Stuffed Vendaikkai

Prep Time:10 m      Cook Time:15 m

Serves:2

Ingredients

Lady's Finger     - 20 no.s(tender and small)

Idli Milaga Podi - 1/4 cup

Oil                      - 1 tbl sp

Method

• Wash and trim the heads and tail of lady's finger.Keeping the ends intact make a slit well enough to stuff with idli podi.Make a paste of idli podi with water.Stuff this inside the vendaikkai and fry them in a frying pan drizzling oil.Gently turn over and when all the sides are cooked remove from pan.Serve with rice
                                          
                                       
                                
     

Little Words

• Tender lady's finger is good for this.
• Stuffing can be done with sambhar powder or peanut powder.
• Goes well with rice.

Beetroot Biriyani

Prep Time:20 m      Cook Time:20 m

Serves :3

Ingredients

Basmati Rice       - 1 cup(soaked for half an hour)

Beetroot               - 1(3/4 cup when grated)

Onion                   - 1

Curry Leaves       - 2 sprigs

Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup

Aniseed                - 1/2 tsp

Khus khus            - 1/4 tsp

Bay Leaf              - 2

Cardamom           - 3

Clove                   - 2

Cinnamon            - 1"piece

Ginger                  - 1"piece

Garlic                   - 4 cloves

Green Chilli         - 3

Garam Masala     - 1/2 tsp

Salt                       - to taste

Oil                        - 2 tsp

Ghee                     - 1 tsp

Method

• Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker and splutter aniseed,khus khus,add bay leaves,cardamom,cinnamon,clove,curry leaves,green chilli and onion.Fry till onion turns transparent.Now add grated ginger and garlic.
     
• Now add grated beetroot,coriander leaves and salt.Saute for a while and add required amount of water.Bring it to a boil and add soaked rice and garam masala,Check salt and close the lid and pressure cook for one whistle and then simmer for five minutes and then switch off the flame.Leave it on the hot stove for five minutes and then set aside the cooker.Open the lid once pressure releases,fluff it gently with a fork and serve with onion raita.
                                   
                                   
  

Little Words

• Mint leaves can also be added if desired.
• Adjust the quantity of water as required.While pressure cooking basmati rice 1 & 1/2 cup water is sufficient for one cup of rice provided the rice is soked for half an hour.
• Yummy colourful biriyani.

Kambu Payasam

Prep Time:10 m      Cook Time:25 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Kambu                  - 1/2 cup

Milk                       - 1& 1/2 cup

Water                      - 1 cup

Jaggery                   - 2 tbl sp

Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp

Ghee                        - 1 tbl sp

Cashews                  - few

Raisins                     - few

Method

• Wash kambu/pearl millet and remove any husks if present.Soak it in water for half an hour.Grind it into a paste with  half a cup of milk or water as desired.This has a unique earthern flavour.
                              
     
• Heat two teaspoons of ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel and add this paste into it.Add the remaining milk and water little by little stirring continuously.the mixture will start bubbling and thickens and you can get the aroma of the cooked kambu.
     
• Add grated jaggery and cardamom powder and this stage.Stir it for five more minutes and add the nuts and raisins roasted in ghee.Serve hot.
                             
  

Little Words

• Milk and water ratio can be adjusted accordind to desire.
• Once it cools it thickens,so you can reserve half a cup of milk and add it at the time of serving too.
• A healthy sweet....

Ragi Cookies

Prep Time:15 m      Cook Time:12 m

Yields:12

Ingredients

Ragi Flour        -1/2 cup + 1 tblsp

Wheat Flour     - 1/2 cup + 1 tblsp

Butter               - 1/2 cup(melted)

Sugar                - 1/2 cup

Yogurt              - 1 tblsp

Baking Powder - 1/4 tsp

Vanilla Essence - 1/4 tsp

Method

• Heat a pan and slightly dry roast the flours one by one.Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius.
    
• Beat butter and sugar.Dissolve baking powder in yogurt.Add vanilla essence and yogurt to the beaten butter and sugar .Mix them well.
                                       
     
• Now add the roasted flour and knead into a soft dough.Make smalll balls,flatten them between your palm and press with a fork to mark lines.Arrange in a baking tray and bake at 180 degree for twelve to fifteen minutes.Once cooled store them in an airtight container.Keeps well for a week.
                                          
                                
                                   
  

Little Words

• The cookies were soft and melt in the mouth.
• Sugar can be substituted with brown sugar if desired.

Barley Soup with Vegetables

Prep Time:10 m      Cook Time: 20 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Soup Broth Mix - 1/2 cup(soaked for 6 hours)

Vegetables         - 1 & 1/2 cup(carrot,beans,cauliflower,onion,tomato)

Pepper Powder   - to taste

Butter                 - to garnish

Salt                     - to taste

Milk                    - 1 cup

Method

• Soak the barley mix for atleast three hours and then pressure cook for six whistles along with vegetables adding little salt.
                                   
     
• Mash it with a hand blender or with the back of a ladle.Now add milk and cook on low flame for another five to ten minutes.Add salt and pepper to taste.Transfer to serving bowls and add a dollop of butter if desired.
     

Little Words

• A warm and comforting soup for the winter and healthy,tasty,nutritious too.
• Fresh cream can be used instead of milk.
• For easy cooking soak for six hours.
• Can be had as a wholesome meal accompanied by any bread.

Vegetable Pakora Platter

Prep Time:15 m      Cook Time:20 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Gram Flour       - 1/2 cup

Rice Flour         - 1/2 cup

Ajwain              - 1/2 tsp

Bi carb of Soda - a pinch

Chilli Powder   - 1 tsp

Salt                   - to taste

Oil                    - to deep fry

Vegetables        - Long Chilli,potato,onion,cabbage,cauliflower,broccoli(as desired)

Method

• Heat oil in a kadai to deep fry.Meanwhile prepare all the vegetables.Peel off the skin of potato and cut them into thin slices.Cut the onion into round slices.Separate broccoli and gobi into small florets.Cut cabbage leaves into desired shape.
  
• Prepare the batter by mixing ingredients from gram flour to salt with little water.
     
• By now the oil would be hot.Dip the prepared vegetables one by one in the batter and fry them in oil till they become golden brown or until the bubble ceases in oil.Serve hot with tomato sauce or any desired side dish.
                                        
                              
                                         
     

Little Words

• The quantity of gram flour can be a little more than rice flour as per desire.
• The veggies can be chosen as per desire.
• A sure treat for pakora lovers.