Quickie pudding

Cooking Time Required : 15 mins
Cost of preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Eggs ( 2 nos ), fruit bread ( 4 slices ), milk ( 3/4 th cup ), sugar ( 3tsp ), vanilla essence ( 4-5 drops ), raisins ( 1/4 th cup ), cashews ( 1/4 th cup ), salt ( a pinch ), ghee ( 1/3 tsp ), sweetened cornflakes/wheatflakes ( 1/2 cup ).

Preparation: Cut and remove the sides of the fruit bread. Break into small pieces and soak in a mixing bowl with warm milk for about 15 minutes.

Whisk the two eggs and add to the mixing bowl along with the sugar, raisins, cashews and vanilla essence. Beat well.

Cooking: Grease the sides of steel bowl ( one with a lid that fits tightly ). Pour in the mixture. Close with the lid.

Add 2 cups of water to a pressure cooker. Transfer the bowl into the pressure cooker and close the pressure cooker lid. Put on the stove and allow for 3-4 whistles ( 12-15 mins).

Remove from the stove and allow steam to escape. Open the pressure cooker and remove the bowl. Cut the pudding into small pieces and sprinkle the crushed cornflakes over it.
Relish it hot.

Kakara Pitha

Cooking Time Required: 30-40 mins
Cost of preparation: 70-80 rupees

Ingredients: Suji ( 250 gm ), maida ( 1 cup ), coconut ( grated, 2 cups ), chenna ( cottage cheese, 1 cup ), sugar ( 3-4 tsp ), raisins ( optional, 1 cup ), fennel ( saunf, pana mahuri, 1 tsp ), cardamon ( 1-2 nos ), ghee ( 1 tbs ), oil for frying, salt.

Preparation: Boil water in a wok ( Use water twice the volume of suji ). Add the suji, maida, fennel and salt to the boiling water and keep stirring continously to avoid formation of lumps.

Remove from fire once the water is completely absorbed and the mixture forms a solid lump.

Allow to cool down a bit. Add the ghee. Knead the mixture into a smooth dough. The kneading should be done when the dough is still hot ( should have a tolearble temperature ).

Add sugar, raisins, cashews, chenna and cardamon powder to the grated coconut.Mix well.

Break the dough into small balls. Flatten the balls into small rotis. Stuff with the
coconut-chenna mixture. Shape into small balls.

Cooking: Heat a wok. Add sufficient oil for frying. When the oil is sufficiently hot, add the stuffed balls. Fry till the balls are cooked and turn golden brown.

Remove from the wok and serve hot.

Tip to avoid lumps in the dough - Dissolve 1 tsp maida in cold water and add to the boiling water before adding the rest of the maida and suji.

Note - This Pitha can be made entirely with Suji which makes it very crispy. Or with maida with just a hint of suji for that melt in touch texture without the crispy feel.

Kaankada Jholo

Cooking Time Required: 45-50 mins
Cost of preparation: 120-150 rupees

Ingredients: Crab meat ( 1 Kg.), onions ( 2-3 large ), cumin seeds ( 2 tsp), garlic pods ( 18-20 nos ), red chilli ( 3-4 nos ), ginger ( 2 inch long ), tomato ( 2 medium ), turmeric ( 1 tsp), cinnamon ( 2 inch long ), small cardamon ( 3-4 nos), oil ( 10-15 tsp ), salt.

Cooking: Put a wok on the stove and put 6-7 tsp oil in it . When the oil starts smoking, add the crab meat along with turmeric. Stir fry till the crab meat turns red and all the excess water evaporates.

Remove from the wok and keep aside. Grind the onion, garlic, ginger, cumin and red chillis into a fine paste . Powder the cinnamon and cardamon.

Heat a wok. Add the remaining oil. Add the paste and salt along with two cups of water. Cook till the raw smell goes away. Add the minced tomatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes till it is softened. Add the crab meat along with the garam masala powder. Stir fry for another 5-10 mins.




Add 4-5 cups of water. Bring to a boil . Allow to simmer for 10 mins. Crab curry is ready to eat.

Serve with rice .

Badi-Palanga saaga

Cooking Time Required : 15 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Palanga (palak, spninach) leaves ( 2 bunches), tomato ( 1 small), red chilli ( 2 nos ), pancha phutana (1/3 tsp), oil ( 3 tsp), badi ( 1/2 cup ), salt.

Preparation: Wash the palanga leaves thoroughly and cut into fine pieces. The tomato should be cut into very small pieces.

Cooking: Heat a pan and add 1 tsp oil. Add the badis and drizzle with some more oil on top. Stir fry till the badis are golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and crush into small pieces.

Heat a wok (kadai). Add the oil. When it starts smoking, add the red chillis (broken into 2-3 pieces each) and pancha phutana. Add the tomatoes to the spluttering seeds.
Fry till the tomatoes are well cooked.

Add the palanga leaves and salt. Cook uncovered till the leaves are done. Remove from the wok into a serving bowl. Add the crushed badis. Mix well.

Tip: This dish can also be prepared without adding the tomatoes. Instead brinjal ( cut into small cubes ) can also be used.

Instead of adding the badi, one can also add roasted moong dal. The moong dal should be dry roasted and broken into small pieces.