BROCCOLI SPICY CHAPATI

Ingredients:
Wheat flour- 1 cup
Broccoli florets- 1 cup
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Ajwain seeds-1/2 tsp
Chilli powder-1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Cumin powder-1/2 tsp
Curd- 2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt- to taste
Coriander leaves-to taste
Water - to make the dough
Oil/Ghee- to drizzle

Method:
1. Wash the broccoli florets and mince it or grind it in a mixer coarsely.
2. In a bowl,add the wheat flour,minced broccoli,and all the items listed except water.
3. Mix it nicely so that all the items are blended well.

4. Sprinkle some water,now and then and make a nice soft chapati dough.
5. Let it rest for half-an-hour.

6. Make small balls from the dough.
7. Take a small dough and make it to a thin flat chapati.

8. Heat a dosa tawa and cook the chapati.

9. Turn it over and sprinkle some oil.

• 10. Transfer it to a plate and serve with any curries or gravies.

VALAIPOO (BANANA FLOWER) ADAI

Ingredients:

Banana flower-1

Chana dal- 1 cup

Toor dal-1/2 cup

Moong dal-1/4 cup

Raw rice-1/4 cup

Red chillies-3

Green chillies-2 (cut into small pieces)

Ginger- 1 inch (cut into very small cubes)

Garlic - 3 pods

Saunf - 2 tsp

Curry leaves- 1 stick ( cut into small bits)

Onion-1 medium (cut into very small cubes)

Coriander leaves-to taste

Salt - to taste

Oil- to make adai

Method:

1. Soak all the dals with rice for 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile,peel the outer layers of banana flower and remove the small stem inside each petals.

3. Do the same procedure for the full flower and cut into small pieces and keep it aside.

4. In a vessel,boil some water with little salt.

5. When it starts boiling,add the banana flower and boil it for 1 minute and strain them.

6. Now strain the water from the dal and grind it a coarse paste with red chillies,garlic,1 tsp.             saunf and salt.

7. Put this mixture in a bowl and add onion,green chillies,coriander leaves,1 tsp saunf,ginger,curry    leaves and boiled banana flower and blend well.

8. Heat a dosa tawa and add 1/2 tsp of  oil to it.

9. Take a scoop of the mixture and spread it to a medium round shape.

10. Let it cook for sometime.

11. Turn it over and cook the other side till it is nice golden brown.

12. Serve hot adai with any chutneys.

Note:

1. Do not grind the dal so soft as it will not be crispier.

2. Spread the adai to a medium thickness and not too thick or too thin.

3. Boil the banana flower only for 1 minute and do not over-cook them.

MINT PULAO

Ingredients:
Basmati rice- 2 cups
Mint leaves-1 bunch
Onion-1 medium (thinly sliced)
Green chillies-2-3 slightly slit
Ginger -1 inch
Garlic -2 pods
Chana dal-1/2 tsp
Urad dal-1/4 tsp
Tamarind-very small piece
Water- 3 cup
Oil-3 tbsp
Ghee-1 tbsp
Salt-to taste

For Tempering:
Bay leaf-2
Cloves-2
Cinnamon-1 inch
Cardamom-2
Cumin seeds-1/4 tsp

For Garnishing:
Cashew nuts(broken)-10 (fry in oil till golden brown)
Onion-1 medium (thinly sliced-crispy deep fry in hot oil)

Method:
1. In a kadai add 2 tsp of oil and add chana dal, urad dal,onion,mint leaves,ginger,garlic,tamarind,green          chillies  and saute for 2 mins.
2. Let it cool for sometime and then grind it to a smooth paste,adding little water.

3. Meanwhile cook the basmati rice with some salt and little oil.
4. Place a kadai/pan in the stove and add little ghee and oil and heat them.
5. To this, add all the items under tempering and let it splutter.
6. Now,add the grounded mint paste to it and let it cook till oil separates from it.

7. Take the paste and add to the cooked rice and mix well.

8. At last,add the fried onion and cashews for garnishing.
9. Serve hot with raitha and chips.

SEMIYA(VERMICELLI) PONGAL

Ingredients:

Vermicelli-1 cup

Moong dal-1/4 cup 

Pepper corns-1 tsp

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Green chillies-2

Cashew nut(broken)-5 nos.

Ginger-1 inch(cut into small cubes)

Asafoetida-1 pinch

Curry leaves-1 stick

Oil-2 tsp

Ghee-1 tsp

Water-3 cups

Salt- to taste

Coriander leaves- for garnishing

Method:

1. In a pressure cooker,dry roast the moong dal till nice aroma comes from it.

2. Wash the dal and pressure cook only for 1 whistle.

3. In a kadai,add oil and ghee and heat it.

4. Now add pepper,cumin seeds,green chillies,cashews,ginger,asafoetida,curry leaves and saute.

5. When nice aroma comes from it,add water and salt and let it boil.

6. When it starts boiling,add vermicelli and let it cook for sometime.

7. When its half done,add the cooked moong dal to it and mix well.

8. Let the vermicelli cook till it is well done.

9. Add coriander leaves for garnishing.

10. Serve hot with sambar and chutney.

INSTANT MAIDA PANIYARAM/APPAM

Ingredients:

Maida-200 gms

Rava-50 gms

Sugar- to taste

Cardamom powder-1 pinch

Coconut(grated)-2 tbsp

Banana-1 

Nuts(optional)-1 tsp

Oil-for deep frying

Method:

1. Heat oil in a kadai.

2. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl except oil.

3. Mash the banana without any lumps and add to it.

4. Add water to the mixture and make it to a idli batter consistency.

5. When the oil is hot,take a scoop of the batter and pour in the hot oil.
6. It will start to puff up and will turn golden brown.

7. Now turn it over and cook the other side.

8.  Strain the oil and serve hot.

Note:

1.Can replace whole wheat flour instead of maida.

NUTS KESAR RAJBHOG

Ingredients:
Paneer-250 gms (homemade or store-bought)
Khoya/Mava-100 gms (homemade or store-bought)
Milk-1-2 tbsp
Mixed nuts(crushed)-25 gms (I've used badam,pistachios and cashew nuts)
Maida-1 tsp
Sooji/Rava-1 tsp
Badam essence-2-3 drops (for yellow colour)
Saffron-1 pinch
Rose water-1-2 drops
Cardamom powder-1 tsp

For Sugar Syrup:
Sugar-3 cups
Water-3 cups

Method:
1. In a bowl,add the paneer and mash it nicely till it is soft.
2. Make a soft dough without any lumps by adding milk.

3. To this,add maida,sooji,badam essence,1/2 of saffron and blend.

4. Make a good soft dough and keep it aside.

5. Place a pan in the stove and make sugar syrup by adding water and sugar.
6. To the syrup,add rose water, badam essence,cardamom powder,saffron and let it boil.

7. Sugar syrup just needs a boiling consistency and do not leave till string consistency.
8. Meanwhile,In a bowl,add khoya,nuts,cardamom powder and mix well.

9. Now take the paneer dough and make small size balls from it.
10. Fill the balls with little khoya mixture and seal the edges and roll it again.
11. Complete the same procedure for all the balls.

12. Now,when the sugar syrup starts to boil nicely,add the balls into it one by one.
13. Let it cook in medium high for 10 mins stirring it now and then.

14. The size of the balls will double,when it gets cooked.

15. Transfer it to a serving bowl.

16. Serve hot or cold.

Note:
1. Paneer should be mixed nicely without any small lumps.
2. Make the dough to a soft consistency.(very soft than chapathi dough,but not sticky consistency)
2. Make sure that the paneer balls have no cracks in it,as it would open when you put in sugar syrup.
3. Sugar syrup should be in a thin consistency.
4. Keep the stove in medium high and not too low or not
too high.

AATUKAAL /PAYA SOUP

Ingredients:
Paya-1 leg
Onion-1 (cut into medium size cubes)
Turmeric powder-1 tsp
Pepper powder-to taste
Salt-to taste
Water-4-5 cups
(can add rice washed water for thickness)
Coriander leaves-for garnishing

Method:
1. Wash the Paya and keep it aside.
2. In a pressure cooker,add the paya,turmeric powder,onion,water and a pinch of salt.
3. Pressure cook them till it is soft.
4. Open the lid after the pressure is released.
5. Add water if the soup is too thick.
6. Add salt again if needed.
7. Let it boil nicely.
8. Add pepper powder and coriander leaves for garnishing.
9. Serve it hot.

Note:
1. Paya takes more time to cook.Leave more whistles than mutton.
2. Add pepper powder according to your spiciness.
3. Very thin soup will taste good than a thick one.