Apple sauce

Ingredients

5Apples
5tsp Sugar

Directions

Peel, core, and slice apples.Combine apples with just enough water to prevent sticking in a large stainless steel saucepan.Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until apples are tender (time will depend upon the variety of apple).Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Using a hand blender or potato masher, puree until smooth. Return apple  purée  to saucepan. Add sugar Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking until you get the desired consistency. Maintain a gentle boil over low heat and transfer to a bowl.

Note:

You can add cinnamon for extra flavour.

we can use this as spread on idlis,dosa,chappathi for kids.

Adjust sugar according to the sweetness of apple.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cup All purpose flour
3 Banana(overripe)
3/4 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1tsp Baking powder
1tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder(optional)
1/2 cup Apple sauce(optional)
1/2tsp Vanilla essence(optional)
1/2 cup Canola oil

Directions

Mash the banana with a fork.In a bowl add 2 cups of flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon powder. Give it a mix and stir in the eggs, apple sauce, vanilla essence and canola oil. Now add the mashed banana mixture and mix well.Grease a baking tray or loaf pan and pour the mixture.  Preheat the oven at 350 F and bake for 1 hour until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Take it out and let it cool in the pan for around 10 mts or so. Cut into slices and enjoy!!

 

French Yogurt Cupcakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup Granulated sugar
2 Eggs  (small)
1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 cup Plain yoghurt
1/2 cup All purpose flour
1 tsp Baking powder
A pinch of Salt
1/4 cup Flavorless oil.

Directions

Whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and yoghurt in a mixing bowl until well combined and a pale yellow, approximately 3 – 4 minutes.Add the all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well to combine.Add the oil and fold in lightly, you don’t have to whisk vigorously.Line a 6 muffin / cupcake pan and pour the batter until 3/4th full.Place in a pre-heated oven 350 F (175C) and bake for 20 – 22 minutes. Take them out and leave to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Egg Biryani

Biryani Masala

½ tsp fennel seeds

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp Shahjeera

4 cloves

1 cardamom

1 flat cinnamon

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

1 whole mace

Grind everything to a fine powder.

Omelette

 3 eggs

 2tbsp grated coconut

 A pinch of turmeric powder

 1 big onion, chopped

 ¼ tsp chilly powder

 2 Indian green chillies, finely chopped

 Salt to taste

 2-3 tsp Oil

Beat the eggs and add all the other ingredients and mix well. Heat half of the oil in a pan, pour half of the egg mixture and make a thin omelet. Repeat the process for the rest of egg mixture to make a thin Omelette. When done, remove it to a chopping board and cut them into small bite size pieces and keep aside.

Egg Masala

1 ½ cup big onions, chopped

4 green chillies

6 big garlic cloves (approx. one small pod)

3” inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced

½ cup tomatoes, chopped

1 ½ - 2tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 ¼ tsp Biryani Masala

1/3 cup fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped

 ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

 Salt to taste

 2-3 tbsp oil

Grind ginger, garlic and green chillies into a paste and keep aside.Heat oil in a pan and cook thinly sliced onion, till they turn transparent; now add the ground paste and saute till it gives out a nice aroma. Add chopped tomatoes and fry for a few more minutes. Now add the Biryani masala, and combine well with the base. At this stage add bite size piece of omelette and blend well, followed by chopped cilantro/coriander and mint leaves. Sprinkle lemon juice, mix well.Turn off the stove and remove from heat.

Cook Flavored Rice

4 green chillies

4 medium garlic cloves

1” inch piece ginger, thinly sliced

1 medium size big onion, thinly sliced

3tbsp ghee

4 pods of cardamom

4 cloves

1 ½ ” inch flat cinnamon stick, broken into 4 pieces

2 ½ cups Basmati rice (around 1/2 kg)

5 cups water

Salt to taste

Grind green chillies, garlic and ginger into a paste and keep aside.Wash and drain the rice on a paper towel. When it is medium dry, heat ghee in a large skillet and throw in cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Now add thinly sliced onions and sauté till it is transparent; then add the ground(ggg)paste, stir well till it gives out an aroma. Add rice and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes in low heat. Add sufficient boiled water and cook till rice is done.

Layering and Final cooking

4 tbsp ghee

2 pinches of Biryani Masala

Pour 2 tbsp ghee into your cooking vessel.Spread half of the rice at the bottom, followed by the egg masala and sprinkle two pinches of biryani masala. Spread rest of the rice as the top layer and drop 2 tbsp ghee. Cover with tight fitting lid(Do not let any steam escape).Place a tawa or a frying pan on slow fire and  Place the biryani vessel on top of the frying pan and let cook for 10 minutes or so.

Conventional Oven Method:Preheat oven to 350 F. Close the oven safe dish with aluminum foil and cook for 30 minutes.

Fry Hard boiled Eggs

4 hardboiled eggs, halved

A pinch of Biryani Masala

A pinch of pepper powder

A pinch of salt

2tsp Oil

While rice is at the final phase of cooking. Sprinkle biryani masala, pepper powder and salt on halved eggs and shallow fry them in oil for a minute. Remove from the pan.

To Serve: After the final phase of cooking, let the dish rest undisturbed for minimum 30 minutes on your kitchen counter. Before serving, stir the entire dish gently, mixing rice with the egg masala and plate it. Place fried eggs on top and serve with Pickle and salad.

Recipe source : www.kitchenmishmash.blogspot.com.

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Egg Bajji | Mutta nirachathu

Ingredients

4 eggs, boiled and shelled
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 green chilies, finely chopped
1tsp ginger chopped
1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
1 cup Maida/All purpose flour
3-4 tbsp rice flour (optional)
 ½ Pepper powder
½ Garam masala powder
salt

Directions

Cut the boiled egg into two equal halfs. Take out the egg yolk and keep it aside.Make a medium thick batter with plain flour, rice flour and salt adding enough water.Heat oil in a pan and sauté chopped onions followed by green chilies, ginger and curry leaves till translucent.At this stage add pepper powder and garam masala in medium flame .Now switch of the flame and  add the egg yolk and mix well.let it cool down.Fill this masala in the part of the boiled egg from where we took out the yolk.Heat oil in a pan, dip each egg into the batter and and deep fry till golden brown.

Ari Murukku

Ingredients

4 cup Rice flour
1cup Urad dal(uzhunnu)
2 tsp Butter/ghee
1 tsp jeera
1tsp sesame seeds
Salt
Water
Oil for deep frying

Directions

Pressure cook the urad dal with water.it should be cooked and mashed well.In a bowl, add rice flour ,salt, cumin seeds, sesame seeds .Melt the butter and add it.Stir well. Once lightly cooled Add cooked urad dal, mix it and knead to form a soft dough (should not be too tough or too loose ,it should be soft so that it can be easily pressed through murukku press (Idiyappam maker).Fill the dough in the murukku press and Press it  onto the parchment paper(oiled polythene sheet) to form a spiral shapes (5-7ccircles).When the oil is hot enough, slide the prepared murrukku in the oil and fry these murukkus until it turns light brown by flipping once or twice in between.When it is cooked through, it will stop sizzling or sizzle slightly.Let it cool and store in an airtight container.
Notes
If you feel lazy to make it in circles,press directly in to the oil.if the dough is too tight, Murukku will be hard an not crispy if too loose .Make sure you take murukku at a light brown color as it attain a darker color when cooled.Use the right temperature when u drop the murukku ,else murukku will absorb more oil.If you are doubling the recipe,make sure you keep the dough covered through out to avoid drying of the dough or prepare the dough separate in each batches(for more than50).If the propotion of rice and urad dal is not correct there will be tendency to break it .

Mushroom fry

Ingredients

250 gm Mushroom
½-1cup Onion thinly sliced
2-3 Garlic sliced
1 tsp crushed Dried Red chilli
½ tsp Garam masala
½ tsp Pepper powder or (Crushed pepper corns )
Curry leaves
Pinch of jeera and fennel seeds
Oil

Directions

Clean the mushrooms in hot water and slice it.Heat oil in a  pan, add fennel seeds,jeera.Now add sliced onions and fry for 7-8 minutes.Add sliced garlic and curry leaves and fry till onion and garlic turns golden brown.Add crushed red chili powder and fry it for a minute or so.Add sliced mushrooms and combine it well.Saute the mushrooms for 7-8 minutes or till they are cooked.Sprinkle garam masala and crushed pepper corns and saute for another 2-3 minutes.

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kadala curry

Ingredients

1cup kadala/Channa (Black or white)
½ cup Onion chopped
½ cup Tomato chopped
2-3 Green Chili
Few Curry leaves
1.5tsp Ginger  Garlic paste
2tsp chili powder
1tsp Coriander powder
 ½ tsp Pepper
¼ tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Garam Masala
Fennel seeds a fat pinch
salt

Directions

Soak kadala/Channa overnight. Wash and pressure cook with with 1:3 water, onion, tomato and green chili till it is well cooked(cook in medium flame for 6 whistles).Wait till the pressure releases. Heat oil in a pan add fennel seeds and ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2min reduce the heat at this stage and add curry leaves and  all the powders,fry for a min and add to the cooked kadala/channa.Again cook the chana/kadala in medium flame till you get the desired consistency.

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Karasev

Ingredients

1 Cup Gram flour
3/4 cup Rice flour
Asafoetida powder
Turmeric powder
Pepper crushed coarsely
Jeera /cumin seeds
Butter softeed
Oil
Salt

Directions

Take both flours in a bowl,melt butter and add it to it. Add crushed pepper and jeera,salt,turmeric and asafoetida. Mix well.Add enough water to make a stiff dough.But there shouldn’t be any cracks. Make as a smooth dough.Take the murukku press and fill with dough and press in hot oil in large circles. Fry in medium flame on both sides till the bubbles and ‘shhhh’sounds ceases.
Notes
Since I was not having the karaseva plate,I tried with muruku plate.Eat after a day to enjoy the pepper flavour fully.Store in airtight container.
Recipe source : www.rakskitchen.net

Vanpayar Mezhukkupuratti

Ingredients

1 cup  Vanpayar/ Red gram
¾ cup   Onions (or pearl onions)
3-4 Dry red chilly
1 sprig
Curry leaves
Coconut oil
Salt

Directions

Cook vanpayar(red gram) with salt, turmeric  and water (1:2) in medium flame for 3 whistles or  until it is soft and fully cooked.When the pressure releases,drain the water completely and set  aside.Now quick run all other   ingredients(onion,dry  red chilies,curry leaves) in a blender. Heat oil in a   pan at medium heat and fry  the blended mixture.Fry until the onions turn light brown. Now add the cooked  vanpayar. Check for salt. (If you want a slightly mashed up mezhukkupuratti, you can add little stock and cook in low flame).Stir fry for a few minutes and switch off. Serve with rice / kanji.      

Beetroot thoran

Ingredients

2 cups finely chopped/grated Beetroot-
2-3 Green chilies
few Curry leaves
2 Garlic cloves (crushed)
1tsp red chili powder
1/2 cup Grated coconut
1/4 tspTurmeric powder
1/2 tspMustard seeds
Salt
Oil

Directions

Heat oil and add the mustard seeds, let it splutter then add the chopped beetroot,green chilies and salt.Mix well and cook on low flame. (Stirring occasionally).Meanwhile, mix(using hand) coconut,chilli powder, turmeric, garlic in a bowl.When the beetroots are almost cooked,add the ground coconut mixture to it along with the curry leaves.Mix well ,Cover and cook until done for about 3-4 minutes on a low flame.Uncover and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Padavalanga Curry

Ingredients

2 ½  cups Snake gourd (chopped)

1 Tomato  ( Large sized )

5 Green chillies

1cup Grated coconut

1 ½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp Turmeric powder

¼ tsp Cumin seeds

1-2 cloves Garlic

2 Dry red chilies

Tamarind -lemon sized

Salt to taste

Few Curry leaves

Mustard seeds

Oil

Directions

First wash, peel and remove the seeds of snake gourd and then chop it to small to medium sized pieces.soak the tamarind in warm water. Then cook chopped snake gourd, chopped tomato, green chillies and curry leaves by adding enough salt and 1 1/2 cups of water for about 20 minutes.Meanwhile grind grated coconut, Kashmiri chilly powder, turmeric powder, cumin seeds and garlic to a fine paste by adding enough water.Then add this ground coconut paste to the cooked snake gourd along with tamarind. Then cook it in low flame for about 5-10 minutes and remove from the flame.Next heat little oil in another pan, add mustard seeds and when it crackles, add dry red chillies and curry leaves and fry for less than a minute and add this to the snake gourd curry.

Recipe source : jishaskitchen

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Tandoori chicken

Ingredients

6 Chicken legs
1tsp Coriander Powder
1tsp Cumin Powder
1tsp Garam masala pdr
2tsp Ginger garlic paste
2tbsp Lemon Juice
2tsp Pepper pdr
2tsp Red Chili Powder
1/2tsp turmeric
1tbsp Yogurt (1tbsp/1leg)
salt

Directions

Clean and Cut 2 or 3 long slits on each piece. Apply salt,chilli pdr and lime juice all over the chicken and keep aside for 4-5hours.(keep refrigerated.Min 1hour is needed.Make marination with all powders and 1tsp of salt,then mix well with yogurt.Apply it all over the chicken, making sure to apply well between all the slits and inside.Preheat your oven to 425 degree Fahrenheit. Cook for 20 and also in broil mode for 10 mins for each side.

Aval Unda

Ingredients 

200gm Aval (Brown flat beaten Rice) (1 cup)
1 cup Coconut grated
1/2 cupSugar (powdered)
1/2 tsp. Cardamom Powder
Ghee.

Directions

Roast aval for over low flame till the rice flakes are crispy(2-3)min.Remove  from flame and allow to cool. Now addcardamom powder.Grind the roasted aval into a fine powder and transfer it to a bowl.Grind sugar with grated coconut  and add to avalpowder.Mix thoroughly until soft. Make small balls out of the soft dough.If you find difficulty in making balls add ghee or milk and then try again.

Mysore Bonda

Ingredients 

1cups All purpose flour
 ¼ cup Rice flour
1 cup Curd
1/4 cup Water
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Cooking soda
3-4 Green chillies
2 sprigs Curry leaves
1 tsp Ginger (finely chopped)
1/4 cup chopped Onion
2 tsp Fresh coconut bits
Salt
oil

Directions

Mix curd and water keep it aside.Take maida in a bowl. Add rice flour, finely chopped green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, coconut, cumin seeds, cooking soda ,curd and salt as required and mix well.The batter should not be too thick or too thin.Leave it to ferment for an hour.Heat oil in a pan,wet your hands and Mix the batter again and drop spoonful or with hands.If the bonda is going flat add little more maida and try again.Fry on medium heat till it is golden brown on all sides.Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Sending this dish to the event South-indian-cooking-event.

Semiya Upma

Ingredients

2cupsVermicelli ( Roasted in ghee)

1 Cup Water 
1 finely sliced Onion.
3-4 Green chillis (slit).
1tsp Ginger Sliced
1 Carrots (sliced)
Grated coconut(optional)
½ tsp Bengal gram.
Ghee.
Oil
Salt


Directions

Add vermicelli to the boiling water with salt and cook till soft.Once the vermicelli is cooked(stir occasionally) drain completely and keep under cold running water 15-30 secs not more than that).Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and let it splutter, then add curry leaves, Bengal gram and  green chilies. Add the sliced onions  green chills,ginger,curry leaves saute till onion becomes translucent.Add carrots and saute on medium heat for 4 minutes and little salt.Now, add the cooked semiya,and also grated coconut and combine well.Drizzle ghee on top of it and cook in low-medium flame for 2 minutes.

Meen Upperi(thoran)

Ingredients

1 lb Fish
1 medium sized Onion
3-4 Dried red chillies
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder -
1tbsp Ginger
1 tbsp Garlic
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds
oil
salt

Directions

Cook fish(used tilapia) in little water with kodampuli,turmeric,salt.Once fish is cooked let it cool down (remove bones and kodampuli, shred it.Now quick run all the remaining ingredients in blender(2-3times).Heat oil,add mustard seeds , the blended mixture and sauté well.Then add the fish mixture and stir. Simmer and cook, (stir in between).Add the fish stock if it is too dry.Add grated coconut and cook in low flame for 2-3mins.

NOTE:

It also works without kudampuli.I used tilapia here and you can try with

any other indian fish.

Cranberry Pickle

Garlic chutney

Ingredients

7-10 Dry red chillies
25-30 Garlic cloves
Tamarind pieces (lemon size)
1/2 cup Curry leaves
2tbsp Gingelly oil
Salt

Directions

Heat few drops of oil, fry red chillies,tamarind,curry leaf and keep it aside.In the same pan, fry the garlic cloves until they turns golden brown.Take everything in a mixie jar along with gingelly oil, salt and enough water and grind a bit coarse paste.Serve with Dosa idli or rice.

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Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients

2 cups Yogurt
1-1.5cups Strawberries
2 tbsp Orange juice
1 tbsp Honey

Directions 

Add all the ingredients in a blender with ice cubes  and blend until smooth.Add more honey to taste if desired.Serve immediately.

Curd Rice

Curd rice is a popular South Indian dish. This is truly comfort food, which is served with pickles. 

Ingredients  

1 cup Rice (uncooked)
1 cupThick curd

1/4 cup Milk
1/4 Mustard seeds
1/4 Urad dal
1/2tsp Grated Ginger
2 Dried red chillies
A handful of  fresh coriander leaves or curry leaves.
Grated Vegetables(optional)
Dry fruits( optional)

Directions
Cook rice with salt  and let it cool.Mash the rice and add curd with lil water and  hour.

Then do the thadka.