Avocado Chutney

INGREDIENTS:
Serves:2-3
To fry and grind to powder
1 teaspoon oil
3 Red chillies (Byadagi)
1 tablespoon Urad dal
1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds

To fry and grind
1 teaspoon oil
2-3 Green chillies
1-2 Garlic cloves
1 or half of small Onion
1/4 cup Cilantro (packed)
Few Curry leaves
1 teaspoon Tamarind extract

3 ripe small Avocado
Salt, to taste

To temper
1 teaspoon Oil
1/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon Urad dal
1 pinch Asafoetida
Few Curry leaves

PROCEDURE:
1. Roast the dry red chilli, cumin seeds and urad dal in 1 teaspoon of oil.
Let it cool, grind to a coarse powder and keep aside.

2. In the same pan, heat the oil, add the onions, green chili, garlic, curry leaves and tamarind and saute for 3-5 mins. Finally add the cilantro, saute for a min.
Switch off and let it cool.

3. In a blender, add the onion-cilantro mixture along with avocado, salt and grind coarsely.
4. Now cut the avocado in half, twist and open. Carefully remove the seed. Now score vertical and horizontal lines without piercing the skin and gently scoop out with a spoon. Add it to blender and pulse it.
5. Now add the ground spice powder and pulse it until smooth (or bit chunky if you like it).

6. Transfer it a bowl and add the seasoning.

NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here.

Pound Cake

INGREDIENTS:
Makes about: 8 big pieces
1 3/4 cup All purpose flour
3/4 cup Milk powder
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking soda

1/2 cup or 1 stick Butter
3/4 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Curd
1/2 cup Water

1/4 cup Cashews (Chopped)

PROCEDURE:
1. Preheat the oven to 325F for 10 mins.
2. Dry ingredients mixture:
Sieve together flour, milk powder, baking soda and baking powder.
3. Wet ingredients mixture:
In a bowl cream the butter with sugar. Add vanilla extract. Beat well.
Liquid mixture: In another bowl mix milk, curd and water.
4. Pour half of dry ingredients mixture to butter-sugar mixture. Pour all liquid mixture. Give it a slow mix with spatula.
5. Now pour other half of dry ingredients mixture and slowly mix everything with a spatula. Do not overmix.
6. Grease a baking loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. Pour the prepared batter in the pan. Sprinkle some chopped cashews on the top. Tap the pan gently once or twice to remove any big air bubbles.
7. Bake for 35 minutes or the knife inserted comes out clean. Let it cool down for 10 minutes and then invert the cake over an wire rack.

NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here.
2. I have halved the above recipe in the picture.

Cornmeal Almond Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
Yields: 15 cookies
1/2 cup All purpose Flour
1/4 cup Yellow Cornmeal
1/4 cup Coarsely powdered Almond
Pinch of Salt

1/4 cup or 1/2 stick Butter
1/2 cup Sugar
Milk (as per need)

Few whole almonds

PROCEDURE:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F for 10 mins.
2. Dry ingredients mixture:
Mix well flour, cornmeal, almond meal and salt.
3. Wet ingredients mixture:
Melt the butter, mix sugar. Beat together till soft.
4. Pour dry ingredients mixture to wet ingredients mixture and mix well with hand to form dough. Use milk to make a smooth dough.
5. Roll medium sized balls and flatten them slightly and place it over the baking tray lined with a baking sheet.
6. Leave enough space between the cookies.
7. Press a almond in the center of each cookie and bake for 15-20minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned.
8. Let it cool completely, don't remove the cookies from the baking sheet once you take them out of the oven. They may break.

NOTES:
1. No need to freeze the dough.
2. The original recipe is here.
3. This recipe is a mega hit (prepared for 2nd Potluck); liked by Mommies of Building 8 (Pinky, Raji, Vadivu, Ashwini N me), Granite point, Sacramento, CA.

Avocado Parata

INGREDIENTS:
Makes about:15
2 medium Avocado
2 tablespoons Lemon juice
2 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon Rosted Cumin powder
2-3 Green chillies (adjust to taste, finely chopped)
5-6 strings Cilantro (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon Salt

2 cups Wheat flour
Oil as needed

PROCEDURE:
1. Peel the Avocados and mash the flesh to a smooth paste with the help of a potato masher.
2. Mix in Lime/Lemon Juice, Salt, Garlic, Green Chilies, Cilantro, Roasted Cumin Powder & Oil. Combine.
3. Add Flour in little at a time and incorporating to form a dough. You may need a little less or more that the 2 cups of flour – add as needed.
4. Once the dough comes together, knead for an additional 1 minute.
5. Drizzle a few drops of Oil over the dough ball to coat. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 15-20 minutes.
6. Once you are ready to make the parathas, give the dough one more quick knead.
7. Make equal sized balls out of it. Roll out to thin parathas; just like 1 chapathi’s thickness. Dust generously with flour while rolling out.
8. Heat tawa and cook on both sides drizzling some oil each side, until golden brown spots appears.

NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here.

2. Lime juice helps to keeps the avocado green.

Peanut butter Banana bread

INGREDIENTS:
Makes about: 8 pieces
1 cup All purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 cup Peanut butter
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Brown sugar (lightly packed)
Half of 3/4 Yogurt / Curd
1/4 cup Oil
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 Over-ripe mashed Banana (1/2 cup after mashing)

PROCEDURE:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F for 10 mins.
2. Dry ingredients mixture:
Sieve together flour and soda. Add salt.
3. Wet ingredients mixture:
Mash the bananas and keep aside. In a bowl cream the peanut butter with sugar. Add oil, yogurt and vanilla extract. Beat well till everything is mixed. Then add mashed Banana and mix well.
4. Pour dry ingredients mixture slowly to wet ingredients mixture and give it a mix. Do not over mix.
5. Grease a baking loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. Pour the prepared batter in the pan. Tap the pan gently once or twice to remove any big air bubbles.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or the knife inserted comes out clean. Let it cool down for 10 minutes and then invert the cake over an wire rack.

NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here.

Raddish / Mooli Parata

INGREDIENTS:
Serves:2
1 cup Raddish (grated)
11/2 teaspoon Redchilli powder
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon Amchoor powder
1/2 teaspoon Garam masala
Salt as needed

11/4 cup Wheat flour
Warm water as needed
Oil as needed

PROCEDURE:
1. Peel and grate the radish; mix little salt with it, keep aside for 10 mins.
2. You will be able to squeeze out a whole lot of water from this grated radish, do not discard this water, save it.
3. Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, use the squeezed out water to make dough instead of water.
4. Make equal sized balls out of it. Roll out to thin parathas; just like 1 chapathi’s thickness. Dust generously with flour while rolling out.
5. Heat tawa and cook on both sides drizzling some oil each side, until golden brown spots appears.

NOTES:
1. Make parathas as soon as you prepare the dough. If you keep the dough for a while, it will leave water and becomes sticky and it will be difficult to roll.
2. The original recipe is here.

Dates Ladoos

INGREDIENTS:
Makes about:15
1-2 tablespoon Ghee
10-15 Cashews
1 cup Dates
1 cup Milk
1/4 cup Sugar

PROCEDURE:
1. Fry the cashew nuts in ghee until they turns golden brown, keep aside.
2. Heat milk using microwave or stove top. Keep the dates immersed for 15 minutes. Once the dates are soft grind to smooth paste along with milk.
3. In a heavy bottom non stick pan, cook the dates paste and sugar until its turns as thick paste, add the ghee and the roasted cashew nuts, stir continuously.
4. This paste will get off from the bottom of the pan after few minutes, immediately pour this halwa in a greased pan.
5. Grease your hands, make equal sized balls once the mixture cools down.

NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here. I could not make the pieces like in here out of the soft, sticky dates mixture; so made it ladoos.
2. This recipe is in remembrance with first potluck of Mommies of Building 8 (Pinky, Raji, Vadivu, Ashwini N me), Granite point, Sacramento, CA.

Oats N Dates Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
Yields: 30 cookies
Homemade apple sauce:
1 Red apple (peeled, cored, cubed)
2 teaspoon Brown sugar
A pinch Cinnamon powder
Water as needed

Homemade Dates paste:
15 Dates
1/3 cup Milk (Adjust with little more)
1 teaspoon Honey (I skipped)

Cookies:
2 cups Oats
1/2 cup Wheat flour
1/4 cup Dessicated coconut
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 pinch Baking Soda
1 tablespoon Sugar
5-6 tablespoons Homemade Dates Paste
1/4 cup Homemade apple sauce
4 tablespoons Oil

PROCEDURE:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F for 10 mins.
2. Apple sauce - In a small pan, add cubed apples, little water, cinnamon powder, brown sugar. Cook covered till apple cubes become soft. Cool down and grind to smooth paste.
3. Dates paste - Heat milk using microwave or stove top. Keep the dates immersed for 15 minutes. Once the dates are soft grind to smooth paste along with milk. Add honey at the end (I forgot).
4. Cookies - Mix together the quick cooking oats, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar in a large bowl, make a well and add the apple sauce, homemade dates paste, dessicated coconut except oil.
5. Mix everything with your finger until they turns as dough. Add oil at the end and mix well.
6. Grease your hands, take a small portion of dough and roll into small lemon sized balls, flatten slightly using palm. Place on the baking sheet.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bottom turns brown. Let the cookies cool on the sheets until they firm slightly.

NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here.

Rajma Paneer Palya

INGREDIENTS:
Serves:2-3
To temper
1 teaspoon Oil
1/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon Urad dal
1/4 teaspoon Chana Dal
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
1 teaspoon Fennel seed powder
1 string Curry leaves
2-3 Green chillies (Adjust to taste)
1 inch Ginger (grated)
1 small Onion(chopped)

1 cup Rajma beans (Well boiled and mashed)
2 tablespoons Shredded coconut
1/2 cup Paneer(grated)
Salt to taste

1 teaspoon Cilantro (Chopped)

PROCEDURE:
1. Pressure cook Rajma beans with water for 5 whistles in medium-low flame. Once cooker cools down, strain the water and mash the cooked Rajma.
2. In a heavy bottom pan, add the ingredients in the same sequence as listed above giving a continuous stir. Saute until well cooked. Add the cilantro and put off the stove.

NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here.

Apple Cake (Upside down)

INGREDIENTS:
Makes about: 6 pieces
For topping:
2 tablespoons Butter
2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
A pinch Cinnamon powder
1/2 Red Apple (peeled, cored, sliced)

For cake:
1 cup All purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Baking soda

1/2 cup or 1 stick Butter
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Condensed Milk
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla essence

1/8 cup Milk (may be little more)
1 Red Apple (peeled, cored, finely chopped)

PROCEDURE:

Topping:

1. Grease a baking pan of 8 inch with butter and dust with some flour. 

2. In a small pan heat melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the brown sugar. Cook stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly.

3. Add a pinch of cinnamon; remove from the heat.

4. Add the sliced apples and stir gently until evenly coated. 

5. Transfer to the prepared pan, spreading the apples in an even layer.

Cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F for 10 mins.
2. Dry ingredients mixture:
Sieve together flour, baking powder and soda.
3. Wet ingredients mixture:
Melt the butter, beat sugar, condensed milk, vanilla essence. Mix very well.
4. Pour dry ingredients mixture slowly to wet ingredients mixture, add the chopped apples and give it a mix. 

5. Gradually add the milk and mix everything well with a spatula until everything gets well mixed. Don't over mix. 

6. Pour the prepared batter on the toppings arranged. Tap the pan gently once or twice to remove any big air bubbles.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool down for 10 minutes and then invert the cake over an wire rack and let it cool completely.

NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here.

Veggie Burrito Bowl (Chipotle style)

INGREDIENTS:
Serves:2-3
1.Cilantro lemon rice

• 1 cup Basmathi Rice
• 11/2 cup Water
• 2 teaspoons Lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Cilantro (finely chopped)
• Salt to taste

2.Cooked beans

• 1 cup Kidney beans (use black)
• 1 cup Water
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon Sweet Onion (finely chopped)
• 1/2 Jalapeno (finely chopped)
• 1 clove Garlic (finely chopped)
• Salt to taste

3.Mild salsa

• 1 small Tomato (finely chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin powder
• 1/2 Jalapeno (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tablespoon Cilantro (finely chopped)
• Salt to taste

4.Corn salsa

• 1/2 cup Sweet corn
• 1/2 tablespoon Sweet Onion (finely chopped)
• 1/2 Jalapeno (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tablespoon Cilantro (finely chopped)
• Salt to taste

5.Fajita veggies

• 1/2 Sweet onion (cut length wise)
• 1 medium Green Capsicum (cut length wise)
• 1 medium Red Capsicum (cut length wise)
• 1 teaspoon Oil
• Salt to taste

6.Guacamole

• 2 Avocados
• 1 tablespoon Sweet Onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon Cilantro (finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon Lime juice
• Salt to taste

PROCEDURE:
1. Soak Basmathi rice in warm water at least for 20 mins. Pressure cook with water. Once cooker cools down add lemon juice, cilantro and salt. Give it a mix.
2. Soak kidney beans overnight. Pressure cook with water for 3 whistles. Once cooker cools down add salt, oregano, onion, jalapeno, garlic and cilantro. Bring to boil. Drain out the excess water. 
3. Mix all the ingredients given under mild salsa. 
4. Heat oil in a small pan, fry the chopped onions and jalapeno. Add frozen corn, salute for 2 minutes. Add cilantro and sprinkle salt. 
5. Heat oil in a broad pan. Stir fry onions, red and green capsicum. Sprinkle salt.
6. Remove the seed from Avacados, mash it and add chopped onion, cilantro and lime juice. Add salt to taste.
7. In a serving bowl, spread cooked rice, followed by cooked beans, mild salsa, corn salsa, fajita veggies and lastly guacamole.


NOTES:
1. Original recipe is here.
2. Add Sour cream and Lettuce to make the bowl complete.

Ridgegourd Dosa /Heerekayi Dose

INGREDIENTS:
To soak and grind
1 cup Dosa Rice
1 tablespoon Green gram
1 tablespoon Chana Dal
1 tablespoon Urad Dal
1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
2 cups Water

To grind
2 tablespoons Tamarind extract

1 tablespoon Jaggery
2 tablespoons Coriander seeds
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
12 Red chillies (Byadagi)
1 3/4 teaspoon Salt (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric

3 medium Ridgegourd/ Heerekai
Oil as needed

PROCEDURE:
1. Soak ingredients mentioned overnight or atleast for 3 hours.
2. Grind it to smooth paste. Let it get fermented overnight.
3. Heat a teaspoon oil in a pan and saute ingredients under 'To grind' for a while and grind to smooth paste. Add it to the fermented batter.
4. Wash and peel the ridge gourd partially. Slice it into thin slices.
5. Heat a tawa,grease it with oil. Dip one slice of ridge gourd at a time in the batter and start arranging it in the tawa.
6. Place it very close to each other without leaving any space in any manner as you want.
7. Smear it with oil,close with a lid and cook it in slow flame for a minute.
8. Once cooked,open the lid and flip it to the opposite side. Cook it again for a minute.
9. Once done, higher the flame and roast it.


Notes:
1. The original recipe is here.

2. Taste the batter, the spice, tang and sweet. All should be on higher side; otherwise the dosa will taste bland.

3. The consistency should be that of thick buttermilk.

4. Get the tender ridge gourds, the gigantic ones taste awful and sometimes bitter.

5. Save the ridge gourd peels for making chutney.

6. Fermenting the batter is not compulsory according to the original recipe. Do it so as to get smooth dosas.

Bourbon Biscuits

INGREDIENTS:
Yields: 50 biscuits
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 tablespoons Unsweetened cocoa powder (1 tablespoon is enough)

1/4 cup Butter
1/2 cup Sugar
3/4 teaspoon Vanilla essence
1 1/2 teaspoon Honey
3-4 tablespoons Milk

For filling:
Nutella as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Preheat the oven to 325F for 10 mins.
2. Dry ingredients mixture:
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cocoa powder.
3. Wet ingredients mixture:
Melt the butter, mix sugar, honey and vanilla essence.
4. Pour dry ingredients mixture to wet ingredients mixture and mix well with hand to form dough. Use required milk to form a smooth dough.
5. Grease your hands, Spread a plastic sheet. grease it as well. Now, roll out the prepared dough to 1/4 inch thickness..
6. Cut the rolled dough in to equal sized rectangles. Place it in a baking sheet.
7. Sprinkle sugar on the top and prick holes with a fork in 3 places at an equal distance.

8. Then bake the biscuits at the same temperature for 10mins. Cool down and store in airtight container. Or you can sandwich two biscuits using nutella as filling.

NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here. You can also refer the recipe for filling.
2. I have doubled the cocoa powder amount than in the original recipe, so my biscuits are dark in colour.

Coconut Ladoos

INGREDIENTS:
Makes about:15
1-2 tablespoon Ghee

1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 can Condensed Milk
2 1/2 cups Desiccated coconut

PROCEDURE:
1. Chop the raisins and fry in ghee and keep aside.
2. In a non stick pan, add condensed milk and 2 cups desiccated coconut powder.
3. Heat over medium flame, add fried raisins with ghee used. Stir for 4 – 5 minutes or until the mixture turns non sticky and becomes a mass.
4. Switch off the flame and let it become warm. Grease your hands with ghee. In a plate place the remaining 1/2 cup coconut powder and make equal sized balls out of the mixture. Roll these ladoos over the remaining coconut powder.

NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here.

2. These delicious ladoos I tasted first when my ex-collegue/friend prepared for last Diwali (2014). 

Chilli Biscuits / Khara Biscuits

INGREDIENTS:
Yields: 25 crackers
1 cup All purpose flour

2 teaspoon Powdered Sugar
3/4 teaspoon Baking powder

3/4 teaspoon Salt

3/4th stick Butter

3-4 Green chillies (Finely chopped)

1/2 Red Onion(Finely chopped)

3 strings Curry leaves (Finely chopped)

20 Mint leaves (Finely chopped)

2 strings Coriander leaves (Finely chopped)

2 tablespoons Curd/Yogurt

PROCEDURE:
1. Preheat the oven to 400F for 10 mins.
2. In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients.
3. Mix well, gather together may be using little oil.
4. Lay a parchment paper on a rolling board and take half of the dough and roll it to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into desired shapes. Gather the extras , combine with remaining dough and repeat the same process. Transfer the crackers to the baking tray with parchment paper.
5. Then bake the crackers at the same temperature for 10mins or until the crackers' edges start turning brown. Cool it down and store in airtight container.

NOTES:
1. Do not freeze or refrigerate the dough.
2. The original recipe is here.

Vegetable Pulao

INGREDIENTS:
Serves:4-5
To Grind
1 inch piece Ginger
3-4 Garlic cloves
2 or 3 Green chillies (adjust to taste)
30 Mint leaves
6-7 strings Coriander leaves
1 teaspoon Fennel seeds
Water as needed (about 1 cup)

To temper
2 tablespoons Ghee/Oil
10 Cashew nuts (optional)
1 Onion
2 big Tomatoes
1 cup Carrot
1 cup Beans
2 cups Mixed Vegetables (Potato, Noolkol, Baby corn)
1/2 cup Peas
2 tablespoons MTR Pulao powder
2 teaspoon Salt

2 cups Rice
3 cups Water

Lemon juice (Optional)

PROCEDURE:
1. Chop all the vegetables and keep aside.
2. Grind the items given under 'To grind' to fine paste adding required water.
3. In a pressure cooker add the ingredients in the same sequence as listed under 'To temper' giving a continuous stir. Add the ground paste after onions turn transparent.
4. Add rice and water, close the lid and let it whistle 3 times in a medium high flame.
5. Once the cooker cools down add lemon juice if needed.

NOTES:
1. Be generous in adding tomatoes so that lemon juice will not be required at the end.

Sweet Corn Pulao

INGREDIENTS:
Serves:4-5
To Grind
2 cloves
10 Cashewnuts
1 inch piece Ginger 
3-4 Garlic cloves 
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon powder (or 1 stick)
30 Pudina leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon Whole Black Pepper
1/2 cup Water
To temper
2 teaspoons Ghee/Oil
2 Cardamon
1 Bay leaf
2 or 3 Green chillies (adjust to taste)
1 Onion( cut lengthwise)
1 cup Sweet Corn (use frozen)
1 cup Broccoli florets (Optional)
1/2 cup Coconut Milk (Instead try with just milk)
2 teaspoon Salt (little less)

2 cups Basmathi rice
2 cups water(adjust 1 more cup of liquid from above=milk+water used for grinding)

1 teaspoon Lemon juice 
2 tablespoon Coriander leaves (Chopped)


PROCEDURE:
1. Soak Basmathi rice in warm water at least for 20 mins.
2. Grind the items given under 'To grind' to fine paste adding required water.
3. In a pressure cooker add the ingredients in the same sequence as listed under 'To temper' giving a continuous stir. Add the ground paste after onions turn transparent.
4. Add Basmathi rice and water, close the lid and let it whistle once in a medium high flame.
5. Once the cooker cools down add lemon juice and coriander leaves.

NOTES:
1. Soaking Basmathi rice is must and always use less water to cook Basmati rice.
2. Original recipe is here.

Rainbow Cake (4 colours)

INGREDIENTS:
Makes about:8 big pieces
Since I have only one pan, I have baked 4 times. Below ingredients for each cake layer.
3/4 cup minus 1 1/2 tablespoon All purpose Flour
1 1/2 tablespoon Corn starch
1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Baking soda

1/4 cup or 1/2 stick Butter
half of 3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Curd/Yogurt
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla essence
2 drops food color

PROCEDURE:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F for 10 mins.
2. Dry ingredients mixture:
Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.
3. Wet ingredients mixture:
Melt the butter, mix sugar, curd, vanilla essence and food colour.
4. Pour dry ingredients mixture to wet ingredients mixture, slowly mix with a spatula.
5. Grease an 8 inch baking pan with butter/oil and dust it with a teaspoon of flour. Pour the prepared batter in the pan. Tap the pan gently once or twice to remove any big air bubbles.
6. Bake each cake for 13 minutes or the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool down for 10 minutes and then invert the cake over an wire rack and let it cool completely before you begin icing.



NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here.
2. The marshmallow fondant decoration method is here.
3. Make sure to buy Vegan/Vegetarian Marshmallows which are egg free and gelatin free.

Tomato Rasam / Saaru

INGREDIENTS:
Serves:2-3
1/4 cup Toor Dal
1 medium Tomato
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
Water as needed

3 tablespoons Tamarind extract
2 tablespoons Rasam Powder
1 tablespoon Jaggery
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt (to taste)

To temper
1-2 tablespoons Ghee
1/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon Jeera
A generous pinch of Asafoetida
1 Red chilli
1 string Curry leaves 

2 strings Coriander leaves (chopped)

PROCEDURE:
1. Cook toor dal, tomato with water and turmeric in a pressure cooker and keep aside.
2. In a pan, add tamarind extract, jaggery, salt, rasam powder and 1 cup of water. Bring to boil.
3. Remove the cooked tomato skin, mash along with cooked toor dal well with hand or using blender.
4. Add the mashed toor dal mixture to the pan and bring to boil. Adjust the desired consistency by adding water.
5. Temper with the items given under 'To temper' in order and add it to the rasam.
6. Add the chopped coriander leaves at the end.

NOTES:
1. If you are in hurry, add hot water to tamarind so that juice can be extracted immediately from softened tamarind.

Pineapple Kairasa

INGREDIENTS:
Serves:2-3
1/2 can or 10oz Pineapple (1/2 cup pineapple juice + 20 fruit chunks)
1 tablespoon Tamarind extract
1/2 tablespoon Jaggery
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt (or to taste)

To grind
1 teaspoon Oil
4-5 Red chillies (Byadagi)
1/2 tablespoon Chana dal
1/2 tablespoon Urad dal
1/2 tablespoon Sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
1/2 cup Shredded Coconut

To temper
1 teaspoon Oil
1/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida
1 string Curry leaves 

PROCEDURE:
1. In a heavy bottom pan, add pineapple chunks and juice, jaggery, salt, tamarind extract and turmeric powder. Cook covered till pine apple pieces become soft.
2. In a separate pan, add ingredients under 'To grind' section in the given sequence; fry till chana dal and urad dal turn brown in colour.
3. Grind the roasted masala to fine paste adding water.
4. Add the ground masala to cooked pineapple and simmer on low flame for 5-6 minutes.
5. Temper with items given under 'To temper'.

NOTES:
1. Adjust Jaggery, Tamarind and Red chillies according to ones taste and the sourness of the pineapple.
2. If the curry is less spicy, add 1/2 teaspoon of Red chili powder before you turn off the heat.

Paneer Fried Rice

INGREDIENTS:
Serves:2

1 cup Rice
2 cups water

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

5 strings Spring Onion
2-3 Green chillies (or 1 teaspoon Chilli sauce)
2 small Carrots
1 big Capsicum
1/2 cup Sweet Corn ( I used frozen)
1 cup Paneer cubes

1 1/4 teaspoon Pepper Powder
1 teaspoon Soy sauce
1-2 teaspoon Tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt (or as needed)

PROCEDURE:
1. Cook rice with water in a pressure cooker and keep aside.

2. Cube the paneer and keep them immersed in hot water till use. This will soften the paneer.
3. Cut the white and green part of the spring onion separately. Cut carrots and capsicum to small pieces.

4. Roughly crumble the paneer or chop into small pieces as below.

5. In a heavy bottom pan, add olive oil, white part of spring onion and then the carrots, capsicum and sweet corn.
6. Saute in a medium high flame, add pepper, soy and tomato sauce, salt and lastly add the crumbled paneer and green part of the spring onion.
7. Add the cooked and cooled rice and mix well.

NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here. I just replaced cabbage with paneer and sweet corn.

2. Do not over fry the vegetables. Fry until the raw taste of carrots goes off.

Cabbage Vangibath

INGREDIENTS:
Serves:2-3
1 cup Rice
2 cups Water

To temper
2 teaspoons Oil
1/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon Urad dal
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
1 string Curry leaves
3 tablespoons Groundnuts

3 cups Cabbage(Chopped)
2 tablespoons Tamarind juice
1 teaspoon Jaggery

1 tablespoon MTR Vangibath powder
1 teaspoon Red chili powder
Salt to taste
3/4 cup Shredded Coconut

PROCEDURE:
1. Cook rice with water in a pressure cooker and keep aside.
2. Chop the cabbage and shred the coconut.
3. In a heavy bottom pan, add everything in the same sequence given below 'To temper'. Sauté everything for a while; till cabbage are cooked; till raw taste goes off.

4. Add the cooked and cooled rice and mix well.

NOTES:

1. Adjust spiciness according to your taste.

Pineapple Cake

INGREDIENTS:
Makes about:8 pieces
1 1/4 cup All purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Cardamom powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Butter
1/2 can or 7oz Condensed milk
1/2 cup Pineapple juice
1/2 cup Crushed Pineapple

PROCEDURE:
1. Preheat the oven to 325F for 10 mins.
2. Dry ingredients mixture:
Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add the salt and cardamom powder.
3. Wet ingredients mixture:
Melt the butter, mix condensed milk and pineapple juice. Add crushed pineapple
4. Pour wet ingredients mixture to dry ingredients mixture, slowly mix with a spatula. Do not over mix.
5. Grease a baking pan with butter and no need to dust. Pour the prepared batter in the pan. Tap the pan gently once or twice to remove any big air bubbles.
6. Bake for 35 minutes or the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool down for 10 minutes and then invert the cake over an wire rack and let it cool completely before you begin icing.





NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here.
2. The marshmallow fondant decoration method is here.
3. Make sure to buy Vegan/Vegetarian Marshmallows which are eggfree and gelatin free.

Dill Lemon Rice

INGREDIENTS:
Serves:2
To temper
2 teaspoons Ghee/Oil
1/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon Urad dall
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
1 string Curry leaves
1 inch piece Ginger (Grated)

1/2 cup or 1 small Onion( Chopped)
1 cup Sprouted Green Gram

1 cup Dill leaves/Sabbassige soppu (Chopped)
Salt to taste

1 cup Basmathi rice
1 1/2 cup water

Lemon juice


PROCEDURE:
1. Soak Basmathi rice in warm water at least for 20 mins.
2. In a pressure cooker add the ingredients in the same sequence as listed above giving a continuous stir.
3. Saute the all ingredients for a while.
4. Add Basmathi rice and water, close the lid and let it whistle once in a medium high flame.
5. Once the cooker cools down add lemon juice and mix well.

NOTES:
1. Soaking Basmathi rice is must and always use less water to cook Basmati rice. Instead normal rice can be used in the same way.
2. This is an extended version of lemon rice, healthy and a good lunch box recipe.

Vegetable Fried Rice

INGREDIENTS:
Serves:2

1 cup Rice
2 cups water

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

5 strings Spring Onion
2-3 Green chillies (or 1 teaspoon Chilli sauce)
2 small Carrots
1 big Capsicum
1 cup Cabbage

1 1/4 teaspoon Pepper Powder
1 teaspoon Soy sauce
1-2 teaspoon Tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt

PROCEDURE:
1. Cook rice with water in a pressure cooker and keep aside.
2. Cut the white and green part of the spring onion separately. Cut all vegetables to small pieces as shown below.

3. In a heavy bottom pan, add olive oil, white part of spring onion and then all vegetables.
4. Saute in a medium high flame, add pepper, soy and tomato sauce, salt and lastly add the green part of the spring onion.
5. Add the cooked and cooled rice and mix well.

NOTES:
1. The original recipe is here.
2. The olive oil gives a nice flavor to this rice. 

3. Adding tomato sauce to make this rice little tangy. So it will be good for lunch box without any side dishes.
4. Do not over fry the vegetables. Fry until the raw taste of carrots goes off.