Carrot Coconut Halwa and Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mom-Her love is like akshyapatram. As I am the only child to my parents, it is obvious how I was pampered even today. I remember my child hood, she would get up early in the morning, finish off spraying water from gate till portico.(Not to mention the kolam). Then gets milk from the booth. When my dad and I wake up, coffee will be right there. Whatever I asked she said 'Yes'. There was never a 'No'. Making me to gobble healthy foods was a tough job for her. I am proud of my mom.

She is my lifetime friend, philosopher, and guide. I can talk to her any matter. I never saw her sitting idle. She kept herself busy. She visited me every month in hostel during college days sometimes bringing food. I always spend time with her in gardening. Coconut trees, shrubs and many plants are nursed by her.

I used to talk about other bloggers to her. She liked everyones recipes. Recent days most of our talks are about who has posted what recipe. I told one of the recipes to her, i.e., carrot halwa. It was from Malar Gandhi. My mom liked it very much (and me too!). When I said that I wanted to try the recipe, she asked me to add coconut as it will taste wonders (she is big fan of coconuts and yes it tasted excellent). I didn't add ghee or condensed milk in the recipe.

She is a very good cook……..I love you mom. This halwa is for you.

Carrot: My family loves carrot. Last night, I went to whole foods and grabbed a big pack of carrots. Every week, I cook carrots for them or feed them raw. My husband's job is to work in front of computer for many hours. So I make sure my husband and everyone in the family takes up enough carrots.

Ingredients for carrot coconut halwa:

Carrot (grated)– 2 cups

Coconut (grated)-2 cups

Sugar – 2 ½ cups

Cashewnuts – 2 tablespoon (broken)

Cardamom powder – 2 pinch

Water – 1 ¼ cups

Method:

Dry roast the cashewnuts, cool them and powder them. Keep it aside.

Take a thick kadai and add the sugar and water.

Melt the sugar and keep in the medium heat.
When the sugar reaches thick consistency (Take cold water in a small bowl.Drop the syrup and it should be thick ball).
Add the carrot and coconut and mix well.

When the mixture thickens add the cashewnut powder and cardamom powder.

Stir well.

When it becomes thick like a ball and leave the sides of the kadai, remove from heat.

Serve chill.

I'm sending this recipe to Shama Nagarajan's "Mother's favorite recipe" event and Sanghi's FIL-Carrot event.

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Mor Kootu

During summer, I used to cook mor kozhumbu or mor kootu at least a week. This is a straightforward side dish but it's extremely exceptional for summer. You can also add your desired veggie for this kootu. This dish has to be gobbled up within 4 to 6 hrs in summer.

Ingredients:

White pumpkin – 300 gm (diced)

Yogurt – ¼ cup

Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon

Grated coconut – ¼ cup

Green chilies – 2

Salt

Seasoning:

Oil as required

Mustard seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Urad dhal – ¼ teaspoon

Asafetida – 2 pinch

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Whole red chili – 2

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

Boil the pumpkin pieces with required water by adding little salt.

Grind cumin seeds, grated coconut, and green chilies into paste with little water.

Add this paste to the boiled pumpkin pieces and keep the heat in simmer mode.

Beat the curd with required salt and add it to the pumpkin.

Let it sit for a minute. Don't boil. Or curd will split.

Remove from fire.

In a small kadai heat the oil.

To the oil, add urad dal and fry till golden brown.

Then add the mustard seeds, asafetida, curry leaves, whole red chili.

When the mustard seeds crackle, add this to the kootu.

Add coriander leaves and mix well.

I'm sending this to the Summer Treats event.

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Rajma Rice

Rajma or kidney beans always attract me by its shape and color. This rajma rice is very simple and quick. It suits well for a lunch box. Even left over rice can be used. You can deseed the chilies or use the red chili powder (I play with heat-->spice sometimes).

Ingredients:

Rajma (canned) – 15.5 oz (439 gm)

Rice – 1 ½ cup

Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon

Cinnamon stick -1

Onion – ½ (sliced)

Grated Ginger – from 1 inch

Green chilies – 2 (chopped)

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon

Amchur powder – 1 teaspoon

Black salt – ½ teaspoon

Oil as required

Salt

Chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Boil the rice by any method and spread it in a plate.

Run the fork thru the rice so that the steam escapes.

Let the rice cool.

Rinse the rajma and drain.

Heat the oil in a kadai.

To the oil, add cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.

When the cumin seed crackles, add the sliced onion and sauté till onion becomes translucent.

Throw in the grated ginger and chopped green chilies and fry for 1 minute.

Toss in the rajma and mix well.

Now add the coriander powder, turmeric powder, amchur powder and salts.

Sprinkle little water on the kadai, so all the masalas will blend well with rajma.

Add the rice and mix well.

Add the coriander leaves and eat with any raita.

Recipe source: Tarla Dalal

Carrot raita:

Ingredients

Grated carrot – 2 cups

Curd – 1 cup

Salt

Mustard seeds – 2 pinch

Roasted and powdered cumin – 2 pinch

Urad dal – 2 pinch

Curry leaf – 1 sprig

Oil

Method:

In a bowl, mix grated carrot, salt, cumin powder in curd.

Season it with remaining ingredients.

I'm sending this dish to the WYF: Quickmeal event. Click on the picture for details.

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Almonds 'n' Jaggery Drink

Ingredients:

Almond – 1 cup

Cashew nuts – ½ cup

Dates (pitted and chopped) - ½ cup

Jaggery powder – 1 cup (or reduce according to your taste)

Mango jam – ½ cup

Method:

Cut the almonds into half. Dry roast them without burning.

Break the cashews and dry roast them.

To the jaggery powder add little water and melt them in low heat. Filter the thick liquid from impurities.

Let it cool.

Now in a blender add the roasted almonds, cashews, dates, jaggery, and mango jam and grind them by adding water.

Serve chill.

Recipe source: From a tamil magazine.

Sent off to the 15-minute event.

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Paneer mutter and chappati roll

Paneer mutter and chappati rolls

This is a quick version of dry paneer mutter. It takes just under 15 minutes to make. Need to have three burners　going　on simultaneously.



Ingredients:
Frozen peas (thawed) - 1 cup
Paneer cubes (small) - 20 pieces
Onion - half (diced)
Ginger (grated) - 1 teaspoon
Tomatoes (without seeds) - 2 (chopped)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 3/4 teaspoon or according to your taste.
Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
Garam Masala - 2 pinches
Salt - to taste
Oil
Coriander leaves for garnishing


Method:
Start three buners.

Burner1 - Simmer
Shallow fry the paneer on all sides.

Burner2 - Medium High flame
Blanch the peas.

Burner3 - Low Medium flame
In a kadai, heat the oil .
To the oil, add cumin seeds.
When the cumin seeds start to dance, add the onion and fry till it becomes translucent.
Add the ginger and saute for 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes an saute for a minute (no need to be mushy). By this time paneer and peas are done.
Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and mix well.
Add half cup of water and mix well. After a minute, add green peas and shallow-fried paneer, garam masala and mix well.
Remove from fire after 2 minutes (should be dry).
Garnish with coriander leaves. May be used as a side for chapati, roti.
　
Chapati roll

Place chappati on a flat surface.
Arrange about 2 spoons of mutter paneer over the chapatti.
Roll the chappati firmly and wrap with a foil or paper napkin at the bottom.
This will serve as a great snack or kiddie lunch.

Paneer mutter and chappati roll, Healthy Yum-Yums, and Green Power-Ups are sent to the 15-minute cooking event.

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Healthy Yum-Yums!

Whole Wheat Sandwiches

You may add any kind of stuffing for the sandwiches. My stuffings are lettuce, swiss cheese slice, sliced tomatoes, pickled sandwich cucumber, pickled sliced Jalapeños (in left side plate). Same stuffing with broccoli sprouts.

Fruit Kebabs

You may add any variety of seasonal fruit of your own choice. In the picture, the fruits are papaya, mango, golden apples, chikoo, strawberries, pineapples. Any flavored yogurt would do as a dipping sauce. In the picture, it's vanilla and cherry yogurt.

Whole wheat sandwich and Fruit kebab sent off to the 15-minute event.

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