Mixed fruits for baby

The look of being satisfied with what she was being fed, I was all pumped up to prepare her fruit mix too.
Cranberries dried
Raisins
Apple
Pear
Banana

Boil the cranberries and raisins in boiling water for 5mins and let it soak it all up. Skin and chop the apple, pear and banana and steam cook them together till they are well done.Add a couple of drops of fresh lemon juice on top of the fruits to avoid discoloration of the fruits. In the food processor first mince the cranberry and raisin mixture till smooth. Now add the cooked fruits and puree everything together.The whole house is smelling of fruits now………

One pot biriyani with raita and kheer

Everytime I make biriyani, I will be working on it for more than an hour to say least. Couple of weeks back, I wanted to have biriyani but was in no mood to spend so much time making it. My dear friend Nisha saved my day by telling me that I could make it in the pan with ease. So here it goes.
photos

You will need:-
Chicken – i used boneless cut into cubes
Red Onion – 1 thinly sliced
Tomato – 1 sliced
Green chilies – finely chopped
Cilantro – chopped
Mint – chopped
Cinnamon
Cloves
Cardamom
Bay leaf
Golden Raisins
Cashewnuts
Ginger Garlic paste
Turmeric Powder
Chili powder
Curd – little optional
Vinegar

Salt
Cooking oil
Ghee / Butter – optional
Basmati rice

Method:-
In a vessel boil the required amount of water. I used two cups of basmati rice so I boiled 4 and a half cups of water. Wash the rice and soak it in water and set aside.
Take a big non-stick vessel in which you can cook the rice also.Once warm add the cooking oil and ghee/butter
Once hot add the bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, raisins, cashewnuts and saute for a few seconds before adding the sliced onions.
Maintain medium heat and saute till completely cooked and turns golden brown
Add the ginger garlic paste and garam masala and fry till the raw smell goes.
Add turmeric powder and the chicken pieces, mix well and add salt
Pour in a few drop of vinegar or lemon juice and once the chicken is 3/4 done add the chili powder, tomato and the chopped cilantro and mint and very little curd.
Once completely cooked add the soaked rice and fry for a few minutes and  then pour in the boiling water and reduce the heat to minimum and let it cook. Stir occasionally and if you need to add more water for the rice to cook add a little at a time. But make sure that you only add boiling water.
As soon as the rice reaches the consistency of almost done, swtitch off the stove and cover the vessel and leave it alone for a while. That heat will be sufficient enough to completely cook it without over cooking.

Serve hot with raita, egg and any spicy sides you wish…….


Vermicilli kheer:

I had store bought almond milk and I was thinking on what to make with it. Since my son had been asking me for payasam for a while now, I decided to make it.

Vermicilli
Cashewnuts
Raisins
Cardamom powder
Almond milk
Sugar
Ghee

In a non-stick vessel, heat the ghee and add the chopped cashewnuts and raisins and fry well. Now add the vermicilli and fry it unti it turns golden in color.Now add warm almond milk and sugar and mix well. Stir it continuously to avoid burning. Once fully cooked add the cardamom powder and serve warm or chilled.
It was very easy and ready in a few minutes.

Cucumber raita:-

Cucumber – skin removed and chopped fine
Onion – finely chopped
Green chilly – finely chopped
Cilantro – finely chopped
Curd – as much as needed
Salt

Mix all together and let it set for atleast half an hour before serving. All the three dishes were done within an hour’s time

Dhal with greens

Both my husband and my son love dhal made this way. My mom used to make this often and she used to mix the rice with a little ghee along with the dhal and the aroma and the taste was out of this world This is one of the curries that my son eats with rice without giving me much trouble. I make dhal with spinach almost every week and each time it keeps getting better.
Ingredients :-
Moong dhal – 1 cup
Spinach leaves – 2 cups chopped coarsely
Tomato – 1
Garlic – 3 cloves
Asafoetida -4 pinch
Onion chopped – 2 tbsp
For Sauting :
Mustard seeds & cumin seeds
Chili powder & turmeric powder

Method:-

1. Fry the dhal before washing without oil till the aroma arises
2. Let it cool before washing it.
3. In a cooker add the washed dha, cut greens, tomato, garlic cloves, 2 pinch of asafoetida water and let it cook for around 4 to 5 whistles.
4. In a deep dish heat oil add mustard seeds,cumin seeds, 2 pinch of asafoetida and chopped onions.
5. In the meantime smash the cooked dhal and greens well with a smasher.
6. Once the onions are well done add turmeric powder and chili powder and saute till aroma arises, pour the dhal and add salt and let it simmer for sometime.

Serve hot with rice or rotis and for added flavor you can add a teaspoon of ghee to it.

Eight Step Biriyani

This biriyani is the one I make when I am tired to cook. It is made in the rice cooker and it is easy too. My friend Srimathy is the one who gave me the basic recipe for it and I just changed it according to my preference.I gave it a name of my own too, its that simple.

Ingredients:-

Basmati Rice – 2 cups (rice cooker cup)
Mixed Vegetables – 1 bowl (carrot, peas, beans)
Meal Makers/soya chunks – 1 small cup soaked and drained
Biriyani Masala – one and a half tbsp
Red Onion – 1 thinly sliced
Tomato – 1 thinly sliced
Green chilies – 2 sliced
Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp
Cardamom – 2
Bay leaf – 2
Cloves – 2
Cinnamon stick – 1 inch
Mint and Cilantro leaves – chopped together
Butter – 1 tbsp
Oil – 2 tbsp
Cashew nut – chopped 2 tbsp (optional)

Method:-

1. In a big non-stick vessel heat the oil and butter.
2. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cashew nut and stir for a minute or two.
3. Then add the green chilies, sliced onions and once done add the ginger garlic paste and cook it till the raw smell goes.
4. Mix in the vegetables and the meal maker and let it cook for a while.
5. Put salt, tomato and the biriyani masala, cook it on medium heat and do not add water.
6. In the mean time wash and soak the rice for 10 minutes.
7. When the masala is well done add the drained rice along with the chopped mint and cilantro and fry well until the rice is well coated and all the water is gone.
8. In the rice cooker pour 4 and a quarter cups of water and mix in the prepared rice and vegetables and allow it to cook until well done.DO not add too much water otherwise the rice will break.
Remember to stir it very gently every 10 minutes.
P.S. – If u like to eat egg, u can add slit boiled eggs to the rice cooker while the rice is getting cooked, as the eggs will get the flavor too. This quantity will serve 3 – 4 people. If u like more spice u can add chopped green chilies. U can make it with chicken/shrimp but remember to increase spice and pour some vinegar as non veg dishes need more spice for flavor.

Minced Raita

Normally we all make raita either with chopped or sliced onions and tomatoes. This is also made with onions, tomatoes and cilantro but just an additional step to it.

Red Onion chopped – 1
Tomato chopped – 2
Cilantro – half bunch chopped
Salt to taste
Fresh Curd/Yogurt

Place all the chopped onion,tomatoes and the cilantro together onto the cutting board and mix it together. Take the biggest knife you have and run it through until everything is almost minced together,while doing it you will find the aroma rising. Put the minced mixture into the bowl put salt and curd and serve. This way you don’t have to prepare the raita very early. It can be served right away and it will still have all the flavors one needs. Serve it with biriyani or pulao.

Tomato Rice

Tomato rice is one of my favorites and I learnt it from my mom, she has been making it for years and hers has always been the best, the mother’s touch! This is the easiest method that I use.

Requirement :-

Onion – 1 chopped fine

Tomatoes – 5 chopped

Green chilies – 3 chopped

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbp

Cilantro chopped – 2 tbsp

Mint chopped – 1 tbsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Pepper corns – a few

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Chili powder – 1tsp

Coriander powder – 1 ½ tsp

Fennel seeds – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Cooking oil and 1tbsp of butter

Basmati rice – 3 rice cooker cups washed and soaked for 10 mins

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Method:-

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In a big kadai pour oil and add the butter, after the butter has melted add the pepper and the fennel seeds followed by the green chilies and the onions.

Once the onions are done add the ginger garlic paste and the garam masala and stir it till the raw smell of the masala is gone.Add the tomatoes and stir it regularly till the are tender. Now add the turmeric, chili and coriander powders and stir till the masala is well cooked and the oil separates. Add salt and then the chopped cilantro and mint.

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Let it simmer for a while and then make a mental calculation of the amount of gravy in the kadai and then add the washed and soaked rice and stir it for a few minutes. It would seem like there is no gravy left, its alright. Pour the whole thing into the rice cooker and pour water as follows. Once it is done serve it hot with raita of choice.

Normally for basmati rice its 1:2 ratio, we have 3 cups of rice so actually it has to be 3:6. But in this case, you had made a mental calculation of the amount of gravy before adding the rice. It doesn’t have to be exact, if you thought that there was around 3 cups of grave you only have to add 3 to 3 ¾cups of water to the rice for it to cook Remember to stir it occasionally. This amount will serve 4 – 5 people.

Simple and Easy Shrimp

I wanted to try something different for a change so I asked my friend Bindiya, who cooks different dishes all the time. She gave me this easy recipe to prepare shrimp. She said that this can be made with chicken also. The curry was ready in around 20-minutes and the smell was wonderful
I used frozen and pre-cooked shrimp, you can use any kind u want.
Ingredients :-
Onions – chopped or minced
Green chilies – 2 chopped
Tomato – 2 chopped or puree
Cilantro – chopped
Garam Masala – 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds – 1/4 tsp
Chili powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 1 tbsp

Method:-
In a big kadai, pour oil, add the cumin seeds, chopped onions, green chilies and let it cook until in turns pink. Add the garam masala, ginger garlic paste and stir it well and wait till the raw smell goes. Put the tomato and let it get cooked completely. Put the chili powder,turmeric powder and salt and very little water just to cook the gravy. Once the gravy is done add the shrimp and the chopped cilantro. Stir it regularly. Remember to remove it from heat once the shrimp has turned pink and well cooked. Leaving shrimp on the stove for a longer time will make it rubbery in texture.
Serve it with rice or rotis.

Spaghetti And Meatballs

Having eaten spaghetti and meatballs out decided to give it a try at home, so this weekend for dinner i made it and guess what V said i can make it again! To tell the truth i was a little nervous to make it and was worried that the meat balls might become dry, but it came out absolutely delicious.
Ingredients:-
Ground meat – 1.2 lb
egg – 1(whole egg)
Onion – 1/2 finely chopped
Bread crumbs – 1 cup
Garlic cloves – 3 chopped fine
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Crushed pepper flakes – 1 tsp
Fresh parsley – chopped fine
Rosemary – 1 sprig chopped fine
Tomato paste – 2 cans (8oz each)
Spaghetti – 1/2 lb (cooked al dente)
Broth – 1 cup
Red cooking wine – 1/2 cup
E.V.O.O. – 2 tbsp

Method :-
1. Heat a non stick skillet on medium heat.
2. In the mean time in a bowl mix the meat, red pepper flakes,pepper powder, salt, bread crumbs, egg, rosemary, garlic and onions and then make small balls and put them one by one in the hot oil
3. do not turn them very often let it cook one side for 3-4 minutes before you turn it over, shake the skillet once in a while to avoid the meat balls from sticking to the bottom of the pan
4. Cook spaghetti and keep it ready — in a big vessel boil water, add salt and the pasta and cook for about 8-10 minutes and before straining the water add a few drops of olive oil to avoid the pasta from sticking together.
5.once the meat balls are cooked completely add the wine and let it reduce a little
6.Pour the tomato paste and the broth and stir gently avoiding the meat balls
7. Add a little salt and pepper. you can add a little pepper flakes to the sauce if u want it to be more spicy
8. Add the chopped parsley and let the gravy simmer and the meat balls soak a bit.
9.Now add the spaghetti and mix well
10. Garnish with cheese and serve hot.

Hearty Omelete

There is no better way to start the day than with a tasty and healthy breakfast. Its just a normal omelet one would eat at restaurants and it is very easy to make too. Both my husband and my son love the omelet. I made it with vegetables, but you can also make it with bacon, chicken or any other stuffing that you would like to use.

Ingredients:-
Onion – 1 big chopped fine
Tomatoes – 3 seeded and chopped fine (if u add tomatoes with the seeds and the juice it will make the omelet soggy)
Jalapenos – 3 chopped fine
Green onions – chopped fine
Mushroom – chopped fine (any mushroom of choice)
Carrot – 2 grated
Eggs – 5 beaten until fluffy and frothy
salt to taste
Pepper
Cooking oil
Monterrey jack or Colby jack cheese – 3 tbsp (1 for each omelet, optional)
The above quantity will make around 3 big omelets. It is easier to cook all the veges together first before splitting them for individual omelets.
Method:-

1. In a big skillet pour oil, put the jalapenos and saute well.
2. Add the chopped onions and let it cook until pink and then add the mushrooms and the tomatoes, put salt
3. Once the mushrooms are cooked add the green onions and grated carrot along with some pepper
4. Allow it to cook completely and now divide the cooked veges into three proportions.
5. In the same skillet put one part of the cooked veges and make sure the heat is medium otherwise it will burn the vegetables. Spread it evenly and leave it for a minute or two and then pour the beaten egg as per requirement.
6.Move the pan around so that the eggs spread well and let it cook for 2 -3 minutes.
7. Take a tablespoon of the cheese and spread it in the center of the omelet.Put a little pepper on top of the cheese.
8. Take a flat spoon and work the sides of the egg to make sure it is not sticking to the sides of the pan and then roll it slowly and carefully to avoid it from breaking
9. Pat it with the spoon once in a while to make sure the egg is fully cooked before removing it from the stove top.
10. Continue the same procedure for the remaining veges and the egg.
Serve hot.
When beating the eggs add salt and pepper only towards the end. If added in the beginning the eggs will take a longer time to become fluffy.
i am very sure that you will not stop making this omelet once you start making it for your loved ones.

Paav Bhaji

Since we moved to miami, i hadn’t made paav bhaji and V loves it. I made it for just the two of us and it was really yumm….It is a north indian dish and mainly part of the chaat items but it can be eaten for dinner too, it is very filling as it is made with lots of vegetables and butter. The main base ingredient for the bhaji is tomatoes. The longer the bhaji cooks the better.It is easy to make and once you’ve eaten it, you would wanna eat it over and over again..
Requirements:-
Onion – 1 big chopped
Tomatoes -6 chopped
Green chili – 2 chopped
Mixed vegetables – 1 big bowl (bean, carrot, peas, cabbage,cauliflower,capsicum)
Potatoes – 2 chopped fine (or boiled seperately and mashed)
Ginger garlic paste – 1.5tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp
Chili powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1.5tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Amchur – 1/4 tsp
Chaat masala – 1/2 tsp
Pepper – 1/2 tsp (optional)
Butter – 4 tbsp
Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cilantro – a handful chopped

Method:-
1. In a deep kadai pour oil and add 2tbsp of butter and add the fennel seeds followed by the chopped green chilies and onions.
2.Once the onions are cooked add the garam masala and the ginger garlic paste
3.Now add the tomatoes and let it cook completely
4. Add the turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, amchur and the chaat masala and stir it well till the oil seperates.
5. Now add the vegetables and mix it well and pour around half a glass of water and add salt and allow it to cook completely.
6.If u are using boiled and smshed potatoes do not add it now, wait till the vegetables are fullly cooked and tehn add it.
7. Every 10 minutes use a smasher and press down the vegetables so that they get mixed well and smashed well too.
8. When the vegetabels are 3/4 done add another tbsp of butter, pepper and the cilantro and let it cook. If you think that the vegetables need water to cook pour a little more water. Do not pour lots of water as the bhaji has to be thick.
9. If you are adding the boiled potatoes add it now and mix well.

10. The gravy has to be really thick and add the remaining butter before switching it off.
11. Cut onion into slices or circles or chopped fine and keep aside and a few wedges of lime
12. Toast the paav/bread with butter and serve hot with the onion and lemon wedges.