Carrot n cheese muffins

Delicious Carrot and cheese muffins - A great evening snack!

If the smell of baking makes you go crazy, but you do not have a sweet tooth, then this is a perfect recipe for you!

Savory muffins are one of my favorite breakfast options as they are liked by all, especially the man of my house who doesn't enjoy a baked treat, would be happy to indulge on these lovely muffins.

If you are bored of the usual sweety and gooey muffins, give these lovely muffins a try. You will sure impress!

It will in no time become a family favorite!

These Muffins can be had both hot and cold, and can even be stored for a few days too. Try them out and do let me know!

Ingredients:

For making 6 medium Muffins

Cake flour/Maida - 1 cup (makes 6 medium muffins)

Grated carrot - 3 tbsp

Grated cheese - 3 tbsp

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Milk - 2 tbsp
Curd - 2 tbsp
Sugar - A pinch

How to Proceed:

• First take 2 bowls, in the first bowl, measure 1 cup maida or all purpose flour
• Add baking powder and salt and sugar
• Add grated carrot and Cheese and gently mix
• In the second bowl, add Oil, Milk, Curd and Sugar
• Mix well until it is frothy, use a hand blender for best results
• Now, add the liquid mix into the dry mix
• Mix gently to combine, a spatula will help
• Grease Muffin trays or place parchment paper in the muffin tray
• Fill out 2/3rds of the muffin holder
• Preheat the oven to 200 C for 15 min
• Bake on a preheated oven for 15min or until done
• Serve after it has cooled down a bit

Notes:

You can add any vegetables or even cooked meat while you make them. Broccoli, cooked peas or even nuts of your choice can be added.
Goes well with a hot cuppa chai on a rainy evening!

Peas Pulav

Peas Pulav - Basmathi rice cooked in coconut milk and flavored with spices and cashewnuts

Peas Pulav is one of the easiest and quickest rice dish that anyone would love! It tastes great with Chicken or any spicy vegetable curry. My mom used to make it regularly for my lunch when i was in college and school.. It is always fun to eat a tasty lunch box!!!

Instead of Peas, we can add vegetables of our choice and make it too.. Do try and enjoy!!!


Ingredients: 

For 2 people 

Basmathi rice - 1 cup (presoak for about half n hour in water before cooking)
Onion - 1 (sliced into lengthwise pieces) 
Green chillies - 6 (slit lengthwise, I usually add 2 or 3 more, add less if you prefer it less spicy) 
Peas - 1 cup full (if using vegetables add carrots, beans, cauliflower, brocolli, capsicum, babycorn etc diced into small chunks, 1 cup full)
Cashewnuts - 1 handful (add more for nut lovers!!!)
Cooking oil - 3 tablespoons
Ghee or butter - 5 tablespoons
Jeera - 1tsp
Pattai - 1 small piece (cinnamon stick)
Brinji leaf - 1
Green cardamom - 2 pods
Cloves - 1 or 2 
Mint leaves - 1 tablesppon (finely chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Coconut milk - half a cup (thick milk) (u can substitute with full fresh cream or even milk, but the flavor would be different for each)
Salt - per taste
Lemon - to taste

How to Proceed:

• Add cooking oil in a pressure cooker pan and add Pattai, Brinji leaf, Green cardamom, cloves and Jeera
• Add sliced onions and green chillies and fry till the onions turn glassy (do not let the colour change)
• Add ginger garlic paste and chopped mint leaves and saute well.
• Add the peas and let it mix well, do not let the peas cook! (if your adding vegetables, add them and do not let them cook either!)
• Add the Basmathi rice draining all the water. Mix well
• Add half a cup coconut milk (or fresh cream or plain milk) and add salt and squeeze half a lemon
• Add 1 and half cups water and check for salt (it should be a little salty as rice cooks, it will be perfect)
• Add a tablespoon of Ghee or butter before closing the lid (will make sure the rice doesn't stick)
• Let it cook for only one whistle
• Add ghee or butter in a pan and roast the cashewnuts, add to rice once pressure is released (if your lazy, saute the cashews while you add spices itself, but the cashews will be cooked lightly in the pulav! Its tasty either way)
• voila! your Peas pulav is ready

Notes:

I usually add 2 cups of water for 1 cup of Basmathi rice, so make sure the water to rice ratio is correct, that is count coconut milk also as water (so for 1 cup rice its 1 n half cup water : Half cup coconut milk) 

When your cooking for 2 cups rice, add one cup coconut milk and 3 cups water.
Serve hot with a spicy gravy and plain raitha!

Parupu Kolambhu

Parupu kolambhu- a must in every authentic Parakai meal!

Parupu kolambhu - a usual dhal gravy with an unusual twist with coconut paste.. I believe my native cooking cannot exist without coconuts! No need to worry on calories, really doesn't affect you when you have these cooking combinations.. Do try and enjoy!!!

Ingredients: 

For 2 people 

Moong dhal - 1 cup (dry roast in a pan for about 2min until raw smell goes before cooking)

To temper

Cooking oil - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - 1tsp

Curry leaves few

Red chilly - 1

To grind

Jeera - 1tsp

Dry red chilli 3 or 4 per taste

Coconut - half a cup

A pinch turmeric

A pinch of Hing

Salt - per taste

How to Proceed:

• Pressure cook the moong dhal with sufficient water
• Put all the ingredients under to grind in a mixer and make it into a paste. It should be a mild coarse paste and not very smooth.
• Mash up the moong dhal once it is cooked with the back of the ladle.
• Add the ground mixture to this
• Bring this to boil and keep stirring occasionally
• Once it starts to boil up, turn off the stove
• In a Kadai, temper mustard seeds and curry leaves with one red chilli in a little oil 
• Add the tempering into the dhal gravy
• It is ready. Serve Hot

Notes:

Parupu kolambu- It goes best with a dollop of ghee and a murumuru crispy Papad. Usually, this is served first in every wedding meal. It is a loved dish at home. Kids just love the flavour!

Do try and let me know!