Easy Butter Cookies

Delicious!!!!!!!!

Ingredients

All Purpose flour/Maida: 1 Cup
Powdered Sugar: 1/2 Cup
Unsalted Butter: 1/2 Cup
Vanilla Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Salt: 1 Pinch

Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 
Method

Preheat the oven to 150 C
Beat butter and sugar until smooth
To this add all purpose flour little by little and mix it with a spoon
Add vanilla powder and salt and mix well
Use your hands and knead it to a smooth dough
Roll out small gooseberry sized balls out of the dough and roll it well and press it slightly with your palms

Arrange the cookies on a baking tray and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes at 150 C

Remove from oven and let it cool well
Serve with tea or coffee.

Note:
You can make just plain cookies or can place a raisin or almond or cashew on top of the cookie and bake it
While keeping the cookies for baking leave some space in between as cookies will expand while baking

Masala Dosa

Does it need an Introduction......

Ingredients

Dosa Batter: 2 Cups (For preparation of batter see notes)

Ghee: 3 Table Spoon

For Filling

Potato: 3

Carrot: 1 Small

Onion: 1

Green Chilly: 3

Ginger: 1 small piece

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon

Oil: 2 Table Spoon

Mustard Seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon

Chana Dal: 1/2 Tea Spoon (Optional)

Coriander leaves

Curry Leaves

Salt

Water

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Method

Filling

Chop carrots, onion, green chilly and ginger

Boil the potatoes and mash it and keep aside

Mashed Potatoes

To a pan pour oil and add mustard seeds, Once it begins to splutter add chana dal 

Once the chana dal becomes golden brown in color add chopped ginger and green chilly and saute for a few seconds

Then add chopped onion and saute till it becomes translucent

To this add chopped carrots, turmeric powder, salt and curry leaves

Reduce the flame and allow the carrots to cook well

Now add mashed potatoes and stir well

Add coriander leaves and switch off the flame

Making dosa 

Heat a non stick or iron tawa, 

If using an iron tawa  add a drop of oil and rub on it. 

Once the tawa is heated, bring the flame to medium and pour a ladle of batter in the center.

Using the back of the ladle, spread the batter in a circular motion and make the dosa

Drizzle little ghee on the dosa 

Dosa should not be thick.  Try to make it as thin as possible

We don't flip the dosa.  So for the dosa to be cooked evenly it should be thin and should be cooked in medium flame.
When you see the dosa starts slightly browning  in the edges dosa is ready.

Combining Dosa and masala

Once the dosa is cooked spread a laddle full of the masala in the center

Now close the dosa to half

Remove from tawa and serve hot with chutney, sambhar or both

Notes:

If you wish to you can allow the dosa to become golden brown in color.

To make dosa batter

Par boiled Rice/Idli Rice: 1 cup
Raw rice: 1/2 cup

Urad dal (without skin): 1/2 cup
Fenugreek seeds: 1/2 tsp

Salt 

Soak par boiled rice, raw rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds in enough water for 5 to 6 hours.

Wash and grind everything together until smooth adding water as required 

The batter should be smooth pouring consistency

Add needed salt and leave it overnight to ferment. 
Next morning the batter is ready to make idli, plain dosa, ghee roast, masala dosa etc
Before making the dosa check the consistency of the batter and add water if required

Grilled Fish

Something fishyyyyy.......

Ingredients

Red Snapper: 1 fish (approx 350gm)

For Marination
Shallots:5
Garlic: 3
Ginger: 1 Small Piece
Red Chilly Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Kashmiri Chilly Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Pepper Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Cumin Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Lemon Juice: 1 Table Spoon
Oil: 1 Table Spoon
Salt
Water

Preparation Time: Over night
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Method

Clean the fish and make gashes on it

Grind together all the items mentioned under for marination adding required salt and water
Add it to the cleaned fish and marinate well and keep in fridge overnight

Preheat the oven to 180 C
Place an aluminium foil on the baking tray and spread a little oil on it
Place the fish on the tray and  reduce the temperature to 160 C and grill it for about 35 to 40 minutes
Turn sides in between and brush little oil on the fish at the same time

Note:
Adjust the Spices accordingly
Cooking time may vary depending on the oven, so adjust it accordingly
You can use whole fish as i did or can use fillets instead.  But make sure the fillets are not too thin
Its always better if you marinate and keep the fridge overnight.  If that's not possible at least keep it marinated for an hour before grilling

Simple Tea Cake

Easy and Tasty!!!

Ingredients

All purpose flour / Maida : 250gm

Powdered Sugar: 200gm

Butter: 150gm

Egg:3

Baking Powder: 1 Tea Spoon

Vanilla Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Method

Preheat the oven at 150 C

Prepare the cake tin by spreading a little butter all around the tin and then add little flour and spread it to all sides uniformly.  Knock off the excess flour

Sieve all purpose flour and baking powder

Beat powdered sugar and butter until it becomes smooth

Add eggs one by one and beat well

To this add  vanilla powder and sieved flour mix little by little and mix well

Pour this to the cake tin and place in the oven

Bake at 150 C for about 25  to 30 minutes

Insert a wooden skewer in the middle and check. If it comes out clean then the cake is ready

Once it cools a bit remove from cake tin and allow to cool well

Now the cake is ready to be cut and served

Note:
Baking time may vary depending on the oven, so adjust it accordingly
This is just a simple version.  If you wish to you can serve with some powdered sugar topping or any topping as per your taste buds.

Beetroot Pachadi

Another Pachadi...

Ingredients

Beetroot: 1 (Medium size)
Curd: 1/2 Cup (Should not be too sour)
Salt: As Required
Water: As Required
Curry Leaves

For Grinding
Grated Coconut: 1/4 Cup
Green Chilly : 3 - 4
Mustard Seeds: 1/4 Table Spoon

For Seasoning
Dried Red Chilly: 3 - 4
Coconut oil: 2 Table Spoon
Mustard seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Method

Grate the beetroot

To a pan put the grated beetroot and cook adding required salt and little water.  

Whip the curd well and keep aside
Grind together grated coconut, green chilly, 1/4 table spoon mustard seeds

No need to make it a fine paste, only crush it.  (Do not add water)

Once the beetroot is cooked add the crushed coconut mix and curry leaves and cook for about 5 minutes.  (For the coconut to cook)
Reduce the flame and add the whipped curd.  Give a good stir and switch off the flame

To a pan add coconut oil and add mustard seeds.

Once it pops add dried red chilly and saute till it changes color
Pour this on top of the pachadi
Serve it with rice.

Vazhutana Mezhukkupuratti (Egg plant / Brinjal Stir Fry)

Quick and Easy!!!

Ingredients

Long green brinjal: 3
Garlic: 4 - 5 Cloves
Green Chilly: 3 - 4
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Oil: 1 Table Spoon
Salt
Curry Leaves

Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Method

Chop the brinjal into small strips

Crush garlic and green chilly.

Pour oil to a pan and add crushed ginger and garlic
Saute for a minute and then add chopped brinjal, turmeric powder, curry leaves and salt
Stir well and close the lid and cook in low flame.  Keep stirring in between
Serve hot

Note:
Once you chop the brinjal put it in water, else it will change color
This is not a spicy dish.  So adjust the spice levels accordingly

Mulaku Chammanthi / Red Chilly Chutney

Spicy Spicy....

Ingredients

Dried Red Chilly: 8 - 10
Shallots: 6 - 7
Tamarind : a small gooseberry size
Curry Leaves: 4 - 5 leaves
Coconut Oil: 1 Table Spoon
Salt

Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Method

Pour oil to a pan and roast dried red chilly, shallots and curry leaves for 5 minutes in medium flame
Grind this adding tamarind and required salt. (Without adding water)
Serve with kappa puzhungiyathu (boiled tapioca), dosa, idli etc

Note:
Adjust the spice levels as per your tolerance
Can substitute dried red chilly with 2 tea spoon red chilly powder.  But add after you roast shallots just before after switching off the flame

Parippu and Muringa Curry / Dhal and drumstick Curry

For all who loves naadan dishes!!!

Ingredients

Toor dhal : 1/4 Cup
Drumstick: 2
Green Chilli: 4 - 5
Shallots: 5
Jeera/Cumin: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Thick Coconut milk: 1/4 Cup
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tea Spoon
Dried Red Chilly: 2 - 3
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Coconut Oil: 1 Table Spoon
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves

Cooking Time: 15 Minutes
Method

Crush shallots, green chilly and jeera and keep aside
Cook dhal adding turmeric powder
Once dhal is cooked add drumsticks, crushed shallots mix, curry leaves and salt.
When the drumsticks cooks well add the coconut milk and stir well.  Let it boil for a minute and switch off the flame
To a pan pour oil and add mustard seeds.  Once it finishes popping add dried red chilly and saute till the chilly changes it color
Pour this in the curry
Serve hot with rice

Note:
You can reduce the amount of green chilly and add red chilly powder.  But personally i like this curry with only green chilly.
Instead of coconut milk you can add ground coconut paste if you like the curry to be thick.

Egg Roast

An all time favorite!!!

Ingredients

Egg: 3
Onion: 2
Green chilly: 3 to 4
Crushed Ginger &Garlic: 1 Table Spoon
Tomato: 1
Red Chilly Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Coriander Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Garam Masala Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Pepper Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon (Optional)
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Oil: 3 Table Spoon
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves
Coriander Leaves

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Method

Hard boil the eggs.  Once it cools down remove the shell and keep aside
To a pan pour oil and add mustard seeds.

Once it finishing popping add crushed ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes
To that add slit green chilly and saute for another minute
Then add finely sliced onion.  Add little salt along with the onion so that onion cooks fast
Once the onion cooks(around 5 to 6 minutes) reduce the flame and add spice powders
Saute well for 2 minutes and then add tomato
Close the lid and cook till tomato is cooked well
Add curry leaves and coriander leaves
Put a few gashes on the egg or you can cut the egg in half
Put the egg to the curry and cover it with the onion mixture.  Close the lid  and keep in low flame for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Serve hot with rice, appam, chapati etc

Note:
Adjust spice levels accordingly

Paneer Pakoda

Have it with a Cup of hot tea!!!

Ingredients

Grated Paneer: 100 gm

Onion: 1 Medium sized
Ginger: 1/2 Table spoon
Green chilly: 1/2 Table Spoon
Kadala podi/gram flour/basen: 5 Table Spoon
Rice flour: 3 Table Spoon
Asafoetida Powder: 1 pinch
Red Chilly Powder: 1/2 Tea spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Salt
Water
Oil: For frying

Cooking time: 10 minutes
Method

Chop Onion, Ginger and green chilly.

Mix together paneer, onion, ginger, green chilly, basen, rice flour,  red chilly powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida powder and required salt

To this add required water and make it a thick paste.

Heat oil in a kadai
Once the oil is heated well, reduce the flame
Using a spoon or with your hands take small portions of the mixture and put in oil  and deep fry till it becomes golden brown in color
If using your hands please be careful while putting the pakodas in hot oil
Serve hot

Note:
Adjust the spice levels accordingly
Can add some chopped coriander leaves also
Do not fry the pakodas in high flame.  It will not be cooked inside
Rice flour makes the pakoda very crispy
If using paneer cubes can chop it and use or put in a mixer and crumble it.

Pavakka (Bitter Gourd) Pachadi

Its bitter, but tasty!!!

Ingredients

Bitter Gourd: 2 Medium size (200gms)
Curd: 1/2 Cup (Should not be too sour)
Salt: As Required
Water: As Required
Curry Leaves

For Grinding
Grated Coconut: 1/4 Cup
Green Chilly : 3 - 4
Mustard Seeds: 1/4 Table Spoon

For Seasoning
Dried Red Chilly: 3 - 4
Coconut oil: 2 Table Spoon
Mustard seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Method

Cut the bitter Gourd length wise through the center and remove the seeds inside.  Then fine chop the bitter gourd

Put the chopped bitter gourd in salt water for about 20 minutes.  This helps to reduce the bitterness
Whip the curd well and keep aside
Grind together grated coconut, green chilly, 1/4 table spoon mustard seeds
No need to make it a fine paste, only crush it.  (Do not add water)

After 20 minutes wash the bitter gourd well
Cook it adding salt and required water
When the bitter gourd is cooked add the crushed coconut mix and curry leaves and cook for about 5 minutes.  (For the coconut to cook)
Reduce the flame and add the whipped curd.  Give a good stir and switch off the flame

To a pan add coconut oil and add mustard seeds.
Once it pops add dried red chilly and saute till it changes color
Pour this on top of the pachadi
Serve it with rice.

Note:

While cooking bitter gourd  add the required amount of water only
By the time the bitter gourd is cooked there should not be more water left
After adding curd do not keep on flame for more time.