AMANDE CRÈME BRÛLÉE

Don't be afraid! Its written in french i.e. Almond Creme Brulee or Almond burnt cream, which mean a baked custard dessert, topped with caramelized sugar crust. Actually brulee is made of egg yolk but I don't like egg in chilled form, so I tried this one in which they had used custard powder.

•  China grass - 10 gms
• Custard powder - 2 tbsp
• Milk - 6 cups
• Sugar - 6 tbsp or 100 gms
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
• Sugar - to caramelizing
• Almond - Few (finely chopped)

1. Soak the china grass in a cup of water for 5 - 10 min. Heat the pan, add the mixture and stir it continuesly till the grass dissolves completely. Keep aside
2. In the deep bowl, combine the custard powder in cold milk. mix it well and keep it aside.
3. In another pan, boil the remaining milk and sugar. When the milk starts to boil add the custard mix and the china grass mixture and stir it continually until it boil and cook well. 
4. Keep this mixture aside till it cools. 
5. Now add the almond and mix well. Divide it into different bowl and refrigerate it till it sets.
6. Now in a pan heat a teaspoon of sugar till it caramelize and the colour changes to light brown.
7. Now pour this over the set custard and sprinkle some almonds on top and serve it immediatly. 

NOTE: If you want to reduce the calories, you can use low fat milk.

Ragi Poraidge

 
• Finger millet  or Ragi Flour - 1 cup
• Water - 1 ½ - 2cup
• Salt - To taste

1. Keep the water to boil  except ½ cup water.
2. In a small bowl take the remaining water and mix with the flour to make a nice paste.
3. When water starts to boil add this paste and stir constantly without stopping.
4. When the raw smell goes then switch off the stove.
5. Add salt and have it in 2 ways.

Note: (a)Sweet version:- Add milk and sugar or jaggery (b)Salty version:- Add butter milk and pepper powder or green chilly Tip: How can we come to know that ragi is cooked or not? If the colour become very dark then it is ready.

Paneer Tikka

• Panner - ½ kg (cut into cubes of 3 cm)
• Onion - 2 (Cut into cubes)
• Tomato - 2 (Cut into cubes removing the seeds)
• Capsicum - 1 (Cut into cubes)
• Spinach- 1 bunch (Boiled)
  
• Ginger paste - 2 tsp
• Garlic paste - 4 tsp
• Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Green chilly - 3 No.
• Mint leaves - 1 small bunch
• Cream - 3 tsp
• Corn flour - 2 tsp
• Chick pea flour - 3 tsp (fried)
• Lemon juice - 3tsp
• chat masala powder - 1 tsp
  
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - as required
• Tooth pick - as required

1. In a vessel add 2 tsp ginger paste, garlic paste, salt, red chilly paste, 1 tsp lemon juice and panner mix all together and keep it a side for 15 mints to marinate.
2. Now in a blender add boiled spinach, green chilly and mint leaves, blend this into nice paste.
3. After 15 mints remove the panner from the marination and discard the excess liquid.
4. In a bowl add cream, spinach paste, 2 tsp ginger paste, cornflour, chickpea flour, salt, remaining lemon juice and 2 tsp oil. mix well.
   
5. Gently apply this mixture over the panner and keep aside.
6. Now in the remaining mixture add the onion, tomato and capsicum, apply all over it.
7. Place the panner and the vegetable on the high rack  on microwave safe plate and grill for 15 - 20 mints. till brown on all sides.
8. Reposition it frequently .
   
9. Take the tooth pick and arrange one by one, first capsicum then tomato, onion and panner. Arranging is your choice.
10. Now sprinkle chat masala and serve it hot.

Low fats: Channa – Moong chaat

• Bengal gram – 20grm (whole)
• Green gram – 20grm (whole)
• Fresh lemon juice – 5grm
• Cumin seed – ½ tsp
• Red chilies – 2 to 3
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 3grm
• Pepper powder – to taste

1. Soak both the gram over night.
2. In the morning drain the water, tie in a wet muslin cloth and hang it. Keep the cloth moist by sprinkling water over it in between.
3. Keep it for a day so that it sprouts.
4. Heat oil, add cumin seed, red chilies, sprouted grams and little water.
5. Cook it by covering for 5 minutes or pressure cook for a minute.
6. After switching off the gas add lemon juice.

Low fats: Tomato Soup

Take a piece of bread and roast it and serve the soup by keeping the bread on the top of the soup

• Tomatoes – 350grm(chopped)
• Carrot – 55grm(chopped)
• Onion – 30grm(chopped)
• Corn flour – 30grm
• Milk – 300ml
• Water – 750 ml
• Pepper powder – to taste
• Salt – to taste

1. Cook all the vegetables in water with pepper powder and salt till tender.
2. Now drain the water and make pure of it.
3. Now in another pan mix milk and corn flour to make white sauce.
4. Cool the sauce and then add the puree gradually.
5. Now reheat the soup and serve hot. If you want more seasoning you can add.

Low fats: Wheat Dosai (or) Ragi Dosai

• Wheat flour or Ragi flour – 250gm
• Mustard – ½ tsp
• Ginger – 1 small piece(chopped)
• Onion – 1 big(chopped)
• Chilies – 2-3(chopped)
• Oil – for seasoning
• Curd – 1 tsp

1. Add water and salt to the wheat flour and mix well to make a pouring consistency batter.
2. Heat oil and sauté the chopped ingredients till the onion turn to golden brown.
3. Add this fried to the batter.
4. Add the curd to the batter and keep it for fermenting for 4 to 5 hours.
5. Now in non-stick dosa pan make dosa without oil and serve hot.

Low fats: Amaranth curry (Thandu kerai)

• Amaranth – 3 bunches (Chopped)


• Salt – 1 tsp


• Oil – 1 tsp


• Mustard – 1 tsp


• Black gram dal – ½ tsp


• Green chilies – 3

1. Heat the oil.


2. Add mustard seeds, black gram and split red chilies and fry.


3. When the dal turns light brown add chopped amaranth leaves, water and salt. Cook till soft.

Low fats: Veg. soup

• Veg stock or water – 750 ml
• Celery – 60gms
• Onion – 60gms
• Tomatoes – 120gms
• Turnip – 60gms
• Corn flour – 30gms
• Milk – 300ml
• Pepper powder – to taste
• Salt – to taste

1. Chop all the vegetables.
2. Cook in the veg stock till tender or in water.
3. When it cooked well strain the stock and make a pure.
4. Now in another pan mix milk and corn flour to make white sauce.
5. Add this white sauce to pure with pepper powder and salt.
6. Reheat this again and serve. If you want you can add some boiled vegetables at this time for more taste.

Low fats: Grilled Fish

• Fish – ¼ kg


• Ginger – 1 piece (Paste)


• Lemon – 1 medium size


• Salt – to taste


• Red chilies – to taste


• Food colour – orange(Optional)


• Ajwain or Omum – ¼ tsp

1. Wash the fish pieces nicely.


2. Make a masala with ginger paste, lemon juice, salt, chilly powder, color and Ajwain. Rub over each fish and leave it to marinate for 1 to 2 hours.


3. Grill the fish or bake them in oven at 375 degree faranite or can be cooked in non stick pan with lid.


4. Serve hot, garnished with lemon slice. Onion rings, coriander leaves or ketchup or mint chutney or as desired.

Low fats: Sprouted green gram pachadi

• Sprouted green gram – ½ cup


• Onion – 1tsp (finely chopped)


• Coriander leaves – ¼ bunch


• Dry red chilies – 4 (Chopped)


• Curds – ½ cup


• Mustard – ½ tsp


• Oil – ½ tsp

1. In a big bowl mix green gram, coriander leaves, onion and curds.


2. In a pan heat oil. Add mustard and chilies.


3. Add this to the curd mixer and mix with salt and serve it chilled.

Low fats: Greens Masial

• Greens -  2 small bunches (any green leaves except palak or spinach)


• Asafetida – 1 pinch


• Urad dal – ½ tsp


• Curry leaves – as required


• Cumin seed – ½ tsp


• Dry red chilly – 2(finely chopped)


• Salt – to taste


• Oil – 1 tsp

1. Boil and mash the greens.


2. In a pan add oil, put cumin seed, red chilly, urad dal and curry leaves till it turn into brown.


3. Switch off the stove and add asafetida and salt.


4. Pour this over the mashed greens and again mash all to gather once again.


5. Now it is ready to serve with rice.

Low fats: Cauliflower kurma

• Cauliflower – 100gms


• Onion – 10gms (finely chopped)


• Tomato – 10gms (finely chopped)


• Oil – 5 gms


• Salt -  to taste


• Chilies – to taste


• Garam masala – a pinch


• Turmeric powder – a pinch


• Coriander leaves – as required

1. Wash and grate the cauliflower. Steam it a little.


2. In a pan put some oil and fry onion till brown.


3. Now add tomatoes and cook it well.


4. Add the cauliflower, chilies, garam masala, turmeric and salt; fry it nicely in low flame.


5. Add water as required.


6. Cook till the gravy thickness.


7. Now ready to serve by adding coriander leaves over it.

Low Cal Palak Paneer

• Spinach – 2 bunches (shredded)
• Paneer – 100gms (made from cows' milk or fat removed milk)
• Garlic – 1 flake (crushed)
• Ginger – ½ tsp (grated)
• Green chilies – 2 (finely crushed)
• Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
• Sugar – ¼ tsp
• Wheat flour – ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder – 3-4 pinches
• Cinnamon clove powder - 3-4 pinches
• Asafetida powder - 3-4 pinches
• Garam masala powder - 1 pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Lemon juice - to taste

1. Boil the spinach in minimum water till soft and bright.
2. Drain it and cool it. Grind it with flour, ginger, garlic and chilies.
3. Heat a heavy or nonstick pan, add all the seeds.
4. When roasted add asafetida and ground spinach.
5. Add all other ingredients, except paneer and lemon juice.
6. Stir, cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
7. Add paneer and lemon juice, stir gently.
8. Simmer further for 2 minutes.
9. Pour into serving dish. Serve hot with wheat flour phulkas, or steamed brown rice.

Masala Murmure

• Puffed rice or pori or murmure – 4 cups


• Oil – ½ tsp


• Turmeric powder – a pinch


• Asafetida powder – 2 to 3 pinches


• Green chilies – 2 (chopped)


• Curry leaves – as required


• Salt - to taste


• Citric acid – 1 pinch (powdered)

1. Heat oil in a pan so that it can contain murmure.


2. Add chilies, curry leaves, turmeric, asafetida, stir.


3. Add murmure, sprinkle the citric acid, stir very well from below.


4. Take from the fire, if required, to avoid burning at the bottom.


5. Toss very well till flavors blend and let the murmure cool.


6. Let it cool completely before storing in airtight container.


7. Serve as an anytime snack.

Wheat Flour Au Gratin

• Milk – 4 cups


• Wheat flour – ½ cup


• Paneer or cottage cheese – 1tbsp (grated)


• Mixed vegetables – 2cups (chopped, boiled)


• Onion – 1 (finely chopped)


• Ginger – ½ “ piece (grated)


• Green chili – 1 (finely chopped)


• Salt - to taste


• Pepper - to taste

1. Put wheat flour in a dry pan to heat. Stir continuously, till aroma comes. Do not brown flour before that empty and keep aside to cool.


2. Add chopped onion to same pan, stir and cook till it become transparent, now add ginger, chilies and stir. Add 3 cups milk, bring to a boil.


3. Mix flour in remaining milk to make a smooth paste without lumps.


4. Add veggies to boiling milk and stir it. Add salt and pepper to make the milk floured. Stir continuously till boiling resumes.


5. Simmer till thick, stirring continuously.


6. Adjust taste with salt and pepper. When thick pour into a shallow casserole or baking dish.


7. Sprinkle cheese, allow cooling completely.


8. Bake in preheated oven at 200 degree Celsius for 15 minutes.


9. Serve hot with wheat bread toasts, or rye bread chunks.

Low Cal Chaat

• Puffed Rice or pori or murmure – 3 cups


• Onion – 1 (finely chopped)


• Tomato – 1 (finely chopped)


• Cucumber – ½ (peeled and finely chopped)


• Pomegranate seeds – ¼ cup


• Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp(finely chopped)


• Tamarind chutney – 1 tbsp


• Green chutney – 1 tsp


• Cumin seed – ½ tsp (crushed)


• Cornflakes – ¼ cup (crushed)


• Salt - to taste

1. Put all ingredients in a large deep bowl.


2. Toss with hand till well blended.


3. Put in individual serving bowls or a large dish.


4. Serve immediately, and do not allow getting soggy.

Crispy Cabbage

• Cabbage – 2 cups (shredded)


• Green chilies -2 (slit)


• Curry leaves – as required


• Coriander leaves - 1tsp(finely chopped)


• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp


• Asafetida powder – 2 pinch


• Garam masala – 1 pinch


• Salt - to taste


• Cumin seed – ½ tsp


• Mustard seed – ½ tsp


• Urad dal – ¼ tsp


• Amchoor powder – ¼ tsp


• Oil – ½ tsp

1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan.


2. Add cumin, mustard and urad dal. Let it splutter.


3. Add asafetida, green chilies, curry leaves, turmeric powder stir for a minutes and add cabbage and salt.


4. Toss lightly with spoon.


5. Sprinkle garam masala and amchoor powder. Toss it again.


6. Cook for 3-4 minutes stirring continuously till it is crisp.


7. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve it hot.

Spinach Soup

• Spinach (1 bunch) – 2cups (shredded)
• Bottle gourd – 2 tbsp (grated)
• Salt - to taste
• pepper - to taste
• Water – 2 cup

1. Wash spinach well. Put in a large vessel sprinkle 2-3 pinches of salt let the water boil for 3 to 4 minutes and now add bottle gourd and spinach to it.
2. Boil it on high flame by covering it, till soft. Take off from the fire.
3. Pour cold water over it.
4. Blend in a mixer till smooth.
5. Now in a deep pan add water and the blend mixer.
6. Add all other ingredients.
7. Bring to a boil.
8. Now ready to serve.

Cucumber Raitha

• Cucumber – 1 cup (grated)


• Curds – 2 cups(fresh)


• Cumin powder – 1 tsp


• Red chili powder – ¾ tsp


• Salt - to taste


• Coriander– 1 tbsp (chopped finely)


• Cumin – ½ tsp

1. Beat curd till smooth


2. Add all ingredients


3. Mix well and chill for an hour before serving.

Crunchy Healthy Salad

• Cucumber – 1(finely chopped)


• Tomato – 1(finely chopped)


• Onion – 1 (finely chopped)


• Carrot – 1(grated)


• Boiled potato – 1 small(finely chopped optional)


• Raw mango – 1 slice (finely chopped)


• Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)


• Green chili -1(finely chopped)


• Wheat – ½ cup (puffed)


• Makhanas – ¼ cup (puffed)


• White vinegar – 1 tbsp


• Sugar – ½ tsp(powdered)


• Lemon juice – ¼ (extracted)


• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp (powdered)


• Salt - to taste

1. Break makhanas in to pieces, keep aside.


2. Mix all ingredients, except makhanas and wheat.


3. Chill till required.


4. Toss in makhana pieces and puffed wheat.


5. Serve immediately to keep the crunch intact.