From my kitchen

 

Jam Drop biscuits

Indianised Pasta - Recipe from my team mate Manjula

My team mate Manjula used to get this for her lunch box. And when ever she gets it we used to taste it again and again. Its such a delicious pasta that she gets. At one point she started getting 2 boxes , one for us in the team. I got this recipe from her and made it at my place and this is a hit. My room mates simply love this pasta and in our monthly groceries list we always have this pasta packets in list.
I know that there is a name for each shape of the pasta. But I am not specific here.
We can use ribbon, shell or elbow shaped pasta/macroni.

Ingredients:
I use MTR macroni - 1 packet
1 big onion - finely chopped
1 tomato- chopped
1 capsicum- chopped
corriander leaves- chopped
pepper - 1/2 spoon(adjust to taste)
red chilli flakes- 1 tsp (adjust to taste)
salt to taste
pizza seasoning- 1 spn
 Oil- 2 -3 spns.

Method:
Boil the macaroni in a vessel with excess water with a spoon of oil for 10 minutes or less. Check the texture it should be just cooked , boiling it for long will make it mushy. After it is cooked drain the water and add cold water and drain it and do this twice until the heat goes off  and drain all the water and keep it aside. In a pan heat oil and add the chopped onions and fry until they are cooked, add the chilly flakes pepper salt , add the tomatoes and when tomatoes are cooked add the capsicum and cook for a while(do not add water) , when the capsicum is cooked add the pasta and mix it well. Add the pizza seasoning and coriander leaves and when the macaroni takes all the spices and veges taste switch off.

An italian touch to this:
I took a portion of the above prepared pasta and gave an Italian touch to it. heat half a spoon of oil in a pan and add 2-3 spoons of pasta sauce and cream cheese and heat well, when it bubbles add the above cooked pasta and mix it well and switch off the flame. you can add more salt or pepper taste.

Idiyappam-Kadala curry

My weekend at Udumalpet.

Had been home last weekend , and enjoyed everything that my mom cooked for me. Started with Idli and groundnut chutney went on with araichu vecha sambar, vepam poo vathal(neem flower vathal), avaraikai poriyal, lemon rasam for lunch. Dosa and vendaikai kulambu (this is a special gravy my mom makes for dosas/idli) for dinner. Next day had idli and chicken gravy for breakfast, Fish fry and chichken kulambu for lunch.

This weekend I bought puttu maker and idiyappam maker. In next blogs I will post recipes for sides dishes for idiyappam and puttu. These are my favorite and believe its good for health as its just steamed. 

Masala bread - My Mom's recipe

I never used to eat bread when I was a kid, but except for this masala bread which my mom makes for evening snacks , which I used to eat before I leave for tuitions in the evening. Just the thought and flavor of that masala bread is mouth watering. This is a good one for snacks. The masala that we are going to make is very similar to coconut chutney.

Ingredients:

Coconut- grated 1 cup
Green chillies- 3-4 (based on your spice level).
turmeric- 1 pinch
salt to taste
saunf /Fennel - 1/2 spoon.
Chutney dhal - 1 spoon.

Bread slices
Oil/ghee to toast the bread

Method:
Grind all the above ingredients (coconut, green chilies, turmeric,salt,saunf,chutney dhal) to a paste with water.

transfer this to a wide plate and mix water so that the consistency is good for basting the bread slices. Now heat the tawa with a drop of oil, dip the bread slices in the masala on both sides and place it on the tawa and put oil/ghee around the bread slices and toast the bread slice on both sides until it is brown and masala is cooked.

Note: Quickly dip the bread in the masala. More you dip the bread will become soggy.

Serve this hot , it is a good snack for the evening.

Mixed sprouts gravy

I used to make this for my lunch box, easy to make and we also get all nutrients. I buy this mixed sprouts from the super market, we can also make this at home. I am lazy to make this ;-) so I buy it from out. You can also use fresh/frozen peas in place of mixed sprouts.

Ingredients:
Mixed Sprouts/ just peas - 2 cups
Onion - 2 (finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 (finely chopped)
chillies - 1 or 2 (Optional as we will add chilli powder as well)
giner/garlic paste- 1 spoon
Chilli powder- 1/2 spoon
Corriander powder- 2 spoons.
Coconut milk powder- 2 table spoons.
salt to taste
corriander
Oil
mustard - 1 tsp

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add mustards , when the mustard starts cracking add the green chillies and onions and fry until the onions brown, add ginger/garlic paste and tomatoes, when the tomatoes are cooked add the sprouts/peas , add the chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and water and pressure cook for 2 whistles. When pressure goes down, open add the 2 spoons of coconut milk powder and chopped corriander. Boil it for some time and switch off.

This goes well with rice/dosa/idli/chapathi

Paneer capsicum sandwich

This would be good for breakfast or evening snacks.

Ingredients:
Paneer - grated (2 cups)
Capsicum- 1 big (cut into small peices)
Onion- 1 finely chopped
Green chilly - 2 (chopped) (you can avoid or reduce this).
Red chilly flakes- 1 spoon (adjust it to your spice level)
Pepper  - 1 spoon
Salt to taste
Pizza seasoning (optional).
Oil (I used Olive Oil).

Method:
Heat Oil in a pan and add the green chillies and fry for a minute and add the onions and fry until they are brown. Add the red chilli flakes and fry, add the capsicum and fry for a while, when it is fried add the pepper and salt (Pizza seasoning if you prefer- I add it). And finally add the grated paneer and fry until the paneer is brown.

You can use this Panner Capsicum stuffing for your sandwich.