Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients Spaghetti: 80 gm Eggs:2 Parmesan:25gm Pancetta: 50gm Salt: to taste Pepper:to taste Extra Virgin oil: 10ml Method Blanch the spaghetti. Pan sear the pancetta slice until crisp. Add a little chopped pancetta and sauté in a pan. In a bowl break the eggs and blend with parmesan until smooth and foamy on a double boiler. Toss the pasta with the chopped pancetta, and season accordingly. Now place the crispy pancetta slice on a pasta plate and roll the spaghetti on top of it with the help of a fork. Pour parmesan and egg mixture on top of it, grind some pepper on to it with a pepper mill and garnish with a fresh basil sprig. The Hindu dated Saturday June 28 2008

Stuffed Katori Chaat

Ingredients For the Katori Maida : 1 cup Suji(semolina) : ½ cup Refined oil: 2 tsp A little Salt Oil for frying For the Filling Potatoes(boiled and chopped):1/2kg Sprouts(red gram and moong-parboiled):1 cup Thick curd: 2 cups Sweet and sour chutney Green chutney Gujrati sev Salt Char masala Pepper Roasted jeera Red Chilli powder: to taste Coriander leaves: finely chopped Method Mix the two flours. Add salt and oil. Add sufficient water and make a stiff dough. Roll out small puris and stick at the back of small greased katoris or tart moulds. Deep fry on a medium flame. The katoris will come out in hot oil. Mix the sprouts and potatoes with salt, chat masala, roasted jeera and red chilli powder. Mix well. Fill the katoris with this filling. Spread the curd over it. Then spread sweet and sour chutney and green chutney over the curds. Sprinkle Gujrati sev and top it with coriander leaves. THE HINDU METRO PLUS DATED SEPTEMBER 2 2008.

Egg Based curries can be made in a Jiffy

Egg is used in a number of dishes such as salads, soups, cakes and pies. Here are some egg-based gravy dishes that will go well with hot parathas or rice. Egg and Green Peas Curry Ingredients Hard boiled eggs: 4 Shelled peas:1/2 cup Onion(ground to paste) : 1 Ginger garlic paste: ½ tsp Tomato puree: 3tbsp Finely chopped chillies: 2 Cumin powder:1/2tsp Coriander powder:1/2tsp Chilli powder"1/2tsp Turmeric powder"1/4tsp Salt: to taste Oil : to fry Coriander leaves: for garnishing Method Heat oil in pan and fry the eggs until golden brown. Keep aside. Reheat two tbsp of the same oil in another pan. Add onion and fry till golden brown. Stir in ginger –garlic paste, tomato, puree, green chillies, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Stir for five minutes. Add peas with one cup of hot water. Cover and cook over medium heat till peas become tender. Add fired eggs and bring to boil. Cook over high heat for five minutes and switch off the stove. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with parathas Suppelementary: Metro Plus The hindu March 11 2008

Essan Roasted Lamb Chops with Basil Potato Mash

Ingredients For lamb chops Lamb chops – 12 Chopped lemongrass – 15gm Chopped garlic – 10gm Rice powder – 10gm Dry red chili flakes – 5gm Oyster sauce – 30ml Fish sauce-10ml Sugar – 15gm Crushed black peppercorns – 5gm For the basil mash Mashed potatoes – 100gm Chopped garlic – 5gm Chopped fresh red chilies – 5gm Basil (tulsi) – 5gm Butter – 10gm Whipped double cream – 15ml Salt – 5gm For the black bean sauce Chopped ginger – 5gm Chopped garlic – 5gm Black bean paste-10gm Sesameoil-2ml Oyster sauce – 5ml Fish sauce – 5ml Dark soya sauce – 5ml Sugar – 10gm Crushed black peppercorns-5gm Chicken stock/water – 15ml Corn flour – 2gm Method 1. Marinate the lamb chops with fish sauce, oyster sauce, and crushed black peppercorns. Refrigerate for two hours in the chiller. Mix the chopped garlic, lemon grass and rice powder. Bread the lamb chops. 2. Preheat the oven for about 10 min at 200 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, heat oil on a tawa and sear the lamb chops on both sides. Arrange the lamb chops on a greased baking tray and set to roast in the oven for 25 minutes. Set aside. 3. Prepare the basil mash. Heat butter in a sauce pan and sauté garlic, onion and red chilies until the onion turns golden brown. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer. Add the basil and the mashed potatoes, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and add whipped double cream and mix well until the potato becomes fluffy. Season with salt. 4. Prepare the black bean sauce. Saute ginger and garlic. Add stock and the black bean paste, oyster sauce and season with fish sauce, dark soya and sugar. Sprinkle with crushed black peppercorns and sesame oil. Thicken with corn flour mixed in water. Strain if required. 5. On the serving platter, put the basil mash in the centre and arrange the lamb chops on it. Dribble the sauce around it. Serve with sautéed asparagus in garlic. Supplement: the Food file (MetroPlus) The Hindu dated july 12 2008.

Summer Soups

Ultra – fast avocado soup Time: 10 minutes, plus chilling Serves: 4 Ingredients About 2 cups chopped ripe avocado flesh Three cups milk, preferably whole . Salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Two table spoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste. A handful or mre of small cooked shrimp. Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley leaves. Method 1. Put chopped avocado in a blender. Add half the milk, a large pinch of salt and a small pinch of cayenne; process to a puree. Add remaining milk and puree. Chill for up to six hours if you have time (press a piece of plastic wrap to surface of soup so it does not discolor) 2. Add lime juice and taste. Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Garnish with shrimp and parsley or cilantro, and serve. Supplementary: the Food file The Hindu July 12 2008

Carrot Raisin Salad

Ingredients Carrots, shredded: 3 large nos Raisins: 1 cup Walnuts; 1 cup Finely chopped celery: quarter cup Shredded coconut: 2 tbsp Mayonnaise: half cup Sour cream: 2 tbsp Cider vinegar: 1 tbsp White sugar: half tsp Salt; quarter tsp Method: In a medium bowl, combine shredded carrots, raisins, walnuts, celery and coconut. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir dressing into carrot mixture. Chill a few hours before serving.

Karuveppillai Yera Varuval

Ingredients Prawns (about 45) : 1 kg Dry red chilli whole: 50 gm Coriander: 30gm Saunf: 20 Urad dal: 50 gm Jeera: 30 gm Coconut grated: 1 Lemon: 3 Rice flour: 40 gm Refined oil: 250 ml Salt: 20 gm Ginger garlic paste: 75 gm Onion: 100gm Ginger 25gm Garlic 25gm Coriander leaves: 50 gm Curry leaves: 25 gm Method Marinate the peeled prawns with ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, chilli powder, rice flour and salt. Keep aside for 30 minutes. Pan fry the coriander seeds, urad dal, chilli curry leaves and grated coconut in 50 ml oil. Powder in a mixie. Add to the prawns. Deep fry till crisp and done. In pan heat oil, crackle saunf, sauté ginger,garlic and onions along with red chillies. Add the fried prawns, curry leaves and stir-fry. Serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves.

Potato Salad

Ingredients Small unpeeled red potatoes, cubed: 3 pounds Salt "1/2 tsp Pepper:1/4tsp Sour cream: 6 ounces Mayonnaise:1/2 cups Mustard: 11/2 tsp Hard-cooked eggs, chopped: 4 Sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled:1/2 pound Shredded cheddar cheese:1/2 cup Sweet onion: Chopped : 3 Large dill pickle, chopped : 1 Method Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place potatoes on a greased 15 by 10 inch rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until tender, tossing potatoes every 15 minutes. Set aside to cool in pan. In large bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise and mustard. Add the potatoes, eggs, bacon, cheese, onion and pickles and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Spinach Semolina Cake

Ingredients Semolina (rava) 250 gm Spinach, blanched, chopped : 100 gm Processed cheese, grated: 30gm Water Salt: to taste Red pepper chunk:1 Yellow pepper chunk:1 Black pepper crushed: 3 Double cream:200ml Parmesan, grated:30gm Butter:10gm Vegetable oil:20ml Method To make the semolina cake, bring the salted water to a boil, slowly whisk in the rava, so as not to form lumps, cook for 5 minutes till it leaves the side of the pan. Add the blanched spinach and processed cheese to the mix. Pour into a greased tray and allow to set. Blach the asparagus tips. Saute the red and yellow peppers in the oil-butter mix till soft. Add in the asparagusfinally and season with salt and black pepper. Cut the semolina into squares, brown lightly in a pan with butter and oil, till heated through. Toast the walnuts. Warm the cream, finish with the parmesan cheese. Set two slices of semolina with sweet peppers in between. Pour the sauce around and garnish with walnut halves and asparagus spears.

Mint Lime - Refresher

Lemon Juice - 4 table spoons
Mint leaves - 1 handful
Salt - one pinch
Sugar - 2 table spoons
Cold Water - 1 glass

Blend glass of water, lemon juice and mint leaves in a juicer on high for two minutes. Add salt and sugar and blend for one more minute. Pour into a juice glass. Granish with fresh mint and serve.

Mint is a breath freshner and is also good for health while lemon is rich in vitamin c.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Strawberry - 6-7 medium sized
Hill Banana - 2
Sugar to Taste
Milk - 1 cup
Ice cubes
Chopped strawberry and banana 2 table spoons for garnish

Method

Blend strawberry with sugar in juicer until it makes a smooth paste. Cut the banana into chunks and add it with the strawberry and blend until it is completely mashed. Add milk little by little and blend. Add ice cubes and run the juicer on high for 1 minute. Serve in glasses and garnish with Chopped strawberry and banana.

Peppy Cauliflower

Cauliflower - 1 medium size
Onion - 2 medium size, finely chopped
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Ginger/Garlic paste - 1/2 tea spoon
Spring onion -2 table spoons finely chopped
Corriander - Finely chopped
Turmeric Powder 1 pinch
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 Table spoons
Pepper powder - 2 tea spoons (coarsely ground)
Water - 1/2 cup

Cut the cauliflower into medium size flowrets and clean them. Heat the frying pan and add two tablespoons of oil add cumin seeds, onions and saute till golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and turmeric power and saute. Add the cauliflower, salt and water. Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Once the cauliflower is cooked add sprinkle the freshly ground pepper powder and saute for two mins. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with spring onions and corriander. Serve when hot.

Peppy cauliflower can be had as a side dish for roti's. It serves as a good snack item also. As this dish does not contain much of oil weight watchers can have generous portions.

Green Gram Dhal

Ingredients
Green Gram - 100 gms
Oinion Finely chopped - 1
Tomato Finely chopped -2 nos
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Green chilli -2 nos
Ginger garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Dry Mango powder - 1 teaspoon (optional)
salt as per taste
Oil- 3 tablespoons
Corriander - finely chopped.
water - 200 ml
Soak the green gram for about 6 hours in water. Drain water and allow to sprout over night. Take a thick bottomed pan add oil and heat it. Once the oil is hot add the cumin seeds and allow to splitter now add the onion and green chilli and saute until done. Add the ginger garlic paste and tomatoes and add salt and saute until the tomatoes soften. Now add dry mango powder and the sprouted green gram and water and cover with a lid. Cook until the green gram gets cooked.
Once the green gram is cooked put off the stove and garnish with corriander leaves.

This dish is high in protein content and serves right for roti.

Buthi Vankai Koora- Brinjal delicacy

Buthi Vankai Koora, is a Andhra speciality. This is a tasty spicy curry made out of brinjal.
Ingredients required:
Brinjal - 250 gms
oil - 100ml
Ground nuts - 50 gms
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 6 pods
1/2 Desicated Coconut
Jaggery - 25 gms
Onion - 2 nos finely chopped
Tomato - 3 Nos

Garlic Rasam

Garlic Rasam is good for commom cold and relieves gastritis.
Ingredients Required:
Garlic - unpeeled 5 pods
Curry leaves
Pepper Corns - 3 table spoons
Cumin seeds - 1 Table spoon
Garlic peeled - 10-15 pods
Red chilli - 4 nos
Tamarind paste 6 table spoons
Tomatoes - 2 finely chopped
Mustard seeds - 1 table spoon
Asfotedia - For seasoning
Corriander for garnishing
Oil - 3 tables spoons
salt to taste
Turmeric - one pinch
Water -400 ml
Method
Dry Grind the curry leaves,red chillies, unpeeled garlic pods, pepper corns, cumin seeds into a coarse powder. The rasam should be made preferably in a copper bottom vessel. Heat oil in the vessel and add mustard seeds and asfotedia. Once the mustard seeds crackle add the coarse masala powder and stir for few minutes. Add a pinch of turmeric, tomatoes and salt and cook till the tomatoes are done. Now add the tamarind paste, water stri for a while and add corriander leaves and simmer for until it starts to froth. Do not allow the rasam to boil. Once the rasam starts frothing put off the stove and cover with a lid. Serve hot with rice.

Green Peas Masala

Ingredients Required:( Serves 4)
Fresh Green Peas : 250 gms
Onion :2 nos finely chopped
Tomato : 5 nos
Oil : To saute
Salt To taste.
Red Chilli Powder : 2 Table Spoon
Corriander : Finely Chopped.
Turmeric : one pinch
For Masala
Desicated Coconut : 100 gms
Cloves : 4 nos
cinamon : 4 small sticks
Ginger : 1 inch piece
Garlic : 4 pods
Method
Heat oil in a pan and add the onions. Saute onions till golden brown. Grind the masala ingredients in a mixer into a fine paste. Add the ground masala and turmeric to the onions and stir fry till the raw smell goes. Now add the tomatoes and salt and cook till the tomatoes are done. Add chilli powder to the mixture and stir for a few minutes. Finally add the green peas with about 100 ml of water and cook on low flame for about ten minutes until the peas is done.
Put off the stove and garnish with corriander. This side dish goes well with parathas and roti's.

Methi seeds Salad

The 'Methi Seeds Salad' helps to overcome ailments like diabetes , hairloss etc., This salad should be consumed in empty stomach twice a week.
Ingredients Required
(serves 2)
Methi Sprouts - four table spoons
lemon juice - one table spoon
Salt - to taste
Finely chopped Onions, carrots, cucumber - 4 table spoons
Finely chopped Corriander leaves - 1 tablespoon

Gently blend all the said ingredients in a salad bowl and serve at room temperature.

Plantain Pith Juice

Ingredients Required:
Serves 1
Plantain Pith - 100 gms
Lemon Juice - 1 Table spoon
Salt to taste.
Water - 50 ml.
Method
Clean and cut the plantain pith into slices. Blend the sliced plantain pith with water in a mixer.
strain the juice into a container add salt and lemon juice.
This juice should be consumed immediately on preparation. It has no shelf life. Plantian Pith juice helps reduce the fat accumulated in the tummy and also is said to be a good medicine for kidney stones.

Plantain Pith Salad

'Plantian Pith' is the edible part of the stem of the banana tree. Plantain Pith is rich in fiber content and helps reduce the excess fat accumulated in the body. Regular consumption helps reduce the tummy. This salad can be served at room temperature.
Ingredients Required:
(Serves 2)
Plantain Pith -100 gms
Lemon Juice - 3 Table spoons
Asfotedia / Mustard seeds - For Seasoning
Green chillies - 1 finely chopped
Oil -1 tea spoon
Salt -1 Tea spoon.
Method
Cut the plantain pith into one inch long thin pieces and put them in a bowl of water else it would start turning brown. Drain the water completely and transfer it to the salad bowl. Add lemon juice and salt and toss the contents gently. Take a frying pan and add oil and once the oil is hot add asfotedia and mustard seeds and finely chopped chillies. Once the mustard starts to crackle remove the pan from the stove and after a minute add the seasoning to the salad and toss the contents.