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.