Swetha's Fusion

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi

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Posted by Swetha @ 8/23/2009 10:07:00 AM :: 0 comments

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Happy Janmastami - Microwaved Powa/Avalakki Chewda

Thursday, August 13, 2009

~ HAPPY KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI ~

Butter and Poha(rice flakes) are Krishna's favorite. During Janmashtami my mom used to make various dishes with Poha - Sweet poha, Khara (spicey) poha, Chewda, Poha ladoo and so on...

Here is a simple recipe for making "Chewda" - a savory snack made out of rice flakes.

To make chewda you need..:

Thin Poha (Rice flakes) : 3 cups
Peanuts - ½ cup ( you can use cashews instead)
Chickpeas – ¼ cup (optional)
Dry red chillies – 4
Dry coconut flakes – ½ cup
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp.
Powdered sugar – ½ tsp (optional)
Red Chilli powder – 1 tsp. or to taste
Salt to taste
Oil
Curry leaves – 7 to 8 leaves

Method:
1. In a microwaveable plate spread ½ of the poha and microwave for 2 minutes on high. Stir the poha and microwave again for about 3 minutes or till it looks slightly puffed and crispy. The time required to roast poha depends on each microwave. First time you want to watch and note down the time. Be careful not to burn the powa. Remove the poha and keep aside.
Repeat the process with the other ½ of the portion. Keep aside along with first batch.
(If you don’t have microwave – dry roast the poha in a pan over medium high until poha is crisp.)
2. In a pan heat 2 spoons of oil. Add curry leaves and red chillies. Stir both for a minute.
3. Add peanuts and chickpeas. Stir until peanuts are roasted.
4. Add coconut flakes. Stir it for a minute. Don’t let it burn.
5. To the mixture, stir-in the Turmeric powder.
6. Reduce the heat. Add roasted poha and mix all together.
7. Sprinkle salt, red chilli powder and sugar. Mix all together.
8. Remove from the fire and let it cool completely before storing it in a air tight container.

Enjoy this low-fat snack!
- ~ o O o ~ -

Labels: Festive Food, Microwave, Poha / Avalakki, Snack

~ Happy Janmastami - Microwaved Powa/Avalakki Chewda ~
Posted by Swetha @ 8/13/2009 06:24:00 PM :: 6 comments

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Spinach and Broccoli Patties/Cutlets

Thursday, August 06, 2009

I got this recipe from my friend Anu. ~Thanks Anu.
The ingredient measurements below are roughly given. There is no hard rule-use your sense of taste!

Ingredients:
Spinach- 3 big bunches/1 frozen pack
Broccoli - 1 bunch /1 frozen pack
Onion - 2
Black-eye peas - 1 cup cooked
Potato (boiled or pressure cooked or cook in microwave oven until tender)
Bread crumbs (plus coarse semolina/sujji – optional )
Salt & Chili powder - to taste
Oil
Optional:
Chaat Masala and Amchur (dried raw mango powder) for extra flavor.

Preparing the black-eye peas:
If you are using canned ones you are good to go. But I like make from scratch-it has a better taste. I usually buy the dried ones from the store. Put the black eyed peas in a bowl and add double the water of the peas. Let it soak for more than 8 hours. Drain the water and rinse the peas in cold water. Pressure cook the peas with water and salt. If you don’t have pressure cooker, boil the peas in a sauce pan until tender.
Since this is a long process, I prepare a big batch of black-eye peas and freeze the leftover portion for next time. In this way, when I come home after work and feel like making broccoli and spinach patties, I have to just take out the frozen black-eye pea and thaw it in microwave oven.

Method:
1. Put a spoon of oil in a pan on a medium flame. Toss in the cut onion and cook till the onions are translucent.
2. Add spinach and cook with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Watch out when you add salt to any green produce as the quantity of greens looks greater before cooking – afterwards, it reduces.
3. Once the spinach is half-way done, add broccoli and let it cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add the mashed potato and black-eyed peas. Mix it well.
5. Now add the flavor – salt (if needed), chili powder, chaat masala and amchur. Mix them all together and turn off the flame. Let it stay for a while so that it is cooled down enough to work with.
6. Prepare a baking tray by brushing oil on it or line it with aluminum foil and coat it with oil. I like the aluminum foil … because the cleaning is easy.

7. Rub bit of oil on your palm. Take a scoop of cooked broccoli and spinach mixture into you palm and shape it into a ball. Slightly press the ball and flatten a bit to form patties shape.

8. Roll the patties in Bread crumbs and semolina mixture - …this gives that extra crispiness to the patties. Place the patties on the greased aluminum sheet or the baking tray.

Note: You may cook the patties on a griddle/tawa if you don't have access to oven.

9. Place the tray in top slot of the oven and broil for 6 – 7 minutes or until the top is roasted. Remove the tray flip the patties brush little oil over it and place back in the oven, broil for 5 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the patties stay for 5 more minutes in the oven.