Open Sesame 2

Wonder what it is? It is the title of the event conducted by Siri of Siri’s Corner. A nice interesting one, with the ingredient hidden in a riddle and then we try to make a dish with the ingredient. I found it interesting so I decided to participate. The following is the riddle which I got:
A moniker in my name for a city

A phrase with me will make you cherished

I am so good for you in my utter simplicity

In Medical dictionary the fact so furnished
I am so famous in the world of bytes

Known for many aspects of usage

I am fat and rotound and make crunchy bites

My fame known from many religious traditions - right from the old age
Am, I forbidden? Or mystical ? or the eternal giver of Youth

I consists of five internal carpels

Am good for good health of your mouth
I am as basic a fruit as you can think of

Or as hard if you dont try enough

If You eat me on a day to day basis

Then you dont have worry about anything - be it cold or dry cough

The answer to it was “APPLE”.
This riddle solving was of course 2 weeks back. Then I thought and thought and thought what do I make with an apple? I could not come up with anything. Well I told myself better luck next time with the ingredient.

Well my thoughts drifted off. What did Open sesame remind me of? What else - Alibaba and the 40 thieves. I realized that it had been ages since I read that story. Well I decided I must read it up and again and I started browsing the TV channels and guess what - this movie was going on in Tamil in one of the Channels. It was hilarious to watch Mr MGR & Mrs Bhanumathy along with the rest of their retinue. But to think of it, the movie was around 50 to 60 years old and the gimmicks, gizmos and stunts almost matched the recent times. It did not have Dolby effect etc and but to think of it, they had already done all this with almost no technology. Ooh! It was great.
Well getting back to my APPLE, yesterday when I realized it was the last day to submit the entry I came up with this idea. I tried it out and it did taste well. So check it out.
Apple Salad
Ingredients
Apple – 2 nos. finely chopped (I have used the green variety of apple, it was crunchier)
French Onions – 10 finely chopped
Tomatos – 1 medium (remove the seeds and finely chop)
Red Onion – 1 small finely chopped
Coriander leaves – 1 tblspn
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
A pinch of pepper
A drop of balsamic vinegar
Method
Toss all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Refrigerate until serving time.
Note: Ensure that the apples are well coated with the apple juice otherwise it changes color fast and it unappetizing.

A colourful rice

Its rains here in Secunderabad! Hurray the much awaited break from the heat. Another morning after some short spells of rains! The perfect weather to curl up and dream of that hot hot cup of "Chocolate" with foam and that wonderful smell!!! Then comes the moment of truth that hot cup would not reach your lips if you did not get up. Stark reality.

One look at the watch I realize I am late. I have to prepare breakfast and lunch. Breakfast had still another hour to go, so whats for lunch was my thought. As I looked into my crisper a big grin came over - for Voila!! I had a huge colorful range of vegetables the last of them from my last weeks shopping. So I decided to make what I am good at. A mixed colorful rice. I must tell you, I am not a very good cook. But give me some veggies, boiled beans and some rice I can dish out some very good mixed rice but it is always once. I would never repeat the combination of spices that I used for it again. So this time what is it?? Check it out!!

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 1 cup (cook in your way with some mixed herbs)

Vegetables finely chopped 1 - 1/2 cups

(I have used red, yellow and green bell peppers, carrots, baby corn, onion, french onions, you could add in all possible vegetables that you like)

Garlic - 6 cloves finely chopped

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece finely chopped

Olive Oil - 1 tblspoon

Dried red chillies - 2 finely chopped

Salt to taste

Method

In a kadhai heat the olive oil. When hot add the ginger and garlic and fry till the flavours get released. Then add all the veggies. Mix well and allow them to cook for 2 minutes. Then add the salt and and the chillies and cook for another 2 minutes. Since the veggies are finely chopped it will cook faster. Remove from fire and mix well with the rice.

This would also be my entry to the "Mixed Rive Varieties Event" hosted by "Simple Indian Food - An easy cooking blog. Hope you like it!

A Meal Combination

“Kabuli Chana” has always been one of our favorite ingredients. It could be cooked in a variety of ways. If you ask most of the South Indians, we would say that it tastes the best with a “Batura”. But considering the health conscious attitude of everyone I think a “Batura” is a “NO NO” these days. I did not want to make Chole either so I decided on “Amritsari Chana”, the recipe of which I had for the last 8 years.
As I soaked the Chana, I was thinking on what I must make as the main dish. I also remembered that this was my 10th post so I thought I would make it extra special. So I finalized a mixed veg paratha. Voila!! I had arrived at a good combination, to add some variety to it I also decided on a “Boondi Raita”. So my final list was Mixed Veg Paratha
Amritsari Chana
Boondi Raita (I used haldiram’s RTE)
Though it took a long time to prepare this, the final outcome tasted well. The smell and flavor which wafted through my house cannot be described by words. Hope you would enjoy them too. So check them out.
Mixed Veg Paratha
Whole Wheat Atta – 2 cups
Tomatoes – 1 large (remove the seeds and finely chop)
Onion – 1 large finely chopped
Ajwain (Carrom seeds) – 1 tsp
Green Chillies – 3 finely chopped
Salt to taste
Water
Ghee
Method
Mix all the ingredients into a dough. Allow it to rest for an hour. Divide the dough into 10 pieces. Roll it out and cook on a girdle lined with a little ghee. Serve hot.
Amritsari Chana
Kabuli Chana - 2 cups (soaked overnight and boiled)
Ghee – 2 tbspns
Onions (finely chopped) – 2 medium
Pasted of 1 onion
Ginger & Garlic Paste – 1 tbspn
Cinnamon – ½ inch stick
Cloves – 4 nos
Cardamom – 4 nos
Green chillies – 2 finely chopped
Roasted and Powdered cumin & pepper seeds – 1 tbspn
Tomato Puree – 2 medium
Whipped curd – ½ cup
Kashmiri Mirch – ½ tsp
Turmeric Powder – a pinch
Coriander finely chopped for garnishing
Method
Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the onions and fry till golden. Add the ginger garlic and the onion paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and the green chillies, and fry for a minute. Add the tomato puttee, mix well and allow the mixture to cook for 3 minutes. Take the pan of fire and add the curd to the mixture (this prevents curdling). Also add the turmeric powder and the kashmiri mirch, mix well. Finally, add around 1 cup of water along with the boiled chana to the mixture. Close the lid and allow it cook till the ghee separates out on top. Garnish with Coriander and serve hot.