Vegetable Saagu

 Ingredients

for boiling vegetables:

1 carrot

½ cup peas

potato 1 chopped

beans 10 chopped

salt to taste

turmeric 1/4 tsp 

water 2 cups 

for masala paste:

coconut 1/2 grated 

2 tbsp roasted gram dal 

cashews 4 

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1 inch cinnamon 

 3 cloves

½ tsp pepper  

1 inch ginger 

 2 cloves garlic

½ onion / 1 small onion 

handful coriander leaves

green chilies 5

water 1/4 cup 

for curry:

oil 2 tbsp 

mustard 1 tsp

cumin  1/2 tsp 

hing 1/8 tsp

curry leaves few 

onion 1/2 finely chopped

tomato 1 chopped 

capsicum 1/2 copped

turmeric 1/4 tsp

salt to taste 

water 1/2 cup

Instructions

in a saucepan add carrot, peas, potato and  beans in a saucepan, add 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp turmeric, and 2 cups water.

Boil for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are half cooked. Keep aside.

To prepare the masala paste, in a mixer jar, take ½ cup of coconut, 2 tbsp roasted gram dal, and 4 cashews.

Also, 1 tbsp poppy seeds, 1 inch cinnamon, 3 cloves, and ½ tsp pepper.

Further add 1 inch ginger, 2 cloves garlic, ½ onion, a handful of coriander, chilies, and ¼ cup water.

Grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

In a kadai, heat 2 tbsp oil. Splutter 1 tsp mustard, ½ tsp cumin, pinch hing, and few curry leaves.

Add ½ onion and saute well.

Also, add 1 tomato, ½ capsicum, ¼ tsp turmeric, and 1 tsp salt.

Saute for 2 minutes or until tomatoes soften.

Now add in prepared masala paste and cook till the oil separates.

Add in cooked vegetables and mix well.

Adjust the consistency by adding ½ cup water or as required.

Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked well.

Enjoy Veg Saagu with poori or roti.

 

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Why Does Your Dal Turn Watery? Here's The Ultimate 30-Second Fix That Actually Works

The most common culprit is excess water. While pressure cooking or boiling, it’s easy to misjudge quantities, especially since lentils release starch as they cook. Another reason is undercooking. If the dal isn’t soft enough to break down, it won’t naturally thicken the liquid. Skipping the final simmer or not mashing the lentils properly can also leave the texture thinner than expected. Even the type of dal matters: moong tends to be lighter, while toor or masoor can create a thicker base when cooked well.

The 30-Second Fix That Can Fix Watery Dal

If your dal is already cooked but too thin, don’t panic. The quickest fix is to mash a portion of the dal directly in the pot using the back of a ladle. This releases natural starches, instantly thickening the consistency. Follow this with a quick simmer on medium heat for 30 seconds to help the texture come together.

 For an even richer texture, you can add a spoonful of cooked dal (kept aside earlier) and mash it in. Another option is to let the dal simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce excess liquid. Tempering (tadka) at the end also helps bind flavours and slightly thickens the overall dish, giving it a more cohesive finish.

Perfect dal isn’t just about ingredients, but it’s about timing and balance. A well-cooked dal should feel neither too thick nor too runny, but comforting and scoopable. Once you understand how lentils behave, small adjustments like water control and mashing can make all the difference.

 

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Baked Lemon Boursin Pasta

  

Ingredients

8 ounces whole-wheat penne

2 cups unsalted vegetable broth 

1 cup water

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1 tbsp grated lemon zest

 3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

½ tsp ground pepper

 ¼ tsp salt

1 (5.2-ounce) package garlic-and-herb Boursin cheese OR creamy, soft cheeses mixed with garlic and herbs, such as cream cheese, 

 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces

1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach

1 cup frozen peas

2 tbsp lemon juice

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional) 

 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine 8 ounces penne, 2 cups broth, 1 cup water, ½ cup Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, the sliced garlic, ½ teaspoon pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Stir until evenly combined and the pasta is mostly submerged. Nestle the Boursin in the center. Cover tightly with foil.

Bake until the pasta is almost tender, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven; stir the pasta around the edges of the dish. Add asparagus pieces, 5 ounces spinach and 1 cup frozen peas. Re-cover tightly with foil.

Continue baking until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the pasta and asparagus are tender, about 15 minutes more. Stir until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.

Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Serve topped with additional Parmesan and parsley, if desired.

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Pasta alla Norma

  

 This Pasta alla Norma is built around roasted eggplant, a cozy tomato sauce, fresh basil, and Parmesan — the kind of combination that feels classic and comforting, yet completely doable on a weeknight. It’s a meatless dish that never feels like a compromise.

 

Ingredients:

 

2 medium globe eggplants (cubed)

2 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp EACH: salt and pepper

Sauce and Pasta

1 tbsp olive oil

½ medium onion (finely minced)

3 cloves garlic (finely minced)

24 ounces marinara sauce

Salt and pepper (to taste)

14 ounces short-shaped pasta

½ cup grated Parmesan (plus extra for serving)

Fresh basil (for serving)

 

Preparations

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line an extra-large baking sheet (see notes) with parchment paper. Add the eggplant and toss with the oil, salt, and pepper and then spread the cubes out evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the eggplant is very soft.

2 medium globe eggplants, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper

 

 

While the eggplant is baking, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it's translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Pour the marinara sauce into the pan and let it warm. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. 

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, then cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the pot, then return the pasta to the pot.

Pour the marinara sauce over the pasta. When the eggplant is soft, add it to the pot and stir well. Add enough of the pasta cooking water to make a loose, creamy sauce – I usually add most of it, but add a splash at a time.

Stir in the Parmesan and basil. Serve with a little extra Parmesan and basil on top.

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Lemon Lush

  

 Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup pdr sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 (8- ounce) blocks cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 (3.4- ounce) packages instant lemon pudding mix

3 cups cold milk (2% or whole milk)

zest of 2 lemons

1 (8- ounce) container whipped topping

 

Preparations

 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with non stick spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the flour, powdered sugar, salt, and butter with a pastry cutter. The mixture will come together like a dry cookie dough. You can use your hands if you need to as well to mix.

Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

When the crust is cooled combine the cream cheese and the granulated sugar in a mixing bowl and mix until creamy. Spread this layer evenly on the crust.

In another bowl whisk together for 5 minutes the pudding, milk, and lemon zest until it’s thick. Spread the pudding layer on the cream cheese layer.

Finally spread the whipped topping on the pudding layer.

Cover airtight and chill for at least 4 hours. This is great to make a day ahead too.

Notes

Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze airtight for up to 2 months for best freshness. Thaw in the refrigerator.

 

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Coleslaw

 Ingredients

2 cups shredded rainbow slaw

1 cup shaved Brussels sprouts

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

4 green onions, thinly sliced

½ cup mayonnaise, preferably Hellmann’s

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

½ tsp celery seeds

½ tsp celery salt

¼ tsp paprika

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the slaw, Brussels sprouts, celery and green onions.

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, vinegar, celery seeds, celery salt, paprika, salt and pepper to taste.

Fold the mayonnaise mixture into the slaw mixture.

Refrigerate for two hours before serving.

To make ahead: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

 

 

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Flaxseed Powder/ Podi

  

 A nutritious, intensely nutty dry powder made by roasting flaxseeds with lentils, red chilies, garlic, and curry leaves — this is the podi that the health-conscious South Indian kitchen has quietly been making for generations.

Ingredients

• Flaxseeds – ½ cup
• Urad dal – 2 tbsp
• Dry red chilies – 4, broken
• Garlic – 4 cloves
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Salt – to taste

Method

1. Dry roast flaxseeds in a pan on low heat for 3–4 minutes until they begin to splutter. Set aside to cool.
2. In the same pan, dry roast urad dal until golden. 
3. Add dry red chilies, garlic, and curry leaves and roast for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Cool completely.
4. Combine all roasted ingredients and grind to a coarse powder. 
5. Add salt and pulse once more.

Tip: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Mix with a drizzle of sesame oil or ghee and serve alongside hot idlis.

Pairs well with: Ragi idli, oats idli, foxtail millet idli — the nuttiness of the podi complements earthy, grain-forward idlis beautifully.

 

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

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