Cheese Omelette

The first time I ever had cheese omelette was during my honeymoon in Malaysia. It tasted like heaven and I have been wanting to try it since then. But unfortunately the taste was not the same. 

This omelette is like any other normal egg omelette with only cheese as an addition in it.

Ingredients:

Egg- 2

Onion - 1 (finely chopped)

Cheese- 1 slice

Green Chilly- 2

Salt to taste

Pepper Powder to sprinkle

Procedure:

1. In a bowl beat the egg, add finely chopped onion, green chilly and salt to taste.

2. In the same bowl make the cheese into small pieces and mix. (let the pieces float it will melt eventually)

3. Spread the mixture in pan and once it turns brown in color turn it over and cook on the other side.

4. Sprinkle pepper powder to make it more spicy.

Pomegranate and Pista Salad

I just loved the way I made the design out of the Pista shells. When my husband's 6 year old iece had come home for her vacations we had made a pretty pista shell design on her book. Inspired from that I arranged this salad in this manner.

Ingredients:

Pomegranate-1

Pistachios- 20

Chat Masala (optional)- 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

In a bowl mix the shelled Pista's with pomegranate and sprinkle chat masala on it. This is best served before having food or after having your food. A healthy snack as well as salad. 

Carrot Basundi

One of another Navrathri dishes. It came out well. Its a sweet with no ghee or oil. But being a sweet sugar definitely goes into it but can be easily replaced with Sugarfree.

Ingredients:
Milk- 1/2 liter
Sugar- 4 tbsp
Carrot- 1 big
Cashews- 5-6
Almonds- 5-6
Pistachios and almonds- for garnish

Procedure:
1. Grate the carrot and soak the almonds and cashew in milk for 15 minutes
2. In a pan bring the milk to boil and simmer.
3. In a blender mix the grated carrot and the soaked cashews and almonds.
4. In the pan mix the grated mixture from step 3 and sugar and keep stirring.
5. Once it starts to stick to the side of the pan remove from flame and garnish with thinly sliced almonds and pistachios.
6. Keep in the refrigerator and serve chilled.


Note: If you have the kulfi molds you can serve as a carrot kulfi too. :). This one is for kids.

Chana Saaru (Bengal Gram Saaru)

This dish can be prepared when you are going to prepare chana pallya. This is like a soup.

Ingredients:

Chana (Bengal Gram) (soaked overnight and boiled)- 1 cup

Garlic Pods- 6-8

Red Chili- 4-5

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Pressure cook the Bengal gram with salt for 1 whistle and lower the flame and cook for 15 minutes.

2. Remove the water in a bowl along with 5-6 chana's and boil.

3. In a seasoning pan add oil followed by garlic pods and cook till it turns slightly brown in color.

4. Add the red chili and add the seasoning to the water which was separated and boiled.

Aloo Gobi

Well a combination which I have been wanting to try since a very long time. Navrathri gave me this opportunity. People keep saying that potato is not a very good vegetable for health. But I just keep experimenting with it.

Preparation time: 30 min

Cooking time: 20 min

Recipe source: Followed 2 blogs Sharmi's Passion and Monsoon Spice

Difficult level: Medium 

Ingredients:

Cauliflower (cut into florets)- 2 cup

Potatoes- 4

Turmeric Powder- 2 tsp

Cumin Seeds-1tsp

Asafoetida- a pinch

Green Chilli- 3-4

Onion- 2 medium

Ginger Garlic Paste- 1 tsp

Kasuri methi (crushed)- 1 tsp

Tomato- 1 big

Red chilli Powder- 1tsp

Coriander Powder- 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala- 1tsp

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. In a pot boil water add salt and turmeric powder along with the chopped cauliflower florets and cook till its soft.

2. In a pressure cooker boil the potatoes for 3 whistles peel and cut into cube. 

1. In a pan take oil add Cumin seeds, once it starts spluttering add asafoetida.

2. Now spice it up with finely chopped green chili and onion.

3. Once the onion turns brown add ginger-garlic paste and kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and cook for two minutes till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste doesn't disappear.

4. Add finely chopped tomato followed by spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala followed by salt.

5. Add the boiled cauliflower florets and toss well so that all the spices are mixed well. 

6. Add the boiled potatoes and mix well. 

7.Sprinkle salt and garnish with chopped Coriander leaves

Goes well with roti or naan.

Kothu Parota

This dish can be prepared with left over Kerala Parotta and even chappathi.

Ingredients:

Parotta- 3-4

Capsicum- 1

Egg-3

Ginger Garlic Paste- 1tsp

Onion- 1

Tomato-1

Green Chili- 2-3

Mustard Seeds- 1tsp

Coriander Leaves- 1/4 cup

Chat Masala Powder- 1tsp

Red Chilli Flakes- 1 tbsp

Garam Masala- 1tsp

Oil- 1tbsp

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in pan add mustard seeds once it starts spluttering add curry leaves.

2. Add chopped onions and once it turns slightly brown add ginger garlic paste.

3. Add finely chopped Capsicum, green Chili followed by chopped coriander leaves.

4. Remove the seeds from the tomato and blend it in a mixer without adding water.

5. Add the puree in the pan followed by chat masala powder, red chilly flakes, garam masala and salt.

6. Cook it for 5 minutes.

7. Cut the parotta into small pieces and add it to the mixture.

8. Add 3 eggs mix well and cook for 2 min (in case the if you want to spice it up more add red chili powder).

9. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Vatani ani Batata Ambat (Green Peas and Potato Curry)

This dish can't be prepared with dried Green peas and but with fresh green peas. This goes really well with dosa, idli and rice.

Ingredients:

Green peas- 1 cup

Potatoes chopped- 1 cup

Onion chopped - 1cup

Coconut (scraped) - 1 cup

Red Chili- 5-6

Tamarind- a cheery sized ball

Salt to Taste

Procedure:

1. Boil the diced potatoes, green peas and 1/2 cup of onion in water.

2. In a blender grind the coconut, red chili and tamarind with water.

3. Mix coconut paste with the boiled vegetables.

4. In a seasoning pan heat 2 tbsp oil and add the rest of the onion and fry till it turns brown.

5. Add the seasoning to the mixture of coconut paste and vegetables.