Ragi Idli With Drumstick Sambar/Murungakkai Sambar#SundayFunday

Ragi idli are steamed cakes made with Ragi/Finger millets & urad dal. Traditionally idli recipe is made with urad dal and idli rice. Ragi Idli are so soft and spongy, nutritious millet it's also vegan, gluten free and a gut friendly breakfast , meal or snack.

Ragi is also know as Finger Millet which along with other millet varieties are a fine choice for people living with diabetes, as it's higher in fiber, minerals, and amino acids than white rice. Ragi has also the highest plant-based calcium, minerals, protein and dietary fibers.

Ingredients
1 Cup Ragi
1 Cup Idli Rice
¾ Cup Urad dal
¼ Teaspoon Methi/ Fenugreek seeds
1 Teaspoon Oil
Salt as required

Method
Soak Idli rice for 4-5 hours in a bowl.

Soak Urad dal & methi seeds in another bowl for 4-5 hours.
Drain the water.

Grind all the ingredients to very smooth batter by adding as little as water as possible to a paste.

Pour the batter in the large pot/vessel & mix it thoroughly with your hands for about 3 - 4 minutes so that it get fluffy and this also helps in good fermentation of the batter.
Keep this batter overnight for fermentation.
Next day add salt as per taste & mix batter gently. Grease the idli mold & pour a ladle full of batter into each slot. 

Steam the idlis for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Drumstick Sambar Recipe / Murungakkai Sambar

A delicious Sambar plays a important roll in South Indian lunch menu. No festival or marriage function meal is complete without it. Each region in South India has its own way of making it. I have posted quite a lot of sambar variation on blog, you can check them out.

This is a different sambar recipe which is made with drumstick and three different dals. So it is really healthy one. The drumstick added in this gives a very unique taste to the sambar and flavors the sambar a lot. I used my homemade sambar powder for this, that too enhanced the taste a lot. So try this out and let me know how it turned out for you.

Serves 5 to 6
Ingredients
¼ Cup Tur Dal
¼ Cup Masoor Dal
¼ Cup Moong Dal
6 to 7 Shallots / Sambar Onion - peeled
3 -4 Drumsticks - cut into pieces
2 Tablespoon Tamarind Pulp
Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon Jaggery
3 to 4 Tablespoons Homemade Sambar Powder
For Tadka / Tempering
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Asafoetida

Method 

Wash all the dals well. Add it to a pot along with shallots. Cover with water. Bring it to boil, cover and simmer until the dal is 80% cooked. Now add in drumstick, salt, jaggery, tamarind pulp, sambar powder and mix well. Bring this to boil and simmer again for 20 mins till everything is cooked.

Now make make the tadka by heating oil and crackling mustard and cumin. Add in asafoetida and mix well.

Pour this over the sambar and mix well.

Enjoy these Ragi Idli's with Drumstick Sambar Recipe / Murungakkai Sambar and Thakkali Chammanthi / Tomato Chutney,

Labels: Sambar, Drumsticks, South Indian, Ragi, Idli, Main course, Breakfast, Snack, Millets, Sunday Funday, Vegan, Gluten free, Healthy

For Sunday Funday we are sharing Millet recipes.

• Buttery Herb Millet by Food Lust People Love
• Puffed Millet Granola by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Ragi Idli With Drumstick Sambar/Murungakkai Sambar by Sneha's Recipes
• Ragi Rotti by Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Porso Millet Idli by Cook with Renu

Atta Ladoo/Whole Wheat Flour Ladoo#SundayFunday

Atta Ladoo is a popular sweet that is prepared during festivals and winter. It's a rich, made with desi ghee and nuts. It makes a sweet dessert or snack. This is commonly made in every house hold with some variations. It is a simple recipe with few ingredients, but the texture and taste is amazing!

For this ladoo you require coarsely ground whole wheat flour which is also used to make Kada Prashad, this is readily available in the market as Jada (coarse) or Ladoo Atta.

Make 20 to 25 Medium Ladoos
Ingredients
3 Cups Coarsely Ground Whole Wheat Flour
1 ½ Cup Desi Ghee1
½ Cup Bura Sugar / Karara Sugar
¼ Cup Almonds
¼ Cup Cashews
¼ Cup Golden Raisins
1 Teaspoon Cardamom powder

Method

Dry roast atta, in a thick bottom pan, on low medium heat until lightly colored this takes exactly 15 minutes. 

After this keep adding ghee 3 tablespoons at time and continue roasting, stirring continuously, when this is mixed add another few tablespoons of ghee and continue to stir continuously till all the ghee is used. 

Keep stirring on medium low flame till the atta will be light brown and will release a fragrant sweet aroma of roasting. 

This should take about 20 to 30 minutes or till it reaches a brown color and starts leaving ghee.

Once it reaches the desired color take off flame. Remove it it on to a big flat plate to cool. 

Now in the same pan add the almonds and cashewnuts and fry till they are toasted add the rasinis and fry for a minute.
When cooled chop the almonds and cashewnuts.

As you can see the ghee has surfaced on top. At this stage I, used a paper towel and dabbed off all the excess ghee that surfaced as much as possible. I did not want so much ghee in my ladoos. 

Now when the atta is lightly warm add the chopped almonds, cashew nuts, raisins, bura / karara sugar and cardamom powder. With your palms rub it into the atta mix so that all are incorporated nicely.

To make the ladoos, take about 2 - 3 tablespoons of atta mix into your palm. Gently press the mixture between your palms to form a smooth, round ball.

Leave the ladoos on a plate to cool to room temperature before putting into a airtight container. 

These ladoos can be stored for 2 to 3 weeks.

These are so delicious and mouth melting and assure you that you can't stop at one.  
Lables: Ladoo, Atta, Whole Wheat Flour, Desi Ghee, Raisins, Cashewnuts, Almond, Festival Sweets, Christmas Sweet, Snack, Sweets & Desserts, Diwali Faral

For Sunday Funday our today's theme is Diwali Party Recipes.  

• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Aloo Tikki
• Sneha’s Recipe: Atta Ladoo / Whole Wheat Flour Ladoo
• Palatable Pastime: Chicken Tikka Nan Pizza 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Chocolate Kalakand 
• Cook with Renu: Condensed Milk Instant Kalakand 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Crunchy Chickpeas Masala
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla : Gulab Jamun 
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Vegetable Pulao (Indian Rice Pilaf) 

Halloween Ghost Hardboiled Eggs#Sunday Funday

These spooky Halloween Ghost Hardboiled Eggs are packed in protein. They are so cute and easy to make. These are perfect for a snack, lunch box or even for breakfast. To give these a nice yellow look for the eyes and mouth I used yellow gel color since the yolks were not that dark yellow that I wanted.

Hardboiled eggs
Knife
A Standard size straw
A Milkshake size straw
A Drop Yellow Gel Color
Method

First, slice the bottom off of the eggs so they can stand upright without toppling.

Then, take your milk sized straw and insert it right where you imagine the ghost’s eyes to go – toward the narrow (top) end of the oval

Insert the straw just through the outer white portion of the egg and stop before you hit the firm yolk
twist the straw around so it carves out a circle
pull the straw out at a slight angle so the circle that you just carved out of the white part remains inside the straw as you pull it out of the egg (you’re essentially creating a vacuum effect with the straw)
squeeze the egg that is inside the straw out onto your work surface and repeat for more ghost eyes
Mouth

Use your regular sized straw for the mouth of the ghost
I like to squeeze the straw a little to shape it into an oval for the ghost’s mouth. 

Repeat the same procedure from above. That’s it! 

The Halloween Ghost Hardboiled Eggs are done. What a fun exercise. 
Labels: Keto, Low Carb, Egg, Halloween, Sunday Funday, Breakfast, Snack, Lunch Box  

Sunday Funday

Halloween Party Treats

• Ghostly Candy Apple Concoction Bark by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Jack O’Lantern Cheese Bites by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Halloween Ghost Hardboiled Eggs by Sneha's Recipes
• Spider Web Pretzels by Amy’s Cooking Adventures

Lobster Melt English Muffin Sandwich#FishFriday

These cheesy lobster melts are my favorite with a creamy lobster mixture. They’re wonderful when you want a little something different for brunch or a snack and it take a few minutes to make from a few simple ingredients. Here I have used ready to used lobster bites.

Serves Two

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Heaped Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Celery - finely chopped
2 tablespoons Onion - finely chopped
1 Clove Garlic - minced
½ Teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
4 -5 Lobster Bites - minced
2 - 3 Tablespoons Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Chopped Fresh Parsley, Fresh Thyme & Oregano
1 Teaspoon Oil
2 English Muffins - split - these are homemade

Method
To make the lobster mixture

Sauté a small onion in a teaspoon of oil, add the minced lobster bites ( you can used canned is fine, or use fresh lobster meat if you have access to it), add chopped celery and tabasco sauce.   

When it's well heated switch off the flame. Let it come to room temperature. Mix in the mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, fresh thyme and oregano, 

then spread the mixture on split English muffins and enjoy!!

Labels: Serves Two, English Muffin, Sandwiches, Lobster, Seafood/Fish, Fish Friday, Kids delight, Snack, Brunch

For Fish Friday this month our theme is Lobster Rolls. Check the recipes made. 

• A Lobster Roll Style Debate: Maine vs. Connecticut by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Brown Butter Lobster Roll by Palatable Pastime
• Baked Lobster Roll Dip by Food Lust People Love
• Hot Buttered Lobster Rolls with Homemade New England Style Buns by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Lobster Melt English Muffin Sandwich by Sneha's Recipe
• Lobster Roll BLT by A Day in the Life on the Farm 

Chicken & Cheese Open Sandwiches#Improv

Like to have something good and delicious with breakfast or for an evening snack, then these quick and easy sandwiches are easy to make.

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Milk
2 Cubes Processed Cheese - grated
1 Cup Grilled Chicken - I used rotisserie
Salt & Black Pepper to taste taste
1 Spring Onion/Scallion - finely chopped
1 Green Capsicum - chopped
½ Teaspoon Red Chilly Flakes
1 Teaspoon Butter
Bread Slices - as required

Method

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour, sauté for a minute then add milk a little at a time, make sure to stir well so that no lumps form. Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring constantly, so that the mixture thickens and becomes glossy. Add grated cheese, mix well , switch off the flame.

In a another pan add the butter when melted just toss the chopped capsicum, spring onion, shredded chicken and chilly flakes for a minute. Switch off the flame. Mix this with cheese sauce.

Apply this mixture to the bread slices and grill it in a sandwich toaster or apply this to a toasted slices of bread and Enjoy!!
I have make these both ways they both taste awesome.
They were so..ooo good.

Labels: Improv Cooking Challenge, Open Sandwiches, Chicken, Cheese, Kids delight, Breakfast, Snack 

 Improv Cooking Challenge

Cheese & Onions

• Beef Tenderloin Sandwiches by Palatable Pastime
• Cheese Toasts by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chicken & Cheese Open Sandwiches by Sneha's Recipes
• Paneer Burji Potstickers by Magical Ingredients
• Welsh Onion Cake by Pandemonium Noshery  

Potato Cheese Samosa#SundayFunday

Make the perfect Potato Cheese Samosas for snack time or kid's lunch box. These are crispy, crunchy pockets filled with potatoes and cheese . These samosas are perfection in every bite. Eat them on their own or dunk them in a hot & sweet ketchup or any sweet or spicy chutney of your choice.

Cup Measurement 250ml
Ingredients
For Dough
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons Ghee - melted
¼ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Water - I used
For Filling
½ Boiled Potatoes
¾ Boiled Green Peas
8 - 10 Mint Leaves
2 Tablespoons Green coriander Leaves
3 Green chilies or to your spice level
¼ Teaspoon Red Chili Flakes or to your spice level
½ Teaspoon Salt or to taste
100 Grams Grated Mozzarella Cheese
Oil for frying as required

Method

For The Dough 

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and knead to a stiff dough. Take it out on to a work surface and again knead for 2 minutes till smooth. Cover and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.

In the meantime let's make the filling

In bowl add all the ingredients as mentioned except the cheese. Mix well, taste for salt and spices add according to your taste if required. 

Then add the cheese and again mix well.

Filling is ready.

Look at this post to make the Samosa.

Place the filling and seal the samosa. 

Heat the oil in a kadai, and deep-fry the samosas on a slow flame till they turn golden brown in color. Drain on absorbent paper. Keep aside. 

Serve. Eat them on their own or dunk them in a hot & sweet ketchup or any sweet or spicy chutney of your choice.  

Labels: Sunday Funday, Boiled Potato, Cheese, Snack, Kids delight, Party pleasers, Street food

Sunday Funday theme is "Kids Lunch Box"   

• Brookies from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Crescent Roll Pizzas from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Corn Spinach Muffins from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Kidney Bean Patties Wraps for Lunch Box from Cook with Renu
• Potato Cheese Samosa from Sneha’s Recipe
• Swiss Cheese Spread from Palatable Pastime