Bake Fest # 28 - Event Announcement

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I am happy to announce that Vardhinis Bake Fest is happening here for the month of February 2014. Thanks to Vardhini for giving me an another chance to guest host Bake Fest. As its a Valentine Month, i know many will be baking some fresh baked goodies for your loved ones so please do not forget to share all your wonderful & delicious bakes here. I expect all your co-operation and participation for the event.

Peanut Rice / Verkadalai Sadham - Easy Lunch Box Recipes!

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I mostly prefer quick fix meal or some simple rice recipes for lunch. This peanut rice is one such quick simple meal that needs only few ingredients and and also an easy way to finish off some left over rice. This Peanut rice doesn't need any great side dish. Just a chips/Papad/Fryums is enough. Like other variety rices, this Peanut rice comes in rescue on some or lazy weekdays lunch. Since I love peanuts in any form, I used to add peanuts in most of my variety rices, upma and in all possible dishes. There are tons of variety rice recipes and different methods of Peanut rice, this is my convenient method with fresh coconut touch. Very flavorful and delicious rice, some fryums or papads with a bowl of peanut rice is enough for a happy & satisfying meal.

Thakkali Kuzhambu / Thakkali Kuzhambu For Rice(With Coconut)

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I have already shared a Thakkali Kuzhambu recipe which is served with tiffins items like idli, dosa, Appam, idiyappam. Today's recipe is an authentic version/country style thakkali kuzhambu which pairs well with rice & ragi kali. This is my Appa recipe..i have already mentioned about him in that Thakkali Kuzhambu post. Dads mother was expired when he was 7 or 8 yrs old. So he was brought up by his elder brothers & Appa. My dad used to cook at home for his brothers & Appa.
This thakkali kuzhambu is one of his signature dish which he learned from his neighbor aunts. I slightly tweaked the recipe to my taste. This is different from our regular version of thakkali kuzhambu. For this kuzhambu dad used to add boiled tomato puree. This kuzhambu was sitting in my draft for about six months and today its Tuesday - Tamizhar Samayal event of Nalini, but i did not have any post related to the event except this kuzhambu, so without further delay will get it into the recipe...

Baked Mathri / Baked Methi Mathri / Methi Ki Mathri

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Today's recipe is a popular North Indian Snack Methi Mathri, baked version. This is the first time i am trying this snack but have tasted the fried mathri from stores. Mathri is a flavorful, delicious savory crackers and there are few varieties like Methi, Peas,Dhaniya Mathri. I tried the Methi Mathri to make it a guilt free healthy snack i baked it instead of deep frying. The baked one also turned out so good crispy, crunchy and tasty. After a long search i finally experimented with the basic ingredients for Mathri and to my surprise it come out perfectly. We all loved this crunchy crackers, perfect & guilt free munch on movie time, game time. These flavorful crackers just vanished in no time. Also this is a very easy and simple recipe you don't need to knead the dough soft & elastic, just a mixing is enough and the important thing is the dough should be tight. Doesn't need butter like regular sugar cookies just a tbsp is enough or you can even replace it with oil.

Potato Rosemary Focaccia Pugliese / Potato Rosemary Focaccia

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One of the best thing i did in the past year was i learned to bake 12 different Breads which i never ever tried or dreamed to bake at home. Its all possible only because of Aparna's We Knead To Bake Event. Thanks  to Aparna for all your wonderful bread recipes and am happy that Aparna extended the bread baking this year also with some new more members.

Beets Pasta Payasam / Beeta Pasta Kheer - My Guest Post To Viji !

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Today's post I am happy to share a guest post to my friendly sis Viji of Virunthu Unna Vaanga. Long back i accepted to do a guest post for her but one or the other things kept me busy and was postponing. As today her Birthday and we friends usually make a virtual party post but i wanted to do the guest post which she asked me so that it will be on her space forever. My small b'day gift and hope she and her readers like it.
A few words about Viji's Virunthu & the wonderful person behind it. I came to know viji virtually only a year back. She is an enthusiastic blogger and friendly person. Its always pleasure chatting with her. She love sweets/desserts more than the savory food stuffs. That is also one of the reason for my today's post.
Virunthu Unna Vaanga has lots of traditional south Indian recipes, lovely bakes and many innovative recipes of her own. She puts more effort to share each and every recipe with detailed step wise pictures. I can see a vast difference in her recent pictures. She tries to take pics in day light and also i like the way she present each dishes.

Hariyali Chicken Kebab / Palak Chicken Kabab - Chicken Appetizer Recipe

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We generally do not eat Chicken dishes outside, but very very rarely in a selective Indian Restaurants only that too few Constant recipes. Few weeks back on our visit to Devon Avenue, first time we tried Chicken recipes in one of the Indian Restaurants there and I was not OK with the tastes, but kids loved their Chicken Kebab & Chicken Cutlets. The kebab is nothing but any piece of meat marinated and cooked over open fire. But it can also be grilled or roasted or oven baked for our convenience too.

Cantaloupe Muffins / Eggless Cantaloupe Muffins / Vegan Cantaloupe Muffins

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Cantaloupe Muffins is one of my recent experiment that turned out so good. This is a Egg free, Vegan muffins made using whole wheat flour and fresh Cantaloupe Puree. Cantaloupes or Must Melon is my favorite fruit and love the fruit in any form but the Cantaloupe Juice is my most favorite. Cantaloupes are low in Saturated Fat and Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Niacin, Vitamin B6 and Folate. It is also a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Potassium. Its always good to consume the fruit as such fresh way but once in a while can also make such delicious bakes with such healthy fruits or veggies.

Almond Halwa / Badam Halwa - Spicy Treats' 3rd Blog Anniversary !

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Hope you all had a wonderful pongal celebration. Pongal is a Harvest Festival and also a special day & Thanks Giving day, that we thank God, Sun & Cattle for the years' Harvest. And its Thanks giving day for Spicy Treats too..yes., Spicy Treats turns 3 today.

I couldn't believe that my little space have completed three successful years.  In 2007, i came to know about blogging and food websites and wanted to create one of mine but i don't know how to start, never thought to seek help from google master. Mr.V also was too busy that time and did not helped me. Then after my kids birth, my interest and desire on blogging took back seat. But i used to click my dishes regularly, just a very simple picture and finally on one fine day, Jan 14 2011 signed in to blogger and started my first post, Vazhaipoo Vadai. No intro, just only the Ingredients and Method of that dish with a picture, this is how i started my blogging.

Thinai Sakkarai Pongal / Foxtail Millet Sweet Pongal / Thinai Pongal

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Happy Pongal / Makar Sankranti Wishes to all my readers, friends & family. I wanted to share some quick and healthy pongal for the occasion. So today tried this Thinai Sakkarai Pongal / Foxtail Millet Pongal. This is a healthy and good alternative for rice and tastes so delicious and filling.
Thinai/Foxtail millet is a very healthy, fiber rich grain that is good for growing kids, adults and aged people.
I did exactly like the way i do for Sakkarai Pongal using Pressure cooker except the addition on saffron.
I usually do not saffron to my sakarai pongal but this time for extra flavor and colour, i added few strands of saffron to my millet pongal. This is one easy and quick method. Here you go..

Biscuit Sablé / Eggless French Shortbread Biscuits

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From this Monday Love 2 Bake event starts and as per the event Every coming Monday i will be posting a Baked recipe. I am happy to see the response and support from my fellow bloggers and Thank you friends for joining hands with me and lets learn and experiment more.
Starting Love 2 Bake event this week with this buttery melt in mouth French Shortbread Biscuits / Biscuits Sables. Biscuits Sables is one of the recipe chose for Home Baker;s Challenge by this month's host Priya of Priya's Verstatile recipes. Priya challenged with 5 wonderful French Bakes, Of which i baked this Melt in mouth Biscuits Sables. This is an eggless biscuits with buttery flavor and subtle sweet taste. Now off to the recipe...

Aloo Capsicum Chutney / Potato Red Bell Pepper Chutney - Chutney for Idli/Dosa

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I like to try chutneys with fresh Veggies and have already tried Cabbage Chutney, Chayote Squash Chutney, Carrot Chutney, Broccoli Chutney, Ridge gourd Chutney and this time with two interesting veggie combo - Potato & Red Bell Pepper. Actually i started to make Red Bell pepper chutney but while sauteing i saw some left over microwave potato slices in the plate after using it for my Pizza topping. So a sudden thought, why not to add that potato slices and make chutney as its a winning combo Potato-Capsicum. Without any second thought added it and continued sauteing. To my surprise the ingredients combo turned out awesome and chutney tasted so yummy, even my 4 yr old loved it with dosa. First time i did not take any pics since its a trial, so again made it today and took pictures.
Have tried few recipes with this Potato & Capsicum Combo. And this chutney is sure a keeper and excellent side dish for idli, dosa. If you are bored with your regular chutney recipes then this is a good choice to try something interesting and delicious. This is a versatile chutney that pairs with most of the South Indian Breakfast, can be used as a Sandwich Spread or as a dipping for crackers. Even a simple and comfort side dish with plain rice topped with sesame oil. I had the left over chutney with Oats Curd Bhat for lunch. You can surprise your family, guest with this interesting chutney, no one will find out it has potato & capsicum in it. The taste is almost like a Onion Tomato Chutney. Now off to the recipe...

Instant Sambar / Pottukadalai Sambar / Easy Tiffin Sambar

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Instant Sambar / Pottukadalai Sambar is a quick and instant sambar that does not need lentils/dal and can be made in a jiffy. This Instant sambar pairs well with all the South indian breakfast items Idli, Dosa, Pongal, Medhu vada, Upma, Paniyaram. Long back saw this recipe from Jeyashri's Kitchen and this is my family favorite sambar and have been cooking this every weekend for Pongal or idli but this time only got time to take pictures.
If i have mood to cook or enough time, will chop some veggies like carrot, yellow pumpking, peas, brinjal to this sambar or else this is my version. Thanks a ton Jeyashri for this quick and instant recipe, this Sambar
comes handy and most of our /Saturday's breakfast will be Ven Pongal and this Instant Sambar. Even On this New year's day i prepared this sambar and clicked picutres.
So if you are looking for a quick side dish for idli/venpongal without comprise in taste and flavor of your traditional favorite sambar then this is one best recipe.

Chilli Chicken Dry / Indo-Chinese Chicken Recipe- Easy Chicken Appetizer Recipe

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Last Month while updating my Non - Vegetarian Recipe Index, i noticed that i did not share any starter/appetizer recipes except Chicken 65 & Salmon Fish Fry. So decided to share some easy to make chicken starters like Chilli chicken, Chicken Kabab, Cutlets, Chicken Manchurian and few more recipes. Have cooked all these recipes, so stay tuned for these yummy Chicken Starters. Today's recipe is Chilli Chicken Dry version, this is an Indo-Chinese starter that is spicy & juicy fried chicken pieces sauteed in chilli sauce with onions & bell peppers.
This is my own version and in this recipe i did not use any food colour, ajinomotto, vinegar & fancy sauces that most of the recipe uses. I prepared the chilli paste & made a simple sauce, believe me chilli chicken turned out so so good, flavorful and very delicious and matched 90% to the restaurant version. Hubby dear loved it a lot even my kids liked it even though its spicy they had it with tomato sauce. So this recipe need basic ingredients for an Indo-Chinese recipe and that give you restaurant style Chilli Chicken recipe. The recipe as follows...

Love 2 Bake ~ Event Annoucement

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Hi Friends,

I am happy to announce another New Event of Spicy Treats, Love 2 Bake. I love baking and i know many friends out there do too. Blogging helps to learn and improve my Baking passion. I wanted to try everything from scratch and most of the recipes shared here are from scratch, bread, pizza, cakes & everything. My passion towards baking also lead me to join in the two main baking groups Aparna's We Knead to Bake & Priya's Home Baker's Challenge. These two are monthly events but i wanted to experiments and learn more in baking science, i wanted to bake frequently and also want to try Eggless baking, Vegan bakes, healthy low fat bakes & more so i thought of creating a new event for baking alone with my blogger friends. I had this event in my mind of long time and when i discussed it with some of friends they really motivated and encouraged me to start the event soon. Thanks to Vardhini, Manjula, Nalini, Priya R, Viji, for your support and encouragement. Very special thanks to Divya Prakash for creating this beautiful logo for Love 2 Bake event.

Broccoli Pasta / Simple Broccoli Pasta

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For Vegan Thursday, an event by Priya of Priya's Versatile recipes, am sharing a kids friendly Pasta recipe with Indian touch and our family favorite veg Broccoli. My kids love Pasta that too little one's most favorite, he love to eat the cooked pasta as such before sauteing. But i never cooked cheesy or creamy or sauce based pasta for him, always a simple stir fry method. Very rarely pasta with tomato basil sauce. And today's pasta is a simple pasta with Indian touch. Not much vegetables, spices just onions and broccoli. This is their recent favorite pasta. Here you go.,