~~>Taste Buds<~~

IDLI


Hmm, this is one item which I can say, has a history.As children, we never liked it because its bland, but mom suggests idli when we go to a new place as its non-oily and safe!!When we grow older, when we are eligible to make our own decisions, we ignore it!!Finally, when our turn come to stay healthy , we again opt idli! :)  Like the say something that is good for health never looks appealing, this comes under that catagory!!! :)

A simple, fulling and healthy food item.

Ingredients:

Urad dal                        1 cup

Idli Ravva                      2 cups

Salt

Ghee

Baking powder              a pinch

Method:

Before you start the idli preparation, you need to soak urad dal and idli ravva separately for atleast 6-8 hours. I soak it before I sleep and drain the water when I wake up. You can grind it later.

Flame : Medium

Time: 7-10 min

1. Assuming that you have soaked urad dal and idli ravva the previous night, use a grinder and grind urad dal adding water in small quantities.
2. The batter should not be too thick or too think.Medium consistency is good.
3. Pour the batter in a container(with a cover) and add idli ravva squeezing water out of it.
4. Then mix the two such that there are no lumps formed by the ravva.
5. Cover the container and keep it a warm place for atleast 6-7 hours for it to ferment.(Oven is good.)
6. When you see this later, it would look slighly risen.
7. Add salt and a pinch of baking powder and mix well.
8. Now, take the idli plates, smear ghee on the plates and pour idli bater into them.
9. Keep it in a pressure cooker, or idli pot with water filled upto the level of the idli stand.
10. Keep it for 7-10 min.

And "vedi vedi idli ready!!"

NOTE:

1. Add baking powder just before putting the idli batter into the plates. If you intend to use the batter later, do not add baking powder.
2. Sometimes adding yogurt to the batter while storing the batter in the oven for fermantation , helps.
3. Do not add more than a pinch, discoloration of idlis is possible.

Healthy cooking and stay happy!! :)

~~>Taste Buds<~~

LOUKI CURRY


For all those guys who do not like this vegetable,call it anapakayi or sorakaya, here is a tasty way of making a this curry :) A little bit of milk creates magic.It tastes really good with chapathis. Read below to see how! :)

Ingredients: 


Sorakaya                              1
Onion                                   1 chopped finely
Green chillies                        2-3 chopped
Ginger                                   chopped
Red chilli powder                  1 tsp
Curry leaves
Corrainder
Milk                                      1 cup
Chana dal                              1tsp
Urad dal                                1 tsp
Mustard                                 1 tsp
Jeera                                      1 tsp
Turmeric                                 A pinch
Oil
Salt

Method


Flame: Medium
Time: 30 min

1. Firstly, finely cut the bottle-gaurd and keep them aside.
2. Now, take a frying pan, pour some oil in it. Once it gets heated, add chana dal and urad dal.
3. When they turn slightly brown, add mustard and jeera. When they start to splutter add onions, green chilles,curry leaves and ginger into it.
4. Add a pinch of turmeric and fry until the onions turn slightly translucent.
5. Then add bottle-gaurd pieces into the pan, add salt and let it cook for some time.
6. Once you see that the bottle-gaurd pieces have become soft, add red chilli powder and mix well.
7. Finally, pour milk and let it be absorbed by the pieces.

And "tasty tasty curry ready!"

Note:

1. You can add coconut milk instead of milk, it tastes good too.
2. You can add a little garam masala too.

Happy Cooking! 

~~>Taste Buds<~~

PHULKA


For all those weight conscious people, here I present your savior! :) Kidding, this is one of my favorite chapathi making style, with less oil, and remains soft for a very long time.

Ingredients:


Wheat flour                       2-3 cups
Water
Salt

Method:


Flame: Varies
Time: 20 min

Special Requirement : Gas Stove

1. Pour some wheat flour in a large bowl, add salt and knead the flour. (The softer the better!)
2. Keep the flour aside for sometime, let the dough absorb the water.
3. Now,place a frying pan on the stove, and pre-heat the pan.
4. Meanwhile, take a small ball of the dough, and roll into a small circle.
5. Once that is done, place the chapathi on the pan.When you see small bubbles forming, flip it to the other side.
6. When you see bubbles on the other side too, remove the chapathi from the pan.
7. Now, the tricky part, place the chapathi on the stove and increase the flame.
8. When it starts to swell, lower the flame, flip the chapathi on the stove and again increase the flame.
9. Once it swells on both the sides, place it in box and close the lid.

And "There are your phulka..!!"

Note:

1. This needs a little bit of practise.
2. Smear desi ghee on the phulka tastes yummy!! :)
3. If you do not have a gas stove, you can use chapathi maker.(Never seen one, but heard people talking about it.)

Happy Cooking! :)

~~>Taste Buds<~~

POORI


The moment you hear "poori" , it reminds you of oil! :) But today, I bring you oil-less poori's. There is no trick or whatsoever, but a slight difference in the dough preparation for poori and chapathi.

Here are a few tips for making a good poori dough :

• When you knead the poori dough, add water little by little and make sure its not too soft. 
• Always prepare the dough a few minutes before you intend to make pooris. (Keeping it for longer time means the dough would absorb more water which would cause the poori's to absorb more oil while frying!!!)  

Ingredients:

Wheat flour                     2-3 cups

Water

Salt

Oil

Method:

Flame: Medium

Time:30 min

1. Take the wheat flour in a large bowl ,add salt and knead the flour by adding water in small quantities.(Try not to make the dough too soggy.)
2. Now, keep a frying pan, and pour oil in it. Heat the oil..
3. Meanwhile, make small balls of the dough and start rolling into small circles of approx. 3 inches in diameter.(Unlike for chapathi,make sure you do not roll them too thin.)
4. Place this poori into the hot oil and fry.(Keep pressing the poori gently while its frying, it would swell fully then.)
5. Flip it when you see one side turning into a light brown color and fry the other side too.
6. Remove the poori and keep it on a  tissue paper or old newspaper :).(It would absorb any excess oil.)

And "Garama garam poori tayyaar hain! "  

Happy Cooking!

~~>Taste Buds<~~

LOUKI/DUDHI PARATHA


This is one vegetable , I can hardly think of making no more than 2-3 different and tasty recipes of! Well, another such easy and tasty recipe , I know of is what my mom used to make. Louki is generally referred to as  called Sorakaya/Anapakaya in telugu.

Ingredients :


Wheat flour                       2 cups
Louki                                1/4 grated
Green chillies                     2-3 finely chopped
Turmeric                            1 tsp
Red chilli powser                1 tsp
Jeera                                  2 tsp
Salt
Oil

Method :


Flame: Medium
Time:1/2 hour

1. First, take the wheat flour in a large bowl, convenient enough to knead all the ingredients.
2. Take a grater, and grate the louki into the bowl.
3. Then add, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and chopped green chillies into it.
4. Add a teaspoon of oil .
5. Mix and knead a dough. (Do not add water here.)
6. After you see that the water from the louki has been completely absorbed by the flour, then if needed then add water.
7. Keep it aside for 15 min.
8. Take a small ball of the dough, and try :) to press the ball and make a circle :).
9. Place it onto the frying pan and fry.

And "garama garam louki  paratha are ready!"

Note:

1. Try not to add water into the dough unless you are finding it difficult to make a dough.
2. Usually , the water from the louki should be enough to make a dough.
3. You can add corriander leaves also.(I forgot to add while mixing!! :) )
4. Add garam masala into it is optional! You can add all sorts of stuff into this to make it as spicy as you want! :)

Finally, cooking is definitely a stress buster! Happy cooking! :) :) :)

~~>Taste Buds<~~

AVADALU /DAHI VADA


This is definitely a festive dish! Its easy if you have tried garelu/vada before.

I will not be explaining the method one makes vada since I have done that previously. Pls visit
http://sriandsra.blogspot.com/search/label/FESTIVE%20DELICACIES

Ingredients:


Curd                                   1 medium sized bowl full
Green chillies                       Cut into small pieces
Ginger                                 Cut into small pieces
Urad dal                              1 tsp
Mustard                               1tsp
Jeera                                    1tsp
Turmeric                               1/2 tsp
Asafoetida                            1/4 tsp
Salt
Oil

Method:

Flame: Medium
Time  : 10 min

Visit how to make garelu here http://sriandsra.blogspot.com/search/label/FESTIVE%20DELICACIES.

1. Assuming that you have to taken the vadas from the frying pan , you have to put the vadas in a bowl filled with  water. (This makes the vada soft and it can absorb all the spices well.)
2. Remove the vada from the water and carefully squeeze the water out.(This has to be done with care lest the vada might break.)
3. Then place these in the curd mixture shown below.

Curd/Dahi Prepatation:

1. Now, take the bowl of curd, add salt, turmeric,green chillies and ginger.
2. Mix all the contents well.
3. Now, take a frying pan, pour some oil and add urad dal.
4. Once it turns a little brown, add mustard and jeera.
5. Add asafotida and pour all the contents in the curd. Mix well.

Add the vadas in the curd and keep it out for sometime. This lets the curd and the contents to be absorbed by the vadas well.

Note:

1. Try not to put the vadas directly without soaking them in water. Its softer and the spices are absorbed well.
2. You can add coconut too in the curd mixture.

And "Lovely vadas are ready!"

Happy Cooking!

Peek-a-boo (Aloo paratha and Paneer Butter Masala)

Hi,


I just could not keep myself from posting these pictures of aloo paratha and paneer butter masala, the recipes of which would be posted later :)

Aloo Paratha :


A blend of spices such a corriander powder, garam masala, red chilli powder, turmeric, green chilli pieces and minced corriander leaves.


A simply "yum" food :) :) :) and not to forget the aroma of butter when you fry chapathi on the tava. Now you know why indians have pot belly's :) :) :)

Paneer Butter Masala :


Is there anyone on this planet who does not like this dish!!! If so, pls tell me why you dont like it!!!


Well, this is by far my favorite dish, finger licking, fatty and tasty dish.


A super combination of tomatoes, onions, kaju and my secret ingredient! :) [Kidding, this is like the tv shows which keep you lingering on the one thing that is not mentioned!!]


Well,  right now I am someone who is not doing anything but is busy!! :) [HEHEHE!]


More coming up....




Stay Happy and Healthy! :)