Mushroom Fry

Mushroom is one of my favorite. This spicy version of Mushroom fry is a must eat.

Ingredients:

1 lb Mushroom
1 Medium Onion chopped
2 Medium size Tomato chopped
some curry leaves
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste

Garam Masala:
2 cardamom
2 cloves
1 medium bay leaf
1 medium strip cinnamon

Take oil in a pan and when slightly heated put in the Garam Masala. This will release the flavour from the masala. Fry for a minute and then add onion. Add a little salt, ginger garlic paste and add curry leaves. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Add tomato and let it cook for some time. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric and chilli powder. Now add mushroom and mix well. Cook until mushroom is well done.

Decorate with coriander leaves and serve.

Beetroot Rice

I found some fresh Beetroot in the farmers market this week and it was a irresistible buy. The problem with this vegetable is that it has a lot of sweetness to it and I and my husband are not a great fan of that. I also wanted to use the mint from my little potted garden. This beetroot rice is the yummy way to eat the vegetable.The sambar powder removes little of the sweetness from the beetroot and gives it a spicy taste.

Beet Root Rice:

Ingredients

2 cups rice (preferably Sona masoori or Basmathi)
2 cups grated beetroot
1 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 medium sliced onion
3 cloves chopped garlic
¼ cup chopped mint leaves
¼ cup fresh peas/thawed frozen peas
1 teaspoon homemade sambar powder or store bought
Salt to taste

Method

1. Cook the Rice in a Rice Cooker. The consistency of the rice should be that the grains should separate.
2. Heat Oil or Butter in a pan and add cumin seeds. Then add onion, garlic and fry until the onion is translucent.
3. Add required amount of salt and add peas and cook for 5 mins. Add grated beetroot and cover and cook until beetroot is cooked.
4. Now add sambar powder, mint leaves and mix well.
5. Add Rice into this mixture and mix well.


Beetroot rice goes well with cool raita and some papadam.

Flower from Tomato plant

My tomato plant has started flowering. I am very excited to reap my harvest soon ;)

Mint and Tomato

I am very excited about the mint that is growing in a little pot on my patio. There was also another surprise for me. The weed plant I thought was not worth anything turned out to be the tomato plant. It has started flowering.

I am excited to get my first harvest. I've also planted some methi seeds and they are growing good too. Its always a pleasure to grow your own vegetables.

I'll post the mint rice recipe.

Why a Food Blog?

I have been a silent blogger all this time. I see blog as a way to convey my feelings and have always been a private blogger from way back in 2006. Before marriage, work always kept me occupied and blog was more of a occasional thing. When I got married in 2007 August, it was a complete change in my life. Suddenly I had loads of time on my hands and the first thing we homemakers living outside India try is our hand at cooking.

Well I had my ups and downs and after nearly 1.5 yrs of experiment on my poor hubby, I think I am getting better at my dishes. Initially I would put down all my recipes in a notepad. Then one day, I felt why not a blog, that way I'll keep all my recipes at one place and its easier to share.

So here I am with my food blog.