Mutton Pepper Fry

It is one of the easiest recipe for me to make. Does not need of grinding or roasting. I love this with rasam rice or just to mix with rice and eat. Even Marination in not mandatory. Since I used to marinate and refrigerate, I used the marinated meat this time. If it is fresh, you can just mix with the spices and cook.

Ingredients:

Mutton / Lamb - 1 lb (Preferably boneless and chopped into small pieces)
Onion - 1 medium
Tomato - 1 medium
pepper powder - 2 -3 tsp (adjust according to your taste)
Oil - 2-3 table spoons
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander leaves - a fistful
Garlic - 2 cloves (finely chopped) (optional)
salt - as per taste

Dry garam masala:
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Bay leaves - 1
cinnamon stick - 1 small piece
star anise - 1 flower
cloves - 2

To marinate:
Chili powder - 1 tsp
garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Curd - 1/4 cup (thick curd)
salt - a pinch

Preparation:

1. Wash meat with turmeric and salt, drain water well and keep aside.
2. In a vessel, mix the ingredients given under "To Marinate" and add the meat to it.
3. If time permits let the mix to marinate for an hour or two.Otherwise just skip to the next step.
4. Pressure cook the meat along with dry garam masala  for 5-6 whistles or until it cooks soft.

5. In a pan, Heat 2 tbsp of oil, then add mustard seeds and curry leaves.
6. Then add Finely chopped Onions and saute until they turn soft and transparent.
7. Then add Finely chopped Tomatoes and saute until they turn soft and merge with onions.
8. Now add the cooked meat along with the water in it.
9. Let it cook until all the water is absorbed.
10. when almost all the water is absorbed, add pepper powder and check for salt. Add salt if required.
11. add chopped coriander leaves, finely chopped garlic and switch off the flame.

Notes:
1. Be cautious while adding salt, add very minimal initially. check for it at later stage, when all the water is absorbed.
2. once the water is absorbed, do not fry it for longer time, as it will get too dry.
3. Adding garlic is optional, but it gives some extra flavor to the dish.

Grated Carrot Stir

Carrot Poriyal or Grated carrot stir will definitely take place in our guest lunch menu. Carrots are one of the veggie which are cheap in cost here (In india the things are different :))My kid also loves to eat raw carrots, as these are good for eyes i always encourage her to eat it. So whenever i shop veggeis, i used to get at least 2 or 3 packs of carrots. So all the time this veggie will be available in fridge. This is simple to make and so healthy too. Kids also will be attracted by its color.

Ingredients:

Grated Carrot - 2 cups
finely choppe onion -2 table spoon (optional)
green chilies - 2 small or 1 big
salt - as per taste

To temper:

Oil - 1 or 2 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
urad dal - 1/2 tsp
curry leaves - 1 sprig
cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp (optional)

Preparation :

1. Heat oil in pan and the items listed in "To Temper". Saute for 30 seconds.
2. Then add onions and green chilies and saute well until the raw smell of green chili leaves.
3. Then add grated carrot and saute gently. add required salt.
4. cover with a lid and let it cook. In between open the lid and stir gently.
5. Switch off the flame once the veg is cooked.

Notes:
1. you can even add more onions. As i do not prefer personally i did not add more.
2. similarly if you need a spicy version then add one or two green chilies extra. I prefer the veggies in their actual flavor and taste. so I do not add much spices.

I have already shared Carrot Egg Stir recipe. Don't miss to check that also :))

Curd Rice

Today I am going to share a simple yet delicious Variety rice. Curd Rice is one of the soothing dish in the hot summer. As I am a great curd lover, it is must in my diet in all the seasons. Even in parties or while visiting restaurants, after trying all the cuisines, I used to look for at least a scoop of curd rice. This gives a satisfaction of complete meal.

Some times, If i am lazy to prepare any curry or gravy, I used to pack curd rice for my hubby's lunch box. It just goes fine with a simple pickle or chips also.

There are different ways to make curd rice. It is all about our convenient and the available ingredients.

Ingredients:

Cooked rice - 1 cup
Thick Curd - 1/2 cup
Salt- per taste
water - as required

To temper:
Oil - 2 -3 tsps
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Green chili -1 small (finely chopped)
Ginger - 1/4 inch piece (finely chopped )
Curry leaves - 1 sprig (finely chopped)
Perungayam - 1 pinch (optional)

Preperation:

1. Smash the cooked rice with a spoon when it is hot itself. Let it become warm.
2. Then Add salt and half a cup of curd to the rice and mix well. Add a little water if required.

3. Mean while, heat a pan with  oil and add items given in "to temper" list one by one in the same order. Saute for a minute.
4. Add tadka to mixing bowl and mix well.

Thats it!. Simple curd rice is ready to enjoy.

Notes:

1. If it is going to be consumed immediately or in few hours, no need of adding milk to it.
2. If it is taken for long travels and picnics(it is depends on your weather, I will add if it is hot summer / sunny day), suggest you to add little milk to it.
3. Gram dal can be added while tempering
4. Fruits like grapes / pomegranate can be added.


Linking this recipe to Lets cook with yogurt event by simply food 

Rava Ladoo

Happy Raksha Bandhan to all my brothers in the world :)

Though it is mostly celebrated in North India, Now it is getting popular in all around the nation. Raksha Bandhan is a festival for Brothers and Sisters to show their love and care. Sisters pray for Brother's well being and tie a Rakhi in brother's hand. And Brothers take a wow to protect their sisters. It doesn't mean to be celebrated only with the siblings. Any person who treats the people around as Brother / Sister and wish for their wellness can do this. This is my treat to all my brothers.

It is a simple dessert, yet liked by all for sure. During my college days, when i return back to hostel my mom used to pack this for sure along with the other snacks. Though shelf time is less for this ladoos(if milk is added), I never bothered as it gets finished in no time. My mom used to make few versions like, with / without milk, with / without scrapped coconut etc, depends on the occasion.  Today I am sharing the recipe with milk. It can be used for 1-2 days in room temperature.

Ingredients:

Rava - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
ghee - 1/4 cup + 2 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Broken cashews - 2 tbsp
dry grapes - 1 tbsp
elachi - 1 tsp powdered.

Preparation:

1. In a Pan heat 2 tsp of ghee and fry cashews and dry grapes then keep them aside.
2. In the same pan, roast rava , Once rava is roasted well,  (say in 5-7 mins in simmer flame), add sugar and mix well without lumps.

3. Then add 1/4 cup of milk and mix gently.
4. Add half of the milk taken and mix adding elachi powder to it.
5. Switch off the flame and let it become touchable/bearable hot.

6. Take a small portion of it and make it into balls.
7. If it is difficult to make it as ball sprinkle little more milk and try to make balls. Do not add more than the given quantity of milk.

Enjoy the delectable Ladoos with your family and friends :)

Rose Milk Popsicle

Kuchi ice and summer cannot be separated any time. Still remember the childhood days, we kids eagerly wait for the "ice vandi" in the afternoons. Though mom used to make ice creams at home, used to long for kuchi ice. Most of the summer days were accompanied with kuchi ice and ice cream treats.. ;) Those days, we used to have semiya ice, paal ice, grape, mango, orange flavors. We used to love the colors in our tongue after having the Popsicle.

Till last summer I didn't introduce Popsicle to my daughter, But this year, she was very particular about the Popsicles, and we got a pack of pops from stores. Like how i loved to see the colors in  tongue, she was also enjoying it. But whenever i see the colors in her tongue, i used to worry about the chemicals and colors that went in. So decided to make the Popsicles at home itself. Initially i made pops with watermelon juice. And  then tried with rose milk.  She loved its color and flavor.

By thinking the calories of milk, i have prepared some mini rose milk pops also for me. I had some rose milk left after filling the rose milk molds. So just filled them in ice cube tray.. Now the mini pops are the most wanted by the family. :)

Ingredients :

Milk - 4 cups
rose syrup - 2 tbsp
sugar - 3 tbsp ( adjust according to your taste)

Preparation:

1. In a vessel, Boil 4 cups of milk, until it becomes about 2 cups.
2. Once the boiled milk is cool down, add rose syrup and sugar.
3. transfer them to the Popsicle mold and cover with lid.
4. Let it freeze for upto 12 hrs.

It will be ready to taste then. Show the pops mold in running water for 10-15 seconds before trying to remove from the mold. For mini pops, show the back side of ice tray in running water and remove it slowly.

Mini pops can be prepared easily, in case if you don't have Popsicle mold. All you need is just a few tooth picks and the ice cube tray. :)

Insert the tooth pick once it starts setting. Say about after 45 mins once the tray is filled and kept in freezer.