giveaway from shruti rasoi

Do check out dis cool giveaway from shruti rasoi........she also has a second prize to award.....:P

microwave pudding bowl set giveaway by lavanya

check out dis awesome giveaway and do participate
http://lavanyasrecipes.blogspot.in/2012/08/microwavable-pudding-bowl-set-giveaway.html

GHEE RICE

i had finally mustered the courage to buy basmati rice.......bought india gate super basmati rice and started googling for a simple rice dish to start with......i cudnt click pics....but made sure to note the recipe here for future reference as it turned out very good..the recipe is a combination of instructions from diff sites...

recipe source
vahchef and some other random rice recipes

Ingredients...

1 cup basmati (2 cups water)
ghee or butter ( around 1/2 cup)  i used both
onions(thinly sliced)-3(reserve some of them for topping)
green chillies - 3
ginger and garlic (minced)-1 tsp
mint leaves - 3 tsp
coriander leaves - 2 tsp
salt- to taste
cashews- as you like

masala items...

shahjeera(fennel)- 1 tsp
cumin seeds - 1tsp
cloves-3
cinnamon- 1 inch
cardamom-3
bay leaf-2
star anise-1
mace-1 flower
marathi moggu-1

1. Clean the rice 2 or 3 times and soak for around 40 min(soaking time varies.. depends on the quality of rice.. follow as per instructions on the packet).drain .add ghee to a pan and fry the rice grains slightly and keep aside
2. now add some butter to the pan fry the items under masala items carefully without burning them. add some more ghee and add onions and green chillies, minced ginger and garlic paste, pudina leaves, coriander leaves,saute till onions turn pink, add 2 cups of water....when water starts boiling...add the rice and salt,mix well and transfer to a rice cooker...(thats what i do as i dont know cooking it on stovetop....)...after 5 min open the lid...mix lightly and close the lid...it may take around 10 minutes or less...
3. again add ghee to the pan...roast a few cashews..set aside ...and fry the remaining onions till light brown colour..open the rice cooker...take the cooked rice in a wide basin...add fried cashews and onions along with the remaining ghee...fluff gently with a fork....mix well gently....yummy flavourful ghee rice is ready

serve with any spicy curry or even simple raitha is a good combo...

Linking this to My culinary trial room

Bombay karachi Halwa

this one is from a video by Sanjay Thumma, popularly known as the Vahchef.... u can watch and learn from Vahrehvah.com..

tomato soup(updated with step by step pics)

this is from "332 recipes from sanjeev kapoor"- ebook...
dont go by the picture...the soup tastes far better than those served in restaurants...

Cut tomatoes,add a spoonful of moong dal( i add carrots, a piece of beetroot, a bay leaf and a star anise, pepper), and boil on the stove top till the moong dal splits( i keep in the pressure cooker for 2 whistles)... cool completely, blend in a mixer and strain...
Add butter to the pan, add onions(cut into small pieces), saute till pink in colour, add the strained liquid, let boil, add salt and pepper.....add a spoon of corn flour dissolved in water, stir well and add a cup of milk to the boiling soup....taste for salt and pepper and add more if necessary.....add a pinch of sugar....it takes the soup to another level.....
i hav done this many times and it tastes really good with the butter fried onions...

onions to be sauted pink in butter

left over pulp

strained liquid

sugar

salt

freshly ground pepper

cronflour mixed with water

cornflour and milk added to the soup

i posted this tomato soup for zesty palette's "new u" event.

updated the recipe with step by step pics for "lets cook for kids" event by "simply.food" here

tomato pulao

i tried dis from tickling palates....
you can find the recipe here....

my cute cook and carry rice cooker.....

i tried with ordinary rice...pls do have a look at the original recipe...you will definitely give a try....

this goes to lets cook hosted by radhika of tickling palates...

and royal feast biryani hosted by reva of kaara saram

vegetable fried rice....

Chop the veggies of your choice evenly....

i half boil the veggies before adding it to the rice...i steamed them for a few min in rice cooker

Add simple spices like fennel seeds,cloves,cardamoms,pepper,bay leaf,add onions saute till light brown, add veggies and to keep them crisp, just fry for a few min(they are already slightly cooked), add the cooked rice(one of the bloggers says cooled or refrigerated cooked rice is the best for this), a little of soya sauce,salt, pepper and a little garam masala powder. I add ghee roasted bread pieces,cashews too.. the colour turned out dark because of the soya sauce..but tasted good

fried rice goes to
lets cook by tickling palates

tutti frutti cake in rice cooker

Ingredients for the caramel syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1tsp+ 1/4 cup water


Ingredients for the batter:
1 cup maida
1 cup butter
1 cup chopped dry fruits(badam,cashew,raisins)
1 cup tutti frutti
1 cup sugar
2 or 3 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract (i used 2 tsp vanilla icecream powder for flavour)
(two reasons 1. i failed in making icecream with the icecream powder
2. i havent had vanilla extract)
a pinch of salt
grated lemon zest about 1/2 tsp
cocoa powder-2 tsp(optional)
instant coffee powder - 1tsp(optional)

Method:

prepare the caramel syrup by adding a tsp of water to 1/2 cup of sugar....the sugar changes colour from white-light brown - dark brown in colour..switch off the flame and add 1/4 cup of very warm water to it..mix well and let it cool completely..

Add powdered sugar to butter and beat well ( i use buttermilk churner). drop in the eggs 1 at a time and beat well... add the flour mixture (sieve maida, baking powder, and salt 2 to 3 times ),vanilla extract, mix in half of the caramel(do not overdo beating after adding flour),the rest of the caramel, lemon zest, tutti frutti mixture( coat the chopped dry fruits and tutti frutti with maida so that they spread evenly through the cake), coffee powder and mix gently....

Grease the bottom and sides of the rice cooker pan with ghee or butter and pour the mixture into the pan....tap gently to avoid the air bubbles and close the lid....it may take around 40 min... u can smell the cake and the cake gets ready when a knife inserted comes out clean..

slice and serve...
i have learnt the recipe from kitchen secrets.
u can find it here...

sending this to "cooks joy" for the valentinespl. event "sweet luv 2013" 

u can find many other sweet recipes here 

home made apple jam

i tried this apple jam from my kitchen experiments blog and the taste was too good... no added preservatives... purely homemade....
Ingredients: Apples, sugar, water and lemon juice...
for recipe and measurements click here...

i added lime juice after cooling the jam...i boiled the apple pieces,mashed it,added sugar and then the lime juice...(after it has completely cooled down)...

i want to send this home made jam to "new "U" event" at zesty palette.

happy new year