Akki Rotti/ Rice Flour Roti

Akki rotti is famous in Karnataka and prepared generally in houses. All it requires is rice flour. It does requires a bit of patience and practice to prepare without sticking the dough to hands  or plastic paper as its flatten using hands on plastic paper. But nevertheless its god-damn good with chutney and ghee and I cant resist  having it with ghee!

Ingredients:

1. Rice flour - 1 cup

2. Salt - for taste

3. Boiling water to prepare dough

4. Oil (optional, especially for beginners to roll out)

Method:
1. Take a cup of rice flour in a bowl, add salt and mix well
2. To this add boiling water and cover for few minutes say 2 to 3 mins and knead carefully when it is still warm to prepare a dough

Best with coconut chutney and ghee :)

Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:

For Pasta Sauce:
1. Onion - 1 big size
2. Tomato - 3 medium size
3. Green Chillies - 2
4. Ginger-Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp (optional)
5. Salt
6. Water
7. Extra virgin olive oil

For Garnish:
1. Cheese (grated)

And pasta of your choice:
Penne/Fusili/Spaghetti/Elbow

Procedure:
1. Cool the pasta with little salt and olive oil in water. The pasta should not be cooked too soft. Once it is cooked, drain the water and keep aside
2. Now heat olive oil in a pan, and add green chillies cut lengthwise and ginger garlic paste and sauté for few seconds
3. Now add onions chopped finely and sauté till translucent
4. Now add tomatoes chopped finely/roughly and cook till its mushy
5. If required add little water (1/2 cup) and simmer till tomatoes turns to thick paste, you can also mash the tomatoes with spatula, keep stirring so that it wont stick to the bottom of pan
6. The consistency should not be too thick or too water, add salt according to the taste, mix well and once cooked keep it aside
7. Now mix the cooked pasta to the sauce prepared and garnish with grated cheese and enjoy your pasta !

Note:
1. I have used mixture of penne rigate and fusili pasta
2. You can also garnish with basil leaves
Can enjoy it as breakfast or dinner :)

Kaju Katti

One of the most common sweets in India. Be it festivals, special occasions kaju sweets are usual! So I wanted to try it at home, and believe me its not difficult and tastes good !!!

Ingredients:

1. Cashews - 1cup

2. Sugar - 1/2 cup/as required

3. Water - 5 tbspn

4. Ghee/oil - 1 tbspn

5. Rose petals - 1tsp / Rose water- 9-9 drops (optional)

6. Saffron strands - few

Method:

1. Powder cashew in dry grinder. Cashew powder Should be dry and not oily

2. Heat sugar with water in low flame in a kadai

3. Grease a plate/tray and keep aside

4. When sugar dissolves add cashew powder

5. Keep stirring on low flame

6. Cashew mix starts thickening.

7. Cook cashew mix for 7-9 mins till whole mixture starts to come together

8. Remove whole lumps of mixture from pan and place it on surface/bowl

9. Add rose petals and ghee/oil to mixture

10. When its still hot enough to handle, knead the mixture

11. Flatten the dough and place on greased tray. Place the butter paper on top and roll gently from all sides

Allow it to cool and using sharp knife cut and remove using knife

12. Or take a lemon sized dough and make a ball. Place a pista on top to decor and allow it to cool completely

Note:

1. Knead the mixture lightly, do not overdo else  oil is released

2. If too dry or dense, add milk

3. If too soft, add milk powder

Taali Pattu/Masala Rotti

Bored of rice items??? Conscious about weight??? Want something healthy??? Then here is the recipe...
Its from my mom's kitchen. It goes well with coconut chutney.

Ingredients:

1. Rice Flour - 1 cup

2. Onion - 2

3. Sappige soppu/Dill leaves - 2 cups chopped finely

3. Coriander - fistful, chopped finely

4. Curry leaves - fistful, chopped

5. Kadle bele - 1tsp

6. Oil or butter to grease

To Grind:

1. Chilli - 4/ as required

2. Coconut - 1/2 grated

3. Sambar powder - 1 tbspn

4. Kadle bele - 1tsp

5. Salt

Method:

1. Grind the items to paste with all ingredients given under 'To Grind'.

2. Mix all (wet and dry ingredients) with rice flour using boiling water to for a dough

3. Make big lemon sized balls from dough 

3. Take butter paper/plastic paper, apply oil on it. Roll out the dough ball by putting another plastic paper greased with oil/butter or can roll out dry using rice flour

4. Heat the tawa on high flame, once its hot enough cook the rolled out dough on medium high flame on both sides

Enjoy as it is/with chutney and ghee :)

Palak Dal

Wonderful combination of palak and dal that goes well with rotis and rice. Its also good for health with palak used in this dish. It can be prepared in many ways, either by just using toor dal or moong dal or mixture of both. I have used mixture of both to prepare. With aroma of garlic and ghee it adds to the taste and cant resist it!

Ingredients:

• 1. Toor dal - 1/2 cup
• 2. Moong dal - 1/2 cup
• 3. Spinach - 2 cups 
• 4. Red Chilli - 1
• 5. Ginger - 1 inch
• 6. Green Chilli - 2-3
• 7. Garlic - 5 pods
• 8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• 9. Onion - 2
• 10. Tomato - 1
• 11. Salt as needed
• 12. Lemon - 1/2
• 13. Ghee - 1tsp

Seasoning:

• 1. Oil - 1 1/2 tblspn
• 2. Mustard seeds - 1tsp
• 3. Cumin seeds - 1tsp
• 4. Hing - a pinch

Method:

• 1. Pressure cook dal with turmeric for 3 whistles. Mash and keep aside
• 2. Pressure cook spinach for 1 whistle, mash and keep aside
• 3. Heat oil in pan, add ingredients under 'Seasoning', once mustard seeds splutters add garlic, ginger, onion(slit lengthwise), red chilli and green chilli and saute till onions are translucent
• 4. Add tomato and cook till its mushy
• 5. Then add cooked palak and dal, needed salt and mix well and bring everything to boil
• 6. Add lemon juice from half lemon and mix well

Add a teaspoon of ghee and serve hot with rotis or rice!!!

Naan

One of the long waited recipe to be tried, and one of the items in a list when in party or in hotels. Finally got a recipe and when tried it was light, fluffy :) The ingredients are very simple but the trick is the way its prepared... Check out these steps!!!

Ingredients:

1. Maida/All purpose flour - 2 cups

2. Yeast - 1tsp

3. Sugar - 1tsp

4. Salt - 1tsp

5. Ghee/Butter - 4 tblspn

6. Baking soda - 1/4 tsp

7. Yougurt - 2tblspn

8. Luke warm water - 2/3 rd cup

Toppings:

1. Sesame seeds

2. Coriander leaves/dry methi leaves

Method:

1. Take luke warm water in a cup, dissolve yeast ad sugar and keep aside

2. Allow it to rise, which normally takes 5-10 mins

3. Sift flour and salt in a bowl and add yeat-sugar solution, yogurt and half the ghee

4. Mix to form smooth dough, knead on flat surface to make it smoother

5. Keep in greased covered bowl, in warm place and allow to stand for atleast 1 hour (good to keep for 2 or 3 hours). It will double in size

6. Knead the dough for 5 more minutes by punching it down

7. Divide into lemon sized balls. Flatten each ball using hand and add toppings

8. Now heat a pan and grease it with oil and wipe it off with kitchen tissue/towel

9. Place flattened dough and cook in a medium heat

10. Few minutes it will puff up as in pic below

11. Then add ghee/melted butter on 2-3 spots and turn it on

12. Cook for few more minutes and remove

13. Immediately wrap it in a kitchen tissue and Serve hot with your favorite side dish !!!

Note:

1. If not able to form a dough with step 2 and 3, use milk enough to form a dough. Do not use water

2. Check for the side dish in my post 'Palak Paneer' that goes well with this!

Kalakand

One of the popular dessert made in India. Its a milk sweet enriched with dry fruits. A treat for your taste buds :) Try it and let me know!

Ingredients:

1. Condensed milk - 1 cup
2. Paneer - (with 2 cups milk + 1 lemon)
3. Elachi - 2/3
4. Ghee - 2 tblspn or more as required to saute paneer
5. Sugar - 1 cup (or as you need the sweetness)
6. Almonds and pista coarsely grinded to garnish

Method:

1. First prepare paneer. Look into my post 'Home Made Paneer' to prepare paneer
2. Melt ghee and add paneer and saute for 2 minutes
3. Add sugar and condensed milk and heat for 5 minutes
5. Add elachi and mix and switch off
6. Grease a plate with ghee and pour the kalakand on it and pat using spatuala so that it sets on it.
7. Garnish with almonds and pista and pat using spatula so that it sets
8. Allow it to cool. But cut into pieces when its still warm

Serve once cool :) Enjoy

Hesarubele/Moong dal Payasa

One of the favorite sweets of mine :) I just feel like gulping it even now when am blogging about it... With the goodness of moongdal and jaggery its just delicius and yummmmm yummyyyyy :) 

Ingredients:

1. Moong Dal - 1cup

2. Jaggery - 1 or 1 1/2 (dal:jaggery = 1:1 or 1:1 1/2)

3. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

4. Coconut - 1/2 cup

5. Milk - 1 or 1 1/2 cups

6. Ghee to fry dry fruits

Method:

1. Fry/ Dry roast dal till golden brown

2. Once cool, wash and pressure cook the dal with 1.5 cups of water (1 cup dal:1.5 cups of water)

3. Grind coconut and cardamom to paste and add it to cooked dal

4. In a kadai, add jaggery and water just to melt the jaggery, and heat it jaggery melts

5. Add this melted jaggery by filtering it to the cooked dal

6. Add milk to cooked dal, mix well and boil for 2-3 mins

7. Keep stirring in between to avoid it get sticking to bottom

8. Garnish with fried raisins and cashews and serve

Note:

1. Can add more water/milk to make it watery. The payasam should not be too thick

2. Dry roast the dal before cooking properly else it sticks

Onion Tomato Chutney

One who likes onions and tomatoes would definitely likes this chutney and goes well with idli, dosa, chapati. Best with idlis n dosas n can be stored for longer time since coconut is not used. Lets get into the recipe without wasting much tym!

Ingredients:

1. Onion - 1

2. Tomato - 1

3. Red Chillie - 2/3

4. Hing - a pinch

5. Oil/Ghee - 2 tsp

6. Channa Dal - 1 tblspn

7. Salt as needed

To Temper:

1. Oil - 1tsp

2. Mustard - 3/4 tsp

3. Urad dal - 1tsp

4. Curry leaves - 1 spring

Method:

1. Heat a tsp of oil and fry red chillies and channa dal untill dal turns golden brown and keep aside

2. Cut onions and tomatoes in chunks and fry in oil till transparent, then add tomatoes and fry till it is soft and keep aside

3. Once ingredients are cool, transfer to mixer, add salt and grind to smooth paste

4. Temper it using items given under 'To Temper'

5. Mix well and serve

Rave Unde/Laddoo

This one doesn't need any introduction!!! Everyone would have some memories attached to it! Its such a delicious one which is prepared at home even without any occasions :) Till I gave a try for this I never knew it is simple and easy to prepare. Ok so now lets not waste time and look into the recipe :)

Ingredients:
Rave/Semolina - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Dry Coconut - 2 tblspn
Ghee - use generously (1/4 cup,melted)
Saffron - few soaked in warm milk
Raisins and cashew - few
Cloves - 7-8
Warm milk - 5-6 tblspn(just for binding)

Method:
1. In a vessel/pan, heat 1 tblspn of ghee and fry raisins and cashews until cashews are brown and raisins are plump and keep in a plate aside
2. Fry rave in same till it turns its color to golden brown. Keep in same plate
3. Warm the coconut in same pan and transfer it to same plate
4. Measure sugar and warm ghee and add to this plate and add saffron
5. Mix all ingredients and sprinkle warm milk and mix and make laddoos of desirable size

I got 15 yum yummy laddoos :) !!!

Note:
1. Use more ghee than milk so that it melts in your mouth
2. Use warm ghee to pour on rava
3. Try using dry coconut as it helps in preserving for longer time

Peanut Butter Cookies

Mouth watering and melting cookies ! I was desperate to try this one after i tasted it prepared by one of my friend in Hildesheim, Germany :) And believe me, its not difficult to prepare and you would love it :) So here is this weekend recipe :)

Ingredients:

Butter - 3/4 cup (unsalted)
Peanut Butter - 3/4 cup (crunchy/smooth)
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
All Purpose Flour/Maida - 2 cups
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Salt - little
Chopped peanuts - optional

Method:

1. Beat unsalted butter, and add sugar and brown sugar
2. Beat till light and fluffy (2-3 mins)
3. Add peanut butter and beat
4. Add vanilla extract and beat to combine and keep aside
5. To this, add Maida, baking soda and salt and whisk together
6. Can add choco chips/chopped peanuts, this is optional

7. Cover and chill for half an hour
8. Preheat oven to 180 degree C and line baking sheets at middle
9. Make balls out of dough and place on baking sheets
10. In a bowl, take sugar, dip fork and press down on balls done
11. Bake for 5-10 mins or till edges are brown

Note:

1. After 5 mins keep checking till edges are brown
2. Allow it to cool completely before serving

Enjoy!!!

Palak Paneer

One of the most popular Indian dish, basically punjabi dish with goodness of palak. Its basically paneer cubes cooked in spinach/palak curry. And no wonder highly nutritious!!!

Preparation time : 15 min
Cooking time: 30 min

Ingredients:

Palak - 3 cups
Green Chillli - 1-2
Paneer - 15 pieces
Onion - 3/4 cup very finely chopped
Garlic - 3-4 cloves
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Tomatoes - 1 cup
Salt to taste

Spice powders:

Cumin powder - 3/4 - 1tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Red  Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 3/4 tsp

Seasoning:

Oil - 21/2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cloves - 2

Granish:

Butter - 2tbsp

Preparation:

1. Prepare paneer at home or can even buy. Can check my recipe to prepare Home Made Paneer
2. Fry paneer in very less oil and keep aside
3. Grind the palak to smooth paste with chilli and keep aside

Method:

1. Heat oil in a kadai and add items under 'Seasoning'
2. When cumin seeds sizzles, add onion, garlic and saute till onions are brown
3. Add little salt, continuous stir is required
4. Add Ginger-Garlic paste and saute
5. Add tomatoes and all spice powder and turmeric powder and salt needed
6. Cook till tomatoes are mushy. Do not add water till tomatoes are cooked
7. Add palak puree and cook in medium flame for 5-6 min
8. Once palak is cooked add paneer and cook for 2-3 mins
9. Add some water and simmer
10. Ig gravy is too thick add water and adjust consistency and also the taste accordingly
11. Garnish with butter and serve

Maddur Vada

One of the popular and tasty snack in Karnataka! Maddur vada gets its name from town Maddur, in Mandya district on the way to Mysore. I remember we stopping every time at this place when on the way to mysore just to have this snack. This also fills my craving for something hot and crispy and when I tried it was easy and tasty!!! So now even you can prepare this at anytime and enjoy!

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 cup, chopped thinly

Green chilli - 2-3(can adjust based on how much spicy you need)

Curry leaves - 5-8, chopped

Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, chopped

Maida - 1/2 cup

Semolina - 1/2 cup

Rice Flour - 1 cup

Coconut - 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds - 1tsp

Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Hot oil - 1/4 cup

Oil - for deep frying

Method:

1. Blend cumin seeds, chillies,coconut without adding water

2. Mix this along with all other ingredients using hot oil. Use spoon to mix since hot oil is used

3. Leave for 15 mins

4. Mix water when you want to deep fry 

5. Heat oil over low flame and make dough by sprinkling water like chapati dough

6. Make small lemon sized dough and pat on greased non stick paper

7. Transfer it to your fingers(on 4 fingers) and slide into hot oil carefully

8. Fry till red and crispy and drain on paper towel and enjoy hot hot crispy maddur vada best with tea!!!

Potato Palya/Aloo Sabzi

Mostly done at home when dosa's are prepared!!! And favorite for all potato lovers!!! Here is its recipe... 

Ingredients:
1. Potato - 3
2. Onion - 2 (cut lenghtwise)
3. Green Chilli - 3-4
4. Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
5. Curry leaves - 5-6
6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Oil - 1 1/2 tblspn

For Seasoning:
1. Mustard seeds
2. Cumin seeds
3. Urad dal
4. Channa dal

To Garnish:
Coriander leaves - 1 tblspn (very finely choped)

Method:
1. Wash and pressure cook potatoes for 3 to 4 whistles and mash it roughly by hand by peeling the skin once it cools down
2. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add other ingredients under 'For Seasoning'
3. When dal turns golden brown add curry leaves, onions, green chilli and saute till onions are translucent
4. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for few seconds
5. Add turmeric powder, lemon juice and salt to taste and mix well
6. Cook for few minutes until everything gets cooked and blended well
7. Do not add water for whole cooking process. If at this stage if the sabzi is too dry add 1tblspn of water  and enjoy the sabzi with dosa or any other dish!

Note:
1. This sabzi can also be used for sandwich filling

Mysore Masala Dosa & Benne Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa is the South Indian food and now becoming popular not only in North India but abroad too! This mouth watering food is one of the best and tasty food in world as cited by CNN . Here is the recipe of this! Its actually potato sabzi filling for normal dosa and spiced with red chutney! If butter is used to roast the dosa then its benne(butter) masala dosa!!!

This has 3 steps:

1. Preparing dosa batter
2. Preparing potato filling: Check my recipe to make Potato Palya/Aloo Sabzi
3. Preparaing Masala dosa

Ingredients for making Masala dosa:

1. Dosa batter
2. Potato filling
3. Red Chutney
4. Oil/Butter to roast dosa

Ingredients to make Dosa Batter:

1. Rice - 2 cups

2. Urad dal - 1/2 cup

3. Methi seeds - 1/4 cup

4. Poha - 1/4 cup cup

5. Water - to soak and grind the batter

Ingredients to make Red Chutney:

1. Chana dal - 2 tblspn (roasted)

2. Garlic - 4-5 

3. Red Chillies - 2-3 (soaked in warm water, can adjust the chillie sbased on how much hot you need)

4. Tamarind - 1tsp

5. Onion - 1/4 cup (roughly chopped)

6. Salt - as per taste

7. Water - to grind chutney

Method to prepare Dosa batter:

1. Mix all ingredients except poha & water. Rinse and wash with water

2. Soak in water for 5 to 6 hours

3. Drain water and with little water to grind, grind the soaked ingredients along with poha(rinsed with water) till you get fluffy and smooth batter

4. Cover and allow the batter to fermet for about 7 to 9 hours

Method to prepare Masala Dosa:

1. Prepare dosa batter and potato filling  and keep aside
2. Blend all ingredients given under 'Ingredients to make Red Chutney' to prepare red chutney by adding little water. This chutney should be a smooth paste and not watery. Keep aside
3. Heat the tava and spread 1 or 2 tsp of oil/butter, spread the dosa batter in circular motion from centre towards edge
4. Sprinkle some oil/butter, cover dosa with a lid and cook the dosa in low-medium heat till it gets cooked completely on both side
5. Now spread 1 or 2 tsp of red chutney on dosa and place 2 to 3 tbsp of potato filling. Fold(add butter if you like on top f it) and serve hot along with chutney!!!

Mysore Masala Dosa ready to eat!!! :)

Note:
1. You can spread butter instead of oil and when you fold add a tsp of butter and its benne(butter) masala dosa!!!

Kashaya/Kashayam | A Herbal/Ayurvedic drink

Good for cough, cold, body pain and headache and can be a substitute for coffee/tea. Its such a healthy drink made out of several indian spices. Having it daily would eases the running nose, sore throat and body pain! There are many versions of doing kashaya. Some add more cloves and others add ginger. You can adjust the spices according to your taste as well! So here is this recipe try it when you have cold n cough!

Ingredients:

For powder :

Coriander seed - 1tbsp

Cumin seeds - 2 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1/3 tsp

Black pepper - 4 or 5 or 1tsp

Cloves - 1 tsp

Cardamom - 2 pods

Dry ginger - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - pinch

For Kashaya:

Tulasi leaves 4 or 5 (if avai)

Honey/jaggery - 1 tsp

Mint leaves - 10

Betel leaf - 1 

Milk - 1/2 cup

Method:

Kashaya Powder:

1. Heat a pan and dry roast all spices(coriander, cumin,fennel,black pepper, cloves and cardmom) one by one for a 1 1/4 min in low flame and remove n allow it to cool

2. Grind to powder with ginger and turmeric powder

3. The powder is ready n can be stored in air tight container for further use

Kashaya:

1. Boil 1/4 cup of water on medium flame

2. Once it starts boiling put 2 tsp of powder, jaggery and mix 1/2 cup milk 

3. Add all mint leaves, betel leaf, tulasi leaves and boil for 2 to 3 mins and let it rest for a min

4. Switch off and strain the kashaya and drink while hot

Note:

1. Add more or less quantity of milk depending on your preference

2. Don’t rush the grinding process of the spices for long time as the essential oils in the spice powder will release moisture contents and this moisture content will reduce the shelf life of the spice powder. So you grind the powders for short intervals, something like for 12-15 seconds, mix them gently with a help of a spoon to aerate and then grind them again for couple of seconds.

Gobi Manchurian

When we go to hotels, when its raining, or when all friends meet up in some restaurant, or be a party... One item that everybody loves to have is Gobi! Yes Gobi Manchuri! :) Its also most of ours evening snacks where we always loved to have it from street sides ;) One day i got craving for it sooo much that i thought why not give it a try! At first I thought its very difficult and was very doubtful about the taste. But when me and ma hubby started on it! We finished almost half gobi that I used to prepare it! Yup now even you can prepare it @ home!!! :)

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 15 florets of lower size, kept in hot water for 15 mins and drained

Corn flour - 3 tsp

Maida - 5 tsp

Water - 1/4 cup

Black Pepper - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

For Sauce:

Oil - 2 tblspn

Corn flour - 1tsp

Spring onion - 1/2 cup chopped

Garlic - 1 tblspn finely chopped

Ginger - 2 tsp finely chopped

Green Chilli - 2 slit lenghtwise

Onion - 1.2 cup very finely chopped

Water - 1 cup

Soya sauce - 1 tblspn

Tomato Ketchup - 1 tblspn

Salt to taste

Method:

Gobi:

1. Heat oil for deep frying in a vessel

2. Dissolve corn flour, maida, pepper and salt in water. In this step should use water required only to dissolve and prepare batter like dosa batter. Batter should be bit thick so that it coats the gobi well.

3. Add cauliflowers and mix well so that the batter coats the cauliflower well

4. Add 5 or 6 at a time into hot oil and fry till golden brown

5. remove and drain and keep aside

Sauce:

1. Mix 1tsp corn flour with 1/4 cup of water

2. Add soya sauce, ketchup and salt

3. Heat oil in a pan on high heat and add garlic, ginger, chillies, onions, sring onions and saute for few seconds

4. Add cornflour mix to above and cook for few mins until thick and corn flour is cooked

5. Toss cauliflower so that sauce coats it well

6. Switch off flame

Garnish with onions and extra green chillies if you want and serve hot!!!

Raita

Raita!!! One of the side dish that goes well with all most all rice items! It can also be taken alone. Since many vegetables will be added to this, its also nutritious and good for health. Its very simple and requires very less time to prepare!

Preparation time : 15-20 mins

Ingredients:
Curd - 1 cup
Cucumber - 1/4 (grated and cut finely)
Onion - 1/2 (very finely chopped)
Carrot - 1/2 grated
Tomato - 1/2 (finely chopped)
Coriander - fistful (Finely chopped)
Curry leaves - few strands (finely chopped, optional)
Green chilli - 2 (slit lengthwise)
Green gram - few (optional, soaked over night)
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Chop all ingredients as specified and given under 'Ingredients'
2. Add them to curd and add salt to taste
3. Mix well

Superb Raita ready! :)

Note:
1. You can exclude any item you don't like and yet it comes out good!

Radish Sambar/Moolangi Saaru

One of the delicious and flavorful sambar that goes well with ragi ball/muddhe and rice :) For this sambar powder is used. I have used home made sambar powder, you can also buy a good quality sambar powder like MTR sambar powder.Try it and let us know how you liked it? 

Preparation time: 20-30 mins

Cooking time : 15 mins

Ingredients:

Radish - 1 1/2 cup (chopped)

Tur dal - 1/2 cup

Tomato - 1

Water - 2 cups

Salt

To Grind:

Coconut - 1/4 cup

Sambar powder - 3 tblspn

Chilli powder - 1 tblspn

Tamarind - small lemon sized

Coriander - fistful

Onion - 1/2 sliced roughly

Garlic - 1 1/2  pods

To Temper:

Oil - 1 tblspn

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Onion - 1/2 (sliced lengthwise)

Curry leaves - few

Garlic - 2 pods

Method:

1. Wash and cut radish and pressure cook along with washed dal and tomato roughly chopped with 1 cup of water. Pressure cook for 2 whistles

2. Meanwhile, grind the ingredients given under 'To Grind' to a paste by adding little water

3. In a pan, add 1 tblspn of oil and heat. Once it is heated add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Then add all items given under 'To Temper' and saute till onion are transparent

4. Once the dal is cooked, allow the pressure cooker to cool. Once cooled, add the paste prepared and add another cup of water and heat on medium high flame

5. Bring to boil, and then reduce the flame to low medium and add the temper and salt to taste

Check the taste by taking the liquid part and adjust the taste accordingly and boil for another 5 to 8 mins

Enjoy with rice or muddhe!

Note:

1. Can adjust the taste i.e., sambar powder, chilli powder, tamarind and salt at step 5

2. Can add grated cocnut directly without grinding. if grinding it makes the sambar bit thick. In this i have added the coconut without grinding.

3. If you want, you can skip the garlic either in grinding and out it for tempering or vise versa

Bhindi Masala/Okra Masala

One easy dish that goes well with chaptis/rotis in a punjabi style! Adding kasuri methi and amchur powder makes it more of north indian and restaurant type bhindi masala!

Preparation time : 15 to 20 mins
Cooking time : 15 mins

Ingredients:
Bhindi - 10 to 15
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Onion - 1 1/2 - 2(finely chopped)
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tblspn

Kasuri methi - 1tsp (crushed)

Oil - 2 to 3 tblspn

Salt 

Spice Powders:

Red chilli powder - 1-2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tblspn

Garam Masala powder -12 tblspn

Dry mango powder/Amchur powder - 1 tsp

Preparation:
1. Cut the bhindi/okras and dry fry on a pan till the stickiness is gone, keep stirring in between

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan, add onions and fry till they become translucent
2. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for few seconds
3. Now add chopped tomatoes and saute till they are soft and mushy
4. Now add all spice powders and mix well and saute for few seconds
5. If its too dry can add little water to moist it.
6. Now add fried bhindi, kasuri methi and salt and mix well so that onion and tomato masala coats bhindi well
7. Cook for 2-3 mins by stirring in between and serve hot

Note:
1. Adjust the taste accordingly at step 6
2. You can omit dry mango powder and kasuri methi if you don't have those ingredients, but yet it tastes good!

Aagala Kai Palya/Bitter Gourd/Karela Sabzi

This is one of my favorite sabzi and the recipe is from my mom's kitchen ! :) The recipe wont taste that bitter and try it once before you hate it! Though its bitter in raw no wonder in its nutrients and makes good side dish.

Preparation time : 15 to 20 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins

Ingredients:
Bitter gourd - 2
Sambar powder - 2 tblspn
Jaggery - 1o r 2 tblspn
Tamarind extract - from lemon sized ball
Sesame seeds - 1tsp(powdered)
Salt to taste

To Temper:
Oil - 2-3 tblspn
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 (very finely chopped)
Curry leaves - fistful

To Grind:
Coconut - 1/2 grated
Green Chill - 3
Garlic - 3 to 4 pods
Roasted gram - 1 tsp
Coriander - fistful
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp (dry fried)

Preparation:
1. Dry fry poppy seeds till it turns golden brown and keep aside to cool
2. Extract tamarind juice from lemon sized ball of tamarind
3. Cut the bitter gourd, and if you want you can remove the seeds else can keep (seeds will be more bitter)  and dry fry till it turns brown(until the raw smell is gone)
4. Grind all the items given under 'To Grind' to a paste and keep it ready
5. Powder the sesame seeds and keep ready

Method:
1. Add oil in a kadai and heat. Add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Once it splutters add all items given under 'To Temper' and saute till onions turn translucent
2. Now add the fried bitter gourd and saute for few seconds
3. Add prepared paste and mix well. Saute for 2 mins
4. Add jaggery and tamarind and saute for a min
5. Add sesame seeds powdered, sambar powder and salt to taste and mix well
6. Cook until bitter gourd is cooked well and all spices are mixed well and until raw smell of tamarind and sambar powder is gone

Enjoy with chapati/rotis or as a side dish for rice

Note:
1. If you feel the sabzi is too dry can add little water while cooking after adding sambar powder and mixed well
2. If sesame powder not available can add sesame seeds directly. Else if seeds also not available can omit that

Channa/Chickpeas Pulao

Fed up of having same kind of pulao??? Here is a pulao which is easy and flavourful! And if you like channa (chick peas) then you would definitely like this dish. Its also a good lunch box recipe. As Channa is rich in protien and fibre, this pulao is very healthy and makes a perfect lunch box. Here is the recipe to be prepared from pressure cooker

Preparation time: 15 min

Cooking time : 30 min

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup

Channa - 1/2 cup (soaked overnight)

Onion - 3/4 cup (cut lengthwise)

Chilli - 2 slit

Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - fistful

Thin coconut milk - 1 cup

Lemon juice - 1 tblspn

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Water - 1 cup (since 1 cup of coconut milk is used)

Seasoning:

Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 2 inch piece

Cardamom - 1

Preparation:

1. Soak channa/chickpeas overnight or for 5-6 hours

Method:

1. Heat oil in a cooker and add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and saute till it crackles

2. Add onion, green chilli and saute until onion becomes translucent

3. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for few seconds

4. Add channa, turmeric powder, chilli powder,garam masala and salt and mix well and saute for few 2-3 minutes

5. Add washed and drained rice and saute for 3 to 4 mins.

6. Add coconut milk, lemon juice and bring to boil 

7. Take water and check for taste for salt and spicy and adjust according to your taste

8. Close and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Switch off and allow to cool
9. Garnish with coriander

Channa/Chickpeas pulao is ready to be served. Serve with any of your favorite raita

Note:

1. Instead of coconut milk can use a cup of water
2. Can adjust the taste and masala accordingly at step 7
3. For raita can check Raita Reciepe in ma blog

Masala Cookies/Khara Biscuits

Flavoured with chillies and ginger, a perfect for evening snack! Here it is in a simple and easy manner to try it out! :)

Ingredients:
1. Maida/All purpose flour - 2 cups
2. Ghee/Butter - 1/3 cup
3. Yogurt - 2tsp
4. Chilli powder - 1tsp
5. Ginger - 1tsp
6. Sugar - 3 tsp
7. Salt - 1 tsp
8. Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
9. Green Chillies - 1 tsp (finely chopped)
10. Curry leaves - 2-3 (finely chopped)
11. Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
13. Dill leaves - 2 tblspn (optional, but i love this in cookies)

Method:
1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients and knead to smooth firm dough

2. Knead well for 3-4 min
3. Refrigerate covered for 20-30 mins
4. Preheat oven to 180 deg c
5. Line the baking sheet
6. Remove from refrigerator and on a lightly floured surface roll the dough out for required thickness, keeping it not too thick and not too thin is better)
7. Cut the dough into desired shape and place on baking sheet
8. Place the tray in oven and bake for 20 min/until edges turns golden brown
9. Remove and allow it to cool completely, store it in a air tight container

You can have it with tea, or as a snack ! :)

Note:
1. You change the amount of ingredients based on how spicy you need
2. It continues to cook as they are cooling when removed from oven

Eggless Banana Muffins

So here is this my first baking post as a special post for completing 25 posts !!! And this is for all the audiences out there and my lovely followers :) And I have given the step by step pics!

Ingredients:
1. Ripe Banana - 4 medium size
2. Butter - 2 tsp
3. Oil - 1 tsp
4. Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
5. Sugar - 1/2 cup
6. Brown Sugar - 1/4 cup
7. Maida - 1 1/2 cup
8. Baking soda - 1 tsp
9. Baking powder - 1tsp
10. Cinnamon powder - 1tsp
11. Choco chips - 1/ cup

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190 degree C/ 375 degree F for 10 mins
2. In bowl, take maida, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon powder and mix well and keep aside

3. Now prepare wet ingredients, take ripe bananas and mash using your hand properly

4. Then add butter, oil and vanilla extract and mix well
5. Add sugar, brown sugar and mix well. Wet ingredients is prepared

6. Now add wet ingredients (step 3 to 5) to the dry ingredient (bowl in which maida is mixed)

7. Mix well

8. Add choco chips and fold them in.

9. Divide the batter and put in muffin liners and bake them for 20  mins
10. Let them cool for 5 mins

Enjoy!!!

I have given closer pic to show the softness...

Note:
1. Do not over mix else the muffins will become tough
2. Insert toothpick or fork and check. If it coes out clean then muffins are done
3. Since while preparing this I dint had brown sugar I used normal sugar and so the color is not brown!
4. Add only 3/4 th the muffin liners as when it is baked it raises

Ghee Rice

The rice flavoured with ghee! :) This one is most frequent party dish. Its not that difficult to prepare this at home and make your taste buds happie :) Here is the recipe done using pressure cooker

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking Time : 15 - 20 mins

Ingredients:

1. Rice - 2 cups

2. Onion - 2 (thinly sliced lengthwise)

3. Green Chillies - 3

4. Cloves - 6

5. Cardamom - 2

6. Cinnamon Stick - 1" (2)

7. Bay leaf - 2

8. Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp

9. Cashew nuts - 10

10. Raisins - fistful

11. Salt

12. Coriander leaves - 2 tblspn (optional)

13. Ghee/Butter - 4 to 5 tblspn

14. Water - 4 cups

Method:

1. In a pressure cooker heat 3 tblspn of ghee and allow it to melt

2. Reduce flame and add cashew and saute till golden brown and remove and then add raisins and saute for few seconds remove and keep it aside

3. Add remaining ghee, once heated add sliced onions and saute till transparent and then add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf and allow it to splutter

4. Add chillies and saute for few seconds

5. Wash rice with water and drain it. Now add the drained rice and saute for 5 minutes

6. Add water and garam masala powder, salt to taste and bring to boil

7. Cover the lid and pressure cook for 2 whistles

8. Garnish it with nuts and raisins and serve with any of your favourite curry

Note:

1. Adjust the salt and garam masala before covering the lid to pressure cook

2. I served it with potato with curd gravy. Here is the link to its post in my blog "http://namadugemane.blogspot.de/2014/03/aloo-subzi-withcurd-gravy.html"

 Let me know how it tastes! 

Aloo Subzi with Curd Gravy

For all aloo lovers here it is a recipe which is simple and tasty :) It can be served with rotis/chapatis/side dish for rice items too !

Preparation time : 15 mins
Cooking time : 20 to 25 mins

Ingredients:
1. Potatoes - 4 (boiled in salt water)
2. Ginger - 1/2 tsp
3. Green Chilli - 1 or 2
4. Garlic cloves - 4
5. Cumin seeds - 1tsp
6. Bay leaf - 1
7. Peanuts - 4tsp (coarsely crushed)
8. Sesame seeds - 1.4 tsp
9. Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
10. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Curd - 1/2 cup
12. Sugar - 1tsp (optional)
13. Oil - 4 tsp
14. Coriander leaves - to garnish

Method:
1. Peel and cut potatoes into small cubes
2. Make a paste of ginger, garlic and green chillies
3. Heat oil in a kadai and add cumin seeds and allow it to splutter
4. Then add the paste done in step 2 and bay leaf and saute for a min
5. Add coarsely crushed peanuts and sesame seeds and saute for a minute
6. Add red chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well
7. Add beaten curd, sugar and cook for 2 to 3 minutes
8. Add chopped potatoes and salt to taste and mix well
9. Cook covered for 5 to 6 minutes and stir occasionally in between
10. Add fresh coriander leaves and turn off the heat

Serve hot with rotis/chapatis/side dish for rice items

Note:
1. If you like it to be more gravy add water and cook covered
2. Adjust spices according to your taste before adding the potatoes

RasMalai

The mouth watering and popular Bengali dessert! Ras means juice/juicy and Malai means Cream.. This is nothing but rasgulla soaked in saffron flavored milk. Lets look into the process of its making ! This time I have taken snaps at stages carefully !

Cooking time : 40 to 45 mins

There are three steps in this:
1. Preparing Paneer
2. Preparing Rasgulla
3. Preparing Rasmalai

1. Preparing Paneer:
You can check ma blog for the post http://namadugemane.blogspot.de/2014/02/home-made-paneer.html
to know how to prepare paneer. Or you can buy from stores if you want

2. Preparing Rasgulla:
     Ingredients for rasgulla discs:
     1. Paneer
     2. Rava - 1tsp
     3. Cardamom - 1/4 tsp
     4. Sugar - 2 tsp
     5. Maida - 1tbsp

     Ingredients for Syrup:
     1. Water - 2 1/2 cups
     2. Sugar - 1 cup

    Method:
    1. Knead paneer until your hand becomes oily, knead using heel of your hand
    2. Add 1 tsp of rava, cardamom powder,sugar and knead lightly
    3. Divide into eual pieces and make smooth balls
    4. Flatten in shape of discs and place on maida dusted plate as shown in below pic

    5. Heat sugar and water on low flame in a pan untill sugar dissolves and then increase the flame
    6. When it starts boiling, reduce the flame and drop the paneer disc and cook closed for 15 mins but check in between

    7. After 15 to 20 mins, rasgullas would be doubled in its size as in below pic

    8. Switch off flame and allow to cool and allow it to stand for about 2 hours

           Its Rasgulla !!! :)

3. Preparing Rasmalai:
       Ingredients for saffron flavoured milk:
       1. Milk - 2 1/2 cups or 1/2 litre
       2. Sugar - 1/3 cup
       3. Cardamom powder - 1.4 tsp
       4. Saffron - 7-8 strands
       5. Pista - 2 - 3 tbsp
       6. Almonds - 2 - 3 tbsp
   
       To Garnish:
       Almonds and pista chopped

      Method:
      1. Boil milk until it reduces to 1 1/4 cup, by keeping in medium low flame and keep stirring in between so that milk wont get burnt
      2. Add sugar, cardamom powder and mix until sugar dissovles
      3. Switch off and add almond, pista and saffron and mix well
      4. Now take rasgulla from sugar syrup and squeeze out excess sugar syrup by keeping the rasgulla between two ladles and press gently
       5. Drop squeezed rasgulla into creamy milk and let it cool and let it stand for atleast 2-3 hours
       6. Refrigerate and serve chilled garnished with almond and pista

              Rasmalai is ready!!! Yumm...!

Note:
1. Always refrigerate after allowing it to soak for about 2 hours and it tastes best when chilled