Potato Wedges

This is a new recipe which I have tried. When I experimented this recipe for the first time, it doesn't came out well. So for the second time I made some changes and tried, It came out well with crispy, spicy and with a nice colour. I didnt add any food colour for this. It looks Yummy. Even my parents also liked these Potato Wedges very much and I would like to share my new experimented recipe with you all.

Ingredients:

• Potato - 2 nos large
• All purpose flour - 2 tbsp
• Corn flour - 2 tbsp
• Rice flour - 1 tbsp
• Chilli Powder - 2 tbsp
• Jeera/Cumin Powder - 1 tbsp
• Chaat Masala Powder - 1 tbsp
• Pepper Powder - 2 tsp
• Dried Chilli flakes - 2 tsp
• Dried Mixed Herbs - 2 tbsp
• Salt as per taste
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

Wash the Potatoes nicely in water. Cut it lengthwise. It should be thick. Cook the potatoes adding some water. The potatoes should be half cooked. (Do not cook completely)

Drain it using a drain vessel and wipe it with kitchen towel. Keep it aside.

• Now let's prepare the spice mix. Take a bowl add all purpose flour, corn flour, and all the spice powders, chilli flakes and herbs and salt. 
• Mix well with water. The consistency should be lighter and not dense. 
• Add Oil in a frying pan and let it get heated nicely. 
• Dip the Potatoes and make it coat completely with the spicy mix and immediately drop into the frying Pan. 
• Fry in a medium flame. 
• As the Potatoes are already half cooked, do not Over fry. 

Slightly flip the potatoes, drain the excess oil using the laddle and collect it in a plate containing kitchen tissues. Now the Potato wedges looks crispy and can be served hot with Tomato Sauce or any other sweet sauce.

Notes :

While mixing this spice powder, a large quantity of the spice powder was left over. So I transferred it to an airtight container and kept in fridge. It holds good for about 2 months. So you can also follow this method before mixing the spice powder with water. You can prepare Potato wedges Whenever u think of it.

• I used Mexican Herbs. U can use any dried mixed herbs(Available in all Departmental Stores).
• Over frying the potato wedges may result in lose of colour and the herbs get burnt. 
• I Used Kashmiri Red chilli powder and not any other food colours.

Jackfruit Fritters

I usually try sweets using fruits. And now jackfruit season has just started, anyways jackfruit is my favourite, so tried this recipe and it tastes yummy with the jackfruit flavour. I love to share this recipe, since I like it very much.

Ingredients:

• Jackfruit - 4 pieces
• Palm sugar/karumbu sakkarai - 4 tbsp
• Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
• White Rava/Sooji - 1/4 cup
• Sesame seeds - 2 tsp
• Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Cashew nuts 
• Peanuts
• Oil to deep fry

Method:

Cut the Jackfruit into small pieces and blend along with sugar. Grind to a smooth paste.

Take a bowl add grounded jackfruit-sugar paste, rava, sesame, grated coconut, cardamom cashews, peanuts and mix well using your hands. It looks like a dough. 

Divide the dough into small balls or fritters. Take Oil in a frying pan and put the fritters one by one. Fry in a medium flame else the fritters will get burnt. 

Now the fritters are ready and looks in golden brown colour. 

You can also prepare Banana Fritters by substituting Bananas in place of Jackfruit. But the Bananas should not be over riped. The below pic is banana Fritters. I used normal white sugar for this recipe.

Notes:

• You can use ordinary white sugar instead of karumbu sakkarai.
• You can adjust the sugar quantity according to your taste.
• You can neglect peanuts.
• You can fry the cashews in Ghee and add the fried cashews along with some more ghee to the dough to obtain a great taste.

Carrot Halwa

              

It is an easy recipe. Whenever we think of Halwa, keeping carrots in our hand, it can be prepared in minutes with very few steps. 

Ingredients:

• Carrots Grated - 2 cups
• Milk - 1 cup
• Sugar - 3/4 cup
• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Cashew nuts - 5 nos
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

      Take whole carrots, peel of the outer skin thoroughly, wash and grate it. 

• Take a heavy bottomed pan, add ghee and saute the carrots nicely for few minutes. 
• The colour of the carrots will be changed to yellow.
• Saute it till it becomes soft.
• Now add the milk and let it cook for some more minutes in medium flame. 
• Keep stirring occasionally. Now all the milk has absorbed.
• Add Sugar and saute well. It leaves some water. 
• Wait till all the water gets absorbed. Pour ghee in between while sauting. 
• Finally add Cardamom powder and fried cashews to the Halwa. 
• Garnish with saffron strands and serve hot.

Curd Rice Seasoning

If we are affected from cold or cough, we usually avoid taking curd or buttermilk. In those times the body produces heat and somehow we have to balance that issue. This Curd seasoning recipe can be taken even when you are affected by cold. Its not like a regular seasoning as we add only mustard, turmeric and curry leaves. Here I have included some cold soothing things with this recipe which cures cold or cough. I usually give this curd rice to my child when she has cold. Vyshu likes this recipe very much and she call it as "Yellow curd rice" and she needs it regularly when she is not having cold at all. Its because of the good taste too.

Ingredients:

• Cooked Rice - 1 cup
• Curd - 1 cup
• Small Onion - 2 nos
• Jeera / Cumin - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Garlic - 1 pod
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Mustard - 1/4 tsp
• Black Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Salt as per taste

Method:

• Cut Onion into small pieces. Chop Garlic. 
• Take a pan add oil, mustard. After mustard gets splutterd, add Jeera. 
• Immediately add Garlic and Onion. Saute well , now add curry leaves. 
• Finally add turmeric powder and pepper powder. 
• As soon as you add this add curd and salt, Stir well for some seconds.
• Do not let the curd to boil. Else the curd will be separated.
• Switch off the flame. 
• Add this curd seasoning with cooked rice(hot rice) and stir well. 
• This curd seasoning will give a good taste as we have added garlic and pepper, moreover these both are cold soothing agents.

You can have this Curd seasoned rice as it is, without including pickle as side.

Notes:

Coconut oil for seasoning is preferable

Easy Onion Wheat Roti

When you get bored of eating chappathi, here is a tasty and healthy moreover an easy recipe to prepare for dinner. An easy thing is, we no need to prepare Chutneys for these Rotis. 

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour - 2 cups
• Onion - 1 large
• Green / Red Chilli - 2 nos
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Coriander leaves - 
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt as per taste

Method:

• Take wheat flour in a bowl.
• Add water and  salt to make a batter, stir well with your hands so that no lumps are formed. 
• Add some more water if needed. 
• The Roti Batter should be thick in consistency and not like regular Dosa batter.
• Cut the onion breadthwise and it should be thick. 
• Add Onion, Chilli, Curry and Corainder leaves. 
• Stir well with your hands or laddle.
• Keep it for half an hour or if you are in a hurry that your child and hubby are waiting, you can prepare Rotis as soon as you prepare the Roti batter.
• Spread the Rotis with your hands and pour a spoonful of oil. More Oil gives a great taste.
• Cook in medium low flame. It takes time to get cooked. So be patient.
• Flip to the other side. Slightly increase the flame and cook for some more time. 
• Flip to the other side. (Do this this for 2 to 3 times)
• Finally it will be in Light brown Colour. 
• And now your tasty Wheat Roti is ready to have as it is.

Neer Paruppu / Watery Dhal Curry

This Curry is commonly said as Neer paruppu is very easy to prepare and those who suffer from any digestion related problems, this is a very perfect curry to have.

This recipe is actually prepared for digestion or anybody else suffering from fever. This Dhal curry is in diluted consistency and is easily digestible. In my childhood days my Mom usually prepares this curry on Monday. Because on Sunday we would have gone through a heavy meal and dinner by intake of Non-Veg recipes. So the next day recipes should be lighter and digestible. In case of fever also she will prepare this curry. That time it will be in great taste for our tongues. So I follow this recipe in my family also. 

Ingredients:

• Dhal - 1/2 cup
• Small Onion - 4 nos
• Tomato - 1/2
• Jeera/cumin - 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Garlic - 2 pods
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Green/Red chillies - 1 or 2 as per size
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Oil  - 1 tbsp
• Coriander leaves 
• Salt as per taste

Method: 

Soak Dhal in water for about half an hour or more. Take it to a pressure pan.

Add all the Ingredients to the pressure cooker except green chilli. Crush the coriander seeds and chop the garlic pods and add along with it. Add water till the floating level of the dhal and close the lid. Wait for 3 whistles. Now the Dhal is completely cooked. 

Take another pan add oil, onion, curry leaves, green chilli, salt and the cooked dhal and add more water to cook for some more minutes. 

Now the raw smell has completely left. Check for salt and the curry consistency should be diluted. It should be in rasam consistency. Finally garnish with coriander leaves.

This Dhal curry goes well with rice and Dosas.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

When we think of strawberries, a bright red colour with a beautiful shape and texture of the fruit comes in to our mind. Many times I have wondered about the beautiness and colour of the fruit. Here this Dessert gives a lovely pink colour with a mixing of sweet and sour taste. 

Health Benefits:

Nutrient-rich and packed with antioxidants (like vitamin C)

Ingredients:

• Strawberry fruit - 1 cup
• Sugar - 4 tbsp
• Honey - 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Yogurt/Curd - 1 cup

Method:

Cut the strawberry into small pieces. In a bowl add sugar, strawberry, honey and toss well. Let the sugar and honey coats well with the fruit. Keep it closed in a fridge for atleast 2 hours.

Now transfer this fruit mixture to a blender add yogurt and lemon juice. Blend nicely for minutes till you get a smooth consistency. Transfer to man airtight container and keep it in freezer for atleast 4 hours and again blend this mixture nicely. You will attain a soft and smooth paste like texture. Keep it in freezer overnight.

Now the strawberry with yogurt is nicely frozen and its time to serve. But keep in room temperature for atleast 10 minutes. Serve Chilled.

Notes:

• Sugar quantity call be altered according to your taste.
• Without using honey also you can prepare this dessert.

Fruity Kambu / Bajra Koozh

                       

       

    

This recipe looks somehow amazing. Because all these days you were seeing kambu koozh with salted buttermilk along with onions and with some hot side dishes like moru milagai and vatral etc. But now the trend has updated and due to hot summers I just made a little twist by topping the kambu koozh with fruits. It is really good in taste and with the addition of fruits, its an added benefit to our body to beat the summer season.

Health Benefits:

Small millet recipes are nowadays becoming common among us. Those who want to reduce the calorie content in our body and aiming for weight loss, can straight away go for this recipe which is healthy, tasty and yet stomach filling. 

Ingredients:

• Broken kambu/Bajra/Pearl Millet - 1 cup
• Curd / Buttermilk - 1 cup
• Grapes / Pomegranate - 1/4 cup or according to your need
• Salt as per taste

Cooking Method:

First wash the broken kambu and remove the outer skin which is floating in water. Then Soak it for 1/2 an hour.

Take a heavy bottomed pan and transfer the kambu along with 3 tumblers of water. It will start cooking. Close the lid with half closed. Do not close fully, as the bubbles will come up while cooking. Stir often as it may form lumps.



It will take atleast 20 minutes to cook completely. Add water while cooking if it is needed. Now the kambu has cooked, but even more water is remaining. Keep the stove in simmer and stir continuously. The water will be reduced, now close the lid for half an hour, open and see the all the water has been absorbed and it thickens. 



Take this in a bowl, add the curd along with it, add salt and stir well. if u want a diluted solution add some water. Kambu Koozh is now ready. Now you can top the kambu Koozh with fruits of your wish.

                         

Notes:

• You can prefer Pressure cooker for cooking Kambu Koozh than an open pan.
• Graapes and Pomegranate goes well with Kambu Koozh. 
• You can also top it with any other sweet and sour fruits.

Jackfruit Kheer

Jack fruit is my favourite fruit from childhood days. So I used to try Jackfruit recipes once the jackfruit season starts. Desserts suits well for Jackfruit and I have tried this recipe and it was soooo good and my hubby too liked it very much.

Health Benefits:

It is one of the rare fruits that is rich in B-complex group of vitamins. Jackfruit is a good source of antioxidant vitamin-C. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents.

Ingredients :

• Jackfruit - 4 pieces (chopped)
• Milk - 2 cups
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Cashews - 4 nos
• raisins - 4 nos
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
• Saffron strands - 1 pinch

Method:

The milk used for this recipe should be thick. 

Take jackfruit pieces, remove the seeds and chop into small pieces.

In a heavy bottomed pan add ghee and fry cashews, raisins and keep it in a separate plate. In the same pan add the chopped jackfruits and saute until it becomes soft and turns light brown in colour. At this time itself it is half cooked.

Add sugar to the jack fruits and keep stirring the mixture. It leaves water, just for few minutes close the lid, let it cook for some more time in the steam(It should be noted whether it is burning while cooking). Add hot milk with this mixture. let it get boiled for just a minute and switch off the stove.(care should be taken at this stage. jack fruit should not be cooked in milk, as it may sometimes spoil the kheer) Add cashews, raisins and cardamom powder and stir well. finally garnish with saffron strands. 

Now a delicious Jackfruit dessert is ready to serve hot or you can refrigerate and serve cool. Cool Jack fruit Kheer will be more tastier...Try it out...

Notes:

• If the milk is not thick, keep the milk in simmer and reduce the quantity, the milk will become thick. Do this work before starting to prepare the recipe.
• If there is no enough water to cook, just sprinkle the water and cook.
• Do not overcook after adding milk, as it may spoil the kheer.
• You can add any other nuts to this kheer.
• Instead of normal white sugar, you can add palm sugar.