Paneer Butter Masala - USmasala

Yesterday I planned to do some side dish for roti with paneer as I always have paneer at home...
I remembered seeing lots of colourful, yummy paneer recipes in Aipi's USMasala. So digged into Aipi's blog, made Paneer Butter Masala. When my husband is back from shopping, he asked me if I ordered from any restaurant ;-)!!! It was a great applause for me.. I would like to thank Aipi for her detailed & yummmm... recipe.
Just that I added heavy whipped cream instead of evaporated milk.
Please visit her link for the recipe:
http://usmasala.blogspot.com/2010/08/paneer-butter-masala.html


Here's a glimpse of Paneer butter Masala!!

Sending to bookmarked recipe hosted by Priya's Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday Event.

Ginger Thokku - Reposting and award

Reposting Ginger Thokku for Akila's event "Dish Name starts with G"


Ginger is one of the very best spice, also has antibacterial properties which we use it from tea to recipes.
Its my favourite spice too which I save it in freezer & grate it in whatever side dishes I make.
I met my friend in Bhajan yesterday, she had brought Ginger Thokku, it was too yummy & healthy recipe.
I got recipe from her & made it today, which I would like to share with you all.  
Ingredients:
Ginger - 4 inches - cut into pieces.
Tamarind - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Oil for frying - I used gingely oil
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
For Grinding:
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Chana dal - 1 tsp
Red Chillies -2 nos 
Hing - a pinch
Curry leaves - 5 -6 

Method:
Heat oil in Kadai and fry urad dal, chana dal, red chillies, hing, curry leaves. Once its done, keep aside.
Fry cut ginger in kadai separately and let it cool.
Grind dal mixture, ginger, tamarind, salt in mixer.
Heat oil in kadai, put mustard seeds, curry leaves. Add the ground ginger paste & turmeric powder when mustard seeds splutter. 
Fry till the mixture is cooked(the raw smell would be gone quick as we have already fried all these ingredients).
Now add jaggery and switch off the stove.
This goes well with dosa, idly, Pongal or with white rice as well..
Ginger Thokku tastes little ginger hot, little jaggery sweet & little sour tamarind  :-)

I thank Akheela of Torviewtoronto for such a beautiful award for participating in Food Palette Series- Brown

Sending this to bookmarked recipes  - a wonderful event hosted by Priya and Aipi

Also sending to - Sara's Feb 2011 event- Healing foods Ginger and Garlic
                                                                  Healing food page

Thavala Adai ( Rice & Dal Cutlet)

Thavala Adai is my Mom's recipe which we had very recently and even my son enjoyed eating it. I learnt from her last week when she was with me. I remember my mom making this when I was young as I don't like Rice Upma for some reason. Still now, I don't like it, so Thavala Adai is the next version of Arisi/Rice Upma in form of  cutlet.

 I want to thank my mom as she had so much patience guiding me through out this preparation & process!!
We prepared Orange peel kolambhu as a side dish for this. The combo was truly a heaven for all of us :-)
We could give this Cutlet to kids too as we are using Pepper instead of  red chillies. Its filling food and healthy too!!
Everyone from 2 yrs to 70 + could have this. I guarantee this as my 2 yrs old son and my Dad had fun having this Adai alias Cutlet (I introduced this Adai as cutlet to my son).
Now lets go to the recipe.
Ingredients:
For coarse grinding:
Raw rice - 2 cups 
Toor Dal - 4 tsp 
Chana Dal - 2 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
For tempering:
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Grated Ginger -  1 tsp
Curry leaves - 5 - 10 leaves
Red chilli (optional) - I didn't use it.
Coconut (optional) - I didn't use it
Salt to taste
Water - 11/2 cup
Method:
Coarse grind the ingredients given under "For coarse grinding" - Rice, Toor Dal, Chana Dal, Pepper, Jeera(Cumin seeds).

Heat Oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once mustard splutters, add urad dal, hing, grated ginger and curry leaves. 

Add water and salt  & once it comes to boil, put the ground rice and dal mixture to it. Stir it till everything gets mixed and semi solid form(thick). 

Close it with lid and let it cool for 15 -20 minutes.
Once it is cool,  take out a ball and flatten it like the shape of ural dal vada (put a hole in the centre like that of donut).

Heat a pan and deep fry the adai's till golden brown on both sides (I used only less oil).

Serve hot with any chutney or podi or pickle or kolambhu or just eat it like a vada or donut :-) - my son is showing how to eat just like that!! LOL

I feel you don't need any side dish at all for Thavala Adai. I am so glad I made this Adai under her guidance and we cheered our memories while eating them!!
This is very easy recipe. You could coarse grind the rice & daal in the night and prepare this Adai for next day breakfast. 
Note: If you have time, you could soak the rice for 1 -2 hours and dry it, then coarse grind with the dal. Adding coconut and red chillies gives nice flavor and Spicy touch to Adais.


Sending this to  A.W.E.D. Indian event by DK, guest hosted by Ayisha, Walking through the memory Lane event by Gayathri and to the B for Breakfast event hosted by Charitha.

Also sending this to My Legume Love Affair #33 event by Dee of Ammalu's Kitchen and Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday (Volume 32) hosted by Aipi and Priya.

Being a kid's foodie, sending this to Toddler's Breakfast ideas hosted by Sowmya

Thanks to Charitha for Participation Award in the event :B for Breakfast event Round up