Linking posts from my cookbook for Street Party event

I am so happy to see the announcement on "Street Party" made by Shama @ easy2cook recipes.

Shama is hosting the event for Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey

Street food always had special place in my heart as they not only taste yummy but also boost immunity. We used to keep a 'street food evening' sometimes tasting at different stalls at khao gali.  There are various stalls serving dosas, vadapav, pav baji, parathas, momos, sandwiches, idlies, pani puri, sev puri, dahi puri, ragda puri......OMG the list will go on and i am already drooling :p 

As certain seasons carries certain diseases and to cut intake of transfat, making them at home is the best option. These recipes entered my cookbook for that reason after many R & D, trial & errors, discussions with friends and entered my lab, underwent a good chemical change to present an yummy dish.

I was overwhelmed to see the word 'unlimited entries' as I would have had a tough time in selecting the best street food from my cook book if it is a limited entry.

So here I am presenting the various posts i have linked there for participating in that event.

1. Chutney Sandwich  

2. Kutchi Dabeli

3. Pani Puri / Gol Gappas 

4. Momos / Dimsum/ Dumplings

5. Pav Bhaji

6. Beetroot Cutlet / Tikki / Pattice

Shama and Jagruti for giving this wonderful opportunity in which I am participating with immense pleasure.

I wish all the participants 'All the best"

Easy rasam

Sharing with you another simple version of a rasam variety. If you don't have stock of rasam powder don't worry, just follow the procedure below.

Rasam tastes different when the procedure, ingredients and combinations, cooking chemistry varies. so you can present the dish with same name with a new twist in taste & look.

I prepare this specially for my FIL who has chewing problem. So I cook the tomatoes along with  dhal (so that portein intake is also taken care of) and grind it to nice paste & prepare the rasam.

Don't think the list is too...oo long. they are the basic masala powders that you will be having in the kitchen. If not then go ahead and add some sambar powder. Rasam will still taste divine and different!

Ingredients :

1. Tomato - 1 big
2. Toor dal - 1/4 tea cup
3. Dhania powder - 1.5 tsp
4. Jeera powder - 1 tsp
5. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
7. roasted & powdered fenugreek powder - 1 pinch (optional)
8. Tamarind - 1/2 lemon size
9. Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Salt to taste
12. Jaggery - 1 tsp
13. Coriander leaves finely chopped - 1 tsp
14. green chilli slit - 1 no
15. Ghee - 1tbsp
16. Mustard seeds

Procedure :

• Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of hot water for 10 minutes and extract the juice & pulp using 2 more cups of water.
• Chop tomatoes finely
• Wash and pressure cook dal adding tomato pieces till 3 whistles.
• In the meantime, Add  asafoetida, dhania, jeera, pepper, fenugreek, red chilli and turmeric powders, Slit Green Chilli, Jaggery to the tamarind extract, bring to boil, simmer the flame & cook for 5 minutes
• Grind the dal tomato mixture to a nice paste and add to the boiling tamarind extract.
• Add salt
• bring to boil cooking on low flame till foam forms on top
• Remove from flame, temper mustard seeds in ghee & add it to the rasam.
• Garnish with coriander leaves
• another version of the yummy rasam is ready to be relished with white rice.

Fried Wonton Strips - an yummy evening snack

An easy to make snack recipe for tea time.

Wonton are in different shapes. Used in two versions. Steamed & used in soups or Fried.

Sharing with you the flat noodle version, sprinkled with honey & sesame seeds.

Ingridients :

1. All purpose flour (maida) - 1 cup
2. Salt to taste
3. Water to knead a stiff dough
4. White Sesame seeds  - 1 tsp
5. Honey - 2 tbsp
6. Oil for frying

Procedure :

• In a bowl, mix the all purpose flour, salt & slowly adding water knead a smooth & stiff dough.
• cover and keep it aside for 10 minutes
• after 10 minutes Knead it again, divide into equal portions
• Dust the board and using rolling pin, make thin flat round shaped puris.
• sprinkle some flour on both sides to prevent it from sticking.
• Make recumbent fold (like how you fold for making paper fan) 

 

• Using a knife cut it as shown in the picture
• now pick up each piece which will unfold into thin flat strips.
• Heat oil, fry the strips till they turn golden & crisp.
• in a big mixing bowl pour some honey, add in sesame seeds, put the fried wontons, mix well
• Yummy crispy wonton snack is ready.

Serving suggestion :-

1. You can sprinkle some maple syrup or plum sauce instead of honey.
2. Goes well with ice cream to make a wonderful dessert. Put a scoop of ice cream and arrange the fried wontons around it & serve.

I prefer it with a scoopy of strawberry ice cream as the combination not only tastes yummy, the pink & golden brown combination is very appetizing.

 

Twilight Hours - Part III

Good Evening!

Hope you enjoyed Part-I and Part-II of my twilight hours.

.......

Evening hours if you get a light cool breeze there is nothing like it to lift your spirits after a tiring day.

The evening walks in the park is full of pleasure as I see different coloured flower beds, the green grass, new plants, a small pond and active pigeons, kids playing and lot more happenings. 

 

Who will not love to walk through this winding path surrounded by greenery & filled with chirping of birds!

In each and every tree lot of birds comes to rest in the evenings at their reserved branches. Large number of sparrows occupy single small trees and make continuous chirps till it gets dark. Once the sun sets, you will never know that there are so many little things residing in that tree.....they maintain such a pin drop silence! .....

Twilight is the time for bats.....yes, small & big they emerge suddenly from somewhere. They fly in the air catching insects.....you can see them flying everywhere swiftly busy eating & successfully navigating in the air without hitting any hurdle on their path.

Slowly nocturnal life comes alive with the cricket's stridulation. The shrill voice they make fills the air giving the night its unique music of different notes.


Sorry folks, i couldn't catch the photo of the flying bats, owls etc though I see them. Will try capture the shots soon :-)

The evening in the beach is truely lovable. I enjoyed every minute watching the light fading slowly with the sun setting near the horizon.  The breeze becomes so cool, wave height rising....... sharing with you a sunset shot I had taken by beach side.....the silhouette of the landscape next to the beach...

Imagine you are standing in the beach, letting the small waves wet your feet and this beautiful scene in front of you......

While you admire the beauty, here is another beautiful song scored by Maestro Illayaraja that plays in my mind .....language?! no problem. Just enjoy the music 

Thanks for being with me through the beautiful twilight hours wish you all a pleasant evening.

Twilight Hours Part - II

Hope you enjoyed my Twilight Hours Part - I and shots taken on a cloudy evening.

A cool morning hours when the nature set chirp tone alarm wakes me up, nothing like it for a good start of a day. After taking my cup of coffee I come and stand near the window looking at the greenery beneath and hearing the happy greetings of folks from bushes and trees.

To see the sun rise in the east is a feast to eyes like a sunset. But the later  gives a cool night hence the pleasure stays long.

here are some sunrise photos 

a foggy morning......the chikoo fruit hanging from the trees seen clearly through the passing fog. It caught my attention so here it is for you.

continued....