Pineapple kesari

Pineapple kesari is most popular & easy to make indian sweets.  Perfect dessert for kids & hosting surprise guests.  Addition of pineapple & essence gives more flavour & taste to the sweet.  Its my all time favourite.  Sometimes i make this even without the  pineapple chunks, yet it taste great.   

Ingredients :

1. Rava / sooji / semolina - 1/2 cup
2. Sugar - 3/4 cup (or 1/2 cup)
3. Ghee - 2 tbsp
4. Nuts (Cashewnuts, raisins, almonds) - 1/4 cup
5. Pineapple essence - 1/2 tsp
6. Chopped pineapple (either fresh or canned) - 2 tbsp
7. Cardamom powder - a pinch (optional)
8. Water - 1 1/2 cups

Direction to cook :

1.   Heat ghee in the frying pan, add the nuts & roast the rava till light golden brown in color.

2.   Add sugar & continue roasting for 2 more mins.  

3.   Meanwhile, warm the water & add it to the roasted rava.  Add pineapple essence & chopped pineapples.  Cover & cook till done.

4.  Finally, add cardamon powder.  Sprinkle some nuts & serve.

Enjoy :)

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Fried fish in hot & spicy masala

Fish fry is my all time favourite side dish with sambar rice.  Sometimes, it becomes my main course as well.  I cant resist myself from tasting it immediately once cooked.  Any kind of fish can be used for this preparation.   Proportion of black peppercorns & chilly powder is adjusted according to the taste.  I like hot & spicy dishes.  And this is the perfect dish during my stressed weekdays.  Trust me it taste simply superb :)
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Ingredients :

1. Sankara meen (Red snapper fish) - 6 slices
2. Onion - 4 nos
3. Curry leaves - hanful
4. Black peppercorns - 1 tsp
5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp (as per ur taste)
7. Tamarind pulp (thick) - 1 tsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Oil for frying
10. Finely chopped corriander leaves for garnishing

Direction to cook :

1.   Grind the onions, curry leaves, black peppercorns & salt together to smooth paste.

2.   Add tamarind pulp, red chilly powder & turmeric powder to the ground onion paste.

3.   Clean & marinate the sliced fishes in the onion mixture for atleast one hour. 

4.   Heat the pan & shallow fry the fishes on low flame on all sides.

5.   Sprinkle some corriander leaves before serving.

Serve with rice. 

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Carrot Cake

Carrot cake is healthy & perfect for kids.  Best way to eat the vegetables  !!!  It even has walnuts which is the good source of calcium.   I like to have this with a cup of tea.  It is incredibly dense, moist & flavourful.  Perfect for birthday parties too.  It taste awesome.

Ingredients :

1. Grated carrot - 3 cups
2. All purpose flour  - 2 cups
3. Refined oil - 1 cup
4. Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
5. Cashewnut (or) Walnut - 1 cup (toss in flour)
6. Baking powder - 1 tsp
7. Baking soda - 1 tsp
8. Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
9. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
10. Eggs - 3 nos

Direction to bake :

1.   Sift flour, cinnamon powder, baking powder & baking soda together.  

2.   Beat eggs well.  Add all other ingredients one by one and beat thoroughly.

3.   Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Pour into a greased tin and bake for 1 hour at 180 C till brown on top.

Serve with custard or cream.

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