Butter cream frosting

Butter Cream Frosting :
     Frost your cake with this yummy frosting.

Ingredients :
Butter -  1 cup ( in room temperature)
Confectionery sugar - 3 cup
Vanilla extract -  1 tsp
Milk or light cream - 2 to 4 Tbsp

 Method :
 1. Beat the butter until it is creamy. Add vanilla extract.
2. Add sugar little by little and beat it.
3. Add color if you want. It is too thick now.
4. So add 2 to 4 Tbsp of milk or light cream and beat it again.
5. Beat it for 3 to five minutes. Add little milk if you need.
6. It should be nice and fluffy and in spreading consistency.
7. You can also add any other flavour.

Enjoy cooking and eating.

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Eggless sponge cake

Eggless sponge cake :
   New year is here and so a cake recipe is here. Enjoy the new year with this spongy cake.

Ingredients :
Butter - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Condensed milk - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 2 Tbsp ( optional )
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Vinegar - 1 tsp ( optional)
Maida - 1 and 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp


Method :

1. Make sure the butter, milk are in room temperature.
2. Take a bowl and add half cup of condensed milk to butter and beat with a hand mixer.
3. Add sugar to it. Add also vanilla  extract to it. Mix well.
4. Add little milk at a time and mix it.
5. Sieve maida, baking soda,  baking powder.
6. Add dry ingredients little by little and mix it with the mixer.
7. Make sure it forms a smooth batter.
8. Preheat the oven in 350 degree C.
9. Pour the batter in a greased cake pan.
10. Bake it in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
11. Take the pan out and let it cool for 5 minutes.
12. Gently rotate the pan on a plate. Turnover the cake and let to cool further.

Spongy Egglesss cake is ready.
I couldn't cut the cake and show as I want to frost it. I will post the picture of the piece later.

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Egg kurma

Egg kurma : This kurma is made with nuts. It's different from usual kurma but very healthy.
Nuts are very good for heart. It lowers cholesterol too. This might look like a rich recipe, but it is healthy too. So go ahead and try it.

Ingredients :
Cashews. - 20 splits
Almonds - 20 whole
Poppy seeds - 1 Tbsp
Onion - 1 medium small
Tomato - 1.5 medium
Garlic - 3 pods
Ginger - 1 inch
Curd - 3 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 Tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 Tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Method :

1. Boil and cook cashew, almonds, poppy seeds in water for 15 minutes.
2. In a pan add oil, add ginger, garlic, onion,  and fry nicely until raw smell goes.
    Make sure you fry it nicely. You can also add ginger garlic paste ( 2 tsp )if you  have it ready.
3. Add tomatoes and fry for few minutes.
4. Grind first the nuts and poppy seeds.
5. When it is fine paste, add ginger, garlic, onion, tomatoes, curd and grind them nicely to a fine paste.
6. In a pan add oil and add cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf.
7. Then add the ground paste. Also add chilli, coriander, turmeric and salt.
8. Let them cook for 25 minutes or until it is thick.
9. Fry the eggs in little salt, chilli powder and in oil.
10. Drop the fried eggs in the kurma.


Note :
For measurementas,
http://ucancooktoo.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_31.html

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Bisebelabath / sambar rice

Bisebelabath is a dish from Karnataka, South part of India.
It means hot lentil rice. Here rice, dhal and all the spices are cooked together.
It tastes best when its hot.

Ingredients :
Onion - 1/4 mediun size
Tomato - 1/4 medium size
Rice - 1 cup (I use rice cooker cup or 2/3 traditional cup)
Toor dhal - 1/2 cup
Mixed Vegetable - 3 cup ( brinjal , drum stick, carrot, radish, ladies finger and indian bean( avarrakai))
Curry leaves and Coriander leaves for garnishing
Tamarind - Small lemon size.
Oil - 2 Tbsp
Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Dry fry and Grind Coarsely:
Red chilli - 2
Corainder seed - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seed - 2 tsp
Urad dhal - 2 tsp
Channa dhal - 2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - a pinch
Grated cocunut - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 4

Method :

1. Add oil in a pan and when it is hot add mustard seeds curry leaves.
2. Add Onion and saute well. When it is transparent add tomatoes.
3. Dont fry anything too much. Add Vegetables and Saute slightly.
4. Add rice, toor dhal, salt and turmeric powder and add 6 cup of water .
5. Close the lid and let it cook.
6. Once it is 3/4th cooked add the ground powder and again let it cook.
7. When it is almost cooked, add tamarind juice.
8. If you think its get too thick you can add some more water.
9. It should be watery because it will become thinck once you switch of the flame.
10. Let it cook for 5 more minutes and its done.
11. Add ghee on top and garnish it with corainder leaves.
12. This goes well with pappad.
The picture below was taken after 5 hours and still looks good.

Enjoy cooking and eating.

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Chicken biriyani

One of my friend make great chicken biriyani. Every one here loves it.
I am sure you will like it too.

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 2 cup
Chicken - 1 lb ( 1/2 kg)( with bone is preferred)
Onions - 2 medium size
Tomato - 2 medium size
Ginger garlic paste - 4 tsp heap full
1/2 bunch mint leaves
1/2 bunch coriander leaves
2 green chill or to taste
1/2 cup coconut    milk
4 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp chilli powder
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Cloves -2
Cinnamon -1 inch
cardamom - 1
Bay leaf - 2
 Oil - 3 Tbsp
Ghee - 3 Tbsp
Lemon - 1/2

Method :
1. Marinate chicken, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, salt and turmeric and let it sit for an hour.
2. In a pan add oil. When it's hot add cloves,cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf. Add onions sliced length wise and sauté nicely. Onions should be brown.
3. Add green chilli and ginger garlic paste and sauté well.
4. Now wash rice and drain all the water and add lemon juice and ghee and mix well and let it sit.
5. Add mint and coriander leaves and sauté.
6. Add marinated chicken and mix it and saute for fee minutes
7. Add soaked rice and fry for few minutes.
8. Add coriander powder and mix well.
9. Add 2 and 1/2 cup water, cocunut milk, salt and let it cook.
10. Once all the water is evaporated, put the flame to sim and let it cook slowly.
11. If you want colored biriyani, mix color powder in a Tbsp of water and pour it in few places on top and don't mix. Let it cook in sim.
12. After 30 minutes switch off the flame.
13. Mix slightly without breaking the rice. Don't mix it too much after the rice is cooked.

Enjoy cooking and eating.

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Sepan kazhangu fry / Arbi fry( colocasia fry )

Ingredients :
Sepan kazhangu  - 10 big pieces ( 1 lb)
Onion - 1/4 medium size chopped finely
Garlic - 5 pods chopped finely
Curry leaves - 5
Chilli powder - 3 tsp
Coriander powder - 4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 Tbsp to 6 Tbsp ( If you want to roast it nicely add more oil at the end while roasting )

Method :

1. Cut Sepan kazhangu into medium pieces and cook. Check with knife. It should go easily into it.
     Don't over cook it. I don't pressure cook it for this reason.
2. Take the skin off and cut it into small cubes.
3. In a pan add 2 Tbsp of oils and when it is hot add garlic, curry leaves and onion.
4. Fry it until it is golden brown.
5. Add cooked Sepan kazhangu. Mix all the spices in little water and add that to it.
6. Mix everything well.
7. Let it cook in medium flame.
8. Once it little dry, add some more oil and sim.
9. Keep mixing it in between.
10.  Turn it off when it is nice brown color.

This is such a tasty side dish.
Try it and let me know.

Enjoy cooking and eating.

 

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Masala Egg omelette

Egg can be had in many ways. Omelette is one of tasty way of having it.

Even people who don't like eggs prefer omelette.

There are lots of ways you can make omelette. This is a simple masala egg omelette.

Ingredients :

Egg - 1

Chilli - 1 small size chopped finely

Onion - 2 tsp of chopped onion finely

Curry leaves - 1

Coriander leaves - 3 leaves chopped finely( optional )

Tomato - 1 tsp ( optional)

Turmeric  - 1/4 tsp

Pepper - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Method : 

Step by step picture is shown below.

1. In pan add oil and when it is hot, add green chilli, onion, curry leaves and sauté them nicely.

2. Mix turmeric, salt and pepper in little water. This is to avoid the powder forming lumps in the omelette.

3. In a bowl, mix egg, onions green chilli and curry leaves and the water with turmeric,salt and pepper.

4. Mix tomato and coriander leaves and mix everything very well.

5. In a pan add little oil and when the pan is hot, add the mixed egg.

6. When it is cooked turn over and let the other side cook too.

Yummy egg omelette is ready.

You can make lot of variation on this.

If you are veggie lover, you can also add green pepper.

Enjoy cooking and eating.

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Ribbon Pakoda

Ingredients:

(makes 10 -12 rings)

Rice flour - 2 cup

Besan - 2 cup

Hot oil - 8 tsp

Salt to taste

Grind and filter the juice :

Garlic - 8 pods

Red ghilli - 8

Fennel seeds-1/2 tsp

Method :

Step by step procedure is shown below for your reference.

1. Grind garlic, red chilli and fennel seeds and filter the juice from it.

2. We are taking the juice because we don't want any chunks in the dough. This will block the mold and dough won't come out as ribbon. So never add it like that. Always take the juice. 

3. Take rice flour, besan, salt in a bowl.

4. Add the juice, hot oil and little turmeric( Turmeric is optional ).

5. Make it into a soft dough.

6. Add oil in a pan. Check if the oil is hot.

7. Use the ribbon shape mold and using muruku maker press in the oil directly in a circular motion and when the pan is full, break the ribbons and let it cook.

8. When it cooked, turn it to the other side.

9. When it cooked, take it out and put it in tissue to remove the excess oil.

10. Store it when it is cool.

Enjoy cooking and eating.

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Pundu kuzhambu / Spicy tangi gravy

Pundu kuzhambu is a gravy that is full of flavor. It is spicy, tangi with a slight sweet touch.

It goes well with rice. I learned this version from a friend. I love the way it tastes.

Check it out.

Ingredients :
Garlic - 1 bunch
Pearl onion - 25
Tomato - 1.5 medium size
Tamarind - lemon size
Chilli powder - 2 tsp or to taste
 Coriander powder - 4 tsp
Sambar powder - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves few.
Sesame oil - 2 Tbsp
Jaggery - small ball( size of blue berry)

Method:

Step by step pictures are shown below

1. Add oil in pan. When it is hot add mustard seed and fenugreek seeds.
2. Add curry leaves. Add sliced onions and sauté well.
3. When it is golden brown, add chopped tomatoes.
4. Fry nicely. Add garlic and sauté.
5. Mix all the spices in little water. Add it to the pan and fry for few minutes.
6. Take tamarind juice and add the juice. Add salt to taste.
7. Let it boil. When it is thick add jaggery and switch off the stove.

Spicy, tangi with gravy is ready.
Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Pudhina rice

Ingredients :
Bastmathi rice - 2 cup
Mint leaves - 1 bunch ( around 25 stems)
Coriander leaves - 1/2 bunch ( around 25 stems)
Garlic pod - 4
Ginger - 1 inch
Green chilli - 3 or to taste
Oil  - 2 Tbsp
Onion - 1 medium size
Cloves -3
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Fennel seed - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cocunut milk - 1 cup
I also add few chopped green beans. It's completely optional.
Lemon - 1/2
Salt to taste


Method :
1. In a pan add oil and when it is hot add cloves, cinnamon,fennel seeds.
2. Grind mint leaves, coriander leaves, ginger ,garlic and green chilli.
3. Add onion in the pan and sauté well. If you are adding green beans add and sauté well.
4. Add ground paste and sauté well. Add also garam masala and coriander powder.
5. Add rice, cocunut milk, and lemon juice and add 2 and 1/2 cup water.
6. You can either pressure cook or use electric cooker or even leave it in the same pan.
7. I use the same pan. When all the water is dried, lower the flame and close the lid and let it cook in sim flame for 30 minutes.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Instead of having a routine menu, once in a while this is an alternative. It has it's unique taste.
This is my dad's favorite. I hope you like it too.

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Raw banana fry

This is my moms recipe. One of my favorite when I was a kid.

Ingredients:
(Serving for 4)
Raw banana - 2
Onion - 1/2 medium size
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Urad dhal 1/2 tsp
Mustard seed - 1/2 tsp
chilli powder - 2 tsp or to taste
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Oil - 2 Tbsp
Salt to taste

Method :
1. Cut the raw banana into medium slices. If it is very thin it might break.
2. In a non stick pan, add oil and when it is hot, add mustard seeds and urad dhal
3. Then add onions and sauté well. When it is brown, add ginger garlic paste.
4. Sauté it well. Add  sliced raw banana and fry for few minutes and add water.
5. Add water so that it is immersed in water. Too much water could over cook it.
6. Add chilli powder and coriander powder and salt.
7. When all the water is gone and it is cooked, sim the flame and add a tsp of oil and let it fry in slow flame.
8. Always take a wide pan and spread all the pieces all around the pan to get best results.
9. Around 15 minutes it should be done. It should turn into nice brown color.
10. If you feel the pieces are dry, add some oil and close the lid and cook for few minutes.

Good side dish for any rice item.
Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Banana strawberry smoothie

Is your child a poor fruit eater? Well, my son is. My older son is very choosy and doesn't try different fruits. Smoothie is the only way I can make strawberry, blueberry get into his tummy.
Such a healthy and filling drink. Good for toddlers too.

Ingredients:
Banana - 1 long or 2 short ones
Strawberry - 4
Blueberry - 10

Method :
Blend all the fruits. That's it.

Isn't it very easy and healthy.
My older son likes it this way.
This can be modified in many ways.
I sometimes add Avocado to it.
Even some kids like adding curd in it.
You can modify it according to your kids taste.
If you don't have blueberry, you can make it with just banana, strawberry and avocado.
I was happy when I found this way to add fruits to my kids diet.

Enjoy cooking ( or blending here) and tasting.

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3 Nut burfi

Ingredients :
1/2 - Almonds
1/2 - Cashews
1/2 - Walnuts
1 and 1/4 - sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
Sliced almonds - few

Method:
1. Grind all the nuts separately coarsely.
2. Dry fry the nuts for few minutes.
3. Mix sugar and water in a pan.
4. Let it boil. Turn it to medium flame and check for 1 thread consistency.
    To check one thread consistency, take a drop of syrup in your and thumb and press it with thumb
     and index finger and pull apart. A thread should be formed.
5. Turn off the heat and add cardamom powder and nuts and mix well.
6. Spread it on a greased plate immediately.
7. Wait for few minutes and make it into pieces.
8. Decorate each piece with sliced almonds when it is still hot.
9. Let it cool so that it forms good shape.

A simple sweet is ready.
Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Nan khatai / Home made cookie

This home made cookie is unbelievable. Never imagined cookie could be made at home and  was glad that it came out super good form. The best part is , it is eggless. Make it at home and I am sure your guests will be impressed.

Ingredients :
( makes 24)
1/2 cup  -  besan ( gram flour)
1/3 cup - maida ( all purpose flour)
1/3 cup fine Sooji
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of baking soda
1 cardamom ( use powder)
Sliced almonds and pistachios - few

Method :
1. Butter should be in room temperature.
2. Mix butter and sugar well. Hand mixer or kitchen aid works good. If not mix nicely for few more minutes with spoon.
3. Mix maida, besan, Sooji, cardamom and a pinch of baking soda.
4. Add the dry flour to the butter and sugar mixture and knead it to a smooth dough.
5. Make small balls and press it in between your palms lightly and place it on cookie tray.
6. Draw cross lines with knife on the cookie softly and add sliced nuts on top of it and press it slightly.
7. Preheat the oven to 375
8. Bake the cookie for 13 minutes. Check if it is golden brown. Otherwise bake for few more minutes checking in between.
9. Take it out and let it cool before you store it.

Enjoy your cooking and tasting.

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Bottle guard curry / sorakai poriyal

I always make bottle guard with dhal and always had an opinion that making it dry won't work until I ate it in my friends place. The taste is also unique and quickly learned it from her.

Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients :

Bottle guard - 1
Onion - 1/4 medium size onion
Red chilli -2
Curry leaves - few
Peanut - 2 tbsp
Garlic pod -1
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
 
Method:

1. In a pan, add oil  and when it's hot, add mustard seeds and urad dhal.
2. Add onions and curry leaves and sauté well.
3. Add chopped bottle guard, salt and  turmeric and sauté well.
4. Don't add water. Close the lid and let it cook.
5. Cook until it is cooked  well but not mushy.
6. Grind peanut and garlic coarsely. My husband like dry frying the peanut and use it here.
    So it's your option.
7. Add the grind peanut and garlic and mix it well and close the lid for few minutes and switch off.

A another way to add healthy vegetable to your diet.
Enjoy cooking and  tasting.

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Pepper chicken gravy

A lots of spice goes inside this gravy.  Goes well with rice and roti.
Always use chickens with bone for this recipe.

Ingredients :
( serving 4)
1. Chicken - 3 lb
2. Onion - 2 medium size
3. Tomato -  4 medium size
5. Curry leaves - 4 strings
6 . Coriander leaves - 10 strings
7. Coriander powder - 6 tsp
8. Chilli powder - 4 tsp
9. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
10.Grated cocunut - 4 tbsp
11.Ginger garlic paste - 8 tsp
12. Oil - 3 Tbsp

Dry roast and grind :
1. Pepper - 6 tsp
2. Fennel seeds - 2 tsp

Marinate chicken :
 Cut chicken into small pieces. Add ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, salt and turmeric powder and mix well and let it rest for 4 hours or how much ever time you have.

Sauté and grind:
1. In a pan add 1 Tbsp oil, add onion and sauté well. Add tomatoes, salt, coriander powder.
2. Close the lid and let it cook for few minutes.
3. Add cocunut and grind it to a fine paste

Method :
1. In a pan add oil and when it is hot, add curry leaves and chicken.
2. Add the fine paste and add salt if needed.
3. Close the lid and let it cook.
4. Mix for few minutes so that it doesn't burn.
5. Once it almost cooked, add dry ground powder( pepper and fennel powder)
6. Close the lid again and let it cook until the gravy becomes thick.
7. Add chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

A gravy with full of spices and taste  is ready to go.
Try it and I am sure you will like it.

Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Tomato rasam

A simple, quick, easy and healthy recipe is here. In south India people make it everyday at home.
It helps in digestion. It's eaten with rice at the end of the meal. You can drink it too like soup.
It tastes good when you eat it as soon as you make it.

Ingredients :
( serving for 4)
Tamarind - small ball ( size of 2 blue berry)
Tomato - 1 medium size
Garlic - 3 pods
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - 4 strands
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seed - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli - 1
Hing - a pinch
Rasam powder - 1 tsp

Method :
 1. Soak tamarind in water with salt. You can also microwave it for 30 secs. Mix it well with hand.
2. Add whole tomatoes and crush it in hand in the tamarind water. If the tomato is too hard, crush it slightly with hand and microwave it for 30 secs.
3. Mix everything nicely with hand.
4. Crush garlic and red chilli in mortar.
5. Add oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves and crushed garlic and red chilli and sauté well.
6. Add tamarind tomato water in it. Add turmeric powder and let it boil.
7. Once it starts boiling, add rasam powder and switch of the flame.
8. Crush coriander strings with the stem in mortar and add it at the end in the rasam.

Tasty rasam is ready.
Enjoy cooking and your tasting.

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Carrot and beans poriyal

 A healthy vegetable curry that goes well with rice.

Ingredients :
Carrot - 1 long
Beans - 1 lb
Onion - 1/4 onion
Toor dhal - 3 Tbsp
Cocunut - 1 Tbsp
Red chilli - 2
Urad dhal - 1 Tbsp
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Garlic - 2 pods chopped ( optional, you can add this if u like the flavor of garlic)
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Finely Chop the vegetables.
2. In a pan add oil and when it is hot, add mustard seeds, urad dhal, and curry leaves.
3. Add finely chopped garlic. This gives a nice flavor.
4. Add onions and sauté well.
5. Add vegetables and sauté for a little time.
6. Add salt and little water and cover it and let it cook.
7. Don't over cook it. It doesn't taste good and not healthy too.
8. Cook toor dhal sepearately in water with little turmeric.
9. Don't pressure cook as it shouldn't be mushy. It should be cooked and still in good form.
10. Once the vegetables are cooked and all the water is dried, add cooked toor dhal and cocunut.
11. If you don't like toor dhal just add coconut, but I personally like it with toor dhal.
12. Mix well and switch off the flame. Don't close it until it is hot.

This tastes very good and very healthy.
Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Gulab jamun

Gulab jamun, I made this with the store bought gulab jamun packet.
I wish to make  everything from scratch. I will try and post it later.
I bought Gits gulab jamun packet and it comes out very good.

Ingredients :
Gits gulab jamun packet - 1 ( packet that makes 20)
Sugar -  2 cup
Water-  1 and  3/4 cup
Cardamom - 3 crushed
Kesar - few strands
Almonds or pistachios for decoration - optional
Milk to make dough
Ghee - little
Oil for frying

Method:
1. Empty the Gits gulab Jamun packet in a bowl and add little milk and mix it.
    Use very little milk and add if needed. In case if you have added little more milk and it is looks watery, mix and make dough and let it rest for sometime. It will thicken to some extent.
2.  Make soft dough. Apply ghee in you hand and start making small balls. This ball will become big in size at the ends. So have that in mind when you are making balls.
3. Add water and sugar and mix well. Add also kesar and cardamom and let it boil.
4. Once it is boiling , low the flame.
5. In a pan add oil for deep frying the gulab jamun. Let it be in medium heat so that you don't over cook it.
6. Fry the balls until they are brown. Keep rolling it so that it cooks evenly and the color is even in all sides. Take the jamun and put in the hot sugar syrup. Add nuts to decorate it.

Tasty gulab jamun is ready. It tastes best when it is served hot.
It can refrigerated for few days.
Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Cocunut chutney

Cocunut chutney is a common side dish for many South Indian dish.
Quick to make and tastes very good. My father-in-law doesn't give a positive comment for any food that easily, but after eating this he couldn't stop saying that it was good even though it is common food.
I was very glad and that small word is such a boost for me. So impress people with this simple dish.

Ingredients :
1. Cocunut - 1 cup
2. Roasted gram dhal - 1/4 cup ( you can adjust it according to your taste)
3. Green chilli - 2 to 3 ( adjust to your taste)
4. Garlic - 1 pod
5. Salt to taste.

For seasoning, mustard seed, urad dhal , few curry leaves, 1 red chilli

Method:
1. Add cocunut, roasted gram dhal, green chilli, garlic and salt in a blender and blend it to a fine paste.
2.  In a pan, add little oil  when it's hot add all the seasoning ingredients and when it splutter add it to the chutney.

Simple chutney is ready. It goes well with idli, dosai, pongal, vadai, baji.
Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Vegetable pulav

Vegetable Pulav is a quick and tasty dish to make. My mom makes a dish with cocunut milk and I changed it a little bit and it tasted very good.

Ingredients :
( serving for 2)

Basthmathi rice - 1 cup
Onion 1 medium size sliced length wise
Ginger garlic paste - 4 tsp
Vegetable - 3/4 cup of your choice( carrots, beans, peas goes well )
Pudhina leaves - 15 leaves
Coriander leaves - few
Cocunut milk - 1/2 cup
Green chilli- 3 or to taste
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Bay leaves - 2
Water- 1 cup
Oil - 1tbsp
Ghee-  1 tbsp

Method:
1. In a pan add oil and ghee.
2. When it's hot, add cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves.
3. Then add onions and green chilli and sauté well.
4. Once it's transparent add pudina and coriander leaves.
5. Also add ginger garlic paste and sauté well.
6. Once it's fried, add vegetable and sauté for few minutes.
7. Add basmati rice and fry for few minutes.
8. Add cocunut milk and water and garam masala and salt.
9. Once most of the water are evaporated,  reduce the flame and close the lid  and let it be sim for 30 minutes.

Tasty vegetable Pulav is ready. It's mild and tasty one.

Enjoy cooking and tasting.

Note :
For measurementas,
http://ucancooktoo.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_31.html

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Rava laddo

Rava ladoo is another simple sweet we can make readily at home. There are many ways people do it.
This is a quick and easy recipe which will never go wrong.
It's made of rava/Sooji. I learnt this method from my grandma.

Ingredients:
Rava - 1 cup( fine rava )
Sugar-1cup
Cashews - 10
Dried grapes - 6
Cardamom - 2
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Milk as needed

 Method :
1. In a pan fry cashews and dried grapes in ghee
2. In the same pan fry rava.
3. Have hot milk ready.
4. In a large bowl mix rava, fried cashews and dried grapes and powdered cardamom  and sugar.
5. Pour hot milk little and mix  and add milk as needed just that they are mixed but not watery.
    Remember that sugar will also melt and become watery. So don't add lots of milk.
6. Makes balls when it is still hot.

Quick and easy rava laddo is ready.
Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Athirasam

Ingredients :
Rice - 3 cup
Jaggery - 1and 1/4 cup
Cardamom - 3
Dry ginger - small piece
Water-  little more than 1/4 cup
Oil for frying

Method:
1. Soak rice for 2 hours and let it dry little. It shouldn't be completely dry but not soggy.
    You should feel the wetness when you touch it.
2. Grind it and sieve it and the flour should also not be dry. So as soon as u sieve it press the flour
    and close it so that it doesn't dry. Do this just before you make the jaggery syrup.
3. Add water and jaggery in a pan.
4. Let it boil in medium flame until it comes to a soft ball stage.
5. To check soft ball, pour a drop in a plate with water and it shouldn't mix with water, instead it should settle as ball in the bottom.
6. Switch off the stove and add rice flour little by little. Also add cardamom powder and dry ginger powder.
7. Make a soft dough (little loose too) because the dough will become further tight.
8. Now take a pan with oil for deep frying.
9. Take a small ball and press like a flat circle on a plastic paper.
10. Put this in hot oil and it should bulge like a poori in hot oil.
11. Cook one at a time in oil.
12. Turn it around and cook for few minutes.
13. Take it out and have two small plates ready.
14. Put this in between two plates and squeeze excess oil and put it on tissue.
15. Once it is cool, store it in a container.

Enjoy cooking and tasting.

Note :
You might not need all the rice flour. It's always better to have extra.
You can  dry fry the excess flour and store it in a container for  later use.
You can make idiyappam,, rice kozhukatai with the flour.
If the dough is very soft and  you dont have enough rice flour let it rest for sometime until it tightens.
It can rest for few days too.

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Kaju katli

Kaju katli made of cashews is a rich sweet. This sweet has a unique taste, and is favorite of almost everyone. It is not very difficult to make as it looks or taste if u know the trick. I have a policy of learning a new sweet every Diwali and this is the latest I learned this Diwali. Very glad that it came out good. I actually made a three layered katli with pista in one layer, but the recipe is just the same.
Most of the pictures are with pistachios katli.

Ingredients :
Cashew powder - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Water - little more than 1/4 cup water.

Method:

1. Cashew powder - Grind dry cashew. Cashew should be really dry, otherwise it leaves oil when it grinds. Don't over grind it, otherwise also it leaves oil. Sieve the cashew.
2. Pour water and sugar in a pan and let it boil, then put the flame in medium.
3. Check for one thread consistency. To check one thread consistency, take a drop of sugar syrup in your thump and press it with index finger. When you pull apart a thread should be formed in between the fingers. Don't over cook the sugar syrup, the the katli will be very hard.
4. Add cashew powder, and keep sstring until it becomes little thick and leaves the side.
5. Pour it in a bowl and let it cool.
6. Then make it a dough and roll it like roti.
7. Make diamonds shape. You can use silver sheet to decorate it.
8. You can make pista katli just like this and make two layer or can make kaju roll.

To make kaju roll :
make a cylinder of pista. Take a small ball of cashew katli and roll it.
Place pista cylinder on it and close it. Slice the edges.

To make flower:
I mixed red color to small ball of cashew katli. Make it a ball.
Now, take a ball of cashew and roll it. Place the red ball and cover it . Remove the excess and make a ball.
Now you have two layers, inside red and white middle.
Now with the pista, take a little bigger ball. Roll it. Place the two layered ball and cover it.
Remove the remaining.
Now you got three layered katli ball.
Decorate it with silver foil. Now with the knife cut the katli through middle to make a star.
Katli will spread apart and it looks gorgeous with three layers seen.

Kaju katli which is supposed to be very costly is right there in your home.
Good luck for your try.

Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Boondi laddoo

Boondi Laddoo is a sweet that not many people make it at home in the past. I used to think that it can only be made in sweet stall. Now things have changed that anyone can make anything at home. Feels good to make it at home. I first made this when my motherinlaw visited my place and she was surprised to see me make it . What else you need than good comment from motherinlaw. Mission accomplished.
It is little time consuming than other sweets but worth the time spent.

Ingredients
( makes around 12)

To make boondi:
Besan or gram flour - 1 and 1/4 cup
Water - more than half cup or as needed.

To make syrup:

 Sugar- 1 and 1/2 cup
 Water- 3/4 cup
 Cardamom - 4

Seasoning is up to you. Either almonds or cashews or dried grapes or cloves, up to you.

Perforated  ladle - a flat spatula with lots of round holes to make boondi
Oil for deep frying.

Method :
1. Make sugar syrup first.
2. Add water and sugar and let it boil.
3. Keep the flame in medium heat and keep checking the sugar syrup for half thread consistency.
4. To check half thread consistency, take a drop of sugar syrup in your thumb and
    press the index finger and thumb and when u pull apart  you should get a string that breaks in half.
5. Once the sugar syrup is done, keep it aside and start making the boondi.
6. Mix besan and water to form a batter. The consistency should be such that the batter when poured in the ladle should drop down easily. It shouldn't be more watery or more thick that it doesn't fall.
7. Heat oil in a pan.
8. When the oil is hot, put the ladle just above the oil and pour batter in the ladle slowly.
9. The batter will fall down and form boondi in hot oil. Once the oil is filled with boondi, stop it.
10. Let the boondi cook. Boondi shouldn't cook for long time.
11. It shouldn't be too crispy too. About 2 minutes take the boondi and put it in sugar syrup.
12. I personaly grind half of the boondi and add it in sugar syrup. That way I feel everything blends together.
13. Once all the boondis are done, add cardamom ,any seasoning u wish and try to take the boondi from excess sugar syrup.
14. Try to make ball using two hands. In case if you couldn't make ball, make a rough ball and after sometime u can make it into a perfect ball.

Yummy boondi laddoo is ready.
Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Fish curry / Meen kuzhambu

Fish is one of my favorite. This fish curry has a unique taste and
I love the taste of it. Fish curry always tastes better with fresh fish.
Always go for it if you have an option.

Ingredients :
( serving for 4)

Onion - 1 medium size
Tomato- 1 medium size
Tamarind - 1 lemon size
Red chilli powder -2 tsp
Coriander powder -  4 tsp
Sesame oil - 3 Tbsp
Few curry leaves
Fish - 2lb

Roast  with little oil and grind :
 Pearl onion - 5
1 inch ginger
Few curry leaves
2 tsp - coriander seeds
1 red chilli
1/2 tsp- toor dhal
1/2 tsp - channa dhal
1/2 tsp - cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp pepper

Method:
1. Add sesame oil in a pan.
2. If u have Vadagam, then use that for seasoning,else just use mustard seeds.
3. Add finely chopped onions and fry it.
4. Once it is done, add tomatoes and fry them too.
5. Meanwhile  soak tamarind in hot water and extract juice from it.
6. Once the onions and tomatoes are fried add the spices and grind mixture to it.
 7. Add tamarind extract and add salt and little more water if needed.
8. Let it boil. Once raw smell is gone and the gravy is thick,add fish and curry leaves  and let it cook for 10 minutes.
9. Tasty fish curry is ready.

Try it you will like it.

Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Chettinad chicken curry

I wanted to try this recipe for a long time. I got this  recipe from  internet and looked interesting to me. My son loves chicken and I love to make different flavor with chicken.
We liked the taste of it and I hope u like it too.

Ingredients :
( serving for 4)
Chicken - 2 lb
Ginger garlic paste - 8 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp or to taste
Pearl onion - 25 count
Tomato - 3 medium size
Green chilli -2
Poppy seeds 1.5 tsp
Coconut milk  1/2 cup
Oil - 3 Tbsp

Roast and make powder from below.
1 tsp - pepper
1 tsp - jeera
4 tsp - coriander seeds
6 to 8 red chilli
1.5 tsp fennel seeds
8 curry leaves

Marinate chicken, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder and salt and set it aside a day or at least 4 hrs.
Soak poppy seed in hot water for an hour and then grind poppy seed with little cocunut.

Method :
1. In a pan add oil. Once it's hot add pearl onions and fry nicely.
2. Add chicken and add the ground powder . Close the lid and let it all merge nicely.
3. Add chopped tomatoes and again close the lid.
4. Pour cocunut milk and let it boil.
5. Add grind poppy seed and cocunut mixer.
6. Let it boil for 20 minutes.
7. Add coriander leaves and curry leaves and let sim for 5 minutes.
Adding curry leaves at the end gives a fresh curry smell to the dish.
I like it this way. Try it and let me know.
Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Murukku

One snack that everyone loves. A must snack for Diwali in south India .
My mom mostly makes it only once in a year and we always long for it.

Until I tried this easy recipe, I thought making Murukku needs lot of expertise.

I promise it is such a easy recipe and too tasty too.

So what are u waiting for, try it and enjoy a tasty snack.

Ingredients: 

( makes around 20 )

Rice flour -1 cup

Urad dhal -  1/4 cup

Hing - little 

Sesame seed - 1 Tsp

Butter - 2 Tbsp

Oil for frying

Method :

1. Dry fry urad dhal until it is crispy. Just put few in mouth to see if it is crunchy.

2. Grind it and sieve it.

3. Add rice flour and urad dhal powder.

4. Add hing , sesame seed, butter and salt and mix well.

5. Add water to make a soft dough.

6. Put this dough in muruku maker. I used a single star shaped design.

7. Rotate it to form a wheel like shape.

8. Put this in hot oil and until it is brown and crispy.

Tasty snack is ready to eat. My son loves it.

I am sure u will like it to.
Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Jeera aloo

This is a North Indian simple dish. Since I wanted a variation of usual aloo,

I found it in internet and I started making it and it's a hit too.

The picture was from one of my sons birthday party when I made it.

Needs only simple things to make a tasty dish.

Good side dish for rice and for roti too.

Ingredients :

( serving for 4)

Potato - medium size 15

Onion - 1 medium size.

Ginger garlic paste - 5 tsp

Curry leaves or kasthuri methi - few

Jeera  - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 5 Tsp

Red chilli pwdr -2 tsp or to taste.

Coriander pwdr - 2 tsp 

Jeera powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste 

Method :

1. Boil the potatoes .

2. Peel the skin and slice it to small cubes.

3. Take a pan and add 1 Tsp oil.

4. Once the oil is hot add jeera and then add  onions( onions should be chopped finely)

5. Once the onion is fried nicely to golden brown, add ginger garlic paste.

6. Fry it nicely until the raw smell goes.

7. Add boiled potatoes and  add all the spices and salt.

8. Add little water so that everything is mixed well.

9. Add rest of the oil and lower the flame.

10. Add curry leaves or kasthuri methi.

11. Each of them gives a unique test.

12. Let it be in sim until it turns brown. Add more oil if needed.

13. You get a tasty dish.

Try it and let me know.

Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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Banana walnut bread

I always love to have this in Starbucks. I am just craze of it.
Once my friend got it home and I was surprised to hear that she made it home.
Learnt it from her right away and I just love it.
Believe me it justs tastes like Starbucks.
It's always been a hit whenever I made it and everyone loves it.
So here goes the recipe.

 Ingredients :

1 -   1 stick butter (Keep it in room temperature one hour before your making the dough)

2 -   1 Cup sugar
3 -    2 eggs (Keep it in room temperature one hour before your making the dough)

4 -    11/2 cup maida

5 -    1tsp baking soda

6 -    1 pinch salt

7 -    1 cup mashed ver ripe banan ( usually 3)

8 -    1/2 cup sour cream

9 -   1tsp vanilla essence (opt)

10-  1/2 cup nuts either walnut or pecan

Note : Cup and tsp are the measuring thing sold in shop not our rice cooker cup or usual tsp.

           ( because i thot it that way initially ;-)... measurements are very important)

Preparation :

- Mix sugar and butter and mix thoroughly so that they make a smooth paste (creamy like  ).

- Add eggs one by one and beat again so that it mixes well.

- Add maida little by little and mix well...We want everything to be mixed well before we add the next ingredient.

- Add baking soda, salt , vanilla ess(if u have ) and mix well.

- Add sour cream and mix well

- Mash the bananas in hand well and the add them in this and mix well.

- Preheat the oven in 350 degree C for 10 min. In this time u can put the nuts in a tray  or foil

  and keep it in oven.It makes the nuts crispy.

  Then break the nut into two or three pieces and add them in the dough

  and mix it lightly( too much mixing with the electric mixer makes the nuts break)

- Grease the loaf ban with butter and pour the mixer in loaf pan and keep it in oven in 375 degree C for 50 min to 1 hour or until it bakes.

  Insert a tooth pick and when it comes out clean, then bread is ready.

- Keep it outside and allow it to cool.

- Take the bread out of the loaf pan and cut it into pieces and keeping it in fridge for a little time

  makes the bread look in good form and tastes good too.

Enjoy and share are your experience

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Kesari / Sooji halwa

One of the common dessert in south India. It is made on almost all the festive days.
A yummy and yet a simple recipe to make.
Let's do it today. Want to make it with me, come on let's go for it.

Ingredients :
( serving for 4)
Sooji  - 1/2 cup ( coarse is better as it avoids forming lumps)
Sugar - 1/2 cup ( adjusts to your taste)
Food color - a pinch ( optional )
Cashews or almonds. - 10 whole piece crushed
Cardamom - 1 crushed nicely.  ( I prefer using powdered cardoon as it avoids pieces in your mouth)
Dried grapes - few
Ghee - 1/4 cup
1 cup water or may be a little more

Method :

1. Take a non stick pan.
2 . Fry cashews or almonds and dried graphes in ghee.
3.  Dry fry Sooji until it is light brown. Keep it separately.
4. Add water and color and cardamom powder and let the water boil.
5. Add Sooji little by little so that it doesn't form lumps.
6. Once u add all the Sooji, let it cook before u add sugar.
7. Now add sugar little by little as you mix again so that no lumps are formed.
     Making kesari without lumps is the tricky part where most people fail.
     If u are carefull while adding Sooji and sugar u can avoid this.
8. After this add cashews and rest of the ghee and mix well.
    U get a very tasty kesari.

I hope u try it and don't forget to share ur experience.
Enjoy cooking and tasting.

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