Cheppankizhangu curry – Colocasia fry
Colocasia is commonly known as Taro, Cocoyam, Elephant ear, etc. Number of delicious dish can be made from this root vegetable. In Tamilnadu we make colocasia fry, we add it in moru kozhambu (kadhi), sambar, etc. Today I am sharing colocasia fry which is one of my favorite dish. My mom makes it for me and it is the best. Here you go… Preparation time: 30 to 35 minutes No. of servings: 4 Spice level: 3 out of 5 Ingredients: Colocasia – 6 Oil – 4 tbsp Red chili powder – 1 tsp (adjust to spice level) Coriander powder – 3/4 tbsp Cumin powder – 1/2 tbsp Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp Sambar powder – 1/2 tsp (optional) Salt to taste Method of Preparation: Pressure cook colocasia for 15 minutes or till it is half cooked. You can...
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Cabbage Kootu (Version 2)
Cabbage kootu is one of my favorite dish. It is simple and tasty and it goes well with both white rice and chappathy. So whenever I make this dish, I make some extra amount to cover for both lunch and dinner. That way your time is saved. Here you go… Preparation time: 30 t0 35 minutes Spice level: 2.5 out of 5 No. of servings: 3-4 Ingredients: Chopped cabbage – 2 cups Split pigeon peas (toor dal) – 1/3 cup Coriander seeds – 1 and 1/2 tsp Cumin – 1 tsp Shredded coconut – 1/4 cup Salt to taste Seasoning: Split white lentil (urad dal) – 1 tsp Mustard seeds – 1 tsp Cumin – 1 tsp Curry leaves – few Green chilies – 4 Dry red chilies – 2 Asafoetida – a pinch Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp...
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Cauliflower Fry
I tried this Cauliflower Fry recently and I liked it so much. I got bored of cooking cauliflower in the regular method. My sister make colocasia fry in this method. So I thought I will substitute it with cauliflower. You can also try it with other vegetables such as potatoes and yam. Here you go… Preparation time: 30 minutes No. of servings: 3-4 Spice level: 3 out of 5 Ingredients: Cauliflower florets – 2 cups Besan flour (Chickpea flour) – 2 tbsp Corn flour – 2 tbsp Red chili powder – 3/4 tbsp Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp Star Aniseed – 1/2 oil – 1/4 cup Salt Method of Preparation: Boil water and add the florets and let it sit for 3 minutes. Drain water completely and keep it aside. Mix all the flour...
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Karthikai Deepam and Neyyappam – Version 2
Today is Karthikai Deepam. From Wikipedia: Karthikai Deepam is a festival of lights celebrated by Tamil Hindus on the full moon day of Karthikai month (November/December), which is observed in every home and in every temple. This occurs on the day when the moon is in conjunction with the constellation Karthigai (Pleiades) and purnima. This constellation appears as a group of six stars in the firmament in the shape of a pendant from the ear. Many legends and lyrical poetry have grown round this star. The six stars are considered in Indian mythology as the six celestial nymphs who reared the six babies in the saravana tank which later were joined together to form the six faced Muruga. He is therefore called Karthikeya, the one brought up by the Karthigai nymphs. Houses and streets are lit up with rows...
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Happy Deepavali
Wish you all a very Happy and Colorful Deepavali… Deepavali or Diwali is a festival of lights. This year it is really special for me because I am celebrating it with my family in India. It was colourful and bright everywhere with the sounds of crackers. I enjoyed bursting all the crackers and Today is a special feast along with different kind of sweets. Everything was so yummy that forgot to count calories…;). Shopping for clothes, sweets and crackers during Deepavali is another wonderful experience (if shopping is done a week ahead…;)). From wikipedia: Deepavali is an important five-day festival in Hinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism, occurring between mid-October and mid-November. For Hindus, Diwali is the most important festival of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes.Diwali involves the lighting of small...
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Dal poli – Sweet Lentil Pancakes
Poli is one of the popular and traditional dishes in South India. We make this dish for festivals and special occasions. It is a flat bread with sweet filling inside which is called ‘Puran’. There are different types of poli which varies with the types of filling. The one that I am going to share with you is “Paruppu Poli”. ‘Paruppu’ means Lentils. Here I have used Channa dal. Puran or the stuffing is made of lentils and jaggery with the flavor of cardamom and nutmeg. This is stuffed in a dough made of maida or all purpose flour, rolled and cooked over hot griddle with a hint of ghee and then served hot with a small dollop of ghee or just by itself. You need patience and experience to get a perfect texture and taste. hope. After making...
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Chettinad Kara Kuzhambu – Chettinad Spicy Curry
It’s been three weeks since my last post. I was busy shopping and packing for my India trip. Now I am having a good time in India with my parents and in laws. I really missed blogging and couldn’t wait any longer. Coming back to the subject… Kuzhambu is a staple food in many South Indian homes. There are a number of varieties in kuzhambu. The preparation varies based on the type of kuzhambu. Chettinad Kara Kuzhambu is one of my favorite and I have had it many times in my friend’s place whose native is Karaikudi, Tamilnadu. My friend gave me the recipe and here I am sharing it with you. Enjoy this dish with rice or idly/dosa. Preparation time: 40 minutes No. of servings: 5 Spice level: 4 out of 5 Ingredients: Shallots – 2 cups Tomatoes...
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Presto 3510 FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker for $39.95
Are you looking for a compact and best selling Waffle Maker? Then here it is. Amazon has the Presto 3510 FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker for $39.95 and eligible for free shipping. 1100-watt Belgian waffle maker with countdown timer and digital display 180-degree flip design helps evenly coat the batter on upper and lower plates Makes a 7-inch-wide waffle with extra-deep pockets and 4 easy-to-cut sections Nonstick cooking surface; base locks in vertical position for compact storing Measures 12 by 12 by 3 inches; 1-year limited...
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Eggplant Parmigiana
From Wikipedia: Parmigiana or eggplant parmigiana (Italian: melanzane alla parmigiana or parmigiana di melanzane) is a Southern Italian dish made with shallow fried eggplant (aubergine) slices layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked. In some versions, the eggplant slices are first dipped in beaten eggs and dredged in flour or breadcrumbs before frying. Some recipes use hard grated cheeses such as Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, while others use softer melting cheeses like Mozzarella or Caciocavallo, or a combination of these. Ingredients: Big eggplant – 1 Italian seasoned bread crumbs – 2 cups [Substitute: 2 cups bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp dried marjoram] All purpose flour or Maida – 1 cup Eggs – 3 Spaghetti sauce – 1 large can Mozzarella cheese – 8 oz Parmesan cheese – 1/4 cup Fresh basil...
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10 Healthy Cooking Tips For You…
To preserve the nutrients and colors in the veggies, initially steam cook them and then fry with little oil till it is completely cooked. Use your time and your freezer wisely. When you cook once, make it last longer by preparing enough for several other meals. Freeze it and have a ready-made healthy treat for the next time you are simply too tired to bother. When browning vegetables, add them in a hot pan with little oil and then spray some on top of the vegetables. This way you can avoid using excess oil. Use fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned and pickled vegetables which usually have a high sodium content. Generally cheese has more salt content. Try to avoid them or choose the one will with less sodium. Use herbs, spices, lemon juice, citrus zest or hot...
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Chakka Payasam – Jack Fruit Kheer
Jack fruit kheer or Chakka Payasam is a popular sweet in Kerala. The main ingredient of this kheer is Chakka Varatti or Jack fruit Jam. This jack fruit jam is made by cooking steamed ripe jack fruit , ghee and jaggery. It lasts for over an year without loosing its taste. We make Chakka Varatti during the jack fruit season and use it through out the year for making Elai Adai, Chakka Payasam and other sweets. This Chakka Payasam is a simple yet delicious sweet for any occassion or an auspicious day. Here you go… Preparation Time: 15 mins (with ready made chakka varatti) No. of Servings: 4 to 5 Check here for the recipe of Chakka Varatti or Jack fruit jam. Ingredients: Chakka Varatti or Jack fruit jam – 3 tbsp Powdered Jaggery – 1/4 cup Coconut Milk –...
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Idichakka Thoran – Unripe Jackfruit dry Curry
Jackfruit is a fleshy, starchy, fibrous fruit. This is commonly used in Indian Cuisine. ‘Idichakka’ means unripe jackfruit and ‘Thoran’ means fry. Both ripe jackfruit and unripe jackfruit are used for making delicious dishes. Ripe jackfruit can be eaten uncooked. Here in the U.S., fresh and frozen Jackfruit are available in most of the Asian or Global market. From Wikipedia: The young fruit is called Polos in Sri Lanka, and ‘Idichakka” in Kerala. It is a wonderful dish with spices to replace meat curries in Sri Lankan cuisine. The skin of unripe (young) jack fruit must be pared first and discarded and then the whole fruit can be chopped into edible portions and cooked to be eaten. The raw young fruit is not edible.[24] Young jackfruit has a mild flavour and distinctive texture. The cuisines of India, Nepal, Bangladesh,...
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Corelle 16-Piece Dinnerware Set starting from $25.00
I was looking for some beautiful and elegant Corelle Dinnerware Sets and I came across some good deals in Amazon.com. Amazon has variety of Corelle Livingware Geometric 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4 starting from $25.00 with free shipping. I have added some of my favorite and best selling designs. Corelle Livingware Geometric 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4 for $25.00 Corelle Livingware 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4, Squared for $29.97 Corelle Simple Lines Square 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4 for $53.99 Also Save up to 20% on Dining and Entertaining...
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Few Kitchen Cleaning Tips
Here I am sharing a few kitchen cleaning tips with you. Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water. To clean your microwave oven, mix together 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice or vinegar and 2 cups of water in a 4 cup glass microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for two to three minutes. Carefully remove the bowl and wipe the microwave with paper towels. Repeat as necessary. For glass cooktops, there are special commercial cleaners that work well. Use them with a hard plastic scraper to remove burned-on food. Clean your glass cooktop as soon as it cools to avoid having to scrub burned food. Spread a layer of activated charcoal or fresh coffee grounds over the bottom of a cookie sheet. Place the cookie...
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Double Chocolate-Vanilla Ice Cream Cake
Ice cream cake is my family’s all time favorite. We generally order it from outside for any special occasion. My favorite place for Ice cream Cake is Cold Stone Creamery. I always wanted to try it at home and have been looking for a good recipe. Finally found an easy and brilliant recipe and gave it a try for my 3rd Wedding Anniversary last week. It came out just as I expected and my husband (GS) and I loved it. It just tasted like the Cassata Ice cream (but was missing a couple more layers) from “Arun Ice creams” a popular ice cream parlor chain in South India. It is so simple to make this cake if you are using ready made ice creams. This is to make a 9″ round cake. Ingredients: Semisweet chocolate – 1 cup Heavy cream –...
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KitchenAid 80297 Gourmet Essentials 10-Piece Nonstick Hard-Anodized Cookware Set for $139.28
Amazon has this wonderful deal for KitchenAid 80297 Gourmet Essentials 10-Piece Nonstick Hard-Anodized Cookware Set for $139.28. It has a 4.5 star customer rating Eligible for Free Shipping 10-piece cookware set includes 1-, 2-, and 3-quart covered saucepans; 8- and 10-inch skillets; 6-quart covered stockpot Heavy-gauge hard-anodized aluminum construction heats quickly and evenly Premium, scratch-resistant nonstick surface provides superior food release Dual-riveted stainless handles with silicone grips; break-resistant glass lids Pots and lids oven-safe to 400 degrees F; wash by hand; 1-year hassle-free replacement...
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Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and Cheese also called Mac and Cheese is a well known dish and also a favorite dish among kids. Who doesn’t love cheese, specially kids? But if you are health conscious you can substitute some of the high calorie ingredients with low fat or non fat ones such as milk with skim milk and cheese with low fat cheese. It is always good to eat home made dishes, especially when it comes to high calorie food as we are aware of what we throw in and alter them if we need. I am not against outside food but I would prefer home food. Again I adapted this dish from Food Network and altered it a bit here and there to my style. Here you go… Preparation time: 60 minutes Spice level: 2 out of 5 No. of servings:...
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Blueberry Scones with Vanilla Glaze
My friend Shriya introduced me to Blueberry Scones when I was not a big fan of Blueberry. From then I became a huge fan of scones and blueberries. I adapted this wonderful recipe from Food Network and made a few changes to it. It is so simple to make yet an yummy snack. I felt that there was less sweet in the scones and I made this Vanilla Glaze to increase the sweetness. Here you go… Preparation time: 35 minutes Spice level: 0 No. of servings: 8 Ingredients: All purpose flour – 2 cups Confectioner’s sugar – 1/2 cup Baking powder – 1 tbsp Unsalted butter – 5 tbsp Heavy cream or milk- 1 cup (I used 2% milk) Salt – 1/4 tsp Egg – 1 Fresh Blueberries – 3/4 cup For Glaze: Confectioner’s sugar – 1 cup Milk...
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Hyderabadi Veggie Dum Biryani
Hyderabadi Veggie Dum Biryani is a wonderful and popular dish in India. I have become a die hard fan of it recently after eating the vegetarian version of it. Being a vegetarian, it was really painful watching my friends eat this lovely biryani with meat. Finally I happened to try the vegetarian version and I just fell in love. Now I can understand why my friends are so crazy about this Biryani all the time. I was looking for the recipe and alas! Shriya had posted Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani a few months back. I just altered it a bit here and there and replaced chicken with veggies and it came out really good. So the next time this is going to be the main dish for our weekend get-together. Here you go… Preparation time: 90 minutes Spice Level:...
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TATUNG TICT-1500W Induction Cook Top for $69.99
TATUNG TICT-1500W Induction Cook Top for $69.99 I came across this amazing deal for Induction Cook Top and I am planning to buy one. I compared the price with amazon.com and surprised!!! This is the best price you can get. So hurry!!! Energy Efficient Indoor Cook Top. Ceramic Surface. 430° Maximum Heating Power. Two-Hour Timer Setting. Cookware Suitability Detection How to get this deal: Click here to go to NewEgg.com Add to Shopping cart for $89.99 At Checkout Apply $20 off Promo code: EMCYWYP82 Expiry: August 09, 2010 Final Price: $89.99 – $20 = $69.99 + Free Shipping + No Tax (Except CA, TN & NJ) [Note: You need to be NewEgg newsletter subscriber to use this promo...
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