Banana Flower Vada - my 4th guest post by Sathya Priya

Hello Friends,

Today i am here with my 4th guest post "Banana flower vada" by Sathya Priya. She is a new fellow food blogger and she blog over 'mykitchenodyssey' which talks about authentic Chettinad cuisine. I came to know about her, when she left a comment on google+ on my post. When She asked me for a guest post, i immediately said yes and here is her wonderful post. Guys please visit her blog and thanks for your support.

Now over to Priya,

When I started this blog, I looked for some support. Pooja was very kind and 

accommodating. I thank her very much for this great opportunity. Pooja has a 

wonderful cooking blog "Daily Swad Sugandh". I love her recipes a lot and I 

have tried quite a few of them, one among them is babycorn-cashew-curry. It was super tasty and yummy. I hope you guys also enjoy her recipes.

Hi readers my name is Priya. I was born and raised in Tamil Nadu. I got married in 2009. Before marriage my cooking skills were at a very basic level.  After we had our daughter I stayed at home and that’s when my interest in cooking picked up.
After our move to US I got to try different cuisines and I wanted to recreate them for my husband and daughter. In my spare time I wanted to share my experiences with you all, hence this food blog.
Almost all of my Chettinad recipes are from my Mom, Mother in law and my Grandma. They are great cooks and I learnt a lot from them.  I watch cooking shows for menu ideas and to learn new techniques.

Banana Flower Vada:

This is an authentic Chettinad dish. In Chettinad every part of the Banana tree is used for cooking. Banana flower (வாழைப்பூ) is very rich in fiber. It is a little bitter though. This a good way to get everyone to eat Banana flower. My mom, my mother in law and my grandma all make this delicious Vada. Banana flower is a little difficult to clean but trust me it will be worth the work. In thailand banana flower is used in soups and curries.
       

Ingredients:

    1 Medium size Banana flower
    1 small onion
    A pinch of asafoetida.
    A inch of turmeric.
    Salt as required.
    Oil for frying.

To Grind:

    1/2 cup Toor dal (soaked for half and hour and dried).
    4 Red chilies.
    1/2 tbsp Fennel seeds.
    1/4 tbsp Cumin seeds.
    1 tbsp grated coconut.

Method:

1. Peel the Banana and remove the stem and cut it in to small pieces.
2. Soak the toor dal for half an hour and drain the water and dry with damp paper until moisture is absorbed.
    
   
   
3. Grind the ingredients under "to Grind" to a coarse consistency.
4. Mix the ground items, cut peeled banana flower, onion,turmeric, salt and asafoetida .
5. Make small balls out of it and flatten it .
6. Deep fry them for 2 mins on one side and flip it over and let it cook for another 1 minute .
   
7. When the color changes to brown, remove it from oil and drain excess oil on kitchen towel paper.
8. Serve hot with rice.
9. You can serve it as in an appetizer too.

Note:

After you clean the banana flower keep it in a airtight container so that it wont change its color.
If the mixture is too thin add some rice flour and mix it again.

Hope you've enjoyed Priya's delicious Vada! Thanks for stopping by my space..
Would you like to post your recipe on my space, please send me an email on dailyswadsugandh@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you soon. Be my guest! 

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Black eyed beans curry / Chowlai ki sabzi

Black eyed peas curry is delicious and nutritious, eaten with plain steamed rice or vegetable pulao or even Indian flat breads, it is the comfort food for me. It is a simple, quick curry that is perfect side dish for a nutritious meal.

Black eyed peas is packed with proteins, vitamins and minerals, making them ideal for growing children.

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins

Ingredients :

• 1 cup chawali / black eyed beans
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai / sarson)
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• pinch of asafetida
• 1 small onion roughly chopped
• 1 medium tomato roughly chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves (lehsun)
• small piece of ginger (adrak)
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon coriander leaves
• 5-6 curry leaves

Method:

1.Soak black eyed beans in water at least 4-5 hours and next drain excess water. Boil with 1 cup of
   water with turmeric powder and salt till cooked in a pressure cooker.
2.Blend onion, tomato, ginger, garlic cloves into a paste and keep aside.
3.In a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and asafetida and saute it for a while.
4. Next add grinded paste, saute it till it starts to leave oil.
5. Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Stir them well.
6.Add black eyed peas, salt to taste and water as required to achieve desired consistency and simmer for a few minutes.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with plain steamed rice, pulao or jeera rice(cumin seed flavored rice) or with Indian flat bread (chapaties /rotis).

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Churma - Authentic Rajasthani Sweet Dish

Churma is a popular Rajasthani delicacy usually served with dal-baati. Dal Bati Churma is a traditional complete one dish and the most popular dish of the Rajasthani cuisine. Churma is made using coarsely ground wheat flour and cooked with ghee and sugar. It is usually rich in calories. 

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wheat flour
• 2 tablespoon besan (gram flour)
• 1/4 cup fine semolina
• 1/4 cup ghee for moyan (melted and warm)
• warm water as needed for kneading
• 1 cup ghee for Frying
• cup powdered Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoon chopped almonds
• Cashews,rose petals for garnishing

Method:

1. Take wheat flour, besan and semolina in a large bowl and add hot ghee into it for moyan and mix till it resembles bread crumbs.
2. Add warm water as needed and make a stiff dough and knead well. Keep aside for 10 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 8 -10 round or elongated shapes.
4. Heat ghee in a large kadhai / fry pan and deep fry these on a very low flame for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown and crisp.
5. Drain on absorbent paper and allow them to cool.
6. Coarsely grind them into a fine powder (churma) and transfer into a bowl.
7. Add the sugar and chopped almonds to the ground mixture in the bowl. Add cardamom powder and mix well.
8. You can also add nutmeg powder or powdered nuts if you wish.
9. Garnish them with cashews, rose petals and almonds.
10. Store them in an airtight container.
11. Serve with hot dal-baati.

Extra Tip : Add 3-4 tablespoons of hot ghee to the churma, divide the mixture into 10-12 portions and shape into churma laddoos.

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Moth bean curry/ Mataki chi Ussal

Mataki / moth usal is authentic and popular maharashtrian dish. Mataki or moth beans are a high source of protein. It is healthy and nutritious curry goes well with paratha, roti or rice and tastes delicious with Misal Pav.

Preparation time: 10 minute
cooking time: 25 minute
serves: 4

Ingredients:

For Moth ussal / Sprouts:

• 2 cup Moth/Matki Sprouts
• 2 teaspoon oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafetida
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• salt to taste

Method- 

1. Heat the oil in a small pressure cooker.
2. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida, and curry leaves. After mustard seeds splutter, add chopped onion and sauté it till golden brown.
3. Now, add turmeric powder, moth (matki) / sprouts, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt and water as needed.
4. Mix well and pressure cook up to two whistle or till cooked.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon wedges. serve hot.

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Banana Walnut Cake (No oil / butter / Egg, using heavy cream)

Great moist banana walnut cake, with a cinnamon flavor. This banana cake has no oil, or butter or egg of any sort. The moist factor comes from heavy cream. It rises beautifully, soft  and has a great taste!!! 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1½ cup all-purpose flour / Maida
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup condensed milk
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 2 ripe banana (peeled and cut into pieces)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup walnut pieces

Method :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 9" cake pan by buttering/greasing and lightly flouring.
2. For the cake:
3. Add all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a bowl. Stir through flour mixture until combined well.
4. Blend condensed milk, sugar, milk, vanilla essence and banana pieces into a pure.
5. Then add heavy cream and again blend until combined well.
6. Now add this to flour mixture and gently mix them and in the end, fold in walnut pieces.
7. Pour the cake batter evenly in the prepared cake pan.
8. Bake the cake for 35-50 minutes until a toothpick / cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then turn over the cooling rack and cool completely.

Extra tip: Pour chocolate sauce over cake and garnish it with walnut pieces. You can use 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup all purpose flour for this cake.

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Sprouted Moong beans and methi seeds curry~3rd guest post by Linsy Patel

Hello friends,

Hope you all have enjoyed Sapana's Ratatouille Kebabs. This week i am here with one more guest post, my 3rd guest post of this blog!!!

Let us meet our today’s guest…. Linsy Patel from Home Cook Food, known as Kitchen Queen in the blogging world. She has lots of unique and interesting recipes in her blog... When I asked her for the guest post she immediately replied 'yes' with the post which she had already scheduled for today. I am impressed that she is so much organized.  Her blog has wonderful vegetarian and healthy recipes. I came to know about her blog when her recipe titled as 3 Ingredients Energy Bars quickly caught my eyes and became my favorite bars. Guys please visit her space for more healthy and delicious recipes.

Over to Linsy...

Who didn't see Sabudana Pizza on Pooja's blog? If not then you are missing something, check it out. When Pooja asked me to do a guest post on her space, I said yes because you don't find such a good friend in this world who shared same interest like you and still humble. She has such a great dishes on her space, all the yummy and healthy smoothies, Indian sweets and curries, what not to love about her blog. So friends if you haven't check out her space , do check it out. 

Thank you so much Pooja for the delicious opportunity to do the guest post at your blog.

I love sprouts so I make them very often. By now you liked my Sprouts with moong vadi, Sprouts Jlfrazi,  Sprouted Curry. To add one more dish with Sprouts , this is mung bean and methi seeds sprouts. Its same way as rest , just add some vegetables to give some crunch and or not , its up to you. To adding vegetables it become complete meal , with protein and vegetables in  one dish.

Ingredients:

2 cups of sprouted mung beans
1/4 cup sprouted methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
1 onion chopped
1 chopped green  capsicum
1 tomato chopped or puree
2 green chilies chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
big piece of ginger chopped
1 tsp. of cumin and coriander powder
1 tsp. of red chili powder
1 tsp. garam masala
salt to taste
Lime juice to taste
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
2 tsp. of oil

Method:

1. Heat a pan with oil in it.
2. Add onions in it and cook till it changes the color.
3. Add chopped tomato with ginger, garlic and chilies in it.
4. Cook till you get nice aroma of cooked masala.
5. Add all powder masala and mix it.
6. Now add sprouts ,capsicum and enough water to cook sprouts.
7. Add salt in it and cover the lid till most of the water is gone.
8. Add capsicum and cook it for 2-3 minutes.
9. When its done, add lime juice and coriander leaves, and serve hot with phulka or rotis.

I didn't add coriander leaves that time because I was not eating that time. Because I don't like wilted coriander leaves so I add it when I was eating. If you can handle more bitterness , sprout more methi seeds.

Hope you've enjoyed Linsy's delicious curry! Thanks for stopping by my space..
Would you like to post your recipe on my space, please send me an email on dailyswadsugandh@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you soon. Be my guest! 

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Cabbage-corn Pulao / Pilaf

This is an easy to make rice dish with Julienne cabbage and corn stir fried along with the whole spices and steamed rice. It is a simple one pot rice dish, perfect for lunch box and enjoyed as a meal. garnish with chopped coriander leaves and lime juice sprinkle over the top. Here, I have used tempering of urad dal.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

To cook Rice:

• 1 cup Long grain Rice
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon oil

For Pulao:

• 1 tablespoon oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon Jeera / cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafetida
• 2 Cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Cardamom pods
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 2 teaspoon Urad dal
• 2 green chili, chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/4 cup Julienne Onion (cut in long strips)
• 1 cup Julienne cabbage
• 1/2 cup corn
• salt on taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped Cilantro 
• Lime juice to taste

Procedure:

1. Wash the rice, add salt, turmeric powder, oil and 2 cups of water and cook them.
2. Spread the cooked rice in a flat plate and let it cool down.
3. Next heat the oil, add cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf, cardamom pods and asafetida. After cumin seeds splutter, add Urad dal and stir fry it till golden brown.
4. Next add chopped green chili, grated ginger and curry leaves and sauté it for few seconds.
5. Now add Julienne onion and sauté for few minutes or till transculent.
6. Add corn and cabbage and again saute for few minutes.
7. Add Cooled Rice, salt and Mix well and sauté for few seconds.
8. Garnish with Cilantro and lime juice. Serve hot.

Extra tip: you can also add Julienne capsicum in this rice dish.

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Strawberry Cheese cream Pie - my guest post for Sapana

Hello Friends, 

Today is my second guest post and I'm very happy to be a guest blogger at Sapana's place Cookingwithsapana. I hope you all must be knowing about Sapana Behl from my yesterday's guest post "Ratatouille Kebabs". She asked me first to write a guest post on her blog, i really admire her patience as i kept delaying it due to my busy schedule since last few days. She fully supported me to take my own time to do her guest post. How wonderful she is!!! She sent me her guest post before waiting for my guest post...:)

Sapana, I like those Kebabs a lot along with your array of mouthwatering dishes as Zafrani Pulav~With Brown Rice, Sago Tikki ~Sabudana Cutlet,Eggless Mississippi Mud Cake and so many. I hope you will like my strawberry cheese cream pie too. 

Thanks Sapana for giving me an opportunity to write a guest post for you...

Today's recipe is a dessert which is quick and easy, delicious Fresh Strawberry Cheese-cream Pie.. It is refreshing and delectable chilled pie topped with fresh strawberries and a soft cheesecake style filling over a no-bake pie crust made using marie biscuit.

The recipe is available at Sapana's place Cookingwithsapana.

Thanks for your time to visit! You can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest , Google+ or you can join on Google Friend Connect (GFC)

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Ratatouille Kebabs -2nd guest post by Sapana Behl

Hello Friends,

Happy to see you again on guest post series... Today here I am with my 2nd Guest post...Hope you all might have enjoyed my first guest post by my lovely food blogger friend Tazeen as Sabudana Wada. 

Pleased to welcome my lovely guest for today, Sapana, owner of Cookingwithsapana. She is my fellow food blogger and I came to know about her through blogging. She is a wonderful, friendly and down to earth person.The best thing about her blog is that the frequency of posts is so amazing with great varieties of recipes almost everyday!!! Simply impressive right from the taste to presentation. I like many recipes from her blog like Eggless black forest cake, Kadhai Mushroom, Samosa, Keasr Peda and many more..And do visit her space for such more delicious recipes. She has come up with delicious starter, Ratatouille Kebabs to be shared here. Enjoy!!

Let's hear from Sapana,

Pooja  is a wonderful person and a versatile blogger and mother of a very pretty and charming girl. I came to know about her via blogging and since then adore the way she cooks. She has a huge collection of exotic recipes. Her recipes are quite innovative and healthy. I  like many recipes on her blog and few of them are Sabudana Pizza, Chienese Bhel, Carrot Cake, Modak, Tomato Potato poori and many more. One thing I admire most is the neatness in her photography . So friends what are you waiting for, do check Pooja's space for healthy and scrumptious recipes.

Thanks Pooja for giving me this opportunity to write a guest post for you. I wish you all success in your life . I was thinking of making a starter , and Ratatouille Kebabs were the best choice . Ratatouille is the famous French dish , originally considered to be Farmer's food but now has taken a prominent role in hotels and restaurants all over the World .These kebabs are hassle free to prepare and packed with buckets of nutrients and antioxidants. 

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes/powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons vinegar
• salt to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper corn , crushed
• 4 finger eggplants, cut into rounds
• 1 small zucchini, cut into small pieces
• 1 red capsicum, seeded and chopped 
• 1 yellow capsicum, seeded and chopped 
• 12 mini bamboo skewers

Method:

Soak 12 bamboo skewers in water for at least 15 minutes .

Into a small pan add the tomato paste with the chilli flakes, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper powder . Cook over low heat for 5 minutes or till cooked. Cover and set aside.

Drain the skewers and alternately thread with the eggplant, zucchini, red and yellow capsicum.

Brush the skewers lightly with oil and cook on tawa or bake in oven for 15 minutes turning occasionally, until vegetables are tender and golden.
Serve the kebab skewers among serving plates and drizzle with the tomato sauce mixture.

Hope you've enjoyed Sapana's delicious starter! Thanks for stopping by my space..

Would you like to post your recipe on my space, please send me an email on dailyswadsugandh@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you soon. Be my guest!

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