Jain Vegetable Makhanwala, an award and a QUESTION

Being Gujarati I am very much familiar with Jain cuisine, though m not jain but i do have lots of friends who are, infact majority of my gujarati friends are jain. Jain cuisine is purely vegetarian without potatoes, onions and garlic. My food is incomplete without onions, i use them in almost every dish especially gravy based curries so making jain gravy based curry is always a challenge but not impossible. For today's post I have made simple and creamy Jain Vegetable Makhanwala. The curry is delicious and i didnt even feel that something was amiss, it was perfect. Do try this out and experience for yourself.

Ann from Happy and Healthy Cooking as passed "One Lovely Blog Award", my dear I am so touched and honored, thank you so much for thinking of me. I am passing this award to all my blogger pals, please accept and keep spreading love!!!

Now for the question...I have been trying to decide on which to take Blogher or Foodbuzz advertising from a long time now..still havnt figured out..I have seen majority of you have Foodbuzz advertisements featuring on your blogs and some of you also have Blogher. I would request you all to share your experiences with each, if you have tried both, which one do you prefer and why, this will really be helpful for new comers. Please leave your comments or you can also email me. Sending this dish to RCI:Jain Cuisine, guest hosted by PJ of Seduce Your Tastebuds, an event started by Lakshmi of VeggieCuisine.

Ingredients: 1 cup boiled vegetables (cauliflower, peas, capsisum, french beans) 3 medium tomatoes quatered 2 green chillies 1 tsp ginger paste 10-12 cashewnuts 1 tbsp poppy seads (khus khus) 1 tbsp oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 bay leaf 2 dry red chillies broken 3 cloves 3-4 cardamon crushed 3-4 whole pepper 1 pinch of Asafoetida 2 tbsp fresh cream 1 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp garam masala 1/2 tsp pav bhaji masala 1 tsp sugar Salt to taste Procedure:

• Grind together tomatoes, cashewnuts, poppy seeds, green chillies and ginger paste into a fine paste preferrably without water.
• Heat oil, add in cumin seeds, cloves, dry red chillies, bay leaf, cardamons, asafoetida and whole peppers.
• As seeds start to splutter, add in the tomato paste and cook for 2 mins.
• Now add in turmeric, garam masala, pav bhaji masala, salt, sugar and fresh cream.
• Cook for 5 to 6 mins on medium heat, add little water if required.
• Now add in the boiled veggies and cover and cook for another 2 mins.
• Serve hot with rotis or parathas.

Cheesy Bell Pepper Swirls..little drops from heaven

I was planning to make these from a very long time but never got around to it. Finally I made them yesterday night and they came out like small drops from heaven, the crust was flaky and crunchy with cheesy bell peppers spiced with jalepenos,basil and chilli sauce....oh my just writing the post made me hungry. I had first seen these here, but the filling used was spinach and cheese, though the reviews were great, i was skeptical of the combination, me not a big fan of spinach or cheese, plus i dont like using frozen spinach, and i didnt have any fresh ones in hand. On the other hand i had lots of bell peppers, i always have them, thats the only veggie which is always available in my fridge. I created my own stuffing and it turned out to be perfect.

For the crust i had bought these small pastry puff sheets thought it would be easier with them, no kneading, rolling or cutting required but fate had something else planned for me!!!!! After coming back from office, i removed the pastry puffs from freezer to get them to room temperature and i started working on my stuffing. Stuffing really didnt take much time, was ready in 10 mins. It was written on the pastry puff packed to keep them at room temperature for about 40 mins so still 30 mins to go. Oh well i felt like taking a short nap but again fate ditched and sent some visitors uffff... These days i get lots of visitors coming in to view my apartment as i will be vacating the same in few months. A couple came yesterday from france and the worst part both didnt know english, only the wife could speak tits and bits of english words, I myself being expert in french with knowing only words like Merci, Bonjour didnt make the task easier :( The only words common between us was "OK", it was so tedious to try to make them understand using sign language, in normal circumstances it wouldnt take not more than 15 mins but with them it took me almost an hour to show around the house and explain the details. Between completely forgot about the pastry puff sheets!!!! i thought the sheets would probably be seperated with a parchment paper but to my horror they all were stick together so much for the easier way!!!! Ah but do i look like i'll give up on some stupid pastry puff sheets? nah...so here's what i did, i rolled the entire thing into one big dough, divided into 4 equal balls , rolled and cut them into rectangles and this way made my own pastry puff sheets!!! of course not entirely from scratch but did save a disaster from happening :) If you are a cheese and bell pepper fan..you ve got to try this even if you are not may be you'll become one after trying this :) its so simple and easy to make and yet tastes heavenly..i can go on and on for these :) I liked them so much that i'll probably keep them as one of the starter items in my wedding/engagement party.....ah naaa dont get any signals here...m still single and not ready to mingle, but doesnt hurt to plan right? Ah i think i have bored you guys a lot today, oh before i forget sending these to AFAM-Bell Peppers guest hosted by my dear friend Priya, mastermind of Maheshwari. Also sending these to BSI:Bell Peppers hosted this week by Jenn of Bread + Butter

Ingredients: 4 pastry puff sheets thawed* 1 big red bell pepper chopped finely 1 big yellow bell pepper chopped finely 2 spring onions with their greens chopped finely 2 medium jalepenos chopped (I like spicy) 1/2 cup grated cheese 1 tsp olive oil 1 tsp red chillie paste 1/2 tsp black pepper powder (optional) 1/2 tsp dry basil powder 1/2 tsp sugar (optional) Salt to taste Procedure:

• Preheat the oven at 200 degrees C.
• In a sauce pan, heat olive oil, add in bell peppers, jalepenos, basil, spring onions, salt, pepper, sugar,red chilli paste and saute for 5 mins. You dont want to cook them mushy.
• Take a pastry puff sheet onto lightly floured surface, spread the bell pepper stuffing leaving little space on the sides. Top it with grated cheese and fold the sheet carefully into a tight roll sticking the sides together with little water if required.
• Cut 1/2 inch slices of the roll. Similarly stuff and roll the other 3 pastry sheets as well and cut them into slices.
• I have used my pizza dish to bake the swirls, you can use the normal baking dish.
• Line the baking dish with a parchment paper or foil and bake them for 20 to 30 mins or until light brown.

*Please Note: Number of pastry sheets may vary depending upon the size of the pastry sheets. Baking time may also vary , in the original recipe its mentioned to bake for 15 mins, but mine took more than 30 mins.

Saffron Rice - A Classic

The moment Nags announced the Monthly Mingle theme as "Ravishing Rice" the only dish came to my mind was "Saffron Rice". I have made this many times and it has always been a hit in my house, never had any left overs with this dish. In indian restaurants this dish is the most expensive one with the use of saffron and dry fruits in it. I have always liked the home made versions better than the restaurant ones, ofcourse there are always few exceptions. This dish is very easy to prepare and results are outstanding. Recently I had been to london on a short trip and i got many small boxes of saffron from there. You get very good quality saffron in UK at very reasonable price and I always ask my friends and relatives to get some for me when they are visiting. Saffron should be stored in cool and dry place and it stays fresh for years. I love this herb, i use it in desserts, veggies and even in my face packs :) Saffron may seem to be very expensive but one little dab of this delectable herb is needed to make something classy and spectacular. I simply adore the aroma and flavor saffron brings out in the food making it so exotic and delicious. Sending this to Monthly Mingle : Ravishing Rice guest hosted for this month by Nags of Edible Garden, master mind of Meeta. Hema from Salt to Taste as passed "I Love Your Blog" award to me, thank you so much girl, it means a lot to me.

Ingredients: 1 cup basmati rice 1/2 cup milk 1/2 tsp saffron strands 8-10 cashews cut into half 10-15 raisins 1 onion sliced thinly 1/2 cup chopped carrots and green peas 5-6 cardamon pods (elaichi) broken 2 small cinnamon sticks 2 green chillies slit 4-5 whole peppercorns 2 small bay leaf 1 tbsp ghee Salt to taste 1 1/2 cups of water Procedure:

• Wash and soak the basmati rice in cold water for about half an hour.
• Warm the 1/2 cup of milk and add the saffron strands and let it sit for 5 mins.
• In a big vessel, preferrably non stick heat ghee, add in cardamon, bay leaf, pepper corns, slit green chillies, cinnamon sticks, cashews and raisins.
• Saute the dry fruits for about a min, now add in sliced onions and saute for another 2 mins.
• Now add in soaked rice, carrots and peas and saute for another 2 mins. Rice grains should be nicely covered with ghee.
• Mix together saffron milk and 1 1/2 cups of water and add in the rice.
• Season the rice with salt to your taste and cook on medium slow heat for about 15-20 mins.
• Make sure you donot add more water as we dont want to make rice mushy.
• Garnish with few saffron strands and fresh coriander.
• Serve hot with raita and pickle.