Sweet Potato Vada

Today's recipe is a snack using Sweet potatoes.You can have it with any chutney or with tomato ketchup.I have already posted a sweet snack with sweet potato.Here goes the recipe:

Apple Sago Kheer/Apple Sago Payasam

Today's recipe is a delicious Kheer/Payasam with the main ingredients Sago seeds and Apples.Actually this was there in my drafts from Eid .But due to some reasons I couldn't post it at that time,and after that I completely forgot about this.And today in between some images when I saw these images I remembered.You can prepare this ahead for any get together parties or festivals in bulk;this tastes perfect the next day.

Spicy Egg Fry/Hard Boiled Egg Fry

We can make so many dishes using eggs,be it Curries,Snacks ,Sandwiches,Rice,Cakes...the list goes on and on...Eggs are a life saver most of the time because it's something always available in the pantry and these fit into any meal.Today's recipe is a very simple tasty and spicy one which you can make in a jiff.It can be used as a side with Dal(Lentils) or Vegetable curries or even as a snack.

Koorka Thoran/Chinese Potato Stir Fry

Few days back my Hubby when returning from his office came home holding 2-3 covers.One of his colleagues had come from India,Kerala and gave some sweets,homemade pickles and one cover had these hairy root veggie...Koorka/Chinese Potato.In India I used to see these only in the town part groceries but have heard its a very common veggie in other parts of Kerala.No one from our family is into cooking this vegetable,so far I haven't heard anyone say about this either from my family members or my Hubby's side.

Plantain Halwa/Kerala Banana Halwa/Nenthra Pazham Halwa

I have already posted a Halwa,Pumpkin Halwa,in my blog.Today's recipe is again another delicious Halwa...Banana(Plantain) Halwa which requires very little ingredients.Putting together all the ingredients takes very little time but a little patience is needed for the cooking which consumes time.I usually prepare this when nobody is at home, listening to something on my mobile,spooning little little from the halwa onto a small plate and eating (licking my finger)in between from that plate and suddenly the halwa is all ready,see how quick and interesting :) 

Unakka Chemmeen/Dry Prawns Chammanthi

A bowl of rice,any curry and this dry prawns/unakka chemeen chammanti is sometimes all what is needed for lunch.But in the family there are both types of people,one who just loves dry prawns and the rest who just hates it. 

Fruit Salad/Fruit Mix

Today's recipe is a simple fruit salad/chat.We make this often,specially on all days of Ramadan.

Cucumber Stir fry

Cucumber is something almost everybody likes eating raw as such or in salads.Recently I tried this stir fry and was a hit at home.My hubby at first was in the impression that why do I need to cook this when all (kids mainly) are eating this raw without any fuss.Actually Once I had seen my Muthumma(Grandma's big sister) cooking this to make it soft and easy to chew for elderly people and the very little ones with their rice.I just modified it adding chillies and grated coconut and spluttered  mustard seeds and made into a stir fry.

Papaya Juice

There was a time when our house in India was surrounded with Papaya trees,that too large ones.It was many years back,one papaya cut was more than enough for the whole family,so the remaining papayas were given to our neighbours and relatives.But every house had one or two trees.

Carrot-Coconut Pola/A Simple Carrot-Coconut Cake-Guest Post For Mahaslovelyhome

I was very excited when Usha asked me if I could do a guest post as a part of her 3rd blog anniversary.Usha is a lovely friend whom I got through blogging and connected through facebook.

Almond-Date Smoothie

We are flying to India tomorrow evening InShaAllah.Once when we finished booking our tickets I found there were only a very few days left to go and so much of work to finish starting from purchasing and packing to take to India which has no end till the very last moment. Then finishing off the things in the refrigerator and all that which gets spoiled within one month from the pantry,cleaning, washing and in between some cooking.But actually cooking has reduced a lot; There's only a lunch cooked and the same curry is taken for dinner with Kuboos ( there will be many frown faces at the dining table but no other alternative from my side hehe...)

Chemmeen Petti/Prawns Stuffed Pancakes - Guest Post For Yummy Food

Today I am doing a guest post for one of my favorite blogger Lubna who blogs at Yummy Food.I was so excited when I got an  invitation to do a post on her yearly Ramadan event 'Joy From Fasting To Feasting' which is on its eighth successful year.Who would say ''no'' to this amazing blogger.

       We have almost reached the end of this Holy month.May The Almighty accept all our ibaadah and forgive us our sins.Hope whatever we have charged ourselves good with this Ramadan, light upon us throughout... Aameen.
      Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said :"Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime."

    With the tight schedule of Ramadan and a maintenance work going around in my house,as mentioned in my previous post,which Alhamdulillah has got over now;I came up with this Chemmeen Petti/Prawns Stuffed Pancakes for Lubna's space.
 During Ramadan apart from Chicken,Beef or Veggies even snacks made with Prawns reach our Iftar table like the Prawns Pakodas Prawns Ada etc...Not too much of snacks are prepared but to please my children there's always a snack at the table.
  Once the filling is ready it's real easy to make this snack.Do visit  Lubna's space for the recipe 

JazakAllah Khairan Lubna for this great opportunity.

Ingredients

For the filling 

Prawns        300 gm

 (Marinate the prawns with 1/4 tsp chilli powder and a little salt.)

Onion              3 (finely chopped)

Ginger paste     1/4 tsp

Garlic paste       1/2 tsp

Green chilli       3 (pasted)

Turmeric powder  1/4 tsp

Garam masala       1/2 tsp

Curry leaves        a few chopped

Salt                 as per taste

Oil                  as needed 

For the Pancakes

All Purpose Flour/Maida   1 cup

Egg Yolks           of 2 eggs

Salt                 to taste

Water            11/2 cup (approx.)

Further Ingredients for frying

Egg Whites       of 2 eggs

Chilli powder    1/4 tsp 

Oil              to shallow fry  

Method  

-Heat oil in a frying pan and shallow fry the marinated prawns.Set this aside.

-Now heat another pan,add 2-3 tsp of oil and add the chopped onion.After a minute add the pasted ginger,garlic and the green chillies.Saute well till the onions turn translucent.

-Add the remaining ingredients and saute.Last add the fried prawns,mix well and turn off the flame.

-Now for the batter,first separate the egg whites and yolks as mentioned in the ingredients.Use yolks for the batter and whites for the frying part.

-In a bowl add the egg yolks,salt and the flour.Add water little by little and whisk this well to form a smooth batter without any lumps.The consistency should neither be too thick nor too thin,so be careful while adding water.

-Place a non stick pan on medium heat.When the pan turns hot(not too hot),grease the pan with a little oil and pour a small ladleful of the batter and immediately swirl the pan and make a thin pancake.Just as the top part dries and the sides leave the pan take it out on to a plate.

-Add a little filling at the center of the pancake and fold all the four sides of the pancake inwards in the form of a small box.

-Repeat the same process with rest of the batter and the filling.

-Now take the reserved egg whites in a bowl,whisk it a little adding the chilli powder.Heat a frying pan and add oil.When the oil turns hot dip each of these filled pancakes in the prepared egg mix and fry till both sides are done.Transfer onto a kitchen tissue.

-Ready to serve.

Thari Kachiyathu/Thari Kanji / Semolina Drink

A warm drink is always a must on our Iftar table.Last year I had posted a Nombu Kanji which is sometimes replaced with this Thari kachiyathu.This post was in my drafts from last year.But when Ramadan got over I delayed the post but now again we have reached the last days of this blessed month.With the tight schedule of Ramadan this year we had a maintenance work also going around in and outside my house.The computer connections were sometimes disconnected. Everything has somewhat got over now.All in all,Alhamdulillah I managed to complete one long pending guest post and did a new one too..phew!But somehow I wanted to put this post before Ramadan ended.

Rambutan Lemonade-Along With My Memories About A Singapore Trip

I ate this fruit for the first time during a holiday trip in Singapore.This translucent pale whitish fruit with a hairy skin (which is why it got its name) had piqued my interest at that age.You can know more about this fruit here.

Muringakka Parippu curry/Drumstick Dal Curry

Here in Doha we can find a Drumstick tree in almost every Indian family villas,Drumsticks hanging outside their gate walls.Few days back I got a bundle of them from one of my neighbours.So prepared a Drumstick dal curry using a few.Earlier I had posted a Drumstick Stir Fry and Drumstick Prawns curry.

Chicken Kurma/Easy Chicken Kurma

Today's recipe is a simple -easy to make- Chicken Kurma.There are different ways of making chicken kurma apart from the authentic way.At some places the gravy is made using curd,cream,nuts etc with the chicken while others alter it with poppy seeds and cream or coconut.But all in all,it has a  rich and creamy texture.

Beetroot MilkShake

After a break, here I am with a beautiful colored milkshake...don't worry it tastes yummy too.I think milkshakes are done with fruits and we have very little option with veggies that is,a few other than diet juices.I am a carrot-person who likes eating it raw.Nobody is that fond of beetroot in my family,but this milkshake was finished off with ease.
 The recipe is similar to the making of Carrot Shake.The Addition of a scoop of vanilla ice cream with the other ingredients while blending elevates its taste.Now on to the recipe

Ingredients
Beetroot       1 medium size
Cold Milk       250 ml
Vanilla ice cream  1 scoop + a little for topping
Sugar    to taste

Method of preparation
-Peel the skin of the beetroot and roughly chop it.
-Pressure cook this till tender,2-3 whistles.Let it cool.
-Once cooled add this with the other ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth.
-Serve into glasses with ice cream on top.