Aval / Poha payasam

Easy & delicious payasam best for any seasons.

Ingredients :

1. Aval - 1/4 cup
2. Sugar - 1/2 cup or to taste
3. Ghee - 1 tbsp
4. Milk - 1 cup (or little more)
5. Powdered cardamom - 1/4 tsp
6. Nuts (Cashewnuts, almonds ) - 1 tbsp (Ground to fine paste)
7. Condensed milk - 2 tbsp
8. Saffron strands - 2 nos (optional)

Direction to cook :

1.   Roast the aval / poha in the ghee.  Add sugar & milk.  Bring it to boil & cook till done.

2.   Now add the cardamom powder, condensed milk, nuts paste & saffron strands.

Serve warm or cold.

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Eggless chocolate cake with chocolate cream icing

This is a perfect moist eggless chocolate cake with rich and creamy chocolate icing, for the chocolate lovers.

Ingredients :

1. All purpose flour - 1 cup
2. Baking powder -  1/2 tsp
3. Baking soda - 1 tsp
4. Unsweetened cocoa powder - 6 tbsp
5. Granulated sugar - 3/4 cup
6. Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup
7. Hot coffee - 1/4 cup ( 1 tsp of coffee in 1/4 cup hot water)
8. Milk - 1/4 cup
9. Yogurt - 1/4 cup
10. Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

For Icing :

1. Whipping cream - 500 ml
2. Powdered sugar to taste (I used arround 5 tbsp)
3. Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp (Sieved)
4. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
5. Glazed cherries for decoration

Direction to bake :

1.   Preheat the oven at 170 C and line up the baking pan with parchment paper.

2.   Sieve together the flour, baking powder, baking soda & cocoa powder. 

3.   Mix together the vegetable oil, hotcoffee, milk, yoghurt, vanilla extract & granulated sugar.

4.   Combine both dry and wet ingredients on low speed.  Bake it for 30 mins or until done.  Cool the cake completely.

For Icing  :

5.   Whisk the whipping cream along with powdered sugar until spreadable consistency and slowly mix the cocoa powder & vanilla essence.

6.  Now sandwich the icing between the cake & over the cake.  Decorate it with the glazed cherries.

Happy baking.

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Aloo jeera

Very easy to make & taste perfect with rice.  I like to serve this with curd rice in my busy days.  It taste really great and awesome traditional Indian dish.

Ingredients :

1. Potatoes -  4 medium sized
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
4. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
5. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
6. Red chillies - 2 nos
7. Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp
8. Onion - 1 no
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Red chilly powder to taste
11. Corriander powder - 1 tsp
12. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
13. Salt to taste

Direction to cook :

1.   Boil the potatoes & dice them.  Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, curry leaves and chopped onions.  Saute till tender.

2.   Add turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and salt.  Saute.

3.   Add red chilly powder, corriander powder, cumin powder & little water.  Saute till cooked.

4.   Add the potatoes & saute.  If needed, garnish it with finely chopped corriander leaves.

Ready to serve.

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Toor Dal Chapathi / Roti

My plan was to  make a plain rotis for the dinner yesterday.  But, I had some leftover boiled dal & finally made this delicious dal rotis which taste great with spicy and hot tomato chutney.  Very healthy & protein rich rotis perfect for everyone.

Ingredients :

1. Whole wheat flour - 1 1/2 cup
2. Boiled toor dal - 1/4 cup
3. Chilly powder - 1 1/2 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt to taste

Direction to cook :

1.  Mix all the ingredients together and knead the dough with water.  Keep aside for 1/2 hr.

2.   Divide the dough into equal balls & roll them like disc shape.  Cook them on preheated pan on either side until done.

Serve it with hot tomato chutney.

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Spinach medhu vadai

Medhu vadai is the most popular snack prepared especially during festival seasons.  We can serve it with sambar and chutney or else with yoghurt.  By adding spinach to this dish, it makes little healthy.

Ingredients :

1. Chopped spinach - 1 cup
2. Urad dal - 1 cup
3. Onion - 1 no
4. Green chillies - 2 nos
5. Black peppercorns - 1/2 tsp
6. Coconut pcs - 1 tbsp
7. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
8. Corriander leaves - 1 tsp
9. Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
10. A pinch of hing
11. Salt to taste
12. Oil for deep frying

Direction to cook :

1.   Soak the urad dal for one hour & grind them without adding water.

2.   To the batter add finely chopped onions, spinach, green chillies, peppercorns, cumin seeds, hing, corriander leaves, ginger paste, coconut pieces & salt to taste.

3.   Heat the oil in the frying pan, apply some water in your palm and take a small ball of batter and shape it like dougnut and make a hole in the middle & deep fry them till crispy and done.  

Serve warm with sambar and chutney.

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Melting Moments

Very interesting & easy to bake and taste just delicious with a cup of tea.  And I tired this recipe from Joy of Baking  & was just perfect for kids party.  

Ingredients :

1. All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups
2. Cornflour - 1/2 cup
3. Salt - 1/4 tsp
4. Icing sugar - 1/4 cup
5. Unsalted butter - 1 cup
6. Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
7. Icing sugar for topping

Direction to bake :

1.   Preheat the oven at 180 C.  Line the baking pan with the parchment paper.

2.   Sieve together flour, cornflour & salt.

3.   Beat the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.  Beat in vanilla extract.

4.   Add the flour mixture & beat until well combined.

5.   Cover & refrigerate the dough for one hr until firm.

6.  Divide the dough & form them into balls and place them in the prepared baking sheets.  Bake it for 15 mins or until done.

7.  Allow it to cool for 5 mins & sprinkle the icing sugar over the cookies.  Store it in the air tight container for longer use.

Serve with tea.

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Savoury biscuits - Diamond cuts

One of my favourite snack from my childhood days.  I love to have it either sweet or savoury kind.  And this time I made savoury which serves as a perfect snack for the kids.  It's crunchy & tasty :)

Ingredients :

1. All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 cup
2. Salt to taste
3. Sesame seeds (optional) - 1 tsp
4. Oil - 1 tbsp plus for frying
5. Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
6. Water for kneading

Direction to cook :

1.   Mix together the flour, salt, sesame seeds, red chilly powder & hot 1 tbsp oil.  Knead the dough & keep aside.

2.   Meanwhile heat the oil in the deep frying pan.  Divide the dough into equal balls.

3.   Roll the dough like chapathi (or like CD) & cut them like a diamond shape using the sharp knife or pizza cutter.

4.   Fry the diamond cuts in the oil till crispy and light golden brown in color.

5.   Store it in the air tight container for longer use.

Enjoy the snacks:)

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Rava Ladoo - Easy version

This is my favourite sweet from my childhood.  And this is one of my sweet dish which I often make during the festival season.  This is healthy & good for kids, as it contains semolina, nuts, ghee & milk.  Good way of starting the festival celebration with this delicious sweets :) 

Ingredients :

1. Semolina / Rava - 1 cup
2. Milk - 1/4 cup
3. Water - 1/4 cup
4. Sugar -  3/4 cup
5. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Cashewnuts, raisins, others - 1/4 cup
7. Ghee - 2 tbsp

Direction to make :

1.   Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in the pan and roast the semolina till light brown in color.

2.   Add sugar & mix it well over the low flame.

3.   Add roasted nuts, cardamom powder & mix well.

4.   Slowly add the milk and water, mix well & switch off the flame.  Allow the rava mixture to cool slightly.

5.   Apply some ghee in your hands and make ladoos.

6.   Store it in air tight container and will stay for a week.



Happy Diwali :)

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Rajma masala

Rajma most popular north indian dish served with plain rice or with rotis & parathas.  This is spicy, flavourful, aromatic & nutricious signature dish made by pressure cooking the kidney beans and mixed with masala.  It taste simply out of the world :)

Ingredients :

1. Red kidney beans - 1 cup
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Butter - 1 tbsp
4. Onion - 1 no
5. Tomato puree - 1 cup
6. Garam masala - 1 tsp
7. Corriander powder - 1 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Green chillies - 2 nos
10. Chilly powder to taste
11. Kasturi methi - 1 tbsp
12. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
13. Corriander leaves for garnishing

Direction to cook :

1.   Soak the red kidney beans overnight and pressure cook it in the salted water.

2.   Heat oil in the pan, add finely chopped onions and saute.

3.   Add turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, green chillies & tomato puree.

4.   Add chilly powder, corriander powder, garam masala, kasturi methi & cooked kidney beans.  Add enough water to adjust the thickness of the gravy.  Add salt & garnish it with corriander leaves.

Serve warm.

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Sprouted Moong dal salad

Simple, healthy, nutricious & easy way of adding good food in our daily routine.  If you dont have time to make the moong dal sprouts, just soak it & mix with other ingredients and serve.  It taste good too:)

Ingredients :

1. Sprouted moong dal - 1 cup
2. Grated carrot - 1/2 cup
3. Chopped cucumber - 1/4 cup
4. Salt to taste
5. Lime juice - 1 tbsp
6. Black pepper powder to spice
7. Dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Chaat masala - 1/4 tsp (optional)

Direction to mix :

1.  Soak the moong dal for a day & drain the water and cover it.  Next day we can see sprouted dal.  

2.  Mix together all the ingredients.  Adjust the salt & spice taste accordingly.

Serve immediately or chill.

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Rice Payasam

Happy Dasera to the viewers.  Rice payasam most popular Indian sweet pudding can be served either warm or cold.  I make it more rich by reducing the milk to half the quantity and adding nuts to taste.  If you want the lighter version you can skip the process of reducing the milk to half and just boil it along with the rice and cook till done.  Even condensed milk can be added to the payasam for more taste.  Wonderful & delicious sweet perfect for this season.

Ingredients :

1. Basmati rice - 1/4 cup
2. Milk - 4 cups
3. Sugar to taste
4. Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Saffron strands - few 
6. Roasted cashew nuts - 1 tbsp
7. Ghee - 1 tbsp

Direction to cook :

1.   Heat ghee in the pan, add rice & fry till light golden brown in color.  Allow to cool.

2.   Coarsely grind the rice & keep aside.

3.   Boil the 4 cups of milk till it becomes 2 1/2 cup.  Add the rice & cook.

4.   Add the sugar, cardamom powder, roasted nuts & saffron strands.

Serve warm or cold.

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Nut Balls - Very Healthy

"Nuts ball a day keeps the doctors away"

There is no specific ingredient list for making this healthy and nutricious nut balls.  All kind of nuts like cashewnuts, almonds, pista, wallnuts, hazelnuts, etc., and dry fruits like raisins, dates, prunes, etc., can be used for this preparation.  Every time I try to add some seasonal nuts and fruits to this mixture.  Honey helps in binding all the nuts together and add more flavour to the mixture.  This needs to be stored in the air tight container & a tsp of nuts mixture is good to be served in everyday mornings.  

Ingredients :

1. Nuts ( Any kind)
2. Dry fruits (Any kind)
3. Dates
4. Honey 

Direction to Mix :

1.   Chop the nuts, dry fruits and dates to tiny pieces. 

2.  Mix together the chopped nuts and  honey.  Store in the air tight container.

Serve a spoon of nuts mixture everyday morning.

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Kothamalli Thokku (Corriander leaf paste)

I'm back with most comfort and excited dish which plays more prominant role in my kitchen every lazy days.  Fresh corriander leaves are used for this preparation and grinded along with the spices.  This can be refrigerated for a week or more.  Add a proportionate measure of kothamalli thokku to the rice and mix well- It taste simply delicious.  Can serve with dosai and idly too.

Ingredients :

1. Corriander leaves - 1 bunch
2. Tamarind - lime sized
3. Black gram (urad dal) - 1 tbsp
4. Jaggery - 1 tsp
5. Chilly powder to spice
6. Salt to taste
7. Gingilli oil

Direction to cook :

1.   Dry roast the urad dal.  Keep aside.

2.   Heat oil in the pan, add corriander leaves and salt to taste.  Allow to cool.

3.   Grind together the corriander leaves and urad dal together to smooth paste.

4.   Heat oil in the pan, add the grounded paste, tamarind juice, red chilly powder,  filtered jaggery water & cook over the low heat till oil seperates.

Serve it with rice, idly and dosai.

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Shaku Shaku Chicken Curry

Easy and very fast to make this delicious chicken curry.  Perfect side dish for both rice and rotis. 

Ingredients :

1. Chicken - 1 Kg
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Cinnamon stick - 1 no
4. Cloves - 2 nos
5. Cardamom - 1 no
6. Onion - 2 nos
7. Tomaotes - 2 nos
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
10. Chilly powder to taste
11. Corriander powder - 1 tbsp
12. Corriander leaves for garnishing
13. Salt to taste

Direction to cook :

1.   Heat oil in the pressure cooker, add cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom.

2.   Add finely chopped onions and then turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste.

3.   Add finely chopped tomatoes and salt to taste.

4.   Add chilly powder and corriander powder and finally the chicken pieces.

5.   Pressure cook the chicken curry  till done.  Garnish it with corriander leaves.

Serve it with rice or rotis.

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Eggless Pineapple upside down cake

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Perfect cake for kids party :)
Ingredients :

1. All purpose flour - 2 cups
2. Butter - 100 gms
3. Pineapple slices - canned
4. Baking powder - 1 tsp
5. Baking soda - 1 tsp
6. Sweetened condensed milk - 1 tin (400 gms)
7. Sugar for caramalizing - 5 to 6 tbsp
8. Cherries for garnishing

Method :

1.   Preheat the oven to 180 C.  Grease the baking pan and keep aside.

2.   Heat sugar in the pan till it melts and becomes brown.  Pour hot caramel in the prepared baking pan.  Now arrange the pineapple slices & cherries over the caramel.   Keep aside.

3.   Sieve the flour, baking powder and baking soda. 

4.   Cream the butter and add the milkmaid.  Mix well.

5.   Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.  Pour the batter over the arranged pineapples and bake it for 35 / 40 mins or until done.

Serve with tea.

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Corriander leaf Podi - Perfect with rice

Every weekend lunch always starts with this delicious podi mixed in rice with a tsp of ghee.  Sometimes, I use this for dosa & idlies too. Very easy to make & comfort dish too :)

Ingredients :

1. Urad dal - 1 cup
2. Channa dal - 1/2 cup
3. Red chillies - 11 nos
4. Poppy seed - 1 tbsp
5. Dessicated coconut - 2 tbsp
6. Corriander leaves - 1 large bunch
7. Tamarind - 1 inch round shape
8. Salt to taste

Method :

1.  Dry roast all the ingredients seperately (Do not use oil). 

2.  Mix all the roasted ingredients together & cool. 

3.  Grind them along with the salt to the fine powder.

Serve with rice & ghee.

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Tomato Curry - Perfect side dish for rotis

 Simple, easy, delicious & my comfort side dish which taste absolutely perfect with rotis.

Ingredients :

1. Tomatoes - 5 nos
2. Salt to taste
3. Oil - 1 tbsp
4. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
5. Urad dal - 1 tsp
6. Green chillies - 3 to 4 nos (to spice)
7. A pinch of hing
8. Salt to taste
9. Corriander leaves for garnishing

Direction to Cook :

1.   Cube the tomatoes & keep aside.

2.   Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, hing & green chillies.

3.   Add the chopped tomatoes & salt to taste.  Cook until done.

4.   Garnish it with corriander leaves.

Serve it with rotis.

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