Kashmiri naan recipe

Ingredients

For the dough

For stuffing

Method

1. To make the dough, first place the flour in a mixing bowl. Add yeast, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda to it and mix well.Make a dent in the middle. Add curd, milk and oil.
2. Gather together to make dough and knead well for 5 minutes until smooth. Keep aside for 2 hrs atleast.
3. Keep covered leaving enough space for the dough to rise and cover the mouth of the bowl with cling wrap or lid. Let it be a warm space. The dough would have risen and doubled in volume.Punch down and knead again to make it smooth.
4. Soak badam in warm water for an hour and peel off the skin. In a blender, coarsely grind the glazed cherry, sugar, badam and cashews. Set aside in a bowl.
5. Divide the dough into 4 equal sized balls. In a well dusted counter top, use your hands to spread the dough into a small disk.
6. Spoon 2 tblsp of the ground sweet mixture. Cover and pinch the ends together as shown in the picture.
7. Again dust and roll out into thick, oblong naans. While rolling, if the naan shrinks back, drizzle some oil in the counter top and again roll out.  Flip and roll both sides for even distribution of the mix throughout the dough.
8. Heat a pan and cook the naan in medium flame. You can cook covered to make it puff up as it makes the naan soft.
9. Flip and butter if desired and cook until brown spot appears here and there. Cook in low to medium flame for even cooking.

Notes

• Please adjust the sugar according to suit your taste.
• Add nuts just as mentioned, too much of badam or cashew will give a raw smell otherwise.
• You can add red food colour too along with this stuffing to make it more colourful.
• You can make this without yeast too.
• Important: I have used Instant yeast here. It is used less in amount than the other yeasts. Also it can be directly added to the flour without dissolving. If using active dry yeast, please dissolve 1 tsp(for this recipe) of the yeast in lukewarm milk along with sugar, wait for 10 minutes to froth and then use this to make dough along with curd and oil, otherwise recipe and everything same. You can ask me if you have doubts regarding yeast.

Thinai sweet paniyaram (Foxtail millet) recipe

Ingredients

Method

1. Wash once and soak the millet for 2 hrs. Place it in a blender with very little water, as it gets water after grinding easily if water is more.
2. Grind smoothly and transfer to a container. Add powdered jaggery, rice flour, wheat flour, coconut, salt and powdered cardamom seeds.
3. Mix well and set aside for 2 hrs. After 2 hrs mix well again, add a pinch of cooking soda and heat the paniyaram pan, pour 1/4 tsp oil in each shallow and pour this batter.
4. Cook covered in medium flame for 2 minutes. Flip and add more oil or ghee and cook until it turns golden brown.

Notes

• You can add half a banana too to this batter to make it softer.
• Make sure the batter is not water or too thick. If watery, you may not be able to take from the paniyaram pan. If too thick, inside will not be cooked. So adjust the consistency.
• To make the runny batter thick, you can add more wheat flour.
• Sesame oil and ghee makes it smell awesome, so its recommended.
• Giving standing time makes the paniyaram softer.

Baby corn pepper fry recipe

Ingredients

To temper

Method

1. Clean and cut baby corn into thin rounds. You can cut as long thin strips too, but I always cut into thin circles. Pressure cook it with little water and salt for 2 whistles. In a pan, heat oil and temper with the items given under ‘To temper’ table, followed by crushed garlic (with skin is fine).
2. Fry onion till transparent. Add cooked baby corn, salt, ketchup, chilli powder, pepper powder.
3. Mix and stir in medium flame for 3 minutes. Drizzle little oil if needed. 

Notes

• Adding half chilli powder and half pepper powder adds spiciness and flavor to the stir fry. So I recommend using chilli or sambar powder too for best results.

Soya chunks biryani recipe

Ingredients

To temper

Method

1. Soak basmati rice in warm water for 30 mins atleast. I used medium sized soya chunks (it may look different in size because of camera lens).
2. Boil water with 1/4 tsp salt and add the soya chunks. Cook in medium flame for 10 minutes.
   
3. Rise with cold water and squeeze it till dry and again repeat it. Keep aside.


4. I cut each chunk to two, its optional. Keep all the other ingredients cut ready. Then after the rice is soaked for 30 mins, boil 5 cups water and add rice to it.


5. Let it boil for 5 minutes or until its 90% done. Add few mint leaves torn to this, add little salt and a tsp of ghee.


6. Toss and keep aside. Heat a small pressure cooker with ghee. Temper with items given under ‘To temper’ table in order.


7. Add sliced onion, fry till transparent. Add soya chunks, ginger garlic paste and fry until dry for 2 minutes in medium flame.


8. Add tomato, salt, red chilli powder, green chilli and turmeric. Fry until tomatoes become soft.


9. Add curd, remaining mint leaves and fry for 2 more minutes.


10. When it becomes thick, add 1/4 cup water and bring to boil.


11. Add the cooked rice and mix evenly. Flatten with back of ladle and cover with cooker lid (I do with the pressure valve). I can keep the flame really low in my stove burner, so how much ever its is possible keep the flame low and cook for 12 minutes. You can keep over a dosa pan too if you cant put flame in low.


12. After 12 mins, let it stand as it is for 5 minutes and open the cooker, add chopped coriander leaves and mix gently.

Notes

• Soaking rice in warm water helps in rice getting cooked fast and also gives long grains.
• I used India gate aged rice.
• Adding ghee, salt and mint leaves immediately after draining the rice adds a lots of flavor. So do not skip it.
• Do not cook the rice too much time before making the biryani. Make sure to use the rice as soon as it is cooked. If you keep the boiled rice for long time, it will become dry and be like uncooked rice.
• Do not over mix as it will break the rice grains.
• Washing and squeezing the cooked soya chunks completely, ensures to get rid of the smell.
• You can add vegetables along this too.

Senai kizhangu curry recipe

Ingredients

To temper

Method

1. Soak tamarind in hot water for 30 minutes and extract juice. Peel off the skin of the yam and chop it finely as shown in the picture.
2. Wash it with water and boil with salt, turmeric and tamarind water. Cook until done.
3. Drain and keep aside. Heat a pan with oil and temper with the items given under ‘To temper’ table, in order.
4. Add cooked yam, sambar powder, fennel powder and sprinkle little water. Mix well. Fry for 2 minutes and drizzle over some oil while turning. When the masala powders wafts aroma, transfer to the serving bowl.

Notes

• Buy elephant yam and let it sit in shelf for few days to avoid too itchy yam. As it gets older, less its itchy property.
  
• While chopping, you can smear your hands with oil or lemon juice to avoid itchy feeling.
  
• Cooking in tamarind water is must to avoid itchiness.
  
• You can temper with fennel and avoid the powder.
  
• Instead of sambar powder, you can replace it with red chilli powder 1 tsp and coriander seeds powder 1/2 tsp.
  
• If you dont like fennel smell, avoid it and add a pinch of asafoetida powder while tempering.

Badam Kheer recipe

Ingredients

Method

1. Bowl milk and soak the saffron separately in lukewarm milk. Keep boiling the milk in low flame.
2. Boil water and add almonds to it. Let it boil for a minute. Switch off the stove, drain and wash under tap water to cool down.
3. Now you will be able to peel off the skin. Peel all the almonds.
4. Reserve some 6 almonds for garnish. Grind rest of the almonds with little milk to a smooth paste.
5. Add the ground almond paste, soaked saffron and sugar and mix well.Bowl until you get the desired consistency. Keep stirring every now and then, to avoid burnt bottom. It could take around 8 to 10 minutes in medium flame.
6. Slice the reserved almonds into thin strips. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the almonds for a minute and add it to the boiling kheer. Switch off the flame.

Notes

• Adjust sugar as per your need.
• The consistency can be adjusted as per your wish. If you want more thicker side, use less milk.If you want it like badam milk, you can use less badam.
• Be generous in adding elachi and saffron as it lends a nice flavor to this kheer. Otherwise the smell of almonds may be dominating.
• Tastes best when served chilled, preferable the next day.
• If you want to make badam milk, add a small piece of cinnamon, 1 clove and a mustard size edible camphor to the boiling milk and reduce the badam to half.

Steamed vada curry recipe

Ingredients

To temper

Method

1. Soak channa dal for 3 hrs. First grind chilli, fennel and salt.
2. Then add the drained channa and grind coarsely. Do in batches to ensure even grinding. Do not grind smoothly.
3. Grease idli plates and fill the moulds with the ground mixture, make a dent at the middle to ensure easy cooking. Steam cook for 8 minutes.
4. Once cooled, break it roughly. I forgot to add curry leaves before steaming, so added after breaking. Heat a pan with oil and temper with the items given under ‘To temper’ table in order.
5. Add finely chopped onion and fry till transparent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute in medium flame. Add finely chopped tomatoes and all the powders – red chilli powder, dhaniya powder (coriander powder) and turmeric powder. Add required salt for the gravy.
6. Fry for a minute or until the masala blends and becomes mushy. Add 3 cups water.
   
   
7. Bring to boil and add the crumbled dal and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Once the oil floats on top and the gravy becomes thicker, garnish with chopped coriander and mint leaves.

Notes

• Add enough water as it requires lots of water.
  
• Min leaves adds very nice flavor to the gravy.
  
• If using masala vada, use 8 vadais.
  
• You can add 2 slit green chillies if you want extra hot gravy.

Kuthiraivali (Barnyard millet) upma  recipe

Ingredients

To temper

Method

1. Wash the millet once or twice and drain water completely.
3. Heat a kadai with oil, temper with the items given under ‘To temper’ table in order. Followed by onion, green chilli and ginger. Fry till onion turns transparent. Add veggies and fry for 2 minutes in low flame.
5. Add water and salt. Bring to boil and add the millet. Mix well.
7. Cook covered in low flame for 8 to 10 minutes or until all water dries up.

Notes

• Can be garnished with grated coconut.
• Coconut oil and ginger adds nice flavor.
• If making without onion and veggies, add asafoetida while tempering and add pepper powder for flavor.

Easy mooli paratha recipe

Ingredients

Method

1. Peel and grate the radish in a grater and mix little salt with it, keep aside for 10 mins.
2. You will be able to squeeze out a whole lot of water from this grated radish, do not discard this water, save it. Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, use the squeezed out water to make dough instead of water.
3. You may not need all the water as radish itself is moist, so carefully add water. Make equal sized balls out of it.
4. Roll out to thick parathas. Not too thick, just with 2 chapathi’s thickness. Dust generously with flour while rolling out.
5. Heat tawa and cook on both sides drizzling some oil or ghee each side, until golden brown spots appears.

Notes

• I used 2 radish for this, but depends on the size of the radish.
• You can add green chillies too in the dough.
• Important : Make parathas as soon as you prepare the dough. If you keep the dough for a while, it will leave water and becomes sticky and it will be difficult to roll.

Sweet pidi kozhukattai recipe

Ingredients

Method

1. In a heavy bottom pan or non stick pan, add water and jaggery. When jaggery is completely dissolved, filter if any impurities are there. I skipped as mine was pure. Add powdered cardamom, coconut bits to it. Bring to boil.
2. Simmer the flame.Add flour and while you keep stirring. Don’t worry if it forms lumps, it will disappear as we mix. Everything will be turning quick, so make sure you are ready for that.
3. Cool it and when it is still warm, grease your hands and make a smooth dough out of it. Divide into equal sized balls.
4. Keep each ball in your hand and press it to bring an oblong shaped dumplings. Arrange in the steamer.Idli plate works fine, but grease before you arrange.
5. Steam cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the kozhukattais turn shiny.

Notes

• After the dough is ready, keep covered to avoid drying.
• If  making large quantities, cover the shaped kozhukattais too.
• Important: If using store bought rice flour that is coarse or home made rice flour, water quantity may vary.
• Grease hands to avoid sticking.
• The key is to cook the flour while boiling itself. This gives softest kozhukattais.
• If you use more jaggery than mentioned and less water, it wont get steamed properly how much ever time you cook it.
• Also do not let the jaggery for syrup stage as it will not let the flour cook and again it wont get cooked even after you steam for long time.

Varagu Kanji recipe

Ingredients

Method

1. Wash the millet once and in a small pressure cooker, add it with milk, water and peeled garlic.
2. Pressure cook in medium flame for 4 whistles. Once done, mash it well.
3. Add more water or milk and salt. Bring to boil and continue until you get the desired consistency. Keep stirring in between now and then. Add pepper lastly.

Notes

• Adjust water and milk amount as per your need. But 1 cup milk is must.
• You can add coriander leaves instead curry leaves too.
• Instead of garlic, if you want it satvik, avoid it, cook with a pinch of hing/ asafoetida and later temper with mustard, green chilli and more hing.

Seepu seedai | Krishna jayanthi recipes

Ingredients

Method

1. I used readymade rice flour (idiyappam flour) and urad dal flour, So if you want to make urad dal flour, roast it, cool and powder it as I have did for moong dal. If coarse, sieve it.
2. Grind 3/4 cup of coconut with little (little less than 1/4 cup) warm water and grind it smoothly. Extract coconut milk.
3. Place the flours, salt in a mixing bowl and add 2 tsp oil. Add 1/4 cup coconut milk to it and and mix well. Sprinkle water (may need more than a cup) and make to a smooth dough without any cracks. Also it should not be sticky.
4. Keep dough covered all the times. Take the flat plate with ridges for the  murukku press, fill it with dough and make strips in a clean kitchen towel or counter top.  If breaks, sprinkle more water and knead again to make it smooth. Draw the tapes all over.
5. Cut each tape into smaller strips, so that each strip can just cover your fore finger if you roll over it. Join the ends of the strips around your finger to make cylinders.
6. Repeat the same to finish the dough. Heat kadai with oil, when the oil is hot, drop the seedais and put the flame to medium. You can fry 15 to 20 depending on the size of kadai and oil you use. Cook with frequent turning to ensure even cooking. It will take long time to cook.
7. At one point, the bubble with cease and shhh… sound stops, so you can know its done. Drain to paper towel. Repeat to finish frying the seedais.
8. Optional : I made smaller strips and just made the cylinders narrower and fried. I tossed this with powdered sugar as soon as I drain from oil. This is sweet version of the seepu seedai.

Notes

• If you use coarse rice flour, then the murukku breaks. So make sure using finest rice flour.
• For even mixing, you can even sieve(sift) the flours before adding wet ingredients.
• Do not add more coconut milk, urad flour or moong flour than mentioned, which may lead to hard murukku.
• While rolling, donot overlay more as it will lead to uneven cooking.
• Do not roll too big as it may not hold the circular shape.
• You can mix coconut oil little in the deep frying oil for extra flavor!
• Check the crispiness only after it cools down completely.

Mundhiri murukku recipe

Ingredients

Method

1. Grind cashew nuts with little water, smoothly. There shouldn’t be any cashew bits seen.
2. Place the rice flour, salt, asafoetida, sesame seeds, ghee in a mixing bowl. Add the ground cashew to it. Add enough water little by little and make a smooth dough without any cracks. Should not be sticky either.
3. Take a single holed star or this colver shaped plate in the murukku press. Fill the press with dough.
4. Press into small coils/ circles as shown in the picture. You can press in greased ladles (you may need a lot) or greased back of a plate, or even greased small flat plates.  Heat oil in a kadai and when hot, drop these tiny murukkus carefully into oil. You can slide each one slowly along the sides of the kadai.
5. Cook in medium flame. Turn the murukku in between and cook until bubble ceases and shh… sound stops.Drain in paper towels and repeat to finish the dough.

Notes

• My MIL even tried adding few badams reducing the cashews. 10 cashews and 5 soaked and peeled badam. It comes out good.
• You can do the same with any plate in the press – star or the regular thenkuzhal press.

Microwave therattipal recipe

Ingredients

Method

1. In a large microwave glass bowl, place all the ingredients. Mix well.
2. Micorwave in high for 3 minutes. It will rise, so you need a really large bowl.
3. Stir again and microwave for another 2 minutes. Stir well. I didn’t get the desired consistency, so I stirred well and again microwaved for 2 more minutes, stirring in between once. It should look like this – with the sides dried up and bubbles in the middle as well.
4. If you slightly mix, there will be grainy texture. Give 4-5 minutes standing time and then stir to get grainy texture.

Notes

• Use microwave-able glass bowl, NOT plastic microwave ‘safe’ bowl.
• Since it raises a lot almost double while boiling, you need a large bowl otherwise it will overflow and become mess.
• I added 2 tsp of ghee only, but 1 tblsp is used in the source recipe. You can replace ghee with butter at room temperature too.
• If you want you can add cardamom powder, but I think authentically nothing is added to it.

Malai kofta recipe

Ingredients For Kofta

Ingredients For Gravy

Method

1. Pressure cook potato for 3 whistle with little water. Drain, cool, peel and mash it.
2. Boil water and immerse paneer cubes in it until its soft. Drain, cool and crumble it.
3. I did it in my mixer by running it once. You can do with your hands as well. If using block paneer, thaw it and grate it in a fine grater. Mix all the ingredients  needed for kofta in the ingredients table.
4. Form it to a dough. Make small equal sized balls out of it.
5. Arrange everything in a plate and heat oil meanwhile. Deep fry in oil in medium flame in batches.
6. Cook until golden in colour. Turn occasionally in between to ensure even browning and cooking. Drain in a paper towel.
7. For gravy, I ground 3 large tomatoes to get 1 cup puree. Depending on the size of the tomatoes adjust the number of tomatoes using.
8. Heat a pan with oil and temper with the whole garam masala followed by jeera. Add chopped ginger and just give it a fry. Add the pureed tomato.
9. Add the garam masala powder, red chilli powder, turmeric and coriander powder. Mix and cook covered in medium flame with a lid as it will splutter a lot.
10. Mix in between to avoid burning. Once water evaporates, you can continue cooking without lid. Add more oil if need and fry.Once oil oozes out and masala becomes thick, add milk little by little and mix in low flame.
11. Do not add all at once, keep stirring and add little by little. Lastly add cream also same way little by little. Never let the gravy boil on high flame at any point as it would lead to curdling.
12. Lastly add coriander leaves and koftas. Do not mix. Let it be as such.

Notes

• Do not over cook potatoes as it will retain water and koftas will be too soft to handle.
• If you do not have bread crumbs, you can use fresh bread slices crumbled in a mixer too.
• If no bread crumbs or bread is available, add 1 tblsp maida or corn flour as binding agent.
• Add koftas a little while before serving.
• Do not let the gravy boil in high flame after adding milk and cream as it will lead to curdling of the gravy. Also do not add all at once, add little by little stirring.
• You can add kasuri methi while frying the puree for extra flavor.