For the Taste Buds

Ingredients: Wheat flour - 2 cup Maida - 1/4 cup Milk - 1/2 cup Salt - pinch Oil  Water Filling: Chana dal - 1 cup Jaggery - as needed Cardamom - 3/4 Method: Mix wheat flour, maida and salt. Add water, milk, oil and kneed it as a soft dough.                         Keep it aside for 2-3 hours Soak chana dal in water. Pressure cook it. Mash chana dal and boil it with jaggery. Add cardamom powder. Make balls of chana dal mixture and dough Stuff chana dal mix into the dough and roll it Fry it in the pan applying ghee on both sides.

Ingredients: Basmati Rice - 1 cup Sprouts - 1/2 cup Cabbage, Capsicum, Beans - Chopped lengthwise Onion - 1  Ginger - grated Chillies - as needed Soy Sauce - as needed Brown Sugar or caramelized sugar - as needed Black pepper powder Method: Cook basmati and cool it. Half cook sprouts, cabbage, capsicum, beans Make a paste of ginger and chillies In a pan, saute the ginger&chilli paste in oil. Add onion,cabbage, capsicum, beans one by one and fry until soft Add Sprouts and let the raw smell go away Now add salt, pepper, soy sauce, brown sugar and atlast add rice and mix it well Have it with ketchup or raita.

Crust: 1/2 c. butter - you can use 1/4c butter and 1/4c oil. 3/4 c. wheat flour 1/2 c. rolled oats 1/2 c. chopped nuts (walnuts/pecans) 2 tbsp. brown sugar Cream butter, sugar, flour, rolled oats and nuts. Press into pie pan evenly. Filling: 1/3 c. butter 1 c. brown sugar 1 tbsp. flour 3 eggs 1/2  c. maple syrup 1/2 c. honey 1 c. broken pecans 1 tsp. vanilla 1/8 tsp. salt Cream together the butter and sugar. Then add the flour and beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour into crust and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Ingredients: Extra firm Tofu Frozen stir fry vegetables Rice noodles Sesame oil Method: Cut tofu into small cubes and fry it in little oil until it turns light brown. Boil water and keep it aside. Now add rice noodles to this boiled water. Let it soak for 10 mins. Strain the water. Saute the stir fry vegetables in sesame oil. Add noodles and tofu. Mix it well. Add the Sauce.  Sauce: Mix Soy sauce, grated ginger, grated garlic, brown sugar, sriracha (optional), tomato ketchup, Sesame oil, red chilli flakes. (Everything approximately 1 tsp - adjust it according to the quantity)

Ingredients: (approx 6 idlis) white rava - 1 cup semolina(semiya) - 1/2 cup slightly sour curd - 1 1/2 cup green chilli paste - as needed baking soda - 1/4 tsp curry leaves coriander leaves ghee - 1 tbsp salt For seasoning: mustard (kadugu) urad dhal channa dhal cashews raw peanuts Method: Roast rava and semiya in little bit of ghee Saute the seasonings in oil Mix curd, baking soda, salt & little bit of oil in a separate vessel Pour this curd mixture in the roasted rava and semiya and add the seasoning to this. Add finely chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves pour this batter into idli plates steam it for 10-15 mins in medium flame Serve it with coconut chutney.

Ingredients: Chocolate Ganache  Puff Pastry sheet Chopped walnuts & pecans Method: Cut puff pastry sheets into small pieces Fill the ganache and add some nuts Close it with another piece of puff pastry sheet Pre-heat the oven at 375F and bake it for 20-30 mins. Save some ganache and melt it again in a double boiler Drizzle the melted ganache and some nuts. ( Alternatively you can coat the puff with melted ganache) Ganache Recipe: 8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter Method: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Whisk it until smooth.

Ingredients: Javvarasi(sago) - 1 cup (Transparent one) Onion - 1 (Optional) Green chillies - 4 or 5  Mustard Urad dhal Moong dhal - 1/4 cup Curry leaves Method: Soak Javvarasi in water  for 4 to 5 hrs Pressure cook moong dhal Dice onion, green chillies In a vessel, splutter mustard and add urad dhal. Saute green chillies and onion Add Javvarasi and saute it well. The colour should change to a dull colour Add Moong dhal and saute it for few minutes

In a pita pocket or lavash bread, stuff all the ingredients (Hummus, Baba Ghanouj, Tabbouleh Salad, Crushed Falafel, Tahini Sauce, little bit of lettuce) and enjoy!

Ingredients : Chick peas - 1 cup(Soaked Overnight) Onion - 1 chopped finely Garlic - 2 Parsley  (finely chopped) Coriander leaves (finely chopped) Cumin powder - 2 tsp Flour - 2 tbsp Salt, Chili powder - as required Baking soda - 1 tsp Method: Grind the soaked chick peas with garlic  Add chopped onion , flour, baking soda, chili powder, cumin powder, salt, parsley, coriander leaves. Make balls to your desired shapes and deep fry in hot oil. Fry till deep brown and crispy.

Ingredients : Bulgur wheat - 3/4 cup Hot water - 1 cup Parsley - finely chopped Mint - finely chopped Scallions - finely chopped Tomato - 1 deseeded and finely chopped Olive oil , Lemon juice , salt and pepper for Dressing Method : Soak the wheat in hot water for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Add the chopped herbs and dress it with olive oil, salt, pepper and required amount of lemon juice. Refrigerate it and serve chilled with pita or with lavash bread.

Ingredients: Egg plant - 1 (Broiled in the oven or direct flame) Lemon - 2 tbsp Tahini paste - 2 tbsp Garlic - 2 Salt Pepper or chili powder Olive oil - to drizzle Method: 1. Just apply oil in the eggplant and grill, or broil in the oven or in the direct flame. 2. Once the skin blackened and soft to touch just keep covered in the container using cling wrap. 3. Peel the skin and grind the flesh with all other ingredients to smooth paste or chunkier as you like. 4. Drizzle with olive oil, chili powder and cumin powder. Adjust the lemon juice according to your sourness.

Basic Ingredients: Chick peas - 1 cup (Boiled) Garlic - 4 big pods Lemon - 2 tbsp Tahini Paste - 2 tbsp Chili Powder - As required  Salt Olive oil for Topping. Olive Hummus: Grind all the basic ingredients with pitted Olives (kalamata olives) Sprinkle olive oil on top Roasted bell pepper Hummus: Grind all the basic ingredients with Roasted bell pepper Sprinkle olive oil on top

Ingredients: Dates - 1 cup Cashews - 1/4 cup Sugar - 1/2 cup Milk Ghee Method: Cook dates in water until it softens Soak cashews in water for 1/2 hr Grind cooked dates with milk in a blender Grind cashews with milk Mix ground dates, cashews and sugar. Make sure the sugar is dissolved. Now, cook the mixture until it becomes thick on medium heat. Keep stirring to avoid charring the bottom. Add ghee when the mixture is about to thicken.

Ingredients: Rice flour - 1 cup Besan - 1 cup Red chilli powder - as needed Diced green chillies - as needed Baking soda - 1tsp Onion - 1 or 2 (depending on the size) Cashews - 1/4 cup Oil Method: Mix rice flour, besan, red chilli powder, salt, baking soda and green chillies Add onion and diced cashews Heat a ladle of oil, pour in the mixture and blend it well. Sprinkle water to small portion of the above mixture and mix it Take spoonful in the hand and drop it in the oil.

Ingredients: Channa dal - 1 cup Onion - 1 Green chillies - 3 or 4 Fennel seeds  Curry leaves  Coriander leaves Asafoetida Mustard seeds Method: Soak channa dhal for 1 hr Grind channa dhal, green chillies, salt and asafoetida with minimal water. Add onion, curry leaves, coriander leaves, fennel seeds  Splutter mustard seeds and add it to the dough Make small balls and fry it in oil.

Ingredients: Ragi flour - 1 cup Wheat flour - 1 cup Rice flour - 1/4 cup (optional) Ginger Vegetables - Carrot, Onion, Cabbage Pepper powder Chilli powder Curry leaves Coriander leaves Method: Grate carrot, dice onion & cabbage Mix ragi, wheat, rice flour, salt, pepper powder and chilli powder Add onion, grated carrot, cabbage, ginger, curry leaves and coriander leaves Combine everything with water to form a soft dough In a plastic sheet, spread oil and gently pat the dough with finger Cook both sides in a tawa.

Ingredients: Semiya(vermicelli) - 1 cup Milk - 2 cup Water - 1 cup Sugar - 1 cup Cashews Cardamom Ghee Method: In ghee, fry cashews and cardamom. Keep it aside In ghee and fry semiya for few minutes ( don't brown it). Keep it aside In a vessel, add 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of water. Boil it Add semiya and cook it Add another cup of milk after the semiya is cooked Add sugar and let it boil for few minutes Garnish it with cashews and cardamom.

Ingredients: Sour Curd - 3 laddle Toor dhal - 1 tbsp Rice - 1 tbsp Coriander seeds - 1tbsp Cumin seeds - 1tbsp Ginger - 1 tsp Green chillies - 4 or 5 Coconut - as needed Tumeric Asafoetida Curry leaves Coriander leaves White pumpkin/Okra Method: Soak toordhal, rice, coriander seeds, cumin seeds for 1/2 hr. Grind coconut, green chillies, ginger,tumeric, asafoetida and the soaked ingredients. Also add salt. In a vessel, splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves, white pumpkin, curd and the grinded paste Boil the mixture and garnish it with coriander seeds.

Ingredients: Wheat Flour - 2 cups Baking soda - 1 tsp Baking powder - 1/2 tsp Butter - 1 stick Sugar - 1-1/2 cups Salt - 1/2 tsp Eggs - 2 Vanilla extract - 1 tsp Sour cream - 4 Tbsp Large ripe bananas - 4 Walnuts/Pecans - as desired Method: Pre-heat the oven to 350F Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and baking powder) Cream the butter, sugar, salt and finally add egg one by one To this cream, add vanilla extract, sour cream and flour. Fold it. Add mashed bananas and nuts to this mixture Transfer this mixture to bread molds Bake it for 1 hour. Check by pricking with a toothpick. Toothpick should come out clean Let it cool and brush the top with orange glaze Orange glaze: One cup powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp orange juice, 1 tsp grated orange peel

Ingredients: Grated Carrot - 3 cups Milk - 1.5 cups Sugar - 1 cup Ghee - 1 tsp Cardomom powder - 1 tsp Cashew - as desired Method: In a kadai, add the ghee and saute the grated carrot for few minutes (don't let it brown) Add milk. Let the carrot cook in milk completely Add sugar and let the mixture thicken, till the moisture is completely absorbed Fry separately the cardomom powder and cashews in a little bit of ghee. Add it to the above mixture as a garnish!

I used to hate bitter gourd for its bitterness. But the below recipe which I got from my friend  Deepa doesn't taste bitter at all and I like it very much. Ingredients: Paavakkai Toor dal - cooked Asafoetida Mustard Urad dal Tamarind water Turmeric Sambar powder Curry leaves Coriander leaves Masala podi: Dry roast and grind- Coriander seeds - 1 Tbsp Red chillies - 4 Channa dal - 2 Tbsp Peppercorns - 1 Tbsp Cumin seeds - 1 Tbsp Method: Remove the seeds from bitter gourd and slice it into cubes Sprinkle the salt over the bitter gourd and set aside for few hours and wash it thoroughly (This will remove the bitterness) Splutter mustard, add urad dal, asafoetida  and curry leaves Add bitter gourd and saute it well Add turmeric, tamarind water, salt and  sambar powder and let it boil. Add cooked toor dhal and the special podi and let it boil until the raw smell goes away Garnish it with coriander leaves 

Ingredients: Cornflour - 1 cup Milk - 3 cups Sugar - 1-1/2 Cups Nuts (almond or cashews or pistachios) - finely chopped Ghee Cardamom, crushed Saffron, optional Method: In a vessel, mix the flour, milk and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Keep aside Saute the chopped nuts and cardamom separately in ghee and keep it aside Heat the flour mixture in a medium flame Keep stirring constantly until it thickens. Add some ghee to avoid the mixture sticking to the vessel Mix in the nuts and saffron Transfer it to a deep dish coated with oil or ghee Allow it to cool, which would solidify/sets the halwa Knife it into desired shape Serve it hot or cold!

Ingredients: Any colored bell peppers Onion Corn Garlic Black Beans Cumin powder Barbecue sauce Method: Chop the peppers, onion and garlic into small cubes Saute everything with little olive oil Add cumin powder after the onions have turned translucent Shut off the heat, add barbecue sauce Serve Hot!

I basically used this recipe from bigoven. It came out really good and yummy! Ingredients- Crust: 1 1/4 cup oreo cookie crumbs 1/3 cup melt unsalted butter Filling: 450 g cream cheese softened 1/2 cup sugar 3 eggs room temperature 50 g dark chocolate melted and cool 2 tbsp Kahlua - I used Rum, in place of Kahlua, b'cos that's what I had! Preparation- Preheat oven to 350F. Make the crust by mixing all the crust ingredients together. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the spring form pan. Bake crust for 10 mins. Set aside to cool. Turn down oven temperature to 275F. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and egg (one at a time). Blend well. Reserve 1 tbsp melted chocolate, and pull the remaining chocolate and Kahlua in the mixture. Mix well. Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Tap the pan on counter a few times to release all the air in the batter. Bake in waterbath for an hour, or until the edge of the cheesecake is puffed but the cent