Aug 29, 2013

Rava Ladoo


Rava Ladoo is a sweet ball made from semolina (rava or sooji) made during festive occasions. This dessert recipe is extremely easy and come in very handy for last minute preparations during festivals. 

 This year for Janmashtami, I had been planning to make easy sweet. Just a couple of weeks ago, I made Kesari Bath for Varamahalakshmi festival. I decided to make rava ladoo for Krishna Jayanthi and  made this ladoo for the first time on Janmashtami. 



The ingredients for this recipe is easily available in your kitchen pantry and steps for this recipe is very simple.



Ingredients

1 cup Semolina (rava)
3/4 cup Sugar
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
1/4 cup Cashew nuts
1/2 cup Ghee
1/4 cup Milk

Method

  • Roast rava in a pan with 1 tsp of ghee. Saute in low heat for 5-8 minutes until ghee is completely absorbed by rava

  • Add sugar and fry for a minute. Also add ghee and cardamom powder. Transfer the contents to a plate or mixing bowl

  • In the same pan, heat 1 tsp of ghee and roast cashew nuts until it turns golden brown

  • Now, add cashew nuts  to roasted rava-sugar mixture. Add another 2 tsp of ghee and mix well
  • Add 1 tsp of milk to small portion of rava-sugar mixture. Mix well and roll it into 1 inch ball

  • Repeat above step to roll remaining balls. Add milk as required

  • Store it in cool and dry place in an air tight container
Note: 
  • Don't add excess milk. Use it in small portions while rolling ladoo's individually
  • I used only 4 tsp of ghee, you can add more ghee to add richness to ladoo
  • Freshly grated coconut can also be added.

Uppu Seedai


Uppu Seedai (crispy rice balls)is a festive savory snack made exclusively for Gokulashtami. It is made with rice flour, urad dal flour along with special condiments. Seedai (crispy rice balls) comes both in sweet and savory versions. This recipe is the  savory version.


I made this snack for the first time for specially for Krishna Janmashtami. I learnt this recipe from fellow bloggers and that's how I got introduced to this recipe. It is a deep-fried snack and highly addictive. It looks like rice stones and texture wise- it is very crunchy. In this recipe, I have added cumin seeds and red chili powder. Traditionally, these two ingredients are not added. 


Ingredients

1 cup Rice flour
1 1/2 tsp Urad Dal flour
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Red chili powder
1/2 tsp Sesame seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Ghee or butter (at room temperature)
water
Oil  for deep frying

Method

  • Mix rice flour, urad dal flour, asafoetida, red chili powder, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, ghee and salt

  • Add about 3/4 cup - 1 cup of  water to knead the dough. It should be soft and pliable
  • Now roll the dough into small balls. Approximately 1 cm or 2 cm.
                               
  • Spread the rolled balls on a absorbent paper for 5 to 10 minutes and leave it for air dry
  • Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel for deep frying. Drop handful of  balls to the oil and fry in medium flame until it turns brown color

  • Use absorbent paper to drain excess oil

  • After it has completely cooled store it in a air tight container

Aug 28, 2013

Thayir Oats


Thayir sadam literally means curd rice or yogurt rice.  Typically in any South-Indian meal, thayir sadam is served at the end. It is also offered to god and served as prasadam in temples.

Thayir sadam is my favorite comfort food of all. It is usually made with already cooked rice and yogurt which is seasoned with mustard seeds, green chilies, curry leaves, bengal gram, asafoetida, pomogranate and grapes.  The recipe below has a little twist to it. Instead of rice, I used oats in preparing this recipe.

Cooking time : 30 min | Serves: 2


Ingredients

1 cup Traditional oats
2 cups Yogurt
1 cup water
salt

For seasoning
2 tsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Bengal gram 
1 sprig of curry leaves
2 Green chilies, finely chopped
1 Red Chilies
1 tsp Ginger, grated
2-3 sprigs of Cilantro

Method

  • Boil water in a large pot. Add oats and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes until oats are completely cooked and water completely reduces. Cool this mixture completely


  • Now heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, Bengal gram, red chilies and curry leaves. When it starts to sizzle, pour the seasoning to the cooled cooked oats
  • Add yogurt, freshly grated ginger, cilantro, green chilies and adjust salt as per taste. Mix well

  • Serve with lemon or mango pickle (optional)

You may also like:
Thayir Semiya
Thayir Sadham

Aug 27, 2013

Grilled Sausage Skewers


Juicy and mouthwatering sausages are grilled to perfection. Crisp and intensely glazed vegetables with paprika add a lot of taste to this recipe. 

This is hardly a recipe and need no preparation. All you need is store bought completely cooked sausage and some vegetables for grilling.

Ingredients

4 Sausages, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Bell peppers, cut into inch squares
1 Red Onion, cut into squares
8-10 skewers

For Paprika glaze
2 tsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Taco seasoning

Method


  •  Soak skewers in water for 45 minutes
  • Thread sausages, bell peppers, and onions alternatively

  • In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients under paprika glaze

  • Place skewers on a preheated griddle or on a grill. Smear paprika glaze all over vegetables and sausage

  • Serve hot with a side of salad


Aug 26, 2013

Kesari Bath | Sooji Ka Halwa


Kesari Bath is a traditional sweet recipe in Karnataka. Its one of the sweet recipes made quiet often at homes. Its also served for breakfast with Upma and you will find it in almost all fast-food menu items. 

Kesari Bath is made mainly with 4 ingredients- chiroti rava (fine sooji), milk, sugar and ghee. Also, either cloves or cardamon is used for flavoring along with dried fruits and saffron. 

I made this recipe for Varamahalakshmi festival. And its the first time, I made it with chiroti rava which came out very well. I was very happy with the outcome of this recipe. 

Ingredients

1 cup Chiroti Rava (fine sooji)
1 cup sugar
1 cup Ghee
2 cups Milk
1/2 cup cashew nuts
4 cloves
pinch of saffron strands

Method

  • In a sauce pan, roast chiroti rava until it starts to turn golden brown. Transfer rava to a plate
  • Add a tsp of ghee and roast cashew nuts until it turns golden brown. Transfer it to the same plate as above
  • Now boil the milk
  • Add sugar, saffron strands, cashewnuts and cloves. Stir well until sugar completely dissolves in milk
  • Lower the flame and slowly add rave to the sauce pan while stirring slowly in one direction to avoid formation of lumps
  • Add ghee and mix everything together
  • Serve hot

Aug 25, 2013

Lemonade

Beat the heat with homemade fresh lemonade with just lemons, sugar and water!! 

Summer is almost coming to an end and I always wanted to add another thirst quenching recipe in Shruchi Kitchen. I made this lemonade almost everyday. So here's the recipe !!


Ingredients

3 Glasses of water
2 Lemons
6 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Cardamon powder

Methods

  • In a pitcher, dissolve sugar and water with constant stirring
  • Squeeze fresh lemons and add cardamom powder
  • Serve chilled
                                          

Aug 21, 2013

Potato-Egg Plant fry (Aloogadde Badanekayi palya)


I recently encountered a family from Mysore where I was volunteering in the kitchen at the temple and I was assisting them with cooking. I was really fascinated with their style of cooking. This has inspired me to add more recipes to Mysoorean cuisine in Shruchi Kitchen.For me preparing Mysorean dishes is simple, but the aroma and the taste makes you want to eat more and more. And trust me it is very addicting !!

Some of my favorite dishes in Mysoorean cuisine are bisibelebath, vangibath, and puliogare. These recipes are made mainly with homemade spice mix which creates wonders to these dishes. Also, this spice mix is a multipurpose ingredient and its very handy especially during times when there is time constraint in cooking.

So, in this recipe, I have used the vangibath spice mix to prepare potato-egg plant fry. Its very delicious and a toothsome recipe. Previously, I had posted similar recipe called Brinjal - Potato Palya in Mysoorean Style. But this recipe is completely different from previous one.




Ingredients

1 Medium sized Egg plant, cubed
1 potato, cubed
1 Onion, diced
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 sprig of Curry leaves
1 1/2 tsp Vangibath powder
Salt
4 tsp oil

Method

  • In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil; add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaved
  • Add onion and saute for a minute
  • Add potatoes and saute for 5 minutes
  • Add vangibath powder and saute for a minute
  • Add egg plant and mix well. Cook in medium-low for 5 minutes and adjust salt as per taste
  • Saute for another 5 - 10 minutes until vegetables are completely cooked
  • Serve hot with rice or chapathi

Aug 15, 2013

Godi Dosa | Wheat Dosa

Godi (wheat) dosa is a breakfast recipe in South Indian Cuisine. This is an instant recipe and doesn't require any preparation in advance. 

We make different kinds of dosas at home like plain dosa, masala dosa, vegetable dosa, rava dosa, maida dosa and godi dosa. This recipe welcomes a change from regular dosas. The flavors from cumin seeds and spiciness from green chilies adds bonus to the taste. I made  Fish Curry  as a side dish for this recipe. Both PG and me are a  great fan of this recipe.

Most importantly, this recipe doesn't need fermentation. You can also mix ragi flour isntead of wheat flour which make ragi dosa. The important ingredient in this recipe is rice flour which adds crispness to the dosa. 

This recipe is a worth to try especially when time is a big constraint !! 



Ingredients

1 cup Wheat flour
1/2 cup Rice flour
1 tsp Cumin seeds
3 Green chilies, finely chopped
1 Onion, finely chopped
Small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 tsp baking soda
Water
Salt
Oil

Method

  • In a mixing bowl, mix wheat flour, rice flour, cumin seeds, green chilies, onions, cilantro and salt. Add sufficient water to make a thin batter. Keep it aside for 15 minutes


  • Pour the batter gently onto the center of a preheated flat pan or a griddle. Gently spread the batter into 1mm thick

  • Add few drops of oil on the edges. Roast it evenly until it turns brown and turn the dosa on the other side. Cook for 30 sec

  • Serve hot with chutney or any curry

Aug 9, 2013

Menasinakai Bajji

Menasinakai bajji is a fiery popular street food and an excellent snack for cold evenings with a cup of chai. You can't ask more for a nice evening refreshments!!



Me and Nag are very fond of deep fired snacks. When we were young, our dad used to bring bajjis almost every day in evenings.  Since then bajjis has become our favorite snack. Now that Nag is staying with us for vacation, he makes it for me and PG before we come from work. 



This recipe, Menasinakai bajji is made with banana peppers. It is slightly fleshy and mildly spicy. Previously on Shruchi Kitchen, I had posted Balekai bajji and Menasinakayi bajji. The recipe is more or less similar to the later. In this recipe, the ingredients for the batter is slightly different and that is reason we have posted this recipe again. The formula for the batter in this recipe is more crispy on outside and very soft bread like on inside.


Ingredients

3 Banana peppers, cut into 3 inches
1 cup Chickpea flour (besan)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp Red Chili powder
1/4 Baking powder
Salt
Oil for deep frying

Procedure

  • In a mixing bowl, mix chickpea flour, asafoetida, red chili powder and baking powder. Adjust salt as per taste, Add water to make thick batter

  • In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil for deep frying
  • Dip banana pepper in chickpea batter and gently leave it in oil

  • Fry evenly on both sides. Use absorbent paper to drain excess oil
  • Serve hot with spicy green chutney

Aug 8, 2013

Tandoori Panner Tikka

Juicy nuggets of panner is spiced extravagantly with paprika, kasturi methi, ginger, garlic, garam masala and cumin powder. It is very simple and ready to eat snack. 

Panner is an excellent option for vegetarians who are considering both indoor and outdoor grilling options. It is a food bon viant and an excellent starter.





Ingredients

100gms Panner, cubed
1 Bell Pepper, cut into squares
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Red Chili powder
1/4 tsp Dried Parsely
1/2 tsp Kasturi Methi
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp Garam masala
2 cloves of Garlic
small piece of ginger, crushed
Salt
Oil
3-6 skewers

Method

  • In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients except for panner and bell pepper. Adjust salt as per taste

  • Add panner and bell pepper. Apply spice rub evenly over paneer and bell pepper
  • Soak skewers in water for 45 minutes
  • Thread panner and bell pepper alternatively in skewers
  • Place skewers on a preheated griddle. Grill in medium -high and smear oil occasionally
  • Serve hot with a side of salad