Mughlai Chicken Parathas

Ingredients:

•500 gm minced chicken
•250 gm wheat flour
•6 green chillies
•4 tomatoes chopped
•10 chopped cloves garlic
•¼ Ginger chopped
•4 tablespoon butter
•1 teaspoon chilli powder
•4 teaspoon garam masala
•Salt to taste
•Chopped coriander leaves
•Oil for the parathas
Method:

First of all, heat butter fry garlic and ginger, put in minced chicken mix well. Stir in garam masala, salt and chilli powder. Add tomatoes and fry till tender, and the butter begins to separate, add onions, chillies and chopped coriander leaves and set aside to cool.

For stuffing in the parathas:

First take 250 gm of wheat flour, rub in some oil and 1/12 teaspoon salt and add some water to make a dough. Knead well till it is smooth and pliable. Roll it out into a long roll about 2 inches in diameter. Cut into pieces of equal size and flatten it. Fill in the chicken mixture, put another flattened piece on the first and weld the edges. Now flatten and roll out with a rolling pin into a round shape and twice as large as the cut out circles. Shallow fry on a griddlew on both sides till light brown in colour.

Masala Brinjal

Ingredients:

•4 medium sized brinjal
•2 medium sized, onion (finely chopped)
•1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
•1 cup chopped tomatoes
•1 teaspoon coriander powder
•1 teaspoon red chilly powder
•1 teaspoon turmeric powder
•1 teaspoon cumin seeds
•½ tablespoon garam masala powder
•Amchur powder/ dried mango powder or one can use the lime juice as its substitute.
•Fresh coriander leaves (chopped) for garnishing
•1-2 tablespoon butter or refined oil
•One cup water
•Salt to taste
Cooking time: 15 minutes.
Method:

Wash brinjals properly and cut them into square pieces. Take a frying pan and heat some butter or oil. When the oil is heated enough add cumin seeds. It will sputter and a nice flavor will come out. Now add chopped onions and sauté till it gets light pink. Add salt now. Add ginger garlic paste at this stage. Fry, till it turns slightly brown.

After few minutes, add the chopped tomatoes. Fry them and make it a thick gravy form. Add turmeric, coriander, red chilly, amchur or dried mango powder and garam masala powders (Add all the dry powders together) and cook till the masala mixes well and wait till it releases oil, otherwise a raw smell will come out. In Masala brinjal recipe all the spices should be well cooked. The tomatoes and red chilly powder actually add a lovely red color to this recipe.

Now, its time to put brinjal into the pan with all the fried masala and cover the pan. Cook it in low flame. Open the lid of the pan and check if the brinjals are well fried.

Then add little water and let it cook for couple of minutes. So it’s better if all the masala are fried first and then cook the brinjals as it takes less time to get softer and tender. Garnish the dish with chopped coriander leaves and long pieces of tomatoes. Masala brinjal is best served with Chapattis or Parathas.

Navratan Korma

Ingredients:

Variety of vegetables – Potatoes, carrots, green peas, bottle gourd, French beans, cauliflower, cluster beans
Cut Fruits (Pineapple, Grapes)

The above combination of vegetables and fruits are what we call the 9-gems.

•100 g paneer /cottage cheese (1″ cubes),
•2 medium-sized onions chopped and ground to a fine paste
•2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
•1 cup tomato puree
•1 teaspoon coriander powder
•1 teaspoon red chilly powder
•1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
•1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
•1/2 tablespoon garam masala powder
•1/4 cup – Dry fruits(cashew nuts, raisins)
•1 cup – Double Cream
•1 cup –Coconut Milk/water
•1 tbsp – Ghee
•6 tbsp – Vegetable oil
•Salt to taste
•Coriander leaves for decoration
Cooking time: 45 minutes.

Method

First boil all the vegetables in a pressure cooker till one whistle. Do not over boil them. Take 1 tbsp ghee and slightly fry the dry fruits for about 1 min on medium flame. Do the same for the paneer cube. Keep them aside for later on cooking.

In the same pan, add the remaining cooking oil and heat it well. Now add the onion paste and fry till slightly brown. Add ginger, garlic and fry for one minute. Add salt, and all the dry spices (including, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, gram masala, coriander, cumin, powder) and fry for 2-3 minutes. 1 cup of warm water may be added to this masala and mix well. Now, add tomato puree and fry for another few minutes till the oil separates well from the pan.

Add the coconut milk. Bring it to boil. Then keep it in medium flame and cook until the gravy turns thick and smooth. Now add paneer pieces to the gravy and stir well. Then add all the vegetables one by one to the gravy and cook for about 5 minutes.

Before turning off the heat, add the cream and decorate Navratan Korma with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with Naan bread or Pulao.

Chicken Bhajia

Ingredients:

For Marinade:

•1 lb skinless , boneless chicken cut into 1 inch cubes
•Salt as per taste
•2-3 jalapeno peppers, chopped finely
•1 large red onion, finely chopped
•2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
•1 cup Curd
•2 tsp Lemon juice
•1 tsp cumin seed, roasted
•1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
•1/4 tsp garam masala
•1/4 tsp turmeric powder
For Bhajia Batter:

•1 cup chickpea (gram) floor
•1 tbsp rice floor
•1/2 tsp caram seeds (Aajwayin)
•1/4 tsp baking powder
•1/4 tsp chopped green chillies
•1 tbsp chopped cilantro ( green coriander)
•Salt as per taste
•Oil for deep frying
•Water to make batter
Method:

Place peppers, curd, lemon juice, garam masala, cumin seeds, onion, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt into an electric blender and blend the spices together to make a thick paste. Next, marinate the chicken with the prepared paste and leave it inside the refrigerator for about an hour. Meanwhile, prepare bhajia batter.

Place all the ingredients needed for batter in a large mixing bowl and add enough water to make batter of dropping consistency. Beat well all the ingredients together.

Now, heat enough oil for frying pakodas in a deep pan or kadhai over medium heat. Dip chicken pieces one by one into the batter and leave into the frying pan slowly from the side. Cook bhajias over medium heat until turns golden brown.

Place the cooked bhajias on the tissue paper to absorb extra oil from them. Spicy chicken bhajia is ready to serve. serve it hot along with tea and green chutney, tomato catchup or chili sauce.

Choley Bhaturey

Ingredients

Choley

•2 cups Garbanzo beans / Chick peas
•½ tablespoon ginger paste
•½ tablespoon garlic paste
•1 tablespoon cumin seeds
•½ tablespoon turmeric powder
•1 tablespoon chilly powder
•2 tablespoon cilantro
•6-7 mint leaves
•2 bay leaves
•2-3 cloves
•1 tablespoon garam Masala
•1 medium-sized finely chopped onion
•1 big tomato
•1 and ½ cup water
•Salt to taste
•3 tablespoons of refined oil
Bhaturey

•2 cups all purpose flour (Maida)
•2 tablespoons yeast powder
•1 tablespoon sugar
•1 cup yogurt
•2 tablespoons vegetable Oil
•Salt to taste
Cooking time: 45 minutes.

Method

Making dough for bhaturey

First take yeast powder and sugar and soak in lukewarm water for 5-10 minutes. Take flour into a mixing bowl. Add salt and mix with the diluted yeast. Make soft dough like for chapattis. Keep aside for 4-5 hours till we make the choley recipe.

To prepare choley

Soak the Garbanzo beans/Chick peas in water for 7-8 hours till they become soft. We can soak over night also. Latter is more preferable. Now take 4 cups of water in a pressure cooker Add salt and baking soda( it will make the peas softer), close the lid of the cooker and wait for 3 whistles to come or cook for 5-7 minutes. Drain the stalk and keep it for further usage in this recipe.

Take 2 tablespoons of oil in a pressure cooker and heat it. Then add cumin seeds fry till they sputter. Add ginger garlic paste and make it dark brown. Add bay leaves, cloves and diced onions. Fry them till light brown. Now add the rest of spices (turmeric powder, red chilly powder, gram masala), tomatoes and salt including the pea stalk. Stir fry for 5-6 minutes till the spices get separated from oil.

A nice aroma will come out from the fried masala.Add the boiled chick peas or the Garbanzo beans into the spices mixture. Mix well so that the beans are coated with the spices. Our delicious choley is ready. Garnish with cilantro and mint leaves. We can sprinkle lime juice also to get a tangy taste. Now it’s the time to serve the choley with the bhaturey.

Take out the dough for making the poories.Make small balls and roll each balls into small tiny sized chappati.It needs to keep it thicker , that add taste to the bhaturey.Deep fry them in the sauce pan till both sides are golden brown.Choley baturey is always served hot.

Coconut Chicken

Ingredients:

•2 lb fresh skinless boneless chicken pieces cut into 8 equal sized chunks
•25 oz fresh or canned coconut milk
•1 tbsp ginger, finely grated
•1 tsp green chillies, finely sliced
•3 tbsp lime juice
•4-5 shredded lime leaves
•7-8 ground black peppers
•1 clove
•2-3 green cardamoms
•5-6 coriander (cilantro) roots
•4 tbsp chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves
•Salt as per taste
•1 tsp coconut oil
Method:

Beat all the raw spices (cilantro roots, cardamoms, clove, ginger, black peppers) together and set aside.Heat a deep pan over low-medium heat and place 1 tsp coconut oil into the pan, then add beaten spices mixture and stir for 2 minutes.Add green chillies, shredded lime leaves and coconut milk. Simmer the heat and let it cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring quite often, then add chicken pieces and allow it to cook until chicken turns tender and curry gets thicken (nearly 45-50 minutes).When chicken is done, mix lime juice and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes and turn off the heat.Spicy coconut chicken is ready to serve. Garnish it with chopped cilantro leaves before serving. It goes best with white basmati rice, Indian parathas or naan.

Kesar Ilaychi Basundi

Ingredients:

•2 lt milk
•1 cup of sugar
•3/4 tsp ground green cardamoms
•1/4 tsp Saffron leaves (Kesar)
•1/4 cup chopped almonds
•1/2 cup chopped cashew nuts
•1/4 cup chopped pistachios
Method:

Heat a deep pan over medium heat and add all the milk into it.

Bring milk to boil then simmer the heat and add saffron leaves, allow it it cook until quantity of milk reduces to half and some cream chunks starts forming. Add ground cardamoms and sugar and cook for few more minutes until it gets thickened.

Turn off the heat and let it cool. Add chopped nuts. Now, place the Basundi inside refrigerator until chilled beacuse Basundi tastes best when serve chilled.

Shahi Tukda Recipe

Ingredients:

•White bread slices
•Desi Ghee for frying
•1/4 tsp saffron leaves
•3-4 small cardamoms
•3 cups whole milk
•100 gms mava (khoya)
•1/2 cup chopped almonds and pistachios
•1/3 cup Sugar
Method:

First step is to remove the sides of the bread slices then cut the bread slices diagonally into two equal halves.Heat ghee in a deep frying pan over medium heat and deep fry the bread slices until turns golden brown from both the sides. Remove the bread slices and keep aside.Heat milk in a pan over medium heat and add ground cardamoms and sugar. Dip fried bread slices into milk and soak them for 25-30 seconds then take out the slices from the milk and set aside in a flat plate. Keep inside the refrigerator for an hour or two.Meanwhile, mash the mava, add remaining milk and cook it over low-medium heat until thickens and form thick milk cream (rabdi).When ready to serve, spread the fresh, hot cream (rabdi) over the chilled bread slices and garnish with saffron leaves, chopped almonds and pistachios.

Quick Chicken Masala

Ingredients
•1 lb fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts
•1 cup fresh curd (Indian style yogurt)
•1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
•1 tbsp lemon juice
•4-5 green chillies, chopped
•1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
•1/2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, cleaned and drained
•1/2 tsp cumin seeds
•Oil for frying
•Salt to taste
Method
Cut the chicken into 2 inch square cubes. Add ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and salt over the chicken pieces and mix it well. Heat some oil in a non stick frying pan, add cumin seeds and when seeds turn brown, add green chillies and saute. When done, add chicken pieces and roast them. Now, add yogurt and chopped cilantro leaves and let it cover with a lid and cook for around 20-25 minutes until chicken is done.sprinkle broken mint leaves over the chicken, stir it again. Masala Chicken is ready to serve. Serve it hot with naans, tandoori roties or parathas.

Gujarati Khaman Dhokla

Ingredients
•2 Cups of gram flour
•1 tsp of powdered sugar
•11/2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
•3 tbsp of curd (Indian Yogurt)
•4-5 green chillies
•1 tsp Mustard seeds
•1 tsp Sesame seeds
•Shredded coconut powder
•A pinch of baking soda (or Eno)
•A pinch of baking powder
•6-7 tbsp oil
•Fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped for garnishing
•Salt as per taste
•1/2 tsp Red chili powder

Method:

Place gram flour in a mixing bowl and add salt, sugar and oil into it. Mix all the ingredients together well then add red chili powder, lemon juice, curd and make paste by adding warm water.Add baking powder and baking soda to the mixture and again mix it well. Place the mixture in a suitable container then put it inside the pressure cooker and let it steam for about 15 minutes. When done take the container out from the cooker and let it cool.Meanwhile, heat oil in a nonstick pan and add mustard seeds, sesame seeds and green chilies into the oil. Stir for few seconds then spread over the prepared khaman for dhoklas.Cut the dhoklas into square pieces using a knife and sprinkle chopped cilantro leaves for garnishing. Shredded coconut could also be used for garnishing.Yummy Khaman Dhoklas are ready to serve, serve it warm or cool with hot Purina & green mango chutney.

Kalakand

Ingredients

•8 cups whole milk
•1/2 cup Sugar
•2 tablespoon chopped nuts to decorate (pista, almonds, cashew nuts )
•Silver foil (optional)
•1/2 tsp. Citric acid dissolved in 1/2 cup water or ½ cup lime juice
•Vanilla extract or saffron ( optional to add taste)
Cooking time: 20 minutes.

Method

Take a sauce pan and add 4 cups of milk (half the milk) and let it boil for 15 minutes till bubbles come. Now add citric acid solution or lime juice as it comes to boil.The milk will separate the cheese out of it. Switch off gas once the cheese settles down. Take it near the water basin and drain the milk water through muslin cloth by press out excess water. Take in a plate and press down gently by palm and keep it aside.

Do not knead. Take another sauce pan and put the remaining milk in a heavy pan and boil to and reduce the quantity to half (Or we can use the condensed milk directly for making kalakand or milk fudge).Add the cheese into oil boiled milk. Stir thoroughly to mix the cheese and the milk well till the mixture thickens. Stir continuously. Add the sugar, saffron or any other flavor (for the extra taste) to this recipe .

Continue to cook, stirring all the while till it softly thickens into a lump. Take greased trays, apply silver foil and sprinkle the chopped nuts. Set the kalakand or milk fudge in a tray. Cool it for couple of minutes. We can give square cuts to the milk fudge with a sharp knife. The tasty kalakand (milk fudge) is ready to eat now

Chilli Bites Recipe

Ingredients
•150 g Chickpea flour
•15 ml Cake flour
•1 Medium-sized potato, coarsely grated
•1 Medium-sized onion, grated
•10 ml Coarsely ground coriander seeds
•5 ml Coarsely ground cumin
•3 Green chillies (finely pounded)
•5 ml Fine salt
•5 ml Paprika
•5 ml Baking powder
•A handful fresh coriander leaves (finely chopped)
•25 ml Diced spring onions
•Oil for frying ( you can use Olive oil too)
Method
Sift all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Then add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl as well.
Mix in enough water to make a batter similar to the consistency of thick flapjack batter (sticky but not dry or runny).

Heat some oil in a large frying pan and then add spoonfuls of this mix to the oil.

Turn over when the fritters are golden brown. Once the other side is golden brown, remove the chilli bites and drain on
absorbent paper toweling. Serve with sliced cucumber and yoghurt on the side, and server while still hot.

Upma Kozhakkattai

Raw rice - 2 cups
Tuvar dal - 3 tblspn


*Wash and soak rice and tuvar dal in water for 30 minutes. The rice should not go very soft on soaking.
*Depending on the variety of the rice, the soaking time can be adjusted.Drain the water, leave the rice dal combo on a colander for sometime so that any water left will be completely drained.
*Spread on a dry kitchen towel. This will take some 15 mts. Don't dry under sun.
*Make a coarse powder in a mixer grinder. The texture of the flour should be like rava (sooji).

Prepration of the upma for the kozhukkattai.



Water - 2 cups for every cup of the flour
Salt
Grated coconut -1/2 cup (increase the qty if you wish)


Seasoning


Oil - 2 tblspn
mustard - 1/2 tspn
chanadal- 1/2 tspn
urad dal - 1/2 tspn
chopped green chilly - 4 nos
broken red chilly - 2 nos
curry leaves - few

Take a kadai. Do the seasoning as given.
Add water and salt. Wait till the water starts boiling.When water starts boiling, slowly add the rice flour with out forming lumps. Let it cook. When the water is completely absorbed, add grated coconut. cook for 2 minutes.
*Now upma consistency will be reached.Transfer to a plate. Let it cool.
*When it is warm enough to be held in hand, take the cooked dough and make balls to the size of tennis balls. Usuall the shape is not perfect rounds but more like the shape of an egg.It is always rolled with one hand.
*Place the balls on a idly steamer and steam cook for 10 minutes. Kozhukkatais will have a glossy appearance once it is cooked.
*Serve with coconut chutney or sambhar.

Kesari

Ingredients :

Fried Rava - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
Ghee - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Elaichi powder - 1/2 t.sp
Cashew/Kismis - 1 tb sp
yellow/red colour - 1 pinch

Boil water after adding color to it. Add the fired rava slowly to the boiling water. Keep mixing while adding rava to avoid forming lumps. When rava is cooked (ie, when the rava and water forms a solid proposition) add sugar to it with continuous stirring. You will see some rava lumps already. Don't panic. You can break them using the laddle by pressing on the lumps. Keep mixing. When it starts to solidify, add ghee little by little. Add elaichi powder. When the mixture does not stick to the sides of the pan, it is ready.
Take a small frypan. Add 1 teaspoon of ghee. Add cashew to it. When cashew starts browning, add kismis.
Add the fried cashew and kismis to the kesari and mix well.

Preparation time - 15 mts
Serves - 4

Dates Avalose Unda

Ingredients :

Rice flour - 1 cup, preferable home made
Fresh grated coconut- 1/2 cup
Cumin/Jeera - 1/2 tspn

Method:

Mix flour and coconut together and keep aside for an hour or so. While mixing this way, the flour will absorb the moisture from coconut and the flour will turn fluffy. The mixture will turn dry and it will ease in roasting. Heat a kadai. Roast jeera ad then add the flour mix to it. Roast in medium heat, till it is light brown. I love the the aroma of roasted rice and coconut. If there is any lumps, try to break it with hand. Or to get a uniform texture, just pulse it in a mixer for few seconds.While serving, take some avalose podi and mix in sugar and eat. Optionally, you can slice some banana pieces and mash it along and serve. Personally, I like to eat with sugar only.

Note: Roasting should be done on medium heat so as to bring out the flavors and for even roasting.
Traditionally, avalose unda is made with jaggery syrup mixed in and rolled into balls. Here I made the balls using dates. Finely chop the dates and pulse it in the mixer grinder. Mix in the avulose podi and make into balls. This makes a healthy snack with natural sweetener.

Fresh Beans Masala

Ingredients:

Flat Beans 1 1/2 Cups (chopped)
Onion 1
Tomato 3
Green Peas (frozen) 2 tbsps
Ginger Garlic Paste 1/2 tsp
Green Chiles 2
Coriander Powder 1 tsp
Cumin Powder 1/2 tsp
Red Chile Powder 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Cilantro few Sprigs
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp

Method of preparation:

Wash thoroughly, snap both ends of the flat beans and chop beans into inch long pieces.
Remove stems, wash and finely chop the green chiles.
Peel, remove ends and very finely chop the onion.
Wash and finely chop the tomatoes.

Bring to boil few cups of water in sauce pot, add chopped flat beans and salt.
Boil till flat beans are just cooked without becoming too soft or mushy.
Strain the cooked flat beans and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan on medium high heat, add cumin seeds, asafoetida and onion.
Fry the onion till it turns light brown around the edges.
Then add ginger garlic paste and green chiles and fry for few more seconds.
Stir in chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes soften and become mushy.
Then add coriander powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and salt.
Fry till the tomato onion mixture comes together.
Then stir in cooked flat beans, peas and around quarter cup of water.
Cook covered for couple of minutes and stir in cilantro.
Remove from heat and serve fresh beans masala with steamed rice or roti.
Notes: Make sure not to overcook the beans.

Suggestions: If flat beans are not soft, add few tbsps of water to the curry and cook covered on low flame till done.
Variations: You can also add few pinches of garam masala during the last stage of cooking process. Check out some more recipes with fresh beans here.
Other Names: Fresh Beans Masala, Masala Chikkudu

Kadai Keema

Ingredients

600g minced lamb (keema)
1 cup yoghurt
10g ginger-garlic paste
10ml lemon juice
10g garam masala
3/4 cup capsicum (red, green and yellow)
Green chillies, slit lengthwise
Coriander powder
Cumin powder
Tomato, finely chopped
Kadai masala, (readily available at Indian supermarkets)
Oil, for frying
Salt, to taste
Fresh coriander, chopped,
for garnishing
Ginger, julienned, for garnishing

Preparation

Mix together keema, ginger-garlic paste, yoghurt, lemon juice, garam masala and seasoning in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate, allowing the keema to marinate for three to four hours. Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add green chillies and sauté till they start to sizzle. Add the marinated keema, along with the marinade. Stir for five to seven minutes without breaking the pieces. Add tomato, capsicum, coriander and cumin powders, then sauté well. Sprinkle some water over the keema. Cover the pan and let it cook until done. Ideally, a bit of thick sauce should remain. Place keema in a serving dish and garnish with ginger juliennes and fresh coriander. Serve with chapatis.

Kesar pista kulfi

Ingredients

1.5l milk
50g sugar
5g cardamom powder
10g pistachios, chopped
Saffron strands, a pinch
20g khoya (dry condensed milk), grated

Preparation

Bring milk to a boil in a deep frying pan and allow it to reduce till it attains a thick and creamy consistency. Add grated khoya and sugar and let it boil for two more minutes. Remove the milk from the heat and let it cool. Once cool, add cardamom powder, pistachio, and saffron to the milk. Pour the mixture
in kulfi (conical ice lolly) moulds and deep freeze for four hours. When the kulfi is set, take out from the mould and cut the shapes into two pieces. Garnish pieces with saffron strands and serve immediately.

Kashmiri Pulao

Ingredients

500g long grain basmati rice
100g red onion sliced
5g cinnamon
5g cardamom
5g clove
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1g saffron
100ml warm milk
20g walnut
20g cashew nuts
1 litre hot water
50ml oil
Salt, to taste

Preparation

Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes. Soak half the saffron in milk. Heat oil and fry onions till golden brown. Drain and keep aside. In the same oil, fry whole spices and turmeric for a few seconds. Then add rice and sauté gently till all the moisture dries up. Add saffron-infused milk and hot water. Mix gently. When the rice is al dente, add the remaining saffron and cook till grains are separated and done. Garnish kashmiri pulao with fried onions, walnuts and cashews.

Honey Glazed Cookie

Ingredients
All Purpose Flour – 2 cups
Butter – 1/2 cup
Olive oil or vegetable oil – 1/4 cup
Sugar – 1/3 cup
Baking Soda – 1 tsp
Orange Juice – 1 tbsp

For the Dip
Sugar – 3/4 cup
Honey – 1/3 cup
Chopped nuts (I used chopped Pista and raisins)

Method
1. In a bowl, beat the oil and butter until blended well using a hand mixer. Add in sugar, orange juice and baking soda and mix well.
2. Add flour little by little, using a spatula mix the dough well and make a soft dough.
3. Make small lemon size balls and flatten each balls 1/2 inch slices. (I flatten it with my hands) Using a cookie cutter or with moulds cut into any shapes as you like.
3. Place the slices on a baking sheet or a tray lined with aluminium foil and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 mins or until nice brown. (check it in the middle, it tend to be brown very quick) Remove it from oven and cool it.
4. In a pan combine sugar, honey and 1/2 cup of water and boil it for 5mins. remove the syrup from fire and dip each cookie in the warm syrup and sprinkle immediately with chopped nuts. Dry it and enjoy

Carrot Noodles Soup

Ingredients
Onion – 1/2 sliced
Carrot – 1 or 2 cut into slices
Noodles – 1/4 packet
Tomato sauce – 1/2 cup
Chilly powder – 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder – 1/8 tsp
Butter – 2 tbsps
Cilantro for garnish

Method
1. Heat 2 tbsps of butter in a pan and saute the sliced onion until soft, add the sliced carrot and fry for few more minutes. Add the vegetable broth or water allow it to cook, then add the noodles. Cover and cook it for two more mins.
2. Add the tomato sauce, Chilly powder, cumin powder, pepper powder and mix it well and cook it on low flame for few more minutes. Add salt and cilantro.
3. Once you see the shiny top switch off the gas and serve hot with any bread. Makes 2 servings

Mor kulambu with coconut milk

Ingredients
Bittergourd / Pagarkai - 1
Onion – 1/2 medium size
Tomato – 1/2
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder – 1/2 tsp
Corriander powder – 1/2 tsp
Coconut milk – 1/2 cup
Beaten curd / Yoghurt – 1/2 cup
Green chilly slited -1 or 2 as per ur taste
Cumin – 1/2 tsp
Mustard
Buttermilk – 1/4 cup or yoghurt – 1 tbsp

Method
1. wash and slice the bittergourd and put it on buttermilk with little salt and keep it aside for 15 mins. ( this will reduce the bitterness of the bittergourd, if u dont have buttermilk take 1tbsp of curd or yoghurt , add water and beat it well) . Drain the buttermilk after 15 mins and rinse the bittergourd slices with cold water for four or five times.
2. Heat little oil in a pan and fry the bittergourd slices till brown.
3. Add the sliced onion, fry till soft and add the green chilly, turmeric, chilly and corriander powders.
Add the sliced tomato and cook for two more mins.
4. Add the coconut milk and cover it with a lid and cook it low flame for few more minutes. Once the raw smells goes off turn off the gas.
5. After 1 or 2 mins add in the beaten yoghurt or curd and mix it well. Finally add the salt.
6. For seasoning , heat little oil pop mustard and cumin and pour over the kulambu and enjoy with rice.
Note:
Dont add the beaten yoghurt, while the kulambu is boiling.
Add salt after adding the yoghurt. I made coconut milk by grinding fresh coconut, you can use any canned coconut milk. (Never used canned coconut milk and I have no idea which brand is good)

Chocolate Coconut Bars

INGREDIENTS
CHOCOLATE BASE
unsalted melted butter – 1/2 cup
Egg – 1
All purpose flour – 1/4 cup
Sugar – 1/2 cup
Unsweetened Coco powder – 1/4 cup
salt – 1/4 tsp

COCONUT TOPPING
All purpose flour – 1 cup
Sweetened shredded coconut – 7 ounce , 1/2 cup for sprinkling
Eggs -2
Sugar – 3/4 cup
Vanilla essence – 1/2 tsp

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 375 degree.
CHOCOLATE BASE :
1. In a mixing bowl , pour the melted butter, sugar and salt and whisk it together . Then add egg, coco powder, flour and using a rubber spatula mix it well until smooth.
2. Take a baking pan and place a aluminum foil and butter the bottom and sides of the foil and spread the prepared batter over this and bake it for about 10 to 15 mins. Remove it from oven and cool it.

COCONUT TOPPING:
1. In a bowl whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla essence, mix in flour and coconut.
2. Spread this mixture over the prepared chocolate base and evenly spread it.
3. Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup coconut and bake for 25 to 30 mins in 375 degree. (insert a tooth pick and check , if it comes out clean remove the cake from the oven) Take it out from the pan and cut into bars and store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Ridged Gourd Curry

Ingredients
Ridged Gourd / Peerkankai – 2 medium
Onion – 1 big
Tomato – 1 medium
Green Chilly – 2
Tamarind Paste – 1 tsp
Cumin – 1/2 tsp
Red Chilly – 1

Method
1. Peel off the skin of the Ridged gourd and cut into small cubes.
2. In a pressure cooker add the rigded gourd pieces, chopped tomato and slited green chilly , tamarind add enough water and pressue cook it.
3. Heat little oil in a pan, pop cumin and add the chopped onion and fry until soft and add it to the cooked ridged gourd add salt. mash it with the back of the spoon.
(If it is too watery , cook it for few more mins after mashing it)

Yellow Pumpkin Curry

Ingredients:
Yellow Pumpkin – 1 medium slice
Channa Dal / Kadala paruppu – 1/2 cup
Onion – 1 small
Green chilly – 2 to 3
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida a pinch

To grind
Grated coconut – 3 to 4 tbsps
Fennel – 1/4 tsp

Seasoning
Mustard
Red chilly – 1
Curry leaves few

Method:
1. Pressure cook the channa dal with enough water, turmeric and asafoetida. (Dont over cook the dal )
2. Chop the pumpkin into small cubes. Grind the coconut with fennel.
3. Heat little oil in pan, pop mustard , cumin, red chilly , few curry leaves. Add the chopped onion and fry until soft.
4. Add the chopped pumpkin cubes, slited green chilly, little water and cover it and cook until the pumpkin is soft.
5. Add the ground coconut paste ,cooked channa dal, salt and cook for further few mins.

Mixed Vegetable Bonda

Ingredients
Potato , Beans, Carrot, Green peas – 3 cups chopped
Onion – 1/2 chopped
Green chilly – 3 to 4
Ginger/ garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala – 1/4 tsp
Cilantro

Method
1. Wash and chop all the vegetables into equal sizes except green peas.
2. Heat little oil in a pan, add the chopped onion , green chilly and ginger garlic paste and fry until soft. Add turmeric powder.
3. Add the chopped vegetables and saute it until the vegetables become soft. Finally add the garam masala, cilantro and salt. Turn off the heat and let the vegetables cool. Mash it coarsley and make small balls.

For the batter.
Gram Flour / kadalai Mavu – 1 cup
Rice Flour – 1/4 cup
Red chilly powder – as per ur taste
Baking Soda a pinch (optional)
Salt

Mix all the ingredients together by adding enough water make a thick batter. Dip each vegetable balls in the batter and deep fry until brown and serve with coconut chutney or green chutney. Good tea time snack.
Makes 8 to 10 bondas.

Ribbon Pakoda

Ingredients
Rice Flour – 2cups
Garam Flour / kadalai Mavu – 1cup
Chilly powder – 1 tsp
Butter / oil – 2 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida – 2 pinches

To Grind (this is for method -2 , not for method 1)
Red Chilly – 3 to 4
Fennel – 1 tsp
Garlic – 4 pods
Ginger – 1/2 inch (Grind these coarsley and take the juice from the mixture. Adjust the spices as per your taste)

How to
Method 1. Mix Rice flour and Garam flour in a bowl, add chilly powder, asafoetida, butter, salt and add enough water and knead the dough. In your murukku press, place the pakoda plate and load the dough and press it directly into the hot oil. Fry for few minutes, turn it over and fry until brown and crisp. Drain it from oil once it is done.

Method 2: If you want an extra spicy flavor, follow this method. Everything is same as method 1, instead of chilly powder, use the juice from the spice mix. Rest all the ingredients are same.

Note: The dough should not be too watery.

Sweet Corn Meal Pudding

Ingredients
Butter – 1/4 cup
Vegetable shortening – 2 tbsps or olive oil – 2 tbsps
Corn flour (Masa Harina) – 1/2 cup
Water – 4 to 5 tbsps

Corn meal – 3 tbsps (looks like sooji/rava)
Corn Kernels – 3 tbsps canned or frozen
Sugar – 1/4 cup
Whipping Cream – 3 tbsps
Baking Powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt a pinch

Method
1. Mix butter and shortening together in mixing bowl and mix until creamy.
2. Add corn flour little by little and mix thoroughly. Add water and make like a cookie dough. Add the corn kernels.
3. In another bowl add corn meal, whipping cream, sugar, baking powder, salt and mix well.
4. Combine this two mixtures together and mix until well blended.
5. Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Grease the baking pan with butter or oil , pour the mixture cover it with a aluminium foil and bake for about 25 to 30 mins.
7. Remove it from oven and cool it and serve as a dessert, or with breakfast, lunch or dinner. Makes 2 to 3 servings

Bok Choy Poriyal

Ingredients
Bok Choy / Chinese Cabbage – 3 medium size
Shallot Onion – 3 to 4
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsps
Garlic pods – 2
Green chilly – 2

Method
1. Wash and chop the leaves.
2. Grind green chilly, cumin, garlic, coconut into a coarse paste.
3. Heat little oil and pop mustard, add the sliced onion fry for a minute. Add chopped leaves and fry for 2 to 3 mins. Add the ground paste , salt and sprinkle little water and cover it with a lid and cook for few more mins.
4. Open the lid and fry until all the water evaporates and the leaves cooked well. Serve with white rice as a side dish

Vegetable Kurma

Ingredients
Potato, Cauliflower, Green beans, Carrot – 2 cups cubed
Onion – 1/2 sliced
Tomato Paste – 11/2 tsp or tomato – 1 (if using tomato, put it in hot water for 5 mins remove the skin and extract the juice)
Red chilly powder – 1tsp
Corriander powder- 11/2 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/8 tsp
Cumin – 1/4 tsp
Fennel- 1/4 tsp
Coconut milk – 1/2 cup

To grind
Coconut – 3 tbsps
Green Chilly – 2
Khus Khus – 1/4 tsp
Garlic pods – 2
Cashew nuts – 5 to 6
Shallot Onion – 3
Cilantro – 3 tbsps chopped
Grind all the above into a smooth paste.

Method
1. Heat little oil and pop cumin and fennel. Add the sliced onion and fry until soft. Cook the vegetable seperately and keep it ready.
2. Add the ground paste, chilly, corriander and pepper powders and fry for 3 mins add the cooked vegetable and cook for about 10mins.
3. Add the coconut milk & tomato juice and cook until oil comes out from the gravy.
Goes very well with Pulav, Chapathi, Poori and Idly.