COLOURS

How To Make Kids Love Milk?

2011-10-20T01:07:00.000-07:00

Many mothers have complains that their kids hate milk. By not having milk, the kid loses the intake of nutrients and vitamins especially calcium. Calcium strengthens the bones and teeth. Milk also helps in the growth and development of the kids body. Kids hate milk mainly because of having it since a long period which leads to distaste towards milk. Therefore, here are tips to make kids love milk.

How to make kids love milk?

Kids should have milk twice everyday. This tip has to be kept in the mind and so, provide milk twice after meal. In the morning, give after breakfast and in the evening you can give with fruits.

Flavouring milk makes the kid love having milk. First try not to add flavour in the milk as the kid will always want flavoured milk due to the habit. Always opt for other alternatives when the kid is really stubborn towards milk.

Many kids hate the smell of milk. Keep milk in the fridge. Don't always give chilled milk. It can cause cough or cold. Sometimes, giving chilled flavoured milk is fine.

Kids like milk when mixed with some ingredients such as fruits or rice or syrups. Boil rice and add little milk. It tastes like cereals. Add fruits such as apples and strawberries to make it tasty.

Almond milk is a healthy alternative for kids who hate milk. The crunchy almonds while sipping milk makes the kids love milk. Add few strands of saffron at times to change the taste.

Soy milk is another alternative for kids who hate milk. It contains equal amounts of proteins and vitamins as cow/goat milk. One benefit of soy milk is it is available in flavours which can make the kid like milk!

As kids hate the taste and smell of milk, one of the most commonly used method to make the kids love milk is by pinching the nose while swallowing. Close the nose with the help of fingers while sipping milk. This lowers the impact of milk.

You can also soak milk with biscuits or bread. Add some fruits to make it a tasty and filling dish. Garnish the dish well with cherries as it appeals the kids and makes them have it.

Try these 8 tips to make kids get over the hatred towards milk

Chilli Fish: Spicy Chinese Recipe

2011-10-19T04:32:00.000-07:00

Chilli fish is a very popular Chinese recipe. It is actually one of the most famous dishes of Asian food around the world. Chilli fish is quite an easy chilli recipe to try out because it is very basic in terms of ingredients and cooking procedure. In fact it is so popular only because it one of the original easy fish recipes coming out of the East that the world has adopted. However you must try this easy chilli recipe only if you have the tongue and stomach to take the strong spices.

This chilli fish recipe apart from being very spicy is also very delicate to cook. You cannot just keep adding spices and hope that this easy fish recipe turns out to be tasty. It is an easy chilli recipe but you still need to have the right proportions of spices to cook it.

Ingredients For Chilli Fish:

1. Fish (Surmai/ Salmon / Bombay Duck / Pomfret) cut into boneless fillets 7-8
2. Corn flour 3 tablespoons
3. Eggs whites 2
4. Ginger garlic paste 1 teaspoon
5. Onion 1 (sliced)
6. Garlic 6-8 cloves (chopped finely)
7. Ginger (cut into thin slices)
8. Green chillies 8-10 (chopped finely)
9. Spring onions (bulb chopped into 4 quarters and stalks chopped into pieces)
10. Bell peppers or capsicum 1 (chopped in medium sized pieces)
11. Ground pepper 2 tablespoons
12. Soy sauce 2 tablespoons
13. Vinegar 1 tablespoon
14. Ajinomotto or china grass 1 pinch
15. Oil 4 tablespoons
16. Salt as per taste

Procedure For Chilli Fish:

Marinate the fish fillets with vinegar, ginger garlic paste and a tablespoon of ground pepper. Just leave as long as you chop the other vegetables and prepare the batter.
Beat the egg whites and pour corn flour mixed with water in it. Beat the mixture together to form a thick batter.
Heat oil in a shallow pan on low flame. When the oil is steaming, dip the fish fillets in the batter and fry them. As soon as the fish is put in the pan, put it on low flame so that it cooks evenly.
Keep the pieces of fried fish aside and add onions to the oil. Saute them until they become translucent and add the garlic and the spring onions together.
Let it cook for a minute and then add the ginger and bell peppers. Let the vegetables cook for 2-3 minutes on low flame.
After this add vinegar, green chillies and ground pepper and stir well. Let it cook for a minute.
Sprinkle ajinomotto into the pan and then pour the soy sauce in the pan. Let it sizzle for a while and then mix it well.
Add 1 small cup of water and let it cove to boil. Put the fish pieces in the simmering gravy, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes.

You can garnish your chilli fish with fresh coriander and basil leaves.

How To Eat Fish In Heart Healthy Ways?

2011-10-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

Fish is healthier than meat when it comes to keeping your heart fit and fine. This statement is not just another generalisation in the air but a hypothesis supported by substantial scientific research. Heart healthy meals will seldom contain meat. Red meat is a total no no and white meat will also have to be very lean. Moreover, aren't you simply bored of eating chicken and lamb? Its done to death.

How Is Fish Healthy For The Heart?

You may have heard the term 'fatty acids'. Fish, especially sea fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Now you must be wondering that how come something that is 'fatty', which obviously means lots of calories, a part of heart healthy meals?
There is no deception involved here; fish which are 'fatty' will be high in calories and you will put on weight if you eat them indiscriminately. But they raise the good cholesterol levels in the body.
What this kind of 'good fats' does is prevent the clogging of arteries and veins with the non-burnable trans fats.

What Kind Of Fish Is Healthy For The Heart?
Just like all women are not healthy for your heart nor are all fish. You have to choose the right fish for your heart or else it will leave you with a heart attack! Here is a list of heart healthy fish that must be incorporated in your diet.
1. Salmon
2. Sardine (highest amount of good cholesterol despite its tiny size)
3. Herring
4. Tuna
5. Trout
6. Cod (cod liver oil has other health benefits apart from heart)

How Much Fish Is Healthy For The Heart?
You need about 8-10 ounces of fish every week for a heart healthy meal. That could be spread out to about 25 gram portions of fish per day.
However, fish will constitute the protein portion of your diet so you can exclude the meat when you eat fish. Don't eat both together because you will be piling extra calories where you don't need them.

Healthy Ways To Cook Fish:

One of the major reason for fish to to be less popular than meat as food is that it is very difficult to cook. Most people over cook it and destroy its nutrition.
If you deep fry salmon or make crispy fish fingers out of sardines then they will cease to be healthy for your heart or any other part of your body. Fish loses all its vital nutrients when you deep fry it.
The most healthy way to cook fish is to grill it. If you cannot stand the strong smell of boiled fish then cook it in the microwave. It is easy and quick.
Always use olive oil to cook fish. Fish just like meat has a lot of oil in the form of stored fats. Utilize this oil to cook it instead of adding it on your own.

Eat fish in healthy ways using these tips.

The 5 Best Sea Food In The World

2011-10-12T23:31:00.000-07:00

It is a misconception that seafood is only a part of the coastal cuisines of the world. It is in fact the crowning glory of the top cuisines of the world. This is because seafood is one of the most expensive ingredients to cook with. Not only is it a mark of of how how much variety the cuisine offers but also how posh it is. So it definitely is interesting to discover which are the best five seafood items of the world. The popularity of seafood items can be deduced from how frequently they are ordered.

Here are the best 5 seafoods of the world based on their popularity

Top 5 Best Seafoods Of The World:

1. Prawns: They are easily the first choice when it comes to choosing the most popular seafood in the world. Prawns here is a blanket term we are using for all the types be it lobsters or tiger or jumbo prawns. You find them in all kinds of cuisines, in all sorts of permutations and combinations. In Punjabi cuisine or Chinese, prawns figure prominently because it is very eatable unlike some of the obscure varieties of seafoods that are best enjoyed regionally.

2. Crabs: They are not exactly shell fish but what amazing taste these crustaceans have. Crabs give a cuisine an air of specialisation. Everybody can cook prawns by trial and error because they are readily available and easy to cook. But if you can cook crabs then you are a specialist. Crabs too are being incorporated into all kinds of menus these days. Be it crab meat soup or crabs in butter garlic sauce or tandoori masala crabs Indian style, crabs are here to stay.

3. Pomfret: One of the most famous seafood items in the subcontinent, they add a touch of finesse to the cuisine. It requires special skills to cook this flat sea fish because it gets easily overcooked and looses its delicate taste. That is probably why it is also one of the most expensive seafood items on a menu. Grilled or smoked pomfret is one of the most popular dishes in any multi cuisine restaurant.

4. Squid: If you did not have roasted squids on a beach holiday then your vacation is incomplete. Squids are one of best seafoods that come in a huge range of sizes. The smallest squid is slighted larger than a pomfret and can be cooked whole. But the giant squid is one of the largest fish in the sea. Usually smaller squids are tastier so go for them.

5. Salmon: You may have this misconception that it is some sort of a fast food because canned salted salmons are very popular seafood these days. But salmon can be baked, roasted, minced, filleted for sandwiches and also made into a curry.

These are the best 5 seafood items in the world but there are more fish in the huge oceans waited to be discovered.

Rice Flake Cutlet Special

2011-10-11T05:13:00.000-07:00

Put your foot down and say good bye to junk food and bakery snacks. Surprise the kids with a whole new healthy “teatime snack”. Watch them gobble down cutlet after cutlet...

Ingredients

01. Rice flakes (locally known as aval) - 2 cups
02. Onion (finely chopped) - 1 cup
03. Green chillies (finely chopped) - ¼ cup
04. Carrots (finely chopped) - ½ cup
05. Curry leaves - a few
06. Coconut (grated) - 1 cup
07. Bread slices, cut into very small pieces - 2
08. Garam masala powder - ½ tsp
09. Egg white (whipped) - 2
10. Bread crumbs -1 cup
11. Oil - for frying
12. Salt - to taste

Preparation

01. Soak the rice flakes in a little water, take out immediately and squeeze out the water. Keep aside.
02. Heat a little oil in a pan and sauté the onion, green chillies, carrots and curry leaves.
03. Add the mix to the coconut, bread pieces, garam masala, salt and the rice flakes.
Knead together to a dough.
04. Divide into lemon-sized balls and flatten the balls to the desired shape.
Dip them one by one in the whipped egg white and roll over in the bread crumbs.
05. Heat the oil in a pan and fry them in batches till they turn a lovely golden brown.
06. Serve hot.

Egg Roll: Special Festival Recipe

2011-10-11T00:18:00.000-07:00

Egg roll recipe is an incredibly simple but delicious option for your evening snacks. This is the kind of egg snacks that could be called the perfect Ramzan recipe. Firstly because it is an easy egg recipe that needs neither too much effort nor skills. Secondly, this is a quick snacks recipe that you can turn out in minutes. If you are a family of working professionals looking for Ramzan recipes that are quick and easy then you have come to the right place.

Egg roll recipe needs no special ingredients although it is very special Ramzan recipe. You will find this easy egg recipe being prepared in all the popular shops selling special Ramzan food. So why not make it in the hygienic conditions of your own kitchen. Egg roll is made in two parts; the outer cover and the filling inside. Both these can be made quickly.

Ingredients For Egg Roll Recipe:

1. Eggs 4
2. Onions 2 (sliced finely)
3. Garlic (paste) 1 teaspoon
4. Ginger (paste) 1 teaspoon
5. Tomato 1 (finely chopped)
6. Cumin Powder 1 tablespoon
7. Ground pepper 1 tablespoon
8. Green chillies 3 (chopped finely)
9. Peppercorns 6
10. Star Anise 2
11. Cloves 4
12. Cinnamon sticks 2
13. Cardamom 4
14. Coriander leaves
15. Oil 2 tablespoons
16. Butter or Ghee 1 teaspoon
17. Salt as per taste
18. Flour 2 cups
19. Water half cup

Procedure For Egg Roll Recipe:

For this easy egg recipe you need to prepare the outer covering that is the roti or paratha. You can do this in advance or together.
Kneed the flour with water and flatten it to make flat round rotis.
Melt butter or ghee in a shallow pan a and lightly fry both sides of the roti in it. It is now a paratha. Keep it aside.
For the egg filling beat the eggs in a bowl. Add salt, a pinch of pepper and half of the chopped green chillies and beat again.
Now heat oil in a shallow pan and when it is steaming hot add the peppercorn, cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and cumin powder. Saute it for half a minute.
The add the onions and saute till they are golden brown; add the ginger garlic paste and cookfor a minute.
Add the tomatoes and cook till their juice dries out; fry the chillies in it too.
Now pour the beaten eggs and scramble it. It will cook in 1 to 2 minutes so don't over cook it.
Put the filling in the middle of the paratha and roll it up.

Your egg roll recipe is done. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and onion rings.

Ideal Diet After An Abortion

2011-10-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

After an abortion, the woman needs to be very careful in her diet to recover back soon. The operation can be small but the side effects on the body can be huge. Heavy bleeding, reducing iron and vitamin B12, B9 and B2, or riboflavin levels in the body are few health problems after an abortion. To reduce the risk of anemia and osteoporosis, the diet should have nutritional supply with more emphasis on iron, B vitamins and calcium. Lets check out the diet of a woman after an abortion.

Diet after an abortion:

1. Increase the intake of proteins in the diet. Adequate supply of vitamins and inorganic salts should be included to get iron supplement in the body. This helps to prevent anemia and have the nutritional supply.

2. Easy to digest food is a must after an abortion. Do not eat cold or greasy food. Also avoid eating inedible radish, hawthorn, bitter melon, orange to name a few.

3. Fish, tender chicken, eggs, animal liver, meat, soybean, milk, dates, lotus seeds, fresh fruits and vegetables add nutrition to the diet.

4. Excessive sweating is a common health problem after an abortion. So, have 8-12 glasses of water daily. This prevents dehydration and constipation.

5. Include protein rich food after an abortion. Protein supplement in body helps increase the production and count of blood cells. Eggs, cold fish, baked beans, bananas, avocado, carrots, cottage cheese, peas, oranges, green leafy vegetables and almonds are few protein rich food.

6. For non vegetarians, fish, shellfish, tuna, beef, pork, chicken, lamb, cooked dry beans and peas provides high protein, iron and B vitamins.

7. Low fat dairy products supply calcium and keeps you strong. Dairy products also provide proteins and vitamins.

8. Avoid eating spicy food. Include chicken or eggs in two meals.

Follow these diet after an abortion to recover the body from the contraception failure

Rava Idli

2011-10-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

This dish is a specialty in Karnataka, where it is a popular item for breakfast. The best part about this iddli is that, there is no need to plan ahead, grind or ferment the batter for long. Just ensure that the sourness of the curd is just right and the batter is thick, for the iddlies to be soft.

Ingredients

01. Oil - 2 tbsp
02. Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
03. Green chillies (finely chopped) – 3
04. Bengal gram dhal -1 tsp
05. Ginger paste - ½ tsp
06. Rava -1 cup
07. Carrot (grated) - ½ cup
08. Ginger paste - ½ tsp
09. Coconut (grated) - 2 tbsp
10. Coriander leaves - half a bunch
11. Salt - to taste
12. Baking soda - ¼ tsp
13. Curd - 1 cup
14. Cashew nuts - as required

Preparation

01. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
02. When they splutter, add the green chillies, Bengal gram dhal and the ginger paste and sauté well.
03. Now, lower the flame. Add the rava and mix it well.

04. Add the grated carrots, ginger paste, coconut, coriander leaves, salt, baking soda and curd and blend it all well. Keep this mixture undisturbed to ferment for thirty minutes.

05. Grease the idli moulds with oil and place a nut in the centre of each mould.
06. Pour the batter into each idli mould and steam for 15 minutes, as is done for the regular idlis. Serve hot.

Rich Jackfruit Sweets Special Recipe

2011-10-01T23:00:00.000-07:00

Jackfruit Sweet Recipe – Special Festive Delicacies

Ingredients:

1 cup jackfruit (sliced)
1-1.5 cup jaggery (Based on sweetness of jackfruit)
1 cup thick coconut milk
Pinch of cardamom
Pinch of salt
2-3 tsp rice flour
8-10 cashew nuts
10-12 raisins
2-3 tsp ghee

How To Make Jackfruit Sweet?

1. In a vessel, add powdered jaggery with little water and boil it until it melts completely.

2. Add coconut milk to the boiling jaggery syrup and stir well.

3. With a teaspoon of ghee, fry jackfruit until it changes color.

4. Add the jackfruit slices to the coconut milk mixture and stir well. Cook on simmer until the slices are well baked. Rice flour paste can be added if you want the payasam even thicker.
5. Garnish with cardamom and ghee fried cashews and raisins. Tasty Rich Jackfruit special recipe is ready to serve.

Nutritious Special Food Recipe

2011-10-01T22:55:00.000-07:00

The recipe is a sweet dish prepared with ripe bananas. It is very nutritious and healthy and is usually prepared by women following the Navratri vrat. Take a look.

Kele Ki Burfi – Nutritious Navratri Recipe
Ingredients:

4 bananas (ripened)
1 1/2 cup milk
2 cup sugar
2 tbsp ghee
75 gm fresh coconut (grated)
1/2 cup walnuts (chopped)

How to make kele ki burfi?

Mash the bananas and cook it with milk until dry.
Add ghee and stir simultaneously until the mixture turns brown.
Combine sugar, coconut and walnut and stir well.
Leave the mixture to cool and when dry, cut it into squares or any shape of choice. Tasty kele ki burfi is ready to serve.

Fruit Salad: Oil Free Recipe

2011-09-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

People on vrat during Navratri have to look after what they are eating! As they eat once in a day, the food needs to be healthy and nutritious. Fruit salads are healthy oil free Navratri vrat recipes which can be consumed anytime in the day. Lets check out the easy to make oil free Navratri vrat fruit salad recipe.

Mixed fruit salad, oil free Navratri recipe:

Ingredients

grapes
apple
banana
pomegranate
papaya
guava
chiku
chaat masala
rock salt
black pepper

Directions to make mixed fruit salad, oil free Navratri recipe:

1. Cut apple, banana, papaya, guava and chiku into small pieces.
2. Add grapes and pomegranate in a bowl and mix with the cut fruits.
3. Sprinkle chaat masala, black pepper and rock salt.

Mixed fruit salad, oil free Navratri recipe is ready to eat.

Sabudana Khichdi: Fast Recipe

2011-09-29T04:47:00.000-07:00

Sabudana Khichdi is a very popular fast recipe especially in the Western part of the country. It is a food you can eat safely when you are fasting for religious purposes. It is even otherwise a healthy Sabudana recipe for breakfast or to carry a lunch as lunch box to office. The best part about Sabudana Khichdi is that it is very easy to digest and light on your stomach. That is what makes it a perfect recipe for Navratri fasting.

Navratri is a nine days festival and you will go back to eating normal food only on the ninth day. So if you are fasting for nine days you will need a Navratri fast recipe that in not too rich. This Sabudana khichdi recipe will not assault your hunger struck digestive system any more. You are doing the Navratri fast this year then you will be definitely running out of ideas on what to make for nine long days. When in trouble go back to the basics. Try this simple and traditional Sabudana Khichdi recipe for a healthy meal.
Ingredients For Sabudana Khichdi:

1. Sabudana also known as Pearl sago 1 cup (choose the medium size granules)
2. Potatoes-1 (chopped into small pieces)
3. Peas (handful)
4. Coconut grated-½ cup (optional)
5. Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
6. Green chillies-2 (chopped finely)
7. Ghee-1 tablespoon
8. Fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
9. Sugar-1 teaspoon
10. Salt as per taste

Procedure For Sabudana Khichdi:

Soak Sabudana in water overnight. You need to soak it in just the right amount of water. It will be 2 cups of water for one cup of Sabudana. Do not add extra water or else it will become soggy.
Next morning, melt ghee in a pan and let it singe for some time.
Add cumin seeds and chopped green chillies to it for tempering.
Add the chopped potatoes to this and stir well to mix. The potatoes need about 3-4 minutes to become golden and then you can pour in the peas.
If you are using coconut then this is the time to add it. However, it is not compulsory to add coconut as some people don't prefer it.
Add the soaked Sabudana to the simmering vegetables and mix it well. Add salt and sugar and let it cook for 10 minutes on low flame.
Remove from flame and garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.

Two ways To Make Kala Chana Navratri Recipe

2011-09-20T23:24:00.000-07:00

Navratri has come and it is time to make the Navratri special dish, kala chana. Puri, suji ka halwa and kala chana are the prashad of Navratri. There are different ways to make kala chana receipe but lets check out the simplest ways to cook kala chana (dry and with curry), Navratri recipe.

Kala chana, Navratri recipe:

Ingredients

1 cup kala chana ( black chick peas)
½ jeera
½ tsp mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
2-4 green chopped chillies
2 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste

oil

For curry:

tomato puree
cardamom
garam masala
water

Preparation to make dry kala chana, Navratri recipe:

1. Soak the chana for 6 hours or overnight. Boil them in pressure cooker till they become soft. Drain them and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add jeera and then add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add washed curry leaves and green chillies. Mix well.

3. Now add cooked chana, salt, coriander and red chilli powder and cook for 5-6 minutes.

Dry kala chana is ready.
Preparations to make kala chana curry, Navratri recipe:
1. Follow the 1 and 2 preparation points given in the dry chana recipe. Add salt, coriander and red chilli powder. Mix well.

2. Add tomato puree and then add some water. Let it boil till it thickens.

3. Now add chana and mix well. Boil for 2-3 minutes till it thickens.

Kala chana curry is ready to eat.

Celebrate Onam With Banana Halwa

2011-09-06T12:24:00.000-07:00

The festival of Onam is the biggest and the most important festival in the state of Kerala. Its a harvest festival which is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm all over the state by people of all communities. This festival is celebrated to welcome the King Mahabali whose spirit is said to visit Kerala during this festival.

Kerela cuisine has a variety of non vegetarian and vegetarian dishes. It is a state that is rich in spices , so black pepper, cloves, ginger , cardamom play a very important role in their food.

Banana Halwa is a sweet dish that is made in every Malayali home during this festival. It is easy to make and indeed a very delicious dessert.

You will Need:-
' spoon of ground nutmeg
1 tsps of ghee
3 medium peeled, ripe and mashed bananas
1 cup sugar

You will start by :-

Take a pan and heat it the ghee in it.
Add in the bananas to the ghee and stir it well so that the mixture doesn't get sticky.
Keep on the flame for about 10 minutes or so, until the bananas get a toffee kind of look. You can add more ghee to the mixture if needed.
Now add in the sugar and stir well till it dissolves.
Add in the nutmeg and cardamom to the mixture.
After 2 to 3 minutes, remove the mixture from the heat.
Spread the halwa onto a flat dish and after it is cool, cut the halwa into square pieces.

Banana Chips Recipe – Tasty Onam Snack

2011-09-03T23:22:00.000-07:00

As we all know banana chips is a Kerala crispy delight. The fritters are fried or even oven baked. On the occasion of onam, here is a simple banana chips recipe that can be enjoyed with onasadhya or even relished like a light snack with coffee or tea. Here is the recipe.
Banana Chips Recipe – Tasty Onam Snack

Ingredients:

Raw banana
Oil for frying
Pepper powder
Salt
Turmeric
A bowl of water

How To Make Banana Chips?

1. Peel the skin of the raw banana and soak it in a salted water.

2. Make thin slices of the soaked banana and soak it in turmeric water for atleast 10 minutes.

3. Drain water and sun dry the slices until dry.

4. Heat oil and deep fry the bananas once the oil fumes.

5. Drain the excess oil using paper towels and sprinkle salt and pepper. Spicy banana chips is ready to serve.
You can also add chili powder instead of pepper powder or just salt if you don't want it spicy.

Varutharacha Sambar: Microwave Recipe

2011-08-30T23:17:00.000-07:00

Varutharacha sambar is an unique Onam recipe that can be now cooked as an Indian microwave recipe. Due to the lack of time in our busy lives cooking elaborate dishes even for festivals becomes a problem. Easy cooking is the mantra for new age living and for that Indian microwave recipes come in handy. Varutharacha sambar is a specialty of Kerala cuisine because its masala is first fried and then cooked. It is actually a very traditional sambar recipe that is a part of the Onam Sadhya feast. However, this special Onam recipe can now be made conveniently in the microwave.

The conversion of traditional Indian recipes into Indian microwave recipes is the only way for their survival. Very soon we might be heading towards a time were all the cooking happens electronically without fire. So, to preserve the essence of our culinary heritage we must try to adapt it to the times we live in.

Ingredients For Varutharacha Sambar:

1. Toor or Arhar Dal-1 cup (called parippu in Malayalam)
2. Drumsticks-2 (chopped)
3. Carrots-2 (chopped)
4. String Beans-10 (chopped)
5. Potatoes-1 (chopped)
6. Brinjal or eggplant-½ (chopped)
7. Tomatoes-1 (chopped)
8. Methi or fenugreek seeds-1 teaspoon
9. Channa or gram dal-2 tablespoons
10. Red Chillies-8
11. Ground coconut-4 tablespoon
12. Coriander seeds-2 teaspoons
13. Hing-1 teaspoon
14. Tamarind-1 (medium sized)
15. Curry leaves
16. Mustard seeds-1 teaspoon
17. Coconut oil-2 tablespoons
18. Salt as per taste

Procedure For Varutharacha Sambar:

Soak tamarind in a big bowl full of water over night.
Heat coconut oil in a microwavable bowl for 2 minutes, on 100 percent power.
Put ground coconut, methi seeds, coriander seeds, red chillies and channa dal in the bowl, mix and cook for 6-7 minutes, on 100 percent power.
Take the roasted ingredients and make a paste out of them in the grinder once they cool.
Meanwhile, take the tamarind water in a heat proof bowl; cover and cook all the chopped vegetables in it for 7-8 minutes, on 80 percent power.
Now add the roasted ground masala to the vegetables; cover and cook for 6-7 minutes, on 80 percent power.
While it cooks, prepare the tadka or tempering on the gas oven simply because it is easier.
Take some ghee in a pan and singe mustard seeds, curry leaves and hing powder in it.
Pour it over the now cooked sambar.

Enjoy your Varutharacha sambar with rice or neer dosas.

CRAB FRY Special Food

2011-08-16T23:08:00.000-07:00

This is a dish with crab as the main ingredient. The shrimp paste, fish sauce and mango ginger adds to the flavor of this Indonesian preparation.

Ingredients

01. Crab (whole) - 2
02. Oil - to fry
03. Red chillies (chopped fine) - 1 tbsp
04. Mango ginger (chopped fine) - 2 tsp
05. Spring onions (chopped fine) - 10 tsp
06. Stock - 1 tbsp
07. Shrimp paste - 2 tsp
08. Fish Sauce - 2 tsp
08. Sugar - 2 tsp
09. White pepper powder - 1 tsp
10. Sesame oil - 1 tsp

Preparation

01.Clean the crab. Coat it well with salt and pepper powder, dip it into hot, boiling oil and remove at once.
02. Heat oil and saute the red chillies, mango ginger and spring onions.
03. Add the stock to this, mix well and add the crab, shrimp paste, fish sauce, sugar and white pepper powder.
04. Pour the sesame oil over it and remove the vessel from the flame.

Tomato and Carrot Soup

2011-07-30T04:48:00.000-07:00

Tomato and carrots are the perfect fusion for an easy to prepare soup which is rich in vitamins.

Ingredients

1. Butter - 15 g, Oil - 2 tsp
2. Onion - 1 (chopped), Garlic - 2 flakes
3. Carrot - 175 g (chopped)
4. Tomato - 450 g (boiled and peeled), Apple - 1 (peeled, remove seeds and chopped), Thyme - few sprigs, Rosemary - few sprigs, Bay leaves - 3, Vegetable stock - 1 l, Salt, pepper powder - as needed
5. Double cream - 4 tbsp
6. Bread cubes - 4 tbsp (toasted)

Preparation

1. In a large heavy based saucepan, heat butter and oil.
2. Add onion and garlic to it and sauté for 10 to 15 minutes on a low fire. Onions should become soft. Add carrot and cook. Stir till the oil has been absorbed.
3. Add all the items in the fourth ingredients and boil. When done, cook covered for 45 minutes.
4. Take it off the fire. Cool. Grind for a consistent puree.
5. Return to a clean pan and heat. Season to taste.
6. Pour soup in individual bowls and garnish with a spoonful of cream and bread cubes. Alternatively, add a spoonful of whipped cream and some chives over it.

Open Masala Dosa Special

2011-07-11T04:46:00.000-07:00

A masala dosa that has nothing to hide. What you see is what you eat!

Ingredients

01. Jowar (powdered) - 2 cups
02. Rice flour - ½ cup
03. Onions (chopped) - 3
04. Green chillies (chopped) - 3
05. Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
06. Coriander leaves (chopped) - a bunch
07. Salt - to taste
08. Oil - 2 tbsp

Preparation

01. Add water to the jowar and the rice flour to make the batter.
02. To this, add the chopped onions, green chillies and the coriander leaves and mix it well.
03. Add the required amount of salt.
04. Place a nonstick tawa on the fire. When it is hot, pour a ladlefull of the batter and spread it around like the regular dosa.

05. Add a few drops of oil and fry the dosa for some time. Turn over the other side and repeat the same procedure.
06. When it is well cooked, transfer the dosa to a plate and serve it hot with the chutney of your choice.

Folded Chappathi

2011-06-07T04:40:00.000-07:00

Are you in a mood to try out a new recipe for dinner? Here’s the right choice. Surprise your family with these special chappathis. Roasted in ghee, soft and fluffy, watch this Malabar chappathi turn into a special treat for the whole family...

Ingredients

01. Wheat flour - 2 cups
02. White flour - 1 cup
03. Water (luke warm) - 2 cups
04. Salt - to taste
05. Ghee - 2 tbsp

Preparation

01. Knead the wheat flour, white flour and salt with luke warm water to a dough.
02. Now divide the dough to lemon sized balls and roll out to thin chappathis.

03. Dab a little ghee on the inside of each chappathi and fold from all four sides inward to form a thick square shaped chappathi.

04. Grease a griddle with some ghee and cook the chappathis over a low flame till both sides cook evenly.
05. Serve hot! For once forget the calories and sit back and relish the taste.

Potato and Tomato in Red Gravy Special

2011-05-30T04:37:00.000-07:00

A fantastic vegetarian dish so easy to prepare and yet tastes great with chappathis or pathiris. Don’t miss out this recipe!

Ingredients

01. Potato, peeled and cut into pieces – 250 g
02. Tomato, chopped – 1 large
03. Onion, chopped – 1 large
04. Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
05. Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
06. Fennel powder - ½ tbsp
07. Salt – to taste
08. Coconut oil – 2 tbsp
09. Garlic, crushed - ½ tbsp
10. Curry leaves – a few

Preparation

01. Pressure cook the potato, tomato, onion, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder and salt together for two whistles and keep aside.

02. Heat the coconut oil in a pan and sauté the garlic and curry leaves.
03. Add the pressure cooked potato masala and stir.
04. It’s done already! Serve sizzling hot with chappathis, parottas or pathiris.

Onion Ring Fry

2011-05-20T04:35:00.000-07:00

A vegetarian starter that is sure to be the centre of attention at any party!

Ingredients

01. Onions (large sized) - 2
02. Refined wheat flour (Maida) - ½ cup
03. Rice flour (roasted) - ½ cup
04. Red chilli powder - ½ tsp
05. Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
06. Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
07. Asafoetida - ¼ tsp
08. Cumin seeds (powdered) - ½ tsp
09. Curry leaves (chopped) - a few
10. Coconut (grated) - 1 tbspn
11. Oil (heated) - 1 tbspn
12. Salt - to taste
13. Oil - to fry

Preparation

01. Remove the outer layers of the onions. Slice the onions horizontally into neat circles.
02. Separate the onion rings from one another.
03. In a bowl, mix together the maida, rice flour, red chilly powder, black pepper powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, powdered cumin seeds, curry leaves, grated coconut, one tablespoon of hot oil and salt.
04. Add the required water to make it a thick, flowing batter.
05. Gently dip and coat the onion rings in the batter and deep fry in hot oil, in batches, till golden brown.
06. Serve hot with sauce or chutney.

Chicken Satay Special

2011-04-05T04:21:00.000-07:00

This is a very popular Indonesian dish, not just in Indonesia but in many other countries as well.

Ingredients

01. Chicken pieces (boneless) - 200 g
02. Red chillies - 80 g
03. Button onions - 30 g
04. Garlic - 30 g
05. Mango ginger - 20 g
06. Lemon grass - 30 g
07. Tamarind extract - 5 tsp
08. Dried prawns (cleaned) - 4 tsp
09. Salt - to taste
10. Sugar - to taste
11. Oil - 100 ml
12. Honey - 1 tbsp

Preparation

01. Grind the red chillies, button onions, garlic, mango ginger,lemon grass, tamarind juice, dried prawns,salt and sugar to a fine paste.

02. Now coat the chicken pieces well with this paste and leave it overnight to marinate.
03. Thread the chicken pieces into thin bamboo skewers and roast in the barbecue.
04. Make a paste with the oil and the honey. Keep basting the chicken pieces with this oil-honey paste during the roasting process.
05. As another option, it can also be grilled in the oven.
06. Serve along with peanut sauce.

07. To make peanut sauce, make a paste with 100 grams of peanuts, a little red chilli, a large spoon of finely chopped onions, one spoon each of garlic paste and ginger paste, one small spoon of wild ginger,one Kaffir lime leaf and salt.

Rice Flake Cutlet

2011-03-27T04:16:00.000-07:00

Put your foot down and say good bye to junk food and bakery snacks. Surprise the kids with a whole new healthy “teatime snack”. Watch them gobble down cutlet after cutlet...

Ingredients

Preparation

Nizami Potatoes

2011-03-13T04:14:00.000-07:00

Nizami Potatoes

Sizzling crispy potatoes tossed in spicy masala…This Hyderabadi dish can be described as delightfully delicious snack.

Ingredients

01. Potatoes - 2
02. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
03. Dried raw mango powder (amchoor) - 1 tsp
04. Chaat masala - 1 tsp
05. Salt - to taste
06. Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1 tsp
07. Sesame seeds (ellu) - 1 tsp
08. Ghee - 1 tsp

Preparation

01. Half boil the potatoes with the skin on.
02. Slice the potatoes long and deep fry them with the skin till they turn crisp.
03. Combine the red chilli powder, dry raw mango powder, chaat masala, salt, coriander leaves and sesame. Now add the fried potatoes to this mix and turn over so that the masala blends well with the potao slices.
04. Arrange the mix on the sides of a deep bottom pan with lid and place a small bowl of hot crackling coal in the centre.
05. Pour ghee over the hot coal and immediately close the pan.
06. Open the pan after 10 minutes, stir the potato mix once more and serve sizzling hot with thick curd or dates chutney.