Reckless Cooking

Lemon Pickle

2011-03-13T17:41:00.002-05:00

Cut the lemons into small pieces. Soak in fresh lemon juice + salt + turmeric. Should be salty. Keep for a week. Will become paste.

Mustard + methi - dry roast and grind. Add red chilly powder. Add this to the lemon paste.

Heat sesame oil + hing to the above

Allam Pachadi

2011-03-13T17:38:00.002-05:00

Dice ginger + channa dal + methi + red chillies. Fry in oil. Cool and grind. Add some bellam (lemon sized).

Cook liquid tamarind paste separately for about 3 minutes (not till pulikachal consistency)

Add the tamarind to the ground paste. Grind again. This can be frozen and add hot water whenever need.

Add mustard + urad dal as garnish.

Spinach Pachadi

2011-03-13T14:22:00.002-05:00

Spinach leaves wash and dry. Fry in oil with closed cover till it becomes dark green. Should lose the water completely.

Add lemon sized tamarind so it soaks up.

Oil Fry red chillies + mustard + urad dal + hing.

Grind red chillies + spinach + tamarind. Add the poppu.

Heat oil + hing to preserve the pachadi

Kuruve Karam

2011-03-13T14:18:00.002-05:00

Wash and dry Red Chilles (the mexican variety). Fry in oil and make it soft. Put a cover. Add a lemon sized tarmarind to this. After it cools add salt.

Mustard + Vendhayam - Dry roast and grind. Should be 1 tsp for a handful of chillies. Small amount of vendhayam.

Grind the powder with the chillies.

Heat oil and when hot add Hing to it. Add this to the ground red chillies paste. Is a preservative.

Salad:Easy Spinach Salad With Citrus Vinaigrette (Giada)

2011-02-24T22:56:00.002-05:00

Loved the dressing with a few changes to make it a little more hearty.

For Salad

1 10 oz bag of spinach

2 tomatoes diced

A handful of pasta boiled al dente

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (optional)

1/2 red onion thinly sliced

Salt

Pepper

Parmesan/ Any Italian cheese combination

For Citrus Vinaigrette

1/4 cup oil (preferably olive oil)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice (or whatever other citrus fruit you are using)

Zest from both lemon and oranges

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon thyme, dried or fresh

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients for vinaigrette, except oil and cheese. Whisk in oil until well combined. Combine salad ingredients. Toss with dressing. Top with grated Parmesan.

Add red chilli flakes to the pasta, add to the entire mixture.

Adai

2011-01-29T20:14:00.002-05:00

1 cup rice

for roast: 1/2 cup dal

for softer version: 1 cup dal

dal: equal amount of channa dal and toor dal (75%); urad dal lesser quantity

Grind with red chillies, hing, and salt

Add curry leaves, jeera

Tindora-Channa Sabji

2010-12-15T23:26:00.003-05:00

Original Source, my changes in blue

Ingredients:

1 cup Tindora/Thondekai, chopped

1/2 cup Kabuli Chana/ Chick peas, soaked in water overnight

1/2 cup Grated coconut

2-3 Dry red chillies (low to mediumm spiced)

1/2 tsp Coriander seeds

1/2 tsp Jeera

2 -3 tsp Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

4-5 Curry leaves

1 tsp Lemon juice

A pinch of haldi

A pinch of hing

Salt as per taste

Method:

Pressure cook tindora and chana separately until they are cooked; It took me about 2 whistles. Note: Cook chana in salt water. However, tindora can be cooked without water.
Powder the dry red chillies, jeera and coriander seeds in a mixie. After they are powdered, add grated coconut and churn them further without adding water. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a kadai. Temper with mustard seeds, haldi, hing and curry leaves.
Add sliced onions (1 medium size)
Add the masala mixture prepared in step 2 to the tadka and saute for a while.
Add cooked tindora and chana; Add salt and mix well.
Remove from stove and add lemon juice; Serve hot with rice or rotis!

Lauki Sabji

2010-11-30T21:19:00.002-05:00

In a pressure cooker add oil + jeera + slit green chillies

Then add 1/2 chopped onion + 2 diced tomatoes

Grind about 2 tsps of Dhaniya to make fresh dhaniya powder

Add this to the soft tomatoes and stir for a while. Then add cubed Lauki pieces

Add 1/2 cup of channa dal and enough water to cook this entire mixture.

Pressure cook . Garnish with coriander leaves. Optionally can add curds in the end.

Simple and tasty for rice and rotis.

Beetroot Salad

2010-11-10T00:02:00.001-05:00

Recipe source: http://showmethecurry.com/salad-raita/beetroot-salad-kosambir.html

Prep Time: 10 mins plus 1 hr chill time (optional)
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

Beetroot – 1 lb (1/2 kg), peeled and shredded - use the chopper rather than grate them
Roasted Peanuts – 1/2 cup, roughly crushed
Cilantro (Coriander) – 5 sprigs, chopped
Green Chilies – to taste, finely chopped
Onion – 1/2 cup, finely chopped
Lemon/Lime Juice – to taste
Salt – to taste
Roasted Cumin Powder – 1 tsp - tastes good without too

Method:
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and chill for 1 hour.- Chilling optional

Something like a Waldorf Salad

2010-06-18T20:08:00.002-05:00

2 red apples cubed

bunch of grapes/ raisins

1 mango

diced onion (about 1/2)

Toss all of them with lemon juice + salt + black pepper.

Toast some walnuts and dice them.

Dressing: Mayonnaise + Sour cream (optional) + salt + pepper. I also added a dash of Maaza (mango juice).

Cut a bunch of spinach (dry) and add it to the salad in the end.

Puff Pastry: Spinach Cheese mixture

2010-03-20T19:58:00.002-05:00

Thaw frozen spinach and squeeze the water out of it. Add finely minced green chillies + diced onions + salt + whatever cheese you have. Spread this over the pastry puff sheet (thawed). Now roll it to form a spiral and cut them into pieces. Bake and eat.

Puff Pastry: Apple Tart with Mascarpone Cheese

2010-03-20T19:50:00.003-05:00

Based on a recipe from here

with the following tweaks:

Thaw the puff pastry to room temp. Cut the apple into thin slices and add jaggery to them (instead of brown sugar, am I a baker here?) and let it rest for a while. Then arrange the apple pieces on the puff pastry sheets and sprinkle sugar over it. Put it in the oven and bake for about 15-18 minutes.

Meanwhile take a dollop of mascarpone cheese and add some lemon juice + 3/4 tsp of sugar. Whip this till you get a creamy light mixture.

Spread this over the puff pastry once it is done, and serve.

Pasta: Vegetable Sauce (Red Pepper / Eggplant)

2010-03-20T19:35:00.003-05:00

A change in the veggie and a new sauce is made. Rather than making pasta the usual style, I've started experimenting with the sauces making a few tweaks.

I love fusili for this. Cook the fusili al dente (with salt + olive oil). When you drain the fusili, add some parmesan cheese to it when hot. This will melt it.

Red Pepper Base

Broil 1 Red Pepper (big pieces) mixed with olive oil + salt+ pepper. When you see the charring start, add one diced tomato (fresh) and let it roast.

Then grind to a puree some of this mixture with marinara sauce ( I use trader joes brand) and green chillies. The quantity should be enough to coat the fusili. Toss in the fusili, sauce, remainder of pepper + tomato, olives + cheddar cheese + sliced red onion and let it stand for about 30 minutes.

Eggplant Base

In hot pan add olive oil + sliced eggplant +salt+ turmeric. Grind store bought marinara sauce + some eggplant pieces + coriander leaves.

The quantity should be enough to coat the fusili. Toss in the fusili, sauce, remainder of eggplant + tomato + cheddar cheese + sliced red onion and let it stand for about 30 minutes.

Add other veggies like mushroom etc.. Can try making sauces with other veggies.

Sandwich: Pinto Beans Filling

2010-02-23T20:20:00.002-05:00

Soak Pinto beans overnight if from packet.

In pressure cooker add oil+ slit green chillies + diced onions. Add a little masala (whatever is ur fancy, I use a daily dal one) and then 1 diced tomato. Then add the pinto beans + salt + water to cook the entire mixture.

Switch off after 2 whistles. Beans is particularly good for sandwich, with cream cheese spread on one slice. Also decent for rotis / rice.

Brinjal + Tomato - Coriander Koora

2010-02-23T20:16:00.004-05:00

Recipe from MIL:

Cut brinjals (about 5 small ones / 1 chinese ) into 1-2 inch pieces and fry it well in oil. Then add equal amount of diced tomatoes and stir for a while. Prepare a paste of coriander leaves + chillies + salt. Add this to the mixture in the pan. Add salt. Cook till you like the consistency.

Sandwich: Avocado + Black bean-Butter Bean Patty

2010-02-16T20:11:00.002-05:00

If there are leftover patties I usually freeze them for later. This also makes a great sandwich filling. (Patty recipe)

Microwave the patty; when you touch it is should crumble. Slice a ripe avocado (only really ripe works) and mix it with the patty mixture. Add some salt and lemon juice. Add coriander leaves if you have them.

Cut your loaf of bread into 2 big chunks of sandwich slices. Broil it in the oven with a bit of butter smeared on it. ONce it gets brown flip over to the other side. Now place a slice of your fav cheese (I used Jalapeno flavored cheddar slice) on the bread and let it remain in the oven, broiling.

Once the cheese melts, remove it.

Now spread the avocado + bean mixture on the non-cheesed bread. Place sliced tomatoes + onions on this.

Add some mayonnaise + sprinkling of salt + pepper.

Press the slices together and serve. Can grill it again in a panini press.

Methi Paneer Curry

2010-02-01T19:30:00.004-05:00

Fry paneer cubes in oil + salt till they are crispy and slightly browned.

Dice a big onion

Oil + jeera +cinnamon sticks + bay leaves + cloves. Add onions and once it is browned + garam masala. Fry for a little while add tomatoes + methi leaves. Fry till the leaves wilt. Add salt + yogurt + paneer.

Black bean + Butter Bean Patty

2010-02-01T19:26:00.002-05:00

Turns out tasting like Aloo tikki; good for the veggie burger.

Microwave 1 can black bean + 1 can butter bean (or any other bean u fancy) till they are soft enough to mash.

Mash them adding diced green chillies + salt + little garam masala+ 1/2 bunch coriander leaves (diced). Make patties of them (I got 8) and broil in oven, turning over both sides. Can smear a little oil on either side of the patty. But I dont think they get that crunchy. Broil the buns with cheese slice and build a burger.

I add mayonnaise + tomato ketchup + tomato slices + onion slices.

Karachina dosa

2010-01-29T12:09:00.003-05:00

3/4 cup Rice Flour, 1/4 + Rava, less than 1/4 cup maida - add all to majigga water 1 cup. Add thalichafied Jeeragam + Green Chillies + Onions (fried in oil) to this. Let this soak for 30 - 60 minutes.

To make dosas let the pan be sizzling hot and the battered to be poured like Rava dosa

Bhindi + Capsicum Koora

2009-10-29T19:51:00.002-05:00

Slit bhindi into long pieces (1- 1.5 inches) and fry it in oil till it loses its stickiness. Do so with salt + turmeric.

Remove bhindi and in the same oil + slit green chillies + jeera. Then fry sliced onions (1/2 onion) + 2 diced tomatoes + 1 capsicum (chunked). Cover the pan and let the capsicum cook. Add salt + chilli powder . Then add the fried bhindi. Then add besan powder (2 -3 tsps) and fry.

Italian Antipasto Salad

2009-10-24T21:26:00.003-05:00

Great use of left over pasta that wasn't used in the main meal.

Boiled Rotini, preferably room temperature

Add pieces of green pepper + sliced onions + sliced tomatoes + olives + rotini

Toss with olive oil + pepper + salt + italian dressing (I used Sun-dried vinaigrette)

Add shred of cheddar cheese.

Let it soak for about 30 minutes. Eat.

Homemade Veggie Pizza

2009-10-24T21:17:00.002-05:00

I cannot believe I haven't tried to make pizza at home after all these years in the US! Here is the recipe:

Store bought Pizza crust - preferably freshly baked (large size, $4.99 at Harris Teeter)

Pizza Sauce -

1/2 can crushed tomato, 2.5 tsps of tomato paste mixed in water

Add olive oil + red chilli flakes+ crushed tomato + tomato paste + italian herbs + salt. Let this simmer for about 20-30 minutes

On the base spread the pizza sauce + little cheese

Add all the toppings you want (jalapeno peppers, olives, green peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, pineapple)

Add cheese - shredded cheddar, mozeralla

Follow instructions on the base and bake pizza. Hands down best pizza.

Black Bean Soup

2009-07-13T19:14:00.003-05:00

Microwave half a can of black beans (about a cup) for about 6 minutes. Saute slit green chillies + diced onion (1/2) + cumin seeds. Add dhaniya powder (1/2 tsp). Add finely ground tomatoes (1/2 cup) to this and stir. Now grind the black bean to a fine paste. Keep some beans aside. Add this to the mixture. Add salt + red chilli powder if needed. Optional: Add 3 tsps of cooked rice.

Add some milk and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes atleast. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Add a dash of lime juice if you like.

Badam Burfi / Halwa

2009-07-13T19:06:00.002-05:00

Recipe from my periamma

1 cup Badam - soak for 15 minutes in hot water to allow easy skin removal. Grind the peeled almonds with enough milk so that it is a smooth paste. Add 1.5 - 2.25 cups of sugar, saffron to this paste. Sugar range is based on taste. Stir this mixture in a pan on medium heat. Check for sugar level. After about 12 minutes add ghee to this. Meanwhile lubricate steel plate with ghee. Just before the mixture solidifies empty it into the plate. If you hit the sweet spot then this will harden into cake. Else, you are stuck with halwa.

Bean based recipe

2008-01-20T13:11:00.001-05:00

Masal Mochai:

Now that mochai season is starting, try this dish.

Delicious is the only word for this mildly spicy vegetable.

Mochai paruppu (fresh ) - 1 cup

Besan - ½ cup

Chopped small onions - ½ cup

Oil - ½ cup

Chopped garlic - 1 tbsp

Chopped green chillies & ginger - 2 tbsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Saunf - 1 tsp (or little less )

Salt, haldi, curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves

Boil the mochai paruppu with little salt & drain.

Heat ¼ cup oil, temper mustard seeds, saunf &then add onions, garlic, green

chillies,&ginger fry well.

Mix besan, salt, haldi , chilli powder & ¼ cup oil to a bread crumb consistency.

Add this mixture & the boiled mochai to the fried ingredients..

Lower the flame, cover & cook for 5 mts.

Besan will get cooked in oil.

Open, mix thoroughly all the contents.

Add chopped curry leaves &coriander leaves.

The same dish tastes excellant with potatoes as well.

This dry dish goes very well with any rice.

Nadroo Yakhni (Lotus Stem in a White Curry)

2008-01-20T12:54:00.000-05:00

500 gm lotus stem
500 gm yoghurt
100 gm ghee
25 gm dry ginger powder
25 gm green cardamom powder
50 gm fennel powder
02 gm bayleaves
05 gm asafoetida
salt to taste

Cut the lotus stem into 1/2 inch pieces.

Whip the yoghurt.

Boil 1 litre of water and cook lotus stems for 10 minutes. Add all the ingredients and cook briskly for another 15 minutes stirring constantly until the lotus root is tender and the gravy is creamy.

Serve as an accompaniment with rice.

Pasta Fritters

2008-01-20T12:53:00.000-05:00

Source

Pasta Fritters Ingredients:

Left over pasta: 500gm

Ginger-garlic, crushed:1 big tbsp

Boiled potatoes: 2

Green chillies, chopped: 2 tbsp

Corriander leaves: 1 bunch

Grated cheese: 1 cup

Corn flour: 1 tbsp

Refined flour: 1 tbsp

Tomato sauce: 2 tbsp

Soya sauce: 1/2 tbsp

Vinegar: 1/2 tbsp

Ajinomoto: a pinch

Salt to taste

Method: Mash the pasta mix together with all the ingredients, rest it for a while and deep fry them (like onion pakoras) in medium hot oil. Drain them on a kitchen towel, garnish it with coriander leaves and serve piping hot with chilli garlic sauce.

Tip: While making fritters, if the mixture sticks to your while making hand apply a little oil to your hand before putting the batter in the oil.

Aakooralu charu (Green leaves soup)

2008-01-20T12:51:00.000-05:00

Source

Aakooralu charu (Green leaves soup)

Serving for four to five people

Ingredients

Boiled tuar dal: 50gms

Onion, finely chopped: 1

Tomato, finely chopped: 1

Thoroughly washed and cut assorted green leaves

Each one bunch of any variety -five to six variety Pala koora (Palak) , Ponaganti kura, Thota kura, Koya kura, Bachchala kura, Menthi kura, Gangabayala kura, Chukka kura or any available green leaves. Avoid green leaves like Gongura, Erra thotakura, Soyi kura, etc. which may change the taste and colour.

Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida powder: little (to sprinkle on the top)

Salt to taste

For seasoning: 1tsp ghee, cumin seeds, red chillies and curry leaves

To grind

Grated coconut: 4 tbsp

Poppy seeds: 1 tbsp

Cumin: 1 tsp

Green chillies: 1or 2

Method

Take thick-bottomed kadai or cooker. Mash the boiled tuar dal into paste add 800 ml. water and bring it to boil. Add chopped onion, tomato, turmeric and asafoetida powder.

When onion and tomato becomes tender, add green leaves. Add ground paste and salt after green leaves are cooked and well mixed. Boil the charu for fifteen minutes in low flame and season it with ghee, cumin, red chillies and curry l eaves.

This charu is rich in fibre, highly nutritious, cool on our stomach, very good for patients, children and for all. It goes well with rice comprising side dish of spicy pickle/papad/any spicy vegetable curry. It can also be consumed as soup.

Godhumai Dosa

2007-07-30T03:22:00.001-05:00

1 cup wheat flour + 1 cup rice flour
Mix in 1/4 cup sour buttermilk
chop ginger + green chillies + curry leaves + jeera + hing
add diced onions
Let it stand for 2 hours

Cabbage Baaji

2007-07-30T03:05:00.000-05:00

Cook 1/4 cup toor dal
Shred cabbage and cook in salt water
Fry 6 green chillies and add to cabbage
Add the dal.
Add rice flour to thicken if needed
Boil fr few mts and take off
Oil + mustard + chopped ginger + cashew
Add to cabbage
Add lemon juice + hing water if desired

Dal Ka Halwa

2007-07-30T02:57:00.000-05:00

Soak 250 gms moong dal for 4-5 hours
Grind to medium fine paste
Heat 200 gms ghee
Stirring constantly add ground dal till light golden color
Add 500ml hot water and stir for 5-10 mts
Add 250 gms sugar and continue stirring
Cook on medium heat till leaves the sides of pan
Soak saffron tsp of milk
Sprinkle over halwa + cardomom
Serve hot

Sabut Moong Dal

2007-07-30T02:52:00.000-05:00

Soak 250 gms sabut moong dal (green full ones) for few hours
Pressure cook with 2 cups water + ginger paste + turmeric + salt for 20 mts
Heat ghee + hing + jeera + ginger + green chillies chopped
Then add the stirred dal and boil

Lauki Kofta

2007-07-30T02:46:00.000-05:00

Grate l250 gms lauki and squeeze water
Mix 1/2 tsp ajwain + 1/2 tsp red chilli powder + salt
Mix 100 gms besan to dropping consistency
Heat oil to medium
Drop in the batter in batches and fry golden brown
Serve as pakoras / some gravy

Katti Meeti Lauki

2007-07-30T02:40:00.001-05:00

Peel and chop 500 gms bottle gourd
Wash in water
Heat oil. Drop in mustard + jeera
Add lauki + salt + manjal + red chilly powder
Cover and cook till tender
Add mango powder 1 tsp + sugar 1 tsp and simmer before serving

Pittor

2007-07-30T02:33:00.000-05:00

Mix 500 gms besan with 250 gms lightly beated curds
Add 750 ml water
Mix in 3 tsps ginger paste + green chillies ground with ginger
Also add 1/2 tsp ajwain + 1.5 tsp salt + 1.5 tsp red chilly powder + 1/2 tsp manjal
Mix well
In a wok on fire cook this mixture continuously till it is thick
Pour into a greased pan with shallow sides and let it set and cool
Cut into pieces and store in airtight jar

Khandavi is made the same way except the last step it is spread thinly on a greased plate, then sliced and rolled instead of cutting

Jhaal Muri

2007-07-30T02:28:00.000-05:00

Soak 100 gms kala channa overnight. Boil in salted water. Drain and cool
Put puffed rice in a bowl, add oil and mix.
Add kala channa + boiled cubed potatoes + chopped cucumber +diced onions + green chillies
Also add red chilly powder + mango powder + lemon juice
Salt to taste

Karnakizhangu Masiyal

2007-07-18T08:56:00.000-05:00

Preparation

Cook kandha in cooker. Mash it
Also pressure cook toor dal (3/4 cup)
Dice green chillies (4) + ginger
Add oil + mustard + urad dal + channa dal + hing + turmeric + green chillies + ginger + Curry leaves
Add the mashed kandha + dal
Also add water if needed
Add salt + kothamalli
Add lemon juice after taking off the stove

Mempodi

2007-07-18T07:42:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

Channa Dal
Dhaniya
Vendhayam
Red Chillies
Hing

Preparation

Fry in oil and grind
Garnish any sambar based dish before taking off flame for pleasant smell.

Kothamalli Thokku

2007-07-18T07:40:00.000-05:00

Grind Kothamalli (2 cups) + Red Chillies (10) + Puli (grape size) + salt in mixie
Add oil + mustard + hing
Fry the mixture in oil

Batura

2007-07-17T09:30:00.000-05:00

Preparation

Take maida 1/2 kg
Add pinch of baking powder + salt to water (100ml)
Add this water + 1 tbsp oil to the flour
Can add 6 bread slices to this for the batura to rise fully
Prepare the dough and let it rest for 2.5 hours minimum
Make the baturas in a big pan of oil

Rava Dosa

2007-07-17T09:21:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

Rava - 3 cups
Rice Flour - 1 cup
Maida - 1/2 cup

Preparation

Mix all with water
Add salt
Soak for half hour.
As it soaks the batter will thicken
Then add water if required
Add diced onions + green chillies
The pan should be very hot before rava dosa is prepared
Note that the batter should be watery

Other Version from here

Ingredients

Riceflour-1 cup
Rava or sooji- ½ cup
Maida- ¼ cup
Salt to taste

For seasoning

Mustard seeds- ¼ tsp
Green chillie-1 chopped finely
Pepper- a few
Curry leaves- a few
Ginger- a small piece chopped finely
Coriander leaves- a few chopped finely
Onion- ½ chopped finely
Oil and ghee

Method

Mix the rice flour, maida and rava and add water and salt to it. The batter should be watery and flowing. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when it splutters add onions and other ingredients .Fry for 2 minutes till the onion turns transparent. Add this to the rava batter.
Heat the tawa (the tawa should be very hot while u are pouring the batter) and take one ladleful of batter and spread on the tawa starting from the sides and finishing off in the middle as rava dosa cannot be spreaded like ordinary dosa. Drizzle ½ tsp of oil and ¼ tsp of ghee on the sides. When it becomes golden brown turn it over.

Set Dosa

2007-07-17T09:10:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

Raw Rice - 3 cups
Urad Dal - 1.25 cups
Getti Aval - 1 cup

Preparation

Soak for 4 hours rice and urad dal.
Soak aval for 1 hour (if paper aval)
Grind all and add soda, salt and let if ferment
Once it pongafies can be used for making set dosas

Set dosa

Pour a small pancake sized batter on pan
Cover and let it steam
Turn it over
Serve with Dangar chutney

Carrot Soup

2007-07-17T08:48:00.000-05:00

Preparation

Skin carrot and cook it with salt & pinch of sugar
Puree this in a blender
Add oil + ginger-garlic paste + finely chopped onion. Fry lightly
Add cubed, boiled potato, beans, and carrot. Saute them.
Add salt + pepper
Add 2 cups water and let the veggies cook for a while
Then add tomato puree and saute
Finally add carrot puree
To thicken the soup add 1 tbsp cornflour + 1/2 cup milk/ water
Boil and serve.

Maragatha Masala Vendakai Curry

2007-07-17T08:19:00.000-05:00

Can be done with other veggies too : Brinjal / Potato / Cauliflower

Masala Preparation

Onion big - 1
Kothamalli - 1 bunch
Green Chillies - 4-6
Cashewnuts - 10
Kasa Kasa - 4 tsp
Coconut grating - 2 tbsp
Dhaniya - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Ginger - Garlic -small pieces
Yellaka, Krambu, Patta - each 4

Grind all the above to a smooth paste

Dish

Cut vendakkai into long pieces
Add oil + mustard + jeera
Add vendakkai + manjal podi+ salt. Fry well on low flame
When the pieces have softened add the ground masala, and lemon-sized butter
Fry again for 6-7 minutes.
In the end add 3/4 cup of curds and stir for a minute
Garnish with curry leaves

Side dish for poori, chappati, dosa, pulao.

Olan

2007-07-17T08:03:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

White pumpkin (or Chow Chow) cut in big pieces - 250 gms
Coconut Milk - 1.5 cups
Slit green chillies - 6
Boil Black Eyed Peas - 100 gms
Coconut Oil , Salt

Preparation

Take 2 portions of coconut milk (first stronger than second)
Cook the pumpkin pieces in second portion of coconut milk with green chillies
Add the boiled peas to this
Then add the first portion of coconut milk
After it boils add some coconut oil + salt

Kadhambha Kootu Curry

2007-07-17T07:47:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

Channa Dal - Soaked in hot water and then boiled - 1 cup
Senakizhangu - 200 gms
Vellai Pusini / Chow Chow - 200 gms
Vazhakkai - 1
Red Pumpkin - 100 gms
Dhaniya - 2 tsp
Red Chillies - 4
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 2 tsp
Coconut oil , turmeric, salt

Preparation

Cut all veggies and pressure cook them with salt and turmeric
Fry the spices in coconut oil and grind them
Mix the boiled veggies + channa dal + masala + extra water, and cook
Add mustard + urad dal + slices of coconut to the dish (splutter in coconut oil)

Best Pecan Pie

2006-08-02T08:26:00.000-05:00

The Old Mill restaurant (pic left) in Pigeon Forge, TN is famed for its home made pecan pie. Pecan pie is considered a specialty of Southern Cuisine. The pie is delicious. So much that we bought an entire pie after tasting just a slice!

Beans on Toast

2006-06-25T20:46:00.000-05:00

The most delicious beans on toast I have had is in my host's family in England, when I went there on a cultural exchange program. Trying to recreate that memory I embarked upon experimenting with the traditional Brit breakfast.

Canned Red Beans
Tomato sauce

Stir in the sauce and beans in a sauce pan. Add coriander powder + salt + pepper + chilli powder. Once a thick consistency is achieved pour it over toasted bread. Make sure that the bread is crisp and well toasted.

If you like you can add some cheddar cheese and bake it for a couple of minutes.

Delightful Watermelon juice

2006-06-25T20:43:00.000-05:00

A single watermelon gives over 25 glasses of juice. Blend watermelon pieces + sugar. Serve chilled.

Paneer Bhurji

2006-06-25T20:35:00.000-05:00

Recipe from here

I used diced capsicums also. Add when frying the onion.

Oh God! I am She.

2006-06-20T11:41:00.000-05:00

When Caeser meets Maggi

2006-06-16T13:23:00.000-05:00

Caeser's Salad : The much misunderstood gentleman who has been erroneously related to Julius Caeser was created in a humble kitchen. The only ingredients from the original recipe used here are Paramesan & Pepper.

Maggi: The two-minute Indian beauty that has pandered to graduate cooking all these decades. Even Top-Ramen is only a runner-up in the culinary celerity-beauty contest.

Insulting-Caeser-Salad Recipe

Cut stale bread into huge chunks and fry them in butter till golden brown. In another pan, add butter and some frozen spinach. Once it thaws, add paprika + pepper + salt and stir till spinach absorbs the flavor.
Then add the bread chunks and fry for a couple of minutes. Top this off with Caser dressing and Paramesan cheese.

Maggi

Come on now. Follow the instructions on the packet. Just throw in some green peas when the water is boiling.

Wham bham thank you ma'am!

Basbousa - Middle Eastern Dessert

2006-06-11T17:25:00.000-05:00

Original Recipe from here but quantities slightly modified as below

Sugar Syrup Ingredients

1. 3 cup sugar
2. 3 cup water
3. 1 tablespoon clarified butter
4. 2 talbespoons lemon juice

Sugar Syrup Procedure (Put lot of syrup for the semia to stay firm-- VERY IMPORTANT)

1. Put ingredients for sugar syrup into a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add 1 tablespoon clarified butter.
3. Simmer for about 15 minutes and cool.

Basboussa Ingredients
2 cups rava
1 cup sugar
1 cup coconut flakes
1 cup clarified butter
1 cup milk
1/2 cup slivered almonds, or 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
2 teaspoons baking powder

Basboussa Procedure
1. Mix the sugar, coconut and rava, then, add the baking powder.
2. Put the milk and butter in a pot and bring to a boil.
3. Add the rava mixture to the milk and butter, plus remaining ingredients and mix well.
4. Coat a baking tray with butter.
5. Pour into a baking tray 1/2 inch high and distribute evenly.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes until golden-yellow.
7. Remove from the oven and distribute slivered almonds or chopped hazelnuts over the top of the backed Basboussa. Press the nuts gently with your finger.
8. Leave the Basboussa to cool for 1 hour.
9. Soak with the cold sugar syrup.
10. Bake at 200 degrees for 5 minutes until golden-yellow.
11. Cut into pieces and serve warm or cold. Enjoy.

Wonderful dessert.

Eggless Banana Cake

2006-06-11T17:22:00.000-05:00

Recipe from here

1 cup Bisquick pancake flour./All-purpose flour
1/2 cup of walnuts, chopped
1 banana, peeled, mashed smoothly
1/4 cup of white sugar
4 tablespoons of oil
1 tsp of baking powder and vanilla extract
Milk if needed.

Mix the wet ingredients - banana, oil and vanilla extract first, then add the flour, sugar, walnuts and baking powder, mix it well. Add milk if the batter is too tight. Grease the bottom of cake pan, pour the mixture, bake it in a preheated oven at 350° F for about 30 minutes.