RAVA LADOO

INGREDIENTS

• Sooji/ Rava : 1 cup
• Sugar : 3/4 cup (+/- according to taste)
• Ghee : 1/4 cup
• Cardamom powder : 1 tsp
• Cashew nuts : 1.5 tsp (broken)

PROCEDURE

1. Heat ghee in pan and roast cashews till golden brown, keep aside.
2. Then add rava and roast it in the remaining ghee in the same tawa/pan till nice aroma comes. Do not over roast the rava, as they will burn turn brown. Keep aside and allow it to cool. 
3. Powder the sugar in dry mixer. Transform them to a dry mixing bowl.
4. Then grind the roasted rava to a fine powder. 
5. Now add powdered rava to powdered sugar and mix well till sugar is even on all sides.
6. Then add the fried cashews, cardamom powder. 
7. Now heat up ghee and add it.
8. Mix everything together with a ladle, by this time it will look like bread crumbs. Quickly with your hands form them into rounds balls by pressing tight. 

TIPS:

1. Do not add milk or water as it will reduce the self life of the ladoos. The ghee version keeps well even for a week. Hence all the vessels used in the procedure must be dry.
2. Instead of adding the ghee fully before forming the balls, ghee can be added in small quantity while forming the balls

Courtesy : http://www.sharmispassions.com/2010/08/rava-laddusweet-sooji-balls-for.html

MUTTON SALNA

INGREDIENTS

• Mutton Bones : 250 grams
• Cloves (‘Lavang’ in Hindi & ‘Kirambu’ in Tamil) : 3 nos
• Cinnamon (‘Dalchini’ in Hindi & ‘Pattai’ in Tamil) : 1 inch
• Bay leaf : 1 no
• Onion : 2 nos (Chopped)
• Curry leaves : 2 strings
• Tomatoes : 1 no, chopped
• Ginger Garlic Paste : 3 tsp
• Chilli powder : 1 1/2 tsp (+/- according to taste)
• Coriander powder : 1 tsp (+/- according to taste)
• Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
• Oil : 3 tsp
• Water : as required
• Salt : as required

     TO GRIND 

• Coconut pieces : 1/4 cup (+/- according to taste)
• Cumin seeds (‘Jeera’ in Hindi & ‘Seeragam’ in Tamil ): 1/4 tsp
• Fennel seeds (‘Saunf’ in Hindi & ‘Soombhu’ in Tamil) : 1/4 tsp
• Cinnamon stick (‘Dalchini’ in Hindi & ‘Pattai’ in Tamil) : 1/2 inch
• Water : as required

PROCEDURE

1. Clean and wash the mutton bones with water and turmeric powder.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
3. Add cloves,cinnamon and bay leaf and saute for 30 seconds.
4. Add the chopped onions and curry leaves. Cook till onion turns light golden brown.
5. Add the ginger garlic paste to it and saute for 1 or 2 mins.
6. Now add chopped tomato. Let it cook till the tomatoes loses shape.
7. Add turmeric powder and mutton bones. Saute for 3-5 mins.
8. Add salt, coriander powder and chili powder and saute well.
9. Add the finely grounded coconut paste, water. Saute and bring it to a boil.
10. Taste occasionally and add the required powders or salt.
11. Pressure cook the contents. After the first whistle, cook in simmer (cook in low flame)for 10 mins.
12. Serve hot with Rotis, Chappathi, Parota, Rice, Idly, Dosa or Idyappam

TIPS:

1. Instead of step 3, 1/4 tsp Garam masala can be used.
2. If the mixture becomes thick after pressure cooking, dilute with water.
3. The amount of coconut can be increased or decreased according to your taste. I like the salna with less coconut flavor

Courtesy : http://umaskitchen.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/mutton-salna/

CURD CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

• Chicken (Boneless Recommended) : 1/4 kg
• Chili Powder : 2 tsp (+/- according to taste)
• Pepper Powder : 2 tsp (+/- according to taste)
• Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
• Curd : 2-3 tsp
• Ghee : 1 tsp
• Oil : 2 tsp
• Salt : as required

PROCEDURE

1. Clean chicken with 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
2. In a mixing bowl, add salt, chili powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and curd to the chicken. Mix well so that the mixture is evenly coated on the chicken pieces.
3. Let the chicken soak for minimum 30 mins.
4. Heat oil in a kadai/pan. Rotate the kadai so that oil gets evenly spread.
5. Add the chicken. Cook in high flame.
6. Saute till chicken leaves out water.
7. Reduce the flame and cook with a closed lid.
8. Occasionally stir the chicken.
9. Cook till the chicken becomes dry and well cooked.
10. Finally, after switching off the flame add ghee and pepper powder. And give a final stir.

TIPS

• Aachi or any chicken 65 masala can be used instead of chili powder.

ONION CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS

• Big Onion (Chopped into big pieces) : 3 nos
• Chili Powder : 1 1/2 tsp (+/- according to taste)
• Mustard (Kadugu) : 1 tsp
• Urad dal (Ulundhu Paruppu) : 1 tsp
• Curry leaves : 2 Strings (Optional)
• Tamarind (Puli) : 2 small ball (+/- according to taste)
• Oil : 2 tsp
• Salt : as required

PROCEDURE

1. Heat oil in a tawa.
2. Add mustard, urad dal, curry leaves, onion and tamarind. Cook well till onion becomes transparent or brown.
3. Allow the content to cool.
4. Grind the content with salt and chili powder in a blender.
5. Pour the mixture in the same tawa and saute them for some time.

PEPPER CAULIFLOWER

INGREDIENTS

• Cauliflower : 1 cup
• Onion : 2 nos
• Pepper powder : 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder : 1 tsp
• Chili powder : 1 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste : 1 tsp 
• Oil  : as required
• Salt : as required

PROCEDURE

1. Boil the cauliflower florets in hot water with turmeric and salt. Cook till its moderate soft.
2. Drain the water.
3. Heat oil in a pan/kadai. Add onions and saute them, till they become soft and transparent.
4. Add ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes. 
5. Add turmeric and red chilly powder and saute.
6. Now add the boiled cauliflower and mix well. 
7. Add the pepper powder and saute.

TIPS

• If cauliflower leaves out water, cook with a closed lid till water evaporates and till the dish becomes dry.

MUTTON SUKKA VARUVAL

INGREDIENTS

• Mutton : 1/4 kg
• Rasam Powder : 2 tsp
• Garam Masala : 1/2 tsp
• Chili Powder : 1 tsp (+/- according to taste)
• Turmeric Powder : 2 tsp
• Red Chili : 3 nos
• Cumin Seeds ('Jeera' in Hindi & 'Seeragam' in Tamil) : 1/2 tsp
• Fennel Seeds ('Saunf' in Hindi & 'Soombhu' in Tamil) : 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves : 2 Strings
• Ghee : 1 tsp
• Oil : 2 tsp
• Water : as needed
• Salt : as needed

PROCEDURE

1. Wash and clean the mutton with turmeric powder.
2. In a pressure cooker, initially fry mutton for 5-10 mins. Pressure cook the mutton by adding water, turmeric powder and little salt. After first whistle, lower the flame and cook for 8-10 mins.
3. Heat oil in a pan/kadai, add garam masala, sombhu, seeragam, red chili and curry leaves. Fry it for few seconds.
4. Then add the cooked mutton (along with the water). 
5. Add chili powder and rasam powder. Stir well.
6. Add salt. Note that salt has been already added while pressure cooking.
7. Cook with a closed lid till water evaporates and the correct consistency is obtained.
8. Finally before switching off the flame add ghee and give a final stir.

BOMBAY/FRENCH TOAST

INGREDIENTS

• Milk Bread : 4 nos
• Milk (Boilded and c): 1/2 cup
• Egg : 2 nos
• Sugar : 4 tsp (+/- according to taste)
• Ghee : as required

PROCEDURE

1. In a bowl, add milk and to it add sugar. Stir well till all the sugar dissolves in the milk.
2. Add the eggs to the milk and mix well.
3. In a frying pan, add little ghee. When pan is heated, dip the bread in the milk mixture and place it in the pan. The bread must be evenly coated with milk-egg mixture.
4. Cook the bread with a closed lid. Cook on both the sides, till golden brown.

TIPS:

• Boiled milk can also be used. If boiled milk is used, allow the milk to cool down.
• Do not dip the bread for a longer time in the milk, bread will become too soft and starts breaking.
• When the bread is placed in the pan, pour some milk mixture on it using a spoon, to getting spongy toast