Veggie Pasta

This is a an easy and quick recipe that is loved at our home. I use the bow-tie pasta as my daughter likes that shape but you can use any type of pasta for this recipe. I generally dont use any cheese as the white sauce gives a creamy taste but if you do like to have a cheesy pasta, then in the end add some grated rennet free cheese just before serving.

Ingredients

For Cooking Pasta

• 1 cup Pasta
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• Water (to cover the Pasta)

For Pasta Sauce

• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp All Purpose Flour (Maida)
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 tbsp Tomato Paste (or 1 Tomato pureed)
• 1/4 tsp Oregano 
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1/4 tsp Red Chilly Powder (Adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)

Additional

• 1 cup chopped Vegetables (Cauliflower, Carrots, Peas, Beans, Corn)

Set Dosa (Sponge Dosa)

This is a popular dish of Karnataka. This dosa comes out so soft like a sponge that it is also called sponge dosa and it tastes great even when it is not hot.

Ingredients

• 4 Raw rice
• 1 cup Avil (Poha or beaten rice)
• 1/2 cup Urad dal
• 2 tsp Methi seeds
• 1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)

Paneer Butter Masala

This does not require any introduction as this is the most popular side dish for Rotis/Chappatis/Naan.
I wanted to retain the awesome taste of this dish and keep it nutritous as well, so I have replaced the heavy cream with sweet potatoes and skipped the red coloring that is generally added in the Indian restaurants.

Ingredients

• 4 medium Tomatoes
• 1 small Sweet Potato
• 1 medium Carrot
• 1 tsp Butter
• 2 Cardamom
• 1" piece Cinamon
• 4 Cloves
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 tsp Kasuri Methi
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1/4 tsp Red Chilly Powder (Adjust to Taste)
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
• 1/4 cup Cashews
• 1" piece Ginger
• 1 Green Chilly (Adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp Salt (Adjust to Taste)
• 1 cup Paneer cut into cubes

Method

1. Wash and peel the carrot and sweet potato and cook them in a pressure cooker along with tomatoes, ginger, green chilly and cashews for 3 whistles.
2. While this is getting cooked, boil the paneer cubes in water with a pinch of turmeric till they become soft. (Alternately you may deep fry the paneer pieces)
3. Once the veggies are cooked, blend that mixture in a blender along with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves.
4. Heat a deep pan and add the butter, asafoetida  and bay leaf. Then add the blended mixture to the pan along with turmeric, red chilly powder, salt and kasuri methi, Heat on a low flame for a few minutes so that the tastes blend in. Add the paneer pieces and allow it to simmer for a few more minutes and serve hot with Roti/Chappathi/Naan.

Rava Dosa

Rava Dosa is an instant variety of dosa that does not require any soaking/fermenting time and it is also very easy, crispy and quick to make. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Rava (Semolina)
• 1/4 cup Rice flour
• 2 green chillies finely chopped
• 1 tsp Ginger finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped Coriander
• 1/2 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp Jeera
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida

Method

1. Mix all the above ingredients with water so that the batter has a runny consistency.
2. Heat the tawa on high and pour a laddle on the tawa. You cannot spread this batter like a normal dosa. You have to pour it around. If you are unable to pour the batter freely or if the dosa comes out too thick, then add more water to the batter.
3. Decrease the heat to medium and flip the dosa over when it is completely cooked on the down side.
4. Once the other side is also cooked, remove it from the tawa and serve it hot. 
5. Repeat the above process for the remaining batter to make yummy hot instant Rava dosas!

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a favorite dish among Indians. Pav is a type of bun and Bhaji is a spicy dish of mixed vegetables. You may add any vegetable of your liking in the Bhaji and if you don't eat Potatoes, you may swap it with Raw Bananas. If you add beetroot your bhaji will have a red colour as below so don't be intimidated by the colour!!

Ingredients:

• 2 Potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 cup Cauliflower florets
• 1 cup cut Mixed Vegetables (Carrots, beans, green peas, corn, sweet potato, beetroot)
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2 Green Chilies 
• 1 tbsp finely chopped Ginger
• 2 Tomatoes chopped
• 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 Cardamom
• 6 Cloves
• 1 tsp Jeera
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
• 2" pieces of Cinnamon
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 tsp Kasuri Methi
• 1 tbsp Saunf
• 2 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp Sambar Powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (Adjust to taste)
• 1/4 cup chopped Coriander leaves
• Pav Buns (As required)

Method:

1. Pressure cook the mixed vegetables along with the cauliflower and potato for 3-4 whistles.
2. Heat a pan and add the butter, asafoetida, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and Jeera. When the jeera starts to crackle, add the ginger, green chillies and tomatoes and saute the tomatoes till it is cooked nicely to a pulp.
3. Add the cooked vegetables, turmeric, red chilly powder, saunf, kasuri methi, salt and sambar powder and mix well. Mash the vegetables as you stir and adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding water if required (This bhaji should be thick so don't add too much water) Cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes so that the tastes blend in well.
4. Switch off the stove and add the lemon juice and coriander and server hot with pav buns toasted with butter.

Instant Mango Pickle

This is an instant mango pickle recipe that is a must have in all feasts. This is another addition to the Kerala Sadhya menu.

Ingredients

1. 1 Raw Mango 
2. Salt (As per taste)
3. Red Chilly powder (As per taste)
4. 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
5. 1/4 cup Sesame Oil
6. 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
7. 1/4 tsp Methi Powder (Optional)
8. 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

Method

1. Cut the Raw Mango into small pieces. Add the turmeric, red chilly powder and salt to the cut mango pieces and mix well. 
2. Heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds, asafoetida and methi powder. When the mustard starts to crackle, switch off and add this to the mango mixture and mix well. Adjust the salt and spice to your taste.
3. Pickle is ready to be served and stays good for a week if refrigerated.

Milagu Vada / Anjaneyar Vada

This Milagu Vada is generally made for Hanuman Jayanthi or whenever you want to offer a vada malai for Hanuman. Hence it is popularly known as Hanuman Vada or Anjaneyar Vada. The following recipe makes around 12 vadas.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Urad dal
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 3 tsp Ghee
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Water (Use as required)

Method

1. Dry grind the Urad dal and black pepper into a coarse powder.
2. Add the ghee and salt to the ground mixture and form a soft but firm dough by adding water little by little as required.
3. Heat oil in a wok and make small balls of the dough.
4. Flatten each on your palm (or a greased plastic sheet on your palm) and make a small hole at the center and fry them in oil. If the dough is too firm and breaks when you try to flatten it, add little more water and try again.
5. The Vadas are ready to be offered to Lord Hanuman.

Sharkara Upperi / Sharkara Varatti

This is a sweet snack famous in Kerala and another inevitable part of a Kerala Sadya.

Ingredients

• 5 raw green plaintains (Nenthran kaai)
• 1 1/2 cups jaggery
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Dry Ginger powder
• 1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
• Oil to Deep fry
• 1 tbsp roasted Rice flour 
• 1 tbsp Sugar (Optional)

Method

1. Peel the Raw Bananas and soak them in water mixed with turmeric for around 10 min and then pat them dry.
2. Cut each of banana into half lengthwise and then into small pieces of 1/4" thickness.
3. Heat oil in a wok and carefully drop the pieces into the oil. Fry the pieces in batches till they are crisp and remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
4. Take a big pan and add the jaggery with 1/2 cup water and allow the mixture to boil. To check if it has reached the desired consistency, add a drop of the jaggery mixture in a bowl of cold water. You should be able to make a small ball from it without it melting into the water.
5. Add the cardamom and ginger powder and stir well. Then simmer the stove and add the fried banana pieces into it with continuous stirring. Once the chips are covered with jaggery, switch off and add the rice flour and sugar and mix well.
6. Transfer the mixture into a wide plate and allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, transfer it to an air tight container and enjoy!!

Sri Rama Navami

Sri Rama Navami is a festival to celebrate the birth of Lord Rama. As an offering to Sri Rama, the prasad made on this day are Panagam, Neer moru, Vadaparippu.

Panagam

Ingredients

• 3 cups cold Water 
• 1/2 cup Powdered Jaggery (Adjust to taste)
• A pinch of Cardamom powder 
• 1/4 tsp Dry ginger powder (Adjust to taste)

Method

1. Dissolve the jaggery in water and strain it.
2. Add the other ingredients and stir well and offer it to the Lord.

Neer Moru / Buttermilk

Ingredients

• 1 cup Yogurt/ Curd
• 1 cup cold Water (Add more or less to your liking)
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves

Method

1. Mix the yogurt and the water with a hand blender or stirrer. 
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well and offer it to the Lord

Vada Parippu

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Split Moong Dal 
• 1 tbsp grated Coconut 
• Salt - to taste
• Raw mango / Cucumber - 1 tbsp grated (optional)
• 1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves

Method

1. Soak moong dal in water for 30mins.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well and serve to the Lord.

Batura

This is a deep fried Indian bread that tastes good with Channa Masala and the combination is so popularly called Channa Batura or Chole Puri.

Ingredients

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour (Maida)
• 1 cup Yogurt (Adjust as required)
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp ghee for the dough
• Oil for deep frying

Method

1. Mix the flour, sugar, salt, ghee and add the yogurt little by little and mix well to form a soft pliable dough.
2. Cover the dough with a wet cloth and keep aside for 1 hour.
3. Gently punch the dough and divide it into small lemon size balls.
4. Roll out each ball into circles 1/4 " thick.
5. Heat oil in a wok and start to fry the rolled out baturas one by one.
6. Serve the batura hot with Channa as side dish.

Channa Masala

Protein rich chickpeas (channa) in tomato gravy makes a yummy side dish for chappatis / poori or batura.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Kabuli Channa (Chickpeas) 
• 1 Tomato
• 2 Cardamom
• 5 Cloves
• 1" piece Cinnamon
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 Tea bag
• 1 tsp Sambar powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp grated Ginger
• 2 green chillies (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Kasuri methi
• 1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds (Saunf)
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 tsp Lemon juice (Optional and Adjust to taste)

Method

1. Wash and soak the channa for 6-8 hrs and then pressure cook it for 6 whistles along with the tea bag and salt and keep aside.
2. Grind the tomato, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, fennel seeds, ginger and green chillies and keep aside
3. Heat the pan and add the oil, bay leaf and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds crackle, add the ground mixture and cook it for a few minutes. Then add the cooked channa after squeezing and removing the tea bag. Add the Kasuri methi, turmeric, sambar powder and salt and allow it to cook for a few more minutes so that all the flavors blend in.
4. Remove the chole from fire and add the lemon juice and mix well. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with roti/ poori/ batura/ rice.

Cheese Crackers

This is an easy recipe adapted from divinetaste.org

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp salt (Adjust to taste)

Method:

1. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and mix them well into a pliable dough.
2. Divide the dough into 2 equal halves and roll the dough into a log and wrap them with parchment paper. Chill the logs for 10 min in the freezer
3. Unwrap the chilled dough and cut into 1/4” rounds. Place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes or until browned at the edges.

Celebration Chocolate cake

This is the most yummiest eggless cake I have ever eaten. It reminds me very much of the chocolate cake from Sweet Chariot in Bangalore. This awesome recipe has been adapted from DivineTaste and you can use it to make a 9" round cake. I doubled the ingredients to make a layered cake with chocolate frosting for my daughter's 5th birthday.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup All purpose flour
• 1 can (400 ml) Condensed milk
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Butter
• 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 2 tsp Baking powder
• 3/4 tsp Baking soda
• 8 tbsp Cocoa powder
• 8 tbsp Sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Sift the dry ingredients i.e. flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cocoa powder in a large bowl. 
3. Add the wet ingredients, i.e milk, vanilla, melted butter and condensed milk and mix well. (You can use a whisk / beater to mix it well but since I dont have both, I just use my hands and it tuns out good too)
4. Pour the batter into a greased and floured (or parchment lined) cake pan.
5. Bake for around an hour or till the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack and decorate the cake if you would like with your choice of frosting. 

Suggestion / Notes

if you would like a soft wet cake, then make a sugar syrup by boiling 1/4 cup of sugar in 1 1/2 cup of water and once cooled completely, pour the syrup on top of the cake before frosting the cake.

Pongal Kootu

Happy Pongal!! This is a must have item in the menu on Pongal day.

Ingredients

• Mixed Vegetables cut into cubes- (Ash guard, Pumpkin, Carrot, Beans, Avaraikkai, Potato, Raw Banana, Chayote, Sweet potato, Green peas, Lima beans, Yam)
• Toor Dal (cooked) - 1/2 cup
• Tamarind Paste - 1 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tbsp (Adjust to taste)
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Gingelly Oil (Any cooking oil will do) - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Sambar Powder - 2 tsp
• A spring of Curry leaves

To Grind

• Urad dal - 1 tbsp
• Daniya - 2 tbsp
• Channa dal - 1 tbsp
• Red Chillies - 6
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

Method

1. Cook all the vegetables with turmeric and a little water in the pressure cooker for 1 whistle.
2. Dry roast all the ingredients to grind and grind them with water.
3. Take a deep bottomed pan and add the oil and mustard seeds till they crackle.
4. Add the vegetables and the ground mixture, toor dal, sambar powder, salt and tamarind and boil the Kootu for a few minutes till the flavor seeps into the veggies.
5. Garnish with curry leaves and serve hot with rice or Pongal.