Home Made Pizza (Pepper Pizza)

My family loves pizza, but when we order pizza from outside there's just so much cheese. So no matter what pizza you order it ends up being a cheese pizza. So we started to make home made pizza( well actually semi home made pizza- sinceI buy the base and the pizza sauce in the super market.)

Ingredients:
1 Pizza base (big one)
5-6 Tsp Pizza sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese ( shredded)
1 Red onion (chopped)
5 Tsp olives
5 Tsp Jalapeño peppers (slices) (both fresh and pickled ones can be used)
1/4 cup Red & Green peppers (chopped)
2-3 Pickled yellow chilly peppers ( halved )
2 tsp red chilly flakes.

Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 450 deg.
Apply the pizza sauce on the base.( I usually use Mids brand sauce)
spread all the vegetables in an un greased sheet an keep in the oven for 10 minutes or till the veggies are golden brown.
Now spread all the veggies on to the pizza base and , sprinkle the cheese on top of the veggies.
Bake the pizza in the over for 8 - 10 minutes.
Add the red chilly flakes before serving.

This pizza is very spicy. You can also add Paneer and any vegetable of your choice.

Lentil Soup (Toor dal soup)

This soup has a lot of protein , since it is made with toor dal. This soup is a great appetizer.
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Toor dal
• 3 coves Garlic (crushed)
• 1 Tomato
• 2 Green chillies
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 Tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 Tsp pepper
• 1 Tsp oil
• 1 Sprig curry leaves
• 1 Tsp coriander leaves
• Salt to taste.

Method:
Cook the toor dal in a pressure cooker along with 2 cups of water, tomato, and green chillies.
When the dal is cooked mash the dal and tomato and bring it to a liquid consistency.
Heat oil in a kadai add garlic curry leaves and the dal mixture.
Add Turmeric powder, pepper and cumin powder.
Let the liquid boil till the raw smell is gone.
Serve hot.

Coriander Seed Thogayal(Vara kuthamali Thogayal)

My aunt makes this thogayal, when some one in our house has a cold.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Coconut(shredded)
7 Tsp Coriander seeds
3 Tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 Tsp Tamarind paste
5 Dry red chillies
1/2 Tsp Pepper
1 Tsp oil
Salt to taste
Method:
Heat the kadai, and roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds,
chillies and pepper in oil.
Grind the roasted spice along with the coconut, tamarind and salt into a coarse paste.
Add water when required.

Have it with plain rice or rasam & rice.

Beans Sothi

Ingredients:
1/4 pounds green beans
7-8 Small onions
3- 4 green chillies ( modify the amount of chillies according to your taste)
1/2 can lite coconut milk
1 Tsp Sambar powder
1 sprig Curry leaves
2 Tsp oil
1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 Tsp Urad dal
1 Pinch Asafoetida
Salt to taste
Method:
Cut the green beans into 1 inch pieces.
slice the small onions.
Heat the kadai , add oil and the mustard seeds and urad dal.
when the dal browns add curry leaves, small onions, chillies and green beans and saute.
Now add sambar powder and water, let it cook till the beans are tender.
Add salt to taste.
Now add the coconut milk and Asafoetida and let it simmer .

This Recipe can be made with , green beans, potato and beetroot.
This Sothi taste great with white rice.

Note: This is not a lunch box recipe, the coconut tends to seperate from the water.

Indian Style Pasta

We had some guests coming over to our house for dinner , I Wanted to make an appetizer that can act as a part of the meal too. I ended up making this Indian style pasta.


Ingredients:
2 cups Pasta
1 cup vegetables
3 Tsp Olive oil
1 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Tsp Urad dal
1 Sprig curry leaves
1 Tsp Turmeric powder
1 Tsp Garam masala
2 Tsp chilly powder
1 Tsp coriander powder
1 Medium Onion
1 Vine tomato
1Tsp G/G Paste(Ginger /Garlic)
Salt to taste.
Cilantro to garnish.
2 Tsp Lemon juice(optional)
Method:
Boil the pasta with 1 Tsp olive oil.( The oil prevents the pasta from stinking)
Drain the pasta and cool it in a flat surface.
chop the onion and tomato.
Heat a kadai and add olive oil ,mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.
When they splutter add onion ,G/G paste and tomato and saute.
Now add the pasta , salt, chilly powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and coriander powder.
cover and cooke till the raw masala smell goes off.
If you like the pasta to be tangy add the lemon juice before turning off the range.
garnish with cilantro and serve.

Coconut Milk Kanji(Thengai Pal Kanji)

This is one dish I had never heard of before my marriage.When my Mother-in-law first told me she was going to make Kanji for the night, I was very apprehensive (the word kanji to me meant some thing soggy and hence uneatable.)But, once I tasted, it was Delicious.

Ingredients:
1 cup Parboiled Rice ( do not use Basmathi or Raw rice)
3/4 cup Mung dal
2 cups Coconut milk
2 cups of Water
1 bulb Garlic(peeled)
Salt to taste.
Method:
I usually use one whole pack of shredded coconut, to make coconut milk.
Take the first extract of coconut milk and keep aside.
Add water and extract more milk.
Dry roast the mung dal.
wash the rice and mix it with the mung dal. Add Garlic and salt.
Now add the second extract ,and water.
Let it cook. ( for 3 whistles if using pressure cooker, If using rice cooker- untill most of the liquid is absorbed)
Now add the first extract coconut milk. and let it cook for five minutes.(do not put the whistle on if using pressure cooker.)

This dish tastes great along with Mor Mulagai .You can also have it with pickle.
We usually have this for dinner.

Roast Green Beans

This is one of my Favorite recipes.This recipe does not take much oil and can be done at a moments notice, and is a great tasting snack or a healthy appetizer.

Ingredients:
1 Lb Green beans
3 Tsp Olive oil
Salt and Pepper(powder) to taste.
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 400 deg.
Cut the ends of beans.
Lay the beans in a baking sheet in a single layer.(Do not overlap)
Add oil, salt and pepper.
Make sure the beans are coated well.
Keep it in the oven for 10 minutes.
Flip the beans,Flipping the beans will ensure even cooking.
Keep the beans in the oven for another 10 Minutes.
Take the beans out of the oven and serve immediately.

The beans are very crunchy. It is like a healthy version of French fries.

Carrot Soup

Today we had a heavy lunch, so we decided to have something light for dinner. since I had some garlic soup sticks , I decided to make carrot soup.
Ingredients:

• 1 Large carrot
• 1 Tomato(i used the vine tomato , since it is more juicy)
• 1 Tsp butter
• 1/2 tsp G&G paste (Ginger- Garlic)
• Salt & Pepper to taste.

Method:
Roughly chop the carrots and tomato.
Melt the butter in a saute pan, add the chopped veggies.
Add water and let it cook , after the carrots are tender , let it cool down for some time , and then blend it till it reaches a velvety consistency.
now pour the mixture in the sauce pan along with salt , pepper and the G&G paste, and bring to a boil .
Add a few drops of lime juice if you want a tang to the soup.
Have it along with soup sticks , or just toasted bread.

Plantain Poriyal(Vazhakai poriyal)

Ingredients:
2 Large plantains
1 onion(chopped)
1 pinch turmeric Powder
1 Table spoon Chilly powder
Oil
Mustard seeds
urad dal
salt to taste
Method:
Chop the onion. Slit the plantain vertically , and cut it into small slices.
Heat the oil in a kadai, splutter the mustard seeds and urad dal.
Add the cut plantain, add chilly powder turmeric, powder and salt.
Cover and cook till the raw masala flavor leaves .
Serve with rice.

Pepper curry(Milagu kuzhambu)

This is a wonderful recipe . Pepper curry is a very spicy dish. We usually make this dish when the weather is a little nippy outside. Today as it started snowing outside, i made this to have with rice.This curry resembles a Puliogare paste. And it can be kept for 3-4 days. Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Coriander seed
• 1 Tablespoon Tamarind paste
• 2 Red chillies
• 1 Tsp fenugreek
• 1 Bulb Garlic sliced
• Asafoetida
• 2 Tbsp Sesame oil
• Salt to taste.

Method:Saute pepper, chilly and coriander seeds until they pop.

Remove from heat and make it into a paste. the paste should not be too fine .(pepper emits a medicinal flavor if it is ground too fine.)
Pour oil in a kadai , tamper with Fenugreek seeds.
Add the sliced garlic.
Now add the pepper- coriander paste.
Add the tamarind extract.
Add water according to desired thickness.
Add salt and asafoetida.
Let it simmer for 10- 15 minutes.(until the oil starts to float on top).

This curry is great with hot steamed rice. it can also be had with idly.