Green Peas Masala

         Peas Masala is one of the commonest side dishes that is served with rotis, naans or pilafs. It can be made either with fresh green peas or with dried peas, both tasting equally good. I have made today's masala with dried green peas, with some fresh ground masala which gives a nice flavor to this dish. There are so many versions to this dish, this is one of the ways I do it..

Need To Have

• Dried Green Peas - 2 cups
• Onions - 1 medium chopped
• Cinnamon - 1" piece
• Cloves - 4
• Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon
• Chopped Coriander - to garnish

For The Paste

• Onion - 1 small
• Tomatoes - 2
• Garlic - 4
• Ginger - 1 tablespoon chopped
• Chilli Powder - 2 teaspoons
• Coriander Powder - 2 teaspoons
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Javentri - a small 1" piece

Method 
          Soak the peas over night or in hot water for 4 to 5 hours and pressure cook it. Grind all the ingredients for the paste along with 2 tablespoons of the cooked peas.

          Heat oil, add the cinnamon, cloves and the cumin seeds, when the cumin seeds start spluttering add the chopped onion and saute till it turns transparent. Now add the ground paste and saute well for at least 7 to 10 mins till the raw smell goes way. If it sticks to the pan, add 2 tablespoons of water and keep sauteing.

          Once the masala gets cooked properly, add the cooked peas and the garam masala, mix, add some water ( about 1 to 2 cups) and simmer it for another 5 mins or till the desired thickness is reached. Remove, garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and serve it warm with some rotis or rice.
Sending it to Srav's Cooking Concepts for the CC - Mom's Recipe event
                to Simply.Food for Sara's Cooking With Love - Dad event and
                to Cooks' Joy for Priya's Healthy Diet - Vegetarian Side Dishes event.

Note
Cook the peas al dente, do not make it mushy, it takes about half the time it takes to cook rice.
You can add some potatoes along with the peas and can also do the same with the dried white or yellow peas.
There is a picture of javentri here.

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Winner of ‘Only’ Snacks & Starters

 

Hi All!

Thanks to all for participating in 'Only' Snacks & Starters. It's an amazing collection of recipes and I must thanks Raji of Vegetarian Tastebuds for hosting and putting up a great round up.

I was to pick a winner from the 84entries sent in the ‘Indian’ category. Personally, if I was to sit and pick a winner, I would be so confused . Glad, I've the random picker to do the job, which not only saves my effort and helps being unbiased and stay fair to one and all. 

The random picker, picked number 65..

 

Number 65 is  Cake Rusk by Faseela of Good Food Ends With Good Talk. Congrats Faseela, you have won the cookbook, Snacks under 10 minutes by Tarla Dalal. Please mail me your address with a nearest landmark and your cell/ phone number within two days to cookingoodfood@gmail.com to claim your win. In case Faseela does not claim her win  I’ll pick another winner after two days.

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Methi And Carrot Parathas (Flat Bread)

          Parathas are flat breads with some kind of filling inside, it can be a dal (lentil) or a vegetable filling or a mixture of both. When served with some relish or curry on the side, it sums up to a nice wholesome meal.
For today's parathas I chose fresh fenugreek leaves (methi) and carrots, the slight bitterness of the methi is offset by the sweetness in the carrots. These parathas were extremely soft and delicious with the nice aroma from the ajwain seeds (bishop's weed) in the filling..

Need To Have
For the dough

• Whole Wheat Flour - 2 + 1/2 cups
• Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
• Oil - 1 teaspoon

For the filling

• Chopped Methi - 1 cup
• Grated Carrot - 1 cup
• Besan (Gram Or Chickpea) Flour - 4 tablespoons
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Chilli Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Ajwain Seeds - 2 teaspoon

Apply the filling and fold it into half and apply again on one side

Fold it one more time and roll it in a triangle shape

Method
          Make a soft dough with the flour, salt and water, apply the oil at the end and keep it for at  least 30 mins. In the meantime, heat some oil, add the ajwain seeds, after 5 secs, add the methi, carrot, salt, turmeric and chilli powders, saute everything for about 8 mins till dry. Remove and cool, to this add the besan flour and a teaspoon of oil, mix it well, it would be a sticky mixture. Now take a lemon size ball of the dough, dust it with some flour and roll it out into a small disc (about 4" in diameter). On one half of it, spread the filling with your hand or spoon, fold it into a semicircle, now apply the filling on one half of the semicircle and fold it again. Now dust this with some flour and roll out into triangles. Cook it on a hot pan, and serve it warm with any side dish.

Note
The best way to cook parathas, is put it on a hot pan, as soon as bubbles start appearing on the bottom side, flip it over, brush some oil, flip it again, let it cook till it gets some brown spots, meantime, applying oil on the second side. Flip it one last time and cook the other side (you flip it only 3 times).
I read it on the web, that ajwain has the same flavor as thyme, you can try substituting with it or with some cumin seeds.

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Ankurit Jowar Usal..sprouted sorghum in a curry, step by step

Hi All!

I’m glad that I could finally sit and type this post which I’ve been  planning for a long time but last few days seems to have just vanished. I was badly stuck in so many things that I was hardly getting time to sit down and do something creative or sensible…

I was living in a nightmarish world of cockroaches which had  manifested in my kitchen and seemed to be present in every nook and corner. I was at war with them and spraying the pesticide whenever they appeared..I would get up 2-3times at night to kill them as the cockroaches are nocturnal creatures but they seem to be multiplying faster than I could kill them..this was the first time, that I had such a problem and then finally got a pest control done for  two days with a gap of 3days..My kitchen did come on a stand still but finally I could say that it seems like the war is getting over. I was busy washing, cleaning, throwing and rearranging my kitchen, but it’s clean and shining now..

After all the cleaning I am splurging  myself in making sprouts with different grains as I love sprouts and they perfectly suit my health regime these days. The first grain that I’ve sprouted is the Jowar or Sorghum in English. This is the first time that I sprouted this grain and I must confess I was in love with the tiny pearls, the minute it started to sprout.

I had decided to make a spicy Usal with the grain as the grain itself is quite bland, so I presumed that it would be best with a little overdose of spice. I loved the Usal and I served it with plain rice and Jowar roti which I will post soon..

This curry is extremely good for diabetics too..

Ankurit Jowar Usal

Serves:2

Preparartion Time:5mins

Cooking Time: 30mins

Ingredients

2cups sprouted Sorghum/Jowar

1large onion sliced

3garlic cloves

small piece ginger

1large tomato chopped

2tsp whole coriander seeds

1tsp cumin seeds

4 whole red chilies

2tbsp grated dry coconut

1/2tsp turmeric

1/2tsp red chili powder

a pinch garam masala

2tsp oil

1/2tsp mustard seeds

a pinch of heeng/asafetida

Method

Soak the clean Jowar in water for 5-6hrs, strain all water and then transfer it to a muslin cloth. Wet the cloth and keep it a colander for sprouting. You get fine sprouts in 8-10hrs. Pressure cook the jowar without salt.

Slice the onion and ginger and peel the garlic cloves.

Chop the tomatoes.

In a pan roast without oil, onion, garlic, ginger, cumin and coriander seeds.

Once the onion starts changing colour, add a few drops oil. Cool the mix.

Roast the coconut and red chilies.

Grind the onion and coconut mixes with a  little water.

Heat two tea spoons oil and splutter the mustard seeds. Add a pinch of heeng.

Add the ground paste, sauté.

Add a little water and tomatoes, mix.

Add the sprout.

Add salt to taste.

Add turmeric and chili powder.

Mix thoroughly.

Add a cup of water.

Add kokam and cook on low flame and covered till the gravy thickens. The Kokam adds a  nice tangy taste.

Serve hot.

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Penne Pasta With Pesto And Lime

          Whenever I make pasta, either it is with some tomato sauce or pesto and tomatoes or the white sauce, nobody likes it dry. Even when I make it dry, it's like pasta with pesto, some vegetable, tomatoes and cheese. Last time, when I was in New York, I tasted the most delicious lasagna, with pesto and lemon or lime flavor. It was not much cheesy and I loved the refreshing citrus flavor. I wanted to try it at home, the lasagna has to wait, but I made it with penne pasta, my own home made basil pesto and broccoli, it came out very well..

Need To Have

• Whole Grain Penne Pasta - 2 cups
• Basil Pesto - 4 teaspoons
• Broccoli - 2 cups
• Parmesan Cheese - 2 teaspoon
• Salt & Pepper - to taste
• Olive Oil - 1 or 2 teaspoons
• Lime Juice - from 1/2 a lime

Method
          Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Microwave the broccoli till done but crisp. You can also do this by adding broccoli to boiling water for 2 mins, then washing in cold water. To the pasta, add the pesto, broccoli, mix, add the oil, cheese, lime juice, salt and pepper mix everything well and serve. The pasta tastes great either warm or cold.

Note
You can use any pasta of your choice.
Pepper and lime juice are as per your taste, best to serve it with a wedge of lime and pepper on the side.
You can use store bought pesto too, and also any other vegetable, I used broccoli as I wanted to maintain the green color of the pesto.

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Spinach Poricha Kuzhambu (Coconut & Lentil Sauce)

           Spinach is a favorite in our house, we have it at least once a week. There are a number of dishes that we can make with it, I cook it with some dal (lentils) or make a chutney with it or with rice as in this Spinach And Kidney Beans Rice. In today's dish spinach is cooked with tuvar dal ( split pigeon peas), fresh masala and coconut milk, it goes very well with rice or even with rotis..

Need To Have

• Tuvar Dal - 1/2 cup
• Chopped Spinach - 2 cups 
• Tomatoes - 2 chopped
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Sambar Powder - 2 teaspoons
• Coconut Milk - 1/4 cup
• Mustard Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Black Gram Dal - 2 teaspoons
• Dried Red Chilli - 1
• Asafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 5 to 10 leaves

Make A Paste

• Coriander Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Black Peppercorns - 1/2 teaspoon
• Black Gram Dal - 1 teaspoon
• Grated Coconut - 1 tab

Method

           Pressure cook the tuvar dal with the turmeric, till mushy. Roast all the ingredients except coconut, cool it and make a paste with the coconut.

          Cook the spinach with the tomatoes, sambar powder and salt. Once the spinach is cooked, add the dal and the paste, cook it for 5 more mins.

          Then add the coconut milk. Finally, heat 2 teaspoons of oil, add the mustard seeds, black gram dal, once the seeds start spluttering, add the red chilli, asafoetida and curry leaves, pour it over the cooked spinach. Serve it with rice or rotis.
Sending it to Cook's Joy for Kiran's CWF - Spinach event and
                to Erivum Puliyum for Sangee's Show Me Your "Hits" - Iron Rich Foods event

 Note
Don't use very thick coconut milk, if it is too thick, dilute it with some water.
If you don't have sambar powder, replace it with a teaspoon of chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder.

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Basil Pesto With Walnuts

       
          Basil is one of my favorite herbs, I just love it, be it fresh or dry. Like it as a topping on pizzas, or in a sandwich with cheese and tomatoes or in pasta and of course in the most delicious pesto. If you are not able to finish the fresh basil, the best way to use it is making a pesto with it. Pesto can be refrigerated safely at least for 2 to 3 weeks and can be used in the same way as fresh basil. You can use any nut of your choice like pine nuts, cashews, almonds or walnuts in it and the whole process takes about 10 mins..

Need To Have

• Fresh Basil - 1 cup (liquid measuring cup)
• Walnuts - 1/2 cup
• Garlic - 2 cloves chopped
• Olive Oil - 4 tablespoons
• Parmesan Cheese - 2 tablespoons grated

Method 
          In a food processor, first crush the nuts, then add the garlic and basil. Blend it for a few seconds, then add the oil and the cheese, blend for some more time till everything comes together. Remove and store it in the refrigerator. Use it as a spread on bread, or on pizza and in your pasta.

Note
I used only the leaves of the basil.
Adding salt is totally up to you, keeping it in mind that the cheese has salt in it.
Do not make a smooth paste, I used Kraft Parmesan Cheese Powder (reduced fat).

         Now for the awards that was passed on to me by my fellow bloggers, I should have done this long time back, but got postponed because of my laziness, but today I made up my mind to do this.



The Versatile Blogger Award has been passed to me again by Hemavathi, Chandrani, Viya, Lavanya and  Siris Food and Anjana.
The Leibster Blog Award from Chitra and Reshmi.

The Happy Blogger Award from Lavanya and the Inspirational Blog Award by Anjana.
     Thank you girls, please do visit their lovely spaces.
I've been tagged by Gayathri Anand of Kavithavin Kaivannam, thanks dear, the rules are as follows:
RULES:
1. Post the rules.
2. Answer the questions set for you in the tagger's post and create new set of eleven questions.
3. Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.
4. Let them know you have tagged them.

Now to my answers
1. Introduce yourself
   I am Hema, currently staying in the United States with my wonderful husband and lovely daughter, I am from Pondicherry in India.
2. What's your favorite hobby or how do you love to enjoy your time?
   I love reading.
3. When it come to blogging, how supportive are your family members?
   As supportive as they can be, lettting me to sit long hours with my laptop, and of course waiting for the food till I finishing clicking my pictures.
4. What's is your fav. food?
   That'll be a long list, nothing pops in my mind, it's like a whole cloud of things, so let me say it as, anything vegetarian, I am game for it.
5. What inspired you to create a blog?
   If I say browsing other blogs, I should have started at least 5 years back, but to tell you the truth, this blog got started in the spur of a moment, nothing was planned, but now it has become an integral part of me.
6. How do u feel while u get an award /Tags from other blogger friends?
   Of course, very happy.
7. Talk about food photography..do you judge a recipe by the photo posted by the bloggers? and when searching for a recipe in a search engine like Google, do you look for just recipe or look by images?
    A good photo is a feast for the eyes, but I never judge a recipe by the photo. When searching for a recipe, I would like to see a picture, because it would be nice to see how the final product looks.
8. Have you tried recipes from other bloggers? What's the result?
    Yes, and till now no regrets.
9. How happy you will be in getting a comment for your recipe?
    As anybody else, very very happy, the comments are what keeps me going.
10. How about taking part in events hosted by other bloggers?
    I love to, and have been taking part as much as I could.

Now I would love to tag the following friends, Julie, Lavanya, Sojo, Reshmi, Reena Vimesh, Srimathi, Rasi, Swathi Iyer, Menaga, Rosh, Radha.
Since I loved answering Gayathri's questions, I am going to pass on the same set of questions, I hope it's not a problem.

Now for the awards that I got for participating in events.

Got this lovely E- book from Teenz' Yummy Delights and Good Food's Favorite Award for the Just '4' Fun event.
And also participation awards from Preeti for her Color N Sweet - Holi Fest event and also featured once at Food Corner for the Midweek Fiesta event.


             
             This post has become way too long, but it has been pending for a long time, and I have to thank all my friends for showering me with these awards, I hope I have not missed any. Thank You All So Much!

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