Easy Breezy Rice Sevai Kichadi

I love rice sevai , but my mother does not like to cook it. Hence when I get a chance to make breakfast I ensure that I make this Sevai in a number of variations. You can make Lemon sevai, Coconut sevai, Kichadi, you can also make rice sevai fried rice. I wish to try that, will soon do it and post the recipe here. So today's breakfast was Rice Sevai Kichadi with Fried Gram Dal Chutney
Ingredients:

Rice Sevai - 2 cups.

Assorted veggies - I had carrots , beans and green peas.

Green chillies - 3 slit into two

Curry leaves

Mustard seeds.

Method:

Boil the rice sevai separately and run it through cold water (This will separate the grains). In a heavy bottom pan, heat a little oil and add the mustard seeds along with the curry leaves( I love to eat the curry leaves when they are crispy). To this add the slit green chillies and boiled veggies. I usually boil the veggies in a microwave, this is to retain the crunchiness of the veggies. Add salt to taste and saute the whole mixture for 5 mins time. Slowly add the rice sevai and carefully mix it with the veggies. Switch of the flame and serve hot with Chutney.

Choclate Cake for my Sister Gokie

I somehow remembered my sister a lot today. She is a person whom I have not interacted when we both were in India, now after years she is in US and now we are the best friends. Sharing most of our ideas and emotions via emails. I feel a close connection with her. She loves all my recipes and my cooking too. Im actually looking forward for her visit to India, when I can make all her favourite dishes and not to forget the little angels, my nieces. Lovely ones and naughty too. I baked a cake today and wanted to send it to her. Im sending it to her virtually, hope you like it Gokie.. Miss you !

I learned to bake a cake in a microwave from Divya Kudua of Easycooking. She is my teacher who gave me the confidence that cakes can be done in Microwave too. Thanks Divya. You can find the recipe for the cake here. Yes, but I did not do the Mocha Icing. And guess what , I took the cake to office it was all over in a few minutes, less than what I took to make it. Who will not be happy when the vessel is empty fast and people around relishing your food. I loved it. It actually motivates me to cook even the more better.

MEC: Halwa

Here I am hosting my first ever event in the virtual environment. I'm excited and nervous, being my first one. I wish to thank Srivalli for her constant encouragement to make this happen. So the theme for this month's Microwave Easy Cooking Event is Halwa.

So please put on your thinking caps and make some lovely halwa for this event. To participate in this event .

To participate in this event, please make sure of the below points:
1. Cook any dish in Microwave using Theme. It can be a starter, Main Course, Side dish or Sweets/Dessert.
2. Link back to this post and to MEC: Announcement Kindly use the attached Logo.
3. Send in your details to YOUR EMAIL ID with the below details to akamalika@gmail.com
Your Name
Blog Name:
Dish Name
Recipe Type:
Post URL:
Picture
Last date for sending in your entries is Dec 31st
Looking forward for your lovely entries.

Chennai in water - a sneak peek into last week

For all those people who wanted to know how Chennai was during the last one week, here is a glimpse of it.

Streets filled with water - no place to walk
The famous 11 th avenue of Ashok Nagar - supposed to be a walker s paradise

11 th Avenue - Ashok Nagar

The same 11 th Avenue

West Mambalam inundated with water

A busy street which had a deserted look owing to the rains

People wading through knee deep water to come out

Motorists found it very difficult to commute - some brave souls fought the water.

A huge pond created by the rain gods in the middle of the road

An open drain posing danger for passer bys over flowing

Aranganathan subway filled to the brim

A Public transport bus completely immersed in water.

People thronged in hundreds to watch the subway filled with water

Aranganathan subway

Sweet at last - Recipe Marathon - Day 30

Yes , here I am , at the end of this Recipe Marathon. Im making a sweet, a simple one rather to celebrate the completion. I take this chance to thank all my RM runners for their comments and encouragement given to me all through this month. Thanks a lot and congratulations to each one out there for your run .. We made it .. Nothing is impossible. !!

Ingredients:

Nendram Pazham - 2

Sugar - 1 cup

Ghee - 2 spoons

Saffron strands - 4 to 5

Method:

Steam cook the nedram in microwave or cooker. Remove the skin and mash the nendram. Add ghee and sugar to the mashed nendram and mix well. Garnish with Saffron strands and nuts. Serve chilled. Its a different dessert which will make eyebrows raise when you serve it to your guest. And guess who taught me this recipe .. my dear Janaki Patti. I dedicate this Recipe Marathon to her, who is my first inspiration to be a good cook.

Lets peep into my fellow runner's kitchen.
DK from Culinary Bazaar,Siri from Siri-Corner,Srivalli from Cooking4allseasons, Ranji from Rb cuisines,PJ from Seduce your taste buds,Curry Leaf from Tasty Curry Leaf,Medha from Medha Blogspot,Priya from Priya's Easy and Tasty Recipes,Bhawna from Bhawna Loves Cooking,Raaji from Raajis - Kitchen,Ruchii from Ruchii,Anu from Arundati-Foodblog,Kamala from Harish Nandu,Roopa from RV Kitchen Treats,Divya Kudua from Divya's Cook Book,Rekha from Plantain Leaf,Divya M from Divyaz Easy Receipe, Lakshmi from The Yum Blog,Raaga from Chef At Work,Lakshmi Venkatesh from Delights of Cooking,Sripriya from Srikar's Kitchen,Viji from Viji's Veg Corner,Pavani from Food Damaka

Gobi Masala - Recipe Marathon - Day 29

Any time favourite curry, be it at home or a restuarant. This is a dish that you can have it with chappathi , roti or jeera rice. I found very fresh cauliflower the other day in market, hence it was gobi curry at home. I made it to accompany chappathi.

Ingredients:
Gobi florets - 2 cups
Onion - 1 cup
Tomato - 1 cup
Red chillie powder - 2 spoons
Coriander powder - 1 spoons
Coriander leaves - a handful
Jeera - a spoon
Salt to taste.
Method:
Boil the gobi florets and set them aside. In a fryin pan heat oil and add jeera , followed by sliced onions and tomatoes. When they are sauted a bit add Red chillie powder and Coriander powder. Keep stirring for some time till the onion and tomato is cooked, remove from fire and let it cool. Blend the mixture to form a smooth paste. In a frying pan add the florets and the blended mixture and let it boil till you get a curry consistent. Serve it garnished with Coriander leaves.

Lets peep into my fellow runner's kitchen.
DK from Culinary Bazaar,Siri from Siri-Corner,Srivalli from Cooking4allseasons, Ranji from Rb cuisines,PJ from Seduce your taste buds,Curry Leaf from Tasty Curry Leaf,Medha from Medha Blogspot,Priya from Priya's Easy and Tasty Recipes,Bhawna from Bhawna Loves Cooking,Raaji from Raajis - Kitchen,Ruchii from Ruchii,Anu from Arundati-Foodblog,Kamala from Harish Nandu,Roopa from RV Kitchen Treats,Divya Kudua from Divya's Cook Book,Rekha from Plantain Leaf,Divya M from Divyaz Easy Receipe, Lakshmi from The Yum Blog,Raaga from Chef At Work,Lakshmi Venkatesh from Delights of Cooking,Sripriya from Srikar's Kitchen,Viji from Viji's Veg Corner,Pavani from Food Damaka

Tomato Pasta Soup - Recipe Marathon - Day 28

As I mentioned in my earlier post, this soup was made along with Potato patties on a perfect rainy day. It was awesome to have it on a day when it rained all day and night and the climate was ultimately chilling.

Ingredients:

Ripe tomatoes - 3

Ginger garlic paste - 1 spoon

Shell Paste - 1 cup ( boiled )

Salt to taste

Pepper powder - 1 tsp

Method:
Boil the tomatoes and blend it to make a smooth paste in a blender. In a wide mouthed pan add a little butter and add the ginger garlic paste, tomato paste , salt and two tumblers of water.Also add the boiled shell pasta Let it get boil under low flame till the mixture thickens. Remove on to a soup bowl and serve with Potato Patties. The combination is just awesome

Lets peep into my fellow runner's kitchen.
DK from Culinary Bazaar,Siri from Siri-Corner,Srivalli from Cooking4allseasons, Ranji from Rb cuisines,PJ from Seduce your taste buds,Curry Leaf from Tasty Curry Leaf,Medha from Medha Blogspot,Priya from Priya's Easy and Tasty Recipes,Bhawna from Bhawna Loves Cooking,Raaji from Raajis - Kitchen,Ruchii from Ruchii,Anu from Arundati-Foodblog,Kamala from Harish Nandu,Roopa from RV Kitchen Treats,Divya Kudua from Divya's Cook Book,Rekha from Plantain Leaf,Divya M from Divyaz Easy Receipe, Lakshmi from The Yum Blog,Raaga from Chef At Work,Lakshmi Venkatesh from Delights of Cooking,Sripriya from Srikar's Kitchen,Viji from Viji's Veg Corner,Pavani from Food Damaka

Potato Patties for a Rainy Day - Recipe Marathon - Day 27

Its been raining madly in Chennai for the past two days. Its water, water everywhere. I was at home and found a perfect recipe for the rainy day . Potato patties and Tomato Soup.

Ingredients:
Potato - 2 boiled and mashed
Mattar - 1 cup boiled and mashed
Bread crumbs - 2 cups
Green chillies - 1 coarsely sliced
Salt to taste.
Oil for frying.
Method:
Boil and mash the potatoes along with mattar , green chillies and salt. Make small patties and set aside. Heat a tawa and roll the patties over the bread crumbs. Shallow fry them on a tawa with a little oil. Serve hot with Tomato soup. Perfect for a rainy day.

Lets peep into my fellow runner's kitchen.
DK from Culinary Bazaar,Siri from Siri-Corner,Srivalli from Cooking4allseasons, Ranji from Rb cuisines,PJ from Seduce your taste buds,Curry Leaf from Tasty Curry Leaf,Medha from Medha Blogspot,Priya from Priya's Easy and Tasty Recipes,Bhawna from Bhawna Loves Cooking,Raaji from Raajis - Kitchen,Ruchii from Ruchii,Anu from Arundati-Foodblog,Kamala from Harish Nandu,Roopa from RV Kitchen Treats,Divya Kudua from Divya's Cook Book,Rekha from Plantain Leaf,Divya M from Divyaz Easy Receipe, Lakshmi from The Yum Blog,Raaga from Chef At Work,Lakshmi Venkatesh from Delights of Cooking,Sripriya from Srikar's Kitchen,Viji from Viji's Veg Corner,Pavani from Food Damaka

Coriander Chutney - Recipe Marathon - Day 26

Color plays a vital role when you serve food. It has a defenite appeal to your taste pallettes and senses. This Coriander chutney aids you to bring the color factor in your menu. Its simple and appealing to your senses. Try it.

Ingredients:

Coriander - 2 cups (washed)

Red chillies - 7 to 8

Asafoetida - a pinch

Salt to taste

Method:

Saute the ingredients with a little oil under low flame and set it to cool . When cooled blend it to make a smooth paste and serve it even as a dip for your starters. Simple isnt it...

Lets peep into my fellow runner's kitchen.
DK from Culinary Bazaar,Siri from Siri-Corner,Srivalli from Cooking4allseasons, Ranji from Rb cuisines,PJ from Seduce your taste buds,Curry Leaf from Tasty Curry Leaf,Medha from Medha Blogspot,Priya from Priya's Easy and Tasty Recipes,Bhawna from Bhawna Loves Cooking,Raaji from Raajis - Kitchen,Ruchii from Ruchii,Anu from Arundati-Foodblog,Kamala from Harish Nandu,Roopa from RV Kitchen Treats,Divya Kudua from Divya's Cook Book,Rekha from Plantain Leaf,Divya M from Divyaz Easy Receipe, Lakshmi from The Yum Blog,Raaga from Chef At Work,Lakshmi Venkatesh from Delights of Cooking,Sripriya from Srikar's Kitchen,Viji from Viji's Veg Corner,Pavani from Food Damaka

Potato Mattar Curry - Recipe Marathon - Day 25

This dish is a defenite hit at my home especially with my dear dad and chitappa, though their health does not allow them to take a lot. Yet I made it for them when we come together. So here goes the way to make this delicious dish that can be taken with almost any rice, be it curd rice or tomato rice to lime rice or plain rasam sadham( forgive me for mentioning rasam too often, its my favourite )
Ingredients:
Potato - 1/2 kg boiled, peeled and cut into pieces
Mattar - 1 cup
Onions - 1 cup sliced
Tomato - 1 cup sliced
Red chillie powder - 2 spoon
Coriander powder - 1 spoon
Salt to taste
For tempering oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves.
Method:
Boil the potato and mattar seperately. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces.Saute the onions and tomatoes along with mustard seeds and curry leaves in oil for ten minutes. When its done add the boiled potato and mattar along with red chillie powder, coriander powder and salt. Add a little more oil and cook the curry in it for about 20 mins.

Keep stirring till the curry is done and serve hot on the plate along with your main course. I love the color it has.

Lets peep into my fellow runner's kitchen.
DK from Culinary Bazaar,Siri from Siri-Corner,Srivalli from Cooking4allseasons, Ranji from Rb cuisines,PJ from Seduce your taste buds,Curry Leaf from Tasty Curry Leaf,Medha from Medha Blogspot,Priya from Priya's Easy and Tasty Recipes,Bhawna from Bhawna Loves Cooking,Raaji from Raajis - Kitchen,Ruchii from Ruchii,Anu from Arundati-Foodblog,Kamala from Harish Nandu,Roopa from RV Kitchen Treats,Divya Kudua from Divya's Cook Book,Rekha from Plantain Leaf,Divya M from Divyaz Easy Receipe, Lakshmi from The Yum Blog,Raaga from Chef At Work,Lakshmi Venkatesh from Delights of Cooking,Sripriya from Srikar's Kitchen,Viji from Viji's Veg Corner,Pavani from Food Damaka