Dates Wine

This is an extremely tasty wine recope and I would like to name it as the queen of wines (next to grape of course) The natural flavour of dates gives the wine a delicious taste and the clear royal colour makes it all the more appealing to our senses. It became undoubtedly the star of my this years wine recipes.

Ingredients

Dates-2 kg
White Grape Juice-250 Grams
Sugar-1 kg
Water, boiled and cooled-4 liters
Yeast-1 table spoon

Method

Sterilize all equipment before use.
Chop then boil the dates gently for 1/2 hour with 2 litres of water.
When cool, strain in a bharani/ bottle and add in the grape juice concentrate. Add  yeast and top up the water to around 4.5 liters with cool water. Keep the bottle air tight.
Wait until fermentation is compete, for 21 days. Stir this mixture every day with a wooden spoon. Strain this mixture using a cheese cloth or muslin cloth, into a clean dry vessel on 21st day and leave to clear.
Rack into clean bottles when completely clear and stable. Store for up to 2 years.

Kiwi Wine

Kiwi wine is a not very common but extremely tasty wine recipe. It can be made easily in the comfort of your home. I've tried it without lemon juice and with lemon juice and decided that the latter was definitely tasting much better than the first. Enjoy!!

Ingredients

15-20 chopped kiwi fruits
225 grams raisins
1,100 grams granulated sugar
Juice of 2 Lemon
1 teaspoon Wine Yeast
1 gallon cooled, boiled water

Method

Wash and chop kiwi fruits, leaving the skins on. Roughly chop raisins and add to winemaking fermenting container, together with all of the other ingredients, except for the wine yeast. Mix thoroughly, ensuring that the sugar is dissolved and then stand for around 12 hours.

Add activated wine yeast and pour into glass bottles and stir twice daily for five days. Leave it still for another 20 days before straining it. Keep it refrigerated.

Plum Wine

Another easy to prepare wine recipe which tastes really good. Some people ferment it without the seeds but I've found out that the seeds give it a different flavour which makes it all the more tasty. Try it.

Ingredients

2.25 kilos of plums
1.35 kilo of sugar
1 gallon of water
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
1 small sachet yeast

Method

Give your plums a good wash in water, discarding any that are overly bruised or moldy.  Add them to a sterilized fermentation bucket, and bash them up quite a bit with a potato masher or a (clean) wine bottle.  I like to keep the pits in because it gives the wine a really nice almond flavor.
Bring your gallon of water to the boil, and pour over your crushed plums.  Put the lid on your bucket, and leave it for a few days (3-4) and swirl it around every day.
Add the lemon juice and sugar to your fermenting plums, and stir to mix.  Then sprinkle the yeast on top.  After an hour or so, give it a good stir.  Cover and leave someplace warm for 21 days, stirring once or twice a day furing the initial days. After 21 days you can strain it and bottle it. Enjoy.

Gooseberry Wine

For all those of you who turn their faces when I say Goose berry wine, trust me, this is one of the tastiest of all wines. The smugdy bitter taste of gooseberry doesnt in any way tarnish the taste of the wine. It only adds to its flavour. Enjoy.

Ingredients

Nellikka /Indian Gooseberries - 100 nos.
Water - 3 liter
Sugar - 1 1/4 kg
Yeast-1 teaspoon instant yeast

Method
Wash and cut the gooseberries, boil it and put it in a big clean sterilized bharani / bottle .
Boil sugar & water and add boiled water to the Gooseberry.
When it becomes warm, add instant yeast. Tie the bottle with a clean cloth or close with lid little loose. 
Stir this mixture every day. After 20 days strain the mixture strain the mixture through a cheese/ muslin cloth in to a clean dry vessel.
Pour it in to clean dry bottle and store in the fridge.

Grape Wine

When some one utters the word Wine, I am sure that the first thing that comes to our mind would be grape wine. It us the most commonly made of all wines and one of the tastiest too. tlThis is one that is commonly available in the markets too.

Ingredients

1500 gms black grapes
1200 gms sugar
1 oz. yeast
1 gal. water

Method

Crush grapes by hand and set aside in the fermenting vessel. Bring the water to boiling point and pour in sugar, when the water reaches boiling point again and the sugar is dissolved, cut off heat and pour sugar liquid over grapes. Allow mix to cool, sprinkle yeast on top. Stir in, cover with plastic wrap tied in place with a string. Ferment 14 days, strain and bottle.

Coconut Chutney

Coconut chutney is a tasty accompaniment with all traditional south Indian breakfast dishes. It takes only a few minutes to prepare this chutney if you have fresh grated coconuts already at hand. Idli, Dosa, Vada etc is not complete when it is not accompanied by this chutney.

Ingredients

1 cup grated coconut
2 small green chillies , chopped
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp roasted chana dal
salt to taste

For The Tempering

1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 red chilli , broken into pieces
2 to 3 curry leaves
1 tsp oil

Method

Put the coconut, green chillies, ginger, roasted split gram and salt in a blender with a little water and grind to make a fine paste. Keep aside.
Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and adding the mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaves and stirring till the mustard seeds crackle. Pour this tempering over the chutney and mix well.
Refrigerate and use as required.

Beetroot Wine

Wine can be made with almost anything. This one is one such kind of weird wine recipe which actually tastes really good. It has the brightest of all wine colours and hence looks awesome when served in wine glasses.

Ingredients:
Beetroot – 2 ½ Kg, grated
Sugar - 2 Kg
Water -5 liter
Yeast - 1 teaspoon
Lime juice- from 4 limes

Method

Wash beetroot, peel off the skin and grate using a grater or food processer.
In a big vessel add grated beetroot along with water and boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and boil for 10-15 mints.
Turn off the heat and let it to cool to lukewarm.
Strain the boiled beetroot water using a strainer or cheese cloth into a bharani (earthen pot) or glass bottle and discard the grated beetroot.
In a small bowl take ½ cup lukewarm water, sprinkle yeast and 1 tsp sugar, mix and leave to rise. 
Add the yeast mixture, sugar and lime juice to the strained lukewarm beetroot water in the bottle and mix well until the sugar dissolves.
Once the mixture is cooled completely close the bottle with the lid and keep aside for 14 days untouched.
After that strain the mixture again; bottle and use.

Coriander Chutney

This is a very common chutney and is popularly known as green chutney. It can go with absolutely anything- from samosas and vadas to chaat and grilled chicken. It can be made easily in no time. We usually make it at home with Dosas.

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoonCumin seed
1/2 teaspoonMustard seed
1 bunchCoriander, large stems removed
1/4 smallOnion roughly chopped 1/4 cups Unsweetened grated coconut
1/2"Piece of ginger roughly chopped
2 green chillies
2Lemons juiced
Salt

Method

Put the cumin seed and mustard seed in a small heavy bottomed pan and roast over heat until the spices are fragrant, but be careful not to burn them. The key is to keep the spices constantly moving in the pan by shaking it with a swirling motion. Put the spices in a spice grinder and pulverize. Add everything including the toasted spices into a blender and blitz until smooth. Add some water if the chutney is too thick then adjust salt to taste. Stored in an airtight container in the fridge your green chutney should last at least 1 week.

Rava Upma

Trust me when I say that I am not a big fan of Upmas. But these days I make it often as my husband likes it very much. Watching him enjoying his upma has made me start a liking for it too. He sprinkles sugar on top and sometimes add a banana too and the ultimate result would be a yummy dish.

Ingredients

Rava  - 1 cup
Onion - 1
Green chilli -1
Ginger - 1 inch piece finely chopped
Water - 2 cups
Ghee - 3/4 tsp (optional - added for flavor)
Salt needed

   For the seasoning
Oil - 3 tsp
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Urad dal - 3/4 tsp
Red chillies -1
Curry leaves - few

Method

Dry roast rava until it is hot to touch. If you have got ready made roasted rava, you can skip this step.

Chop onions, ginger and green chillies finely.
Heat 3 tsp of oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dal, red chillies and curry leaves.
When dal turns golden brown, add chopped onions, green chillies and ginger.
Saute until onions turn transparent.
Then add 2 cups of water, ghee and salt needed. Taste the water and check for salt.(if it is a bit salty, then it will become perfect after adding rava).
When the water starts boiling, reduce the flame to low, add rava gradually with one hand and keep stirring with your other hand.
Once the rava absorbs all the water, cover and cook on low flame for 6-7 minutes. Do not forget to stir in between.

Delicious rava upma is ready to be served.

Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa is the pride of every vegetarian. The sizzling hot dosa with its yummy masala mixture inside and a tasty filter coffee to top it up can cheer up any day in your life. If you have had it from restaurants only till now, you can make it at home from today onwards with this simple easy to make recipe.

Ingredients

For The Aloo Masala (makes Approx. 1 1/3 Cups)
1 1/4 cups boiled and peeled potato cubes
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp split urad dal
1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
7 to 8 curry leaves
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp lemon juice
a pinch of sugar
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

Other Ingredients

1 1/2 cups readymade dosa batter
salt to taste
9 tsp butter for greasing and cooking

Method

For the aloo masala..
Heat the oil in a kadhai and add the mustard seeds.
When the seeds crackle, add the urad dal and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
Add the green chillies, curry leaves and onions and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the potatoes, salt, turmeric powder, lemon juice and sugar, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the coriander, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Allow it to cool.
Once cooled, mash lightly with the back of the spoon and keep aside.

How to proceed
Combine the dosa batter, salt and a little water, mix well and keep aside.
Heat a tava /non-stick tava (griddle), grease it lightly with ¼ tsp butter, sprinkle a little water on it (it should sizzle immediately) and wipe off using a wet piece of cloth.
Pour ¼th of the batter on the tava (griddle) and spread in a circular motion to make a 175 mm. (7") thin dosa.
Smear 2 tsp of butter on the edges of the dosa
Spread ¼th of the prepared aloo masala evenly over the dosa using a spatula and cook till the dosa turns golden brown in colour.
Fold over while pressing it lightly, using a spatula to make a flat roll.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more dosas.
Serve immediately with coconut chutney.

Carrot Wine

This is another tasty wine which involves a bit more effort than the commonly made wines. Here fermentation takes place in two stages- one with the carrot pieces and one after it is taken out. But the taste is worth the efforts.

Ingredients

1.5 kg carrots
1 kg sugar
4 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Yeast

Method

Boil the carrots and simmer until soft and strain on to the sugar. Stir in the lemon juice. When the liquid is lukewarm, add the yeast. Cover and leave for 7days, stirring twice daily if possible.
Using a fine sieve strain the liquid into a bottle and store in a warm place and allow the fermentation to work itself out(7 days).When fermentation has ceased, rack the wine into a clean jar and place in a cooler.

Banana Wine

Who doesnt like wine?? And when it is nade with your own hands in the comfort of your home, it adds to its value. This Christmas time, I have decided to make a variety of wines and I started the journey with banana wine Which is my personal favourite and the tastiest and easiest of all.

Ingredients

Banana (palayamkodan)- 20 nos
Sugar- 1 kg
Yeast- 2 tsp
Water -  4 bottles

Method

Mix together the palayamkodan pieces, water, sugar and
yeast. Put the mixture in to a large jar and securely close
and tie the mouth of the jar. For the first ten days, open the jar and stir its contents very well. Later strain it and pour it into bottles. It will be ready to use after two or three weeks.

Pasta Frittatta

This is a tasty snack recipe which can be made from leftover pasta. It is an extremely tasty and filling recipe and can be made very easily. My little kid who likes everything made with eggs is its loyal fan.

Ingredients

4 large  eggs
40g Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
salt
Freshly ground black pepper
400g leftover cooked pasta
extra virgin olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then finely grate in the Parmesan. Season with a little salt and a good twist of pepper. Whisk well, then stir in your pasta.

To cook the frittata, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a 26cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Add the frittata mixture and cook for about 5 minutes, or until crisp underneath, then place in the oven for another 5 minutes, or until firm. Carefully flip the frittata onto a large plate, then slide it back into the pan and return it to the oven for a further 5 minutes, or until crisp underneath. Serve with an extra grating of Parmesan.

Macaroni pasta with Bechamel

I first tried this dish at pizza hut and became instantly in love with it. Hence, the search for the ingredients and recipe began. That is when I realized that this is one of the easiest of pasta recipes which can be made in no time with the least of ingredients. Everyone liked it at home. So why dont you try it next?

Ingredients

2½ cups macaroni pasta
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion or 200 g, diced
1 capsicum
1/2 tomato
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup bechamel sauce ( I used homemade but we get maggi mix too)
1 cup mozzarella cheese or 100 g

Method

Cook the macaroni pasta according to packaging instructions. Drain and cool under cold water then set aside.
Heat the oil in a sauce pan and sauté onions and capsicum for 2 minutes then add tomato and fry for 1 minute.  Season with salt and black pepper, stir and set aside.
Pour 2/3 quantity of the béchamel sauce into the cooked macaroni in a mixing bowl and mix to combine the sauce and the pasta well. Arrange half the quantity of pasta mixture over the bottom of an oven dish.
Arrange the prepared veg mixture over the pasta in the same oven dish then top with the rest of pasta mixture.
Spoon the rest of the béchamel sauce over the pasta and top with Mozzarella cheese.
Bake in a 190°C preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until top becomes golden in color.

Microwave Pasta

Till now I have only made pasta in the traditional way, by cooking it in boiling water on the stove. But this is an easy less messy job of making pasta and the taste also is pretty much the same. So try this , save time!

Method

Get a microwave safe bowl and add 1 cup of pasta in it.
Add water to the bowl so that pasta is a couple of inches deep. Remember that the pasta will grow in size, so be sure to have enough water. You can always drain out the extra if you add too much.
Place the bowl on top of a plate and put it in the microwave just in case any water spills over.
Take the suggested cooking time from the pasta box and add 3-4 minutes. Check on the pasta when it's done and sample a piece or two.
If the pasta is at desired doneness, strain the pasta over the sink. If it’s not at desired doneness just put in the microwave for a few more minutes.
Place the pasta on a plate or in a bowl and add whatever sauce you would like. Enjoy!

Cinnamon hearts

This is a very easy but absolutely tasty tea time snack. Usually rolls are made with the same dough and filling. But for easy sake, I usually mix it together and bake it in cup cake moulds. The taste would be same as that of the rolls but the procedure is much easier.

Ingredients

Dough

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
3⁄4 cup milk

Filling

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar or 1 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon

Method

For the filling, in a small bowl combine softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon to form a crumbly mixture.
In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Cut in softened butter (sometimes your hands are the best tools).
Stir in milk to form a soft dough. Now add the filling to this dough and knead well.The outcome would be a rough kind of uneven mixture. Take a ball out of it and set it firmly on a heart shaped cup cake mould and bake it for 20 minutes at 400 degree. Enjoy it for tea or breakfast.

Plain Dosa

This is one dish that you can eat pretty well with anything and everything. It can be eaten for breakfast , lunch and dinner and trust me, you wont get bored. This is the simplest of all dosas-the plain one. There are atleast a 100 more dosas for me to experiment on!!

Dosa batter Ingredients

1 cup whole skinned urad dal
3 cups idli rice
Salt as needed

Instructions

Soak the rice and dal separately for 3 hours
Grind dal first into a smooth consistency adding enough water
Grind rice into a smooth batter by adding just enough water to get it going.
Combine the two, add salt, and let it ferment in a large enough bowl lightly covered, for about 6-8 hours in a warm place

To nake Dosa

Ingredients

4 cups of fermented dosa batter
1-1.5 cups of water
4 tbsp of  oil

Instructions:

Add enough water to the fermented batter until you have a smooth, pouring consistency. Make sure the batter is not too watery though, it should be thick-ish but fall off your spoon easily.
Heat a tawa or iron griddle and grease with the oil lightly. Pour about 1/2 cup batter to the centre of the tawa.
Using the back of your ladle, gently spread the batter with a circular motion from the centre towards the sides of the tawa.

Since we are not making very crispy dosas, don't spread it too thin. The dosa should be more or less evenly thick.
Drizzle about 1 tsp of oil around the edges of the dosa and add a few sprinkles on the top as well.

If your tawa is greased adequately and is not sticky, the edge of the dosa will start to come off the pan in about 1 minute or so. Use a spatula to gently lift the dosa
and flip it over. Cook the other side for another 40 seconds or so and remove from pan.
Enjoy.

Coconut Chicken Curry

This is a simple yet delicious Chicken curry recipe. It tastes absolutely great when served with rice or roti. Here a perfectly marinated chicken is cooked in a delicious coconut gravy to bring out all its flavours. Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 kg chicken
200 ml cream
100 ml coconut milk
200 gm onion, cut into small pieces
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp garam masala
100 gm butter/refined oil
1 tsp red chilli powder

Method

Add garlic and ginger paste, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala, salt and chilli powder. Coat it on chicken and mix well. Keep the marinated chicken for two hours.
Then place the pan on fire and put the oil/butter and fry the onion till golden brown.
Add the marinated chicken to the pan and fry on a low flame adding coconut milk slowly till the chicken is cooked properly.
Then mix the cream slowly.
Add 1/2 tsp of sugar. Mix. Garnish with Coriander leaves. Serve with roti/rice.

Khajuri

This is a very easy snack that can be made in a jiffy. It can be rightly called as 'Childs Play'. This is a perfect teatime snack and the most commonly made snack in my home too. I prefer it to be very crispy. So I sometimes add a little bit of rice flour in it.

Ingredients

1 cup refined flour
1  cup semolina
1 cup sugar, powdered
1/2 cup milk to knead
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup ghee, melted
Oil for deep frying

Method

Mix the flour, salt and soojee and rub the ghee into it.
Add the sugar and knead into a stiff dough with the milk. Keep aside covered for 15 minutes or so.
Break into small pieces and roll into rounds. Press softly on the muddle of each bslls to get a perfect flat round shape.
Deep fry over medium heat and serve hot or cool and store in an airtight container.

Malai Chicken Kebab

This is a truly yummy chicken appetizer dish and undoubtedly my favourite chicken starter. The wide variety of flavours blend together with the chicken to create a true fantasy of taste in our pallette. This is a must try recipe for all chicken lovers. Enjoy.

Ingredients

250 grams of boneless chicken
1 ½ tbsp. Cheese
1 tbsp. curd
2 tbsp. cream
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp cardamom powder
A handful of Coriander leaves
2 green chilies
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp. corn flour
Salt to taste

Instructions

Wash chicken and pat dry with a kitchen tissue
Marinate chicken with pepper pow, cardamom pow, ginger garlic paste, set aside for 10 mins
Meanwhile Grind cheese, curd, coriander leaves, green chili and cream till smooth
Marinate the chicken with this and refrigerate for 30 mins to 1 hr
Preheat the oven at 240 C, skew the chicken pieces and place them on a tray
Grill for 15 mins.
Turn around and grill for another 5 to 8 mins.

Pepper Chicken

This is a very tasty chicken recipe which is perfect with both rice or chappathis. I had made it many times but realized only today that I hadnt posted its recipe in my blog. It can be made into a dry dish or as a gravy.

Ingredients

1 heaped cup chopped onions
/2 cup chopped tomatoes
salt as needed
1 tsp pepper corn
¼ tsp. red chili powder
¾ tsp. garam masala powder
1 sprig curry leaves
½ tsp cumin
2 to 3 green cardamoms
1 inch cinnamon stick
3 cloves
2 tbsp. oil

Marination

500 grams chicken (with bone or boneless)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste or grated
⅛ tsp turmeric
salt little

Instructions

Wash chicken and drain off the water. Marinate with ingredients under marination. Keep it aside until needed.
Add oil to a hot pan, add cumin, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and allow them to sizzle.
Add curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. Fry till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes off.
Add onions and fry till they turn golden.
Add tomatoes and salt. Fry till the tomatoes turn mushy and soft.
Add red chili powder, garam masala and coarsely crushed pepper corn.
Fry everything well till the mixture looses all the moisture.
Add chicken and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Cover and cook on a low flame till the chicken turns tender. If the chicken doesn't ooze out enough water to cook, then add little water. Cover and cook. If you want to have gravy, switch off the stove.
If you prefer a dry version, cook without lid and evaporate the moisture in the chicken. Fry till all the moisture dries up.
Serve hot.

Padavalanga Mezhukkupuratti (Snake Gourd)

This is one of my favourite mezhukkupuratti recipes. My mom makes it perfectly well and I still cherish the tasty lunches I enjoyed with my parents back in kerala.

Ingredients

Snake Gourd - 250 gms
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tspn
Salt
Curry Leaves
Green Chilly - 2 cut into two
Coconut Oil - 2 tbspn
Shallots - 7
Red Chilly Powder/ Red Chilly Flakes - 1 tspn

Method

Cut Snake gourd into small pieces and wash it well. Cook the Snake gourd adding enough water, turmeric powder, salt, curry leaves and green chilly. Cook for 5-6 minutes with lids closed.
Heat oil in a pan. Add shallots and saute till it turns light brown. Now add red Chilly Powder. Saute till the raw smell goes off.
Now season with some curry leaves. Easy and tasty mezhukkupuratti is ready!

Padavalanga Thoran (Snake Gourd)

This is a traditional kerala recipe which is very tasty.This is perfect to be eaten with matta rice and kachiya moru. It takes very less time to be perfectly cooked. Enjoy.

Ingredients

Snake gourd-1
Shallot-12
Coconut1/4 cups
Green chilli-2
Salt to taste
Turmeric-1/2 teaspoons
Cumin Powder- A pinch
Oil-1 tablespoon
Mustard seed-1 teaspoon
Curry leaves

Method

Clean and cut snake gourd and set aside.
Cut shallots into small, slit green chillies.
In a pan add oil add mustard seeds, when it crackles add curry leaves, green chillies, snake gourd, shallots, coconut, turmeric, cumin and salt (you can use 1 medium size onion instead of shallots). Cover and cook, no need to add any water since snake gourd has enough water in it. Once it is cooked and all the water is evaporated, Switch off the flame.
You can use onion instead of shallots

Egg Ghee Roast

It is a very famous egg dish from Mangalore.It is easy to make and since it is completely cooked in ghee, it is absolutely yummy. I usually hate Egg Roasts. But this particular dish gave a new twist to the ordinary egg roasts because of the addition of tamarind and ghee. Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilly powder
2 Green Chillies
8 Garlic cloves
1 small piece Ginger
1/2 tsp Tumeric powder
6 Whole peppercorns
2 Cloves
1 small Cinnamon sticks
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp Tamarind pulp
(Grind all the above ingredients into paste, add little water while grinding.)  
6 Hard Boiled Eggs
1 big Size Onions finely chopped
Few Curry leaves
4 tbsp Ghee
Salt to taste
Few Coriander leaves chopped to Garnish 

Method

Take a pan, add ghee, add onions and  curry leaves. Fry the chopped onions till brown. Add the paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water. Simmer for few . Add the eggs. Stir it. Cook the eggs in the masala till the eggs are well coated with the masala. Garnish it with coriander leaves.  Serve hot.

Perfect Microwave Rice

This is the easiest way you can cook rice. No mess, Saves time and we get the perfect texture rice. I came acriss this recipe and tried it for the first time and was simply amazed with the results.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white rice - White rice(Ponni Rice)
Water

Directions

Scoop the rice into the microwave-safe container, pot or steamer. Fill the pot with water and swish the water and rice with your hands. Pour out the water, keeping the rice in the pot (just cup your hands around the rice to prevent it from pouring out). Repeat for 2-3 more times until the water is just barely cloudy.

Add enough water to cover the rice by about 2" - or place your finger straight down touching the top of the rice. The water should meet your first knuckle and 1 Inch more.(If it is basmati rice, you need water reaching only upto your first knuckle)

Microwave on high for 14 minutes. Let rest covered for 3 minutes.

Nankhatai

Nankhatai is an Indian short bread cookie that is very easy to be baked and tastes truly yummy. I had eaten it a lot during my childhood days when my dad used   to bring it for us from bakeries. They are usually made during the time of festivals. It is very crisp, yet so soft that the minute you put them in your mouth, they just melt away. It can be made and stored in airtight containers.

Ingredients

All purpose flour - 1 and 1/2 cup
Gram Flour - 1/2 cup
Semolina  - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1 cup
Powdered Sugar - 1 cup
Cardamom powder- 1 tsp
Baking powder - 1 tsp

Instructions

Measure all the ingredients and keep them ready.
Sieve Maida, Besan and baking powder.
In bowl mix all the dry ingredients, maida, Besan ,Sooji and Baking powder.
To make the dough, in a big flat plate or bowl add powdered sugar and ghee and mix well for around 5 minutes.
Add the dry ingredients and elaichi powder to the ghee and sugar mixture and knead into soft dough.
Make small balls and flatten them by pressing them gently between your palms and place them on a greased baking tray. This recipe makes approximately 19-20 big sized cookies . It varies depending on the size you want to make.Preheat the oven at 200 degree C for 10 minutes.
Place the baking try in the oven at 180 degree C for 15 – 20 minutes.
Once they are out from the oven they will be soft, so avoid touching them.
Let them cool down completely after which  they are ready to serve.

Masala Pori (Crispy Puffed Rice Snack)

This is a super easy dish to be prepared and it can be done in less than 10 minutes. I always have it prepared at home, so that when ever I feel like eating something, I snack on this. It is delicious and is low in calories

Ingredients

1/4 kg - puffed Rice
1 cup - Peanut
1 cup - roasted gram
2 - Garlic Cloves
1 tsp - Mustard Seeds
10 - chilli
Curry leaves - a few
3 tsp - chilli powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp - asafetida
1/2 tsp - Garam Masala
Salt to taste
3 tbsp - Coconut oil

Method

Clean the puffed rice and crush the whole garlic without peeling the skin.
In a large frying pan, add coconut oil and season with mustard, curry leaves and chillies.
Now add garlic and fry for a while and add groundnuts, roasted gram, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and saute for a min.
Finally add the puffed rice to it and mix quickly and remove from fire immediately and transfer to another vessel.

Mix Veg Butter Masala

I've often sympathized with pure vegetarians wondering how thay would manage with only veggies on their dining table and very less creativity in their dishes. But I guess it is high time I change that opinion. There is a huge scope for variety and creativity in vegetarian dishes too. Try this Veg butter masala inspired from our very common chicken butter masala.

Ingredients

MixVeg – 1/4 Kg (Carrot,Capsicum,Green Peas, French Beans)
Tomato Sauce – 1/4 cup
Kasoori Methi – 1 tablespoon
Fresh Cream   - 1 cup
Cold Milk – 1/2 cup
Cashew Paste – ½ cup
Onion  - 4 no's pureed
Tomatoes - 8 no's pureed
Garlic  – 1tablespoon paste
Ginger - 1 tablespoon paste
Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder  - 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander leaves - A bunch
Orange –Red colour – ¼ teaspoon
Oil - 8 tablespoon
Garam Masala Powder – 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Method

Put kadai on gas, add oil and heat it well.
Add onion puree, kasuri methi and ginger-garlic paste, saute on high flame.
Let the water of onion and ginger-garlic evaporate very well. The colour should become crispy golden brown .
Switch off the gas and add salt to taste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala.
Mix them very well , now add tomato puree and Switch on the gas to a high flame.
Fry it till you hear a sizzling sound and till each particle of tomato contracts and the oil separates from the corners of the kadai.
Switch off the gas to add the milk ingredients.
Now add orange or red colour, tomato sauce, cream, cashew paste and cold milk.
Boil the Vegetables and add them into the gravy.
On the gas on high flame, mix it and let it boil once only and turn off the gas .
To garnish add green coriander leaves.

Chickpeas Curry

There is nothing to be proud of in this dish. It is made by everyone everywhere and is one of the easily made vegetarian recipes. It can be a tasty side dish with puttu or rice or chappathi and is a highly nutritious and healthy dish.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced small
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of ground cloves
2 cans chickpeas
3 tablespoons ketchup
Salt and ground pepper

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until dark brown around edges, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, curry, cinnamon, and cloves and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add chickpeas, ketchup, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes. Uncover, and increase heat to medium-high; cook until sauce is slightly reduced, 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Madhura Seva

I adore this sweet snack which is very famous and commonly made in all malayali homes. I have a special attachment to it because this was my grand dad's favourite snack. I still remember how he used to keep jars of cashew nut and madhura seva in his coveted cupboard and present it to us when we go to visit him during our vacation times. He left this world 5 years ago and even now I cherish the beautiful moments I had with him. He was truly a very special person in my life. He would definitely smile at me from his abode for making this! Love you Appacha.
Try this recipe.

Ingredients

Gram flour -2 cups
Sugar -3/4 cup
Salt - a pinch
Water

Method

Mix salt and gram flour. Slowly add warm water to this and make a smooth dough. Knead the dough for a minute. Heat oil in a pan. Press the dough through a mould into hot oil and fry it till golden brown.Remove from oil and let it cool.
Dissolve the sugar in 1 1/4 cups of water.Boil the syrup till one thread consistency is reached.
Add the fried seva into this and mix well .Allow them to cool.When it completely cools store them in airtight containers.

Tandoori Roti

Till now I've only eaten Tandoori Roti from restaurents, although I very well know that it is absolutely easy to make. So last  day I gave it a try and I would say that it was not bad. I still have lots to improve on it to get the exact texture. But this was perfectly okay for a first time. Enjoy.

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt - as required
Water - 3/4 to  1 cup

Method

Measure and take wheat flour, transfer to a wide mixing bowl.Add salt and oil.
First mix well with your fingers so that the distribution is even, then start adding water little by little, start kneading.
Knead it to a soft pliable dough. Let the dough rest for atleast 30mins.Then knead it again and make medium lemon sized balls from the dough.Transfer one ball to the rolling board and sprinkle little flour on it.
Roll it to a slightly thick roti, You can either roll it as a circle or oval.On the top side, brush with little water.Repeat the process for other rotis too.0
Heat a dosa tawa, I used my iron dosa tawa.Once the tawa is hot,carefully transfer a roti so that the water surface touches the tawa. Allow it to cook for a minute, as bubbles start to come,carefully flip the dosa tawa upside down as keeping keep flame in high.Cook until the rotis are charred a bit. Rotate the tawa for even cooking. It will start to fall down, you can hold it with a tong.It is better if you have a handle for the dosa tawa.
If you don't have a dosa tawa with handle, then cook on one side in tawa then pull out the roti with a tong and place it directly on high flame. Brush it well with ghee / butter. Cut into two and serve!

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Though it is not very common in everyones dining table, still a steaming bowl of soup as an appetizer just before a meal is always a welcome. This is a very tasty mushroom soup recipe that can be easily made with the least of ingredients. Enjoy.

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cans chicken broth
1 cup  cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Add mushrooms and saute until tender. Combine flour and broth until smooth; stir into the mushroom mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Stir in the cream, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring often.

Chicken Do Pyaza

Chicken Do Pyaza is a delicious Indian chicken gravy. It can made easily with the least of ingredients. This chicken dish is a popular Punjabi recipe served with roti or naan.

Ingredients

1 kg - Chicken
1/2 kg - onions, cut into rings
250 g - curds
2 tsp - chilli powder
25 g - Garam Masala
2 tsp - salt
1 tsp - turmeric
1 tsp - Garam Masala
1 tsp - coriander powder
250 g - Tomato puree
250 g - oil

Method

Fry the onion rings, reserving a little for later use.
Heat oil in a pan and add  garam masala to it.
Make a paste of curds and 1/4 kg fried onions in a grinder and add along with ginger-garlic paste to the garam masala.
Add the remaining spices and cool.
Then add tomato puree and continue stirring while you add 1/2 litre water.
When it starts to boil, add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes. Then add remaining onion rings.
Mix well and bring to a boil. Your dish is ready.

Paneer Lababdar

This was my first attempt at making paneer lababdar. (And I made this for a few friends who came for dinner!) Fortunately it was very good and everyone liked it. Till now I thought paneer butter masala was my vegetarian master piece recipe but now, I guess it has become this superb dish. Please try it.

Ingredients

1 cup low-fat paneer cubes
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp roasted and crushed coriander seeds
3 whole dry kashmiri red chillies , coarsely powdered
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic  paste
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cornflour dissolved in 1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/4 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander

Method

Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan, add the cumin seeds, crushed coriander seeds, coarsely powdered dry kashmiri red chillies, dried fenugreek leaves, onions and ginger-garlic paste and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes or till the onions turn slightly brown in colour.
Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder and 4 tbsp of water and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from the flame and allow it to cool slightly and then blend in a mixer to a smooth paste.
Transfer the paste into a deep non-stick pan, add the cornflour-milk mixture, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the paneer, garam masala and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Garnish with coriander and serve hot with chappathi or fried rice.

Egg Sandwich

This is a very easy and truly yummy sandwich recipe. I got the recipe from my mother. She rarely makes sandwiches and I can remember ony two sandwiches that she used to make. One is a mint chutney sandwich and the other one is this. She makes this perfectly well and I only hope that I do justice to her recipe.

Ingredients

8 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon  yellow mustard
1 Tomato sliced
1/4 cup chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Green chilly
Oil as needed
Multigrain bread slices

Directions

Saute Onions and green chilly in Oil and add tomatoes. Stir for 2 minutes. Now break open the eggs and pour it into the onion tomato mixture. On low heat, scramble the eggs. Add Salt.
When it becomes dry, serve it into a bowl.  Stir in the mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and fill it between sandwiches. I chopped multigrain bread into round circles and made discs with it and filled it with egg filling for a better visual appeal. You can just fill it between bread slices.

Chicken Salna Tamil Nadu Style

This is a truly yummy chicken side dish recipe which is very common in Tamil Nadu. The masala that we grind makes the dish very special because the chicken is slowly cooked in it in such a way that it infuse all its flavours to create a magical melody in our mouths. Enjoy it with hot parottas.

Ingredients

Chicken-1 kg
Onion-1 big finely chopped
Green chillies-2 slit length wise
Ginger & Garlic paste-1 tbsp
Turmeric powder-½ tsp
Cardamom-2
Cinnamon sticks-2
Bay leaves-2
Oil-2 tsp
Lemon juice-According to taste
Salt-As needed
Curry leaves-8-10
Coriander leaves-1 tbsp finely chopped

To Roast and Grind

Cloves-2
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Fennel seeds-1 tsp
Black pepper corns-2 tsp
Coriander seeds-3 tsp
Dry red chillies-8
Grated coconut-¾ - 1 cup
Tomatoes-3 finely chopped
Oil-1 tbsp

Method

Cut and wash the chicken to large size pieces. Finally wash it with turmeric powder to get rid of any smell and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a kadai and roast the ingredients mentioned in roast and grind. Start with cloves, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dry red chillies, coriander seeds, black pepper corns adding one by one. 
Now add the tomatoes and sauté until they are mushy. Finally add the grated coconut and sauté for about a min and switch off the stove.
Cool the above ingredients and grind it in the mixer to a fine paste by adding water.
In the same kadai heat the oil, add cinnamon sticks, cardamom, bay leaves and sauté for about 15 sec. Add the onions, green chillies, curry leaves and sauté until translucent. Now add the ginger and garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell goes off.
Add the cleaned chicken and sauté until the color of the chicken changes. Now add the ground paste, salt to the chicken and mix well.
Add about 1 to 1 ½ cups of water to the chicken, cover and cook until it is well done. Alternatively cook in the pressure cooker for 2 -3 whistles.
Super spicy and delicious  Chicken Salna is ready. Serve hot.

Vazhakka Thoran (Raw plantain)

This used to be a very common thoran dish in my home during my child hood days. When I bought a few vazhakkas last week to make some bajjis, I suddenly realized that its been too long since I've made it here for my family. So here it is, a truly yummy thoran recipe.

Vazhakka thoran

Ingredients

Raw plantain/ vazhakka – 3 – 4
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
Green chilli – 1
Garlic – 2 cloves
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Dry red chillies – 2
Brown rice – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Salt – To taste
Method

Peel the plantains and chop them to small cubes.
Heat oil in a pan.  Splutter the mustard seeds and add the dry red chiliesand brown them.
Stir in the chopped plantain pieces, turmeric powder, chilly powder, curry leaves and salt.  Cover and cook till tender at low heat.
Crush the grated coconut with cumin seeds, garlic and green chilies.  Add it to the cooked raw banana.  Mix well and cook for a few more minutes. Switch off. Serve with rice.

Spicy Pan Fried Potatoes

This is a spicy potato fry recipe where the potato is neither baked nor deep fried. Instead it is shallow fried in a yummy paprika and yogurt mixture. Potato , I would say is the tastiest of all veggies and it tastes awesome which ever way it is cooked. Hence, I can assure you that this is a tasty and easy recipe. Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 large baking potato
2 tbsp Yogurt
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp garam masala
1⁄4 teaspoon paprika
salt
pepper
olive oil

Directions

Slice potatoes into bite size pieces. Mix yogurt, paprika, ginger garlic paste and garam masala. Add little salt. Marinate potatoes in this yogurt mixture for 15 minutes.Microwave potatoes for 5-6 minutes to soften.
Spray large frying pan with olive oil and add potatoes. Cook on medium heat until tender and browned. When being cooked, the marinade might ooze off if it is not properly set in the oven. But just let the potatoes cook in it. It adds to its flavour.
When done, add salt and pepper to taste.

Chocolate Pudding

This is another yummy pudding recipe and undoubtedly the favourite of all kids. It is easy to whip up using common pantry ingredients. I garnished it with chocolate syrup and a few galaxy minstrels to make it visually more appealing.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate syrup and galaxy minstrels for garnishing

Directions

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. gradually add milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Spoon into individual serving dishes. Chill until serving. Pour chocolate syrup on top and decorate with galaxy minstrels if desired.

Paneer Achari Tikka

This is a variety paneer recipe and a truly yummy one too. Here, the paneer cubes are coated with a wonderful spice mix and a set of aromatic spices. The aroma that wafts through the kitchen when it is being cooked is truly worth all your efforts. It tastes perfect when served hot.

Ingredients

For The Achaari Marinade
1 tbsp green chilli paste
1/2 cup curd
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek  seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp mustard oil
salt to taste

Other ingredients
1 1/2 cups paneer (cottage cheese) cubes
oil for greasing and cooking

Method

For the achaari marinade
Combine all the ingredients, except the curd in a mixer and blend to a coarse mixture.
Transfer the mixture into a deep bowl, add the curd and mix well.

Now add the paneer to the prepared achaari marinade, mix gently and keep aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
Heat a non-stick tava, grease it with little oil, place a few paneer cubes on it and cook on a medium flame, using a little oil, till they turn golden brown in colour from all the sides. Serve immediately.

Strawberry Lemon Pudding

This is an amazing pudding recipe and is truly a lip smacking dessert recipe. I love puddings mainly because of its jelly like texture and the fun in swallowing it without the need of any vigorous chewing. It has a soothing effect on me and every spoonful is loaded with happiness.This strawberry lemon pudding is a must try recipe for everyone.

Ingredients

2 lbs strawberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1⁄3 cup cornstarch
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
1⁄2 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

Clean and rinse berries. If they are large cut in halves or quarters. Blend it perfectly in a blender into a thick syrup consistency.
Bring milk to a boil over medium heat. Add sugar and strawberry and cook in low flame for about 4 minutes. 
Dissolve cornstach in a little water and add to fruit, stirring constantly. Add vanilla and lemon juice.
Bring to rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue stirring and allow pudding to boil a few minutes. The pudding should no longer be cloudy and regain its shine and gloss.
Transfer to a bowl and place in the refrigerator until thouroughly cool.

Achari Malai Paneer

The name may seem a bit intimidating for you, but in reality it is a soothing and yummy dish and a perfect accompaniment with Chappathi or naan. I was on the lookout for some new paneer recipes when this one crossed my eye. I immediately  decided to make it and it became an instant hit. Try it.

Ingredients

1 cup paneer, cubed (cottage cheese)
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1⁄4 teaspoon mustard seeds
5 -6 fenugreek seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seed
1⁄2 teaspoon asafetida powder
1 cup onion, sliced
1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
1⁄2 teaspoon black salt
3⁄4 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon oil
salt

Directions

Mix the fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and asafetida in a small bowl.
Heat the oil and add the seed mixture.
When they crackle, add the onion and sauté till it turns translucent.
Add the paneer, turmeric, chili powder, black salt and stir for some time.
Add the yogurt, sprinkle the plain flour and mix well.
Add  salt and bring to a boil. Serve hot.

Turkey Caesar Sandwich

By now, I've tried many dishes with Turkey. So why not a sandwich too!! Here is an extremely simple and easy to make sandwich recipe..It can be eaten as a breakfast dish or as a tasty tea time snack. The cheese and turkey blends together really well to give a truly yummy lip smacking experience. Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon  Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 dash Chicken spread
Salt and ground pepper
2 slices multigrain bread
1 tbsp tomato sauce
2 or 3 leaves green cabbage
3 ounces thinly sliced canned turkey

Directions

In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, tomato sauce, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and chicken spread; season with salt and pepper. Spread on both bread slices.
Break cabbage into small pieces; layer half on 1 slice of bread. Top with turkey, remaining cabbage, and bread.

Turkey Paprikash

Paprikash, a Hungarian dish that gets its bold color and flavor from paprika, is usually made with chicken or turkey. This is my version of a south Indian paprikash. I've added some garam masala too for extra flavour since being a south Indian, my tongue needed more flavour than that provided by paprika alone.

Ingredients

1 cup turkey cubes
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced and pureed
1/4 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons sweet or smoked paprika
1 cup water
1 tsp Garam masala
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

Pat turkey dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter and cook it slightly to let the butter enter it and provide a flavour.
Reduce heat to medium, then add onion and  tomato puree, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter; cook until onion they are softened. Add paprika and cook 1 minute.
Add water and turkey and cook well. Sprinkle garam masala and stir well.  Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.  Serve hot.

Turkey and Potato Curry

Another experiment from my part using turkey and potato which came out to be truly a yummy dish. The soft mushy potatoes takes the dish to a different level. Enjoy it with Rice or Naan.

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 tbsp Indian curry paste
1 tbsp garam masala
1/4 tsp each salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup water
2 cups chopped  potato, about 2 medium
2 cups cooked and cubed turkey

Directions

Heat butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat.
Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes or until they are softened. Stir in curry paste, garam masala, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant.  Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Add 1 cup water and bring it to a boil. Add potatoes and turkey,  cover and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Continue to cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Serve with rice or Nan.

Vermicelli Kheer

This is a very very tasty and easy kheer recipe. It is so much similar to our traditional semia payasam. The main difference is the thick consistency and the usage of cashew and almond milk. It makes it a truly delicious dessert and a real treat to our sweet tooth.

Ingredients

1.5 cup almond milk
1.5 cup cashew milk
1.5 cup wheat vermicelli/seviyan
8-9 tbsp sugar - add less or more for desired sweetness
½ tsp cardamom powder
1 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp raisins and cashews for garnishing

Instructions

In a pan or kadai dry roast the vermicelli till they get a golden hue. Lower the flame and in the same pan, add both the cashew and almond milk. Stir.
Add sugar, and mix well.
The mixture will begin to thicken as the vermicelli begins to get cooked.
Simmer for 7-10 minutes till the vermicelli becomes soft and is cooked well.
Add the cardamom powder, and raisins. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove from fire. Garnish with cashews and raisins.
Serve vermicelli kheer hot or warm or you can chill and serve the kheer cold.

Avocado Beef Burger

This is the era of burgers and fast food. Too much of such junk would create many health hazards in the future. But a treat once in a while is quite acceptable, especially when we are making it at home. Enjoy this avocado beef burger recipe.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 large avocado
1 tablespoon green chili pepper, diced
1 egg, slightly beaten
1⁄4 cup green onion, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
Hamburger bun
4 -6 teaspoons butter, melted
tomatoes
onion (optional)
mayonnaise

Directions

Take the avocado and slice in half, remove the pit and peel each half.
Sprinkle fresh lemon juice over each half of avocados. Slice one half of avocado and set aside.
In a medium bowl, take other half of the avocado and mash with a fork.
Add chili peppers, egg, onions, minced garlic and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Add ground beef to the mixture and combine well.
Shape into 4 beef patties.
Chill in ref. for 10 minutes.
Heat  a skillet. Pan fry hamburger patties until no longer pink inside.
Butter each hamburger bun and toast on the top shelf of a grill or in the oven on broil.
Mayonnaise each hamburger bun and top with hamburger, tomato, slice of avocado and onion (opt).
Serve with french fries , or potato chips or one of your favorite snacks.

Coffee Pudding

This is one of my favourite  pudding recipes mainly because my son simply adores it. I always feel that he should learn how to enjoy a pudding because he would finish it all in two three gulps and always asks for more. Enjoy this truly yummy and easy to prepare  coffee pudding.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Whisk the cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in the milk. Boil the mixture over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. The mixture will be thick when done. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the espresso and vanilla until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill the bowl in the fridge until cold, at least 2 hours. Serve the pudding chilled.

Cardamom Milk Pudding

This is the yummiest and easiest of all pudding recipes. It can be made very easily with the least of ingredients. I made it on an impulse for my baby when he refused to drink his usual cup of milk in the morning. Pudding in any flavour is always a big welcome for him and I've decided that I'll  make this particular pudding as often as I could.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon green or white cardamom pods, slightly crushed
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
A pinch of Salt and a few drops of Vanilla.

Preparation

Bring milk, cardamom pods, and a pinch of salt just to a boil in a heavy saucepan, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
Whisk sugar and corn starch in hot milk mixture. Add Vanilla essence. Return to saucepan and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Chill pudding, its surface covered with wax paper, until very cold, at least 2 hours.

Turkey Butter Masala

Chicken butter masala is one of my favourite non vegetarian dish and hence I didnt think twice before deciding to try out the same with Turkey. It is a yummy recipe and a perfect side dish with roti or Naan.

Ingredients

150 gm butter
2 Onions chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (2cm) piece root ginger, chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder (or to taste)
500g turkey breast, cubed
6 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped.             2 tablespoon Cooking cream

Method

Melt butter in saucepan, then add onions, garlic, ginger and curry powder. Fry for 5 minutes, but don't let the onions or garlic brown.
Add the tomatoes. Mix together well. Stir in the cubed turkey, cover and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cooking cream, stir and switch off the flame. Serve with basmati rice, dal and naan bread.