Home Deco

The sun is streaming through my window and brought more life to my plants. I am so pleased...its my day..

Instant Dhokla

This is another best recipe for the working women and mothers with fussy kids. This can be prepared instantly with very few ingredients. This is one of my son's favourite. All of a sudden he asks dhokla for his lunch box. Now I know the fix for these unexpected issues.

Ingredients:

Mix these ingredients together and let it rest for 30 minutes:

Sooji / Rava / Fine Semolina-1 cup

Basin / Senagapindi - 2 tbsp

Yoghurt-1 cup

Water-1 cup

Salt

Hing-a pinch

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Green chilli chopped-1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves(Cilantro) chopped-2 tbsp

Coconut grated-1 tbsp

Lemon juice-2 tsp

To season in 1 tbsp oil:

Jeera-1 tsp(optional)

Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp

Other ingredients:

Eno fruit salt-1 tsp

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and jeera and allow it to crackle. Add this to the batter that has been sitting for 30 minutes.

Just before steaming add eno fruit salt. Mix the batter well. 

Dhokla steamer

Pour the mixture into greased plates.

Pour 1 or 2 cups of water into the steamer and steam on high flame for 12 minutes.

If you do not have the dhokla plates, you can use idly plates or even cake tins.

Allow it cool down and cut into desired shapes. Sprinkle some fresh grated coconut.

Note: These measurements are for one 7 inch plate. If you want to make more, increase the ingredients in the same ratios.

Kheema / Minced meet curry

My deeply flavoured kheema is an all time favourite of my family. I have used lamb meat mince to make a nutritious, hearty and iron-rich meal. Unlike other non-veg recipes, be cautious in using oil as the minced meat itself oozes out more oil.

Ingredients:
Minced Meat – ¼ kg
Onion – 2 medium
Tomato – 1 large
Green chilli - 2 cut lengthwiseGinger + Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Chilli Powder – ½ tsp
Yoghurt – ½ cup
Garam Masala – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Cumin Powder – ¼ tsp
Salt
Oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

Heat a pan with oil. Add the minced meat and fry it until it looses the raw colour.

Remove it and keep it aside.
In the same pan add another 1 tbsp of oil.
Add onion and pinch of salt and fry for a while.

Now add Ginger garlic paste and turmeric.  Fry for another minute.

Now add the semi cooked minced meat. Mix everything.

Add tomatoes, green chilli and yoghurt. Stir and cover the pan.

10 minutes after, add chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala and cook for another 20 minutes or until the meat is tender.

Kheema curry

Sprinkle some chopped coriander and remove from fire.

Coconut Macaroons

Coconut Macaroons have a wonderfully sweet coconut flavor with a crispy exterior and a soft and chewy. A very simple recipe that can me prepared in just few clicks. 

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:
Eggs - 3
Coconut – 3 cups
Sugar – 1 cup
Salt – 1 pinch
Plain Flour – 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Beat eggs until frothy.

Add salt, vanilla or almond extract, sugar and whisk everything.
Add coconut and mix everything.

Scoop small amounts onto baking sheet

Bake them for 14 – 18 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 1500 C.

Tip:
You can top them up with glazed cherries or tutti frutti.

Stuffed Okra

Okra is vegetable that changes its texture depending on the way we cook. It is very tricky to get the crispy / dry texture. The secret is adding the sourness in any form will avoid the stickiness.

Ingredients:

Medium size Okra – 250 gms

Onion – 1

Oil – 1 tbsp

Stuffing masala

For stuffing masala - 

Urad daal – 1 tsp 

Chana daal – 1 tbsp

Red Chilli – 5-6

Cumin – 1 tsp

Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp

Aamchur Powder – ½ tsp

Salt

Roast everything except aamchur  powder and grind into a coarse powder

Now to this add salt, aamchur powder and required amount of water to make it into a thick paste.

Cut the heads and tails of okra and make a slit so that the end bit is still intact.

Stuff each okra with the spicy mix and keep it ready.

Heat a wide bottomed pan with oil.

Now slowly place the okras without over lapping each other.

Allow them to cook under medium flame. Turn in between to get cooked evenly.

When they are half done add the sliced onion and sprinkle some salt.

Continue cooking under medium flame until the okras are well fried.

This can be served as a side dish in the mail meal.

Home Deco

Changing the objects location in my home is never ending. Replacing an object with another can change the mood of the rooms in a subtle manner. I have placed my son's Thabala in front of the fire place and covered it with my bright red pallu which played as a typical background. Money plant next to the Thabala has added grace.

Set Dosa

Dosa may be one of the most common South Indian dishes but it is also one of the most glorious recipe. This is another variety of dosa with spongy texture and smaller in size that the usual dosa and most importantly this is served as set of 3 or 4.

Set Dosa

Ingredients:
Rice flakes – 1 cup
Urad daal – 1 cup
Rice – 4 cups
Salt
Baking soda

Method:

Wash and soak everything for about 6 hours

Grind it into smooth paste and allow it to get fermented

Mix the batter with salt and a pinch of baking soda. The batter should be bit watery than usual.

Heat a pan. Pour 1 ladle of the batter and spread it little bit, so that it will be bit thick and forms about a 5 inch disc. Sprinkle oil deliberately. Cook only on one side. 

You can serve it with any of your favourite chutney.