A MILE STONE!

Remember I kept telling you "I can't take a break now even when I am on vacation because something special is coming up"? Here is the reason!;D

YAY!!! This post is my 100th and on July 14th 2007,I will be completing one full year of blogging! What a coincidence that it came to 100th post this week and a year too! I had never thought I would be blogging for so long.Many times I have thought of making FH into a private blog and just keep it for my kids! Sometimes I got stressed to keep up,sometimes I have laughed whenever I update my old posts and few readers are shocked(;D) to see my post show up in their blog roll other than Wednesdays and most of the time I am too happy to blog about food and such.It's been fun so far!:)

It's all because of you my blog friends and your comments which I appreciate tremendously that kept me going.Comments are like a protein boost to any blogger's creativity.I comment on so many great blogger who hardly get any comments at all from others!! But It is also a two way street indeed. Bloggers got to appreciate others' work too! Just lurking around without commenting is not enough either! Blogging is harder than people think and not to mention the funny politics which goes on!! OYYY!!;D

Anyway,one mile stone is reached and I am happy for that.Let's see what happens in the 2nd year,more excitement about food blogging or brain freeze??!!
A note to all new bloggers; Foodie's hope is my main blog with new post every Wednesday! I know many of you like Aroma but makes me happier to see you here as well!!:)
"Thank you all once again,here is to the beginning of second year.Cheers!!"

Okay,let's eat now people; how about a Black Bean Burger platter!!
When in Nashville,we went to a fast food chain called 'Charley's Cheese Burgers'.They had these wonderfully spicy veg.Black bean burgers which I loved and had to make them as soon as I came back home.Here it is,slightly Indian style Burgers! You can make the burgers as thin as you like,I made them thick. Beans are quite bland,make them spicy!!

Black Bean Burger,Potato Wedges and homegrown Cherry Tomatoes platter:


How to make Burgers:
1. Drain,rinse 16oz can of Black beans well until very dry and mash in a big bowl.
2. Now mince 2" ginger, 1/2 large onion, 1-2 garlic or 1 tsp garlic pd,1/4 tsp chilli flakes or 2 minced green chillies,1 tsp cumin seeds or 2 tsp cumin seeds pd,1 tbsp coriander leaves/Cilantro,1/2 tsp Mango pd,2 tbsp bread crumbs and 3 tbsp plain flour ,add all these to beans.
3. Mix well to stiff dough,add more flour if it's soft and add more water if it's too form, use your judgment. Adjust the seasoning. Divide into medium sized balls as thin or thick as you want and flatten them slightly to make thick or thin patties,chill in the fridge for half an hour.
4. Deep fry or shallow fry them until golden both sides.Add some cheese on top while they are cooling,so they melt in the heat of the Burgers.I added some crumbled Habanero cheddar cheese! SPICY!!
5. Meanwhile,slice 2-3 Potatoes in to 8 wedges,deep fry them as well until cooked.Drain them well on a paper napkin,sprinkle with salt,pepper and any spices like Mrs,Dash on the Potato wedges while still hot.
6. Serve burgers on the bun with Tomato slices,red onion rings,any sauce you like with Potato wedges and a salad.Enjoy! :)

Coffee plantation/Coorg style Benne` Kadubus with Coorgi Koli Kari:
Benne` means butter in Kannada and Kadubu (or Kadambattu for Coorgis) is a unique steamed bread/rice dumplings from the Coorg region and also from my grandmother's coffee plantation Lingayat kitchen in Hassan district,Karnataka.You will not get these authentic Kadubus in any restaurants except may be in small restaurants in and around Madikeri/Coorg!
My ajji would argue that Butter is not included in this recipe,but the texture of Kadubus itself is like butter hence the name Benne Kadubus but my theory is add a little butter to make them taste yummier!:D
You can also add 1/2 cup grated coconut to the Kadubu while cooking the Kadubus and 1/8tsp Cardamom pd for extra sweet flavor.
Of course, my ajji is a strict vegetarian,so Chicken curry or Koli(Chicken in Kannada) Kari in this combo is a Coorgi recipe which is traditionally served with Kadubus or Paputtus. Another Coorg/Kodagu's favorite side dish to serve with these breads is Pandi Kari/Pork curry or red coconut chutney.
You can make it vegetarian adding Cauliflower and Potato or Bamboo shoots,Black eyed peas and raw Jackfruit like my ajji, using the same masala,tastes great too.

Sunday lunch with Benne Kadubus with Chicken Curry:


To make Kadubus, you need:Makes about 6-7
1 cup thari(coarsely crushed raw rice), 1 1/2 cup of water, salt to taste, 1 tbsp Butter.1/2 tsp cardamoms pd and 1/4 cup Coconut(both optional)
To make:
1. Grind 1 cup raw rice without water until you get a coarse powder like Rava/Cream of wheat.Mix the thari, water ,butter and salt together(coconut and cardamom if you are using), simmer on a slow heat, stir it gently,cover and cook until you get lumps of soft almost dry rice.Take off the heat,cool slightly.
2. When it's still warm,apply some oil on the palms and roll it into medium sized balls.
3. Steam them like Idlies in the pressure cooker as usual for 12 mins.Serve warm with curry or Chutney of your choice.You can reheat these sprinkled with some water in the Microwave covered in a glass bowl.
4. You might be wondering how to eat these! You pinch off a piece of Kadubu and crush it to mix with little gravy to eat,it's as simple as that folks!:D

Step by step photos for Benne Kadubus and Coorgi Koli Kari:
Click on this to make it larger.


To make Chicken curry,you need:
3 chicken breasts,cut into medium sized pieces,1/4 cup cilantro, 1 large onion,thinly sliced, salt to taste,1 can of coconut milk,1 tsp sugar or Jaggery.
Roast these: 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 2-3 red chillies or 1/2 tsp chili powder+ paprika,1 tsp cumin seeds, 2" cinnamon/dalchini, 4 cloves, 2 tsp poppy seeds, and grind with 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2" piece ginger, 3 cloves garlic,tamarind juice until smooth paste.Keep it aside.
To make the curry:
1. In a pan,(I use pressure pan) heat 2 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter oil.Add the onions and fry until caramelized,as in the picture.
2. Add the ground masala, salt and fry well until you see the oil on top. When the raw smell goes, add the chicken and fry. Add about 1 cup of water ,cover and cook till done.Turn down the heat,add sugar and salt to taste.
3. Add the coconut milk and gently stir,simmer for 5 mins.Add cilantro and lemon juice if needed.I add some coarsely crushed peppercorns after I take it off of the heat.Tastes better a day after. Enjoy:))

If you don't want to make Kadubus,(which you should try to make at least once in a life time!),here is a wonderful light savory bread you can bake with either bread machine or make it by hand and have it with your chicken curry!!

Buttermilk Onion Bread:
I encourage you to bake this wonderful bread.It's very light and it smells so good when it's baking.Since it's savory,it tastes great with soups and any gravy dishes like Chicken curry above.The recipe is adapted from my favorite 'Taste of home' magazine.Hope you try!:)


How to bake the bread,you need:
1 cup plus two tbsp warm buttermilk (heated 80 degrees F), 1 tbsp soft butter, 2 1/2 cups bread flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 2 tsp Wheat Gluten,3 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp dried minced onion, 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp dill weed, 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast.
To Bake in the bread machine:
1. In a bread machine pan, place all the ingredients in order suggested by the manufacturer of your bread machine. Select basic bread with light crust setting and 1 1/2lb loaf size.Bake.
To make it by hand:
1. Warm Buttermilk to 80F-90F, add all the ingredients,knead well,let it rise until double.Punch down again ,knead and let it rise again for an hour.
2. Heat the oven for 375F,put the dough in the greased,floured 2lb loaf pan and bake for 35-45mins or until loaf is hollow sounding and fully baked.
3. Cool on a rack and store wrapped in foil or Saran wrap.That's it!:)

I will end my 100th post and a year of blogging with a huge,


to all of you.I love you all bloggies!:))

Before I go,a sweet request to all the ghost readers/regular obsessive compulsive lurkers!!
PLEASE leave comments on all the blogs you visit,read,cook from and enjoy. Don't take us bloggers for granted.If we make all our blogs private,what the heck are you going to cook in your kitchens and do with your free time!:0 Think about that!!!;D
We work too hard to cook,type and post.We are too happy to entertain and help you out if need be.Please say is 'Hello' or 'Thank you' to us!!!Is it too much to ask? I think not!!:))
Okey dokey,have a great weekend and keep smiling. RCI Punjab next!!

A MeMe:
Last but not least, a tag for a short and sweet MeMe "Five Double Luxuries" to do which is just launched by Anali from "Anali's first amendment" blog.
She says "This makes me think of all those wonderful and unnecessary luxuries in life. In no way do we need them to survive, but they make life so much better!"
Take it up if you like and enjoy!:)
Here are my Five double Luxuries:
1. Cookbooks and Laptop.
2. Indian Chaat(Street cart food) and Masala Dosas(Savory Pancakes)!:)
3. Exotic spices(Annatto,Mace) and herbs like Mint.
4. Movies and Dish Network!:D
5. Camera and Camcorder!!!

Thanks Anali,it was a fun MeMe!:))