Beerakaya pachadi/ Ridge gourd chutney

Ingredients :
Ridge gourd - 1  (cut into small pieces with the skin alternately you can also use just the peel of 2 ridge gourd alone for this recipe )
Turmeric –pinch
Tamarind - 1 (goose berry size)
Oil

To Grind
Urad daal – 2 tbsps
Coriander seeds -1 tbsp
Cumin seeds -1/2 tbsp.
Green chili – 2 slit to half (you can also use dry red chili as well)

Asafoetida  –pinch

Seasoning
Mustard -1 tsp

Asafoetida  –pinch

Curry leaves – 1 stick

oil

Steps:

• Fry all the ingredients under To grind section with 1 tsp oil and grind
• Take pan add 1 tbsps. oil and add the ridge gourd to it, add salt and turmeric
• Fry until ridge gourd is soft and raw smell is gone
• Once cooled add this to the grind powder and add tamarind and enough water to grind to smooth paste
• Once done add the seasoning and mix well
• Enjoy with hot rice .

7-cup Burfi

 Ingredients:

Besan – 1 1/4 cup
semolina – 3/4 cup
coconut- 1 cup
sugar- 2 cups
milk - 1cup
ghee -1 cup
cardamom powder (optional)
Cashews Chopped and fried in ghee for topping (optional)

Steps:

• Grease a plate with ghee
• Fry besan, semolina till aroma separately
• Now Add besan , semolina, sugar and milk and stir so that no lumps are formed
• Add coconut and ½ cup Ghee at this point
• Keep stirring until mixture bubbles
• Now add remaining 1/2 cup ghee and cardamom powder
• Keep stirring until mixture leaves the sides of pan
• Pour the mixture in the plate and cut it to desired shape after 2 minutes
• Spread cashews and press a bit when the mixture is hot
• Once its is completely cooled you can remove the pieces and enjoy

Tava pulav

Ingredients:
Onion – 1 medium sliced
Green chili – 2
Ginger & garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Bay leaf
Cinnamon  - ½ inch
Cloves – 5
Star anise – 2 pods
Cardamom – 2 pieces
Rice – 2 cups cooked
Ghee/oil- 2 tbsps
Salt
MTR Pulav masala – ½ tsp
Veggies : Pre boiled carrots ,peas and beans
Pudina – handful (optional)
Coriander  - handful  for garnish
Lemon juice – 2 tbsp s

Steps:

• Take a wok /tava/broad pan  and heat ghee
• Add bay leaf, cinnamon ,cloves ,star anise ,cardamom and add ginger garlic paste and fry.
• Now add onions and green chili
• Once onion turns golden add the veggies and stir
• Add salt , pulav masala powder
• Add chopped pudina leaves at this stage
• Keep the kid and cover for  min just to make sure all the spices blend together
• Now add cooked rice and mix well
• Add lemon juice and mix .Garnish with coriander leaves .

Pudina Rice

Ingredients:
Pudina – 1 bunch
Green chilis – 2
Ginger & garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Bay leaf
Cinnamon  - ½ inch
Cloves – 5
Star anise – 2 pods
Cardamom – 2 pieces
Turmeric –pinch
Rice – 2 cups cooked
Ghee/oil- 2 tbsps
Cashews – 10
Salt

Steps:

• Wash pudina leaves and chop them fine
• Cut green chili long and half
• Take pan and heat the ghee
• Add cashews and fry till golden brown
• Now add bay leaf, cinnamon ,cloves ,staranise ,cardamom and add ginger garlic paste and fry
• Now add green chili and turmeric  and  salt to taste
• Add pudina leaves and mix well sprinkle little water to deglaze all the masala and keep the lid for a minute
• Add cooked rice and mix well. Pudina rice is ready
• It’s a good option for lunch box as its quick and easy and goes well with onion raita

Cabbage patoli

I love the patoli my mom used to make . She used grind spices along with chana daal and use that paste. But for me I needed something faster and easier so changed it my way .

Ingredients:
Cabbage : 200 gms
Besan : 4 tbsps
Chili powder – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Asafetida pinch
Turmeric ½ tsp
Onion – 1 medium
Seasoning
Oil – 3 tbsp s
Mustard – 1tsp
Jeera- ½ tsp
Red chili- 2
Curry leaves – bunch

Steps:

• Shred and wash the cabbage
• Add besan, chili powder,salt, asafoedita,turmeric  to the cabbage and mix (Do not use extra  water as the water in cabbage is enough to mix )

•  Take a curry pan add oil and the items under seasoning
• Add onions once mustard splutters and fry till onion turns transparent
• Add now the cabbage mixture and keep frying
• Once besan is almost cooked you can see that the texture now  dry enough  not like paste

 

• Keep frying on medium flame until golden brown .
• You can also add ½ tsp chili powder just before turning off flame (optional)
• Enjoy  cabbage patoli with rice ,goes well with rasam .

Colacasia/Baby yam fry (chema dumpala fry)

Ingredients:
Colacasia  - 400 gms
Besan/Gram flour – 3 tbsps
Chili powder – 1 tsp
Oil
Salt
Asafetida – pinch
Curry leave – for garnish

Steps:

• Clean colacasia with water
• Pressure cook colacasia  in cooker for 2 whistles  with sufficient water
• Peel of the skin and cut into pieces
• Heat oil in pan and add salt
• Add the cut pieces and sprinkle besan.
• Stir the vegetable slowly so that besan is spread equally.

 

 

• Fry on low to medium flame for 5 min
• Once color turns to golden brown add asafetida
• Add chili powder and curry leaves give a quick stir and switch off
• Enjoy  with Rice and rasam or sambar

Potato kurma Dry –Amma recipe

Ingredients:
Potatoes -8  medium
Oil
TO grind
Onion – 3 medium
Dry chilies - 3
Green chilies -2
Garlic – 1 pod
Cinnamon – ¼ inch
Cloves – 3
Dhaniya – 1 tsp
Jeera- ½ tsp
Salt

Seasoning (optional)
Mustard -1 tsp
Curry leafs

Steps:

• Boil Potatoes in cooker for 3 whistles and peel skin
• Cut them into desired size pieces
• Grind all the ingredients under the To grind section and keep the paste
• In a curry pan heat oil ,add mustard and curry leafs .Fry till mustard splutters
• Add potato pieces now and fry for 2 to 3min
• Make a well in middle and add the masala paste .
• Cover the pan with a lid for 5 min
• Mix the masala with potatoes now and fry until cooked and golden brown
• Enjoy with Rice or chapatti 

 

 
 
 
 

Capsicum masala

Ingredients:
Capsicum – 2 big
Onion- 1 medium
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Desiccated coconut powder- 1 tbsp
Chili powder – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Ginger+garlic paste – 1tbsp
Turmeric- pinch
Coriander chopped - bunch

Seasoning
Oil-2 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Jeera -1 tsp

Steps:

• Heat oil in the pan for tempering and add mustard and jeera
• Once mustard cracks add onion ginger+garlic paste
• Saute onions and add salt and turmeric
• Once onions are cooked add capsicum and saute
• Keep lid and leave for 3 min and capsicum will be almost half cooked
• At this stage add coconut powder , coriander powder and chili powder
• Fry  the curry for 10 more mins on low flame
• Masala will be coated to capsicum now. Add chopped coriander leaves and turn off .
• Enjoy the curry with Rice or chapatti .

Referred vahchef recipe

Plantain Fry (Aratikaya kura)

Ingredients
Plantain -2
Tamarind pulp/paste- 2 tbsps
Turmeric pinch
Salt
Chili powder – 1 tsp

Seasoning
Oil- 1 tbsp
Mustard – ½ tsp
Cumin -1/2 tsp
Asafoetida –pinch
Dry chili – 2
Curry leaves – bunch

Steps:

• Cut the Plantain into circular pieces
• Mix the tamarind pulp in ¾ cup water and keep it aside
• Heat oil in pan and add the seasoning mustard, cumin and asafoetida
• Once mustard splutters add dry chili, curry leaves
• Add plantain and add the tamarind water
• Add salt and turmeric keep the lid for 2 to 3 min
• By now plantain pieces will start to turn soft
• Stir them until they get roasted (turn the pieces in such a way as you turn Dosa or chapatti This is to make sure shape is preserved )
• Once roasted add chili powder and turn off
• Enjoy this curry with Rice along with Rasam.

Ridge gourd Sesame Stir Fry (Beerakaya nuvvulapodi kura)

Ingredients
Ridge gourd -2
Salt
Water

For Seasoning
Oil- 2 tbsps
Chana daal – 1tbsp
Mustard -1 tsp
Red chili -2
Curry leaves- bunch

For Sesame powder
Sesame seeds – 4 tbsps

Steps:

• Dry roast sesame seeds (you can add few drops of water while frying to avoid excess roasting)
• Once cooled powder the seeds on a quick pulse (Do not grind too long).
• Cut ridge gourd to desired size
• Add these pieces along with salt and water and bring them to boil
• Once boiled strain and keep aside
• In a pan put oil and add the Chana daal and mustard, once seed splutters add dry chili and curry leaf
• Add the boiled ridge gourd and stir fry for a min (Do not mix too much as these are very tender )
• Now add Sesame powder give it a quick stir
• Enjoy ridge gourd stir fry with rice.  

 

Brownie

Ingredients:
Cocoa powder ¾ cup
Baking soda 1/2tsp
Butter 2/3 cup
Boiling water- ½ cup
Sugar 2 cups
Eggs – 2
All-purpose flour 1 1/3 cup
Vanilla extract- 1tsp
Salt – ¼ tsp

Steps:

• Stir cocoa and soda together, stir in butter 1/3rd cup and add boiling water until mixture thickens
• Stir in sugar, eggs
• Add remaining butter, flour, vanilla, salt and blend
• Pour the mixture into a square greased pan
• Bake it for 35 to 40 minutes until brownie leaves the edges
• Take out and cool it on the rack
• Swift icing sugar on the top .
• Enjoy it warm as it is or with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

Fruity Delight

Ingredients
Puff pastry sheet
Vanilla custard -1/2 cup
Icing sugar -1tbsp
Egg white - 1
Fruits of your choice
For this recipe: strawberry, blueberry and kiwi.

Steps:

• Thaw the pastry sheet for ½ -1 hour
• Roll the sheet to desired thickness and cut into shape you want the pastry to be
• Coat with beaten egg white (this is done for a golden finish on the top of pastry)
• Bake the pastries at 180C for 20 min and take out leave them on the rake to cool
• Make a well in middle of each baked pastry sheet and fill with custard .
• Top them with fruits of your choice
• Swift icing sugar on the top just before serving

Fruit juice Jelly

Usual jelly recipes require more amount of sugar, this is an alternative to avoid excess sugar

Ingredients
Fruit juice of choice – 100 ml
Agar-Agar- 1 gm
Sugar – 1 tbsp (optional)

Steps

• In a sauce pan mix juice and agar-agar  and sugar
• Bring to boil just once and turnoff heat
• Transfer into molds for required shape
• Let it cool and set for sometime

 

• Once set place them in refrigerator to obtain  further  texture  and enjoy cool jelly .
  I have used silicon mold that are easy to de-mold

Vegetable Pakora

Ingredients:
Carrots -1
French beans- 5
Onion -1

Capsicum - 1/2 piece

Besan/Gram flour – 4-5 tbsps

Rice flour -1 tbsps

Coriander –handful chopped

Pudina/Mint – handful chopped(optional)

Green chili- 2

Salt –to taste

Oil –deep fry

Chatmasala -1 tsp

Steps:

• Chop all veggies and green chili to long strips
• Mix all the veggies with besan, rice flour, salt, coriander, pudina with very less water
• (Sometimes water in the veggies and onion is enough to mix so take a note while adding water)
• Place the pan and heat oil
• Working with your fingers place the dough as pakoras in oil
• Fry them till golden brown
• Transfer them on to a tissue paper and sprinkle chat masala on top just before serving

Aglio Olio @my kitchen

Pasta with no sauce but just with spaghetti tossed in spices and olive oil 

 

 Ingredients:

Spaghetti - 200 gms

Oilve oil- 3 tbsps

Chili flakes – 1 tbsp

Parsley/coriander- handful  bunch chopped

Breadcrumbs – ¼ cup (optional)

Parmesan cheese(optional)

Garlic – 2 pods grated

salt

Steps:

• Heat the pan and add olive oil
• Add garlic and fry till aroma
• Now add parsley and chili flakes just give a toss
• Add breadcrumbs and fry until crispy
• Add precooked spaghetti and salt stir-fry for 2 min
• Serve it hot topped with Parmesan cheese.

Onion /Irani samosa

Ingredients :
Onion – 1 large sliced long
Curry leave  - fistful chopped
Chili powder  - 1 tsp
Rice flakes/Poha – 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Ground nuts – 2 tbsps Dry roasted(optional)
Samosa/spring roll pastry sheets –
Oil for deep fry


Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
• If you are adding ground nuts, dry roast and then add.
• Thaw the samosa sheets to room temperature (keep them out of refrigerator at least 30 min before mixing the ingredients)
• Take one sheet and Place a tablespoon full of mix on it and roll accordingly to form a samosa shape .

• Repeat the same for the remaining.
• Heat oil in a pan and roast samosas under medium heat
• Drain them on a tissue paper and enjoy with hot chai.

Phirni

Ingredients

Basmati rice – 4 tbsp
Milk -1 ltr full cream
Sugar – 6 tbsp
Kesar /saffron – few strands
Rose flavor – 2 drops
Red food color – 1 drop

For The Garnish

A few chopped almonds (badam)
A few chopped pistachio



Steps:

• Soak the rice in water for about 1 hour.
• Dry rice on an absorbent kitchen towel and blend in a mixer to a coarse powder. (Phirni texture depends on how good you grind your rice)
• Add ½ cup of cold milk and mix well to make a paste. Keep aside.
• Boil the rest of the milk and stir in the rice paste.,Cook for about 15 minutes on a slow flame, while stirring continuously.
• Add the sugar and boil on low flame for a few minutes.
• Dry roast the saffron strands in a small pan for 10 seconds. Add 1 tbsp of milk and keep aside
• Take 1/4th of the mixture separately and add rose flavor and food color and mix
• Add the saffron milk to the remaining ¾ the  mixture
• Pour it into container you would like to serve by layers
• I have first poured rose flavored mixture and then the saffron mixture
• Let it cool and refrigerate for 2 hrs before serving .
• Garnish with almonds and pistachios and serve chilled.

Dry fruit laddu

Ingredients:

• Dates – 15
• Almonds – 15
• Cashews – 10
• Pistachio – 10
• Raisins - 10
• Ghee- 2 tbsps

Steps:

• Fry all dry fruits separately in ghee
• chop them into small pieces alternately you can coarse grind them as well
• Grind the dates in a blender to paste
• Mix the chopped dry fruits and dates mixture and make small sized balls
• Soak few pistachios and remove skin .Chop them to fine pieces

Roll these balls in the pistachio powder and serve.

Apple & Pineapple fresh juice combo

Ingredients

• Apple -1(peel, de-seed and cut into pieces)
• Pineapple – 3 slices
• Sugar – 1tbsp

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients and blend in a  juicer
• Using a strainer ,strain all the juice
• Serve chilled with  ice-cubes added