Broccoli Rice (Broccoli Bhath)

Ingredients:

Broccoli florets - 3 cups
Rice - 1 cup
Cashew nuts (halved) - 1/2 cup
Ginger (grated) - 2 tsp
Cilantro or Mint (chopped) - 1 cup
Green chilies - 1 or 2
Cloves - 2 or 3
Cinnamon - 2" piece
Cardamom - 2
Bay leaves - 2
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Vangi bhath powder - 2 tsp
Fresh lemon ( juice ) - 1 Tbsp
Ghee (optional) - 2 Tbsp

Procedure:

• Cook rice with 1 and half cups of water. Keep it aside.
• Add oil to a pan on medium heat. When the oil is hot add cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, green chilies followed by cashew nuts.
• When the cashew nuts turn golden brown add turmeric, broccoli florets and salt. Cover and cook for 7 to 10 minutes.
• Next add vangi bhath powder and mix well. Cover and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Turn off the heat. Next add cooked rice, ghee and lemon juice. Mix well and cover and keep for 5 minutes before serving.

Goes well with yogurt. Vangi bhath powder is available in most Indian grocery stores. In case you can't find it you could follow this Vangi bhath powder recipe.

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Almond Cookies

Ingredients :

Almonds - 1 and 1/2 pounds
All purpose flour - 2 and 1/2 pounds
Butter - 1 pound
Brown sugar - 1 pound
Powdered Sugar. 1/2 pound
Milk - 1/2 cup
Baking soda - 1and 1/2 tsp
Baking powder - 2 and 1/2 tsp
Vanilla Essence - 5 tsp

Procedure :

• Bring butter to room temperature.
• Ground almonds coarsely in a food processor and keep them aside.
• In a large bowl add all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar, butter and mix thoroughly.
• Next add almond powder and knead it well.
• Mix milk and vanilla essence and sprinkle it all over the dough.
• Leave the dough for 5 to 10 minutes to set.
• Once the dough is set roll it into lemon sized balls. Place them on a cookie tray.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Once baked take them out of the oven and let them cool down.
• Once cooled down roll them in powdered sugar one at a time.

My grand children love these cookies. I got this recipe from my friend Kusum Behan.

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Pakodilu ( High protein Pakoras )

Ingredients:

Moong dal - 1 cup
Urad dal - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger (grated) - 1 tsp
Green chilies - 1 or 2
Cilantro (finely chopped) - 1 cup
Oil to deep fry.

Procedure:

• Soak moong and urad dal in water for 5 to 6 hours.
• In a food processor grind together urad dal, moong dal, cumin seeds and green chilies into a smooth batter using required amount of water.
• Add grated ginger, chopped cilantro and salt to taste. Mix them well.
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed dish.
• When oil is hot put several spoonful of batter into oil and deep fry.
• Flip them half way through until they are golden brown on both sides.
• Drain them onto a paper towel.

A great tea time snack. Goes well with apple butter chutney. While grinding if you use a wet grinder instead of a food processor the dough comes out fluffy and pakoras will be softer.

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