Homemade Dinner Rolls (Indian Pav Buns)

Visit www.foodomania.com for the recipe & step by step pictures.
Link to this recipe - http://foodomania.com/homemade-dinner-rolls-indian-pav/

Caramelized Onion & Garlic Buns

I've learned quite a bit about the workings of yeast and the art of making bread, thanks to MasterChef Australia. I decided to put one of those tips to use. I've been thinking of making onion bread for quite sometime. But instead of adding the onion at the initial stages, I decided on caramelizing and adding after the dough has been prepared. Apparently, yeast doesn't like too much disturbance in the initial stage. Once you make the dough, you've incorporated your yeast and hence, adding any kind of spices, veggies or nuts would be okay.

Stuffed Bread Loaf

Visit www.foodomania.com for the recipe & step by step pictures.
Link to this recipe - http://foodomania.com/stuffed-bread-loaf/

Medu Vadai | Black Gram Dumpling | *200th Post*

This happens to be my 200th post on Edible Entertainment! :-) And this is one of my most favorite recipes in the world...
Medu Vadai. (pronounced as May-dhooo V-uh-dye) is a traditional favorite of south Indian, especially Tamil cuisine and is an indispensable part of the menu on festivals. ‘Medu’ means soft, and the dumplings must live up to the name. This is the basic version of the fried snack. There are so many different varieties possible with the same batter.

Ela Ada | Cooking With Kin #10#

A food blog is considered to be the *complete package* when it has short stories associated with a recipe, a simple recipe.. and most importantly, beautiful, appetizing photographs to go along with the recipe. The blogger I'm going to be featuring here today has all the above mentioned qualities in the right amount. And as if that wasn't enough, she names her blog aptly - Hot from my oven. You could smell the smell of fresh bread sitting in front of your computer! Please welcome an Engineer at day and a passionate baker after work - Ramya!!

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Instant Rice Panki | Steamed Rice Pancakes

Visit www.foodomania.com for the recipe & step by step pictures.

Link to this recipe - http://foodomania.com/rice-panki/

Upma Kozhakattai | Indian Steamed Rice Balls

Upma Kozhakattai also known as Pudi Kozhakattai is a very healthy & delicious dish which can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It does take time to make this dish. But nothing too complicated. A very traditional South-Indian dish.

Ingredients - (makes 20)
Raw Rice - 4 cups
Oil - 2 tbsps
Dried Red Chili - 5-6
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp
Urad Dal / Black Gram - 2 tsp
Curry Leaves - a handful
Salt - to taste - 1 tsp
A big wok & a steamer
Water - 6-7 cups

Method -
I wash the rice, dry it, grind & then roast it. But generally, you can directly grind raw rice to a coarse powder & roast it for a few minutes

Heat oil
Add dried red chili
Add mustard seeds & urad dal
Add curry leaves & fry fr 1/2 a minute
Add salt
Add water & let it come to a boil

Slowly, start adding the ground rice powder with one hand while continuously stirring with the other.
In the beginning stir without leaving so that there are no lumps
Then you can mix occasionally.
Bring it to the consistency you see in the 4th picture below

Let it cool.
Take some of the Upma and press in evenly to form egg-shaped Kozhakattais (balls)

Repeat the same with entire mixture.

Steam them for 5 minutes until they are soft. I used an Idli-pan to place these balls & steam. Any method of steaming would do.

Your healthy Upma Kozhattai is ready. Serve it with Gotsu, Sambar, Chutney etc.

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ENJOY

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Almond and Banana Smoothie

There aren't many drink-recipes on my blog. And that's because we don't drink anything except milk. Smoothies, juices, soups etc are a rarity at home. And so, I made this simple smoothie for the blog! :) But we loved it. Its an extremely energizing drink. Excellent post workout drink

To make 1 glass

You'll need -

Almonds - 30 grams (8-10 pieces)

Cold Milk - 120 ml

Ripe Banana - 1 small

Sugar - 1 teaspoon (optional)

Vanilla Essence - 1/4 teaspoon

Ground Cinnamon Powder - a pinch

Method -

STEP 1: In hot boiling water, soak the almonds for 1 minute.

STEP 2: Remove & peel the skin. Alternatively, you can use with the skin too.

STEP 3: In a food processor/blender, grind it finely. (a smooth paste)

STEP 4: Add banana, sugar & vanilla extract to this & blend again coarsely.

STEP 5: Add the milk & blend blend blend away~~~ until creamy!

STEP 6: Pour into the glass & sprinkle some cinnamon powder on top. Decorate with a small piece of banana!

Poha (Rice Flakes Upma / Snack) - Healthy Breakfast

Good Evening everybody! ☺

For all those who 'hardly-find-time-to-breathe', this can be your healthy breakfast option instead of a takeaway or ready made noodles. All it takes is a 10 minute planning & you're all set! You can make Poha in very many ways. Feel free to substitute/eliminate some of the ingredients! Poha is a very nutritious & filling breakfast.

I hope you all have heard of Flattened Rice (also known as Beaten Rice, or Pohaa). It is easily available in all markets in India. But if you can't find it, you can order it off from Amazon! ☺


Ingredients:
Flattened Rice/Poha - 2 cups (250 grams)
Onion - 1 medium (finely sliced)
Asafoetida / Hing - a pinch
Green Chilies - 2-4 chopped
Boiled Potato - 1 medium sized (mashed)
Peanuts - handful (optional)
Curry Leaves - 7-10
Mustard Seeds / Rai - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds / Jeera - 1 teaspoon (optional)
Turmeric powder / Haldi - 1/2 teaspoon
Cooking Oil - 1 teaspoon
Salt - 1-2 teaspoons (as per your taste)
Coriander leaves - 1-2 strands
Grated Coconut - 2 tablespoons (optional)
Lemon Juice - 1-2 tablespoon

Method:
1. Wash the flattened rice/poha till clean. Drain the water. Sprinkle some clean water & keep it aside for 10- 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare for the garnish. Mash the potato (not so much to make it like a paste. Just coarsely. Or you can cut them), slice the onions & green chili. (Poha tastes good when you use onions. However I haven't used it)

3. Completely drain all the water from the Poha/Rice Flakes. Separate them with your fingers to break lumps, if any. Squeeze a lemon into it.

4. Heat 1 teaspoon of cooking oil & add the mustard seeds. When they start popping, add cumin seeds, green chili, curry leaves & stir fry for 20 seconds.

5. Add the salt, Asafoetida & turmeric powder. Mix it once. Then add the onions & cook until the onions turn translucent. Add the mashed potato & mix.

6. Finally, add the beaten rice/ Poha. Be careful not to mash or break the beaten rice. Carefully, mix the Poha very well. Let it cook for about 1 minute. Add the broken peanuts & lemon juice. Keep mixing at frequent intervals. (around 2 minutes)

7. Finally, garnish it with some coriander leaves & grated coconut if you want.

Another lookie ....

Simple Muesli (Healthy Breakfast)

Muesli is one of the easiest and most popular breakfast item. When you don't have the time to cook and eat a fresh homemade breakfast, opt for Muesli (and not the roadside sandwiches!). 
You get ready to eat Muesli in the market. But you can also make and store it at home. For this, you'll need -

Oats
Dried Apricots & Figs
Dried Almonds (and any other dry fruits)
Cornflakes
Assorted fruits (to be added before eating)
Milk or Yogurt (to be added before eating)
Honey (to be added before eating)

Method
1. Dry roast porridge oats.
2. Chop the dry apricots, almonds & figs 
3. Mix them with cornflakes and apricots, almonds, figs etc. Store in airtight container.

4. While serving / eating, take a little mixture in the bowl, add some fruits (optional), honey(optional) and milk or yogurt and eat up! ☺

A healthy breakfast reduces the risk of late night cravings. So, no matter how busy you are in the morning, keep 5 minutes aside to have a hearty meal! And I guess it goes without saying - NO TV, Newspapers or Books while eating! :-D

 

Greek Salad

Greek Salad is a summer salad of the (obviously) Greek cuisine. For people who are wondering why I've been posting chocolates and cakes since I talked about adopting a healthy lifestyle, here's a post to put an end to that "WHY"! (and it was my birthday! I couldn't have substituted a salad for the delicious cake!)


I did not try this recipe. My friend Manali Shah of Nothing Intellectual did. You can check out her post HERE. Or, for the benefit of the lazy (oops! sorry! please do come back to my blog!) I'm re-posting it here (with her permission of course!) But I have tasted greek salad once. Its light, healthy and tasty!! But honestly, not something I would have everyday! I like my food cooked. I'm not a big fan of salads. But when garnished with delicious toppings, who am I to say no?

In Manali Shah's words....

"Endive lettuce, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, kiwi, black olives and tomatoes – sprinkled generously with Olive oil. My Greek salad was colourful and delectable! And the whole thing took hardly a few minutes to make!
I had never tasted feta cheese before and trust me, it is heavenly. It’s undoubtedly the best cheese I’ve ever had. If you’re in Mumbai, you can buy it from Foodhall at Palladium, Phoenix Mills and at Godrej’s Nature’s Basket outlets."

So, there you go - a healthy recipe! Don't eat it for breakfast, lunch AND dinner! If you really love it, have once in a day! Who know, eating too much of raw veggies may turn you into a cow! heheh.. kidding! Anyhoo, here's a recipe I found on Tarla Dalal's site. If & when I make it, I'll post pictures.

Ingredients

2 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (khumbh)
1 cup pitted black olives
1/2 cup green olives
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 cup greek dressing or italian dressing
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Method  

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours to blend flavors. 

2. And does taste yummmm!!!!!

Happy Eating!!!

Yelai Vadaam (Steamed Rice Pancakes)

I guess most of you wouldn't have heard of "Yelai Vadaam". It is one of the lesser known foods of the Iyengars (a caste in South-India). South-Indian food is usually very healthy with subtle flavors, steamed or cooked with a minimum oil. It has all the goodness required to nourish our mind, body & soul. And yet, we go looking out for cheese, sauce, pasta etc! :-D Well, as they say - the grass is greener on the other side.

Anyways, back to Yelai Vadaam - it's an endangered specie! My grandmothers used to make them often! Until last year, I used to beg my mom to make it and she used to oblige like once a year! But not anymore! Coz I've realized how simple this dish is! ☺It is a time consuming process - but so worth the effort!

"Yelai" in TAMIL (a south-Indian language) means LEAF. This dish is usually made on a palaash or banana leaf. Although, these days, you have a variety of other options! :-)This is perfect for breakfast (although you have to PLAN!) or a snack..

(This makes enough for 2 people)
Things you'll need
Plain White Rice- 200 grams
Asafoetida / Hing/ Perungaayam - 2 teaspoon
Carom Seeds / Ajwain / Omam - 1 tablespoon
OR
Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
Salt - to taste around 3 teaspoons
Oil - as required (1 teaspoon)
Lemon juice - 1-2 teaspoons (optional: only if the batter has not fermented fully)
Green Chili paste - 1 tablespoon (optional)
** Banana Leaf & Rice cooker
OR an  elai vadaam stand
OR a stand to hold plates & steam
*** If you don't find banana leaf, you can use the other method of steaming them on a plate. OR you could use any edible large leaf OR saran wrap that hold up when steamed

Method
ALTERNATIVE  1: Using Banana Leaves

1. Soak the white rice for 2-3 hours.

2. Drain & grind the rice with little water into a thin batter. Add the salt, mix well & leave it in room temperature for 2-3 DAYS. I have a huge grinder at home. I used that. Use only if you intend on grinding large amounts of batter! A normal mixer/blender is okay for small quantities.

3. After the 2nd or 3rd day - add asafoetida, cumin/carom seeds, adjust salt and mix well. It should be of pouring consistency. Since the batter has been kept for 2-3 days, it must have become sour. This is perfectly okay. Add lemon juice if you want more sourness.

4. Keep the steamer ready. Invert a large vessel on it & heat 2 cups of water in it.
5. Take the banana leaf and cut it into 4 quarters. smear it with a drop of vegetable oil. Now spread about a ladle-full of batter onto the banana leaf (you have to do this one at a time), in a circular motion (like you would for a dosa/pancake) and try to spread it as thin as possible.

6. Carefully place the leaf on the vessel in the steamer. Close the lid & steam (cook without whistle) for about 2-3 minutes.

7. You could just peel it off the leaf and eat it hot; Or you could roll it up into a cigar-shape; Or, you could add some stir-fried veggies and roll up to make a steamed Indian-style spring roll! Or you could eat it with molagai podi (more on this later)

ALTERNATIVE 2: In case you don't get a banana leaf :-
1. The steps 1-4 are the same.
2. Keep the yelai vadaam stand ready. It is a stand with detachable thin pates to make this dish. Smear a drop of oil onto the plates & put the batter on the plates (as thin as possible)

3. Arrange the plates on the stand & steam it for about 2-3 minutes.

4. Peel & eat! If you are finding it difficult to peel, use some water to moisten the edges!

ALTERNATIVE 3: Use flat plates.
If you can't do the 1st or the 2nd option, here's another way of making it -
1. Again, steps 1-4 are the same.
2. Heat water in a deep bottomed pan. Invert a large vessel with flat bottom.
3. Take a flat plate, smear some oil & pour the batter.
4. Keep the plate on the flat-bottomed vessel. Close the whole pan wih a large vessel & let it steam for 2-3 minutes.
5. Peel & Enjoy!

ALTERNATIVE 4:
Once you make these, you can either eat them up right away, or dry them up & fry & eat! That tastes lovely too!

VERDICT: ooo! Its was lovely! I love its texture! Me and my dad just compete with each other to decide who gets the larger share! We both love it steaming hot while my brother likes it dried & fried! Inspite of making over 100 Rice pancakes (yelai vadaams) we gobbled it up in 10 minutes! And we saved only 8 of them for my brother! ;-)

I'm sending this post to Krithi and Denny's "Serve it Steamed" Event! ☻
                        
Also sending it to Radhika's Let's cook - Scrumptious Breakfast event

This is the VERY FIRST time I'm participating in a food blog event!  Although I don't expect to win, (you should see some of the entries! What perfection!!! Compared to theirs, mine is very simple!) I thoroughly loved cooking for the event PLUS eating it too! :) ☺