Banana Bread pudding

4 slices of bread
2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup of milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of powdered cinnamon

Soak bread in milk for 10-15 mins
blend together, bread, bananas, sugar and powdered cinnamon
Bake the mixture at Medium High for 15 mins

Garnish with Cashew/Almonds

Pudina and Raw Mango Chutney

1 bowl full of pudina leaves
1/2 bowl sliced raw onions
2 tbsp Dried roasted chick peas
1/2 inch ginger
3-4 cloves of garlic
2-3 green chillies
salt to taste

grind them all to a coarse paste...tastes yummy with bhajji/bread roll...any of those fried snacks..

Kadhi

What goes in:

2 cups fresh curd - I strain the curd using a strainer to ensure that its well blended, you could also use a blender instead
pinch of turmeric
1 tsp kasuri methi
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 Red Chillies

What Next:

Heat 1 tsp oil
Add Mustard seeds allow it to splutter
Add Red Chillies, turmeric and kasuri methi
Add Curd and salt

Keep Stirring till you see the first bubbles and stop cooking right there, else the kadhi will be all curdled...

I did an operation with spoilt milk the other day, strained it, mixed it with 2 tbsp fresh curd, kept it aside for about 2 hours and used this for my kadhi. My Kadhi has never been so creamy before. :) Try this next time you have spoilt milk and are not in mood to make paneer out of it!

Savoury Pancakes

2 Cups Maida
1 Egg
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp spring onion finely chopped
salt to taste
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp Oregano
2 tbsp shredded cheese

Blend all of the above into a smooth batter and make yummy pancakes in butter.

I tried adding some vermicelli to it, to give it a different texture. It does taste great, do try it out.

This wont take more than 15 mins

Chiwda

What goes in?
2 cups Flat poha ( beaten rice)
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp chana dal (bengal gram)
1 tbsp chopped green chilles
1 tbsp powdered sugar
pinch of turmeric powder
salt to taste
Optional (curry leaves, ground nut, small pieces of dry coconut)

What to do next?
Heat the poha in the microwave on high for 1 min
Heat oil.
Add the mustard seeds, allow it to splutter
Add the chana dal and chopped green chillies (and the optional ingredients.)
Remove from flame and add salt and turmeric to this.
Mix this with the poha.
Add powdered sugar and mix well.

How much time does it take?
10 mins

Crispy Aaloo

What goes in?
5-6 medium sized potatoes boiled, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 tsp corriander powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp corn flour
1 tsp chat masala
salt to taste

What to do next?
Shallow fry the potatoes till golden brown
Add salt, chilli powder, corriander powder.
Dust the corn flour and allow the potatoes to go crisp.
Remove from flame, and add char masala and mix well

Garnish with corriander leaves and lemon/ lemon juice. Photo and presentation courtesy Jeev :)

How much time does it take?
15 mins

Peas Pulao

What goes in?
1 cup peas
4 cups basmati rice (soak the rice in 4 1/2 cups of water for 30 mins)
2-4 Bay leaves
2-4 cloves
2 cardamom
1 inch stick of cinnamon
4-6 pepper corns
2 tbsp ghee
salt to taste

What to do next?

I make this in my small pressure cooker
Heat ghee in the cooker
Add the bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper..allow it to splutter
Add the peas and mix well
Allow this to cool for 5 mins
Add the soaked basmati rice (minus the water)
Mix this well
Add the water (in which the rice was soaked)
Cover the pressure cooker with its lid (minus the weight/whistle)
Cook in high flame for 5 mins.
Lower the flame.
Check for the steam from the vent, cook for 5 mins after the steam is seen.
Take it off the flame, and allow it to stand for another 15 mins (till the steam is out and the lid can be opened)
Peas Pulao is ready to serve :)

How much time does it take?
45 mins