Award time :)

I felt so honored to receive this award from Follow foodie. Thanks a lot for this award!!

Liebster means dearest in german and as with any award,there is bit of ceremony involved....


If you accept the award:

• Copy and paste the award on your blog. Link ba
• ck to the blogger who gave you the award.
• Pick your five favorite blogs with less than 200 followers who deserve to be noticed and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have received the award.
• Hope that the five blogs chosen will keep spreading the love and pass it on to five moreblogs.

Now it is my turn to give this award to five food bloggers. I would like to pass on this award to

Resh @ Daily Cuppa

Rosh @ Chef Al dente


Square Meals


Food Slice


Spice n Sugar Tales


They all have a wonderful space. My wishes to them..


Thanks all for your support and encouragement!! 

Baked Fish - Indian Style

I love to eat deep fried fish , but I did not feel good about the fact, that the oil used for deep frying has to be discarded and cant be used for anything else. It was a big waste according to me. So  most of the time I would pan fry the fish. Deep frying or pan frying- it takes a lot of time,  to do them in batches and I had to stand near the stove all the time. Sometime the fish will break into pieces while I try to flip it. Hubby does not like the smell of the fish, while cooking.  He  complains that the whole apartment smells fish. So I tried baking the fish. Though it took 20- 30 min for the whole process, once mixed and kept in the oven and set the timer, can go do the other work until the timer beeps. No complaint from Hubby too. Very easy and simple alternative for fried fish.

Ingredients

Fish (Salmon or Tilapia) , 1 lb

Chilli powder, 1 tsp

Turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp

Ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp

Oil, 2-3  Tsp

Salt, to taste

Directions

1. In a bowl combine chilli powder, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste salt and 2 tsp of oil to form a paste.
2. Apply this paste to the cleaned fish.
3. Line the baking tray with silver foil and grease it with oil. Arrange the fish  on this prepared tray.
4. Pre-heat the ovento 400F and bake the fish for 15 minutes then turn the fish to the other side and bake for another 5-10 minutes.
5. Take out the fish and serve it hot.

Notes:

• You can use any fish(with less or no bones) of your choice.
• The timing in the oven varies with the thickness of the fish.

Corn Fritters - My style

Last weekend, when we went for grocery shopping,I just grabbed a small bag of frozen corn  with  absolutely no  idea what i am going to prepare with it. I convinced myself that will try something new. There were so many recipes in the internet but couldnt decide on any. Today again, was in the hunt for recipe, I came across corn fritters. Its a very simple dish and was interesting. But it called for use of egg which i didnt want to use.  So made some modifications added some personal touch and made , "Corn fritters-My style" .It was crunchy and tasted very good. Thaara couldnt let me finish, as I was still frying, the other ones in the bowl were quickly disappearing. She was like" Amma i want more.." That really showed, this dish is a hit.

Ingredients:
Sweet corn            - 1 cup
All purpose flour     - 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste  - 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder        - 1/4 teaspoon
Pepper powder       - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli powder          - 1/2 teaspoon
Baking powder        - 1/2 teaspoon
Butter                    - 1 tablespoon
Water                    - 2 tablespoons
Salt                       - to taste

Directions:

1) Thaw frozen corn.
2) Mix all the ingredients and make a dough.
3) Make small dumplings and deep fry it in oil.

Serve it warm.

Its a great tea time snack.

Simple Butter Cookies

I have this recipe since I started taking my baby steps in baking . I don't even remember from where I got this recipe (obviously from internet but no idea from which site) This  is a very simple recipe which involves only 4 ingredients but yields  very delicious cookies. Its so buttery and melts right in the mouth.

Thaara loves these cookies. She always helps in making them. She has her own cookie sheet in which she makes her own shapes. When Mom was here last summer I made this and she loved it too. This recipe is dedicated to both my mommy and little Thaara. :) 

Ingredients

Butter, 1/2 cup

Sugar, 1/4 cup

Vanilla extract, 1/4tsp

Flour, 1 cup

Salt, a pinch(optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Cream butter and sugar together and add vanilla to it
3. Slowly add the sifted flour to this butter mixture and mix well until all the ingredients are incorporated into a soft dough.
4. Scoop up the cookie dough and roll them into balls and flatten them evenly into discs with fingers . You can press them with fork too. The impression is also decorative for the cookie.
5. Place them in the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 
6. Bake @ 350F for 12-14 minutes until the edges are slight golden brown. 

Note:

• The butter used has to be in room temperature to get nice cookie dough.
• I used one tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop the dough and lightly flattened them using fork. 

Carrot Cucumber Salad

Its a very simple salad which brings back my childhood memories. Since summer has started in India, was recollecting all those golden days, summer vacation we had as kid. Mom used to make this salad. She adds some green chillies, some chopped red onions and a bunch of cilantro. But I didn't add them, as I wanted my daughter to eat salad. (she is not a big fan of chilies or raw onions)I also added some peanuts (her favorite). My hubby really liked it  and his question was why I didn't make this all for him all these years.?? :)

A refreshing light salad with just 4 ingredients. 

Ingredients

Carrots, 2 nos.

Cucumber, 1 no.

Peanuts,  a handful

Lemon, half

salt to taste

Directions

1. Grate the carrots.
2. Chop the cucumbers.
3. Boil the peanuts.
4. Extract the lemon juice.
5. Mix them together and salt to taste.

Ready to serve. 

Sending this to Summer Spirits Event @ Tomato Blues 

Dish it out started by http://vardhiniskitchen.blogspot.com/p/dish-it-out-hosting-schedule.html & Hosted by http://kokilasindianfood.blogspot.com/2012/02/announcing-dish-it-out-breadburgerveg.html

Kitchen Chronicles started by http://www.sizzlingtastebuds.com/2011/12/updated-host-list-for-hli-mmk-some.html & hosted by http://sangeethaskitchen.blogspot.com/2012/02/kitchen-chronicles-summer-splash-event.html

Beat the Heat @My cook book 

Just "4" Fun @Good Food










Sending this to Cooking with whole foods- Peanuts hosted by Reshmi @ Rasoi started by http://kiranjay.blogspot.com/2010/06/cooking-with-whole-foods-and-future.html

Sambhar

Sambhar needs no introduction at all. It is the most preferred dish in a south Indian home. Our house is no exception. We love Sambhar. Even if I make it daily, we are all ready to have it. I make it only once in a week though. Different vegetables  can be added to it like drumstick, radish, brinjal, carrot, turnip, ladies finger(okra) etc,. The sambhar gets it flavor, depending on the vegetable used.  I don't use sambhar powder, which makes it even simple. One of my friend, Kalpana used to love my sambhar so much. She was my neighbor when we were in California. Unfortunately she is with us no more now. So whenever i make sambhar I will always remember her. I made a Turnip sambhar today.

Ingredients
Toor dhal, 1 Cup
Vegetable(any of ur choice), 2-3 nos. depending on the size
Tamarind, small lime ball size
Tomatoes, 1 no
Garlic, 5-6 cloves
Coriander powder, 1 tablespoon
Chilli powder, 1/2 tablespoon
Turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida, a pinch


To temper
Oil, 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds , 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds, 1/2 teaspoon
Red Onion, 1 no.
Curry leaves, 1 sprig
Cilantro, a bunch to garnish


Directions

1. Cook toor dhal in pressure cooker with tomato and garlic.
2. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract the pulp.
3. Cook vegetable with little salt till they are almost done.
4. In a sauce pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. Then add onions, curry leaves and saute it. Also add asafoetida.
5. Add the vegetable to it and then add turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder. Cook till the raw smell is gone.
6. Then mash the cooked toor dhal and add to this. Finally add the tamarind extract and add required salt. Check the consistency of sambhar and add water accordingly.
7. Simmer it for 10-12 minutes.
8. Garnish with Cilantro.

Sending this to SYF & HWS- Fenugreek seeds hosted by Vardhini and started by Anu

 'Only' Event- South Indian @ Foodelicious

Cilantro Chicken

Suddenly I started craving for the flavor of  cilantro a lot. I remembered tasting  cilantro flavored chicken in friend's place. But she was a little busy, so couldnt call her for recipe . so decided to give a try in my own version. It came out very well. Its a very simple dish but very flavorful. 

Ingredients

Chicken - 1 lb

Cilantro (washed and chopped) - 1.5 cups

Onion (chopped)  - 1/4 cup

Cumin seeds  - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Pearl onions - 7-8 nos

Tomato - 1 no.

Salt - to taste

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Oil

Directions

1. In a skillet, heat oil and add cumin seeds and chopped onions. Saute them till its golden brown. To this add cilantro and let it cool and grind it into a paste.
2. In a saucepan, add oil then add chopped pearl onions, saute till its golden brown,  add tomatoes, let it cook for 2-3 minutes  and add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and chilli powder and cook till the raw smell is gone.
3. To this add the cilantro paste, chicken and cook. Check the amount of water and if required add water.
4. Let it simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.

Sending this to EP Series : Herbs & Spices @ Erivum Puliyum      

Gimme GREEN  @ Chef Al dente

Fabulous Friday # 8 @ My crowded kitchen                                  

Blueberry pancake

When first I heard about pancakes, I made my trial with the box mix. I still remember the day when I got the box mix- I was not even sure how it will taste- may be like sweet dosa??, but why does it requires egg?? where the questions that were going on in my head. But when it came out light and fluffy, immediately it became one of my favourite dish.  Then when Hubby and Thaara showed interest in them too, started to make them every week. So Sunday is pancake day.They have become a part of our sunday tradition. I once saw Cake boss, Buddy make pancake for his TV show- kitchen boss, that is when I started to make it from scratch. Sometimes as per Thaara's request, will make different shapes for her. Out of excitement, she will finish her breakfast in fraction of seconds. Still there were few blueberries left after making muffin, so when the pancake time came, they became the key ingredient. Pancake came out really well.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour   - 1 1/2cups
Baking powder     - 2 1/4 teaspoons
Sugar                   - 3 tablespoons
Salt                     - 1/2 teaspoon
Milk                     - 1 cup
Melted butter       - 3 tablespoon
Egg(whites)         - 2 eggs
Fresh blueberries - 1 cup

Directions:

1. Seperate the egg whites from the egg and beat them till they are stiff and keep aside.
2. In another bowl, mix together all dry ingredients- Flour, baking powder, sugar, salt.
3. To the dry ingredients add milk and melted butter, then add the prepared egg whites, mix in till you form a homogenous mixture. Then fold in the blueberries.
4. Heat the griddle. Pour a laddle full of pancake batter and then drizzle some butter. cook for a minute then turn to the other side and cook till its done.

Serve with maple syrup.

Sending this to I am star event @ Vegetarian food and me

ABC Series- Fruit Fiesta @ Ramya's Recipe

Blueberry Muffins

When Thaara started going to pre-school, making her eat breakfast was a big struggle.  I wanted to make something which she loves , so that she doesnot resist eating early in the morning. Sometimes she has breakfast on the go.(she will eat on the way to school in car) So muffin  seemed one among the choices I had. Most of the times we do the baking together, so she always shows interest in it. I always make banana muffin. May be she wanted a change, She started asking for blueberry muffin. But I was so reluctant to buy that fruit, for no apparent reason, I would try box mix instead.   So when I saw blueberries while we went for grocery shopping last week, I decided to give it a try.  We made this muffin together and she loved it more than the one made with box mix.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour      - 3 cups

Baking Powder        - 1 Tablespoon

Baking soda             - 1/2 Teaspoon

Salt                          - 1/2 Teaspoon

Butter,softened         - 10  Tablespoon

Sugar                        - 1 cup

Eggs                          - 2 nos.

Yogurt                       - 1   1/2 cup

Bluberries                  - 1  1/2 cup
Milk                          -  1/4 cup

Directions                        

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F.
2. In a bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients ( flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt) and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar, beating till its fluffy adding one egg at a time.
4. To this mixture add 1/3 of yogurt and 1/2 of dry ingredients and mix well. Then add another 1/3 of yogurt and rest of the dry ingredients and mix. Then add rest of the yogurt, milk and mix well, till it forms a homogeneous mixture.
5. Finally fold in the blueberries.
6. Grease and flour the muffin pan and fill in the batter.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the pre-heated oven till its done.

Makes 24 muffins.

Linking this to the event What's with my Cuppa?? started by Nupur