Home made hair oil :)

Hi All,

This one is a special home made hair oil which is patented :) My mom gets the credit for it..
I am using it from past couple of months and must say I can see the difference:)

Ingredients :

Coconut oil
Curry leaves
Tea Powder
Methi Seeds
Hibiscus Flower and Leaf
Tulsi leaves/Basil
Jeera/cumin seeds
Ekpan- this is a special kind of leaf which is available in coastal belt

Add all the above mentioned ingredients and boil them.
The color of the oil should turn into black, there is a soothing aroma which fills the air.
Strain the oil and let it cool.

When applying, just heat the oil a bit and apply:)
Believe me its miraculous :)

Chocolate cake

Got this recipe from a dear friend of mine :) I call it Anne's Dark Chocolate cake :)

Anne's Dark chocolate Cake :

• 150 gms baking sugar (if u r not icing the cake, add 75 gm sugar or alternate with sweetened chocolate instead)
• 125 cooking butter softened or sunflower oil (I don't like butter so I use oil-125 ml)
• 2-3 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk or curds
• 250 ml water
• 90 gms unsweetened chocolate melted or 50 gms coco powder
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
• dried & finely chopped orange peel - 2 tsp
• 225 gms baking-maida
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder & cooking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 spoon Nescafe coffee powder (instant)

Sieve the flour, sugar, baking powder & soda together atleast twice so that there r no knots in the flour mix. Beat the white of the eggs 1st till frothy, then add the butter. Next add the egg yolk & mix well. Add the other ingredients in any order. Mix in the orange peel last.

In conventional oven, set microwave mode & bake in a 5 min pre-heated oven, for 7 minutes.

Cream:

In a double wall vessel, heat the following on low flame.

Tip - all ingredients should be at room temperature.

125 ml water
30 gms dark sugar
175 cooking butter
300 gms dark sweetened chocolate (melt)

Chicken Chilly

Ingredients:Chicken – ½ kg, boneless, cut into 1-inch pieces

Onion – 2, medium size, finely sliced

Ginger garlic paste

Tomato – 1, big size, fully ripe, pureed; or alternatively use 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce

Green chillies – 3, medium size, medium hot, finely chopped

Capsicum - 1, sliced length-wise

Red chilly powder – 1 teaspoon

Black pepper powder – ½ teaspoon

Corn flour – 2 tablespoons

Soya sauce – 3 teaspoons
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Salt – ½ teaspoon

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Method:

Boil the chicken in a pressure cooker for one whistle with a pinch of salt.

Take a pan, add oil. Once hot, add ginger garlic paste.

Add sliced onion,curry leaves (for Indian flavour) and fry till its done ( partly golden brown).

To this add, tomatoes, green chilly, capsicum and fry together. Add soya sauce to this mix and saute for a while.Add chicken and mix all of it together.  Dilute corn flour in water, medium consistency and add it to the chicken mix.

Add salt, black pepper/red chilly powder, coriander leaves (garnish) and let it cook in low flame for a while till chicken absorbs the paste and become succulent.

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

1 cup grated coconut
4 Green Chilly
1 inch grated ginger
1 clove of garlic
2 spoon roasted peanuts/split gram
Tamarind
salt to taste
Coriander leaves-handful
jaggery -one pinch
Oil
For seasoning
Ghee
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Asafoetida-pinch


Curd optional-2 spoons

Procedure
Heat one spoon of oil in a pan and fry green chilly till the color changes to white.

Take grated coconut, fried chilly,ginger,garlic,jaggery,tamarind,peanuts and make a fine paste.
Add salt to the chutney.

 For seasoning:Take one spoon of ghee, once hot, add mustard, wait till it sputters.
Add curry leaves and asafoetida to this and mix this to the chutney.

You can also add curd to the chutney for different taste.

Maintain a medium consistency.

Goes well with dosa/idli.

Kheema Balls :)

Courtesy: Habib Aunty from Hubli :)

Ingredients

Finely minced mutton kheema-1/2 kg
onion chopped-1
Mint leaves, Coriander leaves-little
Split Chickpea powder-1/4 cup for binding
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Egg beaten-1-Binding
Ginger & Garlic paste-2tsp
Fennel seeds-2tsp
Greenchilles-4
Khus Khus/Poppy seeds-1tbsp
Cloves-3,Cinnamon-1stick,Cardamom-1
Oil
Tomatoes finely chopped
Red Chilly powder

Procedure:

In a blender, make a paste of all the above mentioned ingredients.
Make sure not to add lots of water to the mix.

Roll the paste into balls of desired size,if you see the paste is not binding, add chickpea powder.

Take oil in a pan, once hot, add tomatoes,curry leaves and fry.
Once done, add red chilly powder and the kheema balls.
Saute till finely done, make sure that the mutton is cooked.


PS:You can also add these balls to  curry in place of mutton.

Walnut-Banana Cake

Ingredients

4 Riped Bananas
Chopped Walnuts- the more walnuts, the crunchier the cake is

5 eggs- Whisked, fluffy

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup-Butter

2 Cups-Granulated Sugar

2 spoons- Cinnamon powder

1/2 cup-Milk

 1/2 spoon- Baking Powder

Essence- Rose/Vanilla

Rum-Optional-2 spoon

Process:

Sieve baking powder and all purpose flour, so that the powder gets evenly mixed.

Now in a blender, add egg,sugar, flour, bananas and make a paste with milk.
Take the mix out and to this add chopped walnuts and vanilla essence. Add a dash of cinnamon powder and rum to this mix.
Take a mold of choice and grease with butter.

Preheat over to 180 degrees and bake the cake for 45 minutes.

The cake is done when you pierce a knife and it comes out clean.

Chocolate cake

Ingredients:
Eggs-4
All purpose flour-1 Cup
Cocoa powder-1/2 cup
Sugar powdered-1 cup
Vanilla Essence-1 spoon
Baking powder-1/2 Spoon
Soda-1 pinch
Butter/Refined oil-3/4 cup
Chocolates for Icing-6

Process:

Beat eggs  and sugar in a blender.
Sieve cocoa powder, flour,baking powder,soda so that there are no lumps.
Add this to the above mix in the blender, add oil and vanilla essence.
Beat the above all ingredients well so they are evenly mixed.

Take a mould of your choice, grease the mould with oil.
Add the above mix to the mould.

Preheat convection to 180 Degrees celsius and place the mould for half a hour.
Take a knife and pierce it, if it comes out clean,the cake is baked.

Melt the choclates with 3 to 4 spoon of milk.

Cut the cake in two halves, pour half mixture and cover it with other half.
Pour the rest on top and decorate it as u need it.

Bread Upma

Ingredients

Bread-10 slices finely cut
Onion-1- finely chopped
Curry leaves-1 strand
Coriander leaves-1/2 bunch-chopped
Green chilly-3- chopped
Tomato 1-Finely chopped or lemon
Oil
Mustard Seed
Jeera
Turmeric powder
salt to taste
Sugar -1 pinch

Procedure:

Take oil in a pan, once oil gets heated add mustard seed.
Let it splutter, to this add Jeera and saute.
Add curry leaves,onions, green chilly,tomato and turmeric powder
Once onions are done,simmer the flame.
Add, bread to this mix and stir well.

If you have not added tomatoes, squeeze lemon to the mix, salt taste,sugar and mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Chilly Soya Chunks

My colleague Shraddha is an innovative cook and she came up with this recipe :) We all loved it and here is the recipe for the same..(the picture posted is not clicked by me and got it from google)


Soyabean-Small Packet
Capsicum-1-Chopped
Green Chilly-2
Tomato-1-Chopped
Big Onion-1-finely chopped
Tomato sauce-1 Spoon
Chilly sauce-1 Spoon
Salt to taste
Black Pepper powder-3 pinches
Oil- 1-1/2 Spoon

Procedure:

Boil the soya bean and drain it out.
Take oil in a pan, add onion chopped fry till golden brown.
To this add,capsicum and green chilly.
Saute the mix,  add boiled soya and tomatoes and stir it.
To this add, add tomato and chilly sauce.
Salt to taste and  add  black pepper.

Chicken Green Masala

Dedicated to my Mom:) Love it when she makes it...this with Rice Bhakri is yummylicious :)

Ingredients:

Chicken-1/2 kg
Coriander leaves-1 bunch
Garam Masala- quantity depends on spice level
Shredded Coconut
Green chilly-quantity depends on spice level
Onions finely chopped-3
Tomato-chopped 2
Ginger Garlic
Oil


Process:

Wash chicken and cook it in pressure cooker for one whistle.
Take a pan, add oil, add onions sliced,green chilly, garam masala whole, shredded coconut and fry all of it till onions and coconut turn golden brown.
Now blend the above mixture into fine paste with coriander leaves, tomatoes, ginger and garlic cloves.

Add the blended mix to the chicken  above and cook till chicken is done , add salt to taste.
Maintain a medium consistency, neither too thick nor liquidy.

Cucumber Groundnut Salad

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber - peeled, seeded, and shredded
• salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
•  1 Spoon Mustard
•  1 Chopped Green Chilly
• 3 tablespoons coarsely ground peanut
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• Asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro
• Curd

Directions

1. Mix together salt and cucumber, and allow to drain in a colander for ten minutes to release water. Pat dry, and place in a medium size bowl. Add Curd to the mixture.
2. Heat oil in a small saucepan, and stir in  cumin,mustard and asafoetida. Add it to the curd cucumber mixture above with sugar and green chilly.
3. Add Peanuts and  garnish with cilantro.

Chicken Kebab

My neighbor invited me  for a sumptuous dinner yesterday, she made these yummy kebabs...

Ingredients 

½ Kg Chicken

Cornflour-2 Table Spoon

Kasoori methi-1 ½ Table spoon

Maida-1/2 table Spoon

Red Chilly powder- Depending on the spice level preferred

Mint leaves/coriander leaves chopped

Ginger garlic  green chilly paste

Egg White

Salt to taste

Oil

Orange red color

Mix all the above given ingredients with Vinegar to form a thick consistency.

Keep it marinated for 10 minutes, do not leave it longer.

The salt added will leave water and hence deep frying this will separate the chicken from masala.

Serve it with onions chopped

Pudina Pulao

This recipe is from a colleague of mine ..his home cooked Pudina Pulao is one the best I have tasted for a long time now..

Ingredients

Green Chilly- 2 to 4
Ginger-1/2 inch
Garlic cloves-2 to 6
Coriander leaves-1/2 cup
Pudeena Leaves-1/2 cup
Onion  finely chopped
Garam Masala- cardamom,cloves,star anise,bay leaf
Vegetables of choice finely chopped
Peas
Coconut milk
Basamati Rice
Ghee
Lemon Juice


Process:

Make a paste of green chilly,ginger,garlic,coriander leaves,pudina leaves.
In a cooker, add ghee and heat it.
Add garam masala and fry it.
Add chopped onion, vegetables and stir it.
Now put the above paste and mix it well.

After evenly mixed, add rice to which add coconut milk and water in even proportion.
For 1 cup of rice , add 1 cup of coconut milk and 1 cup of water.
Add salt to taste, lemon juice and keep it on medium flame for 2 whistles.

Serve it with Raita

You can replace ghee with vegetable oil if you are more health conscious, but ghee has its own taste.

Corn Spinach !

This one is served in all the Cafe-Coffee day:)
Goes well with bread...try it
Ingredients:
Spinach chopped (palak) – 1 cup
Sweet corn kernels – 1 cup
Garlic – 2 pods
Onion – 1
Olive oil – 2 tsp
Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Oregano powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – for taste
Mozzarella Cheese – 3/4 cup- Optional
For white sauce:
All purpose flour (Maida) – 4 tbsp
Butter – 4 tbsp
Milk – 3 cups



Method:

To make white sauce - Dilute the maida in milk and mix it thoroughly without lumps. Melt the butter in a pan. Simmer the stove, pour in the diluted milk mixture and stir continuously until the sauce thickens. Finally add salt and mix well.
Chop onion and garlic finely. Steam the corn and remove kernels.
Heat olive oil in a pan, add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté till they turn light brown.
Add the chopped spinach and corn and cook on medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper and oregano and mix well. Now add the white sauce and cook for 5 minutes.

Add cheese and serve it with bread.

Chicken Ghee Roast

Ingredients
Chicken - 1 Kg
Coriander seeds- 3-4 Tbsp
Poppy seeds- 3 Tbsp
Cumin seeds- 1 Tbsp
Pepper corns- 1/2 Tbsp
Red chilli pwd- 1 Tbsp
Red chilli- Only the Bedagi Mirch- 20-22
Turmeric pwd- 1/2 Tsp
Salt
Vinegar- 3 Tbsp
Ginger Garlic paste- 1 1/2 Tbsp
Curry leaves
Ghee- 3 Tbsp

Step 1- Roast the coriander and poppy seeds for 10 -12 mins on low flame.

Step 2- Transfer the same to the mixer jar add cumin, pepper, salt, turmeric, vinegar, red chilli pwd, red chillies and grind it with very little water to a very fine paste. Make sure its a very fine paste

Step 3- Marinate the chicken with the above masala for 2-3 hrs. More you marinate more tastier

Step 4- Take a big vessel add ginger garlic paste and curry leave and fry for 30 seconds add the marinated chicken and cook for 10 mins or so on high flame..finally when the chicken is cooked add ghee and cook on low flame next 7-10 mins.
Add the above ingredients as per your taste and spice level.

Tender coconut souffle

I had tasted it at my neighbours place and then I tried it myself :) Very delicious

• Tender coconut water - 1 no
• Tender coconut pulp- cut in small pieces
• Sugar - 80 gms
• condensed milk - 300 ml
• Gelatine - 10 gms
• Rose essence - 2 drops

Preparation:

 

1. Mix sugar,condensed milk,rose essence and keep aside.
2. Dissolve the gelatin in half a cup of coconut water over a pan of hot water.
3. Add tender coconut mix to the above mix and heat it in a pan for a while till it gets to custard consistency.
4. Pour it in a mould and refrigerate it.
5. While serving, add strawberry,cherry and coconut pulp shredded.

Chicken Biryani

As told and mentioned, I love Chicken Biryani and all that I do when i taste delicious biryani is to try the recipe
The credit for the below mentioned biryani goes to my colleague Yamini Chowdappa...

Ingredients:
Chicken -1 Kg
Ginger Garlic paste
Onion-whole and sliced ones
Green Chilly
Basamati Rice- 4 cups
Lemon
Ghee
Cashew Powder
Mint and Coriander-1 bunch each
Curd
Kasoori Methi-3 spoon
Garam Masala powder -Home made-4 spoons
Whole of garam masala
Salt
Oil

 Process:

Marinate chicken with curd, ginger garlic paste,green chillies finely cut,garam masala powder,mint and coriander leaves finely chopped. Keep this over night.

Now make a paste of 4 onions whole, this adds to the taste of the biryani.

Wash Basmati rice and soak it in water i.e 1 Rice is 11/2 cup water.

Take a large pan with thick bottom, add oil.
Once oil heats up,add 2 onion finely sliced,onion paste ginger garlic paste,kasoori methi, whole of garam masala and add the marinated chicken.
Let the chicken cook . Add remaining mint and coriander leaves and stir the mix.

Once chicken is cooked, add rice to it and keep stirring. Check if the rice is half done, put on the lid and close it firmly.

Add ghee, cashew powder and lime juice and mix it.
Garnish with fried onion.

Methi Dal :)

Tried it yesterday and literally we had 5 of us fighting for this :)
Goes well with Phulkas ,Chapati....healthy and less oil.

Ingredients:

Methi leaves- 2 bunches
Toor Dal-1 cup
Oil
Turmeric
Onion
Curry leaves
Green Chilly sliced
Mustard
Jeera

Process:

Take toor dal and soak it in water for 5 hours.
Clean the methi leaves nicely and wash it

Now take a pan, add oil.
Once it gets heated, add mustard and wait for it to splutter.
 Add Jeera, Garlic paste green chilly,curry leaves Onions, Garlic cloves and wait till everything gets fried.
Add methi leaves,dal,turmeric powder, salt to taste.
Do not add lots of water as the consistency of this has to be maintained thick.

Once done, serve it with Phulkas:)

Seven Cups

MY friends mom was an innovative and a creative cook! She always came up with her versions of cooking:)
Now this is her recipe


1 cup besan (Bengal gram flour)
1 cup ghee
1 cup dessicated coconut
3 cups sugar
1 cup milk


Mix all the above mentioned ingredient in a thick bottom pan and let it cook for 20 minutes.Keep stirring the mix
Check if the mixture is binding and leaving the edges of the tray.


Now grease a plate with ghee and spread this into a thick layer.
Cut it in even sized diamond shapes.

Kesari Bhaat

Also called as Sheera in South India, this one is quick to make and is tasty.

Ingredients:

Rava/Sooji- 1 cup
Milk- 3 cups
Dry fruits
Ghee
Sugar-11/2 cup (this depends on the taste of individual)
Saffron
Cardamom Powder
Banana/Pineapples- cut in smaller pieces

Fry cashews/raisins/almonds in ghee and keep seperately

First fry the rava in ghee on a low flame. Keep stirring the rava till it gets red in color, do not burn rava. Better it gets fried better it tastes.
Heat milk in separate container.Now to this milk add saffron and keep aside.
Once rava is fried, add milk to it.
Rava gets cooked in milk.
Adding banana and pineapples are optional. If you want to add, do it now.
Once done, add sugar to it and stir the mix.
Add cardamom powder and mix nicely

Ghee always add to the taste of  Kesari Bhaat, but since people are all health conscious these days it depends on individual's choice.
Adding Saffron adds on the color.

Serve hot.