Idiyappam with Vegetable Stew

Idiyappam is a south - indian breakfast dish. This is also known as stringed hopper. Rice flour is the main ingredient. Here i have used the pink rice flour. This is a steamed dish.

Method:To prepare Idiyappam

Place the rice flour in a stainless steel bowl. Boil the water adding salt. When the water starts boiling, make a well in the center of the rice flour and pour the boiling water into it. Using a wooden spatula mix the flour and water thoroughly. Remove the spatula, Cover the dough with a lid and set aside to cool. When it is cool / warm enough, knead the dough using your hand. Add coconut oil or ghee while kneading. Make a smooth dough ball.
Take an idiyappam press a small ball of the dough into it and squeeze into idly moulds.
Steam in an idly cooker for 7 minutes.
If you are using grated coconut, you can add a teaspoon of it in each mould before squeezing the dough over it.

Ingredients: For Idiyappam:                                                                       Makes 24 idiyappams

Rice Flour -2 1/4 cups ( i used pink rice flour )
Boiling water - 2 1/2 cups
Salt to taste or 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoon
Coconut oil / Ghee - 1 - 2 tablespoon
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup ( optional )


Method: to prepare Vegetable Stew

Heat oil in a medium sized pan. Add all the seasoning ingredients. When the cloves start spluttering, add the finely chopped onions and saute it. When the onion is well sauteed ( Do Not brown ), add ginger-garlic paste, when the raw smell disappears add coriander, chilly and turmeric powder. Stir for a few seconds and add the finely chopped tomato. Saute the tomato and slit green chillies for a minute. Add the chopped vegetables and water, cover and cook for a few minutes or until the vegetables are cooked. Add the black pepper. If the gravy has dried up add little water, add salt to taste. Now add the garam masala and coconut milk. Stir well. Do not boil after adding coconut milk. Remove from flame. Check salt once more. If it is less add more and adjust taste.
Serve with idiyappam

Ingredients: For Vegetable Stew:

Vegetables cut into 1 centimeter cubes - 1 cup ( potato, carrot, cauliflower, beans etc )
Onion chopped - 1 medium
Tomato chopped - 1
Green chilly slit - 2
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Chilly powder - 1/2 - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 2 teaspoon
Crushed black pepper - 1/4 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt
Water 1/2 cup

For Seasoning:

Cloves - 3
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece
Cardamom -2
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil - 1 tablespoon


Note: Potatoes in Coconut milk is also a very good side-dish for idiyappam. Click the link for the recipe.   Potatoes in coconut milk

Instant Channa Masala

Chickpeas also known as Garbanzo beans or bengal gram must be a part of our daily diet. It is so nutritious that one cannot avoid it. It should be a part of the diet of  diabetics and people with high blood pressure. It contains lots of potassium and many other essential minerals which is good for bone health and the heart. Selenium a mineral present in chickpeas prevent tumor growth.

 This is a very easy and tasty side dish made with split chickpeas.

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and saute the chopped onion and tomato. Do Not brown. When it is well sauteed add the turmeric, coriander and chilli powders, Stir and add the garam masala powder. Now add the boiled channa and stir, Add salt and chaat masala. Bring to a boil. Remove from stove. Serve garnished with coriander leaves.
Serve with roti.

Ingredients: 

• Boiled split chickpea with water - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1 finely chopped
• Tomato -1 finely chopped
• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
• Chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
• Garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Chaat masala - 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon chopped
• Salt

An adaptation from Sanjeev Kapoor recipe.

Red Velvet Cup Cakes

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degree C. Line 12 muffin cups with cup cake liners. Sift together All purpose flour, corn flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Beat the butter until soft and fluffy.
3. Add icing sugar and beat at high speed for 5 minutes. or till the mixture becomes creamy, pale and fluffy.
4. Now add the egg and beat at medium high for 1 minute or until the mixture becomes soft and creamy. Add vanilla and beat till well combined.
5. Whip the curd in your mixie, Do Not add water. To this add the red food coloring and blend well.
6, Add half of the flour mix into the butter mix and fold gently ( low speed ), add half of the buttermilk mix and gently mix.
7. Add the second half of the flour mix and gently fold, add the remaining buttermilk mix and blend well. Do Not over beat.
8. In another bowl add baking soda and vinegar and mix. Pour this frizzing mixture into the cake batter and fold well.
9. Spoon this into the prepared muffin tins and bake for 15 minutes. Insert a tooth pick into the center of one of the cup cakes to check if it comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese frosting:

1.Beat together cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla at medium speed until well combined, maybe 2 minutes.
2. Now add the heavy whipping cream and beat at high speed, for 3 - 5 minutes until the mixture leaves beater marks and is medium to stiff peaks.
3. Fit in a big star nozzle  and squeeze the frosting on each of the cupcakes.
4. You can keep it out for a day, remaining ones can be refrigerated and thawed before serving.

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter - 70 grams
Icing sugar -  3/4 cup
Egg - 1
Pure vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
All purpose flour -  1 cup
Corn flour - 1/4 cup
Cocoa Powder 1 tablespoon
Baking Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
Thick curd - 1/2 cup ( to make buttermilk )
Red food colouring - 1 tablespoon
Baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon
Vineger - 1/2 teaspoon

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Cream cheese - 120 grams
Icing sugar - 1/4 cup
Pure Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon
Heavy Whipping cream - 1/3 cup (dairy or non-dairy with 30% or more fat content )

Courtesy Joyofbaking
PC A J

Masala Peanuts

Peanuts though a high calorie food, does not support weight gain. Good source of protein, fat, and copper. Contains Vitamin E, niacin and folate. Like fruits, peanuts are a store-house of anti-oxidants. So it has anti-cancerous properties, especially colorectal cancer. It contains monounsaturated fatty acids ( MUFA ), which is very good for heart health. Consume, at least, twice a week. Roasting increases the anti-oxidant quality of peanuts. Among popular fruits, only pomegranate has more antioxidants than peanuts. Consumption of peanuts protects against Alzheimer's and age- related brain degeneration.

This is one snack you can prepare with minimum effort. And can be stored away for a few days. 

Method:

In a bowl mix  all the ingredients( 1 - 9). Sprinkle some water and mix, so that the spices are coated well on the peanuts.
Heat oil in a pan.When it starts boiling add peanut mixture and deep fry on medium high flame. Separate the peanuts while frying, otherwise it will form one big lump.
Fry until light brown, turning occasionally.Drain on a paper towel.

In the same oil fry the crushed garlic and the curry leaves. Add these to the fried peanuts and mix well. Cool and store in air-tight containers.

Serve with hot tea / coffee.

Ingredients:

1.Raw peanuts - 1 cup
2.Chickpea flour / Besan - 3 tablespoon
3.Rice flour - 1 tablespoon
4.Ginger- garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
5.Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
6.Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
7.Asafoetida - 1 pinch
8.Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
9.Salt to taste

Garlic crushed - 2 - 3 cloves
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil for deep frying


Adapted from Suresh Palayil's recipe.Original recipe called for more red chilli powder.

No Cook Sweet and Chewy Snack

Method:

In a bowl mix together rice flakes and grated coconut. Mix well using your fingers. Keep aside for ten minutes.
Add jaggery syrup ( or grated jaggery ), honey and sesame seeds to the rice flake mixture, mix well using a spoon.
If you like the taste of roasted chickpeas, add it. It increases the protein content.
Serve as a snack.

Ingredients:

Rice Flakes / Poha - 1/2 cup
Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
Jaggery / Molasses syrup - 1 1/2 tablespoon OR grated Jaggery - 1/4 cup
Honey - 1/2 tablespoon
Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon
Roasted split chickpea - 1 tablespoon ( optional )

Cowpea Thoran

The cowpea is also known as the Lobia or blackeyed pea. It is a good source of protien and some minerals. It is widely used in south-indian cuisine. The tender leaves are also edible and can be cooked in a similar way. The cowpea is used to make a variety of dishes and they are tasty too.It cooks well in very little water.

Method:

• Wash the cowpea thoroughly. Chop finely. 
• In a mixer jar pulse ( use the Whip Button ) the green chillies. Add the grated coconut, cumin seeds and garlic cloves. Pulse once more. Do Not grind into a paste. Keep aside.
• Boil 1/2 cup water in a pan, add the chopped cowpeas, cover and cook for 3 - 4 minutes. Remove the lid, add salt, allow the water to dry off on medium flame. When it is almost dry, reduce flame to simmer and add the coconut mixture, mix well. Adjust salt. In another pan heat oil, add the chopped shallots, mustard seeds and red chillies which are broken into 2 or 3 pieces. When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add curry leaves and the cowpea mix into the pan, mix and remove from flame.

Serve with rice.

Ingredients:

Cowpea - 300 grams
Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
Greenchilly - 2
Cumin seeds - 2 pinch
Garlic - 2 cloves
Salt

For seasoning:

Shallots  - 2 thinly sliced
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Whole red chilly - 2
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil - 2 - 3 teaspoons 




Note: If you are going to use this dish immediately, you may avoid the seasoning.

Beetroot Chutney

Beetroots are a powerhouse of nutrients. It contains more Vitamin C than spinach. The nitrates in beetroot helps in lowering the blood pressure. It increases your stamina. A certain constituent in beetroot prevents birth-defects, so pregnant women must include it in their diet. The pigment that gives crimson color to beetroots can  prevent cancer. Beetroot detoxifies your body.

This is a sweet chutney. The taste of which enhances with time. 

Method:

Peel and chop the Beetroot and onion.
Grind all the ingredients into a coarse paste. Add little water if needed.
Heat a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, and broken red chillies. When the mustard starts spluttering add curry leaves. Add the ground mixture and cook for a few minutes while stirring.
This chutney is best when used after 2 -3 hrs.
Serve with rice. 

Ingredients: 

Beetroot - 1 medium sized
Onion - 1 small or a few shallots
Ginger - 1" piece
Garlic - 1 - 2 cloves
Green chilly - 2
Dry Red chilly - 2
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Tamarind Pulp - 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

For Seasoning:

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Dry red chilly - 2
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil - 2 teaspoon