Onion n Tomato Uthapam

Bored of having idlis n dosa..then try making yummy uthapam's using the leftover batter.

Uthapam

Onion - 1 medium(chopped)

Tomato - 1 medium(chopped)

Green chill - 2(thinly chopped) 

Salt - if required

Oil/ghee

Method:-

1. Heat a non-stick pan .
2. Take a deep spoon to pour batter on the tawa.
3. Pour batter,do not spread it like u do for dosa.
4. Sprinkle little salt over the uthapam .(if desired)
5. Sprinkle chopped onions,tomatoes and green chilly over the uthapam.
6. Apply little oil/ghee.
7. Turn side and cook for a min.
8. Take it out on a plate and serve with chutney/sambar or u can consume it as it is.

 Its a vry simple way..u can do variations using your choice of veggies.(grated/chopped carrots,beans..anythg).NJOY!!!!

{Note:-For those who do not know ..how to prepare batter for dosa.soak 2 cups rice and 1 cup urad overnight or 2 hrs in hot water.Grind it using enough water..add salt and a handsfull of cooked rice during grinding(it makes the dosas soft n spongy)and leave it for 7-8 hrs to ferment.}

Pan Fry - TUNA

 My first ever trial on Tuna and 3rd attempt to make Fish recipe...i hate fish n its smell..but my hubby n son luvss fish fries..so no other option..banakar dena hi padega naaaaa..tried a vry simple way..hope u'l like it toooo.

Tuna(fresh/frozen) -5 to 6 pcs

Oil - for shallow frying

Haldi - 1/2tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 1/2tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2tsp

Pepper powder - 1 tsp

Salt

Vinegar - 2 to 3tbsp

Method:-

1. Wash tuna properly,pat dry tuna and cut into medium bite size pieces.
2. In a plate add all the masalas with salt.
3. Dip tuna pcs into this masala mix-cover all sides.
4. Sprinkle the vinegar over the tuna pcs.
5. Keep the tuna pcs covered for 10-15 min.
6. Heat oil in a tawa(non-stick) or grilling pan.
7. Shallow fry all the tuna pcs till they are crispy brown and properly cooked.

Njoy!!!

Batata Poha

Poha

Chirwa(thick) - 2 hands full
Onion(sliced) - 1 medium
Peanuts - 1 handsfull
Green chilly - 2 to 3(sliced)
Potato - 1 big(cubed)
Curry Leaves
Lemon juice - half lemon
Salt
haldi - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds
Oil- 2 tbsp

Method:-

1. Boil potatoes(nice soft).Keep aside.
2. Heat a wok,pour oil-splutter mustard seeds.
3. Add curry leaves n peanuts.
4. Later add onion and saute well till it turns light brown in colour.
5. Add haldi and green chilly.Mix well.

6.Mash potatoes(a little) with the help of a spoon.Add it and mix . 

7. Wash chirwa under tap water in a strainer..let it absorb little water(it will puff up).If using thin chirwa just sprinkle little water and make it moist. 
8. Mix in the salt,lemon juice and later the chirwa. 
9. Mix properly  for 5 min on low falme.

Serve hot with chutney/tomato ketchup -your choice , with evening Tea.

Besan Ladoo

Besan Ladoo

Besan- 2 cups
Ghee - 1/2cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Illachi - 5 pods(powdered)
Cashew nuts/Alomonds - 5 (optional)

Method:-

1.Roast besan in a wok for a minute.
2. Add ghee and roast again (say 3 to 5 min).
3. Do not let it burn or change the colour.
4. Ghee should cover full besan..it will resemble as bread crumbs.Turn of the heat.
5. Powder the sugar in a mixer.
6. Add freshly powdered illachi, sugar powder and nuts(if desired).
7. Let the mix cool for a while.
8. Try to make ladoos when it is warm enough to hold in hand.

(Makes around 12 ladoos

I personally don't like nuts in ladoos or burfis..so i didn't add any.

Store the ladoos in an airtight container..njoy between 3-4 days :))

Eggless Vanilla Cake

Another recipe from Raks..i think am becoming a huge fan of her recipes..her step to step demonstration n recipes are so simple n helpful..frnds do try dis n all her dishes..all Superb!!

Original recipe is Eggless vanilla cake with chocolate frosting..but let me first tell u hw to prepare an eggless cake.

Maida	1 1/2 cups
Corn flour	3 tbsp
Sugar	3/4 cup
Baking powder	1 tsp
Baking soda	1/2 tsp
Oil	1/2 cup
Curd	1 cup
Vanilla essence	1 tsp

Eggless vanilla cake

Method:-

•  Pre-heat oven @180 degree.
• Sieve maida n corn flour atleast 2 times(to mix proprely).
• Take a bowl and mix curd and sugar.mix well till sugar dissolves.
• Add baking powder and baking soda and let it rest for 2-3 min
• The above mixture will become little frothy.To this,add vanilla essence and oil.
• Then add maida mix(1tbsp at a time).Mix well.
• Now grease a baking dish and dust it with maida.



Eggless vanilla cake with chocolate frosting

• Pour the above cake mix and bake it for 35-40min(or until the toothpick or knife comes out clear)

For frosting 

Butter - 1/4cup

Cocoa pwdr - 1/3cup

Milk - 1/6cup

Powdered sugar/icing sugar - 1 1/2cup

Vanilla ess - 1/2tsp

Method:-

• Melt butter in a pan on low flame.
• Add cocoa pwdr and mix well.(do not mix too fast..i did so n my frosting started breaking after 1 hr..pls do not mix too hard)
• Add vailla ess,milk and powdered sugar and mix proprely to get a spreading consistency.
• Trim all d sides of cake and apply the frosting.
• Decorate the cake as u wish.
• Let it set for a few min.

NJOY!!!!!!

 

Instant Dhokla

Add caption

One of my personal Fav.

Besan - 1cup
Salt
Sugar - 1/2tsp
Eno/Soda bicarb - 1tsp
Lemon Juice - 1 drop
Warm Water - 1/2cup

for tempering
Oil - 1tbsp
Rai
Green Chilli - 2
Shredded coconut - 1 1/2tbsp

Method:-

1. Mix all the ingredients.(except eno)
2. Add eno at last.. just before you put it for steaming.
3. Before the foam fades away pour the mix in a steel plates or baking tray and steam cook it for 15-20 min
4. Take out,Preapare tempering and pour over the Dhokla.
5. Cool for  5 min and then cut into desired shapes.

Instant Dhokla

Serve hot with chutney of your choice...Garnish with Coconut..njoy!!

Peas Masala

Dec 2010 wen i visited one of my hubby's company lodges here in Tanzania,,the chef(african) made for me chapati n peas curry..that curry was real yummmy..from that day i was in search of that peas recipe,but unfortunately couldn't find..yday searching thru Rak's site..i found a similar dish..i made it today with naan...ufff...it was Deliciyasoooo..got a "Thumps Up" sign from my hubby(his way of saying..fud's good/delicious.:D

Peas Masala

 

Green Peas - 1 1/2cups

Onion(medium)-2
Tomato(big) -3
GGP - 1 1/2tsp
Rcp - 1 1/2tsp
Garam masala - 1/2tsp
Coriander pwdr - 2tsp
Fresh Coriander leves - 2tbsp
Sugar-a pinch
Salt
Jeera and methi seeds -1/4tsp each
Haldi -1tsp

For Tempering
Oil -2tbsp
Cinnamon -1 " pc
Cardamom - 2
Cloves -2

Method:-

1. Roast jeera n methi seeds..and powder it.Keep aside.
2. Chop Onion and tomatoes.Fry it in 1tsp oil,till tomatoes are soft.
3. Add Ginger-Garlic paste.
4. Cool this mix and later grind it into a paste.
5. Heat a pressure cooker and preapre the tempering.
6. Add the Onion-Tomato paste and fry on medium heat for  5 min till it reduces in volume.
7. Add all the masalas (except jeera-methi pwdr).Fry till the oil separates.
8. Add the green peas,salt ,sugar and enough water(1.5-2cups).
9. Pressure cook it.(2 whistles)
10. After the pressure has escaped ,open the cooker and add the freshly prepared jeera-methi pwdr.
11. Boil and Garnish with Coriander leaves.

Tastes gr8 with chapati/naan and rice...:)) njoy!!

Homemade Tawa NAAN

All these years i had been thinking that making a naan is the most toughest thing..but Nooo..its as simple as making normal Roti/Chapati..so here's another recipe that i found on Rak's .

Maida - 2cups

Tawa Naan

Curd - 1/2cup
Warm Milk - 1/2cup
Sugar - 1/2tsp
Salt - 1tsp
Baking Powder -3/4tsp
Cooking Soda -3/4tsp
Melted ghee/Butter - 4tsp









Method:-

1. Sieve maida,baking powder and cooking soda(2-3 times).
2. Put the maida mix into a wide bowl.
3. Make a well(shape) in the center of maida mix.
4. Add curd,milk,sugar and salt  into the well(of maida mix).
5. Combine all together.
6. Knead the dough with light hands.
7. Apply little oil on the prepared dough.
8. Cover it with moist cloth and keep aside for 2-3hrs.
9. After it rises up..knead it again to release the excess air inside the dough.
10. Make balls(little bigger than roti balls).
11. Dust the platform with maida and make chapatis.
12. Apply little water on the top and pull the chapati from one side(to make  it oblong shaped).
13. Heat a tawa,bake the chapati(put the wet side first on tawa).
14. Bake on both sides and put it on direct flame for that extra crispiness n burnt look.
15. Apply butter/ghee and serve it hot.

I served it with Peas Masala(recipe found on Rak's site).Do try this combo..it really tastes YUMMM..:D

Tawa naan served with Peas masala

Green Chicken Curry

Green chkn curry

Chicken - 10-15pcs
Ginger paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
Garlic paste -(10 garlic cloves)
Green chilli paste - (3 to 5 chillies)
Onion paste - (1 big size onion)
Haldi - 1tsp
Coconut Milk - 2 cups(fresh /powdered)
Salt - to taste
Corainder Leaves - 2 bunches

Tempering
Jeera -1tsp
Curry Leaves
Cinnamon sticks - 2
Cloves - 3
Oil - 3tsp
Bay leaves - 2

Method:-

Heat oil in a pressure cooker,prepare Tempering.
Saute Onion paste .
When Onion changes color add coriander leaves,Ginger-Garlic-chilli paste.Mix well for 5 min.
Put chicken pcs,saute and add haldi.cook for 2 min.

Mix coconut milk,then add salt.
Check salt(add more if it tastes sweet becoz of coconut milk).

Close the lid,pressure cook the curry(3-5 whistles).

Serve hot with Appam,Rice or Chapati.
Njoy!!

East Africa- Lyf in Tanzania

A Dik-Dik(a small form of Deer)

Its almost 5.5 yrs..i started my lyf with my hubby  here in Tanzania..my early days here v spent in jungle.. shocked..??ya the real jungle(national parks)..it was quite an exciting lyf..lots of greenery around,butiful eye catching scenery and lots n lots of wild animals.i was so excited from all this..tht i always carried a camera with me.Sharing a few pics of Amazing Africa.

Ngorngoro Crater-Tanzania

Herd of Zebra's n Wildebeest -Ngorongoro Crater