For Click!!

This is one of my absolute favorite combinations... Choclate and Orange . And This pic is on its way to Click!! :)

I love the event (All about it here). Its simply amazing the imagination and photography skills displayed each month. I am no where near the talents, but I decided to participate 'cause its loads of fun. Thanks Bee and Jai for hosting this wonderful event.
Now about the pic : Its Chocolate (Lindt intense orange which i loooove ) and California Oranges.

Camera : Sony DSC-W1

Resolution : 550*413

Puutu - Kadala mmmm.....

I looove puttu n Kadala. The only thing is that i like the kabuli channa instead of the traditional black channa.... This was my weekend breakfast. Iused to make puttu, but it never came out right. It was either too dry or too chunky n wet. And then I got the consistency right. It should be like wet sand which holds shape when u press it into ur fist but falls apart when you poke it. It is easy once you get the hang of it. Heres how i made it:

For Puttu :
My guestimate is about 1 cup of flour for one kutti and half the amount of water. Add also a salt to your taste. U should mix in the water little by little so as to not form a dough. Get the puutu kodam(the steamer used to make puttu) ready, fill the kutti with layers of the flour and grated coconut, begining with coconut , close the lid and let it steam for about 10-15 min.

For kadala curry:
1 cup kadala (u cud soak it for some time, but i didnt have the time) (Kabuli channa)
3 green chilli
1 big onion
1 huge tomato (or 2 medium ones)
a 2' piece of ginger
4-5 cloves of garlic
2 tsp red chilli pwdr
4 tsp corriander pwdr
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp tumeric
a sprig of curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 dry red chilli

Pressure cook the Kadala with some water, salt and green chilli (about 3 or more whistle or less if u have soaked it). In another pan prepare the seasoning with mustard, curry leaves, and red chilli. Add the ginger and garlic. Roast till the raw smell goes (do not burn). Add the onion and fry till golden brown. Add the rest of the masalas and roast. Add tomatoes and cook till the oil shows on top or it looks glossy. Add this to the kadala and cook for another 5 min. Your nose will know when its done :)

Happy Independence Day!!
.... and this was my dinner .... its a simple one, rice, cabbage n carrot thoran (poriyal) and a coconut chutney... with homemade pickle
mmmmm... simple is delicious. :) I also had a salad of lettuce and that gave the dinner a tri-color effect. Pretty, isn't it ? It was wiped off the plate in 5 minutes....
Here is the recipe for the poriyal :
1/2 a savoy cabbage (I kind of like the texture) - chopped
2 carrots (medium size) - chopped (i was lazy so i cut in juliene)
1/2 an onion - chopped
1/4 cup grated coconut
1 1/2 inch ginger - chopped
3 garlic cloves - chopped
3 green chillies - cut length wise
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp red chilli pwdr

Seasoning :
2 Tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 dry red chilli
salt

and then..... take a fairly large bowl, mix all the ingredients except the seasoning and give them a good crush just to mix in the flavours (believe me this works ). Heat up the oil in a pan and splutter the mustard. Put the mix into it and distiribute the seasoning. Cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 min. Stir n check in between. Its done! Now thats what i call easy.

My name is ''Kunjootan'' :-)

Hi to everyone, its been a loooong 2 months, and here i am again with an excuse, a sorry and a change of name. Puzzled ?!! Dont be, just days ago i chanced upon a fantastic blog http://addictedsweettooth.net/ full of mouthwatering sweets n baked delights... but i saw that the blogger coincidentally had the same name 'sweet tooth' and so I decided to change mine . Also, i am sorry if i have caused any confusion with the names... i never knew. And so i christen myself again... Its ''Kunjootan'' meaning 'Little boy' in Malayalam. Hope the name sticks this time ;). Love.

Just another day......

Its a lazy afternoon, I did bake some cookies though... one batch got burned n the other survived... whew ! It is a batch of Lime meltaways... n yes, they do melt in your mouth.... the taste is tangy n sweet. Its very rare now-a-days to find myself time. I dont do much around the house thanks to mom but still cant find time for anything ... at the end of the day I wonder what I did hmmm.... I blog surf sometimes and I am amazed at the creative personalities out there. How in thw world do they come up with such imaginative and wonderful ideas, recipes and such humour in what they write. I really admire them.

'B' for Buiscuits....

Its an almost medetative feeling when u see the soft white dough rise to your expectations. Its warm and flaky and yes it melts in your mouth. I love buiscuits. In India, the name 'buiscuit' is synonymous with ParleG and most Britannia buiscuits.... U should have seen my face when I first ordered a Buiscuit in the US.... :O
I tried the recipe first after seeing Paula Deen make it on TV. I was sooo tempted when she dipped the buiscuit sticks into homemade jam... mmm... It came out well so I tried again. n again. n ... u get the point...
so heres a thanks to dear Paula. It is the same exact recipe ...

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
4 to 6 Tbsp butter (cold and cut into small cubes)
3/4 cup milk
Melted butter to brush on the buiscuits

Preheat the oven 450 degrees. The trick to make a flaky buiscuit is the temperature. The butter should be cold. Mix the dry ingredients and put in the butter cubes. I mix them with a cold fork so that my hand temperature doesnt affect the dough. Cut the butter into the flour mixture till it has a crumbly texture and u can still see the butter in the flour. (Dont overdo it). Mix in the milk to form a dough. Refridgerate for some minutes wrrapped in prastic wrap. Then roll out the dough , fold it 6 to 8 times taking care that the butter doesnt melt in the dough. You can also refrigerate after each fold. Cutting the dough is also important. Do not drag the knife through the dough while cutting or the layers wont show properly. I cut them into eight triangles. Brush them with melted butter and bake them for 5 to 8 minutes. Spread a generous spoon of butter or have it with your choice preserves. Its absolutely delicious.

A new beginning.....

Its a new beginning for me, a new role...
u must be wondering what .... well, i am a "mommy" now :)
Its just one of the things in life that we can never express in words...
no matter if a hundred people share their experience, its always unique n very personal...
I am learning new things everyday.... n so is my baby... My baby ''Nishanth'' ... dawn...
I'll try to keep my blog alive... but most of u know hw it is.. :)
lots a love.....