Matka kulfi

Finally made the long desired relishing dessert, matka kulfi. It was so rich in taste and had a smooth creamy texture.
Used almonds and pistachios but did not add cashews,you can also add cashews to this. Saffron adds exotic colour and flavour to the kulfi.

If you wish to make fruit flavoured kulfi then you can add fruit pulps to this before freezing. Mango kulfi and chocolate kulfi are my other favourites.

This is a good dessert after a meal and  healthy one for kids. You can use kulfi moulds instead of the small mud pots.

Here is the recipe for the yummy matka kulfi with step by step instructions and pictures.

Ingredients:

Full fat milk- 1/2 litre
Sugar-1/4 cup
Saffron-a pinch
To grind:
Almonds-few
Pistachios-few
Cardamom seeds-10
Pepper corns-4
Sugar-2 tsp

Method:

• Soak saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk.

• Grind all the ingredients mentioned under the to grind section and keep it ready.
• Take milk in a wide pan and start boiling it. Simmer once done and keep stirring until it shrinks to half the quantity.
• Now add the saffron milk and the ground mixture and keep stirring until milk turns thick and creamy.
• Switch off once done. Let it cool.
• Transfer to mud pots. Garnish with pista and saffron.
• Cover the pots with aluminium foil and freeze for 10 hours or overnight.
• Serve chilled.

Step by step instructions:

• Soak saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk.Grind all the ingredients mentioned under the to grind section and keep it ready.

• Take milk in a wide pan and start boiling it. Simmer once done and keep stirring until it shrinks to half the quantity.Now add the saffron milk.

•  add the ground mixture and keep stirring until milk turns thick and creamy.

• Switch off once done. Let it cool.

• Transfer to mud pots. Garnish with pista and saffron.

• Cover the pots with aluminium foil and freeze for 10 hours or overnight.

• Serve chilled.

Tutti frutti

Got one big papaya from mom's garden, so tried this tutti frutti recipe which I kept pending for a long time. It has come out so well and my son is too excited. Planning to make a tutti frutti cake shortly ,using this yummy home made tutti frutti.

Cutting it into tiny cubes is bit time consuming but it is all worth it in the end. I used two colours that is orange and apple green and kept few without adding any colour,so I got three different colours. Add colours according to your choice. 

Here is the method for preparing tutti frutti at home. 

Ingredients:

Raw papaya cubes-2 cups

Sugar-3/4 cup

Water-as needed

Vanilla essence-1 tsp

Food colours

Method:

• Wash and deseed the papaya. Remove the outer skin Cut into tiny cubes. Boil the papaya cubes in water until half cooked.
• Drain the water and allow it to cool down.
• In a pan add the sugar and two tablespoons of water to prepare sugar syrup. Do not add more water just wet the sugar.
• Add the papaya cubes and stir until it reaches one string conistency.
• Switch off flame. 
• Add a teaspoon of vanilla essence and mix well.
• In separate bowls add your favourite food colour.Add the cubes along with sugar syrup and mix well with separate spoon for each colour.
• Leave it for 8 to 10 hours for the colours to be absorbed.
• Squeeze extra syrup and let it dry on paper towels for 4 to 5 hours.
• Once it is completely dry, mix all the colours together and transfer to air tight containers.
• Refrigerate it and use as a topping for desserts or use it in cakes and cookies.

Step by step instructions:

Wash and deseed the papaya. Remove the outer skin completely.

Cut into tiny cubes. Boil the papaya cubes in water until half cooked.

Drain the water and allow it to cool down.

In a pan add the sugar and two tablespoons of water to prepare sugar syrup. Do not add more water just wet the sugar.

Stir on medium flame and melt the sugar.

Add the papaya cubes and stir until it reaches one string conistency.

Switch off flame. 

Add a teaspoon of vanilla essence and mix well.

In separate bowls add your favourite food colour.Add the cubes along with sugar syrup and mix well with separate spoon for each colour.

Leave it for 8 to 10 hours for the colours to be absorbed.

Squeeze extra syrup and let it dry on paper towels for 4 to 5 hours.

Once it is completely dry, mix all the colours together and transfer to air tight containers.

Refrigerate it and use as a topping for desserts or use it in cakes and cookies.

Egg roast

Here is a very simple egg roast recipe that is a good side dish for pulao or ghee rice. If you don't like eating boiled egg,then try this ,you will surely love it.

I used sambar powder for the masala but you can also use red chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder separately.

Ingredients:

• Boiled eggs-3
• Green chilly-1
• Curry leaves- few
• Oil-1tbsp
• Salt-as needed
• Sambar powde-2 tsp

Instructions:

• Peel the shell of boiled eggs and cut into slices.
• In a pan,heat oil and add chilly and curry leaves.
• Add the sambar powder and salt a d simmer and mix quickly.
• Add the egg slices and gently roast it on both sides for few seconds.
• Switch off  the stove a d transfer contents to a serving bowl. 
• Serve with pulao or ghee rice.

Paneer sandwich

Paneer sandwich made from fresh paneer, crunchy capsicum and mild spices is a tasty and healthy breakfast or snack. This is a bit different from the regular sandwiches and is too yum!

Step by step instructions:

• Finely chop the onion,tomato and capsicum and keep it ready

• Heat ghee in a pan and add chopped ginger and garlic. 

• Once it turns brown add the onion and saute well.

• Add the capsicum and saute for a minute

• Add the chopped tomatoes,salt,spice powders 

• saute until it turns mushy and well cooked.

• Add the grated paneer to this masala and mix thoroughly. Cook for a minute.

• Toast the bread on one side.

• Stuff the paneer mixture between two toasted bread slices and serve .

Ingredients:

• Bread slices-12
• Paneer-1 cup, grated
• Capsicum-1 small
• Onion-1
• Tomato-1
• Ginger -1 inch grated
• Garlic-1tbsp finely chopped
• Ghee-2 tsp
• Butter- for toasting the bread slices
• Pepper powder-1tsp
• Red chilly powder-1tsp
• Garam masala powder-1 tsp
• Salt-as needed

Method:

• Finely chop the onion,tomato and capsicum and keep it ready
• Heat ghee in a pan and add chopped ginger and garlic. 
• Once it turns brown add the onion and saute well.
• Add the capsicum and saute for a minute
• Add the chopped tomatoes,salt,spice powders and saute until it turns mushy and well cooked.
• Add the grated paneer to this masala and mix thoroughly.
• Toast the bread on one side.
• Stuff the paneer mixture between two toasted bread slices and serve .

Ragi flour

Ragi is one great energy food for both kids and adults. Babies can be fed ragi from 8 months onwards. It is easily digestible and a good food for summer as it has cooling properties.There are variety of foods that can be prepared using ragi flour.Koozh,muruku,adai,dosa,pakoda,kozhukati etc are a few.
There are many brands of ragi flour available in the markets but it can also be  prepared at home. It is a time consuming process but worth the result. Especially when you are feeding it to babies it is better to prepare it at home.

Ingredients:
Ragi or finger millet-1 kg

Preparation:

• Buy a 1 kg pack of finger millet from shop.
• Pick the dust particles and stone.
•  wash thoroughly. The skin will come off as you wash. Remove as much skin as possible.
• Then soak it for 8 hours or ovenight.
• Next day drain the water and tie this in a clean white,wet cloth. 
• Leave it for one whole day and open.
• You will see small white sprouts.
• Now sun dry this for 4 to 5 hours until it gets completely dry and crisp. 
• Give it in rice mill and grind to a flour. If you are grinding in a mixie then sieve ot thoroughly for three times.
• Store it in air tight containers.
• It stays upto a month. You can also store in refrigerator.

Bread omlet

One common breakfast in our house is bread omlet,mostly on weekend mornings. This is super quick and is filling too. You can be more innovative in making this dish,by adding your favourite stuff to it like mushrooms or capsicum or grated paneer/cheese.

Ingredients:
Bread slices-6
Eggs-4
Onion-1
Tomato-1
Coriander leaves-few
Green chilly-1
Pepper powder-2 tsp
Garam masala-1 tsp
Salt
Butter- for toasting the bread slices

Method:

• Break open the eggs in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients and beat well.
• Heat a pan and add butter to it
• Place the bread slices on the pan and pour the egg mixture on it covering the slices completely.
• Put a lid and cook for 2 minutes
• Flip the slices to the other side and cook for 2 minutes.
• Remove when done and serve hot with mayonnaise or ketchup.

Eggless wheat and nut cake

This is my third cake recipe and iam so much satisfied by the output of this eggless wheat cake where I  used jaggery instead of sugar. It was so spongy and tasty and really quick to make too.

This surely tastes a bit different from the cakes baked using sugar and maida but still a more healthy one.

Preheat the oven before you start preparing the cake mixture. Don't let the mixture sit for a long time before putting it in the oven. The original recipe suggested to bake for 40 minutes but mine was done in 25 minutes. It's always better to check in between to see if the cake is done instead of waiting longer until the suggested timing.

I use an otg and there is always difference in baking time between an otg and microwave.

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour- 1 cup
• Jaggery-1 cup ( increase or decrease as per your taste) 
• Baking soda-1tsp
• Salt-1pinch
• Milk-1/4 cup
• Melted butter-1/3 cup
• Vanilla essence-2 tsp
• Lemon juice- 1tbsp
• Mixed nuts and raisins-2tbsp
• Chocolate chips- 1 tbsp (optional)

Preparation:

• In a wide bowl sieve  the wheat flour,salt and baking soda and keep aside
• In another bowl mix the butter and jaggery together until it blends well 
• add the lemon juice and vanilla essence and mix again
• Add the butter mixture to the flour and mix to form a thick cake batter by adding little milk at a time.
• Now mix in the nuts and raisins.
• Transfer the batter to a greased baking tray and level it.
• Sprinkle the Choco chips.
• Bake it for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Once done allow it to cool completely and run a grease knife through the sides of the tray and turn it upside down to remove the cake from the tray.
• Cut it into slices and enjoy!

Scrambled egg sandwich

Made some quick sandwiches for dinner with scrambled eggs. Just a simple dish that's ready in minutes. I did not use the proper method for scrambling the eggs, instead just poured the eggs in tava and scrambled them quickly with some onion,salt and pepper.

Adding green chilly and coriander leaves will be a more tastier option. But this is a quick recipe that saves your time and energy.

Ingredients:
Bread slices-6
Eggs-2
Onion-1
Pepper powder-2tsp
Salt-as needed
Butter- for toasting
Method: 

• Apply butter on one side of the bread slices.
• In a bowl beat the eggs onion salt and pepper well.
• Heat a tava and pour the egg on it and wait until one side is well cooked.
• Gently scramble the egg ,cook for few minutes and switch off flame.
• Place the scrambled egg on the bread slice and close it with another slice of bread.
• Place it in the sandwich maker and cook for 2 minutes.
• Serve with ketchup.

Vegetable sandwich

Sandwiches are everyone's favorite at our home. Got a sandwich maker recently and it is such a time saver. It is a better alternative to the tava top sandwiches and makes the work much more easier.
Kids are often fussy about eating vegetables and this sandwich is the best way to make them eat veggies and they will never say a no.

 I used carrot, capsicum,cucumber,onion and tomato for the stuffing and used mayo and ketchup to add to the taste. You can also use cheese slice on top of the veggies or just add  a pinch of salt and pepper to the veggies and stuff it in.

Ingredients:
Bread slices-12
Onion-1 medium size
Tomato-1
Cucumbr-1
Capsicum-1
Mayonnaise
Tomato ketchup
Butter or ghee -for toasting
Method:
Cut the corners of the bread slices and spread butter on one side on all slices.
Spread mayo on ketchup on the other side of the slices.
Place the veggies on one bread and place another slice of bread on top of it.
Place it in a sandwich maker and cook for 2 minutes or on a tava until both sides turn golden brown.
Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Garlic cheese sandwich

My son's new craze is for sandwiches. I made these simple garlic cheese sandwiches for breakfast and he enjoyed every bite of it. I used salted butter in this recipe but if you are using plain butter add some salt to it.
It is easy to prepare and can be prepared as toast instead of sandwich, with just the garlic butter, if you want to skip the cheese.

Ingredients:

• Butter-2 tbsp
• Garlic-1tbsp, finely chopped
• Grated cheese-for topping
• Bread slices-12 (yields 6 sandwiches)

Method: 

• Take the butter in a bowl and add chopped garlic to it and mix thoroughly. Garlic butter is ready.
• Now apply garlic butter to one side of the bread slices and top it with grated cheese.
• Place another slice on top and toast it in a sandwich maker or tava by greasing a little butter.
• Once it turns golden brown remove from heat and cut it into two halves.
• Serve it with Tomato sauce.

Avocado chocolate shake

Avocado helps in weight gain in babies. I have discussed other benefits of avocado in my other posts like avocado milkshake and guacamole salad. Here is a chocolaty twist to the regular milkshake.

Ingredients:
Full fat Milk-2 cups
Avocado-1 (pulp)
Sugar-as needed
Chocolate syrup-2 tbsp

Directions:
Blend all the ingredients for a minute. Serve chilled.
You can add a scoop of chocolate ice cream on top before serving.

Idli dosa podi for babies and toddlers

Idli is an excellent food for babies. It is rich in protein and also easily digestible. It can be given anytime of the day and is also a best option when the baby falls sick.

For babies less than 10 months,you can just mix idli with formula milk or add rasam yo idli and mash and feed. For babies 10 months and above you can give idlis with gun powder or idli podi mixed with ghee. 

Here is a recipe for idli podi that is quick to prepare.

Ingredients:

• Channa dal-3 tbsp
• Urad dal-1cup
• Pepper corns-7 or 8
• Coriander seeds-1 tsp
• Jeera-1/2 tsp
• Red chilly-1/2 number
• Curry leaves-1 spring

Preparation:

• Dry roast all the ingredients seperately in a pan.
• Let it cool.
• Grind it in a mixie jar into a fine powder.
• Store in air tight containers.
• Take a spoon of this powder and mix it with ghee. Give this with idlis or dosa.