Red Capsicum Chutney Version 2

INGREDIENTS:

Red Capsicum-2
Garlic-4,5 pods
Red Chillies-3 or 4
Urad dal,Channa dal-equal proportion
Tamarind-A small ball

TADKA:

In a pan,add oil,mustard seeds,urad dal,channa dal,curry leaves and asafoetida and let splatter.

PROCEDURE:

1.Fry capsicum,dals,chillies,garlic and grind with tamarind and salt after cooling.
2. Add tadka to the chutney and serve hot with idlies/dosas.

Nivi's Red Capsicum Chutney Version 1

INGREDIENTS:

Red Capsicum-1
Tomato-1 big
Green chillies-2
Garlic- 4 pods
Tamarind paste- 1/4 tsp
Urad dal and Channa dal-equal proportion- Appr 1 tsp each
Salt

TADKA:
Mustard seeds,split urad dal,channa dal,asafoetida,curry leaves in oil

PROCEDURE:
1.Fry Red capsicum,garlic,tomatoes,green chillies and dals in a pan with little oil.
2.Grind with tamarind,salt.

3.Add tadka and serve with hot idlies/dosas.

Chocolate Graham Cracker Dessert

Ingredients:
- Powdered sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Heavy whipping cream
- Plain graham crackers.

1. Use a hand held blender to mix cocoa powder, powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream to make a paste the consistency of icing.
I normally start out with the whipping cream and add sugar and cocoa powder till it tastes right.

2. Put a thick layer of icing on 4-5 graham crackers using a break knife. (almost half a centimetre thick) This is kind of messy...

3. Stack the coated crackers to get something that looks like a slice of cake. Finish by coating icing on all sides of the "cake".

4. Soak in the fridge for atleast 24 hours before serving. The cracker part needs to be thoroughly soaked and soft feeling like cake.

WARNING: Extremely addictive and super high on calories. So make in small quantities. ;)

Kada - Home remedy for cold & cough

Its pretty tasty, comforts your sore throat, unblocks your nose, decongests your chest, and provides some relief from cough.

In winters you can drink this as many times as your want in a day, but in summers limit the consumption as all the ingredients are "hot"

For 1.5 cups:

3 cups water
1.5 inch of ginger pound or grated or sliced fine
4 cloves
1 inch Cinnamon
5 green cardamom
7 black pepper corns (coarsely ground)
2 tbsp of Fennel seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp sugar

Boil everything toagther until water reduces to half the original quantity.
Strain & drink HOT. If you think its too strong, mix a little milk (about 2 tbsp for 1 cup kada).

You can also add tea leaves & milk into it and drink it like spiced chai.

I usually make quite a bit and keep the left over unstrained kada in the fridge. It keeps well for upto a week.

Mughalai Potatoes

Ingredients:

Baby potatoes- 1 packet
Onions-1.5 big onions,sliced thinly
Green chillies- 3-4 slit
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp
Yogurt- Enough to make a light gravy
Turmeric powder,danya powder,cumin powder, chilli powder and garam masala for taste
Cilantro for garnish

Procedure:

1. Boil the potatoes lightly for one whistle in pressure cooker
2. Peel the skin and deep fry them and set aside
3. In a pan with oil,add the sliced onions,green chillies,ginger garlic paste and saute well.
4. Once done add the curry powders and mix the fried potatoes.
5. Switch off the stove and add yogurt and mix well for the consistency of gravy you would like.
6. Garnish with cilantro. You can also fry cashewnuts if you want.

Serve hot with chapathis, parathas or rice.

Ribbon Bakoda

Besan - 3 cups
Rice flour - 1 cup
Salt - to taste (3 tsp approximately)
Chilli powder - to taste
Butter - 1/4 cup
Water

Before adding water, mix in the butter and knead a little bit.
Then make a fairly stiff dough with the above ingredients.
Use ribbon press and fry in oil.

More Kolambu-Tamil Nadu Style

Ingredients:
Soak:
1.Cumin seeds-1 tbsp
2.Toor dhal-1 tbsp
3.Channa dal- 1 tbsp
4.Ginger-a chunk
Other:
1.Buttermilk
2.Grated Coconut flakes
3.Red chillies-1 or 2
4.Coconut oil
5.Mustard seeds
6.Vegetable of your choice-Okra,white pumpkin,lauki or pakodas
7.Curry leaves and cilantro leaves
8.Turmeric powder,coriander seeds powder,chilli powder
9.Asafoetida
10.Onions-Thinly sliced is optional(hotels use them but traditionally not)
11.Green chillies-4 or 5
Procedure:
1.Grind coconut flakes and green chillies and the soaked ingredients to a smooth paste
2.In a pan with oil(I mix normal oil with coconut oil),add red chillies, mustard seeds,curry leaves,onions(optional),asafoetida,vegetables and fry well.
3.Once done,add the ground coconut-chilly paste we ground before.
4.Let it come to a boil. Add buttermilk and allow to boil a little bit. Do NOT overcook the kolambu,then the coconut taste is gone. All you need to check for is the ends of the pot/pan,the kolambu should come to a boil and bubbles should move to the center. Switch off immediately.
5.Pour coconut oil after cooking for extra flavor and garnish with very little cilantro leaves.

Note:I am not able to exactly give measurement of buttermilk and coconut since I always eyeball.Its equal parts.