Thattai..

Ingredients: Rice flour - 2 cups urad dal - 2ts Grated coconut - 1ts Chilli powder - 1 1/2 ts Butter - 3ts curry leaves Asafoetida salt Oil to fry Method: Wash and clean the rice well. Let it out to dry and once it has dried completely, powder it nicely. Fry the urad dal orange and powder it and keep it aside. Let the gram soak in water for one hour. Take the rice flour, urad dal flour, soaked gram, grated coconut, asafetida powder, salt, butter and mix well. Heat oil in a vessel. Test how hot it is by dropping a pinch of dough into it - if it sinks, the oil hasn't become hot enough. If the dough springs to the top with bubbles all around it, then the oil is just ready. Take a small sized ball of the dough and flatten it and make it into a circular shape. Drop it gently into the hot oil and fry golden brown. Keep flipping the sides till the thattai is done .

Then kuzhal...

Ingredients: Rice flour - 2 cups urud flour - 1 ts (fry urud dal in a pan and grind) Butter - 2 ts Jeera - 1ts Asafoetida - 2 pinches Salt Oil Method: Mix all ingredients together with little water until it mixed well. Heat oil , Squeeze the dough through a murukku mould (utensil with a hole) into the oil. Deep-fry the Murukku, till crisp and golden brown. Drain the oil and spread the murukku on a tissue paper and remove the excess oil in it. When it cools, this light and crispy snack can be stored in an airtight container.

Jelly N Apple Custard...

Wish U a Happy & Prosperous New year Ingredients: Jelly crystals - 200 gms Custard powder - 100 gms Sugar - 300 gm Milk -500ml Apple pieces - 1 cup Method for custard: Take a small cup of milk , mix 3tsp of custard powder with that. Boil remaining milk and add the custard , add sugar and stir continuously ,until the mixture is thickened.Refrigerate. For jelly : Boil 500ml of water. Add the jelly crystals and stir it until it get dislove in it. Set the jelly in the ice cream mould.Setting can be taken place both at room temprature or in the frige Mix jelly and the custard mixture with the apple pieces according to your taste. Serve with a cake.

Cashewnut Burfi..

Ingredients: 2 cups cashewnuts (soaked in water for 2 hours) 1 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup whole milk 1 tbsp. ghee 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder Method: Drain the cashewnuts and blend them to a fine paste. Use as little milk as possible when blending just enough to be able to grind. In a heavy saucepan add the blended cashewnuts and sugar and cook on slow fire, stirring continuously till a soft lump is formed. Add ghee and cardamom powder and mix well as a soft dough.Take a flat tray, lay the butter paper and grease it, pour the dough ,make a thin (an inch)layer out of it and cut it into diamond shape.

Eggless sponge cake..!

Ingredients: 1/2 tin condensed milk (200gms) 2 3/4 cups maida (280gms) 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda (soda bicarb) 2 tsp icing sugar 1/2 cup butter melted (60gms) 1/2 tsp vanilla essence 100 ml milk 100 ml soda water Method: Sieve flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, all together 2 to 3 times. Keep aside. Pour condensed milk in a bowl. Add the butter, and beat well till smooth. Add the flour spoon by spoon, mixing into the condensed milk mixture. In between, add milk as required if the butter begins to get too stiff. [Stir the mixture in one direction only all the while. This will incorporate more air and make the cake lighter]. Once all the flour is used up, beat the batter as above till light (5-7 minutes). Add the soda and mix gently till smooth. Pour into a greased cake tin. Do not smooth with a spoon etc. If the consistency is right this will not be needed. Pre-heat over to 300o c. Place tin inside. Bake at 200o c for 5-7 minutes and 150o c till done. (35 to 40 minutes). Poke with a skewer and check. Cool a little. Invert on wire rack. Cool completely before doing icing.Mix( butter(2)+Sugar(2)+Chocolate powder(1)) well.Pour this mixture into the icing nozzle and design the cake according to your taste.You can use variety of colours too.

Pizza

Ingredients : Makes 2 pizzas (Serves 4)Pizza Base 200g strong white flour (plain flour will do, if you don't have bread flour) 100g semolina (strong flour / plain flour will do, if you don't have semolina) 1 heaped teaspoon of salt 300ml warm water7g (1 sachet) dried yeast 1 teaspoon sugarPizza Topping Ingredients : 1 tin tomatoes (or you could use fresh tomato sauce) 1 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed handful of fresh basil leaves, torn into shreds2 red onions, peeled, chopped in half & sliced 200g cheese, cut into slices (e.g. mozarella, Cheddar, blue cheese) Method: Pizza Base : Mix the yeast and sugar with some of the water in a cup. Set to one side and leave for 5 minutes until the mixture starts to froth. (This activates the yeast and checks it's still working). Put the flour, semolina and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the frothy yeast mixture and most of the water. Mix until it forms a rough dough, adding a little more water, if needed. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 1/2 hour. Warm the oven to 230 deg C and put the pizza stone / baking tray in to pre-heat. Topping: Heat the olive oil in a pan. Fry the garlic gently until it starts to brown. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the basil, then liquidise. When you're almost ready to make the pizza, divide the dough into 2.Roll the dough out thinly, to the size of a pizza stone or large baking tray for each pizza. Place the rolled out dough onto the pre-heated pizza stone or baking tray. Divide the tomato sauce between the two pizzas and cover most of the base with the sauce. Sprinkle the onions, cheese, olives and pine nuts over the pizzas. If using, crack the egg over the middle of the pizza. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese has browned. Note: Insted of cheddar cheese, people who are in diet can use cottage cheese.Vegetables like bell pepper, carrot, beans can be used for toppings. Fry these vegetables in a pan with some little olive oil and add little ajinomoto, so that the vegetables can get cooked within short time. Now,you can add soya sauce(2tsp),vinegar (2tsp) and tomato sauce (3 tsp).You can even use the pizza base which is also available in the shop. Spread the vegetable mixture on the pizza base and put in the pre heated oven (160C) for 5 minutes.you can also use tava in the cooking range to prepare the pizza.

Omega 3 Podi (Flax Powder)

Benefits of flax seed : 1. lowering total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) levels. 2. flax seed may also help lower blood triglyceride and blood pressure. 3. It may also keep platelets from becoming sticky therefore reducing the risk of a heart attack. 4.lignan(Fiber) in flax seed shows a lot of promise in fighting disease -- including a possible role in cancer prevention especially breast cancer. 5.Flax seed oil seems to be able to heal the inner lining of the inflamed intestines. Ingredients: 1 cup flax seeds (Linseed) 10-12 curry leaves 6-8 dried red chillies 3-4 garlic pods Asafoetida Salt to taste Method : In a toaster oven place the seeds, curry leaves, and red chilies at 250 degrees for 10-12 minutes. You will get the nutty roasted aroma. Cool for 15 minutes and grind the seeds to the consistency of cornmeal in a coffee grinder. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for one month. Note: You can fry it in the pan, using gas stove.Fry chillies, then fry the flax seeds till they get crackling (similar to til or sesame seeds)then fry asafoetida, curry leaves and garlic.Mix salt , after you grind the powder. Hints: (1)Mix 1 tablespoon flax powder to 2 tablespoons cream cheese to make a delicious and nutritious spread for bagels. (2) Use this flax powder as a side dish , mixed with oil for idli, dosai like idli podi. (3)Can be mix with rice and gee. Taste like paruppu podi. (4)Can be used for Pizza topping too.Sprinkle this powder while serve. There are a few things one needs to bear in mind while using flax seeds . (Flax oil, as such, is not easily available in India). (1)Avoid eating flax seeds whole. They have the nasty habit of leaving your body in the same condition they came in. (2)Flax seeds, contain a substance called cyanate, which can be harmful to the body in larger quantities. (3)Ideally , one should grind the roasted flax seeds, This is easily done in a grinder. The recommended amount per day, is about 1-2 tablespoons. (4)People who suffer from constipation, may find these a useful change. Conversely, those whose intestines go into peristalsis at the slightest excitement, may find that they need to take a lesser daily quantity. (In case you are wonderingwhat I am saying, it means that overindulgence in these may cause increased trips to the toilet).

RAJMA (10 minutes)

Ingredients:

2 cups Rajma ( Red kidney beans)

1 Pinch Turmeric powder

1 Onion chopped

5 Garlic cloves, chopped

1 inch Ginger, chopped

3 Green chillies, chopped

3 Tomatoes, chopped

1/2 tsp Corainder powder

1 tsp Red chilli powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala

2 tbsp Oil

Corainder leaves

Method:

Soak rajma overnight. Wash and pressure cook the rajma.

Keep aside. Heat oil in a pan, add ginger, garlic and chillies.

Fry until they turn brown. Add onions and tomatoes. Cook

until masala separates from oil. Add salt, turmeric powder

and mix well. Add the boiled rajma, red chilli powder,

corainder powder, garam masala and stir. Simmer the flame

and cook until a thick gravy is formed. Remove from fire.

Garnish rajma with corainder leaves and serve hot with chapatis

or rice.

BAIGAN BHARTA (8 minutes)

Ingredients: 1 medium Baigan (eggplant) 1/2 cup Cooked green peas 1 Finely chopped onion 1 Finely chopped tomato 1 Finely chopped green chilli 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder 3 tbsp oil Salt to taste Chopped green coriander leaves for garnishing Method: Brush baigan (eggplant) with oil and roast it on a gas burner over medium heat. Frequently turn the eggplant upside down, until fully roasted. Once done, hold it under cold running water or in a bowl full of water. Cool it and peel off the blackened skin. Mash the flesh. Heat oil in a pan / kadhai . Add green chilli and onion and fry over medium heat until light golden brown.Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and stir. Add tomatoes and cook until tender. Add green peas and mashed baigan (eggplant). Stir well. Fry the baigan bhartha for 5-7 minutes over medium heat. Garnish the baigan bharta with green coriander leaves and serve hot. Note : You can even make this bharta without onion and tomato. With the flesh of the eggplant, add tamarind pulp(1 cup).Heat oil in the pan, add some mustard seeds and red chillies, curry leaves turmeric powder, salt and jaggry(1/2 ts).Pour the the mixture and boil it for 2 minutes in the gas stove.It goes well with south indian receipe Pongal and Rice uppuma.

MICROWAVE PANEER MATAR

Ingredients: 100g paneer - grated 1 cup shelled peas 2 tbsp. oil 1 medium size onion 1-2 green chillies 1/2" piece ginger 6 tbsp tomato puree 1/4- red chilli powder 1/2 tsp. cumin powder 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder Cashewnuts 4- optional Salt to taste Method: Grind together onion, green chillies, ginger and fry this masala for 4 to 5 minutes in a non-stick pan. Add tomato puree, garam masala, cumin powder, peas and sprinkle 1 tbsp. water. Now transfer this to a micro dish and micro high for 3 minutes. Add salt, grated paneer 5 tbsp. water and cashew nuts and mix gently. Cover the dish and again micro wave for 2 minutes and stand for another 2 minutes. Serve, garnished with fresh coriander and green chili.

Tandoori Cauliflower (Micro wave)

Ingredients: Cauliflower - 1 medium size Ginger-garlic paste -1 ts Lemon juice - 1 ts Chilli powder -1 ts Hung curd - ½ cup Garam masala - 1 ts Salt -To taste Method : Marinate the cauliflower with the ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, and chilli powder and keep for few hours. Mix the curd, garam masala and salt and rub it on the cauliflower and keep for a few more hours. Pre-heat the convection oven on 200 degrees and cook on combination mode for 200 degrees. Brown further on 200 degrees for 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with chat masala and lemon juice.

Hot N Sour Onion Chutney...

Ingredients: 3 big finely chopped Onions 6 pods Garlic 4 Dry Chilies 1/2 tsp. Tamarind Salt according to taste For seasoning: 1/2 tsp. Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp.Mustard seed 1/2 tsp.turmeric powder asafetida - a pinch Curry leaves Method: 1.Grind onions, garlic, tamarind & red chilies together into fine paste and keep aside. 2.Now in a separate pan heat 2 tsp. of oil and add all the ingredients listed under seasoning. 3.Cook until the mustard seeds start to splutter then add the ground paste to it and fry for a minute. Goes well with Idli and Dosa.

Tips..Tips..!

1. For soft Dosas, add some boiled rice to white gram and rice, while grinding.
2. Put some neem and turmeric pieces or garlic flakes in the container where you store rice or grains, in order to keep away insects.
3. To adjust salt in curries add roasted rice powder.
4. If the curd is too sour, add 4 cups of water to it. After half an hour, remove the water collected on top.
5. When you cook dal add some refined oil or garlic. It will reduce gas trouble.
6. Keep rice flour and basin in a polythene cover in refrigerator when you want tem stored for a long time.
7. Add some vinegar in the boiling water before steaming potato.
8. For crispy dosas, add a teaspoon of tur dal gram and some fenugreek seeds while soaking rice
9. Add a pinch of corn flour to the jar of salt to prevent it from getting damp.
10. While chopping raw bananas and potatoes, put the pieces in a bowl of water to avoid it from turning black.
11. A bay leaf added to the flour container will keep the flour free from moisture.
12. To peel garlic flakes easily, wash and soak them in cold water for about an hour.
13. To peel garlic flakes easily, keep those flakes for a minute in micro wave.
14. Green peas will retain their original colour, if you add a pinch of sugar while boiling.
15. Leafy vegetables will remain fresh longer, if wrapped in news papers when you are storing.
16. If you don't have any cream to add in the soup or gravy, add a mixture of butter and milk.
17. Apply some oil on the sides of the vessel in which you boil milk, in order to avoid it from overflowing.
18. After extracting butter from milk cream, add a little milk or curd to the residue and boil. You will get soft 'Paneer'.
19. For thick cream, cover the milk vessel with a thin muslin cloth and refrigerate over night.
20. Barley powder will increase the taste of meat and vegetable curries.
21. You can make tasty chappathi by mixing equal proportion of wheat flour and barley.
22. While boiling eggs, put a hole with a pin on the rounded portion of the egg so that the shell won't break when boiling.
23. Keep boiled eggs in cold water for 5 minutes, this will make the shell removal easier.
24. Cut boiled eggs with a knife dipped in hot water to avoid breaking.
25. Boiled eggs will last longer, if you store the shelled eggs in a bowl of cold water in a refrigerator.
26. If the bread is too soft to cut into pieces, hold the knife close to a flame and then slice the bread with it.
27. If you need only the egg white, for storing the remaining yolk, cover the yolk with water or milk and keep in a cool dark place. Just drain off the liquid before using the yolk.
28. Add a little powdered lemon rind to puddings or deserts to avoid the smell of egg.
29. If you want to make crispy potatoes or banana chips, sprinkle salt water over them while frying.
30. Soak almonds in warm water for a minute, if you need to peel them quickly.
31. If a curry turns out too salty, garnish it with some grated coconut mix with cumin powder.
32. Add a pinch of sugar while cooking spinach, it will retain its green colour.
33. Dal will cook well, if you add a little sesame oil while cooking.
34. To make the 'poori' more tastier and crisper add one tablespoon semoline for each 100g wheat flour.
35. Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda while mixing the dough for 'chappathi' to make it soft.
36. Adding turmeric will help to delay pickles from getting spoilt.

Errisery..(kerala dish)

Ingredients: Green bananas - Cubed Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon Urad dal - 1/4 teaspoon Coconut, grated - 1/2 cup Coconut for garnish - 1 tablespoon Black pepper - 1/4 teaspoon Curry leaves - a few Salt to taste Coconut Oil - 1 teaspoon Method: Soak the cut plantains in warm water mixed with half teaspoon turmeric for ten minutes. Drain and cook the plantains with the remaining turmeric and salt. Grind the coconut well with cumin and add to the cooked plantains. Let it simmer. Meanwhile, heat the oil and pop the mustard seeds. Add the urad dal and the coconut reserved for garnish and stir till browned. Add this mixture to the eriserry and mix in the curry leaves. Serve with rice and pappad.

Cheese Balls..!

Ingredients : Maida - 1 cup Butter - 2 Ts Milk - 1 cup Bread crumbs - 1 cup Boiled Corn - 100 gms Celery - 50 gms Grated Cheese - 100 gms Chopped Green Chillies - 4 Oil Salt - to taste Method : (1). Heat butter in a pan & put maida(1/2 cup) and fry for a minute. (2). Pour Milk into it and cook maida for two minutes. (3). Add green chillies, celery ,corn and the cheese with the mixture. (4). Add little salt to it, because cheese already has some salt with it. (5). Mix it well and make them as round balls , all in a even size. (6). Now, Mix the remaining maida with water and make a thin paste (7). Roll the balls into the paste and roll it in the bread crumbs. (8). Keep the balls in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. (9). Now take the balls and fry them in the oil in the medium flame. Note : You can do this preparation and keep it in the freezer even for 15 days in a air tight container. You can fry those balls whenever you need.

Idli Manchurian (10 minutes)

Idlies - 4 Maida - 1/2 cup Chilli powder - 1 tbs Bread crumbs Salt Oil to fry For Gravy Onion(2)+ Tomato (2) paste Ginger & Garlic paste - 2ts Jeera (cumin seeds)- 1ts Coriander powder - 1 ts Tomato sauce - 1ts Soya sauce - 1ts Green chilli sauce - 1ts salt Method Cut the idlies into small pieces. Pour some water on the maida and make it as a paste, add chilli powder and salt with that. Now dip those idly pieces into the maida paste and after that roll those pieces into bread crumbs and then deep fry in the oil.Take them out after they become golden brown in colour. Gravy Pour some oil into the pan, add jeera and then the onion tomato paste, ginger garlic paste. Fry it until the aroma comes. Now add coriander powder,and all sauces and salt. Fry it until the oil comes to the surface. Now mix those fried idlies with this gravy Mix it well and serve it hot

Wheat flour pakkoda within two minits..!

Ingredients wheat flour - 1 cup onion sliced - 1 cup snuf - 1 t.s chopped green chillies - 2 t.s chopped curry leaves chopped coriander chopped pudhin leaves (optional) salt oil - 500 ml Method

Add all the ingredients together and mixed well. No need to add water.Onion itself have enough water to mix. Heat oil in a pan and just sprinkle this dough on the oil. Fry it until it turns brown. Serve it hot with tomato ketchup.