Sago Payasam for Maitri

Priya and Reshmi started an wonderful event named MAITRI for all the bloggers in USA and Canada.I was very much excited to be a part of it.I was paired with Priya.She sent me a parcel with a special ingredient,cute measuring spoon and a card.I have to cook some dish with that ingredient. The special ingredient is sago. So i decided to make sago payasam which is my DH's fav.




Ingredients

1.sago-1/2 cup
2.sugar-1/4 cup(*as per taste)
3.Elachi powder-a pinch
4.Saffron-few
5.Cashews and raisins
6.Milk-2 cups
7,Ghee-2 tbs

Method

In a kadai add a tbs of ghee and roast sago for few min.Boil milk in a separate vessel and add this roasted sago.Cook till it turns transparent.Now add sugar and keep it in simmer for few min.Stir continuously otherwise it will get stick to the bottom.Finally garnish it with roasted raisins and cashews.

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Capellini with tomato and peas

Recipe source: Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

1.Capellini-1 pound
2.Extra virgin olive oil-3 tbs
3.Shallots-3 chopped
4.Garlic cloves-2 minced
5.Carrot-1 diced
6.Salt-1 tsp
7.Freshly ground black pepper
8.Tomato paste-5 tbs
9.Dried oregano-1/2 tsp
10.Dried thyme-1 tsp
11.Dried parsley-1 tsp
12.Frozen peas-1 1/2 cup frozen
13.Freshly grated Parmesan cheese-1/4 cup
14.Freshly grated Romano cheese-1/4 cup

Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite,stirring occasionally,8 to 10 mins.Drain the pasta ,reserving 2 cup of pasta water.
Meanwhile ,heat the oil in a large non stick frying pan over medium heat.Add the shallots,garlic,carrot,salt,and pepper.Cook until tender,about 8 mins.Add the tomato paste and 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water .Stir to melt the tomato paste and create a sauce.Stir in the oregano,thyme,parsley,and peas.Gently fold in the pasta and the cheeses,adding more reserved pasta water if necessary.Transfer to a plate and serve immediately.

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Chocolate chip cookies

Recipe source:Susan

Ingredients

1.All purpose flour-2 1/4 cup
2.Baking soda-1 tsp
3.Salt-1 tsp
4.Unsalted butter-1 cup(2 sticks)
5.Granulate sugar-3/4 cup
6.Packed dark brown sugar-3/4 cup
7.Eggs-2
8.Vanilla extract-tsp
9.Semisweet chocolate chip-2 cups
10.Chopped walnuts-1 cup

Method

Preheat oven to 375F.Lightly butter the cookie sheet or parchment sheet.

In a mixing bowl,whisk together the flour,baking soda and salt.In a large mixing bowl,with a sturdy spoon or a electric mixer,beat together the butter and both sugars until smooth and well blended.Beat in the eggs and vanilla.Gradually beat in the flour mixture,then stir in the chocolate chip and nuts.

Drop the batter by the rounded tablespoon about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.Bake for 10 to 11 min or until golden brown.Slide the baking sheet onto the wire rack to cool for 3 to 4 min.Store it in airtight container.

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Masala tea

Ingredients

1.Tea powder-2 tbs
2.Milk-1 cup
3.Masala powder-1 tsp
4.Cardamom pods-1
5.Ginger-1 tsp(crushed)
6.Sugar

Method

Add Tea powder, masala powder, cardamom pods, and crushed ginger in a cup of water.
Boil it for few seconds and then add milk with it and boil it until the milk color got changed approx. 5 mins.Strain the boiled tea to remove the granular tea and other ingredients. Serve it immediately with rich tea biscuit.

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Fondant cake

Sorry for the long hiatus from blogging for about a year. Things got little hectic in 2010 so couldn’t invest time in blogging and visiting your blogs; sorry about it. I wanna continue my blogging with a fondant cake that I made for my Lo’s B’day. It turned out to be incredibly rich and everyone liked it.

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Beetroot curry

I learnt this recipe from my mom,its very simple and yummy.This is my kid and DH Favorite one.This goes well with sambhar and rasam.

Ingredients
1.beetroot-1 lb
2.Onion-1
3.Garlic crushed-2 tsp
4.Tomato-1
5.Chilli powder-1 tsp
6.Coriander powder- 1tsp
7.Cummin seed -2 tsp
8.Bay leaf-1
9.Cinnamon-1/2 inch

Method

Wash beetroots thoroughly and cut it into small pieces.Now in a kadai add oil and splutters bay leaf and cinnamon.Now add chopped onions.Fry till it turns soft.Next comes chopped tomato.Saute well till it truns into a gravy form.In the mean time pressure cook the chopped beetroots for 1 whistle.When done,add it to the kadai saute well with little water(if needed).Then grind cummin seeds in mixer along with coriander powder and chilli powder.Once it is grinded well finally add garlic to it such that garlic is in the crushed form.Add this masala and cook for 10 mins.Curry is ready to serve.

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Broccoli kootu

I once had this broccoli kootu in HSB in Edison NJ and fell in love at its taste.They are rich in folic acid and antioxidants.The recipe is simple and can be served as a side dish for puli kuzhambu or we can have it with hot rice and ghee.

Ingredients

1.Broccoli- 1 bunch
2.Toor dhal(cooked)-1/4 cup
3.Urad dhal-1/2 tsp
4.Mustard-1/2 tsp
5.Red chilli-1
6.Onion-1/2

Method
Wash broccoli and cut it into small florets.Now in a kadai add oil,when hot add urad dhal,mustard and red chilli .Once they splutters add chopped onions.Fry till it turns transparent.Then add broccoli with little water to get cooked.Close the lid.Once it sis done add dhal to it.Keep it in simmer for 10 mins.Kootu is ready to serve.

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