Kitchdi in 5 minutes!!!!

Take a cooker. Put it on a flame. Add ghee to it.
When the ghee gets hot enough and declares its nature with its awesome smell; add pepper, shajeera, laung, cinnamon stick, broken red chillies.
Now immediately add soaked rice+toor dal.
For 1 glass of both rice+toor dal; add 2 glasses of water.
Add salt to taste.
Close the lid ; and wait for 3 whistles.(Varies from cooker to cooker).
Put off the stove.
Serve piping hot with some pickle, curd/paapad.

Roasted Vermicelli Upma

Ahhh it was such a lazy morning today…more over helper did not come and it was such a mess.
Anyways; I prepared vermicelli today for breakfast.
As I’ve been to Monda Market on Sunday; my refrigerator is all filled with fresh vegetables .
Heard vermicelli is good for health; lets put in this way; its not harmless as it is made out of wheat.
My sister in law’s cook prepares it very well; its only after having this cooked by her; I got inspired to prepare it; and yessssssssss !!!!!!!!!!! I declare that I’ve become a master in preparing it. You may wonder what a big deal to prepare a vermicelli ; but IT IS A BIG DEAL , when it comes to taste and the look out of it. My husband simply loves it(ONLY IFF prepared by me) J
Anyways let us start preparing it. Just serves two people.
Take out 1 onion, 1 medium sized potato, Few green chillies,2 carrots, peas . Wash them properly.
Hey this is a roasted vermicelli. I used MTR's roasted vermicelli.
Now slice onion, potato into thin slices.
Cut carrot into small small cubes. ( Before my marriage; I used to cut carrot into small cubes daily. Not to use in cooking; but to feed my dog. That stupid ; loves carrot like crazy. But this is just as a salad. For the main course its just non-veg J )
I so much wish; I had baby corn in my refrigerator; but unfortunately I missed to buy it. Babycorn when added to vermicelli gives a very special crunchy feel; and believe me it tastes awesome J (My mouth is watering at the memory of baby corn)
Now take a sillet; add a bit of oil to it; add cumin seeds . When cumin says chat pat and calms down; add green chillies. When they too stop jumping and making chat pat noised; when it surrenders itself to the burning HOTTTTTTTTTTT oil; add onion slices.
When onion slices leave their rigid look; become soft and blush to the hotttttttttt oil(when onions turn a bit pink) ; its time we help onion a bit more to fall in love with the oil totally.
This is the time; we should add a bit color and that beautiful fragrance to the onions. Add a pinch of turmeric.
Wowwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!! The fragrance and the color refreshes me.
NOW; add our colorful carrot and peas. Mix them properly. Enjoy the colorful and aromatic delight J
Stay for 2 minutes.
In the mean time; gather the amount of bambino/vermicelli; that you want to cook in a glass. In a “ glass” so that you should exactly add the same amount of water to the skillet.
I picked up 1 glass full of vermicelli. Took a similar glass; and poured this water into the skillet.
Add salt as per your taste. Now when the oil and onion; are romantically dancing around the coloruful curtains(carrot, potato and peas) with the aroma’s of cumin and turmeric; (Basically when the water is boiling); add the vermicelli.
Now add vermicelli; as slowly as possible.(This is all that makes the difference).
Just pour down vermicelli in a slow motion; into the romance of onion and oil. (If you got married in a telugu south Indian way ; you’d know the process of thalambraalu; now leave the vermicelli as slow as possible as we’ve done in the first round of thalambraalu. J Later rounds are always fast and furious hehe) I enjoy the feeling of slowly pouring down the vermicelli into the hotttttttt peaaaakkkkkkkkkkk romance of the onion J
Now ; mix all this well with a looong wooden spoon.
Cover with the lid.
Slow the flame to sim; as already lot of heat is created in J
After 3-4 mins; it’ll be done; if not yet done you can wait for 2 minutes.
Experience tells ; when exactly its done.
When its done; put off the flame; take 2 tb sp of lemon juice and scatter over the cooked vermicelli.
Garnish with coriander and serve piping hot.
We just loved it.

Spicy Mushroom Curry

I feel very guilty; as i've not been posting any recipes.
I did take pics of the recipes and then just dint post.
Now since i've got a mobile with camera(some Samsung version) dont ask me which version; as i'm not a gadget freak. O! missed the point, now since i've got this handy camerai can take the pics ; as easily as i can and post them.
Off late i've improved a lot in cooking. Am making much easier, faster and healthy cooking.
My rice recipes are always on the top of the list.
I'm experimenting with rice recipes like crazy. Fortunately till now; none of my rice recipesbounced.
Anyways; i've taken Mushroom from Food World. And dumped them in the refrigerator for around 4 days.
I almost forgot that they were lying there.
Man!!!!!!! I still remember those days at our mother's home. Mushroom ; was my favorite.I used to prepare mushroom soup and mushroom manchuria.
That was my favorite and its the best of my cooking products :-)
Well this mushroom curry; i just started out preparing with the bare minimum ingredients.
I dint have any plan ; on how to cook mushroom curry. As i've never prepared any.
Anyways started out some thing like this:
1. Onions are mandatory, to give that saucy taste.2. Found garlic ; that was very frest. Slice the garlic as thin and as much as you like.I like thick garlic flavour with mushrooms(mmmmmm yummyy)3. Slitted Green chillies.4. Salt.5. Mustard Seeds6. Haldi
Thats it; i thought of cooking with these itself. I dint have curry leaves/coriander at home.
I was afraid this curry would turn totally bland without any flavour .
Take a skillet.I dont know how much oil one would use; i use very minimum oil; so you approximate your ownoil for around 20 pieces of mushrooms.When the oil is hot enough; add mustard seeds. Man i love the spluttering sound of mustard seddand the strong smell they emanate.Now before you burn the mustard seeds add green chillies.God!!!!!!!! They jump like crazy...they splutter and give me a run.
I run to the door as soon as i drop them in the oil. And then smile when they subside.
I run back once they start jumping and then drop in the onions.
Umm wait for 2-3 minutes... i love at this point; onions turn translucent; man.... that color is awesome...kind of white and baby pink...its awesome!!!And the slight smell of the onion in oil is very scintilating.
When onions turn; slight brown ; add haldi and garlic.(Add few garlic slices when you add green chilli; Man!!!! the spice and the hotness makes me mad :P)
Now add the mushrooms(washed well and cut into small cubes or what ever shape(i dont care) )
cover the skilled with a lid.
Open it after 10 minutes; lots of water comes out of mushrooms.
Now add some salt . And let it cook with lid covered.
Check after 15 mins if they are cooked.
Now add some garam masala, chicken masala and let the mushrooms remain for another 5 mins.
If they become too dried sprinkle some water.
After that; sprinkle some dhaniya powder and put off the stove.Dont take the skillet off the stove yet.
Let it remain there for 15 mins.
Eat with hot rice or rotis...its yummy, spicy and you'll fall in love.
When i served with the same enthusiasm to navin, he was like "What is this? Mushroom ???
You know i wont eat Mushroom"
I said bluntly i dint know.
I kind of challenged him; you taste this ! and you'll ask for more and more.
He really did... he was licking his fingers and said i really dint know mushroom would taste so awesome.
Hey this is a simple, simple and simple recipe...
BUt fall in love with the spices you are adding; and the smell that emanates.

Dhahi Bhindi With Budweiser The Beer!!!

Dahi Bhindi:

Y’day was a busy day at office. Around four doleful meetings and then I had to wait for around 20 minutes for the city bus. I was very tired but to my surprise; there was some thing back in my mind ; that was rejuvenating me. Hmm as our home was approaching; the tired feeling was slowly vanishing. I did not find; what was that running back of my mind which automatically made me freah and curious and anxious to go home .

I like the walk that I take to home…walking across swagruha foods(I get to see all this yummy food in the display)-then comes a family garments shop(again this beautiful saris and sexy nighties in the display)-then to pass by a juice bandi, I like the aromas of all the fruits-then I step into our colony. This huge gates opened and I see this Huge trees , creepers full flowers welcoming me. I always wonder do trees/plants smile. Because as soon as I enter into the colony gate; I somehow get this feeling that all those Huge trees in dark and silent creepers are welcoming me with a big smile !!! Childish am i??? What ever but I like this feeling. I walk as slow as possible once I reach the colony gate; looking at every tree and sniffing the flower scent as deep as I can.

I open the gate anticipating our owners and their pet to observe and sit reassured that I’m back home. Its an emotional feeling though; they treat us almost like our parents. I went running to the first floor to meet my cousins at our home. Vicky & Vyshu; are like my our best friends. I rushed into kitchen and then back to refrigerator!!! This was the time I realized what was “it” that was making me more energetic.

While browsing through other food blogs; I came across this Dahi bhindhi recipe. I could not wait longer to try it out. I washed the bhindis in the morning itself and wiped them dry with a cotton cloth. As I’ve learned that this would not make the bhindis gummy.

While I was busy in cleaning up the kitchen, vyshu cut the bhindi into small circled thin slices. Navin and Vicky were busy in making omelettez. Omlettez are four accompanying Budweiser J.

Now coming to the recipe we need

1. Ladies Finger/Okra – 20
2. Onion – 1 large
3. Haldi – 1tsp
4. Salt-2-3 tsp
5. Red Chilli powder – 1 tsp
6. Curry Leaves – 10
7. Cilantro or Kothimeer-1/2 bunch
8. Curds-4-5 tbsp (made soft by beating with a spoon)
9. Oil- 4-5 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Take a skillet->heat it and then add the oil
2. Once its hot->add karipattha; and when you are satisfied with chatpat sound of curryleaves add onions
3. once translucent and brown; add haldi
4. add 2-3 tsp of the finely chopped cilantro.
5. Now add okra.
6. Cover with a lid. After 5 minutes; softly turn over the okra.
7. Cover with a lid.
8. Time to time keep tossing the okra.
9. when they become soft; sprinkle few pinches of salt and chilly powder and then toss well.
10. In the mean time; take the curd into a bowl; add the remaining salt and chilly powder to the curd.(This would ensure the salt and chilly powsder is uniformly mixed with okra).
11. Once the okra is soft and you are satisfied with the softness; add the curd to okra.
12. Toss the okras as softly as possible without hardly mixing them with a spoon as they would get mashed over.
13. Let it remain like that without covering; when you observe that oil is emanating out of okra; sprinkle some dhaniya powder and let it remain for two minutes.
14. Switch off the stove.
15. Add finely chopped cilantro over the okra.
16. Don’t take the skillet of f the stove for two minutes.

Serve with Rice or Chapathi.

This was very quick; it just took 20 minutes.

But I was very skeptical about the recipe; as it became gummy anyway; when I switched off the stove. I could see this ewww kind of expression on vyshu’s face. She was more skeptical than. I was more worried; that these drunk men would not eat properly.

We were watching Manmadha movie while these guys were sipping down Budweiser. That’s an ultimate comedy movie. Vyshu and me were muching on the spicy chips that we got from a Gujju store near by. They are very yummy.

When the Budweiser bottles got emptied finally; I arranged plates and stuff for dinner.

Hot rice, ghee, gongura&pandumirapakaaya pachadi, my own okra in dhahi, and the sambhar that I prepared in the morning.

I served rice, pachadi and then ghee. Hot pipin rice with pachadi and ghee was like heaven, we ate so heartily J . Vicky took a scoop of okra…my heart was racing...i was anxious and worried…he exclaimed that the kura is very good…wow!!!!!!! I felt great J nothing could have made me happier y’day than that compliment J

I quickly took a scoop of the curry; and I loved it. Vyshu and Navin too liked it a lot ….

We ended our dinner with curds and sunnunda that our mausi prepared. I love home made sunnundaas.

Soon I’ll post my experiment in making sunnundaa with photos.

Now thatz a promise J

Yet Another Un-Friendly Experience With Toor Dal---Name this Dhal

We’ve been to aunt’s place y’day and she served tomato pappu and prawns. I fell in love with tomato pappu. Today morning I decided to make the same and started out perfectly. But something real bad happened later.

This Toordal which I don’t personally like it so much always gives me a hard time. I keep it on a pressure cook for more than 5 whistles; even then it never gets soft easily. This nasty think has almost spoiled my recipe today.

Procedure for my diverted dal

I took 1 cup of toor dal and 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Added a pinch of haldi, 2 tsp of red chlli powder; crushed garlic; soaked tamarind and 1 tomato to the cooker. Now I let more than 8 whistles and then turned off the heat. Happy that I am all set with the dal; once the cooker got cool; I opened the cooker; To my chagrin; it dint yet become soft. So I again set the cooker and put it over a stove. Now since I got mad over the toor dal; I let around 15 whistles. I opened the cooker again with doubled joy than before and to my utmost horror; to see that the dal got burnt and dried.

God saved me; that the whole dal dint get burned. Carefully I picked out the dhal from the outer most surface and it turned out a good quantity for us. I dint understand what to do with it. It was dried up and i cant mash it too. I started getting this nervous feeling (kind of awkward feeling) when you dont get the answer for a question in an examination.I grounded the dal just for less than a minute in a grinder with some water added. Now it became like a paste.

Still wondering what to do with it; I took a vessel; heated it; added this dhal paste to it; added more water to the paste; it almost became like a chaaru. And I let it boil ; still thinking what to do.

Then I took this kadaai; in which I usually do the tampering . Kadaai is a cute little ; iron one; which I took from my mother. Its 25 year old one; and I some how believe that its age and the metal adds taste to the tampering. I added oil in kadaai; once its hot; I added mustard seeds, jeera , haldi; kari pattha and red chillies. Added this tampering to the dhal. Now added some salt and sprinkled dhaniya powder over this.

Still unsure of the dhaal’s taste and still unable to get over the unfriendly feeling over toor dhal ; i went out into the balcony to get some fresh air. Though I decided to eat muesli and milk ; but some how I was feeling more hungry than usual. So decided to take rice and the dhal.

I took rice, dhal and paapad in a plate. Still and with multi folded curiosity I mixed dhal and rice and had it. Wow!!!! It was awesome J

Yea hoooooooooooo , I don’t know what to name it….definitely I cant call it as tomato pappu ; some pappu; I still wonder what to name it J

I served the same to my husband without giving any details or the name of the dhal. He too liked it a lot and then I told him this is a agarwal style of cooking dhal as the taste was more nearer to my sangita aunty’s(a marwari agarwal) dhal which I daily used to consume when she was our neighbour.

If any one has any suggestions of the name that I can give to this dhal do leave u’r comment.

My First Ever Chicken Recipe

Friday was a very tiring day at office and I reached home almost around 9 PM. Naveen; was already at home; and to my surprise he marinated the chicken that was in refrigerator; but since I had no patience/strength to cook the chicken; I delayed it for the next day.

From navin; I learned how he marinated it.

Take Chicken in a large bowl (Kind of besan). Take curd in a bowl; add salt red chilly powder, ginger garlic paste and soya sauce; Mix all this in the curd and make it soft. Now add this to the chicken. Just mixing in the curd is just to make sure that the ingredients mix well and we can spread to the chicken softly.

Now keep this for marination.

My version of the recipe:

Ingredients:

1) Oil.

2) Shajeera.

3) Lawangam.

4) Tez Pattha

5) Haldi

6) Onions ( Finely Chopped)

7) Karipattha (Finely Chopped)

8) Coriander (Finely Chopped)

Procedure:

Take a skillet; add oil to it; once that is hot; add shajeera, Lavangam and tez pattha. Now add Karipathha and Onions; once the onions are translucent add haldi; let the onions become a bit brown. Now add chicken and put the lid. If you want it to be a bit gravy; add little water(bare minimum) and let it simmer. After 15-20 minutes; the chicken will be done. Now garnish with coriander.

Serve hot with Chapathi or Rice.

This is the most simplest chicken recipe; I would post one more ASAP that I learned from my brother Gautham. This was the second time I prepared chicken; going further I would keep you posted more chicken recipes.

On Bench

I always used to wonder when my friends from other organizations used to tell me that they are on bench...i used to fascinate myself being on bench; no work; browsing all the news papers; planning where to go for the weekend; and all the laze and relaxation....

I being a lazy bug always wanted to go through that phase of my career; being on bench...but to tell it sucks!!! Big Time!!! Its been a week since i've joined; i'm not assigned any work; all new faces around; and a lot different from my previous office; over there i never had any new face; i used to play TT; FoozBall; though i dont smoke ; i used to out with my friends for a smoke; go for a walk by the lake; our just gaze out of the window to observe the lake...

Here i got sick of browsing; there was a time when i forgot what did i wanted to browse. Read news papers as am done with office related docs; after reading every column in the e news paper; then what; search recipes; search dog wall papers; think about what to cook in the evening; then whatt????

This is the most craziest thing to do at office; sit idle....

Simplest Pesarapappu

Hmm Monday morning; i never had any Monday morning blues...but this Monday was very painful
We've been to in laws for the weekend ; as we had to perform a pooja; for which we had to sit almost all through the day with an empty stomach
and the heat is at highest; it took off all the strenght that i had.
We started to back to hyd by a local passenger train and had to adjust myself between two fat ladies almost squeezing me.
The train journey was horrible !!!

Finally when i reached home; i was tired to move a step ahead; but still no other choice than cooking...
I opened the refrigerator to find no vegetable in there...just few dried curry leaves; semi fresh coriander and some
almost about die green chillies...

Painfully went to the kitchen; took my favorite pesara pappu(1 cup) and soaked it in the water.

I was too tired to first pressure cook the dal and then mash it and then tamper.

So i just thot I'll experiment by putting the tampering and dal and pressure cook the whole.

Then my cooking went on some thing like this

Add oil the cooker pan.
Add jeera, slitted green chillies and curry leaves.
Add onion slices; once its turned brown and transparent; add turmeric, crushed garlic(Yummy garlic is one God of all ingredients)
One more important flavor giver is coriander; chop it as thin and as tiny as possible.
Salt according to the taste.
now just add the soaked dhal with 1 1/2 cups of wate or more depending on much consistency you need.
After 3 whistles ; put off the flame
Open the lid to sniff the most exotic flavors haldi, garlic and dal.

Try this out when you are lazy to cook :-)

SenagaPappu-The Simplest Way

Ingredients:

1. KandiPappu/Sengapappu-1 cup
2. Slitted Green chillies-4/5
3. crushed Garlic Pods-2
4. One medium sized onion-sliced
5. Mustard Seeds- 1 tea sp
6. Jeera - 1/2 tea sp
7. karivepaaku - 12 leaves
8. Coriander- finely chopped
9. Salt according to taste
10. Red Chilly Powder - 2-3 pinches.
11. One medium sized tomato-finely chopped

Procedure:

1. Take a cooker.
2. Add 2 tbsp of oil.
3. Once the oil is hot; put the mustard seeds, jeera .
4. Once the above starts cracling, add green chillies and onions.
5. Once the onions get brown and transparent; add karipattha and coriander.
6. Now add chopped tomatoes and add salt and chilly powder.
7. Wait till the tomatoes become soft and the oil emanates out of it.
8. Now add the washed dal to the cooker.
9. Close the lid with the whistle on and wait for around 3-5 whistles(depends on the performance of the cooker)

Serve hot with rice/roti...
if you like add few lemon drops before serving
serve with onions and cucumber

Pottu Pesarapappu

Ingredients:

1. Pottu pesara paapu-1/2 glass
2. Onions(thinly sliced)
3. Green Chillies
4. Tomatoes
5. Mustard Seeds
6. Jeera
7. Salt
8. Red Chilli Powder
9. Haldi
10. Curry Leaves
11. Coriander

Procedure:

1. Take a vessel. Heat water in it.
2. When water comes to a boil –add the dal and a few pinches of haldi to it.
3. When the dal is about get cooked; take a pan.
4. Add oil for tampering.
5. Add mustard seeds and jeera.
6. When they crackle add slit green chillies, crushed garlic and curry leaves.
7. After few seconds add onions, ginger garlic paste and haldi.
8. I prefer to add some coriander leaves at this moment ; as it adds to aroma and to the taste
9. When the onions become translucent; add tomatoes.
10. Now add red chilly powder and some salt.
11. Check if the dal is cooked …and if it is cooked add this tampering to the dal.
12. Mix well ; and if required you may add some more water.
13. Garnish with coriander and serve with rotis or rice.