Broccoli Pesto Pasta | Pasta Recipes

I love pesto you can see that in my spinach pesto, roasted beets pesto recipes since it's difficult to find basil here so I buy some times basil pesto but store basil pesto can be bitter in taste few times and it's spoils the whole pasta anyways basil pesto is not we going to talk about today.  Recipe of the day is Broccoli Pesto Pasta I make broccoli pesto in a different ways but when I saw this recipe in Raks blog I knew I going to make this as it's really easy, quick and taste good.

Carrot Rice Recipe | Lunch Box Recipes

We all love variety rice I am sure mostly of you raising hand in yes. Carrot Rice is one such easy and tasty variety rice recipe which require minimal ingredients and it's easy to prepare plus taste delicious even if it's cold and that's makes this good lunch box recipe or even great choice for potluck, picnic etc. We can also call it a one pot meal but personally I consider one pot meal those recipe in which I finish all the cooking in one-go like the recipe we make in cooker but the argument is not on the name you can call or consider whatever you might like.

Palak Khichdi Recipe

Khichdi is great comfort food, I use to make khichdi for every Saturday lunch once but now a days I make this so rare, I have no idea why it's like that now.  Hot Khichdi+Ghee+Achar+Papad=Comfort food for me, it taste delicious and so satisfying.  We don't need a fancy meal to satisfy ourselves some time small thing makes big difference and khichdi is one such entity.  But then every one doesn't feel the same about khichdi, DH doesn't use to like khichdi but he likes the way I make and doesn't complain about eating it.  It's a great one pot meal and can be a good lunch box recipe too.

Raw Mango Rice | Mangai Sadam | Mango Recipes

Mango Rice or manga sadam is popular rice recipe from Tamil Nadu made of raw mango, cooked rice, little nuts and lightly spiced, a perfect blend of ingredients to make this delicious yet very easy rice variety. Mango rice is also a very good lunch box option as it can be done in jiffy and if we have leftover rice then it's a breeze, speaking of that a great way to use leftover rice is making mango rice or any other variety rice. 

Paneer Kanda Poha Recipe

Poha is regular breakfast at my place some times I make it every day so I do lot of experiment with poha and this paneer poha is one such trial, I have no idea if there is any authentic paneer poha recipe but this is my version and it's good.  Now I make this paneer poha regularly it works great as a breakfast or snack specially if having guest at home then it's kinda different from regular kanda or batata poha.

Guest Post - Potato Peas Pulao Recipe

This is my first guest post, I had few request but somehow I hardly manage to do a guest post, managing my blog along with work itself takes a toll on me plus the tension on what to do as a guest post is big worry for me than actually cooking or clicking, the expectations kills you see, but as I always say there's always first time for everything and so it has to be guest post by me and it happened to be for Veena from Great Secret of Life, a blog featuring wide range of recipes.

Cucumber Cheese Sandwich | Easy Sandwich Recipes

Cucumber sandwich is a very easy and simple recipe that I was hesitant to post this recipe but then it's just to give you a idea for a quick breakfast or snack, it's specially good now during this hot summer as no-cooking involved in this and it's hardly takes any time, cucumber has high water content making it a perfect summer recipe.  One can do variations with this simple cucumber sandwich too so let your imagination run wild.  You can skip cream cheese if you wish and replace with mayonnaise or any other spread of your choice though cream cheese and cucumber goes well together.  You can also make this for tiffin or lunch box just make sure to pat dry cucumber slices well otherwise it will make the bread soggy.  I normally make this for breakfast or along with evening tea, the day I clicked I made this for my breakfast with ABC Juice.

Tomato Rice | Thakkali Sadam Recipe

It's been long since I posted any rice recipe and this tomato rice is in my draft for very long time, I thought it's time to clear this long awaiting post too.  Tomato Rice used to be lunch box recipe for us during school days,  though very rare but along with lemon rice my mom use to use few rice varieties.   I always liked tomato rice and it's one of my favorite variety rice, it's perfect for lunch/tiffin box and also works great if you are looking for a quick fix lunch or dinner or even want to use left over rice.

I make tomato rice less as DH is not fan of variety rice he likes more of Tomato Soup than having it in rice form! So if am cooking for myself which happens once in a blue moon then I do things which I like (read South Indian cooking)  Try this tomato rice and I am sure you will like it too.

Ingredients for Tomato Rice 

{Serves - 2-3 | Preparation Time - 40 minutes} 

Basmati Rice - 1 Cup
Onion - 1 Large
Tomato - 5 Medium
Green Chilies - 2 [ I used red chilli]
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - A Sprig
Fresh Minched Garlic -1/2 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp [optional]
Salt - To Taste
Chopped Cilantro - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Wash and soak rice for 15-20 minutes and cook with 2 cups of water use 1:1 ratio for rice and water, cook and allow rice to cool.
~ or use little less water than 2 cups, the way its works best for you to have grains separated.
2. Finely chop onion, tomato, green chilli, cilantro.
3. In a pan or wok heat oil add cumin, fennel seeds and allow to splutter. Add garlic and saute until light golden brown. Now add curry leaves, green chilli, onion and saute until onion becomes soft.

4. Add tomato and mix well, cover and cook until tomato gets mashed.
5. Add red chilli powder, garam masla and mix well.

6. Add salt and cook for a minute or until oil separates.

6. Now add cooked rice and mix gently and cook for a minute.  Garnish with cilantro.
~ You can also mix tomato gravy with rice and mix.

Serve warm with raita, papad.

Variations
~ You can use any rice variety.
~ Use ghee instead of oil for rich taste and flavor.
~ I some times add carrot, peas, corn etc.
~ Adding garam masala powder is optional.
~ My tomato rice is more of spicy version, you can use less of red chilli powder/green chilli if preferred.
~ You can use leftover rice too.

Have a nice day ~~

Vegetables & Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Do you like sandwich specially for breakfast or snack? I like because it's simple, easy and quick to prepare. We can do lot of variations in sandwich filling to suit our taste.  This is one of easy sandwich toast recipe again with lots of vegetables plus goodness of cheese.  I used less of cheese because I made this only for myself, you can reduce cheese too if you like or for kids you can add it generously.  Cheese helps to bind the vegetables well so they doesn't keep sneaking out of sandwich :) in my sandwich if you don't see cheese oozing out then don't be surprise.

The good thing about this simple vegetable filling is you can also use it as salad, it taste spicy, yum and refreshing due to all raw vegetables.  Good option is to use sandwich maker to toast these sandwich this way vegetables get's cooked well and cheese melt nicely, but to show the filling I didn't use my toaster once again, also I have used wholemeal walnut bread, it's add good walnut crunch to the sandwich.  Next time if you happen to see wholemeal walnut bread perhaps you can give a try.

Other Sandwich & Toasts Recipes you can check out

• Eggplant Curry Sandwich {Leftover Magic}
• Open Rava Sandwich
• Vegetable Sandwich {Street Style}
• Murukku Sandwich
• Tomato Toast
• Sweet French Toast

Ingredients for Vegetables & Cheese Sandwich

[Makes 2 Sandwich Set]

Bread Pieces - 4
Grated Cheese - 1/4 Cup [more if preferred]
Chopped Onion - 1/4 Cup
Chopped Tomato - 1/4 Cup
Chopped Cucumber - 1/4 Cup
Chopped Capsicum - 1/4 Cup
Grated Carrot - 1/2 Cup
Green Chutney - 1 tbsp [or use Sandwich Chutney]
Chaat Masala - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Finely chop onion, tomato, cucumber, capsicum and grate carrot & gather all our ingredients.

2. In a bowl add all the vegetables, cheese, green chutney, chat masala and mix well.  Add generous amount of prepared mixture around 3-4 spoons on top of bread and place another pieces of bread to cover.

~ Here is picture of whole meal walnut bread.

3. Heat a griller or tawa and toast bread both sides until brown.  We can press the bread sightly to seal all the veggies inside.

Serve warm with tea/coffee or juice.

~ Variations 

• Use any vegetables of your choice like grated beetroot, boiled potato etc
• You can make this in griller or sandwich toaster.
• Apply butter on bread if preferred
• Since we use green chutney &chat masala, salt is not needed.  Add salt & pepper if required.  
• You can add 1 tbsp of chopped walnut for a nice crunch, since I used walnut bread it give good nutty crunch to the sandwich.

Have a nice day ~~

Lobia and Potato Masala Recipe

Lobia or jurga as it's called in my in-laws place end up most of the time as lobia masala or some time I pair it up with any other vegetables.  This time paired lobia with classic potato to make a dry curry. This goes well with roti/paratha or great with rasam rice.  I have mashed potato since I wanted lobia to be blend well with potato but if you wish you can just chop boiled potato and add.  You can use this recipe to make roti wrap perfect for kids lunch box.  

I also used panch phoran in this recipe which created magic, basically I have anything with panch phoran it's always enhance taste of any dish, I have give list of spices used in panch phoran just add equal amount of all spices to make your very own panch phoran, store and use as required.  

Ingredients for Lobia & Potato Masala

Lobia/Black Eyed Beans /Jurga - 1 Cup
Potato - 2 large
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Cardamom - 1
Cloves- 2
Onion - 1 large
Tomato - 1 large
Green Chili - 2
Oil - 1 tbsp
Asafetida/Hing - A Pinch
Panch phoran - 2 tsp
Minced Ginger-Garlic - 1/2 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Seeds Powder  - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Salt - To Taste
Cilantro - 2 tbsp chopped

Panch Phoran ~ Equal portion of below spices
Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds/Rai - 1/2 tsp
Fennel Seeds/Saunf -  1/2 tsp
Fenugreek/Methi -1/2 tsp
Nigella/Onion Seeds/Kalonji - 1/2 tsp

Method

1. Soak lobia over night, rinse in water and pressure cook with little water, salt, bay leaf, cinnamon  cardamom, cloves for 3 whistles along with potato, discard all the garam masala once cooked.  

2. Peel and mash boiled potato.
3. Chop onion, tomato, chilli.
4. In a pan heat oil add hing, panchphoran and saute until splutter. Add ginger-garlic and saute until brown, add onion, chilli cook until onion becomes soft.
5. Add chilli, turmeric, coriander powders and cook for a minute.
6. Add tomato and cook until mashed for 3-4 minutes.
7. Now add poato, lobia, salt, garam masla, mix well and cook for 5 minutes in medium flame, stirring in intervals.  Garnish with cilantro.

Serve warm with roti or rice.

Have a nice day ~~

Tindora Pulao | Ivy Gourd Pilaf Recipe

We all love one pot meal, don't we?  I know most of you going to say yes.  So here is another easy and different pulao withTinora/Ivy gourd/Kundru using our very own pressure cooker.  If I don't have enough of tindora in hand to make a curry by itself then I do either dal, or pair it up with anything else like I did with badi sabzi or sometimes I do this pulao - easy, quick and delicious done in less than 30 minutes for me it's a perfect for weekend when I don't feel like cooking much which is happening too much these days! For dinner or lunch box it's a great option too.  And before moving on to the recipe - Wishing All Happy Chinese New Year, may the year of Snack be more joyful.  Gong Xi Fa Cai

Ingredients for Tindora (Kundru) Pulao

Rice - 1 1/2 Cup [ I used Sona Masuri]
Ivy Gourd/Tindora/Kundru - 1 Cup [sliced]
Onion - 1
Green Chilli - 3
Minced Ginger-Garlic - 1/2 tbsp [or used ginger-garlic paste]
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Briyani Masala/Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - 2 1/2 Cups
Cilantro - 1 tbsp chopped

For Tempering
Oil - 2 tbsp
Bayleaf - 1
Cinnamon - 1/2" piece
Mace - 1 small piece
Star Anise - 1
Cloves - 2
Shahi Jeera - 1 tsp [or use cumin seeds]

For Garnish [optional]
Granted Coconut - 2 tbsp
Cilantro Chopped - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and  Soak rice in water for 20 minutes or until needed. [I normally soak rice first then do cuttings and start preparing pulao]
2. Chop onion, slice green chilli.  Cut both edges of tindora and slice in roundels or cut it into 4 pieces.
3. Heat oil in pressure cooker add all the ingredients under 'for temper' and saute until jeera cracks.  Add minced ginger-garlic and saute until golden brown.

4.  Add onion, chilli and cook until onion becomes soft.

5. Add ivy gourd and saute for 3 minutes.  Add red chilli and turmeric powder and saute for a minute.

6  Now add rice and saute for 2 minutes. Add water, salt, briyani masala or garam masala, cilantro and mix well.  Close cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
7. Once pressure released gently mix rice with fork and garnish with cilantro and coconut.

Serve warm with any raita of your choice, pickle etc.

Have a nice day ~~

Open Rava Sandwich Recipe

Open Rava Sandwich or Toast whatever we may call it is one of my favorite breakfast or snack recipe cause it’s very simple and quick to prepare and taste really yum.  This is my sister recipe she used to make this for my nephew for weekend breakfast or as after school snack so it’s goes without saying kids love this sandwich.

Made with minimal ingredients and in less than 10 minutes it’s perfect if you are in hurry, also one can do lot of variations with this recipe and get creative or it makes a good tiffin box recipe.  Have it with a cup of coffee or tea to make it as perfect breakfast or tea time relish. 

Ingredients: [ Yields 4-5 open sandwich]
Bread Slice - 4
Curd - 1/2 Cup
Suji/Rava - 1/2 Cup
Onion - 1 small
Tomato - 1 small
Capsicum - 1/2
Green Chilies - 2
Salt - to taste
Garlic Powder - 1/2 tsp [optional]
Butter/Oil - to toast

Method:

1. Chop finely all the vegetables.
2. In a bowl take curd and beat, add all the veggies, salt and garlic powder mix well.

3. Add suji/rava and mix.  Do not add any water.  The mixture will be thick but spreadable.

4. Take 1-2 tbsp of mixture and spread in bread pieces.
5. Heat a tawa or pan and apply butter/oil.  Toast plain side first, once it's becomes brown gently flip spread side bread down and toast for 2-3 minutes in slow-medium flame.

6. Repeat same for rest of pieces.
Serve warm and enjoy.

Variations

~ Add 2-3 tbsp of cheese and mix with rava & curd mixture.
~ You can add dash of freshly crushed pepper.

Have a nice day ~~

Moong Dal Tadka Recipe

Today I’m posting simple dal takda recipe which can be done in jiffy in the most easy way.  It’s similar to my tindora dal where I add everything, pressure cook and then give a simple tadka.   Though this dal very easy to prepare but it taste delicious with plain steamed rice or roti, even a side dish is not really necessary.  I do this when I am in hurry or have no mood to cook which becoming more and more these days.  I have used split green gram dal but you can use whole green gram too in that case soak the dal as it takes longer time to cook.  Try this simple day and you going to love it. 

Ingredients:

Split Green Gram/ Dhuli Moong Dal - 1 Cup
Onion - 1 Large
Tomato - 1 Large
Green Chillies - 4
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Salt - To taste
For Tempering
Oil/Ghee - 1 tbsp
Asafetida/Hing - a pinch
Cumin Seeds /Jeera - 1 tsp
Minced Garlic - 1/2 tbsp
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

1. Slice onion, tomato, slit chilies.
2.  Wash dal, add onion, tomato, chilies, salt, turmeric & chili powder with enough water.  Pressure cook for 3 whistles.

3.  Once cooker pressure released, mash dal slightly and add 1 cup water. 
4. In a pan or wok heat oil or ghee add hing, cumin seeds and allow to splutter.  Add curry leaves, garlic and sauté until light brown.  Add cooked dal mix and bring it to boil, adjust salt, water if required.  Simmer for 2 minutes.

Our simple and quick dal is ready, add ghee on top for extra taste. 

Have a nice day ~~