Any One Can Cook : Series 23

Hello Everyone,

    This is the first week after the changes we have made for Any One Can Cook.  To read about the changes please click here.  From last week three recipes were selected to be featured for this week.  These three now have the chance to enter for the monthly featured posts and if they enter the monthly featured , they can possibly enter in the annual featured post and win this contest.  So let's have a look at the 3 recipes featured from last week, the recipes are selected based on the rules of the event.  Congratulations to the participants who got featured, all the other recipes were linked also great.  If you missed last week event check it out from here.

Watermelon Lassi by Palakkad Chamayal

Quick Mango Passion fruit pudding by Plateful

Cucumber Asparagus Tomato Roll by Mis pensmientos

If you have any recipes easy to cook, link to the event and get the chance of winning the award and gift.
If you are a new reader to this event please check the rules here

Archived recipes can be sent just by giving a link to the event in your post. Also don't forget to give a link about the event in your post.

If you find any trouble in linking your recipe please mail me your recipe link to ayeesha.riaz@googlemail.com.

So common let's make cooking easy.....

The linky will be opened from Monday- Friday( till midnight 12) according to Europe- Greenwich Mean Time

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Any One Can Cook : Series 22

Hello Foodies,
    I was really happy to see you all your entries last week and thank you everyone for linking your recipes with Any One Can Cook.  Just to spice up the event a little bit, I have decided to make some teeny tiny changes.

• Every week  at Any One Can Cook we have planned to select the best three recipes and those three recipes will be featured on my home page (Taste Of Pearl City) on the following week.  
• Among all the weekly featured recipes, three recipes will be featured every month.  
• Finally five recipes will be chosed from the monthly featured recipes by the end of this year and those five will be on voting to select the best one.  
• The winner who is voted best will be crowned as Queen Of Cooking by Taste of Pearl City and will receive a small gift from me as a token of appreciation

Note:  Please make sure to comply to the rules whilst submitting the recipe - so you do not miss the chance to be featured!

I would love to know your views and comments regarding this.   If you are a new reader to this blog, to read more about the event click here.

To view the previous series click here

Just remember a few rules before linking your recipe, your recipe should fall under any one of the following categories. When you are linking your recipe here, please give the short form as I have mentioned to make it easy for the readers. If your recipe falls under any of the two categories or all the three categories also you can mention it.  When you are linking if you forget to give the short form don't worry, no problem about that.

For Beginners- FB

With Less Ingredients- WLI

With Minimum amount of time- WMT

Archived recipes can be sent just by giving a link to the event in your post. Also don't forget to give a link about the event in your post.

If you find any trouble in linking your recipe please mail me your recipe link to ayeesha.riaz@googlemail.com.

So common let's make cooking easy.....

The linky will be opened from Monday- Friday( till midnight 12) according to Europe- Greenwich Mean Time

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Moroccan Harira

  Last year Ramadhan  still remains as fresh as a spring flower,  I  feel like just with a blink of eye we have reached this year Ramadhan, yes  the Holy month of Ramadhan is here in a month time.  Here is a soup which Moroccan's make specially during Ramadhan.

   Harira is a Moroccan soup served during Ramadhan and any special occasions.  It can be served as a meal by itself or you can also serve it as a starter.  Moroccan Cuisine is extremely diverse,  mostly influenced by Arab and Mediterranean cuisine.  When I think of Moroccan Cuisine the first thing which comes to my mind is Moroccan Tajine and when I think of Tajine's, the first think which I remember is , The tajine which I brought from Germany got broken :-(  Any way that's a different story , coming to Moroccan Cuisine, I love the sweetish and rich flavour of their  food.
  The large portion and their well presented food will be a real feast to your eyes when you sit and dine.  I followed this recipe from Cooking With Alia,  I love her recipes a lot . Do check her site for her yummy recipes.  I have made few changes from the original recipes.  Traditionally people use only vermicelli for Harira.  Since I didn't have vermicelli, I used some linguine pasta.  Which was not too bad, so the choice is yours.  Let's hit straight to the recipe now.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 40  minutes
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
Chicken- 200 gm( boneless chopped)
Canned Chickpeas- 200 gm
Vermicelli or pasta-   1 tbsp broken
Puy lentils- 1 tbsp
Tomatoes- 2 big sized( ground into puree)
Onion- 1 medium sized( finely chopped)
Coriander and mint leaves- 1 tbsp( chopped finely)
Grated ginger- 1 tsp
Chilli powder- 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon powder- 1/4 tsp
Vegetable stock- 1 litre
Flour- 1 tbsp
Oil- 1/2 tbsp
Salt - as required

Method:
Wash the puy lentils and soak in water for 1/2 an hour.   Take a large heavy bottomed pan, add  the oil, grated ginger and onion.  Fry it until the onion looks transparent.  Add the chicken, spices, chickpeas, lentils, vermicelli and tomato puree.  Finally add the stock and salt.  Cover the pan and let it boil for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Mix the flour with 2 tbsp of water, slowly add it into the soup.  Add the chopped coriander and mint leaves.  Finally add salt and pepper for taste .  Let it simmer until the soup looks slightly saucy and thick.
Serve the soup warm along with some crusty bread rolls.

Note:
If you couldn't get puy lentils, use masoor dhal or chana dhal.

This recipe goes to Souper Sundays and Savoury Sundays  and What's everyone having for Iftar

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Any One Can Cook : Series 21

Hello Foodies,
    Any One Can Cook is back again after a very long time.  Hopefully the good old bloggers still remember this event and show your kind support as always and fresh new bloggers welcome it cheerfully in the midst of your busy blogging schedules.
The rules still remain the same,  Any One Can Cook was first created to make cooking easy to everyone.
To read the details about the event click here.
To view the previous series click here

Just remember a few rules before linking your recipe, your recipe should fall under any one of the following categories. When you are linking your recipe here, please give the short form as I have mentioned to make it easy for the readers. If your recipe falls under any of the two categories or all the three categories also you can mention it.  When you are linking if you forget to give the short form don't worry, no problem about that.

For Beginners- FB

With Less Ingredients- WLI

With Minimum amount of time- WMT

Archived recipes can be sent just by giving a link to the event in your post. Also don't forget to give a link about the event in your post.

If you find any trouble in linking your recipe please mail me your recipe link to ayeesha.riaz@googlemail.com.

So common let's make cooking easy.....

The linky will be opened from Monday- Friday( till midnight 12) according to Europe- Greenwich Mean Time

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Nongu Paal (Palm Fruit Drink)

If it's different type of colourful berries in the west for summer, here in India we have plenty of tropical fruits like mangoes, jackfruit etc...  Among fruits if you ask me which is the best, I definitely can't.  Each fruit is unique and has it's own goodness.

 Yes you have unbearable heat in summer when it comes to tropical countries like India, but God  has also blessed them with abundant amount of fruits which cools down their body. The recipe which I made here is using palm fruit.  I'm sure atleast people from South India will be familiar with this fruit.   In summer people just crave for this fruit.  One thing which amazes me about this fruit is, palm tree is grown in extreme hot climate and the place where the tree grows is totally dry and looks like a dessert, actually not like a desert, it is a desert.   As you know palm tree grows in most of the dry desert regions, but  the fruit inside is high in water content and it also cools down your body, by which I'm amazed by this fruit.

When you go for a drive or walk in 40 degree C and come back home no matter how much bottle of water or juices you drink will not satisfy you.  But a glass of chilled palm fruit drink is a perfect thirst quencher.

  This recipe was strongly suggested by mom in law to publish in my blog but I made it in my mom's place and publishing it now.  Almost everyday  in summer this is a must in our mom in law's place and yeah I got the exact recipe from her.  Ever since I named my blog as Taste Of Pearl City, I never published any recipe to represent my home town and now I'm more than happy to publish the real Taste Of Pearl City , from Pearl City i.e my home town.

Recipe source: Mom-in-law and Mom
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes( Chilling time for 3 to 4 hours)
Serves 4

Ingredients:
Milk- 1/2 litre
Sugar or honey- according to your taste you can add to sweeten the milk
Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp
Rose water- 1/2 tsp
Palm fruit- 10
Pomegranate seeds- 1 tbsp( optional)
Rose- 1 ( optional)

Method:
Boil the milk along with cardamom powder and let it cool down completely.  Peel the palm fruit.  Blend 5 of the fruit in a blender and chop the remaining into small pieces. Add the pureed and chopped palm fruit, sugar or honey, rose water to the cooled milk and mix well until the sugar dissolves.
Pour the milk in a container and place it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.  Just before serving add some ice cubes and top it with pomegranate seeds and rose petals.
If you are not a big fan of pomegranate seeds and rose petals, you can omit it.  It taste absolutely perfect just on it's own.

Note:
I haven't mentioned the amount of sugar or honey, since different people use different amount of sweetness, you can vary it according to your taste.


This recipe goes to the following event,
Bookmarked recipes by Priya and Aipi,  Serve it chilled by Oh Taste N See, Kid's Delight - Cool Comfort by Seduce your Taste Buds originally started by Srivalli, Only Coolers and Mocktails by Simply Food started by Foodelicious, Fun N Sun by Tickling Palates, Seasonal Indulgence- Series Summer Coolers by Saffron Streaks  and What's Everyone having for Iftar

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Orange Ricotta Cake

I was so much determined not to blog until I get settled in one place, but I couldn't stop myself since I have some recipes on my hand.  I have recipes lying down in my draft which I made in Germany.  Once I leave them in my draft for certain period of time, I'll discard them since I'll start hating the picture which I took.  So if I prepare something and picture it, I have to publish it immediately or they lay back in my drafts forever.
   
 Just counting the days for us to move to our new place , once we move I'll get back to full blogging mode again, yay!

 Right coming to the recipe, as you all know I love the flavour of ricotta cheese.  Anything with ricotta is always a winner for me.  I wasn't quite sure if we'll be able to get ricotta cheese in India, so I made this cake while we were still in Germany.  Without any doubt I loved the flavours and texture. You can omit orange and add lemon, vanilla or any flavours of your choice.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Makes 8 slices

Ingredients:
Plain flour- 200 g
Butter- 100 g
Sugar- 165 g
Ricotta cheese- 150 g
Grated orange zest- 1/2 tsp
Orange juice- 1 tbsp
Eggs- 3
Baking powder- 2 tsp
Bicarbonate of soda- 1/4 tsp
Flaked almonds- 1 tbsp( optional)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 190 degree Celsius.  Grease and line a 20 cm round baking tray.  Cream together the butter and sugar until it looks light and creamy.  Add the eggs one by one and continue beating with a electric beater.  Add the ricotta cheese and beat until it blends together.
  Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda to the liquid mixture, along with that add the orange juice and grated orange zest.  Mix it with a wooden spatula until it's just combined.  Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tray and sprinkle the flaked almonds on top.  Bake it in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Serve the cake warm with whipped cream and fresh fruits.

Note:
If you couldn't find ricotta cheese in your area, replace it with fresh home made paneer which has wet consistency.

Also my apologies to all my dear bloggers who showered me with lots and lots of wonderful awards, it's been in pending for a long time.  I promise that I'll post it as early as possible which means I'll take an another month ;-)  Thank you all dear bloggers who passed me those lovely awards.

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AWED Roundup

  Hello Foodies,
        It's been nearly a month later I'm opening my blog and it makes me feel so good.  Ooops actually I forget to announce about my break.  For a long time I have been saying that we are moving to India and now we are finally in India . Yes we moved to India on March 31st, we haven't settled yet here.  I still have the tiredness of relocation , but when it comes to blogging I feel like I have got all my energy back.
   Although I wasn't blogging in the past few days, I was still going through all the blogs silently and good to see so many budding bloggers with yummy recipes. I have to say I'm still on my break in blogging but I don't want to delay the roundup for AWED too long.
  Although I requested with DK for the delay in the roundup, I know the viewers and participants will be eagerly waiting for the roundup, so here I'm with the roundup for AWED- Indian Cuisine.  As we all know AWED is started by DK and it features different cuisines every month.  For the month of March I got the opportunity for hosting AWED- Indian Cuisine.  Thank you DK for giving me this opportunity, it's been a real pleasure for me to host this event, we have received many wonderful entries from starter to dessert, so take your time to go through each and every recipe individually and enjoy the world of Indian Cuisine.

Starters

Starting from top left
1. Aloo kachodi by Priyanka
2. Aloo Tikki by Akshaya's recipes
3. Chana Chat by Curry leaf
4. Curd vadai by Harini
5. Dahi vada by Najla Khoya
6. Dal pakwan by Shoba
7. Dill masala vadai by Veena Krishna Kumar
8. Kaaraadai by Priya Sreeram
9. Kachori by Torviewtoronto
10. Kachori by Wit Wok and Wisdom
11. Kuzhipaniyaram by Harini
12. Masala vadai by Curry in Kadai
13. Papri chat by Srav's Culinary Concepts
14. Potham Panji by Priya Mahadevan
15. Spiced Superseed Porridge by Jane
16. Mint Ambode by The V Kitchen

1. Ulunda vadai by Gayathri Raani
2. Thavala adai by Kamakshi
3. Sweet potato ravioli by Archana

Maincourse:


Flatbreads

1. Beetroot paratha by Kurinji
2. Aloo paratha by Umm Mymoonah
3. Naan by Harini
4. Tandoori Naan by Savitha
5. Paneer Onion Kulcha by Harini

Rice:

1. Bisbelabath by Panchpakwan
2. Coconut Rice and Kaala Chole by Priya Mahadevan
3. Ghee rice by Ila's Kitchen
4. Ghee rice with raita and relish by Plateful
5. Hariyali Pulav by Shobha
6. Mushroom Briyani by Akshaya's recipes
7. Saffron rice by Dhyuthi
8. Tava pulav by Curry leaf
9. Vegetable pulav by Akshaya's recipes
10. Vegetable pulav by Anisha

Sides:

1. Achari aloo by Priya Suresh
2. Aloo methi ki subzi by Deepika
3. Dum Aloo by Wit Wok and wisdom
4. Amritsari Chole Poori by Priyanka
5. Avial by Plateful
6. Baby Potatoes in red coriander sauce by Jayashri
7. Bendakaya Gojju by Harini Jaya
8. Bharli Vangi by Priyanka
9. Braised eggplants in tamarind sauce by Saffron streaks
10. Chole masala by Raksha
11. Creamy egg curry by Yummy Tummy
12. Paneer Tikka Masala by Umm Mymoonah
13. Dahi Wale Aloo by Vandana Rajesh
14. Dal Makhani by Harini
16. Dal Makhani by Prathima Rao
17. Dal Makhani by Raji

1. Green Chilly pickle by Veggie Foodie
2. Hariyali Methi Chamman by Saffronstreaks
3. Hyderabadi mirchi ka salan by Saffron streaks
4. Idichakka thoran by Kaveri
5. Inji Puli by Plateful
6. Kadai Aloo Gobhi by Curry in Kadai
7. Kale dhal by Usha
8. Kolaurundaikulambu by Gayathriraani
9. Kulita Kabe randai by Akshaya's recipes
10.Lentil soup by Vidhya
11. Malai kofta curry by Akshaya's recipes
12. Mattar Paneer by Priya Suresh
13. More kuzhambu by Harini
14. Moth beans gravy by Jayashri
15. Palak aur kubani ka kofta by Deepika
16. Palak Paneer by Najla Khoya

1. Palak Paneer by Raksha
2. Paneer butter masala by Radhika
3. Peanuts and cilantro chutney by Curry Leaf
4. Peas sagu by Akshaya's recipes
5. Poondu Kuzhambu by Schmetterling words
6. Potato stew by Priya Sreeram
7. Radish Chickpea curry by Usha
8. Uppa heasaru by Curry Leaf
9. Varutharacha sambhar by Shri


Sweets and Desserts:

1. Barfi by Nayna
2. Dry Gulab Jamun by Harini
3. Gajar Ka Halwa by Najla Khoya
4. Gujiya by Priyanka
5. Gulab Jamun by Harini
6. Gulab Jamun by Mariam Abidha
7. Gulab Jamuns with fried ice cream by Najla Khoya
8. Healthy Barley dessery by Sangeetha
9. Kasi Halwa by South Indian Home

1. Malpua by Saffron streaks
2. Mango lasssi by Savitha
3. Mysorepak by Sojo Joshua Kottil
4. Phirni by Chandrani bannerji
5. Raagi halwa by Archy's Recipe book
6. Rasagulla by Harini
7. Rasagulla by Hasna
8. Rasmalai by Ila's Kitchen
9. Shai Tukre by Curry leaf
10. Rosette Cookies by Nayna
11. Strawberry Shrikand by Najla Khoya
12. Wholewheat pudding by Ankita Jain

Few entries which I missed in the chart

White Radish with chickpea and pumpkin by Sweetartichoke

Kanchipuram Idli by Kamakshi

Idly by Rani acharyulu

Venpongal by Harini

Haale Kadubu by The V Kitchen

Kadalai Manja Tarkari by Swetha

Thandai by Raji

Moong ki dhal by Prathima Rao
Thank you everyone for participating with AWED, I hope everybody enjoyed the roundup.  If I have missed any of your recipes, or mentioned the names wrongly, please let me know immediately so that I can make the correction. Once again thanks a lot for participating, see you all soon :)

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