Blog anniversary

Banana bread topped with condensed milk and nutella

It’s been a year since i started blogging. I had no idea that something called food blog exits till i came across Mahanandi while browsing for recipes. I couldn’t believe my eyes, the pictures where amazingly good and so where the recipes. Few weeks passed by, and then one of my best friends sent me a link of Cool peppers. That’s when i realized there is a whole world of blogging out there.

From then i just got stuck to all these beauitful blogs. Day by day I came to know more about the other blogs. I was very impressed by Meeta’s pictures and Shilpa’s dedication in posting recipes almost every single day.

All these beautiful blogs inspired me in starting my own blog. A year passed by with 71 posts and little over 100,000 hits. Made friends and shared thoughts with some amazing people whom i have never seen nor met.

I take this opportunity to thank all the fellow bloggers and all the lovely people who visit my blog and encourage me with their lovely comments. And my special thanks to my mom, my husband and my family for their support.

I almost forgot, my special thanks to my most beautiful and adorable daughter who lends some of her precious time so that her mom can blog. Thanks Kanna and love you bangaru!

Coming to the picture, its Banana bread which i baked in a corning container and lined it up with a disposable coffee filter.Venkatesh topped the bread with some condensed milk and nutella. You can see them dripping on those lines. Made a lovely presentation.

Decor & Pic: Venkatesh

Any one for a piece of Cantaloupe

In Telugu: Kirnikayi

Chocolate-Hazelnut Ravioli

This recipe is from Giada of Food Network. One thing i like about Giada’s recipes are: They are very simple to make and not too many ingredients involved. This dessert has bascially four ingredients to it. It can be also called as a Semi home made dessert. Like Sandra lee says: 70% store bought, 30 % fresh ingredients and you take the 100 % credit. This dessert is a good example for this quote beacuse all you have to do is put everything together and deep fry them.

These ravioli can be compared to our Indian Kajjikaya. Instead of maida dough I use wonton wraps and in the place of coconut jaggery I use Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) and deep fry them.

Recipe:

Wonton wrappers- 25
Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)- about 1 1/2 cups
Few toasted almond pieces (optional)
1 Egg / milk to coat the edges of the wonton wrap
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Take a wonton wrap and spoon little bit of the nutella in the center and a piece of almond on top of it.Brush the edges with egg wash or milk. Fold the wrapper diagonally in half and press the sides and make sure the wrapper is sealed on all sides. Keep it on the side. Repeat the same with the other wonton wraps by spreading the nutella and sealing with egg wash.

Fry the ravioli in the vegetable oil but make sure the oil is not to hot, if not the ravioli will get dark.

Serve when they are hot with a drizzel of more nutella/ powdered sugar on top and enjoy this sinful sweet.

The crunchy top with creamy nutella is sure a treat for the sweet lovers.

Note:
Make sure that nutella doesnt come out of the wonton wrap.
Make sure the oil is not to hot.
I trimmed my wontons a bit so that all the sides are sealed properly.
Wonton wraps and Nutella can be found in any American Super market.
Nutella found near the peanut butter and jelly isle.
Wonton found near the Asian veggie section.

Recipe adapted from Giada of Food Network.

Vijaya Dasami Subhakanshalu

Neivedyam: Sweet Pongal (Bellam Pongal)

Wishing family and friends A Very Happy Vijaya Dasami.
Vijaya Dasami Subhakanshalu!

Feed a hungry child by donating smiles

Feed a hungry child (FAHC) is started by Vijay K. Narayanan and its a non-profit organization. In rural areas hundred of kids die everyday for the lack of basic food. We the bloggers who talk and write so much about food should unite together and lend a supporting hand in raising the funds for FAHC.

For further info on FAHC click here
and chip in to contribute safely.

A person who contibutes more than $ 25 is eligible to get a raffle ticket and win some amazing prizes given away by some of our dear bloggers.

For more info on the prizes go to mahanandi where Indira explains the raffle prizes in detail.

So I request everyone to chip in and contribute the FAHC as the clock is ticking fast.
Last date to contribute: Oct 23rd.

Tomatillo Pappu(Dal)

Tomatillo which is of Mexican origin is found in abundance in Texas. The tomatillo is surrounded by a thin husk as the outer layer. When you buy, make sure the husk is light brown and fresh. Avoid the ones where the husk is dry.

Tomatillo is a good source of vitamin C. I make a dal with tomatillo. Moong dal (which is milder) combined with chillies, coconut, onion and the sour tomatillo goes well together. Once the whole thing is cooked you find the texture of the dal very creamy. Goes great with chapathi and rice.



Ingredients:

Small Tomatillo: 6 to 8 (addjust acc to how much sourness you can take)
Moong dal: half cup
Small onion: 1 (Cut into thin half inch slices)
A handful of spinach leaves (frozen spinach works great)
Green chillies: 3 to 4
Dry/fresh coconut- 2 tbsps

For talimpu/tempering:

Oil- 2tsps
Few mustard seeds
Cumin(jeera)- ½ tsp
Few curry leaves
And few pinches of asafetida (hing)

In a pot put some water and cook the moong dal till soft. Keep it a side.

Now do the tempering: In a vessel add oil and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop add the jeera, curry leaves and chopped green chillies. Fry for few seconds then add the onion and asafetida and cook till onion becomes little soft. Then add the cubed tomatillo and salt and cook till tomatillo becomes soft. Then add the chopped spinach and coconut.

Just cook for a minute and to this add the cooked moong dal . Add somemore salt and a quarter cup of water bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for good ten minutes till everything is well incorporated.

Let stand for few minutes, and serve with chapathi or rice.



Note: Tomatillo is not green tomato.

Tomatillo

Coming up: Tomatillo pappu (dal)

Black chickpeas (Nalla chanagala) Guggullu

Do you have a lot of dry beans hanging in for months or probably for a year in your pantry? If the answer is yes, then try making this simple and healthy guggulu.

Chick pea provides a good source of protien for vegetarians like me. A lite and a healthy snack to munch in the evening.

• Dry black chickpeas( nalla sanagalu/ kala chana)- 1cup ( soak over night and cook in pressure cooker till soft, but still holding its shape)
• Two green chilles chopped
• Half onion chopped
• Few Cilantro( coriander) leaves
• Fresh lemon juice
• Grated coconut- 2 tsps
• Curry leaves

Cook the dry chickpeas and do a quick sauté by adding two teaspoons of oil, few mustard seed, half teaspoon of chana dal, green chille, hing and onion. Cook till onion becomes little soft. Then add the cooked black chick peas and salt and finish it of with grated coconut and fresh lemon juice.

Note: You can skip the onion if you are making for prasadam.



Tips:
Add the cooked black chickpeas in spinach sambar or dal.

Ridgegourd peel chutney (Beerakaya tokku pachadi)

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  Beerakaya pachadi (Ridge gourd chutney) with combination of white & brown rice.

  Ridge gourd is one of my favourite vegetables. It’s so soft and sweet that it just melts in your mouth. Not just the inside part, I happen to love the skin too. Though it has that rough look and texture it makes a very good pachadi(chutney) when cooked with the right Indian spices.

  This picture was indeed taken a couple of months back. Actually when my mom was here she used to make it very often. That’s when I took this picture.

  

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  Recipe:

  Peel of Ridgegourd (Beerakaya)-1 cup
  Urad dal- 2 tsps
  Cumin and coriander seeds- ½ tsp each
  Dry red chillies- 6 to 8 (adjust acc to your spice level)
  Garlic pods- 2
  Little bit of tamarind soaked in water and
  Salt to taste

  Wash the ridge gourd, peel and chop the skin discarding the pointed edges.

  In a pan put 1 tsp of oil and fry the urad dal, cumin, coriander and red chilies till light brown color.
  Remove and in the same pan add 2 tsps of oil and fry the ridge ground till it becomes little soft.

  Now in a mixer add the dry spices and grind to a powder. Then add the ridge gourd, tamarind, garlic pods and salt and grind to a smooth paste.

  If you mixer rejects to grind add little bit of water (not too much) that will work.

  Serve the pachadi with some rice and ghee.