Piyava Masala Idlis / Sanna Khotto

By    9:40 PM // No comments
Sanna Khotto is a popular side dish/snack from GSB cuisine. Khotto name is derived from jackfruit leaves (khotte paan) that are used to make moulds/baskets. You may watch the process of making khotte/moulds in this video. These moulds are then used to steam the rice dal mixture and make savoury dumplings. When the mixture is steamed in banana leaves it is called as Sanna Muddo. 

 What I have got here today is an instant recipe for these masala idlis (instead of traditional recipe). I have excluded dal while making these idlis, thereby saving on preparation time. The below recipe has been a saviour when I am short on time and in need of making something filling.




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Eggless Gulab Jamnu Cheesecake ~ No Bake with Agar Agar

By    8:46 PM // No comments
Our family being Gulab Jamun lovers, my kids just love this Eggless Gulab Jamun Mix cake and always prefer it at each family celebration. So when the time came to think about some desserts for elder one's birthday celebration, his answer obviously was "Gulab Jamun Cake". Keeping his preference in mind, I went ahead and prepared this western cheesecake dessert with a desi spin. Inspired from Sanjeev Kapoor's recipe, this cake is eggless made with agar agar. All you have to do is whip the ingredients together, pour into the springform pan, place it in the fridge and wait for couple of hours or overnight. The best thing is you don't need any oven to make this cake and still this delicious cheesecake will make you look like a baking expert! 




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DIY Stone Art- Owlsome Stones ~ Part 3

By    3:34 PM // No comments
In Sanskrit there is saying which talks about 14 Vidyas (Knowledge) and Chausashta (64) Kalas (Arts). And if you check that list it feels as if lifetime is not enough to learn and master these arts.. isn't it? 

Anyway, in continuation to my DIY stone art posts, its part 3 in this series and as promised in the previous post it is ahout "OWL"some stones. I was browsing through Etsy pages looking for some inspirations after Mandala Stones and I landed on this page. Do visit Sehnaz Bac 's page. I am sure you would end up saying "Damn these are just cutie owls of this world!" I ended up spending the rest of my time admiring her gorgeous artwork and getting inspired to try my hands at the earliest. If the same happens to you do not worry you are doing it right because

 "Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time"
Thomas Merton


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DIY Stone Art ~ Part 2

By    5:54 AM // No comments
"To practice art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it." 
Kurt Vonnegut

 This is exactly what I do..practice and practice different forms of art for some time and get lost in it to nurture my soul. In continuation to my previous post, this is Part 2 of DIY stone art and its about theme painting on stones. Chose any theme as per your interest/requirement and proceed with acrylic paints on these stones. In the below pic you see some scenery painting, inspirational word/quote and two owls. 

 For scenic/ landscape themed painting you can check this video tutorial. You can search in youtube, type tutorials for painting stones and the search results will display n' number of videos. 

 Pebbles painted with bright colored paints can be means of creative expression and joy especially for kids. So plan it as a summer/vacation/ craft activity for your kids to keep them entertained and busy. 




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DIY Mandala Stone Art ~ Dotillism ~ Part 1

By    4:41 AM // No comments
Recently came across an African proverb that says "Patience can cook a stone". But who wants to cook the stone when we can paint them.. right? Painting on stones is such an awesome idea and the best part is they are therapeutic with their new look. 

 Today's post is about Dotillism. Dotillism is a form  of art introduced by Elspeth McLean. This was the video which inspired me to try this art form. As I clicked her other videos, she continued to amaze me with her mesmerizing creations!! They were not just intricate designs but skillful imagination with dots and color combinations, that put patience as well as focusing skills to the ultimate test. A fun art project, I added this to my personal to do list and headed to a nearby craft shop/plant nursery. I got hold of some black pebbles and white/cream pebbles, and tried my hands at mandala stones. You can see the completed work in below pictures.




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Baba Ghanouj/ Baba Ghanoush

By    11:20 PM // No comments
When we visited one of the local Arabic restaurant, I noticed mention of Mouttabal and Baba Ghanouj/ Baba Ghanoush one below the other on their menu card. The waiter couldn't help much in clearing the doubts due to language problem. He just said "different" 

 I always thought these names, Moutabel and Baba Ghanoush were used interchangeably for this popular eggplants based mezze from Middle Eastern region until I read here. This website cleared my doubts. The main ingredient and the preparation to some extent in these dishes may look similar, its the inclusion or exclusion of tahini (sesame paste) as well as yogurt which decides the final name of the dish. Baba Ghanoush excludes the use of tahini and yogurt and the texture is very much similar to our Baingan ka Bharta. This chunky dip is a perfect snacking option with some pita or crackers. A healthy appetizer with lots of smoky goodness, the dip gets its flavors from a mix of roasted egglplant, garlic, parsley, pomegranates. Lets see how we can prepare this dish at home. The below recipe is inspired from this video.




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Chavlichi Usal

By    7:20 PM // No comments
Usal is a simple Maharashtrian recipe served as side dish. Matkichi (moth beans) usal is my favourite but when moth beans goes out of stock from local stores here, I substitute it with other ingredients such as green gram, dried white peas, val (field beans), etc. So here is the recipe of usal made from Lal chavli/adzuki beans in coconut based gravy.




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Beetroot Rasam Popsicles

By    7:20 PM // No comments
With the sweltering heat out there, I cannot get enough of home made popsicles. These recipes are super fun. While preparing Pudina Chaas popsicles, I realized how easy they are to make at home and so cheap. Moreover you can get creative and decide on the ingredients that goes into this treat. I remember a rasam candy idea by one of the FB friend who had posted her creation in the foodgroup there. I decided to give this idea a try. So yesterday night after serving beetroot rasam for dinner, the rasam leftover got a summer makeover ... delicious tangy popsicles,,, a unique frozen summer time treat ~ apt for Rasam lovers! Try them and surprise your family and friends.




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Beetroot Rasam

By    5:10 PM // No comments
As a kid I would grab cooked beets from my mom's kitchen not for eating it but tinting lips with a gorgeous pink color. It was a fun activity those days with this natural lipstick. Being a grown-up and mom to 2 kids there has been shift in this kind of thinking, now I adore beets for its distinctive flavor and nutritional status. This powerhouse root bursting with phytonutrients, vitamins, antioxidants and minerals is why I always look for ways to incorporate it into my diet. Are you also trying to add beets into your diet? then try this simple Beetroot Rasam recipe.

Beetroot rasam is a twist to regular rasam recipe. This vibrant rasam goes well with some steamed rice and a dollop of ghee. Alternately you may drink it like warm soup. 


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Pudina/Masala Chaas Popsicles

By    5:02 PM // No comments
Popsicles are enjoyed by both grown-ups and kids on a hot summer day. I usually prepare these hand-held treats at home as they are kid friendly. This time though there was a little twist to these treats. They were not sweet but savoury. Yes you read it right! Savoury ,,, beacuse I made them from popular Indian beverage "Pudina Chaas". Simple, delicious and inexpensive, just prepare pudina chaas, pour into popsicle moulds and freeze them. Kids enjoyed this frozen concoction and I didn't mind they having two at a time. 

 You can prepare your own version of flavoured buttermilk, pour into popsicle moulds and ta da..super cool savoury summer treat ready. The burst of fresh mint flavor and chilli kick with each bite, you will have your family and friends asking for more.




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Alambe Ambat/Mushroom Curry

By    12:19 AM // No comments
"Alambe" is a Konkani name for mushroom and Gud gud alambe aka thunder mushrooms are tiny wild produce, which grow in certain places of Karnataka. There was this moment my palate was yearning for Konkani delicacies prepared from "Gud gud alambe" after knowing about monsoon arrival in Karnataka. These wild fungi sprout at the onset of monsoon when there is thundering and lightning [gud gud in konkani] and thus you get to indulge in the seasonal delicacy for a limited time only. Quite expensive but that doesn't deter Amchis (Konkani people) from buying it and relishing the dishes such as alambe bhutti, alambe song, alambe ambat .. Sigh! With no chance to lay my hands on these wild mushrooms and India vacation still a month away, I had to settle down with the availability of the white mushrooms here and satiate my cravings by preparing this tasty Magge Alambe ambat. We all enjoyed the curry with steaming hot rice.




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Ragi Majjige/ Ragi Ambli

By    8:51 PM // No comments
We are very reluctant these days to step out of the cool comfort of our house or office and walk towards our parked car ,,, the reason being its month of June, temperatures hovering around 46-48 degrees and rising mercury levels that parch our throats every time we step outside. Its that time of the year again, when the summer sun is shinning down on us and our bodies burn. Ragi Majjige is what we opted today, a healthy choice instead of regular popsicles and icecreams to quench our thirsts and keep ourselves hydrated.

 Ragi Majjige is a healthy drink, quite famous in Southern part of India. It is also known as Ragi Ambli in other South Indian languages. You can read about this drink in an article which quotes it as a popular street food helping the common man of Bangalore combat the heat. Below is a simple recipe for this body coolant drink that can be prepared from ingredients easily available at home. 




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