Posts

Showing posts from May, 2014

Semolina Halwa or Suji Halwa

Image
Suji or Semolina is used to prepare breakfast recipes and sweets across India. Recipes prepared with suji are very easy and can be prepared in less time. A quick sweet at festive time and to celebrate happy moments.  Suji Halwa is  prepared with Suji, Sugar, Ghee, cashew nuts and Raisins. It tastes delicious with added ghee. Preparation time: 15 minutes Serves: 3 persons Ingredients: Suji: 1 cup Sugar: 3/4 sugar Cashew nuts: 5 no.s Raisins: 5 no.s Ghee: 5 tsp Cardamom seeds: 2 Procedure: Take a kadai add 1/2 tsp ghee and add cashew nuts when it is half  roasted add raisins. Roast it and keep it in a bowl. Add 1/2 tsp ghee in the kadai and add suji to it. Simmer it  and stir  continuously to avoid over roasting. Roast it till it turns light golden brown colour.  Take a vessel add 2 cups of water and sugar to it  and boil the water till sugar is dissolved completely. Now add this water to the roasted suji  stirring continuously to avoid

Mango Milk Shake

Image
Mango is a tasty fruit available in summer season. Rather than eating mango as it is give it a different taste by preparing Mango Milk shake. It is prepared with Mangoes, milk, ice-cream and dry fruits.  Preparation time: 20 minutes  Serves: 3 persons Ingredients: Mango: 1 big (1 cup chopped)  Milk: 1 cup Sugar: 1/2 cup Ice-cream: 1/2 cup Cashew Nuts: 10 nos. Procedure: Cut the cashew nuts into small pieces. Take some of them and grind it into fine powder. Keep remaining aside. Finely chop the mango take them into a blender, leaving few pieces aside to decorate. Add sugar and blend it till sugar is mixed with mango. Now add milk, ice-cream and cashew nut powder. Blend it into a fine paste. Add the remaining cashew nut pieces and refrigerate it. Drop ice cubes in the Milk shake and decorate with tiny mango pieces before serving. Enjoy the Mango milk shake in hot afternoons. Feel free to post your Comments and Feedback. Happ

Onion Pakoda

Image
Pakodas prepared with the combination of Gram flour and vegetables like Cabbage, Spinach, Onions. Onion Pakoda is the most common Indian snack and it tastes delicious. Here goes the procedure. Preparation time: 40 minutes Serves: 3 persons Ingredients: Onions: 3 nos. or 1 cup (sliced length wise) Green chillies: 3 (finely chopped) Gram Flour or Besan flour:  1cup Red chilli powder: 1tsp Coriander: 1small bunch (finey chopped) Salt to taste Oil to deep fry Procedure: Take a large bowl with onions add green chillies, besan flour, red chilli powder, salt and coriander. Mix it with water into thick paste. It should sticky but not like a batter so take care while adding water.  Take a kadai with enough oil. Let it heat for some time and check whether it  is heated enough to fry pakodas by droping a pinch of this mix into the oil Take onion gram flour paste and drop small portions into the  oil. You can do what ever size you want. Turn i

Tirumala Tirupati Temple

Tirupathi is one of the most famous temples of Andhra Pradesh. It is situated in Chittor district of Andhra Pradesh. Lord Venkateswara is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu  and this is a self manifested temple (Swambhu). There are seven hills at Tirumal and Lord Venkateswara is on the Seventh Hill( Venkatadri). Tirupathi is also called as Venkatachalam and Lord of Seven Hills (Eedukondalaswamy). The names of the seven hills are as follows: 1. seshadri, 2. Neeladri, 3. Garudadri. 4.Anjanadri. 5.Naarayanadri 6.Vrushabadri 7.Venkatadri. These hills starting from Tirupathi, Srikalahasthi, Ahobilam to Srisailam will be in the form the serpent Adisesha. 1.Tirumala Seven hills resembles the head  (seven hoods) of the serpent Adisesha 2.Srikalahasthi resembles the Fangs of the Serpent 3.Ahobilam of Narasihma Swamy temples is the center of Adisesha   and 4. Srisaislam is the tail of the Adisesha. The place surrounding to the  temple is called as Mada

Onion Raita

Image
Onion raita, easy to prepare recipe within 10 minutes. It is prepared with Onions, Curd and Green chillies. You can add seasoning to this or add cumin powder as per your taste. I prepared quick method. This can be added to any lunch or dinner menu who likes to eat raw onions. Goes nice with parathas, roti or Biryani. Preparation time: 10 minutes Serves: 2 persons Ingredients: Curd : 1cup Onions: 1 cup Green chillies: 6 Salt to taste Coriander to garnish. Procedure: Take Yogurt in a bowl and beat it until it becomes smooth. Mix onions, green chillies and salt. (you can add cumin powder if you like) Garnish with coriander. Serve with any paratha, roti or Biryani. Feel free to add your Comments and Feedback. Happy Cooking. Other Raita recipes from my blog. Cucumber Raita.

Brinjal Stuffed Curry or Guthi Vankaya Koora.

Image
Brinjal Stuffed Curry is a tasty and delicious recipe. This can be prepared with different variety of stuffings. To prepare this curry use small sized brinjals and the stuffing I used here is with Gram Flour.  Preparation time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 people Ingredients: Brinjal: 10 nos. Besan flour or Gram flour: 1cup Red chilli powder: 1/4 cup Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder: 1 pinch Asafoetida: 1 pinch Oil: small cup Salt to taste. Procedure: Take a bowl with besan flour, add red chilli powder, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt. Mix it and add 2 tsp oil to it. Mix it again. Keep it aside. Take a bowl with water add 1/4 tsp salt to it. Remove stems and cut the brinjal from the top to the side and keep it in the water. The brinjal should be as it is cut it only to open so that we keep this mixture into it.  One by one take the brinjal and insert the mixture, arrange it on a plate. Take a kadai add 5 tsp oil a

Carrot Stuffed Paratha

Image
Carrot is a tasty and healthy vegetable. It is used in different ways in Indian cuisine.  Carrot parathas are prepared with Carrot, Wheat Flour and some spices. This is prepared in two methods. Here goes one of the methods---Carrot Stuffed Paratha.  Preparation time: 30 minutes Serves: 3 persons Ingredients: Wheat flour: 2 cups Carrot: 1cup (grated) Green chillies: 4 nos. (finely chopped) Coriander powder: 1tsp Ginger: small piece Salt to taste Oil to cook parathas Procedure: Take a bowl with grated carrot and sprinkle some salt on it. Keep it aside for 10 minutes. Now squeeze water from the grated carrot(keep the water and use it to the prepare the dough), add chopped green chillies, ginger and coriander powder. Keep it aside. Take a large bowl add wheat flour and salt. Now mix the flour into a soft dough adding water. First add the water squeezed from carrot and then use plain water. Prepare small balls with the dough. Take one ball spr

Cucumber Raita

Image
Cucumber (keera Dosakaya as called in telugu) is a good source of Vitamin B and consists of 95% water. It rehydrates body and one of the sources to reduce cholestrol. Cucumber raita is prepared with Cucumber, Yogurt and some spices. It is very tasty and healthy recipe. Preparation time: 15 minutes Serves: 3 persons Ingredients: Cucumber: 2 nos (Finely chopped) Yogurt : one cup Green chillies: 4 (finely chopped) Cumin powder: 1/2tsp Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp Red chilly : 1 Coriander for garnishing. Procedure: Take a bowl add chopped cucumber and sprinkle some salt on it. Keep it aside for 10 minutes and squeeze water from it. Take a bowl add 1 cup yogurt, cucumber and salt. Take a kadai add 1/2 tsp oil. When it heats up add mustard seeds, let it splutter then add red chilly and green chillies saute it till it truns golden brown.  Add this seasoning to the cucumber yogurt mix and garnish with coriander. Serve with roti(Indian flat bread) or

How to prepare Butter Roti.

Image
Butter Roti is prepared with butter and Wheat flour. Butter can be prepared at home or available at any grocer stores. I used home made butter. Adding butter to the wheat flour makes the dough soft and the rotis are just fluffy and yummy. A must try recipe. Preparation time: 30 minutes Serves: 2 people. Ingredients: Wheat flour: 1 big cup Butter: small cup Salt to taste Oil: 1/2 tsp Ghee to cook rotis. Procedure: Take a large bowl add Wheat Flour, butter and salt . Mix it with water to prepare a soft dough. Add 1/2 tsp oil and knead the dough. Prepare small balls with the dough. Take one ball and flatten it with a rolling pin to form a small circle. Grease oil on that fold it two times to form a triangle.  Sprinkle wheat flour on it and roll it with a rolling pin to make a round shape. Preheat tava or griddle and keep roti on it. When bubbles form on roti flip it other side with a flat spatula.  Add1/4 tsp ghee (you can replace ghee with oil) over it and

Tomato Curry

Image
Tomato is a widely available vegetable used in most cuisines. This gives a good taste because of its tanginess. It can be combined with other vegetables  or cooked by itself. Tomato curry is prepared with tomato, onions and some spices. Here is another easy recipe from my blog. Add to your lunch or dinner menu when you are tired or just want to prepare food when you are in a hurry to go out. Preparation time: 15 minutes. Serves: 3 persons Ingredients: Tomatoes: 4 (finely chopped) Onions: 2 (small finely chopped) Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds: 1/4 tsp Split bengal gram dal: 1/4 tsp Urad dal :1/4 tsp Red chilly: 1 Green chilly: 1 ( sliced) Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp Asafoetida: small pinch Turmeric powder: small pinch Oil: 2 tsp Salt to taste Coriander to garnish. Procedure: Take a kadai with oil,  add mustard seeds when it splutters add split bengal gram dal, urad dal, cumin seeds and red chillies. Whe

Cluster Beans Coconut Curry or Goruchikkudu Kobbari Koora

Image
Cluster Beans also called Guar (Goru Chikkudu as called in Telugu) is a legume which belongs to beans family. This is a source of fiber and is used to prepare Guar Gum powder, which is used to thicken the dairy products and improve the shelf life of baked goods. This vegetable is used in Indian cuisine to prepare curries in different ways. Here is the curry prepared with Cluster beans and Coconut . This is a tasty recipe. Preparation time: 25 minutes Serves: 2 persons. Ingredients: Cluster beans: 1 cup (finely chopped) Coconut: 1/4 cup (grated) Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds: 1/4 tsp Red chilli: 1 Green chillies: 3  Ginger: small piece Coriander: small bunch Turmeric powder: small pinch Asafoetida: small pinch Oil: 1 tsp Salt to taste Procedure: Take a heavy bottom vessel with chopped cluster beans, add some water and boil it till the cluster beans becomes soft. Drain the water and keep it aside. Make a paste of green chillies, g

Brinjal Fry

Image
Brinjal is a tasty vegetable and used in Indian cuisine in different ways. Previously I have posted Brinjal recipes like Brinjal coriander curry , Brinjal Fenugreek leaves Curry , Brinjal Tomato Curry . Here goes another recipe Brinjal Fry prepared with Brinjal and some spices. The most easiest, tasty, quick recipe with minimum ingredients. Preparation time: 15 minutes Serves: 3 persons. Ingredients: Brinjal: 6 (diced) Red chilli powder: 1tsp Gram Flour : 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder: small pinch Oil: 2 tsp Salt to taste. Procedure: Take a kadai with 2 tsp oil. When the kadai heats up add diced Brinjal and turmeric powder. Stir it, simmer  and cover with a lid. Wait for 2 minutes. Add salt and stir it again. Cover with a lid and simmer it stirring occassionally till brinjal is cooked. Now add salt and gram flour. Simmer for 2 minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice along with ghee. Feel free to post your comments and feed back Happy Cooking

How to sew a simple Tote Bag

Image
A simple tote bag for beginners, with a basic pattern and can be prepared in 15 minutes. Any printed fabric goes well for this and a contrast colour fabric used for handle gives a fantastic look. A great way to make use of fat quarters to sew this tote and can be used to store mails, napkins, baby diapers.  Things you need: Fabric two colurs  Sewing needle and thread  Sewing machine. Scissors. Procedure: Take two piece of cloth with 11 cms length and 8 cms width.  Turn it back,  fold it on the top by 1/2 inch and stitch along the folding as shown below. Stitch the two cloths separately like this. Place both the pieces, one over the other keeping the wrong side upwards.  Now draw lines along the edge on remaining 3 sides. Stitch along the lines and turn it inside out.  To stitch the handles Take 12 cms length and 2 cms wide cloth. Keep it on wrong side. Draw a line in the middle. Fold it twice and stitch, to make a strip.  

How to sew a Bow

Image
A bow can be prepared with small piece of cloth and is very attractive if attached to a hand bag , cap, girl's frock and can be used as hair accessories. A great way to get use of the scrap or fat quarters left after you finished any other project. This can be prepared in just 15 minutes and really looks beautiful. Here goes the procedure of sewing a bow. Things needed: Piece of cloth Sewing Thread and Needle Sewing machine or you can do a hand stitch. Take two piece of cloth one in a square shape 6 cm. another in rectangular shape as shown in below image Turn the square shape blue colour cloth back side. Fold it to half  and draw a line along the edge leaving a a small gap in the middle. Now stitch along the lines. From the gap where you left in the middle pull the cloth out so that cloth will be on the right side. Sew the gap. Below are the images in sequence.  Take the rectangular cloth turn it back, fold it on the both sides and stitch Now t

How to crochet a Granny Square (step by step instructions)

Image
Granny Square is a unique pattern which can be used in preparing different crochet projects like hat, blanket, hand bag, shawl etc.. It gives an elegant and attractive look to the finished product. The granny square I have done is only of 3 rows, but you can expand it how much large you need by counting the number of crochets which I have given in detail at the bottom of the post.   Here is the   procedure to crochet a Granny Square.  Preparation time: 15 minutes Things you need: Crochet needle Wool ( here I used two colours) Procedure: Do 6 chains and join with slip stitch. First Row : 3 chains 2 double crochet  again 3 chains 3 double crochet 3 chains 3 double crochet, 3 chains 3 double crochet and join with                 slip stitch. Below are the images in sequence. For the second round I changed the colour to white and you can see in the above corner image how to insert another colour in to the loop. Start with 3 chains, 2