Bhatate Bhaaji / Dry Aloo Sabzi - No Onion No Garlic Recipe

    This is North Indian's Dry sabzi. My North Indian friend used to bring this for lunch along with roti/puri. I wonder this is more or less like our South India Potato Podimas but something makes it more special and different from our regular Potato podimas. Then one fine day we went to her home for lunch, that time her mom served us lunch with this Bhatate bhaaji, puri, peas curry, rice and a sweet. I asked her for the recipe and it was same like the Potato Podimas except the addition of mint and lemon. Yes, these two simple ingredients makes it more tasty and flavorful. If you haven;t tried it give it a try.

Mushroom Peas Biryani

                 This Method of biryani is different from my regular Biryani version. I learnt this from my friend's Mom. She made Chicken Biryani this way but today i tried her recipe with mushroom and peas, Biryani turned out awesome, so flavorful and delicious Biryani. I wanted to try chicken Biryani this way, willl try it soon and share it here :) The recipe as follows...

Egg less Chocolate Cake & Chocolate Butter cream Icing

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Source: grouprecipe.com

Ingredients  for Egg less Chocolate Cake
All Purpose flour    3 cups

Castor Sugar    2 cups

Cocoa Powder    1/2 cup

Baking Powder    2 tsp

Salt     1 tsp

Oil   3/4 cup

Vinegar        2 tsp

Vanilla extract     1 tsp

Cold water      2 cups

   If u don't have castor sugar simply put the granulated sugar in blender n use.

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F and grease two 9 inch pans with butter or baking spray and keep aside.
• Take a large mixing bowl,sift all the dry ingredients(flour,cocoa,baking powder,salt,sugar) together in to the bowl and mix well.
• Then add oil to the dry ingredients and mix well (using large whisk).
• After that add vanilla,vinegar and mix well.
• Now add cold water slowly and keep stirring .
• Mix everything well ,make sure theres no lumps in the batter and pour into the greased cake pans .
• Bake for 35-40 minutes.(check by inserting a toothpick or knife,inserted knife should come out clean).
• After that remove from the oven,wait for sometime and allow to cool on rack.

when it cool down completely , slice it n enjoy with or without icing.For chocolate icing the recipe follows:

Ingredients for  Chocolate butter cream Icing

1. Butter    1/2 cup
2. Vegetable Shortening    1/2 cup
3. Cocoa powder   3/4 cup
4. Vanilla  extract   1 tsp
5. Milk    3-4 tbsp
6. confectioner's sugar     3 cups (or more to ur taste)

Method

• Take a mixing bowl,cream the butter nad shortening using electric mixer till it get creamy n fluffy.
• Then add cocoa and vanilla and beat in medium for few seconds.
• and add sugar 1/2-1 cup at a time and beat thoroughly.
• After adding all the sugar ,icing will be dry ..now add milk and beat well till u get creamy n fluffy icing.
• You can add more or less milk to get your desired consistency.
• You can also avoid shortening and do with full butter with the same other remaining ingredients.

Gosthu / Moongdal Tomato Gosthu

          Gosthu is a very simple side dish for idly/dosa, Ven Pongal. My grandma used to make this tomato gosthu, brinjal gosthu, cabbage gosthu with or without moongdal. As love moongdal in my cooking i made it with Moongdal. She uses some spice powder for the gosthu but i totally forgot that, even my mom not able to recollect it so we use sambar powder. Even without sambar powder this moongdal tomato gosthu tastes yumm with idlis and dosa.

Brown Rice Idli ~ Healthy Breakfast Recipes !

       I use to take brown rice (lunch) for weekly 3 days.Yesterday i thought why should i try some idly using this brown rice?? yes i wanted to try and i tried for the first time with 1 cup brown basmati rice. Same idly batter preparation only..instead if idly rice i added brown rice.The batter n the idly has the flavor of brown rice but idly was soft and came out really good. Good to include brown rice in daily diet by such delicious breakfast recipes. I even tried dosa, Ootappam, Paniyaram with the same batter. Everything turned good and we loved it.

Vazhakkai Varuval / Raw Banana Stir Fry

           Vazhakkai Varuval/Raw Banana Stir fry is one of my family's favorite recipe. There are tons of recipes for vazhakkai fry but this recipe is very simple with just 4 main ingredients and easy to make. Just slice the vazhakkai add spices and fry in medium heat. That's it crispy and tasty vazhakkai varuval ready. This varuval goes well with any south Indian meal, especially with Rasam and rice. My hubby like to have crispy varvual as a snack :)

Cluster Beans Poriyal/Guar Beans Poriyal

Ingredients

1. Cluster Beans     1/4 kg
2. Onion   1 medium (finely chopped)
3. Curry leaves    few
4. Coconut   2 tsp(shredded)
5. Moongdal    2tbsp
6. Chilli powder    1 tsp
7. Turmeric powder    1/4 tsp
8. Salt    as needed.

To temper

1. Oil   2-3 tsp
2. Mustard seeds    1/2 tsp
3. Chana dal    2 tsp
4. Urad dal    1 tsp
5. hing    a pinch

Method

• Half cook moongdal with  1 and 1/2 cup water and with pinch of turmeric powder.
• Drain the water and spread the moongdal in a plate and keep aside.(spare the drained water to cook cluster beans).
• Wash,cut the both ends and chop the cluster beans into small pieces.
• Heat oil in wok,add the tempering ingredients one by one and fry till chana n urad dal get golden brown,
• After that add onions and curry leaves,fry for a minute and add the chopped cluster beans.
• Stir fry the cluster beans for 3-4 minutes(this will help to reduce the bitterness).
• then add turmeric and chilli powder and mix well.
• Add enough salt and water (use moongdal cooked water) mix and cook covered till cluster bean get cooked.
• Once it get cooked,open the lid and stir well ...all the water will be drained but with little moisture.
• Add shredded coconut and fry for a minute and at last add the moongdal and mix everything gently.
• Its done..now the cluster beans poriyal is ready .
• It can be served with sambar,rasam sadham n any variety rices.

Note: some cluster beans will have bitter taste for that reason v r frying them in oil for some minutes.If u don't like adding moongdal omit that and proceed ,but its good choice and rich too.