Cashewnut Masala Gravy

Cashew nuts, like all nuts, are an excellent source of protein and fiber. They are rich in mono-unsaturated fat which may help protect the heart. Cashew nuts are also a good source of potassium, B vitamins and folate. They contain useful amounts of magnesium, phosphorous, selenium and copper. Like peanuts, cashew nuts are often salted. This added sodium content may contribute to increased blood pressure. So buy plain roasted cashew nuts without added salt.

Ingredients:
Cashewnuts - 1/2 cup;
Kashmir Chilly - 6 or 7;
Garlic - 6 cloves;
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp;
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp;
Onion - 1(big);
Coconut milk - 1 cup;
Tamarind pulp - a little;
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp;
Vinegar - 1 tsp;
Oil - 4 tbsp;
Jaggery - 2 tbsp(for taste);
Salt to taste.

Preparation:

• Cut the onions into small pieces and keep it separately.
• Take the cumin seeds, garlic, chillies, mustard seeds, turmeric powder and the vinegar and grind it into a smooth paste.
• Place a kadai over the heat, put the oil. When it is hot add the chopped onions till they are golden brown.
• Then, add the grounded mixture together with the jaggery and saute it well until the oil separates from it.
• Now, we have to add the cashews and mix well so that the masala gets coated well with the cashews.
• At this stage, we have to add the coconut milk and mix well at a low flame.
• Lastly, we have to add a little bit of tamarind extract and mix well.
• Let the mixture be at a low flame, so that it does not get burnt.
• When the gravy is been done, garnish it with chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with parathas or rotis with lemon and raw onion.

Paal Paniyaram

Ingredients:

• Raw rice - 1 cup
• Urad dal - 1 cup
• Coconut - 1
• Sugar - 3 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1tsp
• Oil for deep frying.

Preparation:

• Soak urad dal and rice for about 3 hours.
• Add little salt and grind to make paste.
• Extract coconut milk and add cardamom and sugar.
• Heat oil and fry one tsp of the above paste in it. It should form round balls.
• Add them to the coconut mixture.
• Paal paniyaram is ready to serve.

Paneer Makkanwala

Ingredients:

Paneer - 250 gms;
Butter - 2 1/2 tbsp;
Oil- for deep frying;

To be grinded:
Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 4
Garlic - 6 flakes
Grated coconut - 1 1/2 tbsp
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Red chillies - 3
Coriander(finely chopped) - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - a few
Cardamoms - 2
Cloves - 3
Dhania powder - 2 tsps
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste.

Preparation:

• Cut the paneer into cubes and deep fry them in the oil.
• Heat half of the butter and one little oil, add the grounded masala and fry them well.
• When the ghee starts to separate, add the fried paneer cubes and rest of the butter, with enough water.
• Cook the dish in a low flame covered with a lid.
• Stir carefull in between.
• Remove from the fire and garnish with the corainder leaves.
• This dish goes well with chappattis and puris.

Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients:
Large Stiff tomatoes - 5;
Onion - 1;
Green Chillies - 3Chopped finely);
Boiled peas - 2 tbsp;
Paneer or cottage cheese - 200 gm;
Chopped coriander - 1 tbsp;
Chat masala - 1/2 tsp;
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp;
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp;
Salt to tast.
Oil - 1 tsp.


Preparation:

• Wash the tomatoes, cut the top of the tomato, scoop the pulp and keep aside.
• In a microwave safe bowl add oil, green chillies, dry masalas and scooped tomato pulp and microwave at 100% for about 2 mins.
• Add the mashed paneer and the finely chopped coriander to it and mix well.
• Microwave at 80% power for about 2-3 mins. Stir in between. Mix it well.
• Fill the stuff in the scooped tomatoes. Brush with little oil and grill for about 8-10 mins.
• Serve hot.

Strawberry Milkshake

Strawberry is a delicious fruit taken fresh in several ways. It also makes excellent ice cream and Jam on account of its rich aroma, and is also a good source of vitamin C. Strawberry pie is also a popular recipe. It is a soft and a highly perishable fruit, often shipped in frozen condition in Western countries. One cup(144g) of strawberries constitute approximately 45 calories and is an excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids. Strawberry pigment extract can be used as a natural acid/base indicator due to the different colour of the conjugate base of the pigment. The strawberries are used for whitening teeth. They can be crushed and made into exfoliant for skin.


Here, we can see a very simple recipe out of these colourful strawberries, the Strawberry Milkshake.


Ingredients:
Strawberry - 1 cup;
Milk - 3 cups;
Sugar - 1 cup;


Preparation:

• Put the strawberry, 1 cup of milk, sugar in a mixer jar.
• Blend it into a smooth paste.
• Add the rest of the milk and blend it once again.
• Then using the mesh strain the extract.
• Place it in the refrigertaor for about one hour.
• Serve the milkshake on cups with the sliced strawberries.
• To make it more rich, serve them topped with a scoop of icecreams.

Cauliflower Gravy

Ingredients:
Onions - 3
Tomatoes - 3
Cauliflower - 1 big
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Ginger, garlic paste - 2 tsp
Aniseeds - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp.

To grinded:
Scraped coconut - 2tbsp
Cashews - 10
Poppy seeds - 2 tsp

Preparation:

• Cut the onions and tomatoes into small pieces.
• Separate the cauliflower into big flowerettes and soak them in hot water with a pinch of salt for about 10 mins.
• Wash them well and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add the aniseeds, when it starts spluttering add the onions and fry till brown.
• Add the tomatoes and saute them well until it becomes soft.
• Then add the cauliflower and fry till tender.

• Mix the ground paste, salt, turmeric paste and chilli powder with enough water.
• Cook on the medium, covered with a lid, till the cauliflower is soft and the gravy thickens.
• Add the garam masala, mix well and let the mixture be in the heat for 3 mins.

• Garnish with corainder leaves.
• This gravy goes well with chappatti, poori and plain rice.

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 1 cup;
Onion - 2;
Tomato(big) - 3;
Cauliflower 1;
Boiled Peas - 1/2 cup;
Lemon - 1;
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp;
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp;
Coriander(finely chopped) - 1 tbsp;
Salt to taste;
Fried cashews - 1 tbsp;
Refined oil.

To be grinded:
Small onions - 8;
Green chillies -2;
Ginger - i/2 inch piece;
(The above items to be sauted with little oil and then grinded)

Preparation:

• Cook the rice with with 2 cups of water and let them cool.
• Blanch the tomatoes in the hot water for about 10 min, then grind it and keep it separately.
• Cut the onions into small pieces.
• Separate the cauliflower into small pieces and soak them in the hot water with salt and turmeric powder for about 5 min.

• Drain of the water from the cauliflower and deep fry them till they are crispy and keep it separately.
• Place a big kadai(pan) in the heat with 2 tbsp of oil and add the onions and saute them until they are golden brown.
• Then add the grounded paste and fry for about 4 min.
• Add the tomato paste, boiled peas, chilli powder, garam masala with enough salt and mix well.
• Then add the cooled rice and half of the fried cauliflower and mix thoroughly.
• Place in the heat for about 3 min.

• Lastly, add the fried cashews, rest of the cauliflower, corainder, grated coconut and lemon juice on top of it and mix well.
• Serve hot with onion raida and potato chips.

Masal Vadai

Ingredients:
Bengal gram - 1 cup;
Finely chopped onions - 1/4 cup;
Ginger(grated) - 1 tsp;
Green Chillies - 5 or 6;
Garlic - 6 pods(crushed);
Aniseed - 1 tsp;
Finely chopped coriander and pudina - 2 tbsp;
Salt to taste;
Refined oil - to deep fry.

Preparation:

• Soak the dhal with enough water for atleast 2 hours.
• Drain the water and grind the dhal, green chillies and the aniseed coarsely in a mixer.
• Add the onion, ginger, crushed garlic, finely chopped coriander and mint leaves with enough salt and mix well.
• Make small balls out of the mixture and press them with your fingers.
• Deep fry them. The masal vadai is ready.

• Serve them with sauce or corainder chutney.

Mushroom Fried Rice

My kids and hubby like mushrooms very much, that they take in any dish made out of the mushrooms. So, i try out various dishes with mushrooms. Once I tried out the mushroom fried rice, with varying ingredients and it really worked out well. This recipe is a favourite of my family.

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 1 cup;
Button Mushrooms - 1 cup;
Onion - 2 (big);
Tomato - 2;
Green Chillies - 2;
Coriander (chopped)- 1 tbsp;
Oil - 1 tbsp;
Salt to tast.

To be grinded:
Coconut(scraped) - 2 tbsp;
Cashews - 10;
Green Chillies - 3;
Cloves - 2;
Cardamom - 2;
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece.

Preparation:

• Cut the mushrooms into thin strips , put them in a hot water for 5 min and drain the water.

• Cook the rice with two cups of water and allow it to cool.
• Chop the onions, tomato and chilli into thin long pieces.

• Heat oil in a Kadai and add the jeera seeds, when it splutters add the onions and saute it.
• When the onions are golden brown in colour add the tomatoes and chillies and saute them.
• Then, add the grounded paste and mix them well, cook it until the raw smell goes out.

• Now, add the mushrooms, saute them for 3 min.
• Add the rice with enough salt and mix well.
• Let the contents be in the heat for atleast 5 min, taking care to mix in between, so that it does get burnt.

• Garnish with the finely chopped corainder leaves and serve hot with tomato sauce or any raidas.

Coconut Burfi

Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The coconut provides a nutritious source of meat, juice, milk, and oil that has fed and nourished populations around the world for generations. Coconut is used for cooking various dishes. Here I prefer Coconut Burfi, a very simple and less expensive dish, it does not require much ghee as the coconut is already rich in fats. This sweet dish is very popular among the Indians.


Ingredients:
Coconut - 2 cups(grated)
Sugar - 1 1/2 cup;
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp;
Water - 2 cups;
Milk - 1 tbsp;
Ghee - 3 tbsp.

Preparation:

• Fry the grated coconut gently in a dry pan over medium heat till the coconut milk moisture is somewhat lessened.
• Boil the water in a wide-pan in a medium flame.
• When the water boils, add the sugar and keep on stirring
• Add the milk to the boiling sugar syrup to remove the dirt if any and remove them when they come to the surface.
• When the sugar syrup reaches a thick syrupy stage, add the fried coconut to it.
• Stir constantly till the mixture are blended together.
• Now add the ghee and cardamom seeds powder.
• When the mixture is done, remove from the heat and pour into a ghee-smeared plate.
• Flatten the surface evenly.
• When cold, cut into your desired shapes.

Spanish Omelette

Ingredients:
Eggs - 6;
Potatoes - 250 gm(cut into cubes);
Onion - 2 big;
Green Chillies - 3(finely chopped);
Pepper powder - 1 tsp;
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp;
Cheese slices - 2;
Coriander - 1 tbsp(finely chopped);
Salt to taste;
Oil.

Preparation:

• Cut the onions into thin slices and saute them with enough oil and salt till it is dark brown in colour.

• Then shallow fry the potatoes separately with enough oil till becomes soft and tender.

• Take a big bowl, whip the eggs and then add the cooked potatoes and onions.
• Then add green chillies, grated cheese, turmeric powder, coriander, pepper powder and enough salt. Mix them well.

• Heat oil in pan. Pour the mixture and spread. Cover the pan with a lid.
• Cook for about 7 to 8 min in medium flame or till the underside is brown in colour.
• Turn over the omelette in a plate and then again into the pan, so that the otherside can be cooked well.

• Serve hot with a bread toast and orange juice.

An excellent dish for all.

Rice- Vegetables Cookies

Ingredients:
Cooked rice - 1 cup;
Onion - 1 big;
Grated carrot - 1 cup;
Chopped cabbage -1 cup;
Potato - 1 big(boiled and smashed);
Paneer of Cottage Cheese - 50 gm;
Capsicum - 1 big(cut into small pieces);
Cashews - 10;
Almonds - 10;
Green chillies - 2(finely chopped);
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp;
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp(optional);
Coriander - 1 tbsp(finely chopped);
Cornflour - 1 tbsp:
Salt to taste;
Oil for shallow frying.

Preparation:

• First, take the cashews and almonds and run them in a mixer to make a coarse powder.
• Take the cooked rice and smash it well with your hands.
• Add the grated carrots, finely chopped cabbage, capsicum, onion, green chillies and smashed potato and mix them well.
• Then scramble the paneer with your hands and add it to the rice mixture.
• Add the chilli powder, garam masala, the cashew and almonds powder, corn flour, coriander and enough salt.
• Mix the contents well like a chappatti dough.
• Make small balls out of them and bring out your desired shape.
• Heat a pan and shallow fry the cookies with enough oil(If you prefer to deep fry, just go for it).
• The tongue tickling rice cookies are ready.

• Serve them hot with tomato sauce or pudina chutney.

Pudina Rice

The Pudina leaves have a pleasant warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste. Mint leaves are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies, and ice creams. Mint was originally used as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache and chest pains. To cure stomach aches, put dried mint leaves in boiling water, then, when it cools drink it. This tea is called monstranzo. During the Middle Ages, powdered mint leaves were used to whiten teeth. Mint tea is a strong diuretic. Mint also aids digestion.


Pudina is used in variety of dishes such as vegetable curries, chutneys, desserts, soups and juices. Here, I have tried out the pudina rice. Though this recipe is familiar, I have done this recipe with varying ingredients to make it much more tastier and as well to attract the kids.

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 1 cup;
Potatoes - 2 (boiled and cut into cubes);
Peas(boiled) - 1/4 cup;
Onion - 2;
Tomato - 2(optional);
Ginger - 1/2 inch;
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp;
Cashew - 10;
Green Chillies;
Pudina - 1 bunch;
Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch;
Cardamom, cloves and briyani leaves - a few;
Lemon - 1/2;
Ghee or oil;
Salt to taste.

Preparation:

• Boil the rice with 2 cups of water and keep it separately.
• Heat a little oil in the kadai and saute the pudina leaves and ginger.
• Then grind the pudina with green chillies, cashews, coconut and a pinch of turmeric powder.
• Heat the ghee in a kadai and add all the garam masala items to it, then add the onion and saute it well.
• To it, add the grounded paste, with the boiled potatoes, peas and the tomatoes.
• Cook till the raw smell goes out and then add enough salt and the rice to it.
• Saute out the rice well till it gets well heated.
• Squeeze the lemon on top of it, mix well.
• Serve it hot with onion raida.

Enjoy kids. It's Cauliflower Chips

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1(big);
Wheat flour - 2 tbsp;
Corn flour - 1 tbsp;
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp;
Salt to Taste;
Oil - to deep fry.

Preparation:
Cut cauliflower into big flowerettees and boil for 2 min in water to which salt and turmeric powder is added.
Drain the water.
Mix the wheat flour, cornflour , chillipowder and salt with the cauliflower. Sprinkle a little water into it. Mix well.




Then deep fry thm till golden brown in hot oil.

The colourful and tasty cauliflower chips is ready. Try out this recipe at your home and make your kids happy.

Apple-Bread Halwa

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peeled and finely chopped apples;
• 3/4 cup sugar;
• 1/2 cup ghee;
• 1 tbsp of black raisins;
• 3 slices of bread;
• a few drops of vanilla essence.

Preparation:

• Add sugar, apples and the black grapes in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave covered at 100% power for 5 min.

• Blend softened apple mixture and bread slices(soak it in water and then squeeze of the extra water) in a blender.

• Microwave (covered) this mixture at 60% power for 7-8 min.Stir in between.
• Add the ghee and the essence and microwave it for about 2 min.
• Your apple-bread halwa is ready.

Go for Greens: Beans Porial

Ingredients:
Beans (finely chopped) - 250 gms;


Coconut (scraped) - 1 tbsp;
Green Chillies - 2;
Oil - 1 tsp;
Salt to taste.

Preparation:
Smash the coconut with the green chillies and salt coarsely and keep it separately.


Put the beans in a microsafe bowl, sprinkle two tablespoons of water, cover it and place the bowl at 100% power for about 7 min.(Stir it one or two times)
Then add the coconut mixture with a teaspoon of oil and mix it well. Place the bowl in the oven uncovered at 100% power for about two min.
The greenish beans porial is ready.
Serve them after 2 min.