Channa Bhatura

I was wanting to make channa bhatura for quite some time. So last weekend I tried it. I got the Bhatura recipe from Bawarchi.com. I made slight variation in the quantity. But it came out good. For the channa I read some where that tea leaves will give colour and nice aroma. It not only gave the colour and smell, I also felt that the curry was light. So here I am sharing it in my blog.

For Channa Curry

White chickpeas – 1 cup
Onion- 2
Tomato – 2
Tea leaves – 1 tsp
Ginger- small piece
Garlic -2 cloves
green chillis- 2-3
clove – 4-5
cinnamon stick – 1
Amchur pdr - 1/4 tsp
CorianderCuminpdr - 1 tsp
Channa masala pdr – 1 tsp
Ghee – 4 tsp
Coriander leveas

Method

1. Soak the chick peas for 4 hrs in warm water. Pressure cook it adding little salt.
2. Boil the tea leaves in water and keep it aside.
3. Cut 1 tomato and onion into small pieces. Fry it in 2 tsp ghee and keep it aside.
4. Cut 2^nd onion and fry it in 2 tsp ghee along with garlic,clove,cinnamon stick. Grind it with greenchillis, ginger and 1 tomato.
5. Mix the ground mixture to the fried onion and tomato. Put amchur pdr and coriander cumin pdr and cook it for 5 mnts. Add the cooked chickpeas and teawater to this. Add little water, 1 tsp masala pdr and cook it for 8-10 mnts. Add salt if necessary.

Garnish it with coriander leaves.

PS:You can tie the tealeavs ina cloth and put it along with the chickpeas also. Only that add that water for the gravy

For Bhatura

Maida(all purpose flour) – 3 cups
Cooking soda –1/2 tsp
Butter – 2 tbsp
Salt -a pinch
Yogurt - ¼ cup
Milk enough to knead
Oil for frying

Method

1. Mix the flour, soda, butter, salt, yogurt and enough milk to knead the dough.
2. Knead well and keep it closed with a wet towel for 4-5 hrs.
3. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan.
4. Make small balls of the dough and make circle like chappathis. Deep fry both sides in oil.
   

PS:You can make the circle smaller so that it does not consume too much oil.

Vegetable Pizza

For the Dough

All purpouse flour – 3 cups
Yeast – 1 packet
Salt- ½ tsp
Sugar -1/4 tsp
Butter – 2 tbsp
Yogurt – ¾ cup(might vary when you knead the dough)
extra flour while kneading

For Topping

Vegetables - capsicum,onion,brocolli,olives,jalapeno,tomatoes
Pasta sauce - 2 cups
mozzerella cheese - 1 cup
italian herbes -1 tsp
paparika -1/2 tsp
olive oil - 2 tsp

Method

1. Mix the yeast in ¼ cup luke warm water. keep it aside for 10mnts.
2. Mix all the ingredients except yogurt. Add enough yogurt to make it into a thick dough. Put it in a wide vessel and cover it with a plastic wrap. Let it sit for 4 hrs. It will rise almost double the size.
3. Cut any of your favourite vegetables and keep it aside.
4. Brush some olive oil on a pizza pan.
5. After 4 hrs when the dough is risen take it out and knead it again. Flour the working area and start making a 8-10” thin circle.
6. Then put it on the pizza pan and spread it out with hands.Brush some olive oil on top of the dough.
   
7. Spread tomato sauce(I used pasta sauce). Sprinkle mozzarella cheese. Arrange all the vegetables on top. Sprinkle more mozzarella cheese, Italian herbs and little paprika if you have.
8. Preheat the oven to 450degrees. Bake it for 15-20 mnts.

Brinjal (Kathrikka)Rice

Ingredients

Rice -1 cup
Kathrikka (small)– 7-8 nos
Carrot -2
Cabbage – small piece
Onion – 1 small
Tomato – 1
Vangibath pdr(MTR)- 2 tsp

Green chillies -2
Cashewnuts -1 handful
Oil – 4 tsp
Ghee – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaf- 3-4
Coriander leaves

Method

1. Cook the rice in pressure cooker. Spread it on a plate so that it will cool fast.
2. Fry the cashew nut in 1 tsp ghee and keep it aside
3. Wash and cut all the vegetables lengthwise.
4. Add 2 tsp oil in a wide pan. Add onions and fry it. Then add curry leaves, green chillis, kathrikka, carrot and cabbage. Add 2 tsp vangi bath pdr and little salt. Fry it well.
5. Add the tomatoes to it. Sprinkle some water and let it cook.When the vegetables start to soften add the rice to it. Mix it well

Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Kuzhiappam

The English like to have tea with scones . But we Indians eat with some hot snack like samosa,bajji or may be 2 britania biscuits.
But today I decided to make kuzhiappam. It was cold and rainy today. Though I am not a noon nap person today I felt like taking one. I got up around 3 pm feeling little cold. My husband was working from home. When I opened the fridge to take milk for tea I saw some dosa batter.
Immediately I remembered my days with my parents. My father would always ask my mom to make kuzhiappam(we call sometimes it moorappam) on rainy weekeends. She would make crispy appam and we would enjoy it with a cup of tea or coffee.
So back to the present I also decided to make them. Me and my husband enjoyed it with a cup of tea sitting in our deck , starring at the pouring rain. So here I am sharing it with you.

For kuzhiappam

Dosa batter(3-4 days old) – 2 cups
Rice flour – 1 tsp
Onion – 1 small
Green chillies – 1
Ginger – small piece
Pepper(whole) – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Oil for frying

Cut the onions,greenchillies and ginger finely. Coarsely powder the pepper.

Add the above,cumin seeds and rice flour to the dosa batter. The batter should not be too liquid. Add a pinch of salt also to this. Mix well.

Pour oil in the appakkaral. When it is hot pour the batter . Let both sides become light brown and cook. Take it out out put it on tissue paper so that the oil is all absorbed.

For Tea

Boil 2 cups water add 1 tsp tea leaves. Crush a small piece of ginger , 2 cardamoms and 3 tsp sugar(as your taste) to the boiling tea. Off the heat, Close the tea pot and let it stand for 5 mnts . Warm ½ cup milk and add this to the tea water. Strain it. Enjoy it with your favourite snack.

Noodle style Pasta

Ingredients

Noodle style Pasta – 1 packet
Soy sauce – 1/4 cup
Duck sauce – 4 tsp
Red chilli pdr – 1 tsp
Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Olive oil – 3 tsp
Salt to taste
Tofu – ½ cube(firm/extrafirm)
Egg – 2(optional)
Vegetables – onion,capsicum,broccoli,tomato,string beans,carrots,celery(as much as you like to put in the dish)

Method

1. Boil lot of water in pasta pot. Add salt. Add the noodle style pasta and cook it for 8-10 mnts.
2. Pulse the peanuts in the mixie twice. it will become a coarse pdr.
   
3. In a wide pan add 2 tsp oil. Cut the tofu into small cube and fry it and keep it aside.
4. Cut all the vegetables length wise. In the same pan add 1 tsp oil put the vegetable and fry it. Keep it aside .
5. Also scramble the eggs.
6. Add 1 tsp oil.Put the peanuts and fry it for 2 mnts. Then add 2 tsp duck sauce, red chillipdr and little soysauce in the pan and stir it. To this add the vegetables. Then add the cooked and drained noodle style pasta to it. Add eggs, tofu and drizzle rest of the soy sauce and duck sauce. If necessary add some salt. Mix it gently so that the tofu doesnot break.

Flashback on Village of Stowe

Today morning as I was taking my sons to preschool they were pointing to the colours of the trees on the roadside and suddenly my older one said I want to go to no.16 house. This was the number of the room we stayed in Stowe, Vermont. Suddenly both my kids started talking about the mountains and farms .
Inspite of the fall colours we have at connecticut we took a trip to Vermont during the 2nd week of October. It was a 4hrs drive but was very relaxing. We went to a small village called Stowe. We stayed for 2 days.

We were a little late for the season as it was snowing at the top of the mountain and colours had started to fade. But the highway was beautiful withfall colours and mountains on either side . It was like looking at a picture.

Also this place were we stayed was very quite from all the city noise. There was a small river flowing by the side of our resort. There were hammocks tied to trees.

Night was very dark but morning were very beautiful.There was a farmers market one afternoon where farmers from different farms were selling fresh produce and handmade crafts.
Also we went up Mt.Mansfield which is around 4500ft high in cable cars.








Suddenly I could hear my younger one saying from the back of the car that he wanted icecream.They remembered the Ben and Jerry's Icrecream Factory there and they got to eat lot of ice cream. My husband took them 2 days in a row and they enjoyed it.
Also there was a cider mill and Cabot cheese outlet. I was really excited because I had read about country side in books but never seen them in America. When ever we took a trip it was always about covering as much as possible. But since this place was small village there was not much to do. Everything closed by 4 in the evening.
By the end of 2 days we were so full of energy that we all wanted to come back to our routine life. I think it was mainly becuse we all liked some noise and hurrybury in life.

Diwali 21Oct 2006

Diwali the festival of lights is celebrated all over India. Diwali comes exactly twenty days after navarathri. Kids love it because they get to where new clothes and blow crackers. Every household has Laxmi pooja being performed. Friends and family get together to exchange gifts and sweets.

Living in a foriegn land we didnot burst crackers. But we had some sparklers which the kids had fun with. Also I prepared some sweets. We distrubuted among our friends and relatives who live closeby. We also visited the temple.

I could not update my blog on diwali day since I was very busy with preparations. But here it is.

Brocolli and Patra

I had some brocolli which were becoming a little dull. There was not enough to make curry also. I just looked through the refrigerator and found frozen Patras lying around. I thought,why not try to combine it. So I came up with this recipe.

Brocolli, Patra

Brocoli – 2 cups (cut)
Patra – 4-5 nos(frozen)

Season

Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Urad dal -1 tsp
Oil -1 tsp

Method

1. Cut the broccoli into small florets .
2. Take out the patra and microwave it for a minute. Cut it into small pieces.
3. In a pan add oil. Put the mustard seeds,cumin seeds and urad dal. When it pops add the broccoli to it and fry it.Add salt to taste. When it become soft.Add the patra to it. Fry it for 2 more minutes.

Vendakka Pachadi(Lady'sfinger)

This is a nice side dish for molakoottal

Ingredients

Vendakka – 10 nos
Tamarind – small ball
oil - 2 tsp

Grind:
Coconut – ½ cup(grated)
Green chillies – 2
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Season:
musturd seeds -1 tsp
Redchilli – 1
Curry leaves -3-4
Oil – 1 tsp

Method

1. Wash the vendakka. Pat it with a tissue paper. Cut it into thin round pieces.
2. Add 1 tsp oil in a pan and add the vendakka. fry it. Add salt and turmeric pdr.Fry it till it starts to become light brown.
3. Make tamarind juice and add it to the fried vendakka. And let it cook for 7-10 mnts.
4. Meanwhile, grind coconut, green chillies and 1 tsp mustard seeds adding water in the mixie.
   
5. Add the ground mixture to the boiling vendakka. Cook it for another 5-7 mnts.
6. Season the above with mustard seeds, redchilli and curry leaves.

Cabbage Mehukkuvaratti

Cabbage comes under the same family of flower vegetables like cauliflower and brocolli. It comes in different colours. This recipe was just a trial and we all liked it. So I thought of sharing it.

Ingredients

Cabbage – 1/2
Onion – 1
Garlic- 1 clove
Green chillies- 2
Curry leaves -3-4

To season

Musturd seeds -1 tsp
Cummin Seeds -1 tsp
Urad dal -1 tsp
Oil -1 tsp

Method

1. Boil water and put the finely cut cabbage. Add little salt and cook the cabbage. Drain the water.
2. Cut the onions,garlic and green chillies.
3. Add 1 tsp oil. Add mustard seeds,cumin seeds and urad dal. When it pops add onion, garlic, curry leaves and green chillies.
   
4. Fry it till it becomes light brown add the cabbage and fry it till the water completely evapourates.

Mixture

To make mixture:

Add 2tbsp oil in a pan. Put 2 tsp redchilli pdr, a pinch asafetida, 5-6 curry leaves, ½ cup peanuts , ¼ cup pottukadalai and a handful kismis. Fry it in low flame stiring every now and then.

Soak ½ cup thin poha in water for 5mnts. Drain the water. Add this poha also to the above fried things and fry again for another 5 mnts.

Add the prepared boondi and omappodi (break it into small pieces) to it.

Add some salt if necessary. Add 1 tsp oil in the end and mix well.

Let it cool down and then store it in a tight container.

To make Bhoondi:

1. Take 1 cup Bengal gram flour. Add 2 tbsp of rice flour and a pinch of soda. Add salt to taste. Add enough water to make it a semiliquid batter.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan. Keep the boondi ladle(it will have holes) on top of the oil.
3. Add 1 ladle batter and just tap it. Small drops of boondi will fall into the oil.fry it .
4. See that it doesnot turn colour. Repeat this till all the batter are done.

To make Omappodi:

1. Mix 1 cup Bengal gram flour, 1/2 cup rice flour, asafetida, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp redchilli pdr and salt to taste. Make it into a thick dough adding enough water.
2. Heat oil in a pan.
3. Fill the press with the dough. Holding it over the hot oil press it into circles.
4. When it is fully cooked take it out and put it on apaper towel. Repeat this for the rest of the dough.

MysorePak

Bengal gram flour – 1 cup
Sugar – 1 1/2 cup
Ghee – 2 cup
Water – ¼ cup

Method

1. Place a heavy pan on the fire. Add sugar and water and let it boil. When it reaches 1 string consisitency lower the flame and add the Bengal gram flour stirring it continuously. Let it mix well. See that lumps are not formed. Add 2 tsp ghee and go on stir it.
2. In another vessel heat the ghee and keep it ready.
3. When the flour is blended well with syrup and starts to curl add the hot ghee slowly till all the ghee is absorbed. It will start to thicken and become frothy and start leaving out the ghee.
4. Remove from fire and pour over a greased tray. Pat it evenly with the back of a greased cup.When it is warm cut it into pieces.

PS: I used 1 ½ cup ghee and that also turned out good. Only that mysore pak will be more softer when you use more ghee.

Badusha

Maida – 1 1/2 cup
Usalted Butter – 3 tbsp
Cooking soda – a pinch
Pista to decorate

Sugar syrup

Sugar – ½ -3/4 cup
Water

Method

1. Mix the maida, butter and cooking soda gently adding little water. Make it into a soft dough and keep it closed with a wet claoth for 10 mnts.
2. Grind the pista coarsely and keep it aside.
3. In a deep pan add oil.
4. Make small balls of the dough. Flatten a little and make a small depression in the center. Put them in oil. Let the oil be in medium flame. When the badusha turns light brown prick the center with a tooth pick. Let it fry well on both sides. Take it out and drain the oil in a paper towel. See that the oil is not too hot. This will result in not cooking the badusha in the center and burning outside.
5. Heat sugar and water in a pan. When it reaches 1 consistency dip the badushas and arrange it on a plate. You can pour the rest of the sugar surup on top of each badusha with a spoon.
6. Sprinkle the pista on top of each.

When it cools put it in a container.

PS: See that you put only a pinch of soda.More will result in the breaking of badusha and a light smell of it later.

Boondhi Ladoo

Bengal gram flour – 1 cup
Rice flour – 1 tsp
Cooking soda – a pinch
Food colour – 2 pinches
Cashews –hand ful
Kismis – hand ful
Ghee – 3 tsp
Cloves – 6-7
Cardamom pdr – little

For sugar syrup

Sugar – 1 ½ cup
Water – ½ cup

Method

1. Mix besan, riceflour, soda together.
2. Add just enough water to make it a semi liquid batter.
3. Heat oil in a deep pan. Keep the boondi ladle(it will have holes) on top of the oil.Add 1 ladle batter and just tap it. Small drops of boondi will fall into the oil.fry it .See that it doesnot turn colour. Repeat this all the batter are done.
4. Fry the cashews,kismis and cloves in 2 tsp ghee.
5. To make the sugar syrup: In a pan add the sugar and water and boil it till 1 consistency is reached.
6. Add the food colour of your choice.
   
7. Add the boondi, fried nuts , cardamom pdr and and 1 tsp ghee. Mix it lightly till the colour spread to all the boondhi.
   
8. As it become warm the sugar starts to crystallize. So make small ladoos when it is still warm.

Thattai

Raw rice – 2 cups
Urad dal – ¼ cup
Butter- 1/4 stick
Bengal gram dal – ¼ cup
Redchilli pdr – 2 tsp
Asafoetida – 2 pinches
Curry leaves – 3-4

Method

1. Soak the rice in water for 2 hrs. Wash and drain the water. Spread it on a cloth for 1 hr. Grind it in the mixie and make it into pdr. Sift it.
2. Fry the urad dal into light brown with out adding oil. Grind it in the mixie and sift it.
3. Soak the Bengal gram dal in water for 15mnts. Drain it.
4. Add the urad flour,soaked Bengal gram dal,redchillipdr,butter,curry leave,asafetida to the rice flour. Add enough water to make it into a dough and let it sit for 5 mnts.
5. Take a ziplock cover. Apply oil on it . Make small balls of the dough and pat it on the ziplock cover into a round shape(make thin rounds). Deep fry 4-6 at a time in oil.

Potato Curry

Ingredients

Potato – 3
Onion -1
Tomato -1
Salt to taste
Ghee -2 tsp
Coriander leaves

To Grind

Ginger-small piece,garlic- 2,cloves-3,greenchillies-2,poppy seeds-2 tbsp ,coriander seeds – 1 tsp,saunf- 1tsp,turmeric pdr- ¼ tsp

Method

1. Peel the potatoes,wash and dice it. Boil water add salt and put the potatoes. Let it cook. Drain the water.
2. Cut onions and tomatoes. Fry it in 2 tsp ghee.
3. When it is light brown add the ground mixture and fry it again till the raw smell goes away. Add the cooked potatoes.
4. Add little water and cook it for 7-10mnts. in medium flame.

Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Mac and Cheese on Bread

This is a favourite dinner all of us love. In our house I make it when ever I feel a little lazy to make something for dinner.

Easy mac – 1 packet(Kraft brand)
Tamato sauce
Liquid Chedder cheese- 2 tbsp(Ragu brand )
Mozerella cheese
Bread slice

1. Make the mac and cheese as per the instruction. Add cheddar cheese to it and mix.
2. Toast the bread.
3. In a warm plate keep the toasted bread. Put the mac and cheese over it. Sprinkle mozerella cheese on top of the mac and cheese.
4. Squeeze tomato sauce on the side.

This dinner is kids favourite too.

BlackEyeBean Curry

Ingredients

Blackeye Bean – 1 cup
Onions – 2
Tomatoes – 1
Green chillies – 2
Ginger – small piece
Badam – 5 nos
Oil/ghee – 2 tsp
Masala pdr – 1 tsp

Method

1. Soak the beans for 2-3 hrs and pressure cook it adding salt. Drain the water.
2. Cut the onions and fry in 1 tsp oil. Grind it with badam tomatoes,green chillies,ginger and masala pdr.
3. Cook this mixture till the raw smell of the tomatoes goes away. Add little water if it is becoming too thick.
   
4. Add the cooked beans and cook for another 5-7 mnts. Add salt if necessary.

Eat with hot chappathis.

Vazhakka(Plantain) Poduthuval

Plantains a tropical friut come in different varieties. It is eaten raw and ripe. Most of the south indian houses have plantain cultivated in their backyards.

Ingredients

Green raw Plantain – 4-5 nos
Grated coconut – ½ cup
Green chillies – 2
Salt to taste

Seasoning

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Asafoetida – a pinch
Oil – 1 tsp

Method

1. Peel the plantain and dice it .Cook it in water adding little salt.
2. Pulse coconut and green chillis in the mixie.
3. In a pan add oil mustard seeds and urad dal. When it pops add cooked plantain. Sprinkle the coconut-chilli mix. Mix it well.

Olan

Olan is part of Kerala cusine usually served in Sadhya. It can be made with white pumpkin(elavan) or yellow pumpkin(Mathan) or both. It also has red moong daal(payaru) cooked and added to it. If you donot have payaru you can uses black beans also for a change.

Ingredients

White pumpkin – ½ pound
Coconut milk – 1 tin
Red Moong/Black beans – ½ cup
Green chillis - 2
Curry leaves – 4-5
Salt to taste
Coconut oil – 2 tsp

Method

1. Soak the Red moong dal/ black beans over night. Pressure cook it adding little salt. Do not over cook it.
2. Cut the pumpkin into thin squares. Cook it in boiling water adding little salt. When it starts to become soft drain the water.
3. In a pan add 1 tsp coconut oil. Cut the green chillies in long pices and add it to the oil. Add curry leaves. Add the cooked pumpkin and beans to it. Add little water and cook it for 3-4 mnts.
   
4. Add coconut milk. Add salt if necessary. Boil it in low flame. When bubbles come, off the gas and drizzle 1 tsp of coconut oil.

Note: You can also use fresh coconut milk. Scrape out the inside of one coconut and pulse 3 or 4 times in the blender/mixie adding one cup water. Pour it in a muslin cloth and squeeze the coconut milk. Use the first milk for the olan.

Aloo Bonda

Ingredients

Gits pakoda packet - 1
Potatoes - 3
Green chillis - 2
ginger - small piece
musturd seeds - 1 tsp
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
oil - 1 tsp
curry leaves -2-3
turmetic pdr - a pinch
salt to taste
lemon juice from half lemon
Oil for deep frying

Method

1. Pressure cook the potatoes adding salt and turmeric pdr . Peel the skin and mash it.
2. In a pan add 1 tsp oil. Add musturd seeds and cumin seeds. When it pops add curry leaves, crushed green chillis and ginger . Add the potatoes. Add lemon juice to it. If necessary add more salt. Mix it well.
3. Make it into small balls.
4. Add required quantity of water specified in the gits packet to the flour ad make a semi solid batter.
5. Dip the potatoes in the batter and deep fry it.

Tripple Dal Pudding

Ingredients

Moong dal – ½ cup
Channadal(bengalgram dal) – ½ cup
Toor dal – ¼ cup
Milk – 1 cup
Coconut milk – 1 cup(tinned)
Jagerry – ½ -1 cup
Sugar – 2 tbsp
Cardamom pdr – a pinch
Badam – 5-6nos
Ghee – 1 tsp

Method

1. Dry roastall the dal till the dal becomes hot. Add 1 cup water and pressure cook it(3-4 whistles). Should not over cook it. When you have the pudding the channadal should be felt on your tounge
   
2. Boil milk and keep it aside.
3. In ½ cup water add the jaggerry. When it melts add the sugar. Add the cooked dal and coconut milk. Cook it in low flame. Add the boiled milk little by little stirring continuously. Cook it till bubbles starts to appear. Off the heat add cardamom pdr.
4. Pulse the badam in the mixie. In 1 tsp ghee fry it lightly. Sprinkle on the pudding in the end. It will thicken when it cools down.
   
5. Serve it at room temperature.
   

Beans Usilli

My Aunt visited us this summer. She is full of easy cooking. She showed easier method to make Usilli . Insted of beans you can use carrots, long beans etc. Also instead of moongdal you can use toor dal. Check out another method

Ingredients

Beans – ½ pound
Moong dal – 1 cup
Green chillies – 2

Seasoning

Oil – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Asafoetida- a pinch

Method

1. Cut the beans into small pieces. Boil water . Add little salt. Put the cut beans and simmer it till the beans starts to become soft. Drain the water.
   
2. Soak the dal for 1 hr in water. Drain the water. Pulse it in the mixie adding very little water till it is coarse. Put it in a microwavable dish and cook it in the microwave for 2-3 mnts. When it is done it will be thick . Let it cool down. break it with hands . Pulse it again in the mixie till it become coarse pdr. You can use some of it for the kosumalli and keep the rest in the freezer in a ziplock bag for later use.
3. In a pan add 1 tsp oil. Add mustard seeds,cumin seeds and urad dal. When it pops add cut green chillies, asafoeitida and the beans. Sprinkle the coarse dal as much as you want. Add salt if necessary.
   

This can be ate with sambar rice or with chappathi.

Carrot Kheer

One of my friend and his family were passing through our place during the weekend. I was in a delima on what to make in such a short notice. I had some Gits pakoda packet, potatos, carrots and dry fruits . Did not think anything more made Carrot kheer and Aloo bonda. Every body enjoyed it.

Carrot Kheer

Ingredients

Carrots – 5-6long ones
Milk – 1 cup
Badam – a hand ful
Sugar – 1 cup
Pista – 1 hand ful

Method

1. Soak the badam and pista separately. Peel the badam. Pulse the pista in the mixie 3-4 times without adding water
2. Peel the carrots and cook it till it is soft.
3. Grind the carrots and badam into a fine paste. Add little milk so that it becomes paste faster.
   
4. Boil the milk in a heavy pan. Add the ground paste into the boiling milk. Slowly add the sugar to it stirring well. Cook it for 10-15 mnts in medium flame . Stir it so that it doesnot stick to the bottom.
5. Off the heat add cardamom pdr and mix well. Let it come to room temperature.
6. Sprinkle the pista on the top and cool it in refrigerator for 1-2 hrs.

Soy Curry

Soy is a rich source of Protien. Now a days we get different format of soy in the supermarkets which is replacing meat and dairy products. It is best when used with other vegetables or rice.
Mine is a simple recipe which even kids love to eat. Click here for more on Soy

Ingredients

Soy chunks – 1 cup(I use Nutrela)
Onion – 1
Tomato – 2
Greenchillies – 2
Any masala pdr – 1-2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 3 tsp
Coriander leaves

Method

1. Pressure cook(3 whistles) the soy chunks adding little salt.
2. In 1 tsp oil fry the onions and 1 tomato. Grind it adding greenchillis and masala pdr into a fine paste.
3. Cut the other tomato finely. Fry it in 2 tsp oil till the oil starts to float. Add the ground mixture and cooked soy chunks and boil it for 3 mnts.
4. Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Ulli Theeyal

Theeyal is a kerala dish eaten with choru(red boiled rice). This can be made with different kind of vegetables like baby onions, bittergourd,normal onions,carrots, choocho(chayote). The main ingredient is fried coconut.

Ingredients

Pearl(baby) onions - 1 Cup
tamarind – 1 lemon sized
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Coriander seeds – 2 tsp
Cumin seed -1 tsp
Pepper corns – 1 tsp
Red chilli – 2
Turmeric pdr – ½ tsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
coconut Oil – 3 tbsp

Seasoning

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
redchiilie -1
Curry leaves
Salt

Method:

1. Make juice from the tamarind.
2. Peel the onions and fry it in 2 tbsp oil till it becomes light brown add the tamarind juice,turmeric pdr and asafetida and cook it.
3. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry coconut till it is golden brown. The aroma of the coconut is very important in making theeyal.See that it does not burn at all.
4. Addred chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorn.
5. When it cools grind into paste adding little water.
6. Heat 2 tbsp. oil and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and remaining red chillies. When the seeds start spluttering, add ground paste and cook for a few seconds. Add this to the onions and tamarind. Add salt to taste. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Serve hot with rice.