vermicelli upma(Semya upma)

Ingredients:


Vermicelli :2 cup
Chana dal :1 tbl spn
Urad dal :1 tbl spn
Mustard seeds:1/4 tbl spn
Cashewnuts :4-5
Onions :1
Green chillies :2-3
Ginger :1/ inch
Water :4 cups
Oil :3 tbl spn
Ghee :2 tbl spn
Curry Leaves :3
Salt to taste


Preparation method:

Chop the onions, chillies, ginger into small pieces and keep aside.
Heat oil and add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds and curry leaves. When they start to crackle , add cashewnuts. Fry till they turn golden brown.

Then add chillies, ginger and onions.
Cook until they are done.
After that add salt and 4 cups of water, cover with a lid and let it boil .

When the water comes to boil add vermecelli and simultaneously stir ( so that no lumps will be formed).
Cover the upma with a lid for 5-6 minutes and then add 2tbsp of ghee and stir well.

Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Jalebi

Ingredients:


For the batter:
Maida (seived flour or all purpose flour) :1 cup
Fine suji (semolina) :3/4 tblspn
A pinch of baking powder
Curd or yogurt :1/2 cup
Warm water :1 cup
A pinch of saffron threads.


For the sugar syrup:
Saffron threads :1/2 tbl spn
Sugar :1 cup
Water :1 cup
Green cardamom seeds powder :1/2 tsp
Rose water :2 tbl spn
Ghee or oil for frying.

Plastic bottle with a small hole, usually ketchup
dispenser suits well.

Preparation Method:


For the batter:
In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, suji, baking powder together. Beat curd and mix 1/2 cup of the water in it. Mix well with a whisk. Add this to the flour, blend it well and add little water if required to form a batter or pouring consistency. Sprinkle some saffron and whisk until smooth. Cover the bowl with a cling film and set aside for about 6 hours to ferment.

For the syrup:
In a non-stick kadhai/wok, dissolve the sugar in a cup of water and boil for around 10 minutes. Add saffron and cardamom powder and boil for 5 more minutes.


For the jalebis:
Heat ghee or oil in a kadhai/wok on a high flame. Then lower the flame to medium-low, pour the batter in the dispenser and then make small jalebis by dropping the batter into round shapes directly into the kadhai to form coils.

Make only a few jalebis at a time. Fry the jalebis only at a low flame, flip over and fry them equally from both sides until they are golden and crisp. Remove from the kadhai and drain on kitchen paper towel. Drop them into the hot sugar syrup.

Leave for 2-3 minutes so that they soak well in the syrup. Drain and transfer them in a serving dish and serve hot.

Pav Bhaji

Ingredients:
Finely chopped garlic :2 tbl spn
Capsicums finely chopped :2
Onion chopped :1
Chopped vegetables(cauliflower,
green peas,carrots,french beans,etc) :2 cups
Potato, boiled, peeled and coarsely mashed :1 large
Turmeric powder :1 tbl spn
Red chilli powder :1 tbl spn
Pav bhaji masala :4-5 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter for frying


For garnishing :

Chopped coriander
Finely chopped onion
Butter :1 tbl spn

Preparation Method:

In a frying pan, heat some butter, saute chopped garlic for 2 minutes and then add the chopped onions. Saute the onion till it becomes transparent. Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, fry for a minute.

Add chopped capsicum, mix well and cover with a lid for 2 minutes. Remove cover mix well and add the pav bhaji masala, fry for some time. Then add the boiled potatoes and other vegetables.

Mix well and cover with lid. Cook covered for about 5 minutes. Open and mash all the vegetables and keep mixing. Cook for another two minutes and garnish with coriander leaves, chopped onion and some butter.
Serve with pav.

TIP: Slit the pav, apply some butter and heat them on a tava/skillet till they turn brown.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients

Spinach :500 gms
Onions :5 medium sized
Garlic : 2-3 flakes
Cooking oil : 6-7 tbsps
Cummin seeds :1 tbsp
Paneer :150-200 gms
Salt to taste
Garam Masala, Geera Powder, Chilli Powder :1/2 tbl spn each


Preparation method:

Cook the spinach in water.
Drain the water and then make puree of the spinach leaves.

Cut 4 of the onions finely and saute them till transparent.
Grind the other onion and the garlic flakes to a fine paste.

Add this paste to the sauted onions. Also add the puree and the spice powders. Add some water if necessary.
Let boil for a minute or two.
Cut the paneer to cubes of desired size (preferably not too small). Fry this in oil till golden brown.

Add this paneer to the prepared palak.
Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Capsicum Masala

Ingredients:

Capsicum :250g
Coriander seeds :2 tsp
Sesame seeds :1 1/2 tbl spn
Peanuts :1 small cup
Grated dry coconut :2-3 tbl spn
Chili powder :1 tbl spn
Mustard seeds :1/4 tbl spn
Curry leaves :4-5
A pinch of fenugreek seeds
Tamarind :50g
Oil as required
Salt to taste

Preparation method:

Roast coriander seeds, peanuts, sesame seeds, dry coconut until golden color without any oil. Cool and blend to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a pan, fry mustard and fenugreek seeds and curry leaves for a minute. When they splutter, add capsicum, fry for a while and remove.

In the remaining oil, fry the ground paste until the oil separates.
Then add chili powder, tamarind water, salt and cook until the gravy thickens.Now add fried capsicum to the gravy and remove from heat.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Vegetable Korma

Ingredients:

Paneer :100g
Boiled carrots, beans, potatoes & peas :400g
oil :100g
Coriander leaves : 1/4 cup
Cream :100g
Garam masala :1 tbl spn
Ginger-garlic :1 tbl spn
Milk :200g
Onions :2
Chili powder :1 tbl spn
Salt to taste
Tomatoes :3
Turmeric :1/2 tbl spn

Preparation method:

Heat oil in a wide pan, fry the paneer pieces and keep aside. Fry the onions and ginger-garlic paste until golden color.

Now add turmeric, chopped tomatoes, chili powder, cilantro, garam masala, salt and fry for 5 minutes.

Then add chopped potatoes, carrots, beans, peas, fried paneer pieces, milk, cream and cook for 5-6 minutes or until done.

Serve hot with naans or plain rice.

Akki roti

Ingredients:

Rice Flour :4 cups
Onion Finely Chopped :1 big sized
Green Chillies - Finely Chopped
or Minced :4
Grated carrot :1/4 cup
Coriander leaves :3-4 tbl spn
Coarsely ground cumin (jeera) seeds
Salt (or to taste)
water (or enough for kneading the dough)
Oil as required.

Preparation method:

Mix all the ingredients above, except the Flour, Oil and water in a mixing bowl. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Then add the Rice Flour and mix well.

Add enough water to bind all the ingredients together to form one whole mass (like Chapathi dough). Grease a frying pan (or tava) with 2 tsp oil. Take a ball of the mixture and place it on the plastic sheet.Flatten the mixture on the plastic sheet with your fingers until it is round and flat.Fry on pan by Spreading little oil on it. Cover the frying pan with a lid and cook it on med-low flame until it is cooked (color changes to cream).
Remove the lid and roast it for a couple of minutes. Turn it and roast it on the other side for a few more minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot with Chutney, Sambar or just plain fresh butter.