Gateway to cooking

Ingredients Grated Carrot 3 cups Double cream 1 and a half cup Sugar 1 cup Cardamom 1 pod crushed Butter or Ghee 3 Tablespoon Grate carrots. Heat ghee or butter in a pan. Now add grated carrots and saute it for about 5-10 minutes. Once the carrots are soft add double cream, sugar and crushed cardamom. Mix well and cook on a low flame (stirring occasionally to prevent sticking) until the cream is completely absorbed Now remove the carrot halwa from heat and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

As it was healthy eating week at my daughter's school last week, all the pupils were asked to take part in a healthy sandwich recipe competition and guess what? My daughter won the competition and she got a box full of vegetables...... you can see the picture below. She is so excited so i just thought to share the recipe with you folks. Just half an avocado will provide one of your recommended five-a-day portions,but did you know avocados are as good for your outside as your insides; sliced into quarter-inch crescents and left on the tender skin under the eyes for 20 minutes they act as a natural face-pack, with fantastic results.

Ingredients Pasta 350g Mixed vegetables 1/2 cup Ham cut in cubes 1/4 cup Basil leaves 4-6 Garlic 1 clove Bread crumbs 1/4 cup Butter 2 tbsp Flour 2tbsp Milk 1 cup A pinch of nutmeg Pepper 1 teaspoon Extra vergin olive oil Freshly grated parmesan cheese Method Blanch the vegetables. In a medium pan warm butter. Add flour,milk, pepper and salt and simmer until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and add vegetables, ham and a pich of nutmeg. Mix well and keep it aside. Grind garlic and thyme in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add breadcrumbs and mix well. Put some olive oil in a pan and fry this mixture until the breadcrumbs turns crisp and golden brown. keep it aside. Meanwhile, heat a large pot of salted water and cook pasta until al dente. When ready, drain the pasta. Serve the creamy vegetable sauce spooned over the drained pasta,sprinkle toasted bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and serve hot.

Ingredients Chicken breast 500g Meat masala 1 tablespoon Chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon Ginger small piece chopped Garlic 2 cloves chopped Onion 1 Tomato 1 Juice of half lemon Soy sauce 3 tablespoon Tomato ketchup 2 tablespoon Green chillies 2 Bell pepper medium size 1 Oil to fry Salt to taste Method Cut the chicken breast into small pieces. Marinate it with lemon juice, meat masala and salt for 1 hour. Fry the chicken pieces until it is done. In a pan pour 3 tablespoon of oil and add corriander powder, chilli powder and turmeric and saute until brown. Add onion, ginger and garlic and fry until onion turn soft. Now add tomato, soya sauce and tomato ketchup and fry until soft. Now add the chicken pieces along with green chillies and bell pepper. Mix well and remove from the fire once the pepper begin to soften.

Ingredients Minced lamb 500gm Onion chopped 1 1 small tin chopped tomato Peas,carrots,corn chopped 1 cup Stock cubes 2 Grated cheese 1/2 cup. Water 1/2 cup Pepper For the mash Potatoes 3-4 big ones Milk 50ml Butter 75gm/3oz Method Saute onions in oil over medium heat. Add vegetables and tomatoes and cook until soft. Add minced lamb,stock cubes,a pinch of pepper and water and cook for 15 to 20 minutes and check the seasoning. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Mash it with milk and butter. Place cooked lamb mixture in baking dish. Distribute mash potato on top. Sprinkle with grated cheese and cook in the oven-gas mark 6, for 30 minutes or until it is bubbling and golden.

Ingredients Medium ripe banana/Nenthrapazham 3 Egg 2 Sugar 2 tablespoon Dessicated coconut 1 tablespoon Cardamom powder to taste. Oil for frying. Method Cut banana into 2 to 3 pieces. Blanch the pieces in boiling water . Peel off the skin. Slice the banana in half and remove the black seeds with a sharp knife. Mash the banana into a smooth dough without adding any water. Keep it aside. For the filling Mix eggs with sugar. Heat oil in a pan. Add the egg mixture and stir well until it gets a scrambled egg consistency. Add dessicated coconut and cardamom powder. Mix well and remove from heat. Try not to burn the coconut. Let it cool. Grease your palm and make lemon size balls out of the banana dough. Flatten it to a small round shape and fill 1 teaspoon of scrambled egg mixture into it. Fold the edges and press lightly. Now roll it and shape it like rolls. Deep fry and serve hot.