Sambar Powder or All Purpose Powder

Ingredients:

1. Corriander Seeds               -   1 Cup
2. Pepper Corns                     -   1/3 Cup
3. Toor Dal                            -   1/3 Cup
4. Channa Dal                        -   1/3 Cup
5. Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds   - 1 1/2 tbsps
6. Black Mustard Seeds         - 1 1/2 tbsps
7. Dry Red Chillies                 - 1 2/3 cups

Method:

1. Keep a non-stick pan on the stove and add the above ingredients, according to the above order in 30 secs interval. Dry roast them in a simmer flame for about 5 to 10 minutes.
2. No need for them to turn brown. Wait until it releases a pleasant aroma.
3. Then grind them in a blender to a coarse powder.
4. Store them in a air-tight container. It stays fresh for 2 months.

Uses:

1. Sambar
2. Puliothare
3. Spinach or Green's rice
4. Simply saute'd rice
5. Vegetable gravy.

I found the uses in the above recipes. I'll update them as soon as possible. If you could find more recipes you are always welcome to share your recipes.

Food for your external Beauty!

1. Crushed oats or ground greengram with a little amount of curd or water can be a good scrub for your skin.
2. 2 parts of Besan flour or Chickpea flour and 1 part of 'Kasthuri Manjal' also known as 'Curcuma aromatica' is good for acne. The besan flour actually removes the excess oil and the Manjal' is a good antiseptic for your skin. 1/2 part of cooking turmeric can be used instead of the 'Kasthuri manjal'. But be careful while using turmeric the color may stain your dress.
3. Before shampooing your hair just massage your hair with coconut oil. Massage oil to the skull. Leave it for minimum 30 mins. It leaves your hair soft and shiny.

Vegetarian Mutton Gravy!




Before going into this recipe. I sincerely thank my friend, "Kaveri" for sharing this awesome recipe. I made few changes for my convenience. 
Ingredients:

1. Soya Chunks or meal maker - 2 cups
2. Chopped Onion - 2 cups
3. Finely Chopped Garlic - 1 tbsp
4. Tomato - 1 cup
5. Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tbsps
6. Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Corriander Powder - 2 tbsps
8. Garam Masala - 2 tbsps
9. Turmeric powder - 2tsps
10. Salt - 1 tsp
11. Cloves - 2
12. Cinnamon - 1 stick
13. Anise star - 1
14. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
15. Chopped curry leaves - 1 tbsp
16. Water - 3 cups
17. Cooking oil - 1/2 tbsp
18. Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
19. Corriander Leaves - to garnish

Method:

1.  Boil the water in a saucepan or any vessel, drop the soya chunks. Make sure the water covers all the chunks. Give a stir. Turn of the stove, cover it. Let it rest for about 10 mins.
2. Now strain the chunks, refrigerate the water.
3. Squeeze out the soya chunks a little, save that water too.
4. Now to the soya chunks, add

                   1 tbsp of Ginger-Garlic paste
                   1 tsp of turmeric powder
                   1/4 tsp of Chilli powder
                   1/2 tbsp of Corriander powder
                    1 tbsp of Garam Masala powder  
                   1/4 tsp of salt
   5.    Mix them well and let it sit for 2 hours to 8 hours. My recommendation would be over night.
   6.    Turn on the stove. Place a frying pan on the stove, add oil , anise star, cinnamon, cloves, curry leaves and cumin seeds.
   7.    Add the chopped onion and Garlic. Cook for a minute.
   8.    Add 1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste. Cook for another minute.
   9.    Add the tomatoes, salt and rest of the cooking powders. Add the saved soya chunks water.
 10.  Cover them and let them boil for 5 mins. Add the marinated soya chunks. Cover and boil for another 10 mins.
   11. Grind the grated coconut and add them to the boiling mixture. Let them boil uncovered for another 10 mins. Stir them. Check for the consistency. If you want them watery then turn of the stove. Garnish them with Chopped corrainder leaves or let them boil until the required consistency.
  
Ready to eat with Chappathis, Rotis, Naan, any kind of bread, or rice varieties.

Strawberry Short Cake

Ingredients:

1. Angel Food Cake - 1
2. Sliced Strawberries - 1 cup
3. Sugar - 1 tbsp
4. Reddiwip Whipped cream to decorate

Method 1:

1. Mix the strawberries and sugar in a bowl. 
2. Refrigerate it for an hour. (This process can be done before making the cake)
3. Cut a slice of the cake, place the strawberries and decorate with the whipped cream.

Method 2:

Cut the slice into cubes place it in a bowl, pour the strawberry mixture and top it with whipped cream.

Method 3:

1. Cut the cake horizontally, make it two layers.
2. Spread the strawberry mixture in the middle, add the whipped cream.
3. Place the second layer on top, spread the strawberry mixture on top and decorate it with whipped cream.

Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:

1. Egg Whites - 6
2. Cream of Tartar - 1/4 tsp
3. Sugar - 1/2 cup
4. All Purpose Flour - 1/2 cup
5. Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp
6. Salt - a pinch

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Beat the egg whites in a bowl with a hand mixer in a medium speed
3. When it becomes white in color add Cream of tartar.
4. Now beat the egg mixture in high speed, gradually adding sugar ( 1 tbsp at a time).
5. Add salt. Beat the egg mixture until they form stiff peaks.
6. In a bowl add All purpose flour and baking soda. Mix them well.
7. Swift the dry ingredients a layer on the egg mixture, gently fold them together. Fold them from the corners to the center.
8. Repeat the process again and again until the ingredients are combined.
9. Pour it in the "Ungreased" Angel food cake pan. 
10. Place it in the Oven, middle rack and bake for about 35 to 45 mins.
11. Take it out and cool before inverting it.
12. Loosen the edges of the pan with a knife or a flat spatula and invert it.
13. To avoid crumbs use a serrated knife to cut it.

Topping: (Optional)

   See Strawberry Short Cake

My 3yrs old daughters version of eating this cake,
Add some berries, Whip Cream and Sprinkles on top.

Note:
I made it in a 'Pound cake' pan.

Chicken Gravy

">

Ingredients:

1. Cooking Oil   - 1/4 cup
2. Cloves         - 3
3. Cinnamon    - 1 stick
4. Cumin seed - 1 tsp
5. Whole peppercorns - 1/4 tsp
6. Curry leaves - 5 - 10 nos
7. Cardomom - 1
8. Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
9. Chopped Onion - 6 cups
10. Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 tbsps
11. Chopped tomato- 1 cup

12. Chicken - 3 lbs
13. Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
14. Chilli Powder - 1/2 tbsp
15. Corriander Powder - 2 tbsps
16. Garam Masala - 1.5 tbsp
17. Ground Pepper - 1 tsp
18. Salt - 1 tsp ( according to the taste)
19. Corriander leaves - 1/4 cup (Garnish)

One Pot Mutton Biriyani

(In this recipe Mutton can be replaced with Chicken for Chicken Biriyani)
Ingredients:

1. Cooking Oil       – 1/4 Cup
2. Basmati Rice    -  2 Cups
3. Mutton            -   1 lb
4. Cloves             - 4 nos
5. Cinnamon Stick – 1large or 2 small
6. Cardamom    - Black 1 or Green lightly crushed 2
7. Bay Leaf – 1 no
8. Red Chilli – 1 (Optional)
9. Black Peppercorns – 1/4 tsp
10. Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
11. Fennel Seeds – 1/4 tsp
12. Onion – 2 Cups (roughly chopped)
13. Ginger and Garlic paste – 1/4 cup
14. Tomato – 1/4 cup
15. Mint – 1 cup
16. Corriander Leaves – 1 cup
17. Green Chillies – 4 nos
18. Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 tbsp
19. Turmeric Powder – 2 tsp
20. Corriander Powder – 1 tbsp
21. Garam Masala Powder – 1tbsp
22. Lemon juice – 2 tbsps.
23. Salt - 1tbsp

 Method:
1.Place the cooker on the stove add oil and the spices.
 
2.Add the onion.

3.The amount of ginger and garlic for the paste.

4. Add the Ginger and Garlic paste.

5.The amount of Mint, Corriander, and green chillies for the green paste.

6.Add the green paste.


7.Now add Salt, Chilli, Corriander, Turmeric and Curry Powder.

8. Add the tomatoes (yes only so much!)

9.Stir the pot well, until all the ingredients are mixed well.

10.IAdd the mutton.Add 1/2 a cup of water (While boiling, the meat releases water). Reduce the flame to medium.Cover the cooker, cook for two whistle sound or 20 mins. Now wash and soak the rice.


11. Wait till the whistle sound sets down, take off the lid and add the rice. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Allow it to boil, now it’s time to test the salt. The salt taste should be little above the normal. Place the lid and cook them for about 15 mins.

12. When you open the cooker, it’ll look like a gravy (like the below picture). Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice. Now gently fold from the corners towards inside. Cover the lid for 5 mins.
13. Serve with  Raita . Ready to eat!
 


Note:
Mutton can be replaced with chicken. While cooking with chicken just cover the cooker do not pressure cook,  cook for about 20 mins in a medium  flame before adding the rice.

Raita

Ingredients:

1. Chopped Onion ( 1 cup)
2. Jalapeno or Green Chillies (1 no:)
3. Chopped Cucumber (1 cup)
4. Chopped Corriander ( 1 tbsp)
5. Plain Yoghurt ( 1 cup)
6. Cumin Powder ( a Pinch)
7. Salt to taste

Method:

Mix everything together. If the raitha is thick water can be added.

Macaroons

Ingredients:

1. Large egg whites - 2
2. Cream of Tartar - a pinch
3. Sugar - 1/4 cup
4. Salt - a pinch
5. Chopped nuts - 1/4 cup
6. Vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Preaheat the oven for 175 degress.
2. Beat the egg whites , with sugar, cream of tartar and salt, until it forms stiff peaks in the beater.
3. Add the chopped nuts and vanilla essence.
4. Fill the ziploc bag with the above mixture, cut the tip to make a half-inch hole.
5. Make small peaks in the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Cook in the oven for about an hour or until its hard.
7. Take it out let them cool.
8. Ready to eat.

Tips

Some of the below tips are practically experienced , read from the books and heard from my friends. More tips are welcomed in this blog through comments.

1. For perfectly hard boiled eggs: Place the egg one by one in a saucepan filled with cold water cover them. Bring them to boil and turn off the stove, leave them for 15 mins on the stove.
2. To find cracked eggs: Cracked eggs releases air bubbles when placed in water, so it can be removed and can be used for scrambled eggs. Use them immediately. 
3. Add a tbsp of Chopped frozen spinach or any chopped greens, to Sambar, kuruma except Rasam just 5mins before turning off the stove.Just like adding corriander for garnish. Greens are good for health, people who even hates them will never notice. 
4. To get rid of ants in sugar: Just add 3 cloves in the sugar box.
5. Never melt chocolates in Microwave unless you want it dry.
6. To clean greasy stove tops, just sprinkle some baking soda on the grease and wipe it with dry cloth or tissue.
7. Always de-stem the green chillies and store in refrigerator, it'll stay fresh longer.
8. Always add rice flour in the end to "Vada" batter so that you can adjust the consistency of the batter.
9. The purpose of adding rice flour to any deep frying batter is to make the product crispier. Watch the quantity while adding, the more flour more oil is absorbed in the food.