Simple Carrot Rice

Simple, Quick and Easy Lunch box recipe. Though it is quick and simple, it is loaded with lots of Vitamins and Energy. Most kids never eat Carrots as simple curry/stir-fry, because of their sweet taste, For those Picky eaters, try this masaledar, Jabardast Carrot Rice. 

Ingredients

2 Medium Sized Carrots, Peeled and  shredded
2 Cups Cooked Rice
Salt to taste
1 tsp Shredded Ginger
Coriander for Garnishing

Seasoning
1 tbsp Gingely Oil/Sunflower Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds/Kadugu
3 nos Green Chilies, Slited Lengthwise
2 sprigs of curry leaves 
1/4 tsp hing/Asafoetida
1 tsp Urad Dal
2 tbsp Peanuts/Vaerkadalai (optional)

Method

• Heat oil in a kadai/pan, splutter mustard seeds, add hing, green chilli, curry leaves Peanuts and Urad dal one by one.
• Let Peanuts and Dal roast and change color a bit, Take care not to burn them.
• Now add the shredded carrots and toast it for a minute or two. 

• Take it off the flame and add it to the rice and mix well. Adjust Salt. Garnish with coriander and shredded ginger
• If you are packing it for kids, try grinding chillies, ginger, curry leaves and coriander to a coarse paste and add while seasoning. yeah, I know, Kids!!!!!!!!!!!!

Makes a good lunch with potato fry/chips. Packing this for Srivalli's Kids Delight

HLOCs in Peril

There was a large portion of Andrew S. Ross' "The Bottom Line" column, Wells Fargo cutting customers' lines of credit, in the San Francisco Chronicle today devoted to banks yanking Homeowner Lines of Credit from Bay Area customers with good credit.

Ross' article is required reading for any homeowner who plans to finance a remodel with an unused HLOC. Even with a stellar credit rating, you may find the HLOC is bye-bye.

Peggy

Tomato-Garlic Rasam

I live in UAE, many of you know how is summer here. There is a change in the season now. Its getting better. As the season changes, comes the Seasonal Flu. My Son is due for his Flu shot next week.
At home i have started with what we call the Paati Vaithiyam (Grandma's Medicine).

This Tomato-Garlic Rasam is excellent to have when u have those cold symptoms. It brings great relief.
I dont say it substitutes your regular medicines, but definitely brings a great relief in those cranky/nagging/achy whatever!!!! time.

Works well with the kids tooo. Kids now-a-days are genereally picky eaters, and with those cold symptoms , no need to say at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is how i make it. I m sending this to Srivalli's Kids Delight

Ingredients
Tomatoes - 4 medium sized
Garlic - 4-5 cloves
Ginger - 2 tsp
Green Chillie - 1no
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
coriander - 2 sprigs

Rasam Powder Ingredients
Pepper - 2 tsp
cumin - 21/2 tsp
dhaniya/coriander - 11/2 tsp
toor dal - 1 tsp
chana dal and moong dal - 1/2 tsp each

Seasoning
Ghee - 2 tsp (If you are calorie conscious you can use sunflower oil too)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
hing - a pinch

Grind them all together to a fine powder. No need to dry roast them.

Method.

Cube the tomatoes and Grind it to a fine paste withe other given ingredients. no need to add water while grinding. the tomatoes will take care of it.

Transfer the contents to another vessel and wash the mixie jar with a cup of water and take that too.

In a kadai, heat oil/ghee, splutter mustard seeds, add hing and add the tomato -garlic paste. Add rasam powder and salt.

Let it boil, Keep the flame low, If the rasam is very thick add another 1/2 cup of water.Let it boil for 10 minutes in low flame. Take it off the flame. Garnish with a dash of pepper powder and serve.

You can have it with Rice or just a soup.