Pearl rolls

Pearl rolls - A colourful dish made with cooked vegetables and sago...A lovely snack for kids...

Ingredients:

Cooked vegetables:1 cup,carrots,beans,green peas,potatoes

Garam masala:1 to 2 tsp

Ginger-garlic paste:1 tsp

Coriander powder:1/2 tsp

Dried mango powder:little(amchur powder)

Rice flour:1/2 cup

Oil for frying

Sago:1 tbsp(soaked for 10 minutes just before making the rolls)

Preparation:

Cook the vegetables along with enough salt...

Mash the cooked vegetables and add all the ingredients to it except sago...

Make them in to balls and roll slightly and give a coat of soaked sago...

Now deep fry these balls and drain it on the absorbent paper...

Serve hot...

Spinach cutlets - Keerai cutlets

Spinach cutlets make such healthy cutlets..Goes well with rice..Very nice way of making eat spinach...

Ingredients:

Spinach:1 bunch

Bengal gram dal:1/2 cup

Onion:1,medium,chopped finely

Gram flour:1 tbsp

Garlic:3 flakes

Green chillies:2,chopped

Cumin seeds:1/2 tsp

Ginger:a small piece

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Preparation:

Wash and soak the chana(bengal gram dhal) in water for three hours...

Clean and wash the spinach in salt water...

Chop the spinach,strain the chana dhal and grind it along with spinach in the mixer in to a thick paste...

Drain all the water and add the remaining ingredients...

Shape the mixture like cutlets and steam them in a pressure cooker for five minutes or till done...

When cool remove from the cooker...

Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the cutlets till done...

Serve hot with mint chutney...

Note:Add more gram flour if the cutlets do not bind properly..

Tomato flan makes a great dish...This is such a easy to make recipe...

Ingredients:

For the Pastry:

Wheat flour:60 grams

Maida:120 grams

Salt:1/2 tsp

Butter:75 grams

Cold water for mixing the dough

For the filling:

Onions:3,medium

Oil:1 tbsp

Tomatoes:4,sliced

Eggs:2

Cottage cheese:150 grams(paneer)

Dried thyme:1 tsp

Salt:1 and 1/2 tsp

Freshly ground pepper:1 tsp

Shredded mozzarella cheese:100 grams

Preparation:

For the pastry:

Mix the salt and the flour..

Cut the butter in to small pieces and rub in to the flour...

Quickly bind the mixture with water...

Grease an oven proof circular dish of about 22 cm diameter and line it with the pasty dough pressing it well up on the sides...

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees C...

For the filling:

Fry the onions lightly till golden brown in oil...

Whisk the eggs and add the cottage cheese,thyme,salt and pepper...

Place the tomato slices in the baked pastry shell and spread  the onions and tomatoes and sprinkle the shredded mozarella cheese...

Bake the flan in the oven for 25 minutes at 200 degrees C...

Enjoy the tomato flan...

Patrani machhi - Steamed fish in banana leaf with green chutney

Patrani machhi - Steamed fish parcels served with lime wedges

Ingredients:

Fish fillet slices:500 grams

Green coconut chutney:1 cup

Vinegar:3 tbsp

Limes:2,cut in to wedges

Oil for greasing:1 to 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Preparation:

Marinate the fish slices in vinegar and salt for 1 hour...

Drain and discard the marinade...

Pat dry the fish and make a cross-like incision in the centre of each fillet to form a pocket...

Stuff the pockets with green chutney and then coat the whole slice...

Wrap each slice in a greased banana leaf or foil...

Steam the fish parcels for 20 minutes till done...

Unwrap and serve with lime wedges...

Enjoy the patrani machhi

Amritsari fish - Fish fried in batter

Amritsari fish - Batter fried fish served with chutney...

Ingredients:

Basic ingredients:

Fish fillet:1/4 kg,cubed

Oil for frying

Marinade:

Garlic paste:1 tsp

Ginger paste:1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder:1 and 1/2 tsp

Lime juice:2 tsp

Salt to taste

Batter:

Gram flour:2 tsp

Rice flour:1 tsp

Carrom seeds:1/2 tsp

Curd:2 tbsp

Beaten egg:2 tbsp

A pinch of salt

Preparation:

Mix all the marinade ingredients and rub in to the fish cubes...

Keep aside for 1 hour...

Combine all the ingredients for the batter and mix with the marinated fish...

Keep aside for another 15 minutes..

Deep fry the fish cubes till golden brown...

Drain on a grease absorbent paper...

Serve hot with a chutney of your choice...

Enjoy the fish fried in batter!!

Ginger cake - Eggless ginger cake

Ginger cake - a light eggless ginger cake can be made with this easy to make recipe..

Ingredients:

Refined flour:3 and 1/2 cups

Oil:1/2 cup

Honey:1 cup

Hot water:1/2 cup

Demerara sugar:1/2 cup

White sugar:1/3 cup

Ginger paste:1 tsp

Nutmeg powder:1/2 tsp

Cinnamon powder:1/2 tsp

Clove powder:1/4 to 1/2 tsp

Vanilla essence:1/2 tsp

Baking soda:1 tsp

Baking powder:1/2 tsp

Preparation:

Sift the flour together with the baking powder and keep aside...

Dissolve the demerara sugar,white sugar and honey iin hot water...

Stir in the oil...

Add the spice powders(clove,nutmeg and cinnamon),vanilla essence,ginger paste and combine well..

Pour in to the flour and mix in to a smooth batter...

Dissolve the baking soda in 1 to 2 tsps of water and quickly stir in to the batter...

Pour the batter in to a suitable greased  and lined cake tray...

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 dgrees C for about 45 to 50 minutes..

Invert on to a wire rack and cool...

Slice and serve...

Cauliflower in yoghurt

Cauliflower in yoghurt makes a great side dish..Pretty easy to make too...

Ingredients:

Onions:3,finely sliced

Garlic cloves:2,crushed

Grated fresh ginger:1 tsp

Sugar:1 tsp

Yoghurt:1 cup

Cauliflower;1,broken in to florets

Ghee:45 grams

Hot water:2/3 cup

Garam masala:1 tsp

Preparation:

Combine one onion in a blender or food processor with garlic,ginger,sugar and yoghurt...

Blend until smooth...

Combine cauliflower and yoghurt mixture,stand for atleast 2 hours..

Melt ghee in a saucepan,saute remaining onions until golden brown..

Add cauliflower mixture and hot water...

Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until cauliflower is tender...

Stir in the garam masala..

Cook till done..

Yummy cauliflower in yoghurt is ready!!

Date and lentil pulao

Date and lentil pulao is not usually made at home...But it can be had occasionally...

Ingredients:

Long grain rice:3 cups

Red lentils:1 cup

Butter:250 grams

Warm water:1 cup

Onion:1,finely chopped

Fresh dates:250 grams,stoned

Dried apricots:125 grams,chopped

Blanched almonds:1/2 cup,chopped

Raisins:1/2 cup

Preparation:

Boil rice until almost cooked...

Cover lentils with water and cook for 20 minutes until soft...

Dissolve half the butter in water over heat..

Saute onion in remaining butter until soft and then add dates,apricots,almonds and raisins..

Pour half butter water in to casserole dish and then add in layers,1/3 of the rice,1/2 of the fruit mixture,1/2 of the lentils,1/3 of the rice,remaining fruit mixture,remaining lentils,then remaining rice and pour over the remaining butter-water...

Cover with cloth and put the lid on..

Simmer over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes...

Tasty date and lentil pulao is ready!!

Russian salad

Russian salad is a great starter...It is also a popular salad...Russian salad is loved by one and all..

Ingredients:

Potatoes:3,medium,peeled and diced

French beans:8 to 10,finely chopped

Carrots:2,medium,diced

Apples:2,medium,diced

Pineapple:1 cup,diced

Shelled peas:1/2 cup

White pepper powder:1-2 tsp

Fresh cream:1 cup

Mayonnaise:1 cup

Lime juice:1 cup

Salt to taste

Preparation:

Place the vegetables and pineapple,dripping wet in a suitable pan...

Cook on low heat...

For the dressing lightly whip the fresh cream...

Fold in the mayonnaise and chill for sometime...

Combine the cooked vegetables and the pineapple with the diced apples...

Pour the dressing over it..

Add salt,pepper and lime juice..

Spoon the salad in to a bowl and serve chilled!!
　

Thick carrot soup

Thick carrot soup can be made easily with this recipe...

Ingredients:

Carrots:1/2 kg,finely diced

Small onion:1,finely chopped

Pepper powder:2 tsp

Butter:1 tsp

Sugar:1/2 tsp

Vinegar:1-2 tbsp

Hot vegetable stock:1 litre

Salt to taste

Preparation:

Heat a pan and drop in the butter and onion...

Saute the onion till light pink..

Now add the carrots and the hot stock..

Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes on low heat..

Keeping aside 1 to 2 tbsp of cooked carrot,blend the remaining in a mixer...

Now pour the carrot puree back in to the pan and place on medium heat..

Add the salt,sugar,pepper powder and vinegar...

Simmer for a few minutes before turning off the heat...

Tasty carrot soup is ready!!

You can also substitute the vegetable stock with meat stock...

　
　

Corn halwa

Corn halwa can be made at home easily with this recipe...Here goes the recipe..

Ingredients:

Corn kernel:1 cup

Ghee:3/4 cup

Sugar:1/2 cup

Fresh cream:1 tbsp

Cashew nuts:1/2 tbsp

Almonds:1/2 tbsp

Melon seeds:2 tsp

Cardamom powder:1 tsp

Crushed saffron strings:4 to 5

Preparation:

Firstly coarsely crush the corn in the mixture without using any water...

Roast this crushed corn in ghee till it turns brown in colour...

When it is roasted you can feel that the mixture has become light..

Add 1/2 cup of water and simmer for sometime to make it soft,till the water evaporates..

Now add cream and sugar and stir so that it doesnot stick in the pan...

Stir till the ghee starts seperating from the mixture..

Add the rest of the ingredients and cover for about 2 minutes...

Yummy corn halwa is ready!!

Enjoy!!

Tips to have a long life

This is what we should be doin in order to prolong our lives:
-Dont even think about smoking

-Cut down on animal fat

-Cut down on sugar to lower blood insulin levels

-Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables

-Eat nuts but not salted nuts

-Cut down on salt as too much salt raises blood pressure

-Exercise for 20 to 30 minutes four times a week

-Maintain a sensible weight

-Cut down on stress

-If you are feeling unwell,always discuss your symptoms with a doctor

Carrot kofta curry

Carrot kofta curry is a great treat for carrot lovers...

Ingredients:

For the gravy -

Oil:3 tbsp

Onions:2,ground to a paste

Tomatoes:2,pureed

Coriander powder:2 tsp

Turmeric powder:1/4 tsp

Garam masala:1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder:1/2 tsp

For koftas -

Carrots:2,grated

Bread slices:2,crumbled in a mixer

Green chillies:1,chopped

Ginger-garlic paste:1 tsp

Salt to taste

Garam masala:1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder:1/2 tsp

Dry mango powder:1/2 tsp

Yoghurt:2 tbsp

Raisins:8 to 10

Oil for frying

Preparation:

For the gravy heat oil in a pan and fry the onion paste till it becomes brown...

Add the masalas and fry again...

Mix tomato puree in to this and cook till the oil floats on top..

Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water and salt and cook till the gravy is thick...

For the koftas,mix the grated carrots with all the ingredents except yoghurt and raisins...Then add the yoghurt finally and mix well..

Make about 8 to 10 round balls with 1 raisin stuffed in each...

Fry them in hot oil carefully and drain te excess oil on tissue paper...

Place the koftas in a flat bottomed serving dish and pour the curry over them..

Pour the gravy only at the time of serving to avoid the koftas becoming soggy...

Enjoy the carrot kofta curry!!