Of course it is not St.Patrick's day does it mean we should not make these cookies and eat it..,Well for something Green for St.Patrick's day she had made these, as she says you need not be an Irish to celebrate this day nor there is any excuse to celebrate festival days right ?. When I went searching in her blog for recipes, My eyes caught these cookies, I got hooked to these cookies as they had minty flavour and which I had never tried this before, I was a bit scared how my kids would like it, but they really liked it :)), I was a happy mother.  As you can see I did not use too much green colour in it. so you would definitely see the difference in our cookies..
Oh! I never told you why I posting this recipe, and about what I am talking about, This is our Secret Recipe Club Assignment, next is to whose blog I was assigned to right ?, Suzanne my hostess had assigned me to Adventures in all things food by Andrea, she is into so many things not only cooking, baking, Farming, products and Giveaways and crafting. Do check out her blog you will definitely try it out...
I have halved the recipe.
Here is the Recipe...

EGGLESS MINT FLAVOURED COOKIES - MARY LEPRACHAUN COOKIES
Recipe Source: Adventures in all things
Time  Required: 45 minutes
Made 15 cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1 and 1/4 cup All purpose Flour
1/4 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
75 grms butter*
1/2 Cup Cane Sugar**
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp Mint extract
1 tbsp Corn Flour
4 drops Green food colouring
1/4 cup Choco chips (dark Chocolate)

METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 350 degree ***
Take all the dry Ingredients together and mix well except for sugar.
cream Butter and sugar together, add food colouring, extract, then add the dry Ingredients into it mix well with choco chips, Refrigerate the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes, Make small balls flatten it a little bit and place them on a parchment paper and bake them for 20 minutes.
Remove them on to a cooling rack for 10 minutes and enjoy it..

NOTES:
I halved the recipe so I could just substitute for 1 Egg
*I have reduced the butter she uses 1 stick butter (around 125 grms)
**Increased sugar by 1/4 cup, I have used Demarara Natural Cane sugar
***I baked them in my oven at Gas Mark 3 as my oven has a very high temperature.

The post Eggless Mint flavoured cookies - Mary Leprachaun cookies appeared first on My Veg Fare.

VEGETABLE PIES WITH COCONUT AND CASHEW

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE VEGETABLE SAUCE
2 to 2 and 1/2 Cups of Assorted Vegetables ( I have used Cauliflower, Broccoli, Peas, Carrot, French Beans )
2 Green Chilli **
1/2'' Ginger
1/4 cup or 2 fist full of Fresh Grated coconut
8 to 10 or fist ful of Cashews
1/4 cup Milk
1+ 1 tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Coriander seeds
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Pepper corns (optional )**
3 tsp Oil

1 Block Ready made Short Crust pastry (You can even make it at home which I will post soon on how to make it, you can even use puff pastry )

METHOD:
Thaw the Pastry by keeping it out of the freezer before starting the gravy as directed by the suggestion on the cover.
Soak Cashews in warm milk till you get all the vegetables cut and get them ready. Wash all the veggies and then Chop Beans, Carrots in chunks and Cauliflower and Broccoli in florets,
In a Kadai / Pan heat oil to this add 1 tsp of Jeera / Cumin seeds then add all the vegetables mix them well and cook them in a low flame with 1/4 cup of water and closed lid.

Meanwhile in a dry pan lightly roast cumin, pepper and coriander seeds, In  a blender or mixer grind roasted cumin, Pepper, coriander, coconut, Ginger,  Chillies, turmeric and soaked cashews into a fine paste with the help of soaked milk and some water.
Once the vegetables get cooked 3/4th add required amount of salt and the ground paste and mix thoroughly, taste and adjust the salt.
Let the gravy be in a semi solid consistency. That is not too thick nor too thin.  Allow this to cool.
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 5 / 180 degrees
Take your thawed short crust pastry, dust some flour on to the surface, cut the block into 4 equal pieces, flatten each one of them into a slightly round shape, Now using Pie Cups, I have used the foil ones as you can see in the picture fold in the pastry base to line the foils.
Fill the pie cups with cooled down vegetable sauce equally then top them or cover them over with hanging pastry cases completely.
Then make some cuts here and there and bake these cups until well browned.
Remove it from the oven and keep them on the wiring rack for it cool a little bit then serve.
Serve the Pastry cups in wholesome on individual plates with any sides you like. Just remember they will be quite hot inside and be careful when eating.
The vegetable pies have Indian taste and a great look as well...

** You can either use green chillies or Peppercorns, I have used both, you can increase the quantity of coconut if you wish to make it more rich.
Optional : If you want you can use Eggs in this, I would say after the curry is done and cooled down a bit  you can break two eggs mix it with the sauce, adjust salt and pepper mix well with the curry then fill up the cups and Proceed as indicated earlier.

Sending these wonderful and yummy pies to Champa's Bake-a-thon event, which had to be posted Yesterday, my apologies for being late.., for reasons happened unexpectedly.  Check out my blogger friends Preethi, srivalli, Priya and sumana for their wonderful virtual treats...
And don't forget to tune in tomorrow to what I am going to post for my Bake-a-thon series...
Enjoy make them and tell me of how you like it...

The post Vegetable pies with Coconut and Cashew appeared first on My Veg Fare.

After coming here it was fine for a few months when kids were small and after that lot of things changed , sometimes when I am alone at home in the morning I don't want to make anything for myself and just eat whatever I get hands on!!,  but when it comes to corn flakes it is all time favourite in my house.
I keep looking for healthy options for my kids to have for breakfast, particularly my eldest who doesn't like to eat anything early in the morning likes to eat tidbits with her milk, her new passion these days is drinking Tea!!, when Gayatri asked us to bake Biscotti I was so very happy I have baked biscotti earlier and I have posted one with eggs, Chocolate Almond Biscotti.  Kids loved it, If you are a regular reader of my blog you would have noticed I try baking Eggless these days, and of course as this is an Eggless Baking Group I was quite happy going on with it.
I made a little mistake,  I pressed the dough it a bit more than necessary, so the biscotti's kind of became Biscuits, Whatever it was Biscotti or Biscuits.  Of course no compromising with the taste , it was delicious, as we loved it.
I have changed a few things in the recipe, trying to make it a bit healthier, Hope you like it.

EGGLESS WHOLE WHEAT AND OATS PISTACHIO APRICOT ORANGE BLOSSOM WATER BISCOTTI / BISCUITS ????
Recipe Adapted from Baking obsession
Makes 12

INGREDIENTS:
1 and 1/4 Oats (125 grms )
1 Cup Whole wheat Atta (140 grms)
1 Cup sugar (200 grms)
Zest of 1 medium Orange
Juice of 1 Orange ( I got 4 tbsp)
1 tbsp Chia seeds
3 tbsp Hot water
1 and 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
50 grms Butter
1 tsp Orange flower water
3/4th Cup Pistachios
3/4th Cup Dry Apricots

METHOD:
Soak Chia seeds in Hot water until needed
I used porridge oats and grinded it into a powder.
In a Large bowl mix Oats, wheat flour, Baking soda and Baking powder and sieve them together for at least twice. Just to make sure everything is well blended.
Cream together sugar and butter.
Blend Chia seeds with water and Orange juice into a smooth paste
Add this to the blended sugar and butter with Orange flower water and zest of Orange ,
To this add dried Apricots and chopped Pistachios, mix well.
To this batter and sieved flour and make it into a dough it is a bit sticky dough though.
Flour your hands and make two logs, and flatten it a bit ( I flattened it a far too much ).
Bake at 350 degree F/ Gas Mark 4 / 180 degree C ( But I baked my Biscotti's  at Gas Mark 3 as my oven gets too hot)
Check out your oven and bake,for 25 minutes until it is golden brown and firm to touch , Remove it from the oven and cool it on a wire rack for 10 minutes reduce the temperature of your oven to Gas Mark 2, with a sharp serrated knife cut it into 1'' slices, keep them flat on to the tray and bake again for an other 20 to 25 minutes. until crispy.

It stays for a week in an airtight container, it was tasty and delicious...
VEGANISIED : You can make it Vegan by substituting Butter with Oil.

Orange Blossom Flower Water : Here is a link to know how to make your own Orange Flower water
Shop here for your Orange flower water or even here.

Check out Gayatri's blog for the round-up and a beautiful array of biscotti's.
I am also sending this to Bake Fest Vardhini's event hosted by Archana 

The post Eggless Pistachio Apricot Orange Blossom water Biscotti or Biscuit !? with Whole wheat and Oats appeared first on My Veg Fare.

I have been getting worried I am going to miss my postings for the few groups I have joined, I already missed one last month, I was not too happy about it, still I am planning to make it. But did not want to miss any more.  So, here I am with this post, I have no time to write as I always do, when Kalyani announced Magic Mingle # 9,  The Magical Ingredients were Pumpkin and Red Chillies,  I had a few ideas on what to do.., I started with this one, I had made Sponge Dosa mum made Aloo Palya ( Aloo dry curry) and we planned to make chutney to go with it, that was when I decided I was going to make pumpkin chutney.
It turned really delicious, the best part my younger girl who doesn't like chutney at all said it was really tasty!!
Here is how I made it.

PUMPKIN AND FRESH RED CHILLI CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS:
1 ( 125 gms) Cup chopped pumpkin / Squash
1 small onion
2 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
2  Red chillies
Fist full of Channa dal
1/4 cup grated fresh coconut
10 to 12 twigs of Coriander Leaves

SEASONING:
2 tsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 Dried Red Chillies
4 to 5 Curry Leaves

METHOD:
In a Pan add 2 tsp of Oil in a medium flame, when hot add mustard seeds, when they splutter add channa dal and fry until it changes colour, then add Fresh Red Chillies and chopped Onion fry until they are transparent, then add chopped Pumpkin / Squash and fry, bring the flame to a low flame, close a lid and cook pumpkin until nice and soft, do not add any water.
Stir it now and then so they don't get stuck to the pan.
switch of the stove, remove it on to a plate from the pan, allow it to cool then, grind it into a smooth paste adding required amount of salt and a pinch of Asafoetida.
Take a little tadka pan or any little pan, heat oil add mustard seeds once they splutter add dried Red Chillies and curry leaves saute a 30 seconds :)), switch of the stove and add it to the chutney.
Serve it with any Tiffin varities or mix it even with Rice and Enjoy...

 I served it with super soft Sponge Dosa ( will post it soon!!) with Amma's Aloo curry and Pumpkin chutney Looks so gorgeous right ?, I was talking about the whole plate, chutney has a lovely colour and tasted so delicious, Amma's Aloo curry was superb and the Dosa was so perfect with it.

The post Pumpkin & Fresh Red Chilli Chutney appeared first on My Veg Fare.

KOLAI ER DAL / BENGALI URAD DAL

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup Urad Dal/ Black gram split Dal
1 whole cucumber
1/2 tbsp Panch poran ( I used panch poran as it has fennel seeds in it)
3 to 4 Red chilles
1/2 '' crushed Ginger
curry leaves
A pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste.

METHOD:
Soak Urad Dal around two hours, peel and chop cucumber into cubes.
Cook Dal and cucumber in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water in a low flame for at 3 to 4 whistles just to make sure that the dal is well cooked.
Then In a pan heat oil and make tadka with Panch poran , Red Chilles and curry leaves. saute add this to the cooked Dal.
Add Crushed Ginger, Hing / Asafoetida and salt to the Dal and cook for few minutes until everything is well combined.
Serve it with hot rice or pulka.

ALOO POSTO / POTATOES IN POPPY SEED PASTE

INGREDIENTS:
7 to 8 Aloo / Potatoes
2 tbsp Poppy seeds ( actually used 4 tbsp )**
4 to5 Green chillies
1/2'' ginger crushed
1 tsp Kalonji seeds / Onion seeds
curry leaves
2 to 3 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Ghee
Salt as required
1/2 tsp red chilli powder ( I omitted )

How to make posto Bata ( Poppy seed Paste ) : Soak poppy seeds in water for few hours or over night, this helps in making it into a nice paste. As little water as possible grind it with the chllies and ginger.
** I had only 2 tbsp poppy seeds so I had to just use that but if you are making use 4 tbsp poppy seeds.

METHOD:
Cut Potatoes into small pieces, Heat oil add onion seeds and curry leaves, I crushed ginger and chillies into paste fried them for a minute then add chopped Potatoes, add finely ground poppy seeds paste, add some water mix everything very well, close a lid and cook until well done.
serve it with Kolai er Dal or with rice or pulka.

Notes: Check out suchi's blog for the perfect recipe, as I have made few changes, I did not crush fennel seeds as my family do not like the taste of it too much so instead I used Punch pooram as tadka / seasoning.

Thanks to Suchi and Deepa for these two lovely recipes, so we had a lovely Bengali cuisine and thanks to Radhika for giving this opportunity. My family loved both the recipes, the posto was well consumed because of the potatoes :))
Enjoy...

The post Kolai er dal - Bengali Urad Dal with Aloo posto appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Call them cutlets or Burgers, call it however you want but definitely a delicious healthy recipe.  If you like to eat in between Burger Buns with sauce, Mayonnaise and salad leaves they become Burgers OR If you don't want to eat it like that you can just eat with a ketchup or sauce they become cutlet, If you want to make it like restaurant, Hotel or take away style you can deep fry them.  I grilled them and put them on the stove top with a bit of oil to give that good perfect look.
My kids love these kind of Burger / cutlet I make, and usually make them in different ways, I have got a few in my draft, this was also in my draft :), when Moong dal and Pepper were the magic ingredients, I was shocked to find how many recipes I have in drafts, I should have started posting from the day she announced, but with my Neck stuck and I sitting here looking like a ostrich with my Neck collar it is so difficult to even sit and type or sit comfortably but then I thought I will pull myself and do this, as this is good chance to post some in my drafts than them still waiting for me to publish right ?.  Ok let me stop at this, and get back to the recipe.  Here is how it was made... Hope you like it

SPINACH AND MOONG DAL CUTLETS / BURGERS

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup Moong Dal
1 Bunch Spinach
1 Large Onion
2 Medium sized Potatoes
1 Medium sized CarrotCup 
1/2 grated Cauliflower
1/2 tbsp Ginger- Garlic Paste
3 to 4 tbsp of Coriander chopped
1 tsp Chilli flakes
1 tsp Pepper powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
Salt as required
2 cup Bread Crumbs ( use as required )

HOME MADE BREAD CRUMBS FRESH
2 to 3 Brown / white bread slices
1/4 cup Walnuts
Grind both of these in a mixie / food processor fry it in a wok / pan for few minutes until it looses the moisture in it.

FOR THE COATING / COVER
1/4 cup Corn Flour and 1/4 cup All purpose Flour and water as required to make it into a sauce consistency
OR you can use Egg instead of this

METHOD:
Clean, Chop and cook spinach in a very minimum water say around 1/4 cup water or even less, I cooked it in my little cooker in a low flame, that way they don't get stuck to the cooker.  Puree the cooked spinach.
Next grate cauliflower and cook the same way, drain out the water and keep it separately.
Next grate carrots, onions and keep it aside.
Wash and soak Moong Dal from at least 2 hours, cook it until they become soft but doesn't loose too much of their shape then drain out the water.  ( The water can be reserved and can be used in making Rasam / sambhar )
Cook potatoes peel the skin and mash them up as well.
In a wok / pan add 2 tsp of oil add G-G paste chopped onions all the spices saute for just few minutes, then add all the other Ingredients mix them up well.
TASTE and adjust OR Adjust , salt and spices in it, as you like it, ( I usually make it less spicy because one kid doesn't like to eat anything spicy, the other two eat everything with Nando's Sauce which is very hot, so I try to adjust to see that they don't eat anything too hot and spicy).
Add bread Crumbs ( If you don't like too much bread crumbs the burger will only be a bit softer and doesn't hold shape if you are not careful, I always use less bread crumbs so I really struggle to make them hold well together but I like it that way ).
So, add bread crumbs and bring them together they will hold into shape then, make round balls of the size you prefer then flatten it a bit.
Dip these balls in the Sauce you have made ( or you can use Eggs to coat them ) then again Dip them in bread crumbs.  When all of them are ready coat them with a bit of oil on all sides and grill it for 15 to 20 minutes on Gas Mark 5, they will harden up a bit.
Now transfer them on to the girdle / flat pan / tawa on the stove top then with help of little oil toast them or shallow fry on  both the sides for few minutes until you see it is roasted well on both the sides.
Serve them immediately with some fresh salad leaves or with Burger buns and sauces or as you wish.
Enjoy...
A few days back my kids were saying it's been a long time I made these kind of things and they love my Burgers and miss it..
Tune on I will post some more these kind of recipes...

Sending this to Kalyani's Magic Mingle # 7 - Moong Dal and peppers
Kid's delight  - evening snacks and tiffins hosted by vardhini started by valli
sending this to Learning to cook hosting Dish name starts with M, hosted by Akhila
Sayantani of A home maker's dairy hosting Monsoon of India started by Jagruthi
show me your hits Lentils - Legumes by Nalini's kitchen started by Sangeetha
MLLA# 49 hosted by Simone of Briciole started by susan of the well seasoned cook
vardhini's Only vegan - Kitchen chronicles started by Kalyani
Priya's Olympics 2012 started by Jagruthi

The post Moong Dal and Spinach Burgers/ Cutlets appeared first on My Veg Fare.

MOONG DAL IDLIS

INGREDIENTS:
3 and 1/2 Red Rice ( Kaikuttu Rice ) or white Idli Rice / Sona Masoori Rice
1 Cup Moong Dal
1 Cup Urad Dal
1/2 Cup Cooked Rice
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1/2 tbsp Whole Pepper
1 tsp Salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup water

METHOD:
Soak separately Red Rice or White Idli Rice in enough water, Urad Dal in an other bowl, Moong Dal in an other bowl for at least 5 to 6 hours.
Grind Rice, cooked Rice, fenugreek seeds and Moong dal together, If you have a grinder like mine a small one, it is better to grind each of them separately which is a better option. Grind Rice, fenugreek seeds and cooked rice together.This way you can grind Moong dal a bit coarsely. At the end you can add pepper into the grinder  or you can coarsely grind pepper then add it to the batter. 
Grind Urad dal very well to a very smooth consistency.
Do not add too much water while you are grinding for Idli batter, use around 1 and 1/4 cup of water that would be more than enough.
Mix together all the batters with salt and leave it to ferment overnight or around 7 to 8 hours.
Once the batter is fermented grease the Idli moulds and make Idlis as you always do, steam Idlis around 12 to 13 minutes, do not steam more than that, Idlis become hard.
Updated on 12th : I had missed two things when I typed yesterday so I have updated it today :), sorry for this.
I served with Tomato and Ridge gourd chutney, a microwaved version, will post it soon.

sending this to Magic Mingle #7 of Kalyani's - Moong dal and Pepper..

The post Moong Dal Idlis (Yellow split Dal & Red Rice steamed Dumplings ) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

One day I was just talking to my sis and when I asked her what did she have breakfast she was telling me that she had Kande pohe, of course your guess is right ? She lives in North India, Her cooking is mostly influenced with North Indian cooking, Lived there for almost 18 to 20 years now!!. I have written down loads of recipes from her book which she has collected from her friends from long time.  Well, this recipe has nothing to do with North Indian cooking, it just came to me talking to her, when she said she had made Avalakki (pohe) Chitranna, that's what we call in Karnataka, what you call in North of India as Kande Pohe, and I was planning to make Ven Pongal (Khara pongal / Moong dal Khichdi ), It just hit to me why not make Khara Pongal with Poha, she was laughing and said I should try it out and tell her, so from then onwards I have been making this Pongal, which is perfect for Upvaas / Fasting during the holy days.
So here how I made it.., It's not a big hit in my family, just like ven pongal my kids don't like it much either, My Husband and me we like pongal, but my Husband is not a big fan of Avalakki / Poha , It's only after our marriage I used to make all sorts of recipes with pongal, funnily his mother never made, so, he is not really into it. But, In my Mom's house we all love poha and we are used to it..
So, It is totally you like this or not like it, is this recipe..., If you like it and try it do tell me...

AVALAKKI / POHE PONGAL ( KHICHDI )

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup of Broken Avalakki / Pohe
1/2 Cup Moong Dal / Hesaru Bele / Pesaru pappu
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 to 3 green chilies
1 sprig of Curry Leaves
2 to 3 tbsp Coriander leaves
1/2 tbsp of salt
3 tbsp of Oil
1 tbsp Channa dal
1 tbsp Urad dal
Water

SEASONINGS:
3 to 4 tbsp Ghee
1 tsp Pepper corn
1 tsp Jeera / Cumin

Next step....

METHOD:
First of all soak Moong dal in water at least for 1 hour.
In a mixie grind the Avalakki / Poha corasely, don't grind too much it will be become a powder which is no use to us then, wash avalakki 3 to 4 times and clean it, careful, fill water move your hand around like rinsing, leave it to stand for a 2 to 3 seconds it settles immediately drain the water using your hand as a sieve to stop the pohe running off 🙂 ( hope you understand what I am trying to tell you ) do this as indicated so you will get rid of the dirt.
This dirt usually comes out from beating the rice grains ( pohe is nothing but beaten rice with the husk and it is cleaned of nearly from the husk ).
Then fill in the water just exactly an half an inch above the pohe and leave it for some time.

Meanwhile drain the water from the soaked Moong dal, with a 1/4 cup of water in a very low flame cook it using a pressure cooker or directly in a pan with enough water until they become soft but not loose too much of their shape. ( it cooks very quickly, I have a very small cooker I use it  and cook it just exactly around 10 minutes )
After an hour or so, your poha would have completely soaked, squeeze if any extra water in them using your fist take a morsel in your fist squeeze and put it in a plate, do like this for all of it.  So, all the Avalakki is fluffy and nice.
In a wok heat oil add mustard seeds, when it is spluttering add green chillies and the dals saute them until they change colour add curry leaves then add the cooked Moong Dal mix it well, then add poha which you have kept ready.

Mix this poha with the Moong Dal and also salt well together. close a lid and leave it in a low flame.
In a small pan / wok heat Ghee, crush pepper and cumin seeds coarsely add this to the Ghee leave it for a minute and switch it of quickly.
Add this seasoning to the Khichdi mix well and serve it hot with Coconut chutney..
If desired you can squeeze bit of lemon to make it more flaourful.

I am sending this to Magic Mingle #7 of Kalyani's this month she has announced two Magic Ingredients Moong Dal and Pepper.  These two are my favourite combination tune for more recipes from these two combo...

The post Avalakki Pongal / Pohe ki Khichdi ( Atukulu Pongal ) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Rasam is such a comfortable food, that nobody would say No, I think.  I used to love Rasam from childhood, but still shouldn't tell lies right ?, Sometime I would love to eat it just like that but most of the time I would always demand that I need something to go with it, like vadam ( papads in different ways ), later stages I would go with some dry curry then on I still love eating it with Onions, Cucumbers or Tomatoes, and do you know one another thing I would love to eat Rasam with is Pulkas / Chapatis :)).  Oh! that's my favourite too.., writing this is making me nostalgic reminding me of how my Dad used to chop all the veggies in a plate and keep it in a designed pattern, he still does this to his grandchildren, My kids love to have food in my mom's house not just because it is paati's cooking ( Nan's cooking).  It is because how my Dad does these little things which is very interesting for them!!.
Coming back to this recipe.., A little twist to our authentic Rasam.
Check out my little tips for variations for this recipe.., hope you enjoy and try out and tell me how you like it...
Look at the Lovely colour of my Rasam..

ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER ( RED CAPSICUM )  RASAM



INGREDIENTS:
1/4 Cup Tuvar Dal
1 Tomato
2 Red Bell Pepper
1 Onion
2 Cloves of Garlic
2 tbsp thick Tamarind juice *
2 twigs of Curry leaves
2 to 3 tbsp of Coriander Leaves
2 tsp of Salt
1/4 tsp Sugar
2 to 3 tsp of Rasam Powder **
A pinch of Hing (Asafoetida )
1 lt of Water

SEASONING:
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tbsp of oil / Ghee
1/2 tsp Jeera /Cumin seeds

METHOD:
First of all wash the lentils - Tuvar Dal, and Tomato with a cup of water and a tsp of turmeric cook it in a pressure cooker up to 2 or 3 whistles.
Meanwhile apply a bit of oil on Red Pepper, Onions , Tomato and Garlic cloves ( do not remove the peel ). Keep all this on a meshed plate on the stove top.***, keep the flame in a medium flame and roast them turning them now and then until you feel that they are kind of roasted and cooked.
This can be noticed in different ways, do not roast it too much where the skin becomes too black, if it is a bit blackened here and there, it is fine.  Tomatoes starts oozing out the juice.
As I don't throw away the blackened bit, which is the one gives the roasted flavour to the Rasam.
Once you have done the roasted bit, take them out and allow them to cool down. Grind the cooled Roasted bit into a smooth paste.

Take the cooked Tuvar dal in a big vessel ( A vessel which fits around 1 and 1/2 lt of Water).
Add Tamarind Juice with 2 Cups of water and allow it to boil, for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the Ground paste and required quantitiy of  Rasam Powder, Asafoetida, salt and sugar.
Allow them to boil for further 3 to 4 minutes, then add the remaining water. Increase or Decrease the quantity of water according to your liking then add finely chopped Curry leaves and Coriander leaves. Bring to a low flame from medium flame.
In a small pan heat oil / Ghee, once hot add mustard seeds and cumin seeds , saute them when they splutter ****, switch of the stove add this seasoning to the Rasam.
Enjoy it with hot Rice and a dollop of ghee and with your favourite Dry curries . Papads  or Salads of Veggies....

Tips :
You can even omit Tuvar Dal if you do not want to use it.
* Tamarind Juice - If you are using fresh Tamarind use around 15 grms of tamarind flakes soaked in hot water  or In a microwave safe bowl, take Tamarind flakes and 1/2 cup of water and heat it for just 1 minute. It will be very hot, leave it for few minutes or if you want to use it immediately add 1/2 cup of cold water which brings down the temperature and allows you to squeeze the Tamarind juice or use the ready made one.
** If you do not have Rasam Powder try this powder which gives you a flavourful rasam.
 Quick Rasam Powder:
1 tbsp Coriander seeds,
1 tsp Cumin seeds, `
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds,
1/2 tsp Black Pepper,
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds,
3 to 4 Curry leaves
5 to 6  Badgi chillies ( If you don't get Badgi chillies then get some Kashmiri chillies, which gives colour and some birds eye chillies according to your taste of spiciness/ hot you like )

METHOD: Heat a tsp of oil , first add fenugreek seeds when they turn golden in colour add the other Ingredients and fry all of them in a low flame, so they don't get burnt away and every thing fries as needed, Other wise you can fry each of them separately but use oil only once.  When cooled grind them into a smooth powder. use this instead of Rasam powder.
*** Meshed plate  is something like this I use.. (will post the photo soon )
**** Splutter - If you are new to seasoning be careful, you can close it with a lid otherwise, as they splutter haywire and it might hurt you .

I served this rasam with a simple Beetroot stir fry...

The post Roasted Red Bell Pepper / Capsicum Rasam ( Kind of thin soup ) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Who doesn't like ''Maggi 2 minute Noodles'', I think nobody would say No!, Yes, these noodles have been in India as part and parcel of our life for around 25 years now!,  right from kids to adults everybody loves this, It is basically I would say a quick food for hungry kids when they need it something quickly, Perfect Bachelor food sometimes and loads of adults love this quick tasty Noodles.

3 Packets (85gms each) Nestle Maggi Noodles
1 Big Green Bell Pepper ( Green Capsicum )
1 Big Red Bell Pepper ( Red Capsicum )
15 Mangetouts
1/2 Fresh Green Peas
2 Medium sized Potatoes
1/4 Cup Quinoa
1 and 1/4 Cup water***
1 and 1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste**
2 tsp Coriander seeds powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp of Paprika/chilli  powder
1/4 tsp of amla powder
1 tsp Chat Masala powder
1/2 tsp Kitchen King Masala
1 and 1/2 tsp Salt (or as required)
3 to 4 tbsp of Chopped Coriander leaves
Water as required*
1/4 Cup Oil

FOR THE COATING OF THE BURGER
2 tbsp each of Corn Flour and Plain Flour
1/2 Cup water
1Cup Bread Crumbs ( Home Made )
I make my own Bread Crumbs with 1/4 cup Walnuts and 4 to 5 slices of Brown Bread, Mixie them together and allow it to dry out.

***This water I have used to cook Quinoa
** I usually crush 4 cloves Garlic, 1'' Ginger and 2 chillies in my pestle and Mortar
* This water I haven't measured so I have said as required to cook the Noodles


METHOD:
First of all open three packets of Noodles and keep aside the taste maker in them if you are going to use this instead of all the masala powders I have used.
First of wash the Noodles with water and discard the water**
cook the noodles in enough water,keep moving them around so they are evenly cooked, until it is cooked, don't cook it too much, this might make the noodles become mushy so keep an eye on it, once it is done, that is you know it is well cooked, throw away the water with the help of sieve and run it through cold water.
Then drain the water completely pressing it lightly and add 2 tsp of oil mix the noodles in it so they don't get stuck with each other.

In a bowl wash Quinoa drain water and cook it in the amount of water I have given, be careful cook it in a low flame keep an eye on it when the water starts reducing so they don't get burnt and get stuck to the bowl, It should be perfectly cooked and with no water in it. Keep it aside until required.
Cook Potatoes in a bowl of water, drain, peel of the skin and keep aside.
Meanwhile wash all the vegetables and chop them into pieces,
In a Pan or Wok, heat 1/2 tbsp of oil, add G-G Paste ( careful they have water content in it if you are using ready made, they might splutter around ) or use my method which is much safer.
fry them for a minute then add all the chopped vegetables and fry them until they are soft but capsicums are still crunchy.
Then add slightly mashed up potatoes mix well, then add all the masala powders and salt, then add a tbsp of oil mix well, Then add cooked quinoa and close the lid and leave it in a low flame for few minutes so the masala is observed.
Then add Noodles and coriander leaves mix once again, close the lid again and leave it for few minutes, Then remove the lid and allow it to cool down a bit, so you can handle it easily.

For the coating of these Burgers:
Make a paste which is not too thin nor too thick with corn flour and plain flour (Maida).
Make Round balls out of the Burger filling prepared,  Press them in the shape of Burgers Dip them in the Corn Flour Paste then Press them on the Bread crumbs coating them completely.
Either Deep fry them or Toast them on the Pan / Tawa with a bit of oil until it turns Golden brown or put them in the grill for few minutes until they are golden in colour
If you want to turn it into a Cutlet, either deep fry them or Shallow fry them.
serve them Pita Bread, Buns or Baps or just like that with your favourite Sauce, Ketchup etc..,

Some Tips:
I do not use the Taste Maker provided with the Maggi Noodles will update about it soon
If you do not like Quinoa you can omit and make it as said above.
You can even trying making it with Bulgur Wheat if you are unable to find Quinoa
There is no Particular set of vegetables you can use Cabbage, carrots, onions etc.., you can add veggies which your kid doesn't like which can be hidden in this.
Instead of the Paste I have suggested you can dip them in Egg as they do commercially and then dip in Breadcrumbs and proceed.

Enjoy!!, Thank you Radhika for this opportunity and for the lovely blog you assigned me to., thanks Charul enjoyed your blog immensely.., Sorry for posting this really late, lots of things, thought first I will make use of the sudden sunshine to sort my garden out, then fell sick with severe Hay Fever, which I never had from past 6 years, Lots of work as kids have exams, life is very busy these days. Do check out here for the Lovely round up of this month BHW here from my fellow bloggers.

I am sending this to Shobha of Good Food's - Cook it Healthy (Proteinicious)
PJ of Simply foods - Barbecues and picnics 
Sending this to Sumeesculinary - Bon viviant - Apetizers and starters
Radhika of Tickling Palettes - Let's cook 16 - Kid's Special
Divya's Culinary Journey - Fun in the sun
Vardhini of Cook's Joy hosting srivalli's Kids delight evening snacks/Tiffin 

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