Onion Uthappam

Ingredients:

1. Dosa paste               : 3 cups
2. Onion                       : 1 big (finely chopped)
3. Green chilli               : 2-3 (finely chopped)
4. Coriander leaves      : 2 tbsp (optional)
5. Cheese                    : 2 tbsp (optional)
6. Ghee or butter         : 2 tbsp
7. Red chilli powder    : a pinch (optional)

Method:

• For dosa paste u can read this link for making dosa paste.  How to make Dosa Batter.
• Mix onion, green chilli and coriander leaves together in a bowl.
• Heat a non-stick tawa and take spoon full of batter and spread it in a circle on the tawa. Similar to the way you would make a dosa. For uthappam the quantity of the batter will be more than what you would normally use for a dosa.
• Then top the uthappam with the onion,green chilli and coriander mixture. Add some ghee on the side and top of the uthappam. Leave it for 1 minute till the down side get cooked.
• Turn the uthappam when the base is cooked. Spread some ghee on the cooked side.
• Flip again when the onion side is getting cooked. Finally sprinkle some some grated cheese and red chilli powder on the top side of the uthappam. 
• Serve hot uthappam with Coconut chutney or Tomato chutney. 

Related articles

• Rava Dosa
• chutneys
• Chutney

Read More

Gulab Jamun

h

Ingredients:

1. Khoya             : 250 gm
2. Paneer             : 100 gm
3. Maida              : 30 gm
4. Cashew            : 1 tsp (crushed))
5. Kismish            : 1 tsp
6. Sugar               : 300 gm
7. Ghee                : for fry jamunes

Method:

• In a large bowl mix khoya, paneer and maida till it forms up a smooth dough. Divide into small portions and fill with 3-4 crushed cashews and 1 kismish and shape into balls without any break .
• Heat ghee in a kadai, test by putting a single ball into the ghee, if it breaks then add a little maida to the rest of the dough and check it.
• While frying do not disturb the ball try to pour ghee on the ball rather than turning the ball with spoon.
• After it becomes golden brown remove from heat and keep aside. When it cools down a little bit put it in the sugar syrup.

FOR SUGAR SYRUP:

                                       In another kadai pour 300 ml water and sugar and leave it to boil for 8 to 10 minutes.Then test the thickness of the syrup (like one thread). Leave it to cool for sometime then add the balls in it. Atlast garnish with some saffron strands. Then leave it for 20 to 30 minutes all the gulab jamunes remain soaked in the sugar syrup.

Read More

Coconut Pancakes (Thenga ada)Ina

Ingredients:

1. Maida                         : 150 gm
2. Rice powder               : 100 gm
3. Coconut milk              : 100 ml
4. Water                         : 150 ml
5. Rose water                 : 5 ml
6. Ghee                          : 4 tsp
7. Cashews                    : 2 tbsp
8. Kismish                      : 2 tbsp
9. Grated coconut           : 150 gm
10. Sugar                          : 4 tsp
11. Elachi                          : 1 tsp (powdered)

Method:

• In a bowl add maida, rice powder, coconut milk, water and rosewater mix well without lumps into a smooth batter and keep aside.
• Fry cashews, Kismish in ghee till golden brown. Then add grated coconut and fry for one minute.
• Remove the mixture from heat and mix sugar and elaichi powder and keep aside.
• Heat a non-stick pan and pour one spoon of batter and spread evenly all over the pan. Then on one side of the batter lay out the fried filling. Then fold it into any shape desired and cook both sides for around two minutes or till golden brown.

Related articles

• Import your Gmail account to Outlook.com
• Gionee's latest Elife E7 facts
• Discover the top Google searches of 2013

Read More

How to make sevai

Ingredients:

1. Boiled rice                : 1 cup
2. Raw rice                   : 2 tbsp
3. Oil                            : 2 tsp
4. Salt                           : 3/4 tsp

Method:

• Wash and soak raw rice and boiled rice for overnight. Grind it to a fine smooth paste with a little water. After grinding make it to a loose batter by adding some more water.
• Add this batter to a pan with 2 tbsp of oil and cook over medium heat and keep stirring until it becomes a thick dough. Make big oval shape balls and steam cook it in idli cooker for 13 to 15 mins.
• Add the steamed dough to the sevai maker and press or squeeze. Sevai is ready.

Read More

Palak Sevai

Ingredients:

1. Roasted vermicelli              : 2 cups
2. Oil                                     : 2 tbsp
3. Carrot                                : 1/2 cup (cut into sticks)
4. Sprouts                              : 1 cup
5. Spinach                              : 2 cups
6. Rice powder                      : 3 tbsp
7. Salt                                    : to taste
8. Oregano powder                : 1 tsp
9. Vegetable stalk                   : 4 cups

Oil for deep frying the spinach

Method:

To prepare the spinach:

• Cut the spinach into thin shreds. Wash and dry completely.
• Sprinkle rice powder on the dried spinach and keep aside for 5 minutes.
• Heat oil for deep frying. Let the oil be really hot and then drop the spinach coated with rice flour.
• Lower the heat and allow the spinach to fry for a few seconds. Remove from oil and drain out all the oil. Keep aside.

To prepare the sevai:

• Heat the 2 tbsp of oi in a separate pan. Stir fry the carrots adding salt to taste.
• Lower the heat and mix in the roasted sevai. Fry tor 2 minutes.Mix in the sprouts and stir gently. Mix in the vegetable stock,oregano and salt to taste. Stir so the stock and the salt and the remaining ingredients mix together.
• Cool covered with a lid till all the water is absorbed and the sevai is cooked.
• Remove to a serving dish and garnish with the fried spinach and serve as part of the main course.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Related articles

• Turkish-style Spinach
• Tomato Enchiladas In A Spinach Ricotta Sauce

Read More

Sausage Canapes

Ingredients:

Canapes For Serving

For the filling:

1. Chicken sausage              : 200 gm
2. Olive oil                           : 2 tsp
3. Oregano powder              : 1 tsp
4. Pepper powder                : 1/2 tsp

Method:

• Boil the sausages in water till tender but not overcooked. Cut into circles and keep aside.
• Heat the olive oil and fry the sausage pieces till light brown. Sprinkle the oregano and pepper powder and toss gently.
• Place a portion of the filling in each canape and serve as a snack as a part of a meal.
• You could add chopped onions or chopped spring onions or mint leaves to the filling if you desire.

Read More

Veggie Pie

Ingredients:

1. White cabbage           : 2 cups grated
2. Red cabbage              : 1 cup grated
3. Beans                         : 3 tbsp (cut into small pieces)
4. Salt                             : to taste
5. Fresh bread crumbs    : 3 cups
6. Oregano powder        : 1 tsp
7. Garlic paste                : 1 tsp
8. Freshly grated coconut: 1/2 cup
9. Salted roasted peanuts: 100 gm
10. Red chilli paste            : 1 tsp
11. Oil                              : 3 tbsp

Oil for greasing the baking dish

Method:

• Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl (except the peanuts) and blend with your fingers.
• Now, take a portion of this mixture and grind to a dry paste in the mixture. Use small portions and blend in the mixture so that the mixture is crushed and mixed well.
• Remove to the mixing bowl once again and add the peanuts and mix well.
• Grease a baking dish and place this mixture in the baking dish. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 degree for 20 minutes or till the top of the pie is hard and looks brown.

Allow the pie to cool in the oven. Cut into portions and serve at room temperature or cold.

Read More

Aloo Delite

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes                    : 400 gm (peeled and cut into pieces or wedges as per your choice)
2. Onion                        : 200 gm (cut into slices or circles)
3. Mustard oil                : 2 tbsp
4. Mustard seeds           : 1 tsp
5. Turmeric or haldi       : 1 tsp
6. Coriander or dhania  : 1 tbsp
7. Roasted jeera powder : 1 tsp

For Garnishing: 100 gm roasted, salted peanuts without skin

Method:

1. Heat the oil and fry the onions for 1 minute. Lower the heat and mix in the potato piece. Fry for 2 minutes more.
2. Add the spices and stir gently. Add 3 tbsp of water and cover with a lid and cook till the water is absorbed and the potatoes are tender.
3. Remove to a serving dish and garnish with roasted peanuts.

A simple dish but tastes delicious, specially when combined in a meal.

Read More

How to make Plantain chips

Kaya Varuthathu (Plantain chips)

Ingredients:
Unripe Plantains : 1 kg
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Salt : 2 tsp
Oil : 2 1/2 cups

Preparation:

• Peel plantains and cut into thin round slices.
• Heat oil in a kadhai and sprinkle in turmeric and salt.
• Fry chips in batches till golden and crisp.
• Remove from oil, drain, cool and store in an airtight container.

Read More

How to make Sharkkara Upperi

Sharkkara Upperi (Jaggery-coated Plantain Chips)

Ingredients:
Unripe plantains : 1 kg
oil : 2 1/2 cups
Syrup : made from 750 gms jaggery
Ginger powder : 1 tsp
Sugar : 3 tbsp

Preparation:

• Peel plantains and split into half lengthwise. Cut each portion into 1-cm thick half circles.
• Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry chips in batches till crisp and golden. Remove from oil, drain and allow to cool.
• Mix jaggery syrup, ginger powder and sugar in a pan, and cook till syrup reaches the soft-ball stage. (A little syrup poured into a cup of cold water forms a soft ball.)
• Add fried ships, mix well to coat evenly, remove from syrup and spread on a tray to dry.
• cool and store in an airtight container.

Related articles

• How to make Sharkkara Upperi

Read More

How to make Sambar powder

Makes: 200 gms

---

Ingredients
1 tsp coconut oil
50 gms asafoetida (hing) pieces
50 gms dry red chillies, torn into pieces
1 tsp husked Bengal gram (chana dal)
100 gms coriander seeds
1 tso fenugreek seeds (methi)

---

Method

• Heat oil in a frying pan over moderate heat. Add asfoetida, lower heat and add red chillies. Fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Sprinkle in remaining ingredients and continue frying, stirring constantly till gram turns golden brown.
• Cool, grind to a fine powder and store it in an airtight bottle.

Read More

How to make Five Spice Powder

Can be also referred to as garam masala, but the spice mix is different. Unlike garam masala, it does not contain pepper. This powder has some similarity to the Arab mix, baharat, though this too uses pepper.

---

Ingredients
1 nutmeg, grated or broken into small pieces.
100 gms fennel seeds(badi saunf).
10x5-cm sticks cinnamon, broken into pieces.
10 cloves
2 large flakes mace

---

Procedure

• Mix all ingredients together and dry roast lightly for 5 minutes over low heat.
• Cool, grind to a fine powder and store in an airtight bottle.

Related articles

• How to make Sambar powder

Read More

How to extract coconut milk

The Malayali way of making coconut milk
1 medium-sized, fresh coconut, grated

1st extract

• Sprinkle 1/2 cup cold water over coconut gratings.
• Squeeze out milk to get the first milk or extract (thalapal).

2nd extract

• Add 1 cup cold water to the squeezed coconut gratings and squeeze out milk to get the second extract (randampal).

3rd extract

• repeat with 2 cups cold water to get the third extract (moonnampal).

make:1/2 cup 1st extract; 1 cup 2nd extract; and 2 cups 3rd extract.

If you are to use canned coconut milk this also has an easy way of preparing.

• The undiluted milk serves as the 1st extract.
• Dilute 1 cup milk with 1 cup water and use as the 2nd extract.
• Dilute 1 cup milk with 2 cups water then can be used as the 3rd extract.

Extracting of the milk is done clockwise but the adding of the coconut milk while cooking is done anticlockwise that is the 3rd extract is added first, then the 2nd and finally the first. For a payasam this is necessary for slow cooking.

Read More

Eggless Cake

Ingredients:

Maida : 2 cup

Sugar : 3/4 cup

Butter : 1 cup
Baking Powder : 1 tsp
Baking Soda : 1/2 tsp
Milk : 1 cup
Milkmaid : 1/2 tin (Condensed milk)
Vanilla Essence : 1 tsp
Preparation:

• Sieve maida , baking powder and baking soda. keep aside.
• In warm milk and sugar and beat well till sugar dissolve.
• Beat butter well and add the sugar mixture, milkmaid . beat well becomes more than double the volume. Add essence.
• Add the flour slowly till all the flour is used.
• Grease the cake mould and pour the mixture in it.
• Pre-heat the oven at 190 c for 3-5 min.
• Bake cake in the pre-heated oven on convection mode for 20-25 min.

Read More

Cold Sweet Mango Soup

Ingredients:

1. Sweet mango pulp : 2 cups
   
2. Curd : 1/2 cup
3. Brown sugar : 1 tsp
4. salt : to taste

For tempering:

1. Olive oil : 1 tsp
2. Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
3. Red chili powder : 3 pinch
4. Curry leaves : few (optional)

METHOD:

• Blend together the mango pulp,curd,brown sugar and salt. Pour into 2 bowls.
• Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Pour over the soup.
• Serve the soup cold.

Note: You may vary the tempering as per your choice and use jeera or curry leaves or red chilli powder or a combination of these.

Read More