Saturday, March 14, 2009

Garden Salad


This was salad that I did impromptu with all the ingredients I had at home. The result tasted good and lettuce too this time was quite good.

Garden Salad
Ingredients
1 Cup chopped Lettuce
1/2 Cup Pineapple
1/2 Cup Mango
1 Boiled Potato
1 Tomato
1 Fresh Red Chilli
1/2 Spoon Oregano
1/4 Cup Pickled Cucumber
2 Spoon Vinegar
Salt to taste

Method
  • Add chopped lettuce to the bowl
  • Add chopped pineapple and mango in it.
  • Add finely chopped tomato in it.
  • Remove the cover from boiled potato and add the small cubes in the bowl
  • Add finely sliced red chilli in it
  • Cut the pickled cucumber into small pieces and add in it.
  • Add Salt to taste, oregano and vinegar
  • Mix well and serve.

Notes
I had cut all the stuff and added to the bowl and then around half an hour before dinner I mixed in oregano and stuff well. I thought otherwise all the flavors might get mixed in each other and wont taste as good as I would like :) and that proved right because the next day in lunch box it didn't taste as good as it was for dinner :)

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Idli


I have seen quite a few people buy the readymade dosa or idli batter. But I guess I dont like the taste. There is nothing as good as compared to home made stuff. And Idli is something very very easy to prepare. You just need to plan a day ahead thats all it takes. Rest is easy.

Idli
Ingredients
1 Cup Udid Daal
2 Cup Idli Rawa
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Soak Udid Daal and Idli Rawa for atleast 8 hours.
  • Strain the water from the Udid Daal and grind it in the mixie to fine paste.
  • Strain water from the idli rawa and grind it to fine paste too.
  • Mix rawa paste and udid daal paste well and keep aside for atleast 8 hours
  • In the morning, mix in salt really well
  • Heat the water in a cooker - without lid
  • Grease the idli pan and add the idli mixture in there.
  • When the water in the cooker starts to boil put the idli stand into the cooker and cook for around 10-12 minutes on high flame with lid closed but no whistle.
  • Open the cooker and let the idlis cool down a little. Separate idlis from the pan and serve with chutney/sambar

Notes
Here since everything is AC and we maintain low temperature, I did keep the mixture on top of hot water container at night. That works perfectly well.
Dont forget to remove the cooker lid immeidately after idli is done so that the vapour doesnt cool down inside the idli making it moist

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Tofu Burger


I was very inclined to prepare the burger at home but didnt want to try any meat burger. So thought of preparing paneer one. But then the indian grocerry store was little far from my place so thought to try it on tofu. The burger turned out quite well and the mildness of tofu vanished in the spcies and other things that I added.

Tofu Burger
Ingredients
4 Burger Buns
100g Tofu
2 Onions
1 Tomato
1 Fresh Red Chilli
4 Cheese Slices
1/2 Cup Lettuce
Ranch Dressing
Salt and Pepper
Oil

Method
  • Cut the Tofu into cubes
  • Heat oil and keep the flame on low.
  • Add tofu pieces and cook till light brown in colour.
  • Add onion slices, red chilli into it and cook till onions are slight brown in colour
  • Add salt and pepper and stir well. Divide the mixture into 4 portions
  • On each bun keep the cheese slice and add the portion of the cooked tofu mixture.
  • Spread the lettuce, tomato Slice, couple of drops of tomato ketchup and one circle of the ranch dressing.
  • Close with the upper portion of the bun and serve.

Notes
I cooked tofu on very light heat which helped me keep it soft. The Spicy Chilli, ranch dressing helped in supressing the mildness of Tofu.

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