Rajma with Turnip

I am not a big fan of Turnip. Had not eaten till my MIL made it for us one day. She prepared a south indian poriyal (thoran) with it. Since then, I have been trying to find a recipe that I can eat the vegetable and not really taste it :-)

This recipe worked for me. It tastes mostly like Rajma masala. I sometimes add potatoes or spinach to my Rajma to include vegetable along with the dal. This proved as a great alternative as it is a watery vegetable.



Ingredients

Turnip 2
Rajma 1 cup
Onion 1 big chopped
Tomato 2 ( i wanted to use 4, had only 2)
Ginger 1 inch piece
Rajma Masala 4 tsp
Cumin/Jeera 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds/Suanf 1 tsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Oil and salt to taste

Method of Preparation

1. Soak the Rajma (Kidney beans) overnight and cook in a pressure cooker.

2. Cut the turnip into small pieces (approx same size as rakma). Heat a little water and add the turnip. Cook till it starts to cook. Switch off and drain water.

3. In a pan, heat some oil. Add the cumin and saunf. When it sizzles, add the onion and ginger. Cook till the onion starts to brown.

4. Add tomatoes and cook till it well done.

5. Add turmeric powder, rajma masala and salt. Mix well and cook for a couple more minutes.

6. Add the rajma, cooked turnip and mix well. Add a little water if required. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Serve with rotis or with rice. We enjoyed it.. Do give it a shot even if you are not a fan of Turnip.

Sending this to Kaveri's event SYF HWS Series - Fennel Seeds - (event by Anu)

Achari Gobi

I tried this recipe as a change to the usual saute onion/tomato add vegetable recipe.

I used homemade garlic pickle that my MIL had made for us when we came back from India. Once this batch is over, I am planning to make some myself. I will post the recipe for that.

You can use either garlic or lemon pickle. As I used garlic pickle, I added lime juice at the end. If you are using lime pickle, add some garlic along with the onions.



Ingredients

Cauliflower Florets 2 cups
Onion 1
Tomato 2
Garlic Pickle 4 tbsp
Cumin 1 tsp
Lime juice 1/2 lime

Oil and salt to taste

Method of Preparation

1. Stream the cauliflower in a microwave for around 5-7 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onions.

3. Once it is starts to brown, add the tomatoes.

4. Once tomatoes are cooked, add the garlic pickle and mix well. The quantity added depends on your taste and the pickle you are using.

5. Mix well and add the steamed cauliflower. Mix and cook for a few more minutes.

6. Switch off and add some lemon juice to it. 

Award Time and a Sweet - Semiya Kesari

It award time!! Yaay... thanks you so much Ramya and Reshmi

Kerala Kitchen Awarded me the Best Picture Award for the Pazham Pori. Check out the lovely roundup in her blog.

Also, have a Sunshine Award from Reshmi of Noel Collections. Thank you Reshmi. Sorry for the delay in posting.

Now off to the recipe...

A nice variation from the rava (semolina) kesari. Try this new twist. You will like it. I picked up the recipe from Radhika's Tickling Palates




Ingredients

Semiya/Vermicelli 1 cup
Sugar 1/2 or a little more as per taste
Water 2 cups
Cardamom powder 1/4 tsp
Orange Food Colour 1 pinch
Cashews few
Raisins ( i used a dried fruit mix that I had) 1 tbsp
Ghee 2 tsp

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the cashews and fry till slightly browned. Keep aside.

2. In the same pan, add the raisins. Fry and keep aside.

3. Add the semiya and fry till it starts to brown a little.

4. Add the water. Once it comes to a boil, simmer and cook till the semiya is cooked and the water is drained.

5. Add the sugar, cardamom powder and food colour. Stir and cook till the wateriness from the sugar is gone.

6. Garnish with cashews and raisins.

Moong Dal Kofta in yogurt gravy

Anjana of Maayeeka has a beautiful collection of recipes. I have bookmarked a few to try. I really wanted to try making this Moong Dal Kofta. I did not want to deep fry. So I steamed. I did not have the methi leaves. So I just substituted with some other herbs. The dish was out of the world. It kind of felt like a fusion of the Paruppurunda Kozhambu and Malai Kofta.





Ingredients

Moong Dal 1 cup
Ginger small bit
Green Chilli 1
Mint few leaves
Coriander leaves few
Hing a little
Cashews few
Raisins few
Cumin/jeera 1/2 tsp

Tomatoes 3
Onion 1
Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala 1/2 tsp
Clove 2
Star Anise 2
Bay leaf 2
Cinnamon a little
Cumin/jeera 1/2 tsp
Saunf 1/2 tsp
Curd 1/2 cup

Method of Preparation


1. Soak Moong dal for 2 hours.

2. Grind into a fine paste along with ginger and green chilli. Add Hing, salt, chopped mint and coriander leaves (i used half of it. added the rest to gravy), cashews (half) and raisins. Mix well.

3. Do not add any water for grinding. If it is still watery after grinding, transfer to a pan and stir for a minute or 2 till it starts to come together.

4. Roll into balls and steam in idli plate.

5. In the mixie, grind tomatoes, little mint, coriander leaves, curd and cashews into a fine paste.

6. Heat oil in a pan, add Clove, Star Anise, Bay leaf, Cinnamon, Cumin, Saunf. When it sizzles, add chopped onions.

7. When the onions are slightly browned, add the tomato puree.

8. Add some water along with chilli powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well and bring to boil.

9. Simmer. Add the koftas and switch off.

Event Roundup : Healthy Food for Healthy Kids-Toddler Breakfast/Dinner

Thank you so much everyone for the participation in my first event. It was a wonderful experience hosting an event. It brought back memories of Project Deadlines. Yes, It is a high pressure job guys :-) Think about it. All these ladies have taken so much effort in preparing these dishes and sending the links along my way. I consider that an honour.

Also, made me understand the effort all the hosts put in to make their event a success. I am looking forward to my next event. Do check out the Healthy Diet - Breakfast Event going on in my Blog and send in your recipes.

As a mother of a toddler, I know how it is to get food to the table that the little one loves. Cooking for an adult or even a party sounds easy when compared to pleasing the little ones. Kids these days know exactly what they want. There are quite a few recipes in the list below that I have bookmarked to try on my little one. I hope you will also pick up some from the list and treat your little ones (and the adults who are kids at heart)

Now off to the Recipes

Uma Shakar of Jaya's recipe

1. Masala Kichidi




Jillu Anand of Jiya's Delicacy 

2. Baby Corn Fritters



3.  Sweet Dosa



4. Rose Kheer



5. Carrot Soup



6. Strawberry Pancakes



7. Apple milk shake



Anjana of Maayeka 

8. Moong Dal Paratas



Reshmi of Neol Collections


9. Vegetable Sandwich



Shama of Easy to Cook Recipes

10. Orange Honey Pancake



11. Poha Pudding



12. Grape Yogurt



Kaveri of Palakkad Chamayal

13. Nedram Pazham Nurukku



Swasthi of Swath Freak 

14. Easy Baby Wheat Cereal



15. Sago and Almond Milk



16. Almond Milk



17. Carom Potato Rice



18. Easy Baked Veg Frittata



19. Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin



20. Sweet Potato Moong Bean Pongal



21. Sesame Seed Oatmeal Cookie


22. Spinach Stems Mixed Lentil Veggie rice



23. Bodi Biryani



24. Pressure Cooked Mixed Veggie oatmeal



25. Pressure Cooked  Broken wheat upma



Jaleela of Cook Book Jaleela

26. Ragi Idli



27. Strawberry Pista Cake



28. Idli Cake



Julie of Erivum Puliyum

29. Fruit and Nuts Bar



Chandrani of Cusine Delights

30. Vegetable Dalia



Preeti of Follow Foodie

31. Paniyaram



And Finally the recipes posted by me

32. Soya Poha



33. Apple Raisin Oatmeal



34. Adai Paniyaram



35. Nutella Strawberry Sandwich


One more addition from Nitu

36. Usli Idiyappam