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| Sabudana Khichdi |
Microwave is one of the most marvellous inventions of the last century....and I am sure many would agree with me....though there are a few naysayers...and they may have a valid point with regards to the rays of that machine....but boy it does make life soooo much easier...
Take the above mentioned dish...I used to prepare sabudana khichdi on the stove top - but had it turn to mush many a times...and then I discovered this recipe...and thought..duh!?! ...how could I have missed this...this dish is meant for the micro - where every pearl needs to be separate...and yet thoroughly cooked...what better method is available...
I had my own recipe for cooking this dish - but when I read the microwave version on One stove top's site...I found it so perfect...that I appropriated that for my own and now that is my standard recipe with a minor changes. I find it a bit dry - so add a couple of tablespoons of water while cooking it. I have also reduced the peanuts...though these are just to my taste...you may add more peanuts, chillies, coconut, dhania(cilantro), salt & sugar as per your taste.
The past few days the weather has been kind of chilly, so one feels the need to relish a nice hot breakfast...and T has been out of town the whole week...(missing you sweetie)....so decided that I could make this and share it with my Mom who also loves having something different for her breakfast / mid morning snack.
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| Strawberry Apple Jam |
While we were in US - our friends there had a share in an organic farm - and during the season would get fresh fruits and vegetables from the farm. I had visited the farm along with them during the peak berry season and we would have fun picking strawberries, blueberries, blackberries...
I think more of it went into my stomach than the basket...:-) and boy was it delish...so yummy, fresh, ripe, sweet...it's so difficult to put into words the pleasure you get while standing under the hot sun in a field amidst the beautiful greenery...and ripe trees...the smell of it all in the air...and the carefree feeling you get when with good friends...and relishing the goodness of fresh fruit...sigh.....miss you guys, A&L ......we had fun...
Nyways enuff with the meandering down memory lane...getting back to the making of strawberry jam....how did the idea come to me...well winter is strawberry season and we got a small box of it from our local fruit vendor...unfortunately they were not too sweet - in fact - you could say they were tart...making it difficult for us to really enjoy it...
So I remembered my friend L ( of the above farm ) - when she would have a surplus of the fruit she would make jam - and get those some jars to can it and store it...she had even passed on some of it to us...
And thus came the idea of using this up by making a jam...if making in large quantities and planning to store for a long time - it requires a proper process and also the canning jars - and pectin which helps in preserving it.
Since I was just making with a small quantity and also for immediate use at home - decided to go the short and easy route...
