Almond Biscotti

This Biscotti recipe was shared by my friends Sabita and Abhilasha. Its easy to make and delicious.

• Butter     - 1/4 lb. (1 stick) 
• Sugar     - 1 c
• Eggs     - 3
• Vanilla     - 1/2 tsp
• Nutmeg (optional)     - 1 pinch
• Flour     - 2 c
• Baking pwdr     - 2 tsp
• Salt     - 1/4 tsp
• Almonds (slightly roasted and chopped)     - 1/2 c

1. Blend Butter and Sugar in a big bowl.
2. Add Eggs one at a time, blending thoroughly after each or beat the eggs seperate and add to the butter-sugar mixture.
3. Add Vanilla or Nutmeg. (If you like nutmeg, use little more.)
4. Add dry ingredients gradually, mixing carefully. Mix in chopped Almonds.
5. Spread in two loaf-like shapes on large greased cookie sheet (or use two sheets). Don’t spread too close to edge.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees until light brown. Let it cool.
7. Remove from cookie sheet and cut into 1/2 inch slices.
8. Arrange on cookie sheet allowing space between.
9. Bake another 15 minutes or so, at 300 degrees.
10. Let it dry completely before storing.
11. Serve with tea/coffee/milk or have it plain anytime.

  

Uzhunu Vada

• Urd Dal      - 1 c
• Onion (small)      - 1
• Black Pepper     - 10
• Ginger     - 1 inch
• Green Chilly     - 5
• Salt (as per taste)     - 1 tsp
• Veg. Oil      - 3 c

1. Soak Urd Dal for 3-4 hrs. Drain and grind without any water to fine paste.
2. Chop the Onion, Ginger and Green Chillies finely and add to the Urd Dal and mix well.
3. Add the Pepper and Salt and mix again.
4. Heat Veg.Oil in a Deep Frying pan/Kadai on medium to high heat.
5. Wet hands and take Golf size Balls and flatten them and make a small hole in the center with ur finger.
6. Fry them till Golden-brown on medium heat.
7. Drain on paper towel. Serve as a snack along with coconut chutney .

Paruppu Vada

• Channa / Toor Dal      - 1 c
• Onion ( medium )      - 1
• Ginger      - 1 inch
• Curry Leaves      - 10
• Green Chilly      - 5
• Salt      - 1 tsp or as per taste
• Veg. Oil     - 3 c

1. Soak the Dal for 5/6 hrs. Drain the water and grind it coarsely without any water.
2. Chop the Onions, Garlic, Green Chillies and Curry Leaves finely.
3. Mix these along with Salt to  the Ground Dal . Mix well.
4. Heat Oil in a Deep Frying pan / Kadai on medium to high heat.
5. Make Golf size Balls and flatten them. Fry them till Golden-brown on medium heat.
6. Drain on paper towel. Serve as a snack at tea time.

Diamond Cuts

• Flour     - 2 c
• Salt     - 1/2 tsp
• Baking Soda     - 1/2 tsp
• Onion Seeds     - 1 tsp
• Ajwain     - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida     - 1 pinch
• Oil     - 3 Tbsp
• Water for kneading 
• Oil for frying

1. Sift Flour, Baking Soda and Salt together.
2. Add Onion seeds, Ajwain and Asafoetida. Add the oil and mix well.
3. Add Water little by little to make a Stiff dough.
4. Make Golf sized balls and roll out the dough. Cut into diamond shapes.
5. Heat the Oil in a Kadai or Wok on Medium to High heat.
6. Fry the diamond cuts till golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

Store when completely cooled in an air-tight container
Serve as snacks at tea time or any-time.

Banana Walnut Cake

• Flour     - 2 c
• Baking Soda     - 1 tsp
• Baking Pwdr     - 1/2 tsp
• Salt     - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar     - 1 1/4 c
• Milk     - 3/4 c
• Vinegar     - 1 tsp
• Butter ( melted )     - 1/2 c
• Walnuts (crushed)     - 1 c
• Eggs     - 2
• Bananas ( mashed )     - 1 c
• Vanilla Ess.      - 1 tsp

1. Sift Flour, Baking Soda, Baking pwdr and Salt and set aside.
2. Add Vinegar to the Milk, stir and set aside.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar in a Big Mixing Bowl.
4. Beat in the Eggs one at a time. Add the Mashed Bananas.
5. Stir in the Flour and Milk alternately.
6. Mix in the Vanilla and Walnuts.
7. Bake in two 8inch round pans or one 11x7 inches rectangular pan.
8. Grease the pan with little butter and bake at 350 deg F for 40 mins. 

Tip: Store at room temp in an airtight container for 2 days or in the refrigerator for longer.
Great to serve as snack with Milk/Tea/Coffee.Can be served as dessert along with Banana/Vanilla Icecream

Oatmeal Cookies

• Flour     - 1-1/2 c
• Butter     - 2 sticks
• Brown Sugar     - 1 c
• Sugar     - 1/2 c
• Eggs     - 2
• Vanilla     - 1 tsp
• B. Soda     - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon pwdr     - 1 tsp
• Salt     - 1/2 tsp
• Oats     - 3 c
• Raisins     - 1 c 

1. Keep the Butter at room temp for 2-3 hrs.
2. Beat the Sugars along with the Butter in a large Mixing Bowl.
3. Beat it till its nice and fluffy.
4. Add the Eggs and Vanilla and beat again.
5. In a seperate bowl mix the Flour with the B.Soda, Cinnamon pwdr and Salt.
6. Add this Flour mixture slowly to the Butter mixture little at a time.
7. Mix properly till  the Flour is well blended.
8. Stir in the Oats and Raisins to this batter.
9. Drop by rounded Tbsp onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
10. Preheat the Oven to 350 deg F. Bake for 10-12 mins or until Golden Brown.
11. Cool for 1 minute on the cookie Sheet and then transfer to a wire rack.
12. Store in an air-tight container after it cools completely.

Tip : Serve as a Snack at anytime. Good when served along with milk.

Falafel

  

• Chickpeas (soaked)     - 1 c
• Baking Soda     - 1/2 tsp
• Pepper Pwdr     - 1 tsp
• Chillies     - 2/3
• Corriander     - 1 tsp
• Cumin pwdr     - 1 tsp
• Lemon Juice     - 1 Tbsp
• Maida     - 3 Tbsp
• Minced Onions     - 1/2 c
• Minced Cilantro     - 2 Tbsp
• Salt     - 1 tsp
• Veg. Oil for deep frying     - 2 c

1. Grind all the ingredients  coarsely, without water.
2. Heat  Veg. Oil  in a small Kadai on medium heat setting.
3. Make small golf sized balls. Flatten them in the middle.
4. Fry both sides till brown. Drain on paper towels.

 Tips: These can be eaten plain as snacks or used as a filling in a sandwich along with lettuce and tomatoes. Add some sour cream or hummus as a dressing in the sandwich.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Hersheys Chocolate chips     - 2 c
• Flour     - 2 1/4 c
• Butter     - 1 c
• Sugar     - 3/4 c
• Brown Sugar     - 3/4 c
• Vanilla     - 1 tsp
• Eggs     - 2
• Baking Soda     - 1 tsp
• Salt     - 1/2  tsp

1. Leave the butter at room temp for 2 to 3 hrs.
2. Beat the Butter with the Sugar and Brown Sugar and Vanilla in a large bowl until creamy.
3. Add the eggs and beat well.
4. Sift the flour along with Baking Soda and Salt  in a bowl.
5. Add the flour mixture little at a time to the butter mixture until well blended.
6. Stir in the Chocolate Chips.
7. Drop by teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Heat the oven to 375 deg F. Bake 8 to 10 mins or till lightly browned.
9. Cool Slightly. Remove from Cookie Sheet to wire rack.
10. Cool completely and store in air-tight container.

Tip : Serve with Milk or at tea time as snack.

Unni Appam

• Rice Flour     - 1 c
• Jaggery     - 4 small pieces
• Sugar     - 2 Tbsp
• Cardamom     - 6
• Cumin     - 1 tsp
• Bananas (ripe)     - 2
• Baking pwdr     - 1/4 tsp
• Water     - 1 c
• Coconut pieces     - 1/4 c
• Oil - for frying

1. Powder the Cumin and Cardamon and keep aside.
2. Add l/2 water to the Jaggery and allow it to melt. Keep it aside.
3. Blend the Banannas in a blender and strain the jaggery-water to remove stones.
4. Blend the mixture and add flour little at a time to this.
5. Add all the ingredients and blend to make a smooth dosa-like batter.
6. Add more water if required, don't add too much water.
7. Cut the Coconut into fine pieces and add to this batter.
8. Add the Baking pwdr 15 mins before making the Unni-appam.
9. Heat oil in the special Unni-appam pan on medium heat.
10. When the oil is hot add enough batter to fill 3/4 of each hole.
11. Fry till both sides become golden brown.

Serve as a snack at tea time.
Tip : Can be stored at room temp for 1 day. Otherwise refrigerate and warm in a micro-wave before serving. Enjoy.

Rice Murruku

• Rice Flour - 3 c
• Urd Flour - 1 c
• Butter - 4 oz
• Salt - 1-1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing)- 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1 Tbsp
• Sesame seeds - 1 Tbsp
• Water - 1- 1/2 c approx.
• Veg. Oil - 6 cups

1. Leave the Butter at room temp for and hour.
2. Mix the Rice Flour and Urd Flour evenly.
3. Add the Hing, Salt and Sesame Seeds to the Flour.
4. Mix the butter into the Flour mixture nicely.
5. Add little water at a time and mix the dough. The dough should be soft or the murruku will break.
6. Fill the dough into the the Murruku-maker.
7. Squeeze out circular shape starting from the center moving outward.
8. Heat the Oil in a Deep Pot (Kadai). When the Oil get hot, reduce heat to medium.
9. Lift the Murruku dough slowly and drop into the Oil carefully. You can squeeze the dough directly into the Oil, but be careful.
10. Fry on both sides till golden brown. Strain onto paper towels.
11. Store in air tight container on cooling.

Tip: Urd Flour and Butter can be replaced by 8oz sour cream to give
softer Murruku.

Achappam

 

• Maida (All purpose flour) - 1 c
• Rice Flour - 1/4 c
• Sugar - 6 Tbsp
• Egg - 1
• Sesame seeds - 1/2 Tbsp
• Cummin seeds - 1/2 Tbsp
• Water - 1 c
• Veg. Oil (for frying) - 2 c

1. Beat the Egg nicely with a whisk or egg-beater.
2. Add the sugar and beat again. Add little water and mix.
3. Add the Rice flour and Maida slowly to this alternating with the water.
4. Mix till all the flour and water are over and  till you get a smooth batter.
5. It should be dosa-batter consistency. Add little more water if required.
6. Add the Cummin and Sesame seeds. Mix well and set aside.
7. Heat the Oil in a thick bottomed pan (kadai) on high. Then reduce the flame.
8. Leave the Achappam mold in the oil to heat up for 5 mins .
9. Dip the mould 3/4 into the batter and put it gently into the hot oil.
10. Shake the mould slowly in the oil to release the Achappam.
11. After 1 minute turn the Achappma over. Fry till both sides turn golden.
12. Strain into a basket or paper towels. Store in an air tight box after cooling.

This is a tasty snack good for anytime. It requires a special flower-shaped
mould for dipping into the batter and frying. Its easily available in India
and some Indian stores in the US.

Tip: Adjust the sugar to your taste. If the oil is too hot the Achappan might
burn, so medium heat is ideal.

Healthy Muffins

This delicious Healthy Muffin recipe was shared by my sister-in-law Teena.
It has become a favorite at home.

• Wheat Flour      -  1 c
• Flaxseed      -  3 Tbsp
• Honey/MapleSyrup      -   1/4 c
• B.soda     -   1/2 tsp
• B.pwdr      -  1/2 tsp
• Oil      -  1/4 c
• Milk      -  1/2 c
• Sugar     -  3 Tbsp
• Raisins ( optional )     -  1/2 c

1. Mix the flour with the flax seeds, baking soda, and baking pwdr and set aside.
2. Mix the liquid ingredients together and add the flour a little at a time to make a batter.Add little more milk if required. Add raisin at the end.
3. Bake in a muffin tray at 375 F for 20 minutes. Take out and cool. Makes 6 muffins.

Hope you enjoy this recipe.