Boterkoek | Dutch Butter Cake

Recipe Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/boterkoek-dutch-butter-cake/

Serving: Makes 1 8 inch round cake

Ingredients:
1. All-purpose flour - 1 1/4 cup
2. Butter, softened - 1/2 cup
3. Sugar - 3/4 cup
4. Egg - 1 beaten
5. Baking powder - 1 teaspoon
6. Almond extract - 1 teaspoon
7. Almond slices - 1/4 cup

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Grease a 8 inch round cake pan.

2. Mix together all-purpose flour and baking powder and keep it aside.

3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add beaten egg, reserving a teaspoon of it to brush over the top.  Stir in the almond extract.  Add the flour and baking powder mixture and combine well with a wooden spoon.  The dough will be stiff.

4. Press evenly into the greased pan.  Press almond slices into the top and brush the top with reserved egg.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Linking this recipe to "International Food Challenge", an event by Sara.

An InLinkz Link-up

Tomato Chutney

This is one of the easiest and tasty side dishes for dosa/idli.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Tomato - 2
2. Onion - 1
3. Garlic - 4 cloves
4. Dried red chillies - 2 or as per spice level
5. Oil - 2 teaspoon
6. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Curry leaves - few
8. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add dried red chillies.

2. Add garlic cloves, diced tomatoes, onion and salt to taste.  Saute until tomatoes turn mushy.  Turn off the heat and allow it to cool down.

3. Grind the mixture into a fine paste without adding water.

4. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and transfer the tempering into chutney.

Serve with dosa/idli. 

Spaghetti Squash Pasta

In one of my earlier posts, I had given an introduction of Spaghetti Squash and different ways to cook this low-calorie vegetable. You can find that post here.

Once you have the stringy pulp removed from this squash, you are ready to make pasta out of it.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Spaghetti Squash - 1 medium size
2. Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
3. Italian seasoning - 1 teaspoon
4. Vegetable of your choice - 1 used capsicum and spinach
5. Onion - 1 medium
6. Garlic - 3-4 cloves
7. Grated cheese - optional
8. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Follow either microwave or conventional oven method to remove the stringy pulp from this squash. Instructions are given in this post.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add Italian seasoning and saute for a minute.

3. Add finely chopped garlic and onion, fry until onions turn translucent.

4. Add the vegetable of your choice and salt to taste and cook until vegetables are well done.

5. Now add spaghetti squash and cook covered for 5 minutes.

6. Turn off the heat and top it with some grated cheese.

Beetroot Dosa

Beetroot Dosa

Serving: Makes 8 dosa

Ingredients:
1. Dosa batter - 2 cups
2. Beetroot - 1 medium sized
3. Oil for greasing dosa

Method:
1. Wash and cut beetroot into small cubes.

2. Grind the beetroot in a blender into fine paste and mix it in dosa batter.

3. Heat a skillet on medium-high. Pour around 1/4 cup of batter and spread into thin circle. Smear little oil if required and cook on both sides.

Serve these beautifully colored dosa with your favorite chutney and sambar.

Stir fried Cabbage with Eggs

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Cabbage shredded - 2 cups
2. Eggs - 3
3. Green chilli - 1
4. Oil - 1 tablespoon
5. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and add shredded cabbage. Add salt to taste and slit green chillies.

2. Saute for couple of minutes and then add 3 eggs. Stir continuously and fry until the eggs are well cooked.

Serve as a side dish for chapathi or rice. 

Vegetable Uttapam

Serving: Makes 8 dosa

Ingredients:
1. Dosa batter - 2 cups
2. Onion - 1
3. Green chilli - 1
4. Carrots grated - 1
5. Mix of capsicum, tomatoes, spring onions - 1/2 cup
6. Coriander leaves - 2 tablespoon chopped
7. Salt to taste
8. Oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:
1. Mix together finely chopped onion, green chilli, grated carrots, coriander leaves and mixed vegetables. Add salt to taste.

2. Heat a skillet and spread 1/4 cup of dosa batter into a small circle.

3. Spread the vegetable mix over dosa and sprinkle little oil. Cook on both sides.

Serve hot with your favorite chutney and sambar.

Dal Curry

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Toor dal - 1/2 cup
2. Tomato - 1 large
3. Onion - 1
4. Green chillies - 2
5. Dried red chillies - 2
6. Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Asafoetida - 1/8 teaspoon
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
9. Oil - 1 teaspoon
10. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Wash and pressure cook dal for 5-6 whistles and keep it aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida and dried red chillies and fry for a minute.

3. Add thinly sliced onion and slit green chillies and saute until onions turn light brown in color.

4. Add turmeric powder and diced tomatoes and saute until tomatoes are mushy.

5. Once tomatoes are cooked, transfer this to cooked dal. Add salt to taste and enough water to get desired consistency.

6. Turn on the heat and cook for 5 more minutes.

This easy dal curry can be served with rice or chapathi.

Spaghetti Squash

My quest to try new vegetables continues and here comes this interesting veggie: Spaghetti Squash. Just as the name says, the edible part of this squash is like spaghetti or vermicelli.  The outer skin is quite hard.  It contains seeds which are very similar to that of pumpkin.

This squash is rich in many nutrients including vitamin A, potassium, folic acid and beta carotene. It is low in calories with around 42 calories per 1 cup serving(Source: Wikipedia).

Replace your regular pasta with this spaghetti squash to get a low calorie dish.

Cooking spaghetti squash:
You can cook the spaghetti squash in microwave or conventional oven.

Conventional oven:
If you are doing it in your conventional oven, then preheat the oven to 300 deg F.  Place a parchment paper in baking tray and add 1/4 cup of water. Cut the squash into two and place it in baking tray with the cut side facing down. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hr depending on the size of your squash.
Conventional oven method is time consuming.

Microwave method:
A quick and easy way is using microwave oven.
Pierce a knife through the squash at multiple location for the steam to escape from inside of your squash. This step is important and must not be skipped to avoid any danger of your squash exploding inside your microwave. Microwave on high power for 6-10 minutes. The outer skin should be soft, that's when it is ready to take out from microwave oven.

Allow the squash to cool down and cut into half.  Remove the seeds using a spoon. Scoop out the flesh using a fork. This spaghetti is now ready to go into your pasta dish.

Spaghetti Squash cooked in microwave oven

Removing the flesh using a fork

Spaghetti Squash ready to go into your favorite pasta

Shortbread Cookies

Its Christmas time and its time to bake some cookies. Shortbread cookies are rich, flavourful and have crumbly texture. These just melt in your mouth and are a huge hit in my family. 

These cookies have originated in Scotland. The traditional way of making shortbread cookies includes 1:2:3 proportions of sugar, butter and flour(Source: wikipedia). 

Recipe Source: JoyOfBaking

Yields: 24 small cookies

Ingredients:

1. All-purpose flour- 1 cup

2. Unsalted butter at room temperature - 1/2 cup

3. Powdered Sugar -  1/4 cup

4. Corn Flour - 3 tablespoon

5. Vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon

6. Salt - 1/8 teaspoon
7. Raisins/Candy Sprinkles - for decoration

Method:
1. Cream butter and sugar until smooth using a hand mixer.

2. Add in vanilla essence and beat again.

3. Add in all-purpose flour, corn flour and salt and mix well to form a soft dough.

4. Cover the dough with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Place parchment paper in baking tray.

6. Roll the dough on working surface, cut into desired shape using a cookie cutter and transfer into baking tray.

7. You can decorate them with either raisins or candy sprinkles or just leave them plain.

8. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges turn light golden brown in colour.

9. Cool on wire rack and store in airtight container.

Submitting this recipe to Priya's "Shh Cooking Secretly Challenge". For this month's challenge I paired with Niloufer Riyaz who gave me raisins and corn flour as my secret ingredients.

Aloo Palak | Potatoes with Spinach

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Potatoes - 2 medium
2. Spinach - washed and chopped - 2 cups
3. Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
5. Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
6. Coriander powder - 2 teaspoon
7. Asafoetida - a pinch
8. Oil - 2 teaspoon
9. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Wash and cut potatoes into small cubes.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. After they crackle add asafoetida powder and cut potatoes.

3. Sprinkle salt to taste. Cover and cook until potatoes are soft and well cooked.

4. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Saute for a minute and then add chopped spinach.

5. Stir fry for 3-5 minutes and turn off the heat.

This dish can be served with chapathi or as a side dish for rice.

Quinoa with Veggies

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Quinoa - 1 cup
2. Onion - 1 medium sliced
3. Mixed vegetables finely chopped - 1 cup
4. Green chillies - 1-2
5. Italian seasoning - 1 teaspoon
6. Oil - 1 teaspoon
7. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Wash and boil quinoa in 2 cups of water. Cook on medium flame until all the water evaporates.

2. Heat oil in a large pan and add the Italian seasoning.

3. Add thinly sliced onion and saute until they turn translucent.

4. Add chopped mixed vegetables, slit green chillies and salt to taste. You can add potatoes, green beans, carrots, green peas and capsicum. Saute until vegetables are cooked.

5. Finally add cooked quinoa, mix well and turn off the heat.

Radish Sambar | Mullangi Sambar

Radish sambar is a delicious South Indian sambar with radish as the main ingredient. You can either use small red radish or large white ones.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1. Radish - 1 cup washed and sliced
2. Toor dal - 1/2 cup
3. Onion - 1 medium
4. Tomato - 1 medium
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
6. Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
7. Sambar powder - 2 teaspoon
8. Tamarind paste thick - 1 tablespoon
9. Coriander leaves - for garnishing
10. Salt to taste

For tempering:
1. Oil - 1 tablespoon
2. Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/8 teaspoon
4. Curry leaves - few
5. Dried red chilli - 2
6. Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:
1. Wash toor dal and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.

2. Transfer the cooked dal in a large saucepan and add sliced radish, sliced onion, diced tomato, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sambar powder and salt to taste. Add around 1 cup of water for the vegetables to cook. Turn on heat and cook until radish is soft and well cooked.

3. Add tamarind paste and mix well. Turn off the heat.

4. For tempering, heat oil in a small pan and crackle mustard seeds. Then add fenugreek seeds, dried red chilli, asafoetida powder and curry leaves and turn off the heat. Add the tempering into sambar.

5. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice/dosa/idli.

Dal with Turnip Greens

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Toor dal - 1 cup
2. Turnip Greens - washed and finely chopped - 2 cups
3. Tomato - 1 large
4. Onion - 1 medium
5. Garlic - 2-3 cloves
6. Green chilli - 1 or as per spice level
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
8. Red chilli powder  - 1/2 teaspoon
9. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Oil - 2 teaspoon
11. Salt to taste

Turnip Greens

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and splutter mustard seeds.

2. Add sliced onion and fry for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add chopped tomatoes, slit green chilli and crushed garlic.

4. Add washed toor dal, turmeric powder and red chilli powder.

5. Add enough water to cook the toor dal(around 1 and half cup).

6.Finally add chopped turnip greens and salt to taste.

7. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles until toor dal is well cooked.

Serve with rice. 

Lemon Pickle | Naranga Achar

Ingredients:
1. Lemon - 6-7 no.
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
3. Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tablespoon
4. Fenugreek powder - 1 pinch
5. Asafoetida - 1/8 teaspoon
6. Garlic - 6-7 cloves
7. Vinegar - 1 tablespoon
8. Salt - approx. 5 teaspoon
9. Oil (preferably gingelly/sesame oil) - 2 tablespoon

Method:
1. Wash and cut each of the lemons into small wedges.

2. Put the lemon pieces in boiled and cooled water and add around 4 teaspoon of salt. Transfer into an air tight container and keep in refrigerator for around 5-7 days. This makes the lemon absorb the salt and makes the lemon peel tender.

3. After the resting period, drain and discard the water completely.

4. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add garlic slices and fry for couple of minutes.

5. Reduce the flame to low and then add asafoetida, fenugreek powder, red chilli powder and salt(around 1/2 teaspoon).

4. Turn off the flame immediately and add the lemon pieces.

5. Add vinegar and allow the pickle to cool completely. Store in a air tight glass container.

Tofu Roast

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Extra Firm Tofu cubes - 1 cup
2. Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
4. Garam masala powder - 1/8 teaspoon(optional)
5. Oil - 1 tablespoon
6. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Take tofu cubes in a mixing bowl and add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and salt to taste. Mix well and set aside for atleast 10 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add the marinated tofu. Cook on low-medium flame until tofu turns light brown in color.

This can be enjoyed as a snack for tea or can be served as a side dish with rice/chapathi. 

Afghani Bolani

Bolani is a flat bread originating from Afghanistan. These flat breads have vegetable filling and they are either fried or baked.

The original recipe uses all-purpose flour for the dough and they were shallow fried in oil. I modified a bit by using whole wheat flour and cooked on a skillet by drizzling little oil.

These bolanis are very similar to Stuffed Indian Parathas.

Recipe Source: Weaving Life

Serving: Makes 6

Ingredients:
For dough:
1. Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
2. Oil - 1 teaspoon
3. Water at room temperature for kneading
4. Salt to taste

For filling:
1. Potatoes - 2 medium
2. Cilantro - 1/2 cup chopped
3. Scallions - 1/2 cup chopped
4. Olive oil - 2 tablespoon
5. Salt and pepper to taste

For cooking:
1. Oil - 3 teaspoon

Method:

1. For the dough, mix together flour, a teaspoon of oil and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add water little by little and knead to form a soft dough. Rest the dough for atleast an hour.

3. Pressure cook peeled potatoes for upto 2 whistles. Mash the cooked potatoes.

4. For the filling, mix together mashed potatoes, cilantro, scallions, 2 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.

5. To make bolani, take a small portion of dough and roll into thin circle(just like you make chapathi).

6. Take 1/4 cup filling and spread on one half of the circle leaving around 1/4 inch border at the edge for sealing.

7. Fold them in half and press to seal the edge.

8. Heat a skillet on medium flame and cook the bolani on both sides until you see nice brown spots. Drizzle around 1/2 teaspoon of oil while cooking.

Serve warm.

Linking this recipe to "International Food Challenge", an event started by Sara and this month's host being Pavani of "Cook's Hideout".

Naan

Naans are leavened Indian bread. I never ever imagined I could make naan at home. I followed the recipe from vahchef and my naans turned out just perfect.

The leavening agent used in this recipe is instant active dry yeast. Since these are instant, you don't need to have any resting time for dough. These are baked under broil settings for 2-3 minutes.

Naan can be served with vegetable kurma or chicken curry or any paneer dish.

Black Eyed Peas and Pumpkin Curry

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Black eyed peas- 1/2 cup
2. Pumpkin - 2 cups chopped
3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
4. Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
5. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
6. Dried whole red chillies - 2-3
7. Green chillies - 2
8. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
9. Oil - 1 teaspoon
10. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Soak black eyed peas in water for 4-5 hours.

2. Pressure cook soaked black eyed peas, cut pumpkin, turmeric powder, slit green chillies and salt to taste for upto 5 whistles.

3. Grind coconut and cumin seeds into fine paste. Add this to cooked black eyed peas.

4. Boil the black eyed peas and pumpkin for 10 more minutes. Take off the stove.

5. For tempering, heat a teaspoon of oil in a small pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add dried red chillies and transfer the tempering to curry and mix well.

Serve with rice/chapathi.

Vanpayar Mathan Erissery | Red Cow Peas & Pumpkin Curry

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Vanpayar/ Red Cow Peas - 1/2 cup
2. Pumpkin - 2 cups chopped
3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
4. Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
5. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
6. Dried whole red chillies - 2-3
7. Green chillies - 2
8. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
9. Oil - 1 teaspoon
10. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Soak vanpayar in water for 5-8 hours.

2. Pressure cook soaked vanpayar, cut pumpkin, turmeric powder, slit green chillies and salt to taste for upto 5 whistles.

3. Grind coconut and cumin seeds into fine paste. Add this to cooked vanpayar.

4. Boil the vanpayar and pumpkin for 10 more minutes. Take off the stove.

5. For tempering, heat a teaspoon of oil in a small pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add dried red chillies and transfer the tempering to curry and mix well.

Beetroot Stir Fry

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Beetroot - 2 medium sized
2. Green chillies - 2
3. Garlic - 2 cloves
4. Coconut oil - 1 teaspoon
5. Salt to taste

Method:
1. In a pan, add a teaspoon of oil and grated beetroot.

2. Add slit green chillies, crushed garlic and salt to taste. Cook covered on medium flame for around 10 minutes.

This is the simplest way to cook beetroot. Serve as a side dish for rice.

Palak Paneer

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1. Palak/Spinach - 1 bunch
2. Paneer cubes - 1 cup
3. Tomato - 2 medium sized
4. Onion - 1 medium sized
5. Ginger garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
6. Green chillies - 1 no.
7. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/2 tsp
8. Bay leaf - 1
9. Garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Oil - 1 tablespoon
11. Salt to taste

Paneer cubes

Method:
1. Heat 1 cup of water and add spinach, cubed tomatoes, chopped onions and green chillies. Boil for 5-7 minutes until tomatoes turn soft.

2. Allow it cool for sometime and make a puree in a blender.

3. Heat oil in a saucepan and add bay leaf and cumin seeds. Fry for a minute and then add ginger garlic paste. Once they turn light brown in color, add the palak puree.

4. Add garam masala powder and salt to taste. Cook on medium flame for 10-12 minutes.

5. Finally add paneer cubes and turn off the flame.

Aloo Bonda | Potato Bonda

Ingredients:

For batter:

1. Gram flour/Besan - 1 cup
2. Rice flour - 1 tablespoon
3. Ajwain/Carom seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
4. Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Asafoetida/hing - 2-3 pinches
6. Salt to taste

For filling:
1. Potatoes - 3 medium sized
2. Onion - 1
3. Green chillies - 2 -4
4. Coriander leaves - chopped - 3 tablespoon
5. Curry leaves - few
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
7. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Garam masala - 1/8 teaspoon
8. Dry mango powder/Chaat masala - 1/4 teaspoon - optional
9. Asafoetida/hing - 2-3 pinches
10. Oil - 1 tablespoon
11. Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying bonda

Method:
Filling:
1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Mash the boiled potatoes and keep it aside.

2. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

3. Add asafoetida, finely chopped onion, curry leaves and green chillies. Saute until onions turn light brown in color.

4. Add turmeric powder, garam masala and dry mango powder/chaat masala.

5. Add mashed potatoes and salt to taste. Mix well and switch off flame after 5 minutes.

6. Add finely chopped coriander leaves. Allow the mix to cool down. Then make lemon sized balls and keep them aside.

Batter:
1. In a large mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients listed for making batter.

2. Add water little by little to make a thick batter.

Assembly:
1. Heat oil for deep frying on medium flame.

2. Dip each of the potato balls in batter and deep fry until golden brown.

3. Drain off excess oil on a tissue paper.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Ghee Rice | Ney Choru

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Jeera rice/Basmati rice - 1 cup
2. Onion - 1 large
3. Cashews - 20 count
4. Raisins - handful
5. Ghee - 2-3 tablespoon
6. Cloves - 4-5
7. Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
8. Cardamom - 2
9. Bay leaf - 1
10. Coriander leaves for garnishing - optional
11. Boiling water - 2 cups
12. Salt to taste

Method:
1. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon on ghee. Add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf. Fry for a minute.

2. Add washed rice and saute for 10-12 minutes on medium flame.

3. Add 2 cups of boiling water and salt to taste. Cook on low flame until all the water evaporates.

4. Meanwhile in a different pan, heat 2 tablespoon of ghee and fry cashews and raisins. Once they turn light brown in color, remove from pan and keep them aside.

5. In the same pan, fry thinly sliced onions until they turn dark brown in color.

6. Once the rice is cooked add the fried raisins, cashews and onions and mix well.

7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with your favorite curry of your choice.

Paneer Roast

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Paneer/Cottage Cheese cubes - 1 cup
2. Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
3. Turmeric powder - 1/8 teaspoon
4. Garam masala powder - 1/8 teaspoon
5. Oil - 1 tablespoon
6. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Take paneer in a mixing bowl and add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and salt to taste. Mix well and set aside for atleast 10 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add the marinated paneer. Cover and cook on low-medium flame until paneer turns brown in color.

This can be enjoyed as a snack for tea or can be served as a side dish for rice/chapathi. 

Egg Bonda

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1. Boiled eggs - 6
2. Gram flour/Besan - 1 cup
3. Corn flour or rice flour - 1 tablespoon
4. Ajwain/Carom seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
6. Asafoetida/hing - 2-3 pinches
7. Salt to taste
8. Oil for deep frying

Method:
1. Cut the hard boiled eggs into 2 and keep them aside.

2. Heat oil for deep frying.

3. In a large mixing bowl, make a thick batter using gram flour, corn flour/rice flour, ajwain, red chilli powder, asafoetida, salt and 1/2 cup water. Add water little by little and check for the consistency. The batter should be thick enough to give a nice coating for eggs.

3. Dip each of the egg halves in batter and drop them in hot oil. Fry until the outer covering turn golden brown.

4. Drain off excess oil on a tissue paper.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Potato Brinjal Sabzi

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 

1. Potato - 2 medium sized 

2. Brinjal - 4 small sized

3. Ginger grated - 1 teaspoon

4. Onion - 1 medium sized

5. Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon

6. Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon

7. Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon 

8. Green chillies - 1-2

9. Curry leaves - 2-3 sprigs

10. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

11. Oil - 3 teaspoon

12. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and peel the potatoes and pressure cook for upto 2 whistles. Cut into small cubes and keep it aside.

2. In a large pan, heat 2 teaspoon of oil and add sliced brinjal. Sprinkle little salt and saute on medium flame for around 10-12 minutes with occasional stirring. 

3. Add grated ginger and slit green chillies and saute for a minute. 

4. Add thinly sliced onion and saute until onions turn translucent. 

5. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder and pepper powder and fry for a minute.

6. Add boiled potatoes and curry leaves. Cover and cook on low flame for 10 minutes.

7. Finally for tempering, heat a small pan and add the remaining teaspoon of oil and splutter seeds and few curry leaves. Transfer the tempering into sabzi.

Serve with chapathi. 

Turnip Greens Stir Fry

Of late I have been trying new varieties of greens in market. I bought the superfood Kale and sauteed with little coconut. Then I tried Swiss Chard and made stir fry and added them to dal.

Now is the turn for Turnip Greens. This is a simple recipe of sauteeing the greens in a Kerala style way. It can be eaten as a side dish for rice.

Turnip Greens

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1. Turnip Greens - 1 bunch

2. Garlic - 2-3 cloves

3. Coconut - handful grated

4. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

5. Oil - 1 teaspoon

6. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and finely chop the greens.

2. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a large pan and splutter mustard seeds.

3. Add crushed garlic and chopped greens. 

4. Add salt to taste and mix well. Saute for 4-5 minutes and turn off the heat.

5. Add grated coconut and mix well. Serve as a side dish for rice.

Tomato Broccoli Soup

Soups are always a comfort food during winter. It started snowing at my place and the temperature is as low as -10 deg C. There is nothing more comforting than a hot bowl of soup on a cold evening.

This is a winner recipe because my DH loved it and asked me for a second helping.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Tomato - 2 medium sized
2. Broccoli - 1 cup florets
3. Onion - 1 small
4. Bay leaf - 1
5. Butter - 2 teaspoon
6. Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method:
1. Heat 2 teaspoon of butter in a saucepan and add the bay leaf.

2. Add roughly chopped onion, broccoli, tomatoes and 1 cup of water.

3. Cook until tomatoes turn soft.

4. Turn off the heat and allow the veggies to cool down.

5. Discard the bay leaf and blend the veggies in a blender.

6. Strain the puree and transfer into the same saucepan and cook for around 5 minutes.

7. Season with salt and pepper powder and serve hot.

Submitting this recipe to Priya's "Shh Cooking Secretly Challenge" event. Viji from Viruntu Unna Vaanga challenged me with two ingredients namely broccoli and tomatoes and I decided to make this Tomato Broccoli Soup.

Beetroot Milkshake

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Beetroot grated - 1 cup
2. Cold Milk - 1 cup
3. Water - 1/2 cup
4. Cardamom - 4 pods
5. Sugar/Honey - 2 tablespoon

Method:
1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender.

2. If required strain the milkshake to remove any pieces of grated beetroot.

Refrigerate for atleast half and hour. Tastes best when served cold.

Egg Omelette

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Eggs - 3
2. Onion - 1 large
3. Green chillies - 1-2
4. Curry leaves - few
5. Oil - 1 teaspoon
6. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl.

2. Add finely chopped onions, green chillies, curry leaves and salt to taste. Mix well.

3. Heat a large pan and add a teaspoon of oil.

4. Add the egg mixture and cook covered on both sides on low-medium flame.

Enjoy these very basic and easy to make egg omelette for breakfast or as a side dish for rice.

Egg Volcano

Egg Volcano is an interesting dish which kids will surely love to eat. These are easy to make with very basic ingredients like eggs, bread and some seasoning. 

Recipe Source: One Pot Chef

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1. Eggs - 2

2. Bread - 2 slices

3. Pepper and Salt for seasoning as per taste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 deg F.

2.  Separate egg yolk from egg white.

3. Use a hand mixer or whisk and beat the egg white until white and foamy. 

4. Cut the edges of bread and place a large scoop of egg white on bread slice. 

5. Make a small dent in the center of egg white using a spoon and careful drop the egg yolk.

6. Sprinkle little salt and pepper for seasoning.

7. Place them in preheated oven for 12 minutes. 

Mom's Potato Stir Fry

This is a tasty and excellent side dish for rice/chapathi which is very easy to make. My mom quite often prepares this for chapathi. There is no specific name for this dish, so I decided to name it as "Mom's Potato Stir Fry".

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Potato - 2 medium
2. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
3. Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
4. Oil - 1 tablespoon
5. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat oil in a large pan and add finely chopped potatoes.

2. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt to taste.

3. Cook covered on low-medium heat until well done and slightly crispy. Don't add water while cooking. This takes around 15 minutes.

Kadhi with Baked Pakoda

Kadhi Pakoda are usually made using deep fried pakoda. I tried to make a healthier version by baking the pakodas. Thanks Nimmi for giving me the recipe of baked pakodas. 

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For Pakoda:

1. Onion - 2 medium - thinly sliced

2. Gram flour/Besan - 1/2 cup

3. Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

4. Carom seeds/Ajwain/omam - 1/4 teaspoon

5. Oil - 1 teaspoon

6. Salt to taste

For Kadhi:

1. Curd/Yogurt - 1/2 cup

2. Besan - 2 tablespoon

3. Ginger-garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

4. Onion - 1 small

5. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon

6. Fenugreek seeds - 7-10 nos.

7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

8. Green chilli - 1 or as per spice level

9. Water - 1 cup

10. Oil - 1 teaspoon

11. Ghee/Clarified butter - 1/2 teaspoon

12. Coriander leaves/Cilantro - for garnishing

13. Salt to taste

Method:

Pakoda making:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degree F.

2. Mix all the ingredients mentioned for making pakoda including the oil. Add few tablespoon of water and mix well to get a thick battered mix. 

3. Place a parchment paper on baking tray and place a small portions of batter on tray. 

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes until they turn golden brown in color. Make sure to flip the pakodas after half time.

Baked Pakodas

Kadhi Preparation and mixing:

1. In a large saucepan, heat a teaspoon of oil. Add cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and stir for few seconds.

2. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute.

3. Add finely chopped onion and slit green chilli. Add salt and saute until onions turn translucent.

4. Meanwhile in a mixing bowl, mix 2 tablespoon of besan with little water. Mix well to remove any lumps. Add yogurt, turmeric powder and 1 cup of water to it and mix well. Make sure there are no lumps.

5. Once the onions turn translucent, add yogurt mixture. Check for salt. Stir and cook on medium flame for around 20 minutes. The kadhi tends to thicken while boiling, so you can add more to get the desired consistency.

6. Add 1/2 teaspoon ghee and turn off the heat.

Just before serving, add the pakodas into kadhi and garnish with coriander leaves.