QUICK TAVA RICE

Recipe source:Tarladalal.com
You can find the recipe here
You can also watch the video( in hindi) here

Ingredients

1. Cooked basmati rice- 2 cups
2. Whole Kashmiri red chilies- 3 nos
3. Garlic- 3 cloves
4. Water-1 tsp
5. Onion(sliced finely)- 1/2 cup
6. Capsicum( sliced finely)-1/2 cup
7. Tomato(chopped)-1 cup
8. Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
9. Yogurt- 2 tbsp
10. Salt to taste

Method

• Combine whole red chilies ,garlic and 1 tsp water and grind to form a smooth paste.Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a non stick pan,add onion and saute for a minute.
• Now add the chili -garlic paste and saute for almost 30 seconds on a medium flame.
• Add capsicum,tomato,turmeric powder,salt, yogurt and mix well.Cook for a minute.
• Now add the rice and cook for another 2 minutes,mixing well in between.
• Serve with raitha.

VEGAN DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES ( Eggless and fat free)

Recipe source: Gazing in
You can find the original recipe here

Ingredients

1. Pumpkin puree- 1 cup
2. Sugar-1/2 cup
3. Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
4. All purpose flour- 3/4 cup
5. Cocoa powder-1/3 cup
6. Baking powder- 1 1/2 tsp
7. Baking soda-1/2 tsp
8. Salt-1/4 tsp
9. Semi sweet chocolate chips- 1/2 cup

Method

• Preheat oven to 180 deg C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• In a mixing bowl add pumpkin puree,sugar and vanilla extract and mix well.
• In another bowl whisk together flour,cocoa powder,baking powder,baking soda and salt.
• Add pumpkin mixture to this and mix until combined.
• Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Pour this into the prepared baking tray and level it with a spatula ,bake for about 18 to 20 minutes.
• Let it cool completely before cutting
• Dust the brownie with icing sugar and serve.

Note: *For best results use within 24 hours.
          * This brownie is just moderately sweet ,you can add a few tablespoons more of sugar if required.
          *The original recipe calls for 2 tsp of baking powder,but i added only 1 1/2 tsp.

SPECIAL CHICKEN FRY

Ingredients

1. Chicken (medium sized pieces)- 500 gms
2. Oil
3. Curryleaves- 2 sprigs
4. Rice powder- 2 tsp

For Marination

1. Kashmiri  chili powder-1 tbsp( or to taste)
2. Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
3. Garam masala-1/2 tsp
4. Black peppecorns-1/4 to 1/2 tsp(or to taste)
5. Ginger-1" piece
6. Garlic-4 cloves
7. Mint leaves ( chopped)- 1 tbsp
8. Coriander leaves (chopped)-2 tbsp
9. Shallots- 4 nos
10. Tomato ( chopped)-1/4 cup
11. Salt to taste
12. Water-( as required)

Method

• Combine all the ingredients for marination in a blender with sufficient quantity of water and grid to form a smooth paste.Rub this on to the chicken pieces and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Just before frying add rice powder to the marinated chicken pieces and mix well.
• Heat oil in a non stick pan and shallow fry the chicken pieces over medium flame until browned on all the sides.( make sure you turn the pieces once in between for even cooking).
• Now add curry leaves ,mix well and fry it for a few seconds more.Transfer it on to a kitchen paper.
• Drizzle lemon juice on it just before serving ,if desired.
• Serve with rice or chapathi.

KERALA MANGO PICKLE / MANGA ACHAR

Ingredients

1. Raw mango ( Chopped)- 3 cups
2. Kashmiri chili powder- 5 to 6 tbsp( or according to taste- see note)
3. Turmeric powder-1 tsp
4. Asafoetida powder-1/2 tsp
5. Fenugreek powder-1/4 tsp
6. Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
7. Fenugreek seeds-1/2 tsp
8. Kurryleaves- 2 sprigs
9. Oil-3 to 4 tbsp
10. Salt to taste
11. Vinegar-1/8 cup (more if required)

Method

• Combine together chopped mango,kashmiri chili powder,turmeric powder,asafoetida , fenugreek powder and salt to taste.Mix well and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and let it splutter,now add fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.Saute for a few seconds.
• Now reduce the flame to low and add the marinated chopped mango and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes,stirring well in between. ( or until the skin turns greenish brown,see above picture)
• Switch off the flame and allow it to cool completely.Add vinegar and mix well,adjust salt level if required.
• Transfer if to a glass jar  with a tight lid.Serve with rice.

ENJOY!!!

Note
*You can add regular red chili powder instead of Kashmiri chili powder,in that case just use 2 to 3 tbsp   or according to taste.

HOMEMADE GARAM MASALA

Ingredients

1. Cardamom pods-1/4 cup
2. Cloves-1 tbsp
3. Cinnamon stick- 3 nos( 2" piece)
4. Fennel seeds-1/2 cup
5. Black pepper- 3 tbsp
6. Star anise- 2 nos
7. Nutmeg- 1 no
8. Mace- 4 nos

Method

• Heat a   non stick pan and add all the ingredients and dry roast it for about 2 minutes on a medium low flame.Allow this to cool slightly.
• Grind this to a coarse powder  using a blender.Store it in an airtight container.

Chikoo Kesari

Recipe Source:Sab's Kitchen
You can find the original recipe here

Ingredients

1. Chikoo /Sapota (Peeled and deseeded)- 4 nos
2. Roasted Semolina-1 cup
3. Water- 2 1/2 cup( appr)
4. Sugar- 3/4 to 1 cup ( or to taste)
5. Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp
6. Ghee-4 tsp
7. Cashew  nus( chopped)- 1 tbsp
8. Raisins- 1 tbsp

Method

• Add chikoo to a blender and blend to form a smooth paste.Keep aside.
• Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan and fry the cashew nuts and raisins and keep aside.
• Add the chikoo puree to the same pan and cook for  5 minutes on a medium low flame.
• Pour water and bring it to a boil.
• Now slowly add the roasted semolina ,stirring well as you do so.Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes  on a medium low flame.
• Now add sugar and stir continuously to break the lumps if any.
• Add cardamom powder,cashew nuts and raisins and mix well.
• Add the remaining 2 tbsp ghee and cook until it leave the sides of the pan, or for  about 2 to 3 minutes.
• (You can serve it as it is  or lightly grease a tray and pour the kesari  into it and level it with a spatula , allow it to cool before cutting it into desired shapes.)