Spicy Matri

This is one of my favorite Matris I have learnt & make it quite often.. It is vey east & tasty snack...

Ingredients:

Maida - 2 cups
Ghee - 4 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Carom Seeds (Ajwain/Omam) - 1/2 tsp
Amchur Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder -1 tsp
Channa Masala - 1 tsp (I used Everest brand!)
Dhania Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil for frying & tempering

Method:

1. Knead maida, ghee, some salt, carom seeds to a soft dough and allow it to rest for 15 to 20 mins
2. Make 8, 1/4 inch height chapati and cut into diamond shapes around 1 inch
3. Deep fry them till they turn golden brown
4. Now heat a small tempering kadai, add 4 to 5 tbsp heated oil, add salt, red chilli powder, Amchur powder, dhania powder, turmeric powder & turn off the heat
5. Quickly add it to the fried Matris and mix well.
6. Allow it to cool & store in air-tight container.

 

Mysore Pak

This one I totally dedicate this post to my Chachi (Chitti) who told me the exact recipe of how it is made.

Mysore Pak is one my favorites to make during festivals.

Ingredients:

Good Quality Besan/Chana Dal flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 1/4 cup + Garnish
Ghee - 2 1/4 cup
Water - 1 cup
Milk - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Grease a steel tray with Ghee
2. Heat a Kadai and dry roast Besan till its raw aroma goes
3. Sieve the roasted Besan for no lumps
4. Take a small kadai & keep on heating the Ghee on low flame
5. Take a Heavy Bottom Kadai (not a non-stick), add Sugar and water till it boils.
6. Add milk & allow it to boil & remove the dirt of sugar which forms on the corner.
7. Heat till you have 1/ 1.5 string consistency of sugar syrup.
8. Slowly add the Besan to sugar syrup with no lumps
9. Add heated ghee to the Besan Sugar mix, one ladle at a time, mix the ghee & then add another ladle till the ghee is finished and the mix starts leaving sides
10. Just before the entire mix starts frothing, add one last ladle of ghee & slightly mix
11. Immediately pour the mix on the greased tray. DO NOT TAP the tray. Just move it. Sprinkle sugar on it.
12. Cut into pieces when it is slightly cooled off. Store it in an air tight container when it is completely cooled.

Tips:

• The Measurement is very important.
• Quality of Ghee & Besan will surely affect the taste of Mysore Pak
• String 1.5 in Sugar syrup means there will be one string & another string will  not be a complete on when you press & open your index finger & thumb with Sugar syrup

 

Pista Kalakand

I made lot of variety sweets & savories this Diwali.. My daughter also loved all the snacks..
 
This one I made as instant Pista Kalakand which you can make in a jiffy..

 

Ingredients:
 
Khoya/Mawa - 200 gms
Paneer - 200 gms
Powdered Sugar - 200 gms
Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp
Pista - 2 tbsp. (powdered) & some for garnish
Ghee - 2 tbsp. + greasing
 
Method:
 

1. Heat Ghee in a Kadai, add crumbled Khoya and let it sauté till the raw smell goes off. But you need not change its color
2. Add crumbled Paneer to it and again sauté till they are well combined and do not change color.
3. Add Cardamom Powder & Pista Powder & stir for two mins.Turn of the heat & allow it to cool
4. Grease a plate & keep it ready.
5. You need to add powdered sugar when the Kadai is slightly above room temperature but the mixture of Khoya-Paneer is still warn & you can touch with hands
6. Mix the sugar well & pour the mix on the greased plate. Garnish the mix with pista & slightly press.
7. Refrigerate the plate for 2 to 3 hrs
8. Warm the base of the plate by immersing in warm water & cut it into pieces. Store in Box in fridge.

 Tips:

• Step 5 is very important as it will determine if your Kalakand has come out well or not.
• Allow the mix to cool in natural way to the right temperature
• You can add Saffron-Milk, Almonds, Cocoa Powder etc. to enhance taste & create different versions of Kalakand
• This will last for a week if refrigerated.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Brunch Menu - Variety Rice Platter

As the prices of Onions are rising, I thought of making Variety Rice Platter which has no onion but tastes very good.. it is a perfect menu for Kanupodi (day after Pongal) when all variety rice is made.

The Variety Rice Platter includes:

1. Lemon Rice
2. Coconut Rice
3. Pudina Rice
4. Curd Rice
5. Raw Banana Chips

Raw Banana Chips

Raw Banana Chips are easiest chips you can ever make at home... It is an all time snack as sides for Variety Rice or Just like that with tea or coffee..

Ingredients:

Raw Banana - 4 nos.
Salt to taste 
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Water as required
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Oil for frying


Method:

1. Heat oil in kadai till it is really hot
2. Peal raw bananas & soak in water
3. Mix salt & asafoetida in water to make a salt solution
4. Slice banana on the hot oil directly using a Chipser
5. Sprinkle salt solution on the hot oil with chips frying
6. Fry till the sound of bubbles goes & the raw banana starts changing color.
7. Sprinkle red chilli powder after taking it out of oil.

Creamy Curd Rice - Heavenly Treat

This is one of the rice which is my all time favorite. Curd Rice is the heat buster during summers..

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice: 2 cups
Thick Curd: 1 cup
Milk: 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Fresh Green Coriander - few sprigs (Chopped)
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig (Chopped)
Pomegranate for garnish

For Tempering:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a generous pinch
Grated Ginger (optional) - 1 tsp
Green Chilli (optional) - 1 (Chopped)

Method:

1. Take Cooked Rice in a wide bowl, add salt, chopped coriander, curry leaves
2. Heat oil in a tempering kadai, add mustard seeds, channa dal and urad dal
3. Once the dals start turning brown, add asafoetida, grated ginger and green chillies.
4. Let it cook for 20 to 30 secs, add it to bowl of Rice
5. Add Curd & Milk & mix thoroughly.
6. Serve Chilled and Garnish with Pomegranate Seeds

Pudina Rice

Typically this kind of rice has lot of variations both with/without onions... I made a typical south indian one.. hope you like it

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 2 cups
To Grind:
Fresh Mint/Pudina - 1 cup
Fresh Coriander leaves - 1/ cup
Green chilli - 1
Salt to taste

For Tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp 
Urad Dal - 1 tsp 
Channa Dal - 1 tsp 
Red Dried Chillies -  2 Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Lemon Juice - 1/2 lemon
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Grind all ingredients in "To Grind" to a fine paste.
2. Heat oil in kadai,  add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add Channa Dal, Urad Dal & red chillies
3. Once the dals, turn brown, add curry leaves
4. Pour the ground mint/coriander paste & cook for 2 mins
5. Add lemon juice & rice, mix till the rice is thoroughly mixed. Serve hot with chips.

 Tips:

• Use Basmati Rice for better taste.

Lemon Rice

Hey this one is one of my favorite variety rice.. this reminds me of my school days when I used to take Lemon Rice to school in Lunch Box and it is finished by my friends in no time.. whether hot or cold.. this is always a tummy filler...

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Lemon - Juice extracted from 1 lemon
Salt
For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Cashews - 4 to 5 ( broken into pieces)
Asafoetida - a generous pinch  
Green Chillies - 2 (cut into slits)
Red Dried Chillies -  2
Ground nuts - 10 to 12  
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig Coriander Leaves for garnish 
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp  
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in kadai, add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add Channa Dal, Urad Dal, green & red chillies, cashews and ground nuts.
2. Once the dals, ground nuts & cashews turn brown, add curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric powder.
3. Pour this tempering over warm cooked rice (in a wide bowl).
4. Add salt and lemon juice & mix till the rice is thoroughly mixed.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves & serve hot with chips.

Tips:

• You may used preserved lemon juice as well. But the lemon rice tastes best with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Try using Basmati Rice, it will taste even better.
  

 

Coconut Rice

I made Coconut Rice for the Variety Rice plate.. This rice itself is a complete meal. It is a dish with no onions & garlic so it can be made on pooja days as well..

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 1.5 cup
Fresh Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Cashews - 4 to 5  ( broken into pieces)
Asafoetida - a generous pinch
Green Chillies - 2 (cut into slits)
Red Dried Chillies -  2
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander Leaves for garnish
Appalam/Urad Papad - 2 (broken) (optional)
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in kadai, add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add Channa Dal, Urad Dal, green & red chillies, cashews and appalam.
2. Once the appalams are fried,  dals & cashews turn light brown, add curry leaves & asafoetida.
3. Add grated coconut and saute for 1 to 2 mins
4. Add cooked rice & salt & mix for another 2 to 3 mins till the rice is thoroughly mixed.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves & serve hot.

Eggless Vanilla Sponge

My daughter is now going to school.. She wanted cake for Friday's Snack box.. I made this Eggless Vanilla Sponge which she loved and the recipe is so simple that it can be made easily.

Ingredients:

Self-raising flour - 1 cup (125 gms)
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Unsalted Butter (Melted) - 60 ml (1/4 cup)
Condensed Milk - 1/2 tin (200 ml)
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
Milk - 80 ml (1/3 cup)

Method:

1. Pre-heat Oven in 120 deg for 10 mins. Grease & dust the baking time (5'X5') square tin.
2. Sieve flour & baking soda separately
3. Combine all wet ingredients (butter, condensed milk, vanilla essence & milk)
4. Pour-in sieved flour & soda mix in wet ingredients
5. Mix all with an electric hand mixer for less than a minute without any lumps
6. Bake at 150 deg for 50 mins and then increase the temperature to 180 deg & again bake for 10 mins

Tips:

• If you do not have self-raising flour, you can use 1 cup all purpose flour & 1 tsp of baking powder and sieve well
• You may serve this cake with whipped cream, chocolate jam or with hot tea
• You may add dry fruits & nuts to give a bite to the cake
• This cake can be used also for Desserts, Truffles, etc.

Brunch Menu - North Indian Thali (Simple)

Hi.. I am going to put up few Brunch Menu to make on Weekends or special days like Birthday or Festivals.

Last Sunday I made North Indian Thali... which consisted of

1. Bhindi Masala

2. Lasooni Dhuli Moong Dal

3. Boondi Raita

4. Phulkas

5. Rice

6. Mirchi ka Achar

Lasooni Dhuli Moong Dal

LASOONI DHULI MOONG DAL

This is the Simplest Dal EVER!!!. I prepare this when I am too Lazy or need to prepare dal in a jiffy...

Ingredients:

Dhuli Moong Dal - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 2 to 3 (Slits)
Garlic Cloves - 6 to 7
Oil for tempering
Jeera - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Lemon Juice - 1.5 tsp (approx. 1/2 lemon)
Green Coriander for Garnish

Method:

1. Pressure Cook Dal with Salt & Garlic Cloves & Turmeric Powder
2. Heat oil in tempering Kadai, add Jeera & Green Chillies. Let it splutter for 30 secs.
3. Pour the temper over dal & add water if required
4. Add Lemon juice & coriander for garnish.

Bhindi Masala

BHINDI MASALA

A perfect side dish for rotis or rice.

Ingredients:

Bhindi/Okra -  2 cups, cut into slits

Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp

Onion - 1 (Chopped)

Tomato -  1 (Chopped)

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1.5 tsp

Garam Masala Powder - 1.5 tsp

Amchur Powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

Method:

• Heat Oil in Kadai, add Jeera, Ginger-garlic paste, onions & Tomatoes. Fry till it is cooked.
• Add all dry masalas & add Bhindi. 
• Cover & cook till bhindi is cooked. Add salt & saute for 2 mins and serve hot.

Jam Jam Jammy

I made Jam Biscuits..last weekend.. and My Daughter loved it... hope you all will like it....

Ingredients:
Flour - 1 Cup Butter - 4 1/2 tbsp Powdered Sugar - 1/2 Cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp Mixed Fruit Jam - 2 to 3 tbsp 

Method:

1. Pre-Heat Oven at 165 degrees for 10 mins
2. Cream Powered Sugar & Butter till sugar is mixed well with butter
3. Add Vanilla essence, Flour & knead to a dough. (if the dough is too dry add milk otherwise not required)
4. Chill the dough for 10 to 15 mins.
5. Make 25 equal sized balls from the dough & flatten it.
6. Make a small thumb impression on each flattened dough & scoop 1/4 tsp of Jam in each
7. Bake it for 15 to 20 mins at 165 degrees. Cool it on Wire Rack for 1 hr & store it in Air Tight Container

Tips:

• You can use other types of Jams to give a flavor twist.
• Please be very careful while taking out the done cookies out of the oven as the jam will be Super Hot....

Sweet Modak (Kozhukattai)

Hi... Sorry for posting this after two weeks of Ganesh Chaturthi... But I was so held up that I could not post it at that time. I made these & came out to be very tasty on Ganesh Chaturthi. This is especially for those who do not know how to make modaks. It is very simple recipe taught by my Chachi (Chitti) Radha.. who is one of my inspirations to cook..

This can also be made during Navarathri especially on Saraswathi Poojai which falls on the 9th day of the Navarathri Festival.

Ingredients:

For Stuffing:

Grated Fresh Coconut - 1 cup
Grated Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Cardamom Powder - a generous pinch

For Dough:

Rice Flour - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Oil - as needed

Method:

1. For preparing the stuffing, heat a heavy bottom pan, add Coconut & jaggery
2. Keep stirring till the jaggery melts & combines well with coconut. Saute till both are mixed well & forms a lump. Add Cardamom powder & remove from heat to let it cool. Make 10 to 15 small balls from it.
3. For preparing dough, boil water in a pan rigorously, take a tbsp. of rice flour & mix with 2 tbsp. of boiling water separately in a bowl.
4. Add this mix to boiling water to prevent lumps when you add entire portion of rice flour (This tip was given by my Chachi!!)
5. Add the entire portion of rice flour gradually while stirring it continuously.
6. Stir until Thick lump is formed. Let the rice flour mix cool
7. Dab some oil on your palms & knead the rice dough
8. Make 10 to 15 small balls, make small cups out of those balls & stuff the prepared coconut stuffing, thereby, making modaks.
9. Steam those modaks for 10 mins in a bamboo steamer/idly cooker

Tips:

• Step no. 4 is very important to avoid lumps in the rice flour dough.
• Measurement of Rice Flour to water is 2:1.

Kesar Pista Cookies

This is the third variety of Cookie I made with the same Cookie dough but with a traditional twist of Kesar & Pista:

Ingredients:

Flour - 1 cup
Butter - 4 1/2 tbsp.
Powered Sugar - 1/3 cup
Saffron - 1 big pinch soaked in warm Milk
Pista - 2 Tbsp powdered & 20 to 25 for decoration 


Method:

1. Cream Butter & Sugar till Sugar is mixed properly
2. Add Saffron Milk & Pista Powder
3. Add Flour & knead to a soft dough
4. Divide the dough into 15 to 20 equal portions.
5. Make rounds & flatten each ball. Press it with a Pista piece
6. Pre-heat oven at 160 deg for 10 mins. Bake at 160 deg for 15 to 20 mins
7. Store it in air-tight container after cooling

Tips:

• You can cardamom powder for extra flavor
• The cookies might crack while pressing but that will add to the look of the cookies.

Mr. Brown & Mrs. Pink Cookies

This is the second variety of Cookie I made with the same Cookie dough but with a slight variation:

 

Ingredients:

Flour - 1 cup
Butter - 4 1/2 tbsp.
Powered Sugar - 1/3 cup
Rooh af zaah - 2 tbsp. (Rose sugar Syrup)
Cocoa Powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
Milk (as required) 


Method:

1. Cream Butter & Sugar till Sugar is mixed properly
2. Add Flour & knead to a soft dough
3. Divide the dough into two equal portions.
4. To one portion, add Rooh af zaah (Knead well & add Flour if required)
5. To second portion, add cocoa powder (Knead well & add Milk if required)
6. Roll each portion in elongated tube
7. Attach the two elongated tubes together & roll light till they stick together
8. Refrigerate for 45 mins & Cut into thin slices with a sharp knife
9. Pre-heat oven at 160 deg for 10 mins. Bake at 160 deg for 15 to 20 mins\
10. Store it in air-tight container after cooling

Tips:

• You can add nuts to enhance taste & texture  

 

Tutti Fruti Cookies with Marbled Chocochips

Its Cookie Time again... I made 4 different variations of Cookies with same cookie dough... I will share all of them with you....

Ingredients:

Flour - 1 Cup
Butter - 4 1/2 tbsp
Powdered Sugar - 1/2 Cup
Tutti Fruti - 1/3 Cups
Marbled ChocoChips - 4 tbsp
Milk - 2 tbsp. (if required)

Method:

1. Pre-Heat Oven at 165 degrees for 10 mins
2. Cream Powered Sugar & Butter till sugar is mixed well with butter
3. Add Tutti Fruti & half of Chocochips
4. Add Flour & knead to a dough. (if the dough is too dry add milk otherwise not required)
5. Chill the dough for 10 to 15 mins.
6. Make 25 equal sized balls from the dough & flatten it.
7. Sprinkle & press the balance chocochips on cookies
8. Bake it for 15 to 20 mins at 165 degrees. Cool it on Wire Rack for 1 hr & store it in Air Tight Container

Tips:

• You can use other types of chocochip or raisins with this.