Magge Surnali/ Surnoli ~ Yellow Cucumber Rice Pancakes

Surnalis are cottony soft, dimpled dosas with a texture similar to pancakes. Traditionally served with butter or ghee, it tastes heavenly and a favourite of kids in most of the GSB families. Addition of jaggery to the batter and the dosa prepared from this batter is called as Godda Surnali [sweet dosa]. If jaggery is excluded, then the dosas are known as Cheppi Surnalis [bland dosas]. Presenting to you here today are the sweet ones.




Continue Reading »

Oats Rawa Idli

When I received a mail from IndusLadies Partners asking my interest to participate in their contest event Kids Lunch Box Recipes, I replied them back about my willingness and send them list of few dishes. The first dish was Stuffed Appos, and you can check the recipe posted here

Today it's "Oats Rawa Idli". The idea of using oats in making idlis was inspired by many fellow foodies across food groups on social websites. There were variations seen across the recipes such as proportion of rawa to oats powder being 1:1, 1/2: 1 or 2:1. I decided to go with 1:1 proportion and rest of the ingredients were used as per availability. You can use different veggie combinations. Here you see use of grated carrots. You may mix the grated carrots directly into the batter [mind it this tends to change the color of idlis] or place the grated carrots first in the greased moulds topped by batter [see the below pic where you see few idlis been decorated with grated carrots on top]. I sometimes dont add carrots at all and place roasted cashews in the moulds before pouring the batter. Let's see the recipe below.




Continue Reading »

Carrot Koshimbir/ Carrot salad

Koshimbir is the word in Konkani [as well as Marathi] which means salad prepared from veggies. Here I have used carrots to make the salad. You may replace carrots with either of these veggies - beetroot, cucumber, radish. An easy dish tempered with few ingredients, it can be prepared in very less time [except for the veggie grating part]. Serves as an accompaniment to main meals or you can just snack on a bowl of this vibrant salad in between your meals.




Continue Reading »

Stuffed Appo/ Paniyaram With Potato Subzi

I hardly have any control on what actually happens during school lunch break time and don't know whether my kids really pay attention to eating during the breaks. According to my elder one his story goes like this ~ they need to go to toilet, wash hands, as well as PLAY [in caps because majority of the break time is spent in playing] besides eating. The younger one being in kindergarten , no clue about what he does. As of now its trial and error basis with his lunch box, where sometimes it comes empty and sometimes not. At the beginning of every academic year [during PTM's], we are reminded by the Principal of the school ~ try not to pack messy foods in the tiffin box and not to pack in such quantity as if they have come to school just to eat the food. To highlight his point, he told us about an incident of sambhar spill that happened in one of the kindergarten classroom and the mess that followed after this spill ... I can totally understand the apprehension of the mom who packed such a lunch box for her kindergartner.  So you see its not just about "What we should pack?" but also thinking about "What not to pack?" and that will make this lunch box idea exercise fruitful. I came across a good read here on certain don'ts while packing the lunch boxes. Hope you find it helpful. Few additions from my side to the above article: I always try out a particular new dish at home to check kids liking and this way they can also practice eating it at home. Apart from this let them practice opening the boxes, water bottles, juice bottles, etc and as they master the art of eating from their tiffin box, the concern of spilling will disappear gradually.




Continue Reading »

Daali Saaru

I got up early morning in search of vicks bottle. Arrgh ... Stuffy nose, hurting throat and severe headache. All this at same time meant I was unwell with flu virus. Yes its mid September and with temperatures fluctuating the weather is humid some days, hinting that winters will be here soon. Humidity as well as sandstorms in Kuwait, both point to seasonal changes but sadly this all is associated with flu/ viral illness as it carries dusty water droplets that contains all sort of viruses ..

The throbbing pain did not allow me to sleep after that. I pulled myself up from the bed in order to try some home remedies and get some symptomatic relief. It is always better to try out home remedies in the initial days of illness especially in such flu cases and wait for the nature to take its course before taking any medicines or antibiotics. Steam inhalation gave me some instant relief for my nose block . Next was to try something that would soothe the throat pain. Some of the options were drinking ginger tea, turmeric milkSaaru/ Rasams also turn out to be great home remedy. Daali saaru was what came to my mind since preparing it was easy as well as quick. I usually have excess boiled dal stored in the fridge and in emergency situations when I have to cook in shortest time possible [situation like today] this dal came to my rescue. With a plan to cook simple menu for lunch as well as dinner, I entered my kitchen and prepared some rice and this saaru. I enjoyed drinking it like warm soup that helped relieve the discomfort caused by pain while swallowing.

The below recipe has been adapted from the book "Rasachandrika"




Continue Reading »

Bittergourd Stirfry/ Karathey Upkari

My mom will be shocked when she sees me cooking and eating bittergourd lovingly that too once in every 10 days types. This was one veggie which I would avoid touching during my childhood days. But then my disciplined mom would find her own ways [read as scoldings] and tactics [read as emotional manipulations] to feed me this veggie. I would take big bites and just swallow down the bittergourd dish in one go and then proceed on to finish my meal

Now as time changed, priorities changed. After marriage found out hubby's love for this veggie. He liked it so much that anytime I send him to get some vegetables [except bittergourd], he would get them and say I won't force you to eat but you can cook for me :) ... I could not neglect his request and tried to be adventurous while cooking it as well as eating the dish. Over the time I learnt to mellow down its bitter taste by trying out innovative combinations and make the dish delectable. Slowly my sense of taste seemed to change and I started loving this veggie. Now being on other side of the table [a mom to two kids] and completely aware of its health benefits I try to cook it more often with innovative combinations and include in our diet. Hopefully this way their tastebuds aquire the taste and start loving it. If you are interested, you can check other bitter gourd recipes that I have posted here and here

The below recipe is a side dish. Easy to prepare and with less ingredients, this dish goes well with rice and dal.




Continue Reading »

Rawa Undo/ Semolina Laddoos with Sugar Syrup

We were done with our annual vacation for this year and with schools reopening 10 days back, attending my cousin's [sister] marriage back in India was next to impossible. Though very excited on hearing this good news I was feeling sad that we will be missing it. All relatives were excited to meet once again during her wedding ceremony [after my son's thread ceremony function] and each one of them noting their plans to make it memorable for her and her family, filled with fun and joyous moments. 

Physically we were miles away from the function venue but all my mind this time was imagining the loving atmosphere that gets created during different marriage rituals which brings in families and friends together. Sitting here I managed to give a ring and talk to few family members except my sis as she was in middle of prewedding rituals. After the phone call, opened the sweet box placed on dining table to find a lonely rawa laddoo staring at me. Picked and popped into mouth as shaadi ka laddoo [ had prepared some rawa laddoos few days back]

The below post is dedicated to my sweet lil sis, the soon to be beautiful bride in few hours time today. All our blessings and here's wishing the couple

"As you begin your life together
May each new day find your hearts a little closer 
May you achieve the best that life can offer"

Wishing you both a lifetime of everlasting love and happiness !!!



Continue Reading »