Instant Bhel Puri

Last week I had a kitty party at home for my colony friends and we had a blast. Every month, a new host is chosen to throw a party. What we basically do is snack, play games and of course there are prizes for the games and all in all we have a good time just being around with friends. It’s really a nice way to unwind every month.

My cousin Ramya gave me these wonderful ideas for snacks. I prepared Bhel puri, Papdi chat, Pani puri. This is so easy that if you have all the ingredients at home, you can make it any time. A good choice for bachelors too!

Ingredients:
Puffed Rice – 3 cups
Carrots – 2 grated
Onions – 2 finely chopped
Tomatoes – 2 finely chopped (Mix tomatoes and onions with some lime juice and keep aside)
Halved Groundnuts – store bought which is already coated with spices
Papdi – 7-8 (store bought)
Sev – a handful for each plate

For the chutneys:
Dates chutney for the sweet chutney
You can use store bought green chutney powder. All you have to do is mix the powder with water.

Mix all the above ingredients along with some salt. Garnish with coriander leaves and sev on each plate.

Don’t make it early and keep this because it can get soggy. Keep all the ingredients ready, but mix them only when you are ready to eat! Hope you enjoy trying this and eating it too!

Carrot Payasa (Carrot Pudding/Kheer/Payasam)

Before posting this recipe, I did like to wish all my readers a very happy and safe deepavali (a row of lights). True to the word, this festival is celebrated by lighting up homes with lots of diyas (oil lamps), flowers, rangoli, and crackers. And how can one forget sweets? This is the time to indulge in lots of caloric sweets and forget about the weighing machine for a while. After all diwali comes once in a year.

Talking about sweets, we still like to keep it traditional at home by making payasa along with other varieties of sweets.

Payasa (in Kannada), Payasam ( in Tamil), Kheer (in Hindi), Pudding (in English), Athough the names are different in different languages, the ingredients which go in to the making of this dish is the same. It has the combination of Rice, Milk, Sugar, flavoured with Cardamoms, Raisins, Cashews, Almonds and Saffron (kesari). Although rice is commonly used to make payasa, we also use vermicelli, sago, poppy seeds. This year for diwali, My mother-in-law prepared payasa with Carrot as the main ingredient. Its very different from the usual rice pudding and tastes delicious too!!!!

Ingredients: (Serves ~6)

Carrot - 4

Sugar - 1 cup

Milk - 1 and 1/2 cup (boiled)

Cardamom - (8-10)

Raisins and Cashews - (8-10 each)

Almonds - 5 (coarse powder)

Saffron - few

Preparation:

1. Pressure cook carrots. Grind them with 1/2 cup milk.

2. Take a deep bottomed vessel, and boil the ground mixture for 5 mins along with 1 cup milk, sugar, cardamoms, saffron and raisins.

3. Fry the cashews in 1 tsp ghee and add it to the above.

Serving tip: Best served when slightly chilled.

KG4YXETGBYKE

Rajasthani food - Aloo Ki Subji

Although I enjoy all kinds of cuisine, I must admit I have a soft corner for Mexican, Italian and specially Rajasthani food! My dad gifted me this book sometime back. Its a book by Tarla Dalal on Rajasthani cuisine. It has some basic recipes like Gatte ki kadhi to some very complex and mouthwatering Motichur ladoos. Over all a very good book for people who like rajasthani food!

This recipe below is a very simple one and the best one can think of on a very tiring day. All it requires is a just a few spices, yoghurt, gram flour and Potatoes. No special ingredients that you have to rush to the market for. Everything is in your kitchen for this dish!

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 4 (boiled, peeled and cubed)

1 cup fresh curds (beaten)

1 tspn Bengal gram flour (besan)

1/2 tspn mustard seeds

1 tspn cumin seeds (jeera)

1 tspn fennel seeds (saunf)

1/2 tspn nigella seeds (kalonji)

1 bay leaf

2 cloves

2 sticks cinnamon

A pinch of hing

2 tspns chilli powder

1/4 tspn turmeric powder

1 tspn coriander-cumin seed powder

1 tbl spn Ghee

Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, combine the curds and gram flour and whisk well. Keep aside.

2. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and asafoetida and stir for a few seconds.

3. Add the curds and gram flour mixture, chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander - cumin seed powder and continue stirring till it comes to a boil.

4. Add the potatoes and salt with 1/2 cup of water and mix well. Bring to a boil.

Garnish with coriander leaves and Serve hot with chapathis or pulkas.

Note: Adding fennel seeds and nigella seeds is very important to this dish because they give a distinct flavor.

Spring Onions and Fenugreek seeds in Tamarind concentrate (gojju)

I am officially back to posting recipes here from today! Phew! It has been such a long time! last couple of months it has been really strenous for me. Moving places, setting up a new home, new school for my daughter, but with family around here, everything seemed much more easy!

This concentrate (gojju) is prepared to eat along with chapathis as well as rice. A very good travel food because it doesnt get spoilt. We often make this at home with different ingredients. I get fresh batch of greens 2 days in a week delivered to my door step. You will always get to see atleast 2 types of greens in my fridge every week. This time around I bought Gongura leaves (was tempted to make Gongura Pappu from Indira's Mahanandi and beleive me it was so good there was not even a drop left to take a picture!!!!! ), 2 bundles of Fenugreek leaves and 1 bundle of lovely and fresh Spring Onions.

Spring Onions have to be used quickly like within a day or two or else they lose their freshness. I divided the bundle in to two. One for Veg Hakka Noodles (recipe will be here soon) and the other portion for this Gojju.

Adding fenugreek seeds to this gojju enhances the flavor and also we all know the benefits of using fenugreek in our daily diet. Right?

Ingredients:

1 bunch Spring Onions (wash well and chop them)

1 Tbl spn Fenugreek Seeds

1 Tbl spn Jaggery

1 lemon sized tamarind soaked and extract the juice

1-2 Tspns Rasam powder (Refer to the recipe here)

Salt as per taste

Seasonings:

2 Tbl spns Oil

1 tspn Mustard seeds

A pinch of Hing

1-2 strands of Curry leaves

Preparation:

1. Take a non-stck pan and add the seasonings one by one starting with oil, mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves.

2. Roast the fenugreek seeds until it turns slightly brown. Add the spring onions and fry well.

3. Add little water, jaggery, rasam powder, salt and allow it to boil.

4. Once the fenugreek and the onions are cooked, add the juice of tamarind and 1 tspn (gramflour mixed with water) to make it slightly thick. Boil it for a couple of minutes.

5. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve it with chapathis or curd rice.

CLICK (July 2009) Bicolour

Red and White - My favourite chocolate

This month on Jugalbandi's CLICK is Bicolour.
Camera model: SONY DSC-P10

My Article for Dani Nani Foundation!

About 6 months back, Mr.Subhodh Mathur, the Editor of Dadi Nani Foundation, requested me to write an article about the memories of my Paati (Grandmother) and her exceptional cooking.

Here is the link to the Article!

I am very happy that I got an oppurtunity to write this article. Thanks to Mr. Subhodh Mathur for making me a part of this fabulous website.

My New Kitchen!!!!!!

Moving in to one's own space can be very tiresome and at the same time very exciting. It becomes even more strenous when you have to start furnishing every corner of your home. As a homemaker and having a blog I spend most of my time in my kitchen. I just dont see it as a "kitchen"! As an artist I get very excited when I see a blank canvas. My creative mind starts thinking immediately. Kitchen is also a blank canvas for me where I like to spend hours together cooking new things, trying out different recipes, writing about them all in my blog.

Uploading a few photos of my new kitchen. Have some more but right now having trouble to upload them all....will update soon!

Thanks to my sister Vasu who gave me some valuable inputs (by the way did I mention she has a very good blog on interior designing where she gives her readers some wonderful tips on how to decorate your home with some very normal things but that which can turn in to something extraordinary and look like a million bucks! Her blog is called Cherishing spaces. Do visit this space)

Also a huge hug to my Hubby for making my dream come true! Thanks to the team of people who worked on the kitchen! They did a brilliant job!

Hurray.....Finally!!!!!!!!!

After months of selecting and discussing different types and makes of kitchen brands we finally settled on one last month. Finally the wait is over. Crossing my fingers!!!!This week our kitchen should be done! Will keep you all updated and may be post some pictures of my new kitchen:-)

You will see me here more often posting some amazing recipes. Even after being dormant for a long time, the blog has seen an increase in the reader numbers. Thanks to all my readers for visiting this page often and checking if I have posted anything new. There were some who actually even mailed me to find out when I will be back here. That was very sweet of you all....My answer is very soon..........:-)

Have a good weekend!

GUESS WHAT?

Guess what? I forgot that my blog turned One on Jan 14th. Am I the only one or has it happened with any one of you. Gosh! I just cant believe it that I totally forgot about it.

I havent checked out other blogs in a while. Pardon me friends, I will make up for it. After a long time I came to see my friend Meeta's blog What's For Lunch Honey. While reading this post from her blog, I just checked the calendar and realised my mistake! Moving places has kept me away from my blog for so long that I absolutely forgot about the special day! Anyways reasons apart thank you all for all the support and I promise you all to come back with a bang in a couple of months!

A NOTE OF THANKS

I know its been a long time since I penned down something in this space. But seeing the overwhelming response from my readers and a very thrilling number of 100 readers for my blog has compelled me to sit down in front of my computer and write this. "Thank You to all my readers and friends". This blog is something that I cannot live away for long from, but there are times when you have to forcibly take a backseat from what you do. It might take one or two months for me to be back to my blog and continue to add some of the best recipes, share my thoughts and learn from others. A new home, a new kitchen, and many more things happening at this point has forced me to be away from my lovely blogs.

But I promise you all, I will come back with some great recipes and awesome paintings for my art blog in a couple of months. Till then I just wanted to tell you all that your support and appreciation is something that I wanted to thank you all for and hope you guys continue to do so and keep me encouraged for the future too. Ciao for now!!!!!

Best Of Year 2008

Its that time of the year again when you sit back and think of the wonderful times of 2008. Its so important for all of us to take time out and thank god for everything bestowed on us. This year for me has been a fruitful one. There are many things that I want to talk about. For me this is a way to let you all know some of the important things that worked for me in 2008 and so much more that I am looking forward to in 2009.

First and foremost I chanced upon an idea to start a blog of my own. I never knew one bit that it will turn in to a passion. Initially I was adding both the recipes and my paintings and craft work on the same blog. But then I realised that its important to keep them on separate blogs because there were few people more inclined towards checking out the recipes and some were pure art and craft people. So I started the blog KAI KRIYE (which means hand work in Kannada, my mother tongue) for art and IYENGAR'S KITCHEN to add in traditional treasures and other recipes from my home.

I never realised for once that I would receive so much love, support and encouragement from everyone in the family to fellow bloggers. Through blogging I made some fantastic friends who are so far away yet I know what they all do on a day to day basis without actually seeing them. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR POSITIVE SUGGESTIONS AND FEEDBACKS WHICH KEEP ME ENCOURAGED IMMENSELY!

Coming to the Most popular recipes on my blog:

Akki rotti

Engayi

Mint layered Paratha

Puliogare

Most tried recipes on my blog:

Rasam powder

Mint layered paratha

Puliogare

Engayi

Carrot and Kohlrabi Soup

Traditional treasures on my blog:

Ulundha ogare

Kolkattai

Events of the year hosted by me:

Although I did host only two events, I must say CHALLENGE Event will always remain close to my heart.

Some good friends I made through blogging:

1. Meeta of What's for Lunch Honey

2. Lakshmi of Taste of Mysore

3. Sree of Sree's Canvas

I have so many more friends and this list will be really long. By next year I am very sure this list would double:-)

Food and Art Blogs that I love to Visit:

1. Geninne's Art Blog

2. Archana at Rang Decor

3. Holly's Decor 8 and Haus Maus

4. Indira's Mahanandi

5. Meeta's What's for Lunch Honey

6. Sree's Canvas

I do see many more blogs than these but when I think of wanting to see some blogs to cheer me up or sit down for a cuppa, I immediately open these. The year 2009 will also be the start to see so many more talented people whom I have still not discovered.

Oh by the way, did I tell you all what I really enjoyed in my first year of blogging?

Well, here there go:

1. My first post

2. The first comment I received for my post

3. More and more bloggers checking out my blog.

4. The most satisfying one has definitely got to be when people told me that they tried out my recipes and it turned out superb for them.

5. The day I saw a very small mention about my blog in Telegraph Paper.

6. Awards from fellow blogger friends.Hopefully this year will be bigger and better for me and my blogs!

Coming to the Best recipe I tried from a blog and worked wonders for me has to be Palak Paneer from Sailu's Kitchen. I know my recipe is still pending on that. But as you know December has been the most difficult month for me. I have been so busy that I have not posted anything new. Try this recipe it sure will be a hit at your home! I also love trying out recipes from Aayis recipes, Taste of mysore and Mahanandi.

Finally I do want to add that Blogging is really difficult but the most fulfilling one. It needs a lot of your time, energy and lot of dedication. If its your passion you will certainly like every bit of it. I have realised along the way that if you make only good food it isn't sufficient. A good presentation is an important part of it and for that, a good knowledge of food photography is all the more important.

My best photographed recipe has got to be Ulundha Ogare. What do you think?

Keeping in mind these things, My resolutions for New year 2009 would be:

1. To improve on my presentation as in photography skills. (I am seriously working on that)

2. More Traditional recipes and trying to add in readers recipe requests. So all you readers if you want a particular recipe do write to me at iyengarskitchen@gmail.com

3. Try to post more often, like say weekly once.

4. I also would love to bake and hopefully add an oven in my new kitchen soon. So if that happens may be I might try my hand at baking which I love and probably learn from blogger friends who bake on a regular basis.I think I will end here for today and Here' s WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2009 FROM IYENGAR'S KITCHEN!!!!!!

Srivalli's Cooking for all seasons is hosting "Best of Year 2008" Event. This post is going to that event. Thanks Valli for giving me the extra time.