Cocktail Beetroot Samosas

Saturday, June 26, 2010 0 comments

Normally in samosas, boiled potato is used as a filling but in this recipe, grated beetroot has been used along with sprouted green gram. To make the filling, only half a teaspoon of oil has been used. So, this filling is nearly fat free and more nutritious than the potato filling. When served as a starter,it is light to eat.You can make them into different shapes also. Its good to give children this nutrients loaded little samosas!Makes about fifteen of them.





























































Ingredients For The Filling Quantity
Grated Beet Root ¾ cup
Green Gram Sprouts 2 tbsps
Chopped Coriander Leaves (Cilantro) 2 tbsps
Red Chilly Powder ½ tsp
Cumin Powder ½ tsp
Coriander Powder ½ tsp
Garam Masala Powder ½ tsp
Lime Juice ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying


































Ingredients For The Covering Quantity
Plain Flour (Maida) ¾ cup
Oil 1 tbsp (optional)
Salt to taste
Water to make the dough


Method for the filling

  1. Take a pan and add half a teaspoon of oil and add the cumin powder,coriander powder,red chilly powder,garam masala powder and the grated beet root and mix.

  2. Add the salt and cover it.Add the sprouts and a table spoon of coriander leaves and cook till it is done and nearly dry.Add the lime juice and mix it.

  3. Take it off from the heat and cool it.

Method for the Covering

  1. Take the plain flour,salt and oil in container and mix them with enough water to make a firm but smooth dough and keep it covered for an hour.

Method to make the samosas

  1. Divide the dough into small balls.

  2. Take each ball and roll them thinly into circles.

  3. Place a spoonful of the beetroot filling in the center of the circle and fold it into half. Then again fold it to form a triangle. Wet the edges of the covering with water and seal it.To finish it, press the edges with the back of a fork to form a design.The folding can be done in a different way too. Roll out the covering to form a circle. Place the filling on one side of the circle and roll the circle like a spring roll. Seal the edges with water and press it with the back of the fork.

  4. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.

  5. When all the dough has been used up, deep fry them in hot oil till they are golden brown. Garnish them with chopped coriander leaves and sprouts.

  6. Serve them hot with tomato ketchup or tomato garlic dip or green chutney.
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Assortment of Cup Cakes

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There are a number of recipes for making cup cakes/muffins. Some of them use butter,some oil and some are egg less too.Here the recipe which is given has eggs and is made with butter.When the basic cake batter is made, ou can make an assortment of cakes like fruit muffins,chocolate muffins or banana muffins.If it is your kid's birthday party,you can put the initials of each child you have invited on the cupcakes with icing or jelly and it becomes fun when they choose their muffins with their respective initials. This recipe makes about forty eight small cup cakes. Try it!















































Ingredients Quantity
Plain Flour 4 ½ cups
Sugar 3 cups
Butter 12 tbps
Eggs 8 medium
Baking Powder 2 tsps
Salt a pinch
Vanilla Essence 1 tsp



Note: To make chocolate cake, use half a cup of semisweet chocochips melted with a little milk in the microwave and a teaspoon of instant coffee powder.Cocoa powder can also be used.
To make fruit cake you can use differnt coloured candied friuts chopped into small pieces.Tutti fruiti can be used
To make banana cake, use mashed ripe banana and mix it in the batter jut before baking.

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to about 250 degrees Centigrade.Sieve the flour with baking powder and salt atleast three times.

  2. Take butter in a large vessel and beat it with a hand grinder or a wooden spoon till it is light and stands in peaks.

  3. Add the sugar which is powdered and mix it with the butter till it is light.

  4. Add the eggs one by one to the butter sugar mixture and vanilla essence and mix them lightly.

  5. Add the flour mixture and mix very lightly so that the batter is mixed well.

  6. Divide this batter into three portions.

  7. In the first portion, add the fruit pieces to make the fruit cup cakes.In the second portion add the choclate mixture to make chocolate cakes. To the third portion add the mashed banana and mix to make banana cupcakes.

  8. Take a muffin tray, and place the paper cups and add the required batter and bake it in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.Check it if it is done by placing a sharp knife or butter knife into the cake and when taken out it should come out clean.The top of the cup cakes will also become slightly brown in colour.

  9. Serve them on a plate.These can be had with tea or coffee too.
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Jackfruit Rasam/Soup

Saturday, June 19, 2010 2 comments

Jack fruit has an unique taste and flavour and is available in India at the end of Summer espcially in the South. These ripe fruits are like segments and have seeds which are also used in various curries or just boiled with salt and eaten like peanuts!The raw fruit is also eaten all over India. Rasam is a very popular side dish in the South which has pepper and cumin mostly and is invigorating.Usually tomatoes and drumsticks are added to the rasam to enhance the flavour but in this recipe, jackfruit has been used.This rasam can be had as a soup too if you wish.Makes about four to five cups.













































































Ingredients Quantity
Ripe Jackfruit Segments 7 to 8
Tamarind 1 lemon sized ball
Rasam Powder 1 ½ tsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves (Cilantro) 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves a few
Jaggery (optional) 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric Powder ½ tsp
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Clarified Butter (Ghee) 1 tsp
Water 6 cups


Method

  1. Soak tamarind in one cup of water for 15 to 20 mins and extract the juice and keep it aside.

  2. Take a pan and add the ripe jack fruit pieces,tamarind extract,salt and tumeric powder and boil it. Add the rest of the water and boil.

  3. When the jack fruit pieces are cooked,add the rasam powder and jaggery and boil for some more time.If rasam powder is not available,add powdered pepper and cumin seeds.

  4. Take it off from the heat and place a small pan for tempering.Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds,curry leaves and asafoetida to the clarified butter or ghee and heat it till the mustard seeds crackle.

  5. Add this to the rasam taken in a serving bowl and garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.

  6. Serve it hot as a side dish with hot rice or drink it like a soup.
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Semolina ( Suji ) Halwa

Saturday, June 12, 2010 0 comments


Semolina is made from wheat and is easily digestable.In South India, semolina is used in making breakfast foods like "upma" or "rava dosa".It is also used to make,a sweet dish called "suji halwa" which is popular in North India.Suji halwa is soft and is quick to make and is easily digestable.Makes a big bowl of halwa.






























































Ingredients Quantity
Semolina (Suji) 1 cup
Sugar 1 ½ cups
Clarified Butter (Ghee) ¼ cups
Water 2 cups
Cashewnuts 10
Raisins 1 tbsps
Tutti Fruiti Pieces 1 tbsp
Cardamom 1 tsp
Saffron (optional) ½ tsp
Milk 2 tbsp



Method

  1. Soak saffron in two tablespoons of warm milk and keep it aside.

  2. Take sugar and water in a pan and heat it till the water boils and sugar dissolves completely.Add the saffron soaked in warm milk.Keep it warm.

  3. Take another pan and add the clarified butter{ghee} and fry cashewnuts till light brown and then add the raisins and fry for a second.Keep a few fried cashewnuts and raisins aside for garnishing.

  4. Now, add the semolina and fry in the ghee lightly.

  5. Add the warm sugar syrup and stir. Lower the heat.

  6. Cover the pan, and cook till the water evaporates.Turn off the heat.

  7. Serve hot or cold in a serving bowl and garnish it with fried cashews,raisins and coloured tutti fruiti pieces.
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Spicy Buttermilk Cookies

Friday, June 11, 2010 3 comments

Cookies made without sugar and with a little spice can be enjoyed by diabetics as well.Green chillies,coriander leaves and cumin powder have been added to spice up the cookies.Makes about 10 to 12 cookies.
































































Ingredients Quantity
Plain Flour (Maida) ½ cup
Cold Unsalted Butter ½ cup
Buttermilk 1 tbsp
Green Chillies 2
Coriander Leaves (Cilantro) 1 small bunch
Cumin Powder 1 tsp
Baking Powder ½ tsp
Baking Soda ¼ tsp
Salt ¼ tsp
Milk 2 tbsps


Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220 degres C.

  2. Make a paste with green chillies and coriander leaves and keep it aside.

  3. Take a bowl and crumble the butter into the flour so that it resembles bread crumbs. Do not knead.

  4. Add all the other ingredients and mix it into a dough and wrap the dough in a cellophane wrapper and keep it aside for an hour. The dough will be soft.

  5. After one hour, roll the dough lightly on a floured board and cut it with a cookie cutter or into any shape and brush them on the top with milk and bake for nearly thirty minutes at 250degres C.

  6. Serve them with tea or coffee.
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Oatmeal Cookies

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This nutritious oatmeal cookies are made generally by many people.It has become popular because people have become aware of the nutritive value of oats in their diets. In India, people are trying to incorporate oats in their local cusine like breakfast foods like upma,pulav,raita{with yoghurt} or vadas. These cookies are crunchy and to enhance the flavour,chocolate chips can be added too.This recipe makes about twelve delicious ccokies.





















































Ingredients Quantity
Plain Flour (Maida) ½ cup
Brown Sugar ¼ cup
Unsalted Butter ½ tbsps
Oats ½ tbsps
Thick Buttermilk ½ cup
Baking Powder ½ tsp
Baking Soda ½ tsp
Plain Flour to sprinkle on baking tray


Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C.

  2. Take a bowl and add the flour and cold butter and cut it into it.Mix it with fingers so that it resembles bread crumbs.

  3. Add the brown sugar,baking powder, baking soda,oats,buttermilk and brown sugar and lightly mix them.

  4. Make balls and place them on the floured tray and bake them till they turn brown in colour. The dough will be slightly soft.The buttermilk can be reduced if necessary.

  5. Serve them for breakfast or with tea or coffee.
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Custard Powder Cookies

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Custard powder is used to make dessert or pour over cakes to make trifle pudding.Here in this recipe, an attempt has been made to use custard in powder form in cookies as one of the ingredients.Kids and grown ups will enjoy these as it has a different flavour.Serves about fifteen cookies.
















































Ingredients Quantity
Plain Flour (Maida) ½ cup
Custrad Powder ¼ cup
Powdered Sugar) ¼ cup
Unsalted Butter 2 ½ tbsps
Baking Powder ⅛ tsp
Vanilla Essence ½ tsp
Water 1 tbsp


Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.

  2. Take a bowl and add the flour,baking powder,custard powder and butter and mix with the fingers so that the flour resembles bread crumbs.

  3. Add the sugar, vanilla essence and a little water and mix lightly to form a soft dough.

  4. Grease the baking tray and make about fifteen balls and place them on the greased tray and press them lightly in the center.

  5. Place the tray in the oven and bake for about fifteen minutes or till they are slightly brown in colour. Do not over bake them ,they will become hard.Cookies in general, when you bake them should be removed from the oven when they are still slightly soft.

  6. Serve them with tea or coffee.
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Cookies

Wednesday, June 9, 2010 0 comments
What if you can make oven fresh cookies at home? Everyone in the family would enjoy them! When cookies are made at home, they cost less and you get more of them-Most of all, the joy of making them yourself! They are not that cumbersome to make and takes less time, if you have an oven in the house. These vegetarian recipes for cookies are made from ingredients mostly available in the kitchen. Children in summer holidays can help their mothers in mixing or rolling the cookie dough and, of course, in tasting as well!
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Gluten Free Chapatis

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Gluten Free Chapatis - Ramani's Recipes
Chapatis ( Indian Bread ) made out of amaranth flour or rajgira flour {Indian name},rice flour and mashed potato are gluten free, nutritious and are tasty too.To spice it up,green chilly,coriander leaves,cumin and ginger garlic paste can be added.The dough can either be made into crisp puris which are fried and more calorific or rolled into chapatis.This recipe serves about six chapatis or ten puris.



































































Ingredients Quantity
Rajgira Flour 1 cup
Rice Flour ½ cup
Bolied Mashed Potatoes ½ cup
Green Chillies 2
Coriander Leaves (Cilantro) 1 bunch
Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tsp
Roasted Cumin Seed Powder ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Water as required
Polythene sheets 2


Method

  1. Make a paste with green chillies,coriander leaves,ginger garlic paste and keep it aside.

  2. Take a bowl and add the rajgira flour,rice flour,salt,green chilly paste,cumin powder and mashed potato and mix it well to form a fairly stiff dough. If water is required you may use a little.

  3. Rest the dough for fifteen minutes or less.

  4. Divide the dough into equal lemon sized balls for chapatis.

  5. Heat a flat greased pan.

  6. Take one ball of the dough and place it on a polythene sheet and cover the dough with the other sheet. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a round shape about four to five inches in diameter.

  7. Place this chapati on the hot greased pan and cook on low heat till it is slightly brown and turn the side.Pour about half a teaspoon of oil over and along the sides of the chapati so that the edges get brown. When both the sides are light brown and cooked, remove and continue with the next one.

  8. For puris roll them between the polythene sheets into thicker and smaller size and deep fry them till golden brown and crisp.

  9. Serve them hot with green chilly pickle or vegetable pickle or with dhal or any vegetable dish.
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Vegetable Momos

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Momo is a Tibetian dish. This dish has an outer covering made of flour and has a filling which can be made according to your choice. Even a potato filling can be used.They are steamed and less fat is used and so, they have become popular.Nearly every street in Delhi has a Momos kiosk. Both vegetable and meat momos are available.In this vegetable momo, the filling has shredded cabbage,carrots and capsicum. Even shredded tofu can be used to increase its nutritive value.This recipe serves about ten medium sized momos.

















































































































Ingredients Quantity
Plain Flour{Maida} 1 cup
Salt to taste
Cold Water enough to make dough
INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING  
Shredded Cabbage 1 cup
Grated Carrot ¼ cup
Chopped Capsicum (Green Bell Pepper) 2 tbsps
Chopped Onions 2 tbsps
Chopped Ginger ½ tsp
Chopped Garlic ½ tsps
Soy Sauce 1 tbsp
Tomato Sauce 1 tbsp
Chilli Sauce 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tsp
INGREDIENTS FOR THE DIP  
Ripe Tomatoes 2
Garlic Cloves 6 to 7
Soaked Dry Red Chillies 2
Salt to taste



Method

  1. Mix the flour with enough cold water and salt in a container and knead it to fairly stiff dough.Cover it and keep it aside.

  2. To make the fillng,take oil in a pan and add the ginger,garlic and onions and fry a little.Add the vegetables and salt and cook for three minutes.

  3. Then add the soy sauce,tomato sauce and chilly sauce and mix.

  4. Cook the vegetables till the water in them evaporates. Keep it aside.

  5. To make the dip,grind the chopped tomatoes,garlic,salt and soaked red chillies in a grinder to a fine paste.Water may be added for the right consistency.

  6. To make the momos,divide the dough into ten balls and roll out each ball into three inches diameter circles. The edges should be thinner than the center.

  7. Take each circle and place a teaspoon and a half of the filling in the center and gather the edges by pleating to the center. Seal it with a little water.Different shapes can be made also like semicircles..If you are making them before hand then the momos have to covered with moist cloth before steaming otherwise they will become dry.

  8. If a typical bamboo steamer is not available , they can be put on a greased plate and placed on a utensil and steamed in pressure cooker without the weight.Or an idli steamer can be used.The moulds have to be greased before placing the momos so that the do not stick to the plate while removing.The momos have to steamed for ten to fifteen minutes.

  9. Serve hot momos with the hot garlic dip.

  10. These steamed momos can also be fried in oil to make them crisp.But this becomes high in calories.Momos can be served as a starter or as a light meal.
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Stuffed Tindas

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Tinda is a summer vegetable found mostly in North India. Its even available nowadays in the South too.This vegetable has a distinct flavour and if they are tender they can be used as a whole with any kind of stuffing you like.They cook easily too. This recipe serves four to five people.




























































































Ingredients Quantity
Small Tender Even Sized Tindas 10
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tsp
Water 3 tbsps
FOR THE STUFFING  
Finely Chopped Onions 5 tbsps
Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tsp
Finely Chopped Tomatoes 3 tbsps
Red Chilly Powder ½ tsp
Coriander Powder ½ tsp
Cumin Powder ½ tsp
Turmeric Powder ½ tsp
Garam Masala Powder ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp


Method

  1. Wash and clean the tindas and make four slits for the stuffing. If they are tender no need to peel them also.

  2. To make the stuffing, heat oil in a pan.

  3. Add ginger garlic paste,chopped onions and fry them till light brown.

  4. Add the cumin powder,coriander powder,tumeric powder,chilly powder,garam masala powder,and chopped tomatoes and fry them till the water evaporates. Cool it.

  5. Take the tindas and stuff them with the prepared filling.

  6. Take a pan and add the oil and cumin seeds and fry them.

  7. Drop the stuffed tindas into this and add three table spoons of water and cover and cook them on medium heat.

  8. Keep stirring them in between, keeping in mind to keep the stuffing intact.

  9. Cook them till they are tender and remove them from the heat.

  10. Serve hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves with chappatis or rice.
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Greens in Sesame Seed Sauce

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This nutritious recipe is yet another one using sesame seeds. Normally thick stems of Amaranth leaves are used.These thick stems are known as "thotakura kaadalu" in Telugu{Indian language} which are available sometimes.The gravy can be flowing or thick and is made with rice and sesame seeds.This simple recipe is very nutritious and serves three to four people.


































































Ingredients Quantity
Freshly Chopped Amaranth Leaves 3 cups
Garlic Cloves (Optional) 6 to 7
Dry Red Chillies 3
Black Gram Dhal (Urad Dhal) 1 tsp
Benga Gram (Channa Dhal) 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds ½ tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) ¼ tsp
Oil 1 tsp
Rice 3 tbsp
Sesame Seeds 3 tbsp
Water as per requirement
Salts to taste


Method

  1. Soak the rice and sesame seeds in water for twenty minutes. Grind this along with two red chillies and salt into a fine paste with water and keep it aside. This will be about half to three fourths cup.

  2. Take oil in a pan and add the urad dhal,channa dhal,mustard seeds,cumin seeds,asafoetida and one red chilly and fry till the mustard seeds crackle.

  3. Add the garlic cloves and fry for a minute and then add the chopped amaranth leaves and little salt. Stir fry the greens without covering so that the green colour remains intact.

  4. Then add the rice, sesame paste to this and mix well.

  5. Lower the heat and cook till the paste is cooked.More water can be added if necessary.Remove from heat.

  6. Serve this hot with rice or chappatis.
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Spicy Kanjivaram Idlis

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This special variety of idli is from Kanchipuram,South India.I remember when we were young,we often used to visit the Sri Parthsarathy Temple,in Chennai.We,as kids,longed to buy and eat from the prasadam counter their famous "pulihodari" and " kanchipuram idli" after finishing our prayers.I therefore thought of sharing this recipe which I came across in one of my old recipe books.I made this for my family a number of times and they enjoyed it too! If you like the flavour of the spices like pepper,cumin seeds or ginger powder then you must try it.This recipe is nearly authentic but there may be some variation also.This idli was steamed as one big portion in a large plate for two hours and then cut into required shapes before serving or but we can use the idly steamer and make small idlis. This serves eight to ten piecesor more. Its gluten free too.


































































Ingredients Quantity
Black Gram Dhal (Urad Dhal) ½ cup
Raw Rice ½ cup
Parboiled Rice ½ cup
Dry Ginger Powder 2 tsps
Pepper Corns 2 tsps
Cumin Seeds (Jeera) 1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) ¼ tsp
Curry Leaves a few
Salt to taste
Sesame Oil (Gingelly Oil) 5 tbsps


Method

  1. Soak the dhal and rice seperately in water for two to three hours.

  2. Wash them and grind the dhal to a fine paste and grind the rice coarsely and mix all of them in a container with salt. Add water if necessary for the right consistency.Keep this idli batter overnight to ferment.

  3. Whenever you want to prepare idlis ,first powder coarsely the ginger powder,cumin seeds,pepper corns,asafoetida and curry leaves in a grinder and keep it aside.

  4. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan and add it to the batter.Then add the powder of spices and the remaining three tablespoons of oil without heating and mix into the batter well.

  5. Take an idli steamer and grease the moulds with gingelly oil and drop a spoonful of the mixed batter into the moulds and steam them in the pressure cooker for ten to twelve minutes.

  6. Serve hot with coconut chutney.
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