Chana Chaat

Chana chaat is quite a nutritious and easy to make chaat item . Its similar to bhel chaat ; bhel being replaced by a  healthier alternative - channa ( chickpeas ) here. 

Ingredients:

• Kabuli chana - 250 gm
• Tomatoes - 3
• Onions - 3
• Lime - 1 
• Coriander
• Chat masala - 1/2 tbsp
• Capsicum - 1
• Aam chur - 1/2 tspn
• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Salt - to taste

Method :

• Soak kabuli chana for six hours 
• Boil them and drain the water .
• Keep aside to cool .
• Take the boiled chenna into a bowl.
• Add finely chopped onions , coriander , capsicum , salt , chat masala, aam chur powder , tomato and lime juice . Mix well . 
• Chana chaat is ready to taste.

The above made chana chaat is light. To make this a little heavier, you can add 2 tbsp of  fresh yogurt or tamarind pulp.

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Aloo Palak Curry ( Spinach Potato Curry)

Aloo Palak Curry is a homely north Indian dish with potatoes (Aloo) cooked in pureed iron rice spinach (palak) and simmered with light spices.

Ingredients :

• Palak / spinach  - 10 bunches 
• Potato - 200 gm
• Onions - 2
• Cumin seeds / jeera - 1 tbsp
• Green chilies - 10 
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Souf / Fennel - 1 tbsp
• Ginger / Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Oil - 4 tbsp
• Garam masala powder
• Salt - To taste

Method :

• Clean the spinach.
• Take spinach , cumin seeds , green chilies and salt in a vessel .
• Boil this for five minutes.
• Grind it into a smooth paste.
• Heat oil in a pan. 
• Add chopped onions , turmeric powder , ginger / garlic paste , garam masala powder and fry then for five minutes.
• Add the ground spinach and salt now . Saute for two minutes.
• Add sliced pieces of boiled potatoes to it and let cook for another two minutes.
• Take into a serving bowl and garnish with sauf powder and fresh coriander leaves .

Tastes best when consumed with  Roti or Pulka.

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Vegetable kootu

Vegetable Kootu is a veggie rich semi liquid curry , a Tamil Nadu native that can be had with both rice and roti. Its a sure addition into the cook-book of the health conscious as it hardly has any place for unwanted calories. 
Not sure what a kootu is ?
                  

                                               


Ingredients : 

• Cabbage - 100 gm
• Carrot - 100 gm
• Beans - 50 gm 
• Cauliflower - 1/2 
• Green peas - 100 gm
• Salt - to taste 
• Moong daal - 25 gm
• Channa daal - 25 gm
• Green chilies - 5
• Finely chopped garlic - 2 tbsp
• Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup 
• Curry leaves 
• Refined oil - 4 tbsp
• Jeera/ cumin seeds  - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp

Method :

• Cut all the veggies into small pieces .
• Boil them for ten minutes by adding a pinch of  salt.
• Drain the vegetable stalk and keep it aside for later use .
• Heat oil in a pan ; add mustard seeds , cumin seeds , curry leaves , green chilies , moong daal , chopped garlic , grated coconut and chenna daal.
• Fry for two minutes .
• Add boiled vegetable and salt to this.
• Saute for five minutes .
•  Add 1 small cup of the vegetable stalk to this and let cook for another two minutes.
• Taken this into a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander and grated coconut .

 Don't cook  the veggies in the stalk for longer than two minutes as they may get over-cooked . We only need the stalk to capture the flavor of the spices.

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Tomato Chutney Recipe

The Tomato Chutney is a quick to make spicy south Indian chutney that is  generally consumed alongside dosa and idly. I like it along hot rice and ghee too. Shared by my mom, this recipe does not require any expertise in cooking .Works well for all. Do share you experience with me in the comment section.

Ingredients :

• Tomato - 1/2 kg
• Red chilies - 20 gm
• Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek ( Methi seeds ) - 1 tbsp
• Tamarind - 25 gm
• Urad daal - 25 gm
• Chenna daal - 25 gm
• Green chilies - 5 
• Refined oil - 4 tbsp 
• Salt - to taste
• Hing - a pinch
• Curry leaves 

Method : 

• Heat oil in a pan .
• Add chenna daal , urad daal , red chilies , methi and mustard seeds. Fry for two minutes .
• Add sliced tomatoes, salt , tamarind pulp , turmeric powder , green chilies .
• Mix well and cover it for five minutes till the tomatoes get soft .
• Take off from the fire , cool and grind it in a mixer.
• Take this into a serving bowl.
• For the seasoning , heat oil in a pan . 
• Add a red chilly , curry leaves, hing and mustard seeds.
• Add this to the grinded tomato mixture .

Knowledge is knowing that Tomato is a fruit; 

Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

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Moong daal halwa

Ingredients : 

• Ghee - 100 gms 
• Moong daal - 250 gm
• Sugar - 350 gm
• Kova - 150 gm
• Elaichi powder - 1 tbsp
• Dry fruits - to garnish
• Food color - any color as desired 

Method : 

• Soak the moong daal in water for 2 hrs.
• Then grind it to a smooth paste . 
• Heat ghee in a pan .
• Add the grinded paste and stir continuously until the ghee floats through the corners.
• Add sugar , kova and  mix it well .
• keep on fire for five minutes .
• Add elaichi powder and desired food color it this .
• Stir well and take into a serving bowl .
• Garnish with dry fruits.

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Carrot Orange Soup

         

The carrot orange soup has  got a rare but  fruitful combination . The soups as it seems, is high in vitamin A and C . This soup makes a nice choice for those in diet , or for those who are health and beauty conscious.

Ingredients:

• Grated carrot - 1/2 cup
• Orange juice - 1 cup
• Finely chopped tomatoes - 1/4 cup
• carrot juice - 3/4 cup
• Finely chopped garlic - 1 tbsp
• Butter 1 tbsp
• Pepper powder - 1 tbsp
• salt - as per taste 

Method :

• Heat butter in a pan .
• Fry garlic in it .
• Add grated carrot, salt , pepper and tomato to this.
• Cover with lid and cook for two minutes .
• Add  1 cup of orange juice,3/4 cup of carrot juice and few table spoons of water (to dilute) and keep on fire for about 10 minutes . 
• Take off from the fire once the soup turns thick enough.
• Refrigerate and serve it cool .

Ensure to serve this cool . Not hot .
Can also be topped with some cream while serving.

    

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Light soup

Ingredients :

• Rice starch - 1 bowl
• Finely chopped garlic -1tbsp
• Pepper powder - 1 tbsp
• Laung and dalcheeni - 1 tbsp
• Butter - 2 tbsp

Method : 

• Heat butter in a pan.
• Add garlic , laung , dalcheeni and fry for a minute.
• Add the starch and let cook for 2 minutes.
• Finally add pepper powder and serve in a bowl .

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Russian soup recipe

Ingredients:

•  Beetroot - 1/4 kg
• Onions - 2
• Carrot - 4
• Tomato - 2
• Spring onions - to garnish
• Pepper powder - 1 tbsp
• Fried bread pieces 
• Salt - as per taste 
• Finely chopped garlic peices

Method :

• Slice beetroot , tomato , onions , carrot .
• Boil them in water for 10 minutes.
• Drain the water and grind the veggies. Keep the drained water ( vegetable stock ) aside for later use.
• Heat 3 tbsp butter in a pan .
• Add finely chopped garlic. Fry the garlic for a minute.
• Add the grinded  mixture to this. Let cook for two minutes.
• Add the vegetable stalk , salt , pepper powder and mix well.
• Let this boil for five minutes.
• Taken it into a serving bowl and garnish with some spring onions.

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Tomato soup recipe

You can prepare the ever popular and delicious Tomato soup in less than 15 minutes using this simple recipe.
 You can serve it with bread or fresh cream or just savor it with some extra pepper.The topping is left to you. Do ping me back through the comment box below once you've tried it. Bon appetite !  

Ingredients :

• Butter - 25 gms
• Tomatoes - 1/2 kg
• Finely chopped garlic pieces - 1tbsp
• Pepper powder - 1 Tbsp
• Sliced onions - 1/2 cup
•  Salt - as per taste

Method :

• Boil Tomatoes.
• Once boiled, peel of the skin .
• Grind these tomatoes along with onions.
• Heat butter in a pan.
• Add chopped garlic and fry for a minute.
• Add pepper , salt and the prepared onion-tomato juice to this.
• Cook it for five minutes.
• Take it into a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Widely served with shallow fried pieces of bread. This is what I generally do. Its optional; however I  recommend.

You can also top it with some cream.

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Katte pongali recipe / Kara pongal recipe

Popular south Indian spicy rice with moong daal .Good when consumed during winter and rainy seasons . Keeps cold and cough at bay . Tastes best with mango pickle. Can also be served with raita .

 


 Ingredients:

• Rice - 1/2 kg
• Green chilies - 6
• Crushed pepper - 1 tbsp
• Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp
• Chenna daal  - 1 tbsp
• Urad daal - 1 tbsp
• Moong daal - 1/4 kg
• Finely sliced fresh coconut - 1 cup
• Curry leaves 
• Red chilies - 3
• Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
• Hing - a pinch
• Cumin seeds - 1 tspn
• Peanuts - 2 tnspn

Method :

• Soak washed rice and moong daal for 1/2 hour.
• Drain the water and in a rice cooker add the rice and moong daal.
• Add half ltr water ,sliced coconut ,salt and pepper to this .
• Cover the cooker and cook until four whistles.
• Let this cool for half hour.
• Remove the mixture and slightly mash it .
• Heat 1/2 cup ghee in pan and add red chilies, moong daal , chenna daal , peanuts , mustard seeds , hing , jeera ,curry leaves and cashew nuts.
• Add this seasoning to the rice and serve . 

The amount of water mentioned above can vary depending upon the rice. All we need to do is ensure that its semi solid . 

Avoid using basmati rice for this recipe.
Also avoid using pepper powder instead of crushed pepper . The coarse crushed pepper gives good taste while chewing .

Do add your comments below if you've tried the dish or if you have any improvements.

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Pista Burfi

Easy dessert with lots of pista and some other dry fruits . Hardly takes 15 minutes for preparation . Can be prepared for suddenly visiting guest with minimal efforts. Not too heavy either.

Ingredients:

• Pista - 2 cups
• Cashew nuts - 1 cup
• Badam ( Almonds ) - 1 cup
• Milk - 2 cups
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Green food color - a pinch
• Saffron ( kesar ) - pinch
• Ghee - 3 tbsp

Method : 

• Coarsely  powder the dry fruits and saffron together.
• Heat milk in a vessel.
• Add sugar and stir continuously.
• When milk becomes thick, add food color , elaichi powder , the dry fruit powder and  ghee.
• Cook for two minutes.
• Grease the walls a flat vessel with ghee .
• Pour the mixture into this vessel. 
• Cool it for three hours and cut into pieces. 
• Garnish with cashew nuts , badam and pista.

Do add your comments below and let me know your thoughts on this recipe. Have a sweet day  :)

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Sooji ka halwa / Rava Halwa / Doodh halwa recipe

Easiest to prepare of all the halwa varieties , Sooji ka halwa is best consumed with pooris for breakfast . Can also be served as an evening snack.

Ingredients :

• Milk - 1/4 ltr
• Fresh butter - 50 gms
• Sugar - 1/4 kg
• Sooji - 100 gms
• Elaichi powder - 1 tspn
• Dry fruits for garnishing 

Method :

• Boil milk in a vessel .
• Add butter, sugar , sooji and elaichi powder to this .
• Stir continuously till the mixture becomes semi thick ( like in the picture ) . Do not let lumps form. 
• Take this into a serving bowl and garnish with cashew nuts , badam and kissmis.

Can be consumed both hot or cool as per taste.

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Ginger pickle recipe

Ingredients:

• Tamarind - 1/2 kg
• Ginger - 1/4 kg
• Dried red chilies - 1/4 kg 
• Refined oil - 1/4 kg
• Salt - to taste
• Jaggery - 1/2 kg
• Salt - to taste
• Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
• Asafoetida ( Hing ) - a pinch

Method : 

• Soak tamarind for one hour in half boiled water and make tamarind pulp.
• Peel the ginger and chop finely.
• Add salt, tamarind pulp, crushed jaggery and salt to it . 
• Finely grind the whole mixture . 
• Take this mixture into a serving bowl.
• For seasoning, heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds , red chilies , and hing .
• Add the seasoning to the grinded paste after cooling.
• Mix it well.

The Ginger pickle can be preserved for about one year if carefully stored in air tight container away from water. Can be consumed with rice , idle, dosa and good for health as well . 

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Sabudana Pulav

Ingredients:

• Sabudana - 1/4 kg
• Potato - 3
• Brinjal - 2
• Tomato - 2
• Cauliflower - 1 ( small)
• Pulav masala - 2 tspns
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsnp
• Onion - 1
• Green chilies - 4
• Cashew nuts and Ground nut - 1/2 cup 
•  Vanaspati - 3 tbspns 
• Salt - to taste

Method:

• Fry sabudana in a pan for two minutes . 
• Add 1 cup of water and cover with a lid.
• Keep on fire for five minutes.
• Cut all the above veggies , boil them and keep aside.
• Heat vanaspati in a pan and add cashew nuts, peanuts, cumin seeds ,  chopped green chilies, ginger/garlic paste and onions.
• Saute for one minute, add  boiled veggies and let cook for two minutes.
• Add sabudana , pulav masala and salt to taste
• Mix well. Cover and keep on low fire for two minutes.
• Sbudana pulav is ready . Garnish with fresh grated coconut, finely chopped coriander and serve hot with onions and tomato.

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Kacchi kele ka wada

Ingredients :

• Raw banana - 5
• Besan - 1 cup
• Cumin seeds - 1 tspn
• Onion - 1 (big)
• Green chilies - 5
• Ginger/ garlic paste - 1 tbspn
• Oil ( for deep frying)
• Curry leaves 
• Coriander leaves
• Salt - as per taste

Method :

• Cut raw banana into two pieces lengthwise.
• Boil some water for ten minutes by adding half spoon salt to it. Add the banana to this boiling water.
• Then mash the cooked bananas.
• Meanwhile boil oil in a pan.
• Add finely chopped onion ,chopped green chilies, ginger/garlic paste, cumin seeds ( jeera ) , besan curry leaves,salt to taste  and coriander to the mashed banana.
• Mix this well.
• Take small portions of this mixture, flaten to make wadas.
• Fry the wadas in the oil until brown.

The Kacchi kele ka wada is ready. Serve hot with coconut chutney for best taste.

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Semya Kichidi recipe

Ingredients:

• Semya - 1/2 kg
• Ginger/garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Refined oil - 100 gm
• Salt - as per taste
• Tomato - 4
• Coriander - 1 cup
• Pudina / mint leaves - 1 cup  
• Sliced onions - 1 cup
• Elaichi - 5 
• laung - 5
• Cashew nuts - to garnish

Method: 

• Roast semya to light brown in a pan.
• Heat oil in a vessel and add ginger/garlic paste , elaichi , laung , tomato, onions , pudina and  coriander.
• Fry till onions get light brown.
• Add four cups of water to this. 
• When the water comes to boil , add semya and mix well.
• Cover with a lid and keep on fire for 3 - 5 minutes.
• Semya kichidi is ready . Garnish with fresh coriander leaves ,cashews and 2 spoons ghee.

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Pineapple Jarda Pulav

Ingredients:

• Milk - 3cups
• Basmati rice - 2 cups
• Sugar 2 cups
• Ghee - 1/2 cup
• Sliced pineapple - 2 cups
• Daal cheeni - 4
• Laung - 6
• Pineapple essence - 1/2 spoon
• Yellow food color - 5 drops
• Kisimiss - 2 spoons

Method : 

• Clean the rice and pour three cups of water along with laung , daal cheeni and ghee.
• Let the rice boil for five minutes.
• Heat a vessel on low heat.
• Add a cup of water and sugar to make a sugar syrup.
• Add pineapple pieces , essence and kissmis to the sugar syrup.
• Add this syrup to the cooked  rice and mix it well.
• Keep this on low fire for 3 - 5 minutes .
• The Pineapple Jarda Pulav is ready to be served.

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Vegetable soup recipe

Rich in energy , the mixed vegetable soup is the easiest to prepare and serves as a great appetizer . You'll surely find this recipe easy to follow .The taste of the mixed vegetable soup depends upon the vegetable one uses. In this recipe I've used some that I like. You can always experiment with the ones you like . Ensure that it has variety ; not just 2 or 3 kinds of veggies. Go on, prepare it and do leave me your comments or experiments below. 

Ingredients :

• Onions - 2
• Potato - 2 
• Carrots - 2
• Beans - 10
• Corn - 50 gms
• Cabbage - 100 gms
• Garlic - 10 flakes
• Water - 8 cups
• Milk - 1 cup ( 200 ml )
• Tomato - 1
• Salt - as per taste
• Fried bread pieces - as required
• Butter - to garnish 
• Coriander - to garnish

Method

• Cut all the veggies into small pieces. 
• Boil the vegetables in 1 ltr of water.
• Then add salt and pepper powder.
• Add boiled milk to to this and cook for two minutes. 
• Stir till the liquid gets thick . 
• Take into serving bowl and garnish with butter and sliced bread pieces.

This recipe serves four people. You can mix a spoon of corn flour in 4 tbsp of water and add it with the milk . This helps in getting the thick texture quickly.

Wanna know the difference between  Mixed Vegetable soup and Clear vegetable soup ? Check out this recipe then :

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Kabuli chennna pulav

                                          


        Ingredients 

• Kabuli chenna - 1/2 kg
• Refined oil - 1/2 cup
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Sliced onions - 1 cup
• Garam masala - 1 tbsp
• Ginger/Garlic paste - 1tbsp
• Green chillies - 5
• Salt - As per taste 
• Pudina leaves ( mint leaves)
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
• Coriander and fried cashew to garnish 

          Method 

• Soak chenna for eight hours .
• Heat oil in a pressure rice cooker .
• Add onions, garam masala powder , ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder , sliced green chillies, lemon juice and pudina leaves. Fry till onions turn light brown.
• Add rice, soaked chenna , salt and ghee. Mix it well.
• Cover the cooker and wait for three whistles.
• The dish is ready to be served . 
• Garnish with fried cashew nuts and coriander.

Don't serve immediately. Let the rice stay in the cooker for about 10 minutes.

Tastes good with traditional Raita .

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Cabbage Poha curry ( Rice flakes )

                                                   
                               

     Ingredients 

• Cabbage - 1/4 kg
• Poha - 1/4 kg
• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric - a pinch
• Urad dal - 1 tbsp
• Chenna dal - 1 tbsp
• Red chilly - 2
• Green chilly - 3
• Curry leaves 
• Sat - as per taste
• lemon juice - 2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp 
• Grated coconut for garnishing 

  Method 

• Soak the rice flakes for about two minutes.
• Crush the flakes to remove the water and keep aside for later use.
• Heat oil in a pan and add red chillies, curry leaves , both the dal , turmeric powder, mustard seeds , cumin seeds, sliced green chillies. Keep on fire for a minute.
• Add grated cabbage. Cover with lid for five minutes.
• Add salt and rice flakes to this and saute .
• Take it off the stove after two minutes .
• Add lemon juice and mix it well .
• Serve with coriander leaves and fresh grated coconut.  

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Cabbage curry with coconut

 A homely Kerala dish tastes best when consumed with chapatis or pulkas.

                                 

         Ingredients                                                       

• Cabbage - 1/4 kg
• Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Channa daal - 1tbsb
• Urad daal - 1tbsp
• Green chilly - 4
• Peanuts - 2 tbsp
• Curry patta
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt - As per taste
• Turmeric powder - a pinch 

      Method

•  Heat oil in a pan.
•  Add Channa daal , Urad daal , peanuts, sliced green chillis  , Mustard seeds , Curry leaves. Wait for the mustard seeds to splutter.
•  Add grated cabbage and salt. Cover the lid and let the cabbage cook for about five minutes.Don't let it   get completely cooked . Let it be slightly coarse. 
•  Take the pan off the fire and add grated fresh coconut to it and serve hot.

The turmeric powder is optional . You can skip adding it if you don't want the yellow color in the dish .

Do leave your comments or further improvement to the dish below. 

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