Coconut Rice

COCONUT RICE

Dasara is one of the famous festivals in India, on Maha Navami day(9th)  Devi Saraswathi is worshipped, she sits on white lotus / white swan ... the nineth day as such symbolizes white color so thought of making White dish and thought of Coconut Rice

INGREDIENTS

• Basmati Rice ( long grained)  - 2 cups
• Coconut - 2 cups
• Cashew nuts
• Curry leaves
• Urad dal
• Oil - 2 table spoons
• Salt for taste
• optional - Green chillies and Ginger

Seasoning stuff - Cumin, mustard seeds, Red mirchi and Curry leaves,
•   

PREPARATION

• Cook Basmati rice sepearately and allow it to cool
• Heat Oil/Butter in a pan & season it with above mentioned stuff
• Add Curryleaves and Cashew nuts
• If you want to make it spicy add ginger, green chillies (optional)
• Add salt as per taste
• Now add coconut to the rice and mix well.

 Thai Style Coconut Rice - for Thai style you will need coconut water and use it to add to water while cooking the rice, donot add red chillies. The coconut water gives rich flavor and amazing taste.

This is a party special, festival delicacy, quick meal, very easy recipe, healthy and tastes great with very less effort.  Serve the dish hot !!!!

Pizza pita snackers

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Pizza pita snackers
Re-discover whole wheat pita bread taste - very easy recipe, less than 10 minutes, filling and tastes yum, yum, yummy!!!!

Ingredients:

• 2 whole-wheat pita bread
• 4 spoons of basil pesto
• 1 cup of cottage cheese
• 2 spoons of Tomatoes chopped (low fat cottage cheese)
• 2 teaspoons of fresh basil chopped
• 2 table spoons of fresh capscicum ( red, yellow, green peppers ) chopped
• 2 tablespoons of onions chopped

Serve hot and fresh, again great filling recipe, tastes yummy - less than 10 minutes it is ready!
Try and do not forget to leave your comments!

Preparation:

1. Toast the pita bread until crispy and firm
2. Spread the pesto on each pita bread.
3. Spread the paneer evenly over each pita.
4. Top with nicely chopped tomato, fresh basil, onions and peppers
5. Slice each pita into 4 wedges and serve.

Pani Puri

 

 

 

PANI PURI

Its snack time!!!!!! Pani puri - You get to cook a variety of mouth watering dishes but the best of all which is every one's favourite is Snacks and if its Pani Puri, tell me who isn't ready?

 

 

My kids love Pani puri and it is one of our family favorite snack ... any time of the day we are ready to have Gol Gappe .... This is an easy recipe and tastes so yummy and is filling

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

• Sooji  / Bomabay Rava 1 cup 
• 3 tblsp Fine Wheat Flour (Maida)
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• Oil to deep fry

PANI

• 0.5 cup Tamarind Water
• 1.5 cups Water
• Cumin Seed (Jeera) powder fresh - 1.5 tablespoon
• Mint Chutney - 1.5 table spoon
• Salt and Amchoor for taste

 

PREPARATION:

• Add sooji, maida, baking soda, salt and enough water. Mix well so you have a soft dough.
• Leave the dough for about 15 minutes
• Make small sized balls and roll them into small pooris
• Heat oil in a pan, add the pooris to the oil ...fry them till them turn to light brown and crisp.
• Add pudina chutney and other pani ingredients 

Serve Puri and Pani - You can increase the spice as per you liking !!!! Also you could add potatoes and chick peas - it goes very well with spicy pani and puri!!!

  

Stuffed Spicy Mirchi / Stuffed Chilli

Stuffed Spicy Mirchi 

The other day it was raining and in the night for dinner, i felt like eating something spicy, looked at the veggies and found nice green mirchi and thought of whether to make bajji or stuffed spicy mirchi and finally Spicy Mirchi wins .... it was good deal!!!!!

Ingredients  

• 1 table spoon oil
• 6 to 8 long thick green chillies
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• a pinch heeng (asofetida)
• 1/2 cup of yogurt / butter milk - some use instead of butter milk lime juice/amchoor powder i prefer butter milk

For stuffing:

• 1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
• 2 tsp Amchoor powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 tbsp oil(approx.)
• Salt to taste

Preparation 

Here in USA we get all veggies throughout the year, and easily available in all stores and one of the many reasons to cook to what we like all the time ....

• Make a slit in all the chillis and remove the seeds
• Bake the chillis for 4 minutes
• Prepare the stuffing - grind the besan, add salt to it
• Stuff the gram flour mixture into chillies tightly

• Heat pan, add 1 table spoon of oil and add the chillies
• Close the lid and reduce the heat and cook on low heat for  7/8  minutes - turn the chillies in between

• After you see that the chillies are fryed enough, add 1/2 cup of yogurt and leave it for 5 more minutes 
• Add the remaining  gram flour to the chillies - if you like more gravy you could add more gram flour to the chillies other than the stuffing

If you use yogurt the stuffed mirchi will be little wet and will consume less oil, obviously less calories.

Serve warm with hot rice or Chapati - Try this recipe and let us know how it tastes - Leave your comments!!!!

Blue Berry Vanilla Cake

BLUE BERRY VANILLA CAKE

Vanilla Cake topped with fresh blue berries

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 cups fresh blueberries
• vanilla cake mix 1 cup
• 1 tablespoon butter

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, butter and vanilla Cake mix
• Bake cake on lower shelf of oven for about 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
• In the food processor grind the fresh blueberries. 
• Top the cake with the fresh blue berries, tastes yummy 

 

Try this Blue Berry Vanilla Cake and let us know how it tastes - Leave your comments!!!!

Rava Kesari

RAVA KESARI

Rava Kesari is a very popular south indian sweet dish - very easy to prepare. Not only this is a festival dish but also for every occasion.

 

INGREDIENTS

• Bombay Rava (Sooji) - 1 cup.
• Sugar - 2 cups.
• Ghee - 1 cup.
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp.
• Water 2 cups
• Cashew nuts / Almonds / Raisins

  
  

  PREPARATION

  • Add rava and 1 table spoon of ghee and fry the rava till the smell of the rava goes away
  • Tke 2 cups of water and boil and add sugar to it
  • Add Roasted rava and let it boil for about 7 to 8 minutes
  • Stir well and to this now add ghee in small quantities and stir well till the mixture becomes solid.
  • Add Cardomom powder, chopped cashew nuts and other nuts

  

   

  
  

  Rava Kesari tastes well either served hot or cold - Try this easy recipe and let us know how it tastes 

  

Goru Chikkudu Kaya Kura / Cluster Beans Curry

 GORU CHIKKUDU KAYA KURA

INGREDIENTS

• Fresh Goru Chikkudi kaya / Cluster Beans
• Urad Dal
• Fresh Coconut powder
• Fresh Ginger
• Oil - 2 tablespoons
• Onions - 1 medium
• Salt as per taste
• Red chillies, Turmeric powder, Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds(jeera), Curry Leaves for seasoning

PREPARATION

• Cut Cluster beans into 2 to 2.5 m long pieces and chop onions into small pieces
• Bake the cut beans for about 7 minutes
• Heat oil in a pan, season red chillies, mustard , cumin seeds
• Add chopped onions, ginger paste, salt  to the oil and leave for about 2/3 minutes
• Add the cut beans to the onions, ginger paste
• Stir fry till the beans turn to slight golden brown

Serve Goru Chikkudu Kaya hot with hot steamed rice. Slightly different version of this curry is where you soak chana dal , grind the chana dal and add that to Goru chikkudu. that tastes very good too.

Try this recipe and let us know how it is and do not forget to leave your comments!

Thai Pepper Fried Rice

Thai PEPPER FRIED RICE

Very easy, colourful & tasty recipe

Ingredients

• Veggies - Fresh Peppers – Red, Green, Yellow and Green Onions
• Oil - 2 tablespoons 
• Salt as per taste
• long grained rice 2 cups ( Basmati)
• Pepper as per paste
• 

Preparation

• Cut the Green, Yellow and Red Peppers into 1 to 1.5 cm pieces
• Chop Green onions
• Cook Rice ( long grained) and keep it aside
• Heat oil in a large pan and add cut peppers into it
• Put a lid on top of the pan and leave for 3 minutes till all the peppers are slightly soft
• Add cut green onions to the peppers
• After 2 minutes add cooked rice
• Add salt and pepper as per taste 
• Serve the Pepper Fried Rice hot with hot n sweet sauce

  

Serve Pepper Friend Rice hot with "hot n sweet tomato sauce"

Try Pepper Fried Rice recipe today and let us know how it tastes!!!  Leave your comments!

Teriyaki Noodles

Teriayaki Noodles

Ingredients:

• Veggies: Beans, Carrots, Broccoli, Green Onions,  Red, Green and Yellow Peppers  
• Vegetable Oil 1 table spoon
• Soya Sauce 2 table spoon
• Hot n sweet Tomato sauce
• 2 cups of Water
• Teriyaki noodles 250 gms
• Salt as per taste
•  
   

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a large pan and add baked veggies. 
• Add 2 table spoons of Soya sauce
• Boil Teriyaki Noodles in water until they are tender for about 7 to 8 minutes would be good.
• Add 0.5 tablespoon of oil and Leave noodles aside for about 2 minutes
• Add veggies to teriyaki Noodles and stir well.
• Add salt as per taste
• Serve hot Terriyaki Noodles with Hot n Sweet tomato sauce

Try Terriyaki Noodles recipe today and let us know how it tastes - Leave your comments!!!

Mac & Cheese

Macoroni & Cheese

My 7 year old is great fan of Mac & Cheese, She made Mac & Cheese the other day, you can see in the picture - nothing tastes like home made rich warm comfort food, old fashioned recipe and it starts with a simple roux of butter and flour. Its simple and delicious.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups dry, small elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

1 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup of Milk ( low fat or 2% for kids)

1 cup water

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

Veggies : We had broccoli and carrots

If you want you could add mustard and black pepper for taste

Prepartion: 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 2 quart casserole dish.
• Combine cornstarch, salt in medium saucepan.
• Stir in evaporated milk, water, and butter.
• Cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly and until mixture comes to a boil.
• Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese until melted. Add macaroni; mix well.
• Pour into prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and light brown.
• Bake Veggies broccoli and Carrots

This great old fashioned macaroni and cheese recipe is the ultimate comfort food. It's creamy, cheesy, decadent and delicious!

It's the perfect family meal for long wintery nights when comfort food brings everyone to the table and helps chase away the winter doldrums.

Serve this macaroni and cheese recipe with Broccoli  for a hearty meal everyone will love.

Try this easy recipe and let us know what you think ... Leave your comments



Tindora Chutney / Donda Kaya Pacchadi

 

Donda Kaya Pacchadi / Tindora Chutney

 

Nothing tastes like hot rice, ghee and Donda kaya pacchadi - our all time favorite .... very easy recipe that i learnt from my mother, this chutney can be done within 10 minutes and tastes yummy.

 

Ingredients:

 

• Dondakaya / Tindora gourd Little gourd 500 gms
• Onions - 1 small

• Green Chilly and Tamarind paste --- 1.5 tsp
• Salt, this is as per taste

 

Seasoning:

• Oil - 2 Table spoons
• Urad dal - 1 Table spoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 Table spoon
• Cumin seeds - 1 Table spoon
• Dry Red chillies
• Curry leaves ( karevepaaku )
• Corriander

 

Preparation:

 



• First you will have to steam the Tindora gourd / Dondakaya
• Take 1 tablespoon of oil and add onions and Corriander to it, turn on the flame
• Close the lid and Leave it for 5 minutes ...
• Now add the baked Tindora, leave for 2 more minutes till you will see the tindora turning into nice yellow color
• Grind the chilly paste, Tindora and onions in a food processor
• Add Salt and tamarind to the chutney and Season the chutney

  

Serve the Dondakaya Chutney with hot rice and ghee - your friends n family will say big Thank you for this yummy chutney!

Try this recipe and let us know what you think - Leave your comments!

Mysore Pak

Mysore Pak

Sweet dish originally from Karnataka is very popular in south india is a delicious, rich, yummy dessert. Love the golden yellow color, nice diamond shaped, Mysore Pak ... this sweet dish should just melt when put in mouth ... It goes well for festivals or any party occasion ...warn you the high calories though. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Gram flour (Besan chickpea flour ) 
• 1/2 cup Ghee ( Clarified butter) 
• 2 cardamon pods powdered 

Prepartion:

• Make sure you get good quality Besan flour for the dish to taste perfect and also it needs to be sift to aerate and to remove any lumps. 
• First we need to prepare the Pak, in one cup of water, add sugar to it. - mix well 
• Boil the sugar syrup till it reaches one string consistency. 
• Reduce the flame
• Now add ghee and Besan to the Sugar syrup 
• Add cardomom powder to the syrup
• Mix well without lumps
• Prepare a plate/tray with light greasing 
• Pour immediately into the greased plate/tray
• While it is still hot, cut into nice diamond pieces(2 cm) 

Are you going to try Mysore Pak today and let me know how it tastes !!!

Yogurt and Fruit Dessert !!!!

Yogurt and Fruit Dessert 

When i think of Yogurt and Fruit Dessert for me it is Eating well, Its quick , Its Delicious, Its Yummy, Its Healthy .... these light desserts are not only a quick way to satisfy sweet tooth, we will treat our body to some fresh fruit - You will hear a big Thank you!!! Love yummy fruit yogurt any time ... !!!!

Ingredients

• Fresh Fruits:  Blue berries, Kiwi, Pine Apple, Apple, Water melon
• Low fat Yogurt 2 single serve cup 
• 1/4 cup granola or Grape Nut 

Preparation

• Cut the fruits  into .5 cm cubes - Apple, Pine Apple, Straw Berry, Water Melon fruits
• Layer custard style fruit yogurt with Granola, Grape nuts and chunks of fresh cut fruit. 

Quick frozen yogurts are only minutes away .... total preparation time is less than 5 minutes ... 1 single-serve cup fruit flavored custard style low fat Yogurt is low in cholesterol, low in sodium, high in phosphorus, excellent source of calcium .... if you use fresh fruits instead of cut canned fruits you will not go high on sugar .......it is indeed delicious way to get antioxidant-rich fruit into your diet. 


Also did you knew that yogurt is easy to digest than Milk, high in calcium and excellent source of rich proteins. Many who cannot take milk can enjoy yogurt. For  kids it helps boosts immunity - good for young and old. 

Well, what do you think ? Will you try Yogurt and Fruit Dessert today.... as always leave your comments !

FRUIT CUSTARD

FRUIT CUSTARD

Ingredients:

• Milk - 200 ml
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tea spoon
• Corn Flour - Fine - 3 tea spoons
• Sugar - 4 tea spoons
• Vanilla Essence - 1 tea spoon
• Fruits finely cut - Apple, Pear, Sweet Grapes, Strawberries, Orange, Banana and Kiwi

Preparation:

• Take a small portion of milk, mix Corn flour powder, Cardamom powder and Vanilla essence and ensure there are no lumps.
• Bring the rest of milk to boil and while milk boils, reduce flame and start mixing the Corn flour paste and keep heat on simmer until the composition becomes thick
• Ensure while mixing the corn flour, no lumps are formed and the custard is completely in pouring consistency
• Switch off the custard and bring the custard to room temperature
• Except Strawberry, arrange all the fruits in a box and once the custard is at room temperature, pour upon the fruits. Once the custard sets down, arrange the strawberries upon the custard.
• Keep the entire preparation in low freezer for 20 mins and serve cool