Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Kaima Idli

Today's post is about Saravana Bhavan Special "Kaima Idli" which is always a big hit at home. Deep fried idlis in spicy and tangy sauce cannot be missed by anyone who visits Saravana Bhavan. I am a die hard fan of their Kaima Idlis and Mixed Vegetable Parotta.Yesterday, when I made this for dinner, we discovered that our little hero likes this a lot too. So Kaima Idli is going to be a frequent visitor to our kitchen.
Ingredients:


1. Idlis - 10 to 12
2. Oil - 1 tablespoon
3. Onions - 1 medim (finely chopped)
4. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tablespoon
4. Tomato - 1 (finely chopped)
5. Tomato paste - 2 tablespoons
6. Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon or more if desired
7. Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Cashews - 8 to 10
9. Cilantro - to garnish
10. Salt - as required
11. Oil - to deep fry the idlis
12. Ghee - 1 tablespoon


Method:


1. Cut the idlis into bite sized pieces and deep fry them in hot oil till it turns golden brown.
2. Place it in a paper towel and leave it aside.
3. In a pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil, add onions, ginger garlic paste. Saute till the raw smell goes away and the onions turn translucent. Green peppers and red peppers can also be added at this stage.
4. Add tomato and salt. Let the tomatoes get mushy. Add tomato paste.
5. Add chilli powder and garam masala and saute for a couple of minutes.
6. Add a few tablespoons of water, just so that the fried idlis can absorb the sauce in.
7. Add the fried idlis and gently mix it with the sauce.
8. Saute it till the idlis absorb the sauce.
9. Add a tablespoon of ghee and add cilantro and fried cashews to garnish.


Serve it with onion raitha.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Broccoli Salad with Low Fat Yogurt Dressing

Broccoli is high in vitamin C, as well as dietary fiber; it also contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties, such as diindolylmethane and small amounts of selenium. A single serving provides more than 30 mg of Vitamin C and a half-cup provides 52 mg of Vitamin C. The 3,3'-Diindolylmethane found in broccoli is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity. Broccoli also contains the compound glucoraphanin, which can be processed into an anti-cancer compound sulforaphane, though the benefits of broccoli are greatly reduced if the vegetable is boiled. Broccoli is also an excellent source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. Broccoli has the highest levels of carotenoids in the brassica family. It is particularly rich in lutein and also provides beta-carotene.

  

I had a slight aversion towards broccoli initially. But knowing the health benefits of this green vegetable, I try to include it in my cooking very often. I guess I can never eat raw broccoli. The trick is to blanch the broccoli for not more than 2 minutes. This will take out the raw taste of broccoli and brings more cooked taste.


Ingredients:


1. Broccoli - 1 head
2. Raisins - 2 tablespoons
3. Almonds - 2 tablespoons
4. Toasted sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon


For the dressing:


1. Lowfat Yogurt - 1 cup (I used no fat and it tasted good)
2. Sesame Oil - 1 tablespoon
3. Salt - to taste
4. Chilli flakes - 1 teaspoon(or more if desired)




Method:


1. Blanch the broccoli florets no more than 2 minutes. The broccoli should still be firm but the raw smell of the broccoli will be gone.
2. Let it cool down. Sprinkle raisins, almonds and toasted sesame seeds over it.
3. For the dressing, just mix all the ingredients under "For the dressing" section to a smooth paste.


Mix the dressing to the broccoli salad just before serving. You can also add shredded carrots to it.


I am happy to send this entry to Salad Spred.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Celebrating a Mini Milestone with my "No Bake Mini Mango Cheesecake" and some Awards

I am super excited and happy to post my 50th recipe on My Recipe Congeries. This was one of the mini milestones I had in my mind when I started this blog. The last 3 and a half months has been a truly amazing and joyful journey. Having nearly 7000 views in less than 4 months is something I never even dreamed of. Thanks to all my wonderful readers who brought me so far.


Doesn't every celebration call for something sweet? :-) Definitely a loud "Yes" from a sweet lover in me .
There is something appealing about miniature desserts and for sure this mini cuties will be a big hit in any gathering. They are exact mini me's of a mango cheesecake. They taste the same. Hope all of you enjoy it as much as I did. So here I am posting an easy no bake mango cheesecake as my 50th post.


The recipe is quiet simple. You can also prepare this in individual dessert cups. There are also many mini cheesecake pans available in the market. But I used muffin pans with liners and they worked just fine. But if you want stylish restaurant looks for these mini delights, you can go for mini cheesecake pan.


Ingredients:


For the Crust:


1. Graham Crackers - 6 (You can use any edible biscuit)
2. Butter - 2 tablespoons


For the cheesecake:


1. Cream cheese - 4oz
2. Mango pulp - 1 cup
3. Sugar - 3 teaspoons
4. No flavor gelatin - 1 teaspoon (I used Knox non flavored)


For the glaze:


1. Mango pulp - 1/2 cup
2. Lemon Juice - few drops
3. No flavor gelatin - 1/2 teaspoon (I used Knox non flavored)


Method:


1. Place the graham crackers in a food processor and pulse it so that you get a coarse mixture.
2. Melt the butter and mix it with the graham crackers mixture. Mix it well.
3. Line the muffin pan with liners. Take a spoonful of the graham cracker mixture and place it in each of the liners.
4. Use the back of a spoon to press it to form the crust. Cover it with a cling wrap and leave it in the refrigerator till we prepare the filling.
5.  Take 2 tablespoons of water, bring it to a boil and add the gelatin and stir till it dissolves completely. Let it cool.
6. In a food processor, place, the softened cream cheese, 1 cup of mango pulp and 3 teaspoons of sugar and process it till smooth.
7. Add the dissolved gelatin to this mixture and pulse it one more time so that gelatin mixes well with the cheesecake mixture.
8. Now, fill the muffin pans with this cheesecake mixture and let it set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
9. After four hours, take each of the cheesecake out of the muffin pan and remove the liners. This step can be avoided if you decide to go with individual serving cups.
10. For the glazing, bring all the ingredients under "For the glaze" section to a boil and cool it down completely before spreading it over the mini cheesecakes.
11. Put it back in the refrigerator until the glazing sets completely on the cheesecake. It will take at least 2 hours for the glazing to set.
12. Decorate it with strawberries or any fruit of your choice.


I am also sending this entry to My Culinary Creations: Mango Recipes Event


Isn't it a sweet surprise to see awards pouring into my inbox when I am thinking what to post for my 50th entry? Yeah, it was more than a pleasant surprise to get these awards from my fellow bloggers. Thank you so much Rohini of Food served with Love and Calories and Kalyani of Kalyani's Kitchen.