OMKAR 2011- "Taste of Columbus" Cooking Contest

For the Ganesh Festival 2011(OMKAR 2011) in Columbus(Indiana), we had organized a cooking competition. I really enjoyed being a part of it and organizing it and more so.... judging it!! I got to taste some excellent food and experience a great deal of creativity shown by the participants. Some interesting recipes that were made for the competition and also some that won will be shared on the blog with the participants permission.

Here is the flyer for the competition:                                

  ‘The Taste of Columbus"

 Cooking Contest for OMKAR 2011

 When: September 4, 2011 

Where: Commons Mall

 

Categories: 

1)    U-pick and Dish-it-up

Mandatory Ingredient: Rava (Cream of wheat/Semolina/Sooji)

Optional Ingredients: (You pick 2 of the following)

a)        Corn

b)        Sugar/Jaggery/Honey

c)        Potato

d)        Apples

Create a dish using ‘Rava’ plus 2 of the ‘optional’ ingredients as main ingredients in the dish

(Other household ingredients like oil, butter, salt, spices, milk etc. may be used as needed)

*You can either make a ‘sweet’ or a ‘savory’ dish.

2)       2)Spice-Fusion

Use any one of following ‘Non-Indian’ ingredients to create an ‘Authentic/Traditional Indian dish’

a)        Tofu

b)        Ricotta Cheese

c)        Oats

d)        Zucchini

(Other household ingredients like oil, butter, salt, sugar, spices, nuts, vegetables, milk etc. may be used as needed)

3)       3)For the ‘Little Connoisseurs’ (Nutritious but Delicious)

Create a ‘Nutritious Snack’ for kids with the ingredients of your choice.

*Rules for the Contest:

1) Dish should be completely prepared at home and arrive in time for the contest

2) Each entry/ dish should have a Name, Written recipe, Time of preparation, Nutritional value (if you know) along with it.

Judging Criteria:

a) Originality/ Creativity
b) Taste
c) Presentation
d) Nutrition value
e) Time consumed for preparation/ Ease of preparation

The winners received a certificate and an apron.Had fun making those at home! 

 

" For Little Tummies"- Oats and Peanut Butter laddos

 I had a jar of peanut butter sitting in the pantry.Now, I am not a big fan of having peanut butter with bread and was wondering how could I use this jar up??? I have used peanut butter to make the 'Thai' peanut sauce for dipping and for noodles before, but this was the first time I tried this recipe!

The combination of oats and peanut butter worked really well and the ladoo texture was pretty similar to the 'Besan' ladoos.Also, to make it even 'protein richer'...I sneaked in powdered Cashews-almonds and pistachios. Now that's a ladoo any kiddo will like!!!!

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cup powdered whole grain oats ( Quick cooking oats)
1/2 cup-1/3rd  powdered sugar (add more for sweeter ladoos)
1/4 cup peanut butter( with low sodium)
2tbsp Ghee/Clarified butter
1/4 cup powdered cashews-almonds-pistachios
1/2tsp cardamom powder
Almonds, raisins etc for decoration

Method:
1) Powder the 'whole grain quick cooking oats' in the mixer.
2) Roast the oats powder in 2 tbsp ghee till golden brown

3) Take off the heat.After it cools down completely, add the peanut butter, nuts powder, sugar, cardamom powder etc and knead into a dough

4) Roll into small balls/ladoos and decorate with almonds, raisins etc