Coconut Buns

INGREDIENTS

1. Coconut Milk (250 ml) / Coconut Milk Powder (250 gms)
2. Maida - 500 gms
3. Baking Powder - 10 gms
4. Baking Soda - 3 g
5. Salt (To Taste; Not required if making it sweet)
6. Warm Water (If required)

PROCEDURE

1. Take a glass bowl and mix Maida, Baking Powder and Baking Soda
2. Add Coconut milk and knead like a dough. Add water if required.
3. Oil your palms and knead it one last time to take it off the walls of the container
4. Cover with a cellophane sheet or Butter Paper and keep aside for 1 hour for it to rise
5. Take a double boiler and keep it to heat 
6. Make balls of 1-2 inch in diameter and place them in small cupcake containers or inside butter paper cups meant for pastries
7. Place these cups into the double boiler and let cook for 10 minutes
8. Remove and serve with Chicken Curry / Veg gravy / Tomato Chutney / Yellow Dal

NOTE: The Coconut Buns can be made with following fillings to make unique dishes

1. Precooked Chicken / Mutton Kheema / Fish / Egg Bhurji
2. Grated Mixed Vegetables
3. Boiled Potatoes
4. Grated Apple with Cinnamon Powder (Dusted on top with powdered Sugar)
5. Simply dusted with Powdered Sugar

Diet Chicken

INGREDIENTS

1. Chicken (Breast Pieces) - 2
2. Red Chilly Flakes (Dominos; As Per Taste)
3. Salt (As Per Taste)
4. Oregano Mix (Dominos; As Per Taste)
5. Olive Oil - 1 tsp
6. Coriander - 1 tbsp (Finely Chopped)
7. Lemon - 1
8. Honey - 2 tsp

PROCEDURE

1. Slice the breast pieces horizontally into thin flat strips (1 piece into three flat strips)
2. Take a flat pan, add olive oil, and place the strips on the pan
3. Put on the gas to medium flame to avoid sputtering
4. Cook till one side looks cheesy in texture and turn it over
5. Cook the other side also till the same texture is obtained
6. Sprinkle Salt, Oregano Mix, Chilly flakes and turn it over
7. Repeat the same with the other side and let it cook till done
8. Take it out on a serving dish and garnish with lemon juice, Honey, Coriander and leftover Olive Oil from the pan

NOTE: Serve with Mayonnaise or Green Chutney or simply eat it before it gets cold 

Colmi no Patio (Curried Prawns)

INGREDIENTS

1. Prawns - 1 kg.
2. Onions medium size - 3 (Finely chopped)
3. Tomato - 2 (Medium size)
4. Red Chilly powder - 1tsp
5. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
6. Eggplant (Baigan) -1 (Small; Diced into small pieces)
7. Salt (To Taste)
8. Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp 
9. Dhansak Masala - 2 tbsp
10. Hot and sweet sauce - 3 tbsp
11. Oil - 4 tsp
12. Coriander (Finely chopped)

PROCEDURE

1. Heat oil in a pan and fry coriander
2. Add onions and fry till golden brown
3. Add ginger garlic paste fry well
4. Add Eggplant, Dhansak Masala, Turmeric, Chilly powder, and Salt to taste.
5. Cover the pan and cook the eggplant well
6. Add the prawns and cook for 5 to 7 minutes while stirring intermittently
7. Add hot and sweet sauce and stir intermittently for another 3 to 5 minutes
8. Serve in a bowl and garnish it with coriander

NOTE: Tastes beat with rice and dal

Brinjal Gotsu

This is the best side dish to serve with Ven Pongal!!

INGREDIENTS

1. Brinjal - 4/5 (Chopped)
2. Onion - 1 (Big; Chopped)
3. Tomatoes - 2 (Chopped)
4. Green Chilly - 2
5. Moon Dal - 5 tbsp
6. Curry/Sambhar Powder - 2 tsp
7. Salt (To Taste)
8. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Water (For Cooking)

For Tadka:

1. Oil - 1tsp
2. Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Hing - A Pinch
4. Curry Leaves - 5/6
5. Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp (Chopped)
6. Red Chilly - 1 
7. Udad Dal - 1tsp

PROCEDURE

1. Take a pressure pan, add Onion, Tomatoes, Brinjal, Green Chilly, Curry Powder, Turmeric Powder, Moong Dal, Water and pressure for 3 whistles
2. Let the pressure come down, the open the pan and mash the contents into a pulp using a masher
3. Take a pan, heat Oil, add Mustard Seeds and let them sputter
4. Add Udad Dal, Red Chilly, Hing,Curry Leaves and saute it for a minute
5. Add tadka to the gravy and let it boil and adjust Salt to taste
6. Garnish with Coriander and Serve

NOTE:

1. One tomato can be replaced with 1/2 tsp of Tamarind Paste
2. If the gravy is watery, let it boil till it reaches required consistency

Dahi Gujiya

INGREDIENTS

1. Udad Dal - 250 gms
2. Saunf - 1 tsp
3. Zeera Powder (Roasted; for garnish)  
4. Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
5. Green Chillies - 3 nos
6. Coriander - 2 tbsp (Finely Chopped)
7. Ginger - 2 tbsp (Grated)
8. Kaju /Cashew - 15-20 (Chopped / Flaked)
9. Badam / Almonds - 15-20 (Chopped / Flaked)
10. Kishmish / Raisins - 25-30
11. Dahi - 1 kg
12. Oil (For Frying) 
13. Salt (To taste)

PROCEDURE

1. Soak the Udad dal overnight 
2. Grind the Udad dal with salt, saunf and red chilli powder into a very thick smooth paste (like the paste made for medu vada)
3. Make a dry mixture of Kaju, Kishmish, Badam, green Chillies, Ginger, Coriander and keep aside
4. Heat oil in a Kadhai/pan
5. Line the palm of you hand with a little water
6. Spread the Udad Dal batter on you palm in a circle of 2" diameter
7. Fill it with the dry mixture and close the spread batter completely and leave in hot oil for frying
8. Take out the Gujiya when golden brown in colour and dip it in cold water for 2 minutes
9. Drain excess water by squeezing lightly and keep them in a serving dish
10. Repeat the process to make more Gujiyas
11. Whisk Dahi and add Salt for taste
12. Pour the whisked Dahi on the Gujiyas when cooled
13. Garnish with Zeera Powder and Red Chilli Powder and Coriander
14. Serve with Tamarind Chutney