Kansar(Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Being a South Indian, trying new recipes from other part of India is always a fun. But I have always seen that most of the recipes are very similar with a little alteration and a different name. 

The sweet I am posting today also comes in the same category. We South Indians( mainly North Karnataka) people make this sweet often for the puja or on new moon day. I have already posted the recipe with the name Broken wheat(or thick rava) and jaggery Halwa.

But again thought of making it the Gujarati way and post it here.

After browsing many sites, I have taken the recipe from here which is easy to make.

Please click the link for the recipe.

A very quick, easy and tasty and healthy (too) sweet for everyone. This is very good for kids.

Sending this to two events:

Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday (Volume 52) event of Aipi and Priya

and

Announcing the Celebrate Sweets Event 

focusing on "Gujarati Sweets"

                                                             (Which is started by ME)

Keep Smiling,

Caramel Custard (Microwave)(Food Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

There are days where you crave for some particular sweet, that happens with me many times. And some days are unlucky as I don't get the ingredients to make what I want to eat. 3 days back I really really wanted to make a cheese cake and have it too. I browsed many blogs for an easy way to make cheese cake. But the problem was to get the ready cream cheese in my place :-(. I got the ideas to make cream cheese at home by my few FB friends. Thanks Ria Mary Mathew, Saritha Ap and ‎Veena Aravind. But that needed a time to make. Planned to make the next day. While searching for the Cheese cake recipe, suddenly I saw this recipe and that was it, I wanted to make it then only.I always loved Caramel custard. We used to get the small long  ready made cups in UAE. And my daughter loved it that time. Thought of giving her surprise I entered the kitchen. 

But as my mom always says me" Even after you are born after full 9 months and 9 days also, why are you always in a hurry to make the things?" Thats what happened. Being little careless, I used wrong vessel to bake and my custard broke in the middle. 

But the taste was so good that I could not control to finish my portion in the night at 11 :-)

I always love to watch Vicky Ratnani's shows on TV and my favorite is "Do It Sweet".. 


I followed his recipe Caramel Custard and its awesome. Easy and quick.
 Ingredients:
for Caramel
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Cold water - 1/4 cup
For the custard
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Eggs -4
Milk - 2 Cups
Vanilla Essence - 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg powder - a pinch, grated

Method:
to make Caramel,

Keep the sugar in a M/W Safe bowl with water.(the vessel in which you are going to set the custard)

Boil it on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 minute(depends on the power of your M/W)

Open and stir so that the sugar dissolves fully.

Keep in the M/W back again and boil on HIGH for 3 to 5 minutes, keep on checking. Other wise the caramel will burn off. Wait till it become light golden color. 

Remove and keep it aside.

For Custard:

Beat the eggs and the sugar together. 

Add Vanilla and milk. mix well. 

Don't allow the bubbles to come up or while transferring discard the bubbles OR ELSE  you will not get the even surface)

Transfer this on the cool caramel bowl.

Keep in the M/W and cook for 10 to 12 minutes on HIGH(KEEP WATCHING)

Once done, remove, cool and unmould.

Refrigerate before serving.

Now my daughter is grown big, she won't like it anymore:-(, its ok, I liked it, now she has ordered me to make Chocolate custard without egg... 

I did not take the whole picture of my custard as because of my mistake, it broke in the middle. Want to see that photo, it looks very dirty( its like a brain kept open in a plate :-), I don't want to show the ugly part.) Sorry..

I want to send this to the event

which is a brain child of Pari and this time guest hosted by Harini

"Only - Baked" ~ Event Announcement

Keep Smiling,

A Paneer in need is a PANEER in deed (Food Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

WHAT AN IDEA  PariJI!!

The day she posted this Colourful Bell Pepper and Cottage Cheese Cubes , for me , it was like as we say in Hindi " mere ankhon mein yeh chubh raha tha!(Its direct translation in English :- it was pricking in my eyes!!).PLEASE TAKE THIS IN  A POSITIVE OR FUNNY WAY:-)

Thanks to Pari for this wonderful and unique recipe. I really loved it and I can use it in many preparations. I made a change from her original recipe with a genuine reason behind it. As the name of her recipe says its about bell pepper BUT, me and my daughter are allergic to those bell peppers. So I had to put these out of my recipe. And Pari has written in her post that we can replace with other vegetables also. I thought of adding as many number of vegetables I have with me.

Luckily I got the same round mould (as Pari has one) to make Paneer. 

Here is the recipe in my words:

Recipe to make the Veggie Paneer :

Ingredients:

Fresh Milk - 1/2 litre(I used and I could make 10 big tikkas, 2 kebabs and one paratha)

Lime juice -2 tbsp or more depending on the milk and the time it takes to break

Parboiled vegetables  - 1 cup (finely chopped beans, carrot, baby corn, peas,potato and whatever you like and it fits in the paneer well)

you can use bell pepper, I have omitted here.

Green Chilly - 1 finely chopped(Avoid this, if for kids)

Salt 1 tsp

Pepper powder - 1 to 2 tsp

Method:

• Boil the milk.
• Add the lime juice and stir it. Continue boiling till the milk breaks out.
• Add all the vegetables and boil for few more minutes.
• Strain it to remove the whey.
• Wash it with clean water to remove the smell.
• Add the green chilly, salt and pepper powder. Mix well.
• Transfer it into Paneer making mould.
• Keep it aside for 2 to 3 hours. Transfer it into a big plate or bowl.
• Keep in the fridge to set.
• The BASIC Veggie Paneer is ready.

Don't have mould, no problems, tie in a clean cloth hang it for an hour or two, remove and give the desired shape, may be you have to add little corn flour to bind it properly.

NOW,

Turn this into Spicy Paneer Tikka and or Kabab:

You need

Ready Veggie Paneer cubes - 10 to 12

Corn Flour - 2 tbsp

(I used Rice flour as there was no cornflour at home, but it worked fine too)

Garam Masala - as per taste

Amchur powder a pinch or less.

Fresh coriander to serve(not in the photo)

Oil to shallow fry the Tikka

Method:

• Cut the ready Paneer into Tikka shape, DUST them on the cornflour and keep it ready.
• Heat the tawa. Spread oil on it. When the oil is hot, carefully place the cubes on tawa.
• Shallow Fry all the sides. Transfer into serving plate sprinkle the garam masala and amchur powder mix and garnish with fresh coriander.
• VEGGIE PANEER TIKKA IS READY TO SERVE.

To make KABAB,

• SAME PROCEDURE, JUST SCRAMBLE THE PANEER ADDING GARAM MASALA AND AMCHUR POWDER. 
• Give the shape of Kababs and shallow fry till golden.

The last but not the least is I USED THIS SCRAMBLED PANEER TO MAKE STUFFED PARATHA AND MY YOUNGER DAUGHTER HAD THE WHOLE PARATHA WITH CURDS. ;-))))))))

(It did not clicked me to click a photo. Next time I will take the photo and add it here)

THANK YOU SO MUCH PARI FOR SUCH A HEALTHY RECIPE WHICH MADE MY WORK EASY TO FEED MY KID A GOOD FOOD.

And perfect starter for the party.

Hey I think I can use these cubes in Palak Paneer, Veg Biryani also, any more ideas????

Keep Smiling,

Sprouted Moong Chutney Powder

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,

"Necessity  is the Mother of Invention"

This holds good in the field of cooking. And if you are a mother of a fussy child who hates eating healthy food, then you have to keep on inventing and reinventing the recipes to feed your child a good food. I come in that category and always think and plan of making new food which includes the best ingredients and which my younger daughter never likes to eat. I have already one Chutney powderr in my blog.

I prepared this chutney powder because my daughter hates to eat sprouted Moong. Last week, when I prepared Moth gravy and tried to feed her, she was so upset and started crying loudly. That was the time, I thought of making this chutney powder(Because of the event going on in my blog, my mind is more  alert for new ideas).

And then again I thought adding few more grains other than only moth.

Tried to take the photo with perfect cube, could not because the chutney powder is very dry :-)

So here comes the tastiest and healthiest chutney powder which goes very well with chapati, dosa, Idly, hot rice, bread and what else!!!

Ingredients :

Mixed moong - (Green moong, Moth, green and brown chana, Soya bean, Cow peas, dry green peas and any grain that can be sprouted) - 250 gm

Curry leaves - 15 to 20 leaves

Garlic - 10 to 15 cloves(if small, 6 to 8 if they are big)

Dry red chilly powder - 1 tsp or

Dry red chilly - 8 to 10

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar 1 tsp

Method :

Soak the grains in the water in a big vessel(it should cover double the grains) for at least 8 to 10 hours.

Drain the water.

Tie in a cloth or the way you keep the moongs to sprout.

I

Sometimes, I tie in the cloth or I keep it in a colander with proper cover.

Allow the grains to get little longer sprouts. It may take only one day in Summer or 2 days in winter. If keeping for two days, keep on mixing the grains every 6 hours. Otherwise it will start stinking.

Once the sprouting is done, keep the grains under the sun to dry. It takes again one more day in summer, and 2 or more days in winter.

You will get nice crispy grains once its fully dried.

Dry roast the grains till you get nice aroma on a low flame, as green moong, or small size moong takes less time to roast and bigger grains take more time.

When cold, add all the other ingredients and grind into a fine powder. 

Adjust the seasoning.

The aroma makes you feel like eating it just like that(I did it :-)  )

Sending this to two events:

One is My event 

Event Announcement "Only Original Recipes" and Giveaway :-)))

A brain child of Pari.

Another is

event from Ammalu's Kitchen

My Legume Love Affair – 33 

which is started by  The well seasoned cook .

Keep Smiling,

Chocolate Halwa(Food remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Trying to make some sweets adding chocolate. And suddenly remembered this halwa which I prepared few months back. It was Srivalli's recipe and I could not wait to make it. The photo was lying in my drafts.

Taking this chance to post it for the event.

Don't compare my click with Valli's. :-)

For the recipe visit HERE by  Srivalli. Thanks Valli, for this recipe.

This is a winner dessert for everyone at home.

Giving you the recipe in my words:

Ingredients:

Cocoa powder - 1/2 cup

Condensed Milk - 1 tin(400gm)

Sugar - 1/2 cup+2 tbsp more.

Butter - 50 gm

Nuts - as per your taste(chopped finely), you can skip this one.

I did a little variation, I did not roast the nuts.

I took 2 tbsp more sugar, as I knew the sugar I had was not so sweet.

I used Microwave.

Method:

Mix all the ingredients except the nuts, in a think bottomed M/W safe glass bowl.

Mix well.

Cook on HIGH in M/w for 1 minute.

Take it out, Mix again and Cook till you feel the nice aroma of the Cocoa powder turning into choco flavor.It may take another one or two minutes depending on your M/W settings.

Take care not to make it thick. Otherwise it will become hard.

Garnish with nuts and serve it with cold ice cream or enjoy it like that only

Sending it to 

 Jyoti's (The Veggie Hut )

Lets Celebrate Sweets - Chocolate! An Event Announ...
which is started by Me.

Keep Smiling,

Marie Biscuit Chocolate balls (Food Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Chocolates..... Who does not like chocolate?? And home made chocolates??? Yes, we all love anything thats home made and as I say we are magicians in the kitchen to turn simple things into amazing mouthwatering and yummy dishes.

This time, its not me, I have followed the recipe from Sailu. She has made it very simple and tasty. I kept her recipe in my drafts since long time, but never got a chance to make it. But now, when I was checking the recipes, my daughter saw the photos in her blog and was behind me to make it NOW itself. Even I wanted to make something for 2 events. 

And here I am with it. But I did not allow my daughter to eat more as she is down with fever.

The original recipe is here.

Ingredients: (I used)

Marie biscuit - 12

Butter - 1 tbsp(I used 2 Amul cubes)

Cocoa powder - 1 1/2 tbsp

Condensed milk - 90g(A small tin)

Vanilla essence - 1 drop

I love this!!!

Method:

1. Break the biscuits in to pieces and powder them in a mixi. Sieve it to get the fine powder.
2. Beat the butter for a minute.
3. Add all the ingredients to the butter and mix well to make a soft dough.
4. Divide the dough into equal balls and give desired shape.
5. Decorate the choco balls with dessicated coconut or sugar granules or stuff it with some almonds. Or serve it just like that.

Sending these to two events:

One is Jyoti's (The Veggie Hut )

Lets Celebrate Sweets - Chocolate! An Event Announ...
which is started by Me.

another is Srivalli's (Spice your Life )

Announcing Kid's Delight - Chocolate Feast!

Hope all of you will prepare this and make your kids happy.

Keep Smiling,

THIRATTUPAAL(Milk and Jaggery sweet) (Food remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Being and integrated country, India is famous for its unity in diversity.  Each state has its own culture. In each state, there are many mini India with rich culture of their own to follow. The blogging world has introduced such wonderful customs, food and recipes to each other and brought us together.

THIRATTUPAAL is one of the recipe which has a very sweet custom with it. Shanti of Shanthi Krishnakumar's cook book has shared this recipe in her blog. 

Read in her words:

This is a traditional Tamil brahmin sweet and is made on all important days. In Iyengar marriages, there is a lovely function. The bride is given a small cup of thirattupaal and will be asked to distribute it to all the people available. Elders tell her that if she distributes to everyone, she can run the family within the means effectively. It is a great deal to make very small balls, like a chickpea, out of it and to distribute it to everyone.

Isn't it sweet!
She has explained it very well with step step by photos. Visit her for detailed recipe.

Here is my post.

I used only half a litre of milk where as Shanti has used 3 litres of milk.

BUT THE TASTE WAS HEAVEN! I LOVED IT.

Ingredients :

My measurements:

Milk - half a litre

Jaggery - 1/4 cup or less, crushed or grated or powdered

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

hey! hey! Wait, I can send this to the event "Celebrate sweets- Sugarless sweets"!!! Yes, Now,When I typed Jaggery, it flashed to me!!

 

Method

• Boil the milk in a thick bottomed vessel. 
• Keep a small plate in it to prevent the charring of the milk.
• Boil the milk till it becomes almost half and gets curdled.
• Remove the plate and add jaggery. 
• Mix well. Add cardamom powder. 
• Add ghee and keep on stirring it the jaggery get mixed well with the milk and starts leaving the sides.
• Remove from the heat and transfer it into the serving bowl.

Wow!

Tasted real heaven. Amazing.

I am going to make it again very soon!!

Thank you Shantiji for such a wonderful recipe.

Sending this to 

Sara's ongoing event 

Celebrate Sweets - Sugarless Event Announcement !!... 

which is started by me.

Keep Smiling,

From Priyas Kitchen to My Kitchen(for T&T)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

As I always tell you about the blogs I love to visit often and love to try the recipes, today is the day to write about one more blog like that. It is Priya's  Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes. 

She has amazing collection of recipes. She is a real friend in blogging world. She puts her real effort and creativity to participate in most of the events by other blogger friends. Hats off to her and her work.

I always thought that if I get a chance to host Tried and Tasted event, I will choose Priya's blog only, but PJ took the chance choose her blog. I am happy to participate in her event.

I have tried many recipes from her blog, but unfortunately I have not taken the photos of all the recipes.

Here are the few recipes which I clicked the photos.

Going to send these to PJ's event

First one is  Cheesy Oats Paratha recipe which I have already posted it in my blog:

Here is the link for it:

Cheesy Oats Paratha from Priya 

The second one is

Beets & Oats Kootu 

 

Third One is Microwave Tandoori Paneer I love paneer and this quick Tandoori Paneer is very tasty. 

I have prepared it many times and sometimes I skipped red chilly powder. The photo below is without red chilly powder.

The fourth one is Soya Chunks Pakodas :  

In this only change I did was, I used Soya granules instead of chunks.

Few more I remember from her blog which I tried were Paneer Butter Masala, Orange Ginger Lemonade.

These are going to 

Pj's ongoing event Tried and Tasted 

originally started by Zlamuska and now carried on by Lakshmi of Kitchen Chronicles

 Keep Smiling,

Bitter Gourd Chutney Powder(Food Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

This powder has become common in my house and I am totally in love with it.

Any one going for Bitter gourd chutney powder??? I am sure you all will say a big NO!! But try this powder and you also will fall in love with it. Yes!!! 

Its simple, healthy and perfect side dish with hot rice or with chapati. Do you believe I eat it just like that.

Have it to believe it.

And Tons of thanks to Pratibha of THE CHEF and HER KITCHEN for sharing such a wonderful recipe.

Kakarakaya Podi / Bittergourd Powder

I have copied the recipe exactly from her. Even the down written recipe is from her blog(I did not get better words to write it in my own) Visit her for many wonderful recipes and tips.

Ingredients:
Bittergourd - 1/2 kg 
Onions - 4 big,very finely chopped
 Dry coconut - 1 heaped cup grated
Curds - 3 tbps
Red chillies - 15,fiery hot one's
a gooseberry sized tamarind
Regular oil - 1/2 cup apprx.
salt to taste
Method:

• Grate the bitter gourd with a grater.
• Add salt and curds to it and mix well and leave it aside for 1 hour.
• Squeeze the water completely from the bitter gourd and keep it aside.This step is mandatory in order to ease the process of frying the bitter gourd and storing the powder,it will also remove 60-70% of the bitterness.
• Cut the tamarind into small pieces and slightly dry roast the red chillies and tamarind for few seconds.This step is however optional if your red chillies are softer and tamarind is slightly damp.
• Grind the red chillies,tamarind,dry coconut with salt to a slight coarse powder.
• In a thick bottomed kadai heat oil(1/2 cup approximately) add squeezed bitter gourd and fry on a very low flame until it is slight golden in color(75-80% done),it approximately takes 15-20 min.This step is very important and it is to be on very low flame.
• Now add the very finely chopped onions to the bitter gourd and fry on a very low flame until the onions and bitter gourd is deep golden in color.It takes around 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the ground spice mixture to it and mix well and keep stirring on low flame for 3-4 min and remove it from the stove.
• Cool the powder completely and store it in air tight container.You can store it for 2 weeks also.
• When you taste it, you will start thinking where the bitter gourd has disappeared!!!!
  

 I am sure all of you will enjoy this and you are going to try this at home, (if not  tried before), for those, who  have already tried this, they know the taste.

Keep Smiling,

Stuffed Lady's Finger with Coconut and Coriander(Food remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

 Hi All,

A delicious, tasty and easy ladyfinger or bhindi ki sabji from Jagruti of Joy of Cooking.

Click here for the recipe:

Stuffed Ladies finger or Okra

I enjoyed it with hot chapatis or phulkas.

I am sure you will love it.

Thanks Jagruti for sharing such a lovely and simple recipe.

Keep Smiling,

Spicy baby potatoes with sesame seeds(Food remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

When I browse My Diverse Kitchen. I get fascinated with her baking ideas and recipes. She got wonderful collections. But I am still a baby when it comes to baking. May be in another one year or two, I will reach the stage where I can bake without thinking. I have bookmarked her blog itself for baking :-)

But, for now, I am trying only simpler recipes but these are the food I never tried. Here is one of those tasty recipes, which we all enjoyed.

Click Spiced Baby Potatoes with Sesame Seeds for the recipe.

Sending this to 

Srivalli's Announcing Tried & Tasted Event!

Linking it  back to Aparna's post and T&T event and Lakshmi's post. 

Keep Smiling,