Cabbage Poriyal

Hi Folks, Cabbage is one of the cheapest and healthiest veggies. Helps for the people with the weight loss diet. But if you have thyroid, it's better to stay away from this veggie. Cabbage poriyal is one of my favorites. In my childhood, I never liked to eat cabbage, due to its mushy texture after cooking. Later, my dad learned from a local cook about how to chop and cook cabbages without becoming mushy. From that time it became my favorites.
Okie, Let's see how to make cabbage poriyal today. Any vegetable has its own flavor, so I usually don't add many spices to all the veggies. Tip to remember while cooking CabbageThis veggie itself has lots of water in it. we don't have to add extra water to cook this. Just need to cover the pan with lid and cook.

Ingredients:

Cabbage - 1 lb
green chili -1 no.
salt- as per taste
shredded coconut - 1/4 cup

to temper:
oil - 2 tsp
mustard seed- 1tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
curry leaves - a few

Preparation:

1. Cut cabbage thin and lengthwise.
2. In a pan, heat oil and add the items mentioned in "to temper".
3. Add the thinly sliced cabbage and mix well.
4. Add salt to taste.
5.Cover with lid and cook over medium heat. Make sure to open the lid and stir often.
6. Once the veggie is cooked soft and tender, add coconut and turn off the stove.

Notes:
1. If the veggie starts to catch in the bottom, add a little oil or sprinkle little water to cook.
2.I use induction stove so the heat will be there even after turning off the stove, So I used to turn it off and add coconut once the veggie is cooked 80%.
3.My kids don't prefer spicy food, so I have added only one chili, you can add according to your taste.

Pineapple Delight

Hello Everyone. Hope all had a good start to New Year 2018. Easy and Simple Foods wishes everyone a very happy new year with good health and peace. I am really happy to write my blog after really long time. Hope to continue my writing in future too. I wanted to start the new year with a simple yet delicious Dessert item. Let's see how to make it. I have tasted this dish at my friend's place and fell in love with it. My friend learned this recipe from some FB group, and I had knowledge transfer from her. Thank you to that unknown FB group and the member for such a delicious and easy recipe.  I have changed the proposition based on my preference a little.

Ingredients:

Pineapple chunks - 2 cans
Pineapple crushed-1 can
condensed milk - 1/2 can
Whipped cream - 8 oz

Procedure:

1.Drain the pineapple from can and keep them aside.

2. In a bowl, mix whipped cream and condensed milk.

3. Now add the drained pineapple chunks and crushed pineapple to the mix.

4. Cover and freeze the mix for 2 hours, then refrigerate until served.

Note:
You can add toppings like chocolate syrup or crunchy Nuts.

Very simple to make right. Yet it tastes so good and suits well for potlucks and special occasions.

Nuts Pulao

Today I am gonna share another easy and healthy lunchbox recipe. This recipe gives hand when I am running out of veggies. Nuts are essential for the growing children and everyone in the family. Taking them regularly will satisfy our daily protein requirement. As it is mild spicy, kids will like it for sure.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 2 cups (soak for 30 mins)
Nuts - 3/4cup - 1 cup(Cashews, Badam, Pista, Dry Grapes)
Saffron strands - 3-4(soak them in a tbsp of warm water)
Onion - 1/2 of a small onion. (sliced lengthwise)
Green Chilies - 2-3
ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Butter - 1/2tbsp
Mint & coriander leaves - a few

Dry garam masala:
cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch
cloves - 2
Elachi -2
Bay leaf - 1
fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Anistar - 1

Preparation:

1. Soak Rice for 30 mins, drain and keep ready.
2. In Rice cooker heat 2 tsps of oil and add the dry garam masala listed above.
3.Add Nuts to it and give a saute. (Just fry them until the cashews turn golden brown)
4. Now add chopped onions, green chilies and saute well.
5. When the onions are translucent add ginger garlic paste and saute well.
6. Once the raw smell of ginger garlic paste leaves, Add chopped mint leaves and give a gentle mix.
7. Add rice, soaked saffron strands(with water) and stir gently without breaking rice grains.
8.Measure the required water to cook the rice.(for the rice variety I cooked, used 1:1 ratio)
9.When the rice cooked 80%, cut and spread the butter pieces on top of it and close the lid.
10. Once the rice cooked let it rest for 10 mins and then mix it with a fork.
11.Spread some chopped coriander leaves and serve with Raitha, and curry of your choice or just with chips.

Note:
1.I cooked using electric rice cooker. If you use pressure cooker, you may bring the water to boil and add the butter cubes before closing the lid. leave it for one whistle.
2. I used the nuts as it is. If you like you can chop them into pieces and add.
3.If you like, instead of soaking, you can just crush the saffron strands and add while sauteing nuts.
4.You can reduce the nut quantity to 1/2 a cup if you feel the quantity I used is too much for you.
5.do not miss / add too much of dry grapes. they give a mild sweet and tangy taste.

Carrot Rice with Tangy Twist

Hello folks,
Its been really a long time since I have write a post. Happy to connect with you again. Today I am gonna share the lunch box recipe which I prepared few days back. On Friday I was not having enough time to prepare the box, as well as dint have any veggies in fridge except few carrots and a piece of mango. So I thought I would make carrot rice and I can manage to send it for lunch along with chips. Unfortunately I woke up a bit late and no time for roasting the ingredients and cooling it off and grinding. So thought of making it in simpler way. So just kept  rice in cooker, by the time it got ready, I have grated carrots and mango ready(and of course the breakfast was getting ready simultaneously). This is the first time I combine carrots and mango together, But the results were  amazing and got positive feedback from my family;)))

Lets see how to prepare a simple carrot rice with tangy twist.:)

Ingredients:

Carrot - 1 cup(grated and tightly packed)
Cooked Rice -3 cups
Mango - 1/4 cup (grated and tightly packed)
Sambar powder - 1tsp
garam masala powder - a pinch
Green chilies - 4-5
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tbsp
cashew/peanuts - 1 tbsp (optional)
Oil- as needed
salt - as per taste
curry leaves- 1 sprig
coriander leaves - a few


Preparation:

1. Cook rice and keep aside.
2. Grate carrots and mango and keep aside.
3. Heat about a tbsp of oil and add Channa dal, mustard seeds, urad dal, Cashew nuts,green chilies and curry leaves one by one.
4.Then add the grated carrot and mango and saute for a while, until the raw smell leaves.
5.Now add salt, sambar powder, garam masala powder, and a little oil and saute until the smell of masala leaves.
6.Now add the cooked rice and mix gently and let it cook for 2 mins.

Now the Rice is ready to be served.

Notes:
1. Increase the mango quantity if you wish.
2. Adding ghee at last will give a nice flavour.
3. Use a heavy bottomed vessel to avoid burning.
4.Make sure the raw smell of veggies as well as masala leaves before you add rice.
5. Can be prepared with Sona masoori, Basmati or Ponni rice.
6. Adjust Green chilies and sambar powder according to your taste.

Chocolate Cake- A guest post from Beulah :)

Hello Friends,

I am so excited to post this chocolate cake guest post from one of my blogger friend Beulah. She shares wonderful recipes at her space FullScoops. I am always inspired by her baking recipes. She used to bake so yummy cakes and decorate it in a way you get tempted for sure. You can find all sorts of recipes from starters to Desserts and juices. 

I am so glad that she agreed to write guest post for me, I know how difficult it is to blog having young children at home... She is super busy with her toddlers and doing amazing job at her blog too. Kudos Beulah and thanks again for writing the post for me :)

I always love chocolate cakes, and these pics are really tempting me... Hope you will also like it.. :) Now Lets check the recipe. 

-Tanya

A big hello to all the readers of Easy and Simple Foods, my name is Beulah Arun and I blog at FullScoops. A short introduction about me, I am dentist by profession but now I am a busy homemaker with two beautiful kids. I started writing my blog for fun and now it's become a part of me and I'm quite passionate about it!

Today I am writing a guest post for one of my blogger friend's Tanya of easy and simple foods. Tanya is one of the sweetest people I have come across in the blogging world and very helpful and sincere. Her blog is filled with some awesome, delicious home cooked food and it's always a pleasure going through her blog. It is really a blog true to it's name, all recipes so easy and simple to cook for our daily life.

She wrote a guest post for me sometime ago, she wrote chocolate chip cookies which are absolutely delicious, it's time for me to write a guest post for her and I have chosen a chocolate cake for her. This is an easy to make delicious chocolate cake recipe, what I love about this recipe is that it makes a small cake and it's just enough for our family!

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Preparation time 10 mins | Baking time 25 mins | Makes one 6"cake

Ingredients

• All purpose flour - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup (powdered)
• Egg - 1
• Cocoa powder - 6 tbsp
• Baking powder - 1 tsp
• Baking soda - 3/4 tsp
• Oil - 4 tbsp
• Milk - 1/2 cup
• Boiling water - 1/2 cup
• Instant coffee - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and line a 6 inch cake pan.

2. Add all the dry ingredients in a bowl and combine together.

3. Add the wet ingredients in another bowl except the hot water and whisk well.

4. Now add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients gradually and mix well by adding the hot water. 

5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

6. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove from pan and cool completely.

Frost the cake as you wish. You can use ganache or whipped cream to frost the cake. I used whipped cream.

Notes

1. Make sure you don't over mix while adding the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add in batches and fold gently.

Thanks for having me over, enjoy the cake!

Potato Rice

Hello Folks, Today I am going to share a Rice variety which is so easy to prepare and would be loved by everyone in the family. It is one of the recipe from my trial and error.  First time I made this with leftover Potato fry. Now a days I boil extra potatoes for making this rice itself. My little one loves it.

I would prefer this for lazy days lunch or lunch box.  Lets see how to make it.

Ingredients:

Boiled potato - 2-3 medium
Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Oil- 2-3 tbsp
Green chilies - 2
mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
urad dal - 1/4 tsp
fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
bay leaves - 1
cinnamon stick -1 inch
cloves - 2-3
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (adjust as per taste)
garam masala - a pinch
curry leaves - a few

Preparation:

1. Keep boiled potatoes smashed with fork ready. leave some chunky pieces also.
2. In a pan heat 1 tbsp of oil and add, mustard seeds, urad dal, fennel seeds, bay leaves, cloves, green chilies and curry leaves one by one.
3. Then add partially smashed potatoes  and saute for a while, and add turmeric powder, garam masala, and saute for a minute or two.
4. Add rice , another tbsp of oil , required salt and saute well until the rice and potato mixes well.

Serve with chips, raitha or a simple veg curry.

Notes:

1. Tastes best with sona masoori, ponni rice, basmathi rice etc.
2.  Can add ghee at last for best aroma.
3. I have not added coriander leaves as i was not having on that day.
4. can add cashews while tempering.

Sending this recipe to Remya's first blog anniversary event

Kadalai mavu Sambar / Besan Sambar

Hello folks,

I am back to blogging after a short break. First I would like to thank my co-bloggers and friends for making my first blog anniversary event a successful one. Hope everyone had a great start of 2015 wish you a perfect and happy year ahead.

Today I am going to share an easy yet perfect combo for idlies and Dosa... If you are in a hurry and no time to cook dal or to grind masala for your tiffin sambar, you can consider this Kadalai mavu sambar. As the name states, we are going to use gram flour as substitute of dal. And the ingredients are little different than usual sambar. Lets see how to prepare this.

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 medium (cut lenghtwise)
Tomato - 2 big (chopped)
Veggies - 2 cups (approx) (Prefer veggies like, eggplant, drumstick,carrot, beans, potato, flat beans, butterbeans, soya beans etc)
Green chilies - 4-5
turmeric - 1/2 tsp
tamarind - a peanut sized (soak in 1/2 cup of warm water)
coriander leaves  a few
Kadalai mavu / Besan flour - 2-3 tbsp
salt- as needed
fennel seeds - 1 tsp
bay leaf - 1
Oil - 2 tsp

to temper:
Oil - 2 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
curry leaves  - a few
red chili - 1 (if the green chilies were not hot enough)

Preparation:

1.In a kadai / pan heat 2 tsp of oil and add fennel seeds, bay leaf , cut onions,green chilies one by one and saute for a while.
2.Then add Veggies and saute for a minute, Then add chopped tomato and saute.
3. Now add turmeric powder and saute until the raw smell leaves.
4. add the tamarind extract water, along with 3-4 cups of water
5.Add salt and cover with lid, and let the veggies cook soft.
6. mix besan flour with required water and keep aside. (should not be too thick)
7. When the veggies are cooked, add the basen mix and stir with ladle simultaneously.
8. Let it boil for few mins, this helps the besan flour to get cooked, and make the sambar to the right consistency. (based on the consistency adjust, by adding little more water or by letting it cook for few more mins)
9.Temper sambar with listed items, and add chopped coriander and serve.

Note;
1. Choose tangy tomatoes for best taste.
2. This tastes best with Idli and Dosai.
3. Doesnt suit for rice, mini idli , pongal or sambar vadai etc.
4. It gets thicken while refrigerating, so while reheating add a little water and heat.
5.adding tamarind is optional. you can add extra tomatoes if needed.

Serve hot with hot idlies or crispy dosa :)

Sending this recipe to Remya's first blog anniversary event

Announcing First Blog anniversary Event Winners!

Thank you friends for making my first event a successful one :) So this is time to announce the Event roundup and winners:) First lets see how did the votings / readers choice went through..

Votings :

1.  Ashiya's kitchen: Shrikhand - 15 votes
2. Jeenas Kitchen Recipes: Bread Pizza - 5 votes
3. Ashiya's kitchen: Capsicum masala - 4 votes
4. Ashiya's kitchen: Dum ka Murgh/ Dum Chicken - 3 votes
5. Remmy's Kitchen: Sambar: Tamilnadu Hotel style- 3 votes
6. Ashiya's kitchen: Lauki ka halwa - 2 votes
7. Jeenas Kitchen Recipes:Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake -2 votes
8. Delectable Flavours: Chettinad Pepper Chicken Recipe - 2 votes
9. Jeenas Kitchen Recipes: Eggless Choco Almond Pudding - 1 vote
10. Spicy Chicken Shawarma | Haffa's kitchen adventure - 1 vote

The maximum votes we got is 15 for Shirkhand by Ashiya's Kitchen.

We had a lovely collections of recipes and thanks to the folks who shared their wonderful recipes with us. I have sorted it out based on no of recipes.

Round Up:

 Remmy's Kitchen:
1.Bhatura(chole bhature)
2.Sambar: Tamilnadu Hotel style
3. Kerala kadala curry / Black chick
4. Varutharacha meen curry/Fish
5. Oats Dosa
6.Vegetable cutlet
7.Muringayila mutta thoran
8.Netholi peera pattichathu
9.Pachamulaku Thenga chammanthi
10.Muringayila parippu thoran
11.Egg and vegetable curry
12.Chicken fried rice Fast food style
13.Chicken roast

 Home cook food :
1.Pizza Pockets
2.Unfried Ravioli
3.Penne Pasta in Jalapenos Cream
4.Cookies 'n' Cream Frap
5.Mirchi Ka Salan | Spicy Pepper
6.Eggless Kaju Biscuit | Cashew
7.Sai Bhaji | Greens, Vegetables
8.Turnip and Potato Tikkis
9.Gingerbread Candy Trail Mix
10.Eggless Chocolate Chips Cookie
11.Langarwali Aloo Gobhi ki Subji
12.Snickerdoodle Cookies

Pepper, Chilli and Vanilla:
1.Chocolate Cupcakes with whipped cream frosting
2.Kul Kul
3.Date Roll
4.Creme Caramel
5.Crispy Chicken Burger
6.Chicken 65

Jeenas Kitchen Recipes:
1.Kofta Balls
2.Paneer Bhurji
3. Bread Pizza
4.Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake
5.Eggless Choco Almond Pudding

 Ashiya's kitchen:
1.Shrikhand
2.Capsicum masala
3.Dum ka Murgh/ Dum Chicken
4.Lauki ka halwa

The food factory:
1.Achari chicken
2.Hariyali chicken tikka
3.Shaami kebab
4.Chicken nuggets

Delectable Flavours:
1.Red Snapper Fish Curry Recipe
2.Ragi Semiya - Sweet and Savour
3.Chettinad Pepper Chicken Recipe

Cooking club:
1.PEANUT AND CHERRY SHORT CAKE
2.FALAFEL WRAP(RESTAURANT STYLE)
3.Chocolate Chip Yogurt Dip

Haffa's Kitchen Adventure:
1. Spicy Chicken Shawarma
2. Singaporean Rice/ Casserole
3. baking-without-oven

Recipes Passion:
1.Baked Doughnuts & Munchkins
2.Chewy Choc Coffee Fudge Brownies

Herbs, Spices and Tradition: 
1.KHASTA KACHORI
2.GULAB JAMUN

Full Scoops: 
1.Mushroom Pulao
2.Beet Root Pulao

SARA'S TASTY BUDS:
1.Banana chocolate coffee cake
2.Apple Pistachio Cake with Brown

nandoo's kitchen:
1.semiya kesari
2.Potato roast

 A Kaleidoscopic Dream :
1.How to make batter for idli
2.Homemade Lychee Ice cream

The Smoky Kitchen:
1. Aloo (potato) papad ki sabzi kerala style
2. Kheema ki  Mani or Puri filled with Minced Meat

SIMMY"$ DELI$H DI$H:
Malai Chum-Chum

Now the most exciting part. Yes the winners of the event. I believe the Votings/ readers choice category was little tricky. As this is the first time we do the event and also the votes are quiet new I have decided not to cancel this criteria. So I am announcing the recipe Shrikhand (15 votes) by Ashiya's Kitchen as winner of the Readers Choice. Congrats Ashiya :)

Now the Random number winner. The number is 5. It is Bhatura from Remmy's Kitchen. Congrats Remya :)

Request both the winners to contact me thro email (easyrecipesforbeginners@gmail.com) and let me know your choice of gift cards.
Kindly revert back or acknowledge on or before 1/21/2015 6:00pm EST, Or another winner will be selected.

Again congrats to both the winners and a very big thank you to all the participants. :))) See you all soon with another exciting event soon :)

Thank you for tour support again:)

Methi Corn Pulao

Prepared this tasty pulao a week back. It turned out so well and the mild methi flavor  and aroma in rice was so tempting. Even my kid dint complain about bitter taste.

Lets see the recipe now.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Methi leaves - 1/3 cup (tightly packed)
corn - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 small
Green chilies -2
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece (finely chopped)
Garlic - 2-3 cloves (finely chopped)
turmeric powder - a small pinch
salt- as per taste
Oil -2-3 tbsp
coriander leaves - a few
cashews- a few


Dry Garam masala:

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
bay leaves - 2-3
anistar - 1
cloves -4
elachi - 2-3
cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick
jeera/cumin - 1/2 tsp

Preparation:

1.Wash and soak basmati rice for atleast 30 mins.
2. Clean and chop methi leaves and keep aside.
3. In a pressure pan / cooker, heat a tbsp of oil and add the dry garam masala items listed above.
4. add cashews and fry for a while.
5. Add finely chopped ginger and garlic and saute.(dont let it burn)
6. Add lengthily cut onions, green chilies and saute  until they turn soft and brown.
7. Now add corn, chopped methi leaves and saute well. onions and methi will mix together.
8. add a pinch of turmeric, soaked rice and saute for a minute.
9. In the mean time measure required water (i used 1:2 cups) and bring to boil.
10. Add boiling water to the rice mix, add salt and close the lid.
11. Leave it for 2 whilstles and switch off the flame.
12.Let it rest for 10-15 mins and gently fluff the rice with fork.
13.Add chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with Raitha or papad.

Notes:
1.If you like methi taste, you can add a little more of it.
2.You can substitute chopped ginger garlic with ginger garlic paste.
3. Adding boiling water to the rice gives fluffy pulao, than the normal / cold water.

Lemon Poha / Lemon Aval

Aval is my favorite in any form. Most of the Lazy day's breakfast / evening snack will be based on Aval / Poha only. It is so simple to make in minutes. Last weekend I prepared Lemon Poha for breakfast and my kid loved it. It was finished just in minutes.

So thought of sharing this simple recipe here.

Ingredients:

Aval / Poha - 2 cups
Lemon - Half of medium size
Red chili - 1 (increase if you prefer spicy)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Peanuts - 1 tbsp (optional)
turmeric - 1/8 tsp
salt- as per taste
Curry leaves - a sprig
Oil -1 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Clean and wash Aval in colander with running tap water for 45 sec to 1min.
2. drain water and keep it aside.
3.Heat oil in a kadai /pan and add Peanuts and saute until they turn light brown. Then add mustard seeds, urad dal, red chili, curry leaves one by one.
4.saute for  a min, (dont let the ingredients burn) and add turmeric powder and little salt. Give a quick stir and switch off the flame.
5. Now add lemon juice from half a lemon.
6.Add the washed Aval and stir well.
7. Now switch on the stove and stir for a minute. (Just the aval should become hot) Do not cook for more time. Adjust salt by tasting now.

Notes:
1. If the Aval is not tangy add another tsp of lemon juice.
The lemon which i used was Juicy and medium tangy.
2.Turmeric tends to burn quickly,so add the turmeric in hot oil, stir quickly and switch off the flame.
3. It is important to on the flame and stir for a minute at last / until the poha is hot, otherwise, the poha will be raw in taste and smell.
4. If you cook more time after adding lemon, it will turn little bitter.
5.Salt and lemon can be added anytime even after cooking so adjust if needed.

Pori Urundai

Karthigai Deepam Wishes to you all.
Hope everyone havin fun lighting up Deepam, candles at home. It is an exciting festival for us in childhood (Even Now). We will be expecting this day from deepaavali and preserve some night crackers. And it is another Festival with lots of eatables. Mom will be preparing  "kozhukattai vilakku", rava appam,vadai, and other snacks to offer.

Though we cannot do much outside here, we are lighting few candles and Oil lit lamps at home safely. :)

Now lets move on to today's Recipe. No karthigai deeapam gets fulfill without these Pori Urundai.
It is really simple to make.

Ingredients:

Pori / Puffed Rice - 2 cups
Jaggery powder- 1/4 cup
Water - 1/8 cup or little less than 1/4 cup (just to immerse jaggery)
Elachi powder - 1 pinch
Dry ginger / Sukku powder - 1 pinch
Ghee - 1 tsp (to grease palms)

Preparation:

1. Check for any impurities in Pori, clean it and keep aside.
2. In a large pan/Kadai, add jaggery and water and let it boil.
3. In the mean time, heat another pan and slightly dry roast the Pori. Do not change color, just a min or two will be sufficient. Transfer to a plate and let it cool down.
4.Now check the consistency of Jaggery mix, If you put a drop of it in water, it should not dissolve, that is the rite consistency.
5. Add pori to the jaggery mix and switch off the flame. Stir well and quick.
6.Make sure the jaggery is coated well on the Pori.
7.When it is hot / warm itself, grease your palm with ghee and make balls.

Store them in air tight containers.

Notes:
1. You need to be real fast to make the balls, So if you are new making this, first make in little quantity as mentioned. If you have a helping hand to make balls, you can increase the quantity for sure. I am comfortable with this quantity so I go with this.
2.Adding Sukku powder is optional, But we used to add sukku in almost all Jaggery based recipes.
3.Frying pori is optional, but it gives crispiness for longer time.

Tiffin Sambar (Using Moong Dal)

I have recenly shared an Tiffin Sambar version with Toor dal. This one is with moong dal. Almost the recipe and the process will be similar except few steps and ingredients.

Ingredients:

Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Water - 3 cups ( to cook moong dal)
Mixed veggies of your choice - 1.5 cups (I used, brinjal, carrot, beans, potato, drum stick)
Tomato -2
Pearl Onion- 4-5 (if using regular bellari Use one medium sized)
Turmeric - 1 pinch
Melted Ghee - 1 tsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Oil -1 tbsp
Tamarind - small peanut size (soak in water) or 1/4 tsp of concentrate (optional)


Roast and Grind
Channa dal - 1.5 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek - 5-6 seeds
Red Chili -1-2 (adjust to your taste)
Oil - 1 tsp

To temper:

Oil - 1tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Preparation:
1. In a vessel, heat 3 cups of water, when it starts rolling and boiling add washed moong dal to it and half close with a lid and cook until the dal cooks well and becomes mashy.
2. In a pan ,Heat a tsp of oil and roast channa dal, coriander seeds, fenugreek one by one.
3.When they are almost(75%) roasted, add cumin seeds and red chilies and roast well. Switch off flame and let it cool down.
4. In the mean time, in another pan, heat a tbsp of oil and saute chopped onions.
5. when raw smell in onion leaves, add all the cut veg, except brinjal and tomato, saute for few mins.
6.Add tomatoes and saute gently. At last add cut brinjals and turmeric powder  and saute well.
7. When the veggies are half cooked, add 3 cups of water and check for salt. let it cook well.
8. Grind the roasted ingredients into a fine powder and add it to the veggie pan.
9.Now it will start thickening a little. Mix well and quick so lumps wont form.
10.Let it cook for few mins, so the raw smell in masala leaves.(if any), If required add Tamarind water. (add tamarind if only the tomatoes are not sour enough for sambar.Otherwise discard tamarind)
11. Now add the cooked dal and mix well. cook until your required consistency. (if it is little thick add little water to adjust consistency).
12. Before switching off the flame mix 1 tsp of jaggery and mix.
13.In a tadka pan heat 1 tbsp of oil and add items listed in "To temper", and add it to the sambar.
14. Garnish with Chopped coriander leaves , Ghee and serve hot with your favorite idli or dosa.

I prefer this sambar for mini idlies, sambar vadai kind of dishes. Suits well for all Pongal, Dosai varieties.

Note:
1. I added just one red chili while grinding, it was perfect spicy for my daughter's taste. You can follow the same measurement if your kids doesnt like spicy foods.
2. For spice lovers, either you can increase the red chilies or add 1 or 2 green chilies while tempering.
3. It will look watery when it is hot, but that consistency suits perfect for soaking mini idlies or vada.
If you like it thick, add only 2 cups of water to cook the veggies, if required, water can be added at final stage.
4. I prefer cooking moong dal in stove top than pressure cook. Even you can add pressure cooked moong dal.(2-3 whistles will be enough to cook)

First Blog Anniversary and Giveaway

Hello Folks,

Its Party time for our blog "Easy and Simple Foods". Yes, we are celebrating the first blog anniversary on December 31st. So Planning to have the first event in my space. Of course with giveaways.

First of all I would like to thank everyone who is supporting and encouraging me.  A special thanks to my Blog visitors, followers,friends and co- bloggers, It really means a lot for me. As a beginner in blogging as well as cooking, It is so great feeling when someone appreciate our efforts. Blog world is one of my favorite hangout place, where I learn and share a lot. Its been one year journey and I did a satisfying job for myself along with everyday busy schedule and other barriers.I Would try to do my best in the coming years too.

This is my first event as well as Blog anniversary,So I would invite everyone to participate and support. Whether you have a blog or not, there is an equal chance to win the giveaway. I would really be glad to have everyone's participation. Like all the other events, even mine has few rules and guidelines. Please check them below.

Rules:

1. Should be my follower in my blog, Facebook, and Google+.
2. Post about this event in your Facebook page and Google+ page as public post. Tagging your friends is not mandatory but appreciated.
3.All the posts must be linked back to this event page. Usage of Logo is mandatory in all the posts linked. It helps spreading a word about the event
4. Only 2 archived recipes can be posted. No limits for new entries.
5. Event goes between December 1st 2014 to December 31st 2014. You can Link the recipes only until 30th December.
6. 31st December is Voting day for the recipes. You can do only one vote from a unique IP, so if you want to have more chances of winning the votes, you can invite your friends to vote for you. Minimum Votes to be eligible for a recipe is 25.There is a Giveaway for the recipe which receives more votes. If  two or more recipes have the same no of votes, winners will be chosen randomly among them. If no recipe gets minimum votes, this criteria will be cancelled.
7.Event Round up and Winners will be announced on Jan18th 2015.
8. Leave a comment in this post with the details of, from which username / id you are following me. This helps to verify your entries.

Following all the rules are mandatory for both bloggers and non-bloggers. The entries which didn't follow the rules will be disqualified for the giveaway.


For Non-Bloggers,

If you like to participate in the event and do not have a blog? No problems, You can send me the recipe and the pictures with all the details, I will happily post it in my space as a guest post and link to my event. So you will get a fair chance to have a number for your recipe and a chance to win the Giveaway :).
You can email your recipes to" easyrecipesforbeginners@gmail.com "


Ok, Now the giveaway part, I have few categories to encourage our participants.
One winner will be selected from each category.

1. "Reader's Choice" (Votes by Readers)
As said above, the readers are the judges here. The recipe which gets more votes will win this category.

2. A random number winner
A random number will be selected from the whole entries,  (The person who wins the Voter's choice will not be eligible for this category,)

So, picking the winner goes by this order: 1. Readers choice 2. Random pick

Ok..What are the giveaway gifts?

When I was discussing with my friends about this, most of them suggested gift cards. We will never know, what people like or what they have or dont have. As this is my first grand event, I wanted to make it simple and easy at the same time the giveaways must make the participants happy. If it is gift card you can get anything you plan.  As this is holiday season, I hope you will also like this Idea.

For the  winners who live in USA or other foreign countries - $20 amazon e-gift card or macy's e- gift card of your choice..
For the winners who lives in  India, Rs.1000 worth ICICI Prepaid gift card or Visa/Mastercard gift cards(Gift cards or e-gift cards) of your choice.

You want to be the one among the winners?
What are you waiting for? Start Linking your yummy recipes. :)

Note:
1.Gift card provides are subject to change due to availability.
2. EST timings are followed.

An InLinkz Link-up

Sweet Wheat Dosai

In my school days, sometimes mom prepares this dosai for evening snacks. This can be prepared quickly and easily with the ingredients available at home. Few days back I prepared this as after school snack for my daughter. she tasted it for first time and loved it.
It is rich in fiber and Iron as we add jaggery.

Lets see how to prepare it.

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1/2 cup
Jaggery powder - 1/3 cups
water - 1 cup
elachi powder - 1 pinch
Dry ginger powder / sukku powder - 1 pinch
cashew nuts - 1/2 tbsp ( chopped)
grated coconut -1 tbsp
ghee -2 tsp


Preparation:

1.Add Jaggery, sukku powder with water and bring to boil. (no need of string consistency)
2.Add elachi powder, flour and jaggery water and mix to a batter consistency
3. Now roast cashews, coconut in a tsp of ghee and add it to the batter.

4. Now heat the pan and make small and thick dosai (like oothappam thick)
5. Sprinkle little ghee on the edges and cook well on both the sides.

Serve Hot or warm.

Tips:
1.Always keep extra 1/2 cup of hot water ready. In case if the jaggery mixed water is boiled for little long time that wont be sufficient to have batter consistency.
2.Instead of grated coconut, tiny coconut pieces can be added.
3. The ratio given is medium sweet, adjust according to your taste.

Linking this post to Varada's event

Aloo Channa Kuruma

Aloo Channa kurma is suitable for Chapathi or roti varieties. I like to add channa in my family's diet now and then. It is rich in protein and kids love it for sure. It just needs a little planning to prepare. Lets see how to prepare this Kurma / Kuruma.

Ingredients:

White channa - 1 cup (wash and soak in previous night or at least 8 hrs before cooking)
Potato - 2 medium
Onion - 1 big (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 big(finely chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
green chilies -2
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
coriander powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Cashews - 10 nos
Coriander leaves - a few
oil -1 tbsp
salt -as per taste

Dry garam masala;
fennel seeds - 1 tsp
ani star - 1 flower
cinnamon stick -1 inch
bay leaves - 1
elachi -1
cloves -2

Preparation;
1. Wash and soak white channa for over night.
2. Soak cashews in water for 1 hour.
3. Pressure cook channa and potato separately for 3-4 whistles.
4.In a kadai, heat 1 tbsp of oil and add the dry garam masala items listed
5. Now add curry leaves, green chili, onions and saute until it turns transparent.
6. Add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell leaves.
7. then add tomatoes and saute until they turn soft.
8.Mix turmeric, chili, coriander, garam masala to this mix and saute for a min.
9. Add 3-4 cups of water, salt and let it boil well.
10. In the mean time, drain water from cooked channa, Peel and Cut the potato as cubes and keep ready.
11. When it starts rolling and boiling add cooked channa and cubed potatoes and let it cook for 5-8 mins in simmer flame.
12. Grind soaked cashews into a fine paste and add it to the curry, and let it boil for few mins.
13. Once the kurma reaches the required consistency Switch off the flame and add chopped coriander

Serve hot with Chapathi or roti.

Notes:
1. Instead of adding water, you can use the drained water from cooked channa
2. Adding cashew nuts is my own preference. I prefer cashews than adding coconut.
3. If you need it more spicy, increase the green chili instead of chili powder.

Linking this recipe to Beulah’s First Blog Anniversary Give away @ FullScoops