Easy Rice Pudding

 

Ingredients

•  4 cups whole milk 
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cooked rice (Jasmine rice is perfect for this pudding)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 5-6 saffron threads
• 2 tbsp custard powder
• Chopped nuts.

Method

• Bring milk and sugar to boil in medium-large saucepan.
• Add rice and custard powder and turn heat to low.
• Add nutmeg powder & saffron
• Keep boiling on low for 30 minutes
• After 20minutes, I normally turn it up to high again and rapidly boil the mixture for an added 5 minutes or so.
• Add vanilla extract.
• Let it cool for 5-10 minutes and add some chopped nuts.

serve warm or cold.

Coconut Barfi

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry grated coconut or coconut powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 4 tbsp khoya powder
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• pinch of  orange food color

Method

• Soak coconut powder in milk for 1-2 hours
• In a heavy pan heat 2 tbsp ghee.
• Add soaked coconut and fry equally till it becomes dry.
• Then add sugar and, stir continuously.
• Add khoya powder, orange food color and cardamom powder for flavour.
• Stir content till it becomes thick and starts sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Then add 1 tsp ghee & stir for 1 min. The mixture should become soft.
• Pour this mixture into a greased pan or plate so that it will spreads equally.
• Let it cool for 10 mins. then cut into square or diamond shapes.

Decorate it with chopped almonds.

Semolina/Rava/Suji Appam

Ingredients:

• 1 cup semolina or suji
• 1 cup butter milk
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp oil
• 2 green chillies finely chopped
• 1 pinch of asafoetida
• salt to taste
• a few fresh curry leaves, torn into small pieces

Method:

• Soak semolina in a butter milk & keep aside for 2-3 hours.
•  Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan. Splutter the mustard seeds in the oil, then add the onion, green chillies, curry    leaves and asafoetida and fry for about 1 min.
• Pour the tempering over the suji batter and mix thoroughly. Add salt as per taste.
• Heat the appam chatti or mould on a medium-high flame and dribble a couple of drops of oil in each depression.
• Now drop the suji batter by the teaspoon into each depression, filling it 3/4 of the way to the top.
• Let the appams cook over medium heat, until the batter starts solidifying around the edges, turning opaque.
• Carefully turn over each appam with a thin spoon.
• Let the appams cook for another minute or so, till they are cooked and golden-crisp on the top and bottom.

Serve hot with a coconut chutney.

Aloo Methi Paratha

Ingredients:

For Dough:

• 3 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste
• water to knead

For the Stuffing:

• 2  cups of Methi Leaves, washed and chopped
• 2 large Potatoes, cooked, peeled and mashed well
• 2-3 Green Chillies, very finely chopped
• ½ tsp Amchur Powder
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds, roasted
• ¼ tsp Hing/Asafoetida
• Salt to taste

Method:

For the Dough:

• Sieve atta and mix in salt & oil.
• Slowly add  water as and when required and make stiff dough.
• Cover and keep it aside for at least half an hour.
  

For the Filling:

• Mix in chopped green chillies, dry mango powder, roasted cumin seeds, salt to taste with chopped methi/fenugreek leaves and mashed potatoes.
• Make equal lemon sized balls and keep them aside.
  

For the Paratha:

• Knead the dough again for a minute and make equal lemon sized balls.
• Roll this dough ball in flour and roll them using a rolling pin into thick poories4-5 inch in diameter.
• Place one aloo-methi ball in the centre. Cover and seal the ends and roll again, dusting flour if necessary, into ½ cm thick roties using rolling pin.
• Mean while, heat a griddle or flat pan at high flame and lower it to low-medium flame.
• Gently dust off the excess flour and place Stuffed Paratha on hot griddle and cook on both the sides till its cooked well and brown spots start to appear on top.
• Apply little ghee/oil if desired.

Serve hot Aloo-Methi Parathas immediately with any curry or with plain yogurt and pickle of your choice and enjoy.

Lemon Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 Small onion chopped
• 1clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound Casarecci pasta or you can use any type of pasta
• 1-1/2tsp grated lemon peel
• 1tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen chopped bell pepper
• 1/2 cup tomato chopped
• 2tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt to taste
  

Method:

• Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat until hot.
• Add onions and garlic; cook and stir until onions are tender.
• Stir lemon peel, salt and pepper into pan. Add Capsicum & tomato & stir for 3-4 min.
• Add 2 cups water & bring to a boil over high heat. Now add pasta & return to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, 6 to 7 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring frequently.
• Let stand 5 minutes. Top with cheese before serving. Garnish as desired

Bean & Cheese Enchiladas

This recipe for enchiladas is simple, yummy & creamy !!!
This is one of those recipe that I never really tried to make at home because they seemed like they’d be time consuming, But they are not at all difficult to make. I made this last week and it was delicious & satisfying :)


For the Enchilada Sauce:

• All - purpose Flour – 1 Tbsp
• Oil – 1 Tbsp
• Tomato Sauce – 8 oz can
• Water – 1/2 cup
• Oregano – 1/2 tsp
• Garlic Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Sugar – 1/2 tsp
• Red Chili Powder – 1/2 tsp
  
  For the Enchiladas:
  
• Corn Tortillas - 6
• Refried Beans - 16 OZ can
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese - 2 cups
• small Chopped Onions
• chopped cilantro
  
  
  Method:
  
• Heat Oil in a pan.
• Add All-purpose Flour and whisk well.
• Once the flour turns light pink, add Tomato Sauce, and Water.
• Add Garlic Powder, Cumin Powder, Oregano, Salt, Sugar and Chili Powder. Mix well, cover and allow to come to a boil.
• Uncover and allow the sauce to thicken (stir frequently). Remove from heat when thickened.
• Preheat Oven to 400F Spray an oven proof pan with Oil and spread a little sauce to coat the bottom.
• Wrap Corn Tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes.
• Spread each Tortilla with 1-2 tablespoons of Sauce.
• Place 2-3 Tbsp of Refried Beans along the center of the Tortilla.
• Sprinkle Cheese and Onions on top of the beans.
• Roll the Tortilla and place it seam side down in the pan.
• Repeat with remaining tortillas.
• Spread remaining Sauce over the rolled Enchiladas.
• Sprinkle Cheese, Onions and cilantro over the top.
• Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes at 400F in the oven.
• Let rest for 5 minutes, cut and serve. If desired, garnish with cilantro and chopped onions.
  
  

Stuffed Cucumber

Ingredients:

• 4-5 pieces (2'' long) of cucumber or 1 English cucumber
• 2 tbsp oil
  For filling or stuffing
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup coconut, grated
• 1/2 cup roasted peanut crushed
• 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• pinch of hing
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 /2 tsp dhana jeera powder
• 1 tsp jaggery
  

Method :

• Cut cucumber and make one slit lengthwise for stuffing.
• Mix all ingredients for filling and stuff in the cucumber pieces.
• Heat oil in a kadai.
• Add cucumber pieces.
• Cover and cook on medium heat till cucumber is cooked but tender and crisp, not over cooked.
• Ready to be served with Roti or paratha
  
  

Sol Kadhi

Recently I have had sol kadhi in my friends house & when I had first sip of this kadhi it was so refreshing. This is the first time I made sol kadhi, and it turned out very testy.
Chilled refreshing Sol Kadhi is a perfect drink for the hot & soaring temperatures :)

Ingredients:

• 1 Coconut milk tin
• 8-10 Kokam pieces
• 2 cloves garlic (optional)
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 1-2 green chili
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• chopped coriander leaves
• Salt to taste
  

Method:

• Soak kokam in about 3 tablespoons of warm water.
• The water will turn reddish pink. Grind the garlic, ginger and green chili. Mix the coconut milk, garlic, ginger and green chili paste, salt, kokam water & cumin seeds together.
• Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top.
• Keep in the refrigerator.
• Serve chilled with hot rice, khichadi or is great for any meal.