NALABAGHAM

I ain't good at drawing but I can say with confidence that I can cook quite well and make everyone happy, with a good meal. Cooking is an art and with passion & Love for it we can create so many wonderful dishes....Loving it everytime...

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Its a shower again!

I feel so happy and appreciated when you my dear friends pass me awards which is very encouraging and thank you very much for remembering me.
I am passing this on to :-

Vidya of Vibaas and Malar Gandhi of Kitchen Tantra have passed me the Perfect Blend of Friendship Award.










Malar Gandhi of Kitchen Tantra has passed me quite a few awards too. Kreative Blogger Award, Great Buddy Award and 360 Foodie Award.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

FIsh Cutlet

Mom used to make this in Chennai and when I had my friend Nisha over here, I made it. My mom would try out new dishes and she is really good too, I do miss her food. I am waiting for her to come next month and ask her to make some of her best dishes which I wanna learn and ofcourse share it with you guys. For a first attempt it was really yumm and dad said its perfect just like mom's, oohh what a relief. Its very easy to make and you can prepare and keep it 2 to 4 days earlier and only thing you will have to do is fry it before serving it.. So here it goes.

You will need :-
Tilapia - 1 lb (or any fish make sure there is no skin or bones in it)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder - as per spice required
Onion - 1 big - chopped very fine
Green chilies - 4 chopped very fine
Ginger - chopped fine
Bread crumbs - as required
Eggs - 2 (only whites)
Method:-
1. Cut the fish into small pieces and place them in a non-stick kadai and add turmeric powder, salt and a little pepper powder with a little water. And let it cook completely. Make sure it is cooked fully and the water has to dry completely.
2. Let it cool a little and then smash it with a fork or hand and make sure there are no lumps.
3. Now mix it with the onions, green chilies, pepper powder, ginger and mix it really well.
4. Let is set for 10 -15 mins
5. In the meantime break the eggs and remove the whites and keep it separately in a wide bowl so that you can put your hand in easily and put some bread crumbs in another plate and keep it next to it.
6. Make small balls of size and shape of choice.Dip first it in the egg white and then roll it in the bread crumbs and keep it aside.Make sure the crumbs cover it fully.
7. Fry it just before serving and serve it hot with ketchup or sauce.

P.S.:-
1.) If you are gonna take it from the refrigirator , remember to bring it room temperature before
frying.
2.) If you dont like to bite ginger, peel it, put it in the freezer for 30mins then grate it and mix it, that way you wont even know its there.
3.)If you make it and keep it in the freezer it will stay for 2-3 weeks.

Pesaret & An Award

First let me wish all of you a belated Diwali and hope that all of you had a good time too. I am back on the blog after almost a month. Had been a little too busy, first with Diwali prep and the festival itself, then had friends over from Austin(great couple Somu & Pavi) and in between had been taking my son for his swimming classes which turned out to be a failure. He used to love the pool and now scared of it and he would do anything to stay away from it, poor thing. Even on his way bck from school he keeps telling me in the car, "Amma, pool poie venna" (Don't wanna go to the pool).

And it feels great to start again with an award from Vidhas of Appetizing Recipes. She is a wonderful blogger with amazing entries and she has passed me the Inspiration Award.Thanks a lot dear Vidhas for thinking of me. I would now love to pass it on to,
Mansi, Lothika,Deepa,Cham, Harini, JZ, Divya,Priti,Sra,Meeso and Ramya .

Coming back to the recipe for today, this is the first time I am making it. My mom-in-law is a wonderful cook and she makes a lot of south indian dishes which I am yet to learn from her and seriously I am a big fan of her food. The complement my husband gave me was that it tasted almost like hers which made me feel I was on top of the world....
Pesaret - a regular tiffin at my inlaws, is a favorite of mine. My mother-in-law taught me the recipe and it is one of the most easiest dishes that one can cook. Pesaret is nothing but dosa made with moong dhal / paasi paruppu and a very healthy and filling dish too..By using ginger in it, digestion is faster and dhal is full of protien so a healthy dinner or breakfast and my son eats it without making a fuss and now thats a relief...

Ingredients :-
Moong dhal - 2 cups
Idli rice - 3/4 cup
Ginger - 2inch piece
Green chilies - 4 or as per spice required
Curry leaves - a few
Salt to taste


Method:-
1. Soak the dhal and rice together for 2 to 3 hours
2. Grind it fine with all the above ingredients by adding water as required.
3. Make it into a thin batter a little thinner than for dosa.
4. Heat tava and when hot pour a ladle of the flour and make it just like dosa by adding a few drops of gingelly oil over it before turning it.
5. Serve hot with coconut chutney or pickle and curd.