~ Tamalapaku

Qubani Ka Meetha

Q for Qubani Ka Meetha under Regional Cuisine for BM #32. Qubani in Urdu means Apricots. This probably had origins in Central Asia but it was popularized during the Nizam rule in Hyderabad. Even today it is a very popular dessert during Hyderabadi weddings.

When I was listing the recipes with Q, I had most of them with Quinoa and I wanted some regional cuisine. So when I was having a conversation with Jaya (my sis), she mentioned Qubani Ka Meetha yet again and asked me if I could fit it in. I jumped at her idea, took the recipe from her and made it the same day.

I served it with fruit custard and it was just too awesome to pass! But make sure the sugar is adjusted to taste as the first time I made, it turned out a little too sweet for our comfort. So I reduced the sugar in the fruit custard and all is well that ends well.

This fruit compote stores well in the refrigerator for over a month..

Ingredients -

Dried Apricots 1 packet (200 gms)
Sugar 1/2 cup (adjust as needed)
Water as needed
Any more nuts if desired

Method Of Preparation -

Soak the dried apricots in water so that they are all immersed in water. Leave it covered overnight.

Remove the pit from the soaked fruit and in a heated pan add about a cup of water and let it come to a boil.

The pit when broken yields an almond like nut which tastes very good. So if you have the patience to break open the pits and get the nuts out, coarsely crush those nuts and add it to the compote.

Add sugar and slowly keep mashing the mixture with a ladle. Let it come together as a single mass.
Remove from fire and let it cool.

Serve it with Clotted Cream (Malai), Ice cream or Fruit custard.

Logo courtesy : Preeti

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 32

Preparation Time 15 - 20 min + Soaking Time 6-8 hrs
Makes approximately 1 cup

Posted by Harini R on Friday, September 20, 2013

20 comments

categories: Apricots, Blogging Marathon, Dry Fruits and Nuts, Other Sweets, Sugar, Sweetening Agents, Sweets and Desserts | |

Papaya Salad - Vegan

P for Papaya Salad aka Som Tam, a Salad from Thailand. So this qualifies under the International Cuisine for BM #32.

My sister told me about this salad which happens to be their favorite from a local Thai food joint. That was when I scoured the web to arrive at a combination which we loved a lot. I have since prepared this salad umpteen number of times.

The fact that it is low sodium (barring the sodium in Soy sauce) with the goodness of papaya and carrots makes it a really healthy option. Apparently it is a very popular street food in Thailand.

Ingredients -

Green Papaya , peeled, seeded, jullienned 2 cups
Carrots, peeled, jullienned 1/2 cup
Tomato, cut into strips 1/4 cup
Beans, french cut, steamed 1/4 cup (Optional - I didn't use)
Spring Onions, finely chopped 2-3 Tbsp (I omitted)
Coriander leaves, finely chopped 2 Tbsp
Garlic, minced 1 clove
Dressing -
Lemon Juice 1 Tbsp (or as needed)
Soy Sauce 1 Tbsp (or as needed)
Garnish -
Peanuts, roasted handful
Crushed pepper as needed

* Add some moong sprouts for an extra burst of flavor.
*Add crushed green thai chillies for an extra spicy salad!

Method Of Preparation -

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, drizzle the seasoning and garnish with peanuts and crushed pepper as needed.

Serve immediately.

Logo courtesy : Preeti

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 32

Preparation Time 10 min
Serves 2

Posted by Harini R on Thursday, September 19, 2013

20 comments

categories: Blogging Marathon, Carrots, International Recipes, Papaya, Salads n Dips, Tomatoes, Vegetables | |

Oats Upma

O for Oats Upma under International/Fusion Recipes for BM #32. In recent years the usage of oats has increased many fold, specially in India. The traditional Western way of consuming oats is mostly sweetened and paired with milk in many cases. But we Indians prefer having something spicy to start the day with, right?

So after listening to so many complaints from my relatives about their plight , that is their inability to effectively enjoy the goodness of oats in their breakfast routine, I thought I should try out a version which is close to my heart as well!

This one here resembles Poha Upma and so my older one loved it as well.

Posted by Harini R on Wednesday, September 18, 2013

24 comments

categories: Blogging Marathon, Breakfast, Grains and its Products, Oat Recipes, Oats, Upma | |

Nimmakaya Karam ~ Spicy Lemon Sauce

N for Nimmakaya Karam under Regional recipes for BM #32.

This is a tried and tested recipe from my MIL's kitchen which is at least a few decades old. I have never been able to have this karam as I always thought that it is way too spicy than I can handle. But upon my husband's insistence, I tried it with curd rice and I am a convert now :).

A few months back, my husband got a crate full of lemons for a throwaway price. So when I was cracking my brains as to how to make use of these lemons effectively, my husband suggested that it was high time I got the recipe from MIL and made this at home. So here it is..

Posted by Harini R on Tuesday, September 17, 2013

21 comments

categories: Blogging Marathon, Kitchen Basics, Lemon, Vegetables | |

Mango Leather ~ Mamidi Thaandra

M for Mango Leather under Street Food / Misc. I remember some street hawker who used to sell this on our street which was totally forbidden for us. So it made it even more sweet or me when my aunt used to offer it to me when I visited her.

Much later this Mamidi thaandra (as we call it in Telugu) was commercially packaged and sold in stores. But the thrill of eating it when the hawker comes to your door step is totally on a different plane, right??

So as soon as I saw various versions of this mango leather floating in the Blogosphere, I was tempted to make it. But the fat that it needed 3-4 hours of oven time put me off for quite some time and moreover I was not sure if my kids would like it. But then I made a small batch the other day and I hardly had a few strips left for the photo shoot!

The next time I shall make thicker ones but then it would take much longer in the oven ..lets see what can be done..any ideas??

Posted by Harini R on Monday, September 16, 2013

20 comments

categories: Appetizers and Snacks, Baking, Blogging Marathon, Fruits, Healthy Snacks, Mango, Other Bakes | |

Lemon Rasam ~ Nimmakaya Charu

L for Lemon Rasam under regional recipes for BM #32. This has been in my to-do list for more than a decade. We finally got to enjoy this on a cold and rainy evening.

This is a tried and tested recipe from 2-3 generations in our family.

Ingredients -

Tomato, chopped 1 cup
Toor Dal, cooked 2 Tbsp
Ginger , grated 1 Tbsp
Green Chillies, slit 2-3 (or as needed)
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Salt as needed
Jaggery/Sugar 1 tsp or as needed
Coriander leaves for garnish
Lemon juice 1-2 Tbsp (or as needed)
Seasoning (Ghee/Oil 2 tsp, Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp, Jeera 1/2 tsp, Asafoetida 1/4 tsp, Curry leaves few)

Method Of Preparation -

In a heated pan, boil the tomato , toor dal, 3-4 cups of water, ginger and green chilies.

After it comes to a rolling boil, add turmeric, salt and sugar.

Adjust the flavors as needed.

In a separate pan, prepare the seasoning by heating oil and adding mustard seeds, jeera, asafoetida and curry leaves.

Transfer this seasoning onto the rasam.

Squeeze the lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice and ghee!

Logo courtesy : Preeti

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 32

Preparation Time 20 min
Serves 4-5

Posted by Harini R on Saturday, September 14, 2013

21 comments

categories: Blogging Marathon, Sambar, Tomatoes, Vegetables | |

Kandagadda Pachadi ~ Yam (Suran) Chutney

K for Kandagadd apachadi under regional cuisine for BM #32.
I have never cooked with yam at home, though I enjoyed some very good dishes with it in my childhood. I tasted Kandagadda pachadi about a decade back in a family function and I remember there was a great discussion regarding this pachadi.

It turned out that the pachadi was a specialty made by the head of the household and he was very enthusiastically explaining the procedure to anyone who was interested. I think I remember what he said and I have tried to replicate the taste and from what my husband says it is very close to what we ate then!

Ingredients -

Kandagadda /Suran /Yam peeled, chopped 1 1/2 cups (I used a 7 oz frozen pack)
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Salt as needed
Tamarind extract 2-3 Tbsp or as needed
Dhania / Coriander seeds 1 tsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp
Methi Seeds a pinch
Dry Red Chillies 5-6 (or to taste)
Oil 2 Tbsp
Seasoning (Oil 2 tsp, Chana Dal 1 tsp, Urad Dal 1 tsp, Mustard Seeds 1/2 tsp, Asafoetida a couple pinches, Curry leaves few)

Method Of Preparation -

In a heated pan, add 2 tablespoon of oil and fry the yam until the raw smell goes they are fried well. It took me about 15 min on medium heat.

Remove from fire and transfer to a plate and set aside. In the same heated pan, dry roast coriander seeds, cumin, methi seeds and red chilles one after the other and set aside.

After the fried yam is cold enough to handle, add the roasted coriander seeds, cumin seeds, methi seeds and red chillies along with the fried yam and grind into a fine paste adding salt and tamarind extract as needed. Take care not to add water. Transfer into a serving bowl.

Prepare the seasoning by heating oil and adding mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, asafoetida, red chilies and curry leaves. Pour the prepared seasoning onto the ground chutney.

Serve with rice with a dollop of ghee and surprise your guests!

Logo courtesy : Preeti

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 32

Preparation Time 20 min
Makes 1 1/2 cups

Posted by Harini R on Friday, September 13, 2013

20 comments

categories: Blogging Marathon, Chutneys And Powders, Kandagadda, Vegetables | |

Jam Biscuits - Eggless

J for Jam Biscuits! When I showed my husband that I had chosen to bake these biscuits so they can form part of this A-Z series of BM #32, he was skeptical if it could beat his expectations. Though he did not say anything openly, I sensed his hesitation.

After I baked these, he couldn't have enough of them. He said they tasted just like the bakery ones he used to eat in his childhood. I couldn't agree with him more!! And the kids fought with the Dad to finish them off. They all liked Strawberry jam better.

Recipe Source here
Ingredients -

Maida / All Purpose Flour 3/4 cup
Custard Powder (I used Vanilla flavor) 3/4 cup
Corn starch / Fine Corn Flour (White) 4 Tbsp
Butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup
Sugar, Powdered 1/2 cup
Curds/Yogurt 3-4 Tbsp
Jam of your choice (I used Strawberry and Grape) as needed
Vanilla essence 1 tsp (I didn't use as the custard powder had vanilla flavor)

Method Of Preparation -

Whisk the butter and powdered sugar until it becomes frothy. (Add vanilla essence as well if using).

Add the flours and curd and knead into a smooth and soft dough.

Divide the dough into manageable portions and roll them out flat approximately 5 mm thick.

Cut out desired shapes (using a cookie cutter) and continue rolling the dough and cutting out the shapes until the dough is used up.

Arrange these cut out shapes on a foil or parchment lined cookie tray.

Use a small bottle cap or your thumb to make a small depression on the surface of the cookies. Put in a little jam of your preference to fill the depression.

Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Bake for 12-15 min or until the undersides are lightly browned.

Cool them and store in air tight containers.

Logo courtesy : Preeti

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 32

Preparation Time 45 min
Makes 30-35 depending on the size and shape of the cookie

Posted by Harini R on Thursday, September 12, 2013

22 comments

categories: All Purpose Flour (Maida), Baking, Blogging Marathon, Butter, Cookies, Cornstarch, Custard Powder, Dairy Products, Flours, Sugar, Sweetening Agents, Yogurt (Curd/Perugu) | |

Idli Milagai Podi

After too many changes, I finally made I for Idli Milagai Podi under Regional Dishes. For my family, Idli and Dosa means the accompaniment is and will be Peanut Chutney.

So it was a task for me to get my husband accept the Podi for Idli. So as a compromise I made both the peanut chutney and the podi and he was happy to eat them both with Idli.

The kids stayed away from the podi as it was way too spicy for them. But the older one couldn't stay away from it so she had it with rice and loads of ghee and loved it!

Ingredients -

Urad Dal 1 cup
Chana Dal 1/4 cup
Red Chillies 10-15 (or to tase)
Sesame Seeds 2 Tbsp
Curry leaves few (I didn't add)
Salt as needed
Seasoning (Oil 2 tsp and asafoetida few pinches)

Method Of Preparation -

In a heated pan, separately dry roast chana dal, urad dal, sesame seeds and red chillies.

Set them aside to cool.

Grind them into a gritty texture.

Heat oil and sprinkle the asafoetida , remove from fire and mix it in the powder.

Upon cooling, store in an air tight container.

Serve idli/dosa with the podi. Don't forget to top it off with oil/ghee.

Logo courtesy : Preeti

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 32

Preparation Time 15 min
Makes approx 1 1/4 cups

Posted by Harini R on Wednesday, September 11, 2013

21 comments

categories: Beans And Dals, Blogging Marathon, Chana Dal (Senaga Pappu), Chutneys And Powders, Herbs and Spices, Sesame Seeds, Urad Dal (Minapa pappu) | |

Hummus

H for Hummus under 'International Foods' for BM #32. We have been introduced to Pita chips and Hummus almost a decade back and since then we get them home on and off. This A-Z series prompted me to try out Hummus at home and we felt it was tastier when made at home.

As soon as I started preparing the list for this marathon, this was one of the first to be fixed ! So make this at home and let me know if you agree that it tastes much better when made at home.

Posted by Harini R on Tuesday, September 10, 2013

22 comments

categories: Beans And Dals, Blogging Marathon, Herbs and Spices, International Recipes, Kabuli Chana (Garbanzo Beans), Kitchen Basics, Salads n Dips, Sesame Seeds | |

Garlic Mixed Vegetable Rolls

G for Garlic Mixed Vegetable Rolls under 'Baked Dishes'. For some reason, to come up with recipes starting with G was very tough for me. More so because I had to have a baked dish for this letter.

But after I made Garlic Pull Apart Rolls, I had a thought that I should include veggies in there as the kids loved those rolls. That was when I made these rolls and trust me the kids didn't mind the veggies in there as they were filling and tasty as well.

We shared this with our friends who loved the idea!

Ingredients -

Maida / All Purpose Flour 1 cup
Whole Wheat Flour 1 cup
Active Dry Yeast 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp)
Milk 1/2 cup (Lukewarm)
Butter 1 tsp
Oil 2 tsp
Sugar 3 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Water 1/2 cup (Lukewarm)

For Garlic Spread -
Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves, minced
Coriander Leaves, finely chopped 2-3 Tbsp
Butter - 2 tsp (at Room temperature)
Salt as needed

For the Mixed Vegetable Curry -
Onions, finely chopped 1/4 cup
Tomato, finely chopped 1/4 cup
Potatoes, finely chopped 1/4 cup
Carrots, grated 1/4 cup
Corn 1/4 cup
Green Beans, finely chopped 1/4 cup
Salt as needed
Ginger-Green chilli-Cilantro paste 2 tsp
Oil 1 Tbsp

Method Of Preparation -
To Prepare the Mixed Vegetable Curry -
In a heated pan, add oil and saute onions until translucent.

Boil the vegetables separately to speed up the cooking. Lightly mash the cooked vegetables. Add the ginger-green chilli-cilantro paste and salt. Add any other spices as per preference.

Mix well and remove from fire. Allow it to cool.

To Prepare the Rolls -
Dissolve the yeast in about 1/4 cup of warm water and let it proof until it froths up.

In large pan, add the all purpose flour, wheat flour, sugar and salt well.

Rub in the butter and mix well until it crumbly. Mix in the yeast-water.

Also add the Milk little by little to make smooth soft dough.

Add oil and knead the dough until it becomes soft.

Cover the dough with a wet cloth and leave it for 1 to 2 hrs in a warm place or until it doubles in its size.

Beat down the dough so that the dough is deflated.

On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 3/4 cm - 1 cm thick rectangle, first apply the garlic spread generously all over the rectangle. Then spread the mixed vegetable curry evenly all over the dough.

Now roll the dough like a carpet. Slice the rolled dough into 9 equal parts.

Arrange the pieces with the cut side down, in a greased 9X7 pan (I used a 9 inch pie plate), cover and leave it for a second rise for another 30 min.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Place the rolls in the oven and bake it for 20 to 25 min until, the aroma of garlic spread fills your kitchen.

You might want to brush some extra butter on the rolls just before serving.

Serve the hot and soft Garlic vegetable rolls and enjoy!

Logo courtesy : Preeti

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 32.

Preparation Time 20 min + Baking Time 25 min
Makes 11

Posted by Harini R on Monday, September 9, 2013

21 comments

categories: All Purpose Flour (Maida), Appetizers and Snacks, Baking, Blogging Marathon, Carrots, Flours, Green Beans, Healthy Snacks, Onions, Potatoes (Alu), Savory Bakes, Vegetables, Wheat Flour (Godhuma pindi) | |

Falafel ~ The Healthier Way

Falafel is a classic Middle Eastern Street Food. Each of these countries Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Egypt has a special way of making it with their choice of ingredients.

Recently we sampled Falafel at our local Middle Eastern Store and the kids took an instant liking to them. I had heard so many raving reviews about these but never thought to make them at home.

Upon the insistence of the kids, I googled and found so many recipes which were very easy to make. Ultimately I picked the ingredients suitable to my pantry and our palates and prepared these.

My older one loved to have them in burgers and so did my husband. The little one was happy to munch them as is!

I had to struggle with this letter as I had planned for something else. But the pictures were so bad that I had to think of something else under the same category. Thank God for little mercies :). There we have F for Falafel under 'International Cuisine'.

Posted by Harini R on Saturday, September 7, 2013

21 comments

categories: Baking, Beans And Dals, Blogging Marathon, International Recipes, Kabuli Chana (Garbanzo Beans), Onions, Savory Bakes, Vegetables | |

English Digestive Biscuits

I always used to wonder what these digestive biscuits were, until a few months back when I finally bought a pack of them from the local Indian store. I found that they were fairly good but the kids didn't take to them and so I forgot about them.

These Digestive biscuits originated in UK and hence the name. They were originally known as Wheaten and are also known as Sweet meal biscuit.

When I was searching for recipes starting with E, I found this here and thought I should give it a try. The only thing that was bugging me was the butter content in the recipe. But then I thought the kids could indulge once in a while and went ahead and baked these. My little one liked them after a couple days!! But no points for guessing who indulged :).

I must confess that we cannot be blamed because they were just too good to resist :). Check out E for English Digestive Biscuits under the 'International Cuisine'. It also qualifies under 'Baked Dishes'.

Posted by Harini R on Friday, September 6, 2013

20 comments

categories: All Purpose Flour (Maida), Appetizers and Snacks, Baking, Blogging Marathon, Butter, Cookies, Dairy Products, Flours, Healthy Snacks, International Recipes, Milk, Sugar, Sweetening Agents, Wheat Flour (Godhuma pindi) | |

Double Ka Meetha

Being a Hyderabadi, I am a little surprised that I have not yet blogged this Nawabi dessert from that place. It is also known as Shahi Tukda. Even today, it is made as part of wedding menus across all communities.

Though I make it at home quite often, I prefer to make it the 'low fat way' and still retain the richness of this ever popular Nawabi dessert!

D for Double Ka Meetha qualifies under 'Regional Cuisine' for BM #32.

Posted by Harini R on Thursday, September 5, 2013

23 comments

categories: Blogging Marathon, Bread, Dairy Products, Milk, Milk Powder, Other Sweets, Sweets and Desserts | |

Cashew Vegetable Quiche

Quiche (pronounced as keesh) is typically part of French Cuisine. According Wiki, it is essentially a savory bake, with open faced pastry crust with a savory filling. This particular variation of Quiche is highly nutritious, egg free and kid friendly as well. This can easily be made vegan by substituting Tofu for Paneer.

This was my first attempt at baking a quiche/pie of any kind. I am yet to master the crust making and crimping process. But my family didn't care a whit about the appearance. Though the process sounds a little laborious, I didn't feel it was as daunting as it sounds. And trust me the end product is worth whatever effort/time it takes!!

So it is C for Cashew Vegetable Quiche under 'Baked Dishes' for BM#32.

Posted by Harini R on Wednesday, September 4, 2013

24 comments

categories: Baking, Blogging Marathon, Carrots, Cashews, Dairy Products, Dry Fruits and Nuts, Flours, Green Beans, International Recipes, Paneer, Savory Bakes, Tomatoes, Vegetables, Wheat Flour (Godhuma pindi) | |

Bedmi Puri (With Moong Dal)

B for Bedmi Puri forming part of Regional Cuisine. I hope you are following our A-Z series of BM#32. More details here. These protein filled spicy puris are apparently very popular in some portions of Agra, Delhi and nearby areas. Needless to say it has become popular at home as well.

Posted by Harini R on Tuesday, September 3, 2013

23 comments

categories: Beans And Dals, Blogging Marathon, Flatbread, Flours, Grains and its Products, Moong Dal (Pesarapappu), Semolina(Sooji/Bombay Rava), Wheat Flour (Godhuma pindi) | |

Avocado-Lettuce-Tomato Sandwich

A for Avocado-Lettuce-Tomato Sandwich aka ALT Sandwich!!
The month long excitement starts from today!! We, The Blogging Marathon Group are a bunch of enthusiastic bloggers who have decided to challenge ourselves with this interesting group event.

As part of BM#32, we all will be participating in this A-Z series where all of us will post recipes starting with each letter of the English Alphabet everyday. Moreover they need to be in four of the following categories : Regional Cuisine, Baked Dishes, International/Fusion Dishes and Condiments/Street food.

Today's recipe happens to be a kind of sandwich which is typically made in 'Subway'. So I guess it can be under the theme of 'International/Fusion Dishes'.

Since we are all fans of Subway sandwiches at home, we were excited when Subway started adding avocados in their subs. This addition of avocados prompted me to try these at home as well.

The other day it was a perfect weekend for a brunch and I assembled these sandwiches much to the delight of my family.

Ingredients -

Bread as needed (I used the 2 subway 6 inch Buns)
Avocado cubed 2-3 Tbsp (or coarsely ground)
Tomato slices as needed
Cucumber slices as needed
Onion Slices as needed
Lettuce shredded as needed
Cheese as needed ( I used the shredded cheese but cheese slices can be used as well)
Dressing as per individual preference. I used Honey mustard and Maggi Tomato Chilli Sauce)
Butter to toast the bread
Optional vegetables - Olives, bell peppers, pickled vegetables or peppers etc.

Method Of Preparation -

Toast the bread as per preference.

Layer the shredded lettuce, onion, tomato, cucumber and avocado.

Sprinkle the cheese and the dressing and .... devour!

Logo courtesy : Preeti

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 32

Preparation Time 15 min
Serves 2

Posted by Harini R on Monday, September 2, 2013

27 comments

categories: Avocado, Blogging Marathon, Bread, Breads/Buns/Rolls/Puffs, International Recipes, Lettuce, Onions, Tomatoes, Vegetables | |

Tamalapaku

Qubani Ka Meetha

Papaya Salad - Vegan

Oats Upma

Nimmakaya Karam ~ Spicy Lemon Sauce

Mango Leather ~ Mamidi Thaandra

Lemon Rasam ~ Nimmakaya Charu

Kandagadda Pachadi ~ Yam (Suran) Chutney

Jam Biscuits - Eggless

Idli Milagai Podi

Hummus

Garlic Mixed Vegetable Rolls

Falafel ~ The Healthier Way

English Digestive Biscuits

Double Ka Meetha

Cashew Vegetable Quiche

Bedmi Puri (With Moong Dal)

Avocado-Lettuce-Tomato Sandwich

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