Vendayakeerai Sambhar/Methi Leaves Sambhar/Fenugreek Leaves Sambhar

Being a Vegetarian, only way to get the required protein is to include Dal  and Leafy greens in our meal. i try to make Sambhar atleast thrice a week, and regular kootu twice a week.  Keerai/Leafy Greens are made atleast once in a week. Apart from the regular Kootu and Stir fry or Parupu-usli, i make this Sambhar with Fenugreek Leaves/Vendaya Keerai. This Leafy Vegetable naturally has a Amazing Aroma, this blends so well with Toor Dal  and Tamarind gives an excellent taste to both the senses. 

Ingredients

2 Medium-Sized bunches of Methi Leaves (approx 2 -3 Cups loosely packed)

1/4 Cup Tuvar Dal/Pigeon Peas/Toor Dal, Soaked in water for 10 minutes.

1 Medium onion, Chopped

1 Medium Tomato, Chopped

A Lemon-Sized Tamarind Soaked in Warm Water or 2 Cups of Tamarind Extract

2 tbsp Sambhar Powder (Home made or Store bought)

2 tbsp freshly grated Coconut

Salt to taste

Tempering

2 tsp Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard  Seeds/Kadugu

1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds/Vendayam/Methi

1/4 tsp Hing/Asafoetida

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 sprigs of curry leaves

Tempering 2 (Optional, but highly recommended)

1 tsp Oil

3-4 red Chilies, long variety, broken into two pieces

Method

• Wash, Clean and Chop the Vendaya Keerai/Methi/Fenugreek Leaves.
• In a Pressure Pan, Heat Oil given under tempering, Splutter mustard seeds, add hing, turmeric, vendayam/methi/fenugreek, and curry leaves.
• Add Onion and saute till translucent, add tomatoes and cook until mushy.
• Add the Fenugreek Leaves and Saute for a minute or two.
• Add Tamarind Water. Drain water from the dal and add it to the Cooker.
• Add Sambhar Powder, Coconut and Salt, mix well. 
• Close the Pressure Cooker and Let it cook for 4-5 whistles in a Medium Flame.

• When the Pressure releases, Check the Consistency of the Sambhar, if it is too runny, let it boil for another 10 minutes. 
• If doing Tempering 2, heat oil when it is hot, add broken red chilies, when it sizzles add it to the Sambhar. Serve with Steaming Rice.
  
  Sending this to Healthy Food for Healthy Kids - Toddler Lunch Event, hosted by me, Event by Nithu and also to Healthy Morsel's Baby and Toddler Food Event happening @ Taste of Pearl City 

Kitchen Cabinets: Choosing Your Door Style

If you’re considering new kitchen cabinets, it can helpful to learn some of the terms you’ll see when reading about cabinet options. Kitchen cabinet doors can be mounted in different ways which is what creates the distinct look of certain cabinet collections. The face frame is the cabinet foundation. Overlay describes how much of the face frame is visible, while the covered portion is referred to as the reveal.

Full overlay raised panel

• Partial overlay is the most common door style option. This is where the doors are mounted on the face frame, leaving one inch of reveal.
• A full overlay is designed to have the doors almost entirely cover the reveal. This is more common in frame- less or “European” kitchen cabinets but it can also be seen in framed cabinet units. With a full overlay, hinges are concealed and less than an eighth of an inch is left between doors.
• Another option for your cabinets is the flush inset. This is where the doors are attached within the rails and stiles, and lie even with the front portion of the cabinet box. If you choose this option you should be aware that a common problem with a flush inset this is that humidity and changes in temperature can cause rubbing between the stiles and the door.

Full overlay slab door/drawers

Choosing your new cabinet doors can be a   challenge. There are many styles and of panels and finishes you can choose. The following list will help you select your door style:

• Slab displays clean lines and simplicity.
• A recessed panel door has a picture-         frame look with a flat panel fixed within           a mounting constructed with mortise and tenon joints.
• The raised panel door has panels that measure between ½ and ¾ inch in height, which creates a bulging quality to the doors. This is then made more dramatic by a routed edge profile that gives the door a distinct elegance.
• Curved panel doors have decorative raised panels that loop upward in gentle arches.
• The cathedral panel can either be raised or recessed, with a cathedral-type arch crowning the door.
• A bead board panel is typically found in recessed panels and makes use of routed beaded details which gives a casual country look.

Flush inset flat recessed panelshaker panel

Your kitchen design and décor should be chosen to compli- ment the architectural style of your home. There are contemporary cabinets for the more modern  house as well as designs that can be used for a variety of architectures from traditional, cottage, transitional or modern kitchens like Shakerand Missiondoor styles.                                 
If you are planning on a kitchen remodel, call Kruse Home Improvement at 860-584-8784 for more information. We can help you design your dream kitchen.

Sweet Potato Fry

I love sweet potato for it's natural sweetness and as well as it's bright color. I made this simple fry recipe to keep my dinner simple but filling too. I was actually in a mood to cook a big dinner, so thought of enjoying it as a snack than a dinner, like kinda sit and relax, watch TV and eat it. I recently saw in a TV cook show that he added butter and little water to make it cook first. So did try that part of it, but didn't wanna make it more sweet, so I decided to add little spices. So here is the recipe.....

Ingredients:
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1 Sweet Potato (peeled and cut to 1/2" slices)
1 tsp Butter
1/4 cup Water
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Cumin powder

Method:
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1. In a big saute pan, add butter and water and place the sweet potato slices and cover and cook it on medium flame until 3/4th cooked for about 7-8 mins.

2. Now remove the lid and gently turn the sides over and cook it to crispy and not sticking to the pan anymore.
3. Add all the spice powders and salt and saute it well until all the sweet potato is coated well and turned to golden brown and crispy.

4. Enjoy this simple yet easy and filling fry with rice or any meat or just eat it like that.

Sending this to :

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