ALMOND-ORANGE SUGAR COOKIES

Hi All,  I had a lot of Almond flour/Powder left in my pantry which I wanted to finish. This recipe is easy, healthy, fresh, and delicious. My kids loved it. So, here it goes. Its called 

ALMOND-ORANGE SUGAR COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

ALMOND POWDER: 1 and a 1/2 CUPS
ALL PURPOSE FLOUR: 1 CUP

          OR

ALMOND FLOUR: 2 and a 1/2 CUPS

SUGAR: 1 CUP
BUTTER: 1 STICK (Melt it to get 1/2 cup of melted butter)
ORANGE JUICE: 2 TBSP
SALT: 1/8th TSP
BAKING POWDER: 1 TSP
ORANGE ZEST: 1 TSP

ALMOND-ORANGE SUGAR COOKIE

MAKING

Preheat the oven to about 350 degrees. In a bowl, add the butter and sugar beat them up until the sugar and butter have blended well. Now, add the Almond powder, All Purpose Flour, salt, baking powder, mix it once again. Add the Orange juice and zest to the flour. Mix it well to get a nice moist dough. Place the dough in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes until the dough is firm. Roll it into your palm into small balls and flatten it into a nice flat circle. Place it in a large baking tray and put it in the oven to bake for about 10-15 minutes. Delicious Almond-Orange cookies are ready. Take it out, allow it to cool down, and then serve. 

Oven temperatures may vary so make sure to keep checking. Remove the tray once the cookies turn light brown and make sure to check the bottom of the cookie does not turn dark.

My dough was moist but if it is on the drier side, roll it with a rolling pin and cut it into the desired shape and place it on the baking tray

The cookies do not require precision and perfection. Very easy to make, you could hand beat it. I prefer the dough to be a bit moist as I personally felt it gave a better flavor and texture.


TIPS/VARIATIONS

If the dough is moist, refrigerate in the freezer and make small balls and flatten it with your hand. This is what I did and it came out really well.

You could add icing of your choice once the cookie has cooled down. 

You could use All Purpose Flour instead of Almond flour, add a bit of Vanilla essence.

These are basic cookies, you could enhance it with your creativity.

PANEER TAWA MASALA

Hi all, the holidays are here. It's a great time where family visits each other and have a wonderful time. My husband's cousin came over last weekend and this is what I made for her for dinner. It came out really well and she enjoyed it so did my family. So, here it goes

PANEER TAWA MASALA

INGREDIENTS

PANEER: I bought the Nanak brand, chopped into big rectangular pieces ( not too thin slices)
ONION: 1 large long thin-slice
TOMATO: 1 large long thin-slice
GREEN PEPPER: 1 large, long thin-slice
GINGER-GARLIC: 1 TBSP chopped long thin-slice
TURMERIC POWDER: 1 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER: 1 TSP
CHAT MASALA: 1-2 TSP
JEERA: 1 TSP
KASURI METHI: 1-2 TSP Crushed
JEERA-DHANIA POWDER: 1 TSP
GARAM MASALA: 1 TSP
BUTTER/GHEE: 1 TBSP
MILK/CREAM: 1/2 CUP
OIL
SALT AS REQUIRED
FRESH CORIANDER/CILANTRO LEAVES CHOPPED

PANEER TAWA MASALA

MAKING

Take a bowl, add the sliced Paneer pieces, add a bit of salt, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli powder and Chat Masala. Rub it well to make sure all the paneer is coated with these spices. Now add a bit of oil and mix it well. This is our marination process, set it aside for half an hour.

After half an hour, take a non-stick flat pan ( Tawa), coat it with oil. Not too much just enough to make a light coating, place the marinated paneer pieces, flip it mid-way until both sides are golden brown. Set it aside on a plate, place a paper over the plate so all the oil could be absorbed by the paper.

Now, take a deep bottomed pan, add butter/ghee, add some Jeera, sliced Onions, chopped Ginger-Garlic, saute it for 4-5 minutes until the onion turns golden brown. Add the sliced Tomatoes and saute it for another 2-3 minutes. Add in the spices, a bit of turmeric powder, red chilli powder, jeera-dhania powder. Saute it for a few minutes, add a bit of water if needed. Now add the long thinly sliced capsicum, stir for a couple of minutes. Add the marinated Tawa fried Paneer, crushed Kasuri methi, required salt, fresh cream or milk. Cook for a few minutes in low flame until the salt is absorbed, the capsicum is soft and the gravy cooked. Finally add the Garam Masala. Garnish with fresh coriander chopped. Delicious Paneer Tawa Masala is ready to eat. Serve it hot with roti's or Naan's. 

TIPS/VARIATIONS

I used milk but I felt cream would really go well. Thinly slicing the veggies lengthwise adds a bit of texture and works well with the rectangular paneer pieces.

ALMOND FLOUR CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Hi all, the holiday season is here, and to top it , there was snowfall . The kids wanted me to make Brownies, and since I had a lot of Almond flour left, I thought of making brownies using the same. Surprisingly it came out well . Here's the recipe 

ALMOND FLOUR BROWNIES

INGREDIENTS

ALMOND FLOUR : 2 cups
MILK POWDER : 1/2 cup
COCOA POWDER : 1 TBSP
SUGAR : 1 cup
EGG: 1 Large
BUTTER : 1 stick melted
BAKING POWDER : 1 Tsp
BAKING SODA: 1/2 Tsp
SALT : 1/4th Tsp
LEMON ZEST: 1 Tsp

Condensed Milk : 1/2 cup
Pecans chopped ( optional)

Almond Flour Chocolate Brownies

MAKING

Pre-heat the oven to 370*F. Mix all the wet and dry ingredients in a bowl. Beat the egg with a fork and add it to the mix. Add some lemon zest. I added lemon zest instead of Vanilla extract and it worked out very well. If the batter is not the desired consistency, add 1/2 cup of condensed milk. 

Place it in a rectangular ceramic baking pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, place a toothpick to check its ready to be taken out. Serve it hot or cold, with whipped cream or eat it just as it is. Believe me, its delicious. My kids loved it!

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Lemon Zest adds a distinct flavor and it works well with the Almond flour.
Add condensed milk accordingly to get the desired consistency.
Chopped pecans adds texture to the dish.
You can serve it with whipped cream.
Instead of Almond flour, you could make this with regular all purpose flour too.

Enjoy!

INSTANT BUTTER-GARLIC NOODLES

HI all,

This ones a no brainer recipe. Something that I ended up making for my 2 kids with what I had. I decided to post this recipe only and only because my kids loved it . It took me hardly 5-6 minutes to make it .  I am pretty sure kids will love it.

INSTANT BUTTER-GARLIC NOODLES

INGREDIENTS

ANGEL HAIR PASTA : 1/2 PACK ( I bought the Barilla Brand)
SALT AS REQUIRED
WATER FOR BOILING
BUTTER 3 TBSP
GARLIC 2 MEDIUM PODS

BUTTER-GARLIC NOODLES

MAKING

Boil the water with enough salt, add the angel hair pasta, breaking it into half or 1/4th. This pasta cooks very fast. After 6-7 minutes, drain the pasta and set it aside. Melt the butter and add the grated garlic into it . Pour the butter-garlic mix on the pasta and mix it well. 

If you want, add some store bought Italian herb and spice mix or serve it as it is . Its delicious either way.

Its something you can make for the kids in an instant.

TIPS / VARIATIONS

Adding about 2 Tsp of Olive oil in the boiling water makes the pasta non-sticky. you could also add Chilli flakes with the Italian herb if needed. 

You could also sprinkle some shredded Mozzarella cheese on top. 

Instant Coconut Barfi Balls

So, I wanted to make something sweet really quick. I went through the pantry and came up with this recipe, extremely quick to make and yummy to taste.

INSTANT COCONUT BARFI BALLS

INGREDIENTS

SWEETENED COCONUT FLAKES:  Around 4 to 4 1/2 Cup
MILK POWDER: 2 1/2 cup
MILK / WATER : 1 TBSP
CARDAMOM POWDER: 1/4 TSP
GHEE: 1 TBSP

INSTANT COCONUT BARFI BALLS

MAKING

In a Kadai, Add the milk powder and Sweetened coconut and mix them thoroughly, add a bit of milk or water, cardamom powder and Ghee. Once you see the milk melting and mixed up well with the sweetened coconut, Take it off from the gas and pour the mixture into a ghee greased pan. The mixture should be thick and not watery. Allow it to cool, make balls out of it. Delicious instant Coconut Barfi Balls are ready to eat. It took me just 5-10 minutes to make it from start to finish.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

You could use cocoa powder to make it  Chocolate Coconut Barfi Balls. You could also add dry nuts as garnish. You could use a bit of condensed milk for added flavor ( about 1 tbsp) instead of milk or water.

LEFT OVER DAL CUTLET

Hi all, So I had some leftover Dal which I had to finish as there was a Puja the next day and we cannot use leftovers on the day. I went online and browsed through various ideas and in the end, came up with this recipe. Thankfully, it was a big hit with everyone and worked well as a perfect evening snack.

INGREDIENTS

LEFTOVER DAL: 1 CUP
POTATO BOILED AND MASHED: 1 MEDIUM
ALL PURPOSE FLOUR: 1/2 CUP
RICE FLOUR: 1/2 CUP
GINGER_GARLIC: 2 TSP CHOPPED
JEERA_DHANIA POWDER: 1/2 TSP
SALT AS REQUIRED
CORIANDER LEAVES: 2 TBSP CHOPPED
TURMERIC: 1/2 TSP
CRUSHED CRACKERS: 1/4th CUP
OIL FOR SHALLOW FRYING

LEFTOVER DAL CUTLET

MAKING

In a bowl, mix the leftover dal, All-purpose flour, Rice flour, Potato, all the spices, salt, turmeric, Crushed crackers. Make round balls of it and flatten it up. Shallow fry them in oil until it turns golden brown. 

TIPS/VARIATIONS

I used crushed crackers to give a nice crunchy texture to the cutlets. I used Harris Teeter brand roasted vegetable crackers. You could use, Ritz crackers or Maska-Chaska etc.

You could also add cornflour instead of All-purpose flour. 


Since the dal already had onions, I did not add it. 

PANEER CURRY

So I came across this Paneer recipe online but added my own twist to it. It came out really well . Easy to make and delicious to eat. Here we go, its called Paneer Curry. Its a bit on the spicy side.

PANEER CURRY

PANEER : CUT INTO SMALL CUBES
ONION: 1
TOMATO : 1 SMALL
GINGER and GARLIC : 1 TBSP EACH CHOPPED
MUSTARD SEEDS: 1/2 TSP
CLOVES : 2-3
CINNAMON STICK : 1-2 SMALL
DHANIA : 1/2 TSP
COCONUT : 1 TBSP
CURRY LEAVES : 10-12
GREEN CHILLI : 1
DRY RED CHILLI : 3 MEDIUM
KASOORI METHI : 1-2 TSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP
CORIANDER POWDER ( DHANIA POWDER) : 1 TSP
BLACK PEPPER POWDER : 1/2 TSP
OIL/GHEE AND WATER AS REQUIRED
SALT AS REQUIRED

MAKING

In a Kadai/Pan , Add a Tbsp of Ghee . Once hot, add Cloves, Cardamom stick and Mustard seeds, once it splutters , add in the chopped Onion, chopped Ginger-garlic, chopped Tomato and Green Chili. Saute for a couple of minutes until the onion turns golden brown and the tomato has become soft. Switch off the gas and set it aside. Now Grind the above sauteed mixture with all the spices ( Coconut, Red chilli, Dhania seeds, Coriander-Cumin powder, Pepper Powder, 10 Curry leaves). Grind it into a nice paste and set aside. Now take the same Kadai, add in some Ghee/oil, add the above ground paste into the pan and saute it for  few minutes until you see bubbles coming. Add in the chopped Paneer, Turmeric powder Kasoori Methi and Salt. Add some water and close the lid of the pan until the paneer becomes soft and is mixed well with the spices. Delicious Paneer Curry is ready to eat. Serve it hot with Paratha or Roti's. 

For Garnish, place some fresh green curry leaves and a dash of cream.

TIPS

If you want to reduce the spice level, you could add 2 TBSP fresh cream. 

BAIGAN RICE ( VANGI BATH )

Hi all, This recipe is for all Eggplant lovers. I am pretty sure you must have all heard or made it as some point. The best part is that the Baigan I made it with was from my own vegetable garden.I did it too and it was a hit with my kids especially my son. So here it goes its called

VANGI BATH ( EGGPLANT RICE) ( KATHIRIKKAI RICE)

INGREDIENTS

BAIGAN (Eggplant) (Kathirikkai) : 8-10 small baby eggplant chopped into small cubes
Rice : 1 1/2 Cup Cooked
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Dhania ( Coriander seeds) : 1 tsp
Channa Dal : 1 TBSP
Urad Dal : 1 TBSP
Dry Red Chili : 3-4
Hing (Asafoetida)
Turmeric Powder : 1/8th Tsp
Salt as required
Oil : 1 TBSP

VANGI BATH (KATHIRIKKAI RICE)

MAKING

Cook the rice in a pressure cooker . The more dry and non sticky the rice is, the better. In 1/2 Tsp oil, roast the Channa Dal, Urad Dal, Dry Red Chilli, Dhania seeds and Hing (Asafoetida) for about 2 minutes until the dal turns light brown. Grind the above roasted mixture with a bit of salt into a nice coarse powder and set aside.

Now take a wide pan, add a Tsp of oil, add mustard seeds, once it splutters add the chopped eggplant and saute for a few minutes until half cooked with Turmeric powder and required salt. Now add the coarse spice mix to the eggplant and mix it thoroughly and cook for a few more minutes until the eggplant is fully cooked and soft. Finally add in the cooked rice and mix well.

Delicious Vangi Bath is ready to eat. serve it hot with papad or chips. Simple and tasty, 
enjoy !

TIPS/VARIATIONS

After cutting the eggplant ( Baigan) , put them in cold water, this prevents it from darkening and remain fresh. You could also add roasted cashew nuts for garnish. 

MOONG PAPAD MASALA

Hi all, So I am on a cooking spree as the kids are on vacation and have a lot of time in hand to explore and do a lot of things. I made this dish yesterday and it was a big hit. It was tasty and the Papad twist was a delicious add on to the dish.

So here it goes its called 

MOONG PAPAD MASALA

INGREDIENTS

GREEN MOONG: 2 CUPS SOAKED FOR AT LEAST 5 - 6 HOURS
ONION: 1 MEDIUM or 2 SMALL CHOPPED INTO SMALL PIECES
TOMATO: 1 MEDIUM CHOPPED INTO SMALL PIECES
GINGER: 1 TBSP CHOPPED
GARLIC: 1 TBSP OR ABOUT 2 BIG PODS
COCONUT : 8 CUT PIECES FROM FRESH COCONUT OR 2 TBSP SHREDDED ( FROZEN)
JEERA ( CUMIN) : 1 TSP
MUSTARD SEEDS: 1 TSP
CURRY LEAVES: 8-9
TURMERIC: 1/2 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER: 1/2 TSP
DHANIA JEERA POWDER ( CORIANDER- CUMIN): 1/2 TSP
GARAM MASALA: 1/2 TSP
SALT AS REQUIRED
GHEE: 1 TBSP
OIL : 1 TBSP
LIJJAT PAPAD ( PLAIN) : 2-3
JAGGERY: CHOPPED 2 TSP

MOONG PAPAD MASALA

MAKING

Pressure cook the soaked Moong with enough water, a bit of salt and a pinch of Turmeric for 1-2 whistles and set aside. Take a pan, pour 1/2 TBSP Ghee and !/2 TBSP Oil. Once the oil/ghee is hot, Saute the chopped Garlic, chopped Garlic, chopped Onion, Chopped Tomatoes and Coconut pieces or shredded coconut. After a couple of minutes when the Onion turns golden brown, take it off the gas. Grind into a nice paste and set aside.

Next in the same pan, add the remaining Ghee and Oil. Once heated, add mustard seeds, Cumin seeds and Curry leaves. Once the mustard seeds start spluttering, add in the gravy paste and saute it for a couple of minutes until you see bubbles coming in. Add the cooked Green Moong to it and cook additionally for 2 minutes. Add turmeric, Red Chilli Powder, Jeera-Dhania Powder, Garam Masala and required Salt with a little bit of water. Cook for about 4-5 Minutes, Moong Masala is ready.

Lastly, Fry 2-3 Lijjat Papad in a microwave and before serving, crush the Papad and sprinkle it on top of the Masala. The Papad adds a crunch and a distinct flavour to the dish.

Garnish with chopped onions and coriander leaves. 

Delicious Moong Papad Masala is ready to eat. Serve it hot with Roti's or eat it as it is. Enjoy!

TIPS/ VARIATIONS

The Jaggery adds reduces the heat in the dish.

If you don't want to overcook the Moong, just pressure cook for 1 whistle

If you don't want to Crush the Lijjat Papad, just cut it into small squares and add it to the dish. 

BASIC BANANA BREAD

Hi All, this recipe is one of my favorites, and it's a sure shot winner for all. This recipe cannot go wrong for anyone. It's the best thing to make for a beginner baker. No fancy gadgets needed, just need a fork, bowl and baking pan, that's it. Delicious and tasty. Believe me when I say this, this recipe is the perfect one for a basic beginner baker and you cannot go wrong in this. So, here it goes

BASIC BANANA BREAD

INGREDIENTS

ALL PURPOSE FLOUR: 1 1/2 CUP
SUGAR: 1/2 CUP or 1 CUP
BANANAS : 3 FULLY RIPE (The riper, the better)
EGG: 1 ( Beat it with a Fork)
SALT: A PINCH
BAKING SODA: 1 TSP
BUTTER: 1/3 OF A STICK MELTED
LEMON ZEST Or 1/2 TSP VANILLA ESSENCE
PECANS CHOPPED: 1 to 2 TBSP

BASIC BANANA BREAD

MAKING

Take a bowl, mash the bananas with hand thoroughly. Add all the ingredients mentioned above except Pecans. Mix it well and pour the batter in a loaf pan. Add Chopped Pecans on top. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. Turn the loaf pan over and carefully remove the Banana Bread and serve it with either whipped cream or eat it just as it is.


TIPS/VARIATIONS

I usually add just 1/2 cup sugar but if you feel the bananas aren't sweet enough, you could add a cup of sugar.

If you want to make an Eggless version, instead of 1 egg, add 1/4th cup of condensed milk. So it would be 3/4th cup Sugar plus 1/4th Condensed Milk.

if you don't have Lemons or do not like Lemon Zest. You can add Vanilla essence to it.

Lemon Zest is nothing but scraping the lemon exterior. This adds a nice flavor to the Banana Bread.

HEALTHY DAL DOSA

Hi All,

Summer vacation is here and its been busy with a lot of travelling and doing things which I have always wanted to do. So this recipe again comes in from my MIL kitchen, she made this yesterday giving her own spin to it and it came out really well. The kids loved it and relished it. So here it goes, its called 

HEALTHY DAL DOSA

INGREDIENTS
CHANNA DAL : 1 CUP
GREEN MOONG : 1 CUP
MASOOR DAL : 1/2 CUP
GINGER : 1 TSP CHOPPED
GREEN CHILLI : 1 TSP CHOPPED
CORIANDER LEAVES ( KOTHAMALLI) : 2 TBSP 
HING ( PERUNGAYAM) : 1/8th TSP
SALT and OIL as required.

DAL DOSA

MAKING

Soak the Dal and Moong in water for about 6 hours. In a blender/Mixie, put in the soaked Dal and Moong with Green Chilli, Ginger and Coriander leaves. Grind them into a nice coarse batter , it will be a little thicker than the usual Dosa batter. Add salt and Hing. Mix them thoroughly.

Take a flat dosa pan/Tawa, grease it with oil. Pour the Dal Dosa batter and spread them to make round Dosas. Serve it hot with Sambhar or Chutney. Believe me, its delicious.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Traditionally, this dish is made with yellow Moong instead of Green Moong . You could also add the chopped ginger, green chilli and coriander leaves after grinding the soaked Dal into a coarse batter. You could also add Garlic or Onions for added Flavor.

THATTAI

Hi All,

Its been a long time so I am back with a traditional South Indian delicacy which is usually made during festivals but can also be eaten as snack in the evening. This recipe directly comes from my MIL who is here on a visit and has already made some mouth watering dishes. so here it goes, its called....

THATTAI

INGREDIENTS

1/2 CUP POTTU KADALAI POWDER (DALIA)
2 CUP RICE FLOUR (ARISI PODI)
PERUNGAYAM ( HING) : A PINCH
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP
BUTTER: 2 TBSP
SALT AS REQUIRED
CHANNA DAL : 2 TBSP SOAKED IN WATER FOR 2 HOURS
WHITE OR BLACK SESAME SEEDS ( TIL) : 1 TSP
OIL FOR FRYING

THATTAI

MAKING

Mix the Pottu Kadalai ( Dalia) powder, Rice flour, salt, Perungayam ( Hing), Red Chilli Powder, Sesame seeds, Soaked Channa Dal ( after draining the water) and salt with Butter and enough water. The consistency of the dough should be a little thinner than Roti dough.

Take a plastic sheet, flatten the dough into small round Thattai's and fry in it oil until golden brown and crispy.

TIPS

Usually, Thattai's are made with Urad Dal Powder but this one's equally tasty and crispy.
In case the dough is sticking on to the sheet and you are unable to take it out cleanly, just apply a bit of oil in your hands and fingers or the sheet. Store the Thattai's in an air tight container to retain its freshness. Serve it with hot tea or coffee as a snack.

COCONUT CHUTNEY WITH RED CHILLI

Hi All,

This new simple recipe is straight from my MIL's kitchen. We had just come from our 1 week vacation from California and this one was a quick one and delicious too. Perfect for dosas and Idli's . So, here it goes. It has a couple of interesting ingredients ....

COCONUT CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS

COCONUT: 1 Cup shredded
RED CHILLI: 2-3
TAMARIND: A small ball ( very small)
CHANNA DAL: 2 Tbsp
SALT as required

FOR TADKA
COCONUT OIL: 1 Tsp
MUSTARD SEEDS: 1/2 Tsp
URAD DAL: 1/2 Tsp

CURRY LEAVES FOR GARNISH

Coconut Chutney with Red Chilli

MAKING

Dry roast the Channa dal until it turns light brown and set aside. Grind the Coconut, Red chilli, Tamarind, Dry roasted Channa dal with Salt into a nice paste-like consistency. For Tadka, pour coconut oil and once heated, add the mustard seeds and Urad dal. Once the mustard seeds start spluttering, add it to the chutney. Garnish it with fresh Curry leaves and delicious chutney is ready to serve.

TIPS

You could also use Daliya ( Pottu Kadalai) 1-2 Tsp instead of Channa Dal. You don't have to dry roast it, just add it with the rest of the ingredients to grind.

HOMEMADE BROWNIE FUDGE

Hi all,

So my kids wanted me to make brownies/ fudge , they were so insistent, they put up sticky notes on walls and also opened up a page in my chrome book with a screen of a brownie recipe . It was so sweet of them . In the end, I agreed , provided I get help from them in making. The best part of this dish was that it was imperfect yet delicious. So, here it goes

HOMEMADE BROWNIE FUDGE


INGREDIENTS

ALL PURPOSE FLOUR : 1 CUP
SUGAR : 1/2 CUP
SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK : 1/2 CUP
MILK CHOCOLATE CHIPS : 1 CUP
BUTTER: 1/3 STICK
EGGS: 2
SALT: 1/2 TSP
BAKING SODA : 1/4 TSP
BAKING POWDER : 1 TSP
COCOA : 1 TSP

HOMEMADE BROWNIE FUDGE

MAKING

In a bowl, beat up the Eggs, the Sugar and the Condensed milk into a nice creamy/ fluffy consistency and set aside. It takes about 5-10 minutes ( medium) of mixing them up with a electric hand mixer.

Now in a bowl, mix up all the dry ingredients ( All purpose flour, Salt, Baking soda and Powder, Cocoa) and set aside.

Boil water in a deep Pan and place a glass bowl above it and melt the chocolate chips and the butter. The moment, the butter and the chocolate chips are melted, remove it and set aside.

Now mix the Dry ingredients, the Butter-Chocolate chip melt and the Egg,Sugar, Condensed milk cream . Take a bake Pan (8x8) and cover it up with an aluminium foil, glaze the foil with butter and pour in the Brownie Batter. Place it in the oven at 350 F and bake for about 30-40 minutes.

Delicious homemade Brownie fudge is ready . Serve it hot or serve it cold. if serving hot, add a dollop of Vanilla ice cream to enjoy it more.

TIPS / VARIATIONS

Add 1 tsp of Vanilla essence to the mix. You could also add roasted pecans or nuts of your choice for added flavor.  The best part of the dish is that its perfectly fine if its gooey or if its not cooked thoroughly , the imperfections of it makes it even more tasty.

INSTANT TOMATO CHUTNEY

Hi,

Sharing a recipe my mother taught me, she made it when she was visiting us, and trust me it was delicious. very simple to make, here it goes

QUICK TOMATO CHUTNEY


INGREDIENTS

TOMATOES: 2-3 Medium chopped into small pieces
RED CHILLI: 1-2
FENUGREEK SEEDS ( VENDHAYAM): 1/2 Tsp
FRESH CORIANDER: 1 cup chopped
TURMERIC POWDER: 1/8 Tsp
SAMBHAR POWDER: 2 Tsp
SALT TO TASTE
ASAFOETIDA ( Perungayam): 1/4th Tsp
OIL FOR SAUTEING
MUSTARD SEEDS: 1/2 Tsp

Instant Tomato Chutney

MAKING

Take a pan, pour 2 TSP oil in it. when its hot, add 1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds, once it starts spluttering, add a red chili and fenugreek seeds and saute a bit. Add the chopped tomatoes, chopped Coriander, Turmeric powder, Asafoetida powder, Sambhar Powder, and salt to taste. Allow it to cook for a few minutes until you see the tomatoes and coriander nicely blended and becoming a nice gravy-like consistency.

That's it, simple Tomato chutney is ready, serve it with Dosa or Roti's. You can also mix it with rice. Enjoy!

TIPS

You could also add 1 Green Chilli to the chutney for added spice and Flavor.

CREAMY SMALL POTATOES CURRY

Hi all,

I wanted to make something special for my son's star birthday. I had bought some small creamy potatoes from Harris Teeter and so decided to make use of it. This is what I came up with, this one has almost all the spices that we use to make a curry. Take a look

CREAMY SMALL POTATOES CURRY


INGREDIENTS

CREAMY SMALL POTATOES: 10 -12
ONION: 1/2 OF A BIG ONION CHOPPED INTO BIG CUBES
TOMATO: 1 BIG CHOPPED
GREEN CHILLI: 1
CASHEW NUTS: 8-9 SOAKED IN WATER FOR 5-10 MINUTES
CORIANDER SEEDS: 1 TSP
CHILLI POWDER: 1/2 TSP
FENNEL SEEDS: 1 TSP
JEERA: 1 TSP
BAY LEAF: 1
CINNAMON STICK: 1 STICK
GINGER: 1 TSP CHOPPED
GARLIC: 1 TBSP CHOPPED
THICK YOGURT: 1 CUP
JEERA-DHANIA POWDER: 1/2 TSP
GARAM MASALA: 1/2 TSP
KASURI METHI: 1/2 TSP
TURMERIC: 1/8th TSP
SALT AS REQUIRED
OIL
WATER FOR BOILING POTATOES

CREAMY SMALL POTATOES CURRY

MAKING

Peel the skin off the potatoes and poke holes in it with a fork. Take a pan and boil water with 1/4th TSP salt, once the water starts boiling, add the potatoes and boil for about 3-4 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the water and set aside until its no longer wet. You could also pat dry the potatoes with a paper towel.

Next, In a Pan, pour a Tbsp of oil, once hot, add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, green chili, and Jeera. After a minute, add the Onions, Ginger, Garlic, Tomatoes, and the Cashews. Saute it for a few minutes until the onions start turning a little brown. Grind this mixture into a fine paste.

Take the now dried potatoes and either pan fry or deep fry them. This adds a better texture to the potatoes when immersed in the curry.

Take the pan in which we sauteed the spice mix, pour a TBSP of oil, add the spice paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell is gone. Add the boiled-fried potatoes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add a pinch of Turmeric, some red chili powder, some Jeera-Dhania powder. Again cook for a couple of minutes before adding a cup of Yogurt. Add to it some salt, Kasoori Methi and some Garam Masala and 1/2 cup of water and cook the curry for about 5 minutes in low-medium flame.

Switch off the gas and garnish the creamy small potato curry with some fresh chopped coriander and delicious small potato curry is ready. Serve it hot with Roti's or Naan's.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Since I was running short of yogurt, I added Milk and it was perfect. You could also use Ghee( clarified butter) or a combination of both oil and Ghee to fry the spices.

FRIED PANEER ROLL

Hi all,

I am back with a quick dish that I made today to make my hungry kids happy. It was quick, easy and hardly takes 5 minutes to make it. Not many ingredients needed.

INGREDIENTS

PANEER : SLICED INTO THIN RECTANGLES
OIL: 1-2 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER: 1/4th TSP
CHAT MASALA: 1 TSP
SALT AS REQUIRED
GHEE : 1-2 TSP for Pan frying
GARLIC : IF NEEDED

Fried Paneer Roll

MAKING

Cut the Paneer into thin rectangular slices. Take a bowl, place the sliced paneer in it. Add the Salt, Red chilli Powder, Chat Masala , 1/2 Tsp of oil , mix it well and set aside. Now take a pan, pour 1 tsp ghee and 1 tsp oil in it. Once heated, place the marinated or mixed paneer pieces in it and pan fry it until it turns light golden brown. Take it out , place it on a paper towel to drain the oil .

Now take any leftover roti or lightly toasted bread, place the cooked masala paneer in the middle and roll it over. Delicious quick fried Paneer roll is ready to eat. My kids loved it

VARIATIONS

Add grated garlic when the paneer is pan fried, it adds flavor to it. I used a pita bread . You could also add some chopped onions if you have more time . But this dish is ideally for a quick bite, something you can make in 5 minutes and eat.

If you are going to use a bread, flatten it with a rolling pin ( Belan) and then roll it after placing the paneer mix in it. Then pan fry it with a little bit of oil and ghee ( about 1 tsp each) and serve it hot.