ROASTED BENGAL GRAM POWDER

South indian cuisine has many variety of spice powders (podi) to suit hot steamed rice. When these spice powders (podi) are mixed with hot steamed rice with few drops of ghee or oil it tastes divine. These spice powders (podi) kept for some months. These powders (podi) reduces the working load of women when sudden guest arrives or when time is short to cook.
Todays recipe is one of the interesting simple and easy south indian spice powder. i.e Roasted bengal gram powder (Putnala podi). Roasted bengal gram is also known as dalia/putnala pappu/chutney dal in our region.

Ingredients:

• Roasted bengal gram/Dalia/Putnala pappu - 1 cup
• Cumin seeds (Jeera, Jeela karra) - 2 tsp
• Red chillies - 3-4 (adjust according to taste)
• Garlic pods  - 3 (big)
• Salt - to taste

Method:

• Dry roast red chillies in a pan till crisp.
• Add all the ingredients in a blender and blend it into a coarse powder. 
• That's it. A very simple and delicious spice powder is ready to serve.
• You can serve this spice powder with hot steamed rice and dollop of ghee, dosa, Idly or Uthappam.

EGGLESS WHEAT FLOUR COOKIES

Wheat flour cookie is an Indian style short bread cookie and a famous tea time cookies. Egg-less soft and melting in the mouth. Its texture is simply soft and smooth. They are similar to butter cookies. This is really a very simple, easy and tasty recipe. Ghee or clarified butter will be used traditionally for making these cookies but using butter or oil would do just fine.

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour - 1&1/2 cup
• Sugar - 3/4 cup
• Ghee/Oil/Butter - 3/4 cup
• Baking powder - 1 tsp
• Cardamom (Elachi) - 4
• Badam, Pistachio & Cashews - For garnishing

Method:

• Grind sugar along with cardamom seeds until very fine.
• Mix together wheat flour, baking powder and sugar powder.
• Add ghee/oil/butter little by little and prepare a soft dough without adding water. Cover the dough and set aside for 20-30 minutes.
• Knead the dough once again and divide into equal size portions.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree C. Grease a baking sheet.
• Shape those portions into round balls and  flatten them a little between your palms.
• Arrange them on the baking sheet and leave space between cookies to allow room to expand (all cookies expand a little at least).

• Bake in the pre-heated oven on middle rack for about 18-20 minutes or until the cookies develop a few 'scars' on top and slightly browned at the bottom.
• Remove the cookies from oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before transferring them to cooling rack.
• Let the cookies cool completely before you eat them as they might seem soft when they are still warm.
• Serve these cookies with a cup of tea and Enjoy...
• Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

HOMEMADE SAMOSA SHEETS

Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour (Maida) - 1/2 cup
• Wheat flour (Atta, Godhuma pindi) - 1/2 cup
• Salt - pinch
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Warm water - to make dough

Method:

• Take a bowl and add all-purpose flour, wheat flour, salt, oil and mix well then add warm water to make a soft dough and knead well (Use more water if needed) . Rest it for 10-15 minutes.
• Divide the dough into small equal portions, take one portion of the dough and roll it into a samll thin round shape chapathi.
• Now heat a pan and slightly cook the chapathi both the sides. Do not cook more.
• Once the chapathis are done cut the chapathi sheets into halves (or) Cut the chapathi sheets into long triangle shape.
• Now Samosa sheets are ready to use or keep frozen for later use.
• Use these sheets for veg samosa, chicken samosa. Enjoy...

BUTTER MILK

Ingredients:

• Yogurt (Curd, perugu) - 1 cup
• Water - 1 cup
• Green chillies - 1
• Curry leaves (finely chopped) - 2-3 (optional)
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt - to tsste
• Cilantro (Coriander) leaves - 1 string

Method:

• Blend  yogurt and salt smoothly.
• Add enough water , green chilli, coriander powder, curry leaves and mix well.
• Now transfer the buttermilk into a serving glass.
• Squeeze the lemon juice before serving. 
• Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves. 
• Serve buttermilk chilled as a cool refreshing drink or with rice.

NOTE:

• Adjust the water consistency according to the preference.

VERMICELLI/SAMYA KHEER IN MICRO-WAVE

Ingredients:

• Vermicelli/Samya - 1 cup
• Milk - 5 cups
• Sugar - to taste
• Cardamom (Elachi) powder - 1/4 tsp (Optional)
• Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp

Method:

• Take a micro-wave safe bowl, add 1 tsp of ghee and just melt it in the microwave for 15 seconds.
• Add cashew nuts and heat for a minute stirring in between and keep aside once they turn golden color.
• Now add samya in the leftover ghee and stir wellso the samya get coated, add more ghee if needed. Heat for about 30 seconds. Keep aside.
• Now take the milk and heat for 2 mimutes. Stir and continue heating for 3 minutes again stirring in between. This helps the milk reduce and provide nice taste and consistency to the kheer
• Now add the samya to the milk and cook microwave high for about 3 minutes stirring atleast once every minute.
• Check if samya is cooked, and add sugar and cardamom powder and again heat for a minute.
• Add more milk if required. 
• Garnish with roasted cashew nuts.
• Now Vermicelli kheer is ready to serve. Serve hot or cold.

WHITE PEAS STEW (BATANI KATTU)

Ingredients:

• White peas (Batani) - 1 cup (Soaked over night and pressure cook it)
• Water - as required
• Onion (Sliced) - 1 (Large)
• Mustard seeds (Aavalu) - 1 tsp
• Red chilli - 1
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt - to taste
• Raw rice - 2 tsp
• Sesame seeds (Nuvvulu) - 1 tsp

   Wash and soak the rice for 1 hour. And grind soaked rice, sesame seeds into fine paste by adding little water. Keep aside.

Ingredients for masala:

• Onion  - 1 (Large)
• Garlic - 4-5
• Red chilli - 1
• Cumin seeds (Jeera, Jeelakarra) - 1 tsp

Grind all the above ingredients into fine paste. Keep aside.

Method:

• Heat oil in a thick bottemed pan/vessel, add Mustard seeds, red chilli, curry leaves and onions.
• Fry onions till they turn trasparent.
• Now add masala paste and fry it few minutes till the raw smell goes.
• Then add boiled batani (white peas) along with water in which it is cooked.
• Add salt and let it boil for 10-12 minutes on medium flame.
• If you need, you can add little more water or according to the consistency of gravy you want.
• Now add the rice, sesame seeds paste and mix well.
• And allow to boil for few minutes.
• Serve hot with steamed rice, roti, chapathi or paratha.

CHICKEN LIVER FRY

Ingredients:

• Chicken liver - 500 grms
• Finely chopped onions - 2
• Bell pepper/Capsicam (chopped) - 2 tbsp (optional)
• Ginger-garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Green chillies - 2 sliced
• Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
• Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

• Clean & cut the chicken liver. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan/kadai add chopped onions, green chillies, ginger-garlic paste and fry well for 2-3 min.
• Now add bell peppers fry them till it becomes soft.
• Now add the washed chicken liver pieces,turmeric powder, red chilli powder salt and mix well.
• Occasionaly stir-fry. Cook in low flame for 4-5 min.
• Serve with white rice, roti, paratha, naan or biryani.

EGG BURJI (EGG SCRAMBLE)

Ingredients:

• Eggs - 4
• Milk - 1/3 cup
• Onions(finely chopped) - 2
• Green chilli - 1 (optional)
• Dry red chilli - 1
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (or to taste)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Mustare seeds (Aavalu) - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds (Jeera, Jeelakarra) - 1/4 tsp
• Chopped Coriander leaves (Cilantro, Kothimira) - 2 tbsp
• Oil - 4 tsp

Method:

• Heat 2 tsp of oil in a non-stick pan, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
• When they start spluttering add chopped onions, green chilli and saute until onion turn transulent.
• Now add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander leaves, mix well.
• In a bowl mix eggs and milk, add this mixture into the pan. 
• Stir constantly and cook till the eggs dry up to the desired consistency.
• Serve hot with Steamed rice, chapathi, roti, paratha or bread.

PALMIERS (LITTLE HEART BISCUITS)

Ingredients:

• Puff pastry sheet - 1 sheet
• Sugar - 1/2 cup (or to taste)

Method:

• Preheat oven at 200C or 400F. Adjust rack to middle position.
• Sprinkle 2 tbsp of sugar over the work surface. Roll out the puff pastry.
• Now sprinkle 3 tbsp of the sugar over the top. Then gently spread it with hands and roll the rolling pin over the surface to press the sugar completely.
• Roll it to an even thickness.
• Fold in two opposite sides of the pastry sheet square so that they sides meet in the center.
• Fold in the sides over again, meeting in the middle.
• Fold one half over the other, just like closing a book. Trim the ends with a knife.
• Now cut the folded pastry into 1/2 inch thick strips.
• Dip cut sides of each piece in sugar and arrange, cut-side up, on a baking tray with baking sheet.
• Bake Palmiers in middle of the oven, bake them both sides for 15-20 minutes or until golden and puffed.
• Let it cool completely, Serve hot or at room temperature and enjoy...

HOMEMADE PUFF PASTRY

 Puff pastry is light and flaky baked pastry made by layering butter and dough. It is used to make a wide variety of baked goods like curry puff, egg puff, chicken puff, palmiers and rolls etc...

Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour - 220 grms
• Butter - 220 grrms
• Salt - 1 pinch
• Lime juice/Vinegar - 4 drops
• Water - 100 ml

Method:

• In a bowl melt 40 grms of butter and keep it aside.
• In another bowl mix flour, salt, lime juice or vinegar, water and knead the dough.
• Roll the dough in square shape and place the cold butter in the middle and cover it with the dough from all sides.
• Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle about 1/4 th inch thick and length of 3 times the width.
• Spread some flour on top of the dough to prevent from sticking.
• Fold the dough from longer side to middle to make 3 layers and keep in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
• After that remove from the refrigerator and flatten the dough to the same rectangular shape again and then fold and refrigerate for another 10 minutes.
• Repeat the same 6 times and in the final roll the sheet evenly all the sides and cut into square shapes.
• Now puff pastry is ready to use or keep frozen for later use.
• Use these sheets for curry or egg puffs. Enjoy.

STUFFED OKRA (BHINDI) FRY

Ingredients:

• Okra (Ladies fingers, Bhindi, Bendakaya) - 12
• Onion (finely chopped) - 1 (Large)
• Garlic (finely chopped) - 2 pods
• Gram flour (Besan, senaga pindi) - 3 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (or to taste)
• Coriander powder (Daniya powder) - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Amchur powder (dry mango powder) - 1/2 tsp
• Sesame seeds (Nuvvulu) - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves (finely chopped) - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 5 tbsp

Method:

• Wash Okra and pat them dry. Slit okra length-wise or cut into half and slit them stright (do not remove the seeds) and keep aside.
• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan add chopped onions, garlic and curry leaves. Fry well
• Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric, amchur powder, salt to taste, sugar and sesame seeds. Mix well and fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Now add gram flour and fry in low flame for 2-3 minutes.
• Keep this masala mixture aside to use it for stuffing.

• Stuff each okra with the stuffing mixture carefully and keep aside.

• Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan and carefully place all the stuffed okras in the pan. Sprinkle salt and chilli powder if necessary.
• Cover and cook in low flame until okra is completely cooked. While cooking occasionally turn okra with a spatula carefully cook on all sides.
• Add remaining stuffing mixture and cook for 5-6 minutes.
• Serve hot as a side dish with steamed rice, roti or chapathi.

MASHROOM PAKORA

Ingredients:

• Button mushrooms - 15-20
• Gram flour (Besan, chick pea flour) - 1 cup
• Rice flour (vari pindi) - 2 tbsp
• Fresh garlic (crushed) - 4 pods
• Red chilli powder - to taste
• Baking soda - a pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - for deep frying

Method:

• Wash and trim the stems of the mushrooms and place them in a bowl.
• For the batter combine gram flour, rice flour, crushed garlic. red chilli powder, baking soda, salt and add just enough water to make a thick batter.
• The consistency of the batter must be thick enough to coat.
• Heat oil for deep frying.
• Dip each mushroom in the batter and slide into the hot oil.
• Deep fry on high flame till golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
• Serve hot with tomato ketch-up or sauce.