Simple Kalakhand recipe

I made Kalakhand recipe yesterday and it came out very well.It was my mom's birthday.She is the one who prepares delicious dishes on all our birthdays/any occasions /no occasion.This time mom is with me on her budday and I thought I will not prepare routine payasam(kheer) or gulabjamun,so made this.I used virigina paalu thus just prepared small quantity.Amma loved it :)
This is very simple ,all you need is,

Ingredients

1. Milk
2. Milkmaid(Condensed milk)
3. Sugar
4. Paneer
5. Nuts
6. Ghee 
7. Lemon

Simple Kalakhand recipe

Method:

1. If you do not have paneer,then add some milk in a pan on flame and when its hot add 2-3 drops of lemon juice or start adding some sugar.While stirring continuously,milk curdles ,thus paneer is formed by removing excess of water from this and keep the paneer aside.
2. Now,pour milk in a pan and add some sugar and milkmaid.Also,add Paneer and keep stirring until you get smooth thickness.Check the ratio of sugar and milkmaid ,since you add milkmaid,needn't add more sugar.
3. Remove the sweet from flame.
4. Add ghee on a flat plate and pour the sweet onto plate.Add the nicely thin sliced nuts on the top and cut the sweet into diamond shape pieces.

Enjoy the Simple Kalakhand recipe as it is or once it is cooled.Either way it tastes yummy and transparent . :) 

Sabudan Khichdi

Very Light ,simple,dish.Its nutritious ,Sabudan Khichdi.Have it for your snacks at afternoon,Morning breakfast,along with any Milkshake or for Dinner.

Ingredients

Sabudana(Not too small size)
Peanuts
garlic paste
Green chillies
Cumin(Jeera)
Mustard Seeds
Oil
Salt
Dry Coconut powder (Optional)
Hing
Turmeric

Method:

1. Wash Sabudan with water and Soak Sabudan for minimum 3 hours (6 hours will be good) in JUST enough water,not more than the amount required to just dip.
2. After soaking for 6 hours ,sabudan is dry and the balls are seperate.
3. Use any vegetables of your taste,like Potatoes,Carrot,Beans,Peas.I Used Carrot and peas.Cut Green chilli half lengthwise.
4. Boil Carrot ,peas with pinch of salt.
5. Heat oil in a pan, add Hing,Cumin,Green chilli,Garlic paste,roasted and crushed peanuts.
6. Add boiled carrot and peas,fry for a minute.Add turmeric and soaked sabudana,in a medium flame combine the ingredients.

Sabudan slowly turns transparent,this is when you can switch off the flame and serve  :)

NOTE : While Sabudan soaking ,if we pour more water,then during cooking sabudan,it sticks.Addition of Peas adds nice look and taste.You can also use Potatoes in place of carrot.

Simple Mango grated pickle

Mango Mukkala Pachadi

As mentioned in my earlier post of Menthi Baddalu Pickle Recipe,here is my recipe with Mango once again , Quick mango pickle,Mukkala Pachadi :D;).

Mango Thurumu Pachadi,that is Mango grated nicely and pickle is made by few while I am using thin cut pieces of Mango :)

All you will need is .

Raw Mango,
Mustard Seeds,
Red Chilli Powder,
Oil,
Salt,
Asafoetida (Hing).

Now this is simple.

Method :

1. Peel the skin of mango and before doing anything,taste the mango to ensure its NOT sweet.
2. Cut the mango into thin nice pieces (OR grate if you want thurumu pachadi).
3. We have to mix powder with these pieces.For the powder,Take Mustard seeds,in a jar and grind them.
4. Add Aavapodi(Mustard powder) and red chilli powder,salt  to the mango pieces we made ready.
5. Heat some oil in a pan and add Asafoetida ,some mustard seeds .Let it cool a bit(not fully) and add to our pickle.

That's it.Simple and easy Mango Mukkala Pachadi or Thurumu Pachadi is ready,Looks wow :)

Mango methi pickle (menthi baddalu)

Menthi Baddalu

Month of January and Mangoes?
Yes,Big Mangoes from the Fresh Vegetable market in chennai and I was tempted to do Menthi baddalu and Mukkala Pachadi,so it will also serve as a combination pickle with steam dosa and uthappam this weekend :D

These days,I became a fan of Carrot Mukkala Pachadi learnt from my mother-in-law and have been just eating the same for a long time.It is very tasty,Will post the recipe soon :).
So ,its been a while I haven't had any pickle(pachadi) of Mango and made this.

For Mukkala Pachadi ,I have simple method shown here :)


Mango methi pickle or Menthi Baddalu :All you need is...

Raw Mango
Menthulu (Methi seeds)
Aavalu ( Mustard Seeds)
Endu Mirchi (Red chillies)
Salt
Oil
Asafoetida (Hing)


Method:

1. Peel the skin of mango and before doing anything,taste the mango to ensure its NOT sweet.
2. Cut the mango in equal sized pieces. and keep aside.
3. We have to mix powder with these pieces.For the powder,fry Methi seeds,mustard seeds,Red chillies as required in small tablespoon of oil.Put them in a jar an grind to powder.
4. Finally,Add this powder to the pieces,add some salt.
5. Heat some oil in a pan and add Asafoetida and some mustard seeds .Let it cool a bit(not fully) and add to our pickle.

NOTE:

1. Pickle looks dry for some time post preparation,as the methi-mustard-chilli powder should get into the mango very well.So Dont worry looking at the texture .Smell is mildly strong ;) and tastes yummy.
2. Color of Mango methi pickle is not Red,Its dark(Say brownish red).

Fruit Salad

Right from my childhood,Fruit Salad is been one of my favorite dish.Custard Salad,wow,looks great,tastes heaven and healthier ;)  

Custard Fruit Salad

Did you notice any difference for the Fruit salad prepared at home and that ordered outside.Yes its the milk consistency,the thickness :)

All we need is ,

Custard powder

Milk

Sugar

Fruits.

Method:

1. Mix Custard powder in some water and keep aside
2. Boil milk in a sauce pan and while it is is boiled, add custard powder mixed in water.
3. Keep mixing this  milk as it slowly thickens.
4. Now add required amount of sugar and mix properly.When required thickness is reached,switch off the flame and add fruits.My choice of fruits are Apple,Pear,Orange,Banana,Papaya :).

Refrigerate and enjoy the Custard fruit salad once cooled. 

Note: 

1. Powder shouldn't be mixed in milk directly to avoid lumps formation.
2. Don't make it very thick as it thickens a bit after refrigerating .
3. You can add any fruits of your choice but ,I must tell you,not to avoid banana as it gives a very good flavor for the fruit salad.You can have pomegranate seeds as topping .
4. You can also prepare the mixture and add cut fruits just before eating.
5. Cut all the fruits in the same shape :)
6. Simple Custard Fruit Salad that is tasty,and that can be prepared in 15 minutes .

I enjoyed Custard Fruit Salad.Did you? 

Potato Onion Curry

Knowing Potato is not a healthy food :( I will still say,It is my FAVORITE.

Whenever I am in no mood, I prepare potato fry and have it .I am that kind of a potato freak.

Here is a simple yummy potato onion fry, different from our regular plain fry.

We need,

Potato Onion Curry

Potatos,
Onion,
Chilli powder,
Salt,
Turmeric,
Coriander (Optional)

1. Cut the potatoes(not too small) and onions,keep aside.
2. Pour some oil in a frying pan, add cumin,mustard seeds,pinch of turmeric and add in the potato cubes.If you are the one who loves fried items,then fry the potato in this step directly.Else, you need healthier recipe, then add half boiled potatoes .
3. After adding the Potato cubes,Cover the pan with lid,let the veggie soften a bit and now add salt and onion .Let them fry when you will have to add red chilli powder.Mix and fry for some time.
4. Garnish with coriander for a nice flavor.

Unlike fry with more of oil, this is bit boiled with addition of good flavor of onion and coriander :).

I loved Potato Onion Curry :)

Moms Food!

I was so anxious to visit Amma as its been 4 months I haven't visited my home.Day finally has come when me and my hubby started to Hyderabad.5 days have passed so quickly.Mom made some of my favorite dishes and the rest are exception as they are his favorite :).Back to Chennai today,is a gloomy day,now I recollect how badly I missed home.

All the past 3 weeks I was preparing recipes of my mom,unknowingly.I was probably missing my mom and her food so badly that all the dishes I prepared recently tasted just like amma's food.

And Today's Recipe is,
Pudina Fried rice and Oats Upma for breakfast
Potato onion Curry,Methi buttermilk (majjiga) for Lunch.

For Potato onion curry recipe ,I have posted in here.

Simple Pudina Pulao

You want to have something tasty in less time,then this is the option.All you need is,

Fresh Pudina leaves
Rice
Green Chilli
Onion
Coriander Leaves (Optional)
Cashews.

Method:

1.Cut onion pieces,green chillies, Remove pudina leaves aside.
2. Grind Pudina,Coriander,Green Chillis along with sufficient salt in a grinder and put aside.
3.Take a pan, heat a tablespoon of oil and fry the onion till golden brown,pour the pudina paste in this and let it boil covered(you get nice aroma).
4.Add the cooked rice and fry for 2-3 minutes.
5.Garnish with cashews and pudina.

Note :
I added coriander to make it more tasty :).You can eliminate if you want.Also, while after adding onion ,you can add tomatoes /garlic paste if you want.I want to have a mild taste so didn't add that.

Combination :
I have it plainly.But Jeera curd goes very well with this .Just powder jeera and mix with thick curd.Or you can just try onion raitha/cucumber raitha.Pudina rice is ready.