Tomato Chutney (Sweet and Sour)

INGREDIENTS

2 Onions (finely sliced)

500 grams Tomatoes (Finely sliced)

Urad dal - 2 tbsps

10 - 12 Dry red chilies (as per your preference)

½ tsp Turmeric powder

5 Garlic cloves (medium size)

Salt to taste

½ tbsp Cooking oil (I prefer Sesame oil)

1 tbsp jaggary (Gur) (as per your preference)

Coriander leaves

For tempering:

½ tbsp Cooking oil (I prefer Sesame oil)

½ tsp Mustard seeds

½ tsp Cumin seeds

2 Dry Red chilies

A sprig Curry leaves

Asafoetida

 

METHOD

 

1. Firstly dry roast urad dal and red chilies. Keep it aside to cool.

2. Heat oil in a wok. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, turmeric powder and saute till transparent. Add the tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes become mushy. Turn off the heat and bring it to the room temperature.

3. Firstly blend the dry ingredients (red chilies + Urad dal)

4. Now add the wet ingredients (onion, garlic and tomatoes) along with salt, jaggary and coriander leaves and grind it to a fine paste. Remove onto a serving bowl.

5. Heat oil in small tempering pan, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. Add the curry leaves, red chilies and asafoetida and turn off the heat.

6. Pour this tempering over the chutney and serve with idli/dosa.

Thanks and Regards,

Latha

Shahi Palak Paneer

INGREDIENTS

1 big bunch Fresh Spinach
10 to 15 Paneer cubes
1 ripe tomato (paste)
5 Green chilies (as per your preference)

½ Onion (finely chopped)
½ tsp Hara Masala (garlic-ginger-cilantro paste)
1 tsp coriander-cumin powder
Quarter cup Roasted cashew nut (powdered)
4 tbsp Ghee/oil/butter

1 tbsp fresh cream

Turmeric powder (as per your preference)

Salt to taste

METHOD

1. First blanch the palak and drain out the water.
2. Take a pan heat the ghee, add green chilies to hot ghee, then spinach and fry it for 2 – 3 Minutes. Grind it into fine paste.
3. Take another kadai heat the ghee, add onion fry till done.
4. Now add hara masala paste, coriander-cumin powder and cook for some more times.

5. Now add tomato paste, cashew nut powder, salt and haldi. Cook it well and add palak paste.

6. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes in low flame. After it get cooked add fried paneer. (It’s optional; you can add paneer cubes as it is also.) Cook it for 2 or 3 minutes and then turn off the heat.

7. Garnish with fresh cream and serve hot with roti.

Thanks and Regards,
Latha

Chicken Achari (without tandoor and oven)

INGREDIENTS

500 Grams Boneless Chicken

For Achari Masala:

Achari Masala
Roasted Fennel (Saunf) - 4 Tsp
Roasted Corriander Seeds - 4 Tsp
Roasted Fenugreek Seeds (Methi Dana) - 2 Tsp
Roasted Black Cumin Seeds (Shah Zeera) - 2 Tsp
Roasted Onion Seeds (Kalonji) - 2 Tsp
Roasted Mustard Seeds (Rai) - 2 Tsp

For Marination:

3 tbsp Beaten Curd

1 tbsp Hara Masala (Paste of Ginger, Garlic and Coriander leaves)

50 grams Achari Masala (spicy)

3 tbsp Chiken Masala (I prefer Tandoori Chicken Masala)

1 ½ tsp Red Chili (as per your preference, quantity can be increased or decreased)

1 tsp Cumin powder

1 medium lemon

1 tsp Mustard oil

Salt to taste

For Smoky taste:

Charcoal:

Small Piece of silver foil

4 – 5 Cloves

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

Method

1. Make a powder of roasted achari masala ingredients in a mixer.

2. In a bowl mix all the ingredients mentioned for marination mix it well.

3. Add Boneless Chicken and mix it well, now place a silver foil on it put extremely hot charcoal & pour 2 spoon  of ghee with cumin seeds and cloves on it.  Do not allow the smoke to escape cover it properly and leave it for 2 – 3 hours.

4. Now Take a non stick tava put some oil and roast the chicken pieces properly. (Avoid overcooking)

5. Serve hot with onion rings and lemon wedges.

Note: Chicken get hard when over cooked

Thanks and Regards,

Latha

Idiyappam

INGREDIENTS

Idly Rice - 2 cups
Salt - to taste

Coconut Milk / Normal Milk - 1/2 cup

Fresh grated Coconut - 1/2 cup (as per personal preference quantity can be increased or decreased)
Sugar - 1/4 cup (as per personal preference quantity can be increased or decreased)

Ghee - as required

METHOD

1. Mix Rice flour, salt and water together to make soft dough

2. Divide the dough into equal parts.

3. Fill the dough into the idiyappam maker.

4. Place the wet cotton cloth on the idly plate and now press it as noodles.

5. Steam it for 10-12 minutes, keeping the heat at high for 5 min and at medium till done.

6. Take out the idly plates and flip it on a plate remove the idly plate and sprinkle some water on the dried cloth to make them wet. (It will help you to remove the idiyappams safely)

7. Now finally remove the cloth carefully.

8. Serve hot with grated coconut, sugar and ghee or with coconut milk / Milk and sugar.

Thanks and Regards,

Latha

Rasmalai

 

 INGREDIENTS

250 gm chenna
100 gm sugar
1 liter full cream milk
5 gm cardamom powder
25 gm almonds and pista (Shredded)
0.5 gm saffron

For Sugar Syrup
600 ml water
300 ml sugar

METHOD

1. For sugar syrup, heat the sugar and the water.

2. Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan and reduce till about half the volume of milk is left.

3. Add cardamom powder, saffron, almonds and pista bring to a boil.

4. Make ping pong balls of the chenna and flatten it with the help of your palms.

5. Now boil the ping pong chenna balls in the sugar syrup for 20 minutes and drain the sugar syrup.

6. Finally put the rasgullas into the milk and again boil for 3 minutes.

7. Switch off the gas and bring it to room temperature, then place it in refrigerator and serve it chilled. 

Thanks and Regards,

Latha

Mango Kulfi

INGREDIENTS

400 gm sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup mango pulp/puree
1/2 cup cream
12-15 almonds-blanched and shredded
8 kulfi moulds
Chandi ka vark -optional

METHOD

1. Add together the condensed milk, mango pulp and cream. Mix it well.

2. Add nuts, saving a few for garnishing. Mix well and pour into mould.

3. Freeze at the lowest possible temperature.

4 . To serve take the mould out of the freezer and de-mould the kulfi into serving bowl.

5. Garnish with chandi ka vark and nuts and serve immediately.

Thanks and Regards,

Latha

Kulfi

INGREDIENTS

1 litre full cream milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp saffron
3-4 green cardamoms
10-12 almonds-blanched and shredded
2 tbsp pistas-blanched and shredded
8 kulfi moulds
Chandi ka vark-optional

METHOD

1. Boil milk in a wide and heavy bottomed pan.

2. Boil till about half the volume of milk is left. (Will take 30 - 40 Minutes to thicken)

3. Now add sugar, saffron and green cardamoms and simmer over low heat for another minute or two, when done, the colour changes to a off white color.

4. Remove from the flame. When cool, add the nuts, saving a few for garnishing. Mix well and pour into kulfi moulds.

5. Freeze at the lowest possible temperature.

6. To serve take the mould out of the freezer and de-mould the kulfi into serving bowl.

7. Garnish with chandi ka vark and nuts and serve immediately.

Thanks and Regards,

Latha

Pinni

INGREDIENTS

250 gm urad daal powder

100 gm ghee

175 gm castor sugar

25 gm raisins

100 gm almonds - Shredded (as per your requirement)

METHOD

1. Heat the ghee and roast the urad daal powder till it becomes light brown in colour and aromatic.

2. Remove from the heat and let it cool. 

3. When cooled to room temperature, add the sugar and mix well, rubbing the sugar in (you can sieve the castor sugar which will help you to mix it properly).

4. Finally add the raisins and the almonds.

5.  Divide into equal portion and shape each portion into round or the shape which you like the most

Thanks and Regards,

Latha

 

Rabri

INGREDIENTS

1 kg full fresh cream milk
1/2 cup sugar
3-4 green cardamoms

15-16 almonds (blanched and shredded)
2 tbsp pista (blanched and shredded)Chandi ka vark (optional)

METHOD

1. Boil a milk in a wide and heavy bottomed pan.

2. Now add sugar and green cardamoms and simmer over low heat for at least half should evaporate, when done, the color changes to an off white color.

3. Remove from the flame. When cool, transfer on to a serving dish, put the Chandi Ka vark on the top and garnish with the nuts. Refrigerate and serve.

Note: You can add condensed milk also to save your time, in which you will have to adjust the sugar also. 

Thanks and Regards,

Latha

Iced Lemon Tea with Mint

INGREDIENTS
(Serves 4)

1 tea bag
300 ml Hot water
2 tbsp mint leaves
1 lemon rind
2tsp lemon juice

METHOD

1. Take a teabag in a jug. 

2. Pour some hot water, mint leaves and lemon rind.

3. Cover with the lid and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. 

4. Strain the liquid and place it in refrigerator.  

5. Finally add some lemon juice as per your taste. (optional)
 

6. Serve by adding few ice cubes. 

Thanks and Regards,

Latha