Bhel Puri

Chats are my favourite fast food. The sight of it makes my mouth water! Today's recipe is Bhelpuri, which is the easiest to make given you have all ingredients at hand.

Sending this to Srivalli's event: Kids Delight- Street Food

Bhel Puri:

Ingredients:

1 cup puffed rice.
½ cup mixture.( I use Haldiram’s Karanchy Mixture)
1 tomato seeded and chopped.
2 baby potatoes, boiled peeled and chopped.
¼ cup onion chopped.
Handful of coriander leaves chopped.
3-4 Papdi crushed.
3-4 Papdi to garnish.
1-2 tbsp green chutney.
2-3 tbsp tamarind chutney.
2-3 tbsp nylon sev.
1 tsp chat masala.
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1 tbsp lemon juice.

Process:

1. Add all the dry ingredients and chopped vegetables in a mixing bowl.

2. Add the masalas, lemon juice and chutney and give a nice shake so that the spices are evenly distributed.

3. Serve immediately with whole papdis. Enjoy!

Enjoy!

Corn Fussili n Basil Soup

Soups are the most comforting food for winter and I have been making a lot of them this winter. Here is one, I tried recently. I had found this one in a microwave booklet with recipes from Tarla Dalal at my mom's place. I vaguely remembered the combination and created this one. It is quite filling and I loved the flavour of basil in the soup.

Sending it to Divya's Show me you Soup and to my event 'Winter Warmers'

Corn Fussili n Basil Soup

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes.
1 cup sweet corn + 2 tbsp extra.
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tsp oil
3/4 cup fussili pasta, boiled
4-5 basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste.
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1 tsp corn flour mixed with 2 tsp of water.
Grated cheddar cheese for garnishing.

Process:

1. Boil the tomatoes and make a puree of it. Boil 1 cup sweetcorn in 1 cup water and churn it in a mixture. Strain it and discard the waste.

2. Heat a pan and add oil. When heated add the onions and saute till translucent.

3. Add the tomato puree and heat for 30 seconds. Then add the sweetcorn mixture and stir well.

4. To it add the cornflour mixture and stir well. The soup will thicken. Add water to adjust the consistency.

5. Add the remaining sweetcorn, basil leaves, boiled pasta,sugar, salt and pepper. Give it a nice stir and boil on a medium for 5-7 minutes.

6. Garnish it with grated cheddar and serve hot.

This is my 4th entry to my event -Winter Warmers. Others were C3 Soup, Carrot Halva(Microwave) and Chocolate Cake with Fudge Icing. Along with these I would like to submit these four recipes for my event-

Sweet Corn Vegetable Soup, Tomato Soup, Tom Veg Soup and Ginger and Cardamom Tea.

Hurry in your entries. Event ends 30th Jan 2011.

Enjoy!

Nutty Home Made Chocolate With Coconut Coating!

Before starting off with today's recipe, I want to share an undesirable incident that has happened with me, with you guys. Recently, I got a comment on my Eggless Black Forest Cake by 'Washpota'(I cannot access the profile) saying that he/she has seen the exact recipe on Manorama Online and even quoted the links which are this and this. The site is in a language I don't know and I am taken aback by the fact that someone( M Vaheeda Rahaman) copied my content word for word and even the picture. Can anyone guide me how can I contact Manorama Online. Any help will be highly appreciated.

Now lets check what I have today to share with you all!

I came across this recipe at Nithya's Blog and tried them immediately. They were finished so soon that I did not even get the chance to photo shoot them.. :-)! So, I decided to make them again for the event 'Lets Celebrate Sweets- Chocolate' hosted here. This event series is the brain child of Nivedita.

Also to remind you, another event 'Winter Warmers' is being hosted here till 30th Jan 2011. So, rush in you entries!

Now coming back to the recipe, it is very simple and doesnot call for any fancy ingredients. I have used half of the measurement given by Nithya and got 15 balls. Only addition I did was to add the nuts and coat them in dessicated coconut. Lets give it a look!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp cocoa powder.
100 gm milk powder.
1/2 cup sugar.
1/4 cup water.
2 tbsp butter.
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts.
1/4 tsp vanilla Essence.
Dessicated coconut to coat.

Process:

1. In a saucepan heat water and add sugar. Boil it till it reaches 1 string consistency.

2. Remove from heat and add butter.

3. Once it melts add the other ingredients and mix well to form a sticky dough.

4. Let it cool for sometime. Then with greased hands roll them into small balls.

5. Roll them into dessicated coconut and place them in a small tray.

6. Refrigerate for a while it gets firmer. They are ready to eat.

Here is one for you!

Enjoy! Have a lovely weekend!

Orange Salad

Winter is the time when I spend a lot of time sinking in my sofa wrapped with a blanket and indulge myself reading a book:-)..I have started to write about my reading experiences and other hobbies in my other blog here. Do peep in there and share your thoughts if you are also into reading books.

This is also the time of the year when I do not go for my long walks. In short, I tend to become a Couch Potato! But then, it is also the time when I make lots of soups and salads as if to balance things. Well, today I am sharing a Salad recipe. Its very colourful and healthy. And if you love oranges, it is definately for you.

Sending it to the event -Only Salads hosted by Pratibha. This event is the brain child of Pari.

Along with this I am also sending my Chickpea Salad for the event.

Lets a have look at the recipe of 'Orange Salad'.

Orange Salad:

2-3 easy peeler oranges.
1/4 cup finely chopped onions.
1 vine tomato finely chopped.
2 tbsp chopped mint.
2 tbsp chopped coriander.
1 tbsp lemon juice.
1 tsp olive oil.
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1/4 tsp black salt
pepper to taste.

Process:

1. Peel the oranges. Separate the segmentes and peel the cover to get the wedges.

2. In a bowl add the oranges, onions, tomato, mint and coriander. In another add the other ingredients and mix well.

3. Pour the liquid mixture into the salad mixture and give it a good stir.

4. Garnish it with mint leaves and serve.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cake With Fudge Icing (Eggless)

This is my last minute entry for Suma's event - Bake-o-mania. I had made it for New Year. The fudge icing transformed this simple cake into a delicious and sinful treat. The reason I chose to cover it with fudge icing was the lack of time. I did not want to sit and spend time smoothing the icing. I am glad to have made the choice.We enjoyed some slices of it with scoops of vanilla ice cream. Doesn't that sound tempting!

This cake also find its way to my event 'Winter Warmers' and Champa's Bake Off.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup AP flour.

½ cup condensed milk.
¼ cup butter,
2 tbsp cocoa powder.
3/4 tsp baking powder.
½ tsp baking soda.
80 ml soda water
½ tsp vanilla essence.

For the fudge icing and decoration:

50 g milk chocolate.
1 cup icing sugar.
3 tbsp butter.
1/4 cup milk.
1 tsp vanilla essence.

Process:
1. Preheat the oven at 180 C for 15 minutes.

2. Grease a sandwich tin and dust it with flour. In a mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients together and mix. Sieve it so that the mixture in uniform and there are no lumps in it.

3. In another bowl add the soft butter and beat in the condensed milk. Stir well for two minutes. Add the vanilla essence and beat nicely for 2 minutes till everything is evenly mixed.

4. Now add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture, slowly and keep rotating to form a batter. Add the soda water and mix for another couple of minutes.

5. Pour it in a pre greased tin and bake it in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes at 180 C till nicely raised and a skewer pricked in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

6.  Cool it completely on a wire rack. While it is cooling prepare the fudge icing. For that chop the chocolate into small pieces. Pour all the ingredients into a heat proof bowl and place it over a pan containing boiling water. Stir the ingredients as it melts.

7. Take it off gas once nicely melted and beat well. Wait till it cools a bit and reaches the right consistency.

8. Once the cake is cooled completely cover it with freshly prepared fudge icing and decorate it with chocolate gems.

Enjoy! Have a nice weekend!

Lets Celebrate Sweets - Chocolate! An Event Announcement

Lets Celebrate - Sweets is a series of event started by Nivedita. I am very delighted to announce this event at The Veggie Hut for the period of 7th Jan- 7th Feb 2011. Thank you Nivedita for giving me this opportunity.

The theme for the event this time is - Chocolate! What I am looking for is not Cakes and Cookies! I want you to go beyond that.. You can try home made chocolates, trifles, pudding, truffles etc. You can see one here. Play with some classic recipes and come up with Chocolate Sandesh or Chocolate Peda. The possibilities are numerous and varied..

The rules are simple:

• Starting today till the 7th of Feb 2011 make anything sweet with the star ingredients- Chocolate.



• The dish you be vegetarian. No eggs allowed please.
  


• You have to link back to this event annoucement page and also to Nivedita's event announcement page.



• Older entries are accepted if reposted and updated with the link to the event announcement.
  


• Mail me the entries at theveggiehut@gmail.com with the subject- Lets Celebrate Sweets- Chocolate.


• Use of logo is appreciated.

Looking forward to you chocolate-y entries! Cheers! Enjoy!

A healthy start to the new year with Upma

At the very outset, a very happy new year to all of you! Wish you a gr8 year ahead!

After indulging so much this Christmas and New Year on rich and delicious food, its time to share some healthy yet delicious food. This upma is a regular item on my breakfast table. It is a South Indian dish. It is my hubby's favourite and he can have it almost everyday! Well, I donot make it every day but it certainly find its way once or twice a week.

I have realised that some food items are common in every house hold, yet everyone has their own way of cooking it. Upma is another such item. Like, my MIL doesnot add tomatoes which I do and  I have friends who like to add carrots, cucumber and peas. So, its all up to ones personal preference. Lets have a look at how I make our staple breakfast item -'Upma'.



Upma:

½ cup semolina.
1 tsp mustard seeds.
1 tbsp oil.
1 green chili slit.
4-5 curry leaves.
½ tsp urid dal.
2 tbsp cashews, chopped into chunks
2 tbsp raisins, soaked in water for 15 minutes
¼ cup chopped onion.
¼ cup chopped tomato without seeds.
1 tbsp lemon juice or to taste.
½ tsp sugar (optional)
Salt to taste.
2-3 tbsp chopped coriander and extra to garnish.
1 ¼ cup water.

Process:

1. Dry roast the semolina in a pan till it is a shade darker and gives out a distinct aroma. Take it off gas.

2. Heat another pan and add oil. When heated add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, urid dal and green chili. Saute for a minute.
3. Now add the cashew nuts and chopped onions and heat for 2-3 minutes till the onions are translucent and cashew are light brown.
4. Add the raisins and saute for a few seconds. Now add the roasted semolina and give a good stir.

5.Add the lemon juice, salt sugar and water. Keep stirring it and the mixture will thicken.

6. Cook for another 3-4 minutes and turn off the gas.

7. You can add the chopped coriander leaves to the upma or can just garnish it with them or both.

Serve warm. Enjoy!