Cabbage Coconut fry

                                                                 

Preparation:

Wash and shred cabbage.

Crush the cumin seeds and garlic together.

Heat a pan . Add oil, black gram, mustard and dry chilly. When the mustard starts spluttering, add the curry leaves. After a few seconds add the cabbage and stir well. lower the flame. Press the cabbage down, Cover and cook for a minute or two. The cabbage should not lose its crispness. Remove the lid and add the coconut, turmeric and chilly powder and the crushed cumin and garlic. Add salt. Stir thoroughly. If there is any water content , dry it up on high flame. Stir continuously. Remove from stove.

Serve with rice

Note: Cabbage can be replaced by amaranth, Spinach and cooked beans, beetroot, drumsticks etc. 

Ingredients:
                                   
Cabbage - 1/4 cabbage ( shredded )
Coconut (scraped) - 1/3 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Garlic - 1- 2 cloves
Salt to taste

For seasoning:

Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Dry red chilly - 2
Split black gram ( urad dal ) - 2 teaspoons
Curry leaves - a few
Oil - 2 - 3 teaspoons

Eggless Cake

Eggless Basic Cake

This is a recipe from the net. I just tried. And sharing with you.

Ingredients:                                                                                Baking time: 30 - 35 minutes

All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups (200 grams)
Hung curd / yogurt -1 cup
Granulated Sugar - 3/4 cup
Baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon
Baking powder - 1 1/4  teaspoon
Odourless refined oil - 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence -1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Sift the all purpose flour from a height 3 times. While measuring flour do not press the flour into the cup. All the other ingredients can be pressed down lightly while measuring.

2. Pre-heat oven at 200 degree Centigrade for 10 minutes.

3. Grease and flour an 8 inch baking tin.

4.Cream the sugar and yogurt / hung curd until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add baking powder and baking soda and combine well. Keep aside for a few minutes. Bubbles will start appearing.

5. Now add the vegetable oil and vanilla essence and mix well. Add the sifted flour, 1 tablespoon at a time and fold gently.

6. Bake in the pre-heated oven at 200 degree centigrade for the first 10 minutes and 175 degree centigrade for 20 - 25 minutes.

7. Cool the cake 20 - 30 minutes  before removing from the tin.

Ginger Sherbet

Ginger adds zest and flavour to dishes. It is the pungent root rhizome of the ginger plant. Ginger has great medicinal value too. It is anti-inflammatory, anti - bacterial and anti-flatulent. It provides relief to gastro-intestinal problems, like nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. It also provides relief to arthritic patients. 

Ginger root is a store-house of potassium, manganese, magnesium and copper. Potassium helps to control heart rate and blood pressure. Also contains vitamins B5 and B6.

Preparation:

1. Remove the skin of ginger and wash it well. Then crush it well and add water. Strain the juice using a fine sieve. Keep the juice aside for 24 hours, without disturbing, so that the residue settles properly. After 24 hours, strain again using a muslin cloth. Take care not to disturb the sediments. Add 6 cups of sugar to the clear juice and boil. When cool add the lime juice. Stir well and again strain the mixture twice or thrice, so that you get a very clear solution.

Serve after diluting with water.

Ingredients:

1. Ginger - 200 grams
2.Water - 6 cups
3. Lime juice - 1 cup
4. Sugar - 6 cups

Ulli Thiyal/ Shallots in coconut gravy

Shallots are part of Kerala Cuisine. It contains more anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals than onions and garlic. It contains, proteins, dietary fiber, Vitamin C, A, B6, potassium, folate, manganese. It is rich in flavanoids and polyphenolic compounds. 

Ingredients:

Shallots/sambar onions (chopped) – 1 cup

Ingredients for  Roasting:

Coconut (scraped) -1/2 of a coconut

Whole dry red chilly – 6

Coriander powder - 3 teaspoons

Turmeric powder -1/4 teaspoon

Shallots – 2

Fenugreek seeds (roasted and powdered) – ¼ teaspoon

Tamarind – the size of a small lime( or according to ones taste - more or less )

Salt to taste.

For seasoning:

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

Whole dry red chilly – 2 or 3

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Preparation:

Soak the tamarind in a cup of water. After 10 – 15 minutes strain and keep aside the tamarind water.

Roast together the scraped coconut, dry red chillies, and 2 shallots. When the coconut turns golden brown, switch off the stove. Add the coriander powder immediately and stir well. Add turmeric powder and allow the mixture to cool. Grind the mixture finely, without adding water.

Meanwhile, place a pan on the stove, add a table spoon of oil. When the oil is hot add the mustard seeds, dry red chillies and curry leaves. When the mustard starts spluttering, add the chopped shallots and sauté it. Keep stirring. When the shallots start to turn transparent, add the tamarind water and cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat

Now add the ground coconut mixture into the cooked shallots. Mix well. Add salt to taste. If the gravy seems thick add hot water and bring it your required consistency. Add the fenugreek powder.  Simmer the gravy until oil surfaces.

Serve with rice. 

Khubani ka Meetha / Apricot sweet

Apricots belong to the family of peaches. It is a low calorie fruit rich in Vitamin A and carotene, which is good for the eye and skin. It is rich in dietary fiber and has low calorie. Fresh apricots contain more Vitamin C than the dried ones. Contains anti-oxidants that destroy free radicals, which causes cancer. Phytochemicals in apricots help to prevent heart problems. It also redujces LDL, which is known as the 'bad cholesterol'.

Khubani ka Meetha is an apricot based Hyderabadi sweet, with very very few ingredients. This is a vegan dish without the toppings.

Preparation:

1.Wash the dried apricots very well and soak in water overnight. Next day remove the apricots from water. Do not throw away the water. We are going to cook the apricots in this water.

2. Deseed the apricots. If you crack open the apricot seeds, you will find almond shaped nuts. Keep them aside. Chop the fleshy part.

3. Place a large kadai on the stove. Pour 400 ml water and add the chopped apricots. Stir occasionally Cook till the mixture turns pulpy.You can use a spoon to blend in the apricots. When it turns into a thick liquid, add sugar. (If you want the dish to be sweeter you can add more sugar. If you want it less sweet you can add less sugar. Choice is yours.) Cook for 5 minutes.Add the seeds of apricot or almonds, cardamom powder, stir and remove from the stove.

Serve hot or warm or cold.
Or
 Serve garnished with whipped cream or Vanilla ice cream.This is optional.


                                                                                                         

                                                        PC Google

Ingredients:                                                                                                  

1. Dried Apricots -250 grams
2. Sugar 150 grams
3. Water  - 400 ml of the water used for soaking apricots
4. Apricot seeds or Almonds blanched and roasted -a handful
5. Cardamom powder- a pinch

For topping: (Optional)

Whipped Cream/ Rabdi/ Vanilla ice-cream.(You can use any of these as a topping or you can eat it as such.)

                                                                                                                    PC Google

Soya Nugget Masala

This is a dry version.

Preparation

1. Heat a litre of water, add a teaspoon of salt. Soak the soya nuggets in this water, cover and keep aside for 20-30 minutes.Afterwards drain and squeeze the water from the nuggets. Wash again in tap water 2 or 3 times. Squeeze dry. Cut the bigger nuggets into smaller pieces.

2. Heat oil in a big kadai, add mustard seeds. When it starts spluttering, add the chopped onions. Saute until the onion turns golden brown.Add the ginger-garlic paste, stir a few seconds,then add the meat masala and coriander powder, stir for a few seconds. Add the soya sauce and one cup of water.Bring to a boil and let it cook till the oil surfaces. Stir occasionally.

3. When the oil surfaces, add the nuggets. Stir well. Add 2 cups of water. Check salt. If salt is less for your taste add more. Cover and cook on medium flame. Turn over the ingredients in between. Gently squeeze the nuggets so that excess water in it comes out. Add green chillies. Stir.When almost dry add the black pepper and coconut pieces. Mix thoroughly.

4. Transfer into a serving dish. Garnish with tomato slices and chopped capsicum.  

Ingredients:

1.Soya Nuggets -2 cups
2.Onion -3 (chopped)
3.Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
4.Coriander powder - 2-3 teaspoons
5.Meat masala - 1 tablespoon ( i used Eastern meat masala )
6.Black pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon (crushed black pepper tastes better)
7.Soya sauce - 2 teaspoons
8.Green chilly - 3( each cut into 3 pieces)
9.Coconut - 1/4 cup(fresh coconut cut into small pieces)
10.Water -3 cups
11.Salt
12.Oil - 1/4 cup
13.Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

For Garnishing:  
Tomato - 1
Green capsicum - 1 medium

Double Ka Meetha

Double ka meetha is a Hyderabadi Sweet Dish made with old bread slices.

Preparation:

1. Slice away the the brown crust from the bread pieces. Cut each slice into 4 equal squares Or cut each piece diagonally into 2 triangles. Dry the bread pieces by keeping it in the open for 10 -12 hours or toast in the oven. Then deep fry the bread pieces into golden brown. Keep it aside. Fry the raisins and cashew nuts.

2. Make sugar syrup, add 1-2 drops of lemon juice in it, so that it will not form crystals later. Add the saffron solution. If you don't have saffron don't add. It just adds to richness of the dish. Add a pinch of cardamom powder in this. Simmer the syrup for 10 - 15 minutes. Add the fried bread pieces into it in batches. When they are completely soaked in the syrup, remove those pieces onto a plate and add the next batch of bread pieces. Repeat this until the whole bread pieces are soaked in sugar syrup.

3. Boil  milk. (If whole milk is used it is better.) Bring down to a simmer.Add the cardamom powder.  Stir continuously. When the milk starts thickening add the bread pieces. Let the bread pieces to absorb all the milk on a very very low flame. Remove from the fire. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with dry fruits.

Note: Some cooks add some sugar while thickening the milk. Sweet thickened milk is known as Rabdi.

Ingredients:

• Bread Slices -10 slices
• Sugar-1 cup
• Water - 11/2 cups
• Cardamom Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Milk -2 cups
• Dry fruits - cashew nuts(chopped), almonds(chopped), raisins - 1 tablespoon each
• lime juice - 2 drops
• Ghee/ oil - 1 cup
• Saffron 2-4 strands soaked in 1 tablespoon water (optional)

Tomato Pickle

Tomatoes and potatoes belong to the same family. Like potatoes, tomatoes are available round the year. This is a low-calorie vegetable/fruit. Fresh ones are rich in potassium. Tomatoes are a rich source of anti-oxidants which protects one from various types of cancers. Lycopene, an anti-oxidant which is present only in tomatoes protects skin from UV-rays. Tomato is also good for eye-health. It is also a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A and beta carotenes. 

This is one pickle i love to eat with anything and everything. And the best thing is all the ingredients are always available at home.


Preparation:

1.Cut the tomatoes into small pieces. Add the turmeric powder, salt, and tamarind into the cut tomatoes, and mix well. Cover the mixture with a lid. Let this rest for 48 hours.

2.After 48 hours:  Roast and grind the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, separately.

3.Now grind the tomato mixture into a smooth paste along with the red chilly powder, mustard powder and the fenugreek powder. Do not add water.

Method:

Heat the oil in a big pan. Add the seasoning. When the garlic starts to turn brown, carefully add the tomato mix into it. Fry for a few minutes or until the oil surfaces. Remove from fire. Cool and store in glass jars.

Can be served with rice and rotis. Shelf life is more than an year.

Ingredients:

• Tomato - 1 Kg
• Salt - 300 - 350 grams
• Red Chilly powder - 150 -200 grams
• Oil -350 ml
• Tamarind -350 grams
• Mustard seeds -35 grams
• Fenugreek seeds - 20 grams
• Turmeric Powder -1 teaspoon

For Seasoning:

• Garlic - 85 grams(chopped)
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
• Black gram(split) -1 tablespoon

Roasted Coconut Chutney

This is a typical Kerala recipe.

Method

1.Heat a pan, add coconut, red chillies and shallots. Roast till the water content disappears.Do not overdo the roasting. Enjoy the heavenly aroma. Remove from the stove. Add the tamarind, ginger and salt. Allow the mixture to cool.

2.Grind the mixture thoroughly. Do not add water.

3.Transfer to a serving dish. Roasted coconut chutney is ready.

A good side-dish for rice. Curd is a good accompaniment.

Ingredients:

1.Coconut(fresh) - 1/2 of a coconut scraped or cut into small pieces
2.Dry Red chillies (whole) 6 - 7 nos.
3.Shallots- 3 pieces (If not available use a very small piece of the regular onion)
4.Tamarind -little ( the size of a small pea)
5.Ginger - very very little (a paper-thin 1/2 inch piece)
6.Salt to taste
7.Curry leaves - a few