Vermicelli / Jave

Ingredients

• 1 potato thinly cut
• 1 onion parallely cut in pieces
• 1 carrot cut in pieces
• 1 bowl of peas / mutter
• 2 cups of roasted vermicelli
• Spices (Salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala, ajwain)
• 5-6 pieces of cashew (optional) 
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• butter 
• coriander leaves for garnishing
  

 

Procedure

• Heat oil in a pan. Add ajwain when oil is hot. Add onion and bay leaves (optional) and saute it for 2-3 minutes. 

• Add potatoes and carrot and optionally cashews. 
  

• Add peas. Cover the lid and let it cook for some time. 

• Keep on mixing it time to time to avoid it from getting burnt. Add coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt to taste and let it cook again in low flame with lid covered till potatoes and carrot are little soft. 

• Add roasted vermicelli. 

• Add water around 1.5 times the quantity of vermicelli used. The proportion of water used is very important. If used too much, it will be all sticky and if used too less, it will not cook properly. 

• Cover the lid and let it cook again for around 7-8 minutes in low flame till all the water evaporates. You can also cook it till it is about 95% done and close the flame (or remove it from the burner). Let it stand there with lid closed for some time. The steam present will cook it eventually. 

• Serve it hot with butter and garnish with coriander leaves. It tastes better with some pickle as well like mango or green chili pickle.
  

Sparkling Strawberry Mocktail

This is strawberry season and we need something to fight against the heat. This is very easy, 2 minutes preparation recipe. You will not stop drinking it after having it once. Very good in hot weather to keep you hydrated.

Ingredients

• a bowl full of strawberries 
• you can either mix it with other fruits of your choice (like some pieces of watermelon and grapes) or prepare only with Strawberries.
• 2-3 teaspoons of sugar or as per your taste
• 1 teaspoon of black salt or rock salt or as per your taste
• cold soda water / Sprite / Sparkling water
• Ice cubes (optional)
  

Procedure

• Cut all your fruits and form a paste in mixer. 
  
• Add sugar and black salt as per your taste in the paste and mix well.
• Now pour the paste or the mixture in serving glass till the glass is around 1/4th full. 
• Add soda water slowly to retain gas bubbles.
• Ice cubes can be added while serving (optional)
  
• Tip: If you add soda water in jar where you prepared the mixture and then pour in glass, you will loose most of the gas from the soda

Eggless Cake with Dry Fruits and Carrot

This is my husband's recipe. This is not only a healthy version of cake but also super yummy. Whenever we prepare it, it is gone in no time. :)

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cup of all purpose flour or Mainda
• 1 tea spoon baking soda
• 1 tea spoon baking powder
• 1 tea spoon cinnamon powder (daal cheeni powder)
• half a cup walnut
• 1 bowl of figs or dates
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4th cup oil or melted butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 grated carrot

Procedure

• Put all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon powder in a strainer. Mix it well with spoon and strain it. Keep it aside.
  

• Cut walnut in small pieces and keep it aside.
  

• Keep figs or dates in warm water for some time and then make a paste of it in mixer.
  

• Now in separate bowl, add sugar, oil or melted butter and milk and mix it with blender till sugar is dissolved.
  

• Add figs or dates paste and mix it.
  

• Add grated carrot and mix
  

• Now add all purpose flour as set aside in step 1 and mix well

• Add walnut

• Now apply a thin layer of oil in baking pan and dust it with all purpose flour.
  

• Put the paste prepared above in baking pan. Tap it 3-4 times to level the content uniformly in the pan. 
  

• Bake it at 180 degrees C for around 45-50 minutes
  

• Enjoy your cake.
  

Idli dosa Batter recipe with lentils and Rice

South Indian food is my family's all time favorite. Idli or Dosa can be eaten at any time of the day and is very light as a food. Here is the recipe to prepare batter that can be used for either idli or for dosa. For idli the batter can be used as it is and for dosa it can be diluted with little water.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Urad dal 
• 3 cups of Idli rice (3 times the quantity of urad dal) 
• half a tsp of fenugreek seeds or Methi seeds 
• 2-3 table spoons of thick Poha

Instructions

• Soak rice and Urad dal separately in water. Also add fenugreek seeds and Poha with Urad dal. Let them soak in water for around 4-6 hours. 
  

• Drain out water. 
  

• Grind rice in a mixer in batches with little water to form smooth paste. 
  

• Now grind urad dal with little water to form smooth paste and add to the grinded rice paste. 
  

• Add little salt and water if required. Now mix it well. For proper fermentation, beat the batter in one direction for around 2-3 minutes. 

• Now cover it and let it rest in warm place (e.g Oven) for around 8-10 hours or overnight. Let it ferment.
  

• Increase in batter quantity and the presence of air pockets will confirm the proper fermentation.
  

Basic Cheese Sandwich

This is a very basic 5 minute breakfast recipe and my son like it a lot.

Ingredients

• 2 Bread slices
• 1 Cheese slice
• Butter or oil

Procedure

• Put a pan on medium heat and let it warm.
  

• Apply butter on pan and toast 1 side of both the breads.
  

• Now make a sandwich of both the breads by putting cheese slice in between and toasted side inside.
  

• Apply little butter again on the pan and toast the outer sides of the breads as well in low flame. This will also melt the cheese inside.