Two-in-one Protein Rich Spicy Powder

Spicy powders are used a lot in Indian cuisine to enhance the taste of the dish,sometimes in curries, sambhar, rasam or for dosas, idlis, chaats or just like that to mix in hot plain rice with ghee. This powder recipe is two in one because it can be used as a dry powder as well as an instant chutney by reconstituting the powder with curds and water. This powder is loaded with proteins because of peanuts,roasted gram dhal, so, it is good for kids and has to be stored in the refrigerator for longer shelf life. The biggest advantage is for working people who have no time to make a fresh chutney everyday.The instant chutney is as good as the fresh chutney.

Try it! Makes two cups.

Ingredients	Quantity
Roasted Peanuts (with or without skin)	1 cup
Roasted Gram Dhal	¾ cup
Roasted Shredded Dry Coconut(optional)	½ cup
Chopped Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)	¾ cup
Chopped Green Chillies	¼ cup
Chopped Garlic (optional)	1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds (Jeera)	1 tbsp
Oil	1 tbsp
Salt	to taste

Method

1. Take a pan and add oil and heat it.Add the cumin seeds and fry.Then add the chopped coriander leaves, green chillies and chopped garlic and fry till the leaves wilt and are fried. Cool it.


2. The following steps are important and have to be followed carefully.


3. First powder the peanuts and gram dhal with coconut coarsely and keep it aside.


4. Then grind the coriander fried mixture separately.


5. Take a bowl and add the powdered peanut mixture ,coriander leaf mixture and salt and mix thoroughly .By grinding all the ingredients separately and mixing them , the final product will be powdery and not wet in consistency.If all the ingredients are blended together, then it will not remain a powder but it be wet and will be semisolid.


6. Store this powder in a jar in the refrigerator for further use.


7. This can be used in the powder form or as chutney. To make the chutney,take about three tablespoons of the powder in a small dish and add about half a cup of beaten curd and a tablespoon of water and mix it well with a spoon to a chutney consistency. If more salt is required it can be added and it can be garnished with a mustard seed tempering.

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Sweet Coconut Basket With Ice Cream

In one of my travels to Kerala I came across a simple dessert made with coconut. Hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed it!

Ingredients	Quantity
Grated Coconut	1 cup
Jaggery (Gur or Gud)	½ cup
Cardamom Powder	1 tsp
Plain Flour (Maida)	½ cup
Water	¼ cup
Hot Oil or Ghee (Optional)	1 tsp
oil	for deep frying
Honey	2 tbsps

Method

1. Take a bowl and mix the plain flour,hot ghee and enough water to make a firm dough.Cover it and keep it aside.


2. To make he filling,take a pan and heat it. Pour half a cup of water and and add the jaggery and cook both of them till it forms thick syrup.


3. Add cardamom powder and grated coconut and mix. Remove from heat and let it cool.


4. Make lemon sized balls with this coconut mixture.


5. Take the dough and divide it into seven or eight balls.


6. Roll each ball into a thin circle.


7. Place a coconut ball in the center of the circle and with water wet the edges with little water.


8. Now bring all the sides of the circle to the center and close it to make a basket.Do the same with the rest of the balls.


9. Fry these baskets in hot oil till golden brown.


10. Place one coconut basket in a serving bowl and a scoop of your favourite ice cream and drizzle honey over this and serve.

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Stuffed Coconut Dessert

Ingredients:

• Plain flour                                                           1/2 cup
• Salt                                                                        a pinch
• Oil                                                                          for deep frying

For the filling:

• Grated Coconut                                                     1/2 cup
• Brown Sugar/Jaggery                                          1/4 cup
• Cardamom Powder                                               1/4 tsp

For the Topping:

• Honey                                                                      1 tablespoon
• Chopped Nuts/Dryfruits                                     As per desire
• Vanilla Ice Cream                                                 6 scoops

Method To Prepare The Filling:

1. Take jaggery or brown sugar in a pan and add a tablespoon of water and cook till it becomes a thick syrup on low flame.
2. Add the grated coconut and cardamom powder and mix it in
3. Cook till it thickens, stirring occasionally.
4. Cool this mixture

Method To Prepare Stuffed Coconut Dessert:

1. Make a stiff dough with plain flour, salt and water, and keep it aside.
2. Divide the dough into six balls.
3. Roll out each ball into circles.
4. Place a tablespoon of coconut filling in the centre of the circle and cover the mixture with a half-fold of the dough circle and shape them into long pieces which are well sealed.
5. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.
6. Fry the long stuffed pieces in the oil till they are light brown and crispy.
7. To serve, place one fried piece on a plate and a scoop of ice cream and drizzle a little of honey on this. Chopped nuts can also be sprinkled on this.

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