Lime rice - a quick and easy formula

It's been a hectic week as usual but exciting with all the awards and our wedding anniversary on last Sunday. Sometimes, when the going gets really busy I sure start looking forward to a break. However, a few days into the break am again craving for work and some activity. Don't know if I am the only one who is going through this phase or there are others too,who face this.

When I started working from home with the laptop being my office it felt great . the idea of not having to commute like the other working ladies was exciting. I decide my schedule for the day. Ya, I do enjoy the benefits of sitting with my daughter a few minutes and watching Television or listening to her stories from school and being generally around which many working mothers miss out on. Don't have to get permission everyday from a boss to take a break and can meet all the requirements at home too. However, at times when there are a pile of assignments to submit, deadlines to meet (like now) and school holidays happen to coincide with my busy schedule it does make me feel guilty.Trying to balance the home and work even from home) is sure difficult. Cooking great dishes and being around for everything and also have all the office work done on time can be really taxing. Wonder how most working moms balance it without the guilt feeling.

Anyway for now don't really know where my thoughts are taking me. I started off with just looking into my posts and realizing that I don't have any rice dishes on my menu yet. So its this lime rice that I thought I would post for today.

I like to make this for picnics with a stir fry chicken,raita and papad. Lime rice is good for taking along while travelling as well(stays fresh for long with the lime). An easy to make recipe that's ready in minutes.

Ingredients:
Basmati rice – 1 cup
Lemon juice – of one lemon
Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
Ghee- 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Curry leaves – a handful
For Tempering:
Mustard seeds- ½ tsp
Urad dal -1/2 tsp
Chana dal-1/2 tsp(soaked in water)
Curry leaves- 3 to 4
Dry red chillies – 1 (split into two)

Method:
Soak basmati rice for half an hour. Wash and drain. Take a pan and add ghee in it. Add the rice and fry. Add the turmeric powder, lime juice, curry leaves and salt. Cover and cook till done. Temper with all ingredients for tempering. You could even add roasted peanuts. Mix well. Serve with raita and chicken/mutton curry.

Second award and steamed dish event entry

I am elated...this is my second award this week. Uma of www.teluguruchi.blogspot.com has awarded me the "Rocking girl blogger" award. Thanks Uma. I have been having a great time interacting with the foodies in the blogging world and the awards have been welcome part of the blogging experience that I feel is a sense of acknowledgement and acceptance by the foodies here. Do check out my latest post on my art blog www.artfrompixels.blogspot.com too.

I would like to pass on this award to :
Vanamala of www.nalapaka.blogspot.com
Swati garg of www.chatkhor.blogspot.com
Srivalli of www.cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com
Ranji of www.rbcuisines.blogspot.com

Today is a very special day for me and holds memories that are very close to my heart. It's our wedding anniversary today and truly reason for celebration.:)We have been married for the last 11 years and feels just like yesterday...time sure has flown by so fast.

Last night we had a group of collegues who dropped in at midnight to wish us. It felt truly great that they did remember and took all the pains to make arrangements to give us a pleasant surprise and make us feel very special and in addition a yummy cake and bouquet.

Today is chill out day and hubby dear would take me out for dinner so in effect no cooking day. Thought with nothing much on my agenda today would forward my entry for the steamed dishes event instead of waiting till the last day to do so. Found this a very interesting topic- the MEC steamed dishes- by www.cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com.

My entry for the event is the South Indian favorite - the idli. The easy to make steamed dish is an absolutely nutritious dish with its combination of rice and lentils. It is a breakfast that is liked at my place, light on the tummy the idlis are a safe bet even while travelling. This is a fool proof recipe to soft delicious idlis that you would love.




Ingredients:
Rice – 2 cups
Urad dal ( a lentil ) – 1 cup
Cooked rice – 1 cup
Salt – to taste

Method:
Soak the raw rice and urad dal overnight in water. Wash and clean. Grind the two in the mixer alongwith the cooked rice. The batter must be of slightly thick consistency for making idlis. Add salt to taste and mix. Keep for 12 hours for fermenting. When the batter has fermented and risen well it is right for making spongy idlis that will melt in your mouth. Pour the batter into the idli mould and steam for 10-15 minutes.

Microwave idli moulds are very popular and are easily available now. A wonderful delicious South Indian breakfast is ready quick and easy. Pour in a drop of oil into each of the idli moulds and spread so that the idlis do not stick to them. Pour the ildi batter into each mould. Pour half a cup of water into the tray and microwave for approximately 4 minutes.Enjoy a healthy breakfast with idlis served with delicious chutney and sambhar.

Chicken Manchurian - a favorite

A few days back I had made a post on "Hakka noodles" on the blog. I love Chinese food as I mentioned.

Chinese is a preferred menu at my place and so I do make the Hakka noodles and this Chicken Manchurian quite often. A great way to make my daughter eat a complete meal- all the vegetables in the hakka noodles are happily eaten without any fuss with this manchurian that she loves.

A fussy and hard to please culinary expert I have here. In fact, she enjoys helping me around the kitchen and also has a good sense of taste and understanding of food. A chef at heart is what I like referring to her as. Actually when I do have people over for dinner I do make it a point to make my little one taste the dishes first. If she approves it then it is a sure hit. A real hard to please expert she is. Absolutely no diplomacy when it comes to giving feedback on the dishes, however, when it comes to complimenting too she is very liberal. A wonderful critic although at times I have to eat my own words. I definitely owe a lot to her on improving my culinary expertise.:)

Coming back to my chicken manchurian recipe. This is a real quick and easy formula that you can whip up when you do have guests over for lunch or dinner. I am sure you would enjoy serving a great Chinese meal right at home.

Ingredients:
250 gms boneless chicken ( cut into bite size pieces)
2 stalks green onions (chopped fine)
1 stalk of celery (chopped fine)
1 bell pepper (cut into cubes)
1 onions (sliced)
2 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
½ tsp pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch
3-4 tbsp of all purpose flour
2 tbsp chopped garlic
cooking oil
2 cups chicken stock

Method:
Marinate the chicken in all purpose flour, cornflour, salt and a pinch of pepper. Deep fry the chicken pieces and keep aside.

For the gravy:
Take a pan and add 2 tbsp of oil to it. Add the chopped garlic, onions, bell pepper , green onions and stir for a minute or two. Add the celery and stir. Add in the soy sauce, ketchup, sugar, salt and stir. Add the chicken stock and bring to boil. Adjust the seasoning. Add the fried chicken pieces and boil for a minute. Mix 1 tbsp of cornflour in water and add to the gravy. Boil for a minute till the gravy thickens. Serve with Chinese fried rice or hakka noodles.

Thank you for the response

I was elated at the congratulatory responses that came in on the "yummy blog award". thank you for visiting and for encouragement. Love the wonderful feeling of interacting with so many foodies. In fact, with such a huge number of tasty yummy treats to choose from I am indeed confused at times as to where to make a beginning. I am definitely going to try out some of the lovely recipes and some of my future posts would include recipes tried from some of the yummy blogs around. Do keep in touch
Technorati Profile

My first Award - feels on top of the world

I have been so excited the last few days about starting my new blog that offers customised digital portraits and photo paintings.Yes, http://www.artfrompixels.blogspot.com/ has started getting visitors and its truly encouraging to see a pet project getting acknowledged by the web world.

I have reason to be on top of this world this week and the credit does not go to my art blog alone . Maheswari of http://www.publishtoday.blogspot.com/ has made my day by forwarding the "Yummy Blog award". It feels great. This is my very first award and feels absolutely good to be an acepted part of the foodie blog world. Thanks Maheswari.


The YUM blog" award has been created by Roopa of "My Kitchen treats". It is an award given to the blog with most yummy recipes or photos". The rules state that I have to list four of my favorite desserts that I have prepared or eaten and pass the award to four of my fellow bloggers.

Here are four of my most favorite desserts( I do not have so many desserts on my blog yet- guess its time for some hectic cooking). Will take a day to list my four desserts. Would like to pass on the award to the four bloggers:
1- Sagari of http://www.indianhomefood.blogspot.com/
2- Mansi Desai of http://funnfud.blogspot.com/
3- Meeta of http://whatsforlunchhoney.blogspot.com/
4- Uma of http://teluguruchi.blogspot.com/
I have been following their recipes and love the way they cook and also their style of presentation and appetising pictures.
Will be back soon with some of my new additions. :)

Chicken cutlets

I am just back after a lovely vacation in Kerala. Frankly haven't had enough. It was a wonderful vacation with a great time at home. My hubby and I took off on a 2 day holiday to picturesque backwater country - Allepppey. Oh! absolutely loved the place and also the lovely 150 year old heritage home that has been so aesthetically converted into a hotel. Hospitality at its best is what we enjoyed at "Raheem Residency" that overlooks the Allepppey beach.

Another thing that has me excited is the new blog that I launched yesterday. The services of customised digital portraits and photoart is what I have to offer here.Please do check out http://www.artfrompixels.blogspot.com/ and I am sure you would love to have a personalised digital portrait of yourself, family or someone special. There are also a number of photopaintings of beautiful locations of Kerala and Mumbai that are available at an attractive price.

Coming back to cookery would like to post my mother-in-law's yummy never fail chicken cutlet recipe. This is one of the first few recipes I learnt from her. It is my husband's favorite. I too have become a great fan of this yummy dish and yes, my daughter absolutely loves it.

Ingredients:
Minced chicken (chicken kheema) -1/2 kg
Onions-2 (big) (chopped finely)
Green chillies -2 (chopped finely) (you could add more if you like it spicy)
Ginger – 1” (chopped finely)
Curry leaves- 10 to 12 (chopped finely)
Coriander leaves – a handful (chopped finely)
Egg-1(beat and use for coating)
Breadcrumbs- 1 ½ cups
Potatoes- 2 (medium size)(boiled and mashed)
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Red chilli powder- ½ tsp
Salt – to taste
Fennel seeds powder- 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Method:
Cook the minced chicken with salt,turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Do not add any water as the chicken kheema would release a lot of water by itself. Let the water dry up completely. Take a pan add 1 tbsp of oil. Add the chopped onions, green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Add the fennel seeds powder and garam masala powder. Saute for 20 seconds and mix with the cooked kheema. Run the mixture in the mixer for half a minute so that your cutlet does not crumble while frying. Add the potatoes and mix well. Make balls of the desired size. Flatten it to the desired shape. Dip in the egg and then roll over breadcrumbs. Similarly make the remaining cutlets. The given quantity would make 17-20 cutlets. Deep fry till golden brown.