Rajma Butter Beans salad

My family is ever evolving!
Veggies that were  most hated is now finally on the home menu. Sometimes, it is good to know if there are any more recipes that are still to be found . I know i have to upload a lot that the blog is lagging behind .. and i have not uploaded on my social media and InShaAllah, I am working on it as it is  time consuming. Anyway, one of them that my Mom has recently been so addicted to was this new recipe ..
Very addictive and simple indeed.
No wonder my kids started having them .
It's very difficult to keep pace with exact nutrients that kids must have .
They hate pulses and beans ...but now this is just what they loved . As long they dwmand for it i am enjoying the fact that are enjoying it too.
We all are salad lovers and ao i was glad when umma said she just mix and matched a few leftovers and found a new recipe.

Coming back to the our salad section ,this is  something mom make regularly. Even though at first zam didnt like it later he just wanted to have for dinner and  loved it . Now i dont have to worry about whether my kids having the right portion plate. While trying to balance everybody’s diet  , this dish becomes a winner for all . I use just store bought beans to make this, no particular brand . Soak overnight  and pressure cook them . I usually pressure cook in large amounts and freeze them and use as when needed. The best part is just tossing everything into the bowl along with a little spice powders that  adds a lot of flavor. The ingredient that brings all in flavor are the green chillies and  black pepper.
Another hinter . I must say its a stress free buster for all working moms . When i come home all messed up and tired .. this is one bowl of homemade goodness that i wait for .. not always but most of the time..

Ingredients

I cup kidney beans / rajma cooked
1cup butter beans cooked
1/2 onion chopped finely
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes chopped finely
1 teaspoon corriander leaves
1 teaspoon pepper powder
A pinch of salt
2 slit green chillies.
1 teaspoon lime juice

Method
Soak beans overnight.
Wash well and pressure cook for 15 minutes in low flame .
Once cooled mix all the ingredients .
Serve warm or cold .

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Instant pickled mango cucumber

Its that part of the year where as a mum i am so busy. As my kids have a series of tests and examinations going on, i fret a lot. They do well all the time .But nowadays its not enough. I sometimes wonder am i over working myself? I want everything perfect. I feel sometimes my staff think of me as a monster. My kids think i am over worked. All this sometimes get on my mental and physical health.  This is unusually rare just because i never felt like this way before. Handling teens is mindblowing in literary sense , at times especially when one has to manage  sibling rivalry but Alhamdullillah Aj helps me a lot of  time. He takes them to classes that are apt on such issues . Balancing their emotions and their needs is very important  so they don't clash with each other. Also sometimes as kids grow up, their behavior do get on our nerves, hehe , it may be too much talk or it could be complaints of other siblings. As a mom of three kids two teens and a 5 year old , i find it really hard to manage their emotions.  Especially when i cannot yell at one and let go of the other... All has to get equal treatment and this is the part of married life that's  the toughest ... i guess.

Today's recipe is my favorite pickled mango  which is  always prepared this time of year .
The mango used for the recipe but is really fleshy one. Vengara palli as the local name goes , its considered to be the king of mangoes. One ripe one could just weigh around 1 kilo . So kick starting this month with a mango recipe .

Ingredients

1 cup mango sliced 

1 cup cucumber diced
Few Slit chillies
Salt to taste
2 tablespoon Vinegar
Boiled Water for soaking..

Method

Just mix all the ingredients at once.
Let it soak for atleast an hour for better results .
This pickle has to be used up within 2 or 3 days .

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Chemeen puttu

After long time  I called up a relative . I am not chat person so its very difficult to keep pace with the few  talkative ones in the family.  Information is i am the only odd one out as i am the only one( cousin) to be a gulfie in the family.  But i never miss any getogethers. As I just wanted to ask about a recipe that my cousin  cooked for her daughter's husband(.newly weds) . It so happened that she ( my cousin)  was not keen on studies so her parents got her married off early . While the whole bunch of us were drilling up for exams she was the only one doing The Honeymoon ,The Babymoons. We all admire her for her attitude . She knew exactly what she wanted in life . No fuss no hasstles and with a pretty temper in head she settled  for one daughter in this life .. hehe..  her mother in law is fuming at this decision of having no more kids ever.  hut i must say that she is an excellent cook .. its like' hath mey jaaddu' hau types. ...simple ingredients and quick movements in the kitchen , she can make a dozen dishes  in no time.

Anyway, there were few prawns left in the pantry that I had reserved to try this recipe for dinner. However it didn’t happen for breakfast. since I had an appointment to cover . So made it for dinner .i  just wanted to post them as i got good

reviews from my family too. Aj was surprised seeing puttu for dinner..樂 .Then I thought, why not.. cause after all its oil free and healthy too.


Ingredients

250 gm prawns - deveined and cleaned well .
2 nos onions ( chopped )
1/2 inch piece ginger,  chopped
 1/2 tsp  chopped  garlic
1 teaspoon Red chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon Pepper powder
2 teaspoon tomato paste
2 teaspoon cashew paste
3 Green chilly  chopped
1 small tamarind
1/4 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
Garam masala - a pinch
200 grams Puttu podi ( Roasted rice flour )
100 grams grated coconut
150 ml.Water
30 ml.Coconut oil
Curry leaves - a few
Salt to taste

Method (STEP WISE )

Step 1

Take roasted rice flour in a bowl and add some salt. Slowly add water little by little over the rice flour and mix well. Continue this process till the flour becomes wet and smooth. Keep this aside for 10 minutes.

Step 2

De-shell and de-vein the prawns and wash well with water.

Step 3

Heat a pan, add prawns, 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp of red chilly powder, tamarind, ginger garlic paste, 50 ml of water, salt and cook this for 10 minutes on a low flame. Switch off the flame and keep aside.

Step 4

Heat coconut oil in a pan and add chopped onion, ginger, garlic, green chilly, curry leaves and saute untill onion turns brown colour.

Step 5

Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, pepper powder and mix well.

Step 6

Add cooked prawns, salt, tomato paste, cashew paste and mix well. Cook this on a low flame for 5 minutes. Prawns masala is ready.

Step 7

Heat Puttu maker, so that the water poured in the Pot ,starts evaporating.

Step 8

Now you can start filling the cylindrical steamer . Put 1 tbsp grated coconut and then 5 tbsp wet rice powder and 3 tbsp of prawns masala, Like this, layer the Puttu in steamer.

Step 9

Keep the steamer  on pot  and allow to steam for 8 minutes. When steam starts coming from top of the steamer, then its done and cooked well.

Step 10

Switch off the flame and take out the steamer .  By pressing behind the steamer with a long rod, take the Puttu out.

Step 11

Tasty Chemmeen Puttu is ready.

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Grilled Baba Ganoush/ Arabic cuisine

This baba ganoush is a bit different from its reknown own version. I'm hooked by the ones we get in the malls at the food counter. As friday nights is arabic day for us. We don’t mash the ingredients until smooth, we mash it roughly with a fork. Sometimes we even leave it as it is and call it Roasted Eggplant Salad,or my mom calls it kanju! But whatever, it is  almost with the same ingredients.   We either have it with lavash or pita bread or as a side dish with nothing alongside.

Previously i posted my first starter recipe and that was mini cheese bites .If you are looking for a starter recipes ,look no further, these flavorful dips are filled with a smoky eggplant spread, also with a cute name called baba ganoush.

Its the burning that's involved in this recipe which gives authenticity to the recipe ,in which  the eggplants are cooked directly on an open flame to infuse them with a smoky flavor and the red ,yellow,  green  bell peppers are chopped finely and mixed along. 

This recipe takes some time to prepare but all the steps are very easy and the baba ganoush and bell peppers can be made ahead of time.

Ingredients

2 large eggplants
3 tablespoon thahina (sesame paste)
2 garlic cloves
1 yellow capsicum
1 red capsicum
2 green capsicum
Juice of one lime.
3 tablespoons oilive oil.
Chopped parsley for garnish ( optional)

Method

1.Preheat oven to 375F (190C).
2.Prick the eggplants randomly in a few places using a fork .
3.Roast them till chared on all sides. I personally prefer stove top roasted by placing it on a grill..though it can be  messy
4.When the eggplants get tender enough, take them out. The duration of roasting might differ depending on the type of eggplant you are using. So check yours after 40 minutes using a knife or fork. If a knife can easily be inserted, it’s soft enough and ready to be removed from oven.
5. Mash the eggplants roughly . I love to have few chunk pieces in my Ganoush. 
6. Now add all the chopped  garlic cloves. capsicum , thahina, lime juice along with smashed eggplants eggplants . Finally add the olive oil and mix well.
7. Garnish with parsley and serve .

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Pomegranate lime juice

Opening this year, I have decided to be more regular where  blogging is concerned.Oh goodness how many times have i writen this line and 'poof ' i disappear..... i have been planning out as much as i can even though I still have loads in my drafts to complete, I am going to take it straight out . Last year i started updating my blog  I have been wanting to do many recipes  but it hasn’t happened. But somehow i never felt like giving up . Hope this year will open new doors for me inshahaallah ....

I am starting off 2019 with this recipe RESOLUTION  Now as far as resolutions are concerned i have not made one as  I am likely to forget... not that i have tried and failed at it... so this year my biggest aim is to maxim my blog .. first priority. I know some of my friends who are so adamant to keeping up with the   resolutions nor do they speak about it aloud.  All they say they have goals to achieve this year !  Mashallah...i personally believe stick to yourself .. develop the soul , do a good deed everyday... very minut details do matter.. and very important... pamper yourself ....
And here'sa lovely recipe for the kick start .. enjoy.. and Readers please do leave a commnt below .. 

Ingredients:

2 cups Pomegranate Seeds  + more for serving
3/4 cup Sugar
2 Lemon Juice
Soda Water as needed

Method:

Blend the pomegranate seeds and sugar 

Strain well and add lemon juice 

Mix well 

Next add some seeds at the bottom and add the juice 

Just before serving add soda and serve it cold.

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White chocolate mocha

Today was a hectic day. I decided to spend time at home.  As i had some cleaning chores to complete , i decided to take the day off. But no sooner than lunch break came, i get the call to go to office for an emergency case ,  .. i groaned at Aj for such situations. When husbands are boss its a  difficult situation . I love my work but i really miss my cooking , being with kids and the reason why I just love harthals and sundays . Its a huge relaxation time for Me and Aj on weekends and we try to be recreational most of the time . But there are days when weekends are just dozzing in beds. Anyways me and zame had lunch together and that was a relief for me . Anyways  zame was complaining its been long since i  had lunch together . With that fulfilled i was content and rushed to work. Sometimes  everything is complicated nowadays. But  i always fight it out and tell my kids if your Imaan is strong then there is nothing to worry as long as we are doing it the right way. 

Actually i am not a chocolate fan. the main reason is baking too much in chocolate cakes make me dizzy by just the smell of it.But my kids love it . recently i had few bars left behind and it wouldn't last for any dessert  . I gave to zamee and he made recipe right away .  

Ingredients

• Milk - 1 cup
• 50 grams Good Quality White Chocolate 
• 1 tablespoon Coffee Granules 
• 1.5 teaspoon  sugar 
• Hot water as needed.

Method

Heat milk in  pan to boiling point  and cook till it is reduced .

Let it simmer for 5 mins.

Add in white chocolate  whisking gently till  melts.

In the serving glass pour the coffee and the granules with hot water

Add while chocolate mix and whisk well

Serve hot.

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Manakeesh,| ARABIC DISHES

I just wish to  jump into a pool. I love swimming . It simply let's you go of everything that just brainstorming.  I have been on  stress, my usual time partner and anxiety that always has a way with me.We are given the best by our master and still we are not able to understand its value . The stress really churns us upsides down in tummy and we end up leaving everything we put be to do further. For me my only  stress reliever is my kitchen and cooking .
I love baking and always have enjoyed it ever since i was young . While I posted chicken mandi recipe  , I had an array of dishes to make for this  month . So far, the process has been slow but steady. I am slowly wakening to try a few new and old dishes that are not yet on my space .  Very dearly you will find a couple of arabian dishes featuring on the blog  in the coming posts . 

I was introduced to Manakeesh by our Egyptian friend  . Actually i didnt like it at first . It was too salty for me .  That was when the bread festival at cornish bakes happened and I got my first bite of this dish. Mashallah it was so delicious  I ended up eating  and bought a whole bunch for dinner that night . That little portion that our friend gave us was a little mistake of overdose of salt . Realized myself then  From then, I had been wanting to make this at home and i found  manakeesh and cheese combo are my favorite. 

Ingredients

• 3 and 1/2 cups all purpose  flour 
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• A pinch salt 
• 1 teaspoon  yeast
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 and 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• Zatar paste
• 1/2 cup olive oil 
• 1/2 cup zatar

Method 

• Add all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix  well . 
• Add olive oil and water and knead well  to smooth dough . Cover for one hour . 
• Mix zatar and olive to paste. Keep aside.
• After it has risen to  double the size, make small patties gently with hand, size of the inner palm .
• Add a tablespoon of zatar paste to one flattened dough . And spread grated cheese to the other . 
• I made 10 zatar and 10 cheese manakeesh each. 
• Bake for 5 to 10 minutes at 200 degree c.

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