Onion, tomato chutney

Onion 2 big                    tomatoes        3-4            red chilies 4-6 as per taste      
tamarind 1 tsp paste or small marble size           mustard seeds 1 tsp           udad dal 4 tsp
hing little            coriander leaves 2-3 tbsp chopped          salt       oil 1 tsp    garlic pearls 4 (Optional)
coconut 2 tbsp

Method
In a pan, add 1/2 tsp oil, add mustard seeds, udad dal, once mustard seeds crackles & dal turns golden, add chilies, hing & garlic, saute a little & put this on top of tamarind.
In the same pan, add the rest of the oil, add chopped onion & tomatoes, little salt, saute till onion turns transparent & tomatoes are slightly cooked.
Remove, cool.
First coarsely grind the mustard seeds, dal & chilies, then add onion, tomatoes, coriander leaves & coconut with salt to taste. grind well.

This chutney goes well with idlis, dosai, adai, can be had with rice, roti.

Crochet Scarf with hole& flowers, Hexagon stole

crochet bear

this crochet bear is for my grand-daughter.

Vermicelli kheer ( Semia payasam)

Vermicelli kheer ( Semia payasam)

Vermicelli 50 gm                 milkmaid 1 tin               cashew nuts 25 gm               fresh milk 3 cups

Raisins 25 gm                      cardamom pdr ½ tsp            butter 1 tbsp

Method

1)      Break vermicelli into small pieces & wash raisins. Crush 10 gm of cashew nuts into tiny bits & powder the rest.

2)      Place a kadai on gas, add butter, fry the crushed vermicelli or you may use the roasted vermicelli that you get now, then no need of frying it, fry the nuts & raisins, add milk, milkmaid & allow the mixture to cook. When done, add the cardamom pdr.

Allow to boil for a minute. Remove from fire. Serve hot/ cold

Rice kheer ( Pal payasam)

Rice kheer ( Pal payasam)

Rice 100gm             milk 1 litre            milkmaid 1 tin          chopped nuts, cardamom pdr optional

Method

1)      Wash rice & pressure cook in milk for 10 minutes or cook on slow fire till the rice is soft.

2)      Add milkmaid & cook for another 5-7 minutes, until the kheer reaches the consistency you like.

3)      Remove from fire. Serve garnished with nuts, cardamom pdr  or with ( chara paruppu)

Pumpkin & potato sabzi

Pumpkin & potato sabzi

Pumpkin ½ kg           potatoes ½ kg      mustard seeds ½ tsp     methi/ fenugreek seeds ¼ tsp      bay leaf 1    

Dalchini/ cinnamon 1”       cardamom 2            cloves 2        kalonji ( onion seeds) ½ tsp      saunf ½ tsp

Hing/ asafetida ¼ tsp         jeear/ cumin pdr 2 tsp        red chili pdr 1 tsp       curd 1 tbsp

Water ½ cup         sugar ½ tsp        amchur pdr 1 tsp          fresh coriander leaves 1 tbsp   salt

Method

1)      in a kadai, add oil 1 tbsp, add mustard seeds, once it crackles, add methi, kalonji, saunf, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, hing, then add pumpkin cut into big pieces, potatoes, salt, turmeric pdr, water, mix well. Cover for 5 minutes. Once cooked, add sugar, finely chopped tomatoes 1, amchur pdr & fresh coriander leaves.

Ginger Ale

Ginger Ale

Lime 1 ½ kg       ginger ¼ kg         sugar 2 kg      water 1 litre          sodium benzonate 1 gm/ ¼ tsp

Bring sugar & water to a boil with juice of 2 lemons. Once it boils well for 5 minutes, remove from fire, strain. After cooling, add lime & ginger juice, mix well with the preservative which is mixed with lime juice & added to the sugar, mix well, bottle in clean sterilized bottles.

To use mix about ¼ glass of the ale with ¾ glass of water, mix well, top with ice & serve with mint leaves.

Potato dholkia

Potato dholkia

Potato 80 gm

For the filing

Crumbled potato 20gm           cashew nuts 2 gm            raisins 1 gm            green chili 1 chopped fine

Turmeric ¼ tsp     salt ½ tsp              chaat masala ¼ tsp                garam masala ½ twsp

To marinate

Ginger-garlic paste 2 tsp         kashmiri chili pdr ¼ tsp          amchoor pdr ¼ tsp        black salt ¼ tsp

Cooking oil 50 gm                kasturi methi ¼ tsp           yoghurt 50 gm

Method

1)      Prick potatoes & microwave on high for 5 minutes until cooked. Keep a glass of water on the turntable to prevent the wrinkling of potatoes while cooking. Cool & peel the potatoes.

2)      Cut small slices from both ends of the potato, so that it gets a base to stand.

3)      Then scoop the potatoes.

4)      Mix the ingredients for filling. No cooking is required, fill the potatoes with the filling.

5)      Then mix all the ingredients for the marinate & apply the paste to the potatoes.

6)      Let it marinate for 30 minutes.

7)      Grill the potatoes till they become golden brown.

Serve with chaat masala, green chutney, onion roundels & lem

Kadi Basanti with pakoras ( spicy buttermilk with dumplings)

Kadhi Basanti with pakoras ( spicy buttermilk with dumplings)

For pakoras

Besan/ gram flr 50 gm          onion chopped 25 gm        spinach chopped 100 gm        ginger chopped 5 gm

Red chili pdr ¼ tsp      ajwain ¼ tsp             salt ½ tsp       baking pdr ¼ tsp       oil for frying

For Kadhi

Yoghurt/ buttermilk   100gm       coconut milk 50 ml          gram flr/ besan 25 gm       red chili paste ¼ tsp

Salt ½ tsp       oil 10 ml       curry leaves 1 sprig          mustard seeds ¼ tsp       fenugreek seeds ¼ tsp

Turmeric pdr  ¼ tsp           dry red chilies 2-3

Method

1)      mix all the pakora ingredients in ½ cup of water.

2)      Heat oil in a wok. Take a small amount of the paste in hand, make small balls & deep fry till golden brown. Drain.

3)      Beat yoghurt/ buttermilk & gram flr. till it is thick without any lumps.

4)      Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, red chili,, fenugreek.

5)      Add the yoghurt mixture, bring to a boil & simmer for 10-15 minutes.

6)      Keep stirring to prevent lumps.

7)      Add the pakoras & again simmer for 5 minutes.

8)      Adjust the seasoning & serve hot with steamed rice.

Muffins- Basic & varieties- cinnamon, cheese, jam

Basic muffins        makes 12

Sifted flr 2 cups             sugar ½ cup           baking soda 3 tsp               salt ½ tsp    

 milk 1 cup                 Oil ½ cup                 egg 1

Method

1) preheat oven to 200 deg C or 400 deg F.

2) Grease bottoms only of 12 muffin pan cups.

3 ) sift flr with soda & salt, stir in sugar.

 4) In a separate bowl beat together egg, milk & oil.

 5) Spread flr mixture in wide round bowl & make a well in the centre.

6) Pour in egg oil mixture all at once, stir with a fork until just combined.

7) Spoon mixture into prepared cups, bake until golden for about 25 minutes.

8) Immediately remove from cups by inserting knife tip under each to loosen.

9) Serve hot with butter.

Ps- when mixing batter, stir just until flr is moistened. Do not beat. Batter will be lumpy but makes tender muffins. Muffins can be frozen or kept for a few days. Wrap in a foil & reheat in oven before serving.

Butter can be used instead of oil & will taste better.

Variations of muffins

Cinnamon-sugar muffins

Make basic muffins. Combine 2 tsp of cinnamon & ¼ cup sugar, mixing well. Sprinkle about 1 tsp mixture on each muffin just before baking.

Cheese muffins

Make basic muffins, add ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese & ¼ tsp of red chili pdr to dry ingredients. Reduce vegetable oil to ¼ cup.

Jam muffins

Make basic muffins. Spoon a ½ measure of batter into each muffin pan cup. Add 1 tsp jam & top with remaining batter. Rest is same, bake a usual.

Chocolate Mud cake

Chocolate Mud cake

Castor sugar 55 gm       drinking water 500 gm          unsalted butter 425 gm           dark chocolate 200 gm

Eggs 6              refined flr/ maida 400gm                baking soda 17gm      cocoa pdr 60 gm

For decorations

Whipped cream 250 gm        castor sugar 2 tbsp         rum 2 tbsp     raisins 20 gm

Whip the cream in a mixer & add the sugar. Whip until soft peaks form as otherwise the cream will curdle. Fold in the rum.

Method

1)      over a double boiler, place the chocolate & butter in a bowl

2)      once this melted, add warm water & the sugar so that the sugar is dissolved, stir for a hort while.

3)      Add all the dry ingredients, stir  & slowly add eggs. Fill up the spring mould 24 cm diameter brushed with butter & bottom covered with butter paper.

4)      Bake at 180 deg C for about 50-60 minutes depending on the oven or until baked.

5)      Take out from the oven, let it cool down for a while before removing the mould.

6)      Set in the fridge overnight.

7)      For the finishing, cut the cake in ½ & spread with ½ of the cream mixture & place the raisins on top.

8)      Place the other half on top & add the remaining cream.