Mushroom Bread Burger with baked Mc Cain Smileys

I just love mushrooms since I was a kid. Fortunately, it was one of the things that both my dad and I liked. Usually, we'd be arguing over what was to be made for lunch or dinner cause of our differing tastes. I always preferred roti and sabji and he would prefer south indian meals with rice. I had mushrooms as well as buns the other day and so tried this recipe out. It was scrumptuous. This time, I did not get the buns but had fresh bread at hand, so decided to get experimental.

This recipe is adapted from Mushroom Veggie Burger Recipe. Thanks to Pras for taking this yummy looking picture.

Ingredients :
For the patty
1. Button Mushrooms - 1 packet
2. Onion - 1/2 chopped
3. Garlic - 6 cloves minced
4. Olive oil - 3 tbsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Pepper to taste
7. Oats - 1/2 cup ( I don't know what rolled oats are so just used the Quaker oats that I have at hand)
8. Bread crumbs - 3/4 cup
9. Parmesan cheese - 1/4 cup - I had bought this at acres wild, coonoor. It is also sold at the "Bee Museum" in Ooty.
10. Eggs - 2 beaten
11. Oregano - I did not have any at hand this time
For the burger
12. Tomato - 1 sliced
13. Cucumber - 10 slices
14. Pudina chutney - recipe Mom's pudina chutney
15. Tomato sauce
16. Cheese slices - 5
17. Bread slices - 10
18. Butter

Method:
For the patty
1. Heat the oil in a pan. Fry the garlic, onions and sliced mushrooms till all the water that the mushroom leaves out evaporates.
2. Mix the above mixture with the oats, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, beaten eggs, oregano, salt and pepper. Leave this aside for minimum 15 minutes.
3. Shape into patties of desired shape.
4. Heat oil on a gridle/tawa - just enough to form a thin coating of oil on the tawa.
5. Place the patties and let them cook for about 3 minutes on medium heat on either side.
Assembling the "bread" burger
1. Butter 5 slices of bread and heat them on a tawa/gridle till they just start getting brown - this firms them up.
2. On the other 5 slices of bread, spread out the pudina chutney as much as you would like. Place these to warm up on the tawa. Make sure to place the plain side on the tawa.
3. On the buttered side of the bread, place the cheese slice. Place a slice of cucumber and a slice of tomato. Place the hot patty on top. Top that with another slice each of cucumber and tomato. You could add some tomato ketchup. Cover with the other bread slice.

Now, warm this up for 30 seconds in the microwave and serve hot with tomato ketchup. I also added baked McCain Smileys to the plate.  These smileys were introduced to me by a colleague and friend, Rachna Gupta.  She also did suggest using Robin Cuffs N Collars on a stain, which seemed like of oil on my new jacket, which actually works. Now, just as she does, I first use Robin Cuffs N Collars on any stain.
Alright, awright.. enough of rambling..... Go ahead and enjoy this yummy hearty burger.

Rava Idli Cake with Coconut Chutney

I am an ardent follower of a good friend's blog http://www.fingerlickingfoodblog.com. Namratha and I studied in St. Hilda's together and recently we caught up while she was here in Bangalore. I am always on the lookout for good and easy to make breakfast recipes and I've made this one from Namratha's blog earlier too. This time I captured some good pictures - at least I would like to think so :) The main reason why I religiously follow this blog is because the method and ingredients are so much like what I've grown up eating. So here is the how I made my own version of http://www.fingerlickingfoodblog.com/2007/11/rava-idlis-and-bombay-gojju.html.
My husband won't allow me to buy an idli cooker saying that too many pots and pans in the kitchen make shifting houses/places more difficult. So, I make idli cakes ;)


Ingredients
1 Cup rava dry roasted till fragrant
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp chana dal
5 whole cashews cut roughly
1/4 cup oil
1 cup sour curd
1 cup fresh curd
Salt to taste
1 sprig of curry leaves
1 medium carrot grated
1/2 cup peas - if not using the frozen variety make sure to boil them separately before use

Method:
1. Heat the oil.
2. Put in the mustard seeds.
3. Once they splutter add the curry leaves, urad dal, channa dal and cashew bits.
4. Once the cashews start to brown, add the rava and salt.
5. Once this mixture cools, add the curd.
6. Oil a vessel. Sprinkle the peas and grated carrot. Pour over the batter.
7. Steam in a cooker for 10-15 minutes till done.

Stray dog menace in Bangalore

I hate to give my post this title but I am left with no other choice, with the number of people who actually put it that way. I just don't get why they call dogs a menace? What makes us humans so superior and more important that instead of actually controlling our population we go around controlling the number of stray dogs on our streets? Just because a few of the dogs get ferocious and infected with rabies, it does not mean that all the dogs out there need to be put to sleep. To me, in a very humorous manner, it's like saying, since a few humans are causing terror, planting bombs, going on shooting sprees, let's kill all human beings. Duh!! I mean, come on. Some are calling it "people's welfare". Excuse me, have you ever thought that there could be something like "dog's welfare" too?
I do know how it feels to be surrounded by dogs chasing your two wheeler or having a bunch of them come charging at you when you are alone - believe me.. I am terrified too... like crazy but that would never get me to agree to the suggestion that all strays be killed.
May be some better involved measures need to be taken. All of us who don't find the dogs a menace and those who unfortunately do, should unite and help the authorities to do what best they are doing. We need to report incidents of ferocious dogs or dogs which may be infected and make sure that they are isolated. Any other way, other than killing all the strays out there?

Pav Bhaji

Since I keep trying new stuff, it is a long time before I actually repeat a recipe. Also Pras prefers that I make something new with the same ol' ingredients. I had beetroot which for long was lying the basket. To put it to use, I hit upon "Pav Bhaji". I did refer Mom's Pav Bhaji. Namratha is a fantastic cook. She used to be my classmate and I am proud of what she has achieved with her blog. So here goes - I made it a tad bit different ;)

Ingredients:
To be boiled together till mushy:
4 medium sized potatoes - cut into quarters
1 medium sized carrot - cut into roughly small pieces
1 medium sized beetroot - cut into roughly small pieces
1/2 cup of cauliflower florets

To grind into a paste:
4 small to medium sized tomatoes
3 long green chillies - adjust as per taste and hotness of chilly
6 cloves of garlic

Other ingredients:
1 large onion finely chopped
1 medium sized capsicum/green bell pepper finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp Pav Bhaji masala
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp oil
water as required
salt to taste

To garnish :
freshly chopped coriander
chopped onion
1 tbsp butter
lime juice to taste

How I made it :
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil.
2. Add the onions and fry till dark golden brown. You can add more oil to prevent the onions from burning.
3. Once onion is brown, add the bell pepper and green peas. Fry till green peas are almost done.
4. Add the red chilli powder.
5. After 30 seconds, add the tomato paste. Fry till oil separates
6. Mash the boiled veggies and add.
7. Add salt and the pav bhaji masala.
8. Add a little water and allow to simmer for 10 minutes with cover on.
9. Garnish with chopped onion, coriander and a sprinkle of lime juice.

Serve with buttered pav.