Macaroni cutlets !

Ingredients

left over vegetable macaroni 1 cup ( not necessary you need this, but I wanted to use what was left over )

boiled, peeled & mashed potatoes 1 cup ( normally I always have boiled potatoes in my fridge, as when you use your cooker, boil a few potatoes with the skin, push them in the fridge, take it out when needed, this way it comes very handy & doesn't get spoiled for a t least a week !)

ginger 1"

green chilies 5-6

salt to taste

chili pdr 1/2- 1 tsp ( optional)

fresh coriander leaves 1 cup

in case you've any left over kidney beans or green moong dal just grind them with ginger, chilies & coriander, also grind the left over macaroni, without adding any water.

Method

mash all together with salt , chili pdr, little bit of hing, you may add some chana masala pdr., then to bind it you may need, depending on the quantity about 1/2- 1 cup of rice flour & 1/2-1 cup of corn flour.

Heat oil, make small cutlets, of your desired shapes, fry in hot oil, when you lower the heat, then it will take in more oil, or else , it hardly takes in oil when you fry.

Happy eating.

Best wishes to all for a great 2012.

How to set curd easily in winter

the easiest & quickest way to set a good curd in winter, is to pour the amount of milk, say 500 ml, in a microwave safe dish like mine !, then add 1 tbsp curd, micro high for 2 minutes, if the milk is too cold or for 90 seconds if it is around 15 deg C. let it remain inside the microwave itself, in case you want to heat something, remove it, then again keep it in. The curd will set within 5 hours well.

Why, I've mailed this is, earlier, in winters, living in a cold place without heating, I needed a blanket/ sweater to set the curd in winters ! then also, the curd may not get set within a day. now thanks to microwave, I can set curd fast & easily in it.

Bottle gourd & peas vege in microwave

Ingredients

bottle gourd/ ghia 1/2 kg peeled & chopped small

peas 1/4 cup

mustard seeds 1 tsp

udad dal 2 tsp

red chili 2 split

salt to taste

oil 1 tsp

finely grated coconut 1 tbsp ( optional)

Method

in a microwave safe dish, add oil, mustard seeds, udad dal, red chili, micro high for 2 minutes.

add chopped bottle gourd/ghia, peas, salt to taste, sprinkle wee bit water, mix well, micro high for 2 minutes.

stir well, again micro high for another 2 minutes, by now it will be almost done, if not keep for another minute, then add finely grated coconut 1 tbsp which is optional.

Or, you may grind coconut & 1 green chili coarsely then add when the veges are almost done, micro high for 1/2 minute & remove. this goes well with rice & sambar/ rasam.

Quick corn in microwave

In a microwave safe dish, add 1 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, micro high for 1 minute.
add finely chopped ginger & green chilies to taste, which is optional, if using then micro high for 11/2 minute.
then add sweet frozen corn, add salt to taste, micro high covered for 2 minutes.
Voila, your corn is ready to eat, added with salad, or just plain, you mad to any vegetable, or rice preparation. The choice is yours.

Quick cottage cheese ( Paneer) starters

cottage cheese cut into cubes 1 cup
salt to taste
chili pdr to taste   or pepper pdr.
ghee/ butter 1 tbsp

heat ghee/ butter in a non-stick pan, add cottage cheese cubes, toss well for 2 minutes, adding salt & chili pdr to taste. Remove, serve them with small forks or tooth picks.

Instant Chocolate Mousse

chocolate 1 cup
marshmallow   1 cup
heat these 2 in gas on low flame or microwave it for 1 minute, mix well, cool. Keep in the fridge for 1 5 minutes.
Pour into small glasses or cups.

Beat well 1/2 cup cream with 1 tbsp sugar till thick.
Pipe the cream over the chocolate mousse & serve at once.

Spicy Cheese dosai

Dosa batter as usual, make thin dosas, once a side gets done, turn it, on the cooked side spread grated cheese over it, add milagai podi, fold it, let it get crisp, serve hot.

Omam ( Ajwain) Vathak Kulambu

Ingredients
mustard seeds 1 tsp
fenugreek seeds 1/4 tsp
omam 1 tsp
red chilies 1
curry leaves 1 sprig
papad 1 broken into small bits
oil 1 tbsp
tamarind juice thick 1 cup
atta 1 tsp
salt 1 tsp
sambar pdr 1 tsp
hing 1/2 tsp

Method
In a heavy pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, once it crackles, add fenugreek, chili, curry leaves, hing.
Then add the broken papad/ appalam, fry it well, add omam/ ajwain, saute, pour the tamarind juice, salt, sambar pdr, simmer let it boil for about 8 minutes.
Mix atta with little water, add to the boiling mixture, mix well, once it boils well, remove.
Serve with hot rice & til oil.

ps- this is very healthy to have once a week, as omam/ ajwain is good for the stomach, also when you don't have sambar, it gives some rest to your tummy, as our stomach doesn't have the enzymes to digest the dal protein, so we bloat. So this helps to keep our tummy safe & healthy. I just love this, can have this with curd rice too ! 

Healthy Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

Pumpkin cubes 1 cup

Carrot cubes 1 cup

Onion 1 big chopped fine

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Butter 1 tbsp

Salt & pepper pdr to taste

Milk 1 cup ( skimmed milk can be used by those who are health conscious)

Method

1)      in a pressure cooker, add butter, cumin, once it crackles, add onion, sauté for 2 minutes, then add pumpkin & carrot pieces, mix well, add 4 cups of water.

2)      Cover & put the whistle, after 2 whistles, switch it off, once the pressure has reduced, cool the mixture & puree it.

3)      In a big pan, add the puree, 1 cup milk, salt & pepper pdr to taste, let is boil well.

4)      Serve with a dash of cream & pepper pdr sprinkled on top.

Pumpkin & carrots are a good source of Vitamin A, which is good for the eyes.

Best wishes for 2012. Be happy & healthy.

Pumpkin mousse

Ingredients to make custard

Milk      200 ml

Sugar     50 gm

Custard pdr  2 tbsp mixed with little water

Make custard by boiling milk with sugar, then add custard pdr, mixed well with water, keep           stirring till it thickens, keep aside to cool.

For the pumpkin mousse

Pumpkin puree 1 cup , this is done by roasting pumpkin lightly in a grill, then cool it & puree.

Cream 2 tbsp

Sugar 50 gm

Cinnamon pdr ¼ tsp

Nutmeg pdr ¼ tsp

Dry ginger pdr ½ tsp

All spice pdr ½ tsp

Mix all these well, add the custard & keep in the fridge till it sets about an hour.

To serve, put it in a piping bag, then pipe in a nice serving glass/ bowl in curves, sprinkle some cinnamon pdr, nuts on top & serve.

Spinach corn dumpling soup

To make the dumpling

Yellow corn flour( makki ka atta) 1 cup

Butter 2 tbsp

Baking pdr ½ tsp

Oregano 1 tsp

Spinach ½ cup finely chopped

Salt to taste

Oil 1 tsp

Mix all the ingredients to make a stiff dough. Then take small portions, flatten it ( not too thin) in your palm, make a slight depression on the top with your finger & keep aside.

For the soup

Oil 1 tsp

Onion 1 small finely chopped

Garlic 1 tsp

Tomato 1 finely chopped

Red chili pdr ½ tsp

Salt & pepper pdr to taste

Oregano 1 tsp

Cumin pdr ¼ tsp

Sweet corn( tender) ¼ cup

Spinach leaves finely chopped  ¼ cup

Water 2 glasses

In a heavy pan, add oil, garlic, then sauté onion till transparent, add tomatoes, sauté for a minute.

Add water, dry spices, corn & the spinach dumplings.

Let this cook for 5-7 minutes, as once the dumplings get cooked, it will come to the surface.

In case it gets too thick, add some more water.

Now add the spinach leaves, let it come to a boil.

Serve hot , garnish with chopped tomato slice on top.

 This is a very healthy & meal in one soup, as it has the necessary nutrients- Vitamins, carbs, proteins in it. Spinach as you know is a good source of fiber, Vitamin A, iron. Enjoy the hot soup on a cold winter evening.

Best wishes to all for a wonderful 2012, be happy & healthy. Take care.

Baked vegetables in a healthy base

Baked vegetables in a healthy base

For marinating

Coconut grated 1 tsp

Thick curd 2 tbsp

Corn flour 1 tsp

Pepper pdr ½ tsp

Ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp

Oil 1 tsp

Mix all this well to this add

 Cooked Corn ¼ cup

Capsicum cut into big pieces ¼ cup

Onion cut into big pieces ¼ cup

Carrot cut into big thin pieces ¼ cup

Let the vegetables marinate for 40-45 minutes

For the base

Multigrain flour 1 cup

Oregano ½ tsp

Butter 2 tbsp

Salt ½ tsp

Make a stiff dough adding little water id needed.

Roll the dough into the size of your pie baking dish, it should not be rolled too thin.

Cover the pie dish well, going over the sides too, spread enough kidney beans on top, then bake it in pre-heated oven at 180 deg C for 15- 20 minutes, this depends on the size of your oven, as to check if it is done, when you pierce the side, it will come out clean.

Now remove the beans, fill it with the marinated vegetables, add grated mozzarella cheese on top, bake at 180 deg C for 10 minutes till the cheese melts.

Cut into pieces & serve hot.

Quick Fudge

Ingredients

• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Mix sugar and coca together thoroughly in large microwavable bowl.
    
2. Pour milk in sugar mixture but do not mix. Set the stick of margarine right on top of the mixture.
    
3. Microwave on high for 2 1/2 minutes.
    
4. After the mixture comes out of the microwave, mix well and add vanilla.
    
5. If it seems to dry, add a little extra milk. If you add too much milk and it gets too runny then you can use the mixture on top of ice cream.
    
6. At this point you can add nuts or whatever else you like in your fudge. Put the fudge out on a plate that is covered with aluminum foil.
    
7. Put in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. It will solidify pretty quickly.

Simple Fudge

Ingredients

• 2 pounds bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons  unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 cans  sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Thoroughly coat all inside surfaces of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler or in a large bowl in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in condensed milk and vanilla extract. The mixture should be completely smooth. 

Scrape fudge into prepared pan. Use a rubber spatula or your fingers to coax fudge into corners and into an even layer.

Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm enough to cut. Cut into 40 squares (8 x 5).

Variations: 

Candy Tidbits:

• For Rocky Road Fudge, add 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows and 1 1/2 cups chopped toasted walnuts or almonds to fudge before scraping into pan.
• For Chunky Fudge, add 1 1/2 cups dark raisins and 1 cup chopped toasted peanuts.
• For Fudge X 3, divide recipe in half. Use bittersweet chocolate for one half and spread in pan. Use milk chocolate for second half and spread in pan on top of first half. While still soft, scatter 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips on top and press into surface with your fingers.

Simple Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes
• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1 1/2 quarts milk
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup  cream
• 2 cups crisp toasted bread
• 5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Bake potatoes in Microwave until tender.
    
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Slowly blend in flour with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended.
    
3. Gradually add milk to the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in salt and pepper and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly.
    
4. Cut potatoes in small chunks. When milk mixture is very hot, whisk in potatos. Add green onion, sour cream . Heat thoroughly. Add cheese a little at a time until it is all melted in. Just before serving toss in well toasted bread cubes.

Sweet Toast Casserole

• 1 loaf  bread, cut into cubes
• 8 eggs if small or 5 large eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, optional
• 2 tablespoons butter cubed
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Maple syrup/ honey optional

Instructions

1. Place bread cubes in a greased 13x9x2" baking pan. in a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt, if using. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
    
2. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.
    
3. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Dot with butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top.
    
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted neat the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with maple syrup/ honey, if desired.

Baked Overnight French Toast

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 12  slices of bread
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Powdered sugar

Instructions

1. In large bowl beat eggs, milk, sugar, syrup, vanilla and salt to blend. Pour mixture over bread. Turn bread slices to coat. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
    
2. In the morning, preheat oven to 400F degrees.
    
3. Spread butter over bottom of heavy large baking pan with 1 inch sides. Remove bread from egg mixture and arrange slices in pan.
    
4. Bake French bread 10 minutes. Turn bread over and continue baking until just golden, about 4 minutes longer.
    
5. Transfer cooked toast to plates and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve at once with warm maple syrup or honey and chopped, toasted walnuts. 

Baked French Toast

Ingredients

• 8 slices bread
• 12 ounces evaporated skim milk
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Lightly coat a (9"x13"x2") pan with non-stick vegetable spray. Arrange the bread slices in the bottom of the pan.
    
2. Combine all the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly using a whisk or an egg beater.
    
3. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread. Cover tightly. Refrigerate for at least several hours.
    
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bread with non-stick vegetable spray. Bake until lightly browned (30-35 minutes). Serve hot with maple syrup, powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Healthy snack- puffed rice with peanuts

This is a very healthy snack, as all that you need is to microwave puffed rice for about 30-60 seconds in the microwave to make it crisp.
then microwave peanuts as desired first for 2 minutes, then toss it well, for another 1/2-2 minutes, check if it is done, as this depends on the quantity & the power of your microwave.
Then just mix both the nuts & puffed rice & gorge when you're hungry, as it doesn't contain salt, it is good for hypertension patients, it makes one feel full after eating a cupful. Happy & healthy eating.

Post inflation Mixed Vegetable rice !

I named this post-inflation mixed vegetable rice, because as all of us are facing the financial crunch, right. So with the escalating cost of vegetables, pulses, rice etc, no one wants to waste any food. Very often we're left with wee bit of leftover vegetables- dry or with gravy, some dal etc, we don't feel like dumping it in the garbage, so what to do, as no one wants to eat the same food. So, best option change its form, so the family can share the left overs happily !

Anything left over- some dal, vegetable, sambar, rasam or chundal, to this what you need etc are
onion 1 chopped fine
tomato 1-2 chopped fine
capsicum 1 chopped fine
garam masala 1/2 tsp
oil 1 tsp
ghee 2 tsp
cumin seeds 1 tsp
curry leaves 1 sprig
fresh coriander leaves handful finely chopped
cooked rice as needed

Method
heat a heavy pan, add oil & 1 tsp ghee, add cumin, once it crackles, add finely chopped vegetables & salt needed for the vege, saute well add garam masala pdr, curry leaves, some coriander leaves, fry for another minute, add all the left overs, add water if it is too thick, let it boil well. Add cooked rice, mix well, check for salt, if it isn't spicy enough, add some pepper powder, ghee mix well, serve hot.
We had this for lunch today with some home made fries that you can see.
The fries were dried cluster beans fried, rice sabudana vadams.

ps- you can use any vegetable that your family likes, peas if there isn't peas in the leftovers, potatoes if desired, the choice is yours. This is a good option when you run short of vegetables, when you're tired, or just want to get rid of the left overs, so that you've space in your fridge !

In case anyone wants to know how to make the vadams, please free to mail.
This goes for any recipe as well.

ps- for cancer & other health related info, you can view my blog

http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

Simple cauliflower peas curry in Microwave

Ingredients

cauliflower 1/2 kg wash well cut or break into small bits

peas 1/2 cup

oil 1 tsp

mustard seeds 1 tsp

udad dal 2 tsp

red chilies 1

grated coconut 2 tbsp ( optional)

salt

Method

In a microwave safe dish, add oil, mustard seeds, dal, red chili & micro high for 1 1/2- 2 minutes, depending on your microwave power, as once you get the nice aroma of the dal turning golden, take it out, add the vegetables, sprinkle wee bit water, cover & micro high for 3 minutes, stir well, micro high again for 3 minutes. It should be done, check, if so, add salt to taste & coconut of desired & micro high for 1minute.

It is a very simple way of cooking cauliflower quickly too, with minimum oil. This goes well with rice & its accompaniments.

Mediterranean Apple tart with dry fruits

Ingredients
Filo pastry 3 sheets
butter 5 gm
brown sugar 5 gm ( 1 tsp)
Apple peeled & sliced 400 gm
pitted prunes 18 gm
chopped dried figs 18 gm
seedless dates 18 gm
chopped cilantro 2 gm
cinnamon pdr 2 gm
powdered sugar 5 gm

Method
Peel, core & divide apple into 2. Slice approximately 1mm thick. Chop/ dice dry fruits & mix with the chopped cilantro. Then divide into 6 balls. Spread filo pastry with butter & sprinkle brown sugar & the cinnamon pdr to taste. Put 2 more filo pastry on top sprinkling the same between each. Cut this into 6 squares.
Place the filn square in a tart ring of about 8 cm in diameter. Place the ball of dry fruits in the centre. Arrange apple slices, i.e., appr. 1 full apple per tart in a circular manner with the slices overlapping till the top of the dry fruits. the apple will be a cone around the dry fruits. Sprinkle with cinnamon pdr & a dab a little butter & bake for 30 minutes at 180 deg C till the apple is soft. Sprinkle icing sugar & serve hot with ice cream of your choice.

Blueberry yogurt & Muesli Parfait

For 1 serving Ingredients


skimmed milk yogurt 50 gm
muesli 10 gm
blueberry 50 gm

Method
Use a glass to assemble this dessert. Start with the blueberry at the bottom of the glass, followed by a few teaspoons of yogurt to cover the berries. Spread a single layer of the muesli, followed by some more yogurt. Then add one layer of the berries &  a final layer of yogurt. Decorate with mint leaf & serve at once.

Raw banana podimas ( vegetable)

ready to eat 'podimas", it means finely mashed.

 pressure cooked & peeled banana

raw banana grated

ingredients
raw bananas 2 or as many as you require, pressure cook, peel & grate or mash it while warm well.
for seasoning
2 tbsp oil
mustard seeds 1 tsp
udad dal 2 tsp
chana dal 2 tsp
green chilies 2-3 or as you may require finely chopped
ginger 1" finely chopped
hing 1/4 tsp
salt to taste

Heat a heavy pan, add oil, add mustard seeds, dals, once it crackles & dal turns golden, add hing, chilies & ginger, saute, then add grates/ mashed bananas, salt, mix well, simmer for 3-4 minutes.
This goes well with rice & sambar or with rasam or with kadhi.

green, healthy kadhi

Green kadhi

Ingredients

Buttermilk 2 cups or you can make with curd too after beating it well

Besan/ chickpea flour 2 tsp

Cumin 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds ½ tsp

Coriander seeds ¼ tsp

Fenugreek seeds 1/6 tsp

Oil 1 ½ tbsp

Salt to taste

Hing/asafetida ¼ tsp

Turmeric pdr ½ tsp

To grind

Onion 1 small

Green chilies 3-4

Fresh coriander leaves 1 small bunch

Curry leaves 2 sprigs

Few mint leaves

Garlic pearls 3 optional

Ginger 1”

Grind this entire fine.

Method

1)      In a heavy/ non-stick pan, heat oil, add cumin, mustard, fenugreek, coriander seeds, once it crackles, add hing & the ground paste, sauté well.

2)      After 2 minutes, add besan & turmeric pdr. sauté well till a nice aroma comes.

3)      Add well beaten curd or buttermilk, stir well, so that there are no lumps.

4)      Add salt to taste, add ½ cup water if the buttermilk/ curd is too thick, mix well, let the mixture boil well for  5 minutes, if it gets too thick, you may add some more water as desired, add finely chopped coriander leaves.

5)      Remove, garnish with fried onion if desired.

This goes well with hot rice.

Health Tips

 Ready to eat one.

getting cooked.

You all know that curd has good protein, calcium, if it is buttermilk, then it is fat free, so it is healthy. Coriander leaves & green chilies are a good source of Vitamin C, so also mint, curry leaves are a good source of Vitamin E which is good for skin & hair. Ginger & garlic are good for digestion & have anti-cancer properties. Fenugreek is good for diabetes. So, it is a very healthy recipe ! Guten appetite. 

Mushroom stuffed starters

Mushroom stuffed starters

Ingredients

Mushrooms 10-12 or more as per your need pull out the its tail or the end, so that you can gently scoop from the center to fill the stuffing, be gently while doing it.

For stuffing

Today I used, about ¼ cup peas cooked, fresh coriander leaves 1 small bunch, few mint leaves, ginger 1”, garlic pearls 3, green chilies 3-4. all these were ground without water with salt.

For batter

Rice flour or all purpose flr ( maida) 2 tbsp

Corn flour 2 tbsp

Salt & pepper pdr as needed.

Bread crumbs 1 cup to coat

Oil to fry

Carefully stuff the mushrooms with the filling, then prepare the batter, dip each one carefully in the batter, then roll in the breadcrumbs & deep fry in hot oil. While frying make sure that you put the filled end down.

Ps- in case you don’t have bread crumbs, no problem, just use semolina( sooji) that is what I used today !

Ps- in stead of my stuffing,  you may fry some finely chopped onion, tomatoes, carrots, capsicum with salt & spices as you like & use instead. The choice is yours, be innovative.

In case you are using more mushrooms or they’re big in size, then you may need more stuffing, so go by your requirements.

health tips

mushrooms are rich in proteins & unlike what many think, it is vegetarian. Only caution is never pluck mushrooms from the wild, as some are poisonous, best buy what is available from the market packed.

One cake you're sure not to succeed if you follow this, have fun reading it !

HERE IS A LITTLE CAKE RECIPE I RECEIVED   Ingredients: * 2 cups flour * 1 stick butter * 1 cup of water * 1 tsp baking soda * 1 cup of sugar * 1 tsp salt * 1 cup of brown sugar * Lemon juice * 4 large eggs * Nuts * 1 bottle of Whiskey * 2 cups of dried fruit Sample the whiskey to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the whiskey again. To be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the whiskey is still OK. Try another cup... Just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 eggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the frigging fruit up off floor. Mix on the turner.. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the whiskey to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Check the whiskey. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one spoontable lemon juice. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degreedles and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish the whiskey and wipe counter with the cat. Take a taxi to supermarket and buy cake. Bingle Jells

have fun, don't try this.


Have a wonderful holiday season & a great 2012

Corn & vegetable tice

Ingredients

sweet corn 1/2- 1cup
cauliflower 1/2 cup
capsicum 1
carrot 1 big
onion 1 big
green chilies 3-4
ginger 1"
garlic 3-4 optional
oil 2 tsp
clarified butter 2 tsp
salt to taste
fresh coriander leaves 3 tbsp
cumin seeds 1 tsp
hing 1/4 tsp
cooked rice 2 cups
garam masala 1/2 tsp
Method
wash & finely chop the vegetables, chilies, ginger & garlic.
in a non-stick or heavy pan, heat oil, add cumin, then add all the vegetables, saute for 2-3 minutes, add corn, saute till, all the vegetables are tender or crisp as you desire adding salt to taste & garam masala 1/2 tsp.
then add the cooked rice, mix well, add salt if needed, add some fresh coriander leaves finely chopped now, some clarified butter, mix well, cover for 2 minutes for all the masala to get absorbed with the rice.
serve garnished with some more finely chopped coriander leaves.

If you've this with raita ( i.e., curd mixed with any vegetable- onion, cucumber/ tomatoes or combination all finely chopped with salt & pepper pdr to taste) will make it a complete meal, as we get the needed carbs from rice, protein from corn & curds, vitamins from the vegetables. So, this will make a quick & complete meal.

Methi/ fenugreek leaves paranthas with dal

Ingredients for paranthas
methi/ fenugreek leaves 1 cup
fresh coriander leaves 1/2 cup
green chilies 3-4
garlic 3 optional
ginger 1"
grind all the above with wee bit water to a fine paste, add salt to taste, mix with wheat flour around 2 cups to a nice soft dough, smear 1 tsp oil, keep it covered for 30 minutes. then make paranthas cooking well on a hot tawa on both sides by smearing ghee once you see some brown spots on it. This parantha stays soft once cold also.

Plain dal/ lentils
moong dal 1 cup wash & pressure cook with 2 tomatoes, 2-3 garlic pearls (optional) finely chopped for 2 whistles.
For seasoning
2 tsp ghee
jeera/ cumin 1 tsp
finely chopped green chilies 3-4
ginger 2" finely chopped
curry leaves 1 sprig finely chopped
fresh coriander leaves 1 tbsp
hing 1/4 tsp
heat ghee, add cumin, then rest of the ingredients except coriander leaves, saute well, add the cooked dal, add salt to taste & coriander leaves, let it boil well for 4-5 minutes on low flame, serve hot with methi paranthas.

methi paranthas are full of iron & Vitamin C as it has green chilies, fresh coriander leaves too. This when eaten with dal becomes a complete meal as the dal gives you enough protein needed.

Quick & healthy vadai !

for this vadai, I used  all left over things like-
 rice 1 cup
boiled white kidney beans/ lobia 2 tbsp
boiled black chana 2 tbsp
onions 2 big finely chopped
green capsicum 1 ground with green chilies to taste, ginger 2" & curry leaves 2 sprigs
besan/ chick pea flour 2 tbsp
corn flour 2 tbsp
salt to taste
fresh coriander leaves finely chopped 2 tbsp
oil to fry
potatoes 2 small boiled & smashed

Method
I ground kidney beans, chana, rice too, mixed all the rest with salt, don't add any water, add the flours, if sticky add some more flours.
Heat oil, make small flat vadas & deep fry in hot oil, it didn't take in oil at all !
It was really good, we loved it hot in the cold here !


ps- you can make this with left over rice, onion, green chilies, potatoes also, even if you don't have boiled kidney beans or chana, you may need to add some besan & cornflour to get the binding & to get the crispness from the cornflour.

ps- those interested in viewing about cancer & health related topics, can view my blog-

http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

Be happy, as it is a way to good health.

Healthy & light adai

 Ready to eat healthy adai.

Ingredients

Rice 2 cups
moong dal split 1 cup
green chilies 4-5
salt
oil for shallow frying
fenugreek seeds 1 tsp
ginger 2"
garlic 3-4 optional

Method
wash & soak the rice & dal together along with fenugreek seeds for about 2 hours.
then grind it with green chilies & ginger coarsely adding salt to taste.
Keep it aside for 3 hours.
heat a heavy tawa, once hot, smear little oil, make adai like usual, if preferred you may add some finely chopped onion & curry leaves, fry on both sides golden or crisp as you like.
serve hot with some chutney or milagai podi.

Quick Fried Tomato rice

tomatoes small 6
cooked rice 2 cups
chili flakes to taste
pepper pdr & salt to taste
oil 3 tbsp
mixed herbs ( basil, celery etc) 3 pinches
cheese optional

Method
1) In a non-stick pan, heat 1/2 the oil, add the herbs, slit the top & bottom of the tomatoes, place them around.
2) Sprinkle chili flakes & salt on the tomatoes, add the cooked rice around, sprinkle some pepper pdr, salt, spread the remaining oil around.
3) Keep the pan covered & on high flame for 2 minutes.
4) Remove the cover, switch off, mix well, slightly smashing the tomatoes with the spoon.
5) The cheese fans like me, you may sprinkle some cheese on top while it is hot, mix well, or spread some cheese on top & bake on a hot oven for a few minutes till cheese melts & serve hot.
6) To serve, each bowl should have one tomato with rice in it, garnish with some fresh coriander leaves.

Quick Peanut rice !

Ingredients
cooked rice 2 cups
peanuts 2-3 tbsp
chili flakes 1 tsp
pepper pdr 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
oil 2 tbsp
fresh coriander finely chopped 2 tbsp
tomato slices for garnishing

Method
In a non-stick pan, heat oil, add peanuts, roast them with little salt.
As the peanuts start  getting roasted, add chili flakes, coriander leaves, saute till nuts are well roasted, add rice, salt to taste, pepper pdr. to taste, mix well for another 2 minutes.
Serve hot garnishing with tomato slices.

 option, while roasting nuts, one can add finely chopped onions if they like to get a good flavor.
one can also add some cheese last & bake for a few minutes then to get the cheese melted !

cheese cartwheels

Ingredients
flour 150 gm
butter 100 gm
egg 1 large
grated cheese 75 gm
coconut chutney 2 level tbsp
salted peanuts 50 gm
slat & pepper to taste

for the chutney
grated coconut 4 tbsp
green chilies 2-3
small bunch of coriander leaves
roasted gram dal 1 tsp
ginger 1"
salt to taste
lime juice 1/2 tsp

method
1) Grind the chutney with all the ingredients, adding lime juice last with enough water.
2) sift flr, slat & pepper pdrr.
add butter cut into small pieces  & with finger tips only rub in fat until it resembles bread crumbs.
3) Stir in cheese, beat the egg lightly.
4) Add this with enough cold water to the flour to make a family stiff dough.
5) On a lightly floured working surface roll the dough into a rectangular shape about 1/2" thick. Spread the chutney leaving 1/2" in the corners. Roll the dough tightly, cut into circles, place on a greased plate & bake in a moderately hot oven till golden.

Uppu/ salty appams

The best & easy way of making uppu/ salty appams is have idli batter, to it season with mustard seeds, chana dal & udad dal, along with green chilies, ginger, hing, curry leaves to taste like for any upma & make appams is ' appakarai' or you can make it in any 'kadai' too, by heating oil, & pouring laddle full carefully to form nice rounds & fry like for vadai, drain.

ps- I've already  given recipes for sweet appams earlier, those who missed, can look at the blog. 

Lobia salad or White kidney bean salad

The best way to make lobia salad is to make sprouts with it. To make sprouts with any whole lentil, wash & soak it over night, drain, tie it in a cloth & keep it covered for 2 days.
Sprouts are very healthy as the Vitamins B complex & Vit. C get enhanced, they're easy to digest too.

One way of making lobia salad is by sprouting, then cutting fine cucumber, onion, tomatoes, carrot  either a combination of all or whatever you like along with salt & pepper pdr to taste or those who like green chilies, you may cut them fine & add it, as green chilies are a good source of Vitamin C & with lime juice to taste.

Or you may pressure cook kidney beans till tender, then add finely cut vegetables of your choice along with salt & seasoning of your choice.

Quick Celery rice

celery  chopped fine 1/2 cup
cooked rice 2 cups
garlic chopped fine 1 tbsp
moong dal ( green lentils) sprout 1/2 cup
pepper powder 1 tsp
salt to taste
oil + butter together 2 tbsp

Method
1) In a non-stick pan, heat fat, add garlic, fry, add sprouts, saute for 2 minutes, add celery, saute for another 2 minutes, add rice, salt & pepper pdr. to taste stir well on low heat.
2) Serve hot with any raita or vegetable manchurian.

Cheese Rice

Ingredients

rice cooked 2 cups
cheese grated 1 cup
salt & white pepper pdr to taste
clarified butter 2 tbsp
fresh coriander leaves 3 tbsp
tomatoes finely chopped 2
capsicum green finely chopped 1

Method
In a heavy pan, heat butter, add tomatoes, capsicum, saute fora  few minutes, add coriander leaves, saute for 30 seconds, add cheese, saute well, add rice, mix well adding salt & pepper pdr. to taste, simmer, keep stirring till well mixed.

Those who love rolls, can put this with some chutney or sauce of your choice between roti, i.e, Indian bread & keep biting  if in a hurry to office !

Happy eating.

Banana Smoothie

Ingredients

banana 1
thick curd 1 cup
low fat milk 1 cup
cocoa pdr 1 tbsp
honey 1 tbsp

Method

Peel the banana, add all the ingredients in a blender & blend till frothy, serve at once.

Breakfast Parfait

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese, or low-fat plain yogurt
• 1 cup pineapple chunks, papaya chunks or peaches or combination of seasonal fruits of your choice
• 2 teaspoons toasted wheat germ

Method

Place cottage cheese (or yogurt) in a small bowl. Top with fruit and sprinkle with wheat germ.

Apricot-Walnut Cereal Bars

Ingredients

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 cups unsweetened puffed-grain cereal
• 2 cups chopped dried apricots
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cup silken tofu, drained 
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup  oil
• 1 cup honey

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest

Method

1)  Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a large  pan with cooking spray.

2) Spread oats and walnuts on a baking sheet with sides. Bake until fragrant and light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add puffed cereal, dried apricots, flour and salt; stir to combine.

3) Meanwhile, puree tofu, egg, oil, honey, vanilla and lemon zest in a food processor or blender until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Make a well in the center of the oat mixture; fold in the tofu mixture until combined. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.

4)  Bake until firm in the center and golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into bars with a sharp knife.

Cranberry Muesli

• 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened or sweetened cranberry juice
• 6 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats, (not quick-cooking )
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon unsalted flax seeds
• 1 tablespoon wheat germ
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Method

Combine yogurt, juice, oats, cranberries, flax seeds, wheat germ, honey, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.