Vidhu's kitchen

Paal Payasam / Milk & Rice pudding

Ingredients

Basmati rice : 1/4 cup
Milk : 4 cups
Sugar : 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder
Saffron

Method

Soak saffron in little milk.
Fry rice in 1/4 tsp ghee and powder it to a coarse powder.
Boil milk in a heavy bottomed pan.
Once the milk comes to a boil,add the powdered rice,simmer the flame,cook till the rice is soft.
Stir in between to prevent sticking at the bottom.
The secret of its unique flavour is in the slow cooking.
Once the milk has been absorbed ,and the rice has become soft,add sugar and let it boil for few minutes.
Add saffron, cardamom and mix well.
Garnish with cashew nuts & raisins fried in ghee if desired.
Serve hot.

Curd Rice / Thayir Sadam

Ingredients

Cooked raw rice : 1 cup
Thick curd : 1 cup
Milk / Cream : 1/4 cup
Pomegranate : 1/4 cup
Salt

For Tempering

Mustard seeds
Red chilly
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Oil

Method

Mash and cool the rice.
Add salt, coriander leaves and mix.
Now add curd and mix well.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, add mustard seeds,red chilly and curry leaves.
Switch off the flame and pour the seasoning on the rice and mix well.
Finally add cream/ milk, pomegranates and mix well.
Serve with any pickle..

Baked Ladies Finger/Okra(step-by-step pictures)

Ingredients

Ladies finger / Okra : 10
Red chilly powder : 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder
Salt

Method

Preheat oven to 180C
Wash and wipe ladies fingers.

Cut each okra in 4 strips.

Sprinkle spice powders,salt over the okra.

and mix.

Place okras on a baking tray & Bake for 10 minutes until crisp.

Serve hot ..

Basic Eggless Sponge Cake

Ingredients

Maida        : 1 cup
Curd          : 1 cup
Refined oil : 1/4 cup
Powdered sugar : 3/4 cup
Baking soda      : 1/2 tsp
Salt                    : a pinch
Vanilla essence   : 1 tbsp

Method

Preheat oven to 180 C for 10 mins and grease a cake pan and keep aside.
Sieve maida, baking soda , salt and keep aside.
In a bowl mix curd and sugar well.
Add refined oil and vanilla essence to the curd mixture and combine well.
Now slowly add the flour little by little and stir gently.
Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 20 mins.

Basic White Bread

Ingredients

Maida / All purpose flour : 2 cups
Dry Yeast : 1 tsp
Honey : 1 tbsp
Salt : 1/2 tsp
Lukewarm water : 1/2 cup

Method

Mix flour, salt, yeast. honey, water and knead gently.
Dust the working surface with little Maida and knead the dough for 3 mins.
Transfer the dough into a bowl and cover with a towel and let it rise for 1 hour .
Remove it from the bowl and again knead for few mins and shape it into a log.
Put the dough into a greased loaf pan, cover it and let it rise for another 1hour.
Preheat the oven at 180 C for 10 mins and bake for 20 mins.
Remove the bread from oven and place on a rack to cool.
Freshly baked bread is ready.
Enjoy..

Bourbon Biscuits

Ingredients

Maida / All purpose flour : 1 cup
Butter : 1/4 cup
Sugar : 1/4 cup
Cocoa powder : 2 tbsps
Baking powder : 1 tsp
Baking soda : 1/4 tsp
Vanilla essense : 1tbsp
Instant Coffee powder : 1/2 tsp
Honey : 1 tbsp
Cold Milk : 2 tbsps
Salt : a pinch

For the filling
Icing sugar : 1/4 cup
Butter : 1/4 cup
Cocoa powder : 1 tsp

Method

Preheat the oven to 150 C.
Sieve the flour, Baking powder, cocoa powder together.
Take a wide bowl add butter and sugar and beat until fluffy, add vanilla essense, honey, baking soda, salt and blend well.
Mix the sieved flour to the butter mixture and add little milk to form the dough.
Transfer the dough to floured surface and knead for few minutes.
Roll and cut into even rectangles.
Grease a baking tray and place the biscuits.
Prick the biscuits with a fork and sprinkle sugar on top.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Mix all the ingrdients for " Filling" and Put a tsp of filling on a biscuit and spread out it evenly and place the another biscuit over it.
Enjoy.

Baked Kofta Curry

Ingredients

For kofta

Cooked and mashed potato : 1 cup
Grated carrot : 1/4 cup
Grated paneer : 1/4 cup
Gram flour : 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder : 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder : 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder : a pinch
Salt

Method

Preheat oven to 200 C for 10 minutes.
In a bowl add potato, carrot ,paneer, red chilly powder, cumin powder,garam masala powder, salt, gram flour and mix well.
Shape into lemon size ball , place all the koftas on a greased baking tray and bake until they turn brown.

Ingredients for the Gravy

Chopped onion : 1 cup
Chopped tomatoes : 1/2 cup
Cashewnut : 2tbsps
Red chilly powder : 1 Tbsp
Garam masala powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tbsp
Cinnamon : 1
Cardamom : 2
Cloves : 2
Ginger- Garlic paste : 1 tsp
Oil : 2 tbsps
Salt
Coriander leaves

Method

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan add cinnamon, cardamom ,cloves and saute for a minute.
Add chopped onion and fry.
Add tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste and stir for few minutes.
Add the masala powders and mix well.
Finally add cashewnuts and fry for half a minute and let it cool.
Puree the mixture .
Heat remaining oil in a pan cook the pureed mixture for few minutes with lids closed .
Add 3/4 cup of water and let it boil .
Switch off the flame.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
To serve Place the baked koftas in a plate and pour gravy over it and sprinkle some coriander leaves..
Serve hot..

Eggless Molten Lava Cake

Ingredients

All purpose Flour/ Maida : 1/2 cup
Baking Chocolate : 1/2 cup
Butter : 1/2 cup
Condensed Milk : 1/2 cup
Baking powder : 1/2 tsp
Baking soda : 1/4 tsp
Vanilla essense : 1 tsp
Dark chocolate Bars

Method

Preheat oven to 200 C for 10 minutes.
Melt baking chocolate and butter using either the microwave or double boiler..
Sieve Maida, Baking powder and Baking soda together.
In a large bowl pour melted chocolate + butter mixture, condensed milk and vanilla essense and mix well.
Add flour little at a time and keep mixing.
Make sure there is no lumps.
Pour the batter into greased ramekins or baking cups.
Insert chocolate bar into the center and cover with the batter on top.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Cool the cake on a wire rack and unmold after it has cooled.
Serve with ice cream and ENJOY.

Eggless Orange Cake

Ingredients

All purpose flour : 1 cup
Orange juice : 1/2 cup
Yogurt : 1/4 cup
Powdered Sugar : 3/4 cup
Oil : 1/2 cup
Orange zest : 1/2 tsp
Baking powder : 1 1/4 tsp
Baking soda : 1/2 tsp
Salt ; a pinch
Vanilla essence : 1 tsp

Method

Preheat oven to 180 C
Sieve flour,baking powder, baking soda,salt 2 times.
Mix the yogurt,oil,orange juice,orange zest well..
To this add the flour and fold the mixture gently.
Pour the mixture into a greased pan.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Let it cool down completely.
Cut the cooled cake into pieces and serve.

Sprouted Green Gram Rice

Ingredients

Cooked rice : 1 cup
Sprouted green gram : 3/4 cup
Chopped onion : 2 tbsps
Green chilly : 2 nos
Red chilly powder : 1/2 tsp
Ginger - Garlic paste : 1 tsp
Garam masala powder : 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Salt
Oil
Coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a kadai, add cumin seeds.
Add chopped green chillies,onion,ginger-garlic paste and fry.
Add the sprouts now and stir.
Add salt and mix and let it cook for few minutes.
Put garam masala powder,red chilly powder and stir.
Add cooked and cooled rice now and mix gently.
Cover and cook for few minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with any raita .

Vazhakkai Bajji/Raw Banana Snack( step-by-step pictures)

Ingredients

Raw bananas : 2
Besan flour : 4 tbsps
Rice flour : 1 tbsp
All purpose flour :1 tbsp
Baking soda : 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder : 3/4 tsp
Asafoetida : 1/4 tsp
Salt
Oil

Method

Cut the sides of the raw banana ,peel the skin,slice them lengthwise and put them in water..so that they don't discolour.

In a bowl prepare a batter using the besan flour,rice flour,All purpose flour,asafoetida,salt, red chilly powder,baking soda and add enough water and mix without any lumps. The batter should be in dropping consistency.

Heat a kadai,add oil for frying.. When it is hot Dip the raw banana slices into the batter..

And fry till golden brown.

Raw Banana Bajji/ Raw Banana Snack is ready..Serve with coconut chutney or with tomato sauce..

Semiya Payasam / Vermicelli Kheer

Ingredients

Semiya ( vermicili) : 3/4 cup
Milk : 3 cups
Sugar : 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder : 1 tsp
Saffron : few strands
Ghee : 1 tbsp

Method

Soak saffron in little milk.
Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan,roast semiya( vermicili) until slightly brown.
Add milk and let it boil until semiya turns soft.
Add sugar and mix.
Cook on low flame for few minutes until milk gets thick.
Add cardamom powder ,soaked saffron and mix.
Switch off the flame and serve hot.
Enjoy.
Sending this to sara's dish in 30 minutes event

Homemade Pizza Sauce

Ingredients

Tomatoes : 8
Chopped garlic : 2 tbsps
Chopped onion : 2 tbsps
Dried basil : 1/2 tsp
Dried oregano : 1/2 tsp
Sugar : 1 tsp
Olive oil : 1 1/2 tsps
Salt

Method

Make a X mark on top & bottom of the tomatoes,add it to the hot boiling water for 1 minute.
Remove it and put it in cold water.
Peel the skin of the tomatoes,chop 4 tomatoes into fine pieces and grind the remaining 4 tomatoes.
Heat olive oil in a pan, add chopped garlic and fry.
Add chopped onion and stir for few minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes and pureed tomato and mix.
Add sugar,salt and mix,cover it and let it cook for 5 minutes on low flame.
Add basil, oregano and mix everything well.
Do not make the sauce too much watery or too thick...
Remove from flame,allow to Cool & store in an Airtight container..

Mixed Vegetable masala Dosa

Ingredients

For the dosa Batter

Idly rice : 3 cups
Raw rice : 1 cup
Urad dal : 1 cup
Salt

Method

Wash and Soak Rice and dal seperately for 4 hrs.
First grind dal to a very smooth paste.. ( for best results grind dal for 45 mins)
Grind Rice near to coarse consistency.
Add salt and mix well.
Keep the batter aside over night..

Ingredients For the stuffing

Mixed Vegetables : 1 cup( i used Chopped carrot,chopped capsicum,green peas,chopped potato, grated cauliflower)
Chopped onion : 1/2 cup
Chopped tomato : 1/4 cup
Chopped green chillies : 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder : 1 tsp
Garam masala powder : 1 tbsp
Ginger - Garlic paste : 1 tsp
Salt
Oil
Coriander leaves

Method

Boil the vegetables in 1/4 cup water with little salt.
Heat oil in a kadai add onion and saute.
Add tomatoes, green chillies, salt and mix well.
Now add ginger - garlic paste and stir.
Add all the spice powders and fry for few minutes until oil leaves the sides.
Add boiled vegetables, mix well and cook for 5 minutes and remove from flame.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Making the Dosa

Heat a Tawa ,spread one ladle of dosa batter evenly.
Apply ghee or oil around the edges and Wait for few minutes ..
Spread 2 tbsps of vegetable filling and fold the dosa .
Now the Vegetable masala dosa is ready..

Serve immediately with chutney or Tiffin sambar..

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