Doodh Pak (Pressure cooker method)

Doodh Pak / Rice Kheer / Milk Kheer ( Pressure cooker method ) - A very delicious dessert in Indian Cuisine !! Please use standard measuring cup to measure rice, sugar and milk.

Serves: 8 - 10 dessert cups

Ingredients

1/3 cup ( 80 ml / 3 oz - Indian standard measuring cup ) basmati rice / silky raw rice

1/2 cup (100 ml / 4 oz - Indian standard measuring cup ) sugar (or to taste)

1 litre milk ( do not dilute with water )

2 pinches cardamom powder

1 tablespoon ghee

1 teaspoon  or 8 cashew nuts, split

1 teaspoon raisins or 10 raisins

Method

Wash and soak rice in 1/2 cup water for half an hour. Drain out water.

Boil milk ( do not dilute with water ) and keep aside.

Add milk and soaked rice in a pressure cooker. Mix well. Close cooker. Bring to full pressure on high heat till 3 whistles (3 quick whistles). Reduce heat and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes. Do not open the cooker immediately.  Allow the cooker to cool naturally.

Open cooker. Add sugar. Mix well. Cover with a normal lid (not pressure cooker lid) and cook on a low heat for 10 - 12 minutes / till light pink in color. Stir occasionally. Turn off the heat.

Add cardamom powder after half an hour and mix well.

Heat ghee in a frying pan. Shallow fry raisins and cashew nut separately on a low heat till golden color. Add shallow fried raisins and cashew nuts.

Serve hot / warm / chilled.

Fried Mini Idlis with Tomato Sauce

Fried  Mini Idlis with Tomato Sauce – A tasty breakfast dish or serve as a light snack !!

Serves: 1 – 2 (38 mini idlis)

For the  mini idli:

Ingredients

3 ladleful idli batter

Mini Idli stand (Mini idli stand available at all steel utensil shops)

1 teaspoon oil

Method

Grease mini idli stand with oil and keep aside.

Pour idli batter with a spoon and steam in a pressure cooker (do not use weight) / National slow cooker / steamer for 15 minutes or until done. Remove idli stand carefully from the steamer / pressure cooker and keep aside to cool for 15 minutes.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 green chili, slit lengthwise

¼ piece ginger, finely chopped

6 curry leaves

2 tablespoon tomato sauce

¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

38 mini idlis

Method

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add thinly sliced onion and fry till golden color.

Add slit green chilli, curry leaves and chopped ginger. Fry for 1- 2 minutes until crisp.

Add tomato sauce, mini idlis and salt to taste. Stir well for 5 minutes until sauce well combined with idlis. Consume immediately.

Masala Crackers

Masala Crackers -  A delicious deep fried evening snack !!!

Makes: 140 g

Ingredients

Please use same measuring cup to measure flour and water.

1 cup  / 200 ml maida / all purpose flour (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon ajwain (carom  seeds / ayamodakam)

¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)

Water for kneading ( approximately 1/4 cup + 1 – 3 tablespoon )

Extra ¼ cup flour

Cooking oil for frying (300 ml)

Method

In a wide bowl, mix maida , salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder,  hing and ajwain. Add water (first start with ¼ cup water. Later adjust with 1 – 3 tablespoon water and make stiff dough. Dough should not be soft like chapatti dough. It should be stiff. Otherwise  masala crackers won’t be crisp).  Do not keep maida dough too long. Deep fry immediately.

Divide the dough into 4 – 5 parts and make lemon sized balls.  Make thin chapati using dry maida. Cut it into 1 - inch desired shape and size or make round shape with the help of an inverted sharp lid / cookie cutter / katori.

Heat oil in a kadai / deep frying pan on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and wait for 1 minute. Fry crackers  in 3 – 4 batches  (depending upon the size the kadai // frying pan) till golden brown. Do not fry on high heat.  Drain out from oil and spread on a kitchen paper for some time to absorb extra oil and store in an airtight container. It’ll last for more than a week. It’s a tasty tea time snack and kids  as well as senior citizen.

Chicken Malli Korma

Chicken Malli Korma – A delicious main curry with rotis / parathas / pulao / appam / idiyappam …

Serves:3 -  4

Ingredients

For the chicken:

750 g chicken, cut into medium size pieces

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon salt

Wash and clean chicken pieces. Drain out water completely. Marinate chicken pieces with turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Cover and keep aside for half an hour.

For the coconut paste:

Ingredients

6 tablespoon grated coconut

6 cashew nuts

¾ teaspoon saunf powder (perumjeerakapodi)

Method

Soak cashew nuts in ¼ cup water for 1 hour. Transfer grated coconut , saunf powder and  soaked cashew nuts (including water in which cashew nuts soaked) into small mixer bowl and make a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoon ginger – garlic paste

¾ teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

2 tomatoes, chopped

Marinated chicken pieces (drain out excess water)

¾ teaspoon salt

1 cup / 200 ml water

Coconut – cashew nut paste

¼ cup chopped coriander leaves (malli)

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder in 2 tablespoon water (spice mix).

Heat oil in a pan or karahi on a medium heat. Add sliced onion and fry till golden color.

Add ginger – garlic paste and fry for 1 – 2 minutes until raw smell disappears.

Add diluted spice mix and stir well on a low heat for 1 – 2 minutes until the water dries up and well combined with other ingredients.

Add chopped tomatoes and fry for 2 – 3 minutes.

Add marinated chicken pieces, salt to taste and 1 cup water (up to the level of chicken pieces). Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium heat for 30 – 35 minutes until almost done.

Finally add coconut – cashew nut paste and ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves.  Adjust salt if required.  Mix well. Cover with a lid again and cook on a low heat for another 10 minutes. Serve with rotis  / pulao / parathas …

Shahi Egg Curry

Shahi Egg Curry – Best with rotis / rice / pulao / parathas …

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the cashew nut paste:

Soak 8 cashew nuts in 2 tablespoon water for 1 hour.  Cover and keep aside.

For brown onion paste:

Ingredients

2 tablespoon oil

2 onions (medium size), thinly sliced (separate each layer)

¼ teaspoon sugar

Method

Heat oil in a frying pan / karahi on a medium heat. Add thinly sliced onions and fry till light golden color (approximate time 10 -12 minutes).  Do not fry on high heat.

At this stage (color changes form pink to light golden and no moisture), add 1/4 teaspoon sugar and fry / toss on a medium to low heat for another 8 minutes / until done.  It will become crisp and golden color. Switch off the heat. Carefully remove fried onions from oil and keep aside to cool for 15 minutes. Do not use remaining oil for other cooking purpose.

For the tomato puree:

Ingredients

2 big size tomatoes

½ cup water

Microwave method:

Wash tomatoes well.  Then cross-cut a slit into the bottom of the tomato. This helps even cooking and makes it easier to peel the tomato skins off later.

In a microwave safe bowl, boil tomatoes with ½ cup water (half of the level of tomatoes) for 4 minutes on high power (750 W). Keep aside to cool for half an hour. Gently remove boiled tomatoes from the bowl and peel the skin off the tomatoes. Reserve tomato stock. It may be ¼ to ½ cup.

Normal cooking:

In a bowl, boil tomatoes (cross – cut a slit into the bottom of the tomato. This helps even cooking and makes it easier to peel the tomato skins off later) with 1 cup water for 12 – 15 minutes until done and soft. Keep aside to cool for half an hour. Gently remove boiled tomatoes from the bowl and peel the skin off the tomatoes. Reserve tomato stock. It may be ¼ to ½ cup.

For the paste:

In a small mixer bowl, transfer  boiled tomatoes (without stock), soaked cashew nuts (along with water in which it’s soaked) and brown onion. Make a smooth paste. Do not add water when making paste. It should be thick, light pink and creamy in consistency.

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, finely chopped

6 garlic cloves, crush finely

¾  teaspoon red chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

Cashew nut – tomato – brown onion paste

 3/4 cup water (150 ml water)

¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

½ teaspoon garam masala power or a mix of ¼ teaspoon clove powder, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder

4 boiled eggs

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder in 2 tablespoon water and keep aside (spice mix).

In a pan or karahi, heat oil on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and fry onions till golden color.

Add crushed garlic cloves and fry for 1 – 2 minutes until well combined.

Add diluted red chilli powder – turmeric powder and coriander. Fry on a low heat for 2 minutes until water dries up and well combined with all the ingredients.

Add tomato – cashew nut – brown onion paste, reserved tomato stock, salt to taste, garam masala powder and ¾ cup water. Gravy should not be too thin. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium heat for 10 – 12 minutes until it boils vigorously.

At this stage, add boiled eggs. Mix well. Cover again with a lid and cook on a medium for another 7 minutes.  Turn  off the heat. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with parathas / rotis / pulao..

Methi Puri (made of methi paste)

Methi  Puri (made of methi paste) - A deep fried Indian bread, made of methi paste ( fenugreek leaves paste / uluvayila paste) . Good combination with Aloo ki bhaji / dal or any North Indian Dishes !!

Makes:  22 – 24 puris

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup / 250 ml whole wheat flour (gehum ka atta) Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity

1/2 teaspoon  salt

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon rawa (sooji)

5 tablespoons methi paste ( paste made from 3  small  bunches of methi leaves)

¼ cup water

250 ml oil for frying

Method

Wash and clean (until you get a clear water, without impurities) 3 bunches of methi leaves. Drain out water completely and make a paste in a small mixer.

In a bowl, mix 1 1/4  cup atta, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, sooji and methi paste.  Add ¼ cup  water and make a stiff dough. Keep aside in an airtight container for one hour or cover with a wet towel.

Divide puri dough into 22 - 24 portions and make balls. Flatten them to make rounds / puris (4 inches in diameter ). Sprinkle little dry flour when making puris. Make perfect shape with the help of a medium size inverted soup bowl or with a sharp lid or with a katori.

In a kadai / frying pan, heat oil. Reduce heat to medium and fry puri one at a time till it puffs up. Turn over till both sides until light golden color. Drain out from oil and place on paper towels to absorb extra oil. Serve with Dal or any North Indian gravy dishes / Aloo ki Bhaji of your choice.

Peanut Jaggery Balls / Kadalai Urundai

Here's the recipe link of  " How to make melted and sieved jaggery?"

Peanut Jaggery Balls / Kadalai Urundai - A tasty sweet, made of melted and sieved jaggery and dry roasted peanuts !!

Makes: 15 (or 14 – 16)

Please use same measuring cup to measuring cup to measure peanut and jaggery .

Ingredients

1 cup peanuts (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz  capacity)

1 teaspoon ghee

1 cup melted and sieved thick jaggery (200 ml/ 8 oz)

1 tablespoon water

¼ teaspoon dried ginger powder (chukku podi)

¼ teaspoon cardamom powder

Extra 2 teaspoon oil / ghee

Method

For the  peanuts:

Heat an iron kadai or pan. Reduce heat to medium and dry roast (without oil) peanuts on a medium to low heat until crisp (approximate dry roasting time 15 – 18 minutes). Keep aside to cool for 20 minutes and gently remove the skin of the peanuts and gently crush peanuts with the help of a pestle or with a  rolling pin.

Microwave method –Arrange peanuts in a microwave safe flat dish and microwave high (750W) for 2 minute 30 seconds (or maximum 3 minutes). Keep aside to cool for 20 minutes and gently remove the skin of the peanuts.

For the  jaggery syrup:

In a thick bottomed bowl / non stick pan, heat 1 teaspoon ghee on medium heat.

Add melted and sieved thick jaggery and 1 tablespoon water. Boil on a low heat for 10 – 12 minutes (stir continuously) until thickens / lot of bubbles / thick syrup / leaves from the sides of the pan. To test the syrup is ready, drop a teaspoon of hot jaggery syrup in cold water. If it form a jaggery ball, then the syrup is ready ( If the syrup is not ready, it won’t form a ball and you can see jaggery dilute in water and cold water become yellow / light brown color). At this stage, add crushed peanuts, cardamom powder and dried ginger powder. Mix well until the peanut mixture well combined with jaggery. Turn off the heat and keep aside to cool for 15 – 20 minutes.

Apply 1 teaspoon oil on both the palms and make small laddus or balls when it is medium hot. Store in an airtight container.

Cabbage Sanna Polo with Grated cheese filling

                                                                                                       
Here's the recipe link of Cabbage Sanna Polo (A delicious dosas in Konkan cuisine)

Homemade Fresh Orange Juice & Sweet Lime Juice

Homemade Fresh Orange Juice

Makes: ¾ cup - 1 cup

Ingredients

4 oranges

Citrus Juicer

Method

Extract  orange juice with the help of a citrus juicer. Consume immediately.

Homemade Fresh Mosambi / Sweet Lime / Sathukudi Juice

Makes: ¾ cup

Ingredients

3 sweet lime (mosambi / sathukudi)

Citrus Juicer

Method

Extract sweet lime juice with the help of a citrus juicer. Consume immediately.

Cauliflower Varuval (with egg)

Cauliflower Varuval (with egg and no added food color) – A deep fried starter. Rich in calories and high in taste. Serve as a starter or side dish with pulao / biryanis … Cauliflower varuval is a popular snack in fast food centres of  Tamil Nadu !!!

Makes: 15 – 20 cauliflower varuval

Ingredients

15 – 20 cauliflower florets

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups water

Method

Wash and clean cauliflower florets. In a bowl, boil 2 cups of water. When it boils vigorously, add cauliflower florets and boil for 5 minutes. Switch off the heat and drain out water thoroughly.

For the batter:

Ingredients

3 tablespoon rice flour

2 tablespoon all purpose flour (maida)

1 teaspoon corn flour

1 egg, beat well

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper powder

2 teaspoon ginger – garlic paste

3 – 5 tablespoon water

250 ml oil (to deep fry)

Method

In a bowl, mix rice flour, all purpose flour, corn flour, beaten egg, red chilli powder, salt, pepper and ginger – garlic paste. Add 3 – 5 tablespoon and make a batter of pouring consistency (like bonda batter / bajji batter). Cover and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Dip each cauliflower florets in batter and deep fry till golden brown (6 florets at a time – depending on the size of a kadai / frying pan). Drain out from oil and place on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Use 3 – 4 paper towels. Serve hot as a starter with tomato ketchup.