Apple Yoghurt Smoothie

INGREDIENTS

Apple chopped  -  2 nos
Oats  -   1/2 cup
Low fat yoghurt  -  1 cup
Honey  -  1 tbsp
Almonds  -  4 nos


METHOD

Blend the apple, oats, yoghurt, honey and almonds together into a thick smoothie.
Adjust the consistency of the smoothie by adding adequate yoghurt.
Serve immediately.

Oats Banana Cake

INGREDIENTS

Banana  -  1
Oats  -  1 cup
Maida  -  1/4 cup
Powdered sugar  -  1/4 cup
Cinnamon powder  -  1 tsp
Egg  -  1
Baking powder  -  1 tsp
Milk  -  1/4 cup
Vegetable oil or butter  -  1 tbsp
Salt  -  1 pinch


METHOD

Mash the banana and keep it aside.
In another bowl add oats, maida, egg, powdered sugar, baking powder, vegetable oil/butter, cinnamon powder and salt.
Combine everything together with little milk to form the cake batter.
Then add the mashed banana to it combine well.
Transfer the above batter to a greased cake bowl.
Microwave for 3 minutes.
After that allow it to rest for 5 minutes in the microwave.
Top up with honey, cream, peanut butter or just nothing.

Schezwan Egg Fried Rice

INGREDIENTS

Cooked rice  -  2 cups
Vegetables (your choice)  -  1 cup
Schezwan sauce  -  2tbsp
Eggs  -  3 nos
Garlic minced  -  1 tsp
Spring onions chopped  -  2 tbsp
Oil  -  as needed
Salt  -  to taste


METHOD

Heat oil in a pan and add garlic and saute well.
Now add the vegetables and cook on high flame for 2 minutes.(Do not overcook, retain the crunchiness of the veggies).
Then after it is done, push the vegetables to one side of the pan.
Now add the eggs in the pan and scramble them.
Then add the cooked rice and salt and mix well.
Add the schezwan sauce and mix well. (If you want it more spicy then add little more sauce).
Toss well on high flame for 2 minute.
Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve hot.

Soya Chunks Manchurian

INGREDIENTS

Soya chunks  -  1 cup
Cornflour  -  4 tsp
Green chilli paste  -  1/2 tbsp
Soy sauce  -  6 tsp
Onion chopped  -  1 nos
Ginger chopped  -  1" piece
Garlic chopped  -  3 nos
Capsicum chopped  - 1 nos
Chilli sauce  -  1 tbsp
Tomato sauce  -  2 tbsp
Salt  -  as needed
Oil  -  2 tbsp


METHOD

Soak and drain the soya chunks and keep it aside.
Mix soya chunks in 2 tsp cornflour, chilli paste, 3 tsp soy sauce and salt in a bowl.
Add 1 tsp oil in a pan and add the soya chunks and saute to 3-4 minutes.
Transfer it into another bowl.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan and saute the chopped ginger, garlic and onion for 2 -3 minutes.
Then add soy sauce, chilli sauce and tomato sauce and mix well.
Add 2 cups water and let it come to a boil.
Then add the fried soya chunks and mix well and cook for about 3 minutes and then add salt and mix well.
Mix the remaining cornflour dissolved in little water and add it to the above mixture and cook till the gravy thickens.
Add chopped capsicum, stir well and remove from heat.
Serve with hot fried rice or noodles.

 

Custard Toast

INGREDIENTS

Bread slices  -  4 slices
Milk  -  1/4 cup
Custard powder  -  1 tbsp
Sugar  -  1 tsp
Oil  -  to toast


METHOD

Boil milk and add custard powder and sugar to it.
Stir well so that a mix custard mixture is formed.
Heat a tawa with little oil.
Dip the bread slices in the custard mixture and place it on the tawa.
Allow it to get toasted on both the sides. Add little oil if it is sticky.
Serve hot.

Chocolate Roll

INGREDIENTS

Maida  -  3/4 cup
Baking powder  -  1 tsp
Powdered sugar  -  2 tbsp
Eggs  -  2 nos
Milk  -  1/4 cup
Vanilla essence  -  few drops
Dark chocolate  -  1/2 cup
Salt  -  1 pinch


METHOD

Mix maida, baking powder and powdered sugar together.
In another bowl beat the eggs well.
Then add vanilla essence and milk, then mix it up well.
Add the beaten egg mixture to the above mixed up maida and make a fine batter.
Heat a pan and make small like pan cakes and cook both the sides well.
Melt the dark chocolate and mix it up with little milk so that it is in a thick pouring consistency.
Now the spread the chocolate sauce on the pancakes and roll it.
Serve with chocolate sauce.

Apple Apricot Muesli Drink

INGREDIENTS

Apricot chopped  -  2 nos
Apple chopped  -  1 nos
Honey  -  1 tbsp
Low fat Yoghurt  -  1 cup
Low fat milk  -  1/4 cup
Muesli  -  3 tbsp


METHOD

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend well until thick and creamy.
Pour it in a glass.
Serves as an energizing breakfast drink.

Schezwan Dosa Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

Dosa batter
Onion chopped
Cabbage finely chopped
Capsicum chopped
Schezwan sauce  -  3 tbsp
Pepper powder  -  1/2 tsp
Oil  -  2 tsp


METHOD

Heat a tawa and make 2 small dosa using the dosa batter.
Heat oil in a pan and add onion, cabbage and capsicum and saute well with little salt and pepper powder.
Then add the schezwan sauce in the cooked vegetables and mix well.
Spread the above vegetables mix on top of one dosa and cover it up with another dosa.
Serve hot.

Schezwan Sauce

INGREDIENTS

Garlic Paste  -  2 tsp
Ginger paste  -  1 tsp
Red chilli paste  -  1/2 tsp
Red chilli sauce  -  1 tsp
Vinegar  -  1 tsp
Sugar  -  1/4 tsp
Oil  -  2 tsp
Salt  -  to taste
Water


METHOD

Heat oil in a pan.
Add ginger paste and garlic paste and saute for a minute.
Add red chilli paste and salt. Stir continuously.
Add red chilli sauce and sugar.
Then cook it for about 2 minutes on high flame.
Keep stirring until it gets cooked well.
Add little water to make the thick sauce and mix well.
Add vinegar and cook for one more minute.
Cool it and transfer to an air tight jar and use as required.

Kadachakka(Breadfruit) Masala Curry

In Kerala, most of the houses in rural area would have kadachakka/breadfruit tree.The name breadfruit is derived from the texture of the cooked fruit which has potato like flavour or similar to fresh baked bread.
My mother used to make kadachakka/breadfruit masala curry which used to taste like heaven.
When I found this kadachakka/breadfruit in the supermarket, I bought it and immediately called up my mother for its recipe. And now its for you people to try it out.
If you guys did not find kadachakka/breadfruit you can also try it out with potato/kappa(Tapioca).

INGREDIENTS

Kadachakka/Breadfruit  - 1
Onion sliced  -  1 nos
Grated coconut  -  1/2 cup
Fennel seeds  -  1 pinch
Coriander powder  -  2 tsp
Chilli powder  -  2tsp
Garam masala  -  1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder  -  1/4 tsp
Ginger chopped  -  1" piece
Garlic chopped  -  3 nos
Peppercorns  -  1/2 tsp
Curry leaves  -  2 strings
Salt  -  to taste
Coconut oil  -  2 tbsp


METHOD

Clean and peel the fruit. Remove the thick brown part.
Cut it into small cubes and put the pieces into saltwater.
Dry roast coconut, fennel seeds, chilli powder, coriander powder, peppercorns, garam masala and curry leaves and fry till the coconut color changes to brown.
Put it in a blender and make a fine paste.
In a cooker add 2tbsp of coconut oil.
Add the chopped ginger, garlic, onion and turmeric powder and saute for few minutes.
Then add the chopped kadachakka/breadfruit and saute well.
Then add the ground paste and little water and cook for 2 whistles.
Garnish with little coconut oil and curry leaves.
Serve hot with rice or chappathi.

Vada Curry

INGREDIENTS

Chana Dal  -  1 cup (Soaked for 2-3 hours)
Onion chopped  -  1 nos
Tomato chopped  -  2 nos
Ginger garlic paste  -  2 tsp
Red Chilli powder  -  2 tsp
Coriander powder  -  1 tsp
Turmeric powder  -  1 pinch
Fennel seeds  -  1 tsp
Coconut  -  1/2 cup
Cinnamon stick  -  1" inch
Bay leaves  -  1 nos
Green chillies  -  1 nos
Coriander leaves  -  1/2 tbsp
Salt  -  to taste


METHOD

Soak the chana dal for 2 hours and grind it to a coarse paste. Add salt and mix well.
Form small patties and steam cook for about 5 minutes and set aside
Heat oil in a pan and add cinnamon, bay leaves, green chillies and chopped onion.
Then add the ginger garlic paste and saute till browned.
Then add the chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder.
Fry for few minutes until the masala blends well.
Then add the vadas at this stage (break the vadas into small pieces) and mix well with the onion and tomato masala.
Saute well for few minutes until the masala gets blended with the masala in low flame
Make a paste of coconut and fennel seeds and add it to above mixture.
Add little water and allow it to get cooked well and the raw smell goes off.
Garnish with corainder leaves and switch off the flame.
Serve hot with idli or dosa.

Balti Chicken Pasanda

INGREDIENTS

Cleaned Chicken  -  500gm
Yoghurt  -  4 tbsp
Garam masala  -  1tsp
Cumin seeds  -  1 tbsp
Cardamom  -  4 nos
Peppercorns  -  6 nos
Cinnamon stick  -  1 nos
Ground almond  -  1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste  -  1 tsp
Chilli powder  -  1 tsp
Onion sliced   -  2 nos
Slit green chillies  -  4-5 nos
Fresh coriander leaves chopped  -  2 tbsp
Salt  -  as required


METHOD

Mix yoghurt, cumin seeds, peppercorns, garam masala, cinnamon stick, ground almond, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder and salt in a bowl along with chicken pieces and leave to marinate for 2 hours.
Heat oil in a kadai and fry the sliced onions for about 3 minutes until it starts changing color.
Put the marinated chicken into it and stir until it is well blended with the onions.
Cover and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken and the chicken is cooked.
Then add the slit green chillies and fresh coriander leaves and cook it again for about 5 minutes.
Serve hot.
This Balti Chicken Pasanda goes well with light spiced rice Nutty Fruity Pilaf Rice

Nutty Fruity Pilaf Rice

INGREDIENTS

Basmati Rice  -  1 cup
Unsalted butter  -  2 tbsp
Bay leaf  -  1 nos
Black peppercorns  -  6 nos
Cardamom  -  4 nos
Raisins  -  1 tbsp
Almonds  -  1 tbsp
Salt  -  as required
Water  -  1 3/4 cup


METHOD

Wash the rice, drain and keep it aside.
Heat butter in cooker.
Lower the heat and put the bay leaf, peppercorns, cardamom and fry for 1 minute.
Then add the rice, raisins, almonds and salt and fry for about 1 minute.
Pour water and bring it to boil.
Cover with a lid and cook for 15-20 minutes.
Turn off the heat  and leave the rice to stand covered for about 5 minutes.
Serve hot with Balti Chicken Pasanda

Chilli Cheese Toast

INGREDIENTS

Bread slices  -  2 slices
Grated cheese  -  1/2 cup
Green chillies chopped  -  3 nos
Capsicum chopped  -  2 tsp
Pepper powder  -  1 tsp


METHOD

In a bowl mix the cheese, green chillies, chopped capsicum and pepper together.
Spread the above mixture on top of the bread slices.
Toast it on a tawa or bread toaster.
Serve hot with a glass of fruit juice.

Watermelon Cucumber Juice

INGREDIENTS

Watermelon cut into small pieces  -  few pieces
Cucumber  -  1 nos
Tomato  -  1 nos
Ginger  -  1 small pieces
Sugar  -  2 tbsp
Water  -  1 cup


METHOD

Remove the seeds from the watermelon and peel off the skin from the cucumber.
Put the watermelon, tomato, cucumber, ginger and sugar in a blender and blend well.
Strain it into another cup.
Serve chilled.

Cabbage Raita

INGREDIENTS

Cabbage chopped  -  one quarter for medium size

Onion chopped  -  1 nos

Green chillies chopped  -  2 nos

Cumin seeds  -  1 tsp

Yogurt  -  3-4 tbsp

Oil  -  1 tsp

Water

METHOD

Heat oil in a kadai and splutter cumin seeds.

Add chopped green chillies and saute.

Then add onion and fry till they start changing color.

Next add the chopped cabbage and saute until it is half cooked.

Add salt to this and wait for it to cool.

Then mix this in yogurt and add water depending on how thick you want.

Check for salt and garnish with coriander.

Channa Pulao

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice  -  1 cup
Channa  -  1/2 cup
Onion sliced  -  1 nos
Tomato chopped  -  1 nos
Green chilli slit  - 2 nos
Ginger garlic paste  -  1 tsp
Turmeric powder  -  1/2 tsp
Chilli powder  -  1 tsp
Garam masala powder  -  1 tsp

Mint leaves  -  few
Coriander leaves  -  few
Thin coconut milk  -  1 3/4 cup
Lemon juice  -  1 tsp
Cloves  -  2 nos
Cinnamon  -  1" piece
Cardamom  -  1
Salt  -  to taste
Oil  -  2 tbsp


METHOD

Soak channa overnight and pressure cook till soft by adding little water and keep it aside
Soak basmati rice for 20 minutes and drain it.
Now in a pressure pan heat oil and add cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and saute for few mins.
Then add onions, slit green chilli and saute until its pink.
Add ginger garlic paste and saute for few more seconds and then add chopped tomato.
Then add turmeric powder, chilli powder ,garam masala powder, mint leaves,corainder leaves and salt.
Mix it well and saute till the raw smell goes off.
Then add the cooked channa.
Add the thin coconut milk and lemon juice to it.
When it starts boiling add rice and mix well.Check for salt at this stage.
Close the pan and pressure cook for 1 whistle  and keep it in very slow flame for 5 minutes and switch off.
Serve hot with Cabbage Raita