Food thoughts

How many of us frankly get up in the mornings worrying about , Oh My God what should I make that both the kids will have happily !

With my elder son growing years, I really did not bother much about it, maybe he was more giving and would like to eat whatever I cooked. I am not a self proclaimed good cook but I do get compliments for the same often. So, I am made to believe that I can cook to save my life. This also arose an unknown confidence in me and when my younger son started growing up to actually talk his thoughts, I revisited my culinary skills. It took me  a few years to actually understand ( much to my relief..phew !) that he had a 
different taste to food than all of us.

He would be super excited when it came to crunchies , biryani and Non Vegetarian varieties. I had to rework on my skills and draft a menu everyday which pleased both and satisfied both pallets. 

With working schedule, It becomes difficult to have elaborate cooking everyday rather frankly any day of the week.But little did I realize that making quick foods actually took me out of the practice to make any recipe that takes time. In fact, I started looking out for shorter options of the longer recipes.  I drool over the blogs where people post such beautiful pictures and admire them, but that's it ! I intend no further .. am happy the way it is for me..

My blog has a collection of such recipes. I keep claiming I don't click exotic pictures of the food nor do I present in the best manner , but just a humble thought to share right out of my table.

I make proper breakfast, snacks and lunch in the morning and my son's classmates and their mothers wonder how I do that...I never felt  any pressure in executing all these in the morning, ofcourse I get up by 5 am..that's a habit I have developed over years. My morning time includes the ME time that I have with my cup of coffee, which I try not to compromise or it reflects the entire day in the the  "not so happy" way..

It becomes easy when I plan my menu in advance and I generally do that for the week and also prepare my ingredients for next day meals in advance. 

I would love to share the details of the same in my next blog because , it will take sometime and you have already been with me for a long while now.. so until we meet next...

Have  wonderful week !

Cabbage Dal Soup

Serves :2

Ingredients

Cabbage – 1 cup chopped

Yellow moong dal – 1/2 cup( soaked for 2 hours)

Ginger grated – 1/2 tsp

Green Coriander leaves – 2 tsp( Chopped)

Lemon Juice- 1tsp ( to taste)

Salt – to taste

Procedure :

1. Add water ( 1 cup), Cabbage , Moong dal, ginger, and salt to a container and cook it till 3 whistles.
2. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
3. Now garnish with Coriander, squeeze the lemon and serve.
4. If you want the cabbage crunchy, cook in a open container for approx. 5 -7 min.

Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice has been a comfort food, specially when kids have school on Saturday and I want to have the weekend feel... This needs no planning, just cook the rice while you prepare the basic saute stuff and mix them . As a child I remember carrying Lemon rice while on long train journeys. Mom used to pack small disposable boxes and handover to each one of us. So, comfortably sitting by the window of the train, it used to be a so fun watching the roads , green lustrous field and people pass by while we eat our box of lemon rice.Its unbeatable with dry coriander chutney and Papads. It is said that lemon delays staling of food, its cleanser and a rather strong start to the day and so that what makes it a favorite   !

Though you can cook a ideal lemon rice with Ponni rice ( a rice variety that is popular in Tamil Nadu , If you are staying in the Northern Parts , you have now access to the south Indian store where you can get this rice. It can be ideally used for all SouthIndian recipes like Sambhar, rasam  etc..) however if you don't have access , feel free to use any non aromatic rice, this is just to retain the aroma of lemon intact..Here's how I make it the easier way..

Lemon rice is a South Indian dinner favorite!

Serves : 2

Ingredients :

Rice - 2 Cup

Lemon - 1 small size

Asafoetida- a pinch

Curry leaves - 5-6

Dry Whole Red Chilli - 2

Channa Dal/ broken chick peas - 1 tbsp

Groundnut - 2 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Procedure :

1. Soak the rice for 30 minutes, this helps to remove the stickiness of the rice when cooked.
2. Steam it in cooker or add 2 1/2 cup water with some salt and cook in a open container until water evaporates ( It should take 7 min approx)
3. Spread it on a plate and allow to cool . This is done so that the cooked rice grains are prevented from sticking to each other
4. In a pan, add 2 tsp oil. Drop the mustard seeds and allow to splutter.
5. Keep the flame low, add red chilli , curry leaves , chana dal / broken chick peas  along with groundnut , asafoetida and turmeric powder.
6. When the groundnut turns  golden, you will know it time to move further, so now we add the rice and  sprinkle some salt ( Remember we already added salt while cooking rice)
7. Remove from flame and add the juice of 3/4 lemon if you want to easy with the tanginess but I Love it spicy and tangy , so I added the entire juice of 1 lemon )
8. That's it ! Lemon Rice is ready. Serve with Papad or Chips. I also serve with Dry Coriander Chutney which I will share later in another post .