Sankranthi Subhakankshulu

Wish You All A Very Happy & Prosperous Sankranthi. My Rangoli for this Sankranthi :)

Dwarala Mugu on Last day of Dhanurmaasam

Radham Muggu - For Goda Kalyanam

Sankranthi Special

Happy Celebrations!!!

Your Favorite Chef!

Vegetable Sandwich - Quick Breakfast/Evening Snack

Presenting a quick breakfast or evening snack that is healthy and filling. 

Vegetable Sandwich with Mint & Coriander Chutney

Ingredients:

1 Carrot
1 Cucumber
2 Tomatoes
Mint & Coriander Chutney
Tomato Sauce (I used Maggie No Onion No Garlic Sauce)
Bread (Plain Sandwich Bread or Broken Wheat Bread)

Ingredients for Mint & Coriander Chutney:

1 Small Bunch Mint Leaves
1 Small Bunch Coriander Leaves
1/2 Tablespoon Sugar
2-3 Green Chillies
Salt to Taste

Procedure for Mint & Coriander Chutney:

1. Wash Mint and Coriander leaves and put them in a Mixer Jar along with chopped Green Chillies, Salt and Sugar.

2. Grind all these ingredients into a smooth paste, if required add 2-3 tablespoons of water. Mint & Coriander Chutney is ready.

Mint & Coriander Chutney

Procedure for Sandwich:

1. Cut the sides of the Bread and keep it aside.

2. Peel and cut thin slices of Carrot, Cucumber and Tomatoes and keep them aside. (If you want you can grate Carrots)

3. Take a slice of Bread and apply a thin layer of Mint & Coriander Chutney. Arrange a layer of grated vegetables.

4. Take another slice of the Bread and apply a thin layer of Tomato Sauce. Cover it on the first slice. Repeat the process for remaining slices of Bread and grill the Sandwich.

5. Yummy Vegetable Sandwich is ready to eat. Serve Warm.

Happy Cooking!

Your Favorite Chef!

Broken Wheat (Godhuma) Payasam - A Healthy & Quick Payasam

Ingredients:

100 Gms Broken Wheat
1 Liter Milk
4 Tbsp Ghee
3/4 Cup Grated Jaggery
1/2 Tbsp Cardamom Powder
1/2 Cup Almonds, Cashewnuts & Raisins

Godhuma Payasam - Broken Wheat Kheer

Procedure:

1. Take a thick bottom pan or non stick kadai. Heat it on medium flame and add 1 tablespoon Ghee. Add finely chopped Almonds, Cashewnuts and fry them till golden brown. Keep them aside. In the same Ghee fry Raisins till they become plump and keep them aside.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of Ghee and fry Broken Wheat for 2-3 minutes by stirring continuously. Add 1/2 liter Milk and cook on low flame with a covered lid. Stir occasionally.

3. After 4-5 minutes check if the Broken Wheat is cooked. You may add 1/2 cup of water if required. Broken Wheat should be completely cooked and the consistency should be thicken to semi solid. Add grated Jaggery, mix well and cook it for 2-3 minutes by stirring continuously.  Now add 1 tablespoon of Ghee along with fried Nuts and Raisins and mix well.

4. Finally add 1/2 tablespoon of Cardamom powder and mix well. Broken Wheat (Godhuma) Payasam is ready to be offered as Naiveydam. Serve hot.

Tip: Just before adding grated Jaggery you can add a pinch of baking soda to avoid the Milk from splitting.

Happy Cooking!

Your Favorite Chef!

Mixed Fruit Sandwich - A Healthy Breakfast Bite

This Mixed Fruit Sandwich is specially for my little Rascal (My Nephew). He is a not a great fruit lover, he eats only selected fruits like Strawberries. Me and my Vadina (Sister-in-law/Bhabi) decided to make him eat some mixed fruits on a regular basis. We tried different ways but in vein. Then I decided to give him fruits in a way where he cannot say No :) Here is how I made him eat mixed fruits...Presenting Mixed Fruit Sandwich...

Mixed Fruit Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 Banana
1 Orange
1 Apple
1 Sapota or Chikoo
1 Slice of Pineapple
2 Seedless Lion Dates (finely chopped)
5 Tbsp Kissan Mixed Fruit Jam
1 Tbsp Strawberry Jam (Optional)
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
Fresh Whole Wheat Bread

Process:

1. Peel and chop Banana, Apple, Chikoo into very thin slices. Similarly,  make think slices of pineapple and keep them in a blow. Peel and extract crystals from Orange and mix all the fruits gently. Finally add chopped dates. Keep this fruits mixture aside.

2. Take Whole Wheat Bread slices and cut the corners. Brush butter one side of the bread slice and on the other side spread Kissan Mixed Fruit Jam. Spread the fruits on this slice carefully. Do not over stuff them.

3. Spread Strawberry Jam on the second bread slice and cover the former. Slightly brush butter on the outer side of the bread slice and heat it in the Sandwich maker till golden brown. You can also Grill it.

4. Yummy Mixed Fruit Sandwich is ready to eat. Serve when warm.

Note:  I used Strawberry Jam because my nephew loves it, you can use mixed fruit jam or any other flavor instead.

TIP: You can use fruits of your choice like seedless Grapes, Mango, Strawberries, Lychee etc or seasonal fruits but make sure you do not over stuff the sandwich. You can also use different flavors of Jam like Mango, Pineapple, Apple, Guava etc.

Hope both kids and adults will love this Mixed Fruit Sandwich.

Happy Cooking!

Your Favorite Chef!

Daddojanam - Curd Rice

Ingredients:

1 Cup Cooked Rice
1 Cups Curd
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Cream (optional)
Salt to Taste

For Seasoning:
1 Tbsp Jeera
1/2 Tbsp Mustard Seeds
1/4 Tbsp Fenugreek Seeds or Methi Seeds
1 Dry Red Chilly
1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Green Chillies
1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Ginger
Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
1 Tbsp Ghee

Process:

1. Mash Cooked Rice until very soft and let it cook. When warm, add Curds, salt and mix well.

2. Add one cup Milk and half a cup of fresh cream and mix well and keep it aside till we prepare the seasoning.

3. For seasoning, take a small pan, add one tablespoon Ghee, add Jeera, Methi Seeds, Mustard Seeds and fry them till the Mustard seeds stops spluttering. Add Dry Red Chilly, finely Chopped Green Chillies and Ginger and fry them for one minute.

4. Transfer this seasoning in to the Curd Rice mixture and mix it well. Finally add freshly chopped Coriander leaves and serve.

Daddojanam is ready to serve. Tastes best when served cold.

Happy Cooking...
Your Favorite Chef!

Carrot Coconut Curry

Wish you all a Very Happy & Prosperous New Year!! May it be a Year Full of Joy , Happiness , Prosperity and New Challenges!

Today's special Carrot - Coconut Curry! I wanted to begin this year with the most simple curry for lunch :) This is just an excuse - I have no mood to cook today, because my hubby dearest is leaving for Delhi :(

Ingredients:

2 Big Carrots
1/2 Cup Grated Fresh Coconut
Salt to Taste

For Seasoning:

1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
1 Tbsp Minnappu or Urad Dal
1/2 Tbsp Jeera
1/4 Tbsp Mustard Seeds
1 Red Dry Chilly
Few Curry Leaves
Chopped Coriander 

Process:

1. Wash, peel and cut Carrots into small cubes. Pressure cook it for 2 whistles.
2. Prepare the seasoning while the pressure leaves from the pressure cooker. Take a kadai, add one tablespoon cooking oil and heat it. Add Urad dal, Jeera and Mustard seeds and fry them till the Mustard seeds stop spluttering. Now add Dry Red Chilly pieces and fry till they turns golden brown. Add curry leaves and mix well.
3. Now add boiled Carrots to the seasoning and fry it for one to two minutes. Add salt to taste and mix well.  At the end add grated fresh Coconut and mix well.

4. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves and serve hot with Phulkas or Rice.

Tip:  Drain the water from the cooked Carrots and you can use it for making Carrot-Tomato Rasam :)

Happy Cooking...
Your Favorite Chef!