Big Batch Veg. Pastry Wheels

We had a potluck party on the consequent week end of Diwali. It so happened in the last minute that I had to move to the appetizer section from main course as there was a shortage for veg. appetizers! :)

This is what I prepared for the party, its yummy and everyone at the party enjoyed it even though they missed the chance of tasting the south Indian Idli-Sambar-Chutney combo! ;)

Ingredients
Pepperidge farm Pastry sheets - 2 packs [4 sheets]
Milk- 3tablespoons
For the filling
Mozerella cheese -1/2cup
Potatos-3
Frozen mixed vegetables pack-1 [250grams]
Chilli powder- 3teaspoons
Corainder powder-2teaspoons
Cumin powder-1 teaspoon
Garam masala -1teaspoon
Salt
Coriander leaves to garnish
For the tempering
Oil-1Tablespoon
Cumin seeds-2 teaspoons

Method
Chop the potatoes into small pieces. In a pressure cooker, take the veggies with chilli-coriander-cumin powders,salt and 1/2cup of water. Pressure cook for 2 whistles.

Once the pressure has gone completely, open the cooker and mash the veggies nicely. [as we have added little water, the masala will be thick]

Heat oil in a wide pan,make the tempering with cumin seeds and add the mashed veggies and cook for a few minutes. [in case,the water is more, cook it for few more minutes to make it dry.]

Finally add the garam masala and cilantro,nix well and switch off the stove.

Thaw the pastry sheet for 45minutes. Roll it slightly by dusting some flour. Spread the masala on the pastry sheet, leaving an inch gap on the edges. Sprinkle the cheese evenly.

Tightly roll the pastry sheet from one end, brush little water on the other end and seal the edges. cover the rolls in a clear wrap paper. Continue the process for all the sheets and keep them in the freezer for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Take the pastry rolls from the freezer, cut into desired size slices, Brush it with milk. [you can do egg wash too.] Arrange them in a lined baking tray, bake for 25 to 30minutes.

Start checking the wheels after 25minutes, take them out once they turn golden in color. let it cool for couple of minutes and take them from the baking tray. Yummy pastry wheels ready to go! :)

Serve warm with ketch-up or hot n sweet sauce. As the party was in our friend's place, I heated the wheels for 10 minutes at 200F before serving. Here is a glance of the nice party we had....
Linking this post to Bake Fest event by Vardhini's Zesty Palette

& to Serve it -Savory Baked event by Krithi's Kitchen and Denny's "Oh,taste n see.."

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Motichoor Laddoo

Ingredients
Besan/Kadalai maavu -1 cup
Elaichi-2
Water -1/2 cup to 3/4cup
Rice flour -1tablespoon
Baking soda -1 pinch
Sugar- 1cup
Water- 1cup
Yellow & Red food colors- few drops
Oil
To garnish
Ghee-1tablespoon
Cahsew-10
Raisins-10
Cloves-3
Sugar cany-1tablespoon

Method
Add sugar and water in a pan, heat till the sugar gets dissolved and you get sticking consistency. Powder the elaichi and mix it with the syrup and keep it ready.

Fry the cashews-raisins and cloves in ghee and keep aside.

Combine the flours,baking soda with water and make a batter without any lumps.
Add the food colors and mix well.

Heat oil on medium heat, pour the batter over the boondhi laddle and the tiny boondhi's will start falling. [Tap the laddle gently if needed].

Take out the boondhi once the oil stops sizzling. Continue the process and finish off the batter.

Crush a hand full of boondhi's in a mixie.

Take boondhi's in a bowl,add the crushed boondhi, fried items,rock candy and 2 laddles of hot sugar syrup and keep it for 5 minutes.

Stir it once and add the remaining hot sugar syrup, and keep aside for 1/2 an hour. Take little soaked boondhi and make the laddos.[you can apply little ghee on the palm.]
Try to mash the boondhis gently while making the laddos.

Don't worry if you are not able to make the correct shapes initially, the shape can adjusted after an hour.

Arrange the laddos in a wide plate, cover the plate loosely and keep in an airy place for couple of hours.

Yummy motichoor laddo's are ready to relish! keep it an airtight container @ room temperature for 3-4days or refrigerate it up to one week.

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7 links game

Ambreen of Simply Sweet'n Savory has linked me in this game, and here I am with the 7links! :)

1.most beautiful post - Sweet turn overs

2.Most popular post- Mealmaker fry

3.The post I am most proud of - Coconut biscuit, Malai koftha

4.Most useful post - Vermicelli upma,Brinjal chutney

5.Surprise success post- Paruppu vadai-baked & Spring onion dhal

6.Most controversial post -none

7.Post which deserves attention,but did not get as much - Green beans casserole

I am linking the following fellow bloggers for this game..am not sure you have done it already girls..if so,pls by-pass this post! :) :)

• Laya of Laya's touch of tamil recipes
• Amina of Amina's Creations
• Nalini of Nalini's Kitchen
• Kalpana of Life with Spices
• Vatsala of Show and Tell
• Sangee Vijay of Spicy Treasts
• Christy of My kitchen flavors- Bon Appetit

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Pumpkin Stirfry/ Arasanikkay Poriyal

Back home we call Yello pumpkin / Parangikay as Arasanikkay (அரசாணிக்காய்). During the month of Markazhi (Mid-December to Mid-January) we go to Ganesh temple early in the morning, do puja, come back, put kolam's in our front yard, and keep the Pillaiyaar on the kolam and do puja.

The flowers of this yellow pumpkin are so common to keep on the pillaiyar's. At the end of Markazhi comes the Pongal,the harvest festival. This veggie cooked with field beans seeds is a must to be offered to the God "Sankaranthi" on the night before pongal day. In marriages, this veggie is a must for sambar. It has a nice sweetness that will enhance the flavor and taste of the sambar.

Enough of flashbacks, now coming back to the present, even though I get lot of pumpkins here in this season, to me they don't have the same taste of the veggie I loved. DH doesn't like any veggie which is in a color of orange,and has a sweet taste! Still i buy them once in a blue moon. :) ;)

Ingredients
Yellow pumpkin-200grams
Onion(small)-1
Green chillies-2
Coconut powder-2teaspoons
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Channa dhal-1teaspoon
Urad dhal-1teaspoon
Few curry leaves
Oil
Salt

Method
Peel and cube the pumpkin.
Chop the onions and green chillies.
Heat oil in a kadai, make the tempering with mustard seeds followed by channa dhal and urad dhal. Fry till the dhals become golden in color.
Add the chopped onion-g.chilly and curry leaves. Sauté till the onions become transparent.
Now add the pumpkin pieces, enough salt. Sprinkle little water,cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Open the pan, add the grated coconut, mix it well and put off the flame after a minute.
Easy and yummy pumpkin poriyal is ready. It tastes great with plain rice,sambar & rasam.

Sending this recipe and a click of a cute pumpkin & ghost to....

Halloween Fiesta 2011,happening at Vardhini's Zesty palate.

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Rose Flavoured Coconut & Milk Burfi

Last week in between our regular chitchat I got this recipe from my friend Vidhya. The recipe came over phone from Chennai to her house and from there to me! :)

Original recipe called for fresh grated coconut, but I was not having the patience to get the fresh coconut, started off with dry coconut powder. Instead of elaichi I added a few drops of Rose essence. The outcome was delicious! :)

Ingredients
Dessicated coconut powder-1/2cup
Milk -1/2cup
Sugar-1cup
Rose essence-few drops
Few cashews to garnish
Ghee-1teaspoon


Method
Combine the coconut powder,sugar and milk in a bowl,mix it well and keep aside for an hour.

Fry the cashews in ghee and keep aside.

Pour the mixture in a sauce pan and cook on medium heat.

Keep stirring the mixture continuously without burning. After a 5-6minutes, at one stage the mixture will become thick and start leaving the pan.

Add the rose essence & fried and broken cashews in the burfi mixture,mix it and pour it in a greased tray. With a greased spatula, smoothen the top and let it cool.

Cut the burfis into desired shape when it is warm. Garnish with the fried cashews. You can take out the pieces once the burfi cools completely.

Burfi's tasted great with a mild rose flavor and cashews. Enjoy them! :)

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Diwali Special

Dear Friends, enjoy the Diwali treats from our house! :)

Mysore pak & Murukku recipes are already posted here and here. Other recipes are coming soon!

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Happy Diwali!

Wish you All a Very Happy and Prosperous Diwali!

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Mini Soya chunks& Veggie Biriyani

Ingredients
Biriyani Rice(Seeraka chamba)-2 cups
Mini Soya chunks - 1/2cup
Carrot-2
Beans-10
Onion-1
Tomato-2
Green Chilli-1
Hand full of Mint leaves
Few curry leaves, Cilantro
Biriyani masala-2 tablespoons
Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
Chilli powder-1teaspoon
Coriander powder-11/2 teaspoons
Cumin Seeds-1teaspoon
Salt
Oil

To grind
Ginger-11/2" piece
garlic-5 cloves
Elaichi-1
Cloves-2
Bay leaf-1
Cinnamon Stick-3" piece

Method
Wash and chop the carrots & beans into small pieces. Cut the onion-green chilli into thin lengthwise strips. Cut the tomatoes into fine pieces.

Wash and soak the rice for at least 20 minutes.

Grind the ginger -garlic, whole garam masala with little water to a fine paste and keep it aside.

Soak the soya chunks in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Rinse them in cold water and squeeze out the excess water.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, and add cumin seeds followed by onion and g.chilli. Fry till the onion becomes transparent, then add in the mint leaves,curry leaves, spice paste and cook for few minutes. Add the tomato pieces,cook till it becomes mushy.

Add the veggies and soya chunks, turmeric powder,chilli & coriander powders, biriyani masala and enough salt. Cover it and cook on medium heat till the oil oozes out. Add the rice and 3 cups of water.

Mix everything together, add the cilantro leaves, check the salt and close the pressure cooker. Cook for one whistle and put off the flame.

Open the cooker after it cools down completely and puff the rice gently.

Aromatic and spicy biriyani is ready to serve. Enjoy it with side dish of your choice.

Sending this recipe to Reva's "Royal Feast -Biriyani" event.

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Idiyappam / Stringhopper

Ingredients
Rice Flour - 2 cups
Water-11/4cup ***
Coconut oil-1 teaspoon
Sugar-2 teaspoons
Salt

Method
Boil the water in a pan, once the water started bubbling, add sugar-salt and coconut oil, switch off the flame after a minute.

Take rice flour in a pan, add the water and mix it with a spoon. Close the pan and keep it aside(for 10-15minutes).

Knead the rice flour like chappathi dough,(after it cools down) put it into the idiyappam press/murukku press.

Press the idiyappam on greased idli plates/idiyappam molds, steam cook for 10 minutes.

Hot and steamy idiyappam is ready! you can serve it with coconut chutney- vegetable kurma- or sweet coconut milk. I made it as tomato sevai.

***add the water carefully, after adding a cup.

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Chilli Bajji/ Molaga Bajji

Ingredients
Yellow Chillies/ Bajji Milagai -6
Bajji Mix- 3/4cup
Water
Oil
Method
Mix water with bujji mix and make into a thick batter.

Cut the chillies into lengthwise and remove the seeds(only if you don't like spicy bujjies..I use the chillies as such! ;) )

Heat oil on medium heat. Dip the chillies into bujji mix and fry them.

Take them out once bujjies turn golden in colour.

Enjoy it hot with a cup of Tea!

Note
Bujji with coconut chutney/kara chutney is the best combo. :P
You can replace bujji mix with besan and a spoon of rice flour,salt, chilli powder and hing, a pinch of baking soda.

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Garlic-Ginger Chutney

Ingredients
Garlic- 12 to 15 cloves
Ginger- 3" piece
Red Chillies-6 (adjust to your taste)
Small piece of Tamarind
Salt
Gingelly oil -3 to 4 tablespoons

For tempering
Mustard seeds,urad dhal and curry leaves.


Method
Peel the skin of the garlic cloves and chop them roughly.
Remove the skin of ginger and chop it into small pieces.
Heat oil in a pan, and fry the red chillies, garlic and ginger one by one. keep the flame low, fry the items without burning or making it too crisp.

Grind them along with tamarind and enough salt. Add water and the excess oil while grinding.
Make the tempering with mustard seeds - urad dhal and a few curry leaves. Spicy and healthy chutney is ready to serve with hot idly/dosa.

Note
Try to use gingelly oil as it gives a nice aroma to the roasted ingredients, and be generous with the oil!;)

Dear friends, I am having problems with my laptop, and its difficult to browse through the blog-o-sphere. Thanks for your supporting comments even after my absence at your blogs!!

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Capsicum Gravy

One lazy evening, I wanted to make some side dish for roti's and did a google search! ;) This dish attracted me in the searched results! I've adjusted the ingredients according to our taste buds!

I used to make these kind of capsicum masala but adding little bit of new spices made a nice twist and the outcome was so aromatic n just perfect for roti's! You can check the original recipe here.

Ingredients
Capsicum -1
Onion(small)-1
Asafoetida- 2 pinches
Mustard seeds -1/2teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon
Sugar-1/2teaspoon
Salt
Oil

To roast and grind:
Urad dhal-1 teaspoon
Methi seeds-1/4teaspoon
Coriander seeds-1/2teaspoon
Red chillies-6
Roasted peanuts - one fist full
Fresh coconut-1/4cup
Tamarind juice- little less than 1/4 cup

Method
Heat oil in a kadai, roast the urad dhal,methi & coriander seeds, red chillies carefully without burning. Grind them along with coconut and tamarind juice to a fine paste and keep aside.

Chop the capsicum into big chunks, onion into small pieces.

Heat a spoon of oil in a kadai, fry the capsicum for 2-3 minutes and keep aside. Add one more spoon of oil in the same pan, make the tempering with mustard seeds and asafoetida, followed by the onions.

Fry till the onions become transparent, then add the masala paste, adjust the water level, add salt and let it cook for 5-10 minutes.

Now add the roasted capsicum chunks along with the sugar and cook for few more minutes. Yummy capsicum gravy/ capsicum curry is ready! Enjoy it with roti's or rice.

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I am back!

Hi Friends, I am back after a month's vacation! Thanks for your comments in my scheduled posts!

Will catch you all soon!

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Aloo-Gopi-Mattar

This is a recipe to finish off the leftover veggies at every household! :) On a lazy weekend, I had a small cauliflower floret and a potato in the fridge. With the help of frozen green peas, the veggies became a tasty accomplishment for a day's meal!

Ingredients
Cauliflower florets-100grams
Potato-1
Green peas -1/4cup
Onion(smaal)-1
Green chilly-1
Few curry leaves
Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon
Sakthi Curry masala /any other masala -2teaspoons
Salt
Oil


Method
Cube the potato, and cut the cauliflower into big chunks.
Slice the onion and green chilly into thin slices.
Heat the oil in a pan, make the tempering with cumin seeds, followed by the curryleaves-onion and g.chilly.
Fry the onions till they become transparent, add the veggies with enough salt. Sprinkle little water,cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
Open the pan, add the masala powder, mix everything together, close the lid and cook for couple more minutes.
Quick n easy side dish is ready. This goes well with rice n roti's.

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Khandvi

Ingredients
Besan/Kadalai maavu -1/4cup
Curd-1/2cup
Water-1/2cup
Turmeric powder-1/8teaspoon
Ginger-green chilly paste-1/2teaspoon
Sugar-1teaspoon
Salt
Freshly grated coconut-11/2tablespoons
Chopped Cilantro-1 tablespoon

For the tempering
Oil-1tablespoon
Mustard seeds-1 teaspoon
Sesame seeds-11/2teaspoons

Method
Grease a thali/foil papers and keep it ready.

Beat the curd. Combine besan-salt-turmeric-ginger,chilly past,sugar with the curd.
Add water little by little and whisk it without any lumps.

Pour the batter in a sauce pan and cook on low heat, stirring continuously till the besan gets cooked.

After 15 to 20 minutes, the mixture will start leaving the pan, at that time pour the batter on the thali/foil paper and flatten it uniformly with a spatula and let it cool for 2-3 minutes.

Cut the flattened besan mixture into 11/2" wide strips. Lift one edge of a besan strip and roll it carefully. (You can do this step only when the besan is cooked,otherwise the batter will stick with the foil, its not possible to roll it. So be careful and patience enough to cook the batter! ;) )


Arrange the rolled khandvi in a serving plate. Garnish with the coconut flakes and cilantro.
Heat oil and make the tempering with mustard and sesame seeds. Pour it over the khandvi's and its ready to serve.

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