Kerala Egg Roast 

Ingredients

• Eggs - 4, hard boil, peel and make small slits lengthwise
• Onion - 2, large, sliced
• Green chilies - 2, slit
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Tomato - 2, large, chopped
• Red chili powder - 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
• Black pepper power - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - pinch
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 2-3 tbsps

Method

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add sliced onions and green chilies and saute for 7-8 mts. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 4 mts.
2. Add curry leaves, red chili powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder and salt and mix.
3. Add the sliced tomatoes and saute for 6 mts. Add 1/4 cup of water and boiled eggs, place lid and simmer for 8-9 mts.
4. Remove lid , add garam masala powder and continue to cook for 2-3 mts and turn off flame. Remove to a serving bowl. Serve with appam, idiyappam or chapati.

Eggless Fruit Cake 

Ingredients

• All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups (maida)
• Yogurt - 1 cup (curd)
• Dark brown sugar - 1 cup
• Baking powder - 1 1/4 tsp
• Baking soda - 3/4 tsp (1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp divided)
• Hot water - 2 tbsps
• Vegetable oil - 1/3 cup
• Vinegar - 1 tbsp
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
• Shah jeera powder - 1/4 tsp
• Cinnamon powder - small pinch
• Dry ginger powder - 1/4 tsp
• Clove powder - 1/4 tsp
• Nutmeg powder - small pinch
• Lemon zest - 1/2 tsp
• To prepare rum soaked dry fruits and nuts:
• Dry fruits and nuts - 1 1/2 to 2 cups (tutti frutti, dried currants, figs, dates, candied lemon & orange peel, golden raisins, preserved cherries, cashewnuts and almonds)
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg pwd
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp clove pwd
• 3/4 cup dark rum
• 1/2 cup red wine

  Method

  1. Preheat oven to 160 C. Grease and line the bottom and sides a loaf tin with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Sieve the flour with shah jeera powder, cinnamon powder, ginger powder, clove powder and nutmeg powder and keep aside.
  3. In a bowl, add room temperature yogurt and dark brown sugar and beat till the sugar is almost dissolved. Add baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and vinegar and mix. Leave aside for 5 mts and you will find that bubbles/fizz appear on the top.
  4. Add the vegetable oil, vanilla essence and lemon zest and mix well. Slowly fold in the flour without over mixing. Fold the flour into the batter till it is incorporated.
  5. Sprinkle 2 tbsps flour over the rum soaked dry fruits and fold them into the batter lightly.
  6. Just before pouring the batter into the loaf tin, dissolve 1/4 tsp baking soda in 2 tbsps hot water and pour this mixture over the cake batter and fold it in with a light hand. Do not overmix or over beat.
  7. Immediately pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake at 160 C for 40 to 45 mts or till done.
  8. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 20 mts and remove from loaf tin. Bring the cake to room temperature and slice.

Black Bean Kababs...


We should all be trying to cut down on the meat we consume and replacing it with fiber rich, vegetarian foods. What better way than these yummy kababs! You really don't even miss the meat flavor! Even if you don't enjoy black beans, give these a try and maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised!

• 1 15- to 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1 large (or 2 small) cloves of garlic, quartered
• ¼ cup cooked corn kernels (or another veg of your liking)
• 2 whole grain bread slices or ½ cup dry breadcumbs
• 2 tablespoons plus bottled chunky salsa (or chopped tomatoes)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 TBS shan kabab masala (I used shami kabab masala, you can aslo use seekh kabab)
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as sriracha)
• chopped green chilies (optional)

Add bread slices to food processor and process until a fine bread crumb is formed. Remove bread crumbs to a bowl and set aside. Add onions and garlic and finely mince. Add black beans and pulse a few times. (It's up to you if you want the mixture to be coarse/chunky or completely smooth. I left mine a little coarse).

Add in salsa, bread crumbs*, cumin, Shan kabab masala, hot sauce, and green chilies (if using). Stir to combine.

Form patties (or long seekh kabab type rolls, or even burgers) and shallow fry in hot oil for about 3 minutes per side or until cooked through and browned on both sides. Serve with caramelized onions and chutney of choice.

*Do not add all of the bread crumbs in at once. Add some and see if you need more. The mixture should be firm enough for you to form kababs easily.

Oats upma 

Ingredients

Quick cook oats	1 cup
Onion	1
Mixed vegetables	3/4 cup
Green chilli	3
Water	1/2 cup
Salt	As needed
Coconut oil/ sesame oil	1 tsp

To temper

Oil	2 tsp
Mustard	3/4 tsp
Urad dal	1 tsp
Channa dal	2 tsp
Curry leaves	1 sprig Method Chop vegetables and onion finely. I used half a carrot, 4 beans and a fist full of forzen peas. slit green chillies. Heat oil in a pan and temper with the items given under ‘To temper’ table, then add onion and fry until transparent. Add vegetables, green chillies and if you want you can sprinkle 1/4 tsp sugar to maintain its  colour and fry in medium flame for 2 minutes. Add a little salt just for the vegetables if you want. Add the oats, salt and mix well for a minute. Add 1/4 cup water and mix well and cook covered for 2 minutes. Later again sprinkle the remaining water and mix well and cook covered for another 2 minutes. This way it wont turn too gooey but still gets cooked moist. Top with coconut oil or sesame oil if desired. Notes You can add your own choice of vegetables, just make sure you chop finely to make sure it gets cooked. You can add finely chopped ginger along with onion to make it flavourful and easy to digest. You can add turmeric if you want to make it look yellow. Always eat hot immediately. I have it as such, if you want you can eat it with any chutney or sambar.

Puri (poori) 

Ingredients

Wheat flour	1 cup
Water	1/4 cup + as needed
Sugar	1/4 tsp
Salt	As needed

 

Method

1. Take flour,sugar and salt in a bowl and mix well.
2. Add 1/4 cup water little by little while you mix the flour to resemble a crumbly mix. Then carefully sprinkle water 1 or 2 tblsp water to gather to a dough.
3. Keep a side covered for 10 – 15 minutes and then again need to make it smooth with out any cracks. 
4. Divide into equal sized balls (6 – 8).Roll out into circles. Not too thick, not too thin.
5. Heat oil in kadai,until fume just starts to come. Then keep it in medium flame and drop the rolled puri in the oil carefully. Oil should be enough to immerse the puri.  Gently press the puri with the laddle when it tries to float on the top. This will make it puff well. Turn over and cook for another 30 sec or until golden spots appear on the puri.

Notes

• Adding sugar helps in turning the puri to a nice golden colour. Also enhances the taste.
• I have heard from my MIL that adding a tblsp pf rava/ semolina/ sooji gives crispier puri.
• Keep oil in kadai enough. It is important in puffing puri.
• Keep oil always hot. Then only puri will puff. So manage your oil temperature accordingly high/low/medium
• Adding a tsp of ghee while making dough also gives a nice flavour.

VEGETABLE CUTLETS

VEGETABLE CUTLETS

INGREDIENTS

Potato,small	2 (equivalent to 1 cup mashed)
Other mixed veggies	1/4 cup
Bread	2 slices
Garam masala	1/2 tsp
red chilli powder	1 tsp
Coriander leaves,chopped	3 –4 tblsp
Bread crumbs	1/2 cup
Maida	2 tblsp
Salt	As needed
Oil	For frying

Method:

1. Pressure cook potato in a vessel and other chopped veggies together in another vessel for three whistles. Just sprinkle a tsp of water in the chopped veggies,that is enough. For potato just cut into 4 and add little water.
2. Peel off the skin and mash the potato and add other veggies to it. Make sure there is no water.
3. Tear the bread pieces and crumble it by grinding in a mixer.This step can be skipped and you can directly add to the veggies as well. But I prefer this way for even mixing.
4. Add it to the veggies along with garam masala,red chilli,salt and coriander leaves and mix together.
5. Make a thick paste(like idly dosa batter consistency) out of maida and water.
6. Make equal and desired shapes out of the veggies and set a side,I made it simple and round. Dip it in the maida paste one by one.
7. Quickly take it out and coat both sides with the bread crumbs. Repeat the process for the rest and arrange in plate.
8. If you are pan frying then just drizzle with some oil over a hot non stick pan and arrange 4 at a time and cook in a medium flame both sides,until crisp.
9. Enjoy hot with tomato sauce/ketchup with tea/coffee/cool drinks.

Homemade Paneer Tikka recipe

Ingredients

Topping

Pasta sauce/pizza sauce	1 1/2 tblsp
Onion	1/2
Tomato	1/2,Chopped, De-seeded.
Capsicum	1/2,chopped
Panner tikka	As needed
Mozzarella  cheese	For topping
Italian seasoning	For topping

Topping

Pasta sauce/pizza sauce	1 1/2 tblsp
Onion	1/2
Tomato	1/2,Chopped, De-seeded.
Capsicum	1/2,chopped
Panner tikka	As needed
Mozzarella  cheese	For topping
Italian seasoning	For topping

Paneer tikka

Paneer cubes	1/2 cup
Hung curd	2 – 3 tblsp
Red chilli powder	1/2 tsp
Crushed black pepper	1/2 – 1 tsp
Tandoori masala powder	1/2 – 1 tsp
Lemon juice	from 1/2 of a lemon
Ajwain/omam	1 tsp
Salt and oil	As needed

Method

Method

1. Refer here for the basic pizza dough recipe and the method.Flatten the pizza dough with rolling pin,roll the edges and spread the sauce.
2. Sprinkle required cheese and then top with chopped onion,tomato,capsicum,paneer cubes. You can toss the paneer cubes on tawa before topping it.
3. Pre-heat oven to 190⁰C  and bake it for 13-15 minutes or until the top turns golden brown