Urad Maida Dosa

Another dosa with just the soaking of one ingredient. Over the weekend you can just soak and grind the Urad dal and the add maida or rava and make fresh dosa's in the morning.

Ingredients :
Urad Dal : 1 cup
Maida : 2 cups
Salt according to Taste

Procedure :
1. Soak urad dal for 4 to 5 hours.
2. Grind it to a smooth paste and ferment for 4 to 5 hours.
3. Add maida and water and get to dosa batter consistency.
4. Add salt to the batter and spread the batter on the tawa.
5. Cook on one side till it turns brown. And then flip and cook on the other side.

Collard Greens with Black Eyed Peas

I have never cooked with this green earlier. This green veggie reminded me of Colacasia leaves. It is thick and firm and takes time to cook. I found this from Raghavan Iyer's cookbook called Indian cooking unfolded.

Ingredients :

Dried Black Eyed Peas : 3/4 cup
Collard Greens : 1 bunch
Tomato : 2
Ghee/ Oil : 1 tbsp
Ginger : 1 inch
Garlic Cloves : 4
Garam Masala : 1 tsp
Chilli Powder :1 tsp
Salt : According to Taste

Procedure :
1. Add water and the dried beans in a pressure cooker. Cook for 2- 3 whistles. (The black eyed beans get cooked very soon).
2. Meanwhile remove the thick stem from the middle of collard greens and chop the leaves into small pieces or roll the leaves and cut into thin ribbons.
3. Heat oil/ ghee and saute the small pieces of ginger and garlic for 2 minutes. Now saute the chopped tomatoes till it turns a little mushy.
4. Now add the garam masala, chilli powder and the washed and cut collard greens.
5. Once the collard greens is half cooked (Cook for about 10 minutes); add the cooked black eyed peas.
6. Add water and cook it further for 10 minutes. Add salt according to taste.
7. Let the bean soak up the flavor. Serve it hot with Rice.

Strawberry and Kiwi Juice

Here's another simple and refreshing drink. I personally feel strawberry and kiwi are made for each other. They complement the color as well as the taste.

Ingredients :
Strawberry : 4-5
Kiwi : 1
Agave Nectar : According to taste

Procedure :
1. Blend the ingredients together. Sieve if necessary.
2. Add Ice Cubes and serve cold.

Spinach Strawberry Olive Pecan Raisin Chickpea Salad

Some days I just plan for salad as my lunch. This is another simple salad.

Ingredients :
Strawberry : 10 (Cut into thin slices)
Olives : 3-4
Raisin : 1 tsp
Pecan's : 5-6
Spinach : 20 leaves (Wash the leaves)
Chickpea : 1/2 cup (Soak in water at night for 8 hours)
Olive Oil : 2 tsp
Salt according to Taste
Chat Masala (Optional)/ Pepper Powde

Procedure:
1. Mix all the ingredients in a salad bowl and serve.

Notes : Olives will already have a little salt. So adjust accordingly.

Coco Choco Banana

This simple dessert is for people who don't like eating plain banana's. I coated the banana's with coconut flakes. Makes an instant

Ingredients :
Banana : 2
Coconut Flakes : 3 tbsp
Honey : 1 tsbp
Cocoa Powder : 1 tbsp
Almond Slices : for garnishing

Procedure :
1. Cut the banana's into 3 inch pieces.
2. In a bowl mix coconut flakes, cocoa powder, honey and mix well.
3. Now use the mixture to coat on the banana's.
4. I used almond's to garnish the banana's.

Beans Garlic Pepper Stir Fry

This is one another simple stir fry. Usually I prepare stir fry using mustard and red chillies. I found this recipe in one of the facebook food group. 

Ingredients :

Green Beans :  250 gms

Garlic Pods : 5-6 (Peeled and chopped)

Pepper Powder : 1 tsp

Oil : 1 tsp

Salt according to Taste

Procedure:

1. Chop the beans finely and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan add finely chopped garlic and once they turn brown add finely chopped green beans.

3. And cook for sometime. I did not cook the beans for long as I like the crunchiness of beans.

4. Finally sprinkled some coarse pepper powder and salt and cooked for 2 more minutes.

Banana Halwa

My mother usually makes this with panpolo (Neer Dosa). And my hubby loves this too. Its basically not a halwa. For banana halwa to have to cook further for hours together. We actually call this "kele chirchilayile". Where we cut the "Nendrapazham" into small pieces and smash them using a smasher and cook till we get a gooey consistency. Only "Nendrapazham"/ Plantain banana can be used to make this. You over ripened banana's for making this particular recipe.

Ingredients :
Nendrapazham/ Plantain Banana : 4-5
Cardamom Pods : 3-4
Ghee : 4 tbsp
Sugar :Vary according to the taste of banana (I usually vary it between 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup for 4 banana's)

Procedure :
1. Cut the banana into tiny pieces.
2. Heat ghee in a pan and add the banana pieces.
3. Slowly start smashing the banana pieces using a smasher.
4. Cook for 30-35 minutes on a slow simmer till you get the gooey  consistency.
5. Finally add sugar and cardamom pods and cook for 5 more minutes.
6. Finally spread it on a plate and cut into squares.

Best way to eat this is hot.