Paneer Makkanwala

Ingredients :
Paneer - as required
Butter - 2 1/2 tbsp
Oil - to deep fry paneer pieces.

Grind together:
Onions - 2
Ginger - 1 " piece
Garlic - 6 flakes
Red chillies - 3
Tomatoes - 5 medium sized
Coriander leaves - 1/2 bunch
Curry leaves - few
Grated coconut - 1 1/2 tbsp
Poppy seeds - 2 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1 " piece
Cloves - 4
Cardamoms - 2
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Dhainia powder 0 2 tbsp
Salt - required amount

Method :
1. Cut paneer into cubes, and deep fry in oil.
2. grind masala without adding water. Heat half of the butter and one tablespoon of oil, add the ground masala and fry well till ghee separates from it.
3. Add fried paneer cubes and 1 tablesppon of butter, with little water.
4. Reduce the flame, cover and keep for few minutes.
5. Stir carefully in between.
6. Remove from fire and serve garnished with coriander leaves.
7. Finely cut onions and lime pieces can be served as accompaniments.

Kurma for Ghee Rice

Ingredients :
Mixed diced vegetables - 4 cups (carrot, potato, cauliflower, beans and peas)
Salt - to taste
Garam MAsala powder - 1 tsp
Ghee or oil - 3 tbsp

Grind together :
Garlic - 5 flakes
Green chilles - 8 (fry both with little oil)
Coconut scrapings - 5 tbsp
Ginger - 1" piece
Onion - 1 big
Coriander leaves - 1 bunch

Method :
1. Fry the vegetables in ghee.
2. Add the ground masala with enough water, salt, garam masala powder and sugar for taste.
3. Keep in pressure cooker and cook for 7 minutes after the vent has been put.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves and squeeze lime juice of desired.
5. Instaed of masala powder, fry aniseeds, cardamom, cinnmon, bayleaf and cashewnuts.
6. Pour on top of the kurma, mix well and then remove from fire. serve with Ghee Rice.

Omapodi

Ingredients

Omam - 15 gms
Gram flour - 2 cups
Rice flour - 2 cups
Table salt - to taste
Oil - for frying

Method:

Fry the omam well, powder it and sieve it fine.
Similarly sieve the rice and gram flours too.
Mix the omam powder, rice flour, gram flour, salt and butter and mix well.
Add water to get a thick paste-like consistency.
Heat oil in a kadai. Test how hot it is by dropping a pinch of dough into it - if it sinks, the oil hasn't become hot enough. If the dough springs to the top with bubbles all around it, then the oil is just ready.
Pass the dough through the special omapodi strainer and fry golden brown. Keep flipping the sides till the omapodi is done.
Store in an air tight container.

Spicy Sev

Ingredients
2 cups gram flour (besan)
1/2 tsp. ajwain (omam) seeds
1 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tbsp. oil
salt to taste
2-3 pinches asafoetida
water to make dough
oil to deep fry

Method
1.Mix the chilli, oil, salt and seeds into the flour.
2.Add enough water to make a dough which is quite gooey.
3.It should not be pliable but sticky.
4.Grease the inside of a Sev-press, fill with the dough.
5.Press into hot oil, and fry lightly on both sides.
6.Drain well and cool before storing.

Variation:
You may adjust the chillies as per taste.

You may omit chillies to make bland sev.
You may add finely crushed dried herbs (eg. mint) for add flavour.

Deepavali Legiyam

Ingredients:
Peppercorn - 2 tsps
Cumin seeds Jeera - 2 1/2 tsps
Coriander seeds - 2 1/2 tsps
Bishop weed seeds/Ajwain - 25 grms/3tbsps
Dry or fresh ginger - 30 gm
Cardamom - 1gm/2 to 3
Nutmeg or jaadhikkai - ½ piece
Ghee or clarified butter - 100gms
KandaThipli (Desavaram Pipala mool) - 10 to 12 sticks
Crumbled Jaggery (equal to the amount of ground paste) - 50 grms

Method:
1. Smash all the dry and medicinal ingredients in a mortar and pestle.
2. Pour some water and soak them for about 10 - 15 minutes
3. Grind into a soft paste in a blender.
4. Add 1/2 cup water and thoroughly mix up the paste and place in a heavy bottomed wok or vessel
5. Cook it on a slow flame, stirring it all the time with a flat ladle so that no lumps are formed.
6. When the water is nearly evaporated add the crumbled jaggery and stir it in.
7. Add spoonfuls of ghee and keep stirring.
8. When the lehiyam comes together in a ball and the ghee is separated from it, turn off the heat.
9. Stir in the honey and store in an airtight container.
10. Take one spoon of lehiyam on Deepavali after taking bath and before you eat anything else.

PS: This lehiyam can also be made using readymade powders that are available in many local medicine shops. Mix the powder with two times the water and cook in a heavy bottom vessel. Add jaggery and ghee until the lehiyam comes together and the ghee is separated.

PASTA SALAD

Ingredients

1. 100g-pasta
2. 1/2 cup- curd
3. 1/2 cup-mayonnaise sugar to taste salt to taste white pepper to taste

Method

Boil the pasta .

Beat the curd and mayonnaise in separate bowls and mix together.

Sprinkle sugar,salt and pepper to taste to the curd-mayonnaise paste.
Mix the pasta to the curd mayonnaise paste and refrigerate.

Ready to serve once chilled.

PANEER FINGER

iNGREDIENTS
1. MAIDA 1/4 CUP
2. CORN FLOUR 1/4 cUP
3. MILK 4 TSP SOY SAUCE aND
4. TOMATO SAUCE- 4TSP
5. PANEER-1 PACKET SALT

METHOD
MIX ABOVE ALL WELL EXCEPT PANEER, ADD SOME WATER AND MAKE IT AS BATTER.

CUT PANEER AS THIN FINGER AND DIP IT IN BATTER FRY WELL IN OIL.

GARNISH WITH CORRINDER LEAVES

DATES KHEER

Ingredients

1. 2cups thin coconut milk fresh or canned
2. 1 cup dates deseeded and chopped in to small pieces
3. 1/2 cup whole milk (optional)
4. 1 ot 2 tsp jaggery, powdered
5. 1tsp elaichi /cardamom, powerderd
6. 3 to4 tsp cashwes


Method

Keep aside few pieces of date for garnishing and grind the rest to asmooth paste along with the half the coconut milk.

Empty the paste into a heavy bottemed pan and bring to boil on the stove.

Addthe remaining coconut milk ,jaggery elaichi and boil well if the mixture is too thick ,add milk and boil for some more time .

Adjust the sweetness according to yourtaste.

Remove from Stove Garnish with the remaining date pieces and fried cashews and serve hot.

Khari Pudi

Ingredients

2 cups maida (plain flour)
1/4 cup rice flour
2 tbsp. rice flour separate
1/2 tsp. omam seeds
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/5 tsp. asafoetida powder
2 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. ghee
Salt to taste
Some dry flour for dusting
Oil to deepfry

Method:

1. Mix together plain flour and 1/4 cup rice flour.
2. Add salt, seeds, 2 tbsp. oil, asafoetida, turmeric, mix well.
3. Add enough water to make a not too soft pliable dough.
4. Take a pingpong ball sized lump, shape into ball, roll.
5. While rolling use dry flour for dusting.
6. Roll into a large chappati. Apply ghee on top with back of spoon.
7. Sprinkle some rice flour all over.
8. Starting from one end, roll into a tight swiss roll.
9. Cut into 3/4" to 1" thick slices.
10. Take one, roll over it lightly once or twice only.
11. The pudi shoud just flatten enough to stay together.
12. Do not roll to make thin again.
13. Place on a clean cloth, to dry a bi.
14. Keep aside. Repeat till all dough is over.
15. Heat oil in a heavy frying pan.
16. Let in few pudis at a time in hot oil.
17. Fry on med. To low flame till very lightly golden.
18. Flip sides and repeat above.
19. Drain and keep aside to cool.
20. Cool completely before storing.

Thenkuzhal

Ingredients
Rice - 2 Aazhakku
Broken Greengram (Payathamparuppu) - 1 Handfull
Broken Black gram (Uluthamparuppu) - 1/2 Aazhakku

Method

The above mentioned ingredients should be ground into fine flour in a mill.

Cool the ground flour, sieve, and add 2 tsp Ghee, 1 tsp table salt, 1/2 tsp jeera. Mix well.

Squeeze through the tubular press and deep fry them.

Sitaphal Rabdi

Ingredients
1 cup sitaphal pulp
2 litres whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
4 almonds
4 green pistachios, unsalted
1/4 tsp. saffron strands
1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
1 tsp. chopped fragrant red rose petals

Method
Crush almonds and pasta coarsely, or cut into thin slivers.
Boil milk in a clean heavy pan.
Simmer for ten minutes, after it starts boiling.
Stir occasionally while boiling.
Add sugar, stir till dissolved.
Take off fire, add saffron, cardamom, almonds, pastas.
Cool to room temperature.
Add sitaphal pulp, chill for 3-4 hours till very cold.
Put in individual serving bowls sprinkle very few chopped petals to garnish.
Serve chilled.

Olan

Ingredients:
Ash Gourd - 100gm
Pumpkin - 100gm
Green Chillies - 4nos
Red Gram Dal - 1tbs (soaked in the water for about 6 hours)
Grated Coconut - 1/2quantity (Squeeze out 1/4cup of the milk from the coconut without adding water. Take one more cup of milk from the coconut)
Salt - to taste
Coconut oil - 1tbs
Curry leaves - 1sprig


Method:

1. Remove the covering of the ash gourd and pumpkin and cut it into small pieces.
2. Cook the vegetables and red gram dal in water.
3. Add enough salt and the green chillies.
4. When it is done, add 1cup coconut milk and boil.
5. When it thickens well, add 1/4cup coconut milk.
6. Bring to a boil and remove from fire.
7. Add 1tbs coconut oil and the curry leaves and mix well.

Chili Cheese Toast

Ingredients :

Bread slices - 12
Cheese cubes - 3
Pasteurised butter - 100 gms
Green chillies - 3
Salt - Little
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Method :

1. Apply little butter to bread slices.
2. Chop green chillies into thin round pieces.
3. Grate cheese using a fine cheese grater.
4. Mix all the other ingredients together, for filling except bread.
5. Keep little of the filling in between two slices of bread.
6. Press and toast using a sandwich toaster. (Both sides till brown)
7. Serve with ketchup or mint chutney.

Rice Flour Rings

Ingredients :

Rice flour -2 cups
Water - 3 cups
Salt - 2 tbsp
Oil - to deep fry
Grated fresh coconut - 1 1/2 tbsp

Powder coarsely :
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method :

1. Heat water in heavy vessel or deep frying pan.
2. Add salt, a teaspoon of oil and grated fresh coconut to the water.
3. When it starts boiling reduce flame completely and put the flour as a heap in the centre of the water.
4. Insert a laddle and close with a lid.
5. Allow to cook for 7 to 10 minutes in reduced flame.
6. Remove from fire and stir briskly with laddle.
7. When it becomes luke warm add cumin, pepper powder, and knead well like chappathi dough. (If necessary sprinkle little warm water).
8. Knead smoothly using enough oil to handle the dough.
9. Make lemon sized balls.
10. Roll it out into fingers on oiled working surface.
11. Jioin both the ends to form a ring.
12. Make all the dough in the sma emanner.
13. Deep fry in hot oil till golden brown and crisp.
14. Serve with coconut chutney or pickle.

Shrimp Fry

Ingredients:

* Onion - 1 big (finely chopped)
* Coconut pieces - 3 tbs (finely chopped)
* Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
* Fennel seeds - 1 tsp (crush coarsely)
* Dried red chillies - 4
* Oil - 3 tbs
* Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
* Cilantro and curry leaves

To Marinate:

* Shrimp - 1 lb
* Chilli powder - 3 tbs
* Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
* Coriander powder - 1 tsp
* Fenugreek powder - 1/4 tsp
* Lemon juice - from 1 lemon
* Fresh ground black pepper - 2 tsp
* Salt to taste

Make a paste with all these ingredients.

Method:
Clean the shrimp and marinate it.
Let it marinate for 2 hrs in the refrigerator.
Finely chop the onion and coconut pieces.
Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard and add the chopped onion and cocunut.
Put the red chilly pieces in to it and fry.
Add the ginger and garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes.
Now add the marinated shrimp and cook.
Don't add any water as the shrimp has a better moisture content.
Now add freshly crushed fennel seeds and fry the shrimp until done.
Add the chopped cilantro and fresh curry leaves at the end and serve hot.

Fried Shrimps

Ingredients

1 pound of Shrimps
2 large Onions
1 tsp of Chilli powder
1 tsp of Coriander powder
1/2 tsp of Cumin powder
1 tsp of Garlic paste
1 tsp of Ginger paste
1.5 tsp of Lemon Juice or 2 pieces of "Kokam" or 1 gm of Tamarind soaked & crushed in some water
1 clove of Garlic, finely chopped.
Salt to taste
1 tbspn of Oil
Chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:
Clean the shrimps by removing the shell & deveining them.
To the washed shrimps, add the above mentioned spices, ginger-garlic paste & lemon juice or kokam/tamarind paste. Marinade the mixture for app. 1/2 hour.
Finely chop the onions & keep them aside.
Heat some oil in the pan. Season it with chopped garlic. Add the chopped onions & stir fry till they are golden brown.
Add the shrimps & stir fry them very nicely. Cover the pan with the lid & let the shrimps cook on low flame for some time.
Stir fry the mixture once again until the shrimps are cooked & the water begins to evaporate.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Tandoori Shrimp

Ingredients:
Shrimps - 1/4 kg
Egg - 1, beaten
Chilli paste - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 1 tbsp, chopped
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Celery - 1 1/2 tbsp, chopped
Parsley - 1 1/2 tbsp, chopped
Ginger powder - 1 tsp
Garlic powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
1. Clean the shrimps, removing their shells and de vein them.
2. Boil in salt water for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the chilli paste, onion, pepper, celery, parsley, ginger and garlic to the beaten egg.
4. Add salt to taste and mix the batter well.
5. Coat the shrimps generously with the batter and place on a dish in a flat tandoor or grill.
6. Grill for about 30 minutes.
7. Serve hot in a platter, garnished with ginger strips and lemon wedges.

Mushroom Samosa

Ingredients:
Dough
225 gm flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp oil
4 tbsp water

Filling
2 tbsp oil
1 chopped onion
300 gm diced mushrooms
1 tsp ginger paste
2 chopped green chillies
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds
2 tbsp chopped coriander
2 tbsp lemon juice
oil for frying
salt to taste

Method:
Combine all the dough ingredients and make into stiff dough.

Heat oil in a pan and saute onions.

Add the rest of the filling ingredients and cook until the mushrooms are tender. Sharpen with lemon juice.

Add chopped coriander and seasoning. Cool.

Divide the dough into small balls, roll out into circle and cut into two halves.

Moisten the edges and shape into cones. Fill a teaspoon of the mixture and seal.

Fry the samosa in hot oil until golden in color.

Serve hot with mint chutney.

Cocktail Samosas

Ingredients
For Crust:
maida- 1 cup
oil - to fry
1 teaspoon to knead maida.
salt - to taste.
take maida in a pan,
add salt and knead.
(cover this dough with a wet kitchen napkin until the filling is ready.)

For filling:
boiled potatoes - 3 or 4
oil - 2 teaspoon
onion - 1 v. thin slices
jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
salt, turmeric, chilli powder, fresh coriander
peas (optional)
chat masala - 1 teaspoon

Method
Heat oil in a pan, add jeera.
Then add onion. After the onions turn transparent, add turmeric, chilli powder, salt and heat for a few more seconds.
Then add the boiled potatoes (smashed). Add peas and green coriander if desired. And the filling is all ready.
Now, make balls out of the dough (size that of a puri).Cut it into half. Use these 2 halves to make 2 samosas.
Put the filling onto the centre. Fold as a triangle. Fry them.
Arrange them in a plate. Now sprinkle some chat masala on to them.Your samosas are ready... and enjoy the party.

Sweet Samosa

Ingredients:
Maida - 1 cup
Fine Rawa - 1/4 cup
Salt - a pinch
Oil and Vanaspathi - for deep frying

For inner filling
Cashewnut - 1/2 cup
Musk melon seeds - 1/2 cup
Powdered sugar - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - little

Method:
1. Mix rawa, maida, salt with enough water to form a thick dough.
2. Keep aside for half an hour closed with wet cloth.
3. Knead well again to make the dough soft and pliable.
4. Dry cashewnuts, melon seeds under hot sun for one hour.
5. Powder separately, and mix together with powdered sugar and cardamom powder.
6. Make small balls from the maida dough and roll it out into very thin chappathis.
7. Put it on top of a greased samosa mould.
8. Spread little filling on top, wet the edges and seal well.
9. Remove samosa from mould and deep fry in oil in reduced flame till crisp and golde