Tomato Rasam

The Rasam

Ingredients:
Tomatoes - 4 (ripe & medium-sized)
Tuvar dal - ¼ cup
Rasam powder - 1 tsp.
Garlic (big) - 4 cloves (crushed)
Green chilies - 2 (slit into halves)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Salt
Oil
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves (chopped) - 2 tbsp.
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp.

Method:
Boil the tomatoes and peel the skin. Puree  the tomatoes after peeling.
Boil the dal and keep aside.
In a bowl, mix tomato puree, water and boiled & mashed dal along with its water, salt, turmeric powder.
Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Allow them to crackle.
Add green chilies and garlic & sauté for 2 minutes.
Pour the rasam mixture.
Now add the rasam powder and curry leaves.
Let it cook in a medium-flame.
When there is an arising of foam, switch off the stove (don’t allow to boil).
Now add the coriander leaves and enjoy the rasam.


Rasam Powder
Ingredients:
Tuvar dal - 1 tsp.
Chana dal - ½ tsp.
Cumin seeds - ½ tsp.
Pepper - ¼ tsp.
Whole dry red chilies - 2
Coriander seeds - ¼ tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - ¼ tsp.
Asafetida - 2 pinches
Oil - ¼ tsp.

Method:
Dry roast the cumin seeds, pepper, fenugreek seeds and asafetida.
Fry tuvar dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, red chilies in ¼ tsp. of oil.
Let both of the mixtures cool.
After cooling, grind the spices together.

Sent off to Shama's "Family's Favorite Food Event".

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Carrot & Papaya Kootu

Ingredients:
Carrot - 4 (medium-chopped)
Papaya(green) - ½ (medium-chopped)
Green peas - ½ cup
Moong Dal - ½ cup
Salt
Turmeric - a pinch
Coriander leaves (chopped) - few
To grind:
Chana dal - 1 tbsp.
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp.
Whole dry red chili -2
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Coconut - 1 tbsp. (grated)
Green chili - 1

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - ½ tsp.
Asafetida - 2 pinches
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Oil

Method:
Pressure cook the veggies and dal by adding required water, salt and turmeric powder.
Fry the chana dal, coriander seeds and red chili in a teaspoon of oil. Let it cool.
Now throw the roasted ingredients and other remaining ingredients in the “to grind” list in a blender.
Grind them without adding water.
Heat oil and add the seasonings.
Pour the boiled dal and veggies into the seasoning.
Add the ground paste and mix well.
Check for salt.
Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Finally add the coriander leaves.

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Mixed Salad

Ingredients:
Red pepper - ½
Yellow pepper - ½
Cucumber - 1 (small)
Spinach - 10 leaves
Onions - 1
Carrots - 1
Lettuce
Sweet potato - 1 (boiled, peeled and cubed)
Mint leaves - few
Oregano
Lemon juice - a few drops
Red chili flakes
Walnuts - 8
Salt

Method:
Cut red, yellow pepper, cucumber, onion, cucumber, carrot and lettuce.
Dry roast the walnuts and cut into half.
Toss all in a bowl.
Enjoy!


Sent off to Divya's "Show Me Your Salad".

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Strawberry & Pineapple Smoothie

Ingredients:
Strawberry - 1 cup
Pine apple - 1 cup
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Dates syrup - 2 tbsp.
Ice cubes - 5

Method:
Throw all the ingredients in a blender and blend.
Pour the smoothie in a tall glass and drink.


Sent off to PJ's "No Cook Event".

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Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 2 cups
Powdered sugar - ½ cup
Unsalted butter - 1 cup (room temperature)
Salt - ¼ tsp.
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp.
Food color - 2 to 3 drops

Method:
In a bowl, combine the sifted flour and salt.
In another mixing bowl, cream the butter with electric mixer or hand mixer.
Add the sugar and beat until smooth (for 2 minutes).
Beat in the vanilla extract and food color.
Stir in the flour till incorporated (forms like a soft dough-better to use hands).
Flatten the dough into a disk shape and wrap in plastic wrap,
Chill the dough for one hour.
On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick ( I flattened the dough with right palm).
Cut into desired shapes with the help of the lightly floured cookie cutter.
Place the cookies on the cookie tray with a parchment paper.
Keep in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Bake in a preheated oven for 10-14 minutes or until the cookies are slightly browned.
Cool them on a wire rack.
Store them in an air-tight container for a week.
Source : Joy of cooking


Sent off to Priya's  "Hearts for St. Valentines' Day".

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Sesame Buns

One day, as usual, I was crawling in Google Reader, and suddenly, I saw Sunitha’s post popping in. I checked the post and I had the urge inside me to give this a try later but I didn’t expect myself to try it now.

After reading the method of the recipe, I was skeptical that if it was possible for me to follow the instructions. Then I decided to prepare this today morning.

The recipe goes for two packets of yeast as I didn’t know the exact measurements, & I wanted to ask her about it but unfortunately for me, it was already night-time (I think so).

So I searched in the internet and found out that 1 packet = 7 gm. So I added 1 tbsp. of yeast.

Always check the manufacturing date while buying a new packet of yeast. If yeast doesn’t become frothy discard it and buy a new one. To check the warm water, and dip your clean finger & you should be able to bear the heat. This is the right stage for adding the yeast.

Thanks to Sunitha for this recipe.

Ingredients:
Flour - 4-5 cups
Milk - 1 ½ cup
Dry yeast - 1 tbsp.
Warm water - ¼ cup
Vegetable oil - ½ cup
Granulated sugar - ¼ cup
Salt - 1 tsp.
White sesame seeds (to sprinkle on top of the buns)

Method:
Fill a bowl with warm water and incorporate yeast, sugar & water.
Keep it for 10-15 minutes to turn frothy (mine took 15).
Then combine milk, oil, sugar and salt in another large bowl for kneading the dough. (be sure that they are at room temperature).
In case the milk is cold, warm the milk in a microwave and make sure it won’t get hot. Otherwise, it will kill the poor, friendly, cute yeast. :’(
Mix the cup of yeast and add the flour.
Add a cup of flour at a time and keep stirring the mixture till you finish 4 cups of flour.
If you can’t knead the dough and it’s gooey, add spoons of flour at a time.
Flour the clean counter top.
Place the dough on the floured countertop and incorporate the flour slowly into the dough kneading well.
The dough should be in a sticky condition.
Use the index finger and the middle finger to press the dough. If the hole stays, then the dough is kneaded well.
Leave it to rise for an hour and throw a good glance at it.
To make sure the dough has risen, touch it lightly and if the imprint still stays, then it has risen well.
When it has risen fully, punch down the dough and take it in your hand.
Then shape it like a mushroom. Smooth the top and the dough tucked under.
Let it rise once more around 20 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
Either punch the dough again and shape it or cut it with a knife or shape.
Lay the buns on the greased sheet or the tray. Brush the buns with milk and sprinkle sesame on top.
Leave it covered to double around 20 minutes.

(There was a power cut in between in the house. Both the back-up power and the inverter power didn’t have enough capacity to get the oven running, so I had to wait for 40 minutes for the electricity).

Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10-15 minutes.
After baking brush butter on top while the buns are hot.

Sent off to Priya's "CWS" event.

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