Majjiga Pulusu(Mor Kozhambu / Sour Youghurt Gravy)

This is one of my mom's signature dish.I was thinking to do this recipe once I recalled my memories in "Mom's Meme"."Majjiga Pulusu" is "Andhraite's " favourite food and it is also a favourite food in Tamilnadu known as "Mor Kozhambu" . I have another version of adding Vadai to "Mor Kozhambu " from my aunt's kitchen. I will try to post that recipe later.

Ingredients
Bottle gourd(Sorakaya/Kaddu) - 1 cup,diced into pieces
Sour Curd (Pullati Perugu ) - 2 cups
Chanadal (Senagapappu/Kadala parupu) - 3 tspn,soak in water for 45 minutes
Rice(Biyyam/Arisi)- 1tspn,Soak in water for 45 minutes
Coriander Seeds(Dhaniyalu/Dhaniya) - 2 tspn,
Cumin Seeds (Jeelakara.Jeeragam/Jeera) - 1½ tsp
Dried Coconut Scrapes - (Turimina Endu Kobbari) - 2 tspn
Green chillies (Pachchi Mirapakayalu/Pachai Mizhagai/Hari Mirchi) - 3 no
Fenugreek Seeds(Menthulu/Vendhiyam) - 4 no
Ginger - 1" size,piece
Turmeric - 1/2 tspn
Salt
For Seasoning
Mustard Seeds (Aavalu /Kadugu) - 1tspn
Cumin Seeds (Jeelakarra/Jeeragam) - ½ tspn
Fenugreek Seeds - 4no
Red Chillies - 4 no
Asafoetida(Inguva/Perumgayam/Hing) - ½ tspn
Curry Leaves(Karivepaku/Kariveppilai) - 5 or 6 leaves
Ghee or Oil for seasoning.

Method

1. Soak Chana dal,Rice for 45 minutes and jeera and dhaniya ,Fenugreek Seeds for 20 minutes and grind them along with Ginger,Dried Coconut scrapes,Green chillies by adding liitle amount of water to make a fine paste.

2. Cook chopped Sorakaya(Bottlegourd) pieces in a 2 cups of water in microwave for 4 or 5 minutes or until they become tender.Mix water into the sour curd and beat well.

3. Add the ground paste,Turmeric ,boiled bottlegourd pieces to Majjiga/Buttermilk and mix well.

4.Transfer buttermilk mixture into a deep saucepan/nonstick and cook on low flame for 12 minutes stirring in the middle to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the pan.Once it starts slight bubbling ,remove from fire and keep it aside.Add salt and mix well.

5. Heat 1 or 1 ½ tspoon of Oil/ghee, add Mustard seeds,once they splutter add Cumin Seeds ,Fenugreek Seeds ,Red Chillies, Asafoetida ,Curry Leaves and remove from fire and pour into the majjiga pulusu.By this time your kitchen is filled with the aroma of asafoetida seasoning .Garnish with chopped Green chillies for more spicy taste.

6.Serve with Hot Rice,Appalam (Pappad) ,Gummadikaya Vadiyalu and it can be a tasty combo for Toor Dal / Moong Dal Rice.Here,i served with "Snakegourd Bajji".


Tips:

1.Cooking buttermilk on highheat makes curdle.

2.Add a tspn of besan/Senagapindi if buttermilk is watery before keeping on stove.

3.Reheat in microwave but not on stove once "majjiga pulusu" is prepared.
4.Store Ground Paste in a plastic container in freezer.It makes quite easy of making "Majjiga Pulusu" next time.

Recipe Source:Amma

See for Asha's Majjige Saaru here.

Sri Krishnastami

Yesterday,we visited ISKCON Temple in LA on the occasion of "Krishnastami" and another reason was going to the temple is Yesterday was Gopi's birthday . We felt a great divine and spiritual experience at temple.Devotees are enchanting Bhajans and Kirthans and "Mangal Aarathi" has been performed for deities.See here for more information at ISKCON.Com
We have a tradition of performing "Gokulastami" in our house.We purchased Krishna Murthi's from temple Gift shop - "Govinda's Imports".Temple is having Govinda's Buffet with pure vegetarian food for diners.

ISKCON,3764,Watseka Ave,Los Angeles,California

Know more about Krishnastami

"Krishnastami" Rituals:
Little Krishna's foot steps are drawn with rice flour mixed with water from the entrance of the house to pooja room .It shows that Lord Krishna entered into the house.Decorating Lord Krishna Murthi and offering prasadam with Tulasi Dalam,Pushpam(Flowers),Dhoopam(Incense Sticks) ,Deepam,Panchagajjayam and chanting Lord Krishna asthotram ,Vishnu Sahsra Namam and doing mangal harathi in the evening and especially "Unjal seva" for little Krishna.

Lord Krishna - Krishnastami Pooja - Dhoopam ,Deepam ,Prasadam

Unjal Seva (Dolotsava) for Little Lord Krishna

Unjal Seva (Dolotsava) held last evening for Little Lord Krishna

Prasadam:

Navaneetham(butter) mixed with milk and fruits for little Lord Krishna

Palakayalu

Rava Ladoo

Ingredients
Rava/Semolina(Bombay rava) - 3cups
Milk - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
Cardamom - 8 no,crushed
Cashewnuts - 15 no

Preparation:

1.Take a heavy saucepan/kadai ,add 1 tbspn of ghee and add rava to that and roast for light brown color stirring continuously with wooden spatula in low medium heat.If Sooji/Rava size is big I will grind along with sugar in blender for powder.

2.When Rava changes to light brown color add powdered sugar,caradamom pwd and mix well.When sugar melts into rava ,add ghee ,sprinkle milk slowly and mix well for 5 minutes until rava becomes wet.

3.Heat Ghee in a pan and first fry raisins,once they plump up remove from spatula and add cashewnuts and fry for brown color.

4.Add these into rava mixture and remove from stove.Wet hand with 1tbspn of chill milk and shape the rava mixture into small balls.Chill milk prevents your palms from burning.You can moisten with ghee /oil also instead of milk if rava mixture is luke warm.Shelf will more if you don't add milk to ladoos . Ladoos can be shaped into round balls if mixture is hot.

5.Allow to cool these Rava Ladoos and store in an airtight container.

Chegodilu

Ingredients
Maida - 2 cups
Rice flour - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 3 tspn
Ajwain / Vamu /Omam seeds - 5 tspn
Asafoetida - a pinch
Red Chilli pwd - 3 tspn( it depends on how hot you like.)
Salt to taste
water (sufficient for making dough)
Oil for deep frying

Preparation:

1.Sieve the both flours and mix into a bowl.Add melted ghee ,warm water ,salt,red chilly pwd,ajwain seeds ,asfoetida and knead well for a fine dough.

2.Cover with a damp cloth and leave it for 15 minutes.

3.Take the dough into a small ball size and roll it like a long pencil by using your palms.

4.Cut this long dough string into 2 ½ " pieces and join the two ends to make a "Ring".Make rings in the same manner with the whole dough.

5.Heat Oil in a Kadai,if the oil is enough hot for deep frying slowly drop these chegodi's into hot oil.Fry into golden brown color and strain on tissue paper to remove excess oil. Once cool if it is a festival then offer to god as "Naivedhyam" and a Great evening snack with a cup of Hot Coffee.

6.Store in an airtight container and "CHEGODILU" lasts for 3 weeks.

Friuts

Pistachio -Green Peas Doodh Peda

Tiranga Doodh Peda

Carrot Doodh Peda
Milk - 4 cups/1 litre
Grated Carrot - 2 Cups
Condensed Milk - 3 tbspn
Sugar - 3 tsp
cardamom - 4 no
Butter - 2 tbspn
Orange food color - 1 drop

Method

1.Take a heavy bottomed sauce pan and boil milk in a low medium flame.

2.Grind grated carrot with little amount of milk into paste and keep it aside.

3.After milk starts bubbling add butter and Carrot paste ,cardamom pwd ,Condensed milk, a drop of Orange Food color and stir well for 30 - 40 minutes,continuously with wooden spatula to make fine thick paste.

4.Remove from fire and tranfer to a greased plate and allow it to cool.Make into small balls and flatten it and garnish with Cashewnuts.

Coconut Doodh Peda
Milk - 4 cups/1 litre
Dessicated Coconut - 2cups
Condensed milk - 3tbspn
Cardamom - 6 no
Sugar - 3tspn

Method

1.Take a heavy bottomed sauce pan and boil milk in a medium flame and stir continuously .

2.Grind dessicated coconut with little amount of water and extract milk from that and keep the coconut scrape aside.

3.After milk starts bubbling add butter and extracted coconut milk and boil until it gets thicken ,stirring in the middle in low flame.

4.Now ,add leftover coconut paste , cardamom pwd ,Condensed milk and stir well.Boil for 30 - 40 minutes,by stirring continuously with wooden spatula to make fine thick paste and make sure it should be in the stage of soft lump .

5.Remove from fire and Transfer into a greased plate and leave it to cool.Cut into any shape and serve by garnishing with silver foil and pistachio.

Pistachio - Green Peas Doodh Peda

Milk - 4 cups/1 litre
Pistachio - 1/2 cup,soak in hot water to remove skin,
Frozen Peas - 1/2 cup,boiled 6 minutes in microwave oven,
Sugar - 3 tspn
Condensed milk - 3 tbspn
Cardamom - 6no
Green Food color - 2 drops

Method

1.Take a heavy bottomed sauce pan and boil milk in medium flame and stir continuously .

2.Grind Pista ,Green Peas with little amount of milk into fine paste.After milk starts bubbling add butter and Pistachio - PEAS paste ,sugar and boil until it gets thicken ,stirring in the middle in low flame.

3.Now ,add cardamom pwd ,Condensed milk ,2 drops of Green Food color and stir well for 30 - 40 minutes,stir continuously with wooden spatula to make fine thick paste and it should be in the stage of soft lump .Remove from fire and allow it to cool.

4.Transfer into a greased plate and leave it cool.

5.Cut into diamond shape with knife and serve by garnishing with silver foil and shredded pistachio.

Making Tiranga (Indian Flag)

1.Make a small amount of carrot doodh peda and make it into a cylindrical shape and keep it on a plate.Make another two cylindrical logs with Coconut Doodh Peda, Pistachio - Green Peas Doodh Peda.

2.Join all these Orange ,White ,Green color pedas together and adjust edjes with knife.

3.For Ashok Chakram, Take Thin Semiya and touch it up with Blue food color and place in the middle of Coconut Peda .

That's it ,Tiranga Doodh Peda is ready .
This is my contribution to Dear Indira's Food Parade on Independence Day Celebrations.

Watermelon Waffle Sandwich

"Watermelon" is universal favourite fruit.It looks fat but really Fat Free.

Nutritional Facts of Watermelon
High in Vitamin A ,B6 and C
Contains Fiber and Potassium

Uses
Good for Sorbet,Slushes,Smoothies and juices." Charmagaz " is famous in India which is a mixture of dried Watermelon,Muskmelon,Pumpkin, Cucumber seeds in equal quantites.It is used in Sweets as a "Topping".Roasted and Seasoned seeds with Salt and Redchilli powder taken as a Snack at "Tea time".
Know more about watermelon here

Ingredients
Watermelon cut into circle - 2 no
Buttermilk Waffles (Eggo Brand) - 4 no,
Whipped Cream - 2tspn
Vanilla Frosting - 4 tspn
Vanilla - Pistachio Icecream(Hazen Dazes Brand) - 5 small scoops

1.Cut the Watermelon into circle shape by using any lid and store in refrigerator.

2.Preheat the oven to 375F.

3.Place Frozen Waffles on a waxpaper and bake for 2 minutes by turning both sides until crispy and hot .Waffles should be in light brown color(So,4 Minutes for baking both sides of waffle.)

Assembling Sandwich

1.Apply Vanilla frosting on the top of Waffle and place Watermelon circle on it and spread Icecream and place another Waffle and apply Whipped cream ,again Watermelon square and apply a scoop of icecream and cover with Waffle and press down gently the whole sandwich.

2.Decorate each sandwich with a small dollop of Vanilla-Pistachio Icecream and with watermelon florets.

3.Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

Dear Stephanie invited for her" Blog Party #13" for the theme of "No Cooking"as a wonderful concept for this Summer and I am ready with cool... cool... Watermelon Waffle Sandwich .

See the recipe of vanilla waffle sundae .

Food Blogging exposed in the newspaper...The HINDU - Business Line(August 4, 2006).

Nowadays Indian newspapers are in search of exposing all FOOD BLOGS. This is a very healthy sign for us - my dear Food Bloggers. August 4th 2006, Hindu Business line published an article on Food Bloggers highlighting the friendship, commitment and the pooling of cooking knowledge / recipes by the food bloggers...Thanks to the Media for spotlighting our culinary work. Thanks to all helpful hands for publishing the experiences and expectations of the Food Bloggers in the newspaper. Thanks to the author Sravanthi Challapalli.
Enjoy reading, August 04, 2006 Hindu Business Line article titled Hot off the...blog!

JFI News -" Semiya Payasam"

Hi Friends,
This is time to make anouncement for JFI and I am thanking to Dear Indira for starting this wonderful JFI event.
I have choosen " Milk and Milk Products " as an ingredient which includes whole milk, condensed milk, yoghurt, buttermilk, paneer, khoya, ghee / clarified butter.
Particpation Details:
1.All entries are due on September 1st and please mail me the link once you publish in your blogs.
2. If you have any doubts, feel free to mail me. You can send your entries with a picture 75X75 pixel size to vineelascooking@yahoo.com mentioning the subject as “JFI#5" and also mention the milk derivative name used in the recipe.
Example :
If Recipe : Gulab jamun then milk product :Khoya
3.History, nostalgic tales, paintings, and drawings, your experiences anything related to Milk and Milk Products are welcome from all...If you don't have a blog I will publish for you with your name..just email me...
4.I will do a round up after receiving your entries.

JFI # 5 - Milk and Milk Products

Today is an auspicious day - "Varalakshmi Vratham" and all the Festivals follow from this day onwards throughout the year.I made "Semiya Payasam" ,"Pulihora" "Vada" as Prasadam for "Godess Lakshmi".
Here is the Recipe for Payasam:

Semiya Payasam:

Milk - 5 cups
Semiya - 2 cups
Cardammom - 7 ,crushed,
Cashewnuts - 10
Raisins - 8
Ghee - 2tbspn
Sugar - 1 cup
Saffron - 5 strands

Making :
Fry Semiya in ghee for light brown color and add milk and cook in low meidum flame for 15 minutes.Add Sugar and cardamom pwd,saffron mixed in milk and stir well .Cook until Semiya becomes soft and add fried cashewnuts and raisins.Serve warm or chill.

Matar Bhutte Ki Dhokla

"Dhokla" is a Traditional Gujarathi Dish taken as a snack at tea time or as a light meal.
I used to watch "Cook It Up with Tarla Dalal " known as "Queen of Indian Cookery " along with "Sudhanshu Pande" cooking series in "Sony" channel and "dhokla" is one of those recipes.This is my first attempt of making "Dhokla" and I added Peas to the original recipe. See here for Dhokla Maker.

Ingredents For Dhokla
Besan / Senaga Pindi /Kadalai Mavu /Bengal Gram Flour - 2 cups
Ginger paste -½ tsp
Green chilli paste - ½ tsp
Green Peas - 1cup
Fresh Corn seeds (Mokka jonna ginjalu/Bhutta) - 1 cup
Curd(Perugu/Dahi/Thayir) - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Asafoetida (Inguva/Perumgayam/Hing) - a pinch
Baking Soda - ½ tspn
For Seasoning
Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
Sesame seeds - 1 tspn
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Green chillies - 1 ,finely chopped
Coriander leaves for garnishing - &frac 14 bunch / 6 sprigs
Grated Carrot - 3 tspn
Oil for cooking

1.Seive the Gram flour(Besan) and place in a bowl to mix the Green chilli-Ginger paste ,Salt,Turmeric,Asafoetida,Curd.Mix well without forming any lumps.

2.Add Baking soda and Frozen /Soaked Green Peas ,Frozen Corn seeds and mix well and cover with lid and keep the batter for 4 hours until you will see bubbles on top.

3.Transfer the mixture into a greased vessel and place the vessel in the pressure cooker without putting weight and steam for 25 minutes till done(Test by using toothpick if dhokla is cooked or not if tooth pick comes out clean then Dhokla is done.).

4.Remove from fire and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.For seasoning, heat the oil in a sauce pan and add Mustard seeds and Sesame seeds once seeds splutter add Asafoetida,Green chillies,Curry leaves.

5.Pour this seasoning over Dhoklas.Cut Dhokla into desired shape.
Garnish with the chopped Coriander leaves and grated Carrot / Coconut and serve warm Fluffy Matar Bhutte ki Dhokla's with Parsley Mint Chutney and with Tomato Chilly sauce.

Recipe Source:TarlaDalal's Makai ka Dhokla

Parsley Mint Chutney:
This is the way i make quick green chutney with Coriander .I used "Parsley" for variation. Wash:
Parsley one bunch( Substitute Coriander )
Mint one bunch
Green Chillies - 4no
Ginger - 1" size,piece

Preparation:
Fry above ingredients in 2 tspn of oil until color changes to dark green.
Grind in a blender into a fine paste by adding sufficient Water and Salt.
Do Seasoning with Mustard Seeds,Red chilly with 1tspn of oil .
Serve this chutney with any snack or breakfast.

This is my entry for the " jihva " event of JFI# 4 - "Flour" hosting by Dear Santhi of "Me and My Kitchen".

Thanks for giving a nice ingredient and going to see a big round up with loads of recipes. Happy Hosting ,Santhi.

Frozen Apricot Yoghurt Ginger snap Squares

First I got introduced to "SHF" event by Ruth of "once upon a feast".That month theme was "Ginger".After searching on net i came across with lot of recipes like Gingersnap cookies,Ginger bread etc.But i held up with some work at that time and i ended up with Ginger peanut bars for that entry.I made this dessert after reffering from Pillsbury magazine and changed "APRICOT" instead of "CHOCOLATE".
This is my entry to "Sugar High Friday " #21 for the theme of "ICEICEBABY" by lovely "Sarah" of The Delicious Life.

Ingredients for GingerSnap Cookies:
Gold Medal® all-purpose flour - 2cups
Egg - 1
Sugar - 1 cup
Vegetable oil - 1 cup
Molasses(Brown Sugar) - ½ cup
Baking soda - ½tspn
Baking Powder - 1tspn
Salt - ½ tspn
Ground Ginger - 1 tspn
Ground Cinnamon - ½ tspn
Ground Cloves - 1 no,crushed

Method

1.Heat oven to 350F.In large bowl, beat egg and add oil and stir well and then add molasses and sugar,ground ginger,crushed clove,cinnamon and stir for fine blending.Mix this into dough and knead well.Make dough into small balls and flatten it and roll in sugar bothsides.

2.Place on a parchment paper lined with baking sheet and Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges to turn brown color and tops appear cracked.Remove from oven and sprinkle sugar on gingersnaps and leave snaps to cool on wire racks.

3.Store in an airtight container once cool.
Adapted from Elise's Simply Recipes

Ingredients for :
Gingersnap cookies - 15
Dried Apricots - 2 cups
Butter - ½ cup
Frozen yoghurt - 8 cups
Frozen Whipped Cream - 2cups
Pistachio - 1/2 cup,coarsely ground
Honey - 1tspn for glazing

Method

1.Soak Dried Apricots in warm water for 1hr.Heat oven to 350 F. Grind Gingersnap cookies for powder in blender.

2.Add Butter to the cookie crust and mix well.Place Cookie mix into 13x9inches greased Rectangular baking pan and press evenly for same surface.Bake for 6 to 8 min.Remove from oven and Cool it for room temperature.

3.Grind soaked Apricots into paste in blender and strain for smooth paste.Fold Apricot paste into Whipped Cream and Mix well and store in fridge.

4.Spread Frozen Yoghurt on the upper layer of Baked Cookie crust and keep in freezer to set for 1 hr.

5.Once Youghurt is set ,spread apricot whipped cream over the youghurt layer and freeze for 3 hrs to set.

6.Before serving,Make a stencil of flower(my favourite) on whipped cream layer and sprinkle Coarsely ground Pistachio on top and glaze with honey at edges.

7.Cut the dessert with the knife (dipped in warm water) into squares and transfer to platter and Serve immediately.

Rava Ladoo

Rava Ladoo

Ingredients
Rava/Semolina(Bombay rava) - 3cups
Milk - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
Cardamom - 8 no,crushed
Cashewnuts - 15 no

1.Take a heavy saucepan/kadai ,add 1 tbspn of ghee and add rava to that and roast for light brown color stirring continuously with wooden spatula in low medium heat.

2.When Rava changes to light brown color add powdered sugar,caradamom pwd and mix well.When sugar melts into rava ,add ghee ,sprinkle milk slowly and mix well for 5 minutes until rava becomes wet.

3.Heat Ghee in a pan and first fry raisins,once they plump up remove from spatula and add cashewnuts and fry for brown color.

4.Add these into rava mixture and remove from stove.Wet hand with 1tbspn of chill milk and shape the rava mixture into small balls.Chill milk prevents your palms from burning.You can moisten with ghee /oil also instead of milk if rava mixture is luke warm.Shelf will more if you don't add milk to ladoos . Ladoos can be shaped into round balls if mixture is hot.

5.Allow to cool these Rava Ladoos and store in airtight container.