This is our Seventh successful Foodie Monday blog hop event theme is "Regional Indian Cuisine" It was a well thought out challenge where we all decided to prepare a regional cuisine which is completely opposite to the culture and region we belong. I belong to Punjabi Family and my challenge is to prepare South-Indian cuisine. So I decided to prepare Coriander Rava Idli with Coconut Pachadi. Pachadi refers to a traditional South Indian pickle and chutney used as a side dish.

Many different religions are coming under South-Indian community --- Telugu belongs to Andhara Pradesh and Telangana, Kannada belongs to Karnataka, Tamilian's belongs to Chennai, Malayalam's people belongs to Kerala and many more.  

So my combo covers all South-India. As we know Idli is a famous South-Indian breakfast which is delicious, easy to make and light on stomach & Coconut Pachadi is very famous recipe in Andhara and Telangana & very delicious vegetarian healthy side dish. It is famous South-Indian chutney which goes well with all savory south Indian dishes. 


Well, what's the fun in having plain idli? So I tried this time something different and fresh, you usually saw plain white idli, tadka idli, veggie idli but prepared Idli with different combo. Made Idli with fresh coriander leaves, ofcorse rava with few herbs & spices and are fluffy from outside, soft and spongy from inside. It is simple comfort food which can be eaten everyday. I hope all my readers and friends liked this dish.

If anyone don't like coriander, they simple make rava idli also...easy and quick healthy breakfast.. They can be served as a stand alone dish or with the sides like sambar and chutney. 
Idli is an Indian steamed pancakes served with coconut chutney and sambar. Coriander Idli is easy to make and you can refrigerate it for few days. When serve hot, it tastes best.

No fermentation and No Grinding is required. It can easily made at home when we want to eat and cook some quick and easy snacks.  
If you are looking for some easy & quick recipes then do check instant maida dosa, onion-tomato uttapam, veggie paniyaram and rava kesari.

Let's start to make this easy and quick coriander idli with coconut pachadi recipe step-by-step process with photos.

For the Sambar :
 For recipe of sambar, please click the ----> Tangy Sambar Recipe

For the Coconut Pachadi


For recipe of pachadi, please click the  --------> Coconut chutney

Ingredients of Cilantro Idli:

Rava/Semolina - 1 cup
Sour Curd / Buttermilk - 3/4 up
ENO / Fruit salt - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Chopped Coriander - 1/2 cup
Split Black gram / Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Bengal gram / Chana dal - 1/2 tsp
Cashew, broken - Few (optional)
Ginger - 1 tsp ; very finely chopped / grated
Finely Chopped Green Chilies - 2-3
Finely Chopped Curry leaves - few
Pinch of asafoetida/hing
Oil to temper - 1 tbsp + for greasing
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method For the Coriander Rava Idli
 
1. In a wide pan or kadai heat oil, add the mustard seeds chana dal and urad dal, wait for them to splutter and change in color. Now add the cashew and once they change color, add curry leaves, ginger and green chilies. Saute till they become crisp.

2. Next add rava and roast for 2-3 minutes (under medium-low flame). Rava getting warm and aromatic is enough. You need not roast it much ( as you do for upma)...Switch off the flame.

3. Rava idli mixture is ready. Transfer it to a bowl and allow it to cool.

4. Once it cools , add curd and salt to the rava, and chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Now check the consistency of the batter. It should be flowy but little thick consistency. So gradually add water (1/4 -1/2 cup of water might be needed if using curd ) .Let it sit for 15-20 mins. The batter might become little thick again, so again add little water if required. Meanwhile, grease the idli plates .

5. Heat water in a steamer / cooker. When the water in the steamer starts boiling, add eno and to the batter and mix gently, you will see bubbles coming out. Immediately pour in the idly mould and place in the steamer to cook.  

6. Steam cook for about 12- 15 mins. Insert a knife/ toothpick in the center of the idly to check if its done ( if it comes clean , its done ). Switch off the flame and allow it to cool a bit .
 
7. Remove the idli's from the mould using a spoon .Serve them hot with coconut chutney / Sambar.

**Important Notes**

1. Curd should be sour enough to make good tasty idli otherwise it will taste bland. Instead of curd you can also use sour buttermilk.

2. Quantity of water depends on the thickness of the curd. If the curd is thick ,more water is required for the desired consistency. If using buttermilk,water might not be required. So check and add water. Make your judgement.

3. Above coriander rava idli mix, can be stored in airtight container for few days and used as and when required. This makes work more quicker.

 Happy Cooking & Enjoy !!

Butter Naan Recipe on Tawa - Naan is one of the most popular soft Indian bread. Traditionally, naan is cooked in tandoor (hot clay oven), but I have prepared it over tawa. At home you can cook grill them in an oven or cook them on a tava/griddle. 

Today, You will be surprised to learn that how simple and easy it is to cook Naans at home without tandoor or oven!  
Sharing with you, a famous Restaurant-Style Naan bread. Naan and rich north Indian curries always make a good pair. When you visited Indian restaurants, I'm sure you have seen or tasted it, many times!  

Since I prefer burnt spots on the naan, so I always cook the naan on tawa and then direct fire. Though this is optional and you cook the naan on the tava completely, like we cook chapatis.


This naan recipe is with yeast. I have already posted naan recipe without yeast. Whenever I make Dal Makhani at home, I usually prepare butter naan at home. Easy to make and these are very light too. Naan are always made with all purpose flour/maida.


Naan is serve in most Indian restaurants and is served best with punjabi rich curry dishes like dal makhani, paneer makhani, dal tadka , kadai paneer and amritsari chole

Let's start step by step butter naan recipe with yeast on tawa of fully soft naans:

Ingredients :

All purpose flour/Maida - 3 cup
Water or as required - 1 cup
Butter/oil/ghee - 3 tbsp (I used salted butter)
Dry active Yeast - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt  or to taste - 3/4 tsp
Butter for brushing the naan

Preparation Method :
 
1. First you need to proof the yeast in warm water. Stir in sugar and yeast and allow to sit for 10-12 minutes at room temperature.

2. In a wide mixing bowl, add softened butter with salt. 
Now add the yeast solution. Mix everything and begin to knead, when you knead it...first it becomes sticky because of yeast solution.

 3. Mix well and then adding water in intervals, knead to a soft, springy dough.

4. Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for 10 minutes, after 10 minutes add 3 tbsp oil to the dough for kneading. Mine dough is little bit sticky so I do lots of kneading then it becomes soft comes in a proper texture.
Tip :- If you also face this kind of issue, don't pamper just knead it properly using with your fingers only, if it become sticky, then add oil, then start kneading.

5. Just lightly rub oil, all over the dough and place in the same bowl. See now it become in a proper texture. So kneading is more important step.

6. Cover with a kitchen towel or lid and let the dough leaven for about 2 to 2.30 hours. Keep in a warm place or corner.

7. Once the dough has leavened, make medium balls from it and cover it and keep it aside for 30 mins.

8. The dough balls will double up.

9. Take a dough ball and lightly sprinkle some flour over it. (You can also sprinkle some sesame seeds or cumin seeds on the dough ball and then roll it.)
I do made with cumin seeds and coriander leaves and plain butter naan.

10. With a rolling pin, roll into rounds or naan shape is not round all time with medium thickness.

11. On a hot tava, place the naan. You will see bubbles appearing.

12. When the base is partly cooked, turn over the naan and let the other side get cooked.

13. When this side is cooked, remove naan with the pair of tongs and place the first cooked side touching the fire. The naans will puff up little bit, flip and brown the other side too.

14. Here is a below pic of naan sprinkled with cumin seeds and top up with butter. 
  
I do the same with coriander leaves, add chopped coriander leaves on dough ball and roll out then cook it in a same way as I show you above. I don't click the pics while making coriander butter naan and but I have a output to show, on the below pic, on your right hand side that naan is coriander butter naan. Very fresh in taste and too yummy. When you try naan recipe, then must try coriander naan I am sure you'll loved it.

15. When the naan gets slightly charred and browned, remove the naan and apply some butter, ghee or oil on the naan. You can have them plain also.

16. Prepare all butter naans this way.

17. Serve these soft butter naans with dal makhani top up with fresh cream and pomegranate as a side dish with fresh onion salad. 

Happy Cooking and Enjoy :)

This is perfectly cooked Penne pasta with cheesy flavored white sauce come across as a heavenly match. It easy to whip up and filling for the morning & evening dose. This time I tried Penne pasta in white sauce, quick and easy recipe. 

This is our Sixth successful Foodie Monday blog hop event theme is "Pasta"

Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine. Pasta is generally a simple dish, but comes in large varieties because it is a versatile food item and it's my and my family all time favourite for breakfast. 

Though I have tried different types of pastas. I am always trying new cuisines in my kitchen, I had tried to make this pasta recipe in "Italian cuisine” style.
Penne pasta satisfies the craving for a mildly salty Italian style flavored pasta.  Pasta comes in our menu once in a while every week to get rid of the boredom of the usual breakfast routine. This is an easy, delicious, and satisfying vegetarian pasta recipe.

This pasta with white sauce is one easy flavorful recipe and pasta recipes are always requested by friends and readers so I am getting to experiment more.


If you are looking for similar recipes then do check Fusilli Pasta in Tomato Sauce Recipe ,  veg macaroni-pasta in tomato sauce , vegetable shell pasta in tomato sauce, homemade pizza tomato sauce and homemade vegetable pizza recipe from scratch. 

An easy recipe of penne pasta with white sauce. Let's start to make this easy and quick recipe with simple step-by-step process. 

Ingredients :

Pasta - 1 cup (I used penne pasta variety)

For Italian White Sauce

Milk - 1 and 1/2 cups
Maida(All Purpose Flour) - 1 tbsp heaped
Sliced Onion - 1 no
Sweet Corn - 1/4 cup boiled
Julienned Capsicum - 2 tbsp
Cheese - 2 tbsp grated (any)
Butter - 1 tbsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Oregano - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste

Preparation Method :

Cooking the pasta:

It’s the same method for any pasta.

1. Heat water in a cooking pot and bring to a boil. Add salt & oil to season the pasta.

2. Add the pasta and let it cook it for 8-10 minutes (you can check it if you suspect it is done by taking one out with a fork – the pasta shells should be soft enough to pinch and cut open but not mushy or mash-able).

3. Turn off the heat & drain pasta well in a bowl. Place the drained pasta in the running cold water to stop the cooking process. You could add a few drops of oil and toss-up the pasta if you feel it might stick together.

Making the Italian White Sauce & Veggies:

1. In a pan, heat a tsp of oil saute the veggies for 2 mins, Set aside. 

2. Heat butter in a pan when it starts to melt.

3. Add maida, Make sure to stir continuously to avoid lumps. After maida is added whisk it well and use a whisk to mix after milk is added.

4. Whisk it well. Now add milk and keep stirring. Keep stirring until the mixture becomes slight thick and creamy. Cook in a low flame and keep stirring to avoid lumps. Add required salt, oregano and pepper powder.

5. Toss the pasta with white sauce and saute vegetables, cook for a couple of minutes and then turn off the heat. Add grated cheese, then cooked pasta and give a quick mix. Switch off the flame.

Tips & Tricks:

* You can use any variety of pasta for this. I used Penne Pasta.

* White sauce pasta gets dried up quickly so serve it as soon as you cook. If its gets thick and dry then add few tbsp milk and heat it up.

* While serving add little grated cheese for extra richness and yumminess :) Sprinkle oregano while serving.

Happy Cooking & Enjoy !!

Homemade mayonnaise is easy and quick to make recipe. This is the basic mayonnaise I tried, wanna tried other variations of flavored one, Once I tried and post that too also. For making this recipe I use my hand no blender or no food processor, you can use either of these two. 

You can use this mayonnaise as a dip with aloo tikki , garlic bread and you make sandwiches using mayonnaise. Everyone is curious to know that how to make mayonnaise at home, see here the secret behind mayo recipe.

If you are looking for similar recipes, then do check Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Italian Tomato Pasta Sauce,  veg macaroni-pasta in tomato sauce , pizza tomato sauce , vegetable shell pasta in tomato sauce and homemade vegetable pizza recipe from scratch. 

Let's start to make this easy and quick recipe of Mayonnaise with simple step-by-step process.

Ingredients :

Egg yolks - 2 nos
Salt - 1 tbsp
Dry mustard / Mustard powder - 1/2 tbsp
Sugar - 3 or 4 tbsp
A pinch of Pepper
Lemon juice or white vinegar - 5 tbsp
Olive or vegetable oil / soyabean oil - 1-1/2 cup
Hot water - 4 tbsp

Preparation Method for Egg :

1. Beat yolks, salt, mustard, sugar, pepper, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a small bowl until very thick and pale yellow. (Note: If using electric mixer, beat at medium speed.)

2. Add about 1/2 cup oil, drop by drop, beating vigorously all the while. Beat in 1 teaspoon each lemon juice and hot water.

3. Add another 1/2 cup oil, a few drops at a time, beating vigorously all the while. Beat in another teaspoon each lemon juice and water.

4. Add 1/2 cup oil in a very fine steady stream, beating constantly, then mix in remaining lemon juice and water; slowly beat in remaining oil. 

5. Your Homemade Mayonnaise is ready. Use it in a sandwiches or any fresh salad.

Those who are vegetarian, below ingredients are for eggless mayonnaise and the steps of preparation method followed by ingredients...

Ingredients :

Milk – 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup
Corn flour (Corn Starch) – 3 tbsp
Olive oil – 2 tbsp
White Vinegar - 1 tsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Dry mustard / Mustard powder  – 1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt – 1/4 tsp

Eggless Mayonnaise Method: 

• Take cornflour in a mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup milk to it and whisk it well without any lumps.
• Take remaining 1/2 cup milk in a pan and heat it up.Once milk is boiled, add cornflour milk mixture and keep stirring with a whisk.Keep in low flame and keep cooking. Keep cooking it until its thick and creamy. Make sure the flame is low.
• Keep whisking until its thick.Cool down completely and then blend it to a smooth paste. Now transfer this into a bowl, add pepper powder, mustard powder, sugar, salt, olive oil and vinegar. Whisk it well until its creamy. Store in airtight container and refrigerate it.

Cooking Tip : 

• If you like thin mayonnaise, add a little hot water in it.
• Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Do not keep longer than 1 week.  

Happy Cooking & Enjoy :)

Moong Dal Halwa Recipe | How to make Moong Dal Halwa Recipe | Moong Dal Ka Halva | Halwa Recipe | Indian Dessert made with Yellow Lentil | Moong Dal ka Halwa


Moong Dal Halwa is a popular and rich halwa recipe from North India. Moong dal halwa is delicious and one of the sweets you cannot stop eating but making this halwa takes a lot of time and effort.

Basically I am from North India, so I really enjoyed this mithai especially in festive occasions like marriages etc., it's very famous over there.

I am really excited to share my experience with moong dal halwa with you all.

This is my first attempt to making "Homemade Moong Dal Halwa" and it comes perfect and yummy :), my husband really liked it and become a fan of homemade sweets rather than market sweets ;) :D The taste so delectable that I am sure you’ll fall in love with this dessert just like me :) 

It is a delicious desert is often made for an auspicious or a pooja, it could also be a festive occasion like Diwali, Ganesha chaturthi or a religious ceremony conducted in our home or simply make them for any celebrations and enjoy them. The appearance is satisfying and flavors too are rich, moist and yummy. 

For this recipe, I referred a book on the cuisine of Rajasthan, I love the culture and food both from this cuisine and clothes too :D The whole process takes a lot of time and work from the hands, because you have to stir and stir and stir. this is the first time i made this halwa. 

Festival Season is just around the corner! Thursday 17, 2015 Ganesh Chaturthi celebration starts at my home and Indian mithai is best way to start the celebrations. 
 

Moong dal halwa is delicious and one of the sweets you cannot stop eating but making this halwa takes a lot of time and effort. So make this halwa on a day when you have plenty of time, patience and energy. 

This is a very long process so I'll show you the step-wise pictures, so you can't miss any step while making halwa.
  
If you are looking for more Indian sweets recipes then do check 
sooji halwa,  
motichoor ladoo, 
rava kesari,  
besan ladoo,
meethi seviyan and many more.....

Let's start making of moong dal halwa recipe with step by step photos.

Ingredients :

Moong dal/split husked yellow mung lentils - 1 cup
Desi ghee/clarified butter- 9 to 10 tbsp
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Dry fruits of you choice, I used 10-12 unsalted pistachios, sliced or chopped or 10-12 sliced almonds
Raisins - 1 tbsp

to be mixed together:

Full fat whole milk - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup ( or adjust it according to your taste)

Note** - I would suggest to use non stick pan or kadai to make this moong dal halwa. 

Preparation Method :

1.  Soak the moong dal in enough water for 3 to 4 hours. 
2. Drain well and blend in a mixer to a coarse paste without using any water. Keep aside.

3.  Melt the ghee. 

4. Add the ground moong dal. Stir well, from the iron kadai the halwa has shifted to a non stick kadai. When stirring and mixing the halwa in the kadai, it started sticking so much.  

Tip** - If this same situation happened with you also, like me don't panic..just put all the sticky mixture in a grinder and just grind it once or twice see the below pic, then start cooking procedure in a non-stick kadai.

5. Keep on stirring the halwa on a low to medium flame. The halwa has the raw aroma of the moong lentils and it should go away completely before you start with the next step.

6. So till then you have to stir and cook the halwa. First the halwa is pasty, then starts getting lumpy and then starts breaking down and getting separated with fat releasing from the sides. 
In the pic below, the halwa is at a stage changing the color but still with the raw aroma of the mung lentils.



7.  The moong dal has got separated from the fat, they have a granular consistency now. The aroma & color has also changed and So take it outside in a bowl and keep it aside.

8.  In the same non-stick kadai, take milk, water and sugar. Stir so that the sugar dissolves. 
Heat this milk-water-sugar mixture till it comes to a boil.

9.  The milk mixture has come to a boil and now needs to be added to the fried moong dal.

10. Stir well. 

11. Simmer and cook stir often continuously.

12. The liquid should get absorbed and once again you will see the ghee getting separated. 
 
13. Now add cardamom powder, chopped pistachios and raisins. 

14. Stir continuously so all the water and milk get absorbed with moong dal.
 
15. Done finally, it took me a total of about 1 to 1.30 hour to make the halwa on the stove top. 

16. Take a deep breath of relief, thank your hands that moong dal halwa is ready to serve hot. Garnish with chopped/sliced nuts of your choice :)

I do little bit creativity not exactly we can say it's called creativity, just for fun..when halwa is cold, I added little bit oil in hand, take a mixture of halwa and I made small small moong dal barfi using with halwa only :D You can make n number of shapes....

Add 1 pistachio or raisin on top of every barfi. Sometimes for this small small things your sharing of food with ur friends and family is double :) :D

To Pin it


Happy Cooking and Enjoy :) :)