Brown & White Brownie Bars

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease

Chocolate - Melt 1 cup of Semisweet Chocolate Chips in a bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds stirring in intervals until smooth. Repeat with 1 cup of White Chocolate Chips in another small bowl. Set aside.

Batter - In a large bowl, cream together ¾ cup of Butter and 1 cup of Brown Sugar. Beat in 3 Eggs one at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated. Add 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract, ¾ tsp of Salt and 2 cups of All Purpose Flour, mixing just until all ingredients are combined.

Transfer 2 cups of batter to a medium-mixing bowl. Add the melted white chocolate and beat to combine. Pour into the prepared pan. Top evenly with ½ cup of Semisweet Chocolate Chips and ½ cup of White Chocolate Chips.

Beat melted semisweet chocolate into remaining batter. Drop small dollops of chocolate batter on top of the chocolate chip layer, then use a spatula to gently spread the chocolate batter into an even layer.

Bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. Allow to cool in pan, and then lift the brownies out with the foil and slice into long, thin slices, makes 36 bars.

Egg & Chicken Omlette

Veggies - Peel and chop an Onion, finely and keep aside. Roast 1/4 Red Bellpepper and finely chop it, keep aside. Wash and chop 2-3 Basil Leaves, a tsp of Parsley and keep aside.

Egg Mixture - Mix Salt to taste, 1 tsp of Red Chili Powder and 1/2 tsp of freshly ground Black Pepper and 2 tbsp of Half and Half / Milk. Add 2 Eggs and whisk it till the yolks are blended thoroughly. Add the veggies, 1 tbsp of Parmesan / Cheddar Cheese, 1 tbsp of Cooked Chicken cubes (optional) and mix well.

Omlette - Spray the pan with 2 tsp of Oil and pour the egg mixture, cook on each side for 4 minutes.

Serve it like a sandwich between 2 Bread Slices.

Cabbage Pesarapappu Kura (Cabbage Moong Dal Fry)

Dal - Wash ¾ cup of Moong Dal (Pesara Pappu) in a bowl, add water and soak it for ½ hour. Drain the water and keep aside.

Veggies - Microwave finely chopped ½ head of Cabbage with little water for 15 minutes, stirring in between. Allow standing for 5 minutes in the microwave and spread in a plate to cool. Wash and clean 5 Green Chilies, an inch of Ginger and grind them to a coarse paste. Wash and chop few Curry Leaves finely.

Fry - Heat 3 tbsp of Oil in a pan. Toast 2 tbsp of Cashewnuts and keep aside. In the same oil, add 1½ tsp of Urad Dal and fry till they change color. Then add ¾ tsp of Mustard Seeds, ¾ tsp of Cumin Seeds and fry till they splutter. Add the chopped curry leaves, coarsely ground chili-ginger paste, a sliced Onion and fry till they are transparent. Add ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder, Salt to taste, mix and cook for few seconds. Now add the soaked moong dal and mix well. Garnish with the fried cashew nuts.

Remove from heat and serve hot with rice.

Masala Vankaya (Spicy Eggplant Curry)

Masala Powder - Roast ¼ cup of Chana Dal, ¼ cup of Urad Dal, ¼ cup of Sesame Seeds, ¼ cup of Grated Coconut, ¼ cup of Peanuts, 1 tbsp of Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp of Cumin Seeds, ¼ tsp of Cloves, ¼ tsp Cinnamon, ¼ tsp of Black Peppercorn, ¼ tsp Fenugreek Seeds and 15 dried Red Chillies in a pan. Grind into a smooth powder once cool. Add a tbsp of Jaggery, tbsp of tamarind paste and a tsp of salt. Blend them to smooth consistency.

Purple Brinjals (Eggplants) - Wash and make two cuts in 12 young Brinjals, one horizontal and one vertical keeping one end intact.

Gravy - Heat a tbsp of Oil in a big pan. Add and toast few Curry Leaves and a tsp of Cumin Seeds and a tsp of Mustard Seeds. Add the brinjals to the pan along with the ground masala powder. Add 2 glasses of Water and stir in ½ tsp of turmeric and ½ tsp of Salt. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring in-between. When brinjals are cooked to tender and masala sauce thickens. Remove from heat and keep aside for 10 minutes.

Serve warm with rice or roti.

Carrot Halwa 1 (Carrot Pudding)

Preparation - Melt the 3 tbsp of Ghee/Butter in a pan and roast 1 tbsp of Raisins until they puff up, and remove. Fry the 1 tbsp of Cashewnuts until golden and remove. In the same pan, add the 3 cups of grated Carrots and fry until soft.

Milk - Reduce the 2 cups of Whole Milk on a medium heat to 1 cup. If using 1 cup of Half and Half, heat up before adding it to the carrots. (Use only 1 cup of milk).

Halwa - Add the milk to the grated carrots and cook down until really thick and it begins to come off the sides of the pan (for 10-12 minutes on medium-high heat). Add a pinch of Salt, 1/2 cup of Sugar,  3 powdered Cardamoms, few drops of Rose Water (optional) and Roasted Cashews and Raisins. Stir to combine well and serve warm.

Tip - To thicken the halwa, add ¼ cup lightly toasted cashews (or almonds) and ground to a powder (optional) to the halwa.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Heat 1 tbsp of Olive Oil in a stockpot; add a chopped medium Onion, chopped 2 medium Celery Stalks, chopped 1 big / 2 small Carrots and a peeled and chopepd small Potato. Sauté until the onions soften and then add 2-3 cups of chopped Broccoli and 1 tsp of Red Chilli Flakes, saute for few minutes before adding 2 cups of Vegetable Broth and a cup of Water. Let it come to a boil, cover and simmer until the vegetables are cooked. Remove from heat and allow cooling a bit.

Reserve a few tbsp of the vegetables and keep aside. Puree the remaining with a cup of Milk. Return to the pan with the reserved vegetables to the heat and add Salt and Black Pepper to taste. Add more water/milk, if required, to adjust consistency. When hot enough add 2 tbsp of Sour Cream / Whipping Cream (optional) and stir.

Serve hot.

Kakarakaya Vepudu (Bittergourd Fry)

Bittergourd - Wash, peel and slice ¼ kg Bittergourd into thin rounds. Add 2 cups of Water, 1½ tbsp of Tamarind Paste, Big pinch of Turmeric and Salt to the bittergourd rounds and cook for 15 mts or till the bitter gourds are ¾th cooked. Drain any left over water and keep aside.

Masala Powder - Dry roast and grind 1 tsp of Coriander Seeds, ½ tsp of Fennel Seeds and 2 dry Red Chillies into coarse powder.

Fry - Heat 1½ tbsp of Oil in a pan, add ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds and let them splutter. Add 4 Curry Leaves, a pinch of Asafoetida and stir fry for a few seconds. Add the thinly sliced 2 medium Onions and fry for 6-7 minutes till they turn brown. Add the masala powder and 1-2 tsp of Jaggery Powder and combine well. Add the cooked bitter gourds and stir fry. Constantly stir fry on medium heat ensuring they don’t burn or stick to the pan. Keep frying till they well roasted and this could take about 15-18 minutes.

Adjust salt and serve hot with rice.

Cabbage Rice

Rice - Cook 1½ cups of Rice, cool and keep aside.

Cabbage Rice - Heat 1 tbsp of Oil in a pan, add ½ tsp of Mustard and ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds and once they splutter, add a chopped Onion and saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add ½ tsp of Ginger Garlic paste and cook for another minute. Then, add a chopped Carrot and 3 cups of chopped Cabbage; cover and cook for 12-15 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Add 2 tsp of Tomato Paste(optional), Salt to taste, ½ tsp of Garam Masala and ½ tsp of Red Chili Powder. Cook for another 3 minutes. Add the cooked rice, mix well and cook for couple of minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Serve hot along with yogurt.

Nuvvulu Undalu 1 (Sweet Sesame Balls)

Lightly roast 1 cup of Sesame Seeds till golden brown color. Grind them into powder and then add ½ - ¾ cup of Jaggery, grind again. Make small lemon sized balls with the ground mixture.

Spicy Tomato Rasam (Indian Tomato Soup)

Using a mortar and pestle, grind together a tsp of Cumin Seeds, 1 1/2 tsp of Black Pepper Seeds, 4-5 Garlic Cloves and a sprig of Curry Leaves into a coarse paste.

Take 3 chopped Tomatoes, 8-10 Coriander Stalks into a bowl. Press them with hands and extract the juices. Add 2 cups of Water and repeat the process. Squeeze and discard the tomato skins and stalks out of the bowl and set aside.

In a saucepan, add the extracted Tomato mixture, 1/4 tsp of Turmeric Powder, Salt as needed, 3 slit Green Chillies, a tsp of Tamarind Paste and mix well. Let it boil until the green chillies are soft. Add the prepared Cumin-Garlic coarse paste and continue to boil until foam appears on the top. 

Tempering - Heat a tsp of Oil in a pan; add a pinch of Asafetida, ¼ tsp of Mustard Seeds, 2 Red Chillies and a sprig of Curry Leaves. Remove from heat.

Add the tempering to the rasam and remove from heat. Serve hot with Rice.

Miriyalu Mamsamu Vepudu (Black Pepper Lamb Fry )

Marinade - Marinate 1lb of cubed boneless Lamb with ½ cup of beaten Yogurt and 1 tbsp of finely crushed Garlic for 2 hours.

Fry - Heat 1 tbsp of Oil in a pan; add 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp of Coriander Seeds, 1 tsp of Fennel Seeds and few Curry Leaves, allowing them to sizzle. Add a finely sliced Onion and sauté till golden brown. Add 1 tbsp of freshly ground Black Pepper and marinated lamb along with marinade. Cook covered on low heat for 45 minutes or till lamb is tender and cooked through, stirring occasionally and adding Water as needed, if it begins to stick to bottom of the pan. Season with Salt, and add thinly sliced Bell Pepper and cook covered for another 5-10 minutes. Garnish with fresh Coriander Leaves and sprinkle Lemon Juice.

Serve hot with rice.

Ava Pettina Aritikaya Vepudu (Plantain fry in Mustard paste)

Plantains - Skin 2 raw Plantains and cut them into small cubes. Add a cup of Water to them along with a big pinch of Turmeric Powder and Salt to a pan. Cook till soft but not mushy, keep aside.

Masala Paste - Make a coarse paste of 1½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, 1 Green Chilli, 1” Ginger, 2-3 tbsp of Grated Coconut and 2 tbsp of Water.

Curry - Heat 1½ tsp of Oil in a pan, add ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds and when they splutter, add ¼ tsp of Split Gram Dal and let them turn golden brown. Add the few Curry Leaves, a slit Green Chilli and a pinch of Asafoetida/Hing. Immediately, add the cooked plantain pieces and combine. Adjust Salt. Add the ground mustard paste and combine. Cook for 2 minutes before removing from heat.

Serve hot with rice.

Dhoodh Peda (Milk Cake) - Microwave Version

Melt 4 tbsp of Butter in a microwaveable bowl for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of Milk Powder, ¼ tsp of Cardamom Powder and a tin of Condensed Milk and combine well. Return it to the microwave oven for 5 minutes, stirring every 1 minute. Let the mixture to cool. Grease your hands with a little of ghee and take a small ball of mixture and shape the pedas into a desired shape.

Kheema Curry

Prep - Wash and drain ¾ kg minced Meat and keep aside. Finely chop 3 large Onions, 4-5 Green Chilies, 2 Tomatoes separately and keep aside.

Ground Powder - Dry roast ½ tbsp of Coriander Seeds, ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds, ½ tsp of Poppy Seeds, 3 dry Red Chillis, Pinch of Fenugreek/Menthulu Seeds, Pinch of Fennel Seeds/Saunf (optional) and grind into a coarse powder.

Curry - Heat 2½ tbsp of Oil in a pressure cooker, add green chilies, curry leaves, onions and saute till the onions turn transparent, approximately 4 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste and saute further for another 3 minutes. Add minced meat and ½ tsp of Turmeric Powder and cook on high without lid for 4-5 minutes stirring in between. Add the ground masala powder, Salt to taste and combine well. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes on medium flame. Add a cup of Water and cook on pressure upto 4 whistles or until the meat is almost cooked. Remove from heat. After 3-4 minutes, remove lid, add 1 tsp of Garam Masala Powder and ½ of Chopped Coriander Leaves. Cook on low flame for 8-10 minutes or till you get the desired gravy consistency. Garnish with fresh Coriander Leaves.

Serve hot with rotis or white rice.

Roasted Asparagus with Ginger

Veggies - Break off the ends of a bunch of Asparagus (about 20 pencils), holding the stalk at both ends, bend the stalk until it snaps. Cut them into about 2 inch pieces and keep aside. Clean, peel and mince 1 tbsp of Ginger.

Roasted Asparagus - Heat 2 tbsp of Olive Oil in a pan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds and let them crackle. Add ginger, 2 tsp of Lemon Juice, Salt to taste and ½ tsp of Black Pepper. Stir-fry for a minute and add asparagus pieces. Stir-fry for about 4 to 5 minutes until asparagus are tender but still have the crunch. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of Grated Parmesan Cheese or Cheddar Cheese and when melted, remove from heat.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Asparagus, Broccoli & Cheese Pasta

Prep - Cook 1lb of Pasta to al-dente and keep aside. Preheat oven to 450ºF.

Cheese Sauce - In a microwaveable bowl, heat 1 cup of Veggie Broth, 1 cup of Milk and a crushed Garlic Clove for 2 – 3 minutes or till hot. Discard the garlic clove. In a small saucepan, melt 2 tbsp of Butter, add 2 tbsp of All Purpose Flour and toast for about 2-3 minutes. Carefully pour the milk mixture in the saucepan and whisk thoroughly to remove any lumps. Bring to boil and simmer until the mixture thickens. Season with Salt, Pepper and ½ tsp of Nutmeg Powder. Add ¼ cup of grated Parmesan Cheese, mix well and keep aside.

Pasta - Mix pasta with the veggie sauce and spoon into a baking dish. Top it with the cheese sauce and 1 cup of grated Fontina Cheese. Bake until the cheese is browned and bubbly, about 10-15 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes, before serving hot.

Veggie Sauce - Chop 20 Asparagus pencils into 1" pieces, peel and chop 2 medium Carrots finely, chop 2 cups of Broccoli florets and keep aside. Heat 2 tbsp of Olive Oil in a pan; add 1 tsp of Red Chili Flakes and toast for 30 seconds. Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, a thinly sliced Onion and sauté till lightly browned. Add all the chopped veggies; cook till they are ¾th cooked. Add 1 cup of Tomato Puree, 2-3 tbsp finely chopped Basil / Herbs de Provence, Salt to taste and 1 cup of Veggie Broth. Cover and cook till the veggies are completely cooked.

Chakkera Pongali (Sweetened Rice and Moong Dal)

Garnish - Heat a tbsp of Ghee and roast 1 tbsp of Cashewnuts and 1 tbsp of Raisins till golden brown and keep aside.

Rice & Dal - Dry roast 1 cup of Rice and 1 cup of Moong Dal in a pan till the dal turns golden brown. Then, pressure-cook the rice and dal with 6 cups of Water till 3 whistles and remove from heat. (1:1 Rice:Moong Dal and 1:3 Rice+Moong Dal:Water)

Pongal - Add 4 cups of Sugar or Jaggery or both to the Pongal and mix well till the sugar/jaggery dissolves. Add a powdered Cardamom, 2 tbsp of Ghee and combine.

Garnish with roasted nuts and serve hot or cold.

Plantain Fry (Aritikaya Vepudu)

Plantain - Wash, peel and cut a Plantain (aritikaya) into semi circles. Keep aside in a bowl of water.

Masala paste - Grind a chopped Onion, 2 chopped Green Chilies, Inch of Ginger piece, 4 cloves Garlic, 4 Cloves, Inch of Cinannmon stick, ½ tsp of Coriander Seeds and 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds to paste without adding any water.

Plantain (Aritikaya) Fry - Heat 4 tsp of Oil in a pan, add few Curry Leaves and plantain pieces. Allow the pieces to cover-cook on a low heat till they turn soft. Remove the lid and allow them to turn a little crispy. Once the pieces are soft and start turning color to light brown add the ground paste, 1 tsp of Turmeric Powder, Salt to taste and continue frying in low flame till the raw smell disappears. Add a tsp of Oil if required. Once the pieces are crispy and golden brown in color, add 1 tbsp of Chilli Powder, mix well and remove from heat. Serve hot with rasam, sambar or pappu charu and white rice.

Mamidikaya Kobbari Annam (Mango Coconut Rice)

Prep - Cook 1 cup of Rice in 2 cups of Water and keep aside. Finely Powder 2 tsp of Mustard Seeds and keep aside. Make a paste of 1 medium sized Green Mango, peeled and cubed, ½ cup of finely chopped Fresh Coconut and 8 to 10 small Green Chillies. Heat 1 tsp of Peanut Oil, in a big sauté pan and toast ¼ cup of Peanuts to golden brown color and remove.

Rice - Add another tsp of Oil or Ghee to the same pan. Toast a tsp if each - Cumin, Mustard, Urad Dal, Chana Dal, few pieces of dried Red Chillies and Curry Leaves. Add the Mustard seed powder, Smooth mango-coconut-chilli paste, 1 tsp of Turmeric Powder and Salt to taste. Stir and sauté this mixture for 3 to 5 minutes on medium heat, until the raw smell is gone. Stir in the toasted peanuts and remove from heat. Add the rice, mix thoroughly and serve hot.

Vada Pav (Potato Fritters on Bread)

Red Garlic Chutney - Heat 2 tsp of Oil in a skillet and roast 1/4 cup of Garlic Cloves until brown. Drain and remove the Garlic and set aside. Add a cup of Shredded Coconut to the same skillet and roast until golden brown. Now, pulse the Garlic, Coconut, Salt to taste and 2 tsp of Red Chili Powder with very little Water to a coarse chutney ans keep aside.

Green Chutney - To a blender, add a bunch of Cilantro, 2 Green Chili, 2 Garlic Cloves, 1/4 tsp of Cumin Powder, Salt to taste, Juice of 1 Lime and a tbsp of Water, or as needed and blend to a smooth chutney.

Tamarind Chutney - Heat a skillet and add a cup of Water, 1/4 cup of Tamarind paste, 3 tbsp of Sugar, 1/2 tsp of Salt, 1/2 tsp of Red Chili Powder, 1/2 tsp of Cumin powder & a small piece of Ginger and bring to boil. Boil on low heat until it coats the back of the spoon.

Potato Mixture - Wash, boil, peel and mash 4 Potatoes and keep aside. Heat a tsp of Oil in a pan and splutter 1/2 tsp of Mustard Seeds and then add a tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and 4 finely chopped Green Chillies. Add a pinch of Hing and saute for 2 minutes. Add the mashed Potato along with Salt to taste, 2 tsp of Chopped Cilantro and a pinch of Turmeric. Mix well for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Once cool, make lime sized balls and keep aside. 

Chickpea Batter - Take a cup of Chickpea Flour, Salt to taste, 1/2 tsp of Red Chili Powder and a pinch of Baking Soda. Mix well and add 1/2 cup of Water to make a smooth batter. 

Deep Fry / Air Fry - You can either deep fry the potato balls dipped in chickpea flour until golden brown or Air Fry for 14 minutes at 380F.

Pav - Toast 10 Pavs with butter and keep aside.

Assembly - Spread the Red Garlic Chutney on one half of the Pav, then spread the green chutney on top of it. Place the Vada / fried Potato vada on top of it and sprinkle a tsp of Tamarind Chutney on top of it. Place another half of the pav over it. Serve hot with fried Green Chillies and chopped Onion.

Apple Sooji Halwa

Preparation - Wash, peel and finely chop 2 Apples and keep aside. Toast 1 tbsp of Broken Cashewnuts and Raisins each to golden color in 1 tbsp of Ghee. Add and roast the 1 cup of Sooji and keep aside.

Halwa - Heat another pan and add 2 tbsp of Ghee, add the chopped apples and sauté for few minutes. Add 1 cup of Milk, 1 cup of Water, pinch of Cardamom Powder and let it boil. While it is boiling, slowly add the sooji and mix continuously. Reduce the heat. When the sooji is cooked, add 1 cup of Sugar and mix well. Cook for a minute and drizzle 1 tbsp of Ghee over the Halwa.

Serve hot or cold after chilling in refrigerator.

Mutton Curry

Marinade - Marinate ½ kg of Mutton in 1 cup of Yogurt, 1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, 2 tsp of Coriander Powder, ¼ tsp of Garam Masala Powder, ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder, 1 tsp of Red Chili Powder, ½ tsp of Cumin Powder and Salt for ½ hour.

Curry - Heat 3 tbsp of Oil in a pressure cooker, add 3 Cardamoms, 6 Cloves, 1″ Cinnamon Stick and fry for 5 seconds. Add 1 cup of sliced Onions and 3 slit Green Chili and fry till onions are translucent. Add the mutton marinade and mix well. Let it cook in its own water on medium heat till oil separates. Add 2 cups of Water, cover and cook the mutton till soft on low heat for 3 whistles. Add a pinch of Nutmeg Powder before removing from heat. Garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves.

Serve with hot rice or rotis.

Spanish Omlet

Veggies - Wash, peel and chop the 2 large Potatoes into even sized pieces and boil in lightly salted water until tender. Clean and slice ½ cup of Button Mushrooms into small pieces(optional). Chop a medium Onion, a Capsicum, a Tomato and keep aside. Wash and finely chop 2 tbsp of Parsley and 2 tbsp of Coriander Leaves, keep aside.

Eggs - Beat the 6 Eggs in a bowl, season with Black Pepper and Salt as needed. Add ½ cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese, Parsley and mix well.

Omlet - Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a frying pan, add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, capsicum, coriander and cook for 5 more minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Drain the potatoes well, then slice into smaller cubes if needed. Add the potatoes followed by eggs. Cover with a lid and cook it on medium heat. When one side is done and fluffed. flip it over and cook for another minute.

Serve hot with ketchup after cutting the omelet into wedges. Garnish with chopped Coriander.

Moondal with Spring Onions

Dal - In a saucepan, add washed 1 cup of Moong Dal, ½ tsp of Turmeric Powder, a drop of Oil, 2 cups of Water and cook till the lentils are cooked without loosing their shape, about 10-15 minutes.

Curry - Heat ½ tbsp of Oil in a pan, add 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds, ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, few Fenugreek Seeds (Optional), ¼ tsp of Asafoetida, halved 1-2 Dry Red Chillies, Few Curry Leaves and saute till the spices are golden brown. Add finely chopped 2-3 large Garlic Cloves, slit 2-3 Green Chilies and saute for few seconds. Add thinly sliced 4-6 Spring Onion Whites, finely chopped an inch of Ginger and sauté till onions are translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Add ½ - 1 tsp of Garam Masala, finely chopped 2 medium Tomatoes and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes till tomatoes are mushy. Add the cooked moong dal, 1 tsp of Jaggery, Salt to taste, 1- 1½ cups of Water and simmer the dal for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle juice of ½ medium Lime, Spring Onion Greens and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 tbsp of finely chopped Coriander Leaves.

Serve hot with Rice or chapati.

Pesarapappu Payasam with Milk (Black Gram Dal Pudding)

Garnish - Heat a pan, add 1 tbsp of Ghee and toast 2 tbsp of Cashewnuts and 1 tbsp of Raisins till golden brown. Remove and keep aside.

Dal & Jaggery Syrup - In the same pan, add ½ cup Split Yellow Moong Dal and roast it for approx 4 minutes till it turns a light brown shade. Remove from pan and pressure cook in 1 cup of Water till soft and mushy.
Add 3/4 cup of Jaggery and ¼ cup of Water and bring to boil till the jaggery melts. Remove from heat and keep aside.

Payasam - In a heavy bottomed vessel, boil ½ cup of Milk, stirring once in a while. Once the milk is boiled, add the cooked dal and combine well. Next, add the jaggery syrup and keep stirring on low heat till well combined for 12-15 minutes. Add the ½ tsp of Cardamom Powder and toasted cashews and raisins.

Serve warm or refrigerate until chilled.

Carrot Kothimeera Pachadi (Carrot Coriander Chutney)

Masala Powder - Heat ½ tbsp of Oil in a non-stick pan. Add chopped 4-5 Garlic Pods, 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds, 1½ of tbsp Urad Dal, 1 tbsp of Chana Dal, 1-2 dry Red Chillis, ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds and stir on medium heat till they turn slightly red. Immediately remove the roasted spices, straining the left over oil and keep aside.

Veggies - In the same pan, add slit 2-3 Green Chilli, 2 cups of Grated Carrot and on medium flame saute till the rawness of carrot disappears (approx 3-4 mts). Remove and keep aside. In the same pan, add a tsp of Oil and saute ¾ - 1 cup of chopped Coriander Leaves for a minute. Remove from heat and cool.

Chutney - Grind the roasted Masala, followed by the sauteed carrot and coriander, 1 tbsp of Jaggery and Salt to taste, to a coarse paste adding little water.

Popu - Heat 1 tsp of Oil in a pan, add ½ of Mustard Seeds, ½ tsp of Urad Dal, few Curry Leaves and fry till the dal turns red. Remove from heat and add to the chutney along with juice of ½ Lemon.

Serve with hot steamed rice.

Airfryer: Chilli Cheese Toast

Preheat oven / Airfryer to 400F.

In a bowl, mix in 1 finely chopped Capsicum, 1 small finely chopped Onion, 1 tbsp of Butter (optional), 2 tbsp of Tomato Ketchup, 1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder and Salt to taste. On a baking pan, place an aluminium foil and then the 6 Wheat Bread slices over it. Over the bread slices, evenly place the capsicum-onion mixture. Sprinkle 2 tsp of Shredded Mozarella Cheese over them and bake for 10 minutes or till cheese melts.

Serve hot.

Peas Pulav with Milk

Rice - Wash and soak 2 cups of Basmati Rice for 10 minutes.

Pulav - Heat 1 tbsp of Oil in a pan; add 2-3 Bay Leaves, an inch of Cinnamon Stick, 2-3 Cloves, 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds and 5-6 Cashew Nuts. Fry for a minute or till the nuts change to golden color and add a sliced Onion and lengthwise cut 2-3 Green Chillies. Saute and add 1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste, Salt to taste, 1 tsp of Garam Masala Powder, ½ cup of Green Peas and mix well for 2-3 minutes. Add a cup of Milk and stir in the rice and 3 cups of Water. Stir once and cook on medium high heat uncovered for 10 minutes and then cover and cook for another 5 mins. Once cooked fluff the pulav with fork.

Serve hot with spicy curry.