Baigan Ka Raita An Indian Salad

Raita dosent need an introduction to Indians as its been part of our lives in various ways!! To the Reader who dont know what is Raita I can give a simple explanation that it is a kind of Indian salad which is made in varieties of form and using different ingredients. Im surely gonna add more n more of raita recipes. I just wanted to start the raita session in a unique way.

Presenting Baigan ka raita. Anything take form of raita when it is dipped into curd and used as kind of side dish not completed consumed as whole!! Baigan/Eggplant/Brinjal call it anything, we get many kinds of them in different kind shape and breeds. Individual choices depends on which kind of Baigan you use!!!


Ingredients:

Curd -  1 cup Recipe here
Brinjal/eggplant -  3 any size.
salt to taste.
Roasted Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder: a pinch.

Method:

- Cut Brinjal in round shape neither thick nor thin
- Take a bowl put in some water add in it 1 tbsp salt mix it.then add brinjal. leave it for 5 mins.
- Now take frying pan add some oil to shallow fry eggplant till light golden brown in one side, flip the side to other and fry again till golden brown.
- In another bowl pour in curd little more salt, and red chilly powder mix them all like thick paste
- In a plate arrange all fried eggplant n pour in the all curd over it.
- Garnish some coriander on top.
- Serve With Biriyani/ Pulao

This is a normal version, If you want a spicier version then  
- Marinate the sliced up brinjal with salt, ginger- garlic paste may be 1tsp, red chilly powder and keep it aside
- When you are ready to cook just put in some maida/cornflour/gramflour and mix it all well 
- Im not mentioning the measurements  as it will depend on how much spicy you may need just go with ur instinct. 
- Follow the arranging procedure as mentioned above!!
This version will go well with plain rice / Roti / Parathas too :)

Notes:
- To add in curd you can also add in some pepper powder instead of chilly powder
- For additional taste you can add up roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, salt and sugar.

Simple Isnt it?????

Just remembered that my grandmaa (nani) used to make another version, where she would make thin liquid of curd and do the tempering from top, and then dip in all the brinjal slices into it, That would taste equally yumm yumm for a difference in taste :)


Sharing my Award Here 

This is my second award im receiving from Sajina Bishar of Saju's Taste, Thank u Sajina for this award. Thanking you again for liking my space and nominating for this award. 

Sajina has asked few questions to all the nominated bloggers which im going to answer below

1.Why did you start blogging ? 
I had always been passionate about food and wanted to be along with people who have similar interest to mine. But I never had a chance on how and where to explore!! have  new frnds of same passion!! So blogging is one of those platform where I had stopped and my search ends here!!!

2. Five food stuff that will always be in your kitchen.
Eggs, milk, ginger- garlic paste, biscuits & phulkas lol

3.Which blog inspired/is inspiring you in blogging (can mention  about 2 blogs with their links)
 Two blogs Which I had been following keenly for a while was Raks Of Rak's Kitchen and Aarthi Of Yummytummyaarthi they have a lovely space and take lots of effort to present anything they make. I can blindly follow their instructions and get an outstanding dish ready in my kitchen :) (basically south indian & baking)

4. The best photographed pic food of in your blog. (add the image)

5.Your favorite hobby.
Reading and Chatting!!

6.The best costume/dress you love to wear.
Abaya!! It makes me feel very comfortable!!

7.Take a pic of the handbag you are using & show us.
Not Available Rite nw!! Will update later :)

8. Favorite juice.
Musk Melon

9.What is the best quality in your partner/spouse (if not yet married..write about your future partner in your dreams..)
Im Single :P And Im not dreaming abt him yet!! But yes I wish he gulps down everything I cook without a complaint lolzz

10. One ability/skill you wish you had.
An Ability To Fly :P I could fly and visit all u guys have the food u all cook and come back lolzz

11. One post you love in my blog..Saju's Tastes
http://www.sajustastes.com/2013/02/strawberry-smoothie.html







Sending my entry to My Bowl Of Salad

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Dear Sweet Sweet Bloggers!!!

Thank you so much all of you for the love and comments which came from my previous post Wood Apple Juice. All the comments were Heart Touching!!! Some Recalled Their Childhood memories and few others dint knew about this fruit and felt its an introductory post for them. I have no idea if my replies reach all or if anyone come back to check!!! I'am Really Thankful to all my friends who are my blog readers For their Heart Touching Comments Love And Support.

And Yes I completely Forgot to share about a comment I recieved few days back It said

Hello from France!
This is not a "spam" 
After visiting your blog, I invite you to join us in the "International Directory Blogspot".
"International Directory Blogspot" It's 170 Countries and 10400 Websites !
Missing yours join us 
If you join us and follow our blog, you will have many more visitors.
It's very simple, you just have to follow our blog, enter your Country and your blog url in a comment, and you will be automatically integrate into the Country list.
We are fortunate to be on the Blogspot platform that offers the opportunity to speak to the world and to share different passions, fashion, paintings, art works, photos, poems. 
So you will be able to find in different countries other people with passions similar to your ones.
I think this community could also interest you.
We ask you to follow the blog "Directory" because it will give you twice as many possibilities of visits to your blog! 
Thank you for your understanding.
Please follow our blog, it will be very appreciate.
I wish you a great day, with the hope that you will follow our blog "Directory".
After your approval to join us, you will receive your badge
We ask that you follow our blog and place a badge of your choice on your blog, in order to introduce the "directory" to your friends.
Regards
Chris

I dont know how many of you recieved this post in ur blogs, but I felt its worthy to visit the blog and register our blogs, which will be representing our country!!! And above all, Last when I saw Indian food bloggers list was just 5-7  may be now the list had increased. So dear Foodie members If you like please register to this blog. Im not promoting the blog but I just feel we need to represent India in Large number and our Food Community should Stand Unique. A fair chance for your blog to be known Just visit this link
http://world-directory-sweetmelody.blogspot.in/
and comment ur blog name, blog url and country you represent :)  Hope you find this info useful and pass it around to your fellow bloggers as well.

Today im running out of time!!! In Other words cant sit and share long long stories as in other posts lolz. Still I manage to Type out Big Big Texts huh!! Writing for blog is much easy than to write a 10 mark essay :P

HaPpY Bl0GgInG 

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Wood Apple Juice!!!

I cant Really enjoy Winters as others Do!!! Only reason is I fall Sick My Body Cannot Accept Cold Season For what ever reasons. That Is the Time I anxiously wait for Summer, I need Sun I need Sun. Rays of sun in such days R like Blessings to me, I badly need it to warm up myself to feel better lolss.

So Summer has come and Im happy sweating. Strange Right??? But Fact I enjoy Summers more than winters. I feel my body metabolism works fine in summer than in winter. This is the time we enjoy and cherish all kind of fruits and drinks and what not? Why not Of Course Every season has its own Reasons to Give us something new :)

Coming back to the Subject!!!

I had to do some googling bfr I open my mouth here :P Because I know not many R aware Of this fruit. Even If they R aware they dont know how to consume. Thats completely fine!!! Its never too late to know anything and take it in use :)

This is The fruit with Thick skin outside. It is also called Bael in Hindi and norther regions of India. Also known as elephant apple, monkey fruit, curd fruit, kath bel. This fruit is native to India and Sri lanka so can be said as native to South Asia Region growing in Dry Plain regions. In India, the fruit was traditionally a "poor man's food" until processing techniques were developed in the mid-1950's. 

Leaving the benefits of Leaves and Roots, Lets just talk about fruit.

The unripe fruit is bitter in taste, acrid, sour, and astringent in nature. It is useful in treating diarrhea and dysentery. The ripe fruit is sweet in taste, aromatic, cooling, and astringent. It acts as a laxative and has tonic properties. It is a popular medicine for dyspepsia in India and is widely used to strengthen the heart and brain. Good remedy for constipation problem and also lowering High blood pressure. This fruit is also available in powder form and used as medicine for constipation. has many more multiple uses which you can Google up :)

Lets Take a Looks at Inside Of the Fruit.

It has a thick hard skin, Pulpy, has small seeds and Whole lots of fibers Around the fruit pulp!!!

Isn't It the Pulp Looking Fibrously Delicious??

As I have mentioned in my introduction that my roots are from Orrisa My parents are used to consume this fruit. Even I have consumed this fruit in form of juice earlier but It kinda gave me some sought of medicinal smell which i dint like, but still Ok to consume. I never found this in south. May b its there but very rare. Its only when my relatives come down from there, take some pain to carry extra luggage  for us!!!

But This time my Aunt (mom's sis) living in Orrisa and my cousin bro took some pain to send us this fruit via courier. We were literally shocked to know this and was wondering how and what condition this fruit is gonna reach us. We were eagerly waiting for the delivery to find the fruit is well riped and in good condition. They had selected unripened fruit and sent us so we got Perfect ripe fruits :)

This fruit was ripe and sweet and dint had any medicinal smell either, It was yumm to taste and consuming it was a complete Pleasure!!!!

How To Make Juice/ Sharbat Of this Fruit:

1st time I saw my mom how she makes it :)

Ingredients:

Beal Fruit / Wood Apple

Sugar

Water

Method:

- Break The fruit With Some hard object, Like Heavy Knife/ Hammer (yes you got it right hammer) Outside skin is so thick. If you dont have any equipment just break it like coconut but with little force. Its not so much hard like coconut shell either. 

- Once cracked you can easily open thru and scoop out the pulp.

- In a large bowl put in the pulp add water and mash it/ hand blend it till all the pulp blends in well with water.  As we mash up the pulp gets thicker, so more water is neeeded to dilute much enough so that fibers and seeds get separated from the pulp.

- Using your hands try to strain the long fibers and seeds out of this, Still if you feel more thicker fibers are left  use fork or a big holed strainer to extract. 

- Add in sugar mix well and refrigerate 

- Serve chill

Notes:

- Do not add much water at a time, do it little by little. Once you get like smoothie consistency Of juice stop adding water

- When we add sugar it will dilute more as sugar becomes watery. If still you find ur sharbat is thick then you can add water more according to your desired consistency.

- We cannot use any blender of juicer because of its seeds and fibers around the pulp, It takes a Little work but wroth to do it :)

- Im not mentioning the proportion of sugar and water, As it completely depends upon the amount of pulp which gets extracted, Sweetness of fruit and amount of sweetness you require from sugar. 

It isnt any difficult task!!! just needs some balancing of proportions in which we r all gud at :)

Here Goes in my Yummy Sip!!!!

I know I talk alot about anything and everything in my each post, But the reason is I really cannot stop myself from sharing myself to All you guys :) I just love you all so much!!!

sending my entries to: 

Summer Special, Spring Surprises, Gain Popularity, Foodabulous Fest – Celebrate April Series organised by Simply Tadka, Healthy Food For Healthy Kids, Celebrate Summer & Jagruthi, Fruit & No Waste Food

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Curry Leaves Podi

People keep suggesting me to eat curry leaves its so very gud for health, hair, skin nails etc etc, but I would look out for options on how to consume the curry leaves and which format? Confused!!! Until I tried a basic meliga podi (red chilli podi or Gun Powder as called by vah chef) I tried Google Maharaj my savior for any quires. Sometimes my frnds ask how do I search up Google So fast. And only thing I have to say is Google Maharaj Ki Jaiiiiii!!! Yet with Another frnd as we keep talking I keep googling side by side to get more info. So Google has been a very important part of my social networking.

Google Maharaj gave me various option and I learnt there is no harm to try out my own version though. Recipes Changed Person to Person as I kept browsing and Finally Tot lets give a Try With all ingredients mentioned in each site.

Ingredients:

Curry Leaves - 2-3cups (washed and pat dry)
Channa Dal- 1/2 cup
Toor Dal - 1/2 cup
Dry Red Chillies - 3-4
Pepper Corns - 1tbsp
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Fried Gram Daal - 1-2 Tablespoon (see notes)
Garlic Flakes - 4-5 Sliced
Salt to taste
oil - 1tbsp

Method:

- Take a Heavy Bottom pan put in little oil and roast the curry leaves till all the moisture evaporates. Remove it keep it aside
- In the same pan next add in all the other ingredients except salt, hing & fried gram dal. In a low medium heat dry roast it nicely.
- In the half way through add in back the curry leaves and let it get along with dals n spices.
- Till now your whole house is filled with a strong aroma emitted. Roast till you get the well enough and the ingredients dried up loosing all its moisture. This will take abt 15-20 mins when done in low heat. (yes needs some patience of course)
- Let it cool.
- Once its cooled add in to the mixer , now add salt hing and fried gram dal, Grind it to a coarse powder.
- Check for salt and store it in air tight container.
- Eat it along with hot rice with ghee /idly/ dosa, with rice even sesame oil gives a great combo :) I can complete my whole meal with this podi :)

Notes:

- Process of roasting everything in low heat is to remove all the moisture from the ingredients. The more more moisture it looses, The more shelf life increases.

- When I 1st made and when I tasted the Powder I was :O what???? so spicy? how can I eat it :-s oh all my hard works in vain!!! thats when I tot of adding fried gram dal. Trust me adding this not only normalized the taste but brought out excellent flavor to the curry leaves combination :) 

- Adding fried bengal gram also gave nice light color blend to the podi, 1st time when i made the color was very dark green, but 2nd try was great I loved the light cooling effect color which came out

- Adding garlic is optional, but I love to add garlic

Will you believe once my aunt send one full branch of curry leaves and wanted me to make podi. Oh crazy and Im crazy too, I made it :) Was little difficult had to divide it into 2 batches and work out so to make sure all the moisture is removed properly. And I dint even measure the ingredients Just was pouring everything into the pan randomly. Surely im Crazy One Out There!!!!

Imagine The Aroma was so strong with the dals and spices my bro was choking and choking finally came to kitchen and gave me a warning " Dont do this next time when im at home" lolzzz

South Indian Cooking Event

Colour Me Green

Cooking With Green

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Almondy Rooh afza Lassi

My Bloggy Baby Is One Month Old Today!!!
Before a year I dint knew what r blogs, as I would come across something interesting I would immediately subscribe for their email updates. Happily was following every blogs updates happy to try them out as well. When I started Studying blogs and their nature how it works, I found so many bloggers for food blogs alone???? surprising bloggers posting and re posting recipes it was all strange to me. Many A time I tot of having my own blog but dropped my plan seeing so many other blogs existing with no reviews from audience, Wat a sad moment for bloggers when they take pain to post something and there is no comments for appreciation left. I would take pleasure to comment on such blogs but at same time it would discourage me from owning my own blog.

Until one fine morning I came across Nabanita Das's blog Esho-Bosho-Aahare and read some encouraging articles there. She is such a kind soul to reply my comments via mail and make me understand how blogs work. She also encouraged me start a new blog as well. Which I started without even thinking for a moment. Though the reason was different for this move but after entering the blogging world all other things looks secondary. What is more important now is Im enjoying myself and also participating in events. After knowing everything abt this bloggy world the only thing came to my mind was!! What the hell I was doing past 5years??? 5yrs coz thats when I started social networking lolz. Thank you Nabanita for showing me the door of this world its more than an eye opener for me.

Past is past lets talk about present. And the Present is Im suppose to share my post here :)
Its so hot mom makes sure to bring fruits from market and ask me to make juice. If not juice Moor/ Buttermilk. But Sunday needs to be a little special. So I had set Curd a day ahead. I was fully in plan to make lassi for Sunday. Little bit confused regarding the flavorings. Previously made Kesar Elaichi Lassi which turned out great!!! I dint had kesar elaichi combo then so I shifted my plans to Rooh afzah. Still I wasnt sure how it might turn out, Did some googling and was ok to make a start. So here It goes

Ingredients

Curd - 1.5 - 2 cups
Milk - 2 cups
Water - 1.5 to 2 cups
Sugar - 2 table spoon +/-  according to your taste
Rooh Afzah - 2 tablespoon
Roasted Almonds - 2 tablespoon roughly chopped

Method:

- Blend In Curd, Milk, Water and Sugar I used my tall juicer. Adjust the consistency by adding more milk or water if you find it very thick or sourness is more.
- Remove in a Big Bowl Add in Rooh Afza and mix check for sugar, sourness add more ingredients which suits your taste best.
- Refrigerate The drink and serve chill
- Mix in almonds before serving (see notes)

Notes:

-No Rock Hard Rules to be followed while making this, Be Easy To your taste
-After adding everything lassi was still little bit of sour which got corrected when I served along with Ice cubes.
-Since almonds R not blanched and peeled adding almonds from bfr itself might leave the skin after getting soaked up. The skin of almonds might float on top making it overall disaster.
- If you dont want to use roasted almonds then simply blanch the almonds and slice them up still will taste crunchy munchy
- If you want More Pinker Version add more and more of rooh afza till you reach the right pitch. But here again you will need to adjust the sugar by reducing it. Coz adding more milk or curd (white) would only make the hue light pink and not dark.

It yielded 4 tall glasses of lassi for my family. Adding ice cubes floating on top gave a majestic look to the whole thing.

Impression:

Yummy Almond Rooh afza Lassi. With Perfect blend to beat the summer heat.
And Crunchy Almonds complimenting the whole subject :)
Every Sip Was Just Wonderful :)


Im in a platform to explore more n more things from expert bloggers here :)






sending this entry to ---

Celebrate summer & Jagruthi

Cooking With Seeds "Almonds" Event , Show Your Best , Healthy Food for Healthy Kids - Event Announcement, Event Announcement : Foodabulous Fest – Celebrate April Series & Simply Tadka , Soul Food Show, Event Announcement - Gain Popularity, Tangy Minds, Bon Vivant #14 - Spring Surprises, Summer Special, FR Event- Bookmarked Recipe & Hearth and Soul Blog Hop , Favorite Recipe Event: Drinks,,, Only Chilled Or Frozen,,,, 

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Perfect Curd - Home Set

I just love dairy products from my childhood, Of course milk is the base for all and I let go milk, Having milk in various forms salt, sweet sour, solid forms anything I dont mind, Im a Happy Girl who likes to consume milk even after grown up big :D Point to be noted!! Many who know me call me a little girl still lolzz for sure all our elders treat us that way :)

Call it curd or call it yogurt its all one, but just a little difference on how each one likes to call it. To share with all of you setting curd I feel is an art which all of us should learn. Lolz too old a dialogue to say but trust me once you start setting curd at home, its difficult to like the store brought curd. Though store bought curd have its own thickness etc etc stays fresh long without being sour, but what if I tell u, you can set curd same as store brought? Yes you got me right for every word I spoke here. I have better reasoning to explain here how and why :) I just thought of taking little pain for this simple recipe and explain it in detail :D Its more Like 2 marks Answers asked for 10 marks and students dont know how to elaborate lolzz

Seriously this is Home Set Curd :)

Ingredients:
1/2 liter milk (full cream/skimmed)
2 tsp starter curd (always use fresh ones, which is not sour)

Method:

Boil the milk and let it become lukewarm.
Mean While keep the curd starter in a tea strainer hanging in a small bowl, so that all the whey/water from the starter curd drips down into the bowl.
Thick starter curd is set. make sure it is in normal room temp.

In a bigger bowl, take starter curd and whisk

Whisk Whisk Whisk Till you break down all the solid particles into soft cream as shown above :)

Into this pour the warm milk and whisk it again. Make sure milk is almost in dropping temp, other wise you might land up curdling milk :) (experienced it thinking milk is warm enough, but it had to be cooled more)

After whisking milk into starter curd you might find bubbles of air on top dosent mind makes no difference.
(Please check notes how to get rid from air bubbles and make it look like store brought one)

Transfer This into a clean plastic container or steel tiffin or a bowl, anything which suits you. I transfer it into plastic containers usually. But to show curd can be set in any vessel I kept the curd to set in same container in which I had whisked!!!

Now Partially close this vessel with a lid so that dust dont enter, and keep it to rest for 6-7 hrs in a place where no one can disturb it, somewhere u keep and forget!! yet u can see when you walk around :)

After 7 hrs just try to shake a little, if it gets shaken from center you need to give some more time for resting. If its well set it will not move/ leave its sides neither will the center shake. Sometimes we keep it over night when we set curd in the night and keep it back in the fridge in the morning when we wake up (We here is Me & Mom)

Once set close the lid and store in fridge use it when ever desired. Once we start scooping out the curd we can find after sometime water/ whey start releasing. That will not disturb the curd consistency, Its just the nature of the curd. I dont like to waste this water at times, I use up the whole thing.

A little background :
Initially when we tried setting curd it will all turn liquid and runny. but sourness remained that of curd. I was small then and also would frequently get disappointed. I saw my nani (mom's mom) set curd in huge vessel which was sitting there thick and awesome. since then I wanted to learn from her but never got a chance though, until I came across a Food Page in FB.

When I followed the steps I was not sure how it would turn, coz mom always told me to cool down the milk to room temp 1st then add starter. But when I saw the result I was so happy Running around showing everyone at home lolzzz. Of course why not???? its been something I was trying to achieve the result from my childhood. Since Then mom asks me to set curd. But still I do make mistakes :)

Masters of arts cannot make mistake and name it as a creative new art :)

Disasters and Reasoning's:

- Warm milk from top and hot from bottom, so make sure milk is warm to dropping temp otherwise it might tend to curdle if ur not sure abt warm milk after boiling, then let the temp of milk drop fully, and lightly heat the milk vessel  for 1/2 min the warmness which milk will get will be enough to make a start

- Use just 2 tsp - 3 tsp of starter curd. After letting the water drip from strainer. you might be left with only 1 and half tsp thick starter.

- Using thick starter is important as it will give thick consistency to the curd setting. while runny curd used as starter will give runny consistency.

- I never asked mom why keep lid partially open no idea though, she wont have reasoning's for my questions :P I never tried packing up the whole thing and let it to set, If anyone does that let me know how it turns

- Whisking is important as it breaks the solid particles from thick starter, Whisking is also important after adding milk because it allows a gud blend of starter and milk together. If u dont have egg hand whisk use a fork that will work fine. mixer might curdle the whole thing.

- Do not add lots of starter curd thinking It might set more thick. I happen to do this mistake recently and was unaware what goes wrong. When we add more starter curd the particles of curd instead of blending with milk start floating on top resulting a thick curd from top but there will be water formation from below. So the whole thing will be like Earth Land floating on top and Sea Water beneath lolz :P

This pic of the post was taken when I 1st set the curd which got the perfection :) This pic was taken 2 year back in 2011, I was always clicking pics to post in my Fb to show my frnds :) 1st pic also shows porus texture on top due to air bubbles formation during whisking!!

This pic is I tried making Boondi Raita for 1st time with the set curd. I never knew both these clicks would be helpful for my blogging in later years. :)
I wanted to post the last pic along Just to show the thickness of the curd, Its just stiff enough and not runny.


Any Doubts Or If I Had Missed Any Points Do Feel Free To Ask In Comments Section, OMG IF U REALIZED IM SMILING THROUGHOUT THE POST AND YES EVEN NOW. Is such a pleasure to share something like this :)

Open Ur Mouth Taste It AaaaannnnnN!!


Notes:
- Using Full Cream milk or Skimmed milk is your choice, Result will depend acordingly
- The amount of curd im shown in pic for whipping as starter is suitable for 2-3 liters of milk ( did for sake of showing here)
- To get rid of air bubbles I usually strain it in tea strainer or even steel strainer this makes ensure of even distribution of starter throughout, If any particles of starter is left in strainer dont be hesistant to add it back to milk.
- After straining atleast once use a spoon to stir, breaking any more left out air bubbles and then shift to a container pouring slowly, pouring it from a certain height will again form air bubbles.
- Sour Starter may Give Sour Curd even if lil sour makes a difference so always use fresh starter
- Keeps gud for 5-6 days in fridge with cooling temp!!

Plssss plsss plsss!! somebody give me full marks for writing such a big history with just 2 Ingredients HaHaHa!!


This Post might Look Big But To Do is Just 4-5 steps away!!!






Sending My Entry To Story Telling with Food!

Celebrate summer & Jagruthi

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