Paneer Potato tots

A very tasty appetizer. It goes good with hot tea or coffee


Ingredients


Potato                             -                2 medium 


Mashed Paneer           -                1 cup


Pepper Powder            -                1/4 tsp


Green Chilli                  -                2


Salt                                  -                1 tsp 


Maida                             -                3 tbsp


Water                             -                as per required for making smooth batter  
                                                            ( probably 5 tbsp)


Oil


Preparation


Initially


Boil the potatoes for couple of mints after pealing


After boiling squeeze it after pouring cold water


Mash it and keep it aside


Preparing Batter 


Take  maida  in a bowl and add water to it to make a smooth batter


Mix mashed potatoes, paneer, chilli, pepper powder and salt well


Now make it into an oval shape ball


Now take a frying pan and heat the oil


Dip the balls in the batter and fry it 


Serve it hot with chutney or sauce

Coconut Burfi

A very easy recipe.During my school vacations amma use to make this and I enjoyed it a lot. After marriage I made it for my husband, he too loved it


Ingredients


Shredded Coconut          -                      1 cup


Milk                                      -                       1 cup


Sugar                                  -                       1 cup


Semolina                           -                       1 tbsp


Cardamom Powder      -                        1 tsp


Crushed Almonds         




Preparation




Take a pan and boil the milk in it 


Add the sugar into the milk and on medium flame stir it till it dissolves completely and to form thread consistency


It will take 6-7 mints


when thread consistency is formed add the shredded coconut 


Stir it continuously till it leaves the side of the pan on turning.


Then add semolina , Cardamom powder and crushed almonds


Mix it well


Then put it in a greased tray and wait for 6 mints


Cut it into pieces 

Mattar Paneer

From last 2 recipes you all might know how to make paneer. So let me introduce you all to a recipe with paneer


Ingredients


Paneer                                   
Cooked Mattar                  -                1 cup
Tomato                                 -               3
Onion                                     -              3
Green Chilly                       -               3
Ginger-Garlic Paste       -               2 tsp
Bay Leaves                         -               2
Cloves                                   -               2
Turmeric powder            -               1/2 tsp
Chilli powder                    -               1 tsp
Coriander powder          -               1/2 tsp
Garam Masala                -               1/2 tsp
Salt                                       -               to taste
Roasted Cumin seed      -               a pinch
Chopped Coriander leaves
Oil
          
Method of Preparation


Fry the paneer cubes in the frying pan till it becomes light brown in color and keep it aside


Grind the chopped tomatoes, onion and green chilly 


Fry the mixture in a pan for 8-10 moints and add the ginger garlic paste. Mix it well and keep it aside


Then on the same pan after heating the oil fry the bay leaves, cloves then put the paste in it and fry it 


Add turmeric, chill powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt and roasted cumin seeds to it and mix well.


Now add cooked green peas or you can buy frozen green peas and use it 


Fry it for 3-4 mints


Add water to it and make a thick gravy. When it starts boiling add fried paneer and stir it.


Cook on medium heat for 5 mints and add chopped coriander leaves to it.


If needed you may use tomato ketchup


And serve it hot

Rasamalai

I went to Chennai with my parents to meet my maasi and cousins in 2001 beginning .And they bought rasamalai for us and  told me its a sweet made of milk.

It tasted as of rasagulla but in different shape and instead of sugar syrup it was in milk

Ingredients

Milk                                             -              2 cups

Lemon Juice                            -                2 tbsp

Water                                         -                1 tbsp

Syrup

Sugar                                         -               1   cup

Water                                        -                2 (1/4)cups


Milk                                            -                3 cups
Sugar                                         -                2 (1/2) tbsp
Cardamom  Powder            -                 1 tsp
Almonds                                   -                 1 tsp
Kesar Powder                         -                 a pinch

Method of Preparation

Mix the lemon juice and water

Boil the milk for about 7-8 mints in a pan and stir it occationally. When it starts boil add the mixture of lemon juice and water. Then you may find that the fat in the milk is getting separated.

Then drain the water through a white cloth and add cold water to it and squeeze the water completely and keep it aside.

Rub it with thumb and roll it if it becomes a smooth ball then that means the paneer is ready.

Rub the whole paneer in a clean surface and make small smooth balls, then flatten it slightly 

Now make the syrup by heating water with sugar in a cooker.

Wait till it boils and then put the balls in the boiling syrup. Close the cooker and when the steam comes lower the heat and cook it for 7-8 mints. Then close the gas and wait for 2-3 mints

Put the cooker under the tap and open the tap so that the cooker cools down and it can be opened.


You may find the balls double in size


Take a pan and boil the milk in medium flame and reduce it to 2 cups (will take 20 mints) by adding Sugar,cardamom and kesar


Squeeze the rasagulla gently and add it to the milk.


Boil it to 3-4 mints.


Let it be in the room temperature for 1 hr.


Then garnish it will almonds and serve it chilled.


Tip:- For best result store it in the refrigerator for 24hrs

Rasagulla

Rasagulla is a traditional sweet of Bengalis I tasted it for the first time when my neighbour at Trivandrum ,who was a tamil brahmin but was born and brought up in north,made it for me.
I really enjoyed eating it. 


After some time they shifted to Ahmadabad and I missed her as well as her dishes. 


After coming to Secundrabad  I searched net for the recipe once again and made it.And I was having it  after 17 yrs. 


Ingredients


Milk                           -              2 cups
Lemon Juice         -                2 tbsp
Water                      -                1 tbsp


Syrup


Sugar                       -               1   cup
Water                      -                2 (1/4)cups




Method of Preparation


Mix the lemon juice and water


Boil the milk for about 7-8 mints in a pan and stir it occationally. When it starts boil add the mixture of lemon juice and water. Then you may find that the fat in the milk is getting separated.


Then drain the water through a white cloth and add cold water to it and squeeze the water completely and keep it aside.


Rub it with thumb and roll it if it becomes a smooth ball then that means the paneer is ready.


Rub the whole paneer in a clean surface and make small smooth balls.


Now make the syrup by heating water with sugar in a cooker.


Wait till it boils and then put the balls in the boiling syrup. Close the cooker and when the steam comes lower the heat and cook it for 7-8 mints. Then close the gas and wait for 2-3 mints


Put the cooker under the tap and open the tap so that the cooker cools down and it can be opened.


Now its ready to serve

Adhirasam

Adhirasam is a traditional sweet of Tamil Nadu It is one of the inevitable sweet prepared in the festival seasons.I had a neighbor who hails from Tuticorin and she made adhirasam once and was very tasty.And she shared the recipe with us.

A month before I made an attempt and was successful in it. 

Ingredients

Raw Rice                                       -                      200 gm

Jaggery                                         -                      200 gm

Poppy Seeds                                -                       1/4 tsp

Sesame Seeds                             -                        1( 1/2) tsp

Cardamom  Powder                 -                        a pinch
Water                                             -                        2 cups

Oil

Method of Preparation



Soak the rice for 5-6 hrs and then shade dry it (at least for 30 to 60 mints). After that powder it and sieve to remove lumps. If needed powder it again


Add 2 cups of water to the pan and melt jaggery. After melting strain it through a cloth to remove the impurities. Then again cook till the pagam is ready i.e, when it starts boil and becomes thick, carefully take a small bit and touch it between the thumb and index fingers and you can find 3 threads being formed. You may also test it by putting a bit in cold water and you should be able to make a ball out of it.


Remove it from fire and add the cardamom powder, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Mix well.


Then add powdered rice slowly and keep mixing till you get a chappathi dough consistency. Cover it and keep it aside overnight




Next day divide the dough into lemon sized balls . Grease the plastic sheet and you finger .


Place the ball and pat it into poori shape and fry it in hot oil on medium flame and turn it into other side and when it becomes brown in color remove and drain the oil using kitchen tissues




You may store it in an air tight container and use it for 7 - 9 days

Plantain Fritters / Pazham Pori

A very simple recipe which is commonly seen in Kerala

Ingredients

All Purpose Flour/ Maida                      -            1 Cup

Rice Flour                                                     -            2 tbsp

Riped Plantain / Nendra Pazham        -            1

Kesar/Turmeric Powder                         -            a pinch

Salt                                                                  -            a pinch

Sugar  (Optional) --> depending upon the sweetness of                                  

                                               the plantain                                                                

Water

Oil

Method of Preparation


Mix maida, rice flour, salt, kesar and sugar well and then add water to make a thick batter.


Then peel the skin off the plantain  and cut it into equal parts and each part has to be cut into 4-5 slices length wise.


Heat oil in a deep frying pan and test the heat of the oil


Dip each plantain slices in the batter and deep fry it till turns golden brown in color.


After draining the excess oil in the plantain fritters serve it hot along with tea or coffee

Chicken Cutlet

After coming to Secundrabad the first item I made was vegetable cutlet and it came out well. Even my mother was surprised to see it. Then I became confident to make chicken cutlet.


After a week I made an attempt and it came out well. Today I am going to share it with you all.


Ingredients


Cooked Chicken pieces        -              1 cup
Ginger Garlic Paste              -              1-2 tbsp
Green Chilly                             -               4
Curry Leaves                           -               10
Chopped Onion                       -               1 cup
Potatoes                                     -               2  medium size potatoes
Garam Masala                        -               1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder                 -               1/2 tsp
Salt                                              -                to taste
Bread Crumbs
Egg  White                               
Oil for Frying


Method of Preparation   


Clean and cook the chicken pieces and mince it.


Boil the potatoes and mash it well with your hand


 Heat 2 tbsp of oil then add  chopped onion. Sort it till it turns golden brown in color then add the chopped green chilly,curry leaves and ginger garlic paste and sort it well. Add minced chicken and mashed potatoes to it. Along with it add garam masala, coriander powder and salt and mix well .And switch off the gas and let it cool


With oiled hand divide the mixture into 8 to 10 equal  parts depending upon the size you prefer


Shape it either in round or oval. I prefer oval shape to round for non veg cutlets.


Dip each patty in egg white and then roll it in bread crumbs and set aside.Fry it only when you are going to serve  because it is nice to have hot cutlets


Heat the oil in the frying pan on medium high heat and the pan must contain 
1 (1/2) inch of oil. When the oil is hot test it using a small part of the patty.Then fry the patty rolled with bread crumbs till both sides becomes golden brown in color and serve it hot with tomato ketchup or sauce


Tips


Fry the patty only in hot oil if the oil is not hot enough then the patty may break