French Fries – Something Irresistible

This is one dish i would love to snack any time of the day….very irrestible one for me…and i know it’s the same for many expecially kids. And to make me more plump, the entire outlets from chotta to normal restaurants in gulf used to serve them along with their grilled dishes.

Potatoes are mostly available in all our houses and we can make and indulge in this snack any time at home to lift our mood / spirit and ofcourse our waistline

Ingredients

• Potatoes 2
• Flour 1 1/2 tbsp
• Salt 1 1/2 tsp
• Black Pepper 1/2 tsp
• Water as required
• Oil as required

Method

Wash, peel and cut potatoes in the shape of fries. Boil water in saucepan and place potatoes in the boiling water for 1-1 1/2 minutes. Strain and immediately place into cold water. Strain after a minute. Mix flour, salt, pepper, and potatoes in a bowl. Heat oil in saucepan and deep-fry potatoes until golden brown.

Onion Chutney

Method:

Cut 3-4 onions into large pieces. Add 3 whole red peppers, 1/4 tsp salt, and tamarind (a pinch).Grind it finely. Take 3 teaspoons of oil in a frying pan and add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds. When it splatters add the ground mix and fry till the raw smell is gone.

Milagai Bajji – A must on a Rainy Day!!

Milagai Bajji, I think this word itself would make one drool…Sweet memories of enjoying it in the beach (when i was young) flashes across my mind while writing this..These days we have lot of restrictions to have street food coz of  lower immunity to infections but those days, we really enjoyed them & yet stayed healthy. Amazing…

During a rainy day, it’s a must at my home. Even street vendors make  good business during rainy season.  I love to indulge in this spicy hot snack during rainy days with hot piping tea…hmmmm…it’s beyond words to express… Ok, time for some Bajji action….Try these out and possibly your own memories will come flooding back!

Deep fry in Oil

Take gram flour (Kadalai mavu) and rice flour in the ratio 2 1/2 : 1 (5 tbsp gram flour and 2 tbsp rice flour) and mix it with water to make into a loose paste.Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/4 tsp asafoetida, and saffron(kesari powder) to get the desired colour. Dip the bell pepper  in the flour mixture and deep fry until it is fully cooked.

Serve it with Onion Chutney for best results and to bring some beach memories to your home…:-)

Jelly Slice – A Sweet Indulgence

Ok…Now..let’s get into the recipe of a simple dessert for some sweet indulgence …After introducing this to my family, it has become my niece’s all time favorite. It’s very simple to do and the taste is yummylicious….Even kids can do this easily…try it out..

	Ingredients ¾ cup biscuts 0.4 cup butter 1 tbsp. gelatin ½ cup hot water 1 can NESTLÉ Sweet Condensed Milk 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 packet jelly (preferably red in colour) NESTLÉ Cream (for topping – optional) Chopped Nuts (for topping – optional) Prepared Jelly, Powdered Biscuits, Butter and Condensed Milk Preparation:
1st layer Preparation: Crush biscuits Melt butter and mix in crushed biscuits Press the mixture into the base of a rectangular tin. Freeze for 20 minutes 2nd layer Preparation: Dissolve gelatine in ½ cup of hot water. Pour in NESTLÉ Sweetened Condensed Milk and lemon juice Pour this mixture over the biscuit layer and cool until gelatine is set 3rd layer Preparation: Prepare Jelly as per instructions on the pack and pour over the second layer. Freeze until set Cut into pieces. Top with NESTLÉ cream, chopped nuts serve.
Press the biscuit butter mixture at the bottom of the dish Jelly is poured over biscuit mixture and condensed milk layer and topped with nuts
Once set, slice it and serve

Baby Corn Fry – A Spicy Indulgence

At times we really crave for some spicy dish & really feel like indulging in some spicy stuff…During one of that time, hardly some baby corns were left in the fridge…so just thought for a while and immediately came up with this quick and spicy dish….

Ingredients

Baby Corn

Chilly Sauce

Soya Sauce

Chilli Powder

Pepper powder

Bell Pepper

Green chilli

Red Chilli Flakes

Salt

Oil

The measurement for all the above ingredients are as required.

Method:

Marinate the baby corn with all the above ingredients and deep fry in oil along with capsicum. The tanginess
can be adjusted as per one’s requirement and taste. Fry some green chillie in lil oil and add to the corn fry. You can serve with some tangy onion rings.

This Baby Corn Fry is my entry to Priya’s Veggie/Fruit a month event: corn. hosted by Torview

and Any one can cook series-11 event hosted by taste of pearl city

Tangy Lemon Rice with Peanuts

Lemon rice is a typical south Indian dish and it’s often packed for picnics / lunch boxes by many south Indians. It’s very simple and easy to make and keeps good for long journeys… To enjoy lemon rice, potato crisps are a must. Some like them with Vadaam (fat papad-straws) or pickle.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Rice
• 2 to 4 (depending on the juice) Lemons
• 2 tbsp Peanuts
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 2 tbsp Chana dal
• 1 tbsp Urad dal
• 2-3 Red chilies
• 2-3 Green chilies
• 2 tbsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Jeera
• 1 small bunch of Curry leaves
• 1/2 cup Oil
• Salt

Method
• Cook rice, drain and keep it aside.
• Add to the rice (not very hot) little oil, turmeric, salt and mix it well.
• Now squeeze lemon juice and add it (according to taste) to rice and mix well.
• Heat oil in a pan, add chana dal, green chilies, urad dal, peanuts, red chilies, curry leaves, mustard and jeera to fry.
• When the ingredients turn brown and mustard starts to splutter, add this to the above prepared rice.
• Now your Lemon Rice is ready.

Bagare Baignan – Ennai Kathirika – Briyani's best accompaniment

A famous baby eggplant preparation – excellent with biryanis and pulavs

This dish is a traditional hyderabadi/madrasi one served with biryani. The speciality or flavour depends on the blend of imli and the masalas that have been used. No muslim weddings in Chennai / Hyderabad takes place without Briyani and this side dish and their duo combination is simply great..

My friend has been asking this recipe for quite some and at last I am posting it today. This is a favourite for my friends and many of my relatives have enjoyed it too.. well. Let’s get into this recipe.

Will post the recipe for briyani soon.

Ingredients:

• Eggplant (small) 10-12 small size
• Sesame seeds 2 tbsps
• Peanuts 3 tbsps
• Cumin powder 1 tsp
• Dry Red chili whole 2
• Chopped onion ½ Cup
• Tamarind (seedless) 1/2 cup pulp
• Curry leaves 5-8 nos
• Green chili 3
• Fenugreek seeds ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds 1 tsp
• Oil for deep frying
• Salt To taste

Method

1. Wash and slit the eggplants (Baingan) into quarters without removing the stem.

2. Deep fry in medium hot oil till brown in color.

3. Lightly roast the peanuts and sesame seeds. Grind peanuts, sesame seeds and red chilies to a smooth paste. Slit green chilies and cut into one inch long pieces.

4. Boil tamarind in water for 5 minutes cool and strain to get tamarind pulp.

5. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan. Add mustard and fenugreek seeds. When mustard seeds start to splutter, add curry leaves and chopped onions. Cook till golden brown and add peanuts and sesame paste. Stir constantly.

6. Add turmeric powder, green chilies and cumin powder. Season with salt. Add 2 cups of water, bring it to boil and add tamarind pulp. Add fried eggplants and cook on a slow flame for 15 minutes.

Italian Pasta Salad

Pasta is liked by many, mainly because of the creamy sauce and cheese in it and hence its usually considered as a junk food. For a change, you can make something healthy with the pasta, without compromising on the taste. This is very refreshing especially for summer time since the dressing is made of yogurt.

Ingredients :

1. Cooked Pasta – 1 cup
2. Any Vegetables

For the dressing :

• Yogurt – 1/2 cup
• Mayonnaise – 2 tbsp or as per your taste
• Salt, Pepper and Sugar – Little 

Just blend all the ingredients together to get a smooth dressing.

 Cook the pasta in enough water with 1 tsp olive oil & salt. Drain the water completely & let it cool.

On a serving plate/bowl place the cooked pasta and top it with veggies.  You can use any veggies that you like, though capsicum, parsley and celery gives a special flavor. I have used the veggies which are very easily available (onion, tomato, cucumber and coriander leaves).  Mix in the Mayo/ Yogurt dressing and enjoy a real refreshing and filling salad.

Those who are health / weight consicious can use brown/wheat pasta, no/low fat yogurt and eggless mayonnaise.

Dhokla – A tasty bite

Dhokla is a snack from Gujarat made with a fermented batter of chickpeas and served with cilantro – mint chutney. Not only its one of the quickest recipes, its also a very nutritious snack…

Kids to elders will enjoy this and it can be made quickly for the guests. Once you indulge in the bites of this yummy snack, you might forget things around you for a while…the sponginess and the tangy taste of this snack makes it a good treat as a snack / starter.

Ingredients:

* Besan (chickpea flour) 1 cup
* Water 1 cup
* Lime juice 1 tbsp
* Oil 1 tbsp. plus one tsp.
* Eno Fruit Salt 1 tsp
* Mustard Seeds 1 tsp
* Green Chillies 2 finely sliced
* Curry Leaves – 2-3
* Sugar 1 tbsp
* Salt

Mix together besan, salt, 1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp lime juice, green chillies and water. Start with 3/4 cup water. It should be a thick batter that goes drip drip drip from the spatula rather than of a pouring consistency.

Put a large vessel or pressure cooker with about 3 cups water on the stovetop to heat. Grease a round pan or pressure cooker insert vessel,

Add the Eno to the batter, put into the vessel, and steam. Do not use the weight if using a pressure cooker.

Keep it for 7 minutes after you get a forceful jet of steam.
(about 17 minutes total) Turn off the flame, let it rest for 2 minutes, and test with a toothpick.

For Seasoning:
Heat remaining oil, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds pop, turn off the flame.

Let the dhokla rest for 3 minutes after steaming, then take it out and cut it into pieces.

Mix together 2 tbsps hot water, sugar and lime juice until the sugar dissolves. Pour into the seasoning.

Pour it over the dhoklas.

Garnish with coriander leaves, grated coconut and serve hot with tamarind and mint chutney.

This is my entry for

Bhel Puri

Bhel Puri is one among the bombay fast food specialities. Its made with two chutneys-one hot and one sweet along with puffed rice, sev, puris, chopped onions, tomatoes and other ingredients…. and the result is a wonderful evening snack. Now bhel puri is famous all over India and some parts of the world too.

Bhel Puri is low-fat, nutritious and delicious; hence weight watchers can have a full bowl of this snack without any guilt. This is one of the dishes I started making right from my school days and it’s my all time favorite too.

Ingredients

• Puffed Rice
• Thin Sev
• Flat puris or the ones used for pani puri
• Onion- 1 big chopped finely
• Tomato- 1 big chopped finely
• Potato-1 boiled and chopped into cubes
• Mango- 1 grated
• coriander leaves- a few chopped finely
• Tamarind Chutney
• Green Chutney
• salt to taste
• Little lemon juice
• Chaat Masala – Lil

Tamarind Chutney

1. Dates- 6
2. Extract form small lime sized tamarind
3. jaggery-2-3 tsp
4. chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
5. cumin powder-1/2 tsp

Boil the above ingredients for couple of mins and when cooled, grind it.

Green Chutney

Ingredients

1. mint leaves- 1/2 cup chopped finely
2. coriander leaves- 1 cup chopped finely
3. green chillies-6
4. lemon juice- 2 tsp
5. cumin- 1/4 tsp
6. rock salt-a pinch

Grind all together

Method

Mix puffed rice, sev, puris,onions,tomatoes,potatoes,mango, chaat masala, green chilli, lemon juice and coriander leaves and Keep aside.

When Serving add the sweet and hot chutney to the mixture. Serve immediately in seperate plates and top with some sev and coriander leaves.

Bhelpuri is best consumed as soon as it is made. If left for a while, the juices from the tomatoes, chutneys, etc. combine to render the sev and puffed rice soggy.