Paneer Kathi Rolls / Wraps

Paneer Kathi Rolls are chapathis rolled with a spicy & tangy paneer capsicum filling.My DH is an ardent lover of kathi rolls so treating him with a tasty kathi roll is a challenge but my rolls turned to be perfect with a burst of spices in every bite :)

Ingredients :

Paneer cubes - 200 gms
Capsicum - 1/2 cup (sliced)
Onion - 1 (thinly sliced)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Chat masala - 1/2 tsp
Kasuri methi - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt as needed
Chapathis - 6 nos

Procedure :

1)Heat oil in a nonstick pan and shallow fry the paneer cubes till golden brown.
2)Immerse the fried paneer cubes in cold water and keep aside so that they dont turn hard.
3)In the same pan,add thinly sliced onions and saute till they turn translucent.
4)Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell leaves.
5)Add the tomatoes and saute for 2 mins and they shouldnt become too mushy.
6)Now add turmeric powder,red chilli powder,coriander powder,garam masala,chat masala,kasuri methi and tomato ketchup and blend all the ingredients well.
7)Add sliced capsicum and saute for 2 mins.
8)Finally add the paneer cubes and mix well.Cook till dry and remove from stove.
9)Place a portion of the paneer filling in the centre of the chappathi and roll up tightly.
10)Serve hot with tomato ketchup or mint chutney.

Green Gram Sprouts Salad

Sprouts are the most beneficial superfood that comes with a high protein value.Raw/Uncooked sprouts have more benefits then cooked ones.Those trying to lose weight,following vegan diet should try this salad once a week.It is best when consumed as breakfast.
Buy Organic Green Gram and sprouting can be done at home so that the seeds for germination are free of chemicals.

Ingredients:
Green gram sprouts - 2 cups
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Cucumber - 1 small
Pomegranate - 1/2 cup
Green chilli - 1
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves
Salt as needed

Procedure:
1) Onion,Tomato,Cucumber,Green chilli,Coriander are to be finely chopped.
2) In a bowl, add in the above ingredients and mix well.
3)Add sprouts,pomegranate,lemon juice,salt and give a good mix.

Vegetables Oats Porridge

Oats+Milk+Sugar is the most boring thing we have for breakfast...It takes me more time to gulp down than cooking it! Finally it was a great relief after producing vegetable oats porridge for breakfast and it tastes much better than the normal oats!!

Ingredients:
Oats - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1(finely chopped)
Vegetables - 1cup (par-boiled)
(Grated carrot,peas,finely chopped beans)
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1tsp
Water - 2 cups
Curd - 1/2 cup
Coriander for garnishing
Salt as needed

Method:
1)In a nonstick pan,heat oil and add onions,saute till they turn translucent.
2)Add oats and keep sauteing.
3)Add Redchilli powder,pepper powder and fry for few mins.
4)Add cooked vegetables and water,salt as required.
5)Adjust water to get the consistency preferred.
6)Cook for few more mins and when it cools down,add curd and give a good stir.
7)Garnish with coriander leaves.

Ennai Kathirikai / Brinjal Curry

Ennai Kathirikai is the best side dish for Biryanis.Coming from a place where Biryani is most relished,i can never miss them in any family gettogether..
Biryani is incomplete without this Ennai Kathirikai and Thayir Pachadi.
Vellore Mullu kathirikai adds the exact flavour in right proportion.Amma perepares it so perfect,we all have extra biryani at the end just for this tangy side dish.

Ingredients:
Brinjals - 6 or 7 nos
Onion - 2 medium(Grated/finely chopped)
Tomato - 3 medium (finely chopped)
Onion tomato paste from 1 onion and 1 tomato
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Green chillies - 3
Red chillies - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Tamarind water - 1 cup
Oil - 1tbsp
Sesame oil - 1/2 tbsp
Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
White sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp
Groundnut - 10 nos
Salt as needed

Preparations:
Dry roast Cumin seeds,Fenugreek seeds,Sesame,Groundnut and powder it coarsely.

Method:
1)Heat 1/2 tbsp of Sesame oil in a pan and add the brinjals and keep frying till the skin colour turns brown.Keep aside these brinjals and the remaining oil.
2)In the same pan,Heat 1tbsp oil and splutter mustard seeds,pepper corns.
3)Add grated onions and saute till they turn golden brown.Add Slit green chillies,red chillies and curry leaves.
4)Add Ginger garlic paste and keep frying till the raw smell leaves.
5)Now add the finely chopped tomatoes and saute till they turn mushy.
6)Add Turmeric powder,Red chilli powder and Coriander powder,Onion tomato paste and salt as needed,
7)Let the masala combine well and keep sauteing till oil seperates out completely.
8)Add the brinjals and make sure the masalas coats the brinjals well and pour the sesame oil in which the brinjals were fried earlier.
9)Add tamarind water and let it boil for 5 mins.
10)Water can be added to the curry to adjust consistency.
11)Sprinkle the roasted  powder and give a good mix.
12)Garnish with coriander leaves.

Spicy Crab Masala

Crabs are one of the favourite sea food at home."Eating crab is an art.." that's what my Dad says often and i mastered it well too!Cracking crab shells is tedious to find a morsel of meat but trust me its worth doing.
These small Crustaceans are a very rich source of lean protein, low risk seafood for mercury,good source of Omega-3 fatty acid,chromium,selenium and vitamin B12.


Ingredients :
Crab - 1kg (body,claws are used)
Onions - 3
Tomatoes - 4
Ginger garlic paste - 4 tsp
Green chillies - 4
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 3 tsp
Coriander powder -  3 tsp
Dry Red chillies - 4
Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Tamarind juice - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt as required
Coriander for garnishing

Preparation:
1)Grind 1 onion,1 tomato and a green chilli to a fine paste and keep aside.
2)Soak lemon size tamarind in 1/2 cup hot water and extract the juice.

Method:
1)Heat oil in a kadai.Add pepper corns,curry leaves,chopped onions,green chilli,dry red chillies and saute for few mins till onions turn light brown.
2)In Low flame,add ginger garlic paste,turmeric powder,red chilli powder,coriander powder,onion tomato paste and saute for a min.
3)Add chopped tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes turn mushy.
4)When oil seperates from the masala,add crab and mix thoroughly so that the masala coats the crab evenly.
5)Add little water,salt and cook for 10 mins with lid covered.
6)Remove lid,add tamarind juice,pepper powder and give a nice mix.
7)Keep sauteing for 5 more mins till masala forms a thick coating on the crab.
8)Remove from stove and garnish with coriander leaves.

Green Brinjal Poriyal

Ingredients:
Green Brinjal - 10
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Green chillies - 3
Garlic pods - 10
Ginger garlic paste - 1tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Peanuts - Roasted and powdered coarsely- 2tsp
Salt as required
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:
1)Heat oil in a nonstick pan.Add mustard seeds and when it splutters add curry leaves.
2)Add chopped onions,green chillies and garlic pods.Saute till the onions turn light brown.
3)Add in the sliced brinjals and cook for few mins till brinjals turn slight brown and changes color.
4)Add chopped tomatoes,ginger garlic paste,turmeric powder,red chilli powder,coriander powder,salt.
5)Keep sauteing on low flame and cover it up for 5 mins.
6)Remove cover and by this time the oil would have seperated from the masala.
7)Garnish with coarse peanut powder and chopped coriander leaves

Banana Split Cake

Christmas,New year is a season for cakes,cakes and cakes...they taste fab when you really don't need to worry about baking..
Thanks Aarthy for this yummy Banana split cake and a million thanks to her kid Adu for his Waffel cone X'mas tree !!!

Ingredients:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 pound butter, melted
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 bananas, sliced
1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (16 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (16 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained
12 ounces crushed peanuts

Directions:

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, white sugar and melted butter.
 Mix together and press into a 9x13 inch cake pan; refrigerate until chilled.
Beat together the cream cheese and confectioners sugar; spread over graham cracker crust.
Layer bananas and pineapple over cream cheese mixture
Cover fruit with whipped topping.
Top with cherries and chopped nuts Refrigerate and serve chilled.