• 1 cup Ari/ pathiri podi * (rice powder)
• Salt, as required
• Water, as required
• 1/4 Cup Split Chana dal (soaked at least for 4-5 hours)
• 2 medium plantains/ Kerala banana, slit and chopped
• 1 cup White granulated Sugar
• Salt,a pinch
• 1 box Shredded coconut
• 1+ 1 1/2 cups warm Water
• 3 Cardamom pods
• 3 tbsp Pachari/ white rice (soaked in water at least for 1/2 hr) 

1. In a bowl, add the ari podi/ rice flour and add in the salt, add enough water and make into a dough (not too loose not too tight)
   
   
   
2. In a clean banana leaf/ aluminum foil, make thin dumplings by applying oil over your hands, and taking a small ball of the dough on one palm and rolling with the help of the other hand's index finger, into a small and thin cylinder shape. Heap them all together and steam the ari pidi/ rice dumplings for 20- 25 minurtes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small pot, cook the soaked split Chana dal in water with little salt and cook until soft and not mushy.
4. Once the ari pidi has steamed, sprinkle water over the steamed dumplings, this step helps the pidi from not sticking to each other.
5. Extract the thick milk from the shredded coconut , by adding the shredded coconut to a mixer grinder, add in the warm water, and cardamom pods. Sieve, squeeze and extract the thick milk and set aside.
   
   
   
6. To the same ground and squeezed coconut add it into the mixer, and pour the 1 1/2 cups warm water and repeat the process of extracting again, this is the thin coconut milk/ second
   
   
   coconut milk.
7. In a large pot, add in your slit and chopped plantains, sugar and the extracted thin coconut milk and a pinch of salt, allow to cook until the plantains are tender.
8. Meanwhile, make a paste by grinding teh soaked white rice with very little water.
9. Into the pot, add the steamed and cooled ari pidi, cooked Chana dal and bring it to a boil. Check if sugar or salt is required. 
10. Next add the ground pachari paste and mix simultaneously and allow to thicken.
    
    
    
11. Finally add in the thick coconut milk and increase flame, one bubbles starts to form at the edges, switch off the flame. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!
    
    
    

• 100 gms good quality bittersweet dark chocolate 
• 4 tbsp Butter
• 3 Eggs
• 3 tbsp Granulated Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
• A pinch of salt

1. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C.
2. In a double boiler (placing a heat proof bowl over a saucepan with some water that has been boiling, in such a way that the water does not come in direct contact with the bowl or the chocolate sauce), add your chopped bittersweet dark chocolate and butter, combine well using spatula, set aside to cool down, at least for 5 minutes.
3. Next separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. 
4. Now, add the egg yolks to the melted chocolate sauce one at a time and ad in the vanilla essence and combine using a whisk.
5. In a deep clean bowl, add your egg whites and beat till foamy, now gradually 1 tbsp at a time add in your sugar and whip up the egg whites using a hand held beater and whip to stiff peaks, stop immediately you see stiff peaks,.
6. Next, fold in the stiff egg whites into the chocolate batter in 3 parts (do not dumo the egg whites all together)
7. Butter your ramekins (small ceramic bowls)and coat them in sugar, and remove the excess by tapping and discarding the extra sugar.
8. Into your ramekins, add your chocolate Soufflé batter and level it using a spatula .
9. Now using your thumb, clean or make a small well at the edges of the ramekins using your thumb.
   
   
   
10. Place your ramekins in your preheated oven. Set the temperature to 190 deg C and allow to bake for around 15 minutes/ until they are firm to the touch and have rised,but if you shake the ramekins, they are a bit wobbly in the centre.
    
    
    
11. If making on stove top, in a sauce pan, pour some water, and place a steel bowl upside down and allow to come to a boil on high heat with the lid on. Open lid, and place your ramekin on the inverted steel bowl and close lid and allow to cook for approx 15 minutes. Put the flame on medium high for the first five minutes and then on medium low for the last 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for until warm to the touch and serve.
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. Drizzle some Nutella, add whipped cream and place some berries or cherries and enjoy! 

• Make sure you use good quality dark chocolate /bittersweet chocolate.
• Do not whip the egg whites for too long, as it will get difficult to incorporate the stiff egg whites into the chocolate batter and can result in a cracked Soufflé.

• Roasted Semolina, as required
• 2 cups Hot water
• 1/2 cup carrot, chopped
• 1/2 cup French beans. Chopped 
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp split urad dal 
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1 sprig curry leaves 
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• 1/4 cup Onion, chopped
• 1- 2 tbsp Szechuan chutney (based on spice level)
• Salt, as required

1. In a non stick saucepan, heat coconut oil and ghee. Once the oil is hot add your mustard seeds, allow to splutter. 
2. Next add your urad dal, dried red chillies, and curry leaves and ginger garlic paste.
3. Add your chopped onions, add salt, Sautee well.
4. Next add in your chopped veggies and mix well, allow to cook.
5. Add in your szechuan chutney and saute. Now add water and salt as required.
6. Slowly add in your roasted semolina little by little in a slow motion to the salted water and keep mixing simultaneously using the othe hand, making sure not to make lumps.
7. Once the upma reaches a consistency not too soft or not too thick, stop adding the semolina/ rava. Mix well, and place lid and keep it on the lowest flame and allow to simmer for around 5 minutes.
8. And voila! Your Szechuan Upma is ready!! 

• I have not mentioned the quantity for rava as some people like it thick, some like it more poriddgy.. 
• Technically, 3 cups water is required for 1 cup rava
• But for 2 people that quantity will be too much.
• Around 3/4 of a glass of water is perfect portion size for 1 person.
• I’d suggest to keep slowly adding the rava/ semolina and mixing vigorously until desired consistency is achieved. (Stop adding right before you think that the consistency is correct, as the rava thickens when it comes in contact with hot water)
• I also suggest to only use roasted rava/semolina for better results.

Do try this recipe and don't forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it. ♡♡♡♡

• 1/2 cup/ 4 Egg whites (must not contain egg yolks)
• 1/2 cup - Fine sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice  
• 1 1/2 tsp Corn Flour
• 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
• A pinch of salt

• 1/4 Cup of Coconut milk powder/ store bought Coconut Cream
• 1-2 tbsp warm water
• 100 gms Fresh Cream
• 2- 3 tbsp Sweetened Condensed Milk 
• 1 tbsp Dessicated Coconut

• Mango, cubed and scooped
• Sour Cherries
• Mint leaves, for garnishing

1. Make sure to wipe the bowl clean with lemon so that no grease remains in your mixing bowl, (if grease remains, the egg whites will not get whipped with stiff peaks).
2. Draw a cirle of 7-8 inches using a plate etc on a baking sheet and fip the baking sheet.
3. Beat the egg whites using a whisk attachment and once it starts to look frothy, sprinkle the sugar 1 tbsp at a time and whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Next, add in your lemon juice, corn flour, vanilla and salt and fold the ingredients gently.
5. Transfer the prepared meringue to your baking sheet, using a spatula, carve the meringue with the cirl drawn earlier. Make a slight depression/ using the spatula, swipe the spatula upwards to make markings all over the sides to make it look like a crown.
   
   
   
6. In a preheated oven, of 140 deg C, allow the Pavlova to bake for around 1 hour and 15 minutes and allow the Pavlova to sit and cool in the oven itself, for at least an hour or preferably overnight. The Pavlova will have a slight change in shade of color and the outer will feel dry and hard, while the insides remain soft.

1. Mix the coconut milk powder with little warm water and make a paste. 
2. Add the fresh cream to the coconut milk paste and fold in the fresh cream.
3. Pour the condensed milk and add the Dessicated coconut and combine.
4. Place in refrigerator and allow to cool and thicken before filling the meringue.
5. Fill the Pavlova wuth the coconut cream, right before serving and top with cubed mangoes and place cherries. 
6. Garnish with mint leaves and Enjoy!

• I have made my coconut cream here, you may use whipped cream if you like.
• Make sure not to peep inside the oven while the oven bakes your meringue/pavlova as the resultant temperature differences can cause the pavlova to crack and notattain the perfect texture.
• The baked pavlova can stay in the oven preferably overnight, so that it cools down completely.
• You may store the baked meringue in an airtight container for a few days if not using immediately. 
• Once you add in your whipped cream you have to consume immediately. 
• If you want to store in the fridge, you may do so, but the meringue will not remain crisp and crunchy.

• 1/2 medium size Onion, sliced
• 2 sprigs Curry leaves
• 3 tbsp Coconut Oil
• 3 green Chillies, slit
• 1/2 medium size Tomato, chopped
• 3 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut 
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder 
• 1 tbsp Fennel Seeds
• Salt, as required
• 1 tsp ghee

1. In an earthen pot, pour the coconut oil and Sautee your sliced onion.
2. Add salt for the onions to turn translucent .
3. Next add in your curry leaves, and slit green chilies, Sautee well.
4. Now add in the chopped tomato, mix well and close lid, allow to become mushy.
5. Next make a coconut paste by grinding shredded coconut, turmeric powder, fennel seeds and little water and grind to a smooth paste.*
6. Open the lid, and crack in your eggs and allow to cook for around 2 minutes and add in your ground paste, cook for around 3 minutes on medium low and you are done!
7. Add in a tsp of ghee for that extra richness.
8. Enjoy with mabalar Ari rotti/ Chappathi and some delicious fish fry like this. 

• Make sure to add enough water, as the earthen pot drains the moisture.
• *Do not add too much water, as you will get a smooth fine paste. 
• Do not keep the coconut paste boiling for too long it might come out a little curdle-like. Once the curry starts boiling switch off and place lid as the earthen pot will do the rest of the cooking.

For the Chilli oil:

For the chicken marinade:

For the Filling:

Instructions :

To assemble :

• 3 Ripe Plantains
• 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
• Salt, as required
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup Quick Oats
• Oil, for frying

• 1/2 cup White granulated Sugar
• 2 tbsp Butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup heavy cream/ thick cream, room temperature 
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence, optional
• Blanched and Chopped Almonds, for garnish 

1. To prepare the Caramel Sauce, in a heavy duty sauce pan, heat sugar, stirring comstantly. Sugar will start to melt and once it reaches an amber color, reduce heat as you don't want to burn it.
2. Ps: Please be precautions when you make caramel sauce, as it bubbles rapidly and can cause burns if distance is not maintained.
3. Next, add your room temperature butter and stir in until melted and combined.
4. Allow to cook for half a minute, slowly pour the heavy cream, little at a time and stir it in.
5. Remove from heat and add salt and vanilla essence if desired.
6. Allow to cool slightly before using the sauce.
7. To prepare the plantain sushi rolls, dip the plantains in the all purpose flour slurry (made using flour+water+salt) and then coat in the oats well.
8. Shallow fry/ deep fry until golden and crisp.
9. Serve immediately with the caramel sauce prepared earlier and top with blanched and chopped almonds.

• Make sure to use room temperature butter and whipping cream / thick cream for better results.
• The sugar might look like it’s crumbling when it’s starts to melt, it’s quite normal, it will melt completely after a while.
• My caramel sauce looks a bit pale as I was in a hurry and did not wait the sugar to turn amber in color. 
• You may also add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for added deliciousness.

• 2 tsp Ghee/ Clarified Butter
• 3 onions, sliced finely
• 1 tbsp Garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp Ginger, crushed
• 2 medium Tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 bunch Spinach/ palak, blanched in salted hot water, cooled in ice water and pureed
• Mint and Coriander leaves, as required, pureed
• Salt, as required
• 1 tsp Garam Masala 

• 1/2 cup oil for frying
• 1/2 kg chicken  
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice 
• Salt, as required
• Green Food Coloring (optional)

• 3 tsp Ghee
• 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 Onion, finely sliced
• 8-10 Cashews
• 3 Cloves
• 1 inch piece Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Cardamoms
• 2 sprigs Curry leaves
• 3 cups Jeerakashala Rice, washed and drained
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 2 Maggi Chicken Cube
• 1 tsp Green Food Coloring (optional)
• Salt, as required
• Lemon juice, as required

1. Marinate chicken as per the ingredients mentioned below chicken marination and set aside.
2. Slice Potatoes, sprinkle salt and fry them in oil, set aside.
3. Fry the chicken pieces for around 15- 20 minutes , drain and set aside.
4. Now to make the masala, blanch the spinach and cool with ice water, puree along with coriander and mint leaves.
5. In a large pot, pour the oil that was used to fry chicken and ghee.
6. Next, saute the sliced onions with some salt until translucent.
7. Next add the crushed ginger garlic and saute until raw aroma disappears.
8. Now add your chopped tomatoes, allow to cook well.
9. Next add in the pureed leaves and herbs, saute with salt and garam masala. Pressure cook the masala for 1 whistle if not mushy enough.
10. In a large non stick rice pot, fry the onion until golden brown and crispy for the rice in ghee and vegetable oil and set aside.
11. Now add in the whole spices like cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamom, add in your washed and drained rice and Sautee for a couple of minutes, to that add in the curry leaves, Maggi chicken cube, green food color ( if required) and salt, as required .
12. Pour water and allow to cook for 15 minutes and gently turn the rice over to check if cooked.
13. To the cooked masala, add in your fried chicken pieces and allow to boil on simmer for 5 minutes.
14. Squeeze lemon juice as required, check for seasonings, put on dum by putting the rice as a layer over the masal over which some fried onion and cashews are sprinkled.
15. Place the fried potatoes.
16. Cover the pot with aluminum foil, place lid and allow to be on dum for 1/2 hour at least.
17. Mix everything together. Serve hot and enjoy!

• 400 gms Marble Cake, store bought
• 2 Crème Caramel Sachet (prepare as per package instructions )
• 500 ml + 500 ml milk (for the crème caramel)
• 120 ml Milk (for the dream whip)
• 1 Sachet Dream Whip (prepare according to package instructions)
• 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
• 1/2 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/4 cup Thick Cream
• Cocoa powder, for dusting 

1. Slice the marble cake and layer the cake slices tightly without any gap.
2. Next, prepare the Creme Caramel according to package instructions and allow to cool, set aside.
3. Next prepare the cream mixture by beating the dream whip powder mix in some milk, according to package instructions, beat until thickens.
4. Next add in your condensed milk and thick cream, mix well. 
5. Finally add the cooled custard prepared earlier and combine well.
6. Pour the prepared custard cream over the marble cake and make another layer with the same method.
7. Seal and wrap well using a cling film and allow to set in the refrigerator overnight.*
8. Finally, right before serving dust some cocoa powder and enjoy!