Sorry for the delay in posting the roundup. I was kind of busy with the Blogging Marathon and so didn't find time to compile and post!! So here is the Round up of the 'Design A Menu - 2'. We sincerely appreciate and thank all participants for sending in their creative menus. We understand that the rules of the event might be a little confusing and intimidating too for many of you. Some had a tough time in adhering to the rules. We apologize to some participants whose entries had to be rejected because they didn't follow the rules. To reiterate, you don't have to make all the items from the menu designed. Just cook and post one or more recipe(s) from the menu you have designed. This time around we have a couple of menus from enthusiastic non-bloggers and a special thanks to them as well.
All of the menus/entries were interesting and very creative too. So without much ado, lets jump in to see what menus are in store! They are listed in the order we received.
1. Priya from Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes
All of the menus/entries were interesting and very creative too. So without much ado, lets jump in to see what menus are in store! They are listed in the order we received.
1. Priya from Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes
Appetizer: Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Main course: Methi,mango & channadal Kootu, Sweet potato & Methi Stir-Fry
Dessert: Baked Strawberry Wholewheat Pancakes
Dessert: Baked Strawberry Wholewheat Pancakes
2. Suma of VeggiePlatter
Appetizer: Baked Methi Muthias
Main Menu: Mango - Peanut- Cilantro Chutney, Aloo Sukke, Dal Tadka, Sweet Potato Pulusu, Mango - Coconut Quinoa
Dessert: Hayagreeva, Strawberry Cake
Main Menu: Mango - Peanut- Cilantro Chutney, Aloo Sukke, Dal Tadka, Sweet Potato Pulusu, Mango - Coconut Quinoa
Dessert: Hayagreeva, Strawberry Cake
3. Madhavi of Maavantalu
Appetizer: Masala Vada
Main Menu: Sweet Potato – Methi Curry, Raw Mango Parata, Channa Dal Pachadi
Dessert: Straw Berry Cup Cake , Corn Flour Burfi
Dessert: Straw Berry Cup Cake , Corn Flour Burfi
Appetizer - Masala Vada
Main Course - Mamidikaya Annam ~ Mango Rice, Menthakku Pappu ,Sweet Potato Paratha
Dessert - Godumai Halwa ~ Wheat Halwa, Chocolate dipped Strawberry.
Main Course - Mamidikaya Annam ~ Mango Rice, Menthakku Pappu ,Sweet Potato Paratha
Dessert - Godumai Halwa ~ Wheat Halwa, Chocolate dipped Strawberry.
5. Usha of MyspicyKitchen
Appetizer - Whole Wheat Methi Khakra (Tarla Dalal Recipe)
Main Course - Raw Mango Relish, Chana Dal Fry, Sweet Potato Pulusu
Dessert - Chocolate coated Strawberries
Main Course - Raw Mango Relish, Chana Dal Fry, Sweet Potato Pulusu
Dessert - Chocolate coated Strawberries
6. Harini (thats me) of Tamalapaku
Appetizer - Cornflour-Onion Pakodi
Main Course - Sweet-Potato Fry, Mamidikaya Mukkala Pachadi , Methi-Chana Dal
Dessert - Eggless Whole Wheat Strawberry Cupcakes
7. Harini (thats me again) of Tamalapaku
Appetizer - Spicy Sweet Potato Soup
Main Course - Strawberry Gojju, Methi-Mango Chutney, Tomato-Chana Dal
Dessert - Wheat Flour Bobbattu/Poli
Main Course - Strawberry Gojju, Methi-Mango Chutney, Tomato-Chana Dal
Dessert - Wheat Flour Bobbattu/Poli
8. Vijayalakshmi from Fremont, CA
Appetizer - Tomato/Ginger Soup
Main Course - Sanagapappu/onion -Patholi, Methi Sabakki, Grated raw mango pickle
Dessert - Sweet Potato Paaysam, Strawberry smoothie
Methi Sabakki
Ingredients -
Chopped Methi 1 cup
Wheat Flour 1 Cup
Red Onion Chopped 1 small
Tomato chopped 2 spoons
Green Chillies Chopped 1 spoon
Curry leaves 3
Salt 1 tsp
Oil 2 tsp
Jeera 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/8 tsp
Method Of Preparation -
Start by making chapathi dough with pinch of salt and wheat flour.
In a wide Pan add 3/4 cups of water set to boil..
Now make chapathi (little thicker than chapathi) cut them in to diamond shapes and place in hot water for 5-6 min to cook.
After it is cooked place them in the strainer and run little cold water. This is to stop cooking and sticking together.
In a nonstick tawa or saucepan, add 2 spoons of oil on a Medium heat
Add jeera, green chillies,curry leaves then slowly add onions to fry until light golden brown.
Then on a low flame slowly start adding methi, tomato for 30 seconds..
No its time to add all wheat pieces into the pan.. stir it very well slowly until everything mixed evenly. Towards the end add desired salt to the taste.
For extra touch chopped carrots really brings taste to the recipe with dashing color..
thats all recipe ready.. you don't need any cheese in it.. healthy dish.. ready in minutes...
9. Abhiram from Tampa, Fl (No picture attached)
Appetizer - Onion Pakoras(fritters) with corn flour (starter)
Main Course - Raw mango - Methi-chana dal, Cut Raw mango pickle, sweet potato curry
Dessert - Strawberry Custard, Wheat Flour Halwa
Mango-Methi-Chana (recipe for 4)
Ingredients
2 raw mangoes (each should be a handful in size)
2-3 handfuls of methi
3 cups of chana dal
green chillies, chilli powder, salt, turmeric, tamarind etc as necessary
oil for tadka as necessary
Method Of Preparation -
Peel 2 raw mangoes and cut them into 1" long pieces.
Slit 8-10 2" green chillies lengthwise and pressure cook these three (mango, methi and green chillies) together and let them cool.
Also pressure cook 3 cups of chana dal and half a spoon turmeric with 6-7 cups water till you get 7-8 whistles. For whatever reason, my impression is that chana dal requires more cooking than toor dal, hence so many whistles. Allow it to cool, mix the cooked veggies into this and cook on medium flame.
Add salt and red chilli powder as necessary. If you think the mangoes are not as sour as expected, you can try adding some tamarind paste. You can also add water while cooking to get the desired dal consistency.
In a separate tadka pan, heat 2-3 tsp of oil till the oil almost boils. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add jeera seeds and let them fry for a few seconds, add some hing and then add cut curry leaves. I like to add some split urad dal (minnappappu) into this. After a few seconds, add 8-10(or as necessary) broken red chillies and let them fry. I like to add a table spoon of dhania powder into this as it really gives out some good flavor.
Mix this tadka into the dal, cook on sim for a couple of minutes and switch the stove off. In the mean time, cut a handful of cilantro as fine as you can and mix it with the dal, close the lid and allow it to cool for a while so the flavor gets in.
The dal is ready now, and it tastes good with either rice or roti. If you want to eat it with rice, fried dahi mirch (uppu mirapakayalu in telugu) and/or vadiyalu (telugu) are/is a good combo.
Ingredients -
2 raw mangoes (handful each in size)
2-3 tsp powdered mustard seeds
1 tsp powdered methi seeds
2 tsp chilli powder
1tsp turmeric
salt as necessary
oil, mustard seeds and hing for tadka
Method Of Preparation -
Peel the mangoes, make sure they are decently sour and dice them into 1/2 centimeter pieces. Now, add salt, turmeric, chilli powder, methi powder and mustard powder to this. Methi and mustard powder amounts may vary according to taste, but its usually more of mustard and less of methi. Let this mixture dry marinate for 20-30 mins till all the flavors get in.
Meanwhile, heat 4-5 tsp oil in a tadka pan, allowing it to boil. Add 2 tsp mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add hing, let this cool and add this to the above mixture. Serve with hot cooked rice.
If you feel the pickle is not sour enough, add a few drops of lemon juice after you mix the pickle with rice.
Sweet Potato Curry (serves 4)
Ingredients
2 pounds sweet potatoes
salt and chilli powder
tadka ingredients
Method Of Preparation -
Peel the sweet potatoes and quarter them. Now take a dish with a handle, toss the sweet potatoes in, add some water and salt and boil them for 15 minutes timed on 8 heat, closed.
Meanwhile, take a bigger pan, essentially the curry pan and boil 2-3 tsp oil in it. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter, add curry leaves and then some split urad dal and finally if you like, some broken red chillies.
Now drain the water from the boiled potatoes into a cup, and toss in the potatoes into the curry pan. Saute for a while on medium heat till the potatoes get brown and add some turmeric. Cover cook them covered for 5-10 mins on 7 heat, occasionally checking on the potatoes. If you feel they are too dry, sprinkle the drained water you saved earlier. Add salt and chilli powder as per your taste. You can add crushed red peppers instead of chilli powder.
The water I asked to save before is assumed to contain a lot of the nutrients from the potates. So, decide on the right amount of water to cook the raw potatoes with, so when you drain and save, it is just enough to use in the curry later.
Strawberry Custard
Ingredients
1/2 pound strawberries
1L milk
6-7 tea spoons custard powder
7-8 tsp sugar
Method Of Preparation -
Bring milk and sugar to a boil in a heavy saucepan on medium heat. Take 100ml of milk aside, add custard powder and mix it well so no lumps exist. Add this to the boiling milk and keep stirring. Cool it down when you get a thick pouring consistency.
De-seed the strawberries and dice them in a container. Pour the custard over onto them. Alternately, you can garnish the custard with these strawberry pieces. You can also add various nuts as garnishes. Serve chilled.
You can add a variety of other flavors to this custard, so feel free to experiment with banana, almond, chocolate and any other essences you can think of.
Thanks once again to everyone.
Here are the ingredients for Design A Menu-3
Compulsory Ingredients -
Vegetables
Capsicum, Carrot and/or Potato, Tindora (Dondakaya/Ivy gourd),
Dals, Grains and Flours
Moong Dal (Pesara Pappu)
Chick Pea Flour (Besan/Senaga pindi)
Fruits
Pineapple
Optional Ingredients -
Onion, Tomato, Cilantro, Green Chillies, Ginger, Garlic
For more details check the announcement here.