Rice Dumplings In Coconut Milk "Paal Kozhukattai"

No I didn't drop off from the face of the earth! I was busy being a dutiful daughter-in-law to my MIL who is visiting for a few months. In the process, I have been learning to make some traditional dishes as well.I will be posting them soon.
This dessert is truly special and instantly transported me to childhood days when grandma used to make this for me and my sister. The dumplings were all made from scratch by yours truly. It started off as an oblong but midway I lost patience and made them as dots.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Thick coconut milk
• 1 cup Skimmed milk
• 1 cup Water
• 1/2 cup Jaggery shavings(Unrefined non-centrifugal Sugar, available in Indian stores as blocks)
• 1/2 cup Cashews
• 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp Ghee(Clarified Butter) or Butter
• 8 cups Water, for cooking the dumplings

For the Dumplings:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp Sugar
• A pinch of Salt

 Procedure:

• Bring a cup of water to a rolling boil along with a tsp of sugar and a pinch of salt. 
• Make a dough out of the rice flour by adding the hot water, little by little. Use hands to make a smooth dough once the dough is ready to be handled by hand.
• Take pea-sized portions of the dough and make them into oblongs or dots. Repeat until all dough is used up.
• Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a stock pot. Add the tiny dumplings in batches. The dumplings will rise to the top once cooked, in approximately 5 minutes.
• Scoop the cooked dumplings out of the water and set aside in a plate.
• Brown the cashews in 1 tbsp of  Ghee/Butter. Set aside.
• Heat a cup of water in a thick bottomed pan. When it starts bubbling, add the jaggery shavings and keep stirring until completely dissolved.
• Add the milk, coconut milk along with cardamom powder to the pan and keep stirring until it slightly thickens.
• Drop the dumplings gently into the pan and cook on low-flame for 2-3 minutes.
• Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with cashews.

Makes 3-4 Servings.

Notes:

• This dessert can be served cold with additional sugar, if desired.Dumplings get hard after refrigeration.
• More milk may be added at the time of serving

Enjoy!

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Rhubarb And Strawberry Crumble

Crumble, Crisp, Cobbler..whats your favorite? I like crumble better than the other two because it is equally tasty with fewer calories.Yes, the streusel-like topping for a crumble isn't as rich as the crisp which makes it "slightly" guilt-free.

Ingredients:
For the Fruit Filling:

• 1 1/2 cup Rhubarb, thinly sliced
• 4 cup Strawberry, sliced(I used ~25 mid-sized Strawberries)
• 4 tbsp Granulated Sugar
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Orange Zest

For the Crumble Topping:

• 1/3 cup King Arthur All Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup Rolled Oats
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 tbsp Orange Juice
• a pinch of Salt

Tool:

• 7 X 13 Oven-Proof Baker

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Grease the oven-proof baker with little butter/spray butter.
• Mix all the ingredients under "filling" and add it to the oven-proof baker.
• Combine All-Purpose Flour, Sugar, Butter, Orange Juice and Salt in a food processor until they resemble a coarse meal. Stir in the rolled oats.
• Spread the topping evenly over the fruit filling and transfer to the oven.
• Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the fruit starts to bubble over and the topping is browned.

• Serve at room temperature with a scoop of ice-cream.

Note:

• Once cooled, crumble can be refrigerated and served cold as well. Crumble tastes better the next day.

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PuffPastry "Spinach N Cheese" Swirls

These swirls look like a work of art, don't they? It makes one think that I spent ages to make this, doesn't it? Wrong. It took me under 30 minutes to make this. A very tempting appetizer that pretty much pleases all your senses.Oh, the base recipe is from the Pepperidge Farm package.

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet Pepperidge Farm Puff-Pastry 
• 1/2 cup Shredded Monterey Jack or Muenster Cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 3 cup Spinach, Chopped
• 4 tbsp Red Onion, Chopped
• 1 Egg
• 1 tbsp Water
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Cracked pepper

Procedure:

• Thaw the puff pastry sheet for 30-40 minutes.
• Unroll the pastry sheet on a slightly dusted surface.
• Mix both the cheese with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Microwave the Spinach with a few sprinkles of water. Once wilted, squeeze the moisture from it and mix it with chopped red onion. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Whisk the egg with a tbsp of water. Using a pastry brush, brush the pastry with a thin layer of egg mixture.
• Sprinkle the pastry with cheese mixture and the layer it with spinach-onion mixture.
• Gently roll the pastry, jelly-roll style and thin cut into 1/2-inch wheels.
• Place the wheels on a greased baking sheet, cut side down.
• Brush the top with egg mixture. 
• Bake for 20 minutes or till the edges are slightly browned.
• Serve warm

Makes 14-15 Swirls

Enjoy!

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Saffron N SweetPea Rice

This is a 'slightly' embellished rice-dish that was made with only one purpose - to complement an over-the-top side-dish/rice-topper. The Stuffed Peppers in the previous post was very rich in flavor and these two go very well like gin and tonic, steak and potatoes..you get the idea,right? Other side-dish choices that would go very well with this rice - Stuffed Eggplants, Chicken in Walnut Gravy, Moroccon Chicken with Apricots N Cashews.

Ingredients(Makes 3-4 Servings):

• 2 cups Rice(Preferably Basmati Or any Short-grained rice for pressure cooking)
• 1 1/2  tsp Saffron Strands
• 1/2 cup Fresh or Frozen Sweet Pea
• 1/4 cup Cashews
• 1 Medium Red Onion, vertically sliced
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 3 Cloves
• 1 Dried Kapok Bud(Marathi Moggu/Parapinni), Optional
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 2 Cups Water(if using Basmati or more/less)

Procedure:

• Warm the milk in a cup and add the Saffron Strands. Let it soak for 20-30 minutes.

• In a shallow saute pan, heat the oil,add the cloves, cumin seeds and the kapok bud. Fry the cashews along with it until its browned.
• Add the sliced onions to the pan and fry till translucent.

• Add the milk soaked saffron strands along with the milk to the pan.
• Sprinkle some salt and add the Basmati rice.Gently stir and lid the pan.

• Cook until the rice is soft. Fluff it with a fork and serve it with any side dish of choice - Stuffed Peppers, Stuffed Eggplants, Chicken in Walnut Gravy, Moroccon Chicken with Apricots N Cashews.

Enjoy!

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RecipeReplica: Cottage Cheese, Potato Stuffed Mini Peppers "Shimla Barwa Mirch"

This is from the blog called Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes. I am a big fan of this blog that showcases North Indian recipes. Well, most of you know I am mighty partial to stuffed peppers/mushroom recipes and its no wonder I picked this. Next on the to-try list is the Pineapple Kesari/Halwa.
An unforgettable experience while doing this - Was happily scooping out the membrane and seeds with hands.. Totally devoid of good sense, I know. In the midst of it, juice from inside of the pepper(??) squirted into my left eye,started a major bout of allergy that had me sneezing a million times a minute.Runny nose and itchy watery vampirish eyes during a heatwave was horrible.Repeated washing of the eye and Veramyst(an intranasal spray) helped to a certain extent. I am an allergy prone person and a small trigger is all I need to make me miserable. :(. Terrible Terrible experience. But that didn't stop me from enjoying these delicious stuffed peppers.
Note to self - Be wise, use a mini melon-baller next time and maintain atleast a feet distance between pepper and face.
Hey,Watch out. I am on the hunt and your blog might be next for my next edition of "RecipeReplica".

Ingredients:

• 15 Mini-Peppers, slit, de-seeded and de-membraned with the crown and bottom intact
• 3 Yukon Gold Potatoes, medium-sized, fine-diced
• 1 Red Onion, small, fine-diced
• 3 Green hot chili, fine-diced
• 1 cup Paneer(Indian Cottage Cheese) Cubes
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp Cracked Pepper (if needed)
• 2 tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped
• Salt for taste

Procedure:

• In a wide saute pan, add a tbsp of oil and fry the Paneer cubes.Drain on paper towels. Cool and crumble the Paneer cubes. Set aside.
• In the same pan add anther tbsp of oil,add the cumin seeds and hot green chilies. Add the chopped red onions and saute until translucent.
• Add the chopped potatoes, salt and sprinkle some water. Lid the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes turning occasionally.
• Sprinkle the cracked pepper, if using and the chopped cilantro. Stir and slightly mash the potatoes. 
• Add the crumbled Paneer and combine.
• Stuff the mixture into the prepared peppers after it is cooled.

• Heat a tbsp of oil in the saute pan and add the stuffed peppers to the pan. 
• Stir the peppers gently around the pan until they are evenly coated with oil. Lid the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes until the skin of the peppers are slightly browned and starts shrinking.
• Serve it on top of brown rice or Saffron and Sweet Pea Rice(Recipe coming soon) or enjoy it as is.

Makes 15 Stuffed-Peppers.

Enjoy!

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$80 Gift-Certificate Giveaway from Beso

You may all remember my recent raves about Beso website and my previous post about what I bought with the Crate&Barrel gift-certificate from Beso. To recap, Beso is an awesome shopping destination that offers loads and loads of choices for almost everything under the sun. But I have to say, I am mighty partial to their "Kitchen Gadgets" Section.
Now comes the exciting part - Beso is offering one lucky "Pan Gravy Kadai Curry" reader a $80 gift certificate to spend at a store of his/her choosing on Beso.com! Isn't that cool?

What can a $80 Gift Certificate buy at Stores like Sur la Table, Crate and Barrel, Williams-Sonoma, CutleryAndMore, Pillsbury(There are 200 more stores to pick from) : -
Calphalon 8-qt stainless steel Multi-pot pasta and steamer set @ CutleryAndMore.com
RSVP Marble Pastry Board and Pin (Both ~80 bucks) @ Pillsbury
Lodge Logic 2-Burner Reversible Grill and Griddle Pan  And Lodge Logic Cornbread Skillet (Both Cast Iron) @ Sur La Table
Breville Quattro Sandwich Maker(On Sale at the moment for 70 bucks) and Nylon Heat-Resistant Flexible Spatula @ Williams-Sonoma.
Italian-made Earthernware 4 piece Canister Set or Cuisinart Pure Indulgence Frozen yogurt, Sorbet and Ice-cream Maker @Neiman-Marcus

Interested? Here are the Rules to enter the contest(Open to only US Readers). Please read it carefully:
Mandatory(Leave Seperate Comments):

• Visit the "Kitchen Gadgets" section in beso.com, browse their vast collection, find a product that appeals to you and add the Beso link(It must be a Beso Link) in the comment section.
• "Like" Beso on Facebook.
• "Subscribe" to PanGravyKadaiCurry RSS feed.

For Extra Entries:

• "Like" PanGravyKadaiCurry on FaceBook
• "Follow" PanGravyKadaiCurry Publicly via Google connect.
• "Tweet" about this GiveAway and leave a comment - every tweet gets an extra entry

The contest is open until July 31st, midnight EST and winner would be chosen using Random.Org and announced on August 1st.

Good Luck!

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Crispy Onion Fritters And my Crate&Barrel Loot

Recently I got a $100 gift-certificate for Crate and Barrel from Beso to spend on what I wanted. I wanted a lot. Almost the whole shop. But this is what I got,plenty of odds and ends for props -
A couple of Atoll Blue French Sugar bowls(For Salt and Pepper), Lodge Cast-Iron Tiny skillet(2) and Mini Skillet(1), Pin-Dot Ramekins in Vibrant Orange(2),Mini Take-out Chinese-style Ramekins(2),Stockholm Ramekins (6),Spiral Corn Picks in Chrome(6), Glass Nosh Bowls (2), Set of 3-rectangular potluck bakers. My, that does seem like a lot and all for slightly over $100 bucks(Grand Total:$100.50) inclusive of taxes and such. I only paid for $9 bucks for S &H.Now that is a loot. Don't you agree?
Brr, I can get easily carried away by the purchases I make. About the recipe, its a super quick and tasty appetizer that can be had with a cup of coffee or tea.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Chickpea Flour("Besan" Flour, available in Indian stores)
• 3 tbsp Rice Flour
• 3 tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 Medium Red Onions, vertically slit
• 1/2 tsp Ginger Paste
• 1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp Butter/Clarified Butter, melted
• 2 Green Chillies, finely chopped
• A pinch of Baking Soda
• Salt for Taste
• 3-4 cups Corn Oil for Deep Frying

For garnish:

• 3-4 Dry red Chilies
• 2 Stalks Curry leaves

Procedure:

• Mix all of the above ingredients, except for the garnish, in a bowl with little water to make a thick batter. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
• In a shallow pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil and fry the dry red chili and curry leaves. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
• In a thick bottomed pan, heat 3-4 cups of corn oil.
• Drop the batter using a spoon and fry until it is evenly browned. Drain on paper towels and serve warm/room temperature with  a cup of  hot tea.

Note:

• Store it in an air-tight container for up to a week.

Enjoy!

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Crispy Baked "Masala" Chicken

This is my take on a healthy version of Crispy Fried Chicken with a touch of Indian Spices. Baking yields the same crispness and the drumsticks are juicy on the inside just like the deep-fried ones but without the added calories.Definitely worth giving a try.

Ingredients:

• 8 pieces Chicken Drumsticks

For the Marinade:

• 1 cup Thick Yogurt
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 tsp Chicken Masala Powder (Available @ Indian Stores. I used "Sakthi" Brand. Any Brand would do)
• 1 tsp Cracked Pepper
• 1 tsp Cumin Powder
• 1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Salt or less
• 1/4 tsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Dried fenugreek leaves(Kasuri Methi), crushed

For Dredging/Coating:

• 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Cracked Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder/Cayenne Powder
• 1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves, crushed

Procedure:

• Remove the skin from the drumsticks.Make small slits with paring knife on the flesh.
• Mix all the ingredients under "For Marinade" and pour them into a big ziploc bag.
• Add the chicken pieces inside and let it sit in the refrigerator for atleast 4 hours. Overnight is better.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix all the ingredients under "For dredging/Coating" and spread it in a wide shallow pan.
• Coat/Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour and shake off the excess.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with oil.
• Arrange the chicken pieces on the tray and bake at the lower rack for ~40-45 minutes turning the chicken midway.

• Broil the drumsticks for 5 minutes for an extra crispy skin if desired.
• Serve warm.

Makes 8 Crispy drumsticks.

Enjoy!

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Cocoa Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

I am partial to Dutch cocoa powder and anything that is made out of it.Had to try this recipe from Joy of Baking.I absolutely love recipes from that site. They are all fail-proof. And this bread is no exception.Something that  I will be baking again and again.
Without Further ado, lets move on to the recipe.

Ingredients(Makes One 5 X 3 mini-loaf):

• 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp King Arthur All Purpose Flour
• 1/8 cup Dutch-processed Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Toasted, chopped Walnuts
• 1/4 cup Chocolate Chips
• 1/8 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 cup(1/2 stick) Butter, melted
• 1 1/2 ripe bananas, smoothly mashed
• 1 large egg, whisked
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• A pinch of Salt

Procedure:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Sift together the Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Powder and Soda in a bowl.Add the Sugar and Salt. Mix well.
• Combine the mashed bananas, whisked eggs, vanilla extract, butter in another bowl with a spatula.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients.Mix only until combined.The batter should be thick.
• Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.

• Transfer the batter to a greased oven-proof bread pan.
• Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool completely on wire rack prior to slicing.
• Serve at room temperature.

Makes One 5 X 3 inch Mini-loaf.

Note:

• To bake a 9X 5X 3 inch loaf, double the ingredients and bake for ~55 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Thai Shrimp Curry over Rice Noodles and a CSN giftcertificate win

Dears, This is my first guest post at the KrazyKitchen. Like what you see? Head over there to key in your comments and also for the recipe. While you are there check out some incredible recipes posted by other bloggers as well. EnjoY!

Did I mention before that I won a $60 CSN Gift-Certificate at KrazyKitchen?Thanks to Tamy and others at KrazyKitchen for this super exciting gift. I will tell you in detail what I bought with it. The packages have just started to arrive and I am jumping in joy.

Happy Weekend!

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ReviewAndARecipe: Great Ideas for riding the heatwave

Yeah, this is obviously the first choice..Plenty of freshly made juice or crisp cold water to quench that thirst that seems never-ending at this point.

Or it could be just chilling indoors underneath this budget-friendly/eco-friendly fan..Did you know that "moving air" is at-least a few degrees cooler than "still air". Instead of relying on air conditioners alone use ceiling fans to save on electricity bills.

This gyro style twin-turbo fan with its antique finish has stolen my heart ..doesn't it look awesome? The whole system turns thrice per minute all the while the twin high-speed fans rotate in different directions for some serious air circulation.

At work, use this awesome tropical-themed portable fan that has you dreaming of White sandy beach, balmy island breeze and tropical trees..

Have your outdoor party at dusk,under this lighted Oasis umbrella and entertain your guests with Fruit Spritzers and Tropical Fruit Pops.

People who only have a small balcony/patio can still enjoy warm weather evenings with this beautiful, serene looking coppery solar lanterns with state-of-the-art LED technology that takes advantage of all the sunlight at daytime and does some good to the planet without using any fossil fuel.

For more information on the lighting and fans mentioned in this post, check out this CSN store.
Direct Links:
Polished Brass Fan
Gyro Style Twin-Turbo Fan
Portable Palm Tree Fan
Lighted Outdoor Umbrella
Solar Lanterns

Now onto the recipe for Fresh Orange and Mixed Berry Juice:
Ingredients:

• Freshly Squeezed Sweet Orange Juice - 3 cups
• Slightly Sour Blackberries - 6#s
• Blueberries - a handful
• Raspberries - a handful
• Sugar/honey - for taste

Procedure:

• Blend all the above ingredients in a blender or a juicer. 
• Serve cold with ice cubes in the morning with scrambled eggs or sweet muffins.

Makes ~2 servings.

Enjoy!

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Awesome Products for the Kitchen

Beso has me dreaming of Kitchen Gadgets. For those of you who don't know what I am talking about, Beso is the one-stop online destination that scours for products(you name it, they get it) from diverse online shopping retailers in a consolidated custom-tailored way. A huge portal if you will.
Just yesterday I was surfing Beso and found myself wishing for this super-elegant Neiman-Marcus Cake Plate with Dome. It was love at first sight.

When people say homemade pasta rocks, I didn't quite understand how much until I had a plate of it recently at a friend's place. Now I am in want of this efficient but economical Atlas Marcato Pasta Maker that means business -

How about these Le Creuset 4 set mini-casserole for under a $100 bucks? I wouldn't mind having these in Cherry or Cobalt or both

I would be finding reasons to host a party if I had this eye-catching Spode Blue Italian Party Platter -

Now this Blue Rose Pottery 16-piece dinnerware will ensure that me and my folks dine in style. What do you think?

This RSVP International Marble Pastry Board and Sur La Table Marble Rolling Pin with Stand has me thinking of pies, pastries and more-

If you need anything for your kitchen, living room or dining room definitely check Beso and surf to your heart's content.
The Links for all the above Products:

• NM Cake Plate: http://www.beso.com/crystal-cake-stand-cover/1570790371/detail
• Atlas Pasta Maker: http://www.beso.com/atlas-marcato-pasta-machine/20798887/detail
• Le Creuset mini Casserole: http://www.beso.com/le-creuset-casseroles-petite-set-of-4/1918782355/detail
• Spode Party Platter: http://www.beso.com/spode-blue-italian-oval-platter-14-inches/571085513/detail
• Blue Rose Pottery Dinnerware Set: http://www.beso.com/polish-pottery-spring-blossom-16-piece-dinner-set/990651912/detail
• RSVP Marble Pastry Board: http://www.beso.com/marble-pastry-board-18x18-in-by-rsvp-international-at-pillsbury/1566036801/detail
• Sur la Table Rolling Pin: http://www.beso.com/marble-rolling-pin/714918993/detail

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Tortilla roll-ups and the winner of CSNStores gift e-card giveway

Tortilla roll-ups are great idea for a quick snack or party-food. One that can be made in a jiffy that also happens to be a total crowd-pleaser. This recipe is my healthy interpretation of this ever popular dish.
Sending this to "A veggie/Fruit A month Event".

Ingredients:

• Whole-Wheat Tortilla - 4, medium
• Avocado - 2, pitted and smashed roughly
• Black Olives - a handful, finely chopped
• Red Roasted peppers - 4 tbsp, finely chopped
• Laughing Cow Soft Swiss Cheese - 4 Wedges
• Lime/Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
• Salt and pepper - for taste

Procedure:

• Spread a wedge of Swiss cheese on the tortilla.
• Quickly mix smashed avocado along with black olives, roasted red pepper, salt and pepper and lime Juice.
• Top the cheese-smeared tortilla with a portion of avocado mixture.

• Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and slather on the tortilla.

• Roll each tortilla and wrap it in plastic. 

• Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
• Using a sharp serrated knife slice the tortilla and serve cold.

Makes ~32 bite-sized roll-ups

The winner of CSN Stores $80 Gift e-card Giveway  is comment # 168 -

That would be FancyGrlNancy. Will send you an email shortly.
Thanks to everyone for participating in this event. If it was up to me, I would give everyone of you a gift-card. But sadly it not up to me. :(. Well, you could get lucky next time. Stay tuned for an upcoming Giveaway.

Enjoy!

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