Awards Time

One Lovely Blog Award
Harika from Harika's Kitchen has presented me with the One Lovely Blog Award. 





Thank you Harika for the Award. I am feeling so delighted.
Here are the rules for this award:
1. Accept the award. Post it on your blog with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2. Pay it forward to 15 other bloggers. Please don't leave it general and just invite all your blogger friends to collect the Award. It's always nice to be nominated so please do the favor and nominate 15 bloggers to share the Award with.
3. Contact those blog owners and let them know they’ve been chosen


Stylish Blogger Award
Harika from Harika's Kitchen and Kankana from Sunshine & Smile have presented me this Stylish Blogger Award. Thank you lovely buddies!

Here is what we can do to share and keep the loop going
1. Thank and Link Back to the Blogger Who Awarded You With The Award
2. Share 7 Things About Yourself
3. Award 15 Recently Discovered Great Blogger
4. Contact The Bloggers and Inform Them of The Award


And Now comes 7 things about me :)
1. I love pink color.. and admire anything in pink
2. I love admiring moon and the night-sky
3. I am a well-organized person (?!) and try to stick to my plan as much as I can
4. I am not a party person..huh.. but always love company of close friends
5. I would always like have something sweet (at least a small bite of chocolate) after every meal
6. I love music, especially ARRahman's
7. I try not to postpone things as much as I can


I would like to pass on these awards to my fellow blogger friends
Denny
Reva
Aipi
Priya Sreeram
Priya Vasu
Priya Suresh
Akheela
Akila
Ramya
Priyanka
Aruna Manikandan
Prats
Premalatha Aravindan
Jeyashri Suresh
Tahemeem

Aval Upma / Poha Upma | Upma Recipes

Aval aka Poha is a rice flattened to light dry flakes. Aval upma is a very light, low calorie snack perfect for breakfast/dinner. The most common and known variety is Kanda poha though many varieties are still popular, like lemon flavored or tamarind flavored poha. Today's recipe is a simple aval upma flavored with roasted chana dhal and one of my MIL's specialty dishes. Trust me, this is very tasty and you would love it.

Ingredients:

Serves - 2

Flattened Rice/ Beaten rice / Poha - 3 cups (I used the thick variety)

Roasted gram dhal / Pottu kadalai - 1/2 cup

Water - to soak

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Chana dhal - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 3 or 4 slit

Curry leaves - 4 or 5 chopped
Onion - chopped finely - 1 cup

Cilantro / Coriander leaves - 6 or 7 twigs, chopped

Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp (optional)

Method:

Wash the poha with water, drain. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt (1/2 tsp) and mix well and add enough water to soak it. Set aside for 30 mins to 1 hr. Soaking time may be adjusted according to the type of the poha (thin or thick variety).

Grind the roasted gram dhal to a fine powder. Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, urad dhal, chana dhal, slit green chillies. We already have added chilli powder to the poha so adjust the green chillies based on your spice level. Now add the finely chopped onions and curry leaves. Saute till the onions turn translucent. Meanwhile add the gram dhal powder to the soaked poha and mix carefully so that the gram dhal is coated all over the poha. Take care not to break. Now add the poha to the kadai and mix well. Add salt according to taste. Reduce the heat to medium and mix until the poha is cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves and coconut(if using). Serve hot with chutney of your choice. I would like to enjoy this as such.

I am sending this to Healthy Recipe Hunt - Rice flakes event by Kurinji Kathambam.

I am also sending this to Anyone can cook event by Ayeesha of Taste of Pearl city.

Sending this to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.

Spicy Potato Fry / Urulai Kaara kari

Potatoes are nevertheless the most favourite vegetable liked by kids and grown-ups equally and is rich in carbohydrates. Urulai Kaara kari is the regular way I prepare potatoes whenever I make them because we love this spicy version. 

Ingredients:
Potato - 2 medium sized
Onion - 1 cup - finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp or to taste
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Chana dhal - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:
Boil the potatoes with salt. Peel and cut them into 1" cubes. Heat oil in a kadai and add the mustard seeds. When it splutters add the chana dhal and saute for 1 min. Adding chana dhal gives a crunchy bite to the potatoes and I love it. Add the finely chopped onions and saute them until they are golden brown color (close to caramelize). Sauteing the onions for caramelizing gives a unique taste to this fry. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell disappears. Now add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder and saute for 2 mins. Now add salt and the potato and mix until all the cubes are coated with onion mixture. Saute in medium heat until the potatoes turn to golden brown color, mixing carefully. If needed you can add 1 tsp of oil at this stage. Serve hot with any rice of your choice.  I would love this combo with curd rice/rasam rice.
Also check out my Fiestaa potatoes.

I am also sending to 'Veggie/fruit of the month - Potato' event by Priya of Mharo Rajasthan guest hosted by Divya.

Potato

Blueberry Dates Smoothie

I was planning to send in my smoothie entry for 'Breakfast Club- Yogurt' but I completely forgot about it. I was under the impression that the deadline was on Jan 31 but suddenly remembered it was today. I initially planned to whip up blueberry nut smoothie which would be perfect for a breakfast, now also added some dates to reduce the amount of white sugar I add and also to tweak in iron. I just made this as a single serving just for me and I loved it. It was so yummy and filling.

Ingredients:
Serves-1
Blueberries (fresh or frozen) - 3 oz
Low-fat Plain/Greek Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Dates - 5 or 6
Walnuts - 2 tbsp
Sugar or honey - 1/2 tsp or according to taste

Method:
Blend all the ingredients in a blender/mixie/food processor. Add sugar/honey according to taste. Remember the dates would already have some sweetness.
Serve chilled. This can be prepared the previous day and frozen/chilled in the refrigerator and can be grabbed as a quick breakfast to-go.

Sending this to 'Breakfast Club - Yogurt' event by Sarah of Maison cupcake and Helen of Fuss free Flavors.



I am also sending this to Smita's 'Cooking with Fruits' event.

Sending this to Srivalli's Kid's Delight hosted by Nupur of UK-Rasoi, for the month of April 2012.











Breakfast Smoothies

Paneer Green Salad with Ginger-lemon dressing

I made this green salad for lunch today and we loved this. I added cubed and marinated paneer to bring in the protein factor and make it more interesting.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
For the dressing:
Ginger - crushed about 2 tbsp
Lemon zest - about 2 tsp (zest of a whole lemon)
Lemon juice - 3 tbsp
Water - 1/4 cup
Salt and pepper - to taste

For the salad:
Romaine Lettuce - 8 oz
Spinach - 1 cup
Carrot - 1 cup grated
Sprouted moong bean - 3/4 cup
Paneer - 1/4 cup ~ 40 g - cut into 1/2" cubes

Method:
Pour 1/4 cup of boiling water to the crushed ginger and allow it to steep and cool. When it is cooled add the lemon zest and lemon juice with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile in a big salad mixing bowl, add the lettuce, spinach, sprouted moong bean and grated carrots.
The carrots can be julienned or shredded with the big slot of the grater.
The dressing and the veggies can be prepared earlier and put together until you serve. Before serving, add the paneer to the dressing and allow it to marinate for 5 to 10 mins.
Add the dressing with paneer to the veggies and serve.

I am sending this to 'Only - Salads' event by Pari of Foodelicious and guest hosted by Prathibha.
I am also sending this to 'Food Palette - Green' event by Torview Toronto and 'MLLA # 31' hosted by Simona, brainchild of Susan.

Sending this to Srivalli's Soups and Salads Mela

Paneer