We are what we eat

BROWN SUGAR KESARI BATH/ RAVA KESARI/ SHEERA

Yields: 16 nos.

Ingredients

Rava: ½ cup
Brown sugar: ¼ cup +2 tbsp
Ghee: 5 tbsp
Milk: ½ cup
Water: 1 cup

Saffron: 3 to 4 strings

Cardamom powder: ½ tsp

Cashewnut pieces: 2 tbsp

Preparation

Take a pan, add one tbsp of ghee and fry cashewnut pieces. Transfer to a bowl.
Add 3 tbsp of ghee, add rava and fry till you get nice aroma.
Now add milk, water and saffron strings to the rava and mix it continuously so that no lumps are formed. When rava is half cooked, add brown sugar and mix well.
Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or till kesari bath consistency is reached. Add a tbsp of ghee, mix and switch off the flame.
Now add cardamom powder and cashewnut pieces, mix.
Relish hot kesari bath as it is in a bowl or spread on a greased plate and cut into pieces once cool.

Notes

Cook in low to medium flame.

RICH SAVIGE PAYASA/SEMIYA PAYASAM/SHAHI VERMICELLI KHEER

Ingredients

Savige/vermicelli: ¼ cup
Water: 1 cup
Ghee: 2 tbsp
Sugar: ½ cup
Milk: 2 cups
Almond powder: 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder: ½ tsp

For making paste(soaked for 30 minutes)
Basmati rice: 1 tbsp
Khas khas: 1 tsp
Fresh grated coconut: 2 tbsp

For garnishing
Cashew pieces: 2 tbsp

Preparation

Take a pan add 1 tbsp ghee, roast cashews till golden color and transfer it to a bowl.
Now add remaining ghee, add savige and roast till it changes color.
Transfer the savige to a heavy bottomed vessel add water and cook in low flame till soft. Keep stirring in between so that it doesn't stick the pan.
Once soft add sugar and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Switch off the stove and add milk, mix properly.
Switch on the stove and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
Grind the soaked ingredients and make a thick paste.
Add the paste and almond powder to savige mixture, mix and cook for a minute.
Switch off the stove and add cardamom powder, mix.
Garnish with cashews pieces.
Relish the payasa hot or cold.

Notes

Almonds can be used instead of almond powder by soaking it along with soaked ingredients.
Switching off the stove is important before adding milk as the milk may cuddle when added with sugar at high temperature.
Cook in a low flame and keep stirring so that it doesn't stick the vessel.
In simple version of Savige payasa, soaked portion and almond powder can be skipped and cooking part may need 2 to 3 minutes more to get the required consistency. Sugar can be adjusted as per taste.

MIXTURE

Yields: 6 cups

Ingredients

Avalakki puri : 4 cups
Peanuts: ½ cup
Ompudi: 1 cup (crushed to pieces)
Kara bhoondi: 1 cup
Curry leaves: 15 leaves
Hing powder: 1 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1-1½ tsp
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
Salt: as required
Oil: for frying

Preparation

Take a broad mixing bowl add avalakki puri and sprinkle turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt, hing powder over it.
Heat oil and fry peanuts, add it on the avalakki puri.
In the same oil fry curry leaves and add on the avalakki puri. Mix it properly.
Now add ompudi and kara boondi to avalakki puri mixture. Mix all over again properly.
A tasty mixture is ready to serve.
Can be stored in an air tight container for almost a month.

Notes

If avalakki puri is not available you may use thick avalakki (which can be fried in the oil and then used) instead. It will make the mixture more oily though.

Avalakki puri Puffed rice(regular puri)

Even regular puri can be used instead of avalakki puri. However it needs to be consumed within few days as it tends to become soggy very soon. .
In this receipe you may add fried gram dal (dalia), dry coconut pieces(fried), dry fruits like cashews, raisins, almonds.
Mixture as the name suggests, is just a mixing of ingredients of our choice. Even leftover pieces of Tengul, ribbon pakoda, chakli can be added.

Mixture with Cornflakes, Chakli and Tengul

COCONUT ALMOND PEANUT COOKIES

Yields: 10 to 12 cookies

Ingredients

Dry ingredients
Wheat flour: ½ cup
Peanuts: 2 tbsp (coarsely ground)
Desiccated coconut: 2 tbsp
Almond powder: 2 tbsp
Baking powder: ¼ tsp
Powdered sugar: ¼ cup

Wet ingredients
Ghee: ¼ cup
Curd: 1 tbsp

Garnishing
Almond pieces: 1 tsp

Preparation

Take a big bowl and beat both ghee and curd together till fluffy.
Add powdered sugar and mix.
Now add rest of the dry ingredients, mix and make a dough(if needed add one or two tsp of milk).
Rest the dough for 10 minutes.
Take a small ball and give a shape of cookie.
Arrange the cookies in a baking tray.
Now bake the cookies for 15 minutes in a pre heated microwave at 170°C.
If needed reduce the temperature to 150°C and bake for 5 more minutes.
Switch off the microwave and leave the cookies in it for 10 minutes. Remove once the cookies are completely cool.

Notes

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

PEPPER CORN MASALA

Ingredients

Sweet corn(boiled): ½ cup
Bell pepper/Capsicum: ½ cup (cut into small pieces)
Onion: ½ cup (cut into small pieces)
Tomatoes: 2 nos (cut in small pieces)
Oil: 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds/Jeera: ½ tsp
Ginger: 1 tsp

Spices :
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Chilli powder: ½ tsp
Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
Pepper powder: ¼ tsp

Salt: as required
Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp(for garnishing)
Chat Masala: ½ tsp (optional)
Paneer cubes: 10 nos. (optional)

Preparation

Take a pan add oil, once oil becomes hot add cumin seeds.
Now add onion, ginger and saute for a minute or two. Add all spices, mix and add tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes by adding water till it becomes tender and doesn't stick the pan.
Add bell pepper, salt and mix. After a minute add sweet corn and mix.
Cover and cook for a minute.
Now add paneer cubes, chat masala, mix and switch off the flame.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti, chapati or puri.

Note

No need to boil if frozen sweet corn is taken. It can be directly added.

KHARA BOONDI

Ingredients

Kadlehittu/Besan: ½ cup
Salt: as required
Chilli powder: ¼ tsp
Hing powder: ¼ tsp
Curry leaves: 10 nos.
Cashewnut pieces: 1 tbsp
Oil: for frying

Preparation

Take a mixing bowl add kadalehittu, salt, hing powder and chilli powder, mix.
Add water and make a thick pouring consistency batter (batter should not fall immediately, should fall one by one like a drop from the holes of the spatula).
Heat oil and turn to medium flame.
Take a spatula with holes and pour 2 tbsp(depending on the amount of oil kept for frying) of batter at a time by holding the spatula over the hot oil.
After a minute turn the boondi and once it is fried into crispy and golden color, drain excess oil and remove it in a paper towel.
Fry the curry leaves and cashewnut pieces in the same oil.
Mix boondi, curry leaves and cashewnut pieces.
A tasty crunchy khara boondi is ready for munching.

CABBAGE SABJI/ PALYA

Ingredients

Cabbage : 1 cup (cut into pieces)
Raw toor/togri kallu : 2tbsp
Oil : 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
Urad dal : 1/2 tsp
Chana dal: 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Salt : as required
Hing : pinch
Grated coconut: 2tbsp
Water : as required

Preparation

Take a pan add oil, once hot add mustard seeds.
After mustard seeds crackles add urad dal and chana dal.
As dals become light brown add raw toor and immediately add one fourth cup of water otherwise toor will crackle and all will be out of the pan.
Now add turmeric powder mix and add cabbage covering the toor as toor takes more time to cook.
After 5 to 7 minutes mix and add salt, hing mix. If needed add water.
Cook for 5 minutes more and once the water fully evaporates add coconut mix and switch off the flame.

EGGLESS HEALTHY CHOCO RAGI CAKE

When we just think of cake, our mouth starts watering and a cake that too healthy, without compromising on the taste it's just amazing. Give a try you will surely love it.

Ingredients

Dry ingredients
Ragi flour: ½ cup
Wheat flour: 1 cup
Cocoa powder: 1 tbsp
Powdered sugar: ¼ cup
Baking soda: ½ tsp
Baking powder: ½ tsp
Salt: pinch

Wet ingredients
Curd: 1 cup
Milk: ½ cup
Oil: ½ cup
Honey: ½ cup
Vanilla essence: 3-4 drops

Other ingredients
Choco chips: as required for decoration(optional)
Maida: 1 tsp

Preparation

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and keep aside.
Take another bowl and mix all wet ingredients(except ¼ cup milk).
Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix it. If needed add rest 1/4 cup of milk little by little. Mixture should be of pouring consistency.
Grease a baking tray and dust it with maida.
Now pour the mixture in the baking tray and tap it lightly so that the batter will spread evenly.
Decorate the cake with choco chips.
Keep in a pre heated microwave at 180° for 45 to 50 minutes.
Once done remove and cool on a rack completely before cutting.

Note

Baking time may vary from oven to oven.
All the ingredients should be at room temperature.
Butter paper can also be used for lining the baking tray.

MULTIPURPOSE DRY FRUITS MIX/POWDER

Ingredients

Kaju/cashew nuts: 2 tbsp pieces
Badam/almond: 2 tbsp pieces
Pista: 2 tbsp
Walnut/akroot: 2 tbsp
Cardamom/elaichi: 4 nos
Saffron/kesar: a pinch

Preparation

Dry roast all (except saffron) in low flame.
Cool, add saffron and coarse grind.
Masala is ready to use in any milk shakes, payasa/kheer, sweets or in preparing milk peda.
Store in an airtight container for a month.

CHATPATA CHANA DAL

Ingredients

Chana dal/kadlebelle: 1 cup
Baking soda: 1 tsp
Oil: for frying
Salt: as required
Asafoetida/hing: 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder: 1/2 to 3/4 tsp

Preparation

Soak chana dal by adding baking soda for 8 hours or overnight.
Drain the water and dry on a cloth for an hour(in shade).
Heat oil and reduce the flame.
In medium to low flame, fry the dal in batches.
Once the bubbles and the frying sound reduces, the dal is ready to be removed from the oil.
Remove the dal from the oil and transfer it to a paper towel.
Transfer the dal to a bowl and add salt, hing and chilli powder.
Mix thoroughly and chatpata dal is ready to munch.

NAN KHATAI

Ingredients

Kadale hittu/besan: ½ cup
Maida: ¼ cup
Chiroti rava: ⅓ cup
Baking powder: ¼ tsp
Cardamom powder: ¼ tsp
Butter: ½ cup (salted)
Powdered sugar: ⅓ cup+2 tbsp
Almond, cashew pieces: 1 tbsp (for garnishing)

Preparation

Take a mixing bowl add powdered sugar, butter and mix well.
Now add all the other ingredients and mix to make a smooth dough.
Divide into small balls and a make a cookies shape.
Give impressions with a knife and garnish with almond and cashew pieces.
Arrange the nan khatai in nonstick plate by leaving 3 to 4 mm gap as the nan khatai will increase in size while baking.
Bake in a pre heated oven at 190° for 15 minutes.

EGGLESS COOKER CAKE

Ingredients

Maida: 2 cups
Powdered Sugar: 1 cup
Butter: 100 gms
Curd: 1/2 cup
Milk: 1/4 cup
Baking powder: 1 tsp
Baking soda: 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence: 1/4 tsp

Preparation

Take cooker, add 2 cups of sand, spread and keep a stand on it. Close the lid without gasket, heat in low flame(pre heating) and then start making the batter
Sieve maida, baking powder, baking soda together twice and keep aside.
Take mixing bowl add butter, powdered sugar and blend it properly with a blender or beater.
When butter sugar mixture turns fluffy then add curd and beat again till mixed properly (for 4-5 minutes).
Add maida mixture, vanilla essence and mix properly.
Add milk little by little and keep mixing. Bring the batter to a consistency similar to that of idli batter.
After mixing pour in a greased aluminum vessel, keep in the cooker(pre heated), close and bake for 50 minutes.
You can check once done by poking the cake in the middle with a tooth pick or a knife, if it comes out clean then its done, if not keep for 10 minutes more.
Once done let the cake rest on a rake for 3 to 4 hours or till it has cooled completely.
Now unmould the cake from the baking tray and is ready to serve.

Notes

Crystallized salt can be used instead of sand.
All ingredients should be at room temperatur.

SAKKARE PONGAL

Yields: 5 cups

Ingredients

Rice: ½ cup
Moong dal/Hesarubele: ¼ cup
Jaggery/Gud/Bella: 2 cups
Milk: 1 cup
Badam/Almond: 8 nos
Fresh grated coconut: 1 cup
Cardamom powder: ½ tsp
Saffron: 3-4 strings(soaked in 2 tbsp hot milk)
Khas khas/Poppy seeds: 1 tsp
Cashewnuts/Kaju: 1 tbsp
Raisins/Draksh: 1 tsp
Edible camphor: a pinch
Ghee: 4 tbsp

Preparation

Roast lightly both rice and dal (just warm it) and pressure cook it together by adding 2¼ cups of water.
Soak almond and remove skin.
Now make jaggery syrup by adding ¼ cup of water to jaggery dissolve and remove impurities. Boil it till you get one string paka.
Grind soaked almond, khas khas, grated coconut, saffron, camphor, cardamom powder in a mixer.
Take a big pan(with thick bottom) or pressure cooker and add 1 tbsp ghee, fry cashewnuts, raisins and transfer to a bowl.
Now add cooked rice-dal mixer, milk, grinded almond mix.
Mix and cook in a low flame for 15-20 minutes till it thickens.
Switch off the flame, add jaggery syrup and mix it properly. Switching off the flame and adding the jaggery syrup will help the milk not getting cuddled.
Switch on the flame, cook for 15-20 minutes by adding 1 tbsp ghee in between.
Keep stirring continuously so that it doesn't stick the pan.
Once the pongal thickens, switch off the flame and garnish with fried dry fruits.

INSTANT RAGI, WHEAT FLOUR DOSA

Yields: 5 nos

Ingredients

Wheat flour: ½ cup
Ragi flour: ¼ cup
Salt: as required
Hing powder: ¼ tsp
Curry leaves: 5-6 nos(chopped)
Jeera: ½ tsp
Red chilli powder: ½ tsp
Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp(chopped)
Water: as required
Oil: for roasting the dosa

Preparation

Take a mixing bowl and add all the ingredients.
Mix all the ingredients by adding water little by little.
Batter should be of pouring consistency(without lumps). No need to rest the batter.
Now heat a tawa and pour the batter in a circular motion (without touching the tawa by just pouring with the help of a ladle/spoon) to shape like a dosa.
After a couple of minutes or once dosa is cooked add 1 tsp of oil and flip over.
Cook for a minute or two and serve with Instant no cook tomato chutney.
It can even be had with Coconut chutney, Chutney powder, Dosa molaga pudi, Tomato chutney.

Notes

Grated carrot, finely chopped onion and capsicum can be added for extra taste.

HEALTHY DRY FRUITS BAR

Yields: 6 nos

Ingredients

Badam/almond: ½ cup
Kaju/cashew: ½ cup
Walnut: ¼ cup
Fresh dates: 10 nos
Oats: ¼ cup
Honey: 2 tbsp
Vanilla essence: 2-3 drops (optional)

Preparation

Coarse grind badam, cashew, walnut and add dates, grind just for mixing.
Dry roast oats slightly and transfer to a mixing bowl.
Transfer the ground ingredients to the mixing bowl.
Add honey, vanilla essence, mix and make a ball.
Grease the chopping board or any plate and tap the ball flat.
Cut into a bar shape.
Pre heat microwave at 150° and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Cool and serve. Can be stored for a week at room temperature.

EGGLESS MULTIGRAIN BEETROOT CAKE

Ingredients

Beetroot (finely grated): ½ cup
Multigrain flour: ½ cup
Cooking oil: ¼ cup
Powdered sugar: ¼ cup
Vanilla essence: ¼ tsp
Baking powder: 1 tsp
Baking soda: ½ tsp
Curd: 2 tsp
Milk: 3 tsp

Preparation

Sieve multigrain flour, baking powder, baking soda and keep aside.
Take a mixing bowl add cooking oil, powdered sugar and mix.
Add vanilla essence, beetroot and mix.
Now add dry ingredients and mix it.
Add curd, mix. Now add milk and mix again.
Grease a baking tray with butter or line it with a butter paper and pour the cake batter.
Tap it lightly so that batter will spread evenly.
Pre heat microwave at 180° and bake for 50 minutes.
Once done, remove form microwave and cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.
Should be consumed within 2 or 3 days.

Notes

Grated carrot can be used instead of beetroot or mixture of both can also be used.
Maida or wheat flour can be used instead of multigrain flour.
All ingredients should be at room temperature.
Baking time may vary from oven to oven.
Use fresh ingredients for best results.

INSTANT NO-COOK TOMATO CHUTNEY

Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients

Tomato: 2 nos (medium size, chopped )
Green chilli: 2 nos
Curry leaves: 7-8 nos
Coconut(grated): 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp
Tamarind: small piece
Hing powder: pinch
Salt: as required

Preparation

Take a mixer jar and add all the ingredients.
Grind into a fine paste.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Can be had with idli, dosa, chapati.
A very quick and instant chutney.
Can be stored for 2 days, when refrigerated.

KALAKAND

Yields: 10 to 12 pieces

Ingredients

Milk: 1 litre
Curd: 2 tsp
Milk powder: 2 tbsp
Condensed milk: 150 ml
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Almonds pieces: 1 tbsp

Preparation

Boil milk and add curd(1 tsp at a time), keep stirring till it curdles.
Separate the water and paneer by keeping in strainer for 30 minutes.
Take a pan add paneer, milk powder and condensed milk, mix and cook for 10 minutes in low flame. Add cardamom powder and mix.
Take a greased plate or plate lined with butter paper and pour the mixture.
Flatten it and allow it to cool.
Make pieces and garnish it with almonds pieces.

METHI GOBI PARATHA/CABBAGE FENUGREEK LEAVES CHAPATI

Yields: 6 nos

Ingredients

Multigrain atta/flour: 2 cups
Methi leaves/fenugreek leaves: ½ cup(chopped)
Cabbage/gobi: ½ cup(chopped finely/grated)
Coriander leaves: ¼ cup(chopped)
Curry leaves: 10 leaves(chopped finely)
Ginger: ½ tsp
Sesame seeds: ½ tsp
Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Hing powder: ½ tsp
Salt: as required
Curd: 2 tbsp
Water: for binding the dough
Oil/ghee: for roasting

Preparation

Take a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except oil and mix it.
Now add water and bind into a soft dough. Consistency should be like a chapati dough.
Let the dough rest for 15 to 30 minutes.
Knead again by applying little oil to your palms.
Take small balls and roll into a chapati, by dusting with dry flour.
Now roast the chapati on a hot tawa by adding little oil on both sides.
Serve hot with tomato chutney.

Note

Instead of multigrain atta, whole wheat flour can be used.
If you don't prefer curd, you can replace it with oil (1 tbsp). Curd or oil is mainly used for softness, when we use curd it gives a little tanginess. The same taste of tanginess can be achieved when using oil too, just add 1 tsp of lemon juice to the dough mix.
Resting the dough and kneading again makes the chapatis more softer.

RAW TUVER/TOGARI KAALU/FRESH PIGEON PEAS KACHORI

Yields: 10-12 nos

Ingredients

For stuffing:
Tuver seeds/togari kaalu/Fresh Pigeon peas (raw): 1 cup
Green chilli: 3 nos
Ginger(chopped): ½ tsp
Coriander leaves(chopped): ½ cup
Garam masala: ½ tsp
Salt: as required
Oil: 1 tsp

For outer layer:
Maida: 1 cup
Oil: 2 tbsp
Salt: as required
Water: for binding the dough

Oil: for deep frying

Preparation

Take mixing bowl for outer layer, add maida, oil, salt and mix. Add water little by little and knead into a soft dough, like a poori dough.
Cover and give it a rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare stuffing.
Coarse grind togari kaalu, green chill, ginger.
Take a pan, add oil, ground mixture, salt and cook 5-6 minutes or till cooked. Keep aside for cooling.
Take small portion of the maida dough and roll into poori.
Fill it with about 1 tbsp of the stuffing and fold it into a shape of kachori.
Now heat oil in a pan. Once hot, lower the flame and deep fry the kachori till crispy and golden color.
Serve hot with green chutney and meethi chutney or even with tomato ketchup.

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