Tiramisu Sponge Cake

This recipe was contributed by Dr Kripa who loves to cook. From Indian to Italian she can cook a storm in her kitchen. She tried this recipe from another website and this is how it came out!

Ingredients

For the sponge (Genoise) cake
3 whole eggs
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
2 Tbsp butter, melted

For the coffee mixture
2/3 cup of strong Espresso coffee
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup Marsala wine or brandy

For the Mascarpone cream
1/2 pound Mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup superfine (icing) sugar
2 large egg yolks
3 Tbsp Marsala wine, Cognac or Brandy

For the whipped cream
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp powdered (icing) sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 ounce chilled dark chocolate, finely chopped (you can use a food processor)

Directions

To make the Genoise cake
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9 inch diameter round cake pan or 8 inch by 8 inch rectangular cake pan with vegetable oil and lightly dust with cake flour. Beat the eggs and 1/3 cup of sugar at medium speed in a double boiler over very hot water, until the mixture is smooth and pale yellow in color. Add the remaining 3 Tbsp of sugar and beat at high speed until the mixture reaches a consistency that forms ribbons when poured. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and slowly fold in the cake flour. Fold in the melted butter. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake at 350° F for 30 to 40 minutes

Remove from the oven and immediately turn the cake out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool.

To make the coffee mixture
Mix the sugar into the coffee. Evaporate down (by boiling) the coffee-sugar mixture until only 1/3 cup remains. Add the Marsala wine or brandy and stir.

To make the Mascarpone cream
In a bowl, beat the sugar into the Mascarpone cheese until well blended. Add the 2 egg yolks and Marsala, Cognac or brandy and beat more, until the mixture is smooth.

To prepare the whipped cream
In a bowl add the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla essence and stir until ingredients are blended. Beat the mixture with an electric mixer until glossy and stiff.

Tiramisu Assembly
Slice the Genoise cake in half, to make two cakes of half the original height.

Place the first slice of the Genoise cake at the bottom of a serving bowl or pan and sprinkle half of the coffee mixture over it. Spread half of the Mascarpone creme on the cake, using a spatula. Spread half of the whipped cream over the Mascarpone cream and sprinkle half of the chocolate gratings over the whipped cream.

Put the second slice of the Genoise cake on top and repeat the above procedure with the coffee mixture, Mascarpone, whipped cream and chocolate gratings to finish the Tiramisu.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Pista Ice Cream

This recipe is contributed by Aparna Bhave Tawde, an avid cook and mom. 

Ingredients

1cup evaporated milk (beaten for 2 min), 

1cup condensed milk

6 cardamoms

Half cup whipping cream

10 pistachios crushed or sliced

Method

Mix everything together till smooth and freeze in individual containers.

Ready in 2 hours! 

Top with few sliced pistas before serving

Chole

This recipe is contributed by Sarika, a loving mom of two whose fun loving attitude is contagious and radiates positivity to everyone she meets.

Ingredients:

Kabuli Channas/Garbanzo Beans – 2 c
Water – 8 cups
Tea bags – 2
Black Cardamom – 1
Bay Leaf – 1
Cinnamon Stick – 1″ pc
Salt – to taste
Oil – 1.5 tbsp
Hing/Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp
Crushed Tomatoes – 14.5 oz can/400 gms
Channa/Chole Masala – 1 tbsp
Anardana – 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder – 1/2 tsp
Chaat Masala – 1/2 tsp
Amchur/Dry Mango Powder – 1/2 tsp
Onions & Green Chillies – for garnishing

Method:

1. Soak the Channas overnight.
2. Transfer the Channas and the Water it has been soaking in into the pressure cooker.
3. Add in Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf, Black Cardamom, Teabags & Salt. Mix
4. Close pressure cooker and allow it to whistle thrice, lower heat and cook for another 20 min.
5. Once done, allow the pressure to go down and then open.
6. Separate the water and the Channas, do not discard the water.
7. In a pan, heat Oil on medium heat.
8. Once hot, add in the Asafoetida and right after that add in the Crushed Tomatoes.
9. Cook till the Tomatoes separate from the Oil.
10. Add in the Channa Masala, Chaat Masala, Red Chilli Powder, Dry Mango Powder & Anardana Powder.
11. Mix well.
12. Add in the Channas/Chole and mix again.
13. Add in the Water that had been set aside, little at a time.
14. Mix occasionally and cover and allow the channas to cook.
15. Repeat the process till the water is all consumed and the consistency of the gravy looks good.
16. Garnish with Onions and Green Chillies.
17. Serve hot with Puris, Bhaturas, Bread, Chapati, Parathas or Naan.

Strawberry Delight

This recipe is contributed by Aparna Bhave Tawde, an avid cook and mom.

This recipe is quick and delicious and also looks colorful and has jello like consistency. 

Ingredients

Strawberry Jello -2 packets

1 can evaporated milk

Some strawberries for decorative purposes

Whipping cream for decorative purposes

Method

1. Mix strawberry jello (2 small packs)as per pack instructions but cool in fridge for only half hour to 45 min until its cool but not set. 
2. In a large bowl, whip 1 can of cold evaporated milk for 5 min 
3. Add the cool jello and whip again till it doubles in size this takes about 5-8 min . 
4. Put back in fridge till set. 
5. This takes probably 3 hrs. 
6. Before serving top it with sliced strawberries and whipping cream.

 

Nolumbu Addai

This dish is contributed by Dr Kripa Narayan. 

Nolumbu Addai is an important part of the Karadai Nombu festival for the people in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. On this day a woman prays for the well-being and long life of her husband in remembrance of the Satyavan-Savithri katha. Both sweet and salt adai are made on the ocassion and the recipes for these are below.

Ingredients 

1 cup Rice flour

1 cup Jaggery

2 tsp finely chopped fresh coconut 

Cardamom powder- made from 2-3 cardamoms

1 tsp Red Moong Dal whole Channa dal 

Method: 

1. Soak red moong dal whole,channa dal   each 1tsp over night. 
2. Dry roast the rice flour in pan till light brown and keep aside. 
3. Dissolve jaggery in some water, then strain it to remove the stones and dirt. 
4. Mix water and jaggery to make 2.5 cup of mixture. 
5. Boil this water-jaggery mixture to elaichi/cardamom powder,soaked dals and scraped coconut pieces. 
6. Finally reduce heat and add the rice flour,stirring continuously till it becomes solid.let it cool. 
7. Oil the idly plates 
8. Knead the dough.take lime sized ball,press it in the idly depression evenly,put a hole in the center, steam it for 15 to 20 minutes. 
9. Remove it  and leave to cool.

Mango Rice

Contibuted by Kavitha NakkaKavitha is a Mompreneur, the kind who equiped with her vast knowledge of Pearls has established Kavitha's Collection which has the best of India Jewelry and an affordable price. 

Ingredients:

Raw mango: 1 nos (medium size)
Onion: finely chopped: 2 nos (medium size)
Roasted Peanuts: 1/2 cup
Cooked rice: 4 cups or rice required for two people
turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 2 tsp
channa dal: 2 tsp
Ginger:1/2 inch: finely chopped
coriander leaves: for garnish
Green chillies: finely chopped: according to taste
salt: according to taste

Method:

1. Wash and grate the mango and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a kadai, add the mustard seeds, channa dal and saute till the mustard seeds splutter and channa dal becomes brown…
3. Add the onions, green chillies and ginger and saute till the onions turn pink in colour.
4. Add the grated mango, turmeric powder and saute till the mango is cooked nicely.
5. Once the mango is cooked, add the roasted peanuts, salt and rice & mix well…
6. Cook on sim flame for another 1 min…
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot…

Bread Barfi

Poonam is a teacher and an artist who makes as delicious food as she makes beautiful paintings. Her passion lies in her uncanny knack of getting both her passion right to a T. Good food and awesome paintings are what you find at her place. 

Ingredients :

2 cups soft breadcrumbs
1 cup milk
1 grated coconut
1 cup sugar
4 table spoons oil
pink color as required
2 or 3 drops rose essence
8 to 10 chooped cashewnuts

Method :

Soak bread crumbs in milk for about 10 minutes.
Combine coconut and sugar, stir over a low fire till the sugar melts.
Add the soaked breadcrumbs and stir till well mixed (for about 5 to 7 minutes).
Add oil and continue stirring till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
Add coloring, essence and cashewnuts and mix well till the color is evenly blended.
Turn the mixture onto a greased tray and spread it evenly.
Allow it to cool and then cut into desired shapes.
Makes 22 pieces (2"x1").

 

We liked and Shared: Pink Almond Spekulatius Barfi

We liked and Shared are posts from other blogs that we found very innovative and wanted to share with you all so for this week we pick: a unique recipe taken from the Blog: Whats For Lunch Honey by Mowie.

Pink Almond Spekulatius Barfi

Ingredients

200ml sweetened condensed milk (you can make this yourself by boiling down 400ml of milk with 150g sugar for 30 minutes, stirring constantly, or you could just buy the ready made version)
100g butter
450g finely chopped almonds (you can also use pistachios or a combination of the two)
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp ground cardamom
[optional] 2tsps natural pink food colouring (for this recipe I used organic beetroot juice)

Method

1. Heat condensed milk in a large, deep pot on a medium to high heat, stirring constantly to make sure it doesn't burn. 
   
   
2. Add the butter, colouring and spices, and keep stirring. 
   
   
3. Add the almonds and stir until the mixture forms a ball in the pan. If the mixture is still too liquid or sticky, add more almonds. 
   
   
4. Plate the mixture into dessert dishes. 
   
   
5. Refrigerate and serve cold with sprinkled almonds or pistachios. The colder the burfi, the better it tastes!

Note: If using pistachios, you might want to consider leaving out the food colouring as the nuts will naturally turn the burfi green.

Vermicelli Kheer

Poonam is a teacher and an artist who makes as delicious food as she makes beautiful paintings. 
Her passion lies in her uncanny knack of getting both her passion right to a T. Good food and awesome paintings are what you find at her place. 

Ingredients
1cup Roasted Vermacili
1.5 liter Milk
½ tsp. Cardamom Powder
½ tsp. Saffron
Dry fruit and resins

Method
Boil the milk in a broad mouth pan add the roasted Vermicelli and sugar to taste. Let it boil till thick. Dissolve saffrom in 1tsp. Water. Add cardamom and saffron to the thick vermacelli and milk mixture Garnish with soaked almonds and resins.

Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna

 Poonam is a teacher and an artist who makes as delicious food as she makes beautiful paintings. Her passion lies in her uncanny knack of getting both her passion right to a T. Good food and awesome paintings are what you find at her place.

Ingredients :

 1 (12 oz.) pkg. lasagna noodles
1 (10 or 12 oz.) pkg. frozen spinach, thawed
2 med. onions
8 or 12 oz. crushed tomatoes
12 oz. Mozzarella cheese
8 to 12 oz. Romano cheese
2 tbsp. olive oil
12 or 16 oz. mushrooms
1 green pepper
Salt & pepper to taste
12 oz. sharp cheese

Method :
Bring large pan of water to boil and add the oil. Add noodles one at a time. Return to boil, turn heat down to medium for slow boil and cook until done. When cooked, drain and fill the pan with cold water and set aside.

Grate all the cheeses. Finely chop onion, peppers and mushrooms. In large frying pan, heat a little oil and cook onions until translucent. Add peppers and continue cooking for 2 or 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until most of juice is gone. Add thawed spinach and stir thoroughly. Add salt, pepper and herbs to taste. Oregano and thyme are good, but you can add your favorites. Add tomatoes and heat thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a rectangular casserole dish, arrange sauce, noodles and cheeses as follows: layer of sauce, layer of cheese, layer of noodles. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used -- saving some cheese for top. Cook in oven until top starts to brown -- about 30 minutes.

Spicy Tofu Wrap

Poonam is a teacher and an artist who makes as delicious food as she makes beautiful paintings. Her passion lies in her uncanny knack of getting both her passion right to a T. Good food and awesome paintings are what you find at her place. 

Ingredients :

1. one medium onion finely chopped
2. 1tsp ginger minced
3. 2 clove garlic minced
4. 2 green chilies finely chopped
5. 8oz firm tofu ,crumbled
6.8oz can water chestnuts, drained and chopped          
7. 3 tb sp soy sauce
8. sweet chili sauce
9. 1 head iceberg lettuce
10. 1 large carrot grated
11. half cup peanut coarsely grounded
12. half cup chopped green onion

Method :
To make filling. Heat oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add onion, ginger,clove and cook for 5 min. Add tofu ,chestnut and cook for 5 min.Add green chilies, salt,soy sauce ,salt and sweet chili sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Place lettuce leaves on platter .Wrap tofu mixture in lettuce leaf and garnish with carrot,green onion and crushed peanuts.
Shouldbe wrapped at time of eating not before .

Egg Curry with Tamarind

Contibuted by Kavitha NakkaKavitha is a Mompreneur, the kind who equiped with her vast knowledge of Pearls has established Kavitha's Collection which has the best of India Jewelry and an affordable price. 
 

 

This egg curry features a sauce which is typical of the masalas in South India. It uses tamarind, curry leaves and other savoury spices

  

Ingredients:

6 Eggs
1 Golf Ball Sized (1-1 1/2 Inch Round) Tamarind
1 Tablespoon Oil
8 Curry Leaves

Red Chilli Powder

A Pinch Of Asafoetida Or Heeng
1/4 Tsp Fenugreek Or Methi Seeds

1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds Or Zeera
1/2 Tsp Urad Dal 

Til or sesame seed2 Onion
2 Chili, Chopped (Optional)
1/2 Tsp Garlic Paste
1/2 – 3/4 Cup Water (Hot)
1/2 Tsp Turmeric
Salt And Pepper To Taste

Procedure:

Before we start making the curry – boil eggs, chop onions into squares and roast til or sesame seed

• Put oil in the pan
• Add green chillies, cumin seeds, methi seeds and the mustard seeds (rai)
• Fry the onion
• Add the crushed garlic, turmeric powder
• Add the tamarind water
• After a while add the chilli powder and let it roast for a while
• Add the roasted til or sesame seed, this makes the Curry water thick 
• Add the eggs and bring it to boil

 Serve with plain rice or chapatti

Bhagara Baigan

             

Contributed By Dr Kripa Narayan

About Bhagara Baigan:

This popular Hyderabadi?Andhra  recipe, has the tiny eggplants slit and stuffed with spiced sesame and coconut mixture cooked in a tangy tamarind gravy. For all those vegetarian lovers ,this goes well the Hyderabadi Biriyani.

Ingredients (for stuffing)

Stuffing

• 400 gms small purple Brinjal or eggplant (slit length wise into 4 parts leaving the base intact)
• (¼ cup) 50 gms chanadal
• (2/3 cup) 100 gms ground nuts
• (1/3 cup) 50 gms sesame seeds
• (1 cup) 120 gms grated coconut
• (1/3 cup) 20 gms coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. Jeera
• ½ tsp Fenugreek Seeds (methi)
• 8 red chillies
• Salt (according to your taste)
• 50 ml oil

 

Steps

• Roast all ingredients separately until a nice aroma arises.
• Grind ingredients together.
• Stuff the Brinjals with the masala.
• Fry Brinjals on low heat until they are soft.

Ingredients (for gravy)

Gravy

•  1 tsp mustard
• Few curry leaves
• 1 lime sized ball  of a tamarind, make juice from that
• ¾ cup chopped onion
•  1 ½ tsp ginger garlic paste 
•  Pinch of turmeric
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp Coriander powder
• Salt (according to your taste)
•  ½ tsp jaggery
• Fresh Dhaniya/Coriander leaves

Steps for gravy

• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard.  
• Add curry leaves & fry them. 
• Add ginger paste, garlic ginger paste, chopped onions. 
• Fry until golden brown.
• Add tamarind juice & all 3 powders. 
• Mix the remaining ground masala. 
• Boil water until the oil is separated or gravy consistency is reached. 
• Add fried Brinjals/eggplant and let them simmer on low heat. 
• Turning the Brinjals until they are cooked. 
• Garnish with coriander.

Chilli Paneer/Tofu

Contibuted by Kavitha Nakka

Kavitha is a Mompreneur, the kind who equiped with her vast knowledge of Pearls has established
Kavitha's Collection which has the best of India Jewelry and an affordable price. 

Ingredients:

1/2 carrot
1/4 green pepper
1/4 red pepper
1/4 yellow pepper
1 small red onion
150gm Paneer/Tofu

3 cloves garlic
2 oz. ginger
1 tbs veg oil
4 tbs Soya Sauce
5 tbs tomatoes sauce or ketchup
3 tbs white vinegar
salt, black pepper powder, finely chopped green chillies as per taste
coriander and green onion for garnish
 

Procedure:

• In hot pan add oil, let the oil get hot, add ginger, garlic
• Immediately add carrots, peppers, onions ,sauté' on high heat
• Aadd soya sauce, tomatoes sauce and vinegar ,add 1/4 cup of water if needed.
• Add salt, black pepper and fine chopped chillies per taste
• Add paneer cook for 3 to 5 minutes top with garnish with coriander and green onions

Sago Surprise

           SAGO SURPRISE

- Contributed by Chef Deepti Batra Paul.

Chef Paul is a South Asian Cuisine Consultant
and Writer, her weekly recipes
can be seen in South Asian Focus Newspaper.

Email   www.gourmetkendraa.com

Ingredients

1 cup sago (sabudana)

2 medium potatoes, boiled & mashed

¼ teaspoon red chilli powder

Salt to taste (preferably sendha namak)

½ cup grated cottage cheese (paneer)

1 tablespoon cashewnuts, chopped

1 tablespoon raisins, chopped

1 tablespoon roasted peanuts, coarsely ground

1 green chilli, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 tablespoon lime juice

Refined oil to deep fry

Method

•  Soak sago in enough water to cover it, for about two hours. Drain off excess water.
•  Mix together sago, potatoes, red chilli powder and salt. Set aside.
•  To make stuffing, mix together cottage cheese, cashew nuts, raisins, peanuts, green chilli, coriander leaves, and lime juice. Mix thoroughly and adjust seasoning.
• Divide sago and potato mixture into twelve small balls. Flatten between palms of your hands and press to create small cavity.
• Stuff grated cottage cheese mixture and cover with remaining sago and potato mix, per ball. Repeat the same with remaining ingredients.
• Heat sufficient oil in a kadai or heavy bottom pan and deep fry vadas in hot oil till golden brown.
• Drain and remove onto a kitchen paper- towel, to absorb excess oil. Serve hot.

Pani Puri

-  Contributed by Sharanya

Sharanya is a cook-from-the-heart, no-recipe-needed chef at home. She thrives on experimenting in her kitchen, and really enjoys feeding her creations to friends and family whether they like it or not. 

Her Blog 

About Pani Puri

The golgappa also known as panipuri, Pani Ke Batashe, phuchka or gup chup.

Pani Puri is the most popular snack in North India.

Ingredients

For the Pani:

Pani Puri

2 cups of washed coriander leaves
1 cup of washed mint leaves
4 green chilies (or according to required spice level)
2 tbsp tamarind pulp
1 in piece of ginger
1 tsp black salt
Salt to taste
Water, about 5 cups

For the filling:

1 cup pigeon peas
salt to taste
water, a few tbsps

About 30-40 puris

Preparation

Pani:

·         Add coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chilies, tamarind pulp ginger and black salt with a splash of water to a blender jar and process into a smooth paste. This is the concentrate for the pani.

·         Transfer to a large mixing bowl that can hold a large amount of water. Dilute with water till the pani is at your desired consistency. Usually this amount of concentrate will take about 5 cups of water. Add salt to taste (approx 1/3 tsp per cup of water). Refrigerate before serving

Filling:
 

·         Soak the pigeon peas in water for about 4 hours (or overnight) and pressure cook in just enough water to cover. The peas should hold their shape after cooking.

·         Add salt to taste and a few tbsp of water if the mixture is too dry.

Assembly:

·         If the puris are slightly limp, put them in the microwave oven for about 30 secs to crisp them up.

·         Crack open the top of one puri, and spoon in 1 tbsp of warm filling. Dunk the puri into the cold pani and stuff it in your mouth.

Bread Idli

DN is the founder of Desi Diva's Delicious Delights(D4) her desire to add more to her kitchen recipes brought about D4, where women collaborate and make new recipes and exchange ideas and tips!

About Bread Idli:

Bread Idli is a yummy snack you can easily put together when in a hurry. Its healthy with a lot of vegetables in it and lets not forget how tasty it can be!

Recipe and Ingredients:

White Bread

Potatoes -Boiled
Capsicum/ Peppers- Green, Yellow and Red as per your choice
Carrot
Cabbage
Onion
Beans
Paneer
Corn/ Boiled Peas
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Mustard seeds/Rai
Zeera/Cumin
Yogurt
Curry Patta
Coriander

Procedure: 

Step 1: Filling for Idli

• 2 tsp Oil in Pan 
• Add 1/2 tsp zeera on turning golden
• Add the beans
• Add all the other vegetable ( Some vegetables need boiling, please boil them before hand like peas, carrot etc- Cabbage, and Peppers can be placed without any boiling) Choose the vegetables of your choice
• Add one mashed potato
• Add Salt and Black Pepper

Step 2

• Boiled Potatoes should be mashed
• Add black pepper and Salt to this

 Step3

• In 1/2 tsp of oil add Rai and Curry Patta when warm. 
• Add this Chowk to the yogurt and mix well.

Step 4

•  When all of the first 3 steps are done we can proceed to the arrangement.
• Cut all the bread slices into round shape with a bowl.
• Soak the bread into the yogurt mixture and squeeze the excess yogurt out
• Holding bread in your palm fill it with the Vegetable mix and then cover it with the mashed potatoes
• Place it in the pan with the potato side in on the pan
• Make a few and cover it for a few minutes till the potato is crisp
• Don't flip the idli.
•  

 Step5

• Plate the idli and garnish it with Corriander
• Best with Green Chatni

Lemon Rice

Contributed by Lipakshi Sharma

A 20 something Account Manager of a leading Bank, Lipakshi also famous as Lipi spends her days exploring new places and learning new things and cooking is one such passion 

Email your comments to Lipi

About Lemon Rice:

Lemon Rice is a delicious South Indian dish you can easily put together when in a hurry. You can also make it with leftover rice. Serve Lemon Rice with a Raita (yogurt salad) and Poppadums for a simple yet tasty meal.

Recipe and Ingredients:

1  cup of rice
Salt to taste
2 tblspns of oil/ghee
A pinch of asafoetida
2 dried red chillies
1 tblspn of split black gram (urad dal)
1 tblspn of split gram (chana dal)
1 tspn of fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
1/4 cup of peanuts
1 tspn of mustard seeds (optional)
10-12 of curry leaves
3 tblspns of lemon juice
1 tspn of turmeric powder
1 tblspn of grated fresh coconut (optional)

Procedure:

• Pick, wash and soak rice for about thirty minutes. Drain and then boil in plenty of boiling salted water until almost done. Drain and keep aside.
• Heat oil/ghee in a shallow pan or a kadai. Add a pinch of asafoetida. Add dried red chillies broken into two, urad dal, chana dal and methi seeds. Cook until dals change colour to light brown.
• Add peanuts and mustard seeds. Let mustard seeds crackle, then add curry leaves. Mix turmeric powder in this. Stir fry for half a minute. Add cooked rice, salt and lemon juice.
• Garnish with grated coconut.
• You can use roasted or fried peanuts for this recipe.
  

  

  Lemon Rice read to be served

Tomato Rasam

Lipakshi Sharma aka 'Lipi'

Contributed by Lipakshi Sharma

A 20 something Account Manager of a leading Bank, Lipakshi also famous as Lipi spends her days exploring new places and learning new things and cooking is one such passion 

Email your comments to Lipi

A little about Rasam:

 Rasam, is a South Indian soup. It is prepared with tamarind juice or tomato, pepper and other spices. Lentils are added by some along with vegetables.

It is eaten with rice or alone, as a soup. In a traditional meal, it follows the sambar course and is followed by curd rice. It differs from sambar in that it usually relies on tomatoes for its sourness rather than tamarind, and it is usually much more fluid.

In Tamil,'Rasam' means Juice. It can refer to any juice but simply Rasam commonly referred to the one prepared with Tamarind/Tomato juice with added spices.

There are different kinds of rasam, varying by ingredient:
Tomato rasam, Lemon Rasam, Meriyala/Milagu (Pepper) rasam, Neem flower rasam, Ginger rasam, Garlic Rasam, Pineapple Rasam, Parupu (Dal) rasam etc.

Recipe:

We are now going to make Rasam by using the shortest method. All my recipies are for people who lack time to do it the long way :)

Ingredients:

Tomato(medium) - 3 nos
Tamarind(Imli) juice/paste(thick) - 1 tbsp
Garlic pods(crushed) - 2 - 3 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Rasam powder - 2 tbsp ( My favourite one is MTR's Madras Rasam Powder, available at your local           Indian grocery Store)
Curry leaves - A few
Coriander leaves - A few (chopped)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Water - 3 cups
Salt - As reqd
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies(Kollamulaku) - 1 no (broken into 2 pieces)

Procedure:

• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a heavy bottom pan.
• Add mustard seeds and when they crackle, add red chillies and saute for a while.
• Add crushed garlic and stir for a minute.
• Add chopped tomatoes and salt and stir, till the tomatoes blend well.
• Add turmeric and rasam powder and stir for a few seconds.
• Add the tamarind paste and mix well.
• Add curry leaves, coriander leaves and water.
• Boil rasam on low flame for about 7 - 10 mins.
• Finally, you can sprinkle asafoetida powder(optional).{Asafoetida is usually contained in Rasam Powder.}
• Your rasam is ready.

Rasam can be had as plain soup or traditionaly with rice

Idli

 DN is the founder of Desi Diva's Delicious Delights(D4) her desire to add more to her kitchen recipes brought about D4, where women collaborate and make new recipes and exchange ideas and tips!

 A little about Idli:

Idli is a south Indian savory cake popular throughout India. The cakes are usually two to three inches in diameter and are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils (de-husked) and rice. The fermentation process breaks down the starches so that they are more readily metabolized by the body.

Most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack, idlis are usually served in pairs with chutney, sambar, or other accompaniments. Mixtures of crushed dry spices such as milagai podi are the preferred condiment for idlis eaten on the go.

Recipe:

We are going to use the quick way of making the Idli that is with Sooji or Semonila. This will save us time that would normally be taken up for fermenting.

Ingredients:

3 cups of Sooji / Semonila
1 cup yougurt
Chopped chilly - 3
Curry Leaves/ Curry patta- few
Rai seeds/ Mustard Seeds- a pinch
Urad Daal /Vigna mungo

Procedure:

• Take 1 tspn oil and place in the kadhai/pan
• Place the sooji in it and fry only uptil you see that the colour changing a little... take it off and set asid to cool.
• Take the yougurt and add t the sooji once it is cooled, add water to the mixture to get a semi solid batter.
• Now take the same pan/kadhai add 3 tspn oil to it and then add Rai seeds, curry patta and once they start to spatter add the urad dal to it.
• Take off the mixture and add to the idli batter and mix well.
• Now take the Idli stand, you can buy it from the Indian grocery store nearby. Pour the idli into the stand deppressions and close stand.

Pressure Cooker

• In the pressure cooker put 1 cup of water and then place the idli stand in it.

• 
  
  Pressure cook for 15 minutes till the Idli is well made. Make sure you do not put the whistel on it. Let the air go out from the whistle vent...thats ok...

Idli served with Coconut Chutney and Sambar

Hope you enjoy eating it!