ONION PAKODA

                     

Ingredients needed:

Onion - 1/4 cup sliced lengthwise
Gram flour -1/3 cup + 1 tsp
Rice flour -2 1/2 tbsp
Chilli powder -3/4 tsp
Hot oil - 1 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Salt as needed

Oil for deep frying pakoras

Instruction:

Cut onion thinly lengthwise and keep it aside.

In a bowl, mix together onion, salt, gram flour, rice flour, chilli powder, 1 tsp hot oil and hing. Add approximately 4 tsp of water and mix well. After mixing, it will be as shown in the picture below. 

Heat oil in a kadai. To check if the oil is hot enough to fry the pakodas, drop a little batter into the oil, if the batter raises to the surface immediately, the oil is ready for frying the pakodas.

Reduce the heat to medium, take a little prepared pakoda batter and drop it into the oil as shown in the picture below. Do not make balls or shape it, this pakoda should be shapeless.

Fry until golden brown, stirring in between. Remove it from the oil and drain excess oil on a colander or paper towel.

Serve onion pokoda with a hot cup of tea or coffee

MASALA DOSA

   Ingredients needed for Masala Dosa Batter:

   Par boiled Rice -1 1/2 cup (Idli pulungal arisi)

   Raw rice - 1/2 cup

   Whole urad dal (without skin) -1/2 cup

   Fenugreek seeds -1/2 tsp

   Channa dal/bengal gram/kadalai paruppu - 2 tbsp

   Tur dal - 1 1/2 tbsp

   Salt needed

   Ingredients needed  for the potato filling for Masala dosa:

   Potatoes - 500 gms /2 cups heaped boiled and mashed

   Onion -2 or 1 cup thinly sliced

   Ginger - 1 inch piece

   Green chilli - 2-3 (finely chopped)

   Tomato -1 small (optional)

    Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

   Curry leaves - few tender ones

   Salt needed

   For the seasoning

   Oil -2 tbsp

   Mustard - 1 tsp

   Urad dal -3/4 tsp

   Bengal gram/channa dal - 3/4 tsp

   Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch

   Oil for making dosa -(sesame seed oil preferable)

instructions:

Soak par boiled rice, raw rice, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, bengal gram, tur dal in enough water for 4-5 hours.

Wash and grind everything together to a smooth texture adding water, little at a time. I used the wet grinder for grinding. Add needed salt and leave it overnight to ferment. The fermenting time differs according to the climatic conditions.

Before making dosa, add a tsp of sugar, little water and mix well to get the dosa batter consistency. The batter is ready to make masala dosa. Now we will see how to make filling for masala dosa (potato filling or potato bhaji)


Preparation for masala dosa filling

Wash and cut potatoes into half and pressure cook  for 3 whistles. After it cools, peel the skin and mash it well.( not to a fine paste) Keep it aside.

Cut onions lengthwise, finely chop green chillies and ginger.

Method

Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add hing, urad dal and channa dal.

When dal turns golden brown, add thinly sliced onions, green chilli, ginger and curry leaves. Saute for a few minutes until onion turns pink. (do not brown the onions)

Add turmeric powder, chopped tomatoes and salt needed.

Add 1/2- 3/4 cup of hot water, when water starts boiling, add the mashed potatoes. Mix well and cook for few minutes (around 5-6 mins) until everything gets blended well. Do not add too much water, then the dosa will become soggy.

Switch off the flame. Our filling for the masala dosa is ready.

Making of masala dosa

Now we will prepare the masala dosa. Heat a non stick or iron tawa, add a drop of oil and rub half an onion on it. Once the tawa is heated, bring the flame to medium and pour a ladle of batter in the center.

Using the back of the ladle, spread the batter in a circular motion as seen in the picture below. Drizzle a tsp of oil around the dosa and close it with a lid. (masala dosa should not be thick)

Once the edges starts browning and the dosa is cooked, reduce the heat, add 2-3 tbsp of potato masala, a little butter (optional ) and fold the dosa. Remove from tawa and serve hot. Note - Since we are closing it with a lid, there is not need to cook the other side.

Masala dosa is ready to be served. You can fold it into half or as shown above or into a triangle. Repeat the process for the rest of the batter. Serve with chutney and sambar of your choice.

FISH PULIMUNCHI (SOUTH INDIAN DISH)

             

Ingredients

• 
  
• Fish Cleaned & made into medium size pieces - 1/2 kg
• 
  
• Dry long red chillies - 10 
• 
  
• Tamarind - A big lemon size ball
• 
  
• turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoon
• 
  
• Fenugreek  Methi seeds - 1/3 tea spoon
• 
  
• Coriander seeds - 2 tea spoon full
• 
  
• whole black pepper seeds - 1 tea spoon
• 
  
•  Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
• 
  
• Green chillies - 2 tp 3 chopped
• 
  
• Ginger - 1/2 inch chopped
• 
  
• onion - 1 finely chopped
• 
  
• Onion - 1 big sliced
• 
  
• garlic - 5 cloves crushed
• 
  
• curry leaves
• 
  
• coconut oil - 4 table spoon
• 
  
• salt to taste

Directions

• 
  
• First roast red chillies, coriander seeds, methi seeds & black pepper.
• 
  
• Grind the roasted spices along with turmeric, tamarind, coconut and a little water as 
• 
  
• required to make a fine thick paste
• 
  
• In a pan pour oil, add chopped onions & crushed garlic.
• 
  
• when the garlic & onions are slightly brown add curry leaves, masala paste, green chillies, sliced onions & ginger.
• 
  
• stir for 30 sec , now add salt to taste & water as required for making a thick curry.
• 
  
• let the curry boil for five min.
• 
  
• After five min add fish & cover the pan lid.put your flame in simmer.
• 
  
• Cook for 8 to 10 min or until the fish is cooked
• 
  
• Fish pulimunchi is ready
• 
  
• serve with hot rice or dosa 

CUCUMBER PUDDING

Ingredients:

Cucumber pieces (Vallarikka, Kakdi) - about 2 cups 

Sago (Javarisi, Sabushana, Chowwary) - 1/4 cup 

Sweetened Condensed Milk - 1/4 cup 

Water - 2 cups 

Milk - 1 cup 

Sugar - 1/4 cup (or to taste) 

Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp 

Ghee - 2-3 tbsp 

Cashews - 2-3 tbsp (or use other nuts like pistachios, chiroli or almonds) 

Raisins - 2 tbsp (optional) 

Instructions:

Soak the sago in water for about half an hour. 

In the mean while, chop the cucumber into thin pieces. 

Take the soaked sago in a heavy bottomed pan. Fill it with sufficient water and cook it. 

When it is half cooked add the cucumber pieces and continue to cook till both the sago and cucumber pieces become soft. 

Now add the sugar and let it melt. Next add the condensed milk and milk. 

Simmer it for about 5 minutes or till you are satisfied with the consistency. 

Add the cardamom powder and switch off. 

Heat the ghee in another pan and fry the nuts and raisins. Add it to the payasam and cover with a lid until you are ready to serve. 

KHEEMA KABAB

Ingredients:

1 lb - keema  (boneless meat chopped very closely)

1 - Onion

1 - Egg

1/2 slice - bread

2 - hot Green chillies (optional) Salt to taste

1 tsp - red pepper

1 tsp each - whole jeera, powdered jeera, whole coriander and powdered coriander

1/2 cup - Coriander leaves

1 inch sliced Ginger 6-7 Cloves - Garlic or 1 tbsp - minced bottled Garlic

1 tsp - Garam Masala

1/2 tsp - freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

In the food processor, coarsely chop onion, garlic and ginger.

Add the keema and all the other ingredients and process till the mixture is coarse but not lumpy.

Empty in a bowl and with oiled hands and form sheesh kebabs (in the shape of a sausage), put on to
bamboo skewers and shape them so that all the kebabs look smooth.

Put them on a foil lined cookie or baking sheets.

Pre-heat broiler and when hot, put the baking sheets under the broiler and let it broil for about 5-10

minutes till brown on sides.

Remove sheets from the broiler and quickly change over sides with tongs and broil till brown and done.

Serve on a platter of onions and quartered lemons with a bowl of coriander chutney or ketchup.

PAV BHAJI

Ingredients:

12 Pav buns

2 Onions
3 tsp Dhania Powder
5 Tomatoes
2 tsp Jeera Powder
3 Potatoes
2 tsp Chilli powder
1 cup Peas
4 tsp Pav Bhajji masala
1/2 cup Carrot
Salt to taste
1/2 cup Beans
1/2 cup Coriander for garnish
1/2 cup Cabbage
2 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 cup Capsicum
1 cup Cauliflower
1' piece Ginger
Garlic optional
2 Green chillies finely chopped

Instructions:

• Heat a pan with oil & add the onions. Fry till translucent. Add tomatoes,salt,add all the powders and fry till the oil floats on top.
• Steam all the other vegetables seperately & add them to the onion mixture.
• Add a cup of water & let it cook to boiling consistency. Then With the help of a potato masher keep mashing the mixture till it cooks nicely.
• When all the vegetables are cooked thoroughly garnish with coriander & lemon juice and serve with Pav.
• For the pavs:
• Slit open the pavs from the middle. Apply butter in the inside & place them on a pre-heated frying pan.When they get golden brown from the inside take them off.
• Serve hot with bhajji.

PEANUT BRITTLE (MOONGFALI CHIKKI)

                                        


INGREDIENTS: 

peanuts (moongfali)-250 grams

jaggery or sugar - 250 grams

ghee- 1 1/2 small spoon


INSTRUCTIONS: 

It would be good if you get a roasted peanuts from the market .

If it is not available then you can roast peanuts at your home .

Mix one small spoon of water  and wait for 2-3 minutes.

Roast the peanuts using microwave for around 4-5 minutes.

If it is not roasted well roast it again for 2 minutes .

Remove it from the microwave and wait it to cool to the room temperature .

Once it is cooled remove the skin of the nut




Put small spoon of ghee in the frying pan and heat it.

Then break the jaggery and put it in the frying pan and keep stirring with a frying spoon (on medium
flame).

 The jaggery starts melting. Do not stop stirring.

After 6-7 minutes take out one drop of syrup on a plate, if it starts freezing, then the syrup is ready. If it doesn't freeze then cook for another 2-3 minutes and test. The syrup is ready now.

Mix the peanuts in the syrup and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring vigorously.

 Put the ghee on a plate to make it oily.

 Now take out the ready syrup or chikki (brittle) from the frying pan and quickly spread it on the oily   plate.

Cut it into your preferred size with a knife. After they have cooled separate the pieces.

 Peanut chikki (brittle) is ready now . Store it in a tight container so that you can have the chikki  (brittle) whenever you feel like having .

LAB-E-SHIREEN (pakistani dessert)

                     

INGREDIENTS:

Mix fruit cocktail 1 tin

Corn flour 4 tbsp

Jelly (green) 1 pack

Jelly (red) 1 pack

Cream 1 cup

Raisins 1 cup

Pistachio 1/2 cup

Milk 1/2 liter

Almonds (chopped) 1/2 cup

Milk 1 cup (to dissolve cornflour)


INSTRUCTION:

Make jellies according to the instructions on the package and pour in mold to cool.

Boil milk in a pan.

Mix cornflour in 1 cup milk and add it gradually to milk while stirring.

Simmer it on medium heat while stirring till it reaches a slightly thick consistency . (don't over thick it)

Now add in cream and mix well.

Take it off the heat.

Add almonds in it and mix.

Add fruits and raisins.

Pour in a serving bowl.

Cut jellies in square pieces and add in milk mixture.

Garnish with pistachio and almonds

To get the pink color we can add small amount of rooh-hafza or essence

MOTICHOOR LADOO

                                                      

INGREDIENTS:

BESAN | KADALAI MAAVU 1 AND 1/2 CUP

RAVA | SEMOLINA 1 AND 1/2 TBLSP

BAKING SODA A PINCH

SUGAR 1 AND 1/4 CUP

ORANGE FOOD COLOUR 2 PINCHES

SAFFRON FEW STRANDS

ALMONDS SLICED 1 TBLSP

ROSE WATER 1 TSP

CARDAMOM POWDER A PINCH



INSTRUCTIONS:

In a wide bowl add the besan, rava (if not fine pulse it once in the mixer) a pinch of orange food colour and baking soda. Add water to this and make this into a smooth batter like the dosa batter consistency without any lumps.

In a pan add sugar and add 1 and 1/2 cup of water and bring it to a boil.

Heat till the sugar gets dissolved stirring in between.

Once sugar gets dissolved stop stirring and boil till this reach one string consistency.

Check for 1 string consistency. If you take the sugar syrup in your thumb finger and index finger it should form one string consistency.

Switch off the flame and add the orange food colour and cardamom powder and  mix well.
Keep it aside

Heat oil in a wide pan for deep frying. Lets start preparing boondis now.

You need 2 perforated ladle for making boondi. The ladle with small holes to make boondi and another one to take out the boondis from oil.

Pour a ladle of batter to the perforated ladle ,keeping the ladle on the top of the oil and  let the boondis falls into the oil.

Let the boondis cook and don’t allow them to cook till crispy. Just take it out when they are done and yet soft. Drain the excess oil in a tissue. Repeat this for the rest of the batter.


Since we are going to grind the boondi in the last step, do not panic even if you get the tails in making boondis. Check out my boondi ladoo post for a detailed notes of how to make boondi without getting the tail.

Just heat the sugar syrup for few seconds till it become warm. Switch off the flame and add the boondis to it and mix evenly.

Boil 2 tblsp of  water in a sauce pan.  Transfer the boondis coated with sugar syrup ( the boondis would have observed the syrup and will be firm only) to a mixier. Let the water nicely boil.

Add the hot water to this and pulse them in a mixer. Transfer it to a plate. Sprinkle the rose water and add the chopped almonds.

Start making ladoos. This mixture may be little moist, but don’t worry. After few minutes it will be firm .

This motichoor ladoos are the easiest one which you can try at home and win a big applause from all the friends and relatives .  

SOUTH INDIAN MANGO PICKLE

                  

                                                         

INGREDIENTS 

* 10 to 12 medium sized raw mangoes , cut into big pieces with the seed

* 3/4 cup salt

* 1/2 cup chilli powder

* 1/2 cup mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)

* 2 1/2 cups sesame (til) oil

* 1 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds

* 1/2 tbsp asafoetida (hing)

* 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder (haldi)

INSTRUCTION

* Wash the mango pieces thoroughly, drain and spread them on a towel to dry (preferably  can dry them under the sun )

* Combine the salt, chilli powder and mustard seeds together in a bowl and keep aside.

* Heat the oil in a pan till its smoking point and keep aside. When cool completely add the  salt, chilli powder and mustard seeds mixture and mix well till no lumps remain.

*Add the mango pieces, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida and turmeric powder and mix well.

*Store in an airtight jar. Mix the pickle every alternate days, pickle will be ready to eat within   a week’s time.

  RECIPE SOURCE : South Indian Recipes 

CARROT PUDDING (GAAJAR HALWA)

                                   


  Ingredients:

1 kg Carrots

1 litre Milk

1 teaspoon Cardamom seeds

3/4 cup Water

3 tablespoons Ghee

2 tablespoons Raisins

2 tablespoons Almonds

2 tablespoons Pistachios

450 grams Sugar

instructions:

• Wash and grate the carrots. Soak the raisins in water for 30 minutes. Blanch and shred the nuts.
• Put the water to boil, when it starts boiling add the grated carrots. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Add the milk. Cook on a low flame for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Add sugar, mix well and cook till the sugar has dissolved and all the milk has been absorbed.
• Add ghee and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the slightly crushed cardamoms and the raisins. Mix well.
• Remove the carrot pudding (gajjar halwa) from heat and arrange in a serving dish. Garnish with almonds and pistachios. Serve cold, hot or at room temperature.

BREAD PUDDING

                                                     
This pudding can be even made from the dry bread pieces .This can be even done by frying the bread peices with ghee.the easier way of preparing this pudding is by frying it in a pan .

INGREDENTS :
Brad slices - 10
Milk - 600 g (3 cups)
Ghee - half cup
sugar -100 - 150 grams (1/2 - 3/4 cup)
Cashew - 12 -14 (small pieces)
Almond 8-10 (small pieces)
Cardamom - 6-7 (peel removed)

INSTRUCTION:
            For preparing bread pudding any type of bread can be used . The taste of the pudding depends on what type of bread we have used .(normal bread ,multigrain bread etc.)

*Take two spoons of oil and heat it in a vesse(kadaai).

* Tear the bread into small pieces and dip it in hot ghee .Keep the gas stove in medium or slow

*Fry the bread pieces with ghee utill it changes its colour to orangish brown .

*After the bread pieces change its colour add sugar and milk to it .

*mix it properly and cook it along with continous stirring . While stirring press and break the bread slices and add @ spoon of ghee to it and stirr again well untill the whole mixture becomes oily .

*keep some cashew nuts seperately and mix the almonds and the remaining cashew nuts along with the bread mixture . Add some elachi powder and mix it well

* Bread pudding is ready now .keep it aside in a bowl and decorate it with the desi ghee and cashew nuts and enjoy your bread pudding