Rava Kesari

1 cup Rava
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cup water
1/4cup Ghee(You can add upto 1/2cup)
Handful of nuts and raisins

Uzhunu Vada

2 cups Urad Dal (Always Grind in small jar)
5 Green Chili
Ginger

Wash and drain urad dal

Add 1 Tbsp. ice cold water in the wet grinder and turn it on. While it is running add the urad dal(half of the soaked urad dal) and grind it for 3-4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the grinder with a spatula that comes with the wet grinder.
1 cup urad dal 
1 tsp salt 
1 tbsp ice cold water 

Chicken Nuggets

Wash the chicken pieces .Drain it completely and sprinkle pepper powder,salt and add curd.Mix well.(Marinate for 30 mins).Beat the egg in a different bowl.Transfer the bread crumbs to another bowl.Firstly dip chicken in flour(corn flour or maida), then dip in the egg mixture. Then coat in bread crumbs. Repeat this for all the nuggets.Rest them for 15mins in refrigerator which helps in sticking the bread crumbs to chicken without falling apart.Heat oil in a pan.When the oil is just hot enough, shake off the excess crumbs and fry in oil until golden.Continue frying the chicken, (2mins on each side) or Cook until the pieces turn golden brown.

Moong dal vada

Ingredients 

1 cup Moong dal 

1/4 cup finely Onion 

1 tsp finely chopped ginger

4-5 green chili

Few coriander leaves

Salt

Oil

Ingredients 

Soak Moong dal for 2hours (minimum). Drain this completely and grind to a coarse paste. Transfer this to a bowl and add all other ingredients and mix well. Wet the palms of your hand and divide the mixture into small balls and flatten them gently with your palms. Now divide the mixture into small balls and flatten them gently with your palms. Heat oil for deep frying. When oil is hot, reduce heat to low-medium and gently slide the vada. Fry until crispy and golden brown.Enjoy with tea!!!

Note:

Draining the dal is very important in making vada. Keep it in drainer for 10-15mins, otherwise extra moisture makes to difficult to shape the Vada and also it breaks easily in oil. Don't grind onion along with a dal which gives you a watery batter.

Peanut Ladoo

Ingredients 

1 cup peanuts  (unsalted)

1/2 cup grated Jaggery (or more)

1/4 cup powdered mixed dry nuts (Almonds, cashew, walnuts etc.) 

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder

Directions

Roast the peanuts at medium flame and allow it to cool. Then peel the skin off from the peanuts ,put it in a blender and powder it. Then adds jaggery, powdered nuts , cardamom powder and give a quick mix .Transfer this powder into a bowl and make balls.Enjoy it as a snack.

Notes

If you fail to make balls add a very little amount of melted ghee and try again.

Also you (kids) can use this powder as chutney powder for idly/dosa .

Store them in air tight container. They will stay in kitchen counter for a week.

Im happy with 1/2 cup of jaggeryYou can add more if needed.

Banana Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

 Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC.Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy.Add in eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add in bananas, flour, baking soda and salt. Stir until just combined.  Drop a tablespoon of dough per cookie 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Bake for about 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool. 

Instant Uzhunnu Vada

Ingredient

½ Cup Rice 
½ Cup urad dal (uzhunnu)
5 green chilies finely chopped (or to taste) 
2tsp finely chopped ginger
2 sprig curry leaves (chopped)
Salt
Oil

Directions

Wash and Soak rice and urad dal in a bowl for 2hours.After 2hours grind to a paste. Add green chili, ginger, curry leaves and salt to the ground mixture and mix well. Heat oil (only 3/4th of each pit) in unniyappam Kara / appachatti, and when the oil is hot, lower the flame to medium. Drop tablespoons of batter into the pan When the bottom gets a light brown, turn it with a spoon and cook the other side too.Remove and drain excess oil.Repeat the same for rest of the batterServe hot.

Note:

I used idli rice.you can also use pachari(normal white raw rice).

You can do this in normal pan also.

While grinding i had to use almost 3/4-1cup water.Check the consistency and add more or less.

A cup of Corn

Ingredients 

1 ½ cup corn
2 tsp Butter
1 ½ tsp Lemon juice
Pepper powder to taste
Salt to taste

Directions 

Steam the corn in steamer. Immediately add butter, pepper salt and lemon juice. Mix well and serve hot.

Note:
You can also boil the corn but steaming tastes better.
Also you can add different flavours like  chat masala, tandoori masala etc.
You can also use a packet of frozen corn(microwave it for 2-3 mins).

Masala Idli

Ingredients

6 idly

1 Onion  

1 Tomato Sliced

1 Green Chili Chopped

1 Tbsp Ginger Chopped

1/4  Turmeric Powder

1tsp Chili Powder

½ tsp  Sambar powder(or vegetable masala)

½ Thick Coconut Milk(or Water )

1 tsp Mustard Seeds

2 Dry Red Chilies

1 tsp Uzhunu Paripu(urad dal)

1 Sprigs Curry Leaves

Coconut Oil 

Salt

Directions

Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and urad dal. When colour changes, add red Chilies , curry leaves, ginger and green chilies .Add onion and Sauté till translucent .Add turmeric Powder, Chili Powder, and saute for 1-2 mins. Then add tomato and sauté for a few more minutes. Once tomato turns soft,add sambar powder,salt and coconut milk(or you can add 1/2 cup of water).Once this gravy starts thickening throw in Idli ,stir well and cover the pan with a lid for a minute.Remove and serve hot.

Potato Bonda

Ingredients 

3 Potatoes
1 onion
2 Green chilies
½ tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal
1 sprig Curry leaves
Oil
Salt

For batter

¼ cup Besan
2 tbsp Rice Flour
½ tsp Chili Powder
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
¼ tsp Asafetida
Water as needed.

Directions

Boil potato. Mash them and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, turmeric powder, green chillies and onion. Add salt and sauté until the onion turns translucent. Add potatoes and lemon juice, mix well. Allow it to cool and divide into equal sized balls. Make a batter with gram flour, rice flour, chili powder, asafetida and salt. Heat oil in the kadai.. Dip each ball in the batter and deep fry them till golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Serve Serve hot with chutney/Sauce.

Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

1 cup Chickpeas(uncooked)
1 tomato Chopped (Big sized)
1 Onion chopped
1.5 tbsp. Lemon juice
1tsp Chat masala
½ tsp. pepper powder
Few chopped Coriander leaves
Salt

Directions

Cook the chickpeas with enough water.Mix chick peas with all the ingredients together in a large bowl and toss. Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed.
Note: Also I add some grated cheese for kids.

Coffee cup cake

Ingredients

1 cup All Purpose Flour(Maida)
1.5tsp Baking Powder 
¾cup Sugar 
½ unsalted Butter(100gm) 
2 Egg 
2 tsp Instant Coffee Powder 
¼ cup Milk 

Directions

Preheat oven to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line a cupcake pan with paper liners, or grease and flour cups.Sift the flour and baking powder in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer (or wooden spatula) until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. At this stage , if there is any tendancy to  curdle add some flour and beat it again. Add coffee powder and mix well. Gently add the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternating milk, mix using wooden spatula until just combined, do not over mix. Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter 3/4 full, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-30mins.Take them out and leave to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Zucchini Cream Cheese Dip

Ingredients

1 Zucchini 

4 tablespoons low fat Cream Cheese

1 small green chili (optional)

1 tsp Olive Oil

Salt to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven at 350 F and line a baking sheet with nonstick foil. Slice Zucchini and lay out slices on prepared baking sheet, drizzle a little olive oil and salt and bake for 20minutes.Cool them and set aside. Now blend baked zucchini, cream cheese, a little salt if required and green chilli in a blender until you achieve a smooth consistency. Transfer into a serving bowl and enjoy with your favourite chips.

Recipe Source  Threebellpeppers

Beaten Rice /Aval Mixture

Ingredients

2 cup (Beaten rice)/Aval
1/4 cup Roasted bengal gram / kadala paripu
1/4 cup Peanuts (roasted)
1/4 cup Cashew nuts (raw,optional)
1 Green chilli
2 Dried red chillies
1 sprig  curry leaves
3-4 chopped Garlic
1/4  tsp Turmeric powder
Oil
Salt

Directions

Dry fry the beaten rice/ aval on a low flame till it becomes crispy and keep it aside. Heat oil in a wide pan,add garlic cloves,green chilies ,curry leaves, dry red chillies and fry well till the curry leaves become crisp (in medium flame). Add roasted Channa dal, peanuts (roasted). Fry till the nuts became slight golden brown. Reduce the flame and add turmeric powder, salt. Mix well. Make sure not to burn this.Add beaten rice/ aval, and continue frying till the beaten rice/ aval becomes crispy for about 5 to 7 mins. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and store it  in a airtight container.

Morappam

Ingredients

3 cups Leftover Dosa/idli Batter
1/2 cup Sour Curd (optional,if batter is not sour enough)
1 inch piece finely chopped ginger
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3-4 Green Chillies, finely chopped
2tbsp Coconut slices
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal
1 sprig Curry Leaves

Directions

Combine the dosa/idli batter with sour curd, onion, ginger, green chillies, coconut,salt and mix well.Splutter mustard seeds in hot oil, add urad dal and curry leaves and mix it well with the idli batter. Heat oil(only 3/4th of each pit) in unniyappam Kara / appachatti, and when the oil is hot, lower the flame to medium. Drop tablespoons of batter to the pan When the bottom get a light  brown,turn it with a spoon and cook the other side too.Remove and drain excess oil.Serve hot.

Aloo Sandwich

Ingredients 

Bread slices

3 Potato(cooked and mashed)

1 Onion 

1 tsp Pepper powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp Chilie powder

½ tsp Vegetable masala

½ tsp Lemon juice

Salt

Oil

Directions

Saute onion in oil till soft .Add chili powder,turmeric powder,pepper powder and vegetable masala .Mix well and saute for a minute.Now add potato and mix well. switch off the flame and add lemon juice. Set aside to cool. Cut the edges of the bread .Spread a spoonful of stuffing on one bread and cover it with another bread. Grease the toaster with butter and toast the sandwich.

Notes:

Also you can spread the chutney onto one slice.

You can use other veggies of your choice like carrots, beans etc.

Toast on stove top until golden brown if you do not use toaster.

Cabbage Vada

Ingredients

2 cups Cabbage
1 onion
5 Green Chillies
2 sprigs of Curry Leaves
1 cup Besan
1 tbsp Rice Flour
1tsp Red Chilli Powder        

Directions

Cut the cabbage and onion length wise . Chop the green chili onion and curry leaves .Mix all these In a bowl with salt and keep it aside for 10mins.After 10mins , add chili powder , besan, rice flour and mix thoroughly. Such that cabbage is well coated with batter. (add 2tbsp water if needed). Take a ball sized portion of the dough and press it slightly in between your palm. Slowly drop it in the oil and deep fry it. serve with chutney or tomato sauce.

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 .

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