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

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.