PEDA

Ingredients:
1) 3/4 cup paneer
2) 3/4 cup milk powder
3) 3/4 cup milk
4) 1/2 cup sugar as needed
5) 3 tbsp unsalted butter or ghee
6) 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
7) 1 tsp sliced pistachios

Method:
1) Heat the frying pan on medium. Add butter and let it melt.
2) Next add milk, milk powder, and paneer. Mix it well.
3) Cook mixture on medium heat stirring continuously until mixture starts leaving the sides of the frying pan and becomes like dough. This should take about 12 minutes. This is called as Khoya.
4) Transfer the khoya into a bowl and let it cool off until khoya becomes just lukewarm.
5) Mix the sugar and cardamom powder into the khoya and knead it for about a minute until every thing blends together and become soft dough.
6) Divide the mix into about 12 equal parts and roll them into round balls. Lightly press it down so it looks like small patty.
7) Put few pieces of sliced pistachios on every peda.
8) Pedas should be served at room temperature.
9) Pedas can be kept for few days at room temperature and about a month refrigerated.

Note:
1) Pedas will become soft when the sugar is mixed while khoya is hot.

MASALA PEANUT

Ingredients:
1) 3/4 cup peanuts
2)1/4 cup gram flour
3)2 tbsp rice flour
4)1/2 tbsp coriander powder
5)1/4 tsp turmeric
6)1/2 tsp red pepper as needed
7)1/4 tsp black pepper
8)1/2 tbsp finely chopped green chili
9)2 tsp ginger powder
10)1/2 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
11)1/4 teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)
12) pinch of citric acid
13)1/2 cup Water as needed
14)Oil to fry

Method:
1)In a pan roast the dry peanuts on medium heat for 3-4 minutes and cool for few minutes.
2)Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
3)Add water as needed making sure the spices and flour stick to the peanuts uniformly.
4)Heat atleast 1 inch of oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
5)While putting the peanuts into oil, loosen them with your fingers to make sure the peanuts are separated and do not form lumps. Peanuts should be separated while frying.
6)Fry the peanuts until they turn light brown, turning them occasionally.
7)When they are done cooking, take them out of the oil with a slotted spoon. Place them on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil.
8)After cooling to room temperature, the peanuts should be crispy.
9)Masala Peanuts can be stored for a month in an airtight container.

Note:
To check if the oil is ready, put one drop of batter in the oil. The batter should raise to the top.

PEERKANGAI THOL CHUTNEY

Ingredients:
1) peerkangai thol - 1 1/2 cup
2) onion - 1 cup
3) red chilli - 1
4) urad dhal - 2 tsp
5) 1 sprig curry leaves
6) small piece of tamarind
7) oil and salt as required

Method:
1) Remove the ridge portion of peerkangai and use the remaining portions.
2) Soak tamarind pieces in little warm water for 5 minutes.
3) Heat the pan, add little oil and roast the urad dhal.
4) Add curry leaves and red chilli. saute it for a minute.
5) Add onions and fry till it becomes golden brown. Keep it aside.
6) In a seperate pan, add little oil and fry peerkangai thol for a while.
7) Mix the 4) ingredients to 5) and add tamarind paste. cool it.
8) Grind the above mixture to a fine paste.
9) Serve with idly, dosa.

NAN KHATAI

Ingredients:
1) maida flour/all purpose flour - 1/3 cup (5tbsp +1tsp)
2) sooji/semolina - 1/3 cup
3) besan/gram flour - 1/2 cup
4) unsalted butter - 1/2 cup
5) cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
6) sugar - 1/3 cup
7) sliced almond - 1 tbsp
8) cashew/pistachio - 1 tbsp
9) pinch of baking soda

Method:
1) Bring butter to room temperature and it should not be too watery or too tight. [ Avoid using microwave].
2) Mix maida, sooji, besan, baking soda and cardamom powder in a vessel and keep it aside.
3) In a bowl, mix butter and sugar. Beat till it becomes fluffy (2-3 minutes).
4) Add the 2) ingredients little by little to 3) and knead to make a soft dough.
5) Divide the dough into 20 equal parts and make them to ball.
6) press each ball between palms lightly and draw tic-tac-toe.
7) keep almonds/cashew/pistachio in the center of tic-tac-toe and place on the cookie sheet.
8) Bake the cookies to 375 degree (for about 15 minutes).
9) Cool the cookie for 2-3 minutes in room temperature.
10) Store all the cookies in a air tight container and serve with tea or coffee.

IDLY

Ingredients:
To make Batter:
1) idly rice - 3 cup
2) urad dhal - 1 cup
3) fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
4) salt as required

Method:
1)soak idly rice,urad dhal & fenugreek seeds seperately in water for overnight.
2) wash and grind urad dhal - fenugreek seeds by adding water to a coarse texture consistency.
3) wash and grind rice by adding water to a fine texture consistency.
4) combine urad and rice batter. Add required amount of salt to batter and mix well. close it with a lid.
5) keep it aside and leave it to ferment(it may take 2-4 days).
6) when the batter is well fermented, it is ready to make idly.
7) consistency of batter should not be too watery or too tight.
8) pour the batter in a idly stand and place it in a vessel with boiling water and close it with a lid.
9) steam cook for 15 minutes and idly is ready.
10) Remove the idly stand from the vessel and cool for few minutes and using spoon take out the idlies.
11) serve with coconut cutney,sambhar and idly-milagai podi.