Rasagulla

RASAGULLA
Ingredients:
Milk - 4 cups
sugar - 1.5 cups
water - 4 cups
maida - 2 tbsp
Vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp
lemon juice - 3 tbsp

Method:
- bring milk to boil- add lemon juice and boil the milk for another 5 mins
- when the paneer and whey seperates, strain the paneer
- wash in cold water 3 - 4 times
- drain the water completely
- add the paneer ng it in a blender and grind for 30 seconds
- mix maida and paneer and made a soft dough
- make small balls out of it
- boil water and sugar together in a vessel
- when it comes to a boil add all the balls and allow that to cook in slow fire for 20 - 30 mins, partially closed
Serve cold...
Source:
Manjulas Kitchen.She cooked this in a pressure cooker.

Paaya

PAAYA
Ingredients:
aatu kal - 6
onion - 2 (finely chopped)
bay leaf - 1
cardamom - 2
cloves - 2
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
salt to taste
pepper powder - 1 tsp
chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
green chillies - 3 (chopped)
cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
corriander powder - 1/2 tsp
garam masala - 1/2 tsp
curry leaves - 10 - 15
oil - 2 tsp

Method:
- in a pan add oil
- add bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and onions
- add green chillies, add ginger garlic paste
- fry well
- add the aatu kaal
- add the salt, turmeric, pepper, chilli powder, corriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala and curry leaves
- mix welll
- add 7 - 8 cups of water
- pressure cook for 10 whistles
- serve hot with idiyappam or dosa or as a soup

Source:
Vah reh vah chef, Sanjay. Thanks for this wonderful recipe.

Chilli Mushroom

CHILLI MUSHROOM
Ingredients:
button mushrooms - 1 pac, washed and cleaned, cut into halves
capsicum - 1, cut into fine squares
green chillies - 4
salt to taste
red chilli powder - 1/2
pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
onion - 1 (finely chopped)
soya sauce - 2 tsp
chilli sauce - 1 tsp
tomato ketchup - 1 tsp
oil - to fry
garam masala - 1/2 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Method:
- in a pan add oil
- add the onions and green chillies and fry
- when they change colour add mushroom and capsicum
- add the salt, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, pepper powder, soya sauce, chilli sauce, tomato ketcup, garam masala
- mix well
- let it cook for 2 - 3 mins
- now add 1/4 cup of water
- cook until the masala is dry
- SERVE

Bharwan Bhindi

BHARWAN BHINDI
This recipe was taken my from favourite chef's site www.vahrehvah.com. Though he had added lots of ingredients I just took the idea and made this recipe with the simplest ingredients and which came out too well. Thanks chef. MY hubby hates this veggie and this dish has become his favourite now.. Hats off to you!!!!

The original recipe comes from here: http://www.vahrehvah.com/popvideo.php?recipe_id=4239

Ingredients:
ladies finger - around 1/4 kg, washed and dried in a kitchen towel
salt to taste
sambar powder - 2 tbsp
amchoor powder (dry mango powder) - 1/4 tsp
or lime juice - 1/2 lime
oil - 4 tsp
Method:
- cut the ends of the ladies finger and cut them into two slices
- slit open halfway through ladies finger. make sure that they dont get fully or else you cannot stuff into them.
- apply the paste inside the ladies finger
- in a tava or a 1" pan, add oil
- arrange the ladies finger slices and put the fire to simmer
- close the pan with a lid
- leave it to get cooked for 3 - 4 mins in low fire
- now remove the lid and turn over the ladies finger on the other side and fry the same way again.
- when done.. when they change the colour to golden colour... remove and serve as a side dish!!

Tomato Soup

TOMATO SOUP
Ingredients:
tomatoes - 3 (roughly chopped)
onions - 1 (roughly chopped)
green chilli - 1
bay leaves - 2
garlic - 2 - 3
salt to taste
Butter - 2 tbsp
pepper powder - to taste
corn flour - 1/2 tsp

Method:
- in a pressure pan add the onions, green chillies,garlic, bay leaves and the tomatoes
- add salt to taste and add some water and pressure cook until soft
- leave it to cool down
- remove the bay leaves
- then grind it to a fine paste and stain it and leave it aside
- add butter in a pan
- add the tomato mixture and the pepper powder and bring it to boil
- mix corn flour with some water and mix that to the boiling mixture
- allow it to thicken
- serve

Rabdi

RABDI

Its a kheer.. cooked in its own way.. easy to prepare and got its own taste.

Ingredients:
milk - 4 cups boiled
bread - 2 slices
sugar - 7 - 8 tsp
cardamom powder - 2 pinches
saffron - 1 pinch
chopped cashews - 1 tsp
ghee - 1/4 tsp

Method:
- bring milk to boiling state
- remove the sides of the bread slices and then crumble them into bread crumbs.
- add the bread crumbs, sugar to the milk and allow that to thicken
- in a pan add ghee and fry the cashews till golden brown
- add that to the milk mixture, add the cardamom powder and saffron
- mix well
- serve chilled


Source:
Tarla Dalal, book.The book came free with my Microwave oven atleast 6 - 7 years back. Though I have tried this recipe multiple times.. it was never boring..An easy recipe prepared within seconds.

Liver soup

LIVER SOUP
Ingredients:
liver - 1/2 cup (chopped into fine squares)
onion - 1/2 (finely chopped)
tomato - 1/2 (finely chopped)
oil - 1 tbsp
water - 5 cups
salt to taste
pepper - 1 tsp
red chilli powder -1/4 tsp
corriander powder - 1/4 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
corriander leaves - one handful chopped
Method:
- in a pan add oil
- add the onions and fry till they turn golden brown
- add the ginger garlic paste, salt, turmeric and tomatoes and fry for 4 - 5 mins
- add the liver and fry
- add the pepper powder, red chilli powder and corriander powder
- mix well
- add water and fry well- close the pan with a lid and allow it to coo till done
- add corriander leaves and allow that to boil till cooked
- serve as a soup
- or could be tasted as a rasam

Fish Fingers

FISH FINGERS

My Dad and Mom had come over this weekend. I wanted to give them a soup and a starter. So i decided to make tomato soup and this starter. Amma, usually doesnt touch, cook or eat the sea food items where in Dad and My hubby are good at it. The funniest thing was MOm didnt know what It was and had a bite. She even had this as a starter until the finished the soup. We never told her... and on letting her know she was like.. I couldnt recognise the fish smell or the taste.. it was crisp and good..

O that was great success.. Even my Mom had this!!!Do try this recipe.. Easy to make.
I got sear fish in the market and asked the shop wala to cut the fish slices as we need for curry. Then I cut them into thin strips. Iam not sure if this wil work out with other fishes.. The taste was heavenly and dont ask.. the plate was all over before we could finish the soup.

Ingredients:
fish - lengthly sliced as fingers ( I used sear fish here) - 1 cup
red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
chopped curry leaves - 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
garam masala - 1/4 tsp
pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
corriander powder - 1/4 tsp
oil - to deep fry
besan powder - 2 tsp
bread crumbs - 1 tsp

Method:
- in a bowl mix red chilli powder, salt, turmeric powder, corriander powder, pepper powder, garam masala powder, curry leaves, ginger garlic paste
- add the fish fingers and mix well and allow it to marinate for atleast 30 mins.
- now mix besan powder and bread crumbs in a plate
- toss the marinated fish fingers and leave it aside
- when it forms a coating, toss the fish fingers one by one between your palms to remove the excess coating
- heat the oil in the pan
- when the oil is hot add the fish fingers and deep fry till they turn golden brown.
- serve this as a starter.

Source:
Vah reh Vah chef - Sanjay.....Got this video from a friend and wanted to try this out when Dad and mom come here.. They did come and had a nice time ..!!!

Egg Sandwich

EGG SANDWICH
Ingredients:
Bread slices - 6 (remove the sides)
Eggs - 4
salt to taste
pepper - to taste
pudina chutney - 6 - 8 tbsp
butter - 4 tbsp
onions - 2
green chillies - 2
Method:
- in a pan add oil
- add the finely chopped onions and green chillies
- fry till the onions turn golden brown
- add the salt and pepper to taste
- break open the eggs and make an egg burji
- mix well- leave it aside
- apply butter on the bread slices
- apply the pudina chutney
- then add the salt and pepper to taste
- spread the egg burji and close with another bread slice
- cut them into halves
- serve them as triangles
- serve then grilled as well

Mango Pickle (Avakkai)

RAW MANGO PICKLE (AVAKAI PICKLE)
The Source is from ME AND MY KITCHEN. This is the first pickle I prepared in my entire cooing life. And this came to be really awesome. My mom picked up a box of this pickle and she too it to Chennai. In her next visit after a few months she still searched for this pickle and again took some of them. And she had come last week and the rest and the remaining was again paced to be sent to chennai.. O i didnt want to lose this oppertunity to take a picture of my first experience. .. SO I did this now... But I prepared this pickle in the month of April 2009, but during the time I shifted my home in Aug, 2009.. I completely forgot about this pickle and it was inside the shelf until mom came and discovered the place where the pickle was.. BUt the worst part is my hubby never got an oppertunity to taste this even once..!!

Ingredients:
Raw Mangoes – 2 ½ kg
Red Chilli Powder – 150 gms or increase as per your taste
Fenugreek Seeds – 25 gms
Mustard Seeds – 200 gms
Gingelly Oil – 500 ml
Salt (measurement given for powder salt and not for rock / sea salt) – 150 gms


Method:
- First wash the mangoes well and pat it dry with a cloth.
- Remove the seed alone from the mango and do not remove the thick shell behind the seed of the mango Now cut all the mangoes into 1 inch pieces and spread it in a cloth so that all the moisture content will be absorbed by the cloth.
- Dry roast the fenugrreek slightly till it smells well and let it cool well.
- Grind the mustard seeds to a fine powder and let it cool well in a plate.
- Grind the fenugreek seeds to a fine powder and let it cool well in a plate.
- Now mix mustard powder, fenugreek powder, red chilli powder and salt well and thoroughly with the help of a ladle.
- Do not use your hands while preparing pickle.
- Use a clean and dry ladle for the whole process so that pickle will last for a long time.- Now take a clean air tight container.
- Fill the base of the container with a little of oil.
- Put a little of powder mixture on the top of oil.
- Now addd few mangoes on the top of it.
Now again pour some oil on the top of the mango and powder mixture on the top of it and few mangoes on the top of it.
- Repeat the process until all the mangoes are done.
- While u finish the process add oil on the top of the container.
- Close the container now. Do not disturb this container for 3 or 4 days.
- After a period of 3 days, open the container and you can see the mangoes have absorbed the spice mixture and oil.
- you can find the oil will be floating on the top of the pickle.
- Now mix the pickle with a clean and dry ladle and repaet this process for every 3 days.
- Though we can start using this pickle after a period of 10 days, its good if we leave it for a period of 1 month and you will surely find the difference in taste at this time.
This mango avakkai will really be spicy and yummy!

Besan Ladoo

BESAN LADOO
Ingredients:
2.5 cups besan
2.5 cups powdered sugar
1 cup melted ghee
1/4 cup chopped almonds (badams)
1tsp cardamom powder
water - little

Method:
- add besan powder in a microwave oven.
- add 1/2 a cup of ghee
- sprinkle water on it and make it into a mixture
- the mixture would look like bread crumbs
- microwave on high for 6 minutes
- stir in between every 2 mins
- remove from oven and break the lumps
-leave it to cool
- mix sugar and cardamom powder and mix well
- grind this mixture in a mixer grinder until its a smooth powder.
- add the almonds / badams
- add the remaining ghee and mix well
- now this mixture will look like bread crumbs
- now make them into ladoos

Potato Cabbage roti

POTATO AND CABBAGE PARATA
Ingredients:
chappathi dough - to make 8 chappathis
potato - 2 (boiled and smashed)
cabbage - 1 cup
salt to taste
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
green chillies - finely choppped - 1 tsp
red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
oil - to fry chappathi's
Method:
- in a pan add oil
- add the ginger garlic paste and green chillies
- fry till the raw smell is gone
- add salt, red chilli powder and garam masala
- fry well
- now add the cabbage and toss tilll the moisture is absorbed and fully cooked
- add the smashed potatoes now
- mix well
- allow them to cool
- seperate the stufing into 8 same sized balls
- Make chappathis's and place a ball of the stuffing inside
- now cover the chapathi and roll into a 1/2 " thick paratas
- cook on low flame on a tava
- drizzle oil on the parata's and serve.

Praline Vanilla Sponge Gateau

PRALINE VANILLA SPONGE GATEAU
Ingredients:
For the sponge:
Flour-100g
Sugar-100g
Eggs-3
Vanilla- 1 tsp

Praline
Butter-1 tbsp
Cashewnuts-2 tbsp
Sugar-3 tbsp

Basic Butter Icing
Unsalted butter, softened-75 g
Icing sugar-140 g
Milk-1-2 tbsp ( optional)

Method:
To make the cake:
- Beat eggs and sugar till thick and creamy and falls in thick ribbons when poured from a height (approx. 8-10 mins).
- Then add in flour ,vanilla and beat till it forms a real thick batter which is almost mousse like(approx.4-5 mins)
- Pour into a prepared round tin and bake in an oven at 180 degrees for 25-30 mins or till done

To make Butter Icing:
- Mix butter and powdered sugar to a smooth paste like consistency.
- Add milk if you need to make it a bit more loose.
- If you like your icing to be thick , double the recipe.

To make the Praline:
- Caramelise sugar on a medium flame till golden brown.
- Add nuts & butter to it and mix well.
- Pour onto a butter/tissue/parchment paper and let it cool completely.Crush/powder them into tiny bits.

Assembling the cake:
- Cut the cake horizontally into 2 or 3 [I cut it into 2].
- Sandwich each layer with 3-4 tbsp of butter icing.
- Sprinkle some praline in between the layers
- Spread the remaining icing on top and sides.
- Sprinkle the crushed praline on top and on sides.
- Cut into wedges and serve.

Source:
Divya and its mentioned that Divya got the recipe from RIA. Thanks both of you!!

Basic Pizza

PIZZA
Ingredients:
basic bread dough (substitute atta with maida)
onions - 1 (cut into rings)
tomato - 1 (cut into rings)
salt to taste
chilli flakes - 1/4 - 1/2 tsp
tomato sauce - 2 tbsp
cheese - 1/2 cup grated

Method:
- roll teh dough into 1" thick roti
- prick the dough with a fork to make sure that the dough doesnt rise while its baking
- apply tomato sauce on it
- sprinkle some chilli flakes and then some cheese
- now arrange the onions and tomato rings
- sprinkle some salt on top
- cover the topping with the remaining cheese
- bake this at 220 degrees for 12 - 25 mins, or until done
- serve hot

Multi Green Chutney

MULTI GREEN CHUTNEY
(pudina, curry leaves and corriander leaves)

This dish could be relished by all. But the speciality of this chutney is that this for pregnnat women.As I am pregnant she taught me this dish. She told that this chutney will make them feel hungry and also help to digest the food fast. Thats true!! I was not able to bear the temptation to relish this dish and I had this atleast 4 - 5 in a day with all different possiblities.. with rice, bread as a green sandwich, idli and dosa.. and the worse part is I kept on feeling hungry every one hour.. O such a good idea for those ppl who really want to add on a bit of weight!!

Ingredients:
pudina - 1 cup
curry leaves - 1 cup
corriander leaves - 1 cup
dried red chillies - 5 - 6
tamarind - 1 tsp
fresh grated coconut - 2 tsp
salt to taste
urad dal - 50 gms
grated ginger - 1 tsp
peeled garlic - 10 - 12
fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
hing - 2 pinches
oil - to fry

To season:
curry leaves - 10 - 12
red chillies - 2
oil - 3 - 4 tsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp

Method:
- in a pan add oil
- add urad dal, fennugree seeds, cumin seeds and hing
- fry till the urad dal changes colour
- add the tamarind paste, coconut, ginger and garlic
- fry well for 4 - 5 mins
- add salt, pudina, curry leaves and corriander leaves- fry well
- fry till they start giving out the oil
- now allow it to cool
- grind them to a fine paste
- in a pan add oil
- add mustard seeds, urad dal
- when the dal changes colour add the red chillies and curry leaves
- add the ground paste and fry for 6 - 7 mins in slow fire
- serve hot

This could be served with hot rice, idli, dosa

Source:
My maid Uma Maheshwari. She helped me to cook this chutney. And this tasted too good with rice.

Ghee Rice

GHEE RICE
Ingredients:
rice - 1 cup
vegetables (carrot, beans, peas) - 1 cup chopped
corriander leaves - a handful chopped
salt to taste
ghee - 3 tsp
spices (cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, cloves) - 1 each
green chillies - 4 (slit in between)
onion - 1 (thinly sliced)

Method:
- in a pan add ghee and add the spices when the ghee is hot
- add the onions, green chillies, vegetables and fry until the onions are golden brown.
- add salt to taste
- add corriander leaves and add the rice and add water (2 cups)
- cook until done
- serve with a spicy curry.

Gonkura Chutney

GONKURA CHUTNEY

This dish tastes good when served hot with rice and sesame oil. This is a Andra Dish. I always loved GONKURA from my child hood. This is also Known as Pulichaeerai kadanjal in Tamil Nadu.


Ingredients:
gonkura - 5 bunches (leaves seperated and cleaned)
dried red chillies - 5 - 6
corriander seeds - 1 + 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
oil - 2 tsp

Method:
- wash and boil the gonkura leaves till cooked
- then add oil in a pan
- add the corriander seeds and the red chillies and fry for 3 - 4 mins till you get a very nice fragrance
- remove the water from the boiled leaves
- add the corriander seeds, chillies, salt to the boiled gonkura leaves- make these ingredients to a fine paste
- serve with rice and add sesame oil to that

Source:

My maid Uma Maheshwari.

Brazilian Chocolate Chiffon Cake

BRAZILIAN CHOCOLATE CHIFFRON CAKE
Ingredients:
Flour - 2 +1/2 cup2.5 cup
sifted cake flour
sugar - 2 cups
baking powder - 2 tsp
instant coffee powder - 2 tsp
salt - 1 tsp
cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
refined oil - 1/2 cup
eggs separated - 5
water - ¾ cup
vanilla essence - 2 tsp
unsweetened baking chocolate melted - 1 cup
corn flour - ½ tsp


Method:
- Preheat oven to 180 degreees C.
- Sift cake flour,sugar,baking powder,instant coffee powder, salt and cinnamon powder together into large bowl.
- Make well in centre of the flour mixture; add oil, egg yolks, water and vanilla essence and beat until the mixture is smooth.
- Add melted chocolate to flour mixture ad blend well.
- In another small bowl combine the cream of tartar and egg whites.
- Beat until egg whites fluffy.
- Gently fold egg whites into chocolate mixture until well blended not stir.
- Pour the batter into greased 10-inch tube pan and bake for 50 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly with finger and decorate as u wish with chocolates or creams.

Source:
Balakrishna Saraswathy

Chicken Roast

CHICKEN ROAST

This dish goes too well when served as a side dish. This dish is very simple and easy to make. It just takes less than 15 mins time to get cooked... dont ask me about the taste... It tastes Heavenly

Ingredients:
Chicken (chopped) - 1/2 kg
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
salt to taste
black pepper powder - 1 tsp
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp
garam masala - 1/4 tsp
oil - 2 - 3 tsp
water - less than 1/2 cup

Method:
- in a pan add oil
- add the chicken, ginger garlic paste, salt to taste, red chilli powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder and garam masala.
- mix well and fry for 4 - 5 mins
- keep mixing until the masala is fully coated on the chicken slices
- now add water and close the pan with a lid
- leave it medium fire and allow that get cooked for 10 mins
- chicken will cook very fast and its own oil and juices will vanish as vapours
- now remove the lid and mix well and fry till the chicken is dry
- serve with rice or as a side dish.

Source:
Nirmala Aunty, My neighbour aunty.. O no one can cook simple and tasty dishes like her. She is one of my inspiration.

Aatukaal Soup

AATUKAL SOUP

This is a soup. Tastes too good. This is very good when consumed for those who have cold and this is healthy too.

Ingredients:
aatu kal - (front leg) - 6
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
black pepper - 1 tsp
garlic (crushed) - 10 - 12
corriander leaves - 5 - 6 tsp (finely chopped)
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
water - 8 - 10 glasses

Method:
- wash and clean the aatu kal
- in a pressure cooker add water, aatu kal, chopped corriander leaves, salt, turmeric, crushed garlic, crushed black pepper
- leave that to cook for 6 whistles
- cook this in the night
- now leave that untouched till the next morning
- now again cook the same in the pressure cooker for another 6 whistles
- now all the juices will be strained and the soup will be tasty to drin.

Source:
- Granny. She is a wonderful cook. She makes this every time I have severe cold and fever.

Apple Cheese Cake

Arisi Muruku

ARISI MURUKU
This is a quick and a tasty snack. This could be prepared and stored in air tight containers.

Ingredients:
Rice flour (aarisi mavu) - 1 cup
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
salt to taste
ghee - 1 tsp
water - as needed
red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - to deep fry

Method:
- add oil in a pan and allow that to get hot
- meanwhile mix flour, salt, cumin seeds, ghee, red chilli powder
- mix well until it resembles bread crumbs.
- then sprinkle water little by little and make that to a softer dough
- the dough should be softer than the chappathi dough.
- now tae a handful of dough and fill the muruku maker.
- press the dough maker directly into the hot oil
- and cook the murukku in slow fire and until crisp

Remove from fire. Then leave it in a paper until the oil is completely drained. When it cools down store them in an airtight container