Egg Rice

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice

2 cups

  (Can use leftover Rice)

Eggs

2

Onions

2 medium

Tomato

1 small

Green Chilli

1 small

Curry leaves

few

Oil

3 tbsp

Mustard

1/8 tsp

Turmeric powder

little

Red chilli/Coriander powder mix

1 tsp

(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)

Salt

to taste

Coriander leaves

few chopped

Method:

1. Chop Onions and Tomato into thin slices. Slit Green chilli and discard the seeds.
2. Heat a kadai with 1 tbsp of oil. Whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt. Add to the oil and scramble it (do it in low flame. Do not over cook. Just cooked is enough). Once cooked, remove it into a plate and keep aside.
3. To the same kadai heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add Mustard and allow to splutter. Add Onion slices and Green chilli. Fry till light golden brown. Lower the flame and add sliced Tomato and Curry leaves. Cook till Tomato becomes soft. Now add Turmeric, Red chilli/Coriander powder and salt. Mix and fry till little dry. 
4. Add Cooked Rice to the fried masala and mix gently till all the rice coated well. Check the salt. If needed adjust. Now add scrambled Eggs and Coriander leaves and mix gently without mashing the rice and eggs. Once done switch off the flame. After 5 minutes mix once again. Egg Rice is ready.

Serve hot or pack for kids Lunch.

Idli Upma

Ingredients:

Idli (leftover)	4 – 5
(Keep in fridge for one day or night)
Onion	1 big
Green Chilli	1
Curry leaves	few
Turmeric powder	2 pinch
Red chilli powder	¼ tsp
Coriander powder	¼ tsp
Salt	¼ tsp
Mustard	little
Gram dhal	1 tsp (optional)
Oil	2 tbsp

Method:

1. Chop Onion and Green chilli into fine pieces. Crumble the idlis (if kept in fridge, it is easier to crumble).
2. Heat a kadai with oil. Add Mustard and allow to splutter. Add Gram dhal and fry till light golden. Then add Onion, Green chilli and Curry leaves. Fry till Onion turns into light golden brown. Lower the flame and add turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt (careful while adding salt, because Idlis already have salt). Mix well without burning it.
3. Add crumbled Idlis and gently mix without mashing it. Check the salt. If needed adjust.  Once it mixed well and little dry, switch off the flame (do not over fry. upma becomes harder).

Serve hot as Breakfast or Dinner.

Curd vada

Ingredients:

Vada	10 Nos
Whipped Curd	2 cup
Salt	¼ tsp (or to taste)

Seasoning:

Oil	1 tbsp
Mustard	¼ tsp
Red Chilli	1 (discard the seeds)
Curry Leaves	Few

Method:

1. Whip the curd with little water and salt. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a small kadai. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Lower the flame and add red chilli and curry leaves. Immediately switch off the flame. Once it cooled, add it to the curd.
3. Immerse the vada in a bowl of water with little salt in it for 5 minutes. Gently squeeze out the water from the vada without breaking it. Dip it in the curd mixture and soak it for 15-20 minutes. 
4. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and spicy boondi over the top before serving.

Brownie Cashew Cake

Ingredients

Maida (AP Flour)	1 cup-less 2 tbsp
Corn flour	2 tbsp
Cocoa powder	¼ cup
Baking powder	1 tsp
Salt	1/8 tsp
Sugar	1 cup
Butter	100 gms (room temperature)
Egg	2 nos (room temperature)
Vanilla essence	½ tsp
Milk	¼ cup (room temperature)
Cashew	few (broken into small pieces)

Method:

1. Sieve Maida, Corn flour, Cocoa powder, Baking powder and Salt together and Keep aside. Grind Sugar into powder and keep aside.
2. In a wide bowl, take Butter and powdered Sugar together and beat till well combined (use electrical beater or hand whisker). Now add the eggs one at a time along with vanilla essence. Beat till it becomes pale in colour and creamy.
3. Now add sieved flour mix in batches to the egg mix. Fold and mix gently till well combined. Now add milk and mix gently till all combined well. Brownie Cake Mix is ready.
4. Preheat oven at 160 degree for 10 minutes at baking mode. 
5. Prepare a 18 x 5 cm round baking tray (I used parchment paper at the bottom).
6. Transfer prepared Brownie Cake Mix into the tray. Level the top and tap 2-3 times to avoid air bubbles forming. Sprinkle broken Cashew bits over the top and gently press using back of a spoon.
7. Place the tray into the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean when poked. Once done place over a wire rack and allow to cool. Once cooled completely, demold the cake and cut into desired shapes. Brownie Cake is ready.

Tip:

Can use 1/2 cup of curd and 1/4 tsp of Cooking soda instead of Eggs for vegetarian version.

Paneer (Burji) Masala for Dosa

Ingredients

Paneer	200 gms
Onion	1 medium
Green Chili	1 – 2
Regular Tomatoes	2 big
Sour Tomato	1 big
Ginger-garlic paste	1 tsp
Oil	2 tbsp
Ghee	1 tbsp
Cumin	½ tsp
Kasoori methi	1 tsp
Milk	3 tbsp
Coriander leaves	few chopped

Spice powders:

Red chilli/Coriander powder mix	1 tsp
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Turmeric powder	2 pinch
Clove Cinnamon powder mix	2 pinch
(Grind equal portion of Clove and Cinnamon mix Store in Air Tight container – 10 : 10 gms)
Garam masala powder	½ tsp
Fennel powder	¼ tsp
Kitchen king masala	½ tsp (optional)
Salt	½ tsp
Sugar	½ tsp

Method:

1. Chop Onion and Green chilli into fine pieces. Chop both the Tomatoes into fine pieces. Crumble the Paneer (if taken from fridge, bring it to room temperature and then keep soaked in salted water).
2. Mix all the spice powders together except Red chilli/Coriander powder mix.
3. In a kadai heat oil and ghee together. Add cumin and allow to splutter. Add chopped Onion and Green chilli. Saute till dark pink. Add ginger-garlic paste and Red chilli/Coriander powder mix. Fry for few seconds in low flame. Add chopped Tomatoes, kasoori methi and mixed spice powders. Cook till Tomatoes become soft and mushy (can mash with potato masher).
4. Now add Milk and Coriander leaves. Mix and cook till oil appears on the sides. Add crumbled Paneer with 1/4 cup of water. Mix gently without making the Paneer into paste. Check salt. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes in low flame (masala should be semi-thick). Switch off the flame and keep covered for 5 minutes. Paneer (burji) masala is ready.

Spread 4-5 tbsp of Paneer masala in the centre of the Dosa and fold into a triangle shape. Serve hot.

Can serve with toasted bread slices also.

Tomato Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken	300 gms
Onion	1 medium
Tomatoes	3 medium
Ginger-garlic paste	1 tsp
Curry leaves	few
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Oil	3 tbsp

Ingredients for Marinating:

Turmeric powder	1/8 tsp
Red chilli / coriander powder mix	1 tsp
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Clove / cinnamon powder mix	2 pinch
(Grind equal portion of Clove and Cinnamon mix Store in Air Tight container – 10 : 10 gms)
Garam masala powder	¼ tsp
Fennel powder	½ tsp
Pepper powder	1 tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Lemon juice	1 tsp

Method:

1. Clean and wash the Chicken well. Add all the ingredients mentioned for marinating with little water and mix well. Keep aside for half-an-hour.
2. Grind Tomatoes into puree. Chop Onion into thin slices.
3. Heat a kadai with oil. Add sliced onions saute till golden brown. Add Tomato puree and ginger-garlic paste. Saute till oil leaves the sides. Add marinated chicken and curry leaves. Fry in high flame for 2-3 minutes. Lower the flame and cover with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes. Now add 1/2 cup of water and mix well. Again cover and continue cooking for 5 more minutes in low flame.
4. Now check salt and spice. If needed adjust with salt and pepper powder. It should be thick gravy like. Once done, add chopped coriander leaves and mix. Tomato Chicken is ready.

Serve as a side dish to roti or rice.

Chicken Dry Fry

Ingredients:

Chicken	½ kg
Onion	1 big
Tomato	1 small
Ginger-garlic paste	1 tsp
Curry leaves	few
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Oil	3 tbsp

Ingredients for Marinating:

Turmeric powder	1/8 tsp
Red chilli/Coriander powder mix	1 tsp
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Clove/Cinnamon powder mix	2 pinch
Grind equal portion of Clove and Cinnamon mix Store in Air Tight container – 10 : 10 gms
Garam masala powder	¼ tsp
Fennel powder	½ tsp
Pepper powder	½ tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Lemon juice	1 tsp

Ingredients for Finishing:

Pepper powder	1 + ½ tsp
Fennel powder	½ tsp
Garam masala powder	2 pinch (optional)

Heat a small kadai.  Dry roast the pepper powder and fennel powder together in low till colour changes and nice aroma comes out. Do not burn. Remove to a plate and allow to cool.

Method:

1. Clean and wash the Chicken. Add all the ingredients mentioned for marinating. No need to add water. Coat the Chicken well with masala. Keep aside for half-an-hour.
2. Chop Onion into fine pieces and Tomato into small thin slices.
3. Heat oil in a kadai. Add Onion pieces and saute till golden brown. Add Tomato and ginger-garlic paste. Fry till soft and dry. Now add marinated chicken with curry leaves and fry for few seconds. Add little water and mix well. Cover and cook in low flame for 10-15 minutes. Fry in between to avoid sticking to the bottom.
4. Once the Chicken is cooked, check the salt. If needed adjust. Add roasted pepper and fennel powder, garam masala and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and fry till it becomes dry. Switch off the flame and keep covered for 10 minutes.

Chicken Dry Fry is ready to serve. Goes well as side dish for any main dish.

Mutton Kheema koftha Fry

Ingredients:

Mutton Kheema	¼ kg (250gms)
Onion	1 small
Ginger-Garlic paste	½ tsp
Green Chilly	2 – 3
Oil	2 tbsp
Salt	to taste
Coriander Leaves (Chopped)	3 tbsp
Fried Gram flour	2 tbsp
Egg	1
Mint leaves	8 – 10

Spice powders:

Turmeric	Little
Red chilli / coriander powder mix	1 tsp (flat)
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Pepper powder	¼ tsp
Fennel seed powder	½ tsp
Garam masala powder (ready mix)	¼ tsp
Cinnamon - clove mix	3 – 4 pinch
Grind equal portion of Clove and Cinnamon mix Store in Air Tight container – 10 : 10 gms

Method:

1. Wash Kheema and strain/squeeze the water. Add little turmeric and salt – mix well place it in a vessel / bowl and place this in a pressure cooker.
2. Cook it for 3 whistles, lower the flame cook further for 5 minutes. Remove kheema after the pressure is released, pour it in the kadai, fry till the water gets dried up/ evaporates.
3. If you want you can grind into a coarse texture.

Grinding Masala:

1. Slice the onions, Cut the Green chilly into 2/3 pieces.
2. Heat 2-3 tsp of oil  in kadai / wok add the onion, mint leaves and green chillies. Fry till dark pink. Switch off the flame and add Ginger-garlic paste. Cool and transfer into a mixie jar. Along with this add all the spice  powders and salt and grind into a coarse paste. No need to add water.
3. Add this masala paste into the coarsely ground kheema along with fried gram dhal powder and mix well. Beat the egg in a separate bowl, add only enough egg to make a thick dough (add beaten egg little by little).
4. Now make them into small lemon size balls.
5. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai/wok, Lower the flame, arrange the kheema meat balls. After 2-3 minutes, gently turns over and repeat the process till it turns Golden Brown. 
6. A good Starter –Serve with mint chutney / sauce    

Tip:

• Cooking in low flame tastes better.
• Variation: You can also deep fry the meat balls in oil. (For faster cooking, flatten the meat balls into vada shape and fry).

Coconut Besan Burfi

Ingredients:

Grated fresh Coconut	1 cup
Besan (gram flour)	1 cup
Milk	1 cup
Sugar	1 + ¾ cups
Ghee	¾ cup
Cashew	few (broken into very small pieces)
Cardamom powder	½ tsp

Method:

1. Grind grated coconut into a fine coarse texture. Keep aside.
2. Roast gram flour in low flame (without ghee) till colour changes. Keep aside.
3. Grease a wide deep plate (meals plate) or a cookie tray with ghee and keep aside.
4. In a thick bottomed kadai, heat ghee (save 2 tbsp of ghee for later use) till it melts. Lower the flame. Add Coconut and Gram flour. Fry for few seconds. Then add sugar and milk. Mix well until lumps of gram flour disappears (can use a whisker). Once the mix appears lumps-free (very small lumps here and there is okay), raise the flame to high and keep mixing and also scrap the sides continuously. If it spills out, use a lid to protect. Once it attain thick consistency, spilling will be stopped.
5. Now add broken cashew, cardamom powder and remaining 2 tbsp of ghee. Mix continuously till it comes to a thick dough consistency. If it sticks to the bottom, lower the flame and continue stirring. If needed, add little more of ghee. When ghee starts leaving the sides and dough easily turnover without sticking to the bottom (dough becomes frothy and fluffy at the sides), switch off the flame. Burfi-mix is ready.
6. Carefully transfer the Burfi-mix into the greased plate/tray and level it using back of a spoon (rub little ghee to the back of the spoon to avoid sticking). Once levelling is done, make desired cut marks using a sharp knife (coat the knife with ghee to get smooth cutting). Cut marks should be made when the Burfi-mix is hot.
7. Allow to cool completely and then transfer upside down to a plate. Break into pieces and store in an air tight container. (If it doesn't comes out easily, slightly heat the tray in low flame for 2-3 seconds and then turn over to other plate). 

Can stay good in room temperature for upto one week.

Paneer Butter Masala (easy and simple)

Ingredients:

Paneer	200 gms
Kasoori methi	1 tsp
Milk	¼ cup
Kitchen king masala	½ tsp (optional)
Green Chillies	2 nos
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Oil	3 tbsp
Ghee	1 tbsp

Ingredients for Grinding:

Onion	1 medium
Ripe Tomatoes	3 medium
Ginger-garlic paste	½ tsp
Cashew	6 – 7
Cumin seeds	½ tsp
Turmeric powder	2 pinch
Red chilli/Coriander powder mix	1 tsp
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Fennel powder	½ tsp
Clove Cinnamon powder mix	3 pinch
(grind and mix equal quantities of clove and cinnamon together into a powder)
Garam masala powder	¼ tsp
Sugar	½ tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Oil	2 tbsp

Ingredients for Tempering:

Butter	1 tbsp full
Red chilli/Coriander powder mix	½ tsp

Method:

1. Cut Paneer into desired cubes. Take a bowl of water with little salt. Keep the Paneer soaked in this water for 10-15 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
2. Preparing for the masala. Chop Onion into thin slices. Cut Tomatoes into big cubes or pieces. Heat a kadai with 2 tbsp of oil. Add sliced onions and saute till translucent. Add remaining ingredients mentioned for grinding. Cook till tomatoes becomes soft. Now add 1/4 cup of water and mix well. Cover with a lid and cook in low flame for 8-10 minutes. Check inbetween. It should be a thick gravy like. Switch off the flame and allow to cool. Once cooled, grind into a smooth paste.
3. Now heat a kadai with 3 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp of ghee (or you can use 2 tbsp of oil with 2 tbsp of ghee). Add ground paste and fry till oil leaves the sides. Add kitchen king masala and kasoori methi (crush kasoori methi before adding), following with 1/2 cup of water. Mix well, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Now add milk, mix and cook further for 2-3 minutes. If it is too thick, add little more water (careful while adding water. Gravy should remain semi-thick).
4. Now add Paneer cubes and mix gently. Cover and cook in low flame for 10 minutes or till Paneer becomes soft to touch. Then add chopped coriander leaves and gently mix. Now just place green chillies over the top of the gravy (give a very small slit near the stem). Do not mix. Keep the gravy in low flame till it get tempered.
5. Now tempering the gravy : Heat a small kadai or pan. Lower the flame and add butter. Once it completely melted, add 1/2 tsp of red chilli/coriander powder and fry for a second. Immediately pour over the gravy. Mix and cook for 2 more minutes. Switch off the flame and keep covered for 5 minutes and then transfer gravy into a serving bowl. Top with 2 tbsp of fresh cream if you wish.

Yummy Paneer Butter Masala is ready. Serve with hot rotis.

Tip: 

• If Paneer is taken out of fridge, bring it to room temperature and then soak in salt water.
• Green chillies are just to enhance the flavour. We need only flavour. So give a very small slit. Green chillies should not be cooked. Hence add at the finishing stage.