Potato Saagu

All time favourite for any occasion. It tastes great with Chapathi, Poori and Rava Idli's too.

Ingredients:

Potatoes (Med size) - 4
Tomatoes - 2
Chopped Corainder - 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 2 tsp
Urad Dal - 2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Coriander  powder - 2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the potatoes in big chunks and pressure cook them for two whistles. Peel their skin and randomly chop them into small pieces with knife. Mash a small quantity of potato (approx 1/2 potato).

Also, chop the tomatoes finely.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and jeera. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add channa dal, urad dal and turmeric.

Put the tomatoes into the pan and cook on med flame till then turn soft. You can add little water to this.

Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the potatoes and mix well. Add little more water.

Now add Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Chilli powder, Sugar and Garam Masala. Simmer for around 5 minutes until the potaoes soak the masala flavours. Add in the chopped coriander and salt. Potato Saagu is ready to be served.

Note:

1. I have mashed little amount of potato only to give the thickness to the gravy.
2. Onions can be a good replacement for Tomatoes or you can add them both.

Homemade Apple Jam

Tried to make a home made jam and it turned out to be yummy. Very simple recipe and less ingredients. You can also make it in microwave too.

Enjoy a healthy home made apple jam without any preservatives.

Ingredients:

Finely chopped apple - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp

One cup of chopped apples make 3/4th cup of apple jam.

Method:

Using gas stove:

Mix the apple pieces and sugar and place it on the stove. Cook on low flame till the apples turn soft and transparent.

Blend this into smooth paste in a blender.

Again cook the paste on the stove on low flame for 4 to 5 mins or till it thickens slightly.

Remove from flame and add lemon juice. Cool it and store in jam jar.

On Microwave:

Place the apple and sugar mix into a microwave safe bowl and microwave it (covered) for 3 to 4 mins on full power.

Blend the mix in a blender. Again microwave the paste for 6 to 8 minutes on 60% power. Keep stirring in between.

Mix in the lemon juice and store in jar.


Enjoy a tasty lemon flavoured apple jam made at home... :)

Oats Dosa

Breakfast needs to be tasty as well as healthy because if breakfast is good, the entire day goes well. Oats always tops the list of healthy recipes.

Oats Dosa is always tasty and you can make it within no time.

Ingredients:

Oats - 1 cup
Rice Flour - 1/2 cup
Rava (Sooji) - 1/2 cup
Onion chopped - 1 med
Jeera - 1 tsp
Salt
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Water - 3 cups
Oil - 1 tsp
Coriander chopped - 2 tsp

Method:

Dry roast Oats on medium flame till it turns golden brown. Grind the oats and make fine powder.

Add rava and rice flour to this oats powder. Also add chopped onion, coriander, salt and chilli powder to it.

Heat oil in a pan and add jeera. Add this to the oats mix. Add enough water and make batter.

Heat Dosa tava (pan) and spread half a cup of batter on the tava. Cover it with lid for one minute. Flip the dosa and place on the tava for one more minute. Remove the dosa from the pan. The dosa is ready to be served hot with chutney.

Enjoy a healthy breakfast.

Chocolate cake with Chocolate Fondue Icing

Thought of making my 2nd wedding anniversary special... Whats better than making a cake with chocolate which is favourite for both of us.

I thought of making the cake more healthy..so used wheat flour instead of maida (all purpose flour).

The cake turned out to be super soft... :)

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour - 2 cup
Baking Powder - 2 tbsp
Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp
Curd - 3/4 cup
Butter - 2 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Choco powder - 4 tbsp
Vanilla Essence - 2 tsp
Sugar beads - 1/2 cup (for decoration)
Grated chocolate - 1 cup

White Icing:
Icing sugar - 2 tbsp
Whipped Cream - 1 cup

Chocolate Fondue Icing:
Dark unsweetened chocolate - 100 gms
Butter - 1/2 cup
Cream - 2 tbsp
Milk - 2 tbsp

Method:

Grease the cake pan with oil. Dust it with Maida slightly. Mix all the ingredients for the cake and mix well.

Pour it into the cake pan. The cake mix should fill only 3/4th of the pan so that there is space for the cake to rise.

Pre heat the microwave oven at 180 degrees. Place the cake pan in the microwave and bake it in convention mode for approx 15 mins.

Later remove the cake from microwave and allow it to cool. Check whether the cake is done using a toothpick. The toothpick should come out clean when inserted into cake and removed.

Mix the whipped cream and icing sugar for the white icing.

Melt the chocolate using double boiler method. Once the chocolate is melted, add butter and cream to it. Add little milk so that it become liquidy in texture so that it is easy to be poured on the cake.

Once the cake is cooled, cut it into half horizontally. Apply the white icing on one half of the cake. Place the second half on top of it. Apply the icing properly so that there are no gaps between the cakes.

Pour the chocolate icing on the cake properly covering the entire cake.

Allow it to cool down in the refrigerator for around 30 mins. Once the chocolate icing thickens, decorate it with grated chocolate and sugar beads or with your own designs.

Enjoy the healthy cake and a home made one.... :)

My earlier trial of Chocolate Fondue cake.. :)