BEST OF 2007

Another year gone by... it was as though just few days back we were in 2007 & celebrated the new year & in a flash i feel a whole year of 365 days has gone past...

Nupur of One hot stove has this event called Best of 2007. Check out more details at :

http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/2007/11/announcing-best-of-2007-event.html

So here i am all set to take part in the event hosted by Nupur! Thanks Nupur for creating & hosting this event. Its a wonderful idea & sure lots of our blogger friends will be taking part in this. Though i am into the world of blogging for just 3 months, i still had so much fun, meeting & making so many new friends & trying out so many recipes! Each one of you has your own special idea, creativity & zillions of recipes & methods. Loved them all & hope to try atleast few recipes from each blog....

So here my Best of 2007 - Top 10 Recipes.

1. Fruit Pizza : This is a very nice dessert & quite easy to make. A crowd pleaser & loved by all. It has a whole bunch of fruits, so a perfect way to get those fruits into our diet.

http://myrandap.blogspot.com/2007/10/fruit-pizza.html

2. Pavakkai Theeyal : A very nice dish if you like Karelas! It’s got a perfect blend of spices & flavours & goes well with both rotis & rice.

http://myrandap.blogspot.com/2007/10/pavakkai-theeyal.html

3. Seven Cups Burfi : A very easy to make sweet & always loved by all. Its my family favourite dessert & i make it often compared to other sweets!

http://myrandap.blogspot.com/2007/11/seven-cups-burfi.html

4. Sanna Polo : A dish you can call a complete meal in itself. An easy to make & healthy dish. Batter can be stored for 3 days.. my kids love this one.

http://myrandap.blogspot.com/2007/11/sanna-polo-cabbage-onion-dosa.html

5. Chicken Curry : Non-veg anytime is loved here. This dish is easy to prepare & comes out great too.

http://myrandap.blogspot.com/2007/11/chicken-curry.html

6. Black eyed bean curry : This is another tasty & slightly different flavoured dish. Easy & tasty!

http://myrandap.blogspot.com/2007/12/black-eyed-bean-curry.html

7. Mochakottai Kolumbu : Aah!! This is an all time favourite at my place.. my better halfs favourite i must say! This tastes so creamy & soft.. it literally melts in your mouth. A tasty bean & perfect gravy.. cant ask for more!

http://myrandap.blogspot.com/2007/12/mochakottai-curry.html

8. Zucchini & bell pepper sweet & sour curry : A blend of 2 veggies with some onions & peanuts.. you get a smooth texture from zucchini, yet a cruchy peanut inbetween, along with the sweet & sour gravy.. goes very well with rotis.

http://myrandap.blogspot.com/2007/12/zucchini-bell-pepper-sweet-sour-curry.html

9. Shrimp Curry : Loved this one.. it was just great masala & shrimp all cooked together to form a spicy jhatpat masaledar shrimp.. vanished with some malaysian parathas!

http://myrandap.blogspot.com/2007/12/shrimp-curry.html

10. Sweet Appo : Appo is loved by all & there r many versions, i stick to this as it comes out good. Easy & fast sweet dish.

http://myrandap.blogspot.com/2007/11/sweet-appo.html

So here are my top 10 dishes.. hope you all liked them !! Will keep more dishes coming in 2008...
WISHING ALL MY FRIENDS & FAMILY, A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR, FILLED WITH GOOD HEALTH, HAPPINESS & PROSPERITY.

Shrimp Curry

Today was my very first try at this shrimp curry & it came out awesome!! Perfect taste & very yum. I got this recipe from my friend Jaya & here i am rightaway sharing with my blogger friends.

Ingredients:

Shrimp - 30 ( cooked & jumbo ones)

Salt - to taste
Oil - 3 tbspn

Fry in oil & grind to a fine paste:

Onion-1

Tomato-1

G.chillies-1

R. chillies-2

Fennel seeds (sombu) - 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 5

Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp

For Marination:

Lemon juice - 1 tbspn

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Wash the shrimp & drain water well from it. Now marinate it in lemon juice, turmeric powder & pepper powder for 10 minutes.

2. In a cooker add little oil & fry all the ingredients listed & gring them to a fine paste.

3. Now add remaining oil & put in the ground masala & fry for 5 minutes. Then add the marinated shrimp & salt & stir everything well.

4. Close cooker & cook for 1-2 whistles. Do not add water.

Your Shrimp curry is ready !

Kulitha Saaru ( Horsegram Saaru)

This is a typical Mangalorean dish i guess! This is a simple & easy to prepare saaru & good for health too.

Ingredients:

Horse gram - 3/4 cup
G. Chillies - 4
Garlic - 1 pod
Salt - to taste
Oil - tsp

Method:

1. Wash the horsegram & soak it over night with 5 cups of water.

2. Pressure cook the same for 7-8 whistles.

3. Using a strainer, seperate the cooked horse gram & the water.

4. Now grind the horse gram to a fine paste & add to the water. Add in sliced g.chillies & salt too. Stir it well. Bring this to a boil.

5. Season with just garlic sauted in oil.

This simple & tasty Saaru is ready...

Banana Fry

Banana fry, is a simple & tasty side dish. I learnt this recipe from my friend Sunitha. I tasted it at her place & loved it, simple & a very nice dish, something different from our normal style of cooking.

Ingredients:

Raw Banana – 2
Garlic – 3 pods
Jeera – 3 tsp
Chili Powder – 1 ½ tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil / Pam spray.

Method:

1. Peel the Bananas & cut them into round slices about ¼’thick.

2. Grind together Garlic, Jeera & Chili powder to a fine paste using little water.

3. In a pan add the cut banana, salt & the paste. Mix everything well with hands & add ¼ cup water & cook till the bananas are 90% done.

4. Now in another flat non-stick Pan, spray some pam & layer these Bananas in a single layer & cover & cook. They will get brown & crispy, turn & cook other side. Repeat same process till all bananas are done.

Banana fry is ready!! Serve it with rice & dhal or even as an appetizer.. goes well with drinks!

Zucchini & Bell Pepper Sweet & Sour Curry.

This combination of Zucchini & Bell pepper goes well & this curry has a tangy & sweet taste. Adding peanuts brings in a crunch too. This recipe i learnt from a friend here & loved it! Something different, but really tasty & a good accompaniment for Chapatis.

Ingredients:

Zucchini - 3

Bell Pepper - 2

Onion - 2

Garlic - 1 pod

Tomato - 2

Tamarind - small lime size (soaked in water)

Sambhar Powder - 2 tsp

Brown Sugar - 3 tsp or more

Peanuts - 1/4 cup ( Dry roasted & Unsalted)

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Cut the Zucchini, Bell Pepper & Onions into medium sized cubes.

2. Add oil in a pan, fry in the chopped garlic. Then add the onions & fry till transparent. Add the tomatoes & fry till its completely cooked.

3. Now add the sambhar powder & fry till the raw smell goes off. Then add in the bell pepper & Zucchini & mix all well. Add the tamarind extract & brown sugar, salt & bring to a good boil.

4. Finally add the crushed peanuts (run for couple of seconds in mixer) & just stir it in & your all set.

A yummy curry is ready to be enjoyed!

Mochakottai Curry

Mochakottai - is a flat creamish coloured bean. I love this bean!! This recipe i learnt from our family friend.

I have tried trying to substitute this with Val - that we get here, but it does not taste like the ones we get in India. I am yet to find an exact replacement of Mochai ! If any of you know please let me know. But i have my stock of Mochakottai that i buy on every trip back home..........

Ingredients:

Mochakottai - 2 cups

Tamarind - 1 small lemon size (soaked in water)

Coconut - 2 tbsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Chili powder - 1&1/2 tsp

Garlic - 2 pods

Brinjal - 2 small

Coconut milk - 1/2 can

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak Mochakottai over night & pressure cook till their soft.

2.Grind together - Coconut, Jeera & Chili powder to a fine paste.

3. In a pan add oil, mustard & then add the sliced garlic & fry till slightly brown. Then add the cut brinjal pieces & saute for 2 minutes.

4. Now add the ground masala & fry till its well done. Then add the coconut milk, Tamarind water, mochakottai & add salt. Bring to a good boil & keep on medium heat till u get a nice & thick consistency.

Your Curry is ready. This goes very well with rice or rotis.

Black Eyed Bean Curry

Black eyed bean, also knows as Chowli (North) , Karamani (South) are very high in protein content. There are quite a few dishes one can make from this & here's my first one.

Sending this to Susan, from the " Well seasoned cook" who's hosting the event - MY LEGUME LOVE AFFAIR. Check more details at :

http://thewellseasonedcook.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-legume-love-affair-event.html

Thanks Susan for hosting a lovely event!

Ingredients:

Black eyed bean - 2 cups

Onion - 3 no

Tomato - 2 no

Ginger-garlic paste - 1tsp

Chili powder - 1 tsp

Channa Masala - 1 tsp

Cilantro - finely chopped

Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak the bean overnight & pressure cook. Be careful not to over cook these.

2. In a pan add oil & finely chopped 2 onions. Grind the other onion into a fine paste.

3. Once slightly done, add Ginger-garlic paste & saute few minutes. Now add the onion paste & fry till the raw smell goes off.

4. Then add chili powder, Channa masala & tomato finely chopped or as puree. Mix all well & bring to a boil.

5. Then add the cooked bean & salt & add little water & bring to a good boil. Add little garam masala & cilantro.

Your curry is ready & this goes well with rotis. Serve a raita as an accompaniment & your all set!

Spinach Parathas

Spinach is a good green for all of us. To sneak it into kids diet, can be a tough job & we as mom's need to try hard to make them eat this. I am sure most of us as kids hated greens & thought it to be yucky, soggy & stinky!! Well, my kids are not any better than i was :-( So i have to get them to eat this in a hidden form & hence we named this Green Parathas... & they love it!

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 2 cups.

Spinach - 4 hand fulls

Green Chillies - 3

Ginger - 1" piece

Salt - to taste

Oil - little

Method:

1. Wash the spinach & put in a vessel along with green chillies & ginger & pressure cook them for couple of whistles.

2. Once it cooled down run it through a blender.

3. Now add this to the wheat flour & add salt & mix like chappathi batter.

4. Roll out like regular chapathis, add little oil & fry both sides.

Serve these just like that or with curry or raita. Real good!!