EASY RASAM

This rasam can be made in no time and tastes really good. Try this out when you crave for a good rasam but have only five minutes to spare. It will also be of help for starters as its very simple to make and you cannot go wrong. This also comes in handy when you're unable to prepare fresh spice powders. In fact this recipe was born as a result of power cut. I usually grind whole black pepper, cumin, coriander and garlic (coarsely) every time I prepare rasam which gives it a nice aroma and taste. Since I don't use any ready made powders for rasam or sambhar I came up with this idea. Nevertheless this also tastes good.

 INGREDIENTS

Tomato (chopped) - 1 small size

Tamarind juice* - 1 cup

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Black pepper powder - 1 tsp 

Cumin powder/Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp 

Sambhar powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Salt

Coriander leaves for garnish

For tempering

Ghee - 1 tsp 

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds/ jeera - 1/4 tsp

Garlic pods - 4

Curry leaves - 5

Karuvadagam* - a tiny piece

METHOD

In a bowl or vessel, add the chopped tomatoes, tamarind juice and all the masala powders. Add about 11/2 cups of water or according to your taste and add the required amount of salt. Keep this aside. Heat a kadai and add ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, garlic pods, curry leaves and the karuvadagam in the same order. Once the seeds crackle and the garlic turns light brown pour the tamarind juice mixture to this and let it boil. Switch off the heat after the first boil. Let it set and transfer it to a vessel. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Simple rasam is ready to serve hot.

STEP BY STEP PICTURE

Add all the masala powders to the chopped tomato and tamarind juice. Add required salt and water.

 Crackle mustard, cumin, garlic pods, curry leaves and karuvadagam in a tsp of ghee and pour the above mixture. Let it boil.

Transfer it to a vessel and garnish with coriander leaves. 

NOTE

*Tamarind juice to be made with a small ball of tamarind in hot water

*Karuvadagam is a combination of small onion, garlic, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and  split black gram. Combined and sun dried for days in a particular way and stored. This is used for  tempering.

 Adding karuvadagam is optional.

TOMATO AND SPROUT SALAD

I was looking to make a salad and the only ingredient I had was tomato and luckily found some sprouted green gram too! So the chef in me said why not put them together with a dash of olive oil and a pinch of pepper and salt. Here's the recipe to my tomato and sprout salad with a twist ;)

INGREDIENTS

To make a small bowl of salad for one person

Tomato - 1 (cut into 1 inch pieces)
Sprouted green gram - a handful
Rusk - 2
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice - 2 drops
Salt and Pepper as per taste
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish if you prefer

METHOD

Add the chopped tomato pieces and sprouted green gram to a bowl. The twist in this salad recipe is adding sweet rusk. Yes, rusk!! Break the rusk into 2 inch pieces. I've used sweet rusk here but it can be tried with any kind of rusk. Flavoured rusk may change the taste of the salad so refrain from using that unless you like it. Add the rusk pieces to the tomatoes and sprouts along with a tbsp of olive oil. Give it a good mix. Add 2 drops of lemon juice and the required salt and pepper. I've used white pepper for this salad. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. The crunchiness of sprouted green gram and the sweetness of rusk mixed in the juice of tomato and olive oil makes it tasty. Try this simple and healthy salad and you're sure to love it.

PEAS AND POTATO SALAD

INGREDIENTS

Boiled Potatoes - 2 (cut into small cubes)
Boiled peas - 1/2 cup
Mayonnaise - 3 tbsp
Fresh cream- 1 tbsp
Salt and Pepper as per taste
Chopped Coriander leaves (optional)

METHOD

In a bowl, add the potatoes, peas and mayonnaise. Give it a good mix. Add the fresh cream and required salt and pepper. Adjust the mayonnaise and cream quantity as per your requirement. Finish with chopped coriander leaves. It can also be served cold.

Note
*Add salt while boiling potatoes and peas
*I've used white pepper for this salad

MACARONI - MY WAY

This is how I prepare macaroni and trust me this is simply yummy. I always add garlic for the flavour if you don't prefer garlic then it can be made without it.

 INGREDIENTS

Boiled macaroni - 1 cup

Milk- 1 cup

Onions - 1 tbsp (sliced)

Garlic- 2 pods (mashed)

Flour-1 tbsp

Fresh cream- 1tbsp

Cheese (grated)- 1/2 cup

Olive oil- 1tbsp

Salt and pepper as per taste

METHOD

Mix the flour in cold milk and keep aside. It is necessary that the milk be cold to avoid lumps.

Sauté the sliced onions and garlic in olive oil till golden brown. 

Add the boiled macaroni to it, followed by the milk and flour mixture.
Add the fresh cream.

Add required salt and pepper. Mix for a minute or two and finish it off with grated cheese.
Use your favourite herb to season it.

Note
*add some salt while boiling the macaroni
*fresh or dry parsley can be used as seasoning

2 MINUTE EGG-LESS MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

As the title suggests, it's an egg-less cake made in 2 mins!! When ever I'm tempted to have a nice, moist chocolate cake, this recipe comes in handy. It can be made in no time and tastes yummy. This recipe gives about 2-3 pieces just enough to satisfy your temptation without making you feel guilty of having a whole cake. This recipe is also of great help when you want to make a quick dessert at home.

INGREDIENTS

All purpose flour- 4 tbsp

Cocoa pwd- 1 tbsp

Nutella- 1 tsp

Melted butter- 2 tbsp

METHOD

To a microwave safe bowl/dish add all purpose flour, cocoa pwd, nutella and melted butter. Mix well and keep on high temperature for about 2 minutes (or a minute, depending upon your oven temperature) and Voila! The moist chocolate cake is ready!

MASALA DOSA

Masala Dosa-  a thin crisp dosa, filled with mildly spiced potato bhaji. This is a famous recipe in India and a popular South Indian dish which traces it's origin to Udupi cuisine. It is easy to prepare and quite addictive too. If you are a dosa lover, I'm sure this is worth a try. 

I've given the recipe only for the potato bhaji here. 

Ingredients

For the Potato bhaji  (for about 4 dosas)

Potatoes - 3

Onion (thinly sliced) - 1 

Green Chilies (slit) - 2 

Split Bengal gram / Kadali paruppu- 1 tsp

Mustard- 1/2 tsp

Turmeric pwd- 1/2 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves for garnish 

Salt as per your taste

Method

Boil the potatoes with some salt. Cool and peel the skin and mash half the quantity and chop the rest into small pieces. In a pan, heat oil and crackle mustard seeds followed by split bengal gram / kadali paruppu and slit green chilies. Sauté till fragrant and add the onions, turmeric pwd and salt. Sauté for about 4-5 mins in low heat and once its cooked add the potatoes. Stir well until well combined. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

CHENA KILANGU FRY/ YAM FRY

Chena kilangu fry has been my favourite from childhood. I would love to relish this simple delicacy with curd rice. This version of the recipe is how we cook it at home, very simple yet delicious to taste.

INGREDIENTS

Chena kilangu- 250 gms

Turmeric pwd- a pinch

Sambar pwd- 1/2 tbsp (add more if you prefer it spicy)

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Split urad dal- 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

METHOD

Wash and slice the yam into thin slices. Heat oil in a pan and crackle the mustard seeds and split urad dal. Add the sliced yam to it, give it a stir. To it, add a pinch of turmeric pwd, sambar pwd and required salt. Mix well, sprinkle little water and cook till crisp. Yummy yam fry is ready to eat. 

PEAS PULAO

Peas pulao is very easy and pretty simple to prepare. This recipe is a simple one for people who're trying it out for the first time and who's looking for a quick and easy version. I'll be posting my version of peas pulao soon.

Ingredients

Basmati rice- 1 cup

Peas- 1/2 cup

Cinnamon- 1 (1/2 inch piece)

Clove- 1

Cardamom- 1

Black cumin/ shah jeera- 1/2 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Green chilly- 1 (small) 

Salt 

Method 

Wash and soak rice for about 15-20 mins. Heat about 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add all the whole spices (i.e) cinnamon, clove, cardamom. Saute for about a minute or till you get the fragrance. Now add black cumin/Shah jeera, slit green chilly and saute for a minute. Next, add the peas with little salt. Fry for 3-4 mins. Add the soaked rice with ginger garlic paste and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add required salt and 2 cups of water (since the basmati rice and water ratio is 1:2). Close the lid of the pan and keep the heat on low and cook till the rice is fluffy and done. 

Note

If you're preparing this in a cooker, follow the same method by adding 2 cups of water and then close the lid of the cooker with the cooker weight. Keep on high flame and wait for a whistle. After the first whistle, reduce the heat to low and switch off the heat after 5 mins. 

KADAI PANEER

Paneer/cottage cheese is not only great in taste but also has a lot of nutritional benefits to offer. It is a great source of calcium, which is helpful in maintaining strong teeth and bones. Due to its low lactose content, it protects the teeth against harmful sugars. It also helps in lower, back and joint pain. Paneer is also a good source of protein and it reduces the risk of cancer. Enjoy the goodness of paneer!

Coming to this spicy dish, it goes very well with chapattis and any kind of pulao. Usually whole dhania/coriander seeds are used for kadai paneer but I’ve used dhania/coriander powder.

Ingredients

Paneer (cut into cubes) - 200 gms

Onion (finely chopped) - 2

Tomato (finely chopped) -2

Capsicum (1 inch square pieces) – 1 small

Cumin seeds/jeera- ½ tsp

Clove- 1

Cardamom- 1

Cinnamon stick (2 inch piece) – 1

Ginger garlic paste- ½ tbsp

Curd- 1 tbsp (optional)

Red chili- 2

Turmeric- ½ tsp

Red chili pwd- 1 tbsp

Coriander pwd- ½ tbsp

Garam masala- ½ tsp

Salt

Coriander leaves for garnish

Method

Heat oil in a kadai and add red chilies, jeera/cumin seeds, cinnamon, clove, and cardamom. Once it crackles, add the chopped onions, ginger garlic paste and little salt. Sauté till the onions turn light brown, add chopped tomatoes and capsicum and sauté for a minute. Add turmeric, red chili and coriander powder and sauté for about a minute and let it cook for 5-6 mins. Now, add the curd, mix and throw in the paneer pieces and cook for about 3-4 mins. Finish it off with garam masala and give it a light stir. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

EGG IDIYAPPAM

This one is my mom’s recipe and one of my favourites too. It can be done without the egg for vegetarians and tastes good even without any side dish or gravy.

Ingredients

Idiyappam (torn to small bits) - 2 cups

Onion (finely chopped) – 2

Tomatoes (finely chopped) - 2

Eggs- 2

Mint leaves (chopped) – ¼ cup

Turmeric pwd- ¼ tsp

Chili powder- 1 tsp

Garam masala- ½ tsp

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp

Coriander (finely chopped) – little for garnishing

Salt

Method

Heat oil in a kadai and add the chopped onions, ginger garlic paste, little salt and sauté till the raw smell goes. Add chopped mint leaves, tomatoes, turmeric pwd, chili pwd and salt. Cook till the tomatoes get mushy and then add the garam masala. If you prefer you can add biryani masala instead of garam masala. Add the two eggs and scramble. Add the tiny pieces of Idiyappam and stir well. Serve hot. 

MELTING MOMENTS

This recipe is taken from (www.joyofbaking.com) I was wondering why the name “melting moments” and was skeptical about how a cookie can be so soft. This skepticism led me to bake this myself. Trust me; it truly melts in your mouth and it’s pretty simple to make (bake).

Ingredients

All purpose flour- 1 1/2 cups (210 grams)

Cornstarch (corn flour) - 1/2 cup (60 grams)

Salt- ¼ tsp

Confectioners sugar (powdered or icing) - 1/4 cup (30 grams)

Unsalted butter, room temperature- 1 cup (227 grams)

Pure vanilla extract- 1 tsp

Topping:

Confectioners sugar (powdered or icing) - 1/2 cup (60 grams)

Method

In the bowl beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate the batter for an hour or two, or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

When batter is firm, form into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake for about 10 -14 minutes until the edges of the cookies just start to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack that is placed over a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Put the confectioners sugar in a fine strainer or sieve and sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the sugar.

 If desired, just before serving, sprinkle the tops of the cookies with confectioners sugar.

PEAS & MINT SOUP

Peas and mint soup is not only refreshing for this summer but also healthy. The minty flavour gives a wonderful taste to this soup and it tastes great even if you have it cold.

Ingredients

Peas -1 cup

Potato (chopped) -1

Mint leaves – about twenty leaves

Fresh cream- 3 tbsp OR Milk – ½ cup

Olive oil- 1 tsp

Salt & pepper

Method

Heat a pan and add a tsp of olive oil and sauté the peas, potato and mint leaves for about 2-3 minutes. Add 2 cups of water to this and cook till the peas and potato gets soft. Drain the water, cool and grind this (the drained water can be used to grind this to a paste). Heat the pan, add this paste, salt and required water to get a soup consistency. Once it starts boiling, add the fresh cream/ milk and give it a stir. Add pepper and serve hot or cold. 

SPROUTED GREEN GRAM SALAD

Like other beans, green gram is a rich source of low-fat protein and contains no trans or saturated fats. It is packed with nutrients and this preparation makes it delicious to eat.

Ingredients

Sprouted green gram- 1 cup

Onion (chopped) - ½ cup

Tomatoes (chopped) - ¼ cup

Carrots (grated) - ¼ cup

Lemon juice- 1 tbsp

Cumin/jeera pwd- ½ tsp

Salt and pepper

Method

Mix the sprouts, onion, tomato and carrots in a bowl. Add lemon juice, jeera pwd, salt and little pepper. Mix well. 

CREAMY VANILLA ICE CREAM

Ice cream- A summer treat and loved by almost everyone. I prefer the softy Italian ice creams than the usual ones available and this is an excellent recipe if you love creamy ice creams. It is easy to prepare and tastes good even after a month (when stored in a good freezer).

Ingredients

Milk - 150 ml (cold)

Amul cream – 1 liter

Milkmaid – 400gms

Vanilla bean- 1 OR Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Method

Whip the fresh cream (750 ml) using a hand mixer until high peaks are formed. Take a bowl and add cold milk, milkmaid and give it a mix. Slit the bean lengthwise and scrape the vanilla seeds into the mixture. Now add the whipped cream to this mixture and stir using a spatula until all the ingredients are mixed well. Pour the contents in an airtight container and place it in a freezer. Take it out after an hour, add the remaining cream (250 ml) and beat it using a hand mixer in medium speed for about ten to fifteen minutes and place it back into the freezer. Let it set for about three to four hours before serving. It melts fast at room temperature so place it back into the freezer immediately after serving.

Enjoy your treat with chocolate sauce, chocolate chips or fruits. 

SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS POTATO FRY

This simple recipe can be made in a few minutes and goes well with sambar, rasam or curd rice.

INGREDIENTS

Potato (medium size) - 2

Turmeric- a pinch

Sambar pwd- 1 tbsp (add more if you prefer it spicy)

Mustard seeds- ½ tsp

Oil- 3-4 tbsp

Salt

METHOD

Wash, peel and cut the raw potatoes into small pieces. Heat kadai or a non stick pan and add oil. Once it’s hot, add the mustard seeds, and let it crackle. Throw in the tiny pieces of potato adding turmeric, required salt and sambar pwd and cook on low flame till the potatoes are cooked (take a piece from the kadai, it should be slightly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, if yes then its cooked) check for the taste and add more salt or sambar pwd if required. Switch off the heat when it’s done. Serve hot.

PEPPER CHICKEN FRY

This pepper chicken is my mother’s recipe to which I have added a few changes. It tastes good with rasam, curd rice and even with chapati. 

INGREDIENTS

Chicken – 500 gms boneless cut into small pieces

Onion (chopped) – 2  

Ginger and garlic (grated) – 2 tbsp each  OR  Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Green chilly (slit) – 1

Black pepper (crushed) – 1¼ tbsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Fennel powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Juice of half a lemon

Salt

Tomato puree – 2 tsp

Curry leaves

Coconut oil

Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

METHOD

Wash the chicken pieces by adding a tsp of turmeric and little salt. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions and little salt and let it brown. Add grated ginger and garlic OR ginger garlic paste, slit green chili and curry leaves. Let it cook until the raw smell goes. Add crushed pepper, turmeric powder, garam masala, fennel powder and cook for about 3 mins. Add tomato puree and mix well. I have used tomato puree for this recipe but my mother adds chopped tomatoes. If you prefer tomatoes then use one small sized tomato and chop it into small cubes. Add the chicken pieces and squeeze in the lemon and add the required salt. Combine everything well. Add about half a cup of water and let it boil. Reduce the heat once it starts boiling, cover and cook the chicken for about ten minutes or  until done stirring in occasionally in between if needed and add little water if the masala sticks to the pan. Once the chicken is done, heat coconut oil in a tadka pan, add curry leaves, switch off the heat and pour this on the chicken. Serve hot.