Coconut Curd Chutney

Coconut curd chutney – Southern Delights Pawathy Akhileswaran

1/2 coconut
5 green chillies
1″ piece ginger
Salt
1 small cup curds

Grind, with a little water.

Tadka:

1/2 tsp mustard
2 red chillies, broken
1 tbspn ghee

Handi Biryani

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups long grain rice
2 potatoes quartered boiled
2 capsicums cut into strips
2 onions chopped into strips
2 onions quartered
2 tomatoes chopped
1 cup slices mixed vegetables (frenchbeans, carrots, cauliflower, etc.)
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. garlic grated
1 cup curd
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
1″ cinnamon stick
2 cardamoms
4-5 whole black peppers
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. garam masala
salt to taste
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
2-3 pinches asafoetida
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. coriander chopped
10-15 cashews
10-12 almonds sliced to flakes (optional)
4-5 tbsp. ghee

Method

Wash and soak rice in salted water for 30 minutes.

Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan.

Fry onionstrips till crisp, brown, drain, keep aside.

Fry cashews till light brown, drain, keep aside.

Fry capsicums till tender, drain, keep aside.

Meanwhile, heat 6 cups water in a large vessel.

Add bay leaves, peppers, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, salt.

When it comes to boil, drain and add rice.

Bring to boil, cook for 8-9 minutes, till rice is just but not fully done.

Drain in a large colander, spread in a big plate, cool.

Grind quartered onions, ginger, garlic to a paste.

In hot ghee, add paste stirfry for 2-3 minutes.

Add all powdered masalas, tomatoes, mixed vegetables, stir, cook till fat separates.

Beat curd, add, stir till the boil resumes, cook 2-3 minutes.

Add potatoes, stir, keep aside.

To fill handi:

Grease an oven proof handi well on the inside.

Place in half of rice, spread at the bottom.

Top with half vegetables layer, spread over rice.

Mix together fried onions, capsicums, cashews, sliced almonds, coriander.

Sprinkle half over vegetable layer.

Sprinkle half lemon juice all over.

Repeat rice to lemon juice layer by layer.

Either cover with fitting lid, seal edges with chapati dough, or Seal top with a tightly packed foil sheet.

Make a small slit for excess steam to escape.

Bake in a preheated oven at 130oC for 15-20 minutes.

Break seal at the table to get the most out of the aroma.

Notes:

A handi is a round potlike vessel, with a neck narrower than the base. It may be made of metal or in earthenware. It must be heatproof though. If not available use a deep heavy saucepan.

For a stronger flavoured biryani, mix in some powdered mace, nutmeg into rice before transferring to handi.

Prepare handi few hours ahead, and bake just before serving, to organise your time better.

Making time: 1 hour
Makes: 8 servings
Shelflife: Best fresh and piping hot

Don’t skip breakfast!

Don’t Skip Breakfast!
An Ayurvedic Perspective

http://www.boloji.com/ayurveda/av007.htm

According to Ayurveda, fasting is not recommended because it irritates pitta, vata, and kapha dosha. Skipping breakfast particularly irritates sadhaka pitta, a subdosha of pitta. Sadhaka pitta is responsible for maintaining an even temper and when in balance, brings joy and contentment. An imbalanced sadhaka pitta can result in irritability and unsettled emotions.

Many people are too busy in the morning to eat breakfast or just do not feel hungry. If you’ve been used to skipping breakfast, start with a little something each morning and work your way back to a healthy breakfast. A good way to break the habit of skipping breakfast is to make and drink fresh fruit or vegetable juices. Rehydrating the body with fresh, natural, and nourishing fluids will help you get a head start on a busy day. Try a juiced blend of fresh carrot, cilantro and zucchini, or fresh sweet grape, apple, or pear juice. Pick ripe sweet fruit. Orange juice is not recommended on an empty stomach because it is too acidic. Whichever fruit or vegetables you choose, fresh juice is always the best because it has Prana or life giving energies. Also, the juice should ideally be at room temperature or slightly cool, never ice-cold.

Ayurveda says that fruit in the morning is like gold. This is the best time of day to get the maximum nourishment from fruit. Cooked apples, eaten first thing in the morning, help to create “Ojas,” the final and most refined by-product of digestion. Ojas contributes to enhanced vitality, strength, immunity, and overall well-being. Sweet juicy fruits are excellent cleansers — they help to eliminate impurities from the body. According to Ayurveda, it is recommended that fruits be eaten first thing in the morning, 30 minutes before other breakfast items such as hot cereal.

Other suggestions for breakfast include dried figs and raisins, soaked the night before or simmered with a little water for 30 minutes. Or try one of the following healthy combinations: dates with a small dab of ghee replacing the pit, Chapati flat bread with raw honey and warm milk, or oatmeal with raisins and chopped almonds. Almond powder mixed with warm milk is another excellent way to start the day.

Recipe for Stewed Apples and Pears

1 organic apple
1 organic pear
1 Tbsp. organic raisins
1 clove
1/4 cup water

Peel and chop fruit into small pieces. Place fruit in a small pot and add about 1/4 cup water. Add raisins and clove. Bring to boil and then back to low heat. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the fruit is of a tender consistency. Eat warm.

Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra
October 21, 2001

Fried Green Beans

FRIED GREEN BEANS WITH COCONUT
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Vegetables Indian
Ethnic Vegetarian
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
4 tb Butter
1 t Black Mustard Seeds
1/2 c Onion-finely chopped
1 t Fresh Ginger Root
-scraped and finely chopped
1 t Salt
1/2 ts Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 lb Fresh Green Beans
-trimmed and cut crosswise
-into paper thin rounds
1/4 ts Ground Red Pepper
1/4 c Unsweetened Coconut
2 tb Fresh Coriander-chopped
2 tb Lemon Juice
In a 10-inch heavy skillet or 12-inch wok, heat the
butter over moderate heat until a drop of cold water
flicked into it splutters instantly. Add the mustard
seeds and fry for 30 seconds. Thoroughly stir in the
onions, ginger, salt and pepper, and drop in the green
beans. Stirring constantly, add the red pepper and fry
for 5 minutes longer. Add the coconut and coriander,
reduce the heat to low, and cover the pan. Stirring
occasionally, cook for 10 minutes more, or until the
beans are tender. Sprinkle with lemon juice, taste for
seasoning, and serve at once.
Foods of the World: The Cooking of India
Time-Life Books
uploaded by Diane Lazarus

Dal Chutney

Dal Chutney

Note: All ingredient quantities are ap prox.

Ingredients

Channa Dal- 1 cup
Urad Dal -1/2 cup
Dry Grated Coconut- 1 cup
Dry Red Chillies- 8-10
Fenugreek Seeds- 1/2 tsp
Tamarind 10grams
Jaggery -according to your taste
Asafoetida -1/4tsp
Vegetable Oil 1tsp
Salt according to taste

Method

Soak tamarind in 2 cups of water
Heat oil and add asafeotida, fenugreek seeds , fry the seeds till they are brown.
Add channa dal , urad dal and red chillies in the same pan and roast them till they are golden brown.
After emptying the pan, roast dry coconut till golden brown color.
Keep this aside till it cools down.
Squeeze tamarind properly till you get a uniform juice.
Add jaggery and early roasted dals in the tamarind juice and allow it to soak for 2-3 hours for easy grinding.
Add salt according to taste.
Grind it into a rough paste.
Serve it with Idlis, White Rice, Dosas.
For seasoning , heat oil in a pan , add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter and add curry leaves to the heated oil.
Pour the seasoning over the chutney before serving.

Dhai Curry Punjabi style

Dahi curry Punjabi style – Jyotsna

Dahi 2-3/4 cup
Besan 3 dabbi

Mix dahi for i sec in a mixee

Add besan, haldi,salt, red chilly (deghi mirch), add some water, again mix.
Heat a little ghee. Add hing pinch, methidana, 1tsp., coarse crushed (in hand), akha dhania,, 1/2 tsp jeera.
Then, add chopped fine, 1 onion, 1 lasoon, and some ginger.
Add besan mix to all this.
And add some more water.Boil and simmer, 4 to 5 times, for 1/2 hour.
Keep stirring, so that the curd should not froth.
Add pakora for 10 minutes before removing curry.

Pakora:

Cut onions long.green chilly, ajwain, salt, deghi mirch.
Mix in besan, with wwater, to a consistancy, that the pakora can be added to the oil with a small tablespoon. (10 ml).

Fettucine with Pesto Indienne Sauce

FETTUCINE WITH PESTO INDIENNE SAUCE (TARLA DALAL, UPPERCRUST JAN-MAR 2000)

Ingredients:

½ packet white fettucine
½ packet green fettucine
3 tbs oil
Salt

For Pesto Indenne Sauce:
½ tsp paprika or chilli flakes
1 tbsp chilgoza (pine nuts)
1 portion pesto indenne paste
½ cup cream
1 tbsp butter
Salt

For Pesto indenne paste:
1 cup basil leaves
¼ cup pine nuts
4 cloves garlic
1/3 cup coriander, chopped
1medium onion
1tsp ginger chopped
1 medium green chilli
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt

Ground all above ingredients together to a smooth aste

For the garnish:
Grated cheese
Basil leaves
Cherry tomatoes

PROCEDURE:

For the fettucine, put a lot of water in a pan, add salt and 1 teaspoon of oil and bring to a boil. Add the white and green fettucine aand cook till done. Drain and keep aside.

After some time, add 2 teaspoons of oil to the cooked fettucine and mix well.

For the Pesto Indenne Sauce:
Heat the butter in a saucepan on a low flame. Add the paprike, the pine nuts and fry for some time. Add the pesto indenne paste, the cream, 1 cup water and salt and heat till the sauce is a little thick. Keep aside. Do not boil the sauce as it will curdle.

How to proceed:
Place the fettucine in a serving bowl. Pour the sauce over it. Garnish with grated cheese, basil, and cherry tomatoes. Serve hot.

Kofta Noor Jahani

Kofta Noor Jahani
Recipe By : http://www.getsurfed.co.uk/restaurants/special.htm
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 Boiled Potatoes
100 Grams Paneer
2 Tbsp Cauliflower Florets
2 Tbsp Cornflour
1 Tsp Finely Chopped Green Chillies
Salt — To Taste
3 Tbsp Oil
1 C Boiled Onion Paste
1 C Boiled Carrots
1/4 C Soaked Raisins
1 Tbsp Ginger Paste
1 Tbsp Garlic Paste
1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 Tsp Garam Masala
3/4 C Cashewnut Paste
Oil — For Deep-Frying
Cream — Optional
Chopped Coriander — For Garnish
Grate the boiled potatoes, grate the paneer and add to the boiled potatoes,
mix in the finely chopped green chillies salt and the corn flour. Mix
really well and make into small round balls. Grate the carrots and mix the
raisins into them. Make an indent into the potato balls and stuff a little
of the carrot and raisin mix into it. Reform the potato ball in your hand
making sure that you leave no holes! Deep fry all the balls until golden
brown. Leave aside.
Gravy:
Take a tablespoon of oil in a heavy based pan, add the boiled onion paste
cook until the onions are a little pink. Add the ginger and garlic paste to
the oinions and saute for a while. Add the tumeric and chilli powder and
cook for a while until the masala has mixed well into the paste. Now add
the cashewnut paste to this and cook. Keep stirring so that it doesn’t
stick to the bottom of the pan. Add about a 1/2 cup of water and cook on
very low heat for about 10 mins. Add salt taste and mix well. Add the fried
koftas to the gravy. Finish with fresh cream drizzled over the top
(optional) and add a little chopped corinder to garnish. Serve hot with
naan or rice.
This dish was supposedly created for the beautiful queen Noor Jahan. I am
not sure if this is true or not but it does taste very nice!

Kachumber (Parsi Onion Salad)

KACHUMBAR (Parsee onion salad)

Serves 4-6

2 med onions finely sliced
tamarind pulp size of walnut
1/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons grated palm sugar or substitute
2 firm ripe tomatoes diced
1 tablespoon fine shreds fresh ginger
3 fresh red or green chillies sliced
salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves

Zeera Aloo

Zeera Aloo – New Potatoes with Cumin – India
Recipe By : Madhur Jaffrey’s Quick & Easy Indian Cooking
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Madhur Jaffrey’s Quick Madhur Jaffrey
India
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 lbs new potatoes, cleaned, cooked until tender –
then peel
salt
2 1/2 tbsps vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp chili powder
3 tbsps coriander leaves — chopped
Put oil in large frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put
in cumin seeds. Let seeds sizzle for a few seconds. Now put in potatoes.
Turn heat down to medium. Brown potatoes lightly on all sides. Turn heat
to low and ad 3/4 teaspoon salt and ground cumin, garam masala and chili
powder. Cook, stirring for a minute. Add coriander leaves and mix before
serving.

Kicked up Buttermilk Drink

Kicked up Buttermilk Drink (south Indian) #114328

For those of you, who drink buttermilk with salt, this version gives it a zip. If you have never drank buttermilk, try this recipe using whatever is left-over in the carton. It is so cooling and light. This is a South Indian drink that is offered to guests on hot summer days. Making this drink is based on your personal preferences for the various ingredients and you can tinker with the quantities of the spices.
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1 piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (small piece)
3 sprigs cilantro, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (optional) or 1 pinch cumin powder (optional)
1 dash pepper
salt, to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Perfect Minestrone Soup

Perfect minestrone soup

green beans – cut into 2″ pieces, zucchini – 1, cut into 1″ slices , spinach leaves – 1/2 cup , black-eye beans – 1 can, rinsed and drained , stewed whole tomatoes – 1 can , parsley – 1/3 cup chopped , olive oil – 1 tbsp , carrots – diced , onions – 1, chopped , celery – 1 stalk, finely chopped , garlic – 2 cloves, finely chopped , crushed red pepper flakes – 1/3 tsp , salt – to taste

Fry onions, celery, carrots and garlic in olive oil until the onions are transluscent. add the pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and fry for 15 secs. Add the green beans and the black-eyed peas, more salt and plenty of water. When green beans are cooked, add zucchini, spinach and mashed tomatoes. After 1 min, add the parsley and warm it through. Serve very hot and garnish with grated parmasan cheese.

Steamed Rice

Steamed Rice

Ingredients
1 cup long grain rice
3-4 cups water
Preparation
Wash and drain the rice Cook in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain.
Put the rice in a steaming tier and cook for 30 minutes. (If no steaming tier is available, use a nylon or hair sieve in a wooden ban.)

Sindhi Daal

Sindhi daal

(fresh greens – spinach, dill and fenugreek cooked with daals)

2 bunches palak (spinach)
½ bunch methi (fenugreek leaves), or 5 tbsp. dried methi
¼ bunch soova (dill)
¼ kg. dudhi (marrow)
1 carrot
2 tomatoes
1 onion
4 green chillies
½ inch ginger
8 cloves garlic
salt
1 ½ cup tuvar dal
½ cup chana dal
3 tbsp. ghee
2 tsp. jeera.

Chop greens and vegetables fine
Cook daals
Before the daals cook completely, add chopped veggies, tomatoes and onions, ginger and salt. Cook till daals are done (another 10 minutes or so)
Blend coarsely in a blender
Heat pure ghee in a small pan. Add cumin seeds. After a few seconds, add garlic.
When garlic turns light brown pour flavoured ghee over dal
Serve with hot basmati rice

Sabat Aloo

Sabat Aloo (Whole Small Potatoes with Jacket)

Ingredients -Very small potatoes – 250 gms,Garlic – 6-8 cloves ,Ginger – 1 Samll piece,2″ long Red chillies – 1/2 tsp, Dry masala: Cuminseed and Coriander – 1 tsp each lightly roasted and powdered,Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp,Mustard oil – 3 tbsp Green coriander chopped,Red and green chillies – 6

Method -Wash the potatoes, prick with fork and dip in salted water Crush ginger and garlic together. Smoke oil in krahi. Add ground ginger garlic paste, salt and turmeric. Add potatoes. Toss and turn. Add cuminseed and coriander powder. Cover, let it cook with steam. Sprinkle water as and when required. Cut red and green chillies into two and add to the potatoes before they are ready. cover and cook. Add chopped coriander leaves. Serve it hot.

Sindhi curry – 2

Sindhi Curry-2

Gram flour (Besan) 3 tbsps.
Oil 2 tbsps
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Water 4-5 glasses
Tamarid pulp 2 tsp
Arhar Dal (Red gram dal) 3/4 cup
Okra (Make a slit in okra lengthwise) 1/2 lb (250 gms)
Potatoes (Cut each potato in 4 pieces) 3 medium
Eggplant(Brinjal) (Make 2″ pieces of eggplant) 1 small
Cauliflower (Keep the florets of cauliflower intact) 250 gms
Peas 1/2 cup
Lotus roots cut in small pieces
Salt to taste
For Tempering
Oil 2 tbsps
Mustard Seeds 1tsp
Cumin seeds 1tsp
Red chilli powder 1tsp
Methi Dana (optional) 1tsp
Kalunji 1tsp
Karhi patta 6-7 leaves
Green chillies slit lengthwise
Finely chopped cilantro leaves

Heat 2 tbsps oil. Add Gram flour (besan). Fry it for 10-15 mts (it should be few shades darker & smell fragrant). Add turmeric powder, 4 glasses of water and salt to taste. Keep stirring till it comes to boil. In the mean time boil arhar dal and whisk it properly. Add this to karhi. Fry okra, potatoes, cauliflower and eggplant. Add all fried and other vegetables in Karhi. Let it boil until all the vegetables are done. Add Tamarid Pulp.
Tempering

Heat 2 tbsps oil in a pan. When hot add asafoetida powder (hing), Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, Methi dana, Onion seeds(kalaunji), red Chilli powder & Karhi patta. When the seeds start spluttering pour it in karhi.

Garnish it finely chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve it hot with steamed rice.

Sindhi kadi

Sindhi kadi

Ingredients:
4 medium-sized tomatoes
1-1/4 cups tur dal
5 tbsps gram flour
150 gm lady fingers, slit, not cut
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
5 tbsps cooking oil
100 gm cluster beans, chop ends
1 tsp cumin seeds
A few curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2-1/2 tsp red chilli powder
5 green chillies, slit in centre
8 glasses of water
6-7 kokum
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
Salt to taste

Procedure:
Soak the tur dal in water for about half an hour. Cook it in a pressure cooker for 10-12 minutes along with the halved tomatoes and 2 glasses of water. Then strain out all the water and let the remaining pulp cool so as to enable you to squeeze out the soup from it with your bare hands. Add the rest of the water to this stock and put aside.

Now heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed vessel for a few minutes before adding the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida powder and the green chillies. Fry for a minute, add gram flour and then fry again for a couple of minutes more. Now it’s time to add the red chilli powder and the turmeric powder. Fry till the gram flour becomes aromatic and turns slightly brown. Add the stock to it immediately. Stir well. Add the lady fingers, cluster beans, curry leaves, the kokum and the salt. Let it boil on a low flame for an hour and a half till the vegetables are well cooked and have absorbed the flavour of the spice. Serve the curry piping hot.

Sindhi Kadi is generally served with good quality basmati rice sprinkled with shahi jeera and accompanied also by tuk (flattened potato cake) and sweet boondi.

Sai Bhaji

Sai Bhaji (Spinach and Vegetable Stew)

Ingredients:

2 bunches spinach
A bunch of khatta
1 big potato
2 big tomatoes, chopped
8 green chillies, finely chopped
1-inch piece ginger, finely chopped
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
7 tbsps oil
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 big onion
2 small brinjals
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 tbsps gram dal
1-1/2 glasses water
Salt to taste

Procedure:
Separate the spinach and the khatta leaves. Wash them well and chop finely. Also chop the onion, potato and brinjals into small pieces and set aside. Soak the gram dal for about 10 to 15 minutes. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, put in the cumin seeds, green chillies and ginger and fry for about a minute. Fry the vegetables that have been kept well till the oil separates (a ring of oil will form around the vegetables). Now put in the chopped spinach, khatta leaves, tomatoes, dal, dry masalas, salt and 1-1/2 glasses of water. Pressure cook on a high flame till the first whistle. Then turn the flame to simmer for another 2 or 3 whistles. Open the cooker after about 10 minutes. Take a churner and mix well. This vegetable goes well with burji chawar rice or brown rice.

Cabbage Thoran

Cabbage Thoran

Ingredients:
1 medium cabbage, cut into thin strips
2 onions finely slivered
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. rice grains
2 dry red chillies broken in half
2 tbsp. oil
3-4 curry leaves
salt to taste
Grind to a paste:

3/4 cup fresh coconut grated
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
3 flakes garlic
2 green or red fresh chillies
2-3 pinches turmeric powder

Method:

Put ground paste in a pan, cover with cabbage.
Sprinkle some salted water, cover and cook till steam is given out.
Stir gently, sprinkle some more water, cover and keep aside.
Heat oil in a small pan, add rice and mustard seeds.
Allow to splutter, add chillies, curry leaves and onions.
When onions are transparent, pour over cabbage mixture.
Simmer again, stirring gently, till all water is evaporated.
Serve hot with rice, chappati, etc.
Making time: 15 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
Shelflife: 1 day

Basic Pizza Dough

Basic Pizza Dough

This is a thin crust pizza recipe. It is a recipe for two medium pizzas.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes plus 3 hours for the dough to raise
Recommended wine:
Origin: Campania
Ingredients:

4 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1-1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 pack. 7 gr. dry active yeast

Instructions:
1. In a big bowl combine all the dry ingredients, the oil and then add the water slowly mixing well with a fork. Don’t use all the water if it’s not necessary.
2. Knead the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes and then shape into a ball, put it in the bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel.
3. Let it stand in a dry place for 3 hours or until the dough has doubled in bulk.
4. Work the dough a little bit more and if it’s too sticky add a little bit of flour.

Notes:
This is the real Italian pizza that it is very different from the one that you may have eaten in a pizza parlor outside of Italy. Its origin is very antique but the introduction of tomatoes in our country brought by Cristoforo Colombo
(Christopher Columbus) contributed to making pizza a famous dish. There’s a pizza for every taste. When you learn how to make it then you can create your own favorite one.

The pizza dough recipe above I divide into two pizzas 15 ” X 11″ each. That is the equivalent of two 14″ pizzas. The toppings below are for one pizza (half this dough). Divide your dough in two parts and make a topping for each one.

Bengali Vegetable Chop

VEGETABLE CHOP

INGREDIENTS:(for a serving size of 3-4) beat(2), carrot(2), onions sliced(2 big), chilli powder, oil,Cumin powder,Ginger paste, potato 4 (big), bread crumb, nuts

METHOD: Boil potatos, beans & carrots. Smash potatos, carrots & beans. Add salt to it. Heat oil in a big vessel. Then add the sliced onions and fry till golden brown. Add ginger paste, cumin powder, chilli powder. Fry for few minutes. Add the smashed potato, carrot & beat and fry for 2 mins. Take it off from heat. Add fried nuts.Make balls with fried smashed potato, beat & carrot. Dip each of this in beaten egg. And roll on bread crumb. Fry it. Serve it with salad.

Baked Cauliflower Masala

Baked Cauliflower masala

Ingredients: cauliflower- 1,
For masala: onions -3 , garlic – 3 cloves , ginger – 1/2″ , chilli powder – 1 tsp , turmeric – 1 tsp , whole dhania seeds – 1 1/2 tsp , tomatoes – 2-3 (1 can of tomato sauce) , plain yogurt – 1 1/2 cups , salt – to taste , Cilantro – for garnish
Method:Grind all the ingredients (except cauliflower and cilantro). Cut the cauliflower into big florets and place in a glass baking dish. Add the salt, mix well and pour the masala. Cook in the microwave covered for 4 mins. Bake this in the oven covered for 15 mins and uncovered (for as long as you need, until the gravy is thickened) at 450 degrees. Garnish with cilantro.
The cauliflower could be used as whole, for a fancy presentation. It would need a few times of basting in the oven.

Avial

Avial

A dish for special occasions, this wonderful preparation comes from Kerala in the south, and really preserves the wonderful taste of vegetables, wthout over-spicing them. Vegetables are coated in a mixture of freshly grated coconut and curd. Try and use coconut oil in this recipe instead of vegetable oil if you can.

1.5 cups grated coconut
12 green chillies
2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 cups water
1.5 cups sour curd, beaten

2 cups yam, peeled and cut into thick slices
3 cups ash gourd, peeled, de-seeded and cut into 1.5″ thick slices
3 medium sized raw bananas, peeled and cut into 2″ long slices
3 drumsticks. cut into 4″ pieces
2 cups red pumpkin, cut into large cubes
2 cups broad beans, cut into 1″ pieces
1 cup carrots, cut thickly
5 tsp. salt
15 curry leaves
3 tbsp. coconut oil

Grind coconut, chillies & roasted cumin seeds into a paste, adding a cupful of water little by little. Add curd to this mixture and keep aside
In a large vessel, add water and all vegetables, with salt
Bring to boil, then lower heat and cook till vegetable are done
Add coconut paste and mix gently on a low fire, making sure the gravy doesn’t curdle
Simmer for 2 minutes
Stir in coconut oil and curry leaves, mix gently

Apple Halwa

Apple Halwa

Carrot Halwa, Lentils and Bean Halwa, Wheat Flour Halwa and Semolina Halwa are all popular desserts in India. Apple Halwa can be made the same way and it has an interestingly sweet and tart taste. In Indian homes, a form of milk cooked until all the water has evaporated-known as khoya is used. Condensed milk is a nice substitute.

3 lbs apples, grated, best made with tart crisp apples
6 tsp sugar
juice of 1 lemon
8 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
2 inch cinnamon stick
6 cloves
8 tbsp condensed milk
2 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp calvados
almond slivers to decorate
silver or gold foil
Serves: 6
As soon as the apples are grated, sprinkle them with sugar and lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Mix well.

Heat the ghee in a heavy based saucepan, add the cinnamon and cloves and after 30 seconds the apples. Saute for 10 minutes or so over high heat. Add the condensed milk and raisins and saute for a further 8-10 minutes, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.

Glaze with the butter. This dessert should be served hot. Heat the calvados for a few seconds in a small pan and pour into the halwa.

Garnish with almonds if using.

Notes: You can also use silver or gold foil to garnish the halwa and sprinkle ground toasted pistachios or walnuts and serve the halwa with vanilla ice cream.

Bhatura

Bhatura

Ingredients:

500 grams Refined flour

2 tablespoons Curds

1 teaspoon Baking powder

7-8 tablespoons Oil

Salt

Method :

Sieve together the flour, salt and baking powder. Knead into a hard dough with curds and a little water. Keep aside for 6 hours.

Roll into small discs and fry in hot oil till they swell up. Serve hot with chhole or potato vegetable. Serves : 4
Time : 40 min