Rajasthani Thali

I am glad to be a part of the Event, South Vs North Challenge started by Divya Pramil of You too Can Cook. In which there are two teams, South Team, members belong to the Southern Part and North Team members from Northern Part. Every Month a member from each will Challenge recipe to the opposite teams - A South team member who is hosting will give a challenging Traditional South Indian recipe to the North team and vice versa. I am belong to the Southern Team and this Month Challenge was Rajasthani Thali, hosting by Manjula of Desi Fiesta while Sowmya of South team challenged north team members with Vendhayakeerai paruppu urundai morkuzhambu.
Rajasthani Thali, have once enjoyed this rich and delicious spread in a restaurant years back. And i never thought that i will try those recipes at home and it happened because of this Wonderful Event, so Thanks a ton to Divya & Manjula for Challenging us with Traditional recipes. I enjoyed cooking and eat this Thali Meal. But still i could not make the entire Thali given by Manjula, skipped Goond ki Ladoo, Makki Roti & Panchmel Sabzi. Definitely making it sometime soon. Thanks again Manjula for the yummy recipes. Here;s my Rajasthani Thali :)

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Papaya Orange Cooler / Papaya Orange Juice

Today's recipe is super healthy & refreshing drink, Papaya Orange Cooler. Papaya is one fruit which is not liked by many of us particularly kids but it has tons and tons of nutritional benefits. Its good for Skin, Eye, Blood Purification and the list goes on. The same with Orange too, vitamin C rich, antioxidants rich, helps to improve natural immune system. So this combo of fruit juice is loaded with nutrition as well perfect delicious & refreshing drink for the hot sunny days.
I am an exceptional and i love this fruit in any form but my kids not much fond of it. And also they do not like milk based juices but they love Orange Mocktail a lot. More over few days back it was too hot here and i wanted to make some juice to chill us. So just tried this Papaya & Orange combo with lemon punch and it turned out so good and we really loved it a lot. So delicious and equally refreshing drink, if u hate papaya then try it this way am sure you will definitely love it. Ok lets move on to the recipe quickly.

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Oats Pesarattu / Oats Pesarattu With Tofu Filling

Today's recipe is Andhra Special Pesarattu / Mung Bean Dosa, a traditional Andhra Breakfast recipe which is more nutritious and healthy. I added few more healthy stuffs like oats, brown rice & Tofu to make it even more healthy, protein & fiber rich breakfast with low carb and calories. I was looking for a protein rich and less carb recipes since my Fitness Consultant suggested to fill my meal platter with more protein, less carb food and add more veggies and fruits. Lunch will manage with cooked dals/legumes/egg and as usual veggies n fruits. Dinner n Breakfast is my big deal, can't get any idea on filling my breakfast platter with more protein n less carb. For low calorie and low carb foods you have tons of options like whole grain, millets but for protein, i don't get much so Friends do share your ideas n suggestion if u know protein rich n low carb recipes or veggies. (Vegetarian recipes)

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Savoury Kugelhopf ~ We Knead To Bake # 7

Kugelhopf, similar in style to brioche, is a sweetened bread that hails from Alsace, Frances northeastern, mountainous region. This is Typically baked in kugelhopf mold, which are tall, tapered versions of a Bundt cake pan but the bread can be made in a Bundt pan too. For this month's We knead to Bake Challenge, Aparna given us this Savoury Kugelhopf recipe with onions, capsicum, spices but for non vegetarian option you can also use bacon. Savoury kugelhopf can be served along with some coffee for snack or with a soup this makes a perfect meal. I love savoury breads a lot but now due to some reason am avoiding breads. So this month's bread is not for me but still i can bake them for my kids & H. But my kids doesn't like onions or savoury version so i added less onions n spices to the bread and added little more on the top.

As i baked this bread Yesterday with last minute tension i forgot to add nuts on the pan instead i added on the top of the dough so after baking the inverted bread looks like plain bread otherwise i followed the recipe and bread come out really good. I halved the original recipe and used only egg white, the bread was very soft and good.

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Instant Mango Pickle / Quick Mango Pickle / Raw Mango Pickle

After a long time I am so happy to find some Raw Mangoes Here in Indian Store. The raw mangoes which we get here in local grocery stores will not be firm, tangy n doesn't taste great. But a month back during my visit to Patel Brothers(Indian Grocery store) saw this green Raw mangoes. Mangoes were sturdy so tangy n tasted so good like the one we get in India. I was so happy to see and bought few mangoes. we ate all the mangoes as such with salt n chilli powder, me n H love it that way more. As we get it after a long time we could not control our self n had it as salad n snack :) Then i wanted to make few mango recipes for blog and bought 2-3 lbs and tried few recipes to share here in my space.

Here comes the first recipe, Instant Mango Pickle. This pickle is one of the easy pickle that u can make it in a jiffy. This pickle is common in all special functions like Wedding, Baby Shower/Valaikkappu since its easy and quick people mostly prefer this pickle to serve for any feast. This pickle goes well with Curd Rice, Sambar sadham, Lemon Rice, Rasam & rice or you can enjoy this as such like a salad. This is so simple to make, just chop and do tempering that's it...Tangy & Tasty Mango Pickle ready. 

Ingredients

1. Raw Mango    1 no. or 1 and 1/2 cup (chopped pieces)
2. Turmeric Powder    a small pinch
3. Salt     1/2 tsp or to taste
4. Chilli Powder     1/2 tsp or to taste
5. Hing     a small pinch

To Temper

1. Oil      2-3 tsp
2. Mustard seeds    1/2 tsp
3. Urad dal    1/4 tsp
4. Curry leaves    few (optional)

Method

• Wash Mango thoroughly and wipe with a paper towel, then chop in to fine pieces or to your desired shape n size and keep ready.
• Heat oil in a pan, when its get heated add mustard seeds and allow to splutter then add urad dal and fry till golden brown and add curry leaves n hing.
• After that add chopped mango pieces, turmeric powder, chilli powder, enough salt and stir everything well.
• Keep stirring in medium heat for a minute. I like my mango pieces to be bit crunchy so i saute for a minute then removed the pan from heat.
• If u want it to be soft then stir fry for one more minute and turn off the stove.
• That's it..Quick Mango Pickle Ready. 

Notes:

This pickle should be consumed within a day. 

I do not add roasted fenugreek powder/Methi seeds powder but if u want u can add a generous pinch of it.

Do not saute the mango for long time, just 1 or 2 minutes is enough.

Green Gram Bottle Gourd Curry / Moong bean Bottle Gourd Curry

Today's recipe is an Interesting Side dish/Curry which i tried few weeks back. This curry is in between a South Indian Kuzhambu & a North Indian Sabzi. I added Tamarind paste to this curry like we do for Kara Kuzhambu and also i added finely chopped ginger and a pinch of Garam Masala powder like a North Indian Sabzi. With all my desired ingredients the curry turned out so good with mild tangy taste and it tasted delicious with both plain rice & rotis. We had this for our lunch with Rice & pappad and i served the left over curry with Rotis for dinner. So if you are looking for a different side dish from your regular cooking with great taste then try this curry, its more healthy & low calorie recipe, loaded with goodness of protein & fiber.

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Kadai Paneer / Kadai Paneer Recipe ~ Restaurant Style

Kadai Paneer, One of the Easiest Paneer recipe i have tried so far. Kadai Paneer is nothing but a simply, mild spicy & flavorful side dish using Paneer & Bell Pepper/Capsicum with the prepared kadai masala. And the most important part is this dish should be prepared in a kadai/wok. Sounds interesting right? Kadai Paneer is a very quick stir fry like recipe which is made in a Kadai. And thus it got the name "Kadai Paneer". I have tasted this recipe in Indian Restaurants here but recently tried this at home and loved it a lot. Because of fat content & calorie conscious i reduced cooking Paneer, but my kids love paneer a lot and also to feed my blog baby few weeks back tried it. I got the recipe from Dassana's Veg Recipes of India. I slightly tweaked the recipe by adding few finely chopped onions and it turned out so good. Thanks to Dassana for this wonderful recipe, it tasted just like that of Restaurant Kadai Paneer. Lets move on the recipe quickly...

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Cantaloupe Strawberry Smoothie / Low Fat Milkshake

I love smoothie for my Breakfast, so refreshing & filling ones. You can blend any combo of fruits/Nuts  with milk or yogurt to make a perfect breakfast smoothie. Recently i tried Cantaloupe & strawberry combo and it turned out awesome. Even my kids loved it who generally doesn't like milk based juice/smoothie. But Mocktails are their most favorite drinks.
Cantaloupe & Strawberries are rich in antioxidants, controls blood pressure, good for skin and has anti ageing properties and above all both the fruits taste so so delicious and the colour of the fruits really attracts everyone, that too the heart shaped strawberries definitely a favorite fruit of many of us Right?! Generally its good to include more fruits & veggies in our diet and smoothie are one of the best way to add more fruits in single serving. Am trying this kinda smoothie for my breakfast n snacks.

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Hershey's Best Brownie / Chocolate Brownie

Brownie are rich & delicious flat, baked square or bars, this is my first attempt in baking brownie which turned out awesome. I made this last month for our 5th Anniversary, since my H doesn't like creamy cakes i just wanted to bake His favorite Chocolate Brownie without creamy topping. After an hour of searching i finally ended up baking Hershey's Best Brownie recipe. This is so easy n simple to make with great taste and rich buttery flavor. My kids and H loved it a lot and the brownie squares vanished in no minutes after the photo session. These brownie are perfect for any special occasions to share your love n joy.

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Appala Kootu / Kadala Paruppu Kootu With Potato & Papad ~ A Virtual B'day Treat for Vardhini !

Today is My dear friend Vardhini's Birthday whom i know for more than two years. So caring and lovable friend, am so blessed to have her as my friend. Some of our characters & attitude are similar and its also one of the reason for our strong friendship. I love & admire her work she put for her space, CooksJoy. She is one of my inspiration and am a big fan of her Props, Pictures. In Cooksjoy you could find all sorts of vegetarian recipes from around the world. I have tried few recipes from her space and liked it a lot. Today am happy that i again get a chance to cook a Vegan recipe from her space to Celebrate her Birthday virtually with some of our friends.

On Your Special Day, I wish For U...

May all your Dreams & Wishes Come True..

Have a Very Happy Birthday !!!

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Pavakkai Chips / Bitter Gourd Chips

Today's recipe is simple & easy crispy snack, Bitter gourd Chips. This is one of the easy n best way to make kids eat bitter gourd or anyone who hate bitter gourd. The mild spicy & crispy Bitter gourd chips makes a perfect tea time snack. I have already posted the recipe for Bitter gourd Pakoda which is also a deep fried tea time snack. But compared to the pakodas this chips uses very little flours, spices and its as simple as fried onions and can be done in a jiffy n serve with your favorite hot or cold drink. We even love this bitter gourd chips as a side dish with rasam or sambar rice.

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Kongu Nadu Kozhi Kuzhambu / Chicken Kuzhambu From Kongu Cuisine / Spicy Chicken Curry

Hello folks,
Hope u all had a wonderful weekend n the US people definitely had a fun filled 4th July Celebration. We too enjoyed this 4th July celebration. We had a wonderful Festival in our City to celebrate the Independence day, it was so colourful n grand festival, my kids enjoyed it to the core. I wanted  to share some pictures of that Grand Festival here and took my SLR too but there was too much crowd than i expected and it was really tough to manage my energetic boys running here n there, so couldn't able to take pics but we had good time there :)
Now coming to the recipe Kongu Nadu Kozhi Kuzhambu, a spicy n flavorful Chicken Kuzhambu popular in the Kongu region, Western Part of Tamil Nadu- Coimbatore, Erode, Namakkal, Karur, Dharmapuri & including Salem( My Home Town) districts. Kongu Nadu recipes uses more Spices like Chettinad Cuisine and use freshly roasted n prepared masala/spice powders in their recipes. Full of flavors and taste and spicy too.

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Broccoli Rasam / Broccoli Paruppu Rasam / Broccoli Lentils Soup

South Indian Meals does not complete without a Rasam. Rasam is nothing but a light, tangy & flavorful soup made using tomato, lentils, crushed whole pepper, jeera/Cumin seeds & Garlic. it can be had as such to treat sore throat, cold & cough and generally its taken along with plain rice. But some people love Rasam with Idli, Dosa, Upma, Vadai.

As i have already mentioned in my Broccoli Spinach Kootu that i love cooking Broccoli Indian Way. After trying broccoli in sambar, Kootu i wanted to try a Rasam with it, so recently tried Broccoli Rasam n to my surprise the taste & Flavor turned out so good. I was so excited n happy with my creation, one more addition to my Broccoli Recipes.

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Vegetable Chalna / Veg Chalna

Today's Post is a special post, a virtual Celebration post to give a surprise treat to one of my dearest friend and a well know Blogger, Divya Pramil of You Too Can Cook who is celebrating her birthday today. Blogging had changed my life and brought so many wonderful memories and new frenz relations to me. I never thought that the virtual friends which i came to know via blogging will become a part of my life but it happened with some of my blogger friends who really luv and care for me and am more comfortable with them to share everything with them, family, personal, GK, cinema, photography, cooking and of course blogging. One such friend is Divya Pramil, within a short time we get close each other with true luv and care. Very encouraging and supportive person, I really so happy to do a special post for her and Wishing Her a Very Happy Birthday...
"Happy B'day Divya...May this day be the beginning of a year filled with Happy Memories, wonderful moments & shining Dream"
God Bless U with all u needs & fulfill all ur dreams & Desire. Good Luck My dear :)

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