~*~Baked Potatoes with Cheese~*~

Baked Potatoes with Cheese

Ingredients:

½ tsp Salt 
3 Curry leaves 
1 tbsp Corn Oil 
2 tsp Tomato Puree 
½ tsp Chilli Powder 
½ tsp Ground Cumin 
½ tsp Ground Coriander 
4 medium Baking Potatoes 
225 gms Low-Fat Cottage Cheese 
½ tsp mixed Onion and Mustard seeds 


Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F/Gas 4. 
Wash, pat dry and make a skit in the middle of each potato. Prick the potatoes a 
few times with a fork, then wrap them individually in foil. Bake in the 
preheated oven for about 1 hour until soft. 
Transfer the cottage cheese into a heatproof dish and set aside. 
In a separate bowl, mix together the tomato puree, ground cumin, ground 
coriander, chilli powder and salt. 
Heat the corn oil in a small saucepan for about 1 minute. 
Add the mixed onion and mustard seeds and the curry leaves and tilt the saucepan 
so the oil covers all the seeds and leaves. 
When the leaves turn a shade darker and you can smell their beautiful aroma, 
pour the tomato puree mixture into the saucepan and lower the heat immediately 
to low. Add 2 tablespoons of water and mix well. 
Cook for further 1 minute, then pour the spicy tomato mixture onto the cottage 
cheese and blend everything together well. 
Check that the potatoes are cooked right through. Unwrap the potatoes and divide 
the cottage cheese equally between the 4 potatoes. 
Garnish with the mixed salad leaves, fresh coriander sprigs, lemon wedges and 
tomato quarters. 


Tip: If you run out of breadcrumbs for cutlets, you can use crushed cornflakes 
or fine, sieved semolina.

~*~Masala Dosa~*~

Masala Dosa

Ingredients:

1 cup plain rice.
1 cup parboiled rice.
1/4 cup white udad dal.
1/2 tsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
1 /2 tsp soda bi carbonate
1/2 cup curds the batter.
10-12 tsps. ghee or oil as preferred

water for grinding

Method:

Wash the rices and dal together.
Add plenty of water and methi seeds.
Allow to soak for 7-8 hours or overnight.
Rewash the rice by draining the water 2-3 times.
Grind to a paste. Rawa -like grains should be felt in
Add soda bicarb and salt and mix well.
Keep aside in a warm place for 8-10 hours. Beat the curds well.
Add to the batter, add more water if required.
The consistency of the batter should be
enough to thickly coat on a spoon when dipped.
Heat the iron griddle or non-stick tawa well.
Pour a spoonful of batter in the centre, spread
with the back of the spoon to a thin round.
Pour a tsp. of ghee or oil over it.
Spread chutney spread over dosa.
Place a tbsp. masala in the centre.
Fold into triangle to cover masala.
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Remove with spatula when crisp.

Serve hot with chutney and/or sambar.

For masala:

Ingredients

2 large onions in vertical slices
2 large potatoes boiled and peedled
4-5 green chillies
1 tbsp. chopped coriander
8-10 cashews halved
1/2 tsp. each udad dal, cumin & mustard seeds
2 tbsp. oil
1/4 tsp. turmeric
salt to taste
Chop potatoes coarsely. Chop green chillies.
Heat oil, add cashews and brown lightly.
Add dal, seeds and splutter.
Add chillies and onions. Fry till tender.
Add turmeric, salt, potatoes, coriander.
Mix well.

~*~Garlic Cold Prevention and Remedy~*~

Garlic Cold Prevention and Remedy

Garlic (Allium sativum) is not only a culinary mainstay, but also an antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal tonic. 

To help prevent or lessen the severity and symptoms of a cold, eat two cloves of raw garlic at the onset of symptoms. 
Chopping or mashing garlic releases the herb's full potential as the active component, allicin, forms only on contact with air.

To make garlic oil, crush a few cloves into some olive oil. Let the oil sit for a few days at room temperature, and then strain. 
If you use powders, tinctures or other commercial garlic products, choose those standardized for allicin content. 


For a less-intense flavor, put garlic in applesauce or mix with honey. 
To avoid garlic mouth, don't chew it and it won't stay on your breath.

~*~Chocolate-Berry Trifle ~*~

 Chocolate-Berry Trifle 

4 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 packages (4-serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix 
1 cup crumbled low-fat brownies (made with fat-free or low-fat brownie mix)
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup blueberries 
Add the milk to the pudding mix and prepare according to package directions.
Distribute half of the brownie pieces over the bottom of a medium-sized glass serving bowl and layer with half the vanilla pudding, 1 cup strawberries, 
and 1/2 cup blueberries. 
 
Repeat the layers, using the remaining ingredients.

Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

 
OPTION 
If fresh berries are not available, you can substitute thawed frozen berries. 

~*~Foods that make Christmas special~*~

Festive time is always the time for a feast! From the cakes to wine, take a look at the food that makes the Christmas feasts always special.

What ever be the origins of Eggnog, it is one of those special concoctions which set the spirits alive during Christmas. It is a great drink to enjoy with friends and family and it sure will pep you up. In photo: A glass of Best Eggnog is seen. For a real taste of eggnog you need to try the Best Eggnog recipe that uses the traditional raw eggs as the main ingredient.

Cutout cookies are a treat you cannot do without. You can get imaginative about them when you bake them. Kids adore it and the funkier the shapes, the merrier the kids are. In photo: Decked Out Christmas Tree Cutout Cookies are seen. Have fun while decorating these cookies.

What is a Christmas without a cake? Making the cake is a tradition in itself. The dough is mixed with the entire family in assembly. It is easy to grab one at the bakers, but then, making one at home is always special. In photo: This is it, the 'perfect' vegan chocolate cake developed after painstaking testing in the test kitchens of Cook's.

From its humble origin as a ginger candy, the gingerbread evolved. And now, people spend time and meticulously design them and deck them up. In photo: Gingerbread houses are seen in the lobby of the Park Plaza Regency Lodge hotel in Omaha.

Vegans excuse! The traditional Christmas meal is not complete without the stuffed turkey. Dig in! In photo: Chef Todd English's holiday meal of southern fried turkey, beignet brussel sprouts, pumpkin gravy, bacon aoli, and honeyed cranberry cream at his restaurant, "Olives" in Charlestown, Mass.

The candy cane gives the meal a festive touch. The reds and whites of the candy cane goes perfectly well with those chocolate fudges or brownies! In photo: This Candy Cane Brownie is very fudgy with a delicious crispy top.

courtsey : yahoo news

~*~Manchurian Dosa~*~

Manchurian Dosa

  Ingredients: 150 gms urad dal (black gram)
500 gms rice
10 gms methi (fenugreek) seeds
50 gms chana dal (Bengal gram)
250 gms carrots
150 gms beans
100 gms green peas
5-6 green chilies, chopped
150 gms spring (green) onions, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
A small piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 tsp soya sauce
1 tsp chili sauce
1/4tsp ajinomoto
2 tsp corn flour
Few coriander leaves, chopped
Salt to taste
50 gms oil
  Manchurian Dosa
  
  Method:  

  Soak urad dal, rice, methi seeds, chana dal in water for 1-2 hours. Drain the water and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside for 6-8 hours until it gets fermented.  
  Cut the carrots, and beans into small pieces and boil until they are tender along with green peas. Drain the water and keep aside.  
  Heat oil in a pan and fry the chopped green chilies, ginger and garlic pieces. Also add boiled carrots, beans, green peas, soya sauce, ajinomoto, chili sauce, little water and cook for a while.  
  Mix little water to the corn flour and mix well. Add this to the above carrots mixture and mix well. Sprinkle green onions and coriander leaves and remove from heat. The manchurian curry is ready.  
  Heat non-stick dosa pan and rub the pan with wet cloth. Now make dosas from the above dosa batter. Add the curry on the top and spread throughout the dosa. Sprinkle little oil, roll the dosa and remove. Repeat for the remaining dosas.

Serves: 6-8

Preparation time: 30-40 minutes