Shavige Bhath (Vermicelli Upma)

     Simple traditional recipe best eaten for breakfast... Loaded with nutrients and tasty...

Ingredients:

Shavige (vermicelli) - 2 cups

Carrot chopped - 1/2 cup

Beans chopped - 1/2 cup

Sweetcorn - 1/2 cup

Potato  chopped - 1/2 cup

Green peas - 1/2 cup

Green chillies - 2 to 3

Oil - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds - 1tsp

Bengal gram - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Curry leaves - 5 to 10

Coriander for garnishing

Method:

Roast vermicelli on medium flame till it is golden brown. Keep aside.

Boil potatoes, carrot, beans, peas and sweet corn for 5 mins till they are 3/4 cooked.

Meanwhile heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add bengal gram and urad dal. Then add curry leaves and fry. Add chopped green chillies and saute. Also add asafoetida.

Now add the vegetables along with the water. If required add little more water. One cup of vermicelli requires 2.5 cups water.

Add salt and mix well. Once the water starts to boil, add vermicelli and mix. Cook on low to medium flame till they are cooked properly.

Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Enjoy Cooking!!!

Nellikayi Bisi Uppinkayi

       Nellikayi is Indian Gooseberry.. U can make an instant pickle and it tastes wonderful. Loaded with vitamin c and antioxidents, this recipe is a must try during these monsoon months...

Ingredients:

Nellikayi - 4 to 5

Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Methi - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 2 tsp

Jaggery - 2tsp

Tempering:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 6 to 8

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida, turmeric and mix well. Once it's tempered, add chilli powder and curry leaves.

Now add the nellikayi full without chopping in to the pan. Mix well.

Close the lid for two minutes till they are little soft. Now add water and allow it to cook for few minutes. Once the nellikayi is done they start to separate from their seeds. This is an indication that they are cooked perfectly.

Meanwhile dey roast methi, mustard and urad dal and grind them together.

Add the ground powder to the pan and mix well. 

Add required amount of salt and jaggery and mix well.

Serve hot with some rice.

Enjoy Cooking!!!

Eggless Chocolate Ganache Cake

       This is my most favourite cake. The taste is just to die for.. and what can be best than to make the cake at home, eggless with all the best ingredients...

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 1/4 cup

Sugar (powdered) - 3/4 cup

Choco powder - 1/2 cup

Curd - 1/2 cup

Oil - 1/4 cup

Milk - 1/4 cup

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

For the Ganache:

Dark cooking chocolate - 300 gms

Fresh cream - 200 gms

Butter - 1 tsp

Sugar powder - 1/2 cup

Method:

Mix curd and oil and whisk well. Now add all purpose flour, sugar, choco powder, baking powder, baking soda and milk and mix well.

Grease a cake tin with butter and add the batter to it. Bake it in a pre heated oven at 180°c for 20- 25 mins approx. Check whether it's done using a toothpick.

Allow the cake to cool down. Once it's completely cool slice the cake into two halves.

Meanwhile chop the chocolate into small pieces. Melt it using the double boiler method. Once the chocolate melts add cream to it.

Mix well. Also add butter and sugar powder and mix well. Allow it to cool to room temperature.

Once done pour it on the bottom slice of cake. Place the other piece on top of it . Cover the entire cake with ganache. 

Keep the cake and the left over ganache in the refrigerator for 30 mins. The ganache thickens and can be piped easily now.

Remove from refrigerator and smoothen the edges of the cake.

Pipe the left over ganache and design the cake.

Once all the decorating is done place it in refrigerator for another 30 mins before serving.

Enjoy with your family.

Note: If you use milk chocolate, you can skip sugar powder for the ganache....

Enjoy Cooking!!!!

Sweetcorn and Spinach Soup

      Soups are our favourite during these rainy season. They are easy in calories and tasty too.

Ingredients:

Spinach - 1 bowl

Sweet Corn -  1 bowl

Salt to taste

Butter - 1 tsp

Italian seasoning - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Corn flour - 2 tsp

Chilli flakes - 1/2 tsp optional

Mozarella cheese - garnishing

Method:

Blanch the spinach in water for around 5 minutes. Immediately soak them in cold water and keep aside. 

Boil the sweet corn till they are cooked well.

Now grind the spinach and 1/4 cup of sweet corn together.

Heat butter in a pan. Add the spinach puree to it. Also add the rest of the sweet corn and bring them to boil.

Now make cornflour slurry with little water and add it to the pan. Mix well.. Add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.

Once it's the right consistency, remove from flame. Serve hot with little bit of mozarella chunks on top. Also add chilli flakes if required.

Enjoy Cooking!!!