Kesari (Strawberry flavoured)

This is strawberry flavoured kesari. Hershey's strawberry syrup was sitting in my cupboard for sometime. I love its flavour and colour. I didn't know it would come out this well. The result was very tasty. I made this for a few friends of mine and they all loved it. Here I haven't added any extra colour. It is the colour of the syrup. Do try this one for your kid.

Ingredients

• Rava/semolina - 1/2 cup
• Water - 1 cup (boiled)
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Cardamom - 5 
• Hershey's strawberry syrup - 1/3 cup
• Ghee - 3 tbsp

Method

• Powder sugar along with cardamom seeds. Keep aside
• Heat a pan and add rava. 
• Dry roast it for 2-3 minutes till you get an aroma (don't burn it).
• To this add boiled water and stir on low flame. If required add more water so rava cooks well. (Mash all the lumps)
• Once it has cooked add sugar-cardamom powder and stir well. 
• Add the Hershey's strawberry syrup.
• Allow it to thicken. Stir occasionally. It will thicken soon. 
• Now add ghee and stir until it starts pulling away from the pan. (it becomes a mass and doesn't stick to the pan)
• Grease a plate with ghee and spread this kesari onto it. 
• When it cools down cut into desired shape and enjoy. 

Quiche

Most of the quiche recipes contain lots of cheese and butter. I was eager to try one quiche but these guilt feeling ingredients refrained me from trying it. Then yesterday I tried this not much buttery and no cheese quiche which tasted nice. It is a healthy breakfast for your family. Here I've tried sausages as main ingredient. You can make it more healthy by choosing your favourite ingredient and loading with cheese if your kids like it.

Ingredients
For the base pastry

• Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
• Butter - 10 gms (frozen)
• Olive oil - 3 tsp (frozen)
• Ice cold water - as required
• Salt to taste

For filling

• Sausage - 2 
• Onion - 1 medium
• Egg - 1 
• Milk - 2 tsp
• Oregano - 1/2 tsp
• Any pizza cheese (as required) - I didn't use

Method
For the base pastry

• Rub frozen butter and frozen oil out into the wheat flour.
• Add salt to taste
• Add required amount of cold water to make a dough. Cover it with aluminium foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For filling

• Mix together milk and egg. Add salt and pepper as required.
• Add grated cheese to egg-milk mix. Keep aside (If you're not using cheese, omit this step)
• In a hot pan add little oil and followed by chopped onion. Add salt to taste.
• Add chopped sausage pieces and stir fry. 
• Add oregano and pepper powder. Stir fry until done and keep aside

Finally

• Preheat oven at 180 degrees centigrade.
• Take the refrigerated dough and roll it into the size of your pie/tart dish.
• Butter the base of the tart dish
• Press the rolled out dough into the dish and cut off the extra at the rims. 
• Put the filling into it and pour the egg- milk-cheese mixture. 
• Bake in preheated oven at 180 degree centigrade for 25-30 minutes

Aloo Jeera

I know this is one of the most usual dishes on your dining table. It is one irresistible potato dish which we love to have every week. These days my little boy has become very naughty (earlier also he was but after vacation he became 4 times more) and is taking most of my time. So most of the time goes on running after him and shouting Noel noooo... :) .. this aloo jeera is one dish he likes to pick and eat. Cumin flavour is not something I love always, but with potato I love it.

Ingredients

• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Potato - 3
• Onion - 1
• Red chilly - 3
• Salt to taste
• Oil for sauteing

Method

• Boil the potatoes with salt and cut it into small cube sizes. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan
• Add cumin seeds and saute for 10 secs.
• Break your red chillies and above to the cumin. Saute
• Add sliced onion. Saute for 5 minutes on medium flame.
• Add salt to taste (you've cooked potato with salt, so add accordingly here)
• Add your boiled potato cubes.
• Saute until you get the cumin flavours into the potato (10 minutes on medium flame). Don't over use your spoon for sauteeing as you'll smash your potatoes
• Serve hot

Prawns Thoran

This is an easy way to eat something tasty on a lazy day (if you've some cleaned prawns). I had some cleaned shallots in my fridge so things were very quick. Just had to mix and love all ingredients and put it on flame. Enjoy with hot rice. 

Ingredients

• Prawns - 250 gms
• Shallots - 1 cup + (3 for tempering)
• Chopped ginger - 1 tbsp (chopped)
• Green chilli - 5
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Kudam puli - 2 pieces 
• Grated coconut - 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Coconut oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method

• Clean the prawns. If they're big one cut each one into 2 to 3 pieces.
• Slice shallots and green chilli. chop ginger .
• In an earthenware (or any kadai) put together all the ingredients and mix well with your fingers.
• Keep on flame and let it cook for 6-10 minutes (Prawns actually take only 2-3 minutes to cook. you can adjust the cooking time according to your taste)
• Switch off the flame
• Temper as below

For tempering

• Heat oil in a pan
• Add mustard seeds. 
• When it starts spluttering add sliced shallots and saute until brown. 
• Pour over the thoran.