Diamond Cuts

A perfect tea time snack that can be made within a short time.Also can be stored (if any left over) in an air tight container without getting spoiled for a long time.

Ingrediants
Maida-3 cups
Baking pwd-A pinch
Salt- A pinch
Turmeric Pwd-1/2 Tsp
Sugar-1 cup
Sesame seeds-1tsp
Oil for frying.

Method
Blend maida,turmeric,sugar,baking pwd,salt and sesame seeds with some water till the dough becomes soft
Roll out the dough like chappathis.
Cut into small diamond shapes.
Deep fry in oil till golden brown.
Cool & store them in an air-tight container.

Express Coffee

You don't have to visit coffee shops for Express coffee anymore , Just try out this recipe of mine!!!!!!!!!!!!Very simple,easy to make and absolutely divine if prepared in the right way!!!!!!!I am a SELF-PROCLAIMED Coffee ADDICT!!!!




Ingrediants
Instant Coffee-tsp
Sugar 2 tsp
Hot Water-1/2 tsp

Method
Blend instant coffee,sugar and hot water in a cup
Beat all these vigorously till it becomes frothy and changes the color to light brown
Finally add as much boiled water and milk as you desire
Serve Hot

Aviyal(Melange of vegetables with coconut grind)

This is a classic preparation of kerala which is also an integral part of all the sadhya's.Also a very healthy recipe as it has most of the vegetables.The main advantage of this recipe is this can be preparaed with as many or as few veggies as you like.Here you go!!!!!!!

Ingrediants
Mixed Vegetables cut into 1 or 2 inch long sized pieces

(I’ve used 2 Carrot, 1 Raw Plaintain, 1/4 Yam, 2 drumsticks, Few beans and Ash Gourd a small piece)
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Curd – 1/2 Cup
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Coconut-1/4 Cup
Green Chillies-3
Curry Leaves – A sprig
Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp
Water – As needed
Salt – to taste

Method
Boil all the vegetables in a vessel till they become tender with some salt and turmeric.
PS:Turmeric is optional here
Grind the grated coconut with cumin seeds and green chillies into a light paste without adding much water
Add this paste into the cooked vegetables and once the coconut paste gets coated with the veggies add curd.
Boil it for few more minutes then remove from fire.
Add coconut oil and curry leaves now.
 
This dish can be served with rice and also goes well with chappathis too...

Poha/ Beaten Rice/Avil (Upma)

There two varieties of beaten rice – thin and thick.For poha preparation we use the thick ones.This is a very simple recipe which can be whipped up in less than ten minutes. Always satisfying and  comes in handy for a quick fix meal

Ingrediants
Poha  – 2 cups

Medium onion- 1
Peanuts about 10
Green chilles- 4
Tomato-1

Curry leaves-2 sprigs

Corriander leaves-Few
Lemon juice and salt

Method

•  Wash poha in water
•  Drain all the water.
•  Squeeze juice from one lemon and keep aside
•  Heat oil in a pan.
•  Add mustard, Peanuts,Green chillies and curry leaves.
•  Fry onions until light brown.
•  Add tomatoes, tumeric and salt. Fry it properly.
•  Mix poha with it.
•  Put it on low heat for 4 minutes.
• Finally garnish with corriander leaves.

 

My First Recognition(Award)

I am really thrilled receiving this first award of mine and would like to thank Shahana from 'Me n My Apron' for nominating me for this wonderful award.


Rules for accepting this award


1) Thank the person giving the award
2) Copy the award to your blog
3) Place a link to their blog
4) Name 7 things people don't know about you
5) Nominate 7 bloggers
6) Place a link to those bloggers
7) Leave a comment letting those bloggers know about the award


I would like to pass on this Award to:


3hungrytummies
rachanakothari
ladiesspecialadukkala
kaipunyam
cookingpals
kothiyavunu
vazhayila


About me,


Joyous, the person in the room who laughs the loudest and smiles the brightest- no matter what
A bit crazy enough to be interesting
I am not always sincere , but rather polite than honest
Curious..im inquisitive, always up for learning something new
I like my independence yet need something to hold onto & care for
I would get bored quickly with you if you're not creative
I don't take life too seriously although I LOVE TO LIVE
Who wants more of me:)?


The rules are:Respond and rework – answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own. Then tag people of your choice.




If you have already recived this awards ignore it!!

Mulagu(Chilli) Bajji

Hot and Tangy Chilli Bajji a perfect evening snack and is very popular in the South India.

Ingrediants
Shimla Mirchi 5-6 Nos
Besan flour-1 Cup
Chilly Pwd-2 Tbs
Turmeric Pwd-1/2 tsp
Asafoetida-1/2 tsp
Tamarind water-Taken from a small lemon size tamarind.
Salt and oil as desired

Method
Mix all the ingrediants except tamarind water  and chillies to a thick batter
Slit the chillies lengthwise without cutting the joints
Soak the chillies in the tamarind water which is mixed with salt
Now dip them in the batter to coat well on both sides
Serve hot with corriander/Mint chutney

Gajar(Carrot) Halwa

I think one of the most popular dishes made with carrots is the 'Carrot Halwa'.Carrot halwa with vanilla ice cream is a very famous combination.A bite of warm, rich, gooey halwa with cold vanilla ice cream is heavenly, as most people will agree.

Ingrediants
Carrots-5

Milk-1 Cup
Ghee- 1/2 Cup
Sugar-3/4 Cup
Almonds-15(Broken)
Pistachios-10
Cashew nuts-10(Broken)

Method
Heat a wide pan with 2 tbsp ghee and add the cashews, fry it for a minute.

Add the shredded carrots and fry for 2 mins.
Mix the cup of milk and allow the carrots to cook in milk, give it a stir every 2 mins.
Now you can add sugar  and cardamom powder. Cook till all the milk gets absorbed
Finally add ghee and simmer for 2-3 minutes
Remove the gajjar halwa from heat and arrange in a serving dish.
Garnish with almonds and pistachios. Serve cold, hot or at room temperature

PS If you like the smell of cardamom,you can add slightly crushed cardamom too.

Mango shrikand

The Weather is getting colder as the days goes.Today decided to make a dessert 'Mango Shrikand'(Sweet yogurt dessert).It’s easy to make, requires no cooking, and keeps well when refrigerated. It also looks very exotic with its deep yellow color and saffron scent.

Ingrediants
Dahi [Indian curd] or Yogurt - 2 cups

Mango pulp - 1/2 cup
Cardamon powder - 2 pods
Kesar [saffron] - dissolve few strings in milk
Sugar - 3-4 Tbsp or according to your taste
Nuts for garnishing [Almonds and pistachios]

Method
Hang curd in a muslin cloth  so that all water is removed from it.

Take the curd and beat it well along with sugar kesar and cardamon pwd
Fold in the mango pulp or puree
Garnish with chopped nuts and refrigerate it for atleast 2-3 hrs
Serve chilled.

Adai Dosa

I love the convenience of this Adai dosa, because there is no process of fermentation. the dals have to be soaked for a couple of hours and the batter when ground is ready to use immeditely,not just this since it is full of lentils, it is high on proteins and makes for a filling  nutritious breakfast.The batter for the adai is coarser and never is it spread thin like the other dosas.

Ingrediants
Raw Rice-1 cup
Half cup of any 3 kinds of lentils-Channa Daal/Toor Daal/ Urad Daal
Red chillies- 4 to 5
Small Onions-10 chopped finely
Curry leaves- a few chopped finely
Cumin Seeds-1 tsp
Pepper corns-4-5
Asafoetida- a pinch
salt - to taste

Method
Wash and soak the rice and dals for 2 to 3 hours
Grind them along with red chillies,pepper,cumin seeds and Asafoetida by adding little batter
The batter should be thicker than the dosa batter
Add salt to the batter
Now add chopped small onions and curry leaves to the batter
Heat the tava, pour a ladleful of the batter and spread it thick.
Drizzle some oil on the sides and flip over when it is golden brown
Serve Hot with cocnut chutney.

A special snack-Morappam/Kuzhipaniyaram

My hubby's favourite snack and is been affectionately prepared by my amma n amamma whenever we visit them.This is a perfect evening snack during winter/rainy season!!!!!!

Ingrediants
Dosa batter-1 cup
Onion-1 chopped
Green chillies-3-4 chopped
Ginger-1 piece chopped
Curry leaves-2 strings
Curd-1/4 cup
Asafoetida-1 pinch
Mustard,urad daal,salt and oil as desired.

Method
Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard and urad daal to crackle
Saute onions,green chillies,ginger and curry leaves and asafoetida
Add the ingrediants to the batter followed by salt
Now add curd and mix well
Fill the non-stick appam pits with 1 tsp oil and pour 1 laddle of batter into each pit
It will take 2 mints to cook one side
Flip the appams upside down and cook the other side too

This is a snack as it is and can be served with some tangy coconut chutney also.

Lemon Rice

If you have left over rice and is tired of eating plain rice again here is a very simple recipe for u!!!

Ingrediants
Rice-1 cup
Onion-1 chopped
Green chillies-2-3(chopped)
Ginger-1 small piece
Tomato-1/2
Turmeric Pwd-1/2 tsp
Chilly pwd-1/4 tsp
Corriander leaves-2 strings
Lemon juice from 1 lemon
Mustard to crackle
Oil and salt as desired

Method
Squeeze one lemon to the rice and keep aside
Heat oil in a kadai and crackle mustard
Add onion,green chillies,ginger and tomato and saute for sometime
Add the masalas followed by rice
Once the rice is mixed well in the masala add the corriander leaves
Serve hot.

Pavakka(Bitter Gourd) Stir Fry

Here I come after a long gap!!!!New Year wishes to all my followers!!!!Got really busy with my folks around and had a great time with my mommy cooking all my favourite recipes for us!!Sad that they are returning to God's own country within a couple of days!!!Here is a recipe from my mom 'Bitter Gourd Fry'.Frankly I do not like any other ways of bitter gourd praparation only because of its bitterness.This preparation doesn't taste bitter at all...So guys try out this if interested!!!!!

Ingrediants
Bitter Gourd-2
Red chilly pwd-2 tsp
Turmeric pwd-1 tsp
Cumin pwd-1 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala-1 tsp
Rice pwd-2 Tbs
Asofoetida-pinch
Salt and oil as required.


Method
First cut the bitter gourd in semicircle after removing the seeds
Sprinkle salt and keep for 1 hr
Squeeze out the moisture completely from the bitter gourd
Add all the masalas and mix well and keep for sometime
Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry bitter gourd

PS:Try to buy the green bitter gourds which are less bitter than the white ones.

 Goes well with rice n rotis.