Schezwan noodles

Source : Raks kitchen

Ingredients:

Noodles - a small bunch
Red chilly - 1 + 1
Carrot - 1 small , finely chopped
Cabbage - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
Beans - 10, finely chopped
Garlic - 1 pod, finely chopped
Soy sauce - 1/2 tsp
Chilly sauce - 1 tsp
Tomato sauce - 1 tbsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cook noodles as per package instructions. Drain and wash immediately with cold water to prevent sticking.
2. Soak 1 red chilly in hot water for 15 min and grind it to a smooth paste.
3. Heat a heavy bottom pan. Add oil , red chilly  and garlic. Fry for 1 -2 minutes.
4. Now add beans, carrot and cabbage and fry it in medium flame for about 3-4 minutes. It good to add beans first and fry for a minute, then carrot and then cabbage.
5. Add the red-chilly paste , followed by soy sauce,chilly sauce, tomato sauce, pepper powder, sugar and salt. Stir for a minute.
6. Now add the cooked noodles and stir well till everything is mixed properly.

Serve hot and enjoy!!

Sabudana Vada

Ingredients:

Sabudana - 1 cup
Potato - 3 medium
Peanuts  - 1/4 cup
Green chilly - 3, chopped
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Soak sabudana for atleast 4-5 hrs. I soaked it over night. Drain of the water and keep aside.
2. Boil , peel and mash the potatoes.
3. Dry roast the peanuts. Allow it to cool down completely and then remove its skin . Coarsely powder the peanuts in a mixer .
4. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the drained sabudana, mashed potatoes, powdered peanuts, chopped green chillies, lemon juice and salt. Do not add water. Make small balls of this mixture.
5. Heat oil in a skillet. Once the oil is hot, flatten the balls and slowly place it into the oil. Deep fry it in medium flame till both sides are golden brown.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney!!

Cauliflower-peas stir fry/Gobi mutter curry

Ingredients:

Cauliflower florets- 2  cups
Onion - 1/4 cup, chopped
Peas - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a kadai. Add cumin seeds. When it splutters, add onion . Saute till onion becomes translucent.
2. Add cauliflower florets to this and some water(around 1/4 cup). Add salt, turmeric powder and chilly powder. Cook on medium-low flame till cauliflower florets become tender.
3. Add peas to this and fry till all the water has evaporated. Fry for another 2 minutes stirring in between.

Serve hot with rice or chapathis!

Note:

1. Instead of adding cauliflower directly, you can boil water and add cauliflower, salt and turmeric . Let it stand for 2 min and then drain of the water from cauliflower. Then add the cauliflower into the kadai with onions.

Besan Laddu

Ingredients:

Besan flour - 1 cup
Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup
Melted Ghee - 1/4 cup


Method:

1. Sieve the besan flour and roast it in medium - low flame till the colour starts changing to golden brown. Keep stirring continuously to avoid burning the flour. It will take around 10 mins.
2. Switch of the stove and add powdered sugar to this and mix well. Allow it to cool for about 5 -8 minutes . Don't allow the mixture to cool completely.
3. Now add the melted ghee and mix well.  Make small balls when the mixture is still warm and able to handle with hand.

Garnish it with any of the nuts of your choice!!

Potato Murukku

Ingredients:

Potato - 1 medium
Rice flour/Idiyappam flour - 1 cup
Butter - 1 .5 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida  - a pinch
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil and peel the potato. Allow it to cool down and grind it to a smooth paste without adding any water.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add rice flour, potato paste, butter, cumin seeds , asafoetida and salt. Mix well. Make a smooth dough, by adding water little by little. Fill this into a murukku maker.
3. Heat oil for deep frying. When the oil is really hot, press the murukku maker into the oil, making small circles.
4. Fry till both sides turn golden brown. Drain it into a paper towel.

Store it in air tight container.

Vanilla Cake

It was my daughter's 3rd birthday and I wanted to make her a jungle themed cake. So I made a 4 layered vanilla cake and covered it with green buttercream frosting . Also made small animals with fondants for my daughters friends :). It was a huge success. The cake has a very sweet buttery flavor. Its very moist and light. And all the kids liked the small animals on top of the cake.

Source:Joy of baking

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 3 cups
Sugar - 1 3/4 cups
Eggs - 4 large
Unsalted Butter -  1 cup
Milk - 1 cup

Baking powder - 1 tbsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp
Pure Vanilla extract - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Bring the butter, milk and eggs at room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Butter the bottom of a 9 x13" cake pans (or you can use two 9" pans).Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease it with butter.
3. In a large mixing bowl , combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
4.In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until soft . It will take around 1- 2 minutes.
5. Gradually add sugar and beat for another 5- 6 minutes till it is very light and fluffy.
6. Add eggs one at a time , beating after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for another 1-2 minutes.
7. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined for about 2-3 minutes.
8. Alternatively add the flour and milk and beat on low speed, like add 1/3rd flour, then half the milk, then 1/3rd flour, half the milk and the remaining 1/3rd flour. Beat till the mixture is well combined.
9. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Homemade Paneer (Indian cottage cheese)

Homemade paneer tastes so better than store brought out ones.So give it a try!!

Ingredients:

Milk - 4 cups
Curd - 1/2 cup
Cheesecloth

Method:

1. Boil milk and add curd to it. Keep stirring.
2. Continue heating till the milk curdles completely and the whey separates fully.Switch off the heat.
3. Take a cheese cloth and place it over a strainer. Now pour the contents into the cheesecloth lined over the strainer. Gently squeeze out the excess whey and hang it on to the kitchen faucet for about 1 -2 hrs.
4. Flatten it and place it on a plate or tawa. Place another plate on top of it along with some heavy weight items like pestle or some cans of beans or another heavy weight pan. Allow it to rest for another 2 hrs. Keep it in refrigerator for half and hour.
5. Unwrap it and cut it into your preferred size. I cut it into small cubes.

Notes.
- You can use lemon juice to curdle milk. But make sure to wash the strained paneer.
- You can use the whey for making roti or can even add it to the vegetable gravy you prepare .

Sambar

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 1 cup
Onion - 1 medium , cubed
Potato - 1 medium , cubed
Carrot - 1 medium , cubed
Tomato - 2 small, cubed
Ladies finger (Vendakka) - 4 small, cut into 1" pieces
Drum stick - 4 -5 pieces
Tamarind - 1 small lemon sized ball
Sambar powder - 3 tbsp ( I used Brahmins sambar powder)
Asafoetida(Kayam) - 1/8 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly - 2
Curry leaves - 2 sprig
Salt to taste


Method:

1. Pressure cook toor dal along with onion, potato and carrot with enough water for about 3-4     whistles.
2. Meanwhile soak tamarind in some warm water and take the tamarind pulp.
3. Once the pressure is released , add the tomatoes, drum stick and ladies finger and cook for another     6-8 minutes. Then add the tamarind pulp and cook till all the veggies are fully cooked.
4.  In a small bowl, add the sambar powder and kayam . Add 2- 3 tablespoon of water and make a    thick paste. Add this to the veggies and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Heat oil in a small pan, add oil, mustard seeds and red chilly. When the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves. Add this to the sambar and  mix well.

Serve hot with rice!!