Tuesday 30 September 2014

I was very happy to attend the world tourism day (meet for bloggers) . the event was very well organised with lots of information on tourism in vietnam, kenya, japan etc., .It was a pleasure to interact with lot of travel bloggers, resort managers from india and abroad. I got lot of experience from the tops given by the chef .parimal sawant  on varieties of food especially the soup . I relished the spread of food which was served .each was unique in its own way . All in all it was a  learning experience on tourism , cooking, travel,etc., My special thanks to Elsie Gabriel for inviting me to this meet . I look forward to such frequent meets bing organised.thanks

















GEETHA SRIDHAR 

Patta Gobi Bhajiya



I am always open to learning . i never always made patta gobi bhajiya. i always used to firectly fry it and serve it with some chutney or sauce. recently at my maharashtrian freinds house i learnt to make this. its very yummy and nutritious. Once the dish is ready just pray that it rains. you will enjoy it more

Recipe type: Patta Gobi Bhajiya    

Prep time : 20 Mins

  Cook time: 10 Mins

Total Time: 30 

MinsServes: 10-12 

 Ingredients
  • 1 cup shredded or finely chopped cabbage.
  • 1½ cup besan/chick pea flour
  • ½ tsp red chili powder
  • 1 green chili, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • a pinch of asafoetida
  • ¾ cup water
  • salt
oil for frying         

Ingredients

 In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients except oil. Add more water if required. The pakora batter should not be thin.

  1. Check the seasoning. If salt or the spiciness is less, accordingly add the salt or chili powder.
  2. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying the pakoras. Keep the flame medium. When the oil becomes hot, take spoonful of the pakora batter and pour it in the oil.
  3. Add 5-6 spoonfuls of the batter in the oil, individually. So you have 5-6 pakoras frying at a time. Fry the pakoras in batches like this till they are half cooked.
  4. Remove the half cooked pakoras. Press these pakoras slightly with your hand or a spatula. Take care that they do not break while pressing. Now again fry the pakoras till they become crisp and golden brown.
  5. Using this technique for frying the cabbage pakoras makes them crisp. If you want, you could fry them completely at once, instead of half frying them first.

































Ingredients


2 cups cooked pasta (penne, macaroni or fusilli)
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp chopped celery
1/2 cup capsicum, sliced
1 cup boiled mixed vegetables
3/4 cup milk
3 cheese slices ( or 1/2 cup grated processed cheese)
1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp butter
salt and black pepper powder to taste


Method
  1. Heat the butter in a pan and sauté the onion, celery and capsicum for 2 minutes.
  2. Add the milk and cheese slices and bring to a boil.
  3. Add the vegetables, mixed herbs, salt and pepper and mix well.
  4. Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce and bring to a boil.
  5. Serve hot with toast or garlic bread.

Tips
  1. Approximately 1¼ cups of dried pasta will yield 2 cups of cooked pasta.

sakara pongal


l Raw Rice 1/2 cup
Yellow moong dal 4 tblsp 
Water 3 cups 
Jaggery 3/4 Cup
Cashew nuts Few 
Ghee 1-2 tblsp
Raisins few
Edible camphor a pinch
Nutmeg powder a pinch(optional)
Cardamom powder A pinch Dry roast rice and moong dal for 3-4 minutes in medium flame , without getting burnt. Just roast till the rice and dal becomes warm.
Wash the rice and dal and pressure cook this by adding 3 cups of water. Cook till 5-6 whistles and keep it in a very low flame for 5 minutes in the last.
Switch off the flame.Meanwhile add jaggery to a pan and add little water(1/2 cup).
When the jaggery melts filter the impurities and bring the jaggery syrup to boil again.Meanwhile mash the rice with the back of a ladle. 
Add the mashed rice and dal mix to the jaggery syrup.Mix well and add cardamom powder and edible camphor. Do not add more than a pinch. If adding nutmeg powder add a pinch at this stage.Fry cashew nuts and raisins in ghee and when it turns golden brown add it to the sakkarai pongal.
Add 1 to 2 tblsp of ghee to the pongal and mix well.Switch off the flame.
Sakkari pongal is ready for neivedhyam.Colour of the sakkari pongal depends on the vellam. Always use dark vellam to get a nice brown colour.