Steamed Rice Jaggery Dumplings / Pidi Kozhukattai

Kozhukkattai or steamed rice dumplings is a traditional dish of South India. It is made with rice for outer covering filled with sweetened coconut or lentils. The process of making is somewhat similar to ravioli. Finds its presence during Ganesh chaturthi and is an important neivedyam to Lord Ganesh. Pidi kozhukattai is a simpler version without the stuffing and is quick and easy to make. I made

Onion Tomato Curry

This is a simple curry that goes well with chapathis.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 Onion thinly sliced
3 Tomatoes chopped
2 Green Chillies
1 tsp Jeera
2 Tbsp Oil
Salt
1/2 tsp Chilli powder or Sambar powder as needed
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
A pinch of hing
1 tsp Jaggery or Sugar
Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:
Heat oil in a pan.
Add jeera and green chillies.
When jeera crackles, add onion and fry till it turns golden brown.
Add tomatoes, salt, chilli powder/sambar powder, turmeric powder, hing and cook till tomatoes turn soft and oil starts to separate.
Add jaggery or sugar. Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with chapathis! 

Safari B'dy Cake

I made this Safari cake for one of our friend's son. He likes animals, so wanted to make it look like a cake with all his favorite animals in a jungle with a cool blue water fall. 

I made 3 layer cake, bottom beaing a round, the middle layer a oval cake and the top a round cake again, and made a groove from the top to look like a waterfall which ends to a pond. I decorated with the store bought animals. I wrote his name on a Nature Valley Honey Oats Bar to give it a look like a wooden board and bottom of the hill I made brown sugar sand. Spray colored with green and blue and the base was buttercream icing. I made the cake with box mixes of rainbow and vanilla cake mix and added chopped dates and mix of fruit cake mix.

Anush all ready for the party!

Our friends and everyone at the party liked it very much. I was very happy too.