CHOCOLATE PI CAKE

Who can resist chocolate and a brownie at that.:) I first tasted brownies a few years ago at a friends home whose mother used to run a home-based bakery business. I could never resist brownies, the fudgy kind, which can be terribly addictive especially over a cup of coffee. I’ve never tried preparing them at home till recently when I ate a warm piece of chocolate fudge brownie at Cafe Day. I wanted to re-create the same at home and decided on this recipe (from allrecipes) for homemade chocolate brownies and its a winner. A basic easy chocolate brownie recipe where nuts are optional and so is the frosting. I like brownies without nuts, just plain simple chocolatey flavor, chewy and with a bit of fudge.

Chocolate Brownies Recipe

Preparation: 10 mts, Baking: 30 mts

Recipe Source: Allrecipes

.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

1 Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan and line with butter paper.
2 Place a medium heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Place butter in the bowl and let it melt. Remove the bowl from the simmering water and stir in the sugar. It will appear grainy at this point.
3Whisk in eggs, one after the other and add the vanilla essence before adding the flour. Mix in cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder until no trace of flour is left, using a wooden spoon. Spread batter into prepared pan.
4 Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Do not overcook. When you find that the edges have gone slightly dry and the top is cracked, you know its cooked.
5 Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares at room temperature and top with walnut (I sprinkled some brown sugar on top). Store in an airtight container.

EGGLESS SESAME OATS

Eggless sesame oats crisps with tea

Today, I prepared eggless sesame oats crisps that were blissfully delicious. I love anything that has sesame seeds in them. You wouldn’t believe how quick they were to put together, right from combining the crisps mix to baking them. Less than 30 minutes. I made a small batch while preparing lunch, just before Nehal got back from school and prepared the rest at tea time. I tweaked the original recipe and added coarsely powdered toasted almonds for the extra nutty flavor. What I love about the recipe is, its eggless and calls for nutritious oats and calcium-rich sesame seeds.
Golden brown treats flecked with sesame seeds and toasted almond pieces, subtle in flavor, slightly nutty and crunchy. This recipe is definitely a keeper and a snack that is sure to be popular among kids!

Eggless Sesame Oats Crisp Recipe

Preparation: 10 mts, Baking: 16-18 mts

Makes approx 28-30 crisps

.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour (maida)
2 1/4 tbsps unsalted butter
5 tbsps demerara sugar
1 1/2 tbsps golden syrup
3/4 cup oats
4 tbsps sesame seeds
1 tsp soda bicarbonate (add a tsp hot water and keep aside)
1 tbsp powdered almonds (roast almonds and coarsely pwd) (optional)

1 Over low heat, melt butter, demerara sugar and golden syrup until the sugar dissolves. Stir in oats, sesame seeds, pwd almonds and flour. Mix in the soda bicarbonate. The resultant dough will be sticky.
2 Pinch some dough (about a small lemon sized ball) and flatten with you finger onto greased cookie sheet. Using your fingers, spread or flatten out to form a thin round. Place crisps at a distance of 2 – 2 1/2 inches apart as they spread out a lot.
3 Bake in a pre-heated oven at 175 C for about 17-18 mts till the edges are slightly toasted or turn golden. Once baked, the crisp will be soft. After removing from oven, let it cool for 2-3 mts and then use a thin spatula to remove the crisps carefully onto a wire rack to cool. They will harden on cooling.
4 Repeat with remaining dough. Store in airtight container once completely cool.

BOURBUN BIS

Bourbon Biscuits

Bourbon Biscuits – Biscuit lover’s delight! The home made version turned out almost identical to store bought Bourbon Biscuits, well, ‘almost’. Though they appear a bit rustic and cracked they have a great texture with soft chocolate butter filling. Nehal loved them and so did the rest who devoured them. I more or less followed Nina’s Bourbon biscuits recipe. Thank you, Nina, for sharing the recipe of home made Bourbon Biscuits.

Homemade Bourbon Biscuits Recipe

Preparation: 15 mts, Baking: 15 mts

Makes approx 22 biscuits

.

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour (maida)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking pwd
1 tbsp cocoa pwd
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp golden syrup OR honey
2-3 tbsps cold milk
sugar for sprinkling
For filling:
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 tsp cocoa pwd
few drops vanilla essence

1 Sieve together flour, baking soda, baking pwd and cocoa. Keep aside.
2 In a bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until well blended. Add vanilla essence and golden syrup and combine.
3 Mix in the sieved ingredients with butter mixture and combine to form a soft dough. Add little milk to form the dough.
4 Place butter or plastic wrapping sheet on the work surface, sprinkle some flour and roll the dough into a large roti. Use a knife to cut into rectangle shape pieces. Use a toothpick to prick over the rolled out rectangle. Sprinkle white sugar on top of each rectangle.
5 Grease a baking tray and place each rectangle shaped dough on the tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 155 degrees C for 14-15 mts or till the edges are toasted. Once baked, the cookie will feel soft on touch but once cool it will harden. Cool for 3 mts before proceeding with the filling.
6 Repeat the process with remaining dough.
7 Mix all the ingredients called for ‘filling’ and using a spatula spread some filling over the underside of each biscuit and sandwich using another biscuit.

PINAPPLE UPSIDE CAKE

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Nehal is enjoying his Dasara break with his friends. School break means more work for me in the kitchen. I don’t mind it at all, in fact, enjoy it. Yesterday, I baked a charming, delicious sweet treat for Nehal and his friends. Pineapple Upside Down Cake! Though it sounds and looks fancy, its a breeze to make.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe

Preparation: 15 mts, Baking: 45mts

.

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour/maida
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking pwd
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 large egg
1/4 cup low fat milk
For topping:
1 1/2 tbsps butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
4-5 pineapple slices (tinned and drained)
6-7 glazed cherries

1 Preheat oven to 175 C. Grease and flour a round baking pan. Prepare the topping by melting butter in a pan and add brown sugar. As the sugar melts and foams, cook on medium flame for a mt and pour into the baking pan. Over this sugar layer, place pineapple slices and in the center of each pineapple piece place a glazed cherry. Keep aside.
2 Sieve maida, baking pwd and salt in a bowl.
3 In another bowl, cream butter and sugar. Use a hand blender to make a smooth creamy mixture. Add the beaten egg and combine well. Add vanilla essence and combine.
4 Fold in the maida mixture little by little alternating with milk. Do not over beat, just fold the dry till there is not trace of any flour.
5 Pour batter over the fruit layer. Bake in preheated oven for 45 mts or till a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool, slice and serve at room temperature.

•  
•  

Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 45 min Yield: Ingredients: pineapple all purpose flour sugar butter
Nehal is enjoying his Dasara break with his friends. School break means more work for me in the kitchen. I don’t mind it at all, in fact, enjoy it. Yesterday, I baked a charming, delicious sweet treat for Nehal and his friends. Pineapple Upside Down Cake! Though it sounds and looks fancy, its a breeze to make.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Our home has been smelling like a baker’s kitchen all day. I baked, baked and baked for a major part of the day – lots of cookies. Made a batch of peanut butter cookies to be gifted to family and friends. They make for great holiday cookies and a crunchy kiddie treat. You can add chocolate chips for a chocolate-y flavor and crushed peanuts for crunch.

Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

Preparation: 10 mts, Baking: 12 mts

.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (you can use crunchy too)
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg (optional)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1 Sieve together flour, baking pwd, baking soda and salt. Keep aside.
2 In a bowl, cream together butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the buttermilk, vanilla essence and egg until light and creamy.
3 Mix in the sieved ingredients until just blended. Cover with plastic foil and place in refrigerator for half an hour.
4 Prepare small lemon sized balls and place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart as they spread. Lightly flatten the balls. (If you want a chewy cookie, drop a tbsp of cookie batter on the baking sheet and do not flatten it. For a crisp cookie, make a ball and flatten it.)
5 Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 C for about 12 mts till the edges are slightly toasted or till done. Once baked, the cookie will feel soft on touch but once cool it will harden. If you over bake beyond the mentioned time limit, you will have a very crunchy cookie.
6 Cool on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in airtight container.

CINNAMON MUFFINS

I hope you had a great holiday season and wonderful start into the New Year. Am starting the new year on a sweet note. Baked a batch of Apple cinnamon muffins that have stolen the hearts of my family members. The aroma of cinnamon and the flavor of apple and chocolate chips make the muffins a special, tasty, homemade treat. And they taste best when slightly warm.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins Recipe

Preparation: 15 mts, Baking: 25-30 mts

Makes 12 muffins

.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour (maida)
2 medium sized apples, cored, peeled and chopped (toss in 2 tbsps sugar that is mixed with a 1/4 tsp cinnamon)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tsps cinnamon pwd
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
3/4 cup low fat milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 Preheat oven 200 degrees C and place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
2 In a large bowl combine the flour, baking pwd and cinnamon pwd. Use a whisk to combine. Set aside.
3 Mix in the brown sugar and lightly beaten eggs.
4 Add melted butter and mix until well combined.
5 Add 3-4 additions of flour alternating with milk and ending with flour. Just mix till the flour is combined in the batter. Do not over beat.
6 Fold in the chocolate chips and diced apple (that has been tossed in cinnamon sugar).
7 Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners till three-fourths full. Bake for about 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8 Place on a wire rack to cool and remove muffins from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note:

To make it eggless replace the eggs with a mashed banana and 2 tbsps yogurt.

Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 25 min Yield: Ingredients: apples cinnamon sugar flour butter
I hope you had a great holiday season and wonderful start into the New Year. Am starting the new year on a sweet note. Baked a batch of Apple cinnamon muffins that have stolen the hearts of my family members. The aroma of cinnamon and the flavor of apple and chocolate chips make the muffins a special, tasty, homemade treat.

LAYERS CAKE

BREAD PAKORA WITH PANEER

Indian Cooking Recipe : Bread Pakora with Paneer Ingredients : 6-8 slices sandwich bread 100 gm paneer or cottage cheese 1 onion 1 ½ tsp garam masala 1 tsp chilli powder ½ tsp ginger garlic paste 1 cup gram flour salt to taste water oil for deep-frying Method : Chop the onions. Grate paneer. Heat 1 tbsp of oil and add ginger garlic paste, onions. Sauté for sometime. Add paneer, salt, chilli powder, garam masala and sauté for some more time. Keep Aside. Remove edges from the bread and cut them diagonally to get triangle shapes. Mix a pinch of salt with gram flour and add a cup of water to make a batter of thick consistency. On one triangle bread slice keep the paneer filling and keep another slice on top of it. Heat oil in a kadai. In the meantime make all the sandwiches and keep them ready. Once the oil is hot dip the sandwich in the batter and fry them till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper. Ready to serve.

Indian Cooking Recipe : Black Forest Cake

Ingredients :
150 gms castor sugar
90 gms flour
20 gms cocoa
½ tsp baking powderVanilla essence a few drops
100 gms cream
Grated chocolate for decoration
50 gms cherries
2 tsp rum
½ cup syrup of cherries
2 tsp castor sugar
2 eggs
Method :
Deseed the cherries and cut into half for decoration.
Sieve the flour, cocoa, baking powder atleast 4 to 6 times.
Beat the eggs and sugar placing it in hot water till it is light and fluffy.
Remove from water and add flour by cut and fold method. Add the vanilla essence.
Grease a baking dish and pour this mixture into it.
Bake at 200 degree C for half an hour.
Cool the cake and cut horizontally into two parts.
Mix the rum and syrup of cherries and moist the two parts of the cake with this.
Beat the cream and sugar stiffly placing it on ice.
Spread the cream on the lower part of cake.
Arrange the cherries and spread the grated chocolate.
Place the other part of the cake on top of this and decorate with the cream, grated chocolate and cherries.
Chill well and serve.

BLACK FOREST CAKE

Indian Cooking Recipe : Black Forest Cake

Ingredients :
150 gms castor sugar
90 gms flour
20 gms cocoa
½ tsp baking powder
Vanilla essence a few drops
100 gms cream
Grated chocolate for decoration
50 gms cherries
2 tsp rum
½ cup syrup of cherries
2 tsp castor sugar
2 eggs
Method :
Deseed the cherries and cut into half for decoration.
Sieve the flour, cocoa, baking powder atleast 4 to 6 times.
Beat the eggs and sugar placing it in hot water till it is light and fluffy.
Remove from water and add flour by cut and fold method. Add the vanilla essence.
Grease a baking dish and pour this mixture into it.
Bake at 200 degree C for half an hour.
Cool the cake and cut horizontally into two parts.
Mix the rum and syrup of cherries and moist the two parts of the cake with this.
Beat the cream and sugar stiffly placing it on ice.
Spread the cream on the lower part of cake.
Arrange the cherries and spread the grated chocolate.
Place the other part of the cake on top of this and decorate with the cream, grated chocolate and cherries.
Chill well and serve.

BHEL PURI

Indian Cooking Recipe : Bhel Puri

Ingredients :
2 boiled potatoes
1 cup puffed rice (Pori in Tamil)
A pnch turmeric powder
For Omapodi :
1.5 cups besan flour
½ rice flour
Salt, hing
½ tsp chilli powder
Oil
For Sweet Chutney :
Tamarind ping pong ball size (soaked in warm water)
3 to 4 tsp jaggery
2 Dates (optional) (seeds removed after soaking in warm water)
For Green Chutney :
A small bunch coriander leaves
½ bunch mint leaves
1 or 2 green chillies
Salt (very little)
For red chutney :
1 big tomato
½ onion
¼ tsp saunf
Salt (very little)
For Garnishing :
Slices of Onion
Slices of Tomato
Coriander leaves chopped
Chat Masala powder - a pinch
Method :
Prepare Omapodi by mixing all the above ingredients with little water into a stiff dough and then by passing them into hot oil through a presser with small holes. Remove and drain when fried.
Grind sweet chutney with ingredients mentioned above by adding water.
Grind green chutney with ingredients mentioned above by adding water.
Grind red chutney with ingredients mentioned above by adding water.
Now take a bowl add Pori, Smashed potatoes, Omapodi (broken to very small pieces) turmeric powder and mix well.
When well mixed, pour all chutneys one by one mixing very well.
Finally garnish with above mentioned items.
Transfer to serving plate and serve immediately else it will become soggy.

BADAM CAKE

Indian Cooking Recipe : Badam Cake

Ingredients :
1 cup almonds
2 cups sugar
¼ cup ghee


Method :

Soak almonds in warm water and remove skin
Grind all the almonds together (without water) and make a paste.
You can also add very little water.
To this paste add the sugar and heat this mixture in a heavy non-stick pan.
Keep stirring and keep adding ghee when you feel that the mixture needs a little moisture.
After about 15 minutes, the mixture becomes small in quantity, transfer to a greased dish, spread the mixture and cut into desired shape

breezy naans

Ingredients

ButterMilk Biscuit Can
Chaat Masala
Onion Seeds
Dry Mint LEaves
All Purpose Flour
Ghee

Method:

1.Take out the buttermilk biscuit can out before 30 mins of making naans.
2.Roll out the dought as a circular shape.Make a whole using pork in naans.
3.Then Sprinkle the seasonings based on your taste.
4.Heat the tava,roast the naans on both sides of the tawa by applying ghee.
5.Serve hot with kofta curry

VERMICILLI UPPMA

Vermicelli Uppma

Ingredients:

Broken Vermicelli - 1 cup
Carrot - 1
Cabbage - 1/4 cup
Capsicum - 1/2
Potato - 1/2
Cooked Peas - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1
Tomatoes -1
Green Chillies - 3
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Oil
Ghee - 1tsp
Lemon - 1 small

For seasoning:

Mustard Seeds - few
Bengal Gram Dhal - 1 tsp
Black Gram Dhal - 1/2 tsp
Broken Cashewnuts - 1/2 tbsp
Curry Leaves

For garnishing:

Coriander Leaves - 1/2 tbsp
Freshly Grated Coocnuts - 1 tbsp

Method:

1.Roast the vermicelli in ghee till brown color.
2.Heat the 4-5 cups of water in a vessel with teaspoon of oil and salt.
3.When water get boils add vermicelli and cook it.
4.Drain the water and pour the cool water on top and drain it
5.Heat the oil in the pan add all seasonings,green chillies,onion,vegetables and fry it in medium flame till vegetables get cooked.
6.Add the tomatoes and fry till it becomes soft,Add cooked vermicelli with turmeric powder and salt.
7.Fry it for another few mins.
8.Finally add the lemon juice and garnish it with coriander and little grated coconuts

butter naan

Butter naan ingredients:

1. Dry yeast – 1½ tsp
2. All purpose flour – 3 cups
3. Warm water – 1 cup
4. Sugar – 1 tsp
5. Ghee – 5 tbsp
6. Yoghurt – 4 tbsp
7. Onion seeds – 3 tsp
8. Salt – to taste

Preparation:

Add the dry yeast and sugar to the warm water and stir till the yeast is dissolved.

Cover and leave it 10 minutes.

Keep it aside.

Mix the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.

Now add the yeast mixture, ghee and yogurt.

Mix all into a soft dough and knead about 15 mins.

Grease a large bowl with a few drops of cooking oil and put the dough in it and cover with a clean cloth and allow resting for about an hour till it doubles in size.

Punch down and knead again and let it stand for another hour.

Divide the dough into equal size and roll between your palms.

Pre heat oven to 450 ºF.Now take a round shape ball and roll out into a round shape with your hands.

Naan is not rolled out with rolling pin.

Instead, it is rolled out by hand to a round, oval or triangular shape.

The thickness of Naan is about ½ inch.

Brush the top of the rolled Naan with melted Ghee.

Grease a baking sheet.

Put the Naan on the baking sheet.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes.

Preparation time	1.30 hours
Cooking time	10 mins
No. of Servings	4 or 5

adai

Adai ingredients:

1.  Raw rice - ½ cup
2.  Boiled rice - ½ cup
3.  Toor dal - ½ cup
4.  Urad dal - ½ cup
5.  Channa dal - ½ cup
6.  Red chillies - 7
7.  Salt - to taste
8.  Oil - for sprinkle
9.  Asafoetida - a pinch
10. Curry leaves - 10 chopped
11. Coriander leaves - few chopped
12. Onion - 1 finely chopped

Preparation:

Soak rice and dals together for 2 hours.

Then wash at least three times.

Now grind it in a wet grinder or mixer grinder with little amount of water.

While grinding add red chillies.

Grind till the batter turns into coarse.

Once the batter is ready tranfer to vessel.

Now add chopped onions and curry leaves.

Now the adai batter is ready.

Heat the pan (tawa) for two minutes.

Wipe the pan with few drops of cooking oil and spread a ladle full of batter into dosa.

Cook till the adai turns into light brownish color eitherside.

Serve hot with aviyal or coconut chutney.

Preparation time	2.5 hrs
Cooking time	5 mts/adai
No. of Servings	4

bread upma

When you already have bread at home, you can make this in less than 10 minutes.

The preparation is similar to upma. A day old bread can be used for this. You use the bread slices along with the crust.
A lot of vegetables can be added to this upma. Along with onion and tomatoes (which I am using), you can also add potato, green peas, capsicum, cauliflower if you wish.
Chop the potatoes or other vegetables in in small pieces. So this is another way to add vegetables to your diet. The kids love it too.

---

How to make Bread Upma

---

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• Bread slices - 8-10 , cut in small pieces.
• Onion - 1 cup chopped fine
• Tomato - 1/2 cup chopped.
• Green chili - 2 nos slit in half or 1/2 tsp chili paste
• Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 8-10
• Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp chopped.
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Asafetida - 1/4 tsp

Cooking Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they stop spluttering, add turmeric and asafetida.
2. Add chopped onion, curry leaves. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add green chili , chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add sugar, salt. Mix well. Add bread pieces. Mix well. The bread pieces should mix well with the onion-tomato mixture.
5. Cook for 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add coriander leaves. Mix well. Bread-upma is ready.Serve hot.

Tips:
If you would like the upma to be very soft, add a couple of spoons water to the onion/tomato mixture while cooking it, before adding the bread pieces. Place a lid after adding bread pieces and mixing.

rava upma

Upma is made from Rava (called cream of wheat or semolina,)is a popular Indian breakfast dish. It is one of the commonly made recipes in south indian recipes. It is called 'Uppitu'(Kannada), 'Tikhat Sanja'(Marathi), 'Suji ka namkeen halwa'(hindi) in indian languages.

Onions, beans, carrots, peas, potatoes, tomatoes etc. are added to this. The image above is of vegetable upma with beans, carrots, peas which makes it colorful. I love it when the food is colorful. Don't you?

---

How to make Upma

---

Ingredients:

Rava - 1 cup

water - 2 cups

Onion - 1 large

green chillis - 2 or more according to taste.

curry leaves - 7-8

oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

chana dal - 1 tsp

urad dal - 1 tsp

salt - 1 1/2 tsp or to taste

sugar - 1/2 tsp

Fresh grated coconut - 2 tbsp

coriander leaves - 1 small bunch Preparation:

Roast rava on mediam flame for 7-8 minutes, till it is imparts aroma.

Chop onion, coriander leaves, ginger finely.

Chop green chilles in big pieces. Cooking Method

1. Heat oil in a deep pan.
2. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add chana dal, urad dal.
3. fry till dal is light brown. Add chilli pieces. Fry for 1 minute.
4. Add chopped onion. Fry till onion is transperant.
5. Add water. Bring to boil. Add salt, sugar.
6. Reduce flame. Add roasted rava. Mix well so as not to let form lumps.
7. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low flame.
8. Add grated coconut, chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.

Serve Hot.
Tips: You can also add 1 cup chopped, mixed vegetables - green peas, beans , carrots, potato, cabbage, cauliflower, capsicum etc. Chop them fine and add them after the onions are fried.

poha-aval

How to make Poha - Aval

---

Ingredients for 2-3 servings .

• Aval - 1 cup
• Onion - 1 large
• green chillis - 2
• Ginger - paste or finely chopped - 1/4 tsp
• curry leaves - 7-8
• oil - 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - ½ teaspoon
• salt - 1 1/2 tsp or to taste
• sugar - ½ tsp
• Fresh grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• coriander leaves - 1 small bunch

Preparation for Making Poha

• Put aval in a colander and hold it under running water. Or else, you can wash aval in a bowl and remove all water. Keep aside for about 10 minutes.
• Chop onion, coriander leaves.
• Chop green chilles in big pieces or slit in two.

Cooking Poha Method:

1. Heat oil in a deep pan.
2. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle Add chili pieces. Fry for a few seconds.
3. Add chopped onion. Fry till onion is transparent.
4. Add turmeric powder, ginger paste.
5. Reduce flame. Add aval, salt, sugar. Mix well.
6. Sprinkle a little water if needed - if you like softer poha. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low flame.
7. Add grated coconut, chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.

Tips:

1. You can also add mixed vegetables - green peas, potato, capsicums in addition to or instead of onions.
2. Do not leave too much water in the aval after washing. That will make it like a paste.

INDIAN FRY BREAD

Indian Fry Bread - Poori

A Very popular Indian Fry Bread, Poori(also spelt) puri, is wickedly delicious. There is a variety of puri made.
Indian fry bread recipe is made either with whole wheat flour or plain flour or a mixture of both. Plain flour puris are softer and whiter. But using whole wheat flour is healthier and I find it tastier.
I always use whole wheat flour. A little semolina or gram flour can also be added if you like the puris a little crisp like I do.
By adding a few other ingredients, you can vary the taste, color of the puri. Such as Masala-Poori, Palak-Poori , Bhatura.
You can mix the dough and keepin the fridge for 2-3 days and make puris whenever you want. You can also take this indian fried bread with you when you go for a picnic as puris can keep for a day or two. My family loves them. Your family would love them too!

---

How to make Poori:

---

Ingredients:

• whole wheat flour - 2 cups
• salt - 1/4 tsp
• water to form dough
• oil for deep frying.

Preparation

• Mix flour, salt, two tea spoons oil in a bowl.
• Add water little by little and form a tight dough ball. Keep aside for about 15-20 minutes.
• Divide the dough in small lime sized balls.

Cooking Method

1. Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Once it is heated well, reduce to medium hot .
2. Roll each dough ball into a round of about 3".
3. Put the round carefully in the hot oil. It will puff up like a ball. Let fry for 2-3 seconds.
4. Turn on to the other side. Let cook for 5 seconds or till it is golden brown.
5. Take out the puri from the oil and drain well.

Serve hot with any curry of your choice.
But it is best with Potato Subji/Aloo Bhaji or with Potato Curry