VIRUNTHU UNNA VAANGA: May 2013

Thursday, May 30, 2013

POTATO PODIMAS / PUTTU KIZHANGU - VEGAN THURSDAY

Hi friends, come up with other vegan recipe for Vegan Thursday!!! Hope you are aware of the event if not no worries, just give ur name and mail id on my comment line, we will contact you…J

Ok fine!!! Now coming to the recipe… Who can resist potato dishes??? Yeah! I cannot any hands rising… Mostly I love spicy potato fry and will do in many variations like grated crispy potato, baby potato curry, potatotomato curry, baked potato topped with garlic and potato roast… N now with less spicy potato podimas we called it as “Puttu Kilangu”. Its best suits with kazhani pulichaaru rice or puliyotharai (Tamarind Rice). I never find best side dish for the rice other than this…

Category	Side dishes
Regional	Indian
Preparation Time	10 Minutes
Cooking Time	25 Minutes
Yield	6-7

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes – 4 Medium

Oil – 1 Tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1 Tsp

Urad dal – 1 Tsp

Hing – ¼ Tsp

Dry red chillies – 1 broken

Garlic – 10 pods crushed

Onion – 1 chopped

Green chillies – 2 chopped

Curry leaves – 15

Turmeric Powder – ¼ Tsp

Salt – To taste

Lemon Juice – 1 Tsp (I used half lemon)

METHOD

Boil the potatoes with salt for 3 whistles. Peel and mashed into small pieces but not mushy.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilli, hing and wait it for splutter.
Now add crushed garlic sauté it for 30 seconds then add onion, green chillies and curry leaves, turmeric sauté it till onion turns transparent.
Add potatoes and add salt and sauté it for 3 minutes to combine well.

Squeeze half lemon stir once and switch off the flame.
Serve it hot.

Very Yummy and less spicy Potato Podimas!!!

QUICK VIEW RECIPE CARD!!!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

KEERAI PAKODA I GREENS PAKODA I CRISPY AMARANTH PAKORAS I ARAI KEERAI PAKODA - 2nd GUEST POST FROM DIVYA PRAMIL

Hi friends, am really very cheerful to post another guest post (2nd) on my space with one of my best blogger friend Divy (Divya Pramil) from You Too Can Cook… I know no need introduction for the young, popular and very lovely blogger and have to say she is admirable in photograph. She is a good friend of mine in the blogosphere and I have well-liked her blog from my starting period of blogging. One fine day we started to chitchat in FB about blogging, after that we had talk about about SNC, then day-to-day activities and personal life too and now we are very close friends and she is very modest down to earth person and I always feel very comfortable with her chats and sometimes we do SMS too…

I love all her recipes other than non-veg, coz I am pure veg…J Lot of recipes I love but these are some of my very delightful n my darling recipes on her space

I love her way of cooking in different manner, write ups and events n all… Next I have to tell about her photographic ~~skills~~ art, yeah can learn many from her and at all times love to see her adorable clicks even the pictures will chat with me…J She has given me many tips/ideas for photography and she is one person who encourages me all the time…

When I asked her for guest post she instantaneously accepted but I was on the queue, yeah she is such charming person to all, so am happily waiting for her guest post… She made a healthy as well as with calorie crispy and enjoyable snack…

U know I couldn’t find any words to say about her, am just excited and dumbstruck to post here, in fact very proud to have such a astonishing, lovable friend and sister like her… Thank u so much Divy for accepting to do guest post on my space…

NOW OVER TO SWEET DIVY

Hi dear friends glad to share with you all my 10th guest post that I have prepared for one of my dearest friend Viji.

Viji is one among my good enthusiastic friends whom I earned after I started SNC event. Needless to say, she has been a very big support, to me and my event, right from the very beginning. There are some friends who have been a pillar of support and Viji is one among them. We've been friends for long, it has been a very healthy one and am happy about that. Virtual world does bring more happiness, a healthier relationship and a better understanding than the real world, hope many agree with me here. The best thing I like about Viji is her innocence. Also, I should definitely mention about her patience here, she runs a monthly event at her space and all her round ups show a lot about it. The way she explains things, the way she describes about an award or the event itself in her post does make me wonder how much patience she must have.

Viji had asked me a guest post very long ago and I was able to provide her one only now. Thanks to her patience here she was kind enough to wait for me and my post. Thank you Viji for the opportunity and for being such a good friend. Wishing you all success in your future endeavours!!!

Coming to the recipe, Keerai pakoda (as we Tamilians call it) or pakora is one among my favorite snack; it is such a pleasurable way of eating greens. One cannot identify the greens inside these crispy tit bits and so anyone, especially fussy eaters can be fooled into eating greens very easily. I have used Arai keerai (Amaranth greens) to make these pakoras, you can use any kind of greens here. Palak (spinach) will also do well, but I haven't tried with fenugreek greens. To get pakoras just like the ones you get in stalls, just follow the procedure I have given here, the basic trick into getting crispy pakoras is to use only fat (i.e. vanaspathi/dalda or ghee) instead of water to bind the ingredients together. The moisture from the greens is enough and so no extra water is needed. This makes the pakoras crispy and perfect just like the store bought ones.

Dalda is the best option here, but if you do not have vanaspathi/dalda you can replace it with ghee also. I have used ghee here, it gives a nice aroma and a super tasting pakora, but if you the diet conscious person, this is not the recipe for you. But who would like to miss this crispy and tasty snack? Once in a while is not gonna harm you or your diet. So common just give a try someday and enjoy it with a hot cup of tea!!! Am already craving for it.

INGREDIENTS

Makes snack for 2 people

Total preparation time - 10 minutes

Chopped greens / Keerai - 1 cup (a handful, any greens variety I used Araikeerai)
Gram flour / Kadalai maavu - 1 small cup (50 grams)
Rice flour - 1 spoon
Big onion - 1 (chopped)
Chopped coriander leaves - A handful (optional)
Curry leaves - A handful
Green chillies - 1 (chopped)
Red chilli powder - 1 spoon
Coriander powder - 1/2 spoon
Fennel seeds - 1/2 spoon
Salt - As per taste
Ghee - 3 spoons / Vanaspati - 3 spoons (1/4 cup)
Oil - For deep frying

PREPARATION METHOD

Add all the ingredients except oil and ghee, mix well pressing the flour well with onions.
Then add ghee or vanaspathi little by little and mix well. Do not add water, sprinkle if necessary, but avoid water to get the perfect pakodas. Onions and greens will let out enough water to bind with the flour well. The mixture should be wet but should not be like batter.

Heat a pan and pour oil to deep fry the pakodas. After it heats up, pinch a small piece of the mixture and drop into the hot oil, if the pakodas rises up immediately then the oil is hot enough to fry the pakodas. If it comes up and browns/blackens immediately, then the oil is too hot and not fit for frying. If in case the piece does not rise but stays at the bottom then the oil is not hot enough.
After the oil reaches the perfect temperature pinch marble sized pieces (randomly) and gently slide into the hot oil and fry on medium flame until the pakodas turn crispy and golden brown.

Remove from flame and place on a tissue paper to remove excess oil.
Serve or store in airtight boxes after it reaches room temperature.

TIP 1: Do not add water while making pakodas, just use the water content in greens and onions and press well, ghee or Dalda will help you bind the flour well, so keep pressing until you can pinch a ball that does not fall apart easily.

TIP 2: Use Sunflower oil or any odourless oil to deep fry the pakodas. Never use gingelly oil.

TIP 3: You can make the same pakodas without adding greens, add more onion to make onion pakodas.

Crispy pakodas are now ready!! A cup of hot cardamom tea with these crispy pakodas makes the best evening!!

SUCH A VERY LOVELY CRISPY SNACK AND THANK U SO MUCH DIVY FOR THE WONDERFUL GUEST POST FOR ME!!!

I WISH U VERY SUCCESS WITH YOUR PROGRESS FOREVER MORE...

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

SYS-W SERIES ROUND UP - 3 RAW & RIPE MANGOES

Hi dear friends, am really very sorry for too much delay of SYS-W Series – Mango round ups and results… For past one month my homes filled only with sounds of kids, varieties of recipes and moreover restless work till now… Yeah!! Yet kids are here but I found sometime to post the results… But am great apologize to short the month of round up… I couldn't put pictures to the round ups its quite difficult now coz I couldn't get pictures from who have copy right their pictures... Will do it next time on wards .. In this roundup the images will not display but I provided the links for those recipes and you can reach them...

ROUND UPS

Total No. of Recipes – 56

Total No.of Participants - 20

1. MANJULA BHARATH – DESI FIESTA – 2 Entries

o Aamras

o Raw mango rice

2. NAYANA – NAYANAS-KITCHEN-KREATIONS – 5 Entries

o Amrakhand

o Ice Apples andMango Dessert

o Raw Mango Black Currant Sauce

o Mango Cheese Cake

o Mango Salsa

3. ARCHANA RAMACHANDRAN – TANGY MINDS – 4 Entries

o Chocolate Vanilla Panna Cotta with Mango coulis

o Eggless Mango strawberry Cheesecake(No Bake)

o Mango Pudding(An Indian Traditional Dessert)

o Mango Semolina Cake (Eggless)

4. SARANIYA – SARANI’S KITCHEN – 1 Entry

o Egless Mango CheeseCake

5. SHAMA NAGARAJAN – EASY2COOK RECIPES – 8 Entries

o Lady's finger mango coconutmilk curry

o Mango cookies

o Mango dal

o MANGO MILKSHAKE

o Mango pachadi

o Mango rice

o Mango rice kheer

o Thengai mangai pattani sundal

6. SHARANYA – SARA’S TASTY BUDS – 5 Entries

o Mango Kurma

o spicy Mango Rice

o Salsa de Mango

o Mangai Murungakai Sambar

o Mango sago pudding

7. ASIYA OMAR – SAMAITHU ASATHALAM – 1 Entry

o Mango Apple Thokku

8. JALEELA – SAMAYAL ATTAKASAM & COOKBOOK JALEELA – 3 Entries

o Maa Pala Vaazi (mukkani Juice)

o Tri Fruit Juice ( Mango ,Kivi, Papaya)

o Raw Mango Pickle Merina Beach Sundal

9. DIVYA PRAKASH – DIVYA’S CULINARY JOURNEY – 2 Entries

o Mango Cheese cake- Divya Prakash

o Mango Kulfi -Divya Prakash

10. PRIYA SURESH – PRIYA’S VERSATILE RECIPES – 1 Entry

o Eggless Mango Cheesecake

11.PRIYA ANANDHAKUMAR – YUMMY FOODS PRIYA’S VIRUNTHU – 7 Entries

o Mango Jam

o Raw Mango Kuzhambu/gravy

o Oats & Mango smoothie

o MangoPachadi

o Mango Milkshake

o Mango phirni/kheer

o Mango rava kesari

12. MIREILLE – CHEF MIREILLE’S GLOBAL CREATIONS – 2 Entries

o Mango Caribbean Crabcakes

o Mango Pudding Cake (eggless)

13. SHAILAJA – SAHASRA RECIPES – 5 Entries

o Mango Chocolate Drink

o Mango Coconut Chutney

o Ripe Mango Kosambari

o Raw Mango Panna

o Mango Rasam

14.SANOLI GHOSH – SANOLI’S RECIPES – 2 Entries

o Mango Lassi

o Sweet Mango Pickle

15. CHANDRANI BANERJEE – CUISINE DELIGHTS – 1 Entry

o Microwave Raw Mango Chunda

16. AMRITHA ROY – MOTIONS AND EMOTIONS – 2 Entries

o Mango Cheese Sweet/ Aam Sandesh

o Mango Smoothie

17.TINKU SHAJI – DAILY CHORES – 1 Entry

o Ripe Mango Curry |Kerala Special

18. LATHA – FORKNFOLKS – 1 Entry

o Mango Pickle

19. SHRUTI DHINGRA WAHI – SHRUTI RASOI – 1 Entry

o Mango Milkshake

20. ANURADHA PREM – ANU-RAINY DROPS – 1 Entry

o Raw mango pachadi

Evaluation of the series

Before going to shower the awards, we would like to share about the evaluation part. In the main page of announcement, we mentioned that “YOU ARE THE JUDGES”, yes it is interesting and something new concept we tried… (You have to tell your opinions), yet we can succeed in it with the help of our lovable participants taking part as role of Evaluator tooJ

Totally we received 56 entries; we did not randomly select a winner so that we have put some effort to select the winners. All your recipes really very deserve and it was a very difficult task to choose the recipes…

We prepared evaluation worksheet for each evaluator and gave 3 recipes each and each recipe will be evaluated by 2 people and we took the average of the score and selected the recipes...

All the participants are winners but it’s the competition so we have to select the winners based on the score… Right??? Really it’s somewhat difficult to make the evaluation process yet we really enjoyed it and did the part… Thank you so much evaluator who is taking part in the section and you too must have enjoyed it very well… We wish to continue in future alsoJ

Points for the Evaluation

Friends, the evaluation part is just giving interest or boost up the events and participants, plz don't take it into mind, all are deserved recipes...

Categories	Points (100 Points)
Using the March ingredients (Pineapple or Watermelon)	10
Ingredients and Methods	5
Explanation	15
Innovation	30
Presentation	10
Picture	10
Bonus (Extra entries)	10
Most likes on FB	10

Here we calculated for 90 points i.e we omit FB most like’s category this month due to no time… PLZ VERY SORRY FOR THE TROUBLE… Next time we will take into consideration of it…

AWARDS SHOWER

Appreciation of EVALUATORS

We wish to honor our all evaluators (Judges) of the series. When we asked them to participate on the evaluation, they accepted very happily and helped us in making the series a grand success!!! Thank U so much Dearies...

Evaluators

Latha, Meena Bhatia, Saraniya, Sharanya Palanishaami, Shama Nagarajan, Archana Ramachandran, Archana Podar, Chandrani Banerjee, Sanoli Ghosh, Manjula Bharath, Mireille, Asiya Omar, Priya Anandakumar, Nayana, Divya Pramil and Priya Suresh are those who evaluated the recipes which were we given to them…

JUDGES AWARD