Figure friendly Ricotta Rolls

Ricotta Rolls
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Courtsey - Curves magazine

Made with protein rich ricotta and laced with dark choclate, these creamy treats count toward your daily value of calcium.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

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wonton wraps - 8
skim ricotta - 3/4 cup
granulated sugar - 2-4 tsp
ground cinnamon - 1/2 tsp
cocoa powder
+ extra for garnish - 1/2 tsp
vanilla extract - 1/4 tsp
chopped dark choclate
+ extra for garnish - 2 tbsp
confectioners's sugar - for garnish

Method:
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1. Heat oven to 350 F. Lay wonton wrappers on your work surface. With a damp paper towel or a pastry brush, wet one edge of one wrapper and fold it over to the other edge , forming a cylinder. Press the edges together and stand the roll upright on a baking sheet. Repeat process with rest of the wrappers. Bake them until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 2 minutes. Then cool completely.

2. Place ricotta and granulated sugar in a medium bowl Beat with electric mixer on high for 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the cinamon, cocoa, vanilla. Stir in the 2 tbsp of choclate.

3. Fill pastry bag with ricotta misture. Pipe the filling into cooled rolls. Lightly dust them with confectioner's sugar, cocoa and then sprinkle with extra choclate around the serving plate.

Nutrion information
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Serves - 8
Per serving - 70 calories
fat - 8 g
cholestrol - 7 mg
sodium - 72 mg
carbohydrate- 8 g
fiber - 2 g
protein - 3 g

Garden Veggie soup ~ Healthy vegetarian soup recipe

Garden Veggie Soup ~ Healthy vegetarian soup recipe
Hello,

Its winter and trying to cook something to warm up my family, I came up with this simple recipe. Easy to cook with ingredients at hand. You can add other veggies like string beans, kidney beans etc.

Prep Time - 15-30 minutes.
Servings 4-6

Veggies:
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Carrot - 1 cup (frozen)
Lima beans - 1 cup (frozen)
Peas - 1 cup (frozen)
sweet corn (or regular corn) - 1 cup (frozen)
Chicken broth/Veggetable broth - 1 carton (approx 4 cups)
onion - 1 small cut into cubes
cilantro - handful, finely chopped
fresh ground pepper
salt
tomato sauce - 8 oz containers, hunts or any store brand
coriander powder - 1 tsp

Method
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1. Saute the onion, salt, pepper  until onion is transluscent
2. Add all veggies, saute for 3-4 minutes
3. Add Chicken broth/Vegetable broth ,tomato sauce (vary according to taste) - at least 4 oz , coariander powder.
4. Bring to boil covered with lid, reduce flame and cook for 5-10 miutes.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning. It is important to have the correct amount of sourness, so feel free to experiment by adding more tomato sauce.

Top it with some cilantro, tiny bit of butter and some bread crumbs...yum...

Chicken soup - simplified ~ Flavorful protein rich recipe

Chicken Soup ~ protein rich recipe
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Hello there,

There is something about chicken soup that always brings me warm memories.
I need some solace in this winter weather and as always turn to chicken soup. Its healing in itself. I came up with what was in my pantry. very simple...yet tasty

Prep time - 15 to 30 mins
Servings - 4 to 6

Ingredients
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Left over cooked Chicken breast - pulled into strips - 1.5 cups
Chicken broth(low sodium) - 1 cartoon
onion - 1 medium chopped
carrots - 1 cup
Thyme - 2 sprigs
black pepper
coriander powder - 1 tsp
cumin powder - 1 tsp.

Method
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1. In a soup pot (or pressure cooker), saute onions, salt, until onions are transluscent.
2. Add chicken ( you can replace left over chicken with fresh chicken cubed), carrots, saute for 3-4 mins
3. Add chicken broth, coriander powder, cumin powder.
4. Bring to boil with lid covered, then reduce and cook for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is done.

Simply top it with cilantro and feel the heal....

You can add different veggies to this soup, especially mushrooms add a ton of flavor.

Paneer Butter Masala recipe - made easy

Paneer Butter Masala - made easy
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Hello folks,

If you are wondering what this dish is doing in a south Indian curry blog, see if this helps. Well as a South Indian there is a certain craving for North Indian food, right?.  I try to attempt to satisfy this craving at home sometimes and that's how I came about this recipe by vah chef. His enthusiasm is contagious. Its my practice to add recipes I love and enjoy into my blog. There is something about writing it in your own words i guess!

Ingredients
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paneer/tofu - 1 to 1.5 cups
onion - 1/2 cup
giner garlic paste - 2 tbsp

For Sauce-
coariander powder - 2 tbsp
kasuri methi - 1tbsp
garam masala - 1 tbsp
tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
Milk - as required
Heavy/light cream - as required
salt - as desired

Method
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1. Mix the powders by combining coariander powder, garam masala, methi powder, salt, tomato ketch up. Use milk to thin the mix out. Adding milk at this stage will reduce requirement of cream at the end. This should yield about 1 cup of uncooked sauce. Set aside.

2. Saute onions, ginger garlic paste and then add the sauce mix prepared on previous step. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes.

3. Taste the sauce at this point, adjust seasnings, add more tomato ketchup , salt if desired. You can also add food coloring at this stage.

4. Add the cubed paneer or tofu to the sauce and cook for another 5 minutes with the lid on.

5. When the paneer has absorbed the flavors, add heavy/light cream to the sauce to get butter masala taste.

Note : For more calories ( ha ha i meant richer taste), use butter for sauteing and heavy cream, whole milk where ever possible. For lesser calories, use oil for sauteting and light cream, fat free milk. For me I am good with lesser calories !!!

Kalla Veetu kathirikai ~ Authentic Karaikudi recipe

Kalla Veetu kathirikai ~ Authentic Karaikudi recipe

Hi all,
I simply love this delicious gravy. Potato and eggplant(brinjal) are my favourite vegies. And yes this one comes with both and goes very well with Rice and chapathi. I make this for lunch and the left over is had with chapathi for dinner. Two in one! I must admit that I wonder if the recipe name has morphed into something else now and if this was the original recipe name.

Its an authentic karaikudi recipe learnt from a friend. She called it kalla veetu kathirikai. Ofcourse i laughed and asked her why it is so called. She did not know. But after some thought this is the explanation i came up with. In those days they always said stolen fruits and veggies from ur neighbour's garden tasted extremely good.

I usually prepare this in the pressure cooker. It can be made in a kadai although is more tasty when cooked in a pressure cooker due to the fact that the veggies will be softened to the rite consistency of the gravy. Serves 3-4 people.

For masala
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Grated cocunut-4-5 tbsp
sombu - 1 tsp
Garlic- 2-3 pods
Sambhar podi- 2 tbsp(usual sambhar podi)
Split dalia-3 tbsp (pottu kadalai)
Salt-1 tsp(or to taste)

Veggies
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Potato-2 medium sized cut into cubes
Brinjal-2 medium sized cut into cubes
onion-1 small onion
tomato-1 small tomato.

other veggies that can be used
------------------------------
cauliflower
peanuts- soaked and pre cooked in a pressure cooker
meal maker(soya chunks)

I make this with all the above 5 veggies. it just tastes great anyways.


Method
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Note : U can season it with salt at every step. Just add a pinch of salt, that will satue time will be reduced too.
1. Grind the masala ingredients to a smooth paste .
2. Heat oil in a pressue cooker. Let the mustard seeds crackle, saute cardamom,cinamon and clove.
3.Add and saute onion for 2-3 mins.
4.Add and saute tomato for 2-3 mins.
5.Add the masala and saute for another 2-3 mins.
6.Add the veggies and saute for 3-4 mins.
7.Add 1 cup of water. Adjust water to the level that all the veggies are soaked thoroughly and little excess water is there. Mix it at this stage thoroughly and taste and adjust seasonings. You can even add dry chilli powder if you want the gravy to be more spicy.
8.Put the cooker lid on with the whistle and keep the flame at medium. Wait for two whistles and switch it off.
9.Garnish with nicely chopped coriander(cilantro) leaves.

Server hot and enjoy.

Urundai Kolambu ~ Lentil ball gravy recipe

Urundai Kolambu ~ Lentil ball gravy recipe
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Hi,

This is a wonderful old style south Indian recipe. Very tasty and does involve a fair amount of work. Its worth it beleive me!

Ingredients
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Toor Dal-1 cup
Channa dal- 1 tbsp
Soak the above for atleast an hour.

Onion - 2 medium chopped
Tomato - 1 medium chopped
Garlic cloves - 4 chopped, 7 cloves slit
Curry leaves - 1 tbsp chopped and some whole.
Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tbsp
Split Dalai - 1 tbsp
Red Chilli - 6(adjust accordingly to your spice level)
Tamarind
paste - 1 tbsp
Sambar podi - 2 tbsp
turmeric powder - a pinch
Green chilli - 1 slit

For Pappu
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Mustard seeds,urad dal,jeera, clove(1),elachi(1),cinamon stick- 1 inch

Method
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1.Grind fennel seeds, jeera seeds,dalai,red chilli and soaked channa,toor dal coarsely.

2.Add one chopped onion. Make balls and cook for 2 mins in the idly cooker.

2.Make puli kolambu mix. Add tamarind paste, sambhar podi,Turmeric powder,green chillies,salt. Mix and add water as required. Taste and adjust seasonings.

3. Heat oil in wok, do the pappu( Crack mustard seeds,urad dal,jeera). Add elachi,cloves, slit garlic,curry leaves. Saute for a min.

4.Add and saute onion for 2-3 mins.

5.Add and saute tomato. Allow for the tomato cook through for a couple of mins.

6.Pour the tamarind -water mix. Bring it to boil. Reduce the flame and allow the mix to simmer for 10 -15 mins, or until it is just at a consitency that requires only a couple of more mins of simmering.

7.Add the cooked dal balls one by one slowly. Then allow the mix to simmer for 5 more mins. Switch it off and Viola its ready.

Garnish with cilantro.

Serve with Rice. Murungai keerai puriyal goes well this kolambu.

Greens Poriyal ~ simple keerai poriyal recipe

Greens Poriyal ~ simple keerai poriyal recipe
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Ingredients
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onion-medium sized finely chopped
Greens-collard greens , 1 bunch, finely chopped
Red chillies-3 to 5 depending upon the greens bunch size and spice level

for tadka
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mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
jeera seeds-1/2 tsp

Method
--------
1.Add mustard seeds and let splutter mustard seeds.
2.Add Jeera and saute for a half a minute
3.Add the red chillies and saute for another half a minute
4.Add the onion and saute until they are translucent
5.Add the chopped greens, salt and saute and cover and cook until they are done. Need not add water since, the greens will release water themselves.

Note: we can substitue collard greens for arai keerai and make arai keerai poriyal.
In fact arai keerai poriyal is more tastier than collard green poriyal

Nut Chutney - ha ha funny , delicious and nutritious recipe

Nut Chutney - ha ha funny , delicious and nutritious recipe
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         Does the title make you laugh? Well, a good laugh is good for you. Nutritious addition to your chutney palate. Peanuts (ground nuts) and channa dalia chutney are delicious by themselves. Since i was concerned about the cholesterol level in peanuts i started substituting peanuts with other nuts.  At least in comparison it is more nutritious than just peanut chutney. The best part is that it is simple.

From pantry
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Roasted Badam - 10-12
Roasted Cashew - 3
Roasted peanuts - 2 tbsp
Roasted channa dalia - 4 -5 tbsp
Red chilli - 1-2 , go with 1 first
Garlic pod - 1
Salt - per taste
Tamarind thick paste - 1 to 2 teaspoon

Blend all the ingredients well with water. Use as much as water for the consistency you desire. Once mixure is smooth, do tadka and spread on top of the chutney. Yummy chutney ready!!!

This is simple because i usually have all of the nuts roasted and in stock in my pantry. Since this dish has good source of protein and good fat I would rather have this with breakfast than with dinner. I usually leave the skin of the nuts intact so i am adding some fibre to my diet.

Play with the quantity of each nut to give a slightly different taste. If blended with less water to make it a thogayal, it goes good with rice or as a spread on bread sandwich.

Oven Roasted Kovakai ~ simple side dish recipe

Oven Roasted Kovakai ~ simple side dish recipe

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        This is a great and simple way to make kovakai. I have always made kovakai with lots of onion and tomato more like a masala. My husband never liked it very much. So i thought why not marinate kovakai in olive oil. indian home made sambhar podi and oven roast it. And here is the recipe for that. It came out really well and my husband loved it.

Ingredients
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Kovakai-350 grams, dispose the cut ends, and slice each piece into 4 quarters length wise
sambhar podi-1 tbsp(home made-red chillies mixed)-use more for elevated spice
fennel powder-1/2 tsp
salt-3/4 tbsp(according to taste)
coriander powder-1/2 tsp
olive oil-4 tbsp

Method
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1.Cut the kovakai as mentioned above and pat dry them. You can use kitchen tissue to squeeze the extra water. The more dry, the more roasted they will be.


2.Prep the oven. Turn it on at 350 degrees.

3.In a ziploc bag(freezer bag) add the olive oil, sambhar podi, salt, coriander powder, fennel powder. Close the bag and mix the oil and the masala podi nicely.

4.Add the cut kovakai into the zip loc bag and close the bag. Turn the bag upside down and shake it so that the all of kovakai are thoroughly coated with the masala.

5.Cover a cookie sheet with aluminium foil(so that it makes cleaning easier).

6.Spread the kovakai mix on the cookie sheet. Spread it as evenly as possible.




7.Place the cookie sheet into the oven and let it sit for 25-35 mins. You can do a peeka-boo after 20 mins to see how your kovakai is doing.

8.To make it very cripsy, keep it in broil for 3-4 mins(Please be very careful as broil temperature is very high and will burn your veggies).

9.Garnish with minced coriander, or a dry mixture of italian herbs(basil,oregano)



Note: You can substitute kovakai with thinly sliced red potatoes and red small radish.

Garlic Pickle Recipe, For the love of it!!!

Garlic Pickle Recipe, For the love of it!!!

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Note:
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1.All ingredients should be dry. Clean the garlic some time before and dry them under the fan.
2.Try not to use wet hands, wet utensils any time during the preparation of the recipe. This will increase the longevity of the pickle.
3.Dry the bottle thoroughly. Tip: Just hold the bottle upside down on the burner for a few mins. Ofcourse with the burner on. Do the same with the bottle lid. This will evaporate any of the moisture left inside the bottle. Caution : dont hold the bottle more than say 15-20 secs.
4. If u can get cut garlic pieces from the market that will be great, otherwise considerable time will go in peeling and chopping the garlic.

Garlic pickle
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Ingredients:
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Garlic - 3 cups, peeled and cut into smaller pieces
Gingely Oil(nalla ennai) - 5 Table spoons (depends )
Chili Powder - 3 Tea Spoons
Malli powder -1 tea spoon
Lemon Juice - 6 tea Spoons
Salt - As Per Taste
Mustard Seeds- 2 Tea Spoons
Fenugreek Seeds - 1 Tea Spoon
Turmeric - ½ Spoon (optional)
jaggery-roughly 2 tea spoons.


Method:
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1.Fry Mustard and fenugreek seeds dry and grind them together.

2.Crack some mustard seeds(out of the two tea spoons for this recipe) in oil .Add garlic in the oil(excess such that u can clearly see all the garlic coated with oil. u can add more than this if depending on the amount of oil u want in the final pickle) till golden brown.

2.After the garlic wilts and cooks down a lil bit, pour lemon juice and cook for a 2-3 mins.

3.Add all the masala(fenugreek and mustard powder,Chilli powder, malli powder,turmeric) and salt.

4.Allow some time for the raw smell of the masal to go. Taste the pickle at this stage and adjust all seasoning accordingly.

5. Switch it off, once the oil starts to separate from the garlic mix. Just before switching off, add jaggery. The indicator for enuf jaggery is that u can slightly taste the sweet taste from the pickle.(some ppl add lot more of lemon juice and lot of jaggery. it depends on ur taste.)

6. Allow it to cool and store in a clean bottle.
Shelf life is about one month.


Hope all of you enjoy the pickle!!!