Jul 31, 2011

JACKFRUIT SEED AND RED SPINACH DRY CURRY(Chakkakuru cheera thoran)



INGREDIENTS:

Red Spinach (Cheera)
1 cup Pearl onion
5-6 dry red chilies
1 ½ cup Jackfruit seeds (chakka kuru) de-skinned and cut into small pieces
½ cup grated coconut
Salt to taste
Oil

LET’S COOK:





1.  Grind the pearl onion and dried red chilies. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the onion-red chilly paste until its raw smell is gone and oil starts to separate. When the paste becomes light brown in color, add 1-2 cup of water, jackfruit seeds and salt. Cover the pan and cook the seeds. 




2.   When the seeds are cooked and water is reduced, add the red spinach (cheera). Cook the spinach (cheera) by covering the pan, in low heat. When the spinach becomes soft, that means its cooked. Add the grated coconut and mix. Red Spinach (cheera) and Jackfruit Seed (chakkakuru) thoran ready.


FRIED APPLE PIE

The idea of making fried apple pie came to mind when I tasted one from pizza hut. I was so impressed by it that I searched for its recipe for a full day. There were many variations of the recipe but I was too lazy to put in a lot of effort and I picked up the easiest one. I and my sister had hot fried apple pie in the dead of winter when it was snowing outside. Trust me, it tastes the best when eaten hot.



INGREDIENTS:


Puff pastry - Either you can make it or buy it(like I did)

2 cups small cubes of sweet apple (peeled)

½ tsp cinnamon powder

4 tbsp sugar (if the apple is very sweet you can reduce the amount of sugar)

2-3 drops lemon juice

Oil

For coating:

1 tbsp sugar

¼ tsp cinnamon powder


LET'S COOK:


  1. In a sauce pan mix the sugar, apple, cinnamon powder and lemon juice. 
  2. Cook the apple until the sugar caramelizes and the apple becomes soft. When the apple changes color to light brown turn off the heat & cool the mixture.
  3. Cut the puff pastry to square sheets and place 1 tbsp of the apple mixture on one side of the sheet and seal the pastry sheet. 
  4. Fry the pastry sheet until it becomes light brown in color. 
  5. Mix sugar & cinnamon powder and roll the fried pie in this mixture.



Jul 26, 2011

SWEET BREAD ROAST





INGREDIENTS :
1 cup rice flour
½ tsp turmeric powder
White bread cut into half
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp sugar
Oil for frying
LET'S COOK:
Mix all the ingredients(except bread) with water to make a thick batter.




Heat the oil. Dip each piece of bread in the batter and fry them until it becomes light brown in color.



The sweet bread roast is ready. You can enjoy this sweet ‘n crunchy snack with tea.



DRY CABBAGE FRY / CABBAGE THORAN





INGREDIENTS :
1 cabbage – Finely chopped
4-5 green chillies split lengthwise
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ cup grated coconut
1 tsp ginger chopped (optional) – Used mainly to suppress the odor of cabbage
Curry leaves
2-3 dried red chillies
1 ½ tsp mustard seeds
Salt
Oil

LET'S START :
Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves. To this add green chillies, ginger and turmeric powder Рsaut̩ for 1 min.








Add the chopped cabbage and cover the pan. When the cabbage turns transparent, that means it is cooked. Top it off with grated coconut and the cabbage thoran is ready.



COCONUT CHUTNEY



INGREDIENTS :
 1 cup grated coconut
 ½ inch ginger
2 pearl onions
1tsp red chilli powder
Salt


LET'S COOK:





This coconut chutney is very easy to make & simple. Start by grinding together all the ingredient. You are done. You can spice it up by adding more red chilly powder. This chutney goes well with any type of dosa.



WHEAT / GOTHANBE DOSA







INGREDIENTS:
½ cup wheat flour
2 cups or more water
6-7  green chillies chopped
½ - 1 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp mustard seeds
Salt
Oil
LET'S COOK :
1. Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add green chillies & chopped onion and sauté until onion turns light brown.


2. Mix wheat flour, salt and water to make a batter. Add the green chillies & onion to the batter and mix well.



                         
























3. Heat the dosa pan & spread the batter like regular dosa. Cover the dosa and let it stand till the dosa is cooked. Before flipping the dosa sprinkle a few drops of oil on the dosa and turn it. This is done so that the dosa does not become too dry.


RASPBERRY LEMONADE

Let me share with you some nutritional facts about raspberry. This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Vitamin K and Magnesium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C and Manganese.





INGREDENTS :
Juice of 1 big lemon
3 Raspberries
2½  tbsp sugar
1 glass water
2 ice cubes


LET'S COOK:
Mix all the ingredients in a large blender and beat for 2-3 mins. Filter, pour to a glass and garnish with raspberries.





SABUDANA / TAPIOCA KHICHDI


INGREDIENTS :

1 cup soaked sabudana – To make sure that the sabudana does not stick together when cooked, drain completely and keep aside for 3-4 hours
2 green chillies chopped
¼ tsp cumin powder
1 cup peeled & roasted peanut - Crushed
1 tspn lemon juice
2-3 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
1 potato cut into small cubes and boiled
Few Curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
Salt to taste
2-3 tbsp Oil


LET'S COOK:



1. Heat oil and add 1 teaspoon of mustard. When it starts to splutter add curry leaves & soaked sabudana.

2. Cook the sabudana until it becomes transparent. At this stage add cumin powder, green chillies and potato (Cooked). Sauté for 2 mins.




3. Add crushed peanut, coriander leaves and lemon juice.Mix well and serve hot.







Jul 25, 2011

CHIRATTA PUTTU




I usually get very nostalgic whenever I eat puttu. I miss all the combinations we used to have - Puttu with Red Gram (Payar) curry and Pappadum - Puttu with bananas (Pazham) - Puttu with Black Chick Pea (Kadala) curry - Puttu with Egg curry and so on...
When I made Puttu for the first time it was a disaster. The problem was that I did not know the required consistency for the Puttu mix. Every time I would take the Puttu out of the mould it would collapse. When I took my sob-story to my mom and MiL they gave me the secret for making great Puttu. Want to know more – Read on.



INGREDIENTS:
Rice flour / Readymade Puttu Powder – 3 cups
Salt
Water


LET'S COOK:
1.      Here I used ready-made Puttu powder which is easily available in any Indian store. Add salt as needed. Sprinkle water into the powder. To check if the powder has attained the right consistency, make small balls with the flour. If it holds shape, the flour is ready.
                   

                                                                                                                                           



2.      In the mould spread a layer of coconut first then alternate layers of rice flour and coconut. Top off the Puttu with a layer of coconut on top.








                                                                          
                                                                                          

                                                                         
3.      Steam the flour for about 10 mins and the Puttu is ready to serve. Best eaten with black chickpea curry(kadala curry)