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.