Banana Leafs

Baingan ka Barth

2009-03-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Eggplant (medium size) 1
Cooked green peas 1/2 cup
Finely chopped onions 1
Finely chopped tomatoes 1
Finely chopped green chilli 1
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp.
Garam Masala Powder 1/2 tsp.
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp.
Vegetable oil 3 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Chopped green coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Brush eggplant with oil and roast it on a gas burner over medium heat.or (Make some slits around the eggplant and bake it in an oven for 30- 35 mts or until it is soft on all sides)
2. Frequently turn the eggplant upside down, until fully roasted.
3. Once done, hold it under cold running water or in a bowl full of water. Cool it and peel off the blackened skin.
4. Mash the flesh.
5. Heat oil in a pan / kadhai . Add green chilli and onion and fry over medium heat until light golden brown.
6. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and stir. Add tomatoes and cook until tender.
7. Add green peas and mashed eggplant. Stir well. Fry for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.

Garnish with green coriander leaves and Serve hot with roti/chappathis.

Happy Ugadhi

2009-03-25T03:40:00.000-07:00

Ugadi is the Telugu New Year day. It is specially associated with Pacchadi (chutney) in telugu. The chutney is prepared with tender flowers of neem, jaggery or sugar & new tamarind. The whole family has to eat the chutney. The chutney is offered to the deity first and then eaten by the members of the family.
The Telugu and Kannada people celebrate the festival with great fanfare; gatherings of the extended family and a sumptuous feast are de rigueur. The day, however,begins with ritual showers (oil bath) followed by prayers, and then the eating of a specific mixture of -
Neem Buds/Flowers for bitterness
Raw Mango for tang
Tamarind Juice for sourness
Green Chilli/Pepper for heat
Jaggery for sweetness
Pinch of Salt for saltiness
This mixture with all six tastes , called "Ugadi Pachhadi" in Telugu , symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of different experiences (sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise) , which should be accepted together and with equanimity.
Later, people traditionally gather to listen to the recitation of the religious almanac (Panchangam) of the coming year, and to the general forecast of the year
to come. This is the Panchanga Sravanam, an informal social function where an elderly and respected person refers to the new almanac pertaining to the coming
year and makes a general benediction to all present. The advent of television has changed this routine, especially in the cities. Nowadays, people turn on the
TV to watch broadcasts of the recitation.
Ugadi celebrations are marked by literary discussions, poetry recitations and recognition of authors of literary works through awards and cultural programs. Recitals of classical Carnatic music and dance are held in the evenings.
Ugadi is celebrated at the onset of spring as the Telugu New Year. The day marks the beginning of the Hindu lunar calendar and it is believed that Lord Brahma, the creator of the Hindu pantheon started creation on this day. Spring is the season that heralds new beginnings and on this day, new neem leaves, raw mangoes and fresh jaggery is used to make the Ugadi Pachadi – a relish that is a must-have on this day. The sweet, sour and bitter taste of the pachadi is a reflection of life and its different flavours.
Celebration:The whole family wears new clothes. Around 3.00 p.m. a brahmin sits on the pail outside the front yard door & recites the panchangam. All the nearby residents gather to listen to him about the new year, rain fall, agriculture, prices, education, eclipses, and auspicious days for marriages, health and
astrological forecasts for the individuals and the community based upon the planetary position. In the evening many competitions are held like bullock-cart races, physical duels, lifting of heavy weights, running races, card games and so on.

Here are some recipes , which you can try at home

Mango chutney(Maamidikaaya pachadi)

2009-03-23T04:08:00.000-07:00

ingredients
Medium Sized raw mango - 1
Fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida - a pinch
cumin seeds-1 tbsp
Red chillies - 4
Turmeric - a pinch
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 4

Method:
1.Wash the mango thoroughly and pat it dry. Cut the mango into small pieces. Keep aside.
2.Roast 2 red chilies, a pinch of asafoetida, and 1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds,musterd seeds,cumin seeds. Cool and keep aside. Blend the raw mango pieces, the roasted chiili-feenugreek-asafoetida,musterd seeds,cumin seeds until fine paste. Add turmeric and blend again. . Finally add salt according to taste.
3.Heat oil in pan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida and fenugreek seeds. Add this popu to the blended mixture.

Happy Holi

2009-03-11T00:23:00.000-07:00

Holi is celebrated on Purnima day in the month of Phalguna. According to a legend, when Siva was meditating, Manmadha (cupid) shot his darts at him to induce love in him for the good of the world. But Siva was incensed at the disturbance and opened his third eye and burnt Manmadha to ashes. Rathi Devi wife of cupid asked for mercy, but Siva said that it was not possible, but I grant one thing. He will put on his original form on Sukla Thrayodasi in the month of chaitra every year. As promised and blessed by Siva, Cupid assumes his original physical form on that day.

A week or so before the punnami day, various sticks & logs of wood are collected and heaped at cross roads and a dummy of Manmadha with a short turban & moustaches is put up on the heap. Young men shout, scream, sing and dance around the fire. The next day is celebrated by throwing colored water or by applying gulal to friends. In Rayalseema, the districts bordering Karnataka observe this as "Kama Dhanam" by sprinkling colors at others.
Holi, the great Indian festival of colors, is a unique celebration of high spirits, when the new season is courted with a riot of rich colors. It is like a grand kaleidoscope that glorifies all the hues that tinge and renew the lives on earth.
It falls on the full moon day of the March, the month when the nippy north wind bows out to the refreshing and rejuvenating breeze from the south, heralding the onset of the ensuing summer in this part of the world. It is thus a festival of spring.
The time when the seasonal cycle is caught on a transition. This is when nature starts donning new color. The new foliages start sprouting on the branches, dried and weary over a winter. It is also time when the harvests are reaped and bundled in sheaves. The air is filled with promises of warmth and new lives as the earth discards the wintry glum to greet the bright sun of summer. Beset with this exhilarating backdrop, Holi comes, flinging colors and verve into the landscape of India. As if to mark the renewal and rebirth of life. Holi is thus a celebration of life, the life of love, unblemished joy, and good spirits.

Here are some recipes , which you can try at home

Capsicum Masala

2009-03-09T05:47:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 Green Capsicum (bell peppers)
1 Onion (chopped)
1 Tomato (chopped)
roasted peanuts - 5 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste 1tbsp
coconut - 4 tsp (grated)
tamarind paste - 2 tsp
jeera(cumin seeds) - 1 tsp
oil - 3 tsp
garam masala - 2 tsp
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
turmeric - a pinch
salt to taste
Coriander (Cilantro) for garnishing

Method

1.Roasted peanuts for 10 min. Cut the capsicum in to pieces.
2.Put the oil in a pan, add jeera and allow it to split.Then add onion, green chillies & ginger garlic paste. fry till the onions turn translucent.
3.Add tomato and fry till they are soft then add capsicum pieces cook until the pieces are soft.
4.Grind the peanuts with grated coconut & tamarind paste with little amount of water.
5.Add this paste to the capsicum in the pan. Allow it to cook for 2 min.Add salt, chilli powder, garam masala & turmeric. Cook until the oil floats on the
gravy.
Sprinkle some coriander and fresh cream. Serve hot with Chapati or rice ,naan.

Spicy Tomato Rice

2009-02-25T02:08:00.001-08:00

Ingredients :
4 Cups Cooked Rice (Sona Masoori Raw rice)
1 Cup Tomato Puree

for Tempering:
2 tsp Sesame oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Channa dhall
5 Red chillies broken into pieces
10- 12 Curry leaves;
1 Medium Onion cut into thin stripes
1/2 tsp each of the powders(Chilly, Cumin, Coriander)
Salt to taste
A few Coriander leaves finely chopped
1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
A pinch of Hing/Asfoetide

Procedure:
1.Heat up oil in a Kadai, allow mustard to splutter.Add Channa Dhall, fry a little to change the color.
2.Add red chillies and after they fry add curry leaves and onions and fry them till onion changes color.
3.If desired add ginger garlic paste and hing at this point and fry.Now add tomato puree and cook well.
4.Add the cumin,chilli,coarinder powders and cook for another min.
5.Now add the rice and salt and mix well for about 1-2min, so that every rice grain is evenly coated with the seasoning.
Add coriander leaves and remove form heat.

Salsa

2009-02-25T01:48:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes,pulp only
1/4 onion
1/2 garlic clove,peeled
juice of 1/2 lime
2 tbsp coriander
2 tbsp fresh parsley
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Put all ingredients in the chopper beaker and chop briefly by pulsing the high speed button until mixed but chunky.
Serve as a dip with totilla chips.

Soy Milk

2009-02-25T01:37:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

65gr dried soybeans
400ml water

Method:
1.Soak the soybeans for 4 hours before processing them.Set aside to drain.
2.Put the soaked soybeans in the filter.Pour 400ml of water into the blender jar ang blend for 30 seconds.
3.Pour the soymilk into a pan.
4.Bring the soy milk to the boil,then add sugar to taste and leave to simmer until all the sugar has melted.
Serve hot or cold.

Happy Mahashivaraatri

2009-02-19T04:48:00.000-08:00

Mahasivarathri means the great night of Siva. It is believed that Lord Siva was born in the form of a lingam on the night of Krishna Chaturdasi (14th day of the dark fortnight).
On this day after bath a lingam is placed in the mandapam. It is then worshipped with bel leaves (Aegle marmelos maaredu). In the evening the devotees take bath & go to the Siva temple & chant Siva’s name continuously, listen to Siva’s stories & remain awake the whole night & break their fast the next day.

On the 14th night of the dark half of Magh occurs the festival of Mahashivaratri. This is an important fast for devotees of the god Shiva, who stay awake throughout the night, spending time in prayer. The name of this festival literally means 'the great night of Shiva?. Over the years man has sought to link
mythological tales to the celebration of particular days and times pertinent to each specific deity. The legend concerning this festival is memorable. It is said that a poor tribal man, who was a great devotee of Shiva, once went into the deep forest to collect firewood. As the shadows lengthened, he lost his way and could not get back home. As the mantle of darkness fell on the jungle, he could hear the growls of tigers and was extremely frightened.
In the darkness, he blindly climbed up the nearest tree - which happened to be a Bel tree - and sought safety and shelter in its branch till dawn.All night he could hear wild animals and had not the courage to leave his refuge. Perched amongst the branches, it was natural that he should doze off, fatigued by the events of the day. In order to stay awake, he plucked one sprig of leaves at a time from the tree and dropped it down, chanting the name of Shiva.
By the time the first rays of dawn lit up the horizon, he had dropped thousands of leaves on a Shiva linga which he had not noticed in the darkness. This unwitting all-night worship pleased Shiva, by whose grace the tiger went away and the tribal was rewarded with divine bliss. Ever since that day, say the Puranas, the story of the tribal is recited every year on the night of Mahashivaratri. On this particular occasion Shiva is offered special food made from the fruits of the season, root vegetables and coconuts, during ritual worship. Having observed the requirements of the all-night fast, devotees eat the prasad offered to Shiva.

Getting Ready for Shivratri Puja
To perform the worship of Lord Shiva on Shivratri, devotees wake up early and take a ritual bath, preferably in the holy waters of river Ganga. This is followed by worship to Sun God, Vishnu and Shiva in accordance with the purification rite observed on all-important Hindu festivals. Devotees then wear fresh new clothes and pay a visit to the nearest Shiva temple. As a tradition, devotees observe a fast on a Shivaratri day. Some do not consume even a drop of water.

Performing Maha Shivaratri Pooja
Following the method prescribed in Shiva Purana, priests perform ritual puja of Shiva Linga every three hours all through the day and night of Shivaratri
Festival. During this pooja, chants of Om Namah Shivaya and sounds of bells reverberate in the temple. Following the bath with milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee,
sugar and water that helps in the purification of the soul a vermilion paste is applied on the Linga as it represents virtue.
These six items form an indispensable part of Shivaratri, be it a simple ceremony at home or grand temple worship .After this, Bilwa leaves, which have to be a stalk with three leaves, is kept on top of the Shivalinga to cool the hot-tempered deity.
Ber or jujube fruit is also offered to Lord Shiva, as it is symbolic of longevity and gratification of desires. Some devotees also offer the auspicious betel leaves to Lord Shiva marking satisfaction with worldly pleasures. Garlanding of Linga with flowers and garlands is also a part of the ritual Shivaratri Puja. Devotees also burn incense sticks as is said to yield wealth. Many also light lamps to symbolize attainment of knowledge. It is said that by offering water, hugging the Linga, lighting the diya and incense and ringing the temple bells, devotees call into focus all their senses, making them acutely aware of themselves and the universe to which they belong.
This ritual worship of Lord Shiva continues through the day and night of Shivaratri. Devotees stay awake and spent the night in Shiva temples by chanting
‘Om Namah Shivaya’ and singing hymns and verses in praise of Lord Shankar. Devotees observing vrat on Shivaratri break it only the next morning by partaking
prasad offered to Lord Shiva.

Here are some recipes , which you can try at home

Broccoli Soup

2009-02-18T03:55:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

300gr broccoli,cut into florets and with the stalk rougly chopped
handful of chervil
2 tbsps chives
150ml vegetable stock
tabasco sauce
2 tbsps cream
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1.Place the broccoli and the stock into a medium saucepan.
2.Bring to boil,then reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 min.stir in the chives,tabasco sauce and seasoning,and heat for another 2-3 minutes.
3.Remove from heat and blend until smooth together with cream.

Besan Curry

2009-02-13T04:39:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 big onion chopped
1 Tomato
2 tbsp besan
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 green chillies (cut into half)
1 tsp garam masala
A pinch of turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Curry leaves
Few coriander leaves, chopped
2 tsp of oil

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, green chillies . When seeds splatter, add chopped onion, salt and turmeric to it and fry until soft on slow medium flame and add tomato.Let it cook for 5 min utill onions,tomato cook well.
2. Take besan in small bowl add water to it(Accroding to besan quantity), mix well without any lumps then add besan water to the curry and mix well. Let it cook for another 2 mins, add garam masala,curry leaves and coriander leaves.
Serve hot wih puri or chapathi.

Guacamole

2009-02-10T00:26:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1/2 avocado,peeled
1 tomato
1/3 onion
1 garlic clove,peeled
juice of 1/2 lime
salt and fresly grounded black pepper

Ingredients:

Put all ingredients in the chopper beaker and blend as smooth as you like.
Serve as a dip with tortilla chips

Lime daiquiri

2009-02-10T00:16:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

30ml Rum
Juice of 2 limes
3 tbsp csater sugar,more if desired
4 Ice cubes

Method:

1.Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until the ice is crushed.
2.Taste the daiquiri if it is too sour,add a little more sugar.

Pan Cakes

2009-02-10T00:02:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

250ml Milk
125gr Flour
25gr Butter
3 Eggs
Chocolate sause,to serve

Method:
1.Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
2.Pour a bit of the batter into a frying and cook pancakes on both sides.
Serve with chocolate sause.

Iced Coffee

2009-02-09T23:51:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

100ml Warm water
2 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp Powdered coffee creamer
3 tbsp Instant coffee
100ml Consensed milk
100ml Cream
4 Ice cubes

Method:

1.Put the instant coffee,coffee creamer,sugar,condensed milk,cream and water in
the blender and blend until smooth.
2.Add the icecubes so that the jar is up to 3/4 full.Blend until smooth.
Tip:For an extra kick,add vanila ice cream.

BabyCorn Manchuria

2009-02-06T05:05:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1. Baby corn –slitted
2. All purpose flour
(Maida)-1 fistful
3. green chilli sauce-2tbsp
4. Corm flour – 2 fistfuls
5. Chopped spring onion- 100grams
6. soya sauce – 2 tsp
7. salt – as per requirement
8. sugar- ½ tsp
9. green bell pepper – 1
10. ginger garlic-chilli paste
11.ajinomoto-1/2 tbsp
Method:

1.Cut corn into small pieces. Marinate with salt and pepper powder,red chilli powder.
2.Mix maida,corn flour, salt,sugar,chilli sauce, soya sauce,ajinomoto and baby corn well. Just sprinkle water to bind the ingredients . then deep fry the baby corn till it turns golden brown. Keep it aside. You can have it as dry Manchurian also.

For the gravy :
Heat oil in a wok and sauté ginger – garlic-chilli paste. Add capsicum,green chillies, soya sauce 1 tsp and again sauté for 2 minutes. Add salt,spring onions, and fried baby corn .Then add some water. Mix corn flour in water and add to the above.
Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Mashed Potatoes

2009-01-28T05:15:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds of potatoes
1 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of half and half (half milk & half cream)
6 tablespoons of butter
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:
1. Add the potatoes to a large pot with enough cold water to cover them by an inch or so. Add salt and bring the water to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. (About 15 minutes)
2. Drain the potatoes return them to the pot and cook the drained potatoes over low heat for a couple of minutes to evaporate some of the water still in the potato.
3.Mash by your hands or mixer.
4.Blend in butter, half & half milk and cream.
5.Season with salt and pepper.

Banana Milk Shake

2009-01-28T04:36:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1c Milk
1 Banana
1/2c Fresh Strawberries
1/4 c Plain Unsweetened Yoghurt

Method:
1.Place strawberries and banana into the blender with some ice.
2.Add the yoghurt and milk.
3.Blend for 1 min until smooth and creamy.(if you want add sugar also for more sweetness)
Pour into tall glasses

Happy Republic Day

2009-01-23T04:43:00.001-08:00

Beetroot chutney

2009-01-23T04:37:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 2
Bengal gram dhal - 1 teaspoon
Red chillies - 3
Tamarind - 1 inch
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 table spoons
grated coconut-2tbsp
Curry leaves

Method:
1. Peel the beetroots and cut them into small pieces ( or scrape them )
2. Heat 2 teapoons of oil in a kadai and add the beetroot to fry them. Cook till you get cooked smell.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil and fry the bengal garm dhal, black gram dhal, red chillies and curry leaves
4. Grind all the ingredients - beetroot, tamarind, salt and the fried things to chutney.In the last add grated coconut.
It can be served with rice, idly, dosai and chappathi

Happy Pongal

2009-01-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

This three-day harvest festival is celebrated every year in Magha, from the 13th to the 15th of January. The word 'pongal' refers to the dish of sweet rice prepared on this occasion. The festival is celebrated widely in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The time of the festival is of great importance to all Hindus, as it corresponds to the solar equinox when the days begin to lengthen and the nights begin to wane.

Gangireddula Vadu: He comes with a colorfully dressed pet bull. The bull sways its head, dances, sits and stands and does things in accordance with the rhythm of the music and commands of its master.
The first day is called as Bhogi. On this day before sunrise youngsters collect dry twigs, grass, waste paper etc., make a heap & light a bonfire. Women and girls draw patterns on the ground using mortar powder. They make Gobbemmas i.e., lumps of cowdung and place it on the drawings in front of their houses. People pick up some ash from the bhogi fire & rub it on their foreheads.
The special dish of the day is Pongal, a mixture of husked greengram and rice with salt and pepper powder cooked in a pot.
The second day is the actual Sankranthi day. In the evening men & women go to their neighbors and relatives to offer sesame seeds, sugar & sugarcane pieces.
Kanumu the third day is celebrated as a cattle festival. On this day the peasants wake up early to bathe their cattle & paint their horns with bright colors and tie bells around their necks. Some farmers go out to their fields, sacrifice a goat or a sheep and sprinkle the blood in their fields. Still some others take cooked rice and milk to the cattle shed offer some of it to the cattle and take the remainder to their fields and scatter it there. They believe that this offering keeps the ghosts away from their crops. In the villages on this day cockfights are held.
*Try these popular recipes with love and share the dish with family and friends and have a blast this Pongal!

Happy New Year

2009-01-04T05:24:00.000-08:00

In the fairly long history of humanity the celebration of New Year is found to have a pre-historic root. Since the era of the most ancient civilization a number of dates have been marked as the beginning of a new year by different people from different parts of the world. The diversity is due to the difference in their ethnic and cultural background.
Today the New Year is celebrated all over the world on January 1. But this was not the case a few hundred years back.

Here are some recipes , which you can try at home

Cabbage Pappu

2009-01-02T07:10:00.000-08:00

Ingredients :

Cabbage - 250 gms
Yellow Moong Dal - 50 gr
Tomatos - 2
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Onions - 1 medium

Method :

1.Chop Cabbage to fine pieces. Wash the dal and in a cooker add the dal along with Cabbage, all the dry powders, chopped tomatoes, salt. Put it on 3 whistles .
2.Heat a pan with oil. Sputter mustard seeds, cumin seeds. Then fry onions along with Curry leaves.
3.Add water if you want the dal to be more thin else little water is enough. Let it boil.
Then finally garnish with coarinder leave .

Egg Puffs

2009-01-02T06:42:00.000-08:00

Ingredient:

Pepperidge farm brand puff pastry sheets - 1 Packet
Eggs - 3 nos

Method:
1)Thaw the pastry sheet by leaving it out in room temperature for about an hour.
2)Boil the eggs and cut them into halves.
3)Spread the sheet and then roll it a bit, so the thickness if half of what it was originally.
4)Cut the pastry sheets into rectangles and place one egg piece in one half of the rectangle and fold the other half over it.
5)Seal the corners by making them little wet.
6)Repeat the procedure for the remaining eggs.
7)Place these on a sheet of aluminium foil in the oven at 375 deg C for about 45 mins or till they turn golden brown.
8)Turn them in about 30 mins.

Vegetable Puffs

2009-01-01T06:28:00.000-08:00

Ingredients :

1 packet : Ready to use pastry roll (Pepperidge farms)
Mixed Vegetables (potatoes, peas may be added) to taste
Green Chilies to taste
Masala
Salt

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan, saute mustard and cumin seeds for seasoning. Then add green chilies, turmeric, ginger-garlic paste and curry leaves.Add peas and fry for few more minutes.
2. Then add mashed potatoes, salt and cook until it is tender.
3. Sprinkle coriander powder and coriander leaves. Remove from heat and let it cool.
4. Cut each puff sheet into 2 pieces.
5. Unfold the layers, stuff with the potato curry and fold as it is using some water. Repeat for the other pieces.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place the puffs in a baking tray. Bake them until golden brown for 30 minutes.
Serve hot with tomato ketchup.