Re: MW Date-Rolls - ideal for Navarathri “give-away” sweets! Dear Chithra, looks very delicious and easy to make too.Shall try for A's birthday tomorrow, I have much dates with me an condensed milk is also at hand.
MW Ukkarai - I used my FP as well! Gram dhal - 1 cup Jaggery - 1 ¼ cup Gratd coconut - 2 tbsp Cardamom powder - 1 tsp Cashews - 6,7 Ghee - 4 tsp Spread gram dhal in a plate & MW medium for 4-5 mts, stirring once in between, till aroma comes. Remove, cool & soak in 2 cups of water for 2-3 hrs. Pressurise with the same water for 7 mts on low after the first whistle comes. Cool, open & drain. Grind using the mincing bladeof FP, as fine as possible, adding maximum 1-2 tbsp of water, towards the end. Grind adding the jaggery gradually. It will become a paste. Transfer to a shallow microbowl with 2 tsp ghee. MW Hi for 5 mts. Then MW on Med for about 20 mts, stirring every 5 mts & checking. When it becomes small clusters, remove & cool. When thoroughly cooled, run in the mixi for 1 mte to make it completely granular. Spread coconut in a plate & MW medium for 3-4 mts till dry. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a small ladle & fry cashews. Add to the dish with cardamom powder. Heat the remaining ghee & fry the coconut for a mte to golden colour. Add to ukkarai.
MW Poha Chivda - No more deep frying, please ! Thin variety poha - 1 cup Unsalted peanuts & roasted channa dhal (pottukadalai) - 3 tbsp, each Finely chopped green chillies & curry leaves - 2 tsp each Salt, haldi Powdered sugar - to taste Citric acid crystals - a pinch Oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Place the poha in a shallow MW container & MW Hi for 1 mte. Set aside. In another MW container, combine oil with Mustard seeds & MW Hi for 2 mts. Add green chillies, curry leaves, both the nuts & haldi. MW Hi for 1 mte. Add this to poha, mix well & MW hi for 1 more mte. Remove & add citric acid, sugar & salt. Cool thoroughly & store air tight.
MW Paneer-Methi - Quick-to-make, but delicious with roti! Chopped methi leaves - 1 ½ cups Paneer 1 cm cubes - 200 gms or 1 cup Thinly sliced onions - /2 cup Chopped tomatoes - 11/2 cup Chilli powder - 1 tsp Salt, haldi, sugar Oil 1 tbsp Combine paneer, ¼ tasp haldi, ½ tsp red chilli powder, a pinch of salt and 1 tsp oil in a MW plate. Mix well so that all paneer pieces are coated with the masala. MW Hi for a mte & keep aside. In a micro bowl, combine remaining oil & onions. MW hi, covered for 3 mts, stirring once in the middle. Add tomatoes, remaining haldi, sugar, remaining salt & chilli powder, methi leaves & 1 tsp of water. Cover & cook on Hi for mts, stirring twice in the middle. Add the cooked paneer, mix well & MW Hi for 2 mtes. Serve hot.
MW Mint Thokku - goes with tiffins, bread, roti, rice….. Mint leaves - 2 cups Green chillies - 3-4 (or to taste) Ginger - 1 “(or more) Tamarind paste - 2-3 tsp Salt Grind all the above adding, minimum water, to a paste. Oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp In a shallow bowl, add oil & MW hi for 1 mte. Add mustard seeds & MW hi for 2 mtes. Add the paste & MW on nedium first & medium Lo till oil floats, stirring in between. It takes about 25-30 mts. Stir every 5 mts. Served, here, with uthappam.
MW Tomato Thokku - keeps for a week. Tomatoes - ½ kg Red chillies - 8-10 (or to taste) Salt Oil - 2-3 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Hing - ½ tsp Chop tomatoes & immerse red chillies in warm water for 10 mts to facilitate grinding. Grind tomatoes, red chillies & salt to a paste , without adding water. Heat oil in a shallow casserole & MW hi for1 mte. Add mustard seeds & hnig & MW Hi for 2 mts. Add the paste &MW on medium for 15-20 mts, stiiring frequently or till oil floats. On Stovetop: Heat oil in a kadai & temper mustard seeds & hing. Asdd paste & cook, stirring, on medium fire till oil floats.
MW Croutons - use up left over bread! 2, 3 day old bread is good enough. Do not trim the edges. Cut each slice into 9 or 12(if big) pieces. The flavour can be minced garlic or jeera or ajwain. Use butter or refined oil or olive oil. Bread slices - 4, cubed Garlic - 1-2, minced fine Or Jeera or ajwain ½ tsp Take oil + flavouring in a bowl & MW Hi for 1 mte. Remove & add bread cubes. Mix well & MW Hi for 2 mts. Remove & keep on stiring till they become crisp. Some MW ovens may take 30 secs extra. Can be preserved for 2-3 days. Serve with hot soup.
MW Malai Burfi - spare just 7-8 mts? Collect the malai that settles on top of the milk on cooling. Keep refrigerated till you get 1 cup. Malai - 1 cup Sugar - ¾ cup Ghee - 1 tbsp Nuts - to garnish Mix the first 3 ingredients in a MW bowl. MW Hi for 7-8 mts (stirring ever 2 mts) till the mass leaves the sides of the vessel. Empty on a greased plate & garnish with nuts. Cut when cool.
MW Wheat Flour Halwa - unbelievably easy “wheat halwa” ! Wheat flour - 1 cup Milk - 1 cup Sugar - 1 cup Ghee - 1 cup Cardamom powder - ½ tsp Saffron colour - a dash Cashes, broken - 2 tbsp Take ½ cup ghee in a big micro bowl & MW Hi for 2 mts. Add wheat flour, mix well & MW hi for 4 mts, stirring once after 2 ms. Add milk, whisk to blend & MW Hi for 2 mts. Add sugar & colour & MW Hi for3 mts. Last add the remaining ½ cup ghee, cashews & cardamom powder & MW Hi for 2 mtes. Serve hot.
Jiffy Malai chocolate - made with collected malai! Remove the top of the milk, strain to remove milk & collect in the fridge. Malai - 1 cup Sugar - ¾ cup Drinking chocolate (or Boost) - 2 tbsp Mix everything in a large MW bowl. Cook on Hi for 10-12 mts, stirring every 2 mts. When it becomes a mass & is ready to leave the vessel, remove. Stir till it becomes like a dough. Spread in a greased tray & cut. This is a delicious chewy sweet.