Mango Lassi

Ingredients:

1. Mango Pulp  - 1 cup
2. Thick Yogurt - 2 cup
3. Water - 1/4 cup
4.  Sugar - 4 tablespoon


Method:

1. Put all the ingredients in the blender and blend on high for 2 minutes.
2. Serve cool.

Peanut butter cookie

Ingredients:

1. Peanut butter crunchy - 1/2 cup
2. Peanut butter creamy - 1/2 cup
3. Egg - 1
4. Sugar -1 cup
5. Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon


Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Grease a large baking sheet.
2. In a mixing bowl , combine both the peanut butter and sugar. Then add egg and vanilla. Stir well with a spoon.
3. Roll the dough into balls and place it on the baking sheet. With a fork , press crisscross design on each cookie.
4. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from the sheet.

Macaroni and cheese - Kids favorite

Ingredients

Elbow shaped Macaroni - 1/2 cup
Cheddar cheese - 1/4 cup
Any Processed Cheese - 2 tablespoon
Whole Milk - 3 tablespoon
Butter - 1 teaspoon
Water - 2 cups
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Wash and add macaroni to the water and cook it till tender, for about 10-12 minutes.

2. Drain the excess water and return the drained macaroni to pot.

3.Mix in the Cheddar cheese, processed cheese(I used Mozzarella cheese), milk and butter .Stir till the cheese melts and you get the desired consistency.

4. Serve hot.

Paneer Mutter Masala

Ingredients:

• Paneer - 1 packet (200 gms)
• Green Peas(Mutter) - 1 cup
• Butter - 2 tbsp
• Onion - 1 chopped finely
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Tomato - 2 medium sized(pureed)
• Cashewnuts -10
• Milk -  1/4 cup(for soaking cashew)
• Cream - 1 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:
1.Soak cashews in hot milk for 10mins and grind it to paste, set aside.Though this is optional it gives a richness and nice flavour to the gravy.

2.Chop paneer into cubes and place it in hot water so that it stays soft .

3.In a non stick pan ,add butter, allow it to melt. Add onions and fry till golden browned. Then add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2mins.

4. Now add all the powders and fry for a minute. Then add tomato puree and fry until raw smell completely leaves, this will take atleast 5mins.

5. Add peas and paneer cubes and about 1 cup of water and salt and simmer for about 10 minutes till the gravy starts thickening.

6.Now add the cashew paste and then simmer for another 5 minutes.The gravy would be thick and mixed well at this stage.

7. Add cream and mix well. Serve hot with rotis or naan.

Marble Cake

Ingredients

All purpose flour - 2 cups
Eggs - 3
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Sugar  - 1 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Butter - 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract - 1  tsp
 Dark chocolate - 5
White chocolate - 5

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8 x 8 inch pan with butter.
2. Mix all-purpose flour and baking powder. Keep aside.
3. Melt dark and white chocolates and keep aside.
4. Pour the butter, sugar , eggs and  vanilla extract into a bowl. Mix well to make it soft and fluffy. If using an electric mixer ,beat it for 2 min or if using hand, mix it for 5-10 min.
5. Now add the dry ingredients(all purpose flour and baking powder) and milk to the wet ingredients and mix together to form the cake batter.
6. Divide the cake batter into 2 parts. Stir in the melted dark chocolate into one of the parts and melted white chocolate into the other.
7. Pour the white and chocolate cake batter alternatively till all the batter has been used up. Now using a knife/fork make swirls in the batter .
7. Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Chilli Parotta

Chilli Parotta is one of the favorite dishes which me and my mom usually orders in the vegetarian restaurants in my home town in Kerala. Recently I came across this recipe in one of blogs and I was so tempted to try it. It was so similar to the restaurant versions and I got a pat from my hubby too..

Ingredients:

5 Kerala Parotta, cut into bite sized pieces.
2 onions, roughly chopped + 1 onion, cubed
6 cloves garlic + 1 inch piece ginger + 5 green chilies, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 chicken/vegetable tastemaker cube
2 tablespoons each of tomato sauce + soya sauce + green chili sauce
1 tablespoon red chili powder
3/4 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 capsicum, cubed
1/4 cup coriander leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon lime juice
4 tablespoons refined cooking oil
To taste, salt
As required, water

Method:

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a non stick pan. Add roughly chopped onions and sauté till they start to brown. Add ginger, garlic and green chilies, and continue sautéing till aromatic.

Toss in the tomatoes, add all the sauces and red chili powder and mix well. Crush in the taste maker cube and let it cook for about 10 minutes till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. (Add oil as required if you find the tomato mixture sticking to the bottom of the pan.)

Once done, remove the pan from heat and let it cool for some time. Then blend the mixture to a smooth paste in a food processor and keep aside.

Return the pan to heat, add two more tablespoons of oil and add the cubed onion. Sauté till the onion turns translucent.

Add the tomato and onion paste to the pan and fry for some time. If it is too thick, then add in a few drops of water. Add the capsicum, followed by the paratta pieces and mix well so that the paratta pieces are well coated with the tomato and onion paste. Adjust seasoning, if required.

Finally add the lemon juice and coriander leaves. Sprinkle the garam masala and stir once more.

Serve hot with lemon wedges or raita.

Paneer Butter Masala

I have been searching for a recipe for Paneer butter masala for quite sometime. Every time I feel its not like the one we get in restaurants.  That is when I came across this recipe in Sharmis Passion. It tastes too good and just like the one we get from restaurants.

Ingredients:

• Paneer - 1 packet (200 gms)
• Butter - 1.5 tbsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Onion - 1 chopped finely
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Tomato puree - from 2 medium sized tomatoes (comes to 1 cup)
• Cashewnuts - 5
• Milk - 1/2 cup
• Cream - 1 tbsp for garnish (optional but enhances the taste)
• Salt - to taste

For mixing :

• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
• Dried Kastoori methi leaves (crushed) - 1/4 tsp
• Tomato sauce - 1 heaped tsp
• Milk - 1 cup

Method:
1.Soak cashews in milk for 10mins and grind it to paste, set aside.Though this is optional it gives a richness and nice flavour to the gravy.

2.Chop paneer into cubes. Take puree from 2 tomatoes and keep aside. Chop onions finely and make it ready. Now in a mixing bowl add chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, dried kasoori methi leaves, tomato sauce then add milk.

3.Mix the milk spices mixture well and keep aside.In a nonstick pan add a tsp of oil, fry the paneer cubes till slightly golden brown and drain in a tissue paper and keep aside.

4.Now add butter in the same pan , allow it to melt then add ginger garlic paste saute for 2mins then add onions and fry till golden browned.Then add tomato puree and fry until raw smell completely leaves, this will take atleast 5mins.

5.Now add the mixed milk-spices mixture,cashew paste,1/2 cup water and then simmer for 5-7 minutes.The gravy would be thick and mixed well at this stage.Add remaining 1/2 cup milk little by little stirring continuously to prevent milk from curdling. Add required salt.Add cashewnut paste.

6.Simmer again for 3mins to see like the below consistency.Then add the fried paneer cubes and mix well. Allow the paneer to sit for 2mins then switch off. Garnish with cream(optional) and Serve hot with rotis or naan.