Seviyan Kheer [Sweet Vermicelli Pudding]

"Seviyan" normally reminds me of festive celebrations in India. This is one dessert which does not require lot of effort and can be whipped out in no time. This is an easy recipe which does not require condense milk. The starch of the vermicelli provides the required consistency


Ingredients:

Vermicelli [Seviyan] - 1/2 cups
Whole milk - 2 cups
Sugar - 3-4 Tbsp
Raisins, Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Pure Ghee [Clarified butter] - 1 tsp

Method:

Heat pure ghee in a pan and fry vermicelli until they are light brown color and keep it aside
In the same pan fry raisins and cashew nuts and keep them aside

Bring milk to boil. Reduce the heat and add vermicelli and keep stirring in between
Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the vermicelli turns soft

Add sugar, raisins, cashew nuts and cardamom powder

Serve hot or cold

Note:
On cooling if the pudding thickens add more milk for desired consistency

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I am sending this recipe to the following events:

Fall in Love [FIL] - Milk hosted by Sanghi . Since I prepared this for Janamashtami, I have dedicated this recipe to My Self !!

Janmashtami & Ganesh Chaturthi event hosted by Purva

Sweets and Savouries hosted by Sara !

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Bhindi-Do-Pyaza / Bhindi Fry / [Okra-Onion Fry]

Bhindi-Do-Pyaza is a very popular dish of North India. It is called "Do Pyaza" because the onions are added in double the quantity than found in any other vegetable preparation




Ingredients:

Bhindi [Okra/Lady finger] - 2 cups
Onion - 2 medium, thick slice
Ginger - 1tbsp [grated]
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Corriander powder - 1.5 tsp
Red chillie powder - to taste
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Mango powder [Khatai] 1.5 tsp
Salt to taste
Canola oil - 3 tbsp or more

Method:

Wash okra and pat dry with paper towel. Remove the top of okra and slice the remaining okra into 1 inch slices [Optional: Sprinkle some salt and keep it aside ]

Heat oil on medium heat, add cumin seeds and let it crackle. Now add ginger followed by onion and fry till the onion slices get glossy and still retain the pink color

Add okra and stir for a minute, add salt and all the powder spices except mango powder. Stir fry on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Next cover it with a lid and let it simmer for 10 minutes [keep stirring in between]. Cook till okra is soft and adjust for seasoning. Sprinkle mango powder and mix it thoroughly over low flame.

Serve hot with roti (chapati) or paratha as a side dish

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This is my "Side dish for chapathi" hosted by Viki of Viki's Kitchen

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Onions are Good for You

(This is my entry for Click event)

Introduction:

Onions belong to lily family, the same family as garlic, leeks, scallions and shallots. The word onion comes from a Latin word Unio" which means single. It is the union of many concentric layers.There are many types of onions, red, yellow, white and green.

Onion not only add taste to your food, also loaded with variety of medicinal effects. Some of them are listed below:

1. It can reduce the risk of tumors in colon
2. Onion extract helps to treat asthma, bronchitis , cold and cough
3. They are natural anti clotting agent
4. Provides protection against cardiovascular diseases
5. It is very good source of chromium, which helps to manage diabetes
   
6. Protects against ovarian cancer
   
7. Boosts bone health ----very important for ladies, it helps prevent osteoporosis
8. Antibacterial activity
   

Storage of Onions:

Store them at room temperature and away from bright light. They should be stored away from potatoes, other wise potatoes will spoil.

Selecting Onions:

Onions are loaded with beneficial phytochemiclas, so the way you choose and cook onions have effect on their beneficial properties they deliver. The most pungent onion is best for getting the beneficial effects

So next time when an Onion brings tear to your eye, just remember these medicinal effects and it will bring joy to your cooking

To read more on Onions read here

Sabudana Ki Kheer / Sago Pudding / Tapioca Pudding

Sabudana kheer is very popular in India during fasting. Sabudana is also known as Pearl Sago. It is mainly carbohydrate and very little other nutrients.

Ingredients:

Sabudana / Sago - 1/2 cup
Milk - 2 cups
Water - 1 cup
Sugar - according to taste
Saffron [Kesar] - 3-4 strings
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Raisins, cashews - handful

Method:

Soak sabudana in 1 cup of water and let it sit for 20 minutes. Next drain the water and add it to the boiling water. Cook till sabudana is half done [it starts looking little glossy and translucent]

Now add milk and cook sabudana completely on medium heat. Keep stirring in between [sabudana looks gelatinous at this point]

Add sugar, saffron strings, cashews and raisins and cardamom powder

Serve cold or warm

My notes:

Sabudana is a sago starch, hence has starchy fragrance. Adding cardamom powder masks the smell of starch and makes the dish more inviting !

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I am sending this recipe to Fall in Love [FIL] - Milk hosted by Sanghi . Since I prepared this for Janamashtami, I have dedicated this recipe to Lord Krishna !!

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Janmashtami & Ganesh Chaturthi event hosted by Purva

Jalebi /Zalabia or Indian Muffle Cake

Jalebi is a very popular sweet of North India. It is mostly eaten as breakfast with curd/dahi/Yogurt. It is made by deep frying the batter in a form of pretzel and then soaked in sugar syrup. It somewhat resembles Muffle cake.

It is also the national sweet of India, probably because it is served in defense and government offices on the occasions of Independence day and Republic day!

Jalebi was originated in Arabia, where it is called Zalabia and brought to India by Mughal Emperors. It is called Jeri in Nepal.

I stumbled on Manjulas Kitchen while searching for the recipe. I decided to follow her recipe as it did not require yogurt/curd and has just 1 hr fermentation period. I made minor changes to the recipe to suit my taste and appearance. My jalebies came out perfect.....just the way I wanted.....This is a full proof recipe, give it a try, you will not be disappointed






Ingredients:

For Batter:

All purpose flour [maida] - 1/2 cup
Gram flour [besan] - 1tsp
Dry active yeast - 1/2 tsp
Canola oil [any refined oil] -1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1/2tsp
Lukewarm water - 1/3 cup [as needed]
Food grade orange color - 1 pinch

For Syrup:

Sugar - 1cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Lemon juice - 1tsp
Cardamom powder - 1 pinch
Rose water - few drops [optional]

For Frying

Canola oil [or ghee (clarified butter)]

Method

First dissolve the yeast in warm water, stir and let it sit for 5 min

Mix all purpose flour, gram flour, oil, sugar and a pinch of orange color [food grade color]
Now add the yeast solution and mix it nicely so that there are no lumps

Let the batter sit in a warm place for 1 hr to ferment If there is no sun outside then just turn on the oven at 180 F for 5 minutes and then turn it off and keep the batter inside the oven for 1 hr]

Caution: do not over ferment the batter

In the meanwhile prepare sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water. Keep stirring in between. Now add cardamom powder and lemon juice and turn off the heat [It does not take quite long to prepare syrup of right consistency. Do not boil for long. The syrup should feel greasy when rubbed with the tip of fingers]

Making of Jalebies

Heat oil in a deep pan [kadai or wok]. Oil is ready for frying if a drop of batter in the oil , if it sizzles and floats on the surface without getting burned

Fill the batter in a pastry bag or Ziploc bags or empty ketchup bottles [this is what I used this time]

Squeeze the batter in oil in a randomly coiled circles and fry the jalebies both sides until they are golden in color

Transfer the jalebies to a paper towel and then to warm sugar syrup

Allow it to soak in syrup for a minute and then take it out

Serve hot with dahi/curd/yogurt !!!!!

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This is my entry to Food in Color - Zodiac Signs hosted by Ashwini and started by Sunshine mom of Tongue Ticklers . I have prepared Orange colored dish to represent Leo , the zodiac sign. Please read the rules here if you are interested in the event

Pyaaz Ka Raita/Onion Raita [Onion-Yogurt Dip] and Awards !!!

Raita is a very popular side dish served with Indian food. It is typically made from yogurt/curd with your choice of vegetables and herbs. Onion raita, comes very handy when other vegetables are not in your pantry. Onion is something you will find in everybody's kitchen!



Ingredients:

Red Onion - 1 medium [thinly slice them in the form of rings]
Dahi/Indian curd or Yogurt - 1 cup
Black salt [kala namak] - to taste
Red chili powder - to taste
Roasted cumin seeds powder (zeera powder)
Sugar - just enough to lightly sweeten the raita

For Tempering

Black mustard seeds [Rai] - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 6-7
MDH Kashmiri chili powder - 1/2 tsp [this adds color to the raita]
Canola Oil - 1tsp

Method:

• Beat the curd/yogurt with hand beater to get rid of lumps
• Add black salt, red chillies powder, cumin seeds powder and sugar. Adjust the taste
  
• Now add thinly sliced onion rings [its important to thinly slice the onions. Thick onion slices don't taste that well]
• Mix it gently and keep it aside

Prepare the tadka [tempering]

• Heat oil in a deep spoon. When the oil is hot add mustard seeds, once they start popping , add curry leaves.
• Immediately take the spoon off the stove, add kashmiri red chili powder and pour the tadka (tempering mix) in the raita
• Serve it with coconut - mint rice

AWARDS AND TAGS !!!

I felt so honored and special when couple my blog friends, Indrani and Sangi passed on the following awards and tag to me.....Thank you so much for thinking of me and making my day so specialHere goes the answers to the questions.....

1. What is your current obsession?
Cooking
2. What are you wearing today?
Skirt and a top
3. What's for dinner today ?
Chapati/Roti, Gobhi -allo ki curry and raita
4. What's the last thing you bought?
Shoes for my baby
5. What are you listening to right now?
actually listening to television
6. What do you think about the person who tagged you?
They both are wonderful and hardworking bloggers and have always inspired me
7. If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the World, where would you like it to be?
In Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
8. What are your must-have pieces for summer?
Sunglasses, sunscreen, cap, water bottle and deodorant
9.If you could go anywhere in the World for the next hour , where would you go?
India
10. Which language do you want to learn?
Spanish
11. Who do you want to meet right now?
My sister
12. What is your favorite color?
Black and white
13. What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own closet?
My banarsi saries, which I am never going to wear it
14. What is your dream job?
To be a baker....love baking
15. What is your favorite magazine?
I don't read magazines :(
16. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?
Would buy a watch
17. What is your favorite pass time?
Surfing on the net
18. Who are your style icon?
None
19. Describe your personal style?
Simple and sober
20. What are you going to do after this?
Clean my kitchen
21. What are your favorite movies?
Jaane bhi do yaaron [hilarious movie, a must watch ]
22. What inspires you?
Appreciation
23. Give us three styling tips that always works for you?
Wear a big smile, wear less make-up and act smart
24. Coffee or Tea
Both
25. What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?
Talk to my family
27. Which other blogs you love visiting?
All food and parenting blogs
28. Favorite dessert/sweet
I love them all
29. Favorite season?
Spring
30. One thing you love about yourself?
I am very family oriented
31. What is your favorite line?
"The golden rule is to act fearlessly upon what one believes to be right" -- Mahatma Gandhi
32. What is the meaning of your name?
Renu-smallest particle, yet important. I am the unit of anything :-)
33. Do you like surprise parties?
No, I don't.....I want to know before hand so that I can dress well and look nice :-)
This is my add-on question:
34. Your best childhood memories
mine are the days spent in high school....
The rules are: Respond and rework – answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own. Then tag eight or ten other people.

I would like to pass on these awards to my following blogger friends:
Pavithra, Suparna, Vrinda, Priti, Poornima, Varunavi, Shama Nagarajan, Smitha

Flavorful Pudina-Nariyal Pulao [Mint-Coconut Rice ]

Oh! I love the fragrance of mint and when it is combined with coconut and basmati rice, my kitchen becomes the favorite place to hang out !

Mint has numerous health benefits and here are to name a few:

1. Has soothing effect on digestive tract
2. If taken regularly, it reduces the growth if bacteria and fungus in the body
3. Crushed mint leaves helps in whitening the teeth
4. Helps in getting rid of headaches
5. When mixed with camphor it helps to relieve insect bites and stings
6. It is believed to prevent colon, lung and skin cancer

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Fresh mint leaves - 1/2 bunch
Coconut - 3Tbsp [I used dessicated coconut. Fresh is better]
Green Chillies - 1 small [according to your taste]
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1.5 tsp
Medium onion - 1 [sliced]
Salt - according to taste
Canola oil - 2 tbsp [Ghee is better but it does add calories!]

Whole Spices:

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Bay leaves - 2 medium
Whole black pepper - 3-5 in number
Cloves [Laung] - 2
Cardamon - 2 [slightly crushed]


Method:

Wash the rice with water and keep it aside [wash gently, rice gets brittle when soaked in water]

Make a paste of mint, coconut and green chillies and a pinch of salt in a grinder [add minimal water while grinding]

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and let it splutter. Now add all the whole spices one after the other [make sure that your stove is on medium heat at this point]

Add ginger-garlic paste,once it starts to turn brown[or maybe before] add the sliced onions and saute' till its slightly pink in color

Add mint-coconut paste and fry till the water content is reduced [you do not want to burn the paste]

Transfer the above paste and rice into the rice cooker, add some roasted cashew nuts, salt and add water up to 1/2 inch above the rice mixture and cook it in the rice cooker [you can also cook it in the pressure cooker with 2 cups of water and one whistle]

Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork and serve it with onion raita [onion-yogurt dip]

This is my entry for RICE FEAST@ Aathidhyam