2012 year had been with many ups and downs nevertheless, it has been a year full of treats,cooking experiments,tasting cuisines.. 

Here we go to welcome a one which holds much more surprises to all of us..Wish you and your dear ones a happy,safe, colorful and meaningful New Year 2013 :)

Merry Christmas!!! It feels really great to have Plum Cake on the eve of Christmas. It at times feels good not to cook and get served :)))

Coriander Pesto Sauce Soya Rice

Really have a wonder why suddenly my eyes are all over greens these days??? Fusion of Italian ingredients with Indian cooking methods.

• 1 bunch - Green coriander/Kothamalli/Dhania
• 100 gms - Medium sized Soya nuggets
• 1 cup - Basmati Rice
• 2 tbs - Olive Oil
• 2 tbs - Low fat butter
• 1 tbs - Jeera/Cumin,Seeragam
• 1 - Green chilly
• 1 1/2 cups - Water
• 200ml - Water to soak
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbs - Pesto Sauce

For Pesto Sauce

3 - Garlic pods/Poondu /Lehsoon

2 cups - Basil leaves/ or you can use Tulsi leaves

1/2 cup - Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup - Parmesan cheese

1 tbs - Pine nuts or you can use walnuts after dry roasting them

1 tbs - Black pepper

1 tbs - Salt

Vidhiee/Method:

For making Pesto sauce:
1. Peel the skin of garlic.
2. Grate the Parmesan cheese.
3. In a blender add garlic,pine nuts,basil leaves,salt,pepper.
4. Grind them to a paste.
5. Add  Olive oil blend them well.
6. Finally the Parmesan
7. Add oil while the blender is on run.
If , you pesto is thick add few table spoons of water.
If, you are too lazy or in a quick get the ready made pesto sauce from the market.

For making rice,..
1. Wash and soak rice for 10 mins in 200 ml water.
2. Wash and chop coriander and green chilly.
3. Blend them to a paste in a blender.
4. In a pan add Olive oil and butter. Heat well and add jeera.
5. Add in the coriander paste and soya nuggets.
6. Now drain excess water from the rice and add them to the coriander soya mixture.
7. Add salt accordingly as you are going to add pesto sauce which too has salt in it.
8. Mix in 4 tbs of pesto sauce. You can add more if you need.
9. Mix them well and saute in pan for 5mins.
10. Transfer the mixture to a rice cooker.
11. Add water mix well and cook until the rice is done.

Serve, hot with any green raita or it can be taken alone no need of any condiments.

After days i just had a look on to the page view hits of my bloghttp://delicious-bhojanam.blogspot.in/ elated to see that the page view hits have crossed 2000 :))) Really makes me explore more and present quality stuffs.. Thanks all for the support !!!

Dates Tomato Sweet Chutney

Dates Tomato combination most people do not make it. But, thanks to my mom who gave me the taste of it at the very young age. All of us at home love this chutney. Past few months we had rather forgotten it until my dad asked for it!! And here it goes for all of you :)

• 100 gms - Seedless brown dates/Pericham pazam/Khajoor
• 4 - Medium sized tomatoes
• 2 - Cloves/Krambu/Loong
• 1 - Cardamom/Elakai/Elaichi
• 1 tbs - Fennel/Sombu/Saunf
• 1 tbs - Cumin/Seeragam/Jeera
• 1 - Bay leaf/Brinji Elai/Tez patha
• 1 - Green Chilly
• 100 gms - White sugar
• 1 pinch - Salt
• 100 ml - Water
• 1 tbs - Oil

Method/Vidhiee:
1. De-seed the dates and chop them roughly.
2. Wash and chop the tomatoes finely. Slit the green chilly.
3. In a saucepan add oil.
4. Once the oil is hot add in the fennel seeds, cloves,cardamom,jeera and bay leaf.
5. Wait till the jeera and fennel turn black.
6. Add in the dates and saute for 2 mins.
7. Add in the chopped tomatoes and green chilly.
8. Add the pinch of salt to it.
9. Now saute till the tomatoes turn soft and get mixed well with dates.
10. Now add in the sugar and mix well.
11. Once the sugar starts melting add in the water.
12. Boil the chutney until water reduces and chutney becomes greasy.
13. Stir occasionally.

Serve hot with any Paratta, Any Rice variety like ghee,peas,jeera,briyani, etc.

Kothimbir Shakahaari

Green Coriander.. mostly we use for garnishing. Had about 3 bunch of coriander leaves lying into my fridge.. with at most greediness i got it from the market as they were so cheap and fresh. But, when i thought of using  them it stopped till the border of chutneys,garnish,salads..y not use in a gravy.

 Ingredients:
1 - Big bunch of green coriander leaves/ Kothimbir/Kothamalli
2 - Red onions
2 - Tomatoes
1 - Green chilly
2 - Medium sized carrots
5 to 6 - French Beans
1 cup - Cauliflower
1 cup  - Broccoli
1 cup - Green peas
1 tbs - Turmeric powder
1 tbs - Dry red chilly powder
1 tbs - Pav Bhaji Masala
500 ml - Water
2 tbs - Oil
1/2 tbs - Butter
1/2 tbs - Jeera
1/2 tbs - Saunf
1/4 tbs - Sugar
Salt to taste

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Wash carrot , french beans,potatoes and cut them into medium sized cubes or lengthwise.
2. Par boil them in water.
3. Finely chop onions,tomatoes. Slit the green chilly.
4. In a pan add butter and oil.
5. Once they get heated up add jeera and saunf.
6. Roast them for few secs. Do not burn them.
7. Now add onions and saute them for 2 mins.
8. Meanwhile, wash and finely chop coriander leaves and stem.
9. Keep some for garnishing and grind rest in a blender.
10. Add water if you feel coriander stems are not getting ground
11. Now add tomato and green chilly.
12. Saute till the tomatoes turn soft.
13. Add in the turmeric powder, red chilly powder,salt and sugar.
14. Now add in the par boiled vegetables carrots,beans, cauliflower,broccoli,peas.
15. Add 150 ml of water and allow them to cook.
16. Pour in the coriander paste over the vegetables.
17. Add in the Pav Bhaji masala.
18. Stir well. Simmer and allow it to boil for 5-7mins
19. At last add in the left over coriander.
Serve hot hot with Ghee rice, Jeera Rice, Chappati,Roti,Pav.

Tip: If you feel the green colour in the gravy is less. Blanch some Palak leaves grind them and add it to the gravy. This would enhance the colour and taste.