Finely chopped Coriander leaves
Grated Carrot 2-3 tbsp
Salt and Pepper powder
Juice from a half lemon

Method:

Cut cucumber into small cubes. Remove the skin of green mango and cut into small cubes. Chop coriander leaves. Grate carrot.

Combine chopped cucumber, green mango, carrot and coriander leaves in a big bowl. Add salt, pepper powder and lemon juice. Mix well and serve.

Serves: 1-2

Linking this recipe to Vegan Thursdays. This happens every first and last thursday of every month and we share pure vegan recipes. To know more or to join, click here. 

Cabbage-Peas-Carrot Stir fry & Liebster Award

I like this combo.. It is very difficult to make children eat cabbage. If done this way, they would definitely not say NO. These three vegetables goes well with each other and gives a nice appetizing color to the usual stir fry.

Ingredients:

Shredded Cabbage 1/2 cup
Peas 1/4 cup
Carrot - Medium sized - 1
Pearl Onions Few
Curry Leaves Few
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Urad Dhal 1/8 tsp
Salt
Oil

Preparation:

Grate Cabbage and Carrot. Chop pearl onions.

Method:

In a pan, heat oil. When hot, add mustard seeds. When they start popping up,add urad dhal, curry leaves and pearl onions. fry for a few seconds.

Now add grated cabbage. Sprinkle little water for the cabbage to cook. When it is almost done, add grated carrot, peas and salt. Fry till done.

Serves: 2
Serve with any spicy curry and rice.

Linking this recipe to Healthy Me and Healthy US event by Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes and to hearty and healthy event by vimitha of My Culinary Trial Room.

 

Now coming to the award, Manju of Manju's kitchen has sent me this Liebster award. This award goes in a chain so as to get introduced to new blogs.

Rules to follow:

1. Write 11 facts about your self.
2. Answer the 11 questions given to you.
3. Nominate 11 bloggers who has less than 200 followers and mention them in your post.
4. Create 11 new questions for them.
5. Mention who nominated you in the post.
6. Go to their blog and inform them about this award.

11 facts about myself:

1. I like reading books mostly related to history. I spend more for books and like to read reviews about them.
2. I like to be perfect and I am not. But I always try to be. 
3. I have flair for learning new languages.
4. I do not make friends so easily. But if done, I would love to maintain the relationship as long as possible. 
5. If I make a mistake, I don't hesitate to ask sorry.
6. I was a straight forward person. But with time, it changed. Now I think well before I speak so as to hurt no one. But now everyone is hurting me.. poor me..!!!
7. I would love to explore new dimensions of vegetarian cooking.
8. Love to travel a lot and read books while traveling.
9. I hate people when they say you can't do this.
10. I like to teach my son everything I know. 
11. I am shopaholic.. who is not??!! 



What made you to start blogging?

My interest in cooking and other blogs inspired me.I wanted to maintain an online diary of all my traditional and tried recipes at my kitchen.

Who is your role model in cooking?
My Mom ofcourse.

What you like in my blog?
Like your presentation. There are many unique recipes from your blog that I love to try for ex. oats laddu, quinoa pongal etc..

Name the blog which you admired a lot?
aayisrecipes.com

What are your kids or husband favorite food?
Biryani

Name the restaurant you visit more often?
Saravana Bhavan

Name one ingredient that you use more in your cooking?
Coconut


Who is your favorite chef?
Chef Damu

Do you have any fear if so what?

I fear ill health of children especially when I hear children are attacked by unknown dreadful disease, I am much disheartened.

What will be the menu for your uninvited guests?
Idli, Sambar and Chutney 

Your favorite cookbook?
Tarla Dalal's cookbooks

What is your ambition in blogging?
To try and post the traditional recipes that are mostly forgotten.

I am passing this award to eleven bloggers.

1. Biny's recipes
2. Poorni of Easy and Homely cookbook
3. Malini's Delights
4. Sinu's Menu
5. All about my world
6. Cook with fun
7.Jiya's delicacy
8. Crumpled Chillies
9. Shree of Just Cooking and Baking
10.Sharanya of Blogging
11.Gheza e shriin

My new questions for the above bloggers are:

1. What do I have to improve in my blog?
2. What made you start blogging? 
3. What was your worst recipe or cooking?
4. Which blog you visit often other than yours?
5. What is your signature recipe that your kids and husband love to have it again and again?
6. What is your favorite cuisine?
7. What is your interests other than cooking?
8. What was your first recipe or cooking?
9. What is that you cannot live without?
10. Who is your inspiration in cooking?
11. What have you achieved through blogging?

Hope to see the answers and get to know new blogs..!!

Simple Carrot Salad

Vegetable Salad is something my Hus asks me to prepare often. I give him excuses; this or that so as to avoid preparing as I've my own reason that Vegetable Salad is not as appetizing as Fruit Salad. But I am proved wrong. I made this carrot salad today. As soon as I made, it vanished soon..

Before I go into the recipe, let me tell you the reasons why I was not blogging since more than an year. My blog has many technical issues so I had to seek help from many to bring it back alive. And I had my own health problems that God has gifted me. But I am really happy to see many bloggers who started blogging along with me, have now reached great heights. Wish them all success..

Ok.. now to the recipe:

You need:

4 Medium sized Carrots
Few Coriander Leaves
1 tsp Lemon Juice
A small piece of Ginger
Salt to taste

Preparation:

Grate Carrots and Ginger. Squeeze lemon. Chop Coriander Leaves

Method:

Combine grated Ginger, Carrots and chopped Coriander Leaves. 
Sprinkle Salt and add lemon Juice. 
Mix well and serve.

Serves: 1-2

Notes:

You can also mince ginger in a hand mortar and pestle. Use fresh ginger. Ginger and Lemon gives nice aroma and flavor to the salad and makes it more appetizing.

Linking this recipe to Dish in 30 minutes - Soups and Salads event of Sara's kitchen and Hearty and Healthy event by My culinary Trial Room.

Carrot Poriyal with Lemon Juice

I was not very busy yesterday and the day before as my Husband said he didn’t want any Non-Veg recipes. (Thursdays and Fridays are Holidays here.) So I made everything Veg; Veg Kurma, Dhal Curry, Rasam, Spinach and Carrot Poriyal. Carrot Poriyal was a hit as I added Lemon Juice, one of the tips given by my friend. Adding it gives a very different taste. My Son liked it very much. He showed his hands and said, ‘Adhu Venum’, meaning, I want that.

Ingredients:

Carrots 3

Juice from Half Lemon

Dried Red Chillies 2

Pearl Onions 4

Curry Leaves 4

Mustard Seeds ¾ tsp

Urad Dhal ½ tsp

Salt

Oil

Preparation:

Grate Carrots. Chop Pearl Onions. Squeeze Juice from Lemon.

Method:

Heat Oil in a Pan. When hot, add Mustard Seeds. When they complete popping up, reduce flame and add Urad Dhal. When they turn slightly brown, add Curry Leaves and Chillies. Few seconds later, add Pearl Onions. Fry till Onions become translucent.

Now add grated Carrots and Salt. Mix well. Fry on a medium flame till done. This would take five minutes or less. Switch off the flame and add Lemon Juice. Mix well and serve.

Serves: 2

Serve with Rice and Sambar or Kuzhambu.

 

Peas and Carrot Pulao --- In Pressure Cooker

Being a slow eater, I had very less time to try my friends' lunch boxes during my school or college days.When my best friend brought this dish (about 11 yrs back), I was tempted to eat this because of its good aroma and appearance. She started bringing this exclusively for me. When I learned that she made it by herself, I took down the notes and tried at home. I think this was the first recipe for me to try out new other than my mom's own. This is a perfect recipe when we are running out of time or tired or need to impress guests soon as there is no grinding and no hard work.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice 1 ¼ cup (200 ml cup)

Peas ¼ cup (200 ml cup)

Carrot Big 1

Onion Medium 1

Green Chillies 2

Bay Leaf 1

Cloves 3

Cinnamon a small piece

Water 2 ½ cups

Salt  1tsp

Butter  / Ghee

Preparation:

Soak Basmati Rice for 15-20 minutes.

Chop Carrot finely. Cut Onion lengthwise. Slit Chillies.

Method:

Heat little Butter in Cooker. Add Basmati Rice and fry on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. Keep it aside.

Heat required Butter in Cooker. When hot, add Bay Leaf, Cloves, Cinnamon, Chillies.  When they turn slightly brown, add Onions and fry till translucent.

Now add chopped Carrot and fry till it becomes soft. Now add Peas and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add Rice, Salt and water. Stir well and close the lid. Cook on a medium to high flame. 

Switch off the flame immediately after one whistle. Release the heat using a ladle. (Just lift the weight).  Transfer to an other vessel or serving bowl and mix well. This makes the grains separate.

Serves: 2-3

Serve with any spicy Kurma or Gravy and/or Egg Fry.

Note: This Pulao tastes better if served soon after cooking. 

This Pulao does not include Ginger or Garlic. If you are very much particular in adding these, you can add ½ tsp chopped Ginger and ½ tsp chopped Garlic. Add them while frying Onions.

You can also add chopped Beans and grated Cabbage.

My friend used to grate carrot and add it after cooking which gives a different aroma, look and appearance. 



Pulao ready in Cooker





Carrot – Cabbage Poriyal

Cabbage is the only hated Vegetable at my home. It stays untouched for a longer time in Refrigerator looking for attention always. When prepared alone, none of us like it.

So I started discovering many methods to include cabbage along with other vegetables.

I grate the whole cabbage and store it in Refrigerator. Whenever and wherever possible, I try to include grated cabbage with other vegetables. This is one such recipe.

Ingredients:

Carrot -3

Grated Cabbage ½ cup

Grated Coconut 2 tsp

Pearl Onions 4

Curry Leaves 4

Dried Red Chillies 3

Mustard Seeds ¾ tsp

Split Urad Dhal ½ tsp

Salt ½ tsp

Oil

Preparation:

Grate Cabbage and Carrot.

Cut Dried Red Chillies into two halves.

Method:

Heat Oil in a pan. When hot, add Mustard Seeds. When they complete popping up, reduce flame. Now add split Urad Dhal and Dried Red Chillies. Few Seconds later add Pearl Onions.

Fry till the onions become translucent. Now add Grated Cabbage. Fry on a medium flame till the cabbage gets half cooked stirring occasionally. Now add Grated Carrot and Salt. Cook till done. Add grated Coconut. Simmer for 3-5 minutes and serve hot.

Serves: 3-4

Serve with Rice and any Kuzhambu or Vegetable Kurma.

Note: Carrot cooks faster than Cabbage and so it is added later. Grating Cabbage gives more fine pieces when compared to cutting. So I prefer grating cabbage.