Schezuan Fried Rice with some awards

Schezuan rice is fast and easy. Anyone can prepare them in minutes without any specific cooking skills.

Let's Collect Ingredients:

2 cups Chinese rice, cooked.

1 tsp garlic, chopped.

1 cup vegetables (carrots, bell pepper, cabbage ), finely sliced.

2 tsp celery, chopped.

2 tbsp Schezuan Sauce

1/2 cup sprouts ( I didn't add them as i didn't have at that moment)

1 tbsp vinegar

1/4 cup spring onions.

1 tbsp oil.

Salt to taste.

Let's start cooking :

1. Heat the oil, add garlic and saute till it turns golden color.

2. Add the celery and onion white. Add vegetables and saute for 2-3 mins.

3. Add the Schezuan sauce and cook for another min.

4. Add rice, bean sprouts, salt and mix well.

5. Toss for a few seconds till all the ingredients are mixed.

6. Mix in vinegar. Garnish with spring onion greens.

Serve hot.

Received this awards from Kiran from SUMADHURA a few weeks back.

And also this award...
Thanks a lot Kiran for those, that is so nice of you.

Rules for this award :

a) I must brag about it. ( brag???? what's that? hehehe)

b) I have to display the badge on my blog and link to the one who tagged me to prove that I didn't tag myself . (who would do that? but anyway i linked so trust me i didn't tag myself guys hehehe )

c) Share 10 things about myself. (10 things?? I have a whole blog where i share things about me, those interested to know more of me are more than welcome to check it out... HERE)

d) Pass the award to other fellow bloggers by visiting their site

I pass on this award to...

meeso, jagruti , cooking foodie , shanthi , Parita , Treat and Trick , Nithu Bala , Babli, Stephanie

Semiya Upama

Today's post is from very good friend Nithya. Knowing her cooking skills and love for food I have been unsuccesfully trying to convince her to be co-author on my blog. When i recieved her mail with this post, it was a pleasant surprise ! But atleast this is a start !

Now handing - over stage to Nithya.

----***----

Hey there I am here all inspired by Lopa’s posts. India with its varied culture and taste holds a treasure of cuisines. Every part of the country stands out for its own unique taste, tradition and culture.

After my marriage I was exposed to lot of cooking J Never had I entered the kitchen for regular cooking, it was just those special pasta or Chinese items that I used to venture into that adda.

Now I experiment a lot with gujju n south Indian food. So I though why not share it with you guys. It was always a nightmare for my mum that I would make these two areas meet one day but thankfully I have been successful in retaining each cuisine’s identity. I remember my neighbour who literary used to murder the taste by giving a Jeera vaghar in Sambhar and mixing both the cuisines. The ingredients are just as us. They have a few friends and there are a few whom they don’t like. So if you put them all in one they are not going to behave well and your dish is not gonna be like the one that you can boast of.

Ok enough of all these stories lets get on to some action

Since this is my first article for recipe I shall play safe and start off with a very simple recipe. Semiya Upama. Its very similar to the normal sooji upma that we eat but the texture and form gives a different taste to it.

My memories of this dish go 12 years back when there was a programme on DoorDarsham. Instead of showing an outrightly cooking show, they took a different concept. They show a big group of neighbours of a flat all from different parts of India. One of the senior member’s wife leaves for her hometown for 2 months and this uncle is left behind all alone no food. So to help him out and solve the food problem the ladies of the flat make different varieties taking turns each day. And each dish is one show. I saw the semiya upma then and still remember the images of the fluttering sweet neem and mustard seeds in piping hot oil.

Lets Collect the ingredients:

250 gms vermicelli (not the roasted one)

3 tbsp oil

1 onion finely chopped

Boiled peas and carrot ½ cup

2 green chilly sliced

½ spoon mustard seeds

Pinch of asafetida

1 tsp Urad dal
1 sp Bengal gram (Chana Dal)

Few curry leaves

4 glasses of water

Let's start cooking:

Heat about 1 tbsp of oil in a non stick Kadhai and roast the vermicelli for a while say about 5-10 mins. If you ignore it, its going to get angry and turn brown which we don’t want. So continuously stir it and take care of it.

Once it slightly changes colour immediately turn of the gas and transfer on to a flat plate and spread it.

In the same kadhai heat the remaining oil. Add mustard seeds and asafetida. Then the urad dal and chana dal, fry them till they are golden brown. In the meantime you can heat the water in a separate container.

Once the dal is golden brown you can add the chopped onion, chillies and curry leaves. Once done you can add the boiled peas and carrot. Then add the roasted vermicelli and mix well for about 2-3 minutes.

In case you have missed the first step of roasting the vermicelli or do not have time for it then you can increase the roasting time here at this step. Just make sure you do not burn it.

Once its done add boiling water to this such that the whole mixture is exactly dipped in water. Add salt about 2 spoons level and put it on high flame and fold continuously.

Make sure the upma does not stick to the bottom. You just need to fold till the water evaporates.

Make sure you don’t stir or mix as it turns the upma to a paste. Add 2 spoons of ghee in this process so that the upma does not become very sticky. Once done put the flame off and spread the upma in the kadhai itself and keep it open for some time.

Closing it will mean that you will give it a porridge consistency which will not be good.

Probably when you make the first time you will know the correct consistency and also the judgement for amount of water to be added.

So happy cooking. Next in- line some chutneys that you can have with dosa/bread etc.

- Nithya

Coconut Rice and Award !

Hope you all had a great long weekend. So what did you all do in this weekend break?

We had great fun, we went to Berlin, Germany by road. More about it i would be writing at my other blog where i write and try to share things around "Life as it goes on" !

Coming back to this post, We never were fan of rice, but lately we have started eating more rice than we ever did back home. Funny thing is Ashu never ate rice, but now actually he likes it ( yes but still no to plain rice ) and so now i keep trying different kind of rice as well.

This is the first time i tried coconut rice, and really liked it, rice and creamy coconut milk makes a unique combination and with lentils it is fulfilling dish on its own.

Let's collect Ingredients:

1 cup long grain rice ( i used Basmati)

1 tbsp split black gram ( Urad dal)

2 tbsp split yellow gram ( moong dal)

4-5 red chilies ( as per taste )

a few curry leaves

1/4 cup salted peanuts, crushed lightly

1/2 cup grated coconut

2 cups coconut milk

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Lets start cooking:

1. Soak the rice in warm water for about 20-30 minutes.

2. Heat the oil, add split black gram, split yellow gram and fry for 2 minutes.

3. Add the red chilies, curry leaves, peanuts and half of grated coconut. Fry for about 1 minute.

4. Add the rice and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add the coconut milk and salt and cook it covered.

6. Serve hot, garnish with remaining of the grated coconut and coriander if you prefer.

And now the Award... this award was passed on to me a few weeks back by Jagruti from Joy of Cooking !

Thanks a lot Jagruti for this beautiful award :)

Rules for the award:

1. Put the logo within your post ( done)
2. Pass on to atleast 12 bloggers ( will do )
3. Link the nominees within ur post ( will do)
4. Let the nominees know they have recieved the award (will do)
5. Share the love and link to the person form whom you have recieved the award :) (done)

Ok so to complete that "will do" list, I nominate Lizzy, Daisy Blue, Ms.Chitchat, Priya, Sarah Naveen , Smitha, Kiran, Cool Lassi(e), A 2 Z Vegetarian Cuisine, Deepa , Siddhi S, Pari

Have a great weekend ahead.

Vegetable Spring Rolls

Spring Rolls, i didn't make them often as felt it's too much to do from scratch but that was until i was not using ready-made spring roll wrappers and preferred making them at home. This time i made it using ready-made spring roll wrappers and believe me one of the fasted and easiest to prepare dish !

So here we go... Enjoy the Spring Rolls :)

Let's collect Ingredients:

Spring roll wrappers

2 cups mixed vegetables ( shredded cabbage, grated carrots, french beans, green bell peppers cut into strips)

3/4 cup bean sprouts

1 onion, thinly sliced

3/4 cup spring onion with greens, finely chopped

2 tbsp vegetable oil ( i used chilly oil)

2 tbsp Soya sauce

1 tbsp hot and sweet chilly sauce

1 tsp white pepper powder

1 tsp ginger powder

2 tsp garlic powder

salt to taste

Let's start cooking:

1. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and stir-fry for half a minute.

2. Add green bell peppers and cabbage and continue to stir-fry for one minute. Add the ginger, garlic powder, white pepper powder, salt, soy sauce and hot and sweet chilli sauce.

3. Add bean sprouts and spring onions with greens and cook until veggies are crisp-tender. Set aside to cool until they are lukewarm.

4. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

5. Divide the veggie mixture into equal portions.

6. Lay a spring roll wrapper on a dry flat surface. Place a spoonful of the filing mixture in one corner of the wrapper.

7. Roll the wrapper over the filling, folding the sides as you go to form a small spring roll. Press the seams together with a little water and seal the edges.

8. Lightly brush the rolls with vegetable oil or whisked egg whites.

9. Bake 15-20 minutes, then flip on the broiler for a few minutes until they turn golden brown.

Tips:

1. You can also add noodles relacing sprout beans with them.

2. In stead of baking you can also deep fry them in oil till golden brown. I find baking healthier.

Have a nice time this weekend, Have a Good Friday and Happy Easter weekend. :o)

The growing trees, the new flowers

And birds that sweetly sing

Whisper to me that it’s Easter

Here is wishing warmth for your soul

On Easter and always!

Happy Easter !!

Dosa

Dosa is South Indian cuisine. It's simple and comfort food, we can have it anytime, we love it.

Let's collect Ingredients :

1 cup raw rice
1 cup urad dal
2 tbsp cooked rice (Optional can be skipped )
2 tbsp poha ( Optional, can be skipped)
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seed
salt to taste
oil for cooking

Let's start cooking:

1. Wash the rice and urad daal well. Add the fenugreek seeds and soak in a little water overnight.

2. The next morningdrain all the water from the rice and urad daal, leaving a little water and soak along with the poha and cooked rice for 2 hours.

3. Grind to make a smooth paste with a little water. The consistency of the batter should be such that it thickly coats a spoon dipped in it.

4. Now add salt to taste and keep the Dosa batter aside in a warm, dark spot, covered, for 6-8 hours. After this fermentation, stir the batter well. It is now ready to make Dosas.

5. Heat a non-stick pan and grease it lightly with oil.

6. The correct amount of oil is such that it is barely visible on the pan. Now turn on the heat/ flame at medium high. Now begin to spread the batter in sweeping circular motions to form a pancake of roughly 8" diameter.

7. As soon as you have finished spreading the batter out on the pan, dip the basting brush in cooking oil and drizzle the oil all over the surface of the dosa and also around its edges.

8. Cook on one side. When crispy, fold over and serve hot.

Have it with potato bhaji, coconut chutney, sambhar.

Carrot Raisin Cake

I was wondering what to do with carrots lying in my fridge for some days now. And then i came across idea of preparing Carrot raisin cake. Ashu has been asking me for cake since quite a few days and i thought what a perfect combination, use of my carrots and fulfilling his wish. hehehe

Let's collect Ingredients :
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 cup of whole wheat flour
3/4 cup of white sugar, add more if you like it sweeter
1/2 cup of brown sugar
3/4 Cup Vegetable oil (I used 1/2 cup melted butter )
4 Eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon. ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon. ground ginger
2 Cups Carrots, peeled and grated
1 Cup chopped walnuts/cashew

1/2 cup raisins
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Let's start baking:

1. Pre-heat oven at 350F.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients except sugar, in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Beat eggs, combine sugars, vegetable oil, vanilla extract,in a large bowl; stir until all ingredients are well blended.
4. Add this to the flour mixture, along with carrots,walnuts,and raisins blend it well.
5. Grease and flour cake pan (8 or 9 inch). Pour this batter and bake it for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Let the cake pan cool for 10 minutes; invert it on wire racks.

It can be served warm or cold, as you prefer. You can find egg-less version at A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine.

I love it with a dollop of vanilla ice-cream.

Hakka Noodles

Hakka noodles is one of the most popular dish in Chinese restaurants in India. Here is an indianised version of Hakka Noodles.


Let's collect Ingredients:

1 pack Hakka noodles

4-5 garlic, finely chopped

2 Red chillies, broken in the pieces

1 cup cabbage, thinly diced

1 carrot, thinly sliced

2 spring onion with green part,chopped finely

1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 tsp soya sauce

2 tsp red chili sauce

2 tbsp Brown Vinegar

2 tsp sweet & spicy sauce

1/2 tsp chinese salt / Ajinomoto (optional)

3 tsp oil

salt to taste

Let's prepare Hakka Noodles :

1. Boil water and add 1 tablespoon oil and salt. Add the noodles, allow the water to come to a boil, and then simmer till the noodles are cooked.

2. Remove from the fire and drain out all the water. Pour some cold water on the noodles to stop further cooking.

3. Let all the water drain out and ensure that the noodles do not contain any moisture. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and mix lightly. This will prevent the noodles from sticking together.

4. Heat a pan or wok to high. Add garlic and red chili. Stir-fry.


5. Add onion, white part of spring onion, cabbage, bell pepper and carrots. Stir for 1-2 min.

6. Add the sauces, vinegar, Ajinomoto and salt. Mix well.

5. Add noodles, mix it well and cook for a min.Garnish with green parts of spring onion. Serve hot.

Tips:
Chinese salt/ Ajinomoto gives the typical chinese taste but it is optioal, can be skipped.
Amount of sauces and vegetables can vary as per taste.