Pineapple Pachadi Recipe

Ingredients ground to a smooth paste

Coconut-2tsp

Green chillies-1

Jeera-1/4tsp

Coriander leaves-1tsp

Salt to taste

Other ingredients

Beaten curd-2 cups

Tinned crushed pineapples-3tbsp

(you can also use freshly chopped pineapples)

Tempering

Oil-1tsp

Curry leaves-little

Hing-a pinch

Urad dhal-1/2tsp

Mustard-1/2tsp

Method

In a bowl mix all above ingredients together.Heat oil in a pan & temper it & .Mix it into the above mixture stir & serve.

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Tagged

Lata has tagged me with By the book of Jayashree.This is a lovely memory.I have some collection of books which is used as a reference.When I was a kid my dad use to take us to the Book exhibition,I asked my dad to buy this WINTER PUDDINGS & TREATS book for me it was 31 yrs ago when i was in my 3rd std.At that time the cost of the book was Rs.60(expensive) .I still remember mom was shouting at him....not to waste money.I think that was the time my interest in cooking started.My dad was the one who told me to study for Hotel Management & Catering Technology,he knew what was in me? A big thanks to him..........

Malai Methi Gobi

Ingredients ground to a smooth paste

White onion-1/2

Green chillies-2

Ginger-a small piece

MDH kitchen king masala-1/2tsp

Poppy seeds-1tsp

Cashew nuts-2tsp

Curd-2tsp

Milk-1 cup

Cardamom powder-1/2tsp

Other ingredients

Cauliflower-2 cups

(cut into small pieces)

Butter-1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Kastoori methi-a hand full

Cream-2tbsp

Tempering

Oil-2tsp

Butter-1tbsp

Jeera-1tsp

Slit green chillies-1(optional)

Method

Heat 1tbsp of butter & saute the cauliflower till light brown & keep it aside.Heat oil & butter in another pan temper it with jeera & methi(you can also add fresh methi instead of dry).Pour the ground liquid & fry it till raw smell disappears.Add the cauliflower & give a boil.Switch off the gas & stir in the cream.Serve it hot with jeera rice ,naan or roti.

Trifle Pudding

Recently I made this Pudding for a party.I usually make this from the scratch,but this time I really didn't measure anything as no time.Bought all the ingredients from store (I mean ready made) & just arranged it in a tray.It was a big hit!!!!!!!!!!!Ingredients

Sponge cake

Cool whip or whipped cream

Vanilla pudding or custard

Fresh mixed fruits or tinned cocktail fruit mix

(I used tinned fruits)

Cherries & tinned mandarin oranges for decoration

Method

Take a rectangle or square glass tray.Place the cake at the bottom(1st layer)& sprinkle some sugar syrup or the liquid from the tinned fruit mix to wet the cake.Pour the pudding/custard over it covering the whole cake(2nd layer).Put the fruits on the pudding(3rd layer).Finish it off with the whipping cream(4th layer) & decorate it.Keep it in fridge & serve it cold.

Rum Fruit Cake Recipe /Christmas Fruit Cake With Rum Recipe /Fruit Cake With Rum Recipe

Ingredients

Maida/All purpose flour-1 cup

Sugar-3/4 cup

Butter-1/2 cup

Egg-2

(separated & beat the white till its fluffy & forms peaks)

Baking powder-1tsp

Baking soda-1/4tsp

Salt-1/2 tsp

Vanilla essence-1tsp

Grated lemon & orange zest together-1/2 tsp

All spice powder-1/2 tsp

Ingredients soaked in rum for 3 days if you have time or for at least 2 to 3 hours

Rum-1/2 cup

Fruit cake mix or Tutti fruity-1 cup

Chopped cashew nuts-1/4 cup

Raisins-1/4 cup

Chopped almonds-1/4 cup

Chopped walnuts-1/4 cup

Caraway seeds-1tsp

Caramel liquid

Sugar-1/4 cup

Hot water-4tbsp

(In a pan add sugar & 1tsp of water & keep stirring till it changes its colour to golden brown.Now slowly add remaining 3tsp of water,mix it well.Be carefull at this stage it may splutter & burn fast.Remove from fire,cool it before adding it to the cake batter)

Method
Sieve baking powder,baking soda,all spice powders,salt & maida.
Beat the egg whites till fluffy.
Beat vanilla essence & egg yolks and keep it aside.
Cream butter & sugar till creamy,slowly add egg yolk mixture & maida alternatively & mix it well.
Now add the dry fruits mixture,lemon/orange zest,caramel liquid & egg whites, fold it gently.
Grease a baking tray dusted with little maida/all purpose flour.
Pour this cake mixture in it,bake it for 45 minutes at 350 deg.C or till done.
Cool it completely & brush it up with some rum,cut & serve.
Note:
a) I usually wrap it up tight with a foil & cut the next day.
b) If you think your batter is tight add 1/4 cup milk to loosen it up.
c) If you don't have all spice powder just add cardamom 7 cinnamon powder.

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Brown Rice Sweet Pongal

Ingredients
Long brown rice-1/2 cup

Yellow moongh dhal-1/3 cup

Channa dhal-1/8 cup

Water-4 cups

Salt a pinch

Brown sugar-1/2 cup

Cardamom powder-1/2tsp

Edible camphor-a pinch

Nut & raisins fried in 2tbsp of ghee

Method

Fry moongh dhal till nice smell comes.Add the washed rice & channa dhal,pour water & cook it till done.Add the brown sugar give a boil.Switch off the stove & add the fried nuts ,cardamom powder & edible camphor.Mix it well & serve it hot.

Easy Basundi

Ingredients
Half & Half milk 16 oz bottle-2

Evaporated milk 12 oz can-1

Bread slices crumbled(crust removed)-2

Condensed milk 14 oz can-1

Cardamom powder-1tsp

Saffron-a pinch

Crushed pistachio & almonds-each a hand full

Chironji-2tsp f0r garnish

Method

Boil both the milks & bread slices in low heat for at least 20 minutes.Add the condensed milk & cardamom powder & give a boil for another 5 minutes or till slightly thick.Switch off the gas & mix the nuts & saffron.Garnish it with chironji.

Award

A lovely Award from Akal's Saappadu ,Thanks a lot for remembering me.I would love to share with each & every one.Please accept it.

Real Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients

Maida-2 &1/4 cup

Baking soda-1tsp

Salt-1/2tsp

Butter or Margarine-1 cup

(I used margarine)

Sugar-3/4 cup

Brown sugar-3/4 cup

Vanilla essence-1tsp

Eggs-2

Chocolate chips 12oz packet-1

Method

Mix maida,salt & baking soda in a bowl.Cream margarine,brown & white sugar,vanilla essence & eggs.Add the maida mixture & mix it thoroughly.Stir in the chocolate chips & drop the dough in spoon or shape it,arrange it on a baking tray.Bake at 300 deg.F for 8 to 10 minutes or till light brown.Cool completely & store in air tight container.

Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients
Crushed fresh or canned pineapple-3tbsp
(I used canned)
Finely chopped capsicum-1/4
Finely chopped onion-1/4
Finely chopped Jalapeno-1
(seeds removed)
Finely chopped tomato-1
Finely chopped coriander leaves-little
Salt to taste
Red chilly powder-1/4tsp
Sugar-3/4 tsp
Lime juice-2tsp
Roasted jeera powder-a pinch
Distilled vinegar-3tbsp
Method
Mix all above ingredients together & serve it with chips.
Courtesy:A2Z vegetarian cuisine with a slight change......

Chocolate Mug Cake

This is an easy dessert who has an excuse to bake....like not having an oven or proper baking dish,etc.Perfect fun project for kids too...

Ingredients
Maida-4tbsp
Sugar-4tbsp
Egg-1
Vanilla essence-1/8tsp
Cocoa powder-2tbsp
Oil-3tbsp
Milk-3tbsp
Chocolate chips (optional)-3tbsp
(I didn't use) Method
Take a coffee mug & mix all the dry ingredients together.Add egg & essence mix it .Pour the oil & milk,mix it thoroughly.Microwave it in high for 3 minutes.Your dessert is ready serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.

Courtesy:fullbellies

Oats & Pinto Beans Biriyani

Ingredients

Oats-1 cup

(A bit finer than steel cut oats)

Cooked pinto beans-1 & 1/2 cup

Sliced onions-1/2

Chopped tomato-1

Slit green chillies-3

Mint leaves-a hand full

Ginger & Garlic paste-1/2 tsp
Meal maker-a hand full
(soak in hot water for 10 minutes & squeezed out the water)
Red chilly powder-1/2tsp

Salt to taste
Garam or my biriyani masala-1/4tsp

Coconut milk-3tsp(optional)
Temper

Oil-2tsp

Ghee-1tsp

Jeera-1/8tsp,Shajeera-1/8tsp,Cinnamon-a small bit,Cloves-2,Cardamom-2,Star anise-1,Bay leaf-1

Method

Dry roast the oats for 2 minutes & keep it aside.Heat oil & ghee in a pan temper it.Fry onion,mint,ginger & garlic paste,green chillies & tomato to light brown.Add all the dry powders & fry a bit.Add the beans,oats,meal maker ,coconut milk & water.Cook it till done.Serve it hot with raita.

Vanilla Pound Cake

Ingredients for the cake

Maida-2 cups

Baking powder-1tsp

Salt-1/4tsp

Grated nutmeg-1/8tsp

Butter-1 cup

Sugar-1 & 1/4 cup

Eggs-4

Vanilla essence-5tsp

Method

Pre heat the oven to 325 deg.C.Mix all the dry ingredients together & keep it aside.Cream butter,sugar & essence till fluffy.Slowly add eggs one by one & beat it well.Add the dry ingredients & fold it.Pour it in a greased baking tin & bake it for at least 45 minutes or till done.Cool it completely & cut.

Couscous Puliyohara/Puliyodharai

Ingredients
Cooked couscous with salt-1 cup

Ready made or home made puliyohara mix-required quantity

(I used home made)

Tempering(optional)

Oil,Mustard,red chillies,cashew nut,curry leaves

Method

Put the couscous in a bowl,add the required amount of the puliyohara mix/paste & mix it well.Temper & pour it on top,mix & serve.

Fig & Carrot Halwa

Ingredients

Dried big figs-7

(soaked in water till soft)

Big carrot-1

Milk-1/2 cup

Sugar-3tsp

Ghee-2 tbsp

Cardamom powder-1tsp

Fried almonds in ghee-2tsp

Method

Grind figs,carrot & milk to a smooth puree.Heat ghee in a non stick pan & fry the puree till raw smell disappears.Add cardamom powder & sugar ,fry till it is thick & leaves the sides of the pan.Garnish it with nuts & serve warm.

Award

Once again Thanks sangeetha for the lovely award,Friends pl. accept this from me..........A great New Year gift to one & all.

Easy Cheese Cake

My friend's hubby made this tasty cheese cake when he had called us for lunch......Excellent wanted to share it ....

Ingredients
8 ounce cream cheese (room temperature)-2
8 ounce sour cream -1
Sugar-1/2 cup
Lime juice-1tsp
1 large or 2 small pie crusts (graham cracker)
Eggs-2
Method
Blend all above ingredients together with out any lumps.Pour it in the pie crust & bake it at 350deg.C for 30 minutes & then reduce it to 275 deg C for again 30 minutes or till its cooked(Oven temperature may vary).Cool & keep in fridge & serve it cold with any filling.
Courtesy:cooks.com with a slight change

Baked Lotus Stem Chips

Ingredients

Lotus stem-1

(skin scraped out well & cut into thin slices)

Salt & pepper to taste

Melted butter-2 tsp

Method

Arrange the lotus stem slices on a baking tray lined with a foil.Bake it at 375 deg.C till crisp & brown on both sides.Keep checking periodically otherwise will get burnt fast.Mix butter & seasoning in a bowl,put all the baked chips & toss it well.Serve it as a snack.

Groundnut Kuzhambu / Verkadalai Kuzhambu / Peanuts Gravy Recipe / Ver Kadalai Kulambu Recipe / Nilakadalai Kulambu Recipe

Ingredients ground to a smooth paste

Ginger & Garlic paste-1/2 tsp

Tomato-1

Grated coconut roasted till brown-3tsp

Tempering

Oil-3tsp

Mustard-1/2tsp,Cloves-1,Cinnamon-1/4'',Jeera/cumin-1/2tsp

Other ingredients

Raw Groundnuts/Peanuts/Verkadalai/Nilakadalai-1/2 cup

(soaked overnight)

Chopped onion-1/4

Curry leaves-little

Turmeric powder-1/4tsp

Chilly powder-1tsp

Coriander powder-1/2tsp

Tamarind paste-3tsp

(diluted in water)

Method

Heat oil in a pressure cooker temper it.Add onion & curry leaves fry till light brown.Add the dry masala powders & the ground paste.Fry till raw smell disappears& masala leaves the sides of the pan Pour the tamarind paste & soaked ground nuts,give a stir & pressure cook till done.Garnish with curry leaves & serve it with rice,idli or dosa.

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Couscous Dum Biriyani

Ingredients
Couscous cooked with little salt-2 cups

Salt to taste

Lime-1/2

Cubed tofu-1/2 cup

Sliced mushroom-10

Tomato chopped-1

Onion sliced-1/4

Sliced green chillies-1

Chilly powder-1/4tsp

Turmeric powder-little

Curd-3tsp

Mint-1/4 cup

Coriander leaves-little

Ginger & garlic paste-1/4tsp

Garam or Biriyani masala-1/8tsp(optional)

Tempering

Oil-2tsp,Ghee-1tsp

Cloves-1,Cinnamon-a small bit,Cardamom-2,Jeera-1/4tsp,Shajeera-1/4tsp,Bay leaf-1

Garnishing

Fried onion,raisin,cashew nut,almonds-little & Chopped coriander leaves.

Method

Heat oil & ghee in a pan temper it.Fry the onions,mint,coriander leaves,ginger & garlic paste & green chillies till light brown. Add other ingredients one by one & fry till all the masalas are well cooked.Put the masala at the bottom of a heavy vessel & spread the cooked couscous on top of it.Add the fried onion,raisin,cashew nut,almonds,chopped coriander leaves & lime juice on top.Keep it in low flame covered with a tight lid for 10 minutes,till all the aroma gets into the couscous & gravy is a bit dry.You can also keep it in oven for 10 minutes at 200 deg.C.Before serving just mix it once or twice & serve it hot with raita.

Note:You can make this dish even with chicken,shrimp or mutton.
To learn more about couscous read here....

Oats & Lentils Kozhukattai

Ingredients ground coarse

Soaked American lentils-1 cup

Salt to taste

Red chillies-4

Other ingredients

Quick oats-1 & 3/4 cup

(dry roast it slightly)

Tempering

Oil-2tsp

Mustard-1/2tsp,Urad dhal-1/2tsp,Channa dhal-1tsp

Chopped onion-1tbsp

Chopped green chillies-1

Grated ginger-1/2 tsp

Curry leaves-little

Hing-1/4tsp

Method

Heat oil in a pan temper it.Fry the onion,green chillies,ginger & curry leaves till light brown.Switch off the gas ,now add the oats & ground paste.Sprinkle very little water & make balls.Grease idly plates & steam it till cooked.Serve it hot with any chutney.

Note:Instead of making balls you can also just crumble & steam it & serve it like uppuma.For extra taste you can also add grated coconut.You can use any other lentils of your choice.

Couscous Vegetable Uppuma

Ingredients
Couscous-1 cup

Mixed Vegetable-1 cup

Salt to taste

Chopped onion-1/2

Slit green chillies-3

Chopped tomato-1

Curry leaves-little

Grated ginger-1/2 tsp

Boiling water-2 & 1/2 cup

Tempering

Oil-3tsp

Mustard-1/2tsp,Urad dhal-1tsp,Channa dhal-1tsp,Jeera-1/4tsp

Method

Heat oil in a pan temper it.Add onion,green chillies ,curry leaves,tomato,ginger & vegetables.Fry it till light brown.Add couscous & salt fry for 2 minutes.Pour water cover & cook it in medium flame till done.Garnish it with curry & coriander leaves.

Learn more about couscous here.....

Award

Thanks Aruna for the lovely Award.......Nice way to start the year.Love to share this beautiful gift with all my friends.Please accept it.

Lentils & Quinoa Sambar Bath

Ingredients
American lentils soaked-1 & 1/2 cup

(soaked overnight)

Quinoa -1 & 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Chilly powder-1 & 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder-1 tsp
Hing-1/2tsp
Chopped onion-1/2
Chopped tomato-2
Curry leaves-little
Tamarind paste-3tsp
Frozen vegetables-1 cup

Chopped capsicum-1/2
Drumstick-1/2 cup
Tempering
Oil-3tsp
Mustard-1tsp,Urad dhal-1/2tsp,Channa dhal-1/2tsp,Methi-1/4tsp
Garnishing
Ghee-3tsp,Cashew nut-8,Curry leaves-little,Red chilly-6
(fry above ingredients in ghee)
Method
Heat a pressure cooker temper it.Fry onion,tomato & curry leaves till light brown.Add the dry ingredients fry a bit,add the vegetables,lentils & tamarind paste.Pour some water & pressure cook it.Once cool open & add the quinoa pour 1:2 ratio of water & cook it till done.Garnish it with cashew nut,red chillies & curry leaves tempered in ghee.Serve it hot with papadam.
To learn more about quinoa see here

New Year Eve Feast

We had a lovely & memorable New Year Eve.All the husbands cooked & we ladies had a Day Out!!!!!!! They cooked a variety of dishes & the greatest gift was they even Baby Sitted our Kids.Hats off to our hubbys.....................

You all must be thinking what they prepared ?Here comes the menu....

1.Plain Rice

2.Rasam

3.Curd

4.Fish kuzhanbu

5.Fish fry

6.Shrimp fry

7.Tandoori chicken

8.Mutton chukka

9.Mango sambar

10.Egg curry

11.Chicken Biriyani

12.Ice cream & Chocolate cake

(store bought)

They even served it to us with great LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A great Thanks to one & all.Eagerly waiting for another occasion like this.