Crunchy Snack balls – Guest Post from Sridevi

Its day 5 and there is one more energy balls recipe, this time it is from Sridevi – Coconut Craze. During my Initial days of blogging I was checking my wordpress reader and saw Sridevi’s post notification, the word coconut intrigued me to visit her space, and from that day onwards her blog has become one of my regular blogs to visit. Her food pics speaks a lot, I adore her recipe collections some of her baked recipes are in my to do list. She is very friendly and gave me great support ever since my initials days and till date. Though she was busy when I asked for Guest post Sridevi allocated sometime and sent me this post. Crunchy snacks balls are waiting, over to Sridevi,

I have a sweet little treat as a guest post for Vidya Srinivasan of Traditionally Modern Food. Vidya, is a very enthusiastic blogger and has presented us with many wonderful recipes. I appreciate her friendliness and hard work. She has been encouraging me with suggestions and comments which helped me improve my posts considerably. I like her baked recipes that have a traditional element in it. She gives them a modern twist making them less oily and yummy. When she asked me to do a guest post for her, I was in the middle of some activities. I managed to squeeze in some time and came up with this easy recipe.

She suggested a kid friendly recipe and I thought of all things kids can hold in their hands, carry around and eat. My foremost concern was to make it nutritional. I wanted to try something without any artificial additives. It should be attractive to children, easy to make and delicious. I had a lot of things to consider. Honestly, it made me scratch my head and think a bit. Finally, I came up with this ladoo. Hope you like it!

facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coconut-craze/281334571966246

Energizer ladoos

Imagine a guilt free snack! A snack that is handy and provide energy to play for a long time!

These crunchy snack balls will provide you all of the above. They are gluten free and refined sugar free if you do not use powdered sugar to decorate. This is a convenient snack to can grab and go!

I developed this recipe inspired by a snack ball we make at home. It is from a mix called avalouse podi made using rice flour, coconut and cumin seeds, fried to a grainy texture.  Back home, it is our homemade breakfast cereal that is eaten with sugar and slices of banana. They also make it into snack balls adding melted brown sugar or honey.

I thought it was an appropriate snack and tried to add a few more ingredients to enhance it. When I took a bite, I was reminded of my aunt who makes them when we go on vacation to our grandmother’s house.

For simplicity, I took equal quantities of most ingredients. You may increase or decrease it as desired.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rice
• 1/4 cup oats rolled or steel cut oats
• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 1/4 cup dry coconut
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 12-15 pitted dates
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• honey to bind

Method:

1. Soak pitted dates in water for 20 minutes.
2. Chop soaked dates into small bits.
3. Take a heavy bottom pan and roast oats, rice and quinoa each separately until golden brown.
4. Toast grated dry coconut. (If it is fresh coconut, grate it finely and toast with rice until it becomes dry.)
5. Add raw almonds and chopped dates to the roasted ingredients and pulse it in a blender in small batches.
6. Powder it to get a coarse texture.
7. Mix the powder with coconut oil.
8. Add enough honey to the mixture to make it moist enough to hold.
9. Roll them in your hand into small balls.

I made 16 balls with this mixture. They harden after they rest a while. Store them in air tight containers or in a refrigerator for weeks. You feel a satisfactory crunch when you chew it.

Sprinkle powdered sugar for an attractive coating or dust with chocolate powder if your kids like it.

This is exclusively a kid friendly snack but if you have a kid in you, go ahead and enjoy it! When I made this at home, surprisingly, it was the oldest member in the house who loved it the most. So there is no age limit to taste one and run back for more!

Thanks you for inviting me and having me post in your space, Vidya!

Oats Quinoa Balls – Guest post from Malar

Day 2 of my guest post series and today its from Malar, neither my blog nor my immediate family needs intro for her. WordPress gave us intro and initially we started talking through comments, but within no time it has changed to a stage where almost every week we started talking over the phone and most of the days during our one hour talk (may be more if my son didn’t wake up during his nap) we seldom talks about blog. As Malar mentioned below during our initial days we both decided to do guest post in each other’s space, but taking advantage of our friendship kept postponing, finally “March” has become a auspicious month for both of us to write a post for each other (oh yes, can see my post in Malar’s page in sometime). I can continue writing about Malar and her space but its time to handover to Malar:-)

Over to Malar,

Hi I am Malar , so excited to do a guest post for Vidya’s Traditionally Modern Food, a fabulous blog. My blog is Malar’s Kitchen. You can find various Indian recipes along with few other cuisine recipes. I have a lot of chettinad recipes too, if it might excite you.

Vidya and myself, we started following each other during our initials days of blogging, eventually we got along so well. From blogging she turned out to be a very good friend of mine. We chit chat a lot, just not blogging many personal stuffs too  It was long time back we decided that we should do guest post for each other and being friends, we took enough advantage of postponing 😉 Finally I am here with a guest post for her with Oats Quinoa Balls. Few details on my blog.

Blog link: https://malarmuthu.wordpress.com/

FB link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Malars-Kitchen/1516965231871483

Pinterest link: https://www.pinterest.com/vijimalar/recipe/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/malarskitchen

Hopping on to the recipe…..

Ingredients:

Oats – 1 cup

Quinoa – ¼ cup

Water – ¾ cup

Flax seeds – ¼ cup

Vanilla Extract – 1 teaspoon

Dry Fruits – 1/3 cup (I have used cranberries)

Jaggery – ½ cup (Can be replaced by sugar)

Method:

• Dry roast Oats for 3 to 4 mins, until nice aroma rises.
• Dry roast flax seeds for 2 mins.
• Now powder oats and flax seeds either together or separately.
• Clean quinoa and cook with water in high for 6 mins, simmer for 12 mins.
• Switch off when quinoa turns fluffy and soft.
• Heat jaggery with just enough water to bring it to boiling state.
• Now mix all of the together along with dry fruits and vanilla extract.
• Form a nice dough. Make small balls out of it.
• Healthy oats quinoa balls are ready. Place in an airtight container in fridge stay well up to 20 days.
• You can add any sort of dry fruits, cashews, almonds, walnuts. I wanted to use up my cranberries , so I have used only this 

Brussel Sprouts Masala

Two years back, I had brussel sprouts for the first time. One of my friends invited us for dinner, and she prepared an amazing south indian spread. When I saw brussel sprouts, I told my friend that I have never seen small cabbage like this. She told its called ‘Brussel sprouts’. She had prepared them with cumin and pepper powder. I loved it.  That week when we went to buy veggies, I was searching for this and got a pack.  Knowing all its healthy benefits Started cooking them regularly, vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fiber – so many good things about this vegetable. This version goes well with both rice and Chappati.

Brussel Sprouts Masala:

Preparation Time : 10 min | Cooking Time : 20 – 25 mins | Serves : 3

Recipe Category: Side dish

Ingredients:

Brussel Sprouts – 1 lb

Onion – 1 big, finely chopped

Tomato – 2

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp

Garam Masala powder- 1 tsp

Smabar powder /Red chilli powder – 1 tsp (I used sambar powder)

Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp

Oil – 1 tsp

Method:

• Wash and remove a layer of leaves from the top and slit the sprouts, without cutting fully

• Add oil to the pan, when the oil is hot add ginger garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds. Add onions and saute till onions are cooked, and then add tomato
• After onions and tomato are cooked, add garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, sambar powder, turmeric powder and allow it to cook for 2-3mins

• Add the Brussel sprouts and Sauté well, and add required salt. Sprinkle some water and cover it with a lid and cook

•  Cook till Brussels sprouts are cooked well and Masala is well coated

My Notes:

• This dish goes well with plain/ variety rice  as well as with chappati
• Instead of dry Masala, you can add water/ yogurt/ milk/fresh cream and make a gravy
• Can add 1 tsp of tamrind pulp to make a tangy masala

Eggless Dry Fruit and Nut Cake

After adding walnuts to Wheat and oats banana bread, hubby and I liked the nutty flavour, so thought of trying  a cake with nuts and dry fruit.  I have read that dry fruit and nut cake tastes great when the ingredients are marinated in Alcohol for a day. I wanted to replace alcohol with a fruit juice, and remembered Eggless Mango cake, in which fruit pulp replaced eggs. This time, tried a cake by marinating the ingredients in orange Juice (that’s what I had in the fridge, so used it). I have to thank my dear friend Lori@ creatingbeautyinthekitchen for inspiring me to try a cake without adding sugar. Have used honey and dates syrup instead of sugar. It came out well, no compromises in the sweetness!

Eggless Dry Fruit and Nut Cake

Preparation Time : 10 min | Marination Time : 10 hours | Cooking Time : 40 min

Recipe Category : Dessert/Baking

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour – 1 cup

Baking Powder – 1/2 tsp

Baking Soda – 1/2 tsp

Salt – 1 pinch

Cinnamon powder – 1/2 tsp

Cardamom Powder – 1/2 tsp

Orange juice – 3/4 cup

Mixed Dry Fruits and Nuts – 3/4 cup (I used chopped almonds, walnuts, cashews, cranberries, raisins and apricots)

Honey – 1/3 cup

Dates – 7

Butter – 1/4 cup

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp

Method

• Soak dry fruits and nuts in 1/4 cup orange juice overnight

• Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Line the cake tin with parchment paper and grease with butter/cooking spray
• Soak dates in hot water for 10 minutes
• Blend the dates by adding 2 tbsp of water (adjust if required)
• In a mixing bowl, add dry ingredients and sieve it (To ensure even mixing). Add soaked dry fruits and nuts mix gently
• Add honey, dates puree, butter and vanilla and Mix a gently until combined,Do not over mix

• Pour this batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean

My notes:

• Dates Syrup can also be used instead of Dates Puree
• Use nuts of your chioce
• Any fruit juice can be used
• Every oven differs keep an eye after 35 minutes
• Sugar can be used instead of honey
• Any fruit juice can be used instead of orange juice
• All purpose flour can also be used instead of wheat flour

Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu

Ennai kathirikkai kuzhambu is yet another “Mom’s recipe”. Whenever she gets small brinjals from the grocery store, she prepares this dish. If you love brinjal, then this is a must-try recipe. This Stuffed Brinjal kuzhambu goes well with any fried curry/ paruppu usili.

Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Soaking Time :15 mins | Cooking Time : 30 mins | Serves : 3

Category:Rice Accompaniments

Ingredients

Eggplant/Brinjal/Aubergine- 8  (preferably small brinjal, since I didn’t have them, used medium sized)

Tamarind –  lemon sized

Salt – as needed

Spice Powder:

Channa dal/bengal gram – 1 tbsp

Coriander seeds/Dhania -1 tbsp

Urad dal – 1/2 tsp

Red chillies – 3 ( Adjust according to your spice level)

Black Sesame seeds – 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek –  1/8 tsp

Rice – 1/4 tsp

Pepper – 1/4 tsp

To Temper:

Mustard seeds -1/4 tsp

Fenugreek – 1/8 tsp

Asafoetida/hing – a generous pinch

Curry leaves – one spring

Sesame Oil – 2 tbsp (Typical 4/5 tbsp are used but I have reduced)

Method:

• Soak tamarind and extract the juice
• Dry roast the ingredients mentioned under spice powder till golden brown and switch off. Grind into a coarse powder.
• Wash Eggplant, discard the stem and make two cuts leaving the bottom intact. Stuff the Eggplant with the spice powder and keep it aside

• Add oil to that pan and add the items under ‘to temper’ and let it splutter. Add the stuffed brinjals, turmeric powder and salt for brinjal. Cook on low flame, stirring it occasionally till the eggplants are half cooked. Add tamarind extract, the remaining spice powder and salt for gravy

• Cook till the gravy thickens. Serve the Kuzhambu with Rice and any side dish. We had it with Beans Paruppu Usili

My Notes:

• Coconut can added in a spice powder
• For Kuzhambu, shallots and garlic can be added

 

Bhindi Masala

I had never tried Bhindi Masala at home, but whenever I go to Indian restaurants, I mostly see Bhindi Masala in the buffet menu. Hubby likes Okra very much, so thought of trying this at home. I actually liked this version of Bhindi Masala and started preparing this frequently as a side dish for chappati

Bhindi Masala

Preparation Time : 10 min | Cooking Time : 30 mins | Serves : 3

Recipe Category: Side dish

Ingredients:

Okra – 250 grams

Onion – 1 big, finely chopped

Tomato – 2

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp

Garam Masala powder- 1 tsp

Pav bhaji powder/Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp

Curd / yogurt – 1 tbsp + 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp

Coriander leaves – as needed to garnish

Cinnamon Powder – 1/4 tsp

Salt – as needed

Oil – 2 tsp

Method:

• Add 1 tsp of oil, spread the oil all through the pan and sauté the okra till they become slightly crispy

• Add 1 tsp of oil to another pan. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds. Add onions and saute till onions are cooked, and add tomato after the onions are cooked.
• Add garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, pav bhaji masala, turmeric powder and allow it to cook for 2-3mins

• Add the sautéed okra and salt, cook for 5 minutes. Add curd and mix well, and cook for 3-4 minutes

My Notes:

• If you need Bhindi masala as a gravy, add the required amount of water.
• To get crispy okra, wipe the okra dry before cooking. If you do not have time to wipe it dry, keeping it in the microwave for a minute would help.

Vazhakkai Podi Curry

Vazhakkai (Plaintain) podi curry is one of the traditional recipes from my place.  This dry curry goes well with any rice accompaniment.   Powder that I prepared for this can be made in advance and stored in airtight container and it will last for so many days, but I generally prepare it fresh as it will have freshness with nice aroma.

Vazhakkai Podi Curry

Preparation Time : 10 mins  |  Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2

Recipe Category: Side Dish

Ingredients:

Vazhakkai / Raw Banana – 2, diced

Salt – as needed

Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp

Asofetida – a generous pinch

Podi:

Oil – 1 tsp

Channa Dal  – 1 tbsp

Coriander seed – 1 tbsp

Dry Red Chilli – 3 (According to your spice level)

Sesame seeds – 1/4 tsp

Peanuts – 1 tbsp + 1 tsp

For Tempering:

Oil – 2 tsp

Mustard Seeds  – 1/4 tsp

Urad dal  – 1/2 tsp

Channa dal – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:

• Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned under “Podi’ till they are golden brown. Switch off and set aside. Once they come to room temperature grind it without adding water

• Add oil to the pan. When the oil is hit, add the ingredients listed under ” To temper”  and let them splutter. Add the diced plaintain and saute for 5 –  7 till they are cooked. Add the grinded powder and salt and combine well. Cook for 2-3 minute and switch off

 

 

My Notes:

• If you think curry is dry sprinkle water, but I haven’t added water
• Can prepare the powder without sesame seed and peanut