Banana in Strawberry Yoghurt

Banana in Strawberry Yoghurt

This is a simple banana salad in strawberry flavored yoghurt :-) Some kids dont love to eat bananas as it is but this will be so yummy and  i am sure kids will love it ! 

Ingredients

Yoghurt                                                                                          1 cup

Banana                                                                                       3 (medium)

Condensed milk                                                                             2 tbsp

Strawberry mix                                                                            Few drops

Sugar                                                                                          1 or 2 tbsp

Preparation

Take yoghurt in a bowl, add condensed milk, sugar and stir well.

Add few drops of strawberry mix.  ( You can try it with any other fruit mix as per your wish )

Then add the banana pieces ( small slices ) to it.

Mix it well but dont over do it . 

Keep it in freezer for sometime and have a cool and healthy fruit salad :-) You will get a sour and sweet taste.

Mutter Gravy

Mutter Gravy

This is a simple and easy recipe without masalas, tomatoes and seasonings.

Ingredients

Green peas                                                                                    1 cup

Grated coconut                                                                             1/2 cup

Garlic                                                                                            3 pods

Onion                                                                                         1 (medium)

Green chillies                                                                                 3 ( slit )

Turmeric powder                                                                           1/2 tsp

Coconut oil                                                                                    1 tbsp

Salt                                                                                            As required

Curry leaves                                                                                  A sprig

Preparation

Cook the green peas adding turmeric powder and salt ( i have used fresh green peas. If you are using dry, pressure cook it for 3 whistles).

When it is almost done, add coarsely chopped onion and slit green chillies. Allow it to boil till the onion and chillies are cooked well with the peas.

Grind the coconut and garlic together and keep it aside.

When the peas is ready, add the ground coconut - garlic mixture to this and mix well. Let it be on flame for  3 - 4 minutes.

Now add coconut oil and curry leaves and remove it from the flame.

You can add more green chillies to make it more spicy and can also adjust the water consistency as per your taste but too much water makes the gravy tasteless.

It will be yummy with chapatis, puris, parottas and even white rice!!!!!!

Phirni or Kheer

Phirni or Kheer

This is an exotic Indian dessert - sweet and simple :-)

Ingredients

Basmati rice                                                                                 2 & 1/2 tbsp

Milk                                                                                                    3 cups

Sugar                                                                                                1/2 cup

Condensed Milk                                                                                1/2 cup

Cardamom powder                                                                            1 tsp

Saffron                                                                                          A small pinch 

Cashewnuts                                                                                         3-4

Badam                                                                                                2-3

Pista                                                                                                     2-3

Preparation

Soak the rice in water for 20 minutes. Drain and let them dry well. Grind it to a fine powder till you get a sooji ( semolina) consistency. 

Soak saffron in a tbsp of warm milk.

Boil milk in a pan and when it starts boiling, add the powdered rice and stir it keeping the stove in a low flame to avoid lumps and getting burnt. 

When it starts thickening, add sugar and stir it well.

Now add saffron and cardamom powder ( i have used crushed cardamom seeds ).

After stirring for two minutes, add the condensed milk to it. You will get a semi thick consistency.

 Garnish it with saffron, chopped cashews, badam, almonds, pistas... as per your taste :-)

When it is warm, pour them into a serving bowl and refrigerate it for 3 to 4 hours.

Sabzi Diwani Handi

Sabzi Diwani Handi

This is a healthy vegetable dish and an easy recipe to be made at home !!

Ingredients

Carrot                                                           1 (coarsely chopped)

Beans                                                                3-4 (same)

Cauliflower                                                         1/4 cup

Green peas                                                         1/4 cup

Spinach (palak)                                                  1/4 cup

Corn                                                                    1 tbsp

Onion                                                             2 ( medium )

Tomato                                                           1 (medium)

Ginger                                                       1&1/2  piece (finely chopped)

Garlic                                                             4 (finely chopped)

Green chillies                                                 2 (finely chopped)

Turmeric powder                                               1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder                                              1/4 tsp

Pepper powder                                                 1/4 tsp

Cashewnuts                                                       10-12

Butter                                                               1/2 tbsp

Oil                                                                     2 tbsp

Salt                                                                  To taste

Cream                                                               1 tbsp

Coriander leaves                                          To Garnish


Preparation

Heat oil, add finely chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies and onion (one) one by one and saute well.

Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, pepper powder and tomatoes, saute it till the tomatoes are smashed well.

Now the main ingredient - Onion paste - cut 1 onion coarsely and boil in hot water for 2-3 minutes, drain it, allow it to cool. Soak cashewnuts in water for 20 minutes. Grind the onion and cashewnuts along with some 2 chopped garlic and chopped ginger and make a paste.

Add 2 tbsp of onion paste to the tomato mixture, saute it till you get a good aroma, adding butter to it.

Now it's time to add the vegetables ( half boiled adding a pinch of salt ) . Blend it well with the masala.

Add 4-5 tbsp of water (water consistency as per your taste but not too watery), add the spinach and mix it well. Allow it on low flame for 2-3 minutes till the gravy thickens.

If you wish, can add cream on top of it and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Mutter Paneer

Mutter Paneer

Ingredients

Cottage cheese (paneer)                                                            200 gms

Mutter                                                                                           3/4 cup

Garlic                                                                                              3-4

Coriander powder                                                                         2 tsp

Red chilli powder                                                                         1 tsp

Cumin seeds                                                                                1/2 tsp

Butter                                                                                           1 tbsp

Salt                                                                                             To taste

Oil                                                                                                 2 tsp

Thick Cream                                                                                2 tbsp

Coriander leaves                                                                     To Garnish

Preparation

This is an easy preparation and here i have made mutter (fresh green peas) puree. (i dont like the whole mutter :-P)

Boil the mutter in hot water for 5 minutes and allow it to cool. Then grind it to a fine paste.

Heat oil, add cumin seeds, garlic (finely chopped) , saute well.

Next add the coriander powder, red chilli powder, saute it too.

Now add the ground mutter paste to it along with salt. You can add 1 tbsp of water. Mix it well and let it be on flame for 2 minutes.

Add butter and paneer to it, blend them well.

When this is ready, add thick cream, mix it and remove from the flame.

Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves :-)

Chettinad Soya Curry

Chettinad Soya Curry

Ingredients

Soya Chunks                                                                             1 & 1/2

Onion                                                                                     1 (medium)

Tomato                                                                                  1 (medium)

Ginger-Garlic paste                                                                    1 tsp

Coriander powder                                                                       2 tsp

Red chilli powder                                                                      1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder                                                                      1/4 tsp

Grated coconut                                                                         2 tbsp

Peppercorns                                                                            1 tbsp

Cumin seeds                                                                            1 tsp

Fennel seeds                                                                            1 tsp

Dry Red chillies                                                                           2

Cinnamon                                                                                1 inch

Cloves                                                                                        3

Star Anise                                                                              1 & 1/2

Cardamom                                                                                 2

Oil                                                                                           3 tbsp

Salt                                                                                         To taste

Curry leaves                                                                            A sprig

Coriander leaves                                                                  To Garnish

Preparation


Soak soya chunks in hot water for around 30 minutes. Drain the water and squeeze the extra water from soya chunks and keep it aside.

Dry roast all the spices except cardamoms. Dry the grated coconut separately till it turns golden brown.

Grind the roasted ingredients together and make a paste.

Take a kadai, heat oil, add cardamoms.

Then add chopped onions, curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste. Saute well till the raw smell goes and till onions turn golden brown.

Now add the chopped tomatoes, salt , turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and coriander powder. Saute till the tomatoes are cooked well.

Add soya chunks, fry for 2 minutes.

Add the ground masala and fry for 2 minutes.

Now add a cup or 2 cups of water to it and allow it to boil for 10 minutes till the gravy is cooked.

Check whether the soya chunks are cooked well.

Remove from flame and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

Egg curry with Coconut milk

 Egg curry with Coconut milk

Ingredients

Eggs                                                                                                        4 (boiled)

Thin coconut milk                                                                                 1 & 1/2 cup

Thick coconut milk                                                                                   3/4 cup

Onion                                                                                                   2 (medium)

Ginger-Garlic paste                                                                                    1 tsp

Coriander powder                                                                                      2 tsp

Chilli powder                                                                                              2 tsp

Turmeric powder                                                                                     1/2 tsp

Cumin powder                                                                                          1 tsp

Chicken masala                                                                                       2 tbsp

Garam masala                                                                                           1 tsp

Fennel seeds                                                                                           1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds                                                                                           1/2 tsp

Salt                                                                                                         To taste

Oil                                                                                                            3 tbsp

Curry leaves                                                                                            A sprig

Coriander leaves                                                                                  To Garnish

Preparation

Boil the eggs and keep aside.

Take a kadai, heat 2 tbsp oil, add fennel seeds and cumin seeds.

When it splutters, add onions (coarsely chopped), curry leaves, saute well till it turns golden brown.

Add ginger-garlic paste and when the raw smell leaves, add the masala powders one by one and mix well.

Add one more tbsp of oil, saute this too well till the oil separates.

Now add thin coconut milk and half cup of water and salt, mix well. Let it boil for 5 minutes, stir it.

Slice the boiled eggs and add to the gravy.

When it is ready (check salt and spice), add thick coconut milk.

Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.