MEDHU VADAI OR UZHUNTHU VADAI

CREATOR : SRIYA   PREPARATION TIME : 5 HOURS
COOKING TIME  : 1 HOUR
TOTAL TIME : 6 HOURS BREAK FAST CUISINE:  SOUTH INDIAN
SERVES : 7
INGREDIENTS :
(1 CUP = 250 ML)
2 cups urad dal
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns,
2 sprig curry leaves, chopped
3 medium onion, finely chopped
4 green chilies, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
salt to taste
2 tablespoon semolina or rava sooji
oil for deep frying
water needed for grinding
INSTRUCTIONS :                 BATTER MAKING :
First soak the urad dal for 4 hours .
Grind the soaked dal to a smooth batter with little water if required. The batter should be thick.
Add the pepper, onions, curry leaves, cumin seeds, green chillies  and salt and add rava and mix it very well.
Take a bowl of water. Apply some water from the bowl on both your hands.
Take some batter in your right hand from the bowl. Give it a round shape.
With your thumb make a hole in the center. Shapes like a doughnut.
                          HOW TO MAKE VADA :
Take a kadai  and heat oil. Once the oil becomes hot, slid the vada into the hot oil.
Once the vada is slightly golden then gently turn over with a slotted spoon and continue to fry.
Fry them till crisp and golden. Fry the remaining batter like this and fry them.
Serve the medu vada, hot or warm with sambar and coconut chutney.

CARAMEL SALTED BROWNIES

CREATOR : SRIYA   PREPARATION TIME : 20 MINUTES
COOKING TIME  : 35 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME : 55 MINUTES DESSERTS CUISINE:  WORLD
SERVES : 12 LARGE PIECES
INGREDIENTS :
250 gram unsalted butter
100 gram  milk chocolate
100 gram dark chocolate
250 gram caramel
1 teaspoon sea salt,
200 gram caster sugar
4 medium eggs
150 gram plain flour
50 gram cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS :
First pre-heat oven to 180 degree Celcius
Grease then line a square tray bake tin with baking parchment.
Melt the butter in a medium pan, and add the chocolates bars into it and melt them.
In a small bowl, put half of the caramel and add with 1 tsp sea salt this will loosen up.
Take the rest of the caramel in a large bowl with caster sugar and 4 medium eggs, and beat with an electric hand mixer until even.
Add the melted chocolate and butter and mix it very well.
In another bowl, combine  plain flour, cocoa powder and a pinch of table salt and baking powder, then sift this to the chocolate mix.
Pour half the brownie batter into the tin and level it with a spatula.
Using a teaspoon, spoon half of the salted caramel on top of the batter
Spoon the rest of the brownie batter on top and smooth it out, trying not to disturb the caramel beneath.
Top with the rest of the caramel in the same stripy fashion.
Drag a skewer or tip of a knife through the caramel to make a feathered pattern on the top.
Scatter with a little more sea salt, then bake for 35 minutes
Bake until risen all the way to the middle with a firm crust on top.
Let it cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares.

CHOCOLATE FRUIT AND NUT BARK

CREATOR : SRIYA   PREPARATION TIME : 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME  : 10 MINUTES AND COOLING 10 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME : 35 MINUTES DESSERTS CUISINE:  WORLD
SERVES : 1 SLAB
INGREDIENTS :
200 gram dark chocolate
100 gram white chocolate
50 gram mixed nuts ( cashews, pistachios), chopped into chunky pieces
2 tbsp freeze-dried raspberries
50g dried fruit (we used sultanas, cranberries and chopped apricots)
¼ tsp sea salt flakes
INSTRUCTIONS :
Melt the dark and white chocolate in separate bowls.
Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Leave the chocolate to cool for 10 mins.
Pour the dark chocolate onto the tray and spread it into a rectangle.
Drizzle over the white chocolate and create a swirled pattern by dragging  across the chocolate.
Scatter over the nuts, fruit and sea salt, then leave cool to set.
Break into pieces and serve.

MUSHROOM SOUP

CREATOR : SRIYA   PREPARATION TIME : 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME  : 25 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME : 35 MINUTES SIDE DISH AND STARTERS CUISINE:  WORLD
SERVES : 2 PERSONS
(1 CUP = 250 ML)
INGREDIENTS :
1 cup button mushrooms
2 onion, finely chopped
5 garlic, finely chopped
1/2 bay leaf
1 pinches ground nutmeg powder
2 cups water
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons fresh cream
2 tablespoon all purpose flour (maida)
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon coriander leaves
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or
1/2 teaspoon basil leaves
2 tablespoon crushed black pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt as required
INSTRUCTIONS :
First take a sauce pan and keep on stove top and heat the pan on low heat and add the butter in the saucepan.
When the butter melts add the bay leaf and saute till fragrant for about 2 minutes. And add the finely chopped onions and garlic.
Saute the onions still soften and become translucent.
                                     HOW TO COOK MUSHROOMS :
Take the mushrooms and rinse it in water in a bowl and keep it aside.
And cut the mushrooms into small pieces.
Add the mushrooms into the sauce pan and saute till the mushrooms start to release water. Saute it very well.
At this time add the flour and saute for 5 minutes stirring on low flame still the raw smell goes away then add crushed black pepper and mix well.
                               MUSHROOM SOUP MAKING :
After adding the flour to the saucepan and add water and milk and add salt and mix well.
At  this stage the mushroom soup begin to thicks, give a nice stir at intervals of time. After 5 minutes the soup becomes thickens.
Finally add the cream to the soup mixture and stir and mix it very well.
Cook the mushroom soup for 2 minutes and, at last sprinkle ground nutmeg powder and mix it very well and give a nice stir.
Then switch off the flame and serve the mushroom soup garnishing with parsley and coriander leaves.
This mushroom soup tastes like restaurant style and rich in taste.

TOMATO KETCHUP

CREATOR : SRIYA   PREPARATION TIME : 30 MINUTES
COOKING TIME  : 1 HOUR
TOTAL TIME : 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES SIDE DISH CUISINE:  WORLD
SERVES : 1 LITRE
INGREDIENTS :
3 kg tomatoes
4 medium garlic cloves
1 big piece about ginger
8 dry red chilies remove seeds
1 cup golden raisins
1/4 cupvvinegar
1 tablespoon rock salt
10 tablespoon sugar
PRESERVATIVE :       ( OPTIONAL )
3 pinch or 1/4 teaspoon sodium benzoate dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water
INSTRUCTIONS :           
First rinse the tomatoes and raisins in water and keep it in a separate bowls and keep aside.
Take the tomatoes and chopped them roughly.
Chopped the garlic, ginger and cut the red chillies into half slices.
Take a 5 litre pressure cooker, and take all the chopped tomatoes, add the ginger, garlic, red chilies, raisins, vinegar, salt and sugar.
Mix well and keep the cooker on a low to medium flame on the stove top.
Cook the tomatoes for 30 minutes. When the cooked tomatoes becomes soft then switch off the flame.
Keep the cooked tomatoes at room temperature for 10 minutes.
When the mixture is slightly hot , blend the puree with a help of a  blender make a smooth puree.
Take a strainer and strain the puree directly into a large sauce pan.
                             HOW TO STERALIZED THE TOMATO SAUCE :
First take a jar and a lid and clean it with water and keep aside.
Take a large sauce pan and pour water and makes the water to boil add a pinch of sodium benzoate and makes to boil.
In the hot water immerse the jar and its lid in the hot water and boil for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes remove the jar and lid from the hot water let the jar and lid dry there should not have any water droplets in the jar and lid.
                                HOW TO MAKE TOMATO SAUCE :
Keep the pan with the strained tomato puree on the stove top on a low to medium flame.
The puree gets thickens and reaches a ketchup like consistency. Cooks for about 40 minutes.
Now the tomato sauce or ketchup is ready.
Take a bowl and heat 1 tsp of water and add 2 pinch of sodium benzoate to the hot water.
Stir and dissolve the sodium benzoate and pour the sodium benzoate solution to the hot tomato ketchup and mix well.
Pour the hot tomato sauce in the sterilized jar and closed the lid.
Let the tomato sauce cool in room temperature it takes half a day.
Then keep it in the refrigerator and store it.
After 2 days take the tomato ketchup use it for your need.
Serve tomato sauce with any snacks or starters.
Homemade tomato sauce is very healthy and tasty its lasts longly.

VANILLA CUP CAKES WITH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

CREATOR : SRIYA   PREPARATION TIME : 20 MINUTES
COOKING TIME  : 15 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME : 35 MINUTES STARTERS CUISINE:  WORLD
SERVES : 10
(1 CUP = 250 ML)
INGREDIENTS :
100 gram softened butter
100 gram caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup self-raising flour or all purpose flour
BUTTERCREAM :
150 gram softened butter
300 gram icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoon milk
2 pinch of salt
Pink food coloring paste or pink colour liquid 1 teaspoon
INSTRUCTIONS :
First pre-heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Take a cup cake tin and fill a 12 cupcake tray with cases and keep it aside.
Take  an electric whisk beat butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy then whisk in 2 large eggs.
Add ½ tsp vanilla extract, and add flour and salt, whisk until just combined
Spoon the cup cake batter mixture into the cupcake cases half filled.
Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean.
Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
                                              BUTTER CREAM MAKING :
To make the buttercream, whisk butter until soft then add icing sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
Whisk together until smooth then add milk and beat it still soft.
Then add the food colour into it and mix it well.
Once the cup cakes cooled down completly and pipe the buttercream frosting on top.

CHOCOLATE ROCKY ROAD

CREATOR : SRIYA   PREPARATION TIME : 20 MINUTES
COOKING TIME  : 10 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME : 40 MINUTES DESSERTS CUISINE:  WORLD
SERVES : 10 SQUARES
INGREDIENTS :
100 gram butter
100 gram golden syrup OR HONEY
200 gram dark chocolate, chopped
100 gram milk chocolate, chopped
100 gram coconut biscuits
50 gram mixed nuts, roughly chopped (cashews, almonds, badam, groundnuts)
50 gram mini marshmallows
50 gram desiccated coconut
INSTRUCTIONS :
Take a baking tin and line with a baking parchment paper. Put the butter, golden syrup, chocolate and a pinch of salt into a saucepan.
Heat in low flame and gently melt, until you have a glossy liquid. Then switch off the flame.
Crumble the biscuits into a large bowl, leaving some pieces larger than others to create a bumpy texture.
Add the nuts, marshmallows, desiccated coconut and pour over the chocolate mixture.
Stir well, everything is well coated, then pour into the tin. Use a spoon to press the mixture down and level the surface.
Chill for at least 2 hrs or until firmly set.
Cut into squares and store in a tin for up to 3 days.