French Fries

French Fries

Crispy fries Twice fried for the crispness

No one wants soft french fries so to make it crispy some add cornflour/ flour
I have made it this time by double frying which makes fries perfect crispy

Ingredients:

Pototoes: 4
Cold water
Oil for deep frying
For seasoning: Salt paprika,
Dry herbs: oregano, rosemary

Tips & tricks
Wash & peel potato skin, then chop them lengthwise

Rinse potato chopped lenghtwise in water for 2-3 times so that the starch gets reduced
This way fries wont stick with each other

Then dip potato wegdes in cold water & keep in fridge for atleast  1hr
Drain & wipe dry the potatoes

In apan heat Oil to medium hotness then fry the potatoes 

Fry till they are soft & cooked & drain on absorbent let them cool

Heat oil again this time the Oil should be hot then fry second round

Fry till crisp & brown drain on absorbent & sprinkle seasonings

Crispy French Fries ready to serve

Ivy Gourd & Cashew

Ivy Gourd/ Gerkin is a simple vegetable, Usually combined with cashew to give it a rich taste

This is a Traditional South Indian dish, served in South Indian special functions such as Marriage function & any other Parties

Ivygourd/ Gerkin is a vegetable from the gourd family

This is traditionaly combined with Tender cashew....Raw cashew after removing its skin as it is soft and very tasty

This dish can also be made with Cashew Kernals just need to soak it for few minutes to get the tenderized effect

Ingredients Needed are very few & Easy dish to prepare

Ivygourd is called Gerkin, Tinda in Hindi & In regional languages called as Tondekai/ Tendeli

Should Cut these length wise into thin Strips

Cashew nuts should be soaked in water for 10-15 min

Onion should be cut into julians

Coconut should be grated

Ingredients:

Ivy gourd: 15-20
Onion: 1 big
Cashew: 1 cup
Coconut grated: 1/2 cup
Oil: 2-3 sps
Mustard seeds: 2sps
Garam masala powder: 1sp

Method:

In a pan take Vegetable Oil & add mustard seeds wait till it splatters
Add Onion julians & fry till transparent
Add Gerkin/ Ivygourd & fry for 2-3 min
Add 1-2 cups water & cook it with lid for 10 min
Then add the soaked/Tender cashew kernals mix
Add salt & garam masala powder & give it a mix
Cook for further 2-3 min with lid, Then add Coconut grated
Cook till all the water evaporates

Gerkin Veggie is ready to be served as side dish with Chapati/ Roti/ Rice

Strawberry Falooda with Vanilla Icecream

Dessert special Falooda with Icecream

Special Sundae Diary dessert, Falooda is a mix of light custard with Rose milk & Vermicelli. along with BASIL seeds which has a cooling effect....Thus this is very popular dessert dish eaten in Summers best accompanied with Icecreams

Usually served in Long Glasses, which shows the layers of Falooda...You can even serve this in a bowl topped up with Icecream of your choice like below I have prepared Strawberry falloda with Vanilla Icecream

Ingredients:

Milk: 500 ml

Strawberry custard powder: 2sps

Or Maize starch: 2sps

Vermicelli(wheat): 1/2 cup

Basid seeds :1/2 cup

Sugar: 4-5 sps

For the Topping:

Vanilla Icecream

To prepare the Falooda which looks like this:

Method;

Boil Milk In a deep sause Pan, Remove 1/2 cup & cool it

Mix the Strawberry custard powder or Maize starch in the above 1/2 cup milk

Once its dissolved fully add it slowly to the Boiling Milk & keep stirring

Add sugar according to your taste dont make it too sweet

Add Vermicelli & Basil seeds & cook stirring in between

Cook for 10 min till it thickens a bit....It must not be too thick 

Dont cook it for long only till vermicelli gets cook

Alternatively You can cook just the custard & add Cooked Vermicelli & Basil seeds

Seperately as a layer while serving

Let this Custard cool down completely & chill it in the fridge(Not the frezer)

Assembly:

Take a long Glass as Above....

Pour chilled Strawberry Custard 2 sps

Then layer it with Vermicelli & Basil seeds

Again serve the Strawberry custard as next layer 

Followed by Vermicelli & Basil seeds

Top it up with Vanilla Icecream

Serve this Chilled Special Sundae Strawberry Falooda with Vanilla Icecream enjoy

Notes:

You can make Falooda of Any flavour you like, If you want add Rose syrup

You can add Corn starch or Maize starch Instead of Custard powder then add any flavour syrups

Combine it with any Icecream of your choice....

Gulab Jamoons

Gulab jamun is a milk-solids-based dessert, popular in countries of South Asia such as India

Milk solids are prepared by heating milk over a low flame for a long time until most of the water content has evaporated. These milk solids, known as khoya are kneaded into a dough, sometimes with a pinch of flour, and then shaped into small balls and deep-fried at a low temperature of about 148 °C.The balls are then soaked in a light sugary syrup flavored with green cardamom and rose water(kevda) saffron. These days, gulab jamun mix is also commercially available. 
Homemade Gulab Jamun is usually made up of powdered milk, a pinch of all-purpose flour (optional), baking powder and clarified butter(GHEE); kneaded to form a dough, moulded into balls, deep fried and dropped into simmering sugar syrup.
Gulab jamun gets its brownish red color because of the sugar content in the milk powder (khoya)

You can even Use Gulab jamoon mix if you dont have Khova, Add 2-3 sps of Amul milk powder to the existing jamoon mix...your Jamoons will come up more softer & tastier. To make Gulab Jamoons from khova follow this method

Ingredients:

Khova(Unsweetened): 1cup
All purpose flour: 2 sps
Baking powder: 1tsp
Water: 1/4 cup
Ghee for deep frying
For Sugar syrup:
Sugar: 2cups

Water: 3 cups
Saffron strands: 4-5
Rose water: 2sps

Method of Preparation:

Make the Sugar syrup First by putting together Sugar & water in a Sause pan
Then Heat it till sugar dissolves & starts bubbling,
Then let it bubble for 2-3 min switch it off, Remove from heat
Add the saffron stands & Rose water
No need of thick sugar syrup just bubbling is enough...

For the Jamoons:
Mix Khoya, Maida , baking powder, well till it forms crumble then slowly add water
Form a soft dough mix well, do not knead the dough
Let it rest for a minute then make Small size balls(the size will double)



















In a deep kadai Heat Ghee, let it heat up Once hot turn it to Medium flame
Slowly fry 4-5 Jamoon balls at a time turning in between till its golden all sides
Dont make it too brown, If its changing colour too soon Reduce the flame further
Cook on low flame as it needs to cook inside...Remove on absorbent
Then transfer to Sugar syrup(must be warm) & it must be fully Immersed in the Syrup
Leave it for 1-2 hrs, If you dont like too soggy Jamoons you can remove the jamoons from syrup
Seperately after soaking for 1/2 an hr & While serving can add the sugar syrup.

Enjoy the delightfull Gulab Jamoons chilled 

Aloo paratha

Aloo Paratha

Famous North Indian Breakfast dish....Very filling & leaves you Satisfied

I still remember how my Mom used to make us Aloo paratha on weekends....It Used to be Our Saturday breakfast specials....Well She still makes the Best Paratha...and we pleasurely eat it without counting calories when we visit...

Tricks I learnt from My Mom are....
Dough should be soft & must be rested before using
The potato mix should not be too soggy
Must be fried on slow heat, & lots of Ghee(My moms magic)

I dont use that much of ghee being health conscious, so here is my take on Aloo paratha

Ingredients:

For the Dough

Whole Wheat flour: 3 cups
Salt to taste
Oil: 3-4sps
Water: 1& 1/2 cups

For the Filling:

Boiled potatoes: 2 big size
Red chili powder: 2 tsps
Cumin powder: 1/2sp
Garam masala powder: 1sp
Coriender leaves: 1/2cup

Method:

Make a Soft Dough using Ata, salt Oil & water,(Can use food processor) 
Knead the dough & let it Rest for Good 10 min

Boil potatoes or Pressure cook for 2 visels
Peel the skins & mash it add all the other Ingredients under Filling
Mix well & shape to big lemon size balls 





For the dough, make little bigger balls than the filling
With the Use of your hands just make a poori pinching from sides
Place the filling in center & start closing the ends overlaping to form small poori

Press it then use ata  & roll it evenly without putting more pressure make Paratha
Place on hot griddle, Then make heat medium, Turn around after a minute
Apply 1sp Oil, then turn & apply oil to this side as well
(You can even apply ghee instead of Oil)
Cook again on Medium flame for a minute each side

Remove form heat & apply 2sps Ghee, Keep it in a Hot box
Try Not to fold it, Repeat the process for the Rest paratha

Hot hot Aloo Paratha Ready to serve with Lime/ Mango Pickle with Curds

Neer Dosa

Neer dosa  literally meaning Water dosa is a crêpe prepared from rice batter. It is light type of dosa, an Indian dish. Neer dosa is a delicacy from  Karnataka part of Udupi cuisine. 'Neer' is the word for water, Rice is soaked in water for 3 to 4 hours. It is then ground to make a runny rice batter. A thin layer of batter is poured onto a heated flat griddle (tawa) greased with oil. The batter is spread with the base of a ladle or bowl to form a pancake. It is flipped to heat both crusts and removed from the griddle when the crust becomes dry .Neer dosa comes out soft It is served hot with chutney or Gravy


This is a popular Breakfast Item in Karnatakas Coastal belt, I grew up all my life eating this for breakfast....We call it Paan polo in Konkani & typical gravy which goes well with this is sprouted Moong Amti 

This is versatile dish can be had as Breakfast with chutney or Moong amti a Konkani sidedish or Can be served for lunch with Chicken curry...love these combo Here is the Recipe No fermentation Required

Try this Neer dosa/ Panpolo, with Moong amti...

For Neerdosa:

DosaRice :2 cups 

Coconut 1/2 cup

Just soak DosaRice for 4-5 hrsor leave it soaked overnite

Then grind in the Morning adding Coconut 1/2 cup to Rice with 1 cup water 

Grind to smooth paste add more water(1 to 1+1/2 cups) & make it thinner than Normal dosa 

Batter should be watery, add salt & MIX 

In nonstick pan grease with Oil...we usually grease oil using Onion for this to get flavour 

Then Pour Thin batter & keep Moving the pan in circles to form thin coating of Dosa

Or else sprinkler the batter like splashing it on hot griddle left & right side to form pancake

cook for a min each side with lid then turn around.....

Soft Paanpolo/Neerdosa Ready to be served with Chutney for Breakfast, Or as lunch with Chicken curry....Enjoy

Banana Muffins

Banana Muffins are  made with Overripe bananas 

Best way to make these when the Bananas are getting ripened too quick & you cannot finish all of it, can make these Muffins and store....

With very Few Ingredients you can make this Soft & spongy tasty banana muffins ........
Better way than to waste the Overriped Bananas

You can store these without Fridge for 4-5 days when stored in Air tight Containers

Ingredients

Ripe Banana: 3(medium size)
All pupose flour: 1 cup
Egg: 1
Butter: 4sps
Sugar: 3/4th cup
Cinamin powder: 1tsp
Vanilla essence: 1tsp
Baking powder: 1sp

Yields: 8 large muffins


Method:
Mash the banana with a fork, I have used Overripe bananas
Keep some chunky bites dont mash it completely
Powder the sugar( add cinamom 1/2 inch pc if u dont have it in powder form)
Add egg to the banana Mash then mix well, add butter mix
Add the sugar powder & cinamin powder
Add vanilla essence & mix everything
Now slowly add sieved Flour with baking powder little by little & lightly fold it
Dont overmix just fold till all flour gets amalgamated

Grease the cup cake moulds with butter or else line it with Cup cake papers
Fill Batter just about 3/4th of the Moulds
Bake in a preheated oven for 20min @ 150*
Check in between just in case

After 20 min check if its cooked, Pierce a fork if it comes out clean its cooked
Leave it in the Oven to cool down for a good 15-20 min
Then remove from moulds slowly as these are very soft.

Banana Muffins ready to Serve with a cup of tea Enjoy the soft & sweet Banana Muffins