Happy New Year with a Chocolate Cake (Egg-less)

Ingredients:
Plain flour - 1 1/2 cups
Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp.
Powdered sugar - 1 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp.
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - 1/4 tsp.
Water - 1 cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp.
Melted butter - 6 tbsp.


A small attempt of frosting and decorating simply embellished with stawberries


Method:
Preheat the oven at 180°C. Grease and dust the round cake pan.
Sieve the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt together in a bowl.
Add water, butter and vanilla. Mix well.
Pour the mixture in the cake pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the tester comes out clean (original recipe goes for 25 minutes).
Cool slightly and loosen the sides with a knife, then invert on a rack.
Cool completely. Decorate as required and enjoy.
RB

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Fenugreek Leaves/Vendhaya Keerai Sambar

Ingredients:
Arhar/Toor dal/Split pigeon peas - 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Onions - 2 (chopped)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Fenugreek leaves - 3 cups
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil
Tamarind water - 1/2 cup
Dry red chillies - 2
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
My mom's sambar powder - 2 tsp. (or as per taste)

Method:
Soak dal for 30 minutes. Pressure cook the dal with turmeric powder.
Heat oil in a deep sauce pan and add the onion pieces. Saute till they are translucent.
Add the tomato pieces and saute till they are soft.
Reduce the heat and add the sambar powder and mix.
Now pour the dal and if required add a little water.
Add salt to taste.
Bring the dal to a rolling boil. Now add the fenugreek leaves and let it cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tamarind water and cook till the raw smell fades away.
Meanwhile in a small pan add oil, mustard seeds, and dry red chillies. When the mustard seeds crackle, add the asafoetida powder and saute. Now add this tempering to the sambar. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and enjoy with hot steaming rice.

Sent off to "Only-Greens" event hosted by Sara and started by Pari.

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Oats Orange Kesari

Ingredients:
Oats (quick cooking) - 1 cup
Orange juice (fresh) - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp. (or as per taste)
Water - 1/2 cup
Orange essence - a drop
Orange/kesari color - 2 pinches
Cashewnuts - few
Ghee - 2.5 tsp.
Cardamom powder - 2 pinches

Method:
Heat 1 tsp. of ghee in a small pan and fry the cashews till golden colour. Keep aside.
Heat 1 tsp. of ghee and add the oats and saute till a nice aroma wafts out of the pan (3 to 4 minutes).
Add orange juice and mix well. Meanwhile in another small deep sauce pan, add water and sugar. Dissolve the sugar and orange colour and heat it.
Add this water to the oats and cook. When it becomes thick, add orange essence, cardmom powder, cashews along with ghee and mix. Also, add 1/2 tsp. of ghee and mix. When the oats leaves the side of pan, remove from heat and enjoy immediately.

Note:
The orange juice should be sweet and not sour. Add sugar according to taste. You can also skip the orange juice and continue preparing with water as plain oats kesari and increase the amount of sugar.

Sent off to "CWF-Oats" hosted by Priya and started by Kiran.

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Banana Milkshake

Ingredients:
Ripe Bananas - 2
Oats - 1/3 cup
Milk
Vanilla extract- few drops
Sugar (as per taste)

Method:
Boil the milk and pour required milk in the oats. Cover and keep aside to cool.
Allow the remaining milk to cool.
Peel and chop the bananas. Blend them. Add required milk, few drops of vanilla extract, oats and sugar. Blend well. Pour in glasses and enjoy the healthy milk shake.

Sent off to "Veggie/Fruit a Month - Banana" event hosted by aipi and started by Priya.

Today's weather in the morning (8:00 am).

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Chocolate Muffins (My 500th Post)

I'm very excited to announce that my blog has reached the 500th post. Also, two of my recipes got selected in Chacko's 'Best 30 Recipes of 2010' list. To celebrate the occasions, I'm sharing chocolate muffins today.

Dry Ingredients:
APF/Maida - 1 cup
Cocoa powder (Cadbury's) - 1 tbsp.
Granulated sugar - 1/2 cup
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp.
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp.
Cooking Chocolate  - 1 cup

Wet Ingredients:
Milk - 1/2 cup
Egg - 1
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp.
Oil - 3 tbsp.

Method:
Sift APF, baking powder and baking soda. In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
In another bowl combine all wet ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix. Don't overbeat.
Pour in muffin cups and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.
Enjoy warm.

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Paruppu Thuvaiyal

This is my mom's recipe which she usually grinds with an ammi.

Ingredients:
Toor Dal/Arhar dal/Split pigeon pea - 1 small cup
Red chillies (dry) - 4
Garlic - 3 cloves (big)
Salt (to taste)
Tamarind - 1 tsp.

Method:
Dry roast the dal till golden color. Add 1/2 tsp. of oil in the pan and fry the chillies till crisp.
In a blender grind toor dal, red chilli, tamarind and salt by adding water little by little. During the mid-way, add the garlic and grind them. The thuvaiyal should be thick.
Enjoy with kanji or rasam rice.

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Raw Plantain Kofta Curry

Ingredients:
For Kofta:
Raw plantain - 3
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Green chilli - 1 (big, deseeded and chopped)
Oats - 1/3 cup
Salt (to taste)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Oil

Method:
Pressure cook the plantains till 3 to 4 whistles. Cool and remove the skin. Mash the white part of plantain.
Dry roast the oats for 4 minutes. Cool and powder them.
In a mixing bowl, combine oats flour, mashed plantains, salt, ginger, green chilli, and onion. Knead them into a dough. From the dough, divide them into equal-sized balls.
Heat the paniyaram vessel. Pour a drop of oil in each hole. Now place the balls and cook them by turning now and then. Add a few drops of oil in each kofta whenever required. Cook till all the sides are crisp and golden color without burning. Remove from heat and keep aside.

For Gravy:
I wasn't satisified with the taste of this gravy that I prepared. You can prepare your version of the gravy according to your taste.

Ingredients:
Onions - 2 (chopped)
Garlic - 1 tsp. (grated)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Tomatoes - 2 (pureed)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Fennel seeds/Saunf - 1 tsp.
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp.
Amchur powder - 1/4 tsp.
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp.
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp. (or according to taste)
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Cream - 1 tbsp.
Oil
Salt (to taste)
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)

Method:
Heat the oil in a kadai. Add the cumin seeds, saunf and allow them to sizzle. Add onion pieces and saute till they are translucent. Add ginger, garlic and saute till the raw smell fades away. Add the tomato puree and saute till the oil releases. Reduce the heat and add the red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt and mix well.
Add 1/2 cup of water or required water. Bring it to a boil. Now add the cumin powder, amchur powder and stir.
Now add the koftas and simmer for a few minutes. Finally add the garam masala, cream and coriander leaves. Remove from heat and enjoy with roti.

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Moong Dal Dosai/Dosa

Ingredients:
Moong dal - 2 cup
Raw rice - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - a medium bunch
Ginger - 3/4 ""
Onion - 1 (sliced)
Green chilli - 2 to 4 or (according to your taste)
Salt (to taste)
Oil

Method:
Soak the rice for 3 hours. Soak the moong dal for 1 hour.
Chop the coriander leaves with tender stalks.
Grind all except oil into a smooth dosa batter.
Heat the dosa tawa and spread one ladleful of batter in a circle. Sprinkle little oil.
Cook on both the sides in medium-low flame.
Continue with remaining dosa batter.
Enjoy with a favourite chutney.

Note:
You can keep in the refrigerator and use next day. Don't keep it more than one day in the refrigerator.

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Ridge Gourd Peel Chutney

Ingredients:
Ridge gourd peels of 2 long ridge gourds
Curry leaves - 1/4 cup
Coconut - 2 tbsp. (grated)
Chana dal - 2 tbsp.
Garlic - 2 cloves
Tamarind - a pinch
Red chillies (dry) - 2
Salt (to taste)
Oil

To temper:
Mustards seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal - 1/2 tsp. (each)
Oil

Method:
Heat the oil in a pan and add the peels. Saute them till they are tender. Add the curry leaves, garlic, red chillies, tamarind and saute for 2 to 4 minutes. Cool them.
Girnd them with coconut and salt  in blender by adding required water.
Temper the given ingredients and pour it on the top of the chutney.

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Rice Khichdi

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Onions - 2 ( chopped)
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Cloves -2
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Green cardamom - 3
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Potatoes - 2 (peeled and chopped)
Carrots - 2 (chopped)
Peas - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Oil
Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Ghee - 1 to 2 tsp.
Salt to taste

Method:
Combine rice and dal in a bowl and wash till the water runs clear. Without any water, cover and keep aside for 30 minutes or 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a deep sauce pan and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. When the seeds splutter, add onion pieces and ginger. Saute till the onions are translucent. Add carrots, peas, potatoes and tomato pieces. Saute for 2 to 4 minutes.
Add the red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix.
Add the rice and dal. Saute for 2 minutes without breaking the rice.
Add required water (I added 6 cups of water) and salt to taste.
Cover with a lid and cook. When all the water gets absorbed, sprinkle the ghee on top of the rice and mix well.
Enjoy the khichdi with any raita and roasted hot potatoes or any of your favourite side dish.

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Chicken Xacuti/Sagoti/Saguti/Shagoti

Ingredients:
Chicken - 500 gm (boneless or with bone)
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Yogurt - 2 tbsp.
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, yogurt and salt as required for at least 30 minutes. If you're marinating for more than 2 hours, then keep it in the refrigerator.

To saute and grind:
Onion - 1 (sliced)
Byadgi chillies - 3
Regular red chillies - 3
Peppercorns - 1/2 tsp.
Coconut - 1/2 cup (grated)
Tamarind water - 1 tbsp.
Cinnamon sticks - 2
Nutmeg - 1/4 seed
Mace - 1/4 blade
Star anise - 1/2
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 1/2 tbsp.
Cloves - 6
Kal pasi/dagad phool - 1

Method:
Dry roast the coconut till brown colour without burning. Dry roast (each separately) cloves, peppercorns, cumin seeds, mace, cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, coriander seeds, dhagad phool till a nice aroma arises.
Add a teaspoon of oil and saute the onions till golden color. Saute chillies till crisp. Cool all.
Grind them into a paste with tamarind water and little water. Keep aside.

For cooking Chicken Xacuti
Ingredients:
Onions - 2 (chopped)
Tomato - 1 (big and chopped)
Coconut milk - 1/3 cup
Water - 1 cup
Oil

Method:
Heat the oil in a pan and add the chopped onions. Saute till they change colour. Add the tomato pieces and saute till they are soft. Add the chicken and saute till 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and cook the chicken till tender.
Add the ground paste and cook for 5 minutes in low heat. Check for salt and add if required. Stir in the coconut milk and keep it for a minute.
Remove from heat and enjoy with rice or roti.
RSCB

Sent off to "Flavours of Goa" event hosted by Oh Taste N See and started by simply.food.

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Christmas Fruit Cake/Plum Cake

My mom usually used to buy plum cakes from bakeries for me before I was married. The cakes were embellished with opulent decorations and the taste is simply out of the world. Then there would be a hectic rush for them in the house and my parents always felt insatiable. I wasn't aware that some of its condiments were rum/brandy. And this is the first time I'm baking a fruit cake in my life.


When I planned to bake a Christmas fruit cake, I immediately leaped to Viki's Kitchen. I followed her recipe and the cake came out very well. The aroma of the cake wafted through the house (and out to the balcony too!) and only 2 pieces and a few crumbs were left in the kitchen. Thanks Viki for this beautiful and delicious cake.

Originally the dry fruits are soaked in rum or brandy  for a minimum of 24 hours and can be kept for 3 months. Instead of following that procedure, I soaked the dry fruits in orange juice and apple juice. Rum extract is added when the dry fruits are soaked in fruit juice. I saw rum extract in "Sugar & Spice" long back. As the store is extremely far away from my residence , I had to satisfy myself with the fruit juice. Now onto the recipe.

For Caramelizing sugar:
Ingredients:
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Water - 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp.

Method:
In a non-stick pan, add sugar and 1 tbsp. of water at low or medium-low flame.  The sugar begins to turn light brown, (shake the pan lightly in between). Meanwhile microwave 1/2 cup of water for 1 minute to warm the water.
When the sugar turns light brown to dark add the water slowly. Carefully add the water. If it splutters and lands on you, it causes severe burns. Shake and keep aside. Let it cool completely. Cooling is a must.

For the cake:
Ingredients:
All purpose flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Butter - 1 stick (1/2 cup)
Dried fruits - 1 cup (chopped dates, tutti frutti, raisins, prunes, pears, plums, apricots)
I used only dates, tutti frutti and raisins
Dried nuts - 1/2 cup (almonds, cashews and walnuts - chopped)
Eggs - 3 (lightly beaten)
Baking powder - 1 tsp.
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp.
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp.
Salt - 1/2 tsp.
Candied lemon and orange peels - 1 tbsp. (chopped)
I used only candied orange peel
All spice powder - 1 tsp. (Cinnamon, Cloves, dry ginger, nutmeg) 1/4 tsp. each
I used only cinnamon and cloves powder
Rum/Brandy - 1/2 cup
OR Rum extract - 1 1/2 tsp.

Substitutes for rum/brandy
Orange juice - 1/4 cup + Grape juice - 1/4 cup
OR orange juice - 3/4 cup
I used orange juice - 3/4 cup + apple juice - 3 to 4 tbsp.

Method:
Soak dried fruits in orange juice and apple juice for 24 hours or for 48 hours. Stir in between whenever you get time.
Grease the 8x8 inch pan and place the parchment paper in the base alone.
In a bowl, beat butter and sugar. Now add the eggs and again beat. Now combine carmalized sugar, vanilla extract, all spice powders, candied orange peel , salt and beat.
Sift APF, baking soda and baking powder. Now add this to the wet ingredients and beat till fluffy.
Strain the dry fruits from the juice. Fold in the dry fruits.
Pour the batter into the pan.
Mix the dry nuts with 1 tbsp. flour.
Now spread the nuts on the top of the batter. No need to fold.
Bake at 180°C in a pre-heated oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until the tester comes out clean. Mine got finished at 40 minutes.
Cool. Insert the knife in the edges of the cake to loosen it.
Invert it on a wire rack. At this stage, the cake will be sticky. Slice and enjoy.
It tastes much better after 2 days.

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Oats Thattai

Ingredients:
Oats (quick-cooking) - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 cup
Roasted chana dal/pottukadalai - 1/3 cup
Peanuts - 1/4 cup
White sesame seeds - 1 tsp.
Fennel seeds - 2 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 4
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Chana dal - 2 tbsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil (for deep-frying)
Butter - 2 tsp.

Ingredients:
Dry roast the peanuts and remove the skin and keep aside.
Dry roast the oats till you get a nice aroma. Grind them.
Soak the channa dal for 1 1/2 hrs to 2 hrs.
In a blender, add roasted chana dal/pottukadalai, fennel seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves and peanuts and grind them.
In a bowl, combine the rice flour, oats flour, white sesame seeds, ground mixture, strained chana dal, salt and butter.
Add required water and form a dough.
Heat the oil to deep-fry.
Take a key-lime sized or Indian lemon-sized ball from the dough.
Take a ziploc bag, smear oil on top of it. Place the ball. Place another ziploc bag on the ball. Press with the help of a measurement cup (the base) and form a circle. Continue the process with the remaining balls with other ziploc bags.
When the oil is hot, carefully remove the thattai from their covers and slide 'em into the oil. I deep-fried 4 thattais in each batch.
Deep fry till golden color. When the thattais are fried, there won't be any bubbles formed in the oil.
Remove them and place on an absorbent paper.
When they cool, keep them in an air-tight container or finish all of them immediately.

Sent off to "CWF-Oats" hosted by Priya and started by Kiran.

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Oats Sweet Pongal

Ingredients:
Oats (quick cooking) - 2 cups
Jaggery - 1 cup (powdered) ( or as per taste)
Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Milk (low fat) - 2 cups (hot)
Cardamom powder - 2 pinches
Saffron strands - a pinch
Ghee - 2 tsp. + 1/2 tsp.
Cashews - 6 (whole)
Sun-maid raisins - 10

Method:
Dry roast the moong dal till a nice aroma arises. Cook them till soft and mushy. Keep aside.
Dry roast the oats for 2-3 minutes. Pour 2 cups of hot milk and mix well. Cover and keep aside.
Dissolve the jaggery in 1/4 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Remove from heat and run through the strainer(to remove the impurities) and collect in another deep sauce pan. Again, bring it to a boil and add the oats. Remove the lumps with the help of a wooden spatula. Add the cooked dal and mix well (in low-flame).
Meanwhile, roast the cashews (break them into half) till golden colour and raisins till it puffs up in 1/2 tsp. of ghee.
Add this to the pongal and also add cardamom powder, saffron and ghee. Mix well.
Enjoy warm!

Sent off to "CWF-Oats" hosted by Priya and started by Kiran.

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Banana Oat Bran Muffins

Ingredients:
Plain flour - 120 gm
Oat bran - 94 gm
Bananas - 2 (large and mashed)
Baking soda - 1 tsp.
Baking powder - 1 tsp.
Sugar - 100 gm
Egg - 1 (lightly beaten)
Sun-maid raisins - 3.5 tbsp.
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp.
Oil - 1/4 cup

Method:
Mix oat bran, flour, baking soda, baking powder and raisins in a bowl.
In another bowl, mix egg, sugar, vanilla essence, oil and mashed bananas.
Add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir to blend.
Fill muffin cups till 90%.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 20 to 25 minutes.
Enjoy warm as a breakfast.

Recipe source: Happy Home Baking

Sent off to "CWF-Oats" hosted by Priya and started by Kiran.

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Prawn Pulao

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Small prawns - 250 gms (peeled and deveined)
Onions (small) - 3 (sliced)
Garlic - 3 big cloves
Ginger - 3/4 inch
Green chillies - 4 (slit)
Mint leaves - from a small bunch
Coconut milk - 3/4 cup
Fennel seeds/saunf - 1 tsp.
Green cardamom - 4
Cinnamon - 1
Cloves - 2
Bay leaves - 2
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Ghee or Oil
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Cashew nuts - 10

Method:
Wash the rice till the water runs clear. Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes (no need to soak in water).
Fry the cashews in ghee till golden colour. Keep aside.
Pound the spices (fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom) garlic, ginger in mortar with pestle.
Heat ghee or oil in a deep sauce pan and add the sliced onions and salt to taste. Saute till the onions turn golden colour. Add green chillies and saute. Add the spices and bay leaves. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour 3/4 cup of coconut milk and 3 1/2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil.
Add the rice and cover it with a lid.
Meanwhile in another burner, heat oil in a small pan and add the prawns. Make a paste of red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Add this paste to the prawns and saute well till it becomes dry. Keep aside.
When the water gets absorbed from rice, remove the lid and spread the mint leaves.
On the top, spread the prawns. Cover the sauce pan with an aluminium foil and place the lid.
Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes or till the rice is cooked.
Remove from heat and sprinkle the fried cashews and gently mix the prawns, mint leaves and cashews with the rice.
Enjoy hot with a favourite side dish.

Note:
Add water according to the type of rice used.

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Green Peas Kurma

Ingredients:
Fresh green peas - 2 cups
Onions - 2 (chopped)
Garlic - 3 cloves
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Tomato - 1 (deseeded and chopped)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Peppercorns- 4
Cloves - 2
Grated coconut - 1/3 cup
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Oil

Method:
Dry roast the coconut, cumin seeds and coriander seeds individually.
Grind garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and coconut into a paste.
Heat the oil in a pan and add peppercorns and cloves. When they sizzle, add the onions and saute till they become pink.
Add the ground masala paste, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and saute till it releases oil and leaves the sides of the pan.
Add the green peas and saute.
Add required water and salt to taste
When the peas are cooked, add the tomato pieces and coriander leaves and simmer for 4 minutes.
Enjoy with chapathi or with toasted bread.

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Beans Foogath

Ingredients:
Green Beans - 2 cups (French Cut)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - few
Green chillies - 2 (slit)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Salt (to taste)
Oil

Method:
Heat the oil in a non-stick kadai and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the onions and green chillies. Saute till translucent. Add beans and curry leaves. Saute for a minute. Cover the kadai with a deep lid and pour 1/4 cup of water into the lid.
Every 2-3 minutes, remove the lid carefully and stir the beans and again cover with the lid.
Cook the beans till 75% (to retain the colour). It's crunchy since they are 75% cooked. Finally, add the coconut and salt. Stir well.
Enjoy with rice or roti.

Sent off to "Flavours of Goa" event hosted by Oh Taste N See and started by simply.food.

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Methi Matar Malai

Ingredients:
Methi/Fenugreek leaves - 2 cups
Matar/Fresh green peas - 1 cup
Onions (small-sized) - 2
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 2 cloves (big)
Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp.
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cloves - 3
Green cardamom - 2
Green chillies - 2
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Oil
Salt (to taste)
Fresh cream - 1/4 cup
Milk (low fat)- 1/3 cup

Method:
Steam the green peas and keep aside.
Soak the cashews in hot water. Grind onion, green chillies, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cashews into a paste.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds sizzle, add the paste and saute in a low flame. Saute till it releases oil and leaves the sides of the pan. Don't allow the paste to become brown.
Now add the fenugreek leaves and saute till the leaves start to wilt. Now add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of water and stir. Bring it to a boil. Add the green peas and salt to taste.
After 2 to 3 minutes add the cream and milk. Stir well.
Serve with roti or naan.

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Oats Pakoda

Ingredients:
Oats (quick-cooking) - 2 cups
Besan/Gram flour - 1 cup
Hot water - 1 cup
Onions - 2 (finely chopped)
Green chillies- 2 (finely chopped)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Fennel seeds/saunf - 1 tsp.
Mint leaves - few (chopped)
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Fenugreek leaves - few (torn) (optional)
Salt (to taste)
Oil (for deep-frying)

Method:
In a mixing bowl, add oats and pour 1 cup of hot water. Cover and keep aside for 3 to 5 minutes.
Now add all ingredients except oil and mix well.
Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying.
Take one handful of the mixture and keep pinching and drop about 1 inch of the mixture in the oil.
Deep-fry till golden brown colour.
Enjoy with a hot cup of tea/chai.

Note:
If you don't like the taste of bitterness, skip the fenugreek leaves.

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Paruppu Podi

Paruppu podi/lentil powder is a powder eaten with hot rice and melted ghee. This uncomplicated yet delicious 'powder' comes in handy and proves to be very useful during lazy days.

Ingredients:
Toor dal/Arhar dal - 1 cup
Peppercorn - 2 tsp. (not heaped)
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Dry red chilli - 1
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Dry roast dal till golden color. Dry roast the dry red chilli for a few seconds. Cool.
Grind the roasted toor dal and  red chilli, peppercorn, asafoetida and salt to taste into a fine or coarse powder.
Store in an air-tight container and enjoy 1 tsp of powder with hot rice mixed with ghee.

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Oats Porridge (A Healthy Breakfast)

Boil low-fat/skimmed milk and pour it in the quick cooking oats. Cover and keep aside for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, add milk if required. Add sugar and mix well (I didn't add any sugar). Top it with fruits or nuts as desired. I have added orange, pear, banana and apple. Start the day with a healthy breakfast. :)

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