Fruits and nuts cake...

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup pitted dates, chopped.
1 cup dried apricots, chopped.
1 cup walnuts, chopped roughly.
1 cup pecans, chopped roughly.
3/4 cup all purpose flour.
1/2 tsp baking powder.
1/4 tsp salt.
3/4 cup sugar.
3 eggs.
3 tbsp butter.
1 tsp vanilla extract.

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, F.  Grease 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan. 
Combine first four ingredients.  Combine the next three ingredients and stir in to the fruits and nuts mixture.
In a mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar and eggs, until foamy.  Fold in the fruits and nuts mixture and vanilla extract.   Pour in to the prepared pan.  Level top.  Bake one hour or until tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Turn out cake, cool completely on wire rack.

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Pork sirloin roast...

INGREDIENTS:

Fresh thyme  - 1 1/2 tbsp, chopped.
Fresh basil  - 1 tbsp, chopped.
Black pepper powder  - 1 tsp.
Garlic powder  - 1 tbsp.
Olive oil  -  2 tbsp.
Salt  - 1 tsp.
Boneless pork sirloin roast  - 4 to 5 pounds.
1/2 cup orange marmalade or any jam.
1/2 cup white wine.

METHOD:
Combine the first 6 ingredients.  Score the roast and rub the seasonings.  Wrap on foil.  Refrigerate 8 hours.  Remove roast from foil.  Place fat side up, on rack in a roasting pan. 
Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or thermometer registers 160 degrees.
Combine jam and white wine,  brush over pork roast, frequently.  Let stand 10 to 15 minutes in the oven before slicing.

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Flan with almond milk....

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup sugar.
4 eggs.
1 1/2 cup almond milk.
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz).
1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, F.
In a sauce pan over medium heat, cook 1/2 cup sugar with 1 tbsp water, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes or until melted and caramel coloured.  Pour in to 9 inch baking  pan or glass pan, quickly tilt to coat bottom completely. 
In a mixer bowl beat eggs, milk, condensed milk and vanilla extract, until everything is blended together.  Pour in the prepared pan.  Cover with foil.  Place pan in a larger broiler pan.  Fill the broiler pan with 1-inch water.  Bake for 60 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Allow that to cool.  Refrigerate and chill thoroughly.  Loosen sides with knife and invert on to the serving plate.

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Baked potato...

INGREDIENTS:

4 Medium sized potatoes.
Olive oil.

TOPPINGS;
Shredded quesadilla cheese and cheddar cheese.

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees, F.
Wash and pat dry potatoes.  Rub with oil.  Place in a shallow pan.  Slash top, if desired. 
Bake 45 minutes or until soft or fork tender.
Serve with choice of toppings.  If steamed texture is preferred, wrap potatoes in aluminum foil.

MICROWAVE BAKED METHOD:
Rinse potatoes and pat dry.  Prick several times with a fork.  Arrange potatoes, leaving one inch between each.  Microwave at high, for 10 to 11 minutes.  Let the potatoes stand for 5 minutes.  Slit open the potatoes and top with the cheese and serve.

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Rice with mushroom and beansprouts....

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound mushroom, sliced.
.25 lb bean sprouts.
1 1/2 cup cooked rice.
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves.
1 tsp black pepper powder.
1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
2 bay leaves.
2-3 tbsp olive oil.
Salt to taste.

METHOD:
Heat oil, add thyme leaves, bay leaves and fry.  Gradually add the black pepper powder, turmeric powder, mushroom, salt and saute.  When its half cooked add bean sprouts and saute for two more minutes.  Add the cooked rice and mix thoroughly.  Cover and let it stay for two more minutes on low heat.  Add more salt if needed , mix well and remove from heat. 

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Boondhi laddu...

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup gram flour.
1 tsp rice flour.
1 pinch baking soda.
1/8 tsp salt.
1 1/2 cup sugar.
1/2 cup water. 
1/8 tsp saffron or yellow colour.
1/4 tsp cardamon powder.
1 tbsp sultanas.
2 tbsp cashew nut pieces.
3 to 4 cloves.

METHOD:
Combine the first 4 ingredients and make a thick batter with sufficient water.
Heat oil in a deep fry pan and drop batter through perforated spoon.  Fry for a minute. (not crispy)
Prepare sugar syrup with sugar and water to two string consistency.  Add cloves, cardamon powder, saffron, sultanas, cashew nuts and fried boondhi in to syrup.  Shape in to even sized laddus. 

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Chickpeas salad...

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup chickpeas, soaked and cooked.
1/2 cup onion, sliced
1 cup spinach, chopped.
1 tomato, diced.
1/2 cup cup cilantro leaves, chopped finely.
2 tbsp lime juice.
Salt to taste.

METHOD:
Soak the chickpeas for atleast six hours.
Cook till its soft.  Allow to cool.
Add little salt to sliced onion and keep it aside for atleast 10 minutes. 
Combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly. 
Add more salt and lime juice if needed and serve.

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Oats idiyappam (sevai)...

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Oats flour.
1/2 cup wheat flour, steamed.
1/4 tsp salt.
1/2 cup grated coconut.
Adequate boiling water.

METHOD:
Steam the wheat flour for 20 minutes and allow to cool.  Seive.
Combine the first 3 ingredients and mix thoroughly with boiling water.  Prepare a stiff dough.  Put little grated coconut on the trays.  Fill in the idiyappam press with the dough and press through the holes in the trays.  Keep the trays in a steamer, cover and steam for 3 to 4 minutes. 
Serve hot with vegetable curry or goat curry.

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Caramel flan...

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup sugar.
4 eggs.
1 cup water.
1/2 cup milk.
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz).
1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, F. 
In a sauce pan, over medium heat, cook 1/2 cup sugar with one tablespoon water, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes or until melted and caramel coloured.  Pour in to a 9 inch baking pan, quickly tilt to coat bottom completely. 
In a mixer bowl, beat  eggs, milk, water, condensed milk, vanilla extract, until everything is blended together.  Pour in to the prepared pan.  Cover with foil.  Place pan in a larger broiler pan.  Fill the broiler pan with 1-inch water. Bake for 60 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Let it cool.  Refrigerate and chill thoroughly.  Loosen sides with knife and invert on to the serving plate.

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Mutton stew...

INGREDIENTS:

Goat  - 1 lb.
Potato  - 1 diced.
Onion  - 1 small, sliced.
Ginger  - 2 inch long, grated.
Green chilies  - 5 to 6.
Cinnamon stick  - 1 1/2 inch long.
Cloves  -  2 to 3.
Cardamon  3.
Curry leaves  - 1 sprig.
All purpose flour or rice flour -1 tbsp.
Coconut milk  - about 2 cups.
Salt to taste.

METHOD:
Clean and cut the meat in to 2 inch pieces. 
Heat oil, add the curry leaves, dry ingredients and fry. 
Add sliced onion, ginger, garlic, and saute.  Stir in meat, salt, half of the milk,cover and cook.  When its half done add the potatoes and green chilies.  

Cook until everything is cooked.  Mix  flour with the remaining milk and add to that.  Stir thoroughly and bring to boil.  Serve hot with appam.

(Or meat can be pressure cooked and add).

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Appam....

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups extra long grain rice.
1/4 tsp dry yeast.
1 cup coconut milk or almond milk.
Dash baking soda.
Salt to taste.
2 to 3 tbsp sugar.

METHOD:
Soak the rice for 2 hours.
Soak yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.  Yeast becomes frothy and bubbly.
Grind the soaked rice nicely with soaked yeast and enough water. Keep overnight to ferment or at least 8 hours.
Add the baking soda, salt, sugar, coconut milk and mix well.  Cover and let it stand for 5 minutes.  
Pour a big spoon full of batter in hot iron pan.  Tilt the pan and give it a circular twist about 2 inch more.  Cover and cook until the center is puffed and forms a crisp border. 
More sugar can be added to make appam sweet.

SUBSTITUTE FOR YEAST OR TODDY:

1.  Add one tablespoon full of sugar to half cup of coconut water, mix well and let it ferment for 4 to 5 hours, can be used as a substitute for yeast or toddy.

          OR
2.  Keep 2 to 3 tbsp fulls of leftover batter, in the refrigerator and use for future use,  as a substitute for yeast or toddy.


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Appam ....

INGREDIENTS:

Rice flour - 5oo gm. (1.1 pound or 17.5 oz or 2.18 cup)
Toddy - 200 ml. (less than a cup).
Coarse rice flour - 2 tbsp.
Coconut milk  - 1 cup or more as needed.
Baking soda  - 2 pinches.
Salt to taste.
Sugar  -  2 tbsp.

METHOD:

Roast the rice flour slightly. 
Mix the coarse rice flour with one cup water and cook to a porridge consistency.  Allow that to cool.  Add this and toddy to the rice flour, mix well, make a thick batter.   Leave overnight to ferment or at least 8 hours. 
Add the coconut milk, baking soda, salt and sugar.  Cover and let it stand for 10 minutes.  The batter should be thin.  Pour a big spoonfull of batter in hot iron pan.  Tilt the pan with both hands and give it a circular twist, about 1 1/2 inch more.  Cover and cook for 30 seconds or until the center is puffed.  Repeat with remaining batter.  Serve hot with chicken curry or mutton stew or egg curry or vegetable kurma. 

More sugar can be added to make  appam sweet.

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Butter snaps...

INGREDIENTS:

3 tbsp butter  and 3 tbsp shortening.
1 cup unbleached pupose flour.
3/4 cup powdered sugar.
1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
1/2 cup cashew nuts, chopped.

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, F.
Cream butter, vanilla together.  Combine flour and sugar, add to the creamed mixture, beat well at medium speed.  Beat until combined.  Stir in the chopped nuts.  Shape 1 tsp dough into ball, repeat with remaining dough.  Place balls 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake for 9 to 10 minutes on preheated oven.  Cool on wire rack.

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Mysore pak...

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup Bengal gram flour.
1 1/2 cups sugar.
1/3 cup water.
2 cups ghee.

METHOD:
Heat ghee to boiling point.  keep it aside on low heat.
Combine water, sugar, cook and prepare a syrup of soft ball stage.  Place a drop of sugar syrup in a cup of water, roll it with fingers and when soft ball comes, its soft ball stage. 
Roast the gram flour with one tablespoon ghee for 2 minutes.  Add the sugar syrup to the roasted gram flour and stir well on medium fire.  Add 1 tbsp hot ghee at a time and stir continuously, till all the ghee is added.  Stir vigorously, till the ghee starts floating on top of the mixture.  Remove from fire and pour on a greased tray.  Cut in to pieces when its warm. 

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Oats Idiyappam (sevai)...

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup oats flour.
1/2 cup rice flour.
1/4 tsp salt.
Sufficient boiling water to mix.
1/2 cup grated coconut.

METHOD:
Combine the dry ingredients and mix with boiling water and prepare a stiff dough.  Fill the dough in the idiyappam press with the small holes.  Put one tsp grated coconut in the tray.  Press the dough through the holes on top of coconut.  Keep the trays in the steamer, cover and steam, for 3 to 4 minutes. 

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