Cold Pasta Sald - with Fruits & Nuts

  

Ingredients

Pasta[any kind]-1/2cup 

Curd-1/2 cup 

Pepper powder-1/2teaspoon

Frozen corn kennels-1tablespoon

Cucumber(small)-1

Small portion of a Green capsicum

One small apple

Lemon juice from half of a lemon

Few sweet peppers(yellow & red)

Sugar-2teaspoons

Salt - to taste

To garnish

Dates-4

Cashew-Almonds & Walnuts - Few

Method

Gather all the ingredients needed..

 

Cook the pasta according to the instruction in the pack. Mine took 10 minutes in boiling water.

Drain the water, wash it with cold water and keep it aside. The size of the chopped veggies - fruits  and pasta should be of same size. As I have used Farfalle pasta, I cut them into half (once they cool down). This step is optional, if you are using any small variety pasta, you don't have to cut it.

  

Chop all the veggies. Microwave the frozen corn for 30 seconds. 
Mix lemon juice with apple immediately after slicing it. 
Combine curd-sweet peppers-cucumber-capsicum-sugar-pepper-salt.

 

Mix everything well, and add in the pasta. Combine with the curd mixture,check the seasoning, close the bowl with a cling wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

  

While serving, top the pasta salad with roughly chopped nuts and dates.

Healthy and delicious cold pasta salad is ready.

 

The sweetness of the apples, dates and the crunchiness of peppers-capsicum-cucumber and nuts, its a perfect filling meal by itself.

Mint Rice/Pudhina Sadham

I have already posted Mint Pulao recipe..this is a slight variation from that.
Ingredients
Cooked (Basmati) Rice-11/2 cups
Onion-1
Cashew-7
Cumin seeds-1teaspoon
Oil + Ghee - 2 tablespoons
Salt
To grind
Mint- a small bunch
Cilantro- a fist full
Green chilly-3 (adjust to your taste)
Grated coconut-1tablespoon
Cinnamon Stick - 2 inch piece
Cloves-2
Elaichi -1
Salt

Method
Wash and soak the rice for half an  hour, and cook it to one whistle with perfect amount of water. The rice grains should be separate.

 

Let the rice cool completely.  

Grind the items, given under "to grind" table into a fine paste by adding little water.

Cut the onions into thin lengthwise pieces. Heat oil+ghee in a wide wok, add the cumin seeds and let it splutter. Then add in the cashews, fry till they turn golden in colour. 

Now add the onion, and sauté till it becomes slight brown in colour.
Add the mint paste with enough salt and continue cooking.

 Cook till the masala becomes dry and oil is oozing out.

 

 Now add in the rice, mix everything carefully, without breaking the rice grains.

  

Switch off the flame after a couple of minutes. Quick and delicious  mint rice is ready to serve.

 Enjoy it with your choice of chips/papad or plain curd.

Vendaikkai puli kuzhambu / Okra in tamarind sauce

There are numerous ways to make puli kuzhambu, a south Indian delicacy. This version is my Mom's..simple and tasty!
Ingredients
Ingredients
Vendaikkai/Okra -12
Small onions 7(or) Shallots -2
Green chilly -2
Tamarind juice- Little more than 1/4cup
Coriander powder-11/2teaspoon
Chilli powder- 1teaspoon
Turmericpowder-1/4teaspoon
Sugar-1/2teaspoon
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Oil
Salt
Few curry leaves and cilantro
To grind
Tomato(big)-1
Grated Coconut - 2 tablespoon

Method
Wash, pat dry the vendaikkai/okras, trim the edges, cut into 2" pieces and keep it aside.
Cut the onions and green chillies.
Heat  oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
Add in the okra pieces, fry on medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add in the onion-green chilly-curry leaves, cook for few more minutes.

Add in the chilly powder-coriander powder-turmeric powder, toss it till the raw smell of the masala powders are gone. Add the tamarind juice and enough salt.

Grind the coconut and tomato into a fine paste.

Add it to the okra gravy. [I forgot to add the chilly and coriander powder in the above step, so added with this paste! ;) :)]

Add about a cup of water (or according to the desired consistency) and let it cook.

Once the oil oozes out from the kuzhambu, add in the sugar and cilantro, put off the flame.

Tangy and delicious vendaikkai puli kuzhambu is ready to serve.

 

It goes well with white rice, but you can enjoy it as a side dish for dosa as well.

Just a glance of the lunch..vendaikkai puli kuzhambu, rasam, carrot-beans poriyal.

Chapati-Omelet Roll

If you are looking for a quick and filling healthy meal, here you go!
Ingredients
Large egg-1
Milk-2teaspoons
Chopped onion-2tablespoons
Chopped green chilly-1
Salt
Oil
Maggi hot n sweet tomato sauce-1teaspoon
Chapati/Roti-1

Method
Beat the egg with milk, onion-green chilly and salt.
Heat a griddle, pour the egg.

Immediately place the roti on top of the omelet.

Sprinkle oil around it and let it cook for a minute.

Flip it over, and take it from the griddle after 30 seconds.

Spread the tomato sauce on the omelet, sprinkle some chopped onions, roll it and enjoy!

Recipe Inspiration : Here 

Purple Cauliflower Stir-fry

I bought this violet cauliflower during one of our Farmer's market visits. There were green cauliflowers, white cauliflowers and these purple ones. This colour attracted me very much, and I selected this one. :)

I didn't find much of a difference in taste comparing with the normal white cauliflowers. But since the veggie was so fresh, it was so tasty. After making a kurma for roti's, I tried this simple stir fry.

Ingredients

Purple Cauliflower florets - 1 cup

Olive Oil-1tablespoon 

Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon

Curry powder-11/2teaspoon

Coconut milk powder-2teaspoons

Salt

Method

Wash and cut the purple cauliflower florets into uniform size chunks. 

Heat oil in a wide pan, add in the cumin seeds and let it splutter.

Then add in the cauliflower florets.

 

Toss it well, close the pan and let it cook on medium heat for 3 minutes. Open the pan, sprinkle the curry masala powder, salt, toss it again.

Close the pan, and cook for 3 more minutes(or until the veggie is done). Now add in the coconut milk powder, mix it with the cauliflower.

 

Cook on low heat for a minute and delicious stir-fry is ready to serve.

I had it with sambar rice & rasam rice, but it goes well with roti too! The cauliflower should be crunchy, so don't over cook it. The total cooking process will take less than 10 minutes.

Paneer-Capsicum Curry

Ingredients
Paneer - 125grams
Capsicum-1
Toamto-2
Onion-1
Chilli powder-1teaspoon
Coriander powder-11/2teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon
Cilantro to garnish
sugar-1/2teaspoon
Salt
Oil
To marinade
Curd-2tabelspoons
Garam masala-1/2teaspoon
Chilli powder-1/2teaspoon
Coriander powder-1/2teaspoon
Kasoori methi -1/2teaspoon
salt

Method
Mix the things given under "to marinate". Add the paneer cubes, toss it and keep it in the refrigerator for at least an hour. ( I did over-night marination)

Chop the onion-capsicum into big chunks.
Grind the tomatoes into a fine paste.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan, shallow fry the marinated paneer and keep it aside.

Add another tablespoon of oil in the same pan, add the cumin seeds. Let it splutter.
Now add in the onion chunks, fry for a minute, then add the tomato purée.
Add the turmeric-chilli and coriander powders, cook for 5 minutes on low heat.
Add in the capsicum chunks, give it a nice stir and continue cooking.
Now add 11/4cups of water and let it boil.

After the oil oozes out from the gravy, add in the fried paneer cubes, along with sugar. Reduce the heat to low and cook for few more minutes.
Garnish with cilantro and put off the flame.
Delicious Capsicum-paneer curry is ready. Goes well with Zeera rice-Roti-Naan &Parota.

 

Recipe Inspiration : Here

Cinnamon Chip Scones

Ingredients
Cinnamon chips - 1/2cup
All purpose flour-11/2cups + 2tablespoons
Sugar-1/4cup + 2 tablespoons
Baking powder-11/4teaspoons
Baking Soda-1/4teaspoon
Salt-1/4teaspoon
Half & Half milk-3/4cup
Lemon juice - 1tablespoon
[In case you have buttermilk,just add 1/2 cup of butter milk]
Cold Butter-6tablespoons
Melted Butter-1tablespoon

Method
In a large bowl combine the flour, 1/4cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cubed butter,salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Mix the lemon juice with the half & half. Stir into the flour mixture just until moistened.

Fold in the cinnamon chips.
Transfer it to the slightly floured surface and knead gently 10-12 times or until the dough is no longer sticky.
Divide the dough into 2 parts. Flatten it into 7" circle.[You can freeze the dough at this stage, and can bake when ever you wish.]
Cut it into wedges, brush it with melted butter and sprinkle the sugar.

Bake them at 425F preheated oven for 10-13 minutes.
Delicious and flaky cinnamon chip scones are ready to eat. Serve them warm.

 

 Recipe Source : Here 

Cinnamon Baking Chips

 

Recently I  came to know about the Cinnamon baking chips. Since I could not find them here in the stores, tried making them at home. The original recipe called for Light corn Syrup, I have substituted honey. This a very simple recipe to make, but you will see lot of pictures here. ;)

Ingredients

Cinnamon powder -1tablespoon
Sugar-1/3cup
Butter-1tablespoon
Honey - 1tablespoon

Method

I made the cinnamon powder fresh by grinding the Cinnamon barks. It gives the 100% aroma of the cinnamon powder than the ready made store-bought powders. You can use the ready made powder if you want. :) 

Grind the cinnamon barks in small jar  of your blender/food processor/coffee grinder, sieve it and make the powder.

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. 

Crumble them  with your fingers.

Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 225F

Spread the cinnamon mix on a greased baking sheet, cover it with a wax paper, pat it into 1/4" thick square or rectangle.

Bake for 30 minutes. Take the plate out and let it cool for 5 minutes.

Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut them into small square or your desired shape.

Let it cool completely for about an hour or 2.

Remove the chips from the baking sheet and store it into airtight containers.

These can be used in various baking recipes like chocolate chips, butter scotch chips. Stay tuned for the next recipe using the Cinnamon baking chips! :)