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.