Papaya Halwa

Papaya is a fruit which is rich in Vit-A. Its a good source of fiber and is really good for your eyes and even intestine. Its believed to reduce digestive problem and even increase the appitite. It helps in weight reduction. All in totally is a very healthy yet a yummy option. Papaya is a fruit which is edible even when its raw.

Ingredients:-
----------
Semi- ripe papaya- 2-2.5 cups[ app 1large papaya]
Sugar - 1.5 cups
Saffron - 2 pinches
Cardamom - 2-3 pods[freshly powdered]
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Water - 2 tbsp

Method:-
--------
1. Grate the papaya and keep aside. I have used semi ripe papaya.
2. In a non-stick pan add the sugar and water and put on the heat. Just wait until the sugar melts.



3. Now add the grated papaya and mix properly.




4. Keep stirring until most of the liquid content evaporates and all the content form a single mass and leaves the bottom from the edges.




5. Add the saffron in about a tbsp of warm water and stir and keep aside for about 2 mins.
6. Now add the saffron with the water to the halwa mixture and stir properly.






7. Add the ghee to the mixture.
8. Now add freshly powdered cardamom to the mixture and stir and put off the heat. Enjoy hot or at room temperature.

Kesar badammilk drink/safron almound drink mix

Almond is a nut which is very beneficial for growing kids.It helps in brain development in both young kids and adults.It is a nut which is a rich source of fibers . We people in India try to use this nuts in many sweet dishes ,drink powder or even add it to the cereal powder used in small infants.Its believed that if a pregnant womem consumes these almonds through out her pregnancy right from 4th month to 9th month then her child will be born very healthy and will be very intelligent. Her baby will also have thick hair all over the scalp and the baby will be of fair complextion.This has proven to be a healthy drink for nursing moms and even tired adults.



Ingredients:-
-------------
Raw Almonds - 2 cups
sugar - 1 cup[as desired]
kesar - 1/2 tsp
cardamom - 1/4 tsp

Method :-
-------
1.Take almonds, sugar, saffron ,cardamom in a blender and make a dry fine powder .
2.Store it in an air tight box.This will last for months together.



To prepare badam milk:-
-----------------------
Add about a spoon full of the above powder,add very hot milk and pour it to another cup and keep mixing by pouring it to the same cup back and forth. Enjoy......

Gulli Appam[urad daal savory appam]

Ingredients:-
-------------
ural daal - 1 cup
idli rava - 2 cups
yeast - 1 tsp
onion - 1 medium size
grated carrots - 1 large
coriander leaves- 2 tbsp
green chillies - 2-3 [optional]
salt - as per taste
bell peppers - 3 tbsp

Method:-
-------
1.Soak up the urad daal over night or in hot water for 2-3 hrs.

2. Grind the urad daal to form a fine smooth batter.Add idli rava to the batter and keep adding water little by little so as to form a batterlike idle batter.

3. Then add the yeast[mix yeast with luke warm water and keep aside for 2-3 mins once it becomes pasty its ready to be added to the batter].

NOTE:-
-----
YOU CAN ENTIRELY SKIP THIS STEP BY USING A STORE BOUGHT IDLI OR DOSA BATTER.

4.Chop up the vegetables very fine,grate the carrots and keep ready.

5.Salt the batter as per taste . Add all the veggies to the batter.

6.Now take the appam tava and grease it with a tiny drop of oil in all the chambers.



7.Fill all the chambers up to 3/4 full with the batter. Cover and cook for 1 min in medium flame.

8.Now slowly release the edges and flip it up side down. Do not cover ,cook for another min or until done.

9 Serve warm or room temperature with desired chutney or can be had as it is.

Vada pav -for weight watches and healthy eaters/healthier version

I have always dreampt of tasting the vada pav in its original form at the place where it actually originated, thats amchi Mumbai..... Well not yet i have got a chance of visiting Mumbai and having this poor man's burger as its described. Well have tasted it many places in south and here in California too.So thought of sharing my version of vada pav with you here. Here i am showing less fat ,guilt free method. I promise there is no compromise in taste as well as health.

Ingredients:-
-------------
For the stuffing-
------------------
potatoes - 4 large [boiled]
onion - 1/2 cup
peas - 1/2 cup
salt - as per taste
cumin - 1 tsp
hing - 2 pinches
chat powder - 1/2 tsp
chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
coriander powder-1/2 tsp
coriander leaves- 1 tbsp

For coating of vada-
--------------------
besan powder - 1/2 cup
hing - 2 pinches
chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - 1/2 tsp
water

oil -1.5 tbsp

garlic chutney ingredients:-
-----------------------------
garlic - 9-10 cloves
coconut - 2 tsp
dry red chillies- 4-5
tamarind - size of rasberryor 1/4 tsp
water - 2tsp
salt - as per taste



pav/ bread:-
-----------
I have used hamburger bun- 4-5

Method:-
-------
1.In a big bowl add the cooked , pealed large potatoes and break it up into small chunks.
2. Microwave the frozen peas for 2 mins.
3. In a nonstick pan add 1 tsp of oil ,wait for 1 min .Then add cumin seeds now add onions and saute till it turns slightly brown.
4.Now add peas and saute for 1 min.Then add potatoes. add coriander powder,chilly powder , chat powder and salt.Mix properly.Add coriander leaves and keep aside for cooling.




5. Now mix besan powder and all the other dry ingredients in a bowl and slowly add water little by little until it forms a thick batter just like idly batter.



6. Now prepare small balls out of the potato mixture appoximatly the size of golf balls and keep ready.

7.Heat up the appam tawa and little bit as 1/4 tsp of oil to all the chambers and slightly lower the heat and keep ready.
8.Now slowly dip the balls in batter so as to form a uniform coating all around it and place them slowly in the appam chamber and cover the lid.



9. After 2 mins or when the vada color has changed to golden brown roll on the other side to bottom. check if the oil at the bottom of the appam chambers is sufficient.if not add tiny drops to the required chamber.



10.Now keep moving the appam in all directions to cook uniformly and do not cover it at this point.as we need it to be crunchy and cooked.





Garlic chutney method:-
---------------------
1. Roast all the sliced garlic in about1/2 tsp of oil till it turns slightly brown at the edges.Now add dry red chillies and keep roasting for another minute
2. Now add coconut grates[fresh],tamarind,water,salt and blend into not too fine paste.

This chutney can be taken with rice,chapathi or even dosa.So prepare more and it store well in fridge for about 2 weeks in a air tight container.

Assembling the vada pav[star dish]:-
----------------------------------




1. Grease the pav bread on the inner side with butter or olive oil and slightly toast it on the stove top.[optional] well i have omitted it out.

2.Now open the pav and grease it with the garlic chutney as much as you wish.

3. Place the batata vada in between the bun, add a tiny bit of tomato ketchup and press the top.

4.Do not wait any longer just have it immediately yummm...........enjoy.....

Mushroom baskets

Ingredients:-
----------
Chopped mushroom - 2 cups
whole grain bread - 6 slices
cheese - 1/2 cup
chopped coriander leaves- 1 tbsp
chopped garlic - 1tsp
red chilly flakes - 1/2 tsp[ optional]
salt - as per taste
oil




Method:-
--------
1. In a non stick pan take about a spoon full of olive oil. When it becomes hot add chopped garlic to it and saute for 1 min . Just when it turns a bit golden add chilly flakes . Wait for about 30 sec.
2. Now add coarsely chopped mushrooms and season with slat and pepper and saute for about 4 mins.
3. Just when the mushrooms are done add the cheese and put off the fire. Keep mixing to inco-operate the cheese with the mushrooms.
4. Now cut the bread into half and then spray it on both the sides with pam or apply oil/ ghee on both the side of the bread. If required you can use a cookie cutter and cut it into circles and then apply the oil.
5. Now place these bread into muffin pan and bake in the oven for about 5-7 mins at 350 deg or until it becomes golden at the edges.
6. Now remove them from the oven,add about a spoonful of the mushroom stuffing into the bread baskets which we have already baked to form hard crust.
7. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander greens and place it in oven and bake for another 5 mins.
8.Serve immediately with desired chutney or ketchup . Can be enjoyed as its is also.

batani gashi [ konkani style]

Ingredients:-
------------
onion - 1 large+ 1 medium
garlic - 4-5large cloves
green chillies - 2-3
black pepper - 10-12
coriander leaf - 1/2cup
salt - as per taste
cooked green beans-3 cups
water - 1 cup
jaggary - 1.5 tsp
tamarind - small gooseberry size
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
oil - 1 tsp



Method:-
--------
1. Chop up onions into 4 large chunks and roast them over the rack with garlic cloves over high flame.I have used the grilling rack which i use for fluffing up phulka's. Grill until they turn blackish at the edge . Allow it to cool down.




2. Chop up the coriander leaf and green chillies. Dry roast the black pepper until you hear the cracking sound.

3.Remove the pepper corns and in the same pan add green chillies and coriander leaves and simply saute them without adding any oil for a minute or two.

4. Add everything together in a blender and make a fine paste out of all the roasted ingredients, tamarind and greens and keep aside.

5.Now pressure cook the green peas until just done and keep aside.

6. Chop one medium sized onion .

7. In a deep nonstick pan add 1 tsp of oil,when the oil is heated add cumin seeds and wait for 15-20 sec.

8. Then add chopped onion and saute till it turns slightly transparent.

9. Now add the cooked peas,add the paste and saute for few minutes. Add jaggery ,adjust salt as per taste.

10. Simmer and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Serve with warm phulkas or rice as you wish.

Moolike patheki subji

Ingredients:-
------------
chopped raddish greens - 2 cups
onions - 1 large chopped lengthwise
cumin/jeera - 1 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
curry leaves - 4-5
brown sugar/jaggery - 1 tsp
red chilly powder - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - as per taste
oil - 1 tsp

Method:-
-------
1. Clean and chop the radish greens and keep aside.
2. Chop onions lengthwise and keep ready.
3. In a pan add 1 tsp of oil , add jeera,mustard seeds,dry red chilly and just when it starts to splutter add onions ,curry leaves and saute till it turns slightly transparent.
4. Now add the greens and keep mixing to blend everything together.Add 1/4 cup of water.
5. Add turmeric powder,chilly powder ,salt as per taste .
6. Cover and cook on medium heat for 5 mins.
7. Now add brown sugar mix and stop the heat. Serve with warm rotis or rice with ghee.