EGGLESS BUTTERLESS TUTTI FRUTTI CAKE

I get excited n more energized when i have guests at home.. I never run to shops to buy snacks / food.. Simple and homemade is what i serve em.. n tis eggless butterless tutti frutti cake i made for my lite eat guests who were there for evening. Served these sliders with tea!! My home was smelling so damn heavenly when this was getting baked!!

What you need: Inspired from Yummy tummy
All Purpose Flour / Maida - 1 and 1/3 cup 
Sugar - ½ cup
Oil -  ½ cup 
Baking Powder -  tsp
Baking Soda - ½ tsp
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
Tutti Fruity - 1 cup
Condensed Milk / Milkmaid - ¼ cup 
Milk -  ½ cup ( or more)

How to make:
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 360°F. Put parchment paper in the bottom of the pan apply butter / oil and dust the sides.

Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda together and set aside.  In a bowl add oil, sugar and vanilla and beat well. Add in condensed milk, milk and mix well.

Now sift the flour mixture to it, add tutti frutti and mix well. If reqd add more milk or reduce based on the texture. 

Pour into the tin and bake for 45 - 50 mins or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool it and slice it and serve with cup of tea!! 

CORN ON THE COB (WITH GARLIC HERBED LOW CAL BUTTER)

This climate needs some hot corn rolled in spiced butter. it makes a perfect evening munch.. Absolutely loved this buttery spicy garlic flavored corn cobs.. low in calories guilt free munch if low cal butter is used.. 

What you need:
2 corn cobs - cleaned
100 gms - Low cal Butter, softened
2 pods - Garlic, chopped finely
1 tsp - Red Chilli flakes
1/3 cup - Fresh coriander 
1 tsp - Lemon juice
Salt as reqd

How to make:
Place the corn cobs in a pressure pan and cook with salt for 6 - 8 hisses.

Mix melted butter, garlic, lime juice, chilli flakes, coriander and salt if reqd in a bowl and give a nice mix and refrigerate.

After 15 mins remove the butter spread on the corn cobs and gobble.

VEGGIES IN HOT GARLIC SAUCE

Indo Chinese style veggies in simple garlic sauce made this for lunch with store bought baguettes. Simple to make dish with loads of flavors.

What you need:
2 cups - Mixed veggies (Broccoli, Baby corn, Mushrooms, Bell peppers, Zucchini, Purple cabbage)
2 tbsp - Spring onion, whites n green parts chopped separately
8 pods - Garlic, chopped finely
2 nos - Green chillies, slit
1 tsp - Soya sauce
1 tsp - White Vinegar
2 tsp - Red Chilli sauce
Salt n pepper as reqd
1 tsp - Sesame oil / Any oil

How to make:
Heat oil in a pan saute garlic, green chillies, white parts of spring onions and saute well.

Add veggies and saute on high heat until the veggies are half done.

Now add the sauces, mix well. In a glass mix half cup water with 1 tsp corn flour mix well and add it to the veggies add pepper and salt (if reqd)  stir well and allow to gentle boil.

Once they start thickening switch off the heat and sprinkle green parts of spring onions. 

Serve hot with Rice or Baguettes.

MUSHROOM PEPPER RICE / KAALAAN MILAGU SAADHAM

A quick to make rice dish with local flavors are my take on weekdays to be packed for lunchbox for SH!!  Bored of usual fried rice so tried this flavorful rice.

What you need:
Mushroom - 1 pkt, washed well and chopped
Mini Soya chunks - 1/4 cup, cooked
Onion - 1 no, chopped
Green chillies - 2 nos, slit
Cumin Powder - ½ tsp
Coriander powder - ½ tsp
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Fennel Seed - ½ tsp
Red chilli - 1 no
Salt as reqd
Oil - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 5 nos
Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp

How to make:

Heat oil in a pan add fennel seeds, green chillies, red chilli, curry leaves saute well add onion and saute until raw smell goes off.

Add mushrooms, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, pepper powder, salt and mix well. 

Cook till all the water from mushroom leaves and they gets roasted well add cooked rice mix well, sprinkle coriander leaves mix well and serve hot!!

MYSORE BONDA

Rainy season evenings demands some crunchy hot snacks!! Made these cute small Mysore bondas they turned crispy and yummy .. served with sambar and coconut chutney with coffee!!

What you need:
Uradh dal - 1/2 cup
Rice flour - 2 tsp
Coconut - 2 tbsp, chopped
Green chillies - 2 nos, chopped
Black Pepper - 1 tsp, crushed
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Coriander n Curry leaves - 2 tsp, chopped
Salt as reqd
Oil for frying

How to make:
Soak urad dal for 45 mins and grind till fluffy adding very little water approx 2 tsp, remove in a bowl add salt, rice flour and chopped ingredients to it and mix well.

Heat oil in a kadai grease the hands with water and n drop these small balls n deep fry until they turn golden in color and drain on kitchen towel and serve hot with with sambar, coconut chutney and hot cup of coffee or tea and enjoy these munches!!

BUTTERSCOTCH BURFI (with homemade buterscotch praline)

Burfi had always been my childhood fav.. i remember during those days my grand ma use to take me to all the weddings n no weddings without these colorful burfis happened. Espcly the green colored ones were my fav... Nowadays Kaju Katli have taken the place at weddings..

Made these butterscotch burfis to be given to my SIL for diwali.. 

What you need:
All Purpose Flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Yellow Food Color - pinch
Butterscotch Essence - 1 tsp
Butterscotch Praline - 1/4 cup (1 cup - Sugar; Butter - 1 
tbsp)
Mixed Nuts - 1/4 cup, chopped

How to make Butterscotch Praline:
In a small pan add sugar and allow the color to changes to caramel color and allow this to boil and to thicken at this stage add butter mix well and pour over tin and allow to set. Break them into bites and use as necessary.

How to make Burfi:
Heat ghee in a pan roast the nuts n set aside in the same pan add the flour and roast in medium heat until nice aroma comes then transfer to a plate.

In the same pan add sugar and water just to immerse the sugar and bring to one string consistency add food color, butterscotch essence and mix well.

Throw the flour to the sugar mixture mix well and keep stirring continuously in low heat approx 5 mins once it starts leaving the pan pour to the tin, flatten it and allow to cool.

Once it starts to cool sprinkle butterscotch praline press it slightly and cut into desired shapes.

MICROWAVE TUTTI FRUTTI RAVA LADOO IN 4 MINS

Last min preparations for Diwali??? This microwave tutti frutti rava ladoo is a perfect sweet and can be made in 4 mins. Kids will def love these colorful sweet balls. Addition of condensed milk enhances the taste. 

What you need: Inspired from Yummy Tummy

Rava / Sooji - 1/2 cup 

Condensed Milk - 1/3 cup

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Tutti Fruity - 3 tbsp

Milk - 1 tbsp

How to make:

In a microwave safe bowl, add ghee place in microwave for a min and remove it.

Add rava / sooji mix well and microwave for a min. 

Remove give a stir and place in microwave again for a min; remove and mix well.

Add condensed milk and milk; mix well. Pop in microwave and cook for 1 min. 

Remove mix well add tutti fruitti mix well shape into small balls cool it and serve!!

RASMALAI in 10 mins

Rasmalai is a sooper rich n creamylicious Indian dessert...this is always been my fav.. the spongy rasgullas soaked in rich milk base yumm i shd say.. 

Many gift hampers carry Rasgullas which mite be a boring affair.. so try this quick version or cheaters version and surprise your guests with homemade delicacy..i treated my self ...

What you need:
Store bought / Homemade Rasgullas - 10 nos, (squeezed)
Boiled Milk - 1 cup
Condensed milk - 1/4 cup 
Nuts (cashewnuts, pistachios n almonds -  Half handfull
Saffron - few strands
Cardamom powder - a pinch

How to make:
Heat a pan add condensed milk, milk and bring to gentle boil. Add saffron strands and bring to boil, add chopped nuts, cardamom powder mix well add squeezed up rasgullas and simmer for 2 -3 mins and switch off the stove.

Cool and serve chilled!!

RASGULLAS... sinfully sweet!!

Rasgulla a famous sweet made of Paneer / Indian cottage cheese. The rasgulla hater inside me took a U turn and made me to try this sooper easy to make sweet for Diwali. Made these espcly for my In laws who r ardent sweet lovers; since store bought carries higher amount of sugars they never eat when bought from shops. So i made a lesser sugar version esplcy for them. Hope they will like it...

 What you need:
Milk - 1 liter
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 2 cups ( can be reduced)
Water - 4 cups
Cardamom powder - gen pinch

How to make:
Boil milk in a pan when it starts to boil simmer and add lemon juice stir well once it curdles well strain thru a muslin cloth and wash well under running water, squeeze excess water and allow to drain.

Take a plate place the paneer and knead until it forms a soft dough. Divide into equal portions and make small balls.

In a vessel add water, sugar and cardamom powder dissolve the sugar and once it stars boiling slowly add the balls and cook for 7 -8 mins with lid closed. 

Mean while keep checking that the balls dont stick to each other. Once they double in size remove and cool it and serve cold with silvered almonds and pistachios.

Enjoy this Diwali with home made Rasgollas!!!

WHEAT GARLIC KAARASEV / GODHUMAI MAAVU POONDU KAARASEV

Tweaked the usual kaarasev recipe and made this one with wheat and rice flour with spicy garlic paste n chillies.. They did turn crispier and made a perfect chaai time snack!!

What you need:
1 cup - Wheat flour
1/2 cup - Rice flour
1 tsp - Hot oil
1 tsp - Red chilli powder
1 tsp - Garlic paste
Salt as reqd
Oil - for frying


How to make:
In a bowl add wheat and rice flour mix well, add a tsp hot oil salt, garlic paste, red chilli powder and mix well.

Add water little by little and make into smooth soft ball. Heat oil in  a pan; fill the dough in the murukku press and squeeze on hot oil fry them up turn them and fry until they turn golden in color.

Drain the mixture and store in  air tight container!! Serve with your evening chaai / coffee!!

SAVORY ONION CRACKERS (BAKED)

This is a sooper spicy n crunchy cracker perfect for tea time munch. In different variations these crackers can be made n google carries so many cracker recipes but the one i made suited me the best. The flavors from onions hits the entire house wen baked..

What you need:
1/2 cup - Wheat Flour
1/4 cup - Oats flour
1/4 cup - Maida / APF
1 tbsp - Sesame seeds
1/2 cup - Onion, 2 nos - Green chillies,1/4 bunch - Fresh Coriander - add them in chopper and give a fine cut.
3/4 tsp - Baking powder
2 tbsp - Olive oil
Small Pinch of Sugar
Salt as reqd
Warm water as reqd

How to make:
Preheat oven to 180 C.

Mix all the ingredients except water, now slowly add water little by little to form a dough.

Roll the dough and divide them into rounds and bake them for 10 - 15 mins or until they turn crispier..

Enjoy these crispy crackers with cup of chai!!

VARAGU ARISI KONDAKADALAI BIRIYANI / KODO MILLET CHICKPEAS BIRIYANI

Low carb foods have become the much needed change. With the variety of millets available in markets the choices of preperation's have mulitipled. There is saying in Tamil "Unave Marundhu" which means food is the medicine. Millet which form the natural food category are rich source of fiber and regular consumption will definitely eradicate the use of medicines. 

Kodo millet / Varagu as become a staple rice substitute in idilies / dosas. Also delicious biriyani n flavored rices can be made using these millets which is in season now. Made this chickpeas biriyani with kodo / varagu millet for my Sunday lunch with some curried egg whites and mixed vegetable raitha!!

Rinsing them and soaking them is much important part as these are grown by Organic farmers (against pesticides) Pre soaking them for 30 mins and cooked in less than 10 mins. 

What you need:
Kodo millet - 1 cup, soaked for 30 mins and cooked in 2 and 1/2 cups water in a pressure pan for 10 mins and cooled.
Chick peas - 1/2 cup, soaked overnight and pressure cooked for 6 hisses
Onion - 1 medium sized, chopped
Tomatoes - 2 nos, chopped
Garlic - 3 pods, chopped 
Ginger - 1 tsp, chopped
Green chillies - 2 nos
Mint leaves- 1 handfull
Fresh coriander - 1 handfull
Red chilli powder - 1 /2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt as reqd
Cooking oil - 1/2 Tbsp
Lemon juice - 1/ tsp
Fried onions - 2 tbsp

How to make:
Make a coarse paste of green chillies, garlic n ginger.

In a deep pan heat oil, saute onion, add the ggg paste and saute until golden in color.

Now add tomatoes, salt, red chilli powder, garam masala and cook till they soften.

Add chick peas, 1/2 cup water and saute well. Add mint, coriander saute well, add cooked millet mix well turn to medium heat  once everything comes together add fresh coriander, lime juice, fried onions and serve hot with raita!!

BAKED OATS DIWALI MIXTURE

It's time to make our festive foods nutritious n guilt free. Diwali is one such festive where loads of sugar, ghee, butter n what not is made in excess use. South Indian houses without traditional diwali mixture is a big no no.. 

Recent post on baking Diwali mixture #The Hindu drew my attention n wat more inspiration is needed.. Baked Oats mixture in less than an hour. No preparation required, no deep frying, no chickpeas!!! 

It's a desi version of granola with our fav Indian spices. Made this especially for my FIL who is on no salt diet.. his most fav is Mixture n coffee.. So made this guilt free, oil free, vegan, low cal Mixture for him.. he jus loved it..  

What you need:

2 cup - Oats
1/4 cup - Raw peanuts
10 nos - Raw cashews
5 nos - Raw Badam
10 nos - Black raisins
5 nos - White raisins
1/4 cup - Roasted gram (pottukadalai)
1/4 cup - Fresh / dry coconut flakes
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tsp - Red chilli powder
1/4 tsp - Asafoetida
2 sprigs - Curry leaves
Salt as reqd
1 tbsp - Olive oil

How to make:
Preheat oven to 160C. In a wide bowl add all the ingredients and toss well.

Drizzle oil toss well and place on a lined baking tray.

Bake for 30 minx or until the mixture is lightly browned, stirring every 10 minutes. 

Remove and allow to cool. If the mixture isn't crispy bake for another 10 mins with few drops of oil.

Cool and store in air tight container.

FRESH COCONUT CHOCOLATE BURFI

With Diwali in few weeks loads of sweets are being posted by fellow bloggers n so why not me .. joining the band.. here is my Fresh Coconut Chocolate Burfi!!  They turned out sooper good..

Post Golu visits to relatives and friends house my kitchen was stocked with coconut in diff sizes. Coconut Burfi and Gulab Jamun are no fail South Indian womens sweet dish apart from regular Kesari. So what would my mind say "Coconut burfi" but i def want to keep it different.....so added milk chocolate to the sugar syrup and voila my yummy coconut chocolate burfi in mins was done..

I only had one piece and the rest went to my neighbors tummies.. they keep sniffing around my kitchen.. n i did get loads of appreciation n req for another batch too..

What you need:
1 cup - Fresh coconut, grated
50 gms - Milk Chocolate, grated
1 cup - Sugar
1/4 tsp - Cardamom powder
2 tbsp - Ghee
3 tbsp - Cucumber seeds

How to make:
Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan, roast the coconut and transfer to a plate.

Heat the pan add sugar and water jus to immerse and in medium heat bring to one string consistency, Add grated chocolate, coconut, cardamom powder and cook in simmer until the mixture gets off the vessel.

Pour the burfi to a greased plate, sprinkle cucumber seeds generously, cool it, slice em and enjoy!!

PUFFED RICE UPMA

Post Ayudha Pooja loads of Puffed rice left at home after all the pooja. Puffed rice / Pori upma is one of the quick to make Breakfast / Brunch recipe n the best way to utilise all the puffed rice left. 

Mostly this is made as a after school snack my grand mom never ever gets me store brought snacks after school. After ages i made this at home n simply loved it.. also made Mosambi juice to go along with my upma.

What you need:
Pori / Puffed Rice - 1 Pkt, soaked in water for 2 mins and remove from water and keep aside.
Onion - 1 no, chopped
Frozen Green peas - 1/4 cup
Groundnut - 1/4 cup
Green chilies - 1 no, chopped
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Channa dhal - 1/2 tsp
Uradh dhal - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - gen pinch
Salt as reqd
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Fresh coriander leaves
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil - 1 tsp

How to make:
Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds, when it starts to splutter add channa dal, urad dhal, curry leaves, groundnut and saute well.

Add onion, green chillies, peas saute well add turmeric powder, salt give a stir add soaked puffed rice mix well and cook for 2 mins.

Switch off the heat and add lemon juice sprinkle gen coriander leaves and serve hot!!

KESAR KHOYA / MAWA (Homemade) PEDA

The Super market near my place barely stores 2 - 3 pkts of Unsweetened Khoya per day before i cld step n grap them thr s some one wld have taken all the pkts. Decided to make em at home and they turned out perfect and decided not to go for store bought ones.

Excess milk at home during festive season can be utilised to make Khoya / Mawa. With this khoya "n" number of sweets can be prepared. Kesar Khoya peda is one such simple to make sweet. The flavors from saffron n elaichi gives a rich n beautiful color to these cute mini pedas. 

Khoya / Mawa cab be made well in advance,refrigerated and put in for later use.

What you need for Khoya: Inspired from Indian Cuisine
1 litre - Milk

How to make:
In a deep non stick pan bring milk to boil, once the milk starts to boil place a thick spoon or a small plate so that milk will not boil outside the pan. Reduce the flame and keep stirring.

Milk will start thickening remove the spoon and keep scrapping the sides and continue until the milk completely evaporates and forms a thick mixture, remove and allow to cool.

What you need for Pedas:
1 cup - Homemade Khoya / Mawa
1/4 cup - Sugar
2 tbsp - Milk, gen pinch of saffron added to this milk
1/8 tsp - Cardamom Powder

How to make:
In a non stick pan add khoya, saffron milk, sugar and cardamom powder and mix well.

Keep doing this in low heat until it thickens. Remove from heat and cool it.

Knead and make into small mini pedas or as desired and enjoy this homemade kesar pedas.