Upma Pic: Priya Q

Vegetable Upma

I love this tasty upma with the goodness of vegetables! Quite simple and easy to make!

Roasted Semolina / Suji – 1 cup
Onion – 1 no big
Coriander– finely chopped
Garlic – 2 flakes (finely chopped) – optional
Ginger – ½ inch (finely chopped)
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Gram dal or white lentils – 1 tsp (also called chana dal* / split Urad dal (without skin))
Chopped vegetables –1 cup (carrots, cauliflower, peas, etc)
Oil – 1 tbsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water – 2 cups
Lemon juice – 1 tsp

1. Boil vegetables separately
2. In a pan heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once its stops spluttering add Gram dal
3. Now add Ginger and Garlic and sauté lightly
4. Add onions and sauté
5. Add boiled vegetables, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander leaves and sauté
6. Add water and salt
7. Once it boils add roasted semolina with continuous stirring, else lumps would form
8. Close lid and cook on low flame for 10 seconds
9. Open lid, sprinkle some lemon juice and stir
10. Serve hot. You can team it up with pickle / coconut chutney

*Chana dal is dried, split chickpeas or garbanzo beans

till next time…. happy cooking!

Chicken Curry Pic: Priya Q

My impression about ‘ bachelors cooking’, let alone cooking complicated stuff was corrected by Q’s cousins …Akki and Arju… While Arju was secretive about his pepper chicken recipe; the flamboyant Akki was more than happy to share his recipe for his signature chicken dish ….. i have to admit it was absolutely finger licking good!

Chicken –  1 kg
Onion  (big) – 4-5 nos – sliced
Tomato – 2 nos – cubed
Ginger – 2 inch piece
Garlic – 1 pod
Green Chili – 5-8 nos
Coriander Powder – 4 tsp
Red Chili powder – 3-5 tsp
Tumeric – 1 tsp
Chicken Masala – 3-5 tsp
Coconut milk – 1 cup
Coconut Oil / Cooking oil
Coriander leaves / cilantro – for garnish
Salt to taste

1. Wash chicken and sprinkle about 1 tsp of salt and keep aside
2. In a wok fry 2 tsp coriander powder, 2 tsp chili powder, ½ tsp turmeric and 3 tsp chicken masala powder in 1 tbsp of coconut oil and remove off fire
3. Marinate chicken with the above fried spices
4. Grind coarsely ginger, garlic and green chilies and keep aside
5. In a wok heat oil and fry onions and saute well
6. Add remaining chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric and chicken masala
7. Now add the ginger-garlic-chili paste and fry well
8. Add tomatoes and saute
9. Add marinated chicken and mix well and cook for about 5 minutes
10. Add ½ cup water, close the lid and cook on low flame and bring to boil
11. Add coconut milk and cook for about 5 minutes
12. Check for seasoning
13. Garnish with coriander leaves / cilantro
14. Serve with rice / bread

Till next time ….happy cooking!

Bruschetta

Bruschetta pronounced as Brus – ketta is a light, delicious and healthy snack. It is supposed to be an appetizer (antipasto in Italian) but besides making it a pre-pasta meal I also make it for breakfast at times!

Wheat bread – 4 slices (you can use the bread of your choice)
Tomato – 3 nos (nice and firm ones)
Garlic – few flakes
Oregano – 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Olive Oil – 2 tablespoons
Fresh Basil leaves – 5-6 nos
Olives – for garnish (optional)
Mozarella / Cheddar cheese – 3- 4 tbsp

1. Chop the tomatoes into small cubes
2. Add to tomatoes oil, cheese, salt, basil and oregano. Mix well, cover with shrink wrap and refrigerate for ½ hr or put it in the freezer for 10 minutes
3. Apply few drops of oil to bread slices and toast them at 150 degree C for about 10 minutes. It should be fairly crisp
4. Rub garlic on all slices
5. Place the tomato topping over each slice and garnish with olives
6. Serve immediately (else the juice of tomatoes will make the bread soggy)

You can also  thin slices of meat like prosciutto (pronounced as pro-shutto)  or salamis etc as topping

till next time…happy cooking!

Coconut Cake Pic: Priya Q

I had dessicated coconut lying in freezer for sometime. Since non of us are too much in barfi kinda sweets; I didn’t know what to do with it till an idea flashed … we love cakes..so why not a coconut cake! and Voila was it delicious!? Nah, my 1 year old was not the only taster but many other friends who passed that verdict . Do try it!!

Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut – 1 and 1/2 cups
Unsalted Butter – 1 cup (softened)
All-Purpose Flour (Maida) - 2 cups
Baking Powder – 1 tsp
Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp
Castor Sugar – 2 cups
Whole Milk – 1 cup
Salt – 1/4 tsp
Eggs – 3 nos

1. Preheat the oven to 185 degree C
2. Prepare the tin for baking (grease and flour method OR grease-butter paper-grease method). Keep aside
3. Combine flour, baking powder and salt
4. Beat butter with mixer
5. Gradually beat in sugar on medium speed till creamy
6. Add vanilla essence to it, keep stirring
7. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time
8. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk in 3 batches over low speed
9. Raise the speed to medium and beat batter 1-1/2 minutes till soft
10. Now fold in coconut with a spatula
11. Tip in the mixture into the greased mould
12. Bake for about 40 minutes at the temp of 185 degree C and another 10 minutes at 200 degree C (till a toothpick comes out clean)
13. Cool cake on a rack
14. Dust it with dessicated coconut
15. Serve

*All ovens vary so use your judgment pertaining to temperature !

have fun cooking!

Carrot Cake Pic: Priya Q

Starting the first blog of 2012 on a sweet note… Oh well, I need not say anything about this cake except warn you – it is so damn yummy that you might finish it in one sitting especially if your friends and family is around.. Very simple and easy Carrot cake recipe just for you )

To get the best result, it is highly advisable to use baking measurements – cups, spoons, scale etc

Refined Flour (Maida) – 2 cups
Castor Sugar – 2 cups
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Baking soda – 1 tsp
Salt – ¼ tsp
Cinnamon powder – 1 tbsp
Grated carrots – 3 cups
Eggs – 4 nos
Oil – 1 cup

1. Prepare the tin for baking (grease and flour method OR grease-butter paper-grease method). Keep aside
2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl
3. Add carrots and oil and mix well with hands or a spatula
4. Add eggs and blend it using an electric mixer. Start at a low speed and when blended, turn to high speed for about 2 minutes
5. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree C for 10 minutes
6. Tip in the cake dough into the prepared tin
7. Bake it for about 1 hour at 180 degree C
8. Remove on a wire rack and let it cool
9. Once cool, dust with icing sugar
10. Serve

*I use the grease-butter paper-grease method for cake tin
** If after 45 minutes you feel the cake is way away from done. Then increase the temperature to 200 degree C for the last 15 minutes. All ovens vary so use your judgment

*** add 1/2 to 3/4 cups of chopped walnuts and you have Walnut Carrot Cake

wishing you all  a sweet and delicious New year! Binge on!

Priya

Sabudana Khichdi Pic : Priya Q

Sabudana / Pearl Sago -  2 cups

Boiled pototoes – 1 cup (diced into cubes)

Plain Roasted Peanuts – 1/4 cup

Turmeric – 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp

Fresh green chilli – 1-2 tsp (optional)

Onions – 1 cup (finely chopped)

Coriander  – 2 tbsp

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

salt to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

1. Take sabudana in a flat plate and sprinkle water. Keep mixing with hands to gauge how much more water is required. It should be nice and moist (not wet and sticky). Leave it aside. Sabudana actually soaks up the water nicely and increase in size.
2. Heat oil and add onions to it. Fry nicely
3. Add peanuts, chopped coriander, potatoes and sabudana. Mix gently without breaking the potatoes
4. Add salt, chilli and turmeric. Mix
5. If you still feel the sabudana is hard and chewy. Sprinkle water and close the vessel. Cook for few more minute on low flame.
6. In the end add sugar and lemon juice. Mix well
7. Garnish with fresh coriander
8. Serve immediately

*In North India people have this during fast, for which you can omit onion. Add more potatoes instead!

till next time….happy cooking!

Dal Pic: Priya Q

Like my mom few of you will find this dish a bit bland…I somehow liked it when I had this at my aunt’s place…though my aunt doesn’t eat onions I have used it…Onions give a nice touch to it )…… It tastes quite good with idiyappam …which I normally used to have with Vegetable Stew or Egg Curry…this dal recipe is a welcome variation to the combo !! and its unbelievably simple!

Chana dal – 1 cup ( dried split chickpeas)

Green Chilli – 1 to 2 nos (Split lengthwise)

Onion – 1 no (finely chopped)

Curry leaves – 3 to 4

Coconut Milk – 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

1. Pressure cook the chana dal along with green chillies
2. Remove the chilli from the cooked dal
3. In a small pan fry curry leaves and chopped onions till golden brown and add to the dal
4. Add coconut milk and salt
5. Serve hot with idiyappams or rice

till next time…happy cooking!

photo credit: mick / Lumix

I had two French girls visiting us recently, both interested to know how Chai (Indian Tea) was made. They even bought Indian Tea leaves so that they could try it out at home This one is for you Jessica and Grace ….. Enjoy your Chai!

Well, different people might make their tea in different ways… This is how I like my tea… strong with a bit of ginger in it!

Tea : 1 tsp

Sugar – to taste

Ginger – 1/2 inch piece crushed (optional)

Milk – 1/4 cup

Water – 1/2 cup

1. Boil water along with crushed ginger
2. Add milk, tea and sugar
3. Bring it to boil. Simmer the gas and let it stay for another 30 seconds
4. Strain the tea and enjoy !

* you can also put cardamom along with ginger or minus the ginger in step 1

* if you put tea masala to the water…you get masala tea! … just a pinch or maximum 1/4 tsp would do!

till next time….. happy cooking

Chickpeas Curry Pic: Priya Q

Successful experiment by fluke is how I would describe this recipe. I had soaked chickpea the previous night and my maid didn’t turn up the next day. I was not in a good mood with so much of unexpected work thrown at me. Least to mention the chickpea I had planned for breakfast with some steaming puttu. So instead of usual recipe I decided to go an easy route…and it turned out quite delicious )

Black Chickpeas – 2 cups (soaked overnight)

Chilli powder – 1 tsp + a pinch

Turmeric – 1/2 tsp + a pinch

Coriander powder – 3 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil

Onion – 1 no. (big sized – sliced fine)

Coriander leaves for garnish

1. Pressure cook chickpeas with a pinch of turmeric and chilli powder till soft and done
2. Soak the masalas in few drops of water. Masala should be nicely damp
3. In a pan add few tsp of oil and add mustard seeds when hot
4. Once they splutter add the soaked masalas and fry for few seconds
5. Add sliced onions and fry for few minutes
6. Add the cooked chickpeas into the above pan and mix well
7. Season and garnish with fresh coriander

Now wasn’t that simple!!? It tastes simply delicious. Serve it with out of rotis / bread

* the onions will be quite crisp and add a different texture to the dish

Till next time….happy cooking!

Chocolate Banana Cake Pic: Priya Q

This one is for my friends Akhila and Adheeth….Akhila finally I get to posting the recipe! Adheeth…its quite a simple cake recipe you can use! I will be posting more in the time to come

Ripe Bananas – 3 nos

Castor Sugar – 3/4 cup

Refined Flour (Maida) – 185 gms

Baking Soda – 3/4 tsp

Baking Powder – 3/4 tsp

Eggs – 2 nos

Olive Oil – 3 Tbsp

Milk – 1/4 cup (roughly 60 ml)

Dark Chocolate – 100 gms

1. Lightly beat eggs and keep aside
2. Grate Chocolate and set aside in the fridge
3. Prepare the baking dish – Grease, line butter paper and re-grease
4. Sift the flour with baking soda and baking powder once
5. Mash bananas nicely and combine with sugar
6. To the sifter flour add eggs, olive oil and milk and gently mic with a wooden spatula/spoon
7. Preheat the oven at 180 degree C
8. Fold in the grated chocolate
9. Pour into the baking dish
10. Bake for about 50 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean
11. Cool the cake on a rack before slicing
12. Serve warm or cold

* I had punctured few holes in the prepared cake while cooling it off and poured some chocolate sauce over it to get a marbled effect

** you can add walnuts to it after adding chocolate for a walnut chocolate banana cake!

*** I have used both baking powder and soda since chocolate is being used for this cake recipe

Till next time….happy cooking!