Jangiri / Jhangri | Indian Festival Recipes

Jangiri is DH's favorite sweet. It is true that he is not a great fan of sweets, but turns out he just loves this one. So I set out to make this one at home for Diwali. Honestly, I wasn't comfortable making jangiri at home. Ok, I know that is not a good line for any self-respecting food blogger to say. But hey, I am a regular home-cook first and then comes food blogging. But being a food blogger has its own perks. I dare to try new recipes with loads of inspiration from my fellow bloggers and I am happy I tried this one. At the end of the day, the thing that made me happy was a thumbs-up from my DH.
Also I have compiled a list of FAQs at the end, for newbies at Jangiri-making like me.

Ingredients:
Recipe Source - Grandma;
Makes - about 40 medium sized jangiris; Measurements in standard (240 ml) cups
Whole Urad Dhal (Gota) - 1 cup
Raw rice - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 3/4 cup
Lemon juice - a few drops
Orange food color - a pinch 
Oil - for deep frying

Method:
The batter:
Wash and soak urad dhal and rice in water for 2 hours. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of water. Use a wet grinder and grind the drained urad dhal to a smooth paste, sprinkling about few tbsps of the reserved water for about 3-4 times. The whole batter should be ready in about 30-40 minutes. The batter would be fluffy and should float to top when dropped in a bowl of water.
The sugar syrup:
Melt the sugar and water over medium heat in a wide bowl. When the sugar dissolves completely and starts to bubble up, remove from heat and add a few drops of lemon juice and orange food color. Mix and set aside.
The piping:
Line a plate with parchment paper. Fill a plastic bag (ziptop) with the batter and make a small slit in one of the corners for piping.
Remove the batter from the grinder to a bowl and mix the orange food color. Take a plate and try piping jangiri patterns on it for practice. Unlike murukku you would have to pipe jangiris directly into the oil. Do not worry if you do not get the patterns right, just go for a mini jangiri version which is just a free form pattern.
The frying:
Heat oil in a wide shallow fry pan for deep frying. The oil should only be an inch in depth in the pan. When the oil starts to emit small bubbles, pipe the jangiris into the oil. Always have the oil in medium heat. Flip and continue to fry until the bubbles around the jangiris are almost gone.
The Sweetening:
When the jangiris are fried and crispy, drain completely with a slotted spoon and transfer to the sugar syrup. Use a wooden spoon and press them slightly for about a few seconds, then flip over. Remove after 2 minutes and plate in the parchment lined plate. Allow a standing time of 1 hour for best taste.

FAQs on Jangiri:
Why is rice added when making jangiri?
Rice is added to give body and a slight crispness to the jangiri.
Why is lemon juice added to the sugar syrup?
Lemon juice is added to prevent the sugar from crystallising.
What is the best way to pipe a jangiri?
Traditionally a thick cloth is used with a hole in the center. This hole is generally secured with an overlock stitch to prevent further tearing. For one time use you could use a ziploc bag with a corner cut, like mehndi cone or a ketchup bottle. Personally the ketchup bottle squeezing did not work for me since the air filled in the ketchup bottle while squeezing does not have a means to escape.
Why is my jangiri light in color?
Not enough food color or not properly fried.
Why is my jangiri soggy/floppy?
Not properly fried. Though the frying temperature of the oil should be low it should not be too low. Like any other fried food, low temperature of the oil makes the food absorb more oil and become soggy.
Another reason the jangri turns out soggy is because the dough is watery. Add couple of teaspoons of rice flour and try again.
Why is my jangiri too crispy?
There could be two possible reasons. One, the jangiri is too thin, meaning the pipe thickness is too thin. Or, It hasn't soaked enough time in the syrup to become soft.

Linking this up to Vegan Thursdays.

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Zucchini Coconut Muffins

Baking is therapeutic they say. For me baking is blissful. I bet it is the aroma coming from the oven which makes me say so. When all your favorite ingredients go into the making you will sure enjoy the sweet smell, don't you? This is one such muffin. 
Coconut is an important part of Indian cooking. And it is really good for you, when taken is limited quantity. Hailing from South India, naturally I love coconut. But this is the first time I am using coconut in baking and it didn't fail me.

Ingredients:
Recipe adapted from here
Whole Wheat Flour - 3/4 cup
All purpose flour / Maida - 3/4 cup
Baking soda - 3/4 tsp
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Ground Cinnamon - 1/2 tsp
Ground Nutmeg - 1/4 tsp
Slivered almonds - 1/4 cup (optional)
Zucchini -1 - grated - approx 1-1/2 cups (no need to squeeze)
Sweetened shredded coconut - 3/4 cup - loosely packed
Sugar - 3/4 cup (Use brown sugar if you have)
Unrefined Coconut Oil - 1/3 cup (can substitute vegetable or any light tasting oil)
Egg - 1
Plain yogurt - 1/2 cup (regular/greek)
Pure Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 F/175 C. Line a 12 count muffin tin. Whisk/Sieve the dry ingredients, flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and almonds. Whisk the sugar and yogurt until the sugar is dissolved. No need to use a hand mixer, even a spoon works good. Add the oil, egg and vanilla extract and mix again. Mix the zucchini and grated coconut. Now pour the mixed wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix a couple of times. Until it is just mixed and no dry flour is seen. Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter to each muffin liner. Bake for 20 minutes.
Notes:
Unsweetened shredded coconut can also be used. If you have brown sugar, go ahead and use it. I did not have any. I had organic unrefined coconut oil which I used. It really emphasised the coconut-ty aroma while I totally loved. Any other oil works fine too.

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Muttai Kulambu / Steamed Egg Curry - South Indian Style | Indian Egg Curry Recipes

The other day (read few months ago) I called up my grandma to ask for her Egg Curry - Muttai Kulambu recipe. She gave me the recipe I asked for and also gave me one bonus recipe for the Muttai Kulambu in a steamed version. I had not gotten a chance to try this version until recently. It is another super tasty, not too difficult to make and easy to drool over family recipe.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2-3
Eggs - 3
Onion - chopped - 3/4 cup
Tomato - chopped - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to  taste
Pepper powder - a pinch
Oil - 1 tbsp + 1/4 tsp
For the spice paste:
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds / Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Khus khus / poppy seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2" piece
Cloves - 3
Fennel Seeds / Sombu - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 3
Coriander seeds / Dhaniya - 1/4 tsp
Garlic cloves - 4 
Tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few

Method: 
Beat the eggs until fluffy with a pinch of salt and pepper. Apply some oil in a small steel bowl and pour the eggs. Steam until done, about 10 minutes. Transfer the steamed egg to a plate and cut into 1" cubes. Make a smooth paste of the ingredients for the spice paste. Heat oil in a large kadai and add the ingredients for tempering. Now add the chopped onions and saute until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes with a pinch of salt and continue to cook until mushy. Add the turmeric powder and the freshly ground spice paste. Fry for a couple of minutes and add about 2 cups of water. When it starts boiling, simmer for about 10 minutes. Check for salt and add the cubed steamed eggs. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat. This is a great side for idli, dosa, chapathi and steamed rice.

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Kovakkai Varuval / Tindora Fry

Kovakkai/Tindora is one vegetable which I do not remember eating as a child. Not that I LUV my veggies when I was young. I was like any other child, detesting and protesting any vegetable. My dad used to say I literally lived on milk and curd rice. I am not proud about that. And I hope my son does not turn out as picky as I was. Coming back to tindora, I remember that it didn't feature much in our home. This one here is a simple recipe and best suited for cooking without a lot of fuss.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Kovakkai/Tindora/Ivy Gourd - 2 cups (I used 1 pack of frozen Tindora)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp (1/2 tsp if using extra hot)
Salt - to taste

Method:
Wash and pat dry the tindora. Slice lengthwise into quarters. Heat oil in a wide non-stick pan and add the cut tindora. Fry in medium-high heat until it is three-fourths cooked and the skin gets a little crispy. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt and continue to fry until completely cooked. Serve as a side for rice.

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Chicken Soup for Cold / Kozhi Rasam | Soup Recipes

Last week my son was under weather with a severe cold. Poor thing was finding it difficult to concentrate on keeping himself busy with the nose block and congestion. All the vaporiser rubbing and steam sauna wasn't helping him much. So I made a simple chicken soup for him. This is a super comforting soup and if your little one can't bear the spicy heat, you might as well just mix this with rice and serve like rasam rice.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Chicken (with or without bones) - 1/2 lb (1/4 kg) approx 1/2 cup
Water - 2 cups
Pearl onions - 8
Garlic - 3 cloves 
Ginger - 1/2" piece
Pepper corns - 1 tsp 
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp 
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - 1/4 tsp or to taste
Garnish:
Coriander leaves / Cilantro - a little

Method:
Crush the pearl onions and garlic cloves with knife. Crush the pepper corns and cumin seeds with a mortar & pestle or just with the bottom of a heavy glass. You could also pulse a couple of times in a blender or coffee grinder. Add all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook until the chicken is done. Alternatively you could pressure cook the ingredients for 1 whistle. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve piping hot.
Notes: 
Do not use chicken breast pieces for making soup. Half a tsp of cumin powder and coriander powder can also be added. I decided to keep it simple, so did not add.

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Kathirikai Murungakai Sambar / Brinjal Drumstick Pressure Cooker Sambar | South Indian Recipes

Sambar is an important part of a South-Indian meal. No South-Indian Thali will be complete without this lentil soup. It is simply divine and what would be part of a comforting home cooked food for me. This is the method I follow when pressed for time and it gets ready in under 30 minutes. 

Ingredients:
Serves - 4-6; soaking time - 30 mins; cooking time - 30 mins.
Toor dhal/Pigeon Peas - 1 cup
Brinjal - 5 small or 1/2 of a big one - cut into wedges
Drumstick - 1 - cut into 2 inch pieces
Onion - chopped - 1 cup
Tomato - 1 small - chopped
Tamarind - size of a gooseberry/marble - soak in warm water and extract juice
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Sambar Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Salt - to taste
Tempering:
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - from a twig
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Wash and soak the dhal in water for 30 mins. Pressure cook with 3 cups of water, turmeric powder and salt for 3 whistles. When the pressure is released, drain and reserve the water. Using the back of a rounded spoon mash the cooked dhal. Add the reserved water and another cup or two more of water. Drop the brinjal, drumstick, chopped onion, tomato, sambar powder, chilli powder and more salt if needed. Cover and cook for another whistle. When the pressure is released, add the tamarind juice and allow it to boil for 5 minutes. Do a taste check and season with the tempered ingredients. Serve hot with rice and if desired with a dollop of ghee.
Notes:
Any vegetable or a combo of more than one vegetables can be used in a sambar.

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Cabbage Poriyal | Indian Stir-Fry Recipes

Nature's simple foods are often the simply delicious ones. A cabbage poriyal is what I would choose if I had to for a side dish for rice. It is easy to make with simple flavours and is a great accompaniment for any kulambu, rasam or curd rice. 

Ingredients:
Cabbage - chopped/shredded - 4 cups
Moong dhal - 2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1/2 cup
Green chilli - 2
Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt - to tate
Tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Chana dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few

Method:
Wash and cook moong dhal in 1 cup of water until soft but still holds the shape. Sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of water to the shredded cabbage and microwave for about 4-5 minutes, mixing once every minute. It should be soft when pressed but not mushy. Alternatively it could be cooked in steam or boiled in water. Do not discard this cabbage boiled water. Reserve to use in soups.
Heat oil in a pan and splutter the ingredients for tempering. When the chana dhal turns light brown, add the slit green chillis and chopped onions. When the onion is cooked and translucent add the ginger paste. Cook in medium heat for 2 minutes. Add salt to taste and cooked cabbage and mix. Continue to cook in medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the cooked moong dhal and grated coconut. Remove from heat and mix well. Serve hot.

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Mirapakaya Bajji / Stuffed Milaga Bajji

Do you remember the friends we visited for dinner in my German Chocolate Cake post. They are a sweet couple and the dinner was super awesome. Now, DH and spicy foods are two entities who cannot be separate. And needless to say when they made Andhra-style Mirapakaya bajji for appetizers, he was in cloud nine. Seeing how much he loved the bajji, I duly asked for the recipe and they were happy to share.

Ingredients:
Serves - 5
Serrano Peppers / Bajji Milagai - 10 (Choose the light colored ones and definitely stay away from the dark ones)
Besan / Chickpea flour - 2 cups
Rice flour - 1/3 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp or to taste
Salt - to taste
Baking soda - a big pinch
Asafoetida - a pinch
Water - as needed
Oil - for deep frying
For the Stuffing:
Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
Using a small paring knife, carefully slit the peppers on one side with the stem intact. Use the knife or a sharp spoon to scrape out all the seeds. Set the peppers aside and wash your hands with soap and water. Mix the ingredients for stuffing and place about 1/2 tsp of of it in each pepper. Heat the oil for deep-frying. Meanwhile, mix the batter for bajji without any lumps. The batter should be of dripping consistency. Take the peppers by the stem and dip in the batter to coat all sides. Gently drop in the oil and cook in medium-high heat until golden brown. Remove from heat and serve with chopped onions and coconut chutney.
Linking this up to Nupur's What's with my Cuppa?; Birthday Party.

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German Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Coconut-Almond Frosting - Celebrating 300th post

I made this German Chocolate Cake last month for our 4th wedding anniversary. I have been meaning to post it sooner than later in this space but somehow it became later. Since I was approaching my 300th post mark, I reserved this special cake for the special post. 
DH loves chocolates but isn't a big fan of cakes. He is a gourmand but never really tells me which food he likes and which he doesn't. He is not a big sweet-lover as well. See, now my task of deciding on a cake for the celebration becomes difficult. But the other day, when he had to pick the dessert for our friend's dinner invite he picked the German Chocolate Cake. I asked him why and he said he liked it very much. Hullo, you have to tell me if you like something. Then the baker in me (who was in hibernation) woke up. I set out to make the cake at home. I knew I wanted a chocolate ganache and coconut frosting, the quintessentials of a German Chocolate cake. But at the same time I did not want to spend too much time in the kitchen. I arrived at this recipe and took a shortcut for the cake part but made the chocolate ganache and coconut frosting from the scratch.

German Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
Recipe from here
German Chocolate Cake mix - 15.25 oz pk - 1
Buttermilk - 1-1/4 cups (room temperature)
Eggs - 3 (room temperature)
Canola/Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup
Pure Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Method:
Preheat oven to 325 F / 160 C. This batter made me one 9" square cake and 4 cupcakes (to mark 4 years). This can also be used to make 2 - 8" or 9" round cakes. Grease bottom and sides of the cake pan. Cut a 9" square parchment and place in the greased pan. Grease again with butter. Line the muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Place the buttermilk, oil and eggs in a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until well mixed. Transfer the dry ingredients to the wet in 3 batches, mixing well after each batch. Mix for 2 minutes in medium speed and add the vanilla extract. Mix for about 10 seconds. Transfer the batter to the pan and the cupcake liners. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes and cake for 30-35 minutes. To check for done-ness, a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. When done, transfer to a wire-rack and allow to cool completely. 
Notes:
Do not have buttermilk? Blend 1/2 cup thick yogurt with 3/4 cup water and measure out 1-1/4 cups of buttermilk.

Chocolate Ganache
Recipe adapted from here
Ingredients:
Heavy Whipping Cream - 3/4 cup
Butter - 2 tbsp
Chocolate chips (semi-sweet) - 1-1/3 cups
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Method:

Place the chocolate chips in a glass or heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream, butter and vanilla in a saucepan until hot but not boiling. Pour over the chocolate chips and mix with a spoon/whisk. Scrape the sides occasionally and whisk continuously until you get a smooth mixture. If you have bits of seized chocolates, just strain using a food strainer. This ganache would be of a pourable consistency. Place a plastic wrap over the ganache, touching the chocolate layer and cover the bowl loosely with a lid and allow to sit in room temperature for a few hours. The ganache will come to a spreadable consistency. That is what we need for this cake.

Coconut Almond Frosting
What is a German chocolate cake without its coconut frosting? Right?! I made this Coconut Almond frosting for the delicious coconut frosting over the chocolate ganache.

Recipe from Barbara Bakes again

Ingredients:

Sweetened coconut flakes - 7 oz (by weight) - approx 1-1/4 cups I guess
Raw slivered almonds - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Evaporated milk - 1 cup
Butter - 1/2 cup
Pure Vanilla Extract - 1 tbsp
Eggs - 2 beaten - room temperature

Method:
Place the butter, evaporated milk, sugar and vanilla extract in a saucepan and heat. Mix with a wooden spoon. Place the lightly beaten eggs in another heat-proof bowl. When the milk mixture is heated, and hot pour about 2 tbsp of the hot mixture to the eggs. You have to continuously whisk the eggs in your other hand while you pour the hot mixture to prevent the eggs from cooking with the sudden heat. This process is called tempering the eggs. Continue to pour the hot mixture to the eggs and temper until half of the milk mixture is added and the eggs are tempered. If my some chance some parts of the eggs cook slightly, do not panic. Just pass the tempered eggs through a food strainer. Add the egg mixture to the milk mixture in the sauce pan and continue to stir with a wooden spoon. Cook in medium heat for about 7-10 minutes until it coats the back of the spoon. Remove from heat and add the coconut and almonds. Mix well. Allow it to cool. If you are not frosting it right away, refrigerate in an air-tight container.

To assemble the cake and cupcakes
Select the plate or cake pedestal in which you are going to place the cake. Line the corners of the plate with 2" wide strips of parchment paper. This is to collect any spillover frosting and remove it from the plate after frosting. Place the cake over the plate. Put the chocolate ganache over the center of the cake and spread all over the top and sides of the cake using a flat side of a knife or spatula. The thickness of the frosting is purely your choice. After the chocolate frosting is done, place about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of the coconut frosting, again your choice of thickness, over the cake. Spread as desired. Place about 2 tbsp of the chocolate ganache in one corner of a ziptop bag. Cut that end with scissors and decorate over the coconut frosting. Repeat the same process for cupcakes.
Linking this upto Srivalli's Kid's Delight - Potluck Party; Vardhini's Bake Fest #24; Nupur's What's with my Cuppa?; Birthday Party.

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Peerkangai Kootu | Indian Curry Recipes

For a fulfilling weekend meal the other day, I made this kootu with Milagu Kulambu and Peerkangai Thogayal to go with rice. An easy to put together kootu, makes even the pickiest of eaters to enjoy. Trust me, any vine vegetable cooked with dhal will be super tasty, like my Pumpkin kootu or Suraikai kootu.

Ingredients:
Serves - 3-4
Recipe from here
Peerkangai / Ridge Gourd- peeled and chopped - 2 cups
Moong dhal - 1/4 cup - cooked with turmeric and salt
Coconut - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tbsp
Red chilli - 3
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Tempering:
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few

Method:
Dry roast urad dhal, red chillies, cumin seeds until a nice aroma emanates. Add the grated coconut, mix and remove from heat. Allow to cool and grind to a smooth paste adding water. Cook moong dhal with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder until done but not overly mashed. Add chopped peerkangai to boiling water and cook covered in medium heat until the vegetables are cooked to tender. Add the cooked moong dhal and the ground paste. Adjust salt and continue to cook in medium heat until the flavours meld. Heat oil in a small kadai and temper the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pour over the kootu and serve hot with any spicy kulambu and rice. This is a great combo for chapathis too.

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Coconut Ice Cream | Desserts Recipes

Growing up, I was not familiar with coconut ice cream. The most common flavours in cups were vanilla, chocolate, pista and sometimes strawberries. The first time I had coconut ice cream was after I came to US. Which is ironic because India, my home country is the 3rd largest producer of coconuts in the world. We use coconuts extensively in both cooking and worship rituals but coconut ice cream was somehow unheard of (I don't know if it is available now). Coming back my post, this is my first on an ice cream recipe because this is the first time I made ice cream at home. 

Ingredients:
Serves - 4-5
Heavy Whipping Cream - 1 cup
Coconut milk  - 1 1/2 cups (See notes below)
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Grated Coconut - 2-3 tbsp

Also needed:
A wide 3" high bowl
Ice cubes - 3 cups
Glass bowl or steel bowl for whisking
Immersion blender or Hand mixer or blender
Plastic container for storing ice cream
Parchment paper

Method:
Using an Ice cream machine:
Mix all the ingredients and pour in the ice cream maker. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Regular Method:
Get an ice bath ready, viz. In a wide bowl, which is at least 3" high, fill ice cubes. Use a glass bowl or steel bowl for mixing the ingredients and freezing. Place the mixing bowl over the ice cubes and add all the ingredients. Whisk the ingredients together with a immersion blender or hand mixer for 4-5 minutes. Cut the parchment paper to the size of the mouth of the mixing bowl. Place the paper over the whipped mixture such that it touches the layer of the whipped mixture. Close with a lid and freeze for 1 hour. Repeat the mixing process every 90 minutes (or 2 hrs) for another 2-3 times. Transfer to a container which has a lid. Place another parchment paper over the layer of the ice cream. Close with the lid. Freeze overnight. Scoop to your desired serving bowl and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Serve cold.
Notes:
1. I used Lite coconut milk in can. You could use regular canned coconut cream. Use only the first thick milk if making coconut milk at home. 
2. Honey or any other sweetener can be substituted for sugar. The sweetness was just right for me with 1/4 cup of sugar. If you like it sweeter increase the sugar by 2 tablespoons.
3. The mixing bowl should be over the ice bath at all times, when in freezer and while mixing.
Linking it up to Kid's Delight - Potluck Party; Taste of Tropics - Philippines.

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Peerkangai thol thuvayal / Ridge gourd Peels Chutney | Indian Chutney Recipes

Peerkangai / Ridge Gourd is a nutrient rich vegetable. Being brought up in a South Indian Family we were fed with a sumptuous share of vegetables for our meals. Dad always says vegetables from the vine are really good for health. Our mothers and grandmothers plan really very well on what vegetables can be cooked how. There was never any wastage of vegetables and if there are any leftovers they are promptly featured in a kootu or avial. Talking about the nutrients in the vine vegetables, this ridge gourd peels chutney always present whenever there is a curry, kootu or sambar is made with ridge gourd.

Ingredients:
Makes 1/2 cup of thogayal
Ridge gourd peels - 1 cup
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Urad dhal - 2 tsp
Tamarind - size of a marble
Red chilli - 2
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp

Method:
Wash and scrub the ridge gourd well. Using a knife scrape the sharp edges of the ridges. Peel the skin and reserve. Heat 1 tsp of oil and saute the peels until it starts to wilt. Remove and set aside to cool. Heat the remaining oil and fry the urad dhal, red chillies and tamarind. When the dhal begins to turn to light brown, add the grated coconut and remove from heat. Allow to cool and blend with the peels adding salt. The chutney should be thick, more like scooping consistency, so add only a little water while grinding as needed. Serve as a side for rice.
Linking this up for Vegan Thursdays.

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Soba Noodles Vegetable Stir Fry

When it comes to making noodles at home I prefer whole grain spaghetti. I love the texture of the spaghetti in all the dishes I make be it with the simple Spaghetti with Home made Marinara, Spaghetti with Mushrooms & Onions, Pesto Pasta Primavera and Szechwan Noodles. My recent love is this soba or buckwheat noodles. Native to Japan, though this noodles is similar in nutrients with the whole grain spaghetti it is a gluten-free option for those who are on a gluten-free diet. It is a great component for soups, salads or stir-fries.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Soba (Buckwheat) Noodles - 1 bundle
Red bell pepper - 1 - cut into thin strips
Green bell pepper - 1  - cut into thin strips
Snow peas - a handful - ends trimmed and halved
Hoisin Sauce - 3 tbsp - I made my own sauce with the recipe here.
Salt - to taste
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 tsp
Ginger - minced - 1 tsp
Spring onions - 2 - green and white parts - chopped

Method:
Cook the soba noodles as per package instructions. Drain and rinse in a colander. Heat oil in a kadai in high heat with spring onions white part and minced ginger. Saute continuously while throwing in the veggies. Cook for about 3-5 minutes in medium-high heat. Add the hoisin sauce and mix well. Add the drained noodles and remove from heat. Stir the noodles well into the sauce and veggies. Serve garnished with sesame seeds and spring onion greens. 

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