Suji / Sooji Halwa

Ingredients:

Semolina (Sooji )            -1 ½ cup
Sugar                               -1 ½ cup
Cardamom Powder         -2 Pinch
Saffron                            -1 pinch
Water                              -1 cup
Coconut                          -1 tbsp (grated)
Almonds                         -1 tbsp (finely sliced)
Cashewnuts                    -1 tbsp (finely sliced)
Pistachio                         -1 tbsp (finely sliced)
Raisins                            -10-15 nos
Clarified butter               -2 tbsp.

Method:

In a medium size deep pan roast the Semolina. Switch off the flame when semolina becomes light golden in colour.
Put the ghee in semolina. roast it for a minute, when fragrance starts to come. Add cardamom, Saffron, Sugar and water. Stair it continuously, stop when it starts to thicken up. Press very gently in order to level it.
Sprinkle the coconut powder, sliced nuts and raisins onto halwa.
Sooji Halwa is ready to serve. Halwa accompanies Puri chole and Aaloo puri very well.
You can serve it as halwa or some people like to cut in to shapes to serve it as barfi.

Kaju Katli / Kaju Barfi

Ingredients:

Cashewnuts (kaju)           -2 cups
Sugar                               -1 1/2 cup
water                               -3/4 cup
saffron (optional)            -About 10 strings

Method:

Grind the cashewnuts to powder. Grind small portion at a time, do not grind for too long. Dry grinder works well or if you have coffee grinder it will be best.
Take a heavy bottom pan roast the cashew nut powder for about 4 minutes or until powder just get warm. Do not heat for any longer otherwise powder will start getting oily and burn easily.
Boil the sugar and water together in a saucepan on medium heat until syrup is 1 thread.
Now add the saffron to the syrup and mix it well. Saffron is optional. Turn off the heat.
Add the cashewnut powder to the syrup and mix it well, making sure that there are no lumps.
To check the right consistency take a little mix in a spoon, you should be able to roll this into softball.
Next spread the mix quick to the greased plate. Spread before the mix cools off.
Allow burfi to cool down and then cut them in the diamond shapes or whichever shape you like.  I cut them into diamond shapes as this is the traditional shape of Kaju katli. You can cut them or maybe roll them into your desire shapes.
You can store barfi for a week in the refrigerator.

Sambhar

Ingredients:

Tuvar Dal                  -2 cup
Fresh Vegetables       -1/4 kg (Drumstick,Green Pepper,Eggplant,Okra,Dudhi)
Fenugreek seeds        -1/4 tsp
Red chillies                -3
Green chillies             -3
Sambhar powder        -1 tsp
Curry leaves               -2 strands
Hing                           -a pinch
Salt                             -1 tsp  / to taste
Mustard                      -2 tsp
Tamarind paste          -1/4 tsp
Cooking oil                -2 tbsp

Method:

Wash and dice all the vegetables.
Boil water and cook the dal with turmeric and salt.
Separate the cooked dal and the water, and keep them aside.
cook the vegetables in the tuvar dal water.
After the veggies are cooked, add tamarind paste.
Now add the cooked thuvar dal and simmer for a few more minutes.
Heat some oil in a pan, splutter mustard, then add methi, red chillies, green chillies, curry leaves, hing, turmeric, and sambhar powder and keep frying for a few minutes.
Season the sambhar with the above prepared tadka.
Garnish with coriander. .

Idli Sambhar

Ingredients:

Idli rice                 -3 cups
Whole urad dal     -1 cup
Fenugreek seeds   -1/2 tsp
Water                    -As required
Salt                       -To taste


Method:

Wash and soak rice separately and urad dal + fenugreek seeds for  5 hrs at least.
Grind urad dal first. Drain all the water from urad dal, put it into the grinder and start it. Add 1/2 cup water and grind for 4-5 minutes. Add 1/2 more cup of water. Stand near by and use the plastic spatula to wipe the dal every time, ensure no dal or fenugreek seeds gets stuck to the side walls of the grinder container.
After 4-5 minutes,add 1/4 cup of water and grind for 10 minutes, for every 4 minutes or so, sprinkle water as needed. The batter will be light, fluffy and have micro bubbles when seen keenly.
Collect the urad dal batter in a big container, which should be enough to hold the raising fermented batter the next day.
Now drain the water from the rice. Add 1/2 + 1/2 cup water in between while you add all the soaked rice little by little. Grind for 4-5 minutes and again make sure no whole rice stuck in the sides of the grinder container. Use the spatula. Add 1/2 more cup of water and grind till it is smooth or a little coarse. Grind until the rice batter is smooth.
Transfer this rice batter to the urad dal batter and add salt and mix well with your hands.
Keep closed in a warm place for fermenting minimum of 12-14 hrs. I soak around 6.00am in morning,grind around 12.00PM lunch time and keep it over night and make idly for the morning breakfast.
To check the fermentation, it should be foamy and raised a lot. A well fermented batter gives,soft and tasty Idli/Dosa. If batter is heavy and not fluffy and light, then idlies also will turn hard. If you are not going to make idlis after fermentation just keep it refrigerated to avoid over fermentation ,resulting in sour idlis.
For making idlis, grease the Idli plate  with oil(preferably coconut oil) . Heat the Idli pan with 1 cup of water and allow the water to boil.
Pour 3/4 the ladle of idli batter to the idli plates and steam it for 9-10 minutes.
If you want to check out whether it is done, just wet a fork and insert it in a idli, if it is not sticky just switch off the flame and take the idli plate out.
After a few seconds dip a spoon in water and carefully take out the idlis and transfer them to the serving plate. Do not take out when the idlis are hot as it will not come out properly.
These idlis will stay soft for many hours and never get dried. Just cover it properly if you going to eat it later.
My kids love to eat Idli with Sambhar and some times just the ketchup.

Baklava

This recipe will make 18-20 pieces of Baklavas.

Ingredients:
Phyllo pastry                     -6 sheets
Clarified butter                  -1/2 cup
Almond                             -1/2 cup Very Thinly flaked
Walnuts                             -1/2 cup Very Thinly flaked
Pistachio                            -1/2 cup Very Thinly flaked
Cashewnuts                       -1/2 cup Very Thinly flaked
coconut powder                 -1/4 cup
cardamom powder             -1/2 teaspoon
Sugar                                  -1/3 cup

Syrup:
Sugar                             -3/4 cup
Water                             -1/2 cup
Lemon juice                  -1 teaspoon
sliced pistachios            -1 tablespoon for garnish


Method:

For baking I am using 6×6 baking tray.

Preparing Filling:

Combine all the dry ingredients, ground almonds, walnuts, pistachio, coconut, sugar, and cardamom.
Preheat the oven 350 degree F.

Making the Baklava Roll:

Prepare a clean and dry work surface to use the phyllo pastry. Open the phyllo pastry and take 1 sheet out spread over the working surface and fold it making it double in length wise. Lightly brush the butter covering the whole sheet.You will be working with the short side.
Leave about 1/2 inch of sheet across the short side and put 2 tablespoons of the filling from edge to edge evenly. Roll it twice and brush lightly with butter, only on the rolled part.
Put 1 tablespoons of the filling again from edge to edge evenly. Roll it up carefully, after every roll brush it with butter, and place seam side down in the baking tray.
Repeat the process until you finish rolling all the sheets or until you filling finishes.
The pieces should fit snugly, but avoid to not squash them together.
Take a very sharp knife, cut each roll into 3 equal pieces in length or the size you desire. That will make 18-20 pieces. Lightly brush the butter over each piece.
Bake the baklava for about 25 to 30 minutes until they are light golden brown in color.

Making Syrup:

Boil the sugar and water together until its ½ thread. Add the lemon juice and cardamom powder and turn off the heat. Lemon juice will not let the syrup crystallize.
Carefully pour the hot (but not boiling) syrup evenly over all the baklava pieces. Sprinkle few pieces of the grated/sliced pistachios over baklava for garnishing.
Allow the baklava to cool before serving. Enjoy!