Hung Curds Sandwich | Sandwich with Hung Curds Dip

We are starting the Blogging Marathon 8th Edition today. You can check on the participating bloggings in Blogging Marathon Page. As with other editions, I wanted to come up with themes that are challenging. I hope the bloggers take up the challenging themes and entertain us with amazing recipes.

I have chosen to do Cooking without fire for Kids. This is going to be the theme for this month's Kid's Delight hosted by Kamalika. I wanted to make sure I send in my share of entries. So took it up for the BM, which will force me to do the posts naturally.

For the theme, if you are using milk/curds, it is assumed that you already have boiled milk or set curds..:)

I sat really hard trying to make dishes that are kid friendly yet that can be made without cooking. I hope you enjoy these recipes and try out for your kids. As with all kids, all these recipes are not every kid's favorite. I have found that not all my three kids like the same dish. There are couple of dishes that are favorites of all three. Other ones which are liked by Konda and Peddu. Especially the recipes with bread, Chinnu makes sure he stays away.

So you will have to experiment with your kid and arrive at those dishes that they end up eating always.

For the first day, I decided to make sandwich with Hung Curds dip.

Hung Curds Dip

Curds / Yogurt - 1/2 cups

Pepper powder - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

For the sandwich

Bread Sandwich - 4 slices 

How to make Hung Curds Dip

Place the curds on the sieve and let it stand for 15 - 20 mins. The whey water will all be come out. If you want you can keep it for longer time.

Mix in pepper powder and salt, beat well to get a creamy dip. 

Trim the bread slices and spread the dip on the sandwiches and serve.

Lot of variations can be done with the dip, you can use different flavours.

Sending this to Kamalika, who is hosting this month's edition of Kid's Delight, themed on No Fire Cooking for Kids.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#8

Kids Lunch Box - Ideas for Sandwich fillings

Konda loves sandwiches. She can live on them for all three meals. There was a period when she was so crazy about Dosas. she would want Dosas for all three meals, then next year it got shifted to bread. It had to be with bread all the time. As with most south Indian families, I get to hear this sentiment being expressed often. Comments such as she eats only bread and nothing else. Somehow breakfast for elders at home, always meant eating Idlis, Dosas, Pongal or at least Pooris. But never anything with bread. One eats bread only when not keeping well. I have given up explaining that bread is recommended diet during illness because it is so healthy.

Anyway cutting the story short, I decided I would at least make it very filling and wholesome to avoid such complains.

With my boys, they eat their breakfast at school, so it will anyways be either dosa, aloo paratha, poha. Since Peddu loves Cheese Sandwich and Jam, I send that for him, while Chinnu takes Dosas with Sugar. Yes he is so fond of the sugar combo, I know it's bad to give in, but well I guess they will grow out of it. Also the amount of energy spent will balance that empty calorie going in.

When it comes to Konda's weekly menu, I try to mostly plan her meals. I always stock bread as it's easy to get her eat this. But when she plans a menu, she makes sure she eats. While Nutella, Cheese spread and Jam are her favorite fillings for bread, I also make Cheese toast, aloo stuffed, Paneer stuff for her bread fillings.

I decided that I should collect some ideas and try them myself. These ideas are collected from various sources, GDM members, recipe clippings. I thank them all for saving Moms in distress..:)

I often get emails from readers asking for menu help and ideas, I thought sharing these ideas on the blog will help many others.

Please do share your idea, if it's not already listed here.

Kids love food served in different shapes. I think they love those heart shaped, circle shaped ones. So you can cut out using cutters and make them sandwiches.

If you want to make a bunny, you can use carrot for ears, raisin eyes etc

Vegetarian Fillings

Sweet Fillings:

Peanut butter Jam
Peanut butter with some banana rings and little honey.
With Buttered bread slices with Honey, Banana slices
Toasted Bread with butter and Jam
With Nutella, Banana rings
Lightly grilled apple slices, honey and cottage cheese
Condensed milk

Savory Fillings

With Buttered bread slices with a layer of green pesto sauce and slices of tomatoes and cucumber
With Buttered bread slices with Hummus, Tomato, Cucumber slices, Salt and pepper if required
Cheese, Tomato, Cucumber
Cream Cheese with sautéed vegetables
Hummus, Grated Carrot, Cucumber
Tomato, Mozzarella, Avocado
Plain cheese sandwich
Potato cheese sandwich- Potatoes cubed very small and sautéed with little salt & pepper.
Carrot sandwich (Grated carrot sautéed with salt, chilli powder, onion)
Cheese, Cucumber with Salt and pepper
Cheese, Tomato  with Salt and pepper
Cheese (pepper jack) and mustard
Butter, Garlic spread, Italian herbs and cheese
Green Chutney with Cucumber
Green Chutney with Cucumber, boiled potatoes
Garlic chutney
Mint chutney
Garlic relish, hummus
Sautéed Onions, Green Chilies and salt
Cheese with sautéed onions, chilis.
Grated Cheese, Chili Flakes and salt
Pizza Sandwiches

Non Vegetarian Filling

Cheese and Ham
Turkey and Cheese
BLT sandwich
Turkey, Lettuce and Mayo
Turkey, Cheese, Tomato and Cucumber
Butter/hard boiled egg,
Butter/scrambled egg
Tuna melt
Ham and cheese/salami and cheese
Egg salad
Eggs and cheese
Turkey slices and cheese with ketchup
Leftover Chicken
Shredded Chicken
French toast
French Toast Sandwich.

Club Sandwiches

Layer of pesto on one slice, a layer of sun dried tomato spread on another. A few tomato slices, and some greens, and a slice of pepperjack cheese. grill and wrap it in foil.
Butter/Green Chutney/Ketchup/Cheese slice
Boiled Potatoes, Grated Beets, Cucumber, Green Chutney

Leftover Subjis

Aloo Sabji
Rajma Masala
Channa Masala
Dals

Basically all vegetable curries can be stuffed if you sauté them dry, spice them up a bit and stuff between.

The sandwiches can be served plain, grilled, toasted on pan, or sandwich maker.

We now have a wide variety of cheese spreads seasoned with spices available. They make a great filling for a quick bite.

I think I covered almost everything, but then you never know. I would love to know and expand this list with more ideas I may have missed out here. Please do share them.

Other Quick Recipes for sandwiches fillings - Ideas for Sandwich Stuffing

Ideas for Kid School Lunches | Weekly Menu Recipes | Ideas on Healthy Snacks for Kids

 

Carrot Paratha | Quick Lunch Box for Kids | Announcing Kid's Delight - Holiday Special!

Carrot Paratha was something that Amma had made for Konda during my SFO trip. I had asked Konda to decide on a menu for her lunch during my absence so that lunch packing gets easy and stress free for Athamma or Amma, whoever was planning to make.

When I came back both of them were telling me of this carrot paratha that Amma had made for Konda's lunch. It came during discussion one too many times. Still I never came around making it. Finally today though it was a Saturday they were working because of Children's Day celebration. So I had to plan for both snacks and lunch.

Boys also had their sports day celebrations. Chinnu won first place in running race, while Peddu was part of the Relay team. Apart from these Chinnu was in the Bunny March. We were so upset that we couldn't send Peddu for the March as he is still weak. But we all went  for  the program. Both the boys were given their medals, which they wore through the whole day.

So in all that hurry, I managed to make these Carrot Paratha for Konda's lunch. Amma told me that the grated carrots have to be sauteed before mixing in the flour.

Let's see how these are made!

 Grate the carrots, heat a pan with 1 tsp oil, saute cumin seeds, carrot, coriander leaves

Saute few minutes along with Salt to taste, Chilli powder and garam masala

 Mix the masala to the flour

 Knead into a soft dough using little water as required.

 Dust well and roll out into a big paratha. Cut out using mould you have into small parathas.

Heat a pan, grease with oil. Cook these on both sides.

Cook as many as your kids eats, allow to get cool if the lunch is going to be cold one.

Pack it right away..This stays very good till evening, I haven't tried beyond that. You don't require a side dish along with this if you are serving to kids.

Ingredients Needed:

Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Water for kneading

For Masala

Carrots, grated - 1 long
Coriander leaves handful
Salt to taste
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp

Method to prepare:

Grate the carrots, chop the coriander leaves.

Heat a pan with 1 tsp oil, add the cumin seeds. Then add the grated carrots, coriander leaves along with chili powder, salt and garam masala.

Saute for few minutes until the carrots are slightly gets cooked.

In a wide bowl, take the flour, add salt and the masala. Mix well.

Slowly add the water to knead into a soft dough.


Dust with flour and roll out into a big paratha. Cut out into small parathas.

Heat a tawa, grease with oil. Cook the parathas on both sides.

Pack the parathas for the kid's lunch.

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I know the Kid's Delight Finger Food Round up is still pending but somehow things just went on. Will be doing it next week. Meanwhile, please send in this month's theme entries.


Announcing this month's Kid's Delight theme is which Holiday Special

Please check out the rules and send in your entries either through the entry form or through email to spicingyourlife@gmail.com by 15th December 2010.


By Holiday Special it means you can send in any special dish that you may prepare for your children for the Holidays! It is all your innovation in play

Looking forward to your entries.

Microwave Grilled Sandwich | Microwave Convection Oven Recipe | Step By Step Recipes

The current fancy for Konda is bread. While couple of years back it was Dosa any time of the day, the last two years it has been bread. She can eat anything with bread and anytime. That leaves me trying out different combination. This grilled sandwich is something I made for her breakfast. It gets done quickly. Of course on a stove top it is much quicker. But the ease of Microwave is different!

I made the stuffing with simple onions, tomatoes and capsicum in the microwave. Grilled the bread in the grill mode.

Chop all the vegetables as juliennes.

In a microwave safe bowl, add oil

Add all the vegetables along with salt . Micro for 5 mins

Then remove, stir well, add red chili powder.

Micro again for 5 mins

Check if lot of moisture is released. If so, micro for another 5 mins.

Spread the butter on both sides, grill for 2 mins each side

Scoop the stuffing and place on top of one grilled bread.

Press the other bread over the stuffing. Press firmly and grill again for 2 mins.

Serve with tomato sauce.

Microwave Grilled Sandwich

Onions - 1 medium
Tomatoes - 1 medium
Capsicum - 1/2 medium
Salt to taste
Red Chili powder as per taste
Oil - 1 tsp
Butter - 2 tsp
Bread Slices - 8

Method to prepare:

In a microwave safe bowl, take all the finely chopped vegetables. Micro for 10 mins. Once done, check for water. If it has more moisture, micro for 5 more mins.

For grilling the slices, change to grill mode. Spread the butter on both sides of the bread. Grill for 2 mins on one side. Then flip to the other side for 2 more mins.

Once the slices are grilled well, place the stuffing on one side, press the other slice over it. Grill again for 2 mins.

Serve small bite size sandwiches with tomato sauce.

Quick Recipes for Sandwiches Fillings | Ideas for Kid's Breakfasts

I have always loved Sandwiches. I don't actually remember since when. But these always made a dull morning very bright and an evening to look forward. I have always wanted to try out as many different fillings to go between those slices, no matter what.

I love cheese stuffing and including other interesting ingredients with this makes it more interesting. When my nephew and nieces visited us, I was specially asked for a sandwich breakfast, especially with cheese and paneer. So it was. I made them in sandwich maker, which really gives a cool look and makes it very crispy.

I made the tomato sauce for the spread for some, grated cheese. The other alternative fillings were curried potatoes, paneer, Plain cheese with green chilies, Cheese slices, Mixed Fruit Jam etc. Before I could even think of taking pictures, those disappeared. But I knew I would be making those again since Konda loves sandwiches.

This time round I make some more fillings to go with.

Potato Filling

Boiled Potatoes - 2 medium
Salt to taste
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil 1/2 tsp

Mash boiled potato well. Heat oil in a non- stick pan, add the potatoes, add all the spices, mix well. remove and allow it to cool.

Curried Onions

Onions - 1 medium

Salt to taste

Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Saute everything in oil over medium flame till the onions are brown.

Grated Cheese with finely chopped Green chilies.

Curried Paneer

Grated Paneer - as required

Onions - 1 medium
Salt to taste

Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Same as onions, add the grated paneer along.

Mint Potato Stuffing

Make a paste of the mint leaves. Saute it along with the above potato stuffing.

Assembling the Sandwiches

In the sandwich maker, grease both sides. Fill the bread with the stuffing, grease the sides with ghee/ butter and cook it.

Then if you want cheese over it, spread the filling on the slices, top it with grated cheese and then grill it.
It takes about 3-4 mins for the sandwiches to get done.

Serve with tomato ketchup!

Though these normally tastes good to be served right away, you can always send these for your Kid's snacks which might be earlier than lunch.

My kids enjoyed all the fillings, except the chili ones which I made for the elders at home.

Do share other fillings that you make.