Quick Palkova using condensed milk (Microwave Recipe)

Category: Indian Sweets
Preparation Time: 2-3 mins  
Cooking Time: 10-13 mins
Servings: yields around 1 1/2 cups

Microwave Palkova

This is a quick / Instant Palkova recipe which we can do within 10-12 mins if we have the condensed milk (Milkmaid) in hand. I tried in microwave only so far, but I guess we can do it on stove top. In that case we need to cook in low flame with continuous stirring. Adding milk is Optional; without milk the palkova will be very very sweet, if we want more sweeter we can avoid the milk. Even after adding milk, it will be on sweeter side only but not very much. In my microwave it takes exactly 12 mins and it depends on the power of the microwave.

 Ingredients:

• Sweetened Condensed milk - 1 can / 14 oz
• Milk - 1/2 cup (Optional)
• Curd - 2-3 tbsp
• Ghee -  1 tsp
• Pistachios, finely chopped - as required

Tomato Kurma

Category:  Kurma
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins
Servings: 3-4 servings

Tomato Kurma

Ingredients:

• Ripe Tomato - 4 nos, roughly chopped
• Onion - 1 no, finely chopped
• Oil - 1/2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Channa Dhal - 1 tsp
• Urad dhal, split - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Coriander leaves - for garnishing

For Grinding:

• Fresh Coconut - 1/2 cup, packed
• Pottukadalai / Fried gram dhal - 1 tbsp
• Ginger - a small piece
• Garlic - 2-3 cloves
• Green / Red chillies - 1-3 nos (adjust as per spice level)

• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick
• Cloves - 3 nos
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Poppy seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cashews - 5 nos (Optional)

Method:

1. In blender add all the ingredients mentioned under grinding and grind to a fine paste with enough water and keep it ready
   
   
   
   
2. Heat Oil in a pan, once it becomes hot add Mustard seeds, followed by Channa Dhal, Urad dhal, Curry leaves and fry till the dhals turn golden brown
   
3. Add finely chopped onions with a pinch of salt and saute till it turns golden brown
   
4. Add the roughly chopped tomatoes (If we dont want the kurma to be chunkier, we can finely chop them and add) and saute for few mins till they turn mushy
   
   
   
   
5. Add Coriander powder and turmeric powder and allow to cook in medium flame for 5-8 mins (No need to add any water)
   
   
   
   
6. Once the oil starts to separate, add the ground paste and mix well; Add required salt and around 1/2 cup of water.
   
7. Lower the flame and allow to cook for few more mins
   
8. Once its done, switch it off and garnish with coriander leaves
   
9. Serve hot with Idly / Dosa / Paniyaram
   

Cauliflower Paratha - For Kids

Category: Chapati / Paratha   
Preparation Time: 15 mins      
Waiting Time: 30 mins      
Cooking Time: 20 mins      
Servings: yields 5 parathas

Cauliflower Paratha

 Ingredients:

For Dough:

• Wheat flour - 1 cup + 1 tbsp for rolling
• Ghee - 1-2 tsp
• Ajwain / Omam-  1/4 tsp
• Salt- to taste
• Warm Water - as required 

For Stuffing:

• Cauliflower, grated - 1 cup (tightly packed)
• Ginger, grated -  1 tsp
• Curry Masala Powder (Home made) - 1/2 tsp *
• Pav Bhaji Masala Powder (Home made) - 1/4 tsp*
• Salt - to taste 
• Oil - 1 tsp 

*Can be replaced with Garam Masala / Chilly powder / any spice powders of our choice

For Toasting:

• Ghee - as required

Method:

1. In a wide bowl, add wheat flour, Omam, 1-2 tsp of ghee and required salt, mix well and knead into a smooth soft dough by gradually adding warm water. Keep aside for atleast 30 mins and prepare the stuffing
   
   
   
   
2. In a vessel bring water to boil, add cauliflower florets and switch it off. Afetr 5 mins, take the florets and drain well (here I used green coloured cauliflower)
   
3. Finely grate the florets using grater and keep it ready
   
4. Heat oil in a pan add ginger and then add grated cauliflower, saute for a min
5. Then add the dry masala powders and required salt, saute till the raw smell goes off
   
6. Allow the stuffing to cool down
   
7. Divide the dough into equal lemon sized balls, dust them with flour, flatten them to a small thick circle
   
8. Place about 2 tbsp of stuffing inside, cover it up and then roll again to a thin paratha
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. Heat the tawa, place the parathas and cook till bubbles started to appear on the surface; Turn over, apply few drops of ghee and cook the other side
   
10. Once it's cooked, spread a little ghee / oil on the paratha and transfer to plate or place it in hot box till you serve
    
11. Serve warm with Raita!
    

Potato Smileys

Category: Snacks
Preparation Time: 10 mins + 1 hr resting time
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Servings: 3-4 servings

Potato Smileys:)

These home made potato smileys will surely bring a huge smiles on our little ones' faces. The flavorings can be adjusted as per our taste. For Indian flavor, we can use any Spice Masala and Ginger Garlic paste instead of Italian seasoning. I add cheese since  kids like it, I guess we can omit it if making with spices.

Ingredients:

• Potato - 4-5 small sized ones / 2 big ones
• Cheese - 1 slice
• Corn starch / Corn flour - 3-4 tbsp (as needed)
• Bread crumbs - 1-2 tbsp
• Italian Seasoning - to taste
• Pepper powder - to taste
• Salt - as required
• Oil - for deep frying

Method:

1. In a pan, boil the potato with skin till it gets cooked (I didn't pressure cook since that will make them so soft)
2. Peel off the skin from the cooked potatoes and mash / grate them in a mixing bowl
   
   
   
   
3. To the mashed potato, add the cheese, Italian seasoning, pepper powder and salt; mix well until they all gets combined
4. Now add the bread crumbs to it and mix well
5. Then add the Corn flour, 1 tbsp at a time and knead well to form a soft dough
   
6. Refrigerate the dough for atleast 30 mins to 1 hour (We can also keep it overnight)
7. After refrigeration, make equal sized balls out of it 
8. Flatten the balls to a little thick circular discs
9. Using straw / back of a clean pencil, make two holes for the eyes
   
10. Using the spoon, make a smile on them :)
    
11. Heat oil in a wok (enough for deep frying) and once it becomes hot, add the prepared smileys in batches and deep fry them in medium high flame; by flipping it half way through for even frying
    
    
    
    
12. It may take around 3-5 mins per batch and once the sizzling sound subsides and they all turned golden brown, take it out and drain the excess oil
    
13. Serve hot:)
    

Coconut Chutney

Category: Breakfast / Tiffin
Preparation Time: 8-10 mins  
Cooking Time: 2 mins
Servings: 2-3 Servings

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:

• Fresh Coconut - 3/4 cup
• Pottukadalai / Fried Gram Dhal - 2 tbsp
• Ginger - a small piece
• Green chilly - 1-2 nos
• Tamarind - a small piece
• Salt - to taste
• Water - as needed

For Tempering:

• Coconut Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Urad dhal, split - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Red Chilly, broken - 1 no 
• Asafoetida - a generous pinch

Variations while grinding:

• Few coriander leaves or mint leaves or curry leaves can be added
• Ginger can be replaced with 1-2 cloves of Garlic
• Red chillies can be used in place of green chillies
• Adding Tamarind is Optional

Method:

1. In a blender jar, add coconut, fried gram dhal, ginger, tamarind, green chilly, salt and little water
   
2. Grind them to a fine paste by adding required water and transfer to serving bowl
   
3. In a small pan, heat coconut oil and once it becomes hot add the mustard seeds followed by urad dhal, curry leaves, red chilly and asafoetida
   
4. Pour the tadka over the chutney
   
5. Serve with Hot Idlis / Dosa / Pongal / Vada
   

Carrot Kootu

Category: Kootu / Lunch
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Servings: 3 servings

Carrot Kootu

Ingredients:

• Carrots - 2-3 nos, chopped
• Tur Dhal - 1/4 cup
• Moong Dhal - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Water - as needed

For Grinding:

• Fresh Coconut - 1/2 cup, packed
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Green chilly - 1 no (Can be avoided if making for kids)

For Tempering:

• Coconut Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Urad dhal, split - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Red Chilly, broken - 1 no 
• Asafoetida - a generous pinch

Method:

1. Dry roast the moong dhal for few mins till we gets nice aroma and dhal turns golden brown (we can roast in cooker also). If having time, we can soak Tur Dhal for few mins for easy cooking
   
2. Wash and chop the carrots 
   
3. In a pressure cooker, add the roasted moong dhal, Tur Dhal, finely chopped carrot, turmeric powder and required water; cook in medium flame for 2-3 whistles
   
4. Meanwhile grind the coconut, cumin seeds and green chilly into a fine paste. If making for kids, we can avoid the green chilly for grinding and use only for tadka
   
   
   
   
5. Once the dhal and veggie gets cooked, open up the lid and mash them well
   
6. Add the ground coconut paste to the cooked dhal and allow to boil for few mins in low to medium flame
   
7. Add required salt and once it reaches kootu consistency (little thick), switch it off
8. In a small pan, heat coconut oil and once it becomes hot add the mustard seeds followed by urad dhal, curry leaves, red chilly and asafoetida
   
9. Pour the tadka into the kootu
   
10. Serve hot with Rice!