Daal Palak / Spinach Red gram Curry

INGREDIENTS:

• Red gram / toor daal - ¼ cup
• Spinach (chopped) - 2 cup
• Onion (chopped) - 1 no
• Tomato (chopped)-1 no
• Green Chilly (slit)-2 nos
• Garlic (crushed)- 2  pods
• Chilly powder- ¼ tsp
• Corriander Powder- ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Asafoetida powder - ¼ tsp
• Cumin seed - ¼ tsp
• Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
• Red Chilly-2 nos
• Salt – to taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp

PREPARATION METHOD

• Cook the toor daal / red gram in water and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Put mustard seeds, cumin seed and red chillies and allow to splutter.
• Add onions, green chillies, crushed garlic and sauté till onion turns transparent.
• Add tomatoes and sauté well.
• Add red chilly powder, corriander powder, asafoetida powder and sauté for a minute.
• Add spinach and cooked daal / red gram and mix well.
• Add turmeric powder and salt into it .
• Cover the pan and and let it cook.(no need to add water because the water in the cooked daal and from the spinach is enough to cook)
• Turn off the stove when the curry becomes thick.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice / Chappathi.

Channa Sundal / Chickpeas Stir fry

Sundal is a quick and easy south Indian snack very commonly served in Tamilnadu. This easy to make dish can be made out of cooked dried beans. We can use dried Chickpeas/Chana, Green beans/Moong daal or any dried beans for this preparation.

INGREDIENTS:

• Kadala (Chickpeas) - 1 cup
• Grated coconut - ¼ cup
• Gingely oil - 1 tsp
• Urad daal - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida / Hing - a pinch
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Red chilly -2 nos
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves - a few

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Soak kadala in water for 6 hours .
• Cook soaked kadala, salt and water in a pressure cooker for 5-6 whistle.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and red chilly and let it splutter.
• Add urad dal and fry it.
• Once urad dal becomes golden colour add asafoetida, and curry leaves into the hot oil.
• Add cooked chana / kadala into it and mix.
• Add grated coconut and roast it for 2 -3 minutes.
• Remove from fire and serve.

Veg Pizza

Pizza is an Italian dish. We can make a variety of Pizzas by adding different types of sauces, toppings and seasonings according to individual taste.

Here I am sharing my version of Veg Pizza.  I have used home made white garlic sauce for this pizza since I like its flavor (instead of the red tomato sauce which you may use instead of white sauce according to your taste)

For White Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• Butter - 2 tbsp
• All purpose flour - 1 tbsp
• Minced and crushed garlic - 1 tbsp
• Milk - 1 cup
• Parmesan cheese (grated) - 1 cup
• Black pepper powder - ½ tsp
• Salt -  ½ tsp

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat a pan and melt the butter in medium heat.
• Add minced and crushed garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. 
• Add flour and stir continuously and cook for a minute.
• Add the milk gradually and cook the mixture for 2 minutes.
• Add salt and pepper powder and stir well.
• Add parmesan cheese, stir till the cheese is melted and cook 2-3 minutes to get a thick consistency.
• Remove from fire.

For Pizza

INGREDIENTS:

• All purpose flour - 2 cups
• Active dry yeast - 4 tsp
• Milk - 1/3 cup
• Luke warm water - 1/3 cup
• Olive oil - 2 ½ tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 2 tsp
• White sauce (or tomato sauce) - 1 - 2 tbsp
• Dried oregano  - 2 pinch (optional)
• Dried basil - 2 pinch (optional)
• Vegetables (sliced) - (onion, zucchini, bell pepper, mushroom, tomato)
• Parmesan cheese (grated) - 1/3 cup
• Cheddar cheese (grated)  - 1/3 cup
• Mozzarella cheese (grated)- 1/3 cup

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Add yeast and sugar in luke warm water and mix well until it dissolve.
• Add this mixture, milk, olive oil and salt into flour and mix well. 
• Knead the mixture for 4- 5 minutes to make a smooth dough.
• Cover the dough with a plastic wrap and keep it aside for an hour. (the dough will rise to double its size)
• Roast the red bell pepper till it becomes soft.
• Grease the pizza pan.
• After an hour, dough is rolled out in the greased pan. (if the dough is sticky then use the flour to roll out).
• Make a rim on the edges using your hand.
• Spread the sauce over it (inside the rim). 
• Sprinkle a little of each type of cheese over it.
• Put the vegetables and roasted bell pepper on it.
• Sprinkle oregano and basil powder over it (optional).
• Finally spread the remaining cheese over the vegetables.
• Heat the oven to 450ºF for 4-5 minutes.
• Place the pan into the oven and bake the pizza for 15 - 20 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked and cheese is melt and the sides become golden color. 

Mulakum Malliyum varutharacha meen curry

INGREDIENTS:

• Fish - Pomfret or Pompano –  500gm or 1 lb
• Sliced Shallots –  6 nos or (2 tbsp sliced onion)
• Green Chilly(Slit) -4 nos
• Chopped Ginger - 1 tsp
• Chopped Garlic - 1 tsp
• Kudam Puli(fish tamarind)- 4nos
• Corriander powder – 3 tsp
• Chilli powder – 3 tsp
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Fenugreek Powder -a pinch
• Salt to taste
• Coconut Oil – 3 tsp
• Curry Leaves

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan.
• Add shallots / onions, chilly, chopped ginger- garlic and saute until the onion turns transparent.
• Add chili powder and coriander powder and sauté for a minute.
• Add fish tamarind (kudampuli), turmeric powder, salt and little water, let it to boil.
• When the gravy gets thick, add the cleaned fish .
• Cover the pan with a lid and allow to cook for 10 minutes.
• When the fish is cooked, remove from fire.
• Add fenugreek powder, curry leaves and remaining coconut oil.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice, Chappathi, Bread, Kappa / Chakka Puzhukku

Avocado Dip

INGREDIENTS:

• Ripe avocados - 1 big
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Sour cream / Curd - ½ cup
• Chopped Corriander leaves / Cilantro -  2 tbsp
• Garlic -1 pod
• Green Chilly - 1 no
• Salt - to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cut avocados in half.
• Remove seed and scoop out avacado from the skin.
• Cut it into small pieces.
• Put avocado, lemon juice, corriander leaves, garlic, green chilly, sour cream and salt in a blender.
• Blend together to make a smooth paste.
• Now its ready to serve.

Recommended Combination: Avocado dip can be served with tortilla chips / pita chips.

Broccoli Mushroom Stir Fry

 INGREDIENTS:

• Broccoli (sliced) - 1 cup
• Mushroom (sliced) - 1 cup
• Onion (sliced) - 1 no
• Chopped Garlic - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp 
• Crushed Chilly - ½ tsp
• Pepper powder - ¼ tsp 
• Oil - 1 tsp 
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add sliced onion and garlic, sauté  till it turns transparent.
• Add crushed chili and mix well.
• Add broccoli, mushroom, turmeric powder and salt into it and mix well.
• Let it cook on medium heat.(no need to add water, water from the mushroom is enough to cook the vegetables)
• When the water dries up completely add pepper powder and stir well.
• Remove from fire and serve.

Recommended Combination: Broccoli Mushroom Stir Fry can be served hot with Rice or Chappathi.

Bhelpuri

INGREDIENTS:

• Rice puff -  2 cups
• Potato (boiled and mashed) - ¼ cup
• Chopped onion - ¼ cup
• Chopped corriander leaves - 2 tbsp
• Crispy pappadi - 4-5 nos
• Seva - ¼ cup
• Sweet chutney - 2 tbsp
• Green chutney - 2 tbsp
• Chat masala 

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Mix rice puff, mashed potato, chopped onion and coriander leaves together.
• Add sweet chutney and green chutney and mix well.
• Add seva and crispy pappadi to the mixture.
• Sprinkle a pinch of chat masala and mix well together.

Egg Puffs

INGREDIENTS:

• Pastry sheet -1 
• Hardboiled eggs - 4 nos
• Sliced Onion - 2 nos
• Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Slit Green chillies - 4 nos
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Fennel seed powder - ¼ tsp
• Garam masala powder - ¼ tsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Beaten egg  - 1no (for egg wash)

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Slice each egg into 2 pieces and keep aside.
• Heat oil in the pan.
• Add onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic paste.
• Fry onions till it turns translucent.
• Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, fennel seed powder, garam masala powder and salt sauté well.
• Slow down the flame and cover the pan and let it cook for 2-3 mins.
• Turn off the stove and let it cool.
• Thaw the frozen puff pastry sheet (as per instructions on the pack).
• Roll out the sheet and cut them into squares pieces.
• Take one piece and place a spoonful of masala and place an egg slice on it.
• Brush the four edges of the sheet with egg wash, then fold the four edges to the center and slightly press the edges  to seal .
• Brush the puffs with egg wash for getting shiny appearance.
• Repeat the same process for the remaining sheets.
• Preheat the oven to 400 deg F.
• Place the puffs in a tray with a parchment sheet placed in it (you can also use a greased tray).
• Bake for 20-25 mins till it turns golden brown color.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with tea / coffee.

Paneer Biriyani / Paneer Rice

INGREDIENTS:

• Paneer - ½ lb or 250 gm
• Chopped onion - 1 cup
• Chopped tomato - 2 no
• Basmati rice - 2 cup
• Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Slit green chillies - 2 nos 
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Fennel seed powder - ½ tsp
• Pepper Powder - ½ tsp
• Cinnamon – 2 one inch stick
• Cardamom – 2 nos
• Cloves – 3 nos
• Bay leaves – 2 nos
• kasoori methi - 1 tsp
• Finely chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil 

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cut paneer into small pieces, lightly fry and keep aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy bottomed Pan.
• Fry cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves and cloves together for a minute. 
• Add drained rice and fry for a minute.
• Add water and salt (to taste) and mix well.
• Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook until the rice is cooked and all water has been absorbed.
• Remove the rice from the fire and let it cool.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan.
• Add onion, green chillies, ginger and garlic paste.
• Sauté onion till it turns transparent.
• Add red chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala Powder,  fennel seed powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder, salt and sauté.
• Add tomato and sauté well till the oil separates from the masala.
• Add fried paneer into it and saute well.
• Slow down the flame and cover the pan and let it cook for  5 mins.
• Add corriander leaves into it and cook for a minutes.
• Add Kasoori methi and mix well.
• Add cooked rice into it and mix well.
• Let it cook for a minute.
• Turn off the stove.
• Garnish the biryani with chopped corriander leaves.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with raita / pickle/ pappadam.

Healthy Colourful Chappathi / Roti

This colorful chappathi contains spinach, carrot, and beetroot. So it is good for health.

Kids will love it because of its visual appearance and taste.

INGREDIENTS:

• Wheat Flour - 3 cups
• Beetroot (chopped)- 1 medium
• Carrot (chopped)- 1 no
• Spinach - 2 cup
• Ghee - 2 tsp
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Grind carrot in to fine paste (with little water).
• Put spinach in boiling water for 2 mins, drain it and mash it in a mixer to make a paste.
• Grind beetroot into a smooth paste.
• Add the beetroot paste, salt and ½ tsp ghee to 1 cup flour and mix well.
• Knead the dough with hands gently until it becomes soft and keep aside for 30 minutes.
• Repeat the same process with carrot paste and spinach paste instead of beetroot paste.
• Make the dough into small balls.
• Use this colorful doughs to make colorful chappathi in any desired shape you like.
• Heat the tawa and cook both sides of the rolled Chappathi by smearing little ghee.