Gopalkala for Janmashtami

GOPALKALA

Janmashtami, birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated all over India. In Maharashtra, people make a human pyramid, the person on top breaks the earthen pot filled with curds. This is called Dahi Handi. On the occasion of Janmashtami, the devotees of Krishna prepare every favorite dish of the Lord. Then on the midnight of Janmashtami, these delicious dishes are offered to Lord Krishna in order to welcome him on the earth. These include varieties of sweets and dairy products. One of them is the luscious Gopalkala. Prepared from beaten rice, curd, ghee and cucumber, this salty recipe is generally prepared in every home where the festival of Janmashtami is observed. It is extremely easy to prepare and hardly take few minutes to be ready to serve.
Check out the recipe for this extremely nutritious and scrumptious dish. Ingredients

1 cup poha ( beaten rice) washed and drained

1/2 cup murmura ( puffed rice)

1/2 cup Lahiya (this is used during Laxmi Puja during Diwali)

1 cup grated Coconut (fresh)

1 chopped Cucumber

2 Green Chilies

1 tbsp Ghee

1 tsp Jeera

1/2 tsp grated Ginger

1 & 1/2 cup Curd

1/2 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

some finely cut coriander leaves

Method
1. Soak beaten rice for 10 minutes.
2. Take a big bowl and add soaked poha, lahiya, murmura, grated coconut, chopped cucumber. curd, sugar, salt and chopped corriander. Mix well.
3. Melt ghee in a small pan for the tempering and add the jeera, green chilies and grated ginger.
4. Pour over the above mixture. Mix well and serve.

Masala Bread!

Masala Bread

This is one of those “Easy to make” dishes for evening snacks!
Ingredients:

• 2 cups bengal gram flour (besan)
• Salt to tasteOil for deep frying
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Chopped Corriander

Method:
1. Make a smooth batter with the bengal gram flour, salt to taste, cumin seeds, corriander, red chili powder and turmeric powder.
2. Add a teaspoon of hot oil when making the batter.
3. Let the batter remain thick.
4. Dip bread in the batter and deep fry till golden brown in color.
5. Serve hot with chutney/ketchup and some salad :-)

Naral Wadi

Naral Wadi

[Coconut Wadi]

Naral Wadi is a typical Maharashtrian sweet dish. This preparation is made for Narali Poornima. My mother in law was here for Narali Poornima and her Naral wadi recipe is really great. Me and my husband loves the way she makes it so this time I tried her version and it turned out really great. :-)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Shredded coconut
• 1 cup milk
• 1 & ¼ cup Sugar
• Cardamom powder
• Saffron strands
• 5 drops yellow food color
• Few almonds for garnishing

Method:1. Add coconut, milk, saffron, food color and sugar in a thick bottom kadhai and cook it on medium heat. Stir it continuously.
2. Stir it till it forms a lump and slightly dry from the sides. The consistency is important. Remove from fire.
3. Add cardamom powder. Mix well.
4. Apply ghee to a plate and pour the coconut fudge in to a plate greased with little ghee and pat it evenly. Garnish it with grated almonds.
5. While it’s still hot, cut into diamond shaped pieces but do not remove from plate. Allow it to cool and set.6. It will come out unstuck from the plate easily when cooled down. Tip:

• While mixing it in Kadhai you can take out small portion of it on hand and roll it, from that you can check the consistency of the mixture.

Narali Bhaat! [Sweet Coconut Rice]

NARALI BHAAT

[Sweet Coconut Rice]

Narali Bhaat is a typical Maharashtrian preparation. Naral means coconut and bhaat is rice in Marathi. This preparation is made as a "naivedya" for Narali Poornima. It can be enjoyed almost as a dessert. Many times Indian festival meals includes a sweet rice dish and this one is particularly festive.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Basmati rice
• 1 1/2 cup jaggery, crushed
• 1 cup freshly coconut, grated
• Few cashews
• Few almonds
• Few golden raisins
• 4-5 strings of saffron
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 5 drops yellow food color
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 whole cardamoms
• 2 cups hot water

Method:

1. Wash and drain the rice half-an-hour before preparation.
2. Heat ghee in a pan and add the whole cardamoms, cloves, rice and sauté for two to three minutes.
3. Then add hot water, food color and cardamom powder.
4. Take another pan and add jaggery, coconut, cashew, raisins and saffron. Stir well till it mix with each other properly.
5. After the water has been almost absorbed from the rice, add the above mixture to it. Stir well. Cook on low flame until jaggery melts.
6. Cover the "Narli Bhaat" with a lid and cook for five minutes.
7. Serve hot by garnishing it with dryfruits. Smiley face innovative garnishing is suggested by my hubby :-)

Tips:

• Cook rice in open pot. Take Water double quantity of rice and stir it occasionally so that it will not become too sticky.
• Use fresh grated coconut so that the taste of coconut comes good while preparing the rice.
  

Banana Benefits!

Benefits of Banana!

Banana health benefits are comparable to any other type of fruit. In fact, bananas have several positive benefits that many other fruits do not have. These yellow-skinned fruits are ideal for health because they have a sweet taste that most people enjoy. Because of this, it is easy to implement bananas into a daily diet.
Bananas consist mainly of sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and fiber, which makes them ideal for an immediate and slightly prolonged source of energy.
1. Reducing Depression:
Bananas contain tryptophan, an amino acid that can be converted to serotonin, leading to improved mood.
2. Anemia:
Bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body's hemoglobin function
3. Blood Pressure:
Bananas are extremely high in potassium (about 4673mg), yet very low in sodium (1mg), thus having a perfect ratio for preventing high blood pressure.
4. Morning Sickness:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
5. Stress Relief :
Bananas are high in potassium, which helps normalize the heart beat and regulate the body's water balance. During periods of high stress, our body's potassium levels tend to be rapidly depleted; eating bananas is a healthy way to rebalance them without using drugs
6. Constipation:
Bananas are fruits that are high in fiber, making them an ideal remedy for constipation and an alternative to chemical laxatives.
7. Helps in Improving mood:
Bananas contain an amino acid called tryptophan. Tryptophan is converted by the body into serotonin, which relaxes a person and helps in improving one's mood.
A banana milkshake mixed with honey will help to calm the stomach and build up depleted blood sugar levels at the same time.
8. Antacid:
Bananas can act as a natural antacid. This gives relief to a person who is suffering from heartburn.
9. Stress Relief:
Due to the high level of potassium in them, bananas are considered to be an excellent snack when a person is highly stressed or is working late at the office. This is because potassium helps to normalize the heartbeat sending oxygen to the brain. Increased metabolic rates during stress reduce our potassium levels. Bananas help to replenish them.
10. Ulcers:
Bananas are an ideal fruit to be eaten when a person is suffering from ulcers. This is due to the soft texture of the fruit which makes it easily digestible, combined with its ability to neutralize acidity.

Happy Independence Day!!

~ Happy Independence Day ~

On the occasion of India's Indepenedence Day

Anjali’s Kitchen salutes the Nation, the Constitution
& the immortal National Heroes for their devotion and
sacrifices. Hope peace, love and harmony reigns in all
the parts of the world today and every day.
Happy Independence Day to all!!!

Today’s food art creation is a symbolic representation of the tricolor flag

My India, My Pride!

Garlic Bread with Cheese :-))

Garlic Bread with Cheese !!!

Garlic bread consists of Italian or French bread slices, spread on both sides by garlic butter and heated in the oven. There are many variations, including bread brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with minced garlic and herbs. It can also be grilled. I have tried all 3 options grill, microwave and oven.We used to crave for Pizza Hut and Little Italy’s garlic bread. Aha!! It used to be lip smacking. I knew my hubby’s craving for garlic bread & I make sure I prepare it at least twice a month. :-)
You can serve it with any dip or pasta or with hot coffee.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
· 4 – Bread Slices (preferred French Bread)
· 2 tsp - butter (non Salted)
· 3  tsp olive oil
· 2 tsp - garlic paste
· 3 crushed garlic cloves
· ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
· Chili Flakes as per taste
· Oregano as per taste
· Salt as per taste


Method:
1. Mix butter, olive oil, garlic paste, salt, oregano and chili flakes together. Add crushed garlic cloves to the mixture.
2. Apply this mixture to both sides of bread slices.
3. Sprinkle cheese on bread slice.
4. Arrange it in a microwave metal tray & keep it on medium power for 2 minutes.

Serve the hot garlic bread with any dip or with pasta of your choice or just with a cup of hot coffee.The aroma of garlic and oregano fills the entire house within minutes. :-)


Tips:· Use French Bread it tastes good :-)
· In my LG microwave I tried 2 slices first by keeping it in medium power for 2 minutes. It turned out good. If you keep more than that the crust becomes very hard. Hence, be prepared to perform few trials until you get a hang of your microwave. :-)
· Try doing with more of olive oil and less butter for those who don't want to use more butter in there cooking it tastes great!!

 

Tomato Capsicum Rice

Tomato Capsicum Rice

Capsicum Tomato Rice is one of easy dishes. This is very simple and comes very handy when we have to pack lunch in the morning. It saves a lot of time.
Serve with Raitha and/or Chips.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
· ¾ cup Rice
· ¼ cup Onion
· ½ cup tomato
· ½ cup capsicum
· 1tsp chopped ginger
· 3-4 Green Chillies
· ½ tsp Mustard seeds
· 1 tsp Urad dal
· 5-6 Curry Leaves
· 1 tbsp chopped coriander
· ½ tsp Turmeric powder
· 1 tsp Ghee
· Salt as per taste
Method:
1. Cook Rice in pressure cooker. Add about 1&1/2 cup water for 1 cup rice. Let the rice cool at the room temperature.
2. Heat ghee in a pan and add mustard seeds and urad dal. When they start popping add green chillies, curry leaves and ginger. Fry for a minute and add onion, let them cook till they are translucent.
3. Add capsicum, tomato, salt and turmeric. Cover and let it cook on a medium heat till the tomatoes and capsicum are softened.
4. Add rice and mix well.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves Tips:
· You can garnish with ghee fried cashews as well.
· If you make onion and capsicum rice you can add 1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate for different taste instead of tomato.
· You can make combination rice such as onion and capsicum, onion and tomato, onion and potato or with as many types of vegetables as you want. It’s all up to your taste.
· You can cook carrot and green peas separately and add to the rice to make it more colorful.

Banana Papaya Bread

Banana Papaya Bread!!

The papaya in this recipe compliments the banana flavor really well. The addition of dried fruits adds a little something extra to this already delicious recipe!
I made it once with black raisins and walnut and 2nd time I tried it with cashew nuts, figs and raisins. Preparation Time: 20 Min

Baking Time: 45 Min

Ingredients:
· 1 cup all purpose flour
· 1 cup over ripe bananas, mashed well
· 1 cup ripe papaya, mashed
· 1 tsp baking powder
· ¼ tsp salt
· ½ cup butter
· 1 cup sugar
· 2 eggs, beaten
· ½ cups dried fruits or any other nuts you have at hand

Method:
1. Pre heat the oven for 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Sieve the mixture well.
3. In a separate bowl cream together butter and sugar.
4. Stir in eggs, mashed bananas, papaya and dried fruits until well blended.
5. Gently stir this mixture into flour mixture where it just moistens. 6. Lightly grease a loaf pan.
7. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. 8. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until brown. Insert a toothpick into center of the loaf, where if it comes out clean, the bread is ready to eat!
9. Let bread cool in loaf pan for 10 minutes, then remove slice and eat! TIPS:
· If you don’t like papaya you can just add an extra 1/2 cup of mashed banana. You can check the recipe of Banana Walnut bread at: http://anjaliskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/07/banana-walnut-bread-today-i-thought-i.html
· You can use dried fruit or perhaps some of your favorite nuts.

Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice is a delicious South Indian dish you can easily put together when in a hurry. It’s called Chitranna in Bangalore. You can also make it with leftover rice.
Serve Lemon Rice with a Raita for a simple yet tasty meal.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
· ¾ cup Rice
· ½ cup Onion
· 3-4 Green Chillies
· 1 & ½ tbsp Lemon Juice
· ½ tsp Mustard seeds
· 1 tsp Urad dal
· 5-6 Curry Leaves
· 1 tbsp Groundnuts (optional)
· ½ tsp Turmeric powder
· 1 tsp Oil
· Salt as per taste


Method:
1. Cook Rice in pressure cooker. Rice should not become too soft, the rice grains should be separate after cooking otherwise it becomes paste when mixed.
2. Heat Oil in a pan and add groundnuts, mustard seeds and urad dal. When they start popping add green chillies, curry leaves. Fry for a minute.
3. Add onion, turmeric, fry till the onions turn slightly brownish.
4. Add rice and salt. Mix well.
5. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice. Mix well.

Tips:
While preparing rice use less water compared to normal or use rice from previous day so that rice grains can be separated easily.

1 Year & 6 Months and Still Counting!!!

1 Year & 6 Months and Still Counting!!! :-)

On 12th July 2010 this blog turned 1 year & 6 months old :-). Thanks to all of you who supported this venture. I was planning to post this on 12th Jan 2010 on the completion of 1 year but was busy with my wedding preparations and was not able to spare time to write, so decided to write when my blog turned 1 year & 6 months.

I had started Anjali’s Kitchen, on 12th Jan 2009 as a place to save our home-made food recipes and also some new trials by me, my Mom and now by my Mother in law :-). I would have never started this if my husband would not have encouraged me that time to go ahead and start my own blog. In the beginning, I had no clue about blogs; I used to try adding new features every day to my blog through lots of exploring. The day I received the first comment on my blog, I was delighted. The motivation has lasted so long due to the amount of love and admiration I have received from you all.

I was overjoyed when I got an invite from Zee Marathi for a popular Marathi cookery show “Aamhi Sare Khavayye”. It is a TV show featuring preparation of various delectable dishes. I was invited by them to show my culinary skills and it was hosted by well-known Marathi actor ‘Prashant Damle’. It was telecast on 7th Dec 2009 on Zee Marathi. It encouraged me even more to add new recipes to this blog. I have posted the videos of the telecast on my blog for making it easier for everyone to try out those recipes.

I always tell people to drop a comment on the posts as comments are the only way I get to know who is reading and what they like here. It may not be possible for me to always post what each and everyone wants, because each day I get so many different requests. But at least I would know what you want to read here. I encourage you to write at least a single line here when you try out any recipe from Anjali’s Kitchen. Tell me what you liked about it or what you did not like. If you have genuinely used this blog, please let me know. Please be polite while commenting. It takes a lot of hard work, time, energy and money, to maintain this blog, so let us make it a homely and nice place.

As said above, I post what I cook. Many a times, when I get a request, I try to find the recipe and prepare it. But it is not always possible. Sometimes I don’t know the recipe, sometimes I cannot prepare it for various reasons. I don’t post anything unless I try it myself.

So to sum it up, Anjali’s Kitchen is a place with the following purposes:
1. Preserve and document food recipes that my family enjoys.

2. Log the experience and preparation of new learning spanning across a variety of cuisines.

3. Connect with like minded food lovers, friends and bloggers.