Glossary - Milk Products

English Butter Buttermilk Cream Curd(Yogurt) Ghee Milk Tamil Vennai Moru Paal Aadai Thayir Neyi Paal Malayalam Venna Mor Thayir Neyi Paal Hindi Makhan Dahi Ghee Dhuth

------------------------------------------------------------------Glossary - Fruits (Multilingual names for fruits)

English Apple Apricot Avocado Banana Blueberry Cantaloupe Coconut Custard Apple Dates Fig Gooseberry Grapefruit Grapes Green Berry / zizyphus Guava Jackfruit Jambu fruit Lemon Lime Lychee Mango Mulberry Musk Melon (Cantaloupe) Olive Orange Papaya Pear Pineapple Plum Pomogranate Prunes Raisins Sapota/ Sapodilla Starfruit Stoneapple Tamil Applepazham Vazhaipazham Avurinelli Thengai Seetha pazham Pericham pazham Atti Pazham Nellikai Dratchai Koiya Palapazham Malayalam Hindi Sev Khoobani/ khumani Makhanphal YethampazhamKela Falsa Kharbuja Thenga Nariyal/ Kopra Shitaphal/ Saripa khajoor Nelli Dratcha Peraka Chakka Anjeer Amla Angoor Ber/ Bor Amrud Kathal Jamun Kolinchi pazham Naranga Galgal/ Nimbu Elumichai Cherunaranga Nimbu Lichi Mam pazham Aam mulberrypazham Shehtooth Mulam pazham Orangu Papalipazham Annasi Madhulam kismis Sapota Pulichikai orange omakka kaithachakka Kharbooja Jaitun Narangi Papeeta Nashpati Ananas Aloobukara Anar Prun Kismis Chikku Kamrakh Bel/ Siriphal

Strawberry Sweetlime Chaatukudi Tamarind Puli Water Chestnut Watermelon Tarboosni White goosefoot

Mosambi Singhara Tarbooz / kalingad Bathua

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Glossary - Legumes and Pulses

English Azuki Beans (Red Beans) Bengal gram Black eye beans Black gram chick peas/ Garbanzo beans Corn Cow peas Flax seed/ Linseed Foxtail Millet Green gram Green Peas Kidney Beans Lima Beans Maize Oats Peanuts/ Groundnuts Pearl Millet Pigeon Peas Ragi (Finger Millet) Red gram Wheat

Tamil

Malayalam Perum Payaru

Hindi Red Chori

kadalaparuppu

Chana dal Lobia Phali Ulunthampayaru Uzhunnuparippu Urad dal Kondai kadalai/ Channa Kabul kadalai Makka cholam Makai Karamani Cheruchana Ali vidai Alsi Vithu Tinai Payathampayaru Cheruparipu Moong dal Pattani Matar Rajma Mochai Amarapayar Makka cholam Bhutta Jaee Nilakadalai kapalandi Moongfali Cambu(Kambu) Kamboo Bajri/ Bajra Thuvaramparupu Thuvaraparippu Toordal Kizhvaragu Muthari Mundal Arhar Godhumai Godhambu Gehu

Kadalaparippu

--------------------------------------------------Glossary - Herbs and Greens

English Agathi leaves Amarnath Amarnath spined Basil Coriander leaves (Cilantro) Curry leaves Dill Drumstick leaves Fenugreek leaves Green Onion Lettuce leaves Mint Mustard Greens Sorrel leaves Spinach

Tamil Agathi Keerai Thandu Keerai Mula Keerai Tulasi Malli illai Karuveppilai

Malayalam

Hindi

Agathi Agasthi Cheera Chaulai Sag Kantewali Chaulai Sivatulasi Tulsi Kottamalli Kareapela Hara Dhania

Kadi patta Suva / Soye Murunga elai Muringakaya ela Muranka bhaji Vendaya Keerai Uluva ela Methi patta Hara Pyaz Salad patta/ Kasmisaag Pudina Putiyina Pudina Sarson ka saag Pulicha Keerai Gongura ela Pitwa Pasalai Keerai Palak

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Glossary - Spices, seeds and seasonings

English Almond Aniseed Asaefoetida Basil Seeds Bay Leaf Black Salt Cashewnuts Caraway seeds Cardomon Carom Seeds (Thymol seeds) Cinnamon Cloves

Tamil Badam Sombu Perungayam Talishapattari Mundiriparuppu Ellakai Omam

Malayalam

Hindi

Badam Perumjeeragam Saunf Kaayam Hing Tukmaria Karuvaela Tej Patta Kala Namak Andiparuppu kaju Shahi Jeera Ellaka Elaichi Vaum Ajwain Dalchini Lavang

Pattai Patta Krambu(Lavangam)Kirambu

Coconut Thengai Corriander Seeds Kotthamalli Cumin seeds Jeeragam Dry fenugreek leaves Dry Ginger Chukku Dry Mango powder Maangai thool Dried Pumpkin / Water Melon seeds Dry Red Chilly Vattal milagai Fennal seeds Sombu Fenugreek seeds Vendayam Flax seed/ Linseed Ali vidai, Alivirai Jaggery Vellam Mace Jathipoo Mustard seeds Kadugu Nigella(Onion seeds) Nutmeg Jathikai/ Paaku Palm Sugar Karupatti Peanuts(Groundnuts)Nilakkadala Peppercons Milagu Pinenut Pistachio pista paruppu Pomegranate seeds Poppy Seeds Kasa kasa Saffron Kungumapoo Salt Uppu Sesame seeds Ellu Star Anise Magambhu/Anisu Sugar Chakkarai Tamarind Puli Thymol seeds Omam (Carom seeds) Turmeric Powder Manchal Walnut

Thenga Malli Jeeragam Chukku

Nariyal Dhania Jeera Kasoori Methi Saunth Amchoor Magaz Sukhi Lalmirch Saunf Methi dhana Alsi Gur Javitri Rai/Sarson Kalonji Jaiphal

Perumjeeragam Uluva Cheruchana Vithu Sarkkara Jathipoo Kadugu

Kapalandi Gurumulaku

Kaali mirch Chilgoza Pista Anardhana Kas kas khus khus Kungumapoove Kesar Uppu Namak Ellu Til Takkolam Anasphal Panchasarai Cheeni Puli Imli Vaum Manjal Ajwain Haldi Akrot

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Glossary - Vegetables
English Arrowroot Tamil Malayalam Hindi Tikora/ Paniphal

Ashguard Asparagus

Sambhal Pusani

Kumbalainga

Petha Shatwar/ Sootmooli/Musl i Chukander Karela Lauki

Beetroot Beetroot Beetroot Bitterguard Pagarkai Kaipakai Bottleguard Suraikai Brinjal Vazhuthanangka (Eggplant/Aubergine Katharikai Baingan i s) Broad Beans Avarai Papdi / Vaal Brussels Sprouts Choti Ghobi Cabbage Muttaikose Pattagobi Capsicum(Bell Kodamilagai Simla Mirch Pepper) Mangal Carrot Gajar mullangi Cauliflower Kovipoo Phoolgobi Celery Celery Chilli Pacha milagai Harimirch Kothavaranga Cluster Beans Gavar i Seppam Colocasia leaves Patrel / Patra ilaigal Colocasia roots Seppan Arbi (Taro root) kizhangu Cowpea Karamani Lobia Cucumber Velarikai Kheera / Kakdi Drumstick Murungakai Muringakaya Shingh phali Endive Gulsuchal Fennel Moti Saunf French Beans Fansi Garlic Poondu veluthulli Lahsun Gherkins (Pickling Gherkins Cucumbers) Ginger Inghi Inghi Adrak Gooseberry Nellikai Amla Ivy gourd Kovai kai Tindoora Knolkol (kholrabi) Noolkol Seemamullangi Gathgobi Kolinchi Lemon Cheru narangai Nimbu pazham Lime Elumichai Cheru narangai Nimbu Lotus Stem Kamal Kakdi Khumb / Mushroom Kalan Guchhi Okra(Ladiesfinger) Vendakai Vendakaya Bhindi Onion Vengayam Ulli Pyaz Pearl Onion (Shallot Chinna Onion) Vengayam Plantain flower Vazhaipoo Kele ka phool Vazhai Plantain pith Kele ka guda thandu Pointed Guard Parwal

Potato Pumpkin Purple Yam Radish Raw Banana Raw Jackfruit Raw Mango Ridge Gourd Snake Gourd Spinach Sweet Potato Tapioca Tomato Turnip Water Chestnuts White goose foot Yam Zucchini

Urulai kilangu Poosanikai Mullangi Vazhakai Pallakai Paccha Maanga Peerkangai Pudalangai Keerai Cheeni Kilangu Thakkali Cheera Maricheeni kilangu

Chakka

Aloo / Batata Kaddu Surti Kand Mooli Kela Kathal Kaccha Aam / Keri Tori / Thurai Chichinda / Padval Paalak Shakarkand / Ratalu Simla Aloo Tamatar Shalgam Shingara Bathua

Karuna Kilangu

Chenna Kilangu Sooran Tori/ turaii

General Cooking Ingredients and terms:-

English Brown Sugar Castor Sugar Honey Jaggery Molasses Palm Sugar Salt Sugar Rock Sugar Vineger

Tamil Chuckerai Chuckerai Then Vellam Vellam Karupugatti/ panamkarkandu Uppu Chakkarai (Cheeni) Kalkandu

Malayalam

Hindi

Then Sarkkara/ Vellam Karupatti Uppu Panchasara

Gud

Namak Cheeni Mishri Sirka

Cooking Tips
- submitted by Dahlia on 12-07-2007

 When frying, the oil should be in the correct temperature. If its too hot, the outside will get browned up too quickly before the inside gets cooked. If its not hot enough, the fried food will absorb too much oil before getting cooked. To make crispier puris, add a little rava to the wheat flour while kneading. To make crispier bajjis add a little corn flour to the gram flour to make bajji batter. Use a deep vessel to fry chicken to avoid the splashing of oil and juices all around the place. To knead chappattis, add 1/3 cup of warm water for 1 cup of flour approximately. To make softer chapattis, add warm milk or curd while kneading. Use heavy bottomed vessel to make upma, kheer etc to prevent burning. Toasting nuts, rice, rava and dal before cooking with it increases its flavors considerably. Adding few drops of oil to the rice before cooking it will prevent it from becoming sticky. Do not wash the mushrooms with water. Clean it with a damp cloth. Add salt to the mushroom only after it has browned. Similarly adding salt to the chicken also slows up the browing. General Tips - To peel the skin of almonds, tomatoes or peaches, simply soak in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. The skin can be easily removed. - To remove the corn from its cub, hold it straight with one end on the bottom of a big vessel. Then strip the corn with a knife. This will prevent messing up of the entire place. - When cutting raw banana, potatoes or eggplant, soak it in water to avoid discolouration. Similarly, to prevent apples, bananas or peaches from browning, add lemon juice. - Use the excess dal water from boiling dal to make rasam. - While adding curd to gravies or biriyani, break it nicely before adding. - While boiling milk, a little water can be added to the vessel before adding the milk to avoid the milk from sticking to the bottom. - Store nuts in the refrigerator to increase their shelf life. - To separate each string of noodles or any thin pasta, run it under cold water immediately after boiling and draining the water. - Curd in winter - Set in a ceramic container and place it on the voltage stabilizer of your refrigerator. - To cut meat easily, freeze it for some time before cutting. Quick fix Tips - Tomato paste or sauce can be used instead of fresh tomatoes. This saves a lot of chopping time. - Soak chik peas in boiling water. In this way only 1-2 hours of soaking in needed. - Make ginger garlic paste in bulk and put it in the fridge. - Similarly, make green chilly paste and keep in the fridge. This saves a lot of cooking time. - While chopping vegetables, chop in a bulk, use what is needed and put the remaining in the fridge for later use. Chopping a vegetable at a stretch saves a lot of time. - Have lots of peeled garlic in an air tight box in the fridge. - Grate a whole coconut at a time and refrigerate it so it can be used easily whenever needed. - Fry grated coconut in bulk with curry leaves and store it in the fridge. This can be used easily whenever gravies have to be made. - Whenever you boil potatoes or cauliflower make some extra and put it in the fridge. This can be used to make stuffed parathas, cutlets etc. - Use the microwave to saut onions, tomatoes and to cook up the vegetables. Healthy Tips - Do not wash the vegetables after peeling or chopping. This will wash out all the water soluble vitamins. - Whenever vegetables or dal is cooked in water, many nutrients are left back in the water. So do not throw it away. Instaed use it when making some gravies or soups. - Potatoes have their nutrients in their skin. So try using potatoes without peeling it.

- Eat fruits like apples along with its skin. - Tamarind can be substituted with raw mango powder. Refrigeration tips - Keep coriander leaves in a ait tight plastic box in the refrigerator to keep them fresh for a long time. - Remove the stem of the chilly while storing them whole. Another method is to make chilly paste and store it for a long time. - To store fish longer and freasher, clean it, apply turmeric and salt and put it in the freezer.

Comments
Comment by Udaya on 19 July 2008 10:25AM

hi dahl, The last point in cooking tips ,"Similarly adding salt to the chicken also slows up the browing". i think its opposite.(not too sure). bcos wen we add salt to onions wen frying it turns brown too quickly. jus check it. Reply :Hi Udaya, Adding salt to the onions brings the water out and hence it gets sauteed easily. But in the case of chicken and mushroom, if we add salt the water will come out. This will start cooking the chicken/mushroom and prevent them from getting brown faster.

Ragi Idli/ Dosa

- submitted by Dahlia on 07-03-2008

Ingredients Whole ragi/raikon -1 cup Rice - 2 cups Cooked rice(optional) - handful urad dhal - 1/2 cup fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp salt - 2 tsp oil - to grease the idli tray/ to make dosas

Method 1. Soak urad dal, rice and ragi separately for minimum 3 hours or overnight. Add the fenugreek seeds to the rice while soaking. 2. Grind the urad dal separately till it become fluffy. 3. Grind the rice, oats, fenugreek seeds together with a handful of cooked rice. 4. Finally mix everything together with required salt to make a nice batter. 5. Let it ferment overnight or until it doubles in volume. 6. Make idlis or dasas in non stick tawa and serve with chutney and sambhar. Click to see detailed Idli and Dosa procedure Note : Instead of grinding a seperate batter, you can use normal idli batter and mix some ragi flour with it. Tips - If you feel the idlis and dosas are sticky, add little store bought rice flour to the batter and mix well. This should solve the problem.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Idli - recipe by Rani submitted on 11-06-2007

Ingredients Idli rice - 1 3/4 cup Black gram - 1/2 cup Fennugreek seeds - 1 tsp Salt - 1 tblsp

Idli with chutney Idli with chutney Idli stand ready for steaming

Tumbler Idli Tumbler Idli

Method 1. Soak rice and black gram separately in water for atleast 1 hour. Soaking overnight can be done too. Add fenugreek seeds to black gram. 2. Drain the water and grind the black gram to a silky soft texture. 3. Next grind the rice coarsely. Mix it with black gram batter along with salt. 4. Now leave the batter to rest and ferment for atleast 6 hours till the batter rises to almost double the size. 5. Grease the idli plates with few drops of oil and fill with idli batter. 6. Steam them for about 10 minutes till they rise and become firm. (If you do not have idli stand, grease stainless steel tumblers, fill it with batter and steam it as shown in the picture.) 7. Switch off the stove and let it rest for a minute or 2. After that use a wet spoon to remove the idlis from the idli plate. 8. Serve them with sambhar or chutney.

Tips - During winters, if the batter does not puff up, pre-heat the oven to 250 F , switch it off and put the batter inside. - 1 Tblsp of cooked rice can be added to the rice while grinding to get fluffy idlis.

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Dosa
- submitted by Dahlia on 01-31-2008 Ingredients Rice - 3 cups Urad dal - 1 cup Fenugreek seeds - 2 tblsp Bengalgram dal - 2tblsp (optional) Oil - to fry dosas Salt - to taste

Method

1. Wash and soak the rice and urad dal with bengalgram dal and fenugreek seeds separately or together . Traditionally it used to soaked separately and ground separately. But with modern mixies and grinders you can grind everything together itself. 2. Similarly overnight soaking is good. But for urgent situations, even 1 hour of soaking will do for modern mixies and grinders. 3. After soaking, drain and grind it to a smooth paste with salt and water enough to make a batter little thinner than idli batter. If the batter becomes thicker you can always add water later. 4. Let this batter ferment overnight till it raises to double its size. 5. Grease a non stick dosa pan and pour a spoonful of batter. Spread it using the back of the spoon using circular motion to about 9 inch round dosa. 6. Add few drops of oil on top. 7. Once it turns slightly brown, flip and brown the other side too. 8. Serve hot with sambhar, chutney or any non veg gravy. Tips - You can use the idli batter itself for making dosas adding little water to make it thinner. - The above proportion will give nice crispy dosas. If you want softer dosas, reduce the rice quantity to 2 cups. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sambhar (Sambhar Varieties) - submitted by Dahlia on 09-29-2008

Sambhar is a south indian dish made with lentils (usually toor dal) and vegetables and served with rice, idlis or dosa optionally topped with a spoon of ghee. The variations in sambhar depends on the vegetable/combination of vegetables used. The common types of sambhar that are made are onion sambhar, murungakkai (drumstick) sambhar, mulangi (radish) samhar, manga (raw mango) sambhar, vendakka (ladies finger) sambhar, Potato Sambhar, Masoor Dal Sambhar, Pasi paruppu (Green gram dal) sambhar etc. Ingredients Pigeon Peas (Toor dal) - 3/4 cup (You can also use masoor dal or green gram dal or a combination of dals) Vegetables (any choice of a single/mixed vegetables) - 1 cup (The choice of vegetables can include brinjal, potato, radish, drumstick, spinach, shallot onions, tomato, raw mango, carrot, zucchini, yellowsquash, lima beans, pumpkin, yam, taroroot, okra, knolkhol etc) Shallot Onions - 8- 10 (or 1 onion chopped) Green Chilly - 1 or 2 Tomatoes - 1 Tamarind Juice - 1 1/2 tblsp Sambhar powder (store bought or home made) - 1 tblsp (you can increase to your taste) Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds - 5-7 seeds Dry red Chillies - 2 Curry leaves - 2 strands Cilantro - for garnish

Method 1. Boil the toor dal with the tomato, 2.5 cups of water and optionally 2 cloves of garlic. You can cook it using the pressure cooke for 3 whistles. Alternatively cook it in a normal vessel till it is a bit overcooked and is almost mashed up. 2. After the pressure is released, mash the dal using the back of a spoon or with hand . 3. Heat oil in a deep vessel and splutter the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. 4. Saute the onions and green chillies. 5. Add the veggies to this and cook it till the veggies are soft with enough water. (Alternatively you can cook the vegetables using a microwave and add it. You can also cook the vaggies along with the dal in the cooker itself. If you have a double decker pressure cooker container, you can cook the dal in one and the veggies in the other.) 6. After the veggies are cooked, add the tamarind juice, salt, sambhar powder and the mashed dal. 7. Add enough water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the flame and simmer for 20 minutes for the flavours to blend. A nice aroma of sambhar will be filled throughout the house. 8. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and switch off. 9. Serve with rice, idli and dosa varieties. You can add a tsp of ghee on the sambhar while serving to enhance the flavour. Click to see Udipi Sambhar Recipe Tips - You can add little coconut milk while cooking the sambhar for a nice taste. - You can try making sambhar with masoor dal, green gram dal too. - You can also skip the tamarind and add 2-3 additional tomatoes to make sambhar. Usually this is done for making idli sambhar. - You can add a spoonful of sugar or jaggery to the sambhar too.

Sambhar Powder
09-29-2008

- submitted by Dahlia on

 Sambhar powder is a spice mixture usually made with roasted lentils, coriander seeds, dried whole red chillies, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. There are many variations depending on the place and taste. Here is a recipe for sambhar powder. The ingredients can be modified to suit to individual tastes. Ingredients Channa Dal - 2 tblsp Urad Dal - 1 tblsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds - 1 tblsp Peppercorns - 1 tblsp Corriander seeds - 2 tblsp Dry red chillies - 10 (or as per your spice level) Rice - 1 tblsp Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder - 2 tsp Garam Masala (whole) - 1 cinnamon, 2 cloves, 1 cardomon Curry leaves - 1 strand Optional Ingredients (should be added only if the sambhar powder is used immedietely) Garlic - 4 cloves Ginger - 1" piece Grated Coconut - 2 tblsp Method 1. In a heavy bottomed pan, dry roast all the ingredients on a very low flame and constant stirring to prevent it from getting burnt. 2. After about 10 minutes when the dals and other ingredients are nicely rosted, switch off and let it cool. 3. Grind everything well and uto make sambhar. 4. If you are making the sambhar powder fresh and will use it within a day or 2, add the optional ingredients too while roasting. This enhances the flavour a lot. 5. You can make this in bulk and store it for upto 3-4 months (without the optional ingredients). Just multiply the quantity of ingredients given.

Seven Grain Bread 1/3 cup polenta 1/2 cup bulgur or stone-ground (cracked) wheat yellow cornmeal 1/4 cup millet 1 3/4 cups boiling water 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey 2 tbsp vegetable 1/4 cup quinoa 1 1/4 cups whole milk 1/2 cup cold water 2 tsp salt

oil, plus more for the bowl 3 1/4 cups bread flour 2/3 cup rye, wheat, barley, or triticale flakes 2/3 cup oldfashioned (rolled) oats two 1/4 oz (7 g) envelopes instant yeast

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour, as 1/3 cup cooked needed, plus rice, preferably more for brown rice kneading (optional) Yield: 2 loaves Servings directions Prep: 22 min Total: 60 min Try Kitchen View! Take your computer to the kitchen and view this recipe full-screen, with step-by-step directions. Enter Kitchen View 1 Combine the bulgur, polenta, millet, and quinoa in a large bowl. Add the boiling water and stir. Let stand, stirring often, for about 20 minutes.

2 Add the milk and honey to the cooled grain mixture, along with the cold water, the oil, and salt. Stir in the bread flour, oats, rye flakes, and yeast.

3 Stir in enough of the whole wheat flour to make a heavy and sticky dough that is difficult to stir. Dust the work surface with whole wheat flour and turn out the dough. Knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary (whole grain dough will remain a little sticky). Add the cooked rice, if using, and knead 5 minutes more or until the dough is supple and tacky.

4 Coat the inside of a bowl with oil. Shape the dough into a ball, place in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place about 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in volume.

5 Lightly oil two 9 5in (23 x13cm) loaf pans. Knead the dough on the floured work surface for 1 minute. Cut the dough into 2 pieces and form each into a ball. Working with one ball at a time, use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a 9in x10in (23cm 26cm) rectangle. Starting at a short side, roll up the dough, and pinch the long seam to seal. Place, seam side down, in the pan, and press to fill the pan with dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place about 30 minutes, or until the dough reaches the tops of the pans.

6 Preheat the oven to 425F (220C). Gently brush the tops of the loaves with oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375F (190C) and continue baking for 25 to 30 minutes or until the unmolded loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool briefly, then remove the loaves from the pans and cool completely on wire racks. R

Microwave Recipes
Khaman Dhokla (Instant Dhokla)
- submitted by Dahlia on 08-08-2008

Dhokla is a traditional Gujarathi dish made with chikpea flour(besan). This can be made in the microwave very quickly. It is usually served with green chutney and had as a snack or a complete meal. Ingredients Batch I Gram flour(Besan) - 1 1/2 cup Sugar - 3-4 tsp Oil - 1 tblsp Citric acid - 1/2 tsp soda-bi-carb( Baking Soda) - 1/2 tsp Salt - to taste Lemon juice - 3-4 drops Batch II Oil - 1 tblsp Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp Sesame seeds - 1/4 tsp Asafoetida - a pinch Curry leaves - 5-6 Water - 1/2 cup Sugar - 1 tsp Cilantro - for garnish Grated coconut - for garnish

Sev - for garnish

Method
1. Mix all the ingredients from batch I in a bowl with water enough to make a thick paste. 2. Blend it well with a hand blender or with hand. 3. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes depending on the microwave power. 4. Let it rest for 2 minutes. Cut it into square pieces. 5. Tempering: Heat 1 tbsp oil. Add jeera(cumin), rai(mustard seeds), til(sesame seeds), hing(asafoetida) and karipatta(curry leaves). When it splutters add 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp sugar. 6. Pour this water slowly on dhokla pieces. 7. Garnish this with fresh coriander, shredded fresh coconut and sev. Serve with green chutney.

Instant Carrot Halwa (Gajar ka Halwa)

- submitted by Dahlia on 06-022008

Ingredients Carrots - 2 cups (grated) Evaporated milk - 1/2 cup(4 oz) Sugar - 3/4 - 1 cup Cardomom powder - 1/4 tsp Nuts - as needed Ghee - 2 tblsp Method 1. Mix the grated carrot and ghee in a microwavesafe dish and microwave it for 2 minutes. 2. Add the evaporated milk to this and microwave for 7-8 minutes stirring every 2 minutes. 3. The time varies depending on the microwave power. Cook it till the milk is totally absorbed by the carrot and the ghee starts seperating. 4. Add the sugar, cardomom powder and nuts and microwave for another minute or 2 until you get the halwa consistency. 5. Garnish with some more scliced nuts and serve. Tips - If you do not find evaporated milk, you can use 1/2 cup milk with 4 tblsp of milk powder. - Another good substitute is to use 1/2 cup milk with 1/4 cup khoya. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------