Good bye 2011, Welcome 2012

Everyone is eagerly waiting for the new year, a new beginning, a few resolutions...2011 was a really special year to me, the year I decided to take a break from my IT job of 7 years, the year I could spend more time with my little girl and my husband and yes, the year I started this little blog of mine... I must admit that I felt really bored being a full time mom, I needed a hobby for time pass and that's how I decided to experiment with  spices and flavours. This blog was initially just a place to save my recipes, but as the number of hits and followers increased, it encouraged me to post more recipes and visit the other blogger friend's recipes. I also enjoyed participating in the various events of this blogger world.

So, here are the Top 5 recipes of the year 2011. Looking forward to cook and post new recipes in the coming year.

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012.

VEG NOODLES AND CHILLY CHICKEN

PAAL PIDI

OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN

PANEER BURJI SANDWICH

DOUBLE KA MEETHA

I also hosted a few events on this blog. Checkout the roundups here

Fusion Food: Pasta Event Roundup

A for Apple - September 2011

B for Banana - October 2011

Ongoing event: Cakes for Christmas

Pav Bhaji - enjoy at home

What's your favourite street food? Mine is Pav bhaji, anytime...I've been planning to make it at home for a long time now. Finally, I made it today and it was so yum...

Ingredients:

Potato - 1 large, cubed
Cauliflower - 3 to 4 florets
Carrot - 1/2 of a medium sized, cubed
Green peas - 1/4 cup
Capsicum/Bell Pepper - 1/2 of a medium sized, seeded and chopped fine
Green chilly - 1 or 2, chopped fine
Tomato - 2, chopped fine or minced
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Pav Bhaji masala - 2 tbsp(I used MDH brand)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Pav bread - 6 to 8
Butter as needed

To serve

Onion - 1, finely chopped
Coriander leaves chopped
Lemon wedges


Preparation:


1. Cook potato, cauliflower, carrot and green peas together in a pressure cooker adding just enough water to cook. Mash it using a potato masher and keep aside.
2. In a pan, heat oil and saute capsicum for a few minutes. Add ginger garlic paste and mix well. Add the tomatoes and saute till oil starts appearing. Mash it a little.
3. Add the cooked and mashed veggies, pav bhaji masala, salt and enough water to the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for few minutes.
4. In a flat tawa, add butter. Slit the pav bread into 2, and toast both sides well.

To serve, take the bhaji in a bowl and top it with chopped onions and coriander leaves. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice and enjoy with the buttered pav !!!

Off this goes to Snacks Mela

Also to Sinful delights

Also to New year, new dish..

Street foods event

Vanpayar thoran

Ingredients:

Vanpayar (Red lobia) - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies - 2
Salt to taste

Dry red chillies - 2
Shallots - 3 to 4, sliced
Garlic - 2 or 3 cloves, crushed
Curry leaves - a sprig
Grated coconut - 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Jeera/cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 to 2 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Soak vanpayar for a few hours. I usually soak it overnight. Cook it with turmeric powder, green chillies, salt and enough water. Do not overcook as it becomes mushy. If there is excess water, keep it on high flame till water is evaporated.
2. In a pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry chillies, shallots, crushed garlic and curry leaves and saute for a minute. Meanwhile mix the grated coconut and jeera with your fingers. Add this to the pan and combine well. Now add the cooked vanpayar and stir fry for sometime till the ingredients are combined well and becomes dry.

Babycorn and Bellpepper Pizza (Microwave Grill mode)

Ingredients:

Readymade Pizza base (medium size) - 1

Babycorn - 4 or 5, cut to strips
Bellpepper/Capsicum - 1, seeded and cut to strips
Onion - 1, peeled and sliced
Tomato - 1 small, seeded and sliced
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Crushed Pepper - 3/4 tsp or more
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Pizza sauce(or tomato ketchup) - 3-4 tbsp + more
Pizza cheese grated - 3/4 cup
Italian seasoning - as needed


Preparation:

1. Heat a pan and add oil followed by onions, tomato, bellpepper and babycorns. Add soy sauce and crushed pepper and saute for 3-4 mins. Add enough salt. Note that soy sauce has a little salt in it, so add just a little more.
2. Place the pizza base on an oven tray. Spread the pizza sauce evenly. Take 1/3rd of the cheese and spread it on top of the sauce. Now add the sauteed veggies and spread evenly.
3. Add pizza sauce on the topping if you like. Spread rest of the cheese and sprinkle the italian seasoning.
4. Place the tray in the microwave. Use the grill mode and the pizza gets done in 7-8 mins. You can see that the cheese has melted and the pizza is ready to serve.

Sending this to Snacks Mela

Dish it Out- Cheese and Tomatoes hosted by Anamika. Dish it Out is the brainchild of Vardhini

Sinful delights by Vardhini

Lets Cook for Christmas - Red and Green

ABC Series: Cakes for Christmas event

Hello friends,

After about 2 months break, Im back to my blog...I was so very busy with travel, my brothers wedding etc. and now Im kind of settled and I  hope that I can keep my blog alive again.

It is festive season and a time to indulge and enjoy. It is also time to announce my ABC Series event. The alphabet for the event is C and I didnt have to think twice. C for CAKES and C for CHRISTMAS :-)

So friends, turn on your ovens and keep baking yummy cakes and send your recipes to my event

Rules for the event:


1. Send any cake or cupcake recipe before 31-Dec-2011.
2. Please link back to this announcement page and use the logo above. To participate, all you need to do is to drop a comment with the recipe URL.
3. Archived entries are most welcome. Please update it with a link to this announcement page and use the logo in the post.
4. If you have any issues in posting a comment, send a mail to events.ramyasrecipe@gmail.com. Non-bloggers can send the recipes to this email id.

Banana Pancake

Sorry friends, this post has no photo as my camera battery is on strike :-( Will try to update a picture next time I make this.

This recipe is from Vatsala's Show and Tell  for Blog Hop Wednesday. I have made Plantain Pancake before, but this recipe is a different one.

Ingredients:


Whole wheat flour - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp
Ripe Banana - 1
Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 4-5 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Butter / Ghee - as needed

The original recipe has cinnamon powder which I didnt add.

Preparation:

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Puree the banana and add to the bowl along with vanilla extract and milk to form a smooth batter. Keep aside for 5-10 mins.
2. Heat a non-stick pan and pour a ladle full of batter and make a pancake. Cook on low flame and when one side is cooked, add a little butter or ghee and flip to the other side. When both sides are cooked well, remove from pan.

Serve with honey.

Off to Blog Hop Wednesday - 7

Re-post for Kerala Kitchen

Im re-posting these dishes for Kerala Kitchen - Oct 2011 hosted by Khushi of A Girl's Diary

Aviyal

Cauliflower and Carrot thoran

Cherupayar Thoran

Kachiya Moru

Pazham Pori

Parippu Vada

Green peas with scrambled egg 

Easy Egg  Roast

Prawns and Mango curry

Pepper Chicken

Mutton Roast

Paneer 65

For Blog Hop Wednesday-Week 6, I cooked from Divyaz Easy Recipes. As I was browsing through her recipes, I got hooked by the Paneer 65. The dish is quick and simple and makes a yummy appetizer.
I have made few changes in the spice powders to suit my family's taste.

Ingedients:

1. Paneer - 250 gms, cubed

2. Red chilly powder - 1 to 2 tsp
Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 3/4 tsp
Cornflour - 2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Curd/yoghurt - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

3. Oil to deep fry
4. Lemon juice - optional to drizzle

Preparation:

1. Cube the paneer to medium size pieces. I used store brought paneer, so I soaked it in hot water for 5-10 mins to soften.
2. Mix all ingredients under item 2 and coat the paneer cubes well with this paste. Keep aside for 15-20 mins.
3. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying and add the paneer cubes. Fry till all sides are golden brown. Drain to kitchen tissue. You may add a dash of lemon juice before serving.

Serve hot.

This is my entry for Blog Hop Wednesday-Week 6 and Anyone can cook

B&W Wednesday - Cadbury World

For Susan's BWW, this pic taken at Cadbury World, Birmingham, UK

A Break...

Hello Friends,

I am flying to India tomorrow and taking a blog break. I have a few scheduled posts, and I would try to post some recipe from my mother's kitchen. Meanwhile, do keep sending entries to my ongoing event ABC Series: BANANA

B&W Wednesday - Farfelle pasta

For Susan's B&W Wednesday

Winner 'Best Dish' - Kerala Kitchen September 2011

I am so glad to share with you all that my dish has been selected as the 'Best Dish' - Kerala Kitchen September 2011 hosted by Divya Kudua.I have been participating in this event for the last few months and I feel very honoured to receive this award.


Winner dish is Paal Pidi (Rice dumplings in coconut milk) 

To view the yummy array of traditional Kerala recipes sent by all participants, checkout the Roundup @ Divya's Easycooking.

100 Yummy Diwali Sweet Recipes - Ebook from IndusLadies

Indusladies is compiling an E-Book called “100 Yummy Diwali Sweet Recipes”. They are collecting sweet/dessert recipes from various bloggers to be featured in this E-Book. If you would like to send your recipes check out this link - 100 Yummy Diwali Sweet Recipes E-book

I am sending these recipes...

Crushed wheat paayasam
Double ka Meetha
Paal Pidi

ABC Series: B for Banana

I am really thrilled by the response received for my new event series - ABC Series. The theme for September was Apple. Thanks to everyone who participated in the event. I am amazed by the variety of dishes prepared with apple, you girls are so innovative with your recipes! Take a look at the 42 recipes I received for the event by clicking the link below...

ABC Series:A for Apple entries


Here is an award from me to all of you who contributed to the event. 

Coming to the theme for October, it is the most commonly used fruit all over the world - BANANA.

Benefits of Banana

• Bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function.
•  Bananas are good for your kidneys and bones: Benefits to the kidneys and the bones are again due to the high potassium content of bananas. A normal intake of potassium suppresses calcium excretion in the urine and minimizes the risk of kidney stones. 
•  Bananas are  recognized for their antacid effects that protect against stomach ulcers and ulcer damage. 
•  In addition, bananas contain pectin, a soluble fiber that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract and ease constipation.  

Rules for the event:
1. Send any recipe that has Banana as one of the ingredient. Banana can be the main ingredient or used in combination with any other ingredients. Raw or ripe bananas can be used. Recipes with Plantains and other related products like banana blossom (flower) are also allowed. Veg and non-veg entries are accepted.
2. Please link back to this announcement page and use the logo above. Link your recipe using the linky tool at the end of the post.
3. Archived entries are most welcome. Please update it with a link to this announcement page and use the logo in the post before linking it.
4. If you have any issues in linking, please drop a comment or send a mail to events.ramyasrecipe@gmail.com. Non-bloggers can send the recipes to this email id.


Please note that you need to add the name of the DISH in the box below and not your name or blog name

Eggless Chocolate Muffins with Butternut Squash

Finally this post has come out of my drafts. I made these muffins last week and totally forgot to post it. These muffins taste very unique with the flavours of butternut squash and chocolate together. This is my first attempt of making muffins without following any recipe and I was very doubtful of the texture of the muffin without using egg or egg substitutes. But after mixing all ingredients, I had a confidence that this would be soft, moist and delicious. The butternut squash pureed with brown sugar itself was so tasty that my daughter started licking from the blender jar :-). Try these muffins for a unique flavour combo.

For those who are not familiar with butternut squash, here is a pic. It tastes similar to pumpkin. You may use pumpkin and follow the same recipe.

 Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1.5 cups
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Unsweetened Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp
Butternut squash - 1
Dark Brown sugar - 3/4 cup
Oil - 1/2 cup

Preparation:

1. Peel the butternut squash using a peeler, scoop out the seeds inside and cut the flesh to small cubes. The peel is very hard to remove with a knife. Steam these cubes till soft, about 10 mins.
2. Once the cubes cool down a little, keep about 10-12 cubes aside. These are to be used to top the muffins. Puree the rest of the cubes along with brown sugar. Keep aside.
3. Preheat oven to 200C and line the muffin tray with paper muffin cases or grease with a little oil.
4. In a mixing bowl, sift together APF, baking soda and cocoa. Add the puree and the oil and combine with a spatula till all the ingredients are incorporated well. Do not mix too much.
5. Scoop into the muffin tray and top it with a cube of the butternut. Bake for 15-25 mins till they are baked well.  Insert a toothpick or cocktail stick to check.

Linking this recipe with 100 day Global Food Festival

Double Ka Meetha

Another Blog Hop Wednesday is here and this time I have a sweet treat from Vaishali's blog  - Ribbons to Pastas. Apart from recipes, Vaishali's blog has a lot of crafts which shows how creative she is. Vaishali has a unique range of Sindhi recipes in her blog which are very new to me. I wanted to try a traditional dish, but unfortunately I couldn't spend much time in the kitchen. My daughter is down with viral fever for more than a week now and she clings to me all day and night. This leaves me with very little time to cook and do other household chores. Regular visitors of my blog would have noticed my absence for a week. So I looked for an easy recipe in her blog and finalized on Double Ka Meetha, a Nawabi dessert which is similar to a bread pudding. I am so very glad that I tried this, it was a sweet treat to the taste buds. It is a tasty and easy dessert option when you have guests and can be made the previous day and refrigerate if you would like to serve chilled. We had half of it while still warm and I refrigerated the other half portion and relished it the next day. I liked the cold one more :-)

I had to make a few changes to Vaishali's recipe due to the unavailability of ingredients mainly Khoya. I used Nestle Coronation Evaporated Milk instead of boiling and thickening milk, which made it much easier. View the original recipe here.

Ingredients:

Bread Slices - 5
Evaporated Milk - a 400 gm tin
Sugar - 1/4 cup or to taste
Cardamom powdered - a pinch or two
Saffron - a pinch
MTR Badam Feast powder - 2 tbsp (Optional. I just added it for the badam flavour)
Nuts and raisins roasted in ghee - to garnish
Ghee or Oil - to deep fry

Preparation:

1. Cut out the edges of the bread and then cut each slice to four. Deep fry the bread pieces and keep aside.
2. Heat the evaporated milk in a pan or in microwave. Add sugar, cardamom, saffron and the badam feast powder and stir well.
3. Arrange the bread slices in an oven safe dish. I used a glass roasting tray for this. Pour the prepared milk and top it with the nuts and raisins roasted in ghee.
4. In an oven pre-heated at 180 C, bake it for 5-7 mins.

Serve warm or refrigerate and serve chilled.

This pic goes to Black and White Wednesday

Off this goes to Blog Hop Wednesday - Week 5,  Diwali Special - Sweets& Savouries at Tickling Palates and Diwali - Festival of lights at Anu's healthy kitchen

Also goes to Khushi's My Diwali My Way

Spinach/Palak Paratha

Palak Paratha with Boondi raitha and Pickle

Ingredients:


1. Spinach/Palak leaves chopped - 2 cups
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chilly paste - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 3/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt for the dough
Oil - 1 to 2 tsp

2. Atta/Whole Wheat Flour - 2 cups
Water for the dough
Butter/Ghee - as needed

Notes:
1. Another method is to puree/grind the spinach mix after sauteing and then mixing it with the dough.
2. Substitute methi (fenugreek leaves) to make Methi Paratha

Preparation:

1. Heat a pan and add the oil. Add all the ingredients listed as item 1 and combine well and saute for a minute or two till the spinach turns darker and shrinks. Remove from the stove and transfer it to a mixing bowl.
2. Add atta and enough water to the same mixing bowl and knead to make a soft dough like roti/chappathi. Keep aside for 10-15 mins.
3. Make lemon sized balls from the dough and roll it the same way like chappathis.
4. Heat a tawa and cook the paratha and flip till both sides are cooked well. After the last flip, smear some ghee or butter.

Serve hot with raitha and pickle, any chutney or curry you like..

Linking to Anyone can cook:Series 34 and to Life is Green