Prawns Pepper Masala

This Yummy dish goes well with rotis. Its spicy and has a tangy taste to it. This recipe I learnt from a mallu friend ,so you can say that its a mallu delicacy. I usually loved the coconut sukka my mom and grandma made with prawns and never liked any other variations. But this turned out to be wonderfully delicious. You dont need many ingredients as well to make it.

Ingredients

1\2 Kg Prawns

2 Tablespoons Oil
2 Big Onions chopped
2 Tomatoes chopped
2 Tablespoons of Ginger Garlic Paste
1 Tablespoon of freshly ground pepper powder for better flavour
2 Tablespoons Chilly powder
1 Tablespoon Turmeric
1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder
1 Tablespoon Garam masala
2 Tablespoons chopped Coriander Leaves
2-3 Curry leaves(optional)
Salt to taste

Heat  the oil in a kadai, add the chopped onions and fry till they are pink in colour.Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and close the lid till they become tender. Add all the masalas(chilly, turmeric and coriander) and fry until the oil is seperated. Now add the cleaned prawns to this and add the pepper powder and Garam masala to the mixture and let it cook with the lid closed till the prawns are done. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve hot.

Aloo Gobi Subzi

Potatoes are a splendid combination with cauliflower and this goes well with rotis and Dal. I use mustard oil to make this dish since it gives a wonderful flavour and reminds my hubby of his mom's cooking :-)

Ingredients

3 Medium sized potatoes(de skinned and cubed)

1 Cup Cauliflower florets cleaned.

1 Medium sized Onion sliced

1 Medium sized tomatoes cut into 4-5 pieces

2 Teaspoons mustard oil

1/4 Teaspoon ajwain

1/4 Teaspoon turmeric

1 Teaspoon Chilly powder

2 Teaspoon coriander powder

2 Teaspoons chopped Coriander leaves.

1/4 Teaspoon garam masala

Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a Kadai, for people who dont like the smell of mustart oil can heat the oil on very high flame, this removes the smell. Add the ajwain and onion and fry till the opnion turn pink in colour. Now add the potatoes and cauliflower, salt and turmeric and cover the lid till the vegeyables are almost done. Now add the chilly, coriander powder,garam masala and chopped tomatoes to the mixture, cover the lid and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and server hot.

Simple Potato Palya

This is simple south Indian dish which goes very well with chapatis. If you have to cook in the morning to pack your lunch box, this is the easiest dish. I remember in my school days my uncle would make this dish for all us kids(cousins) and we would luv the way he would make it. Poor man knew to make only this and yummy Omelettes :-)

Ingredients
4 Medium sized potatoes(chopped into small cubes)
1 Onion finely chopped
2 Green chillies slit
4 Curry leaves
1/4 Teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 Teaspoon turmeric
1/2 Teaspoon chopped coriander
2 Teaspoon grated fresh coconut
2 Teaspoons refined oil
Salt to taste
Heat the oil in a kadai, add the mustard to splutter, add the chillies, curry leaves and onion and fry till the onion are pink. Add the potatoes,turmeric and salt to this and cover the lid and cook till the potatoes are cooked. Add the coriander and coconut and cover the lid for 2-3 minutes. Your potatoes are ready to be served. You can have it with Dal, rice and omelette which is a nice combination.

Rava Laddoo

The first ever laddoos I made on my own and was very scared when I started off. Finally it turned out so tasty that I was proud to share them with my friends. Yes they turned out tasty and didn't break as I feared. Very simple to make as well.

Ingredients
1.5 Cups Rava
3/4 cup grated fresh coconut
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 Teaspoon broken cashew nuts
1 Teaspoon sliced almonds
2 Teaspoons Raisins
4 Teaspoons Ghee
2 Cardamoms powdered.

Heat the ghee in a kadai and fry the rava on a low flame till its light golden in colour. Be careful not to over fry the rava. Add the coconut and fry for one or two minutes.
Prepare the chashni by boiling the sugar in the water till it melts and reaches a single thread consistency. Add the cardamom to the sugar syrup. Add the rava mixture and dry fruits to the chashni and mix well. Cover the mixture with a lid for at least half an hour with stirring at intervals. Now make small laddoos by rolling them with your palms.

Modak

This is one of favourite and mandatory offerings to God on Ganesha festival, a must have dish in every maharashtrian household.

Ingredients
1 and a half cups Paraboiled rice
One and quarter cup water
1/2 Teaspoon ghee
A pinch of salt
For the stuffing
1 and a half cup grated fresh coconut
3/4 cup grated jaggery
2 cardamoms powdered

Wash the rice and dry the rice on a cloth. Grind the rice into fine powder. You can also use rice flour which you get in the market.
Boil the water , add salt and ghee to it. add the rice flour slowly stirring continously to prevent lumps. Remove from the fire and keep the vessel closed for sometime. Once this cools down knead the mixture to a soft dough.
For the stuffing heat the jaggery on very low flame, add the jaggery and cardamom to it. Don't heat too much since the jaggery will get burnt, remove from the flame immediately.
Make small balls of the rice dough, flatten it on your palms, keep the jaggery mixture in the center and make small pleats with your fingers and then seal them together. Steam them in an Idli steamer for 10 minutes. Serve them hot with ghee.

Yummy Healthy Cutlets

This is an easy and healthy snack for kids. You can get them to eat all the vegetables you have always wanted them to have :-) Try this it works.

Ingredients
3 Potatoes (Boiled and peeled)
1 Carrot
1/4 cup Peas
1/2 cup grated Paneer
1/4 cup corn
1 Onion Finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sliced cashew nuts
1/2 teaspoon raisins
1 Chillie finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
1 teaspoon corn flour for binding
Salt to taste
Mash the boiled potatoes. Boil the carrots, peas and corn together. Fry the onion till they are tender and then add the green chillies. Add all the vegetables and rest of the ingredients and nix well. Take a small portion of the mixture on your palms, roll it into a ball and slightly flatten it.
Then you can deep fry them in oil and serve hot with chutney.

Rice Kheer

A very very simple dessert if you have unexpected guests at home :-) and very simple too.
If you have a sweet tooth you can make it at the drop of a hat. You can add any dry fruits of your choice or fresh strawberries and garnish. You can also add a little milkmaid if you want to make it more rich.

Ingredients
1/2 cup rice
6 cups milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup grated dry coconut
1/4 cup sliced cashew nuts
2 teaspoons sliced almonds
1 teaspoon raisins.
2 cardamoms powdered
10 teaspoons sugar(you can add according to the sweetness you prefer)
Boil the milk and add the washed rice to it and boil on a very slow flame. Keep stirring occassionally so that it doesnt stick to the bottom. Ensure never to add sugar before the rice cooks. Once the rice is almost done, add the water if required and then add the rest of the ingredients and cook for a while. Serve it hot.