Masala Popcorn - I am Such A Dork!

I know, this is not a recipe at all. Please don't get mad at me! I get pretty wild if someone offers me popcorn...wanna know the real reason behind it? I was tricked by my Mom...when I was a baby! She used it like a bait and lured me to a confined lil place and made me stay quiet:(

Every family has a funny story to be told at almost every family gatherings. In my family, they keep pulling my leg all the time:( Well, its the story of the time when I was 2 years old. They said, I used to be so mischievous that my Mom has to make me stand in an inverted stool (which will be like a cage), and put some popcorn n puffed rice (pori) in front of me. Therefore I won't be disturbing her...while she is busy carrying on with her routine household work!!

I have heard the story several times, that it is so hard to tell, where my memory ends and the story begins. At one point, I was so furious at my Mom, who made me...look like a helpless puppy! But, she added...when once, she felt so guilty and made me free, unfortunately the same day, I disappeared in the noon, leaving everyone in distress and confusion. Later, they found me walking happily behind the ice cream vendor. Oh man, I am so ashamed of my childhood stories. Gosh, considering the fact...I am mature now, wish they stop teasing me:(

Masala Popcorn

Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric over the corn kernels. Mix 2-4 teaspoons of oil, as well. Cover and microwave over high for 2-3 minutes. (Actually I reversed the simple procedure...popped and then tried adding the color :P) Hope, you all knew that the kernels rise 4-6 times bigger...make sure that your oven safe vessel is big enough. Once the popping noise comes down, remove from the microwave. Well...give a minute resting time...before opening the contents. It has superb latent heat, may burn your fingers.

Broccoli Casserole - Flavors of Southern Cooking!

Broccoli-Green Beans Casserole:

Another important dish, that is close to heart. No one could turn this down, after a hard day's work. Speaking of work'...I mean real physical activity, okay. In this new age of information world...work is something that is confined to cushioned chairs, driving to destinations, or even making a phone call for scheduling an appointment!!! If you want to realize the pleasures of old time, now move it baby...mow your lawn, today (don't call Andy to do the chore), clean up the garage, burns 350 calories in 35 minutes...and now you deserve the treat, don't you?! Experience the real meal n tell me how you feel...isn't it comforting, worthy?

Ingredients: (Serves Four)

Rice 1 and 1/2 cups
Broccoli 1 head - florets
Green beans 100 grams - no trimming
Corn kernels 1 small cup
Button mushrooms 1 cup sliced
Milk 2 cups
Mushroom cream soup 1 can
Fried onions 1 cup to garnish
Butter few cubes
Grated cheese to garnish
Pepper powder to taste 1 teaspoon, per serving.

Method:

Melt butter in a crock pot, add rice enough salt. Further add water and milk, cover and cook.

Once the rice is half the way done, add cream soup, plus all the vegetables. Maybe be add a little more salt for the veggies.

Cover and cook till tender.

Now, finally add fried onion, cheese, pepper powder.

Serve steaming hot. Enjoy:)

Corn Fritters / Macachola Vadai / Maize Vada

Makkachola Vadai:(Reposting)

Ingredients:

Oil for deep frying
Field corn kernels, soaked
Chana dal 1 cup
Onions finely chopped
Green chilies finely chopped
Salt
Cilantro leaves
Curry leaves
Ginger 2" grated
Garlic paste 1/2 spoon
Dry red chili flakes
Fennel seeds 1/2 spoon

If you are not so much into spices...skip the last 3 mentioned items.

Method:

Soak the corn kernels and chana dal for about 2-3 hours and coarsely grind them, by adding very less water.

Now throw in all the spices and stuff mentioned above...bring it to vadai consistency batter.

Heat oil in a shallow frying pan, shape them and shallow fry till crisp and nice.

Serve warm as a tea time snack.

Steamed Makkacholam / Steamed Field Corn

Steamed Field Corn:

Okay, I agree...its not exactly a recipe to be posted here! But you see, munching on field corn in U.S(not the sweet corn) was one unfulfilled wish to me and AK. One day...I happened to spot a cart full of field corn, placed outside the local farmer's market! When I bagged few, the owner and friend Liz was so reluctant to sell it to me...she was insisting that it is not 'as sweet as I think...its very starchy and Malar, I would not sell that kind of stuff to you:( Hmmmm, its culture thing to expect everything sweet and soft here. Being an Indian, I wanted something grainy-coarse and starchy:) Well, anyhooo...the one which I bagged that day was also 'kind of sweet:( When we visited India, recently...AK was so upset to see 'American Sweet Corn' in ever Super Market! Oh, even the pushcart vendors these days, sold only'sweet corn - butter flavored' :( at the exhibitions and beach !!He was going on like this...whats wrong with this people!!! Later, when we arrived back here, we persuaded one of our family friend, John...who owns few acres of corn field, at Water Valley. So, he promised us' he will raise at least 10 plants solely for us, the old fashioned field corn! We waited too long for it to arrive...Duh...finally I was so thrilled to hold them! As I steamed the 'corn' it stirred up all the nostalgic past of childhood... how we used to buy these 'cholams' way back from School...and as the earthly flavor filled the room, it really did' fulfilled our wish:)

Masala Baked Corn / Baked Corn - Indian Way!

Masala Baked Corn:

Okay...Admit it! What is your real motivation for eating vegetables?

1. You think Vegetables are Healthy and force feed yourself!
2. You consider vegetables are tasty, they have unique aroma and distinct flavor!
3. You grew up by eating vegetables and fruits!
4. You have personal likings towards anything colored and fresh, than the dead meat!

Feel free to share your motivation for eating nature's best, 5 servings of vegetables and fruits everyday:)

Ingredients:

Fresh Corn 2-4
Onion 1 bulb
Tomato 1 small
Cilantro 1 fistful
Green chili 1
Lemon juice - fresh few spoons
Salt to taste
Butter 1 cube.

Method:

Grate all the above mentioned items, except butter and corn. Now run this over the corn.

Roll them up in a tin foil/aluminum foil, add a slice of butter on the top. Cover up.

Bake over 450 F, for about half a hour. Often change positions. Broil for 7 minutes placing them at upper rack.

Once they are done, aromatic...remove from heat. Be careful while opening the foil, steam hurts real bad!!

Enjoy as a dinner or snack:)

Thai Fried Rice - Jasmine Rice with Peanut Sauce!

Jasmine Rice n Peanut Sauce Fried rice:(Thai Style)

This is just a well known Basic Thai Fried Rice...with jasmine rice and peanuts. But it has a secret ingredient; Yes...Home Made Peanut Sauce! Have you ever tried them this way? It’s totally awesome:)

Hmmmm, it isn’t exactly real Thai peanut sauce, anyway...but it’s definitely inspired by one:) Peanut sauce is one of those things that is really easy to fix at home...quite successfully:) So, if something was stopping you from getting one' from the stores...no probs, forget it. It literally has five basic ingredients, and obviously you could get fancier with it:)

Soy Sauce
Brown Sugar
Peanut butter
Lemon juice
Coconut milk

I further added things of my own wish' Sesame oil, Garlic powder, Chili flakes etc...

...whisk everything together. That’s it, friends. Mix with your sticky jasmine rice, stir-fry over heat, and eat up:)However, I’m not sure...if this is a common way to substitute things'!!! Perhaps people familiar with authentic Asian/Thai cooking would definitely kill me:( But, its good, it’s tasty and so there you go...

Al Naturale - Greens & Citrus Salad

Baby Spinach - Citrus Salad:

I rarely zero down myself in raw-food. Its like a cycle, I need my threshold level saying, ' whooo, had enough and come on...its time to consume something raw, fresh, counter made, bright colored stuff.

Well, I go nuts for spicy food, I am practically addicted to fried foods and quickly get carried away with delicacies all the time. Oh, what can this poor soul do, if there are thousands of food blogs out there, with all tantalizing recipes! Its so unfair, going weak each time, I browse a little.

Green is a very bad color to me. I can't live without meat/fish. Its one of the toughest thing for me to accept vegetarian meals. Finally, made my mind to go green for few days or at least pretending to do so.

I just threw in, all the greens and vegetables that are usually tossed into a salad, but took a back step on the dressing part. Completely avoided the dressing today. Its tasted good, guess I could have raw-food once in a while.

Sweet Corn Soup

Restaurant Style Sweet Corn Soup:

Sweet Corn Soup. Corn Kernels Soup. Vegetable-Sweet Corn Soup.

I am talking about the unique recipe, that found on Indian restaurant menu(in India)! The true restaurant style, 'Sweet Corn Soup'! Although its not an authentic food...restaurant's custom created (catered) to suit the needs of Indian palate! What I wonder is, we grow lots of field corns in India...rather sweet corn! But somehow...restaurants manage to get them through out the year!! Sounds nice huh!

I never payed attention to vegetarian food on the menu! My friend Balaji introduced me to this dish. As per the un written law...we always go for that 1 by 2, when we order soup! (Its hard to hang out with vegetarians,you know...ha ha). Anyways...I am glad that I tried it! Wow...another veggie delight, that took my heart away.

I really struggled a lot to find the exact recipe for this. Since its totally a restaurant food...not many home chefs were aware of it. So...with minimum idea, I kept trying and trying...to perfect the recipe. Finally my Auntie helped me to figure out, the mistake I am doing (that's where chili sauce comes in...its our little secret, okay)!!!

Ingredients:

Sweet corn 2 ears
Corn kernels 1 table spoon
Corn flour 2-4 spoons
Vegetable broth
Sugar
Salt
Vinegar cap full
Chili sauce 2 spoons
Soy sauce 2 spoons
Vegetables sliced (carrots, string beans, Green Onions)
Vegetable oil.

Method:

Shred the kernels alone...cook them using vegetable broth. Once then are tender. Blend them coarsely, set aside.

In a wide pot, heat oil. Add flour, sugar, salt, vinegar, soy sauce and chili sauce...fry for 2 minutes.

Then add blended corn puree. Cover and cook for a while. Let it consolidate.

Now, add vegetables too. Let it come to boil.

Serve warm!

Baby Corn Crispies

Baby Corn Crispies:

Finger Corn. Baby Corn Fritters. Baby Corn Pakoda. Baby Corn 65. Fried Baby Corn. Crispy Fried Corn Fingers. Corn Fingers.

I always appreciated finger foods. Its easy to fix, nice to pop-in!!!:) Since it was always pouring outside last week, I was kind of shut down at home, had lots of visitors besides. So to keep people entertained.....I chose something spicy, crispy, fried and warm finger foods. My friends did enjoy them....and I am glad that they did. So....one of my fabulous creation 'Baby Corn Fritters' today. I generally don't use artificial food color to my preparations, but today I did! As I believe hot chili powder gives rich deep red color to my food....it also signifies the strength of the chili pepper's hotness!!! Its like more red, more chili, eating palate hitting food shows power among my friends!!! But today....didn't go by my rule, as my friends here don't eat so much spicy food, kept it simple...used organic food color!

Ingredients:

Baby Corn 10-15
Salt
Chili powder 1 spoon
Chili sauce 1 spoon
Corn flour 2 spoons
Food color - red 1 pinch
MSG 1-2 pinch
Soy sauce 2 spoons
Ginger-garlic paste 1/2 spoon
Egg whites from 1 egg
Oil for frying

To Garnish:

Green Onions

Method:

Marinate corn with all the above mentioned ingredients, except oil.

Then shallow fry them quickly in warm oil. Never load your oil. Always fry few at a time. Let the corn turn crispy on the outside.

Repeat the same for the remaining batch, set aside on kitchen towels.

Garnish with chopped green onions.

Serve to go with your tea.

Makka Cholam Rawa Kesari

Corn Meal Kesari:

Makki ki Semolina Kesari. Makka Chola Rawai Kesari.

When all the sudden if you have visitors at your tea time....this could be ur handy easy fix choice! One could make it by the time tea is ready! Yeah....indeed I did it!

Ingredients:

Corn meal 1 cup
Sugar ¾ cup
Milk 3-4 cups
Cardamom seeds powder 1 spoon
Orange food color less than ¼ spoon
Cashew nuts 20 - halved
Golden raisins 1 fistful (dry grapes)
Ghee ½ + ½ cup.

Method:

Heat a non-stick skillet. Dry toast ‘corn meal’ for few minutes…..till fragrant. Transfer it to a bowl. Set aside.

In the same skillet, heat ½ cup of ghee. Add cashew nuts and fry them till they turn to golden color. Set aside.

In the same oil, fry raisins till they pop. Set this aside too.

Now add sugar, cardamom seeds and kesar color(optional). Add ½ cup of water and continue to boil

When it comes to boiling point. Add ‘corn meal’ without forming any lumps. Use wooden spatula (greased with oil or ghee).

Further add 3-4 cups of milk + cashew nuts + raisins + ghee. Continue cooking.

When it is done…sucking up all the milk and moisture; oil shows up on side. Remove from the stove and transfer it to display bowl.

Serve warm or cold as a dessert.

Simple and easy to fix dessert.

Baby Corn Noodles:

Ingredients:

Noodles 1 box(wheat based)
Carrot 1
Jalapenos 4 sliced
Eggs 3
MSG pinch
Salt
Thick Soy Sauce few spoons
Garlic based soy sauce few spoons
Asian Garlic Sesame oil few spoon.

Method:

Chop carrots and jalapenos into 1 inch size bits. Set aside. You could either cut or slice baby corn(your choice).

In a large croak pot, boil water. Stir-in noodles. Cover and cook for few minutes.

When the noodles is done soft, run this water over a large colander. Drain well. Wash this cooked noodles with cold water. This avoids stickyness. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large wide, heavy bottomed wok. Crack eggs, Add enough salt and scramble them well. Then set aside.

In the same, heat little more oil. Add veggies and stir-fry for a while. Add salt and MSG. Set this aside too.

Now heat oil again, stir-in noodles. Add scrambled eggs, veggies, soy sauce and garlic soy. Stir-fry over high heat.

When they are aromatic and well fried. Remove from heat.

Serve warm with tomato ketchup. Enjoy!

Corn Salad:

Ingredients:

Sweet corn ears - 4
Goat cheese/blue cheese - as per taste
Red Peppers 4 (frozen/dry ready to eat- its also sweetened)
Salt
Olive oil few spoons
Cilantro chopped
Lemon juice few spoons.

Method:

Shredd corn kernels carefully. Toss all theingredients togather.

Crumble cheese, tear the red peppers....let this sit in the fridge for 4 hours.

Serve as a chilled salad.

Corn Sundal:

Makka Chola Sundal.

Ingredients:

Corn over ripe - 2 ears
Salt
Turmeric 1 pinch
Ginger 2" fienly chopped
Dry red chilies 5
Curry leaves few
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Sesame oil few spoons.

Method:

Shredd the corn kernels and set aside.

In a wide skillet, heat up oi. Add all the sesonning items and wait till they crackle. Then add shredded corn. If the kernels are too hard....add little water and wait till the moisture evaporates.

Serve warm as a healthy evenning snack.

Corn Raita:

Ingredients:

Corn 1 small cup (fresh/frozen)
Yogurts 2-3 cups
Oil 1-2 spoons.

Wet-Grind These:

Cashewnuts 4-6
Fresh grated coconut 3-5 spoons
Green chilies 2-3
Salt
Yogurts 1/4 cup.

For Tempering:(optional)

Oil few spoons
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Curry leaves few.

Method:

Steam cook corn for about 5-7 minutes. Add little salt tot his steaming water. Set aside.

Now wet grind cashews, coconut, green chili, salt and 1/4 cup of curd.

Combine corn and wet-ground above paste in yogurd. Mix them well.

In a shallow frying pan...heat oil and add sesonning items and wait till they pop.

Then run this above sesonning over mixed cucumber-yogurts set-up.

Serve chillied or at room temeprature as a side dish.

Corn Fritters:

Ingredients:

Corn Kernels 1-2 cups
All purpose flour 1-2 fistful
Salt
White pepper powder 1-2 spoons
Jalapenos 3 finely chopped
Scalion 1 small finely chopped
Egg whites 2
Cilantro/Parsley leaves few
Oil for shallow frying.

Method:

In a wide bowl, bring all the above said ingrediens togather except oil. Mix them well and leave it in the refridgerator for about 2 hours.

Heat oil in a shallow pan. About an inch level.

Now make flat triangle shaped fritters using wet towels/palm.

Shallow fry them till golden color both the sides evenly. Fry 1-3 fritters at a time. Leave them on kitchen tissues for a while.

Serve warm with tomato ketchup.