Wrapped…Tomato Flavoured Mixed Veggies

Hi friends.

I am so grateful to all my blogger friends who took time to drop by and wish me on my 100th post and  I am also happy that my event has  started off..and have started getting entries for my event.

After an elaborate Biryani  I thought of posting something very colourful, tasty, healthy and very quick to make recipe. Honestly speaking I love eating wraps and my craze for them started during our stay in Mumbai. I must say Mumbai offers the best wraps that I have tasted so far and that too at a reasonable rate….

I had a few exotic veggies lying in my fridge and I even had a few chapatis asking me to use them…so I thought of making an interesting filling with the veggies,  wrap them in my chapatis and use my panini grill to grill them. End result was an extremely tasty, externally crisp and internally crunchy wrap. I have used my regular chapatis but one can use the tortillas or any other kind of bread. This stuffing can be used as a side dish or can be used as a filling for sandwich too…

Ingredients for the tomato sauce

2-3 tomatoes pureed

2-3 garlic crushed

2 tsp oil

2 green chilies chopped

1/2 tsp chilli pwd/ paprika

1/4 tsp garam masala

1 tsp chaat masala

salt to taste

Ingredients for the veggie mix

2 tsp butter

1 small broccoli cut into florets

1 onion chopped

quarters of green, yellow and red capsicum cut into thin fingers

6-7 babycorn cut into oblong slices

6-7 mushroom quartered

salt to taste

and freshly ground black pepper as per taste

Other ingredients

some butter for toasting

chaat masala to sprinkle

and an onion sliced

Method

How do we make the tomato sauce?

Heat oil add crushed garlic, once it turns light brown in colour add the green chilies followed by the tomato puree and cook. Add salt, paprika, chaat masala and garam masala. Let the sauce thicken.

What do we do with veggies?

Blanch broccoli, babycorn and mushroom one by one and remove them in  colander so that excess water can be removed.

Take a pan and heat butter and saute the onions. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and then tip in the veggies one by one and toss them for a minute. Now mix them in the tomato sauce. Ensure that the sauce covers the veggie nicely but at the same time also check that it’s not watery..  Filling is ready.

How to make the wrap?

Take the chapati and keep the filling in the centre and spread it vertically  till the edges. Put some onion slices and sprinkle some chaat masala (One can also add cheese at this stage, I avoided that as I wanted the tomato flavour to dominate in my mouth). Fold in the wrap as shown in the pics below and then apply some butter and grill them till crisp. Cut it into halves and serve.

These wraps do not need any dips or chutneys and are quite tasty themselves… So just grab and eat.  It can be an ideal snack for kids and at the same time  a very filling and healthy brunch too.

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My 100th Post Jackfruit Biryani & Raita …and an event announcement

Hi Friends!  I am surely at the top of the world as I type my 100th Post. Last few days have been mind boggling as I was slowly heading towards a century and  was still undecided what I should  post. I wanted the recipe to be special so I kept debating with myself as the recipe names kept floating in my brain…gateux..cheesecake…savory….dessert… I was thoroughly confused errrgh.  

Amongst all this confusion I decided that it’s time I host my first event and my head started working on the theme for the event. After a lot of thought I decided on  Combo. The minute my theme was decided I knew what I had to post ….My first entry to my first event Jackfruit Biryani and Raita. 

Before I head towards the recipe and the rules for the event I want to thank  each and every blogger friend who have been kindly sending me their responses and comments  for my recipes, it means a lot to me.  Each and every blogger has an expertise in some form of cooking and their tips and notes have helped me learn so much more. It has been a good learning journey where I tried my  hands on various cuisines making myself more adept. Blogging has become a part of my life where I learn new recipes every day which has given me a platform to improvise and concoct my own versions. At the same time I have made pals around the globe whom I have never met and yet they have become a part of my life. I wait for their comments to come and when I read and answer their comment I get the feeling that I am talking to them IN PERSON.

As I had mentioned in my 50th post too I never thought I could post so many recipes but at my 100th post surprisingly I know  I still have many more to share. I still have to try my hands on so many cuisines and have to win over the “yeast ghost”.  I am still learning the art of writing good posts which are informative and at the same time entertaining. Writing is an art and I confess it has never been my cup of tea but I am surely trying… I admire so many bloggers who write so well, hence it will be unfair on my part to name just one..but I am learning from all you guys. Thank you so much.

Coming back to my today’s post….. A few days back I got hold of freshly cut raw jackfruit. I had been planning to make a biryani with it for quite sometime but always ended up making something else. This time I thought of surprising S with a biryani for lunch. I must confess I was a bad planner this time, I had just 1-1/2 hrs for S to come for lunch and was wondering how fast can this be cooked….? I was literally running in my kitchen trying to complete two steps of the preparation simultaneously at the same time. Frying with one hand and grinding with the other, the last thing that I wanted was to get disturbed….my elder son watching me work frantically asked me what are you cooking? To which I managed to  answer wait till Pappa comes… Surprise …Surprise!!! But I surely surprised myself as I managed to finish the elaborate procedure in the allotted time and gladly served it for lunch….. I can boast about myself….right!!!LOL

Ingredients For Biryani

Recipe Courtesy- Sanjeev Kapoor which I have modified to suit our taste.

500 gm Raw Jackfruit cut into pieces

1-1/2 cups Basmati rice soaked

4 medium onions thinly sliced

3 medium tomatoes chopped

2tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1-1/2 cups yogurt whisked

1 bunch coriander leaves chopped

1 bunch fresh mint torn

2 tbsp milk

5-6 strands of saffron dissolved in 7-8 tsp milk

1 tbsp Kewra water

oil for deep frying

3-4 tbsp ghee/clarified butter

salt to taste

Spices

4  green cardamom

4 black cardamom

4 cloves

2-1” pieces of cinnamon

1/2 tsp shahjeera

2 tsp cumin pwd

3 tsp coriander pwd

1 tsp turmeric pwd

3 tsp red chili pwd

1 tsp garam masala

Method

Deep fry the jack fruit and onion slices and keep them separately.

 

Meanwhile soak the rice for 15-20 mins and then drain. Boil the rice 6 cups of water along with 2 cloves, cardamom, black cardamom, 1 cinnamon and some salt, cook till it’s almost done, remove in a colander.

Heat 3 tbsp ghee and add the shahjeera followed by the remaining whole spices. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute, now add all the spices except the garam masala and mix. Tip in the tomatoes and salt to taste (enough for the jackfruit curry), once the tomatoes are mushy add the chopped coriander then  remove the pan from the flame and add the curds and garam masala,  mix. Removing from flame is important as the curd curdles otherwise. Put the pan back on the flame and cook the masala, add the fried jackfruit and cook till it attains a  semi gravy texture.

Now comes the final part …layering the Biryani. Take a rice dish and grease it. On the base spread half of the Jackfruit curry then spread half the rice put half of the chopped mint leaves (I used mint powder as I was short of them but fresh mint is recommended). Sprinkle half of the kewra water and saffron milk. Repeat the layers again. Take a satay stick and pass it through the layers at 5-6 places. Pour a few drops of ghee there. This is an optional step but surely yields a better flavor and moistness to the Biryani. Cover the dish with an aluminium foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 20-25 mins.

 

Serve hot with mix veg raita. For veg raita  mix small quantity of tomato, onion, cucumber in a cup of thick yogurt. Add a finely chopped green chili and a little chopped cilantro. Also add some salt, rock salt and a pinch of sugar. Mix properly and then add some water to adjust the consistency. Chill the raita before serving.

This Biryani is the best option for meat lovers who have turned vegetarian and obviously the hard core vegetarians to enjoy veggie-meat biryani. The raita is  the most appropriate accompaniment to the spicy biryani.

Note- Do not skip the Kewra water as it adds an amazing flavour but at the same time an excess quantity can spoil the taste.

Now that I have crossed one big milestone in blogging I thought of celebrating the same by taking up a new challenge and aiming for a new milestone. I have been participating in various events but never hosted a one. So here I am hosting my first event to celebrate my first BIG MILESTONE. I invite all my blogger friends  and non blogger friends to participate in this and make it success.

           THE  COMBO  EVENT

We always read in a post that this tastes best when served with this. For eg in a chana masala post one might say it tastes best when served with bhatoora/ puri/ jeera rice. So the Chana-Bhatoora/ Chana-poori or Chana –rice  makes a combo. Sarson da saag is served with makke di roti, Bhakri with stuffed baingan and Noodles with Manchurian . A combo can be as simple as sambhar-rice,  rasam rice or even Roti and some curry. One can share their Paratha Combo’s.

In starters …a starter is served  with a dip, similarly in desserts ..a brownie is served with a vanilla ice-cream, fruit custard with jelly and so on…..

So use your creativity, pick any cuisine of your choice and send me your combos which you feel and guarantee gel with each other.

Rules for the event

1. 
   
   Post any vegetarian combo meal between 3rd Feb-10th March. Eggs can be used but  non veg entries will not be accepted as this  is a vegetarian blog.
2. 
   
   One can send maximum of  three entries.
3. 
   
   Old posts can be reposted and linked with the event announcement page.
4. 
   
   New Posts to be linked back to the event announcement page.
5. 
   
   Picture of size 300 pixel showing the combo together is essential.
6. 
   
   Use of logo is compulsory.
7. 
   
   Send the entries in the given format to cookingoodfood@gmail.com

a. Your Name

b. Blog’s Name

c. Blog’s url

d. Blog post

e. Cuisine

f. Post link-

g. a picture of the combo

  8. Non blogger’s can email me their recipe and the pic.

For any queries kindly mail me. I will post the Round-up by 18th March unless I am caught in something more important.

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Mensin Saaru..Coconut and Pepper Rasam

Hi.

Today I am posting an extremely simple yet a very very tasty rasam. This is an all time favorite in my family and every body craves for it on a chilly winter day or a rainy day. There’s an immense satisfaction in drinking this rasam. This is my MIL’s version and I tasted it the first time when post marriage I was down with cold and cough and she very sweetly offered me a glass of this and I was instantly a fan of this preparation.

A few days back my elder son demanded this and then my younger one was showing signs of a throat infection…so this healer mom concocted this ‘RAMBAAN DAVA’ for sore throat and every one enjoyed sipping this hot soup/rasam.

This soup/saaru/rasam  has  the sweet gentle flavor of coconut blended with the strikingly hot flavor of black pepper. In the first sip it soothes the throat and as you sip in further your body just gets engulfed in the warmth that the soup provides. This can be eaten with rice  and can be a part of the meal too. It needs very basic things which are readily available in the kitchen..

Ingredients

1 cup grated coconut

2 spoons urad dal

1 spoon pepper corns

1/4-1/2 cup milk

1 tsp ghee

1/2 tsp mustard

few curry leaves

salt to taste

Method

Heat half spoon ghee and fry Urad dal and pepper corns, grind it along with coconut to a very fine paste. Take the paste in a sauce pan and add about 3 cups water, milk and salt to taste. Boil it. Take the remaining ghee and add the mustard seeds, once they splutter add curry leaves and immediately pour it on the Saaru. Bring another boil and serve immediately.

Sending this to

 

hosted by Sadhana and Muskaan.

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Finger Millet- Wheat Flour Ukarpendi

Hi.

For this month’s JFI Ragi or Finger Millet has been chosen. Ragi is an extremely nutritional grain with high iron content. Finger millet is especially valuable as it contains the amino acid methionine, which is lacking in the diets of hundreds of millions of the poor who live on starchy staples such as cassava, plantain, polished rice, maize meal.

It is very popularly used in South India. Here, in North India people are not much aware about this. If cooked in a proper way it can be extremely tasty. Do not go by the colour of the finished product is what I will suggest….

At my place we all love ragi and do enjoy it’s health benefits. I make a variety of dishes using this wonderful grain and I am eagerly waiting for the round up to try more..

Today I am posting Ukarpendi. Ukarpendi is a Marathi term and is used for Upma’s made with flour by the process of steam cooking which we call Ukad in Marathi. This particular Ukarpendi can be made completely with ragi flour also but addition of wheat flour adds in more flavour. Ragi is a very bland grain and needs to be overly spiced to taste better, adding wheat removes the blandness and yields a better textured Ukarpendi. The Ukarpendi is filling and is an extremely good option for breakfast or a lunch box item.

Some precautions that one must take while making this dish are…roast the flours on low flame till they produce a nice aroma. This dish needs oil in a little extra quantity, else it turns out very dry and becomes very difficult to eat. The spices need to added more liberally to bring in the flavours..

So here’s the recipe of Ragi-wheat Ukarpendi…enjoy the health benefits

Ingredients

2 small katoris Finger Millet flour

1 small katori wheat flour

2 onions chopped

handful  of peas

7-8 green chilies finely chopped

3-4 large spoon curds

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp coriander pwd

1 tsp cumin pwd

1 tsp red chili pwd

a pinch of asafetida

1-1/2 inch ginger grated

few curry leaves chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp of urad-chana dal

salt to taste

about 8-10 tbsp oil

boiled water for steam cooking

Method

Roast the flours and keep them aside.
Heat oil and add mustard seeds, asafetida followed by urad-chana dal and green chilies.
Add the chopped onions and peas, saute. Now add grated ginger and curry leaves and mix. ( One can add veggies of there choice )
Once the onions are done add turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin pwds and salt to taste.
Now add the flours and roast it for a few mins in the oil. Mix in the curds and sugar. The curds adds a mild sour taste.
Now comes the tricky part. Add boiling water gradually and keep mixing. This process has to be done very fast ensuring no lumps are formed. Add water till the flour absorbs water and comes to a state of slightly loose dough.
Cover the pan and steam cook for about 5 minutes.
Serve hot with a dash of ghee on top and garnish with fresh coconut and chopped cilantro.
Sending this to Hosted by Madhuram and is the brainchild of Indira of Mahanandi.

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Mughlai Dum Aloo…… on a foggy day

Hi.

We have been facing dense fog and chilly winter these days. Have a look at this pic which I managed to click around 10 AM ..

 

Mornings are gloomy with the sunshine missing. With kids back to school and S too busy again I needed something interesting to eat to cheer myself…I had picked up baby potatoes this weekend. I had been wanting to make my kind of Dum Aloo since long. The last time when I had indulged with these baby potatoes and wanted to make the Dum Aloo I could not, as I wanted to make it with an ingredient that was missing in my pantry that time and I insist using it for my Mughlai version..so had landed making tangy baby potatoes  which were equally tasty.

So this time I ensured that I had that ingredient in my pantry well stocked before I could make this. Do not laugh friends it’s a very simple ingredient but makes the curry rich (not fattening) and enhances the creamy texture…. Magaz or the water melon seeds. The curry when completed was well spiced and  creamy.

I had not made this curry in the true DUM fashion…those who want to try this in DUM way can read my post Dum Arvi… instead I opted cooking on slow fire, this surely ensured that the potatoes imbibe all the flavours.

I would have personally loved to have this preparation with Tandoori roti…..I feel Dum preparations taste best with it…nevertheless I had it with Roti and some rice.

Do try this curry…surely a finger licking one…

Ingredients
300 gm baby potatoes
3 onions chopped
3 tomatoes
3 tbsp watermelon seeds (magaz)
1-1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
an inch piece of ginger
2-3 garlic pods (optional)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
2 tsp coriander pwd
a large pinch garam masala
1-1/2 tsp chili pwd
salt to taste
oil for cooking about 2-1/2 tbsp


Method

Par boil potatoes with some salt and turmeric, later drain the water and wash with some cold water. One can also deep fry the potatoes, choice is…..

 
Soak the poppy and magaz in water for about 30 mins and grind them to make a paste.
 

In a pan take chopped onions and saute til they turn dark brown in colour. Now add half a spoon of oil and saute further. Alternatively if one wants to indulge in higher calories can deep fry the onions till nicely brown. Cool it and grind it with a little water to a fine paste.

Wash the tomatoes and ginger. In a pan boil together the tomatoes, ginger and garlic. Remove them from the water and grind them together. Do not discard the water, it can be used later in the curry.

Heat oil and put cumin seeds and let them splutter. Now add the onion paste and saute.

Add the tomato paste and mix thoroughly. All the pastes do not need much cooking being precooked.


Now add the spices…turmeric, chili, coriander, cumin, garam masala and some salt, mix and cook for a minute.


Add the magaz-poppy paste. Mix and cook till oil separates.

Add the potatoes and mix it in the masala. Now add the water (use the one in which

 tomatoes were boiled)  and bring the curry to a boil. Cover and cook and low flame for

 20-25 mins.

Once done garnish it some fresh cream (optional), which I had … serve it with hot phulkas and rice.

It is a rich curry to be enjoyed  and the added bonus is …it’s minus the calories.

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Les chenilles processionnaires

Palcf: Françoise Branger , vous êtes présidente de Bassin d'Arcachon Écologie
Cette année nous sommes déjà envahie par une multitude de chenilles processionnaires et certains pins paraissent morts.
Qu'en pensez vous?

Françoise Branger:Étant dans l'après-midi de ce vendredi(22 janvier 2010) à Blagon et alentours, j'ai pu observer les pins brunis et défeuillés.
C'est le même constat que celui fait, de loin en loin, en marge de la route de Lacanau et autres.

Je maintiens, vu qu'il y a à peu près un nid de Chenille processionnaire par branche, que notre chère Thaumetopoea pityocampa y est pour quelque chose.
En ce moment, on constate des défoliations partielles ou totales dues à la Processionnaire du Pin et qui brunissent les arbres.
C'est assez vraisemblablement de cela qu'il s'agit.
Car le Fomès ou l'armillaire ne dessèchent les pins que très lentement: juste quelques pins par an (à compter sur les doigts d'une seule main.)
Il est confirmé par les anciens et aussi par l'INRA, qui connait son dossier là-dessus, que jamais un Pin n'est mort de la chenille, même après défoliation totale.
Si l'apparente "mort" (c'est-à-dire rapide brunissement) de pins est bien ce que je crois, ils seront tout-beaux-tout-verts dans quelques mois, car les pics de chenilles s'effondrent d'eux-mêmes.
Ils auront juste un anneau de croissance un peu plus étroit, car ils auront moins fait la photosynthèse pendant quelques semaines.
A quand des forêts aux écosystèmes riches, à la biodiversité abondante et où les très nombreux prédateurs de la Thaumetopoea pityocampa la régulent?
En effet, quand l'écosystème est complet (incluant des feuillus, des arbres âgés ou morts avec cavités, etc.) la Processionnaire du Pin est naturellement régulée par ses très nombreux prédateurs:
Parmi les prédateurs naturels de la Processionnaire, on compte bon nombre d'Hyménoptères parasites : Chalcidiens, Braconides, Ichneumonides mais aussi les fourmis, par exemple Formica rufa et Linepithema humile.
Le Grand Calosome, une sorte de Carabe, fait une grosse consommation de chenilles Processionnaires. La larve du même insecte est capable de se développer au sein même de leur nid. Les Ephippigères (des sortes de sauterelles) sont de grands prédateurs d'’œœufs de Thaumetopoea. La larve de Xanthandrus contus est un prédateur des chenilles.
Quant à Phryxe caudata, une sorte de mouche, elle parasite les Processionnaires.
En France, l'étude la plus complète, réalisée en 1958, montre que le taux de pontes attaquées peut atteindre 100 %, alors que celui d'œœufs détruits atteint 28 %.
Plusieurs oiseaux exercent, ensemble, leur prédation durant tout le cycle de la Processionnaire depuis l'’œœuf jusqu'’au papillon. Les Mésanges charbonnière, bleue, huppée, noire sont toutes prédatrices des œœufs et/ou des chenilles Processionnaires, les consommant dans leur nid ou au sol. Le Coucou gris, le Geai, le Loriot prédatent les chenilles .La Huppe déterre et mange les chrysalides ; l’'Engoulevent avale les papillons nocturnes de la Processionnaire.
Les mammifères s’invitent aussi au festin: les diverses Chauve-souris consomment les papillons de Processionnaire du Pin.
Le Lérot, un animal à la fois terrestre et arboricole aux moœeurs nocturnes, est aussi un prédateur efficace de la « Thaumetopoea pityocampa ».
Jean Mazodier: D'après le syndicat des sylviculteurs,les pins touchés ne vont pas mourir.
Leur croissance va être stoppée pendant un un an pour leur permettre de refaire leurs aiguilles. Mais des attaques importantes peuvent affaiblir l'arbre,ce qui le rend sensible aux attaques de ravageurs sous corticaux ou autres pathogènes.
Les jeunes peuplements sont les plus sensibles,notamment quand ils sont dans un environnement ouvert,par exemple le long des routes ou aux bords des éclaircies coupes rases ou des chablis post tempête.
On assiste cette année à un pic(ils interviennent tous les 5 à 7 ans) et hors cycle-la chenille est "processionnaire" en mars/avril.

On peut trouver l'avertissement santé des forets 09-12 sur le site de la DRAAF Aquitaine.

La lutte ne doit pas être systématique mais plutôt être raisonnée en fonction des risques et limitée aux zones à risques(jeune peuplement) et ouverts-sur une profondeur ne dépassant pas de 20 à 50 m.
Elle est limitée au mois de septembre-octobre?Sinon cela ne sert à rien.
Pour les jeunes peuplement,il reste possible d'enlever les nids à l'aide d'un échenilloir puis de les détruire. Se protéger des poils urticants à l'aide d'une combinaison intégrale.


Palcf: pour les curieux:

http://agriculture.gouv.fr/sections/thematiques/foret-bois/sante-des-forets
http://draaf.aquitaine.agriculture.gouv.fr

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Instant Bread Dosa… preparation in a jiffy

Hi.  I wish all my Indian friends a very happy REPUBLIC DAY.

Today I am posting a very simple, tasty and healthy recipe which is good for a working mom, tired mom, unwell mom or a sometimes lazy mom like me!!! Saturday night S asked me what’s for breakfast tomorrow? I was in a dubious state after the question as I had not planned anything till then. I surely do not like spending a lot of time in the kitchen on a Sunday. That time I just left the thought for the next day…how so very convenient..kal ka kal dekhenge …

Morning I entered the kitchen around 8 and kept the milk for boiling. The first thought that came to my mind was to make sandwich but instantly I shrugged it…who was going to boil potatoes…but then the bread caught my attention again and I thought why can’t I try a Dosa with it…surely will not taste bad and plus can be made quickly…hopefully!

So the next move was to put all the ingredients that came to my mind that point of time in the mixer grinder and make a spiced paste of that, then adjust the consistency of the batter, put the non-stick pan on gas stove, heat it and then pour a ladle full  of batter, spread the dosa and wait to see how it turns out….phew…I did lot of work…and I was so tired by then…LOL. Jokes apart one can sense how much time is really needed to make these dosas ready…

To my surprise the Dosa turned out really nice, in fact no one can make out there’s bread in it!!! The semolina added to the crispiness and curds provided the adequate sourness.  I tried an onion Uttapam also with this batter and  that tasted equally good. I will surely experiment more with this dosa in future but right now I am ready to give you the approx measurements of the ingredients…

Ingredients For Bread Dosa

5-6 slices bread (I used wheat-germ bread)

1/2 –3/4cup yogurt

1 cup poha

3/4 cup semolina/rava

3/4 cup rice flour

7-8 green chilies

handful of chopped cilantro

an inch of ginger

salt to taste

oil for applying

a tsp of cumin seeds

Method

Grind all the ingredients except oil and cumin to a smooth paste. Mix water, cumin seeds and  make the batter. This batter has to be made slightly thinner than the normal dosa batter. Heat the non stick tava and spread the dosa  and leave oil  on its sides. Turn the dosa and cook it from the other side too. My observation was that this dosa takes a longer time to cook on one side than the regular ones… Once done serve it with chutney of your choice. My kids had it with some butter and it’s surely filling..

Note- The spice level should be kept a little high, else it can taste very bland.
Sending this to RV and Sudeshana’s

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