Palak Pakoda

This is the best way to feed spinach for kids. These are very crispy and delicious  fritters.

Ingredients

• Palak/spinach leaves - 1 cup
• Onion finely chopped - 1 cup
• Green chillies - 1 finely chopped
• Besan/ bengal gram flour - 1/2 cup 
• Rice flour - 1/4 cup 
• Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Preparation

1.Discard the stem and wash the spinach leaves, drain the water and chop it finely. Chop onions finely and keep it ready.

2.In a bowl, mix together chopped onions and salt. Add 2 tsp hot oil to it and knead all the three together nicely with your hands.

3.Add the chopped palak leaves, coriander leaves, fennel seeds, ginger-garlic paste, besan, red chilli powder and rice flour and mix well with your hands. Add water if needed.

4.Heat oil in a kadai. Reduce the heat to medium and drop roughly shaped balls directly into the oil. Fry until golden brown.

Aloo Matar

This is the dry version of Aloo Matar. It goes well with rice and chapathi.

Ingredients

• Potato  - 3
• Fresh Green peas -1/2 cup
• Onion  - 2
• Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder -2 tsp
• Chilli powder -3/4-1 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder -3/4 tsp
• Cumin Seeds -1 tsp

Preparation

1.Wash, peel the skin and chop potatoes into cubes. Cook peas with a little salt until tender.

2.Heat oil ina pan, add cumin seeds, when it splutters, add chopped onions and curry leaves. Saute onions until transparent.

3.Add cubed potatoes, turmeric powder and cook covered on medium flame stirring in between.
Once the potatoes are half cooked, add salt, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder and cook covered until potatoes become tender.

4.Add peas and cook for another 5 minutes until everything gets blended well with the masala.Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves. 

Sweet Paniyaram

Ingredients

• Wheat flour – 1/2 cup
•  Small banana – 1 
•  Jaggery – 1/3 cup
•  Rice flour – 2 tsp
•  Cooking soda – a pinch
•  Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp
•  Grated coconut – 2 tbsp
•  Salt 

Preparation

1.Dissolve jaggery in very less water, filter it and keep it aside to cool.

2.In a bowl, mix together wheat flour, mashed banana, rice flour, cooking soda, cardamom powder, salt and grated coconut.

3.Add jaggery water and mix well. Add more water and mix well to form a lump free batter with idli batter consistency.

4.Cook it uncovered in a paniyaram pan until golden brown. (Here I didnt use the paniyaram pan instead I deep fried small portion of batter in oil.)

Mushroom Fry

Ingredients

• Mushroom - 200 gram
• Maida - 1/2 cup
• Corn flour - 1/4 cup
• Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Bread crumbs - 1 cup
• Water
• Salt

Preparation

1. Mix all ingredients except bread crumbs and mushroom  in a bowl  to make a thick batter.

2. Dip the mushrooms into it and coat evenly. Roll the mushrooms in bread crumbs until coated thoroughly.

3. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry it until golden brown.

Bun Upma

Preparation is almost same as Bread Upma.

Ingredients

• Buns - 4-6 (depends on size)
• Butter - 1 tsp 
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Green Chillies - 2
• Onion - 1
• Tomato - 1
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Preparation

1.Heat butter in a pan and let it melt completely. Toss the buns in a mixer for 1 minute.

2.Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, onions and stir fry them. Mix everything till the onions turns translucent.

3.Add tomato and mix well. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and cook it till the tomatoes turn soft.


4.Add the bread pieces in the tomato mixture and toss them well to coat all the bread pieces well. Serve hot.