Bombay sandwich

Breads come handy when we run out of time to prepare breakfast. It need not always be the bread and jam sandwich that can be made in a jiffy. Sandwich needs to be healthy and nutritious, particularly when they are packed in tiffin boxes for school going kids. Its nutritional value increases with fillings like mashed potatoes, chickpeas, crumbled cottage cheese and shredded vegetables. Here is a simple sandwich made of mashed potatoes cottage cheese and green chutney.

Ingredients:
Bread slices -10
Boiled and mashed potatoes -3 cups
Cottage cheese - 1/2 cup
Green chutney - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Butter to toast (optional)

Method:
Blend the cheese and green chutney in a blender. Combine this paste with the mashed potatoes. Adjust the salt. 
Place a spoonful of this potato filling in the middle of a slice of bread. Cover it with another slice of bread. Press it well till the filling spreads and sticks to the bread. Place a round steel lid on the sandwich. Press and cut it to get a round shape. Heat a griddle and toast it on both the sides till crispy. Alternatively, smear some butter on both the sides of the sandwich and toast till it turns crispy and brown. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Navarathri

Navarathri is celebrated through out India. In the southern states it is celebrated by displaying dolls in various sizes and colours in specific number of steps. In Tamil it is known as bommai (doll) golu or kolu. Colourful rangoli and lights also add up to the decoration. 

In the top step a kalash is placed along with few dolls of god. Kalash is a brass pot that has fresh water which is covered with a bunch of mango leaves and a coconut. 

Wooden dolls known as Marapachi bommai are the dolls that is first placed before the arrangement of other doll commences. Nine days of navarathri is represented by placing nine steps.

However, nowdays people opt for three or five steps for lack of space. Even kalash is placed in the pooja cupboard.

The best part of the celebrations begin in the evening with singing of songs and distribution of sundal. Sundal is protien rich pulses prepared in salt or sweet form. Besides, sundal all guests are also offered betel leaves, betel nuts, flowers, coconuts and some gifts. 

Ninth day of navarathri is celebrated as Saraswathi pooja. On this day, prayer is offered to books, musical instruments and vehicles. 

The tenth and final day of navarathri is considered auspicious for all new beginings and learning new skills. Small kids are also intiated into formal education on this day. It is known as Akshara abhyaasam or Vidyaarambham. Finally, the Marapachi bommai pairs are put to sleep as culmination of navarathri.

Happy navarathri to all the readers.

Savory Kuzhi Paniyaram

In the southern sates of India, breakfast largely comprise of dosa or idli. Hence, households in these regions are saddled with plenty of this batter with which they make Kuzhi Paniyaram. This evening snack which is spiced with green chillies, onion and coriander is a hit with kids.
Traditionally, Kuzhi Paniyaram was made in a special frying pan made of bell metal. It was heavy and had deep cups in it, which helped to cook the Kuzhi Paniyaram evenly. However, nowdays light weight non-stick appe pans are available in the market. These pans use less oil and also hastens the cooking of Kuzhi Paniyaram.

Ingredients:
Leftover idli batter -3 cups
Chopped onion -1/2 cup
chopped green chillies - 1 tsp
chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp
Grated coconut -1 tsp
Salt and oil - As required

Method:
Combine all the ingredients. Check the consistency. The batter should be thick and not running. Heat an appe pan with few drops of oil in it. Reduce the flame and pour a ladle-full of the batter in each depression or cups. When the edges leaves the pan flip and cook the other side of the paniyaram. Cook evenly till it turns brown in colour. Serve hot with red chutney or any dip of your choice.  

Simple spaghetti pasta

Ingredients:

Delmonte Spaghetti – 250 gm

Onion - 2

Blanched carrots -1/2 cup

Blanched broccoli - 1/2

Blanched green peas - 1/2 cup

Capsicum - 1/2

Garlic -few pods

Skimmed milk -1 cup

Grated cheddar cheese -1 cup

Milk powder -2tsp

Oil as required

Salt to taste

Seasonings:

Oregano powder -1/2 tsp

White pepper powder -2 tsp

Chilli flakes – 3 tbsp

Method:

Add little salt in one litre of water and heat it over a medium flame. When it begins to boil, add the spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti al dente. Drain the water. Stir in some oil and spread it on a plate. Allow it to cool. In the meantime chop the vegetables into strips. Crush the garlic pods coarsely.

Combine the seasonings and milk powder with the milk. Keep it aside.

In a non-stick wok or kadai, stir fry the chopped onions with little oil. When it turns translucent add the garlic. Cook till the raw smell of garlic goes away. Next add the capsicum. Stir cook for few seconds. Next, add the blanched vegetables. Stir for few seconds. Then, add the milk mixture, grated cheese, salt and cooked spaghetti. Cook for few seconds stirring continuously till everything is blended well. Serve hot.

Note:

Pizza seasoning powder can also be added to give that extra flavour.

 

Soda Sikanji

Shikanji is the local name for the common lemonade. The key ingredient is lemon, but mint or ginger is added to give that extra flavour. This refreshing drink popular in North India, takes many avatars when soda or sprite is added to it instead of water.

Ingredients:
Lemon -2
Sugar -1/2 cup
Mint -few sprigs
Chat masala -1 tsp
Black salt -1 sp
Sparkling water -1 bottle

Method:
Dissolve the sugar in little water.  Extract the juice of two lemon. Crush the mint leaves. Combine the lemon juice, crushed mint leaves, chat masala, black salt with the sugar water. Strain and pour small quantity of this preparation in tall glasses.

Add chilled sprinkling water and dilute it. Adjust the taste. Garnish with mint leaves before serving.  

Green gram sundal

Sundals are offerings to god during the nine days of navarathri. It also serves as an excellent evening snack. Green gram being high on protein is recommended for diabetics.

Ingredients:
Green gram -2 cups
Grated coconut -1 tsp
Red chilly -1 broken into two
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Salt and oil - as required

Method:
Wash and soak the green gram in water for 5 hours. Drain the water and steam it in a pressure cooker for 5 minutes. Keep it aside. Next, temper the mustard seeds, red chilly and curry leaves in little oil. Add the cooked green gram and required salt.. Stir fry for few seconds. Garnish with grated coconut.