Pavlova

4 egg whites

200g of caster sugar

10ml vinegar(plain white)

10g cornflour

Salt a pinch

 

 

Method

 

Beat the egg whites and salt until stiff.

Add the sugar gradually, then add the vinegar, vanilla essence and beat well.

Sift the cornflour and fold lightly with the wooden stick.

Bake in the preheated oven on 130 degree C, for 1.5 to 2hours.

(line the baking tray with baking paper, spoon the pavlova mix in the baking tray, no need to press the mix.).

Garnish

200ml thickened cream

25g icing sugar

2ml of vanilla essence

Sliced ripe mango flesh.

Method

Whip the cream and add sugar and vanilla.

Cover the pavlova with this cream and top it with fruits.

NOTE: you can also use kiwi, passion fruit or mixed berries .
Can store this in fridge for a week.

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Pumpkin and sultana muffin

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups Self raising flour, sifted

1tsp baking powder

½ cup of brown sugar

¾ cup milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup sultanas

1 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin

Method

Preheat oven to 180deg cent .

Combine flour, baking powder and sugar in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg and oil.

Add this to flour with sultanas and pumpkin.

Mix until combined.

Fill prepared cases, bake for 20-25mins,or until cooked

Cool on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

NOTE: this muffins can be frozen and thaw when required.

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Chettinad Chicken

This south Indian chicken recipe goes well with rice or with any type of breads ,

Ingredients

½ Kg chicken

2 big onions(finely chop)

2 tsp of finger garlic paste

2 tomatoes(finely chop)

2 green chilli

Curd 2 tbsp

1tsp turmeric powder

½ tbsp chilli powder

½ tbsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

2 tbsp of oil

2 bay leaves

½ cinnamon stick

Curry leaves

Salt

Preparation

Chicken

½ tsp of salt

1 tsp of ginger garlic paste

 chilli powder , coriander powder, curry powder,

Curd.

Mix everything together and marinate overnight.

Marinating in curd

Method

Heat oil in pan, add cinnamon stick ,bay leaves ,green chilli and onions.

Fry onions until the raw smell goes, then add ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder.

Now add the tomato, chicken with curd masala and fry for five minutes.

At last add the remaining powders(chilli, coriander, garam masala)and salt to taste.

Simmer and close cook the pan until the oil separates.

Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.

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Spinach Patties

Makes20 to 25:Preparation time 30min

Ingredients

One bunch of fresh spinach(discard the stem)

Three medium sized potatoes

One garlic clove

1 cup peas

1 cup corn

½ cup plain flour

1 cup bread crumbs

Salt

Oil to fry

Grounded pepper 2tsp

First step

Wash the spinach properly .

In a small saucepan boil 5 cups of water and add this washed spinach .

In two to five min take the boiled spinach , drain the excess water .

Chop it finely.

Boil the potatoes ,peel the skin off and mash it coarsely.

Separately Cook the corn and peas .

Finely chop the garlic.

Add some water to the plain flour ,mix and keep it separately.

Direction

Mix the potato, garlic, spinach, peas and corn together with some salt and pepper.

Flatten this mix into patties .

Dip this in flour mixture then in bread crumbs.

Heat some oil in pan and cook this patties for5 min on each side.

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Parupu usli(dhal and lentis crumble)

My kid  love this recipe, protein rich and most tasty, we can do this using beans or on finely chopped cabbage.It tastes great with banana flower, if you have patient to clean and chop....:)

For crumble

Channa dhal -1 cup

Dry red chillie-2

Green chillie-1

Jeera -2 tsp

Salt ½ spoon.

Method

Soak the dhal for 2 to 3 hours.

Grind it with remaining ingredients.

Note: The mixture should be dry ,don’t add water while grinding just grind by mixing often, the mixture should be coarse not like a fine paste.

Now steam the mixture using a steaming plate or using Chinese dumpling steamer as shown on picture.

Cool and crumble it using hand or by blender .

Beans-1/2 kg

Turmeric powder- ½ spoon.

Mustard seeds
Curry leaves

Oil -1tbsp.

Chop the beans add water and cook it by adding turmeric powder.

Filter the water and keep the beans aside.

Procedure

Heat oil in a pan and sauté the mustard seed and curry leaves .

Now add beans fry for two minutes then add the crumble and salt to taste.

Simmer it and allow to sit  until the crumble combines with beans .

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Sugar Candy Rice -Kalkandu sadam

1 cup Basmati Rice

1 cup candy(any size)

3 cups milk

1 cup water

2tbsp ghee

1 tsp cardamom powder

Cashews and Raisins to garnish

Gently cook the rice with water and 2 cups of milk.

Once the rice is cooked mix the candies or allow to dissolve ,once dissolved add the remaining one cup milk.

Fry cashews and raisins in ghee and mix this with rice.

It looks watery but once cold the rice will be perfect to serve.

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Homemade Pizza

Making Pizza is really easy, only thing is  time-consuming but it’s worth waiting for the best result.

My son Rithvik loves any kind of Pizza, Monthly once I make this for dinner. Here is the lovely recipe we enjoy....:)
This Recipe is for two 12inch pizza.

Making dough:

1 tbsp dry yeast.

3/4  cup warm water.

2 tbsp olive oil.

1tsp sugar.

2 cups pplain flour.

½ spoon salt.

Mix all the above ingredient except the flour and salt, cling wrap ,in ½ an hour the yeast lift and looks frothy.

First process.........                          

coming up....now add the flour&salt.....knead nicely...

Again cling wrap ,allow to sit until it is double the size.

The dough raised up...now divide it into two

Again cling wrap, allow to raise..

Worth waiting ...now We can start the cooking process in 10min

Now flat the dough on a floured surface or you can use your hand to stretch the dough....

Oil the pizza tray ,keep the flatten dough and pierce it in some places with fork.....

I made one veg and one salami pizza....here i have shown the salami photo...

Topping ingredients

Pasta sauce

Mushrooms thinly sliced

Black olives(optional)sliced...

Salami slices(optional)

Mozzarella cheese(shredded)

Red and green capsicum thinly sliced....

Spread the sauce and arrange the toppings as you wish...remember too much topping destroys the taste...

At last the mozzarella......on top ......yummy...

Preheat the oven for about 180deg C.....for 10min

Cook until the top is lightly brown or the dough looks crusty......

Delicious homemade pizza is ready to try now.....

Note: the olive gives the pizza smell actually.....like shop bought one and it gives oil to the pizza while cooking, if you don’t want to use olive just drizzle some olive oil above the toppings then spread the cheese.

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Apple Crust Pie

Pastry dough

           

For The Crust

Apple Mix

First Layer

Layering Apple

Crust Above Apple Layer

 

For the Pastry:

1 ½ cup all purpose flour

½ cup caster sugar

125 gm of butter(cut into cubes)

3tbsp cold water

a pinch of salt.

For the crust:

1 cup all purpose flour

½ cup Brown sugar

1tsp cinnamon powder

1tsp nutmeg powder

125gm butter(cut into cubes)

A pinch of Salt to taste

For The Apple Fillings:

3 normal size granny smith apples

¾ cup brown sugar

1 tsp nutmeg powder

1tsp cinnamon powder

 Pastry Dough:

Shift flour ,place it in a cold bowl(if possible).

Add butter and mix using both of your hands until it become  crumbs.

Now add sugar and salt.

At last sprinkle the cold water, mix immediately to form a dough.

Cling wrap it, allow to sit in fridge for ½ an hour.

For Apple Filling:

Cut apples and add all the other ingredient mix nicely and allow to sit aside.

For The Crumbs:

Sift flour ,add all other ingredients and mix the butter using hands to form crumbs as shown in the picture.

METHOD:

Flat the dough on a floured surface  about 1cm thick.

Grease the tin , layer the dough, and trim the edges.

Arrange not more than one layer of apples .

On the top add the crumbs without any gap.

Bake it in a preheated oven for about 15min or until brown.

Serve with Cream or icecream.

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Fenugreek Paratha(Methi Paratha)

Methi paratha

1 cup Whole-Wheat Flour

½ cup fenugreek leaves

½ spoon ground pepper

1 garlic grated

Salt to taste

Ghee or oil to fry

½ cup extra flour

Before starting

Discard the stem and allow the leaves to sit in water so that the mud settles properly.

Chop the leaves finely.

Garlic is optional.

Recipe

Dry Mix the flour, leaves ,pepper, garlic and salt.

Make a non sticky dough using water(add flour if required).

Make small balls and flatten it by dusting some flour .

Fry it in a flat pan using ghee or oil.

Serve it with natural yogurt.

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Yellow pumpkin(Parangikai) thokku

Pumpkin thokku

One Yellow Pumpkin

5 tbsp gingelly oil

2 tsp mustard

2 dry red chilli

1 tbsp curry leaves

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp asafoetida powder

½ tsp fenugreek seeds

1tbsp coriander powder

2 tsp chilli powder

2 tbsp tamarid thick water

1tsp shredded jaggery

Salt to taste

Before starting

Discard the thick skin and chop the pumpkin into cubes.

Strain the tamarid water.

Split and remove seeds from red chilli.

Preparation

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, add asafoetida, fenugreek and mustard.

One the mustard splutter, add the pumpkin, curry leaves and red chilli.

Add turmeric, simmer, open fry for five minutes.

Now add the coriander ,chilli powder and salt.

Fry for two minutes close the pan ,simmer simmer and allow to sit until the pumpkin turns paste(no need to mix often).

At last add the tamarid past open cook for ten minutes.

Finally add jaggery, mix and allow to cool.

Note

Never add water ,apart from the tamarid water.

Can store as a pickle for two weeks in fridge.

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Aval (Rice Flakes )Upma

Rice flakes(thick) upma

1 cup poha(thick)

2 onions finely chopped

2 green chillies

Some curry leaves

1 tsp Mustard

1 tsp Cumin seeds

½ tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp raw groundnuts

1 big potato

1 to 2 tsp lemon juice as required

1 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

Chopped Coriander leaves to garnish

Before starting:
Boil, peel and mash the potato.

Wash and drain the poha nicely using strainer and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

 Preparation:

 Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, add the mustard and allow to splutter.

Now add the onion, curry leaves, green chillie and a bit of salt to sweat the onion.

 In five minutes add the groundnut ,simmer and stand for 10minutes.

 Then add the mashed potatoes ,poha and turmeric powder and salt.

 Fry a minute and sprinkle some water, simmer ,close the lid and stand for 10 minutes .

 Switch off the flame, add the lemon juice and sugar.

Mix and garnish with coriander leaves.

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Chilli Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken Brest ½ kg

Ginger garlic paste 1tbsp

Red chilli powder 3tsp

Coriander powder 2tsp

Turmeric powder ½ tsp

Garam masala 1tsp

Cumin powder ½ tsp

Lemon juice 1tbsp

Natural yogurt 2tbsp

One egg

Salt to taste
1 tbsp corn flour

Oil to fry.

For Seasoning
Curd 1tbsp

Green chilli 2(split into two)

Garlic clove one(flake it)

Onion ½ chopped lengthwise finely.

Method 

Cut the chicken into small cubes and marinate overnight with all the ingredient listed above apart from oil and cornflour.

Keep this mix refrigerated for overnight or for at least two hours.

Just transfer the chicken to another bowl leaving the excess water.

Now add the cornflour and deep fry it.

 Seasoning Method

Once you have fried all the chickens, in a separate flat pan heat oil and add the green chillies first, just to release the beautiful smell of it, then add the curry leaves, onion, garlic and fry until onion begins to sweat.

Once you fried the onions, add the curd and immediately add the chickens and fry for a minute.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Note: If you want you can add red food coloring while marinating .

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Prawn Fry

Ingredients

½ kg Cleaned Prawns

1 cup plain flour

3tsp onion powder

3 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground pepper

1 egg (lightly beat)

Salt

Oil to fry

Steps

1. Clean the Prawn and remove the black thread on its back (intestinal track).

2. Mix the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder together.

3. Dip prawn one by one in flour mix, tap the excess, dip in egg and dip again in flour mix tap the excess flour .

4. Dust all prawns and deep fry it until golden brown.

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Banana Pancake

Ingredients

1 ¼ cup self raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

1 ½ tbsp caster sugar

1 egg whish lightly

1 cup milk

3 medium sized bananas(mashed finely)

A pinch of salt
Some unsalted butter for frying

Method

Mix all the dry and wet ingredients separately

Then whisk them both and add the banana mash in it.

Pour the dough in a hot frying pan with butter.

 Note: pour the dough in a hot pan then add the butter, allow the dough to sit until the bubbles shows up then flip .

Serve with honey

 

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Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour

1 ½ spoon baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 eggs about 70gms each

175g butter

1 ¼ lemon chopped finely

1 cup sugar

1 ½ cup bananas sliced

1 cup walnuts optional

Preheat oven at 350deg cent

Method

In a mixer blend bananas ,eggs, lemon for 2 minutes then add sugar and blend it, keep in aside,

In the mean time shift all the dry ingredients, now mix the banana blend until smooth.

Bake for about 45 minutes in a greased tin lined with baking sheet and wrap the top with the foil, remove the foil for the last 10 minutes to brown the top

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Healthy chocolate bar

Base syrup

125ml honey

1 cup caster sugar

125 g butter

Remaining ingredient

2cups oats

1cup rice bubbles

1cup sultanas

1cup dates

1/2 cup flax seeds

1cup desiccated coconut

1cup sesame seeds

1cup choco chip cookies

1 cup dark chocolate lightly chopped.

Preheat oven to 180 degree cent.

Method

In a saucepan combine honey, sugar and butter, allow to boil for 3 to 4 minutes while boiling check for the thread consistency and remove from heat.

Combine all the dry ingredient , pour the syrup and combine with wooden spatula.

Line the baking tray with the butter sheet and grease some butter,now put the mixture in the tray and flatten it with help of your hand and bake until the top is lightly golden brown.

Allow to cool and keep in the fridge for 2 hours. Now you can easily cut it in the shape you wish.

Note: wet your hand lightly to bare the heat

You can reduce tje chocolate and add nuts, sunflower seed etc.

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Chestnut curry

Ingredients

1cup boiled chestnut

2 onions finely chopped

2tsp ginger garlic paste

2 tomatoes finelly chopped

1tsp Tumeric powder

2tsp chilli powder

2tsp coriander powder

½ cup coconut milk

1tbsp oil

Salt to taste

To garnish

Ginger finely sliced

Coriander finely chopped

Method

Boil the chestnut until soft,discard the skin and chop roughly.

In pan add oil,onion and fry until transparent.

Then add the ginger garlic paste,tumeric powder and fry until the raw smell goes.

Add the chopped tomatoes chilli powder,coriander powder and fry until oil seperats.

Add coconut milk,chestnut,salt and simmer for 15 min.

Garnish with ginger and coriander leaves.

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Choco Chip Cookies-Recipe 1

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

250 g butter

115 g caster sugar

115 g brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

300 g choc chips-small

20 big dark chocolate buttons.

Preheat oven at 180 deg cent.

Method

Beat butter and sugar using electric mixer until pale, now add egg, vanilla essence, brown sugar and combine nicely.

Now add the chocolate buttons and chips, with the help of wooden spatula mix together.

Make small balls and bake in a preheated oven.

Note:-Grease the baking tray with butter, allow 3cm gap in-between each cookie mixture balls.

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Fluffy easy muffin

Ingredients

115 g self raising flour

115 g unsalted butter

115 g caster sugar

2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 180 degree cent, place the muffin papers in the muffin tin.

Method

Place butter ,caster sugar in a large bowl and cream together with a electric mixer until fluffy.

Gradually add eggs one by one, and fold in the flour and mix well.

Scoop this mixture in the muffin tin and bake in the preheated oven for 15 min.

Cool before icing.

For icing

200 g icing sugar

2 tbsp warm water

Food colouring(optional)

Sugar flowers, cherries or chocolate to decorate.

Sift the icing flour, mix water and food coloring until the mixture is thick enough to coat the muffin.

Allow to dry and store in a air tight container.

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Chocolate cake

                    250g dark chocolate(I used Chocó chips)

250g butter

1 tbsp(15ml) strong coffee

3/4 cup water

1 cup self raising flour

125ml buttermilk

1 cup+1 tbsp plain flour

1/4 cup+2tbsp coco powder

1/2 tsp(5ml)bicarbonate

550g caster sugar

4 large eggs

2 tbsp oil

                      preheat the oven at 160 degree

 In a saucepan stir chocolate, butter, coffee and water in low heat and set to room temperature

Sift flour, coco, soda and caster sugar, in another bowl whisk egg, oil and buttermilk.

Combine the egg mixture with the flour, pour the cooled chocolate melt and blend it nicely without anylumps

Brush the cake tin with butter ,pour the mixture and tap the tin to let the air bubbles out

Bake for 1 hr 15 min

Icing:300g chocolate,60g butter,1/4 cup thickened cream

Double heat this three allow to cool and pour it over the cake

 

icing:

Melt together Dark Cooking Chocolate200g and butter200g, allow to cool, refrigerate until mixture is of spreading consistency, spread over cake.

Decorate with biscuits, if desired.

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Marmalade

3 orange

3 pound nectarine

4 ½ cup sugar

Cut 1 ½ peeled orange and 1 ½ of unpeeled orange,

In a saucepan Blanch nectarine in boiling water for one minute, peel, remove the seed, cut and grind this with oranges.

Measure this (for example 4 cups) add equal measure of sugar i.e. 4 cups sugar

Mix sugar and fruit mix in a heavy bottom vessel ,simmer stove top until it comes to boil.

When it comes to boil keep the flame high continue to boil exactly for 30 minutes uncovered mixing constantly .

Skim of extra foam if formed .

Pour this in a sterilized glass jar, close lid immediately.

Keep this jar immersed half in a hot water for 15 minutes, this makes the jar airtight and avoids forming vapor inside the jar.

Note: instead of nectarine we can use lemon, peaches or any sour fruits.

1 pounds =less than 500 grms.

                                                                    

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TORTILLA

Onion            1(big)

Potato            1(big)

Garlic           2cloves

Egg    6

Olive oil (to fry)

Coriander leaves.

Dice the onion and potatos in same size, shallow fry in a medium heated oil for 10 minutes, filter and keep it aside.

In a bowl beat egg ,add chopped garlic, coriander and add the onion potato mix.

Pout this in a hot oil drizzled pan, carefully flip and allow to cook in a medium flame.

      

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SULTANA CAKE

Ingredients

Sultana                   500gm

Unsalted butter        250gm

Sugar                   1cup

Egg                  4

Self raising flour      3cups

Add some water and boil the sultanas for 10 minutes, drain add the chopped butter and stir until butter melts.

In a separate bowl beat egg and sugar until creamy, now slowly add the flour and the sultana mix and beat gently.

Pour in a greased tin and bake in 150 degree cent for 40 min or until done.

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French toast

             For Toast                  

2 Slice of White Bread

1 egg

2 tbsp Milk

2 tbsp Vanilla Essence

1 tsp Butter

1 tsp oil

        For Sauce              

10 Strawberries        

     2 tbsp  Icing sugar       

1 tsp   Lemon juice       

Blend all together.  

             

Beat the egg,milk and vanilla essence with fork.

Cut the bread into two and let both sides sit for 2 minutes in the mix.

In a frying pan add generous amount of butter with oil(adding oil stops burning the butter) and fry both ends until golden .

Immediately dip both side of this bread in caster sugar and serve hot with  strawberry sauce.

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Sweet Pongal

Sakkarai Pongal

Ingredients

1 cup Raw rice(jeera or basmathi rice)

½ cup Mung Dal

3 cups of water

1 cup Milk

1 cup Jaggery

4 tbsp Ghee

1 tbsp Raisins

10 Cashew nuts

1 tsp Cardamom powder

Pinch of salt

Preparation

Shred the Jaggery

Mix  the shredded Jaggery with ½ cup of water.

Cook this in low flame until the Jaggery dissolves completely, strain the liquid and keep it aside.

In a small pan heat 1 tbsp of ghee and fry the raisins and cashew nut.

Method

Heat pan to fry Rice and Dal separately ( fry dal until it turns light red in color).

Wash Rice and Dal together and cook with 2 ½ cups of water.

Once cooked remove the lid add ½ cup of milk and cook the rice for further 5 minutes.

If you feel the Rice is dry add some more milk and cook the rice.

Now add the liquid Jaggery , pinch of salt and cook for further 5 minutes.

Once the Pongal comes together add the remaining 3 tbsp of ghee.

Now mix in the Raisin, Cashwenut and Cardamon Powder.

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Ven Pongal

Ingredients

1 cup Raw rice

¼  cup Moong Dal

1 cup Milk

1 tbsp Pepper corns

1 tbsp Cumin Seeds

10 Curry Leaves

2inch Ginger

10 Cashwenut

5 tbsp Ghee

Salt 

Method

Cook rice and dal in a pressure cooker adding 3 cups of water.

Remove the lid and add hot milk to the cooked rice, mix and cook further 5 minutes.

Nicely mash the rice and add curry leaves, salt, ginger and mix well.

Remove and transfer it to the serving bowl.

In a pan heat 1 tbsp ghee and fry the cashwenut, pepper and Cumin seed.

Mix this in the pongal and add the remaining 4 tbsp of ghee.

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