Dangar Pachadi / Urad dal Raita

Ingredients

Urad dal      : 1/4 cup
Thick curd    : 1 cup
Musard seeds
Red chilly   : 1
Oil
Salt
Asafoetida

Method

Dry roast urad dal till golden brown.
Let it cool and grind to a fine powder.
Beat curd well and add urad dal powder and mix.
Add salt to it and blend thoroughly..
Heat oil in pan ,add mustard seeds, broken red chilly, curry leaves and asafoetida.
Add the seasoning to the curd mixture and mix well.
Serve with Tamarind Poha/ Puli aval...
Puli Aval /Tamarind Poha recipe HERE...

Puli Aval / Tamarind Poha

Ingredients

Aval / Poha      : 1 cup
Tamarind juice : 1/2 cup
Red chillies       : 4 nos
Peanuts             : 2 tbsps
Cashewnuts      : 2 tbsps
Chana dal         : 1 tsp
Urad dal           : 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds
Salt
Turmeric powder
Gingelly Oil
Asafotida

Method

Wash the poha twice.
Soak it in tamarind water with salt and turmeric powder for half an hour.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, chana dal, urad dal, broken red chillies, curry leaves,Asafoetida and fry.
When mustard splutters add peanuts and cashewnuts and fry for few minutes.
Now add the soaked aval / poha and blend everything well.
Switch off the flame and garnish with some nuts and curry leaves.

Simple Homemade Chocolates

Ingredients

Sugar         : 1 cup
Milk powder : 1 cup
Cocoa powder  : 1/4 cup
Water                : 1/2 cup

Butter                : 1 tbsp

Method

Mix milk powder and cocoa powder and keep aside.
Mix water and sugar in a heavy bottomed pan and allow it to boil until it reaches 1 string consistency.
Remove from fire and add butter and mix well.
Now add milk powder mixture to it.
Mix everything well for few minutes..
Pour the mixture on a greased plate and allow it to cool.
Cut them into squares..

Sooyan/Sukiyan/Suzhiyam / Sweet Balls ( using leftover kozhukattai filling/puranam)

Ingredients 

For the Batter 

Raw Rice     : 1 cup
Urad dal      : 1/4 cup
Salt              : a pinch

For the filling

Grated coconut   : 1 cup
Jaggery               : 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder : 1 tsp

Oil for deep frying

Method

Soak rice and dal together for 2 hours.
Grind to a very smooth paste and add salt to it.
Dissolve jaggery in 1/4 cup of water and drain it.
Mix coconut and jaggery water in a heavy bottomed pan stir on low flame until the mixture comes together.
Switch off the flame and add cardamon powder.
Roll them into small balls and keep aside.
Heat oil in kadai, dip each ball in the prepared batter, put it in oil and fry until golden brown.

Vegetable Puffs with Homemade Pastry Sheets

Ingredients for Pastry sheets

Maida / All purpose flour      : 2 cups
Cold water                           : 3/4 cup
Butter                                   : 1 cup
Lemon juice                          : 1 tsp
Salt

Method

Mix flour and salt in a wide bowl.
Add 2 tsps of butter and mix.
Add lemon juice and water ,knead into a soft dough.
Cover and refrigerate for 1/2 an hour.
Flour the rolling surface, roll out the dough into a  rectangle shape.
Spread butter and fold the four edges and again refrigerate.
Remove the dough from refrigerator and Gently roll the dough into a rectangle.
Fold 3 times like Business letter and repeat the process for 5 to 6 times.
Cover with plastic Wrap and refrigerate.
Now the pastry is ready to use.

Ingredients for the filling

Boiled Mixed vegetables    : 1 cup ( i used carrot, beans, green peas)
Chopped onion       : 1/2 cup
Chopped tomatoes  : 1`/4 cup
Red chilly powder   : 1 tsp
Garam masala powder : 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder  : 1 tsap
Pav Bhaji masala    : 1 tsp
Jeera                     : 1/2 tsp
Salt
Oil
Coriander leaves


Method  

Heat oil in a pan, add jeera , onions and fry.
Add tomatoes and masala powders and saute.
Add salt and mix well.
Put cooked vegetables and mix well .
Garnish with coriander leaves and remove from fire.

Assembling puffs

Preheat oven to 200C for 10 minutes.
Cut the pastry sheets into equal parts.
Stuff each piece with stuffing and close it firm.
Bake for 20 minutes or till the top is golden brown.
Serve hot.

Paneer Peas Pulao

Ingredients 

Cooked Basmati Rice : 2 cups
Frozen green peas       : 1 cup
Ginger - Garlic paste   : 1 tbsp 
Cubed Paneer             : 3/4 cup
Chopped onion          : 1/2 cup
Chopped Tomato        : 2 tbsps
Chopped Green Chilly : 1 tbsp
Garam masala              : 1 tbsp
Pav Bhaji Masala         : 2 tsps
Cumin seeds                 : 1 tsp
Ghee + oil                     : 2 tbsps
Salt
Coriander leaves 

Method 

Heat oil + Ghee in a wide kadai, add cumin seeds and green chillies.
Add chopped onion, ginger - garlic paste and fry for few minutes.
Add tomato, green peas and salt and let it cook. 
Toast paneer with little oil Separately.
Add garam masala powder, pav bhaji masala and saute for 2 minutes on low flame.
Add boiled rice and toasted paneer and  mix gently.
Cover and cook for few minutes .
Garnish with coriander leaves.