Badam Halwa

Ingredients:
1 cup Almond
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp Ghee

Method:

Soak the almond over night or drop it in boiling water and the outer skin is peel right off the almond. Now add the 1/2 cup of milk 1 tsp at a time and grind into a coarse paste.

Now in a wide non-stick pan take the 1/2 cup of water and add the 1 cup of sugar. Mix until the sugar blends in. Now add the coarsely ground almond paste and keep stirring on medium heat(remember to keep stirring else the almond will burn).


When the almond has thickened enough that it looks like the picture below(almost the consistency of rava kesari), remove from heat and let it cool.

Serve as it is in bowls or make into bite size balls and Enjoy!!

Boondi Ladoo

Ingredients:

1 cup besan flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup water for sugar syrup
2 tbsp cashew nuts
1 tsp ghee
water for besan mix

Bring the sugar and water to boil and keep boiling it until the mixture forms a half thread consistency. Now mix the gram flour with water(this should be added 1 tbsp at a time) to make a smooth batter without any lumps. The batter consistency should be that of a dosa batter.

In a pan heat ghee and fry the cashew nuts till slightly brown. Remove and keep aside. I have used cashews, but raisins or almonds are also popularly added to the laddoo.

You will need a spoon which has holes in it, usually used in the Indian households during deep frying like the one shown below.

Heat oil in a deep bottom pan. When the oil is hot, hold the spoon on top of the oil and slowly add the batter into the oil to form little drops of boondi. Fry them until the sizzling sound stops and the boondis are slightly colored. Remove and put it directly into the sugar syrup.

Repeat making the boondi and dropping it into the sugar syrup until all the besan batter is finished.

Now add cardamom powder and fried cashews into the boondi sugar mix. Spread this mixture on a aluminum foil or a wide pan.

When its warm enough to handle by hand(Remember not to let them cool off completely because you'll not be able to form any shape with it at room temperature), make the mix into little balls and let the laddoo sit until it comes to room temperatur

Enjoy Boondi Ladoo and share with Family and Friends!!

Thenkuzhal Murukku

This one is from my mother-in-law.

Ingredients:

4 cups rice flour
1 cup roasted and ground urad dhal
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Tbsp Butter(microwave to liquid consistency)
Salt to taste
1.5 cup water
Oil for frying

Traditionally this is made from grinding the rice flour and then mixing it with roasted and ground urad dhal. I have skipped both this steps and used store bought rice flour and urad dhal flour. I slightly dry roasted store bought urad dal flour until it gave out a nice aroma and very little change in color.


Microwave the butter to liquid consistency( it takes 30 seconds in mine). Also heat the cup of water for a minute in the microwave.

In a wide bowl, add the rice flour, urad dhal flour, cumin seeds and salt to taste. Mix once.  Add the butter and mix well. Now add the water 1 tbsp at a time and mix until it is the consistency of a chapati like dough. (Check the salt at each step and add more if needed).

Now heat oil in a deep bottom kadai. Once the oil is hot(the dough should raise up when dropped into the oil). Fill the murukku press with the prepared dough, with the thenkuzhal murukku plate(This will be the one with 3 small holes or 5-6 small holes) . Squeeze the dough into a aluminum foil or parchment paper to make a murukku shape.

Drop this murukku in the hot oil and fry till the oil stops bubbling turning the murukku at regular intervals. When it turns very light brown color remove and place on a tissue paper.

Enjoy your Thenkuzhal Murukku

Ribbon Pakoda

This one is from my friend Jeyanthi. She made and shared the recipe when I was at her house last week.

1 Cup Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Besan Flour
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Seasme Seeds
1 tsp Chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp Butter(microwave to liquid consistency)
1 cup water
Oil for frying

Microwave the butter to liquid consistency( it takes 30 seconds in mine). Also heat the cup of water for a minute in the microwave.

In a wide bowl, add the rice flour, besan flour, cumin seeds, seaseme seeds, chilli powder and salt to taste. Mix once.  Add the butter and mix well. Now add the water 1 tbsp at a time and mix until it is the consistency of a chapati like dough.

Now heat oil in a deep bottom kadai. Once the oil is hot(the dough should raise up when dropped into the oil). Fill the murukku press with the prepared dough, with the ribbon pakoda plate. Squeeze the dough into the oil into 4-5 inch strips.

Fry till it is crisp and turns light brown color. Remove and place on a tissue paper. The ribbon pakodda will become a golden brown color after a few minutes(remember the pakoda will gain color after it is removed from the oil).

Enjoy your snack anytime of the day!!

Meen Kozhambu - Fish Curry

Yummy Fish Curry.

Ingredients:

2lb Fish of your choice cut into small pieces.
4-5 Shallots
1 medium Tomato
3 garlic pods
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp sambhar powder
Juice of tamarind(1 lemon ball size, soaked and squeezed)
1/2 tsp methi seeds(venthayam)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 Sprig Curry leaves
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Season the fish with turmeric, keep for 5 mins and rinse the fish thoroughly and keep aside. 

Grid together 3 shallots, tomato and garlic and keep aside. Chop the remaining 2 shallots and keep aside. In a wide bottomed pan heat oil and add methi seeds and cumin seeds. Add chopped shallots and curry leaves. fry for a minute. Then add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, sambhar powder and salt to taste.

Now add the ground masala and also the tamarind juice and mix well. Adjust the salt according to taste. Now add the fish pieces and cook for 10 minutes on medium until the fish is cooked and the curry thickens.

Enjoy with white rice or Idlis.

The red drink!!

I was watching the Dr Oz show a few days back and thats how this red drink came about. The drink recipe calls for 1 beet,  1 carrot, 1 apple and parsley blended together. I did replace parsley with cilantro. When I finished the final recipe was not sweet enough and tasted exactly like a health drink would.

So I experimented a little more. I filtered the pulp, added a table spoon of agave nectar and a dash of lemon juice and voila...the health drink transformed itself into a drink that can worthy competition with any over the counter drink.

Try it!!

PS: Dr Oz site says that : "This delicious juice combination contains a surprise longevity-boosting secret ingredient – beets! This super food dilates vessels so your blood flows easily, and it’s high in iron, which fights anemia "

Vegetable Dum Biryani

My Vegetable dum biryani is inspired from Vahrehvah. Love the beautiful blend of flavours

Ingredients:

2 cups - Basmathi Rice  (soaked for 30 minutes)
3 medium size Potato(cut into equal size strips or cubes)
10-15 Beans (cut into equal size strips)
1 Carrot  (cut into equal size strips or cubes)
1 bunch mint leaves(washed and chopped)
1 bunch coriander leaves(washed and chopped)
3-4 medium size green chili
1/2 packet store bought Biryani masala
2-3 cloves
2-3 cardamom
1 strip Cinnamon
 1/2 tsp Shahi Jeera
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1 cup yogurt
Fried onion( onion cut and fried in oil until golden brown)
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste


Method:


Cut the potato, beans and carrot into equal size strips, wash and keep aside. Also finely chop the mint and corriander, wash and keep aside.

In a wide bottom fry pan, head some oil. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and shahi jeera. Now add the cut vegetables. Add 1/2 tsp salt and fry the vegetables in the oil. Do this until the vegetables start to brown up.

Now add 1/2 the mint and corriander. Also add the chilli and fry for a minute. Now add biryani masala powder, salt to taste and 1/2 cup yogurt. Keep cooking on medium-high flame until the vegetables are nicely coated with the masala-yogurt mixture. Remove from heat.(The vegetables are 70-80% cooked at this point)

In a deep bottom pan, add water. Season the water with 1/2 tsp garam masala and 1/2 tsp salt. Shahi jeera can also be added to season the water. When the water comes to boil, add the soaked rice and cook until 70-80% done(same as the vegetables). Remove from heat, drain the water and keep aside.

Now we need to layer the rice in order for it to cook in the dum.

Take a deep, think bottomed pan. (remember that the pan needs to be think bottomed because the rice and the vegetables have to cook in the pan for 30-40 minutes on low heat)

Now add 1/2 the vegetable in the bottom of the pan and add the remaining yogurt and cook for a minute until the yogurt blends with the vegetable. Now add half the cooked rice. On this add remaning vegetable mix, some fried onion, remaining mint and corriander leaves. On top of this add the remaining rice. Add remaining fried onion and food color.  Close the pan with a tight lid.

Cook in the pan for 30 minutes on low heat. Do not open the lid during this 30 minutes. After 30 minutes check if the rice is cooke and cook for a few more minutes if needed. Mine is always well cooked by the 30 minutes are up.

Enjoy with fresh Raita.

Raw-Mango Rice/Mavinakai Chitranna

Raw-Mango Rice/Mavinakai Chitranna

Ingredients:

3 cups Cooked Rice
1 Cup Grated raw Mango
1/2 Medium Onion Chopped
1/2 tsp Mustrad
1/2 tsp Urad Dhal
1 tsp Channa Dhal
2 cloves garlic(finely chopped)
2 Dry red chilli
4-5 green chilli(split at the middle)
1 Sprig curry leavs
Few coriander leaves(chopped)
Peanuts(Optional)
2 Tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Tumeric
Pinch of Asafoetida
Salt to taste


Method:

In a pan heat oil and add mustard seeds, when they start to splutter (Keep you heat on medium at this point) add cumin and dry red chilli, fry for a few seconds and add Channa Dhal. After a few seconds add urad dhal. Now add finely chopped garlic and Onion and fry until the raw smell goes away from both and the Onion turns light brown.

Now add the curry leaves and the chopped coriander leaves. Add Asafoetida and salt to taste. Add the grated raw mango and cook for 5-10 minutes(Grated Mango does not need to be cooked for a long time).

Now add the cooked rice and mix well. Add more salt if needed.

Serve hot and Enjoy!!

Indian Chicken Roast - Oven Baked

Ingredients:

1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/4 Tumeric Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste

Marination:

Mix all the ingredients with 2 lb Chicken. Check the spices and add more salt or chilli powder as required. Marinate atleast for 1 hr. Overnight marination in the refrigerator will be great.

Place the chicken pieces on a Aluminium foil covered baking dish(Aluminum foil helps in easy clean up and is optional). Put the marinated Chicken pieces for 375F about 30 mins turn and cook for 20 mins. Increase to 475 and leave 10 mins until it browns.

Makes yummy appetizers too. Enjoy Hot!!