Dudali / Arrowroot Powder Halwa

Kuve peet or arrowroot powder is a thickening agent and makes the best halwa in less than 5 minutes. 

Ingredients :
Arrowroot Powder/ Kuve Peeta : 1 cup
Sugar : 1 cup
Milk : 1 cup
Cardamom Pods : 2
Ghee for Greasing the Bowl
Saffron (Soaked in warm Milk) : Optional

Procedure:
1. In a bowl take arrowroot powder and add lots of water; allow it to rest for 20 minutes. 
2. The arrowroot powder settles at the bottom after sometime. Decant the water from the top as much as possible.
3. Add 1 and a 1/2 cup water to the soaked powder and mix well. 
4. In a pan add milk, sugar and the water added arrowroot powder (as well as saffron milk).
5. Keep mixing and it thickens up after some time.
6. Once it thickens add cardamom powder at this stage (It will stop bubbling and gets a halwa consistency).
7. Grease a plate with ghee and spread the paste on the tray.
8. It will set once its cooled down.

Mushroom Ghee Roast

Ingredients :

Mushroom : 15- 20

Red Chiilies : 18 -20 (Byadagi: 8 and Kashmiri Red Chillies: 8-9)

Coriander Seeds : 1 tsp

Curry Leaves : A sprig

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp +1/4 tsp

Tamarind : A cherry sized ball

Garlic Cloves : 5-6

Ghee : 3 tbsp

Oil : a few drops

Salt According to taste

Procedure :

1. Clean and chop the mushrooms into thin slices.

2. In a pan roast red chillies, coariander seeds, curry leaves and off the flame add turmeric powder.

3. Once the roasted items cool down grind them with tamarind, garlic, salt and little water into a smooth paste.

4. In a non- stick pan heat ghee and add turmeric powder; add chopped mushrooms and salt; saute the mushrooms till they release water and are cooked properly. The mushrooms should be cooked in about 5 minutes.

5. Now add the grinded paste and add 1/2 cup of water to get a little gravy consistency. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes till the water evaporates and at the same time you have a little gravy left in it.

Prawn Biryani

This mildly spiced beauty captured my heart. Not much of a Prawn eater plus the fact that the hand starts itching the moment I clean lobsters or prawns is a big turn off for me. But the flavor of mild spices definitely attracts you towards it. Prawn lovers are definitely gonna gorge on this. My MIL gave me this recipe which she found on a local Kannada Cookery show called Oggarane  Dabbi.

Ingredients :

Prawns : 15-20
Oil : To deep fry/ to shallow fry
Ghee+Oil : 1 tsp +1 tsp
Basmati Rice : 1 cup (Soak for half an hour)
Onion : 1
Tomato : 1
Ginger : 1 tbsp (Finely Chopped)
Garlic : 1 tbsp (Finely Chopped)
Green Chilli : 3-4
Mint Leaves : 1 bunch/ 1 cup
Coriander Leaves : 1/2 cup
Salt according to Taste


Spices :
Bay Leaf : 1
Cinnamon : 2 (1" pieces)
Cloves : 2-3
Green Cardamom : 2
Fennel Seeds : 1 tsp
Star Anise : 2

Spice Powders :
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Shaan Biryani Masala : 1 tsp

Marination for Prawns :
Lemon Juice : 1 tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 ts
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Salt according to Taste



Procedure:

1. Add oil in a pan to fry the marinated prawns. I just shallow fry the prawns till they turn slightly white.  (Marinate the prawns for 4-5 hours)

2. In a cooker/tawa add ghee and oil. Put in the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel seeds and star anise.

3. Once the spices start giving out aroma of spices add finely chopped onions and once they turn slightly pink add chopped tomato.
4. Make a paste out of ginger, garlic and green chilli and add the same after the tomatoes turn mushy.
5. Now add the coriander leaves and mint leaves
6. Add chilli powder, biryani powder, coriander powder and once the spice powders are slightly (be careful not to burn the spice powders ) add fried prawns.
7. Now add the soaked Basmati rice and the required amount of water along with salt.
8. If using the cooker cook for 1 whistle and simmer the flame for 5 min/ if using tawa keep checking the rice to see if its cooked.
9. Serve it hot.

Raagi Poori

My husband has a complaint that I rarely make poori's. I usually avoid making poori's because I am little scared of using oil. But still I end up making it once in 2 months. A did a healthy variation with them adding raagi flour to the wheat flour.

Ingredients :

Wheat Flour : 1 cup
Raagi Flour : 1 cup
Salt according to Taste
Water to make the Dough
Oil : to deep fry

Procedure :
1. In a wide bowl mix all the ingredients and add water little by little till it forms a dough.
2. Roll them into lemon sized balls and using a rolling pin roll them into small round and flat rounds.
3. In a pan heat oil and fry the rolled out poori's.
4. Enjoy with curry.

Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

This is a very simple drink to make. I prefer freshly squeezed juice than the carton's which we get in the market. Plus this is free of preservatives. Just give it a try when you have time.

Ingredients :
Orange : 1
Ice Cubes : 1-2
Sugar : According to Sweetness of Orange (I do not add any)

Procedure :
1. Peel the skin and remove the loose white threads hanging around/ Just take out the pulp from the orange pods (If time permits)
2. In a blender mix all the ingredients.
3. Strain using a strainer. (You can add the good pulp in the orange juice).

Broccolli And Peanut Stirfry

I recently did a body check up and found that my LDL i.e. bad cholestrol levels were a little on higher side. So I have cut down on cakes and cookies. Plus eating some salad. I tried this Brocolli and peanut stir fry and I loved it.

Ingredients:
Broccoli Florets : 1/2 cup
Peanuts : 1/2 cup
Tomato : 1
Oil : 1 tsp
Pepper Powder : 1 tsp
Salt according to Taste
Lemon Juice : 1 tsp

For tempering:
Oil : 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
Urad Dal : 1/2 tsp
Green Chilli : 3-4 (Slit)

Procedure :

1. Soak peanuts for an hour in water.
2. In a pan heat oil and temper with mustard seeds, urad dal, and green chilli,
3. Now add the chopped tomatoes once they turn mushy add; peanuts and water so that the peanuts are cooked well.
4. Now add chopped brocolli and sprinkle with salt and coarse black pepper.
5. Sprinkle lemon juice on top.

P. S : It falls in the category of Salads instead of Stir fry. 

Purple Cabbage Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice : 1 cup

Purple Cabbage : 3/4 cup (Shredded)
Green Peas : 1/4 cup

Onion : 1/4 cup (Finely Chopped)

Ginger : 1 tsp (Finely Chopped)
Garlic : 1 tsp (Finely Chopped)
Cashews : 2 Tbsp
Almonds : 2 tbsp (Blanched and Chooped)
Raisins : 1 tsp

Cloves : 2-3

Green Chilli : 2-3 

Lemon Juice : 2 tsp
Oil : 1 tsp

Ghee : 1 tsp

Salt according to taste

Procedure :

1. In a deep bottomed tawa heat ghee+oil add cloves, green chilli and finely chopped onions and cook on a low flame till it turns slightly pink.

2.  Add finely chopped ginger, garlic and fry till the raw smell disappears.

3.  Now add green peas and shredded cabbage and saute it on a low flame. 

4. Add cashews, almonds, raisins and lemon juice and add enough water for the rice to cook.

5. Garnish with fried cashews.

Avocado and Banana Smoothie

Ingredients :

Milk : 1 cup

Banana : 1/2

Avocado : 1/2 

Sugar according to Taste or Agave Nectar

Procedure :

1. In a blender mix all the ingredients. 

Bharwen Bhindi/ Stuffed Okra

I love Lady's Finger in any form. So I keep experimenting with it. And recently I had tried stuffed Ivy Gourd. So I did the same with Lady's Finger. It is my co-sister's recipe. No one can prepare this as tasty as her.

Ingredients:
Lady's Finger : 20-25 (Cut the head and tail; clean and make a vertical cut from top to bottom so that we can stuff the spice powder)
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Green Chilli : 2-3
Oil : To temper (1 tsp)
Coriander Leaves : for garnishing

Stuffing for the Lady's Finger:
Gram Flour : 3/4 cup
Chilli Powder : 1 tbsp
Amchur Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Cumin Powder : 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/8th of a tsp
Oil : 1 tbsp
Salt according to Taste

Procedure:
1. Make a crumbly powder of all the ingredients listed under stuffing.
2. Now stuff the cut Ladies Finger with the Spice Powder mixture.
3. In a tawa heat oil add cumin seeds and green chilli.
4. Once they start spluttering add the stuffed Lady's Finger.
5. Cook on low flame for 15 to 20 min.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Strawberry Kiwi Chia Seeds Pudding

A healthy food item after lunch. Or for a brunch. I used low fat yoghurt and agave nectar as subtitute for yoghurt and sugar.

Ingredients :
Strawberry : 3 (Chopped into tiny pieces)
Kiwi : 1/2 (Chopped into tiny pieces)
Yoghurt (Low Fat) :  3 tbsp
Chia Seeds : 1 tsp(Soaked in water for 15 min; they will puff up)
Agave Nectar : 1 tsp

Procedure :
1. Beat the yoghurt well.
2.  Mix all the ingredients and serve.

P.S : Can substitute other fruits as well.

Crab Sukkha

Ingredients :

Crab : 2 leg pieces (Here in US we get large cooked leg pieces; you can use 1kg of normal crabs)
Oil : 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves : 10-12
Onion : 1
Tamarind Paste : Soak a gooseberry sized tamarind ball in half cup of hot water
Salt according to Taste

For Masala :
Coriander Seeds : 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Poppy Seeds : 1.5 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli : 8-9
Byadagi Chilli : 7-8
Garlic Pods : 4-5
Grated Coconut : 1/2 cup

Procedure:
1. Clean the crabs and set it aside; Dry roast the ingredients under Masala and grind it into a smooth paste with a little water.
2. In a pan heat oil and temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
3. Add sliced onions and fry till they turn pink. Add tamarind paste into it followed by crab (let it cook in the steam).
4. Since mine was cooked I added the paste directly. Add 1/2 cup water and cook for 5 min till the water is dried.

Masala Dosa

I had uploaded the image of this dosa in one of the food group. And I got more than 100 likes. Its the first time ever I have got that many likes. It also shows the popularity of that particular dish.

Ingredients:

For Dosa:
Dosa Rice : 2 cups
Urad Dal : 1/4 cup
Toor Dal : 1/4 cup
Poha/ Aval/ Thin Flattened Rice : 1/4 cup
Methi Seeds/ Fenugreek Seeds : 1 tsp
Salt according to Taste

Procedure :
1. Soak rice, urad dal, toor dal and methi seeds for 4 to 5 hours.
2. Before grinding add flattened rice in water for 5 min and grind along with all the other ingredients.
3. Add salt and ferment for 8 to 9 hours.
4. Pour the batter and spread the batter and cook on one side (it turns brown).
5. Once cooked add the masala in the centre; fold and serve.

P.S : Masala Recipe later

Neer Dosa

My favorite dosa in the entire world. I can eat this everyday for breakfast. The best thing is it goes with everything. This is famous along the coast of Mangalore. Konkani's usually add coconut to this dosa. This dosa is made with white rice unlike the other dosa's.

The consistency of the batter should be very watery that's why this dosa is called Neer (which means water) dosa. This is again a no fermentation dosa.

Ingredients :
White Rice/ Sona Masuri Rice : 1 cup
Freshly Shredded Coconut : 1/4 cup
Salt According to Taste
Water

Procedure:
1. Soak rice for 2 hours and grind it along with coconut into a smooth paste.
2. Add salt and water (Rice : Water =1:3) and mix well.
3. Pour this batter on a tawa and rotate the tawa. This batter is very thinly spread.
4. Once cooked fold and serve hot.

P.S : This dosa is cooked only on one side. The other side is cooked all by itself.

Moong Dal Dosa

This is one of the other no fermentation dosa. One of the simplest dosa ever, this is nutritious and a protein filled breakfast.

Ingredients :

Moong Dal : 1 cup
Green Chilli : 3-4
Ginger : 1 inch (Finely Chopped)
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida : a pinch
Coriander Leaves : 1/2 cup chopped
Onion : 1/2 (Finely Chopped)
Salt According to taste

Procedure:
1. Soak Moong dal for 3- 4 hours and then grind it into a smooth paste with a little water. The consistency should nether very very thick, nor thin.
2. Add all the other ingredients and mix well,
3. Pour this batter on the tawa and cook well on both the sides.

Note : You can avoid the onions if you don't prefer it.

Wheat Kernel Dosa with Urad Dal and Rice

I am trying to make healthy breakfast now-a-days. I have made dosa with just wheat Kernel and that tastes really good too. But this tastes more like a regular dosa,

Ingredients :

Whole Wheat Kernel : 1/2 cup
Urad Dal : 1/4 cup
Dosa Rice : 1/4 cup
Fenugreek Seed : 1/2 tsp
Salt According to taste.

Procedure :
1. Soak Urad dal and fenugreek together; rice in another bowl; and wheat kernel in another bowl and soak for 4 to 5 hours.
2. Grind all individually to a smooth paste; add salt and ferment it for 8 to 9 hours. (Don't let the batter go sour)
3. Spread the batter on a dosa tawa flip and cook on the other side too.

Instant Wheat Dosa

Do you get cravings to eat dosa's? And then you realize you have to soak, grind and then ferment the dal and it would take a long time. And you can't wait for so long. This dosa comes to your rescue.

Ingredients :

Wheat Flour : 1 cup
Rice Flour : 1 cup
Curry Leaves : 15-20
Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Green Chilli : 4-5
Ginger : 1 inch piece (Cut into tiny pieces)
Water : 4.5 cups
Salt according to Taste

Temper :
Oil : 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
Asafoetida : a pinch

Procedure:
1. In a bowl mix bowl mix all the ingredients (Except the tempering ingredients); add water slowly and mix so that no lumps are formed.
2. In a tempering pan add oil followed by mustard seeds and then asafoetida.
3. Let the oil cool down (Or the batter might get cooked a little) and then mix with the batter.
4. The consistency must be very thin.
5. Spread the batter on the tawa and you get crispy dosa's.

No bake Choco Coconut Roll

One of the easiest and non fussy dessert to make.

Ingredients :

For the outer Layer :
Marie Biscuit : 20
Cocoa Powder : 2 tbsp
Sugar : 2 tbsp
Milk : for making into dough

For inner layer :
Shredded Coconut : 5 tbsp
Vanilla Essence : 1/2 tsp
Butter : 1 tbsp
Sugar : 2 tbsp

Procedure :
1. Mix all the ingredients under outer layer and make it into a dough. ( should be of biscotti dough)
2. Then roll it flat using a pin (Grease the bottom layer so that it doesn't stick to the surface in which we are rolling it.
3. Now mix all the inner ingredients and spread it on the rolled dough.
4. Slowly roll the outer layer tightly in a aluminum foil.
5. Refridgerate the roll and cut into small coins.

Chicken Cutlet

I loved this recipe. I have made this for potluck and even when I called people for dinner. But I have always deep fried them. Today I shallow fried them and the result was really good. I had them with chicken fried rice. The combination was heavenly.

Ingredients :
Ground Chicken : 250 gms
Potato : 1
Pepper Powder : 1 tbsp
Chicken Masala : 2 tsp
Salt according to taste
Green Chilli : 3 -4
Curry Leaves : 5-6
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 tbsp
Oil : 1 tbsp + 2 tbsp for shallow fry/ for deep frying
Egg White : for Coating
Bread Crumbs : for coating

Procedure:
1. In a pan heat oil; add ginger garlic paste and fry for half a minute.
2. Now add chopped green chilli and curry leaves.
3. Add ground chicken and cook till the meat turns white; add pepper powder, chicken masala and salt mix well.
4. Once it cools down add mashed potato.
5. Roll them into small rounds; coat with egg white and bread crumbs.
6. Shallow or deep fry them.

Soya Granules Stuffed Paratha

I had prepared Soya granules ki Sabzi. And I used the same as stuffing for paratha.

Ingredients :

Chapathi Dough
Soya Granules Sabzi
Corn Flour : 1/2  tsp

Procedure :
1. I mixed a little corn flour with the sabzi to bind it (Not very necessary)
2. Kept a lemon sized round on a flattened chappati dough.
3. Cooked it on both sides.

Soya Granules Sabzi

I definitely crave good food here in US. I like eating different kind of food. Especially you get very good quality of Soya in US.

Ingredients:
Soya Granules : 1 cup
Onion : 1 (Finely Chopped)
Tomato : 2 (Finely Chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1tsp
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Amchur Powder :1 tsp
Salt
Green Chilli (Optional) : 2-3
Coriander Leaves to Garnish

To Temper :
Oil : 2 tbsp
Cinnamon : 1 inch
Cloves :2
Fennel Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves : 6-8

Procedure :
1. Soak Soya granules in water for 10 min. In other bowl with a small piece of garlic and a little milk bring soya granules to a boil.
2. The soya will be well cooked by now; strain them and keep the granules aside.
3. Now Temper the ingrediets given under temper.(Can also add green Chillies)
4. Add onion and once it turns brown; add ginger garlic paste; add chopped tomatoes and once it turns mushy add all the spice powders (Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, amchur powder) along with salt.
5. Garnish with Coriander leaves.