Gobi Paratha ~ Stuffed all the way!

Traditions are good if they give you lot of good memories. But its not something you got to keep up, for the sake of keeping it up right! I never believe in that but at times, just for the old memories, I try to do certain things that happened in the past. Like making stuffed parathas around this time. I know stuffed parathas might sound very daily affair to many. Maybe I have south indianised it to my taste. But they hold a very special place in my menu. Stuffed parathas are bound to induce passion and great sense of content when they are prepared and adore the table so beautifully. I have made many types of stuffed parathas, but never attempted at Gobi ki parathas.

I had planned for this yesterday but as I said, hubby dear took us for dinner and so it was postponed to today. Konda had gone along with him to order the cake and they came back with a chocolate cake, because I like chocolate, though I don't eat this cake. Isn't that funny! They remembered to get me a peice of eggless cake too. The boys were excited to sing haapy haapy burthday to amma and I guess the writing on the cake was Konda's idea. Well the wishes seem to be for everyday!

The day was quite hectic with the boys fighting over the new cars they were given. Then back home in the evening, they again got on playing, only after a while they settled down together. By the time we got down to cutting the cake, it was time for the boys to sleep. I got back making these Gobi parathas after they slept. Chinnu and Konda are sound sleepers while Peddu gets up frequently. So I had to pat him again just now. Its pretty late now, so let me hop on to the recipe right away, am sure most of you must be doing it similar way!

Gobi Paratha Stuffing!

Ingredients Needed:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup (opt)
Ghee/ Butter - 1 tsp (opt) you can use curds instead.

For stuffing:

Cauliflower florets - 50 gms or about 2 big floret
Onion - 1 small
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method to prepare:

Wash the cauliflower and soak in lukewarm with salt. Then grate it finely and mix with finely chopped onions.

Heat a pan with oil, add the spices and then the grated cauliflower.

Saute for 2 mins, till the cauliflower is done. Remove and allow to cool.

Gobi Paratha with Yogurt/ Curds and Pickle ~ Dinner!

For the dough :

Knead dough as you do the regular dough, rest it for 10 mins.

Then follow the steps as shown in Aloo parathas.

The best serving that I always love is pickle and curds, I believe nothing can beat this combo!

Thank you my dear readers and friends for all your lovely wishes. Though I didn't want to make a big deal of this day, you all made it very special with your wishes and thoughts! I guess that's why my blog is such an addiction for me!

Chime Chime Chime...

Chime, Chime, chime went the clock from the neighbouring church. There was a reflex reaction from me, counting the number of times the bell was ringing. I needn't have, I knew it was 9 'o Clock, but still I just counted, there are always these things that I do for the heck of it. You won't catch me doing it at 8 'o clock, Ok. At that time, I would be in a hayward spot having a need for two more hands! Anyway the clock that goes out every hour was an addition that the church across our house got a year back, I think. During the initial days, we were flushed at the clock going chime chime, specially if I was getting my boys asleep. They would immediately sit and look at me with a grin on their faces. I again have to push them down to lay down. Over the period, we got used to the sound and then it just disappeared into nothing. I guess many things in life are like that! In the beginning things look too huge to manage, then you get used to it and then it just mingles into your life. This kind of analogy is helps at times right.

After every hourly ring, a psalm is read out. Since we could hardly hear what its said, we arrive at our own things. The moment I hear it, say at 7 o' Clock, I say to myself 'Valli, its time to stop dillay dalling around, you got to get that cooker going hiss if you want to get Konda's lunch box out and yeah go wake her up.' At 9 o Clock, it goings something like "Hey lady if you want to make it on time to office, now is the time' At 9 pm, hubby dear would tell the boys, 'See they are asking you to be good boys and go to bed on time, lets pack to bedroom'. Then came a point when the temple across the road started playing Suprabatham early morning. After many such days, I happened to discuss this to hubby dear and he was referring to our earlier discussion on the church bell and how disturbed we were. And playing Suprabatham early every morning, will be equally disturbing to others, he said. But guess what we don't hear it anymore. Either they stopped it or we stopped hearing it!

Well coming to something else, I wanted to keep up tradition and make stuffed parathas as on this day, but came home and saw that hubby dear had other plans. He took us for dinner to our favorite restaurant, said he was wondering what to gift me. I said there is no other greater gift than this special dinner!

PS: Thank you all for your support on the previous post, will get back on that soon! Appreciate your support and thoughts, will plan to do something on that!

Right now my mind isn't working well enough to post a recipe, will be back tomorrow with something interesting I hope! Afterall it isn't everyday that I turn older!

SAKSHI ~ Another Copy Cat on the prowl!

I am sure most of you must know the feeling you get when you find your work being copied and reproduced in another place without even a word referring to you. The gut feeling you get is hard to explain! I have seen many of my post reproduced online, though I always felt bad and left complaints, most never bothered removing it. But being a victim of Plagiarism by press that gives hard copies, is another feeling all together!

This Sunday, my FIL bought this SAAKSHI "FUNDAY" Daily Newspaper Magazine and he was telling me that the recipes featured in this edition were looking good. I just peeped in and was shocked looking at my blog pictures starting back at me. The paper had just lifted not just the pictures but the entire recipe and has featured in their page, with no credit or any mention of my blog. I was left feeling awful, helpless at the same time.

Imagine, they have such readership and this is the way they are treated. Least they could have done, is to credit the source, not a word of such thing! Shame of them. The so called journalism, its purely thieving, if you ask me. If they so wanted, they could have atleast asked before lifting it just like that!

The picture in the center is the Panasa Thonalu and the other vibrant red is Ashoka Halwa

Atleast the other picture I saw in print, was lifted because it looked good and used in a menu card in our club, which was much better. The manager atleast said he didn't know about such things, he just asked his person to get good pictures from net. And he happened to select from that. They had revamped the menu card and the manager wanted to add more pictures to make it more lively. When I was browsing through the courses, I saw one picture I knew I got for the Roti mela, it was parathas all stacked up! I was thinking how mean they just lifted like that and to my shock my eyes fell on my picture of Andhra Chicken Pulusu. When we confronted him, he couldn't believe it was mine, but said he would've added my name had he knew it was mine.

That was much better than Sakshi people lifting content from my blog and claiming they did it to their readers!

How do we protect such things! Just because we are publishing content for free doesn't mean anyone can lift and pass on as their own.

Chicken Cashew Fry with Andhra Chicken Pulusu ~ Weekend Cooking!

The problem with not doing a daily post is, you end up wanting to talk about lots of things. And you really don't want to bore your readers to death right! And it also matters in which post you talk about it. Like one reader sent me a mail asking me about Konda. I replied back saying "Look I spoke about her dance in this post, bang comes back the reply that since the post was featuring non veg she didn't read it much" Well I can't help posting non veg dishes right, after all I cook non veg twice a week and I experiment a lot with variations and always on the look out of new varieties. I can't but talk about other things in the post right!

Anyway the boys are learning new words every day, each it sound so adorable. Like Peddu keeps saying Chinnu Badd Gurl, I tell him, chinnu is a boy. He looks at me vaguely and then tells Chinnu Budd or Gugud Gurl. After many tries, I make him understand that Chinnu is a boy. This mostly happens when they have a tiff over a doll or want the same things. And wanting the same plaything happens most of the times. Chinnu is very fast, when he sees Peddu playing with something, he will wait for a min and grab and run as if his life depended on that. That leaves Peddu crying so hard. Oh most of our time is spent consoling either of them.

Coming to today's post, this was something I prepared last Sunday. This shows that I am going a week late on my posts. The gravy that I prepared is a typical Andhra fare and is quite spicy yet delicious. The list might sound the recipe to be little elaborate but believe me it doesn't take that much time to get all three dishes done on record time.

I made Masala rice with Basmati rice, the beauty of course lies in the rice variety used. The long grains give a exotic appeal. And the dry dish was an instant hit. Each dish complemented the other. The cooking got done very quick, which gave me enough time to click good pictures. I really liked these pictures as they seem to highlight the dish in the right way.

I was very eager in sharing the recipe but decided in the last moment that I would want to send the Andhra Chicken pulusu to the BloggerAid, so that means I can't reveal the recipe details right now. I am really excited to be able to help in whatever small way I could. The Chicken Cashew fry is going to be featured in the book I was talking about, so you got to wait for that too.

When Ivy sent me details about BloggerAid, I was eager to contribute in someway.
It is about the group publishing a book and the recipes are collected from the food bloggers around the world. The book is scheduled to be out by end of this year, the profit of the sale will go towards fighting hunger.

You have till 31 st to send in you recipes? Check for the details here on how you can submit a recipe etc.... and if you have not yet joined BloggerAid do go and join up. It is for a wonderful cause. If you want to join up here are the details.


All in all, I was very happy seeing my folks enjoying these two new dishes. Andhra Chicken pulusu is something I developed on how Amma makes her gravy. Hubby dear was asking how come I have never made it all these years. Guess we really do end up finding things we love but never made them for no reason.

Will be back with some interesting veggie dishes!

Masoor Ki Dal ~ Simple Comforts!

I had seen quite a few tempting pictures of this beautiful dal that goes by the name Masoor. Well I really don't remember when I actually seen this or touched it. It was always there. We are more a toor ki dal fans and of course moong ki dal fans too. In all my interactions with friends who happen to be hailing from the Northern parts of India, I have seen their affectations to any dal as such. Sambar when offered, one slurp was what happened. Most of them said they simply loved dal. Infact hubby dear says that he used to do the same when he lived in Delhi for some years. He said its just natural, you would end up wiping the bowl clean when you order a dal, be what variety it is. The taste is simply cannot be reproduced. And its so yummy one can't just stop eating it.

Well since I have never seen him doing that to the south indian dals that I serve him, I thought its got to do more with the type of dal that goes into the dish. Anyway when I actually met Masoor dal, I knew this was the candidate. Amma when she was leaving to Calcutta, gave me a packet and said I can experiment with it. Well it laid in the fridge for a while, finally got used up somehow. Then came a time when I thought I got to try this dal again. And it was such an apt time as I was hosting the MLLA, you know this ought to have come up then. Anyway its making way now.

I went to the grocery in hopes of buying all the different dals he stocked and my eyes fell on the "Mysore Dal", for a moment I was wondering if it was Masoor dal indeed or not. Anyway its not a thing to debate right, it was our candidate in presence.

The Masoor dal finally found its way to please us with its exquisite taste and texture.

But before that, do have a look at the breakfast items that my boys carry!


Ingredients Needed:

Masoor Dal - 1 cup
Onions - 1 small
Tomato - 1 medium
Red chilies - 2 long
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Seasoning

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves few
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 3 flakes
Oil - 1 tsp

Method to prepare:

Wash and pressure cook masoor dal along with red chilies, tomatoes till dal is tender

Then heat a pan with oil, splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves and then saute onions till they are pink.

Add the chili powder and salt, fry till its done.

Once the pressure is off, mash the dal well. Pour this over the dal and bring to boil if the consistency is not thick.

Since hubby dear likes it spicy I added Masala chili to the dal before serving.

Serve these with Pulkas dabbed with a dollop of ghee, heaven is not far away!

Lunch Box Series : LBS#44

I guess we all reach a point when things seem to go on at their own pace. We simply seem helpless in heart of things. I guess it happened with me. For once after a long time, I seem to have quite a few to share, not that they are very extraordinary dishes or something very fancy. But believe those can beat the best out. I am referring to those simple comfort food. They matter and yes they bring back so much nostalgic memories. The other day, I happened to cook a simple aloo masala for my brother and while making it, I remembered Amma making something similar years ago when we were small. We 3 would have same likings and Sree would like something different. So for him she used to make this kura for him while we used to eat those yummy tomato chutneys or something on those lines. He never liked Tomato Chutney or thokku. I was wondering if he remembered those days ago. They seem so far off!

After having remembered this dish, I was itching to make this again. And I thought it would make a great lunch box combo with the Masala Rice that I recently seem to be making. These two got paired off quite well and the kids loved it too.

Today's Lunch Box had

Masala Rice
Baby Aloo Masala ~ Chinna Urlagadda Masala Kura
Curd Rice

Baby Aloo Masala ~ Chinna Urlagadda Masala Kura

Ingredients Needed:

Baby Aloo - 250 gms
Onions - 2 medium
Tomatoes - 2 big
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Chili powder - 1 - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Whole cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 2"
Cardomom - 1
Fennel powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut Milk - 1 cup
Coriander leaves for garnish
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp

For seasoning
Curry leaves, few
Mustard seeds few

Method to prepare:

Wash the baby potatoes and prick with fork. Do not peel, just pressure cook it till tender. Allow it to cool down before you peel the skin. Do not cut them into peices. These have to be used as whole

Heat a pan with oil, splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Then saute the onions till they are pink, then add the ginger garlic paste and fry till its brown.

Then add the chopped tomatoes along with salt and turmeric powder. Simmer till the tomatoes are really soft and mashed.

Add in all the spices and cook in sim till the oil starts coming out. Then add the boiled baby potatoes and allow it to get fried.

Once you see the potatoes are roasted a bit, add coconut milk and 1 cup water. Bring to boil and then simmer till you get a good consistancy.

Add the chopped coriander leaves and simmer for 5 - 10 mins.

Serve with Masala rice, chapatis.

Andhra Mutton Kura, Masala Annam ~ Weekend Cooking!

There is always something magical about leaves falling down! It symbolizes new growth and a sense of well being. It transports me to my early youth, walking down with full energy and a high expectations of what else life might offer me. I was on the threshold of a new chapter. I was rethinking on what to do in life. Well thinking back, I can see that its not been an updraft, rather I have sailed along the waves. I have trodden the path that was not less frequented The road not taken will always be a mystery for me. Looks like my poetic senses will have to wait for another lifetime to get fulfilled.

Expecting new things and doing things differently, doesn't mean I wasn't up to my regular things. I still got to get up early for the morning walks and yes, as I might have said, Dad has a penchant for getting up early, it always rubbed off me too. Early never meant the wee hours, but please 6 or 6.30 am was pretty early in my books then. If there was one thing we could do, and get Daddy happy, it was getting up early and going either for a jog or a walk. Dad liked us getting up early and lazy slumbering beneath layers and layers of blanket never came to picture! Well I have finally come to conclude that this again changes with the life juncture one is at! Right now, I would prefer my kids not being so bent on pleasing their Thatha, guess I could do with some peace to complete my morning chores on time! They not only get up early, but are very active right from word go!

Anyway there I was, standing for the signal to go green, while the branches were shedding its leaves. I was transported to a different time and place. I could see myself walking brisk, every step becoming more aggressive, in tune with Sukhwinder Singh shouting at his top of the voice, Chaiyya Chaiyya...

Well today's post has got nothing to do with either autumn or my walks, rather my eagerness to cook something new and special on Sundays for hubby dear. I guess I am one of those lucky few who have got willing guinea pigs. Though I must hasten to say he wasn't always this willing, but guess growing old together has lot to be said about! But my litmus test was in making him remember his childhood days or as cooked from his side of the family. Though I have a long way to go, to reach up my Athamma's expertise, I was happy I climbed few notches with this fare!

Andhra Mutton Kura!

Ingredients Needed:

Mutton - 500 gms
Onions - 2 medium
Tomato - 1 medium
Mint leaves - handful

Coriander leaves - few stacks
Poppy seed powder (Gasa gasa) - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Chili powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves
Green chilies - 1 long
Oil - 2 tsp

Masala to be ground

Fresh coconut, chopped- abt handful (50 - 60 gms)
Green chilies - 1 long
Coriander leaves - handful
Fennel seeds - 3/4 tsp
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 2"
Cardamom - 1
Ginger - 4"
Garlic - 10 flakes
( I took about 2 tsp from this ground masala for the rice)

Method to prepare:

Wash mutton and let it drain. Get the ground masala ready. Keep it aside.

Then heat a pressure cooker pan with oil. Add curry leaves, green chilies and onions. Sauté the onions till they start turning brown.

Add the drained mutton, sprinkle the turmeric and salt. Cook on high flame, while you keep stirring it. Then simmer it for 2 -3 mins.

Then add the ground masala (keep about 2 tsp for the rice) to the mutton, again cook on high. This time you will find water coming out and you should cook till it evaporates. Add the mint and coriander leaves. Then chopped tomatoes.

Simmer again for 3 - 4 mins, by this time you will have a good masala coating the meat. Add in the chilli, coriander, garam masala, fennel and poppy seeds powders. Combine everything well and cook till you find it letting out a little oil.

Then add required water and pressure cook till the meat is tender. Once the pressure is off, remove lid and cook again if the gravy is not thick.

Note: This is a typical Andhra dish and is bound to be spicy, so please be cautious in using the chilies, its added in three different ways. But believe me, the aroma was your typical 'sweep your feet' kinds.


Masala Annam!

This is very typically like the Colour rice that I have already blogged about. Plain rice is very so appealing, so having the rice taking a different drab looks more attractive right! And more specific, certain non veg dishes require regular rice accompanying and not the aromatic Basmati, so I cooked with our regular rice that I use, it could be Ponni or Sona Masuri. Another interesting fact being we don't add ghee to this, unless you want.

Ingredients Needed:

Sona Masuri/ Ponni - 1 & 1/2 cup
Onion julienne - 1 medium
Bay leaf , Mace or Javatri , Star anise, Clove, Cinnamon, Cardamom - 1 each
Salt to taste
Ground masala - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 - 3 tsp
Water - 2 & 1/2 cup

Method to prepare:

You can either cook this in pressure cooker or directly. So water measurement depends on which method you want to follow. Thumb rule being, you need to let the rice absorb water or allow it standing time.

Wash and soak rice for 15 mins.

Heat a pressure cooker pan with oil, add in all the spices. Then sauté the onions till they are pink, then add the ground masala. Cook well. Then add the drained rice.

Then add the water along with salt. Cover and pressure cook till rice is done.

The entire cooking time for both these dishes was within an hour, provided you have things within reach. And more than me, hubby dear was eager I capture these. So it proves it was very well received!

And the unexpected excitement and approval got from hubby dear goes to prove that I better remember my Amma's cooking and get to do them again. This kura was what my mom used to prepare long time ago, it just flashed through the memory and I was glad it did!