Sattvik Quinoa Khichadi with vegetables for Makar Sankranti. [First recipe post for year 2015]

This was supposed to be my  first recipe post for year 2015, I am publishing it quite late but happy that I got back to blogging. On Makar Sankranti day I started my morning preparing Quinoa dish to pack in lunch box, since it was an auspicious day of Sankranti I cooked Quinoa in a sattvik manner, enriching it with peanuts and sesame seeds. I  made Quinoa khichdi  with vegetables, it turned out to be a  good festive savory treat. I   packed  khichadi in husband's lunch box and also savored it for my breakfast.
Post published on 30th Dec-2015.

Ingredients : 
(2 servings)

• 3/4 Cup - Quinoa (rinsed well in water.)
• 3 Tb.spoon - split Chana Dal (rinsed and drained.)
• 1/2 T.spoon - Mustard seeds
• 2 whole dry red chillies - I used Arbol chilies.
• 2 sprigs - Curry leaves
• 1/4 T.spoon - whole methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
• 1/4 T.spoon - Turmeric powder (heaping 1/4  tsp)
• 1 pinch - Hing (asafoetida)
• 1 Tb.spoon - oil + 1 T.spoon extra to saute veggies.
• 1 Tb.spoon - melted ghee or extra virgin olive oil to drizzle over Khichadi
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts - ground to coarse powder + 2 Tb.spoon roughly chopped.
• 1 Tb.spoon - Sesame seeds - ground to coarse powder + 1 T.spoon - whole sesame seeds.
• 1 Small size - Red Capsicum, cut into half inch pieces. ( yield - 1 heaping cup)
• 10-12 - Green beans sliced into diagonal shape.
• 7-8 inch long 1 Celery stalk - sliced into 1/2 cm thick in half moon shape.

Procedure to cook Sattvik Quinoa Khichadi with vegetables.

1. Rinse Quinoa in water thoroughly, rub grain in water using fingers or use spoon and  whisk in speed for one minute. Quinoa is very delicate to handle so I use tea strainer to drain water. Keep drained Quinoa aside.
2. Prepping the veggies - Cut red capsicum into half an inch chunks, any color pepper can be used. Cut celery stalk into half moon shape with 1/2 cm thickness. Slice green beans  diagonally  into one inch long pieces.
3. In a pressure cooker heat 1 tbsp oil, drop 3-4 mustard seeds, if they sizzle, quickly add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, increase heat to medium high, cover with lid, wait for 15-20 seconds until most of the mustard seeds crack in hot oil. Reduce heat to medium. Next add 2 dry red chilies, stir with spoon to sizzle until chilies turn slight darker in shade and smokey. Next add methi seeds along with one sprigs of curry leaves and 1 tsp whole sesame seeds, stir-saute for 15 seconds.
4.  Now add  3 tbsp rinsed split chana dal with 1 tbsp water, 1 pinch of hing, 1/4 heaping tsp turmeric powder, saute over medium  heat for one and half minute, stirring continuously. Now add rinsed 3/4 cup quinoa, little less than half tsp salt, mix and stir over high heat for one minute. Add two cups water, continue to cook until it starts to boil. Cover the pressure cooker lid, cook until it blows two whistles. This small 2 liter pressure cooker releases multiple short whistles at the interval of 10-15 seconds lasting for 5 seconds. After 7-8 whistles  I reduced the heat to low and cooked further for 7-8 minutes. Do the same with other types of pressure cooker, after two whistles,  allow to rest for few minutes over low heat setting. Shut off the heat and wait until steam pressure subsides.
5. Once quinoa  is set to cook in pressure cooker you can start preparing khichadi veggies. In a medium size skillet heat 1 tsp oil, add sliced  half moon shaped celery, saute over medium high heat for two minutes, stirring often. Next add sliced green beans and red capsicum along with remaining curry leaves, sprinkle about 1/4 tsp salt. Cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes until veggies are cooked. Add 2-3 tbsp water to speed up cooking or slow roast veggies over low heat giving more time, while slow roasting keep pan moist by spraying some water. Once veggies are tender sprinkle ground sesame and peanut powder, mix well,  let all veggies get dusted with sesame and peanut powder. Check salt level, add some more salt if needed, cook over medium high heat for one minute, stirring. Put off the heat.
6. Open the cooled pressure cooker lid, throw in 2 tbsp roughly chopped peanuts, sauteed vegetables, mix all well, garnish with cilantro. Serve by drizzling melted ghee or extra virgin olive oil. If you need little more loose consistency,  add 1/4 cup water and cook few more minutes or add 1/4 cup very hot water, mix and let it set for few minutes before serving.

Note :- If you don't prefer whole sesame seed crunch in soft textured khichari, skip adding 1 tsp sesame seeds in cooking step.No -3. Instead of Chana dal you can use split skinless masoor or moong dal or buck wheat goats.

Image for - cooking step-6

Makar Sankranti special - Quinoa Khichdi.

Veggie packed Quinoa Khichdi

Samo and Amaranth flour aromatic Christmas Cake. [Black and White Christmas Edition # 153.]

Last year I had submitted image of spices for Christmas cake. It was last black and white event for the year 2013, I don't wanted to miss my participation so I had quickly gathered few spices and sent my image to Cindy. At that point I just knew that I will bake one cake for Christmas using the spices I spread in the submitted image. I could not bake the cake on Christmas but baked it on the last day of the year. It was wonderful wholesome aromatic cake with lots of good ingredients. I have not yet published the cake recipe, I will soon complete the draft and publish it. I owe my inspirations to bake this cake to Black and White Wednesday event and would like to thank Susan, founder of the event and Cinzia, organizer of the event and all the participants  who keep this event going.

Today I am submitting this last years cake image for the Christmas Edition of Black and White event #153 which is hosted by Lynne. Next BWW event will resume back on 7th January 2015, check here for host lineup.

Aromatic Christmas Cake with Samo and Amaranth flour.

Black and White Wednesday Event #153

Carrot-Coconut-Sesame Burfi flavored with Saffron & cardamom. [Indian sweet recipe for Makar Sankranti Festival.]

On this auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti,  I convey my  best new year wishes to all my readers, followers and visitors.Wishing you all a very Healthy, Happy and Peaceful 2014. Thank you so much for regularly visiting my blog. I am quite late to make my first blog post this year, hoping to share more recipes this year.   I start this year with a recipe of  Sesame-Carrot-Coconut Burfi/Vadi. One of the traditional Makar Sankrant sweet/ Vadi is made with Sesame and Coconut,  I gave a little twist by adding fresh carrots. This sweet is prepared without ghee, I have used honey but if that is skipped this is good Vegan festive sweet.

 Ingredients :

• 1.5 Cup - whole sesame unpolished (powdered)
• 2 Cups - grated carrots (slightly heaping cups)
• 1 Cup - fresh grated coconut
• 2 Tb.spoon - Honey ( for vegan burfi you may skip honey.)
• 2 Tb.spoon - Extra virgin Olive oil + 1 Tb.spoon for greasing.
• 3 tiny pinches - of saffron threads
• 1/2 T.spoon - cardamom powder. (coarse ground seeds from 4-5 cardamoms.)
• 3/4 Cups - water to cook carrots
• For sugar Syrup - 1 heaping cup granulated sugar + 3/4 cup water.

Carrot, Coconut, Powdered Sesame, Sugar, Cardamom powder.

Grated carrots

Method of preparing Carrot+Coconut+Sesame Vadi/Burfi :

1. Clean carrots by slightly chopping out stems and bottom ends, peel off thin skin layer with potato peeler. If using organic carrots, retain the skin. Rinse under water, pat dry. Grate carrots, keep it aside.
2. Grind 1.5 cups white unpolished sesame seeds to a coarse powder. Do this in few batches with short pulses to retain dry texture.
3. In a heavy gauge 4 quart pot moderately heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, add grated carrots, saute for three minutes over medium heat, stirring often. Pour in 3/4 cup water, half quantity of cardamom powder continue to saute for around 10 minutes, stirring often.
4. Next add sesame powder, mix well, saute for 5-6 minutes over medium heat, stirring often.
5. Add fresh grated coconut, 2 tbsp honey and remaining cardamom powder, saute for 2-3 minutes. Shut off the heat, let  pot rest until sugar syrup is done. (Sugar syrup can be prepared ahead of time.)
6. Heat 3/4 cup water in a small pot, stir in 3 tiny pinches of saffron threads. Once water starts to boil add one heaping cup sugar. Allow to steadily boil  over medium high heat for 7-8 minutes. Do stir at frequent intervals, shut down, allow to cool for six seven minutes.
7. Pour sugar syrup over  coconut-sesame-carrot mixture. On heat back, Mix well, keep stirring until sugar syrup is evaporated and thick mass is formed. This stirring stage is quite laborous, do it by switching  heat from medium high to medium low. Once bottom of the mixture starts developing light color patch shut off the heat. Quickly scoop it over olive oil greased baking sheet or plate. Flatten and shape it with stainless steel spatula and knife. Pat  Burfi mass from sides to form neat 1 inch thick square. Allow to cool  for 3-4 minutes, using a knife cut  into desired size/shape Burfi pieces. Smooth out cracks and uneven edges by patting around burfi squares with  butter knife. Scroll down to check few images  of cooking steps captured while preparing Burfi/Vadi.

Initial frying stage.

Prepared sugar syrup.

After adding sugar syrup, consistency of mixture  loosens.

Mixture turns into solid mass, time to spread mixture over plate.

Scooping out solid burfi mass over greased cookie sheet.

Finely square shaped burfi mixture.

Carrot-Coconut-Sesame Burfi squares.

Uneven edges can be shaped into perfect squares using butter knife.

Happy Makar Sankranti!!

Carrot-Coconut-Sesame Burfi.

Onam Pookalam / Floral rangoli for Kerala Onam Festival. {Simple Pookalam with garden flowers, Leaves, wild Chinese Privet berries and Pampas grass}

Tomorrow is Onam,  Kerala's  prime festival  associated with the legendary noble King Mahabali. Beautiful floral carpets are laid on the floor at the entrance of the homes to welcome King Mahabali.  I love onam ritual of floral Rangoli. In this post  I am sharing two pookalam images, one from  year 2011 and another from 2012, both pookalams were  done with available garden and store brought flowers. Traditionally Pookkalams are round floral patterns but last  year I made square floral design. I have used some wild green berries (Chinese Privet, Ligustrum Sinense) and Pampas grass. These are very simple Onam pooklam patterns one can make with available flowers. I have mostly used whole flowers  instead of pinched petals. Enjoy few additional images of Chinese Privet berries  and Pampas Grass captured around home.

Wishing all my readers, followers and visitors a very Happy and Blessed Onam!!

Flowers and berries before setting Onam Pookalam.

Pampas Grass.

Chinese Privet berries captured today morning. 

In fall they turn black, scroll down to check more images 

taken during different  season and weather conditions.

Chinese Privet berries captured on 28th October 2012.

Image taken on 16th November -2012

Image taken on 12th January 2013, on a cold, misty Day.

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Ona-Pookkalam (09/29/2011)

Barley and ChanaDal Payasam / Kheer, sweetened with jaggery, cooked in slow cooker. {Sweet dish for Vishu celebrations.)

This year for Vishu festival I made Chana dal and Barley Payasam in slow cooker, this is my first attempt to cook Kheer/Payasam in slow cooker. It takes around 5-6 hours to cook and result is very delicious. Each grain cooks perfectly tender and retains its shape. You need to do few time supervision other wise it gets quietly cooked in the corner of the kitchen without feeling any stress. Earlier I have blogged similar jaggery payasam recipes with different combinations one is  Barley and cracked wheat payasam and another one is Wheat,Chanadal,Brown rice payasam. Scroll down to check few slow cooker images captured while preparing payasam.

Ingredients :

• 2 - Cups Chana Dal / Kadla Parippu
• 3/4 - Cups Barley (I used pearled barley.)
• 10-12 - cardamoms - finely powder seeds
• 3 - heaped cups jaggery tiny chunks or powdered jaggery
• 5-6 Tb.spoon - Ghee
• 6-7 Tb.spoon sugar or brown sugar (use if needed more sweetness)
• 3/4 Cup - cashew nuts ( few whole cashews and few chopped cashews.)
• 1/2 Cup - golden raisins
• 3/4 Cup - grated fresh coconut
• 1/2 Cup - thinly sliced small coconut pieces.(Check garnish over kheer bowl)
• 7-8 Cup - water

Method of cooking  Payasam in slow cooker :

1. Combine chana dal and barley together in a bowl, rinse well until water runs clear. Soak in water for around 3 hours. Pre-soaking is not must but it will help to reduce some cooking time. (I soaked only for one hour)
2. Break jaggery blocks into small chunks or make coarse powder. I put my jaggery blocks inside  thick freezer zip lock bag and pounded with hammer to make small jaggery chunks.
3. Remove cardamom seeds from the pod, grind to fine powder. I used mortar and pestle to make powder. Another method is add cardamom seeds in a small ziploc bag, cover it with one more bag, place on the flour and pound with hammer until seeds are crushed to powder texture.
4. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a tiny saute pan, just hot not smoking hot. Add golden raisins in two batches, stir fry in ghee stirring with  small slotted spoon until raisins puff and turn golden brown. Quickly drain over paper towel.
5. Now add 3/4 cup grated coconut in the same saute pan, slow roast coconut until it turns aromatic and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes, transfer to bowl and keep it aside.
6. Wipe the pan with paper towel, heat 1 tbsp ghee, add sliced small coconut pieces, roast until they turn golden brown. Take it out in a small bowl.
7. In the same saute pan add some more ghee, add cashew nuts in two batches, stir fry over medium low heat until they get light brown color. Drain over paper towel.
8. In a slow cooker add 1 tsp ghee, drained chana dal and barley, 4 cups water. Set on high heat and let cook for 3 hours. Check after half an hour, stir, if it gets too foamy in the cooking process, remove foam. After three hours Dal and Barley will get perfectly tender. If it absorbs all water, do add some water while cooking and stir at some interval.
9. In the mean time heat 3 cups water in a  small pot, add 3 cups jaggery chunks and powder. Stir to melt jaggery. Strain jaggery water by using fine tea filter/strainer  or clean cotton cloth.
10. Once Chana dal and barley gets tender, add cardamom powder and 3 cups of strained jaggery water, roasted coconut pieces, roasted grated coconut. Mix well, continue cooking in slow cooker over high heat for one more hour.
11. Check consistency, if needed add one cup or more water. Check sweet level, if needed add 6-7 tbsp sugar or brown sugar. Reduce heat setting to low and let it simmer for another one hour. If you need thick creamy texture, swirl around with immersion  blender for 20-30 seconds, this will partially break tender cooked chana dal, barley and bring  thick pulpy texture.
12. Lastly add fried golden raisins, cashew nuts, 1 tbsp ghee. Mix well, let it rest in slow cooker until you are ready to serve. You can serve this payasam warm by drizzling melted ghee or add some milk to enjoy delicious tasting Jaggery sweetened Chanadal-Barley Payasam.

Cooking Chana Dal and Barley Kheer in a Slow cooker.[Image-1]

  chanadal and barley set  in water to start cooking.[Image-2]

While cooking in slow cooker it gets foamy.[Image-3]

Perfectly tender cooked Chana Dal and Barley.[Image-4]

[Image-5]

Adding jaggery water and cardamom.[Image-6]

Kheer is  ready after 5 hours of slow cooking.[Image-7]

Kadala Parippu Payasam

Belated Diwali Greetings!! & Images of Quick Rangoli design done with stensils over glittery pocket folder surface. { Diya Images with Rainbow Color illuminations.}

On this auspicious Diwali occasion wishing all followers, Readers and visitors a Very  Happy and Joyous Diwali glowing with Peace, Prosperity and Good Health. May all the evil tendencies disappear forever from this world and let Supreme Peace prevail.

This year I drew quick Rangoli by using three different stencils. Most interesting part was 2$ shiny glittery sand paper like textured two pocket folder from Walgreens made a magical rainbow effect when I lit  the earthen oil Diya / Panati. I cut the pocket folder in the center, used glittery part to draw rangoli and other plain shiny side used in the background to get rainbow color effect. Later I played around by using other folder side and few earthen diyas. I took few beautiful rainbow like glowing reflection design images. I was delighted to see the results and happy to share with you all.  Scroll down to enjoy stencil Rangoli and Diya pictures with Rainbow color illuminations.

I liked the beautiful thought  of diya artist

 to carve "OM" in the center of  the Panati.

Diya is  reflecting Rainbow like streaks 

over glossy pocket folder background.

Flat glass marbles added beautiful touch to the Rangoli.

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It was nice creative fun to play around with diya and shiny  pocket folder. Any light reflection on this glossy folder illuminated multiple color patterns. It was hard photographing glow free image of folder, I have taken the back side to show exact color and texture. I started with single diya, changed angles and added multiple diyas to get different illuminating designs and colors.All the following pictures are taken without using flash around 10 am.

[A] - Started with single diya placing on flat folder surface.

[B]  I slightly curved folder from back side, pattern changed.

[C] - I captured  morning sun's rays from window over folder, 

focused  it towards wall, see  how it reflected like rainbow.

[D] - Added two more diyas, colorful reflection design changed.

[E] - Grouped three diyas in Triangle shape, this gave
 beautiful multiple color glowing streaks all around.

[F] - same above pattern captured in vertical angle.

[G] - Diagonal composition of Diyas

[H] - Back side of the magical folder.

[I] - Front side of the illuminating magical folder.

[J] - Stencil Rangoli decorated with multiple oil diyas.

Happy Diwali.

published on 22nd November 2012.