Rajma Curry

Ingredients:

• Canned Rajma: 1 Can
• Finely Chopped Onion: 1 Cup
• Finely Chopped Tomatoes: 2 Cup
• Finely Chopped Green Chillies: 3-4
• Minced Ginger - Garlic : 2 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder To Taste
• Coriander Powder: 2 tsp
• Cumin Powder: 1 tsp
• Amchur Powder (Dry Mango Powder): 1 tsp
• Finely Chopped Coriander: 1 tbsp
• Fresh Grated Coconut: 1 tbsp
• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Salt To Taste

Procedure:

• In a heavy bottom pan heat the oil. Add green chillies & fry them for 1 minute.Then add minced ginger garlic. Fry it for couple of minutes.
• Then add onion. Cook onion til they become brown. Then add chopped tomatoes. Cook them till tomato becomes very soft.
• Then add all masala powder & mix well, fry again on a medium flame for couple of minutes.
• Then add rajma into the pan. Then add salt and water as per you need. Cook this rajma for 5 more minutes.
• Garnish this Rajma with freshly grated coconut and coriander. Serve hot with rice or chapati or roti.

Note:

• If you don't have a canned rajma, you can soak rajma beans overnight & presser cooked them and then use for this curry.

This is my entry for EC's RCI: Hariyana, Susan's My Legume Love Affair : 8 , Ashwini's Lentils Mela, Rachana's A Healthy Bite events. I am sending this entry to Siri's Recipes for the rest of us : Dinner event started by Ramki

Savory French Toast

Ingredients:

• Eggs: 2
• Bread Slices: 4-5
• Finely Chopped Onion: 2 tbsp
• Finely Chopped Coriander: 1 tbsp
• Red Chilli Powder to Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Oil
  

Prodcedure:

1. In a wide bowl mix eggs, onion, coriander, salt & chilli powder. Beat it very well.
2. Cut breads in any shape that you want.
3. Heat a non stick pan. Apply some oil. Dip each bread slice in egg mixture and place them on a pan. Then pour some mixture on the top of each slice.
4. Cook these slices until they become golden brwon from both sides.
5. Serve these hot toasts with any sauce.

This is my entry for Bindiya's My favorite things- LOVE-HEART SHAPED FOODS.

Vidhas of Appetizing Recipes gave me 'You are a Super Duper Chef !!' Award. Thank you very much Vidhas

I would like to pass this award to Asha, Priya , sowmya ,Dershana, Poonam, Bindiya, Sindura, Usha ,Ann , Sukanya Ramkumar ,Varsha Vipins, Aparna Prabhu , Neha, Kitchen Flavours , Uma , easycrafts , Ashwini , Vanamala, Purva Desai , AnuSriram , Arundhuti ,Khaugiri ,Sunshinemom ,Cham ,LG ,Navita, Meera , Varunavi ,Ushanandini , Madhoo.S.Gargya , Vrinda , Roopa . Enjoy your awards and keep cooking ...

Vegetable Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• Finely Sliced Carrots: 1 Cup
• Finely Sliced Green Beans: 1 Cup
• Finely Sliced Capsicum: 1 Cup
• Finely Sliced Cabbage: 1 Cup
• Finely Sliced Broccoli Florets: 1 Cup
• Finely Chopped Ginger: 1 tsp
• Finely Chopped Garlic: 2 tsp
• Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp
• Chilli Sauce: According To Taste
• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Salt To Taste

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a wok or any non stick pan.
2. Add ginger and garlic. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add carrots, green beans, broccoli, capsicum, cabbage ..all vegetables one by one stirring a little every time. Start by adding the vegetable that take longer to cook.
4. Add Soy sauce, Chilli Sauce, Salt and mix everything well.
5. Cook these vegetables covered. Don't overcook all vegetables.
6. Serve these healthy vegetables hot on the top of plain rice or eat them as it is.

Note: You can use all vegetables of your choice. If you want you can make a gravy of vinegar, soy sauce, ajinomoto.

This is my entry for Rachna's A Healthy Bite event.

Eggless French Toast

I adapted this recipe from Coffee. I followed same recipe just added extra finely grated carrot.

Ingredients:

• Bread Slices: 4-5
• Rava / Sooji: 1/2 Cup
• Yogurt: 1/2 Cup
• Finley Chopped Onion: 1/2 Cup
• Finely Grated Carrot: 1/4 Cup
• Ginger Chilli Paste: To Taste
• Finely Chopped Coriander
• Salt to Taste.
• Oil to Cook

Procedure:

1. Mix all ingredients except bread & oil very well. If this batter is very thick add little bit water. This batter should be little bit thick.
2. Cut bread into diagonal shape or any shape or if you have a cookie cutter use that.
3. Coat the batter over bread slices.
4. Heat tava or grill. Apply some oil and cook these slices till golden brown on both the sides.
5. Serve these toast at any time with your favorite sauce, chutney or dip.

This is my entry for Bindiya's My favorite things- LOVE-HEART SHAPED FOODS, Sindura's Bread Mania , MBP: Kids Food started by Coffee.

Now it's award time. Vidhas of Appetizing Recipes and Sanghi of Sanghi's Food Delight have passed me 'token of Gratitude award' and 'Good Blog Chat Award'. Thank you very much both of you. I really appreciate it.

Everybody who visits my blog and appreciate my work as well as point out my mistakes should get this award. Here are some names for these awards Asha, Priya , sowmya ,Dershana, Poonam, Bindiya, Sindura, Usha ,Ann , Sukanya Ramkumar ,Varsha Vipins, Aparna Prabhu , Neha, Kitchen Flavours , Uma , easycrafts , Ashwini , Vanamala, Purva Desai , AnuSriram , Arundhuti ,Khaugiri ,Sunshinemom ,Cham ,LG ,Navita . I know I missed lot of people sorry for that but I really appreciate all.

Announcing Recipes for the rest of us - Picnic Eats

Recipes for the rest of us is aimed at introducing newbies to the joy of cooking. Started by Ramki of One Page Cookbooks , this event focuses on very simple, fool proof recipes. Because of this bad weather everyone is expecting good weahter for picnic. So why don't we keep some recipes ready for picnic. With the help of this event we can collect some simple recipes for picnics. This event is from 20th Feb 2009. I am announcing this event in advance so that we all will get extra time to think.

Guidelines :
1. Cook anything simple for picnic and post the recipe on your blog.
2. Multiple entries / archived entries welcome. However, do edit the archived post to include a link to this event and One Page Cookbooks .
3. Include the logo in your post if you wish.
4. Please send an e-mail to RecipeCenter@gmail.com with the following details on or before March 20 2009

*Subject Line: Recipes for the rest of us : Picnic Eats
* Blog author:
* Blog name:
* Dish Name:
* URL of the post:
* Photo: Please give file name as Dish name

5. If you don't have a blog & have some recipes don't worry, you can email me those recipes. I will add those recipes in round up.
6. The roundup of would be posted a week after the event closes.

Note :
1. Please avoid exact measurements. Please use very simple measurements like a handful or a pinch.
2. Please avoid complicated steps.If the recipe takes over 5 steps to prepare, it would not be suitable for this event.
3. Please avoid recipes demanding a good deal of manual skill.
4. Please avoid recipes demanding fancy kitchen equipment.
5. In short, it should be something a ten year old kid should be able to cook up.

Note:
I know that Siri is also hosting Dinner Edition of this series. Siri's event is till March 1. Picnic Eats starts on 20 Feb & ends on 20 March

Eggless Almond Cookies

When I saw Ashwini's Eggless Pecan Cookies I loved them. As a new baker I thought I should try these simple cookies. These cookies comes out very well. I usually bought store made cookies but after trying these cookies I will never bought store made cookies. Thanks Ashwini for these lovely, simple to make cookies. I followed almost same recipe. Just instead of using Pecans I used almonds and added little bit baking powder. As we are not that much sweet eater I avoid dusting sugar on the top of baked cookied. Here is the recipe that I followed.




Ingredients:

• Maida / All Purpose Flour: 2 Cups
• Soften Butter: 1 Cup
• Powdered Sugar: 3/4 Cup
• Coarsley Crushed Almonds : 1 Cup
• Vanilla Extract: 1 tsp
• Baking Powder: 1 tsp

Procedure:

1. In a large mixing bowl mix butter, sugar, baking powder and vanilla extract untill light and fluffy.
2. Add almonds and mix very well. Then gradully add flour and stir it very well until all ingredients comes together.
3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into walnut sized balls, or drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
5. Enjoy these homemade cookies any time of the day.

This is my entry for MBP: Kids Food event started by Coffee of Spice Cafe.

Gajar Halwa

गाजर हलवा (Carrot Halwa)

Ingredients:

• Finely Grated Carrots: 2 Cups
• Milk: 3 Cups
• Sugar : 1/2 Cup or More
• Cardamom Powder: 1/2 tsp
• Ghee or Unsalted Butter: 2 tbsp
• Chopped Cashews, Almonds: 2 tbsp
• Raisins: 1 tbsp

Procedure:

1. While grating carrots pour milk in a heavy bottom sauce pan and keep on it on stove. To avoid burning the milk keep stirring in between. Keep boiling & stirring the milk till it becomes half in a quantity or till your carrots are ready.
2. Soak almonds, cashews & raisins in milk for 10 -15 minutes.
3. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom sauce pan. Add shredded carrots. Cook carrots for 4-5 minutes.
4. Then add hot milk. Cook these carrots till all milk gets evaporated. Stir in between.
5. Then add sugar, cardamom powder & dry fruits. Mix everything very well. Cook this halwa for another 4-5 minutes.
6. Serve this sweet halwa hot, cold or at room temperature.

This is my entry for
1. Aparna's FIC: Orange event started by Harini of Tongue Ticklers.
2. EC's RCI: Hariyan event started by Laxmi of Veggie Cuisine.
3. Varsha's Recipes For Rest of Us: Dessert event started by Ramki of One Page Cookbook.

Announcing MBP: Kids Food

This month I am a guest host of Monthly Blog Patrol (MBP). MBP is a brain child of Coffee of Spice Cafe. The idea behind this event is to search recipe related to theme from other food blogs, cook it & post it. As a mother of 3 yr old picky eater I am always in search of some simple kid friendly recipes. So for this month's MBP theme is Kids Food. Hope I will find lot of kid friendly recipes by hosting this event.

Photo Source: FotoSearch

The rules for this event are very simple.

1. Based on 'Kids Food' theme, you have to cook something from the fellow bloggers (the “from” has to be a blogger and not any other cooking site!!) posted recipes. Both veg & non -veg dishes are allowed.

2. Post a pic of the final recipe on your blog linking it to the blogger (whose recipe you made) , Coffee’s MBP event page and this announcement. Whether to make it a post or no, is entirely your choice. You can just put a final pic or put step by step pics or if you have made any variations you might want to highlight that or post the whole recipe. Its entirely upto you. But one final pic and a link to the blogger and this event is a must.

3. Send me an e-mail at RecipeCenter@gmail.com with “MBP :Kids Food” as subject. In your e-mail, please include

Your Name :
Your Blog Name:
Type of Recipe: Snacks, Full Meal, Drinks, Dessert etc
A permalink/ url of your post:
The permalink/ url of the recipe from which you cooked :
A picture of your dish : Please give file name as dish name

4. There is no limit to the number of entries that you might want to contribute. You can send previously posted recipes, just remember to link back to this announcement & Coffee's page.

5. Use of logo is optional but you use the logo it will be wonderful.

6. If you don’t have a blog, you can still email the post I will post your entry.

7. Last date of submission of recipes is 8 March 2009. I will post round up within a week.

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AFAM: Persimmon Round UP

Here comes the round up of AFAM: Persimmon. Persimmon was new to me as well as most of other bloggers so I thought no body will participate in this event. But I am glad few of us tried this new fruit & loved it.

I would like to thank you all of you for taking part in this event and big thank you for Maheshwari for starting this lovely event.

First I would like to share Persimmon 101 given by DK. Now it's time for yummy recipes.

1. Tipsy..err..Persimmon Trifle with Walnut Croquants By Navita

2. Persimmon Pudding By Asha

3. Persimmon Muffins By Keertana


4. Persimmon Bread By DK


5. Persimmon Cookies By Swapna

6. Eggless Persimmon,Ragi N Oats Cookies By Priya


7. Persimmon Cake With Dates and Walnuts By Kalva


8. Persimmon Spice Cake By Me


9. Persimmon Smoothie By Priya


10 Persimmon Milkshake By Me

11 .Persimmon Maple Syrup Salad By Priya

Cauliflower in Peas Gravy

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower Florets: 3 Cups
• Finely Chopped Onion: 1 Cup
• Finely Chopped Tomatoes: 1 Cup
• Fresh or Frozen Green Peas: 2 Cups
• Green Chiilies -Ginger - Garlic Paste to Taste
• Garam Masala: 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
• Cumin Seeds: 1/4 tsp
• Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves for Garnishing.
• Oil: 2 tsp or more
• Salt to Taste

Procedure:

1. Boil water in one pan. Put florets in hot water for 5-6 minutes.
2. Then cook these florets in microwave for few minutes till they become little bit tender. Don't overcook them as we are going to cook them in a gravy for some time.
3. Mean while make a smooth paste of green peas and tomato. Keep it aside.
4. Heat oil in one pot. Add cumin seeds. As cumin seeds splutters add green chillies, ginger garlic paste. Cook it for 1 minute. Then add turmeric powder and garam masala. Fry it.
5. Then add peas and tomato paste with little water. Add salt. Mix everything well. Cook this gravy for 4-5 minutes.
6. Once the gravy is cooked add cooked cauliflower florets. Mix well and cook it for 2-3 minutes.
7. Garnish this curry with coriander leaves and serve with chapati or roti or rice.
   

This is my entry for Mythreyee's JFI: Cauliflower event started by Indira.