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Sunday 16 December 2018

lachha paratha recipe | lachha parantha recipe



chitrannaa.blogspot.com


Are you bored eating only chapatis and rotis? But don't want to eat maida? Want to eat restaurant style khana, yet homemade? Don't want to toil too long in the kitchen?

Here is the single solution for all these thoughts....
These crispy yet light, flaky and yummy and healthy lachha parathas can be easily made at home.

You may also check our tasty and delicious sabzis that go very well with the parathas :



And to go with it, I am sharing my own version of curry with fried baby corns and capsicum which is just yummilicious!
A warning though. This combination tastes so good, you better eat first or make extra so that you won't be staring at empty vessels!!

You may also try our tasty and delicious sabjis that go very well with Rotis, Parathas, Naans and Kulchas.




Bitter gourd fry








Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time : 10 minutes

Ingredients :


For dough

4 cups  wheat flour                 
2 cups maida                         
1 tablespoon groundnut oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon curds
1 cup milk to mix the dough - adjust to mix the dough well

Groundnut oil  in a cup for making the parathas.

Atta to sprinkle on the parathas.

             

Preparation :



  • Mix all the above to prepare dough. Knead well and set aside for at least one hour.

  • Make round balls with the dough.
  • Press and roll into round rotis.
  • Apply groundnut oil over the surface.
  • Sprinkle the atta all over the rolled roti.
  • Holding at both ends fold into pleats as shown in the picture.

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  • Then roll it into circles.
  • Repeat this for all the dough balls.
  • Pressing lightly roll into paratha. The pleats formed should be visible as shown in the picture.
  • Putting oil or ghee on both sides cook on a tava. It should be slightly roasted so that the flakes tasty crispy.
  • After removing from the tava press sideways as shown in the picture.

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Layered Lachha Paratha is ready. Serve hot with fried baby corns and capsicum mixed veggies curry.



baby corn masala recipe | baby corn gravy | baby corn curry | baby corn mixed veg curry



chitrannaa.blogspot.com

The fried baby corns and capsicum taste absolutely delicious in any north Indian dishes. So I have incorporated both these to make very very tasty and delicious sabji that goes very well with parthas, rotis naans and kulchas. I am sure you would also like this lip smacking curry. I have first hand experience. Believe me, you have to set aside something for yourself because no matter how much quantity you make, there will be shortage because it would be so delicious and not just with parathas, I had my family going on eating it as if it is the main course!  


Preparation Time 30 minutes

Cooking Time 45 minutes





Ingredients :




Baby corns  1 packet (12-15 numbers)
15        Beans
2-3       Carrot
2          Potatoes
2          Capsicum
3          Onions
4          Tomatoes
Coriander leaves
Curry leaves
Slit chillies 6
Garlic ginger paste 1 tablespoon

1 tablespoon red chilli powder (depends on your taste)
1 tablespoon garam masala powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon kasoori methi powder

3 tablespoon cashew nuts
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

You may also like our other delicious breakfast recipes here :


Instant Raagi Gundpongal / Paddu / Paniyaram










Preparation :





  • Soak the cashews and poppy seeds into water for half an hour.
  • Blanch the tomatoes and make tomato puree.

  • How to blanch tomatoes :

  • Take the tomatoes and with a knife cut the four sides only skin deep. It should just mark a plus sign on the tomatoes. Don't cut deep. You should just cut the skin so that it's easy to remove the skin when they are blanched.

  • In a thick bottomed kadai boil tomatoes for five minutes and let them cool.
  • Once the tomatoes are cool, remove the skin.
  • Grind the tomatoes in the mixie jar to a fine puree.

  • Cut all the vegetables into 2 inch long pieces.
  • Cook to two whistles the cut beans, potatoes and carrots.
  • Heat groundnut oil in a thick bottomed kadai.
  • Deep fry the baby corns, capsicum and onion till golden brown and set aside.
  • Now adjust the oil in the kadai to three tablespoon.
  • Add garlic ginger paste and fry for two minutes.
  • Now add the tomato puree and cook it till the oil separates.
  • Now add coriander powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder, curry leaves and cook for five minutes.
  • Then add the cashew poppy seeds paste and adjust water and let it come to a boil.
  • Now add all the cooked vegetables, salt and a pinch of sugar, mix well and let it simmer for a minute or two.
  • Finally add the fried baby corn and capsicum pieces and let us simmer for a minute more.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves, add a dollop of butter and serve hot with lachha parathas.
  • This tastes awesome with rotis, chapatis and pooris.




Tuesday 11 December 2018

O....My.... Dawg.......

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"Gandananna oorige kalisi" - After packing my husband for a sojourn, I had thought I will have some me time today. But this fella had some other plans.


He had not eaten since morning. He kept coming to the kitchen every hour and every time I take out his bowl, he vanishes.
Then at 10 o'clock in the night he comes to the kitchen with wide pleading eyes. I give him food, he eats. I give him milk, he drinks. Then again comes to the kitchen. I follow him and he demands chewstick. Fine. Everything over and I settle to watch Bigg Boss.







Within 10 minutes, there is some odd sound in the room. Alarmed, I look down and he has vomited everywhere. I clean it for 15 minutes and sit to watch TV.

After 10 minutes, he runs out of the room and I run after him. He is nowhere to be seen. After peeping into the darkness below the staircase, I see him hiding, making faces. I grab a newspaper and drag him out. After coaxing for 10 minutes, he throws up on the newspaper.

Again I clean, wash my hands and come to the room. Lo! He is missing again.
I rush to the staircase and no, he is not there. I search in the room, no luck. I call him and there is no sound.

I go upstairs and he is sleeping in a suitcase. I call him and he refuses to come. OK. I come down, enough of TV, I open the mobile and within five minutes he comes and sits on the cot and starts staring at me. I ask him to sleep. No. I pull him to get him sleep and he pulls back. I try to ignore him and he keeps staring till I give him full attention.

OK. Some tummy rub, some coaxing and cajoling and he acts as if he is sleeping. I also decide to sleep and now he wants to come inside my blanket. Ok.
No now he wants to go out of it.
Grrrrrrr....






And now again he has run out of the room and there is some sound coming from below the staircase...

There is some action replay. Sleepy eyed, I clean up everything and come to my room. Thank God he is in the room. Now I stare at him and he stares back. An indication that it is over and he is feeling confident.

I give him a hug and since the entire bed is free and also since it is a winter night, I put him on the bed, kiss him good night, cover him snugly in the sheets,  and pull my blanket over my head. God, let me catch at least a few hours' sleep...

Barely have I dozed off, I feel a wet nose over my nose......



.
.
.
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If you want someone to love you unconditionally forever, then buy a dog. No matter how you are feeling, a little dog is gonna love you.
.
I have a biggest regret after having a dog...
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Dogs' lives are too short...
Their only fault. Really.
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Saturday 8 December 2018

Amla Murabba recipe | Nellikai Gulamba | Indian Gooseberry Murabba | nellikayi morabba recipe



Indian Gooseberry (Amla) is rich with health benefits. A great source of vitamin C, these fruits are used to make a variety of dishes as their nutritional value has been very well established. The health benefits of Amla or Nellikai are many :





  • Amla boosts Immunity
  • Controls Diabetes
  • Aids in Digestion
  • Prevents Heart Diseases
  • Prevents Hair loss and premature greying
  • Anti-aging Agent
  • Helps in improving the vision
  • Boosts Liver Health
  • Anticancer Properties
  • Improves Metabolic Activity
  • Treats Menstrual Cramps
  • Relieves Diarrhea & Dysentery
  • Improves Appetite...

The list goes on and on...

Today I am sharing with you a simple recipe for a very very tasty Amla Murabba or Nellikai Gulamba.
It can be preserved without refrigeration for many months.


RECIPE VIDEO :






The Murabba tastes great with chapati, pooris, rotis, bread and dosas. Having a spoon full of Amla Murabba in the morning is your insurance against many a diseases.

Preparation Time 30 minutes
Cooking Time       45 minutes

Ingredients :


Grated Amla 4 cups
Sugar 4 1/2 cups
Elaichi powder 1 tablespoon
Water to make sugar syrup
Kesar strings  (optional)

Procedure :



  • Thinly grate the amlas. 
  • Cook the grated amlas by placing in a bowl in a cooker without adding any water upto 2 whistles.
  • In a thick bottomed kadai, mix the sugar and water well and let the sugar dissolve completely on low heat.
  • Keep stirring it continuously so that it doesn't get burnt.
  • Thus stirring continuously, make a thread syrup - " ele paaka".
  • Now add the grated and cooked amla to the syrup and continue to boil it.
  • Keep stirring.
  • In about 10 minutes, the Morabba starts thickening.
  • Now add the elaichi powder and mix well.
  • Add the kesar strings.
  • Check the consistency. It should be light and flow from the ladle.
  • Don't overcook it else it gets hardened.
  • Watch the video I have shared here to know exactly when it can be removed.
  • Let it cool and then store in an airtight jar.
  • The Gulamba tastes awesome when hot, when cold or even when it's a few months old!


Enjoy! Happy cooking.



Please share the recipe and don't forget to post your feedbacks.
Check our other delicious sweet recipes here :

Sajjige Holige - Sheera Puran Poli

Kajjaya - Atirasa - Anarasa











Tuesday 4 December 2018

Sajjige holige | sajjaka obbattu recipe | Sheera - sweet flat bread | pooran poli recipe



chitrannaa.blogspot.com


These yummy, tasty and delicious sajjige holige - Sheera pooran poli - can be prepared instantly as there is no cooking of the pulses or hoorana (pooran) is involved. They taste very delicious and very very light and just melt in your mouth.

Preparation Time 30 minutes
Cooking Time 30 minutes


Ingredients : 


1 1/2 cup chiroti rava
1 tablespoon Maida - all purpose flour
1 cup Bombay rava - Sooji
1 1/4 cup Jaggery powder
1/2 cup Groundnut oil
1 cup rice flour
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon elaichi powder
1 tablespoon spoon ghee
3 cups water






Check our other delicious sweet recipes here :


Kajjaya - Atirasa - Anarasa










Procedure :


  • Mix chiroti rava, maida, salt, turmeric powder with a tablespoon of groundnut oil in a bowl.
  • Add water and make dough kneading well. It should be soft like paratha dough.
  • Let it rest for about half an hour.
  • Dry roast semolina for just 2-3 minutes. Don't over roast it.
  • In a thick bottomed kadai, boil the water and add Bombay rava. Cook it on low heat.
  • When it's cooked, add jaggery and elaichi powder and cook further to make sajjige or sheera and add the ghee.
  • Set the cooked sajjige - sheera aside and let it cool completely.
  • Make small balls of the cooled sajjige.
  • Now knead the dough and make small balls from the chiroti rava dough and roll them round. Here if you think the dough is tight, you may add a few spoons of water and knead it to make it soft.
  • In the rolled dough, put a sheera ball and cover it around the way we do for parathas.
  • Cover it lightly with rice flour and set aside.
  • Like this make the obbattu balls from all the sajjige balls.
  • Heat the tava.
  • Lightly press the obbattu ball, and roll with chapati pin into round obbattu or puran poli using rice flour on both the sides.
  • Now put the obbattu on the tava and cook it over medium heat putting a spoonful of groundnut oil on both the sides.
  • Do obbattus like this with all other balls.
  • Serve hot with ghee.
  • They taste equally light and tasty even when they are cold and also on the next day, provided there are any leftovers!



Happy cooking!





Saturday 1 December 2018

How to grow Sweet Corn at home in containers - Organic gardening tips | gardening guide to grow sweet corn





The pleasure of growing different varieties of vegetables, fruits and flowers in our garden organically is unparalleled. The more the merrier. 


From our kitchen, we can take seeds to our garden and bring many a vegetables from our garden to our kitchen. It's a beautiful cycle. While cutting the vegetables, eating fruits, I always keep an open eye and think whether the seed needs to go to the garden. It's a most thrilling experience. A most beautiful and fulfilling creative art.

Today I am going to explain how to grow sweet corn in containers at home. You would be surprised to know how simple it is to grow sweet corns in pots.



Please read my other interesting posts about gardening tips and tricks :

1. Organic gardening method - How to grow veggies in a very very small place
2. Organic gardening medium - How to grow easily without soil and with less water

3. Organic gardening plants - What all the vegetables we can grow in 10x10 area 
4. Organic Manure composting - How to use your kitchen waste directly in your pots to compost and prepare organic manure

5. How to grow and harvest cabbages in containers 





You need to take a pot which it at least 12 inch wide and 12 inch deep. You can sow the seeds procured from the market.
I, on the other hand sowed a matured corn I had at home. In fact I didn't bother even to take out the seeds. I just sowed an entire corn cob into my pot.
It is actually advantageous to sow the entire cob because I will get many plants grown closely side by side and getting more and more male and female flowers side by side gives more yield.

I am growing my corns in organic manure which holds water. So I take care to water it regularly to keep the manure moist. And as explained in many of the gardening posts here, I add my kitchen waste which act as a most nourishing manure. Other than this I don't use any other outside manure.

The plant starts flowering after about 2-3 weeks and gives the yield after about two months. Another interesting fact about growing corn is the pollination. As is well known, every plant gives male and female flowers and bears fruits and vegetables after pollination. The pollination usually happens with the help of air, bees, birds and butterflies. At times we need to do hand pollination. Especially so in case of corn.


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Look at this corn plant. The long one on the right side is a male flower and the flower with the silk threads is the female flower. Where as it is generally easy  for the pollination to happen in other vegetables, in case of corn we need to do hand pollination especially when we are growing them in containers. Even in the vast fields the general practice is to do hand pollination because of the number of silks and the fact that each of these silks is connected to individual corn kernel. In case of other fruits and vegetables it involves one male and one female flower, here the pollens from the male flowers need to get connected to not just one flower but to each of the hundreds of silks.


One can't depend on the air or bees for pollination. So each male flower is covered with a paper cover and the pollens connected so would be sprinkled on the female silks. This generally needs to be done in the morning between 9 to 11 AM. Taking the pollens so collected need to be touched to the silks. These silks actually contain a very thin tube inside which is connected to a kernel each.
When we do the pollination, the pollens travel to the base of the silk and the pollination happens within next twenty four hours. This pollination needs to be done at least for five to six days for each ear. The white silky threads turn brown which is the indication of the completion of the pollination of all the silks.




Corn is ready to be harvested as soon as the ears have completely filled out. We can tell when this happens by feeling the end of an ear. If it's rounded or blunt rather than pointed, the ears are ready. The silks also dry up when the ears are almost ready to be picked. Now we can break the corn ear from the corn stalk.

Watch the video I have shared here to understand more about the hand pollination of the corns.