Sauteed Apples

Ingredients:

• 1/8 cup butter
• 2 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4" thick
• 1 tsp corn starch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Preparation:

• In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add apples and cook, stirring constantly, until apples are tender, about 6 to 7 min.
• Dissolve cornstarch in water and add to skillet. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon. Boil for 2 min, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and serve warm. 

Fried Bananas

Ingredients:

• 2 - 4 ripe bananas (old ones are very good)
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp shredded dry coconut (dessicated coconut)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 tsp baking soda
• 1 egg (optional)
• few drops vanilla essence
• 1/3 cup rice flour for coating
• Oil for frying

Preparation:

• Peel and slice bananas in half and then again lengthwise.
• Mix all purpose flour, rice flour, corn starch, salt and 2 tbsp shredded coconut in a bowl and stir to combine. Add baking soda to water and mix it in the bowl into a batter.
• Crack an egg and whip it in the batter (optional - I tried it without the egg and it turned out pretty good)
• Mix 1/3 cup rice flour with 1 tbsp shredded coconut in a separate bowl.
• Dip banana slices into the batter first and then roll it in the rice flour - coconut mixture. This will firm up the bananas and make for a crispy coating.
• Shallow or deep fry the bananas in hot oil. (I shallow fried it)

Garlic Wine Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless chicken breast half, pounded thin
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 4 mushrooms, chopped
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil (I use olive oil)

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a skillet. Dredge chicken breast in flour and place it in the hot skillet. Add pepper to taste. Cook until golden brown on one side, 3-4 min.
• Turn chicken over and add garlic, mushroom, lemon juice and wine. Stir and turn heat up to let liquids reduce to about 1/4 cup. 
• Remove chicken from skillet. Add butter to skillet and swirl it around until completely incorporated in the sauce and the sauce is slightly thickened. Pour over chicken and serve with pasta and choice vegetables. 

Chicken Momos

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 120 grams all purpose flour (maida)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt for kneading flour

For the Chicken filling:

• 1 cup chicken mince
• 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp garlic and ginger, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp soya sauce
• 1/4 tsp vinegar
• salt to taste

Preparation

• Grind all ingredients for chicken filling lightly and keep aside.
• Knead the flour, baking powder and salt together into a firm dough. Cover and keep aside.
• Roll the dough into 4 - 5" rounds.
• Place the filling in the centre of each round. Bring the edges together and twist to seal it.
• Steam for 10 min and serve hot with chilly sauce.

Ragi Idli

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ragi
• 1/4 cup urad dhal
• Salt to taste
• Grated vegetables, optional

Preparation:

1. Soak urad dhal and ragi separately for at least 3 hours.
2. Blend urad dhal till it becomes fluffy.
3. Blend ragi separately
4. Mix both with salt and allow to ferment overnight.
5. Add vegetables, if desired.
6. Grease idli plates, pour batter and steam for 15 minutes or until cooked.
7. Remove and serve hot with tomato chutney or mint chutney.

Rice Flakes Idli (Aval Idli)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw rice
• 1/2 cup rice flakes (aval)
• 1/2 cup yogurt, sour
• 5 green chillies
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 1 tbsp bengal gram dhal
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp whole pepper
• 1/4" ginger, finely chopped
• asafoetida, pinch
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Soak rice for 2 - 3 hours. Soak rice flakes separately in curd for about 1 1/2 hours.
• Blend them together with grated coconut and chillies coarsely.
• Add salt and blend again.
• Add pepper, cumin seeds and bengal gram dhal on top of the batter and allow to ferment overnight.
• Add ginger, asafoetida and baking soda and mix batter well.
• Pour into idli plates over cashews, if desired, and steam for 10 minutes or until cooked.
• Serve hot with any spicy chutney.

Carrot Chutney

Ingredients:

• 3 large carrots, peeled and grated
• 3 tbsp grated coconut
• 3 tbsp coriander seeds
• 4 dry red chillies
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Oil

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add red chillies and coriander seeds and fry till chillies turn light brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Add grated carrot to the same pan and fry till fully cooked.
3. Blend these in a mixer along with grated coconut and salt to a fine paste. 
4. Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, add it to the ground chutney and serve.