Rice Semiyan Upma with Vegetables

 

It is a great dish for breakfast. You can also use it for an evening snack.

4 cups rice sticks (break it into small strands) or rice vermicelli

3 tablespoons oil or ghee
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon channa dal
1/4 teaspoon hing powder (asafoetida)
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
1 medium size onion sliced or diced
4-5 cut green chillies
Few roasted peanuts
Few roasted cashew nuts (optional)
1/4 cups green peas
1/2 cup sliced or diced mixed peppers
1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional to get color)
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
Few curry leaves
1/2 bunch finely chopped cilantro leaves
Salt to taste

Preparation:
It includes two steps:
 1. Boil rice noodles and
 2. Seasoning

 1.       Steaming Rice Noodles:

Cook rice noodles in a boiling water till just done. Drain hot water using a sieve and run it through cold water to remove extra starch. Keep aside.

2.       Seasoning:

Heat oil in a pan.  Add hing, mustard seeds and channa dal.
Fry till dal turns golden brown and mustard seeds begin to crackle.
Add cut onions and ginger. Fry until light brown.
Add roasted peanuts (cashew nuts or both), green chillies, curry leaves, turmeric powder, and salt to taste.
Continue to stir.
Add all the vegetables (green peas and peppers) and mix with the above ingredients.
Cook for another few minutes (2-3 minutes) until peas and peppers are cooked.
Add cooked rice semiyan into the mixture. 
Add lemon juice and cook for another 5 minutes until all spices are mixed. 
Turn off the flame and granish with cilantro leaves.
Serve it with hot mango pickle or pickle of your choice.

 Note: Other vegetables such as sliced beans, cut cauliflower, and carrots can be added.

Shrikhand with Mango Pulp

Ingredients:
2 cups yogurt made from whole milk
1 can condensed milk
1/2 cup mango pulp
2-4 green cardamoms, powdered
3-4 drops of rosewater
Pinch nutmeg
A few almonds or pistachios, blanched
 

Preparation:

Hang the yogurt for about 45 minutes in a fine muslin cloth until all the water drains away.
Remove yogurt from the cloth and transfer it into a clean bowl.
Add condensed milk, mango pulp, rosewater, nutmeg, and cardamom powder to thick yogurt.
Blend all the ingredients until you get a creamy paste.
Garnish with blanched nuts of your choice.
Chill and serve.














 

Shrikhand

Ingredients:

2 cups yogurt made from whole milk
1 can condensed milk
2 tablespoons sour cream
2-4 green cardamoms, powdered
3-4 drops of rosewater
Pinch nutmeg
A few almonds or pistachios, blanched

Preparation:

Hang the yogurt for about 45 minutes in a fine muslin cloth until all the water drains away.
Remove yogurt from the cloth and transfer it into a clean bowl.
Add condensed milk, sour cream, rosewater, nutmeg, and cardamom powder to thick yogurt.
Blend all the ingredients until you get a creamy paste.
Garnish with blanched nuts of your choice.
Chill and serve.

Coconut Laddoos

 

Ingredients:
300 grams dessicated coconut
1 can (14oz/396 g) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Few slivered almonds or pistachios for garnishing (optional)

Preparation:
Take a heavy-bottomed or a non-stick pan. Heat it over the medium flame.

Add butter and melt.

Add condensed milk, cardamom powder and dessicated coconut in the pan.

Stir the mixture over medium to low heat until it starts to thicken (it takes 5-10 minutes) and rolls easily into balls.

Turn off the flame. Cool the mixture and roll into balls.

Roll the balls in coconut powder to coat the surface.

Garnish with slivered almonds or pistachios and serve.



Mysore Pak

Mysore Pak is a popular south Indian sweet dish and is very tasty.

Ingredients:
2 cups bengal gram flour (besan)
2 cups melted butter (unsalted) or ghee
2 cups sugar
11/2 cups water
1/3 teaspoon cardamom powder (optional)

Preparation:
Take one cup of melted butter or ghee in a pan.
Add bengal gram flour into the ghee and fry until golden brown on low heat.
Meanwhile take another heavy bottomed pan.
Add sugar and water into the pan.
Boil on medium flame until it becomes one thread sticky syrup.
Add stir fried gram flour and cardamom powder.
Continue to stir on medium heat.
Add remaining butter or ghee slowly with continuous stirring.
When mixture starts to move freely leaving the ghee on the sides, transfer the mixture into a greased tray.
The mixture sets very quickly. With a sharp knife cut it into squares or desirable shapes. Garnish with sliced almonds.
Store at room temperature or keep in refrigerator.

Pineapple-Orange Punch

My kids love this punch

Ingredients:
1quart pineapple juice
1quart orange juice
2quarts (1litre) ginger ale
1tblsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Preparation:
Combine juices and ginger ale in a large punch bowl.
Stir well.
Add required ice cubes and serve cold.

Note: Make sure juices and soda are kept in refrigerator before mixing. Lime slices can also be added as garnish and for a flavor. Additional sugar is not required as juices and soda contains enough sugar.

Pedas

Pedas are delicious Indian dessert good for any occasion. This recipe is very quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:
2 cups instant dry milk powder (Nestle Carnation)
1 can (14 oz) condensed milk sweetened (Nestle Carnation)
1 stick (4oz) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon green cardamom powder (grind fresh)

Preparation:
Melt butter in a pan on a medium to low heat.
Add milk powder and condensed milk into the melted butter. Mix thoroughly.
Add cardamom powder for additional flavor.
Continue to stir for 4-5 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken.
Turn off the flame and bring the mixture to room temperature.
Grease your hands with butter and make flat balls or roll in desired shape.
Place them on a plate.
Garnish with coconut powder or slivered almonds or pistachios or cashews.
Keep in refrigerator to set for an hour and serve.
Pedas can also be served at room temperature but store in refrigerator.

Tips:
You can use cookie cutter to give some fun shapes to pedas. Kids enjoy doing this for holiday season.
Food color (a pinch) can be used to give saffron or yellow color to pedas.
Rose essence (few drops) can be combined with cardamom powder to give little exotic flavor.
No additional sugar is required.