Milk chocolate cookies

First time i ate white chocolate chip cookie from M&S in dec, 2010...... i liked it a lot.. so then after i started buying from that shop......

One day i thought, why can't i prepare them and i tried them, they came out really good and here is the recipe....

Preparation time : 30 - 45 mins
Makes : 24 to 36

Ingredients :

White chocolate chips : 2 cups
Shortening (or Margarine or butter) : 1 cup
Plain flour : 1 1/2 cups
Brown sugar : 1 cup
White sugar : 1/2 cup
eggs : 2
Vanilla extract : 1tsp
Baking soda : 1 tsp
Salt : 1/8 tsp

Method :

Preheat oven to 160C \ 310F
Line a baking sheet with non stick baking parchment and keep aside.
Now with an (electric) whisk beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy.
Slowly beat in the eggs and vanilla essence.
Add sifted flour and beat until incorporated.
Beat in the white chocolate chips once.
Put the mixture in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes (It is easy to handle when chilled)
Remove from fridge and divide the mixture into balls.
(If you want big cookies make big balls, if you want small cookies make small balls)
Roll them into cookies.
(You can even directly bake them without keeping them in fridge)

Place the cookies on the baking sheet, leave room for them to spread/ bloom as they bake.
Bake in the oven for 12 minutes for a soft cookie or 15 - 17 minutes for a crunchy cookie.

Remove and allow to cool for 20 minutes before moving.
(If your cookies spread tooo far means not enough flour / too much butter or egg)
Store them in an air tight container.
If you are looking for a change then you can remove a third of the chocolate weight and replace it with hazelnuts, strawberries or raspberries.
Enjoy yummy yummy cookies :)
Thank youu, do post your comments !!!

Badam milk powder (or) Almond milk powder

Badam powder taste really good and this home made powder makes excellent badam milk

Preparation time : 15 mins
Makes : 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients :

Almonds : 1 cup
Sugar : 1 cup  (or) to taste
Almonds + cashew nuts : 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder : 1 tsp (or cardamoms : 8)
Saffron : pinch

Method :

Dry roast almonds a bit, the purpose is to remove any moisture in them so that you can grind them to a fine powder.
After switching of the flame, add saffron.
Let them cool completely.
Take a blender add almonds, saffron, sugar and grind them to a fine powder.
(If you are using cardamom you add that also)
If you are using cardamom powder add it.

Slice almonds and cashew nuts.

Mix these sliced nuts in the powder we prepared.
Badam milk powder is ready to use.
You can store it in an air tight container.
This stays fresh for months.

To make 2 cups of cold badam milk :
Mix 2tbsp of Badam milk powder in 2cups of milk, chill it for at least one hour and then serve ....

For hot badam milk, boil two glasses for milk, add badam powder we prepared, boil for one minute.
Serve it hot.

Enjoy your badam milk hot or cold :)
Thank you, do post your comments !!!

Badam Halwa (or) Almond Halwa

Badam halwa is a very popular sweet and tastes delicious.

Preparation time : 30 mins approx
Makes : 1 cup / Serves : 3

Ingredients :

Almonds / Badam : 1 cup
Sugar : 1 cup
Milk : 1/4 cup approx
Saffron : few strands
Ghee : 2 tbsp


Method :

Soak almonds for 2 to 3 hours.
(If you are in a hurry soak them in warm water for less time)

Peel the skin. As you soaked them the skin will come out easily.

Blend peeled almonds and milk together in a blender.
(Milk should be enough to cover them)
Blend them it into a little coarse paste.
Take a pan , heat it.
Add ghee, as ghee melts add badam paste and give it a quick stir.
Add sugar.
Constantly stir the mixture as it can stick and burn from bottom.
Add saffron and constantly stir as it boils from bottom.
Add 2 tbsp of ghee while it is boiling.
Constant stirring is must till ghee starts oozing out.
Once halwa separates out ghee it is ready.
Take it into a bowl.
Enjoy your dish :)
Thank you, do post your comments !!!

why should you avoid papaya while pregnant

Pregnancy and nutrition go hand-in-hand. Not only do the foods that you eat affect you, they also affect your unborn baby. Whole grains, lean proteins, vegetables and fruits are the makings of a healthy diet for mommy and baby. While shellfish and undercooked meats and proteins should not be on an expectant mother's menu, NYU Langone Medical Center also suggests also suggests passing up the papaya.

Ripeness Concerns

Concerns over papaya and pregnancy often lead to confusion. Fully ripe papayas do not present a problem for pregnant women and are actually a healthy source of vitamins A and B, potassium and beta-carotene. It is however, the unripe papaya that poses a threat. Unripe papayas contain pepsins in their latex that may induce contractions and lead to miscarriage, according to a British Journal of Nutrition report. Instead of worrying whether papayas are ripe enough to eat, pregnant women may want to eliminate the risk and avoid papaya all together.

Papaya Prostaglandin

The milky white latex within the pulp of unripe papayas congeals and turns sticky when exposed to air. Papain is the powerful pepsin within this latex often touted as a helpful digestive enzyme. Despite the digestive benefit, papain in unripe fruit mimics the prostaglandins, which physicians sometimes use to kick-start the labor process. Aside from contractions, a PubMed abstract explains that papain from unripe papaya may also weaken vital membranes that are necessary to fetus survival.

The Latex Connection

Miscarriage is not the only concern when it comes to eating unripe papaya during pregnancy. Although some women may not even realize it, a latex allergy is more than simply an allergy to the gloves used in a physician's office or hospital. A latex allergy may cause a pregnant woman to have a dangerous reaction to certain foods that contain latex, papaya being one of them. The New York State Department of Health explains that anyone with a latex allergy may also be allergic to bananas, apples, chestnuts, wheat, rye and a series of other foods that contain plant latex.

The Bottom Line

The papain pepsins are present in the latex of the papaya when the outer skin is green. As the papaya ripens, the skin loses its green pigment, turning completely yellow when fully ripened. Yellow-skinned papayas contain very little, if any, latex. The British Journal of Nutrition reports that even the minutest amounts of latex may be dangerous for women who have a history of spontaneous abortion or premature labor due to increased contractile activity within the uterus.

sabudana kichidi (or) saggubiyyam kichidi

Sabudana khichdi is a maharashtrian dish.
Sabudana also known as tapioca makes a great khichdi. This recipe is mildly spiced and peanuts give it a light cruch and great taste. Tapioca khichdi is great for break fast or as a snack and it tastes really delicious.

Preparation time : 30 min + 2 to 6 hours
Serves : 2

Ingredients :

Sabudana / sago / tapioca / saggubiyyam : 1 cup
Roasted Peanut powder : 1/2 cup
Potato : 1
Green chili :  2 slit length wise
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Lemon juice : 1 tsp
Hing : pinch
Grated coconut : 1tbsp (optional)
Turmeric powder : pinch
Coriander leaves : few
Curry leaves : few
Salt : to taste

Method :

Soak sabudana for 2 to 6 hours.
(If sabudana is still hard then soak them for 2 more hours. Soaking time fully depend on type of sabudaana you are using , if you are in hurry you can soak them in warm water for less time)
Chop potatoes into small cubes.
Heat oil/ghee in a pan. (It takes little more oil i.e some 4 to 5 tbsp approx)
Add cumin seeds, hing, slit green chili, turmeric powder and curry leaves one by one by sauting them a bit.
Add chopped potato cubes and stir well.
Let them cook (You can cover and cook) till they are light brown on outside.
Add sabudaana and mix gently.
Let it cook for 10 to 15 mins stirring occasionally and scrap the sabudana layer from the bottom of the vessel.
Cook them till saabudana becomes translucent , shiny and pearl like colour.
Now add roasted peanut powder and salt.
Stir very well to make sure that everything is mixed good.
Add grated coconut and garnish with coriander leaves.
Sprinkle some lemon juice.
Serve it hot.
Enjoy your dish :)
Thank you , do post your comments !!!

Hot Lemon (or) Nimmakaaya kaaram

Preparation time : 10 mins
Makes : 1/4 cup

Ingredients :

Lemons : 6
Oil : 6 tbsp
Salt : to taste
Chili powder : to taste
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/4 tsp
Urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Red chili : 1
Curry leaves : 10
Hing : pinch
Fenugreek seeds powder : pinch

Method :

Take a pan, heat it.
Add oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, red chili, curry leaves , hing, fenugreek seed powder one by one . Saute them a bit.
Switch off the flame.
Add chili powder, salt, and lemon juice.
Mix well.
(If you want you can add roasted dals powder, it will reduce spiciness and gives more quantity).
This goes well with dal rice or even with curd rice.
Enjoy your dish :)
Thank you, do post your comments !!!

Naan kathai

Naan kathai is one my favourite bakery item and here is the recipe for one of it.

Preparation time : 45 mins
Makes : 18 to 20

Ingredients :

All purpose flour / Maida : 1 cup
Sugar powder : 1/2 cup
Baking soda : 6 pinches (or) 1/2 tsp
Butter / Ghee / Lard : 1/2 cup
Chopped nuts : 2 tbsp

Method :

Sieve all purpose flour, sugar powder and baking soda together.
Mix it with butter.
Make a dough, knead it once.

Make them into shapes as you needed.
Sprinkle nuts on top.
Arrange them in a thick flat bottom vessel.
Leave some space between each other, as they increase in dimentions.
Take dosa tawa, heat it to max, then place this vessel on top of tawa, reduce flame to minimum.

 Cover it and bake it for 20 to 30 mins.

Let it cool down for 10 mins.
Take them out into a plate.
Instead of all purpose flour you can also use besan or gram flour.
Enjoy your yummy  yummy naan kathai :)
Thank you, do post your comments !!!

Jilledu kayalu (or) Modak

 This is a traditional / authentic dish especially prepared on the occasion of ganesh chaturdhi.

Preparation time : one hour
Makes : 20

Ingredients :

All purpose flour (or) Maida : 1/2 cup
Rice flour : 1/2 cup
Water : 1 1/4 cup
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 1 tsp

Method :

Take a bowl, heat it , add water, salt and oil to it.
Mean while, Mix both the flours and keep them aside.
Once water boils, add this flours mixture, mix it once fully and cook for 5 mins.
Switch off the flame.
Take a damp cloth, transfer this into that cloth, close it and press it.
Make a dough out of it and keep in that cloth only.
Let it cool down a bit.

Keep this aside.

For stuffing - there are two types
 one sesame seed powder, other with coconut

For stuffing one :

Sesame seed : 1/2 cup
Sugar : 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder : 1/4 tsp

Dry roast sesame seeds .
When almost done, sprinkle few drops of water, fry it once.
Let it cool down completely.
Grind sesame seeds and sugar into a fine powder.
Mix cardamom powder.
Keep this stuffing aside .

For Stuffing two :

Grated coconut : 1 cup
Sugar : 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder : 1/2 tsp
Cashew nut pieces : 2 tbsp

Mix coconut and sugar.
Take a pan, heat it, add the above mixture.
(water will come and cook it)
Cook it till it becomes dry.
Add cardamom powder and cashew nut pieces.
(For instant you can use dry coconut / dessicated coconut and sugar powder in 1:1 ratio, mix them both and use it as a stuffing).
Keep this stuffing aside.


Now take the dough that we prepared.
Make them into lemon size balls.

Take two covers , apply oil to them.
Press them in pressing machine, in between two covers.
or if you don't have press machine keep it in between two covers and roll it using rolling pin.

Take jilludi kaya mould , keep this puri in it, add 2tsp of stuffing.
 or if you don't have mould , keep stuffing and fold it in half , press the edges and then make marks with fork.

Close and  make jilludu kayalu.

Take it out.

Now take a plate, apply oil to it.
(you can make them in modak shape too and if you make them as balls then they are vundrallu).

We used another kind of mould , so we got a design on top.

Arrange prepared jilludi kayalu in that plate.
Steam cook them for 10 to 15 mins or cook it till colour changes.

For Naivedyam / Prasadam we prepare some as dhanam pette - stuffing between two rounds and a plus sign on top.

Yummy, yummy jilledu kaayalu are ready to enjoy.
Enjoy your dish :)
Thank you, do post your comments !!!

Arati puvvu pulusu (or) Banana flower stew

Preparation time : 30 mins
Serves : 4

Ingredients :

Banana flower : 1
Small onions : 16
Garlic whole : one
Tamarind : small lemon size ball
Green chili : 2
Sesame seeds : 3 to 4 tbsp
Turmeric powder : pinch
Salt : to taste
For seasoning :
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds : pinch
Red chili : 2
Green chili : 2
Curry leaves : one spring

Method :

Open banana flower and remove that thing white thing and long string from each one.

Grind them with salt and a tbsp of water.

Grind it in such a way that it is not too paste.

Wash it very well under running water till you see a color change in it.
Keep it aside.

Take a pan, heat it , add tsp of oil.
Add ingredients listed for seasoning one by one and saute them a bit.
Add onion and garlic.
Add little amount of tamarind juice, salt, turmeric powder.
Fry them once just for 2 to 3 mins.

In a pressure cooker take this one in a bowl and that ground washed banana flower in another bowl.
Pressure cook them for one whistle.
Take a bowl , add tamarind juice, add this onions thing and add squeezed cooked banana flower paste.
Let them boil.
Grind sesame seeds, green chili and salt to a fine paste.
Add this to the stew.
Let it cook for some time (10 to 15 mins).
Enjoy your dish :)
Thank you , do post your comments !!!

Banana Flower curry (or) Arati puvvu kura - 1

Preparation time : 1/2 hour
Serves : 3 to 4

Ingredients :

Banana flower : one
Potato : 1
Grated coconut : 1/4 cup
Ghee : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon stick : 1" piece
Cloves : 3
Cardamom seeds : 3
Red chili powder : to taste
Salt : to taste
Garam masala : 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder : pinch

Method :

Banana flower and how to separate those two things ....

This is the final thing that will be left at last.

We use to eat this (It has calming effect on your body).

Dry roast cinnamon stick, clove, cardamom .
Make a fine powder with this and keep it aside.
Remove those two things white one and the long string from banana flower .
(We call them as dongalu and pillellu in our language).
cut them into small pieces .

Cook them in pressure cooker keep them aside .
Peel and cut potato into small cubes , cook them and keep them aside.
(You can cook both these pieces and potato in same pressure cooker in different vessels for 2 whistles )
Take a pan heat it, add 2 to 3 tbsp of oil.
Add cumin seeds let them saute a bit.
Add cooked potato cubes.
Once the potato is fried a bit, squeeze water from those cooked banana flower pieces and add them.
Let it fry for some time.
Add chili powder, salt, garam masala, turmeric powder.
Let it fry once again.
Add the spice powder that we prepared (according to taste) and then fry once.
Add freshly grated coconut and fry once.
Add ghee and saute it a bit.

Serve it with hot rice.
Enjoy your dish :)
Thank you, do post your comments !!!

Allam kaaram (or) hot ginger

Preparation time : 40 mins
Makes : 1/4 to 1/2 cup

Ingredients :

Ginger : 250 grms
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Salt : To taste
Chili powder : To taste

Method :

Wash ginger very well .

Peel ginger.

Cut it into pieces.

Grind ginger (with out adding even a drop of water).
Take a pan heat it.
Add oil, cumin seeds , saute them a bit.
Add ground ginger.

Fry till ginger is dry and golden brown in colour.
This will take some time , be patient ;)

Add salt and chili powder.
Sieve it once.
Serve it hot with white rice.

Enjoy your dish :)
Thank you, do post your comments !!!