Bread and Sandwiches have become a common thing at home, as my kids prefer to take Sandwiches to school, sometimes with veggies and sometimes Jam and even sometimes with dry curries or sometimes with Indian sandwich.  While Googling through for Sandwiches I went through my Book marked recipes, I found this recipe which I had book marked, as I love Baking Bread, I had fallen for this recipe as this would satisfy my kids for sure and me too.
I had Book marked this recipe from Nola Cuisine long back, because my kids were not a big fan of Olives I kept postponing this, and as I have loads of BM's it was quite forgotten, when I was going through the BM's if I noticed this one!, I always check my Book marked recipes before trying any thing new.  Now my kids now adding them now and then in pizza and other recipes.  They don't mind eating it,  Now they like topping olives always in their pizzas and like to eat them just as it is, I love Olives too.., this recipe has loads of olives and with some spiciness, my kids would love it, As this recipe is usually made with meat, I adapted it to Vegetarian version, he suggests loads of things so I just used what I liked.
I have never been to New Orleans and never tasted this bread sandwich, so If anybody has any kind of doubts do click on the links below and ask Nola. Here is only my version of the filling which is vegetarian hope you all like and try it 🙂

You must be wondering about today's recipe and why all this introduction : Yup, Today is the day for the Crazy Cooking Challenge, She Challenged us to bake Grilled Cheese Sandwich, As per the rules we have to adapt a recipe from an other blog, I Chose this Blog of Nola Cuisine and would love to thank both Tina Messick - Hudgens and Nola for this wonderful recipe, which I wouldn't have tried other wise so soon.., Thanks to both of you...

Basically this recipe is adapted from New Orleans Central Grocery according to Nola Cuisine  :
No trip to New Orleans is complete for me without a trip to Central Grocery for a Muffuletta. Detractors can fill the comments section with why they dislike the Central Grocery Muffuletta and why their favorite is so much better, have at it, but for my money Central Grocery does everything right with the sandwich that is said to have been created here by Salvatore Lupo.
Salvatore Lupo, a Sicilian immigrant opened the store in 1906 and operated it until 1946 when he retired and passed the reins to his son-in law Salvatore Tusa. The Muffuletta is said to have been invented early on to feed the Sicilian and Italian truck drivers who were driving produce, etc. to The French Market. The store is still in the family and has changed little over the years, with the exception of increased tourist traffic. Salvatore Lupo’s daughter, Marie Lupo Tusa released a cookbook in 1980 called Marie’s Melting Pot

.Central Grocery is an old style Italian market, with Italian imports, pasta, olive oil, meats, cheeses as well as local New Orleans Creole items.

Check out his website for beautiful photos from New Orleans ,  with beautiful clicks of the Sandwich bread and if you want to try out the Original sandwich bread with meat check out his blog for details...

 

NEW ORLEANS  MUFFULETTA  SANDWICH  GRILLED BREAD

(Pronouced as : moof-fuh-Leht-tuh or moo-foo-le-ta)

The post Muffuletta Bread Sandwich from New Orleans (vegetarian version) for CCC appeared first on My Veg Fare.

BLACK GRAPES PULIYODHARAI / BLACK GRAPES IN TANGY SPICY SAUCE RICE



INGREDIENTS FOR PREPARING THE PULIKAACHAL
Black Grapes 400 to 450 gms (1and 3/4th Cup Juice)
3 tbsp of  Thick Tamarind Juice ( from 15 gms of Tamarind)
3 tbsp Salt
80 gms Jaggery
60 gms Rasam Powder (Molagapudi)
1 tsp of Asafoetida
1/2 tsp of Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds/Menthya/Methi seeds
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1/2 tsp of Pepper corns
SEASONING:
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
few curry leaves
METHOD:
First of all pluck the grapes from their stalks, Immerse them in salted water for at least half an hour, clean the water and use fresh water and rinse them again, this is the way I always use my Grapes just to make sure that  If it is been treated with Insecticides or pesticides are removed for good.
Microwave Tamarind  for a minute with 1/2 cup of water and allow it to cool .
Meanwhile try to find seedless Grapes, which makes your job much easier, other wise find some body to help you with removing the seeds, mine had single seeds, some were seedless too, so it was quick for my family to remove the seeds. (Just be cautious like me, that they slice one and eat the next one in the process! even then I lost few grapes :)).
Once the Grapes are done, run them in a mixie, and make juice, filter it and you would be left with pith, using some of the juice with the pith again blend it well into a smooth puree. I got exactly 1 and 3/4th cup of Juice, If you have more juice either you drink it or you can use it to make the Pulikaachal only adjust the Ingredients by tasting it now and then :)).

Then take a big pan/wok, heat oil, once it is hot add the sesonings in the list above, once the mustard seeds spluttter, Add the Grape juice and allow it boil, for few minutes until it reduces a little bit, now add the Tamarind juice and allow it boil, once it starts boiling vigorously, be carefully as it starts splattering every where, so I always reduce to a medium flame, and keep stirring around very often which reduces the splattering,
Meanwhile in a pan heat 1/4 tsp of oil and  fry fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds and pepper corns, then grind it into a fine powder and keep aside.
When the Juices are boiling add the Rasam powder and the powdered Masala to it and salt and keep boiling for few more minutes, then add Jaggery and now it starts thickening very soon, so be careful keep stirring and it starts to thicken and becomes like a Gojju or should I say kind of lehya (sauce).

Once the Gojju or Pulikaachal is ready as you can see above it was quite tasty.

TO PREPARE BLACK GRAPES PULIKAACHAL/TANGY SAUCE RICE


INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Rice
5 to 6 Cups of Water (use it according to your Rice )
Salt as per taste
SEASONINGS:
3 to 4 tbsp of Oil
2 to 3 Red Chillies
1 tsp Mustard seeds
few curry leaves
one fist ful of groundnuts/Peanuts
1 tbsp channa dal
1 tbsp Urad dal
1/2 tsp of Asafoetida
EXTRA SEASONING FOR THE RICE
3 to 4 tbsp of Til seeds
1/2 cup of Dry Copra/Dry coconut

METHOD:
Now go ahead and prepare the Rice,
First of all Prepare the Rice, Make rice like you make for Chitranna/ or for any Rice bath, allow it cool and separate the grains.
Take a pan and dry fry the Til seeds once they start to splutter, switch off the stove and keep aside when it is cool, Mix it with Grated Dry copra and make it into a powder, this powder will be little moist, no need to panic it is how it is meant to be, Because Till seeds and Dry Copra release their oils when grinding :), Keep this powder ready to use later.
Take a big pan or wok heat oil then add mustard seeds once they splutter add the Ground nuts and fry for few minutes, keep the flame low the peanuts start breaking up or making noises,add the Red chillies, now add the dhals and curry leaves once they change colour put of the stove, I usually add the Pulikaachal to this and loosen it, so it is easy for me to mix it with rice, My mom she spreads the rice on a large plate, top it with the required quantity of pulikaachal/Tangy Sauce needed to the amount of rice we are using and  pour this hot Seasoning on to it. Either way it doesn't make any difference, I prefer to do it like this.
To this Seasoned Pulikaachal add Til and Copra powdered and required amount of salt, then mix it with rice throughly well incorporated.
Once it is well and evenly covered with the Tangy Sauce leave it at least for an hour before serving, this way the rice absorbs the Flavours well and will taste very well.
Serve it with popadoms or Cucumber Raitha or as I love to eat it with Carrot Kosumbari.
Here is an other click of Grapes Rice.

MY VERDICT: When I made it, I asked my Hubby to taste it, he said it has come out very well, only my friend knew I had used Grapes instead of Tamarind, I saw my H raising his eyebrows and said it was really good, My girls were very happy that their favourite puliyogarai still tastes like puliyogarai :)!, and My Son who love and can live on puliyogarai everyday said - Wow mum, an amazing creation, our favourite dish made with healthy Ingredients, He only came to know when I asked him to put the left over pulikaachal into a box and keep in the fridge.
NOTES: Pulikaachal made with tamarind usually stays up to 6 months to an year. I don't know how long this one stays, This kind of Rice, tastes better the next day!, Use pulikaachal to your taste and to the amount of rice you are using.

I like to thanks Satya, for hosting this event Twist the traditional - Puliyogarai, otherwise I would have never thought of trying this out!, Many many thanks to you Satya, this is for your event, I am also sending this to Nivedita's Original Recipes only started by Pari of Food delicious.

C u soon with a new recipe , take care , bye...

The post Black Grapes Puliyodharai / Black Grapes in Tangy Spicy sauce Rice appeared first on My Veg Fare.

 APPLE-CUCUMBER GOJJU

The post Apple-cucumber Gojju appeared first on My Veg Fare.

• 6 Small Aubergines/brinjals
• 250gms Tindora
• 250gms Runner-beans
• 2 Medium sized onions
• 2 Medium sized Tomatoes
• 3 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 tsp of fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup Fresh coconut
• 2 tbsps of Sesame Seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 6 to 7 sprigs of Coriander leaves fresh
• 1 or 2 sprig of curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbsps oil

• 1 tbsp of Chenna dal
• 1 tbsp of Urad dal
• 1tbsp Coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp Sesame seeds
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 3 to 4 Red chillies (spiciness as per taste)
• 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds/ Methi seeds

1. First of all lets make the powder, Take a wok, heat a tsp of oil, add fenugreek seeds, allow it to change colour, then add the dals, coriander seeds, fry until they change colour, then add the poppy seeds, sesame seeds and Fennel seeds fry for 2 to 3 more minutes, so they change to a golden colour, take them out and leave them to cool down.
2. Once they are cool grind them to a coarse powder and keep aside.
3. Meanwhile wash the small Brinjals and prick the brinjals all around and leave it in water until needed
4. Wash Tindora and Runner Beans and slice them into long lengths (3''), cut the Tindoras into 4 pieces lengthwise, and Runner Beans lengthwise. Cook them in a pressure cooker just one whistle, they usually do not become too mushy. They will be perfectly cooked, Drain water completely.  If you do not want to cook it this way you can directly cook the veggies directly in the wok with sprinkling little water time to time until they are well done.
5. Take a Wok, pour 1 tbsp oil, season it with mustard seeds, then add sliced onions and chopped garlic cloves and fry until they turn transparent, then add chopped Tomates and  cooked Tindoras and Runner Beans, add curry leaves, then add the brinjals to it, mix well and cover it with a lid and alllow it cook , It will cook very quickly.
6. Then add salt and the ground masala powder mix well, and leave it for 15 to 20 minutes in a low flame mixing now and then allowing the vegetables to absorb the masala powder.
7. Meanwhile when the curry is cooking, Toast 2 tbsps of Sesame seeds till slightly turns golden in colour and keep it aside
8. Once the whole curry dries out, Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and fresh grated coconut, mix well and serve it with hot lovely pulkas or chapatis.

Here take an other at my lovely dry curry...

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