Eggless Chocolate Cup Cake

INGREDIENTS

Maida  -  1 cup
Cocoa powder  -  1 tbsp
Baking powder  -  1tsp
Powdered sugar  -  1/2 cup
Melted butter  -  1 tbsp
Milk  -  1/4 cup


METHOD

Sieve maida, cocoa powder, baking powder together into a bowl and mix it well.
Then add sugar, melted butter and milk into the mixture and mix thoroughly until a thick batter is formed.
Grease and the microwave safe cups with butter and dust them with maida.
Spoon the cup cake batter into the cups until 1/2 of the cup is full.
Now microwave it oh high for 2 minutes.
Serve with chocolate sauce or ice cream.

Spicy Matar Pulao

INGREDIENTS

Basmati Rice  -  1 cup
Cumin seeds  -  1/2 tsp
Onion chopped  -  1 nos
Green chilies  -  4 nos
Ginger  -  1" piece
Green peas  -  1 cup
Garam masala powder  -  1 tsp
Coriander powder  -  1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder  -  1/4 tsp
Salt


METHOD
Wash and soak the rice in water for 30 minutes
Grind green chillies and ginger together and make a paste.
Heat oil in a pan and splutter cumin seeds.
Then add chopped onion and fry till translucent.
Then add turmeric powder and saute for 2 minutes and add ground ginger and chilli paste and saute well till the raw smell leaves.
Now add garam masala and coriander powder and saute well.
Then add the washed green peas and mix well.
Now add the soaked basmati rice and 2 cups of water.
Add salt according to taste
Close the lid and cook for 10 minutes on high flame and another 5 minutes on medium flame till the rice cooks well.
Serve hot with veg raita.

Oats Banana Porridge

This porridge contains oats which is very fibrous. The sliced banana and honey make this porridge burst with flavor and vitamins making it a perfect start for the day.


INGREDIENTS

Oats  -  2 tbsp
Skimmed milk  -  1/4 cup
Banana sliced  -  1 nos
Honey  -  1tsp


METHOD

Mix oats and milk together in a pan and bring it to a boil.
Allow it to simmer for few minutes until the porridge thickens.
Add little water if necessary.
Transfer it into another bowl and add the sliced banana and honey and mix well.
Serve hot or cold.

Chettinad Egg Curry

INGREDIENTS

Boiled eggs  -  4 nos
Coriander powder  -  3tsp
Chilli powder  -  1 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds  -  1 tsp
Cumin seeds  -  1 tsp
Turmeric powder  -  1/2 tsp
Ginger chopped  -  1/2 tsp
Garlic chopped  - 1 tsp
Onion chopped  -  2 nos
Tomatoes chopped  -  1 nos
Coconut milk  -  1/4 cup
Coriander chopped  -  1 tsp


METHOD

Peel the eggs and cut them into 2 halves.
Grind coriander powder, chilli powder, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, chopped ginger and garlic together with little water into a fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions and fry till golden brown.
Now add the ground paste and cook for 5 minutes.
Pour in little water to avoid scorching.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.
Then add the coconut milk and heat for some time.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Goes well with Coconut milk rice.

Coconut Milk Rice

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice  -  1 cup
Onion sliced  -  1/2 cup
Green chillies slit -  3 nos
Cinnamon  -  few
Cloves  -  few
Ginger garlic paste  -  1 tsp
Coconut milk  -  1 cup
Bay leaf  -  1 nos
Salt
Coconut oil


METHOD

Soak the basmati rice for 1/2 hour.
Heat oil in a pan and splutter cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves.
Saute onion until transparent and then add slit green chillies and ginger garlic paste.
Drain off water from the rice and add it to the sauteed onions.
Saute for few minutes.
Add 1 cup of coconut milk and 1 cup water  and salt to it.
Close the pan and cook till its done.
Serve hot with a Chettinad egg curry.

Vanilla Cake

INGREDIENTS

All purpose flour  -  1/2 cup
Softened butter  -  3 tsp
Egg  -  1
Milk  -  1/4 cup
Baking powder  -  1/4 tsp
Vanilla extract  -  1 tsp
Salt  -  1 pinch


METHOD

In a bowl combine butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract and milk and blend them together.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and blend it into a smooth mixture.
Grease a microwave safe bowl with butter and little flour.
Pour the mixture into the bowl.
Cover the bowl and cook on high for 3 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched.
To serve, let the cake cool for 5 minutes, the cover the bowl with a plate and turn both the bowl and plate
upside down so that the cake falls on to the plate.

Lemon Aval (Poha)

INGREDIENTS

Aval  -  2 cups
Lemon juice from one lemon
Green chillies  -  4 nos
Urad dal  -  1/2 tsp
Groundnut  -  1 tsp
Curry leaves  -  few
Mustard seeds  -  1/2 tsp
Asafoetida  -  1 pinch
Turmeric powder  -  1 pinch
Salt  -  as needed
Oil.


METHOD

Wash and soak the aval in a handful of water for about 15-20 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, then add urad dal, groundnuts, curry leaves, green chillies,  asafoetida and fry till golden brown color.
Add turmeric powder and salt and stir well.
Now add the soaked aval and stir for  minutes.
Switch off the flame and squeeze out the lemon juice on it and mix well.
Serve hot.

Njandu Roast (Crab Roast)

INGREDIENTS

Cleaned Crabs  -  4 nos
Onion chopped  -  3 nos
Tomato chopped  -  2 nos
Pepper powder  -  2 tsp
Chilly powder  -  2 tsp
Turmeric powder  -  1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder -  1/4 tsp
Garlic cloves  -  4 nos
Ginger  -  1" piece
Fennel seeds  -  1/2 tsp
Green chillies  -  3 nos
Vinegar  -  2 tsp
Curry leaves  -  few
Coconut oil
Salt


METHOD

Grind together garlic, ginger, green chillies and fennel seeds and make a paste.
Heat oil and saute chopped onions until transparent.
Add the ground paste and stir for one minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes, pepper powder, salt, curry leaves, turmeric powder and chilly powder.
Stir and cook until the tomatoes are mushy.
Then add the cleaned crabs.
Close the pan and cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
Check and add 1/4 cup water if there no water and mix well.
Cook for 15-20 minutes.
Add vinegar and mix well and check for salt if needed
Add garam masala, coriander leaves and mix well.
Remove from fire.
Serve hot with rice or chapatti.

Fattoush Salad

Fattoush is a popular salad, especially in Lebanon. The great thing about fattoush is that you can add and delete vegetables from the recipe according to taste. Instead of pita bread you can also use French or Italian bread.

INGREDIENTS

Toasted Pita bread or Khubus  -  torn into 1" pieces
Cooked chick peas  -  1/4 cup
Tomato diced  -  2 nos
Cucumber diced  -  2 nos
Parsley chopped  -  1/2 cup
Spring onion chopped  -  1/4 cup
Capsicum chopped  -  1/4 cup
Lettuce chopped  -  Half of 1 bunch
Garlic cloves crushed   -  3 nos
Lemon juice  -  1/2 cup
Olive oil  -  1/4 cup
Fresh mint chopped  -  1/4 cup
Salt  -  to taste
Pepper  -  to taste.


METHOD

In a large bowl combine lettuce, bread, cucumber, tomatoes, capsicum, onions and parsley together and gently toss them.
In another small bowl combine garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and mint and mix them well.
Pour the above mixture to combined  salad mix them well and serve.

Varutharacha Sambar Thrissur Style

INGREDIENTS

Toor dal - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Pearl onions - 10 - 12 nos

Potato - 2 small, cut into large cubes

Drumstick - 1, cut into 2 '' pieces

Winter melon / kumbalanga - 2 cups, cut into medium cubes

Carrot - 2 small, cubed

Okra / vendakka - 5 - 6, cut into  1.5 ’’ pieces

Tomato - 1 medium, cubed

Tamarind - Small lemon-sized or to taste ( Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup warm water and extract its juice)

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Salt - To taste

Coriander leaves - To garnish

Coconut oil -  2 - 3 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dry red chillies - 2 - 3

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

To Roast and Grind

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Uluva / fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Split urad dal / uzhunnu parippu - 1 tsp

Chana dal / kadala parippu - 1 tsp

Coriander seeds - 3 - 4 tsp

Dry red chillies - 4 - 5

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Pearl onions - 2 , slit

Curry leaves - A few

Coconut oil - 1 tsp

Heat oil in a pan and add fenugreek seeds. Saute until lightly brown.

Add 1 tsp split urad dal and 1 tsp chana dal.Saute until they turn golden and add 1/4 tsp hing.

Transfer them to a blender.

In the same pan add coriander seeds and dry red chillies. Saute until a nice aroma arises.

Then add small onions, curry leaves and grated coconut.

Saute until coconut turns golden brown.

Allow it to cool and transfer the same to the blender and grind well with little water.

METHOD

Cook the toor dal in a pressure cooker, adding enough water, for 1 whistle.

When the pressure releases, open the cooker and add the veggies and add turmeric powder, water and salt. Pressure cook again for 1 whistle.

In the mean time saute the okra in little oil until stickiness goes off.

Open the cooker and add the tamarind extract.

Add the sauteed okra pieces and bring it to a boil.

Then add the ground paste, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and salt, if needed.

Add water if needed and adjust to desired consistency.

Cook in low heat for about 5 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and fry dry red chillies and some curry leaves.

Pour over the prepared sambar.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice, idli or dosa.

Fish Molly

INGREDIENTS

King fish  -  4-5 pieces
Small onion chopped  -  few nos
Ginger chopped  - 1 tsp
Green chilli chopped  -  1 tsp
Cardamom  -  3-4 nos
Cinnamon  -  1 medium stick
Cloves  -  3-4 nos
Tomato  -  1 nos
Thin coconut milk  -  1 cup
Medium thick coconut milk  -  1cup
Thick coconut milk  -  1/2 cup
Curry leaves  - few
Pepper powder  -  1 tsp
Turmeric powder  -  1/2 tsp
Salt  -  as needed
Coconut oil


METHOD

Marinate the fish pieces in pepper powder, turmeric powder and salt. Keep it for 30 minutes.
Shallow fry the fish on both the sides for 2-3 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan and splutter cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.
Add chopped ginger and green chilli and chopped small onions.
Once the onion becomes soft add the thin coconut milk and bring it to a boil.
Add the fried fish pieces and salt.
When the gravy becomes little thick add the medium coconut milk.
Then after the gravy becomes thick add the tomato and curry leaves.
Once the tomato and fish is cooked well add the thick coconut milk and just heat it, do not boil it.
Serve hot with palappam or bread.