Mamra ni Chikki | Puff Rice Brittle or Balls - 4th Year in Blogging

This is I guess everyone had it outside the school gates during recess or after school. All lariwalas along with other stuff puff rice balls in their lari. It doesn't cost much that time but saving money from whatever pocket money we have and use it for all those goodies, man, those were the days. Now its become necessity for my hubby’s diet. He can consume puff rice and he was eating ready made rice krispies a lot , but need to change that so he asked me buy puff rice so can make it balls or squares or brittle. So I got big bag of puff rice and told him ok I am making this but duh, when I see the container of jiggery it was almost finished so I knew that I will be able to use up only ¼ of the packet of puff rice only , anyway I was not going to use up whole one in one time so it was good. So made this and it was done in no time. When I was looking for jar to put all this squares, it couldn’t fit in my container and I put rest in small container. The small container was in sink in no time , means it was done. So if you also craving for this , it’s very easy to make and its kinda healthy too because I make it from jiggery. You can use sugar too. but I was not very keen to use that.  You can make it balls too but I made it in squares.

My actual blogging anniversary is on 19th but since its on sunday and i dont post on sunday so celebrating today so thank you all friends and well wishers of my blog without you this journey not possible.So thanking you all from bottom of my heart.

I am out for 4 weeks vacation , will see you all after that. But if you are on my FB page I will post yummy dishes from back home.

Ingredients :

4 cups of Puff rice | Mamra

1 and ½ cup shredded Jaggery

Pinch of cardamom powder

Method:

Grease a big dish with ghee and keep it aside.

Take a big pan and add jaggery in it. Cook it on very low flame when it it start bubbling, add puff rice in it.

And mix it quickly, all grains should be covered in jiggery glue.

Spread it on grease dish and make it nice layer. Its upto you what size , shape you want to do it.

When it's still warm cut it in big or small squares and separate it, so its easy to handle later on.

Put it in jar and munch on it

Hearth and Soul Blog Hop July 13th - Zesty South Indian Kitchen
Six summer fruit puddings + #recipeoftheweek 11-17 July - A Mummy Too

Mexican Spiced Tortellini Salad

I had this box of spinach and ricotta cheese tortellini in pantry for quite time and never had time to use up. Before kids used to eat that so I store it, one day they changed their taste buds and minds and declared that they no longer wanted to eat this so it’s only me in family left with to use up cause hubby due to his health cant consume premade stuff. So one Sunday when they declared they wanted to eat healthy mac n cheese, I saw again that box in pantry and I just took it out, thinking will put it in same sauce as kids pasta and have it. But when I was making kids pasta thought to change my dish somewhere and instead of putting it in Italian spices , decided to put it in Mexican spices. Taste wonderful and even my son who told me he is not going to eat , had it, I just had it with regular vegetables and spices but to make it true Mexican salad you can add black beans, corn, avocado along with Mexican spices. I used spinach and ricotta stuffed tortellini , you can use 3 cheese or if you fancy make your own.

Ingredients

½ packet of dry tortellini

½ each red , green capsicum

½ onion, I cut it in match stick but cut it in cubes its easy to eat

1 small carrot cut

2 cloves of garlic

1 or ½ as per your taste jalapenos finely chopped

1 tsp. paprika powder

1 tsp. Garlic powder

Salt and black pepper as needed

1 tbsp. Taco seasoning

Lime juice as per taste

1 tbsp. olive oil

Method:

Boil the tortellini as per the package directions and keep it aside.

Chop all the ingredients and put it in big bowl. Add all the spices in it and mix it too.

When tortellini is done, put it in with vegetables & Spiced mixture.

Mixed gently so it’s doesn’t break up.

Sprinkle lime juice on top and serve it in serving bowl.

Delicious and quick salad is ready to eat.

Hearth and Soul Blog Hop July 13th - Zesty South Indian Kitchen
Six summer fruit puddings + #recipeoftheweek 11-17 July - A Mummy Too

Whole Wheat Mac(Penne) & Cheese

My kids always ask for Mac & cheese and I was not in a mood to feed them from blue box. So this time firmly I told them that no more box , I will make you more yummy and healthy mac and cheese for you and you will love it. Now a days both kids asking too much questions about how to make food healthy so keep in that mind I told them that box one is not healthy and we have to stay away from those kind of food so they were agree to give it a try to my way of mac and cheese. I can convince my son to try and eat everything but my princess is very hard to convinced and when she said yes I won half the battle. If you don’t know I have very picky eaters in my house. So to convince everyone it’s a very hard job. Anyway , made it and they enjoyed it too.  So here is the fool proofed recipe from my picky eaters to yours. I convinced them to use penne and not macroni because it does not come in whole wheat. And it was ok.

Ingredients : 

2 cups of Boiled and cooked pasta

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1 tbsp.  AP flour

2 tbsp. butter

1 cup of milk

Few strokes of black pepper powder

Parmesan cheese to sprinkle

Method:

Cook pasta as per package directions and keep it aside.

Heat a pot, add butter and melt it. Then add AP flour and cook on low flame till its cooked .

Add milk slowly and whisk everything with other hand so no lumps format.

When its nicely mix, add freshly cracked black pepper.

Add cheese in it and mix it till its melt.

Add pasta in it and mix it.

Take it out in serving plate, sprinkle few more black pepper powder and parmesan cheese and give it to your picky eaters and let them finish that bowl in no time. 

Hearth and Soul Blog Hop July 13th - Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Six summer fruit puddings + #recipeoftheweek 11-17 July - A Mummy Too

Sabudana ni Khichdi | Tapioca Pearls

I just love sabudana khichdi, basically people eat this when they are fasting, but for me I don’t have that rule to enjoy my favorite food any time of the year. If I am in mood of this, I will make that and enjoy it. This batch of my sabudana was awesome, just needed 10-15 minutes of soaking and it becomes so fluffy and nice and anything I make it from that , turns out nice, did you see my post on sabudana vada that too not fried.? Made from this only and since then I was wishing that this my pot of white pearls never end but it has to end so this was my last cup of sabudana and what else I can make from this then my favorite khichdi. You have to make sure you soaked the sabudana in not too much water, and make sure its dry not dry as lentil but not water is coming out of it. So soaked it in water depend upon your product few minutes to few hours, washed it and leave it on sieve to drip  out extra water.  By that time, you can roast your peanuts, cashew, cut the potatoes, green chilies and chopped fresh coriander leaves so you are good to go.

Ingredients :

1 cup soaked and dry sabudana

2 tbsp. oil

2 tbsp. roasted peanuts

1 potatoes in small cubes

Few roasted cashews

1 chopped green chili

Salt as per taste

1 tsp. Turmeric powder

Small pinch of Clove powder

Freshly chopped coriander leaves & Lime juice

Method:

In a pan, add oil in it.

When it’s hot, add green chili, when its cooked, add potatoes and cover and let it cook on low flame.

When potatoes are done, add peanuts, cashews, turmeric powder, clove powder and mix it.

Then add your fluffy sabudana in it.

Don’t cover it and mix it gently and let it cook for two minutes. If you wish you can boiled the potatoes and use it , it will save your time too.

When it’s done, sprinkle lime juice and coriander leaves and enjoy as a snack or a meal or just as it  is.

Tikhi Bakhri | Spiced Indian Flat bread

We use flour in so many recipes to sweet to savory  , to namkeen to halwa , to make roti  or naan. This is a variation from simple bhakri which is made using only flour, salt and oil in it. This spiced one usually is for breakfast or to have it with tea or coffee or just for munching, it goes very well with chunda (shredded green mangoes in sugar syrup) or any pickle but I just like to have it with my breakfast. So here it is my favorite breakfast and if you try it it will be yours too.

Ingredients :

1 cup WW flour

Salt as per taste

1 tbsp. Red chili powder or as per taste

1 tsp. Turmeric powder

1 tsp. Crushed carom seeds (ajwain)

2 tbsp. oil to add it in flour and as needed to make bhakri

Method:

Take your flour in big bowl. Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder , crushed carom seeds, oil in it .

Take enough water to make soft dough just like you make it for paratha.

Make small rounds or as your prefer size balls.

Heat the tawa or griddle on gas.

Roll out the dough from small balls and make nice circle.

Put that bhakri on tawa and roast it on both sides , when other side is about done, add tsp. of oil and cook it and turn it over and cook it that side too for a minute.

Take it out on paper towel and do the rest of it.

Enjoy garama garam bhakhri with your tea and your breakfast is done.

7 cool desserts for hot days + #recipeoftheweek 4-10 July - A Mummy Too

Hearth and Soul Blog Hop : July 6th - Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Grilled Vegetable Focaccia Sandwich with Sun Dried Tomato Tapenade

So when he decided to eat brown rice risotto with grilled vegetables, I knew what I am making for me. I had this beautiful focaccia bread in the house and love to use it and with grilled vegetables it was perfect pairing too. So just made this sun dried tomato tapenade and enjoy my dinner too. Everyone got to eat their favorite food and enjoyed our diner. Yes it become hectic to cook different things but I don't mind that , because I have different thinking about feeding kids, don't like to force them to eat everything. I like to enjoy food, only crying and screaming in the background.

Ingredients for Sun Dried Tomato Tapenade

3/4 cup of oil packed sun dried tomato , if you have just dried tomato, put it in boiling water for few minutes to make it soften and then use it.
1/2 cup black or kalamata olives
2/3 cup EVOO
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp. of dried organo

Method:

Put tomato and olives in blender, with on/off buttons, crushed it, then add garlic, olive oil and oregano and crushed it more.
Blend to make it coarse puree.
Take it out and store in glass bottle and use it as needed.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

1 each red, green capsciucm
1 onion
2 carrot
1 cup of spinach

Grilled all this vegetables and cut it in match stick slices. No need to chop spinach.

Make a dressing of 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp. of garlic powder, 1 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes , salt and pepper and mix it, add those chopped vegetables in it and mix it.

Assembly of sandwich :

Take your bread and cut it in half , not all the way thru. Spread nice coating of sun dried tomato tapenade on one side.
Add your vegetables on top of it and close it and enjoy your diner.

7 cool desserts for hot days + #recipeoftheweek 4-10 July - A Mummy Too

Hearth and Soul Blog Hop : July 6th - Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Thali # 6 - Ringna Bataka Nu Rasawalu shak, Kadhi, Juwar ni Rotli

When we eat simple food, it gives more satisfaction than any other complex dishes. I think I have more eggplant dishes than any other vegetables. what do I say, I just love eggplants, any size any cuisine, give it to me and I will eat it. Its like I have three kinds of eggplants always in the fridge. For this thali, I made simple gravy curry with purple eggplant with my favorite pigeon peas, potato and regular kadhi, instead of wheat roti, made juwar roti and other favorite thing , green chili.

Ringan Bateta Nu shak Ingredients 

1 purple eggplant
1 small potato
1/2 cup frozen pigeon peas (tuver na dana)
1 tomato
1 tbsp. ginger, garlic, chili paste
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbsp. red chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin coriander powder
1 tsp. garam masala powder
1 tsp. Mustard seeds
Salt as per taste
2 tbsp. Oil

Method:

cut the eggplant in half, then again half and make cubes of it, put it in salted water and cut the same size potato too.
Cut the tomato and get it ready.
Heat the pan, add oil in it.
Add mustard seeds, when its popped, add ginger garlic paste along with tomato.
cook til tomatoes are soften.
Add powder masala along with eggplant and potato and pigeon peas and salt.
Add enough water to make gravy and cover it.
When potato are cooked and gravy thickens, shut off the flame.
Serve it with fulka, kadhi , rice or khichdi.

  Kadhi

Vagharela Marcha / Instant Green Chilies Pickle

 Juwar Rotli  - Take 1/2 cup of juwar flour, 4 tbsp. wheat flour and make a dough and make rotis.

Hearth and Soul blog hop: June last week - Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Ooey, gooey caramel dessert ideas + #recipeoftheweek 27 June - 3 July - A Mummy Too

Brown Rice Risotto

My husband only eat brown rice and when I asked him one sunday evening that what he wants for dinner, he said brown rice risotto with grilled vegetables and he continued doing  his work. Then I asked kids, what they want, they come up with something else. So once everyone placed their order, its time to cook. Yes in my house it feels like they are in restaurant , giving order to chef, and then they set down to table and eat the diner. Anyway , but then I got busy with kids , and he started making his diner. Now when he makes it , he put all sorts of ingredients in it to make it flavorful yet good for him. Now you know to make risotto you need white wine or good stock to cook rice and this was brown rice so need more stock. So to make stock he used vegetable bouillon but add herbs and fennel seeds in it to make it more flavorful. and use it in rice.

Ingredients :

1 cup of Brown rice
4 cups of vegetable stock, use the above method or white wine or just water
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 each of red and green pepper
2 cloves of finely chopped garlic
2 tbso. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Salt and Black pepper to taste
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Method:

Heat a big pot , add olive oil in it.
Add onion and cook it on low flame til it becomes light pink.
Add garlic and brown rice and cook for a minute or two till rice nicely coated with oil.
Now add one ladleful of stock in rice and mix it, once it absorbed completely , add more.
Ready made stock has salt in it so be careful with salt in rice too.
Add salt and add more stock , do this till you get your rice perfectly cooked and its creamy , not dried.
If you want you can add vegetables in it, herbs and seasoning in it but he wanted plain so he made it this way only.
When the rice is almost done, add green and red capscicum, add one ladleful of stock to make creamy, add parmesan cheese and black pepper powder. Stir it  and take it out in serving bowl.
Sprinkle more cheese and black pepper on top and enjoy it.

Hearth and Soul blog hop: June last week - Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Ooey, gooey caramel dessert ideas + #recipeoftheweek 27 June - 3 July - A Mummy Too