Rocky Almond Chocolate

What you need:

400 grams (14 oz.) small almonds
400 grams (14 oz.) plain chocolate
100 grams (3 1/2 oz.) milk chocolate

Method
1. Roast the almonds in an oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Grate the chocolates, place in a tray and heat in moderate oven at 180 degree C (350 degree F) for about 10 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and continually stir the chocolate until it cools a little. Add the almonds and mix well.
4. Put small pieces of coated almonds on a tray lined with grease proof paper or aluminium foil. Keep in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
5. Wrap in decorative foil and store in the refrigerator.

Breakfast Pancakes

What you need:

1/2 cup plain flour (maida)
1/2 cup cornflour
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons melted butter
a pinch salt


Method
1. Mix the plain flour, cornflour, milk, salt and 1/2 cup of water. Mix very well until no lumps remain.
2. Grease a 125 mm. (5") diameter non-stick pan with the butter.
3. Pour 2 tablespoons of the batter, tilt the pan around quickly so that the batter coats the pan evenly.
4. When the sides starts to peel off, turn the pancake around and cook the other side for 30 seconds.
5. Repeat for the remaining batter, greasing the pan with butter when required.

Cool Malai Kulfi

What you need:
3 ltrs (5 1/4 pints) milk
150 grams (5 1/2 oz.) sugar
1 can (400 grams) condensed milk
2 pinches citric acid
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method
1. Put the milk to boil and reduce the volume to three-quarters. Add the sugar and boil again for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Divide into 2 equal parts and keep aside one part. On the other part, sprinkle 1 pinch citric acid.
3. The milk will curdle after a little while. If it does not curdle, add the remaining pinch of citric acid.
4. Beat up the mixture immediately with an egg beater.
5. Add the condensed milk, the remaining boiled milk and the cardamom powder and mix thoroughly. Pour into kulfi moulds and set in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator for 8 to 10 hours.
6. To serve, remove from the refrigerator, dip the moulds into the water, open and slip out the kulfi. Cut into pieces and serve.

Nachos & Salsa

Buy Nachos off the shelf

What you need for Salsa:
3 tomatoes
2 teaspoons chillies in vinegar
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 capsicum
2 pinches ajwain
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method
1. Put the tomatoes in hot water for about 10 minutes. Remove the skin and chop.
2. Pierce the capsicum with a fork and hold over the flame until the skin blackens. Remove from the heat, rub off the burnt skin and chop.
3. Heat the oil and fry the onion for 1/2 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Serve with tortilla chips.

Light dinner soup

What you need
1 teacup cauliflower, cut into big pieces
2 tablespoons chopped lettuce leaves
2 sliced carrots
1 tablespoon chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped spring onions without leaves
1 medium sized firm tomato, cut into small pieces
4 to 5 tablespoons cooked and dried rice
1/4 teaspoon Ajinomoto powder
2 tablespoons refined oil
refined oil for deep frying
salt to taste

Method
1. Heat the oil on a high flame and add the cauliflower, carrot, celery, spring onions, Ajinomotto powder and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add 6 teacups of hot water, the tomato pieces, lettuce and salt and give one boil.
3. Pour into a large serving bowl.
4. Deep fry the dried rice on a high flame.
5. Just before serving, add the rice.
6. Serve hot with chillies in vinegar and chilli sauce.

Awesome Dal

What you need
1 tablespoon oong dal
1 tablespoon masoor dal
1 tablespoon urad dal
1 tablespoon chana dal
2 tablespoons toovar dal
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
3 tablespoons ghee
salt to taste
For the tempering
2 tablespoons butter
1 chopped tomato
1 teacup fresh curds
1/2 teaspoon garam masala

Method
1. Wash all the dals. Soak for 1 hour and then drain.
2. Heat the ghee. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they begin to crackle.
3. Add the onion and cook until light pink.
4. Now add all the dals and cook again for 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Add 1 litre of water and cook on a slow flame until soft.
6. Then add the coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cover and cook until two thirds of the water has evaporated.
7. Mash the dals lightly.
8. Prepare the tempering by melting the butter, adding the tomato, curds and garam masala and cooking on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
9. Add to the cooked dals and stir for 3 to 4 minutes.
10. Sprinkle coriander on top and serve hot.

Nice Salad

What you need
1 small can (450 grams) pineapple tidbits
2 large beetroots
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method
1. Boil the beetroots and slice. Keep aside a few for decoration.
2. Mix the sugar, cornflour, pineapple tidbits and salt and cook until thick.
3. Add the butter, lemon juice and beetroot slices and cook for few minutes. Cool.
4. Serve cold decorated with beetroot slices and pineapple pieces.

Cheese Sandwich

What you need:

4 large tomatoes
3/4 teacup shredded cabbage
3/4 teacup grated carrots
3 teaspoons cornflour
1 small can (225 grams) baked beans or 1/2 teacup boiled green peas
1 chopped tomato
1 chopped onion
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste

For the masala bag
2 sticks cinnamon
2 cloves
4 peppercorns (powdered coarsely and tied in a piece of cloth)
For grilling
4 tablespoons grated cheese

Method
1. Cut the tomatoes into big pieces, add 5 teacups of water and put to cook. When cooked, blend in a liquidiser and strain.
2. Heat the oil and fry the onion and bay leaf for 1/2 minute.
3. Add the cabbage and carrots and fry again for 1 minute. Add the tomato soup.
4. Mix the cornflour in a little cold water and add to the soup.
5. Add the masala bag and salt and boil for 20 minutes.
6. Add the beans, tomato, sugar and pepper and give one boil.
7. Remove the masala bag and pour the soup into a big bowl.
8. Sprinkle the cheese and put below the grill for 5 minutes until the cheese melts.
9. Serve hot with garlic bread.

Fruity Fruit Punch

A tasty and refreshing punch.

What you need:
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons raspberry syrup
3/4 bottle (200 ml. for full bottle) ginger-ale crushed ice
a pineapple pieces and a cherry for decoration

Method
1. Pour all the ingredients including crushed ice into a shaker and shake well.
2. Pour into a tall glass.
3. Decorate with pineapple pieces and a cherry on a skewer and serve immediately.

Homemade garlic bread snack

I had been to Taj Westend sometime back and had ordered this item. It had some exotic name but turned out to be a garlic bread toast decorated with a mixture of tomatoes and onions.

At home, after some experimentation I could make a clone (almost similar but not the same)

1) Take 5 spoons of virgin olive oil
2) Take 5 cloves of garlic, strip the skin and chop into small pieces.
3) Heat the olive oil a bit and add the garlic pieces
4) Use a masher to massage the mixture - garlic pieces should almost blend with the oil
5) Alternatively you can also use one spoon of garlic paste
6) Spread the mixture on 2-3 pieces of regular bread - choose white or brown based on your preference
7) Chop 1 onion and 1 tomato into small pieces
8) Add some coriander for extra minty flavor
9) Mix the three together and then spread them out on the bread pieces
10) Heat for 10 seconds in a microwave to soften the bread and serve

Homemade tomato soup

Here is a quick recipe for good homemade tomato soup.

1) Take 3-4 tomatoes, cut into 4-5 pieces each and add to mixer
2) Add 1 glass of water
3) Run the mixer and check if no tomato chunks remain
4) Rerun mixer if necessary
5) Extract mixture and pour into a vessel
6) Heat vessel, add salt, black pepper to taste
7) Add 1/2 spoon sugar
8) Let it boil for 2 minutes
9) Serve in bowl and garnish with fresh mint/herbs

Try this with khicadi - makes for great sunday evening dinner :)

Upma

There are many variations of Upma available from a quick 2 min receipe to something that takes upto 15 mins

Here is mine:
1) 1 cup Rava /Fine Sooji (Semolina)
2) 1 chopped onion
3) 1/4 cup peanuts
4) 1 green chillies
5) 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
6) 1/2 teanspoon lime juice

Instructions:
1) Fry rava in 1/2 teaspoon oil until light brown
2) Heat 1 teaspoon oil in another pan and fry onion until light brown
3) Add peanuts and fry for 2 mins with #2
4) Add fried rava to pan
5) Add green chillies, salt to taste
6) Add lime juice
7) Add 2 cups of water and mix well

Leave it for 5 mins for the mixture to thicken. Keep it covered

Consume after 5 mins

Light breakfast

This is quick and light for breakfast

1) Heat one spoon oil in pan
2) Add mustard & sesame seeds
3) Add 2 spoon peanuts and fry until dark brown
4) Wash puffed rice in water. Leave for 2 mins.
5) In the washed rice add 1/4 tumeric powder, 1 cut green chilli, 1 spoon sugar, 1 spoon lemon juice and salt to taste. Note: add this to the puffed rice and not to the pan
6) Add puffed rice mix to pan and stir well - keep on low heat
7) Sprinkle 1 spoon water and keep stirring to ensure rice doesn't stick
8) Leave it covered and cook for 2 mins.
9) Mix well

It is now ready to eat

Dosa tips

Today I tried making dosa. I use readymade batter available in most groceries stores. That is the easy part. Even after getting the batter it is a tough task to make dosas. Here are some tips

1) First 1-2 dosa will be bad. Can't do much about it
2) Make sure you clean & scrap the pan
3) Before putting the batter, spray a little water on the pan to cool it. Keep flame low
4) Pour batter and quickly spread it evenly across. Don't try to over do it. Make one attempt to spread and leave it as is. Over time you will get the right round dosas
5) Increase flame to full for 1 min
6) Pour one teaspoon oil around the dosa
7) Leave for 1/2 min and remove using a flat spatula

Enjoy

Healthy & Light breakfast

Today I write about making Poha. This is usually made for breakfast from flattened rice. This is easily available in markets. There are two kinds - very flat like paper and mid sized. You will need mid-sized Poha for this dish

1) Wash poha is water and remove excess water.
2) Add a tea spoon of oil to pan and heat
3) Add cummin seeds and mustard speeds (1/2 spoon each)
4) Cut 2 green chillies into small piece and add to pan
5) Add 2-3 tea spoons of peanuts
6) Fry until peanuts turn dark drown
7) Add washed Poha
8) Add salt to taste - mix well
9) Cover and leave for 5 mins
10) Mix well and it is ready to eat

You can also add potato at #5 above if you like it

Spicy Macaroni

Another one of my favorite. Takes about 20 mins to make

1. Take a cup of macaroni, mix with a cup of water and heat in microwave for 12 mins
2. In parallel, cut 1 onion and 1 potato into small slices - this can be optional, don't use if you don't want to
3. Heal 1 spoon oil in pan. Add 1/2 spoon cummin & mustard each.
4. Add 1/4 spoon tumeric powder
5. Add onion/potato to the pan and leave it covered for 5 mins
6. Add salt, red chilli to taste
7. Once the macaroni is done, add to pan and mix well
8. Add tomato sauce/ketchup - 4-5 spoons should be ok, can add more as per taste
9. Mix well and leave covered for 3 mins

I personal use Maggi Hot & Sweet ketchup to give it that right mix of spice and sweet taste that I enjoy