Veggie Puffs

The perfect evening snacks with cup of tea make your day complete on nice Sunday evening.....The first time I ever made is with saras when they came for our visit...i tried yesterday with my touch, am so satisfied that even i can make nice puffs, as am eating in a bakery.




Ingredients -1

1 No - Pastry sheet

Ingredients -2

1 No - Potato
1/4 cup - Mixed veg.
3 T - Peas

Ingredients -3

2 Nos - G.chili(small size)
3 Nos - Garlic pods
1 inch -Ginger
3 Stalks - Mint leaves

Ingredients -4

1/4 No - Onion(Optional)
1 Tsp - Cumin seed
2 drops - Lemon juice
1 Pinch -Curry powder(Optional)
1 Tsp - Oil
1 Bunch - Cilantro(Coriander leaves)
salt to taste

Instructions

Step1. Unfrozen the puffs 15mins before making Puffs.


Step2. Meanwhile cook the potato and smash it ready and keep aside.
Step3. If using fresh vegetables cook them with little bit of salt and keep aside.
Step4. In a mixer grind the ingredients from the table-3, g.chili,ginger,mintleaves and ginger.
Step5. Then in a wide pan heat 1 tsp of oil and when it turns hot add 1 tsp cumin seed when it splutters add the grind-ed paste and fry the chopped onion.
Step6. Fry until the raw smells is gone. add the cooked vegetables and smashed potato...cook in medium flame...add little amount of water if it is too dry.
Step7. Now u can check for the salt don't add too much salt....and add any curry powder if u want...
Step8. When all the water consistent is absorbed add few drops of lemon juice and garnish it with coriander leaves(pics as shown below)



Step9. Now cut pastry sheets in to three small sheets



Step10. Fill the masala in the center and fold the edges of the puffs like sealing..




Step11. Preheat the oven to 350 degree.




Step12. Bake the puffs for around 20-25 minutes.



Step13. Serve it with hot sauce or ketchup.

Note
If it is blend want to add spice add little bit of chili powder

Karamura murukku

A deevali without muruku is function without joy....i will say. My mom use to make day ahead murukku and we love to taste all day without eating lunch or dinner.




Ingredients

2 Cups - Rice flour
1/2 Cup - Urad dhal
2 tsp -Cumin seed
2 tsp - Butter
1/4 tsp -Salt(increase or decrease as per your need)

Instructions

Step1. Sieve the rice flour and keep aside.
Step2. Slightly fry the urad dhal and grind it in the mixer and sieve it along with the rice flour.
Step3. Add salt, butter and cumin seed.
Step4. Add water to make dough, the dough should not so sticky or watery...careful with the dough.
Step5. Then take a handful of dough and press it with the machine that specially made to make muruku.
Step6. Meanwhile heat the oil in kadai.Make sure the oil is in right temperature.
Step7. If you are the beginner better to do muruku pattern in the spatula as shown below or u
can directly do muruku in the oil itself.



Step8. Fry until golden brown.
Step9. Wait until it is completely cool down.



Note.
when u add butter make sure it is melted . If you have pulp even a tiny butter pulp in the dough it will splutters.

Mint rice minnie

This kind of variety rice are famous in south India especially during occasions, so happy that i learned to make it.




Ingredients

1 tsp - fennnel seeds
3 no - bay leaves
3 nos - G.chillies(increase or decrease)
1 inch - ginger
6 pods - garlic
1 no - onion(small)
2 nos - sambar onion(optional)
1 cup - mint leaves(cleaned and washed)
2 tsp - oil
salt to taste

Instructions

Step1.First grind g.chili,garlic,ginger and onion in a mixer.
Step2. then grind the mint leaves separately..
Step3. In a wide pan add 2 tsp oil when it turns hot add funnel seeds and bay leaves.
Step4. Now add the firs grind ed paste and fry for sometimes until the raw aroma are gone.
Step5. After few minutes add the second grinded mint and cook for few minutes.



Step6. Wash the rice and keep aside.
Step7. Now mix the cooked mint and onion paste to the rice and add salt as per your taste.
Step8. Then cook rice in pressure cooker for 3 whistle or rice cooker it...as u do for ordinary pilaf...

Source
My sister

Lassi

A good yogurt makes a delicious lassi....the first time i tasted the good lassi is when we were in honeymoon in delhi....no secret behind any recipe rather than its quality...a good quality yogurt makes delicious lassi wherever you are.

Ingredinets

6 T - Yogurt
1/4 cup - Water
2 T - Sugar(increase or decrease as per taste)
3Nos - Ice cubes


Instructions

Step1. Grind yogurt in a mixer without any pulp.
Step2. Add water and sugar check for the taste if want additional sugar put.
Step3. Finally crush the ice and serve cold....

Upma

The breakfast i ate at my in-laws house after my wedding day....whenever i use to make upma...it remembers me the first day of my life after marriage.....eventhough am not such a big fan of upma,after a long time, i tried this dish...believe me i ate 4 scoop all by myself....

Ingredients

1 cup - Rava(semolina)
1/2 no - onion(finely chopped)
2 pods - garlic(crushed)
1 tsp - urad dhal
2 tsp - channa dhal
1 no - g.chili(split it in the center)
3 stks - curry leaves
21/4 cup - water
2tsp - oil
salt to taste..


Instructions

Step1 . In a wok add 1 tsp of oil when it turns hot add 1 tsp of mustard.
Step2. When mustard splutters add curry leaves, channa dhal.... fry in the oil until it turns golden brown.
Step3. Now add the chopped onion and chili and garlic..
Step4. Fry until the onion is soft and well cook..
Step5. Now add 21/4 cup of water and may be less than 1/4 tsp of salt.
Step6. When the water starts to boil add the rava(semolina) slowly in one hand and stir it in other hand.
(otherwise the upma will be pulp)
Step7. Now turn the stove to low flame and cook for 5 mins.
Step8. Now add the remaining oil and stir it...
Step9. Deliciousoo upma is ready.

Avarakai & shrimp curry (beans & shrimp curry)

I use to make shrimp with mushroom....my mom is a good cook.. she said to try shrimp with avarkai(beans) it turned out too good..

Ingredients

1/4 kg - Avarakai

15 nos - shrimp

1/2 no - onion

1 no - tomato(small)

1 pod - garlic

1 tsp - mustard seed

1 tsp - urad dhal

1 pinch - tumeric powder

1 tsp - oil

chili powder to taste

salt to taste

Instructions

Step1. Heat oil in the wok or kadai..

Step2. when oil is heat pop mustard seed and urad dhal.
Step3. Shallow fry the onion and garlic
Step4. When the onion turns out soft and transculent add the chopped tomato.
Step5. then add beans(avarakai) and shrimp and cook for 1 min or less.
Step6. now add tumeric powder, salt and chili powder .
Step7. then add water to cook the beans and shrimp.
Step8. when all the water are absorbed and veg. and shrimp are cook...turn on the stove.
Step9. Serve hot.

Mango Lassi

Awesome summer drink.....love to make it...the only drink my daughter love to taste....so happy to share it with you.


Ingredients


6 Tbs - Yoghurt(Thick curd)
7 Tbs - Mango Pulp
4 Tbs - Sugar(Increase or decrease as per your taste)
5 nos - Icecubes


Instructions


Step1. In a mixer add yoghut,mangopulp and grind it with medium speed for about 1 min.

Step 2. Slowly add sugar and mixer it for another 30 secs.





Step3. Now finally crush the icecubes with the lassi..

Step4. With in 2 mins...mango lassi is ready to serve.

Cantaloupe sherbet

Whenever i make cantaloupe sherbet it remains me of my childhood days....during summer vacation my grandpa use to make we use to help him as a little kids.......

Ingredients

1no - Cantaloupe(medium size)

3tbs -sugar(adjust as per ur taste)

6 nos - ice cubes

Instructions

Step1. Cut the cantaloupe in to two halves.

Step2. Take the seeds inside the fruit.

Step3. Take the flesh from the fruit leaving its skin.

Step4. In a big bowl add the pieces and smash it as possible as u can.

Step5. then add sugar and when sugar dissolves add the icecubes.

Note.

Serve cold on hot hot day..

Baklava

This is one of Greek dessert told by my friend...I was so worried to try this kind of dessert, because it will take lot of time and if doesn't turn out good.. it spoil all the ingredients and my confidence..but this dessert change my entire thought.. and scored me good name. Try this and see the experience in me.


Ingredients -1

clarified butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup hot water
2 cups chopped blanched almonds or walnuts
1 lb fillo pastry (pastrysheet pic.shown below)
powdered cinnamon

Ingredients -2

For the syrup

1 cup sugar
1 cup honey
1 cup water
juice of one lemon


Instructions

Step1. Heat 4 tablespoons of melted butter in a pan with the sugar and 1 cup of hot water.
Step2. Add the chopped nuts.
Step3. Grease a baking tin large enough to take the fillo sheets. Put in 3 sheets, brushing each sheet with melted butter.



Step4. Spread on a thin layer of the nut mixture, sprinkle with a little cinnamon and cover with 2 more sheets of buttered fillo.
Step5. Keep adding alternate layers of filling and pastry and cover with 3 sheets.
Step6. Brush the top with melted butter and score a diamond pattern on the top to aid serving. Step7. Bake in the oven at 375 until crisp and golden, about 30 minutes.


Meanwhile make the syrup.


Step1. Boil the sugar, honey, water and lemon juice for 5 minutes.
Step2. Allow to cool a little then pour over the cooked pastry.


Note


This tastes best the next day because the syrup has had a chance to soak into the pastry. Baklava is also delicious eaten hot with some aromatic rosewater or orange blossom water sprinkled over it and served with chilled cream. A real treat!


Source

My friend laurie...
From greek cookbook

Cooking Photos

This picture is taken in my friend laurie's kitchen - with susan ,with me. I enjoy cooking in her kitchen it remains me of my home..




I made traditional south indian dish that day...typical sambar,rasam one poriyal , one varuval and vadai with appalam..everyone enjoyed my meal , am so happy to cook for others.