Rasamalai

This is my all time favorite sweet. In fact, I should say its my family sweet.. Everytime we go for any get together we dont even go for a second thought and order this sweet. Everyone likes it. So I have tried it for pajaaka's event.

Cooking time : 45 min
Makes 6-8 balls

Ingredients:
For Malai:
Milk - 1/2 litre (For best results use full cream milk)
Lemon juice - 3 tablespoons
Sugar - 1 cup
Milk powder / plain flour - 1-2 tablespoons
Water - 2 cups

For flavoured Milk:
Milk - 1/2 litre
Sugar - 1/2 cup or as required
Cardamom powder - 1 teaspoon
Saffron - 1/4 tsp (soaked in warm water/milk)
Sliced Nuts for garnishing (Almonds, Cashew, Pistachios, etc)



Method:
For Malai:
1. Take a thick bottomed pan and boil the milk well.
2. Reduce the flame, add lemon juice slowly, stirring the milk continously.
3. As the curdling process begins, continue stirring.
4. When all the milk turns curd and water separates out, immediately add ice cubes to stop the curdling process further(this is an important step to avoid hardening of malai).
5. Use a clean muslin/cotton cloth to extract the solid parts. This is called paneer or cottage cheese.
6. Run cold water thoroughly from outside in order to avoid the lemon's smell in the dish.
7. Drain the water fully and knead it to make a smooth dough. If needed, sprinkle milk powder or plain flour to get a smoother consistency.
8. Make them into small balls and flatten them with your palm and keep them aside.
9. Heat sugar and water in 1:2 ratio and allow it to boil.
10. As it starts boiling, reduce the flame and add the flattened cakes one by one slowly.
11. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes. Once the balls puff up and start floating on the surface indicating it is cooked, you can take them out and keep them aside.

For flavoured milk:
1. Boil milk in a heavy bottomed pan.
2. Stir it continuously until the volume reduces to half and becomes thick.
3. Add sugar, cardamom powder, saffron water/milk and stir well, until sugar dissolves (5-10 minutes).

Put off the flame let it cool for sumtime and add the cheese balls one by one.
Garnish it with nuts and allow it to cool completely.
Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Macaroni Pasta

Ingredients:
Prego Traditional Italian sauce - 5 tsp
Macaroni pasta - 200 gm
Water - 1 litre
Tomato Ketchup - 2 tsp
Capsicum - 1(chopped)
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Boil macaroni in water for 10-12 min.
Drain the water and transfer to a bowl.
Add oil in a skillet and fry the capsicum.
Add Prego sauce and tomato ketchup to the pasta.
Add the Capsicum and mix thoroughly.
Add Salt to taste.
Macaroni Pasta is ready.

Channa masala

My brother always tells me his friend's mom is a great cook, she cooks so many varieties for hs friend and packs for lunch. My bro said tat guy s too proud of his mom n makes others envy for her cooking. So i decided to get her number n talk to her. She was also showing off initially..but I got my job done. She gave me this idea of making gravies in cooker as its time saving , uses less oil and tasty too. From then i follow her recipe for cooking in the mornings. Channa can be replaced by vegetables, paneer, peas / cauliflower. Here goes the recipe:
Ingredients:
To Grind:
Onion - 4
Tomato - 2
Cashewnuts - 5
Fresh Ginger - 2/3 pieces
Fresh Garlic - 5
Cloves(optional) - 2
Cardamom(optional) - 1
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green chilli - 1
Red Chilli - 1
Kasoori methi(optional,mandatory ingredient for panneer butter masala) - few leaves


Powders:
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp (according to taste)
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tsp
Channa - 1 cup(Boiled)
Coriander leaves(for garnishing)


Method:
* Grind all the items under To Grind section nicely.
* Heat oil in a pressure pan.
* Add turmeric powder.
* After 2 min, add the mixture, thereby adding the powders except turmeric.
* Add channa to the gravy and close the cooker.
* Let 3 whistles after placing weight.
* Open the pan and garnish with coriander leaves.
* Channa masala is ready.

Cabbage-Peas Pulao

Ingredients:
Basmathi Rice/Long grain rice - 1 Cup(Boiled)(Rice:Water - 1:11/2, when rice soaked for half an hour, otherwise ,1:2)
Cabbage - Half, finely chopped
Onion - 2 (finely chopped)
Peas - 1 cup(Boiled)
Green chilli - 2(sliced across vertically)
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 1"
Cardamom - 2
Cashewnuts - 7/8
Coriander - few leaves
Ghee - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat ghee in a kadai.
2. Add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon & green chilli and saute for 2 min.
3. Add onions and saute till golden brown.
4. Add chopped cabbage and sprinkle some water, and add salt to taste.
5. Saute till the cabbage is soft and add bolied peas to the mixture.
6. Add this mixture to the boiled basmathi rice.
7. Heat little ghee , fry the cashews till golden brown and add to the rice.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves.
9. Cabbage peas pulao is ready.
10. Serve hot with some gravies like channa masala / vegetable kuruma.(Believe me, it tastes like star restaurant's dish)


Sending this to EC's Mixed Rice Varieties event

Stuffed Bhindi

Vendakai/Okra is my favourite vegetable. My mom says it is very good for brain and eventually prepares it during my maths exams. Actually,it's high in vitamin B6, fiber, calcium, and folic acid, which helps prevent neural tube defects in developing fetuses. I love it in all forms. So I chose this for spicy andhra's RCI-Rajasthan.
Ingredients:
Ladies Finger/Bhindi/Vendakai/Okra - 1/2 kg
Bengal Gram Flour - 1 cup
Oil (for blending and frying)
Jeera/cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Powders:
Chilli powder - 4 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Jeera/Cumin powder - 2 tsp
Amhcur(dry mango) powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Wash the ladies fingers and wipe them thoroughly.
Cut them into pieces of 3 inches with a vertical slit in each piece.
Mix all the powders, add 2 tsp oil, salt and mix well.
Stuff this masala into the ladies fingers.
Heat 4 tsp of oil, add jeera/cumin seeds and let it splutter.
Add the stuffed bhindi and stir fry for ten minutes adding 2/3 tsp of oil in between.
Fry in medium heat till thery are crisp.
Serve hot.

Main Course - Vegan Mexican Rice

When I hear of mexican food, I can only think of one of my favorite eateries, "The New Yorker".. we get almost all kinds of food - indian, mexican, italian, chinese.. I have had enchiladas there which is a popular mexican snack.. I wanted to make something for the main course to put it easier. Sometime back in the newspaper "The Hindu" , i read how to make mexican rice, salad, enchiladas...etc.. So, dusted my rack, found those bits which i had collected and tried the mexican rice .. It came out very nicely.. It was not typically tasting of pulao or biriyani.. Let me share the recipe here.. Try it and share its taste.. What inspired me to try out this recipe.. Ofcourse, our culinary bazaar event.

Ingredients:
Basmathi/long grain rice - 1 Cup(Boiled)
Onion - 3(chopped)
Tomato - 2(chopped)
Capsicum - 1(chopped)
Carrot - 2(grated)
Minced Garlic - 1 tsp
Vinegar - 1/4 tsp
Soya sauce - 1/4 tsp
Rajma/Kidney bean - 1 Cup(Boiled with salt)
Oil - 3 tsp

Powders
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste


Method:
1. Heat oil in a kadai.
2. Add minced garlic, fry for 2 minutes, then add onions.
3. Add tomatoes once the onions turn golden colour.
4. Add the powders, carrots, capsicum and boiled rajma along with little water (preferably the beans-cooked water), vinegar and soya sauce.
5. Saute for 10 minutes till the gravy thickens.
6. Mix the gravy thoroughly with rice without breaking it.
7. Voila, Mexican rice.

Oats Halwa - Healthy snack for sweet lovers

I use the microwave to make papads, reheating, masala groundnuts, vegetables, cakes n cookies. For this Microwave Food event, i decided to do something different. I am very much fond of Oats as it does a great deal for weight management and thats the reason it became my breakfast item. I love trying out dishes in oats. And my choice is Oats halwa for this event. Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients:
Oats - 3/4 Cup(When powdered, becomes one cup)
Sugar - 1/4 Cup
Water - 1 Cup
Almonds - 4
Cashew nuts - 4
Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:
Finely Powder the oats.
Powder the sugar and mix it with water till it dissolves and keep aside.
Roast the oats in a microwave safe bowl/glass bowl at microwave high for 2 minutes.
Add the sugar syrup and micro wave high for 3 minutes, stirring once in between.
Check whether it has turned into halwa-like consistency.
Heat Ghee and add almonds n cashews for 1 min.
Add the nuts to the Halwa.
Oats Halwa is ready.

Lemon-Mint Magic(serves 2) - Beat the Heat..

This goes as an entry to the 'Fun n Sun Event'.

Nothing can be more refreshing than mint. Mint leaves have been enjoyed for its wonderful aroma, its great taste, and its healing power. Mint is well known for its ability to sooth the digestive tract and reduce the severity and length of stomach aches. Lemon is one of the fruits that would strengthen your immune system. If you have flu or colds, try drinking lemon juice. It will relieve the symptoms as well as halt the progress of most infection because of its antibacterial and antiviral properties. Lemon acts as a blood purifier and improves the body’s ability to get rid of toxins.

So, having said all about the benefits of mint and lemon, lets get into a quick magic to beat the heat..

Ingredients:
Lemon - 1
Mint Leaves - 10-12 leaves
Ice cubes/crushed ice - 5
Sugar - 4 tsp
Salt(to taste)/ 1 tsp
Water(to taste)/4 Cups

Method:
Blend together all the ingredients in a mixer and serve with a lovely fizz on the top.

Vegetarian Black Forest

This is my entry to srivalli's MEC:Cakes.. I have great fun making cakes n pastries.. Generally I prefer vannilla/fresh cream.. but this time i wanted to try something different.. so I tried chocolate flavour.. I would say this one is a treat for chocolate lovers... My lesson on making cakes is to always use a blender or mixer to beat it.. once i did it manually.. and i had a sprain in my ankle which remained for months.. so never try even if u add lotta eggs.. I would also prefer to have a measuring cup..as our skilled hand measurement does not work for cakes..atleast for me,..
Ingredients:
All Purpose flour(Maida) - 120 gms
Cocoa powder - 20 gms
Butter - 40 gms
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Milk Maid - 130 gms
Milk - 1/4 cup
Soda - 1/4 tsp

Method:
1. Sieve the flour, Cocoa powder, baking powder and soda in a bowl. Do it twice or thrice till they mix well.
2. Beat butter and milk maid mix well.
3. Add flour and beat well.
4. Add milk and beat well.
5. Grease the baking bowl with butter paper and pour the cake batter into it.
6. Set the microwave in the convection mode(those who have convection models) at 170 degees celsius for 30 minutes. Those who don't have convection, simply cook in micro wave at 200 degree celsius for 20-30 minutes.
7. Times vary according to different ovens. So keep an eye on the cake from 20 min onwards.
8. Prick it with a toothpick till the base to check whether its done.
9. Once its done, garnish with roasted almonds.
10. Yummy cake is ready.

பச்சரிசி கூழ் தோசை (Raw Rice - Porridge Dosa) - Late entry to Dosa mela

Oops:( Am too late to sri valli's dosa mela.. still I don't want to miss it.. All the dosas i thought of was in her round up..fusions were even more exciting.. So here is a recipe of traditional dosa which my mother in law taught me.. Hope people like it..

Ingredients:
Raw Rice - 2 Cups
Salt to taste
For Seasoning:
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green chilli - 2(finely chopped)
Curry leaves - One handful(chopped)
Coriander leaves - One handful(chopped)
Asatoefida - 1/2 tsp

Method:
• Soak the rice for 2 hours and grind it to form a watery batter.

• Take half cup of rice, add water and boil it for 3 minutes to form a batter with porridge like consistency.
• Add the above to the remaining batter.
• Add salt according to the taste and leave for 3-4 hours(optional).
• If you want to have it for the dinner, you can start the batter preparation in the morning. It can be made instantly too. When you make instantly, add 1 cup of curd to get some sourness.
• Heat oil in a vessel, add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
• Add Green chilli, curry leaves, coriander leaves, asatoefida, stir for 2 minutes and add them to the batter.
• When you make the dosa from the batter, start pouring the batter from outer circle to inner circle as the it is of watery consistency.
• Add some oil.
• Flip onto other side and let it cook until light brown colour.
• Serve with pickle/chutney.(I served with mango thokku, tasted awesome.)

CauliFlower/Gobi 65

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 (cut to florettes)
Corn Flour - 5 tsp
Rice Flour - 2 tsp
All purpose flour - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Oil to fry and 2 tsp to blend

Method:
1. Half cook the florettes in boiling water for about 10 minutes and drain the water completely.
2. Mix the florettes with the other ingredients in a bowl, add little oil and blend them nicely.
2. Addition of more flour depends on the size of the flower. If you want to add more flour ot get the right consistency, add only corn flour.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan.
4. Fry the florettes in batches.
5. Spread them over tissues to remove excess oil.
6. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Lunch Box Item 3 - Bajji Molaga(Hungarian wax) MoreKozhambu Rice with Beetroot Curry

Ingredients:
Boiled rice according to the need
Bajji Molaga(sliced across) - 5(These chillies are not very spicy but give a nice flavour, so we add 5)
Red chilli - 1
One Cup of Butter milk(kept outside the previous night to get the sourness)
Coconut - One hemisphere, cut into pieces in order to grind
Jeera - 1 tsp (to grind with coconut)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Grind the coconut and jeera and keep them aside.
Heat oil in a vessel, add mustard seeds and red chilli and let them splutter.
Then add fenugreek seeds and saute until golden colour.
Add the sliced chillies and fry for 5-8 minutes till it is cooked.
Add turmeric powder and salt.
Add the coco-jeera paste and buttermilk.
Medium heat for 5 min and put off.
Mix it with rice and serve.

Beetroot Curry
Ingredients:
Beetroot - 2
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli - 1
Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Chop beetroot into small pieces.
Heat oil in a vessel, add mustard seeds and red chilli and let them splutter.
Add beetroot,turmeric powder and salt.
Cook for ten minutes in medium heat and put off.

Enjoy morekozhambu rice with beetroot curry

Bhinndi/Ladies Finger puli kozhambu( வெண்டக்காய் புளி கொழம்பு)

Ingredients:
Ladies finger - 1/2 kg
Tamarind - One ball of Lemon size
Tomato - 2
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Gram dal - 1/2 tsp
Sambar Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Rice flour - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Soak tamarind and tomato in hot water for 30 min.
2. Meanwhile cut the ladies finger into small pieces(cylinder-like).
3. Heat Oil in a vessel.
4. Add mustard seeds , once they splutter , add fenugreek seeds and gram dal and saute till golden colour.
5. Add the cut ladies finger and fry them for 5 min.
6. Now extract the tamarind and tomato puree and add.
7. Add Sambar powder,turmeric and salt.
8. Let it cook for 10 min.
9. To thicken, mix rice flour with water, dissolve and add it to the kozhambu.
10. After a minute, put off the gas.
11. Mix with rice and serve.

Lunch Box Item 2 - Tomato Pulao & Mixed Raita

Today my mother in law had prepared usual kozhambu,rasam.. But i wanted to take something different for lunch.. the easiest and tasiest thing i could think of is tomato pulao.. it tastes best with this raita.. Here goes the recipe..



Ingredients:
Boiled Rice - 4 ladles(to mix wit the paste according to taste)
Tomato - 3(Medium-sized)(Chopped)
Onion - 2(chopped)
Cloves - 4
Bayleaf - 1/2
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Channa/gram dal - 1/2 tsp
Oil/Ghee - 2 tsp

Powders:
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat oil/ghee in a tawa.
Add mustard seeds to it and let them splutter(set aside some for raita).
Add channa dal and saute till golden colour.
Add cloves,bayleaf and chopped onions.
Saute for 3-4min till onions turn light brown.
Add chopped tomatoes and add the powders.
Add little water for tomatoes to soften and saute for 5 min till the paste thickens.
Put off the flame.
Spread boiled rice over the paste and keep aside for 5 min to let it cool.
Mix the rice with the paste thoroughly without breaking the rice.
Tasty tomato pulao is ready.

Mixed Raita:
Carrot - 1(grated)
Tomato - 1(chopped)
Green chilli-1(chopped)
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Thick curd - 1 cup
Salt to taste

Method:
Add Carrot,tomato amd salt in a bowl.
Heat oil and let mustard seeds to splutter.
Add green chilli and mix it in the bowl.
Add thick curd and mix thoroughly.
Raita is ready to serve.

Vegatable Biriyani

It was a sunday. My mother in law is an expert in making vegrtable fried rice which is not chinese style,but indian..it tastes very rich and delicious.. we used to eat it definitely once in a week. so i tried to make something different for the weekend and tried this out..got different tips from different sites n tried it out.. to my luck, it came out very well.. my in laws liked it..here goes the recipe..
Ingredients:

Basmathi rice – 1 cup (Rice:water – 1:1½ )
Onion – 3
Tomato – 2
Chopped Carrot(2), beans(5),potato(2)
Cauliflower (flower)
Green Peas
Green chilli – 1
Coriander leaves – ½ bunch
Mint/Pudhina leaves– ½ bunch
Thick Curd – ½ cup
Oil/Ghee

To grind:
Cashewnut - 4
Fresh Ginger & Garlic - 6/7 pieces

Powders:
Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp
Dhaniya Powder – ½ tsp
Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
• Soak Basmati rice in water for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil/ghee in a pressure pan and add sliced Green chilli.
• Add onions and sauté until light brown.
• Grind the ingredients under To Grind section and add them, sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and all the powders and thick curd.
• Sauté for 2 min and add all the vegetables and the soaked rice.
• Blend everything thoroughly and stir for few minutes.
• Close the pan with weight and put off after 10-12 min.
• Open the pan and garnish with Coriander and Mint leaves.
• Serve it hot with onion raita.

Lunch Box Item 1 - Coriander-Mint Pulao

Ingredients

Boiled Rice (1 Cup of raw rice to boil, Rice:water -1:3 for ordinary rice, 1:2 for basmati rice and if basmati rice soaked for half an hour then 1:1 ½ )
Onion – 7 (For cooking and for raita, use depending on the number of people at your place, I use 3 for cooking, 4 for raita )
Fennel Seeds/saunf/chombu – ¼ tsp
Chick pea/kadalai parupu – ¼ tsp

Oil/Ghee

To Grind:
Coriander/Cilantro leaves - 1 Bunch
Pudhina/Mint leaves - 1 Bunch
Green Chillies - 4
Cashewnuts - 6/7 (soak in water for 15 min and then grind)
Fresh Ginger/Garlic - 4/5 pieces
Cloves - 3
Cardamom - 2
Bay Leaf - 1
Masala jeera/Roasted jeera - 1/2 tsp
Rock Salt to taste


Method:
• Grind the items finely under To grind section and keep aside.
• Heat oil in tawa, add fennel seeds and chick pea and let them splutter .
• Add the onions and sauté until light brown and transparent.
• Add the paste along with little water and stir for 5 min till it thickens.
• Now mix the paste with boiled rice thoroughly without breaking it. Add 1 tsp of ghee to the rice and mix it ( will )
• Serve with Curd/Onion raita.

Note: This recipe tastes great for lunch. I do it once in a week as it is simple and tasty too.

Methi Chapathi

I got introduced to methi chapathis when i was in bombay. Had it once in my relative's house. That time i was not bothered about the ingredients and stuff. Just thought they made a very different chapathi with some rare thing. Few years later my mom started making it. She used to wash the leaves and add it to the dough and add the required powders. But the one which my mother in law makes is even more good.. I simply loved it.. This recipe, I learnt it from her..

Ingredients:

Methi Leaves – 1 Bunch
Wheat flour – 4 Cups
Channa flour/chick pea flour/besan(kadalai maavu) – 1 Cup
Red Chilli pd- 1 tsp
Turmeric – ½ tsp
Oil – 4 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:• Heat oil in a tawa, add the washed methi leaves and add salt, turmeric and chilli powder immediately (to avoid sour taste).
• Stir for 4-5 min, remove and keep aside.
• In a bowl, mix wheat flour,channa flour,salt and the above methi mixture.
• Add warm/lukewarm water gradually and make dough out of it.
• Knead the dough thoroughly for about 3-5 minutes (it will be very soft). Cover and set aside for 30 min.
• Divide the dough into lime sized balls, on a floured surface, roll out the dough into a chappathi – about 6-8 inches of diameter(any desired size of your choice)
• Heat a tawa on medium-high heat. Fry the chappathi using about 1/2 tsp oil (just apply the oil to the two sides of the chappathi) until it is golden brown on both sides.
• Serve it hot with onion raita/curd/pickle.

Simple & Tasty Paneer Butter Masala (for 3 servings)

This is a common dish which is ordered my most of the paneer lovers in the restaurants... Nowadays its more of a routine for many people to make this dish frequently but some avoid making this as it might be time consuming..buth here is a simple procedure to tasty gravy for your chapathi/roti which gets ready in minutes once ingredients are ready.
Ingredients:
Paneer loaf/Frozen Paneer( available in departmental stores)
Onion – 4
Tomatoes - 2
Fresh Ginger&Garlic - 4/5 pieces
Cashewnut – 5/6
Kasoori methi(Dried methi leaves, which adds a great flavour) – 2 tsp
Green chilli – 1
Red chilli – 1
Green Cardamom(Elaichi/Elakkai) - 3
Bayleaf(pattai) – ½
Cloves - 3
Black bell pepper – 2
Coriander – ¼ bunch
Pudina leaves – one small cup
Oil – 4 tsp

Powders:
Kashmiri Red chilli pd.(has a mild taste but gives red color to the dish) – ½ tsp
Garam masala pd - ½ tsp
Roasted jeera pd (cumin seeds) - ½ tsp
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Salt to taste


Method (Cooking time: 30 minutes)
• Grind all the ingredients (leave alone the oil, paneer and powders) finely and keep aside.(Hold some coriander & pudina leaves for garnishing)
• Heat oil in a pressure pan.
• Add turmeric and sauté for 2-3 min.
• Cut paneer into cubes and add to the pan, sauté for few minutes until light golden, remove them and keep aside.
• Add the ground paste to the pan, add salt and stir for 5-10 min.
• Add fried paneer and close the pan with weight.
• Allow for 3 whistles (which is approx. 12min) and put off. Let it stand for 5 min to let go the pressure.
• Open the pan, garnish with Coriander/pudina.
• Delicious paneer butter masala is ready.