Celestial Showers - Monsoon 2013

Seasonal Celestial showers bring in so much happiness and feast for eyes. Sharing some shots with you..... grab your umbrella otherwise you may get drenched :-)

clouds floating over the peaks

Season's first shower :-

Come the rains, the season of corn arrives on carts loaded with them on one end and a small charcoal fire stove on the other, occupying the corners of the road at open spots with a small thatched sheet as roof to give shade from rains.

Having the hot bhutta (Corn) roasted over coal fire, I was enjoying and taking some rain shots.

Isn't it a feast for eyes!.....

 

Every monsoon season I feel that nothing more is delightful in life than the first shower and the smell of earth. It reminds me the song "Aaj se pehle aaj se jyada, khushee aaj tak nahee milee Itanee suhanee aisee mithhee, ghadee aaj tak nahee milee"....(song from hindi film : chitchor)

We like to go on a drive to enjoy the scene that monsoon brings and here are some for your eyes!

fog and falls - all through the way....................

Lot many passers by clicked pictures by the small waterfalls on the roadside. These are people who travels by the hills, specially to get a glimpse of these tiny waterfalls and more beauty that rain brings along with it.

Humming some rain songs..... here it is for your ears (forget the language and enjoy the rain & the music)

It was raining very very heavily and we took a small drive through the kanheri hills to see the beauty of the rain....

 

 Hope you enjoyed the celestial fiesta as much as I do.

See you with more pictures in the next monsoon season..

wish you all a great day

Milagu Kuzhambu / Pepper Sambar

Milagu Kuzhambu / Pepper Sambar or Pepper Gravy.

As the Name Suggest it is ofcourse a spicy dish that is also Tangy with a tinge of sweet & salt as well thus making it an Yummilicious dish that will make you crave for more.

This is a traditional recipe which is also given in "Kattu Chadham" - (for Food Parcels) given to the Bride & Groom's family and their relatives when they travel back to their place after the marriage Ceremonies are over.  They Food is put on a banana leaf and parcelled nicely so that it lasts during the travel!

In Olden days, the transport facilities were very minimal or almost none when people walk or travel in a Bullock Cart or by Train driven by Coal Engine / Steam Engine. It takes time for them to reach their place.

Hungry Stomachs eagerly look into the bag of food parcels.... Opening the food parcel itself is a nice experience. A Foodie always opens it with his / her mouth watering.... the yummy food on the green banana leaf.... what a bliss!

So, 'Kattu Chadham' i.e. food parcels are given to them to eat on the way till they reach their destination. This Milagu Kuzhambu is also made and packed with the food parcel.

If it has to be used for long journeys, then More Oil is used and the gravy is boiled till it is reduced to a thick paste. 

The Recipe video is now available in Youtube Channel : Mira's Akshaya Patram. Added below :-

Milagu Kuzhambu

A good accompaniment with hot cooked white rice. It can also be taken as a side dish with Dosa, Chapathi too. 

Ingredients :-

1. Black Peppercorns - 1 tsp
2. Red Chillies - 2 Nos. (or as preferred)
3. Black Gram - 1 tsp (urad/ulundu)
4. Split Red Gram - 1 tsp (tuvar/arhar)
5. Curry Leaves - 8 Nos.
6. Tamarind - 1 small lemon size
7. Jaggery - 1 tbsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Asafoetida powder -1/4 tsp
10. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Sesame Oil - 3 tbsp + 1tsp for roasting
12. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
13. Rice flour - 1 tbsp (Added at the end for thickening)

Procedure :-

• Cook Tamarind till it is soft. Once it is cooled, Adding 2 cups of water, extract tamarind water from it. 

•  For Roasting masala :- 

• Heat a wok, add 1tsp of Sesame oil. When it is hot, add Urad and Tuvar dal and fry till they start changing color. Add the dried Red Chillies, Curry Leaves and the Black peppercorn and fry till the dals turn golden in color. Transfer to a plate and allow it to cool.

• Once the roasted items cools down, grind it to a nice paste adding little water. Mix this paste to the Tamarind Extract.

• Heat a wok, add 3 tbsp Sesame oil. Add the Mustard Seeds. Once they complete spluttering, add the Tamarind Extract + Paste mix.

• Add turmeric powder, asafoetida powder, Jaggery and Salt. Bring to boil

• Dissolve 1 tbsp of rice flour in little water and add it to the boiling gravy by stirring it simultaneously to avoid lumps formation.

• In slow flame cook this mixture for 10 minutes stirring in between. Then switch off the flame.

•  Yummy & spicy pepper sambar / milagu kuzhambu  is ready to be had with hot rice or as an accompaniment to tiffin item like dosa / upma or with chapathis.

Poha Chat - Healthy evening treat

After I put a lagan on my drooling & craving (Believe me. it is a very hard test for an ardent Foodie - though temporary he.he.....) choosing a healthy evening snack always ended on fruits. As it was raining I preferred to say  inside cozily - result my fruit basket stayed empty for the day.  I went into the kitchen searching and searching.... thinking and thinking ... finally hit upon a mouth watering idea which seemed to be a feast for eyes too Hurray! I am happy! got an idea for a quick evening treat that will make me stay cool till dinner time.

A healthy & tasty chat recipe :- Serves : 1

1. Red Flattened Rice - 1/4 tea cup (red poha / red avil)
2. Beaten curd - 3 tbsp
3. Grated carrot - 1 tbsp
4. Grated cucumber - 1 tbsp
5. Finely chopped Onion - 1.5 tbsp.
6. Finely chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
7. Finely chopped Green Chilli - 1/4 tsp
8. Roasted cumin seed powder - 1 pinch
9. Black salt to taste
10. Red Chilli Powder - 1 pinch
11. Chat masala - 1 pinch
12. Tamarind chutney - as preferred 
13. Sev - 1 tbsp  (optional)

wow! isn't it a colourful

 

Procedure :-

• In a sieve put the flattened rice, wash it under running water and keep it aside to drain. This is sufficient for the poha to become soft. No need to soak in water separately. By the time you chop & prepare other things, the poha will be ready.

• Take a serving bowl

• Spread the soaked poha first

• Over it put a layer of beaten curd

• Sprinkle the grated carrot, cucumber, coriander leaves, finely chopped onion, coriander leaves, green chillies

• Sprinkle black salt, roasted cumin powder, chat masala powder, red chilli powder, Sev

• Put a dollop of tamarind chutney over it

• Serve as it is. While eating, it can be mixed.

This vibrant chat is a feast to eyes and a treat to taste buds. A soothing snack to satisfy the soul.

 Variation suggestions for different days :-

1. Add fried ground nut one day instead of sev
2. Add fried ladies finger 
3. Add fruits like black grapes, pomegranate pearls
4. Add crushed puri pieces or crispy dry roasted leftover chapathis
5. tap your creative mind and sprinkle your creative ingredients into it

 Have a wonderful day

Vazhapoo Thoran

Vazhapoo / Vazhai poo / Plantain flower  is good source of fibre, helps control heavy bleeding during menstural cycle. It is rich in iron content and antioxidants. Believed to be good for diabetics.

This wonder flower can be taken in various forms. As a dry curry or can be cooked and added to the lentil pancake called 'adai', mixed with vadai batter and made as vazhapoo vada etc.

Now I am sharing with you the dry curry recipe called 'vazhapoo thoran' using a combo of tuvar dal and is served as a side dish in dry form.

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How to seclect a flower : If you open the petal, the bunch inside should be fresh i.e. it should not be dull or dark in colour.

How to clean the flower : Cleaning the flower may sound tedious but it is not so. It may also stain your palm. But you can remove those stain by following tips given below :

1. rub oil in your palm and clean the flower (or)
2. after cleaning put some tablesalt and gently scrub it with the regular vessel scrubber sponge (or)
3. Keep washing your palms & fingers in between. That's all

The outcome after a hard labour will always be very good. So is this dish.

Now roll up your sleeves and let us get into cleaning the flower :-)

Open the pink petals and take out the bunch of florets. Remove the florets till it become too much brittle to remove. (about 7-8 layers will come intact)

Take the bunch and rub it over your palm. The florets will be open now. Inside each floret you will see the black stamen. Hold the staemen (black in colour) and remove it. It is difficult to digest hence it need to be removed. The petal, if not tender also need to be removed. (shown in the picture below)

cleaned florets

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Ingredients :-

1. Plantain flower - 1 No.
2. Toor dal - 1/4 cup
3. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Grated coconut - 4 tbsp
6. Green chilli - 2 Nos. 
7. Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
8. Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
9. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
10. Urad dal - 1 tsp 

Procedure :-

• Boil toor dal adding a pinch of turmeric powder, till it is done. The dal should not turn mushy but only to be cooked till it become soft. Drain and keep aside. (the water can be used in rasam making or to cook any gravy / sambar)

•  Finely chop the cleaned plantain florets.

• Heat a wok, add oil.  Now throw some mustard seeds into it. When it starts spluttering, add a pinch of asfoetida powder.

• Add the chopped florets, turmeric powder, salt. Mix well. Add a tsp of water to it. Now place a deep dish (thali) over it. Pour some water into the thali. This will help the florets to cook without much water and prevent it from sticking.

• Keep stirring in between, lifting the plate.

• In a mixer, add the grated coconut, Green chilli and grind it dry (no water need to be added)

• When the flower is cooked well, add the  cooked & drained toor dal, ground dry masala. Mix well for two minutes. Remove from fire.

• Heat a tsp of oil in a small pan, add a tsp of urad dal and fry till it turns golden brown in colour.

• Add this to the prepared plantain flower, mix well. The crisp dal will make the preparation even more interesting.
• Serve as a side dish to sambar rice / curd rice / morkootan (morkozhambu) rice or just mix with the plain cooked white rice and have.

With tuvar dal (toor dal / arhar dal) it tastes even more yummy and makes it a good combo with rice.