IT'S POURING GOURDS!! :D

Hope you all had wonderful Onam, Raksha Bandhan and Devi Pooja celebrations my friends! Enjoy..err..digest the festival food!:D
It's not raining but pouring Gourd dishes this week! Whoever said "Are we expecting the Gourd dishes here then?!" when you saw the 6 gourds jokingly last week, it's all YOUR fault. Blame yourself for encouraging me!! Hahaha!
I do LOVE cooking with fresh tender Gourds and all these dishes are my favorites. I am too happy to share with you. Choose what you like and enjoy while I get my spanking new eye sight!:D
A request: One of my Kannadiga reader, a mother-to-be, Jyoti V from Australia made Benne Biscuits I posted last week and loved them.She is asking if anyone know the recipes for B'lore bakery style Honey Cake and Kobbari(dry coconut)Biscuits(craving is a good word here!) Let's help her out and please let me know if any of you know these recipes.Thanks!:)

Bidding Adieu!!

Saying "Goodbye" to my oldest companion ie Myopia tomorrow!! I am going under the Lasik Wavefront surgery at 8am on the 30th,Thursday and will be in LALA land(sleeping ie!:D) for 24+hrs after that!:)



Thanks to all of you in advance for your comments and wishes from tomorrow,I will check on you later this weekend. I don't think it will be that painful because I saw women who had Lasik surgery the day before, sitting there next day for 24hr follow up reading magazines without any stress!! So I will take Thursday and Friday off ,then back to normal blogging.
This will not affect in any way with RCI K event,keep sending them to my e mail, so I can check on them ASAP.Some of you asked whether it's okay to send more than entry. YES,send as many dishes as you can with the photos because this is probably the ONLY chance to showcase Karnataka state's cuisine in blogosphere!:)

From babyhood to all grown up, my beloved Gourds!
I plant three seeds of Birdhouse gourd as they say here in US around May in a huge pot with good soil,carved with large holes in the bottom so the roots gets into the ground in time and then I will keep just one little sapling to grow.It climbs onto the deck later on and spreads luxuriously.Since it has stopped flowering,we pulled the gourd plant out and cleaned up the deck yesterday, no more Gourds for me!;p


Avial, with Bottle gourd,Green beans in spicy coconut gravy:
My own little contribution to Kerala Sadya feast for Onam! I always loved this simple but delicious dish, one of my favorite of all the Kerala delicacies!


How to make it:

1. Cook peeled, chopped 3 cups of Gourd, and 2 cups of chopped Green beans in 2 cups of water until soft.
2. Grind 1/4 cup fresh coconut, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 2-3 green chillies and 2 tsp raw rice(uncooked) to a fine paste with little water, not too much.Keep aside.
3. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan, add few curry leaves, 1/2 tsp Mustard (optional).Add cooked veggies,salt and boil. Lower the heat, add 1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream,and ground coconut and simmer for 5 mins until the you get a good aroma.
4. Serve with rice or chapatis or Dosas.YUM!



Sorekai Pachadi:
This cooked gourd raita is so tasty with flavorful spices and other vegs, it's good enough to eat on it's own or with any Roti and also very refreshing to have with plain cooked rice!

1. Microwave 1 cup peeled,chopped Gourd with water,drain and cool.
2. Finely cube 1/4 cup each of baby Carrots, red onion, cucumber, Zucchini,1 tomato, red and green sweet bell pepper,salt,1 finely chopped green chilli, 2 tbsp Cilantro, 1/2 tbsp mint leaves and mix.
3. Add 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/4 tsp each of Chaat masala,1/8 tsp of garam masala and cooked gourd pieces.Mix them all gently.
4. Chill for 1/2 an hour and serve.

Creamy Lauki Kofta Curry:
Koftas are Veg or Meat balls,fried and served with creamy gravy. I have made my own Kaddu(with Butternut squash) Kofta before. I tried Lauki/bottle gourd this time with gravy recipe based on a cookbook "Dadima Ki Rasoi" by Aruna Kirpal. It was delicious.Of course I had to make changes as I always do with Koftas since they can be little too watery to bind them to Koftas.

1. Fry 2 large onions until reddish,grind with 2 garlic,1" ginger, and 2-3 Plum tomatoes to make a smooth paste.
2. Heat the 2 tsp oil and 2 tsp butter in a pan, add the ground paste and fry until thick and oil shows on top. Stir in 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/4 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, salt and fry for a few more minutes. Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to the boil.
3. Add finely chopped 1 tbsp cilantro and 1/2 tbsp mint leaves. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the gravy thickens.
4. Turn down the heat to low and wait till it cools down a little. Beat 1/2 cup cream and pour in the gravy,stir gently until mixed.Simmer for 5 mins.
5. Tastes better the next day.Heat Koftas in the oven and add to gravy just before you serve along with drizzled cream on top either with rice or soft Naans.

To Make Lauki Koftas:

1. Mix 1 small Gourd (bottle gourd), peeled and chopped fine or 2 cups grated, salt,1/2 cup or more Potato flakes or mashed potatoes,enough to bind the Koftas in to balls, 1/4 cup besan (gram flour), 1 tbsp Cornstarch,1 tsp amchoor (dried raw mango) powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder,make tennis sized balls, deep fry until reddish.Drain and keep aside. (Baking doesn't work with Besan mixed Koftas but you can reheat the Koftas in the oven before serving to crisp them!)

Bottle Gourd Peel Chutney:
What do you do with all those peels when you clean up the Gourds? Make scrumptious chutney out of them!!:D Make sure gourd is young ,not mature. Peels must be soft without the stringy veins to make this chutney.Tastes wonderful with Dosas!


How to make it:

1. Collect all the tender peels, wash and cook them in the Microwave with little water for 5 mins,drain the water if there is too much or save for grinding chutney.
2. Add the peels to the blender along with 1/2 cup fresh coconut, 2 tbsp yellow roasted chutney gram(hurikadale),3 green chillies, salt, little lump of tamarind, 2tbsp yogurt,1 small garlic,1/2" ginger, 2 tbsp cilantro,few curry leaves with little water from cooked peels to a smooth thickish paste.
3. Heat 2 tsp oil, add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp Urad dal, 1 red chilly, few curry leaves until reddish,add to the chutney.

Sorekai Bele Saaru:
Gourd with red gram dal gravy! My favorite sambar with my ajji's saaru powder cooked with Tuar dal and gourd, so yummy I could eat this in a soup bowl with toasted slices of bread unlike my ajji!!:D

Cook 1 cup Tuar dal with 1 sliced Onion,2 cups of water until soft in a pressure cooker.Add 3 cups of tender gourd cubes and boil for 5-10 mins until they are just soft, not mashed.Add 1 tbsp saaru powder,cilantro,2 tsp tamarind juice,1 tomato chopped,1/8 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp ghee and salt.Simmer for 5 mins, add seasoning and serve with rice and papad.
Seasoning: Heat 2tsp oil, add 2 chopped garlic, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds,few curry leaves,1/2 chopped onion, 1 red chilly, pinch of Hing.
Saaru powder: Toast 1tbsp Coriander seeds,1/2 tbsp Channa dal, 1/2 tbsp Tuar dal, 2-3 red chillies dried, 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds,a pinch of hing(asafoedia), 1 tsp raw rice until reddish,cool and poeder.Use as much as you need in the Sambhar.

Lauki-Coconut Halwa:
Finally, a dessert!!:)) I made a similar halwa I posted at Aroma for an event last week. But this Halwa is made with finely cubed Gourd instead of grated, even tastier than that dish with the additional fragrant spices, Raisins and coconut!

Refer to that recipe to follow with the same steps but with finely cubed gourd instead of grated, add an additional 1/8 tsp Clove pd, 1/4 tsp sweet Cinnamon pd, 1/4 cup sweetened coconut or plain grated dried or fresh coconut,2 tbsp golden raisins to the dish before Microwaving and cook until soft and thickish. Serve warm or cold!!
Well.. I will see you all this weekend in your blogs. I am sure I will be alright by then and can see without glasses! (hopefully,fingers crossed!:P) Keep cooking those delicious dishes for RCI,I will check my e mail and spam folder too. Next week I will post part 1 of my own mom's and grandmothers'(read Lingayat=pure vegetarian!) K'taka dishes, my part 2 will have non-veg dishes. Have a great weekend!:))

RCI: KARNATAKA (annoncing early), BENNE` BISCUITS AND JFI-RICE

I am home from vacation and back to blogging. I successfully resisted the temptation to open the laptop for almost 4 days!! Hurray!!:D

NC coast at 6pm! Just the sight and sound of water soothes my soul!!:)


"Regional Cuisines of India" aka RCI event is started by LakshmiK from "Veggie cuisine" blog! Thanks for giving me the opportunity to host my beautiful home state's cuisine LK! :)

Here is my Karnataka cuisine logo for you to display with your entries with a link to this post! You can post RCI logo as well if you like.


About Karnataka cuisine:
Karnataka is blessed with a rich culinary heritage. Regional food habits differ vastly depending on locally available ingredients; the result is a richly varied spread. The state’s vast culinary repertoire covers the earthy flavors of North Karnataka(Dhrawad,Hubli,etc), the delicious traditional fare of South Karnataka,the yummy Mysorean (Lingayats, Gowdas,Madhwas) spread with the use of lot of coconuts(my dad's home), the spicy Seafood dishes of the coastal region(Tuluvas,Konkanis,Bunts, Saraswats),the distinctive Kodava (Coorgi)cuisine and unique mix of Coorgi and Mangalorean cuisine from the coffee plantations of Malnaadu(my mom's and hubby's home!).
I would like to make special mention of our beloved rivers like Cauvery (Thala Kaveri also called Dakshina Ganga="Ganges of the South" rises from Brahmagiri Hill in Coorg/Kodagu), Tunga, Bhadra, Sharavathi & Ghataprabha which pass through this beautiful land (with beautiful people too, inside and out!).I must say that I am a very proud Kannadiga or Kannadathi (feminine)!:)

I love rivers, specially my childhood playgrounds Cauvery and Netravathi rivers.(My heart aches now!) How proud and nostalgic am I of my roots?! Here is my SUV's license plate!! Hahaha!



Scroll all the way down to see my husband's "very Indian" license plate!!:)



A typical Karnataka vegetarian spread I made for Deepavali last year and check out these K'taka recipes in Shivaratri post too:

Some typical dishes from Karanataka; Cumin seasoned rice,Veg. Pulao,Uppittu,Chitranna,Mosaranna,Saaru(sambhar),Thili saaru(Rasam),Bassaru, Massoppu,Majjige hui/Saaru,various rottis,Beans, cucumber and Carrot Kosumbari(salad),Chakli,Pakoda,Bonda, Bajji,Kodubale,Nippattu,Mysore Pak,Kobbari Mithai(coconut Barfi),any Payasa/halbai,Ambali,Dose,Idly,Obbattu, Majjige(spiced Buttermilk),Paanaka, Happala,Sandige,chutneys,uppinkai(pickles), and many more!!Samosas and Jamuns are not typical South Indian desserts but Indian desserts of course!:)
A sample of Karnataka style Benne Biscuits!
Here is an authentic Karnataka Kannada Brahmin special Butter cookies I made last week before I left (all cookies are called Biscuits in India,southern US biscuits with Gravy are different!) or Benne Biscattu as we call in Kannada. I learned this from my dearest friend Bana from Bangalore.Iyengar Bakeries in B'lore and Mysore are famous for these, but of course you cannot recreate those at home! This is the best I can do!:)

To make them:
1. Sift 1 cup plain/all purpose/Maida flour, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder,1/4 tsp of salt.
2. Cream 1/2 cup softened Butter or margarine (my friend uses a mix of butter and Dalda,a Indian product which probably make a lot of difference in the texture) and 1/3 cup white Sugar until creamy and fluffy. (Adding 1 tsp of Vanilla essence is optional,she never used it, I don't use it either)
3. Add in the flour mix little by little to make a soft dough, not sticky. Turn on the oven to 350F.
4. Make about 12-14 balls lightly rolling on your palm,flatten a bit on top. Do not press too hard.Place them on a non-stick baking sheet 2" apart,sprinkle little flour on top for a thin coating,not too much (to get that floury coating bakeries have). Keep in the fridge at least for 5 mins until the oven is preheated.
5. Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 10-15mins or until very slightly golden but they must remain almost white when done.
6. Cool on a rack, and enjoy with a hot cup of Mysore coffee!
Savory Biscuits: Instead of Sugar, you add very finely chopped green chillies,curry leaves,Cilantro and crushed Cumin seeds.Adjust the salt, make and bake as above. YUM!

Another easier and yummier recipe for Benne Biscuits, which you can adapt to make Khara biscuits with Cumin, Ajwain, finely chopped curry leaves and chilli flakes instead of sugar to enjoy is here.

A new award and got Schmoozed multiple times!!:)

Our own true blood Odiyan Pragyan from "Sorisha" blog awarded me with this! Thank you darling P, we are all very proud to have you as a blogger from Odissa and Srivalli from "Cooking 4 all seasons" also passed on the same award to me. Thank you Sri, I will be too happy to comment in your blog, no need to ask!:D Viji from "Malabar Ruchi" and Raaga from "Chef at work"have added me too in their award list,thank you so much Viji,I appreciate it:))
I will pass this to:
I see most of you already have the "Rocking Girl" award. I would like to give this on to Linda from "Out of the Garden" blog, who is truly a rocking unofficial Indian!I have never seen any other American lady cooking Indian food so passionately as she does and she cooks better Indian dishes than us "the natives" sometimes!!:D
And I would also like to give this to Anusha from "Talimpu" blog who amazes me with her recipes which are most simple and ALWAYS delicious dishes with so few ingredients as her "Talimpu=seasoning" blog name suggests! You do rock Anusha!
I know my posts shock the Talimpu out of ya every week with my long and multiple ingredients but you still come to me anyway, take time to read EVERYTHING! Thanks!:)
Schmoozed again and again by:
Manasi from "A cook @ Heart", Richa from "As dear as salt", Priyanka from "Aahar", Viji from "Malabar Ruchi" and Srivalli again awarded me the "Schoomze" award! Thank you gals, love ya!:))

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NOW...JFI-RICE:



Jihva for ingredients aka JFI is started by Indira of "Mahanadi" blog. This month's host for JFI is Sharmi from "Neivedyam" blog and she has chosen Asia's favorite staple ingredient "RICE" as a theme! Thanks for hosting and choosing a great theme Sharmi!:))




Here are two delicious entries for JFI;
A vegetarian Indonesian snack Rempeyek, crispy fried rice balls or patties,
and second is a non-veg, all American "Campbell soup" dish; Rice and chicken casserole baked with Campbell's soup. Enjoy!

About Rice:
Rice plants have been traced back to 5000 BC, but the practice of rice growing is believed to have originated in areas of China, and southern and eastern Asia, in about 2000 BC.Today, this unique grain helps sustain two-thirds of the world's population.Rice cultivation is the principal activity and source of income for about 100 million households in Asia and Africa.Rice is a good source of carbohydrates,vitamins and minerals such as thiamine, niacin, iron, riboflavin, vitamin D, calcium, and fiber,low in fat,low in salt,low in sugar,no cholesterol and Non-allergenic. Not bad,eh?!! Unrefined brown rice is even more nutritional! More interesting facts about rice is here.

Indonesian Rempeyek:
This recipe adapted by "Rice and Spice" book by Robin Robertson.Basically,these patties are made of Indonesian fried rice mashed and fried with a crisp coating.A tasty crunchy shallow fried spicy rice fritters,apparently a popular snack in Indonesia sold like our own Indian Pav Bhaji,Sev puri on the street carts! It sure tastes good with Soy sauce and hot Sambal Olek. Try it!:))



You need:
2 1/2 cups cold cooked rice(Jasmine or any other kind of cooked rice), 1 cup very finely chopped cabbage, 1/2 cup minced onions, 1/2 cup finely grated carrots, 1/4 cup toasted chopped peanuts (spicy beer nuts will do too), 1 tbsp Cornstarch, 1 garlic minced clove or 1/2 tsp garlic pd,,1/2" ginger, grated, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce or kechap manis,1 tbsp Cilantro, 1 tbsp grated unsweetened coconut, 1/4 tsp light brown sugar, 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon and Cardamom or 1 tsp Chinese Five spice),salt to taste,1/4 tsp cayenne pd to taste.
For coating: 1/4 cup seasoned plain flour with a tbsp of very crunchy Japanese Panko bread crumbs,
1 cup Canola oil to shallow fry in a wide non-stick pan.
Garnish with cilantro, and serve with Sambal Olek(fresh red chillies minced and mixed with little oil and salt) and Soya sauce or ketchup if you are a scardy cat to try HOT Sambal Olek!!;D
To make them:
1. Mash the cooked rice until grains are soft and mushy. Add in all the ingredients except the seasoned flour and oil in a food processor or by hand until well blended.
2. Transfer to a bowl,taste for correct seasoning, scoop 1/2 cup of the mixture, shape into 1/4 " thick patties or smaller balls. Place them on a plate. You should have 6-8 patties or many balls.
3. Lightly coat the patties with the flour and bread crumbs mixed with salt and pepper, shake off all excess flour and chill it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.
4. Heat the oil in a large pan, over medium heat. Add the patties and cook in batches until lightly golden on both sides. Serve immediately with Soy sauce and Sambal Olek! Have fun!:))

Deliciously Cheesy Chicken, vegetables and Rice Casserole!
Recipe adapted from Campbell Soup kitchen with my little changes!

You need: 1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's Healthy Request concentrated Cream of Chicken and Mushroom Soup, 1 1/3 cup water, 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice(or use quick cooking Uncle Ben's rice to make sure they cook in time!), 1/2 tsp. onion powder,1/2 tsp Garlic pd, 1/2 tsp Mrs.Dash mixed spice,1 cup fresh or frozen or canned vegetables, 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese,2 tbsp Parmesan cheese.
To make it:
1. Stir soup, water, rice, dry powders, and vegetables 12 x 8" shallow baking dish.
2. Top with chicken. Season chicken with salt and pepper as desired.
3. Bake for 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until done. Top with cheese,let it bake for 5 more mins until it melts.
4.Delicious casserole is ready,serve with a salad.Vegetarians can skip chicken and add potatoes etc.Hope you try.

My husband's license plate!


"Vaidya" in Sanskrit, which is the oldest language of India, means "doctor" or "medicine man"! Arvind is a medical doctor!! How cool is that to drive around with Vaidya mobile? ;D


A local Gynecologist drives around with a plate which says "I do Paps"!!(short for Pap smear) Vaidya is way lot better,don't you think? Sanskrit rocks!!:D

Last weekend:
Beach vacation was great, 95F+ everyday! While white people literally fried themselves to dark brown in the Sun the whole day, we brown people went to the movies every afternoon to save our skin!;D
We went to play in the warm Ocean in the early morning and after 5pm, had a wonderful time. Then visited a outlet mall, bought shoes for the kids and the I found myself a "Kitchen Collection" store!! I dumped the kids immediately with hubby, told them sit outside and shopped for gadgets,cutlery etc till I dropped!! Hahaha! (Too many stuff to take a photo!)

I came home to these beauties yesterday, quickly watered all the almost dried up plants and now I have to cook all these ASAP!!



YES!!! Got six gourds at one time!! I spent few hrs peeling and chopping them yesterday. Phew!!

See you all next week with I don't know what in this blog!!:P My own K'taka cuisine will be in 2 weeks, still got to cook. Have a fun filled weekend you guys!:)

SOUPS, SALADS AND SLOPPY JOE!

Happy 60th Independence day to India!!



Saffron represents "courage and sacrifice",
White represents "peace, unity and truth",
Green represents "fertile land",
The Blue wheel in the center represents "Dharma Chakra"(the wheel of Law).





Mother India has come a long way, here is her brief history:
The Indus Valley is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, dating back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier inhabitants created the unique Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were followed by European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control all over India. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism under Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru (first Prime Minister of India) led to India's independence on August 15th, 1947.Info from here.

"Nice Matters" award with the cutest logo ever!:))

Cyber Kitty from "That's how it really works!!" blog gave me the "Nice matters" award. So nice of you CK! Thanks, Love ya!!:)
You are ALL nice bloggers to me, the best foodies around! I don't dare choose!:))
But who is the nicest of all bloggers I can think of to pass on this award? Anali from "Anali's First Amendment" comes to my mind immediately! This is for you Anali.You are the nicest blogger! Enjoy:)


Now on to the blogging business!!
As unbearably hot as it is right now, what a great time to make some cool salads ,Ice Creams and enjoy them! My Tomato, Eggplant ,Gourd and Okra plants are thriving in this heat and you know what that means at FH and Aroma!!;P Here are some cool salads, Soups and a Sandwich I made last week!

Tasty Tomato soup with a flavor of India!
You know what they say? "Keep it simple stupid?!" :D
I will start with a simple and tasty Tomato soup this week. I have too many Plum or Roma Tomatoes at home right now out of just two plants.I am practically throwing them in EVERY dish! Here is a soup for you with a little touch of spices!:)

You need: 8-10 Plum Tomatoes which are sweeter,pulpy and lot less seeds than regular Tomatoes or you can use canned Tomato sauce,1 small finely grated carrot,1 tsp olive oil or butter, Salt, pepper, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional),2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp Cumin powder,1/2 tsp Garlic pd, 1 tbsp heavy Cream or Coconut milk, a sprig of Cilantro or fresh Basil for garnish.
To make it:
1. Cut a little X on each and blanch the Tomatoes with water in the microwave for 2 mins,drain,rinse them under cold water,peel the skins,slice and discard the seeds or open the can!:)
2. Heat a tsp of Olive oil or butter,add Carrot,saute for a while until it softens.Add Tomato sauce,cook for 3 mins on low to medium heat,taking care not boil the soup to avoid separating the pulp and water.
3. Add all the ingredients except cream when the raw smell goes, simmer for a minute or two.Take off the heat, add cream or coconut milk,stir gently to mix.
4. Garnish with Cilantro and serve warm or chilled with Croutons or crusty roll and a salad. Enjoy!:)

Roasted Red Bell peppers(Capsicums),Pear and Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumber salad with sweet yogurt:
A beautiful looking and tasting cool salad,makes a great accompaniment for a hot and spicy sandwiches or soups.You can use Plum tomatoes,fresh red bell peppers but bottled roasted,peeled and soaked in Olive oil red peppers taste wonderful.


Here is how to make it:
1. Take a glass bowl, add chopped Pear,Cherry or plum tomatoes, cubed cucumber, 1/2 cup plain Yogurt,1/2 red or white Videlia onion cubed/sliced, 1/4 tsp Garlic pd, 1/2 tsp Cumin pd, Chaat masala (optional)and pepper coarsely ground.
2. Fresh herbs like Parsley, mint or Cilantro can be added, your choice.
3. Now take 3 roasted bell peppers slices out of the bottle,drain the excess oil and slice into thin strips and add to the bowl.
4. Add little salt,mix everything and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Chinese style Spicy Zucchini Ribbon Salad:
I love this so salad much,I could eat a bowl on it's own without any soup or Sandwich!! A wonderful mix of Sesame oil,seeds, and a touch of chilli heat, YUM!

You need:
2 zucchinis,sliced into ribbons, 1/8 tsp salt.
For spicy dressing 1/2 tbsp sesame oil (a must have ingredient!), 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds toasted, 1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes or 2 dried chili peppers sliced into strips, 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger, 2 minced garlic, 1 tbsp rice vinegar or malt vinegar and 1/2 tsp sugar.
To make it:
1. Heat sesame oil until it smokes, take off the heat, add chili pepper flakes and sesame seeds.Keep aside.
2. Trim both sides of the zucchinis slice lengthwise to ribbons with a potato peeler as shown in the picture. Put them in a bowl, add salt and all other ingredients including the seasoning and toss well.Chill before you serve.

Chinese style Egg Drop Soup!
My favorite and quick Chinese style soup with Eggs streamed in to it and tastes great on it's own or with crusty rolls.I make this usually for a quick Sunday dinner after a elaborate meal for lunch and no leftovers!

You need:3 tbsp cornstarch, 6 tbsp water, 1 tsp canola oil, 2 tbsp minced Green onions/scallions, 1 tbsp soy sauce.
Soup Base 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth, 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup frozen green peas,1 grated or cubed Carrot, 2 eggs lightly beaten with 2 tbsp water,and 1 tsp sesame oil(Important!).
How to Make it:
1. Combine cornstarch and water well.
2. Heat Canola oil, add scallions, and stir fry. Add in soy sauce and all the soup base ingredients until it boils.
3. Turn down the heat, slowly add cornstarch mix stirring constantly until slightly thickened.
4. Add the peas and remove the pan from the heat.
5. Slowly add beaten eggs in a thin stream around the edge of the pot and carefully stir once or twice so the eggs form into thin streamers.
6. Add in sesame oil, adjust seasoning,garnish with chopped Chives and serve with zucchini salad.

Sweet and delicious KFC style Coleslaw!
Although I don't like any of the other KFC food because of the greasy chicken etc, I LOVE their sweetish Coleslaw. Sometimes we just buy that and get Sandwiches from somewhere else! Here is how I make my Coleslaw which "almost" tastes like KFC's. Tastes excellent with BBQ Ribs and rolls too.

You need: 1/2 small cabbage, 2 carrots, 1/4 cup sweet onion like Videlia, 4 tbsp sugar or more if you like,1/2 tsp salt,4 tbsp milk,1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp minced bottled Roasted Bell pepper (optional),1 tsp white vinegar,pepper pd.
To make it:
1. Slice Cabbage to thin shreds,grate carrots and mince onion.Add to a bowl.
2. Add rest of the ingredients to it and mix well.Taste for seasoning,adjust and chill in the fridge for an hr. before you serve.
3. KFC Coleslaw is sweet and crunchy which sets it apart from all other Coleslaws, my personal favorite.Enjoy with any burgers,BBQ and of course fried or baked Chicken!:)

My favorite hotchpotch Potato salad:
I say hotchpotch because I just add whatever I can think of and find in my fridge to this salad except boiled Eggs.It's yummy and I make it usually with Burgers and Coleslaw.

You need: 4 medium red waxy potatoes (DO NOT use baking potatoes),1/4 cup sweet chopped onion,1/4 cup chopped green or red bell pepper, 1 stick celery sliced thin,2 tbsp Hot Dog relish, 1 tbsp chunky stone ground brown Mustard or Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup sour cream,1/2 cup or less Mayonnaise,1 tbsp Chopped chives,1 tbsp Dill leaves, 1 tsp minced mint leaves,salt and pepper.
How to make it:
1. Boil red potatoes with skin on but make holes to prevent bursting until soft to touch.Cool under the cold water,peel the skin and cube into chunks.Cool completely.
2. Once cooled,add in a bowl.Add all the ingredients mentioned up there and mix gently,do not break the Potatoes.
3. Taste for seasoning,adjust salt etc adding more if you need.Cover and put it in the fridge for at least for an hr and serve.
4. It should be moist, thickish but not runny with thin liquid.Add a little milk,it's too thick.Enjoy.

Yummy Sloppy Joe!
The name Sloppy Joe comes from making a mess spilling stuff out of the buns while eating these sandwiches with a slop like ground beef filling which is neither like burgers or like a runny gravy but somewhere in between but very delicious with it's own way of cooking! They also say that Sloppy was cooked by a guy called Joe, hence the name Sloppy Joe. Sloppy Tom is made of Turkey meat!:D
Vegetarians can use Soya granules in the same way.

You need: 1 tbsp butter, 1 pound ground beef , 1 small chopped onions, 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, salt, 1/4 tsp chilli flakes,1/2 tsp cayenne or Paprika pd, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup or tomato sauce,Tabasco,1 tsp seasoning or dry rub of your choice, 1 tbsp parsley, 1/2 cup or more water, 4 split and toasted sandwich rolls.
How to make it:
1. Heat butter, cook onion, add ground beef with salt ,any seasoning you like 1 tsp BBQ dry rub and coarse pepper until beef is no longer red, stirring often to break up the lumps.
2. Sprinkle flour over beef, stir to blend thoroughly. Let it cook for a minute.
3. Add Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, spices and water. Simmer, stir often until the sloppy Joe is thickened.Texture should be thick like sauce.
4. Serve on the toasted rolls with Potato salad and chilled Coleslaw.YUM!

Sloppy Joe with Coleslaw and Potato salad:
My kids are in 7th Heaven after this meal,somebody please get them back to Earth!:D



Last week, I tried these from other foodies;

Hema of "Vegetarian concoctions" blog's Morkootu with my homegrown Bottle/bird house Gourd and fat-free Sour cream instead of yogurt!! YUM! Thanks Hema :)



Lemon pickle with Anusha of "Talimpu" blog's Urad dal powder recipe! I added thinly cut lemon pieces instead of juice,seasoned with oil and mustard seeds. Simple and delicious!! Thank you Anusha :)

To make it:
Lemon 5-6
Urad dal 1/2 cup
Dried red chillies 5
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tsp
Heat oil, add broken red chillies.Add urad dal and fry until reddish, cool and powder coarsely.
Add to chopped lemon pieces and store.
That's "all" this week folks!!

SHAHI BELL PEPPERS AND SHAHI ALMOND CHICKEN, NAAN, ADOBO AND CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM!

Hello Y'all! Hope you are all doing well and keeping cool this hot August!:) Ah!!! Two more awards for me from the sweetest girl Amanda of "little foodies"!:))

"The Thoughtful Blogger Award is for “those who answer blog comments, emails, and make their visitors feel at home on their blogs. For the people who take others’ feelings into consideration before speaking out and who are kind and courteous. Also for those bloggers who spend so much of their time helping other bloggers design, improve, and fix their sites. This award is for those generous bloggers who think of others.”

Hee Hee! Me likey dis!!

"The Power of Schmooze Award is for bloggers who “effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way. They don’t limit their visits to only the rich and successful, but spend some time to say hello to new blogs as well. They are the ones who engage others in meaningful conversations, refusing to let it end at a mere hello - all the while fostering a sense of closeness and friendship.”
Thank you Amanda.I appreciate both of them and what they are meant for.However,I CAN NOT choose just five bloggers out of my fave 100+ to award these,so I am skipping this step! Hope you don't mind!:)
Have a great holiday dear Amanda!

Colorful sweet Bell peppers; feast for the eyes and soul!

I am in love with these colorful Bell peppers,and I am attracted to them like magnet at the grocery store! You will see more recipes with these at Aroma too until they run out of these colorful peppers for this season!!:D
Anyway,today's menu is Shahi veg this and Shahi Murgh that,a Filipino Chicken Adobo(rejoice Y'all non-veggies!:D),Naans and a yummy Chocolate Ice cream with a very shameful story for a cook like me!!:D
Shahi Kaju Mirchi-Baingan(Royal style Bell peppers and Eggplant in Cashewnuts gravy)
Shahi Badami Murgh (Royal style Chicken dish in rich creamy Almond gravy)
An easy No-Yeast Naans, Nita Mehta style which I liked!!

And a very popular Philippines dish Adobo with Chicken,
for dessert, Chocolate Ice cream with Chocolate chip Cookie chunks!

Shahi Kaju Mirchi-Baingan:
This recipe is based on Nita Mehta's book but I changed the recipe slightly and used Peppers and Eggplants.

This is a flavorful rich Mughlai style dish with creamy nutty sauce which tastes so good with Parathas.Tastes better next day,so all flavors mingle together overnight.You can use meat or any of your fave vegetables as well.
You Need:
2 long purple Eggplants, 1 each yellow ,Green,red and Orange bell peppers,2 tbsp oil, 1/8 tsp Turmeric, 1/2 tsp Rajwadi Garam masala or just regular Garam masala,salt, 1/4 cup plain yogurt,1/4 cup milk,1/2 cup water.
To grind: 6 tbsp Cashewnuts broken to pieces, 2" fresh ginger,2 garlic, 1/4 tsp sweet paprika for color and 1/2 tsp chilli pd for heat.
To season: 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter mixed, 1 tsp shah jeera or cumin seeds,1 Bay leaf, 2 small onion finely chopped.
For Garnish: finely chopped cilantro,4 toasted Cashewnuts,split.
How to make it:
1. Slice peppers and Eggplants and fry in oil in a non-stick pan for 3 mins until they wilt.Keep aside.Grind Cashews,ginger ,paprika and garlic to a smooth paste.Keep aside.
2. Heat oil+ butter,add a bay leaf, Shah Jeera or cumin seeds,onions,fry until reddish.Add turmeric, Garam masala and salt.
3. Add in ground masala paste,cook for a minute until you see oil on top.Whisk yogurt,add to the pan and cook until almost dry stirring often.
4. Turn down the heat, add water and milk,simmer gently for 5 mins.
5. Add in all the fried vegetables to the pan,simmer until the sauce thickens a little.
6. Garnish with Cilantro, toasted Cashews and serve with layered Parathas.

Shahi Kaju Mirchi-Baingan with layered Parathas:



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Shahi Badami Murgh:
Badam Murgh is from a book called "Simply Indian" by Tahera Rawji and Hamida Suleman.I changed the recipe again since the instruction were not very clear in this book.I used my experience with their ingredients to cook my way,dish turned out very tasty!:)

You Need:
4 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces,2 medium onions, 2 tbsp oil and butter, 1 cup plain yogurt,whisked smooth, salt to taste, 1 bay leaf, 2 tsp coriander powder, 2 tsp cumin powder, 20 whole almonds, blanched and peeled and ground to a paste or use 6 tbsp already peeled and sliced Almonds,toast slightly and grind to paste with little water.
To Grind: 2 garlic, 2" fresh ginger, 2 green chillies, ,
To Sprinkle: 1/4 tsp each of mace powder, cardamom powder and cinnamon powder or powder 1/4 tsp of each whole spices or 1/tsp Garam masala.
To garnish: 2 tbsp cream,cilantro few slivered toasted Almonds.
To make it:
1. Make a paste of ginger, green chilies, and garlic. Keep aside. Slice onions finely, fry in 2 tbsp oil until they are golden ,cool, grind to a paste.Blanch Almonds in hot water,peel and grind with little water to a smooth paste.
2. Mix yogurt, salt, ginger garlic paste, onion paste, and chicken. Marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil and butter. Add bay leaf. Take out just the chicken pieces out of the marinade (not the liquid) and fry until almost dry. Take them outon a plate.
4. Add all the marinating sauce to the pan , fry until thickish sauce and oil shows on top. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, 1 cup of yogurt, and fry again on low heat until thickish gravy is left.
5. Add the chicken, Almond paste with 1 cup of water, and simmer for 15 minutes on low heat.Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Sprinkle mace powder, cardamom powder and cinnamon powder on top, mix and turn off the heat.
7. Garnish with cilantro, cream and slivered almonds and serve with Naan and/or rice, Lime silces,sliced red onion and raita.

No-Yeast Indian style Naan!
So far,I have tried yeast Naans like here and here, which are great tasting but I always wanted to try the real Indian style Naans.I saw this recipe in Nita Mehta's book as Kheema stuffed Naans.I skipped the stuffing,followed the recipe,came out pretty good.Tastes best fresh out of the oven!

You need:
2 1/2 cup Plain flour,1/2 tsp baking soda,1/2 tsp salt,1 tbsp Ghee,1/2 cup Milk, 1 tsp Baking powder, and about 1/2 cup warm water.(Melted butter,1 tsp black Poppy seeds to brush on top)
How to make Naans:
1. Heat milk until warm for 1 minute,add to a big bowl with baking powder to it and let it rest 1-2 mins.You see the bubbles on the surface.
2. Now mix flour,soda, ghee and salt,rub with your fingers to mix ghee,add to the milk and baking pd mixture.
3. Knead to a pliable dough adding enough warm water,smear some oil,cover and let it rest for 3-4 hrs.
4. Heat the oven to the maximum 550F. Divide the dough to 6-8 pieces,roll out to circles,stretch one side to make tear shape,place them on baking sheet 2 or 3 at a time.Touch the top with wet fingers wherever you want the naan to be golden.
5. Slide into the oven and let it puff for 5-6 mins,watch it carefully.Take them out,brush with butter and poppy seeds mix and cool on the rack.Repeat with others.
6. Wrap with the foil if you are not using them immediately,reheat in the oven.

Homegrown Pear Tomatoes Salad:

This is easy to make.I have surplus of Pear Tomatoes with just one single plant! I am practically eating these every day which I don't mind at all.Love the color,shape and the sweet taste, perfect!:)
How to toss the salad:
Slice the tomatoes lengthwise in a bowl.Sprinkle some Cilantro,salt,freshly ground pepper and 3 tbsp Italian dressing which has olive oil, vinegar,garlic,Italian herbs and chilli flakes.Toss everything and chill in the fridge.

Badami Murgh with Naan, rice and Salad:



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A delicious Filipino Chicken Adobo:
One of my readers,Geethi asked me whether I have ever tried Adobo.At first I thought she is talking about a Mexican Adobo (Chipotle Chillies soaked in Adobo sauce) and then started searching for a popular Filipino Adobo.I tried a small amount just to taste it first.This dish turned out so delicious,it is going to be a favorite dish for us.Hope you try and enjoy.I found the original recipe for Adobo here, I have changed the recipe a little by skipping Potatoes etc.Vegetarians can use the same recipe with any veggies like Potatoes and Cauliflower.Hope you try!:)

Dark and delicious Chicken bites marinated in soy sauce, Lime juice, Apple Cider vinegar, garlic, onions, and bay leaf, and simmered with little brown sugar, dashed with Sambal Olek or pepper,Adobo from Philippines is a absolutely surprisingly delectable dish.
Here is how I made it:
1. Cube 2-3 Chicken breasts into bite sized pieces,place in a bowl.Now add juice of 1/2 a lime,1 tsp Garlic powder or 2 fresh Garlic pounded,1/4 cup light and low sodium soy sauce,1 tbsp dried Onion flakes or 2 tbsp minced onion, 2 tsp brown sugar or dark molasses,2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar,1/2 tsp Chinese Five spice, mix and marinate overnight in the fridge.
2. Next day, heat 2 tsp butter in a wide non-stick pan, add 1 bay leaf.Pour in the marinated chicken with all the liquid,2 tsp sweet dark Soy sauce and pepper or Sambal Olek(red hot chilli sauce).Do not add salt until dish is done,since Soy sauce has salt in it already.
3. Stir-fry on medium heat until it cooks down and the sauce is thick,shiny and clings to the chicken.Taste for salt and sugar, add only if needed.Serve garnished with Green onions on it's own or with little rice. YUM!!
Thanks Geethi,it was a great and delightful learning experience!:)

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Ghirardelli Chocolate Ice Cream with Chocolate cookies served with honey and Vanilla filled Pirouette!

To make this: Beat 1 Egg and 6 tbsp sugar until white and fluffy,add 1 cup Half and Half or cream, 1/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup melted Ghirardelli chocolate,1 tsp vanilla essence.Add to the machine,churn for 25mins or freeze in the container for 2 hrs and blend again.Now add 6 chocolate chip cookies cut into chunks to the machine,let it mix for 2 mins or add to the blended Ice cream,mix and return it to freezer overnight.
To serve: Drizzle honey on the top of Ice Cream and arrange few Pirouettes.

My miserably failed attempt to make Mexican fried Ice Cream!!!

Well..I thought I will try making fried Ice Cream.Took 2 scoops of Ice Cream, rolled them in the Graham cracker crumbs powdered, and put them in the freezer for an hr.I heated the oil, brought the Ice Creams out and immediately added to oil.They fried well ,I got happy and then the disaster!!! They split and started to melt.I threw them all out along with the oil!!
What might have gone wrong? I should have frozen the coated scoops overnight and heated the oil little more,fry quickly less the minute and take them out! Shame on me!! :D

My "little girl" is ready to fly err...to drive! Actually,she has a learner's permit and still practicing to get the real license!:D

We bought her a Nissan Versa SL yesterday with AC,Power,Blue Tooth phone tech and MP3 plug in. Her rank in school is #1 in 10th grade again, so we thought we should reward her with a new car.I am glad I don't have to haul her everywhere from this year! One down,one to go.YESSS!! Nissan car dealership manager and salesman both are Arvind's patients,so we got a pretty good deal!!;D
She will be finishing HS with 6 AP's and one year early after 11th grade this year.For 12th grade, she will be attending first year of college(school's choice) for lessons although she will still graduate(official ceremony) from HS after 12th. School will take up the tuition for first year of college,then she can choose which college she wants to go to graduate in Biology.

Have a great weekend! Next week, I will post some cool summer veg. salads and more non-veg dishes!:)

ORIYA CUISINE!

It's that time again to celebrate "Regional Cuisines of India",started by LakshmiK of "Veggie Cuisine".This month's host is Swapna from 'Swad of India' blog and we are showcasing the state of Orissa.Thanks for hosting Swapna!:)



An award from my dearest beautiful and a great writer friend Mona of "The two bits" blog!

She honored me with a "Inspirational Blogger Award" and gave me a logo.She says:

"For Asha, who amazes me with her dedication towards her love for culinary skills.I have yet to see a person so deeply involved and so disciplined".
Thank you Mona! I am humbled and appreciate it too,a big hug to you my friend!:))

Now about Purba:
I was not at all familiar with the state of Orissa or it's cuisine.So I bought this popular Oriyan/Odiyan cookbook called Purba which means "east" in Hindi and Orissa is in the east of India.It's cuisine is very similar to Bengali cuisine.There are few Seafood dishes, but I am not very fond of Seafood unfortunately.I chose these dishes from this book to be safe so I don't mix up with other states'(except Bengal) cuisine.Enjoy!:)

Orissa:

Orissa is a state situated on the east coast of India.Orissa is home to the Hirakud Dam, one of the longest dams in the world.It's a state with a long coastline and a storehouse of mineral wealth.Oriya/Odiya is the official language of the state.Oriya belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language, and is closely related to Bengali and Assamese. The capital of Orissa is Bhubaneswar. It is famous for its magnificent temples. Along with the Lingaraja Temple of Bhubaneswar, the Jagannatha Temple and the Sun Temple of Konark are important in the archaeological history of India.Orissa is a land with rich social and cultural history, well known for its exquisite temples, enchanting natural resources, beautiful handicrafts and charming Sambalpuri Sarees. The Simlipal National Park Tiger Reserve is a vast expanse of lush green forest with waterfalls, inhabited by tigers, elephants, and other wildlife. The Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary has been protecting estuarine crocodiles!Info about Orissa from here.


Goolgula:
YAY!! That's what I said when I saw this recipe in this book.They are what we call Uddina Bonda in Karnataka with a different rib tickling Oriyan name! There is no stopping for me now,is there??:D
Here is the Oriyan appetizer!

You need:
1 cup urad dal(split Black gram dal), 2 tbsp yogurt, salt,1/8 tsp baking soda(optional). oil to deep fry.(Add minced onion,chillies,cilantro,crushed cumin seeds to the batter to make it masala Goolgula!)
How to make it:
1. Soak urad dal for 3-4 hrs and drain well until dry. Grind it with 1/2 tsp salt or to your taste until you get a smooth thick batter without adding water if possible.
2. Take it out in a bowl, add soda,beat well ,adjust the salt.
3. Heat oil in a deep frying pan to 375 F. When hot, drop urad dal batter using a spoon or with your fingers dipped in water into round balls.
4. Fry until golden, making sure all sides are cooked evenly by occasionally stirring the oil.
5. Serve with coconut chutney.
Chutney: Grind 1/2 cup fresh coconut,green chillies,salt,Cilantro,little ginger and yogurt to smooth paste.Season with mustard seeds and red chillies.

Luchi:
A easy and crispy Luchis made of plain flour similar to Pooris which are made of wheat flour but creamish in color and makes a great bread with veg and non-veg side dishes.


To make Luchis
1. Mix and knead 2 cups Plain flour,1/2 tsp salt,a pinch of baking powder to a stiff dough.Do not make it soft,it will not puff and makes it hard to roll.
2. Rest the dough for 15mins and roll into 4 to 6" circles, deep fry until puffed both sides.Try to fry and keep them creamish in color,do not fry until reddish like Pooris.
3. Drain on paper towels.That's it! Serve with any side dish you like.

Dalma:
A vegetarian dal dish with Channa dal ,loads of veggies is a great tasting dish which has a unique Oriyan names for seasonings!! Tastes delicious with Luchis.


You need:
1 cup chana dal, 1/4 cup brown chana (kala chana), 1 small potato, 1 eggplant, 2 tomatoes.
For Seasoning: Rasuna phutana baghara (1/2 tsp each of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, Fenugreek seeds, 2 sliced garlic, 1 red dry chili broken to small pieces and fennel seeds)
For Sprinkling: Gunda sprinkle (1 tsp toasted and crushed cumin seeds)

How to make it:
1. Soak kala(brown) chana for 3 hours and cook until soft. Cook channa dal, potato, eggplant, tomato in a pressure cooker until soft but not mashed.Add brown chana.
2. Season with rasuna phutana baghara with 2 tsp of oil and 2 tsp butter. Add to the dal,mix gently.
3. Sprinkle cumin seeds on top and garnish with minced cilantro.Serve with Luchis.

Anda Saga Rai:
I decided to make a non-veg dish (Yes! Eggs are non-veg!! Pops out of a Chicken and doesn't grow on plants, remember!!But everybody should eat Eggs which are very healthy if eaten in moderation in my opinion!) as well which is a good side dish with Luchis.This dish is a healthy blend of protein,greens and Carbs. Anda is Egg, Saga is Greens.That book says to add Poi saag, which I am not familiar with at all.So I added Amaranth greens,any Greens will do like Spinach,Kale,Collard etc.

You need:
4 eggs (hardboiled), 2 small potatoes, 2 cups of spinach or Amaranth leaves, cilantro, salt.
To Grind: 2 garlic, 1" fresh ginger, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp coriander seeds, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/8 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp mustard seeds.
For Seasoning: 2 sliced garlic, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds.

How to make it:
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil, add the ground paste and fry until oil shows up on top.
2. Then add potatoes, chopped greens, 1 cup of water, cover, and cook until potatoes are soft, but not mashed up.
3. Add salt and half sliced hard boiled eggs, minced cilantro, and simmer for 6-7 minutes.
4. Heat oil, add the seasoning. When reddish, add to the Anda saga. Serve with rice or Luchis.


Luchis with Dalma and Anda Saga Rai:


Chena Kheeri:
I was going thru' loads of Bengali Rosgullas ,Sondesh and Chum Chums in this book for dessert until I found this dish.Sounded simple enough for me and made it quickly.Boy! Was I in for a surprise?!It tasted out of this world.I really didn't expect it to taste so good at all! Glad I chose the easy one!:D

You need:
1/2 cup grainy chena (paneer), 2 cups evaporated milk, 6 or more tbsps sugar,10 finely chopped pistachios, a pinch of saffron.
How to make chena or paneer:
1. Heat one cup of half and half or heavy cream( NOT fat free!)in the microwave in a bowl for 3 minutes, take it out.
2. Squeeze 2 tsps lemon juice, stir. Return to the microwave, heat 2 more minutes. When you see the curd and whey separate, strain through a fine sieve or cheese cloth to get the solids.Let it drain completely.
3. Heat a nonstick pan,add drained Paneer and stir until you get a grainy texture to the paneer and thicker but not reddish.Keep it aside.
To make the kheeri:
1. Heat the evaporated milk, sugar, half the Pista and saffron until it reduces 2/3rd for 5-7 minutes.
2. Take off the heat, add grainy paneer,crushed pistachios and mix gently.
3. Garnish with rest of the Pistachio. Serve this Kheeri warm or chilled for a fabulous tasting dessert.

Okay, here comes another! Mango Ice Cream!:)

To make Ice Cream: Freeze 1/4 cup mango pulp,when hard,cut into big chunks and return freezer(or you can use fresh Mango bits.
Beat 1 Egg and 6 tbsp Sugar until creamy and fluffy.Add 1 cup Heavy cream,1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup Mango pulp (canned),mix.Add to the machine for 25 mins.Add frozen and chopped chunks of Mango pulp or fresh Mango bits to the machine and let it mix for a minute and freeze the Ice Cream in the freezers for 3-5hrs.
Without Machine: freeze the Ice Cream mix for until half frozen,blend until creamy ,add mango bits, mix and freeze again until firm.Serve on a Waffle Bowl.

That was a great Oriyan gastronomical trip,wasn't it? We certainly enjoyed it.Looking forward to hosting Karnataka in few weeks! YAY!:)