Cheese Straws

Category: Baking    
Preparation Time: 10 mins     
Cooking Time: 12-15 mins    
Servings: Yields around 2-3 dozens
 

Cheese Straws

 Ingredients:

• Wheat flour / Atta - 2 1/4 cups + 1-2 tbsp for dusting
  
• Butter, chilled - 1/2 cup
• Cheese grated - 3/4 cup (tightly packed)
• Milk, chilled - 1/2 cup+2 tbsp (Adjust as per consistency)
• Pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp (Optional)
• Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp (Optional)
• Salt - to taste

Method:

1. In a bowl add in the wheat flour, pepper powder, salt and chilly powder; mix well
2. Cut butter into cubes and add in to the flour mixture
   
3. Using fingers rub the butter in the flour and mix well to form coarse bread crumb like texture
4. Then add the grated cheese and mix
   
5. By adding little amount of milk at a time, gently mix the flour mixture to form a dough like consistency
   
6. Cover the bowl and keep it in refrigerator for atleast 10-15 mins
7. Pre heat oven to 350 F
8. Make equal sized balls and roll into a slightly thick circle in a dusted surface, sprinkle sesame seeds
   
9. Using knife, cut the rolled dough into strips
10. Place the strips in a lightly greased baking pan and bake for 12-15 mins
    
11. After 7-8 mins of baking time, turn over the strips and bake till it becomes golden
    
12. Allow to cool down in cooling rack, it will become crisp after cooling
    
13. Store it in air tight container

Ridge gourd (Peerkangai) skin Thogayal

Category: Lunch
Preparation Time: 5 mins    
Cooking Time: 10-15 mins
Servings: For 4-5 persons
 

Ridge gourd Skin Thogayal

Ingredients:

• Ridge gourd skin, chopped -  2 cups tightly packed (from 2 long ridge gourds)
• Sesame oil- 1 tbsp
• Chana dhal- 2 tbsp
• Urad dhal- 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves- few
• Asafoetida- a pinch
• Red chillies- 3-4 nos (Adjust as per taste)
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
• Pepper- 1 tsp
• Tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Wash the ridge gourds well and peel the skin and chop into pieces
   
2. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add the chopped ridge gourd skin pieces along with little salt; Saute well till it becomes soft and tender
   
3. Once done, remove it and keep aside
4. In the same pan, add the remaining oil and once its hot add Channa Dhal, Urad Dhal, Red chillies, Curry leaves, Cumin seeds, Pepper and asafoetida and fry well till the dhal turns golden brown
   
5. If we are using tamarind pieces, we can fry that too now
6. Allow all the sauted items to cool down 
   
7. Add required salt and tamarind paste(if using paste); Grind them to a coarse mixture (Add 1-2 tsp of water only if required)
8. Transfer to a container and serve with hot rice
   
    
9. It can be stored well in refrigerator for 3-4 days and even for a week

Oats-Carrot Pongal

Category: Breakfast / Oats Recipes
Preparation Time: 5 mins  
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Servings: For 2-3 persons
 

Oats-Carrot Pongal

 Ingredients:

• Oats - 1 1/4 cup
• Moong Dhal - 1/2 cup
• Carrot, grated - 1 no 
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Pepper - 3/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp
• Ginger, grated - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Green chillies, chopped - 1 no
• Cashew nuts, broken - 6-8 nos
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp (Optional)
• Water - 3 cups 

Method:

1. Dry roast moong dhal for few mins till its hot to touch
   
   
2. Heat few drops of ghee in a pan and roast oats for few mins in medium flame
   
3. In the same pan, saute grated carrot for 2 mins
   
4. In a pressure cooker, add the roasted dhal, oats and grated carrot along with turmeric, required salt and 3 cups of water
   
   
   
5. Pressure cook it for 2 whistles and switch it off
   
6.  Heat ghee in another pan and roast cashew nuts till it becomes golden brown
7. Remove it and then add the other ingredients (Curry leaves, chilly, ginger, pepper and cumin seeds) and saute for a min 
8. Once the pressure subsides, open up the lid and add in the tadka along with cashew-nuts
   
   
9. Mix well and serve hot with Sambhar / Chutney! 

Lima Beans Gravy

Category: Lunch / Dinner
Preparation Time: 10 mins  + Overnight soaking
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Servings: For 2-3 persons

Lima Beans Gravy

Ingredients:

• Lima Beans - 1/2 cup (I used dried Baby Lima Beans)
• Onion - 1 no
• Tomato - 1 no
• Bay leaf - 1 no
• Cloves - 3 nos
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick
• Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Fennel powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 - 1 tsp (adjust as per spiciness)
• Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
• Amchoor powder - a pinch
• Kasoori Methi - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Soak the dry Lima beans for 5-6 hrs or over night. Next day rinse and pressure cook with bay leaf, 1 clove, a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp of oil for 2 whistles in medium flame (Lima beans will produce more foam so don't skip oil while pressure cooking)
   
2. Grind tomato & onion into a smooth puree
3. Heat oil in a pan, once its hot add mustard seeds followed by 2 cloves and cinnamon stick; saute for 30 secs
4. Add the ginger-garlic paste, saute for a min and then add onion-tomato puree; saute well till raw smell leaves and it shrinks in volume
   
5. Add turmeric, coriander, chilly, fennel and garam masala powders and fry for a min
   
6. Add the cooked beans along with water and required salt and allow to cook in medium flame for few mins till the beans absorbs the flavors
   
7. Add the amchoor powder and cook for few more mins
8. Add Kasoori methi and switch off
9. Serve hot with rotis and parathas