Dal Rasam-Rasam using Ready-made Rasam Powder for a quick lunch!!

Toor Dal-1 table spoon
Tomato-1
Mustard Seeds- 1 tea spoon
oil- 1 tea spoon
Curry leaves - 1 tea spoon
Coriander leaves- 2 tea spoon
Turmeric powder- A pinch
Rasam Powder-1 table spoon(refer post on Rasam Powder)
Salt-As required

1)Soak Dal for 1/2 hour and pressure cook it along with Tomato and required salt for 6-7 whistles.
2)Add required amount of water and mash the Dal well.
3)Add oil in a Kadai and heat well.Add mustard seeds and wait till it sputters.
4)Add Curry leaves and cooked dal.
5)Add Rasam powder and mix well.
6)Leave it till one boil and add coriander leaves.

Dal Fry- A simple and easy prepartion

Toor Dal - 1 cup
Channa Dal- 1/2 cup
Onion-1
Tomato - 1 (small size)
Green Chilly-1
Red Chillies-2
Ghee- 2 Tea Spoon
Oil - 1 Tea Spoon
Mustard - 1 Tea Spoon
Jeera- 1 Tea Spoon
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 Tea Spoon
Curry Leaves - as required
Hing- A pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tea Spoon
Salt - As required


1)Soak the dals in 2 cups of water for minimum 1/2 hour.
2)Pressure cook the dals for 7-8 whistles and let them cool down.
3)Cut Onion into thin slices and tomato into small cubes.
4)Slit the green chilly in the middle.
5)Heat Ghee and Oil in a kadai and add hing..
6)Add Onion and fry till crispy golden brown .
7)Add mustard seeds,curry leaves, Ginger Garlic paste,Red Chillies,green chilly and tomato and jeera in the same order.
8)Once the tomato starts melting down add the mashed dals to this mixture.
9)Add turmeric powder and salt and mix well.
10)Garnish with Coriander leaves.

Ragi Biscuits-One more way to include Ragi in diet!!!

Ragi Biscuits

This is one among those Ask Chitvish recipes I had loved trying. Check it out!

Ragi flour - 100 gms
Powdered sugar - 50 gms
Ghee - 50 gms







1)Roast Ragi flour on low flame till the aroma spreads and let it cool down completely.
2)Add Ragi flour,Powdered Sugar and mix thoroughly.
3)Add ghee to the flour mixture and beat together.
4)Add water little by little to check the consistency. It will be break down if the dough is very soft.
5)take cmall portions and flatten it. Use cooking cutters, bottle caps or small bangles to bring out the shapes.
6)Bake in a pre-heated oven at 160°C for 15-20 mns.
The amount mentioned about can make about 20-25 biscuits.

Plain Vanilla Cake- The simplest for any new baker!!!

                                               

Plain Vanilla Cake

This was my first cake baked out of my new oven. Till this point it was only pressure cooker cakes I was making of. This turned out a very good cake which inspired me more towards baking .

Maida-55 gms
Sugar-85 gms
Eggs-2
Baking Powder-1/2 teaspoon
Butter-3 tablespoon
Hot water-11/2 tablespoon
Vanilla Essence-1/8 teaspoon 



1)Sieve the flour along with baking powder. Keep it aside. 
2)Grease the baking tin with butter and place the baking paper and greaseit again and dust it with
   maida.
3)Beat Eggs and sugar together until the sugar melts and the mixture doubles in quantity.
4)Fold in the sieved flour using the spiral blade in hand mixer.
5)Fold in hot water,melted butter and vanilla essence.
6)Pour the mixture into the tin prepared in Step2.
7)Bake in pre-heated oven at 220°C for 15 mns.
8) After 10 mns, test the cake using a toothpick. If the inserted toothpick comes out clean, the cake is  done.
9) Take out from the oven and leave for one minute. Invert it on a wirerack tap it and let it cool down   completely.

Chakka Upperi- A not so common dish for non-Keralites!!!

Chakka Upperi

Chakka or Jack fruit is mainly used as a fruit. Jackfruit contains antioxidants and phytonutrients. It is also known to help cure ulcers and indigestion. Try this recipe with raw Jackfruit.


Raw Jackfruit – Small

Onion – 2
Chilly powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon

Salt – As required

Oil – 1 Teaspoon

Urud dhal, gram dhal – 1 spoon

Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon


1)Apply Coconut oil on both the hands(palms) and knive before cutting the jackfruit. 
2)Remove the outer layer completely( as we do with Pineapple). Cut the Jack fruit into medium sized pieces.
3) Pressure cook the cut pieces with turmeric powder,salt and chilly powder for 2 whistles. 
4)Drain the boiled pieces and crush them slightly. All the flowers inside will open up. 
5)Heat oil in a pan and fry mustard seeds, urud dhal and gram dhal in order. Add a red chilly if required. 6)Add the crushed pieces and fry for 5 minutes.

Chakka Upperi is ready to be served. This goes well with rice and all type of curries.