Apple Fritters and Almond Sauce

Ingredients:

All purpose flour-3/4 cup

Pinch of salt

Ground cinnmon-1/2 tea spoon

Warm water-3/4 cup

Vegetable oil-4 tea spoon

Egg whites-2

Apples-2( I used granny smith apple),peeled

Vegetable oil- for deep frying

Sugar, cinnamon- to decorate

Sauce:

Yogurt-1 1/4 cup

Almond essence-1/2 tea spoon

Honey-2 tea spoon

Method:

1.Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.

2.Add cinnamon and mix well.Stir in warm water and vegetable oil to make a smooth batter.

3.Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form

4.Using a knife, cut apples into chunks and dip into the batter.

5.Heat oil and fry the apple pieces until golden brown.Remove apple fritters and drain excess oil.

6.Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the fritters.

7.Mix the sauce ingredients in a serving bowl and serve with fritters.

Serves:4

Cauliflower Biriyani

Ingredients:

Basmathi rice- 1 1/2 cup

Onion-2

Cauliflower-1 medium sized

Green chillies-6

Fresh thick curd-1/4 cup

Oil-3 table spoon

Grated coconut-2 table spoon

Coriander powder-1/2 tea spoon

Cumin powder-1/2 tea spoon

Curry masala powder-1 tea spoon

Salt

Ghee-2 tea spoon

Cashew nuts-2 table spoon

Curry leaves- few

Cilantro- a small bunch

Water-3 cups

Mustard seeds-1/2 tea spoon

Turmeric powder-1/2 tea spoon

Asafoetida- a pinch

Fried onions- (optional)

Method:

1.Wash and soak rice for 15 minutes.Cut onions  into thin long pieces.

2.Wash and cut cauliflower into small flowerettes.

3.Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel and add mustard.When it crackles, add cut green chillies,asafoetida,curry leaves and cashew nuts.

4.Add cut onions and cauliflower.Fry until it becomes soft.

5.Drain water from the soaked rice and fry it with the flowerettes for few minutes.Add 3 cups of boiling water with salt and turmeric powder.

6.When it starts boiling again, add beaten curd, cumin powder, coriander powder and curry masala powder.Cover the vessel with a lid and reduce flame.Cook for 15-20 minutes.

7.Before removing from fire,add ghee.Garnish with grated coconut and cut cilantro.Fry some thin sliced onions to crisp brown and top it over the rice.

Serves:2

Peanut butter cookie

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter-1/2 cup

Peanut butter-1/2 cup

Sugar-1 cup

Egg-1,beaten

All purpose flour-1 1/4 cup

Baking powder-1/2 tea spoon

Pinch of salt

Unsalted natural peanuts-3/4 cup

Method:

1.Grease 2 ookie sheets and keep it aside.

2.Beat together butter and peanut butter in a bowl.Then add sugar and then the egg.Beat well.

3.Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the peanut butter mix.Add natural peanuts and bring all the ingredients together to form a dough.

4.Wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

5.Roll the dough and cut them into desired size or shape with cookie cutters.

6.Bake @ 375 degree F for 15 minutes.Cool and serve. Store the rest in air tight container.

Makes:20

Paneer Kofta Curry

Ingredients:

For the kofta:

Paneer-400 gms packet -1

All purpose flour-3 table spoon

Corn flour-1 table spoon

Red chilli powder-1 tea spoon

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tea spoon

Salt

Oil- for deep frying

For the gravy:

Onion-2

Tomatoes-5

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tea spoon

Turmeric powder-1 tea spoon

Cumin powder-1 tea spoon

Garam masala-2 tea spoon

Red chilli powder-1 ta spoon

Cashew nuts soaked in warm water-12-15 nos

Cloves-3

Cinnamon stick-1

Kasoori methi-1 tea spoon

Cilantro-for garnish

Oil-3-4 table spoon

Method:

1.Shred the paneer in a grater and set aside.

2.Mix the grated paneer,all purpose flour, corn flour,salt,red chilli powder and ginger garlic pwoder adding very little water if necessary and make into  dough.Make small balls and set aside.

3.Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the paneer balls and set aside.

4.For the gravy, slice onions to thin long pieces.Blanch tomatoes in hot water,remove the skin and make it into a paste along with the soaked cashew nuts.

5.Heat oil in a cooking pan,fry cloves and cinnamon.Then the ginger garlic paste  and finally the onions until light pink.

6.Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder,garam masala, cumin powder and fry for a couple of minutes.

7.Pour the tomto puree and cook until the raw smell gives away. Add enough water to thicken the gravy.Cook for 5-10 minutes and add kasoori methi before removing from fire.

8.Arrange the koftas in a serving dish,pour the gravy and top it with corrinder leaves as a garnish.Serve with rotis/rice

Serves:5

Baked Custard

I am on a dessert making spree I guess…Just feel like.I baked a custard today and it came out darn well.I just got it out of the oven and waiting for the custard to cool as I type this post.I cannot wait to dig into the custard.

Ingredients:

Eggs-2 nos

Whole milk-2 cups

Sugar-1/3 cup

Salt- 1/4 tea spoon

Dash of ground nutmeg

Dash of ground cinnamon

Method:

1.Whisk eggs, milk,sugar and salt in a bowl.Pour into 4 ungresed custard cups and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.

2.Place cups in a baking pan.Fill the baking pan with 3/4th dept water.

3.Bake uncovered @ 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes.Serve warm.

Serves:4

Chocolate Pudding-its vegan

I was looking for a vegan chocolate pudding recipe on the internet and I landed here.It was so easy-ingredients wise, procedure wise and time consumption wise.

Ingredients:

Soy milk-2 cups

Vanilla Extract-1 tea spoon

Sugar-1/2 cup

Corn starch-5 table spoon

Cocoa-3 table spoon

Method:

1.Combine milk, sugar, vanilla extract,corn starch and cocoa in a cooking pan.Whisk it well and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until all the lumps dissolve.

2.The mixture gets thick over a period of 5 minutes , reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for a couple of minutes before switching off the stove.

3.Transfer to a serving dish and chill for 3-4 hours.Sprinkle some cocoa on top just before serving.

Serves:4-5

Sesame Seeds Rice- Ellu Sadham

Ingredients:

Rice-1-1/4 cup

Water-2 1/2 cup

Chana dhal-2 tea spoon

Dried red chillies-5

Cumin seeds-1 tea spoon

Sesame seeds-2 table spoon

Curry leaves- few

Urad dal-1-2 tea spoon

Green peas-1/4 cup

Salt

Method:

1.Dry roast cumin seeds,sesame seeds,chana dal, red chillies, urad dal, curry leaves until they give out a nice flavour.Set aside to cool.

2.Once cool,powder them in a blender.

3.Cook the rice with water, green peas and salt, adding a tea spoon of oil.Once the rice is done, fluff it with a fork .

4.Add the ground powder and mix well.Add oil if needed.Serve warm with pappad and pickle.

Serves:2

This sesame seeds rice is of to Priya’s cooking with seeds event

Mushroom Manchurian

The first of anything is always special..but the 2nd is even more special..The first year took a while, but the 2nd, went in a jiffy.As much as I soaked in the feelings of being togther,it all went by way too fast.Time flies is more than a cliche!

I prefer romance, you prefer action

I love scenery, you cant get a hang of it

I can go on and on about the differences..but there have been numerous times when I say something and you nod your head saying you were just thinking of the same.8 years of knowing you, nothing has changed one bit.You still walk over things that are lying on the floor,you leave your clothes piling up.But you always like to lsiten to me, my needs and wants,you love growing in our relationship.You are so perfect for me.Its only with you I can be myself.Its only with you, I can call names about anyone , even you and yet be so normal.

Many a times, I choose the channel on TV that we will watch, I choose the house we live in,I might not give you the tv remote all the time,I might undercook the veggies, I might shoot up the telephone bills..but

I know my heart will always feel

one love real

that love of yours

the one that only soars

Weeks and years will roll by

love will be the same between you and I

Happy anniversary dahling

TH loves mushrooms and I made a manchurian out of it..after all, its a day where you try to eat and make merry.

Ingredients:

Button mushrooms-about 25 nos

Onion-1/4

Capsicum/green pepper-1

Garlic cloves-8

Ginger-an inch piece

Green chillies-4

Spring onion- for garnish

All purpose flour- 4 table spoon

Maida-2 table spoon

Red chilli powder-1 tea spoon

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tea spoon

MSG-a pinch

Pepper powder

Salt

Corn flour-2 tea spoon

Oil- for deep frying

For the sauce:

Corn starch-1 table spoon

Soy sauce-2 table spoon

Tomato chilli sauce-3 table spoon

Water-2 table spoon or more accordingly

Method:

1.Slice the mushrooms.Mix all purpose flour,maida,ginger garlic paste,salt,corn flour,red chilli powder with little water and set aside.

2.Heat oil in a wok and coat the mushrooms in the batter and fry them.Set aside.

3.Mix soy sauce, corn starch, 2 table spoon water, tomato chilli sauce and keep aside.

4.Mince ginger, garlic and green chillies. Dice onion and bell peppers.

5.Heat oil in a cooking pan,fry green chillies,garlic and ginger.Add the onion and fry until translucent and crisp..add capsicum and fry until crisp and cooked.

6.Add a pinch of MSG, pepper powder,salt,and finally the sauce mix.Cook it for  a minute until a gravy like consistency forms.Add the mushrooms to the gravy and remove from fire.

7.Sprinkle chopped spring onions and serve with rice.

Serves:2

Vegetable Soup

This is one of my most favourite soups.Very light on cooking as it does not require even one drop of oil and filling on the stomach with all the veggies loaded.You can basically play around with any veggies of your choice just like I did!This soup and a couple of reposts are all definitely off to Usha’s Healthy inspirations event-soups.

Ingredients:

Onion-1

Carrot-1

Beans-6-10 nos

Green peas-a handful

Ginger garlic-1 table spoon

Potato-1

Salt

Black pepper

Milk-1/2 cup

Corn flour mixed in water-1 table spoon

Spring onion-for garnish

Method:

1.Finely chop onions, carrots,potatoes and beans. Mince ginger and garlic.

2.Pressure cook all the veggies giving it 2 whistles.

3.Add milk and corn flour mixture,salt to the pressure cooked veggies while retaining the cooked water in it.Give it a light boil before removing from fire .Serve hot garnishing with spring onions and pepper powder.This is absolutely creamy because of the milk added.

Serves:4 servings

The reposts:

1.Squash Soup

2.Spinach lentil soup

3.Sweet Corn soup

4.Creamy Carrot celerey soup

Rava Pongal

I am not a wake up early person..but today being Pongal,I had already made plans of waking up early, cooking something apt for the festival.And ya, I plan to make it a tradition for every single festival, starting this year.But before that, heres wishing one and all a “happy pongal- pongal nalvaahzthukkal”

Ingredients:

Semolina/rava-1 cup

Water-2 cups

Moong dhal-1/2 cup

Curry leaves- a few

Cashew nuts-a handful

Black pepper-whole or powdered-whole-10 nos, powdered-1 tea spoon

Cumin seeds-1 tea spoon

Crushed ginger-1 tea spoon

Salt

Oil/Ghee-2 table spoon for roasting semolina, 2 table spoon for seasoning

Method:

1.Dry roast the moong dhal for a couple of minutes, let it not change colour. Pressure cook the roasted dhal giving it 2 whistles.Set aside.

2.Heat 2 table spoon of oil in a pan,roast the semolina for a couple of minutes, again let it not change colour.

3.Add 2 cups of water to the semolina and cook until done.

4.Mix the semolina and pressure cooked moong dhal when it is hot adding salt.

5.Season with cumin seeds,pepper powder,curry leaves, ginger and cashew nuts.Serve warm with  a dollop of ghee if needed and some chutney.

Serves:2

Ps:Pls donot mind the poor quality pic, was taken on dot @ 6.47a.m.