Beef Curry

This is a semi gravy curry………..very simple and easy to make and so tasty…….nothing to sauté much.This goes well with ghee rice and parotta…….beef and mutton is something we buy rarely……….this both creates cholesterol problems and after that we have to be very careful about the diet……..so”prevention is better than cure”…….so little careful about having red meats………..now we shall go to the recipe…….

Ingredients:

1kg beef
2 Large onions
1 Large tomato
2 Green chillies
10 Cloves garlic
1 Medium piece ginger
1½tsp Coriander powder
½ tsp Turmeric powder
1½tsp Red chilly powder
1tsp Garam masala powder
Salt
¼ c Water

For Tempering:

7 Shallots
2tbsp Coconut oil
Curry leaves

Method:

1.Clean the beef and drain excess water.
2.In a pressure cooker mix well all the ingredients(sliced onions,sliced tomatoes,ginger garlic paste and the other powders spices) and pressure cook it till the meat is done.
3.Allow the pressure to go full normally.
4.Now open the lid of the cooker if there is more water keep the flame high and evaporate the water till the gravy thickens.
5.Off the flame when it is done.Now heat another pan add oil add the chopped shallots.When the shallots are brown in color add the curry leaves.
6.Pour this over the curry and mix well.
7.Serve hot with ghee rice,chapathis and parottas.

This goes to ayeesha's Iftar moments:hijri 1431

Chicken Roast

Chicken roast is a good combination with chappathi and appam……….this is a simple chicken roast………I like any dish of chicken.When I was kid I liked only chicken in meat……….when grown up only I used to taste mutton and beef…..actually those who know me used to make fun of me because of ur chicken love only the dish chicken fajitha must have come………may be na hehehe!!!!!!!!!!
My kids too the same now……..like mom like kids……..now we’ll go to the recipe……

Ingredients:

1kg Chicken
4 Large onions
1 Large tomato
5 Cloves galic
1 Medium piece ginger
1tsp Coriander powder
2tsp Kashmiri chilly powder
½ tsp Turmeric powder
1tsp Garam masala powder
3 cloves
3 Pods cardamom
1 Small piece cinnamon stick

Water
Oil
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Method:

1.Marinate the chicken with kashmiri chilly powder ,turmeric powder and salt.
2.Keep this for 1 hr or more.
3.Heat oil in a pan.Add the cloves,cardamoms and cinncmon stick.
4.When the spices are roasted add the onions and sauté till light brown.Add curry leaves.
5.Now add the crushed ginger and garlic.Saute well.
6.When the raw smell of the ginger and garlic is gone add the coriander powder and garam masala powder.Saute well.
7.Now add the chopped tomatoes and sauté well.
8.When the tomatoes are soft add the marinated chicken and mix well with the masala.
9.Close the lid and cook in low flame.
10.If the mixture is catching the pan u can add a little water.
11.Cook till the chicken is done.
12.If more water is there evapourate it in high flame till the chicken is raosted.
13.Serve with chappathi,puri,parotta,appam or even plain rice.

This recipe goes to ayeesha's event Iftar moments:hijri 1431

Apple Coconut Muffins And My First Award

When I thought of baking muffins,I thought what special taste will I bring in my muffins………then it striked the apples in my fridge………actually the saying itself is “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”…….but like me many of you will be lazy to eat an apple everyday isn’t it……when I was thinking what to do to finish my apples I got more apples when we visited my uncles house so again more apples…….so one day I made apple and carrot juice next day the same noooo,so I thought of making some apple muffins and if I add some coconut flavour it will be so tasty…….personally I’m a fan of coconut flavor…….so may be more apple recipes coming to finish up my apples lol!!!!!!
Now coming to the award this is my first award and so happy for that.With a short time I got this and I thank ayeesha of taste of pearl city who passed this award to me.She is one of the daily visitor of my blog and leaves her valuable comments…….…….Thanks once again ayeesha.
She has passed to 15 of them including me now I have to pass this to another 15 who is my favourite.Now here comes some of my favourite bloggers to whom I pass this award………

1.Shabeena
2.Dhanya3.Jay4.Satya

5.Aipi
6.Priya
7.Shifa8.Subhashini
9.Ruchika10.Nithu11.Faiza ali12.Prema
13. Shahana14.Treat and trick
15.Reshmi
Happy to pass this award to my fellow bloggers.Please pass this to another 15 bloggers those who are your favourite.
Now we shall go to the recipe,Apple coconut muffins

Ingredients:

2c All purpose flour
1c Powdered sugar
2 Eggs room temp
1½ tsp Baking powder
½ tsp Vanilla essence
½ tsp Cinnamon powder
¼ c Melted Butter
Milk
A pinch of salt
¾ c Oil
1c Desicated coconut
1c Chopped apples

For topping:

½ c Desicated coconut
1tbsp Dark brown sugar
1tbsp Butter

Method:

1.Sieve the flour,baking powder and salt.
2.In a bowl add powdered sugar,oil and butter(butter is optional u can use full oil also).Beat well with a beater.
3.Now and eggs one by one beat well after each addition.
4.Add vanilla essence and cinnamon powder and beat well.
5.Now add the flour little by little and just beat with the beater.
6.Add milk as required to loosen the batter.
7.Add the chopped apples and desicated coconut and beat.
8.Don’t over beat.
9.Preheat the oven to 200 degree C for 15 mins.
10.Place paper liner in a muffin tray.
11.Pour the batter to each cups to ½ or ¾ of the cup.
12.For topping mix the topping ingredients well with a spoon and just spread over each muffin before baking.
13.Bake this at 175 degree C for 25 to 30 mins or the tester comes out clean.
14.Tasty apple coconut muffins ready to serve.

This goes to the events Ayeesha’s iftarmoments:hijri 1431 and champa’s Bake-off and to akilas kitchen's event DNSW:A

Parotta

Parotta is a kerala roti….for every occasion and if any guests come this is a main roti.
Just it is having some procedures……my hubby and kids are parotta lovers……..so I thought to make it at home…….its better to make in home……here comes the home made parotta……

Ingredients:

4c Maida
2 Large eggs
2tsp Sugar
2tsp Baking powder
Salt
½c Oil
Water
Ghee for applying

Method:

1.In a bowl put maida,baking powder,sugar and salt.
2.Add slightly beaten egg and water and start kneading.
3.Add oil in between and knead well for 10 mins till smooth dough is obtained.
4.Now cover this dough with a wet cloth and allow to rest for 2 to 3 hrs.
5.After to 3 hrs just knead the dough and make medium sized balls.
6.And let this rest on the oiled counter for another half hour covered with wet cloth.
7.After 30 mins with a rolling pin flatten the ball into a very thin sheet.
8.Make fleets on this sheet how we put fleets on a sari.
9.Now catch both ends in both hands like a rope and beat this on the counter to make this to a thin rope.
10.Now roll this to a wheel shape as shown below.Do the same with all the balls.

11.Let this also rest for another 15 mins covered with wet cloth.
12.Now flatten each roll with hand or a rolling pin.
13.Heat a tawa and cook each parottas.Apply ghee.
14.Keep 3 to 4 cooked parottas together and just beat in between the hands while the parottas are hot.(like clapping hands).This is to make layers in the parottas.
15.Serve hot with meat curries or vegetable curries.

This goes to Iftar moments:hijri1431 event of taste of the pearl city

Butter Scotch Bread Pudding

An easy bread pudding with a different taste.This really have the taste of butter scotch.Caramelized sugar and butter give the tatse.Actually I didn’t get good pics.When I went to take the camera my kids started eating little by little from side so before cooling I had to take the pics.If this pudding is totally cooled we can cut in shape but because it was hot I couldn’t get any good shaped pic.But the taste was amazing……….within one hour the whole pudding was over.Lets go to the recipe.

Ingredients:

4 Slices of bread
½ ltr Milk
2 Eggs
½ c Sugar
10 Cashew nuts split

For Caramel:

½ c Sugar
½ c Water
3 Tbsp Butter

Method:

1.Cut the Bread pieces into small squares.
2.Grease a baking pan and put these bread pieces in the pan.
3.Now separate the egg whites and yolks.
4.Now heat a pan and put sugar don’t stir till the sugar melts.When the sugar turn dark brown color add the butter and stir it.After this is slightly cooled add the water and heat lightly till all the solid pieces melt.Keep this aside for cooling.
5.In a bowl take sugar,milk and egg yolks and mix well with a beater or fork.
6.Now add the caramel syrup to the milk mixture and mix well.
7.Pour this over the bread and let it sit for 10 minutes for the bread to absorb the milk.
8.Now beat the egg white till fluffy.
9.Fold in this egg white to the bread mixture with a fork.
10.Arrange cashew splits over the bread pudding mixture.
11.Preheat the oven at 200 degree C for 15 mins.
12.Bake the pudding at 180 degree C for 40 mins or till the top portion is brown and the tester comes out clean.
13.Cool it for sometime and cut into desired shape.
14.Enjoy the butter scotch bread pudding.

This goes to Iftar Moment :hijri 1431 event of taste of pearl city.

Basbousa

Another Arabic sweet basbousa ………..this is made with semolina.So it can be called as semolina cake also.Prepare cake with semolina and soak in sugar syrup……this was so moist and crumbly.This tasted so nice.



















Ingredients:

2c Semolina
½c Butter melted
1tsp Baking powder
¼ tsp Baking soda
½c Sugar
1 Egg
1c Milk
1tin Puck cream
½ c Almonds blached and split

For Syrup:

1c Sugar
1c Water
2tsp Rose water
½ tsp Lime juice


















Method:

1.Sift semolina,baking powder and baking soda.
2.In a bowl add sugar,milk,egg,butter and cream and mix well with a beater or a spoon.
3.Add semlina mixture to the milk mixture and mix well.
4.Grease a pan and pour the semolina mixture to it.
5.Arrange the split almonds on top of the batter in equal distance while cutting each almond will come in middle of each square.
6.Preheat the oven at 200 degreeC for 15 mins.
7.Bake the basbousa at 175 degree C for 30 to 35 mins till the top is lightly browned.
8.Make syrup by mixing sugar and boil till the sugar is totally dissolved and becomes a syrup.
9.Add rose water and lime juice into the syrup.
10.While the basbousa is hot pour the syrup on top of it.
11.After 30 min cut the basbousas into square or diamond shape.
12.You can serve each piece with a scoop of vanilla icecream or as it is!!!!!!

This recipe goes to the Iftar moments:hijri 1431 event hosted by tasteofpearlcity and champa’s Bake-off event.

Aloo Gobi

This is a north Indian dish……..very good with chapathis……this dish is also made in many ways.Some doesn’t use tomatoes in this dish I have used tomatoes.I don’t feel tasty if tomato is not in the curry.Tomato,coconut these things are very common in my curries but it tasted good.And trying out difference in dishes is what I like the most in cooking……



















Ingredients:

1 Big cauliflower
2 Medium potatoes
1 Big onion
1 Big tomato
4 Cloves garlic
1 Small piece ginger
1½tsp Kashmiri chilly powder
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
½ tsp Coriander powder
¼ tsp Jeera powder
½ tsp Garam masala
Salt Coriander leaves
½ tsp Jeera seeds


















Method:

1.Seperate the cauliflower into florets.
2.Cut the potatoes into cubes.
3.In a kadai heat oil and shallow fry the potatoes and cauliflower.
4.When its slightly brown here and there drain from the oil.
5.In the same oil add jeera seeds,chopped onions and sauté well till it is transparent.
6.When the onions are done add the chopped garlic and ginger.Saute till the raw smell goes away.
7.Now add the turmeric powder,coriander powder and kashmiri chilly powder.
8.Saute well and add jeera powder and garam masala.
9.Mix well and add chopped tomatoes.
10.Mix well till the tomatoes are soft.
11.Now add the fried potatoes and cauliflower and mix well.
12.Close the lid of the kadai and cook.No need to add water cook in low flame till the potatoes and cauliflower is fully cooked.
13.When cooked add coriander leaves.
14.Serve hot with chapathis.

Baklava

This is my 50th post……..so thought of posting a sweet.Happy to reach here with the support of family,friends and other bloggers…….….hope this support will continue for me to keep on going………Thanks a lot to all of them who supported me.
The famous Arabic sweet “Baklava”……………….the phyllodough filled with nuts and soaked in sugar syrup………..this can be made in many shapes,squares,diamond,fingers and small rectangles……I made this in small rectangle shapes.This really tasted awesome.That day we had some guests,they tasted it and said it was really good.It tasted more good than the shop one.I was so happy to hear that.One plate of baklava disappeared within seconds….………kids too loved this.Now got order for making this another day………… kids are saying it was not enough that day………….not only for them for me too!!!!But thinking of the calories I intake I have to control myself from making and eating this………once start I can’t stop having this………..really this is a delicious sweet!!!!!!!



















Ingredients:

1pkt Phyllo dough
1c Walnuts
¼ c Pistachios
¼ c Sugar
½ tsp Cinnamon powder
½ c Melted butter

For Syrup:

1c Sugar
1tsp Rose water
1c Water


















Method:

1.Defrost the phyllo dough.
2.Now cut out a medium sized square out of the dough.
3.Coarse grind the walnuts.
4.Mix sugar and cinnamon powder to the walnut and mix well.
5.Now brush each phyllo sheet with butter and place one over another.
6.Stack atleast 7 to 10 sheets.
7.Now put the walnut mixture on the sheet on the lengthy side in a thick line leaving 1 inch of the sheet edge.
8.Now roll the sheet into a log shape.
9.Cut carefully with a knife into small square or rectangles.
10.Preheat the oven to 180 degree C for 20 mins.
11.Line a baking sheet and place these baklavas on the sheet and bake it on 165 degree C for 20 to 25 mins or till the down portion is lightly browned and the top part is crispy.
12.For sugar syrup mix sugar,water and rose water and bring to boil.Boil till the syrup is slightly thickened.
13.Pour this syrup over the baked baklavas.
14.Allow the baklavas to absorb the syrup.
15.It will take almost 2 to 3 hrs to get absorbed fully.
16.Have baklavas one by one and you will find hard to stop.

Parippu Curry (Version 1)

The simplest curry of keralites to have for lunch…….I make in two ways so I gave as version 1…….one type to make with tomatoes other with raw mangoes……now I’m posting the curry made with raw mangoes………actually this is healthy too…..there is lentils,vegetables and flavour of coconut……..this is the first curry I made after my marriage for my hubby…….actually this is his all time fav curry too…….that time I used to make by grinding coconut into fine paste and add to the curry but after that I thought why don’t we pour coconut milk in this instead of grinding coconut……..now I used to make with coconut milk which tastes very good…….those who never tried this method try it out adding coconut milk easy and tasty it is…….and I use masoor dal instead of toor dal because it cooks fast and no stomach upset……for toor dal some have acidity problems.To avoid those things I use masoor dal and don’t worry about the taste this too tastes good.Now we’ll go to the recipe…….



















Ingredients:

1c Masoor dal
4 Drumsticks or any vegetable like bottlegourd or whitegourd
1 Raw mango
3 Green chillies
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
½tsp Chilly powder
1½ c Coconut milk
Water
Salt

For Tempering:

Oil
Mustard seeds
2 Red whole chillies
Curry leaves


















Method:

1.Cook dal with sufficient water.
2.Cut the drumsticks into 3” pieces and mangoes into medium slices.
3.When the dal is cooked and the drumsticks,mangoes,split green chillies,turmeric powder,chilly powder and salt.
4.Add little water and mix well and cook.
5.When the mangoes and drumsticks are done add the coconut milk and just boil.
6.Off the flame.Heat another pan,heat oil add the mustard seeds when it splutters put whole chillies and curry leaves.
7.Add this over the parippu curry.
8.Serve hot with plain rice.
This goes to Anita's vegetable marathon event hosted by ruchika and to Susan's main MLLA host line up

Muthabal or Baba Ganoush

This is an Arabic dip made with egg plant.This is very tasty with kubus and grills and very healthy too………this is very easy to make.There are many versions I think.Some used to add yoghurt in this.But I didn’t add yoghurt.Here comes my version…..
























Ingredients:

1 Big eggplant
2tbsp Tahini(sesame paste)
2 Cloves garlic
1tsp Lime juice
Salt

Method:

1.Bake the egg plant in the oven till it is soft.
2.Allow to cool and peel the skin.
3.In a bowl add eggplant,crushed garlic,tahini,lime juice and salt.
4.Mash with a mortar or in a blender.
5.I just give one pulse in my blender.
6.Garnish with olive oil,pomegranate seeds and paprika powder.
7.Serve along with kubus and grilled chicken.

Croissants

When I made croissants for the first time I loved it so much because I got the correct shape.Second time the shape was little bigger but it tasted the same.Because now the climate is not favorable to make croissants………..its so hot the butter sheet melts in no second………whenever I took the dough out of the fridge to roll it, the butter was oozing out………last time when I made it was not so hot as now, so I could make it easily……….now had to act so fast to avoid the melting of butter……….this is a little bit long process but we get the result ………….so I don’t worry about the process………..now I’ll make this when the climate changes……….



















Ingredients:

3c All purpose flour
1½ tsp Yeast
3tbsp Sugar
1tsp Salt
2tbsp Butter room temp
1c Milk
Chocolate chunks (optional)
200grms Cold butter for making sheets

For Brushing:

1 Egg
¼ c Water


















Method:

Step 1:

1.Mix the yeast and sugar in warm milk and keep aside for 10 mins.
2.In a bowl put flour,salt and butter.Add milk yeast mixture slowly to the flour ans start kneading.Knead till the dough is soft and elastic.
3.Now cover this with a wet cloth and keep for rising for 2 to 3 hrs.

Step 2:Making Butter sheet:

1.I do it on aluminium foil.
2.Take a big squre piece of aluminiun foil.In the middle place the cold butter block.
3.Now with a rolling pin beat and flatten the butter to a thin square.The butter should not be soft.
4.Cover it with the aluminium foil and keep it in the fridge.

Step 3:

1.After 3 hrs take the dough and punch down.
2.Now flour the surface and roll the dough into a big rectangle.
3.Now take out the butter sheet and keep it on one side of the flattened dough leaving the edges.
4.Now the dough should almost fill more than half portion with the butter sheet.
5.Now fold the left end without butter on the butter top and fold the other end on the dough.
6.Now roll the dough to another long rectangle to incorporate the butter and dough and fold in three folds.
7.Wrap this in a plastic wrapper and keep in the refrigerator for 2 hrs.


















Step 4:

1.After 2 hrs take out the dough and again roll it into a rectangle.
2.Again fold it in four folds such as two end towards the middle then close like a book.
3.Wrap this again in a plastic wrapper and refrigerate it for another 2 hrs.Step 5:
1.Now again take out the dough and roll it into a big rectangle.
2.Now cut the dough lengthwise into two halves .
3.Now cut small triangles out of these lengthy rectangles with a pizza cutter or a knife.
4.Now roll each triangles from the widest side to the tip.
5.Stretch the tip of the triangle and roll from the widest side.
6.We can even fill some croissants with some cooking chocolate pieces and roll it.
7.Now line a baking sheet with a parchment paper.
8.Place each croissant on the sheet, give some space in between.
9.Preheat the oven to 200 degree C for 15 mins.
10.Let the croissants to rise for another 40 to 45 mins.
11.Beat the egg and water together and brush this over the croissants.
12.Bake the croissants at 165 degree C for 30 to 40 mins or till it is light brown color and crispy.
13.Serve when slightly cooled.
Senting this entry to champs 'Bake-off' event.

Semiya Payasam

My all time fav payasam.My kids too love this very much.I like the payasams more with milk and sugar than jaggery……...This is very easy to make and very tasty also.
With only some ingredients we get a very tasty dish…….I used the very thin vermicelli.We get in the stores the roasted ones so need to roast also.If using the thick vermicelli,you should roast it till it is light brown in color……………



















Ingredients:
1½ltrs Milk
2c Water
2½c Thin roasted vermicelli crushed with hand
1tin Condensed milk
3tbsp Sugar
1tbsp Sago seeds(sabunari or sabudana)
7pods Cardamom or 1½tsp cardamom powder
For Garnishing:
1tbsp Ghee
Cashew nuts broken
Raisins


















Method:
1.Soak the sago seeds in some water for 10 mins and boil it and cook till it is transparent.
2.In a heavy bottomed vessel boil the milk mixed with water till it reduces little.Keep on stiring to avoid the milk catching bottom of the vessel.
3.Add cardamom powder or crushed cardamom.
4.Add the vermicelli and mix well and let it boil till the vermicelli is cooked and thickens.
5.Now add the condensed milk and if needed more sweetness add sugar.
6.Add the cooked sago seeds and mix well.
7.Boil till everything is mixed well and payasam thickens.
8.In a pan heat ghee roast the cashew and raisins and pour over the payasam.
9.Serve hot or cooled.

Vanilla Heart Cake

I gave this name just for an attraction…….this is the simplest cake without any hassle…….this I made for our wedding anniversary…….I got a heart shaped pan so I thought this shape will be good to make on that particular day………the cake was so soft and tasty too……….just gave an icing sugar coating and decorated with dreamwhip………..let us go to the recipe…….



















Ingredients:

2c All purpose flour
1c Butter room temp
2 Eggs room temp
1c Powdered sugar
½ c Milk
1½tsp Baking powder
1½tsp Vanilla essence

For Decoration:

2tbsp Icing sugar
2sachets Dreamwhip powder
¼ c Cold milk
2tbsp Melted cooking chocolate


















Method:

1.Sieve flour and baking powder.
2.In a bowl put powdered suagr and butter and beat well till creamy.
3.Add eggs one by one and beat well after each addition.
4.Add the vanilla essence and mix well.
5.Now add the flour mixture slowly and fold in with a wooden spoon.
6.Add milk in between and mix well till it comes to the consistency of a cake batter.
7.Grease the heart shaped pan or any pan and pour the mixture to the prepared tin and level the batter with aspoon or tap the tin two or three times.
8.Preheat the oven at 200 degree C for 15 mins.
9.Place the tin in the middle rack of the oven and bake at 165 degree C for 35 to 40 mins or till the tester comes out clean.
10.Allow to cool for 10 mins before taking out of the tin.


















For decoration:

1.Whip the dreamwhip powder with the milk till peaks appears.
2.Now melt the cooking chocolate by double boiling method.
3.Mix this melted chocolate with the whipped cream.
4.Keep this in the fridge till the cake is completely cooled.
5.When the cake is cooled sieve some icing sugar on top and side of the cake.
6.In a cake decorator fill the whipped cream mixture and decorate as per your wish.
7.Keep this in the fridge till the decoration sets.
8.Have a piece and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.

Pepper Chicken With Coconut Milk

I like to make chicken curries in different styles.........this style is very good with ghee rice,chappathi and even puris.This is an easy chicken curry…………and pepper is more good than redchilly powder…….you can use crushed pepper or powdered pepper……..here comes the pepper chicken with coconut milk……!!!!!

Ingredients:

1kg Chicken
2 Big onions
1 Big tomato
1 Big potato
2 Green chillies
6 Cloves garlic
1 Medium piece ginger
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
½ tsp Coriander powder
2tsp Pepper powder (more if you want more spicy)
1½c Thick coconut milk
½c Water
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Salt
Oil


















Method:

1.Clean the chicken and drain the water.
2.In a pan heat oil add the sliced onions and sauté till transparent.
3.Now add the crushed garlic and ginger and sauté till the raw smell goes away.
4.Add the slit green chillies.
5.Add the turmeric powder ,coriander powder and pepper powder.
6.Now add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till the tomato is soft.
7.Add the chicken and mix well in the masala.
8.Add the water and cook covered.
9.When the chicken is half done add the cubed potato and mix well with the chicken.
10.Cook till the chicken and potatoes are done.
11.Add the coconut milk and just bring to a boil.
12.Off the flame and garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.
13.Serve hot with ghee rice,chappathi or puri.

This goes to iftar moments:hijri 1431 event of taste of the pearl city

Kappa Upperi or Thalichathu

Kappa,kolli,maricheeni everything is called for one thing Tapioca……….with this what all items can be made………chips,puzhukku,upperi and its tastier with meat and fish too……here is a simple side dish with kappa…….



















Ingredients:

½ kg Kappa(Tapioca)
5 Whole red chillies
7 Shallots
Salt
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Oil


















Method:

1.Cut the tapioca into medium pieces.
2.Boil this in more water till more than half done.
3.Drain off the excess water.
4.Crush the chillies and shallots.
5.In a pan heat oil add mustard seeds when it starts spluttering add curry leaves.
6.Now add the crushed chillies and shallots.Saute well till the raw smell goes off.
7.Now put the tapioca and salt in it and mix well.Close with lid for 5 mins in a low flame.
8.Serve hot with boiled rice and fish curry.

Vendakka Pachadi (Lady’s Finger,Okra,Bhindi)

Again a simple side dish for a lunch………this is very simple and tasty……some doesn’t like lady’s finger much because of its sticky nature……but this dish all will like.By frying it will become crispier……and the taste of coconut and curd make this dish more tastier……….here comes the pachadi…….



















Ingredients:

½ kg Vendakka (Lady’s finger)
½ c Grated coconut
¾ c Curd
3 Green chillies
Oil for frying
Salt

For Tempering:

Coconut oil
Mustard seeds
2 Whole red chillies
Curry leaves


















Method:
1.Clean and cut the lady’s finger into half inch pieces.
2.Pat dry and fry these till light brown and crispy.
3.Take from the oil and drain excess oil and sprinkle some salt and keep aside.
4.In grinder grind curd,grated coconut and green chillies till very fine thick gravy.
5.Pour this to a bowl.Now mix the fried lady’s finger to this gravy.
6.Add more salt if needed.
7.In a small pan heat oil add mustard seeds,when it starts spluttering add whole red chillies and curry leaves.
8.Pour this on top of the pachadi.
9.The tasty pachadi is ready to serve as a side dish with boiled rice.
This goes to 'Side dishes' event by veggie platter

Pizza

I got some requests to post pizza……….so I thought I’ll post it today……….homemade pizzas are really awesome……..when the time of baking pizza my hubby was saying it feels like went to pizza hut!!!!!!!! Actually the aroma of oregano spreads………I made the pizza sauce also.Once I bought pizza sauce from shop but I didn’t like the taste of it…….so I tried my version of pizza sauce………it was really nice……..preserved ones and fresh ones are really different…….pizzas are made on pizza stone I don’t have pizza stone so I used an old fry pan….. I removed the handle of those fry pans and used it for baking pizzas it came out very well in these pans………one pizza I made with thick crust and another with medium thick crust……….now have the homemade pizza………..
















Ingredients:

For Base:

3c All purpose flour
1c Milk
2tsp Instant dry yeast
3tsp Sugar
1tbsp Olive oil
1tsp Salt

For Pizza Sauce:

1 Big tomato
1tbsp Tomato paste
1 ½ tsp Tomato ketchup
3 Cloves garlic
1tsp Oregano leaves
½ tsp Basil leaves
1tsp Sugar
½ tsp Salt
1tsp Olive oil
1c Water


















For Topping:

½ kg Boneless Chicken
Pepper powder or Tikka masala
½ tsp Salt if using pepper powder
1tsp Olive oil
1 Medium green capsicum
1 Big onion
½ c Olive rings
Grated cheese


















Method:

Step 1:

1.Warm the milk and sprinkle yeast and sugar on it and keep aside for 10 mins.
2.In a bowl take flour,salt and add milkyeast mixture and start kneading slowly.
3.Add some olive oil and knead it till soft and elastic dough.
4.Keep it aside for 2 hrs covered with a wet cloth.

Step 2:

1.For pizza sauce heat oil in the pan.
2.Add chopped garlics and sauté till raw smell goes away.
3.Now add chopped tomatoes and sauté till tomatoes are really soft.
4.Now add tomato paste and tomato ketchup andd mix well.
5.Add water,sugar and salt and mix well.
6.Add oregano and basil leaves and mix well.
7.Boil the mixture and boil till the mixture thickens and it comes to the consistency of the sauce.
8.Off the flame and allow it to cool.


















Step 3:

1.Cut the chicken into small cubes.
2.Now heat oil in a pan add the chicken pieces and add tikka masala or pepper powder.If using pepper powder add salt or if tikka masal then no need to add salt.
3.Saute well till the chicken is cooked.Off the flame.
4.Dice the onions,slice the capsicum and keep aside.


















Step 4:

1.Now take out the dough and punch down the air.
2.Divide it into two halfs.
3.Grease the pan with a little olive oil and flatten one portion of the dough in the pan with the hand to your required thickness.
4.Now spread some pizza sauce on top of the flattened dough now put some prepared chicken pieces.
5.Now add the capsicums,onions and olives.
6. Now sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over this
7.. Repeat the same with other half portion of dough.Can make another toppings with sausage or vegetables too or use the same topping.
8.Preheat the oven at 200 degree C for 15mins.
9.Now bake the pizzas at 165 degree C for 20 mins.Till the bottom is light brown color and cheese top melts and becomes light brown.
10.Cut the pizzas with pizza cutter or knife and serve.

Caramel Cake with Butterscotch Icing

This cake can be called caramel cake or butterscotch cake…..because this smells more like butterscotch…….I don’t do icing normally but for this cake I thought to do some icing and for kids they will also like with some icing……..so I did butterscotch icing……this cake is really very soft and tasty……..I made this cake for new year and everybody liked it so they told me to put this in the blog………so I made it again with the same icing……..
















Ingredients:

2c All purpose flour
¾ c Powdered sugar
1½tsp Baking powder
1c Butter room temp
2 Eggs room temp
½ tsp vanilla essence

For Caramel Syrup:

½ c Sugar
½ c Water

For Icing:

1c Dark brown sugar
3tbp Butter
1c Icing sugar
3tbsp Milk
A pinch of salt

For Decoration:

2Sachets Dreamwhip powder
½ c Cold milk

















Method:

1.Sieve the flour and baking powder.
2.For caramel syrup heat a pan put the sugar and wait till it melts and becomes dark brown color.Now boil the water in a sauce pan and pour that boiling water to the caramelized sugar.Do it with a long spoon to avoid burning of hands.Stir very well to make it a syrup.Off the flame and keep aside to cool.This will not thicken because of the water we used.
3.Now in a bowl put the powdered sugar and butter and whisk well.
4.Add eggs one by one and mix well after each addition.
5.Add vanilla essence.
6.Now add the flour mixture slowly and fold in well.
7.Pour the caramel syrup in between the addition of the flour and fold in well with the wooden spoon.Do this till the flour and caramel syrup is fully incorporated.
8.Now grease a cake tin.
9.Preheat the oven for 15 mins in 200degree C.
10.Bake the cake in 180degree C in the middle rack for 35 to 40 mins or till the tester comes out clean..
11.Place the cake on the wire rack for cooling.
















Preparing Icing:

1.Melt the butter in a pan add the brown sugar and stir till the sugar melts add the milk and mix well.Off the flame when the sugar is melted.
2.Now mix the icing sugar and mix without any lumps.Keep this in the fridge till the cake cools.
3.For decoration beat the dreamwhip powder and milk well in a bowl till fluffy and peak forms.Keep this also in the fridge.


















Icing The Cake:

1.Cut the cake into two parts.
2.Apply some icing on one part.Close the cake with the other half.
3.Now apply the icing on top and sides.
4.Now fill a cake decorator and decorate the cake with dreamwhip as your wish.
5.Caramel cake with butterscotch icing is ready to serve.