Kesari (Microwave Version)

KESARI (MICROWAVE VERSION)

Hi Everyone..

I wanted to prepare something in the microwave today. I wanted to prepare a sweet very badly and couldnt stop thinking about rava kesari.

I have a microwave oven in which the highest is 800W. SO adjust the timings accordingly.

Ingredients:

rava (roasted) - 1/4 cup

water - 1/2 cup + 4 tbsp

ghee - 2 tsp

cashews - 4 - 5

sugar - 1/8th cup

raisins - 2 - 3 tsp

orange colour - 1 pinch

cardamom - 2

Method:

- in a microwave safe bowl add 1 tsp of ghee and add raisins and cashews and microwave on high for 30 secs

- now add the rava, sugar and water

- add the colour and mix well

- now microwave on high for 4 mins

- keep stirring in between

- again microwave for another 2 mins after adding ghee and crushed cardamom.

- mix well

- serve warm

Adhirasam

ADHIRASAM

I made this recipe when I was travelling to Chennai. I made this as a surprise gift to Mom. Mom was so happy and she liked it. I learnt this recipe from one of the books I had collected years ago.

I have posted the pictures of both the dough and the fried adhirasam.

This is the original recipe. But I had made a blunder in the recipe where even after two days the dough was a kinnda thin and was not stiff. I took help from Shanthi Aunty and added some more damp rice flour to the existing dough and made it stiff. So now I have changed the ingredients accordingly.

Thanks Shanthi Aunty. The recipe came out well. Mom was really happy with my gift.

Ingredients:

rice (paccha arisi) - 1 cup

jaggery (grated) - 3/4th cup

cardamom - 10 - 12

oil - to deep fry

Method:

- soak rice in water and leave it aside for 1 hr

- drain the water and spread the rice on a cloth and allow the cloth to absorb the excess moisture.

- now grind the rice to a fine powder in a mixer grinder while its still damp

- seive the rice and use only the fine particles.

- now add 1/4 cup of water to the jaggery and bring it to boil

- strain the jaggery

- again bring the jaggery to boil and allow that to boil until the syrup forms as a ball when dropped into the water.

- this consistency is before the string syrup.

- meanwhile crush the cardamoms and add that to the damp rice flour and mix that well

- slowly add the syrup to the mixture and mix well

- add the syrup little by little and mix until all the syrup is used.

- keep that in the room temperature for 3 - 4 days before preparing the recipe

- while preparing the adhirasam, add oil to the pan

- take small balls of the dough, and pat them into flat rounds and drop them into the oil

- while the dough puffs up, turn them the other side and then while removing from them oil, hold the adhirasam between 2 laddle and press them well until the oil are well drained.

- serve them.

- this could be stored in an airtight container for more than 20 days.

Pepper Kulambu

PEPPER KULAMBU

HI.,..

I saw this kulambu in Elite foods (Viki's Kitchen website). I remembered that my Granny does this dish very often when it rains or anyone catches cold. Its such a good one for cold and fever.

She gave me the recipe and that looked very simple as well.

Ingredients:

thick tamarind water - 1/4 cup

salt to taste

garlic pods - 4 - 5

oil - 4 - 5 tsp

To grind:

pepper - 1 tsp

corriander seeds - 1 tsp

red chillies - 2

channa dal - 1 tsp

cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

garlic - 4 - 5 pods

curry leaves - 10 - 15

Method:

- in a pan dry roast the "to grind" ingredients.

- grind it to a fine powder

- in a pan add oil

- fry the garlic pods until they are soft

- add the ground powder, salt and give one good stir

- pour in the tamarind water and water and allow that to boil until it thickens

- serve hot with steamed rice.......

Cauliflower Masala

CAULIFLOWER MASALA

Ingredients:

cauliflower - 1 floret

onions - 1 (finely chopped)

tomatoes - 1 (finely chopped)

salt to taste

red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

cinnamon sticks - 1"

cloves - 2

ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

corriander leaves - 3 -4 tbsp (finely chopped)

To grind:

coconut - 1/4 cup (greated)

green chillies - 4 (cut them too!!)

khus khus - 1 tsp (soaked)

saunf seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

- clean the cauliflower and leave them aside

- in a pan add oil

- add cinnamon sticks and cloves

- to that add onions and salt

- fry till the onions turn golden brown

- add tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and fry till they are mushy

- grind "to grind" ingredients together to a fine paste

- add this paste to the pan

- add the cauliflower, red chilli powder and corriander leaves

- fry well until they are cooked

- sprinkle some water if necessary and serve when they are well cooked.

Spinach rice

SPINACH RICE

Ingredients:

Spinach - 1 bunch

onion - 2

tomatoes - 2

ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

cinnamon, cardamom, cloves - 2 each

green chillies - 4

rice- 1 cup

oil for frying

cashew - 6 - 8

salt to taste

grated coconut - 4 tbsp

Method:

- soak and keep the rice seperately.

- take a dry pan and fry spinach leaves till they ooze out water and get cooked

- allow that to cool.

- now add the leaves, cashews, coconut and green chillies

- grind that into a fine paste

- chop the onions finely

- chop the tomatoes finely

- add oil in a pressure pan

- when the oil is hot add the cloves, cinnamon and cardamom .

- add the onions and tomatoes and fry till they are smashed well.

- add salt to taste.

- add the ginger garlic paste

- fry till the raw smell goes off.

- Now add the paste and fry till it forms a thick paste.

- Now add the rice and then add water and pressure cook the rice until cooked

- Serve with onion raita

Paal Kolukattai (My Version)

PAAL KOLUKATTAI (MY VERSION)

Ingredients:

rice flour - 1/2 cup

salt - 1 pinch

jaggery - 1/4 cup

coconut milk - 3 cups

cardamom powder - 2 - 3 pinches

Method:

- mix rice flour and salt together

- add some water and make a thick dough

- make small balls out of the dough and roll as cylinders

- keep it aside

- in a pan add jaggery and water and allow that to boil

- remove from heat when the jaggery is dissolved

- strain and now again bring the jaggery mixture to a boil

- add the rice cylinders one by one slowly and allow that to get cooked for 6 - 7 mins in low flame.

- now add the coconut milk and bring it a single boil

- add the cardamom powder

- serve warm

Mutton Kheema Rava Briyani

MUTTON KHEEMA RAVA BRIYANI

Ingredients:

rava - 1 cup

mutton kheema - 1/2 cup

carrot - 2 (chop them finely)

potato - 2 (chop them finely)

beans - 1 handful (chop them finely)

salt to taste

onion - 2 (finely chopped)
tomatoes - 2 (finely chopped)

cloves, cinnamon and cardamom - 2 each

oil - 4 tbsp

red chilli powder - 1 tsp

ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

corriander powder - 1 tsp

pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

curd - 1/4 cup

garam masala - 1/2 tsp

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

pudina - 1/4 cup

green chillies - 2 (slit in between)

curry leaves - 10 - 20

corriander leaves - 1 handful

juice of 1 lemon

Method:

- mix and marinate kheema, curd, salt, ginger garlic paste, corriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, garam masala, corriander leaves and pudina leaves

- allow that to sit for 1/2 hr

- in a pan add oil

- add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves

- add onions and tomatoes and fry till they are mushy

- add the carrot, potato, curry leaves and beans and fry till half cooked.

- add the marinated kheema , green chillies and fry for 5 - 7 mins

- now add water and allow that to come to a boil

- add the rava slowly and cook by stirring well

- keep in sim and allow that to cook till they are well done

- add a tsp of ghee and juice of lemon to the mixture and mix well

- serve warm with raita

Kola Urundai Kulambu (Minced Mutton)

KOLA URUNDAI KULAMBU (MINCED MUTTON)

Ingredients:

For the balls:

minced mutton - 1/4 kg

salt to taste

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

coconut - 4 - 5 tbsp

roasted gram - a handful

onion - 1 (roughly chopped)

saunf - 1/4 tsp

green chillies - 2

ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

cinnamon - 1" stick

For the curry:

minced mutton - a handful

mutton bones - 10 - 12

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

ginger garlic paste - 3 tbsp

salt to taste

onions - 2 (finely chopped)

tomatoes - 2 (finely chopped)

thick coconut paste - 1.5 cups

red chilli powder - 1 tsp

corriander powder - 1 tsp

garam masala - 1/2 tsp

curry leaves - a handful

oil to fry

cinnamon, cloves, garlic pods, cardamom - 3 - 4 each

lemon - 1/2

Method:

- mix all these ingredients "for balls" and grind to a fine paste

- donot add water, meat will give its own moisture

- now make into bite sized balls and keep it aside

- add the bones,remaining minced meat, turmeric powder, salt ,red chilli powder, corriander powder, garam masala, half of the ginger garlic paste and pressure cook for 4 - 5 whistles.

- leave it aside

- in a pan add oil

- add onions and tomatoes and fry till they are mushy

- add the ginger garlic paste and fry and when the raw smell goes off add the pressure cooked meat

- allow that to boil for 4 - 5 mins

- add the coconut paste and allow that to cook again for a min

- make the fire low and start adding the balls one by one into the gravy slowly.

- do not stir

- close the pan with a lid and allow that to cook for 5 mins

- now in another pan add oil

- add the cinnamon, cardamom, curry leaves, saunf, garlic pods (crushed) and cloves and fry

- add that to the boiling curry and mix well

- remove from heat and serve this curry with hot steamed rice.....

- squeeze lemon juice to the curry before serving

Source:

My Maid Indira Rani

Mutton Balls

MUTTON BALLS

Ingredients:

minced mutton - 1/4 kg

salt to taste

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

coconut - 4 - 5 tbsp

roasted gram - a handful

onion - 1 (roughly chopped)

saunf - 1/4 tsp

green chillies - 2

ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

cinnamon - 1" stick

oil - to deep fry

Method:

- mix all these ingredients and grind to a fine paste (expect oil)

- donot add water, meat will give its own moisture

- now make into bite sized balls and deep fry them in oil

- serve hot as a snack.

The same recipe is used to make Kola Urundai Kulambu, but they are not fried rather soaked directly into the curry

Source:

My Maid Indra Rani

Fish Eggs Fry

FISH EGGS

Hi.

Iam sure that this recipe is new to you all. So it was to me until I reached Bangalore 4 years back. My mother in law was the first person to get me this dish and while eating I didnt a clue of what it was. But really did taste yummy.

This dish could be made frm any of the fish eggs. Like rohu's fish, sear, shark etc. Ask the fish shop person to give the fish eggs and he will pack it seperately and give..!!!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

fish eggs - 1 cup ( I used Rohu fish eggs )

onions - 2 (finely chopped)

green chillies - 2 (finely chopped)

tomato - 1 (finely chopped)

salt to taste

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

curry leaves - a handful

oil - to fry

Method:

- in a pan add water and add the washed eggs

- allow that to cook for 5 mins

- strain the water and you can easily peel the skin

- scramble the eggs and that will resemble rava / sooji

- add oil in a pan

- add cardamom, cinnamon and cloves

- add onions and salt

- fry till they are transparent.

- add tomatoes and ginger garlic paste

- fry till the raw smell vanishes

- add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder and curry leaves

- fry well and now add the scrambled eggs

- fry till they are well cooked.

- serve as a side dish

Saunf Crab

SAUNF CRAB

Ingredients:

crab - 5 (cleaned, deshelled and cut into halves)

onions - 3 (finely chopped)

tomatoes - 2 (finely chopped)

corriander leaves - 1 handful (chopped)

curry leaves - 10 - 15

ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

salt to taste

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

red chilli powder - 1 tsp

garam masala - 1/2 tsp

oil - 5 - 6 tsp

saunf - 1 tsp

to grind:

saunf - 1 tsp

coconut (grated) - 2 tbsp

khus khus (soaked) - 1/2 tsp

Method:

- grind the ingredients together in "to grind" to a fine paste by adding little water

- in a pan add oil

- add the saunf when the oil is hot

- add onions, curry leaves and salt

- fry till they are golden brown

- add tomatoes and ginger garlic paste

- fry till the masala turns mushy

- add turmeric powder, corriander leaves, red chilli powder and garam masala

- fry well

- add the crab and sprinkle some water

- dont add more water as the crabs will shed its own juices

- fry well and close the pan with a lid

- cook the crab for 5 - 7 mins in a closed pan and serve when they are dry

Paal Kolukattai (Using Moong Dal)

PAAL KOLUKATTAI (using Moong Dal)

HI all,

Iam back with another sweet dish!! Paal Kolukattai. Mom doesnt prepare this dish this way. Its traditionally Granny's way of preparing. I wanted to have this recipe for a very long time. But.. I didnt know to do that. I called Granny and she told me the recipe. But I was sure this is not the way mom makes.. But the out come of the result was heavenly..

Easy to make and a quick recipe.

Ingredients:

rice flour - 1/2 cup

salt to taste

jaggery - 1/2 cup (adjust according to your taste buds)

cardamom - 2 - 3

moong dal - 1/ cup

coconut milk - 2 cups

Method:

- roast and wash the moong dal

- pressure cook the dal and smash them

- to this add jaggery and some water and bring to a boil

- meanwhile add some water and a pinch of salt to the rice flour and mix well to a dough consistency.

- Now make them into small balls and then to a cylinderical shape.

- then now add these dough mixture into the boiling mixture and allow that to cook

- dont stir as the balls will break

- now when its close to 5 mins and the flour balls are cooked add the coconut milk and cardamom powder and bring to one single boil

- remove from fire

- serve warm

Caramel Pudding

CARAMEL PUDDING

Ingredients:

Milk - 4 cups

eggs - 6

sugar - 10 tbsp

condensed milk (optional) - 1/4 tin

vanilla essence - 2 tsp

butter - 1/2 tsp

Method:

- bring milk to a boil

- break open the eggs and beat until fluffy.

- add sugar and essence and mix well

- now add the condensed milk and the boiled milk while its warm and mix well

- the secret is to mix the eggs well while milk is being added and the eggs and milk blends well

- strain the mixture

- preheat the oven in 185 degrees

- take a bigger baking pan and pour some water to it

- grease another small baking pan or a pudding mould with butter

- now pour in the mixture until the pan is 3/4th covered

- seal it with aluminum foil

- now place this mould in the water tray and put into the oven and bake for 45 mins

- allow that to stand in the oven for another 15 mins

- remove the foil, unmould by insertering the knife on the sides.

- place in the fridge and allow that to cool

- meanwhile lets prepare the caramel.

- add 2 tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp of water to a pan and allow that to boil

- when that changes colour to dark brown remove frm heat and add some more water an mix well

- allow this to cool

- pour this caramel sauce on top of the pudding before serving.

Coconut Boli

COCONUT BOLI

Ingredients:

dry coconut / coconut powder - 1 cup

jaggery - 1/2 cup (adjust according to taste)

cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

water

ghee - as required

oil - 4 - 5 tbsp

maida - 1 cup

salt - 2 pinches

Method:

- make dough using maida, salt and water

- make a soft dough

- add oil and make a very soft dough and let that sit for 2 hrs

- meanwhile make the filling

- you can either use fresh coconut or dry one

- i dont like fresh as that has the milk smell, so used the dry coconut

- add jaggery, coconut and cardamom powder

- add little water ( 2 tsp max) and mix well

- this allows the jaggery to mix well and then when the mixture resembles a thick halwa consistancy remove and allow that to cool

- when cooled make balls out of that

- meanwhile make balls with the maida mixture

- roll into 2 " roti by adding sufficient oil

- then place the coconut filling inside and then close it

- roll them into nice round roti's

- Iam sorry mine is shapeless as Iam preparing this for the first time though I have tasted this thousand of times in SRI KRISHNA SWEETS, Annanagar, Chennai

- then fry them as you make chappathis in a hot tava, but instead of oil add ghee which enhances the flavour to the best.

I really miss my Granny at this point. She makes this everytime I meet her in her village.. I love this sweet but have a vague idea that this would be the ingredients and this is how they make until I made and that turned out be the tastiest.. Thank God I didnt go wrong!!!!!!!!!

Kadalai Kulamabu

KADALAI KULAMBU

Ingredients:

white channa - 1 cup (soaked)

potato - 2 (cubed and skin peeled)

salt to taste

onions - 2 (chopped)

tomato - 2 (chopped)

green chilli - 3

cinnamon - 2"

cardamom - 2

cloves - 2

bay leaves - 1

corriander leaves - 1 handful (choppped)

coconut - 1 cup (grated)

roasted gram (pottu kadalai) - 1 handful

khus khus - 1 tsp

oil - 4 tbsp

ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Method:

- grind the coconut to a fine paste

- in a pan add oil (1 tsp) fry cinnamon, green chillies , corriander leaves and allow that to cool

- grind them to a fine paste

- soak khus khus in water for 2 hrs

- grind khus khus and roasted gram to a fine paste by adding some water

- in a pressure cooker add oil

- add cardamom, cloves and bay leaf

- add onion and fry till golden brown

- add the tomatoes and ginger garlic paste and fry till the tomatoes are mushy

- now add the potatoes and soaked channa

- add the khus khus - gram paste

- add the salt

- add coconut paste and chilli paste

- mix well

- allow that to cook for 2 mins

- then pressure cook until done

- serve for rice or chappathi's

Beetroot Poriyal

BEETROOT PORIYAL

Ingredients:

beetroot - 1 cup (grated)

red chillies - 2 - 3

salt to taste

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

urad dal - 1/2 tsp

oil - 2 tsp

onion - 1 (chopped)

curry leaves - 10 - 15

Method:

- in a pan add oil

- add mustard seeds and urad dal

- when the dal changes colour add the red chillies and onions and fry till golden colour

- add the beetroot and salt

- fry till they are half cooked

- add curry leaves and sprinkle some water and close the pan with a lid

- then when the moisture is completely gone remove from fire and serve as a side dish.

Note:

- I have used dried red chillies instead of green chillies. But the recipe calls for green chillies and the taste will be better. As Iam not supposed to eat green chillies I have not used them.

Fruit Bowl

FRUIT BOWL

Hi all...

This is another way to make my Hubby Dear to eat fruits. This is the way the fruit bowls are served in office fruit shop. And he likes it this way. So make this fruit bowl today as a snack for him and packed for his office. Pretty easy one to make the kids eat too.

Ingredients:

banana - 2

mango - 1 small

papaya - 1 cup (cubed)

honey - 2 tsp

lime juice - 1/4 tsp

Method:

- cut the banana into 1" rounds

- add lime juice to this and mix well

- this doesnt alow the banana to change the colour

- then peel the mango and cube them into 1" cubes

- add the papaya cubes, mango and papaya pieces and add honey to it

- mix well and serve chilled or just like that!!!!!!!!!

Vanilla Butter Biscuits

VANILLA BUTTER BISCUITS

Hi all,

I saw a recipe of butter biscuits using vanaspathi by www.cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com site by Sreevalli recently. I was sure that Iam gonna prepare that soon. But when I was going through my mom's recipe book I came across this recipe which she had used butter to prepare this recipe.. I just gave a try and this recipe yeilded 40 buscuits.. Dont ask about the taste .. A MUST TRY recipe... I just have only those biscuits left out for the picture .. rest was over in a few minutes .......

Ingredients:

Maida - 1 cup

sugar - 1/2 cup (powdered)

baking powder - 1/2 tsp

vanilla essence - 1 tsp

butter - 100 gms

Method:

- seive sugar, maida and baking powder together

- mix vanilla essence and melted butter

- mix well until they resemble bread crumbs

- now knead the mixture well until they form a dough kind of a mixture with which balls can be made

- preheat the oven to 165 degrees

- now pinch balls out of the mixture and flatten them.

- make them into desired shapes

- I have used cookie cutter and made the shapes

- now arrange the cookies in a baking tray

- no need to grease the tray

- bake for 12 mins

- remove from the oven

- it will be soft when its removed from the oven

- allow that to cool and then serve.

- can be stored in an airtight container for weeks.

Drumstick - Potato cutlets

DRUMSTICK - POTATO CUTLET

HI...

It gives a real good feeling to cook something creative..

That too for my hubby dear!!! Its really hard to make him eat vegetables and finally I had to create some thing out of the vegetables that he doenst touch to make him eat.. And finally I ended up in creating a recipe with drumsticks again.. Simple and tasty ... was able to prepare the recipe in few mins..

Ingredients:

drumsticks - 6

potato - 1

salt to taste

oil - to shallow fry

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

chilli powder - 1 tsp

onion - 1 (finely chopped)

corriander leaves - 1 handful (finely chopped)

ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Method:

- cut the drumsticks into 2" pieces

- cut the potatoes into cubes

- steam them and boil them until tender by adding a pinch of salt and turmeric powder

- allow that to cool

- remove the potato skin

- remove the flesh from the drumsticks

- in a pan add a tsp of oil

- to that add onion and fry till golden colour

- add the ginger garlic paste, add the salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, pepper powder, corriander leaves and fry

- now add the smashed potato and drumstick flesh - mix well and allow that to thicken until its thick

- in a pan add oil

- make balls out of the mixture, flatten them and then add them to the pan

- fry them in the slow fire till cooked and crisp

- serve.

Cabbage - Beetroot Soup

CABBAGE - BEETROOT SOUP

Ingredients:

cabbage - 1 cup

beetroot - 1/2 cup

onion - 1 (chopped)

salt to taste

pepper powder to taste

Method:

- add all the ingredients in a pressure pan and pressure cook until soft

- then allow that to cool and grind to a fine paste

- strain

- serve

Source:

Priti's Indian Khanna

Kara Kuli Paniharam

KARA KULI PANIHARAM

Ingredients:

idli batter - 2 cups

onions - 1 cup (finely chopped)

green chillies - 3 (finely chopped)

salt to taste

currry leaves - 10 (finely chopped)

corriander leaves - a handful (finely chopped)

oil to fry

Method:

- mix all the ingredients (expect the oil) and mix well

- grease the kuli paniharam kadai with oil

- pour three fourth of the paniharam hole with the batter

- pour oil and wait until cooked

- serve when its crisp

Pepper Cabbage

PEPPER CABBAGE

Ingredients:

purple cabbage - finely chopped - 2 cups

salt to taste

onions - 2 (finely choppped)

pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

oil - 1 tsp

curry leaves - 10 (chopped)

Method:

- in a pan add oil

- add the onions, curry leaves, salt, cabbage and pepper powder

- mix well

- allow that to cook

- sprinkle water if necessary and cook until done and dry

- serve.

Aamkhand

AAMKHAND

HI all..

I finally purchased mango for this year. I didnt want to buy for such a long time and I was really getting tempted to buy one this time.

I prepared srikhand and thats when I remembered Priti preparing Aamkhand with Mango pulp. So I wanted to give a try.. That was too great. Prepared a very small quantity and that got over in a jiffy.

Ingredients:

Mango - 1 small

thick curd - 1 cup

sugar - 2 tsp

cardamom powder - 1 pinch

Method:

- remove the skin of the mango and make a pulp out of that

- add sugar and add the curd

- mix well and add cardamom powder

- mix well

- serve cold

Source:

Priti's Indian Khanna