MEC March 2012 Roundup

 Microwave Easy Cooking March 2012 Edition is finally here. Firstly, many thanks to all those wonderful chefs who have been "MICROWAVING this MARCH" (I think I need a psych consult for my alliteration frenzy) to participate in this event. Your contributions have changed my perception of the indispensable microwave. A gadget, I thought, was basically meant only to re-heat food!

I love the idea of giving a healthy start to a beautiful day with Harini's Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal. Packed with the goodness of oats, this looks like the perfect breakfast before a long day..



The thought of beginning my day with these Steamed Vegetable Dumplings, commonly known as the Gujarathi Muthiya, fills me with so much anticipation for what lies ahead. To be honest I can munch some of these with ketchup or coriander chutney any time of the day!



Another breakfast/ brunch option for busy days is Rajani's wholesome Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal. A great dish for those times when one is keen to try something unusual or finish that leftover pumpkin puree!

Srivalli's microwave Vegetarian Hakka Noodles seem to be me like the perfect lunch box recipe, or a casual sit-down meal. Never did i think Hakka Noodles could be so simple!



My comfort food is this Bulghur Wheat Pilaf which combines the goodness of whole grains and vegetables. The recipe is easily adaptable to couscous too!



I love Food Corner's brave recipe for Easy Microwaved Potato Chips. A healthy zero/ minimal oil recipe for those crunchable potato chips. Now I can munch on my favourite snack minus the guilt.



This drool-worthy Vegan chocolate Instant Mug Cake by Harini of Tamalapaku is perfect to sneak with on cold winter evenings.



Considering winters in Auckland are awfully long, I can try snuggling alternate days into my favourite armchair with my favourite book and this delightful Mocha Mug Cake  by Surabhi.



Srivalli's healthy Low fat chocolate Brownies are perfect for sharing some sweet bites with loved ones. I am thinking chocolate brownies.. I am thinking vanilla ice cream... I am thinking yummmmmmmmmmmm...



Maude of Spicy Cinnamon has sent 2 easy cakes for all cake lovers:

This 5-minute Chocolate Miracle Cake is a great way to satiate those omnipresent chocolate cravings.



her Chocolate chip Cookie Cake is a fascinating twist to the 5-minute cake, flavoured with vanilla and full of chocolate chips.

I am head over heels in love with Srivalli's Eggless Chocolate Cake recipe, a quick and easy way to make gorgeous surprise treats for those very special days.

I never thought it was possible to create traditional desserts in fifteen minutes until I came across Priya's recipe for Aval Payasam or poha kheer.



Or Rajani's microwave version of Corn Halwa; another unique recipe for another unique inspirational flavour.



I love the idea of preparing the all-time-favourite (it is certainly mine) Carrot Halwa is less than half an hour. This one is the sure path to my hubby's heart...

I have made an exception to my "only vegetarian" rule here, but I just could not refuse Jaguti's Macha Besara Fish recipe. The photograph is tempting me to make a vegetarian version of this. Tofu Besara anyone?



Bulgur Wheat Pilaf

Practice makes Perfect..
Dumplings makes Daring...
Microwave makes Meals...
and Privish makes Pilaf!!

I decided to try a slightly funkier twist to the humble "daliya" or bulgur wheat for my Microwave Easy Cooking Event, and the results pleasantly surprised me.

RECIPE


Ingredients:
serves 4
1 cup cracked wheat/ bulgur wheat or couscous
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup onions, diced
1/2 cup green beans, diced
1/2 cup carrots diced
1/4 cup green peas
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt 
1 tsp lime juice


Method:
Microwave the oil and cumin seeds in a glass bowl for 30 seconds on HIGH.
Add the Bulgur wheat and mix well. Cover with a lid and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute, stirring once in between.
Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute, stirring once in between.
Add 1.5 cups hot water and mix well. Cover with a lid and microwave on HIGH for 8 minutes. 
Stir well and microwave for another minute.
Drizzle some lime juice on top and serve with mint yogurt or guacamole

This is my second entry to my Microwave Easy Cooking Event.

 Vegan Diet-Only plant based

and Naina's Flavours of Turkey hosted by seduceyourtastebuds

Muthiya (Steamed Vegetable dumplings)

This March, we do have some delicious recipes from MEC coming on our plate. I have to admit, somewhat reluctantly, that I have never really used the microwave very much for cooking. Of course I use the microwave ever so often to prepare idlis and dhoklas from instant mixes and grill cougette slices before topping them on my sandwhiches. On rare occasions, I have also made some brave (Vish prefers to call them "disastrous") attempts to soggy patties and stony cookies. Not to mention, the time when I managed to go wrong even with my mum's trusted daal baati recipe (Believe it or not, I actually cooked the baatis in microwave instead of the oven)!

Not surprisingly, when I decided to participate in my own "Microwave Easy Cooking" event, I thought of it more like the "Microwave Edibles Challenge". To stay clear of more brave (read disastrous) experiments, I stuck to the Oh-so-reliable Tarla Dalal's Oh-so-reliable doodhi muthiya recipe from Oh-so reliable "Microwave Desi Khana book".

Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup semolina (rawa)
1/2 cup bengal gram flour
2 cups grated vegetables (such as spinach, cabbage, bottle guard, I used equal parts of carrot and green beans)
1 onion, finely chopped
1-2 green chilly finely chopped
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
juice of 1.5 lemons
1/2 tsp soda bicarb
1/2 tsp asafoetida
4 tbsp oil
salt to taste
2 tbsp sugar (I totally omitted the sugar)


for tempering:
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
few curry leaves (optional)
4 tbsp oil


Method:
1) Strain all the liquid from the vegetables and pat them dry. The liquid can be used later to knead the dough, if required
2) Combine all the ingredients, except those for tempering, in a bowl and knead in to a dough.

3) Rub your palms with oil and divide the dough into four equal portions. roll each portion into a cylinder, about 1 inch thick.

4) Place 2 rolls in a greased shallow dish. Cover with a lid and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes. Allow to stand for 1 minute. A good test to check if the dumplings are cooked to perfection is by passing a toothpick 

For tempering, heat oil in a microwave proof bowl for 30 seconds. Add mustard seeds, sesame seeds and curry leaves and microwave for another 15 seconds. Pour  the tempered oil over the dumplings and toss.

Microwave on HIGH for another minute before serving with tamarind chutney.

This healthy vegetarian dumpling recipes is my official entry to my Microwave Easy Cooking March 2012.

Daily Cuppa's Comfort Food

Lets party

allergy friendly lunch box , Tinned Tomatoes Bookmarked Recipes and
and Snack recipes event hosted by My Culinary Creations

Microwave Easy Cooking on the Plate

It seems these days, I host events more frequently than I post recipes... I can only but hide behind a few (somewhat lame) excuses... prior commitments, too much going on on the work front and sheer laziness ( although not necessarily in that order) take up most of my time. Not to mention a broken laptop and a clean blackberry (Oh yes, we washed it in the washing machine!)

Coming back to the point, here is the announcement for this month's Microwave Easy Cooking (MEC). Srivalli from Cooking 4 all Seasons has been doing MEC for ages now. I am sure she has a library full of tempting Microwave recipes of all shapes and sizes somehwere on her blog.

For all those who are new to MEC, the event is easy enough... all you have to do is a post ANY dish made in the microwave. The theme is general, so be it soups, salads, snacks, entree, mains, dessert.... all are welcome IF they are in keeping with the following rules:

 1)All cooking must be done in the microwave.
 2) Please give clear instructons, especially about the time and power at which the cooking has been done.
 3) Preferably vegetarian recipes please.
 4) Any number of entries allowed.
 5) Old entries can be submitted, provided they are re-posted and linked to this event.
 6) All entries must link back to this page and to Srivalli's MEC.
 7) Please include the following logo in your post, as it helps to spread word.

 8) To participate please email the followiong information to me at killerontheplate@gmail.com with MEC in the subject line :

                                      your name:

                                      Blog name:

                                      Blog URL:

                                      Recipe name:

                                      Recipe URL:

                                      Picture of your recipe: (approx 300 pixels)

 9) non bloggers too, are welcome to pparticipate. Just email the recipe and picture to Killer On The Plate

 10) Last Date of submission is 31st March 2012.

 11) And finally, Don't forget to enjoy!

Happy Microwaving!

Love Lock with sweets-Part 2.

Some of the most beautiful words I have ever known:

"...And give your hearts away in love,

but not to each other for safekeeping,

for only the hand of life can contain your hearts..

and stand together but not too near together

for the pillars of a temple stand apart

and the Oak Tree and the Cyprus grow not into each others shadow!"

-Translated from Khalil Gibran

and now for the round-up to some blissfully endearing desserts and sweets to celebrate the Love this February:

First up is this healthy and colourful Fresh Fruit Pastry by the adventurous Vidhya of Sweet Karam Kapi. I am quite positive this delicious and creamy fruit pastry must have added that extra sweetness to her anniversary celebrations.

Cheryl's hubby is all smiles, courtesy this chocolate laden Chocolaty Buttery Oatmeal from her kitchenkemistry. Now, whoever said,that the path to a man's heart was not via his stomach ;)?

I am just in love with this marble cake with whipped cream frosting sent by Vardhini of Zesty Palette. It looks so tempting as she illustrates each step, I am sure most of us wouldn't be able to resist it till all the layers are done.

The gutsy gajar halwa is considered to be the queen of Indian Sweets, and I believe I am yet to come across a person who can resist this bright orange gritty halwa. Anjali Shukla of Spice n Sugar Tales does full justice to this zesty Doodhiya Gazar Halwa/ Milky Carrot Fudge. Some great cooking and great photography here!

Jayashree of Foodie in Me has shared this wonderful Low Calorie No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake. Just to confirm: Yes! it has chocolate! and yes! it is a cheesecake! But with a lower dose of calories; Now you can have your cake and eat it too!

Kudos to Anamika Sharma of madcookingfusions for sending in these  Petals Beetroot Semolina Cakes. These little treats are so pretty... you won't believe they are edible!!

Nupur from UK Rasoi has created an eclectic blend of ginger and almonds with her Almond Ginger Macaroons.

Rasya Srinath of Vegetarian Food & Me has also tried some Ginger-Almond Biscuits as healthy vegetarian   alternative to cookies.

Had my laptop been 3D, I would have licked Rathais's Butter cookies straight of the screen. The cookies seem to be waiting to go in the mouth and melt into their buttery bliss.. Don't believe me, believe this pic!

Pradnya has also presented this vibrant Berry Souffle, an accidental surprise of delightful strawberry and raspberry.

Gayathri of Gayathri's Cook Spot sends these cute Vanilla and Chocolate Pops. A very creative and delicious   method to use those omnipresent left-over cake crumbs

Another innovative and practical entry is this gorgeous Banofee Pie by Umm Mymoonah of Taste of Pearl City. Ever since I've seen this recipe I am thinking Umm.......yummmm yummmm!

Nupur of UK Rasoi gives the traditional kheer (rice pudding) a healthy twist with her Brown Rice Carrot Kheer. A healthy and innovative pudding worth bookmarking immediately.

Princy of Spoonful of my Spicyfoood has sent in some crunchy Banana strawberry muffins. Just what I needed to make my day.

Resh of Daily Cuppa has share her recipe for the perfect tea time treat. This simple, soft and moist Butter Cake is a sure keeper

This hog-a-licious Chocolate Molten Lava Cake by AnzzCafe is simply to die for. A classic at its best!

Sravani of Srav's Culinary Concepts has sent in these delicious heart-shaped Nutella Brownies. This is a healthy "instant" dessert made with all handy ingredients. If chocolate is an aphrodisiac, then these brownies are just the recipe to make good evenings great...

More sweet treats from Vardhini- these little Jaffa Cakes hide the lovely surprise of soft jelly beneath a hard chocolate shell... Oh! how I am drooling over this one..

Kavi from Edible entertainment shares this easy Eggless Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
 Perfect for all those times when you are craving a mouthful but don't wan't to work too hard for it.

Kitchenkemistry's Cheryl has once again created some valentine magic with her Pink Lamingtons - Valentine's Day Treat. Try it to know it :).

Princy Vinoth of Spicy Food celebrates the valentine love with this refreshing Strawberry Yoghurt. My personal favourite for warm summer evenings.

Rathai from Rathai's Recipes has sent in a Dodol / dhodal, a rich, jelly sweetmeat of Malay origins, that has somehow managed to remain the best-kept secret of Malaysia

Srilekha shares the authentic moon-shaped Chandra-Kantalu and delectable Cashew Laddu on Sri's Cooking.

Deepa from Hamaree Rasoi made these yummy Eggless Wholewheat Cookies to share last christmas

Sudha from Malaysian Delicacies has shared this lovely French Vanilla Chocolate Brownies. For all those who love Chocolate, Vanilla and all things French, this one surely does the trick.

Each time I see the pride young mothers take in their little ones, I am bowled over yet again. Pradnya of The Pumpkin Farm shares a recipe of Cake Pops she prepared for her son's birthday. I am sure all the kids were delighted.

Sravani of Srav's Culinary Concepts has made these Chocolate Cookies from Wilton's Cookie cutter. An entertaining project for kids and grown ups alike :).

And so ends the Round-up to Love-Lock with sweets Part-2. Time to stop drooling and go back to some hands-on cooking guys!