Buttermilk Biscuits

                                                     Buttermilk Biscuits
Preparation Time 15 min
Cooking Time 20 min

·         Makes about 12-14 biscuits

2    2cups (250 g) flour

·         2 1/2 tsp baking powder

·         1/2 tsp salt

·         5 tbsp (70 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

·         3/4 cup cold buttermilk

·         3 tbsp honey

·         Optional

·         1 egg yolk

·         Sesame and flex seeds

Directions

• 1.   Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• 2.In a medium-large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter cubes,and using a pastry cutter or fork cut the butter until the pieces are no bigger than peas. Refrigerate the bowl to chill for 10 minutes.
• 3.Meanwhile, whisk together the buttermilk and honey. Add over the  butter/flour mixture and stir until the dry ingredients are moistened. Knead gently about 3-4 times to bring it together.
• Lightly dust with flour the working surface and roll the dough into a 9x5-inch rectangle and about 1/2-inch thick. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter,using the long sides of the rectangle. Repeat this step,  roll the dough into a 9x5-inch rectangle about 1/2-inch thick, and again fold it into thirds like a letter.
• 4. Finally roll the dough out to 3/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 inch round cutter, cut biscuits from the dough (don't twist the cutter, use a straight up and straight down motion).
• 5. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between them. Beat the egg yolk and brush the biscuits. Sprinkle sesame and flex seeds on top of each.
•  Bake for about 11-12 minutes, or until the biscuits have risen and are golden brown on top.
• 6.   Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes and serve warm. 

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Baked Potatoes

                                                       Baked Potatoes 
Preparation Time 30 min
Cooking Time 10-15 min

Makes 4 servings

·         2 medium/large potatoes

·         1 medium  onion, diced

·         4 small eggs or Cheese

·         3 or 4 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

·         4 oz. (100 g) cheese, grated

·         2 tbsp olive oil or 1 tbsp butter

·         Fresh chives, chopped

·         Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Scrub potatoes, pierce them with a fork and put them in the oven rack for 30-40 minutes until soft.

2 .In a large frying pan heat oil or butter over medium high heat. Saute the onion with garlic for about           5 minutes until soft.

3. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle cut potatoes in half lengthwise, scoop the interior out of each leaving about 1/4 inch shell of potato flesh and skin. Add the scooped-out potato flesh, grated cheese, salt and pepper into the pan and stir well to combine.

4. Place the potato shells on the baking sheet and feel them with the mixture. Press the mixture with a spoon so a whole is formed to make space for the eggs. Sprinkle chives on top and crack an egg on top of each stuffed potato.

5.Cook at 200°C (400°F) for 10-15 minutes until the egg is set or cheese melts. The whites are set while the yolks are a bit runny. Enjoy!

Soya (granules) cutlets

                                                   Soya (granules) cutlets

Preparation Time 20 minutes
Serves 3-5

Ingredients 
Soya Granules 2 cups
Potatoes boiled 400 gms
French beans chopped 50 gms
Green peas boiled 50 gms
carrot boiled 1
green chillies chopped to bits1
bread slices 3
lemon juice 3 tsp
sugar 1 tsp
coriander leaves optional
salt to taste
eggs 3 nos (optional)
bread crumbs or rava(suji) 100gms
oil for frying.

Method
Mix all the ingredients except eggs,rava or bread crumbs.
Mash well and make small cutlet sized balls.
Heat oil  ready for frying.
Press the balls to cutlet shape.
Break 3 eggs and beat them with pinch of salt.(optional)
Dip the cutlets in the egg mixture,dust it with bread crumbs and fry in medium heat till golden brown.
If you are not using eggs, then dip the cutlets in suji or rava and fry in medium heat till golden brown.
Serve hot with chutney or ketchup.

Panner in tomato gravy

                                                    Panner in Tomato Gravy

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
serves 2-3

Ingredients:

Tomatoes 1/2 Kg.
Green chillies 2 nos.
Table butter 2 tbsp
Garam masala 1 tbsp
milk 1/2 glass
Panner 200 gms
fresh coriander for garnish.
salt to taste.
1/4 spoon sugar (acidity regulator).

Method:
 In a deep dish, boil water sufficient to immerse 1/2 kg tomato.
Blanch tomato for 10 minutes until the skin peels.
Remove from water and peel the skin off and let it cool.
Blend it to a puree.
In a pan,add butter and fry green chili .
Add the tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes.
Add Garam masala,salt to taste.cook for 2 minutes.
Add milk and panner,sugar and cook for 2 minutes.
Garnish with coriander and serve hot with roti.

Dosa Milaga Podi

Ingredients

White Til (Sesame Seeds) - 100gms, dry roast and grind to fine powder
Dry Red Chillies - 30 - 40 chillies (depending on your spice factor)
Urad Dal - 1 Cup
Channa Dal - 1 Cup
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp (or a small piece if using asafoetida block)
Jaggery - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil to fry - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and fry the red chillies until it becomes Red. 
2. Remove Chillies and let it cool. 
3. If using asafoetida block, then fry it in oil and keep separately. 
4. In the same oil fry the Urad dal and channa dal till it becomes golden brown. Remove and allow it to cool.
5. Grind the red chillies first, then add the dal, asafoetida with jaggery and salt and grind together to a coarse powder.
6. In a big pan, mix the White til with the dal mixture and mix well until the entire powder blends well. 
7.Store in a dry container.

Kara Adai & Sweet Adai

Kara Adai

Ingredients: Rice flour - 1 cup, Black-eyed pea-1/4 cup (karamani), Coconut (grated), Curry leaves.

1.  Heat oil in kadai. Add mustard seeds, broken urad dhal, curry leaves, black eyed peas.
2. When it splutters, add water (add 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice flour) and salt.
3. Add rice flour. Mix them all together.
4. Close the lid and allow it to cook.
5. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.
6. Make adais and keep it in steam.


Sweet Adai

Ingredients: Rice flour - 1 cup, Black-eyed pea-1/4 cup (karamani), Coconut (chopped), Jaggery - 1 cup

1. Take jaggery, karamani, chopped coconuts with 2.5 cups of water in a vessel. Add ghee and pinch of salt to taste.
2. Allow it to boil and then add the rice flour.
3. Keep the flame low and wait for the rice flour to get cooked by stirring continuously. Continuous stirring is required to avoid lumps.
4. Once cooked, allow it to cool and make adais.
5. Keep the adais in steam for 5-10 mins

Dhokla

This adapted breakfast recipe takes just about 5 mins of work while the microwave does the rest. Anytime when I am in a hurry and/or need a filling breakfast, this really works!!!

Ingredients: Rava, Curd, Ginger(Grated), Green Chilli (1 piece, Chopped), Eno(1pkt), Onion (1, Chopped), Carrot Optional (1, grated)

Serves: 4

1. Mix 1 cup of curd, and 1 cup of rava and 1 cup of water.
2. Add onion, ginger and chilli and mix well. If you have time, you add grated carrot also to the Dhokla.
3. Add a pinch of turmeric powder, 1 spoon sugar and salt to taste and let it remain for 5-10 mins.
4. Add Eno and pour immediately in a microwave dish and cook for 10 mins on conventional mode at high temperature. If you do not have a microwave, pour in a plate and steam in a pressure cooker for ten mins similar to idli.
5. Remove from microwave and add oil, mustard and jeera tempering
6. Cut into square pieces, garnish with coriander and serve with ketchup or green chutney.

Alternatively you can also replace besan with rava for the Dhokla.