Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together ½ cup of Butter, 1 cup of Sugar and ½ cup of Brown Sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 Eggs one at a time, 1½ tsp of Vanilla Extract and ½ cup of Mashed Banana (1 medium). Stir in 3 cups of All Purpose Flour, 1 tsp of Baking Soda and 1 tsp of Salt, then mix in 1¼ cups of Chocolate Chips / Chocolate Chunks until well-mixed.

Shape dough into 1 to 1½ inch balls and place on baking sheet, leaving about 3 inches between cookies to allow for spread. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until cookies are a light golden brown.

Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 40 cookies.

Kalmi Kebab (Chicken Drumsticks in Tandoor style)

Marinade - Marinate 4 Chicken Legs, slit with ¼ cup of thick Yogurt, 2 tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, 1 tsp of Lemon Juice, 2 tsp of Red Chilli Powder, 1 tsp Pepper Powder, ½ tsp of Cumin Powder, 1 tsp of Garam Masala, Salt to taste and pinch of Tandoori Color (optional) for at least 3 hours or overnight in fridge.

Stove - Heat 2 tbsp Oil in a pan and add the chicken pieces to the pan. Cover the pan and let it cook on slow heat. Cook slowly until cooked on one side, then turn and cover again. Add oil if necessary. When cooked, increase the flame and let it cook until it changes its color to brown.

Oven - Preheat the oven to 450C. Add Oil to a grill pan and place the chicken legs in the pan, cover with an aluminium foil and grill for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and grill for 10 minutes. Turn the pieces and grill for another 10 mins.

Sprinkle some lime juice on top and serve.

Egg Fried Rice

Veggies - Peel and chop a Carrot finely. Finely chop handful of Beans and keep aside. Boil ¼ cup of Peas and keep aside. Finely chop 4 Spring Onions and seperate the whites from greens.

Fried Rice - Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan, add finely chopped 3-4 Garlic pods and fry for a minute. Then add the carrot, beans, peas and fry for 2 – 3 minutes mixing regularly. Add spring onion whites and fry till the onion pieces are translucent. Break open 3 Eggs and fry until they are scrambled. Add ¼ tsp of Ajinomoto (optional), 1 tsp of Soya Sauce, Salt to taste, 2 tsp of Pepper Powder and mix well. Add 1½ cup of Cooked Rice and fry for 2 – 3 minutes. Now add the spring onions greens and fry for 2 – 3 minutes.

Serve hot.

Vankaya Senagapindi Vepudu (Eggplant Chickpea Flour Fry)

Spice Powders - Grind 4 tbsp of Besan(Chickpea Flour), 8 dried Red Chillies, 1 tsp of Sugar and 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds to fine powder and keep aside.

Brinjal - Remove the stems of 12 small Brinjals (Eggplant/Vankaya), slice them into thin pieces lengthwise and drop them in salted water in a bowl.

Fry - In a wide skillet, heat 1 tbsp of Oil and toast few Curry Leaves and 1 tsp of Mustard Seeds. Add brinjal pieces and 1 tsp of grated Ginger to the skillet. On medium-high heat, saute turning often with a ladle till the pieces turn to gold color. Just before turning off the heat, stir in besan mix along with Salt to taste and 1 tsp of Turmeric Powder. Mix and fry for few more minutes and sprinkle ¼ cup of Roasted Cashews.

Serve hot with rice.

Homemade Bourbon Biscuits

Biscuits - In a bowl, cream together ¼ cup of Butter and 1/3 cup of Sugar until well blended. Add ½ tsp of Vanilla Essence, 2 tsp of Honey and combine. Add the 1 cup of All Purpose Flour (Maida), ¼ tsp of Baking Soda, 1 tsp of Baking Powder and 1 tbsp of Cocoa Powder to the butter mixture and mix. Add 2-3 tbsp of Cold Milk to form soft dough. Roll the dough into a large roti and using a knife, cut into thin rectangle shape pieces. Use a fork to prick over the rectangle pieces and sprinkle Sugar on top of each.

Bake - Grease a baking tray and place each rectangle piece on the tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 155 C / 310 F for 16-19 mts or till the edges are toasted. Once baked, the cookie will feel soft on touch but once cool it will harden. Cool for 3 minutes before proceeding with the filling. Repeat the process with remaining dough.

Filling - Mix ¼ cup of Butter with 1/3 cup of Icing/Powdered Sugar, 1 tsp of Cocoa Powder and Few drops Vanilla Essence in a bowl and using a spatula spread some filling over the underside of each biscuit and sandwich with another.

Butter Chicken Curry

Marinade - Marinate 2 lb boneless Chicken (thigh meat), cut into bite sized pieces with 3 tbsp of Yogurt, 2 tbsp of Lime Juice, 1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, 1½ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, 1½ tsp of Garam Masala Powder, 1½ tsp of Coriander Powder, 1 tsp of Cumin Powder, Salt to taste and refrigerate overnight.

Chicken - Heat 1 tbsp Oil in a pan. Add the chicken with all the marinade and cook on medium high flame, stirring frequently till the chicken is cooked and all the water has evaporated and is dry.

Gravy - Heat the 2 tbsp of Butter in a pan and fry 2 Bay Leaves, 2 Cardamoms and 4 Cloves till fragrant. Add finely chopped Red Onion and saute till brown. Now add 1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and fry for a minute. Add 1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder and 1 tsp of Garam Masala Powder and fry for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato puree made from 2 medium Tomatoes, blanched, peeled and pureed. Cook till the oil separates and add chicken, ½ tbsp of Kasoori Methi(dry Fenugreek leaves), Salt to taste, ½ tsp of Sugar and 2 cups of Water. Mix well and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in the 3-4 tbsp of Cream and turn off the heat after a minute.

Serve hot with parathas, naan or rice.

Spinach Pesto - Penne Pasta

Pasta: Bring water to a boil in a big pot and add Salt, 1 tsp Olive Oil, 4 cups of Penne Pasta and cook over medium flame for 10-12 minutes until al dente. Drain and reserve ½ cup of Water for later. Run pasta under cold water to keep the pasta separate.

Spinach Pesto: Boil water, add Salt, chopped medium bunch of Spinach and blanch for a minute and immediately run cold water over it. Blend spinach with ¼ cup of fresh Parsley, ¼ cup of Pine Nuts / Walnuts, 2-3 tbsp of grated Parmesan Cheese (optional), 2 Garlic Pods, 1 tsp of freshly ground Pepper, 3-4 tbsp of Olive Oil, Juice of ½ Lemon and Salt to taste in to a slightly coarse sauce. If needed, add some strained spinach water to ease grinding.

Bechamel Sauce: Heat 3 tbsp of Butter / Olive Oil in a pan on medium flame. Add ¼ cup of All Purpose Flour and whisk immediately until it forms a smooth paste. Now slowly add 300 ml of Hot Milk and whisk continuously until you get a smooth uniform mixture. Cook it for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of the mixture goes away by stirring it continuosly. Season it with enough Salt, Pepper Powder, Ground Nutmeg and mix well.

Final Pasta: Heat 3 tbsp Olive Oil in a wide bottomed pan and fry sliced 4-5 Garlic Pods until slight brown and crisp and add thinly sliced big Onion and fry until they are pink and soft. Now add 12 sliced Mushrooms, a finely chopped Carrot and cook until tender. Add the spinach pesto sauce, bechamel sauce and mix well. Add ¼ cup reserved pasta liquid if required to get a medium sauce consistency. Add cooked pasta and mix well until all the pasta is covered with the sauce and is warm. Now add 1 tsp of Red Chili Flakes, 1 tsp of Italian Herbs, Salt, Pepper and mix well.Dish it out to the serving platter and sprinkle 2 tbsp of Parmesan Cheese over it. Garnish with 1 tsp of chopped Parsley.

Serve hot.

Note: You can even fill the pasta in a baking dish and cover with grated parmesan cheese (¼ - ½ cup) and cover it with a foil and bake it in oven @ 160 C for 20 minutes until the cheese melts. Serve it hot right from the oven.

Aritikaya Mullakada Kura (Plaintain Drumstick Curry)

Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan and splutter ¼ tsp of Mustard Seeds and ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds. Add 3 finely chopped Onions, 2 Mullakadalu (Drumsticks), cut into 2 inch pieces, 5-6 Curry Leaves and Salt to taste. Increase the heat to medium and fry till the onions are soft and light golden brown in color. Add ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder, 2 tsp of Chilli Powder, 2 peeled and cubed Aritikayalu (Plaintains) and mix well. Cover and cook on medium flame for 3-4 minutes stirring occassionally. Add 1½ cup of Water, bring to boil then reduce the flame to medium low. Allow cooking till the plantains turn soft and all the water is absorbed. Now add 1 cup of Warm Milk to the curry and cook till it reaches desired gravy consistency. Adjust Salt and just before turning off the heat, add ¼ tsp of Garam Masala and 3 tbsp of chopped Coriander Leaves. Mix well and turn off the flame.

Serve hot with rice.

Chocolate Chip & Almond Cookies

Cookie Dough - In a bowl, cream together ¾ cup of melted Butter, 1 cup of Brown Sugar and ½ cup of White Sugar until well blended. Beat in the 2 tsp of Vanilla Essence, 1 Egg and 1 Egg Yolk until light and creamy. Mix in 2 cup of All Purpose Flour, ¾ tsp of Baking Soda and ¼ tsp of Salt until blended. Stir in 1 cup of Chocolate Chips and 1 cup of Toasted Almond Powder using a wooden spoon.

Cookie - Drop cookie dough atleast 2½ – 3 inches apart using a tbsp onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 325 F for about 20-22 minutes till the edges are slightly toasted or till done. Cool on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough.

Store in airtight container

Bendakaya Pachadi (Okra Chutney)

Okra - Heat 1 tsp of Oil and lightly toast ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds. Add a chopped Onion and a chopped Tomato and saute until the onions turns transculent. Add the 1 tsp of Grated Ginger, few Curry Leaves, 2 chopped Green Chillies, ¼ of Turmeric Powder and saute for few minutes. Finally add 2 cups of chopped Okra pieces, saute until they get well cooked in simmer and put off the stove.

Yogurt - Whisk 2 cups of Yogurt with Salt and 1 tbsp of chopped Coriander Leaves, keep aside. Once the cooked okra is cool, add to the whisked yogurt and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Serve chilled with rice.

Tofu Sambal (Tofu in Red Chilli Tomato Gravy)

Sambal - Saute 2 chopped Tomatoes with a pinch of Salt and ½ tsp of Oil till mushy.
Place 7-8 dried Red Chillies in a bowl of water; bring it to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and allow staying for about 10 mins. Drain the chillies and grind with the sauteed tomatoes and 1 tsp of Sugar to a smooth paste.

Tofu - Drain and cube 1 packet of Firm Tofu into 1 inch cubes. Heat 1 tbsp of Oil in a saute pan, sprinkle a pinch of Salt and fry the tofu pieces, allow them to brown on one side, sprinkle more salt on top and flip them over, allowing the other side to brown as well. Remove from the stove and keep aside.

Curry - In the same pan, heat a tbsp of Oil, saute thinly sliced 2 Onions (into 1 inch pieces), an inch of Ginger, chopped and 4 chopped Garlic cloves till browned. Add the sambal along with the a tbsp of Tomato Paste / Puree and 1 tsp of Soy Sauce and fry till thick - about 5 to 8 minutes. To this, add about a cup of Water, mix well and stir in the tofu cubes. Cook until the tofu absorbs the masalas on a low-medium flame. Garnish with 2 tbsp of chopped Coriander Leaves.
Serve hot with rice.

Anabhakaya Perugu Kura (Bottlegourd Yogurt Curry)

Chilli - Coconut mixture - Grind 6 Green Chilies along with 1 tbsp fresh Grated Coconut and keep aside.

Popu (Seasoning) - In a saucepan, heat 1 tsp of Oil on medium heat. Toast ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds, ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, 2 dry Red Chilies and 3-4 Curry Leaves in it.

Curry - Add 1 cup of cubed Anabkakaya (Bottle gourd) and Chilli - Coconut paste. Stir in ½ tsp of Turmeric Powder, Salt to taste and ¼ cup of Water. Close the lid and cook on medium-low heat, until the pieces are tender. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the 1 cup of Sour Yogurt. Turn off the heat and remove the saucepan from the stove. Cover the pot with a lid and let the curry sit for about 15 minutes.

Serve warm with rice.

Chocolate Nankhatai

White Cookie Dough - Beat the 1¼ cups of Sugar, ¾ cup of Ghee / Melted Butter / Oil, ½ tsp of Vanilla Essence and 2 tbsp of Yogurt till smooth. Add 2 cups of All Purpose Flour, ¼ tsp of Baking Soda and ¼ cup of Semolina to the sugar-ghee mixture. The dough should be kneaded well for at least 7-8 mts, add few tbsps of cold milk and chill for a few minutes. Divide into two parts.

Chocolate Cookie Dough - Take one part of the dough and add 1 tbsp of Cocoa Powder and knead till well combined, add a little milk if required. Make small balls and keep aside.

Nankhatai - Pinch dough of the white cookie dough and shape into small balls and roll each of them it into a thick cylindrical shape. Now place a cocoa flavored ball on the surface. Along the edges of this cocoa colored ball, roll the cylindrical shaped white dough and gently flatten.

Garnish with almonds on top of each flattened ball by slightly pressing into the dough. Place on a greased tray with enough space between each ball as they spread out. Pre heat oven and bake at 350 F for about 20-22 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack and store in airtight container.

Palakura Godhuma Rava Pongal (Spinach - Broken Wheat Pongal)

Rava & Dal - Cook ½ cup of Split Yellow Moong Dal in microwave for 10 minutes. Dry roast 1 cup of coarse Wheat Rava for 6-7 minutes. Wash the wheat ravva and dal and soak them together in water for 15-20 minutes.

Pongal - Heat ½ tbsp of Oil in a pot. Add ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds and once they splutter and turn slightly brown, add 1 tsp of grated Ginger, 3-4 Curry Leaves, 2-3 slit Green Chillies, 1-2 broken Red Chillies and 1 tsp of Peppercorns and combine. Add a pinch of Asafetida, 1 cup of packed chopped Spinach Leaves and saute for 5-6 minutes. Add the drained wheat ravva and dal and stir fry for a minute. Add 5 cups of Water and Salt to taste to the above mixture, bring to a boil, cover and cook on medium to low heat till both the dal and wheat rava are cooked (30 minutes). Alternately can use pressure cook until 2 whistles.

Serve hot with a pickle of your choice, curd and papad.

Bread Upma

Bread - Cut 6-8 slices of White Bread into small cubes and keep aside.

Popu (Seasoning) - Heat ½ tbsp of Oil in a pan on medium heat. Add ½ tsp of Channa Dal, ½ tsp of Urad Dal, ¼ tsp of Mustard Seeds and 1 tbsp of Cashew Nuts, fry them until slightly toasted.

Upma - Add 3-4 Curry Leaves, 3-4 slit Green Chillies, finely grated inch of Ginger and finely diced Onion. Saute til the onions are translucent. Now add a big pinch of Turmeric Powder, finely chopped Tomato and Salt to taste. Cover the pan with lid and let the mixture cook for 4-5 minutes or till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Add the cubed bread pieces and lightly sprinkle some water. Gently mix until the mixture is incorporated. Turn off the heat and add Juice of ½ Lemon/Lime and mix lightly. Garnish with finely chopped 4-5 sprigs of Coriander Leaves.

Serve hot.

Bendakaya Gasagasalu (Okra with Poppy Seeds)

Gasagasalu (Poppy Seed Powder) - Roast 3 tbsp of Poppy Seeds in a pan for about 3 minutes, until they start to change color. Add 3 dried Red Chillies, a pinch of Salt to them and grind into coarse powder.

Veggies - Cut 20 Okras to quarter to half inch wide rounds after trimming the ends.

Fry - In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of Oil. Add and toast ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds, ½ of Urad Dal, ½ of Channa Dal and a sprig of Curry Leaves. Add the okra pieces and mix once and fry stirring very rarely until they are free from moisture. Add the poppy seed powder, ½ tsp of Turmeric Powder and Salt to taste. Mix gently and saute for few more minutes.

Serve hot with rice.

White Chocolate Pistachio Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together the ¾ cup of Butter at room temperature and 1 cup of Sugar until fluffy. Beat in a Egg, 1 tbsp of Milk and 2 tsp of Vanilla Extract until smooth. Whisk in 2 cups of All Purpose Flour, 1 tsp of Baking Soda and ½ tsp of Salt into butter mixture, stirring until no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Stir in ½ cup roasted, salted Pistachio, 1 cup of White Chocolate Chips and combine.

Drop 1-inch balls of dough onto prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies to allow for spread. Bake for 11-14 minutes, until edges of the cookies are light golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 3-4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Bangaladumpa Iguru (Potato fry)

Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan, add 3 Cloves, A small Cinnamon stick and a Bay Leaf. Fry for 3 minutes and add 5 slit Green Chillies, 2 sprigs of Curry Leaves and 4 Onions (cut lengthwise). Fry till the onions are soft. Add 3 washed, peeled and cubed Potatoes. Cover and cook them on low flame for about 7-10 minutes stirring in between till the potatoes turn soft. Add 1 tsp of Turmeric Powder, 1 tbsp Chilli Powder and Salt to taste. Mix well, cover and cook for another 3 minutes in low flame. Add 2 cups of Water and bring to boil. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the potatoes to cook on low flame till thick gravy is formed. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice.

Pappu Charu with Veggies (Lentil Soup with Veggies)

Dal (Lentils) - Pressure cook 1 cup of Toor Dal (Kandipappu) with 2 cups of Water till 3-4 whistles and mash to smooth. Set aside.

Charu (Soup) - In a sauce pan, add 2 cups of Water, 1 Brinjal (cut into cubes), 1 Onion (cut length wise), 3 Lady’s Fingers (cut into 2 inch size pieces), ¾ cup White Radish (cut into cubes), 1 Tomato (cut into cubes) and 6 Green Chillies (slit length wise) and on medium heat cook till the vegetables turn soft for 15-20 minutes. Add mashed dal, tamarind juice (1 big lemon-sized Tamarind, soaked in 2 cups of water and pulp extracted), Salt to taste, 1 tbsp of Sugar, 1 tsp of Turmeric Powder and allow to boil in low heat for 15 minutes. Adjust tamarind juice and salt according to taste while cooking.

Popu (Seasoning) - Heat 1 tbsp of Ghee in a pan. Add 3 crushed Garlic, 1 tsp of Mustard Seeds , 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds, 4 Red Chillies and 2 sprigs of Curry Leaves and allow them to splutter. Add this seasoning to pappu charu. Allow to cook for 3 more minutes, garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves and 1 tbsp Lemon Juice.

Serve hot with rice.

Gosht Kurma 1 (Mutton Kurma)

Marinade - Marinate washed and cubed 1 kg Mutton with 1½ cups of Yogurt, 2 tsp of Red Chilli Powder, ½ tsp of Turmeric Powder, 1¼ tbsp of Coriander Powder, ¾ tsp of Cumin Powder and ½ tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste for 30-40 minutes.

Masala - Dry roast 1½ tbsp of Poppy Seeds for 4 minutes and soak in water for 10 minutes. Soak 4 Cashewnuts in water for 4 minutes. Make paste of the poppy seeds, cashewnuts and 4 tbsp of grated Fresh Coconut.

Kurma - Heat 1½ tbsp of Oil in a heavy bottomed vessel or pressure cooker; add 4 Cloves, 2 Cardamom, 1″ Cinnamon stick and a Bay Leaf. Fry for few seconds and add chopped 2 large Onions and fry till transparent. Add the slit 5-6 Green Chilies and 1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and sauté for 3 minnutes. Add a chopped Tomato and fry for 4-5 minutes. Add the marinated mutton and cover cook over medium heat till the water from the meat and yogurt is almost absorbed. Add the poppy seeds-coconut paste and Salt to taste to the mutton and mix well. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add 3 cups of Water and Salt. Cook with lid on simmer till the mutton is tender and the gravy thickens. Add ¾ tsp of Garam Masala Powder and garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves. Remove from heat.

Serve hot with pulao, biryani, coconut rice or rotis.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with a parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of All Purpose Flour, 1 tsp of Baking Soda and ¼ tsp of Salt.

In a large bowl, cream together ¾ cup of Butter and 1 cup of Sugar until light. Beat in a Egg, 2 oz of melted White Chocolate and 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture, mixing until no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Stir in 2/3 cup of Dried Cranberries and 2/3 cup of White Chocolate Chips.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between each cookie to spread. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies turn lightly golden around the edges. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 3-4 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 36 cookies.

Mutton Biryani - Kerala Style

Rice - Wash and soak 2 cups of Basmati Rice for ½ hour.

Prep - Clean and wash ½ kg (approx 1 lb) Mutton and marinate with 1 tsp of Turmeric Powder, ½ tsp of Salt and ½ tsp of Chili Powder.
Grind 6 to 7 Green Chillies with 1 cup of diced Tomatoes and set aside.
Grind 1/4 cup of chopped Mint Leaves and 1/4 cup of Cilantro and set aside.

Masala - In a heavy bottomed vessel or a pressure cooker, heat 1 tbsp of Oil, 1 tbsp of Ghee and add 2 inch Cinnamon, 4-5 Cloves, 4 Cardamom and 2-3 Bay Leaves. When they pop, add 1 cup of finely sliced Onions and saute until they turn golden brown. Add 2 tsp of Ginger Garlic paste and saute well for another minute. Add the ground chillies mixture and saute until the raw smell goes. Now add 1 cup of diced Tomatoes and saute for few minutes. Then add the mint-cilantro paste and saute for few minutes, add 1/4 cup of Mint Leaves and 1/4 cup of Cilantro and mix well to the masala. To this add the mutton pieces and mix well. Close the lid and pressure cook for 4 whistles or until mutton is cooked.

Biryani - When the pressure releases open the lid and add 1½ cups of Coconut Milk, 1½ cups of Water and 2 tsp Salt. When it starts to boil, add the rice and simmer for about 20 minutes until cooked.

Serve hot with raita and salna.

Note - For Coconut Milk, 4 tbsp coconut milk powder mixed with ½ cup warm water can be used instead.
Blend 1 cup grated coconut, warm water and grind smooth. Cover a bowl with a seive and pour the ground coconut paste into the seive/cloth. Squeeze the coconut to extract as much liquid as possible into the bowl. The first pressed extract is the thick milk. Repeat the process two more times. The second and third pressed milk is the thin milk. The coconut milk can be stored in the freezer to be used later. Adjust the water quantity, to change the consistency and thickness of coconut milk according to your needs.

Beetroot Rasam (Beetroot Soup)

Rasam Powder – Dry roast and powder 4 tbsp of Coriander Seeds, 3-4 Dry Red Chillies, 2 tbsp of Dry Coconut, 1 tbsp of Cumin Seeds, ½ tbsp of Pepper Corns, ¼ tbsp of Fenugreek Seeds and few Curry Leaves.

Rasam - Cook ¼ Cup Toor Dal and 3 Beetroots with Leaves, chopped in 2 cups of Water in a pressure cooker. After 3 whistles, add 2 tbsp of Cilantro, 1 tbsp of Tamarind Juice, Salt to taste and a pinch of Hing. Simmer for few minutes. Add 2-3 tsp of Rasam powder or as much as you need. Simmer again.Seasoning - In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of Oil and Ghee. Saute 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp of Mustard Seeds and sauté till they splutter. Add 2 Dry Red Chili, sliced ½ Onion, minced Garlic Clove and few Curry Leaves. Saute till onion is light brown and add this to the rasam.

Gobi Fry (Cauliflower Fry)

Heat 1 tsp of Oil in a pan, add 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds and a pinch of Asafoetida. Once they sizzle, add the minced 2 inch Fresh Ginger and let it brown. Add 1 tsp of Coriander Powder, a pinch of Turmeric, 1 tsp of Chilli Powder and fry for a minute, taking care not to burn and add the cauliflower florets from 1 head. Let the masala coat the florets , add ¼ cup of Water and Salt to taste. Reduce to low heat and cover cook for 10 minutes or until done stirring in between. Remove the cover, increase the heat and let the water, if any, evaporate and remove from heat. Add 1 tsp of Garam Masala and 1 tsp of Amchur Powder, mix well and cover again for 2-3 minutes for the flavours to blend. Squeeze 2 tsp of Lemon Juice on top.

Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Banana Blueberry Bread

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

In a bowl, whisk together 2 cups of All Purpose Flour, 1½ tsp of Baking Powder and ¼ tsp of Salt. In another bowl, whisk together 1 cup of Sugar, 3 tbsp of Oil, 1 Egg, 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract and 2 large Mashed Bananas until smooth. Add in flour mixture and stir until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Fold in 1 1/3 cups of Blueberries with a spatula, then pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for about 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf.

Alasandula Talimpu (Black Eyed Peas Masala) 1

Alasandalu (Black Eyed Peas) - Soak 1 cup of Black Eyed Peas in water for 1-2 hours and then pressure cook for 4 whistles with 2 cups of Water. Drain the water from the cooked beans.

Popu (Seasoning) - Heat 1 tsp Oil in a saute pan, add 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp of Mustard Seeds and 1 tsp Urad Dal. Once they splutter, add chopped Onion, chopped 2-3 Green Chilies and Salt to taste. When the onions are cooked, add the cooked peas and mix well. Remove from heat and sprinkle 2 tsp of Lemon Juice and garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves.

Sweet & Sour Prawn Fry And Prawn Fried Rice

Marinade - Marinate the cleaned and de-veined ½ kg Prawns in 1 tbsp of Tomato Ketchup, ½ tbsp of Vinegar, 1 tsp of Soya Sauce, ½ tsp of Brown Sugar and 1 tsp of Red Chili Paste for 15-20 minutes.

Prawn Fry - Heat 1 tbsp of Oil in a wok till smoking hot. Add 1 tsp of minced Garlic, 1 tsp of minced Ginger and sauté for a few seconds. Add finely chopped ¼ cup of Spring Onion Whites and 2 Green Chilies and stir for 2 minutes. Add the marinated prawns along with any leftover marinade and cook on high heat for a minute without tossing. Flip the other side and cook for another minute. Combine once again and cook on medium heat for 3 mts or till done, tossing constantly. Season with Salt to taste and garnish with Spring Onion Greens and serve hot as an appetizer or stir fry.
Prawn Fried Rice -

Rice - Cook 1½ cup Basmati Rice and keep aside to cool.

Vegies - Finely chop a cup of Carrots, Beans and Capsicum and keep aside.

Fried Rice - Heat 1½ tbsp of Oil in a wok until smoking hot. Add finely chopped ¼ cup of Spring Onions and stir fry for a minute on high. Add the vegies and toss them on high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add Salt to taste and Pepper Powder as needed. Add 1 cup of Sweet & Sour Prawn Stir Fry (from above) and toss on high heat for a minute. Add the rice and combine well. Add 1 tsp of Vinegar and toss on high for few seconds. Garnish with chopped Spring Onion Greens. Serve hot.

Mooli Paratha - 2 (White Radish Roti)

Dough - In a bowl, add 2 cups of Wheat Flour, 2 tsp of Besan (Bengal Gram Flour), 2 tsp of Rice Flou, Salt to taste and 1 tsp of Oil (optional). Mix the flours well with water to prepare a dough. Keep aside covered for 30 minutes.

Mooli (Radish) - Clean, peel and grate 2 medium Mooli (Radish) to get about 400gm. Squeeze out the water by pressing betwewn palms.

Stuffing - Heat 1 tbsp of Oil in a pan, add 1 tsp Ajwain (Carom Seeds) and a pinch of Asefotida. Add 2 tbsp of Besan (Bengal Gram Flour) and fry for a minute. Add squeezed mooli and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of Green Chilli paste, 1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder, ½ cup of chopped Coriander Leaves and 1 tbsp of Lemon Juice. Combine well and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. Add Salt to taste and keep aside to cool.

Paratha - Knead the Paratha dough for few seconds. Divide and shape the dough into round balls. Roll it out to the size of a small-sized puri. Place 2 Tbsp of stuffing in the centre. Raise the sides and cover the filling. Flatten and roll out into a medium thick paratha by dusting occassionally in the wheat flour.

Raspberry Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the muffin pan or a bundt pan.

Raspberry Crush - Lightly mix 2 cups of fresh Raspberries with 1/3 cup of Brown Sugar / Maple Syrup and set aside for an hour. Mix well with a spoon.

Batter - Mix 2 cups of All Purpose Flour, 2/3 cup of Sugar, 1 tsp of Baking Powder, ½ tsp of Baking Soda and 1/8 tsp of Salt in a bowl.
Combine 1 cup of Yogurt/Sour Cream, ¼ cup of Butter, ½ tsp of Vanilla Extract, 2 Eggs in a separate bowl and add to the dry ingredients. Lightly mix in the raspberry crush and 2-4 tbsp Milk if needed, to make a thick batter. Spoon into the muffin pan to 2/3rds or into the bundt pan. If you want to omit the frosting: Top with ½ cup lightly toasted and chopped almonds.

Cupcakes - Bake muffins for 21 to 23 minutes, or about 40 minutes for a bundt cake. Cool on a wire rack before frosting. Makes 15 cupcakes or one bundt cake.

Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting - Bring 5 oz of Cream Cheese to room temperature and mix 2½ tsp of Lemon Juice, 1 tsp of Lemon Zest and 4 tbsp of Sugar to it along with a tiny pinch of Turmeric. Cool the cupcakes, frost and garnish with Raspberries. Refrigerate for an hour for the frosting to set.

Egg Frittata

Preheat the oven on broil.

Veggies - Wash, peel and cube a Potato. Boil the potato cubes along with ½ cup of Peas.

Eggs - Beat 4 Eggs lightly in a bowl. Add 1 tbsp Water and 1 tsp of Hot Sauce and keep aside.

Frittata - Heat 1 tbsp Oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Add finely chopped Garlic clove, finely chopped Onion and 4 finely chopped Green Chilies and saute over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add finely chopped Tomato, boiled veggies, ½ tsp of Cumin Powder, ½ tsp of Coriander Powder and 1 tbsp of chopped Fresh Cilantro and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. When the mixture is well blended, season with Salt and ½ tsp of Chili Powder and saute for few minutes. Add the beaten eggs to the veggie mixture, cover and cook over low heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the underside is golden brown. Sprinkle 4 tbsp Cheese over the omelet and cook briefly under the preheated broiler until the cheese has melted and the top of the omelet is set. Slide out of the skillet, cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Boondi Raita

Beat 2 cups of Yogurt with 1 tsp of Sugar in a bowl. Add 2 handsful of Boondi, ½ tsp of Dry Mint Leaves and 1 tbsp of Coriander Leaves to the yogurt and mix well. Sprinkle ½ tsp of Roasted Cumin Powder, a pinch of Garam masala powder, a pinch of Black pepper powder, a pinch of Red Chili Powder, a pinch of Black Rock Salt Powder and Salt to taste and mix well.

Serve chilled as a side dish for any Pulav.