Jul 31, 2008

New Sunfeast Bennevita Flaxseed Biscuit




Sunfeast Benne Vita Flaxseed - The launch of Sunfeast Benne Vita Flaxseed biscuits reflects the brand essence of Benne Vita, which in Italian stands for ‘Good Life’. The flaxseed content in these protein and mineral enriched biscuits is a rich vegetarian source of Omega III.

Flaxseed is rich in essential omega -3 fatty acid, fibre, lignans and other phytochemicals and minerals. It is also rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly alphalinolenic acid ( ALA), and omega -3 fatty acid, linoleic acid and omega- 6 fatty acid, which are essential for humans.

Health benefits of flaxseeds

Regulating the levels of serum triglycerides.
Regulating the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream
Improving immune function
Promoting Healthy Cell Membrane
Reducing stiffness and pain in the joints of rheumatoid arthritis suffers
Reducing the risk of obesity
Improving the body’s ability to respond to insulin
Helps control cholesterol





Sunfeast Bennevita Flaxseed biscuit with the goodness of wheat flour, whole wheat flour and flaxseed which meet the needs of today’s family.

Jul 26, 2008

Sausage Pepper Fry, Pav and Pringles- It's different !!!!



Pav bhaji (Marathi: पाव भाजी, also transliterated as pao bhaji and pau bhaji) is a fast food dish native to Maharashtra and is popular in most metropolitan areas in India, and particularly in the Maharashtran city of Mumbai. In Marathi pav means bread (the term derives from the Portuguese "pão") and bhaji, which is a term for a curry and vegetable dish. The serving of pav bhaji consists of the bhaji (a potato based curry) and the pav (bread) garnished with coriander and chopped onions. Pav is a type of bread, high in carbohydrates and fats (if served with butter), while bhaji is the vegetable-based curry portion, high in carbohydrates. Here is the recipe of Pav- Bhaji.

I made a change in Bhaji. Instead of Bhaji I made with chicken sausages.

Pav

Slit the Pav. Heat frying pan. Apply butter on the frying pan / tawa and roast the pav till soft, hot and golden brown.

Sausage preparation

Ingredients

Sausages- 1 packet
Onion-1 , thinly sliced
Salt and pepper – to taste
Cooking oil- 1 teaspoon

Method

In a frying pan, heat oil. Fry onions on medium heat till light brown. Add sausages , salt and pepper. Cover with a lid. Cook for 10- 15 minutes / till get brown colour for the sausages. Stir in between. Serve hot with Pav and Pringles.

Jul 25, 2008

Mutton Thenga Paal Curry ( Mutton Curry made with coconut milk )






Ingredients

Mutton- 500 gm
1, Vinegar – 2 teaspoon
2, Turmeric powder- 1 teaspoon
3, Red chilly powder- 1 teaspoon
4, Coriander powder- 1 tablespoon
5, Pepper powder – ½ teaspoon
6, Ginger- garlic paste- 2 tablespoon
7, Salt – to taste
8, Garam masala / Spice powder– ½ teaspoon

Wash and clean mutton pieces. Marinate the mutton pieces with ingredients from 1-8 for half an hour. Cook in the pressure for 15 -20 minutes ( no need to add extra water in mutton pieces ). You ‘ll get a thick gravy -approx ½- 1 cup.


Curry preparation
Coconut milk – 2 cup thin coconut milk
Coconut milk – 1 cup thin coconut milk

If you’re using coconut milk powder dilute with water and mix it well.

25 gm coconut milk powder + 200 ml water= 2 cup thin coconut milk
25 gm coconut milk powder + 100ml water= 1 cup thin milk.

Ingredients for final preparation
Whole spices
1,Cardamom-2 , crushed
2,Cloves-3
3,Cinnamon- 2 sticks

Dark green curry leaves- 2 springs
Onion-2, thinly sliced
Green chilly – 3 , Cut lengthwise
Salt – to taste
Cooking oil- 2 teaspoon


Method

Heat 2 teaspoon cooking oil in a Kadai / frying pan. Add whole spices and sauté it slowly for 3 minutes. Add thinly sliced onion and fry till golden brown. Saute slowly on a medium flame. Add curry leaves and green chillies. Fry again for 5 minutes. Add cooked mutton , 2 cups of thin coconut milk and salt to taste. Cook for 15 -20 minutes. Finally add 1 cup thick coconut milk . Switch off the gas flame. Stir well. Serve with Appam and Idiyappam. Coconut milk gravy is very tasty and delicious. Dip Appam in yummy gravy and enjoy it slowly…. This one of the God’s own Country’s favourite mutton curry.
If you have a shortage of '' Appam Chatty / Appa Kadai, you can use Dosa Tawa for making Appam. There will be a change in the shape but not taste difference.
Want to try Appam and Vegetable Stew ? Here's the recipe... Try it...

Photos of Fish Curry & Chicken Roast from a Catering Crew

Fish Curry
Chicken Roast


One of my best friend has mailed these photos . Mouth watering fish curry looks yummy !!!
Thanks for these wonderful photos.
Waiting for more photos......

Jul 24, 2008

Appam and Stew

Find out here the recipes of Appam and stew.

Ingredients for Stew & Enjoy these photos !!!



Thick coconut milk- 1 cup



Thin coconut milk -2 cup



Yummy & delicious vegetable stew





Appam - Edges are like lace.... ( Am I right ???? )








Try this God's own Country's Appam & Stew.... You'll love it..... !!!!!!! :))))
Find out here for the recipes of Appam and Stew.

Jul 20, 2008

Recipe of Mutton Pepper Fry



Ingredients

Fresh Mutton – 500 g
1,Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
2,Red chilly powder - 2 teaspoon
3,Vinegar / curd- 2 teaspoon
4,Salt – 1 teaspoon
5,Ginger – garlic paste- 2 tablespoon
6, Garam masala/ spice powder – ½ teaspoon


Wash and clean Mutton pieces. Marinate Mutton pieces with above ingredients from 1-6 for 1 hour and pressure cook for 20- 30 minutes ( Bring to full pressure on high heat. Reduce heat and cook for 20 – 30 minutes). Remove cooker from the heat. Allow to cool it naturally. Open the cooker. Boil again and reduce mutton gravy till it thickens.

Ingredients for Mutton Pepper Fry

2 medium sized onion- sliced
Green chilly- 2, cut lengthwise
Pepper – 1 teaspoon
Cooking oil – 1 teaspoon
Salt – to taste
Dark green curry leaves – 2 springs

In a frying pan, heat oil for about 3 minutes. Add sliced onions. Fry on low flame till brown colour. Add curry leaves, green chillies and pepper. Saute it slowly for 5 minutes. Add cooked mutton pieces and salt to taste. Fry on a slow flame till brown and dry. Serve hot with Chapati / Biryani / Parathas… It’s an excellent side dish.

Keralites prefer this preparation with coconut oil and will add fried coconut pieces ( thengakkoth ) to get authentic ‘’ Syrian cathalic ‘’ flavour ( Thiruvithamkur style ). Try this mutton pepper fry….

Jul 19, 2008

Kukka Humman with Polo ( Dosa )- A side dish in Konkani Cuisine



Kukka Humman is one of the well known side dish in Konkani cuisine. It’s a good combination with Polo / Idli /Upma. It’s very easy to prepare.

Ingredients

Potatoes – 1, large, peeled and quartered
Tomato- 2, chopped fine
Cooking oil – 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon
Jeera/ Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
Red chilly powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder -1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida / hing – ¼ teaspoon
Water – 1 cup
Salt – to taste

Method

Heat oil in pressure cooker. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add jeera and asaofoetida. Add potato ,chopped tomatoes, red chilly powder and turmeric powder. Mix well . Stir on a slow flame for 3 minutes. Add water and salt. Close cooker. Bring to full pressure on high heat. Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool naturally. Serve with Polo ( Dosa ) / Idli / Upma

Jul 18, 2008

Recipe of Chole - Batura





Chole bhature (Hindi: छोले भटूरे) is a combination of chole (spicy chick peas) and fried breads called bhature (made of maida flour). It is mainly eaten in North India and along with chole seems to be have originated in Punjab. It is a snack food often sold by vendors on the street, and is commonly eaten for breakfast. Chole is also known as channa masala or chole masala. Chole bhature are very popular in major urban cities.
Ingredients
400 g flour / Maida
25 g curd
2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Oil for deep frying







Mix sugar, salt and curd. Add flour into it. Mix well and bind a soft dough. Keep aside, covered for 2- 3 hours ( recommending to keep in a Tupperware container / box ) . Knead the batura dough again and divide into small portions. Flatten them to form rounds ( just like puri). Fry batura one at a time till it puffs up. Turn over till both sides are golden brown. Serve with chole .






Chole

Ingredients

Kabuli channa / white channa – 250 g
Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
Salt – 1 teaspoon


Masala ingredients
Ginger – garlic paste – 2 tablespoon
Red chilly powder – 1 ½ teaspoon
Coriander powder – 2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder- ¼ teaspoon
Garam Masala ( spice powder ) – ½ teaspoon
Mix all the masala ingredients.

Tomato puree – 1 cup
Or
Home made tomato puree
Poke 4 tomatoes ( if you don’t poke the tomatoes; they may explode inside the microwave oven ), microwave high for 4 minutes; so that the skin of the tomatoes can be peeled off easily. Once the skin is off, blend it nicely with a blender / spoon. You will get thick tomato puree.

Onion – 3 , finely chopped
Salt – to taste
Oil – 2 teaspoon


Method

Wash and soak Kabuli channa / white channa for 6-8 hours , add 1teaspoon turmeric powder and salt and pressure cook for 25 – 30 minutes.

Heat oil in Kadai / frying pan. Fry chopped onions till brown on slow flame. Add masala ingredients. Saute it slowly for 5 minutes. Add tomato puree, cooked channa and salt. Mix it well. Cook on a slow flame for 15 – 20 minutes till the gravy thickens. Serve with Batura. You can decorate with chopped onion , lemon wedges and coriander leaves.




Jul 17, 2008

Home remedies for a beautiful skin


Normal skin

Mash one –fourth of a ripe banana. Apply on the face, taking care to avoid the area under the eyes. Leave it on for 10 minutes and wash off with cool water. Banana is excellent to do away with the dead skin that makes your skin look lifeless. Regular use gives your skin a healthy glow.

Dry skin

Add half a teaspoon of rose water to one teaspoon of honey and gently apply to the face. Leave for 15 to 20 minutes and then wash off with tepid water. Honey moisturise and soothes dry skin and it’s gentle enough for daily use. Massaging your face regularly with almond oil or olive oil works wonders for dry skin.


Oily skin

Splash cold water on your face three to four times a day. Cold water will not only leave you feeling refreshed but will also tighten the pores. Fuller’s earth or a clay mask is an excellent face pack for oily skin.


Combination skin

Take three to four tablespoons of ripe de- seeded papaya pulp. Mash well and cool in the refrigerator. Apply on the face and leave on for 10 to 15 minutes. Wash off with cool water. Papaya helps normalize combination skin and gives it a healthier glow.


Healthy balanced diet that includes fruits and green leafy vegetables daily, keeps the skin supple and young.
Think positive and keep smiling.... : ))))

Jul 16, 2008

Calorie Content in Popcorn



A popular snack food, popcorn is a special variety that grows on a cob smaller than those of sweet corn. As the kernels are heated rapidly, the moisture inside them is converted to steam. When the steam pressure builds to a certain point, it bursts the outer shell and the interior turns into a fluffy mass of starch and fibre many times larger than the original kernel. A cup of air- popped plain popcorn has only 30 calories, making it an ideal, high – fibre snack. Popping the corn in oil and adding a tablespoon of butter, however, increases the calorie content more than fivefold, to about 155 per cup.

Hittu and Bajjile Gassi - Special Konkani Dish



Hittu ( also ittu ) is very special for Konkani’s made only during festive occasions like ‘’ Sutta- Punnav / Avani Avittam ( roughly translated as the full moon day – where the sacred thread / pooNool / JaNNuVe exchanged ).


The traditional version is made in a mould ( folding ) made out of green leaves of Jack fruit tree. Hard to find in Chennai. Hence took a short cut and made in steel containers. Alternately steel containers of Masala Dabba can also be used. Apply a thin film of oil so that the Hittu will come off very easily and not stick to the wall of the containers.


Its basically the idly batter with a little more urad dal ( added for puffiness ).

Additional ingredients:

For every 500 gms of idly batter,
Add – 1 in piece of giner ( or Alle in Konkani) finely chopped
1 tsp Jeera or cumin seeds
Salt to taste

Method

Mix all the above ingredients to idly batter. Pour in the mould / containers’. Care should be taken not to fill the mould to the brim to allow for expansion of Hittu during cooking – fill up only ¾ of mould. Steam in idly / pressure cooker for 15 - 20 min.





Serve with Bajjilli gassi ( traditional combination).

Also goes well with Tambeli ( coconut chutney), Thriksani Hummaan ( any variety – kook ( potato) , ambo ( mango) , surnu ( fried yam) ). One can use Sambar also as a combination.





Jul 15, 2008

God's own Country's Favourite Kanjiyum - Payarum made from Nirapara Rice


NIRAPARA RICE

KANJI

Kanjiyum - Payarum ( Payar made with green gram )

Kanji is a famous , all time favourite porridge of Kerala. It’s made from Brown rice , contains carbohydrates which gives instant energy . Kanji goes well with Cherupayar/ pickle / pappadam ( chuttapappadam / roasted is better/ ) and a dash of Ghee. You can give it for infants also. For infants, you can make Kanji with milk and sugar. Easy for digestion and no side effects.

Recipe of Kanji

1 cup Nirapara rice
Water – 4 ½ cup

Method

Wash and clean rice. Add 1 cup Nirapara rice and 4 ½ cup water in the pressure cooker. Cook for 20 -30 minutes. Serve with Cherupayar / pickle / pappadam . Hot Kanji is very good for winter and rainy days.
Want Payaru recipe ? Here it is.

A variation of this is called PaalKanji ( Paal- Milk ) in which the base is water , but a cup of milk is added and brought to boil. With sugar added to taste, this Paal Kani is liked / good for kids as well as senior citizens.
Find out here more NIRAPARA products