How to Make Sprouts | Sprouts Health Benefits | Homemade Sprouts Recipe

      Sprouts - what is it ? Its a nutrition packed whole grain with more fiber.Its really easy to make your own, in our house.When you make at home its fresh without any additives and or preservatives.Basically its a power house of vitamin K,folate,vitamin c and Vitamin A.More minerals like copper,zinc ,magnesium,iron and calcium.All these vitamins and minerals will be in tact when its not  Heated.

Tamarind Paste Recipe | Home Made Without Any Additives

       Tamarind paste- one of the widely used ingredient in southern India. It is used as well in many other cuisines.Tree grows in a tropical climate where there is abundant of sun and less rainfall.

Tutti Frutti Recipe | Candied Raw Papaya Recipe

        Tutti Fruity is nothing but candied papaya.There are many version of candied papaya .This is the Indian version of papaya tutti frutti.There is no much ingredients needed for preparing ,but you need a lot of patience to get a good result.I have prepared it once but without any color in a hurry i didn't soaked in sugar syrup for long and finally ended up throwing them.So be patient and you will see it when you end up eating it.

Idli Recipe | How To Make Soft Idli | Tips and Tricks

          How to make soft Idlies ? is the biggest question for any amateur cooks from south India or to any north Indian who want to make idli occasional.It's not really tough job though, by following these simple tricks you can achieve the desired softness.

Garam Masala Powder Recipe|Easy And Quick

What is Garam masala powder?
     Garam masala is a Indian spice mix prepared by dry roasting or sun drying many of the spices and ground to powder.This garam masala plays a major role in most north Indian sabzi's and curry even parathas.Making own garam masala powder is not very fancy.My mom usually makes chili powder,coriander powder,masala powder,sambhar powder.I never attempted to make these powders at home.I make Idli milagai podi at home  other than that i prepare bisibelabath with fresh bisibelabath powder and make pepper,jeera powder for rasams and omelette's.

Golden Milk|Turmeric Milk

     Turmeric milk is also called golden milk because of its color.According to me it taste bit similar to masala milk(but very low in calories than that)
     This golden milk i usually do when we have cold or cough.Add little pepper makes it little spicy and good during cold days. Adding of turmeric gives a nice color to the milk,it has more medicinal benefits too(explained at the end of post).When my daughter catches cold i do follow all of the below mentioned points to give a quick relief(It takes at least 2 days).

These are some of the remedy my grand ma and my mom did for us .Now i am doing it for my daughter.
    When she has stuffy nose or when her eyes get wet during cold.I do "othadam" which can be done with kitchen towel wrapped.

• How to do Othadam:

                Heat a tava ,try to touch the tava with the base of wrapped towel.It should be hot.You can check the temperature when you are doing for kids .then try to put it in forehead ,neck ,below the eyes (can be done whenever it is paining)

• Try to take more vitamin c.
• Making a hot shower reduces nasal congestion.
• People apply some medicinal leaves that take the water out the head(cold air inside head is the cause for head aches)
• Add more veggies,pepper to your diet.
• Try to drink more warm water(heat in microwave for 20-30 seconds).
• Reduce the milk intake(try to dilute the milk and give the kids)
• Add this golden milk day,night.You can substitute honey with sugar too.(sometimes i do that)

How To Make Coconut Milk

    This post is about how to make coconut milk a basic recipe.Though many people know how to make coconut milk ,there are people who don't know much about it.

    I never made coconut milk after coming here to US.Not  because of it is a difficult thing to do ,it is rare to get fresh,good,old coconut.First of all many people don't buy the whole coconut here.So its rare to see the whole one.It is available only in Indian store or in my nearby Mexican shop.Even though it is available ,it is rare to get a good one .Most of the coconut are very old and will be rotten .The ones that we get in Indian store is costly and too young.Those coconut will not be sweet or we don't get good amount of milk from it.After sometime now i am able to pick a good one.I grate it and store some in refrigerator and remaining in freezer.If its difficult to get coconut ,then how will i be making milk with it ?

      This time i was lazy to get coconut and break it and grate it .This process takes sometime to do .I am in no mood to do that.So i got frozen coconut.I want to make Aapam(dosa) and coconut milk that day.So kept the frozen coconut in refrigerator the day before and kept it outside 1 hour before i started taking the milk out.used warm water to get milk .To get best results grind the coconut along with warm water and extract the coconut milk .
      If you are using the coconut milk immediately then fine, otherwise store the milk in refrigerator or freezer until use(Guess this has shorter shelf life). 

IdlyUpma/RiceIdlyUpma

             Idly Upma is a easy breakfast with leftover idlies.I really can eat a whole lot of upma (this whole batch i can eat) .I remember some of friends who dont like idly like this upma with vengaya kosu,kosumalli .
             What is special about this idly upma ? you might be using the morning or day before streamed idlies , they might be little hard .To make them soft we soak the idly in water and squeeze the extra water out .This way your idly upma will be soft and yummy .Upma means a whole lot of salt (in tamil "uppu" means salt ).Idly upma is no exception to it .With some little extra salt and favourite side dish by your side your leftover idlies gets a royal makeover.

Preparation time:5 min
Cooking time:5 min
Serves:2

HomeMadePeanutButter/EasyPeanutButterRecipe

         I like peanut butter . I wanted to do it  for a very long time and the day has come,I made a perfect peanut butter .With peanut butter i did some cookies too.My daughter had it with her dosa ,bread everything, she is gone crazy for peanut butter so I wanted to do this one again and again .Very simple recipe with only 3 ingredients and it gives full satisfaction of making your spread home .This peanut butter is no less than store bought peanut butters like skippy etc.
         You can store them at room temperature for couple of weeks if its stored in water free,bug free  airtight container.No water while grinding makes the shelf life longer of this peanut butter.

Preparation time:15 min (peeling the peanuts)/Peeled peanuts save your time
Cooking time:22-25 min
Yields :Little less than half cup

Recipe source:Emma
Ingredients:

•  1 1/2 cups raw peanuts.
• pinch of salt.
• 1 tsp oil(or more for desired consistency).

Method:

• Roast the raw peanuts for 12 mins in high flame
• Reduce the flame and roast it for another 10 mins.
• Most of the peanuts peel of the skin when roasted.
• Peel the remaining peanuts by hand (takes around 4-5 min)
• Transfer the peanuts  to the blender/Mixer while they are hot.
• Grind the peanuts continuous for 2 min without adding any water.
• When the peanuts are almost done grinding add salt and oil and grind it for a minute or two until its smooth.
• Scrape the sides and store it in an airtight container.

• This can be stored for at least couple of weeks

Note:

• You can use peeled peanuts or roasted peanuts to save the time .I made peanut butter with unpeeled raw peanuts .
• When the peanuts are roasted then the skin will be peeled off by itself.
• Roast the peanuts until they become little brown
• If you have oven then you can roast them in oven with an oven safe plate for around 10 min (remember the oven should be already preheated).
• You can add so many variations to this peanut butter (chocolate chip or honey flavoured sounds like a good idea)
• You are not able to spread the peanut butter .May be you have grinded it too coarse .If not ,Add olive oil and mix it well .Now you can spread it ,right ?
• Some ideas of including peanut butter 

1. Cookies
2. In sandwich
3. Dip the fruits
4. Making peanut butter chocolates.
5. Adding to your favourite juice

linking this to kids delight event of srivalli hosted by priya
Linking this to parisevent and shruti

Linking this to Legumelove affair conducted by FoodandSpice and Wellseasonedcook hosted by Avika
Linking it to Harinis bloganniversary event giveaway
Sending this to "cheap and cheerful" event happening at Bangermash and eatyour veg

Pulkhas/Parathas/Indian Flat bread

Pulkhas

Pulkas are indian flatbread varieties made with whole wheat flour ,which gets puffed in direct gas or a holed pan placed on gas.These flatbread are the staple food of north india where every state got little variations to the basic recipe in name of roti,parathas,phulkas etc.While we south indians do once in a while  .While whole wheat flour has got many nutrients like protiens (do you believe it got protiens ? i read about it recently).

.How to make pulkas ?how to make parathas ?I know many of you might know how to make one while some of you may not know this.This post is about how i make them .
When i studied college i know only about chapathis my mom makes,While searching for job i got to know it from my aunt .My aunt is expert in north indian cooking .She cooks wonderful phulkas,pavbhaji and methi parathas .I gave tips to many others after i learnt from her ,That is another story .To make phulkas is very easy and involves very little trick and will be good while serving hot with dry curries or dals.

Preparation time:5 min
Cooking time:15-20 min
Yields:10-11 pulkhas