Prawns Pulao

Ingredients:

1/2 kg small prawns shelled, deveined, washed and kept aside
3 cups of rice (I used India Gate) wash and soak it in water for 1 hour
1 big onion sliced
2 med tomatoes chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
6-7 tbsp oil
3 veg. maggi cubes
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
4 1/2 cups of boiling water


Method

In a hot pan add the oil.... once the oil is hot add the sliced onion, brown it.
Add the tomatoes brown it well, now add the ginger garlic paste brown it  lightly.
Add the turmeric and chilli powder.
Add the prawns and fry it for another minute or 2.
Add the boiling water and the cubes.
Once the water starts boiling add the rice. (make sure to throw the water in which the rice was soaking)
Stir it slowly while its boiling.  Now reduce the flame to minimum .
Cover the pan or pot with foil and cover the lid.
Leave it on sim for 15 minutes,open the lid and give one stir with very light hands. Close the flame and cover it again for another 5 minutes.
Serve and Enjoy

Sannas (Idlis)

Ingredients :

2 cups of  raw rice (washed and soaked overnight)

1 cup of urad dal (washed and soaked overnight)

Salt as per taste

1/4 cup water (luke warm water)

3/4 tsp instant yeast 

Grind the rice and dal with 11/2 cup of water to a fine paste. Add salt as per taste

Add another cup of water... the batter should  be little thick and pouring consistency.

In small bowl take 1/4 cup of water  put it in the microwave for 15 Seconds (lukewarm). Add the yeast and leave it aside to froth.

Add the yeast to the ground batter, cover  and leave it aside in a warm dark place to ferment ( it will rise within  4 to 5 hours).

Take a steamer, add water to it and put it on gas to boil.

Grease some small aluminium vaatis (bowls) with oil. Pour the batter into it and. place them in the steamer once the water starts boiling. Close the lid and let them  steam for 15 minutes.

Once cooked remove them out and leave it on the counter to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Remove from the vaatis and enjoy them with sambhaar and chutney or chicken roce curry.or pork bafat.

With this same batter you can also make dosas... They are soft, fluffy, crisp at the edges and yummy. 

To make DOSA 

Grease lightly with oil a tefal medium pan. Once the pan is hot pour 1 laddle full of batter. Close the lid and cook on medium flame for  1 minute until its crisp on the sides. Just dunk them in your chai or coffee and enjoy.   

Note : For sweeter version of sannas just add 5 tbsp of sugar and 1/4 cup of  thick coconut milk while grinding the rice and dal. 

Quick Microwave Bread Pudding

Ingredients

7-8 leftover bread slices ( U could also use the leftover buns too) The bread slices in India are smaller...
2 tsp butter at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
3 Tbsp sugar (if you want it more sweeter add as per your taste.
few dry fruits chopped ( raisins, walnuts, cashewnuts,almonds whatever you prefer)
2 cardamoms ( remove the seeds and powder it)
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp vanilla essence


Roughly tear the bread slices, add milk and sugar.
Add the beaten eggs, vanilla essence, butter, cardamom and cinnamon powder.
Leave it aside for 5 minutes.
Now add the batter into a pyrex casserole. Sprinkle the chopped dry fruits.
Put the pyrex casserole in the microwave on high speed for 5 minutes.
Voila bread pudding ready to be served...Yes it just took 5 minutes.... YUMMMY.

Note : You could even add chopped chocolate for a gooey chocolatey bread pudding.

A quick dessert when you cant think of anything and craving for something sweet,,,

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

113 gms unsalted butter, softened

100 gms cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons Red Food Color

1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence 

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Place flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix with a rubber spatula and set aside.

Mix butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer. Add sugar to the bowl. Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar together for about 1 to 2 minutes. 

Add eggs, red food color and vanilla extra and mix well. Add flour-cocoa mixture in two batches and mix with rubber spatula until incorporated. 

Refrigerate cookie dough for 4 hours.

Heat oven to 180 deg C. Using a 1 1/2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out dough and roll into balls. Roll in powdered sugar until it's completely covered. 

Bake on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper for about 10 to 12 minutes. 

Pull parchment paper from baking sheet with cookies and place on wire cooling racks. 

Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.