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MYSORE PAK

2011-06-15T22:36:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Besan / Gram flour - 1 cup

Sugar - 2 cup

Ghee - 2 cup (Melt it)

Water - 1/2 cup

Method

Take a heavy bottom pan preheat first on low flame

Add Gram flour fry it for a few mins and allow it to cool a bit

Add water & sugar to the flour and mix it well

Heat the mixture on low flame

The mixture should be non sticky so keep on stirring it well

Add ghee again and stir until it mixes well

Take a plate and grease it with a little bit of ghee

Finely pour the pak into the plate

While it is still hot, cut it into any shape as you wish

CARROT HALWA

2011-06-15T22:27:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Carrots - 1 kg
Mawa (whole dried Milk) - 50 grms
Sugar - 2 cups
Pure Ghee - 3 tsp
Dry fruits ( Sliced Almond, Cashews, Raisin) - 1 tsp each
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Method

Peel and grate carrots
Place it into the pressure cooker (do not add water or milk) till 3 vissile
Take a heavy bottom pan add cooked carrots
Add sugar stirring occasionally, cook till thickness until all liquid evaporates
Add ghee, mawa/ Khoa and elachi, bring to boil for thickness
Stir well on low flame until ghee starts separating. Remove from the hob
Take a small pan heat 1 tsp ghee
Add dry fruits fry till golden
Garnish with almonds, cashews and raisins

Serve hot / warm or cold

BESAN LADOO

2011-06-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 cup - Besan / Gram flour

4 tsp - Pure ghee

3/4 cup - sugar powder

2 - Elachi pods / Cardamom

1 tsp - Cashews crushed

Method

Heat the ghee in a small wok
Add besan fry it on low flame till ghee mix well
Remove from the hob. Cool it
Add sugar powder, crushed cashews and cardamom mix well
Shape into ladoos

Butter Cookies

2011-06-15T22:04:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Maida / Plain flour - 2 cups
Rice flour - 1 cup
Bengal gram flour / Besan - 2 cups
Sugar Powder - 2 cups
Dalda / Vanaspathi Ghee OR Butter (unsalted) - 2 cups (melted)
Baking Powder - 1 tsp

Method

Sieve maida, rice flour, besan & baking powder in a mixing bowl
Now keep adding the dalda ghee or butter little by little to the bowl sieve then add sugar powdered in that and again sieve well and make a soft dough
Divide the dough into small balls about 1 inch
Place the nankhatai balls on greased tray
Bake at 400 F (200 degree Centigrade) for about 20 minutes.

PS : Depends upon the Oven. Please be sure the temparatures of the oven may vary for different ovens. It may over heat or some may have less heat. I normally do @ 400 F (200 C). The best way is to start on low heat then you can make it high later.

Coconut Biscuit / Kobri Biscuit

2011-06-15T21:57:00.000-07:00

PS : Depends upon the Oven..Please be sure the temparatures of the oven may vary for different ovens. It may over heat or some may have less heat. The best way is to start on low heat then you can make it high later.

Ingredients

Maida / Plain flour - 150 grms
Sugar Powder - 100 grms
Butter (unsalted) - 100 grms
Coconut Dry Shredded - 60 grms
Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Method

Cream sugar and butter till fluffy
Add maida, coconut, baking powder and cardamom powder mix well
Knead to a soft dough
Divide the dough into small squares or cut into desired shape. On top of raisins on each biscuit
Place the biscuits on a greased baking tray
Bake at 320 F (160 C ) for about 15 minutes

Tomato Rice

2011-06-15T00:19:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Rice - 225 gms (3 small Tumblers) - soaked in water for about 20 minutes.
Tomato - 6
Peas- 1/2 cup
Ginger - 2 inch size
Garlic - 6 (big in size ~ Malai Poondu) / 12 (small garlic)
Red Onion - 2 (Big)
Green Chilli - 3
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp (I use aachi kuzhambu milagaai thool)
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 6 tbsp's
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Saunf / Sombu - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 4
Bringe Leaf - 1

Method:

1. First Heat the Oil in a Wide Bottomed Pressure Cooker. Add Bringe Leaf, Cinnamon, cloves, saunf and fry them for half a minute.

2. Add the Chopped Red Onion's and Slitted Green chilli to the cooker and fry them, till the Onions turn translucent.

3. Grind the Ginger Garlic with 2 tsp's of water into a fine paste. Add the Ginger Gralic paste to the Cooker and fry them, till the raw smell goes off.

4. Chop all the tomatoes and grind them into puree and set aside.

5. Add Peas to the cooker and saute it.

6. Now add the Tomato Puree to the cooker.

7. Add Turmeric Powder, Chilli Powder, Garama Masala and Salt to Taste to the cooker and mix well.

8. Add the Soaked Rice to the Pressure Cooker and add half cup of water to the cooker.

9. Stir well and close the pressure cooker with its lid and weight on it.

10. Let the flame be high and the whistle count be 2. now reduce the flame to the medium level and let the whistle count for 2 and switch off the flame and remove the pressure cooker from the stove and let it cool.

11. Serve it with Onion Raita or Chips

Sambhar Sadham

2011-06-15T00:12:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: (Sambhar Rice for 2 people)

Vegetables:

Drumstick / Murungai - 1
Eggplant / Kathirkaai - 2
Radish / Mullangi - 1
Knol Khol / Nookal - 1/2
Capsicum / Kudai Milagaai - 1/2
Carrot - 1
Beans - 6
Broad Beans /avarakaai - 6
Double Beans - 10 (optional)
Potato / Urulai - 1

Other Ingredients:

Tomato - 1/2
Shallots - 15

Raw Rice - 150 gms ( 2 small tumblers)
Toovar Dal / Tuvaram Paruppu - 40 gms

Tamarind - a lemon size

Sambhar Powder - 3 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Ghee / Clarified Butter - 5 tbsp's
Mustard - 2 tsp's
Split Urad Dal - 2 tsp's
Dry Red Chilli - 4
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida powder - 1/ 4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 15

Corriander Leaves - 4 tbsp's (chopped)

Method:

First Pressure Cook the Rice and Dal with 4 cups of water. The whistle count is 6.

Wash the vegetables and dice them in cube shapes.

Soak the Tamarind in warm water for about 5 minutes and extract the tamarind juice.

Now Cook the Vegetables in extracted tamarind juice with little salt.
I Microwave them in high for about 8 minutes. ( Don't cook Capsicum, shallots and Tomato)
Cook the double beans in prior and add along with other vegetables.

Heat a Pan / kadaai,
add 2 tbsp's of ghee, let it melt and get heated,
add mustard and let it pop.
add urad dal and fenugreek seeds, fry them till they turn golden colour.
add the dry red chilli.
add the curry leaves
add asafoetida powder / hing.

Now add the shallots / small onions and fry them till they turn translucent.
add Capsicum and tomato and saute them till they have shrinked a bit.

Now add all the cooked vegetables in tamarind water to the kadaai / pan along with the tamarind water.

Add one cup of water, Turmeric powder and sambhar powder. also add salt to taste. remember salt is already added to vegetables.

Mash the cooked Rice and dal and add to the pan. stir well, to avoid lumps. mix the rice evenly with the vegetables in the pan.

Add 3 tbsp's of ghee and corriander leaves and cover the pan with a lid. slow the flame. and let it rest for 3-4 minutes in slow flame. keep checking and stir in between to avoid burning the rice in the bottom of the pan.

Switch off the flame and keep the lid closed till you serve.

Serve with a dollop of ghee and appalam on side.

Beans soup

2011-06-14T23:59:00.000-07:00

Beans to Soak:
soak 1/4 cup of each beans overnight.

Kidney Beans / Rajma
Cowpeas / Kaaramani
Brown Chickepas
Chickpeas
Mochai / Hyacinth

Ingredients:

Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 2
Garlic - 3 cloves
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon Stick - 1 inch
Cloves - 2
Olive Oil - 1tbsp
Dried Parsley or Oregano - 1 tbsp
Water or Vegetable Broth - 3 cup's

Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Corriander Powder - 2tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry Masala Powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)

Method:

In a Wide Pressure Cooker, heat a tbsp of oil, add cinnamon stck, cloves, bayleaf and saute them. next add finely chopped onions and fry them, on next, add finely chopped tomatoes , crushed garlic pieces and mix along with onions and fry them.

Add chilli powder, salt to taste, corriander powder, cumin powder and curry masala powder and mix well with the onion-tomato mix.

Next add overnight soaked beans to the onion-tomato-masala mix and give a mix. add 3 cups of water and mix well. close the pressure cooker with its lid and put on its whistle and let the cooker be on high flame till it whistles 4-5 times. switch off the flame and let the pressure releases and open the cooker.

Sprinkle some Dried Parsley or oregano and serve hot.

I served the Soup with some Wheat Foccacia. It filled our tummy very much. With all the beans you get the necessay protein and energy. wheat gives the needed fibre content. It was a simple and hearty meal together.

Mixed Veg soup

2011-06-14T23:51:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: ( serves 2)

Carrot - 1/4 (finely chopped)
Beans - 4 (finely chopped)
Cabbage - 3 tbsp's (finely chopped)
Onion - 1/4 (finely sliced)
Water - 2 cup's
Corn Flour - 2 tsp's (mix it with 5 tsp's of water)
Spring onion's - 2 tsp's (finely chopped)
Ghee - 1/4 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Aji-na-motto - a pinch

Method:

Heat Ghee in a Bowl, add sliced onion and saute it.

Add all the vegetables(carrot, beans & cabbage) to the bowl and saute them.

Add 2 cup's of water to the bowl and let the vegetables get half cooked.

Mix the corn flour with 5 tsp's of water without any lump's. add the corn flour starch to the bowl and mix well.

Add salt to taste, and aji-na-moto a pinch and let the soup sit in the stove in slow flame.

Add Spring onions and pepper powder. when the soup get's little thicker, remove from the flame and serve.

Serve with breadstick's or with spiced corn flake's.

* The corn flakes in the images are just plain corn flake's. check the spiced one's here.

It just tool 15 mins of time in total and the production cost of this soup could be less than Rs.25, I don't know why the restaurant's charge double the amount.

Broccoli Soup

2011-06-14T23:41:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Broccoli Florets - 1 cup (handfull of florets + 3)
Red Onion - 1
Garlic Cloves - 3
Oil - 1 tbsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp's

Method:

Cut the Broccoli into small florets. wash them thoroughly twice atleast.

Heat a Pan, add oil & heat it. Now add the Garlic and saute it for a min. then add the onion and saute it till it turns translucent. then add the broccoli florets to the pan and saute it for atleast 4 minutes, till the broccoli turn tender. switch off the flame and let the pan contents cool.

After Cooling, blend all the ingredients in the pan with 1/4 cup milk into a smooth puree.

Now Heat the Puree and add little water, to get the desired soup consistency of your choice.

Add salt and pepper powder according to your taste.

Serve warm with Garlic Breads or Bread sticks.

Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani / Mirchi ka salan

2011-06-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani

Ingredients

Chicken - 500 gms
Bamati rice - 500 gms
Onions: 2, thinly sliced
Cinnamon - 02 gms
Cardamom - 02 gms
Cloves - 02 gms
Jeera ( cumin seeds ) - 02 gms
Curd - 200 gms
Ginger - garlic paste - 2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 02 gms
Coriander powder - 04 gms

Red chilli powder - 04 gms
1/2 bunch mint leaves
Salt to taste
Ghee - 50 gms ( for rice )
Extra ghee - 50 g ( for dum )
Saffron - 1 teaspoon saffron soaked in 1 tablespoon warm milk

1/4 cup fried onion and 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves for garnishing ( optional )

Method

Pick and soak the rice for about an hour.

Cut chicken into 6 pieces and marinate it with curd, turmeric, coriander and red chilli powders, ginger - garlic paste and coriander powder. Add the sliced onion and salt and mint to the marination.

In boiling water add ghee, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and jeera and boil the rice till 40 per cent cooked.

Add rice to the meat. Pour a little fat and saffron water and cook the rice on dum for about 45 minutes. Serve hot garnished with fried onion and chopped coriander.

The best gravy to serve with biryani is mirchi ka salan. This salan is an excellent accompaniment to the biryani and enhances the taste of biryani.

Mirchi ka salan

Ingredients

Long light green chillies (boiled in salted water till colour changes and drained) - 250 gms
Onion (sliced fine)-1
Dessicated dry coconut -1 tablespoon
Chironji - 1 teaspoon
Til ( sesame seeds ) - 1 ½ teaspoon
Coriander powder -1 teaspoon
Jeera ( cumin seeds ) - 1 teaspoon
Ginger-garlic paste -2 teaspoon
Chilli powder - ½ teaspoon
Turmeric powdeer - ¼ teaspoon
A few curry leaves
Tamarind (walnut sized dissolved in 1 ½ cups water)

Oil - 3 tablespoon
Salt to taste

Method

Lightly roast and grind the following to a paste: til, chironji and khopra ( dessicated dried coconut ). Add dhania powder, chilli powder and haldi.

Heat oil and add the jeera, allow it to splutter.

Then add the masala paste and ginger-garlic paste and fry till oil separates.

Add the drained chillies, curry leaves and fry a little. Pour in tamarind water, adding salt to taste.

Serve with biryani.

Chicken Biryani

2011-06-14T06:39:00.000-07:00

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the chicken:

750 g chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt

Marinate chicken pieces with turmeric powder, chillipowder and salt for 20 minutes and pressure cook for 10 minutes ( Keep marinated chicken pieces in a bowl. Close pressure cooker. Bring to full pressure on high heat for 3 whistles. Switch off the heat and allow to cool naturally . Reserve chicken stock for cooking rice ).

For the Rice:

2 cups basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Whole gram masala / spices

3 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
3 cardamoms

1/2 teaspoon ghee
Water and chicken stock for cooking

Take plenty of water in a pan; add chicken stock and bring to boil . Add whole garam masala / spices , ghee, salt and rice. Cook till the rice is three- forth done. Drain out the water.

For the gravy:

45 ml ( 3 tablespoon ) cooking oil / ghee
5 onions, finely sliced
15 cloves garlic, crushed
2 - inch piece ginger, crushed
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1/2 bunch coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 bunch mint leaves, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder

Salt to taste (approximately 1 1 /2 teaspoon )

Method

Heat cooking oil / ghee in a pan / kadai. Fry sliced onions till golden color. Add crushed ginger and garlic. Saute on a low heat for 4-5 minutes. Add cooked chicken pieces, chopped tomatoes, chopped mint - coriander leaves, redchilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garammasala powder, salt to taste. Fry on a low heat for 8 - 10 minutes. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes till the gravy thickens and fragrant.

Final preparation of Biryani:

In a handi or heavy bottomed vessel. spread a layer of chicken gravy and half portion of cooked rice. Make 2 layers with cooked rice and chicken gravy. Seal with attadough on the edges of the lid ( photo below ). Cook on a low heat ( dum ) for 25 minutes. It is preferable to place an iron tawa / iron kadai under the handi / vessel to prevent the gravy / mixture from burning. You can see a color change in the seal. Open the seal and serve withraita / pickle....

Mutton Biryani

2011-06-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

Mutton Biryani

Ingredients

Basmati rice (washed and drained) - 500 gms
Mutton (cut into 2'' pieces) - 1 kg
Ginger-garlic paste - 30 g
Big onions (sliced fine and fried till crisp) - 5
Red chilli powder -2 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
2" pieces raw papaya made into paste
Beaten curd - 1 ½ cups
Saffron (dissolved in warm milk) - 2 pinches
Juice of a lemon
Green chillies - 2 , slit lengthwise

Powder the following masala ( spices ):

Dalchini ( cinnamon ) - 4 pieces
Masala elaichi (cardamom ) - 2
Green elaichi ( green cardamom ) - 6
Lavang ( cloves ) - 6
Tej patta ( bay leaves ) - 3
Kalimirchi (pepper ) - 1 teaspoon
Shahijeera -1 teaspoon

For the rice one requires the following whole masala:

Masala elaichi ( cardamom ) - 1
Dalchini ( cinnamon ) - 2 pieces
Green elaichi ( green cardamom ) - 2
Lavang ( clove ) - 3
Ghee or refined oil - 5 tablespoon
A handful of chopped pudina and coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Method

To the mutton add the beaten curd, ginger-garlic paste, raw papaya paste, chilli powder, haldi, powdered masala, salt and half of the crushed fried onions. Allow the mutton to marinate for 3 hours.

Heat water (2 ½ times more than the rice). As soon as it boils, add the whole masala, rice and salt to taste. Cook the rice till ¾ done and then drain in the colander. Remove the whole masala.

Melt the ghee and set aside.

To assemble:

Take a heavy-bottomed dekchi and add the marinated mutton and ½ of the melted ghee.

Cover with chopped pudina and coriander leaves, fried onion and slit green chillies and juice of half a lemon. Spread the rice over this. Sprinkle the remaining ghee, saffron milk and lemon juice.

Cover and seal the dekchi with atta paste. Place over high heat for 20-25minutes.

Lower heat and cook for another45 minutes. Serve hot.

Watch Aaranya Kaandam Movie Online Free Trailer Review

2011-06-11T18:51:00.000-07:00

After being in the crosshairs in the International circuit for its awards and in the National sector for the struggle with the censor board, Aaranya Kandam produced by SPB Charan and directed by newcomer Thyagarajan Kumararaja has finally hit the screens today.

Aaranya Kandam is a gangster flick that records the events that happen in the life of a few of them on a particular day. It is about normal people caught in unexpected situations and their transformations.

The expectations about the film have been on the high and the team has not disappointed their fans. It is hard to believe that AK is the maiden directorial venture of Kumararaja because the director has structured every frame and character in his film with brilliant dexterity. The manner of narration and screen play is commendable. The major players who help him deliver his aces are his pivot leads, music director, editor and cinematographer which goes on to reiterate the fact that cinema is only a team game.

AK does not follow the usual structure of First Half-Second Half, but sticks to the formula of Act 1, 2 and 3. This may look quite odd for our audiences for it takes more time for the conflict to pop up. And Kumararaja has not resorted to any unnecessary frills anywhere.

Well etched out characters mark AK. Jackie Shroff, the yesteryear dream hero from Bollywood makes his Tamil appearance with authoritative aplomb. His portrayal as the ageing gangster Annachi is commendable and his body language when he attempts to jive and remove his cloths with arrogance in his eyes but weakness in his body is just a sample. The opening scene where his anguish at not able to perform with Yasmin Ponnappa is a treat to watch. Wonder if such masculinity deficient protagonists were shown earlier in our films.

Sampath as the thinking Pasupathy sashays through his role effortlessly and his eyes speak for most parts. Somasundaram as the disgraced Zamindar in debt delivers a superior performance and so does Master Vasanth as his son. Though at times, we may feel that young boy is over-reacting it’s justified through the situations. We see him dominating his father, but at the same time, his childishness is also exhibited suggesting the paradox in such a character.

Wow, is it Ravi Krishna? The lad has lost oodles of weight and looks much younger and his essaying of the naïve Sappai is effective. Although Yasmin Ponnappa’s dialogue delivery creates an impression of a lower IQ girl, the debutant delivers what is needed for the role with ease.

Realistic and natural dialogues spice up the proceedings of AK. Sample this during the final touch-up between Sampath and the young boy when the former asks the latter ‘Unakku appava rumba pidikkuma?’ and the boy replies ‘Appadi yellam illa, aana Appa’. The profundity of this simple phrase is striking. And also Yasmin’s final statement “The best thing about being a woman is in man’s world’ is bound to be a hit with all women. Kumararaja makes amends with his women audience in this pithy expression for his statements of women in the earlier part of the film. The analogy of dhoti with rich and poor is noteworthy and so is the defining of a character by their preference for Rajni or a Kamal film.

The justification that comes through the example of ‘ecological web chain –worms, fish, man’ is appreciable. The flawed human nature is brought out when Somasundaram lamenting about his luck on losing the telephone number doing a complete volte face on receipt of the same.

Intelligent humor is sprinkled all over and is enjoyable. While the major story proceeds as a conflict between Jackie Shroff and Sampath, the ultimate twist during climax is something unpredicted and makes the proceeding all the more worthwhile.

Yuvan Shankar Raja is one of the major plusses for AK. His experiments with different pattern of BGM are brilliant. The solo violins, guitars and mild fill-ins (credits to sound engineer) enhances the visual feel. It is heartening to hear such pleasant sounds in place of the deafening notes that are generally found in such a premise.

Cinematography by Vinod is a treasure for the film. He has avoided using unwanted tones and his placement of angles is appreciable. Transition through editing is simple and neat. The picturization of the climax action sequence between Sampath and Gajendran is done in an interesting manner and deserves loud plaudits.

The only minus point if any, or in fact the movie’s biggest plus point is that it is made keeping in mind experimental and true cinema lovers. Entertainment cinema lovers might find the proceeding a little slow at few instances. But at the end of the day, hope every cinema lover embrace such movies so that more filmmakers come forward to experiment with such products.

Click Here To Watch Aaranya Kaandam Movie Online…

Aaranya Kaandam Trailer

Film: Aaranya Kaandam
Starring: Jackie Shroff,Ravi Krishna,Sampath Raj,Yasmin Ponnappa,Somasundaram,Rambo Rajkumar,Ajay Raj,Master Vasanth
Director: Thiagarajan Kumararaja
Producer: S.P.B.Charan
Banner: Capital Film works (India) Pvt.Ltd
Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja

KARRUPATTI THUKKADA

2011-06-10T04:29:00.000-07:00

Mixed Vegetable Pakoda

2011-06-09T22:50:00.000-07:00

Mixed Vegetable Pakoda

Makes: 20 - 23

Ingredients

1 cup ( 200 g ) cabbage, finely shredded ( use only tender cabbage leaves, remove the thick vein, if any )
1 carrot, finely grated
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 1/4 ( 225 g ) cup gram flour ( besan / kadala maavu /chone pitti ) )
1 tablespoon rice flour
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 pinches asafoetida ( hing )

3/4 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )
1/2 cup (50 - 75 ml ) water for mixing
200 ml oil for frying ( 1 - inch from the base of the kadai)

Method

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients ( except oil ) together and keep aside for 15 - 30 minutes. Batter should be thick in consistency. Avoid adding more water.

Heat oil in a kadai. Reduce heat to medium and drop teaspoons ( use small spoons which shape like ice cream scoop to get evenly round shape ) of thepakoda batter ( 6 - 7 pakodas at a time ) and fry till golden color on both the sides.

Drain and place on kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.

Serve as an evening snack with Tomato sauce or coconut chutney.

Cabbage Pakoda

2011-06-09T22:45:00.000-07:00

Cabbage Pakoda

Makes: 20

Ingredients

1 cup cabbage, finely shredded ( use only tender cabbage leaves, remove the thick vein, if any )
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 1/4 cup gram flour ( besan / kadala maavu )
1 tablespoon rice powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 pinches asafoetida ( hing )
3/4 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )
1/2 cup water
200 ml oil for frying ( 1 - inch from the base of the kadai)

Method

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together and keep aside for 15 minutes. Batter should be thick in consistency ( do not add more water).

Heat oil in a kadai. Drop teaspoons of the pakoda batter and reduce heat to medium ( 6 - 7 pakodas at a time ). Fry till golden color on both the sides.

Serve as an evening snack with Tomato sauce or coconut chutney.

Palak Pakoda ( Spinach Pakoda )

2011-06-09T22:36:00.000-07:00

Palak Pakora ( Spinach Pakora )

Makes: 9

You will need

1 cup spinach, chopped
1 onion, chopped ( optional )
1/2 cup besan ( gram flour )
3 tablespoon water ( for mixing )
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )
2 pinches hing ( asafoetida )
150 ml oil for frying ( 1 - inch from the base of the kadai/ frying pan )
Tomato sauce for serving

Method

Wash and clean spinach ( palak ). Drain out water and keep aside.

In a bowl, mix besan, chopped spinach, chopped onion ( optional ), red chilli powder, turmeric powder, hing (asafoetida ) and salt. Make a thick batter with 3 tablespoon water ( do not add more water ). Mix well with a tablespoon.

Divide this pakoda mixture into 9 equal size portions.

Make round balls and flatten them with your palm.

Heat oil in a kadai / frying pan. Reduce the heat to medium and deep fry in batches ( 4 - 5 pakodas at a time ) till golden color. Drain out oil.

Serve with tomato sauce.

Egg Biryani - Dhum Cooked

2011-06-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:

Rice - 3 small tumblers
Egg's - 4
Red Onions - 3
Tomato - 1
Green Peas - 1/4 cup
Green Chilli - 1

Milagaai thool / Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

For Thalippu / Tadka :

Ghee / Oil - 6 tbsp's
Cashewnuts - 5
Pattai / Cinnamon Stick - 2 small stick's
lavang / cloves - 2
Sombu / saunf - 1/2 tsp
elakkaai / cardamon - 3
Bringe leaf - 1

For Grinding:

1. Kothamalli kaambu / Corriander Stem's - 5
2. Cinnamon stick (pattai) - 2 smal sticks
3. Lavang - 2
4. Ginger - 2' inch
5. Garlic - 7 (big cloves)
6. Green Chilli - 1
7. Tomato - 1/2
8. Yogurt - 3 tsp
9. Sombu - 1/4 tsp

To Garnish:

Mint Leaves / Puthina - 10 leaves
Corriander Leaves - 3 tbsp's (chopped)
Oil - 3 tbsp's
Red Onion - 2 no. (chopped finely)
Potato - 2 no. (chopped in shape of french fries)

Method:

Boil the Egg's with little salt in 2 cup's of water on slow flame for about 10 minutes. remove the oute shell and leave it aside.

Soak the Rice in water for about 30 mins. If you are using Basmati Rice, soak it just for 10 mins.

Chop the Onion's finely and keep aside. get ready with ginger and garlic.

Now we shall Grind the masala's.. Grind the masala, with the ingredients given under Grinding and keep aside.

Heat a Aluminium Vessel(like the one shown in pic. below) add ghee or oil and let it to heat. Now add cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, bringe leaf, cashew nuts and fry them in slow flame. add saunf and fry it.

Now add the finely chopped Red Onion's and saute them, till they turn light brown. or till u feel
the nice smell of onions.

Now add the Peas and mix well with the onions.

Add the Grinded masala's to the vessel and saute them for 2 minutes, till the raw smell of ginger-garlic goes off.

Now add the soaked rice and mix well.

Add Chilli Powder and Garam masala and mix well. also add salt to taste.

Now add exactly 5 cup's of water and stir well. (if using Basmati rice use just 3 cup's of water.)

Add Boiled Egg's, Mint / puthina leaves and corriander leaves and close the vessel with its lid.

Place a Heavy weighing vessel over the Biryani cooking vessel. I kept my Pressure cooker filled with water on top of the vessel.

Let this Biryani get cooked in slow flame for about 30 mins. Basmati rice may get cooked earlier or just take 20 mins more or less.

Heat Oil in a pan, fry the chopped Red Onions in medium flame till they are browned. this may take atleast 5 mins.

also fry the potatoes.

Now serve the Biryani with fried onions and fried potatoes.

Enjoy the Dhum Cooked Egg Biryani!!!

Coconut Laddu

2011-06-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1. Grated Coconut - 1 cup
2. Shredded Jaggery - 1 cup
3. Cardamon Powder - 1 tsp
4. Chopped Cashew's - 3 tbsp's
5. Chopped Almond's - 2 tbsp's
6. Raisin's - 1 tbsp

Method:

In a Thick Bottomed Pan or in a Kadaai, add the Grated Coconut and Jaggery and keep stirring, till the Jaggery melt's and starts sticking to the coconut. Add the Cardamon Powder and Mix well.

Keep stirring on slow flame for about 5 minute's, till the coconut Jaggery mix starts sticking to the kadaai and slightly get browned.

Remove from the flame, when the coconut-jaggey mix, sticks to the Pan and add all the dry
fruits, Cashew's, almond's, and Raisin's. Chopped Dates will also be a great addition.

Cool them for 2 minute's. apply oil on your palm and start shaping the coconut-jaggery mix into ball's. if its too hot, wait till the heat is bearable by your palms and start shaping them into balls.

You can have it instant or allow them to set for about 5-6 hrs. it gets firm and tastes good too.

So if you have excess coconut on hand, dont miss to try this laddu and treat your family.

Apple Pie

2011-06-09T07:18:00.000-07:00

Apple Pie

For Pie Crust (10inch -double layer)
All-purpose flour (shifted) 3 cups
Shortening 1 cup(Cube)
Water (chilled) 4 Tbsp
Baking Pdr(optional) pinch
Salt 1/2 tsp

For Filling:Apples 4 nos.
Brown Sugar 1/2 cup
Butter 2 tblsp
Cornstarch 1 tblsp.
Salt Pinch
Cinnamon Pdr. 1/4 tsp.
Nutmeg Pdr. A Pinch

Method:1. Sift together flour and salt. Divide shortening in half. Cut in first half till mixture looks like corn meal. Then cut in remaining half of the butter. Gently toss around the mixture to look like breadcrumbs. Keep the mixture in the refrigerator for over 10 mins.

2. Mean while, peel the skin off the apples and slice. Sieve Cornstarch, cinnamon pdr., nutmeg pdr and mix all with little water until no lumps are left. On a low heat, put 2 tblsp butter in a sauce pan, add apple slices, brown sugar and little water. Close the lid and allow the apples to partially cook. Add the salt and cornstarch mixture. Cook for few more minutes.

3. Butter the 10 inch pie pan and lightly dust in with flour. Keep the pan in refrigerator for better results.

4. Take out dough mixture and add little chilled water and knead. Keep in refrigerator for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into two equal parts. Lightly dust the surface with flour. Flatten and roll on part of the dough into 1/8 inch thick and about 12 1/2 inch in diameter. Always roll from the center to the edge of the dough with light strokes. If the edges split, pinch together using fingertips. Gently transfer pastry to the pie plate, fitting loosely on to bottom and sides. Trim to one inch beyond edge and fold under.

5. Preheat the oven 350 F. Fill the cooked apple mixture to the pie plate. Roll the other half of the dough. Slice into 1/2 inch thick strips and drape over filled pie shell in a crisscross pattern; Press the edge with your finger tip. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle the top with Cinnamon.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

2011-06-08T00:21:00.000-07:00

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 cup ( 200 ml ) milk
7 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup boiled and cooled milk
4 teaspoon custard powder ( vanilla flavor )
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
50 ml fresh cream

Method

Boil 1 cup milk with sugar.

Mix custard powder with cooled milk and make a smooth solution.

Add custard - milk solution to boiled milk and stir continuously on a very low heat for 25 minutes until it thickens ( stir continuously and do not allow to boil, or the mixture will curdle. To prevent curdling of the custard use a very low heat ). Keep aside for cooling. Add vanilla essence and fresh cream. Mix well.

Transfer this whole mixture into a mixer and beat well. Set aside in a freezer for 4 - 6 hours or till it is firm.

Custard Cake

2011-06-08T00:16:00.000-07:00

Custard Cake

Serves: 6

You will need

3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup custard powder, vanilla flavor
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoon milk

For Garnishing:

Cornflakes / dry fruits / chocolates / cherries

Basic Pouring Custard

You will need

3 tablespoon custard powder
1 1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoon sugar

Method

Take quarter cup milk and mix in the custard powder.

Boil remaining milk.

Remove milk from the heat, mix in the sugar and custard powder mixture and return again to the heat.

Cook on a low heat for about two minutes stirring constantly till thick. Remove from the heat and stir till thick. Pour over cake, pastries, ice - creams, fruits etc.

Method

For the Cake:

Sieve flour, baking powder and custard powder together. Set aside.

Beat eggs and sugar in a bowl, over another bowl of fairly hot water. Beat till very light and fluffy.

Remove from the hot water bowl and gradually fold in the sieved flour and add milk. Stir gently.

Pour this mixture into an 18 cm cake tin that has been lined with greased paper.

Bake in a moderately hot oven at 200 * C or 400 * F for about 12 - 15 minutes till light brown.

The cake is perfectly baked when: a cake skewer / tester inserted in the centre comes out completely free of cake mixture.

Cool and cut cake in between horizontally.

Soak half the cake with sugar syrup ( Boil 5 tablespoon sugar with 5 tablespoon water ).

Pour 1/3 of the basic custard over half the cake.

Place the second half of the cake over the first.

Again dredge with sugar syrup and pour the remaining custard over the top and sides of the cake.

Sprinkle crushed cornflakes / grated chocolate / dry fruits / cherries.

Chill and serve.

Caramel Custard

2011-06-08T00:07:00.000-07:00

Caramel Custard

Makes: 6 caramel moulds

You will need

2 cups ( 200 ml ) milk, boiled and cooled
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup ( 150 g ) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 tablespoon sugar ( for caramel )
2 teaspoon water ( for caramel )
1 teaspoon butter
6 caramel moulds or normal flat bowl

Method

Grease caramel moulds or flat bowl with little butter and keep aside.

Cream egg and sugar till light and creamy. Add milk little by little mix well.

Cook over a double boiler ( double boiler -a pair of saucepans, one of which fits above and partly inside the other: food is cooked in the upper one by water boiling in the lower and it helps even cooking ) till it starts thickening ( till it coats the back of the spoon slightly ). Keep the heat low as otherwise custard is likely to curdle ( approximate cooking time 10 - 12 minutes on low heat ). Remove and keep aside. Add vanilla essence and mix well.

To caramelize sugar:

In a pan, add 4 tablespoon sugar and 2 teaspoon water. Keep over a low heat and cook till it becomes slightly thickens and brown color ( approximate time 10 - 12 minutes on low heat ). Pour this caramelized sugar syrup into each custard moulds or flat bowl ( spread evenly ).

Final procedure:

Pour milk mixture into each custard moulds or flat bowl and cover this with aluminum foil or grease proof paper.

Steam in pressure cooker ( without weight ) or steamer for 30 - 35 minutes on a medium heat. Unmould and serve warm or cool ( Place a plate on top of the custard bowl and carefully flip it upside down ).

Banana Icecream

2011-06-08T00:02:00.000-07:00

Banana Honey Icecream

You will need

4 medium, well ripe bananas, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoon fresh cream
1 tablespoon honey

Method

Freeze the cut bananas, uncovered until solid, about 4 hours.

Then, tip the bananas into a mixer with fresh cream and whiz until smooth.

Transfer the banana mixture into another container, mix with honey and keep aside in freezer for 4 hours or until set. Sprinkle chocolate chips or chopped dry fruits and serve.