Baby corn manchurian

This fried dish serves as a side dish as well as a starter. It is comparatively  more crispier than the cauliflower manchurian. 

    Ingredients:

1. Baby corn- 200 gm
2. Corn flour -2tsp
3. Onion (finely chopped ) - 1/2 cup
4. Garlic (finely chopped ) -2tsp
5. Capsicum (finely chopped )-1/4 cup
6. Spring onion (finely chopped)  - 1/4 cup
7. Tomato sauce -1/2 cup
8. Oregano powder -1/2 tsp
9. Chilli flakes -1/2 tsp
10. Sugar -1tsp
11. Salt to taste
12. Oil - as required 

Method:
Wash and cut the baby corns into round pieces. Dust it with corn flour. Deep fry them in oil till it turns crispy. Keep it aside. In a frying pan/kadai stir fry the onions and garlic in little oil. When the onions become transparent, add all the other ingredients (from 5 to 11) except oil.  Sauté for few seconds till everything is blended well. Finally, stir in the fried baby corn.

Note: Chopped green chillies and ginger can also be added in the end to make it more spicy.

                                         Cut the baby corns into round pieces.

                                           Dust it with cornflour.

                                  Deep fried baby corns. 

Roti making - Simplified

Morning & Evening sky

These two pictures were taken during a trip to Mangalore. The weather there was so unpredictable that in the mornings it would be very hot and by evening it would be cloudy or it would rain cats and dogs. Luckily, we were able to see a faint rainbow in the sky after a mild shower.

This is Mangalore in the morning

This is mangalore in the evening

Bread Roll delight

Ingredients:
Bread roll-1
Onion-1(chopped finely)
Capsicum-1(chopped finely)
Garlic-1/2 tsp (chopped finely)
Pizza seasoning powder-1 tsp
Chilly flakes -1/2 tsp
Grated mozzarella cheese-3 tbsp
Oil and and salt as required.

Method:
Heat a frying pan and stir fry the onion, garlic and capsicum with one teaspoon of oil for few seconds. Switch of the flame. Add the pizza seasoning and chilly flakes and mix well.
Cut the bread roll length wise into two.Spread the onion, garlic and capsicum mixture over the bread roll. Top it with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Bake it in a pre-heated oven at 160 to 200 degree Celsius or till the cheese melts.

Hibiscus

Hibiscus or Chinese rose as it is sometimes called are grown to attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Different species bloom in different hues. However, red hibiscus is very common. 

In Hindu worship, red hibiscus is used as an offering to goddess Kali and Lord Ganesha.

While, red hibiscus is boiled in oil for use in hair treatments, its leaves are ground into a lathery paste for use as hair conditioner or after wash. Dried red hibiscus is also brewed in boiling water to make tea.




Here is a painting of red hibiscus in oil on paper.

Elai adai (steamed parcel)

I had already mentioned earlier that elai adai is a steamed sweet dish with grated coconut stuffing. This recipe is tasty and has zero oil in it. The filling can be made of just coconut or with kerala banana or with jackfruit or with a mixture of these fruits and coconut.
You can also try the salt version of elai adai by stuffing vegetables of your choice. While using vegetables it would be better to use the batter of idli or dosa than the rice paste. This helps in blending the spices in the vegetables well with the fermented batter which is little sour.



Ingredients:

For the stuffing,
Coconut scrapings -1 cup
Brown sugar/Jaggery -1/2 cup
cardamom powder -1/2 tsp

For the covering,
Raw rice -1 cup (soaked for 3 hours)
water as required.

For wrapping,
Banana leaves (cut into square pieces)

Method:
In a thick bottom pan heat the coconut scrapings and the brown sugar. Keep stirring it till the brown sugar is well blended with the grated coconut. Continue to cook till the mixture reaches a near solid consistency. Mix the cardamom powder and keep it aside.  

Grind the rice with little water to a smooth paste. Add water and bring it to pouring consistency. Spread this rice paste on a cleaned banana leave.

Spread the filling over half of the rice spread.

Fold the other half of the leaf over the filling. Press little so that it sticks together.

Steam the packets for 15 minutes.

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Easy carrot Halwa & Vegan carrot Halwa

     Ingredients:

• Grated carrot-300gms
• Sweetened Khoa/dried milk -100gms
• Sugar-3 tablespoons
• Cardamom powder-1tsp.
• Clarified butter/Ghee-3 tablespoons
• Cashew nuts-50gm
• Raisins-25gm
• Water-2tsp

Method:
In a nonstick kadai/fry pan, fry the cashews and raisins separately with little clarified butter. Remove and keep it aside. In the same pan put the grated carrot and water. Close and cook for few seconds. When it is done stir in the sugar, and then the dried milk/Khoa. Add clarified butter and cook, stirring continuously till it is dry. Switch of the flame. Stir in the cardamon powder. Garnish with fried cashews and  raisins.

              Note: Grating the carrot in a cheese grater like this will make the task more easy.

  Vegan carrot Halwa

    Ingredients:

• Grated carrot -300gms
• Cashew -100gms
• Sugar -8 to 10 tablespoons
• Cardamom powder-1tsp.
• Oil-3 tablespoons
• Raisins-25gm
• Water-2tsp

Method:

Grind the cashew in a blender to a smooth powder. In a frying pan, fry the raisins with little ghee. Remove and keep it aside. In the same pan, put the grated carrot and water. Close and cook for few seconds. When it is done add the sugar, cashew nut powder and clarified butter. Cook stirring continuously till dry. Switch of the flame and add the cardamom powder and raisins.

Murungai elai adai (Moringa leaves pancake)

Adai or rice pancakes are made with rice alone or in combination with lentils and pulses. It is generally spiced up with chillies and other herbs. However, Elai adai  has a  sweet filling of coconut and jaggery and it is steamed. Other varieties of Indian pancakes include dosa, uttahapam and appam.  This adai/pancake is made rice and moringa leaves which has a lot of health benefits.

Ingredients:
Moringa leaves -1 cup Par boiled rice- 2 cups (soaked for 4 hours)
Asafoetida- 1/2 tsp
Red chillies- 3
Salt to taste.
Sesame oil- as required.

Method:
Grind coarsely the rice and chillies with little water. Then add the asafoetida powder, Moringa leaves, salt and more water to make a thick batter.
In a hot greased griddle spread the batter to make thick pancakes. Drizzle some oil and cook on both the sides. Serve it with tomato sauce or cheese spread or any chutney of your choice.

Serenity

Oil on canvas board.

Tranquility

Oil on canvas board.

Veg fried rice

 This is an easy to make fried rice, with minimum ingredients. Additional items like fried  cottage cheese or grated cheese can be added to make the same recipe rich and more tasty.

Ingredients:

1.Cooked basmati rice- 3 cups 
2.Green peas- 1/2 cup (blanched or frozen)
3.Grated carrots- 1/2 cup
4.Chopped spring onion greens- 1/2 cup
5.Capsicum- 1/2 (cut into small bits)
6.Onion 1 (cut into small pieces)
7.Chopped garlic-1 tsp
8.Black pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
9.Oregano- 1 tsp
10.Chilli flakes- 1/2 tsp
11.Oil as required.
12.Salt to taste.

Method:

1.Heat some oil in a non stick kadai/wok and fry the onions for few seconds, then stir in the garlic. Saute for another few seconds.
2.Add the carrots and stir fry  till cooked.
3.Then add all the other ingredients. Stir cook till everything is blended well.  
4.Check for salt a serve with any dip of your choice.

Together for 73 years

 

Today is my in-laws 73rd wedding day. Wish them many more years of togetherness and good health.  

They got married in 1940.

Lilly pond (photography)

Water fall

Oil on canvas board

seascape 2

Oil on canvas board

Seascape

Another oil painting on paper

Pazham Nurruku (boiled banana)

This recipe is made from Kerala bananas also known as Nendram Pazham or Etha Pazham. Usually, Pazham Nurruku is prepared with the skin intact and the skin is discarded before eating. However, I prepare Pazham Nurruku by discarding the skin first. This recipe can be had as an evening snack or as a finger food.

Ingredients
Nendram pazham/Kerala banana – 2
powdered brown sugar /jaggery – 3tbsp
salt-1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder-1 pinch
Turmeric powdered-1 pinch
Water- 1/2 cup
Ghee (clarified butter)– 1tsp (optional)


Method:
Skin the banana and cut into inch long pieces. Add all the other ingredients except the ghee. Boil it stirring occasionally till the bananas are cooked and the water is fully absorbed. Garnish with ghee before serving.

               Kerala banana /Etha Pazham/Nendram Pazham

                         Other ingredients are added

                        Garnished with  tulasi leaves and red chillies.

White beauty

This flower is the queen of our garden. It attracts birds in the morning and the kids in  the evening who keep plucking at it. The same story is repeated when another bud blooms. But I got a chance to frame threes flowers before everything is gone.