Idiyappam /Noolputtu/ String hoppers

Ingredients:

Roasted rice flour  - 1 cup
Water - 1 - 1.5 cups (depends on the rice flour)
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup


Method:

1. Boil water in a pot. Add oil and salt to it.
2. Take rice flour in a mixing bowl and add water to it little by little, stirring continuously. After it cools down slightly, use your hands and make a smooth dough . Set this aside for 15-20 minutes.Fill the idiyappam maker with this dough.
3. Grease the idli moulds with oil and sprinkle 1 tsp of coconut . Now press the idiyappam maker onto the idli moulds in circular motion. You can add some coconut on top of it ,if desired.
4. Steam cook it for about 10-12 minutes. Allow it to cool slightly and transfer it to a serving bowl.

Enjoy hot idiyappams with kadala curry or vegetable stew or egg curry!!

Palmiers / Little hearts

Ingredients:

Puff pastry sheets(like Pepperidge farms) - 1
Sugar - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Remove the puff pastry sheet from the refrigerator and bring to almost room temperature. It should still be cool and not very soft.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F.
3. Sprinkle about 2 tbsp of sugar on to the counter.Unfold the thawed pastry sheet onto the counter and sprinkle another 2 tbsp of sugar on to the sheet.
4. Now with a rolling pin , roll the pastry sheets with sugar on it . Just roll it 1-2 times so that the sugars are incorporated into the sheets.
5. Fold the sheet from the opposite sides so that they meet at the center.  Again fold the same side of the sheet so that they meet at the center.
6. Fold one half of the sheet over the other. Now cut the sheet into 1/2" pieces and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
7. Sprinkle remaining sugar on top of all the pieces .
8. Bake it for 5 minutes. Then turn over all the pieces and bake for another 5 minutes or until the pieces turns golden brown.

Potato poriyal / Potato fry

Ingredients:

Potato - 3
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves -1 sprig
Dried Red Chilly - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Peel off the skin of potatoes. Wash and cut them into small cubes.
2. Take a bowl and add these potato pieces, salt , turmeric powder and red chilly powder and mix well so that all the masala gets coated onto the potatoes.
3. Heat oil in a non - stick pan and add mustard seeds, Once the mustard seeds splutter add red chilly and curry leaves. Then add the potato pieces and the masala. You will find little water at the bottom of the bowl, add that also to the pan.
4. Reduce the flame to low and cook for another 10 - 15 minutes till the potatoes start turning to golden brown.
5. Make sure to stir the potatoes every 4-5 minutes. Switch off the flame.
Serve hot with rice!

Carrot cake

Source: Joy of baking

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour - 1/2 cup
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Carrot - 1 - 1 and 1/2 cups
Nuts(Walnuts or pecans) - 1/2 cup chopped
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Baking soda - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Oil - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 2
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Method:


1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9" cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
2.Peel the carrots. Grate or finely chop the carrots .
3. In a mixing bowl, add the wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk it together.
4.In another mixing bowl, add the eggs and beat it for about 1 minute until frothy. Add the sugar slowly and beat till the batter is thick and lightly coloured, for about 4-5 minutes.
5. Add the oil while beating the mixture.Now add the vanilla extract and beat for a minute.
6. Mix in the flour mixture and beat until incorporated.
7. Fold in the grated/chopped the carrots and nuts.
8. Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until the tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Allow it to cool for 10 -15 minutes before removing it from the pan.

Onion Chutney

Ingredients :

Shallots - 10 - 12, cubed
Dried Red Chilly -  3
Oil  - 2 Tsp
Salt to taste

To temper:
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly - 1
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add onion and red chillies. Fry till onion starts turning colour.
2. Allow the mixture to cool down and transfer it to a blender . Add salt to it.
3. Grind it to a smooth paste . You can add 1 or 2 tsp of water if you want.
4. Heat oil in a pan . Add the items under 'To temper'. Add the ground paste to it.

Serve it with dosa or idli!

Notes:

1. Shallots works best for this chutney. But you can use 1 medium onion(chopped/cubed) as well.

Easy Paneer biryani

Ingredients:

Paneer- 250gm

Onion - 2 big, thinly sliced

Rice - 1 cup

Water - 2 cups

Coconut milk - 1/2 cup

Cashews - 10 - 12

Raisins - 2 tbsp

Ghee/Oil - 3 tbsp

For the Marinade 
Curd - 1/3 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp 
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp  
Salt to taste  
Mint and Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup each,chopped 

For the seasoning 
Cinnamon - 1' stick
Cloves - 2-3  
Cardamom - 1
Star Anise - 1
Shahjeera - 1/2 tsp  

Method
1. In a thick bottomed kadai, add 2 tbsp oil/ghee and fry the onions in it till dark brown and crispy.You could also deep fry the same. Keep aside. 
2. Return the pan to heat and add remaining 1 tbsp oil/ghee and fry the cashews and raisins for 2 minutes. Keep aside.

3.Wash and soak the rice in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes.

4.Cut paneer into small cubes and shallow fry it. Marinate the fried paneer in ingredients mentioned under marinade along with half of the fried onions. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5.In a kadai add oil+ghee and saute the whole garam masala followed by shahjeera.

6.Add the marinated paneer along with the marinade and cook for 5-7 minutes.

7.Mix in the coconut milk and let it cook for another 3-4 minutes.  

8.Drain the rice and mix in carefully trying not to break the grains.Add in salt to taste and  1/2 tsp of garam masala.
9.Add 2 cups of water and let it boil.Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes.The water should be fully absorbed by now. 

10.Switch off the flame and leave it undisturbed for another 15 minutes.  
11.Now fluff the rice with a fork. Mix in the rest of the fried onions, fried cashews and raisins.

Serve hot with raita.

Kappa puzhukku

Ingredients:

Kappa/ Tapioca - 1 kg
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dried Red chilly - 2
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Salt to taste

To grind

Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Garlic - 2 pods
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly - 2


Method:

1. Clean and chop the tapioca into small cubes. Cook it in pressure cooker with enough water, salt and turmeric powder for about 1 whistle. Drain off the excess water.
2. Meanwhile coarsely grind together the ingredients under ' To grind' . If required you can add about 1 -2 tsp of water.
3. Add the ground ingredients to the cooked tapioca and mix well.
4. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and red chilly. When the mustard seeds splutter add curry leaves and turn off the stove. Add this to the cooked tapioca and mix well.


Notes:

1. You can use any oil, but coconut oil tastes best for this.