Vegetable Vermicell Upma

Ingredients:
1 cup vermicelli
1 big green chilly
2 tsp ghee
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
Few curry leaves
1/4 tsp ginger paste
1/2 cup frozen vegetables(peas,carrot and beans)
1 1/2 cups water
Salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Method:
Heat the ghee and add the vermicelli. Roast it till the colour starts changing. Transfer to a plate.
Now heat oil and add mustard seeds. When it splutters add the green chillies, ginger paste and curry leaves.
Now add the vegetables and fry for a minute.
Then add water and salt.
When water starts boiling, add the roasted vermicelli and cook on low flame till done.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
Now healthy Vegetable Vermicell Upma is ready to serve.

Sending it over to EC for WYF: Breakfast event announcement

Strawberry Smoothie

Strawberry Smoothie is a healthy and refreshing smoothie that's easy to make and perfect for any time of day.

Ingredients:
Strawberries : 6
Plain Yogurt : 3 tbsp
Milk : 250 ml
Ice cubes : 8
Sugar : 2 tbsp

Method:
Remove the stalks from your strawberries.
To give the drink a thick consistency and keep it cold, freeze the strawberries in advance.
Pour milk, sugar and plain yoghurt into a blender.
Add the frozen strawberries from the freezer and about 8 ice cubes. Put the lid on firmly, and blend until smooth.
Stir with a spatula to ensure the drink is evenly blended.
If the smoothie is too thick, add a little more milk and blend.
Yummy Strawberry Smoothie is ready to enjoy.

Bisi Bele Bhath

Ingredients:
1 cup Rice (uncooked)
3/4 cup Toor Dal (uncooked)
Beans (about 20) cut into half inch pieces
Large carrot: 1 cut into half inch pieces
Small potato: 1 cut into small cubes
2 tsp Tamarind
Few Cashews(optional)
6 cups Water

Masala:
1/2 cup grated Copra or Coconut powder
2 tsp Sambar Powder
2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1" Cinnamon
3-4 Cloves
1 sprig Curry leaves
2 tbsp Oil
2 tbsp Ghee
2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 sprig Curry Leaves
1 tsp Turmeric
Salt for taste

Method:
Fry the masala ingredients except the coconut powder and the sambar powder.
Grind the fried masala ingredients along with coconut powder and sambar masala to a paste with a little water. Set aside.
In a pressure cooker, do the tadka. Add the onion fry for few seconds.
Then fry beans and carrot for a few seconds.
Now add the rice and dal and fry for a few more seconds.
Now put in ground masala, water, tamarind and salt to taste.
Cook in the pressure cooker for 3 whistles. It is a whistle more than when you cook plain dal.
Bisi Bele Bhath is ready! Serve with papad.

Aloo Gobi

Ingredients:
2 cups of cut Cauliflower or Gobi(cut into small florets)
2 medium potatoes peeled (cut into small cubes)
1/2 inch shredded ginger or ginger paste
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
2 green chilies, sliced in long pieces
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)
2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro (green coriander)
1/4 cup water as needed

Method:
In a small bowl, mix the shredded ginger or ginger paste, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric $and 3 tablespoons of water to make a paste.
Heat the oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds to the oil after seeds crack add the green chilies and stir for a few seconds.
Next, add the spice paste and stir for a minute until spices start leaving the oil.
Add cauliflower, potatoes, 2 tablespoons of water and salt as per your taste. Mix well. Cover the pan and let it cook on medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Make sure to stir gently every 3 to 4 minutes.
Lastly, add the mango powder and fresh cilantro (green coriander). Mix everything and cover for a minute.
Aloo Gobi is ready to serve.

Paddu or Gundpangli

Paddu or Gundpangli is made with the same batter of dosa but the tava is different. To prepare this we need special paddu tawa.

Ingredients:
Parboiled Rice or Plain Rice : 3 cups
Urad Dal : 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds/menthe kaalu - 1/2 tsp
Salt for taste
Pressed Rice /Avalakki : 1/2 cup OR Puffed Rice/Mandakki/Puri : 1/2 cup
Oil

Method:
Soak rice,urad dal with fenugreek seeds around 5 hours.
Make a smooth paste of this soaked mixture (batter should be like normal dosa batter).
Allow it to ferment for 6-8 hours (I normally keep it overnight)
Add salt to this batter .
Heat the paddu or gundpangli tawa.
Add 2 drops of oil to each of the holes, pour this batter and close with plate or close lid.
After a min, remove the lid and turnover paddu using the wooden stick or a spoon.
Cook on both sides until it turns golden brown.
Serve it hot with a coconut chutney or groundnut chutney of your choice.

Variation:
Onion Paddu / Gundponglu :
Add chopped Onion , Chopped Green Chilli to the paddu batter and make paddus as explained above.

Hot Kachori

Hot Kachori
Ingredients
For cover:
1 1/2 cup plain flour
3 tbsp. oil
salt to taste
cold water to knead dough
For filling:
1 cup yellow moong dal washed and soaked for 1/2 hour
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. dhania (coriander) powder
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds crushed coarsely
1/2 tsp. fennel (saunf) seeds crushed coarsely
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
salt to taste
2-3 pinches asafoetida
1 tbsp. oil
oil to deep fry
1 tbsp. plain flour for patching

Method :
For cover:
Mix flour, salt and oil, knead into soft pliable dough.
Keep aside for 30 minutes.
For filling:
Put plenty of water to boil. Add dal.
Boil dal for 5 minutes, drain.
Cool a little. Heat oil in a heavy pan.
Add all seeds whole and crushed allow to splutter.
Add asafoetida, mix. Add all other ingredients.
Mix well. Do not smash the dal fully.
But enough to make the mixture hold well.
Remove from fire, cool.
Divide into 15 portions.
Shape into balls with greased palms.
Keep aside.
To proceed:
Make a paste with water, of flour for patching.
Keep aside.
Take a pingpong ball sized portion of dough.
Knead into round. Roll into 4" diam. round.
Place one ball of filling at centre.
Pick up round and wrap ball into it like a pouch.
Break off excess dough carefully.
Do not allow cover to tear.
Press the ball with palm, making it flattish and round.
Repeat for 4-5 kachories.
Deep fry in hot oil, on low flame only.
If the kachori get a hole anywhere, apply some paste.
Return to oil and finish frying.
Turn and repeat for other side.
Fry till golden and crisp. Small bubbles must appear over kachori.
Drain and serve hot with green and tamarind chutneys.

Note: Take care to fry on low. Hurried frying will result in soggy and oily kachories.

Spicy Sev

Ingredients:
2 cups gram flour (besan)
1/2 tsp. ajwain (omam) seeds
1 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tbsp. oil
salt to taste
2-3 pinches asafoetida
water to make dough
oil to deep fry

Method:
1.Mix the chilli, oil, salt and seeds into the flour.
2.Add enough water to make a dough which is quite gooey.
3.It should not be pliable but sticky.
4.Grease the inside of a Sev-press, fill with the dough.
5.Press into hot oil, and fry lightly on both sides.
6.Drain well and cool before storing.

Khara Shankarpali

Ingredients:
2 cup maida or all purpose flour
2 tea spns rice flour
2 tea spns(approx) chili powder (According to your taste)
2 tea spns hot oil + oil for deep frying
A tea spn slightly crushed cumin seeds
Salt to taste

Method:
Mix flours with chili powder, salt and 2 tea spns hot oil. Add enough water to make a dough. Leave the dough for about 30mins.
Take a big ball of the dough and roll into a thin circle. Cut into small squares or your desired shape. Do not stack the pieces one above other.
Heat oil for deep frying. Deep fry the pieces on medium heat.
When they are done, allow them to cool at room temperature.
Now they are ready to serve with tea.
Store them in air tight container.

Sending it over to EC for Fried Snack Event Announcement

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:
Shredded Coconut(Fresh or dry) - 1 cups
Hurigadle or Groundnut or Peanuts- 1 tablespoon
Putani or Dalia split - 1 tablespoon
Ginger - 2″ pc
Garlic Cloves - 3-4
Green Chillies - 3-4 (According to taste) (slit)
Tamarind - marble size
Jaggery - same size as tamarind
Salt - to taste
Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - small bunch
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

For Seasoning
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - A few
Urad Daal - 1 tsp

Method:
First roast the Coconut, green chillies, garlic and groundnut on medium heat for just two minutes. Allow it to cool.
Transfer all these into the blender. Also add the remaining ingredients to the blender.
Blend to desired consistency by adding Water.
Pour into a serving bowl.
In a small skillet, on medium heat, heat the Oil.
Once hot, add in Mustard Seeds and allow them to splutter.
Add in Urad Daal and cook till they change to a light golden color.
After that add in Curry Leaves, mix and turn off the stove.
Pour the seasoning over the chutney.
Serve with Dosas, Idli or Vadas or even sometimes with chapatis.

Green Groundnut/Shenga chutney

Ingredients:
Roasted Groundnut/Hurigadle/Peanuts/Shenga - 1 cup (100 gms)
Green chillies - 2-3
Tamarind - marble size
Jaggery/Bella - marble size
Garlic pods - 5-6
Corainder
Salt to taste

Seasoning (optional)
Mustard seeds + Urud dal - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves few
Oil - 1/2 tsp

Method to prepare:
Chop the green chillies to small bits, soak the tamarind to make it soft.
Then take all the ingredients in a mixie and grind to so smooth paste.
Add oil, cumin seeds and mustard seeds in a pan. Once it starts spluttering, add curry leaves and add it to chutney.
You can serve with Paddu, Dosas or Idlis.

Gobi paratha

For the dough:
3 cups atta/whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup water (use more as needed)
Salt

For the filling:
Minced cauliflower - 1 cup
Onion - 1/4 cup, minced
Garam masala - 1 tsp (optional)
Cumin / jeera - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste

Dough
Mix flour, salt and water together to make soft dough (if the dough is hard add a little more water).
Knead the dough for a few minutes on a lightly greased surface to make smooth and pliable dough.
Set the dough aside and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes.

Filling:
Heat oil in a pan.
Add the jeera and when it starts spluttering add the minced onion and fry till golden brown. Next add the ginger garlic paste, garam masala and the chilli powder.
Mix well with salt for a few seconds.
Now add the cauliflower, sprinkle some water and cook covered on sim for about 10-12 mins. The cauliflower should be cooked well by now.
Now the filling is ready.

Making paratha:
Divide the dough and Gobi filling into equal parts. The gobi balls should be about 1 1/2 times larger than the dough balls.
Roll the dough into 3 inch diameter circles. Place the potato balls in the center. Seal by pulling the edges of the rolled dough together to make a ball. Proceed to make all six balls.
Let them settle for 3 to 4 minutes before rolling them.
Heat the pan on medium high.
To make it easier to roll the balls, first roll them in dry whole-wheat flour.
Lightly press the ball on the sealed side and keep it on the topside when rolling. Roll the ball light handed in to 6-inch circles. Whenever the dough sticks to the rolling pin or rolling surface, lightly sprinkle dry whole-wheat flour on both sides of the semi-rolled paratha.
Place the paratha over the pan. After a few seconds you will see the paratha change color and puff in different places.
Then flip the paratha over. After a few seconds, spread 1 teaspoon of oil on the paratha.
Flip again and press with the spatula making sure the paratha is golden-brown on both sides.
Gobi paratha is ready to serve. It can be served with plain yogurt or spicy pickle or just butter.

Aloo Paratha

Ingredients:
To prepare Dough
* 1 cup whole-wheat flour
* 1/2 cup water (Use more as needed)
* Pinch of salt

Potato Filling
* 2 medium potatoes
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (Jeera)
* 1 chopped green chili
* 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (green coriander)

Also needed
* 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour for rolling
* Oil to cook

Method:
Dough
1. Mix flour, salt and water together to make soft dough (if the dough is hard add a little more water).
2. Knead the dough for a few minutes on a lightly greased surface to make smooth and pliable dough.
3. Set the dough aside and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes.

Filling:
1. Boil 2 medium potatoes or aloo with 2 cups of water.
2. Once tender, remove them from the water and let them cool down. Note: Do not cool the potatoes under running water because the potatoes will become too soft.
3. After the potatoes are cold enough to handle, peel the skin off and mash the potatoes.
4. Mix green chilies, cilantro, cumin seeds and salt to the mashed potatoes.

Making paratha:
Divide the dough and potato mixture into 6 equal parts. The potato balls should be about 1 1/2 times larger than the dough balls.
Roll the dough into 3 inch diameter circles. Place the potato balls in the center. Seal by pulling the edges of the rolled dough together to make a ball. Proceed to make all six balls.
Let them settle for 3 to 4 minutes before rolling them.
Heat the pan on medium high. To check if the pan is hot enough, sprinkle a couple of drops of water on it. If the water sizzles right away, the pan is ready.
To make it easier to roll the balls, first roll them in dry whole-wheat flour.
Lightly press the ball on the sealed side and keep it on the topside when rolling. Roll the ball light handed in to 6-inch circles. Whenever the dough sticks to the rolling pin or rolling surface, lightly sprinkle dry whole-wheat flour on both sides of the semi-rolled paratha.
Place the paratha over the pan. After a few seconds you will see the paratha change color and puff in different places.
Then flip the paratha over. You should see some golden-brown spots on the topside. After a few seconds, spread 1 teaspoon of oil on the paratha. Again, flip the paratha and lightly press the puffed areas with a spatula.
Flip again and press with the spatula making sure the paratha is golden-brown on both sides.
Aloo paratha is ready to serve. It can be served with plain yogurt or spicy pickle.

Shankarpali - Sweet snack

Ingredients:
Milk- 1 cup
Sugar- 1 cup
Maida- [all purpose flour ]-nearly 3 cups
Semolina(rawa) : 1 cup
Salt- a pinch
Ghee- 1 cup
Oil to fry

Procedure:
1. Mix ghee, sugar and milk in a pan and heat it till the sugar melts and the mixture starts boiling. As soon as the mixture starts boiling, turn off the heat.
2. Let the mixture cool down.
3. Mix maida and semolina in above mixture and keep adding it till you get a nice, stiff dough. The consistency of the dough should be such that you should be able to roll it. [not too thin, not too stiff.]
4. Heat oil in a kadhai. Divide the dough in equal parts, roll it into round shape like a chapati. [it should not be very thin.]
5. Cut it with a knife in diamond shape. Note: You can cut them in your desire shape.
6. Fry in oil on medium heat till you get light brown colour.
7. Nice crispy crunchy Shankarpali are ready to eat.

Sending it over to EC for Fried Snack Event Announcement


And to Shanthi's Dussehra, Dhanteras and Diwali event



And Also to EC's WYF:Tea time snack event announcement