Creamy Egg Curry

Yesterday, we came back from a very relaxing long vacation.It was really nice and relaxing to meet our friends and spend some time with them.Now,the vacation is over and its time to get back with work.And, here is this delicious egg curry recipe which tastes really wonderful and scored 10/10 from my hubby.

Ingredients
3 Hard boiled eggs.
1 cup Big Red Onion finely chopped.
1 medium sized tomato finely chopped
2 garlic cloves peeled.
1 inch ginger.
a small piece of cinnamon.
2 cloves.
2 green cardamom.
2 tsp cashews.
2 tsp poppy seeds.
a pinch or two of kasuri methi(dried methi leaves)
1/4 cup Milk.
red chilly powder
a pinch of turmeric powder.
Oil.
Salt.

Method
1.In a pan,heat the oil and once its hot add the cinnamon,cardamom,cloves and saute.
2.Now,add the 3/4 of the onions,garlic and ginger and saute continuously until the onions turn golden brown.
3.Add the coriander leaves and saute for few minutes.Now add the tomato and fry until it turns mushy.
4.Remove this mixture from heat and alow it to cool.Once its cool grind it along with cashews and poppy seeds into a fine paste without adding water.
5.In the same pan or another,add some oil and fry the remaining onions with turmeric powder until they turn translucent.Now add the ground mixture and enough oil to make thick gravy(Remember,this curry thickens very fast so you can add more water initially,but be carefull always when adding water).Add also chilli powder and salt and allow it to boil until the oil starts separating.
6.Make slits in the eggs and add to the gravy at this stage.Add also the kasoori methi.At low heat add the milk and stir once.
7.Let the gravy stand at the heat for 2 to 3 minutes and then turn off the heat.
8.Serve it hot with Rotis or Parathas.

Really,its a great way to go with Rotis.Try and let me know the feedback.

Read the entire recipe here

Bottlegourd Payasam in my very own way

Ingredients3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup condensed milk
1 cup small pieces of bottle gourd.
1/4 cup Evaporated milk.
1/2 cup Brown basmathi Rice.
1/4 cup Jaggery.
2 tbsp Cashewnut paste
Golden Raisins

Method
1.Cook Brown Basmathi rice, well in pressure cooker.
2.In a heavy bottomed vessel,allow the whole milk to boil at less than medium heat along with the cooked basmathi rice.
3.Half way in the process,add the condensed milk,jaggery syrup and evaporated milk.Stir once in a while and make sure that it doesn't get stick to the bottom.
4.When its 3/4 th cooked add the bottle gourd pieces and stir.Add slowly the cashewnut paste. (Add little water or milk to the cashew paste before adding)
5.Cook until its done.Add the saffron threads and cardamom powder just before switching off the stove.
6.In another pan,add the ghee and once its hot,add the raisins and fry until it turns golden brown.Add this to the payasam or just garnish with nuts of your choice.

Note:For the cashew paste,add cashews in enough water and microwave for 5 minutes.Drain and grind the cashews without water in a blender.In case of excess,You can save in the refrigerator for further use.

To make jaggery syrup,add 1 cup of water to jaggery and allow it to boil..Add a teaspoon of milk to it.The impurities will come on the top and remove the impurities using a strainer.
This is my entry to the event VOW-Bottlegourd hosted by Pooja from Creative Pooja.

Read the entire recipe here

Soy Kheema Mutter and a Coffee Click !!!

Tomorrow we are starting off to enjoy the summer with our friends for two weeks,and moving to a new apartment as soon as returning back,So, I am in an urge to clean off the refrigerator and our pantry as well as to post whatever I have in drafts.This recipe ,I experimented for the first time(almost all the dishes are first timers only :) ) and it went on so very good with rotis.Will try to post the recipes in drafts from friend's place...

This is again an entry to Sangeeth's Protein rich event in her blog letusallcook.You can find the protein richness of peas,tofu and soy here,here and here

Ingredients
1 cup Soy Granules
1/4 cup green peas
Firm Tofu cut into cubes.
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 bay leaf
a pinch of powdered cardamom and cinammon.
1 medium sized onion finely chopped.
1 medium sized tomato finely chopped
1 tbsp red chilli powder.
1 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp yogurt.
Salt
Oil

Method
1.Add soy granules to hot water and let it stay there for 10 minutes.Drain,Squeeze and keep it aside.
2.In a pan,heat oil and once its hot add the bay leaf followed by cardamom ,cinammon powder and finely chopped onions,turmeric powder and saute until the onions become translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes away.
3.Add the tomatoes and saute until turns mushy.Now add the saved soy granules,green peas,chilli powder,garam masala and salt one by one and stir well.
4.Add the yogurt and stir again for few seconds and add the tofu.Mix well.Garnish with coriander leaves.
5.Serve it hot with Rotis.

Note:It tastes better when served hot.

This picture is my entry for this month's click event hosted by Bee and Jai of Jugalbandi.Thanks to my brother who clicked it for me in Cafe Cofee Day,Chennai .Thanks da!!!

And last but not the least,Dear Uma and Rekha has passed on the Award of friendship.I am really honoured and feeling great to meet u all here and to be in touch.Thank a L--O---T,both of you!!!

See you all soon..Bubye!!!

Read the entire recipe here

Mushroom Shrimp Masala with the Hot Flavor of Tri Colored Pepper

Ingredients
1 lb cleaned and deveined shrimp. (how to?)
1 pack button mushrooms.
1 1/2 tsp freshly chopped ginger and garlic
1 medium sized onion finely chopped.
1 cup diced green pepper,red pepper and yellow pepper.
1tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp freshly ground pepper.
1 tsp garam masala.
2 green chillies(with vertical slit).
1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
salt
Oil

Method
1.In a pan,add oil and heat.Once it is hot add the onions and turmeric fry well.
2.Now,add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute until the raw smell goes away.
3.Now add the shrimp,mushrooms and green chillies and saute well.
4.Add the red chilli powder,garam masala , black pepper and salt and stir well to coat the shrimp and mushrooms.
5.Once its half cook cooked,add the green,red and yellow pepper and salt and stir continuously until its get cooked.Do not add water.
6.Serve it with hot rice.

Read the entire recipe here

Mango Muffin

I wanted to try something with mango for the mango mania,and was running out of Whipping cream and other stuff needed for mango pudding,and I wanted to make something delicious with what is available in hand.So,I made few changes to the Carrot muffin recipe,which I posted earlier and it was really a hit.A real easy recipe,which takes only few minutes for preparation is here for you today and this recipe is off to Monthly Mingle -Mango hosted by Meeta

Ingredients
Dry Mixture:
1 ½ cups All purpose flour.
2 tsp baking powder.
1 tsp baking soda.
¼ tsp salt.

Moist Mixture:
2 large eggs
½ cup sugar
½ cup melted butter(1 stick)
½ cup Mango Pulp.
½ cup Mashed banana
1 cup peeled and grated Apple

Method
1.Preheat oven to 400° F and prepare 12 muffin cups.
2.In a large bowl, combine the dry mixture. Make sure that the all purpose flour,baking powder and baking soda is sifted.
3.In a medium bowl beat eggs lightly and combine with the moist mixture.
4.Add the moist mixture to the dry mixture all at once and stir just until moist but still lumpy.
5.Fill the prepared muffin cups ¾ full.
6.Bake for 15minutes. Check using fork or toothpick whether it is fully baked.It should come out clean.

Read the entire recipe here

Coconut Milk Pulao

I found this recipe in bawarchi and I don't even remember,whether this is exact the same way, which I found it there, because of trying it several times and sometimes changing the way I cook.
Last week,after seeing Vani's Coconut Milk Pulao,I was tempted to prepare ,and cooked it for our today's lunch.I use to prepare the pulao in pressure cooker.But,this time I used the microwave method inspired from Vani's recipe.And,it came out really delicious.Here, is the recipe for you all....

Ingredients
1 cup Basmathi rice.
1 medium sized Onion finely chopped.
1 cup Mixed Vegetables(Potato,Carrot,Green Peas).
1 1/4 cup Thick coconut milk.
Broken Cashews(to fry)
2 3/4 cups Water
Salt
Oil.

To grind
1 inch ginger.
3 garlic cloves(peeled).
1 inch cinammon.
2 cloves.
3 green cardamom.
1/4 cup mint.
1/4 cup coriander.
8 green chillies(add or reduce as per taste)

Method
1.Soak rice in water for 15 minutes.Drain and reserve for later.
2.In a pan and add oil.Once its hot,add the cashews and fry until they turn golden brown.
3.Now,add the onions and saute continuously until they turn translucent.
4.Now add the ground mixture,and saute until the oil starts seperating.
5.Add the vegetables and saute for 2 more minutes.
6.Now transfer the vegetable mixture and rice to a microwave safe bowl.Add the coconut milk,water and salt and mix well.
7.Cook at microwave HIGH for 20 minutes.Stir the rice once in between the cooking time
8.Serve it hot with raitha and kurma.

Vani has tagged me..And u can find my response here...

What was I doing ten years ago
I was in my first year of Under Graduation.Enjoy...in.....g

What are five things on my to do list for to day
Hehe...Its 12'O clock here...
1.Cooking
2.Have to work on a necklace for my friend.
3.Packing(Going on a vacation to East coast for two weeks :))
4.Work out.
5.Blogging of course

Places I have lived at
Coimbatore,Erode,Chennai,Texas,Georgia

Jobs I have had
Lecturer(I was working in India,only for an year,so I feel very embarrased to answer this question,whenever asked..)

What are five snacks I enjoy
I shud say,I have a b----i-----g list.But,I have almost stopped eating any snacks.But,these are my favorites...Caution:Not good for health

1.Taco Bell's Chicken Chalupa
2.Mc D's Chicken wrap
3.Cheetos
4.Dad use to bring biscuits from one specific bakery in Ooty..So, those biscuits..
5.Egg Puff

What things would I do if I were a bilianaire
I will implement my dream project in a bigger way :)...And, sure would contribute a share to Thirupathi Venkateswara and to homeless kids and elders.

Read the entire recipe here

Arachuvitta Surakkai Kuzhambu

Long back in India,I happened to taste this curry when my Chithi(Maternal Aunt) prepared it.The taste was s-o-o-o good and even my mom didn't know the recipe,the reason being my Chithi's(Maternal Aunt) MIL,the recipe source.
From that day,even mom started preparing this curry and we started calling it as Chithi's kuzhambu.  

Updated on Aug 19,2011
We had this first bottlegourd from our backyard(The picture shows only half the size of  it,took this when it was only half grown).Fresh is always the best :) .We didn't get the next bottlegourd from the plant yet, but definitely again I will be making the same curry

Ingredients
2 cups chopped Bottlegourd
1 medium sized Onion finely chopped.
4 to 5 Dry Red Chillies or Red Chilli powder or Sambhar Powder.
1 tbsp coriander seeds.
1 cup shredded coconut(fresh/frozen).
1 tsp Pacharusi(Raw rice)
1 tsp Toor Dhal.
a pinch of turmeric powder.
few curry leaves.
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
Salt(as per taste)
2 tbsp Oil.
Coriander leaves to garnish

Method
1.Soak toor dhal and raw rice in water for half an hour or more.Drain and reserve.
2.Grind together coconut,dry red chillies,coriander seeds, salt,turmeric powder,toor dhal, rice and half of the onions chopped into a thick paste.
3.Heat a pan and add oil. Once its hot add the mustard seeds and when it starts spluttering,add the onions and curry leaves and saute very well until the onion turns translucent.
4.Now add the  chopped bottlegourd and saute until half cooked.Now add the ground paste and enough water and allow it to boil.(The curry thickens easily because of adding the rice )
5.Cook covered until the curry comes to a boil.Garnish with coriander leaves.Serve it with hot rice.The best side dish is egg omellete.


Note
The original recipe calls for shallots instead of Big onions,but I am used to the later,as I don't buy shallots that much.

Read the entire recipe here

Easy and Healthy Peanut Balls(Kadalai Urundai)

Ingredients
1 cup Roasted peanuts.
1/2 cup powdered jaggery.

Method
1.Deskin the peanuts.In a food processor,make a coarse powder of the peanuts.Remove and keep it aside.
2.Now add the jaggery and churn it once or twice.
3.Again,add both peanut and jaggery and blend them well.
4.Take it out.Make balls out of the mixture.Enjoy as a snack anytime.

Note:I wanted the small bits of peanuts present in the laddus,so I made coarse powder.But,as per the original recipe,the laddus use to be made with finely ground peanuts.

Read the entire recipe here