Rava Laddoo

We all have a sweet tooth hence come sweets or chocolates its finished within seconds( hence I don't buy as there is no control over it). But when somebody gifts you with sweets both my hubby and daughter are thrilled and happy to recieve it. Last weekend a friend of mine 'A' had come over with her parents (parents are on visit) for dinner at our place. Her mother had made this laddoo and brought it for us. We ate it all enjoying it till the last bite. Somehow when I saw only 5 laddoos remaining I had to quickly click a shot to send this for the Event " Who's Gona Cook for me". I got the recipe from A's Mom the very next day as the event was meeting its deadline.



Ingredients:
semolina/rava - 1 cup
fresh/frozen grated coconut - ¾ cup
sugar - ¾ cup
ghee - 1 tbsp
water - for syrup ( slightly more than the sugar level)
spice powder- recipe follows
raisins - as per the number of laddoos

Spice Powder
Cinnamon - 2"
clove - 6
cardamom seeds - 2 tsp

Dry roast these spices and blend to a fine powder. This spice powder can be stored in an air tight container.

Method:
In a wide bowl take rava and grated coconut. Mix well and leave aside for an hour or so.
Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and fry rava-coconut mixture on a low flame till nice aroma infuses your kitchen.
Now in another pan take sugar and water. Get it to a boil and cook to one-thread consistency. This will take approximately 10 minutes or so. Put off the flame.
Add rava-coconut mixture and spice powder. Let aside to cool completely.
Roll out into laddoos piercing with one raisin per laddoo.

Note: If the sugar-rava-coconut mixture hardens sprinkle milk and roll out laddoos.

Rava Laddoo is on its way to the Event " Who's Gona Cook for me" hosted by PJ at Seduce your Tastebuds

Daal Palak

This is again a simple dish and falls into the category of comfort food and healthy too. There are various ways to make Dal Palak. I got this recipe from a magazine (Food and Location Courtesy: Le Royce, Pune, India). I followed this recipe blindly without any changes and I must say it turned out really good.

Ingredients:
yellow lentils/ toor daal - 1 cup
spinach/palak leaves - 1 cup (washed and chopped)
tomato -1
onion - 1
ginger garlic paste - ½ tsp
turmeric powder - ½ tsp
lime juice - 2 tsp
oil - 1 tsp
cumin seeds - ½ tsp
green chillies - 2
red chilli powder - 1 pinch
salt to taste

Method:
Wash and soak lentils in warm water for an hour. Meanwhile wash and chop spinach leaves. Peel onions and chop onions and tomato finely. Wash and chop or slit green chillies according to your taste.
Take a heavy bottomed pan and cook the yellow lentils/toor daal in it. OR Pressure cook for 2 whistles. When cooked ¾th, add spinach leaves, onion, tomato, salt, turmeric powder and ginger-garlic paste. Cook everything together till done.
In a small frying pan heat oil, add the cumin seeds, green chilli and red chilli powder, temper the daal.
Add lime juice in it and mix it well. Serve hot with rice.
We had it with rice and Aloo methi bhaji. Superb and healthy combo!!!

Daal Palak also goes to the Event Weekend Herb Blogging at Daily Tiffin and also to Haalo's site at Cook (almost) anything at Least Once.

Aloo Methi Bhaji (Fenugreek-Potato stir fry)

Fenugreek/methi leaves are enriched with Potassium, Calcium, Iron, Vitamin C and has good dietery fiber. Though these leaves are bitter in taste it has always been our favourite!!! Whenever I find it in the market...I buy it immediately. This time I got a huge bunch of it. Hence you guys can look forward for herbal posts...;))for few more days. This is a simple dish my ma makes and goes well with rice as well as chapathi.

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 2 medium, peeled and diced
fenugreek(methi) leaves - ¼ bunch, approx- 1½ cups washed and chopped
onion - 1 finely chopped
green chillies - 1 , slit
cumin seeds - ½ tsp
turmeric powder - ½ tsp
red chilli powder - ¾ tsp
salt to taste
oil - 1 tsp

Method:
Cook potatoes in a pressure cooker till done or microwave for 7 minutes HIGH.
Thoroughly wash methi leaves and chop them fine. Place them in salted water for 5 minutes. Rinse and use.
Peel and chop onions and slit green chillies.
Heat a kadai add oil, splutter cumin seeds and then add onions. Saute till brown.
Now add methi(fenugreek) leaves and saute on medium flame till methi leaves are wilted and rawness is gone.
Now add red chilli powder. turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Add cooked potatoes, mix and cover with a lid. Cook on low flame for 5 to 10 minutes stirring in between. Aloo methi bhaji is ready to eat.

Aloo Methi Bhaji is off to the Event Weekend Herb Blogging at Daily Tiffin and also to Haalo's site at Cook (almost) anything at Least Once.

Vermicilli and Sabodana kheer

Lost in the process of posting recipes...I didn't even realise that I had crossed 50 posts..Only today when I saw my 55th post...I did!!! Hence on this Happy Occasion I thought nothing better than kheer to sweeten your tastebuds. This kheer is my hubby's and kiddos all time favourite. My daugher just adores these white pearls with vermicilli.

Ingredients:
vermicilli- 1 cup
sabudana - ¼ cup
sugar - 1 cup
milk - 2½ cup
water - 1 cup

cashew and raisins for garnish
cardamom powder- 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:
Soak sabudana in 1 cup of water for half an hour. Cook till the sabudana turns into transparent
pearl- like.
Get the milk to a boil in a milk pot.
Heat ghee in a kadai, fry cashews and raisins and keep aside.
In the same ghee add vermicilli. Fry on low flame till light brown. Now pour hot milk into the kadai and cook vermicilli. When they turn soft add cooked sabudana and get to a boil.
Now add sugar and cook further till the sugar melts down. Sprinkle cardamom powder and turn off the flame. Let rest for a while and have it warm or cold as you like.

Note: The consistency of the kheer should be thinner since the kheer thickens as it cools.
Adjust the sweetness according to your taste.

This Kheer is for the Event Recipes for the rest of us -DESSERT and One Page Cookbooks

Mixed Salad

This salad is a meal by itself for those keen on eating healthy and light dinner. I had prepared this salad for a get together we had last week. This was an instant hit, liked by everybody. As I said earlier I always have a stock of cooked chickpeas, green gram and black chana sprouts in my fridge.

Ingredients:
onion - 1 big
tomato - 1 big
cucumber - 1 medium
green apple - 1
cooked chickpeas or canned chickpeas - ½ cup
mixed sprouts - 1 cup
frozen sweet corn - ¼ cup
frozen or fresh peas - ¼ cup
coriander leaves - 1 handfull, chopped

Dressing
Olive oil - 1 tsp
lemon juice of 1 lemon
salt to taste
Freshly crushed pepper - 1 tsp

Method:
Peel and dice onions. Wash and dice tomatoes, green apple and cucumber.
Defrost frozen sweet corn and peas or MW HIGH for a minute.
In a Microwave safe bowl, take cooked chickpeas(I do not add salt while pressure cooking chickpeas), mixed sprouts, sweet corn and green peas. Add salt and Microwave HIGH for 1 minute.
This step is optional. If using canned chickpeas omit this step.
In a small bowl, take the dressing ingredients and whip well till oil is well mixed with lemon juice and salt-pepper dissolves completely. Dressing should be added just before serving. This imparts a fresh flavour.
Take a salad bowl, take diced onion, tomato, cucumber, green apple, chickpeas, sprouts, sweet corn and peas. Mix well. Now swirl in the dressing and mix well.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately.

This salad is on its way for the Event SWC- Salad under 15 minutes at Cooking Station by Lakshmi