Curd Rice: Thayir Sadam

Honestly I never had curd rice before; it was a year ago when I first ever tried it. My office colleague who is from Chennai introduced me to curd rice and its goodness.  She explained me that curd rice is a solution to any problem-be it bad tummy days, after greasy food to just a lazy meal idea.

Yogurt or curd or dahi as we call it in hindi is one super healthy ingredient. Like all milk or dairy product curd is also rich in calcium which offers us healthy bones and teeth. Curd has ‘good bacteria’ present in it which strengthens your immune system by fighting against several microorganisms that are present in the body. Consuming curd can go a long way in maintaining a healthy heart, it reduces cholesterol levels. Lastly yogurt is great booster for healthy digestion.

Rice as we know when eaten in moderation can be a good source of carbohydrates. It also contains some amount of proteins, folic acid and phosphorus. What I like about rice the most that even little quantity of rice can make you feel full.

So, when these two ingredients curd and rice combines together to form this easy peasy south Indian dish called Curd Rice the outcome is just amazing. Every now then when I want my stomach lining to cool down from the spicy Indian food I only think about curd rice. From the time I have returned back from Dubai my health hasn’t been well, from stomach problems to toothache to headaches to feeling weak-everything is going on; it is only Curd Rice that comes to rescue.

Now, I am not from south India so may be my recipe is different. I would suggest all my non south Indian friends and followers to have curd rice once in their lifetime (if you haven’t, like me ;-). It is a perfect summer meal when you don’t want to slave yourself in the kitchen. Serve it with some pickle or chutney and a papad-just perfect.

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 cups yogurt/curd/dahi

2 cups boiled rice/chawal

5 tablespoons milk/doodh

2 tablespoon oil

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida/hing

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds/sarso/rai

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

6 curry leaves/kadi patta

3 green chillies slit

2 tablespoons coriander leaves/dhaniya

Salt to taste

Method:

In a large bowl, add yogurt, milk and rice. With potato masher, mash the rice. Add salt and keep aise.

In a pan heat oil and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida. Let the seeds crackle.

Add in green chillies and curry leaves. Mix.

Pour the oil tempering on curd rice mixture. Give a nice stir.

Add in coriander leaves. Mix and serve.

Notes:

Never ever serve curd rice hot. It should be served at room temperature.

You can add chopped green chillies; I added whole chillies so that I can remove it easily.

You can add channa dal or urad daal in tempering as well. I kept it as simple as possible.

Some people add water instead of milk. Feel free to add water as well.

Roasted Nuts Chocolate Barks

Don’t waste food is my motto. I get so angry when I see people just throwing food in the bin. How can some people don’t know how much grocery they will need for a week? How some people cook extra food every day? To be honest, with experience I guess, everyone must know or be judgmental on how much grocery and food is to be needed.

There are tons of ideas to use leftover food. I have used leftover food in below ways.

Leftover dal to Dal Cheela

Leftover rice to Rice Patties

Leftover paratha to Paratha Chips

Leftover cabbage subji to Cabbage Thepla

Leftover rice to Jeera Rice, Matar Pulav

You wont believe but my mom used to leftover ladoos (mothichoor) as well. She use to fill the ladoos in the chapatti (like aloo paratha) and roll it. Roast it on tava with ghee and serve hot in breakfast. Ah divine. So there’s always a way, I promise.

So we had some guests last month and they brought for us nuts and some chocolates. My mind isn’t at peace after that. I just wanted to make use of that before the expiry date. What better then Chocolate Barks. Ah huh! Roasted Nuts Chocolate Barks.

Last time I made Nutty Chocolate Barks using pumpkin seeds, walnuts and almonds and the focused taste was of dark chocolate. In today’s recipe I have used all three kinds of chocolate- Dark, Milk and white. Nuts, I used almost all kinds- cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans and raisins as well.

Chocolate barks are like adding omega and fiber kick to your plain chocolate. A small piece can satisfy your sweet tooth without being hard on your healthy diet. It a great gift as well- packs in fancy boxes or wrappers and gift to your loved ones.

Ingredients:

1 bar of dark chocolate (100 grams) chopped roughly

1 bar of milk chocolate (100 grams) chopped roughly

½ bar of white chocolate (50 grams) chopped roughly

1 cup of roughly chopped nuts (cashews, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans and raisins)

Method:

Take a tray and lay parchment paper or aluminum foil on it.

Heat a pan and roast the nuts on a low flame. Keep mixing. It should take 1 minute. The nuts will turn brown and aroma will release.

In a microwave safe bowl put dark and milk chocolate. Microwave in the oven for 30 seconds. Stir. There should be no lumps. Microwave again for 10 seconds and stir. Keep doing so till the chocolate is melted and is smooth.

Spread the melted chocolate on the tray. Take a spoon and even out the chocolate. Decide the thickness of your barks and spread the melted chocolate.

Sprinkle the nuts all over the chocolate. Freeze in the freezer for ½ and hour.

Take another microwave safe bowl. Microwave white chocolate for 10-15 seconds. Once melted pour it on the chocolate bars. I tried to do checks pattern on it.

Freeze again for 1 hour.

Break the bar into uneven pieces and store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Notes:

Make sure that the bowl you are using is absolutely dry. Water and chocolate are enemies.

If you do not wish to use microwave, use double boiler method to melt chocolate.

As always, feel free to use any kinds of nuts or seeds in the recipe.

If you like more dark/bitter chocolate taste then use more dark chocolate and vice versa.

White chocolate swirls adds very beautiful color contrast to these barks but it is totally optional.

Leftover Paratha, Roti or Chapati Chips: Chapati Chips: Paratha Chips

Leftover paratha, roti or chapati? Wondering what to do? How about chips? Yes, you can use leftover or parathas or chapati and make crispy chips with it. My mother has been doing it for years and the result is so amazing that you will be hooked.

Infact we enjoy these paratha chips so much that sometimes I deliberately roll extra parathas so that I can make chips out of it. Yes these are sooo good.

All you need to do it is cut parathas into any shapes-triangles, strips or squares and fry them-yup that’s it. Serve these chips with hot cup of tea or just like that. It serves as a great side with chutney or riata as well.

Ingredients:

Leftover paratha, roti or chappati

Oil to fry

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan.

Cut paratha into any shapes.

When oil gets hot fry the paratha until crisp on medium-high heat.

Sprinkle salt and red chilli powder. Let it cool down before serving.

Notes:
You can also use chaat massala instead of salt and red chilli powder.

This stays well in a airtight container for 1 week.

Serving suggestions: Serve as a teatime snack.

Serve as a side with dips such as hummus, tomato chutney or riata.

Tuesday's Tip- What To Do With Leftover Daal?

Using leftovers is a great practice, after all who wants to waste the delicious food that you cook with love and passion. I have a friend who throws food out daily and it pains my heart. I have argued with her, explained her and even requested her not to do that-but all in vain- sigh! The best idea will be to prepare the food in the quantity that you family needs- I always do that. But there are times when I am still left with the food- like, when I made Cabbage And Peas Subji for my cousin and he mentioned he doesn't eat cabbage, I had to use it to make parathas- you can see HERE.

Last Friday same situation took place. Mr. Husband loves daal, any kind, in any form. So here is what happened- I cooked simple daal and rice for us- he called and said he will be late for dinner as he has lot of work in the office- he already ate something filling in the office-finally he came back at 11pm- at home he had just 1 bowl of daal. So I was left with lots of daal. Serving same menu the next day is a big no no for us. So What To Do With Leftover Daal? I made thin and crispy chilla/cheela/ pancake with it.

I have prepared Moong Dal Chillas before and it is truly one delightful healthy snack. But using leftover daal was one bang on idea and that is why I wanted to share with you all. I used garlic, onions, tomatoes, curry leaves and green chilies to make the daal and all these ingredients finally uplifted the taste for the chillas. So here is what you have to do.

Ingredients:

2 bowls thick daal

1/4 cup gram flour/chickpeas flour/besan

5 tablespoons semolina/suji/rawa

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons Coriander leaves/dhaniya

Oil to make chillas

Water to make the batter

Method:

In a blender/grinder/mixer blend the daal to a smooth paste

Mix daal with gram flour, semolina, salt, coriander leaves and water. Use water little at a time. The batter should be of ribbon consistency.

Heat a non stick pan/tawa and spread ladle full of batter on it. Spread the batter as thinly as possible into circle. Sprinkle some oil. Let it cook. With the help of spatula, turn the chilla and cook other side.

Serve hot with green chutney.

Notes:

Remember there is salt in the daal.

I used thick daal, if the dal you are using is runny then you might need to add more besan and rava.

If you wish you can add chopped onions and green chilies in the batter as well.

Tuesday's Tip- Leftover Cabbage Subji- What to do??

Tuesday’s tips always grab maximum attention in my blog, may be because you all actually like it-correct? When the response is over whelming, one is always encouraged to work harder and produce more results. With same thoughts in mind, I am going to share more basic and day to day ideas on Tuesday as tips. Right from DIYs to cleaning to using leftovers -you are going to see some interesting ideas on Tuesday now.

Today it is about using leftover Cabbage peas subji- simple patta gobi matter ki subzi. I make this side dish very often- it is easy, quick and healthy. This weekend a cousin visited us from India, and he wanted to have some desi and simple Indian food- ghar ka khana types and that’s when I made this subji. And guess what? - He doesn't eat cabbage at all, he said- it smells weird. Well, I knew I had to make another side dish but....Oh no, I thought, what will I do with this subji?

Think Shweta, Think!...Now, cabbage peas subji already have all massala in it-oil, spices, salt and lemon juice. Finally I gathered all my strength and decided to knead it with flour and make theplas. Man! I was so very much right.  When it was merged with flour I got the perfect thepla dough. All I had to do was mix little salt and roll and cook. Easy peasy.

When I served these theplas next day with tomato chutney and marwadi aloo pyaz ki subji it was the bang on combination. And by the way, my cousin didn't even realize that he was having cabbage *evil smile* When I disclosed later, he was shocked and said- you are one great cook. You always loved to hear this!!...*happy dance*

So here is one brilliant way to use leftover cabbage peas subji....

Ingredients:

1 and half cups of cabbage peas subji/ patta gobi mattar

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Oil to make Theplas

Water as needed to knead

Method:

1. Mix everything together except water. While mixing try to mash peas and cabbage.
2. Take little water and knead to form a soft dough. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
3. After 10 minutes, divide dough into equal parts and give them a round shape of ball. Take 1/2 cup dry wheat flour in a plate for dusting. Take one dough ball, flatten it like a Pattie and dust dry wheat flour over it. Roll out the thepla.
4. Place it on a hot tava/griddle and cook over medium flame. When tiny bubbles starts to rise on the surface, flip it and reduce the flame to low.
5. Spread 1/4 tsp oil around edges and spread over the thepla. Flip it again and spread 1/4 tsp oil around over it. Press it with spatula and let it cook over medium flame. Cook until golden brown spots appear on both sides. Follow the same process for remaining dough balls. 

Notes:

Simple Indian spices like mustard seeds, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and lemon juice were used to make the subji. 
Just make the subji the way you always cook, just remember to use water for the dough based on the consistency of the subji.

You might be interested in:

Stuffed Onion Paratha

Mixed Vegetable Paratha- A Healthy Choice

Mutter Paratha/ Stuffed Peas Bread

Tricolour Capsicum Rice, Mumbai Street Food Style - Leftover Magic

Using leftover rice is easy when you have many vegetables in the fridge. Oh yes! All you have to do is chop all the vegetables and simply mix some spices to make Pulav. But lately I was not keeping well and had no strength to go and buy some vegetables. I had some leftover rice and three different coloured capsicums. Thus I made Pulav with it. I have made many kinds of rice on my blog but this one is kind of special.

Different coloured bell peppers or capsicum makes it look very vibrant. I used some pav bhaji masala to bring that authentic street food taste. I was amazed with the taste; I never thought it will be so good that I will blog about it. But trust me, sometimes less is better and this was the case here. Less vegetables and spices did the magic.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice (I used leftover)

2 tablespoon cumin seeds/jeera

1 tablespoon oil

½ tablespoon Pav Bhaji masala

½ cup chopped bell peppers/capsicum/shimla mirch

Salt to taste

3 green chillies chopped

1 teaspoon lime juice

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Once heated add cumin seeds and let it crackle.

Add chopped capsicum and green chillies. Let capsicum cook to the stage where it is slightly crunchy and yet soft.

Finally mix in rice, limejuice, pav baji masala and salt. Mix well.

Cook covered for 2-3 minutes.

Serve hot with curry, chutney, raita or pickle of your choice.

Notes:

I used leftover rice, but you can add freshly cooked rice well.

One can put any vegetables.

Try other massala like chola masala, sambhar masala, rajma masala instead of pav bhaji masala

Tatse:

Hot, crunchy and authentic Mumbai street food

Sending this for Independence Day Event at Cooking With SJ for Hudson giveway

Cake Churma With Leftover Cake- Holi Easter Fusion

Wish you all a very Happy Holi. I hope and wish that this festival of colours bring lots of joy and happiness in your lives. Other than playing with colours on Holi it is also about cooking and eating. I remember how my mom used to cook (ah! I miss that) such lovely dishes and me and my brother would relish and enjoy them A true treat after that tiresome holi and colours.

Today I chose to make churma with cake. This recipe is very simple and quick and the best way to make use of leftover cake. This recipe is a superb and tasty fusion for Holi and Easter. Using jaggery was the interesting and unique choice. Jaggery also called as gud in English is nothing but a kind of sugar but healthier. Jaggery is more complex than refined sugar and hence does not increase the sugar level of blood abruptly. It provides energy slowly, for a longer period. Although diabetics should avoid jaggery, still it is better in this respect for diabetics than sugar. Let us see the recipe now.

 

Ingredients:

1 vanilla sponge sheet

¼ cup jaggery/gud

¼ chopped almond/badam

  

Method:

Cut the cake into small pieces.

Put jaggery and cake into blender and blend coarsely. Like the consistency of churma.

Mix some of the almonds in the churma and use remaining for garnishing.

Notes:

• I have used vanilla sponge but any kind of cake can be opted instead.
• If you are using chocolate cake you might need to increase the amount of jaggery.
• Any nuts like cashews, pistachios or raisins can be used.
• The churma can also be formed into ladoos.

South Indian Flavoured Rice

South Indian Flavoured Rice is a light rice delicacy, enriched with nutrients of curd and south Indian spices. This dish is simple with the infusion of spices like curry leaves and mustard seeds. The flavour intensifies with the use of curd and the thus the taste is great.

Ingredients:

• Rice: 1 cup(cooked/leftover)
• Curd/Dahi- ½ cup
• Dry Red Chilli- 4
• Oil : 2 tblsp
• Turmeric powder/Haldi : ½ tsp
• Red chilli powder : 1-2 tsp.
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves : 5-6
• Asafoetida/ Hing- a pinch
• Grated Coconut: - 4 tbsp
• Mustard seeds/Rai/Sarso: - 1 tsp.

Method :

1. Clean, wash and soak rice in three cups of water for twenty minutes. Drain and cook in three cups of salted boiling water till done, taking care that the rice grains remain separate.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add asafoetida, mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry red chilli.
3. Add turmeric and red chilli powder into curd and mix well.
4. When seeds start to splutter add the curd mixture in it and mix for 2 minutes. Then add the cooked rice. Mix well.
5. Garnish with coconut.

Serve with curry or chutney.