Tasty Malai Kulfi

INGREDIENTS:

1. Milk - 2 litres
2. Cashews - 100 grams
3. Almonds - 100 grams
4. Pista - 100 grams
5. Plain unsweetened khoa - 1/2 cup
6. Sugar - 2 cups
7. Powdered elachi - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Kesar - 3 to 4 strands
9. Cornflour - 1 table spoon

METHOD: 

• Soak the almonds in hot water and remove the skin. 
• Grind the almonds,cashews and pista along with little milk. Let the texture be coarse.
• Take a heavy bottomed vessel and pour the milk. Let the milk become half of what we have added i.e thick stage.
• Add the coarse paste to the thickened milk and simmer the stove.After 5 min add the sugar,elachi,kesar and cornflour and mix well.
• When the milk starts boiling after adding these switch off the stove.
• Let the mixture cool and the pour it to the kulfi mould .
• Deep freeze them and enjoy the coool kulfi:)

P.S : If you do not get unsweetened khoa, take half litre milk in a heavy bottomed pan and keep stirring until it comes to khoa state. I used the khoa i made at home without adding any sugar.

Few Kitchen Tips

• To find out if honey is original or not, refrigerate the honey bottle . The honey should maintain the same texture even after refrigerating.If the texture changes it is not original honey.
• For pooris to come out fluffy add a handful of rawa to the dough you make with wheat/maida. It will be crispy and stay fluffy longer.

Capsicum Curry Masala

INGREDIENTS : Serves 3 to 4

1. Capsicum - 4 to 5 medium sized - cut into squares
2. Bengal gram - 1 table spoon 
3. Coconut shredded - 1 table spoon
4. Red chillies - 10 to 12 according to taste
5. Coriander seeds - 2 tea spoons 
6. cashew - 2 pieces
7. Garam masala 
8. Kasuri methi 
9. Ginger - Garlic - Paste
10. Turmeric powder - 1/2 spoon
11. Cumin seeds - 1/2 spoon

METHOD: 

• Dry roast bengal gram, red chillies,cashew, coriander seeds separately .Do not mix all these items and roast together. Fry them separately. Add coconut (do not roast the coconut) along with these items.
• Add 3 or 4 spoons of water for the items to blend well.If you do not have ginger garlic paste,add ginger and garlic pods to this mixture before grinding.
• Take a kadai and add 5 spoons of oil. Add half spoon of cumin seeds.Add the  paste first and fry it for 2 minutes.
• Add 2 or 3 cups of water and add salt,half spoon turmeric powder according to your taste.
• Put the cut capsicum and keep the stove in medium flame covering the mixture with a lid for the steam not to escape.
• After 15 min or so remove the lid and check the taste .Add salt and chilli powder if needed now.
• Once the curry reaches the gravy stage add garam masala and simmer the stove. 
• Add kasuri methi and give one more final minute on low flame. Switch off and add coriander leaves for seasoning.

chenna masala

INGREDIENTS: Serves 6 to 8 ppl

1. Chenna dhal( Soak overnight or in hotwater in a hotcase for 4 to 6 hours. ) - 1/4 kg . 
2. Onions - medium sized finely chopped  - 6 to 7 
3. Tomatoes - 3 finely chopped
4. Coriander leaves and curry leaves - finely chopped for seasoning
5. Chenna Masala - 3 teaspoons
6. Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Bay leaves - 1 
8. Elachi - 1 piece
9. Cloves - 3 pieces
10. Cinnamon - 2 pieces
11.  Green chillies - cut vertically - 4 
12. Cumin seeds for seasoning
13. Chilli powder - 2 teaspoons
14. Salt - to taste
15. Turmeric powder - 1 tea spoon
16. Potatoes cut  into medium size - 3 medium sized potatoes
17. Butter/Ghee - as needed
18. Ginger(around 2 inches)  and garlic 10 pods - shredded

METHOD : 

• Take a pressure pan add around 10 to 12 teaspoons of ghee or butter.Once the butter heats up add the chillies,coriander and curry leaves,ginger and garlic shredded to the butter and fry for one min.Add the bay leaf,elachi,cumin seeds,cloves,cinnamon too and fry for one more min.
• Add the finely chopped onions and add the salt needed for the onions.Once they are half fried add the finely chopped tomatoes. Add more salt needed for the tomatoes. Also add the 2 spoons chilli powder , turmeric powder .
• Now add the soaked channa and potatoes and add around 4 to 5 cups of water roughly around half litre. Add the salt needed for potatoes and chenna. Add 2 spoons of chenna masala and close the pressure pan. Allow 7 to 10 whistles then switch off. 
• Once the pressure is down check the salt and spiciness. You can add salt and chilli powder if needed at this stage. Put a lid and allow the extra water to get steamed for 10 to 15 mins.
• Once the water becomes less and it comes to the desired consistency add half spoon of garam masala and mix well. 
• After 2 min switch off the stove, and add coriander leaves and finely chopped raw onions (two medium onions). Enjoy the chenna masalaaaaaaaa:)

Bread Pizza

INGREDIENTS:

1. Sandwich bread 
2. Pizza/Pasta Sauce 
3. Salt
4. Red chilli flakes - You can grind dry chillies for lesser time to reach the flakes state
5. Sweet corn 
6. Capsicum - 1 cup
7. Onions - 1 cup
8. Cheese - grated
9. Paneer cubes - 1/2 cup 

METHOD: 

• Boil the sweet corn adding a pinch of salt 
• Fry the onions adding a pinch of salt needed for the onions . Do not fry it completely , fry it just for 2 or 3 minutes.
• Fry the capsicum also separately in the same method above. Use olive oil instead of cooking oil if its available.
• Take the sandwich bread and spread the pizza sauce. Arrange the capsicum ,onions,sweet corn,panner and add chilli flakes as needed.Finally add the grated cheese on top.
• Take a tawa and keeping it in low flame, place the bread. add ghee on the corners of bread and cover the bread with lid so that the steam does not escape.
• Let it be for 3 to 4 mins always in low flame. 
• The bread pizza is ready to serve! :) You can add or remove any of the toppings and create innovative pizzas:)

Tiffin Sambhar

INGREDIENTS: Serves 6 to 8 people

1. Tamarind - Roughly size of an amla
2. Cut carrots - 1 normal sized cut into small cubes
3. Drumstick - 1 cut
4. Small onions/shallots - 12 to 15 onions peeled
5. Toor dhal - pressure cooked 2 table spoons
6. Coriander leaves and mustard seeds - for seasoning
7. Tomatoes - 1 finely cut

    FOR GRINDING:

1. Bengal Gram(kadalai paruppu) - 1 table spoon
2. Coriander seeds - 3/4 table spoon
3. Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
4. Methi seeds - 1 teaspoon
5. Turmeric powder - 3/4 teaspoon
6. Dry chillies - around 8 to 10 or more depending on your taste
7. Coconut - 1 table spoon
8. Asafoetida/perungayam - 2 pinches 

METHOD: 

• Dry roast the bengal gram,dry chillies,coriander seeds,cumin,methi seeds, asafoetida(if solid fry it by adding one drop oil else add the powder directly while grinding) separately and powder it ,coconut and grind it.
• Cook the carrots,drumstick and green peas adding the salt needed for them.
• Take a vessel and pour 3 spoons oil and put the small onions and tomatoes. When they are half fried add the cooked vegetables(carrots and drumstick.I added little green peas too.) and fry for 3 to 4 mins. Add half cup of water and allow them to get cooked.
• Pressure cook the toor dhal with a pinch of turmeric powder.
• Add the grounded paste and pour 2 cups of water. Add the needed salt . 
• Add the tamarind water ,Close the vessel with lid and keep it in medium flame for 10 mins.
• Open the vessel and add the cooked dhal.Add one or two cups of water and taste the sambar for salt and spiciness. Add salt and chilli powder now if needed.
• Until the raw smell subsides and the mixture comes to the required consistency add water and keep boiling.
• After the sambar comes to the required consistency switch off the stove. 
•  Take 3 teaspoons of oil and  add popped mustard seeds.Once they crack add vertically cut green chillies and coriander leaves for seasoning.
• This tastes best for Idli,dosa,upma and pongal varieties.

Yummy Soft Chocolate

INGREDIENTS:

1. Cocoa Powder - 2 to 3 teaspoons 
2. Milk Powder - around 100g
3. Sugar (Powdered) - equivalent to Milk powder
4. Butter - around 50 g
5. Milk - about half a cup to mix the sugar.

METHOD:

• Take a plate and keep it greased ready.
• Mix the milk powder and cocoa powder separately in a bowl and make sure there are no lumps.
• Take a heavy bottomed vessel and put the sugar. Make sure the stove is it in low flame always.
• Add milk for dissolving the sugar.
• Once the sugar is dissolved in the milk, add the butter and make sure it gets mixed well.
• After the butter mixes well with the mixture add the mixed powder and stir well continuously.
• Once the mixture reaches the necessary consistency remove it from flame.
• Pour it in the greased plate. Add nuts and raisins on top if you wish.
• Allow it to cool and serve.  Your SOFT CHOCOLATE is ready!!!!
 

 NOTE : The chocolate will not be very thick or frozen. If needed in that consistency you can deep freeze it in the desired shape by pouring it in moulds.