Cashew Cauliflower 65

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ It’s a rich and delicious evening snack. This is a perfect starter in parties and potluck. The richness of cashew gives extra taste to this dish. I tried with this snack with hot coca in extreme cold weather like the chillness of Antarctica (In Chicago, United States of America). Happy Cooking 😊

Ingredients

Cauliflower Florets – 2 Cups
All Purpose Flour – ½ Cup
Corn Flour – ¼ Cup
Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
Pepper Powder – 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
Cashew Paste – 3 tsp
Finely Chopped Curry Leaves – 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Cashew Nuts – ¼ 
Oil for fry
Water as required
Method
In a vessel, add all the ingredients except oil, cauliflower and cashew nuts. Coated well with water, make the batter is for right consistency.

Once it ready add cauliflower florets, cashew nuts and mix well.

Heat oil in a pan, when it’s ready add the coated cauliflower and cashew nuts.

Deep fry until it is get cooked well and crispy then put it in a paper napkin.Serve yummy crispy Cashew Cauliflower 65 with hot chocolate. 

Crispy Onion 65

Onion 65 is another yummy snack. This quick dish fulfills your snack cravings. This is not a best choice of dish for diet persons. Food lovers can enjoy with this crispy onion 65 with ketchup and hot chocolate milk.

Ingredients

Sliced onions – 1 Cup

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp

Corn Flour – ¼ Cup

All Purpose Flour – ½ Cup

Salt to taste

Chilli Powder – 1 tsp

Pepper Powder – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 2 tsp

Water as required

Oil for deep fry

Method

In a big bowl, add corn flour, all-purpose flour, chilli powder, pepper powder, salt, crushed curry leaves, ginger garlic paste with required water and make a right consistency batter.

Once the batter is ready, add the sliced onions and mix well.

Heat oil in a pan and when its ready, add the onion batter and fry well.

Drain out the excess oil in the paper napkin and serve hot.

Spinach Rice

This is simple and healthy dish. It’s a combination of rice, green leaves and some spices. This goes very well with any veggie fry.

Ingredients

Chopped Green Leaves/ Spinach – 2 Cups

Garlic Pods – 5

Green Chillies – 3

Chopped Tomato – 1

Salt to taste

Garam Masala – ½ tsp

Basmati Rice – 1 Cup

Bay Leaf – 1

Cinnamon Sticks – 1 inch

Cardamom Seed – 1

Clove – 3

Ghee – 3 tsp

Finely Chopped Onion – 1
To Temper
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 2
Oil -1 tsp

Method

In a pressure cooker, add rice, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom seed and 1 and ½ cups water and cook this until 2 whistles coms out. Once it done, let it cool down completely.

In a pan, add chopped spinach, green chillies, garlic pods, tomato and salt with few drops of water. Then cook for few minutes, then switch of the flame. Let it cool down and grind it as paste.

Heat ghee in a pan, add sliced onions and fry for few minutes. Add the cooked rice and fry well. Then add the ground paste, garam masala and mix well. Make sure, the greens masala coated well with rice.

Heat oil in a pan, add the tempering ingredients one by one and fry it for few seconds. Then transferred into rice. Sprinkle some ghee for extra fragrance and serve hot.

Healthy Mixed Veggies

It’s a simple and healthy mixed veggie which is very easy to prepare. This is a combination of mixed vegetables, coconut and cooked with some spices. You can have this for your breakfast too.

Happy Cooking :)

Ingredients

Chopped Mixed Vegetables - 2 Cups
(Carrot, Beans & Egg Plant)
Sliced Onions – 2 (Big)
Chopped Tomato – 1 (small)
Salt to taste
Chilli Powder – ½ tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Grated Coconut – ¼ Cup
Chopped Coriander Leaves – few
To Temper
Mustard Seeds – ¼ tsp
Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp
Fennel Seeds – ¼ tsp
Urad Dal – 1 tsp
Channa Dal – 1 tsp
Curry Leaves – few
Dry Red Chilli – 2
Oil – 2 tsp
Method
Heat oil in a pan, add the tempering ingredients one by one and fry for few minutes.
Add the sliced onions with little salt and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Now add chopped tomatoes and cook until it becomes mushy.
Now add the chopped vegetables and mix well. Add chilli Powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder with required water and close the lid, then keep cook for few minutes.
Once it done, add the grated coconut and mix well. Then switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve this healthy mixed veggie with hot steamed kuzhambu rice/rasam sadam.

Chicken Chukka

It’s a South Indian based Chicken Dry curry. In this dish, the chicken is marinated with some Indian spices and yogurt. Then cooked with other spices in kadai. This is basically dry chicken curry which goes very well with hot steamed rice and any variety rice.

 Ingredients

Chicken – 1 lb. (Cleaned, Washed & Chopped Small pieces)

Oil – 2 tsp

Ghee – 1 tsp

Fennel Seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

Garlic Pods – 10

Sliced Green Chilli – 3

Garam Masala – ½ tsp

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Finely Chopped Onions – 1 Cup

Curry Leaves – few

Chopped Coriander Leaves – few

For Chicken Marinate

Yogurt – 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Torn Curry Leaves- few

For Dry Roast & Grind

Fennel Seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

Peppercorn – 1 tsp

Dry Red Chilli – 4

Chopped Ginger & garlic – 4 tsp

Peeled & Chopped Shallots – 10

Method

Heat a pan, and dry roast the ingredients which are under “for dry roast & grind” and fry for few minutes. Let it cool down. Then grind it as fine paste along with yogurt and salt.

In a bowl add chicken pieces, ground paste and mix well. Then keep it aside for at least 1 hour.

Heat oil & ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds and fry for few seconds. Then add curry leaves, green chilli, garlic pods, chopped onions with little salt.

 

Once the onion gets slight golden in color add the marinated chicken and mix well.

Add turmeric powder, garam masala and mix it well. Close the lid and keep cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken cooked well. 

Once it done, add chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves. Serve this yummy chicken chukka with steamed white rice or roti.

Pumpkin Spice Pasta with Scrambled Eggs

This super simple pumpkin spice drenches your favorite pasta for a quick, warm and comforting your kids lunch box. Happy cooking :)

Ingredients

Pasta – 1 pack

Chopped Onion – 1 (Big)

Chopped Tomato – 1

Chopped Beans & Carrots – ½ Cup

Chopped Coriander Leaves - few

Crushed Ginger & Garlic – 1 tsp

Eggs – 3

Salt to taste

Pumpkin Spices – 1 tsp

Pepper powder to taste

Crushed Pepper to taste

Olive Oil – 2 tsp

Method

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil, and cook the pasta for about 10 minutes, until it’s done. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.

Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onions and fry for a min. Then add salt, crushed ginger and garlic.

Add chopped tomatoes and fry until it becomes mushy. Then add chopped carrot and beans. Fry for few minutes, then add pumpkin spices, pepper powder, crushed pepper.

Break the eggs and pour into the veggies. Let it cook for a min then add the cooked pasta.

Mix well coated the masala with pasta and veggies.  

Sprinkle spices on top and serve hot yummy pasta.

Homemade French Fries

French Fries are simple and delicious. It can be made easily with only few ingredients. This is one of the most popular dishes in the United States, commonly being served as a side dish to entrees and being seen in fast food restaurants. The best fries are double-fried first at lower temperature to cook them through, then drained and allowed to cool before being dipped into hotter oil to crisp them up to golden perfection. 

Ingredients

Potatoes – ½ kg

Salt -1 tbsp

Vinegar – 1 tbsp

Water as required

Oil for fry

Method

Peel the skin off the potatoes and trim off the potatoes and rinse it in water. Trim off the edges to get equal sized fries.

Then slice the potatoes vertically and then cut into medium sized sticks. Do not cut into thin slices otherwise the fries will become very hard outside.

Once you cut the slices of potatoes, then immediately transfer it into cold water to prevent from discoloring.

Leave the potatoes in water for minimum 2 hours or you can refrigerate it overnight. It helps to remove the excess starch from the potatoes, and it stays crispy when we fry them.

Heat water in a bowl and add salt, vinegar mix it once and then add the potatoes. This method helps to soften the potatoes. Let it soak it for 10 minutes.

After soaked the potatoes from water and pat it dry with kitchen towel or paper towel to remove the excess moisture completely.

To get the perfect shop based French fries we need to fry it two times. For the first time we need to fry the potatoes at low temperature for 3 to 4 minutes. This time we don’t need any color change. 

Fry it small batches, do not over crowded them, leaves space between the potatoes and fry it for 3 to 4 min. Take it from the oil and keep it on wire rack. Continue the same with rest of the batches. After its done, let it cool for 10 to 20 minutes.

After frying once we can freeze it and fry it again whenever you want. Once the fries are cooled completely it’s time to do the second frying.  Fry these potato sticks until it gets slight golden brown in color.

Drain the excess oil and place it on a wire rack. Season it with salt. Crispy and nice fries are ready to serve with tomato sauce.

Red Coconut Chutney

This is a simple and yummy side dish. We need only few ingredients to make this good chutney. It goes very well with Idli, Dosa, Pongal, Upma, Adai, Idiyappam… 

Ingredients

Grated Coconut – 1 Cup

Dry Red Chilli – 5

Peeled Garlic – 5 Pods

Salt to taste

Tamarind – a blueberry sized ball

Roasted Gram – 1 tsp

To Temper

Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp

Urad Dhal – ½ tsp

Hing – a pinch

Broken Dry Red Chilli – 2

Curry Leaves – few

Chopped Coriander Leaves – few

Sesame Oil – 2 tsp

Method

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan, add garlic cloves, dry red chilli and roasted gram, then fry for a min. Once it done, transfer it into the blender.

In the same pan, add the grated coconut and fry well.  Now add the tamarind pulp and then switch off the flame. Let it cool down and transfer it into the blender and grind it as fine paste, then add it into serving bowl.

Heat remaining oil in a pan, add the tempering ingredients one by one and fry for a min and transfer this into chutney. Serve with hot steamed idli or dosa.

Triple Cheese Pasta

It’s creamy, very rich and cheese pasta. The combination of cheeses, white cheddar, parmesan and gruyere and this gives the dish its rich flavor. It’s simple and kids’ all-time favorite dish.

Ingredients

Pasta – 1 pack

Milk – ½ Cup

Butter – ¼ Cup

Crushed Garlic – 2 Cloves

Cheddar Cheese – ¼ Cup

Parmesan Cheese – ¼ Cup

Gruyere Cheese – ¼ Cup

Paprika to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil, and cook the pasta for about 10 minutes, until it’s done. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.

In the same pot, add butter, garlic and all three cheeses along with pasta. Cook and stir over low heat.

Pour the milk and continue to cook and stir until the pasta is well coated.

Season with, paprika, salt and pepper. Serve hot yummy pasta!

Bitter Gourd Curry

This is simple and yummy dish. It’s a combination of bitter gourd, onion tomato gravy, dhal and coconut cashew paste. It goes very well with steamed white ice/ chapati/ roti/ bread etc.,

Happy Cooking :)

Ingredients

Chopped Bitter Gourd/Karela – 1 Cup

Chopped Onions – 1 (Big)

Chopped Tomato – 1 (Big)

Chilli Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – ¼ tbsp

Salt to taste

For Dhal

Toor Dhal – ¼ Cup

Garlic – 5 Pods

Cumin Seeds – ¼ tbsp

Curry Leaves – few

For Paste

Grated Coconut – 2 tsp

Cashew Nuts – 2 tsp

Curry Leaves – a sprig

Shallot - 2

To Temper

Oil – 2 tsp

Mustard Seeds – ¼ tbsp

Dry Red Chilli – 2

Chopped Coriander Leaves - few

Method

In a pressure cooker, add soaked toor dhal with turmeric powder, garlic pods, cumin seeds, little salt and required water. Cook the dhal until it becomes mushy or pressure cook for 3 whistles and switch off the flame. Let it cool down completely.

Heat oil in a pan, add the tempering ingredients one by one and fry it for few seconds. Then add the chopped onions, fry until it gets slight golden in color.

Add chopped tomatoes and fry until it becomes mushy. Then add sliced bitter gourd pieces and fry well.

Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, and enough water and cook the veggie. Once it done, transfer the dhal and mix well.

Finally add the cashew coconut paste and mix evenly. Let it cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Switch off the flame and serve with hot steamed rice.

Sweet Corn Spaghetti

Here is another simple yet fantastic-tasting spaghetti that can be served within 20 minutes. In this dish, spaghetti is mixed with olive oil with all other flavors of basil, parsley, garlic and lemon. It’s a quick and healthy school lunch box recipe with such enjoyable refreshing flavors.

Ingredients

Spaghetti – 1 lb

Chopped Fresh Basil – ¼ Cup

Minced Garlic – 2 Cloves

Chopped Parsley – few

Lemon Juice – 2 tsp

Cooked Sweet Corn kernels – 2 Cups

Olive Oil – 3 tsp/

Kosher Salt to taste

Freshly Ground Pepper Powder to taste

Grated Parmesan – ¼ cup

Method

In a large pot of boiling salt water, cook spaghetti and the drain well.

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, basil, parsley, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Add the corn gently toss to combine, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Immediately combine the hot pasta and corn mixture, allowing the flavors to soak.

Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan and chopped coriander leaves.

Shrimp Chukka

Ingredients

Shrimp/Prawn/Eraal – 1 lb (Cleaned & Washed)

Finely Chopped Shallots – 1 Cup

Finely Chopped Tomato – 1 (Big)

Finely Chopped Ginger – 1 tsp

Crushed Garlic – 1 tsp

Chilli Powder – ½ to 1 tbsp (as per your taste)

Coriander Powder – 2 tbsp 

Salt to taste

Ghee – 1 tbsp 

To Temper

Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp 

Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp 

Oil – 1 tsp

Curry Leaves – a sprig

Chopped Coriander Leaves – few

Method

In a Pan, heat oil. Add the tempering ingredients one by one and fry for a minute.

Add chopped onions and fry until it gets slight golden in color. Then add chopped ginger and crushed garlic.

Add chopped tomatoes, fry until it becomes mushy. Then add shrimp pieces with chilli powder, coriander powder, required salt and enough water.

Let it cook until it becomes soft. Finally add ghee, curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves and roast it well. Once this done, switch off the flame and serve with hot steamed rice, chapati, roti or bread.

Veg Soup

Ingredients

Chopped Carrot – 1

Chopped Beans – 10

Finely Chopped Onion – ¼ Cup

Butter – 1 tsp

Minced Garlic – 2 cloves

Corn Kernels – 1 Cup

Corn Flour – 2 tsp

Pepper Powder to taste

Salt to taste

For Slurry

Corn Flour/Corn Starch – 2 tsp

Water – ¼ Cup

Method

Grind half of kernels and keep it aside.

Heat butter in a pan, add the minced garlic and saute it for few seconds. The add onions and saute it for few min. Now add all the chopped vegetables and the corn paste.

Add 5 cups of water, add required salt, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Then add the slurry (corn starch and water) and keep cook for another 5 min and switch off the flame.

Finally add the required pepper and mix well. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot delicious veggie soup with butter tossed breads.