Entry for JFI - Rice Pudding with Mango/Mamidi Payasam

Firstly, Thank you all for checking on me. Feeling much better now. This one is entry to Indira's Jihva for Ingredients. This one allows the host to pick one ingredient which needs to be used and Indira chose "Mango" , I got very excited and thought there are so many things I could make with it!!! I was soooo wrong. :). I kept thinking and looking for what I could make. Days passed but could not zero down a recipe. Finally, I told my self I will go into the kitchen, opened the fridge and will start making SOMETHING, just thinking wont help at all. So, I am in my kitchen in front of the fridge, looking, and the first thing I see is un-opened can of milk and I remembered reading some where about Mango Pudding, using condensed milk and half and half. And I thought I will make my version of Mango Payasam. Here is how I made it.

Ingredients Basmati Rice - 1/2 Cup Milk - 3 Cups Sugar - Sufficient enough for your taste Mango Puree - 1 cup Cardamom - 3 Method Crack the rice my blending it in a blender for a couple of minutes. Heal the milk in a thick bottemed vessel. Once the milk is hot, add the rice and let cook on low heat setting. It will take about 30-45 minutes for it cook. Add sugar, and mix well and leave for 10 more minutes. Add the mango puree and crushed cardamom, mix well. Cook for 10 more minutes. The result is a pale yellow, beautiful looking Mango Payasam. You could some dry fruits to the payasam, but I did not want the mango flavor to mix with the dry fruits. The rasins on the top are purely for decorative purposes. It tasted so very different and amazingly tasty. We had friends who dropped in. I asked them to eat see if they can figure out what it is. They really liked it but could not point out mango. :) But I thought that mango flavor was very dominating, but then ofcourse, I made it.

Favourite Five 2 - Non-vegetarian -Shahjeera Mutton.

I was not feeling well yesterday. I think flu is catching me finally. :). Took half a day off and went home to rest. Hubby dear comes home and decides I have not been eating well!!!!!!!!!! No one, I mean ABSOLUTELY no one who has seen me will believe his words.:) Anyway, he decides we should have a nice dinner. Looks in the fridge and finds mutton. So, mutton it was we had for dinner, along with my first attempt at mooli parathas. Mutton came out really really well. I did go a little off my regular way of making and liked it much better. That’s the reason it going to my favourite series. Cant take away credit from hubby dear. All in all, it was combined effort to make dinner. Here comes the recipe for Mutton. Ingredients Mutton/Lamb - 2 pounds Yogurt - 1 cup Ginger & Garlic paste - 2 table spoons. Salt Chilli powder - according to taste. Oil- I table spoon. Marinate all the above for at least an hour. Heat the oil in Pressure cooker, add marinated mutton and cook till is tender. Its better to under cook and then cook a little more than over cook. Onion- 1 Medium, Chopped into tiny cubes Tomatoes - 3. I used Roma tomatoes, chopped into tiny pieces Garam Masala- According to taste Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 Table spoon. Shahjeera/Sajeera/Black Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Table spoon ( I know it’s a lot). Cloves -3 Whole cinnamon - A small piece about an inch. Cardamom- 3 Method Heat The oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the spices. Once you start smelling the lovely aroma, add chopped onions. Let the onions brown a little and add ginger garlic paste. Fry for couple more minutes and add the mutton and chopped onions. Cover the vessel and cook on medium heat for 7-10 minutes. Add garam masala, mix well and let it cook for 5-7 more minutes. It is relatively easy to make and extremely tasty. Recipe for mooli paaratha will follow.

Fave Roti2 - Broccoli Roti

This would have been an ideal submission for meena's fusion cuisine. Could not do it in time. I guess better late than never. The recipe for broccoli roti came from shayamala. Broccoli was my LEAST favorite vegetable till about a year ago. I just did not like the way it looked and absolutely did not like the taste of steamed broccoli. All of this changed about a year ago. Why?? Thanks to my little one Sahithi. This is her absolute favorite vegetable. She eats it for lunch dinner and as a snack too!!!!!!!!!!! I cant describe my "pleasant horror", if I can use a phrase like that, when the lady who takes care of her in day care said " Sahithi Loves Broccoli". I had no option other than finding ways to incorporate it into my regular cooking now. The first ever broccoli recipe I made was broccoli dal and Madhu, that’s my husband, liked it and said "give it a shot before you write it off your list" and I did. And I LIKED it. From then on it has become one of the standard recipes in my kitchen. When shyamala, my friend told me this roti recipe, I was more than eager to try it. And I am glad I did. They are a big hit at home. Ingredients Grated Broccoli - 1 cup Low fat Ricotta cheese - 4 Ounces Wheat Flour - 2 cups Salt Chilli Powder Low fat milk - a little Method Mix everything together, except milk. Leave it for about 20 minutes. Knead the dough and add milk, if required to make a soft dough. Shape into balls. Roll the rotis and fry them on the pan. Had this with pinto beans curry. Recipe for curry will follow soon.

My response to all the comments abt Kova Kobbari Laddo.

Thank you all. The reason why I have not replied for so long is I have been trying to see how long I can stay away from my own blog.:):)Lasted all of 4 days.:):). For all who want to make these, It's not hard at all. Its fairly simple process and uses even more simple ingredients. All you need is a little patience. CD, Can i list this one as Low-Oxalate?? And do try them out when you have some time. I highly recommend it for you. Lakshmi, Anjali, RP,Vineela,KA,Tanuja Thank you guys. I get a kick of reading all your comments. :). You say that it is my "blog fuel". Wheresmymind, If U like macaroons, you cant go wrong with these. You will surely like them. Karthi, I know the kova kajjikaya you are talking about. and you got the name exactly right!!!!!Its different from this. Kova is used as stuffing in that I have used kova as covering. L2C, I know what you mean. He is held as an example in my house too.:) Jasmine, Its so amazing to see one spice being used in so many different ways by different people right? I am learing so much from all the blogs. Genevive, I am not sure if you can buy something like this from a store. If you decide to make it, I promise you will not be disappointed. Sailu, What a compliment!!!!!!!!!. I am honored. Indira, my parents live in Punjagutta, very close to the pulla reddy store in Somajiguda. We can walk there. Two of my cousins are coming form India today and stopping over in our place for a couple of days. I am HOPING that they will carry some pulla reddy sweets. :) Lera, You got carried away by the pictures!!!!.I am just kidding:):). The post has the recipe for kova. Its very simple.

Fave Sweets1 - Kova Kobbari Laddo - Coconut stuffed kova Laddos.

Most of the people from AndhraPradesh, The state where I come from must be familiar with PullaReddy sweets. Theirs is probably the most popular sweet house in the entire state. The sweets available there are fresh and Amazingly tasty. It has been open for a long time now and old times say that the taste or the quality did not change over the period of time and that is probably where their success lies. Their outlet in somajiguda is HUGE and beautiful. But the best sweet that I had is not from any of their huge stores, but in Kurnool Bus stand. In Kurnool bus stand you can buy Pala kova in tiny one serving packets which tastes DIVINE. Its probably my liking for street side food that made this more tastier than what is available in their more upscale stores. :) This is my submission for Barbara's Ancient Spices. And the Spice I chose is "Cardamom" the QUEEN of spices, and I made kova and kobbari louju using cardamom. Did u know that cardamom is supposed to have aphrodisiac powers?? More about the history of Cardamom here Ingredients for Kova Milk - 1/2 Gallon Sugar - 1.5 cups Cardamom - 5 Method Boil the milk till it reduces to more than half in quantity. Add sugar, crushed cardamom. Add more sugar if you want it very sweet. Mix well and let the milk boil till it becomes a thick, light brown mass, which you can form a ball with. It is going to take alng time for this happen, about 2-3 hours. So please be patient while this is done. Ingredients for Kobbari Louju Grated coconut - 3 cups Sugar- 2 cups Water - 1.5 cups Cardamom - 5 Method Make a sugar syrup and let it boil until it becomes one thread consistency. Add cardadmom and grated cocunut and let it cook. Make sure you dont over cook as you my dry the mixture into flakes. Let it cool and make balls/Laddos out of it. To make Kova-Kobbari Laddos, Encase the coconut laddos with kova and make round balls. Kova is a little sticky. SO be careful while making laddos. Chill and serve. The only spice used for both the preparations is cardamom and the flavor really stands out when you bite into one of them. And a bite will leave an extremely rich and satisfying taste in your mouth, and then you will definetly want more than a bite. :)

This is also for blogparty#9 hosted by lovely Stephanie

Melon Balls skewer

My last post was kebab. My intention was to make sheekh kababs and so I bought these wooden skewers. But I made something else instead of sheek kababs which did not require me using these. And these skewers were lying near my fruit basket, beside all the melons. I looked up, saw them all together and the result was melon ball skewer, wayyyyyy off from what I meant to do with skewers. :):):). And this also ended my search for a profile picture for myself. I have been around in blogosphere for a couple of months now and still had no profile picture. I kept looking through my pictures, never liking anything for a profile pic, until this came along. And there ended my search. Sahithi LOVED eating this. Of course I was watching her all the while to make sure she wont poke herself.

Fave Snacks 3 - Kabab/Kebab/Kebob

I have been raking my brains thinking about another appetizer to submit for VKN's contest. And then I get a mail in my inbox with the content "Do you know how to make kebabs?". And there was my next entry!!!!!!!!!! Kabab is one of my fave snacks too. So, Kebab it is going to be. Kabab/Kebab/kabob has a lot of history attached to it. It is supposed to have originated in the middle eastern countries. Kebab literally means "small chunks of meat grilled on a skewer". It is said that there are more than 100 varieties of kebabs with ingredients ranging from meat to egg plant, made in Turkey, which is believed to be the home of kebabs. Shish kebab, Doner Kebab, chapli kebad are probably the more popular ones. This is my recipe for chapli kebab that I got from an ex-collegue. I Have made it a number of times and it always turned out to be crowd pleaser. Ingredients Ground Lamb or Chicken or Turkey Ginger & Garlic Paste Salt Red Chilli Powder Garam Masala Eggs-1 Onion- Finely Minced Tomato -Finely minced Cinlantro -Finely Chopped Oil 1 Table Spoon Method Mix all the ingredients together. Shape them into small round patties. Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the patties in the oven until done. Alternativy these can be cooked on BBQ grill too. This is my second entry to VKN's MyDhaba's VCC -Q1 2006. I hope I am not too late in submission. This is also for Tony's CurryMela

My Very First Meme

And I have been DOUBLE TAGGED. So I feel "Doubly Elated" if I can say that. Priya of sugar and spice and Karthi of Kitchenmate tagged me. This meme has been fun to answer because it bought somethings into a clear perspective. Especially the three things I want to try. 1.Please list three recipes you have recently bookmarked from foodblogs to try: 1. Indira's cashew-walnut Laddo. Every time I look at the picture, I crave for it. This tops my MUST try list. 2. Cooking medley's Sorakaya/Anapakaya/Bottle Gourd Curry with Milk: This is one vegetable that I have not experimented much with. 3. Pushpa's Peach Butter Cake: I am an absolute novice at baking. Trying to learn from pushpa. 2.A foodblog in your vicinity: Vineela of Vineela's Cuisine. 3. A foodblog (or more) located far from you: A lot of them :) 4. A foodblog (or several) you have discovered recently (where did you find it?): I am a fairly new blogger myself. So most of the blogs are kinds of new to me and I found all of them while browsing through Food Blogs Sumi's kitchen Sonali's Spice Hut Lakshmi's My Rasoi Tanuja's Kodaliskitchen 5.The latest food bloggers who I want to tag Most of them have been tagged already. But I could not leave this one blank :). So tagging a few people Luv2cook of Cookingmedley RP's Workshop Smogasboard

Sri rama navami - Vadapappu & Panakam

"Seetamma ku cheisti cintaku patakamu ramachandra… Aa patakamunaku patte padi vela varahalu ramachandra." Sreerama navami is one of the Indian festivals that is celebrated with a lot of devotion. It is supposed to be the birthday of lord sreerama. Ramayana, one of the most important scriptures in Indian culture is the story of Lord sreerama, his wife Seeta and brothers. The kind of devotion and bhakti towards Lord sreerama is such that it is not uncommon to find people writing "Ramakoti", which is writing the word "Sreerama" 10 million times. Seetarama kalyanam is performed on this day. And hundreds of thousands of people go to badhrachalam to witness the kalyanam that happens there every year. Traditional food items that are made on this day are panakam and vadapappu. Panakam is a sweet drink made of jaggery. It is supposed to have cooling properties and is a very healthy drink in summer heat. It is also a tradition to serve panakam as a welcome gesture during South Indian weddings. It is kind of a welcome drink served by the bride's family to the groom's wedding party. :):) Ingredients for Panakam Water Jaggery Cardamom Black pepper powder Sonti/ Dry ginger powder. All of the above are mixed and served. Ingredients for Vadapappu Soaked Moong dal Fresh grated coconut Green chillis Salt. Method Soak moong dal for 2-3 hours. Add grated coconut, salt and chopped chillis and mix well. I like to contemplate for reasons sometimes for certain things. And as I was thinking about what could be the reason for serving these two as traditional prasadam, it struck me that Sreerama navami usually comes in the beginning of hot summer months. And both panakam and Moong dal are supposed to have cooling effect on the body. May be that’s the reason. What do you all think? Having trouble uploading pictures. Will do it as soon as blogger will let me do it.

Fave Five Breakfasts 3 -Masala Dosa

This is my first post of the new year.Another addition to my favourite five breakfasts. Would it be an exaggeration if I say that a week does not go by with out making dosas for most of the south Indian homes? Dosa is supposed to be an exclusive south Indian territory. Its not at all uncommon to hear from north Indians " I can never make dosas right. Some thing always goes wrong." I think all south Indians are born with a "dosa gene" which is missing in everyone else. :):):) Masala Dosa. The word "Masala Dosa" brings a crispy dosa stuffed with potato curry with a side of chutney and a bowl of sambar. Right? I do like alu curry but I always prefer the onion chutney masala dosa. My mom makes the most awesome onion masala dosa. I still have miles to go before I can rest and say these dosas taste like my mom's. :):):). I will stop trying to be funny now and take you to the recipe. Ingredients for Dosa Urad dal/Minpa pappu - 1 cup Chana Dal/Senaga Pappu- 1/2 cup Rice - 3 cups Methi Seeds/Menthulu - 1 table spoon. Soak all of the above for atleast 6 hours. Blend and ferment over night. The dough will become atleast 1.5 times after fermentation. Ingredients for Onion Chutney 2 big Onions - coarsly chopped Jeera/ Cummin seeds - 1 Tea spoon Garlic - 3 pods Tamarind - a little Red chilli powder Salt Oil - 1 Table spoon Method Blend everything together except oil into paste. Heat oil in a pan. Add the paste and let it cook till the raw smell goes away. Picture on right hand side is uncooked chutney and on left hand side is cooked. Time to make dosas now. Heat the dosa pan. Season the pan with cut onion/Brinjal. Pour a laddle full of batter and spread it in a circle. Drizzle very little oil around the dosa. Spread the onion chutney on dosa. Sprinkle some putnala podi on it. Leave it on for a minute. Thats all. Dosas are ready to eat. Few tips to make dosas 1. Always spread the batter in only one direction. 2. You always get a better result if you season the pan with onion/brinjal 3. Dont heat the pan too much. Batter will stick to the pan if it is too hot. You can eat it with peanut chutney or coconut chutney or just as is. We had it with chicken sheruwa.It is not an uncommon practice eating dosas with chicken/mutton. Hubby dear really likes the combo. Any one of you like this combo?

Pappula Podi/Chitlampodi

This is one of my favourite podis.:) Ingredients Dalia/ Veyinchina senaga Pappu - 1 cupJeera/ Cummin seeds - 1 Tea spoonGarlic - 3 podsRed chilli powderDry coconut powder - 1/4 cupSalt. Blend them all into a fine powder. This can be eaten with hot rice with a drop of ghee or Idlis or Dosas. It tastes good with any thing. Pictures soon to follow.