Ginger-Peanut Bar

Ginger:This flavorful "rhizome" has been used for centuries in Indian cuisine and medicine. Ayurvedic says it as a "universal great edicine".Ginger is widely used by both Indian and Chinese Physicians, it originated on Indian soil and was introduced to China just 300 years ago.In addition to its hot, vibrant flavor, ginger is an excellent digestive and aphrodisiac. It cures nausea and is good for rheumatism.It is suggested eating slices of ginger sprinkled with salt before meals to aid digestion.Chewing on a fresh piece of ginger relieves a sore throat, and hoarseness.Ginger beer is a non-alcoholic soft drink popular in the West Indies and in Britain.It can be made with fresh or powdered ginger.Home-made ginger beer is a refreshing drink in summer.When buying ginger check to make sure that the skin is fresh without wrinkles and that there is no growth of fungus at any of its
small knobs/roots. Store it either in the refrigerator.Traditionally, ginger has been stored buried under a patch of damp red soil and sand mixture.My grand mother used to keep it in a pot coverved with soil.It should be kept damp as to ensure future growth and also freshness of existing ginger.Here we can see more about Ginger.
and Its Culinary Uses.
About Ginger Medical referance.
More information about Ginger(ALLAM/ADARAK/INGI)plant from Stevenfoster's website.
I made this recipe for May's SHF(SUGAR HIGH FRIDAY) Event hosting by hostess "Ruth" of onceuponafeast.I just modified "Allam Murabba" (allam is called "Ginger" in telugu murabba means preserved i think may be its a "persian" word) into a tasty, soft, moist, jaggery -coated chunks of hot-spicy ginger. The sweet and spicy transitions are delightfully stimulating.It has a wonderful sweet spicy taste that goes well with the refreshing flavor of lemon.What the real aroma is - you can smell the ginger in it.

Ingredients:
Ginger - 3"size,piece
Jaggery - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 tspn
Roasted Peanuts - 2cups
Roasted sesame -1/2 cup
Unsalted Clarified Butter(Ghee) - 1 tsp,for greasing
Water-1/2 cup
lemon juice - 1/2 tspn

Method:
Wash the ginger and peel the skin and chop into a small pieces and grind it to a paste by adding little amount of water.Heat a heavy bottomed vessel(copper bottom will work out) or nonstick pan and add grated jaggery to it along with water.Keep stirring with wodden ladle on a low heat untill jaggery melts.Add lemon juice ,sugar to it and keep stirring.Add ginger paste to that and bring it to boil for 10 minutes on low heat.When Jaggery starts giving bubbles,if it is in a form of thick syrup and sticking to ladle while stirring then it is right consistensy to make bars.Dont touch(caramelized sugar) it with hand because it will stick to fingures and too hot.Add chopped Peanuts and crushed Sesame seedsto that and mix well.Remove from fire.Pour this jaggery-nuts paste into a greased foil laid in a tupperware or pan by spreading evenly and leave it to cool for 3hrs.

Cut into pieces and enjoy the taste of sweet and hot spicy ginger chunks.It's really a very balanced bar.It isn't overly sweet and the warm spicy ginger is ruling along with crunchy peanuts.I felt"Ginger"is a good match with jaggery and nuts.I found myself chewing quickly just so I could take another bite of spicy caramelized Ginger - Peanut bar.

Sweet n Crispy n Tangy "PANI POORIS"

Pani Puris (Crispy puffed puris with Potato and Garbanzo Beans filled with spicy Mint water) belong to the vast group called chaats, savory snacks that are usually spiced with a mix that includes cumin, dried mango pwd(Aamchur pwd), chili powder, mint and other ingredients.

Ingredients:
Pooris(I got from indian stores.)
Chick peas(Senagalu/Kondai kadalai/ Kabul kadalai /Kabuli Channa/Garbanzo beans)- 3 cups ,soaked overnight and boiled
Potatoes - 3no, boiled and cut into cube sized pieces

Ingredients for Pani:
Mint Leaves - 2 bunches , chopped
Coriander Leaves - 1 bunch ,chopped
Tamarind - lemonsize
Ginger - 1" ,chopped
Green Chillies - 4 no,chopped
Ground Cumin Seed (roasted) - 2 tsp
Black Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
Aamchur pwd - 1 tspn
Salt to taste

Making Pani:
Soak the tamarind in ½ cup of warm water for 30 minutes and strain out the pulp to get tamarind water.Add chopped Mint leaves, chopped Coriander, Ginger, Chillies and Cumin seeds.Add 1/2 cup of water and grind to smooth paste in a blender.Transfer the paste into a large bowl and add water,Black salt and salt and mix well.Refrigerate this pani for 2 hours so that all the ingredients will blend and gives spicy and tangy taste.

Ingredients for Tamarind and Dates Chutney(Khajur-Imli ki Chutney):
Tamarind pulp - 1 cup(Big lemon size tamarind soaked in a cup of water)
Fresh Dates(de seeded) - 5 no ,chopped into pieces
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Red chilli pwd - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper pwd - 1/4 tsp.
Cumin pwd - 1 tsp
Cloves - 3 no
Warm water 2 cups
Vegetable oil 1 tsp.
Salt to taste

Method
Soak tamarind in a cup of warm water for 30 minutes to make tamarind puree bit easy and fast.Heat oil in a pan and roast cloves and cush them and keep it aside.Squeeze the tamarind and take out the pulp.Add Dates ,Jaggery, Sugar, Red chilli powder, Black pepper powder,roasted Cumin powder,Cloves and Salt to pulp and mix well.Transfer to a blender and blend for a fine mixing.Pour this mixture into a thick vessel and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat until it becomes thick.The chutney should be sweet and sour flavor.I like this chutney to be bit sweeter along with sour taste.Remove from the gas and leave it to cool.Store Chutney in an airtight container(or glass bottle) and keep in refrigerator.

Stuffing for poori:

Heat oil in a pan and add the pieces of boiled potatoes ,salt,redchillipwd,a pinch of turmeric pwd and boiled Chickpeas and fry it for 10 minutes.Cover with lid and keep it aside.
Now Make a hole with the finger in the middle of the poori and fill it with potato and chickpeas and put 2tspn of khajurimili chutney and dip the poori in chilled pani and serve immediately.
This is my entry to “ Blog Party#10-Appetizer and Drink ” by hostess Stephanie of Dispensing Happiness.

Sweet Mango Bobbatlu

Ingredients
Mango pulp - 2 cups
Jaggery - 1 cup
Cardamom - 6no crushed
Sesame seeds - 2 tspn
Ghee 2 tablespoons
Maida(all purpose flour)- 1 1/2 cup
Oil 2 teaspoons
Ghee for frying
Saffron strands for garnishing.

Method
Heat ghee in a non stick pan and add Mango pulp,jaggery to it. Cook on a medium heat and continue to stir until the mixture becomes thick and leaves the sides of the vessel.Add the crushed Cardamom,Sesame seeds and mix well. Remove from heat.
Take flour in a bowl add the mango pulp along with little amount of water,oil and make a soft dough. Keep it aside for 45 minutes covering with a damp cloth.After 45 min,knead with the oil and make small balls.

Roll each ball on a floured surface into a circle.Heat the tawa,place Chapathi and add a spoon of ghee around it.Roast it and shallow fry bothsides still there are light brown spots.Garnish with Saffron strands and Serve hot.
This is my entry to Mrs. Indira's JFI event.

"C" for chilled "Carrot" Soup

Carrot:

The nutrients in carrots
Strengthen the immune system
Help regulate metabolism
Help maintain healthy skin
Help maintain vision
Help protect cells

Studies show that the nutrients in carrots may reduce risk of...
High blood pressure
Stroke
Heart disease
Some types of cancer

Carrots are nature's BEST source of the powerful antioxidant Vitamin A!Anti-oxidants protect cells from free radicals which can damage the basic structure of healthy cells.Carrots are also a natural source of Vitamin C & dietary fiber, and packed with the powerful antioxidants beta-carotene and alpha–carotene.
They have nofat, saturated fat, or cholesterol, are low in sodium and are a good source of potassium.

Ingredients
Carrots - 3 no
Asparagaus - 4 stalks
Onion(Big) - 1,chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Ground Pepper - 1tspn
Salt
Olive oil(or any edible oil) for cooking
Coriander leaves,Thyme leaves for garnishing.

Method
Heat pan with a 1 tpsn of oil and saute Onions.Add chopped Carrot and cook till tender.Add Asparagus(white ends removed) and cook in simmer until the asparagus are very tender.Remove from the heat.Transfer all the ingredients to blender.Add 1 cup of water,salt,ginger and pepper.Blend until smooth.Return puree into to pan.Heat until hot.Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves,thyme leaves and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve chilled carrot soup with grated carrot on a piece of bread.

Romaine Lettuce Dal

Romaine Lettuce:
Romaine Lettuce:[ roh-MAYN ] said to have originated on the Aoegean island of Cos,so it is also called Cos lettuce. Romaine's elongated head has dark green outer leaves that lighten to pale celadon in the center. The leaves are crisp and slightly bitter and the crunchy midrib is particularly succulent.

Uses
The leafy green vegetable is used in salads, cooked vegetable dishes, and is commonly used on sandwiches,burgers etc.

How to buy
When purchasing lettuce, look for freshness, selecting lettuce that does not have wilted and discolored leaves.

Storage
To store lettuce, wash the lettuce and dry the leaves with paper towels, seal or wrap it securely in plastic and place it in the coolest part of the refrigerator, which is generally located in the rear and lowest shelf section of the refrigerator.Keep away from Apples, as ethylene gas they give off will turn the romaine brown.

Nutrition
Like all lettuces romaine has a vary high water content and very few calories(about 10 calories per cup). Generally, the darker the green, the more vitamins and minerals (beta-carotene, calcium and iron, etc.) So it should be no surprise that romaine is the most nutritious of all lettuces. Romaine is an excellent source of vitamin C (more than 5 times that of iceberg lettuce).
Actually,We bought it for doing salad but i tried it with dal and it came out with good taste, so we both enjoyed our afternoon meal with this delicious and nutricious dal along with salted fried chillies and vadiyams.

Ingredients
Romaine Lettuce - 3 leaves
Toor dal(Kandi Pappu) - 1cup
Onion - 1,finely chopped
Tomato - 1,chopped
Greenchillies - 2 no
Garlic - 3 pods,crushed
Coriander leaves - 2sprigs, chopped
For Seasoning:
Mustard seeds(Aavalu) - 1tsp
Cumin seeds(Jeera/jeelakarra) - 1 tspn
Turmeric pwd - 1/2 tspn
Asafoetida(Inguva/Hing)- 1pinch
Oil
Redchilli pwd(Optional), Salt to taste.

Method
Boil Toor dal and keep it aside.Heat 1 tspn of oil in the pan ,add mustard seeds.Musatrd seeds start splutters then add jeera,hing and fry upto jeera changes goldenbrown color.Now add garlic,chopped onions fry till Onions become soft.Add chopped tomato and saute for 2 miniutes.
Add lettuce leaves,green chillies,turmeric to the pan and stir for 2 minute and pour 2cups of water and keep lid on the pan.Cook for 7 minutes and add boiled Toordal,Salt to it.Mix well with laddle and cook for another 7 minutes in medium flame.Garnish with corinder leaves and serve hot with steaming Rice, Sailu's" Uppumirapakayalu" and with "Papads".
See for variety of dals from Priya's Everyday dal and Indira's Menthikoora Pappu

"Little Hearts"-"Palmiers"

Palmiers:
Palmiers are thin, buttery puff pastry cookies that are glazed and baked to a caramelized crunch. They're a French invention, hence their name, which translates to palm, because their shape resembles palm fronds. They're also called palm leaves and elephant ears.Palmiers are pronounced as "pahlm-YAYS"in "French".I have taken this recipe from InaGarten's "BarefootContessa".I used coconut instead of cinnamon pwd.

Ingredients
1 Roll of puff pastry
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of dessicated coconut

Method
Preheat oven to 425F.Line a large baking sheet with aluminium foil r parchment paper and spread butter on it.Thaw Puff Pastry Roll before using.Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface into Rectangular shape.In the meanwhile mix sugar and coconut pwd into a bowl and spread it on a levelled surface.Place the pastry roll on the above of the mixture and press gently.Sprinkle the mixture on the top of puffpastry.Start rolling from the leftside and bring it to the middile and do the same thing from the right side until it reaches the center.Place it in a paper and keep in freezer for 10 minutes.Cut 1/2" size pieces.Press each piece with palm and place each palmier on baking sheet.
Bake it for 7 minutes , until it turns to golden brown.Meanwhile combine corn syrup with ½ tablespoon water.Coat palmiers by using brush with corn-syrup mixture and then bake for 4 minutes.Turn cookies and brush with corn syrup another side and bake until golden brown,another 3 minutes.Cool on wire racks and store for up to a week in an air tight container.

This is my entry to “Blog Party - Bite Sized Desserts” by hostess Stephanie of Dispensing Happiness.

"Sweet Pongal "&"Sweet Temple"

Ingredients for (Chakkera Pongali/Sakkarai Pongal):
Sona Masoori Rice - 1 1/2 cup
Split Green gram dal(Pesara Pappu/Payatham Parippu/Moong dal/Hesara bele/Cherupayar parippu/Mugachi dal)- 3/4cup
Fresh r Frozen Grated Coconut(Pachi Kobbari/Thengai/Nariyal)-1/2cup
Jaggery(gur) - 2 cups (400 gm)
Ghee - 1 cup
Milk (Palu/Dhoodh/Pal)- 1 cup
Cashew nuts(JeediPappu/Kaju)- 10no
Raisins(Draksha/Kishmish)- 8no
Cardamom powder(Ellakai/Elaichi)- 6no(crushed)

Heat kadai with a tspn of ghee ,roast green gram dal till it changes to lighter golden color.Wash the rice and add green gram dal with 2 1/2 cups of water and 1 cup milk ,grated coconut in the pressure cooker pan.Rice & dal should cook so soft.Keep it on the medium flame.Take another vessel add jaggery,water and cook on a low heat till the jaggery melts.I will grate jaggery with knife before adding it to water because flakes will take less time to dissolve.Strain the jaggery to remove the dirt by using a muslin cloth.Put the syrup once more on the heat and stir till it starts slightly bubbling.Add powdered Cardamoms,ghee to jaggery & Mix well.Add cooked rice(along with dal) to jaggery and stir well and remove from fire after it becomes soft and no lumps.Heat the 3tbsp ghee.Fry the cashewnuts and raisins and add to the pongal.Mix well and serve hot.
When the Sweet Pongal is ready, it is offered to the "God" on a new banana leaf along with other traditional delicacies,like vadas,payasam etc on auspicious days.

Happy Tamil New Year & Vishu

"Puthandu" or Tamil New Year falls in the month of Chittirai (April) as per the Indian almanac.It is celebrated by Tamilians all over the world which is supposedly the day when Lord Brahma started creation. Tamil New year is also known as" Varusha Pirappu". ‘Varusham’ is the Tamil word for ‘year’ and ‘Pirappu” can be translated as ‘birth’ or ‘beginning’.Puthandu or Varusha Pirappu is significant as it is believed to be indicative of how the rest of the year will be. Therefore, people only entertain positive thoughts and engage in meaningful activities on this day.This is followed by the ritual bath and a visit to the temple to pray for a prosperous and happy New Year.April 14th also happens to be the Bengali New Year Day, Naba Barsha, which begins with the ‘Prabhat Pheries’ (an early morning procession) with songs and dances welcoming the New Year.In Kerala ‘Vishu’ is celebrated by Malayalees commemorating the beginning of the astronomical New Year in the Malayalam Calendar.Today(April 14th)is "good friday" also.
On this New Year day early in the morning, the entrance is decorated with 'Kolam'(Rangoli)is done with raw rice flour.The doorways are adorned with mango leaves to mark the auspicious occasion.A pot with five mango leaves and a coconut, lit joss sticks, a tray of flowers, betel leaves, arecanuts, comb of bananas and the sweet rice are offered to the Sun God and Lord Ganesh to complete the pooja. A coconut is broken by the head of the household and incense is burnt.Vadai,Payasam, Parupu,Sakkarai Pongal and Mango Pachadi prepared as "nivedhyam".

"B" for Beetroot Paratas

Beetroot's main benefits are that it contains no fat, very few calories and is a great source of fibre.
An average sized cup(250 ml) of sliced beets will contain:
Food energy 31 cal (130 kJ)
Carbohydrate 8.5 g
Dietary fiber 1.5 g
Folate 53.2 µg
Phosphorus 32 mg
Potassium 259 mg
Protein 1.5 g
I am inspired and followed by SaffronHut's Spinach Cheese Parata.I like PARATA,PAROTA because it is not a daily intake for southindians.My mom used to do Radish parata.So ,i added Beetroot instead of Radish.

Ingredients:
Wheat flour - 4 cups
BengalGram flour(Sengapindi/Kadalamavu/Besan)-1 tspn
Beetroot - 2 no
Greenchillies - 2 no finely,chopped
Coriander leaves - 2 sprigs
Garlic pods - 2 no,crushed
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Sesame seeds(Nuvvulu/Til/Ellu) - 1 tspn
Ground Cumin(Jeera)- 1tspn
Grated cheese - 1/2cup
Red chilli pwd and Salt to taste
Method:
Add salt to the Grated Beetroot and keep it for 10minutes.Then squeeze the water(I used this water for making dough)from Beetroot and add Jeera,Greenchillies,Ginger-Garlic(both crushed),Coriander leaves,grated Cheese and mix well & cover with a lid.Add 2 tbsp of Oil,Beetroot water,Salt,Redchilli pwd,Besan to Wheat flour.Mix well, add enough water to knead to a soft dough.Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Divide the paratha dough into small balls.
Roll out each ball with a rolling pin into a small circle, make the beetroot stuffing into a small ball size and place in the centre of the chapathi.
Bring the edjes into the middle and rollback into a ball.
Flatten these balls and roll out into medium sized chapathis on a lightly floured board.
Heat tawa over a medium heat,add some ghee and place paratha.


Keep flame in sim,spread Oil and fry it bothsides.Parata bubble up and chages to goldenbrown color.
Serve hot with dal r any gravy.

"A" for "Apple Basundi"

Ingredients:
1 litre Milk
4 tbsp Sugar
3 medium Apples, grated
Ghee
Ground Cardamom -8 no(Ellakkai,Elaichi)
Raisins 7no
Cashewnuts-6no
Pistachios -6no, crushed coarsely
Almonds - 6no crushed coarsely
Saffron 3 strands
Method:
Put milk to boil in a large deep pan,stirring occasionally.When it starts boiling, reduce heat and boil.Stir frequently, till milk becomes to 2/3 of its volume.Soak Saffron in 2 tsp. hot milk, keep aside.Add the grated apples to the milk with sugar and cook for 10 minutes.Sprinkle cardamom pwd ,saffron milk into to the boiling milk and mix well.
Blanching Almonds:Just add almonds with a quarter cup of water and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes.Allow to stand for 2 minutes, drain and then peel and chop coarsely.Fry Raisins,Cashewnuts in the ghee and Add Pistachios,Almonds to boiling milk.Boil for another 3-4 minutes.Take off from fire and allow to cool completely, chill in refrigerator for 1 hr and serve.