Besan Ladoo: Microwave recipe

This is a very quick way to make the famous and tasty besan ka Ladoo.
Servings: Makes about 8-10 medium sized ladoos
Ingredients

• Besan or Gram Flour : 1 cup
• Unsalted butter or ghee: one stick or one cup when melted
• Sugar half a cup
• Almonds , Pistachios for garnishing (optional)

Method

• In a Microwave safe vessel(I prefer glass containers) melt all the butter or ghee for about 30 seconds.
• Add the besan or gram flour to the butter and stir well to coat all the besan with butter.
• Now microwave on high for about 4-5 mins stirring every one minute.The besan will start changing colour after 2-3 mins.In my Microwave it takes around 4-5 mins to get an even reddish brown colour.
• It is important to stir every one minute and depending on the power level of your microwave you may keep it for a shorter or longer time.
• Once the besan has an even color and gives out a lovely aroma remove from the Microwave.
• Now add the powdered sugar to the mixture and stir well.
• Let the mixture cool to for about 10 mins so that it is easier for you to make ladoos out of it.
• In case it is hard to make the ladoos try adding a few teaspoons of ghee or melted butter to the mixture so that it can be shaped.
• You can dip the ladoos in ghee and fix an almond or pista to each ladoo .
• The ladoo if refrigerated for sometime before serving can taste much better and will get hard too.
• The Ladoos stay long( for about 2 weeks) when refridgerated

Sevaiya Kheer or Semiya Payasam or Vermicilli Kheer

Sevaiya Kheer as in known in Northern India or Semiya Payasam as in known in Southern India is an easy delicacy made with vermicilli.I make it very often for any puja.

Ingredients:

• One cup vermicilli or Sevaiya
• One cup sugar
• Four cups milk(You can 1%,2% or whole milk.It comes out well in all three)
• One spoon cardamom powder or elaichi powder(optional)
• Almond,Raisins or Cashwes for garnishing
• 4 table spoons ghee or unsalted butter

Procedure

• Take 2 table spoons ghee and heat it on medium high.Add the half cup vermicilli to the ghee and let it roast till it becomes golden brown.Keep the flame on low and keep stirring as you roast to roast evenly.You can also break the vermicilli into smaller lengths as you roast.
• Meanwhile also boil the milk in a separate container as you continue roasting.
• Once the vermicilli gets brown add the hot milk to it.Take care since the milk may splatter.
• Keep stirring on a medium flame since milk may boil and overflow.It's best to keep stirring and let the milk boil for about half an hour since the kheer get thick by then.
• Add sugar and the elaichi powder once you add milk and stir well.
• As you continue stirring ,start preparing the garnishing.
• In a separate pan heat the remaining ghee.Add chopped almonds,cashwes and raisins and stir till they get golden brown.
• Once the milk reaches a desired consistency after about half hour,remove from flame and add the dryfruit garnishing.
• Serve hot or freeze in the refrigerator and serve cold.

Aloo Masala for Masala Dosa

The aloo masala for masala dosa is very easy to make.My husband loves masala dosa and I tried it yesterday and it came out wonderful.Here goes the recipe:

Ingredients

1. Potatoes medium sized: 4 to 5
2. Green peas or mutter : one cup
3. Garlic cloves : 5-6
4. Green chillies : 2-3
5. Red chilli powder : 1 teaspoon
6. Tumeric powder or haldi : 1 teaspoon
7. Jeera or cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
8. One Onion finely chopped
9. Oil- 2 table spoons
10. Salt to taste

Procedure

1. Boil or steam the potatoes .I usually boil them in a pressure cooker for about 3 whistles.This is the quickest way for me to do it.
2. Once they are steamed, let them cool for 5-10 mins and then peel the skin off the potatoes.Smash the potatoes.
3. Finely chop the garlic and chillies
4. Heat the oil in a pan.Add cumin seeds and once they crackle add the chopped chillis and garlic.Saute them on medium flame till the garlic pods are golden brown.
5. Now add tumeric powder and chilli powder to the oil.Stir well till the powders blend in the oil.
6. Add the onions and stir well till they r golden brown.
7. Now add the potatoes and peas and salt to taste and stir well.
8. Let the potatoes roast for sometime.
9. Remove from flame.

You can now use this delicious masala in masala dosas or sandwiches.

Methi Paratha

A wonderful way to make these parathas.I used to always make them by using methi leaves directly in the dough and I never found it very delicious. A punjabi friend of mine taught me a new way and it came out awesome.Here goes the recipe:
Methi Paratha
Ingredients:

• Atta or whole wheat flour:3 cups
• Methi: one bundle
• Spring onion: 5-6 sticks
• Corrainder leaves: 1 bundle
• Ginger: finely chopped 1 tea spoon
• Lemon juice of one lemon
• Salt to taste

Procedure

• Wash the methi leaves,spring onion and corrainder leaves thoroughly
• Do not remove the stem of the methi leaves.Grind all the above of step 1 with ginger and a little water to make a fine paste.
• Add salt to taste and lemon juice to the paste.
• Now add this paste to the wheat flour and knead it with the paste.If needed add little water .
• Make round parathas and place on a hot pan.Apply butter on both sides and cook till it is roasted
• Serve hot with butter,pickle and curd.

No-Bake Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

Nutritional Info (Per serving):

Calories: 412, Saturated Fat: 7g, Sodium: 640mg, Dietary Fiber: 7g, Total Fat: 13g, Carbs: 56g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Protein: 22g

Carb Choices: 3.5

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 25 mins
This is a recipe I got from one of the health sites and it came out very well.If you dont like Brocolli, you can substitute it with vegetables of your choice.

Ingredients

• 8 ounce(s) pasta, whole-wheat, cooked, elbow noodles (2 cups)
• 1 package(s) broccoli, frozen chopped, 10-ounce package
• 1 3/4 cup(s) milk, lowfat (1%), divided
• 3 tablespoon flour, all-purpose
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, white, ground
• 3/4 cup(s) cheese, cheddar, shredded, shredded
• 1/4 cup(s) cheese, Parmesan, shredded
• 1 teaspoon mustard, Dijon

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta for 4 minutes. Add frozen broccoli and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and broccoli are just tender, 4 to 5 minutes more.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 cups milk in another large pot over medium-high heat until just simmering. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup milk, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl until combined.

3. Add the flour mixture to the simmering milk; return to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in Cheddar, Parmesan and mustard until the cheese is melted.

4. Drain the pasta and broccoli and add to the cheese sauce. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat, until heated through, about 1 minute.

Raw Pudina Chutney

This chutney is an absolute delicacy.A recent item I learned from one of my friends.I was a little apprehensive about it since, all the items are raw but it tastes awesome.Here it goes:

Ingredients

• Pudina/Mint leaves: 2 bunches
• Curd: 1.5 cups
• Garlic : 1 pod
• Spring onions: 1 bunch
• Ginger: 1 teaspoon
• Lemon juice of one lemon
• Salt to taste
• Green chillis: 2

Procedure

• The process is very simple for this raw and healthy chutney.Just grind all of the above with a little water if required.
• Add salt to taste
• Store in an air tight container in the fridge and serve cold with parathas or rotis.It also goes well with rice.Has a cooling effect on the stomach during summer.

Arbi or Seppankizhangu roast or curry

Taro Root/Colocacia/Seppankizhangu roast , is a dish that can be called the favourite of the household. It is a delicacy because of the care one needs to take while cooking this dish.An ideal combination is arbi roast, rasam and rice.

 Items needed

• Arbi as per the number of people.I usually need around 1kg for 2-3 people.
  
• Red Chilli powder 2-3 tea spoons as per your taste
• Urad dal : 3 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds: 1tea spoon
• Salt to taste.
• Oil 3-4 table spoons
• Tumeric powder: 1tea spoon

Procedure

• Wash the arbi well and leave the skin on.We shall peel it later
• We need to boil or steam the arbi to a point where it is soft to roast but not mushy.This is where a lot of care needs to be taken.I usually boil it in an open pan since steaming it in a pressure cooker is very unpredicatable.
• Take a big cooking vessel full of water.Add all the arbi to it and cover the vessel.
• Let the arbi cook in water till it is a little soft.You can test this by piercing a couple of them with a fork and if the fork gets through the arbi is fine.
• As soon as you remove it from flame, strain the arbi and wash it with cold water.
• Now peel immediately and chop into semi circles or circles.
• Take a cooking pan and add the oil.
• Add mustard seeds to the oil and the urad dal.
• Once the mustard seeds splutter, add to the oil tumeric powder and red chilli powder and mix well
• Now add the chopped arbi , salt and roast on a slow flame
• Keep stirring till it gets evenly roasted.

Serve hot with rasam and rice