Onam

Puliinji

ginger is main

Ingredients

1.	Ginger 25gm Green Chilly -4nos.
2.	Coconut oil - 1tsp Dried red chilly 1no. cut in to 4 pieces Mustard seeds - 1/2tsp
3.	Tamarind - size of a lemon Water -2cups
4.	Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp Chilly Powder -1/4tsp Asafoetida powder -1/4tsp Jaggery (grated) - 25gm Curry leaves -1 sprigs Fenugreek seeds -1 pinch

Method of preparation :

Peal ginger and cut into very small pieces. Cut the green chillies also into small pieces. Heat oil and sauté the 2^nd ingredients for a minute. Add ginger and green chilly pieces and fry well and keep it aside. Put tamarind in two cups of water, squeeze well and take the liquid. Keep this liquid on fire adding the 4th ingredients. Boil till the solution becomes thick. Add the fried ginger and chilly pieces, boil once more and remove from fire.

Prathaman

Ingredients :

• Thick milk - 3litre

• Par boiled rice (dried red rice) - 250gm

• Water to mix flour

• Coconut oil - 1tbs

• Sugar - 2tbs

• Plantain leaf pieces - as required

• Sugar - 625gm

• Cardamom powder (optional)

Method of Preparation :

Wash rice and drain the water. Dry grind the rice well. Add enough water to make a semi thick batter. Add 1tbs coconut oil and ¹/₂tbs sugar in it.

Clean and wipe the plaintain leaf pieces and pour the batter in a thin layer evenly and roll the leaf pieces tightly. Boil water in a big vessel and steam the flour batter. Take the steam batter from the leaf and cut into small pieces. Wash the pieces and strain.

Boil milk well and add sugar. Continue boiling till its colour changes to pale pink. Add the ada pieces to it. Boil again and remove from fire.

'Ada' is now available in the market. You can boil 'ada' with milk and sugar and make Palada in no time.

Pal Payasam

Ingredients :

• Milk - 3litres

• Dried red rice - 180gm

• Sugar - 700gm

Method of Preparation :

Boil the milk. Add sugar and mix well. When it boils again, add the washed rice in it. Simmer in medium flame. Cook till the rice is done. Serve hot.

Semiya Payasam

Ingredients :

• Vermicelli - 1 cup
• Cashew nuts - handful
• Raisins - handful
• Water - ³/₄cup
• Sugar - a cup
• Saffron - a pinch
• Milk - a cup
• Cardamom - two or three pods

Method of preparation :

Heat the ghee and fry the vermicelli till light brown. In the meanwhile, boil the water. Add the vermicelli to the boiling water and cover it. Keep stirring occasionally. Once the vermicelli becomes soft , add the sugar and continue to stir. Put the saffron in the milk and dissolve it, add this milk to the vermicelli. Powder the cardamom and add it to the mixture. Then fry the cashewnuts and almonds in ghee and add these. Mix well and boil for about two minutes. Your payasam is ready and can be served hot or cold.

Onma special

Olan

Ingredients :

Ash gourd - 100gm
Pumpkin - 100gm
Green chillies - 4nos (split the edge)
Red gram dal - 1tbs (soaked in the water for about 6 hours)
Grated coconut - 1/2quantity(Squeeze out 1/4cup of the milk from the coconut without adding water. Take one more cup of milk from the coconut)
Salt - to taste
Coconut oil - 1tbs
Curry leaves - 1sprig
Method of Preparation :
Remove the covering of the ash gourd and pumpkin and cut it into small pieces. Cook the vegetables and red gram dal in water. Add enough salt and the green chillies. When it is done, add 1cup coconut milk and boil. When it thickens well, add 1/4cup coconut milk. Bring to a boil and remove from fire. Add 1tbs coconut oil and the curry leaves and mix well.

Kichadi

Ingredients:
Lady's finger pieces - 31/2 cup
Thick Curd from 1/2 litre milk - 2 cups
Green chillies - 2
Dry Red chillies - 3
Mustard - 1 dsp
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 2 springs
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Method of Preparation:
Slice the ladies finger in small round pieces. Fry lady's finger in oil till crisp. Ground coarsely grated coconut, green chillies and mustard. Season mustard, red chilli and curry leaves in 2 tsp oil. Lower the flame add curd and the ground ingredients. Keep stirring. Add fried ladies finger and salt. Remove from fire when it boils.

Onam

Paripe

ngredients :

1.	Lentils (green gram dal - 1cup Water - 3cups Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
2.	Salt - to taste Ghee - 2tsp

Method of Preparation :
Lightly fry the lentils in a pan. Boil 3cups water and add the washed lentils and turmeric powder. When it boils, lower the flame. When the lentil is cooked well, add salt to taste and ghee. Mix well and remove from fire.

Sambar

ngredients

Serves 10

1.	Bitter gourd - 1/2 Brinjal (egg plant) - 1no Drum Stick - 1no Ladies finger - 4nos Red chillies - 4nos (split into2)
2.	Sambar dal (Red gram dal) - 1cup Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp leaves - 1sprig Water - 3cup	4.	Dried coriander seeds - 2tbs
3.	Tamarind - size of a golf ball Water - 1cup Red chilli powder - 1tsp Salt - to taste Curry leaves - 1sprig Asafoetida powder - 1/4tsp Grated molasses - 1/4tsp Coconut oil - 2tbs		White gram dal - 1/4tsp Fenugreek - 1/4tsp Dried chilli - 4nos Coconut oil - 1/2tsp
		5.	Coconut oil - 2tsp Mustard - 1tsp Dried chillies split into 2 - 2nos
		6.	Coriander leaves - few

Method of Preparation :

Clean the vegetables and slice into long pieces.

Wash the dal. Boil 3 cups of water and cook dal in it. Add turmeric powder and curry leaves into the dal. Keep it aside.

Fry the 4^th ingredients in ¹/₂tsp coconut oil. Grind it to a smooth paste and keep aside.

Mash the tamarind in 1 cup water and strain. Boil the tamarind water with red chilli powder, salt, curry leaves, asafoetida and molasses. When it boils, add 2tbs of coconut oil. Add the vegetables except the ladies finger into it. Cook till done and add the prepared dal into it. Bring to a boil and add the ladies finger and the ground masalas. Remove from fire after boiling.

Season with mustard seeds and dried chillies. Sprinkle the Sambar with chopped coriander leaves.

Note : Various vegetables like potato, carrot, radish, tomato etc can also be added to the sambar.

Avial

Ingredients :

1.	Yam sliced thinly into 11/2" length pieces - 1cup Cucumber sliced lengthy into 11/2" thick pieces - 1cup Snake gourd sliced into 11/2" length pieces - 1cup Carrot sliced into into 11/2" length pieces - 1/4cup Long runner-beans sliced into 11/2" length pieces - 1/2cup Drumstick cut into 2" length pieces - 2nos
2.	Raw bananas sliced into 11/2" length pieces - 1no Mango pieces - for sour
3.	Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp Salt - to taste
4.	Grated coconut - 1/2quantity Green chillies - 5nos Cumin seeds - 1/2tsp
5.	Curry leaves - 2sprigs Coconut oil - 3tbs

Method of Preparation :

Coarsely grind the coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds. Keep it aside.

Clean the vegetables. Heat 2tbs coconut oil in a thick bottom vessel. Add the vegetables and cook in a low flame. Do not add water. When it is done, add turmeric powder, salt and mix it well. Remove the vegetables from the middle and put sliced bananas and mango pieces and cover it with the other vegetables. When steam comes out, add the coconut paste and stir well. Remove from fire. Mix the remaining coconut oil and curry leaves in the avial.

Thoran

Ingredients :

1.	Cabbage, long runner-beans or any other vegetable, cut in to small pieces - 500gm
2.	Coconut oil -2tsp Mustard seeds - 1/2tsp Black gram - 1tsp Dried red Chilly (cut into 2-3 pieces) - 4 no.
3.	Salt - to taste Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp Red chilly powder - 1/4tsp
4.	Coconut - 1 cup cumin Seeds - 1/4tsp Curry leaves -2 sprigs Garlic cloves - 2

Method of Preparation :

Crush the coconut, cumin seeds, curry leaves and garlic. Put the vegetable in a pan and boil with salt and chillies. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté 2^nd ingredients. Add the tumeric and chilly powder, boiled vegetables and crushed ingredients. Mix well and serve hot.

Erissery with Yam

Ingredients :

• Yam cut into small pieces - 60gms
• Big raw banana - 1
• Pepper powder - 1tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¹/₄tsp
• Water - 1cup
• Salt - to taste
• Grated coconut - ¹/₂coconut
• Cumin seeds - a pinch
• ghee - 10gm
• Coconut oil - 1tbs
• Mustard seeds - ¹/₄tsp

Method :

Split the banana lengthwise into 3 pieces. Do not peel the skin. Cut it into small pieces.

Boil yam and banana with pepper powder, turmeric powder and salt in 1 cup of water. Grind one fourth quantity of grated coconut and cumin seeds together and add to it.

Grind the remaining coconut and saute in a low flame till brown in colour. Keep it aside.

Season mustard seeds in ghee. Add the coconut oil, seasoned mustard seeds and the sauted coconut to the vegetable mixture. Mix well.

Tea special

Cashew nut pretzels

Ingredients:-
Refined flour - 200g
Cornflour - 50g
Butter - 175g
Sugar (powdered) - 80g
Cashew nuts (powdered) - 80g
Almond essence - 0.5tsp
For icing:
Icing sugar 1cup
Vanilla essence 1tsp
Method
Cream the butter and sugar, add almond essence, add cashew nuts and plain flour .mix well.
Roll into sticks and shape into a circle. Arrange on a greased baking tray.
Bake at 180c in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Cool the biscuits.
For making icing:
Add 1tbsp of hot water to the icing sugar and mix well .add vanilla essence.
Dip the top part of the biscuits in to this icing .allow to dry.

Spicy Macaroni

Ingredients:-

Boiled macaroni - 1cup
Boiled mixed vegetables - 1cup
Tomato puree - 0.5cup
Ginger-garlic paste - 1tsp
Red chilli powder - 0.5-1 tsp
Pepper - 1tbsp
Butter - 1tbsp
Salt to taste
For garnishing:
Cheese (grated) - 2tbsp
Cherries
Method:-
Heat butter in a vessel. Add the ginger –garlic paste and fry for a while. add the salt ,pepper, red chilli powder and the tomato puree. Mix in the macaroni and the boiled vegetables. Cook for some more time.
Serve hot, garnished with grated cheese and a cherry.

Vegetable nutty chow

Ingredients:-

French beans (chopped) - 0.5 cup
Carrot (chopped) - 0.5cup
Cabbage (shredded) - 1cup
Capsicum (cut lengthwise) - 1cup
Onion (sliced) - 1
Garlic - 2cloves
Red chilli powder - 1tsp
Cashew nuts - 2tbsp
Chilli sauce - 1tsp
Soy sauce - 1tsp
A pinch of Ajinomoto powder
Oil - 1cup
Salt to taste
Method:-
Heat the oil in non-stick pan, put the garlic into it and cook for some time .add the onion and fry till the onion slices are transparent. Add the chilli powder , the vegetables ,salt and ajinomoto powder and cook for 4-5 minutes .add the cabbage and capsicum ,and again cook for a few minutes. Finally, add the cashew nuts, chilli sauce and soy sauce. mix well and serve hot.

Tea special

Checkered biscuits

Ingredients:-
Refined flour 250g
Castor sugar 80g
Baking power 1tsp
Butter 175g
Vanilla essene 1.5tsp
Milk or as required 250-50ml
Cocoa 2tsp
A pinch of salt
Method :-
Cream butter, suger and vanilla essence. Sieve the flour, salt and baking power together. Add the butter mixture and make a smooth bough using milk.
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. To one add the cocoa and mix well.
Divide each portion of dough again into 2. From each portion into a 8” roll. Place a vanilla roll next to the chocolate roll so that they are side by side .place the second vanilla roll on the chocolate roll and chocolate roll on the vanilla roll.
Press all the roll s tightly together so that the entire dough is joined.
Cut into thin slices, arrange on a greased tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180cdegree for 15-20 minutes. Cool and store.

Noodle rawa cakes

Ingredients:-

Semolina - 250g
Sour curd -125g
Mustard seeds - 1tbsp
Gram(roasted) - 2tbsp
Cashew nuts - 2tbsp
Green chilli(chopped) - 1tsp
Boiled small sized noodles - 0.5 cup
Soda - 0.5tsp
Refined oil - 1tbsp
Turmeric - 1tbsp
Salt to taste

Method
Heat oil in a pan, put mustard seeds into it. Let them crackle, add the cashew nuts, roasted gram and the green chilli. Fry for a minute and add the semolina. Fry for some time on a low flame. cool and add the curd, salt and enough water to make a smooth batter. keep in a warm pace for 4-5 hours.
Mix the turmeric with the boiled noodles. mix the soda to the semolina batter and fill in a greased idli maker. Top with a little noodles. Steam for 4 minutes on 100% heat in a microwave oven. Serve hot, with coconut chutney.

TEA

Macaroni Onion Pakodas

Ingredients:-

1. cup boiled macaroni 1 cup
2. onion(chopped) 1.5 cup
3. green chilli(chopped) 1 tsp
4. red chilli powder 1.5 tsp
5. A pinch of soda
6. besan(flour) 1 cup
7. oil for frying
8. salt to teste


Method:-
Mix all the ingredients, except the oil and make a batter using some water. Pour spoonfuls of batter into hot oil and deep fry till the pakodas are golden.
Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Tea

Toasted Bread Sticks

Ingredients:-

1. Bread - 6slices
2. soft cooking cheese - 100 gm
3. melted butter - 3 tbsp

Method:-

Cream the cheese and butter until they are very soft. Remove the crust from all sides of the bread sliest lengthwise. Spread a little cheese mixture on each slice. Toast in an oven at 180c until they are crisp.
Serve hot.