chocolate dipped strawberries

I wanted to post this before Valentines day, but got busy with other things going around. This is the simple, easy to make but truly delicious !

Ingredients:
Strawberries - 10 to 12
Milk chocoloate chip -  1/2 cup
Butter - 1 table spoon
oil - 2 table spoon

For white dip:
white chocolate chip - 1/8 cup
Oil - 1/2 table spoon

Wash the strawberries and pat them dry.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine butter and chocolate chip.  Microwave for 1 min ( take out and stir for every 20 seconds). every time u take out and stir add 1 table spoon of oil ( once after the 20 seconds and second time after the 40 seconds).

Now insert a toothpic and dip the strawberries in to the chocolate dip.

Place them on a foam.

Refrigerate foe about 40 to 45 minutes.

Now in a micowave safe bowl add the white chocolate chip and 1/2 table spoon oil. Mix well and microwave for 20 seconds.

Remove the toothpic and place the strawberries in the plate.

using a spoon gently drizzle the white chocolate tip.
Tada! your appetizing chocolate dipped strawberries are ready!!!!

Maida Burfi

This recipe is again from a TV show. I have never tasted a sweet with Maida, was impressed with the color and look. since I had all the ingredients handy, I made this and to my surprise it was good too.

Ingredients:
Butter - 1 stick
Maida / All purpose flour - 1.5 cups
sugar - 2 cups
green food color
water - 1 cup
vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
cashews - 10 to 12

Method:

Melt butter in a wide pan.

When it is melted completed add cashers fry for few seconds, now in a low flame add the all purpose flour and keep stirring.

keep stirring in medium flame for few minutes, but be cautious not to burn the flour.
At this stage add the food color and mix well.
Once nice aroma comes and it slightly turns the color, turn off.
Mean while heat 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water in a pan, keep stirring, when it comes to 1 string consistency. SWITCH OFF THE FLAME.

remaining process are off the gas, yes you read it right, the rest of the procedure is off the flame.
Now add the vanilla extract, slowly add the all purpose flour mixture little by little .

keep stirring continuously for 10 to 15 minutes. Now they would slowly thicken up.

 When it comes off the pan without sticking, then it is time to transfer to a greased tray.

Grease a tray with little ghee and pour the mixture into it. When it is slightly warm cut them into desired shape and serve!!!

Baked Pita chips

This is so simple to make and stays good   For a while. They go good with hummus . But me and my lil one would just eat it as such . If you want it spicy you could use red chilly powder instead of paprika powder.

Ingredients:

Pita bread - 3

Paprika powder - 1 tsp

Garlic poder - 1 tsp 

Oregano - 1 tsp

Turmeric - generous pinch

Salt - to taste

Oil - 3 and 1/2 table spoon

Method :

 

 

Cut the pittas into triangles .

 

Mix everything in the oil except pitas.

Now gently mix the pitas in the oil .

 

Arrange them in a single row in the baking tray.

 

Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes on one side.

Now flip the pitas and bake them again for another 7 to 8 minutes .

 

Let it cool and store them in air right container. Serve it with hummus !

Dates and Nuts Roll

Simple, easy and healthy snack to munch on !!! I had it at one of my friends place long time back. Two of my other friends made it last week and I was talking to my Anni and even she shared the same recipe and now I couldn't wait to give a try. This is a very basic one and you can use your innovation to add any other nuts or dryfruits of your choice.

Ingredients:
Chopped Pitted Dates - 1 cup
Chopped Nuts  - 1 cup ( I used chopped almonds - 1/4 cup, chopped walnuts - 1/4 cup,                pistachios - 1/4 cup , chopped casewnut - 1/4 cup ).
dried cranberries - 1/4 cup
Raisins                 - 1/4 cup
Ghee                    - 2 tsp + little for rolling
poppy seeds/kasa kasa - 1/2 tablespoon ( optional )

Method:

Heat a pan , add 2 tsp of ghee and saute the Dates for 2 to 3 minutes in very low flame.
Add the raisins and cranberries and saute for few seconds.

Switch off the flame and add the nuts.
Mix them all well.

 

Transfer them to a board or plate. Grease your hands with the ghee and knead them together.
Make small logs.

Heat the pan with 1/2 tsp of ghee or oil and roast the poppy seeds for few seconds.

roll the log over the poppy seeds and wrap them in cling wrap.

Put the logs in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Now cut them to the size that you want and enjoy!!
Rolling in poppy seeds in purely optional. Insetead you can roll it in coconut power or anything else of your choice.

 

kavuni arisi in slow cooker

I made this chettinad special dish 'Kavuniarisi' for Pillayar nombu at home. This time for a change made it in slowcooker and trust me it tasted good and it was mess free. More over it saved the soaking time also!

Ingredients:
Black glutinous rice -  1 cup
water - 4 and 1/2 cup
sugar - 3/4 cup or to taste
elachi - 1 or 2
ghee - 1 table spoon
coconut grated - 3 table spoon.

Method:

wash the rice and add 4.5 cups of water and turn the slow cooker in low.

Let it cook for 5 hours or until it is cooked well ( but the time varied with each slow cooker and the variety of rice used ) I stirred them well once in every 1 hour just to be on the safer side.

Now add the sugar , ghee, grated coconut, elachi and mix well.
Now it is ready to be served!

sukku malli coffee powder

There are several recipes for making sukku coffee powder. some people use equal amount of dry ginger powder and coriander seeds, to me it was too strong. so i used 1:2 ratio of coriander seeds and ginger powder . It has a nice aroma and stays fresh for a while when stored in a air tight container.

Ingredients:
Dry Ginger powder - 1/2 cup
Coriander seeds     - 1/4 cup
pepper - 1/4 tsp heap
Jeera - 1/4 tsp heap.

Method:

Dry roast coriander seeds until they slightly turn the color.

Dry roast pepper and jeera separately until nice aroma comes out.

Let them all cool. grind them to a fine powder using the blender.
Now mix in the ginger powder along with the ground powder.
If you want you can sieve the powder and then store it.

cocktail mini idlis

Name sounds too fancy, but it is very easy. Toss the mini idlis in idli podi and impress every one! 

Ingredients:

Mini idlis - few

Idli podi - 1/2 tsp or to taste

curry leaf podi - 1/2 tsp or to taste

oil - few teaspoon.

Method:

Heat a pan with 1 tsp of oil, when it is hot add 1/2 tsp of  idli podi .

Switch off the flame immediately and add 15 to 20 mini idlis and gently toss them.

In the same pan, heat again 1 tsp of oil, when hot add 1/2 tsp of curry leave podi.

Switch off the flame immediately and add 15 to 20 mini idlis and gently toss them.

Now insert all 3 colors idlis in the toothpick .

Arrange them in a plate and serve!