Inji Rasam (Ginger Rasam)

**Yet another Rasam from me.**

**Rasam that is good for digestion**
**Rasam made with Grated Ginger, Tomato Puree and Dal water.**

Ingredients Needed:
1. Grated Ginger 2 tsp
2. Tomato puree 3 table spoons
3. Green Chilli 1
4. Cooked Dal Water - 1 cup
5. Salt to taste
6. Hing
7. Jaggery very little

Ingredients for Seasoning:
1. Ghee 1 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds
3. Cumin Seeds
4. Curry leaves.

For Garnishing:
1. Sliced Ginger pieces
2. Ginger Juice 1 tsp
3. Coriander Leaves

Method:

1. Mix Grated Ginger, Tomato Puree, Dal water, Slit Green Chilli, Salt , Jaggery and Hing and keep it aside.

2. Heat Oil in a Kadai and Splutter the Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, Curry leaves and pour in the mixture.

3. Cook till it reaches boiling stage.

4. Garnish with sliced Ginger pieces, Ginger juice, Coriander leaves.

* ~ * Serve Hot with Steamed Rice
OR
Have it as an Appetising Soup. * ~ *

This is my Submission for JFI#10 (Ginger) Hosted by Rosie of What's the recipe today jim?

Puli Inji (Ginger in Tamarind Sauce)

Puli Inji

Hot, Sweet and Sour Pickle.
Good accompaniment for Dosas and Curd Rice.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Chopped Tender Ginger pieces 1 cup
2. Chopped Green Chilli pieces 1/4 cup
3. Tamarind (lemon size) soaked in 1 cup of water
4. Jaggery (gooseberry size)
5. Salt to taste
6. Hing

Ingredients for tempering:
1. Oil (Gingely Oil) 3 tablespoons
2. Mustard Seeds
3. Curry Leaves
4. Dry Red Chillies 2

Ingredients for Masala Powder:
1. Fenugreek Seeds 1/2 tsp
2. Sesame seeds 1 tsp(Fry these separately but can powder together)

Method:
1. Heat Oil in a kadai and temper Mustard Seeds, Curry leaves and Red Chillies.
2. Now goes the Chopped Ginger and Green Chilli pieces for a fry for 3 minutes.
3. Add thick Tamarind extract, Jaggery, Salt and Hing.
4. Cook till Oil floats on top
5. Now goes the Masala powder and Cook for a minute
6. Cool and store in a sterlised bottle.

Different kind of Pickle that aid Digestion and remove bloatedness.
Stays good for a month, if refrigerated.

Note:
1. Soak Ginger in water for atleast 1 hour to clean its mud.
2. Use only Tender Ginger, it will be very crunchy to bite with its skin.

This is My Submission for JFI-Ginger Hosted by RosieWhat's the recipe today Jim?

Aloo Gobi Matter (Potatoes, Cauliflower and Peas)

Aloo Gobi Matter [Dry Sabzi]

[:] Famous Dish of North India.
[:] Dry Curry with Ginger slices, Masala powder and lemon juice.
[:] Chatpatta Preparation.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Cauliflower - 1/2 cup (small florets)
2. Potatoes cubed - 1/2 cup
3. Peas (frozen or fresh) - 1/4 cup
4. Green Chillies - 2 slit (according to taste)
5. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
7. Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Sliced Ginger - 1 tsp
9. Salt to taste
10. Garam Masala Powder - 3/4 tsp
11. Lime Juice - 1 tsp
12. Oil - 2 to 3 tsp

Seasoning:
1. Mustard seeds
2. Cumin seeds
3. Curry leaves
4. Coriander leaves for garnishing.
5. Hing

Method:
1. Heat Oil in a pan and season with Mustard, Cumin, Curry leaves and Hing.
2. Add Potato Pieces and fry for 3 minutes in medium flame.
3. Then goes Cauliflower pieces, Peas, Slit Green Chillies, Turmeric powder, Coriander Powder,
Red Chilli powder and Salt. Mix well and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. When Potatoes and Flower are completely cooked , add Garam Masala powder and Ginger slices and cook for a minute.
5. Switch off and mix Lemon juice and garnish with Coriander leaves.

[:] Serve with Hot Rotis or Hot Pooris. [:]

Methi Thattai

Methi Thattai

Crispy Thattai added with Methi flavour.
Very good for Diabetic patients.
Delicious Tea time Snack.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Maida 1 cup
2. Wheat Flour 1 cup
3. Besan 1 cup
4. Finely chopped chillies 1 tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Ghee 1 tablespoon
7. Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp
8. Hing
9. Finely chopped methi leaves 1 cup
10. Sesame seeds 2 tsp
11. Coriander Powder 1 tsp
12. Red Chilli Powder According to taste.
13. Water to knead the dough.
14. Oil for deep frying

Method:
1. In a bowl add No1 to 12 and mix nicely with hands.
2. Sprinkle some water and knead stiff dough.
3. Make a big Chappati and cut with biscuit cutter and prick each small circle with fork.
4. Deep fry in hot oil till crisp.
5. Cool it and store in an air tight container.

# Don't Resist this. Enjoy the Crispy, Tasty Methi Thattais. #

One Year and Badam Halwa

Eat Little, Sleep Sound goes an Iranian Proverb.
Simple words for a Healthy living.

To eat little, someone has to cook and I love Cooking.

I had learnt cooking from my Mother, MIL and my friends Mothers etc. Always eager to watch the Cooking shows on TV.

With time to spare and having introduced to Sailu's blog by my husband, critiqued by my Son, encouraged by friends around, I took up to food blogging in January '06.

Named it MenuToday and initially posted few traditional items like Thiruvathirai Kali, Sarkarai Pongal, Kuzhi Paniyaram, Milagu Vada etc.
They were not big draws then but brought me my first few blog friends in l g,

Towards a better tomorrow, Pushpa, Saffronhut.

Am quite happy that some of my traditional items finds comments and new friends even after many months of their posting.

I like the idea initiated by Indira on JFI and participating in the JFI events always brought Joy to me. It makes me work a little hard to find an item that would fit the bill and am always amazed by others unique contributions that make the JFI so varied and colourful. Till now have not missed making my contributions to it.

VCC Contests, Breakfast blogging, Weekend Curry Mela have all been interesting and bring good food on to your screens at regular intervals.

I always look out for the postings of Asha, Indira, Sailu, Archana, Ashwini, PriyaS&S, Vaishali who always excel not only in their Culinary skills but also on Writing and Photography skills that I am quite envy of. Their posts are a pleasure and they bring more than just a recipe.

Have gained friends like Shammi, Archana, Prema Sundar, Meena, Jayashree, Krishna Arjuna, Akshayapatra(m) Priya and Chandrika, IndoSunGod whose blogs that I my Computer visits automatically whenever I login.

New to Food blogging are LakshiAmmal, Ultimate Foodie, VCuisine but experts in their own way whose blogs are added in my list to frequent.

Have earned many Culinary Cousins (All of you food bloggers) in this One Year and all of whom are worthy of mention and close to my blog and heart.True to tradition, On an occasion like this I have to certainly name a few Asha, Krithika, Daily Girl Priya, Prema, Sudha, Shilpa, Vineela whose words of support I always eagerly look for and also feel encouraged by it.

Initially I didn't know much about food blogging but now I wonder how I have, in this 1 year, made 150+ postings.

I also learnt that it is world of its own and am glad to be part of it.

On this occasion I raise a toast, Oops, a Spoon of Badam Halwa to the Good Health and Happiness of all Food bloggers and readers.

Badam Halwa

* - * Badam (Almond) has good Cholestrol.
* - * Badam Halwa easy to prepare and tastes nice.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Badam (Soaked in Hot water for 30 minutes) 1 cup
2. Sugar (1cup of paste = 1 cup sugar)
3. 1/4 cup hot milk.
4. Saffron strands 10 to 12 soaked in hot milk.
5. Ghee 3 table spoons.

Method:
1. Remove Brown skin from the soaked badam and grind it to a fine paste
adding milk.(Saffron Soaked Milk)
2. Add Sugar and mix well.
3. On stove, Cook in medium flame for 15 to 20 minutes, in between add 2
tablespoons of ghee.
4. When bubbles form on edges, and in center, small layer like (malai)will
form switch off. (Now it will be semi solid consistency)
5. Switch of the stove and Now add remaining one tablespoon of ghee
and Mix gently till it forms to a lump.

# Serve the Delicious, Rich Halwa Hot or Cold to Young and Old. #

Badam Halwa

Note:1. Here I didnot add any food colour, colour from saffron gives rich look
to Badam Halwa.
2. If you wish, few drops of Almond essence can be added.
3. Mixing of Halwa will gives it a smooth texture.

Happy Pongal, Happy Makara Shankaranthi ! ! !

Mor Koottu

Mor Koottu

!~! Mor Koottu is a cousin of "Avial"
!~! Curd Based.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Vegetables (Banana Stem, White pumpkin, Chayote Squash, Cabbage) any one vegetable cut into cubes 2 cups
2. Salt to taste
3. Hing.
4. Turmeric (optional)
5. Curds 4 table spoons

Ingredients for Grinding:
1. Grated Coconut 3 tablespoons
2. Green Chillies 3 (according to taste)
3. Rice flour 1 tsp
4. Cumin seeds 1 tspGrind the above, adding little water.(fine paste)

For Tempering:
1. Oil 1 tsp
2. Mustard seeds
3. Urad dal 1/2 tsp4.
4. Curry leaves.

Method:
1. Boil the Vegetables with Salt and Hing without adding water. (Water ooze out from the vegetables and itis enough for boiling)
2. When Vegetables are fully Cooked, add the grinded paste mixed with curds.
3. Switch off before boiling.
4. Temper with Mustard, Curry leaves and Urad dal.

~*~ Serve with Hot Rice. ~*~
~*~ Generally goes well with a Spicy Sambar, Vatha Kulambu. ~*~

Eggless Orange Sponge Cake

My Second Attempt to baking .
My Maiden attempt to Bake a Cake.

Eggless Orange Sponge Cake

Ingredients Needed:
1. Self raising flour - 2 cups
2. Butter - 100 Grams
3. Sugar Powder 1/2 cup (I used 3/4 cup and the cake came out very sweet)
4. Condensed Milk - 1 cup
5. Carbonated Orange Drink - 200ml. (I used F&N Orange Drink)
6. Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp (Soda Bi-Carbonate)
7. Baking powder - 1-1/2 tsp
8. Butter - To grease the Cake Pan

Method:
1. Sieve Flour, Baking soda and Baking Powder 2 times and keep it aside.
2. In a bowl, take Sugar powder, butter and condensed. Beat this mixture till creamy.
3. Now goes the Carbonated drink into this mixture.
4. Gradually add Flour and mix well. This mixture should be of Dosa flour consistency.
5. In a pre-heated oven, pour this mixture in a Cake Pan and Bake this mixture in 170° C for 40 mins.
6. Cool and serve.

Cake came out decent enough to share it with you all.I know I have to go some more lengths to get that perfect cake. :-)