Vathakuzhambu Saadam/Mixed Rice and Ready Meal Mix Sambhar - Day 2, BM #10

Day 2 of Blogging Marathon, today i m posting Lunch ideas using Ready Mix. I have cooked 2 Food Options, first one is Kalandha Saadam or Mixed Rice using a Ready-made Vathakuzhambhu Thokku/Paste. Second one is Readymade Meal Mix - Sambar Mix.

Mixed Rice/Kalandha Saadam

Ingredients

2 tbsp of Vanthakuzhambu Thokku/Paste

2 Cups of Cooked Rice

1 tbsp Gingely Oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 Red Chillies (long ones)

2 Sprigs of Curry Leaves

2 tsp chana Dal

2 tbsp of Roasted Peanuts (Optional)

Method

• Heat oil in a Non-stick pan, Splutter mustard seeds.
• Add chana Dal and Chillies and Curry leaves.
• Once the dal is roasted, remove the tadka from stove and pour over the Rice

• Add vanthakuzambhu Thokku/Paste to Rice and mix well.
• Garnish with Roasted Peanuts and Serve Hot with Crisps or Potato Curry.

Readymade Meal Mix : Sambhar 

Ingredients

1 measure MTR Sambhar Meal Mix

6 Measure Water

1/2 Potato, Peeled and Cubed

1 small Tomato, chopped

1 small Onion, chopped

1 red Chillie, Long Variety

1 tsp gingely oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp methi seeds

pinch of hing

Method

• Heat a oil in a Pan. Splutter mustard seeds, add methi seeds and chillie. 
• When methi seeds change color, add chopped onion and saute.
• Add Tomato and Saute for sometime. Next add the cubed Potatoes and add Water.
• When the water starts boiling and the potatoes are Half-Cooked, add Sambhar Meal Mix and Mix well.

• Let the mixture boil for 10 minutes.
• Put of the Stove and Serve hot with Rice or as a Condiment with Hot fluffy Idlies or Crispy Dosa's.

I Liked the Mixed Rice better than the ReadyMeal Mix- Sambar. The Sambar had a Mild Sweet taste. It tasted good with Thayir Saadam/Curd Rice. I might  prefer them  as a Condiment with my Breakfast than with Rice.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#10

Togari Kaalu Bhaaji Palya - A Spicy Pigeon Peas And Amaranth Mash

TOGARI KAALU BHAAJI PALYA

Every season Togari kaalu ( Pigeon Peas ) never fails to bring with it the nostalgic memories of my childhood. As children we siblings plucked, peeled and munched on the togari kaalu as we monkeyed around in our garden.

I love to cook this kaalu in as many dishes as possible as long as the season lasts.

Here is a recipe of a simple dish known as Bhaaji Palya using Togari kaalu ( Pigeon Peas ) and Dantina soppu ( Amaranth).

INGREDIENTS

LENTIL

Togari kaalu ( Pigeon peas ) - 2 cups

Tur dal - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

PREPARE by washing and pressure cooking the kaalu and dal together with turmeric powder adding 1 cup of water. Keep aside.

GREENS

Dantina soppu ( Amaranth ) - 1 bunch

PREPARE by washing and chopping the amaranth along with the tender stems and keep aside. Cook the chopped amaranth adding a pinch of salt in a heavy bottomed pan without adding water. Cover and cook on low flame so that the amaranth cooks in its own juice. Once it is cooked remove lid and cook on high flame so that the excess liquid evaporates. Use the back of a ladle and mash the cooked amaranth and keep aside.

SPICY CHILLY PASTE

Green chillies - 2

Garlic pearls - 2

Fresh ginger peeled and chopped - 2 tbsps

Coriander leaves chopped - 4 tbsps

Tamarind softened by soaking in very little warm water - one small marble size

PREPARE a paste by grinding all of these ingredients together and keep aside.

SEASONING

Salt - 1 1/2 tsps

Oil - 2 tbsps

Mustard seeds - 1 pinch

Cumin seeds - 1 pinch

Broken red chillies - 2

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Finely chopped onions - 4 tbsps

Curry leaves - a few

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.

2. When the mustard seeds splutter add the cumin seeds, broken red chillies. curry leaves and asafoetida.

3. Reduce flame and add chopped onion and saute till it becomes transparent .

4. Add the ground chilly paste and saute till it gives out a very pleasant aroma.

5. Stir in the mashed amaranth.

6. Use the back of the ladle and gently mash the cooked dal and pigeon peas mixture. Only the dal should become mushy.The cooked pigeon peas can remain as they are. Add this mixture to the seasoned amaranth.

7. Add salt and cook till all the ingredients blend well. If the bhaaji is too dry add very little water to enable uniform blending of all the ingredients. The consistency of Bhaaji Palya should be in between the consistency of a dry curry and a thick gravy.

Switch off flame and enjoy the delicious Togarikaalu Bhaaji Palya with chapaties.

Instant Rava Dosai and Instant Oats Drink - Blogging Marathon #10

I m really happy to be part of this Blogging Marathon Again. I was around till BM #6, after that Vacations and stuff it took me some time to settle down. Hats off to Srivalli for putting in so much of effort to make this Big Success!!!! This Time for the BM i have taken up the Theme : Cooking from a Ready Mix. Till Date, the  ready-mix item i have used would be Gulab Jamun Mix, Dosa Batter and Noodles. So, Lets get down and check out Instant Food availabe in the market and see how good are they!!!

I have planned to Cover Ready Mix for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack, Sweets and Chat. So For the Day 1 of the Blogging Marathon, I tried Gits Instant Rava Dosai and Tiger Brands Instant Oats.

Ingredients

Gits Instant Rava Dosa Mix

520 ml Water

Method

Even though the package contains the necessary instructions, i m giving it again. 

• Cut open the Pack and take the given powder/mix into a Wide Bowl. 
• Stir in 520ml of Water, about  1 and less than 1/4 Cup of Water.  Mix Well, without any lumps and let the batter sit for 10 minutes.
• Heat a Tawa, Spread 2 drops of oil on it, Wipe it well with a tissue. Take a Laddle of batter and pour it from inside to outside rapidly. The batter sets in fast, and you can see small holes appear on top of the dosa. 

• Drizzle some gingely oil around and let it cook for  a minute. when  the sides are brown, flip it gently to the other side and Cook until crisp.
• Repeat the same procedure for the remaining batter. You will get approximately 8-10 Dosa's.
• Serve hot with Chutney of your Choice.

Instant Oats 

Yeah, Oats itself is instant cooking, then what is this instant oats???? This Comes with all the Garnishing!!! Jungle Oatso Easy, Apple and Cinnamon Flavor. Was it Delicious??? Oh yeah, it was, the Smell of Cinnamon and taste of Apple it was really Good!!!!

Ingredients

1 Packet of Jungle Oatso Easy

100ml Milk(optional)

100ml Water 

2 tsp of Sugar (optional)

Method

• Boil Milk and Water Together. 
• Empty the Oats into a Bowl and Stir in the Milk-water mixture. Mix Well.

• Let it sit for 2 minutes. Add Sugar and Mix Well. 
• Garnish with a sprinkle of Cinnamon and some nuts (purely optional) 
• Enjoy your Healthy Cup!!!

Loved both the Instant Mix. I was really happy to see the Rava Dosai come so well. Definitely will go for it, when i really dont have the time and energy to make from the scratch.  The Oats Mix was also very good. The plus about this is, you can have it on the go, carry it in your Bag and Stir it @ Office, All you need is a Cup and Hot Water!!!

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#10