Monuments.

@ Agra

Vegetable Biriyani.

Basmati rice                               : 3 cups
Water                                           : 6 cups

Ghee                                              : 2 table spoons

Cardamom                                   : 4

Cloves                                            : 3

Cinnamon                                     : 4

 Onion                                            : 2

Garlic                                             : 1

Ginger                                            : 1 piece

Green chilly                                  : 2

Beans                                             : 50 gm.

Carrot                                             : 3

Tomato                                           : 1

Salt                                                   : accordingly

Nuts                                                 : 50 gm.

Kismis                                              : 50 gm.

  

 Heat ghee in a pan. Fry cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, add garlic, ginger and green chilly.Add onions, add sliced beans and carrot. When it becomes half cooked, add  salt.Add basmati rice, saute well.

Boil 6 cups water in pressure cooker,add the mixture,pressure cook for ten minutes.

  Heat ghee and fry onions, nuts and Kismis. Add it to the rice-vegetable mixture. 

Garnish with tomato.Serve hot.

Chilli Gobi.

Ingredients.
Step 1

Cauliflower                     - 350 gm.
Maida                              - 1 cup
Cornflour                        - 4 table spoons
Kashmiri Chilli
Powder                            - 1 teaspoon
Pepper Powder                -1/4 teaspoon
Salt                                   - required
Water                               - required
Oil                                     - 3-4 tablespoons

Mix all well to prepare the batter.Dip cauliflower florets in the batter and deep fry.

Step 2

Sliced capsicum                     -1
Sliced spring onion               - 1
Chopped ginger                     - 1 table spoon
Chopped garlic                       - 1 table spoon
Slit green chilli                       - 3
Soy sauce                                 - 1 teaspoon
Chilli sauce (red)                    - 1 teaspoon
Vinegar                                     - 1 teaspoon
Salt                                             - required
Oil                                               - 1 table spoon

Heat oil,add ginger,garlic,green chilli,saute for one minute,add spring onion,capsicum,add soy sauce,chilly sauce.Stir well.Add fried cauliflower,add salt,spring onion,vinegar.
Garnish and serve.

Beef Biriyani.

Ingredients.
Step 1

Beef.                            1 kg.
Chilly powder            1 Table spoon
Coriander powder.   2 Table spoons.
Turmeric powder.    1 Teaspoon.
Pepper powder.         1 Teaspoon.
Garam masala.           2 Teaspoons.
Salt.     

Marinate beef with these and keep for 30 minutes.Cook in a pressure cooker until 3-4 whistles.

Step 2

Garlic-ginger paste.            2 Table spoons
Sliced green chillies.           3
Sliced onions.                       1 cup
Sliced tomatoes.                   3
Curd.                                       Half cup
Oil.                                           2 Table spoons

Heat a pan.Pour oil.Add garlic-ginger paste,saute for two minutes,add sliced onions, green chillies,stir till it becomes golden brown,add sliced tomatoes,stir for two minutes,add cooked beef,curd,stir well,adjust salt,cook it for around 5-10 minutes.

Step 3

Basmati rice.                    6 cups
Water.                               12 cups
Crushed cinnamon,
clove, cardamom.            2 Teaspoons
Ghee.                                  1 Table spoon
Bay leaves.                        2

Wash and drain the rice.Heat ghee in a pan,add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves,bay leaves,saute well,add rice,stir to make crispy.
Boil water in a pressure cooker,add salt,add rice mix, close the cooker,cook for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Onions.                  2
Cashew nuts.        50 gm
Raisins.                  50 gm
Coriander leaves/ 
Mint leaves,
Lemon juice           2 spoons.

Thinly slice onions.Fry in ghee.
Roast cashews and raisins.
Take a pan/ cooker.
Layer with alternative layers of rice,beef,fried onions, raisins, cashews, coriander leaves/mint leaves,lemon juice.
Heat the layered Biriyani for about 20 minutes.
Serve with salad and pickles.


             

                                   
                         

Grape Syrup Pudding.

Ingredients:

 Egg                                                     - 2

 Milk                                                    -2 cups

 Sugar                                                  - 6 spoons

 Butter                                                 - 1 teaspoon

 Vanila Essence                                  -1 teaspoon

 Grated nutmeg                                 - ¼ teaspoon

 Nuts                                                     - ¼ cup

Kismis                                                  - ¼ cup

Grape juice                                        -  3 cups
Sugar                                                   - 2 Table spoons
Ghee                                                    - 1 Teaspoon
Maida                                                  - 1 Teaspoon

Method.

Pudding.

Beat egg. Add milk, sugar, butter, vanilla essence and nutmeg. Apply butter in a pudding mould,  pour the mixture and add the nuts and kismis. Cover the mould  and cook in steam. Allow natural cooling.

Grape syrup. 

Mix grape juice,sugar,ghee & maida. Heat a pan,pour the mixture,stir continuously till it becomes a semi thick syrup.Allow natural cooling,garnish the pudding.Also spread some grapes around the pudding.Refrigerate for two hours and serve.

Solar Eclipse 2019 December 26 - Shadows on the wall of a house.

@ Perumbavoor,Ernakulam District,Kerala,India.

Solar Eclipse 2019 December 26 - Shadows under a mango tree...

Zoom in the picture to see the shadows of crescent shaped sun during the Solar Eclipse.

@ Perumbavoor,Ernakulam District,Kerala,India.

Chocolate Peanut Cake.

Ingredients.

Eggs                                     4

Flour                                    250 gm.

Sugar                                   250 gm.

Butter                                  250 gm.

Cocoa                                   2 table spoon

Vanilla essence                   1 teaspoon

Baking powder                    1 teaspoon

Sift flour and baking powder together. Cream butter and sugar till it becomes fluffy. Whisk egg. Add flour to it and whisk again. Add butter, sugar, vanilla essence and cocoa and whisk again. Grease a cake tin. Pour the mixture, bake at 180 degree C in a pre-heated oven for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Chocolate Icing.

Icing sugar            1 cup
Cocoa powder       2 Table spoons
Butter                          40 gm.
Milk                             1 Table spoon.
Chocolate essence     1 Teaspoon.

Method.
Sift  icing sugar and cocoa together.Add butter, milk and chocolate essence.Mix well.
Beat for two minutes.Apply on cake.
Spread peanut pieces on top.

Fragrance.

Little Roses Cake.

Ingredients:

Maida.                      120 gm

Sugar.                      100 gm.

Egg.                           3

Vanilla essences    1 teaspoon.

Baking powder.     1 teaspoon

Baking soda.            1/2 teaspoon

Sunflower oil.          100 ml 

Whipping cream.    200ml

Sugar syrup.              100 ml

Beat eggs.

Add vanilla,beat well.

Add sugar,beat well.

Add sunflower oil,beat well.

Add dry ingredients,stir well.

Bake in 180° pre heated oven for 45 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Beat whipping cream to stiff peaks.

Layer the cake.

Apply sugar syrup.

Apply whipping cream.

Repeat the process.

Cover the cake with whipping cream.

Decorate with suitable nozzles.

Allow to set in refrigerator for 2 hours before use.

Beetroot Kesari.

BEETROOT KESARI

Ingredients:

    
 1. Ghee /Vanaspati                       -1/2 cup

    
 2. Rava                                            -  1 cup

3. Grated beetroot                          -1 cup

         
 4. Water                                           - 1 ½ cup

  
   5. Sugar                                           -1 cup

           
 6. Cardamom powder                    -   1 pinch

Method

Heat ghee in a pan, add rava and roast well. Add grated beetroot, roast well. Add water, cook in a low flame.

Add sugar and roast. Add cardamom powder when the mixture becomes thick and stir well. Add the balance ghee and stir. Remove from heat. Apply some ghee in a tray, spread the mixture and level. Allow natural cooling, cut into pieces, garnish and serve.

Rambutans..

 Getting ready to ripe !!!

Rava - Apple Sweet

Rava – Apple Sweet.

Ingredients:

 1. Rava                               - 500 gm

            
2. Ghee  /Vanaspati                   -2 big spoons.

3. Ground & sieved apple - ½ cup

       
4. Hot water                           -2 cups

   
5.  Sugar                                 100 gm

          
6. Milk                                         - 1 cup / ( 3 teaspoons cornflour mixed in 1 cup water.)

      
 7. Cardamom powder            - 1 pinch

Method.

Heat ghee in a pan and fry rava. Add sieved apple and hot water .Stir well. When it becomes dry add milk and sugar. Stir well again. Keep in a low flame, add cardamom powder, stir well and roast. Remove from heat. Apply ghee in a tray and spread the mixture and level. Allow natural cooling, cut into pieces, garnish and serve.